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The same guy's that chopped down our tree stopped by today and asked if we wanted them to grind our stump. We agreed, but Todd asked jokingly, if they could promise the stump wouldn't hit our house! The guy just laughed and promised it wouldn't! So now our stump is gone. YEA!! Now we just need to figure out how to get our yard to look good.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Stump be gone!
The same guy's that chopped down our tree stopped by today and asked if we wanted them to grind our stump. We agreed, but Todd asked jokingly, if they could promise the stump wouldn't hit our house! The guy just laughed and promised it wouldn't! So now our stump is gone. YEA!! Now we just need to figure out how to get our yard to look good.
Posted by Cooper Family at 2:24 PM 2 comments
Saturday, May 30, 2009
BBQ Fun!
We had such a fun evening with Todd's side of the family. Julie and Craig invited all of us over for a BBQ at their house. There was yummy food, good company, a mean basketball game, and interesting conversations. After we had eaten and relaxed a bit, we headed over to the Elementary School not far from their house to play playground nerf tag which everyone is a winner in, says Craig. Of course it wouldn't be a famiy get together without a few games of steal the flag. Thanks Julie and Craig for organizing such a fun night!
(My hands were full with Canon, so I was not able to take any pictures with my camera.)
Posted by Cooper Family at 2:44 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Staying Cool
Since it has been in the 80's and we do not have air conditioning, the boys have been sporting their diapers around the house. By about 6pm, outside is usually cooler than inside our house, so we head to the back yard and have fun!
Posted by Cooper Family at 2:14 PM 2 comments
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Everson had so much fun playing with Lola and Grandpa. Canon also enjoyed the visit. When it was time to leave and go home, he would say, "Lola, Grandpa, please." It was so sad when we told him that they had to stay at their house and we were going back to ours. He kept asking for Lola and Grandpa and saying please so sweetly with sadness in his voice. It broke our hearts, and we wanted to turn around and go back, but knew we had to get home. So we promised him we would call Lola and Grandpa when we got home and that they would come up and visit in a couple weeks. Thanks for a great weekend Lola and Grandpa!
Posted by Cooper Family at 10:30 PM 3 comments
Monday, May 18, 2009
Slide fun!
When playing on his slide, Everson likes to make sure everyone has a turn. Even though Todd and I do not exactly fit the best on the slide, we willingly take our turns. Well, tonight Everson said it was baby's turn. Todd asked him, "Can baby go down with you?" Everson enthusiastically replied with a "YEAH!" He was so excited to go down the slide with Canon. As you can see in the pictures, Everson couldn't stop smiling! It was so cute to watch.
Posted by Cooper Family at 9:35 PM 3 comments
Sunday, May 17, 2009
If it works for one it might work for the other.
When Everson was a baby and got fussy, Todd would hold him a certain way, as seen in the picture below. He would instantly calm down and just suck on Todd's arm. We figured out tonight, when Canon was very very tired and no other holding positioned worked, that this same way of holding him calmed him right down, like his brother.
Posted by Cooper Family at 9:27 PM 1 comments
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Best Big Brother!
We couldn't ask for a better big brother for Canon then Everson. Everson always wants to hug Canon and lay down next to him whenever he is on the floor. He loves his little brother so much!
Posted by Cooper Family at 9:12 PM 1 comments
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Pee pee in the potty!
For the last few times before Everson's bath, we have gotten him to sit on his potty butt naked, but nothing ever happened. He usually sits there for about ten seconds and then stands up and says "all done." We of course cheer and applaud him for his effort. Tonight, we asked him to do the same thing. He sat down, ten seconds went by and then he stood up and said, "all done." To my surprise he then said, "more pee pee." So he sat back down on his potty, I looked away to give him a little bit of privacy, and he peed in his potty! Everson got rewarded with cheers, hugs, pats on the back, high fives, dancing and a freshly baked cookie that he got to eat in the tub (which was baked before the pee pee in the potty success not knowing this wonderful endeavor was going to transpire just minutes later. ) Hopefully this will mean more peeing in the potty and less changing of diapers!
Posted by Cooper Family at 8:13 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Quack Quack
Everson loves to watch the birds in our yard, so when I saw a huge crow in our yard I called for Everson and Todd to come up from downstairs. Everson ran to the window with just enough time to see the crow fly away in the pouring rain. He then started to quack like a duck. Todd and I explained to him that it was a crow, not a duck. Everson continued quacking and pointed to something outside. Boy were we surprised when we saw two ducks having fun in a couple puddles outside our window. We apologized to Everson and told him he was correct, those are ducks. Todd threw bread out to them, which they ate, and which got them closer to the window. They ended up staying for hours. It was so fun to watch them.
Posted by Cooper Family at 8:59 PM 2 comments
Monday, May 11, 2009
We have been told by quite a few people that Canon's bald spot on the back of his head is the shape of Australia. What do you think?
Posted by Cooper Family at 10:12 PM 5 comments
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Fun at the park!
Posted by Cooper Family at 9:55 PM 0 comments
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and non-mother's out there. Just because you don't have kids of your own does not mean you have not been a great example or touched the lives of kids around you. Every woman should enjoy this day and take a moment to just relax!
Posted by Cooper Family at 8:33 PM 3 comments
Friday, May 8, 2009
Exersaucer success!
We finally decided to get the exersaucer down from above the garage and see if Canon would like it or not. As seen in the pictures, he loved it. He was a little overwhelmed with the amount of wonderfully colored and textured toys that surrounded him. Canon couldn't decide what toy he wanted to try to play with with the appendages, called, hands, that he still is not the greatest at controlling. He finally ended up playing with the spinning thing with the balls in it. Canon was happy and I was free to finish cooking dinner!
Posted by Cooper Family at 8:54 PM 2 comments
Monday, May 4, 2009
Rubba dub dub two boys in a tub.
Posted by Cooper Family at 10:04 PM 3 comments
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Our good friend and neighbor Heather told us that a family just a few houses down from us were looking to get rid of their play structure. Once Everson was down for his Sunday nap, Todd walked down to the house to tell the family we were Heathers friends and we would gladly take their kid play structure off their hands. Todd carried it home, with help from the former owner, and then we waited for Everson to wake up from his nap to show him his new toy. Everson has loved it since the first time he saw it. I can hardly get him to come in a eat because he has so much fun clumbing up on it, going down the slide and hiding in the little fort underneath.
Posted by Cooper Family at 9:47 PM 1 comments
Yes, the play structure is a big hit, but nothing compares to the trampolines. Everson loves to jump and jump and jump and jump. He is becoming quite the trampoline jumper.
Posted by Cooper Family at 8:39 PM 0 comments


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Since I – ever so sadly – cannot could not attend Book Expo America and the Book Blogger Convention in New York City this last week, I've decided to join in on a new event … Armchair BEA! Those of us who are participating in Armchair BEA are essentially putting together our own book blogger convention from the comfort of our own homes (or workplaces or wherever else we'll be). You can read more about Armchair BEA here.
Last week, I posted a giveaway of Percy Jackson and the Olympians (books 1-3) as part of Armchair BEA. It was open until midnight last night, and then I selected a winner using random.org.
The winner is …
… Stella of Ex Libris!
I just wanted to thank everyone who entered the contest. This is my first giveaway to end (though my very first giveaway, for The Book of Awesome, is still in progress over here), and I was pleasantly surprised by the turnout.
Hope you all had as much fun with Armchair BEA as I did!

subset: commoncrawl


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Consumer marketers know brands require consistency to be successful.
It's how customers get to know their organizations' products, services and purposes. It's how brands build trust, reinforce their market position, communicate their value, and get their audience thinking and talking about them.
Marketers also know brands—and connecting brand messages to people—require up-front and ongoing research. As your company builds and refines its employer brand strategy, here are three consumer marketing lessons to help you succeed.
Up-front research is key to developing an authentic brand and consistent, honest messaging. It can't be just about what the C-suite thinks it should be. It has to be what it is or it will fail. To discover your organization's authentic employer brand, you will want to develop a research approach that is both quantitative and qualitative.
The research roadmap should take into consideration talking to employees and candidates (think focus groups and one-on-one interviews), just as much as looking at numbers and percentages. If you can, get an outside partner to conduct the research. It has to be robust, reliable and unbiased in order to be effective and insightful. As much as we'd like to think employees will be honest with their managers or HR, they simply won't.
Lean on the research and the reality—that's how employer brands work best. >Click to tweet!
Once you start softening, changing or evolving a brand—based on top-down perception instead of research—you dilute and hurt the brand. Worse, you also give ownership to those who make that case without understanding the research and the employee perspective. Worse yet, you'll find if a brand is made to be whatever you want it to be (not based on truth and research) it becomes misaligned to the real employee experience and will attract the wrong candidates. And, in turn, this will cause negative downstream impacts on recruitment, engagement and productivity.
Do you know what influenced your high-potential employees to initially accept their job offers? Do you know why they stay at your company? Do you know why your ideal candidates decline their offers? Do you know what your employees really think?
Turns out, when it comes to understanding ideal candidates and high potentials, many human resources departments fall short. They conduct employee engagement surveys every one to two years, and the research and analysis end there. On the flip side, marketing departments of many large companies have dedicated market research teams (and the budgets to go along). Ongoing research is so important to their businesses, some consider it a priority, competitive advantage and factor in their success.
If you're not conducting regular employer brand research, you are not alone.
It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations and running from meeting to meeting. But now is the time to hit pause on tactical execution and develop a method to gather regular market insight. It could be as simple as:
While the research doesn't have to be complicated, it should be comprehensive and it is only as effective as the rigor behind the process. A 10-question survey sent to 15 hand-selected people isn't going to cut it. Your data needs to be reliable and not a series of one-off findings.
As an employer brand leader, you need to own the brand. A big part of that ownership includes driving towards consistency in message, tone, design and delivery. An effective, yet low-cost and low-effort, way to achieve it is through message map development.
A message map is a framework used to align brand messages to your audience, across your internal and external communication channels. It's a tool that can help you pull the employer brand through the entire lifecycle of your employees—from pre-hire to alumnus.
Once you build it, a message map will save you time and effort. You won't have to go back to drawing board every time someone or some team needs messaging. And it'll save you some headaches and heartburn, since your HR and recruiting teams will be proactively armed with on-brand verbiage.
As you look toward 2017, think about how you can consistently reinforce your company's labor market position, communicate its employment value, and get job seekers thinking and talking about you. Be mindful that employees and recruiters play a big role here, and keeping them on brand takes planning, time and resources. As does ongoing research.
These are not one-and-done tasks and should be built into your overall brand management strategy.
If you liked this article, sign up for our quarterly newsletter.
Shannon Smedstad (@shannonsmedstad) is a Lead Consultant & Project Manager for exaqueo, a workforce consultancy that helps organizations build their cultures, employer brands and talent strategies. Contact exaqueo to learn more about our employer brand innovation, workforce research and recruiting strategy offerings.


