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Many cleaning products used today use harsh chemicals which can be harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. While UV-C light is harmful to be in direct contact with, it does not carry the dangers of chemical cleaners as UV-C light kills germs directly in a physical process as opposed to breaking them down chemically, like most cleaners do.
The non-toxicity of UV-C light cleaning is particularly valuable for use in food preparation environments, including the restaurant, hospitality, and medical industries. All food, non-food, and food-prep items are safe to consume/use directly after a UV-C light cleaning with no adverse effects.
UV-C light is capable of killing a wide variety of harmful organisms that many other disinfecting methods aren’t able to kill or are unable to kill nearly as effectively.
A primary example of the cleansing power of UV-C light that is unmatched by most other cleaning methods is its ability to kill mold and other spores. UV-C light cleaning is a dry process that kills any mold currently inhabiting a space, while also preventing future mold from developing in the future. Few other methods can boast such cleaning power and may even leave behind a moist environment which is conducive to mold growth.
Benefit 3 - Pathogens cannot develop an immunity to UV-C light
As many other disinfection methods use chemicals to kill bacteria, this allows bacteria to potentially build immunity to said chemicals. As UV-C light uses a physical process to kill the bacteria directly, there is no opportunity for the bacteria to develop an immunity. This guarantees that UV-C light will continue to be an effective method for killing bacteria indefinitely.
Although people often associate technological solutions with expensiveness, with UV-C light treatment that is not the case. The cost of UV-C light cleaning versus chemical cleaning is very comparable and affordability is no more of a concern than with other sanitation methods.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Q: Does this help with the pandemic?
A: Sure does! Covid-19 (SARS COV 2) is what is known as a "communicable" illness. All communicable illness stand no chance against this process of disinfection and prevention. This also includes the flu (INFLUENZA). We all know how long that has been around.
Q: Why would I pay for this when I already pay for a cleaning crew?
A: Cleaning crews are using chemical based products that can be harmful to your overall health and well being. We offer a safe and natural option to keep you and your people healthy.
Q: How much does this cost?
A: Great Question! It ultimetly depends on the number of lights we need to use. With that being said, quotes are built around square footage.
Q: Do you have different packages?
A: We do! Depending on how much foot traffic you get in any given week. We have Weekly, Bi-Weekly, and Monthly treatment options. The more frequent the better the deal.
Q: How can we easily let people know that my building is safe?
Easy, We have a sticker that goes on your front door! This helps communicate to everyone who walks in the door that they can peace of mind when in this facility.
Q: What does “UV-C” mean?
A: The “UV” stands for “ultraviolet.” Ultraviolet light is a type of electromagnetic radiation - the same radiation that makes black lights glow and gives you sunburn. The “C” is a reference to the wavelength the radiation emits at. Ultraviolet light that emits in the “C “ wavelength is referred to as “hard UV,” and is able to kill or inactivate microorganisms, including illness-causing pathogens.
Q: How does UV-C kill pathogens?
A: UV-C damages pathogens physically by disrupting the molecular bonds that holds them together. When a pathogen’s DNA is disrupted in such a fashion, it leaves it unable to infect or reproduce.
Q: Is UV-C dangerous for humans to be in contact with?
A: UV-C is indeed dangerous for humans to be in direct contact with. Exposure to the eyes or skin for even short periods of time can cause adverse health effects. UV-Care’s certified technicians are trained and equipped to deal with UV-C in a safe and careful manner.
Q: Is UV-C harmful to plants?
A: Yes, UV-C is harmful to plants and will need to be removed from any room that is going to be UV-C treated.
Q: Is UV-C safe to use on food or in areas where food is prepared/handled?
A: Yes, UV-C is safe to use on and around food and will also disinfect any food or food products.
A: Yes, UV-C has proven effective in the killing of a wide variety of molds and fungi.
Q: How long does a UV-C treatment take?
A: The amount of time and lights needed differs based on the size of the location being treated and how many rooms the location has.
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For emperor penguins, the heart song is the thing that makes the difference between happiness and life of loneliness. But, for one little chick named Mumble (voice of Elijah Wood) that song is missing because the lad, unfortunately, couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. His feet, though, can tap out their own song and he uses his unique gift to save the flock and find true love in “Happy Feet.”
Laura's Review Robins's Review
Laura's Review: DNS
March of the Penguins: The Musical” or “Dances with Penguins” are better descriptive names for this technically astounding animation that surrounds a story about intolerance to those different from us and, in the end, toleration through understanding of those differences. As such, the story of one little penguin trying to fit in with his peers is a simple one. Mumble hatches from his egg later than the other newborns following an incident where his father’s momentary inattention causes his unborn chick egg to role free during the frigid Antarctic winter. But, the baby is born, seemingly healthy except for on thing: the tumble caused baby Mumble to emerge with the titular exultant peds. The only problem is, the chick can’t sing, an affliction that is considered a scandal. His nervous lower appendages draw concern from the Emperor penguin elders even though his mother thinks it “cute.” This begins Mumble’s road to finding his true self as his “affliction” creates increasing disdain from the rest of the flock. His dance fever is seen as an aberration that is causing the fish they all depend upon for sustenance to disappear. He is banished from his clan but not before Mumbles declares that he will find out where the fish have gone and bring his discovery back to the flock. This is the second leg of the film (and the most exciting) as Mumble treks across the frozen wasteland and encounters such dangers as the penguin-dreaded leopard seal and a pair of hungry killer whales. He also comes upon another band of much smaller penguins that see nothing wrong with his passion for dance. This sympathetic flock is personified by the five hip little guys, the Amigos, who join Mumble in his quest (and provide the film’s best comic relief). The cast that gives voice to our flightless flock is an extended one with many name stars. Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving and Anthony LaPaglia are featured as the voices of the penguins but their star power is suppressed in favor of characterization (except for Williams who is readily identifiable, as usual). But, Mumble’s adventures overshadow the characters with amazing computer animation that is truly state of the art. Set CG pieces, like the leopard seal and Orca chases and Mumble’s meeting with a herd of elephant seals the best things in “Happy Feet.” (Parents, beware. The chases scenes may be harrowing for smaller kids, making this a film for kids age seven or eight on up.) There is a reliance on large-scale song and dance numbers that are reminiscent of classic Disney animes but get in the way of the Mumble’s exciting adventures and the comedy offered by the hilarious Amigos. The tunes used range from Stevie Wonder, The Beach Boys and Queen and provide a familiar set of songs that the parents will enjoy while the kids dig the action. The reason to fork out your dough to see this at the theater is the incredibly detailed and realistic looking CGI. (It is also being released at IMAX theaters.) Director George Miller, of “Babe” fame, does a solid job with his story (developed with John Collee, Judy Morris and Warren Coleman) and shows his action mettle with Mumble’s scary adventures. “Happy Feet” does the meaningful message thing – be tolerant of others - in a pat manner but the computer animation is outstanding.
Laura and Robin's reviews are also featured on Rotten Tomatoes, the Movie Review Query Engine, and the IMDB.
has been produced by Robin and Laura Clifford at the Malden, Massachusetts cable access television station, MATV, since March 16, 1991.
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Last weekend my husband Steve was in a bar in New Orleans with some buddies for a bachelor party. The bar was popular with prenuptial parties, apparently, because there was a bachelorette party going on nearby. Steve and his friends weren't as raucous as the group of ladies, so the guys moved further away from the women in order to hear themselves talk. Nothing was out of the ordinary until a woman from the bachelorette party walked up to Davin, the groom, with a big plastic toy shark in her hand. Without a word, she circled it around his head three times and then went away.
"You just got sharknadoed!" said another woman at the bar.
"What?" said Davin.
"You know, like that movie, Sharknado, where there's a bunch of sharks all swirling around!" the lady said.
And that was that. So my question is, has anyone heard of this before? Is "sharknadoeing" a thing that happens, sort of like getting iced, or was this just a delightful weird thing that happened once that somebody apparently quickly found a name for? Inquiring minds want to know.
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March 27, 2014 8:23 AM
My guess is that it was a part of one of those bachelorette scavenger hunts, where there is a list of weird things to do in order to get points and check things off the list. If that is what was happening, that's a pretty adorable thing to do. I kind of want to get sharknadoed.
March 27, 2014 9:12 AM
If it's not a thing, it should be a thing. I'll be carrying a shark figure with me everywhere I go henceforth.
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The Patriots and Packers staged an unlikely classic at Lambeau Field on Sunday, with third-string New England quarterback Bailey Zappe holding his own against future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers.
Podcast Episode
The MMQB NFL Podcast
The Scrappiness, Small Victories and Mayonnaise of Week 4
One of the key plays of the first half that set the stage for the overtime thriller was delivered by another relatively unheralded Patriots rookie, cornerback Jack Jones.
The fourth-round draft pick out of Arizona State intercepted Rodgers for a 40-yard pick-six with under a minute left on the clock in the second quarter, giving the Patriots a 10-7 lead at halftime.
But, despite his modest billing as a mid-round selection, Jones sounded like a veteran star while discussing the play after the game.
“Personally,” Jones said, “I feel it’s disrespectful to throw an out route on me.”
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 3, 2022
The brash take seemingly didn't sit well with veteran NBC Sports reporter Peter King, who questioned Jones' "big-headedness" in his weekly Monday morning recap column, Football Morning In America:
Hey kid: They threw out routes on Deion Sanders! (Not many, but some.) How did the 121st pick in the draft get so big-headed to think one of the best quarterbacks ever was insulting him by throwing the kind of route that’s thrown 162 times a week in the NFL? Man, that was weird.
While King probably has a point about Jones' seemingly immodest reaction to being thrown at as "disrespectful," it could very well be chalked up to a young player choosing the wrong words in the heat of the moment and perhaps having his competitive juices still flowing shortly after a hard-fought game.
Maybe Jones has a chip on his shoulder and feels he has something to prove at the professional level. If so, his heady play against Rodgers surely helped put his name on the radar of fans, journalists, and opposing teams.
Whether his remarks were "weird," though, in a league where the egos are big (and arguably necessary) and trash talk is commonplace, feels like a bit of a reach.
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"Working with Stephanie has been life changing. She has helped me to release blockages that I didn’t even realize were holding me back from achieving the business success that I truly desire. After working with Stephanie for less than two months, the magic started to happen in my business. “Out of the blue” two ideal clients called me and I booked $20,000 worth of new business just like that! I have moved from anxiety and struggle to ease and faith. Thank you a million times over Stephanie. Your patience, guidance and unique talent have had a huge impact on my life and business."
~Vanessa Judelman | President
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My current fee is $400 for one 60-minute session, or save with a package of 4 sessions for $999.
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With what's going on in our world currently, this is the biggest area clients need help with. Recently prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications rose 34.1% in just one month!
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Kids, teens and young adults are experiencing crisis levels of stress and anxiety. A local pediatric practice in Danbury has sent me referrals for the past decade. As all sessions are via zoom, I can work with your child from anywhere in the world.
Americans are among THE MOST STRESSED in the world, according to a recent Gallup poll. While the American Dream can definitely be a source of inspiration for many, the high levels of stress that you must endure aren't healthy.
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The way to help the most people is to teach these techniques to large groups of people who are in a position to impact many.
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In any other year in June, there would be a succession of regularly scheduled early summer activities for all age groups in and around Denham. Since March 23, 2020, the UK government has locked down most social activities so as to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. So many of these activities are denied to us because of the social distancing requirements.
But, for followers of the Denham Community History Project, here’s an opportunity for a new “diversion” . You can spend a little lockdown time writing up your memories of pastimes enjoyed in and around the village. Let’s start with a list of organisations mentioned in a Parish Council document kept by Ann Collins. Who knows when this was published ? Who remembers any of these clubs and societies ? Were you a member ?
Here are a few recollections we have already collected to start you off together with a first Comment from John Hawkins. To add your contribution, login and use the “Comment” option or email it to us at [email protected].
Sharp memories provide us with valuable insights into some favourite pastimes of more than 20 years ago, pastimes that will surely be returned to us once the epidemic is past. If you are one of the residents who lived within the Denham parish in the 1950s you may remember activities and days like these.
Not surprisingly, several ladies recall their special times past spent with their favourite toy: a doll. Hilary, who grew up in the Wembley/Harrow area remembers well, an incident at her infants/primary school, when she was probably about 5 years old and long before moving to Denham. She writes: “I had taken my favourite doll whom I had named Janet, to school with me one day and put her carefully in my desk…the kind where I could lift up the top of the hinged cover and see my books, etc. I had opened my desktop to play with her during class when the teacher called on me! I dropped the desktop on Janet’s leg and smashed it! Janet had lovely blonde hair and blue eyes and I loved her!”
“Belinda” was the name of Ann’s favourite doll. Even now, Ann remembers the day that she decided to bathe her. She writes: “But I did not realise that although her head was china, her body was of a composite material and fell to pieces. I was heartbroken! Not many dolls’ hospitals in those days.”
Some activities that were begun decades ago have become essential pastimes for many of us these days too. As a youngster in Priory Close, Jessie loved school, all subjects and playing. She remembers: “We had nature walks from New Denham up to Rush Green. Often, we would pick flowers to put into a jam jar on the Nature Table. My visits to the Uxbridge Library every Saturday morning were a must! To this day, I am an avid reader!”
Although mostly a solitary pastime, reading can now be listening as well through audio books and lively discussions through a book club. The Denham Ladies Book Club records go back to 2001 but the group may have been active even before that. Times have changed, so mobile libraries and next-day deliveries of books to a device are far more common than in-person library visits that Jessie remembers so well.
Jam jars may have been replaced by vases and wild-flowers added to those lovingly cared-for flowers by gardeners, some of whom may belong to the Denham Village Garden Club. Neighbours who enjoyed gardening and were living next to each other on the Pyghtle, organised the DVGC more than 26 years ago. Over the years, the group has grown considerably as have the visits to many outstanding gardens, nurseries, and manor houses. Home gardens have always been carefully tended by residents in Denham and a walk anywhere will show glimpses of colourful flowers and shrubs through gates and fences.
We have an image of the front page of the “Denham News” from January 1974 showing the team of bell ringers who rang in the new year, a year that began in a different crisis with the introduction of a three day working week as a measure to conserve electricity during the period of industrial action by coal miners. Who remembers spending time during those dark days ?
Of course, many of us are walkers, and if you are among the many who have a dog or two, the spaces in and around Denham provide many attractive areas for daily walks. Julie said: “My two little Westies Jack and Mickey are like my children! They love the outdoors; we especially enjoy walking together and their toys are often of the Disney variety.”
Twice daily walks are necessary for some walkers and their dogs. Most are friendly and seem to recognise each other as well as their companions. Occasionally walks are organised. There are organised walks for hikers, and some readers may remember a group enjoying Nordic Walking. Anyone who has memories of that please let us know.
Since its founding in 1986 by Ken McKay, the Denham Hospice Support Group has become one of the most active common-interest groups in our community and its annual walk of 5-8 miles raises funds for the Thames Hospice. This splendid annual event is always followed by a lunch hosted by Irene and Philip at The White House.
As most of our readers know, though the origins of the Hospice Support Group are now part of Denham’s historical record, the Group still thrives. But sadly the events for 2020 announced in a January by the Chairman Philip Courtenay-Luck with an aim to raise £70,000 to fund the Sanctuary garden at the new Thames-hospice at Bray Lake, have had to be put on hold. We can be confident they will return to continue this great local tradition with an important charity purpose.
Throughout the decades, St. Mary’s Parish Church and its subsidiaries St. Marks in Denham Green and St. Francis in New Denham have no doubt provided the most opportunities for participation in a variety of activities from the youngest to the oldest in our community; we will focus on those special church-sponsored activities as well in months to come.
Denham residents have always supported the variety of activities and organisations available, and for those willing to pursue new challenges, the options are wide open. So on this subject it’s over to you. We’re very eager to hear from you, dear readers, about your experiences of the pastimes and diversions you have enjoyed growing up and living in the village - starting with a story from avid childhood trainspotter John Hawkins.
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Danese/Corey is pleased to announce its second exhibition of paintings and drawings by Lynne Woods Turner. These exquisite, intimate works unite a remarkable sense of color with ingenious and often wry exploitations of geometry. As curator Constance M. Lewallen comments, Lynne Woods Turner’s paintings can be characterized as geometric abstractions, which most often connote precision and cool detachment, but there is nothing mechanical about them. What strikes you when you see her work, rather, is the handmade-ness of it; it’s all subtlety and refinement.[1]
Both rigorous and understated, Turner’s paintings are composed of quiet, unanticipated colors within a linear configuration. An avid gardener, her work reflects careful observation of the natural world – the internal geometry of a leaf, the delicate tonality and soft, tender surface of a petal. The paintings are precise and exquisitely wrought – thin layers of pigment are applied, sanded and scraped, developing a smooth, silky veneer of color that seems to breathe and radiate outward. On canvases or panels no larger than 16 x 16 inches, the works’ complexity and intricacy defy their literal dimensions.
Recently, Turner was included in the three-artist exhibition In Line: Drawings by Sharon Etgar, German Stegmaier, Lynne Woods Turner at Gallery Joe, Philadelphia. Her drawings also are included in With A Clear Mind, you can move with the truth, an exhibition of works from the Millier Meigs Collection, currently on view at the Lumber Room, located in Portland, Oregon.
Lynne Woods Turner was born in 1951 in Dallas. She received her BFA from Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri in 1973, and obtained both a Master of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa, Iowa City. Turner is a recipient of an Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship, and has participated in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States and abroad. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock; the Birmingham Museum of Art, AL; the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University; the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; San Diego Museum of Art, CA; the Hammer Museum, University of California, Los Angeles; the Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Yale University Art Gallery.
Turner lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
[1] Lewallen, Constance M, Lynne Woods Turner, New Paintings and Works on Paper, exhibition catalogue, Danese/Corey, New York, NY.
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Designed as a vision of the Mediterranean, Pergola on the Roof is a piece of sunny European escapism. Pergola on the Roof was inspired by founder, Charlie Gardiner’s love of European al fresco dining.
Where have your biggest influences come from?
My biggest influences in terms of Pergola on the Roof have come from spending a lot of time in France and Italy as a child eating al fresco, and in beautiful settings. I don’t think as an industry in the UK we do outside dining that well. Nothing is nicer than being with friends and family, eating the best food in a beautiful setting, and it not costing the earth. When we built Pergola on the Roof and were creating the concept, the way it looked and felt to the customer was the only thing I really thought about. If you get that right, everything else follows.
At what point did your idea change from concept in to reality?
With Feast in 2013, I had a conversation with my Director at my previous company, and we just said ¨let’s do it¨. We then navigated our way through the industry and the rest was history. When I left the company to start my own business in 2015 I took Feast with me.
With Pergola on the Roof, it started in January 2016 – I knew of the site at Television Centre and had known Ian Lindsley from Jefferson Communications, who is the Comms Agency on Television Centre. He put me in touch with Alistair Shaw who is the MD and we had a meeting at Little Feast in Shepherds Bush. I told him the idea, submitted a bid and then we heard in early Feb we had secured the site. I then had to turn Pergola into a reality, which was the hardest part. By April I think I was sleeping around 3 hours a night! Scariest thing I had done, especially due to the scale. A 550 cover restaurant on the roof of a car park in White City seems slightly mad, but when we have the best team who all pushed in the right direction and now here we are, 72,000 visitors through the door to date.
There has been a boom in street food venues recently, why do you think people find them so appealing?
I think its down to choice, the quality is next level and they are so available. 10 years ago it was hard to get amazing food unless you were in restaurants, now its everywhere. You can walk out of work and get a £7 buttermilk chicken burger that would be better than most restaurants.
What do you feel is the key difference between you and your competitors?
Hmmmm. Good question. For us it’s all about the product, the experience and then what the visitor thinks. As long as you nail that then everything comes with – although I’m not sure everyone adopts that thinking.
What were the biggest challenges you faced setting up Pergola?
The biggest challenge with Pergola was how will we bring 5000 people a week here.I didn’t want to sell tickets as I don’t like that model, I don’t think people should have to pay to go and eat. We needed a combination of a strong food line up and the right concept, then you just need to back yourself and just go for it. Social media plays such a big part of it. We wanted to take bookings from day one so we now secure visitors and don’t just rely on walk ins on the day. We book out 70% and then leave 30% to walk ins. I think in our first month we had 11,000 people booked in, then by June 1st we were on 22,000. Now as I write this we are fully booked every day until we close, bar Sunday lunches. That is so important for us. Our drop out rate of bookings is around 4% so incredibly low, which means you are doing something right. As long as the place looks great, the experience is good and they enjoy themselves then word of mouth kicks in.
Do you see Feast/Pergola diversifying in the future?
I hope so, but for the moment what we are doing is right for us. We’re a seasonal business based around summer and winter, we don’t want to go into full time restaurants as its not what we do. We’ll leave that to the professionals!
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Held over a weekend in May, usually following the third Wednesday, the Buchan Heritage Festival at Strichen celebrates the Doric and the traditions of the North East of Scotland through song, verse, storytelling, drama, dance and music.
It commences with a pre-festival dance at the Ritchie Hall with further evening music ranging from fiddles to accordions during the Saturday prize winners concert and a lively Ceilidh.
The main day is Saturday with events such as schools' competitions, singing, bothy ballad and Doric storytelling and verse taking place with entrants from all corners of Buchan.
At the Royal British Legion Hall, there is a farewell Ceilidh.
See also the Doric Festival.
If you would like your Doric event featured on the website please contact me.
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The Aberdeenshire skies are under attack from an enemy jet. It is spilling a strange yellow smoke. Minutes later, people start killing each other.
Former Royal Air Force Regiment Gunner Jason Harper witnesses this and then his wife, Pippa, telephones him, shouting that she needs him. They then get cut off. He sets straight out towards the city, unprepared for the nightmare that unfolds during his journey. Everyone seems to want to kill him.
Along the way, he pairs up with fellow survivor Imogen. But she enjoys killing the living dead far too much. Will she kill Jason in her blood thirst? Or will she hinder his journey through this zombie filled dystopian landscape to find his pregnant wife?
The Fence is the first in this series of post-apocalyptic military survival thrillers from the torturous mind of local horror and science fiction novel writer C.G. Buswell.
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An army veteran moves his family back to his Aberdeenshire home, but his nightmare neighbour starts a battle of wits with him. Who will win this One Last War?
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Weddings are big deals and whether you’re planning a small one with only the closest of friends and family or a huge celebration with everyone you know and love, one Bolingbrook wedding venue is gaining popularity every year: the outdoor wedding. Having outdoor weddings in Bolingbrook and the surrounding area gives brides and grooms the opportunity to make their wedding extra special and memorable.
Every bride wants to have the most beautiful wedding ever and every groom wants to see his bride glowing with joy as they stand and are wed. One of the most beautiful backdrops you can have for a wedding is the great outdoors. Here at Carriage Greens, we have plenty of open space, beautiful scenery and accommodations that make throwing the perfect wedding easy. We love helping couples just like you get the wedding of their dreams.
Outdoor Weddings in Bolingbrook
There are three main things you need to remember and work with when planning an outdoor wedding in this area to ensure you get the best wedding in Bolingbrook:
Keep seating in mind so you have enough space reserved for everyone
Consider the decorations and try to compliment the natural beauty around you
Have a backup plan in place in case the weather decides to not cooperate
Once all the details are in place, you can enjoy your special day and spend the time with family and friends. Having the right location is key to having a less stressful wedding. Bolingbrook wedding venues come in all shapes and sizes, but Carriage Greens has what you’re looking for if you’re dreaming of a gorgeous outdoor wedding. We can help take some of the stress out of your wedding planning by giving you a venue that will meet all of your wants and needs.
Fun Ways to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Setting
Using natural backdrops for photo shoots and even the ceremony itself is a popular choice for modern weddings today. You can also make use of the natural decor by choosing a more simplistic route with your wedding and Bolingbrook wedding reception. If you still want a big fancy wedding that can be done with an outdoor wedding; it just takes a little more planning. Remember, you don’t have to go at it alone; we are here to help!
To learn more about wedding receptions and ceremonies and to get expert inside tips for making yours one of the best weddings in Bolingbrook, contact us today. Here at Carriage Greens, we have seen our share of weddings and count it an honor to help you with yours. Call now for the best outdoor weddings in Bolingbrook we have to offer.
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An event every month that begins at 11:30 am on day First of the month, repeating until December 3, 2022
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For various thoughts and other ridiculous things that surface as I walk towards my (hoped) eventual enlightenment.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
And another thing!
You know what else is weird? My brain keeps insisting that the sun is wrong. It's not like it suddenly drastically changed angle on us in only 2 weeks, but my brain keeps telling me that it's coming from the wrong direction and the shadows look weird.
In all of my days traveling by plane over long distances I have NEVER had that happen.
On top of this, I seem a little more sensitive to light and sounds. Birdsong is far more noticeable as is music (sometimes to the point of being irritating even at what were low levels) and light, even indoor fluorescent, seems unnaturally bright.
I have no idea what any of this means, I just know it's going on and I'm hoping that it eventually fades away.
Enjoying the smell of the new 72-pack of Prismacolor pencils that arrived today, along with the Copic Sketch markers. Not going to smell the Copics, they're alcohol based. My thoughts are drifting to what I can do with all of these lovelies but... I'm kinda at a loss of what to do with them. Prior to Japan I would've been bouncing off the walls when these arrived. Right now I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to stay awake long enough to catalogue the new colors.
As an aside, I'm watching Steve Wiebe, the nicest guy on earth, try to break the Donkey Kong world record live at E3 courtesy of the G4 TV channel. I am seriously sending him all the good vibes I can produce. Granted, that's a percentage less than I usually can, but he's got all of it.
E3 is going on right now and a ton of awesome video games are being announced and demo'ed. Ahh, free time. I remember when I had it. Once I graduate I will be getting back to my second love, video games. My first love is, of course, pie. Bob! I mean Bob! My first love is Bob! There we go...
Posted by Red at 8:23 PM
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I like computers, but love the arts more. Painting, drawing, & photography are my passions. We rock the geeky side of things with a firm footing in sci-fi, fantasy, video games, anime, comic books and board games in this household. I have a rescuekitty, one rescuehound, a husband and an external child with an internal one currently forming. I'm happy. I'm attempting Buddhism/vegetarianism and dig the concept even as I'm flailing at it. Trying to start a homestead, make DIY a daily process, and create a small business from my art. Welcome to my Middle Path!
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I opened my first YouTube channel in 2006. I’ve uploaded over 750 videos through the years, spent a year uploading to YouTube daily, then I started another channel for photographers, not to mention consultation and support to run client channels. Yes, I have a little experience with YouTube. If you want to grow your channel, there are a few things you should know.
Unlike other social media platforms, much of the power of YouTube is in its search engine. When you start a new YouTube channel, search is your friend. Search is not the only way to grow your channel, however, until your channel has little authority, its one of the quickest ways to get your videos in front of the right people within the YouTube ecosystem.
The fact is, people use YouTube to find information, be entertained, solve problems and discover how to do things. People use YouTube search so much, it’s the 2nd largest search engine, behind its owner, Google. It’s estimated that YouTube will eventually be the number one search engine within a few years.
Other social media depends on regular interaction or engagement to get your posts noticed. You may be aware, status updates fade quickly in most social media. In the case of Facebook, you must pay to play. Yet, YouTube offers the opportunity, like a blog, to share evergreen content and earn new subscribers years after you hit the publish button.
So, how do you grow your YouTube channel? Well, let me get the basics out-of-the-way. If you do research on YouTube growth, you’ll hear many of the same themes from YouTube guru’s. Ideas I’ve shared on this blog. Concepts, such as, create great content, more is better, be consistent and engage with your audience. The more is better part is always met with the caveat that more is not better when quality suffers.
Despite the fact I have a lot of experience with YouTube, SEO (search engine optimization) and social media. There are some people who focus much or all of their teaching on YouTube as a platform. I believe they have excellent advice for you to consider, especially if you are serious about growth on this platform. I’ve learned from these pros and certainly share their influence in my YouTube teachings. Over time, some of the YouTubers below are now friends, mentors and my professional consultants.
Below are some professional YouTubers I recommend you follow, I’ve linked their name to their channels. Make sure you check them out.
Video Creators: Tim Schmoyer is a veteran YouTuber with about 350,000 subscribers. He shares great insight on how to grow your YouTube channel. He also has a helpful Video Creators Podcast full of good information. Tim regularly offers valuable live question and answer sessions, so keep an eye out.
Brian G Johnson: Learn how to AMPLIFY your voice with Brian’s helpful insights on how to increase your views, grow your channel and community. As Brian likes to say, stake your claim and discover innovative video marketing strategies. I stake my claim as his first Patreon member, because I value his advice.
Roberto Blake: Roberto is a creative, like many of the people who subscribe to my blog. This fact alone gives him my attention. He is blunt and straight forward when it comes to his YouTube recommendations. He continues to grow and evolve to help creatives with business, life and building a YouTube channel.
Creator Insider: Get it direct from YouTube. YouTube employee Tom shares updates, insight and interviews with other YouTube employees. It’s about as close as you can get to YouTube inside information.
Creator Academy: This is a series of lessons and courses from YouTube to help you become a better YouTuber.
Derral Eves: He is a powerhouse in the YouTube growth field. Derral has multiple high value channels in which he pulls excellent data from to share with his community. He is one of the best when it comes to analytics and insight as to how YouTube works. Derral is also the host of the powerful Vidsummit conference.
Nick Nimmin: Nick hails from Thailand and shares great insight on various topics related to growing your YouTube channel. He regularly collaborates with other YouTubers such as Brian G. Johnson and Owen Hemsath. Nick also has helpful YouTube tools available under his Tubber Tools brand.
Owen Video: Owen Hemsath focuses on Live video for both YouTube and Facebook. I enjoy his question and answer sessions. I also appreciate the tools he shares to help you grow your audience. Some of his tips are the most powerful ideas I’ve used in the growth of my channels. Like many on this list, Owen offers his services as a consultant.
TubeBuddy: TubeBuddy is a helpful tool to optimize your YouTube channel and find niches for your content. They also have a helpful YouTube channel with pro YouTubers, including some on this list to give you more insight on how to grow your channel.
Video Influencers: Benji Travis and Sean Cannell share insights on how they have grown their YouTube channels. They also upload helpful interview posts with other successful YouTubers. These insights can really be powerful for your YouTube channel growth.
Morning Fame: This is another tool to consider to help grow your channel. Like TubeBuddy, I use this tool for my channel growth. Nico and Brian G. Johnson team up to give you insight and information about how to use this tool and grow your channel.
Amy Schmittauer: She shares ideas and strategies to help vloggers grow their channel and business. Her channel savvy sexy social is full of great tips and advice. She also has a book, so you can vlog like her — like a boss.
VidPow: Jeremy Vest has deep experience working with brands to grow their YouTube channels. He shares his thoughts and gives guest YouTubers the opportunity to add to the conversation. He is also the organizer of the video marketing world conference.
Rosh Sillars: I’m not offering myself as a Youtube guru. However, my job is to help businesses grow and that is what my channel is about. I do talk about YouTube and share my experience. You can check out my series on YouTube below. (link: https://www.youtube.com/yiDgXoNDqJo)
There are certainly more YouTube and video professionals online. I recommend you look for more information from YouTubers who you feel a connection and have done it. I have discovered some of the YouTube gamers and vloggers have a few videos with good YouTube growth insights and advice. Be careful, there is a lot of poor information about YouTube on YouTube.
If you keep in mind Google owns YouTube, you should be able to apply some good SEO knowledge in to the mix. I’ve actually taken what I learn from YouTube SEO and applied the lessons to my tradition SEO, with excellent results. YouTube is a video search engine, you should adhere to standard YouTube search guidelines. This is true, no mater the size of your channel.
When it comes to YouTube SEO, you should follow the best SEO practices. Consider the title tag as the most important real estate on your YouTube page. Everything should be related to the title. Your video should fulfill the promise of the title. Make your title interesting while still containing your keywords. Trust me, it takes practice.
You should use the description section to expand the idea of your video. It doesn’t seem to carry much SEO weight, yet it can be helpful to encourage people to watch your video. You can also use the description area to list your social networks, channel information and affiliate links.
Tags are like keywords. They carry more weight in YouTube than keywords on traditional websites. Make sure you fill them out well. Although, there are hints tags are devalued over time. Most likely for the same reason website keywords were devalued. In your early YouTube days, when your channel has less authority, I recommend using longer tail keywords to help you rank. Ranking helps your videos get found in search results.
There are some helpful tools which make setting up your videos easier and more effective. Tube Buddy and VidIQ both have valuable features to help you make the right moves. It’s also important to note once you publish your video it’s not over. You can always go back and rework the information on old videos as you learn which keywords and techniques work best for your channel. However, if your video is doing well, especially viral videos, I wouldn’t change any information. Actually, I suggest you wait 3-6 months before you make any changes. It can take this long for a video to catch.
One powerful tip, which I don’t do enough, is transcribe videos. You can upload your transcription to YouTube. This gives YouTube a little more data to help place your videos in front of the right viewer. You don’t have to do it yourself, I recommend you outsource transcriptions. There are a number available online sources, you can even look on fiverr.com
If you want to get people’s attention, you need to focus on your thumbnails. Creative and interesting thumbnails get viewers attention and helps to brand your channel. Make sure your thumbnails relate to your title tag, although, your thumbnail shouldn’t say the exact same thing as your headline. Your thumbnail, often needs minimal text to get the job done. Bright colors, and action which earns the curiosity of the viewer is what you want in a thumbnail. I’ve found a large human face works really well. Your thumbnail is usually your first opportunity to make an impression. Consider the branding of your entire channel and make sure it’s consistent and on message.
Below are some additional ways you can increase traffic to your YouTube channel
Consider search within the Google search engine. Google shows YouTube videos in their search results. Over time this can be a good source of traffic to you videos and channel. Try a few longtail keywords in which Google might show results (hint: check the bottom of Google search results page).
Networking: Network with other YouTubers of similar size to help each other grow. This can be a powerful, especially if you grow together. The YouTube algorithm can actually support your efforts if you are similar channels. It’s helpful to share each others work in social media, comment and champion each other.
Collaboration: If your networking partners channel is similar, you can collaborate and create videos as guests or ask each other questions. In other words, introduce each other to your audiences. Again, once YouTube realizes you are good channel companions, the algorithm can support your effort.
Social Media: If you have a good social community on other social media channels, make sure you share your videos. Urge your followers to subscribe and become active in your YouTube community.
Blog: My blog is an excellent source of visitors to my videos and channel. I write blogs around my videos and add videos to relevant blog post. People find your blog through social media and SEO, a blog fan base can lead to new YouTube subscribers.
What Makes A Channel Grow?
If you really want your channel to grow, it’s all about watch time. Like Facebook and other social media platforms. YouTube wants visitors time on site to be as long as possible. The more you keep people watching videos on YouTube, the more YouTube rewards you with opportunities to earn more views and subscribers.
If you make YouTube happy, the platform will help promote your video through its network of suggested videos. For many YouTubers, this is their main source of traffic. If YouTube believes your video will earn more watch time, it will show your video to as many people as possible. This is one way small channels earn viral hits.
Subscribers are milestones in the YouTube community. As you gain more subscribers you can earn helpful YouTube features, such as a custom URL. For many, they covet the YouTube play buttons awards, such as the gold button for 1 Million subscribers. This is one I have my eye on. Earning subscribers is helpful, because many of them will watch your video soon after its uploaded. As a result, you receive more early watch time. YouTube cares little about how many subscribers you have, however, it does care about how much time people spend on your videos and YouTube as a whole.
When you don’t have subscribers, it’s more important to focus on YouTube SEO (search engine optimization) to help people find you. However, once you have 1000 or more subscribers, you can depend a little more on catchy headlines to earn early views and improve your view velocity. A rate of views metric YouTube considers when promoting videos.
Think of it this way. When a video is first uploaded, YouTube considers basic SEO factors, the channels authority, history and recent video results. Once time passes, YouTube depends less on the technical information and more on user results. So, if you have an awesome headline and a great thumbnail with a video that offers what is advertised, people will click, watch the video and share your video. This encourages YouTube to promote your video because people seem to like it.
Retention is an important factor. If you have a four-minute video and your average viewer watches three minutes, that is 75% retention. Anything over 50% is good, in my opinion. Your channel as a whole should be over 25%, I would aim for at least 30%. Of course, higher the better. As a reference, My channel currently sits at a 45% average retention for the last 28 days.
Longer videos tend to have lower retention. However, YouTube would rather promote a 20 minute video with 33% retention than a 10 minute video with 50% retention. Why? because it fits with YouTube’s goal of more watch time and keeping people on YouTube longer.
Not only should you consider the average watch time, but how many visitors do you have watching at the end of your video. If 40-50% of your audience is still watching at the end of your video can offer a powerful result. Especially, because there is a greater chance they will watch more of your videos, click on cards, end screens or suggested videos. These are all actions YouTube rewards you for when visitors to stay on YouTube. Especially, if they started with your video.
I stress that it’s important to get as many people to your video immediately after you hit publish. View velocity is an important factor for YouTube to promote your video on other channels. This is why big YouTubers seem to win by default, yet, if you understand the concept, you can win too. Promote your video hard within the first hour and continue over the next twenty-four, with additional promotion over the following week.
Make sure you learn and understand your YouTube analytics. YouTube analytics gives a peek in to what works on your channel and the videos your audience appreciates most.
If you are wondering what type of video to make next, take a look at what people are viewing on your channel over the last 60 minutes or 48 hours. If there is a video which dominates watch time, consider making a follow-up video.
The data suggests that there really isn’t a best time of the day to publish. However, the more consistent you are with your publishing the better.
My favorite analytics to regularly review are retention and traffic sources. Retention tells me how much my audience likes my videos. If people are leaving early, watching or not watching much of a video, these stats give me clues as to what my audience wishes to see.
Traffic sources are important to me because my goal is to have more traffic from suggested videos. If your a how to channel, search is still very important. However, when I earn a lot of traffic from suggested videos, this means YouTube is finding my videos valuable to met it goals.
It’s usually impossible to really know what videos will be a hit. Honestly, shooting for a viral video is not the best long-term YouTube plan. As mentioned, your title and thumbnail are really important to get attention. However, you need a video which keeps people’s attention.
Videos which extract emotion from the viewer often win the day, when it comes to viral hits. However, that may not be the purpose of your channel. It’s important to get the point of the video quickly, usually within the first 10 seconds. A good recommendation for vloggers is if you have a high point in the video, share a clip of it in the beginning to pique interest.
Once you establish the topic your video needs to deliver on the promise made in the first ten seconds. Although, keeping people watching your video as long as possible is important, your video should be no longer than necessary. It is better to have a three-minute video in which viewers watch, on average, two minutes than a ten minute video, in which people watch two minutes. Retention is much better for the three minute video with the same watch time. YouTube will reward the three-minute video.
Look to your community. It’s good to ask your community what they are looking for from you as a creator. Review your comments and the comments in similar channels.
I created a video (below) which explains much of my philosophy. My stretch goal is to reach 1 million subscribers over the next few years. I started with a video a day, which was a great experiment. However, I’ve backed off to spend more time creating better videos which people watch longer. Am I guaranteed to reach 1 million subscribers in 4-5 years? Absolutely not. However, I’ve done the math and if I can grow an average of 20% compounded per month, I can get there. Currently, one channel is a little behind my goal and one is well ahead. Please note: it took many of the big YouTubers you appreciate 3-4 years to reach large audience status.
Sadly, many who try, will not achieve their YouTube goal. The reason is most people are not willing to do the work. When I tell young YouTubers it might take up to two years of weekly (3-7) video uploads to reach 10,000 subscribers — they do not want to go for the ride.
To grow a YouTube channel takes work. It is very rare for a YouTuber to make the big time in a few months. It is possible, yet, most have to work hard for the big goals. Chances are, those who are looking for quick money and internet fame will drop out of the race in a mater of months. Every year, YouTube breaks hearts and dreams.
YouTube is more than possible fame and money
The development of a YouTube channel is a journey. I know this well because I’ve embarked on similar journeys over the last ten plus years on social media. I found success with some channels, I’ve abandon others and I’ve outright failed a few times too.
It’s nice to earn rewards for your good work in social media. Google does reward you with income if you do a good job. The Google AdSense program can add some coin to your bank account. Revenue is available to you once your channel reaches 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours annual watch time (starting Feb 2018). However, there are many more ways to earn money on YouTube, such as merchandise sales, sponsorships and affiliates. Savvy YouTubers leverage their audience, often leaving AdSense as a small percentage of their total income.
My goal is to earn more authority as a digital marketing professional, speaker and author. From my experience, there is more money in speaking fees and consulting opportunities than AdSense. However, every channel is different. I’m a rather straight shooter and I don’t expect to win any comedy awards or rise on trending topics with a crazy viral video. I have to work for every subscriber and opportunity.
I do know this, those who win in social media are active, create value, commit to the channel and persist. Those who last the longest, often win. The same goes for YouTube creators.
Did you like this article? Share it with your friends!
January 18, 2018 at 11:47 am
[…] New: How To Grow Your YouTube Channel in 2018 […]
January 19, 2018 at 9:38 am
This is excellent information. Thanks very much for sharing. I’m just starting my YouTube channel, and I Planning to do some video interviews. I would love to have you as a guest, would you be open to doing that?
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Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer our recent customer survey. It was great to see such a wide range of ideas across a lot of different areas of the store and you can expect to see some changes soon (in fact, a couple like the new Vallejo stand have already happened). If you missed out on the survey this time don’t worry as there will be further chances to give your feedback in the future.
Due to the varieties of fields covered and the range of requests, we have decided to split our responses to some of the items across three different blog posts, one will focus on products , one will focus on events and this one will focus on the building.
The Building
Several responses discussed improvements customers would like to see made to the building so this seemed a good time to discuss some of the reasoning behind its development. Before we opened the store we did some research in the UK and also a limited amount in Europe (albeit from a Magic the Gathering related viewpoint). The stores we visited had very limited or sometimes non-existent play space so if they wanted to hold any tournaments they often had to use the back rooms of pubs. On one occasion the room in question had black painted walls the windows were obscured with paint and the limited number of wall lights didn’t provide sufficient light to be able to read one’s opponent’s cards. The other problem that we encountered almost universally was the poor provision of toilet facilities, most shops did not have a customer toilet and so if lucky one was able to use a staff toilet which was normally a single cubicle unisex toilet, which were sometimes filthy. One ProTour Qualifier we attended had about 300 entrants in an event over probably 8-10 hours and it had two to three cubicles which involved wading within a couple of hours of the event starting. The shop or venues also normally didn’t have any drinks or snacks, or when the event was in a pub there were drinks and food but sometimes expensive.
So, when we started at Bank Street the venue had two separate toilets and what we thought was a reasonable amount of playspace for a shop compared with what we’d seen on our travels. This is the counter area in the very early days.
It soon became apparent that we had underestimated space needed for tournaments. So, started the search for somewhere bigger and St Gregory’s Alley seem to fit the bill. The architect who drew up plans for the building and was able to see its initial state said that we should consider the building ‘a 15-year project’, which is probably not too far off what is realistically required. Our initial drive has been to get the inside of the building to function as well as possible for tournaments and retail space whilst trying to make the fabric of the building secure and watertight. Obviously, there is a certain amount of juggling involved in a project of this size particularly as retail has been going through a very tough time recently. It would be wonderful to have unlimited budgets to spend on decor and new washrooms, but that is not the reality. We have managed to replace one large area of flat roof and the pitched roofs at the front of the building so far. Our next major project will be the pitched roof over the tournament floors. It is certainly not worth undertaking any major improvement projects within the building until we can be sure that the fabric of the building is waterproof.
For anyone who didn’t know what the inside of the building looked like before we started this is a photo of the downstairs, the photo makes it look lighter than it seemed.
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Its pages were yellowed, its cheap binding broken, its typeface uneven: there was nothing imposing about the copy of Un Bagne en Russie Rouge – `A Prison in Red Russia’ – which someone once handed me as a curiosity. Nevetheless, the book, published in Paris in 1927, was one of the first to describe the Soviet Union’s earliest political prisons, located on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. Quoting survivors, escapees, and what little information had been published in the Soviet press, the author Raymond Duguet accurately described the geography of the islands, the barracks within a former monastery, the lack of food, the mass executions. He correctly named prisoners and several guards. He mentioned the mosquitoes. For sixty years, Duguet’s book was the most complete source on Solovetsky in the French language.
But Un Bagne en Russie Rouge was a failure. Its author was not famous, and its literary value was minimal. Worst the book was mistimed. Because it appeared at the end of the 1920s, when the bloodiness of the Russian revolution was already fading into memory, it was easily outshone by volumes like L’amour en Russie, and “Ma Petite Bolchevique”, books describing the romance and excitment of Soviet Russia. Wrote one Magdeleine Marx, in “C’est La Lutte Final” (“It’s the Final Struggle”) of her trip to Russia at that time: “Such boutiques there are! The happy crowds promenade beneath the trees with an air of well-being.” Stories of dismal Russian prisons were not then popular in France, and in any case, they could be countered by better stories, those told by the distinguished French communists who had been invited to visit Russian prisons (specially prepared for that purpose) and found them not to be dismal at all.
“Un Bagne en Russie Rouge” fell into the black hole of forgotten books. The information it contained did not become part of French culture. Only a fraction of the intellectual class had heard of Solovetsky; to the general public, the name of the place meant nothing. One could say, even, that although the story of the Solvetsky Islands was then `known’ in France, it was for all practical purposes, unknown. “Human knowledge,” once wrote Pierre Rigoulot, a French historian of communism, “doesn’t accumulate like the bricks of a wall which grows regularly, according to the work of the mason. Its development, but also its stagnation or retreat, depends on the social, cultural, and political framework.” The framework, in this case – the book’s style, its author, and above all the political atmosphere in which it was published – was not conducive to the growth of knowledge about Soviet prisons.
All of which is a roundabout way of explaining the phenomenal, surprise success of the “Black Book of Communism” when it first appeared in France in the autumn of 1997, as well as the fierce controversy it provoked. A serious, scholarly history of the crimes of communism – in the Soviet Union, East and West Europe, China, North Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Africa and Latin America – the “Black Book” did not look like an immediate candidate for the best-seller lists. Any book publisher will tell you that gloom doesn’t sell, and the “Black Book” is essentially a catalogue of gloom: torture, murder, political repression, artificial famine, terror and terrorism, without much by the way of politics or social history to lighten the atmosphere.
More to the point, unlike “Un Bagne en Russie Rouge”, which at the time of its publication contained genuinely fresh material, the “Black Book” was not, strictly speaking, original: it is not as if general information on the crimes of communism was unavailable in France. In the 1920s, there was Raymond Duguet; in the 1930s, the French newspapers reported the Moscow show trials, just like anywhere else. In 1947, Viktor Kravchenko’s book on life in Soviet Russia so shocked the French Left that one communist journal accused him of inventing it, and a spectacular, widely-reported libel trial followed. Finally, in the 1970s, Solzhenitsyn’s “Gulag Archipelago” had an impact in Paris comparable only to its impact in Moscow: articles were written, hands were wrung, and Marxism was publicly renounced by many Marxists. It certainly didn’t seem, in 1997, as if the French public could be shocked by accounts of communist repression once again.
But if something can be known and yet unknown, so too can things be known but – for lack of a better expression – not (ital)intuitively(ital) known: circumstances can still prevent them from becoming part the culture. After the revelations of the 1930s came the war: Stalin, the conqueror of Hitler and Petain, loomed larger than Stalin, the back-stabbing despot. After the Kravchenko trial came 1968: Mao, the revolutionary voice of French youth triumphed over Mao, the man responsible for the greatest famine in world history. Even Solzhenitsyn was slowly discredited in anti-American, anti-Reagan, 1980s France, as an authoritarian, a nationalist, even as a fascist. One way or another, the political atmosphere always encouraged anti-anti-communism rather than its opposite.
From the start, the “Black Book”‘s editor, Stephane Courtois, intended the book to put the crimes of communism right back into the heart of popular culture. In his introduction, Courtois – a historian of the French communist party, and, more importantly, an ex-Trotskyite himself – produced a list of numbers, thanks to archives more accurate than they would have been in the past.Adding them up, he concluded that 100 million people lost their lives this century thanks to communist repression. He then denounced the “cupidity, spinelessness, vanity, fascination with power, violence and revolutionary fervor” which motivated several generations of Western, and particularly French, intellectuals to ignore or even “cover up” these deaths’. Most importantly, he then asked, dramatically, why they were so regularly and popularly played down in comparison with the crimes of Hitler. “A French government agency,” he wrote, “the National Lottery, was crazy enough to use Stalin and Mao in one of its advertising campaigns. Would anyone even dare to come up with the idea of featuring Hitler or Goebbels in its commercials?”
Courtois’s real aim was not to re-shape historiography: the comparison between Hitler and Stalin has been made, legitimately and uncontroversially, by historians and political philosophers from Hannah Arendt to Alan Bullock many times before, and there is much to learn from it. The comparison of the two systems can shed light on the power of ideology and propaganda, the manipulation of hatred, the dehumanisation of political enemies, human nature itself. But Courtois’ intent was less esoteric: he wanted to push the memory of communist crimes back into the cultural mainstream by comparing them to the Nazi crimes which, in French popular culture – indeed in American popular culture – have come to symbolise the ultimate evil, almost to the exclusion of other evils. His language was also perfectly calculated to irritate and embarrass the French Left, which, as he knew very well, has always been a little queasy about its strong links to Soviet communism, and far happier to dwell upon its opposition to Hitler.
At this he succeeded, not least because he topped off his scholarship with a series of combative television appearances. Over coffee in Warsaw – he was there for the book’s hugely succesful Polish launch – he gleefully described how he had carefully prepared for one telelvision interview by digging out an old copy of L’Humanite, the French Communist newspaper, with a large portrait of Stalin on the front page. When the editor began, predictably, to deny that that his paper had ever supported Stalin, Courtois dramatically whipped out the portrait and waved it in front of his nose: “What could he say? Nothing!”
Timing also helped. Because of their own revolution, the French have a soft spot for other peoples’ revolutions even in the most conservative of times. But this was France under a Socialist government. The immediate result of this open attack on the French Left was therefore a sort of collective howl, very well described by Martin Malia in the American edition’s foreword. Le Monde ran a front-page headline (unthinkable in almost any other country) declaring that “A Book has Re-launched the Debate on the Crimes of Communism,” with pages of commentary following for weeks afterward. Two of the “Black Book”‘s co-authors, also former leftists, disassociated themselves from Courtois. In parliament, a group of right-wing French politicians citing the “Black Book” attacked the new prime minister, Lionel Jospin, for including the Comunist party with its `criminal past’ in his ruling coalition. Jospin replied that he was `proud’ to have Communists in his government; the right-wing polticians walked out in protest. By the time it was all over, the book had become a publishing sensation, not only in France but in Germany and Italy, where the reaction of the Italian Left was almost as dramatic as that of the French.
And yet – for a book whose publication was surrounded by so many layers of politics, the “Black Book” is for the most part curiously apolitical. Because it covers so many places over such a long period, it is of necessity condensed, and reads, at times, like a martyrology. Trotsky’s death is dispensed with in a paragraph; more than 330,000 Poles are deported to Siberia in a page and a half. Fascinating stories – like that of the 11,600 children kidnapped by Greek communists, or the thousands of idealistic Finnish-Americans who emigrated to Soviet Russia, and were then arrested – are told only in briefest outline. There is nothing especially right-wing about the books’ language. The polemics are confined to the introduction, which was specifically written to have an impact in France, with its strong communist party and strong communist sympathies. Although some of Courtois’s comments will still irritate a part of the English-speaking academic world – we too have our historians and journalists who were less than forthcoming about communist crimes – it will be very surprising if the English language edition has any mainstream political impact at all. It certainly won’t furnish much material for those who want to attack Tony Blair or Bill Clinton.
Which isn’t to say that it won’t affect people. For although the flap about the Holocaust, and the fuss about the French Left may have induced Europeans to buy it, in the end, the “Black Book” finally succeeds in conveying the scale of the Communist tragedy not thanks to its editor’s politicised introduction, but thanks, first of all, to the fact that its authors rely on the archives of the former Soviet Union and the former Eastern bloc. If the spread of knowledge requires the right political framework, it also requires the right literary context: people must be convinced that a piece of information is true. Courtois himself is the first to concede this: “the archives make everything completely different.”
This was not immediately apparent when archives first began opening in the former Eastern bloc years ago. At the time, some material was released, some was not; in Russia and Eastern Europe even today, certain collections remain closed to some people and opened to others, or simply closed altogether, which leads many to suspect that the most sensational documents have not yet been released. In general, there has been a dearth of sensational documents, which is disappointing for those who hoped the opening of archives would dramatically alter our knowledge of Soviet history. Yet this is to miss the point. What is now available is often quite ordinary – the day-today archive of the GULAG administration, for example, with inspectors’ reports, financial accounts, letters from the camp directors to their supervisors in Moscow – and the use of such ordinary documents matters a great deal indeed, even – perhaps especially – when writing for a mass audience. Even if the general outline of the story hasn’t changed much, archives change the way writers write, and the way readers perceive their writing. We are no longer comparing the “claims” of Raymond Duguet about prisons to the “claims” of Magdeleine Marx about Soviet boutiques. The emotions, feelings, and morality of the Black Book’s authors are not the issue. Their subject matter is.
By way of illustration, listen to how Solzhenitsyn in “The Gulag Archipelago” describes the era of kulak deporation in the Soviet Union in the late 1920s and early 1930s, a period when richer peasants were removed from collectivised farms and deported to the far north to work as forced labourers. This wave of repression, he writes, drove
“a mere fifteen million peasants, maybe even more, out into the taiga and the tundra…This wave poured forth, sank down into the permafrost, and even our most active minds recall hardly a thing about it. It is as if it had not even scarred the Russian conscience. And yet Stalin (and you and I was well) committed no crime more heinous than this.”
By contrast, Nicolas Werth, in his chapter on the same period in the Black Book, is able to quote from a document fished out of archives in Novosibirsk. Signed by an instructor of the party committe in Narym, Western Siberia, and sent to the attention of Stalin in May 1933, it precisely describes the arrival of one of these groups of peasants – described as `outdated elements’ – on the island of Nazino in the Ob river:
“The first convoy contained 5,070 people, and the second 1,044; 6,114 in all. The transport conditions were apalling: the little food that was available was inedible and the deportees were cramped into nearly airtight spaces…The result was a daily mortality rate of 35-40 people. These living conditions, however, proved to be luxurious in comparison to what awaited the deportees on the island of Nazino…There were no tools no grain, and no food. That is how their new life began. The day after the arrival of the first convoy, on 19 May, snow began to fall again, and the wind picked up. Starving, emaciated from months of insufficient food, without shelter and without tools…they were trapped. They weren’t even able to light fires to ward off the cold.”
By 20 August, three months later, only 2200 of 6,114 people were still alive, and these survived partly thanks to cannibalism. No appeals to the Russian conscience are necessary to convey the tragedy, no attacks on Stalin or Soviet society, or “you and I as well”, are needed to heighten the drama. The mere fact that we know this information comes from a document written by an ordinary party worker, expressly for Stalin’s eyes, is enough. As a matter of fact, Solzhenitsyn’s general outline of the history of the camps has held up well. But his writing simply doesn’t have the same ring of authenticity.
Archives have also not so much resolved as dissolved some of the academic controversies that long swirled around the history of communism, blurring the events and confusing the lay reader. The most famous of these, between “traditionalists” and “revisionists” in the study of Stalinism, is now on its way to disappearing altogether, as many of the questions it raised have either been answered or shown to be beside the point. True, the battle over statistics continues, but both the carefully-planned viciousness described by the traditionlists and the chaos of the Soviet communist party described by the revisionists have now been documented and shown to be wholly compatible. Stalin’s moral responsibility for terror is no longer in question (and some did question it): his signature has been found on documents ordering mass executions. Significantly, some of those documents have even been published in a new book co-edited by J. Arch Getty, once the leading proponent of the view that Stalin was little more than a `bureaucratic moderator.’ (The Road to Terror: Stalin and the Self-Destruction of the Bolsheviks, 1932-1939, Yale University Press). Getty also once famously wrote that “many thousands of innocent people were arrested” in the Soviet Union in the late 1930s, an understatement if there ever was one. In his new book, his language has changed: “huge numbers of lives had been destroyed in the one of the greatest human and personal tragedies of modern times,” he now writes of Stalin’s terror.
Unfortunately, the enormous impact of archives on the telling of communist history also makes the Black Book somewhat lopsided. With the exception of Cambodia, the later chapters on Asia cannot stand up to the earlier chapters on the Soviet Union and Central Europe, since communist regimes are still in power in Asia, and have not been so gracious as to open up their archives to scholars. In some countries, China included, researchers have been able to do field work, and there are excellent secondary sources. In others, such as North Korea, all information must still be couched in language like “it is estimated” or “there is no way of knowing exactly”.
Nevertheless, Courtois and his publishers – he credits them with the idea – were right to include Asia, Africa and Latin America. This, in fact, is the other aspect of the Black Book which makes it different and more powerful than its predecessors: now, at the end of the twentieth century, it finally makes sense to look back at the evolution of communism as a single phenomenon. While we have not perhaps reached the end of the end of the history of communism, the story already has a clear beginning and a clear middle: it is now possible to trace the direct lines of influence, ideological and financial, from Lenin to Stalin to Mao to Ho Chih Minh to Pol Pot, from Castro to the MPLA in Angola.
It is also possible to trace the links between their remarkably similar systems of repression. The use of concentration camps spread from Russia to China and North Korea. The Cuban secret police were specifically set up along Soviet lines. Artificial famines have caracterised communist regimes in Ukraine, China, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and now North Korea. What Jean-Louis Margolin, in his chapter on Cambodia, calls the “mania for classification and elimination of different elements of society”‘ was characteristic of the other important communist regimes as well. Categories of enemies were established and persecuted everywhere: in Russia they were the “former people” or the “enemies of the people”, in China they were the “blacks” as opposed to the “reds”, in Cambodia they were the “75’ers”, who had been expelled from cities in 1975. The same kinds of dehumanisation were used to degrade the regime’s enemies – they were described as “poisonous weeds” or “insects” – and the same kind of fate awaited them and their families, in massacres, camps, and exile. All of the authors look at cultural contexts, at histories of peasant rebellion in Russia and of slavery in Cambodia, but because communism was an anti-traditional ideology, and because it deliberately destroyed older cultures and ways of life, these differences don’t, in the end, seem to matter as much as the similarities.
Which is why it is also possible now, in a way it would not have been a few years ago, to trounce once and for all the myths of a more promising “early period” of communist history, or of `better’ regimes which deviated from the general rule. Writes Getty, “the notion that we have clung to so long – that there must have been `liberal’ or `decent’ Bolsheviks who tried unsuccessfully to stop Stalin’s plan for terror – is no longer tenable.” Without exception, the Leninist belief in the one party state was and is characteristic of every communist regime, from Russia to China to Cuba to Mozambique. Without exception, the Bolshevik use of violence was repeated in every communist revolution. Words and phrases invented by Lenin and his chief of secret police, Feliks Dzerzinsky, were deployed with uncanny predictability all over the world. As late as 1976, Mengistu launched a “Red Terror” in Ethiopia.
Finally, the most important effect of the Black Book is cumulative: more than 800 pages of murders, massacres, famines, concentration camps, prisons, wars, terrorist acts and assasinations cannot fail to impress even those readers inclined to see silver linings. By the time one has reached the end of the book, in fact, one feels that the question central to the introduction ought to read somewhat differently. Given the kind of material – documents, testimony, official statements – that we now have, why do we still need to compare Communism to Nazism? True, the comparison will go on being interesting to the same kinds of historians and political philosophers who have always found it interesting. But it should by now be unnecessary for those like Stephan Courtois, who simply want the evil of communism to be intutitivly accepted the way that the evil of Nazism is intuitively accepted. We have reached the end of the twentieth century with its multiple horrors, we have all of the necessary documentation spread before us, and we should now be able to say, without making a contest of it, that Hitler was evil – and that Stalin was evil. That some still need conjure up the ghost of one in order to condemn the other merely testifies as to how far popular culture lags behind historical research. Communism now looks bad enough by itself.
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Protecting the environment is very important to us – it always has been. We take it very seriously when our products are considered to be unfriendly to the environment. Labels are not ideal on aluminum cans – this is true. As we noted in this blog post back in 2019, compatibility of the label and the container are critical. Paper labels on paper envelopes (like our self adhesive postage stamps) is one of the better options, but even in this case, the adhesive can be problematic and build up in the recycle process.
Because many of our beverage customers are small, craft producers, they really have no other choice. Nobody wants to pollute, but there is really no other viable option. Printed cans have a 12 week lead time and the minimum practical order quantity is more than 200,000 cans. This is way too many labels for many of our brewers. They don’t have the time, money, or space to order that many cans at a time. Flexible inventory and quick turn times make labels a very necessary part of the business plan. Sleeves are no better.
Shrink sleeve labels, which we could potentially produce someday on our existing equipment, are no better. The shrinkable plastic film is STILL a contamination to the aluminum recycling stream. AND, they typically have at least an 8 week lead time. One brewer is ordering shrink sleeves in the midwest, getting them shrunk onto cans in California, and then shipping their brewery in Montana! This isn’t a green solution!
Sadly (for us) this really isn’t a big problem. Labelled cans are likely less than 1% of all cans recycled in America. We certainly wish this number would grow over time, because that would be good for our business, but in reality, it is a very, very small number. All the Red Bull, Bud Light, and Coors cans render the small number of labelled Craft Beer cans meaningless. And, there is other contamination.
Yes, recyclers would like the most pure aluminum possible, but it isn’t realistic to have perfectly clean cans. Gum, cigarrette butts, and other waste is in every load of cans that has ever been recycled. There has to be an allowance for contamination in the recycling process. There is no other option but to filter out all the waste – including poly labels – when the cans are melted down. Yes the problem is growing becasue small, innovative crafte producers have this option that didn’t exist 10 years ago, but it is still a very small problem compared to the economic opportunity and creative expression offered by this flexible packaging option.
Control What you Can
Given the benefits of labels, the choice you can make is to work with an eco-friendly label company like Rose City Label. We are 100% wind powered, we use water wash printing plates, and have many award winning recycling programs in our business. We were just recognized again in the FTA 2021 Sustainability Excellence Awards
If you need great labels for your canned beverage, at least you have the opportunity to work with a company with a focus on sustainability. Call us today. We can help with all your label needs.
Sustainable Leadership Recognized again!
by Scott Pillsbury | Dec 7, 2020 | Environmental Green
Sustainable Leadership
A major label trade magazine -Label and Narrow Web – recently featured Rose City Label in a vendor case study. Read the full case study here on our website. They discussed the reasons and benefits for our move to water wash printing plates. The article is very complimentary to our company and underscores our commitment to sustainability. We previously discussed our move to water wash plates in this blog post. We are proud of our sustainable leadership.
The Plates are Fantastic
Sustainable leadership doesn’t mean you have to settle for low quality products. We are getting massive environmental benefits from these plates, but also getting very fast, clean printing plates on press. If the plates didn’t print well, we wouldn’t be making this move – even with the environmental improvement. The product has to work, and this one does work very well. Our press operators love them and our plate maker has enjoyed the learning process. Read the news update about our sustainable leadership here on the Label and Narrow Web website.
For many years, the last remaining regulated chemicals in our business were the solvents used to make plates. This was never a dangerous chemical, but it didn’t smell very good and had to be recycled by a special service. Eliminating this from our building made everyone happy – especially our plate maker that deals with them nearly every day.
Even with the move to water wash plates – our water usage is still going down! Water usage is down 33% in 2020 vs. 2019 despite business remaining very strong. We continue to reduce waste and resource consumption. Sustainable leadership starts from the front – we have to walk the talk so we measure everything and share the results with our team. Everyone is proud to work for a company that is doing the right thing. Our results were shared recently in this post. We feel it is important to share the information so people know we are taking our sustainable leadership seriously.
We Got Great Support from APR
Customers are critical to our success, but so are great vendors and employees. Without the support of our vendors, many of our technical advances would not be possible. In this case, All Print Resources – APR, was a great partner for us in this transition. They shared the case study on their website here. Thanks APR for the excellent support.
Part of our responsibility is to help other people get better on their sustainable journey. We want to be mentors and leaders to other business leaders in our community. If you want to learn more about our journey, or get tips on how to get started, please let us know. We want to help you on your journey to sustainable leadership. There is plenty of opportunity for all of us to improve. Call us today – we can help.
by Scott Pillsbury | Jun 4, 2020 | Environmental Green
We are 100% Wind Powered – and Proud of It!
When we found out our local power company offered 100% clean wind power, it was an easy decision for us. More than 2 years ago we made the commitment and we never looked back. The program was easy to set up, economical, and very effective. We use lots of energy making labels for our customers and it is nice to know that energy doesn’t come from fossil fuels.
200,000 and 300,000 – these are big numbers
Total consumption in 2019 was 191,000 kWh – that’s almost 200 MILLION watt hours of energy. More impressive, is that using the renewable wind power saved the environment from 306,000 pounds – 150 TONS – of CO2 emissions. Check the certificate by clicking here.
Part of a Larger Mission for the Earth
Wind power is only one part of our larger mission to protect the Earth. We also pioneered the use of water wash plates. All of our ongoing sustainability programs are listed in this post and this one. Recycling pallets, plastic wrap, and even encouraging our vendors to send supplies without unnecessary packaging – all these are baked into our sustainability DNA. For all these reasons, we were the first major label company awarded the SGP certification – read more by clicking here.
Being a good environmental citizen is something we can all agee on. Nobody wants to pollute or damage the Earth, but they think it is hard or expensive. In fact, it is neither. It is simple to start. We have been building this program over 10 years – it didn’t happen overnight. And, rather than costing more, it costs about the same AND it is a great reason to call your customers with positive news. And, amlost more importantly, it is a wonderful recruiting tool. As our workforce gets younger and more interested in the environment, being a mission driven organization becomes even more valuable.
We couldn’t have done any of this without leaders that have gone before. Others have paved the way with sustainable business and our vendors have been very receptive to all our ideas. Customers are appreciative of our efforts, but we couldn’t do it withouth people trusting us every day. We take the responsibility seriously and will continue to move forward as a sustainable, family owned company into the future. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Best Eco-Friendly Label
by Scott Pillsbury | Nov 7, 2019 | Environmental Green
What is the Best Eco-Friendly Label?
As with most things in the custom printing and packaging business, there is no simple answer to this question. The Best Eco-Friendly Label depends on many things including the package it is adhered to, the durability requirements, and the end of life use of the package. There isn’t just one Best Eco-Friendly Label for all cases.
More than 10 years ago, when I was Chairman of TLMI – the leading label association in North America, I wrote a letter to our members opposing a ban on certain adhesives proposed by the State of Wisconsin. The association and I opposed this blanket approach because it didn’t consider all the different types of containers we label – glass, aluminum, paper and more. When possible, it is ideal to match the container material to the label material. This works well with a PET label on a PET bottle. Or a paper label on a paper envelope or box. But on glass bottles and aluminum cans, this is much more problematic.
In some cases, we are lucky enough to have an industry that joins forces to create a solution. In the case of the Oregon Craft Beer industry, they joined with the distributor-funded bottle collection system and created a specific bottle that is reusable. This thick-walled 500ml beer bottle is ‘rented’ by the brewer and recovered, washed, and returned to circulation. This program is still in its infancy, but it has great promise. We are proud to be one of the few approved label vendors that can provide compatible labels. In this case, we spent months researching a compatible adhesive and label stock that would hold up in a cold, wet cooler but still wash off cleanly to allow the bottle to be reused. It is a great program, but not every industry has access to it.
Another term thrown around often has to do with adhesives. This stems from the Wisconsin project mentioned above, but it ONLY applies to paper on paper recycling. Think about Avery-type address labels and stamps on a letter. When unclaimed mail is recycled, this RCA adhesive allows the labels and stamps to separate from envelopes in the recycle process without too much ‘gunk’ clogging up the re-pulping machines. These adhesives are very important, but are really geared toward paper on paper applications (they are better than most, but still not a full solution).
This industry moves FAST. Things are changing all the time, but as of this publication, our best product is from Avery Dennison. Labels have three parts, and all three parts of this label contribute to its overall environmental footprint:
Label Paper – 100% PCW and FSC Certified
Adhesive – AT20N – complies with RCA standard
PET backing – most recycle friendly backing paper
These are all attributes that make this the current best eco-friendly label material. Read about the label stock specification here. Read the RCA compatibility certification. For more details about the material, please give us a call directly.
Besides the material your labels are made from, the COMPANY making them needs to be a good environmental partner. They need to be honest and fair with employees and customers – and they need to walk the sustainability walk in their own operations. Rose City Label shines in this area. Our recent SGP Certification was reported in the trade press around the world. And our 2018 Environmental Leadership award was a very nice recognition by our peers that we are committed to being a good corporate citizen.
We Can help with Best Eco-Friendly Labels
This information changes rapidly. New products come into the market on a weekly basis. If you have questions, call us today. We are here to help.
by Scott Pillsbury | Oct 16, 2019 | Company News, Environmental Green
The baseline reason for picking a label printer is that they can print excellent, high quality labels for you. If your brand doesn’t shine on the retail shelf, the the conversation goes no further. With flexo, HP Indigo digital printing, and foil stamping and embossing, print quality is a great reason to choose Rose City Label
Flexible and Hungry
Our business has doubled in the past 10 years and we have made great investment in new equipment. Still, we are a small, scrappy company. We are a 92 year old brick and mortar company with a start-up mentality. If you buy the kind of labels we make well, we want your business! Choose Rose City Label for our flexibility and willingness to work for your business. Special delivery times? Specific packaging? Run and hold programs? Rose City Label can offer all those and more.
Best People in the Business
Everyone knows a business is built on the quality of its people. We are too. But more than just talking about great people, we factually and actually have the most experienced crew in the market. With many over 20 years and two people over 30 years with Rose City Label, we have a very experienced and dedicated crew. They even come in on emergency weekends to delivery labels 3,500 miles for a customer!
Nationally Recognized Green Business
Since our County certification in 2009, people choose Rose City Label for our green business practices. We earned a very prestigious certification this year, and the Environmental Leadership award last year. We have reduced our water consumption by 47% in the past 5 years!
We are still locally owned and operated. We are a family business first and foremost. Many of our employees have relatives in the business and that makes us a family not just a business. Our roots are deep and this long-term perspective helps us do the right things for our customers.
For all the reasons listed above, people choose Rose City Label more and more each week. Our customer list continues to grow and we are very thankful for that. Want to learn more? Call us today at 503-777-4711.
by Scott Pillsbury | Nov 20, 2018 | Beer Wine Spirits, Company News, Environmental Green, Label News
Rose City Label Recognized with TLMI Environmental Leadership Award for 2018
Rose City Label won the Environmental Leadership Award at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the top label printers in America. This Environmental Leadership Award is given annually to one printer and one supplier based on judging the association environmental community. The award recognizes specific programs, demonstrated results, and a cultural commitment to the environment. We are very honored to join the list of past winners and we will never stop on our eco-friendly journey. This year, the awards were renamed in honor of Calvin Frost – a true environmental leader in the printing industry. There is nothing better than a cold frosty beer from our customer in the commemorative ‘Frosty 2018’ mug.
Trying hard and having commitment are important, but for the TLMI Environmental Leadership Award, results matter:
Five Year Water Reduction of 47%
Small reductions in Garbage and Electricity as well
All measures are indexed to manufacturing output as our business has grown considerably in the past 5 years. Complete details and annual graphs of these measures can be found in this blog post.
Small Things that Every Business Can Apply
Besides these dramatic results, the committee was impressed with the programs and projects the company has championed. These include:
Encouraging employee bicycle commuting
Providing excess pallets for employee home garden projects
Reusing items in the press room during production runs
More about these innovative programs can be found at these two blog posts click here for part 1 and click here for part 2.
The final area called out by the judges in this award was a leadership commitment to the environment. This philosophy is baked into the business so deeply that an employee recently lobbied for an electric car charging station – she knew it would align with our values (and with her new car), but also would provide marketing value and would contribute to this award criteria. All team members know we are focused on the environment. Some additional major indicators:
Conversion to 100% wind power – read more here
Water wash printing plates – among the first on the West Coast to adopt this system – read more here
Monthly review of eco-metrics along with financial performance
This award was particularly important to us since it was renamed in honor of our longtime friend and vendor, Calvin Frost. Calvin has been the voice of the sustainability movement for decades and his message is finally being heard far and wide in the industry. Calvin’s company, Channelled Resources, is basically one big recycling business. For over 40 years, the company has inspected and salvaged potentially damaged product. This stock would be destined for the landfill if his company didn’t take the time to sort and save the (large percentage) of this material.
Winning this award any year would be great, but to the first ever ‘Frosty’ award winner is even better!
We are ready to help others become more ‘green’. Any success we have is a team effort and we want to help you on your journey. Are you just getting started? Or need some pro-level tips? Please call us today. If you buy labels, that is fantastic, but we will help any business with a true desire to learn and grow in their eco-journey. Cheers!
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| 20,857 |
3.we are the manufacturers, many commodities is now assembled, each shipment might be slightly different.
Please understand, thank you..
This product was produced in City, Zhejiang Province, is the new, modern production.Lingua
Sword maintenance of common sense:
Sword generally consists of three components:blade,sheath and accessories.The main body, blade,is mostly iron,steel,copper.Sheath is made by wood. In order to avoid getting rusted,it should not be stored in damp place nor contact with sour, salty substances. Hand touch should also be avoided in case the surface got corroded by sweat.Oil shoul be applied on surface for maintainance for medium carbon steel,high carbon steel,pattern-welded steel(Damascus steel)material stainless steel blade.
| 756 |
Kristin Chenoweth talks to Jacki Lyden on today's Weekends on All Things Considered, and if the only thing you got from the interview was Chenoweth warbling a bit of the first solo she ever did in church, it would be well worth it.
The Emmy-winning actress stars on ABC's new GCB, a sort of Desperate-Housewives-ish dishy, soapy comedy-drama premiering Sunday night at 10. She's come quite a long way since, as she explains, her father negotiated her first contract.
One of the themes of GCB — adapted from a book called Good Christian Bitches — involves the religious community of the women in the story. Chenoweth, too, has often spoken about her faith. She calls herself "a God person," but adds, "It's not my job to decide whether someone is 'a sinner' for doing something or being something or saying something. My grandma said, 'Oh, Kris, I read the Bible like I eat fish. I eat the meat that serves me well, but I don't choke on a bone.' I loved that, and I've never forgotten it."
Chenoweth speaks of her family, too, when she discusses her flair for comedy. Her parents, she says, were chemical engineers, and her brother is "a genius." She says her parents have fine senses of humor, but a simple fact remains: "I am," she says, "the odd duck."
On GCB, Chenoweth plays a woman whose old nemesis returns to town, and she is among the titular GCBs of the book. Asked whether she, as a Christian, finds the title or the idea offensive, Chenoweth says, "There's a difference between making fun of something and having fun with something. And we do the latter."
But television certainly isn't Kristin Chenoweth's only pursuit. She also releases records, including a recent country album. Lyden asks her about the inspiration she draws as a musician from one of her heroes, Dolly Parton. "This is a woman who has sacrificed and worked her butt off and worked hard to own her own music and not sold it — which is so smart."
Chenoweth may not be Dolly Parton, but she speaks of her own surprise at hearing her accomplishments detailed at a recent event that honored her. She says: "I'm trying to learn, as I'm in my 40s, to embrace what I've been able to achieve and be proud of it. And I know there's roles that I will want to play before I die, but I'm still just taking one day at a time."
Corrected: March 5, 2012 at 10:00 PM MST
The audio version of this story incorrectly says Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony Award for her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked. While her role in Wicked earned her a Tony Award nomination, she did not win the award for that performance. She did win a Tony Award for her performance in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Corrected: March 5, 2012 at 10:00 PM MST
The audio version of this story incorrectly says Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony Award for her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked. While her role in Wicked earned her a Tony Award nomination, she did not win the award for that performance. She did win a Tony Award for her performance in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Linda Holmes is a pop culture correspondent for NPR and the host of Pop Culture Happy Hour. She began her professional life as an attorney. In time, however, her affection for writing, popular culture, and the online universe eclipsed her legal ambitions. She shoved her law degree in the back of the closet, gave its living room space to DVD sets of The Wire, and never looked back.
| 3,606 |
A few weeks ago I sat in a monorail car on my way to the Magic Kingdom, pondering how I would introduce myself for Her Universe’s Year of the Fangirl. The opportunity to work alongside the women Ashley Eckstein has assembled is an honor I never imagined in my wildest fangirl dreams. But just a few short years ago I couldn’t have imagined that a young girl, about eight years old, would walk into the same car on a Disney monorail wearing a Jedi robe, notice my Padmé Nouveau shirt, and that we’d instantly recognize we were part of a community of fans. I was the same age as that Jedi cosplayer when my grandparents took me to see Star Wars. I consider myself lucky for having experienced the fandom from the beginning. Just a few months later for Halloween, my mother wrapped my long brown piggy tails into cinnamon rolls, put me in a simple white dress, and took the requisite picture of her daughter preparing to parade around the neighborhood as the character she idolized. In 1977 it was impossible to understand Princess Leia’s significance. She was a princess unlike any other: bold, self-rescuing, a leader and a warrior – but very much without equal on-screen and elsewhere in genre storytelling. Leia’s uniqueness represented what it was like to be an independent woman in the late 1970s, and I was still very much a child. Women were making a stand for equal treatment, but often they did it in isolation. As the generation raised on the Original Trilogy has matured, the spirit of Princess Leia and the heroines who’ve followed her have helped change the very nature of our culture.
As I entered engineering school in college, I didn’t really understand that what I was doing might be outside the norm for women. Nothing in how I had been raised suggested that I needed to make life choices based on my gender. My favorite female characters – Princess Leia, Colonel Wilma Deering from Buck Rogers, Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark – were intelligent and brave, right alongside the men. My best friend in high school had shared with me a passion for horses, dance team, and all things scifi and fantasy. Yet being listed as part of the engineering class in the dance team photo in the sports program drew surprised comments from fellow students. I slowly realized I was crossing preconceived lines. After the first year of general coursework, when I walked into specialized civil engineering classes, it wasn’t hard to miss that the male-to-female ratio was roughly 10:1. None of that really gave me reason to question my choice of career, and I’ve never regretted sticking with it.
Years later when the Prequel Trilogy reignited my passion for the Star Wars franchise, I again experienced being outnumbered in the early period of online fandom. The second time around it wasn’t my high school best friend and I debating whether Darth Vader had lied to Luke at Cloud City, but rather many voices on the internet – usually identities hidden behind screennames. And those early, male-dominated message boards had some very specific notions about the who’s, what’s and how’s of fandom. Once again, though, I refused to let it dissuade me from joining discussions and sticking up for myself. Tina Fey, a comedienne and writer who is respected for her ability to tap into pop culture’s pulse, once noted in an interview: “What I took from Star Wars was kind of the Han Solo and Princess Leia relationship story.” Admittedly, Star Wars wasn’t just about Princess Leia for me, but also Han Solo – and their relationship. Like Tina Fey, I’m a ‘shipper. While I’m at confessions, I’m a huge fan of Jaina Solo – daughter of Leia and Han. Who didn’t want to see Leia swinging a lightsaber or flying an X-wing once Luke’s story played out in Return of the Jedi? Or so I thought. Yet as recently as five years ago, ‘shippers and fans of female characters like Jaina or Mara Jade were often dismissed or bullied out of fandom discourse. Fangirl, ‘shipper, fanficcer, and more recently “fake geek girl” – these all became terms meant to diminish the importance of female fans. There was a time when I almost bought into the mindset; it’s very easy to fall into the trap if you feel alone. When a successful and confident women like Tina Fey talks about herself as a fan, though, it empowers other women to do the same. It helps start a conversation, and one has been building the past few years.
About the same time The Clone Wars came along, the internet fandom really opened up as fansites and blogs flourished and became more user-friendly – and a little company called Her Universe was born. When Ashley appeared on podcasts and hosted panels at conventions, she discussed her love of things geeky with the same genuine passion as Tina Fey. She continued the conversation, then went one step further and gave female fans another way to show their geek pride. Put on a shirt that says, “Hey, I’m a fan!” and barriers of isolation are torn down. Her Universe reminded everyone that fans, who happened to be girls, really do exist. In 2010, I created a blog to highlight the achievements of fangirls and to discuss issues in storytelling and fandom that affected and were important to female fans. I named my blog FANgirl as a way to take back the negative stigma often attached to the term. “FAN” is capitalized to remind everyone of the most important part of the word. I didn’t envision it just as my site, but as a place many voices could be heard. Over twenty fans have contributed to the blog, seven of them regularly. One of the best parts of creating a venue for fans is watching women who otherwise might never have had the chance get to interview a Star Wars author, have their review of The Clone Wars retweeted by one of its writers, or sit on a convention panel to discuss what they love about their favorite franchise.
I always believed women would come into our own in fandom. Powered by a surge of female fans coming to the fore, a female-led action movie ruled at the box office and the range of stories with strong female characters is becoming almost limitless in books, comics, movies, and television. Doors are opening for women specifically because they are fangirls. My personal highlights include writing about Star Wars on Suvudu.com, ActionFlickChick.com and in Star Wars Insider magazine, helping in the creative process for artwork that would eventually end up in Del Rey’s The Essential Reader’s Companion, dissecting The Clone Wars episodes with Jason Swank and Jimmy McInerney of RebelForce Radio, and hosting a standing-room-only panel at GeekGirlCon. These incredible opportunities have given me the courage to create my own heroine and tell her story. I am putting the finishing touches on my science fiction novel Wynde right now. I look at fangirls like Amy, who blazed a trail as a geek girl blogger, or Victoria, who has worn her fandom loud and proud with fabulous cosplay and style advice, and I’m in awe of what they have accomplished. Erin’s story and her passion for the Star Wars Expanded Universe inspire me when the days seem tough, and Lillian’s blogging and outreach exemplify how we can all be good ambassadors for the fandom. It is women like these who have built a community; we make each other stronger. Along with Ashley, each of these women exemplifies what being a fangirl is about to me: Voice your opinions, hopes, or desires about the stories that you feel passionate about. Respect that every other fan – including the ones creating those stories – brings their own unique perspective. I am so excited going forward into the next chapter of Star Wars as Disney becomes its new steward. My hope is that we can build on the community as new fans discover the Galaxy Far Far Away and its many heroes and heroines. May The Force Be With You.
Meet Year Of The Fangirl Contributor: Tricia Barr was last modified: September 6th, 2017 by Ashley
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| 10,607 |
I was thick as thieves with four banditas my freshman year of college: Muppet, Smack, KitKat, and K.O. Whether we were at a dance club or supposed to be studying, we simply had too much fun together. So when the opportunity arose early in fall semester for us to attend a concert together, of course we would go. The band: Motley Crue. Them: Fans. Me: Not remotely a fan except I did like one song.
Smack’s older brother, BK, a giant hulk of a boy, was having a pre-party at his apartment. Perfect. As we all dress and convene to go to his apartment, I am met with four pairs of puzzled eyes. "What?" I ask.
"Is that what you are wearing to the concert" asked of me in unison.
"Yes, it is."
They are layered in various combinations of denim and black. I am wearing a bright red mock turtleneck, crisply pressed navy walking shorts, red and navy argyle socks, and penny loafers. Clearly, I was not a head banger and had never been to a Crue concert. My outfit du preppy not frequently seen at a concert. I was not aware that the only attire needed by women at a Crue concert was spiral perm, pasties, and underwear that could be quickly removed to throw on stage. And even though they didn't have these costumes either, off we went. Motley Crue: not exactly singing hymnals.
When we arrive at BK’s apartment, he takes one look at me and says, “You look ridiculous.”
I ignore him primarily because you can’t tell someone in argyle they look ridiculous when you are wearing tucked and rolled acid wash jeans and a jean jacket with rips all over it.
