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High-End Digital Photography
Javo Studios has been experienced in the art of digital photography since the media first emerged in the early 1990's. Javo Studios offers the latest in the state of the art equipment. Their professional commercial photographers possess the vast experience that is required to make the most of this media.
360 Photography
Javo Studios offers industry leading 360 degree product photography turntables. This make's creating interactive, 360-degree product views fast and efficient. Each solution includes software to streamline and automate image capture, processing and stitching into a single workflow. Automatically capture 360 video or up to 360 individual frames per rotation. Turntable movement and picture taking are synchronized. Individual images can be immediately exported or edited and composed into various 360 product views featuring, zoom, click-and-drag motion and more.
Javo Studios now offers full video production from an experienced team who will see your project through to completion using the latest in video equipment and editing software.
Set Styling
The diversity of the studio space allows for set building of all sizes, types and styles. Food, product and wardrobe styling are available upon request. An automatic double-sized garage door provides drive-in accessibility, security and convenience.
Location Scouting
With an eye for creativity, Javo Studios has the ability to scout the perfect location for your project. Photos are provided showing varied lighting opportunities making it possible to select the optimum time of day to effectively schedule your photo shoot and to ensure your project success.
Graphic Design
Javo Studios can provide graphic design services upon request. With a collaborative team they have the ability to shoot, design and produce a first rate product from concept layout to completion.
Available for your convenience, Javo Studios offers final images which include, CMYK conversions, outlines, photo retouching, online proofing and file management. Javo Studios has collaborated with several local printers and together they have created a seamless file management process.


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OK, so maybe I shouldn't write tag lines for games, but don't let that dampen your enthusiasm for Speedball 2 Evolution. Ah the king of all future sports, Speedball has a special place in the heart of many gamers, myself included. I think the root cause of a lot of the nostalgia comes courtesy of the Bitmap Brothers, every one of their titles was a classic, the often serious nature of games eschewed for dark humour but most of all, great gameplay.
I have some good news for you, there's no need to put on those rose-tinted bi-focals. Tower Studios has got your back, bringing you classic titles to modern platforms. Their latest venture is Speedball 2 Evolution, an all new version of a modern classic available on the iPhone, iPhone4, iPad, Sony Minis, Android and Samsung Bada. If someone told me 5 years ago that I could play a Bitmap Brothers title on a hand-held platform, my gaping mouth could've been tea-bagged by the meatiest of speedballs. But rather than that sort of photo get passed around the internet again, I will close my meaty-tasting mouth and be on the lookout for Speedball 2 Evolution instead. Play ball!

subset: commoncrawl


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Bera Is Hard-Worker Person
Bera states that life has plenty of challenges. That's the reason why he constantly gets lessons from his life. Bera was just 13 years of ages when he was separated from his relative and mosted likely to Paris. It was the very first time he began working about his project. While residing in Paris, far from his household, Bera got used to handling things by himself. He recognized that he has to deal with everything individually as well as ought to never ever be relied on his household and family members. After Paris, Bera mosted likely to the USA. In The U.S.A. Bera faced completely various ambience. In the international nation where he had no friends or loved ones no one sustained him or aided him out. Again, he was all-alone and also had to manage every barrier by himself. At the beginning it was exceptionally tough. He felt himself lonesome and isolated. As his initial track was launched, Bera thought that everyone around him would become left as well as happy for his very first success. But regrettably he dealt with different reality. He realized that there was a big competitors around him and nobody would be satisfied for his success. Many of individuals would certainly become envious of such a young, lively as well as perspective person.
When Bera talks about himself, he underlines that he is a little enthusiastic, but in an excellent way. Bera believes that every person must aspire. If he does not have a passion to overcome a person as well as create something that no person else had the ability to, one will never reach success. We ought to continuously fight between our obstacles and desires. Bera explains that he typically completes not with others yet himself. He constantly aims to establish and also create something huger that formerly. This is his aspiration, which does not leave him alone. As quickly as his one goal is completed he asks himself, exactly what's following? Sets another goal and proceeds the procedure of battle which in some sense is positive. A young individual who is complete of life as well as has an adventurous spirit should never stand apart and also see somebody else doing something that he would certainly do. This is the main goal of Bera. To do whatever to satisfy himself and also making his family and loving people around him happy.
Bera stresses that he is overly critical in the direction of himself. This critics consists of primarily his songs. As he starts working with his brand-new song, Bera becomes totally dedicated to it. He thinks about this song 24/7 as well as attempts to consider every feasible way to earn it seem much better. He says that he lives together with his tune every day as well as complying with weak after the song is launched. He tries to be essential In each detail in his song as well as attempts to make it as near ideal as feasible. Bera also stresses that he does not only take note of individuals that frequently praise him, compliments and sing along. He believes that those individuals who look at his song in much more critical way are one of the most beneficial people. Despite the fact that Bera is among a lot of well-known celebrities all over the world, and also is buddies with the majority of them, he states that he doesn't like to participate in the parties. The reason why he is a close friend with such famous people is not that he attempts to come to be more detailed to every celeb, yet since he needs to work with same producers as they do. Bera dislikes fakeness and also aims to remain himself. Even in such a fake occupation as vocalist, he still attempts to stand highly with suggestions as well as precepts and also never goes versus them.
Rather than calling his followers "fans" Bera calls them his advocates that respect him, have the same preference in music and merely share nearly the same belief as he does. For him every listener and also each and every single follower on Twitter or facebook is beneficial because if not them, he would certainly be nothing. When he speaks about success in profession he clarifies that one could never come to be a renowned vocalist unless his tunes are sincere. Every little thing he writes, originated from his heart and also he never ever writes tunes just to become popular. It is a major trick. People constantly recognize if a tune is written by phony emotions or not. I never have lack of emotions that is why my tunes are always suched as and valued. In fact, tracks have a big power. One could adjust by people with his tracks. I constantly try not to surround individuals with my beliefs. Some individuals utilize their power in a bad means and attempt to lead their fans in a wrong instructions. This is an unforgivable mistake for me. We need to always allow the listeners make their very own selection. What we need to do is to show them the truth, reveal different viewpoints as well as let them choose their very own. This is a job of an actual singer.


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No Methylene Chloride, No Caustics, No Acids, No NMP
In 1862, boards milled on the Flathead Reserve (later "Reservation") were brought 120 miles by ox cart to finish the Deer Lodge Valley home of trader Johnny Grant. The home later became the headquarters of cattle baron Conrad Kohrs, whose empire included ranges in four states and Canada. The elegantly furnished ranch house, along with 88 other historic structures, can be seen year-round at Grant-Kohrs National Historic Site, Deer Lodge, MT.
The above picture was taken at the heritage preservation project at Grant-Kohrs National Historic Park in Deer Lodge, Montana. In 2001, 139 years of accumulated paint was removed by Star 10 Inc paint stripper. The picture shows the park workers starting the project. The left side is completely stripped of the white paint. Our product is PH neutral and will not damage the wood.
Please visit our new website www.starten.com for more information.
Product used on this project is Star 10 Phase 1 Paste Paint Stripper.