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In recent years, movies, books and television shows have increasingly asked us to reconsider how we define humanity as machines and humans become more and more interchangeable. Scientists believe that entirely sentient AI is no more than a few decades away and while the science fiction cyborgs that entirely blur the line between man and machine are still a few years off, more and more people are implanting their body with machine parts. So as we approach these technological triumphs, how will the law handle the issue of human rights? San Diego criminal lawyer Peter M. Liss takes a look at this hotly contested topic.
Obviously cyborgs (humans with machine-enhanced bodies) are much closer to the traditional definition of humans, so it would seem that their cases would be easier to define. Indeed, the US government defines a human as a "member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development." On its face, this definition should cover most cyborgs since they would almost all be born as homo sapiens at one point or another. In these cases, San Diego defense attorneys and prosecutors would overwhelmingly agree that just because someone had some modification to their bodies doesn't make them any less human.
But when you consider technological possibilities of combining man and machine, many cases won't be so cut and dry. For example, what happens if a human body is implanted with a completely synthetic AI brain. Or, what if a completely robotic body is guided by a human brain that was has no memories or knowledge of its life as an organic human body. Our current legislative system has not yet prepared for these possibilities. Ultimately, if a criminal case involving such victims or defendants was brought to trial at this point, it would likely come down to the prosecutor or the San Diego criminal lawyer to show that the cyborg involved was entirely sentient and subject to free will, as well as arguing that parts of the being were of the homo sapiens species and born alive. Whatever side the court agreed with, chances are that something this philosophical would eventually end up before the Supreme Court.
As for androids, for the time being, the answer is a lot more simple. Because they are not homo sapiens and have not been born alive, they would not qualify as human beings and therefore, not subject to human rights. That being said, if there is a time when AI achieves equal consciousness and self-awareness as humans, it is entirely likely that man and machine alike would petition the government to change the law to protect all such creatures -not just those born alive as homo sapiens. While this may seem far fetched to some, consider the fact that only a few hundred years ago many people were denied human rights based on their gender or race. As our society changes, our laws must change as well and one day, purely synthetic life may qualify for rights reserved for homo sapiens at this point in time.
The future can be a scary place and whether it requires defending yourself for killing a zombie or for fighting a cyborg, it always pays to have a San Diego criminal defense attorney with the experience and knowledge necessary to defend you in any given circumstance. If you have any questions about how Peter M. Liss can help you, please call (760) 643-4050 or (858) 486-3024 to schedule a free initial consultation.
Creative Commons Image by Andres Nieto Porras


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JACKSON, MI – Jerome Colwell, director of the Jackson County Department of Human Services, died Sunday, Jan. 12.
It is not known at this time how Colwell, 58, died. Services are pending.
"Together we mourn the loss of Jerome Colwell," said DHS Director Maura Corrigan in a statement. "But together we must also celebrate a life well-lived in the service of others. Our thoughts and our prayers today are with those he loved and with those he worked closely with for so many years."
Colwell, from Marshall, started his position as director of the Jackson County DHS in December 2010. He replaced Tanda Reynolds.
Prior to that, Colwell held a number of leadership roles within DHS, including director of Barry-Eaton counties, along with program services manager in Jackson, Calhoun and Hillsdale counties.
He was in his 27th year of service to the State of Michigan and DHS. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and child development. He received his master's degree in social work from Grand Valley State University.
Colwell was deeply involved and dedicated to both his work and his family, Corrigan said.
He oversaw many new initiatives for Jackson DHS, including last year's successful drive for foster parent recruitment and the new partnership with WILX-TV for collecting backpacks and school supplies for children in the county.