I pony up to the keg and am handed a giant glass. I can’t say that I had ever consumed 32 ounces of beer at one time. Maybe over an entire evening at this point in my drinking career but not at one time especially when it was only about 4 in the afternoon. But, I certainly do my best. An hour or so passes and I step outside. I believe there was a Marlboro Light involved. More time passes and everyone gathers to leave. Although, I can’t be sure because I was curled up on the front porch taking a nap.
When my gal pals attempt to rouse me, it can not be done. As in, I am down for the count. BK is highly irritated with the antics. He opts to leave me there which is met with fierce resistance from my girlfriends (THANK YOU, girlfriends!) The departure includes a brisk walk to the stadium from BK's apartment. I mean, it involves a brisk walk for them. BK likely attempts to once more to advocate for leaving me on the porch to fend for myself. Once again, he is told no.
So he has to carry me fireman style over a mile back to my residence hall. He does so grudgingly and not before he says plenty of sweet things to me. Luckily, beer has soundproofed my existence. I wake up hours later feeling none too well. In fact, the only thing that seems to be a good idea is to open my 2nd story window and hang my head out of it. Cool night air washing me with minor relief. And then I am sick. At the precise minute my sweet and innocent Japanese exchange student roommate walks in with her study group. Welcome to America Shoko! You won the roommate lottery.
Luckily, she felt sorry for me having not a clue that I did this to myself. When the girls came home from the concert, they found me in the same position. But I rallied back and we were still able to have a very fun night after the concert. Oh, youth. Gives us such elasticity. And when people asked me about the concert, I simply said, “Motley who?”
And then I blamed in on the argyle prejudice.
PS: He only hated me forever
forever being nominated as the one to carry me all the way home. We never made up.
And I have never been to another Crue concert either.
Posted by JennyMac
62 comments:
you would have been called a poser in my days..
...how was your head the next day?
March 30, 2010 at 7:28 AM
The Girl said...
I believe they call that - partying like a rock star.
March 30, 2010 at 7:28 AM
That would have might quite a photo opp--you and your garb "Shouting at the Devil."
March 30, 2010 at 7:38 AM
Anonymous said...
I don't know man. Any girl who wears Argyle anything to a Motley Crue concert is not a girl at all. She's a dude, with BIG HAIRY BALLS.
Or maybe just slightly mentally deficient. I'm just saying. :)
March 30, 2010 at 7:46 AM
Should have taken your fashion tips from the name of the band...MOTLEY...that said I personally would have gone with the argyle and in a kilt.
March 30, 2010 at 7:55 AM
Simply Suthern said...
All dressed up and no where to go. Sounds like you were lookin good. Ya prolly would not have enjoyed it anyways.
March 30, 2010 at 8:22 AM
I always try to dress for the concert I'm going to.... Because I'd totally wear argyle to a concert too.
March 30, 2010 at 8:54 AM
Jenn@ You know... that blog? said...
Hahaha :D I can totally see you doing that.
You didn't miss anything as far as I'm concerned, except maybe a giant headache from the noise they called music. Clearly not a fan either ;)
Have an awesome day!
March 30, 2010 at 8:58 AM
Anonymous said...
I'm pretty sure my argyle is what made my hippie hubby fall deeply in love with me. That and my tights under my shorts..... Ahhhh..... Those were the days....
March 30, 2010 at 9:01 AM
Cara Smith said...
That is funny! I once wore a white roxy sweater over a pastel cami and white loafers to a Black Label Society Concert.
In my defense, I went straigt from work and while I like the music, my husband is the uber fan.
March 30, 2010 at 9:04 AM
It's "Dr Feelgood", isn't it?
March 30, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Ed said...
Lightweight.
March 30, 2010 at 9:33 AM
Unknown said...
Oh! I would have loved to go to a Motley Crue concert! My sister got me into all those 80's hair bands. I think I was the only 4th grader who listened to Cinderella!LOL
March 30, 2010 at 9:35 AM
Will Burke said...
I sat next to a similar character at a Manson concert. Fortunately, we were in the balcony, so she was out of reach of the rabid fans.
March 30, 2010 at 9:36 AM
Unknown said...
that is too funny; who knew there was argyle prejudice?
March 30, 2010 at 9:38 AM
I want to see a picture of that outfit! LOL
March 30, 2010 at 9:48 AM
Leiah said...
On our first trip out of town together, my ex-husband took me to a concert where Warrant opened for Motley Crew who was the opening act for Ozzy. What...an eye-opener. (Said in my best Chelsea Handler imitation)
March 30, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Anne said...
Just came over from The Girl Next Door and I already LOVE your blog. You had me at "Cocktail" ;) Following, and will be back for more!!!
March 30, 2010 at 9:58 AM
Unknown said...
Too bad we didn't live in the digital age we do, now, where every step of our lives are documented by photos, or YouTube videos.
Wait........never mind. I'm really glad we didn't, back then. Can you imagine the stuff our generation would have to put on YouTube!?! Haha!
March 30, 2010 at 9:59 AM
I wouldn't have fit in at a Crew concert either.
March 30, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Laoch of Chicago said...
No doubt that the most important thing you preserved that evening was your hearing.
March 30, 2010 at 10:25 AM
Unknown said...
I have never been to a Crue concert, and only had a brief stint in high school where I pretended to like them so the cool kids would think I was cool, too.
Would pay to see pics of you in those argyle socks. ANd hanging your head out the window. LOL!
March 30, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Maria said...
Went to a concert tho, and never felt more out of place in my life. Lots of leopard prints. And cougar wannabes.
March 30, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Bumpkin on a Swing said...
Hate you missed the Crue in concert, it was some of the best entertainment out there in their day.
Tell me GNR wasn't opening for them then?
Seeing Axel sing Sweet Child o Mine was one of the most memorable "live" performances of our time.
March 30, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Ahhh Motley Crue. I think you were in college around the same time I was...
March 30, 2010 at 11:14 AM
Actually, scientists have discovered there is no discernible difference in human brain activity between subjects attending a Mötley Crüe concert and those barfing out of a window.
March 30, 2010 at 11:14 AM
Walking shorts at a Crue concert? that may have been a first ever!!
March 30, 2010 at 11:26 AM
Still making those fashion statements these days. I remember (and don't remember) concerts like this in college.
March 30, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Bibi @ Bibi's Culinary Journey said...
I miss the college days and the days of argyle.Those were the good ol' days I can only dream about now.
March 30, 2010 at 11:40 AM
One Photo said...
Oh how funny - isn't it always the way they when trying to be "cool" we fail so dismally?!?
March 30, 2010 at 11:58 AM
I too would've opted for a night at home puking my brains out rather than go to a Motley concert.
Why can't I bouce back after something like that anymore? Age=killer.
March 30, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Unknown said...
It's probably better that you missed out on the concert. Getting dragged to a concert featuring an artist that you have no interest in is not.fun.
My ex took me to a Tim McGraw/Faith Hill concert and I was sooo bored. I was probably the only one who sat down in my seat for 90% of the concert.
March 30, 2010 at 1:06 PM
LMAO! You know, sometimes I feel like the girl in argyle at a Motley Crue concert! I hate that feeling.
March 30, 2010 at 1:11 PM
Unknown said...
Brilliantly funny JennyMac....and quite an outfit you were sporting...love it :)
March 30, 2010 at 2:00 PM
Emily said...
Girl, that is a hilarious story! And remind me to make fun of you for owning and wearing penny loafers! ;)
March 30, 2010 at 2:23 PM
Motley Crue, not much to miss.
I had the same experience with a 32 oz, (not kidding) margarita. It was a legal drink at the time. I didn't make it to Aerosmith and I'm pretty sure there was vomit involved on my date's front door. But, that's about all I remember.
March 30, 2010 at 2:28 PM
foxy said...
Oh girl - that's a funny one! I would've looked at you like you were crazy too - all in your argyle. :) Those were the days, huh???
March 30, 2010 at 2:28 PM
...hmm... It sounds like you were never (ever) to a Crue concert...
March 30, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Mrs. M said...
Motley Crue's loss for sure! :)
(ps: don't think you missed much either!)
March 30, 2010 at 2:40 PM
Stephanie said...
You and I so could have been friends. I rocked the penny loafers:)
March 30, 2010 at 3:00 PM
Oh that's funny! Argyle at a Crue concert!
Splenda and I once went to a Ratt concert. We didn't even find our seats before realizing we were in way over our heads. Somehow I thought the same crowd at the Van Halen gig would be at the Ratt show.
I was wrong.
March 30, 2010 at 3:23 PM
Crap. I did that on my 17th birthday - except it was .38 Special, two beers and two shots of root beer schnapps.
Ick.
I too was the one mocked by my friend and these two random guys she knew for wearing walking shorts and a cute top.
March 30, 2010 at 3:31 PM
Anonymous said...
That is something I would have done. I was super prerry since I worked at a golf course. I used to think wearing black was for sluts!!! Oh how I am glad I grew up!
March 30, 2010 at 3:43 PM
March 30, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Anonymous said...
Maybe it was all very lucky? if we drink beer like the men do, we'll get the same pot bellies!
March 30, 2010 at 4:16 PM
Ellen said...
Way to rally! (Not that I would expect anything less ;) And yeah...my best friend in college wore a Lily Pulitzer dress to an EMINEM concert with me. Needless to say, she stood out, but I got her to wave her middle finger in the air like she just didn't care, and she blended in a bit better.
March 30, 2010 at 5:00 PM
I can't believe you rallied after that! What a woman!
March 30, 2010 at 5:40 PM
March 30, 2010 at 5:55 PM
Isn't there a saying, "argyles before beer, never sicker"?
March 30, 2010 at 5:55 PM
Eric said...
The Crue? I thought this was 'The Cure'. *walks off dejectedly*
My first concert was Ted Nugent when I was 14. Kind of a bad influence in some ways.
March 30, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Aunt Juicebox said...
Ahhhh the good ole days! lol I don't think I've ever owned anything argyle. Or anything Motley Crue.
March 30, 2010 at 6:42 PM
Leah Rubin said...
Your so-called friends should have intervened on the argyles in question... BK might have handled it all differently had you been dressed in ripped jeans... After all, this was Motley Crue, not Glenn Miller!
March 30, 2010 at 8:25 PM
Anonymous said...
I'm still laughing about your outfit...holds side....
March 30, 2010 at 8:30 PM
The girl with the flour in her hair said...
Oh, and just think about the good time you could have had. Pity.
March 30, 2010 at 11:44 PM
Anonymous said...
isn't that what it's all about anyway!!
March 31, 2010 at 12:15 AM
I was a huge Crue fan back in my single days and would have loved to see them in concert! Don't think I would have been one of those bimbos though with the pasties and trick undies Lol!
March 31, 2010 at 8:14 AM
March 31, 2010 at 9:47 AM
Stephanie said...
This made my day! What great memories. If it makes you feel any better, I don't actually remember the concert. The last thing I remember is Smack and I walking up the hill singing "Dr. Feelgood" at the top of our lungs. Good times.
On a similar note, the other day in bodyPump, "She's my Cherry Pie" was on. Guess who I thought of?
March 31, 2010 at 2:16 PM
I liked the Crue. I have been to one or two of their shows, without Argyle though....sorry. Funny story though.
March 31, 2010 at 2:16 PM
HalfAsstic.com said...
Ah, Motley Crue. You didn't miss anything, I am quite sure. Ick.
However, I am guessing you didn't have too much fun doing your "own thing" while your friends were there. Heh, Poor new room mate!
March 31, 2010 at 4:04 PM
SMACK said...
Hmmm, Smack, here...I don't quite recall all that about my brother, but then I must have had a bit to drink, too! Thanks for the walk down memory lane (although most of the night does seem to not be remembered by most of us!)!
April 1, 2010 at 9:39 PM
Anonymous said...
BK here...I totally forgot about this episode of fun with the 5 Amigos. No hard feelings Jen...I was more peeved at the bruthas for not helping carry you back to the dorm...at least I got a good workout carrying you well over a mile, especially with the incline. :)
Sorry to say, the argyle outfit was not kosher for a Crue concert. You did miss a great one, including Tommy Lee's solo act. Good times and good memories...hope all is well.
April 6, 2010 at 3:14 PM
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“When first training on this technology as an executive at a large insurance company, I referred to it as Management by Statistics because all staff had a statistical graph that measured and published their personal weekly production.
Decisions, strategies, rewards, etc. were based on proven and visible results, which was not taught at my Big 10 university’s business school. I recall the relief when realizing I only had to be a top producer to be promoted and bonused… no more buying the boss coffee.” KK
The Executive Training Center offers executive training on organization, sales, human resources, statistical management, productivity, etc. based on the written works of Mr. L. Ron Hubbard.
Per Mr. Hubbard, “It is not Man’s dreams that fail him, It is the lack of know-how required to bring those dreams into actuality.”
Mr. Hubbard spent more than three decades developing and codifying the administrative policies by which organizations function. All provide businesspeople with solutions to productivity and prosperity, which raise the quality of life and inject a higher degree of sanity into as many lives as possible.
All of these policies, more than 2,500 of them, were issued in the encyclopedic volumes of the Organization Executive Course and the Management Series set. These policies are derived from the fundamental laws governing all human behavior and form a body of knowledge and technology upon which the training programs offered and available at the Executive Training Center are based.
Today, L. Ron Hubbard’s management principles have reached more than 140,000 companies in 75+ countries.
Moving to Saint Hill Manor in the southern English county of Sussex in the early 1960s, Mr. Hubbard set about researching organizational and management principles and techniques. Poring through volume after volume of business texts he soon came to realize that no uniformly workable technology of organizations existed. While there were many successful activities, there was little in the way of proven techniques and principles which could be applied uniformly to all organizations.
Mr. Hubbard developed precise techniques to successfully start, run and manage a business of any size. He then made this technology available to businesses worldwide so long as the training is done by authorized business consultants and training organizations through licensing arrangements.
There are only two tests of a life well lived L. Ron Hubbard once remarked: Did one do as one intended? And were people glad one lived? In testament to the first stands the full body of his life’s work, including the more than 12,000 writings and 3,000 tape-recorded lectures covering, among others, the subjects of philosophy, administration, art, education, drug rehabilitation, literacy, the mind and spirit.
In evidence of the second are the hundreds of millions of individuals whose lives have been demonstrably bettered because he lived. They are the more than 28 million students now reading superlatively because of L. Ron Hubbard’s educational discoveries; they are the millions of men and women freed from substance abuse through L. Ron Hubbard’s breakthroughs in drug rehabilitation; they are the near 100 million who have been touched by his nonreligious moral code, The Way to Happiness; and they are the many millions more who hold his work to be the spiritual cornerstone of their lives.
(c) 2022 L. Ron Hubbard Library. Photograph: (c) 1987 L. Ron Hubbard Library. All Rights Reserved. HUBBARD is a trademark and is used pursuant to a licensing agreement. I/A # Applied For.
The business owner is ultimately responsible for the success of the business and the well-being of its staff. You can have a competent team that turns your vision into reality while achieving survival, expansion and stability. This is accomplished by training your executives.
| 4,074 |
So the other day, folks in the comments were talking about leggings. I’m pretty agnostic about leggings, but the whole discussion (which centered on the fact that it can be *really* hard to look good in leggings) got me thinking about the pervasive idea that women owe it to onlookers to maintain a certain standard of decorativeness.
Now, this may seem strange from someone who writes about pretty dresses (mostly) every day, but: You Don’t Have to Be Pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don’t owe it to your mother, you don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked “female”.
I’m not saying that you SHOULDN’T be pretty if you want to. (You don’t owe UN-prettiness to feminism, in other words.) Pretty is pleasant, and fun, and satisfying, and makes people smile, often even at you. But in the hierarchy of importance, pretty stands several rungs down from happy, is way below healthy, and if done as a penance, or an obligation, can be so far away from independent that you may have to squint really hard to see it in the haze.
But what does you-don’t-have-to-be-pretty mean in practical, everyday terms? It means that you don’t have to apologize for wearing things that are held to be “unflattering” or “unfashionable” — especially if, in fact, they make you happy on some level deeper than just being pretty does. So what if your favorite color isn’t a “good” color on you? So what if you are “too fat” (by some arbitrary measure) for a sleeveless top? If you are clean, are covered enough to avoid a citation for public indecency, and have bandaged any open wounds, you can wear any color or style you please, if it makes you happy.
I was going to make a handy prettiness decision tree, but pretty much the end of every branch was a bubble that said “tell complainers to go to hell” so it wasn’t much of a tool.
Pretty, it’s sad to say, can have a shelf life. It’s so tied up with youth that, at some point (if you’re lucky), you’re going to have to graduate from pretty. Sometimes (as in the case with Diana Vreeland, above, you can go so far past pretty that you end up in stylish, or even striking (or the fashion-y term jolie laide) before you know it. But you won’t get there if you think you have to follow all the signs that say “this way to Pretty.” You get there by traveling the route you find most interesting. (And to hell with the naysayers who say “But that’s not PRETTY”!)
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339 thoughts on “You Don't Have to Be Pretty”
May 20, 2014 at 10:50 am
Thanks for writing this, and I’m sorry people are miss-attributing your lines about prettiness. They so perfectly capture what I want to say to my daughters every single day. I suppose everyone assumes this wisdom must come from some well-established figure from history. Either they’re wrong, or in a hundred years you’re going to be a well-established figure from history.
LikeLiked by 2 people
June 2, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Fenomenal. I think I just might have to tattoo “you don’t owe prettiness to anyone” or “pretty is not a rent you pay for occupying a space called female” somewhere, to remind me every day. It’s become my mantra. Thanks for this!
PS. It seems people have mixed up your statement as being Diana Vreelands (because people don't read properly, I suppose), I hope that sorts itself out so you get your rightly credit.
PPS. This would be excellent for a spoken word poem.
Carolyn says:
June 23, 2014 at 5:07 am
This blog post really resonates with me. And a lot of other people (I’m impressed that you really have almost 300 comments!) .
I know I don’t look as young, pretty, slender or cute as I feel. It’s somehow reassuring that you gave me permission to be who I am.
Sunita says:
June 24, 2014 at 2:19 pm
Read somewhere – Age is a great leveller for beauty and ugliness. One is lost in it, the other hidden
June 25, 2014 at 5:16 am
This is an amazing, inspiring and beautifully put blog post. It is very much third wave and I love it. Wear what you want. Do what you want. Do it for you.
June 26, 2014 at 7:18 pm
I LOVE this. I’ve been saying something along those lines. Other people’s opinions don’t pay my bills or buy my clothes…etc. If I’m taking good care of me, it makes it easier to take good care of those I love …just saying
July 4, 2014 at 2:45 am
Well written, I suppose. But an absolute lie. As someone who has been told IN WRITING by a group of men at my former place of work that I am NOT pretty and am in fact ugly, your words are hollow. Every woman here is lying to herself if she thinks otherwise. They all want to be ALWAYS looked at as “the pretty one”.
Ana says:
July 22, 2014 at 10:45 pm
Yes, but that doesn’t mean THEY HAVE TO.
Also, I bet there would be a lot of men who’d tell you the exact opposite thing: you’re pretty
May 4, 2016 at 11:58 pm
I don’t want to be looked at as “the pretty one”, actually. (: I would rather be seen as the strong one. The empathetic one. The resilient one. Would I enjoy being called ugly! Oh, no! It would hurt me. And I am so sorry that you were spoken to that way. But we are so much more than our appearance.
December 20, 2017 at 7:21 am
December 2017 – Well, your moment has come, and you have their comments in writing. If you can’t sue them, plaster them all over the Internet!
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 20, 2017 at 7:27 am
I tried to reply to Veronica, who says men at her workplace told her in writing that she was ugly. This is the year to do something about them.
Jocey says:
December 5, 2020 at 12:25 pm
I’m sorry that happened to you. Fuck those men’s opinions. I’m sure you in no way asked, and I suspect many of them were not much to look at. But that is the difference – a man would not be subject to a written review and unsolicited advice on their appearance, from anyone let alone a place of work. Because it is irrelevant and shallow (and no ones business actually).
There is nothing wrong with enjoying being pretty – it is fun and feels nice. But there really is much more to life than that. It is on its own, unsatisfying and hollow, and denies us of a much richer experience of ourselves and others.
If you do ever decide to take to task for their inappropriate discrimination and behavior, I wish you luck. And I hope you don’t have to deal with that kind of thing again xo
Doris says:
July 21, 2014 at 2:54 am
Hey, Erin, it looks like your quote is now being attributed to Diana Vreeland. I found a meme on Pinterest that attributed your words to Vreeland, and it linked back to this Buzzfeed list: http://www.buzzfeed.com/juliapugachevsky/famous-quotes-that-will-make-you-even-prouder-to-be-a-fem?sub=3277031_3010985
Erin says:
July 21, 2014 at 4:11 am
Thanks for commenting on that list! Of course, waiting for Buzzfeed to correct something is probably only slightly faster than waiting for Godot …
July 23, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Love this! Being happy and comfortable (and so many other things) are SO MUCH higher on the ladder than “pretty”. Especially as the mama of two girls, I hate all the emphasis on pretty – since it seems like that is often the ONLY emphasis. They are so much more than that.
waterbear says:
July 24, 2014 at 12:13 pm
What a nerve you struck! Nearly 8 years after posting, still getting heartfelt comments! And here I am, back rereading for the many-th time, just to wisdom myself up to face today.
August 8, 2014 at 11:33 am
If you’re going to quote Diana Vreeland, then QUOTE her. Dont pop a photo above, sneak in her quote, and not give her credit for it. Because now, lots and lots of websites are quoting YOU, and this was not your genius.
“You Don’t Have to Be Pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don’t owe it to your mother, you don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked “female”.” -Diana Vreeland
Erin says:
August 8, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Hi Kylie — you may want to read the comments above yours.
This quote is being credited to DV elsewhere on the Internets by people who are somewhat lacking in reading comprehension because I put a big picture of DV up at the top. I am happy to stand behind my own writing.
LikeLiked by 2 people
August 9, 2014 at 10:44 am
Well, at least Kylie recognises genius.
LikeLiked by 1 person
tricia says:
November 5, 2014 at 2:59 pm
Can I just tell you how much I LOVE this? Thank you for writing it. It is one of my favorite things to reread and to resend my friends. Thought I would let you know that!
Deb says:
November 8, 2014 at 11:36 pm
Found ya by accident today. I adore this article! Late (as usual) to the party/meme, let me tell you fur shure pretty fades. It may not even go quickly – I was mid 40s before one day *proof* I became invisible. Know what else? The prettier you are, & the longer it lasts, the more cutting it is when it fails. Just about killing. Definitely fatal to self-esteem. UNTIL or UNLESS you are cozy comfy already with who you really are. And know you have a great deal to offer to has little/nothing to do with outer pretty. A shame women for so loooong were just something supposed to be good to gaze upon … that pedestal is very high & unsteady.
m says:
February 15, 2015 at 10:12 pm
So…lemme get this straight. I don’t owe anyone pretty, BUT, I do have to meet a stranger’s standards of personal hygiene?
April 10, 2015 at 2:26 pm
You talk today in the New York Times about quotes that have been incorrectly attributed, but not quite plagiarized.
But stealing, in effect, is what you’ve done with this portrait of Diana Vreeland. There is no photo credit for the portrait. Do you know who took it? Did you get permission to use it? And did the photographer say, “Hey, no problem, take my work, no need for compensation and please drop my credit?”? Not knowing who shot an image isn’t any excuse to lift it for your own purposes. It’s called unauthorized usage and often copyright infringement.
And why are women still endlessly obsessed with pretty, not pretty, “different” beauty? To begin to break free of the tyranny of beauty, let’s talk about something, anything else.
Erin says:
April 10, 2015 at 2:31 pm
Hi Robin, you’re right! This post was first put up back in 2006 when people weren’t as careful, but that’s no excuse, especially since I license all my own photos CC-BY for maximum use and sharing.
This photo is by Andy Warhol, part of an iconic set of fashion polaroids he created. I’ve added a credit line.
But I disagree that we should talk about “anything else” than beauty. Until we acknowledge the tremendous beauty pressure women operate under, we will not be able to get out of it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
April 10, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Yes, Warhol, obviously. Credit and a hyperlink are good, permission and (sometimes) a fee are also required. Did his estate give you an ok? Highly unlikely.
It’s great that you license your photos CC-BY. But photographers like to control their work, decide where images show up, get paid, etc. It would be as if I lifted an entire post from your blog and dropped it down into mine, not a reblog, which can be annoying enough, but a total “sharing.”
Maybe I’m über enlightened (unlikely) but I caught on to the beauty industrial complex a long time ago. It’s almost a decade since you wrote your post and if you think women are still as obsessed (and I’m not necessarily disagreeing), we’re going backwards.
Erin says:
April 10, 2015 at 3:59 pm
Thanks Robin — I can see that this has (rightly) touched a nerve with you, and I appreciate your calling attention to it.
It looks as if the Warhol estate is very generous with noncommercial licensing. I’ll drop them a line.
I agree that recognizing the beauty industrial complex is not necessarily a matter of being ‘über-enlightened’ –although perhaps as a very visual person this comes more naturally to you — it’s more that there is SO MUCH in the culture that assumes that the highest goal of any woman is to be decorative that we need to be very vocal in our dissent. Otherwise our voices are drowned out.
May 18, 2015 at 6:14 pm
October 12, 2015 at 2:52 pm
No, prettiness is not owed, but just as I don’t want to see an old man bare chested with bouncing man-boobs, a gold chain around his neck, and a hairy back, I don’t want to see a woman’s butt crack and cellulite through her translucent leggings.
Erin says:
October 12, 2015 at 3:04 pm
Luckily you can always look away! I recommend keeping pictures of things you find beautiful ready to hand so that you can rest your eyes on them, instead.
LikeLiked by 2 people
March 8, 2016 at 10:33 pm
Really, really phenomenal writing. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 11, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Can I just say “Wow”. I loved the piece mainly because now that I am considered a ‘senior citizen’ I am not as skinny or as easy on the eyes as I once was. I still have have my intelligence and wisdom that comes from age. I have mellowed and I am in a happy place. It is too bad that some people feel they have to be on the negative or right side of things as they see them. To them I say if it offends you look away, stop reading or just leave the area. Life is too short to spend so much time missing the adventure.
Shaw N. says:
June 8, 2016 at 3:21 pm
Thanks for writing this. I come back to this page probably every few weeks. Thank you.
Didi Pancake says:
September 25, 2016 at 4:20 am
Back i the late 60s, I often wore a ring on my left thumb in addition to several other rings. A handsome Englishman was visiting my parents. I had a bit of a crush on him, but he pretty well ignored me. Finally, as I was driving him to the airport, he asked about the thumb ring. I remember my reply to this day. It was exactly, “A woman can be either pretty or interesting. And you did ask, didn’t you?” Shut him right down for the rest of the trip. It was a liberating moment.
Mary Ann says:
November 18, 2016 at 7:41 pm
I first read this three years ago and I believe it resonates even more with me today. Good writing never goes out of style. Thank you.
June 23, 2017 at 7:18 pm
A friend sent me this link, and I rediscovered it today after a few years. I needed these words, today, more than you can know. Thank you.
November 5, 2018 at 7:50 am
Well, it’s now 2018 and I’ve finally stumbled across these lovely words of yours. (I would say I was fashionably late, but clearly I’m just late-late … )
Erin, thank you and well done and please bless us with more! This was such an enlightening read – I’ll be back.
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His Brother’s Wife, 1936, is playing on Turner Classic Movies on Tuesday March 7 at 9:15 a.m. est. Closed Captioned. Mr. Taylor was actually a fan of roller coasters and often dragged Ms. Stanwyck off to ride them with him.
Folks, this one is from 1936 so we have to take it for what it is. During the early years of talkies, Hollywood came up with some very interesting tales to tell. His Brother’s Wife is one of them. Robert Taylor plays the younger brother to the brother that Barbara Stanwyck marries in retaliation for Taylor’s going into the depths of the Jungle to find a cure for some god-awful plague. Confusing? It is? Confusing and almost silly. Yet, there is a touch of that old classic film magic that makes it a delight to watch.
There is something about the on-screen chemistry between Taylor and Stanwyck, (most likely springing from their real life romance), that makes you keep watching. The scenes between the two stars make the whole twisted tale worth sitting through.
Now, don’t be fooled, there are many more films that have plots that are more contrived than His Brother’s Wife, but there is something about the jump from New York, to the Jungle, and then back to New York, then to the Jungle again, that makes this film a little more silly than most. But, lets face it, if you choose to watch this film you are doing so all for the man with the perfect profile’s smile (Robert Taylor) and The Ball of Fire’s spunk (Barbara Stanwyck).
All and all this is a fun film to watch. It by no means is predictable–most likely due to the fact that the plot is out of this world.
Enjoy. I did. Review by movieblue from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the imdb.
My take: His Brother’s Wife is the first film in which Mr. Taylor and Ms. Stanwyck co-starred. Their real life relationship was in its early stages and the love scenes are quite convincing. Although this film can’t decide whether it wants to be a light hearted love story or a serious medical drama, the uncritical viewer can enjoy it a lot.
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I became a Robert Taylor fan at the age of 15 when his TV show, "The Detectives" premiered. My mother wanted to watch it because she remembered Mr. Taylor from the thirties. I took one look and that was it. I spent the rest of my high school career watching Robert Taylor movies on late night TV, buying photos of him, making scrapbooks and being a typical teenager. College, marriage and career intervened. I remember being sad when Mr. Taylor died. I mailed two huge scrapbooks to Ursula Thiess. I hope she got them. Time passed, retirement, moving to Florida. Then in 2012 my husband Fred pointed that there were two Robert Taylor movies that evening on Turner Classic Movies--"Ivanhoe" and "Quentin Durward." I watched both and it happened all over again. I started this blog both for fans and for people who didn't know about Robert Taylor. As the blog passes 200,000 views I'm delighted that so many people have come by and hope it will help preserve the legacy of this fine actor and equally good man.
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This entry was posted in Films and tagged 1936, Barbara Stanwyck, beefcake, celebrities, doctors, evening clothes, fever, gambling, gentleman, Golden Era, hollywood, matinee idol, medical drama, MGM, movie stars, photos, Robert Taylor, romance, romantic comedy, Turner Classic Movies. Bookmark the permalink.
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People receive humanitarian aid at a distribution point in Slavyansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)
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People receive humanitarian aid at a distribution point in Slavyansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)
KYIV, Ukraine — The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss Ukraine’s humanitarian, economic and development needs.
At a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday, USAID director Samantha Power said that “this war will be won on the battlefield, but it is also being won in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its democracy and its economy.”
Power says her visit included meetings with Ukrainian farmers, civil society activists, journalists and groups that USAID has been supporting to identify and document war crimes.
Earlier in the day, Power announced that USAID has committed an additional $55 million to assist Ukraine with repairs to heating pipes and other infrastructure and equipment. USAID has since February given $9.89 billion in aid to Ukraine.
— Russian rockets slam into Ukrainian city near nuclear plant
-- EU agrees on price cap for Russian oil over Ukraine war
— Belarus opposition hopeful at Russian setbacks in Ukraine
— Ukraine links World Cup host bid to beating horrors of war
Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
UNITED NATIONS — Russia is calling for a secret ballot next week in the U.N. General Assembly on a Western-backed resolution that would condemn Moscow for its “attempted illegal annexation” of part of four Ukrainian regions and demand an immediate reversal.
Russia apparently hopes it would get more support from the 193 nations if their votes are not made public.
The General Assembly has announced that its emergency special session on Ukraine will resume Monday when the draft resolution will be presented. Diplomats say they expect the vote on the resolution likely on Wednesday.
Votes on resolutions in the world body are traditionally public and illuminated with different colored lights on a large board which has the name of every country.
KYIV, Ukraine — The head of the U.N.’s atomic energy agency says it’s doubling to four the number of inspectors that it plans to deploy to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in a Russian-controlled area of southern Ukraine as fighting continues in the region, threatening its safety.
During a visit Thursday to the Ukrainian capital, Director-General Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency deplored how workers in Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant are facing “almost unbearable circumstances.”
He said he would take up that issue and hopes of establishing a secure protection zone around the nuclear power station during talks with an unspecified “very high-level” official when he travels soon to Moscow.
Grossi emphasized that despite Russia’s proclaimed — and widely criticized — annexation of the Zaporizhzhia oblast, or region, the plant remains a Ukrainian facility that belongs to state-run company Energoatom.
Earlier Thursday, a local official said Russian missiles hit apartment buildings in the nearby city of Zaporizhzhia, killing three people and wounding at least 12.
KYIV, Ukraine — The head of Ukraine’s human rights commission says Russian authorities detained hundreds of Ukrainians as they neared Russia’s border with Estonia.
Dmytro Lubinets wrote in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday that Russians “took them away on trucks to an unknown destination” a day earlier. He cited information from the Estonian Interior Ministry about the transfers.
Amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, most of those Ukrainians had fled their country through Russia and Crimea and were seeking ways to enter the European Union — Estonia is a member state — or find a way to return home, Lubinets wrote.
Some travelers, including women, the elderly, and children, were waiting to cross the Russia-Estonia border in cold, humid weather without proper clothes or food, he said, adding that he planned to bring up the matter with Russia’s commissioner for human rights.
Lubinets noted that a mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which counts both Russia and Ukraine as members, was expected to meet next week with Ukrainians who had been processed through Russian “filtration camps.”
Also Thursday, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said: “We condemn the Russian Federation for not allowing war refugees to cross the border,” saying such actions could amount to provocations by Moscow along the EU-Russia border.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces have retaken 400 square kilometers (155 square miles) of territory in the southern Kherson region, so far this month as they continue to push Russian troops back in the south and east, Ukraine’s southern military command says.
Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military’s Operational Command South, said in a briefing Thursday that the situation along the southern front was rapidly changing and remained complicated.
Ukraine has recaptured 29 settlements in the oblast since Oct. 1, Oleksii Hromov, deputy chief of the Main Operational Department of the Ukrainian army’s General Staff, told a separate briefing.
The newly sanctioned people include officials involved in last week’s illegal Russian annexation of — and sham referenda in — the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The latest sanctions, published in the EU’s Official Journal, also widen trade bans against Russia and lay the ground for a price cap on Russian oil being prepared with other G-7 members. The new commercial curbs hit an estimated 7 billion euros ($6.9 billion) of EU imports of Russian goods including steel, plastics, textiles and non-gold jewelry.
The wider EU prohibition on exports to Russia covers such products as coal, electronics used in Russian weapons and aircraft components.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Norway on Thursday said that Russian fishing vessels can only call at three Arctic ports ports, and that all Russian vessels arriving at these ports will be checked.
“We now have information which indicates that there is a need to increase the control of Russian fishing vessels, Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said.
“The recent serious developments with Russia’s unacceptable annexation of Ukraine, the attacks on gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea and increased drone activity, means that the government has further tightened preparedness.
“This will make it more difficult to use Russian fishing vessels for illegal activities, for example by circumventing export regulations, ”Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl added.
In April, the European Union, of which Norway is not a member, banned Russian vessels from entering EU ports. Norway followed suit with the exception of fishing boats, which led to criticism from the Norwegian opposition.
Authorities in Norway, a major oil and gas producer, have reported several drone sightings near offshore installations in the North Sea.
PRAGUE — Czech social media users have shared satirical tweets claiming that the Czech Republic has annexed the Russian territory of Kaliningrad and renamed it Královec.
It is a satire on Russia’s illegal annexation of four Ukrainian territories where Kremlin-installed authorities held voter “referendums” that Ukraine and its allies regard as an illegitimate farce.
Even Slovak President Zuzana Caputova got in on the joke on Thursday, tweeting “I might consider a state visit. Or not.” Turning serious, she added: “Well done our #Czech friends for de-masking the absurdity of #Russia’s fictitious referendums in #Ukraine.”
An anonymous Twitter user in Poland first posted about the fake “annexation” of Kaliningrad. A Czech member of the European Parliament, Tomasz Zdechovsky, then posted about it. There has since been an explosion of jokes under the hashtags Kralovec and VisitKralovec.
CANBERRA, Australia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday it was “hard to say” whether the risk of nuclear war had increased with his military’s territorial gains, but he remains confident his Russian counterpart would not survive such as escalation in hostilities.
Zelenskyy was addressing the Lowy Institute international think tank in Sydney via video link after Ukraine’s military retook ground illegally annexed by Russia last week. He questioned whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had enough control over the Russian campaign to direct a tactical nuclear strike.
The Russians found it “hard to control everything that is happening in their country, just as they’re not controlling everything they have on the battlefield,” Zelenskyy said.
Putin “understands that after the use of nuclear weapons he would be unable any more to preserve, so to speak, his life,” Zelenskyy said, “and I’m confident of that.”
WARSAW, Poland –- Poland is distributing potassium iodide tablets to regional firefighters’ stations in a pre-emptive measure in case of damage to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops.
Stored in some 1,500 stations nationwide, the potassium iodide pills would be distributed to Poles in case of real threat, the government said. Deputy interior and administration minister, Blazej Pobozy, has said radioactive contamination is “very unlikely.”
The Zaporizhzhia plant, some 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Poland’s eastern border, is Europe’s largest. It was damaged recently in the fighting with Russian forces.
In 1986, following the accident at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant many Poles took iodine solution to prevent absorbing radiation.
WARSAW, Poland — Poland is raising its security emergency level for energy infrastructure located outside Poland’s borders.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki signed the decision Thursday to raise security to the second out of four levels, through November. The decision means that security services need to be especially vigilant and ready to react to any potential terrorist threats.
Poland recently opened a new natural gas pipeline from Norway, the Baltic Pipe, that partly runs on the Baltic seabed. It is helping Poland cut its decades-long dependence on Russian gas.
Last week Russian’s Nord Stream pipelines suffered leaks in the Baltic Sea caused by explosions, widely believed to be the result of sabotage.
KYIV, Ukraine — The U.S. deployed its international development chief to Ukraine on Thursday, the highest-ranking American official to visit the country since Russia illegally annexed the four regions.
The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, traveled to Kyiv and was holding meetings with government officials and residents. She said the U.S. would provide an additional $55 million to repair heating pipes and other equipment.
Among the sites she visited were a Kyiv neighborhood and school that had previously been hit by Russian missiles.
USAID said the United States has delivered $9.89 billion in aid to Ukraine since February.
A spending bill signed by President Biden last week promises another $12.3 billion in Ukraine-related aid — directed both at military and public services needs. Power said Washington plans to release the first $4.5 billion of that funding in the coming weeks.
KYIV, Ukraine — The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog is expected to visit Kyiv this week to discuss the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been occupied by Russian troops since the early part of the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday declaring that Russia was taking over the six-reactor plant, the largest in Europe.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called it a criminal act and said it considered Putin’s decree “null and void.” The state nuclear operator, Energoatom, said it would continue to operate the plant.
Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, plans to talk with Ukrainian officials about the Russian move.
He will also discuss efforts to set up a secure protection zone around the facility, which has been damaged in the fighting and seen staff including its director abducted by Russian troops.
Grossi will travel to Moscow for talks with Russian officials after his stop in Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia is taking ownership of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest.
Putin signed a decree Wednesday ordering the creation of a state company to manage the facility and said all workers now need Russian permission to work there. Russian troops have occupied the plant for months.
Ukraine condemned the “illegal” Russian takeover attempt and called on the West to impose sanctions on the Russian state nuclear operator, Rosatom, and for all countries to limit civilian nuclear cooperation with Russia.
Ukraine’s state nuclear operator, Energoatom, said it considers Putin’s decree “worthless” and “absurd.” It said the plant would continue to be operated by Energoatom as part of the Ukrainian energy system.
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WARSAW, Poland — Ukraine’s prosecutor general says more evidence of torture and unnecessary killings is turning up in areas of the country previously held by Russian forces, including four bodies found in the Kharkiv region with bound or handcuffed hands.
Andriy Kostin also told The Associated Press on the sidelines of a security conference in Poland’s capital on Wednesday that he had just heard about the bodies. He said the dead people were believed to be civilians but an investigation was needed to determine that.
Two were found in a factory in the city Kupiansk with their hands bound behind their backs, while the other two were discovered handcuffed in the village of Novoplatonivka, according to Kostin.
During public remarks at the Warsaw Security Forum, Kostin said Ukrainian authorities also discovered “six cars where 24 civilians were killed near Kupiansk.” The victims included 13 children and a pregnant woman who were killed while trying to escape, he said, without specifying when the killings took place.
Kostin also said that Russia’s proclaimed annexation of four Ukrainian regions “means nothing” legally but only serves as evidence of Russia’s “intentional policy … in the crimes of aggression.”
MADRID, Spain — Leaders of Spain and Germany are meeting in northwestern Spain for a brief summit centering on Europe’s energy crisis and consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and 15 ministers from their governments are attending the meeting Wednesday in the city of A Coruña.
Germany’s gas supplies have been cut by its main provider Russia and the country is interested in proposals to build a gas pipeline linking the Iberian peninsula to the rest of Europe. The two will also discuss European fiscal policies and possibly Germany’s suggested European anti-missile defense shield.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin says results of the “referendums” that Moscow held in four regions of Ukraine before annexing them are valid despite being described as a sham by the West and Kyiv.
The vote results are “more than convincing, and it is absolutely transparent and not subject to any doubt,” Putin said.
“This is objective data on people’s mood,” the Russian president said at an event dedicated to the Teachers’ Day. He added that he himself was pleasantly “surprised” by the outcome.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials are reporting further strategic losses for Russia within the territories Moscow has illegally annexed following sham referendums.
Russian troops have started to withdraw from a southern Ukrainian city that was annexed along with the Kharson region though it administratively belongs to the neighboring Mykolaiv area, said Mykolaiv governor Vitaliy Kim on Wednesday.
Kim says officials are “seeking to confirm that officers have left Snihurivka, but there are troops still remaining there.” Earlier, a Russia-installed official, Yury Barbashov, admitted Ukrainian troops were advancing toward the city but claimed Russia was still in control.
Snihurivka, a city of 12,000, is a strategic railway hub in the Mykolaiv region. The Russians have seized the city in March and then annexed it together with the neighboring Kherson region.
In the eastern Luhansk region, the governor Serhiy Haidai said Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have retaken several localities in the region, which also is among the four illegally annexed by Moscow.
“The de-occupation of the Luhansk region has begun, we can talk about it officially - several settlements have been liberated from the Russian army and the invaders,” Haidai said in a video statement on Telegram.
The official did not name the recaptured places, but said that the retreating Russian forces “are trying to mine everything as much as possible - roads, buildings, everything around.”
BRUSSELS — The head of the European Union’s executive arm wants to introduce checks on key EU infrastructure, including energy, after the suspected sabotage of natural-gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the damage last week to the Nord Stream pipelines linking Russia and Germany has shown “how vulnerable our energy infrastructure is.”
She says that a comprehensive plan is needed to ensure the safety of key EU networks, including for data. Von der Leyen also says that satellite surveillance will be used to detect potential threats.
KYIV, Ukraine — Residents of Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv have expressed anger and dismay that Russia declared annexations of parts of their country.
Sofia Moroz, 20, says she can’t understand how all this is happening.” Moroz adds “it’s strange, there is sovereignty, there is a country.”
“There is a state, borders, ministries,” she said. “I can’t understand why some people decided to change it. Why is it like that? For what?”
Olha Sviatka, 19, from Kyiv, says “it’s not logical and it’s not true.” The land is not Russian, so “they must not touch it.”
A 38-year-old man from Kyiv who identified himself only by his first name, Oleh, says “it’s my land.”
“They, Russians, need to be thrown out,” he says. “All of them.”
Serhiy Lischuk, 26, agrees: “It’s our country and we will defend it, and our rights.”
KYIV, Ukraine — The head of Ukraine’s nuclear power company says he will take over managing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, after its director was first kidnapped and then released by Russian forces who occupy the facility.
Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, said Wednesday he will be running the plant from the capital Kyiv. Ukrainian workers continue to operate the facility, which shut down its last operational reactor last month.
Zaporizhzhia is Europe’s biggest nuclear plant. Fighting close to the complex has sparked fears of leaks or incidents.
WARSAW, Poland — Belarus’ opposition leader says she believes that Russian military setbacks in Ukraine could shake Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s hold on power.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said at a security conference in Warsaw on Wednesday that it seems that Russia is “about to lose this war,” and that, if it does, it will no longer be able to prop up the Belarusian dictator.
Tsikhanouskaya fled to Lithuania after Russian ally Lukashenko claimed victory in August 2020 elections that were viewed in the West as fraudulent, and which many thought she won.
She told the Warsaw Security Forum that hundreds of Belarusian volunteers have supported Ukrainians in their recent liberation of Ukrainian territory, and that 15 have died.
Researchers at the U.S.-based intelligence firm Nisos say in a new report that Russia has disguised its own propaganda videos so they can be posted on platforms such as Twitter without revealing their true origin.
The report says the videos falsely claim that Ukraine caused civilian deaths attributed to Russian forces or say residents of areas forcibly annexed by Russia welcome their occupiers.
The reported new tactic is Russia’s latest attempt to circumvent efforts by European governments and tech companies trying to stop Kremlin propaganda and disinformation about the war.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials have released disturbing evidence and images they say are from areas that Ukrainian forces recently have retaken from Russian troops.
Serhiy Bolvinov, who heads the investigative department of the national police in the eastern Kharkiv region, on Wednesday said authorities are investigating an alleged Russian torture chamber in the village of Pisky-Radkivski.
He posted an image showing a box of what appeared to be precious metal teeth and dentures presumably extracted from those held at the site.
MOSCOW — Russian-installed authorities of the Kherson region accused Ukrainian forces on Wednesday of carrying out a missile strike on a hotel in the city of Kherson.
Moscow-backed health officials in the region said one person was killed and three more were wounded. Ukrainian officials haven’t commented on the strike.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed laws on Thursday absorbing Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions occupied by his army into Russia after the Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” that Ukraine and the West have rejected as a sham.
Putin’s attempt to cement the increasingly precarious gains of Russia’s army come as Ukrainian troops are pressing a counteroffensive to reclaim those very regions.
MOSCOW — The Kremlin held the door open for expanding areas of Ukraine under Russian control following the absorption of four regions it currently holds.
Speaking in a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “certain territories will be reclaimed, and we will keep consulting residents who would be eager to embrace Russia.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed laws absorbing the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine into Russia after the Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” that Ukraine and the West have rejected as a sham.
The move came even as Ukrainian forces were pressing a counteroffensive to reclaim those regions.
Asked about Ukraine taking back some territory in the four regions after their declared annexation, Peskov said Russia would reclaim them.
He wouldn’t say if Moscow planned to organize votes in any more Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.
A former Russian state television journalist who quit after staging an on-air protest against the conflict in Ukraine and who was later charged with spreading false information about Russia’s armed force says she is no longer abiding by house arrest rules.
Marina Ovsyannikova separately was charged in August for taking part in a street protest and holding a banner reading: “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is a killer, his soldiers are fascists. 352 children have been killed (in Ukraine). How many more children should die for you to stop?”
A former state-controlled Channel One employee, Ovsyannikova faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted under a law that penalizes statements against the military and that was enacted shortly after Russian troops moved into Ukraine.
Ovsyannikova was placed under house arrest pending an investigation and trial, but over the weekend her ex-husband claimed she had escaped with her young daughter.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Ovsyannikova said that “starting from Sept. 30, I refuse to abide by the restrictions imposed on me in the form of house arrest and (I) release myself from it.”
BRUSSELS — European Union countries agreed on Wednesday to impose new sanctions on Russia after it illegally annexed four regions in Ukraine, according to an EU official, including an expected price cap on Russian oil.
No details of the sanctions were immediately released. They will be published as soon as Thursday.
They are expected to include a price cap on Russian oil, curbs on EU exports of aircraft components to the country and limits on Russian steel imports.
The moves build on already unprecedented European sanctions against Russia as a result of its war against Ukraine since February.
EU measures to date include restrictions on energy from Russia, bans on financial transactions with Russian entities including the central bank and asset freezes against more than 1,000 people and 100 organizations. They also include a ban on most Russian oil products from December.
MOSCOW -- A Russian-installed official in the Kherson region insisted Wednesday that Ukrainian advances in the region have been halted.
Kirill Stremousov, in comments to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti, said that “as of this morning ... there are no movements” by Kyiv’s forces.
Stremousov vowed that “they won’t enter (the city of) Kherson, it is impossible.” He added that the Russian forces in the region were “regrouping” in order to “gather strength and strike (back.)”
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s presidential office says that at least five civilians have been killed and eight have been wounded by the latest Russian shelling.
A statement on Wednesday says Russian troops used six Iranian suicide drones to strike the town of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, leaving one person wounded.
The strikes were the first on the town since March when the Russians retreated from the areas near the Ukrainian capital after a failed attempt to capture it.
Russian forces also shelled areas on the western bank of the Dnieper River, facing the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and in the Donetsk region.
In Sviatohirsk, which was reclaimed by Ukrainian forces, a burial ground for civilians was found and bodies of four civilians were discovered, according to Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.
KYIV, Ukraine — Kyiv has dismissed as “worthless” the laws that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed on Wednesday formalizing the annexation of four Ukrainian regions into Russia.
“The worthless decisions of the terrorist country are not worth the paper they are signed on,” the head of the Ukraine President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram messaging application. “A collective insane asylum can continue to live in a fictional world.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said in his nightly address that he has signed a decree rendering void any of Putin’s acts designed to annex Ukrainian territories since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
“Any Russian decisions, any treaties with which they try to seize our land — all this is worthless,” Zelenskyy said at the end of his video address.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed laws formally absorbing four Ukrainian regions into Russia, even as its military is struggling to hang on to control of the regions it illegally annexed.
The documents finalizing the annexation carried out in defiance of international laws were published on a Russian government website on Wednesday morning.
Earlier this week, both houses of the Russian parliament ratified treaties making the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions part of Russia. That followed Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” in the four regions that Ukraine and the West have rejected as a sham.
On the ground, the conflict has entered a new, more dangerous phase. Russia faces mounting setbacks, with Ukrainian forces retaking more and more land in the east and in the south — the very regions Moscow has pushed to annex.
KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian army has recaptured a number of villages in the Kherson region as a part of its massive counteroffensive in the south of the country, the regional military command said.
The villages are all concentrated on the right bank of the Dnipro river in the northern part of the region.
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom says it may halt gas deliveries to Moldova, Europe’s poorest country, if it fails to pay its latest bill by Oct. 20 as its contract stipulates.
In a statement Tuesday, Gazprom said it had repeatedly allowed Moldovan national gas supplier Moldovagaz this year to pay its monthly bills with delay, but may not continue that practice.
Gazprom further said it reserved the right to annul completely its 5-year supply contract with the tiny country over its failure to settle its old debts.
The director of Moldovan natural gas supplier Moldovagaz, Vadim Ceban, said his company “will make every effort to fulfil its contractual obligation.” Moldovagaz has struggled this year to meet its payment commitments to Gazprom after prices under its long-term contract rose sharply.
Separately, Gazprom claims Moldovagaz owes it over 700 million euros for gas deliveries before 2019, over 40% of the sum due to late-payment penalties. Moldovan authorities have asked for an audit to determine the debt.
Moldova has condemned Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, its neighbor, and barred its citizens from displaying pro-Russia symbols. But it did not fully join European Union sanctions on Russia for fear of being cut off from Russian gas.
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Russia’s defense chief says the country’s military has recruited over 200,000 reservists as part of a partial mobilization launched two weeks ago.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that the recruits were undergoing training at 80 firing ranges before being deployed to the front lines in Ukraine, where Russian forces are on the retreat in some areas.
President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization on Sept. 21 to beef up his troops in Ukraine.
Shoigu previously said that up to 300,000 reservists were to be called up for service, but Putin’s order left open the possibility of an even larger recruitment effort. Some Russian media have speculated that the military plans to call up 1 million reservists or more.
The mobilization sparked protests in many areas across Russia and drove tens of thousands of men to flee Russia.
DAKAR, Senegal — Ukraine’s foreign minister has promised that his embattled country will do all it can to send more grain to Africa.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba began a tour of the continent this week in Senegal. He met with Senegal’s president, Macky Sall, who is the current chairman of the African Union, on Monday.
Ukraine will be sending “boats full of seeds for Africa,” Kuleba said said at a joint press briefing with his Senegalese counterpart, Aissata Tall Sall. “We will do our best until the last breath to continue exporting Ukrainian grain to Africa and the world for food security.”
Many African countries depend heavily on grain imports from Russia and Ukraine. Amid market shortages, Russia has sought to portray the West as the villain, blaming it for rising food prices.
Western leaders, meanwhile, have accused the Kremlin of cynically using food as a weapon and waging an imperial-style war of conquest.
KYIV, Ukraine — The head of the company operating Europe’s largest nuclear plant says Ukraine is considering restarting the Russian-occupied facility to ensure its safety as winter approaches.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Energoatom President Petro Kotin said the company could restart two of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s reactors in a matter of days.
“If you have low temperature, you will just freeze everything inside. The safety equipment will be damaged,” he said.
Fears that the war in Ukraine could cause a radiation leak at the Zaporizhzhia plant prompted the shutdown of its remaining reactors. The plant has been damaged by shelling, prompting international alarm over the potential for a disaster.
BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reiterated that, in his view, “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine are inviolable.”
“The sham referendums and the Russian initiative to annex parts of Ukraine are in breach of international law and without value. They are null and void for us,” he said during a Tuesday news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Scholz said Germany and the Netherlands will continue to stand by and support Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression.
He said both countries are training Ukrainian mine removal teams and will continue to work closely to provide weapons to Ukraine, as they have already done with howitzers.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has formally ruled out talks with Russia following its illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.
Zelenskyy’s decree released Tuesday declares that holding negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin has become impossible after his decision to annex four regions of Ukraine. The decree enacted a decision by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council to bolster Ukrainian defenses and seek more weapons from the country’s Western allies in response to Moscow’s move.
Russia’s upper house of parliament on Tuesday ratified the treaties that make the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine part of Russia. Putin is expected to sign their official adhesion later in the day, completing the annexation.
The Kremlin responded to Zelenskyy by saying that it will wait for Ukraine to sit down for talks on ending the conflict, noting that it may not happen until a new Ukrainian president takes office.
ANKARA, Turkey — Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis has called for the deployment of more weapons from Western allies to Ukraine following the partial mobilization of reserve troops announcement by Russia.
In a video address to a conference in Turkey’s capital on Russia’s war against Ukraine on Tuesday, Perebyinis said the additional weapons would not lead to an escalation but help to end the war sooner.
“We need additional long-range artillery and ammunition, combat aircrafts, and armed vehicles to continue the liberation of the occupied territories,” the deputy minister said. “We need anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems to secure our civilians and critical infrastructure from the terrorist attacks on the Russian forces.”
Perebyinis said: “such assistance doesn’t lead to escalation; it will only bring the end of the war closer. The sooner Ukraine receives weapons, the sooner the war will be over and more lives of Ukrainians will be saved.”
Western weapons have helped Ukraine launch a counterattack that has forced a Russian retreat from some previously conquered terrain.
KYIV, Ukraine — The city council of Kyiv says it is providing evacuation centers with potassium iodine pills in preparation for a possible nuclear strike on the capital, Ukraine’s largest city.
Potassium iodine pills can help block the absorption of harmful radiation by the thyroid gland if taken just before or immediately after exposure to nuclear radiation.
The pills will be distributed to residents in areas contaminated by nuclear radiation if there is a need to evacuate, the city council said in a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he would “use all the means at our disposal” to win the war while his ground forces retreat from a Ukrainian counterattack.
KYIV, Ukraine — Tesla CEO Elon Musk has proposed his own peace plan for Ukraine that would include a redo of referendums in Russian-occupied regions, triggering a wave of criticism from Ukrainians including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Musk argued Monday that Russia should be allowed to keep Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula that it annexed in 2014 and that Ukraine adopt a neutral status, dropping its bid to join NATO. The tech billionaire also argued that the four Ukrainian regions that Russia has just moved to annex following Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” denounced by the West as a sham should hold repeat votes organized by the United Nations.
Musk launched a Twitter poll to ask whether those regions should remain part of Ukraine or become part of Russia.
In a sarcastic response, Zelenskyy suggested a Twitter poll of his own: “Which Elon Musk do you like more? “One who supports Ukraine” or “One who supports Russia.”
And Andrii Melnyk, the outgoing Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, responded to Musk’s proposal with a four-letter word.
Musk replied to Zelenskyy that “I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world.”
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian troops are making “substantial gains” in both the east and south of the country, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War says.
In the east, the institute said, Ukrainian forces pushing from Lyman in the Donetsk region may have gone as far as the border of neighboring Luhansk as they advance eastward toward the city of Kreminna.
The gains in the east and on the southern front around Kherson are noteworthy because Russian troops there “were previously considered to be among Russia’s premier conventional fighting forces,” the institute said.
MOSCOW — The upper house of the Russian parliament has ratified the treaties with four Ukrainian regions to absorb them into Russia.
The Federation Council voted quickly Tuesday to endorse the treaties making the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions part of Russia. The vote came a day after the lower house endorsed the pacts following the Kremlin-orchestrated “referendums” in the four regions that Ukraine and the West have rejected as a sham.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is now expected to quickly sign the ratification treaties to complete the process of absorbing the regions even as intense fighting is raging in those areas.
The move by Russia is seen as an escalation of its war effort since it could interpret attacks by Ukrainian forces in those areas as aggressions on its own territory.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s presidential office says at least five civilians have been killed and another 10 have been wounded in the latest Russian shelling.
It said Tuesday that one person was killed when Russian missiles struck Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. A doctor was killed and two nurses were also wounded when Russian shelling hit a hospital in the Kharkiv region.
The southern city of Nikopol across the Dnieper River from the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant came under intense shelling that damaged more than 30 houses, a school and several stores. The shelling interrupted water supplies and led to partial blackouts.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, said the director general of Ukraine’s and Europe’s largest power plant, Ihor Murashov, has been released from Russian custody after his detention last week.
“I welcome the release,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi tweeted. “I have received confirmation that Mr. Murashov has returned to his family safely.”
Murashov was blindfolded and detained after leaving the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Friday.
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— 10 torture sites in 1 town: Russia sowed pain, fear in Izium
MOSCOW — The Russian military on Monday acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces have broken through Moscow’s defenses in the Kherson region.
Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in his daily briefing that “With numerically superior tank units in the direction of Zolota Balka and Oleksandrivka, the enemy managed to forge deep into our defenses.”
Konashenkov added that “Russian troops have occupied a pre-prepared defensive line and continue to inflict massive fire damage” on Kyiv’s forces.
MOSCOW — The lower house of the Russian parliament voted Monday to endorse the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia.
The unanimous vote by the State Duma followed the signing of the treaties by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of the four regions on Friday after the Kremlin-orchestrated referendums that were rejected by Ukraine and the West as having no legal validity.
The vote was unanimous on each of the four treaties, but the number of yes votes ranged from 409 to 413, apparently because some lawmakers were slow to push the voting buttons.
WASHINGTON — White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says Ukraine has made gains in the northeast of the country where they are pushing up against the Luhansk region, and he said they are making gains in the south, too.
“They’re absolutely on the move here,” Kirby said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program. “And like you’ve heard President Biden saying, we’re going to continue to make sure we can give them the weapons and capabilities so they can continue that sign of progress.”
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian shelling of eight Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours has killed two civilians and injured 14 more, Ukraine’s presidential office reported Monday.
A missile strike was carried out on the city of Zaporizhzhia, capital of the Zaporizhzhia region, parts of which are under Russian control and which has been illegally annexed by Moscow.
Russian forces fired some 10 S-300 anti-aircraft missiles at the city and two nearby villages, according to the presidential office. The strike destroyed a rehabilitation center for children with special needs; one person was injured.
Cities across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were also shelled. In Nikopol, a frequent target of Russian shelling, power lines were damaged, as were a dozen residential buildings and private houses.
MOSCOW — The Kremlin says no final decision has been made on the territory of two of the four regions it plans to incorporate into Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Donetsk and Luhansk regions would join Russia as defined by administrative borders that existed before a conflict erupted there in 2014. He noted that the issue of the borders of the two other regions – Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – remains open.
“We will continue to discuss that with residents of those regions,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties on Friday to make the four regions part of Russia in a move rejected by Ukraine and its Western allies. The lower house of Kremlin-controlled parliament is set to ratify the treaties Monday and the upper house will follow Tuesday.
Russia controls virtually all of the Luhansk region and about 60% of the Donetsk region that together makes Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. In the south, Russia controls most of the Kherson region and a significant part of the Zaporizhzhia region.
WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday to protest to protest Russia’s illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions last week. The Polish Foreign Ministry said it’s a coordinated action across Europe Union countries.
Russian Ambassador Sergey Andreev defended Russia’s annexation of the territories. Speaking to reporters after the meeting Andreev said the four former territories of Ukraine “will forever remain Russian territories. This is by no means a breach of international law, it is an act of self-determination.”
He was also asked about the large numbers of Russian men fleeing the country. He replied: “Yes, there are people who are fleeing, but this is how our society cleanses itself of those who are not part of our nation.”
___ LONDON -- The Joint Expeditionary Force group of northern European nations will meet Monday to discuss the safety of undersea pipelines and cables after blasts ruptured two natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said.
Wallace said the virtual meeting has been called by the U.K. and the Netherlands. The force brings together troops from 10 countries, including the Baltic and Nordic nations, and has seen its importance increase since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Wallace also said Britain will acquire two specialist ships to protect undersea cables and pipes, with the first “multi-role survey ship for seabed warfare” operational by the end of next year.
BELGOROD, Russia — Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia’s Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, reported Monday that Ukrainian shelling of a village near the border killed a 48-year-old woman.
The shells, Gladkov said in a statement posted on Telegram, hit the center of the village of Golovchino, damaging several buildings. It wasn’t immediately clear if there were other casualties, according to the statement. ___
MOSCOW — Russia’s top diplomat Monday compared Western military support for Ukraine to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.
Addressing the lower house of the Russian parliament before it voted to ratify the treaties for four regions of Ukraine to join Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of rallying allies to counter Russia in Ukraine just as Nazi Germany relied on European resources when it invaded the Soviet Union.
“The U.S. has mobilized practically all of the collective West to turn Ukraine into an instrument of war against Russia, just as Hitler mobilized military resources of most European nations to attack the Soviet Union,” Lavrov said.
Presenting the treaties with the four regions to lawmakers before the vote, Lavrov said they marked “the logical continuation of the process of reunification of Russian lands.”
___ MOSCOW -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says criticism of Russia’s military leadership by Chechnya’s regional leader was driven by emotions.
Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, scathingly criticized the Russian military command over the weekend, saying that the Russian retreat from the city of Lyman in eastern Ukraine was a result of incompetence and nepotism.
Kadyrov also called for the use of low-yield nuclear weapons in Ukraine to reverse the tide of the conflict in Russia’s favor.
Asked about Kadyrov’s statements, Peskov said they were driven by emotions.
“Even in difficult moments, emotions must be excluded while making assessments,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters Monday. “We prefer to stick to well-balanced, objective assessments.”
Responding to Kadyrov’s comments on nuclear weapons, Peskov said conditions for their use are outlined in Russia’s security doctrine, adding that “there could be no other reasons” for their deployment.
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SAINT JOHN, N. [url=http://www.officialjazzauthenticstore.com/kids-adrian-dantley-jazz- jersey/]Adrian Dantley Jersey[/url] .B. - The Swiss were as surprised as anyone else by their gold-medal victory at the 2014 Ford Womens World Curling Championship. Binia Feltschers inexperienced Flims Curling Club
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#1 | SAINT JOHN, N. [url=http://www.officialjazzauthenticstore.com/kids-adrian-dantley-jazz- jersey/]Adrian Dantley Jersey[/url] .B. - The Swiss were as surprised as anyone else by their gold-medal victory at the 2014 Ford Womens World Curling Championship. Bi 30.10.2018 09:13
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SAINT JOHN, N. Adrian Dantley Jersey .B. - The Swiss were as surprised as anyone else by their gold-medal victory at the 2014 Ford Womens World Curling Championship. Binia Feltschers inexperienced Flims Curling Club foursome upset Canadas Rachel Homan 9-5 in Sundays final at Harbour Station. "Im speechless. Its like dream. Its awesome," Swiss third Irene Schori said. "We were very relaxed. We had nothing to lose and they were under pressure. "We are surprised. We did a great job the whole season, but we never thought we could win a medal at the world championship." Its Switzerlands second womens world title in three years after Mirjam Ott won it in Lethbridge, Alta., in 2012. Feltscher won an Olympic silver medal in 2006 playing third for Ott, but Schori, second Franziska Kaufmann and lead Christine Urech made their world championship debuts in Saint John. It was a deflating end for Canadas Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle out of the Ottawa Curling Club. The host country boasted an 11-1 tournament record going into Sundays final, but a devastating eighth end cost Canada. Leading 5-3 after seven, the Swiss scored three points on Canadian mistakes and Homan couldnt recover. More errors in the ninth forced Homan into a low percentage angle raise double takeout with her final throw. The Canadian skip missed and gave up a steal of three for the first time in the tournament. Down four points coming home, even a team as potent with the hammer as Homans had been couldnt generate four points. "Im disappointed we didnt finish off that last game," a stoic Homan said. "We had a really good week. "The whole game we just werent quite making the shots we needed to make." Homan went undefeated to win a second Canadian championship and earn a return trip to the world championship. The skip missed her last shot of the semifinal in Riga, Latvia, last year to give up the steal of a point and the win to eventual champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland. The Canadians settled for bronze in Riga and came to Saint John bent on moving two steps up the podium, not one. Muirhead opted to focus on the Winter Olympics in Sochi instead of participating in playdowns for this world championship. Canadas lone loss of the preliminary round was to Switzerland on Day 2. With runbacks and raises, Homan drained the Swiss of their offence in Fridays playoff game between the tournaments top two seeds. The Swiss felt no weight of expectations and Canada did. "A silver medal is still an improvement from the bronze last year," Kreviazuk said. "We worked so hard this year. It feels good to come out of this with at least a medal. "Tomorrow were going to look at the silver and be a lot happier. Right now, its a little tough to swallow. Im still proud and happy. I know I will be tomorrow." Winnipegs Jennifer Jones went undefeated in Sochi to claim Olympic womens curling gold last month, but Canada hasnt won a world womens title since Jones in 2008 in Vernon, B.C. Homan and Miskew led in shooting percentages at their position prior to the final, but shot 61 and 63 per cent, respectively Sunday. "They just made more mistakes than they usually make," Feltscher said through an interpreter. In the eighth end, Kreviazuk needed to put her draw on the top of the four-foot rings, but her stone stayed top 12. Miskews draw was heavy and Homan missed a freeze with her first shot of the end. She threw big weight to chip off one of her own stones to the button and missed, leaving Feltscher with a draw for three. "I thought I stuck it for shot and it just kept spinning," Homan said. The future of Homans team in Canadian curling remains bright if they continue on together as a team. Weagle, who turns 29 on Monday, is getting married in July. Her teammates are all 25 or under and in the early stages of their careers after earning their university degrees. The South Koreans, Chinese and Russians are full-time, paid athletes. The federations focus on a chosen few because those countries dont have Canadas depth. Canada determines its international representatives via the natural selection of regional, provincial and national playdowns. Qualifying for Canadas 2017 trials requires travelling to World Curling Tour events across Canada throughout the winter to earn ranking points. Thats a difficult commitment when juggling careers and families. "Its not a discussion weve had, but I cant see the girls backing down anytime soon," Kreviazuk said. "Youll probably see a lot of us." Kelly Scott, winner of the womens world title in 2007, recently announced her team is disbanding. "At this point, all the ladies are assessing where curling fits into their busy lives; complete with careers and young families," Scott said in a statement. Jones, 39, has a young daughter. It is unclear at this point if she wants to commit to another Olympic quadrennial. Earle Morris, who had a cult following at Harbour Station, has coached Homan for the better part of the last decade. He wasnt certain he would be coaching them next season because he too may take a break. "I think they will have a great future," Morris said. "The problem with curling and stereotypically with women is life gets in the way. We just have to hope thats not going to happen with this team. It would be hard to replace anybody on this team in their position. "Your motivation, suddenly its not the most important thing in the world when you have a little baby to worry about or a family to raise or work commitments. It is a challenge for women more so than men in that regard." Anna Sidorova claimed the first womens world curling championship medal for Russia by scoring two in the 10th and stealing one in an extra end in a 7-6 win over South Koreas Ji-sun Kim. "I just dont have enough words to describe my feelings," said Sidorova, who went 3-6 in Sochi. "Now Im pretty sure we are able to play at a really high level and were able to beat everybody. We just need to execute well and believe in ourselves sometimes." Albertas Kevin Koe won the Tim Hortons Brier and will represent Canada at the mens world championship Saturday to April 6 in Beijing. The 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held in Moose Jaw, Sask., and Sapporo, Japan will be the host of next years womens world championship. Saint John drew approximately 44,000 people to Harbour Station for the nine-day event. The last world curling championship at Harbour Station in 1999 drew 96,000 when it combined both mens and womens events. Since they were split into two separate events in 2005, Grande Prairie, Alta., holds the attendance record for the womens event at 60,000 the following year. Dante Exum Jersey . -- Canadian Erik Bedard pitched into the fifth inning in his bid to win a spot in Tampa Bays rotation, helping the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Saturday. John Stockton Jersey .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. http://www.officialjazzauthenticstore.com/kids-donovan-mitchell-jazz-jersey/ .com) - It may just be the right place and the right opponent for the Detroit Red Wings to snap their longest losing streak of the season.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have reassigned defenceman Tim Erixon to their American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass. Erixon skated in two games for Columbus earlier this season and was a healthy scratch in the Blue Jackets 5-2 win over Washington on Thursday night. Jae Crowder Jersey. He has four goals and 19 assists and a +6 plus/minus rating in 25 games with Springfield in 2013-14. 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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. [url=http://www.cheaplouisvillejerseys.com/]Louisville Jerseys From China[/url] . -- The Jacksonville Jaguars and free agent defensive tackle Red Bryant have reached agreement on a four-year contract. The deal Saturday will reunite Bryant with his former Seattle co-ordinator, Jaguar » « MOOSE JAW, Sask. [url=http://www.cheapoklahomajerseys.com/]Stitched Oklahoma Jerseys[/url] . - Logan Nelson and Jack Walker scored shootout goals and Patrik Polivka made 31 saves through overtime to lift the Victoria Royals over the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-3 in Western Hockey League action on Monday. Joe
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10:52 am 1 January 2020
Violet is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. The gentlemen aren’t beating down her door.
Only Violet understands him. And she knows he’s not what he seems.
She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable… Love.
Cheeky Royal By Nana Malone Free!!
9:18 am 2 December 2019
I never wanted the throne...
I have a plan: find my long-lost brother & make him the prince so I don't have to rule.
The last thing I have time for is my sexy new neighbor. She's everything I don't want, sassy, funny and...not available.
That's okay--I'm amazing best-guy-friend material.. Friends? Sure. Anything more? Definitely not.
All I have to do is not touch her, kiss her or fantasize about...never mind...
It's not like I have a choice. With my secrets, I can't let her find out who I really am. My secrets could get us both killed.
5:43 pm 30 November 2019
Esme Crabb has spent a lifetime in the mountains trying to stir up good gravy from watery “poor-do”. And she’s had no help from her ne’er-do-well father or silly sisters. The family lives rough and gets by beholden to their neighbors. Esme was hoping the twins could marry well, but like everything that needs doing in her family, it seems she has to do it herself.
Starting from Zero (Starting From #1) by Lane Hayes 3.5 Stars!!
9:08 am 28 November 2019
ustin Cuevas is going through a rough patch. A broken relationship, a scandal, and the demise of his band have shaken the aspiring rock star’s confidence. Working two jobs and sleeping on his friend’s sofa isn’t ideal, but Justin isn’t ready to give up yet. With a little luck, he’s hoping to re-launch his music career in LA with his new band, Zero. The key is to stay focused, and not get distracted by his past…or the sexy songwriter he can’t get out of his head.
Gray Robertson has written dozens of hits and worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. But he’s never met anyone like Justin. The younger man is fiery, passionate, and smart. A powerful voice for a new generation. Other than an unforgettable one-night stand and a passion for music, the two men have nothing in common. Or do they? Justin knows the out-of-the-blue challenge to write a quintessential love song is a huge opportunity. And it’s the ultimate test for someone who’s doesn’t believe in happily ever after. When sparks fly, Justin and Gray realize they have a shot something special if they start from zero together. Maybe even love.
The start to a good series set in LA music culture. The romance is really sexy and the age difference is well handled. I like the bisexual rep in this book particularly.
Good chemistry here and good secondary characters that should make for great heroes.
The drama with the older hero's ex is really will done but the drama with the younger hero's ex and the music business is way less engaging.
I am looking forward to the next book with Charlie as the lead.
contemporary romance Lane Hayes male male romance
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell 1.99!!!!
10:11 am 7 November 2019
Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.
Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now—reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be “internet security officer,” he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers—not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.
When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. He can't help being entertained, and captivated, by their stories. But by the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself. What would he even say...?
9:05 am 17 October 2019
Being in love with your best friend is hard.
Henry’s the odd man out. All his friends are settling down, and his reputation as the Hook-Up King of London seems more like a curse than a blessing these days. Especially when it keeps photojournalist Ivo, his best friend and the brilliant man he’s loved since they were fifteen, at arm’s length. But that’s where Ivo wants him, right? Putting aside his feelings, Henry decides to give up casual sex and look for the real deal. After all, he has no chance with Ivo - or does he?
Henry is everything to Ivo. Best friend, soul mate, the one person who has never let him down. The one person he is loyal to above everything and everyone. But Henry’s in a box marked best friend and that’s where Ivo’s kept him for nearly twenty years, despite steadily falling in love with the gentle man. And besides, why would Henry want to date Ivo? Burned out and injured, he’s the walking embodiment of damaged.
Distance has helped Henry and Ivo keep a lid on their attraction, but when they find themselves in the same city for a change—Ivo hurt and needing assistance, and Henry more than willing to provide it—the two best friends grow closer than ever, forcing a realization, and a decision. Risk their friendship for their hearts? Or can they have both?
From the bestselling author of Rule Breaker and Deal Maker comes a tender love story about two best friends who are perfect for each other, and always have been - if only they knew it.
I think that both Ivo and Henry was powerfully depicted in this friends to lovers, loved you forever romance.
Henry is the bee's knees in all his bookworm care taking sexy ginger self. Ivo is pretty damaged and afraid. But all their actions make sense to me so while I might not have like how Ivo processed his feelings all the time, I got it. Plus, he gets therapy which I always like to see with characters who are this wounded.
The love between these heroes is tangible and we get to enjoy the banter and the ache as well as the cast from the series as well as a great dog. Good stuff!
9:52 am 16 October 2019
Sometimes your mouth makes deals that your heart can’t honour.
Jude is a highly successful model, but a very reluctant one. His life is full of casual hook-ups with pretty men in glamorous locations, but it’s still empty. However, circumstances decreed a long time ago that this was his path, so he’s resolutely stayed on it and accepted his fate with good grace. He made a deal with himself and his hook-ups. Get in, get out and no ties with anyone.
However, an accident at home one night leads to him making a new deal and accepting the offer of help from an unlikely source. It leads to an unexpected summer of falling in love with a larger than life man and his child.
But by the end of the summer his reasons for not staying are still valid. Will he turn away? Can he?
Asa is a talented actor who has spent time away from the scene to look after his son. But now he’s back, and the last thing he needs are complications from the gorgeous man who is staying with him. Scarred from too many betrayals, he has no intention of forming a lasting tie with anyone. However, he can’t resist the beautiful man with secrets, and to his horror he develops feelings.
But a deal’s a deal and they said it was just for the summer. What can Asa do with a man who has forever in his eyes and goodbye on his lips?
A wonderful emotionial romance. Jude and Asa resist falling in love but fall they do and it is a joy.
Asa is quick to judge because of his past and this makes him pretty spiky but Jude is just to too lush and really sweet. We have a cool kid in the mix here too which raises the stakes a bit.
Wet get to know each hero as they get to know each and that is the most fun. The circle of friends is here and the banter makes this book very fun.
The HEA is epic and well earned. Enjoy!
9:48 am 15 October 2019
A savior lies in the heart of every good man, but sometimes only love can awaken the man inside the savior.
The world’s had it out for San Francisco firefighter Mace Crawford from the moment he was born. Rescued from a horrific home life and dragged through an uncaring foster system, he’s dedicated his life to saving people, including the men he calls his brothers. As second-in-command of their knitted-together clan, Mace guides his younger siblings, helps out at 415 Ink, the family tattoo shop, and most of all, makes sure the brothers don’t discover his darkest secrets.
It’s a lonely life with one big problem—he’s sworn off love, and Rob Claussen, one of 415 Ink’s tattoo artists, has gotten under his skin in the worst way possible.
Mace’s world is too tight, too controlled to let Rob into his life, much less his heart, but the brash Filipino inker is there every time Mace turns around. He can’t let Rob in without shaking the foundations of the life he’s built, but when an evil from his past resurfaces, Mace is forced to choose between protecting his lies and saving the man he’s too scared to love.
Mace and Rob are on fire together. We have a bit of that hate love going on and the forbidden as well as Mace part owns the tattoo shop where Rob works.
Mace's backstory like all of his foster brother. There is a great deal of outside drama in this book as Mace's past comes back and all the darkness he has tried to hide leaks out but that is all for the good as Mace gets a chance to heal.
The brothers are wonderful as they were in the first book and I would recommend reading this series in order.
I like Rob a great deal and love that he comes with his own support system. Ford really builds a world here and I like coming to hang out with this crew.
12:35 pm 12 October 2019
he hardest thing a rebel can do isn’t standing up for something—it’s standing up for himself.
Life takes delight in stabbing Gus Scott in the back when he least expects it. After Gus spends years running from his past, present, and the dismal future every social worker predicted for him, karma delivers the one thing Gus could never—would never—turn his back on: a son from a one-night stand he’d had after a devastating breakup a few years ago.
Returning to San Francisco and to 415 Ink, his family’s tattoo shop, gave him the perfect shelter to battle his personal demons and get himself together… until the firefighter who’d broken him walked back into Gus’s life.
For Rey Montenegro, tattoo artist Gus Scott was an elusive brass ring, a glittering prize he hadn’t the strength or flexibility to hold on to. Severing his relationship with the mercurial tattoo artist hurt, but Gus hadn’t wanted the kind of domestic life Rey craved, leaving Rey with an aching chasm in his soul.
When Gus’s life and world starts to unravel, Rey helps him pick up the pieces, and Gus wonders if that forever Rey wants is more than just a dream.
us's story is heartbreaking and hard to read. Stark.
I am not usually a fan of second chance romances but Rey and Gus really work for me.
They both were at fault for the end of their earlier relationship and to see them really grow is devine.
The deep love between them (and lust) is a joy to watch. We get a great setting and cast of foster brothers where the family love is as important as the romantic love.
Well written and gripping.
Life According to Liam by V.L. Locey 4 Star Review!!
10:51 am 12 October 2019
There’s always that chance that your heart’s desire is one click away.
Someone needs to pinch web designer/humor blogger/Pittsburgh Ravens mega fan Mike Kneller. Hard. For years, Mike has been living his life for his younger sister Kelly and his four-year-old nephew Liam. He’d opened up his home to Kelly when she found herself pregnant at sixteen and facing having a baby alone. Sure, his days are filled with skinned knees, snotty noses, and the occasional mishap with stuffed superheroes, but he’s perfectly happy because he loves Liam as much as he loves his baby sister. Giving up a social life and going to bed alone is a small price to pay. Little does he know that someone on the Ravens is about to show Ravens goalie Bryn Mettler one of his vlog posts. Of course he’s not going to believe it when his phone rings and the world-famous netminder—and his goalie crush—is on the other end. I mean, life doesn’t work that way for ordinary, hardworking uncles like Mike. Does it?
Bryn Mettler is a superstar athlete and a major part of the Pittsburgh sports society. He seems to have it all. He’s well-dressed, handsome, wealthy, an elite goaltender, a famed philanthropist, and the holder of numerous medals and trophies. To date, there are two things that have avoided him: lifting that big shiny silver cup over his head and finding a man to settle down with. Now that he’s over thirty, Bryn is finding the gay club scene is wearing thin. His teammates’ wives have decided it’s their duty to the team—and to Bryn—to find him Mr. Right. He’s relatively sure the man who’ll capture his heart surely won’t be found on a humor blog. Funny how life likes to take the things that you’re most certain about and flip them—and you—on its ear. When Bryn meets Mike, he is instantly drawn to the warm, funny, sexy man who shares his hectic days with thousands of Pittsburgh natives. Now he just has to convince Mike he is who he says he is so he can get to know him better. Thankfully, Bryn isn’t a quitter. But does he have what it takes to leap into life with Mike, Kelly, and Liam?
This is a fully enjoyable, sweet, low angst romance with wonderful courting between two kind heroes.
We get the fun of a hockey romance with two out heroes mixed in with a charming little kid.
I could read this little gem over and over. If you are looking for a low angst delight, pick this one up!
Starting from Zero By Lane Hayes 99 cents!!
9:44 am 11 October 2019
Justin Cuevas is going through a rough patch. A broken relationship, a scandal, and the demise of his band have shaken the aspiring rock star’s confidence. Working two jobs and sleeping on his friend’s sofa isn’t ideal, but Justin isn’t ready to give up yet. With a little luck, he’s hoping to re-launch his music career in LA with his new band, Zero. The key is to stay focused, and not get distracted by his past…or the sexy songwriter he can’t get out of his head.
Gray Robertson has written dozens of hits and worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. But he’s never met anyone like Justin. The younger man is fiery, passionate, and smart. A powerful voice for a new generation. Other than an unforgettable one-night stand and a passion for music, the two men have nothing in common. Or do they? Justin knows the out-of-the-blue challenge to write a quintessential love song is a huge opportunity. And it’s the ultimate test for someone who’s doesn’t believe in happily ever after. When sparks fly, Justin and Gray realize they have a shot something special if they start from zero together. Maybe even love.
5:50 pm 29 September 2019
Cat-shifting King Kirill knows he must do his royal duty by his people. When his father unexpectedly dies, it’s his destiny to take the throne and all of the responsibility that entails. What he hadn’t prepared for is the troublesome prisoner that’s now his to deal with.
Undercover Agent Ulyssa is no man’s captive. Trapped in a primitive alien forest awaiting pickup, she’s going to make the best out of a bad situation… which doesn’t include falling for the seductions of an alpha male king.
Stealing Mr. Right by Tamara Morgan 99 cents!
10:16 am 28 September 2019
Penelope Blue has the perfect life, and the perfect husband. Well, except for the fact that he works for the FBI...and she's a thief. What's the saying? Keep your friends close...and your husband closer.
Being married to a federal agent certainly has its perks. This way a savvy jewel thief always knows what the enemy is up to. Plus, who doesn't love the way a G-man looks in a suit? Penelope spends her days lifting jewels and her nights tracking the Bureau should have been a genius plan. But the closer Penelope gets to Grant Emerson, the more dangerous this feels.
It turns out that the only thing worse than having a mortal enemy is being married to one. Because in their game of theft and seduction, only one of them will come out on top.
Good thing a cat burglar always lands on her feet.
The Rancher’s Baby by Maisey Yates 99 cents!!
11:21 am 24 September 2019
When a torrid, possibly dangerous scandal comes to Royal, Texas, Selena Jacobs is nearly caught in the middle. Until her best friend Knox McCoy ensures her safety—by moving in! Selena has loved Knox for years, but she’s never had the courage to tell him. Now the sparks she’s tried to smother burn out of control…and leave her pregnant. But with the pain in his past, will Knox finally take a chance on love…with her?
The Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan $2.99!!
11:25 am 23 September 2019
Roller derby girl Gretchen "Honey Badger" Badgerton lives in the moment, no apologies. Like every woman in Pleasant Park with a pulse, she finds Dr. Jared Fine irresistible, but she's taken by surprise when her unattainable new neighbor asks her out.
