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Another orchid post
This is a wonderful time of the year with Spring here in the Southern half of the planet and so a few more orchids…..
The first, an epiphyte from Northern India, Coelogyne flaccida. This plant has beautiful cascading flowers in early Spring and is great in baskets.
The next is a Cymbidium species. I have to say that I am not a fan of growing Cymbidium hybrids and prefer the species as they have their own shape and aroma. This is a beauty, Cymbidium eburneum
And finally a Dendrobium hybrid, D Sakura, a very easy growing and flowering plant.
The Cape a Trip…..part 1
This Easter we decided to go road tripping. Our eldest daughter, Isabelle, decided to ride from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg with her school adventure team and we decided to follow her. We left a week after she did, they had a few days off before starting and visited Table Mountain and Robben Island before starting the long ride to Pmb. We left and travelled via Richmond, a small town in the Northern Cape. We spent three days in Cape Town, the first was lovely and ended with. Walk up Constantia Neck. A steep walk and quite a tough decent. Anyway, I found. Few lovely insects going up and here they are….
Aloeides thyra
Lampides boutiques, mating pair
Dira clytus, the Autumn Brown. These were flying from Cape Town to Hogsback
Chrysoritis orientalis, the Eastern Opal, a beautiful and rare insect from the Southern Drakensberg.
I first heard of Chrysoritis orientalis many years ago when I first became interested in butterflies. My friend, Harald Selb, spoke of the Opals as if they were at the top of the butterfly chain of beauty. I would argue that he is not far wrong. I would have to wait a while before being introduced to this beautiful family of butterflies, a genus fairly common in the Cape but less so up here.
Anyway, the insect under consideration was discovered by Swanepoel in the Bushmans Nek area of the Southern Drakensberg in 1975. My first trip after the insect was in December 1992 when I made the trip up the the colony with Clive Quickleberge and Harald Selb. Despite finding interesting insects such as Neita lotenia and Seradinga clarki we did not meet the beautiful opal.
Over the years I made a number of trips up with my, then to be, wife, Tracey on these trips I collected a few specimens. Later, in 1996 I climbed the hill with Alan Heath and Tracey and I found larvae of the insect and we were able to identify the ants associated with it as well as the food plant. I also had the unique privilege of thing the first person to see one of these insects emerge from its pupa.
Since the collecting trip with Alan I have wanted to photograph the butterfly. A trip up with Clive Curtis in Dec 2013 resulted in our seeing one tattered female. This year we hoped would be different. Clive wanted stock video footage of the insect and I was after images of the insect. We planned a trip up in early November, it was very dry but the area had seen snow recently and we hope that this moisture might wake everything up.
The area is prone to thunder storm activity from mid day so we decided to meet in Howick at 05h30 and get up the hill as early as possible. We got to the Bushmans Nek Hotel just after seven and were at the colony at half past eight. On the way up I received a text message from Steve Woodhall asking for male upperside images for his upcoming e-book. We checked all the ridges and came across Aloeides penningtoni in a number of spots.
Aloeides penningtoni (Clive Curtis)
While at one of these spots filming and photo the A penningtoni we were treated by the appearance of a pair of the rare Bearded Vulture that flew low over us, I suspect two blokes lying on the ground might look very appetizing to these birds. This was a real treat.
The Breaded Vulture (Clive Curtis)
On arriving at the colony we began searching for the insect. Within minutes we had the first sighting and the fun began. The colony was in full flight. We spend the next three hours filming and photographing the butterflies. Here are some images.
Male C orientalis upperside (for Steve W)
Myself photographing the insects (Clive Curtis)
Clive wondering around with video gear searching for more insects to film
The view from the colony looking South.
A very successful day was had by both Clive and I, the sore! Tired legs were worth it!
A few more orchids in flower
This time of year sees a lot of my orchids in flower. Rather than loads of words this time just a few pictures of some of my plants that are in flower.
The first, Ansellia africana, the Leopard Orchid, this one showing a lot of West African genetics with the dark spotting.
Then a dainty Epidendrum, E radicans.
Then we have a very interesting Pahiopedilum, this time P hirsutissimum.
An inter generic hybrid, Rlc Husky Boy
Then a local plant, Polystachya pubescens
And finally Oncidium Moon Shadow ( apologies to Cat Stephens)
Paphiopedalum Leeanum
The slipper orchids are very interesting plants. Real oddities with lower petals being fused to form the "slipper". I have a number of slippers and currently have Paphiopedilum Leeanum in flower ( this hybrid is an old cross between Paphiopedilum insigne and Paphiopedilum spiceranum). P Leeanum is easy to grow and this really is a grea hybrid to grow.
This plant is young with only one flower but more mature plants might see up to ten flowers on a plant.
Anyway, no more other than the 100mm f2.8 diaphragm died and somthese were taken with a non L zoom lens. All are four or five stack images combined in Zerene Stacker.
Some unique and beautiful flowers…..now the orchids
Last week I posted a blog on some recently opened Stapeliads. These are interesting succulent plants from Africa, Arabian Peninsula and India. Now it is time to post a few recently opened orchids. No more words just photographs.
The first is Zygopetalum James Strauss, a rather interesting little plant with lovely flowers.
the next is Miltonidium Bartley Schwartz, a rather leggy flower spike but smells lovely.
and then we have one of my favourites, one of the slipper orchids Paphiopedilum leeanum, a cross between P insigne and P spicerianum. Really lovely compact little plant and interesting flower
Some more rather unique, odd and beautiful flowers.
The last two weeks have seen some interesting plants flower in the garden. A number of Stapeliads that were collected in a garden in Springbok (WC) have flowered (eventually) and we have some orchids popping up flowers as well.
First the Stapeliads, here in the first one, an Orbaea, species unknown but most likely a hybrid. Take a close look at the tiny hairlike structures on the edge of the petal.
The next is another Stapeliad ided as S asteroidea, or a gracile variant of S hirsuta. Lovely little flower.
Next is a favorite, two images of Stapelia granduliflora (one posted recently)


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URBANDALE, Iowa -- An Urbandale family is slowly putting their lives back together after their home flooded and then exploded Saturday.
Christina and Shane Rhoades said it was late in the evening when water came rushing into their Urbandale home and the couple was downstairs trying to stop the waterfall pouring in through the windows.
"We saw the lights flickered and we looked at each other and what sounded like a clap of thunder like it's right above you and next thing I know we were under water. Completely underwater and it was black. The wall duplex units gave way and our kids were upstairs and we were completely under water," Christina and Shane said.
Christina was able to swim to the basement ceiling get a breath of air and climb out of a window.
"Once we got out the window we realized the house was still up it was just the basement wall, we ran and got our kids and we ran up the hill. There's a duplex up the hill, that's our friend Bobby. And we ran there and we got all the kids there,"
Shane ran back to the house and grabbed what he could and then the unthinkable happened.
"About 45 minutes after we got out and got everything out we just heard a loud whistle and our house exploded right in front of us and we hurried up and I tried to get everybody inside bobby's house so they didn't get hit with debris and we each grabbed a kid and we took off down a little alleyway to the street behind us," Shane said.
Christina said she believes they had a special helper the night of the tragedy.
"I know that my grandma passed away last year and I know that she was there. It feels like we had a guardian angel. I literally got a gasp of air right above where her chair was underneath me.I think that's the only thing that got us out of there."
Christina said it's a miracle they are alive.
"I'm so thankful. I don't know what I would do if I lost him or the kids. I just can't believe this happened," Christina said.
Denise De Hamer, the manager of Farrell's Extreme Bodyshaping gym is accepting donations for the Rhoades at 8801 Hickman Road, Urbandale.
They are accepting cash, checks or gift cards. Checks can be made out to Christina Rhoades.
Christina is a member of the gym and De Hamer said the gym members are like a family.
"For Us, we guide them through everything at Farrell's Extreme Bodyshaping with the nutrition, the exercise, but more importantly it becomes a family. We're their accountability partners and we become their family here," De Hamer said. "While she has been inside this gym, she's always very supportive to others. People would view her as a part of this family as well. So it was really important that we stand behind her and support her just as she does the same type of thing for not only people inside of this gym, but outside of this gym."
Christina said they are truly grateful for their help.
"Farrell's is a family and the fact that they're there for me and our family and they're doing everything they can for us it's just amazing," Christina said.
There is also a Go Fund Me page set up and you can donate here.