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Posts Tagged With: life
"The Ripped Jeans Conundrum"
Is your child a fatass? Their school probably thinks so…
Is your child fat? If their school thinks so, you'll know soon enough! Hey guys…so yesterday, I heard a story about a school that sent home letters to some of the parents with children in their school saying that the children were obese. Here's the link:
I have a few thoughts about this, so let me share them with you. My first thought when hearing this story was this: Why is the school doing this? What concern is it to them whether or not the child is obese? If they are, (which, since they are only judging by BMI and taking nothing else into consideration, most of these kids are probably only overweight, at most), does the school think that the parents don't know? I just can't understand this whole situation. Schools are a place to send your children to learn, or at least they used to be. Anymore, there are constantly stories about making school lunches more healthy, and getting the kids more exercise, and I even read a story about some schools making the kids sit on yoga balls instead of chairs at their desks, because it "helps" them pay better attention. I'm sorry, but I can't imagine paying attention to anything but the pain in my back after hours of sitting on a yoga ball and having absolutely no back support. I just don't feel that it is the school's place to worry about the body mass of their students. Well, unless they think that the student is not being fed at home, in which case it becomes an abuse/neglect situation.
I just think that this opens the door to more bullying from other students, along with bashing the self-esteem of the students who received the letters. Can you imagine how it would feel to have your school send a letter home saying that you're fat? Looking at your school nurse, your teacher, your principal, and knowing that they think you are obese? That, along with the fact that other kids would make a big deal of the situation. Picture this: A slightly overweight kid is walking down the hall, and is pushed down by a gang of bullies. "Hey fatass! Did you get a letter? Bet you did, your titties are bigger than my mom's!" This is just another form of discrimination for people who are overweight, and now, not only are they going after adults (more info about employment healthcare based on BMI to come later in the week), they are now going after kids, too. Is it healthy to be fat? Not always. Is stigmatizing fat people to the point where their lives are miserable at every turn going to help the "obesity epidemic"? Hell no. You know what? If someone is fat, get over it. Until you start walking down the street slapping every smoker, or running every person who is texting while driving off the road, or throwing every drug addict into the sewers to live where you think they belong, mind your own damn business. It is nobody's business but mine that I am fat. My obesity is in no way impairing your health, so get over it. Do you want to sit next to me on the bus because I take up a bit more space than some skinny person? No, maybe not. But I don't wanna sit next to the guy who poured on half a bottle of cologne, either, but sometimes, you gotta do some things that you find unpleasant. If that random fat person in McDonalds is not impairing YOUR health, then grow up and get over it. And please…spare me the "well, my taxes are paying for the healthcare of all those obese people!" arguement. MY taxes are paying for a whole hell of a lot that I don't agree with, so, I'm sorry, that arguement is invalid.
Anyways, that's my thoughts. What do you guys think? Go read the story and leave me a comment and let me know!
Enough is enough!
Hey guys. Today's post is gonna be kinda serious, so I decided to go ahead and warn you now in case you came here looking for something funny. So, I was trolling Tumblr this morning, looking for something funny to write about, and I have to say, it is pretty depressing. I searched the keywords "fat" and "problems", hoping to find some funny pictures of fat animals, or funny things that people have written (similar to my Fat People Problems, maybe?), or possibly just some pictures of Rebel Wilson being Rebel Wilson. That girl could do no wrong. Anyways, while I did find some of these, you know what I found more of? Pictures of extremely thin girls talking about how fat they looked today. Pictures of scars and bleeding wounds from where people had cut themselves because they felt so horrible about who they were. Posts about how they felt so sick because they ate a meal that they spent the next few hours making themselves throw up. Things like this just make me so sad, and it is even more sad that we have driven ourselves to this. Is obesity so horrible that it is better to do this ———->
than to eat or gain weight? I mean, I know this is cause by some sort of mental and/or psychological problem. But I hate that this exists because of how negative being fat is in our society. I hate that people would rather cut the word "fat" into their skin (as a constant and everlasting reminder to quit eating) than to be overweight. And look at this girl. She is not at all fat. If anthing, I would say that she is overly skinny, just judging from what I can see. This is what comes from those people out there who think that it is okay to stigmatize fat people in order to get them to lose weight. Do you think that the person in that picture is more healthy than someone who is 100lbs overweight? I can guarantee she is not. Her body may look better from the outside, but if she is not eating or is throwing up on a regular basis, then she is certainly not anymore healthy than someone who is overweight. And the thing is, she is not the only one. There are hundreds of posts like this on Tumblr, as well as on other sites, including Pinterest. It just seems to me that instead of just focusing on how horrible obesity is, we should focus on how it is viewed by society as a whole, and work on that image. Take smoking, for example. It is another highly stigmatized activity, very commonly compared to obesity. The thing is, however you want to compare them, they are completely different. I've never seen someone yell names out the window at a smoker walking down the road. I've never heard "smoker" jokes like I've heard "fat" jokes. I've never seen someone put stickers of smokers on their truck like this —->
I mean, you don't see smokers carving "oxygen" into their skin, do you? No. So, whether you want to admit it or not, they are different. In the end, yes, maybe they both affect us the same way, ie: raising healthcare costs, etc. But there is a certain point-blank and completely acceptable hatred when it comes to being obese, and we really need to change how we view this disease, or medical disorder, or whatever you want to call it. At the end of the day, whether you weight 100 lbs or 1000, we are all people and we all deserve to be treated that way. If you think that someone is fat due to them constantly stuffing their face all day, every day, why would you treat them any worse than you would treat a drug addict or a smoker? Would you put a sticker on your car that says "Don't blame me…I didn't hand you the bag of meth"? Or "Don't blame me…I didn't hand you a pack of cigarettes"? If not, why would you put one that says "Don't blame me…I didn't feed your fat ass"? Why is that viewed as ok? Why is obeseity viewed with so much more hatred than those things? Why is it so hard to see that regardless, a person is a person and deserves respect? Enough is enough.
So, now I will step down off my soapbox and give you pictures of a fat cat, a funny card, and of course, Rebel Wilson. Enjoy! 🙂
Are you saggin'?
What up, peeps? So, as some of you know, at the start of the new year, I went back on my diet. And I'm doing it for real this time. Been going to the gym, eating healthy, the works. Let's not call it a diet. It's my new way of life. Anyways, I have some fears about losing a bunch of weight. I have dreams of losing weight and looking something like Ryan Reynolds. That would be nice wouldn't it? I mean, if I'm gonna do it, I might as well do it right, right? So, for inspiration, I've been looking up pictures of what it looks like when people lose a lot of weight. Just FYI–I'd like to lose around 200lbs…that's about half of my body. So, here's what I've found:
What I look like now:
What I want to look like after I lose weight:
What I'm afraid I'll look like after I lose weight:
What I'll probably have to do if I look like that ^ after I lose weight:
Now, realistically, I don't expect to ever look like Ryan Reynolds. I mean, he trains in the gym for like, half of his life, and you know what Sweet Brown says…"Ain't nobody got time for dat!" Now, the picture of the guy with all the saggy skin is a little bit overkill for me. That guy lost like, 500lbs, but still, saggy skin is a reality for me. And I kinda feel like, which would I rather have? Gross folds of saggy, baggy skin hanging from my arms, legs, stomach, and everywhere in between, or would I rather be a fatass forever? I guess when it comes down to it, I would rather be healthy and saggy than to be a fatass who dies at 45, but really, I wish there were some other options. But what about plastic surgery, you ask? Yeah. They do this thing called a corset trunkplasty, where they take you in across your belly and junk. Estimated cost: $15,000. End result:
Yeah…not much prettier than the saggy skin, is it? This picture is a man who lost 300lbs, and this is 6 months after his surgery. I'm just thinking, jeez…it kinda sucks either way. Anyways, I guess becoming a bodybuilder is always an option. I guess it's not bad to be huge as long as your hugeness is caused my mounds of muscle and not folds of fat. It might be nice to be able to lift a small plane with one hand, I guess. I wouldn't really have to worry about being mugged or anything anymore…So yeah, guess if all else fails, I'll become a body builder! Alright! Anyways, guess that's it, even if I don't have to worry about any of this for at least a year or more. Leave it to me to always see the downside. Whatevs. See you guys tomorrow!
"Adventures In Dieting: Ep. #2"
Hey guys! So, after a full week of dieting and working out, this is pretty much my life. Yeah, pity me.
Adventures in Dieting
Hey guys! Today, you're in for a treat! Okay, maybe not a treat, per se, but you know, whatever. ANYWAYS, I am starting my first serial comic today, and we will see how it goes. I don't know how long the series is, maybe only a few episodes, but whatever. Hopefully you guys like it as much as my regular comics, and stay tuned next week for a new adventure!
Resolutions, anyone?
Hey guys! Happy Monday to you all, as I'm sure you all woke up bright and cheery and looking forward to another LLLLLLOOOOONNNNNGGGGG week of work, right? I know I did! Anyways, as today is January 7th, I wanted to ask you guys, how are the resolutions going? We have now been into the year 2013 for a full week, and I'm sure that most of you who got that 1-year gym membership on January 1st have already found some excuse as to why you couldn't go and rolled over and slept an extra hour at least three times already. Am I right? Of course I am! Anyways, I just wanted to share with you guys about my resolution, and let you know how I'm doing.
So yeah, I'm gonna give you three guesses as to what my resolution was, and the first two guesses don't count. You got it? Yep…I want to lose weight in the new year. But you know what? It's much more than that for me. This year, I'm turning 29, which sadly (and obviously), is the last year of my twenties. If, at any time in the world I could finally consider myself an true adult, it is at the end of my twenties. I mean, at this point, I'm expected to have a career, a house, kids, a dog, cat, hamster, and fish, a white picket fence, and some annoying neighbors who are too nosy for their own good. Well, I have a good job (doesn't pay great, but I absolutely love it, anyways), I do own a house (even though I don't live in it), and as for the rest, well, they haven't happened yet. But, the thing is, I want them. Well, at least the kids…we can leave off the rest and I'd be ok with that. But you know, even if I had kids right now, I can imagine it would be pretty miserable. I mean, for a guy of my size, I feel like I'm pretty fit. I mean, I got out and walked 2 miles the other day. Do you see a lot of 400lb + men out there doing that? I know I don't. But you know, that doesn't mean that it's okay. I was trying to fit into a shirt the other day and realized something as I looked in the mirror. Firstly, I looked like a balloon. Secondly, I realized how much weight I've gained recently. And, I mean, I've been stressed out lately, and then you know, it was the holidays, but still…Looking in the mirror, I realized that my man-boobs now rival Dolly Parton's, my stomach is roughly the size of the Good Year blimp, and my thighs could be mistaken for those of a t-rex if only they weren't as white as Casper the Ghost. So if I did have kids, A) I would be constantly out of breath, and B) I would stand a pretty good chance of rolling over and killing them as we played. But, seriously…I don't want to go through life having my kids judged because of what I am. I mean, I don't wanna be the fat dad raising fat kids who everyone hates and blames for high taxes and health insurance. Just take this article, for instance: (http://news.yahoo.com/poll-few-americans-know-risks-obesity-085408215.html)
Firstly, you can see an obvious issue. It's an article about obesity covered in McDonalds ads. Yeah. Second, see that picture on the side?
The one with the two overweight ladies talking to each other? I really hate pictures like that, not because I hate fat people (obviously), or that I find them disgusting, but because I find the practice of reducing these people down to nothing but their obesity is a horrible practice. But, other people have different opinions, and I'll share some of the comments with you:
Anonymous • 13 mins ago
It's TIME to take this disgusting photo DOWN. We've viewed it too many times, already. We "get the picture". Food stamps…….lazy…..taxpayers' burdens.
At least those big women in the pict. can give a lot of shade in the cruel hot sun.
ROFL , 2 black porkers arguing about where they are going to eat lunch at
Many Americans have become so arrogant and stupid they think that being criticized for being a big fat slob is something they should rebel against and that the people criticizing them are in the wrong for pointing out their gluttony . The reality is they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing themselves to get so fat in the first place. They deserve to get laughed at and criticized for being so fat, lazy and such slobs
But yeah, I guess I need to work on that. Anyways, I guess that's an update as to how my resolution is going, and a little background into why hopefully, this year will be different. So with that, I will sign off for today, and I'll see you guys tomorrow!
I'm Baaaaacckkkk!!!!!
Hey guys! Been gone the last few days, thanks to the wonderful holiday season, and I hope you guys had a great Christmas, or Hannukah, or Festivus, or Kwanzaa, or whatever it is you celebrate. I know I had a good one, though busy and exhausting, but it was good, nonetheless.
So, today I am gonna repost a quizzy/survey-type thing that I read on another blog that I follow (www.anonyvox.com, if you must know!). I thought it might be a good way for me to look back on the year and a way for some of you guys to get to know me a little better! So here we go!
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
I started this blog! I had never really read blogs and definitely hadn't written one before this, so that is one thing I had never done. Not to mention the whole buying my own domain and setting up a website thing. I never would have thought that would have happened!
2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Uh, well, in general, my New Year's Resolutions are usually to lose weight and junk, so yeah, I lost a little, gained a little, whatever. I probably will make more for this year, and it'll probably be the same one (to lose weight), but I'm gonna hope that this year, I actually stick with it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin Ashley had a daughter, Amiya. Other than that, no one that was really to me did.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Luckily, I have never lost a loved one that I can actually remember or was close to, so this year, I was lucky again. Hopefully, next year will remain death-free also!
5. What countries did you visit?
Countries?! Seriously? Uh, the United States of Bankrupt. Does that count?
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
More self-control, over my attitude, my budget, myself. And money, definitely more money!
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Probably just November 26th. It was the date of my first real car accident, and although I wasn't seriously injured, I will probably never forget it.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I'm gonna say that it was gaining self-confidence. I think that doing this blog has really helped me come out a little, to become more comfortable with myself. I mean, I've put a lot of personal thoughts and feelings out there for you guys, and it has dramatically increased my confidence.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Well, I would like to think that I didn't really fail at anything this year, that I just didn't do it perfectly and that I've given myself a chance to do it again this year, better.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious. I had a cystoscopy, which felt serious, and the car accident, which also felt serious, but really, neither of them really was.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My web domain, www.fatassinaskinnyworld.com!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My wife. She has really become more comfortable with herself as well this year, has become a leader at work, and I am so proud of her. I couldn't ask for a better woman to spend my life with!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Appalled and depressed? Uh, I don't really know. I've been slightly depressed with the state of our nation, and the recent spate of shootings has been pretty appalling, so I guess that is my answer.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The majority of the money that did not pay bills went the Real Hacienda Mexican restaurant in Owensboro, KY. I could literally live on their fajitas jalisco and queso.
15. What did you get really, really excited about?
Hmmm…well, I got really excited about buying a new car this summer. Got excited about starting this blog. Got excited about getting a couple of raises at work. Overall, it's been a pretty good year for me.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Hmmm…I will probably always think of this year whenever I hear "We Are Young" by fun., as well as "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter, and (c) richer or poorer?
Well, I don't think I'm sadder. A little more stressed about things, but not sadder. I am definitely fatter. I went on a diet last year right before Christmas and lost a bunch of weight, and as I've gained most of it back (which usually happens), yeah, fatter. No doubt. And probably poorer, or at least deeper in debt.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I could have traveled more this year. Normally, my wife and I take a trip for our anniversary in the 3rd week of October, but due to my cystoscopy this year, we didn't get to do it and our vacation was pretty much shot. An actual vacation would have been nice.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I don't really know. Spend money? I wish we had been able to save more and spend less, but you know, it is what it is.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I will spend one day with my family, one day with my wife's extended family, and one day with my wife's close family. It's a busy time, lots of travelling, but it's nice to see everyone.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
Hmmm…well, I discovered "Big Bang Theory" this year and it was definitely my favorite, but I have also enjoyed watching "Glee" and "Mike and Molly".
22. What was the best book you read?
Gosh, I don't even know…I read A LOT during a year…I couldn't even name half of the books I've read. If I had to think of one I've read that I really enjoyed, it would have to be the Hunger Games series. I really enjoyed reading these and thought the movie was pretty good too.
23. What was your favorite music from this year?
As mentioned above, I really like fun. and Gotye. I am really glad that I discovered them this year.
24. What did you want and get?
The biggest thing? I wanted a new car, and I got one. Well, actually I got two. So yeah.
25. What did you want and not get?
I wanted to win one of the giant lotteries, and I didn't even get a buck. L
26. What was your favorite film this year?
Holy crap, that's a hard one to answer. There are so many movies I watched this year, and so many I liked. The one I can think of right off…Pitch Perfect. It's not the best movie out there, but man, I love me some Rebel Wilson, and she was awesome in this movie. There were probably some I liked better or at least the same, but I can't think of them right now.
27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Well, firstly, I was 28. I didn't really do much. My mom and brother came into town to visit, but other than that, it was probably a pretty regular day.
28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Ummm…well, it would have been nice to not have had so much stress, but most of the stressful situations this year have been learning situations, so I guess in the end, I'll come out better.
29. How would you describe your personal style concept in 2012?
What? I'm not sure what this means. Is it clothing style? If so, it was pretty much the same as always. I like to be comfy, so my clothes reflect that.
30. What kept you sane?
Coming home and chilling with my wife after work, maybe going to get dinner, watching tv/movies, crafting, blogging.
31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Spongebob Squarepants…I definitely fancied him the most 😉
32. Which political issue stirred you the most?
Well, this was a voting year, so voting, I guess. I'm also pretty sure that our economy is about to go down the drain, so that's pretty stirring too.
33. Who did you miss?
I missed my family and wish I could have seen them more, but as we live 3 hours away, getting to see them as much as I can makes me happy.
34. Who was the best new person you met?
I met a guy named Brandon this year who has quickly become one of my best friends. I'm really glad for that.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
Be comfortable with who you are now, even if you want to change. If people won't accept you for who you are, you don't need them.
36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I'm sexy and I know it!" –LMFAO
The Fat-Ass Bed Dilemma
Uh, yeah…
So, today, I was maybe gonna post a "What you see and what you get", but I was on Pinterest and saw a post for something on Buzzfeed, headed on over there, and BAM! Like magic, all thoughts disappeared and I was sucked into the void that Buzzfeed is. So, I pulled a bunch of stuff that I laughed at off of there and I'm gonna post it all right here for you! So sit back, relax, and hopefully, laugh! (all photos are from www.buzzfeed.com!)
#1: Now, I don't like to make fun of people. No wait, scratch that. I like to make fun of EVERYBODY, but I like to make fun of them equally. I make fun of you, of her, of him, and most importantly, of myself. Some people may get the impression that I like to make fun of fat people because I do the "Fat People Shouldn't" and I guess it may come across as making fun of them. The thing is, I'm fat, so I feel like I can. I'm not skinny, so I'm not gonna just make fun of skinny people and then get a bunch of flak about how I just hate skinny bitches because I'm jealous, lazy, blah, blah, etc. Maybe I should just do a "People Shouldn't" and put pictures of fat people, skinny people, ugly people, panda bears, unicorns, and the occasional building, but you know, how would it fit my theme of "Fatass in a skinny world" then? It wouldn't, so shut yo mouth! ANYWAYS…good God, did I just rant that much when i was supposed to be captioning this picture? Yeah, sorry. So yeah, the real #1:
You KNOW there's a problem when you have to pull up a chair in the Burger King line. I know that the "Have it your way" slogan make for some tediously long waits sometimes, but seriously? Lady, I hope you have a wooden leg and you're sitting because it's digging into your stump of a thigh, because I see no other reason this sort of behavior.
#2: I wish I had an 8×10 of this picture, because it would be hanging in my office. The look on this lady's face literally made me lol. Yeah, it did. Maybe she accidentally farted and that's her "oops!" face. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that is what's happening here.
#3: Mmmmm, cheese. That's all I have to say about that! (okay, one more thing…did you notice her dress has an african safari on it? Oh yeah, now THAT is sexy! This is what I'm talking about, all you stupid-ass clothing designers! Who the hell wants to wear a dress with tigers, bison, and, what the hell…is that a unicorn?! Yeah, no. Whoever designed this should be forced to wear it for as long as they live. Now THAT is all I have to say about THAT!)
#4: I'm not sure what to think about this one. Firstly, who let her walk out of the house in that shit? Secondly, who let her actually WORK in that shit, and thirdly, why in the hell did she actually decide to buy and wear that shit? Because, let me tell you, that shit AINT the shit!
#5: No comment, just got a giggle looking at this one 😀
#6: Oh, Paula Deen, I love you. Your face, while devouring this monsterous cookie/ice cream/chocolate/little piece of Heaven just says it all! No words are needed! Love you, Paula!
#7: Oh my…