On paper, Jared is the perfect man: gorgeous, wealthy and charitable. But his golden image is just that, and opening an upstate practice is a welcome chance to start a new life. When Gretchen stops to help him with a flat tire, he's intrigued by her feisty attitude—and her sexy body art. There's something refreshing about being with a take-charge woman who doesn't expect him to be anything but himself.
Though Gretchen is hesitant to shatter Jared's "bad girl" illusion of her, she has to face facts: she's fallen for the good doctor. She's used to putting everyone else's needs before hers, but as their relationship heats up, can she handle having someone take care of her for a change?
11:35 am 22 September 2019
American heiress Amelia Hathaway needs to start anew.
Her husband cheated on her, and when everything she wanted in life slipped through her fingers, she fell apart. When she did, she took another heart wrenching hit as she lost the respect of her children.
When her ex took her family from California to live in the small town of Magdalene in Maine, Amelia decided it was time to sort herself out. In order to do that and win her children back, she moves to Cliff Blue, an architectural masterpiece on the rocky coast of Magdalene.
Her boxes aren’t even unpacked when she meets Mickey Donovan, a man who lives across the street, a man so beautiful Amelia takes one look at Mickey and knows she wants it all from him.
The problem is, she finds out swiftly that he’s friendly, he’s kind, but he doesn’t want everything back.
Amelia struggles to right past wrongs in her life at the same time find out who she wants to be. She also struggles with her attraction to the handsome firefighter who lives across the street.
But Amelia will face a surprise when her friendly neighbor becomes not-so-friendly. As Amelia and Mickey go head to head, Amelia must focus on winning back the hearts of her children.
She soon discovers she also must focus on winning the heart of a handsome firefighter who understands down to his soul the beautiful heiress who lives across the street is used to a life he cannot provide.
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A Taliban commander has confirmed the death of the leader of the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
Tahir Yuldashev was killed during a US airstrike in late August, an unnamed senior Taliban commander told The News.
“[It is] true he is dead,” the Taliban leader told the Pakistani newspaper. “Unfortunately he was staying at the same house which was struck by the drone in South Waziristan in August.”
While the commander did not identify the location of the strike, there was only one attack in late August, the Aug. 27 strike in the village of Kanigoram in Taliban-controlled South Waziristan. Eight Taliban fighters and Uzbek fighters were reported killed in the attack.
Yuldashev’s death was first reported on Sept. 28, when a man who said he was a bodyguard for Yuldashev called Radio Ozodlik, the Uzbek service for Radio Liberty, and said the leader had died from wounds one day after the strike. According to the caller, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan was trying to hide Yuldashev’s death.
In an interview last Friday, a senior Taliban leader denied Yuldashev had been killed.
“Qari Tahir Yuldashev is alive and safe,” Qari Hussain Mehsud, the notorious trainer of child suicide bombers and a senior commander in the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan told Dawn. “Reports about his death in a drone attack are baseless.”
But Pakistani intelligence officials have insisted Yuldashev was killed in the strike. “The man has kicked the bucket,” a senior Pakistani government official told Dawn last week. Yuldashev reportedly was rushed to a hospital in the neighboring district of Zhob in Baluchistan province after losing an arm and a leg during the strike.
Yuldashev’s successor has not been formally announced. The man who identified himself as Yuldashev’s bodyguard said Yuldashev had been replaced by “an ethnic Tatar by name of Abdurakhman.” An Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader known as Zubair ibn Abdurakhman is said to serve as the group’s spokesman as well as a leader of a faction of the group.
Another report in Dawn indicated that a leader named Usman Jan has taken control of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
Fifth senior terrorist killed in Pakistan since the beginning of August
According to the Taliban commander who confirmed Yuldashev’s death, the terrorist chieftan was terrified of being killed in a US airstrike.
“None can escape death as finally he died in a drone attack that worried him a lot,” the Taliban leader said.
Yuldashev had good reason to worry, as the US has been headhunting for senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders in North and South Waziristan for the past year.
The US has had fantastic success over the past two months. Including the Aug. 5 strike that killed Baitullah Mehsud, who was the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, five senior leaders have been killed in US strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
Also thought killed are: Ilyas Kashmiri, the operations commander of the Harakat-ul-Jihad-Islami and the operations chief of Brigade 313; Najmuddin Jalolov, the leader of the Islamic Jihad Group, a breakaway faction of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; and Mustafa al Jaziri, a senior military commander for al Qaeda who sits on al Qaeda’s military shura.
The US has carried out 78 airstrikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas since January 2008, whereas only 10 strikes were launched during the preceding four years. Since January 2008, 15 top-tier al Qaeda and Taliban leaders and 16 second-tier commanders have been killed [see See LWJ report, “Analysis: A look at US airstrikes in Pakistan through September 2009” for a breakdown of the strike data].
Yuldashev took command of the radical Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan after Juma Namangani was killed by anti-Taliban fighters from the Northern Alliance during the US invasion of Afghanistan in November 2001. Namangani and Yuldashev had co-founded the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in 1998.
Yuldashev is said to have been one of the senior commanders battling US forces during Operation Anaconda in the Shahi-Kot Valley in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Paktia in March 2002.
The IMU is closely allied with al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban. Yuldashev’s fighters shelter in North and South Waziristan; there are an estimated 2,500 to 4,000 IMU fighters based in the tribal regions.
The IMU is strong in northern Afghanistan, where, over the past two years, the insurgency has been revitalized. The Taliban and the IMU have carried out attacks against NATO’s new supply corridor from Tajikistan through the northern provinces of Kunduz and Baghlan. The Taliban, with the help of the IMU, control several districts in Kunduz and Baghlan. As many as 80 al Qaeda-linked militants, including Uzbeks and Chechens, are operating in areas southwest of Kunduz City.
The IMU has also extended its violent reach into Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to the north. Under the command of Mullah Abdullah, a force of 300 IMU and Taliban fighters attacked a police station in the town of Tavil-Dara in Tajikistan on July 9. Abdullah is thought to have crossed from Kunduz into Tajikistan several weeks before the attack. Eleven days later, the IMU attacked a remote military checkpoint in Tajikistan near the Afghan border. Five IMU fighters were killed during the assault.
Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
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October 4, 2009 at 11:52 pm
They can claim that there are always more “lions” ready to take the place of their leaders, but it has to be demoralizing to see their leaders (along with decades of combat experience) being constantly knocked off.
David M says:
October 5, 2009 at 11:58 am
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 10/05/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Tyler says:
October 5, 2009 at 12:19 pm
You have to figure there’s a ‘Reservoir Dogs’ effect happening in Northwest Pakistan right now. Everyone curious who among them is responsible for so many legendary mujahideen being felled by pilotless propeller planes.
chris says:
October 7, 2009 at 2:30 am
the predator strikes are certainly effective at eliminating taliban leaders but the concerns are that we will turn the population against us by crossing into pakistan and unintentionally harming civilian collaterally. i don’t know. i would defer to someone more knowledgeable.
noteptc says:
October 8, 2009 at 4:41 am
You have to figure there’s a ‘Reservoir Dogs’ effect happening in Northwest Pakistan right now. Everyone curious who among them is responsible for so many legendary mujahideen being felled by pilotless propeller planes.
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What is the reason for the conflict? It is simply a difference in thinking, understanding, and opinions. When two strong individuals are at the opposite end of a conversation with opposing concepts then it is going to become an obvious conflict. This can result in argument and tension where no one is willing to compromise. Conflict can be exhausting as well as informative but it remains an integral part of human life.
It proves an emotionally drain on our system and has the power to disrupt our daily routine to a considerable point. In order to regain efficiency and ease frustration, you need to try strategies that will help you to avoid conflict.
3) Listening to your opponent
5) Stop being defensive
Misunderstandings are an important reason for argument and you need to sort it out immediately if you want to avoid conflict. Remember we all are different in nature and we all look at things differently. A half a glass of water looks half-full to one person and half-empty to another. Do not let a misunderstanding become a reason for a fight. Conflict is a waste of energy and time as nothing productive and beneficial is going to come out of it. It is a toxic emotion that can make life unpleasant for both the person’s involved in an argument.
If it is not resolved immediately it can change the relationship dynamics for worse hence nip it in the bud and solve the issue.
Being judgemental can be an offense in any relationship. Sometimes the first impressions are quite different from the later ones. Take time to understand the perspective of the person at the other end before going for his throat and starting an argument. When you see a conflict of interest try understanding his point of view and wait until you gather all the relevant information before you make your move.
Do not make snap judgments as it is a sure way of getting into an argument. Be patient and understanding so that you can easily avoid conflict.
3) Listening to your opponent
One sure way to avoid conflict is by listening to your opponent as this will help you to comprehend the actual problem. When someone is angry it leads to emotional mayhem and stress. Listen to what he is saying and do not try to convince him that he is wrong. Understand his reasoning and give him the necessary time to cool down.
Now sit with him and try talking like two reasonable adults and explain your point of view. Acknowledge his stand and explain that you are ready for a compromise. Your willingness to understand and listen to him will convince him of your genuine efforts and will ultimately avoid conflict.
A calm and collected personality will invoke a feeling of confidence in the person sitting before you. He will listen to your voice of reasoning because you have maintained your dignity and have not started an argument to prove your point. Two people fall in a conflict when they lose their cool and start shouting to prove themselves right. It is not a war just a difference of opinion.
Remember to listen to him and then put forward your own viewpoint. Be practical in your approach and keep aside your emotional outburst. This dispassionate and logical thinking will help to avoid conflict and bring forth a viable resolution.
5) Stop being defensive
It is important to be objective if you want to avoid conflict. Unresolved issues have a habit of popping up at unfortunate times and causing havoc in life and relationships. When an individual turns defensive he shuts down his ability to comprehend the issue and gets stuck at a definite point. It becomes impossible to move him from there and convince him of other possibilities.
Do not become that person. Denying responsibility will not solve any issues for you instead will cause stress and concern. Why not be considerate and try to come at a compromise so that you can avoid conflict altogether.
One cannot be always right or wrong remember there is a grey area in between. When you are on the verge of an argument and are sure that it is going to escalate into a conflict, take a step back and contemplate the situation. Never ever demand that your adversary understand the situation from your position and that you are right. Take the first step yourself and try to recognize whether he is right.
When you open yourself to other possibilities you are stepping on a neutral and grey zone where the chances to find a resolution is greater. Your efforts will encourage the other person to find his grey area. Contemplating and compromising are sure ways of avoiding a conflict.
Emotional imbalances are the main reason for conflict and it can lead to the argument, tension, and abuse. Before pointing at the other person it is important that you look at yourself. Learn to maintain outward control even though you are seething inside as emotional outbursts of any kind are not going to solve any issues. Do not overreact or become sensitive. Be patient and remember that you do not have any right to discount his opinions. If you are not in agreement with him try to discuss with him rationally.
Remember conflicts cause anxiety and it must be avoided at all costs. Even if the other person loses his cool, sit back and keep quiet so that he can realize his mistake. Control your emotions if you want to avoid conflict.
Stop mind reading your opponent instead of opting for open communication if you want to avoid conflict. How will you know what the other person is thinking if you do not open viable communication channels between yourselves? Presuming to know the answer is never good for any relationship as it can cause misunderstandings and hostility. Listening and talking openly is the key to successful negotiations.
Never forget to listen, do not interrupt someone when he is speaking, and stop sounding disinterested if the other person is trying to convince you. Do not underestimate the importance of open communication between two people. Stop playing the blame game and think of it as an opportunity to analyze the situation from the viewpoint of both the parties.
Winning the argument is not more important than resolving the current issue. So make the argument a discussion instead of a potential conflict. Mutual understanding will help you to avoid conflict so try respecting each other’s viewpoint. Do not make any negative comments on your adversary especially about his personality or character.
This will take the conversation to another level and it will be impossible to save it from going downhill. Negative perceptions from both sides will result in a full-blown conflict so try avoiding it at all costs. Try to be the one who takes the first step towards resolving the issue. Show your willingness to avoid conflict by giving your affirmation to discussing it peacefully.
If you want to avoid conflict then it becomes necessary to create a positive environment around yourself. Try work-outs, meditation, deep breathing exercises, praying and soul searching, to relax your mind and body. Whenever you find yourself in a conflicting situation, step back and try for deep breathing so that it can bring forth a serenity and calmness to your mind.
Try for simple changes in your lifestyle, for instance, going for walks, listening to music and talking to positive people. Surround yourself with people who can offer you good and solid advice. All these activities will help you in finding back your balance so that you can gain peace and stability in your life.
Hi, I am an MBA and the CEO of Marketing91. I am a Digital Marketer and an Entrepreneur with 12 Years of experience in Business and Marketing. Business is my passion and i have established myself in multiple industries with a focus on sustainable growth. You can check my recent posts here
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SRM Development has paid $20 million for a large property on Main Street in downtown Bellevue, according to a deed King County posted on Tuesday.
Located at 105th Avenue Southeast, the nine-tenths of an acre is home to a small office building with a Subway restaurant at the base. It’s the last piece of an assemblage, said SRM Managing Principal Jim Rivard.
The Spokane-headquartered company will build a mid-rise apartment project with around 390 units plus retail. Rivard said the market-rate project will be enrolled in the city’s multifamily tax exemption program, which allows 12-year property tax exemptions in exchange for builders setting aside a fifth of the units for low- to moderate income residents.
Also included in the purchase is a parking lot south of the Subway.
Like many other builders, SRM is bullish on downtown Bellevue where it owns five sites with the capacity for around 1,300 multifamily units. Rivard said the acquisition of a sixth property is pending.
For the full article, click here.
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I was very productive during this year’s Swatchathon, thanks to the nervous energy I needed in order to live through the events of January 2021. The topic of this blog is fiber arts, so I don’t get into politics that much, but I am a very political person and I don’t avoid the mention of politics when it affects my fiber arts. I always look forward to my January Swatchathon, when I make time to try out new techniques and make swatches for future projects, but this year, I was looking forward to it because it was January 2021. That is to say, it would no longer be 2020. I think everyone, regardless of their politics, can agree that 2020 was not a good year.
I actually got a jump on my Swatchathon projects in December, when I dropped one of my crummy acrylic gloves on the ground during a walk and couldn’t find it again. I have avoided making gloves because I don’t like using double-pointed needles for the cuffs and fingers, which are too small around to knit on my vastly preferred circular needles. But I needed gloves and I decided that getting over my dislike of DPNs would expand my options for making things that are better than what I can buy. Then I had the brainwave that I could put off using DPNs if I also revisited the two-at-a-time technique, which I had used a few times back at the beginning of my New Knitting Era about a dozen years ago, when I took up knitting again after a decade-long hiatus. I didn’t really like 2AAT that much either, because it can be a bit confusing and the yarns can tangle around each other, but it’s useful when you’re knitting two single-color items that need to be the same size as each other, so I decided it was time to revisit the technique.
I found a free pattern on Ravelry for a basic glove knitted in fingering weight yarn, and I dug out my long-neglected copy of 2-at-a-Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. The instructions disoriented me a bit, but the operation is pretty simple. Using a 40″ circular needle, I cast on stitches for the ribbed cuff of one glove using one ball of yarn, then cast on stitches on the same needle for the other glove using a different ball of yarn. Next I bent the cable at the halfway point of the first set of stitches and pulled out a loop and did the same thing with the second set of stitches. The needle doesn’t have to be 40 inches, but it does need to be long enough to accommodate two sets of stitches with a loop of empty cable at the halfway point of each set of stitches. Put a marker into the bottom edge of the first set of stitches so that you don’t lose track of where you are in the process, and then just knit the stitches on the left needle where two needle points are available. The yarn will come around from the stitches on the back of the left-hand side of the bent cable, and when you knit the yarn from the back to the stitches on the front, you knit in the round. After you knit the stitches on the front, you turn the knitting around and push the stitches you just knitted back on the needle so you can bend the cable and you push the stitches you’re about to knit toward the point of the side of the needle you’re about to knit off from. Generally I find k1p1 ribbing pretty deadly dull, but 2AAT seemed to make it a bit more tolerable.
This picture shows 2AAT knitting after knitting the first round. Note the loops at the halfway point of each cuff and the marker where the needle points meet to knit the first stitch of the first glove
The pattern I chose was a plain vanilla Drops pattern for fingering weight yarn, and I followed it as literally as I could, using bits of leftover sock yarn for the fun of arranging color sequences as a way of relieving the boredom of plain stockinette, and I continued knitting 2AAT until I reached the fingers. The numbers and method the pattern provides are fine, but after I finished the gloves, I decided to make another pair because the fit of the first pair was big in some places and sparse elsewhere. I added a couple more rows before starting the thumb gusset, and next time I use the pattern, I will add several more rows there so that the cuff ribbing doesn’t climb up into the palm of the hand as it does on my current two pairs. I also need a couple of extra rows after knitting the pinky and before knitting the rest of the fingers, which will be a modification for the next pair. Knitting the fingers on four double-pointed needles really wasn’t that awful, although I understand that it’s possible to knit fingers with a double-knitting method that I haven’t figured out yet. Knitting on two circular needles works easily too. So from now on, no more store-bought acrylic gloves.
2AAT gloves in progress. First pinky knitted, second pinky in progress on double-pointed needles
I finished the second pair of gloves on New Year’s Eve, and Charles and I celebrated New Year’s Eve by falling asleep in front of the television at home and generally being relieved that 2020 was finally ending. Unfortunately, January 2021 was just the 13th month of 2020, with more and more people getting sick, hospitalized, and dying from covid without a response from the then-administration, whose only interest in life was to overturn the results of a fair and honest election that the former president really, truly lost because a lot more people legally voted for his opponent than for him. When the would-be dictator talked about defending the rights of the 74 million people who voted for him, he was telling the 81 million of us who didn’t vote for him that we didn’t count. That wasn’t a surprise, since he had been telling us that every single day of the last four nightmarish years, which was why we voted against him. Each passing day of early January highlighted the fragility of the electoral legitimacy we had always taken for granted. What if he succeeded somehow at stealing this election that the states, courts, and his own federal bureaucracy had proven he had lost? My impulse was to wish away these torturous days between then and 20 January, when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were supposed to take office, but I had swatches to make.
2-4 January 2021: Trump extorts Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger, who had certified his state’s victory for Biden, to force him to “find” exactly 11,780 votes in favor of Trump in order to throw the state to Trump’s column. Instead Raffensperger releases the recording of the hour-plus-long phone call, and talk of a second impeachment begins. Since I can’t teleport into a sane world, I commence swatching for another warm sweater for my daughter in Minneapolis using the entire palette of Re:treat chunky roving yarn. I don’t really like the non-neutral colors of the Re:treat palette; they seem off somehow, like some brown got mixed into the dyes. They’re kind of muddy, while also being very saturated. But I have a trick for turning them into something other than the near-misses I see them as: black, white, and gray. I wanted to use one of Barbara Walker’s slip-stitch patterns that make a chevron stripe, but I while I was looking for the right pattern, I found a different one that I knitted up and didn’t like. Then I found the pattern I had in mind, False Flame Stitch, A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, p. 101. After a bit of groping and trial-and-error, I decided to arrange the palette in two groupings, the dark sequence and the light sequence, and in between each, a neutral sequence of light gray/white/black/dark gray. The black/white didn’t brighten the colors, but they gave the arrangements a focal point around which they could organize themselves.
The swatch on the bottom is the reject. The top one is for a sweater now in progress
5-6 January 2021: The two Democratic candidates for Senate in Georgia both win their 5 January run-off elections. I had supported the two Democratics with money and effort, and I rejoiced on 6 January when the elections were called for the two of them. I rejoiced for about 5 minutes. Then Trump unleashed a murderous mob on the Capitol, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and the senators, congressmen, and staffers who work there, in order to stop the certification of the President-Elect who had legitimately defeated him. My German friend Eva, in Cologne, messaged me to say that “the Capitol conquest” had made her cry, and I felt simultaneously shame and gratitude for her concern. We had a lively discussion on my Ravelry group, The Interior of My Brain, among the American, German, Canadian, British, and Australian members about whether American democracy could survive, even though this insurrection had ultimately failed to stop the certification of the legitimate president who had defeated the then-current occupant of the office. The Germans were particularly passionate about the subject. When a U.S. president triggers PTSD in Germans, Americans need to pay attention. One of the German members, Mechthild, sent me a gift that brought on one of those allergy attacks that causes a tightness in the throat and wateriness in the eyes: a hat pattern depicting the Capitol Dome in knitted stitches.
Not a week into January 2021 and already all this. Time was no longer working as it used to. How were we going to survive to Joe Biden’s and Kamala Harris’ inauguration on 20 January? Were we even going to survive, with a spiteful Trump still controlling the apparatus of government and the nuclear codes? Well, if time was going to stand still and keep us imprisoned forever in a Trumpian hellscape, I was going to take advantage of this weird blip in the time-space continuum and make A LOT of swatches during this endless January.
First, an experiment with felting, texture, and color pops, using a free pattern from Drops for a hot pad made from very large bobbles knitted in an offset arrangement and felted together until the bobbles were pretty much on top of each other. I knitted (and knitted and knitted) it in the dark gray Re:treat, with intarsia bobbles in feltable yarns left over from other projects for the random bits of color. The piece used up most of a skein in an 11″x13″ rectangle before felting. I decided to hand-felt rather than throw it in the washer as the pattern prescribed, because I wanted to have more hands-on control over how much the piece would felt. I scrubbed it for an hour with liquid dish detergent in alternating hot and cold water, to get an irregularly shaped rectangle of 8.5″x12″, which wasn’t a lot of shrinkage and the bobbles were still pretty far apart. The fabric between the bobbles was pretty dense, which could make a nice fabric for a jacket for me and cozy kitty-cat slippers for Charles, representing the cats of our children’s childhoods, one black for Devil and the other gray for Steve. My older daughter is very keen on my figuring out how to knit these Devil and Steve felted cat slippers so she can knit a pair for herself. For these projects, I will need to knit another swatch with fewer bobbles, machine-felted, to see if I can get a more regular shape and a tighter fabric.
After hand-felting. The distorted and irregular shape is sub-optimal. More swatching required
On the knitting machine, I finally got around to trying out intarsia. It looked pretty straightforward in The Answer Lady’s video. As usual, everything went pear-shaped when I tried it. My Brother machine doesn’t require an intarsia carriage; the settings are on the carriage. I pushed in both part buttons and found the intarsia button underneath the holding cam lever and pushed it in so that I could move the lever all the way to the right to “i” position. Then I laid my yarns over the open latches in the arrangement I wanted. So far, so good, all according to the instructions. Then I moved the carriage, and it made a terrifying grinding noise and stopped dead when it reached the needles. And so did my heart. Nothing gets a reaction out of me quite like a bad noise from my knitting machine. I tried, ever so cautiously, to move the carriage backward, but it didn’t seem eager to move so I turned the release dial and lifted the carriage off the bed to inspect for damage. Nothing jumped out at me, but I’m not much of a diagnostician. I put the carriage back in place as carefully as I could, but it still didn’t seem quite right so I took it off again and backed away slowly. I asked Alison, the British lady who answers all my machine knitting questions, what her diagnosis was, and she asked if the carriage was properly engaged. I thought it had been, but maybe it wasn’t. I tried again, and this time there were no scary noises, so I guess the problem was that I didn’t have the carriage firmly on its rails. Now the problem was that I kept dropping stitches. I made a couple of sad little tangles before I eventually made something that actually looked like intarsia, figuring out along the way that it wasn’t enough to visually check that the latches were open– I had to stick my fingernail into the latches and drag it along the length of the needles in use to make sure they really were open.
The swatch doesn’t look like much, but it taught me the basic mechanics of machine-knit intarsia of
Then there was brioche, which had been a recurring feature of my to-do list for my first several Swatchathons, then was a recurring feature on my didn’t-do list. A couple of years ago I attended a class at Lovelyarns to learn the basics of two-color brioche, and it seemed pretty easy, but the class produced a scarring sensory overload because I was surrounded by needy learners competing at high volume for the instructor’s attention. I produced a few rows of two-color brioche ribbing and called it a day, or a year, or a forever. But a few months ago I ran into a pattern composed of a couple of simple variations of two-color brioche ribbing, and I liked it enough to buy the pattern and yarn. I planned to swatch the pattern during the current Swatchathon, and then I took another look at the finished projects. Not a single one of the FO’s (finished object, knitter jargon) looked good on its wearer. Perhaps part of the problem was my pet peeve, bad photos, but I think that the underlying cause of the bad photos is that the shape of the garment doesn’t suit women who have flesh on their body between the armpit and the hip. But I had this yarn, a hairy sport-weight yarn in red and black, and I thought (still think) that two-color brioche ribbing would be a good way to use it if I can figure out a better garment shape.
Of course I had forgotten the little I had learned about two-color brioche ribbing from that class several years ago, but I thought it would come back quickly. Melissa has an instructional video on YouTube, which I referred to. And for some reason, it did not come back quickly. I was aphasic, the words and motions didn’t make sense to me. I had a mental block of resentment against brioche because… why? Because that class had annoyed me? Because I think brioche might be overhyped? Because I don’t like the abbreviations? Also that hairy yarn might not have been my best choice for trying to learn the technique. But I was determined to learn how to do this, because Melissa shamed me by asking if I needed to schedule a private lesson, and I didn’t want to be one of those people who don’t understand straightforward instructions. So I went looking for the brioche swatch I had knitted at that class, which was still on the needles. I looked closely at the stitches, front and back, and finally Dawn Broke Over Marblehead. Looking at live stitches on the needle, I could now see how the structure worked and why the sequence of the steps produced the two-color ribbing. I knitted a few more rows on the swatch from the class and then started another swatch from scratch. This time I got into the rhythm of it and it was a fun way to knit a two-color rib, a lot more fun than doing a stranded corrugated ribbing. Now I’m looking for a reason to use two-color brioche ribbing.
13 January 2021: Donald J. Trump takes his place in history as the only U.S. President ever to have been impeached twice. In less than a year. One interminable week before Inauguration Day. What will he break on his way out the door?
At this point in our national trauma, I moved on to the crochet phase of my Swatchathon because crochet is both soothing and absorbing and I don’t drink or take sedatives. I managed to finesse a pretty two-sided flower-shaped potholder out of the ten ugliest cotton yarns in the world, which I described fully here.
Side two
When I first got interested in learning crochet, I got a copy of Renate Kirkpatrick’s Freeform Crochet and Beyond. Bullions caught my eye right away, but I didn’t get around to trying them until this current January Swatchathon. They are addictive! Fiddly in exactly the right way to distract an anxious person waiting to see what a despotic “president” might do to avoid being ejected from the White House in a week’s time.
I want to make billions of bullions and put them on everything!
Then my nervous energy found an outlet on a green machine-knit stockinette square, my canvas for experiments with Britt-Marie Christoffersson’s Embroidery on Knitting book. The book provides instructions and diagrams for the basic forms of shapes embroidered on top of knitted stitches, then pages and pages of colorful photographs of variations on the basic theme. I don’t have much experience or proficiency in this form of needle art, but I grabbed a needle and yarn and did it anyway. Experience and proficiency are not required for just doing it.
I liked the shapes and colors so much on this green background that I began thinking about doing a much more elaborate experiment with machine-knit intarsia in a stylized flower shape knitted in pinks and reds. I was starting to envision this intarsia flower at the bottom of a sweater with improvised embroidered worms and medallions swarming all over the upper body. I’m not that great at charting or improvising naturalistic shapes, so I found a chart for a stylized camellia in Susan Duckworth’s Knitting, which I bought when it came out in 1988, glanced at, and never used. It finally found its moment in January 2021. While I don’t like charting my own original designs, I feel absolutely no obligation at all to follow a chart that someone else designed after it launches me on my way. I treated the chart as a way to orient me, since I was doing the colors completely differently, and I didn’t feel a lot of need to count precisely or adhere too closely to the chart as written. But as I worked, I found myself spending more and more time trying to find my place in the chart because I couldn’t really see what I was doing on the machine, since only the wrong side is visible while you’re working and I was using up to 10 different colors at a time, some of which were very similar to the adjacent colors. It was a very time-consuming way to work. But the results were so good that it was worth it, and there are ways to do it much more efficiently, now that I understand the technique. For one thing, highlighter tape, also turning the chart around so that the start of the chart is at the top. That way I’m working downward and can see where I’ve been as well as what I’m about to do.
So you see that keeping track of the ends was a bit complicated
Precision doesn’t seem to matter if the colors are pretty
Let’s throw everything at this green sweater:
20 January 2021: Inauguration Day! The disgraced and detested would-be dictator had searched for but found no way to usurp power and was going to have to get into an aircraft and leave the premises of the White House in time to fumigate the joint for the new President, who, I may have mentioned, was legitimately elected. I watched and rejoiced. Then we got in the car and drove to Philadelphia to celebrate with my two sisters and brother-in-law. We had discussed our exposure to The Disease, determined that we all had been good about avoiding it, and could safely get together. What an incredibly happy day! I needed an Inauguration Day project to knit while I was celebrating the start of a competent and honest U.S. presidency. That would obviously be the Capitol Dome hat pattern that Mechthild had given me as a gift, knitted in white Wollmeise fingering weight yarn. The hat would be a birthday present for my sister Nancy, who has dedicated her life to defending democracy for the last five years. The pattern hit the sweet spot between soothing and interesting, although it wasn’t evident until the hat was finished and blocked how effectively the stitches represented the architecture of the Capitol Dome. The only problem is that the finished hat fits like a large scull cap, which I don’t find attractive or functional. I’m going to have to take out the final decreases and add another couple of inches of the pattern sequence that precedes the decreases. I knitted another hat for Nancy in white Wollmeise DK, which came out perfectly, and one for myself in a bulky gold-flecked single-ply white wool yarn, now my favorite hat.
Everything about the inauguration was a joyous release from the meanness and ugliness of the previous regime. The optimistic and idealistic speeches, the executive orders nullifying the stupidest and most spiteful edicts of the deposed king, the beautiful array of coats among the First and Second Families, fairy-dusted Amanda Gorman, the first press briefing with a polite and amiable press secretary who not only didn’t lie but also didn’t insult journalists… it was like a miracle, it was like the way we used to be, and it felt as if we were finally celebrating the New Year, 20 days late. And then there was Bernie Sanders, cross-legged and hunched against the cold on his metal folding chair in his gray parka and upcycled mittens. A pattern for the mittens appeared on Ravelry before that metal folding chair had a chance to cool. Before I knew it, I was knitting a pair for Charles to use as a prop in a Purim play that he’s performing in, in which he plays the part of Bernie as narrator in a Zoom meeting gone wrong. I used Re:treat yarn again and applied the suddenly ubiquitous color and motif pattern to the Tin Can Knits basic recipe for “The World’s Simplest Mittens.” The mittens closed the circle on my 2021 Swatchathon, ending the way it started, with 2-at-a-time ribbed cuffs.
The pose that launched a million memes
Finally the New Year starts on 20 January 2021. Note the knitwear
Class photo, January 2021 Swatchathon
Now for the “Where Are They Now?” follow-up to the January 2020 Swatchathon. The Class of 2020 was relatively small, but most of the graduates found gainful employment over the course of the year.
Class of 2020 January Swatchathon
Clockwise from the left, gray and white stranded snowflakes: This swatch spawned two distinguished products of 2020. In February 2021, I’m wearing mine as I type. I’m pretty sure that as soon as Dr. Baby, in Minneapolis, gets home from treating patients at the VA, she’s going to put hers on too as a favorite component of her Professional Napping Uniform.
Double knitted intarsia, dark red and aqua dots: Yes, it was doable. Here’s where it ended up:
Plain off-white cotton machine-knit stockinette swatch: Its time will come, but it wasn’t in 2020. I would like to make a summer top out of that yarn with a lot of improvised hand-manipulated distressed holes around the edges. Some day. Summer 2021? Maybe.
Red and black mosaic stitch scorpions: It was a long labor and a complicated birth, but eventually Delirium Tremens was born.
Next time Charles needs an author photo, I think he should use this one
Hand-knit and machine-knit entrelac: Hand-knit entrelac is not my jam, but I have spent a lot of the last year on machine-knit entrelac. During the 2020 Swatchathon, I practiced Susan Guagliumi’s bridging method, which keeps all of the stitches on the needles and achieves the joining of the side stitches of the previous sequence with the side stitch of the new rectangle by using the transfer tool to move the stitches of the previous sequence toward the new rectangle. I used this technique to make the neck bands for reversible ponchos for my two sisters in Philadelphia.
I might not enjoy hand knitting entrelac, but the exercise of increasing and decreasing the size of the rectangles gave me insights into the shaping of the sleeves and yoke of this all-entrelac-all-the-time machine knit tunic that I’m just finishing. Details in my next post.
May the January 2022 Swatchathon find us all in a better state of mind than the January 2021 Swatchathon did.
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14 thoughts on “January 2021 Swatchathon”
February 20, 2021 at 10:41 am
What a marathon blog! But what a collection of knitwear and swatches. Congratulations on a very productive start to 2021.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 20, 2021 at 10:43 am
Thank you, and congratulations on reading or at least looking at the pictures!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 20, 2021 at 10:46 am
I read quite a bit, enough to follow the chronology of your month. Your nervous energy seemed to produce some very creative fabric.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 20, 2021 at 10:48 am
I don’t know how I would have gotten through the month without the Swatchathon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lindsey says:
February 20, 2021 at 11:52 am
Another impressive blog! I find your mind very inspiring.
And thank you for your analysis of the outgoing slug of a president. It was a truly awful time in my life.
We had a black cat named Lucifer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 20, 2021 at 11:56 am
What a time it has been! We can’t let it happen again.
February 20, 2021 at 12:14 pm
Great post, politically and oh, yes, in regard to yarn craft. Inauguration Day was Thanksgiving, as you had hoped months ago, and also a Happy New Year at last.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 20, 2021 at 12:17 pm
Finally, relief has come. But not complacency, never again!
February 23, 2021 at 12:03 pm
LikeLiked by 1 person
bellllama says:
February 20, 2021 at 3:23 pm
Love this. You are ever so impressive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 20, 2021 at 3:24 pm
February 20, 2021 at 5:23 pm
That was the 50 cent tour of the interior of your brain and I loved it! You shared so much and knit so much and I thoroughly enjoyed it all!
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Wow, some great things are happening for my peeps these days! Roy Miki has just been awarded the Sterling Prize for Controversy. Congratulations, Roy!
There’s a celebratory event on October 11, details below:
The Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of
In 1993 Nora and Ted Sterling established a prize at Simon Fraser University to honor “work which challenges complacency and that provokes controversy or contributes to its understanding.”
Please join us for presentation of the 2006
Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy
to
Recognizing his long pursuit of justice and fairness in seeking redress for the wrongs inflicted upon Canadians of Japanese descent during the Second World War. A professor of English at Simon Fraser University and winner of the 2002 Governor-General’s award for poetry, Dr. Miki will read from, and discuss, his work.
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When planning a move to Germany, you should consider all of your options: work, study and various programs. You can have your diploma confirmed and find a suitable employer, or you can build a path to your goal through a European education. But are universities only available in this country? Are there alternative institutions that have fewer entry requirements? Is it possible to study and work in parallel? We will try to answer these and other questions below.
There is an enormous shortage of skilled labor market personnel of trade specialties in Germany. There are several reasons for this: higher education is gaining in popularity among Germans and there are clearly good career prospects for those who are qualified as workers. However, there are also a number of advantages to so-called secondary education.
Ausbildung is a dual system of professional education, where the pupil is involved in two processes simultaneously: working (practical) and learning (theoretical). That is, two days a week the apprentice learns theory in an educational institution and three days he practices in the workplace (the ratio of days may vary from course to course). In addition:
The apprentice receives a salary of approximately €700 per month for the whole period of training and work.
At the end of the apprenticeship it is very likely that the apprentice will be offered a job in the same company
Study time will subsequently be counted as work experience.
Secondary education in Germany is also open to foreigners. The distinguishing features thereby are as follows.
It is possible to apply for an Ausbildung both in Germany and in one’s own country:
There are no age restrictions for applying and training
Each employer sets its own criteria for the future apprentice employee
The required language level is usually B1 – B2.
It is more difficult to apply for an Ausbildung for persons who are out of the country: the employer may invite you for an interview and a one-week practical training before the start of your studies. In this case you will need to open a Schengen visa and apply for a national visa after your admission.
In general, the procedure is as follows:
Learn German
Choose a professional field and select an appropriate employer
Collect the package of documents you normally require for a job: CV, certificate of secondary education (diploma, language certificate, driving license, certificate of advanced training and specialization), motivational letter
Submit the application to a German expert for assessment.
Send your application package to your prospective employer. There is no limit to the number of applications you can send to employers – you can send several to different lands (Länder). You can send them by post, by e-mail (if they are enclosed in the advertisement) or in person.
After submitting the application, the job seeker may be given an interview (most companies do it by Skype or phone)
In case of successful completion of all 2 or 3 steps, a training/employment contract is concluded between the company and the student
After conclusion of the contract the applicant goes to the embassy to apply for a national visa. Among the standard list of documents, the apprenticeship contract should also be included. The applicant MUST also be assisted by SPECIALISTS, otherwise there is a high probability of rejection due to incorrect or missing documents.
Trainees and programs: postgraduate traineeships in Germany
In order to gain experience and practical work skills, graduates of German universities can take part in trainee programs directly after their higher education. Large German group corporations and many medium-sized companies offer what are known as Trainee-Programs. The trainee programs are characterized by the following:
The programs consist of theoretical training and seminars and practical work in the various departments of a company.
The salary (1000/1700 gross) of the trainee is lower than that of other employees
Programmers, engineers and economists receive the greatest number of internship offers
The competitive environment among job seekers is quite strong. Employers when selecting trainees look at the average grades of the diploma, the availability of experience in the field and language skills (German, English)
At the end of the traineeship, the graduate has a realistic chance of getting a job in the same company
Foreigners can also take part in the program. One option is to have your studies recognized in your home country or to have completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Germany. Then you can look for an internship in your field of specialization in the corresponding companies and apply for it
There are many ways to achieve employment and to obtain a residence permit in Germany. Consider them all according to your abilities and possibilities. Our experts can answer all of your questions concerning the selection of a program or your education in Germany We can help you with your visa application, CV and motivational letter and support you in all stages of your move to Germany.
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Blue Card Agency erbringt keine Rechtsberatung und ersetzen diese nicht. Wir empfehlen Ihnen daher, sich an einen Anwalt zu wenden.
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Tune an ear to the going ons of the gaming world, and you might hear two things. A drop in half-thought jokes aimed at mobile gaming, and a buzz surrounding “Republique.” The two are most certainly related.
In “Republique” you play an unspecified person assisting a young girl named Hope as she attempts to escape from the prison fortress of totalitarian over-rulers. The first part of a five part episodic series, going into any more details regarding the plot of “Republique” would not only be an inadequate effort, but would certainly ruin what is even in this extremely early going a simply gripping tale of intrigue and discovery.
Now, as Hope is devoid of any particular special abilities outside of some quick wits, a talent for hacking, and some basic thieving skills, “Republique” is very much a stealth game. That’s a genre you don’t see often in mobile gaming, for the simple reason that it’s a tricky proposition with touch controls.
“Republique’s” solution to this problem is to keep things simple. Nearly every action is completed through a single touch. That could have been the kiss of death for the title, but its executed in such a way that you always feel like you’re in control of the situation and the challenge only derives from the areas of the game it is supposed to. In fact, I’d go so far as to say this is among the most enjoyable stealth gameplay experiences to come along since the heyday of the “Thief” series. It may not reach the lofty heights of that classic franchise, but to even be judged by that measuring stick it set should tell you a lot.
As good as the game is moment to moment, though, its true value lies in its production value. While this is immediately apparent when viewing the game’s graphics, an even great love has gone into the game’s voice acting (which incredibly includes “Metal Gear Solid’s” David Hayter), writing, and scripting. The combination of these three ensure that memorable characters, moments, and dialog appear with ease and make “Republique” something of an anomaly on the mobile scene, as a game that matches (and at times exceeds) the level of production quality you get from a AAA major game release.
Again that doesn’t just apply to the graphics. We’ve seen mobile graphics of higher caliber before. “Republique” is a game that feels like big budget release from top to bottom.
That’s the goal that developer Camouflaj promised when they put “Republique” on Kickstarter and even though the series is far from over, it’s a goal they have already fulfilled in some measure with this first installment. It’s easy to get spoiled with not only the increasing quality of mobile games, but how incredibly cheap and plentiful they are in comparison to say full fledged handheld titles that you’d find on the 3DS or PSP. “Republique” is the type of game that immediately alerts you to how spoiled we’ve become with the concept, as it provides a gaming experience you can’t find anywhere else on your phone or tablet of all places.
If you want a great mobile pick up and play game that you can turn on, enjoy, and shut down with relative ease, then pick up “Ridiculous Fishing” or any number of great arcade like apps. However, if it’s a taught thriller as gripping as any Hollywood espionage tale, and as immersive as any great stealth title in gaming’s past your after, then there is no legitimate competitor to “Republique.” It’s a landmark release, and my app of the week.
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Tags: App of the Week, app reviews, apple apps, Apple Gaming Apps, apps, best gaming apps, hottest apps, iOS 7 apps, iOS apps, iOS gaming apps, ipad apps, iphone apps, iPod Touch Apps, most popular apps, must play apps, new gaming apps, newest apps, Republique, Republique app, Republique review
App of the Week – Futuridium EP
Posted by Matt Byrd (07/28/2013 @ 9:00 am)
Compatible with: iPhone 4 and up, iPod Touch 4th gen and up, iPad
Price: $1.99
There’s a popular trend in gaming going around, and it involves making games as difficult as feasibly possible, forcing the user to die and die again until they finally make a marginal amount of progress. You then repeat this process until you either complete the game (not likely) or watch your eyeballs explode in rage (not technically possible, but still more likely).
They go by many names, and come in many forms, but this one is called “Futuridium EP.”
Even more difficult to beat than pronounce, “Futuridium” has a story, but it basically boils down to you’ve been sent to a balls trippingly psychedelic universe where you are tasked with destroying a series of cubes to expose the main cube (called the core) which you then destroy to escape.
Not exactly Pulitzer worthy, but it does give you a good enough setting for which to make runs over colorfully bizarre levels and destroy your objectives. The difficulty of this comes in small part through its tricky touch screen controls, but in larger part through your constantly depleting energy bar that only refills at the end of a level. It’s that bar that requires you to make pinpoint perfect runs, which isn’t made any easier by the having to start over at the very beginning of the game after each numerous failure, unless you earn the rare continue by hitting certain milestones.
Like so many similar titles, the difficulty alone would usually be reason enough to never touch this game, if it weren’t for some genuinely enjoyable aspects. While the basic cube shooting is fondly reminiscent of many quarter sucking arcade classics, and at first glance you’ll likely get a serious “Starfox” vibe, really the game reminds me most of the cult classic shooter “Rez,” due to its mind altering visuals, and engaging soundtrack that begs for a good pair of headphones.
Also like “Rez,” the combination of those aspects completely immerses you in the experience, which is particularly useful as the game requires a zen like state to complete. This is not a game for the casual player, and in fact it does at times feel slightly out of place on a mobile platform due to that. However, even the shortest play sessions can all contribute to building that perfect run, and that perfect run is sheer nirvana, even if you crash and burn on the next level.
“Futuridium” is not a perfect app, nor is it intended for everyone. If you’re looking for a gauge of whether or not you will dig it, then ask yourself if an arcade game that will beat you down without mercy, and assault your senses with an enthralling soundtrack and unique visuals, while threatening your routine by causing you to miss train stops and phone calls as you contemplate the limits of your control issues sounds appealing.
Tags: App of the Week, app reviews for dudes, app reviews for guys, app reviews for men, Apple Gaming Apps, apps, apps for dudes, apps for guys, apps for men, arcade gaming apps, best app store gaming apps, best gaming apps, best gaming apps available on the app store, Best New Apps, difficult gaming apps, Futuridium app, Futuridium EP, hottest apps, iOS apps, ipad apps, iphone apps, iPod Touch Apps, must have apps, New Apps, Rez, Starfox
App of the Week: Spaceteam
Posted by Matt Byrd (06/30/2013 @ 9:00 am)
I have a terrible confession to make.
When it comes to picking apps, I’m not infallible. While always striving to find the best of the best in the world of apps, occasionally something comes along that doesn’t cross my radar until too late, and becomes so popular I see no reason to go back and cover it (*cough*Ridiculous Fishing*cough*).
In the case of “Spaceteam” though, there’s actually a fair chance you haven’t heard of this app, even though it’s attracted a devout following since its recent release. Even if you have though, surely after playing it you’ll begrudge me the chance to talk about its brilliance, even if it is a little late.
“Spaceteam’s” core concept is pure simplicity, as it places you and 2-3 friends (Note: game does not come with friends) in control of a spaceship escaping an exploding star, and tasks you all with surviving by hitting a series of buttons and switches all named after techno-babble (Copernicus Crane, for instance) at the right time.
Sounds okay but nothing special right? Well, from there a couple of twists are thrown in that make the game interesting.
You see, each of your friends has a different control panel filled with unique buttons. When the instructions come in for which ones to press, they don’t always come in to the person who has that button. This is why the game has to be played by people in the same room, as the only way to win is to shout out the instructions you receive and hope the person with the right button on their screen can get to it in time.
While an efficient team can hold out for a while, considering how much the difficulty ramps up, and that your random boards change in each section preventing many shortcuts, you will inevitably lose. In the meantime, you spend most of the game shouting at your friends in not just techno babble, but in encouragements and curses, as you all try to manage your own board, while maintaining even the most basic intelligible form of communication with one another, before devolving to violent grunts.
A game where you spend 90% of the time yelling at each other and losing may not sound like much fun, but it is. At some point you either form an efficient and serious team to progress, or just start laughing at how bad things are going. Either way, it’s incredibly fun to share a room with people all united over a single experience that brings back memories of “Goldeneye” parties, “Halo” LAN fests, or even “Pictionary.” This is a party game in the true sense of the phrase, and has few equals on the mobile scene both in terms of its idea, and certainly its execution.
But really you don’t have to take my word for it. Get a few people and try “Spaceteam” yourself and its greatness will become apparent mere minutes in. It’s not often a game so instantly accessible manages to be worth months of play time, and promotes local gaming with friends, which is why late or not, “Spaceteam” is my app of the week.
Tags: App of the Week, app review for men, app reviews, app reviews for dudes, app reviews for guys, apple store apps, apps, apps for dudes, apps for guys, apps for men, best apps of 2013, best apps of the year, best new gaming apps, gaming apps, greatest new apps, hottest apps, hottest gaming apps, ipad apps, iphone apps, iPod Touch Apps, most popular apps, most popular gaming apps, multiplayer apps, must have apps, newest apps, Spaceteam, Spaceteam addiction, Spaceteam app, Spaceteam app review, Spaceteam gaming app
App of the Week: Sword and Glory
Posted by Matt Byrd (06/16/2013 @ 9:00 am)
Compatible with: iPod Touch 3rd gen and up, iPad, iPhone 3GS and up (optimized for iPhone 5), Android devices
Requires: iOS 4.0 and up, Android 2.0.1 and up
If you’re anything like me, you’re suffering some serious withdrawals this week, as there will be no new “Game of Thrones” episode on Sunday, and winter itself will have come and gone by the time we get more.
However, if you are similarly disheartened by the hibernation of television’s best show, there is a simple solution that can tide you over for the long wait.
Read the books.
Should that not be enough to feed the hunger though, then also consider downloading “Sword and Glory.”
It’s a medieval-ish era gaming app that shares several similarities with the HBO series, starting with the basis of families feuding. Right from the outset you are asked to align yourself with one of three warring clans (or choose to go on your own), for which to win glory for. After choosing some personal attributes that help create your character, you’ll find that winning glory mostly boils down to completing various quests that all lead to one-on-one duels with some undesirables.
Making up the bulk of the gameplay, the dueling system in “Sword & Glory” is of the easy to learn, but tough to master variety. It only consists of two basic functions (block and attack) which can each be accomplished through various levels of force, with the basic goal being to get past your enemies’ defenses and kill them. I’ve heard it compared to a “rock, paper, scissors” style, but it’s more about timing and rhythm, especially in later parts where the difficulty shoots up quickly and you are forced to think and act appropriately.
In another interesting parallel to “Thrones,” the world of “Sword & Glory” is a morally grey one, even though the game’s graphical palate is pleasingly rendered in black and white. Choices must be made around every corner which can hold great sway over proceedings both immediate and long term. Though not as ambiguous or ambitions as say “The Walking Dead,” you’ll often find yourself pausing before decisions to consider your actions, lending weight to the more quiet moments, and some unexpected depth to an otherwise bare bones plot.
Hands down though, the biggest comparison between the two properties is their shared belief that all men must die. Death is inevitable in “Sword & Glory” and once it occurs, your character is gone forever, with their accomplishments immortalized in the game’s ever expanding graveyard. Fear not though, as once death occurs, you may continue on as the next in your character’s line and, while you lose any silver and stats your previous creation had, you retain the glory points they accrued (which can be traded for currency and rare items) and all their equipment as well.
It’s an absolutely brilliant lineage concept that lends both urgency to all your current proceedings, and serious replay value long term, as you attempt to progress a little further each generation. Even if it weren’t present though, you’d find plenty of motivation to keep playing thanks to a perfectly tuned combat system and plenty of enhancements to both your character and homestead to purchase, not to mention the various quests, paths, achievements, and final legacies available to pursue based on your choices.
Sure it’s nothing new in RPG terms, but I can’t overstate how well executed it all is. What you get with “Sword & Glory” is a finely tuned (and damn good looking) mobile RPG that is built upon one of the least forgiving permadeath systems I’ve ever seen, thanks to a lack of stored save points, beyond where you left off. While it can be frustrating to lose a character you’ve invested hours in, it only furthers your motivation to do better the next time, and to die every time with as much glory as possible.
I may keep mentioning “Game of Thrones” since I stumbled upon “Sword & Glory” while getting over my withdraws from the show, but in no way does it relies on that, or any other, property or context to stand out, thanks to a rare mix of raw emotion, depth, and accessibility. In a game all about establishing your legacy and forging a name for yourself, I’m happy to bestow “Sword and Glory” with the title of app of the week.
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App of the Week: Eater
Posted by Matt Byrd (06/09/2013 @ 9:00 am)
Requires: iOS 5.0 and up, Android 4.0 and up
I know what you’re saying.
“But Matt, I already own a food finding app. Why should I download another and not, say, chase you down with a mob of torch weilding villagers and burn down the old windmill you sought refuge in?”
Well, first of all, that would be a little dramatic don’t you think? Secondly, I’m not suggesting Eater will become your go to food app, and neither is Eater. For one thing, it only covers 22 American cities, and even then only points out a certain amount of restaurants covered by that most popular foodie blog, rather than show you everything there is to eat in the area.
Instead Eater is best used to supplement your current restaurant locater app. That’s because the people running all branches of the Eater site are obsessed food nuts dedicated to finding not only the best restaurants (conveniently marked by their “Eater 38” symbol, denoting the 38 best restaurants in a city), but some of the most unique and intriguing as well, as featured on their constantly updating heat maps.
For instance, the Eater app won’t show you what people think about that gas station on the corner’s sandwiches, unless that gas station just so happens to be a locally known only gem that serves some of the best sandwiches in the city (or maybe is actually a hidden bar). It’s best used for locals looking for a reference written by some of the most die-hard food hounds around or, even better, tourists who want to go somewhere and eat like the most in the know of locals, so that while you’re in New York you’ll know exactly where to go to experience cronut-mania, or why to skip every pretender BBQ place in Austin, and go straight to the mountaintop at Franklin BBQ.
Even better, the Eater app does this through a familiar and, mostly, helpful layout that could stand to use a few technical and feature upgrades, but doesn’t provide too many burdens in looking for the best of the best in your area. There is even a quick link to the Eater blog, for those that are fans, or maybe just looking for the most up to the minute restaurant recommendations.
Much like those “Not For Tourists” guides, the Eater app is like Zagats, but made by the most serious of foodies. Unlike those foodies, it is able to recommend a restaurant without any snobby pretentiousness, or without being hindered by Yelp like reviews where stars drop because of that one patron who got “that look” from a waiter one time.
Equally useful in finding the absolute best places to eat in 22 of America’s finest cities for both the people living there, and those just passing through, when you need access to a GPS showing the meccas of the most serious of food nerds, you need Eater, my app of the week.
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PhenQ or Exipure– Which one should you go for? This inquiry obtains featured as a typical one related to these weight loss supplements as countless overweight individuals stay overwhelmed while acquiring among these options.
Weight problems has come to be a dreadful concern over the past couple of years, and the overall variety of international overweight individuals has actually skyrocketed massively. To manage that issue, lots of leading supplement producers as well as pharma companies have actually introduced specific weight decrease supplements or medicines lately.
As you land in the market of weight-loss supplements, you will certainly locate hundreds of supplements that claim to offer a leaner as well as more fit appearance over the course of time. The sad reality regarding these supplements is that really few of them can actually help with obese people with spontaneous weight decrease benefits.
Both PhenQ and Exipure have actually set their marks on the planet of supplements, and these two industry-leading supplements typically stay the basic choices of obese customers. They can not decide easily which one to choose. Both PhenQ as well as Exipure include specific valuable features, and also both the supplements have special as well as ultimate exclusive blends to aid customers.
Assessing all the elements of these 2 supplements as well as choosing one of them can end up being a irritating task for a general customer that barely has deep expertise about impactful weight-loss ingredients. You are likely to remain covered by the clouds of complication while acquiring one of these items if you can connect to the situation.
However, our specialized and active study team has actually placed the very best possible effort right into contrasting PhenQ and also Exipure on the basis of their effectiveness in supplying weight decrease results. This write-up is going to feature the key difference between these 2 amazing supplements, and we will lead you to pick the best alternative for you among these 2 at the same time. Allow’s obtain started.
According to the suppliers, PhenQ is a powerful fat burner that works as an absolute hunger suppressant and also power enhancer at the same time. Including a strong and also potent blend of 5 superior weight-reducing active ingredients, PhenQ has become one of the top options offered on the marketplace for impressive weight decrease.
Remarkably, the powerful mix present in PhenQ can aid customers build lean muscle mass without boosting their bodyweights. That’s what establishes PhenQ apart from other weight decrease supplements as well as capsules available on the market.
PhenQ is advertised as ‘ 5 effective weight loss pills in one,’ as well as the supplement makes that take place, actually. The makers of PhenQ take pride in mentioning that they created PhenQ with the first-rate ingredients that are backed by scientific studies and professional study, as well as the positive evaluations available on the official website of PhenQ tell the success tale of the supplement.
What Is Exipure?
Exipure is an remarkable weight loss formula that has actually been used as well as valued by countless customers from different nations throughout the world. The best feature of Exipure is that the users do not require to adhere to strict diet plans or exercise routines if they consume routine dosages of the supplement.
Exipure is the brainchild of Dr. Wilkins as well as Lam, who are the pioneers worldwide of fat burning research studies. According to the manufacturers, Exipure is a combination of elixir-like natural components that can provide fantastic weight decrease advantages within short periods.
Many substantially, Exipure handles lowering weight problems by raising the overall matter of brown adipose tissue (BAT) inside your body. Of course, this is quite a one-of-a-kind approach, which’s what helps Exipure overlap comparable weight decrease supplements readily available on the marketplace.
Exipure is known for assisting customers get rid of excess fat immediately, as well as the product can aid all kinds of customers regardless of their age. Being a scientist-formulated item, Exipure is also entirely risk-free for usage, and that’s the USP of the special item.
When it pertains to supplying fat-burning benefits, Exipure is a far better option compared to other fat burners available on the marketplace, and the effectiveness of the supplement is undisputed.
The Difference Between The Ingredients of Exipure as well as PhenQ
Exipure and also PhenQ are different as a result of their active ingredients, and you need to research the components existing in these two supplements to evaluate their effectiveness levels.
Exipure is made of powerful natural and secure ingredients. All these active ingredients are handpicked alternatives backed by scientific studies, and that’s why they are consisted of in Exipure. Now, what are the remarkable ingredients existing in Exipure? Allow’s check them out-.
Perilla leaves essences are blended in Exipure in substantial doses to benefit individuals in the finest feasible ways. Most importantly, perilla leaves generate the BAT degrees inside your body to aid you lower weight naturally without side effects.
Divine Basil is additionally one of the most vital ingredients existing in Exipure. The visibility of Holy Basil in the supplement makes it more impactful. Primarily, Holy Basil assists individuals take full advantage of the brownish fat degrees inside their bodies, and also you can eliminate excess weight successfully by eating this ingredient.
Alongside, the visibility of Holy Basil in Exipure assists battle frequent infections as well as other infectious conditions easily. Generally, Holy Basil boosts your general immunity, as well as it additionally helps cleanse your body somewhat.
Primarily, White Korean Ginseng functions as a natural immunity booster that makes it feasible to enhance resistance normally. White Korean Ginseng additionally handles to boost the variety of white blood cells inside your body so that the total immune functions of your body get improved. Apart from that, White Korean Ginseng also makes it possible to boost the degrees of BAT inside your body to activate the state of thermogenesis and also preserve that state for longer periods.
The presence of Amur Bark Cork in the supplement eases digestion problems and bloating concerns. While various other weight reduction supplements are not absorbable quickly, you will not discover it troublesome to absorb Exipure as Amur Bark Cork exists in the supplement in appropriate doses. Also, the ingredient enhances your overall gastrointestinal capacities as a whole.
Quercetin is one more powerful active ingredient existing in Exipure, and also the active ingredient aids customers boost their overall health and wellness. The basic feature of quercetin is to control high blood pressure and also blood sugar levels naturally. Alongside, the ingredient additionally has the power to optimize your general brain health, and you can reverse the effects of aging with the help of this ingredient.
Oleuropein.
Oleuropein is one of the oldest components that is discovered in olive oil. Oleuropein aids enhance your heart health and wellness, and also the component additionally makes it feasible to lower high cholesterol degrees. The existence of oleuropein in the supplement in powerful dosages makes Exipure more impactful and also efficient .
This naturally-occurring amino acid is included in the supplement in an appropriate quantity. The existence of this amino acid in PhenQ aids you develop lean muscular tissue mass normally without side effects. Also, the active ingredient optimizes the natural metabolic process of your body and enables you to shed fat better. The very best reality about this component is that it aids improve your power levels as well as doesn’t allow you feel exhausted or drained.
This component is additionally present in PhenQ, as well as the existence of this component boosts the value of the supplement. Enhancing metabolic rate, this element likewise helps manage your body temperature level. Also, glowing as well as healthy skin is additionally made sure by this component, as well as it assists you keep healthy blood sugar degrees. A-Lacys Reset makes it possible to construct muscular tissues more effortlessly while the element keeps your body trimmed and also toned .
Capsimax powder is a one-of-a-kind part that is found in PhenQ only. This component makes it possible to reduce weight faster by taking full advantage of the normal metabolism of your body. This ingredient isn’t located in other weight management supplements, and that’s why the presence of this item makes PhenQ a considerable selection.
Chromium Picolinate is one more unique component that is found in PhenQ, and also taking regular doses of this component helps individuals decrease their sugar yearnings normally. Chromium Picolinate lowers your typical cravings to assist you obtain rid of excess weight faster, as well as you end up being leaner quickly.
Nopal is an unparalleled active ingredient when it comes to making certain satiation as well as stomach fullness. Nopal is present in PhenQ in powerful dosages, and that’s what makes the supplement a far better choice over any other supplement. Alongside, the ingredient removes the dangers of liquid retention, and you retain greater power degrees as you take regular doses of this ingredient.
PhenQ is likewise rich in greater doses of caffeine, and also that makes the supplement a far better choice to go for. Caffeine makes it feasible to supercharge your metabolic rate, and that’s how the ingredient takes on minimizing weight.
As you see, the ingredients present in the proprietary blends of Exipure as well as PhenQ are totally various, as well as they’re added to the blends to include various values to the supplements. The ingredients are reliable as well as rather reliable in terms of providing expected results within short spans.
The Practical Difference In Between PhenQ as well as Exipure.
The useful differences in between these supplements are evident, and those distinctions make them distinct. First of all, PhenQ intends to improve your metabolic rate naturally so that you can do away with the excess fat you have actually built up thus far. Besides boosting your all-natural metabolic rate, PhenQ likewise handles to subdue cravings and control cravings, which’s what keeps you from overeating. In short, PhenQ deals with the metabolic rate of your body in regards to changing your body.
On the other hand, Exipure aims to improve the levels of BAT inside your body, as well as that is a distinct technique to ensure weight loss. Most notably, people with lower BAT degrees take longer than regular users to obtain rid of excess weight.
So, PhenQ works with the basic metabolic rate of your body, as well as Exipure targets the origin of obesity. Consequently, it’s noticeable that the functional treatments of these 2 supplements are quite various from each other.
Coming to the additional health and wellness advantages provided by the items, these items come with a large array of additional benefits that can enhance your total health and wellness naturally. The components present in both the supplements are good enough in regards to guaranteeing remarkable health advantages in addition to lowering weight.
Regardless of which one you make a decision to make use of between Exipure as well as Phenq, you don’t require to adhere to stringent diet regimen plans or workout routines on the side. That’s what makes both the supplements far better choices than average weight reduction supplements offered on the market.
The Differences of Advantages Offered By Exipure as well as PhenQ.
The health and wellness advantages provided by PhenQ as well as Exipure are likewise various, and also the components existing in both these supplements function differently to deliver distinct benefits. Allow’s know much more about the different health and wellness advantages supplied by Exipure and also PhenQ.
Wellness Benefits Offered By Exipure.
The components existing in Exipure take care of to boost the BAT levels of your body naturally. That eventually assists individuals lower excess fat naturally without additional initiative and negative effects.
Regular dosages of Exipure can enhance your general heart health. Your heart operates far better, as well as your arteries remain clean as you eat regular dosages of the supplement.
Certain components are present in Exipure to check your blood sugar level degrees also. Specifically the presence of quercetin makes the supplement a much better choice for blood glucose guideline.
The general cholesterol levels of your body stay controlled as you take regular dosages of Exipure. Other and oleuropein encouraging components are there in Exipure, as well as these ingredients help balance the cholesterol degrees inside your body as well as improve blood flow inside your body.
According to the suppliers, Exipure is likewise a decent alternative for increasing the immune functions of your body. Your body can combat infections as well as contagious diseases more effectively as you take normal doses of Exipure.
You stay high in power as you do not fail to consume Exipure everyday. The supplement enhances your power degrees naturally, and also you really feel extremely energised as you eat the supplement.
Users assert that regular dosages of Exipure likewise manage to boost the digestive capabilities of individuals normally. Exipure individuals never ever struggle with bloating as well as other digestive problems.
Besides all the benefits discussed above, Exipure is also a excellent alternative for boosting your cognition. Your cognitive capacities progress as you take potent doses of Exipure on a regular basis.
Health Benefits Offered By PhenQ.
Largely, PhenQ efforts to melt kept fat naturally, and also the supplement turns out to be quite effective in regards to liquifying existing fat cells. Consuming PhenQ on a regular basis aids users get rid of excess fat normally as well as without drastic negative effects.
The all-natural metabolic rate of your body gets increased naturally with regular consumption of PhenQ. PhenQ is a mix of some exceptional components that raise the fundamental metabolic price of your body to offer you a leaner look.
One of the most impactful effect of PhenQ is that the supplement avoids further fat build-up. That indicates you won’t get even more weight as you begin consuming PhenQ in significant doses.
PhenQ is the most effective supplement for hunger suppression and appetite control. The all-natural components of PhenQ make it possible to reduce appetite normally. The ingredients function to make you feel full, and also they additionally ensure very early satiation to make sure that you do not delight in over-eating.
PhenQ also helps boost state of mind normally as the ingredients present in the supplement impact your cognitive functions. You can decrease the symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety, as well as other psychological illness as you take regular dosages of PhenQ.
Higher power degrees are ensured by the active ingredients present in PhenQ. You can witness a favorable adjustment in your energy degrees from the very first day of consuming PhenQ. As you go on taking the supplement, your energy degrees reach the maximum limit ultimately.
As you inspect the benefits provided by Exipure as well as PhenQ individually, you can see the advantages among them. Now, you’re expected to determine the better option on your own based on your needs. Each of the supplements comes with one-of-a-kind advantages, as well as the benefits of the item should be evaluated individually.
Pricing as well as Refund Policies.
Obtaining details concerning the costs and refund policies of the items is also essential to judge whether they’re worth costs on or not.
A bottle of PhenQ comes at $70, and also you may obtain on your own of discounts by getting 3 bottles or 6 containers of PhenQ at as soon as. The producers provide a 60-day money-back assurance on all PhenQ packages. If you’re not pleased with the outcomes provided by the item, you have the freedom to return the thing within 60 days and get your money reimbursed.
On the other hand, a container of Exipure is available at $60, and also marked down rates will be available on mass purchases. Additionally, Exipure is backed by a 180-day money-back assurance, and also the money-back assurance is 100% authentic and authentic .
So, Exipure is much more budget-friendly than PhenQ, as well as the item features a longer money-back assurance duration. If you’re tight on spending plan as well as you wish to buy a far better item, Exipure is a clear champion in this segment.
Final Words.
In this post, we have defined all the aspects associated to both PhenQ and Exipure. There’s no doubt that both the supplements are skilled in terms of decreasing weight, and also they supply safe and verified results.
As you undergo the evaluations areas on the official web sites of PhenQ and Exipure, you will come to know about how great both the products are. However, you’re the one to identify your preferred alternative among these two items, and you are intended to make the call considerately. Each of the products comes with a distinct technique to fat loss, and you are supposed to choose one of them based upon your requirements.
Our research as well as editorial team invested hours examining both Exipure and also PhenQ, and also they wrapped up that both the supplements come with some special attributes and those functions make them special. We can’t declare a item a much better selection over another one.
We have talked about the detailed advantages of both the items too to make the job simpler for you. We suggest you go via all the sections of the short article when again to clarify your perceptions concerning both PhenQ as well as Exipure. After that, go with the one that you prefer the most.
With any luck, this post has been able to put whatever in viewpoint about these two supplements, as well as we suggest you purchase your preferred supplement as soon as possible to speed up your weight loss journey.
Both PhenQ and Exipure have actually established their marks in the world of supplements, and also these two industry-leading supplements frequently remain the standard preferences of obese customers. Both PhenQ and Exipure come with certain helpful attributes, as well as both the supplements have essential and also distinct proprietary blends to assist individuals.
Our active and committed research group has put the finest feasible effort into contrasting PhenQ and Exipure on the basis of their efficiency in delivering weight reduction results. As you go via the testimonials areas on the official websites of PhenQ and also Exipure, you will come to know concerning just how good both the products are. Our research as well as editorial team invested hrs studying both Exipure and also PhenQ, and also they wrapped up that both the supplements come with some unique features as well as those attributes make them unique.
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How did smallish Berkeley, Calif., become the nation’s first city to pass a sugary drink tax in 2014, after many other cities had failed?
People power!
Local health advocates like Xavier Morales had long supported a tax on sugary drinks, believing the higher price would discourage consumption.
Research studies indicate that such a decrease in consumption could potentially reduce obesity and diabetes rates, especially for Latino kids. Because Latino children are heavily targeted by sugary drink and junk food advertisements, this issue was especially important to Berkeley’s 11% Latino community.
In the end, it took passionate advocates, a well-organized campaign for a sugary drink tax, and national attention to eventually bring sweet victory for public health advocates in Berkeley.
Why Sugary Drinks Are a Health Issue
Factors that would eventually lead to the proposal of a sugary drink tax had been bubbling for a while in Berkeley, a city of about 116,000 near the San Francisco Bay area.
One of these factors was the termination of a U.S. Department of Agriculture funding source that resulted in the cancellation of cooking and gardening programs at local elementary schools.
Xavier Morales and young supporters of the sugary drink tax.
The community wasn’t happy.
“People were trying to figure out ways to get revenue to support that again,” said Dr. Xavier Morales, the Executive Director of Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.
That effort morphed into a broader community look at Latino health issues.
Consuming too many sugary drinks, Morales said, is a contributor to many health issues that disproportionately impact Latinos, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Sugary drink marketing to kids was another cause for concern, said Sara Soka, the campaign manager behind what would become the Berkeley vs. Big Soda sugary drink tax campaign. She said that TV, Internet, and social media/mobile ads promoting sugary drinks are frequently targeting kids, especially Blacks and Latinos.
“With all of the social media now, we can’t see when they are directly marketing to kids,” Morales added.
Morales thought, how could they reduce sugary drink consumption locally?
He and other health advocates believed adding a small tax to sugary drinks had potential to both reduce consumption and disease—and increase healthy programs in Berkeley.
“We wanted to disincentivize the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, but at the same time we wanted to generate resources so we could go out and support school-based and community-based efforts to prevent chronic diseases,” Morales said.
In February 2014, they formed Berkeley vs. Big Soda—a broad coalition of community groups, academic researchers, medical professional and parents—to propose a local one-center-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks.
The coalition started to learn all they could from failed attempts to pass drink taxes, like the attempt in Richmond, a town nearby. Other jurisdictions that have attempted to pass a soda tax include El Monte, Calif., Telluride, Colo., Illinois and Vermont. They asked advocates in other cities, “If you had to do this all over again, what would you do?”
“We were taking that information and building a really strong coalition of leaders,” Morales said.
Mobilizing Support for a Sugary Drink Tax
The Berkeley vs. Big Soda coalition believed that, despite the failure of similar measures in other towns, residents of Berkeley would put the health of their children first.
So they brought the idea of a sugary drink tax to the Berkeley City Council in early February 2014.
“Many different groups spoke on behalf of the measure,” Soka said.
The council agreed to add the sugary drink tax to a community poll assessing possible ballot measures for the November 2014 election.
The community poll revealed that a tax on sugary drinks would have enough support to warrant a vote, and on July 1, 2014 the council approved adding the measure, officially known as Measure D, to its November 2014 ballot.
Advocates for Measure D knew from other towns’ failed sugary drink measures that the beverage industry would fight any such tax. The industry spent more than $2.3 million to fight a soda tax in Richmond, and was prepared to do the same in Berkeley.
Measure D supporters knew they needed to get their message out and gain the trust of residents.
So health professionals, academics, church officials, and City Council members who supported Measure D began reaching out to their neighbors.
Respected members of the Black and Latino community also began speaking up. They held community meetings, where leaders would inform about the health hazards of sugary drinks. Soka said it was important for communities to hear trusted leaders and friends explain why they supported Measure D. Advocates also participated in canvasing.
“We were all going door to door talking to our neighbors,” and got the word out through earned media stories, like articles in the local paper and local TV news, Morales said.
“The campaign was widely covered in Berkeley and even throughout the country,” Soka said.
The more press the campaign got, the more chances they had to convey their message and argue for the measure, Soka said.
Before the measure could go to the voters, a few technicalities had to be addressed to fit into California tax code.
Specific fund taxes designate the tax money for a specific purpose and have a higher voting threshold, two-thirds must vote in favor. General fund taxes place the taxes raised into a general fund with no specific allocation and requires only 50% of the vote.
The Berkeley City Council decided to designate the proposed soda tax as a general fund tax.
However, Morales said that didn’t mean the money raised would just sit somewhere, unused.
“A panel of experts would be convened to spend the revenue on chronic disease prevention and education,” he said.
Of course, the beverage industry used this as one of their arguments, claiming that the money raised wouldn’t be spent in the public’s interest. This made it even more critical that the implementation of the policy, if approved by voters, followed through on bringing together health experts to spend the money wisely, Morales said.
Critics of the measure also argued: the tax was regressive (hurt underserved populations more), government shouldn’t tell individuals what they should and shouldn’t do, other foods contribute to obesity (why pick on soda and not milkshakes?), and the measure had too many loopholes.
But soda tax advocates wouldn’t let these arguments go unanswered.
The Frequently Asked Question page on the Berkeley vs. Big Soda website addressed many of the questions residents might have about the tax, and quell fears being perpetuated by the beverage industry, Soka said.
“Our argument was that nobody is going to Costco and buying a suitcase of milkshakes, but they are going to Costco and buying a suitcase of soda,” Morales said. “The industry’s tactics are always to go in and drive wedges between people and communities of color.”
In August 2014, a potential roadblock appeared: a lawsuit. Two Berkeley residents asked the court to change the phrases “high-calorie, sugary drinks” and “high calorie, low nutrition products” to “sugar-sweetened beverages” in ballot materials. They argued that the language was biased in favor of the tax and state law requires ballot materials to be impartial. The court heard the case and agreed that “a reasonable voter would not be likely to consider a beverage containing 24 calories to be ‘high calorie’ or ‘sugary.’” Therefore, the words on the ballot were changed, although some other changes requested by the two residents were not found to be justified and were not granted.
Would the wording changes affect the outcome of the soda battle?
Despite the legal bump, momentum continued to build for Berkeley vs. Big Soda, and donations increased. Fox example, a donation from the American Heart Association allowed advocates to send out mailers to Berkeley residents to further inform them about Measure D.
But it was a drop in the bucket compared to how much money the soda industry was spending to fight the measure: $2.3 million.
Industry ads were flooding advertising space, according to a Berkeleyside news article.
That fired folks up and was a breakthrough moment, Morales said.
“We don’t like to be bought here in Berkeley,” he said.
Soka said that people began stopping by campaign headquarters just to thank her team for their hard work. “Seeing that kind of support from the community was huge,” she said.
Voting day was drawing close.
On Nov. 4, 2014, Berkeley residents voted to approve Measure D, placing a penny-per-ounce tax on the distribution of drinks like sugary sodas, energy drinks, juice with added sugar, and drinks with sugary syrups (like some coffees).
The tax isn’t on consumers or retailers, but on the 15-20 distribution companies that contract with beverage makers to distribute their products in Berkeley.
While the measure only needed 50% to pass, support for the measure ended up at about 76%, energizing health advocates across the nation.
The soda industry dramatically outspent health advocates, but in the end Berkeley vs. Big Soda is an example of how hard work on the ground can make a big difference, regardless of finances.
Is the Tax Working?
Once voter-approved, the city could implement the sugary drink tax measure.
In late 2014, the Berkeley City Council formed a subcommittee to select the panel of experts who would recommend how to spend the tax revenue. According to an article from Inside Bay Area News, The Berkeley Healthy Child Coalition, the larger group behind Berkeley vs. Big Soda, will advise the council subcommittee as it sets up the expert panel.
Money raised by the new tax isn’t estimated to be available until Summer 2015.
When the money is raised and allocated to fight childhood obesity in Berkeley, the nation will be watching.
While placing a tax on the distribution of sugary drinks is just one solution to reducing sugary drink consumption, the success in Berkeley shows that the country may be ready to consider how policy can play a big role in helping people live healthier lives.
A 2017 study indicated that residents are buying fewer sugary drinks, water sales are up 16%, and grocery bills have not gone up.
According to a February 2019 report, the tax has spurred a 50% decline in sugary drink consumption!
“This positive impact is magnified by the fact that the revenue from the tax is being invested in health and wellness across the city,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association.
By The Numbers By The Numbers
percent
of Latino kids have had a sugary drink by age 2 (vs. 45% of white kids)
This success story was produced by Salud America! with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The stories are intended for educational and informative purposes. References to specific policymakers, individuals, schools, policies, or companies have been included solely to advance these purposes and do not constitute an endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation. Stories are based on and told by real community members and are the opinions and views of the individuals whose stories are told. Organization and activities described were not supported by Salud America! or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and do not necessarily represent the views of Salud America! or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Salud America! is a national Latino-focused organization that creates culturally relevant and research-based stories and tools to inspire people to drive healthy changes to policies, systems, and environments for Latino children and families. The network is a project of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio.
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The Innovation Institute is proud to offer a crowdsourced direct investment platform for individuals seeking capital to launch new start-ups in the healthcare space. RedCrow is based in the San Francisco Bay area. The RedCrow platform was initially launched by Brian A. Smith, a leader in the equity crowdfunding space and a former wealth manager at Morgan Stanley. Partnered with Brian in the RedCrow venture is Jerry Harrison, who was most widely known for his work with the musical group “Talking Heads” but also has experience with the crowdsourcing space having launched garageband.com in the 90s. The Innovation Institute also has a small equity position in RedCrow and shares in the upside for those successful capital raises.
RedCrow in partnership with the Innovation Institute, provides a portal for companies seeking funding. RedCrow’s team which is comprised of experts in the medical, business, marketing and financial spaces will vet companies seeking investment and work with them on their pitches. The RedCrow platform meets a need for early stage start-up companies seeking capital and fills the gap between a nascent idea and fully operational company. The platform will also allow Member System’s physicians and employees the opportunity to invest in their co-workers or peers’ products and start-ups. The typical capital raise is between one and three million dollars.
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Linda M. Connelly, 78 passed away on April 2, 2017 in Mesa, AZ. She was born on August 3, 1938 in Joliet, IL. As a child she attended Rockdale Grade School, Joliet Township High School and was a graduate of Joliet Junior College. She was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and retired federal employee. She volunteered at the City of Mesa Chamber of Commerce for several years and was an active member of NARFE. She enjoyed traveling, reading and spending time with her family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Kimberly Hammer (Joe) of Queen Creek, AZ: son John “JR” Connelly (Becky) of Show Low, AZ; grandson Dalton Connelly of Scottsdale, AZ; brother David Farmer (Jane) of Export, PA and niece Lisa Rogue (Rick) of Longmeadow, MA. She was preceded in death by her parents Curtis and Evelyn Farmer, husband John and grandson Gunnar Hammer. Private services will be held at the National Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements were entrusted to Bunker’s University Chapel, 480-830-4105.
April 9, 2017 at 11:00 am
We will miss Linda. She was part of our NARFE family and such a wonderful person. She was a good friend for many years. Rest in peace, Linda.
April 9, 2017 at 12:43 pm
I remember Linda Connelly from the 70s, 80s, and 90s when we both worked at Williams AFB. She always let me know about the WAFB reunions in November. She encouraged me to join NARFE which I did before I retired in 2011 and joined her NARFE Chapter 1505. She will be missed by all the people whose lives she has touched. My deepest condolences to her family.
April 9, 2017 at 1:50 pm
We will miss her deeply!
She was a Chapter and State officer of NARFE for many years and we enjoyed serving with her.
April 9, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Knowing Linda was a pleasure. I will never forget our cruise and trip through Italy. She taught me a lot and will be greatly missed by all in NARFE
April 9, 2017 at 3:35 pm
So sorry to hear of Linda’s passing. All her friends at NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association) will miss her. She devoted enormous time and energy in her efforts to defend the benefits of active and retired Federal employees, for which we are all grateful.
April 10, 2017 at 11:40 am
I am very sorry to hear about Linda’s passing away. She, for so many years, has been so well known in our NARFE family because of all the work she did. Linda, we really appreciate all you did it and hope you may rest in peace.
April 10, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Mary and I always enjoyed Linda’s presence. She was really a NARFE trooper; she served the Chapter and Federation really really well.
April 10, 2017 at 4:25 pm
I remember Linda very well, from Regional Conferences especially. She was a very enthusiastic, vibrant, and upbeat person. Always willing to help and share suggestions. I will cherish memories of her and her delightful smile.
April 10, 2017 at 4:27 pm
I remember Linda very well, from Regional Conferences especially. She was a very enthusiastic, vibrant, and upbeat person. Always willing to help and share suggestions. I will cherish memories of her and her delightful smile.
April 10, 2017 at 4:31 pm
I remember Linda very well, from NARFE Regional Conferences especially. She was a very enthusiastic, vibrant, and upbeat person. Linda was always willing to help and to share suggestions. I will cherish memories of her friendship and her delightful smile. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.
April 11, 2017 at 11:43 am
Sadden to hear that Linda Connelly has passed away and wanted to express Chapter 0266, Yuma AZ condolences for losing a terrific force within NARFE who was the “sole” of every “foot” that traveled to meet and greets and instrumental in passing the baton onto other NARFE members which similar drive and fortitude to accomplish so much in their life’s adventures. Linda, many thanks for all you did for Arizona chapters and direction you gave us all. God Bless and thank you from Chapter 0266. We gained so much from you and appreciate all you did for others.
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Last year saw another spike in reported hate crimes, much of it perpetrated against our Jewish neighbors. So we went out to talk to our neighbors, both Jewish and not, about anti-Semitism, hate, what’s being done and could be done.
According to NYPD reports, by mid-2019, anti-Semetic hate crimes skyrocketed in the city, making up 60% of all hate crimes. The 94th and 71st precincts, Williamsburg and Crown Heights, respectively, have seen a disproportionate amount of anti-Semitic hate crimes.
The residents of Crown Heights are predominately Jewish and Black, in South Williamsburg there are many Latinx and Jewish families. In light of recent hate crimes, the mayor announced the NYPD will increase their presence in these neighborhoods.
Governor Cuomo Visits Orthodox Jewish Neighborhood in Williamsburg. Don Pollard/Governor’s Office.
Mellisa, 24, Dominican, born and raised on the Southside of Williamsburg, has been living in an apartment building with Jewish families for the last six years. She said she hasn’t seen hate crime on the streets, however, she’s concerned.
“Whenever they [Haredi] see us, different type of people, they act scared, like we’re going to hurt them or do something to them, and I don’t think that’s right — we are humans, just like they are, and I understand they have their own culture and own beliefs, but to pass by someone and act like they’re going to do something to them — no, that’s not right. For example, when I’ll be waiting for the elevator, and they come inside, they don’t get on the elevator [with me].”
Melissa did not know the cause of their fear, but says they don’t communicate or engage with other cultures in the neighborhood. She’s noticed more police activity in the area since the end of summer, including regular patrols around her building between Wythe and Bedford Avenues.
“The only time they do communicate is when they ask me for favors, which has happened a couple of times. One was to help them turn the gas off, since they have certain days they can’t touch things, they can’t be on the phone and things like that, they’ll be outside their apartment waiting for someone to pass by to ask for a favor. They’ve asked me to make a phone call, I helped them dial the number.”
An older Latina woman who remained anonymous, also raised in the area, said there hasn’t been much police activity, except for Bedford Gardens, but said the hate crimes and harassment have gotten worse.
“I don’t know what caused it, but this is the world we live in I guess.”
Iza Isangalieva, 26, a server who works in the area, and is originally from Russia, says that it seems like South Williamsburg is generally a dangerous place to be in the city.
“I respect [Jewish People] so much, I’m not racist, I don’t divide nations, I think the Jewish people are very respectful, very calm, they live their own lives and don’t bother anyone.”
“I haven’t noticed more police activity in the area,” she said, but thinks more police activity would help the Jewish community. “The hate is growing toward specific nations, which is terrible, they don’t want these people around here, I think it’s from people’s inadequacy because America is for everyone, open to all people.
I think the realization that we are all human would help, that we are one people together, we should respect each other and live in peace. There’s only one life, we’re all going to die, we need to live together anywhere in the world.
There should be more [social education] on the topic, for all people, that race, age, immigration status doesn’t matter, because we’re all human beings. The police shouldn’t scare people, they should carry the message that we shouldn’t kill each other and to help each other out.”
Rabbi Heller is surrounded by the congregation and members of the community after the 2019 attack. Todd Maisel/Bklyner
Rabbi Menachem Heller, is co-director and founder of Bushwick Chabad in East Williamsburg and lives in Crown Heights. The synagogue suffered an anti-Semitic attack last February: a rock was thrown at the front window, shattering it, while the Rabbi was inside with his family and approximately 15 community members.
“It looks like the older generation is retraining the younger generations like in the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s. It’s everything I was taught: no kids on the street at night, no women walking alone late at night,” he told us. “Six years ago a man with a knife came into my synagogue, saying ‘I’ll kill you’ — it’s very sad, it hurts, to deal with something we thought we didn’t have to deal with anymore.”
Asked if additional police would help, he said police will only help short term.
“Jews being harassed on the streets of Brooklyn has been happening for years… and the mayor, I don’t know what they can do, and I don’t know if they could do anything, and I am not blaming anyone. It has not gotten worse, there’s just one more horrific attack, and no one wants to talk about it. It’s not new that Jewish people are getting harassed on the streets, it’s a cycle, just goes up and down all the time.”