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A long long time ago, in Orlando, FL. Three guys met and discovered they liked the same type of stuff. Discussions were had in which laughter erupted, but not in normal shenanigans style. In fact, the discussions were deep and meaningful and hilarious.
So fast-forward on the VCR/BETAMAX of life to January of 2018. A brilliant idea was formed to take the show on the road. However, these average guys were, well, average. They all have kids and jobs and pesky real life commitments. So the Average Guys podcast was born.


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Vodafone India locked Huawei E3372h-607 (Firmware 22.200.15.00.210 and WebUI 17.100.13.01.210) can be unlocked as our team has successfully developed the tool. It is basically modified firmware 22.317.01.00.210 of Huawei E3372h-607. This device security is too high, so all normal firmware gives error.
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1. Download the unlocking file of Vodafone India Huawei E3372h-607 from the link which is provided at the end of this post.
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CHA Releases 2014 Follow-Up Report on Allied Health Workforce
CHA is pleased to release the attached report, Critical Roles: California's Allied Health Workforce (March 2014), a follow-up to an original 2011 publication. The report includes statewide information on select allied health occupation vacancy rates and age distribution, as well as other important information. The report is based on a 2013 statewide hospital survey that was designed to gather up-to-date data on the demand for health professionals in the short term and to identify hospital workforce concerns in the coming years. In addition to highlighting the survey findings, the updated document also includes key messages for policy makers and other stakeholders relevant to health workforce development in California. For a printed copy of the report, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Asthma Channel
Topics & Medications
Related Channels
Diagnosing Asthma
When diagnosing asthma, the doctor considers the person's medical history (including family history) and symptoms they may be experiencing. In addition to asking questions and performing a physical exam, tests such as spirometer and bronchial challenge tests may be used in diagnosing asthma. An important aspect of diagnosing asthma is classifying it based on how severe a person's asthma symptoms are when his or her asthma is not well controlled.
In order to diagnose asthma, your doctor will likely ask a number of questions, perform a physical exam, and conduct some tests.
In order to help in diagnosing asthma, your doctor will ask about the following:
- Periods of coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness that come on suddenly, occur often, or seem to happen during certain times of the year
- Colds that seem to "go to the chest" or that take more than 10 days to get over
- Medicines you may have used to help your breathing
- Your family history of asthma and allergies
- What things seem to cause asthma symptoms or make them worse.
Your doctor may also listen to your breathing and look for signs of asthma or allergies.
There are several tests used in diagnosing asthma, including:
- Spirometer test
- Bronchial challenge test
- Other tests.
Spirometer Test
Your doctor will probably use a device called a spirometer to check your airways. This test is called spirometry. The test measures how much air and how fast you can blow air out of your lungs after taking a deep breath. The results will be lower than normal if your airways are inflamed and narrowed, as with asthma, or if the muscles around your airways have tightened up. As part of the test, your doctor may give you a medication that helps open up narrowed airways and see if it changes or improves your test results. Spirometry is also used to check your asthma over time to see how you are doing.
Information About Asthma
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD


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March 24, 2016
Pittsburgh, Pa is full of surprises. No longer an industrial area, and more than simply a place to get fries on sandwiches, people are slowly awakening to the amazing range of things to do and see in this city. From a growing culinary scene to the filming location for the movie The Dark Knight Rises, there are many reasons to book a holiday in Pittsburgh.
Foodie destination
Pittsburgh is known for large Primati Brothers sandwiches, piled high with fresh cut fries and a vinegar-based coleslaw on hand sliced Italian bread. But there's more to Pittsburgh's food scene; enough to satisfy vegans to omnivores. In 2013, Andrew Zimmern, chef and TV personality, was quoted in Pittsburgh Magazine as saying "…Pittsburgh is like the next big thing". He was right. In 2016, three semi-finalists for the 26th annual James Beard Foundation (JBF) Awards hailed from Pittsburgh: Best New Restaurant: Morcilla, 2016 Outstanding Baker: Rick Easton, Bread and Salt, and Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic: Justin Severino, Cure. In addition to restaurants, the Strip District, filled with specialty stores offering delicacies from around the world, is a must visit.
The steepest road in the U.S.
Pittsburgh is located in the foothills of the Appalachians. And its topography has led to the city having the steepest public street in the United States: Canton Avenue. Located in Beechview, it has a 37 per cent climbing grade paved in cobblestones and was the location of a recent Audi commercial. It's also close to the midway point of the annual Dirty Dozen Bike Race, which takes place on Pittsburgh's 13 steepest hills. Officially, The Guinness Book of World Records lists Baldwin Street in New Zealand as the world's steepest street. It only has a 35 per cent grade, but is longer than Canton Avenue.
A Grand View
Described by the New York Times as the "the only city in America with an entrance," when you arrive at the end of the Fort Pitt Tunnel, which cuts through Mt. Washington, you get a picturesque view of downtown. The city's skyline is so beautiful that it made the list of America's most stunning views by USA Today. A popular way to see the vista is from the top of Mt. Washington, at one of the many restaurants that line Grandview Avenue. There are also observation areas next to the Duquesne and Monongahela inclines. The West End-Elliott Overlook Park and Point State Park are popular spots as well.
"Hollywood of the East"
It might be surprising to some that Paramount Studios, Warner Brothers, and MGM all had offices in Pittsburgh before moving out to California. But the city's Hollywood connection does not end there. Throughout the past decade, hundreds of movies have been filmed in Pittsburgh, with recent titles such as Concussion with Will Smith, The Dark Night Rises with Christian Bale, and Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise. Anyone interested in learning more about Pittsburgh's movie connection and visiting past filming locations would enjoy the Lights, Camera, Pittsburgh! The Official Pittsburgh Film Office Movie Tour. It's a three-hour, interactive tour offered by Pittsburgh Tours & More. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Pittsburgh Film Office.
Our partnership with Delta provides numerous connections across the United States and Canada, making booking flights to Pittsburgh even easier.
Are you more of a film buff or foodie? Where will you go on your holiday in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments section below.


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Contact: Chuck Young, Chief Ranger, 360-569-6612
Park Superintendent Randy King advises that the park will be extending the evening weekend hours on the Longmire to Paradise road beginning Saturday, March 8. Those hours will be:
6:00 p.m. Uphill gate closesWeekdays, Monday-Friday hours will remain the same as present through March:
4:00 p.m. Uphill gate closes
Opening of the gate at Longmire in the morning will remain at 9:00 a.m. Actual open and close times will be dependent on current conditions (weather, avalanche conditions, safety factors, staffing).
Visitors are reminded that the road between the Nisqually Entrance and Longmire is open year round, unless closed by extreme conditions.
All vehicles are required to carry tire chains when driving in the park from November 1 through May 1. Traction tires or chains may be required on any type of vehicle, at any time.There's always plenty to do in and around Mount Rainier, any day of the week! Visitors are encouraged to obtain up-to-the-minute updates on road conditions and restrictions by calling the park at 360-569-2211 for recorded information. View park webcams at https://www.nps.gov/mora/
Last updated: February 28, 2015