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It's been over a year since we launched the Climate CoLab and held our first world-wide contest. Our goal was to create a site to harness the ideas and knowledge of thousands of people to find real solutions to climate change. Inspired by systems like Wikipedia and Linux, we wanted to collect the best collective […]
Tag Archives: treehugger.com
Thomas Malone: Collective intelligence to address climate change — finalists chosen in world-wide contest
November 1, 2011 – 10:35 am
By mitsloanexperts | Posted in Climate Change | Also tagged algae, climate change, climate coLab, environment, green jobs, innovation, Linux, MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, nuclear energy, rapid transportation, Rio+20 Conference, Robert Laubacher, technology, Thomas Malone, United Nations, Wikpedia | Comments (0)


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Sovacool, Benjamin K (2010) Defining, measuring, and exploring energy security. In: Sovacool, Benjamin K (ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Energy Security. Taylor & Francis, pp. 1-42. ISBN 9780415721639Full text not available from this repository.
|Item Type:
|Book Section
|Schools and Departments:
|School of Business, Management and Economics > SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit
|Related URLs:
|Depositing User:
|Benjamin Sovacool
|Date Deposited:
|04 Dec 2015 15:04
|Last Modified:
|05 May 2016 15:02


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I've been making a concerted effort to get away from blue and green lingerie lately, and I fell in love with the Tilly Bra from Miss Mandalay as soon as I saw it. I loved the coral floral pattern and the cute little bow details, and I'd heard nothing but rave reviews about Miss Mandalay from other bloggers.
The lovely lingerie fairy at Large Cup Lingerie was nice enough to send me a set to try, and I awaited it eagerly. Cha, who runs Large Cup Lingerie, is a total sweetheart and is always around to answer my annoyingly precise lingerie questions. Large Cup Lingerie also provides free worldwide shipping, which puts it a step above lots of other companies shipping out of the UK if you're a US based lingerie buyer.
The Tilly set arrived beautifully packaged. I had intended to take a picture, but I was so eager to try the bra that I ended up opening it too fast to catch it on camera. The Tilly bra is a lightly padded balcony bra, which basically means it's lined with a thick cotton layer. I tend to own mostly unpadded lace bras or moulded bras, so this was less familiar territory to me.
I loved the colors of this bra even more in person. Looking at colors on a computer can distort patterned bras sometimes, and these colors were much brighter and clearer in person. The pattern wasn't as busy as I expected, and I was so glad I'd taken a chance on something different from my usual stuff.
I ordered the Tilly short because I tend to be more of a boyshort person, but it doesn't have the cut of a traditional short. The short is also very sexy and very sheer. It may actually be the sheerest pair of knickers I own, which I didn't expect. The elastic is also looser than a lot of my other knickers, so you might want to go down a size from your normal when you order them.
I ordered a 34G in the bra (I run between that and a 34GG in some bras), and it came up a smidge small in the cup. The band felt looser than some of my others, but that probably means it fits like a regular 34. I tend to like my bra bands much tighter than other people do. That said, I love the bra and it still looks great by itself and under a shirt.
This is a gorgeous bra, and wearing it reminds me of summer as the colder weather approaches. The bra straps are comfortable and stay put, and the knickers are sexy while providing more coverage than a thong. I'd definitely recommend this if you fit into the Miss Mandalay size range.
Next on my must have list from Large Cup Lingerie and Miss Mandalay is this gloriously girly butterfly print bikini. I've read that different styles from them fit very differently, so I'm definitely going to do the experiment.
Miss Mandalay lingerie can be purchased at Large Cup Lingerie. Large Cup Lingerie is an online lingerie boutique specializing in D-K cup lingerie.