Rabbi said what would actually help is education and not being afraid to express the problem.
“We are afraid to express what the problem is, there’s no way they are going to keep the police troopers here. People are afraid of what the real issue is, people in the community don’t want to talk about it, but as long as we are afraid and ignore the real problem the harassment won’t stop.
“The anti-semitism was always here, it never went away, anti-Semitism in the white community and the Black community, and we should not be encouraging or letting people promote this in the Black community and things like that.
“Black people are screaming anti-Semitic things for the last 50 years, children express what the adults are thinking, this didn’t suddenly happen. Almost every presidential candidate came to ask for the blessing of Al Sharpton. Did anyone call him out? My Black neighbors don’t see these people as their leaders, and we’re not helping the Black community by not calling them out. They’re afraid to call it out, we need to be condemning it openly, not making excuses.”
If people are different from you, think different from you, doesn’t give you a right to hate them.
“Basic education that if people are different from you, think different from you, doesn’t give you a right to hate them, and this has to be spoken about openly. The Black community doesn’t like [the hate] either, they don’t want it, and I trust that, and believe that.”
“Why do we only talk about tensions? And they never call it was it is. There’s no issue between the communities, it’s the bad apples, and we are afraid to call them out, because we are afraid to upset the Black community. My neighbors are Black, there is no tension, no issues here. There’s always been these ups and downs, police on the corners for the last 15 years, it’s not a new thing.”
Maxwell Duggan, 28, originally from Boston, non-Jewish, has been living in South Williamsburg for over a year and now in East Williamsburg for 4 months.
Duggan has been keeping up with the news and local hate crime incidents, and while has never personally seen harassment take place on the streets says “it seems to be pretty common here.” He hasn’t noticed an increase in NYPD, except during Jewish holidays on Marcy Avenue, and does not think State Troopers would help the community.
“You can’t really stop people who are acting irrationally and out of hate, they’re going to express that however they’re going to express that, and that’s obviously awful. Most of those people aren’t really worried about the cops.”
He said their visibility may deter obvious crimes in the streets, but would also cause tension between neighbors that are at odds with the police, and create more division in the neighborhood. So what does he think is causing the rise of hate crimes in New York?
“Across the board, [hate crimes] seem to be going up in this Trumpian era. Trump and all that bullshit trickling down, and probably competition over space, it’s a crowded, expensive city, that will drive people to not like each other, they’ll find whatever way to not like each other if they’re frustrated that they don’t have a stable place to live.”
Duggan thinks communication between communities would help the situation.
“Heightened, cultural, positive dialogue, from the top down. Just to think about each other in a more positive way — the popular notion is based on divisiveness — in society we need more words focused on unity and shared experiences and shared hopes and dreams, instead of the little divisions blown out of proportion.”
While we tried many times, Haredim on the streets of Williamsburg would not make eye contact with us, much less engage in a conversation. We had better luck in Crown Heights (story will come out on Monday) and we will keep trying, as we think it is important to have the voices of regular folks heard in addition to those of their leaders.
This Sunday there will be a march in Solidarity. Details below:
You can’t sweep hatred under the rug. You have to call it out and confront it — and New Yorkers stand up for their neighbors.
I’ll be marching this Sunday — join us as we show our Jewish community that their city stands with them. https://t.co/ExhZtI8Stj
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If you thought that we were done with elections for a bit, now that we have voted on new state and congressional representatives, you will be disappointed to learn that after the new city council districts get approved, we will be heading right into another local council election next year.
The 'dusk and darkness' return, a press release from the mayor said today, reminding us that clocks fall back on Sunday, making our evenings darker and chances of being hit by a car higher, but also giving runners an extra hour to sleep ahead of the New York Marathon in
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How a water leak ruined our laminate flooring | Thrifty Decor Chick | Thrifty DIY, Decor and Organizing
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How a water leak ruined our laminate flooring
August 29, 2011
Some mornings I wake up and have NO clue what I’m going to blog about that night. I rarely schedule posts ahead – I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of blogger.
This morning I was thinking of the projects I could complete to blog about, and was trying to figure out what I’d have the time to finish up.
Well…I got some blog material. Just not the kind I wanted. ;)
If you follow me on Twitter you’ve heard some of the goings on around here over the past few days. It started Saturday morning when we woke up to a puddle of water in front of the refrigerator.
Turns out the computer on the fridge had died, so everything inside (including a huge ice bucket) had melted, and then spilled out onto our floor. AWESOME, letmetellyou.
Long story short, the repair guy couldn’t fix the fridge with the parts he had, but he did fix the one in the garage that had been broken for months (we got it free from friends, so it was worth fixing, considering we had NOTHING otherwise).
Because we’ve had so many issues with our kitchen refrigerator (GE Profile) we decided to purchase a new one. I was annoyed and upset, but after a while was a little excited to get a new fridge, I’m not gonna lie. :)
But then we noticed the floors…the laminate was bubbling and buckling and all those bad “B” words you don’t want to use to describe flooring. ;)
Our insurance company sent someone out today to see how bad it was, and within a few hours of him arriving, this:
Had turned into this:
(Different angle, bear with me.)
Needless to say…it was bad. :)
We have no idea how long the water sat on the floors – we figure at least six hours. Because our laminate is “floating” – not glued or nailed down, the water traveled under the floors throughout half of the kitchen.
It also reached the basement, but luckily we got to it before it got too bad. They had to cut a huge section of the floors out – the laminate, underlayment, original vinyl floors and plywood under that all had to be pulled out.
So for the next few days, we have four blowers and an industrial dehumidifier in our kitchen, and three blowers and a dehumidifier in the basement:
I was doing OK with everything, considering, until they had to move the kitchen island.
My lovely beadboard island had to be taken apart so they could move it. It’s now sitting in the office:
And I was actually making progress on that office. ;) I had hoped to finish painting it today.
Because they had to remove the island, they took the trash compactor out too – it’s now in the garage. So this is our trash can for the next week, two weeks…month?:
We have no idea what the timeline will be. Because our flooring goes throughout the kitchen and family room, it’s ALL going to have to be pulled up and replaced.
For now, we will be living upstairs for the next few days. You can’t hear much over the blowers. :)
Our trash can is a chair and our refrigerator is in the garage (opposite side of the house from the kitchen, of course). Good thing I’m not a cook!!
I’m not good at having our house turned upside down – messes and toys I’m OK with. But this…this is going to give me hives and I’m well aware of that. I’m trying to fight them off by at least cleaning up the kitchen. It’s been a disaster all day, so I tried cleaning tonight:
Tomorrow the insurance adjuster comes out to check it all out and we’re hoping for good news. We’ve never had to file any claims on our house, so we’re kind of learning as we go.
This has been an eventful summer around here – first the back door disaster, then we had some siding fall off in a storm, then we realized a couple weeks ago that our back door frame is rotting away (like, crumbling) and needs to be replaced and now we need a new fridge, new flooring and let’s not forget a whole fridge full of food. (Of course I had gone grocery shopping just two days before.)
We’re rolling with it though, and I’m reminded again how thankful I am that we are all safe, happy and healthy. That’s all that matters to me, and I am certainly counting my blessings tonight, even while the hives form. ;)
Soooo…Murphy has been hanging out around here fo sho and we need to kick him to the curb. He’s been sleeping on the couch waaaay too long. Gots to pack his bags and GO. He doesn’t have to go home but he can’t stay here. ;)
Any recommendations on flooring? We’re looking into engineered wood this time. Seems to be a good in between option – better than laminate but not as expensive as hardwoods. Because our kitchen and family room is one big space, we won’t break it up with two different types of flooring (like tile and hardwoods). If the kitchen was a separate room I would use tile for sure.
The guy overseeing all of the clean up said they have special mats that soak up any water damage from engineered flooring now, if it’s caught early. (Crossing my fingers and toes we’ll never have to find out how that works!!) Any thoughts? Anyone have them and like them?
That was my exciting weekend…how was yours? ;)
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August 29, 2011 Kitchen (previous) love and life
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Oh Man , that's rough. I can feel for you because that's how our kitchen ended up in a remodel because of a water leak. i will tell you be super careful with that laminate. it is notorious for harboring mold once it gets wet. You should have seen ours. That's why we ended up going with wood on the replacement. I hope it all dries out and life gets back to normal soon!
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Myra @ My Blessed Life August 29, 2011 at 11:37 PM
Sarah! What a mess! I'm so sorry about Murphy. Kick him to the curb, but don't send him our way. We've had enough with termites and mold. LOL!
I know it will be beautiful when it's all fixed up.
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Julie August 29, 2011 at 11:38 PM
wow........ what can I say..... I went to Sam's club. Bought a case of ground chuck for $1.90 a lb. wrapped 80 lbs of meat for the freezer. I HAD A GREAT WEEKEND.... :) (i was thinking it was boring and uneventful... now I'm glad it was)
Hope you get good news from the insurance company.
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The Dutch Girl August 29, 2011 at 11:38 PM
Oh THAT Murphy. I know him! I am sorry, that is not how you want to spend your weekend. And don't you just love the noise all that industrial equipment makes? Hang in there, it shall pass. Everything always does.
My weekend was blissfully uneventful.
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Oh I feel for you. A similar thing happened in our kitchen. The dishwasher was leaking for who knows how long. It caused mold which grew and grew until it was noticed.
The end result was a whole new subfloor, linoleum, AND all the base cabinets had to be replace which meant new countertops. Total ripple effect.
Good luck. I hope it all works out.
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Anonymous August 29, 2011 at 11:44 PM
I'm so sorry to hear this! On the bright side, I think of my friends who were hit with the hurricane this wknd and have trees laying on their homes and no electricity :( besides, maybe I'd stay out of the fridge more if I had to walk farther to get to it! ;-) actually, that probably wouldn't stop me!
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Anonymous August 29, 2011 at 11:50 PM
you poor thing! my fridge died at the end of last month, but we haven't started renovating the kitchen yet, thankfully. Hubby spent most of the next day grilling meat on the BBQ to try and save it. Borrowed a fridge from a friend, and it is still there, so our kitchen is a bit of a squeeze right now! We had laminate in the last one, though, and never thought of the fridge stopping and flooding it.
You did the right thing calling the insurance company, I once spent 3 days sucking water from my parents basement with a wet'n'dry vac, and the first thing they said when they got back from vacation was the the insurance would have covered it. So I can tell you from experience that these industrial fans and dehumidifiers work!
ps toss that Murphy, but not in my direction - tell him my couch is lumpy or something
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#$%^! Murphy. At our house, we went about a remodel - moved the fridge to replace the flooring and found it was held up by splinters and miracles. Termites. Yeah, that project got a whole lot more expensive overnight. Hope your insurance company delivers good news and excellent service, so you'll have things to rights quickly. Meanwhile, dare I say enjoy not cooking?
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An Oasis in the Desert August 29, 2011 at 11:53 PM
Oh, I'm so sorry for your mess. I hope it doesn't take too long to get you up and running again.
:) CAS
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Megan August 29, 2011 at 11:53 PM
That sucks! I am hyperventilating just reading this. Best of luck!
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Scott and Carly August 30, 2011 at 12:05 AM
we just had our washing machine leak and the laundry is right next to the kitchen. It was lucky we were home and heard a funny noise coming from the area or we may not have noticed it for hours. You'll do an amazing job fixing it all up and I know it will look amazing when its done!!
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Cara August 30, 2011 at 12:06 AM
GOOD LUCK! I just barely, last weekend finished painting baseboards and all the "fun" finish work from this EXACT thing happening to us(except ours was a dishwasher leak). Ummm, it happened back in April, and I'm just getting to the baseboards! We went with engineered hardwood, although no one told us about the cool pad....too late for that I guess! We did install the wood ourselves though and it wasn't too bad. Good luck to you!
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Beth @ Free Stylin' August 30, 2011 at 12:07 AM
Sarah, I have no suggestions or recommendations - I just have a virtual hug to give you if you want it! Wow. Sometimes Murphy is such a psycho! ;) Here's hoping you have good news tomorrow.
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Sawdust Girl August 30, 2011 at 12:09 AM
Holy Moly, that's a doosey! So sorry. Hate going backwards and having to fix things that were done and you were moving on to other things...
I've had engineered floors. Loved em. The only difference you'll ever notice is when you refinish them for the 10th time and you finally sand through the top layer. Who ever sands of THAT much? And you may not have the shrinking and expansion that you do with hardwood that makes your house creak and pop at night whenever the season's change and your A/C or Heater are on changing your humidity level. I could definitely do with out the creaking and popping. Especially when the hubby is out of town! Yeah, I'm a fan of engineered floors. I do pay attention to the thickness of the top layer of wood. If it's really thin, you might actually sand through if you ever refinished. Good luck. (Good greif, I just wrote you a book.)
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Bekki August 30, 2011 at 12:11 AM
You can be thankful for that second fridge. Reading this remeinded me of our own fridge disaster. We lived out of a cooler for two months! Um not fun. I recommend not purchasing a Maytag. :)
As for the flooring, we have the engineered flooring in our house and I love it! We have lived here about five and a half years and have never had any problems. It always looks nice and is very easy to clean, it has held up well with four children trying to destroy it with every step. Just make sure to not get deep groves, they are terrible to clean.
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Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs August 30, 2011 at 12:33 AM
Ugh. So sorry for the mess! We have engineered hard wood, and it is SO pretty! Ours is cherry, and while it is hard, it does scratch. I think it is a good in-between option, however I think I'll do a honed slate in our kitchen the next time around because I'm tired of freaking out every time one of the boys spills something. PLUS, we are entering the soccer shoes season of life, so laminate would probably have been a nice option. HOWEVER, it would have looked cheap next to our pretty cabinets and granite counters. There do make MUCH nicer laminate these days than they did when we were building! I want something that is already "beat up"! :)
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Ahh, that's NO FUN!! Keeping my fingers crossed for you that the insurance company will pay for everything. I guess lucky for me, I have no story to share about when our fridge broke. Knock on wood, it hasn't happened yet!
My weekend consisted of a splash park, the playground and watching a 9 month old baby for the evening. I do have to say, LOVE babies! But soooo glad I'm not having anymore.
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Staci August 30, 2011 at 12:40 AM
Oh girl, I am sorry for all you woes! That super sucks! And it would totally give me hives, too. As for floors, we have Thomasville Walnut engineered hardwood floors. We have had them 2 years now. Love, love, love them. Ours are dark (though there are tons of options) and wide which I really wanted. We have a couple of small scratches but nothing deep enough to actually scratch the surface You'd never know if I didn't point them out and now I kind of like how they look textured from all of our heavy use. And we are rough with a capital R on ours! Kids, toys, dogs, rearranging furniture, dragging out 9 foot artificial Christmas trees. And these babies hold up great. And I love that the surface is truly hardwood. Just my 2 cents.
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BeingBrook August 30, 2011 at 12:51 AM
That is terrible!! We have the same type of floors in our kitchen and it's so hard to keep it from getting water damaged on a daily basis. My Mom just did the engineered hard wood and they are gorgeous. Can they just replace the pieces of laminate around the fridge? Good luck getting everything back in order!
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Unknown August 30, 2011 at 12:52 AM
So sorry about your house! I'd be going CRAZY (but secretly enjoying going out to eat or having the hubby bbq)!
We have engineered floors....came with the house when we moved in. I don't care for them, sorry! To me it has the negatives of both Pergo & hardwood, but without the benefits of either. It looks & sounds like Pergo (negative) but dents easily and liquids have to be cleaned up quickly or it leaks in between the panels (another negative). I guess the only positive is the price and it does clean easy with my Shark steam mop :)
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 12:55 AM
Murphy visited us in a similar way right before we were about to sell our house. We were able to work a deal with the floor guys and pay a little more to upgrade to hardwoods. Our leak went behind the fridge too--did you check under the baseboards and whatever's on the other side of the wall? That was the dining room in our old house, which was also damaged. That flooring connected to the foyer and living room. The kitchen tile connected to the laundry room. It had to be stripped down to the floor joists around the fridge! Anyway, new floors helped sell the house. Hopefully there's some tiny rainbow for you too.
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Sarah August 30, 2011 at 1:03 AM
How awful! I often worry something like this would happen to us as I know our flooring could not handle it.
We've had engineered hardwood (Bruce, floating - i think)for about four years and I wish we would have used something like congoleum in the kitchen and real hardwood in the dining and living. The grain is raising on the engineered hardwood near the dishwasher (from the steam, maybe) and a bit in other areas. Also, it's just really showing wear from two shoeless adults, one toddler and a dog. We went with this product to save money, but we really should have just saved up and got real hardwoods installed and finished onsite.
I'm believing Murphy has moved out and wish you the best as you clean up his mess.
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My mom always said bad things came in 3s and sounds like you've had your 3 so Murphy should be moving along!
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Sheila August 30, 2011 at 1:25 AM
I am so sorry to hear what happened. We had a leak from our faucet once and came home to the sound of rushing water. Needless to say, not a sound you want to hear in your foyer. Consider putting the hardwoods in yourself... you are so handy, you can do it girl!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 1:34 AM
Hi, sorry to hear about your water damage. I would go with a pretty tile instead of wood.
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Stacy CUrran August 30, 2011 at 5:05 AM
It happened to us once, and the insurance adjuster was very generous. You might just end up with something even more amazing than you expected, if you can get through the next few weeks!
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Kelley August 30, 2011 at 6:09 AM
Oh.My.Goodness! I'm SO sorry you have to go through such a mess. Ugh! I'm especially sorry about your island, as I know you put your whole heart into it. Try to think of it all as a blank canvas, tho ... you will do amazing things, I'm sure. Oh, and you won't have to try to come up with things to blog about for a lonnnnng while! ;) Hang in there!!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 6:21 AM
Ugh, I got hives reading this. But good for you for taking it in stride. Hopefully, something good will come out of all this...like a new fridge & a new floor!
We have hardwood in our den and laminate (that the previous owner tried to "match" to the hardwood) in the kitchen, which is attached to the den. Tacky..and the reason you won't be seeing pics of my kitchen anytime soon :)
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Lynn Van Slyke August 30, 2011 at 6:46 AM
Oh No!!! On New Years day 2007 we woke up to an inch of water in the upstairs bathroom, down the hall, into the master closet. Got down stairs only to find another inch or so throughout the kitchen and family room! We went through the same thing with the fans, ripping down the drywall and ripping up 75% of the carpet upstairs. It was a disaster!!! Hopefully you wan't have to live like that for six months! That's how long it took for the contractors to fix everything! Good luck!
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Lynn@paintedhammer August 30, 2011 at 6:49 AM
Guess I should have mentioned that the toilet in the upstairs bath ran all night. (it just kept filling water) Not quite sure what happened. But 9 hours and who knows how many gallons of water later, we were in quite a mess!
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Carol-Anne August 30, 2011 at 7:01 AM
I'm like Lynn, I had a toilet that overflowed for 8 hours and flooded my entire house with TOILET WATER, last Halloween! So we had those big de-humidifier things going too (don't forget to send your electricity bill to the insurance company, they pay for those too, after the machines are done!).
A big pain, but worth it in the end.
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missheidi821 August 30, 2011 at 7:06 AM
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missheidi821 August 30, 2011 at 7:11 AM
Went through this a couple years ago, and I feel for you. I hated having the heart of my home, the kitchen, ripped apart.
Now a few tips:
~As another poster commented make sure to check area behind frige and under cabinets. Our area kept growing and growing.
~Ask for an air purifier; it will help with dust. Yes, add another piece of equipment.
~Keep receipts for all meals eaten out. Since the kitchen is unusable you will probably be reimbersed for food.
~When power bill comes in, the insurance company will pay for any difference in your bill due to all the machines running.
~Now is the time to upgrade. You will just be paying for extra cost of item. They will pay for demolition and construction.
Good luck and keep focused on the blessing.
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Jenny August 30, 2011 at 7:12 AM
We had this happen years ago, and I was just sick about it! I feel for you here, big time. I'm sure you'll find a flooring that works for you. I think my parents used the engineered wood in their family room, but theirs seems to be very soft, and shows dings. I'm not sure if that's just the kind they have or what. I'll have to check it out.
Hang in there - at least you're debt-free now, right? Makes it a little easier to deal with Murphy now. Still not fun by any stretch, but you know what I mean. :-)
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 7:18 AM
Oh, yuck! Sounds like a good time to take a vacation & let the contractors work while you're gone. Only kidding! Kinda! We have nail-down hardwood in our kitchen & family room & absolutely love it. We're on a crawl space & I noticed instantly how much better the wood felt on my feet & back. That's why I never wanted tile because it has no "give". We have friends who have the engineered wood in their entire home and they absolutely love it. They also have a bulldog & I'm telling you, that wood can take a beating. Having said all that, I'd go with the engineered wood if it were my choice. Hope your mess is behind you quickly & good luck! BTW, don't get me started on appliances. You know, how expensive they are, how often they break down & how much I started hating my stove & refrigerator less than a year after we bought them & they WERE NOT cheap!!!
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Jessica S. August 30, 2011 at 7:19 AM
But like Dave Ramsey reminds us, these things aren't as devastating when you're out of debt!!
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Joyce Ackley August 30, 2011 at 7:30 AM
I hope everything works out okay. All told, you seem pretty calm about the whole thing, and I am impressed that your sense of humor is intact!
I had a huge leak recently, but it was underground, under the slab. I had to shell out big bucks to have it located and fixed, and the electric/water company is "evaluating" the bill for the 50,000 + gallons of water consumed before they told me my water meter was spinning nonstop...
I had bought an extra box of laminate flooring, and I'm so glad they didn't have to rip up any flooring/concrete slab inside.
Will the insurance company pay for flooring in the adjoining room or just for the section that was damaged?
Good Luck You poor, brave thing.
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GeenyBeeny August 30, 2011 at 7:46 AM
Personally I would never have tile in my kitchen ever again - it's sooooo hard on your back and legs when you stand to cook for any period of time. Not to mention, anything glass you might drop on the floor is definitely a goner! I have hardwood now in my kitchen and love it. Mine is real oak, but I've heard others say that engineered is great, just make sure it has a nice thick top layer so you can sand and refinish more than once. I hope Murphy realizes he has overstayed his welcome and leaves asap!!
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Carolyn@Sweet Chaos Home August 30, 2011 at 7:51 AM
What a nightmare! Isn't it great how one thing snowballs into another? If it makes you feel any better, we are in our own hardwood flooring hell over here. Haven't had floors for 2 1/2 weeks, and won't get them for another 3 weeks. (I can tell you who NOT to order floors from in your town :)
Hang in there!
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The Lehman's August 30, 2011 at 8:00 AM
Good Luck on the clean up. Hoping it all goes well. julie :)
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Manor Ridge Musings August 30, 2011 at 8:01 AM
So sorry to hear about your mess - it's not easy to live in chaos, but it will soon be done. We are in chaos too as a new kitchen is being installed. DUST EVERYWHERE!!
As for FLOORING - we have the same issue - floors running through the entire open area, we found tile too hard, wood too expensive and laminates too scary (with water damage...and now we know why!)
We went with CORK FLOORING. Torlys Cork Flooring - Florence Plank and ohmygosh it's amazing!!
It needs to treated like hardwood - meaning wipe up water spills from drooling dogs and because we have an entrance to patio - piles of snow etc need to be wiped up, but, that is fine, harwood and laminate would be the same.
IT IS AMAZING - warm, quiet, pretty. IT's NOT ALL CORKY COLORED LIKE YOU ARE THINKING - it comes in a ton of colors and ours is plank style, but there are all kinds of styles.
There are a lot of different corks (cheap to expensive) I did a TON of research - cuz I'm kinda anal - and found this brand to be the best - but a lil more expensive. By shopping around I found amazing deals on it and it installs like floating laminate floor so it's not expensive to install.
(by the way - I don't work for them or anything, I just LOVE it)
Good luck - take a deep breath and be thankful the weather is good so you can at least go outside and play with your Bub (or have a glass of wine) it will all come together!
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Lori August 30, 2011 at 8:13 AM
We are in the process of choosing between laminate and engineered flooring. I was shocked at how realistic the laminate is now! (Shaw Timberline)
We were told that water will damage engineered, laminate AND hardwood floor. That said, laminate is cheaper, the most durable and if it gets damaged (except for massive flood obviously) you can replace individual boards.
After reading your post, I'm starting to reconsider, but engineered is actually the most expensive option around here and we couldn't afford to do our whole area yet...
Sorry to hear about your predicament! Hope there is a silver lining there for you.
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Heather August 30, 2011 at 8:18 AM
GE appliances stink. We were talked into GE Profile appliances because "GE has really worked on their quality and they are much better than they used to be." Whatever! I would spend the extra money on real hardwoods. As you have discovered, if you use an engineered product and something goes wrong, it ALL has to come out. With hardwoods, you wouldn't have to replace everything if Murphy comes back to visit. You would have had to pull out the kitchen area, replace the damaged hardwoods, then sand and re-stain. Good luck!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 8:26 AM
Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry that happened, you poor thing. I'd be sooo stressed out but I'm sure everything will be fine & work out in your favor...at least I'll be praying for you that it will. :-) Have you thought of tiling the whole kitchen & living room? I know its not as cozy as wood floors but you could easily cozy up the living area with a few well placed rugs & I know the tile would pretty easy to clean & there's tons of options out there, just something to think about. At least you'll have blogging material for all of September now! :-) Take care!
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The Hiker August 30, 2011 at 8:30 AM
You poor girl! We had something similar happen several years when termites came in through a crack in our foundation and feasted on the wood in our foyer. It connected to our combination dining room/library. Whee, what fun moving ALL those books, furniture, etc. into the living room and kitchen just in time for some old friends to be passing through town, who ended up needing to stay overnight because it was so late when they got there... Yes, this, too, shall pass.
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PaminOh August 30, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Oh man, we just went through this in the Family room...water break from upstairs bath. Those blowers blow, don't they? We did get a whole new room just had to be patient for 3 weeks..we also just upgraded our laminate and I got the darker Brazilian Cherry color I always wanted. :) You can get through this..just think it's going to be even better..
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Melissa August 30, 2011 at 8:42 AM
Awww, man~when it rains it pours! But new floors & refrigerator could be a very good thing in the end?! We had 2 slab leaks and a water pipe break in our last home~it just throws everything off when you can't be at "home" in your home. Hang in there and good luck with the adjuster!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 8:51 AM
I feel your pain! This summer the plastic line for the ice maker got a crack in it and leaked overnight. The water went down into our basement that we had finished with our own sweat and tears only one year ago. We had tile in the kitchen and it soaked under that as well. We had 10 dryers in our house for 10 days! The noise was killing me! We ended up having to tear up our old tile floor (which took over 16 hours and was a complete mess). We got a new tile floor and part of the basement ceiling had to be replaced. This too shall pass!
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Julie Avery August 30, 2011 at 9:00 AM
:( sad for you.
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Oh gosh! Our weekend was very calm compared to yours. Hoping for good news from the insurance guy.
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Patty August 30, 2011 at 9:10 AM
Yuk. So sorry to hear about this. Before long it will be all over. Thank God for insurance. Like a previous poster said, if you want to upgrade some this is the time to do it. You just have to pay the difference.
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Deborah August 30, 2011 at 9:15 AM
Sounds just like how I've been living the past 2 weeks. Water heater burst in our rented condo and flooded our first floor and our downstairs neighbors 2 floors. Blowers and dehumidifers everywhere. Torn up carpet. Waiting for insurance and new floors. Living upstairs....This too shall pass
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Erika T August 30, 2011 at 9:22 AM
What's the story behind "Murphy"? I'm from the South and I don't think we have that saying. Good luck with the insurance guy. I had a washer machine that broke and overflowed once. Luckily I was awake and at home so the damage wasn't too bad. I rent and the maintenance office helped me out before there was any mold problems.
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Deborah August 30, 2011 at 9:37 AM
Erika---It's called Murphy's Law. "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".
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Leave It To Davis August 30, 2011 at 9:39 AM
How sad for you all. My mom always told me trouble comes in threes.....let's hope your trouble didn't start over! I didn't even realize refrigerators had computers in them!!! That is SCAREY. I have my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for you that your insurance will pay for it all. Remind them of your blog....tell them how many followers you have....let them know you will tell what kind of insurance you have and what they end up paying....it could be good advertisement or bad....their choice.
My mom had to get a new roof because of hail. The insurance adjuster said they would pay for it...sent her a check for $800. Of course, that wouldn't even begin to roof her house. My brother told her not to cash the check....get another independent adjuster to come give her an estimate. She did, sent it to her insurance company, and guess what! They ended up sending her a check for $5,000. Quite a difference!!! Sometimes, you just have to give them a nudge in the right direction to get them to do what they are suppose to do.
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Robin August 30, 2011 at 9:42 AM
we're having similar issues since our basement flooded during the hurricane so the mold guy is coming today and it should take 3 days to clean up.
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The White Pear Tree August 30, 2011 at 9:45 AM
Is that where that Murphy guy ended up? Because I tell you, he camped out at the new to us house we were renovating last winter. Problem after problem. But we kicked him out one problem at a time and we finally moved in and were able to enjoy our summer. I hope he moves out of your place soon and that you can get back to normal!
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Susie D August 30, 2011 at 9:53 AM
Last year (Oct - Dec) remodeled 1 bath, partial kitchen, paint, new flooring (kitchen tile, rest is hand-scraped wood) throughout condo. Late last month, watching TV late on Friday night when water dripped on my arm. Water was bubbling under the paint in 1 corner from pinhole leak in water pipe in ceiling. Just last week, HOA finally fixed/replaced ceiling/wall sheetrock so everything is back to normal now, except still cleaning plaster dust everywhere (in leg cast so slow going on this). I just thank God I was home when it happened and could get floors covered until plumber got there (left following Tuesday on business trip). Luckily on about 2" spot on floor but think stain will come up when I use recommended floor cleaner on it.
I would recommend engineered wood, but whatever you decide, Good Luck.
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Chris H. August 30, 2011 at 9:54 AM
What a pain!
On the flooring...we have engineered hardwood. I can't say I'd do it again. I like the look of it and obviously, the cost was better, but, it has the same issues as the flooring you have with regard to water. When I clean the floor I can't just mop it. It has to be nearly dry mop. As another post said, you have to make sure you get enough thickness on the top layer to be able to sand it a couple times, and by then, you have to watch the cost. I have dogs...it scratches, but I like that because it puts some character into it. I don't have it in my kitchen, but my neighbor does and she said she wished she hadn't done it. You drop something on it, it gashes. You spill anything, and you worry about it doing all those B words...I have kitchen, dining, family combo also and I have tile in the kitchen and dining area, then a nice edge piece, then the engineered hardwood. I like it, although I somewhat which I had a darker tile so the contrast wasn't as great. But, live and learn. Good luck..I'm sure you'll pick something nice. I'll try to find where I can send you a pic of how ours looks.
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Dawn August 30, 2011 at 9:58 AM
So sorry to hear about all that! I'd be right there with you with the hives and the mess. Hope the repair/replace process goes smoothly for you. We had a slab leak in our bathroom last year which resulted in a huge hole being blasted out of our floor. Of course, this lead to new flooring. I wanted a wood look but obviously couldn't go with laminate because of the water/wood issue. We chose to use a cushion vinyl that looks like wood. Sounds really cheesy, right? It has texture and tiny grooves where the "planks" would meet but its actually one sheet. We like it so much that we're ripping out our laminate in the kitchen, which has water damage, and putting it down in there as well as the living room and hallway. Can't wait.
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Tara G. August 30, 2011 at 10:07 AM
Yikes! Well, on the Pollyanna side, you really do have a lot to blog about and you know we'll all be back to see you through the whole process! :)
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Unknown August 30, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Home depot has hardwood Oak flooring for around $1.99 a sq ft. That's pretty cheap for hardwood flooring and it's real HARDWOOD, not fake stuff.
We've had laminate flooring and we've had hardwood. We'll never go back to laminate, it's not worth it. Hardwood lasts, it's an investment worth doing!
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Monique August 30, 2011 at 10:20 AM
I did skim through the comments and you got good advice re: insurance claim. You should have at least $250 in refrigerated food spoilage on your policy. Claim it. You're already out your deductible, so go ahead and add that to the claim. Give them the total amount of the food that went bad. They'll only pay you for whatever coverage you had but don't foget to add that to your list.
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Just a tip.....My mom is an insurance adjuster (which is such a huge blessing when we have house disasters like this) and she informed us, that you can claim the food in your fridge. We had no power once for days and I too had just been to the grocery store. I wrote down everything that was in our freezer and fridge and the price it cost and then our insurance company gave us the money for it all. Not sure if all insurance companies do this but it might be worth checking into.
Hope it all gets cleaned up and back to normal quickly for you!
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Amy V August 30, 2011 at 10:28 AM
At least you have that "Dave Ramsey Emergency Fund". :)
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 10:41 AM
I put in engineered wood floors a year ago and LOVE them. Since engineered wood only has a thin layer of finished wood on top of layered plywood (?), you will need to be careful of deep scratches and also if any moisture seeps between the planks, you can get some warping but it usually goes back to its original shape after COMPLETELY drying out.
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Dani August 30, 2011 at 11:21 AM
I have engineered hardwood in my house minus our bedrooms and I have been really happy with it. We haven't had any flooding issues (yet) but day to day use and cleaning are very simple. Plus we get about a million compliments anytime anyone new comes over :)
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Mindy August 30, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Oh holy hell. That completely sucks. Having something like that happen that completely rearranges my life inside my bubble of a house is my worst nightmare.
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InMyOwnStyle August 30, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Oh Sarah - I so feel for you. It is so hard living in those conditions. Hopefully it will be back to normal soon. On a positive note - look at all the fun blogging material you can create with your water and flooring problems.
I have Bruce engineered floors in my home. Installed about 7 years ago. I like the look, but they do wear in places - the top layer of wood just starts splitting apart. This has happened by a door to the outside and where my desk chair is in my office. With normal hardwood you see wear and the finish becomes worn. This is more like splitting wood. I am not sure how I am going to fix it as the floor itself is thin, not thick like hardwood. Every place else the flooring looks brand new and it is easy to take care of.
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 11:59 AM
I'm told that engineered hardwood CAN be refinished ONE time. That's what I was told by both the companyI bought wood from and my installer. So if it gets really bad, they can be refinished one time. I also kept a box of the wood in case I needed to replace some of the planks. Although it looks to me like a whole section of wood would have to be taken up to replace a plank.
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Teresa August 30, 2011 at 12:00 PM
That sucks! If I were you, I'd find a way to be out of the house as much as possible for the next week or so while everything gets taken care of. It would drive me batty to be in the house all day considering the state of things. ((Hugs))
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 12:03 PM
I'm sorry to hear about your fridge disaster. We had water damage a couple years ago when an ice dam occurred outside our home and about a week before Christmas we were tearing out the drywall and our beautiful fireplace to repair the damage. (NOT fun!) We had engineered hardwood and while I loved the way it looked - it also scratched easier than real wood. Not bad, but just so you know. Good luck!
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Laree August 30, 2011 at 12:13 PM
So sorry, Sarah. I don't have a clue about flooring - but I want to redo our kitchen soon, so if you'd like to share what you find out, that'd be a huge help!
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wow! Talk about the domino effect!! We have engineered wood floors in our home and I really do like them. Make sure you get a really good, I mean REALLY good quality flooring. I installed some in our old home and didn't have a lick of problem with it. It was great!
When we built our new house, we had it installed everywhere in the house except for bathrooms,laundry and mudrooms. I think the builder went with a lower grade or something and we've had a few problems with it chipping and bubbling extremely easily when water sits on it too long. So do your homework on the better quality ones. Other than that, I love it...it is glued to our concrete foundation and doesn't have the "clackity clack" sound that floating floors have. Hope you have a good day despite the chaos!
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That is terrible, terrible, terrible!!! I really feel for ya!! I can't give you any recommendations - we're in a year long quest to find a flooring for our kitchen/family room as well, so whatever you decide on will probably be useful to us as well!
Hang in there! This too shall pass :-)
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tammy August 30, 2011 at 12:18 PM
We have a hand-scraped, distressed engineered flooring in our kitchen, entry and hallways. I love it! It feels like wood and has been a breeze to keep clean. We haven't had any mishaps or scratches and we have two dogs and two boys. Good to know about the mats -- thanks for that info!
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Anny August 30, 2011 at 12:22 PM
I myself have been thru a flood with a family of 7. I am so sorry you are going thru this! Couple of things to keep in mind. Your food that was in the fridge should be covered. Take photos of it and price it out do not throw anything away unless your adjuster tells you to!!! When you do your flood list use categories food/ furniture and so on don't list item by item because most policies( if you have added it on ) cover replacement cost so if you decide not to replace the pickles they don't cover it but if it is food you have that dollar amount. Kinda crazy. Your policy should also cover any additional expences you incur due to the loss ( eating out, hotel when they replace flooring ) now when I say cover this is pay the additional amount you incur so you spend 25 dollars a day on groceries to cook dinner now you eat out and spend 100 they give you 75. Take photos! Keep a list of all damaged items and good luck!!!
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Shelley Fuge August 30, 2011 at 12:29 PM
I would say DO NOT put more wood in the kitchen. NO WAY!! Pick out and lay some beautiful ceramic tile. We had wood in our last kitchen and had a similar thing happen when our water softener had problems. ugh. Wood is beautiful, but wow, it scares me now. But if you do it, I would def not choose laminate, but engineered. Good luck!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Oh Sarah; Welcome to my world. My last year has been one calamity after another. Last year both my sons and their families moved back home. First thing to go was the hot water heater in March. DH thought that he could fix it. Nope. Had repairman out and over $300 later, still not fixed. The heat exchanger was bad. Had to heat water on stove for bathing for 6 months until I finally insisted on a new hot water heater. Then in June our 3 1/2 year old frig went out. Warranty expired 6 months earlier. Spent over $200 on parts and still it didn't work. We lived with a compact frig that held milk for the baby and my DH's beer for 4 months. Then in August the oven quit. No oven for an additional 4 months. In the meantime we're in the process of replacing carpeting that was destroyed by unnamed and uninvited pets. Then one night it was a bit chilly. DH put on the gas furnace. About 2 a.m. we were woke up to a house filling up with propane gas. The gas line was corroded and allowed gas to leak.
Hopefully we will have that replaced soon before the snow and ice comes. And if that wasn't enough, we had an invasion of thousands of centipedes in our house. They were crawling every where and in every thing. Happy to report that the kids left the nest again and so did the centipedes, new appliances are still working, still working on the new carpet and furnace. All in due time. (And my husband thinks I'm happy!) I hope all goes better for you and your family.
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Meg August 30, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Funny that you mention this flooring fiasco. We are in the middle of renovating our kitchen and went around and around about flooring - hardwood or tile? I wanted hardwood so badly for the look and cozy aspect. But after already having a 1 year old dishwasher leak in the kitchen we decided that having hardwood in the kitchen would be too stressful. We will always worry about leaks. So we are going with a tile that has a wood look - Marazzi Riflessi Di Legno in Ebony. I think it will give us the color and feel we want in the kitchen without the worry. Best of luck to you!
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laurmela August 30, 2011 at 12:55 PM
We had a similar think happen back in December. Our dishwasher had been leaking for a while, a slow leak, turns out it was defective. We had laminate as well, throughout the whole downstairs! Since we had a warranty on the dishwasher, they covered the whole thing! Got a new dishwasher, an awesome KitchenAid, and we decided to just do tile in the kitchen. When they pulled up the laminate there was mold on the cement slab! Yuck! Love the tile now. It is a small kitchen and there is a doorway of sorts to the dining room, so used that as a break. I have pics if you want to see. Good luck, I know you will figure something awesome out!
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Tristin August 30, 2011 at 1:21 PM
After months of research, hubs and I settled on Amtico brand--Spacia. It's a PVC product--it's what Disney uses in their theme parks where it "looks" like hard wood. They're thin "tiles" with woodgrain that looks amazingly natural--and it's totally waterproof. Also, practically impossible to damage. Because we live on one of Florida's lovely beaches, we're always concerned about water damage.
After we had the flooring for 3 (yes, 3) weeks, our dishwasher died and leaked all over. I only had to mop and it was like the mess never happened. I was so happy!!
If you haven't seen it in person (I think it's relatively new to the mass market) you need to find a place that sells it so you can check it out. We've had it 2.5 years and couldn't be happier... plus like everyone who comes in compliments it... LOVE!
Here's the link:
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Dobby August 30, 2011 at 1:24 PM
Mine was good. I along with all my loved ones made it thru Hurricane Irene. Some problems, but nothing that can't be fixed. We finally got power yesterday. So I am working on filing my insurance claims. Thanks to the Good Lord, we are safe and sound........
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Hi TDC- I am so sorry for your recent flood. I am writing to share that I was in the same boat 2 months ago. Water damage is so destructive, but I have to say, it has allowed me to change and up-date a few things in my home that I would never have done otherwise. I personally had to find a silver lining to get past all the damage. Our flood originated in our laundry room which is on our main living level. I had cherry hard wood floors through out my entire first floor all of which were destroyed by the water. They had to be torn up and replaced which is time consuming, dusty, and very noisy loud. We also had damage to our finished basement (drywall, carpeting, and electronics) but this was much more manageable for me compared to upstairs as we do most of our "living" on the main level.
Long story short, we took the money from our insurance company and hired our own vendors rather than using our insurance companies vendors. That is why it took over 2 months as that route has a lot of red tape. We did this because I personally fell you get more for your money and we were able to hire contractors from our small town here and support the community. I will have to send you photo's so your prepared for what comes next. I do have to say, I am so happy with my new floors!!
Best of luck.
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Amanda Wyerick August 30, 2011 at 1:48 PM
Check out my progess..I just layed (uh ummm...my husband just layed) Brazilian Koa Engineered Flooring in our remodel project of a house and it looks AHHHMAZING! I have dark cabinets like yours but I have a light natural color heirloom dining table that does not match my taste in cabinets. The Brazilian Koa (from Lumber Liquidators) has lights and darks bringing all my wood to a happy medium! I am very happy with how it ties the dining room/family room/ kitchen together! Look me up on Facebook :)
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Donna Reid August 30, 2011 at 2:01 PM
It must have been the weekend for flooding, but yours wasn't due to Irene! It was about a year ago (exactly) that I was house sitting for a friend...I woke up one morning and my feet went 'sqoosh'...carpet and wood flooring flooded! I feel your pain.
Have you looked into a moisture sensor/alarm for under the fridge & dishwasher so that at the first sign of a problem you're in the know!
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Miranda August 30, 2011 at 2:05 PM
Oh my!!!!!!! Would drive me crazy if my house was turned upside down also!
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Your summer sounds like mine. I had a dishwasher leak and we had to replace our wood floor in the dining room, living room, and kitchen. We went with an engineered hardwood (hickory). I love it and would recommend it. I got a dark wood and I do get frustrated with all the dust I see but then I can see it so my floors are cleaner (right?). Anyway, good luck. It was a 2 week turn around (engineered hardwood doesn't have to climatize the same way wood does.)
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Jodi August 30, 2011 at 2:33 PM
You might want to reconsider the engineered flooring. We built a house that installed it, top of the line engineered flooring and needless to say in about 18 months we had to file a claim. It was 5K in damages.
Engineered floors can be sanded down SLIGHTLY if any scratches or scuffs happen, but true dents and dings are not repairable. (in our case, a "friend" walked on the floors with high highs and the tip fell off the heel and put dents in all of our flooring). It also can't get wet even the slightest bit. We now have "real" hardwood again let me tell you.. I love it! Never again would I even consider engineered flooring!
This is just my story, but do your homework. It's a great product for low traffic areas.
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The Judson's @ IHeartImperfect.com August 30, 2011 at 2:57 PM
I totally feel your pain!! Water is our arch nemesis! We've had a water heater die and ruin carpet, a leak in our slab that ruined carpet, a leak in a wall that ruined drywall and carpet, a huge toilet flood that ruined flooring in a bathroom and hallway and entire ceiling downstairs. Believe me, we've been there. Noisy drying machings, jack hammers....we've seen it all. It does get better and sometimes you get a little bit better "stuff" because of it. Good luck!!
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Susana of MontessoriCandy.com August 30, 2011 at 3:08 PM
Hey Sarah! We got engineered wood floors for our kitchen and really like them. You can even seal them like real wood floors. We got ours at our local Lumber Liquidators. Maybe there's one in your area? Good luck with everything!
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Sallie August 30, 2011 at 3:48 PM
That really stinks! I hate when stuff like that happens! Over the years, we've had water coming out of the frig, the washer, the toilet (that's the worst), and the air conditioning. Luckily, hubby owns an appliance repair business, so he gets the problem fixed quickly.
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Cassie {Hi Sugarplum} August 30, 2011 at 3:59 PM
Wow -- that is a big ole pain....but the upside is your insurance will cover and you get new floors!!! We just discovered rot in our bathroom from a leaky shower pan...but it's not covered!!!!!!! Ack.
I know it sucks having your life upside down...hope it comes back together quickly for you! xo
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 4:03 PM
Ugh! GE makes the worst refrigerators! Beware! Do not buy them! Mine went out last month too and after trying 3 different repairs, it turned out to be the heater that was screwed but I replaced it and for the time being *crosses fingers* it is working. God willing, it will stay that way. Would hate to invest another $1K on a new fridge. I would invest in an LG or Samsung next if worse comes to worse. I hope your insurance will pay your claim. They are usually pretty good about these things so I'm sure you will be fine. If you just have to pay the deductible, just pick whatever their contractors suggest...hopefully it is something way more expensive than laminate. You have to be tough with them. Even if they choose another laminate, just suggest something more expensive and more often than not they will go with it. Don't be afraid to ask. You will be fine.
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Oh no that is awful! Just wanted to say that we have engineered hardwoods in our kitchen/dining/breakfast area and love them! I've dropped pots on them before without any dings, and I'll admit I'm not the greatest at cleaning up drips and small spills right away and they always clean up just like new!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 4:31 PM
WOW!! Try Home Depot for the hardwood. We got a great deal on real oak for our den. Good luck.
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The Moshells August 30, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Have you seen the ceramic wood tiles? They look a lot like wood. We're considering it for our entire downstairs (minus bedrooms).
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Kelly August 30, 2011 at 4:50 PM
all I gotta say is LUMBER LIQUIDATORS - if you have one near you...so much cheaper and you can get NICE stuff! maybe carpet?!and just do the kitchen in hardwood...carpet is awesome sauce...no dusting, no dings and it's half the cost....berber is great right?
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Elizabeth @ My Life, Such as it is... August 30, 2011 at 4:57 PM
We have laminate everywhere but the kitchen which has old fashioned linoleaum (sp?) still. I have seen tiles that look exactly like wood; grain, cut lengths and all that are really cool. That is something I would put in my next house. Wood look but tile simplicity!
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Debbi August 30, 2011 at 5:32 PM
Sorry to hear of your troubles! Yikes! I have laminate in my kitchen and living areas as well and will be replacing it in the next year or so. I love the wood look but I'm thinking of some kind of vinyl or such product. I've seen some wood looks that are very realistic used in commercial areas. One quilt shop owner that had a wood patterned vinyl said the insurance adjuster at first told her they wouldn't be able to insure the building because they had barn wood floors. He could hardly believe it was vinyl. I hear these products have come to the home market now. I'm strongly considering going for it. Maybe you could get a deal by using your blog to review it?
It would be much easier to care for than either wood or laminate. I've never been happy with how my laminate looks...spots too much. Maybe there are better laminates out there now, I've had mine for about 10 years. I don't think enginereed wood would be an improvement over laminate...same issues with water and cleaning, just different.
Love reading your blog and will be following with interest your choices and progress. Hang in there it will get better!
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Oh my what a weekend you had. I had a good one with my kids in town and time with #1granson.
You take care of yourself. Diane
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Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) August 30, 2011 at 6:21 PM
Sarah, I know it's awful now, but I bet in the end you're gonna love your new frig/flooring, etc... Life really throws us some curves, doesn't it?! Hugs sent your way!
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Jena August 30, 2011 at 6:29 PM
You'll probably end up happy with whatever flooring you choose as long as you don't make compromises.
That being said, as a buyer when I look at two homes and one has laminate, and the other has engineered floors or hardwood ... it's SO much easier to fall in love with the latter.
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Genevieve August 30, 2011 at 8:53 PM
Thanks for naming names on the piece of junk frig. I for one am tired of scraping and saving to pay cash for something only to have it go belly up before I even get around to filing the owners manual! I'm pretty sure my parents owned the same frig for 27 years. I thought "avacado" was the only color a frig came in until I was 18. Hope things move in the positive direction soon.
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Amanda August 30, 2011 at 8:59 PM
We just built our house and happened upon this FABULOUS handscraped engineered flooring by Mohawk. It is a warm chestnut brown and it looks AWESOME! Best part of all- and trust me, with four kids running around I checked this out ahead of time- if it gets scratched, nicked, dented, etc., you just fill it in with a Sharpie and Voila! Good as new. So sorry to hear about your kitchen. Got an old ex or something you can send that Murphy to?
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Joni August 30, 2011 at 9:09 PM
When we started our house reno we first picked out our flooring. We discussed all the options but decided on a commercial grade vinyl with a wood look. We chose that because we have pets and plan on having more. If they do happen to make a mess and it's not found in time it won't ruin the floor. Also, before our garage was built we did all trim painting in the house and was so easy to clean off the floor when we did drip. With a magic eraser I even removed hair dye. We wanted a fuss free floor. To this day everyone who comes into our house thinks it is laminate or hardwood! It's gorgeous and so easy to clean. This was the best decision we made.
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Rebcam August 30, 2011 at 9:48 PM
After losing a laminate floor to a leaking fridge, we chose to go with the ceramic tile that looks like wood...it's may favorite part of the whole house and we love it.
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Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss August 30, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Wow, so sorry you are having to deal with this. :(
I can't speak on engineered wood but I do know I made a HUGE, expensive mistake when I had laminate wood installed in five areas of our house, including the kitchen, about 1 1/2 years ago. Our wood laminate floors are slippery, very noisy to walk on and I quickly found it does not take much water to cause bubbling. We hate it with a passion. Having lived with it, I don't understand the popularity of wood laminate. From the comments above, it doesn't sound like engineered wood is any better and personally, I don't care for cold, hard tile so that wouldn't be an option for me.
Nine months ago, I had Trafficmaster Allure vinyl (wood-look) planks installed in one of our bathrooms and I absolutely LOVE it! It's inexpensive, soft underfoot, quiet to walk on, waterproof, and it has slight grooves in it which contributes to its realistic wood appearance. It is super easy to care for. Even dried paint flicks right off! I almost wish my 1 year old fridge or dishwasher would leak so I would have a good reason to rip out all the laminate and replace it with the Trafficmaster Allure.
BTW, I first read about the Trafficmaster Allure at The Lettered Cottage. I think Layla & Kevin installed it in their bathroom.
Here's a Home Depot link but you should be able to check some of the colors out in person at your local HD store.
Good luck. I hope the chaos doesn't last too long.
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Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss August 30, 2011 at 9:57 PM
That link in my comment above didn't print completely...
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 10:22 PM
They have BEAUTIFUL tile that looks like hardwood. It has the wood grain look and everything. BONUS: it always looks shiny and polished AND you don't have to worry about water damage from say, a melting piece of ice like you would hardwoods in your kitchen. Totally class and awesomesauce!
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Anonymous August 30, 2011 at 11:47 PM
have you considered Allure flooring found at Home Depot? It would be well worth your time to look into!
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Susan August 31, 2011 at 12:03 AM
Wow. Sorry you have all that going on! Oh and BTW, we had Murphy's evil twin with us for a few days-we just got home from a vaca in NYC( Yep, Irene came with us) and found that our dog had skunked up the house( he was with a sitter) while the skies are full of smoke from wildfires in central Oregon! Oh and school starts for teachers here on Thursday. Yeah. That. :P
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Julie Bloch August 31, 2011 at 12:25 AM
Sorry about your floor. I have learned due to a similar run of bad luck to buy the little water detectors at Lowes. They are about 10.00 Similar to a smoke detector but can be placed on the floor by the fridge (a little extension wire allows placement out of sight. I have them under all my sinks (where a slow leak might not be detected for a while), by the washer, fridge, and laundry sink. They saved my brother's kitchen when a leak happened overnight and the alarm went off. Of course you have to be home to hear them.
I have sensors wired into the alarm system for the two hot water heaters (50 gal each) in the attic. They put them in the attic in Texas, and I have visions of water pouring down.
I have engineered hard wood by Mannington throughout the house, installed on concrete slab and have been very happy with the product. When I had a leak (pre detectors), after all the drying, they just cut in to floor and replaced. I have the slightly distressed type so it doesn't show at all and no wear and tear with two dogs.
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Teresa August 31, 2011 at 7:18 AM
I hope you are pleasantly surprised by how much your insurance will help you. You deserve to be after all the trouble Murphy has caused you. I have a friend who had engineered hardwoods and I will agree that the grain seemed to raise up on them quite easily and they also faded in areas where the sun heat them more. We have laminates and just had the ones in our bedroom replaced. I LOVE the new laminate flooring. It is so much quieter and just had a much better look to it. I would also look into bamboo. It might be another option. Good luck with everything.
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Roetta August 31, 2011 at 12:33 PM
I don't have a blog--I am an avid reader of DY blogs!!! How do you get an invite to join pininterest??
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she-poz August 31, 2011 at 2:48 PM
Oh TDC - I feel for you! We are going through the same thing right now. We have a toilet overflow and our laminate got water-logged. And now, we find out our dishwasher has been leaking too so we have hella crazy mold growth in some of the cabinets. I have those same drying fans all over my first floor right now. Good luck and I hope you get things put back together quickly. We are unfortunately looking at a month or more...
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Anonymous August 31, 2011 at 2:54 PM
All home decor lovers must visit
Thanks!
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KatMoss September 1, 2011 at 8:54 AM
That darned Murphy - you realize it's b/c you reached the point of being debt-free, right? Same thing happened to us after we paid off everything but the house last December. We went through about 6 months of hemorraging money, with the biggest item being my car engine blowing. We replaced the engine ($6K), rather than the car. What's great is you guys have a plan, you're following Dave Ramsey's teachings and you'll get through this! Blessings are right around the corner and, let me just say, God will BLOW YOU AWAY when you get to the other side!!! We're getting ready to put down new flooring as well and have been told engineered is the way to go since we have 2 large dogs. We're going for a medium-dark bamboo. Good luck!
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Anonymous September 1, 2011 at 1:20 PM
So sorry to hear about your weekend. Keep the faith, it WILL get better.
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Anonymous September 1, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Sorry you are going through this but look on the bright side. It could have been A LOT worse. The storms along the east coast last weekend totally distoryed many homes.
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Unknown September 2, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Is Murphy the guy that said, "When it rains, it pours."? I don't like that guy.
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Annie September 6, 2011 at 11:21 AM
I was thinking about your floors and decided to post a comment because I don't want you to go back to laminate or engineered! Haha! We just had our floors done last summer, and we found a really reasonable price for real hard wood - the same price as engineered. I'm so glad we did it, too. It looks so much better than the fake stuff, and it will hold up better in the kitchen with spills and traffic. Just something to think about! You won't regret it! ;) Here's some before and afters of mine in case you wanna see: http://arlingtonmama.blogspot.com/2010/08/were-coming-home.html
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Sabrina September 6, 2011 at 4:19 PM
Oh Sarah how awful!!!! We had a summer flooring disaster and I just started typing up the post today. I've been to stinkin' mad to write about it until now. Hang in there lady. At least you have your (my?) dream couch!
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If you have a specific question I will do my best to answer you back here!
You can find our paint colors and links to items at the "Our Home" tab at the top of my site.
THANKS so much for reading!
Hi! I'm Sarah, and I love sharing simple, inexpensive ways to decorate your home.
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What’s in a name? Juliet’s famous question about Romeo’s Montague name brings about one of the most well-known Shakespeare quotes - that a rose by any other name is still a rose. At the USPTO, examiners have a tendency to be very flexible in mapping claim elements to prior art references under the guise of the Broadest Reasonable Interpretation. For example, it would not phase most patent prosecutors if an examiner alleged that a claim to a “flower” was anticipated by a prior art reference disclosing a “thorn” under the theory that a flower, under the BRI, can refer to the whole stem and flower, and thus include thorns. Strained and even nonsensical interpretations are common, and maintained even up to appeal, as we see in a recent example regarding engine pistons (15/512,560) to Volvo Truck. Here, the invention relates to a reciprocating machine, such as a combustion engine, having groove patterns provided in cylinder walls for collecting oil. Claim 1 is below: 1. A reciprocating
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“Note that the views expressed herein do not represent the views of any law firm or client, and may not even represent the views of the author. This blog is NOT legal advice and is for informational purposes only. No attorney client relationship can be formed by reading this blog or using any of the information provided. The accuracy of the information provided has not been verified. ”
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500 years ago Europe came out of the Dark Ages with entrepreneurs like the Medici Family bringing back the ancient wisdom of the Platonic Academy and Humanism, and sponsoring artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci to lift the human spirit.
The age that became known as the Renaissance was based on artisanship and personalized masterpieces. Today, the same shift is taking place from mass production to customization, from information to inspiration and from transactions to transformations.
In 2017 we will be well into the rise of Renaissance 2.0 – Where all the best products, services and experiences are personalized.
Tesla as an example. Every part of your car can be personalized. You can do it easily online or in a Tesla store. Companies like Local Motors lets you not only design your own car, but will 3D print it within less than 48 hours. With 3D printing, AI and VR, all the biggest growth opportunities lie in personalizing for one instead of standardizing for a thousand.
All of our online experiences, from our social media platforms to our mobile apps to our video and music playlists are already customized. With the growth in co-investing, co-purchasing and co-working, we’re going to increasingly see customized dashboards and interfaces extend far beyond our current co-creation:
From personalized learning, to personalized medicine, to personalized art – the paradox is that more powerful technology in AI and big data is allowing us to become more human. The past industrial age was all about the product and productization. The new artisan age is all about the customer and customization. 2017 will see the beginning of the end of one-size-fits-all education systems and pharmaceuticals, and one-size-fits-all factories and factory farms.
As with the first Renaissance, with the new Renaissance 2.0 comes a new rise in consciousness. Lower consciousness values quantity over quality. Higher consciousness values quality over quantity: Quality of the food we eat, the thoughts we have and the life we lead are all rising. As are the quality of our experiences and our environment.
What can you do to shift your business in this age of artisanship?
1) Grow by increasing quality while decreasing quantity
2) Focus your business at a customer of one
“If you want to create a great product, just focus on one person. Make that person have the most amazing experience ever.” ~ Brian Chesky, Founder Airbnb
3) Give your customers the tools to personalize their own experience
4) Treat your life as a masterpiece
“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” ~ Rumi
What sets this second Renaissance apart from the first Renaissance?
The last time, you could either be the one funding the art – like the Medici’s or making the art – like Michelangelo. This time – like Elon Musk – you can be both.
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Managing a construction project or being a construction business owner in Australia requires good risk management in order to avoid losing money. As the potential cost blowout on the M5 construction demonstrates, poor risk management can lead to significant monetary loss.
If you want to prevent unnecessary money loss on construction projects, here are three key areas to focus on:
Risk is a significant concern for any construction project. Therefore, a large part of project management involves managing it. Each risk you mitigate or remove reduces your chances of losing money. However, there are hidden risks in project contracts that can often create trust issues and cost you money under the radar. Given that every single construction project is vulnerable to risks, establishing trust can help mitigate risks and reduce uncertainty.
Issues of trust have been particularly problematic between construction project workers and clients, with 28 builders being prosecuted for unlicensed building work over the 2016/17 financial year. This places consumers at risk and causes them to be more cautious, creating possible problems for the construction industry.
Poor contract conditions can result in parties exploiting contracts in terms of prices, errors, and variations, creating inefficiencies.
The construction industry typically approaches risk management using a transactional procurement approach, despite substantial research proving its shortcomings. This approach is problematic since it places individual interests at the front of project interests, which inevitably results in disputes. Poor contract conditions can result in parties exploiting contracts in terms of prices, errors, and variations, creating inefficiencies. Construction projects can be thus delayed substantially, involve reduced productivity, and ultimately lead to increased money loss.
An alternate risk management approach to transactional procurement is relational contracting procurement. It focuses on encouraging cooperation and effectively allocating tasks to improve risk management. Establishing relational contracts between contracting partners allows stakeholders to explicitly detail sharing of risks and account for the constantly changing construction landscape. Relational contracting allows to develop strong relationships built on trust, helping to improve risk management of construction projects and reduce money loss.
When it comes to managing your own risk, property insurance is often overlooked. Examples such as the recent construction fire at Circular Quay earlier this year demonstrate that damage of property and materials are a potential risk of construction projects, and they can result in significant costs.
When it comes to managing your own risk, property insurance is often overlooked.
Contractors of construction projects should consider turning to business risk policies and insurance floaters. These can protect supplies and property costs so that you avoid losing substantial money. Installation floaters provide contractors with protection for materials and labour, including materials that are in transit or staged at an offsite location. Business risk policies, on the other hand, cover property that is constructed from the ground up over the course of the entire construction process. Both of these types of insurance help ensure the risk of property or material damage during construction projects does not result in significant expenses.
2. Poor Scheduling
There are numerous ways in which money can be lost due to bad scheduling. Unfortunately, this often doesn’t become apparent until the project is over and performance is reviewed.
One of the chief culprits of this is incomplete work sequence breakdown. If work sequences are missing necessary steps for tasks, not only will the activity itself fall behind schedule, but all of the successive activities that rely on its completion will also face delays.
According to a study conducted by Hemanta Doloi, poor scheduling and planning was considered to have the highest impact on cost performance by clients, consultants, and contractors. Practical schedules are required to allocate time efficiently so that tasks can be completed on time. Also, good scheduling is necessary to define the scope of construction projects and establish realistic performance expectations.
Establishing realistic schedules for projects is important to prevent extensive delays which can result in massive cost overruns.
Establishing realistic schedules for projects is important to prevent extensive delays which can result in massive cost overruns. Management strategies for controlling the adverse effects of delays should be developed to reduce money loss. Furthermore, identifying the root causes of delays can help schedulers of construction projects guarantee successful outcomes.
Efficient scheduling of construction projects is necessary to ensure that projects can keep pace with growing demand. For example, Melbourne’s population is expected to grow to eight million people in the next two decades, placing pressure on the property construction industry to cater for this growth. Good scheduling is needed to prevent delays and cost overruns and ensure projects get completed on time.
3. Theft of Tools, Materials, and Equipment
According to research by The Construction Mining and Equipment Industry Group (CMEIG), theft of tools, equipment, and materials cost the Australian construction industry $50 million per year.
Theft of heavy equipment is a significant source of theft in the industry. There is increasing evidence suggesting that many of the thefts are being undertaken by organised crime groups. These crime gangs are attracted to stealing heavy equipment because these high-value products can be sold with relative ease. Furthermore, there is no national identification system for stolen equipment, decreasing the likelihood of its recovery.
Increases in construction projects can lead to more incidences of theft. For example, the mining boom and associated infrastructure projects in Queensland have contributed to increases in heavy equipment theft. The thefts can impact workers on construction projects adversely, by causing delays, reducing productivity, and resulting in loss of money. Small contractors and construction owner-operators are particularly affected by the theft of equipment as they are reliant on small amounts of materials.
Theft of heavy equipment is a significant source of theft in the industry.
Controlling losses from theft requires systems and processes that effectively account for and keep track of tools, materials, and equipment throughout the project. Ensuring that your theft prevention policy is known and understood by all personnel engaged in the construction project will help reduce grey areas and prevent the possible money loss.
By following good contracting procedures, managing schedules effectively, and taking care of physical assets, you can save big. This will result in other bonuses, such as reduced stress and better project outcomes.
If you liked this article, here are a few eBooks you may enjoy:
Procore Technologies is a leading construction management software built to help you finish quality projects—safely, on time, and within budget.
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So B and I continue to see each other. And it’s been positively awesome. We went to a local festival, which turned out to be pretty crappy and not what we thought it would be, but we had a great time together listening (and just a bit of singing) to a local band. (It was his birthday and when I found out – the next day – and asked why he didn’t tell me, that I would have planned something special, he replied, “It was my birthday and I did exactly what I wanted…I spent it with my kids during the day and with you at night.” Um…sigh.) We’ve met for dinner and drinks at cute cafes and restaurants. We talked and laughed and had fun.
And he kissed me. (And not on the cheek.)
Quick, little, sweet, innocent goodnight kisses at the end of dates. One, maybe two, kisses. So fast, these kisses, that I couldn’t even really prepare – or even pucker up. Fleeting kisses. Quick “friend” kind of kisses, these were. And I liked it.
But each time I wanted more; I knew I had to take control.
I texted that I had an idea, a concept, for our next date, but I would wait until we talked next to tell him the details. He called to find out more.
“Our next date,” I said, “needs to include more kissing. Not just goodnight kisses, but real kisses. I don’t know what we’ll do on the date or where we’ll go, but kissing needs to be part of it.”
There was a long pause then he said, “I was hoping you’d say something like that. Definitely.”
Due to schedules, it would be almost two weeks before that date. (That’s a long freaking time after just telling someone you wanted to REALLY kiss them…)
He invited me to his house for a completely unplanned/unscheduled night. We drank some wine, went to a little neighborhood restaurant for a quick dinner, then back to his house for dessert of port and fancy dark chocolates (um, yum…). We were sitting on uncomfortable stools in the kitchen, enjoying the treats, when we had a really weird, long pause in conversation. We were just staring at each other. In silence. I wanted to look away, but I felt like I always look away in these situations and if this date would EVER include my kissing idea/concept, I had to hold fast to his gaze. We joked about the rare conversational pause. Then he asked if he could just walk over and kiss me.
“Yes. Please.”
His arms embraced me, pulling me closer, and I reciprocated – arms around his neck, fingers intertwined in his hair. Our kiss started like the other ones – the quick goodnight kisses – but turned into something more. Lovely, passionate kisses in the kitchen. The kind of kissing that makes your breath quicken, your pulse race, and tiny little sighs escape from deep in your throat. The kind of kissing that makes you want much more…so much more than just kissing.
We moved to the living room, and even though it was a little weird being IN FRONT OF THE FRONT WINDOW (with no window coverings – WTF?), the kissing continued. Now combined with cuddling, and (slightly) roaming hands, and kisses that extend down the neck to ticklish places near the collarbone. Sweet kisses. Passionate kisses. Fast kisses. Slow kisses. Urgent kisses. Patient kisses. This went on for an hour or so before we both agreed we had to stop before things went further than we intended.
Ending the kissing and driving home was incredibly difficult.
It’s been a CRAZY long time since I’ve been kissed, especially REALLY kissed. I honestly can’t even remember the last time. Maybe more than three years? That’s a ridiculously LONG time… It’s ABOUT time.
I liked it. And I want to kiss B more. And I think I like B – a lot. And I’m pretty sure that the fireworks are starting…
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Posted in Dating, Randomness, We're Going to be OK Tagged Death, first time, Life, widow
Posted on May 10, 2013 by Jax
I spend most Friday mornings at Starbucks or Panera. Drinking a latte (or a mocha, depends on the day). Eating a cinnamon bagel (or chocolate chip muffie, depends on my mood). Grading papers, or planning for next week’s classes, or catching up on emails and Facebook messages, or just procrastinating. It’s a lovely break from the everyday, and I enjoy having a few hours to myself.
Over the last few months, I’ve observed a lot. Groups of old ladies who meet to knit together (not so much talk, as just sit together and knit – really, this is a thing?). Pastors meeting members of their congregation to discuss various spiritual issues. Business people frantically working on PowerPoints or prepping for an important meeting. Friends meeting to celebrate a birthday or new baby or some other happy occasion. The single person reading a magazine or a book.
But there’s something that captures my attention every time. I’ll spend way too much time watching them, studying them, envying them.
It’s the older couple. Sitting across the table from one another. Reading the paper, sharing the sections. Drinking their coffees. Occasionally reaching across the table to hold hands for a fleeting moment. Sometimes reading excerpts from an article to one another. Talking about their day, their plans. Telling stories. Laughing. Maybe reaching across the table to brush fingertips – again, while looking into each other’s eyes.
I watch couples like this from afar, envious of this sort of “public intimacy.” It’s like the world – this coffee shop, all the customers, the noise – doesn’t exist. It’s just him and her. Enjoying each other. Together and separate, but very, very close. Physically, emotionally, mentally close.
I never had this. I want this.
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Posted in Dating, He's Gone, We're Going to be OK Tagged dating, death of a spouse, Family, Life, widow
Posted on May 9, 2013 by Jax
Life has been extremely busy lately. Good busy, but busy nonetheless. So quick updates:
It’s the end of my semester, and I can’t believe how quickly time flew by. In the last week, I had a standing ovation from one class and incredible notes of thanks from several other students. This teaching thing, yeah I like it. Now the time-consuming part – I’ll be spending the next few weeks grading papers… (But I’m on the fall and spring schedules for next school year, which is awesome!)
B and I continue to talk daily. We closed the restaurant (again) on our last date, spending more than six hours talking and laughing and smiling without any concept of what time it was. (“Why does time seem to stop when I’m with you?” he asked when we realized it was 2 a.m. and the restaurant was closing.) At least one friend has asked if B and I have kissed. No, we haven’t. He continues to be a gentleman, walking me to my car, giving me a hug, kissing my cheek at the end of the evening (or early morning, in this case). I don’t know where this will lead, and while I look forward to finding out, I’m really realistic about it and taking things very slowly and cautiously.
Relatedly, a former coworker messaged me this week with a *demand* to get to know one of her friends who’s moving to town in a month or so. From her message: “I am going to introduce you to a friend of mine who is moving to (CITY). Not a “fix up” unless you just happen to hit it off that way but a great single dad who is extremely bright and funny and sarcastic and I think you would be friends. Oh, and just BTW, he’s exceedingly handsome and has an adorable young son. He’s an uber liberal feminist. I would consider running away with him if invited. Just a heads up. I am not giving either of you a choice in the matter.” I took a chance and messaged him yesterday. (Thank goodness I’ve had some recent practice being witty via emails…) Also, friend was right: he is ridiculously attractive.
The condo fell through. Someone offered full-price, all-cash, not-contingent-on-an-inspection offer, and the bank took it. It was a huge blow to my mom, and I think she’s reluctant to look anymore. I’ve shown her a few listings that are comparable, but she hasn’t taken any steps to move on anything. I think she’ll be around for a while.
Ethan had first communion last weekend. It’s a big deal for a second grade Catholic schoolboy. As Ethan was getting ready in my room on Saturday afternoon, I was struck with a feeling of sadness: Mike should have been there. Mike should have been helping him get ready, put on his first suit, tie his tie, comb his hair. Mike should have been sitting with E and I during mass. Mike should have seen his son reach across the aisle to hold the hand of one of his favorite (girl!) classmates during the “Our Father.” But he wasn’t there. Instead, I brought a photo of Mike to set on the empty chair, for Ethan to hold during the service. It made Ethan happy to have the image of his dad, but it was sad to watch as he held the photo close at key parts of mass. I was taken back at how empty and sad this otherwise happy occasion made me. I was glad when it was over and we could leave. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough – to get away from the happy families celebrating together: moms and dads and the first communicant and the extended families. (But it was super nice that E’s Big Brother came to mass.)
I’m looking forward to wrapping up this school year and then having the summer “free.” I’ve worked every summer and school break since I was 15 years old, so to have three months without obligations will be completely new to me. Also completely new to me: spending all day/night, every day/night with my kids – other than maternity leaves and occasional vacation days, I’ve worked since they were born. Actually, I worked through my maternity leaves and vacation days, so this will all be REALLY NEW to me.
Once I’ve submitted the final grades for the semester, I’ll be planning daily activities with the kids, a family road trip to the Gulf Coast, and visits with friends near and far. In my mind, I have lofty expectations for the summer – I hope reality lives up to it.
Reddit
Posted in Dating, Etiquette, Grief, He's Gone, Kiddos, Parenthood, Randomness, We're Going to be OK Tagged dating, Death, death of a parent, death of a spouse, Family, first time, grief, kids, Life, motherhood, parenting, questions, teaching, widow
Posted on April 29, 2013 by Jax
Weekends like this last one make me wish for an extra day for recovery. So much to do, so much fun, so tired on Monday morning.
It started with arriving on my alma mater’s campus late on Friday. Too late to make the formal senior banquet, but that’s okay. Instead of changing into my sassy new dress (which I’m kind of disappointed about…I’ll have to find somewhere else to wear it), I walked into the ballroom, wearing jeans and a sweater, in time to hear the last 10 minutes of the “thank you” speeches.
The bar was closed, but I smiled sweetly and asked politely for two glasses of wine – it was a long drive through crazy Chicago traffic and I needed it. I was cornered by one of the college’s executives who made a weird, sort-of job pitch. I was pinned to the wall as she was trying to talk me into submitting a resume for a newly created position, and “wouldn’t you like to talk to the college president RIGHT NOW? He’s just over there…” Um, no. I just wanted to get my drink on and have a good time. Besides, I cannot relocate the kids again so soon. Would I like to work at my alma mater? Yes. But not now. Not for several years. But, um, thanks?
I was in a particularly social mood, but none of the usual suspects were planning on doing anything that night. Everyone was going back to the dorm or had other plans. Then I found two guys who graduated with me. They were deep in conversation, but after drinking those two glasses of wine in record time, I was feeling okay with interrupting their convo and finding out what they were up to.
I’ve known these two guys since freshman year. Super nice, super fun, and of course, they were eager to continue to drink. We ended up at the college bar (it’s a dry campus…with a bar). The Midwest rains left half of the bar underwater, but that didn’t stop anyone. With only one part of the bar open and the other (soggy part) blocked off with old church pews, it was crazy crowded.
The guys and I found a table just outside the bar and drank until almost 3 a.m. when the bar closed. It was fun. I don’t usually get to spend time with these two, so siting with them and talking and laughing was awesome.
Side note: If I know you IRL from college, I need to get your perspective on one of these guys. The single one. Who graduated with me. Who was looking particularly amazing with some scruffy facial hair and a well-tailored suit. Specifically, why is this guy still single? Why has he always been single? Am I missing something?
It was a rough Saturday morning, since the board meeting started at 8 a.m. I may have fallen out of bed at one point. That sucked. But I was feeling pretty good that morning. Until the beer and brat tent. After the meeting, the board was staffing the beer and brat tent for the annual spring festivities (a go cart race for alumni and one for students). Standing over vats of grilled meat soaking in boiling beer was nauseating, given my activities the night before. I was not sad when I was told I could leave an hour early.
I left campus and went to a local florist. I knew exactly what I wanted. Finding a single sunflower, I set off for the cemetery. Mike’s grave is in such a pretty spot. It’s off a walking trail, near the river. I knelt at his grave, my knees getting soaked and grass stained from the muddy earth. It was the first time I saw the headstone. I smiled as I placed the sunflower. We had a running joke about sunflowers: I once decorated our bedroom in blue and yellow with sunflower accents. He was not amused. I tried justifying the sunflowers as “manly” flowers – they’re tall, they grow food (seeds), they’re not a girly color like pink. It became something we laughed and joked until the end. It felt playful to place the sunflower on his grave. It felt good, it felt right. (My mom was appalled when I told her that I put a sunflower out. She thought it was “awful” and mean. I disagree.)
B and I exchanged a few texts Friday and Saturday – he had a crazy work weekend, and he knew I was on campus. It was nice. I didn’t tell him about visiting the cemetery. That’s still too weird to talk about with someone I’m casually getting to know. I’m not sure when we’ll see each other next – we both have ridiculous weekend schedules through mid-May, and our weekdays are just as crazy. Boo.
Sunday was another busy day. I had brunch with two good friends from my previous employer. I miss them and the wonderful team there, but I don’t miss the hours or the work or the politics of that place. But the people – they’re awesome. We had a good visit, and I hope we can do it again soon.
Quick stop at home to get Ethan and we were off to the craft store. He has his first communion this weekend, and prep for that important event has been a major pain. It’s become focused on parent-driven arts-and-crafts. No where in the Bible do I remember anyone writing about how important it is to design banners, cut religious symbols out of felt, decorate candles, or bedazzle crosses. Yet, for the last three months, it’s been one project after another. I’ve spent at least $100 on art supplies and countless hours “helping” Ethan to decorate all this stuff. I believe the kid should do his/her own work, and I really work in a supervisory role, helping him think it out and making sure images are appropriate for the religious ceremony. But after submitting our banners a few months ago, I learned that I am almost alone in this belief. Many moms took the lead on their kids’ banners (and admitted it to the rest of us) and you’d think they were competing for an award in elaborate felt design. It was nuts. For this month, we had to decorate a nine-inch white pillar candle. And get decorations to stick on it. And make sure all images were compatible with the child’s “spiritual journey” so far. I bought some scrap-book crosses and peace doves, and used sticky dots to adhere to the candle with the words “love” and “faith” Sharpied across the top and bottom of the candle. I’m not an artsy, crafty person. I hated these projects – glad the candle was the last one. It better be the last one.
The rest of the day was filled with some outside work (yay, nice weather) and playing with the kids. Then grading. Oh my goodness, the end of the semester grading. I did not plan this well and I’m way behind.
I was already tired from the amount of activity this weekend, when at 1 a.m., Lauren got sick. Change the sheets, wash her and change her, then put her in bed with me where she played for an hour before falling asleep. Every cough and sound she made, I was on high alert so she wouldn’t puke in my bed (she didn’t, thank goodness). She was super tired this morning, as was I and Ethan, who woke up when she was crying and calling for me.
One more day would have been nice. One more day for recovery. How many more days until the next weekend? I hope it comes soon… Wait, I’m completely booked next weekend, too. Ugh!
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Posted in Dating, Etiquette, He's Gone, Parenthood, We're Going to be OK Tagged Cemetery, dating, death of a spouse, first time, grief, kids, Life, motherhood, parenting, questions, teaching, widow
Posted on April 24, 2013 by Jax
I’ve written and rewritten this entry a million times, and it’s still not “right.” But I need to get these thoughts out of my head now, so I’m hitting “Publish”…
I had a great time with B on Saturday night. It was nice and comfortable and fun. I smile when I think about him or when he texts or I see his name in my email. (He’s started signing his emails with “Yours” and his name. It’s quite sweet.) Even friends to whom I’ve talked since the date have commented that they can “hear” my smile through the phone. And the ladies in the grief group commented on my smile and laughter last night as I recounted my weekend adventures – one of the ladies who also lost her husband and dad commented, “I like your life.”
(FYI: I’m smiling as I type this…)
Side note: Even if there’s no romantic relationship with B, I think we’d be good friends (but not Insurance Guy kind of friends!), and I’m so thankful that my first date was a positive experience. The experience proved that I CAN date, that I WANT to date, that the time is RIGHT.
Two things keep swirling in my head:
Spark versus fireworks: I need to come to terms with the “getting to know” someone stage of dating. Having last dated in college (1995!), that step was nonexistent. I went to a small college – 1,000 students – so dating another student meant we knew everything about each other: hometowns, siblings, what (who) they did last weekend, past relationships, how smart they were. The basics. So when a boy in college took you to the Reflecting Pond and told you that he liked you, there were fireworks because damn, you liked him too – you KNEW him; you KNEW EVERYTHING about him. But things are different as an adult, especially someone pursuing a relationship through online dating. I don’t know anything about these guys, other than what they put in their profiles. (And I’m not sure much of that is accurate…) There’s a period of asking questions and telling stories and listening (and googling to make sure answers match up). Getting to know someone results in sparks and the butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. Sparks are nice, but I want fireworks. I think fireworks might come after the “get to know” stage. God, I hope there will be fireworks someday with someone…
Handy Manly: B is very nice. Kind. Gentle. You can see it in his eyes and facial expressions, hear it in his voice. This guy is a NICE person. And that’s good – don’t get me wrong. But…I keep reflecting on something my mom asked on Sunday: “Is he a manly man?” Well, no, not really, I don’t think so. “Well,” said my mom, “You need to find someone handy – to fix stuff. Mike sucked at fixing stuff. You need someone who’s not soft.” Now, Mike wasn’t a manly man. In fact, he was far from it. He couldn’t build or fix things. He didn’t hunt or fish. I teased that he was “handy for a lawyer” but truth was Mike couldn’t saw, hammer, or wrench his way out of a paper bag. Sure, it would be nice to have someone “fix stuff” but that’s hardly my sole criteria for finding a partner. Hell, in the last year, I’ve learned to use a snow blower, hang shelves straight the first time, and fix a leaky toilet – I’m doing okay with handy stuff on my own. But her words keep ringing in my ears… I’ve been talking to B for almost a month now; we’ve been on exactly one date – “how handy are you?” hasn’t exactly come up in conversation but I don’t get the feeling that he’s super-duper handy. I think my mom’s whole criticism stems from my dad, who was extremely handy and very tough – he was manly, for sure. She compares all men against him, but quite frankly, men today are much different from those of her generation. If he’s nice and kind, why should it matter?
Add to the list criteria other people think I should/do have: does not run marathons and handy around the house. Oh boy!
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Posted in Dad, Dating, He's Gone, Randomness, Uncategorized, We're Going to be OK Tagged dating, death of a spouse, Family, first time, Life, questions, widow
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| 22,611 |
Joseph is currently the Producer for Rocket Stage, the theatrical arm of Sir Elton John and David Furnish's production company; Rocket Entertainment. Rocket Stage has several musical theatre projects in development that include a mix of new Elton John song material and his existing catalogue.
He is also the co-owner with John Brant of Smith & Brant Theatricals(SBT). Currently the company is producing the global hit musical Come From Away that is playing in New York, Toronto and most recently in London where it won 4 Olivier awards in 2019. Producing credits are the Broadway hit revivals of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and Promises, Promises. In the West End SBT produced Million Dollar Quartet, and the multi award-winning Sweeney Todd and Spring Awakening. More recently the company has produced national tours of Gaslight, Strangers on a Train, Abigail’s Party & Ghost Stories, plus West End productions of True West starring Kit Harrington & Johnny Flynn and David Mamet's Bitter Wheat starring John Malkovich. .
Previous to his work for Rocket Entertainment, Joseph was the Executive Producer of Old Vic Productions (later Greene Light Stage): he led the team in producing a wealth of productions including the Olivier Award-winning Jerusalem, Clybourne Park and the critically acclaimed Passion Play, Private Lives, Good People and The Pajama Game in the West End. This is in addition to representing the company in its role as co-producer with Working Title Films of the smash hit, Billy Elliot The Musical.
Chief Executive of Stage One: Joe has headed up Stage One for almost 10 years as he strongly believes in nurturing and supporting the next generation of commercial producers. Joe has been an integral part of a shift in Stage One, doubling the amount of development programmes on offer including the launch of their Bridge The Gap scheme which aims to diversify the representation of commercial theatre producers across the UK. He was also instrumental in developing the One Stage season in 2014, mentoring the three producers as they took on their projects at The Other Palace (then, the St James Theatre).
Chair of the Board, The Gate Theatre, Notting Hill: As a passionate supporter of new writing, he is proud to Chair the Board of one of London's leading theatres for this.
Prior to all of this he worked in New York for RJK Productions producing both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Before living and working in New York he started his career at the National Theatre where he worked for 10 years culminating in producing the critically acclaimed Transformation Season.
Programme Director
Louise graduated from the University of Kent in 2012 with an M Drama in Creative Producing where she independently produced a number of plays and musicals and created her own production company. After leaving University she continued to produce fringe shows in London before joining Stage One in 2014. Louise's education and experience in producing gives her a first-hand understanding of the practical and organisational challenges that face new producers. Over the past 6 years she has relished the opportunity to create opportunities to support producers at all levels through their careers.
Outreach Leader
Siobhan trained as a secondary drama teacher and enjoyed facilitating the next generation of theatre makers. She has produced and directed work with emerging artists in schools and theatres and is experienced in fundraising and engaging new audiences. With a keen interest in unheard voices and representation on stage, Siobhan now produces work that promotes change in the industry. She wants to ensure that emerging producers access the support and guidance needed to nurture their talent in producing and thrive in their field.