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Some interesting points made, e.g.
Clemenza, who quotes Greil Marcus on blues resurrectionist Robert Cray ("What really puts me off about [Robert Cray] is that you just can't do blues in the self-conscious way you can do a lot of other things. You can't get up and say, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, now I'm gonna do a blues song,' without immediately sounding ridiculous.") and says "I'll leave aside whether that's fair or not to Robert Cray. But that's what I think about when I hear something like "Uptown Funk": "Ladies and Gentlemen, now we're gonna do a funk song."
To which why dont u say something or like just die (dog latin) replies:
"I feel like this is a mounting complaint about 'new' music in recent times, and not without reason. A review of the US hipster-metal band Liturgy in Wire magazine this month was arguing that compared to the original Scandinavian black metallers, this band are very self-consciously 'doing' black metal and that even their more leftfield tendencies felt tokenistic or forced, whereas a band like Ulver at the time were genuinely pushing the boundaries of their abilities and what the genre could do."
Leonard Pine, who complains in Retromania-ish tones that "Maybe I'M the one who's getting old, but mainstream culture seems to be all about old shit. Music that sounds like peppy, modern sensibility covers of old music (see also Megan Trainer), TV shows based on films I liked as a teenager, films based on comics my granddad liked as a teenager. Maybe it's to do with money because the more something is safe and familiar to the larger amount of people the wider its appeal, and old people are more likely to buy a song instead of just rip/download it".
Doctor Casino defends:
"i know jack shit about bruno mars's upbringing or w/e but i'm kinda imagining it like a tribute to his parents' music.... like what he heard around the house growing up. i guess that makes it like vampire weekend and graceland or something. or maybe not - all the sounds in the song (and the vintage black male fashions in the video) were pretty much totally disappeared from the wider landscape by the time he was six years old, if not from other outlets including hypothetical parents' stereos.
"so sure, potentially it's more arch and revivalist, a brian setzer deal as noted above - but it's kinda better than brian setzer. i mean it's a cool song. it would have been a hit back then too IMO. whereas it's hard to imagine "stray cat strut" or "jump jive & wail" actually competing with the hitmakers of their respective nostalgia eras.
"maybe another way to articulate this is that while the video totally presents a pastiche of fashions, lighting, scenes and camera angles you might have seen in an 80s video, it's otherwise free of LOL SEE IT'S THE 80S stuff. like it's pretty clear everybody is totally stoked to be dressing up like this, they know they look cool as hell and have always wanted to be in such a video. i'm struggling to think of a counterexample here, but, i dunno, it's not like weezer being on happy days or nirvana being on ed sullivan and the gag is that they don't belong there and they're cooler than those cheesy old-timey things that we make fun of now. or insert any rock/punk band that goes "back to the 80s" and it's comical that they're wearing hair metal wigs etc. and maybe i'm mistaken, or giving the song too much credit, but part of me really wants to take that as a kind of transgressive gesture, reclaiming some kinda bypassed or overlooked urban cultural forms with strong black and latino roots, refusing to wink-wink around them, and making them into a gigantic hit song."
Detailed appraisal of Bruno Mars's postracial pop atemporalism and Mark Ronson as the chart's top retro-fitter for nearly a decade now, conducted by Chris Molanphy at Slate. This bit - cueing off the analysis of Billboard radio expert Sean Ross, who found more than a dozen potential sources and predecessors for "Uptown Funk" - reads almost like an inventory of potential future ligitations a la "Blurred Lines":
"Isn't the chant "Up-town/ Funk you up/ Uptown funk you up" a steal from the Gap Band? Yes, cross-pollinated with some early Sugar Hill Records. That stomping party-train beat—doesn't it have the stank of post-disco James Brown? You know it, and Bruno's lyric "Gotta kiss myself, I'm so pretty" also owes something to the Godfather of Soul. How about those gurgling, Vocoderized vocal sounds—where have you heard them before? On classic funk records by Zapp's Roger Troutman (as well as German synth-funkster George Kranz). Didn't Prince protégésMorris Day and the Time patent that preening-vocal-plus-multi-dude-chorus approach? You know what time it is. And those syncopated horns—didn't Rick James make his bones with that sound? What did the five fingers say to the face?
Sean Ross of Billboard points out that while "Uptown Funk" shot straight to the top,
"many of the early '80s classics referenced were released during the worst period of a "disco backlash" that effectively kept all types of black music, not just disco, off of top 40 for three years, beginning in fall 1979..... the beginnings of rap, the return of disco to its R&B roots, the emergence of a second generation of funk artists, many of them influenced by new wave.... happened mostly off of Top 40's radar. Rick James' "Super Freak," a song that plays on Adult Contemporary stations today, reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 largely on the strength of sales. On charts that measured pop airplay only, it was mired in the 30s. The crowning of Prince as one of the decade's breakthrough artists in the music press was spurred by two albums (Dirty Mind and Controversy) that got no pop radio support. Even "1999" was resisted by top 40 radio and had to be reissued after Prince's breakthrough with the more overtly rock-flavored "Little Red Corvette."
The resistance to R&B crossovers finally broke down in 1982-83 as the result of a handful of records. Some were rock-flavored (Ray Parker Jr.'s "The Other Woman," Prince's "Corvette," Michael Jackson's "Beat It"). Some were just undeniable (Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing," Jackson's "Billie Jean"). Still, some of black music's most exciting acts of the era were years into their hitmaking streaks before managing a crossover. Often, the biggest top 40 chart hit would turn out to be a less-enduring late career record. Ask most people to name aMidnight Star song and you'll likely get the No. 81 "No Parking (On The Dance Floor)" long before the No. 18 "Operator."
"Uptown Funk" isn't the only recent example of a pop hit referencing an ignored R&B hit from this era. Disclosure's "Latch" recalls the shuffle of "Searching" by Change, the Chic-like Italian dance act fronted here by a then-unknown Luther Vandross. "Latch" broke at pop radio by riding the coattails of EDM, then engineered a reverse crossover to R&B/Hip-Hop and Adult R&B. "Searching" reached No. 23 at R&B in 1980, but never managed any pop airplay."
So 2014-2015 = The Year(s) That Post-Disco Finally Broke?
Actually that would have been the 80s career of Madonna, surely?
This is the band that I immediately thought of the first time I heard "Uptown Funk"
But listening to this now, the resemblance seems to fade. Obviously the sound of it is feeble compared to "Uptown Funk"'s modern steroid-stacked production, which feels like it belongs to the world of e.g. "Harlem Shake" as much vintage funk / postdisco / boogie etc.
So it's quite a clever concoction, alluding to the past, or various pasts, without exactly replicating anything. Unlike "Blurred Lines", which I vastly prefer, but which nonetheless is a vibe-replica of something very specific.
The main thing "Uptown Funk" has in common with The Time's work is a non-tunefulness. In the sense that there's not much of a song there, it's a groove.