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Poland marks Flag Day and the Day of Polish Diaspora
Flag Day has been celebrated in Poland since an act of parliament was passed in February 2004. It is commemorated alongside the Day of Polish Diaspora and Poles Living Abroad, which was established through an act by Polish Senate in 2002.
According to estimations made by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are more than 18 million Poles living outside Poland – around 12.5 million in North and South Americas, 4.3 million in Western Europe and 1.5 million in Eastern Europe.
On this occasion, President Andrzej Duda and Minister of Foreign Affairs Witold Waszczykowski passed wishes to Poles living abroad. President Duda reminded that the Day of Polish Diaspora and Poles Living Abroad "was established in recognition of the achievements and contributions of Poles living abroad in regaining independence and helping the country in its most dire times."
Minister Waszczykowski underlined that Poland remembers about the Polish diaspora and Poles living abroad and expect them to be "advocates of their country of origin wherever they live."
Source: MFA/IAR


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It is one of those days where so many thoughts have pilled up that I struggle to focus on the tasks ahead. As quickly as possible I must begin writing anything and everything on my mind in an attempt to move forward successfully. Skip the long morning workout, avoid TV and social media. Get a cup of hot tea and some fruit and get outside to a nice creative space in the garden.
I am constantly battling between the nomad world and the world of the capitalist. I'm a starving artist, a missionary with a lifetime mission, and I find that I am actually at war with myself more than any theoretical opponent. In this day and age, I must clear my mind from time to time to increase my strength.
One half of my world is fine with living in nature and spending months in between the solitude leading an army of volunteers to make a positive change. The other half begs me to maintain a fort with tools and treasures in order to provide stability. I can not live happy and healthy in one world without the other so I choose to live in balance. Yin and Yang. Back and forth I march, doing the best I can to please those who support me.
I live the dream. The dream that I am walking the world in a time before the industrial revolution where living among nature was all there was. A world where possessions where few and money did not dictate how we lived. A world where you could just gather your food and enjoy time with friends and family without despair. Perhaps the dream lives me.
I have a life partner who is happy with my efforts to build the financial wealth needed to provide shelter and security. I also have supporters who are happy to see me venture the world leading efforts to make positive change.
Recently I have been focusing on strategic moves that make progress on both fronts.
To progress in the capitalist war, I have established a permanent center of operations in Hawkins Texas. A center that invites the community to gather and learn about positive subjects. I share knowledge on health, fitness, art, spirituality, gardening, renewable energy and other positive topics. This center offers communal gardening, art studio space, fitness room and a gallery to aid in raising money to offset the $800 a month in expenses.
To keep moving forward in my nomad battle, I must continue creating works of art and increase efforts to promote them in order to survive.
For years I lived with no worries, no bills, no "To Do" lists. I lived the dream.
And now….
I need to…..
- give my loved ones some love ( I realize I am lacking in this because of the stress I'm attempting to release by posting this blog.) xoxoxo
- review and edit a land lease for the center
- promote remodeling and computer / phone services to generate income to pay for the center
- promote the center to connect with members who will make financial contributions to support it (Any artists, gardeners, fitness students, nomads in the Hawkins area?)
- setup the lower level of the learning center
- complete the final edits on a 10 year writing project (Life Wisdom) and get it published
- write a 6 minute short story about my life and audio record it for a Tyler Texas story telling event deadline
- sell tons of antique furniture and art in our inventory to relieve some of the financial burden
- go spend some volunteer time at the mission around the corner
- go for a jog around the lake down the street
- ???? I know I'm forgetting a few things"


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ecoinch is a multi-disciplinary practice that engages in design assistance, engineering and policy support for a sustainable built environment. The concept of green buildings is increasingly becoming popular and even seen as common logic on projects.
The implementation of sustainability measures in buildings is a conscious effort to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce our carbon footprint. It is to aide in this process that our experts work with design and engineering teams to innovate and inform the process with Best Management Practices.
We deliver high quality consultancy to clients who are established or new in the field of environmental sustainability through periodically conducted training programs for educational and corporate institutions.
The team at ecoinch has worked extensively on big and small projects in India and USA, as well as in Canada, UAE, China and Korea.


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All lenses have a limit on how close they can focus. This is because as objects move closer to the lens, the focal point moves further back, eventually beyond the plane of the film or sensor. An obvious way around this problem is to move the lens further away from the camera. That's what macro extension tubes do.
For those who cannot afford a dedicated macro lens there are other options, just as good, but that require a little patience, for macro photography.
Extension Tubes or a Reverse lens ring.
The macro extension tubes that I use are very cheap and simple. As you can see from the second photo, it comes in five sections. At each end is a bayonet ring for mounting the tube to the lens and camera body (in this case Nikon). In between those any combination of three threaded tubes of varying length can be used to change the extension by varying degrees. That's all there is to these tubes, nothing more.
Pros and cons
Here's the costs/benefits of tubes like mine:
-You need to manual focus, my moving the lens/camera closer or nearer to the object, the same result is achieved by moving the object you are taking a photo of.
-You have no auto control on the camera, you need to put it in Manual to be able to take any photos. You have no aperture on some lenses, the 50mm on the other hand is great for macros as it allows you to change the aperture manually on the lens.
-You could overtighten the threads on the extension tubes making them difficult to unscrew.
-You need to be careful with the lens on a tripod as the centre of gravity changes putting greater stress on the cameras body´s lens mount.
-You need plenty of light. As the objects are closer to the lens, the light is blocked by the lens, so you need a side, overhead, backlighting source of light. Not a problem in a studio of course.
-As there is no data connection between the camera and the lens so the EXIF data will not be complete.
-Photographic opportunities otherwise unavailable (without very expensive specialist lenses) are possible.
-Economical. I got mine from Amazon.com
– They have them for various makes of camera. There are others that cost more. Kenko for example.
-A light and compact addition to your gear. I carry mine with me everywhere.
-Useful even with telephoto lenses. A long lens is great for making things bigger, but they can't focus very close at all. An extension tube can allow you to enlarge with the telephoto but still maintain a good working distance.
-Mechanically simple. There's not much that can go wrong with these.
-They'll get you thinking about new ways to take photos. Extension tubes make your lenses a whole lot more flexible, and don't just have to be for photos of insects or flowers.
A macro reverse ring.
You need to make sure to buy one the correct size for your lens. I have two one for 67mm and one for 52mm.
The reverse ring focuses closer than the extension tubes. And they work like this:
Take the lens off the camera, place the reverse ring onto the camera in the same way as you would attach a lens, turn the lens around, back to front and attach to the reverse ring. You attach the side that the filter goes.
The strengths and weaknesses match above, but with the lens in the reverse position you need to take care of the electronics of the lens against damage.
A tripod is highly recommended.
The extensions tubes and reverse ring have opened up a whole new world for my photography without the expensive of a dedicated macro lens. They are great fun.


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Visit the Energy Systems Laboratory Homepage.
Advanced Open-Cycle Desiccant Cooling System
MetadataShow full item record
The concept of staged regeneration as means of improving the desiccant cooling system performance is the subject of investigation in this study. In the staged regeneration, the regeneration section of desiccant dehumidifier is divided into two parts and only the latter fraction is subjected to the desorption air stream which has been heated to the desired regeneration temperature. In the present work, the mathematical model describing the heat and mass transfer processes that occur during sorption of moisture in the desiccnnt dehumidifier includes both the gas-side (film) and solid-side resistances for heat and mass transports. The moisture diffusion in the desiccant material is expressed by gas-phase diffusion and surface diffusion. Effects of several parameters on the performance of desiccant cooling system with staged regeneration are investigated and the results of present model are compared with those of the lumped-resistance model. Results of this study show that coefficient of perfomnnce of the desiccant cooling system can be substantially improved by using the staged regeneration concept. There is an optimum stage fraction and optimum cycle time for given system parmeters and operating conditions. The results also indicate that the cooling system performance is higher than that predicted by the lumped-resistance model.
Ko, Y. J.; Charoensupaya, D.; Lavan, Z. (1989). Advanced Open-Cycle Desiccant Cooling System. Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu); Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu). Available electronically from http : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /6568.