subset: commoncrawl


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On the market: Compo home awash in style
The contemporary farmhouse at 15 Maplegrove Ave. in the Compo Beach area is as colorful and personable as the family that has lived there for the last 25 years. The brown shingle-style house offers character with the functionality of the new millennium and a clear, modern creative vision, according to its listing agent.
Within its 5,000 square feet of living space are vibrantly colored furniture and furnishings to augment the colorful design accents and artistic details throughout the house. The house is downright cosmopolitan with the bright, open living spaces infused with the works of noted French, German, Dutch, Italian and American designers.
The kitchen has a terracotta tile floor with hand-stained green wood cabinetry designed by Agnes Bourne of San Francisco, "who likes to touch space with light, color and innovation," according to the listing agent. Bourne studied with Rudolph Schaeffer, a pioneer in the field of color theory. The backsplash comprises glass tiles interspersed with tiles containing a spiral motif, and the countertops are glazed lava-stone. Appliances include a Dacor range, double Thermador ovens and Sub-Zero refrigerator.
The color continues on the walls of the master bath, which resemble a piece of modern art with a field of blue mosaic tile against which are blocks of other colors also created with mosaics.
Even the banister is a work of art, very sculptural in its design as created by Ted Schleisman, a wooden boat builder from Ashland, Oregon. He shipped the hand-turned banister to Connecticut in two pieces and installed it in the house himself.
Built in 1926, the house sits on a parcel of three-quarters of an acre not far from the Saugatuck River and within walking distance of the Saugatuck train station, making for an easy commute. Residents can canoe, kayak and paddleboard from their access point on the river. The Westport Library, Levitt Pavilion and farmers market are also close by, and Compo Beach is an easy bike ride away.
There is a subtle water theme in the house. The first-floor half bath off the family and living rooms features photographic tile flooring of river rocks, and the fireplace in the family room is made of river rocks. This room also has a cathedral ceiling. Outside, the water theme continues with the heated, Gunite in-ground swimming pool.
Over the years, the current family has renovated the house making it airier and brighter. There are numerous skylights, and a welcoming white railed wrap-around porch that extends the interior living outside, where the yard is divided into three separate, fenced sections.
More Information
STYLE: Contemporary farmhouse
ADDRESS: 15 Maplegrove Ave.
FEATURES: convenient walk to Saugatuck River and Saugatuck train station, deeded river access, heated Gunite in-ground swimming pool, stone patio, balcony/deck, retractable awning, porch, located on a cul-de-sac, 0.77-acre level and wooded lot, all window treatments, insulated windows, skylights, one fireplace, five bedrooms, five full and one half baths
SCHOOLS: Saugatuck Elementary, Bedford Middle, Staples High
MILL RATE: 18.09 mills
On the first floor the living and family rooms are open to each other, and the spacious kitchen has a separate preparation area that's perfect for entertaining. The office has two walls of built-in bookshelves and two sets of French doors to the front porch. The living room has one set of French doors to the same porch. The formal dining room has French doors adorned with handles designed by Philippe Starck, the same man who designed a $300 million, 392-foot yacht for a Russian billionaire.
On the second floor the master suite has a cathedral ceiling, ceiling fan, a sitting room that could double as an office and a gym. The master bath also has lava rock counters, which are nearly indestructible. There is a long and spacious walk-in closet and a door to a private balcony. The house has another four bedrooms, three on the second level and one on the main level off the den, which could serve as an au pair or guest suite.
An open house will take place at the property on Sunday, July 19, from 2 to 4 p.m.
For more information or to make an appointment to see the house, contact Cheryl Scott-Daniels of CSD Select Homes at 203-341-0100.


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Natalie Tran is an accomplished young actress in the Twin Cities with a wide range of roles under her belt. She is currently the lead in Theatre Mu's production of "The Princess' Nightingale". I sat down with her to discuss her experience working on this show and as an actor in the Twin Cities.
What got you started into acting?
When I was 4 years old, I auditioned with my older sister for "The King and I" at Artistry (Bloomington Civic Theatre). I was actually 5 years old when the show started, and I played a Royal Child.
In your own words describe what "The Princess' Nightingale" is about.
"The Princess' Nightingale" takes place in 18thcentury China, and the Emperor, Princess Hexiao and Prince Jia are the real royal people from the Qing dynasty. In our show, the Emperor challenges his children, Princess Hexiao and Prince Jia to compete for the position of the Court Royal by learning as much as they can about China. More generally, the show is about what it takes to be a great leader.
What is your role in the show? Explain more about the character.
I play Princess Hexiao, but everyone just calls her "The Tenth Princess." She hates that nobody calls her by her actual name, so she feels like she needs to do whatever it takes to prove herself -- especially because she's a girl. Girls were always less valued in the Chinese culture than boys.
What do you enjoy most about playing this character?
I said on many occasions that I really like to use a sword in the show and fight the tiger, but I also enjoy that my character undergoes a big change and growth throughout the show. She learns kindness and compassion; she learns how to distinguish between the real news that she gets from the Nightingale and the fake news that she gets from the mechanical bird; and most of all, she learns that to be a great leader she has to put her own wants and ambitions aside and do what's right for the people.
What did you learn about yourself during this process?
Hmm, that's a very good question. I have to think about that. One thing I learned is that I can pick up a mandarin accent pretty well. I say a couple of Chinese words in the show, and we all sing a song in mandarin, and Eliza Rasheed, our cultural consultant, told me that I have a good ear for the accent so I'm pretty proud of that.
Tell me about the sword fighting you learned. Have you performed this before?
I took stage combat classes before, but I haven't used a sword before this show. I think it's really cool, so now I want to take another class to get better at it.
Tell me about the collaboration between Theatre Mu and SteppingStone. How does it work? What do you enjoy most about it?
What I enjoy most about this collaboration between Theater Mu and SteppingStone is that Theater Mu is an Asian American theatre company, and SteppingStone is a theater which focuses on both youth performers and youth audience. Being a young Asian American actress, I feel very welcome there. The way the collaboration works is that Theater Mu wanted to produce at least one family show a year, and SteppingStone wanted to reach out to more diverse audiences, and have more youth actors of color on stage, so through this production both theaters can meet their goals.
What is one of the themes of the show? Or something the show is trying to teach people?
Other than dealing with the question of what it takes to be a good leader, the show is also about empowering girls. It teaches us that a woman's place is in the government – as a leader, haha!
How did you hear about this particular show?
I think my mom got an email from Mu Theater about upcoming auditions for the show. I actually was planning to take a little break from doing shows, but I always wanted to work with Randy Reyes so I thought, well, maybe I can be in an ensemble or something, and then I got cast as the lead, so I was very excited.
What did you do to prepare for this show?
This is a brand-new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Nightingale" so I couldn't look it up on the internet, but I watched a few versions of the original story on YouTube before the audition. After I was cast, I read on Wikipedia about the Princess Hexiao, her father, Emperor Qianlong and Prince Jia. I watched videos of the song I sing in the show, the lion dance on YouTube, and the Chinese rap, which is kind of what Prince Jia and I do in the show. I also went to see the MIA exhibition about the Qing dynasty. Also, the MIA let us shoot our promo pictures right in the middle of their exhibition, in front of the imperial throne, which was super cool.
What's up for you next on the stage?
I will play Young Max again this year in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" at the Children's Theatre.


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I really enjoyed my weekend...despite it kicking off with a whole friday night of house cleaning!
My friends arrived on Saturday and we went on the rowing boats on the lake by the university in the sunshine, followed by an lovely evening of sangria, tapas, cocktails
and daft dancing! the best kind!
A fry up went down a treat the following morning!
Once I'd waved my friends off...me and my Ed headed to GBK for tea and then onto see Saltimbanco by Cirque Du Soleil!
it was fantastic!
Talking of the circus....not as flamboyant as Cirque Du Soleil but still very entertaining,
here's some pics from the circus tent at Glastonbury this year....
This crazy man got right inside this giant ball! It was all very clever! I'm not sure how he managed to breathe in there...
or how when he burst it at the end he ended up dressed like Elvis!!!


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Hi There! Is this Your First Time?
Did you know if you Register you have access to free search tools including the ability to save listings and property searches? Did you know that you can bypass the search altogether and have listings sent directly to your email address? Check out our how-to page for more info.
- Price$280,000
- Acres0.52
- Built2018
3103 Washington St, Zellwood
Mark Allen and Commercial Real Estate Professionals, Inc is pleased to present this over 1 acre of C-1 zoned vacant development land for sale. Located in Zellwood, Fl right next to 441/N. OBT, Permitted use include Retail, Office, Auto related...etc. Minutes from Zellwood Golf Club, easy site access and available immediately! Feel Free to drive by and take a look at the location.
Essential Information
- Price$280,000
- Bathrooms0.00
- Acres0.52
- Year Built2018
- TypeCommercial
- Sub-TypeUnimproved Land
- StatusActive
- CoolingNone
Additional Information
- Days on Market610
- ZoningC-1
Community Information
- Address3103 Washington St
- AreaZellwood
- CityZellwood
- CountyOrange County
- StateFL
- Zip Code32798
- Lot DescriptionOne + to Two Acres
Listing Details
- Listing OfficeCommercial Real Estate Prof In
Listing information courtesy of Commercial Real Estate Prof In.
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Listing information is provided for consumer personal, non-commercial use, solely to identify potential properties for potential purchase; all other use is strictly prohibited and may violate relevant federal and state law.
Listing data comes from My Florida Regional MLS DBA Stellar MLS.
Listing information last updated on June 6th, 2020 at 1:44am EDT.