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One of the foremost twentieth century composers for the classical guitar, Federico Moreno
Torroba composed prolifically. His guitar music is particularly rich in its use of colour, melody,
and lively rhythms to transport the listener into an essentially Spanish expression of a poetic and
romantic sensibility. This first volume of a series devoted to Moreno Torroba features Castillos
de España (Castles of Spain), which pays tribute to the many ancient fortifications throughout
Spain and evokes the atmosphere of romance and mystery of bygone eras, and Puertas de Madrid (Gates of Madrid) centred this time on familiar landmarks of Moreno Torroba's native city.
Moreno Torroba, Federico
Moreno Torroba, Federico
Vidovic, Ana
Label: Naxos
Series: Guitar Collection
Genre: Instrumental
Period: 20th Century
Catalogue No:
Release Date: 07/2007


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Fireplace Place | Oklahoma City
Phone: (405) 639-2072
Mon-Fri: 09.00 AM – 05.00 PM
300 NE 34th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
See on Google Maps
Mon-Fri: 09.00 AM – 05.00 PM
300 NE 34th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
See on Google Maps
I had the great pleasure of having an outstanding customer service experience from your employee Kevin Thweatt. He was very professional and helpful. He diagnosed the issue and handled in a very polite manner. Even though the problem was user error on our part he cleaned the glass and added some embers to the coals and tested the fireplace to make sure it was all operational. I enjoyed meeting Kevin and hope that you are aware that you have a quality employee in him.
While we certainly hope we don't need your services again we will tell others about you and Kevin. We will definitely call again and specifically ask for Kevin.
Anna Stewart Cleaver
3725 NW 64 Street
The purpose of my contact is two-fold. First, I would like to thank you for the service you provided for my mother-in-law, Barbara Hardman. I had contacted you by email initially to obtain information and eventually, when Barbie was ready, by phone to set up an appointment with a technician. She now has the remote feature for her gas logs and is very pleased. Another fireplace store had told her it could not be done! Thank you for your expertise and helpful staff.
The second reason for my contact is a concern about my own fireplace. Our home has a ventless system. It has performed well for us until yesterday. Yesterday, it did not start up a couple times when we flipped the wall switch and a time or two, it went out after being lit. We currently are taking the precaution of NOT leaving it on if we nap or leave the room for longer than 5 minutes or so. This morning, it came right on and is blazing away.
So…. I would appreciate your thoughts or concerns about this situation. I am wondering if these ventless systems need any type of periodic maintenance. We purchased the home new in September, 2012, so the system has been in use for 3 years. At the moment, I am unable to provide information on the brand and model, as I can not locate the fireplace manual. I do believe we have that information somewhere!
Thank you, Nancy Hardman
My builder contacted you yesterday about a see through stainless steel fireplace (propane) and a stainless steel outdoor (wood) fireplace. Can you send me something with information and prices? Your website only shows pictures with no names or details.
Brian, I met you at the Edmond Arts Festival, we talked about making fireplace tools. I looked at the Ironhause website they did not have any prices , what I plan on doing is making a wall mounted set of fireplace tools and see what it will cost me then i will get in touch with you and show you them and then we can discuss prices . Thanks, Mark Carter MCIRON
I would like to have my fireplace redone, still have the gold swords on it, uggghh! I would like to set up a time for someone to come out & give me an estimate.
We have a house that is one year old. It has a ventless fireplace that we could like to have remodeled. Do you do this and what steps would we need to take to get an estimate. We live in Edmond.
I would like someone to come out and provide us with a quote on re-installing a gas/ventless fireplace system. We currently have one, but it doesn't seem to be working properly and I would like to have a new system installed. Please contact me to schedule time for a visit to our home. You can reach me via cell at 714-812-3650 or via email above.
Thank you.
I am interested in building a new Rumford style fireplace in a rural new construction home in eastern Seminole County. Can you assist?


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The sit-to-stand aid ROLEO and other tools from Leonair Rehatechnik help patients with multiple sclerosis, stroke, muscle diseases and other physical disabilities.
Our transfer aids support physically impaired persons by helping them to get in an upright position or move from one sitting surface to another, e.g. from the bedside into a wheelchair. As these aids also enable standing exercises, they allow some patients to get mobile even without a separate stand aid.
Patients are actively involved in the transfer. This requires, and hence also promotes, mobility. At the same time, caretakers manage to keep a healthy back while working. ROLEO, ELEA, LiLLy or Emmy? We will gladly give you advice to help you choose the aid that best meets your needs.
Trade fair dates
A rehabilitation aid with a lot of benefits:
- Electric support helps patients to get up
- Less space needed as turning around is possible without manoeuvring
- No shoulder problems due to belt attachment in the pelvic area
- Standing exercises and stand-up exercises are possible without an additional aid
- A number of hand grips offer training for arms and hands
Turning around with ROLEO makes transfer easy and saves space
Our sit-to-stand aid ELEA allows patients to get actively involved in standing up or moving from one sitting surface to another. The fact that the belt is placed around the pelvis prevents complications in the patient's shoulder area, while also ensuring that caretakers keep a healthy back while working.
Our electric transfer aid Lilly is suitable for people with or without core stability. The fact that the belt attachment is located at the body's centre of gravity helps patients to avoid shoulder problems. Caretakers appreciate the ease of use and the benefit of being able to keep a healthy back while working.
Our sit-to-stand aid Emmy supports patients' existing mobility. Vertical grips allow patients to practice standing while leaving room for the head. Large slip-resistant footplates with a step height as low as 6.5 centimetres provide safety. Patients may drive while standing.


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Latest Story
The Real Divide
As a Christian, I believe wholeheartedly in the existence of Satan and his daily efforts to draw mankind away from the love and truth of God. It is in this light that I can't help but draw some conclusions about the Trayvon Martin / George Zimmerman tragedy. First and foremost, this was a tragedy, but the legalities of the case are not the focus of my assertions here.
I want to talk about truth. Since the beginning of time, Satan has known that the greatest opportunity to divide and conquer mankind begins–no, not with race, religion, ethnicity, or gender–but with the family. No other institution possesses the power, love, and intimacy needed to disciple the truth of God's love. But even if you're not a Believer, only ignorance would deny that the foundation of morality, values, and ethics begin within the home. If Satan can undermine that foundation, he can undermine the support system that is so essential to self-esteem and so essential to having healthy relationships in every facet of life. (more)


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I have been waiting for Thanksgiving to be over because I wasn't really a big fan of the dead leaf autumn look (brown, orange, yellow, etc). In the matter of a week, my favourite time of the year is upon us. Well, it's certainly not my favourite time of the year in the southern hemisphere, but it is in the northern hemisphere and that's what counts, hmm?
To show my love towards the colder months that I wish I was in right now, I decided to change WordPress themes and do some colour changes.
Of course, when I do changes from one theme to another one, stuff can get seriously fucked up. Things may not look so great, and I'm going to try to find and fix them myself since the number of visitors I get here is lucky to go into the 3 digit range. (Sorry for refusing to put all my dirty laundry up on Facebook, guyz.)
That's it for now. Welcome, a little early, December and wishes that it was winter again.