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Art Miami Returns with Special Exhibitions
MIAMI--Art Miami returns for the 11th year to the Miami Beach Convention Center Jan. 18 to 22 to present South Florida's top annual exposition of modern and contemporary art. Long regarded as a forum for international exhibitors to present a broad range of artistic talent to collectors, curators and arts professionals, Art Miami 2001 will also feature special exhibitions.
For 2001, show director Ilana Vardy plans to increase the show's cutting-edge component, while upgrading and expanding its stable of respected galleries. Currents, a section within the fair devoted to emerging galleries with little or no exposure in contemporary art fairs, will give young dealers the opportunity to feature edgier works. Also on tap is Mega Fino, a survey of cutting-edge artists from Miami, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Organized by Peter Doroshenko, director of the Institute of Visual Arts at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Mega Fino will feature site-specific works by Jose Gabriel Fernandez (Venezuela), Naomi Fisher (USA), Laura Hamilton (Jamaica), Quisqueya Henriquez (Venezuela), Priscilla Monge (Costa Rica), Aaron Salabarria (Puerto Rico), Rosangela Renno (Brazil) and Eugenia Vargas (USA), among others. Mega Fino will also feature installations outside Art Miami in public spaces throughout Miami Beach.
Project Rooms, a series of individually curated solo exhibitions, will also make its debut at Art Miami. A group of artists from Europe, Latin America and the United States will be selected by an international panel of curators who will then design solo exhibition spaces within the exposition. "The concept of Project Rooms is all-inclusive: it supports artists, curators, museums, galleries and the public," said Vardy. …


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For me that was the *theme* of last weekend at the home school convention....I think every speaker at one point said that word...some of them even used the word to title their presentation.
Honestly, as I sit in front of this computer and I am on the verge of ending school for the year and all the co-ops we participated in...it's the perfect word for me. There is so much "swirling" around this homeschooling momma's brain that just saying that word slows down my pulse a bit.
Of course, the speakers were not talking about resting and summer vacation. They were talking about *rest* right dab in the middle of homeschooling...like in October and February! Resting in the Lord...as one speaker said "Drinking from the fountain of fresh water everyday"...going to God's Word for my strength and direction in my home school day.
Usually coming away from a convention, I am totally pumped about curriculum, schedules, new books and new methods and ideas to try on my kids. As one friend said it, she becomes the "Nazi" home school mom after convention b/c she tries to implement everything she learned the next week.
I don't know if I am completely just worn out from an extremely busy year of teaching my kids and lots of other kids at co-ops OR my perspective is changing slowly.
Because "Resting" sounds good to me and I am learning through my thick head of mine that there is no curriculum, no method, no book that will make my homeschooling something of "success" but God's Word. Goodness, I fail everyday...every hour...every minute...I can't do any of this on my own and walking away from the convention reminded me of that. How I get so "sucked" up into worrying and fretting about Algebra, future ACT scores, college entrance even cursive handwriting..it's crazy!
But, when I finally sit down and *REST* in God's Word and His provisions for me...I am reminded that none of that is important...NONE! Yes, my kids need an education...they have their own dreams and talents but whatever they become or do...I want them to first *REST*in the Lord and out of their heart will flow rivers of living water. One speaker in particular said this over and over again...I sat in that chair and tears were just rolling down my cheek.
"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."John 7:38
The only way rivers of living water will flow out of me is by going to God's Word and spending time with Him(Instead of worrying about curriculum, dinner, clean house and calendars)!The reality is that my kids will go off and become what they are suppose to become...in spite of my failures, weaknesses and lack thereof. Algebra problems will one day be a thing of the past and the literature essay that I fretted over for hours with my son will soon be forgotten....but how they live every day with their Savior is forever. FOREVER.
I always find "hope" in the fact that many of the people in the Bible screwed up in many ways...for example, David had a multitude of sins and definitely wouldn't of won the "Family Man of the Year Award" but yet it is written that he was a man after God's own heart.
"And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." Acts 13:22
There is hope for me...a home school mom who screws up all the time and fails to forget that she cannot do this on her own. I need to diligently open my Bible everyday and "drink" from it as my source of strength.
The fact is I didn't find any amazing curriculum this year but just a BIG reminder to...


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For most people, the next step after your Private Pilot Certificate is the Instrument Rating. The addition of the instrument rating opens up a whole new world of flying. When you operate under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) you can fly in the clouds without reference ground or horizon. Without your instrument rating, you would be restricted to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and could only operate on clear days.
This new freedom offers you the variety to go anywhere, anytime, day or night, rain or shine. Earning an instrument rating is not only an increase in responsibility, but a growth opportunity for pilots to work in the same system as the big guys (airline pilots).
Multi-tasking will be at the focus of your training. Once instrument rated, you will notice a great increase in your safety level, as well as your overall proficiency quatrocasino.
If you've been flying for years without your instrument rating, you're probably tired of getting socked in and restricted due to a thin layer of clouds. If you're ready to take the next step, then let's fly into the clouds and get stared on your Instrument Rating. Our instructors have years of experience teaching in the IFR world. If you're so inclined, you can get your Instrument Rating in as little as 10 days with the accelerated 10-Day Instrument Course. We are here to fit your needs and your schedule casino royale télécharger.
chat roulette quebec Basic Requirements:
* A minimum of 15 with an authorized instructor
* 10 hours may be completed in a Basic Aviation Training Device (i.e., a simulator)
http://lapetite.fr/nl-NL/extra-spel_26-03-2020 For more information on attaining your instrument rating, please visit the FAQ section.


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The Intent project is a proposed open-source project under the Mylyn/Docs project.
This proposal is in the Project Proposal Phase (as defined in the Eclipse Development Process) and is written to declare its intent and scope. We solicit additional participation and input from the Eclipse community. Please send all feedbacks to the Eclipse Proposal Forum.
The Eclipse IDE is used to provide the best environment to write and test code. Since the creation of the Mylyn project, a complete set of projects are now providing proper integration for all the other tasks a developer needs to do in his daily job : from the versions management to the builds, while going through the defects and tasks. Another critical aspect of the application life-cycle is the management of the knowledge concerning the application : its design choices and the intention behind these choices. Documentation is used to capture this knowledge, but keeping this documentation in sync with the reality is a constant effort.
Donald E. Knuth proposed a solution to this exact problem for software through the definition of «Literate Programming» : a language mixing documentation and code. Even if this approach looked appealing, it could not fit with the industry practices, adding too much burden, especially with code which is inherently operational.
That said, providing such an approach in a more flexible way on top of models (which are inherently declaratives) is a promising way to help developers to provide useful documentation and to keep it up-to-date. Furthermore, integrating it directly in the IDE lowers the barrier of the documentation update and will allow cross-references with development artifacts.
Let's take an example : a developer describes the general architecture in his documentation describing its OSGi modules, their id and dependencies and the reasons why the system has been designed this way. These instructions are part of the doc and are compared, when the doc gets validated, with the informations provided by the PDE in this regard. Any inconsistent state leads to problem markers with associated quick fixes to either update the doc or the bundles.
This project is focused on providing an editing environment to author documentations mixing natural and formal language, easing the application life-cycle management by capturing the intents and design choices made during development.
Specific integration will be provided with existing Eclipse projects to retrieve and synchronize the development artifacts with the formal descriptions. The Intent project will focus on providing an extensible framework and actively solicit contributions in this regard.
in scope :
out of scope :
The Intent project has a spirit which can be expressed with the following lines:
The Intent project is composed of the following parts:
A language mixing the wiki syntax from wikitext with a syntax dedicated to the definition of model fragments. This can be seen as a literate modeling (like in literate programming) documentation language, having the ability to :
A complete IDE providing wizards, editors with syntax highlighting and code completion for the documentation language. Validation of the formal elements description will be fully integrated to this IDE.
The synchronization framework is responsible for interfacing the formalism with development artifacts :
Plugins dedicated to the document export into popular format will be developed.
The below is the consolidated vision of the contributing companies about the initial contribution of the project.
Tools to author documentation mixing formal and natural languages
Tools to synchronize the formal definitions in the documentation with the development artifacts
No legal issues identified yet.
The proposed project re-uses the wikitext component as a basis of the documentation syntax. Both projects will feed each others as Intent might have specific needs that could be fulfilled with the corresponding contributions in wikitext. We are confident that by sharing the same Mylyn/Docs umbrella project collaboration will be constant and efficient.
The Intent project does not aim to compete with the Textual Modeling Framework projects, the goal is not to provide specific textual syntaxes nor to provide a framework to create them though allowing model description through a generic textual syntax and providing extension points to plug dedicated syntaxes which might be defined with the help of Xtext.
The formal definitions integrated in the doc will be based on EMF core and the synchronization between doc-expected versus development artifact will leverage the EMF Compare component. Intent also depends on the EMF CDO project, used here to provide a strong support to concurrency in the core services.
The Intent project does not aim to provide any framework easing the parsing or reverse-engineering of documentation to build a model and as such is not overlapping with the doc2model project focus.
The following individuals are proposed as initial committers to the project:
We welcome additional committers and contributions.
The following Architecture Council members will mentor this project:
The following individuals, organisations, companies and projects have expressed interest in this project:
And then releases aligned with the Mylyn project schedule
|Document created
|Updating interested Parties and Committers
|Updating interested Parties
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Here is a quick activity I often do with young learners or lower level students. It's a quick way to highlight the difference between relational and verbal clauses.
All you need is two sets of animal cards (or any semantic set really), one with the picture and one with the name of the animal printed. The game is then a simple pelmanism game but, as they turn over each card, they have to say either 'This is (Process: relational) a dog' for the picture or 'This says (Process: verbal) "dog"' for the printed word. It's useful also to point out the difference between the relational 'a dog' with the article and how the verbal "dog" is said exactly as it is written without the article.