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Home & Garden Columns
Garden Variety: Fun With the California Rare Fruit Growers
It's been way too long since I've gone to a meeting of California Rare Fruit Growers. There's one such meeting tomorrow (Saturday May 13) in Walnut Creek that is weirdly tempting because it will feature Dr. Robert Raabe, whose approach to plant diseases is of the gleeful sort, which can be fun but rarely works well as a bedside manner for humans.
This is typical, in my experience, of CRFG's approach and gatherings: useful, wonky (one thing I love about them), sociable, and fun. It figures that an organization devoted to pushing the borders of what can be grown where would be that upbeat. They get to expand the frontiers of applied science and then eat the results.
The current issue of the house magazine, Fruit Gardener, features a close-up of the flowers of pineapple guava, Feijoa sellowiana. It grows well right here, and gets used as a boundary shrub in institutional plantings as well as in home gardens.
It's pest-resistant from what I know of it, drought-tolerant, and it you put it in a sunny enough spot it can bear lots of fruit, which is oddly expensive at the market and tastes best fresh with its wonderful scent to enhance it.
And those flowers are edible: you just pick off the petals and leave the main flower organs to develop into fruit. (You might get less fruit, depending on whether the flower's been pollinated and what gets attracted to pollinate it despite the absent petals.) The petals are frosty white on one side, deep crimson on the other, thick and succulent for a flower petal, and taste of sweetness and cinnamon. They're the sort of thing that is best savored one at a time as you walk through the garden.
That's the sort of information you get from CRFG. You might get a taste, too, by way of direct teaching. Meetings tend to have somebody's never-heard-of-it jam or wot-the-heck fruit in slices at the back of the room, for sampling and showing off.
The atmosphere is half county-fair, half scholarly, and members apparently love questions like, "What's that??" You learn not only what it is but how to grow your own.
Part of the fun is growing stuff you thought was strictly airfreight—the friend who introduced me to CRFG has a pair of macadamia trees in his yard, and they bear nuts, as do other members' trees I've met—and pricey to buy.
Even if you should perchance end up with the equivalent of the $45 tomato, you'll have priceless fringe benefits: knowledge about growing, a story to tell, and mostly that landscape value of the plant. Those macadamia trees are quite handsome, and so are the guava shrubs. Factor in what you'd pay for shadetrees or fencing that just stood around looking pretty, and the price looks better and better.
CRFG isn't only about tropicals. It's the best source I know of for finding out about apples and peaches and such varieties that have a low enough required "chill" time to let them bear good fruit in Berkeley. If you remember some fruit from way back or far away, here's the brain trust you need to grow your own.
Non-members are welcome at meetings. Locally, they're usually on the second Saturdays of odd-numbered months in various locations. See the website, write, or call for schedules.


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Dad and Chelsey pose for a pic.
We climbed on top of the rocks. Maddox wanted to race to the top, so we did.
Sweet little Hensley kept walking around saying, "Ho-it". This was her Texan version of "hot".
Like our extra table? You do whatcha gotta do when you need more seats!
Brian flashes a smile!
Hensley actually got to sit at the table for this occasion. No more counter sitting for her!
The masses fix their plates. This kind of gives you some perspective of our house. The big door on the left is the laundry room, which leads to the 1/2 bath and mudroom. The archway on the right is the staircase and guest room.
Sisters sharing a moment on the hammock. It's a good thing they're both skinny minnies!
Since my birthday was on Friday, I got a few gifts, too! I think I was in the middle of a word for this picture!
Maddox was helping me open my gifts.
And, he helped Dad open his, too. Such a little helper!
Grandma takes it all in. This is Dad's mom.
Sweet Chelsey was so tired. She had just returned from an all-night bus ride with a church trip.
It was a fun day, and we look forward to many more special memories at home!


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Cells communicate with others and take information from outside. Our neurons got some input from these inspirators.
Paulo Freire and Pedagogy of the oppressed
"Education could be a subversive force", - Paulo Freire
Paulo Freire is a Brasilian educator and philosopher who is a leading advocate of critical pedagogy. He is well know for his influential work, 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' which is considered one of the fundational texts of the critical pedagogy movement. While working, Freire became aware of the economic, political, and social domination resulting from paternalism. Paternalism leads to a culture of silence, which keeps people from confronting their oppression. He turned this philosophy to pedagogy because "the whole education system was one of the major instruments for the maintenance of this culture of silence." One of Freire's central tenets was that "education is freedom" that leads toward true liberation and that the "banking" concept of education - where students are empty vessels to be filled, acts as an instrument of oppression.
His philosophy on education centers on critical consciousness, where the oppressed recognize the causes of their oppression "so that through transformative action they can create a new situation, which makes possible the pursuit of fuller humanity." He introduced problem-posing education; this type of education, in opposition to banking education, involves "listening, dialogue and action" and is an instrument that leads people to grow their consciousness and to social transformation.
His work, theory and concepts have influenced lots of people to action and social transformation.
If you want to know more:
Saul Alinsky's community organizing model
"My critics are right when they call me an outside agitator. When a community, any kind of community, is hopeless and helpless, it requires somebody from outside to come in and stir things up. That's my job -- to unsettle them, to make them start asking questions, to teach them to stop talking and start acting, because the fat cats in charge never hear with their ears, only through their rears", - Saul Alinsky.
Saul Alinsky began community organising career in the late 1930s. As a part of his field research job as a graduate student in criminology at the University of Chicago he was to develop a juvenile delinquency program in Chicago's "Back of the Yards," neighborhood downwind of the Chicago Stockyards--a foul-smelling and crime-ridden slum. When Alinsky arrived, the Congress of Industrial Organizations was organising the stockyard workers living there. Expanding the CIO model beyond workplace issues, Alinsky organized the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council (BYNC) from local neighborhood groups, ethnic clubs, union locals, bowling leagues and an American Legion Post. The success of BYNC in getting expanded city services and political power started Alinsky off on a long career of organizing poor urban communities around the country.
His theory said that behind every successful social movement there is a community or a network of communities.These communities don't just happen. They must be organized. Someone has to build strong enough relationships between people so they can support each other through long and sometimes dangerous social change struggles. Or, if the community already exists, someone has to help transform it to support political action. Sometimes that requires reorganizing the community by identifying individuals who can move the community to action.
This process of building a mobilisable community is called "community organizing." It involves "the craft" of building an enduring network of people, who identify with common ideals and who can engage in social action on the basis of those ideals. Community organizing is the process of building power that includes people with a problem in defining their community, defining the problems that they wish to address, the solutions they wish to pursue and the methods they will use to accomplish their solutions. In general, community organizing is the work that occurs in local settings to empower individuals, build relationships and create action for social change.


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Victoria: A Delightful Southern City
With a population of approximately 66,000 residents, Victoria is the administrative center of Victoria County, Texas. The city is 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and within a two-hour drive of Houston, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio. In addition, Victoria is the home to The Victoria Independent School District, Victoria College, and the University of Houston–Victoria, making it a great community for students to learn and grow. Residents can explore the 562 acres of Riverside Park, which includes the Texas Zoo, Riverside Golf Course, and Rose Garden. If you prefer the arts, you will appreciate the performances at Theatre Victoria, the premier theater of South Texas. Love to shop? You're going to delight in browsing the 678,996 square feet of Victoria Mall, which houses department stores, apparel storefronts, and restaurants. With ample education, shopping, and cultural opportunities, Victoria aims to please and entertain.


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Imagine driving this dazzling shimmery car!
What would it be like?
The car itself would be fun to drive. And the colourful effect is occurring under flourescent lighting. Would it be the same outside in the sun? And what about on overcast, cloudy days? Would it just look like a plain silvery car?
Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to those questions, so my imagination will always be wondering…..


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Aksys games have announced via the PlayStation Blog that Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky will make its way West this coming October.
Released in Japan in December 2015, Exist Archive is a dungeon crawling RPG from Tri-Ace, the team that gave us the Valkyrie Profile and Star Ocean series', check out the official synopsis of the game below.
Exist Archive isn't your standard RPG fare. You die right off the bat in a massive explosion. Boom! Gone. The end. Or is it? While you certainly aren't explosion proof, your journey is certainly not over before it started. Instead, you awake in a surreal realm, unlike anything you've ever seen. Are you dead? Are you alive? Are you now an immortal being that wields the power of an evil god?
The short answers are "Yes," "No," and "Yes." The explosion that ended your everyday life was triggered by the soul of an evil god named Yamatoga. You and 11 other people (who are also no longer living) are now immortal vessels for the soul of Yamatoga. As is to be expected when one becomes newly imbued with evil god powers, you and your comrades find yourselves mixed up in an ancient conflict involving a gaggle of gods and massive stakes.
Exist Archive features a robust story as well as loads of side quests that fans of the JRPG genre have no doubt come to expect. tri-Ace continues the tradition of side-view dungeons a la Valkyrie Profile. Combat consists of a strategic combo system where each character's attack corresponds to a button, and executing bigger combos dishes significant punishment to any foes unfortunate to stand in your way. Mixing attacks and changing party formation alters your skill development as well.
Get ready to go out with a bang, RPG fans! Brandish godlike powers in intense combo based battles with unspeakable horrors and vicious bosses all while strategically developing skills.
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky launches in North America on October 18th, and we'll be sure to bring you more news as we get it, in the mean time check out some new screenshots of the game below.


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Product Info
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Accuration® Tub (originally called Sup-R-Block) is the original weatherproof supplement block for cows. A premium, weather-resistant, protein block with Intake Modifying Technology®, formulated with a higher level of fat that is designed to provide additional energy to balance nutrient deficiencies in poor quality forages or for cattle lacking energy in their diet. Click here for guaranteed analysis and more information.