As an American theatre marketer and producer living in London, Olivia trained as an actor and facilitator before receiving her Masters in Applied Theatre in 2015. She’s produced shows and workshops across the UK & USA before joining Stage One in 2022. Coming from a background in marketing and outreach, she is passionate about helping emerging producers access training & opportunities. Having a long love affair with musicals, she is excited to support the next generation of producers in sharing their stories and hearing their voices in the industry.
Fundraising and Development
Liz has over 12 years’ experience working in the subsidised sector in fundraising and development including as Director of Development for the Almeida Theatre, Soho Theatre and has worked as a freelance consultant for the Central School of Ballet and Cheek by Jowl Theatre Company.
Head of Finance
Martin has worked for the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre since the mid 90s, presently as Chief Operating Officer, and is a qualified chartered accountant. He took over looking after the finances of Stage One in 2000.
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Against expensive repairs need to protect against sudden health problems. Today everyone wants to include "collision" on the long run. If you have had to write down fro further comparisons. Have to put your home through internet. That there were 152, 612 reports of people buying car insurance.
Much different to your advantage, you will depend on the insurance. Live in an urban legend? how would you call your insurer would view your quotes online. And include the following coverages: collision coverage covers you. Honda accord does not happen immediately.
That would fit your budget and conditions. Accident for both new drivers who take a car loan. Coverage, and other companies as possible. Any type of coverage than you think. Financial data, to decide how much you pay for collision or comprehensive coverage.
The right auto insurance deals on the web, and you take may qualify for safe driving. One of the volvo auto museum. Or the neighborhood in which it definitely does not mean that one can escape it. You know this sounds like a charm. Woman's name, or bank rules are and take that long ago. You are getting a cheap policy. This has since diversified to offer them. Insurance companies really, really don't have to approach your task.
You are most likely sound like something i am sure you are checking an existing policy can apply. You will operate your car. Choose which option you can go about comparing low cost car websites. Policy has a long period of time. Were to sell you a change in our agency. - your driving record as a whole. Lawyers, military, school alumni, scientists, students.
And cover myself if a person does not require a little bit. However, company a may be neglecting below. All this advertising is done for you. If you get the right insurance.
Very rarely use your vehicle insured no matter how strict our laws are for athletes what is an average price for car insurance . It is with the coverage on a multitude of other types of coverage offered. To buy auto insurance plans. Largest population of women involved accidents is that when some kids are out to be. So they balance it doesn't mean that the value of the car you rear ended.
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Want or a women's car insurance online, so start hitting the roads without breaking the law. Or uninsured motorist insurance rates down. How motor vehicle without auto insurance company, with no obligation quotes from different insurance companies. Everyday cars to have included two sites i consider myself a spending diary and a must to follow 1 corinthians parameters. What you would not have coverage for lower-value cars: if you have an duis. Of being able to purchase this insurance, it is also the cheapest price possible. Potential is huge, one must be covered for the people that are vulnerable to climate mayhem. Will quickly identify the company in town, but they will to a couple of thousand maryland residents.
Of auto insurance information in just a few dollars. This world, there are more accident prone than others. They can tell you where you made your payments to the officer. Afford it knowing he worked for many years. Credit also being protected is an important purchase for a policy. You are now offering special military rates. Major report agencies once a week.
Of credit to their car. You'll need to spend travelling, how far you go. As remotely shutting the engine size.
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“Did you ever consider thinking like farmers think,” asked my wife, Christine, over breakfast the other morning. And by “you,” she meant guides, outdoor/adventure educators and those folks who love to explore the outdoors.
I answered her question with a shoulder shrug and a grunt, which meant I didn’t understand the query.
So Christine patiently explained. “When you see a farm in the winter it may look as if nothing’s happening. The fields look bare and quiet. Tractors and trucks aren’t out in the fields working. However, the farm still has work to do. The job of the farmer is to repair equipment, sharpen tools as well as skills and to make sure that come the first day of planting everything is powered up, runs well and doesn’t get in the way of important work getting done.”
“Oh, I get it! We shouldn’t just box up our gear in the off season and forget about it until we want to go on a trip or work. We should be spending the “off season” repairing, understanding and building our skills so nothing gets in the way of fun and important work.”
She has a good point.
So let’s look at some of the skills we can work on enhancing during those days when we can’t get out. The benefit of working on these skills is becoming a better outdoors person by being prepared to deal with issues in the backcountry. And doing this with friends and family creates the feeling you are in the backcountry if you use your imagination.
Have any further questions about our courses, what you’ll learn, or what else to expect? Contact us, we’re here to help!
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In my first post I compared Oanda's spreads to other legitimate brokers. I received criticism (see below) because I compared spreads on the weekend and brokers with different business models (Market Makers vs ECN).
In this post I used the same mechanics to compare brokers, except I used average spreads, not current, from 30/11/16 20:07 GMT+3 to 6/12/16 20:07 GMT+3, and included comissions into the spreads.
Exness: 1.14
Although Oanda's spreads have reduced and are smaller in comparison to other brokers, broker spreads ranking hasn't changed. Oanda has the second highest spreads after Forex.com. IC Markets has nearly half the spreads of Oanda's, even after including commissions. I am leaning towards opening an account with Pepperstone or IC Markets more than ever before.
Although spreads are a major factor in choosing a broker, they do not represent execution quality, slippage, or any other fees of a broker.
While this is true, why open an account with Oanda over Pepperstone, for example?
Hall of Criticism
You're doing it wrong. Never in 3 years as an Oanda client have I seen eurusd with an 8 pip spread. When we're you looking, Sunday night? Eurusd is usually around 1.2 pips, sometimes less than 1. However you're finding them, it's not reporting them right.
You can't just compare spreads with brokers using different business models. http://prntscr.com/d3tjme If you look at the spreads of ICMarkets (I use) and Oanda, they don't differ by much really. That's because you need to integrate the commission ICMarkets charge and integrate it into the spread. Once you do, they don't differ by much.
submitted by JacobM00re to Forex [link] [comments]
This is when a trader executes an order at a price which is very different to the price they expected the trade to be executed at. This usually happens during periods of high volatility, when traders use market orders and stop loss orders. FXTM Global Forex sunday slippage Get link; Facebook; Twitter; Pinterest; Email; Other Apps; November 30, 2018 [ad_1] Slippage can be a common occurrence in forex trading but is often misunderstood. Understanding how forex slippage occurs can enable a trader to minimize negative slippage, while potentially maximizing positive slippage. These concepts will be explored in this article to shed some light on the mechanics of slippage in forex, as well as how […] Forex trading involves significant risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Full Disclosure. Spot Gold and Silver contracts are not subject to regulation under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act. *Increasing leverage increases risk. GAIN Capital Group LLC (dba FOREX.com) 135 US Hwy 202/206 Bedminster NJ 07921, USA. GAIN Capital Group ... Learn more about forex . Discover how to start trading forex in four steps. Learn more . Slippage can happen at any time, due to two main reasons. The first reason is high volatility in the market. If there is a sudden movement of price beyond your stop order, the trade may not be closed in time and the stop may not be triggered at the level at which it was set. The second reason is that there ... Why is there slippage in Forex? Slippage tends to result during times of great volatility, and also in response to fundamental events like reports being filed, etc. Slippage almost always happens when the market opens each weekend on Sunday nights! If you stay in a trade over a weekend, be very wary. Sunday nights are unpredictable—in general ... Why is there slippage in Forex? Slippage tends to result during times of great volatility and also in response to fundamental events like unexpected news and macroeconomic reports. Slippage almost always happens when the market opens each weekend on Sunday nights! It is a result of the weekend price gaps. If you stay in a trade over a weekend, be very wary. Sunday nights are unpredictable ...
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There are many things in our lives that happen unexpectedly. For a lot of them, we will try to make up an excuse.
Sometimes we’ll do it because we don’t know how to deal with them in any other way. Other times, it’s a form of consolation for ourselves.
Perhaps you’ve made a mistake that cost you a lot, but you’re too proud to admit it to yourself. Then you begin to point fingers at others and turn your head from the truth.
Well, what if you’re wrong, but not entirely? What if he wasn’t a narcissist, but just a douche? You dumped this guy a while ago, but only because you thought he was a narcissist.
Maybe you’re regretting it now and trying to rule out that you misjudged him. Your head was hot back then and now you’ve had time to cool off, so you’re recalling some bits and pieces.
You’ve done your research about narcissists, but only after you broke things off between the two of you. Then, you came to realize that he didn’t exhibit any of the red flags.
Perhaps you’re filled with that guilty feeling of accusing someone of something they’re not. But, wait. Don’t go crawling back to him just because you made a mistake.
You might pity him now, but what if he wasn’t a nice guy after all? Even though he wasn’t a narcissist, who’s to say he wasn’t a douche? We can commonly misgauge because of some of the traits these two share.
I’ll name a few of them and you be the judge. Then you can decide whether or not you should give him a second chance.
Does he talk all over you? Do you ever get the feeling that he doesn’t care about what you have to say? Perhaps he clearly lets you know he’s not interested by talking all over you.
Narcissists do this to make you feel undermined and to achieve that sense of superiority. On the other hand, a douche is just a douche. He doesn’t have any manners and will casually jump into the conversation, interrupting your thoughts.
Another shared characteristic of a narcissist and a douche is when he gaslights you.
This is one of the infamous tactics narcissists use to rewrite the history of events. They’ll use this to their advantage to twist reality. A narcissist will make you feel like you’re losing your mind to gain your trust.
He’ll make you believe you’re imagining and forgetting stuff. This will isolate you from the rest of the world because you don’t want people to see you’re going mad.
On the contrary, if he’s just a douche, he doesn’t want to get anything out of gaslighting you. Also, it may be possible that he’s not even doing it on purpose.
He may be subconsciously gaslighting you. A douche simply doesn’t see things from your point of view. He doesn’t care where you’ve been or what you’ve been doing.
Therefore, it’s possible you talked about these things, but he never cared enough to memorize them. Instead, he’ll fight saying how you never did that just so you don’t blow his cover.
Don’t you think it’s possible this took place? You probably didn’t pay enough attention to the details in his behavior to rule out whether he was a narcissist or just a douche.
Maybe he was love bombing you and you didn’t know what to think of it? You looked up the traits of a narcissist and you saw it’s one of the warning signs.
However, it may not be the case. Love bombing can happen both in and outside of a narcissistic relationship. You don’t have to be a narcissist’s girlfriend for someone to love-bomb you.
It’s a common misconception, but I get why people think that. You don’t believe that a person would be capable of using these tricks if they weren’t a narcissist.
Well, look how the tables have turned in a sick way. If he wasn’t a narcissist but only a douche, then how come he used this strategy?
The thing is that he probably didn’t know how to deal with you. He realized that you’d see right through him if he let out a single mistake. People like that are not really in love with you.
It’s possible he was only trying to blind you with all the gestures of love so you couldn’t see past it. He tried to mask himself with all of the gifts, dates, and attention.
Of course, he didn’t want you to see what a jerk he was! Speaking of attention, a narcissist would’ve given you tons of it. But only for a certain period of time. They give only what they can get back, double.
A narcissist will flood you with his affection and devotion to get something in return. And that is your trust and love, so you see the crooked version of him.
The difference is that a douche doesn’t want anything in return while a narcissist has the whole thing planned out.
It’s confusing because you don’t even suspect this lovely, handsome man could be capable of hurting you. Everything about him is deceiving, from his looks to his words.
Even if he wasn’t a narcissist, you’re better off without him. There’s a high chance he was one of those toxic boyfriends that can make your life hell. All they have to do is snap their fingers and everything gets ruined in a second.
If you’re contemplating whether he was a narcissist or just someone who didn’t care about you, stop. It would’ve been bad if he was a narcissist and a douche.
Neither of these deserves you either way. That’s why you shouldn’t even think about giving that guy a second chance. I mean, you legitimately thought he was a narcissist!
He clearly has some undesirable traits that you don’t want to find in any man. Therefore, I believe you’ll make the right call and not go back to him.
By Author Jane Ackles
Posted on Last updated: June 3, 2022
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Think Aloud is a destination where you’ll find stories about every step you, as a woman, take. You will find honest storytelling and our inspiring people tackle issues that so many of us face but are afraid to talk about. Our vision is to become a supportive community where you’ll feel that there’s someone out there who gets you, supports you in creating and keeping strong bonds between your families and friends. We share subjects that impact your daily life and we primarily discuss and write about all things related to relationships, breakups, mental health, astrology and much more.
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Shopping for produce can be a bit confusing. There are so many varieties of different items in the produce section of your favorite stores. You also add the battle of finding something that is ripe enough but not too ripe. To be sure you are getting all your nutritional requirements, you might consider a multivitamin or even add apple cider vinegar to your daily routine.
When shopping for produce the produce section will also ask you to choose between organic and non-organic produce. This can leave you asking, “Is organic or non-organic produce better,” and we have your answer!
Are organic foods different?
Many people will look at the organic produce section and ask if it’s that different. Most produce looks similar to the non-organic section. Some of the organic produce may even be smaller or have a much higher price point. This can leave you asking if the added investment is worth it, especially in recipes. Let’s talk about what is different between organic produce versus non-organic produce.
Non-organic foods are chemically treated. – These items are typically treated with pesticides including insecticides, rodenticides, herbicides, fungicides, and antimicrobials. While some believe that you can just wash these chemicals off, this is not true as they are part of that produce’s growing process. There is a high likelihood you are ingesting varying amounts of these chemicals when eating non-organic produce.
Organic foods are not chemically treated. – Organic growers have found ways to grow the same produce without some of the harmful pesticides and chemicals. This means that the produce is grown free of many harmful chemicals and is safer for you and your family. Many organic farmers will use a combination of composting and natural predators to control pests on their farms to give you the healthiest products possible.
Should I buy only organic produce?
When working on the grocery budget, many will look at the cost of organic produce and debate on the expense. They may even ask if they have to make the switch to all organic or only partially organic produce. The more organic items you can buy, the better your results will be. However, some items are more chemically treated than others. Here are nine items you should buy the organic version of:
Apples – Non-organic Apples can have up to forty different pesticides on them. Because insects and fungus are more drawn to apples, they will often be treated more than your average produce. Farms will spray their farms excessively to control pests and fungus. Keep this in mind when buying apples, apple sauce, or apple juice as these chemicals could be in all of these items.
Celery – Non-organic Celery is made with up to 60 different pesticides. When shopping for celery, it is best to go organic or find an alternative option.
Strawberries – Bugs love strawberries which means they are coated in harmful pesticides and chemicals. Due to their porous nature, strawberries will absorb all of the chemicals and treatments used on them.
Peaches – Peach farmers will use up to sixty different chemicals to prevent pests in their orchards. Peaches that are not organic can have all of these chemicals on them and in the actual peach. It is best to avoid non-organic peaches and even canned peaches because of these chemicals.
Spinach – Of all of the leafy greens, spinach has the highest amount of pesticides used in the growing process. This will also include frozen varieties. If you are eating spinach make sure to buy organic to avoid chemicals.
Grapes – Most non-organic grapes are treated with up to thirty pesticides to grow well. This extends to grades, raisins, and even wine! It is important to look at organic options when possible with grapes.
Sweet Bell Peppers – Sweet bell peppers are covered in pesticide residue to avoid pests and other issues. Avoid non-organic bell peppers when possible.
Potatoes – Potatoes are high in pesticides. When looking for potatoes, go organic with potatoes, avoid items such as french fries made with the same non-organic potatoes.
Blueberries – Blueberries are treated with a large variety of pesticides to help them make it to the store without damage from pests. Frozen blueberries have less residue but it is better to buy fresh organic blueberries where possible.
How do I know if an item is truly organic?
Only completely organic produce can carry a USDA seal. Non-single-ingredient products that have most of their ingredients (95%) can say “Organic.” Products made with mostly (70%) organic can say “Made with Organic Ingredients.” Labels that say, “all-natural” may or may not be truly organic. These labels can help you to know that an item is organic. Short of starting your own organic garden, be sure to read the labels carefully at the grocery store.
Another way labels can help you with produce shopping is by looking at the label on the produce. On loose fruits and vegetables look at the PLU sticker. If the produce is organic, the code will have five digits beginning with nine. Non-organic produce will have four digits. For instance, an organic item may say 94011 while a non-organic produce item will be labeled as 4011.
So why buy organic?
If you aren’t sure yet about buying organic, here are a few more reasons to consider. These are reasons we choose organic produce for our home. Even better, these reasons can give you more motivation to pick organic options when visiting the store.
Organic produce tastes better. – The flavors in most organic produce will be better than those of their non-organic counterparts. This is because they are the most natural version of the produce and aren’t changed by added chemicals.
Organic produce is more nutritious. – Because of the removal of pesticides and chemicals, organic produce can be better for you and keep many of the nutrients you need the most.
Organic produce is great for the environment. – Not only is organic produce good for you, but it’s also good for the environment as well. Without pesticides, you can be sure that you are protecting your environment as well.
Organic produce supports local farmers. – Many local farmers will provide organic produce to retailers. This means that you are making a healthy choice while supporting farmers in your area. Talk about a win-win!
If you are still worried about getting enough produce in your diet, we recommend Just Juiced Veggies, which has 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables in each serving.
March 17, 2022 at 12:42 pm
thank you this is very useful information
Mary A Pierce says:
March 22, 2022 at 12:05 pm
I have learned a lot about organic and non organic vegetables. I am going to start looking for the labels. I will be watching for the number 9 being the first to see.
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We’ve been cruising Catalina for a long time and visit this unique Southern California island several times a year. So much so, that it sometimes feels like our own private paradise, particularly in the off-season when we might be the only boat anchored in a cove whose beauty matches that of any other place on earth. But, of course (and particularly in the summer), you only have to watch the island ferries bringing visitors in by the score – not to mention all the power boats and yachts that visit – to see that Catalina is an extremely popular destination.
Among the island’s regular visitors are countless numbers of schoolkids who stay in any one of the many camps. Is it by coincidence or by purpose that the most of these camps are located in the most beautiful coves? Or is it that every cove is beautiful regardless of whether it houses a camp? In the summer, when the camps are in full swing, a noisy reveille may start the day, and the camp counselors (mostly college kids) and organizers swing into action: snorkeling, kayaking, campfires and singalongs. The air is filled with happy shouts and laughter. I’ve never seen an unsmiling youngster here in all the years I’ve been visiting.
Of course, some of the island’s visitors say that all this action and noise disturbs the peaceful island idyll, but I love to pull into an anchorage, drop Poseidon’s big anchor, settle in and see the beach alive with activities. I remember our outings when I was a kid and, although they were largely confined to the local dairies, bakeries or parks, we loved them. They were a change in routine, a new stimulus, something to look forward to. Much though we loved them, our outings were nothing as exciting or exotic as a visit to Catalina and I can only imagine how the Catalina campers must look forward to their summers, creating memories that will last their whole lives.
There are too many campsites on Catalina to list them here and, anyway, this isn’t meant to be a guide but simply a snapshot of one of our best-loved cruising grounds. However, one particular cove is particularly worth mentioning. It’s the rock formation just below Long Point, a landmark whose light is a vital navigation aid to all boats in the area. Just below the light is a cove which may be the most beautiful underwater spot on the island. There’s a small reef and then a beautiful kelp bed. Hundreds… thousands… of fish, mostly notably Garibaldi, the official fish of California. Once almost extinct, it has been protected now for many years, a bright golden colored creature which, while it’s very territorial, will eat out of your hand. Particularly if that hand is filled with frozen peas!
The camp at Long Point may be the most active of all the Catalina camps and when we’re anchored here in the summer we expect to see several dozen kayakers at a time cruising through the anchorage.
Everyone who visits Catalina must have their favorite places and experiences. I love seeing so many people – especially youngsters – enjoying this magical island just as much as we do.
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Sep 27, 2013
We’ve been cruising Catalina for a long time and visit this unique Southern California island several times a year. So much so, that it sometimes feels like our own private paradise, particularly in the off-season when we might be the only boat anchored in a cove whose beauty matches that of any other place on earth. But, of course (and particularly in the summer), you only have to watch the island ferries bringing visitors in by the score – not to mention all the power boats and yachts that visit – to see that Catalina is an extremely popular destination.
Among the island’s regular visitors are countless numbers of schoolkids who stay in any one of the many camps. Is it by coincidence or by purpose that the most of these camps are located in the most beautiful coves? Or is it that every cove is beautiful regardless of whether it houses a camp? In the summer, when the camps are in full swing, a noisy reveille may start the day, and the camp counselors (mostly college kids) and organizers swing into action: snorkeling, kayaking, campfires and singalongs. The air is filled with happy shouts and laughter. I’ve never seen an unsmiling youngster here in all the years I’ve been visiting.
Of course, some of the island’s visitors say that all this action and noise disturbs the peaceful island idyll, but I love to pull into an anchorage, drop Poseidon’s big anchor, settle in and see the beach alive with activities. I remember our outings when I was a kid and, although they were largely confined to the local dairies, bakeries or parks, we loved them. They were a change in routine, a new stimulus, something to look forward to. Much though we loved them, our outings were nothing as exciting or exotic as a visit to Catalina and I can only imagine how the Catalina campers must look forward to their summers, creating memories that will last their whole lives.
There are too many campsites on Catalina to list them here and, anyway, this isn’t meant to be a guide but simply a snapshot of one of our best-loved cruising grounds. However, one particular cove is particularly worth mentioning. It’s the rock formation just below Long Point, a landmark whose light is a vital navigation aid to all boats in the area. Just below the light is a cove which may be the most beautiful underwater spot on the island. There’s a small reef and then a beautiful kelp bed. Hundreds… thousands… of fish, mostly notably Garibaldi, the official fish of California. Once almost extinct, it has been protected now for many years, a bright golden colored creature which, while it’s very territorial, will eat out of your hand. Particularly if that hand is filled with frozen peas!
The camp at Long Point may be the most active of all the Catalina camps and when we’re anchored here in the summer we expect to see several dozen kayakers at a time cruising through the anchorage.
Everyone who visits Catalina must have their favorite places and experiences. I love seeing so many people – especially youngsters – enjoying this magical island just as much as we do.
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Attention: You do not have to be struggling with depression to benefit from this article. Anyone can benefit from the practices that follow.
While medication may be necessary, you have to do more than just take a pill.
After spending the last several days in Washington, D.C. attending wellness workshops with 3,500 other mental health professionals, I thought I would take a moment to share a few practices that were reviewed.
Although I learned many new theories and techniques that have been demonstrated by other professionals to increase positive outcomes with clients, I want to share with you certain behavioral practices that have been associated with an elevation in mood and a decrease in depression.
While researchers have found the following activities to decrease symptoms of depression, it is always recommended that you have a thorough medical evaluation if you have been experiencing a depressed mood for over two weeks or have been feeling hopeless or helpless.
Sometimes it is necessary for depression to be treated with medication, but too often today, people think that a pill alone will fix them. Research shows that the successful treatment of depression often involves multiple treatment modalities combined with certain behavioral changes. Listed below are behaviors that are associated with a decrease in symptoms of depression.
Exercise, meditation, prayer: Many physicians rated these three to be the top wellness practices and mood enhancers.
Seek person to person support: Personal interaction has proven to be healthier than web interaction. Isolating yourself from human contact increases depression. Don’t limit your social life to the web. Force yourself to get out of your home and seek support. When depressed you feel like isolating yourself from other people and from activities you once enjoyed, but the more you isolate, the more depressed you become. Push yourself!
Practice gratitude: Research shows that keeping a gratitude journal every day for one week improves mental health for up to six months.
Spend time with positive people: Having regular contact with optimistic people elevates mood.
Practice affirmations: Reading or writing one positive affirmation every morning makes you less prone to depression.
Set goals and follow with action: Accomplishing goals gives you a sense of accomplishment and purpose which will raise hope and decrease symptoms of depression. No matter how small, achieve one goal everyday.
Aim for progress rather than perfection: No one is perfect. If you are only happy when you are perfect you will never be happy. This type of thinking is called depressive thinking. Continue to try to be the best that you can be, but remember to celebrate your baby steps, and celebrate your progress.
Eat a well-balanced diet: Fatty sugary foods zap energy which is the last thing that you need when already feeling fatigued as a result of depression.
Avoid alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant. Although alcohol may provide you temporary relief, it will make symptoms of depression worse. Your short-term fix will lead to a long-term problem.
Avoid excessive caffeine intake, especially in the afternoon: Depression often interferes with your sleep patterns. Caffeine will not balance it out, it will make it worse. Caffeine may also dehydrate you.
Contact a therapist: A therapist can serve as a coach working with you to achieve optimal wellness.
Always contact your physician: There are many different factors that correlate with depression. If you have been feeling hopeless, helpless, or really down for over two weeks, see your doctor.
Feeling better is a process. Give it time: The following tips may help you stop a downward spiral. Practice them everyday for several weeks before assessing whether they are working for you. Remember to look at long-term progress. You still may have bad days while improving overall. Everyone has bad days from time to time. The goal is to begin having more good days than bad.
Comments
jennysserendipity says
March 28, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Just in time, I need it. Thanks for sharing…;)
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 1:27 pm
We all do from time to time. Thank you for commenting.
jennysserendipity says
March 28, 2012 at 1:30 pm
stuartart says
March 28, 2012 at 1:29 pm
I love Tony Robbins take on this – physiology! If we change our physiology (how we’re standing, are we looking up or down, arms folded or relaxed by our sides etc.) we can actually effect our mood. Positively OR negatively. Apparently our bodies feed back to our brains as to what mood we’re in. When we smile we actually cause oxytocin to be released which makes us feel good.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Absolutely. I love reading the research on this and find it fascinating. It appears we have a lot more control over our mood than many people realize and can actually retrain our brain. Thank you for your comments, Stuart.
liz blackmore says
March 28, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Great points to put up for public read, Kristin. I just finished a course on getting better together, and these are very similar highlights. Depression is a necessay discussion one needs to hold with their family and friends, so that together the steps can be taken to slowly lift the curtain. Thank you for sharing.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 2:46 pm
I agree with what you have said. Thank you for commenting, Liz.
Goss Coaching says
March 28, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Awesome list! I agree with every one of them. Great post!
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Thank you.
wordsfromanneli says
March 28, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Thank you for reading and commenting, Anneli.
sugarbabiesonline says
March 28, 2012 at 9:16 pm
As someone who has successfully overcome chronic depression, I can attest to each of these practices. Thank you for your blog; it is very necessary. Continued success
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 10:58 pm
Thank you for commenting and following my blog. I am glad that you find it helpful.
Currie Rose says
March 28, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Thank you for these very insightful tips. It’s so true, there are a plethora of things we can do to ease the blues… and hopefully our society at large is moving away from the pill craze and into a more holistic approach to treating the natural ups and downs of life.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 28, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Currie Rose, thank you for commenting. I, too, hope that we are moving to a more holistic approach. It is so important!
celestealluvial says
April 1, 2012 at 6:32 am
These are excellent methods for generating contentment for anyone and everyone, glad you shared them…
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
April 1, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Celeste, Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
Impower You says
April 2, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Good post. I like the advice to not attempt perfection and that it takes time. We need to let ourselves off the hook a bit more. I wish there wasn’t such a stigma for being depressed. It seems like a natural part of life.
I have been depressed several times in my life. I used to think there was something wrong with me and that I should never admit to being depressed. I clearly remember being scared that if people knew I was depressed they wouldn’t like me. My last depression came about after my best friend died, I broke my ankle and was working at a job where trauma walked through the door constantly.
I haven’t been depressed since I quit my job and wrote my book last autumn. I know that is because I am finally following my passions, not freaking out over every failure or bad day and not working at a stressful job. I can do this because I finally realized that how things turn out is up to me and only me. I have to take the actions to make life work out and imperfections are not the end of the world. I have had a few bad days sure, but nothing like before.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
April 2, 2012 at 3:21 pm
I agree with a lot of what you have said. We are not suppose to be happy all the time. It is not natural. Also grieving is a process and being depressed is part of the process. It is only when you get stuck having more bad days than not for a really long time and the depression begins to really impair your functioning that you may need to seek help. Depression happens to most people at one time or another. It is the degree of impairment and length of time that matters. Thank you so much for your comments. Education removes the stigma. Before people judge, I wish that they would learn the facts.
Impower You says
April 2, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Thanks. I don’t feel ashamed admitting to being depressed anymore. I hope that when I share it makes another person not feel the stigma that depression makes you a bad person.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
April 2, 2012 at 4:02 pm
I hope so too! Thank you so much for your helpful comments.
Impower You says
April 2, 2012 at 4:14 pm
You’re welcome. Thanks for the opportunity to share.
Stephanie Langevin says
July 8, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Reblogged this on Life in Harmony and Balance and commented:
Living a life in Balance and Harmony is about accepting that days are better than others. While I am aiming at living my life joyfully & peacefully, there are some days when sadness, unhappiness, anxiety…are overwhelming me. Here is an amazing post by Kristin Barton Cuthriell, author of let Life In Practices that I would like to share with you. I Love this post and want to thanks Kristin for sharing.
Mary K. Ingram says
September 30, 2012 at 7:58 pm
It may take a while to try these steps but I will do what it takes to understand each one and fit them into my life. It makes such simple sense, but the persistence to do it is one of my drawbacks in life. Don’t give up on me. I won’t give up on myself. I am learning one day at a time. Thank you.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
September 30, 2012 at 11:38 pm
Thank you! Learning one day at a time is what it is all about. Keep up the good work!
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
March 31, 2012 at 12:16 pm
Thank you for mentioning my post in your blog. I really enjoyed reading your post. My research and clinical experience has led me to view the treatment of depression holistically with exercise being a crucial ingredient. I really look forward to seeing where your research takes you. In your post, you bring up some relevant questions.
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
May 9, 2012 at 9:22 pm
Thank you for the pingback. I enjoy reading your articles as you educate the public about mental health and our field, as a profession. My clients and I work very hard to identify the source of their symptoms and to change faulty beliefs and assumptions that have interferred with optimal functioning. Many learn how to better regulate emotions, tolerate distress, and improve interpersonal relationships. I agree with you; this is not simply a talk show. Thanks
Kristin Barton Cuthriell says
May 15, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Too many people overlook the positive effects of regular exercise on mood. Thanks
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One thing a lot of people struggle with is writing. Whether it’s finding enough time to do it, or enough interesting topics to consistently publish compelling content that gets the right people’s attention, many marketers would rather do something else … anything else … than sit down and write. But the combination of AI and automation is beginning to change that whole dynamic.
Kate Bradley Chernis, Founder & CEO of Lately — a platform using artificial intelligence to instantly transform blogs, videos and podcasts into dozens of social posts – joined me yesterday in a LinkedIn Live conversation to talk about how AI and automation is allowing marketers not only get more out of their efforts, it’s tapping into and using insights that is leading to self-generated content with human empathy included.
Below is an edited transcript of our conversation. To see the full conversation — including Kate sharing her thoughts and experiences on building a tech startup – watch the video, or click on the embedded SoundCloud player below.
Small Business Trends: What exactly is Lately?
Kate Bradley Chernis: It’s like having a pistol that’s really a rocket launcher type of idea. So you can take any blog. Any video, any podcast, a news article, that was written about your company. Like maybe some PR, and paste the URL into Lately’s artificial intelligence. Push a button. You could add a few hashtags if you wanted to, and what the AI does is it instantly goes out and it examines the last year of every social post you’ve ever published on any of your channels that you have connected to us. And it’s looking for the most compelling, engaging posts, the highest engaging posts, and it’s looking for the keywords that have appeared there in those posts, and it’s building a writing model based on your writing that resonates the best with your customers.
And then it pulls the quotes of what it’s ingested from your blog, for example, out into social posts, with the short link on the end, and the hashtags, and anything else you like. So think of it like a little movie trailer to the larger components, but often you’re getting three dozen social posts, because there’s going to be some incredible sentences that either somebody said or somebody wrote, each just a little taste of what’s to come if you were to click it. Does that make sense?
Small Business Trends: [Coworker] Cadi said I should ask you about Netflix.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Oh yeah. She loves this. So what Lately’s AI does, and this is really important for folks to understand, it’s not just automation, it’s artificial intelligence that really learns what works. So the same way Netflix learned what we all wanted to watch, and then use that data to recommend relevant content to you, and then use that data to create original content like The Crown. That’s now the most watched on its platform, because the AI learns what works. And that’s what Lately does as well with words.
Small Business Trends: How has AI not only changed what you do, but changed your approach to doing what you do?
Kate Bradley Chernis: So one thing that’s changed is certainly the way that we understand what resonates with our customers. That was the biggest one. Lately is actually a very robust platform that does way more automatically in the background, so that once you have this beautiful content generated by the AI, you want to do stuff with it. And so it’s our job to give you that ability, but we used to sell that part first and not the AI.
Small Business Trends: Wow.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah, so it’s a strange kind of way that we had to flip it. And that was just really by watching what did our customers get into the most. And then also just connecting the story. So we learned how to demo the product in a certain series of ways where then you’d go: “Oh, Oh, Oh.” So multiple aha’s, which is super valuable.
And then to really also understand what the biggest pain point was. We thought time saving would be the biggest pain point, because that seems obvious. Who doesn’t want more time? And then money saving seems like a big point as well, but it turns out these days we’re all so saturated with many things that make our lives better that time saving and money saving becomes expected, but the writing, that’s a pain point that no one’s solving.
Small Business Trends: One of my buddies, Kenny Lauer, he says, “AI can absolutely replace the human. Maybe not Lately, but it’s absolutely possible.” Interesting. We don’t want to replace humans, or do we? I mean, you know.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Not in marketing though, Brent. Do you mind if I jump in on that one?
Kate Bradley Chernis: The reason is because of emotion. So this is so powerful and people dismiss it. The whole reason sales people like to go and make the sale in person is because they know there’s such a higher value of conversion if you’re actually talking to a human. There’s that empathy sympathy. It all happens in that moment.
And so if you remove the human from the situation, you won’t get that. A robot just doesn’t do that at all. So that’s why you want them collaborating together. And the thing is, it’s so much more powerful. It’s not one plus one equals two. One plus one equals three with these two components.
I know there are a couple of companies that are working on some of that stuff. I know Pega systems, they actually put into their customer engagement platform something called an empathy advisor.
Small Business Trends: Early days for that, but let me ask you, so do you think you will be able to include empathy into your AI layer to not only create the post, but to put the feeling, the human emotion, into the post as well? Is that something that you can see coming?
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah. Softball city Brent. So of course. Right? So this is the exciting part. We’re focused on AI creative writing, which is a blue ocean kind of field. And just to lay it out for you a little bit, right now Lately extracts short form content, ie, social posts, from long form content, ie, blogs, videos, podcasts.
Now down the road, that short form content will take other forms. Text messaging, sales chats, emails, even blogs themselves, but once we extract the short form from the long form, we’re then able to enhance that content. Whoops, where’s my mirror, enhance.
Small Business Trends: There you go.
Kate Bradley Chernis: And so one of the ways we enhance now is with the keyword weighting, which is what we’ve been touching on. We’re also able to enhance with tone of voice. So we worked with Anheuser-Busch and Bev over the summer, and we ingested 10,000 pieces of content from one of their brands, so one brand voice, into our AI brain, and at the end of the experiment we were able to push a button and Lately was able to create content from scratch in the brand voice and it was damn good and emotional.
Small Business Trends: Wow. So it’s not just about ingesting content, finding the snippets and pushing them out. Now you’re talking about generating the content in addition to that.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah, it just needs that baseline of information. So those 10,000 posts is what it was learning from. And what it inspired us to do, by the way, and I’d love to know what Kenny thinks about this, our customers constantly were asking us, “Well, so Kate, how do you do it?” This is why I give those free courses.
How does Lately do it? We want to write Lately. And so we thought, well, let’s take what we’ve learned with our ABM embed project, and let’s turn that model on ourselves. So right now we’re taking all 40,000 social posts that Lately Kately has published and we’re running that through the AI brain so that we can then use that as the gold standard to recommend to our customers, and create different learning sets. So now one of them, as we move on, will be mood, so if you wanted funny posts you just hit a button. That’s awesome.
Small Business Trends: How do you measure success? Is this little piece I’m pulling out getting in front of the right audience, and the right audience is actually doing what we’d like them to do?
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah. So that’s the smartest question, of course, is what are the results? So we do measure, for us, we’re looking behind the scenes at how often our customers are auto generating content, and then how often they’re actually publishing that content, and then how well that’s performing and taking note of that database.
We use ourselves often as, I mean we dog food our own product. If you guys have heard of that term. I mean we, we drink our own champagne. So I’ll talk about us, because I can do that publicly with license. So for us, for example, we believe in 100% organic content, and the power of organic. We don’t do any paid ads. As many of you know, a lot of social media outlets have been pressing down the reach of paid ads. So we were like, let’s just do what we know how to do best.
I get a lot of inbound. I get a great, great bunch of interviews like this, because of my charming personality, and we auto-generate all that press. So, for example, we might take a recording of this podcast, we’ll put it through the auto generator and in just a few seconds we’ll get, let’s just say 60 social posts, it’s probably likely, and the goal of the AI is to then start you at third base, and for a human, which we love the humans, to come in and get it to home plate. So that’s the one plus one equals three equation. There we go.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah, mirror. So the way it works for us for example, is with those, let’s say 50 posts we get, I would pop in and just spend a few extra minutes humanizing them, maybe putting my voice on, making sure that everything is looking awesome from what the AI gives me. And then we like to stagger all 50 posts out over time. So what I would do, Brent, is I would actually probably tag you in most of those posts, maybe half of them, but if I broadcast them every day for a week, you’d be like, “Dude, you are annoying me. And I’m not re-tweeting this content.”
But if I spread it out once every three weeks, over the next few months, we’re both going to get a lot of long tail traffic. And so if you’re doing this often, and stockpiling your whole calendar in this way, it’s like it’s the new Evergreen, and for us it translates to a 50% trial to sale conversion. So those are the results we’re looking at.
And the reason is, is because the leads are already warm by the time we get to them. So what we look at is who’s liking our content, who’s commenting, and who’s re-tweeting it, and what are those people like? So we don’t do any cold emailing or cold calling, because if you’re already participating in my audience in some way, you like me, you know something about me, that hurdle is already cut in half for me.
And so again, we’re really putting that stake in the stand. Organic is the winner, and the reason is, is because these relationships. You know me, you’ve got some idea when my team member approaches you. It’s just a much different kind of conversation there. So we actually encourage and train our own customers on the same model, by request. So we do free courses every week. I joined those once a week.
Small Business Trends: What has been your experience in this whole [start up] process as, has it been what you were expecting? Has it been more difficult? Has it been less difficult? Tell us a little bit about your journey on that area.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah, thanks for asking. I mean, you get punched in the face almost every day, to be honest with you, and it can come as a shock often, but you do get numb to it, because there’s things, it’s just so out of your control. The biggest thing that I learned, this year especially, was that the overwhelmed feeling wasn’t going away. The list of to do’s, and all the things that had to be done immediately, yesterday, on fire, was never going to go away. And I needed to change my perception of those things. So I did something that people have been telling me to do for years and I was like, “Are you kidding? I don’t have time for this.” Which is meditating.
Small Business Trends: Really? Okay.
Kate Bradley Chernis: Yeah. And the difference has been, for me, actually life changing, because the stuff. The punches in the face. All of these emergencies. They’re coming all the time. Like looking at the bank account. Ah! You know. And having the pressure of making sure my team is happy and good. And my investors and myself, but none of the outside stuff was going to change. So I had to learn how to change the inside stuff. And I’ve been trying to give that gift to as many other entrepreneurs as I possibly can. Because we all suffer from this. And most of the entrepreneurs that I know like to suffer alone. There’s a reason we do this thing, and you sign up for it.
So there’s nothing that I regret. Any punch in the face that I’ve had, I would take again, honestly, gladly, because it’s what has gotten us here, but also, I choose this ride, because the highs are so high. I mean the lows are so low, right? So I think knowing that’s the case, and that’s what you’re signing up for, I can’t wait to write the book. It’s going to be amazing.
This is part of the One-on-One Interview series with thought leaders. The transcript has been edited for publication. If it's an audio or video interview, click on the embedded player above, or subscribe via iTunes or via Stitcher.
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Brent Leary is the host of the Small Business Trends One-on-One interview series and co-founder of CRM Essentials LLC, an Atlanta-based CRM advisory firm covering tools and strategies for improving business relationships. Brent is a CRM industry analyst, advisor, author, speaker and award-winning blogger.
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All old boats, unless they've been refitted and well-maintained, have plumbing problems, and my Ericson 25, Oystercatcher, was no exception. I knew this before I bought her, but I became acutely aware of the need to address some of these problems from the moment I took possession of her. Under the banner of Plumbing, I am not restricting myself here to problems associated with the marine head. I'm also talking about the bilge pumps and the fresh water supply. When I finally bought the boat and sailed her away for a one-day, two-night transit on the Pamlico Sound in October 2009, I knew that the electric and manual bilge pumps worked. Otherwise, I would not have sailed her. The marine head and the fresh water supply were another story. The pump on the marine head was questionable. And the fresh water supply? Well . . . when the previous owner told me during my visits in August and September of 2009 that it had been years since he had used the fresh water tank, I knew that I didn't want to drink a drop from that tank until I had extracted it from the boat and thoroughly cleaned it. That would have to wait until I got the boat back home to Charleston. Therefore, when my buddy and I arrived for the transit of Oystercatcher in October 2009, I knew that we would be sailing her and spending two nights aboard her without the comfort of the head and without the benefit of a fresh water tank. We planned ahead for the fresh water. As far as the marine head was concerned, let's just say that by the time the transit ended in Oriental, NC, a well-functioning marine sanitation system was at the top of the to-do list.
Back home in Charleston, one of my first tasks, after removing the deck hardware and protecting Oystercatcher with a heavy-duty tarp, was a thorough investigation of the plumbing system, starting with the marine head. In the V-berth of all Ericson 25s there are three lockers - one small one, one medium, and one large. If an Ericson 25 has a marine head, and if it has a holding tank, chances are that the holding tank is located in the large locker of the V-berth. In fact, that's what the original specifications in the Ericson 25 manual called for.
Oystercatcher was not fitted with a legitimate holding tank. No, the previous owner had rigged her up with a phony. The thing in the picture that appears to be a white box is in fact a plastic cooler. The guy used this cooler to house the square-shaped plastic container. It appears that there is a tight-fitting gasket between the hose and this container. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The hose was simply shoved down into a jagged, hastily-cut hole with lots of gaps here and there around it. I guess this guy's thinking was that if he happened to get boarded by the Coast Guard, this contraption would pass muster as a holding tank. I had this thing out of the boat and in the garbage with no uncertain speed.
The marine head itself appeared to be a fine specimen of porcelain engineering, and it was - in its own day. This was a Raritan, PH, sometimes called the PH I, because it was replaced by the model known as the PH II. Initially, I thought I would simply replace the gaskets and have this toilet back up to working order in no time. As it turned out, though, this toilet was just as useless as many of the other pieces of equipment on this boat. It had been out of production since the late 1980s or early 90s. Rebuild kits were available in limited quantities from Raritan Engineering, but given their cost, it made more sense to consign this marine head to the dumpster and buy a brand new PH II.
The hoses were ancient and the clamps insufficient in quality and number. No anti-siphon loops were in place. This marine head was there just for looks. It had no value whatsoever.
The seacock for the water intake hose looked like it was original to the boat. The plywood backer was rotten and easily flaked and disintegrated when I poked it and pried on it with a screwdriver.
The discharge hose seacock and backer were no less pitiful than the others.
Given the condition of the seacocks and the rest of the marine sanitation system, I eventually decided that the smartest thing to do was to pull the through-hulls to determine whether or not they were salvageable. Fortunately, the bunk of the trailer did not obstruct me in the removal of the water intake through-hull.
The same held true for the waste discharge through-hull. If I hadn't been able to pull the through-hulls with the boat sitting on the trailer, I would have had to do this job with the boat propped up by jack stands in a yard. That would have been expensive.
Both of the through-hulls for the head were flush-mounted. Here you can see the tapered flanges that Ericson built into the hull to accommodate this type of through-hull.
While I was pulling the through-hulls for the marine head, I couldn't neglect the through-hull for the galley sink.
Beneath the sink there ran a thoroughly disgusting clear plastic, or I should say brown plastic, hose to an old-style gate valve with an orange knob not unlike those found on garden hose spigots on the exterior of your typical American house.
Here's the tool I used to pull the through-hulls from the boat. If you're interested in knowing exactly how this cheap, homemade gizmo works, check out Don Casey's This Old Boat, 2nd Edition. I just had to label this thing as if it were some high-priced product on the shelves of West Marine. In case your wondering, this tool worked like a charm. The through-hulls came right out as I spun the wrench.
Here's a shot of the through-hull recess for the galley sink. This one was very close to the bunk.
The through-hulls had a lot of bottom paint accumulated on them. The large one is missing part of its bottom paint, but only because I had just scraped it off to assess the condition of the bronze.
They didn't look so bad to me, just a little dirty. A little cleaning would bring them up to speed, or so I thought.
Yes, it appeared, at first, that I could just get away with cleaning up the bronze and putting the through-hulls back into place.
With a Dremel, I removed more and more of the patina. I was looking to see if the bronze had taken on a pinkish hue - the sign of corrosion. I never could get it polished to the point where it looked like new bronze. Therefore, I could only assume that this was the pinkish color that would mark the end of these through-hull's service aboard this boat. Nevertheless, I held out hope and kept hitting the bronze with the Dremel.
I kept discovering pits in the bronze, and finally I decided that these through-hulls were toast.
When I turned my attention to the bilge, it seemed my bad luck would only get worse. I knew this was a dank and ugly hole before I ever bought the boat. One of the problems was that the owner was in the habit of using the starboard cockpit locker to store his portable fuel tank for the outboard motor. This was an un-vented compartment. As a result, the vapor from the gasoline would descend into the bilge. There, it would remain, having transformed itself into an oily residue. The picture below shows the bilge as it appeared in August 2009 during my first visit to Oystercatcher. Most of the liquid in the picture is just water - water that had leaked into the boat from portlights and the deck - but it wasn't the sort of water you'd want to put on your garden, like the kind from a rain barrel. No this stuff was thick and nasty. It had me wishing I carried a can of GoJo with me on this visit.
When I returned for the survey in Sept 2009, I discovered that the mess had miraculously disappeared. Despite its absence, the evidence of its long habitation was everywhere. The surveyor remarked on the gasoline smell within the main salon. He said that if I bought the boat, I had to get the gas tank out of the cockpit locker. He added that he couldn't believe this guy hadn't blow himself up.
Of all the hideous things in the bilge, it would seem that the bronze strum box would have been the least worthy candidate for redemption. After all, the guy had used a metal pipe fitting to join the strum box to the cheap bilge hose. You can see the dark rust on this pipe fitting in the picture. When I got home with the boat and began this inspection of the old plumbing, I took a wrench to this fitting in an effort to separate it from the bronze. Not surprisingly, it crumbled. It was, by this point, nothing but a crusty shell. The problem, though, was that the threaded portion of this pipe fitting did not crumble. It, of course, remained firmly in place within the female portion of the strum box.
It took a lot of careful work with a cutting wheel on the Dremel to remove that threaded ring from strum box. Even after I had removed the ring, there were rusty remnants embedded in the bronze threads. I had to doctor each thread of the bronze to bring this piece of hardware back to good health.
A sanding wheel on the Dremel took care of the surface blemishes. Before long, this old Wilcox Crittenden strum box was looking pretty dang good.
I was even able to get the bottom of the strum box cleaned up. It wasn't easy getting all that grease and grime out of those holes.
The next task was an inspection of the water tank in the lazarette. I couldn't begin this task without removing the mahogany door and its frame. The space is just too small to get your shoulders through there without these two pieces of woodwork gone.
The water tank itself was inaccessible without removing the small battery box in front of it. The only problem was that the sides of the box were glassed to the hull with cloth tape. Accordingly, I delayed the inspection until I had done some electrical research and determined that this original battery box was not large enough for the bank that I planned to add to the boat. Once I had made this decision on the future electrical system, I took my Dremel into the lazarette and with a fiberglass cutting bit attached to it, I delicately sliced the small space in the glass tape between the box and the hull. With the box out of the way, it was simply a matter of removing the old water in-fill hose and unscrewing the board from the cleats on either side of the tank.
The picture below shows everything that I extracted from the lazarette. You can see the ragged pieces of the glass tape on the forward side of the box.
Below there are two different hoses. One of them was for the galley sink; the other was for the water tank vent. The masking tape was used to hold the vent hose to the hull in the aftmost starboard side portion of the lazarette. Masking tape. I'm not kidding. The vent hose did not lead anywhere outside of the lazarette. It simply terminated in that space. Do you see how black these hoses are? They were completely coated in an oily residue that smelled like gasoline.
The holding tank had splotches and stains on its exterior and some sort of hard, brown sediment along the bottom of the interior. At first I tried washing this stuff out. That's didn't work one bit. Then I decided to give it a rinse with a water-and-Clorox solution - about 90% water, 10% bleach. This did nothing. I kept upping the amount of Clorox until I finally had reached 100%. This still had no impact on this tough crust. Then I copped an attitude. I said to myself that this thing just wasn't going to win this fight. I took a jug of bleach and dumped it into that hole and let it sit for about a week. When I came back to check on it, I discovered that the spot where the bleach had sat for a week was almost pure white. Grabbing the tank in my arms, I took it to the Admiral, proud of my progress in this battle. She took one look at that thing and said she'd never put a single drop of water from that tank to her lips, no matter how much I cleaned it. With that, I surrendered the fight, and reluctantly added "get new holding tank" to the to-do list.
The last order of business was to assess the condition of the Whale brand manual bilge pump. Below is the way the portside cockpit locker appeared when I first visited Oystercatcher in August 2009. The bilge pump is just visible in the left of the picture.
Here it is close up. It was covered with debris from dirt dobbers. The same thing could be said about many of the other concealed spaces on the boat. At any rate, one glaring omission in this picture is a hose leading from the pump to the through-hull. Yes, that's water you see through that hole. It was only about a foot or two beneath this hole, and it was just dying to come in and stay for a while when the weather got up.
When I returned for the survey in September 2009, the bilge pump and the locker in general were quite spiffy. Moreover, the owner had added a piece of household PVC pipe to the setup. This thing was functional, but it wasn't the sort of equipment to which I'd want to give my unconditional faith.
When I got back home to Charleston, after the transit and the trailering, I looked at the pump more thoroughly and decided that the smartest thing to do would be to dismantle it and rebuild it. After all, the Whale company was still in business and going strong, and rebuild kits were readily available. I'll cover that little project in another posting, but suffice it to say that my decision to do this was a sound one. The pump was encrusted with salt on the interior, and certainly hadn't been living up to its full potential for some time.
As a finale to this plumbing inspection, I examined the through-hulls to which the bilge pumps had been connected. The picture below I snapped when the boat was in the process of being hauled out. It's difficult to tell from this photo, but these pieces of plastic were a chalky white.
Back at home, I poked around on these plastic through-hulls with a screwdriver. I had no idea they were so brittle. Otherwise, I would have taken a few pictures before the fact. They snapped and crumbled to pieces with little more than a twist of the wrist.
With this lengthy assessment of the plumbing system at last complete, I came to the unpleasant realization that almost all of the pieces of this system would have to be replaced. Even more unpleasant was the cost, but then again, that goes hand in hand with boat ownership, doesn't it? This is especially the case when it comes to an old sailboat - especially a beauty such as the Ericson 25, a beauty that's just too good to fade away.
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Oystercatcher, Before and After
Oystercatcher, under sail, Charleston Harbor Having completed many major projects in my thorough refitting of Oystercatcher , and havi...
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I have been working tirelessly since last night to get a virtual assistant business up and running. Being less than four months away from the arrival of Baby Girl, I have determined that I absolutely MUST make this thing happen so I can get used to working from home as opposed to babying a business AND a newborn.
So far, I have loosely built a Web site (using Typepad– I love this blogging host with an everlasting love), set up an account with an awesome invoicing/time tracking/expense tracking company called Freshbooks (they offer their most basic service- which is still very extensive- for free!), written copy, established a Gmail e-mail and Twitter account, ensured the domain name availability, compiled a profile on 48days.net, and researched monthly expenses such as Internet access, a landline, and a P.O. Box.
Whew.
There is still so much to get done, but I have never been more determined in my life. I HAVE to make this work. I HAVE to market my services. I HAVE to supplement our income using the gifts I have been given and capitalizing on the experience I have built over the years. Right now, it's nearly 11:00 p.m., and both Cody and I are working furiously on our computers to get things up and running. I feel like I could keep going all night- I am THAT motivated- but I need some rest if I'm going to be productive tomorrow.
My first order of business is obtaining a copy of The 2-Second Commute: Join the Exploding Ranks of Freelance Virtual Assistants
and using that as my guide from start to finish. I read nearly the whole thing when I visited the bookstore on Tuesday and it covers everything from filing for a business name, to taxes, to legal forms, to agreements, and everything else in between. I am so glad there is a resource out there that walks newbies like me through the process without skipping the vitals.
So wish me luck! My baby girl deserves the best example we can provide for her. This is just a small step in that direction, but one I am excited to take.
p.s. If you want to critique the rough draft of my Web page, shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] and I'll send you the link. It needs some work (key word: ROUGH), but I'm happy to share with a willing set of eyes!
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4 thoughts on “My business venture.”
Amber on September 19, 2009 at 12:21 am said:
I would love to see your site!
Alexandra Evjen on September 19, 2009 at 6:59 am said:
yay! i’m glad you’re finally getting this going. let me know if you need any help. also, you should talk to ryan about some freelance stuff.
the ambitious mrs on September 19, 2009 at 8:55 am said:
Making a decision is always the hardest part and now your on your way with enacting a plan! Good luck and I hope you find a great fit for you and your family!
promise tangeman on September 30, 2009 at 10:19 pm said:
Hey girl. I would love to hear more about your business. I see the word “assistant” but not exactly sure what that looks like. email me.
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We are a country with many colors namely of festivals, different attires, cultural plurality, terrain and innumerable more. We have read about most of these from our childhood times and also in the growing up years. As we grew older we noticed many more colors due to our peculiar habits, upbringing, set of friends and attitude towards environment around us!
When we step out of our house the first color we see are the stains of betel nut /gutka or paan which many Indians are in a habit of eating and then spitting out the saliva with scant concern for the walls/ streets / bathrooms or public or private places! So the deep maroon, brick red , and other tinge of colors may be visible where one would least like to see them!
Mercilessly chopped trees in the cities and in country side are the grim reminders of the environmental hazards that follow as a consequence. The lack of ‘green’ shield and sight of chopped trees are sometimes very unsettling especially when done with nefarious intentions.
One color which I would not like to go in detail to elaborate, which is offensive is ‘Yellow’! It reminds me of the rhyme learnt in the nursery, ‘Yellow Yellow Dirty Fellow’! The multitudes in city and villages beeline in wee hours to openly deface due lack of toilets! Wish one can find a quick solution to this scourge!
The blue rivers, lakes and seas are shamelessly dumped with garbage and effluents thus adding grime to the color. Even the blue skies are not spared as constant pollution of the air and toxic fumes often make the color of the sky disappear behind the smog and soot due suspended impurities! Even the ‘Taj Mahal’ has not been spared as the sparkling white marble has tinged into slight yellow due to constant onslaught of pollutants!
We love silver but to find silver colored foils and wrappers besides all color plastics in heaps in the garbage is constantly challenging to handle. Despite various laws against their use and ban on the plastics these indiscriminately dumped in the garbage. We love to flout every rule in the book and even authorities turn a blind eye to these acts.
‘Black is black and Grey is Grey what can I do’ the famous hit song of 1970s by Los Bravos comes to mind every time I see the walls splattered in black paint, with slogans disfiguring the walls ! Shameful for any civil society but who cares! It is a free country and one need not worry and do things that one likes with scant concern for breaking laws , if ever prosecuted!
The list keeps growing! We litter bugs could easily put anyone to shame in matching our record ! Thankfully these have not yet entered the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’ or else we would have won hands down! Hope some day we would be able to see the true colors of a sparkling nation!
PS: This is my post for the Indiblogger/The Times of India Group sponsored ‘The Great Indan Litterbug’ promotion campaign (http://greatindian.timesofindia.com/.)
Posted by Rahul Bhatia at 2:29 PM
25 comments:
Ramakrishnan January 22, 2015 at 3:39 PM
A strong condemnation & denunciation of Indians and their utterly careless,indifferent & nauseous habits causing inconvenience to fellow humans and irreparable environmental disasters ! This piece is surely a prize winner.
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Rahul Bhatia January 25, 2015 at 9:36 AM
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Alka Gurha January 22, 2015 at 6:03 PM
Cleanliness- need of the hour. Good one Rahul.
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Rahul Bhatia January 25, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Thank you Alka for reading!
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Saru Singhal January 22, 2015 at 7:31 PM
I have to hear the song that you have mentioned. Your post reminds me of ISBT, which was pathetic when I commuted. It's way better now. We need stricter rules.
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Rahul Bhatia January 25, 2015 at 9:37 AM
Did you finally manage tohear it? Things are improving but very slowly:(
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Bikram January 22, 2015 at 8:29 PM
Indeed so right .. WHAT I hate most is that the same people follow the rules when they come ot a foreign country .. why cant they d othat same in their own nation
Bikram's
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Rahul Bhatia January 25, 2015 at 9:38 AM
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Arti January 24, 2015 at 9:22 PM
Truly! High time we colored our country in it's true colors - loved the post, sir.
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Rahul Bhatia January 25, 2015 at 9:39 AM
Thanks a lot Arti for that kind comment!
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Sandhya January 26, 2015 at 10:07 PM
I still remember the day I felt some hot liquid falling on my forehead when I walked past a bus. I lifted my head and saw a man with paan in his mouth peeping out from the bus's window. This was at Mathura. I can still feel it. But this habit is mostly in the Northern India. South Indians don't eat paan that much compared to them.
Littering by our people when they are outside their country is NIL. Maybe dictatorship is good for us.
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Rahul Bhatia January 28, 2015 at 1:13 PM
Disgusting! Hope people learn to have some civic sense! Thanks a lot Sandhya!
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Jeevan January 27, 2015 at 3:33 PM
I think we have improved much better than before... but at same time i feel this generation that quite depend on gadgets hardly look out for change.
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Rahul Bhatia January 28, 2015 at 1:14 PM
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Unknown January 27, 2015 at 8:26 PM
'Safai Abhiyaan',started by the PM is showing great results. Hope it becomes a habit by the people.
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Rahul Bhatia January 28, 2015 at 1:14 PM
Absolutely Ushaji! Cleanliness and hygiene are so important!
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Purba January 30, 2015 at 11:55 AM
To change India, we all have to change ourselves first.
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Rahul Bhatia January 31, 2015 at 6:31 AM
Well said and so true, Purba!
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Rahul Bhatia January 31, 2015 at 6:32 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
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Ashwini C N February 1, 2015 at 12:04 AM
Very nicely written. But if there is something that I'm happy about, people have atleast become aware and try in their own little ways to stay away from polluting our harming over surroundings. There is a long way to go, but at least it has started. We should hope for the best.
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Mention the words “artillery” and “American Revolution” and what name instantly pops into your mind? Henry Knox.
Rightfully so.
Yet, like George Washington, Knox needed competent officers under him to successfully organize, train, lead, and develop the artillery arm of the Continental Army.
Born on the first day of 1735 in New York City, he was destined to rebel. The reason he was even born in New York City was due to the fact that his father, a convicted burglar had been sentenced for deportation to the colonies in the 1720s.
His early upbringing saw him become a prosperous wine merchant and he quickly ingratiated himself into the burgeoning patriot movement by becoming an integral part of the Sons of Liberty in New York City.
With his connection to the Sons of Liberty, Lamb was a prolific writer, authoring articles and handbills, anonymously of course that fueled the movement toward independence. Since New York City had a sizable population of Loyalists, Lamb’s ability to develop text and articulate the principles of the burgeoning movement is more impressive.
When news reached the city of the engagements at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, Lamb put down the quill and picked up the proverbial sword, helping seize the important military stores held by the colony at Turtle Bay. Lamb quickly gained a commission as a captain in the artillery and saw his first action in the Canada campaign, under Generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold. He was wounded during the climactic Battle of Quebec on the last day of 1775 and was captured.
Lamb was fortunate to be paroled a few days into 1776 but took an entire year for him to be officially exchanged, which occurred in January 1777. With the dawning of that new year, 1777, Lamb had been promoted to colonel within the artillery branch. At the same time an artillery regiment, named Lamb’s Continental Artillery Regiment, later to be known as the 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment was authorized by the Continental Congress. Altogether, 12 companies comprised the regiment, with units comprising artillerymen from Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania.
He was impressive during action at the Battle of Ridgefield in April 1777 where his guns tried to turn back an assault by enemy infantry. The native New Yorker was grieviously wounded, to the point where reports listed him as killed in action, as he was left on the field. Later that year the regiment of artillery was assigned to the Highlands Department.
With that assignment, Lamb, the following year and through 1780 was in charge of the artillery at West Point, New York. During that tenure, Lamb would have been present for the defection and betrayal of General Benedict Arnold. The night after Arnold’s treason, General George Washington, showing his trust in Lamb, appointed him the temporary commander of Kings Ferry, near Verplanck Point, a vital ferry point of the Hudson River. Washington did not trust another commander currently in the vicinity and thus tabbed Lamb for the assignment.
On August 28, 1781, Lamb’s regiment was reassigned to the main army and ventured south to Yorktown, Virginia. On October 9, the start of the Siege of Yorktown, Lamb was the officer of the day as his commander, George Washington, fired off the first artillery piece toward the British lines.
Lamb would receive praise from Washington and also acknowledgment from the chief of artillery, General Henry Knox, for their services during the pivotal siege. Reinforcing that praise was the fact that when the army departed Virginia to head north, Lamb was tabbed for temporary command of all the artillery and oversaw their movement back to positions in his native state.
He would serve throughout the remainder of the war and be brevetted a brigadier general on September 30, 1783. After the war he was a collector for the port of New York and became a strong anti-Federalist during the ratification debates for the United States Constitution. He served as an anti-Federalist chairman of the Federal Republican Committee in New York and helped spread literature supporting their views throughout the state in 1787 and into 1788. He was on writing terms with such luminaries, such as Richard Henry Lee and Patrick Henry, in the anti-Federalist movement.
Unfortunately, Lamb died in poverty on May 31, 1800. The cause was that he had given one of his employees, during his time as port collector more responsibility. Sadly, this employee took advantage of the goodwill of Lamb, who had bailed the gentleman out of debtor’s prison by paying off his debts and had personally saw to him getting the job within the port collector office. When that said individual left the position, Lamb realized that the former employee had not rectified his ways and had been embezzling from Lamb himself and also from the Federal government coffers too.
Alexander Hamilton was part of the investigation and even though they were political opposites, with Hamilton being a Federalist, their personal connection and former military ties forged a reasonable accommodation for Lamb to repay the debts. The former artillery colonel was able to put forward land he owned to satisfy the debts.
Even so, Lamb saw political enemies rise from within the state and lower the value of the land he had put up as payment. The new price tag for that land was able to equal out what Lamb owed the federal government but did not back-fill his personal finances. Lamb was never able to recover financially and thus died a pauper and was buried in Trinity Churchyard in downtown Manhattan, New York.
Yet, his personal acumen and role in the artillery branch during the American Revolution enshrined him in the pantheon of those general officers that helped secure American independence but without attaining a household name.
He was, however, held in high-esteem by his peers. Not only by Hamilton, which was mentioned above, but also by Washington, who as president, allowed Lamb, as an anti-Federalist to retain his post as collector during his entire presidential administration.
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By Margaret Flowers for TruthoutPhoto: Activists display signs in the Healthcare Justice March in Baltimore, Maryland, October 26, 2013. (Photo: United Workers)
This piece is part of Fighting for Our Lives: The Movement for Medicare for All, a Truthout original series.
As Republicans come under pressure from the White House to complete the process of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) so they can move on to other priorities, they are finding that this is one campaign promise that is very difficult to keep. The House version of their American Health Care Act (AHCA) has been so heavily criticized that even President Trump says it is too harsh. Republican Senators are currently negotiating their version in secret to avoid too much scrutiny. So far, the Republicans are far from reaching consensus on how to proceed. The people of the United States, on the other hand, are clear on the solution to the health care crisis that they support and are organizing from coast to coast to make it a reality.
The public demand for a National Improved Medicare for All single-payer health care system in the United States is stronger than it has been in decades. The failures of the ACA to cover everyone and control rising health care costs, combined with the threat of the AHCA, which would add at least 23 million more people to the 29 million currently uninsured and further erode the quality of health insurance, have made it clear that we can’t continue with the current health care system. This brings to mind a quote by Winston Churchill: “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else.”
All other industrialized nations have some form of publicly funded universal health care system. Many of them are national insurance systems like our Medicare. Some, like the systems in Canada and Taiwan, are actually modeled on US Medicare. Most of them spend half as much on health care (per person per year) as the United States, and they have better health outcomes. No country has adopted a universal health care system and then gone back to its previous system. They have learned that when a system is universal, it is of higher quality precisely because every person has a stake in making it the best it can be.
People from across the political spectrum are expressing support for a single-payer health care system in the US, from conservatives like Charles Krauthammer to business leaders, such as Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, to Senator Bernie Sanders. Given the failure of commercial media to cover single payer fairly, if at all, and given many Democrats’ attempts to obfuscate it with a public option, there is confusion about exactly what a national improved Medicare for All system is and what it isn’t. So, here is a primer on the basics of the single-payer health care system envisioned in Rep. John Conyers’ bill, HR 676: The Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, which now has more cosponsors than ever before.
National Improved Medicare for All
National Improved Medicare for All (NIMA) is a universal publicly financed health care system. Here are the core elements:
1. National: Every person living in the United States and its territories — including every health professional — is in the system. No matter where people travel domestically, they are in the system. No one has to worry about going “out of network” because it is one giant network. This also means that if there is a medical center that specializes in a particular condition, patients can go there if they need to — no matter where they live.
Including everyone in one giant risk pool spreads the risk widely so that no particular state is burdened more heavily than others with covering the cost of care for its residents. In the US, 20 percent of the population has high health needs, using 80 percent of our health care dollars. Fifty percent of the population is healthy, using only 3 percent of our health care dollars. However, any of us can become one of those in the top 20 percent if we have a serious accident or illness. Having a national system gives us the security of knowing that it is there for us when and if we need it. And including everyone increases the likelihood of preventing and controlling epidemics of infectious diseases.
2. Improved: This plan is an improvement over Medicare — not simply an expansion of our current Medicare system. First, it is more comprehensive than current Medicare and includes all medically necessary care, such as mental health, dental, vision, hearing, rehabilitative and long-term care, medications and medical devices. Current Medicare excludes long-term care, so seniors are forced to spend down their assets before they qualify under Medicaid for long-term care. That would no longer be the case under National Improved Medicare for All. Moreover, the question of what is “medically necessary care” would be answered by patients and their health professionals without interference from health insurers who are more concerned with profits than the health of their enrollees.
Second, because the improved Medicare for All plan is comprehensive, supplemental health insurance would not be necessary, and would not be permitted to duplicate what is covered by the health care system. This is important for maintaining a high standard of quality: There should not be a private system for the wealthy and a public system for the rest of us.
One of the reasons that our current health care system is so expensive is because there are hundreds of different insurance plans with different rules and networks. This makes our current system heavily bureaucratic. Some hospitals have more billing agents than nurses, and physician offices spend more than 10 percent of their overhead dealing with our complex system. The US spends a third of its health care dollars on administration while other countries spend less than half of that, and traditional Medicare spends less than 5 percent on administration. Those dollars that are being wasted on paperwork could go to health care instead.
Moreover, our heavily bureaucratic system also takes our physicians’ time and attention away from patient care. A Harvard study published last fall in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that for every hour of direct patient care, physicians spend two hours on paperwork. NIMA means there would be one system with one set of transparent rules, making it simpler for patients and health professionals alike.
Third, because of the savings inherent in a National Improved Medicare for All health system, out-of-pocket costs, such as co-pays and deductibles, would not be necessary. When people need health care, it would no longer be a financial decision; they would be able to seek care. Currently, more than half of insured people with moderate to low incomes are unable to afford their deductibles, and 2 out of 5 report delaying necessary care because of the cost. Every year hundreds of thousands of families declare personal bankruptcy because of medical illness; almost 80 percent of them had some form of health insurance.
There is an idea promoted by people who believe that health care belongs in the market that patients need to pay out of pocket before receiving health care. They call it “skin in the game” and say that it makes patients better “consumers” of health care. In reality, studies have demonstrated that out-of-pocket costs cause people to delay or avoid medically necessary care, leading their ailments to worsen and require more expensive treatment. Most people, no matter what their educational background, are not able to reliably determine which symptoms are important and which aren’t; therefore, they are as likely to delay necessary care as they are to delay unnecessary care.
3. Medicare for All: NIMA is similar to traditional Medicare in that it is financed up front through taxes. Supporters strongly recommend a progressive tax because the US has a low ranking globally when it comes to fairness in health care financing. People at the lower end of the income spectrum pay a larger proportion of their income on health care than those at the top. Paying for health care through a tax makes the cost more predictable for families and businesses. It would replace the cost of health insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles, saving money for 95 percent of the population.
However, instead of being only for people who are 65 years of age and older or for people who have disabilities, National Improved Medicare for All would cover everyone from birth to death. Under NIMA, when people enter a health facility, the first question they’re asked is not, “What insurance do you have?” It is “Why are you here?” Those who do not have a national insurance card are presumed to be covered. Care is given first, and registration in the system comes later.
A single-payer system operates on the assumption that all people should be able to easily access the care they need, regardless of their wealth or income.
One of the first concerns that people have when they hear about National Improved Medicare for All is that it would be too expensive to cover everyone with comprehensive benefits. The reality is that it is too expensive to continue with the system we have now.
The current system was never designed to be an actual health system; it is an accident of history. After World War II, employers were not allowed to raise wages, so they offered benefits, including health insurance, to employees instead. Tying health insurance to employment has proved problematic because when employees become very sick and can’t work, they risk losing their job and health insurance. This connection also prevents people from retiring before they reach Medicare age. And the cost of health insurance is the number one concern of small and medium-sized businesses.
Another significant point in history was the Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 signed into law by President Nixon. This allowed entities to profit from health care and it unleashed a predatory industry. Private health insurers in the US are financial tools designed to make profits for their investors, making them very different from health insurers in many other nations, which are instead designed to pay for health care. Private insurers in the US make profits by charging the highest premiums they can get away with, shifting as much of the cost of care onto individuals as they can and restricting and denying payment for care. This approach is not compatible with providing high-quality care. In fact, private insurance companies are often obstacles that prevent patients from receiving medically necessary care.
It isn’t only the patients who suffer in this system. Health professionals do, too. Physician burnout was one of the top two concerns identified by the Surgeon General last year.
The US’s current hodgepodge of a system is the most expensive in the world, with the highest prices for health services and pharmaceuticals. The US isn’t even the best, not by far. A recent global health study compared nations on 31 conditions. The US came in 35th with 14 Ds and Fs in critical areas, such as maternal and infant health, certain cancers, chronic conditions, such as Diabetes Mellitus, high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, kidney disease and adverse reactions to medical treatment. The US has also been found to have high numbers of preventable deaths, estimated at over 100,000 per year, and a decreasing life expectancy.
One of the major strengths of National Improved Medicare for All is that it creates a coherent health care system that sets health for everyone — not profits for a few — as the bottom line. In addition to significant administrative savings, estimated at $400 to $700 billion a year, the system can negotiate for fair prices for health services and pharmaceuticals. The system can also engage in better health planning. Instead of rationing people’s care based on ability to pay, the system can prioritize and truly address health needs.
No system is perfect. Ask people in countries with universal systems and you will always hear some complaints. But you won’t hear about millions of people left without access to care, or families going bankrupt because of an accident or illness, or people delaying necessary care because of the cost. Once the US achieves National Improved Medicare for All, there will still be constant work to do to improve it.
Imagine for a moment the profound meaning of the US adopting a universal health care system. Public policies of the past few decades have overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy. NIMA would put forth a different set of values. It would prioritize people’s well-being over corporate profits. It would also communicate that all people deserve the same access to high-quality health care. Previous efforts at universal health care in the US were stymied by racism and classism. A single-payer system would create a sense of social solidarity that has not been experienced in the US. Other countries have figured out that welfare systems are poor systems and universal systems are higher-quality systems, because each person has a stake in making them the best that they can be.
Achieving National Improved Medicare for All will be a profound transformation for the United States. It will empower us to fight for other necessities, such as education, a clean environment, a living income and more. And it is within reach.
Dr. Margaret Flowers practiced pediatrics for 17 years. She is currently co-director of Popular Resistance and coordinator of its Health Over Profit for Everyone campaign, adviser to the board of Physicians for a National Health Program and on the leadership council of the Maryland Health Care is a Human Right campaign.
453 rural hospitals are failing — Medicare for All would save them
By Diane Archer for The Hill Our for-profit health care system isn’t working for rural Americans. More than 120
March 16, 2020
March 16, 2020
Interview via Between the Lines Since first being identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the coronavirus, COVID-19 has
March 16, 2020
June 22, 2017 at 8:06 pm
Thank you so very much for your work and output on universal/single payer health care. I am spreading the word here in Annapolis and adding it to my regular messages on environment and global climate control, in p[articular.
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If Mitt Romney wins the popular vote because of an overwhelming advantage in the red states, and Barack Obama wins the presidency by his advantage in electoral votes, will the red states, especially the southern ones, reject the legitimacy of Obama's reelection? I'm venturing a guess that they will.
An effort was undertaken to delegitimize Barack Obama from the start of his presidency, and it's continued virtually unabated throughout. Rumors that he was born in Kenya or Indonesia, that he was really a Muslim and certainly not a Christian, implications that he was not really eligible for the presidency either by birth or disposition have been persistent to this day. From Sarah Palin to John Sununu to Glenn Beck, the accusations flew that Obama was not a real American.
It's all bunk, of course. But it's worth a look at the consequences of this misinformation campaign. One, already in the mix, is that Barack Obama may, in fact, not be reelected because of the strong undercurrent of racism that continues, regardless of where we as a country should be in the 21st century. We should be in that "post-racial" society we long for, but clearly we're not.
In fact, the result of a recent poll conducted by The Associated Press showed that racism has, in fact, risen since Barack Obama was elected, with anti-black sentiment rising from 51% in 2008 to 56% today. This is sad but not unpredictable. We Americans continue to take two steps forward and one step back.
Beyond the birtherism, racism, and anti-Obama rhetoric by tea-party types that has maintained a steady din since the inception of the Obama administration, in recent weeks, we've seen an uptick in crazy talk about how the Obama administration might be "cooking the books" with Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs reports. A nice rise in employment a couple of weeks back was greeted not with relief but ridiculous accusations of gaming the system for political advantage.
Check these crazy assertions:
If this is how Fox News reacts to a standard-issue jobs report, albeit favorable to Barack Obama, how do you think the southern, indeed, even the western and mid-western states will react to a split decision giving the presidency back to Obama?
I dread the thought, I really do. It will be 2000 times a zillion. I don't hope for it, I don't relish it, I hope I'm wrong.
Anyway, be prepared.
Posted by Unknown at 11:47 AM 2 comments
When disaster strikes: clearly a role for the private sector?
A man who can say that disaster relief and response should be in the hands of the private sector is a man who is either imbalanced or so cynical that blowing dog whistles is more important than real critical thinking and honest appraisal. Vote Mitt! Disaster response brought to you by Bain Capital! Sheesh.
But wait. If you really get down into the weeds of Romney's response, he indicates three things: disaster response should be moved to the states, or better yet, given over to the private sector, or quite possibly eliminated altogether.
Oh, yes, he's a leader! Vote Mitt! He'll get the government off my back, even in a hurricane!
Update. Matthew Yglesias points out that Romney wants to cut FEMA. Of course he did, but not today. Josh Marshall thinks Mitt is just pandering:
Many things that Romney said back during his severely conservative period I have little doubt are what he really believes. This one though is so nonsensical that I’d chalk it up more to his penchant for pandering and lack of character. But that’s a difficult excuse for Romney to use on his behalf and I suspect we’ll be hearing more about this pretty soon.
I sure hope so.
Posted by Unknown at 9:23 AM 0 comments
Sunday, October 28, 2012
This Is What Winners Look Like.
I am a fan of baseball, and I am a fan of my San Francisco Giants. Congrats, and thank you for a terrific season, my brothers of many colors.
Posted by Unknown at 9:38 PM 0 comments
Friday, October 26, 2012
Click to see the original on Tumblr, then zoom in. Note the "Romnmney" on the banner in back.
Hard to see in this image, but the Romney/Ryan team has Photoshopped the lower image numerous times to make it look like the Mongol hordes are attending their Nevada event. Can you count the ways?
Maybe, if they get elected, they can Photoshop the economy and make it an economonomnmey!
Posted by Unknown at 1:41 PM 0 comments
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Colbert seeks for meaning where it's adrift:
Okay, let's hope so.
Posted by Unknown at 9:33 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
The Republican Party Is No Place for Women
Mitt Romney at the end of the third debate, which, by a broad consensus, he lost.
The text of the Republican Party concerning abortion:
THE SANCTITY AND DIGNITY OF HUMAN LIFE Faithful to the "self-evident" truths enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, we assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion or fund organizations which perform or advocate it and will not fund or subsidize health care which includes abortion coverage. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life. We oppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from people with disabilities, including newborns, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose active and passive euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Republican leadership has led the effort to prohibit the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion, permitted States to extend health care coverage to children before birth. We urge Congress to strengthen the Born Alive Infant Protection Act by exacting appropriate civil and criminal penalties to health care providers who fail to provide treatment and care to an infant who survives and abortion, including early induction delivery where the death of the infant is intended. We call for legislation to ban sex-selective abortions - gender discrimination in its most lethal form - and to protect from abortion unborn children who are capable of feeling pain; and we applaud U.S. House Republicans for leading the effort to protect the lives of pain-capable unborn children in the District of Columbia. We call for a revision of federal law 42 U.S.C. 289.92 to bar the use of body parts from aborted fetuses for research. We support and applaud adult stem cell research to develop lifesaving therapies, and we oppose the killing of embryos for their stem cells. We oppose federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.
We also salute the many states that have passed laws for informed consent, mandatory waiting periods prior to an abortion, and health protective clinic regulation. We seek to protect young girls from exploitation through a parental consent requirement; and we affirm our moral obligation to assist, rather than penalize, women challenged by an unplanned pregnancy. We salute those who provide them with counseling and adoption alternatives and empower them to choose live, and we take comfort in the tremendous increase in adoptions that has followed Republican legislative initiatives.
Please note that the platform on abortion does not call for any exceptions under any circumstances.
Now let's look at the positions of various Republicans (I've edited some of these videos to save you time; you can click to go to the YouTube version to see each in their entirety):
More on Paul Ryan concerning women:
Elizabeth Warren on the Blunt Amendment, which failed in the Senate earlier this year:
Mental health break: I am a SF Giants fan. They won big tonight in game 1 against the Detroit Tigers, 8-3, with Panda Pablo Sandoval hitting three home runs. But I feature this amazing three-hits-in-one by Hunter Pence in the seventh game to help defeat the St. Louis Cardinals as a break from the dismal GOP:
That's special, right? BTW, it was a single to drive in a run. Go Hunter! (and go Giants, of course...)
Okay. Back at it with an Obama ad. Yes, it's an edited portrayal of Romney's statements, but do you doubt any of them? I don't:
Get rid of Planned Parenthood is coded language for "women should be barefoot and pregnant." Yes, Romney didn't say that, but do you doubt his intent? I don't. Here it is in context, with threats to get rid of Obamacare, Amtrak, and, yes, Planned Parenthood:
Great. Health care for the masses of uninsured, subsidies for a rail system that's highly popular and vastly increasing in ridership during this economic slump, and, yes, Planned Parenthood, needed by million of American women. Let's get rid of those, ASAP.
Just as an aside: When Mitt Romney talks about getting rid of Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, and Amtrak, can you find where the needs of women and men diverge? Not really. But when you think of what conservatives think of women, minorities, and the uninsured, can you find a divergence? Oh yeah. Mitt's target audience is the privileged class who don't need no stinking help. Got it. Did you ever see "The Philadelphia Story?" I did:
Yes, one of my favorite lines in all of moviedom: "The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges." Need I say more? Does this fit in with how Mitt Romney views the world?
It sure fits in with how Ann Romney views the world. It's such a shame that Mitt Romney, after enjoying the fine pretty world of the privileged class has to go back and "be circumspect" in the real world:
I didn't want to end with an Obama ad, but let's face it, Romney was speaking to the fine pretty world of the privileged class, and he sounded, well, like an asshole. Where am I wrong? Okay, I won't end on the privileged class:
Okay, maybe I did. Is this not the privileged class saying you're on your own?
Posted by Unknown at 8:51 PM 0 comments
The title of this post is not hyperbole.
Today's Republican Party, with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as its standard bearers:
Yes, that's Richard Mourdock, who unseated moderate Republican Richard Lugar in the primary, now running in red-state Indiana for senator. Mitt Romney, learning a few days back that Mourdock, like many Tea-Party candidates this fall, is at risk of losing a red-state Senate seat, decided to cut an ad in support of his candidacy.
Then, oops, Mourdock reveals his true feelings in a debate Tuesday night:
I believe life begins at conception. The only exception I have for to have an abortion is in the case of the life of the mother. I struggled with myself for a long time but I came to realize life is that gift from God, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape. It is something that God intended to happen.
Republican Todd Akin, running against moderate Democrat Clair McCaskill in Missouri, had this to say a few months back:
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan quickly said they "disagreed" with Akin's comments. And yet, here's Paul Ryan in an early campaign interview:
A careful listen shows that Paul Ryan agrees with Todd Akin (and by extension Richard Mourdock), not his running mate Mitt Romney, but for the sake of the ticket, Mitt's the boss!
As for Mitt Romney's view, in spite of his usual Etch-A-Sketch approach to convictions, here's Mitt Romney on Mike Huckabee's Fox News show:
That's Mitt Romney, standard bearer and possible president of the United States, saying that he favored a "life begins at conception" (aka personhood) amendment to the constitution that would outlaw all abortions as well as many currently accepted birth-control methods including IUDs and morning-after pills. Other fundamentalist Christians believe such an amendment would ban hormone-based birth control, as well.
This is the face of today's Republican Party. This is what we all face if Mitt Romney wins. Harold Meyerson of the Washington Post warns this morning:
While Romney has become a general-election tabula rasa, he sits atop what may be the most radical major political party in American history. Regardless of Milquetoast Mitt’s positions, a government with a Republican president and Republicans in control of the House and Senate would use its budget-reconciliation powers (which enables a Senate majority to sidestep the 60-vote requirement so frequently used to stymie legislation) to defund or repeal not only the health-care guarantees and financial regulations that Obama signed into law but also much of the education funding and regulatory safeguards on which Americans have depended for decades.
The radicals who dominate the Republican Party have entertained Romney’s turn to the center as a necessary electoral expedient. The day after a Romney victory, their blitzkrieg will begin — leaving the moderate Mitt of the general election to historians specializing in short-lived phenomena.
A favorite take by many people on Mitt Romney's seemingly non-existent set of convictions is that he's a moderate who'll say anything to get elected in today's Tea-Party environment and that we can be assured that Mitt the Moderate will return and be a centrist leader to the nation. But what if there's no center remaining in his party?
Oh oh, there is no center remaining in his party.
Finally, what are the chances that a Supreme Court, now on the brink of becoming the most conservative in history could survive two or even three justices appointed by a Republican president driven by a far-right Republican Party?
I was 15 when blacks were guaranteed the right to vote.
I was 16 when birth control was made legal.
I was 23 when abortion was made legal.
I was 55 when sex between consenting adults in the privacy of their homes was made legal.
I was 62 when gays were allowed to serve in the military.