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There have already been two really good posts about this weekend in Leadville by Silke and Mike but I'll add a few of my own pictures and thoughts to the mix. Since moving here not too long ago, this was the weekend I was able to put the Colorado experience together, mountains, camping and running for a glorious weekend. I didn't bother to keep track of all the mileage and climbing but it was around 50 miles and 5,000 feet of gain. More importantly, the time was spent on the Colorado and Continental Divide trails with friends. One of the runs is below.
First on the camping…..no, I had never camped before this weekend…(gulp)….now that admission is out of the way 🙂 Second, I was the only person in camp with all brand new shiny gear! I managed too spend a couple of (comfortable) nights under the starry skies in my new tent. I purchased the floor model from Neptune so this baby has got too have plenty of good mojo to deal out over the next decade I hope 🙂 Friday afternoon, I arrived in camp first and decide to set out on a solo circumnavigation of Twin Lakes below the summit of Mt Elbert, Colorado's highest peak.
The entire circumnavigation was filled with scenes like this…
And of course this…..
About half way around the loop, I stumbled across the Historic Interlacken resort which was a Victorian era mountain retreat. There is a complex of restored buildings here for rent for your next special occasion….weddings, graduations, bar mitzvah and the like….provided you are willing to hike in. No motor access allowed 🙂
Continuing on the loop, I finally reached the end of my journey at Lake Creek after which a simple crossing would lead me to the camp ground about .5 mile away.
I don't have a picture of it, but I was surprised to find the creek was a raging white water torrent descending from the highlands due to the spring melt. If you have seen Into the Wild, I kinda felt a little bit like Christopher McCandless must have. I could practically see the camp from where I was but there was no way of getting there so it was time to buck up a bit and head back the way I came. I arrived back in camp just in time to see the rest of the crew heading into town for dinner. I had about enough energy to setup camp, have a few beers and listen to the Dead for a few hours. We all reassembled the next morning for a fine mountain run.
Thanked the beaver for creating this fine little lake….
And thanked whoever came up with the idea of swimming in a placid mountain lake after a trail run while sipping some cold ones in the sun shine. Brilliant!
And what would a day on the trails be without a hot mountain pizza pie.
Followed by another day running amongst the aspens…
From Sea to Summit…..
It does not get any better…..


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[Above photograph: satellite image of the project as it currently exists.]
An unforgettable experience with rural South Africa as our nucleus, and dedication and teamwork as our tonic; this live-build charity architecture project was a great success, and alternative studio route of my second year as a Nottingham University architect, 2011-12. Its entirety can be seen here, or view my personal account. Scroll down for more images under the design scheme.
Brief: To design, develop, and physically build a sustainable nursery school in Limpopo, South Africa. A team of 50 second years were selected for this project to work with 5th years, sponsors, tutors, and the local community.
INITIAL DEVELOPMENT WORK: Small Group Scheme, initial ideas, working in teams of 5-7 for the first proposal
The final chosen and amalgamated scheme can be seen on the first link provided above. And in reality…


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Happy 4th Birthday to Igloo Coworking in Liverpool an established coworking space with real established businesses and comfy seats.
Free Residents Zero Carbon Liverpool training workshop lead by Centre for Alternative Technology
Hi all,
The Centre for Alternative Energy and Liverpool Community Renewables are running free training workshops for residents who wish to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce the progress of climate change and activists who want to set up a renewable energy project. The draft breakout workshops, in particular, are looking really interesting (attached)There are only 40 places left so please sign up on eventbrite if you are interested and forward to your contacts.
We also have 14 funded places on CAT's 'Zero Carbon Britain' course in Machynlleth on the 7th and 8th June.
Elaine Cresswell BSc (Hons) DipLD CMLI
Director / Landscape Architect
Suite 8, Church House,
1 Hanover Street,
Liverpool. L1 3DN
Igloo is 3 years old #coworking #liverpool
Seagull chicks again this year
Technology firm takes space at Liverpool Science Park as it eyes expansion #coworking #Liverpool #startup
Nice to see MGISS get a mention in todays Liverpool Echo. MGISS where situated at Igloo Coworking for around 18 months and saw the company expand…. read the full article about their success here >> http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/business/technology-firm-takes-space-liverpool-10110169
Tough day at the office #coworking @froandbeans
Rent a desk in an established space #liverpoolstartupcity #coworking
We have a few plans to suit your needs :-
Exclusive desk use
£140 pcm – Exclusive desk use, storage, unlimited meeting room use, business address registration, mail service, 24hr access *3 month minimum contract.
Situated at the junction of Hanover Street and Paradise Street, adjacent to John Lewis, Church House lies at the Gateway to Liverpool One.


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The Pedrali ARKI-TABLE family is available in three different versions with a solid laminate top, the frame made of extruded aluminium along with trestle steel legs.
ARKI-TABLE is available in round, rectangular and square versions.
The ARKI-TABLE has lacquered steel or solid oak legs, with an extruded aluminium frame and solid laminate top in either 6mm and 12mm.
Available in either white or black.
A top with cable management is available as an optional extra.
Designed Pedrali R&D.
Compelo Ltd Registered Office: John Carpenter House, John Carpenter Street, EC4Y 0AN, England. No: 06339167.Copyright 2020 Compelo. All rights reserved.


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The first speech I remember
I don't remember giving a speech before sixth grade. I'm sure I did, you know, as part of some class exercise. But I don't remember it.
In fact, I don't really remember the speech I did in sixth grade, but I know it was that year because of the person I was watching. Tom was only in class with me in sixth grade and I remember when he gave his speech.
Or rather, I remember that time when he didn't give it.
See if this rings a bell.
He walked to the front of the class with a piece of paper. Presumably it had his speech on it. When he got to the front, it was clear, already, that he was nervous. He was sweating profusely. He was shaking – and I don't mean a little shake.
His body was shaking so much that the paper in his hands was making noise like the US flag does on top of a pole on a windy day. The snaps and crackles coming from his paper were loud, sharp, and a clear message on its own.
As he started, he said the words I've heard from tons of other folks, "I don't really like speaking in public."
But that's not how it came out. I mean, in his head, maybe it did. But what we heard was, "I-I-I-I-do-do-don't-really-really-really-really-li-li-li-li-li-like speaking in pub-pub-pub-public."
Ever seen a nervous presenter?
Now, maybe you aren't like Tom. Let's assume you're not like Tom.
But you've likely seen a "Tom" before, right?
And as they stand up there, as they shake, as they sweat, and as they stutter, let me ask you this question.
How does it make you feel?
Most of us start feeling bad. We feel anxiety for the presenter – wondering if they're going to be ok. And we feel a bit stressed, don't we? Because we don't know how this will end, do we?
In Tom's case, he stood at the front of the class shaking, after he announced his fear of public speaking, and he couldn't get the first word out. He shook for 5 minutes but it felt like hours. And eventually he sat down.
It was the first presentation I remember. It was the first presentation I can remember where the actual talk never happened because of a fear that almost everyone shares.
And while they're on stage telling us how nervous they are, while they stutter, shake and sweat, we all get stressed.
And that's the major mistake a nervous presenter makes
Let me be clear.
- I'm not saying stuttering is the mistake.
- I'm not saying shaking is either.
- I'm not calling sweat a mistake.
No, I'm focused on audience stress.
There is no way you can communicate effectively if your audience is stressed. No way. The message won't stick.
In fact, I'd probably go as far as to say, if you have already done all the work needed to distill your message into a single main point, then there is only one more important thing to do.
Keep your audience relaxed and able to hear you.
So what does that mean, in practical terms?
1. Don't let the first words on stage be any of these.
- "I don't really like giving speeches."
- "I'm terrified up here but let's see how this goes."
- "This is my first time presenting on this topic…"
- "I don't have prepared remarks…I'm just going to talk…"
Some people just can't help it. But the moment you say it, you're creating some internal stress in your audience. And that will cause a part of their brain to turn off, or to be distracted by how you're doing, instead of what you're saying.
2. How you start a presentation is critical to getting your audience to relax.
That's why I start with a story. People love stories and it easily captures attention and so people stop worrying about me, or looking at me, and they just focus in on the story and where it's going.
3. Help your audience laugh.
I'm not saying you have to be a stand up comic. But when people laugh, their levels of cortisol, epinephrine and dopamine all decrease. Those are stress hormones. And laughing cuts down on stress.
So if you can, in the first few minutes, get folks laughing (even at yourself), you can help them get prepped to hear what you have to share.
Notice what I didn't say?
I never said, stop being nervous.
I've been speaking to groups of people since I was in high school – and that was a long time ago. I still get nervous. But I use that nervousness to give me the energy to jump on stage and power thru the first minutes of my talk.
As long as I don't appear nervous (which is different than being or not being nervous), my audience can relax and my message can stick.