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Each One Teach One
What is EOTO?
Each One Teach One, also known as EOTO, is a programme for you who want to get to know students from different countries and learn different languages. Students teach each other their mother tongues and learn the language of their partner.
More info: https://kielikeskus.jyu.fi/eoto/en/info/what-is-eoto-anyway
In EOTO, students will log in using their university ID, add their public announcements about finding a study partner, and then create their own study plans and blogs. The plans are then reviewed by teachers, and teachers will contact each student and arrange one appointment for instructions. After that the students will have 20 hours of face-to-face sessions for each language (20+20 hours), and update their blog posts at the system based on those meetings. In the wrap-up phase each student will fill final report in the system and submit it to teachers. Teachers and students will receive automatic messages throughout the course, informing them about new plans and reports.
System requirements
The system needs to be really simple to use, it has to be multi-lingual and support all characters, and has to be able to cope with complex workflows with different permissions for each role (student, parent, teacher). The system has to be secure and responsive, it has to be easy to maintain and update, it should have sections that can be edited by a non-technical user (like instructions). The system needs to have possibility to easily add and edit automatic email-notifications to different users and groups. Even the customized input forms should be later editable through browser, and so that changing/adding a new field to a template, doesn't break the system.
Luckily, Plone CMS does all this, and more :)
Challenges were roughly these:
- Fixed, short time frame - on top of our other projects
- Moving seamlessly from old system (Plone 3) to a new one
- New process for the client
- Plone 5 was fairly new for us when we built site
- Unknowns
How did it go?
We had five months time frame to go through this renewal, starting from April 2016 and ending in September 2016. We started by having a meeting with the customer, roughly explaining the supposed outcome, the boundaries of time-frame and their part in the renewal. In June we created a Plone 5 preview-site and a light theme there. At this point the customer already had the chance to see where we were going and to update instructions.
The main development was done during July-August 2016: the advertisements, blogs, blog posts, study plan and final report plus content rules. The first version was then tested by the client, and they came up with more/different ideas on some workflow mechanics. They didn't give any challenge to Plone, though.
The release was done in September 1st 2016, as originally planned. Students were able to access the system after that and start studying. During September there were some modifications made, but nothing dramatic.
All in all this needed two weeks of development/communication/configuration on our behalf.
Customer Quotes
Since the deployment of new system, we have had practically no support requests at all. The client has been happy with the new service and the students have been using it actively. The client was included throughout the development process, and they gave some thought on how to improve the old process and how to simplify it.
Project description (in Finnish): https://www.jyu.fi/itp/ajankohtaista/arkisto/2016/itp-kehittaa-eoto-19092016
- Multilingual
- people directory
- complex workflow
- search capabilities
- third party authentication
- Through the web-customized content types
- Content rules
- Permissions
- Customized theme.
- LDAP support
- Some JYU configuration policies.
- But the good thing was that we didn't need many add-ons on top on out-of-the-box Plone installation.


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Bladesmithing for Kids in Brooklyn – Amazing Teacher!
If your son or daughter is a fan of Forged in Fire, then they probably wanted to learn to move metal and be a bladesmith. Fortunately for Brooklyn, Theo Nazz teaches classes in Red Hook! Theo is a Forged in Fire Champion!
Lee and I took class with him in the Spring and it was awesome. Theo has students who are as young as 12 years old and we saw they made impressive blades. As you know I have been teaching 20+ years, so I know what good teaching like. Theo is a natural teacher and amazing. He explains everything step-by-step and he has a great sense of humor so classes are really enjoyable! My knife is above. :)
You can read about our experience with Theo here and you can reach Theo on his website here. I'm not connected to him or anything, just someone who loved how well he taught and his class was well worth our time.
Of course Theo teaches adults as well (but this is part of my activities for Kids in NYC set).
Topics: Brooklyn | No Comments »


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After someone has been cremated there are a range of ways they can be memorialised within Lake Macquarie Memorial Park, a beautiful, secure and peaceful environment where cremated remains can be placed forever. We are also a peaceful place where family members and descendants can come and reflect to celebrate the life of the relative or friend.
We offer a range of memorial options, from a gazebo, wall niche memorial, a rock estate, to rose gardens and chair memorials. Whatever your choice we can help you tailor the memorial to reflect the needs of each individual and family.
Your Family Service Advisor will assist you by explaining all available options and answering all of your questions so that you may make informed and appropriate decisions.
Scattering the ashes of a loved one has become very popular in Australia. However, choosing the right location is important as a lasting memory in the future. Very often people choose to scatter ashes in a location that was special to their loved one, but over time such places may change or even be built upon, changing the location and with it the memory.
Creating a memorial in a special place helps keep the memory alive beyond the funeral service. Memorials give families and friends a tangible source of comfort and are an everlasting place to come and remember your loved one. In a memorial park, ashes can be placed without fear of the location changing.
Scattering Ashes - What you need to know (.pdf)
For further information on cremations, please click on one of the buttons below
A small individual garden built around a gazebo. A wide variety of granite colours are available and a bronze vase can be placed permanently in each garden. The gazebo provides a lovely place to sit and reflect as well as protecting you from the elements.
A traditional cremation memorial our niches come in a variety of finishes with choices of plaques. Single and family niches are available.
A personal garden, designed with your choice of plaques, photos, and plants which will make it special for each family.
There is a huge colour range of roses available with beautiful fragrances. A bronze plaque set on a granite base is provided.
A garden memorial with its own chair allows you to reflect in comfort. Family gardens can accommodate up to 10 individual memorials. Personalise with your choice of plants and style of plaques.


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SmartRe is not bad, but average and has potential.
In part one I went over REAL token, a real estate investment token where investments are focused on the hospitality industry and other "value" properties. It is analogous to a legitimate crowdsale fund, for which there is an established business model and by which the advisors of the company can be judged by.
In part two we are moving onto the second in our three part series, SmartRE. Unlike REAL, they are only seeking to help home owners gain additional liquidity from their homes by exchanging a minority share of their home equity for SmartRE's tokens on their exchange. The value of the tokens is derived from the value of the home value itself.
In the whitepaper, SmartRE make the argument that their tokens will be interesting for home owners because most Americans have a lot of debt and so by giving away their home equity they can unlock their wealth. If these homeowners use this money to reinvest and make a higher % back, it's a great idea. However, I'm guessing a lot of homeowners don't have the fiscal responsibility to make sound decisions like these. Hopefully SmartRE runs a decent background and credit check.
The buyers who purchase the home tokens get a fractionalized piece of the home. They don't receive any rental income and they don't have to pay any taxes. They only profit if the home price appreciated during the months or years between when the first and last appraisal occurs. If the price declines, they lose money, if it goes up, they profit. They have to make the correct investment choice.
The company plans to start initially in the San Francisco Bay area, as demand for houses and other living abodes have skyrocketed prices over the last two decades. Normal people can't even afford to live there now because of the tech boom. In fact, some have even said that the city's real estate is in a bubble and there are even signs that it could be ready to burst. This lack of diversification could hurt SMartRE in their infancy. A modest correction could seriously affect buyers interest in rapidly declining home prices in the Bay area. Once they establish themselves though, SmartRE plans to expand to "the high-demand regions of Southern California; Manhattan, New York; Austin, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Portland, Oregon."
For the homeowner to list their home on the SmartRE platform they must complete several actions as follows: "These include a complete property title search to make sure it is clean and clear, mandatory up-to-date homeowner's insurance, and a good credit score." Afterwards, they can list up to 49% of the equity value on the platform, however, they get to determine the final equity price, which could differ from the independent appraisal price. Below are the steps necessary for the homeowner to list.
Additionally, buyers must purchase home insurance through SmartRE to protect the equity value of the property in case anything happens, such as floods, fire, earthquake or anything else that could affect the asset's value. These insurance plans are not dependent on the homeowners having insurance themselves.
Buyers then can purchase the fractionalized equity shares on SmartRE's app using cash or tokens such as ETH, BTC, or XRP. If a minimum threshold of 5% of the equity tokens are not sold, buyers receive a full refund. Pics of the app below.
The coin is an Ethereum smart contract which records proof-of-existence and keeps all data related to the equity exchange on the blockchain. This includes "all data related to the property including the title information, signatures with official registration seals, other legal paperwork, percentage liquidated, etc."
The following chart from their whitepaper provides all of the info concerning the token sale:
Strengths & Weaknesses
Looking past my cynical outlook of the San Francisco real estate market as mentioned above, it has been one of the fastest growing markets in the United States for a reason. The tech boom has injected billions of dollars of wealth and value into the market as more and more tech companies establish themselves there and have made San Fran the premier tech destination globally. In the gran scope of things, the market will only to continue to grow as Google, Facebook, and the multitude of other massive tech companies continue their expansion.
Home prices, therefore, will probably continue to rise, even though average people can't afford to live there anymore. Additionally, SmartRE will be focusing their efforts on attracting buyers from China and India, where several of the founders have previous working experience. CHECK OUT TEAM
SmartRE charges the homeowner fees of 6.5% of the total equity value exchanged and the buyer a 0.5% fee. The average San Fran home price on Zillow is approximately 1.2million USD. If we assume that all property owners exchange the maximum 49% equity value, and that SmartRE services 500 homes in year 1, 2500 in year 2 and 10,000 in year three, their revenue for those three years would be 21, 105 and 420 million USD respectively. By year 4, when they plan to service 40,000 homes, they would be a multibillion dollar company.
The main problem I see for SmartRE is the rapidly growing competition in the field. The next ICO reviewed in this series, LAToken, provides the exact same service, however, they provide equity up to 75% of the asset value, plus they will accept other types of illiquid assets (precious stones, commercial buildings, etc.), rather than just residential property. Many, many more companies like this will spawn in the future and it's too early to determine whether SmartRE will succeed.
Additionally, the buyer is solely at the whims of the market and has no rights to draw income from the house if the homeowner is renting it out. They can only benefit from an increase in the home value price and an increase in their token value. Last year SF home prices increased by 6.5%. While this is impressive, it's well above the average for metropolitan home price increase, eventually prices momentum will decrease and the year on year returns will regress to the average.
The investor is favored in this transaction in my opinion, as they get to keep the property and enjoy the benefits of having an interest free (minus the 6.5% fee) equity exchange. The buyer doesn't have to worry about property management, but there are many external risks which could affect valuations.
I'm sure there may be some institutional investors who will be interested in this project, however, I will probably sit this ICO out until their business can prove itself. If they can market well to Asia, it could help their platform be very successful, but with a lot of competition in the space, it's unclear whether they will come out on top.