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Here at the Fire Safety Store we supply a range of top quality Anti Arson Letterboxes at discounted prices. These can be used for business or domestic purposes. Our mailsafe letterboxes will self extinguish any fire in less than 50 seconds so you don't have to worry about arson.
We have a wide range of anti arson letterboxes, in different sizes and with alternative fittings. If there is something you have a question about, please call our freephone number: 0800 316 0890 and one of our team will be happy to help you further.


text: iprigg Posted January 21, 2014 All these days since the initial launch of Broken Age, to its backers, a week ago, there have been thousand of threads in this forum, and in other sites as well, full of criticism about the game. The general criticism is focused on the following areas: 1) The difficulty of the game, which is broadly regarded as being to easy 2) Its length, which is regarded as being too short; though my opinion, is that this is accounted also to (1). Since you never get stuck, your playing time, which for adventures includes time spent to solve a puzzle is greatly reduced, leaving the players with the feeling that he reached the end of act 1 too soon. 3) The game's controls, where two issues have been raised. The first one being the simplistic, one click approach that has been chosen. and the second one the use of "drag item on spot/item" action, which is something you have to get used to it, since it is an something, rarely used in the pc world. In a few words, gamers think that the interface adopted by this game, blinks an eye to tablet devices, and neglects the possibilities offered by pc controllers (i.e., a mouse, which gives the option of using two or even three buttons). 4) Finally, somehting, which is not actually part of the game, but received a lot of criticism and rage, is the decision of DF to not make the DRM version of the game available to anybody, even the backers who payed for this, until Act 2, is released sometime within the year. More or less, this is all criticism about the game, that I am aware. I think that Tim Schaffer is the only one capable to elaborate on these issues and clarify, whether he plans to handle any of them and possibly how. Though the latter is not so important for now, the important is if he intends to do something to resolve them. So Tim now the ball is on your field. We would be grateful if you share your thoughts and intention with us Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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- For a light, comfortable and protective apparel to fit your BJJ training and competition as well as No-Gi Grappling, the Venum Santa Muerte Spats is the right piece for you.
- Compression Technology: keeps your body dry and muscles warm.
- Smooth fabric and flat seams: extreme comfort during your workout.
- Antibacterial treatment: allows you to wear your compression pants all day.
- High quality seams: extended durability.
Ideal for achieving all your athletic goals, the compression Venum Santa Muerte Spats will allow you to enhance your performance without missing out on comfort.
Equipped with our Venum Compression Technology, the Venum Santa Muerte Spats will keep your muscles compressed throughout your most intense movements. You be sure to benefit from body heat insulation, extended performance and improved muscle recovery.
With its 4-way stretch fabric, the compression feature offers flexibility and mobility. Like a second skin, it will protect you from chafing, irritation and other microbes. Whether you are standing or executing groundwork, the Venum Santa Muerte Spats, is able to withstand the motions.
The outstanding Mexican Culture design of the Santa Muerte radiates boldness and strength. Let the fight begin!


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An Ushahidi-Powered Platform Shows "Free" Healthcare In India Comes With Hidden Costs
BY Jessica McKenzie | Wednesday, June 18 2014
Two and a half years after a pilot program called Mera Swasthya Meri Aawaz (My Health, My Voice) was launched to record and document the informal fees that plague India's "free" maternal health services in Uttar Pradesh, hundreds of reports have been collected and mapped. The Indian human rights organization Sahayog, which helped launched the initiative, tells techPresident that around 40 public health facilities in two Uttar Pradesh districts have been connected to informal fees, a kind of low-level corruption.
Since the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the global Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987, maternal mortality rates in India have fallen dramatically, but poor rural states like Uttar Pradesh have seen slower progress than wealthier urban areas.
The maternal mortality ratio in India fell from 560 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 190 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2013. However, the state of Uttar Pradesh has the highest maternal mortality ratio in India: 517 deaths per 100,000 live births according to this 2012 report.
"Who asks what happened afterwards? ... If a person dies, she dies. If someone hangs himself then it becomes a police case. But if someone dies in a hospital then no one cares," a neighbor of a deceased pregnant woman in Uttar Pradesh told Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2009.
Although this can in part be attributed to insufficient healthcare services, Human Rights Watch has also identified informal fees as a factor in maternal mortality rates.
"Nothing is free for anyone," a community health worker in Uttar Pradesh told HWR in 2009. "What happens when we take a woman for delivery to the hospital is that she will have to pay for her cord to be cut... for medicines, some more money for the cleaning. The staff nurse will also ask for money."
The pilot program Mera Swasthya Meri Aawaz was conceived as a way to document the corrupt practice of asking for informal payments in return for supposedly free services. The program is a collaborative effort by Sahayog and Mahila Swasthya Adhikar Manch (Women's Health and Rights Forum), among others, with funding from the MacArthur Foundation.
Y.K. Sandhya, a program manager at Sahayog, explained in an email to techPresident that although community based organizations are aware of informal fees, they have lacked the technology to document the practice and "hold their government accountable."
Sandhya wrote to techPresident:
We at SAHAYOG believe that the health system is a core social institute, and it should be a place where inequalities are redressed rather than exacerbated. This project by strengthening the capacities of poor women in these districts is an attempt to enable them to document such cases thereby strengthening citizen led monitoring to promote accountability. [sic]
Women and their families can report informal fees by email, an online form, a smartphone app, or by calling an interactive voice response system, and the reports are subsequently uploaded to the website and mapped on the Ushahidi platform.
This is a short introductory film produced by Sahayog that explains how Mera Swasthya Meri Aawaz works, how they are educating women about the reporting mechanism, and how they hope to lobby the government for healthcare reform:
Between January 24, 2012 and May 24, 2013, Sandhya informed techPresident, 873 reports of informal payments were made through Mera Swasthya Meri Aawaz, implicating roughly 40 public health facilities. All 873 reports come from the two districts (out of the 75 in Uttar Pradesh) in which the program was launched. Since January 2, 2014, there have been more than 350 reports, which can be sorted by category (e.g. bribe for examination, money asked for blood or operation, maternal death).
Reporting was higher in areas with active grassroots community groups, Sandhya tells techPresident.
She adds:
Almost half (44%) of all reports were payments made for food and transport followed by payments made for medicines, examination and supplies (20%) and ambulance services during referral (20%). A little over 40% of all payments reported to the Mera Swasthya Meri Aawaz helpline were over 500 INR [USD$8.29].
In January the program expanded to two additional districts in Uttar Pradesh, so it is now active in four districts in total.
Personal Democracy Media is grateful to the Omidyar Network and the UN Foundation for their generous support of techPresident's WeGov section.
For a round-up of our weekly stories, subscribe to the WeGov mailing list.


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Abrasive Recovery, Blast Rooms, News, PPE, PR, Rail, Scraper Floor
Wabtec Rail Ltd, the UK's leading company specialising in the overhaul and repair of railway rolling stock, has doubled capacity for servicing wheel-sets at its premises in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, with the installation of a self-contained blast-room with an automatic abrasive recovery system from Hodge Clemco.
An existing Hodge Clemco blast-room has been in use at the works for eight years for cleaning wheel-sets before they are inspected to determine the work required. In order to meet growing demand for these services, Wabtec has installed a second HC blast-room as part of a new work-flow system costing some £450,000, allowing the company to process 150 wheel-sets a week.
Wheel-sets are delivered to the blast-room on rail track that runs from an external storage area and integrates with a pneumatic manipulator inside the room that allows them to be moved to a convenient position for cleaning. This work is performed with a high-production single-chamber direct-pressure unit, using aluminium oxide abrasive.
The blast-room measures 6m long x 3m wide x 2.4m high overall and incorporates a 4m x 3m work chamber with double doors at both ends and a plant room containing a blast machine, media recovery system and control panel. Walls and roof are double-skin steel panels filled with mineral wool slab, considerably reducing noise levels outside the room, which is particularly beneficial when other staff are working nearby.
The floor is constructed from steel plate with gratings through which used abrasive falls and is recovered by a mechanical underfloor scraper system. The material then passes to a cleaning system that extracts re-usable media and deposits it in the storage hopper that feeds the blast machine.
Air inlet ducts and exhaust air outlets in the chamber ensure highly effective cross-draught ventilation in order to provide good visibility for operators. All doors are interlocked to prevent blasting when they are open. Hodge Clemco also supplied a protective suit and an Apollo 600CE helmet with several advanced features for operator safety and comfort.
Two further Hodge Clemco blast-rooms at Wabtec are used for cleaning bogies and rolling stock components.


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Our Portfolio
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. is a trusted partner that is recognized for its investment and operational experience, including particular expertise in business and consumer services, healthcare, industrial and consumer sectors. Since 1995, Sun Capital has invested in more than 375 companies worldwide across a broad range of industries and transaction structures with revenues of approximately $50 billion.
Creekstone Farms
Website: www.creekstonefarms.com
Sector: Food & Beverage
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef is a leading beef processor of the highest quality Black Angus beef. The Company sells a wide variety of branded fresh beef as well as value-added products such as Black Angus burgers, deli meats, fully-cooked entrees, and "all natural products" having no hormonal supplements or antibiotics. Creekstone Farms owns and operates one of the most modern processing facilities in the industry. Its customer base is 50% foodservice and 50% retail, with retail being regional supermarkets and high-end restaurants that are seeking points of differentiation.


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"...I attended a seminar on PTSD and returning combat veterans put on by the Mental Health Association. It was an all day seminar given by Dr. John Mundt, a psychologist at the Chicago VA. The audience was made up of mental health practitioners and social workers who wanted to get a better understanding of what veterans were facing and dealing with when coming home, and in turn, how they as mental health practitioners could be better prepared to help.
I wasn't sure what to expect being that I was probably the only one in the room that was not a clinician, therapist or social worker. Would the things Dr. Mundt spoke about go over my head, would I be able to follow along, or would there a lot of clinical terminology that I wouldn't understand? Would what he says resonate with me as a concerned citizen/filmmaker just as much as it would with the other people in the audience?
What I found was more than what I had expected. Dr. Mundt was passionate, energetic (which he would need to be to give a 7hr lecture) informative, and most importantly displayed a true sense of concern and urgency in regards to caring for our veterans."