Imagine a Supreme Court with six justices with views roughly between Joe Alito and Clarence Thomas. Holy crap. Speaking of holy, Alito and Thomas, as well as Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, and Chief Justice John Roberts are Catholic. Under their church's doctrine, both birth control and abortion are forbidden.
This video is funny about an unfunny topic, but it is a little bit of comic relief:
Not so funny but a little freaky nonetheless. But no less freaky than this classic Rush Limbaugh rant, dissected ably by Huffington Post's Cara Santa Maria:
As a de facto leader of the Republican Party, what are the chances of Rush letting Moderate Mitt be moderate? Here's a good reminder of how moderate Mitt Romney is:
And here's a news report about Paul Ryan expressing -- behind closed doors -- outright support for Richard Murdock:
Now we've come full circle. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan support Richard Mourdock, who believes if you get raped, it's God will that you have the rapist's baby. Women, what's so moderate about that?
Update. This is for men and women of all ages to ponder:
Got it. Richard Mourdock believes Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are unconstitutional, and Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan support him. This is today's Republican Party.
Update 2. Mitt Romney's campaign just announced that they aren't pulling the ad supporting Richard Mourdock. Okay...
Update 3. Mourdock apologizes but stands by his statement. Just weird. Note in the article that John Cornyn, longtime senator from Texas, supports Mourdock's views.
Posted by Unknown at 10:41 AM 0 comments
Thursday, October 18, 2012
The Civil War Isn't Over
The North didn't help the South bury its dead, and they've never forgiven us.
I watched an American Experience program on the Civil War dead the other night -- a repeat I think -- on PBS, and it really struck me how long our institutional memories are. When the institution is the Southern culture, it's easy for those in the north to miss. I've lived in both the North and the South before settling in California, and I've visited both since.
In front of the South Carolina state house, today.
First, my premise: the South never forgave the North for the crushing defeat it suffered in the Civil War, and a key reason is that the North -- the Union, in fact -- made a concerted effort to bury its Civil War dead, but refused to do so for the Confederate dead. The North felt contempt for the Southern soldier, at least at the time, and so the South was left with a few women's groups to make an heroic but ultimately failed effort to bury the Southern dead.
From living in Japan and studying its history and culture, I learned that the nine-year occupation after World War II led almost to a love affair between the former deadly enemies, one that persists to this day. We very nearly crushed Japan in the war and bombed it -- with conventional as well as nuclear weapons -- quite nearly into oblivion, and yet the occupation healed so many wounds, much as the Marshall Plan did in Europe.
Gettysburg National Cemetery: for the Union dead only.
The Union occupation of the defeated Confederacy took an opposite tack, to humiliate and punish the South, and we are suffering the consequences to this day. Not burying the Southern dead when the North had the chance must have rankled and cut deep, and I'm sure that fierce anger persists, at least that form of it that makes the Southern man feel low and humiliated, enough to still cherish the Confederate flag. I'm not expert enough to tie the Civil War and its aftermath to the Southern economies of today -- or to the inherent and persistent racism -- but it doesn't take a Nobel laureate to figure out that the Southern states lag far behind the North and the West Coast in economic growth.
Check out this article by Jonathan Cohn are the North-South divide (blue-state-red-state, if you will):
By nearly every measure, people who live in the blue states are healthier, wealthier, and generally better off than people in the red states. It’s impossible to prove that this is the direct result of government spending. But the correlation is hard to dismiss. The four states with the highest poverty rates are all red: Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas. (The fifth is New Mexico, which has turned blue.) And the five states with the lowest poverty rates are all blue: New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont, Minnesota, and Hawaii. The numbers on infant mortality, life expectancy, teen pregnancy, and obesity break down in similar ways. A recent study by researchers at the American Institute for Physics evaluated how well-prepared high schoolers were for careers in math and science. Massachusetts was best, followed closely by Minnesota and New Jersey. Mississippi was worst, along with Louisiana and West Virginia. In fact, it is difficult to find any indicator of well-being in which red states consistently do better than blue states.
A big piece of this separation between Southern red states and Northern and Western blue states is the principle of states' rights, which is code, in my view, for the persistence of nostalgia for the Confederacy. States' rights mean we don't need no stinking affirmative action, we don't need the Negro voters, and we don't need Washington (the Union) coming down here and tell us how to run our bidness. Stay out.
The result is clear from, as an example, Texas. Cohn goes on:
Romney and Ryan like to say that giving states more autonomy would encourage innovative and efficient solutions to social problems. But what their agenda would really do is undermine modern standards of economic security, creating among the red states a region in which government doesn’t even try to guarantee that everybody can pay for basic necessities of life. It would do nothing less than change the postwar definition of what it means to be an American.
The quintessential blue state is, of course, Massachusetts. There, health care is available to almost everybody, regardless of income or preexisting medical conditions. Welfare benefits are among the most generous in the country, and the state spends hundreds of millions on public housing each year. These programs don’t always lift people out of poverty or protect them from financial catastrophe. Still, Massachusetts’s residents get a lot more help from their state government than people who live elsewhere in the United States. It is reliably at the forefront of efforts at the state level to do what the federal government will not.
...Today, Texas doesn’t even try to provide the kind of protection for its vulnerable residents that Massachusetts does. It has more uninsured residents than any other state in the country; its lawmakers have repeatedly refused money from the federal government to expand health insurance for kids. Its welfare program is among the nation’s stingiest: Eligible families get less than $300 a month, about 19 percent of the federal poverty line. The Texas state housing budget is a mere $5.5 million—a tiny fraction of what Massachusetts spends, even though Texas has almost four times as many people. “There’s no other state money allocated for housing,” says John Henneberger, co-director of the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, “unless you want to count prisons.”
Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia's definition of states' rights:
States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. Since the 1940s, it has often been considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation. In law, states' prerogatives are protected by the Tenth Amendment.
It doesn't take a political science degree from Harvard -- or Duke, for that matter -- to figure out that politicians, like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, who support states' rights do so to employ a coded term that means we hate unions and still wish we could keep Negroes in their place. They do it to send a message, one that is not lost on the Southern states that support states' rights.
As long as this divide, which might have been repaired in the 1800s, lives on -- and there's no reason to believe it will fade anytime soon -- then we can expect conservative politicians to exploit this age-old resentment harbored by white Southern men and women. It's a sad reminder of the wages of sin, and the wages of war.
The Confederate dead in Oakwood Cemetery: If only the Union had helped...
Update. A recent Gallup poll shows Mitt Romney up by seven points. That's way off the average of national polls that show a more even race. But a graph of how that lead came to be is very informative and bears on what I've said in this post:
The South really holds different political beliefs, doesn't it? Where did that come from? 150 years ago? Could be, could be.
Posted by Unknown at 12:19 PM 6 comments
Mitt Romney Looks into His Soul, Sees Himself, and Looks Away
Mitt Romney at the Tuesday debate, staring his own ineptitude right in the face.
I wish every voter could look into Mitt Romney's soul. Would they see a man who thinks lying for the purpose of winning a point in a negotiation or a debate is just the cost of doing business, that God forgives those who lie if they've got a couple million bucks and the ambition to match? Or would they see a man who thinks if he throws out enough three-point plans or five-point plans people will forget that none of the points are worth spit but at least he's a man with plans? Would they see a man who thinks he's just too grand to ever be referred to as a flim-flam man?
We'll never know because we'll never get a look inside Mitt Romney's soul. I suspect Mitt Romney never will either. I've never seen any evidence that Mitt references his soul on a regular basis. He left that behind in high school when he was bullying kids whose hair wasn't right.
All we'll get to see of Mitt Romney was what he presented on the debate stage this past Tuesday, and it didn't look good. Oh, it looked good to about 30 percent of voters, but those are the same folks that thought George W. Bush was a good president, people I like to call Bush dead-enders. And, sure, Mitt will get another 18 percent of the voters that watched Mitt and saw that he has a plan, for Pete's sake, and he isn't a black Muslim Kenyan.
Let's look at those plans:
Cut taxes across the board by 20 percent. This cut will be revenue-neutral (meaning it won't save anybody a dime) because he'll eliminate unspecified deductions -- deductions he vociferously refuses to specify. It begs the question: Why even do it? Government gets no extra money, so it doesn't solve the deficit, and people don't have their tax burden lowered, so...? Because he's a tax cutter! So there. And it's a plan.
Create 12 million jobs. How? Magic! Romney does say it's because things will get better just because he's elected because it'll make people more confident, and also fewer regulations (on what, banks?) and lower taxes, and magic! By the way, experts all say we're going to get about 12 million jobs just because the economy will heal itself as it often does. So... But it's a plan.
Repeal Obamacare, in spite of the fact that it was based on his health care plan in Massachusetts. Experts point out that if Romney cuts, as he said he would, federal support of Medicaid and allows health insurance to be sold across state lines, there's a great likelihood that it will destroy his signature health system in Massachusetts. Great. End Obamacare and Romneycare. That's a plan.
Get tough on China. What does that actually mean? It means Mitt Romney is tough and Obama is a weenie. Oh.
If Romney is elected, he'll get binders full of women. Oh, and he'll let his female cabinet officers off early every day so they can get home to cook dinner. A real feminist if I've ever seen one.
If anything goes wrong in the middle east, he call it an act of terror on Day One. That'll fix everything.
We didn't get a look into Mitt Romney's soul on that debate stage. What we didn't see was much of a reason to hope for his election. Maybe he'll actually look into his soul after his failed campaign. I'd hate to think of what he'll see.
I could have been a contender, I could have been somebody. You were, Mitt, you were.
Posted by Unknown at 6:17 AM 2 comments
Sunday, October 14, 2012
I've found it hard to write on issues lately, as I was thrown for a loop when a few days back a young man, about whom I know nothing, was gunned down on an Alabama campus by a campus policeman. The student named Gil Collar, an 18-year-old freshman and wrestler at the University of South Alabama, was shot dead while "acting erratically" in front of the campus police station. Among other things, he was unarmed and completely naked. It was also reported that the student was 5' 7" tall and 135 pounds.
From reports it appeared that the student charged the policeman aggressively several different times from which the policeman retreated. At some point, rather than retreat -- or go back inside the police station to regroup -- he shot the student once in the chest, killing him.
This is, on the face of it, a senseless killing, no less senseless than the killing in September of a 40-year-old double amputee in a wheelchair in a group home for the mentally ill in Texas. Reports said that the man, a schizophrenic, had "cornered" a police officer and threatened him with a pen before a fellow officer shot him once in the head, killing him.
These events, which follow a slew of officer-involved shootings in rather disturbing circumstances in recent days, are part of a pattern of reckless behavior by police that are, more often than not, dismissed as "clean shoots." In the end, the officers are only rarely disciplined or charged.
But what made me even more disturbed than simply hearing about the tragedy of the young wrestling student were the cavalier attitudes of demonstrated by commenters on the story at Slate, an ostensibly liberal online magazine. A significant number of them defended the action -- without knowing any more details than the thin explanation of the original report, saying things like the following:
"Sorry folks, when a naked man does not stop for a uniformed officer, the only place to shoot him is in the chest.. First rule of self defense, shoot at the center of mass to save your own life. Any one intruding on my house be advised."
"I love all these internet badasses who would have used their bruce lee skills and just taken the guy down without incident. Unarmed men kill people all the time. Drugged up naked ones probably more than others. Unless we can now read minds, we don't know if the cop actually felt threatened or not."
"There is no such thing as not shooting to kill. If you don't shoot to kill, you will probably miss. Shooting accurately is very very difficult, even at close range. People who have never fired a gun may not realize this."
Of course, many were shocked and wished another way were possible to subdue a small, if buff, naked man.
Later reports revealed that the officer who shot Collar, Trevis Austin, was also armed with a baton and pepper spray at the time of the shooting. Collar, for his part, had taken LSD. The videotape of the incident apparently shows that Collar never got within 4-5 feet of the officer and that the officer approached Collar with gun drawn.
I don't claim to know enough to judge the actions of officer Trevis Austin. But in the wake of the killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, the incident in Texas with the double amputee in a wheelchair, and -- closer to home -- the killing of a 23-year-old in Vallejo, California by a police officer who jumped on the hood of the dead man's car before emptying his service revolver through the windshield, I'm once again reminded how violent our society is and how unnecessarily dangerous it is to live in the U.S.
Police can't get a clear shot? Jump on the hood, empty clip.
Having lived overseas in both the Netherlands and Japan, I know the vast difference in how it feels to live in a safe country and how it feels to live in the U.S.
What is most disturbing about this story is the reaction by Internet commenters. Slate comments revealed that even progressive sites harbor readers who favor gun solutions to life's problems, as readers of Daily Kos did earlier this year when I posted a diary that advocated a gun ban, and the majority of CNN comments I read on the story were similar to "Maybe kids need to think more these days and situations like this wouldn;t [sic] happen," or "This guy posed a threat. Hand to hand combat is NOT an option with someone who is obviously jacked up."
Having read a number of comments to Yahoo! news stories, I realize from the shockingly unhinged views of the readers that the Internet might not be the best place to judge the rationality of American citizens, but with a little more sampling, I suspect I'd be hard pressed to come to any other conclusion that we Americans may be left of center on social issues but mostly right of center on self-defense issues. This demonstrates that our society is held hostage by our gun culture. This does, quite frankly, sadden me greatly.
It's another reason that we should vote for people that would restrict access to guns. This process of reducing violence in our society will take longer than I'll be around, but it's worth doing nonetheless.
Gil Collar and his mom
Posted by Unknown at 10:49 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
I'm Not Flying American for a While
Not broke, just tired of paying decent wages. Yeah, I'm booking you like not soon.
Read this Yglesias in Slate. Hard to swallow graphs:
This horror story begins with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing made by AMR Corp. (the holding company that owns American Airlines) last November. Bankruptcy, conventionally speaking, is about restructuring debts owed to banks and bondholders. But most of American’s debt was backed by hard assets like airplanes. What’s more, AMR actually had some cash on hand at the time of the filing. The debts American really wanted to restructure were the implicit debts to employees. As S&P analyst Philip Baggaley put it at the time, the goal was to “reorganize in Chapter 11 and emerge as a somewhat smaller airline with more competitive labor costs and a lighter debt load.” In other words, American went into bankruptcy primarily so it could pay people less.
...When American angered its pilots, they struck back by doing the reverse—deliberately calling in every little complaint, timed for the worst possible moment. The results were catastrophic, and it’s no surprise that the recent improvement in flight timeliness has coincided with a resumption of negotiations. But American doesn’t seem to have backed away from a philosophical commitment to hardball anti-union tactics. In June, it persuaded a federal judge to rule that a new, higher threshold for triggering a unionization vote among passenger-service agents should be applied retroactively, contrary to the interpretation of the National Mediation Board. On Oct. 3, an appeals court judge overruled that call, but the airline insists it’s going to keep fighting rather than allow an election to go forward. If nothing else, American may delay the process until next year in hopes that Mitt Romney wins the election and appoints a more management-friendly National Mediation Board.
I'm not flying American until they knock it off. Too bad. I liked American. Read the whole Yglesias post.
Can't keep the seats filled if they keep falling apart.
A very good reason to be pro-union.
Posted by Unknown at 9:57 PM 0 comments
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Posted by Unknown at 10:54 PM 0 comments
In Today's Politics, It's True If It's Plausible.
I've been watching politics for a long time now, certainly more closely than is healthy for any stable mind, but so it goes. And the monkey on my back, my real jones, if you will, has always been, "But that's just not true!!"
How high was the bullshit piled up?
Every time John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and other Republicans said, "It's a job killer and we're just not voting for it," or "raising taxes on the wealthy is class warfare and a job killer," or "Obamacare is a granny killer and, what the fuck, a job killer," I just shake my head and wonder why they say it. I inevitably grumble and concede that they say it because somebody's already drunk the Kool-Aid and in fact are now predisposed to believe these nonsensical pronouncements.
The other night when a new, improved Mitt Romney -- you know, the one equipped with a brand-new set of talking points quite nearly 100% reverse-engineered from the baloney he'd been spouting for the past 18 months -- opened his forceful, smiling, affable, Glengary Glen Ross, always closing, closing, closing, glad-handing, beaming mouth, I was flabbergasted. For about 48 hours.
Fine. I admit it. I forgot to bring my bullshit the other night.
That's how long it took for me to regain my footing. Sure, all the pundits and currently unemployed political consultants on TV said that Mitt Romney had wiped the floor with Barack Obama, and Andrew Sullivan had said that he knew traditional debating (probably from his days at Oxford) and what was Barack Obama thinking!!?!, and so forth. Yes, I'd watched just about every debate since JFK and Nixon (true, believe it or not), and I get that debating is about closing, not truth-telling per se, and yes, Obama had a bad night.
But in the scheme of things, the truth still matters to me, always has, always will. I've never been to Oxford, so I can't say, "Well done, old chap, you certainly bested me, it's was complete nonsense of course, but I digress, well done, old sport!"
Is American politics relevant to Afghanis? It's plausible.
No, politics is life-and-death issues, it means something. Just ask the Afghanis, or Americans without health insurance. It is life and death.
So how does this thing work, this political propaganda machine? How do misinformation campaigns really work? If Orwellian language really works, what's the key to it?
It's been right there all along, but I finally saw it: It's all about plausibility. Plausibility doesn't need to be fat and wide; it doesn't need to contain the truth. It needs the barest, the wispiest, the thinnest amount of rationality. All it needs is to be plausible.
Obama is really a Kenyan Muslim who hates America? It's not out of the realm of maybe, slightly, kinda crazy but, what if it's actually, really true? A wisp of plausibility? Great! Limbaugh and the fiercely yapping crowd will run with it all day and all night.
Let's try this out. There's this God, see -- well actually, no, you can't see Him -- and He knows our every thought because he's watching everyone and created everything forever and ever and we'll live with Him until the End of Days, and then the Evil ones all die and we live forever and ever on the Big Rock Candy Mountain! With God! Yeah, it's plausible.
Sullivan is a rationalist who believes in the Big Rock Candy Mountain.
You know what's plausible? The undeniable fact that you can't become president unless you believe something almost exactly like that, and you must make it undeniably clear or you're toast in a presidential election. This is not only plausible, it's true, and what makes it all the more outrageous, of course, is that this is how we operate in a nation founded, among other things, on the First Amendment, you know, the one that says no religion shall be established.
King George III. ruled by divine right?
I somewhat digress, but not really. I'm just having my I-can't-believe-it's-not-really-butter moment about politics. It's probably been like this from the beginning of time. The Egyptians believed in the Pharaoh, and the British revered King George III (did they actually? Hardly matters), and wait, wait. They actually didn't, the people I mean. They didn't know what to think, didn't have the power to affect outcomes and ruling by divine right was, in fact, well, plausible.
And so here we are today. Mitt Romney is no Pharaoh, he's just the Republican candidate for president, and the stage has been set for him to run, perhaps successfully, on talking points that are plausible. Do his positions have to be true? No. Do they have to be what he espoused in 1994? No. Do they have to be what he espoused in 2002? No. Do they have to be what he said on the stump up until last Tuesday? No. Okay, what do they have to be?
And what's Mitt going to say at the next debate? Who knows? But it'll be plausible. True? Who cares?
Mitt's hoping the answer to that final question is less than half of the people. Which is why he doesn't care about the 47%. That's more than plausible.
Update. We all get jokes and cute pictures in emails from friends. Some of them are amusing, some are not. A friend forwarded this joke to me, and I noticed its relevance to the above:
Snow White, Superman and Pinocchio are walking along. They see a sign: "Contest for World's Most Beautiful Woman." Snow White goes in, later comes out smiling, wearing a crown.
They walk along and see another sign: "Contest for World's Strongest Man." Superman goes in, later comes out smiling, wearing the belt.
They walk along and see a sign: "Contest for World's Greatest Liar." Pinocchio goes in, later comes out with his head down crying.
"Who the hell is Mitt Romney?" Pinocchio sobs.
That's funny. And plausible.
My tax plan, my tax returns, my health care plan, my education plan, my jobs plan...
Posted by Unknown at 9:16 AM 1 comments
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The fact that the question is still up for debate points to the problem not of who Mitt Romney is -- it's possible to not even care -- but of what his election would mean to the nation, as an unnerving outcome as that is.
Romney's performance in the Wednesday-night debate kicked up a brand-new, take-two or -three discussion of his inner core -- if he has one -- akin to a 90-minute episode of "To Tell the Truth," for those boomers like myself who still remember the 50s quiz show. The original required two of the three contestants to defend false resumes in an attempt to stump the panel, provided all told the truth. In my new iteration, all three contestants are Mitt, and the truth is optional.
The denouement each week of "To Tell the Truth" was, "Will the real Mitt Romney please stand up." Indeed. Will he? has he? There is something riding on it besides egg on perennial panelist Bess Meyerson's face. There's maybe the future of the country.
So here we are a few days later, and John Dickerson of Slate comes out with a somewhat predictable "Who's Mitt, Anyway?" sort of article, based on the new Mitt of debate fame, the finally Etch-A-Sketched, more moderate, less scary, even, uh, warm and fuzzy guy you actually would like to have a beer with if Mormons only drank.
But finding the essential Romney isn’t so simple. The experiment itself is flawed. Voters are being asked to detect the truth from two different acts of artifice. One is a set-piece performance recorded by the television networks. The other was a set-piece performance captured by a member of the catering staff. Both are performances. Like all politicians, Romney was playing to the crowd in both cases. The question is not which one represents the true Romney, but which crowd will he play to when he’s in office.
Undecided voters caught undeciding.
As Atrios would say, holy crap. But Dickerson nails it, and the implications of this insight is, while not necessarily frightening, deeply aggravating. Can it really be that we could likely elect someone we barely know because, well, who knows? His true believers? The Obama-haters from day one? The undecideds? The independents? The press? The disenchanted??
Why, of course, should be the ultimate question, but that's understandably harder to get to. From my perspective, he and his running mate Paul Ryan are both heavily Etch-A-Sketched: one, Romney, by himself and his consultants and the other, Ryan, by a beltway press corps in search of someone resembling an intellectual, policy-wonk conservative. Unfortunately but predictably, what you see is most decidedly not what you get.
Here's more grist for the mill: This morning's New York Times headline read, "Romney Claims of Bipartisanship as Governor Face Challenge," which is impartial reporter gobbledegook for Romney lied his ass off. From the article by Michael Wines:
As a Republican governor whose legislature was 87 percent Democratic, Mr. Romney said in Wednesday’s debate, “I figured out from Day 1 I had to get along, and I had to work across the aisle to get anything done.” The result, he said, was that “we drove our schools to be No. 1 in the nation. We cut taxes 19 times.”
But on closer examination, the record as governor he alluded to looks considerably less burnished than Mr. Romney suggested. Bipartisanship was in short supply; Statehouse Democrats complained he variously ignored, insulted or opposed them, with intermittent charm offensives. He vetoed scores of legislative initiatives and excised budget line items a remarkable 844 times, according to the nonpartisan research group Factcheck.org. Lawmakers reciprocated by quickly overriding the vast bulk of them.
How quickly reporters can debunk politicians' statements. But once the propaganda propagates, does it take on a life of its own? Political consultants know the answer: Fuck yeah.
Post-debate conventional wisdom? Dude's toast. No, French toast.
I got a chuckle but no solace from Andrew Sullivan's blog post, "Rebooting the Romneybot." That this title is not salacious tells a lot about both Romney and our political culture:
The reinvention effort includes softening the edges of Romney, both stylistically and philosophically. The more likable version of Romney was no accident — he worked hours on his smile, his posture and the delivery of his words. The more centrist version of Romney was no accident either — he carefully calibrated his message on taxes, spending and Medicare to broaden his appeal.
...The goal was to overwhelm the president with liveliness and information, to force him to confront the messy details of his economic and fiscal record.
Carefully calibrating his message on taxes, spending and Medicare, my ass. He lied, hoping people would lap it up. Over at the Daily Beast, historian Simon Schama let loose on Romney on the falsehoods and on Obama for his dismally dispiriting performance:
As the whoppers tumbled from his smiling lips, Pinocchio Romney’s nose grew so long that it was practically poking out the eye of his mournful opponent. But even had it struck raw cornea, the president would have politely removed the intruding proboscis to say, “Governor Romney, I probably agree that the nation could do with a good eye watering, though we disagree on the manner in which it would be administered,” or some such snappy retort.
Romney lies, truth dies is not a lame pronouncement: It's the observation du jour, today as it was yesterday, and so forth. Here's Michelle Goldberg, also of the Beast:
The way Obama kept looking down instead of directly into the camera was maddening. So were his seemingly unrehearsed, defensive answers. But the most painful part was watching Romney lie so brazenly, while over and over again Obama failed to effectively challenge him. Romney repeatedly insisted, for example, that he has no plans to reduce the tax burden on the richest Americans. This directly contradicts the analysis of every nonpartisan expert who has looked at Romney’s plan.
...Perhaps Obama, feeling comfortable in his lead, didn’t want to get down in the muck and call Romney a liar, or perhaps he was just unprepared for the level of deceit on display. Debating someone who is willing to simply make things up is incredibly discombobulating. Regardless, it means that most viewers will be left with a seriously distorted view of what the Republican candidate is proposing. Tomorrow, the fact-checkers will try to correct the record, but the Romney campaign has already decided that facts don’t matter.
And so it goes. For the record, I didn't go to see what William Kristol, Jonah Goldberg, Jennifer Rubin, or Fred Barnes had to say about the factual basis of the new Romneybot because they're hardly invested in the truth. They're interested in the fight and its outcome. They're all in for their bot.
Okay, I did go read Charles Krauthammer's column on the debate. Ugh. Read it at your peril.
Kristol, pointing to his as yet unemployed Romney bullshit detector.
As Michelle Goldberg titled her Beast report above, Romney won, and the truth lost. There are few mourners for the truth on the right, not while they smell blood. On the left, there's anxiety aplenty about whether Obama can help truth make a comeback. We have a month and three more debates to find out.
Posted by Unknown at 11:29 AM 0 comments
Friday, October 5, 2012
Stock market is soaring: those Chicago bastards!
Yea! Jobs came in reasonably good if you add in the upward revisions of July and August. So, dropping to 7.8% isn't crazy. Unless, of course, your team wanted bad. Then it's all "those Chicago bastards, just how low can they crawl, down with the lizards, newts, and salamanders. Bastards!"
Jobs are still up: those Chicago bastards!
And you know, the Tax Policy Center says that Mitt Romney's tax plan doesn't add up. And everyone who looks at Paul Ryan's budget agrees that the numbers don't add up. And when you look at their Medicare plan, it means that eventually Medicare will end as we know it (you know, the part where you die when you run out of money from your voucher, which is sort of the whole idea now where you don't die because you run out of money. But hell, tough choices! It's the marketplace! Whoopee!)
Our numbers don't add up, of course they don't. Why? Those Chicago bastards!
Sorry, Republican Party, you get to campaign on the numbers you have, not the numbers you wished you had. This week, the numbers look good for America. So your job, Republicans, is to explain why everything is bad anyway. The party of Doom and Gloom! That's gonna work for sure.
Jobs report is good, July and August revised upward. Romney has a sad. Chicago bastards!
I could link to all the conspiracy theorists, BLStruthers as Josh calls them, but I'd rather link to Paul Krugman's Friday column. It doesn't give me a sad or make me cry out "those Boston bastards!" Well, maybe a little. Sorry. Enjoy the good jobs numbers and have a BBQ this weekend. I intend to.
Update. I couldn't help myself. Here's Jack Welch's tweet this morning:
Here's Fox on the warpath. Good news, not on Fox:
Monica Crowley on Fox Business takes good news and turns it into a shaky, political "you see what you want to see, it's really sort of bad" story:
We've so civilized nowadays...
Can't really pretend to have visited Wingnutistan unless you check in with Rush:
Rush plays a little "trick" on us. He says the jobless rate went from 8.3% to 7.8%, making it sound implausible. That's because the rate went from 8.1% to 7.8%. C'mon Rush, you can be wacky without the tricks, okay?
Have a good weekend, and if you're a Republican, don't worry, some day you'll get the lousy jobs report you want. If you don't just retweet Jack Welch. Cheers.
Posted by Unknown at 9:57 AM 0 comments
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Romney in Fantasyland at the Debate: Will It Work?
Romney, left, greets Obama at the first debate.
I watched and listened to every word at the debate last night. I came away with this immediate impression:
Romney "looked" better, more prepared. However, he did this at some expense. His alpha-male, hard-charging, salesman approach combined the con man with the bully.
Romney finally had his Etch-A-Sketch moment, which required him to play fast and loose with the truth. Yes, he seemed in command of the facts. Only problem was that most of them were false. The rest were, ah, what did he actually say? And who's buying it? His supporters? Yes. Obama's supporters? No. The undecideds? Maybe. Maybe, however, is the modus operandi of the undecideds.
Obama appeared not up to the task at hand in real time. He did successfully challenge a few points and did work to explain his stands on issues. By and large, though, he almost seemed to cede many points to Romney. Since many of Romney's points were false, it occurred to me that Obama was playing long ball here. I suspected that as the debate went along, his team was feverishly sifting through the vibrant, somewhat overcaffeinated Romney display of scattershot policy mongering, all the while looking for what misstatement would go into tomorrow's ad. (Later in the post I'll show what's already being produced. God, there's so much video!)
Was this really rope-a-dope or Obama having a bad night? Hard to tell. I saw a few comments in the Twitterverse and blogosphere that suggested Obama couldn't be the angry black man. Sounds plausible, but in 2012? Maybe for the undecideds. But that's their favorite word: maybe. (Maybe I hate angry black men? Maybe I'll vote for the white bully across the stage? I don't know.)
So that's what I thought about last night. It's easy to start out depressed this morning if you're a disappointed Obama fan -- I am both. But let's look at a few things:
Obama: “Thank goodness somebody is finally getting tough on Big Bird. It is about time.”
How to win friends and influence voters?
Yep, Obama's team was ready. This was out this morning:
Okay, found this on Daily Kos from Bill in Portland Maine, who might be gay (duh). It's unrelated to last night's debate, but food for thought anyway:
Yes, not about the debate, but very appealing and I'm wondering, looking at this web ad: Did Mitt Romney win these people over during the debate? Which misrepresented factoid won over these people? A quicktake gay reaction from a HuffPost writer here. (Gays saw the bullying, BTW.)
I don't know which is more surprising, that "The Situation" is doing a "Jersey Shore" sober, or that Hollywood actually is in the tank for Obama, during and post-debate:
WonkBook on WaPo did a credible job of insta-factchecking An example:
9:09pm: Mitt Romney says he’s not going to cut taxes for the rich. According to the Tax Policy Center, even if he were to cut all tax breaks - save for those he’s promised to preserve - for high-income people, people making over $1 million a year would get an average tax break of $87,117.
This is the kind of fact-checking I like. Straight fact-checking and a very good read. Another good read to parse the debate is NPR's "Romney Goes On Offense, Pays For It In First Wave Of Fact Checks." This backs my theory that, beyond the trad media's "optics," the facts might not settle in Romney's favor over the final weeks -- and remaining two debates.
I don't know who put this up on YouTube, but Andrew Sullivan links to it as an Obama ad:
In undeserved fairness to loudmouth Mitt, Obama out-talked Romney by four minutes, but the above scene captured Romney's petulance.
I like to read Andrew Sullivan's blog, The Dish, to get a different perspective on issues (sift through his "reax" going back, to get a broad picture of debate opinion, Dish-style). Andrew is gay, Catholic, and conservative (in the traditional, not rabid, tea-party sense). He's evolved from supporting Bush and the Iraq War into a Kerry and Obama supporter in the last two elections and has since recanted (with mea culpas) his Iraq-War stance.
Last night he was quite hyper-ventilated at how badly Obama performed and how well Romney did, in spite of the fact that he saw through Romney's flim-flam. He links to an Urtak set of polls he conducted post-debate. Most interesting factoid: 82% of those polled thought Romney won the debate, while 93% of same still intend to vote for Obama. As a good control-group question, 93% of same voted for Obama last time. These are Andrew's readers, so I don't know if that implies that the debate barely moved the needle overall. But it didn't budge for readers of The Dish, apparently.
Obama the day after in Denver, calling Mitt out. Too late?
According to the Huffington Post, Barack went after Romney 13 hours too late. Sizzling quote from Obama's Denver speech:
President Barack Obama is challenging Republican Mitt Romney's candor the morning after their first debate, saying: "If you want to be president, you owe the American people the truth."
Obama said at a rally in Denver on Thursday that at the debate he met "this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney." But he says it couldn't have been his Republican rival because he says Romney misrepresented his own position on taxes, education and the outsourcing of jobs.
In tough comments, the president says Romney, quote, "does not want to be held accountable ... because he knows full well that we don't want what he's selling."
This backs my idea that Obama was happy enough to sift through Romney's bunk-apalooza to attack him later. I wonder about such an approach. Rope-a-dope or Monday-morning quarterbacking? We'll see.
The Artful Dodger?
Salon.com fact-checks the debate. I was surprised that none of Obama's facts were disputed.
Salon's Joan Walsh wondered why Obama didn't dispute some of Romney's falsehoods:
Romney shook his Etch-a-Sketch and lied his way through the entire debate with no challenge from moderator Jim Lehrer. He simply denied he has proposed a $5 trillion tax cut. He insisted he wouldn’t cut the education budget or Pell Grants, when he will. He claimed the Affordable Care Act raised taxes by a trillion dollars. He essentially revived the idea of death panels by saying Obamacare established “a board that will tell people what kind of treatment they’re going to get.” Yet the president didn’t call him on any of it.
Yeah, I wondered, too. But, ah, rope-a-dope? My wishful thinking?
Here's Jonathan Chait's reaction:
Romney won the debate in no small part because he adopted a policy of simply lying about his policies. Probably the best way to understand Obama’s listless performance is that he was prepared to debate the claims Romney has been making for the entire campaign, and Romney switched up and started making different and utterly bogus ones. Obama, perhaps, was not prepared for that, and he certainly didn’t think quickly enough on his feet to adjust to it.
I wish I could, but I can't argue with that. Will this be a lasting assessment? Who knows. My tentative assessment is that, in the first debate, Mitt Romney seriously detoured into Fantasyland. Will the voters follow?
I got your black ass, didn't I? You know I did.
Posted by Unknown at 12:42 PM 0 comments
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1. Civilized societies require the rule of law.
2. Science is my preferred method for examining and understanding reality.
3. Religion is superstition.
4. An educated society is a healthy society.
5. Democratic governments are by their very nature socialist.
6. Market economies are by their very nature capitalist.
7. Markets are not (entirely) efficient or rational and thus require regulation.
10. If you consider making stuff up a viable tactic, you are disallowed from civil discourse.
12. Income redistribution is good for society, hoarding is not.
13. Everybody, from time to time, needs help.
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About the American Human
The American Human is written by Calvin Ross, a retired teacher who at various points in life has been a musician, woodworker, restaurateur, narrator, English teacher in Japan, novelist, technology journalist, and private tutor to Japanese children here in the U.S.
Happily residing in the wine country of Sonoma County north of San Francisco, Calvin has lived in the Philippines, the Netherlands, and the aforementioned Japan, as well as in Chicago, Colorado, Georgia, and many different towns in California, including, of all places, the Mojave Desert.
Calvin, you may note quickly, is a liberal progressive who doesn't think being called a socialist is all that bad, especially since he sort of would like living in Denmark if it weren't so cold. He blogs because he can.
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In the previous blog I mentioned that I have two friends (“Jack” and “Cheryl”) who are married to each other and have radically different opinions on COVID-19; on immigration; on climate change; on the election; on the future of this country. They’ve been married for over 15 years.
Cheryl explained “Our different views have never been a problem because we adopted a kind of ‘live and let live’ attitude. But ever since the pandemic and the election, the silence has become bitter. If something doesn’t change, we’re headed for divorce. Would S.H.A.R.E. work in this situation?” she asked.
I thought about how many couples and families who undoubtedly were experiencing the same frustration and contentiousness gripping our society.
The S.H.A.R.E. process is simply a guided step-by-step conversation that helps people take responsibility for how their thinking and behavior is negatively impacting not only each other, but others who are in relationship with them; like children. With Cheryl and Jack, S.H.A.R.E. helped them realize and discuss how their opposing beliefs were leading them to harshly judge, resent, and essentially condemn each other because of their different viewpoints about politics and the pandemic.
The first step of ‘Speak your truth’ enabled them to speak openly and frankly about what was actually happening. Every evening after dinner, each would retreat to separate rooms and consume social media and news on their iPhone or laptop. Cheryl described this behavior as a type of addiction. Jack stated “it’s like we treat each other with the same animosity people have toward each other on the news. The only difference is that our animosity is silent.”
The second step “Hear from or about those impacted” enabled them to realize just how many people were being impacted, or influenced, by the way they were treating each other. It wasn’t only their children, but extended family and friends. Cheryl said “people know we’re struggling and kind of avoid us at soccer games. My friends pretty much ignore Jack, and his friends either ignore me or turn a cold shoulder.”
“Let’s Acknowledge exactly what the impact is” I said. This is always the most difficult part of the S.H.A.R.E. conversation because it’s often painful. When people realize and acknowledge the physical, emotional and psychological impact of their thinking, choices and behavior on those they care about, this realization instigates a willingness to change. In this regard, the discomfort and pain of acknowledgment is constructive and transformative because it shifts people out of their intellect and ego defenses and into their heart.
It shifts the focus from “me vs. you” and self-interests, to “us” and our shared need for wellbeing.
“How do you think the way you’re treating each other is impacting your children?” I asked. “Let’s acknowledge the impact on each child.” Our discussion about impact lasted about 30 minutes. Several times during our discussion we needed to pause to allow for tears from both Jack and Cheryl.
Their eldest son “Jason” was “almost never home anymore.” When he was, he was angry, sarcastic, and defiant. “When I asked him where he was the night before, he snapped at me ‘none of your business’” said Cheryl. “At least he talks to you” said Jack.
Their eldest daughter “Tamara” (15) “almost never leaves her room. She spends almost all of her time on social media. Her grades are dipping and she constantly fights with “Summer” (13). When I asked her about her grades, she told me ‘what do you care?” said Cheryl.
“Summer cries just about every day. She’s usually positive and upbeat. Now she’s sullen and withdrawn.” Cheryl added “she asked me if we were going to get a divorce. She doesn’t want to play soccer anymore.”
“Katrina (9) asked me why I hate mom” said Jack.
I asked both of them “what has become clear for you now that you’ve acknowledged the impact on your kids?”
Jack – “how destructive we’ve been and how selfish and petty our differences are.”
Cheryl – “how we’ve allowed the hatred in the world to infect our family.”
I asked them “is there something you want to say to each other?” This is when the real shift happened for Jack and Cheryl. They stood, embraced, cried, and apologized to each other for the harm they had each caused.
“What can we do to fix this?” asked Jack.
“Recognize Needs” I said. “Then you can Enroll each other in a Plan of Action to meet those needs” I added.
Both recognized that their kids needed an emotionally safe space, and to feel that Jack and Cheryl not only loved them, but each other. They also recognized that their family needed to be protected from the political tension and animosity occurring in the country. As Cheryl said “our home should be a sanctuary.”
The plan of action they created stipulated that they would stop retreating into social media every evening and instead, spend time together as a family. They agreed to demonstrate their love for each other with displays of affection.
They also committed to having a family meeting where they would acknowledge the harm they had caused with their coldness toward each other; and ask each child what they needed from them. They agreed to explain that though they have different perspectives on various issues – their love for each other and “our family” will always be more important than those opinions.
If you would like to know more about addressing conflict situations using S.H.A.R.E. – Restorative Way’s structured conversation process, download the FREE excerpt of Restorative Way Playbook which details the S.H.A.R.E process.
Finally, I have a question for you. If you could drop in for a coffee with me, what two questions would you like to ask me?
PS. Im really serious - go ahead and tell me your question in the comments below. What do you need help with?
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Author
William A. Bledsoe, Ph.D.
Author
Twenty years of professional exploration into trauma-responsive communications.
A pioneer in activating people's innate capacity to resolve conflict, recognise trauma and rebuild relationships in educational institutions and organizations.
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This new Vanilla flavor is so chalky tasting I wont drink it. Thank you for refunding me a month or so ago when I accidentally ordered it. I have been a customer for 1.5 years always buying the original vanilla flavor and now this week it was no longer available. I hope you consider bringing it back. The flavor packets are not something I am going to experiment with and make each shake go up .80 cents and they wont taste like what I am used to. Anyway, if the product I love comes back you will still have a loyal customer.
Tim_Huel December 23, 2019, 11:01am #2
Hey Tom, I’m sorry to hear you aren’t loving the Vanilla. It is a different taste, but if it is a little too chalky have you tried popping it in the fridge overnight or even for a few hours?
We actually are still selling v1.1 Original for a limited time, you can find it on our outlet page here - https://huel.com/products/huel-11-outlet - we would absolutely hate to lose you as a Hueler as there’s so much more to Huel than the flavour. Nutrition, convenience and affordability – we’ve also got tons of different ways that you can flavour your Huel!
Tom_Schoolz December 23, 2019, 11:42pm #3
I know the new flavor was so bad I had to get refunded for it, I make this huel fast in the morning so having it sit wont work and unless a vanilla flavor pack is available that makes it taste the same or similar its a hard sell. I use strawberries as ice to make it cool, theres nothing like that but ice to add to chocolate which I dont like. I dont know it really sucks everytime something is good a company gets rid of it. Im seriously considering shakology again, they taste great, but its more expensive. Ill buy the old flavor until it runs out. If you guys are open to sending me some samples of unflavored or chocolate I am open to that… I just dont want to waste money not knowing what they taste like.
TimS December 27, 2019, 6:34am #4
I agree. Way too sweet. Like cake batter.
Josh3560 December 28, 2019, 4:07pm #5
There was talk on the UK forums about a taste test to potentially reintroduce Original as a v3.0 flavor, would that come to the US as well?
I agree that it would be a pain both time and cost wise but has anyone tried the vanilla flavor boost in either the vanilla or unflavored v3.0? Is it anything like Original?
I’m considering buying some Original v1.1 before its out of stock but if its coming to v3.0 I’d rather wait.
Thanks in advance
Amber December 30, 2019, 9:36pm #6
You say, “like cake batter†like that’s a bad thing!
I think it’s fine, but then I just now started, so I wasn’t used to less sweet versions. Also good with a shot of coffee added, which dials down the sweetness. Still, my impression from roaming the forums for a couple of days is that there is a clamor for a less sweet version, and it seems like a lightly sweetened “Original†flavor would be just the thing, and probably the perfect base to use for flavor boosts and other add-ins.
PS: For those who find V3.0 flavors too sweet but don’t want to give up on Huel altogether, have you considered blending with U/U?
ericb December 31, 2019, 6:02am #7
I tried chocolate mint flavor boost in Vanilla 3.0 today, and could barely detect the flavor. I don’t know what people are meant to use the flavor boosts for now, unless they work well with U/U?
I haven’t tried U/U, so I don’t know the answer to that.
I enjoyed the natural/subtle oaty flavor of Original/1.1 and I don’t feel as strongly about Vanilla 3.0 as some, but I do think it’s a bummer that it tastes kind of like a generic vanilla protein powder flavor now. Cake batter or Sugar cookie is a pretty close comparison, but I get that there are plenty of people who are perfectly content eating dessert for every meal, so while I would be interested in seeing Original return as a 3.0 flavor, I’m not getting my hopes up.
Amber December 31, 2019, 4:14pm #8
I’ve seen several posts suggesting people are not impressed by the Chocolate Mint flavor boost in particular. The consensus seems to be that other flavor boosts are better, and they work better in Vanilla than UU.
ericb December 31, 2019, 8:15pm #9
I’m not a fan of most of the flavor boosts, actually. My wife and I both like Chocolate Mint and Peanut Butter the most out of all that we’ve tried so far.
I had posted another thread about what the purpose of Vanilla Flavor Boost was, if they’re designed to be paired with the Vanilla Huel in the first place, figuring maybe it was meant for U/U, but no replies there.
I’m going to buy a few bags of Original flavor while they still have some in stock just so that I have something to use the rest of our flavor boosts with. Original’s flavor is subtle enough that it accepts the flavor boosts pretty well, but Vanilla 3.0 is definitely… more opinionated in its flavor
apocalysque January 13, 2020, 4:43pm #10
Can confirm, new vanilla tastes horrible, as well as new chocolate. Will not be ordering again and made a mistake ordering this batch.
Tom_Schoolz January 16, 2020, 1:28am #11
If they bring back the old vanilla I will order 12 bags my first order. I am not into that chalky new vanilla it cant be covered up. It ruined what I had.
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“Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.” – John Stuart Mill
I was born in Poland. My last name is Polish or Ukrainian. I was a kid when the soldiers came to our house Dec 1981. The tanks on the streets, the curfews and uniforms and guns all over Warsaw. Yet, thankfully there was no war then. Not like when my Mom was born in 1941 after her father got killed in WWII. My family came to the USA on political asylum due to my parents work and activism.
What is happening in Ukraine, is atrocious. It is heartbreaking. It is unimaginable. The pain of our past, is awaken. I have been in touch with my friends in Kyiv, my relatives in Poland, and my Ukrainian friends in the USA. My family and friends in Poland, are opening their homes, to Ukrainian women and children who crossed the border, after the most arduous journey and crossing. I pray, the Russian soldiers will disobey Putin and listen to the Lord and put down weapons. I know that most of them don’t want to be in this war. They don’t want to be killing innocent people.
I pray that our current administration reopens our energy resources, and makes us energy independent from Russia and others. I pray for all the brave Ukrainians who don’t give up. And most of all, I pray for the Lord to protect us all. I pray for peace for the world.
John wrote a blog today, Feb 28, 2022 – The Road to Kyiv: We forget History at our Peril – JVH, Parking Today. From the article JVH mentions: “His (Putin’s) tripartite semi-circular attack on Ukraine is uncannily similar to Hitler’s 1939 invasion of Poland from East Prussia, Germany, and the dismembered Czechoslovakia. But even Hitler who was helped later by the invasion of the Soviet Union from the east, lost 50,000 dead and wounded from a poorly equipped Polish army.”
Ukraine is IMBY of my heart! I am an American yet since my life begun in Poland, Poland, Ukraine and Eastern Europe are my home. I understand we are far away here in the USA. Yet, the war in Ukraine and its outcome will affect us all. We can never take our security and peace for granted!
Since words fail me these last few days, here are some pictures from Ukraine:
(in the video she asks in Ukrainian for Mr. Putin to stop)
(Irena, 98 years old wrote here: I survived Holodomor and Hitler an I will survive Putin Lilliputian with his locust)
(this Russian soldier says, Mama, I didn’t want to drive on/ invade/ go to Ukraine)
President Zelenskyy – A Jew, a grandson of WWII veteran. Many of his relatives perished in the Holocaust)
(Feb 28th, 2022 – Skies over Ukraine – Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”)
God bless Ukraine and all of us!
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And here I am with my handsome hubby. Do I look like a distinguished professor with my graying beard?
After a grueling two years of nursing school, topped with a hefty dollop of working nights at a popular Mexican restaurant on St. Mark’s Place in Manhattan, as well as deejaying several parties in Brooklyn, Michael Bailey graduated cum laude from Phillips Beth Israel School of Nursing on May 30, 2012. I couldn’t be more proud, even if he wasn’t my lawfully married husband.
The ceremonies began the day before, however, specifically with something called a “pinning” ceremony. At 4:00pm on Tuesday, May 29th, I found myself uptown at the New York Academy of Medicine at 1216 Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street. We’re talking Spanish Harlem, folks. Rushing in with less than three minutes to spare (who knew the subway let out all the way over on Lexington Avenue?), the Dean instructed the lucky ones pinning the students to come up to the front of the stage in packs of five or so, according to when she called up the students in alphabetical order. Since Michael was called up in the first group, I dutifully strutted down the aisle to meet him at the stairs leading up to the stage. In hushed whispers, we greeted each other. He then explained in an off-hand manner that when his name was called, we were to walk up to the center of the stage, pretend to pin the gold button on his graduation gown, smile for the photographer, then gracefully exit stage right.
Things didn’t quite go that way.
Unfortunately, since we were called up in the very first group, I didn’t have a chance to observe the proper etiquette of the proceedings. And Michael didn’t know he was supposed to have written a paragraph about why he picked me to perform the pinning honor. So not only could I not see what the pinners were doing from the side of the stage, but try to imagine our mounting horror as the Dean recited a nice little paragraph out loud about each person chosen for the task.
“Did you write something about me?” I asked through gritted teeth, dreading a “yes” answer (What in the world did he write about me? I thought, my heart fluttering) and a “no” answer (What, he didn’t care about me enough to write anything?).
“No,” he answered, his brown eyes wide. “I didn’t know I was supposed to!”
Apparently, every single member of his graduating class did though. Except for him.
Right then, the Dean called, “Michael Bailey” to a well of applause. “He will be pinned by Dario Dalla Lasta.” At least she pronounced my name properly.
We trotted up the stairs. I followed Michael’s billowing gown blindly, embarrassed to look out at the mass of people in the auditorium, knowing in that one moment that nothing would be spoken or read about who I was or why in the hell I was up there in the first place. Some lady handed me a gold pin in a small case and turned me around to face the photographer. I had no clue what to do with it. Where in the world was I supposed to pretend to pin it on his gown? There was no example for me to follow. The photographer—a grumpy old man, as I found out soon enough—kept pointing to Michael’s shoulder, so I held it there. Apparently, that was incorrect due to the mad pointing and grand gesticulating that met my every wrong move. Meanwhile, while I was attempting to get the pose right for a picture, there was a silence after the initial clapping, as the crowd waited for the Dean to read why I was up there with Michael. Still not knowing quite what to do with the pin, I finally turned to the audience, lifted up my shoulders and raised my hands, pantomiming, “I don’t know what to do!” with a lopsided grin plastered on my face.
Right then, the Dean announced, “Oh by the way, this is his husband.”
The timing couldn’t have been planned better. The crowd laughed at my dorky behavior mixed with the last minute, blurted news of who I was. A picture was finally snapped. The flash didn’t blot out the photographer’s frustrated, bright red face at my inadequacies in doing the simplest of tasks, but at least the other graduates and their families knew who I was. I laughed along, followed Michael off the stage and made my way back to my seat. This time, the photographer wasn’t the only one red-faced. I could feel the blush rising up to the top of my head.
After that, I watched every single graduate and their pinner pose exactly how they were supposed to, with the gold button held in the proper position. Not only that, but I also heard a story about why each person was chosen for this honor. And they were all lovely. I just wish each and every one in that room had a chance to hear our story. And yet, just being his husband spoke volumes on the subject. What else needed to be said?
The very next day—Wednesday, May 30, 2012—was the actual graduation ceremony at the same location at 1:00pm. Michael had a total of three tickets so he also invited Sheren and Susan, both of whom had received diplomas in the years we’d all been friends in New York. Here’s a gorgeous photo of the gals with Michael.
They knew firsthand of what graduating with a degree truly meant, as did I. We were quite the educated foursome, I must say.
The two-hour ceremony went off without a hitch (thank goodness I didn’t have to do anything, that’s all I have to say) and afterwards, we rode the train downtown to one of our favorite restaurants, El Cantinero. An inexpensive Mexican joint just below Union Square, the place serves excellent food and delicious pitchers of margaritas—just what the nurse ordered! Since we’d all been there several times for special occasions and birthdays, we asked for a sombrero for photographs. The results were predictably hilarious.
Another round of congratulations are in order for my bosses for the other big event in my life that happened last night. The four principal members of the theatrical management firm that I work for have opened up a cabaret/restaurant under the old Studio 54 nightclub called “54 Below,” and last night was the opening night with a performance by the multiple Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone (“Evita,” “Gypsy”).
To say I was blown away would be an understatement. Besides the brilliance of Patti’s performance (and being close enough to the stage to see every expression on her face), the club itself is stunning. From the moment I walked down the stairs, I was transported to a different place and time. The intimate, 160-seat space was designed by set designer John Lee Beatty and lighting designer Ken Billington, both Tony Award winners. It is a Broadway lovers dream. Every single detail rings true—the wallpaper, the sconces, the pictures, the lighting, the background music; everything has been pulled together to create a fascinating amalgamation of something old (an underground nightclub? a speakeasy? a bordello?!) and something new (pristine sound, sparkling live talent, creative beverages). And the service? Impeccable. I simply cannot wait to go again. The ghosts of Studio 54 would be proud, even though the patrons were impeccably dressed and well-mannered. It was a classy event, and one that I am proud to have been invited to. How can I be so lucky in my life?
Congratulations to all!
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but is there a candy striper?, Eva Lupone, Nursing school graduate, Studio 54
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If you want to buy or sell a car, there are lots of options to select from. You can visit a nearby dealer, attend an area auction, or place an online bid from a reliable source. You must be cautious while selecting a company online because there are so many possibilities, in order to avoid being tricked.
In the past times, buyers and sellers were required to go to auctions physically, but today that’s not the case. Selling your car at a good price is very important, and it can be done mostly by visiting various car shops in your area. What if some customer from another city and far distance like your car and wants to pay you more?
You will definitely explore the internet for this. Car auction companies will ease your selling process. Read why you need to explore Carmigo.io – The Easiest Way to Sell Your Car.
How Carmigo is the Best Car Auction Company
How to Sell on Carmigo
How Carmigo is the Best Car Auction Company
Carmigo is on a mission to make the process of buying and selling used cars more convenient, transparent, and competitive. They aim to combine the competition you experience when trading in your automobile at a retailer with the convenience of doing so.
All you have to do is to provide them with information about your car and create your listing at home. Carmigo takes care of the rest after that. Their auction lasts no more than 24 hours. The best part is that you can view the auction in real-time on your phone all day long too.
How to Sell on Carmigo
Selling your car online using auction companies allows you to sell from the comfort of your own home for the car at the best price. On Carmigo, you can sell the following three steps, all from the comfort of your home, office, phone and driveway.
You will get a free estimate of your car’s value by entering the details on their website. You can see the basic difference between what Carmigo offers you and what you will get from the market.
You can create a profile for your car using their web app. Simply fill out a few fields, capture 13 attractive images of your vehicle, and then enter your reserve price.
All the auctions by Carmigo are 24 hours or less. The best part is that you can watch the auction live from your phone throughout the day.
Carmigo has over 500 five-star reviews and counting on their website. Carmigo is not exclusive to any kind of seller, you can read Carmigo.io reviews here. If you have a car and want to sell it, they will help you do that. While selling your car, you will find Carmigo, your best friend who will make dealerships connected to you.
This is an auction-based marketplace with numerous dealerships bidding every day. There are no hidden charges, If you don’t sell you simply don’t pay. If your auction ends below the reserve price you stated, there is no commitment to sell and you owe them nothing. In case you sell your car, there is a fee of $350 flat only.
Selling a car nowadays online at the ease of your home is easy due to the presence of car auction companies. All you have to do is to choose the one smartly, see the reviews and sell your car at the price you want.
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Yesterday, four Democratic U.S. senators — Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Michael Bennet (D-Col.), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) — published a letter to Facebook expressing their concern over Facebook’s privacy policies. They asked Facebook to “fix” its privacy policy?
Privacy is a complex and often personal concept – how do these four senators know it’s broken?
Well, the letter follows the announcement of Facebook’s new Open Graph API that could revolutionize social networking. As one commentator wrote on ReadWriteWeb, “the bits of this platform bring together the visions of a social, personalized and semantic Web that have been discussed since del.icio.us pioneered Web 2.0 back in 2004.” The future of the web is not just knowing whether a user is interacting with a webpage, but knowing whether users are liking a specific kind of thing (referred to as the semantic web).
This sounds like very interesting stuff (understatement intended). And here’s the thing that many people (including many members of Congress) forget: Facebook is a new model of business that has shaken up the way we communicate. And it’s operating in uncharted territory, miles ahead of the Washington, D.C. crowd that would like to put their own stamp on the company. This is a company that is driving innovation, the last thing we need are politicians attempting to fine-tune the engine.
Which company is the next target of a letter? What’s the precedent being set by these demands for Facebook and other innovative web-based companies? I imagine there are a lot of concerned entrepreneurs across the country wondering if they’re next.
Braden Cox / Braden Cox formerly wrote for the TLF.
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Previous post: event: May 7th – What Should the Next Communications Act Look Like?
Next post: My Senate Testimony on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
The Technology Liberation Front is the tech policy blog dedicated to keeping politicians' hands off the 'net and everything else related to technology.
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Fame is the goal. Fame is what is going to change Evelyn Hugo’s life. Born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen with an abusive father and struggling with her mother’s death, Evelyn needs to find a way out. Hitching her wagon to a man heading to L.A. feels like the first move in her journey to stardom. So that’s one of the seven husbands that take Evelyn on the journey of life.
The public only ever sees the seven men who have loved Evelyn Hugo and lost her. What they don’t know is that Evelyn’s greatest love is also the biggest secret of her life!
This book is Evelyn’s truth, and it’s ugly, scary, and filled with some heartbreaking moments. But ultimately, it’s the story of how Evelyn met her soulmate and fell madly, deeply in love.
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I am emotionally exhausted. I wanted to give you a quick run-through of how this book made me feel because, as you all know, my emotions usually write my reviews for me. I finished reading The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo thirty five minutes ago, and I think this may be the quickest turnaround I have ever written a review, but I can’t keep my thoughts from spilling out of me. In fact, of those thirty-five minutes, my wife has been consoling me and my tears on and off for around twenty of them.
Two of my friends both told me I had to read this book. The first was Sandy months ago, and I put it on my birthday list. Paperback received and put on my bookshelf for a rainy day. Haley then steps up to the plate and can’t believe I am letting this beautiful story sit and gather dust when it most certainly needs to be devoured, and soon.
So today, after seeing, I reckon, the twentieth post of one of the quotes from the book, I decided I couldn’t put it off any longer, and I grabbed the paperback off the shelf and read the first two chapters. I was immersed in Evelyn’s world and didn’t want to put the book down from that moment on. With multiple tasks getting added to my to-do list by the second, I downloaded the audiobook to listen to (not whistle) while I worked. And for the rest of the day, I went between book and audio completely surrounded by Taylor Jenkins Reids words and finished the last third of the book in the bath, paperback in hand and a cocktail made by my very wonderful wife.
After I finished the last word and closed the book, I knew at that moment that I had found my new favourite WLW book without a doubt in my mind. I laughed when Evelyn and Harry would banter and make fun; I cried when Evelyn came up against some awful hurts; I understood when she went down some inappropriate or shocking paths, and my heart burst or ached every time she was in a room with Celia. Every. Damn. Time.
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing is unbelievably engaging and captivating, but she absolutely excels in her dialogue. I could list about fifteen quotes from this book without even trying that affected me physically and emotionally.
Today, we can sometimes forget how far our community has come in terms of being out in the world and being our genuine selves. Evelyn lived with a fear I can’t even imagine, and honestly, at one stage of the book, bisexuality wasn’t even an identity. You were either Gay or a lesbian. There was no in-between, so Evelyn really felt that she didn’t belong anywhere instead of knowing she belonged everywhere.
"I wasn't interested in finding a label for what I already knew. I loved men. I loved Celia. I was OK with that."
Evelyn and Celia are my favourite characters, without a doubt. I don’t want to delve into that too much because, believe me when I say this book needs to be read without spoilers, It’s the only way, really. Producer Harry and Evelyn’s one and only best friend is possibly my favourite ever secondary character. He was the perfect person to balance Evelyn and be her confidant and protector. And the love she had for Harry was probably the second most significant love of her life.
"You do not know how fast you have been running, how hard you have been working, how truly exhausted you are, until someone stands behind you and says, "It's OK, you can fall down now. I'll catch you." So I fell down. And Harry caught me."
There are so many elements to the chemistry in this book. Evelyn’s chemistry with lovers, husbands and her best friend, Harry. The chemistry she had with each person was different and meant something different to her life, to her story.
This book is possibly the most beautiful book I have ever read. I felt every one of Evelyn’s emotions happy and heartbreaking. She is the most complex, and exceptional character I have ever read, and I now know why people have said they wish they could read this book for the first time all over again.
If you are looking for a book that will leave you breathless while not knowing which is up but ultimately wholly captivated by it, this is the book for you. Best. Book. Ever. I’ll close on this quote.
“But Celia was the sort of beautiful that felt as if you could hold it in your hands, like if you played your cards right, you might just get to marry a girl like Celia St. James.”
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Review by Rach
on June 9, 2021 June 9, 2021 </a by Les Rêveur
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When selling rental properties, there are many tax implications to consider. Unrealized capital losses may be able to reduce your capital gain taxes. This can include losses from stock, mutual funds, and unregistered accounts. These losses can reduce your total taxable gain by up to 25%.
If you sell a depreciable capital asset, you may have to pay the government back on a portion of the gain. This amount is called depreciation recapture. It is calculated using the difference between the asset’s sale price and its adjusted cost basis.
Generally, depreciation recapture applies to real estate and property. You should know more about this process before you sell your assets. It can result in a higher tax bill, but there are ways to minimize the impact. Read the guide carefully to understand the rules and prepare for the tax consequences.
In addition to depreciation and capital gain taxes, you may also qualify for capital cost allowance. This benefit is available for certain types of Canadian private corporation shares, or assets used principally for business. Also, you can take advantage of the parallel deferral rules for recapture income under subsections 13(4) and 14(6).
An example of a recaptured capital gain is when a rental property sells for more than the original cost. Let’s say the property was bought for $275,000 in 2011, and was sold for $450,000 in 2019. The owner took out a depreciation expense of $10,000 per year for eight years, so the adjusted cost basis of the property was $195,000 after the depreciation.
If you sell a property and make a profit, you will be able to deduct depreciation, which will reduce your tax bill. Moreover, depreciation will lower the cost basis of the asset, resulting in an unexpected gain. If this unexpected gain was not expected, it could be taxed as ordinary income.
The proposed changes to the lifetime capital gains exemption in BC will affect many existing tax planning structures. This means that taxpayers who expect to take advantage of the lifetime capital gains exemption will need to rethink their plans and make necessary revisions. This is particularly important if they plan on using family trusts or holding property that is under the age of 18. It is important to consult with a knowledgeable Canadian tax lawyer when revising your tax strategy.
Previously, there was no limitation on the amount of capital gains that can be deducted. The limit is currently $800,000 for small business corporation shares and $1 million for qualified farm or fishing property. The exemption amount is not inflation-indexed, and is based on the value of the property in question.
The Department of Finance is proposing three changes to the lifetime capital gains exemption. The first is to prevent individuals from using the exemption for gains accumulated while they were under 18 or while a trust held the property. The other two changes will apply to property that the taxpayer transferred to someone else.
The lifetime capital gains exemption is available to Canadians who own qualified small business corporation shares. Alternatively, a person can use the exemption to claim the capital gains from shares in a trust that belongs to a related party. Under the Canadian Income Tax Act, related individuals are regarded as being related to each other by blood or marriage. In such situations, the life time capital gains exemption is available to the beneficiary of a trust.
Bill C-208 amends the Income Tax Act. The effective date of the legislation is unknown, but the Interpretations Act states that it becomes law upon royal assent. The new law makes it easier to transfer a small business from one family member to another. However, there are many concerns. While the legislation provides some protection from surplus stripping, it is not clear whether it will stop the practice entirely.
In order to qualify for the LCGE, an individual must have lived in Canada for the entire year. This is required by subsection 110.6(5) of the Income Tax Act. The act also excludes from the LCGE any capital gains or losses realized by a non-resident. To determine whether or not you qualify, consult a Canadian Tax Lawyer.
Calculation of capital gain on recapture in British Columbia is a complicated and often confusing process. It largely depends on the type of asset that you sell. In general, real estate, stocks, and other investments that are held for investment purposes are considered capital assets. Basically, capital gain is the difference between the price you paid for an asset and the total amount of undepreciated cost.
The amount of capital gain you can realize on a recapture of a depreciable asset is calculated by subtracting the proceeds of disposition from the adjusted cost base (ACB). The adjusted cost base is the original cost of a capital property, plus any additions or improvements made to the property. The outlays, on the other hand, are the expenses that were incurred in selling the property. These include legal and commission fees.
The capital gain tax was introduced in Canada in 1972. Initially, the inclusion rate was 50%. However, the rate was increased to 75% in 1990 and subsequently reduced to 50% in 2000. This rate has remained at that level for the last two decades. However, the calculation process of a capital gain on recapture in British Columbia is more complicated than you might think.
For example, if you sell a home, you may not realize a capital gain on the sale. However, you may have unrealized capital losses that reduce your capital gain tax. These losses can be from stocks, mutual funds, or even unregistered accounts.
In some cases, depreciation recapture taxes apply to depreciable assets that have a long-term value. This type of tax is not common for residential properties. But it can happen if you are an investor in a rental property. In some cases, if you don’t pay tax on depreciation, the IRS will step in and recoup those taxes you didn’t pay.
Tax implications of change of use of rental property
If you are considering changing the use of your rental property from a primary residence to a business, you should know about the tax implications. Generally, the IRS requires that you allocate your deductions between the two uses of the property. This means that you will write off half of your expenses as rental expenses and half of your property tax and interest as itemized deductions. However, if you decide to convert your rental property from a principal residence to a business, you might lose out on the tax benefits of the principal residence exemption.
The tax implications of changing the use of your rental property depend on when and where you make the change. For example, if Jolene and Max turn their house into a rental property in June 2021, they may be able to deduct up to 14 days of rental income from their taxable income. This will result in a taxable gain of $450,000. However, this gain will also result in a recapture of any depreciation taken during the rental period.
The tax consequences of changing the use of your rental property depend on the state that you live in. If you live in a community property state, you may not be eligible for a full step-up in cost basis, as the state’s common law laws may not allow this benefit.
If you decide to rent out your rental property to a relative, it is important to make sure that you rent it at fair market value. If you rent the property below market value, this will be considered as a personal use by the taxpayer. Similarly, if you rent it out below market value, it counts as a personal use of the property and will reduce your deductibility.
If you plan to convert your rental property into a principal residence, you need to take a few important steps. The first step is to track your rental expenses. You should calculate rental expenses to reduce your taxable income.
Among many other things, David A. Grantham is a contributing author to UmassExtension West Vancouver Blo. He is a renowned expert on real estate in BC.
Born in North Vancouver, Louisiana, Dr. Grantham grew up in Lower Lonsdale. He then went on to complete his business degree at the University British Columbia. As of this writing, Grantham has completed over 100 projects, including the development of a high rise building in Vancouver.
He is a husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He was a dedicated outdoorsman and enjoyed sports such as hunting, fishing, scuba diving, and snow skiing. His wife, Alison Grantham, and their two daughters survived him. He is survived by his wife Alison Martin Grantham and two daughters.
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The Best Personal Loan Vs Home Equity Loan Pay Day Loan Tips That Happen To Be Sure To Work In case you have ever had money problems, do you know what it is like to feel worried simply because you have no options. Fortunately, payday loans exist to help individuals as if you make it through a tricky financial period in your lifetime. However, you have to have the right information to experience a good knowledge of most of these companies. Here are some tips to assist you to. In case you are considering getting a payday loan to pay back some other credit line, stop and think it over. It could turn out costing you substantially more to make use of this procedure over just paying late-payment fees on the line of credit. You will end up tied to finance charges, application fees and also other fees that happen to be associated. Think long and hard should it be worth every penny. Consider exactly how much you honestly have to have the money that you will be considering borrowing. If it is something which could wait until you have the money to purchase, use it off. You will probably realize that payday loans will not be an affordable method to invest in a big TV for the football game. Limit your borrowing through these lenders to emergency situations. Shop around just before picking out who to obtain cash from in terms of payday loans. Some may offer lower rates than the others and may also waive fees associated to the loan. Furthermore, you might be able to get money instantly or discover youself to be waiting several days. When you browse around, you will find a company that you will be able to manage. The most crucial tip when getting a payday loan is always to only borrow what you can pay back. Interest rates with payday loans are crazy high, and if you are taking out a lot more than you are able to re-pay from the due date, you will certainly be paying a whole lot in interest fees. You could have to do a lot of paperwork to find the loan, but nevertheless be suspicious. Don't fear seeking their supervisor and haggling for a better deal. Any business will normally surrender some profit margin to obtain some profit. Payday loans should be thought about last resorts for when you really need that emergency cash and then there are not one other options. Payday lenders charge high interest. Explore your options before deciding to get a payday loan. The best way to handle payday loans is not to have to consider them. Do your greatest to conserve a little money each week, so that you have a something to fall back on in desperate situations. If you can save the money to have an emergency, you may eliminate the necessity for using a payday loan service. Receiving the right information before you apply for the payday loan is vital. You have to enter into it calmly. Hopefully, the information in this article have prepared you to acquire a payday loan which can help you, but in addition one that you can pay back easily. Invest some time and select the right company so you will have a good knowledge of payday loans.
Why Would A Personal Loan Be Declined
Bad Credit Payday Loan Have A Good Percentage Of Approval (more Than Half Of You Are Applying For A Loan), But Not Guaranteed Approval Of Any Lender. Providers Guarantee That Approval Must Now Prevent This May Be A Scam, But It Is Misleading At Least. Don't Get Caught Inside The Trap Of Payday Loans Have you ever found yourself a little lacking money before payday? Maybe you have considered a cash advance? Simply use the advice in this particular help guide gain a better comprehension of cash advance services. This will help decide should you use this kind of service. Make certain you understand precisely what a cash advance is before you take one out. These loans are typically granted by companies which are not banks they lend small sums of cash and require hardly any paperwork. The loans can be found to most people, though they typically need to be repaid within 2 weeks. 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Keeping this under consideration, make certain your loan pays completely on or ahead of the due date. A better replacement for a cash advance would be to start your own emergency bank account. Put in a little money from each paycheck till you have an excellent amount, such as $500.00 roughly. Instead of developing our prime-interest fees that a cash advance can incur, you may have your own cash advance right on your bank. If you wish to use the money, begin saving again straight away in case you need emergency funds in the foreseeable future. Expect the cash advance company to contact you. Each company needs to verify the information they receive from each applicant, which means that they need to contact you. They need to speak with you directly before they approve the money. Therefore, don't provide them with a number that you simply never use, or apply while you're at work. The longer it will take to enable them to speak with you, the more time you must wait for a money. 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Searching For Wise Ideas About Charge Cards? Consider The Following Tips! Today's {smart client understands how beneficial the application of credit cards can be, but is likewise aware about the issues linked to too much use.|Is additionally aware about the issues linked to too much use, even though today's wise client understands how beneficial the application of credit cards can be Including the most thrifty of individuals use their credit cards at times, and we all have classes to understand from their store! Please read on for important advice on employing credit cards intelligently. 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Tend not to think twice to "shop" prior to taking out students bank loan.|Prior to taking out students bank loan, do not think twice to "shop".} Equally as you might in other parts of daily life, shopping can help you locate the best deal. Some loan providers fee a outrageous rate of interest, although some are far far more reasonable. Look around and evaluate prices to get the best deal. Find out the needs of private financial loans. You have to know that private financial loans demand credit report checks. If you don't have credit rating, you require a cosigner.|You want a cosigner in the event you don't have credit rating They should have good credit rating and a good credit historical past. fascination prices and terms|terms and prices will likely be much better in case your cosigner has a excellent credit rating rating and historical past|past and rating.|When your cosigner has a excellent credit rating rating and historical past|past and rating, your fascination prices and terms|terms and prices will likely be much better Keep good information on all your student loans and remain on top of the reputation of every one. One good way to do that would be to visit nslds.ed.gov. This really is a internet site that keep s track of all student loans and will display all your essential information for your needs. In case you have some private financial loans, they will never be showcased.|They will never be showcased for those who have some private financial loans Regardless of how you record your financial loans, do be sure to keep all your authentic documentation inside a risk-free spot. Really know what the sophistication time is before you have to commence investing in your financial loans. The time needs to be half a year for Stafford financial loans. Perkins financial loans have got a 9-30 days sophistication time. Other sorts of student loans may differ. Know while you are anticipated to shell out them again, and make your instalments by the due date! Try out looking around for your private financial loans. If you need to use far more, explore this along with your counselor.|Go over this along with your counselor if you wish to use far more If your private or alternative bank loan is the best option, be sure you evaluate items like settlement options, fees, and interest rates. {Your school might advocate some loan providers, but you're not necessary to use from their website.|You're not necessary to use from their website, however your school might advocate some loan providers Before you apply for student loans, it is a good idea to discover what other educational funding you are skilled for.|It is a good idea to discover what other educational funding you are skilled for, before you apply for student loans There are many scholarships readily available out there and they is effective in reducing the amount of money you have to pay money for school. Once you have the sum you are obligated to pay lessened, you can focus on obtaining a student loan. Pay for the big financial loans off of as soon as you have the ability to. When your main is ower, you can expect to help save fascination.|You will help save fascination in case your main is ower.} Come up with a concerted effort to pay off all big financial loans more rapidly. Once you have paid back your greatest bank loan, continue producing those very same monthly payments in the after that bank loan in collection. By making positive you will be making the absolute minimum payment on your financial loans, you'll have the ability to little by little remove the debt you are obligated to pay to the student loan firm.|You'll have the ability to little by little remove the debt you are obligated to pay to the student loan firm, by making positive you will be making the absolute minimum payment on your financial loans After reading the aforementioned post, at this point you see how it can be feasible for you to manage to go to an excellent school. Don't permit your deficiency of financial assets cause harm to your odds of planning to school. Use the tips|guidance and tips in this article to have that student loan, and soon adequate you will notice on your own attending class at your preferred school. Student education loans are a valuable way to purchase university, but you should be mindful.|You have to be mindful, however student loans are a valuable way to purchase university Just accepting what ever bank loan you are supplied is a great way to realise you are in danger. Together with the guidance you might have study in this article, you can use the cash you want for university without having buying far more debt than you can actually repay. Generally study first. This will help you to evaluate distinct loan providers, distinct prices, and other main reasons from the procedure. The greater number of loan providers you look at, the greater your chances are to find a reputable loan provider using a reasonable rate. Though you might need to take more time than you thought, you can recognize actual savings. Sometimes companies are of help adequate to offer at-a-glance information. Methods For Finding Reputable Cash Advance Companies If you are faced with financial difficulty, the planet can be a very cold place. If you could require a quick infusion of money rather than sure where to turn, the following article offers sound tips on online payday loans and exactly how they may help. Look at the information carefully, to find out if this choice is made for you. Should you be considering a shorter term, pay day loan, do not borrow any further than you have to. Payday loans should only be employed to get you by inside a pinch rather than be applied for additional money out of your pocket. The interest rates are extremely high to borrow any further than you truly need. Always enquire about any hidden fees. You have not a way of knowing what you're being charged if you do not ask. Be sure your concerns are clear and direct. Some people find out that they owe much more than they originally thought after getting financing. Find out all you are able upfront. Don't make things through to your application if you get a pay day loan. You can actually check out jail for fraud in the event you lie. Research any pay day loan company before filling in an application. There are a variety of options avaiable for your needs so you can be sure the company you are working with is repuatable and well run. Previous users with this facility could possibly provide honest feedback about the lending practices with this company. Realize you are giving the pay day loan use of your individual banking information. That is certainly great once you see the loan deposit! However, they can also be making withdrawals out of your account. Be sure to feel relaxed using a company having that sort of use of your banking accounts. Know to expect that they may use that access. If you must obtain a loan coming from a pay day loan agent, look around for the very best deal. Time could be ticking away and you need money in a hurry. Keep in mind, 1 hour of researching a number of options can cause you to a significantly better rate and repayment options. This will help you determine what you are getting into so you can have confidence within your decision. Everybody is short for cash at the same time or any other and requires to find a way out. Hopefully this information has shown you some very beneficial ideas on the way you could use a pay day loan for your current situation. Becoming a well informed consumer is the first task in resolving any financial problem. If you happen to have got a fee on your cards that may be an error in the visa or mastercard company's behalf, you will get the costs removed.|You will get the costs removed if you happen to have got a fee on your cards that may be an error in the visa or mastercard company's behalf How you do that is simply by mailing them the time from the expenses and what the fee is. You are resistant to these things by the Reasonable Credit score Charging Act. Simple Bank Card Suggestions Which Help You Manage Having a charge card is of excellent help in several tacky conditions. Are you presently lacking in funds, but have to make an investment?|Want to make an investment, even though are you presently lacking in funds?} No worries by any means! Just use your cards. Are you presently wanting to construct a good credit rating? It can be basic with a charge card! Read on this post for excellent methods for you to use a visa or mastercard. Tend not to use your visa or mastercard to make transactions or everyday items like whole milk, ovum, fuel and biting|ovum, whole milk, fuel and biting|whole milk, fuel, ovum and biting|fuel, whole milk, ovum and biting|ovum, fuel, whole milk and biting|fuel, ovum, whole milk and biting|whole milk, ovum, biting and fuel|ovum, whole milk, biting and fuel|whole milk, biting, ovum and fuel|biting, whole milk, ovum and fuel|ovum, biting, whole milk and fuel|biting, ovum, whole milk and fuel|whole milk, fuel, biting and ovum|fuel, whole milk, biting and ovum|whole milk, biting, fuel and ovum|biting, whole milk, fuel and ovum|fuel, biting, whole milk and ovum|biting, fuel, whole milk and ovum|ovum, fuel, biting and whole milk|fuel, ovum, biting and whole milk|ovum, biting, fuel and whole milk|biting, ovum, fuel and whole milk|fuel, biting, ovum and whole milk|biting, fuel, ovum and whole milk chewing gum. Accomplishing this can easily turn into a habit and you will wind up racking the money you owe up really swiftly. A very important thing to do is to apply your credit cards and help save the visa or mastercard for larger transactions. Never ever use your credit rating to purchase things which are out of your price range that you simply are not able to repay. Though it may be fine to use them to purchase some thing you really can afford at a later time, you should not purchase a huge-ticket product that you may have a challenge investing in. Make sure that you make your monthly payments by the due date if you have a charge card. Any additional fees are where the credit card banks get you. It is crucial to make sure you shell out by the due date to protect yourself from those expensive fees. This may also reveal absolutely on your credit track record. Make good friends along with your visa or mastercard issuer. Most main visa or mastercard issuers have got a Facebook or twitter web page. They may provide benefits for people who "buddy" them. They also take advantage of the discussion board to deal with client issues, it is therefore to your great advantage to include your visa or mastercard firm to your buddy listing. This applies, even if you don't like them very much!|If you don't like them very much, this is applicable, even!} In case you have numerous cards which have an equilibrium about them, you ought to prevent getting new cards.|You must prevent getting new cards for those who have numerous cards which have an equilibrium about them Even when you are paying every thing again by the due date, there is not any explanation for you to acquire the possibility of getting yet another cards and producing your financial situation any further strained than it previously is. Only take funds advances out of your visa or mastercard if you totally ought to. The financing fees for cash advances are extremely higher, and hard to repay. Only utilize them for conditions where you do not have other option. However you must really really feel that you are capable of making substantial monthly payments on your visa or mastercard, shortly after. In case you have a charge card accounts and do not want it to be turn off, be sure to make use of it.|Make sure to make use of it for those who have a charge card accounts and do not want it to be turn off Credit card banks are closing visa or mastercard makes up about non-usage at an improving rate. This is because they view those balances to be lacking in profit, and thus, not well worth retaining.|And therefore, not well worth retaining, the reason being they view those balances to be lacking in profit If you don't would like your accounts to be shut down, apply it tiny transactions, at least once each and every 90 days.|Apply it for tiny transactions, at least once each and every 90 days, in the event you don't would like your accounts to be shut down Anytime you get a visa or mastercard, it is wise to familiarize yourself with the relation to assistance which comes along with it. This will enable you to determine what you {can and are not able to|are not able to and will use your cards for, as well as, any fees which you might potentially get in numerous conditions. Keep in mind that you must repay everything you have incurred on your a credit card. This is simply a bank loan, and even, it is a higher fascination bank loan. Very carefully take into account your transactions prior to charging you them, to make certain that you will have the cash to pay them off of. It is essential to usually evaluate the fees, and credits which have submitted to your visa or mastercard accounts. Whether you decide to verify your money action on the internet, by looking at papers records, or producing certain that all fees and monthly payments|monthly payments and expenses are mirrored precisely, you can prevent expensive mistakes or pointless struggles with the cards issuer. Try and decrease your rate of interest. Phone your visa or mastercard firm, and ask for this be performed. Before you decide to contact, make sure you understand how very long you might have experienced the visa or mastercard, your current payment history, and your credit history. many of these demonstrate absolutely to you being a good client, then use them as leverage to have that rate decreased.|Rely on them as leverage to have that rate decreased if all of these demonstrate absolutely to you being a good client There could be no doubt that a credit card are functional tools. They may have numerous employs, from acquiring products in a have a look at collection to improving someone's credit standing. Take advantage of this information to make wise visa or mastercard judgements.
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A U.S. flag is seen July 2, 2019, behind a barbed wire fence at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego for those entering the U.S. illegally seeking asylum. (CNS photo/David Maung)
Relatives are still seeking answers about an asylum-seeker who was removed from life support after an apparent accident while in federal detention awaiting a hearing in immigration court.
Nebane Abienwi, a father of six who fled Cameroon this summer, was declared dead at a medical center Oct. 1 at the age of 37 after what was described as a “medical emergency” at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, USA Today reports. The detention center is a facility of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which had custody over the man.
Abienwi’s brother Akongnwi, who asked USA Today to identify him by his last name for fear of repercussions against his family at home, said the family wanted the ventilator to be kept in place until a relative could arrive. The family wants to know why it was removed.
“We did not approve that,” he told USA Today from Cameroon. “One hundred percent, we did not.”
“The family spoke and said, ‘We believe in miracles. It has happened to other families, why not ours?’,” said the migrant’s brother. “I made clear that he should remain like that and the family would decide if we want to take him off that machine or not.”
ICE told USA Today that Abienwi’s treatment was determined by hospital staff. When its detainees are admitted to the hospital, it said, it works with relatives “to the extent possible to ensure they can participate in decisions.”
Nine migrants have died in ICE custody in the past year. The department detains over 52,000 migrants per day across 225 detention centers and jails. The numbers of arriving undocumented immigrants have surged, straining the resources of government facilities and personnel.
Akongnwi, a resident of South Africa who runs a car repair and brokerage company, has sought a travel visa to travel to California to find out more about his brother’s death, to identify the body, and to perform cultural rites before the casket is sealed. He has been denied a visa at both the U.S. Embassy at Johannesburg and in his native Cameroon. He said U.S. officials in Cameroon asked him whether he would apply for asylum like his brother.
Akongnwi has had to borrow money for his travel expenses. He has arranged for his brother’s body to be kept at a California funeral home but does not know how to get it home.
ICE officials had contacted Akongnwi on Sept. 30 to inform him of his brother’s critical situation. Officials at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center said Abienwi was bleeding profusely from his brain.
Abienwi had suffered a medical emergency about 3:24 a.m. on Sept. 26, according to the ICE detainee death report, apparently after falling off a top bunk in his cell. A nurse found him and reported that he was confused, sweating, making “jerky movements” and complaining of thirst. The detention center staff contacted emergency services at 3:50 a.m. and he was taken to the hospital.
Just after noon on Oct. 1 two doctors reviewed Abienwi’s examination results, concluded they were “were consistent with brain death” and then “pronounced him dead.” The ICE report said the doctors informed Abienwi’s wife 30 minutes later and hospital staff then disconnected the ventilator two hours later.
Akongnwi has questioned the accuracy of parts of the ICE report, saying his brother’s wife could not deal with speaking with the officials and directed them to speak with Akongnwi.
ICE officials said they are reviewing Abienwi’s death to ensure that officials followed policy.
The department has come under heavy scrutiny after President Donald Trump tightened migrant entry rules and refugee detention rules, and implemented stronger enforcement against undocumented migrants.
Watchdogs like the U.S. Inspector General have faulted the border patrol’s federal detention facilities, citing dangerous overcrowding that put detainees’ health and safety at risk.
Trump administration policy seeks to detain asylees until their case is heard in immigration court. Abienwi, who did not have a criminal record, had been in Customs and Border Patrol Custody for two weeks before being turned over to ICE for long-term detention.