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Meet Hope Mcgrath, a deeply creative, spiritual and curious Beyond Mom! Previously, Hope had a long career in fashion and holds a deep love and respect for fashion as an art form. After becoming a mother and through much soul searching, she discovered life coaching as her strong calling. Her holistic approach to transformation incorporates practices for mindful living, which in turn spices up spiritual, social and professional lives. Her goals are to help her clients develop eye-opening shifts in perception, motivation to dream big and take some serious action to live and love their best life. Check out her website here and read more about Hope below!
1. What makes you a Beyond Mom?
I had a good laugh when this song popped into my head when I read this question…"I'm every woman, it's all in me. Anything you want done baby, it comes naturally." – Chaka Khan. As a Beyond Mom, I do it all. The only difference is that there is a lot that doesn't come naturally, but I sure strive to make it look seamless. I view myself as a mother first and foremost and thereafter everything falls into place. I have always been independent, with an entrepreneurial spirit and despite juggling all my mama activities including shuttling my daughter to numerous extracurriculars, playdates, volunteering at school etc., I have launched my new coaching business, help my mother run our family's non-profit h2 Empower and try my best to stay connected to family and friends. My favorite quote sums up everything about me…"Do I contradict myself, very well, then I contradict myself. I am large. I am multitudes." – Walt Whitman
2. What are the parts of you that have grown and expanded since becoming a Mom?
I have tried to practice patience with my child. Releasing judgement. No matter how difficult it may be, I am very conscious of making an effort not to judge others, especially Moms. Us mothers are very sensitive regarding our parenting styles, and boy is it hard, but releasing judgement results in joyful relationships. I have a serious mama network. I am proud of myself for making the effort since my daughter was an infant, to go out and meet mothers to connect with. This has enriched the lives of my little family beyond comprehension. I became a Mom after moving to a brand new neighborhood, when I knew not one soul. Becoming a mother made meeting people so much easier for me. I remember being single and never even talking to my neighbors. Somehow having a baby and now a 9-year old is a easy way for me to connect with other parents and strong friendships have developed with those like-minded mamas.
3. Can you share a collaboration/success story with another woman; what helped the collaboration become successful?
I formed a "Mom's Empowerment Circle" with a friend of mine after a brief conversation we had over Sheryl Sandberg's book " Lean In." She works outside the home and I was a stay-at-home mama, so we had completely different views about that TED Talk by Sheryl Sandberg. She suggested we get some mom's together to discuss and I was thinking it would end up being in a mama cat fight, working moms vs. stay-at-home moms, but what evolved was the exact opposite. I facilitate these gatherings and without fail, the Mom's don't want to go home (since we take turns hosting at someone's home), a few moms even suggested planning a sleep over since the last gathering ended in the wee morning hours. There is so much to talk about and each time we meet there is a different topic whether it's self-care, childrearing issues, beauty & sexuality, relationships, overall life happiness and so much more. About two years later our "Mom's Empowerment Circle" has morphed into a powerful experience for all parties. There have been serious, jaw-dropping bombs dropped in our circle and the group will rearrange everything to care for the other if necessary. This collaboration of feminine power is successful because all of us are present, honest and open for transformation. When we need to release, some of us go hit the dance floor.
4. What relationships help you stay connected to yourself?
My spiritual practice, my supportive hubby, plus he holds it downs when I need me time or girl-time, my mother and close friends, all are the type that tell it like it is and they always keep me in check and offer a reflection of myself that is vital. My daughter is my teacher. I have learned so much about myself by becoming a parent, the good and the bad.
5. Do you have a 'Beyond' dream that you are pursuing? If so, please share…
As a Transformational Life Coach and fashion consultant, I am enjoying the launch of my coaching business and fusing mindful living and coaching with my expertise in the fashion world. I love supporting creatives and change makers with personal transformation through my coaching. I always feel good knowing I am helping others shift perspectives, rediscover their authentic selves and achieving goals. My new "Style Rejuvenation" program supports busy moms who lost their fashion sensibilities post baby and want to get their fly back. We have fun creating a fresh dream wardrobe with closet cleansing, personal styling and beauty services too. I am a die-hard, old school party girl, so I have some wild ideas for upcoming special events and always love creating community….just like "Beyond Mom." My dream is to fine tune my brand and expand on the seeds I am planting.
6. What wellness activity can you not live without? What is one thing you do daily that balances you?
Shopping organic and being conscious about healthy eating. It's difficult to always eat healthy, but the intention is always present. I also can't live without yoga, though to be honest, it's not because I love it, rather because I need it. Yoga is the remedy for my lower back pain and I need to do it regularly otherwise I'm a hot mess. Daily sitting meditation and walking meditation balances me.
7. How does style influence the way you stay feeling 'Beyond'? Who is currently your favorite designer?
Personal style is everything to me. After all, I have had a 20 year career in fashion. My mantra has always been "If you look good, you feel good." Now my new mantra is "Personal style = joy." My mood always reflects my fashion choices for the day. When I like my outfit, I feel great. If I don't like what I'm wearing, my day is shot.
Alexander McQueen – always, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel – my creative genius idol, SUNO, Duro Olowu, Roland Mouret
Favorite NYC Spots that Embody The Beyond Mom:
Pier 2, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Dumbo. It's such a fun place, my daughter & I go rollerskating overlooking the water & NYC skyline, while the hubby plays handball on the courts followed by great restaurants in Dumbo.
Beyond Cocktails and/or Food:
Love rum punch, authentic Mohitos, and red wine for brain health. (Studies show a glass of red wine a day can help limit memory loss!) Miss Lily's in the East Village, great caribbean food and fun vibes. Takahachi, for Japanese food has been a favorite for over 20 years!!! (East Village & Tribeca). Saraghina's – authentic Italian eatery in my neighborhood of BedStuy, Brooklyn- a go-to spot for everything…fantastic food and environment with or without kiddies.
Beyond Workout:
Congolese Dance Class with Funmilayo of Fusha Dance, Swimming – love doing laps, Yoga at Bed Stuy Yoga. I've narrowed my focus to these three forms of exercise because they bring me much joy.
Beyond Shopping:
I love All Saints and shopping vintage. There is this little vintage shop in Park Slope called Pony that always has great stuff. I enjoy boutique hopping on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn and in Nolita in NYC. So many great young designers and eye candy for the design senses. I love Shopstyle.com because it's a fantastic resource for fashion online.


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Corpse Party coming to PSP this fall
XSEED will be publishing the cult hit Japanese adventure game Corpse Party, bringing it to PSP (via PlayStation Network download) later this year.
When you hear the phrase "Corpse Party," you probably think of zombies kicking back with some beers, or maybe Andrew Yoon's plans for Saturday night. You probably don't think of a grisly cult-hit Japanese PSP game, but that's exactly what it is. Now XSEED has announced that it's bringing the game to North America this fall as a downloadable PSN title.
Corpse Party is an adventure game with hand-drawn 2D sprite art, that tells the story of high school students trapped in a haunted elementary school. The school houses the souls of children who have vanished over the years. In case you were wondering: yes, a school full of dead kids warrants an M rating.
The game was initially developed by Team GrisGris and adapted by 5pb. The announcement promises that your actions will impact the story, with "one true path" to salvation. The other paths are not pretty.
"This is a game we believe will instantly captivate fans of action, suspense and horror and leave a one of a kind impact," said XSEED president Jun Iwasaki. "Through its unique visual style, unpredictable storytelling and impressive audio cues, Corpse Party will test players' mental strength and mesmerize them through its well-crafted mystery and intricate character-driven narrative, all while delivering a truly frightening experience that's sure to keep everyone on the edges of their seats."
Steve Watts posted a new article, Corpse Party coming to PSP this fall.
XSEED will be publishing the cult hit Japanese adventure game Corpse Party, bringing it to PSP (via PlayStation Network download) later this year.