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Alexandria is the second biggest city in Egypt and is located at the Mediterranean Sea. While the city has a very interesting past, there is not much left of the initial beauty. While there are a couple of interesting spots, Alexandria isn't exactly a touristic hotspot.
Posts about Alexandria:
Helpful guides:
Posts about luxury hotels in Alexandria:
Photos of Alexandria:


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Ports Ready for Wider Panama Canal
NEW ORLEANS - Port officials from Savannah, Ga., to Mobile, Ala., to Long Beach are moving full steam ahead to expand and modernize their ports.
The eyed prize: luring anticipated increased ship traffic and bigger ships sailing through a widened Panama Canal, which is scheduled to open in 2014.
"Those who are best prepared when the recession ends will have the best opportunity for rewards later," said Don Allee, chief executive of the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport, which is undergoing a $570 million expansion.
Panamanian voters in 2006 approved a referendum to expand the 48-mile canal's capacity, setting off a frenzy of new projects among competing U.S. ports. Despite a global recession and declines in revenue over the past year, ports are pushing to expand:
- The Port of Mobile is undergoing $600 million in upgrades, including a new container terminal and a turning basin for large ships. The port lost $225 million in revenue the past two years, said Jimmy Lyons, the port's chief executive.
- The Port of Savannah is midway through an eight-year, $500 million expansion that will nearly double its container capacity, executive director Curtis Foltz said. Port business was down 10 percent last year.
- The Port of Long Beach is spending $3 billion over the next 10 years to modernize its port, despite losing about one-third of its cargo business last year, spokesman Art Wong said.
The most heated port expansion competition is centered on the Gulf Coast. Port directors there believe they can lure the largest, 1,200-foot-long ships sailing from China and other Asian destinations laden with goods for the U.S., greatly boosting their business.
Many of those ships now dock at West Coast ports.
Port officials in New Orleans are trying to give their port a $250 million expansion. Plans to partner with private investors to shoulder part of the cost were stymied by the recession, said Gary LaGrange, the port's president and chief executive. The port has invested $33 million of its money and is looking to state funds and federal stimulus money to finish the job, he said.
"Everything came to sort of a screeching halt in the fall of 2008," LaGrange said.
It is unclear whether the global economy allows for enough waterborne trade to validate the billions of dollars in port expansions across the country, said Jim Brennan, a Washington-based port consultant.
"The question is whether the market will support those ships," he said.
Richard Wainio, head of the Port of Tampa, said his port has chosen a more cautious approach. A long-term expansion project underway there will continue only as the market develops, he said.
"A lot of ports are going forward with the 'We build it and they will come' approach," Wainio said. "We don't believe in that."


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*Post was written on my trip and posted – a bit more than intended, apologies for my cold – retroactively on account of bad wifi (and said cold!)*
So, we left Rome the next morning bright and early for what was an all travel day, puntucated with a stop in Pompeii.
Pompeii was again, about a zillion degrees, and there was very little shade, making that an extra treat 😝 However the town was worth it in my opinion, as we got to walk through the theatre:
Any city forum:
Of all those people whose lives were essentially frozen in time by Vesuvius.
There aren't any bodies actually at the site of Pompeii now, in case anyone was curious, but there were three plaster casts of a man:
A dog:
And a baby:
On display that were kind of fascinating in a terrible way.
After Pompeii we got back on the bus again and travel the whole day to make it to our first ferry, which was 10 hours and took us to mainland Greece. We did have cabins, thank goodness, and me and another girl acutually got to share a 4 person one because of a goof, which was great, but by that point I was out of my nightime cold meds that I'd gotten in Nice – Actifed, if anyone is ever stuck in France and looking for Tylenol cold day and night is the French version – and I was coughing every time I took a deep breath, which kept me up almost all night. Additionally we had to get up at 4:30 am to disembark, which was torture, so I was basically wipped out. Thankfully I managed to sleep on the second 2 hour ferry to Corfu, which is a beautiful island.
Our hotel – whee, no more campsites – was really lovely, with a beautiful view and all whites and blues that felt really Greek.
The downside was our "cabin" was up a very steep hill, and because sof the heat I didn't want to do the climb more than once a day, so sometimes I'd spend a few hours at the lobby waiting for dinner rather than in my room with A/C, but that was a small complaint.
Corfu was basically just a slow of pace, where we could relax and chill, which given that I wasnt sleeping much with my cough was a good thing. The first day I napped and then swam in the pool, and the second I felt a bit better so I went and rented a jet ski, which was actually probably the most fun I had the whole trip! I'd never been on one before and didn't really understand the appeal until I was on it and gunning it, and trust me by then I got it! 😉
I want one 😉
That night we had our optional Ionian dinner, which was pretty good, and had Greek dancing which was really fun. We all participated in a really confused version of that Greek circle dance, and then some club dancing to the most random things – I'm pretty sure some Dirty Dancing music was in there – and then some people did the Greek plate breaking dance and we watched a dance where they set the floor on fire!
The evening was only blighted by some drunk bachelor party assholes who were way agressive to all the girls while dancing – even I had to escape at one point after being cornerned – and who threw a glass in the plate breaking dance even after the lady speficially said not too. Still, the night was really fun, and I'm glad I got up and danced 🙂
The next day we took a cruise on George's Boat, captained by the hilarious George who played the Lonely Island's "I'm on a Boat" as his theme song and made really corny jokes about his sex life 😉
The boat cruise stopped at 3 places along the island – the first was a floating platform where we could do water sports. I really wanted to parasail, but the wind wasn't safe unfortunately and I didn't feel up to tubing behind a boat as I thought it might make me nauseous given how I was sick. I did jump off the boat and swim in the incredibly salty ocean, but unfortunately not before I fell back onto the deck of the boat and hurt my back.
Sigh. Fail.
Thankfully I didn't hurt it too bad, its just stiff, but I did spend the rest of the cruise resting it and working on my tan rather than jumping in again 😉
After the cruise we had diner at our hotel and then there was a toga party that I skipped in an effort to try and get some sleep, but that mostly failed too, as I was super tired by the time I'd hauled my stuff down for check out so we could head to Athens.
The highlight of Corfu for me was definitely the jet ski – I honestly had so much fun on it that I'm trying to figure out how to have one in Newfoundland 😉 But it was nice to relax, even if I was kind of tired and sick, and it was an incredibly beautiful island 🙂