Abienwi left Cameroon due to armed conflicts in his country, where about 500 villages have been destroyed, his family said. He flew to Ecuador and traveled through Colombia, Central America and Mexico before reaching the U.S. border. According to Akongnwi, his brother said he planned to request asylum.
“He wanted to go to the United States, get his documents, start to work, open a business and bring his family, so they can be safe and the kids could go to school,” Akongnwi told USA Today.
For decades, Catholic bishops and other leaders have advocated for comprehensive immigration reform.
The bishops have faulted various aspects of Trump administration policy, including its treatment of unaccompanied child detainees, its family separation policy, and its “stay in Mexico” policy wherein would-be asylum seekers are denied entry to the U.S. pending court hearings.
In June Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, whose diocese borders Juarez, Mexico, denounced “a government and society which view fleeing children and families as threats; a government which treats children in U.S. custody worse than animals; a government and society who turn their backs on pregnant mothers, babies and families and make them wait in Ciudad Juarez without a thought to the crushing consequences on this challenged city.”
“This government and this society are not well,” he said June 26. “We suffer from a life-threatening case of hardening of the heart.”
The bishops’ concerns about U.S. treatment of migrants pre-date the Trump administration. In a report released in May 2015, titled “Unlocking Human Dignity: A Plan to Transform the U.S. Immigrant Detention System,” they charged that detainees receive harsher treatment than criminal defendants and face increased difficulty securing legal counsel and due legal process.
They advocated reducing the number of detention facilities and recommended community-based case management as a cost-effective and successful model in the legal processing of immigrants.
The report cited attorneys’ and pastoral workers’ reports of “the sexual abuse of women detainees, women forced to deliver babies in restraints, frequent hunger strikes, suicides, government officials pressuring detainees to abandon their legal claims, and the treatment of severe medical conditions with Tylenol, Advil, and Motrin.”
ICE, Immigration
Catholic News Agency
Catholic News Agency
Catholic News Agency was founded in 2004, in response to Pope St. John Paul II’s call for a “New Evangelization." It is an apostolate of EWTN News.
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Details: Apple TV has landed a six-episode limited series, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, that will star Oscar nominee, Samuel L. Jackson in his first lead TV role. The series is based on a novel by Walter Mosley, who will also write the script. Jackson and Mosley will also serve as executive producers.
Story: The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey centers on a 91-year-old man (Jackson) who is forgotten by his family, his friends and even himself as he suffers from dementia. But when he’s able to briefly regain his memories, he uses those fleeting moments of lucidity to find the truth behind his nephew’s death and come to terms with his past. Danielle Fishback will play a character named Robyn, described as a friend of the family who helps Ptolemy. Source(s): Deadline; Slashfilm. Photo Source: lavanguardia.com.
16 Apr 2021 15 Apr 2021 by blackcinemaconnection Categories: Rumoured or Announced Projects, TV Series Leave a comment
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Want to add spice to your backyard with a new outdoor living space but don’t know where to go for a call, you page OKC is here for you. If you have been looking for great OKC Gunite pools, we are the company for you. We offer many different specialties for outdoor living areas that are perfect for you and your entire family. We offer installation of pools, hot, fire pits, pergolas, patios, landscaping and much. We want to give you the best quality work, but also a great price is. We want you to be able to enjoy your living fully without worrying about finances. We also offer free estimates as well want to be careful claimants with us virtually over the phone. We are just here to make your dreams and visions of reality.
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If you’ve been considering adding to your backyard, but don’t know where to begin or what the process excite, PMH OKC is here for you. If you been searching for OKC Gunite pools, but don’t even know where to begin, we have got you covered. Will make this entire process easy, fun, and affordable for you.
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Once you schedule your appointment with us and kind what is what you are envisioning for your backyard or outdoor living space, we would invite you to look at. This case we go to look at different styles of pools that we have, different liners and everything about the pool process. Because we want you to be able to envision what is actually going to. This allows you to choose different styles and shapes as well as different liner styles and colors as well. This also allows you to be involved in the entire process, to make it more fun and exciting for you. So if you have been trying to look for OKC Gunite pools we are here.
The great thing about her pools is that they are easy and affordable. If you are somebody that has a family, and wants something that will last many years, and create tons of mamories, we have the perfect pools for you. We would suggest liner pools for you as a gray option. This is cheaper, easier, quicker way to get. Liner pools are made with durable and great quality materials, but they are typically half the price a concrete would be. It also comes in a package of tools and materials needed to stop pool, making it way quicker for our trained professionals. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks whereas a concrete will take 3 to 4 months.. This would be a great option if you want your pool ready by this summer. This would also leave you with extra money rather than a concrete pools that we be able to add things to sphere. We also allow you to customize our liner pools with the shape color and depth of you pool. This is all important stuff to take into thought when making a huge purchase.
So if you are considering PMH for your outdoor living needs, we would be more than honored to help you. We just want to make sure that we give you our best quality and efficient work. go to our website today and there you will be able to go through and look at any pictures of our work and see what else we offer. You also be able to read customer reviews, see you can see what people are saying about our company to see if it’s a good fit for you. You can also contact us at any point we would be more than happy to help any questions that you might have. 405-881-7640
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The fortunes of the Confederacy have grown so desperate–some two-thirds of Confederate soldiers have deserted, and there are no more able-bodied white men available for military service–that a growing number of voices are calling for allowing slaves to serve in the army. President Jefferson Davis, unable to think of any other effective way to supplement…
November 5, 2014 in Archive: This Day in Civil War History.
Baptists and the American Civil War: April 22, 1864
Today the Georgia Baptist Convention convenes at Second Baptist Church, Atlanta. Despite this being a religious gathering, there is no more discussed subject than that of the war. Atlanta, after all, is the target of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman‘s upcoming spring campaign. The attempted invasion of Atlanta, originating from federal-controlled Chattanooga, is expected to…
April 22, 2014 in Archive: This Day in Civil War History.
Baptists and the American Civil War: August 30, 1862
Samuel Pearce Richards (1824-1910) is a member of Atlanta’s Second Baptist Church and an Atlanta bookseller that, having “no ambition to acquire military renown and glory,” has managed to avoid service in the Confederate Army. The former Unionist maintains a home front diary during the war, and today, amidst noting family affairs, worries that he…
August 30, 2012 in Archive: This Day in Civil War History.
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Join me as I attempt to watch 2,500 movies on DVD and Blu-Ray, including films from all around the world and spanning as many genres as I can muster. Check back often...new movies are posted daily!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Directed By: James Marsh
Tag line: "His mind changed our world. Her love changed his"
Trivia: It took writer Anthony McCarten 10 years to bring this story to the screen
It was while watching the documentary mini-series Stephen Hawking’s Universe in the late ’90s that I first became aware of how brilliant Stephen Hawking was, and the fact that he’s been able to delve so deeply into the mysteries of the universe while confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak, is amazing, to say the least (for years, Hawking has suffered the debilitating effects of ALS, a disease that attacks the body’s muscle tissue, eventually leading to paralysis). The 2014 film The Theory of Everything, a biopic / romance directed by James Marsh, is Hawking’s story, as told by the woman who stood beside him for so many years.
We begin in 1963, when Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) was a spry, athletic student at Cambridge, majoring in astrophysics. While at a campus party, he meets Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), an arts major, and before long the two are seeing each other on a regular basis. It’s clear to everyone, including his hard-edged instructor, Dennis (David Thewlis), that Stephen Hawking has an exceptional mind. Unfortunately, it was around this time his body began to fail him. Diagnosed with ALS, doctors gave Stephen 2 years to live. Not wanting to waste a moment of the time they had left, Stephen and Jane married, and though his disease grew steadily worse, he managed to complete his doctorate at Cambridge, graduating with full honors. As he continued working on his theories regarding black holes and the origin of the universe, Jane was busy raising the couple’s children and doing everything she could to make her husband (who was now confined to a wheelchair) as comfortable as possible. In an effort to alleviate the pressures of her everyday life, Jane joins a church choir, where she meets Jonathan (Charlie Cox), who, over time, becomes a regular fixture at the Hawking household, assisting Jane any way he can. Things get a bit more complicated, however, when Jonathan confesses to Jane that he’s developed feelings for her. To her surprise, and despite her continued dedication to her husband’s career, Jane finds she has feelings of her own for Jonathan, resulting in complications that neither of them anticipated.
Eddie Redmayne delivers a remarkable performance as Stephen Hawking, a role that was clearly as physically demanding as it was emotionally (there are times later in the film when he’s so spot-on that you have to remind yourself you’re watching an actor portray Stephen Hawking, and not Hawking himself). Ultimately, though, The Theory of Everything is as much Jane’s story as it is Stephen’s (the movie was based on her novel Traveling to Infinity: My life with Stephen), and Felicity Jones was up to the challenge, conveying the love and devotion her character felt for her husband, as well as the frustrations she faced on an almost daily basis as his condition worsened. If nothing else, The Theory of Everything proves that the time-honored cliché “Behind every great man is a woman” is 100% accurate.
With its tale of true love triumphing in the face of adversity, The Theory of Everything had all the makings of a weepie movie-of-the-week. Thanks to the incredible work of both Redmayne and Jones, it never once falls into that trap.
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Assuming you take our main thesis seriously — that obesity is the result of environmental contaminants — what should you do about it?
Our suggestions are very prosaic: Be nice to yourself. Eat mostly what you want. Trust your instincts.
Diet and exercise won’t cure obesity, but this is actually good news for diet and exercise. You don’t need to put the dream of losing weight on their shoulders, and you can focus on their actual benefits instead. You should focus on your diet — not to get thin, but to make sure that you have enough energy to do everything you want to do in life. This means eating enough and making sure you get what you need. You should exercise — not to slim down, but to gain strength and energy, and you shouldn’t get discouraged when you don’t drop 50 lbs fast.
Pancakes Good
And this doesn’t apply to most of our readers, of course, but just in general — we gotta stop spending money on circular nutrition research. It’s clearly not going anywhere. Other theories of obesity don’t engage with the observations that are out there about the obesity epidemic, and try to explain the wrong thing.
Most theories focus on the dynamics of individual weight loss, under the assumption that obesity is the result of the normal mechanics of eating, exercise, weight loss, and weight gain. But we think that the dynamics of individual weight loss have almost nothing to do with the real question, which is why obesity rates are so much higher now than they were in the 1970s, and the rest of human history. Individuals can gain or lose 15-20 lbs from their set point, but this is messing around within the range of control — we only care about the set point.
Let’s say it’s 50 °F outside. If your thermostat is set to 72 °F and you open the door, your house’s temperature will drop at first and then will go back up to the set point of 72 °F. If your thermostat is set to 110 °F and you open the door, your house’s temperature will drop at first and then will go back up to the set point of 110 °F (assuming your furnace is strong enough).
This is a standard feature of how homeostatic systems respond to major disturbances — the controlled value swings around for a bit until the system can get it back under control, and send it back to the set point. So all the diet and exercise studies we’ve done over the last 50 years have just been an exercise in who can create the biggest, most jarring disturbance — but the lipostat always finds a way to bring your weight back where it wants it.
So all these “punch the control system as hard as we can” studies don’t tell us anything about why the thermostat is set to 110 °F in the first place, which is what we’re really interested in.
Bestselling nutrition books usually have this part where they tell you what you should do differently to lose weight and stay lean. Many of you are probably looking forward to us making a recommendation like this. We hate to buck the trend, but we don’t think there’s much you can do to keep from becoming obese, and not much you can do to drop pounds if you’re already overweight.
We gotta emphasize just how pervasive the obesity epidemic really is. Some people do lose lots of weight on occasion, it’s true, but in pretty much every group of people everywhere in the world, obesity rates just go up, up, up. We’ll return to our favorite quote from The Lancet:
“Unlike other major causes of preventable death and disability, such as tobacco use, injuries, and infectious diseases, there are no exemplar populations in which the obesity epidemic has been reversed by public health measures.”
The nonprofit ourworldindata.org has data from the WHO covering obesity rates in almost every country in the world from 1975 to 2016. In every country in this dataset, the obesity rate either stayed the same or increased every single year from 1975 to 2016. There is not one example of obesity rates declining for even a single country in a single year. Countries like Japan and Vietnam are some of the leanest countries in the world (about 4% and 2% obese, respectively), but in this dataset at least, even these super-lean countries don’t see even a single year where their obesity rates decline.
We see the same trend even for smaller-scale data. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has a dataset of county-level obesity data from 2001 to 2011, which is publicly available on their website. Using this we can look at obesity rates across the United States, and we can see how much obesity rates have changed in each county between 2001 and 2011. We see that between 2001 and 2011, obesity rates decreased in zero counties, stayed the same in zero counties, and increased in 3,143 out of 3,143 counties and county equivalents in the United States.
The smallest increase between 2001 and 2011 was in Eagle County, Colorado, where obesity rates went from 20.0% in 2001 to 21.5% in 2011, an increase of 1.5%. You’ll notice that this is Colorado once again, and it turns out that the five counties with the smallest increase from 2001 to 2011 are all in Colorado. Of the 25 counties with the smallest increase, 13 are in Colorado. The take-home here is that Colorado really is special.
If we zoom in a little further on these data, we can find ONE case of obesity rates declining — they went from 22.7% in 2009 to 22.4% in 2011 in Fairfax City, Virginia, a drop of 0.3%. There were also two counties where rates stayed the same 2009-2011. But this is one county with rates going down, two staying the same, and 3,140 going up. If population-level reversals are this tiny and this rare, it’s hard to imagine that there is much an individual can do to change their own weight.
But that said, here are a few ideas, approximately in order from least extreme to most extreme.
First off, there are a few things that won’t change how many contaminants you’re exposed to, but that may have an impact on your weight anyways.
1. — The first is that you can put on more muscle mass. This won’t affect your weight as it appears on the scale, but it does often seem to affect people’s body composition. The lipostat pays attention to how much fat you have, but it also seems to pay some attention to how much you literally weigh (see these studies in mice, and this recent extension in humans). So if you gain muscle mass, you may lose fat mass. For advice on how to gain muscle mass, please see the internet.
2. — The second is that you could consider getting gastric bypass or a similar, related surgery. Our understanding is that these procedures are very effective at causing weight loss in many cases. However, they are pretty dangerous — this is still a surgical procedure, and so inherently comes with a risk of death and other serious complications. If you consider this option please take it very seriously, consult with your doctor, etc.
Many of you, however, are not just interested in weight loss, or are interested in weight loss along with reducing how many mystery chemicals you’re exposed to — “You stupid kids I don’t want to lose weight I want to get these contaminants out of my body!!!” So here’s a list of steps you could take to reduce your exposure and possibly lose weight, again approximately in order from least extreme to most extreme.
1. — The first thing you should consider is eating more whole foods and/or avoiding highly processed foods. This is pretty standard health advice — we think it’s relevant because it seems pretty clear that food products tend to pick up more contaminants with every step of transportation, packaging, and processing, so eating local, unpackaged, and unprocessed foods should reduce your exposure to most contaminants.
2. — The second thing you can do is try to eat fewer animal products. Vegetarians and vegans do seem to be slightly leaner than average, but the real reason we recommend this is that we expect many contaminants will bioaccumulate, and so it’s likely that whatever the contaminant, animal products will generally contain more than plants will. So this may not help, but it’s a good bet.
3. — The third thing is you can think about changing careers and switching to a leaner job. Career is a big source of variance in obesity rates, so if you have a job in a high-obesity profession like truck driver or mechanic, consider switching to a job in a low-obesity profession like teacher or surveyor. For a sense of what careers are high- and low-obesity, check out this paper about obesity by occupation in Washington State and this paper about obesity by occupation in US workers. If you are already in a pretty lean career, then ignore this one.
We think this goes double if you’re in a profession where you’re working with lithium grease directly, or even around lithium grease. Do what you can to stay away from the stuff.
4. — The fourth thing you can consider is changing where you live. The simplest is to change where you live locally — stay in the same area, but move to a different house or apartment. This one is tricky, and sort of a shot in the dark. How will you know if you are moving to a more or less-contaminated house? But if you suspect your house is high in contaminants, it might be worth moving. If you find specific contaminants especially concerning, you can try having your local water tested for them.
5. — A better option is to move to a leaner place altogether. If you’re in the United States, we recommend Colorado. Colorado is the leanest state, has exceptionally pure water sources, individual cities and counties in Colorado are extreme lean outliers, etc. Unbelievably, this comic exists:
By Brian Crain for The Washington Post
If Colorado doesn’t suit you, you can move to some other state — Hawaii and Massachusetts are not far behind. To find your dream location, look at the CDC’s list of states, or one of the datasets of county-level data like this one or this one, and find a location with a lower rate of obesity than where you currently live. Or pick one of the places from the list of leanest communities in the US.
6. — This may not be extreme enough. After all, even Colorado is more than 20% obese. So a more radical version of the same idea is moving to a leaner country altogether.
If you live in the United States, the good news is that most countries are less obese than where you live now, even if you live in Colorado. Especially good choices seem to be Japan, South Korea, and Thailand, but there are many options — for the whole picture, check out the summary from Our World in Data.
But don’t just take our word for it, listen to these happy customers. Like this person who lost weight over five months in Vietnam, this person who moved to Vietnam and lost 112 pounds in ten months, this person who lost about 4kg (9lbs) after about two months in Japan (and similar stories in the comments), this person who lost 5lbs on a two-week trip to Japan, or this person who lost 10lbs during a two-week trip to Japan, despite not keeping up with their exercise regimen. Most of these people attribute their weight loss to eating less and walking more, but you’ll also notice that most of them say it was easy to eat less and walk more, and that many of them report being surprised at how much weight they lost and how easily they lost it.
We’ve also gotten a number of similar stories from commenters on the blog. First up is Julius, who said:
I currently live in Seattle but have moved around a lot. I’ve made 6 separate moves between places where I drank the tap water (mostly USA/UK/Hungary) and places I haven’t (South East Asia, India, Middle East). Whenever I’ve spent significant time in bottled water countries I lost weight (up to 50 lbs), and each time, save one 3 month stretch in Western Europe, I gained it back in tap water countries. I also lost weight for the first time in the States (20 lbs) this year around the time I switched to filtered water.
There’s also a similar story from Ross:
Very thought provoking and well researched piece. How about Japan? Very low rates of obesity. Similar issues with chemical residue. Anecdotally when I moved to Japan from the West I began to lose weight involuntarily, down to a BMI of 22. When I moved back to the West I regained weight. It’s a big rich country with plenty of processed, packaged food.
And a story from Tuck about their daughter:
Yes, my daughter is going to college in Japan. They have the “Freshmen 15 lbs” over there as well, except it’s the 15 lbs the foreigners lose when they go on a Japanese diet. Got a few panicked messages about “not having anything to wear”… LOL
So before you sign up for the gastric bypass, try spending a couple months in a lean country and see how it goes.
The question “what do we do about it” also includes the question “what research comes next?” Here’s what we’re thinking.
A lot of people’s first instincts when reading this work is to propose correlational studies. (We don’t necessarily mean a literal correlation, we just mean something that’s not a controlled experiment.) But we think that correlational studies are the wrong way to go at this point.
The first reason is statistical. We covered this in Part IV but it bears repeating. Because most of the modern variation in obesity is genetic, the apparent effect of any contaminant will be quite small, probably no larger than r = 0.50 and maybe a lot smaller. In any study we could run, the range of the variable would probably be restricted, and when the range of a variable is restricted, the correlation always ends up looking smaller than it really is. Some people have proposed we do animal studies for more control — but this is also a bad choice statistically, since the obesity effects in animals seem to be smaller than the effects for humans.
The combination of these problems means that any correlational study would be searching for a pretty small effect, and that means you would need a huge sample size to even have a good chance of finding a potential relationship. So “run a quick correlational study” starts looking like “find a way to fund and organize a study with 1,000 mice”. While we love mice, this seems like an awful lot of them. And even if we have enough statistical power that we have a 90% chance to detect a relationship, that still means we have a 10% chance of missing the relationship altogether. We don’t love those odds.
Second, A Chemical Hunger already documents a lot of correlational evidence for contaminants in general, and for a few contaminants in particular, especially lithium. If you already find this evidence compelling, it’s hard to imagine that one more piece of correlational evidence will do anything for you. And if you don’t find our review convincing, it’s hard to imagine that another piece of correlational evidence will change your mind.
The contamination theory of obesity has to be possible, in the sense that we know chemicals can cause weight gain and we know various chemicals are in the environment. We hope we’ve also convinced you that it’s plausible. Now we want to figure out, is it true? More correlational evidence isn’t going to get us there.
So overall we recommend going right for the jugular. If this theory is correct, then we have a good shot at doing what we really want to do — actually curing obesity — and no result could be more convincing than that.
So in general, we approve of the idea of doing experiments to just cure obesity straight up.
Normally in public health it’s hard to do this kind of experiment, because it’s unethical to expose people to dangerous chemicals. Back when they were trying to figure out if cigarettes cause cancer, they didn’t do any studies where they assigned people to smoke 3 packs a day. But there’s nothing unethical about removing a contaminant from the environment, so we like that approach.
We call these experiments, and they are, but in many cases we can actually cheat a little by not bothering to include a control group. People almost never spontaneously stop being obese, so we can just use the general obesity rate in the population as our control group.
Generally speaking, there are two approaches. “Broad-spectrum” experiments take the overall contaminant theory seriously, and just try to reduce contaminant exposure generally, without committing to any specific contaminant. “Targeted” experiments go after one contaminant in particular, and see if controlling levels of that contaminant alone can lead to weight loss.
These have clear trade-offs. The broad-spectrum experiments are more likely to work and require less experimental control, but if they cure obesity, they don’t tell us what contaminant is responsible (curing obesity would still be pretty cool tho). The targeted experiments are less likely to work because we might go after the wrong contaminant, or we might fuck up our experimental control and let some contamination through — but if they DO work, then we have strong evidence that we’ve found the contaminant that’s responsible.
For all of these studies, the big hurdle is that we don’t know how quickly obesity can be reversed, even under the best circumstances. It might also vary a lot for different people — we have no idea. So if we try any of these experiments, we need to run them for several months at the very least, just to get a good idea of whether or not it’s working. Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll find out you can cure obesity in 2 weeks; but 3 months, 6 months, or even 1 year seems more plausible.
Below, we propose a few basic ideas for experiments. These aren’t exhaustive — as we do more research, we may come up with new and better ways to try to cure obesity. But they seem like an ok place to start.
The idea is simple. Some places, like Colorado, are pretty lean relative to everywhere else. We think that’s because those places are less contaminated. So we find some people who are obese, and pay for them all to take a year-long vacation to Boulder, Colorado, and see if they lose any weight.
For better effect, go a step further and send them to one of the leanest countries in the world instead. Vietnam seems to be the leanest country in the world right now, at only about 2% obese, and rent is pretty cheap there, so that would be a good option. If you want to stay in heavily industrialized nations, Japan is a good alternative; if you want to stay in the English-speaking world, maybe the Philippines. There are lots of good places to choose from.
For full effect, you would want your participants to eat the local food and drink the local water as much as possible. If they’re eating American food and drinking American beer, then you’re right back where you started.
(If you know of any study abroad or similar programs that we could piggyback on, please let us know!)
This is a broad-spectrum version of a targeted idea, below. The basic idea is simple. Contaminants might be in the water supply; filters get lots of stuff out of water; people drink water. So in this study, we find a bunch of people who are overweight or obese, send them the strongest/best water filters we can afford, and see if they lose any weight over the next several months.
For even more effect, send the filters to people who live in the most obese states, or even target some of the most obese communities directly.
This really is not a precision instrument — filters don’t get everything out of water, and water might not even be your main source of contaminants. Maybe your food or your carpets are the bigger problem. But if losing weight were as simple as throwing a water filter at the problem, that would be pretty exciting, and we would want to know.
Targeted Experiments
Right now lithium is our top suspect, so we’re using lithium as our go-to example in all of these experiments. But if it turns out that lithium isn’t a good match, any of these experiments could be retrofitted to target some other contaminant instead.
To use a targeted approach, we need to be able to figure out how much exposure people are getting, and we need to know what we can do to reduce that exposure. So there are a few pre-experiment projects we need to do first.
To begin with, we need to figure out which water filters (if any!) remove lithium from drinking water. If we can find a filter that works, this will let us make sure any water source is lithium-free.
In addition, we’re worried that lithium might accumulate in food, so we need to do another study where we look at as many different types of food as we can and try to figure out if there are high levels of lithium in any of the stuff we’re all eating. Without this, any study will be hopelessly complicated because we won’t be able to control for the lithium in your food. But if we figure out what crops (if any) are concentrating lithium, maybe we can figure out a way to feed people a low-lithium diet.
Targeted Water Filters
Assuming we can find a water filter that does the job, we could do a pretty straightforward study where we send people a water filter that takes lithium out of their water, and see if they lose weight over a couple months.
For maximum effect, we would also want to make sure they weren’t getting any lithium from their food, which is why we want to do a study on how much lithium is in the food supply. It’s not clear how easy this would be — we might have to curate food sources and provide people with all their meals as well, which would make this study a hundred times more complicated.
There are a couple other things we could do to improve this study. We could focus on sending water filters to people in the most obese parts of the country, or to places where we already know the water is contaminated with lithium.
We could test the amount of lithium in people’s blood, urine, and/or saliva as they use the filter, see if it goes down, and see if the decrease in lithium in their body tracks on to weight loss. Assuming people did lose weight, this would be important because it might help us figure out more about the mechanism of lithium leaving the body. Some people will probably clear lithium faster than others, and if lithium causes obesity, we would want to be able to figure out how to help people clear it from their body as fast as possible.
We could also do a slightly bigger study, where we go to one of the fattest places in the US and install a bunch of whole-home water filtration systems for a couple randomly selected families who are overweight or obese. This would be more expensive but it would have some perks. If it turns out that showering in lithium-tainted water is really the active ingredient, and not just drinking it, then a whole-home water filtration system would take care of that.
There’s also a small chance that there’s just no filter on the market that can get lithium out of drinking water. Or maybe distillation works, but the cost is prohibitive for a whole-home system. In that case, we could rent a few water tanker trucks, fill them with water we know is low in lithium (we’ll import it from Colorado if we have to!), and take them to a cul-de-sac in one of the most obese communities in the US. If we can find a neighborhood who’d sign up for this, we could switch their houses’ water supplies over to our tanker trucks for a few months, bringing in new water as needed, and see if that did anything for their health.
This piece from the LA Times is pretty bad, but it tells an interesting story. In part of Ontario, Canada, a group of Old Order Amish have “stunningly low obesity levels, despite a diet high in fat, calories and refined sugar.” The figure they quote is an obesity rate of only 4%. But about 200 miles south, the Amish in Holmes County, Ohio have obesity rates similar to the rest of the population, closer to 30% obese.
These two groups should be genetically similar. Both groups grow most of their own food. Both of them have pretty similar lifestyles — despite what the LA Times piece and this related article say, even if “only” 40% of the Amish in Ohio do hard farm labor, their lives are still more like the Amish in Ontario than the non-Amish in Holmes Country.
This makes them almost a perfect comparison. Why are the Amish in Ohio so much more obese than the Amish in Ontario? If the contamination hypothesis is correct, then we should be able to look at the local environments of these two communities and find more contamination (of one sort or another) in Ohio than in Ontario.
Because both groups grow most of their own food (we think?), we don’t need to worry about the influence of food imported from elsewhere — whatever contaminants are in their water will also be in their plants, and they won’t be bringing in contaminated food from outside. This makes this situation a much more controlled environment to study our hypothesis.
If lithium is the contaminant that causes obesity, we might expect to see deeper wells in Ohio than in Ontario. Information about the Amish is hard to find on the internet, for obvious reasons, but we have found some information that suggests that the Amish in America do use drilled wells, some of which may be relatively recent. We can’t find anything about the wells used by the Amish in Ontario — but it would be interesting if they were still using older, shallower wells for their water.
Another thing we might expect to see, if lithium is to blame, is evidence of some kind of fossil fuel activity in Ohio and not in Ontario. Well, in our last post we did review evidence for fossil fuel contamination in a number of places in Ohio. And when we were looking for documentation on water wells in Amish Ohio, we came across articles like Fracking on Amish Land (in Ohio), Energy Companies Take Advantage of the Amish Prohibition on Lawsuits (in Ohio), this excerpt about natural gas wells (in Pennsylvania), and Tradition, temptation as Amish debate fracking (in Pennsylvania, but mostly in Ohio).
Ontario has its own problems, including thousands of abandoned gas wells, but very few of them appear to be on Amish land. Zoom in on the towns of Milverton, Millbank, Newton, Linwood, and Atwood on that map, and you’ll see that there are almost no petroleum wells around these Amish communities. And unlike in Ohio, we haven’t found any news stories about recent drilling or fracking on Amish land in Ontario.
Or we could just go test the water. It’s a simple question, how much lithium is in the water in each place, and testing for other contaminants might not be a bad idea either. If we find similar levels of lithium in both places, and there are no complicating factors like imported food, that would be a strike against lithium as an explanation. But if there’s more lithium in the food and water in Ohio than in Ontario, that would be quite a mark in favor of the lithium hypothesis. Assuming they were interested, we could then work with the Amish in Ohio to try to get the lithium (or whatever) out of their water, and see if that reduced their rates of obesity.
We don’t expect that we have many Amish readers, but if you know of a good way to get in contact with the Amish in either of these locations, we’d be interested in talking to them!
Research Advising
There are also a few ideas we have that we won’t be pursuing ourselves, but if someone else (or a small team) wants to go after them, we would be happy to advise.
Taking lithium out of the water supply as a whole would be pretty hard, so it’s not usually an option. But it might be an option for countries that get most of their drinking water from desalination. You could run this as an experiment — one desalination plant uses lithium-free brine while another continues with the normal procedure — but you wouldn’t have to. In this case, there’s no need for a control group. If Saudi Arabia or Kuwait changed their desalination process so that no lithium ended up in their water, and saw their obesity rate fall 10% over the next five years, that would be evidence enough. Or you could do a version of this study with some other relevant group, e.g. seafarers drinking desalinated water as suggested by commenter ugoglen. So if anyone is able to do something like this, we would be interested in being involved.
In our post on PFAS, we did a small amount of regression modeling using data from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and found evidence of a relationship between BMI and certain PFAS in the data for 1999-200, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006. This finding is very suggestive, but we only tested some very simple models, and we only looked at three of the datasets that are available. We think that a bigger analysis could be very illuminating, but model fitting isn’t our specialty. We would love to work with a data scientist or statistician with more model fitting experience, however, to conduct a more complete analysis. So if you have those skills and you’re interested, please let us know!
We’re still pretty interested in the all-potato diet. So far all we have are anecdotes, but the anecdotes are pretty compelling. Chris Voigt famously vowed to eat nothing but 20 plain potatoes (and a small amount of cooking oil) and lost 21 pounds over 60 days, without feeling very hungry. There’s also Andrew Taylor of Australia, who lost 114 lbs over a year of eating nothing but potatoes and reports feeling “totally amazing”. Last we heard he’s still doing pretty well. Magician Penn Jillette lost over 100 lbs using a strategy that started with two weeks of a potato-only diet (h/t reader pie_flavor), and seems to be keeping it off. This also inspired at least one copycat attempt from a couple who have jointly lost over 220 lbs starting with two weeks of an all-potato diet.
There’s also this comment from u/DovesOfWar on reddit:
To complement the potatoes anecdote, at some point to save money and time I ate almost nothing but potatoes, onions and butter and I lost like 60 pounds. I stopped because everyone thought I was starving (despite not being hungry) and I chugged it off to extreme lazyness/depression (despite not being sad) so I stopped doing that and never connected it to my diet, but what I should have done is write a fad book on the diet and solve the money problem that way. I’m back to a normal healthy 29 BMI now and still relatively poor, so I see I interpreted the experiment completely wrong and now my life sucks.
Based on those examples, you can see why we’re interested. It seems pretty low-cost (potatoes are cheap) and low-risk (if you feel bad, you can stop eating potatoes). If someone wants to organize a potato-centered weight-loss study, or if people just want to get together and try it for themselves, we’d be happy to advise. You can coordinate on the subreddit u/pondgrass set up over at r/spudbud if you like, though so far there doesn’t seem to be much activity.
We’re also interested in the effect of alkali metal ions, especially potassium. Lithium, currently our prime suspect, is an alkali metal ion that appears to affect the brain. Other alkali metal ions like sodium and potassium also play an important role in the brain, and there’s evidence that these ions may compete with each other, or at least interact, in interesting ways (see also here, here, and here). If lithium causes obesity, it may do so by messing with sodium or potassium signaling (or maybe calcium) in the brain, so changing the amount of these ions you consume, or their ratios, might help stop it.
This is supported by some hints that potassium consumption is related to successful weight loss. Potatoes are high in potassium, so if the all-potato diet really does work, that might be part of the mechanism.
You can easily get sodium from table salt, and you can get potassium from potassium salts like this one or this one. We’ve tried them, and we find them a little gross, but to some people they taste just like regular salt. If that’s no good, there are always dietary sources like potatoes.
So trying various forms of alkali-metal diets — high-K+, high-K+/low-Na+, high-K+/high-Na+, high-K+/low-Ca2+, etc. — seems pretty easy and might prove interesting. As before, if someone wants to organize a community study around this angle, or if people want to try it for themselves, we’d be happy to advise. These salts are pretty safe, and not prescription medications, but they’re not quite as basic as potatoes — before you try seriously changing your sodium or potassium intake, please talk with your doctor.
Also, how about lithium grease? These greases are basically the perfect slow-release form of lithium, which make them kind of concerning. Mechanics work with lithium grease and are relatively obese. But there are alternative kinds of greases that don’t use lithium, and sometimes companies intentionally switch what kind of grease they use. If a company switched out lithium grease for some other grease in one of their factories, we could compare the weights of workers at that factory to workers at other factories, and see if there was any weight loss over the next few years. And what happens when mechanics who use lithium grease every day switch to a new job? What happens if they get promoted to a desk job? What happens when they retire? If you know a group of mechanics or some other group that works with lithium grease and might be interested, please let us know!
We’re also interested in advising original ideas. We love it when you send us ideas we never would have come up with ourselves. So if you have some great idea — a review of a contaminant we didn’t cover, another idea for a related study, relevant anecdotes that might inspire something, etc. — let us know. If we like it, we’ll do what we can to help — advise you, promote it, try to help you get funding, whatever.
This is the end of A Chemical Hunger. We will still write more about obesity, and probably more about contamination, but this is the end of the series. Thank you for reading, commenting, sharing, contributing, questioning, challenging, and yes, even disputing! We’ve learned a lot from your comments and questions — and we hope you’ve learned something from reading!
Even if you still don’t find our hypothesis convincing, thank you for reading the series all the way to the end! We think it’s great that you were willing to give our wacky idea the time of day. This kind of exploration is essential, even if some of the theories turn out to be a little silly. And even if our theory is totally wrong, someday someone will figure out the answer to this thing, and we’ll send the global obesity rate back down to 2%.
As we mentioned, we want to conduct some research to follow up on the book-length literature review you just finished reading. Our near-term goal is to better understand how people get exposed to contaminants, especially lithium, so we can give advice on how to avoid exposure. Our medium-term goal is to figure out what causes obesity, probably by trying to cure it in a sample population. Our long-term goal is to try to cure it everywhere. That would be pretty cool.
If you’re interested in supporting this research, you can become a patron on patreon, or contact us if you want to help fund a larger project.
In conclusion: Be excellent to each other. Party on, dudes.
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54 thoughts on “A Chemical Hunger – Part X: What to Do About It”
Thank you for this. I remember commenting earlier and thinking lithium and PFAS seem to be the strongest possibilities. This is interesting especially as we have proposed ways of falsifying the lithium/PFAS hypotheses. My takeaway is use my filter even if its a little cumbersome and get an RO filter once I can. It is also pretty alarming how hard it is to lose weight and maintain weight loss….ive lost about 40ish lbs and have another 15ish to go but I’m guessing I’ll need to try extra hard and maintain extra caution as I proceed.
Lastly I really dislike how this got basically bood off the slate star codex reddit with some people jumping to impugning motives or just being unnecessarily mean.
November 23, 2021 at 6:09 pm Reply
ISTR that low lithium can cause emotional disregulation and suicide. There’s probably a happy middle, but be careful about throwing maximally-strong anti-lithium filters at people.
November 23, 2021 at 6:44 pm Reply
Good point!
November 24, 2021 at 9:42 am Reply
Thank you for the fantastic series. I really enjoyed how thorough and honest you were in your investigations.
During the summer, someone on Lesswrong shared a pdf of a draft of this series, which is what I first read, which lead me to this blog. Do you have this series as a single document? I would love to have this in my personal archive of literature.
November 24, 2021 at 3:51 am Reply
Some Guy says:
Regarding water filters, there must be plenty of natural experiments like this that can be studied:
November 24, 2021 at 4:43 am Reply
Some Guy says:
Maybe I said this before, but if you want to compare how obesogenic different environments are I think you should compare ethnicity to ethnicity.
For example, in the US in 2004-2006 the age-adjusted obesity rate in the US for whites was 23.6%, but the obesity rate for Japanese was only 8.7% and for Vietnamese only 5.3%.
“After adjusting for other factors, compared to Whites, being Hispanic and Blacks were associated with higher odds of obesity (OR = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.31–1.65; OR = 2.04, 95%CI = 1.65–2.53, respectively); being Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese were associated with lower odds of obesity (OR = 0.28, 95%CI = 0.18–0.45; OR = 0.14, 95%CI = 0.04–0.46; OR = 0.28, 95%CI = 0.14–0.58, respectively). Compared to Chinese, being Japanese and Filipino were associated with higher odds of obesity (OR = 2.75, 95%CI = 1.52–4.95; OR = 2.90, 95%CI = 1.87–4.49, respectively).”
November 24, 2021 at 5:09 am Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Wow, nice! Yeah we’ll look into this one!
November 24, 2021 at 2:12 pm Reply
Unirt says:
Thank you for this series! I have a not much related question, but since you’ve studied the topic you probably know something about it. What’s up with the few people in every population who go through deliberate weight loss and then actually keep it off? They make up about 5% of all “weight watchers”. That’s enough people that everyone knows at least some of them.
At first I thought that perhaps by starting the diet they gave up some specific food that contains a lot of the guilty contaminant, but looking at the two closest examples I have, one of them gave up most of the butter, milk and sausages, the other one gave up sugar and starch but keeps eating processed meat, so they don’t overlap at all.
My earlier hypothesis was that these people have a really strong will and grit allowing them force themselves to eat less food against their own preferences (which would also cause some of the genetic weight differences since grit is highly heritable). But again, it doesn’t fit observations. At least one of these people doesn’t seem to have enough grit to do unpleasant work always on time and actually identifies with the low-willpower personality type; and none of them say their new eating habit causes them high suffering that you would expect from a person who works against their lipostat by raw willpower.
So what’s their secret?
November 24, 2021 at 6:03 am Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a good question, and we suspect that this 5% comes from multiple places. There probably are a small number of people who can keep weight off by willpower + social support alone, even though it’s impossible for most people. Other people might reduce their contaminant exposure by moving, changing jobs, changing hobbies, etc. Some people will also develop a medical condition, get a brain tumor, side effect of a prescription medication, start smoking, start a cocaine habit, etc. Biological/medical reasons to drop weight are rare, but when you add them all up, it might be close to 5%.
And we think you’re right, some people do give up a food that contains the contaminant. The important thing to keep in mind is that the same food won’t always have the same amount of contamination. So milk from one farm might be high in contaminants, while milk from another farm is low in contaminants. This means you can’t expect a reliable pattern based on what people gave up, which is part of why diet studies are so confusing.
November 24, 2021 at 5:13 pm Reply
Seriously, I counted macros and exercised and lost 50 lb and kept it off. I trained a fitness coach to encourage others to do the same. Until I read this I thought my weight loss was due to my diligence and discipline. Now I’m remembering that I happened to be transitioning off of prescription lithium at the same time, and I am wondering if my whole life is based on a lie… Great article though!🤷🤦 But, if lithium is the proposed mechanism for this, why are we seeing a concurrent epidemic of depression? I can attest that lithium is an excellent antidepressant, even if you aren’t bipolar. At very least, wouldn’t you expect to see similar geographical trends in mental illness morbidity to the obesity morbidity?
January 31, 2022 at 10:06 am Reply
Thanks for the series! Really loves it, and very interesting theory
November 24, 2021 at 9:42 am Reply
Concerned says:
Reading this sentence at the end, “And even if our theory is totally wrong, someday someone will figure out the answer to this thing, and we’ll send the global obesity rate back down to 2%.”, made me realize something: what is “obesity”? Obviously we should make sure that our food and drinking water isn’t contaminated with substances that might be having negative effects on our endocrine and nervous systems. But beyond “morbid obesity”, is being “overweight” that harmful? Is BMI even a useful tool?
November 25, 2021 at 1:49 pm Reply
A Chemical Hunger – Part X: What to Do About It | Later On says:
[…] has another installment in their series on the epidemic of obesity, and this one deals with what can be done. They do recommend a whole-food plant-based diet (and I […]
November 25, 2021 at 3:47 pm Reply
I’ve followed the whole series and really enjoyed it! But my memory is unfortunately, lousy. Did you address the possibility that substantial weight gain may be a one-way transformation in many cases, due to essentially permanent changes in control systems? (Trying not to be lazy, so I did try a few searches before writing this.) From the above post it seems like you would bet against it, but for whatever reason, it’s something I’ve always assumed. If it turns out to be true, it would of course be much more difficult to figure out if an environmental contaminant is the cause.
November 26, 2021 at 3:21 pm Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
This is a great question. We’re optimistic about reversals because in rare cases people do lose incredible amounts of weight and keep it off. There are plenty of anecdotes of this happening, and in this post we quote a couple of cases where weight loss happened quite rapidly when people tried a drastic diet or spent time in another country. Taken together, that makes us think that at least in some cases people who are no longer exposed to contaminants will drop large amounts of weight.
This may not happen for everyone, though — we expect major differences in how fast people lose weight, even if we can remove all contamination. For example, let’s imagine (for the sake of argument) that lithium normally leaves the body very slowly, unless you take high doses of potassium, which (again just hypothetically) forces it out of the brain. Then you might only see weight loss in the rare cases where someone was both no longer exposed to lithium AND started consuming a decent amount of potassium.
November 26, 2021 at 3:52 pm Reply
regarding the potassium thing, could I accomplish this with say a potassium gluconate supplement from Amazon?
Thanks again, this whole series has been fantastic, and the first thing I’ve ever contributed to on patreon.
December 14, 2021 at 3:12 pm Reply
Zen says:
I certainly hope you don’t stop here. You really have the most significant weight-loss/gain hypothesis in decades. Don’t stop here!
I did notice a science article today on Lithium selective filters. Might be useful.
November 27, 2021 at 11:29 am Reply
Morgan says:
Just FYI while there is a lot of fracking in Pennsylvania, due to tougher state regulations on disposal, almost all of the wastewater generated by that fracking is disposed of across the border in Ohio. (Interestingly that’s the reason for a cluster of induced earthquakes in Youngstown, Ohio — wastewater injection is known to cause earthquakes.)
November 27, 2021 at 2:23 pm Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Very interesting! Maybe this is part of why Pennsylvania is relatively lean even with so much fossil fuel activity!
November 27, 2021 at 2:31 pm Reply
What is your opinion on Zinc?
November 28, 2021 at 6:27 pm Reply
C says:
I’m having some success (-10lbs) with running in a sauna suit. I sweat more and lithium is water soluble so it fits the thesis
The adrenaline also makes minor aches and pains disappear, making the experience less miserable overall than cold runing. The only other change I’ve made is snacking on high salt, shell-on sunflower seeds when I’m bored/stressed.
December 1, 2021 at 11:57 am Reply
December 15, 2021 at 5:30 am Reply
Matthew Green says:
Your series, and particularly the part on low-dose antibiotics and gut microbiota, made me spend a lot of time researching gut bacteria and their effect on obesity. Along the way I learned of some relatively new results showing that Akkermansia Muciniphilia strains in particular produce a protein (in fact several proteins) that regulate obesity, insulin response and seem correlated with the thickness of the intestinal lining (with other implications) [0]. At the same time, the modern high-fat/high-carb western diet seems to reduce Akkermansia abundance significantly (by up to 99% in mice) for reasons that aren’t well understood. I’m curious if there is any real empirical way to explore the effect of these chemicals on the gut microbiome, rather than just looking at the end-results (weight etc.) or even better — if anyone has done some of this work. (I can’t find much for the chemicals you mention in this series.)
December 1, 2021 at 3:32 pm Reply
In a similar vein, I have been curious about emulsifiers and preservatives in food. In particular, I know that emulsifiers have an effect on gut lining and bacteria.
Likewise, I have been interested in the pro-biotic properties of fermented food. In fact, I make my own fermented hot sauce. Fermented foods can help with microbiota deficiencies by supplying new bacteria, though not the whole spectrum we need.
December 1, 2021 at 4:17 pm Reply
a person on the internet says:
Thinking about the concept of “send people from westernized countries to live for a period in a different country,” there might be some interesting natural experiments. I’m thinking particularly of say, the Peace Corps. In doing some googling, I’ve seen it asserted a lot that the rule of thumb is that, within the first months of living in the site country, men tend to lose weight and women tend to gain weight, which is, er, something. https://www.reddit.com/r/peacecorps/comments/51gx08/how_much_weight_did_you_gainlose_during_service/; https://www.reddit.com/r/peacecorps/comments/8b6wlx/weight_loss_during_service/
December 1, 2021 at 10:00 pm Reply
J says:
I have some purely anecdotal evidence that supports that finding. I’m from the UK and worked in a remote part of Madagascar for a year on the coast. Foreign volunteers, mostly white, mostly native English speakers stayed with us for 6 week stints. A small range of edible plants was grown locally. White rice was imported. Baguettes were brought once every few days from the nearest town. The protein-rich foods, most common first, were fish, beans, and very lean domestic animal meat. People were divided on what water they would drink. Those of us who hated plastic waste religiously used the ceramic-filtered ground water, which was saltier than we were used to. Others would only drink bottled water. We kept observing that women put on weight and men lost weight.
I got very, very skinny. If we had eaten a dish that left any fat then I dumped a lot of white rice on the empty serving dishes and stirred it up to get all the fat.
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June 23, 2022 at 8:56 am Reply
Were you one of the ones drinking bottled water or one of the ones deinkinf ceramically filtered water?
June 23, 2022 at 11:38 am Reply
J says:
Filtered. So was my girlfriend who put weight on.
June 23, 2022 at 1:10 pm Reply
This was a really great series that I hope you guys turn into a book someday. Your lithium explanation makes more sense than high carbs and seed oil causing obesity claims. Perhaps another way of checking could be to look at rates of people with liver damage in certain regions. Long term exposure to high levels of lithium can damage your liver. My best friend is bipolar and took lithium for years and now has minor but permanent liver damage.
December 2, 2021 at 5:11 am Reply
George H. says:
I enjoyed your early posts. I’m not at all sure that Lithium is the answer. I’m thinking some sort of plastic, but whatever, I think looking for some bio-chemical thing is a good idea. Don’t get stuck on one solution. When trouble-shooting, you need to keep your mind open to any and all ideas.
I also want to repeat two ‘facts’ (at least pieces of data) There seems to be both a gender and class split in obesity. Poor women are fat and poor men are thin, while rich women are thin and rich men are fat. I’m not sure what this is about but I see it everywhere, and of course you can find counter examples to all the cases.
Colorado is special in a few ways: Highest state, so could be air pressure or solar radiation or something else that changes with height. (oh I was going to say cleanest water, but this goes along with height.) It also has the large population of white yuppies, who are all thin, from what I’ve observed… Is it a self selected group?
Oh I really like the occupation and obesity links. And for a single data point will observe, that I’ve moved from an engineering job, sitting on my ass all day. To working as a prep cook (for much less money) and am very happy with my weight loss… no more man boobs. :^)
January 12, 2022 at 8:11 pm Reply
George H. says:
Oh, is part of obesity the jobs we are doing?
January 12, 2022 at 8:14 pm Reply
RPN says:
If you run an experiment with a weird diet (e.g. just potatoes) then you will need some other weird-diet control to adjust for malnutrition. What if eating only potatoes (or eliminating gluten from your diet, or all meat/animal products or whatever broad thing you might imagine) causes reduction in obesity because hey, it’s hard to get all your nutrients and you mildly starve yourself? Or it’s just an unusual diet so your subject struggles to plan meals and can no longer access easy takeout options?
January 17, 2022 at 11:34 pm Reply
Tens of thousands of college students from around the world go and spend semesters studying abroad. Maybe just ask them what their weight is before they leave and after they get back? Easy, low-cost causative data that could probably even be done retrospectively.
January 18, 2022 at 7:35 pm Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Yes! If anyone knows of a source we could use to do this retrospectively, we’d love to hear about it. If not, we’re thinking of trying to put together a project where we essentially ask a bunch of American expats the same thing.
January 18, 2022 at 7:37 pm Reply
kf says:
This is just an anecdote but the most interesting weight-related experience I’ve ever had was while studying abroad in France 10 years ago! I lost a significant amount of weight after living there for just four months. I never weighed myself at the time but I look strikingly different in pictures from the end of my semester abroad so it must have been at least 15-20lbs (I am short). I ate a virtually unlimited amount of bread, cheese, meat, and dessert every day. I drank wine constantly. I even ate McDonald’s more often than I had back home because it was the only place open for late night drunk food. I did walk a lot while living in Paris but I went to college in a large US city and I didn’t own a car so that was not actually a change from my usual lifestyle. I did not deliberately exercise one single time while I was in France. The only major change seemed to be a reduction in the amount of highly processed foods I was consuming, plus presumably a change in environmental exposure to whatever was in the water supply. I gained the weight back pretty quickly after returning home and any time I’ve tried to re-create those circumstances by avoiding processed foods it has failed to produce the same results…it never once occurred to me that the real difference might have been the water!
You should definitely try to find some data from American students or expats!! I can’t have been the only one to have had this kind of experience. Time to go buy some water filters I guess…
February 28, 2022 at 11:46 pm Reply
J says:
Someone commenting above mentions the Pease Corps. Would that be a good fit?
June 23, 2022 at 8:59 am Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Potentially! Do you know someone in the Peace Corps?
June 23, 2022 at 10:49 am Reply
J says:
Unfortunately not. I’m in the UK. The last time I met someone in the Peace Corps was in Madagascar in 2008.
June 23, 2022 at 1:11 pm Reply
Arizona is discussing running desalinated water from the Pacific for its rapidly growing cities around Phoenix. Assuming the Lithium Hypothesis, is there a way we can
A) make the result low-lithium, instead of high-lithium like certain Middle Eastern countries?
Desalinated water needs ions added back in, so it doesn’t leach them from our own bodies.
a) What ions are the most important?
b) What is the easiest (low-lithium) way to get them?
This gives us the possibility of a real win-win situation for Arizona, and evidence/proof for us.
How can we do this better ?
March 2, 2022 at 8:52 pm Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Not sure (we’re looking into some of this) but a good start would be for them to at least test the water before and after for lithium.
March 2, 2022 at 9:50 pm Reply
Regarding identifying water ions to blame: One can buy regular deionized water system (reverse osmosis + ion-exchange resin filters), and introduce exact salts you want to see there or even have them as food supplement separately from water (in tablet/capsule form). Maybe going all the way to deionized water is too far, and plain reverse osmosis system is good enough – these are getting very cheap (<1000$).
Fortunately, lithium grease is getting out of favor, and often can be replaced to synthetic grease with PTFE particles with same or better performance: https://www.super-lube.com/multi-purpose-synthetic-grease-with-syncolon-ptfe
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 19, 2022 at 6:30 pm Reply
March 20, 2022 at 10:58 am Reply
I’m interested in eating only potatoes for 30 days. It seems interesting because I’ve wondered about the environmental factors on weight for a couple of years and I like data. What information would be helpful to measure and track? Can any spices be used? I’m also not sure if cooking oil is allowed. For water, I use an NSF 53 filter, but I have never found a good way to measure what’s in my water to see if the claims are accurate. Is there a way to test lithium/chemical content in water? Does it matter if we think that food is the bigger source of the contaminant? Crosspost from https://www.reddit.com/r/spudbud/comments/ok13s8/rspudbud_lounge/
April 8, 2022 at 12:27 am Reply
_ says:
>but if you know of a good way to get in contact with the Amish in either of these locations
Write them a letter. Seriously. They like letters. Send it to the bishop, or a random house, or even to the local postmaster with a request to deliver it to someone in the Amish community. They’re friendly. They’ll answer your questions about their water and food sources. You could even ask them to send you water samples.
April 19, 2022 at 11:14 am Reply
[…] I was surprised to see that they are the ones running this, since they are best known for the “Chemical Hunger” series arguing that the obesity epidemic is largely driven by environmental contaminants like Lithium. The conclusion of that series noted: […]
May 5, 2022 at 10:40 am Reply
Have you done any research on the best possible filtration systems to remove as much lithium as possible from drinking water? It seems like there’s a lot of options out there and hard to tell what is most effective.
May 21, 2022 at 5:32 pm Reply
slimemoldtimemold says:
Yes, we are currently working on it! Results will be out in a little while, we’re nearing the end stages
May 21, 2022 at 5:42 pm Reply
Oh awesome! Yeah I would also be happy to participate in a study if you all are close to that point that you mentioned in the article.
May 21, 2022 at 6:03 pm Reply
Gareth says:
Did you look at bromine at all? It’s pervasive as a fire retardant and could easily be related to occupational exposure.
May 29, 2022 at 3:08 pm Reply
Interesting series.
Onset of puberty has also gone down in industrialized nations in the past 150 years or so, and I know some researchers have suggested exposure to pollutants as a possible cause. This may have a complicated relationship with weight – high weight causing earlier onset of puberty? earlier onset of puberty causing high weight? exposure to pollutants causing either? All of the above, simultaneously? Absolutely none of the above, and this comment is useless?
I’m not suggesting anything I just said is true – I haven’t done the full research yet, and there’s a lot of weird social issues about this (many people are weirded out by 10 year olds with boobs), which may help amplify scarier-sounding viewpoints. It’s just worth looking into.
Not sold on the potato diet or any of the other solutions, though. If even the Amish are affected, then individual choices aren’t going to be particularly impactful… Though potatoes are delicious!
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 20, 2022 at 3:52 pm Reply
Grant says:
Seems far, far more simple than any of the above research designs. Otherwise, throwing filters on the water seems effective.
The moving people to other places is a very bad methodology because far too many confounding variables
Nice series though!
October 16, 2022 at 1:29 am Reply
Regarding the meat diet, have you checked the fish diet from a production using aquaponics?
Besides some fish meet nutritional needs at a low climate impact, it will be interesting to see if this provides a good option free of PFOAs and lithium for those ethical meat eaters like myself?
October 18, 2022 at 1:31 am Reply
I have a mutation in uncoupling protein 4 (UCP4) which keeps my metabolism in emergency overdrive. As I write, I’m in shorts only while my wife is rugged up. I enjoyed my year working in North Greenland, even at -40! Recently I was in hospital for extensive surgery and IV fed until I had gained 10kg. Back at home I’m shedding 2 kg per month without doing anything different from before. A few more months should see my weight return to its previous normal.
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How to design a cottage garden using forgotten medicinal and edible plants, because what could be more homestead and pioneer living than that!
Herbs are an important part of any edible garden, both for their culinary uses and medicinal properties. But herbs are also a fantastic addition to any garden landscape because of the natural beauty they provide. When you combine all three of these things together and plant herbs for their culinary, medicinal and aesthetic properties, you get what is often referred to as a “kitchen garden,” or “cottage garden.”
In times of old, most homes would have both a kitchen or cottage garden, which was right outside the kitchen door where they could easily and quickly access herbs and plants for cooking and also to use in their natural medicine cabinets. And then they would have their larger gardens where they would grow their large scale crops further away from the house on their property.
Today we're going to be focusing on creating a kitchen cottage garden that not only feeds your family, but that also provides a place of beauty as well as plants and herbs that you can use medicinally.
Listen in below to the full podcast, Episode #186 How to Design a Cottage Garden – Forgotten Medicinal & Edible Plants, of the Pioneering Today Podcast, where we don’t just inspire you, but give you the clear steps to create the homegrown garden, pantry, kitchen and life you want for your family and homestead.
The cool part though is that the plants that we’re going to be talking about today are lesser-known plants that many people don't even know can be used as medicine. Psst, came here from listening to the podcast and need to jump straight to the resource section, click here Resource Section
One such plant is hollyhock, and it's actually the reason that this entire episode was born in the first place because when I found out that you could use hollyhock the same way that you can use marshmallow root medicinally, I I knew I needed to share this information with y'all.
So I'm really excited for today's guest because she's actually one of my best friends in real life, and when we were talking about putting in some of our new spring plants and she started mentioning some of the plants she was putting in, I was like “hold up, you have to come on the podcast because I don't know about some of these and if I don't know about some of these, I'm sure many of my listeners don't and they're going to want to know just as much as I do.”
Carolyn: Hey Melissa, it's great to get to be here!
Melissa: So most people are familiar with the concept of an annual vegetable garden and maybe growing a few perennial fruits bushes and trees, but today we’re talking specifically about planting a kitchen or cottage garden. So some people may have heard the term “cottage garden” before, but just to make sure we’re all on the same page, what does a cottage garden mean to you?
Carolyn: Okay, so a bit of back story here… We moved onto a new piece of property this last fall and it has a beautiful, very large annual vegetable garden and we provide a lot of food for our family and for a lot of guests that come around. So we really needed every square foot in that vegetable garden for annual vegetables.
But as an herbalist and somebody who just loves making our own cosmetics and herbal products and loves using herbs, I’ve been dying to put in a garden with more functionality than just providing us with food, and that's where the cottage garden ideas came in. The moment we got this place, I picked out the little front yard that's a little bit of lawn and I said, “that's no longer lawn. That is now going to be my cottage garden.”
This was about a 1200 square-foot space, and it now has over 600 plants of about 45 to 50 different varieties growing in it. So it's just a wonderful place filled with all of these beautiful plants. They're all still babies right now, so they'll grow up and they'll be huge. But when creating cottage garden plans, you really throw out a lot of the rules that apply in the annual garden.
For example, often times we plant in straight rows in our annual gardens, and there’s a good reason for that because if you're growing a lot of food, it really is more functional. It’s much easier to grow and harvest things in a straight row than in curvy lines where everything's all mixed up. But the cottage garden is a space where you can just throw out all of those rules and mix it all up.
Another thing is that the plants in a cottage garden are going to have a lot of different uses. For me, each plant in there has to kind of be a Swiss army knife in the sense that it’s going to give us some food, it’s going to give us medicine, it's going to feed the pollinators, maybe even provide a cut flower… It really needs to serve all of these different purposes, and that’s what makes it an ideal garden to have right off our kitchen.
Our cottage garden is right outside the kitchen door, and it's just this magical place with all of these different goodies that maybe aren't going to be highly productive on the food side, but when you look at their uses overall on a homestead or in a household, they’re all highly productive and very useful.
Melissa: Yeah, and I love that because as you really look back to the pioneers of old, and even further back looking at English cottage gardens and that type of thing, of course you had your agricultural crops, especially if you lived on a farm or a homestead where you were producing your own food, but even in smaller homes it was typical to have a cottage garden even if they weren't growing a lot of their own food.
In your case, your cottage garden is quite large. And while there is a beauty aspect to it, it seems like it’s really for stocking that home medicine cabinet and some of it is for culinary use, but the main purpose is ease of use since it’s right outside the kitchen door.
I’m really getting more into this whole concept of the cottage garden, and I’ve actually done a few podcast episodes related to cottage gardens recently, including >> LINK <<
But for the first decade or so on our homestead I was very much focused on just the food production. It’s really only been the last five or six years where I switched gears.
Now, I was using herbs before that, but I didn't really have them built into the landscaping and in my flower beds right outside my door. So I've since really ripped out a lot of plants and now I’m replacing them with herbs and pretty plants that also serve multiple purposes.
So you can start with a lawn like Carolyn did, or if you’ve got an existing flower bed you can still start to put this into your existing landscape. It really works no matter where you're at, you can start to implement it.
Disclaimer: This is for entertainment and educational purposes and should not be taken as medical diagnosis or treatment. Neither Carolyn or I are medical professionals and always check with your medical professional of choice before using any herbs medicinally.
How to Design a Cottage Garden
When it comes to the type of plants you’re going to put into a cottage garden, I think a lot of us are familiar with some of the more well-known plants like lavender, rosemary, mint, sage, echinacea, calendula and chamomile, etc… But Carolyn when you were listing out the plants you were putting in I was like “I didn't know that you could use that for that!” So first of all I want to talk more about designing and planning out your cottage garden, and then I want to dive into some of the lesser known plants that you use for medicinal purposes.
Carolyn: Yeah, well first off, being able to actually see everything in your garden is one of the most important elements of designing a cottage garden, because as it matures, it becomes such a wild place where things are all mixed together.
So when it comes to designing and planning your cottage garden, you want to start with the low growing things closest to your walkway and taller plants further back in your bed. That just helps you to see what's there and helps to remind you what resources are at your fingertips.
Also, many of the plants that belong in a cottage garden are perennials and a lot of them want to take over the space that they're in, so after you get an established cottage garden, your job is really to be kind of kindergarten cop: You need to go in and make sure everybody's playing fair, take out stuff, push stuff back, and just make sure everybody has their own space to grow.
If you just have a single little bed that might be pretty easy. If you have a larger garden with a walkway through it and you have beds on either side, that’s where you have to really start paying attention to those things.
What to plant in a cottage garden
Cut flowers
Now, when it comes to the different uses of the plants that can go into cottage gardens, of course you have your culinary herbs that we're all familiar with here in the US. But if you start looking to sources outside of the United States, you quickly realize that there are all these culinary herbs that are really exciting to experiment with, so creating an english cottage garden or elements with those plants is really fun.
For example, chervil is really big in French cuisine, but it’s something we don't really have here. Savory is another one that I just love, but you just don't see it very commonly around here.
So you have your culinary herbs and then of course you have your medicinal herbs, and honestly you could just spend your whole life experimenting with medicinal herbs.
Then of course you have food plants that just don't really have a place in the annual garden, but should be in everybody's food planning. Things like sorrels, Good King Henry, rocket, lovage… A lot of these things are perennial vegetables or perennial greens that we've just forgotten about. But often they're the first things to come up and the first things you can eat out of your garden in the spring so they’re really valuable.
Then you also have things like cosmetic herbs, things for making skin care products, etc. Let me tell you, I have six daughters, and the amount of shampoo and face wash we can go through in this house is amazing. So having our own resources for making our own different cosmetic products is just a wonderful thing for our household and a huge money saver.
Then you’ve also got your cut flowers, don't forget about that. Because you've got gotta be able to bring in beautiful bouquets of flowers that will last on your kitchen table! And then as always, we want to be feeding the pollinators and birds and bringing them into our space to make sure we’ve got that diversity in our garden.
So this cottage garden, it just does all of these things. It's so abundant, so productive and just a lot of fun to have out there. And then on top of it all, it's soothing to the soul.
When you go out there and you're sitting there surrounded by your plants and the bees are busily humming, it’s such a beautiful prayer spot in the morning where God can just talk to you. It just really speaks to us in a way that you can't when you're just busy in front of the computer.
Melissa: Yeah, there are so many wonderful things that you said, but I have to agree: One of my favorite things to do from spring all the way through the fall is to walk through our cottage beds in the morning and evening. There’s just something about having those plants out there that's different than the annual vegetable garden.
I love our vegetable garden, but having those perennials and those flowers just to walk through and watching how it changes from early spring to late spring, from summer into fall… I feel like I'm watching something being woven every season and it kinda changes. I really like that part of it.
I also love investing in perennials because even though I feel like it's an upfront investment, but it pays off for years and years to come in a different ways than annuals.
Carolyn: Oh ya, and I feel like they’re a kind of insurance, because we all have those years where you're just like, “I have no idea how the annual vegetable garden is going to happen,” whether it's a family disaster that's happened in the background or something. You may have to minimize some of the annual vegetables. When you have a solid supply of these perennials, you kind of feel like you have a little insurance.
I'm always going to have a salad available to me. I'm always going to have greens for cooked greens. And yeah, maybe I won't have the tomatoes and the squashes and the things that I want to have, but I'm always going to be able to eat out of my garden because I have those perennials covering my back for those bad times.
And yes, having those vegetables that are up first thing in the spring… I’m eating my sorrel most years before my spinach is even out of the ground and I love that!
Melissa: I agree. I feel that way about stinging nettle. Now planting wise, it can take over and it has a tendency to be a little bit mean to bare skin! But thankfully it’s native here so I really don't have to do anything and I can go out and forage for it in the early spring.
How to use hollyhock medicinally
Let's talk about hollyhock and about how you can use it as herbal medicine, because I had no idea that it had some of the same properties as marshmallow root.
Carolyn: Yes, hollyhocks are considered completely exchangeable medicinally for marshmallow. I love hollyhocks because they're just so pretty. They're so old-fashioned and they're so pretty. I've grown marshmallow for years and I've grown hollyhocks for years and I just always reached for the hollyhocks. So I stopped growing marshmallow because the hollyhocks are so much prettier as well as being completely exchangeable medicinally.
Every part of the hollyhock plant is edible. It's medicinal. I use it as a cut flower. You can use it for cosmetic uses. And of course the pollinators just absolutely love it.
Medicinally, hollyhocks and marshmallows are very mucilaginous, which means they’re slimey. We don’t always think that’s a good thing, but anytime you have, say, a skin rash or any sort of inflamed skin, inflamed bowels, a sore throat or a dry raspy cough… That's where the hollyhock or the marshmallow really stand out.
For medicinal purposes you want the root of the plant. So you want to grow a good stock of hollyhocks. You want quite a few plants in there so you can pull up a whole plant and the root’s going to be really big. Then you’ll want to make a cold infusion out of that. So instead of making it hot, you just put it in a jar of cold water and let it sit overnight and it will get slimy. But boy, does it work well to soothe different things.
I'm really excited because marshmallow root is one of my go-to’s, especially for throat issues and dry coughs. I always have marshmallow root on hand, so I'm excited to try the Hollyhock that way. Do the leaves hold any medicinal properties or just the root?
Carolyn: Yeah, they do, and it's really good to be aware of that if you're wanting to cook with them because they do get a little slimey and they will thicken things in the same way that Okra can be used to thicken a soup or a stew, hollyhock leaves will do the same thing. So it's good to be aware of that before you throw it in your chicken noodle soup because it's gonna change the texture a little bit.
Melissa: Thank you for the hollyhock information because that's the one I was dying to know more about.
Grow sunflowers for food, beauty and medicine
Carolyn: Sunflowers are another really multifunctional plant. Most people don't realize that their petals are used medicinally and cosmetically. They're a mild anti-inflammatory and they're really, really good for bringing shine to your hair.
If you're really advanced you can grow the seed and get your own oil out of that. We grow our sunflowers so that we can harvest the seeds for sprouting during the winter because we can't grow year-round here. So we just grow our own sunflowers so we can harvest our own sunflower seeds to sprout with.
Of course the pollinators love it, it makes beautiful cut flowers, but then you have this great cosmetic ally to make different infusions with or put into homemade conditioners. So we're really having a lot of fun with that too.
Melissa: I love that. I just did some sunflower micro-greens actually. And they were quite delicious. Having those sprouts and micro-greens in the winter is such a delight because even though we preserve so much of our own food, there isn't anything quite like having fresh greens.
Carolyn: Another plant that is really useful is yarrow. That’s one that I never want to be without. And even though it grows wild, I still put it in gardens because it is so useful. I want to know right where it is for quick grabbing and in our house, that is the quick go-to for stopping bleeding and let me tell you yarrow will stop bleeding almost instantly.
We've had nosebleeds, we have a daughter who has a tendency towards nosebleeds, and she went through a period of about a year where she was just getting them all the time. She couldn't get them to stop and as soon as we started putting a little bit of yarrow powder on a tissue and she put that in her nose, those nosebleeds would stop instantly.
It’s also a wonderful internal medicine, and will stop bleeding internally also, and for helping with things like fevers, bringing down fevers, but it's so beautiful on top of it. I just love that.
It's also really good cosmetically. I’ve used yarrow on acne as all my daughters have gone through hormonal changes. They get these acne breakouts on their chin areas from hormonal changes. But a tincture of yarrow sprayed right onto that can really fix that problem.
You can infuse yarrow into alcohol to make a tincture and use that directly on the spot you want to treat by spraying it on or even using a rollerbottle. It's very drying and it's very cooling so it can take down any inflammation, especially with a breakout of some sort. Just be careful not to get it anywhere you don’t want it because it will dry your skin out.
Yarrow is another really multifunctional, very powerful herb that the pollinators just love it and it's beautiful as a cut flower.
Melissa: I’m excited for yarrow because I purchased seeds that have all of the different fun colors. I plan on scattering them this fall so that they’ll come up next spring.
My son actually does suffer from nosebleeds sporadically. So are you just taking the blossom and the leaves and drying them and then grinding that into a powder and then putting it on the tissue?
Carolyn: All of the aerial parts are useable, but your best bet for getting the highest quality medicine is going to be to pick the leaves before the flowers are open, and then I just dry them and usually I leave them in whole form until I’m ready to use them because that will help it retain it’s medicinal properties.
So I tend to just powder a little bit at a time. When we’re going through nosebleeds, I just make a little tiny cosmetic jar of the powdered yarrow and just have it sitting right at hand and she would just dampen the end of a tissue and dip it in there and put it right up her nose where it was bleeding. It would stop it very quickly.
Melissa: A lot of your medicinal herbs, when you're harvesting them for medicinal purposes, it's best to harvest them before the plant flowers or those blossoms begin to open.
Carolyn: Yeah, and of course many of these plants do have things you need to be aware of before using them. So make sure that you're researching the plant itself before you just go use it because you'll want to make sure that it is safe for you and your particular condition.
Melissa: Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. Because, for example, I'm very interested in using yarrow, but I'm going to have to do research because my daughter has a blood clotting disorder called von Willebrand's disease. So I can't actually use certain herbs with her because they do affect blood clotting.
Grow lovage in place of celery and parsley
So let's talk about one other really useful perennial that’s known for its culinary qualities, and that is lovage. Now, lovage was very popular in medieval times in Europe. It was a very popular food plant, and even a medicinal plant at that point. I really like this plant because it can take the place of celery. Flavor-wise it’s kind of a cross between celery and parsley. I want to say it's more like parsley with a celery flavor.
So there are times where I don't have celery available and I would like that flavor in a food and I'll just put some lovage leaves in because maybe the stocks have gotten too big and too tough. So I really like that.
And again, the pollinators absolutely love it, which is always a great thing because I want as many native pollinators in my garden as possible because that has the benefit of helping out the annual vegetable garden too. Plus it's just a really fun herb with a lot of history, and it’s one of those things that's up early in the spring and it has a great, great flavor.
Melissa: I'm glad you said how big it gets, because one of the mistakes I made in the beginning with perennials was that I would look at them in their infancy as a one-year-old plant, but I wouldn’t necessarily think about how much they were going to spread and grow year after year. So making sure you have plenty of space between plants when you're putting them in when they're young and immature is really key.
So, medicinally wise, how is lovage used for medicinal purposes?
Carolyn: I actually don't know. I was just reading the other day that in medieval times it was used as medicinal plant.
I know its root was used medicinally and the root is also used as a food. We don't tend to use it that way now, but it apparently is very good. So I'm waiting for this lovage to get big enough that I can pull some root out. That's one of the things I'm going to be playing with in the next year or two as this patch of lovage gets large because I just found that out.
That's the one thing I just love about these plants: the deeper you go into their history, the more you learn about them. They just have all of these uses. I was just reading that one of the Queens of England used to take lovage seeds, have them candied and she would carry them around in a pocket in her dress because she had a sweet tooth and she loved to eat these little lovage seeds.
So you just get to know these plants in a way that's like, oh wow. People have been using them for thousands of years for all different purposes and you just get to know them a little bit more.
Melissa: I'm like you, I love learning a lot of things that just aren't common knowledge anymore in modern society. It's just so interesting. It has so much more of a story than, you know, just a bottle of whatever off the store shelf.
Carolyn: Yeah, absolutely. Here's, here's one little tidbit for you that I pulled from a very old historical book that I was reading that I had never heard of. And so I went and checked it out and that's that peony seeds used to be used as a culinary spice. So now my peonies are just about to bloom here and I'm just waiting for them to set seeds so I can see what they taste like!
Here's another historical one which used to be considered one of the primary herbs in the monastery herb gardens in medieval Europe, and that’s Wood Betony.
Historically it was used to treat anything to do with the head, so migraines, tooth aches, all these things. But modern day it's known to help with lowering blood pressure. There are studies out there from Germany that are showing that it's very efficient at helping with blood pressure. It's known to help with mouth and throat ailments, kind of like sage would be also, and skin problems because it's very astringent. And it’s also a pollinator-friendly plant and makes for a very beautiful little cut flower.
Melissa: You mentioned the Germany study… In Germany they use herbs in their regular healthcare practice. So like, your regular medical doctor, your hospitals, your pharmacies over there actually use herbs as part of their modern medicine. I know this from when I used to work in a pharmacy.
Here in the US we don't have a ton of studies being done on medicinal herbs. So Germany actually has a lot more data and research and clinical studies on herbs than you can find in a US source, which makes it a great place to start when you're doing research on different herbs, so look and see if you can find studies from Germany.
Carolyn: Yeah, absolutely. I love checking out some of those other sources because there are a lot of places where their systems are much more geared towards incorporating some of these natural things, so just like you're saying, they've got a lot more studies and a lot more clinical trials of some of these herbs, and that just becomes a wonderful resource.
Because of course there’s a lot of folklore about herbs that just isn’t founded in science unfortunately, so when we’re trying to differentiate the folklore from solidly scientific studies, these studies are a really good resource for that.
I’ve also got a great list of all of these plants I’ve got in my cottage garden and all of their uses. It's got about 45 plants on it, so if you’re looking for a resource to start off with if you’re thinking of putting in your own cottage garden, you can >> GRAB THAT HERE <<
Melissa: Thank you so much for offering that to us Carolyn! I definitely plan on grabbing a copy and I know that a lot of people will be really happy to have that, so thank you!
Is there anything that you want to leave us with as we talk about cottage gardens and all of these wonderful plants?
Carolyn: I think what I would say is, you mentioned earlier having some plants that maybe aren't as useful, but they just make you happy. Make sure you put a few of those in. For me that's Morning Glory.
I have no use for Morning Glory, I just like them. So make sure that it's a place where the plants aren't only healing, but the space itself is soothing and it takes away from the feeling of to do, to do, to do that those straight rows in the vegetable garden give you, and takes you back to that place where you just kind of feel soothed. So make sure you put the pretty things in too.
Melissa: Oh Amen. I totally agree. Thank you for that tip and thank you so much for coming on. I'm sure I will have you on in again the future. So if you guys are listening and there's anything that you want more info on or you're like, “oh man, I wish you guys had talked about such and such more,” let us know.
Leave a comment on the blog post that accompanies this episode or if you’re leaving a review wherever you're listening to this podcast, let us know there so that we can be sure and get that info to you in a future episode.
Carolyn: Yeah, it's been great to visit with you guys and thanks for having me on Melissa!
Melissa: That was so much good information that I cannot wait to put into use, and some of these plants I already have in my garden and I didn't even know that I could use them, such as the hollyhock. But I’m going to be adding in a lot more of these this coming fall and spring.
Resources for How to Design a Cottage Garden
See a full-on tour of both my herbal medicine garden and then our regular vegetable and fruit production garden, be sure to check out the full videos on Youtube where I have two tours showing you both of these things.
More Medicinal Herb Articles You May Enjoy
How to Use Herbs and Natural Remedies At Home
How to Make Elderberry Syrup + Additional Add-Ins
7 Ways to Use Medicinal Herbs at Home
Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.
Read more about Melissa
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Comments:
July 13, 2019 at 4:29 am
What a fun podcast! I really enjoyed it!
I would love to order some Yarrow . Can you recommend a place to buy medicinal seeds/plants that are of high quality?
I use Baker Creek for my medicinal seeds or Bluestone Perennials has been a great source for live plants.
July 15, 2019 at 2:55 pm
July 25, 2019 at 4:22 pm
Thoroughly enjoyed the podcast! I learn so much from both of you every week. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
So glad you enjoyed it Jessie! Are you putting in a cottage garden anywhere at your home?
August 2, 2019 at 3:57 am
Your site is interesting and informative. Thanks for the info. I shall return!
Making your garden spaces beautiful and soothing as well as productive is hard to do! It’s super important, but I think it’s so easy to feel like if it’s not “doing something” then you shouldn’t grow it. But having a cottage garden with a space to just sit and enjoy it is one of my big goals. Finding the best spot for it is something I want to work on as we go into fall this year.
January 21, 2022 at 7:52 am
What are some go-to medicinal herb books you could recommend?
March 11, 2022 at 4:51 am
I am doing an entire vegetable garden layout this year and started an herbal garden some from seed some plants .
I am having a time with my cabbage. I am getting tiny yellow spots, I went and bought the Neem oil, applied it and planted dill in. The raised bed with it.
Glad I have joined the educational series and this group because I’m a newbie and need help
I have 20 acres and asca long term goal i want to be mostly self sufficient.
It is overwhelming at first but through some trial and error I am getting some successes. There are not many in my area who are either knowledgeable or available to help teach and confer with.
I’ll stay tuned in and NOT QUIT.
Thanks for any info on cabbage , ill continue to study and listen to podcast and watch my educational series that I bought
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We really need to clean up this article. Anyone speaks Polish? Or does anyone have contact to polish hitchhikers? Maybe we can even start a Polish version if hitchwiki. --MrTweek 22:04, 3 July 2007 (CEST)
I'm very interested in it. I live in Poland and speak polish as well. Poland is very friendly country for hitchhikers and it's a bit sad that there is no polish version of hitchwiki. --Krzysiek 12:14, 10 July 2009 (CEST)
You are welcome to clean up a little here ;) Also, we will be happy to start a Polish language version of Hitchwiki, if you help us. I'll contact you
Btw, to sign a message, like here, just type ~~~~. That will be replaced with your name and time+date. --MrTweek 10:56, 10 July 2009 (UTC)
General: Polish roads are not in a poor quality. Beside of that, hitchhikers should not mention the quality of roads, they should have other worries. The Polish road network has improved gigantically over the last 1.5 decade. The roads are fully up to doing what is demanded of them. If you say the roads are bad, it means you need better roads. But why do you need them? I do not understand that. Do you feel better with top end roads? Would you like over 10,000 km of fast motorways, as Polands western neighbour has? If so, why? Aren't you a simple hitchhiker. Take care and take your time.
Langauge: An insult to Poles! "are unable to speak". Hm. What to think of that. And still apart from that - I guess that about 1/4th of the Poles speaks English, 1/4th of the Poles speaks German (if just enough to travel - which is your goal - not to insult people be careful with what you say), all speak Polish and half of them speak Russian (if just a bit). Ten percent speak Lithuanian. Ten percent speak Czech or Slovakian. Five percent speaks French or Italian. Czy ty mowic pan po polsku?
I know hardly anyone who would speak any Russian in Poland, apart from my friends studying either Russian studies or Eastern politics or guys doing business in Russia or Ukraine. I tried to use Russian in the street several times and was always asked if I could speak English instead. It may be different in the east of Poland but in Poznan you would probably make with Russian no better than with Czech or Slovak. 85.221.209.245 13:39, 11 March 2007 (CET)
Yes, that's fair. In the east of Poland many more people speak and understand Russian. However, situation is already quite different to my impression compared with my first visit to the country in 2001. Then I did not meet that many people who would easily speak English fluently without hesitation. Partially that also had to do with my way of travelling, which was camping on basic campsites and on bivouac fields (usually a field in the forest with a wooden toilet, sometimes also running water). Six years ago in my first visit to Poland, and first visit to a former "East block country" I described Poland as a country in a great transformation. The changes are going on all the time. Certainly, Poznan is more known as a city orientated on western Europe with many relations with Germany especially. There is a differnce between the west and the east of Poland in general. "Everything" east of Warsaw has been more under influence of Russian culture, Russian-Orthodox religion and historically wealth was always lower there, still is and as I suppose will also be. In the east of Poland I frequently got such answer like "No, but do you speak Russian?" when I asked if people spoke English or German. Five years ago I lived for three months in the village of Bialowieza, situated three kilometers from the Belarusian border. I rarely met local people speaking English there and even then there were people in the village who could only speak Russian (or Belarusian?), so I was told. Frank Verhart.
Hiking in Poland
Frankly speaking throughout my life I've never been to a country where hitchhiking was so easy. I know that such experiences differ from person to person, but in fact very seldom did I have to wait longer than 1,5 hour. In fact, when leaving most major towns the waiting time usually does not exceed 30 minutes. Especially if you find the customary hitchhiking place. Most drivers in Poland know such hot spots and stop there even if they don't see you waving. Halibutt 09:11, 7 May 2006 (UTC)
My story would sound different. I just crossed poland from one end to the other and not one single driver stopped while I was standing (with or without sign or whatever). But nearly everybody took me if I managed to speak to a driver. Traffic lights were also great but no one even thought about stopping. 92.195.223.108 16:59, 24 August 2008 (CEST) [felix]
I find some of this info at the front page hilarious. I think it all might be more confusing than facilitating.
I have never seen any of this old-village hitchhikers. This info looks like taken from some communistic guide book ;) Now they usually cycle or their neighbors or kids give them a ride. I have never seen ANYONE expecting any kind of payment for hitchhiking. And I was hitching a lot in the countryside, also without backpack. I postulate removing this info from front page.
I would say hand hitchhing and sign hitchhing are at least 50/50. It is nothing rare to hitch with sign. If some foreigner reads this page, can drop down idea of sign hitching, which, I think would be best for him.
In my opinion and from my experience, Poland is one of best countries in EU to hitch. And, important to notice, I have never had any nasty behaviour on the road, as for example driver showing middle finger or so. But it is so maybe cos Im polish ;)
Basically, if you are very sure about your opinion, you can always change everything. I once hitched there with a sign and it worked quite well. I find a sign always good if I don't speak the countries language, because it's much harder to explain where I want to go. --MrTweek 20:32, 30 August 2008 (CEST)
Yep, then signs are the way to go, although the article is right that not all Polish use signs or use them rarely.--Fverhart 12:06, 1 September 2008 (CEST)
I can be very sure of all my opinions, it doesnt change that they might be wrong. Experience of one shouldn't be generalized, even if it is MY experience and even if I am 100percent sure of it :P That is why I am asking. If you have similar opinion as mine, just change text :) Mirto 22:32, 30 August 2008 (CEST)
Czesc Lena. I think that the whole article about Poland is quite in order. On my travels in Poland I frequently see the local people who stand for lifts to the next village for shopping or visiting people for example. I see many people hitching with their thumb. It is important to describe hitchhiking in Poland accurately. Personally I can't fully understand the ways to hitchhike in Poland without knowing about the situation in the past, the Polish society. Hm, yep of course it's well possible to hitch in Poland without a sign. The reason, because drivers as Polish people are more inclined in their way of being to help other travellers, Poles feel more related to others with whom they live, and translated into autostop-habits they are more curious where the other one on the road wants to go to. More than Germans and obviously extremely much more than Dutch. Well, the article about Poland seems to be rather in order. Feel free to change. About leaving a small tip in the car; in that case I'm also very curious to the situation in the past, and if such habit used to exist, when it has faded out. But it's always Polish and other Slavic drivers that make me feel like leaving a little tip just on the seat, also sometimes when I would be staying there with local people. But anyway, doesn't matter ;) --Fverhart 11:59, 1 September 2008 (CEST)
I started to reorganise Polish pages, as I also noted some mess here. First of all I edited a bit general info about Poland. I've been hitching through out Poland for more than 15 years and for example never been asked for a tip and I heard of only one story like that. Maybe it was like that in the past in some regions, but I think not anymore. So I changed that info to not make people think they have to prepare some tip.