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St. Francis Herb Farm Dandelion Tincture 100 ml is one of the herbs ChelseaMarket.ca offers. Take a look at other herbs.
St. Francis Herb Farm: A Proud History
St. Francis Herb Farm began nearly 30 years ago with a young family, a small farm and a simple idea: to craft herbal medicines using traditional methods that have been used for hundreds of years, because that's the way that yields the best results. The company was founded by Monique and Jeremy Rivett-Carnac, who built a business that is respected for its integrity, and for the care and intention it brings to every step of the process to create products that work really well. Today, their son and daughter-in-law Paul and Caitlin Rivett-Carnac are the new owners of St. Francis Herb Farm. They're proud to continue building on that foundation: a young family, a small farm, and that same simple idea for the next generation.
Strength in Tradition
They're proud that their company has such a solid reputation for authentic craftsmanship and integrity. Their secret: Abiding respect for traditional herbal knowledge that has been honed over thousands of years, and an unshakeable belief that the way herbal medicines are made matters. Quite simply, they craft their herbal medicines the traditional way with the highest quality herbs they can find,because it results in better, more effective medicine. At every step, they make decisions with thoughtful care and intention, and they work hard to make sure that they get it right.
Whole Plants
They use the whole herb, because it contains all the active ingredients working together in perfect balance. That's the age-old way of making herbal medicines. Using whole herbs also means they know exactly what they're getting – they have seen powdered herbs from third parties that have been compromised. This is more than a "best practice"; it is a belief in and a respect for the traditional methods of herbal medicine.
Perfecting the Traditional Processes
They take a craftsman approach to make your herbal medicines the absolute best they can be. Their practices and tools are carefully designed to fit each particular herb. Techniques that use heat can be faster, but they also damage the herbs, so they grind their herbs slowly and use cold percolation methods instead. They make their tinctures, salves, creams, oils and capsules bydrawing on time-tested methods that really work.
Quality Herbs
They use only organic and wild-crafted herbs. Why? Sustainable practices that honour the earth mean the ingredients listed on the label are all that's there without a trace of chemicals or toxins. They don't use dried herbs that have been sitting in a warehouse for years; the whole dried herbs from their trusted longtime suppliers are newly harvested, so all their natural goodness is intact.
Skilled Herbalists
St. Francis Herb Farm herbal medicines are based on a deep understanding of herbs. Their original founders, Monique and Jeremy Rivett-Carnac, developed the recipes during a lifetime of hands-on study that started over 30-years ago with a number of renowned herbalists on Vancouver Island. Today, that tradition continues with their medical advisor, Dr. Terry Vanderheyden, a doctor of naturopathic medicine and registered herbalist.
Connection with Community
They value their relationships with educators, naturopathic doctors and their customers. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine has used St. Francis Herb Farm tinctures in its classrooms since 1998, and hundreds of naturopathic doctors across Canada include our products in their practice. They work with the University of Ottawa to get a medical analysis of all their products, to help them keep learning, understanding and growing. Most of all, they love having a connection with their customers, listening to your stories and being part of your health and wellness journey.


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o saeclum infacetum
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May 2018 Discussion The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore is the May selection for the New Leaf Book Club.
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What did we think of The Radium Girls?
The discussion is now open. Everyone is welcome; please join in.
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Although much is made of the contributions the radium girls suffering made to the safety of future workers and the safety of humanity in general (the banning of atmospheric testing), the most saddening thing in this book for me was the revelation that Luminous Dial was permitted to keep operating well into the 1070s - we dont learn the lessons of the past that well.
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Professor of Law
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When I was in law school, a professor of mine used to have an adage - "Learning to think like a lawyer isn't all that hard. Remembering to think like a human being again is the hard part." I liked the adage so much that when I became a professor myself, I passed it on to my students. I bring this little anecdote up because this book reminded me again of that dichotomy.
Lawyer thoughts:
I was frustrated by the pacing of the book. So much of the first half of the book focused on the "meet the girls" and then the "catalog of their physical horrors" that it almost became desensitizing. I never felt like I did more than briefly glimpse the women before they were dead. I thought more time might have been spent on the women who would be the eventual plaintiffs rather than the slap-dash anecdotes about so many of them.
I was very disappointed in the lack of exploring the actual legal issues. We got very little detail about the lawsuits themselves, the actual claims, etc. We also got a very short view of what roles the Department of Labor, the FDA, and the Public Health Service played in the state of the law before and after the cases. I understand that the women's testimony was the tear-jerking part of the narrative, but as for actually proving damages, it was only a tiny piece of the proof puzzle of the case.
I was also frustrated by the oversimplification of the roles of some of the "villains" of the case. Much was made of Flinn and his efforts to undermine the women's cases as was the abandonment of Harrison Martland, the medical examiner. Flinn would go on to spend years battling the medicinal use of radiation. Martland led a crusade against the radioactive tonic industry. Both men clearly came down on the wrong side of the women's stories, but painting them as paid-off corporate lackeys was just a little irksome to me.
Human thoughts:
Just how common was it for someone to die of their job in 1922?! The fact that employers did not actually have a legal duty not to allow their workers to be harmed by their work is not all that surprising. After all, the 1920s were not all that far removed from the industrial revolution and child labor. I suppose it is the general acceptance of death generally that I was not prepared for. So many women dying young and going unnoticed for so long.
While the story is compelling, I'm still not sure how much of an impact it had. In February, the Sidney Award for journalism was presented to a reporter who did a piece on how deadly it is to be a private trash collector in New York City. The story reported that "Waste and recycling work is the fifth most fatal job in America far more deadly than serving as a police officer or a firefighter. Loggers have the highest fatality rate, followed by fishing workers, aircraft pilots, and roofers." That got me to thinking - our industrial workers are still dying faster than people who get hazard pay to go to work. Just how much change has actually happened in labor law?
Concluding thoughts:
I will give the book a small pass for not delving into the legal issues in a more in-depth fashion as the author is a writer who advertises ghost-writing memiors as one of her specialties. She is also English, and there are enough differences between our system of law that I can forgive the glossing over.
I wished there had been more than just the epilogue for follow-up. You I would like to know more about how this company "got away with it" until the 1970s. Who were the villains of enforcement then?
I feel the book was not evenly paced and did not make the best use of its subject, but I am still glad I read it.
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As I (re)read The Radium Girls, I think about our theme for the month (Doomed to repeat it: History) and what springs to mind are the many lies, distortions, and misinformation promulgated by both the tobacco and oil industries.
It also makes me think about some of the Silicone Valley companies: Facebook, Google, et al, and how they are so insidiously invading and redefining privacy online.
Which brings me to thoughts about the telecomunications industry and their collusion in reaping profits at the expense of thier customer-base.
Of course, there are plenty of science-fiction authors who have thought about the many ways that corporate interests can and likely will perpetrate fraud and unecessary death once they get into space for tourism, asteroid mining or whatever.
So my thought is this: a company may start out with the very best of intentions, and may even be the greatest employer ever, taking care of their employees and doing their best to minimize bad things happening to the customers, the environment, etc. However, I think that there is a point in a company's growth where all those good intentions are left behind.
I have worked for a couple different concerns where this point has been reached: early on, the original owners were still in charge and bonus pay was great, benefits were great, company picnics held... then the boss retires, steps back, or is bought out. The bean-counters take over, and suddenly the pay raises scale back. Bonuses are skimpy. Company picnics are reduced to hamburgers and hotdogs, then cheap pizza parties, then gone altogether.
Google is famous for the "Don't Be Evil" motto in its code of conduct. Then came along Alphabet, which made its motto "Do the Right Thing". While that sounds good, one has to wonder--what is the right thing? And is this the right thing for the customer, the general public, or the shareholder? Of course, the lawyers in the audience are also asking for definitions of 'Evil' and rightly so, which only sustains my point.
Anyway, back to the book. Here is where I learned that radium mimics calcium, and has a tendency to concentrate in bone when ingested. As a junior scientist, I like and wish there more little tidbits like this, but they are definitely tangential to the story which is all about what happens when a good thing turns out to not be so much and the natural tendency of a business to prefer profit over the welfare of employees or the general public.
What continually strikes me when I read these kinds of books is the absolute backwardness of medicine of the era. I mean, I realize that this was a hundred years ago, but I kind of grew up being taught that in the twentieth century, the art of medicine was at its height, and yes, in the years since my childhood it has grown even more advanced. Yet I wonder what practices are routine today will be regarded as downright barbaric fifty or a hundred years from now.
Anyhow, I am going to skip that rabbithole, and try to concentrate on the book at hand.
I cursed out loud when I read about how the Radium Dial Company kidnapped Margaret Looney, let her die alone and then conducted an illicit autopsy in order to remove evidence. They almost got away with stealing the body away altogether, too. Would they have erased any proof of her ever working for them, I wonder, like the Reeds denied being there with Catherine and the other girls?
The scenes that will linger with me the longest (as they have lingered with me since the first time I read this book) are the glowing ones: Edna Hoffman, when walking through a dark room, saw the radiant ghost of herself in the mirror; the body of Mollie Maggia illuminating her coffin; Catherine Donohue glowing in her bed, like a (barely) living x-ray.
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I found this a difficult book to get through, for a couple a reasons. The subject matter was grim but also it felt overly long. (Although I discovered that it was shorter than I'd thought because although Calibre initially estimated the word-count at ~150,000 words, once you take out the index, the bibliography and the notes it's actually around 120,000. )
I'm thinking about how to separate my experience of reading the book, the importance of the underlying story and the way it was told here. I don't read a lot of non-fiction but I would happily have listened to an hour's podcast about the topic, or maybe watched a documentary movie.
I think there were structural issues because you had the New Jersey factory and the Ottawa one, each with their own list of affected people and their own trials. I think it might have been better to focus on one and summarise the other. In fact I think that if you wanted to focus in, Catherine Donaghue - who collapsed in court - was the most compelling individual. That said, the sheer list of people involved did give you a sense of scale that helped you feel the weight of the injustice. But it felt "bitty" to me. There were asides about the lives of characters that we didn't otherwise spend a lot of time on.
So I have some misgivings about the book but I think overall it does what it sets out to do reasonably well - which is to tell the story of some forgotten women and the injustice they suffered.
I'll just have to be honest and say if I'd known how dark this book was I'm not sure I'd have read it. People say life is too short to read badly written books, but what about ones that make you sad? I'm not sure. In theory I want to read about difficult but important topics, in practice I don't choose to do so often.
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This is an extremely difficult book for me to read. I've had to pace myself, and I haven't finished it yet. But the horror of what these women went through makes silly things like Psycho almost seem like a romance. The continual, excruciating pain; the uncertainty about cause;the well-meaning, but pathetic attempts of doctors and dentists to help;the evil behaviour of those trying to hide the cause and prevent solutions. I have spent my life avoiding mass murderer books, and books including torture. This was far worse.
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Yes CRussel, far worse because it is true, and also because that "profit at any cost" mentality is still alive and well, as Dngrsone said above.
I certainly agree that there were flaws in the book. The worst for me was the frequent touches of fiction that Kate Moore inserted, presumably to make the book more palatable to people who don't usually read much non-fiction. Here is just one example:
latepaul, I think it was sadly necessary to deal with both Newark and Ottawa in detail, to underline the way in which the second example mirrored the first so exactly, both in the sufferings of the women and the callousness of the management in each case. "Doomed to repeat it" indeed.
I have more to say on the book and the thoughts it raised, but will leave that for later discussion.
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PS I forgot to mention how interesting I found the post by astrangerhere, looking at the story from both the lawyer's point of view and that of common humanity. Thanks for the links you gave us also.
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I appreciated astrangerhere's post as well. Thank you! It was an insightful perspective; I hadn't thought critically about the legal aspects. It's interesting how we bring our unique backgrounds/interests/experiences to readings and discussions. Like Dngrsone, I would have liked to have known more about the science. I was very interested in the long-term effects on the communities. NPR Illinois did a nice two-part series on the Radium Girls. The first part summarizes what you learn in the book, although it has some nice pictures. It is tradition to wrap a red homemade scarf around the memorial statue at Christmas. The second part covers Ottawa's clean-up efforts of the contamination which has continued into the 2000s.
There is a website for the book. It includes a page which compiles short bios of the girls, and it is quite impactful to see their names and pictures grouped together. Also interesting is the FAQ page. "Does this story have any relevance today?" includes links to similar issues which were quite eye-opening to me.
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Great research as usual, Bookworm_Girl - thank you! I shall read these items with interest.
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Excellent posts all! I don't know that we'll end up with as many posts in this discussion as some others, but the quality so far has been excellent. I very much appreciate them. And I'm still struggling with a love/hate relationship with this book, for the reasons described above.
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Thanks all for all the kind comments.
I was talking about this with my wife this morning and was reminded of another example.
I saw the feature film Spotlight in 2015 when it was released. This was a film rendition of the reportage that the Boston Globe's Spotlight team did that broke open the stories of child abuse in the Catholic church.
The film focused on a small handful of the thousands of victims. But at the end of the film, before the credits, a list ran on the screen of all Catholic dioceses and schools that had reported child molesters on their staff. The list ran for almost a full minute. And sucked absolutely every bit of air out of the room. I attended parochial school all my life, so this was always going to be a more personal topic for me, but my wife did not, and it affected her the same way.
As soon as I'd seen the film, I went out and got the book version of the reportage and it handled the issue in much the same way. Maybe it was because of that experience that I was a little numbed by the way Moore handled the victims in Radium.
I also really appreciated Bookpossum's comment:
(At the end of the conversation, my wife - who is the human half of this house - reminded me that she was sure the method affects all people differently )
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But I am interested and will keep reading as much as time permits.
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I was self-loathing teen mom, that found fitness after losing my dad. I hated everything about my body, not seeing how hard it is for your body to produce another human being. This would make me miserable. Sending that into all aspects of my life.
I became a personal trainer, not realizing staying home with my 3 kids and my husbands crazy schedule that it would be nearly impossible to actual do it. Well then I stumbled upon Beachbody after already completing 2 of the programs. I found a way to reach out to people and stay home still.
Through Beachbody I am able to help people with their health and fitness goals. More importantly I learned to love me, stretch marks and all. I have completely transformed my body and mind (In my Living Room!) What is even better is I can help others learn to be nice to themselves that Positive brings positive.
I love what I do and I make an extra income so we can have some wiggle room. I see my business booming and taking the pressure off my husband so much. So no more out of town in his future. I have some hurtles to overcome they all start with me. I decided to share this amazing opportunity and stop blocking myself and my success.
Think you would want to make a difference? https://kalawilliamson.wufoo.com/forms/zbufbnj18egp9u/