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Smoking in bars is becoming a thing of the past. The blogosphere has some thoughts:
Matthew Cooper at The Atlantic:
Tobacco is one of the few consumable products, along with most of the herbal medicine aisle at the drug store, that's not FDA regulated. Thus cigarette packages still don't list all of the ingredients, chemicals and the like, that are used to enhance the experience. Now Congress seems poised to pass a bill allowing FDA approval.
How and why did things change? Part of it is simply the election of a Democratic Congress and president. By the mid Nineties, the GOP controlled Congress and that limited what the Clinton administration and its more activist members, like former FDA Commissioner David Kessler, could do. But the most important change has been the continued ostracism of smokers from public life. The anti-tobacco crusade has been going on for two generations, of course, beginning with the famed 1964 Surgeon General's report on the perils of smoking and going through the withdrawal of cigarette ads from TV in the seventies and the end of smoking on most commercial planes in the 80s.
That process has accelerated dramatically since 2004 when New York City essentially banned smoking in bars and restaurants. It seemed so wild at the time. Chris Hitchens wrote a hysterical Vanity Fair piece on his attempts to defy the ban. It seemed radical, the odd teetotaling of a mayor who also pursued trans fats with a vengeance. Now, of course, smoking bans are everywhere and while the libertarian in me finds them irksome, the fact is that the public has not revolted and tossed out politicians who impose them. Trans fats are under siege, too.
For me, the interesting question is not so much the spread of the ban across jurisdictions as its nearly universal success in implementation. When Ireland banned smoking in enclosed spaces in 2004, I would have been prepared to bet large amounts of money that the ban would be universally ignored (Irish citizens have historically had a flexible attitude to the interpretation of legal rules that don't suit them). In particular, I would have predicted that the ban would never work in pubs. But it did – pretty well instantaneously as best as I could tell. If it hadn't been for the Irish example, I would have bet even larger amounts that the ban would never have taken off in Italy (where storeowners are legally obliged to give you a receipt when you buy something, to make it more difficult for them to fiddle taxes, and where the general attitude to large swathes of civil and criminal law seems best characterized as a kind of amiable contempt). But again, it appears to have worked.
I haven't seen any research on this (if someone knows of any, let me know in comments), but my best guess in the absence of good evidence would be that the success of the ban reflected instabilities in previously existing informal norms about where people could or could not smoke. Laws that work against prevailing social norms face an uphill battle in implementation – unless people come to a general belief that non-compliers are highly likely to be sanctioned by the public authorities, they are likely to carry on doing what they always do. Hence, for example, the continued failure of the RIAA etc to stop file-sharing – file-sharers who both (a) think that there is nothing wrong with swapping music and movies, and (b) that the chance that they are going to be punished is low, are going to go on sharing files (current US law tries to counterbalance this problem by applying relatively draconian penalties to the few file sharers who are caught, but this strategy carries its own problems). Laws that broadly fit with prevailing informal norms, will, obviously, have few implementation problems.
This seems like a market failure. You can explain it through preference asymmetry and the profitability of various customer classes: heavy drinkers are more likely to also be heavy smokers, and they are the most profitable customers. Bar owners don't want big groups of people who are going to take up three tables for an hour and a half while nursing one white wine spritzer apiece. They want people who are there to drink. In a competitive equilibrium, they couldn't afford to go non-smoking because they'd lose their most profitable customers to all the other bars.
You can explain it, but this doesn't seem like a good market outcome by any measure. Let me be clear, I'm still against the smoking ban, even though I personally vastly prefer smoke-free environments; I think interfering with property rights like this has even heavier costs. But I also recognize that I'm in a minority. And I think that politically, if not intellectually, the success of smoking bans is a heavy blow to libertarian credibility.
Daniel Indiviglio responds to McArdle:
This does not seem like a market failure to me, because I would further argue that there's always been a substitute for smoke-filled bars: smokeless homes. Anyone who truly abhors smoke can simply throw or attend social gatherings at houses or apartments. In that setting smokers can politely be asked to smoke outdoors or go home.
How strong is the house party substitute? If I had data on whether house parties have decreased since bar smoking bans have taken effect, then that would be helpful. I don't, and other variables like the desire to drink at home for cheaper during a recession might skew the data anyway. I still doubt, however, that the minor harm to utility that smoke in bars causes most people inspires them to seek alternatives.
As a result, I wouldn't call a lack of smokeless bars a market failure, because I don't think that markets with lackluster demand that already contain pretty good alternatives should be created. Is there a market for hamburger restaurants with no buns for carb conscious people? Maybe, but it doesn't seem to be strong enough for bun-less hamburger restaurants to be popping up — especially since people can just cook their own at home without the bun if they choose.
It seems pretty obvious that the optimal market outcome would involve some smoking and some non-smoking bars. This is what the market was moving towards, with a small but growing number of smokefree bars here in New Zealand before the ban. Due to the stickiness of social norms, though, this movement might have been slower than we might prefer. I have no idea what the optimal mix would be, but I'm fairly comfortable saying there were too few non-smoking bars in New Zealand before the ban.
Taylor links to Jonathan Adler:
So let's say Farrell is correct, and smoking bans have displaced an unstable norm that smoking in restaurants is acceptable with a more robust norm that smoking in restaurants is not. What would happen were such bans to be repealed? My best guess is that relatively little would change. When I think about my favorite local restaurants, I cannot see any of them allowing patrons to smoke even if the law were changed. There are one or two local bars, however, that I suspect might allow smoking on the premises, but they would be the exception. So whereas before the smoking ban here in Ohio, most restaurants and bars allowed smoking in a separate room or at the bar, were the ban repealed today I would be willing to bet that most restaurants and bars would remain entirely smoke-free.
What does this all mean? On the one hand, if most restaurants and bars would remain smoke-free, it seems to me the argument for allowing some establishments to adopt different rules is that much stronger. Remove the bans and us libertarian-types can still toast to the free market system in a smoke-free pub. But it is important to acknowledge that this state of affairs exists today because of the initial government intervention. The smoking ban appears to have helped solve a collective action problem that had kept a suboptimal norm in place. So even if a ban limited the ability of business owners to set the rules for their own businesses, it may have also helped them shift toward preferable business practices. Non-governmental efforts may have produced the same result eventually, but it would almost certainly have taken longer. So smoking bans have been beneficial, but it may also be the case that the maintenance of such bans is unnecessary to retain most of their benefits.
Also, Taylor links to Stephen Bainbridge and Patri Friedman