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How to judge the quality of a ribbon?
Tips For Judging Ribbon Quality
——Xiamen Meisida Decoration Co.,Ltd
Ribbon,Printed Ribbon & Ribbon Bow Manufacturer
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
With the wider range of ribbon applications, polyester ribbon varieties are also more and more diverse, a variety of polyester ribbon on the market to see us dazzling. How to judge the quality of a ribbon?
In actual conditions, we can use the naked eye to identify the following methods:
Color difference test: visually observe the belt surface without Yin and Yang color, color, texture (each ribbon needle edge must be a color) tape edge, cloth edge can not exchange.
Wool: through naked eye observation, the two surfaces that weave a belt and flank cannot have the serious MAO qiu that affects to take a face or wool silk.
Jump stitch: no jump stitch is allowed in the ribbon under visual observation.
Pollution: no oil, stain or dust on the surface of the ribbon.
Of course, these are only from the surface of the analysis, from the material of the ribbon to judge the bad methods are: touch (ribbon feel), watch the color, burning, and other methods.
Touch —— Cotton ribbon, nylon is nylon ribbon material feel soft, smooth, bright colors, good gloss, light material;
PP (polypropylene) material ribbon feel hard, rough, gloss poor;Polyester fabric ribbon color is more rigid, but good color fastness, the proportion of heavy;
Polyester short silk (also known as polyester civil silk, commonly known as polyester cotton) polyester civil silk ribbon texture and cotton texture is similar, soft feel.
Burning method —— ignite it with fire, observe the state of burning flame, smell the smell after burning, and see the residuals after burning, so as to judge the material of webbing.
Usually, we can use a ribbon product with good quality to make our life comfortable, and my mood will be smoother as well. Therefore, we need to know more about all aspects of ribbon products before purchasing them.
Xiamen Meisida Decoration Co.,Ltd. A professional Chinese factory in making ribbon,printed ribbon and ribbon bow.
More than 12 years experience in ribbon market.Garment ribbon bows,Packiaging ribbon bows,Perfume bottle bows,Wine bottle bow,hair bows,Pet ribbon bows,Ribbon flowers,Ribbon material sets...All kind of types you can choose!
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Mobile No: +86 13779951780
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Xiamen Meisida Decoration Co.,Ltd


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"How do I get my startup buzzing around the Internet?"
Important question -- tough to achieve.
So let's look at an amazing achiever and learn from that experience.
Here is the article, very well documented:
How Yo became one of the most viral apps of all time - step by step
- It all started with WOW! That's what gets people buzzing.
- It's not about buying attention: You have to start with WOW!
- It is a cascade: Like an avalance
- It has a simple beginning: A key blogger moves the first snowflake
- It requires immediate response: Jump on it! Drop all else.
- It takes a lot of follow-on promotion: Very hard work + lots of time
- It is worth the effort: Your competition will complain about your "unfair advantage."
That's your challenge. It's worth the effort.
BOTTOM LINE: Your startup needs lots of "buzz" to spread the word about your great thing/service/business. PR is power. It is used to build a startup brand, never advertising. It is "free" meaning low cash outlay. It is "expensive" meaning it takes a lot of your time and creative brain energy. While you may not set world buzz records like Yo did, you can achieve the word-of-mouth wave you need. Others have done it, so can you. When you can do that, you'll add another very powerful element to your unfair advantage.
I wish you The Best on your Adventure!


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Paddock Wood Library - Storytime
Wednesday 10:45am - 11:15am (term-time)
Bring your pre-school child to the library for a fun story session every week.
Higham Library Books and Beverage
Third Tuesday monthly
Pop along, for a chance to discuss several book titles by a particular author.
Higham Library Baby Rhyme Time
A free, fun and noisy way to develop a love of language and a foundation for learning. Clap, sing and join in the action rhymes, including a book reading at the end. Suitable for pre-school children.
Higham Library Talk Time
Talk Time groups aim to bring people together, to chat and make new friends.
Higham Library - History Society Drop In Session
First Friday of Every Month
Volunteers from Higham History Society will be on hand to show off their archived photos and map cabinets. They will also try and answer any question's on Higham's history.
Fax: 4 823822
Paddock Wood Library Reading Group
First Wednesday monthly
If you enjoy reading and discussing books, then come along and join our reading group.
Deal Library - Happy Monday Reading Group
3rd Monday monthly, 2:30pm
Would you like to share your love of reading with others? Join our reading group. Contact Deal Library for details
Deal Library - Tuesday Reading Group
1st Tuesday monthly
Would you like to share your love of reading with others? Join our reading group. Please contact Deal Library for details.
Deal Library - Very Crafty Club
2nd and 4th Monday monthly, 1pm - 3pm
Get really crafty at the Very Crafty Club. Join in with the handicrafts and chat. Contact Deal Library for details. .
Deal Library - Scrabble Club
The club for word lovers. A fun way to test your spelling. Everyone welcome, contact the Library for further information.
CategoryChoose a directory to filter your results
- Local Offer (316)
- 0-25 (374)
- Adult Services (309)
- Childcare Categories (40)


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Sep 15, 2015 • You have likely heard phrases such as, "Welcome to the Anthropocene." More and more we hear the term "anthropocene" used to describe the current epoch of our planet when humankind has had a profound impact on Earth. This month, the U.S. Geological Survey has released a report and dataset on anthropogenic land use trends in the U.S. between 1974 and 2012.
The 60-m raster datasets cover the conterminous U.S. for five time periods: 1974, 1982, 1992, 2002, and 2012. Lead author James Falcone started with the 2011 Landsat-based National Land Cover Dataset (recoded to land uses) and then mapped backwards in time how those land uses had changed. The dataset focuses on how humans use the land (which correlates with the land's economic function). These datasets were compiled using an impressively broad array of existing data sources including:
+ NLCD 2011, April 2014 version, 30 meters (m) (Jin and others, 2013) **Landsat-based**
+ USDA Census of Agriculture, 1974–2012, State and county-level data (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2014a)
+ U.S. Census 2010 hden, provided by GeoLytics Inc., block group scale (GeoLytics, 2012)
+ Spatial Analysis for Conservation and Sustainability (SILVIS) Lab housing unit density, 1970–2000, partial block group scale (Hammer and others, 2004)
+ History Database of the Global Environment (HYDE) 3.1 1970–2005 decadal cropland and pasture 9-km data (History Database of the Global Environment, 2013)
+ USDA/USGS soil capability class, 1:250k (Baker and Capel, 2011)
+ Raster dataset based on STATSGO data processed from Baker and Capel (2011)
+ USGS National Elevation Data (NED)-derived slope, 100 m (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014a)
+ USGS Landfire (Landscape Fire and Rescue Management Planning Tools), 1999–2012 annual disturbance grids, 30 m (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014b) **Landsat-based**
+ National Inventory of Dams (NID) point locations, 2013 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2013)
+ Dam removal point locations, 1912–2013 (American Rivers, 2014)
+ NLCD 2006 and 2001 land cover/use, 30 m: (Fry and others, 2011; Homer and others, 2007; U.S. Geological Survey, 2014c) **Landsat-based**
+ NLCD "Enhanced" 1992 (NLCDe 1992), 30-m landcover/use (Nakagaki and others, 2007) **Landsat-based**
+ USGS Geographic Information Retrieval and Analysis System (GIRAS) 1970s land cover/use (Price and others, 2007)
+ Protected Areas Database, PADUS_CBI_Edition V2 (Conservation Biology Institute, 2013)
+ USGS historical oil/gas well locations
+ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) point locations of mining, landfill, metal, and nonmetal processing sites, and oil/gas exploration sites, from Envirofacts MultiSystem Query (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014a)
+ NHD (National Hydrography Dataset) 1:24k water bodies (U.S. Geological Survey, 2012) and NHDP- lus V2 streamlines (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014b)
+ USDA NRI (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2013), 1982–2012 and ERS (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2014b), 1974–2007: State-level statistics and USGS LC Trends (Sleeter and others, 2013), 1973–2000, ecoregion statistics
+ USGS Land Cover Trends **Landsat-based**
+ USDA Cropland Data Layer (CDL) 2009, 56 m, updated version, downloaded November 2014 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2014c) **Uses Landsat data**
+ Homeland Security Infrastructure Program (HSIP) 2012 land use polygons (n ~ 100,000), lines, and points (Homeland Security Infrastructure Program, 2012)
+ Esri USA landmark (important land use features) polygons (n ~ 80,000) and lines (Esri, 2014a)
+ David Theobald national land use dataset (Theobald, 2014)
+ Census 2000 roads, provided by GeoLytics, Inc. (GeoLytics, 2001)
+ USGS 1992–2001 30-m Retrofit Land Cover Change Product (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014c) **Landsat-based**
+ Massachusetts State historical land use for 1971, 1985, and 1999, 1:25,000 (Massachusetts Office of Geographic Information (MassGIS); State of Massachusetts, 2014)
+ U.S. Department of Commerce Census Bureau block-level employment data (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2014)
+ U.S. Department of Commerce Census Bureau 2010 block boundaries (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012)
+ In-house derived land use polygons database (n ~ 45,000), in-house-derived conservation areas change data (n ~ 1,400), and in-house derived reservoir change data polygons (n ~ 2,900)
Report's abstract:
This dataset provides a U.S. national 60-meter, 19-class mapping of anthropogenic land uses for five time periods: 1974, 1982, 1992, 2002, and 2012. The 2012 dataset is based on a slightly modified version of the National Land Cover Database 2011 (NLCD 2011) that was recoded to a schema of land uses, and mapped back in time to develop datasets for the four earlier eras. The time periods coincide with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture data collection years.
Changes are derived from (a) known changes in water bodies from reservoir construction or removal; (b) housing unit density changes; (c) regional mining/extraction trends; (d) for 1999–2012, timber and forestry activity based on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (Landfire) data; (e) county-level USDA Census of Agriculture change in cultivated land; and (f) establishment dates of major conservation areas.
The data are compared to several other published studies and datasets as validation. Caveats are provided about limitations of the data for some classes. The work was completed as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program and termed the NAWQA Wall-to-Wall Anthropogenic Land Use Trends (NWALT) dataset. The associated datasets include five 60-meter geospatial rasters showing anthropogenic land use for the years 1974, 1982, 1992, 2002, and 2012, and 14 rasters showing the annual extent of timber clearcutting and harvest from 1999 to 2012.
Go to the report:
+ U.S. conterminous wall-to-wall anthropogenic land use trends (NWALT), 1974–2012