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In addition, we recognize the unique needs of our school age children. Our school age program is designed to supplement the learning that occurs at school and allow children to relax and unwind after a rigorous program in school. Our focuses for school agers are:
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activities outside.
A few of our School agers Activities
Website Design
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Book publishing
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But necessary.
Since I'm using natural fibers for hair, I have to spray the hair with some type of fixative. Fixative from the craft store would probably be better but I still had that bottle of Aqua Net from when I fixed Audrey's hair...you might remember she was their spokesperson for a while?
I covered the entire block with plastic wrap, using pins to snug the wrap underneath the edges of the hairdo, protecting the background wall and Mrs. Rose's face and neck.
Then the nerve wracking part...you spray just like you would your own hair, using a pin to tuck in fly-away hairs while the hair is still wet.
Now I leave it alone to dry, praying that none of the spray made it onto the block or face.
Just in time. Today is a rainy day...not good hair weather for a gal with curly locks...


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By: Margaret Core, Vice President, Marketing & Industry Affairs, Food Marketing Institute
Last month I traveled to San Francisco to staff the FMI and SQF food safety attendee information area at the Fancy Food Winter Show. We had a great booth experience with many attendees interested in our food safety accreditation program. In addition to assisting with food safety information, I was able to visit the show and pick up on a few trends to share with you.
The Specialty Food Association (SFA) publishes a Show Daily, by the editors of Specialty Food News, and included an article by Denise Purcell on Trends Spotter & Innovations from Day 1. The article pointed to top trends they found such as Filipino cuisine, foods using root to stem (utilizing an entire fruit or vegetable to reduce food waste), collagen-infused foods, mushrooms, alternative sweeteners like dates, honey, monk fruit, sorghum and goth foods. In addition, SFA trend spotters pointed to a consumer trend, product labeling 2.0, which is greater consumer interest on label visibility of sourcing and ingredient transparency. This trend is right in sync with FMI's U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends findings and the SmartLabel™ initiative.
Intrigued by the chance to discover goth foods and forage for mushrooms, I set out to see what I could find on the show floor. Now, what are goth foods? According to Purcell, goth foods are visually compelling black foods made with activated charcoal, which is gaining superfood status. According to BeautyDesk, charcoal, a byproduct of burning wood or plant materials, has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. I set out to find any black ice cream, charcoal-laced juices or lattes on the show floor.
It was easy to find mushrooms! I found a big crowd around the Four Sigmatic booth where they were serving up different mushroom coffee varieties, and buyers talking with Pan's Mushroom Jerkey and I enjoyed Shitake MushroomChips from Yugou Farms, who also had collagen-infused foods on display.
As I made my way through hundreds of booths in the two Fancy Food Show halls, I did not find any goth foods (that I could tell), but I did find these products that caught my eye:
- Super Food Bites from Urban Foods
- Just Date Syrup from Spice Mama
- Frutons Snacks from Traina Foods
- Pistachio Chewy Bites from Setton Farms
- Gravycubes from Bou
- Drinakable Veggies from Bonafide Foods
- Coconut Yogurt from Anita
- Beet with Vegan Goat Cheese snacks and Yuca Root chips from Plant Snacks
- PBfit Peanut Butter Powder from Better Body Foods
- Veggie-based products in small packets for people on the go from Joy Loop Foods
- Honey and Chocolate from Droga Chocolates
- Made in Brooklyn beverage with a crisp bite of ginger from Bruce Cost Ginger Ale
I was happy to stumble upon Fire Cider, an emerging brand, who boasts apple cider vinegar tonic. Fire Cider, which earns its name easily with one sip, helped my family shorten our December head colds. I walked away with a complimentary shot glass and a Fire Cider cocktail recipe.
My real treat during my venture was to meet, Meg Barnhart, founder and co-creator of the Zen of Slow Cooking. I had heard about Meg's story and how she started a food company that employs individuals with learning challenges—adults like her son, Doug. Now, Meg and her business partner, Jane McKay, employ 30+ people and have a full line of great slow cooker spice blends.
While the show daily article pointed me to their trends and products, I was happy to find my own list of interesting products. Here is my list via photos. I hope you join us at the Fancy Food Summer Show at the New York Javitz Center in July.