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Sunday, January 8, 2017 - 11:00am to 12:30pm
Continuing on the theme of A Revolution of Love and Tenderness, we will explore various prophetic figures from the Old Testament. We will look at the historical and cultural context for the stories, and explore how we can incorporate their messages into our lives today. We also will address the more abrasive messages and images in prophetic literature, and provide a way to reconcile them to the other messages of love and tenderness in scripture.
These three sessions will be led by Dr. Kelly Wilson from the University of St. Thomas, where she teaches Old and New Testament courses.
Cost is $20 for the three sessions (scholarships are available). Contact Paula at email@example.com or 612.317.3473 for more information.
1600 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55403


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Today's Two Cents Tuesday is about not waiting…particularly when it comes to renovating your house or something in your house. Now, I'm not telling you to spend money that you don't have. I'm saying if you have been waiting and planning and saving, what are you waiting for? I have a friend who fixed up rooms in his house to sell it and then was upset that he never got to enjoy it himself. So I'm saying if you are planning to fix up something anyways, just do it. Enjoy your new house, new room, new bathroom, new whatever! Even if it's a little project, stop putting it off and enjoy!
This is a story about our bathroom. I have hated our bathroom since the moment we moved in. It was gross and pink and was never clean even though I was on my hands and knees scrubbing it. We finally just sucked it up and re-did it and I am SO happy we did! I love it so much!!
Here are some before (sorry they were taken with my point and shoot) and afters:
And here are just some pretty pictures of it!! And I just have to brag a bit. Our floors are heated! You can program the thermostat to turn on at a certain time and turn off at a certain time.
See the OUTLET!! My bathroom never had one before (it's the little things!). Our toilet has two handles for different water levels and the lid closes automatically! The fan also turns on by itself when the humidity reaches a certain level. We LOVE the farmhouse sink look. My husband, Aaron, built the vanity himself just using directions he found online. The mirror is awesome and recessed in the wall so there's ton of storage behind it.
We are obsessed with the rain shower. It is nice to have the option to switch to the regular shower though to use for Paisley when she's in the bath.
Our bathroom was designed by Aaron Arpasi, but more importantly demoed and constructed by Kyle Gerlach. Let me know if you would like his info. He is trustworthy and a hard worker and he clearly does awesome work!


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About 'THEODORE' 'THEODORE', a 12 song CD in which 2Spot explores the mind of a person who has never quite 'fit in', choosing instead a world of his own, manufactured from fragments of 1960's tv and movies. This journey is often humorous, sometimes sad, AND most certainly a little bizarre. About 2SPOT We are really Bob Fredricks and Rich Hayes. 2SPot was actually the name of the nightclub where Little Richard used to play before he became famous. We were stuck for a name and because there are just 2 of us we figured what the hell, why not use it. We met over 30 years ago when our bands competed for a coveted beach club gig on Long Island. We both discoverd that by playing guitars and singing in bands, we could meet girls. Better yet we could get paid for it!! And for a number of years we actually made a pretty good living. But when 'hair bands' started to emerge in the 1980's,we saw the handwriting on the wall--and given the fact that Rich was getting a little thin on top, we knew it was time to go. We now live in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts. Rich owns a recording studio so we got a special discount and decided to fulfill a dream: make our own album without being under the thumb of some big-wig record company fat cat. THEODORE is the result. Music styles range from the straight ahead beat of 'Janet (From Another Planet' to the latin dance feel of 'Salsa Libido' and 'Spanish Lace', the dreamlike 'post psychedelic' feel of 'Flying Away',to the rockabily/surf sounds of 'Naked Lobster' and the edgy guitar crunch of '(No)Obsession'. The following are excerpts from reviews of 'THEODORE'...... 3 & 3/4 (out of a possible 4)stars- 'THEODORE' by 2SPOT -A tremendously well -crafted CD on all levels. My pick of the month! ... these guys are very adept students of popular music. They've got it all-I 'm thoroughly impressed! Reviewer: Smash Boston Soundcheck Magazine April 2001 * 5 out of 5 stars 'Come In, Come In' to get 'Theodore'! 'Theodore' is so excellent. The concept is so good that you wish YOU thought of it, like it was there all along, right in front of your face. Beautiful. All in all, a great album, one that I leave in my car stereo for days and it just plays, over and over. Reviewer: Dan Kenney, 'Mojo Music',New Hampshire * 5 out of 5 stars 2 Spot's 'Theodore' is a splendidly infectious and melodic group of songs. Hailing from Lenox, Massachusetts, just two shakes of a lambs tail away from my home town, makes me feel very proud to know that there is local talent that is this good! Reviewer: Keith 'Muzikman' Hannaleck, Feb. 15, 2001 * 5 of 5 stars-Great beat-you can dance to it!, January 10, 2001 Really liked this CD- it is danceable and has clever lyrics. If you grew up in the 60's and remember garage bands- this is reminiscent of that time, except that this band is really good! Reviewer: M. West, Chicago, IL.


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2381 did not burn down.
Actually, the Butte Fire is STILL burning, but it's now 74% contained and all evacuation orders have been lifted. The danger has passed.
Trent and I had to see for ourselves though, so after talking to our neighbor, Nick, we drove up this past Friday night after work. Skies were blue, there was nary a plume of smoke on the horizon, and the only evidence of a 70,000+ acre wildfire still smoldering a dozen miles away over the mountains were the hordes of fire trucks jammed into every lodge parking lot along Highway 4. Continue reading


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Birthdays and Braces
January 18, 2016
"Smile!" I said to the twins as a snapped a quick photo on my phone.
"It hurts to smile." Ethan complained
"Look up here" Emma said as she opened her mouth and tilted her head back. She pointed to plastic attached to the back of her front teeth. "These are called stoppers and they are to keep my top teeth from breaking off the brackets on my bottom teeth" she explained. "It feels like I have two sets of front teeth!"
Fred & Ethel (aka Ethan and Emma) got braces for their 13th birthday. Not exactly the "presents" they were hoping for. I had scheduled the orthodontist appointments for the first week of January, but they had to be pushed back a week due to a scheduling conflict at the dentist office. This meant that they would get braces just 3 days before their birthday.
We had several pain-filled days where they could only eat soft foods that required little to no chewing. Applesauce, yogurt and mashed potatoes were pretty much all they ate until their birthday when they pushed through the pain to eat some Fazoli's spaghetti and breadsticks. They couldn't resist Fazoli's breaksticks!
Of course, you can't have a birthday party without birthday cake and ice cream. Fred & Ethel were happy to discover that there's not much chewing required for cake and ice cream. They were also thrilled to receive their presents and to be able to enjoy spending time with family.
Happy Birthday Ethan & Emma!
2 Responses to "Birthdays and Braces"
January 19, 2016 at 8:10 am
Great blog. The twins r real troupers!! So sorry they were in pain!!