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Amax's return delayed
In September, a water court judge postponed a trial to determine whether mining conglomerate Cyprus-Amax can create a reservoir, after the company changed its plans. Cyprus-Amax decided to downsize the mine from 10,000 to 6,000 tons per day, expand an accompanying reservoir from 1,000 to 1,600 acre-feet, and eliminate the need for one tailings pond.
A vice president at Cyprus-Amax, Jerry Denny, describes the design changes as an attempt to turn the mine into a "high-grading" facility, a process that extracts only the most lucrative molybdenum. The failed 20,000-ton-per-day project planned for the late 1970s "may not have been suitable for Crested Butte," Denny admits. But the current, smaller proposal, he says, would not cause as much environmental damage or change the community's character by attracting swarms of outsiders.
Sandy Shea with the High Country Citizens' Alliance isn't convinced: "Mining companies will say almost anything to gain a foothold in a community." Likewise, Crested Butte Mayor Victor Shepard worries about the consequences of "boom-and-bust" on the fabric of his town. He thinks even this downsized incarnation of the mine endangers the "tiny, fragile, pristine mountain community" that attracted him and continues to draw thousands of visitors each year.
With an obstacle course of permits and environmental review still ahead, Cyprus-Amax admits that the mine is at least ten years away. Crested Butte residents like Shea and Shepard are determined to fight the development for as long as it takes.
*Stanley Yung


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DANIEL L. STOVER-- Is a prominent farmer on section 10 in the township of Lincoln. He was born where he now resides, June 21, 1851, and is the only surviving child of his parents. Daniel Stover, his father, was born in Pa., and was descended from a family of German Origin. He came when unmarried, to Ogle County, and some time after his arrival here, was married Jan. 21, 1847 to Hannah Long. She was a native of Washington County, Maryland, and her parents were also of German extraction. She came to Illinois with her father and mother when she was in her young womanhood, and settled with the members of their family in what is the present Lincoln Township. Her father died in the township Sept. 10, 1876, aged 58 years. The mother is still living and is an inmate of the household of her son. She is 63 years old. Mr. Stover is the youngest child and was reared in the township where he was born. He was a pupil in the common schools of the county. After the homestead, which contains 240 acres, and besides the business of an ordinary farmer, he is also interested in raising stock. March 19, 1876, he was married to Caroline Ruppert. She was born in Floyd Co., Ind., at New Albany, and the date of her birth was Mar. 6, 1857. She is the daughter of John and Catherine (Stackley) Ruppert. Her parents were born in Germany and came to the United States after their marriage. They landed in this country and made their first stay in Indiana. In 1867 they came to Illinois and located at Forreston. The father was a stone-mason by trade and followed that business after he settled at Forreston. Mrs. Stover is one of the younger children of a family of eight. Four of them are now deceased. She is herself the mother of five children and two of them are deceased. SAMUEL J.; NORA C.; and SUSAN M.; are the names of the living. ESTHER H.; and ADELLA are deceased. Mr. Stover is a Republican of decided principles. He and his wife are members of the Dunkard Church.
Portrait and Biographical Album of Ogle County, Chapman Bros., Chicago, Illinois, May 1886, pages 370-371
Return to Ogle Co. Genealogy Site


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In the previously aired Season 6 Episode 6 of "Love & Hip Hop: New York", it was revealed that Tara, Peter's ex-girlfriend/baby mama, is pregnant with yet another child he fathered. The announcement comes just after Peter's wife Amina revealed she is pregnant; however, she decided to abort her baby.
Tara had wanted to extricate herself from Peter's romantic life and had visited a therapist to understand why she has been unable to do it. It was during her talk with the doctor that it was revealed that she is pregnant.
Tara, who already has two sons with Peter, is yet to reveal the news to the baby daddy. Peter has been very quiet about the pregnancy of both his wife and ex-girlfriend. However, when "fans" of "Love & Hip Hop" started attacking the women, he lashed out at them, and said if they wanted to blame anyone it should be him.
He also reminded them none of his children are on welfare and he needs no help from anyone to take care of his kids:
Meanwhile, Mariah Lynn asks Young B if she needs any help in bringing down the girls of BBOD. As fans will remember, Mariah and Miss Moe Money were both cosying up to the same man, Cisco, earlier in the season. Mariah and Sexy Lexi — the other half of what used to be BBOD — also had a conflict in Episode 6, when they realised Rah was managing both of them.
The girls were united by Cardi B, who asked both her friends to join her for a glass-blowing class at Brooklyn Glass. Although Cardi and Mariah were all for uniting against BBOD, Bianca was wary of the entire situation, saying she was trying to be on her best behaviour and could not be a part of whatever the other two were cooking up.


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Today's Tune in Tuesday is in honor of my fav Nascar Driver, Matt Kenseth in the #17 Best Buy Ford!
Yeah, you KNOW he rocks!! Last night [actually early this morning around 1:00 a.m.] he won the title of this year's Daytona 500 Champion!! Woot Woot!!
And I would never even dare to say it was an easy win. If you don't follow Nascar you may not know what transpired the past few days in Daytona. Let's just say it was a time for firsts.
It was the FIRST time in the 53 years of the Daytona 500 that Nascar had to postpone the race from Sunday afternoon to Monday at noon due to rain … and more rain … and even more rain on Sunday.
I hope the drivers brought their galloshes.
Then, as noon approached on Monday and there was still even MORE rain coming down, it was postponed again until 7:00 p.m. last night. And then it went off without a hitch … well, sort of.
Toward the end of the race, late into the evening, another FIRST occured. While on the backstretch during a caution flag Juan Pablo Montoya had something fall apart on his car and he lost control. He slammed right into one of those HUGE jet-engine dryer trucks that were working on drying out a wet track. My husband, who was fortunate enough to be at the race, said he saw an enormous ball of flames fly up into the air. Gasps all around … and then they saw a long stream of fire due to jet fuel leaking from the truck.
Thankfully, from what I've read online today, both Juan Pablo and the truck driver seem to be ok. Although I bet nightmares are in store for some time to come!!
Anyhoo, this inferno brought the race to a dead stop for whole 2 hours! It took that long for Nascar to clean the track and confirm that the serious heat from the jet fuel did not damage the asphalt.
So, the drivers had no choice to climb out of their cars and wait … oh, and if you are Brad Keselowski you TWEET about it!! Yes, friends, it was discovered that Brad actually keeps his cell phone in his race car while he drives! Oy veh! [follow Brad Keselowski on Twitter if you don't belive me!]
Finally, the race was underway again … and shortly after 1:00 a.m. my fav driver, Matt Kenseth, crossed the finish line to claim his SECOND Daytona 500 win! Yeah baby!!
This morning I knew I wanted to feature Matt Kenseth on my Tune in Tuesday. I asked the ol' hubby if he knew what Matt's favorite song was. He told me no, but that Matt did spend the day at Disney last week with his family and several other drivers.
[pause] Oooookaaaayyyy [more pause]
…. not sure why he told me that when I was asking about a song but I did get an immediate image in my head of Jiminy Cricket and "When You Wish Upon a Star".
Hmmm, maybe Matt hooked up with Jiminy Cricket and made a wish … and well … the rest is history!!
So, in honor of his win this morning … and his recent visit with a certain special cricket … here is today's Tune in Tuesday:
Everytime I hear that song I get all giddy like. Makes me seriously want to head back over to Disney soon. Of course, to do that we'd have to take out a second mortgage on our home or sell a kidney in order to pay for it all 🙂
[Note: if you click on any of the above pictures the link will take you to the source I found them at. NONE of the above are from my own camera … but wouldn't that be uber cool if they were!]


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Today is all about the hips. We're doing an amazing Hip Detox!
Let's take work we did on the hips yesterday even deeper and evolve in mermaid pose and maybe even king pigeon. See you on the mat!
Today it's all about energizing through twists and getting lit up through big feel good movments. See you on the mat!
Day 6 is one of our extended practices. We're gonna take everything we've been working on, especially what we were working on yesterday and take it for a Full 50 minute class. Things are heating up!


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Day 3 of Ali's 25 Days of Christmas:
Amy has learnt to climb onto the chair in her room. After I change her nappy I usually leave her to have some quiet play time while I wash my hands etc, but I wont be able to now as I am fearful that she will topple off the chair! She doesn't really have the concept of height yet.
Day 4: I don't have a photo of this but I got my hair cut and coloured. Yes, it is a thing of note for me as I don't colour my hair. I have got foils once before but let them grow out as I couldn't be bothered with the upkeep. This time they might stick around a bit longer. I am liking them. :)
Day 5: Luke was drawing one morning and he told me he was drawing Webster. He then proceeded to draw Webster under the ground. It's been over a year but he still missed him.
Day 6: I went to my Christmas party for work. It was heaps of fun. Last year I got horrendously drunk so this year I was sticking to Diet Coke. I still got up and danced like crazy all night! Thanks Steve for taking this photo! :)
Day 7: A bum around at home day. Here is Amy in the sandpit in the backyard.
Day 8: Kate and Luke were writing out their Christmas cards. They were putting those chocolate gold coins in the envelope aswell. Except for Luke. He would say 'that person doesn't like chocolate' and then eat their allocated coin. Only 2 kids ended up with a chocolate...
Day 9: This is very exciting for us indeed. We booked our flights to New Zealand. We are flying Emirates. On the way back we are on the Airbus A380. Yup. The SuperJumbo!!!! We cannot wait!!!
Master's was announced in a way yesterday. Most people don't know this, but for personal reasons I decided just over 2 months ago to remove my entry from the competition. I was very happy with my decision and I tell you, there was an immediate sense of relief. I didn't need to sit and wonder and wait to see if I would get the elusive call. I didn't need to worry if my entry was good enough in other scrappers eyes. I didn't need to worry if I would have enough time to complete the required things of me if I were chosen.
So since I wont be published in the Master's magazine, I guess I can do a bit of a share.My single layout. This layout fell into place really quickly, after only about an hour. I love it. It is still one of my most favourite pieces.
My double layout. This layout had me baffled as I really could not think of goals and dreams etc. SO I went with something slightly different.
My Keepsakes. I put together some frames for the family. I got the idea because both Kate and Luke have a picture of me in the rooms because I work at night and it makes them feel like I am there and that they are safe and protected.