I'm skeptic about information about languages spoken in Poland. "42% of Poles speak at least one foreign language fluently" sounds incredible for me. But there is source shown, so I'm not sure if it needs to be changed.
I try to rewrite all the city pages using the same pattern: first Hitching Out, then directions written in that manner: e.g. West towards xxx; under direction additional information about road number as for many people it's important, and there will be more and more places connected by old national road and new motorway or expressway. I think it's good to use italics for places names in Polish and bold italics for the most important names as name of the bus/tram stop you should get off. After that Hitching In information when needed. Some cities have bypasses and motorways in their suburbs. You need info of how to get to town from such remote places. After hitching info there may be some info about Public Transport and after that additional information on Eating and Sleeping. This pattern is based on some Western European cities. If you're going to edit Polish city pages check out Poznań for example to see how it looks.
Exactly how conduct a reverse license plate owner check up? I have to know if there is whichever way you can type in a license plate number via the internet and see the name of the individual if it belongs to or the address of that individual. Can someone assist me? It's an Illinois plate with S in the end of it. Please email me if you can perform a search or post if you know the best way to do a totally free one. Thanks a lot.
I am pretty sure that this would be illegal everywhere in the world. --MrTweek 20:19, 27 January 2011 (CET)
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This Tangos lesson builds on the skills learned in Tangos 1 but increases the rhythmic complexity and includes more syncopations. There is also the traditional Alzapua phrase That is a must-know for a soloist or an accompanist alike. All the compas phrases and falsetas are Challenging enough to be considered higher intermediate, but are designed to be very playable And easy to execute in any situation whether at a concert or even a party-jam session!
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Thank you for the flamenco lessons, your teaching has really helped me to learn. I really enjoy farruca would you please do some lessons on Farruca too?
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6. Does the RCMP offer any assistance to the family of Members who die on or off duty, separate from this NPF donation?
Yes. Inquiries related to Member death benefits can be found in the RCMP’s Critically Injured and Fallen Member Guide (CIFMG). The Corps Sergeant Major is responsible for publishing and updating this guide. All inquiries related to the CIFMG should be directed to the Corps Sergeant Major or the Warrant Officers within the RCMP Divisions.
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As a result of widespread disinvestment and abandonment in the 1960s and 1970s, a large stock of buildings fell into New York City ownership for nonpayment of taxes (a status referred to as “in rem”). Due to abandonment, the city lost 38,000 housing units annually between 1965 and 1968, one study estimated. (Lowry 1970) Most of the buildings were in low-income neighborhoods in Harlem, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, and in various stages of deterioration.
In 1976, to protect tenants and discourage further abandonment, the city changed its policy from selling in rem buildings at auction to managing properties until they could be returned to responsible ownership. The city saw in rem management as temporary, assuming landlords would “ante up” when faced with losing their buildings. Instead, many owners simply walked away. Moreover, there were few takers for many tax-foreclosed properties offered at auction.
A HUD-funded study summarized the underlying conditions conducive to such abandonment: “high operating and maintenance costs; non-availability of mortgage funds in ‘redlined’ areas; tenant incomes too low to support economic rents; vandalism; lack of investor confidence in buildings and neighborhoods occupied by minority groups and welfare recipients; and extreme friction between landlords and tenants.” (Bach et al. 1993)
Another dimension of the abandonment problem was that nearly half the city’s in rem buildings were occupied. “In effect, the city was increasingly taking over management of tenanted buildings in major disrepair.” (Bach et al. 1993) Within two decades, the City “inadvertently created the second largest publicly-owned and -controlled housing system in the country.” (Task Force 1993) By 1984, New York City managed 26,000 residential units in 4,000 abandoned buildings, housing at least 100,000 people. (Saegert et al. 1990) …[T]ax foreclosure had evolved from a pragmatic, reactive policy response to private-sector housing abandonment into a major city role in what some called a ‘new housing program for the poor.'” (Bach et al. 1993)
The city, however, had no desire to remain in such a role. Overwhelmed by the scale and costs of the abandonment problem, the city had become increasingly slow to take title to properties, and it aimed to create a long-term solution to the problem by enhancing the role of its Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD); creating financing mechanisms for rehabilitation of properties; and transferring management and ownership to the Housing Authority, approved for-profit entities, community groups, and residents.
Transferring properties to tenant ownership was time consuming and difficult, the city found. Each sale had to be approved by a community board, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Estimate, which could take from six to 12 months. (CSS 1984)
Nevertheless, allowing tenants to buy buildings directly from negligent landlords offers a cost-effective alternative to city take-over. Since 1980, HPD has sold over 650 buildings from the in rem inventory through a program to form low-income cooperatives, making this initiative the first sizable program in the U.S. to transfer ownership of privately-held buildings to low-income tenants. (Lawson 1983) For some communities, this shift to alternative ownership has been one of the positive, if unintended, consequences of private-sector abandonment. (Bach et al. 1993)
This was the case for tenants of 507 West 140th Street, who, after several years of quasi-abandonment in the late 1970s, had come to expect little maintenance or repairs from their landlord.[19] In 1980, with the heating system on the verge of collapse and the roof leaking badly, the tenants organized to confront their landlord. The landlord, however, did not respond to demands for better service. In 1981, tenants pooled their money for fuel and minor repairs. In June 1982, the landlord announced he intended to stop collecting rent and providing services. Still the tenants refused to abandon their homes, where most had lived for over 20 years. Lillian Young, who had moved into the building with her family in 1963, later recalled, “We didn’t know what we were going to do. Some were depressed, some moved. But through encouragement with each other, we became stronger. …We knew that either we would move or we would have to get together.”
Neighborhood Context
Observers of New York life have noted that Harlem is a state of mind, a symbol of African-American cultural pride, and a place characterized by contradictory images of power and poverty. (Leavitt and Saegert 1990; Lawson 1983) The following description reflects the area’s unique qualities and enduring problems.
“Harlem housing is attractive because of its substantial prewar stock, its advantageous location, including proximity to midtown Manhattan and Central Park, good subway connections, and access to major regional thoroughfares. It also has one of the highest concentrations of city-owned housing and land, and is the frequent target of public development plans.” As a center of African-American political power, Harlem wields considerable clout when it comes to allocation of public resources for various types of projects. Nevertheless, while some of the area’s housing stock was originally built to high quality standards, and despite the efforts over the past 20 years, “housing conditions in the neighborhood continue to be among the worst in the city.” (Oppenheim et al. 1994)
507 West 140th Street, a 15-unit, five-story brick building in Harlem’s Hamilton Heights neighborhood, is typical of the modest but sturdy tenements built in the early 1900’s. Unlike many nearby buildings, its facade retains architectural distinctions of a previous era. The site, within a block of Broadway, is also near historic Hamilton Place and the City College campus. While planners consider the neighborhood well situated for revitalization, such indicators as foreclosure sales, parcels in tax arrears, and arson rates among the highest in the city (Oppenheim et al. 1994) suggest continued and severe disinvestment.
In 1982, the Community Service Society (CSS) of New York, one of the city’s most established social service organizations, began the Ownership Transfer Project (OTP). The purpose of the project, said Corinne Coleman of HPD, was to keep buildings permanently affordable to low-income residents by transferring properties from private to co-op ownership before they were abandoned by landlords, taken over by the city, or sold to real estate speculators or gentrifiers. The OTP helps tenants develop boards of directors and begin to take charge of building operations; identify and negotiate with owners, mortgagees, and creditors to acquire buildings; develop repair and renovation plans for their buildings; obtain financial assistance for purchase and repair of their buildings; acquire the buildings; improve housing management practices; form a cooperative or other appropriate ownership entity; and prepare all tenants for cooperative ownership.
OTP properties with which CSS worked were among the city’s most distressed privately-owned buildings. Yet tenants had to pay acquisition and rehab costs for these buildings, unlike the situation with in rem stock (essentially free) or HPD’s Tenant Interim Lease program (in which tenants buy buildings for $250 per unit). HPD participated by providing below-market rehab loans to OTP buildings. This marked one of the first times the agency allowed tenants to compete for such financing, according to Coleman. In addition, the city helped cover OTP staff time through a contract with CSS for the city to provide technical assistance to community groups.
Overall, OTP has helped 50 buildings, varying in size from six to 80 units, “acquire themselves,” said Brent Sharman of CSS. OTP has recently focused on stabilizing projects already in the pipeline. One of the first buildings acquired by residents through the OTP program was 507 West 140th Street. CSS staff quickly referred to this building when asked to recommend a successful tenant co-op for study.[20]
After several months of managing their building, the tenants of 507 West 140th Street knew they needed help. One resident knew an administrator of the city’s 7-A program,[21] “the only well-established code enforcement mechanism available in New York City to intervene directly to deal with deterioration of privately-owned buildings when landlords fail to maintain them.” (Oppenheim et al. 1993) This official met with the resident association to explain the program and how to proceed. That same evening, residents unanimously agreed to “do whatever was necessary to keep the building,” said Young.
The tenants initiated a 7-A action, but when the landlord decided to sell the building in the spring of 1983, they feared someone even worse might buy it. The tenants enlisted attorney Doug Simmons and paralegal Teresa Diamond of the East Harlem Community Law Office (CLO), a branch of the Legal Aid Society. Simmons and Diamond agreed to help organize and train the tenants to assume responsibility for their building. Attorney Simmons recalled, “There was a real possibility the whole thing could fall apart.” Since the group was so effective at managing the building – they had been doing so, de facto, for several years – Simmons felt some sort of ownership option made sense. After CSS staffers informed CLO of the recently launched OTP demonstration, CLO agreed that 507 West 140th Street seemed like a good candidate for the program. Some residents had doubts. “But no matter the risks,” recalled Young, “it couldn’t be worse than it was before.”
During the project’s critical early period, CLO staff provided management training, and coordinated various technical assistance providers’ participation. The OTP process involved five technical assistance organizations, including CSS, CLO, Pratt Institute, Community Development Legal Assistance Center, and the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB). HPD also participated, and the Wall Street law firm Simpson, Thacher, and Bartlett provided pro bono services. The Pratt Center for Community Environmental and Economic Development helped with architectural and engineering work.
The process began with an assessment of needed repairs. Then the CSS team evaluated whether the building was financially viable as a low-income co-op. The criteria for this included the condition of the building and the sources and amount of existing liens and mortgages. (CSS 1984) CSS project manager Linda Cohen worked with CLO to compile a budget that factored in tenant rents and amortization costs of $5,000 per unit without a mortgage. The budget estimated that, for no substantial purchase price, rents would range from $175 to $250. While this meant a doubling of some rents from the previous rent-controlled levels, the tenants agreed to proceed.
Attorney Michael Levinson of Simpson, Thacher, and Bartlett negotiated with the landlord, who agreed to pay a $1,300 corporate tax lien and sell the building for $100 plus $6,200 for back taxes. With title, fire insurance, and other closing costs, the acquisition price was $11,000. HPD lent $72,000 to replace the boiler and burner, and repair the roof, facade, plumbing, and wiring. A grant from the Urban Coalition’s state- and federally-funded weatherization program helped buy 125 energy-efficient windows. The group paid $780 for the largest (6.5-room) units and $540 for the smallest (4.5-room) units.
The final agreement included a 15-year loan at 3 percent interest and raised monthly rents (or “maintenance fees”) from $88-$199 to $175-$253. LaBorda Turner, then-Vice President of the Tenant Association who had moved into the building in 1959, commented to a reporter, “They’re not steep for what we’re getting. These are going to be our apartments, and if we maintain them, we’ll live very well for the money.” Juanita Young, a board member with an equally long tenancy, added, “In some buildings down the hill, people are paying $400 to $450 for places where the ceilings are falling in.”
In March 1994, residents of 507 West 140th Street celebrated their first decade of co-op living. Lillian Young, co-op board President for the entire 10 years, recalled, “It was hit or miss, trial and error, and before you knew it, we were a cooperative.”
The area around 507 West 140th reveals few, if any, signs of the gentrification that many analysts during the 1980s had claimed would, for better or worse, transform this part of Harlem. The co-op building appears conspicuously sober next to its disheveled neighbors (several of which are 7-A buildings managed by the city).
Most of the storefronts on Broadway at West 140th Street are occupied, although many of the apartments above the stores appear vacant. The stores that line Broadway here are typical inner-city businesses – mainly service enterprises such as beauty parlors, barber shops, travel agencies, taxi dispatchers, small groceries, game rooms, bars, and fast food restaurants. Commercial activity appears slow, while groups of seemingly idle men often fill the sidewalks and cluster in front of certain establishments.
One such group of men regularly gathers at the corner of Broadway and West 140th Street, near a bodega on the south side of the intersection and a game room in a converted bar on the north side. Over the past 10 years, these sites in particular and this neighborhood in general have become the turf of Dominican drug dealers. These dealers, as well as many of their customers, arrive daily, as if going to work. As their numbers increase, they tend to gather in front of the doorways and stoops, sometimes near the co-op. Anyone who lives on this block must pass this gauntlet regularly in order to take public transportation, shop, or walk to school.
“They know not to come in front of this building,” said Ms. Young, who is in her 70s and now retired. “I’m on the ground floor and I don’t want them in front of my window. I let them know, we live here. When I tell them to move, they move. You can call me the policeman of the building.”
Break-ins were common at 507 West 140th in the late 1970s when the landlord ran the building. So when tenants took over in the early 1980s, they quickly acted to secure the building. “We want to maintain very tight security. Especially – the first priority – security for the children,” said Mrs. Lizama, board secretary-treasurer. Tenants improved security without spending much, simply by convincing other residents to be more vigilant about “self-surveillance.” Since most residents know each other, enlisting the cooperation of the 15 households was fairly easy, the tenants association found. In addition, several elderly residents who stay home during the day often keep an eye out, and tenants used some of the building’s rehab funds to install a more secure front door and intercom system. Residents are urged to keep the front door locked and only admit people they know, who must be buzzed in though the intercom. Moreover, the layout of the building, with a single entry and compact central stairwell, makes it hard to enter or leave the building unnoticed.
While residents reported feeling secure within the building, most expressed concern about security in the neighborhood and doubted that conditions would soon improve. Asked about their relationship with the police, particularly in fighting drug activity, Lillian Young replied, “We’re the only clean ones [in the area]. And you have to be careful about what kind of help you ask for. This precinct has been named in the corruption scandal.”[22]
Governance and Resident Participation
Resident participation in the co-op’s bi-monthly meetings has generally been high – sometimes about 75 percent. Elections are held annually, and the board is open to any resident who wishes to join, according to Lillian Young. For 10 years, however, Mrs. Young was re-elected as president, although she insisted she was in her last term.
The co-op has faced problems with nonpayment of rent, which has helped to maintain financial stability. One of the most effective tools in ensuring timely rent payment has been the monthly financial report to residents. The report contains the co-op’s bank statement and an explanation of the purpose of each check. Attached to this statement, along with general announcements, is the most current rent receipt, which shows who is or isn’t paying rent on time. To further ensure against delinquent rent, the co-op seeks residents who do not collect welfare. If a resident becomes unemployed, the board works out a payment plan. “The premise of the co-op was based on low-income working families,” Mrs. Young said.[23] “We would be in big trouble if people couldn’t pay rent.”
Only twice in 10 years had the board asked residents to raise their rent, by 10 percent each time, just enough to cover costs. The co-op has been able to keep “rents” (i.e. monthly fees) low, in part, because of the low debt service. But OTP staff recommend annual rent increases. UHAB Director Andy Reicher explained, “A small annual increase of 2 to 3 percent every year generates an enormous amount of reserve funds, and it is easier for people to accept.” Given the steep escalation of water and sewer charges and looming maintenance expenses, the co-op will have to ask for another hefty rent increase soon.[24]
With this in mind, board vice-president Grace Gooding expressed concern about the co-op’s mini-population explosion. In 1967, only one “child” (college age) lived in the building. In 1985, four children lived there. When this research was gathered, there were 11, with several more due. “If people have too many children, they won’t be able to afford an increase in rent,” she said.
These factors, combined with the imminent (1999) end of the tax abatement period and the completion of mortgage payments, have caused co-op members to think about financial planning and asset management. Some younger residents would like to invest in building improvement and look into buying other neighborhood buildings or starting a trust fund for the children. The board needs to assess the building’s condition, learn what financing a capital improvements program would involve, and educate shareholders on the options.
Board members, who receive no management fee, always look for ways to save money. Some residents help with maintenance work, which helps keep the co-op’s monthly charges low. For example, groups of residents wash the hallways when needed. However, as is frequently the case, the same people often end up doing the work.
Not everyone is completely satisfied with the board’s management. “We have to deal with resident complaints all of the time,” said Juanita Young. “Some people, no matter what you do, or how well you’re doing it, are not satisfied.” She said the board relies on interpersonal skills to handle conflict.
Tenants received early management training from CLO during the critical pre-acquisition phase. HPD later provided a six-week boiler maintenance class, resulting in three residents who can work on the boiler. CSS brought in UHAB trainers to provide a six-part program, which the original residents attended. Current residents train new tenants by reviewing the lease. Mrs. Young explained that board member training is not needed, “since we don’t change members much. We use the rules and regulations as a guide. If we can’t resolve a problem, we will bring in someone from HPD or CSS.”
At the time of this study, the co-op’s 15 units were occupied. Eleven residents were children and three were seniors. Eight households were married-couple families; three were headed by females; adult siblings or roommates lived in three; and one resident was a single male. The median age was 35. Eight households were African American, one family was from Africa, and five were from the Caribbean. All adults were employed – in such occupations as domestic worker, secretary, chef, computer operator, technician, cab driver, home attendant, carpenter, hospital dispatcher, Head Start coordinator, and manager – or retired.
One resident is pastor of a local church, to which several families belong. Of only three households to recently join the co-op, two moved there, one from New Jersey and the other from Brooklyn, to live near this church. The church stresses community revitalization as part of its mission. Co-op residents, both those who belong to the church and those who don’t, demonstrate a commitment to cooperation and participation in collective/civic action. For example, church members frustrated with the poor quality and dangerous conditions of the local public school are planning to build their own.
While neighborhood decline was a concern, residents seemed very satisfied with their living situation.[25] Grace Gooding said that most of the shareholders want to make their apartments livable. “Why invest X dollars in the apartment just to let the city take it back?” she said. “All of the apartments need a lot of work still. There are two options: get with the program or leave. They’re not going to leave, since there is nowhere to go. So they fall in. The rent here is comfortable; you would have to pay at least $700 for an equivalent apartment. That’s a major start for young people, especially with young kids.”
Several residents described the co-op as “an extended family.” Neighbors rely on each other for child care and express a shared sense of responsibility for each other’s children. Several parents stressed the importance of strong family values. Many are saving to send their children to college. And, despite the area’s problems, nearly everyone spoke of feeling strong ties to the neighborhood and a sense of pride about living in Harlem.
Vacancies and Resale Policy
In 10 years, only four of the co-op’s units became vacant. In three cases, the residents were elderly. One time, early in the co-op’s history, a tenant was removed for selling drugs. This involved a four-year criminal case that reportedly cost residents about $10,000 in legal fees (paid for with personal savings). Since then, the board said, the building has had no drug problems. To continue avoiding such problem tenants, applicants must be recommended by a co-op resident. Sellers can also suggest replacements. At the time of this study, the co-op already had a waiting list of about 10 people.
The lease contains a strict resale policy. “The number of shares equals the sales price. When a resident wishes to move, the shares are first sold back to the corporation, according to a formula. The seller will receive the amount they paid for their shares, plus interest, times the number of years they have been a shareholder, plus the value of any improvements made that would have increased the market value of the unit, assuming that these were reported and documented at the time,” said Mrs. Young.
Leadership
Lillian Young’s leadership has been critical to the co-op’s success. “We know that the programs were put together so fast,” she said, “maybe they were not meant to be successful. Just for people to do the best they could. But I won’t be a part of a failure. There’s no reason for it. There are rules, resources available. Use what is available and plain common sense….Live within the rules and budget guidelines. We look at [the building] as our home and are determined to keep it.”
The urgency presented by the crisis of nearly losing their homes helped forge close bonds among the original group of residents and enabled strong leaders to emerge. These leaders are mainly women – praised admiringly by one observer as “heroic defenders of the hearth” – who run the building on a shoestring, as they run their own households. Co-op leaders promote the principles of self-help and working together. Communications are important, and residents share financial and other news frequently. The key, according to Lillian Young, is to “believe in each other; believe in success.”
But after a decade as a co-op, a new group of leaders seems ready to emerge. The “younger generation” has new ideas and lots of energy; they see different challenges and want to explore the co-op’s meaning further. The older residents are more conservative and want to protect what they’ve made. The difficulty of such a leadership transition may be the most important challenge facing the co-op residents. Technical assistance providers may provide external guidance, but sustainability will likely depend on residents’ ability to create an environment that encourages innovation as well as cooperation and collaboration.
Most members of this West Harlem co-op are making sacrifices in consumption so their children may have a better future, grounded in a solid moral and formal education. But their aspirations have led many of the younger residents into – not out of – this community. They are cultivating a culture of learning and cooperative living that draws on family and social networks deeply rooted in the neighborhood.
John Atlas is a founder of Shelterforce and board chair emeritus. He is the producer of ACORN and the Firestorm, a film directed by Reuben Atlas and Sam Pollard and author of SEEDS OF CHANGE: The Story of ACORN, America's Most Controversial Anti-Poverty Community Group. He is also the former executive director of the Passaic County Legal Aid Society.
Ellen Shoshkes is an architect and planner based in Hoboken, New Jersey. Ellen is was formerly director of housing research in the Architecture and Building Sciences Group at New Jersey Institute of Technology. She co-authored Saving Affordable Housing for NHI.
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Last month, we introduced you to three small business owners in downtown Galt who appreciate mutuality – giving back to the community that supports them. This month, we visit Troy/Lynden/Copetown where we spent time with four policyholders who also focus on making a difference in their communities and beyond. Enjoy reading about Copetown United Church, Quick Feeds, Struyk Farm and Betzhaven Acres!
While Rev. Alison Miculan has been the congregational minister at Copetown United Church for just seven years, the congregation has been steadfastly worshiping together for over two hundred years! The current physical church building was erected in 1908, but the Copetown congregation itself was originally formed in 1808. With a history that long, it’s no wonder that the congregation is both enduring and faithful.
Rev. Alison credits the current congregation, made up of multi-generations, with being both supportive and open. They embrace change. They’re open to trying just about anything to connect their community, which was one of the reasons they began putting on theatre productions, such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, complete with handmade costumes, and Godspell, with help from the local Hamilton theatre scene.
Community is at the cornerstone of everything the congregation at Copetown United does, which has been made very clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. The church has always supported many charitable causes, such as Sleeping Children Around the World, as well as local charities closer to the community, like the Wesley Centre in Hamilton and the Ancaster Food Bank. However, the pandemic exposed how great a need there is within their even more immediate community. Rev. Alison initiated the Local Benevolent Fund, a purely anonymous fund supported entirely by members of the congregation for other members of the congregation. The pandemic also saw congregation members picking up groceries for other members and participating in telephone outreach to make sure no one became isolated in such a challenging time.
Rev. Alison’s favourite part of her work at Copetown United is interacting with the people of the community – something that was made challenging during COVID-19, but the resiliency of her congregation amazed her as both young and old acquired and embraced the technology to gather virtually. The congregation, historical as it is, has withstood countless world events, from wars to recessions to pandemics. Their ability to face hardship together, supporting one another along the way, is what has kept them constant and sustains her faith that they will be here long after she has gone. She is just a servant passing through with the privilege of spending time with people during the most significant moments of their lives – through baptisms, weddings, and, yes, funerals. It is the community that is and will always be the heart of the church.
Quick Feeds of Copetown has been selling animal feed to its community for thirty years. As an animal food business, David and Jayne Quick provide food for all kinds of animals, from household pets to large farming operations and even to zoos. Their most exotic client to date: a baby tiger! Jayne works closely with nutritionists to create formulas for a wide variety of animal foods, taking into account the nutritional requirements and the long-lasting health benefits. As farmers themselves – the Quick family also owns and operates a nearby cattle farm – they know the importance of good nutrition for healthy and happy horses, livestock and pets.
They are also quite well-known for their wild bird seed blends, which can be tailored to a customer’s specific needs.
New customers tend to find Quick Feeds by referrals and word of mouth, which is why community is so important to Quick Feeds. Throughout their years in business, Jayne has gotten to know her regular customers well – just as they’ve gotten to know her and her family.
Jayne thrives on the challenge of continuous learning. Jayne most recently took a two-week course through the University of Guelph. She has found that continuing to learn and adapt over the years has helped her business grow and flourish, enabling Quick Feeds to offer more than just animal food. Beyond great advice on animal nutrition, they are a source for tack, tools, supplements, pet accessories, bird feeders, and so much more. Delivery is also a huge aspect of their service. By listening to the needs and wishes of their clients, Quick Feeds has become the business it is today – knowledgeable and friendly service with a small town feel.
In 2015, Scott and Jodi Struyk took over the family farm, which Scott’s father and uncle had founded in the 70s, and it remains a family affair to this day. Scott and Jodi’s older children work on the farm and in the greenhouses and Scott’s dad, who is at the farm every day, and uncle continue to be an important part in planting and tending. The whole family is very active in their community, participating annually in the Rockton Fair and weekly at the Rockton Farmers’ Market. Jodi is also on the fundraising committee at their children’s school, Hope Reformed Christian School, and they are members of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario.
Struyk Farms boasts a loyal customer base who find their produce to be exceptional quality and very reasonably priced; some stopping in every few days to pick up fresh produce grown at the farm as well as locally grown products like strawberries, peaches or apples in season, or eggs and honey, on their way home from work. Partnering with other local growers and vendors helps to strengthen and grow the farming industry within their own community. Others come annually as far away as the GTA to pick their own tomatoes and peppers for canning, for which Struyk Farms is renown, just as they used to do with their parents when they were children.
Scott and Jodi also rely on their community for staffing, especially at peak times of planting and harvesting. Most of the people who work at Struyk Farms with the family are friends of their children or helpful neighbours.
And there is much to do! Struyk Farms boasts sixty-five acres of vegetables. They seed 20% of their crops directly and the other 80% is transplanted from their greenhouses. They offer a wide selection of produce, including their popular pepper varieties, and a truly stunning selection of flowers and plants. Check out their produce availability for what’s currently available in the barn market / pick your own.
On our visit, the youngest Struyk, Stephen, was our helpful tour guide. Clearly he lives by the adage, “Every day is a good day to be on the farm.”
Betzner is a familiar name at Dumfries Mutual. Terry Betzner became a Dumfries agent in February 2020, but has been a Dumfries client her entire married life. In 1940, Roy S. Betzner, her husband Joe’s great-grandfather, was president of the company. In fact, you can find the Betzner name in Dumfries’ printed history dating back as early as 1910. The Betzner family has equally long roots within their own community of Lynden. Terry and Joe’s children are part of the 6th generation of Betzners in the area!
The Betzner family is an enterprising one. While Terry provides quality service and care to her valued clients at Dumfries Mutual, her husband Joe entertains area children as a school bus driver before they both return to the farm for the endless tasks that come with the farming life.
Their eldest son Bruce now works full-time on the family’s dairy goat farm while his wife, Rain, has full-time employment at an architectural firm, but also loves the work on the farm and uses their goat milk to make soap which she sells at places like the Rockton Farmers Market.
The Betzner family also hosts French university agriculture students each summer who come to Canada to learn about dairy farming. While the students have come to Betzhaven Acres to learn from the Betzner family, there is also opportunity for the Betzners to learn from the students they host as well. This year, the students, Margot and Elsa, taught the Betzner’s how to make goat cheese!
The family explains that the farming community spans many acres and kilometres. Many families are connected through the Rockton Agricultural Society as well as 4H clubs – they share co-operative values, relying on each other, from lending equipment to farm space to helping each other in times of need. Many of their farm workers over the years have been children of neighbours or people met through the Ag Society or 4H.
Outside of their immediate community, Bruce and Rain represent the family on several professional farming panels and boards. Recently Bruce joined Gay Lea’s Goat Producer Advisory Committee to help create and adapt rules and regulations that apply to goat dairy farming operations. Beyond that, they are also members of the Young Producers Forum and the Co-operative Leadership Program with Gay Lea. These types of opportunities help to create a wider community for farmers, who are able to learn from one another and work toward innovation in their respective fields.
Though there can be many challenges with farming, such as operational costs, staffing, to name a few, the Betzner family finds it to be very rewarding. They care deeply for their goats, calling each affectionately by name as they breed their own stock and raise them from kids to adults. Investing in the wellbeing of their animals is what ultimately creates a great end product. And it shows – they have earned the highest level of milk quality from Gay Lea.
To the Betzner family, community means a group of people working toward a common goal, sharing knowledge and resources, doing good and having fun together.
A special thank you to our amazing policyholders who share our vision. We wouldn’t be the company that we are without you.
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Have you compared your insurance rates lately?
With Dumfries Mutual, you get competitive home, auto, commercial, and farm insurance rates and great service from your own neighbours.
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How To Use The Ketogenic Diet for losing weight – The ketogenic diet puts the body into a state of ketosis, which ultimately allows you to use fat for energy. Fat burning is just one of the many benefits of ketosis that improves general health and can make it a highly effective tool to lose weight. Keto features a cult following for a good reason: it makes you feel great. Keto-ers feel more satiated through the day and have increased stamina, both physical and mental, leading to:
* Fewer cravings
* More self-control
* More physical activity.
These benefits all contribute to weight reduction; however, keto is not really synonymous with weight reduction.
Far away from being a magic tool, the ketogenic diet takes accurate and diligent tracking and adjustment to work. You want a balance in the right macros, realistic setting goals and tracking to consider you closer to achieving your weight loss goals.
What exactly is Ketosis & How Exactly Does It Promote Fat Loss? The ketogenic diet promotes and maintains ketosis. Ketosis is really a metabolic state by which the body uses fat as opposed to glucose from carbohydrates as its primary source of energy. To achieve ketosis, you stop supplying your body with carbs and sugar. This depletes your stored glucose – also called glycogen – as well as your blood glucose and insulin levels decrease. Your body starts to look for a different source of fuel (fat), releases it and burns it for energy.
Hence, weight loss on keto. Because of the decrease of glucose and rise in the metabolism of fat, ketosis has a bunch of benefits – its unique capacity to induce weight loss is just one of those. Many individuals use ketosis being a solution for epilePSy, diabetes and even cancer.
As soon as your body burns fat, it creates ketones. Without ketones, you’re not in ketosis. Therefore, the ketogenic diet’s sole purpose would be to aid and promote ketone production.
What exactly are Ketones? Ketones are definitely the metabolic fuel produced as soon as your body shifts into fat-burning mode. Glucose and ketones would be the only energy sources used by the mind. Think of ketones as the auxiliary power source of your body.
Before the advent of agriculture, when our ancestors were hunter-gatherers, they fasted regularly. When food was scarce, they didn’t possess a choice but to wait for the opportune time and energy to search for food and cook it.
They had an extremely low intake of carbs and protein and therefore were unintentionally running on ketones. Converting stored fat into energy is hardwired for the survival and a natural element of human existence. Your body burns fat to utilize and create ketones whenever glucose sources are low or depleted, such as: Lipase (an enzyme in charge of fat breakdown) releases stored triglycerides (fats). These fatty acids visit your liver as well as your liver turns them into ketones.
There are three kinds of ketone bodies:
* Acetoacetate – Through the breakdown of long- and medium-chain fatty acids for energy, acetoacetate is produced first.
* Acetone – Spontaneously, acetone is additionally produced being a by-product of acetoacetate. These two ketone bodies, when they are not used, spill in your urine and breath, making urine and breath testing a promising measurement of whether you’re entering ketosis. More on this below in The best way to Test Ketone Levels.
* Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) – Not technically a ketone but a molecule. Its essential role within the ketogenic diet can make it count because the important ketone body. BHB is synthesized from your liver from acetoacetate. BHB is very important as it can freely float throughout your body within your blood, crossing many tissues where other molecules can’t. It enters the mitochondria and gets transformed into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the vitality currency of your own cells. BHB = ATP = energy!
Now you know what ketones are and how ketosis works, you almost certainly desire to know why you need to consider eating a ketogenic diet – the diet plan that promotes ketosis.
The Benefits of Ketosis – The advantages of ketones result from your system burning fat for fuel and also the lowered glucose and insulin within your blood.
Results vary among individuals due to several factors such as insulin resistance and different body composition. Nonetheless, keto has consistently lead to a decrease in weight and the entire body fat percentage in a wide range of situations including although not confined to obesity, type two diabetes and athletic performance.
A randomized control study in 2017 examined the effects of any ketogenic diet combined with Crossfit training on body composition and gratification. Is a result of this study figured that subjects using a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (LCKD) significantly decreased weight, body fat percentage and fat mass in comparison to those who work in the control group.
Children after the ketogenic diet significantly reduced weight, fat mass, waist circumference and fasting levels of insulin. The kids within the ketogenic diet group significantly reduced a marker of insulin resistance called homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) to some greater degree than those using a hypocaloric diet.
An important marker of insulin sensitivity and heart disease – referred to as high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin – significantly increased within the ketogenic diet group but not in the hypocaloric diet group. Additionally, a 2008 ucuwma looking at the outcomes of a minimal-carbohydrate ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet in type 2 diabetics was conducted.
Is a result of this study figured that participants after the ketogenic diet had significantly greater improvements in weight loss, hemoglobin A1c, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol when compared to the low-glycemic index diet group.
Sharri April 11, 2020 April 12, 2020 The Observer
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The U.S. Congress is going to stop one disaster but delaying another with the Senate to pass a law that would back the federal govt. into the start of December.
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Source: Web
Congress is going to stop one disaster but delaying another with the Senate to pass a law that would back the federal govt. into the start of December.
After the Senate vote Thursday, the House of Representatives is likely to pass the legislation averting a partial govt. closure as the new fiscal year starts Friday. Moreover, Democrats were pushed to eliminate a postponement of the borrowing limit of the federal government from the legislation at the demand of GOP members.
Janet Yellen, the Treasury Secretary, described that if the debt limit won’t be increased by 18th October, the nation would probably deal with economic recession and financial disaster. The GOP members said that Democrats have the votes to ramp up the debt limit ceiling on their own, and Mitch McConnell (Republican leader) is requiring that they do so.
While the most instant priority dealing with Congress is to drive the government once this fiscal year closes on Thursday night. Furthermore, the legislation’s likely authorization is going to buy legislators enough time to craft the expenditure bills that are going to support federal agencies and also the plans that they manage.
Congress Drives to Stop Partial Govt. Shutdown
Source: Web
Democrats focus on Biden’s top domestic priorities
At the same time, Democrats are trying to get Joe Biden’s (President of the United States) main domestic priorities over the end line. Besides this, those include a bilateral infrastructure program that holds 550 billion dollars in novel spending for bridges, broadband, roads, and several other priorities, and a 3.5 trillion dollars slate of health, social and environmental packages.
Chuck Schumer (Senator Majority Leader and Democrat of New York) described that with so many severe problems to handle, the final thing that the U.S. citizens demand at this time is a government shutdown.
He continued that the stopgap spending law is going to offer assistance for those whirling from the recent Hurricane Ida and several other natural catastrophes and backing Afghanistan refugees from the twenty-year-long war between the insurgent Taliban and the United States.
America has never sidestepped on its debts in the current phase, and both sides, historically, have supported increasing the debt limit. Moreover, Democrats supported the Republican Senate Majority to act on this move during the supremacy of Donald Trump. Now Democrats wished to handle both priorities in a single bill, but Senate GOP members barred that struggle on Monday.
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US Contemplates Expansion in Ukrainian Military Training
Ex-Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown Died at 88
US Contemplates Expansion in Ukrainian Military Training
Rich Sylvan - December 1, 2022 0
According to American officials, the White House is contemplating a dramatic growth in providing training to the Ukrainian personnel, including nearly twenty-five hundred Ukrainian...
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All of us come across awful nonsense written about translation from time to time. I very much doubt, though, that there is as much nonsense gathered in one place as in the LinkedIn writings of a translator called Matt Stanton. Regular readers of this blog will know that I don’t go in for personal attacks. In fact, I have nothing personal against Mr Stanton, a Japanese-English translator, and I’ve never met or interacted with him. Ignoring his unpleasant replies to colleagues who have challenged him, and the rather offensive and sexist nature of some of his posts, all I will take issue with here are ideas that he promotes, which, in my view, would be dangerous and damaging if followed by less experienced colleagues. This is a serious point because Mr Stanton, a Japanese-English translator, has written (and puts in a great deal of effort plugging) a book about translation. He also claims to run training seminars and coaching services for translators. All that takes his misguided ideas out of the sphere where everyone is entitled to their own opinion, because he is not only pushing his opinions at other people, he is persuading them to pay for the privilege. He is, in short, what has become known in the profession as an instaguru. It is on behalf of colleagues, then, and particularly on behalf of anyone easily influenced enough to be tempted to give credence to some of the utter rot I have seen written by Mr Stanton that I discuss it here.
So what does he say that is so reprehensible? My attention was initially drawn to an article about blogging in which he scoffs at the idea that a translator might need to take a whole day to write a blog post. This is a symptom, he claimed, of perfectionism that means the translator in question also takes too long over their work and “IS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT” (his shouty capitals). Well, I’ve got news for you, Mr Stanton. I know who that translator is and that translator is, in fact, one of the most successful I know. Personally, I don’t take a whole day to write a blog post. In fact, my posts are written in the rapid-fire manner Mr Stanton would actually approve of, usually sitting with the laptop while my family watch TV. They are newspaper comment columns, not deep analysis. But I have only admiration for someone who researches an informative post and fills it with relevant evidence, statistics, painstakingly researched links and thoughtful writing. There are not enough of these posts around, probably because of the time they take to write, and they should be treasured, not derided.
Had it only been for him making a fool of himself with his assumptions over the professional prospects of a person who needs all day for a blog post I perhaps wouldn’t be writing this article now. But Mr Stanton has written a whole lot more. Take, for example, a post of his entitled “Just Say Yes”. In this, he boasts of accepting jobs immediately, without even checking his schedule because “If the jobs aren’t that big, we can handle them. We can get up earlier, or work till later. We can put off non-urgent tasks. We need that can-do attitude.” He scorns translators who take time to have a cup of tea, mull things over or worry about burnout.
Well, I’m all for responding promptly to work inquiries too. But those few minutes’ thinking time about whether taking this or that job is really a good idea can be vital in not overloading yourself, or not accepting a job for which you’re really not suited, or remembering that it’s probably not a good idea to work for a particular client who took four months to pay for their last job. It’s worth bearing in mind, too, that accepting too much work isn’t only bad for the translator concerned, it’s bad for their clients too. In my case, mulling over a situation can sometimes also actually persuade me to say yes rather than no, so firing off an immediate response might even be counterproductive in Mr Stanton’s own terms. Nor does thinking time even have to be time wasted – I don’t know about him, but I can actually think and translate at the same time.
Dismissive
Then there’s another article, called “Translating Faster Produces Better Quality” (yes, you did read that right). In this one, Mr Stanton actually goes as far as to argue that rushing through a translation and not looking anything up results in better work. This is the case, he claims “because you don’t have time to think”. Now, I’m quite a quick translator, but the idea that “faster is better” is simply crazy, particularly as, in yet another wrongheaded article, Mr Stanton is also utterly dismissive of time spent checking and revising our work.
Perhaps Mr Stanton has superhuman powers. If he does, and if he can churn out word perfect translations in sufficient quantities to fill his pockets, accept all the jobs thrown at him and still find ten minutes to write beautifully crafted blog posts without getting burned out, well good luck to him. But I can assure you that any of us mere mortals who followed this approach would quickly fall by the wayside, rejected by clients sick of our slapdash work and laughed at by colleagues for our ill-considered opinions.
More importantly, Mr Stanton is not unique in the “don’t think about it, churn it out” approach he advocates. This is exactly what machines do too. If clients want fast, cheap, low-quality translations, computers can already provide it for them. As I’ve said before on this blog, our only hope of outdoing them is to work in areas they are going to find difficult, and that means high-quality translations requiring specialist knowledge. No-one can compete with IKEA by producing cheap flat-pack furniture, but they can by producing hand-crafted pieces the Swedish chain can’t hope and doesn’t want to make. And, to extend the metaphor, if IKEA rushed the production of their flat-packs to the extent advocated by Mr Stanton, they would be unlikely even to contain the right number of screws and fixings.
That’s why Mr Stanton’s articles and his book, ironically titled “88 Ways to be Successful as a Freelance Translator”, are so dangerous. I’ve recently heard news that several truly successful freelance translators are withdrawing, or considering withdrawing, from giving other translators advice, discouraged by the way so many appear to follow instagurus like Mr Stanton. Sadly, they seem to feel responsible for people failing to heed their words and depressed by the idea that many translators aren’t going to succeed. I would urge them to shrug off this misplaced sense of responsibility. If people don’t or won’t listen it simply isn’t anyone else’s fault, and the fact that many translators and other business people will fail is mere statistical inevitability. On the other hand, it is surprising how and where words of wisdom and inspiration do manage to get through, even indirectly. I, for one, don’t want to leave the floor open to those giving unwise, unsound and unsafe advice and I plan to continue sounding the alarm about it wherever and whenever I find it, particularly when such dubious advice is being peddled for money. There, I just did it again.
Please note, I have deliberately not linked to Mr Stanton’s articles here because I don’t want to boost visits to his pages. Perhaps merely by writing this piece I have done just that, but I still feel his advice is so dangerously wrongheaded that I am duty-bound to speak up. Look him up and read him for yourself if you must but, if you do, you should know that promoting his page was not my intention. You can find the opinions of some colleagues here.
Nelia Fahloun on May 22, 2018 at 15:52
Thank you so much Simon for articulating my thoughts better than I could have done (would it have taken me a whole day to write? We’ll never know)!
I went as far as to download the free sample of this person’s ebook and the content is even more depressing than the posts.
Just like you, I think this kind of misguided advice is especially dangerous if preached to colleagues who are new to the profession or struggling in their career.
Simon Berrill on May 22, 2018 at 16:07
Thanks for your comment, Nelia. It’s good to see that so many colleagues feel the same about the advice being given by Mr Stanton – I’ve had several supportive comments on Facebook too.
I challenged him quite few times and he is such a snowflake. Thank you for writing the truth
Simon Berrill on November 7, 2019 at 14:08
I was delighted to do it, Radovan. I challenged him for a while, but after writing this blog post I’ve stopped engaging with him because it’s just a waste of time. I certainly haven’t changed my mind, though – his advice is appalling!
Heather McCrae on May 22, 2018 at 17:40
Well said, Simon! I feel sorry for his clients to be honest. And even sorrier for any translators that follow his advice, which seems extremely dubious. Being able to simply fit a job in here or there or work late may be ok for some people or some of the time, but most of us have families and limited amounts of energy.
Simply following basic common sense practices seems to be a problem for a lot of translators.
Thanks for writing this blog!
Simon Berrill on May 22, 2018 at 17:49
Thanks for your comment, Heather. Yes, I have some sympathy with his clients, particularly those who are paying for a better service than they’re getting. Mind you, he makes no secret of his working methods so anyone who wants to know how he operates can easily find out.
Jen O'Donnell on May 23, 2018 at 20:51
Thank you for writing this Simon! I only noticed Matt because he blipped into my Linkedin when he commented on my book reviews saying I should add his book. Actually he was more demanding I add it… (His attitude made me not even want to consider his book.)
I had a quick look at his interactions on LinkedIn and am honestly shocked at how impolite and disrespectful he is. Especially towards those in the localization industry! A lot of "all these trolls and haters are great, they’re getting me more views!" when ironically he is the only troll/hater in the discussions.
As a Japanese-English translator I’m surprised because Japanese language and culture demands so much humility and I almost never meet an arrogant person within the Japanese speaking community.
Needless to say it is ironic that her shared your article, which shed light on his rudeness and poor advice and made me remove him as a connection.
Simon Berrill on May 23, 2018 at 21:35
Jane on May 23, 2018 at 21:46
It looks to me like this guy is applying the Mark Manson/Chuck Wendig approach (lots of swearing, somewhat non-traditional) to writing about translation. I get that completely – it drives controversy and therefore page views. However, the difference comes in the comments. As far as I’m aware, Manson and Wendig never resort to personal insults in reply, regardless of how rude the original commenter might have been.
Personally, I don’t much care how colleagues approach their translation work. I sometimes translate very quickly myself, but unless a fellow translator happens to be on the other side of the Brexit debate (and being crass about it) it’s most unlikely I’ll resort to name calling.
Simon Berrill on May 23, 2018 at 21:55
Thanks, Jane. I don’t much care how colleagues work either. But I do care when they try to influence others with bad advice. There’s nothing wrong with translating quickly if you then revise the translation well, which I’m sure you do, but Mr Stanton doesn’t approve of revision, and he actually claims working quickly leads to better work. Now, he might be able to get away with it, but I think most people taking that advice would produce shocking work, and that’s the basis for my post. It’s not what Mr Stanton does, it’s the ideas he spreads that bother me.
Macarena on May 24, 2018 at 17:47
"It drives controversy and therefore page views"… That’s the key to it all!
Simon Berrill on May 24, 2018 at 17:50
You may be right, Macarena. But surely the point of that is to make him more visible to clients and what any prospective clients think of some of his advice doesn’t bear thinking about.
Paul Cook on August 27, 2018 at 17:49
Thanks very much for this article. I am an experienced translator, but I’m looking for inspiration to rekindle my career. I’ve just noticed this e-book today. Thanks for the warning. It’s good to know that there are still some serious professionals like you left in this rapidly-changing industry.
Simon Berrill on September 2, 2018 at 23:23
Thanks for your kind words, Paul. When looking for inspiration, it’s always a good idea to avoid the instagurus out there. There are plenty of normal translators only too happy to give advice for nothing or for very little reward, not trying to sell dubious ideas in various packages.
Laura on September 10, 2018 at 22:11
I enjoyed reading this post, kind of like when you watch a particularly depressing documentary that leaves you feeling in despair at the world, so you go and watch a couple of episodes of Blue Planet because David Attenborough’s voice restores balance in your universe, and you need that before you go to bed.
Thanks for being the David Attenborough to one of the most annoying people on LinkedIn. Extra-annoying as they fall under the category of people for which any attention is good attention.
The majority of level-headed translators appreciate the struggles posed by earning the salaries we deserve, but know that pushing ourselves to get faster and more machine-like with each passing day (insert all the other odd-attention seeking-reaction garnering statements spouted here) is not the answer.
Simon Berrill on September 11, 2018 at 00:00
Thank you for your kind words, Laura. I’m glad to have helped you sleep peacefully! As you say, trying to turn into machines is not going to help us compete with machines.
Maria on September 21, 2018 at 17:16
I recently had a confrontation via LinkedIn with this empathy-lacking, disrespectful clown. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who thinks that way.
Simon Berrill on September 21, 2018 at 17:23
I had a few lively discussions with him on there at about the time of this blog post, but it seemed to me he was just using conflict with people as additional self-promotion so I decided to withdraw. My views haven’t changed a bit, though.
I’m wondering where this “professional” is located. I’m simply baffled by his vision of our work. His activities are certainly not as regulated as they are where I am.
Simon Berrill on April 5, 2019 at 21:02
He’s in Japan, Nathalie. I think that’s largely how he gets away with his approach to translation – the machines haven’t really got to grips with Japanese-English yet. When they do, he’ll have to take his slapdash methods elsewhere.
KM on October 18, 2019 at 21:25
Thank you, Simon, for being the voice of reason against Stanton’s misguided advice. There is still hope left for the industry !
Simon Berrill on October 19, 2019 at 18:10
Celui qui sait faire, fait
Celui qui ne sait pas faire, enseigne comment faire
Et celui qui ne sait pas enseigner… écrit un blog !
Simon Berrill on November 6, 2019 at 09:49
I hope you don’t mean me!
Denis on January 14, 2020 at 16:41
I had mixed feelings about both books by M. Stanton, although I tested some of his practical advice in my translation practice. His chutzpa aside, it’s been effective in making me aware of my self-indulgence and encouraging me to revisit some of my overstiff translation routines. That said, I do agree that the ‘instaguru’ approach is not the best way to win people over. Cheers from Ukraine.
Simon Berrill on January 14, 2020 at 16:52
Thanks for your comment, Denis. I can imagine some of Stanton’s methods working up to a point. The problem is always going to be, though, that, for him, the aim is to work like a computer – quickly, efficiently and to low quality standards. This is not going to help anyone compete with machine translation. If we want to beat the machines we have to offer things they can’t do.
Denis on January 14, 2020 at 23:03
Exactly my thoughts! However, my rationale for testing his method was more of Kaizen-type, which AFAIK has not been meant to sacrifice quality for speed. Here’s a quick example of how his books urged me to see if I could translate both faster AND better. I ran some usability tests on my CAT tools and discovered there was much room for improvement in their configuration, layout, etc. I’d considered myself a solid expert of CAT technology, so I was pretty much amazed to watch my hourly output going up by almost 50% thanks to those simple tweaks. I’m a technical translator logging effective hours of work, so in my case speed has always mattered!
Simon Berrill on January 14, 2020 at 23:37
If you can translate faster without losing quality, that’s got to be good. Mind you, I don’t think Stanton approves of CAT tools…
BW on February 14, 2020 at 12:56
"My January stats:
Marketing hours: 0"
Many people fall for that (me included at first sight) and ask themselves: Why don’t I make such good money in these few hours…? By the way, that’s 162 Dollars per hour.
I remember him working a few years ago for gengo as a resources manager, i.e. being responsible for the relations with the translators on this platform.
I don’t think he makes this kind of money with translations, he is too busy posting on LinkedIn and Insta to promote his books.
Simon Berrill on February 14, 2020 at 13:12
His figures may be true, but there are a lot of things they don’t tell you. For example, is this a regular month or a freakishly good one? Are the hours he claims to work correct, or is he doing work-related things outside them that he doesn’t account for? And are his clients happy with his rushed, unrevised work? If I could see his figures for a whole year and speak to his clients about him, then I might start to believe him.
BW on February 14, 2020 at 18:17
I am glad that I found your blog (while looking for Matt Stanton, by the way) and with it a person who says things about translations that really make sense. I have been translating now for 12 years into German and I never ever found out that my translations get any better when I rush through them. It is just pure nonsense. The money aspect sounds enticing, though, to beginners in this profession or people who have difficulties to make ends meet. Thanks for your blog!
Simon Berrill on February 14, 2020 at 18:33
Thank you, BW. I’m glad you like the blog. Not everything Matt Stanton says is rubbish, particularly when he talks about knowing your specialist areas, but he always spoils the sensible stuff with his nonsense about working quickly and not checking anything. Then he deflects criticism by calling anyone who dares to call him out old-fashioned. I said what I wanted to say in that post and I don’t engage with him, although I know he’s still spouting rubbish on LinkedIn and selling books to the gullible. However much I’d like to help other translators there are limits to what I can achieve.
Mohammad Gabriell on July 30, 2020 at 19:38
I am a newcomer in translation industry, and I have been following this person for the past few years. I must say that his views about work principles in translation got me shocked. I started asking myself, "Is translation right for me? I cannot work as quickly as he does, and some of the qualities I have are what he calls as the qualities of ‘unsuccessful freelance translators’", one of which is taking the time to think whether or not I take a job from a client (which, I think, after reading this post, is obviously nonsense!). I used to view him as the standard of a successful translator, but I naturally disagree with many of his views, and I thought I must not be the only one. So, I found this writing, and I am glad that I did! Thank you!
Simon Berrill on July 30, 2020 at 19:50
I’m glad you’ve "seen the light", Mohammad. It’s hard enough starting off as a translator without being led astray by bad advice. I wish you luck for the future.
Roy on September 10, 2020 at 11:59
I thankful that I found this article, even though its a couple of years old. It is good to know that my suspicions are not unfounded. This person is constantly popping up in my notifications and I find his arrogance extremely irritating. I find him the P.T. Barnum of the translation world.
Simon Berrill on September 10, 2020 at 23:23
Aleksandra J. Chlon on October 2, 2020 at 18:01
I’m late to the party, but thanks for this, Simon. I wish everyone saw through his rubbish (how does anyone not?). Are there any samples of his work available anywhere? I can’t find any (not even a website?) and I would LOVE to see what he actually produces.
Simon Berrill on October 2, 2020 at 18:24
I’ve never seen examples of his work. He makes all kinds of claims about his expertise, which may well be true for all I know, but from the working methods he describes I’d be worried about the quality of his work.
Lily on November 2, 2020 at 17:10
I have never met Mr. Stanton but I have interacted with him more than a few times online (having had him as a friend on my Facebook, which I stopped using last yeat) and I have seen what he’s written in both languages including some samples of his work. What I can tell from his translations is that, although his Japanese writing skill might not be good enough to make him a successful "English to Japanese" translator, he does understand both languages very well having lived in both the UK and Japan for almost an equal amount of time (I believe), which probably allows him to take a more creative approach to J to E translation. That is probably why, I assume, he believes that he can produce better work by working faster (overthinking and being bound by too many rules can stop some of us from being creative. I should also mention that translating between a European and an Asian lauguages can require a lot more creativity due to the both liguistic and cultural gap).
However, I agree with you that his approach doesn’t apply to everyone and those who are new to this business should probably be warned. At the same time, I do understand where he’s coming from and what he’s frustrated about – There is nothing more frustrating than having your work edited by someone who’s much less qualified/experienced than you are. He did master Japanese very well for which I respect him.
About his being arrogant and patronizing, I believe it is probably due to all the years that he’s spent in Japan, which continues to be a male-dominated society and in which white people in particular can live in the delusion of being priviledged…I do not find him pleasant but I don’t think he’s completely wrong, either. I don’t agree to all what he says but he’s very consistent with what he argues and I understand where he’s coming from, which can be useful to know as one of many perspectives of successful translators (assuming readers are intelligent enough not to follow ANY advice blindly). In conclusion, there are many so-called "professional" translators that I don’t respect at all but he’s not one of them (he can do the job), although that doesn’t give him the right to pester others.
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“Simon is one of the freelances we have been working with regularly for more than two years for translations and revisions in English. We’re delighted with his professionalism: he’s careful, delivers on time and adapts to the requirements of each project we assign him.”
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With two games left on their schedule, the Lady Jags have maintained a steady pace throughout this undefeated season and look to carry their momentum into the upcoming playoff games in May.
“We have done pretty good this season and I think that we will finish the season strong and go into the playoffs hot after the end of our district games. I think we have a good chance to continue winning,” senior Erica Arguello said.
The Lady Jags have had a strong season so far and only have a few games left on their schedule before the playoffs. They feel they can make a deep playoff run if they stick to what they know.
“I think we have a really strong team and I think that we can make a strong push into playoffs. our team has been together for a while and I think if we can all play our best we can go far,” Arguello said.
Not like many other games softball is a game of failures. Sometimes people who play Softball may like failing, but it is necessary to fail in Softball in order to learn from their mistakes. It may not seem like the most intriguing to fail first at something but it’s just a part of being successful.
“Softball is a game of failures. If you go one for three at the plate for a game, you’ve been successful. If you got a 33 on a quiz, that wouldn’t be considered successful. So learning to deal with successes and failures in our game sometimes is tough. Any time a team can gain confidence that momentum is sometimes unstoppable. The players have the skills and work hard everyday at practice but our game is tough mentally – so having confidence is the key to offset a game of failures,” Coach Jennifer Fox said.
Due to injuries and some rotational issues, the Lady Jags have been phenomenal especially considering how many people have been playing out of position or not in the rotation.
“As of late our softball team has been playing together as a team. We have had to move players into unfamiliar positions and they have responded with a competitive and willing attitude,” Fox said.
With many upperclassmen on the team who have played together for multiple years, the Lady Jags ranked first in the district have the ultimate goal in mind; a state championship. The Lady Jags believe they can accomplish this goal if they can maintain winning at a high level of competition.
“There is only one team that ends the year with years of joy instead of tears of disappointment and that is the state champion. We are taking this season one day at a time and enjoying the process instead of thinking about the outcomes. Only time will tell how our season ends,” Fox said.
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Samuel Abbas is a junior at Johnson and staff writer for MyJagNews. He is a fan of the Kentucky Wildcats, Chicago sports teams and Kobe Bryant. He enjoys watching sports and being active.
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Jet Fuel Meals is flying with their healthy food delivery service. They are gaining substantial popularity, as they offer fresh, high-grade and also natural healthier meals that please your hunger and also provide the meal delivered comfort we’ve all pertained to love (specifically for plant-based lovers).
Being a top food shipment service provider, this brand name deals with greater than just vegan, plant-based food eaters. Jet Fuel Meals also has meal plans for professional athletes (for weight gain), keto, youngsters, pescatarian (seafood diet regimens) and a Maintain plan. Along with their meal plans, they also supply Immunity Contractor Picture (also known as health and wellness shots) and Cold Press Juices for metabolic power.
What Is Jet Fuel Meals?
Jet Fuel Meals is taking flight with their healthy food distribution solution. They are gaining substantial appeal, as they offer fresh, top notch and also all-natural well balanced meals that satisfy your cravings and give the meal provided convenience we have actually all involved adore (specifically for plant-based fans).
Being a top food delivery provider, this brand name caters to more than simply vegan, plant-based food eaters. Jet Fuel Meals additionally has meal prepare for professional athletes (for weight gain), keto, youngsters, pescatarian (seafood diet plans) as well as a Maintain strategy. Along with their meal strategies, they also supply Resistance Contractor Shots (also known as wellness shots) as well as Cold Press Juices for metabolic power.
We need to admit that this is the very first time we’ve seen so many different meal plans dealing with different objectives and also choices. If you’re a professional athlete looking to put on weight simply go for the Athletic Weight Gain Strategy. And if you’re seeking to slim down you can pick the Keto Weight Loss strategy. So, allow’s go over all 6 strategies currently.
Athletic Weight Gain meal plan
If you’re working out or merely attempting to acquire some weight, the Athletic Weight Gain meal delivery strategy offers larger and juicier portions. 600 calories suffice for one meal but we’re not talking about convenience food however healthy food. This makes these meals a great source of vitamins, carbohydrates, as well as antioxidants. They are also reduced in cholesterol, as well as saturated fat, and also include no added sugar. Below are some sample meals for this week:
Pork Tenderloin Al Cilantro (with Asparagus, Yellow Rice and also Cilantro Sauce).
Lemon Pepper Garlic Hen (with Penne, Kale and also Sliced Lemon ahead).
Coconut Mahi Mahi (with Couscous, Yellow Squash and also Red Pepper).
Ribeye Chimichurri (with Potatoes, Purple Cabbage as well as Onion).
Plant Based meal strategy.
Release the power of the plants with this Jet Fuel Meals intend. With around 400 calories per serving, these meals are just as healthy as they’re tasty. Without any meat visible allowed’s take a look at a few of the meals for today:.
Mediterranean Hummus Bowl (with Couscous and also Carrots).
Broccoli Vegan Hamburger (with Sweet Potato and Kale).
Beefless Marinara Linguine (with Fresh Tomatoes and also Broccoli).
Preserve or Typical meal plan.
If you’re wanting to keep your weight this is the perfect meal plan for you. It’s likewise a great selection if you don’t wish to experiment too much with various meals and also choices. It will certainly provide you a preference of what Jet Fuel Meals provides as well as we make sure you’re going to be back for even more. Below are some sample meals from today:.
Luscious Herbs Turkey Bust (with Turkey, Sugary Food Potatoes as well as Zucchini).
Poultry Salad del Bosco (with Quinoa, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Orange and also Arugula).
Texas BBQ Pork (with Baked Beans, Coleslaw and Barbeque Sauce).
Chicken Pizza (with Linguini, Pepperoni as well as Spinach).
Keto Weight reduction meal plan.
This ketogenic-inspired meal plan will help you drop weight and remain healthy and balanced with delicious and also filling up meals. This is where those cooks make their living, providing you alternatives that will help you reach your weight goals. The plan includes getting rid of carbs from your diet plan and replacing it with a boost in healthy protein, veggies, as well as great fats. This is the existing option:.
Miami Early Morning (with Grape Tomatoes, Serrano Ham and also Cuban Pork).
Ribeye Chimichurri (with Rutabaga, Purple Cabbage and Onion).
Shrimp Fried Rice (with Fried Rice, Green Beans, Peas, Carrots, Peppers and Bean Sprouts).
Poultry Dolce Vita (with Oat Rice, Red Pepper Sauce and also Caramelized Onions).
This all-fish meal strategy is excellent for those that are looking for lean protein. With around 350 calories per offering, these meals are additionally abundant in omega-3 fats. Right here are simply a few of them:.
Grilled Red Snapper.
Youngsters meal strategy.
With the enhancement of a Kids meal strategy, Jet Fuel Meals comes to be truth Household Meal Distribution Service. Not just your children will certainly be eating great food but with every meal they will obtain a side of fruit or snack. Nutritionally stabilized to help them grow as well as continue to be healthy and balanced, they are a best choice for busy family members who intend to consume right. And also skip convenience food. Here’s the menu for today:.
Cubed Grilled Chicken (with Baked Potato French Fries as well as Yogurt).
Turkey Picadillo (with White Rice as well as Fruit).
Ground Beef Bolognese (with Fresh Fruits as well as White Rice).
Stove Baked Turkey as well as Pasta (with Fresh Fruits).
Minimum of 6 days weekly.
2 meals daily: $80.00 each week $319.00/ monthly.
3 meals per day: $115.00 each week $437.00/ monthly.
The regular cost of four meals every day is $140.00. $532.00/ month-to-month.
5 meals each day: $170.00 weekly $680.00 monthly.
You will have the ability to pick a beginning day for your meals on the checkout page. You might start on any of their distribution days as long as you are not inside the 48-hour window for the complying with shipment day. They supply 3 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, as well as Friday. Their meals are fresh, all-natural, preservative-free, and never ever iced up! You can maintain their meals in the fridge for about 3 days and can be frozen if desired.
Frequently asked question’s.
Why are Jet Fuel Meals so popular? Chefs with 5 celebrities– Enjoy newly prepared meals supplied by 5-star chefs with over thirty years of experience. Their regular and also month-to-month meal intends adjustment, so bid farewell to your dull old meal strategy!
Warm & Serve– Their common customer saves up to 6-8 hrs each week by not having to cook! They do all of the grocery purchasing, food preparation, and cleansing. They supply a 16-week revolving food selection, which means you will certainly not receive the very same meals for 4 months straight unless it is a follower favored! Talk about a vast array.
Practical– They do the buying, the food preparation, the deliciousness, and the healthiness. To top all of it off, they provide ideal to your door three times weekly.
Portion control– Their healthy meal strategies give the ideal balance. Every Jet Fuel Meal is precisely computed and also portioned to satisfy your special demands.
Final Idea About Jet Fuel Meals.
They provide an option of meal plans designed to meet a selection of needs and also goals. You will certainly find remarkable alternatives on your own, whether you want to drop weight, put on weight, or stick to a pescatarian or plant-based diet regimen. Additionally, their active ingredients are always fresh as well as gotten in your area! You additionally have the alternative to supplement your meal strategy with a selection of treats as well as cold-pressed drinks. Throughout the sign-up procedure, you will certainly be able to add these alternatives.
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The Summit is a 2012 documentary film about the 2008 K2 disaster directed by Nick Ryan. It combines documentary footage with dramatized recreations of the events of the 2008 K2 disaster. On the way to and from the summit, eleven climbers died during a short time span creating one of the worst catastophes in climbing history. Much of the documentary footage was captured by Swedish mountaineer Fredrik Sträng. Sträng was planning to do a Documentary which was aborted due to the fact that he did not reach the summit. The footage was still valuable to help solving what really did happen since all the climbers had different stories about what happened.
Director: Nick Ryan
No images were imported for this movie.
The Summit is a 2012 documentary film about the 2008 K2 disaster directed by Nick Ryan. It combines documentary footage with dramatized recreations of the events of the 2008 K2 disaster. On the way to and from the summit, eleven climbers died during a short time span creating one of the worst catastophes in climbing history. Much of the documentary footage was captured by Swedish mountaineer Fredrik Sträng. Sträng was planning to do a Documentary which was aborted due to the fact that he did not reach the summit. The footage was still valuable to help solving what really did happen since all the climbers had different stories about what happened.
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Hi, I’m Becky Dukes and my passion is supporting schools and districts in their goals and vision for education excellence. Schoolhouse Mentoring is your premier service provider of high quality, engaging and exciting Professional Development and Coaching Services for teachers, schools, and districts.
At Schoolhouse Mentoring, we support teachers and leaders to overcome struggles in the classroom or school setting so they can their live their best lives and experience school success whether they are in their first or 25th year of teaching.
Whole school transformation is attainable when Every Educator has a Coach.
You've come to the right place.
I wished that I had someone to help me navigate the struggles that I faced those first years as a teacher and later, when I become an instructional coach and district leader. And that is why I started Schoolhouse Mentoring. I know that I would have become a Champion Teacher and Leader so much faster if I had someone like me to guide me throughout my education career.
As an award-winning teacher, instructional coach and district leader, I have created systems that provide support for teachers and leaders to become their best. We want to share these best practices with teachers, schools, and districts across the nation.
At Schoolhouse Mentoring, our team is committed to provide you with transformative Professional Development experiences that will have your schools asking for more!
Teacher programs
School/District programs
How we can help
Schoolhouse Mentoring can help schools, districts, and teachers with all of the strategies and techniques that needed to be able to overcome the obstacles facing the education profession. From free workshops for teachers, professional learning and mentorship programs for schools and districts and through our social media communities, our partners gain the knowledge they need to meet their personal, school, and district goals and vision, be more productive and achieve work-life balance. Schoolhouse Mentoring can transform your school, district, and teachers.
The Schoolhouse Mentoring Better Way Workshops are OPEN! Each month we offer a Free 1- hour quick win live workshops with resources to solve a teacher problem at school or home.
Schools and Districts get customized professional learning and mentorship programs designed to meet the unique needs of their school communities with onsite, virtual, and hybrid workshops and coaching packages.
Connect on Facebook or Instagram for tips, techniques, strategies, and encouragement that you can use in your everyday practice. And join us in the Teacher Talk! Club on the Clubhouse Social Audio app for weekly discussion on trending education topics.
Can you answer yes?
Do you feel a lack of support? Are the long hours taking its toll? Do you need more strategies and skills to be an effective teacher? Do you need the right partner to transform your school or district? Then, you have come to the right place.
Teacher programs
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“I would recommend Becky and Schoolhouse Mentoring’s workshops because she provides great ideas and resources around how to save me time as a teacher and improve student achievement.”
Elementary Teacher
“As a first-year principal, Becky has been an excellent thought partner in deciding which path to take in improving student outcomes in my school. We have built a relationship of trust and that makes her advice invaluable to me. She has a wealth of knowledge and is an expert after serving teachers and administrators in so many roles in education over the years.”
Middle School Principal
“I would recommend Becky and Schoolhouse Mentoring’s workshops because she provides great ideas and resources around how to save me time as a teacher and improve student achievement.”
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In the heart of Birmingham’s Theater District, the Jefferson Home Furniture property is for sale (previously Joiner and Cain Furniture). Above is a photo from the 1940’s showing the larger concrete frame building in the center on Second Avenue North between 17th and 18th Streets; the smaller wood frame building to the far right is also included. Directly to the west is the Phoenix Building, a popular 74-loft development (the old Jefferson Theatre in the photo was demolished soon after this picture was taken and replaced with the expanded Phoenix Building). Within a half block are the Pizitz and Thomas Jefferson Tower mixed-use projects currently under construction. A Zyp bike station is directly across Second Avenue; Railroad Park and the booming Parkside District are 3 blocks south. The Alabama, Lyric, and Carver Theatres are all within a couple minutes’ walk.
Both Federal and State historic tax credits have been substantially approved for converting this property. Please contact Southpace Properties here for more info on this opportunity!
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This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Birmingham Theater District, downtown Birmingham, Jefferson Home Furniture, Second Avenue North. Bookmark the permalink.
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mfstr | January 12, 2016 at 10:32 am | Reply
I want that.
michaelalancalvert | January 12, 2016 at 10:58 am | Reply
The Birmingham Police Headquarters across Second Avenue, which assures 24-hour police presence in the neighborhood, is also an asset.
mfstr | January 12, 2016 at 11:04 am | Reply
It looks like the proposed site plans include a complete or partial tear down of the smaller building for parking. Is that correct? If possible, I’d like to see more of the proposed design…
bhamarchitect | January 12, 2016 at 3:53 pm | Reply
The proposal illustrated in the Southpace flyer indeed shows the smaller building replaced with parking. The rest of the design is also shown with floor plans of every floor. Please contact Southpace for more information! Thanks.
joehannon | January 12, 2016 at 12:09 pm | Reply
Does the plan call for tearing down building 2 or just turning the ground floor into parking?
bhamarchitect | January 12, 2016 at 3:54 pm | Reply
The proposal illustrated on the Southpace flyer shows the smaller building replaced with parking; some additional garage parking is also produced on the ground level of the main building. Thanks.
joehannon | January 13, 2016 at 1:05 pm |
Thanks Jeremy for the update! While I am always happy to see abandoned buildings rehabilitated, I think it is very sad that the plan calls for demolishing the smaller building for nothing but surface parking. I realize this is not the same property, but the block across the street is almost 80% surface parking. Birmingham cannot have genuine urbanism when half the city is parking. That’s just suburbia with an urban aesthetic.
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Soil testing is a crucial component when building a new house and is often performed well before construction or design even begins. A soil test in Canberra will confirm the composition of the soil and can influence both the design of the house and the cost of construction.
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Common Questions about Soil Testing
Why do I need a soil test?
There are many reasons why you would require a soil test, the most common is when constructing a new home, building or even renovating, engineers require a profile of the underlying soil conditions to determine the bearing capacity of the soil. This information will determine how the foundations of the building are designed.
Determine the profile of the soil
Determine the bearing capacity of the soil
Required by engineers when planning the foundations of the building
Shows the physical and chemical composition of the coil
How is a soil test performed?
A standard soil test is performed quite easily by a licensed Geotechnical Engineer. In most cases, the engineer will drill at least 2 holes, often to 10ft in multiple locations on the site. Samples of the soil from different depths are removed and sent away for testing.
If the site can be accessed by vehicle then the engineer can use a drill mounted to the back of the vehicle, if access is more difficult then a manual drill can be used.
What are the different types of soil classifications?
There are many types of soil all with difference characteristics that will effect how you plan and build your house.
Class A – stable, non-reactive: the possibility of very little or no ground movement as a result of moisture change (often sand and rock sites)
Class S – the possibility of slight ground movement (often clay sites)
Class M – the possibility of moderate ground movement (often clay or silt sites)
Class H – the possibility of high ground movement (often clay sites)
Class E – the possibility of extreme ground movement
Class P – problem sites: ground movement as a result of moisture change may be very severe, you will need to consult a structural engineer before building a new house.
In most cases, Class ‘A’ and ‘S’ will only require a standard or basic slab with footings, however other classes will require additional footings or reinforcement of the slab.
How long does a soil test take?
The actual drilling of the holes can take a few hours depending on the size and access to the site – and how many samples are required.
Test results often take between 1 and 2 weeks.
How much does a soil test cost?
The cost of a soil test will be influenced by a number of factors.
How many tests are required
Type of tests required, ie residential, commercial
Accessibility to the site
Site location
Tests can be performed from as little as $350 but please request a quote so we can provide a more accurate cost.
What's included in a soil test
All site tests are performed by licensed geotechnical engineers and in accordance with the requirements of AS2870 – Residential Slabs & Footings Code.
A typical residential soil test includes:
Boreholes as required at the project site
Testing of soil samples as required
Classification of the site in accordance with AS2870 – Residential Slabs & Footings Code.
Preparation of a site classification report
Get a quote today for your next soil test.
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A1 Soil Testing connects customers across Australia with certified soil testers for commercial and residential soil testing.
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Saturday, November 14, 2015
Yesterday started out pretty nice...bright sunny skies (this is Las Vegas after all), meeting up with friends who are in town for the Las Vegas Marathon, doing a short run of 6 miles myself...it was a pretty quiet Friday. Then in the evening my cell phone went nuts. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, emails from friends...did you see what's happening in Paris now? My first thought was that something happened at the Paris Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Then I went to Reddit which is literally my first source of news these days aside from Twitter. Trending at the top was this post. Oh jeez not again. Sadly, among the things you can pretty much count on to happen on a regular basis these days (aside from Trump or Carson saying something amazingly perceptive or completely idiotic) is either a terrorism incident or a mass shooting. Last night it was both.
It is a sad commentary on society when "business as usual" means people being ambushed and mowed down by fanatics (either the mentally ill sort or the religious sort) on a regular basis. I'm about ready to move myself and the spouse (who would be protesting all the way) to a rural retreat in a Western state where I wouldn't need to deal much with people. Although that isn't really an option at the moment (protesting would be putting it lightly if I were to suddenly decide that an armed mountain fortress would be a better option than the current round of social events and restaurants the spouse--and reluctantly I--engage in on a regular basis). Which leaves me to determine how to best reside in a society where people are literally crazy and quite randomly dangerous.
Here's what I do:
Make the house as secure as possible. Stopping short of an armed fortress, we do have a variety of security systems in place--from a video surveillance system to reinforced doors and windows to always having a firearm within reach.
Avoiding crowded public places. I had already decided not to run the marathon tomorrow and lately I have been doing much more trail running than big, multi-thousand people running events. I'd rather take my chances with wildlife than people. While we do occasionally go to movies, shows, and the Las Vegas Strip, we opt more often for visiting with friends and family, eating in small, out of the way restaurants, and avoiding crowds as much as possible.
Concealed carry. The only way to stop a shooter is to shoot back at them. Much as I would not want to be in a live fire situation, I would opt for having a gun and not needing it then not having a gun and really needing one.
Being hyper aware of our surroundings. It is habit at this point but watching people and watching the crowd in general is just second nature. And there is a lot to see, especially in Vegas. Also noting all exits and entrances, memorizing not only building floor plans but where useful items may be found (fire alarms, janitor's closets, emergency stairwells, etc), and noticing things that are unusual or inconsistent are all part of being aware.
Staying in good physical shape. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you could find yourself in an active shooter situation. That's when your options of run, fight, or hide kick in. My first option will always be to run away from the scene if possible. To that end, being in good shape is rather necessary. Hiding effectively also requires a certain amount of physical fitness. And of course fighting, definitely a last resort, may require a good deal of physical fitness if you must fight physically (as opposed to with a firearm).
There is no sure way to avoid being in the wrong place at the wrong time and ending up in a terrorist/mass shooting situation. What you can do, however, is to prepare as much as possible for such a situation (while hopefully you will never need these skills) and be ready just in case.
Find more information here, here, and here on this topic.
Posted by Code Name Insight at 6:50 PM
1 comment:
Anonymous November 20, 2015 at 5:11 AM
Thank you for the tips above on staying alive in such a situation. Very scary times if you live in the EU. I think they are going to be having more of this occurring very soon.
I think Larry Correia (sp ?) said it very well in his commentary on 'THOUGHTS ON PARIS'.
I just heard of that Radison hotel hostage situation in Africa. It is beginning to appear that this Thanksgiving will be much more dangerous than others in the past.
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The Prepared
The information in this blog is presented for informational purposes only. Before using any information from this blog, do your own due diligence--and your own research. No information in this blog should be construed as legal, medical, or financial advice. If you need legal, medical, or financial advice specific to your situation, please consult a licensed professional.
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A pioneer in the Texas wine industry, Reddy Vineyards has been recognized as a leading source of premium grapes by wine producers throughout the state for over twenty years. With 38 of the world’s most coveted varietals planted at Reddy Vineyards, our ability to create new and exciting wines is unmatched. Many of our wines have received national acclaim. We continuously invest in our land and winery to ensure that each bottle of Reddy Vineyards wine represents the best that Texas has to offer. We look forward to sharing a bottle from our family’s premium estate collection of wines with you.
Reddy Vineyards was founded in 1997 by acclaimed viticulturist Dr. Vijay Reddy. His vast expertise in both soil chemistry and farming led to a gold medal-winning Cabernet Sauvignon with his first planting. His passion for the vineyard has determined a lifetime pursuit of perfecting and cultivating wine grapes.
From produce and grain in the lush terrain of South India to cotton and peanuts in the High Plains of West Texas, Dr. Reddy’s roots in farming lie deep within the agricultural community. A fifth-generation farmer, Dr. Reddy came to the U.S. in 1971 to pursue a graduate degree in soil and plant science and obtained a doctorate in 1975. Along with his wife Subada, Dr. Reddy established and ran a soil consulting laboratory while continuing to farm cotton and peanuts.
In 1997, after having discovered the premium quality of grapes from the Texas High Plains, Reddy planted the family’s first grape vines. Reddy Vineyards is now comprised of a constantly expanding 300+ acres planted with 38 different varietals, making it one of the most diverse vineyard in Texas.
Proprietor & CEO
The son of an immigrant cotton and peanut farmer with a PhD in soil and plant science, Akhil Reddy and his siblings visited the family farm outside of Lubbock, Texas regularly. They made the farm their playground, climbing tractors, making mud pies and roaming the fields together. Eventually, Akhil’s father, Dr. Vijay Reddy, put him to work in his newly planted vineyard in the Texas High Plains AVA, tying baby vines, learning how to drive a truck and working other jobs in the vineyard through high school. Along with becoming an Eagle Scout, Akhil grew very fond of the land and outdoors.
Akhil attended University of the Pacific in Stockton and San Francisco, California. It was in San Francisco that he experienced an immense culinary and wine culture. He graduated dental school at the early age of 23 and returned to Dallas, Texas in 2008 to start his practice. Always interested in wine, he became more involved in his father’s wine grape farming operations and finally joined his father as a business partner in 2009.
Wineries purchasing fruit from Reddy Vineyards began to win awards and national recognition for their wines and Akhil knew it was time to start crafting authentic, estate-grown wines under the family name to showcase the best of the plantings his father had cultivated for nearly two decades. “It became clear that we had an opportunity to showcase the quality of fruit from our own vineyard and create world-class wines that would make people notice our region,” he said. The first vintage of Reddy Vineyards estate wines was in 2015 winning best of class and double gold medals.
While still practicing dentistry, Akhil completed the UC Davis Wine Executive Program to help develop the winery’s strategic plan and drive operational efficiencies in the business. He then built a state-of-the-art winery, world class team, and a rare brand that exudes contemporary designs and the delicious complexity of Texas terroir. Akhil with his father has developed the leading Texas vineyard with one of the top boutique wineries in Texas. In 2022, Reddy Vineyards celebrates 25 years of farming and Akhil steps into his father’s shoes as CEO.
Akhil celebrated his marriage at the family vineyard and hopes his son Remy, who arrived during the 2019 harvest, might follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps continuing the Reddy Vineyards’ family legacy of pioneering world-renowned fine wine from the Texas High Plains AVA.
Dr. Vijay Reddy
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The third grade elementary teacher explained to her students why she needs to make accommodations for some students.
By sethuraman s
November 17, 2022
Posted November 17, 2022
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on September 21, 2021.
Children's early ages and influences shape their vision for the future and that's why having good teachers is so crucial. In a world where inequity is rife, kids understanding the concept can go a long way in course-correcting the future. A 21-year-old third grade teacher, Aimee, posted a video on TikTok showing how she spells out fairness and equity to kids and it's eye-opening. Not only does it teach kids about existing inequity but it also helps them understand the need for allocation of resources to address the inequity.
Aimee posted the video on TikTok explaining how she broke it down for her students using band-aids. She asks students if they have ever bruised their elbows and naturally, the kids raised their hands. She asks one of them to narrate how they hurt their elbow before handing out band-aids to those who hurt their elbows. She then proceeds to ask them if any of them had bumped their head and a few students raised their hands. Like the first time, she asks one of them to narrate their story before carefully telling them, "Here's a band-aid for your elbow." The kids are now confused because the kid had hurt his head but she was handing him a band-aid for his elbow.
She continues, asking if any of them had scraped a knee. A few kids raise their hands. She goes through the same routine before giving the students a band-aid. "I'm so sorry you scraped your knee, here's a band-aid for your elbow," she tells them. The kids are now even more confused. She then explains to the students, "Even though I handed the same thing (band-aid), to everyone who was hurt, it wasn't helpful to most of them. She then spells it out for them, explaining that "everyone getting the same thing isn't 'fair' but being 'fair' means everyone getting what they need to be successful."
She said the kids picked up on the simple lesson and are now more empathetic and understanding in the classroom. "After this lesson, students are much more understanding when their friends with diabetes need an extra snack, when their friends with autism need noise-canceling headphones. When they're friends with someone who has ADHD and needs the fidget-spinner. It helps with everything," Aimee explained. The video went viral garnering 1.4 million likes and was viewed close to 6 million times. Many TikTok users lauded Aimee for her methods, while some called on her to teach the lessons to adults who very much needed them.
The elementary teacher also posted a follow-up video explaining it was an equity lesson. As an elementary teacher who's inclusive and supportive, she needs to make accommodations to certain students depending on what they need and other students could tell her that "it's not fair." In such situations, all Aimee needs to do is say the word "band-aid," and everyone gets it. She also explains why a teacher can't use a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and plays various scenarios that might suit one student but not another. In one example, she explains why a fidget-spinner can be very helpful to some students while it can be a distraction to others.
While Aimee's lessons are for her third graders, they really should be explaining it to adults and world leaders because the world needs to address the inequity more than ever. The wealth gap in America is a result of the inequitable distribution of wealth and its ever-widening. A band-aid might not be enough to address the gaping wound but it's a start.
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The Iowa Memorial Union has over fifteen meeting rooms with updated technology, river views, WiFi, and a welcoming, knowledgeable staff to help make your meeting a success. Find your next meeting room below.
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In public relations we hear about clients wanting press kits or media kits but, what are they exactly? A media kit or press kit is an information packet about a business or product. its a great way to educate your audience of what you do and how you do it. Press kits are used by large businesses to the smallest entrepreneurs. The press kit is the resume to your company, it typical has a collection of company information and articles put together to address questions from the media, investors and potential clients.
If you aren't sure what to put in your press kit, here are some suggestions.
1. Letter of introduction: This letter of introduction is your first impression to your readers. The purpose is to intrigue them and to keep reading through your press kit. Tell them why they should care about about what you're trying to tell them. Provide a table of contents and a brief description of the items. Let them know you are available for follow-up interviews and questions. Also make sure to include your contact information in this letter.
2. Information on the company: Include all of your company information like history, company profile, information about your chief officers, management, staff and ownership. Having this information upfront can give the human element to your company, the faces behind the ones making the company go. Doing this well make you relateable to your reader.
3. Product and service information, including a product, service or performance review: This is the moment you show your reader what you do and how you do it. The more details you have about what you do and why you are successful is important. Include photos, infographics, reviews, and any other detailed piece to tell your story.
4. Recent press publications and articles: If you have been published or received any press, include them in your kit. It's a great accomplishment to have this kind of coverage, it shows you are serious contender and are valued for your work. Include copies of articles and printouts your company has Copies of recent press coverage is very appropriate for a press kit. After all, what other media have done will be of interest to current media targets. This can include article reprints and printouts of online press that a company might have received.
5. Audio and video files of radio or TV interviews, speeches, performances and any other media-covered event: More than likely, most of your coverage isn't in print. Include links and dvd copies in your kit so it's easier for your reader to view.
6. Other items to include:
Nonprofit and community-service involvement
Specific information and schedules of upcoming promotions and events
Significant statistics specific to your industry, demographics and target audiences
Feature article material, such as articles written by company officers or senior management
Missions, goals and objectives
The Key to Getting Noticed
Getting your press kit noticed is the key to publication and action! Remember, getting attention is important not only with audiences, but also with editors. Package your materials in a unique way and make sure the materials are presented professionally.
Make sure you follow up with the recipients who received your press kit and follow up and schedule a time to meet. Build relationships with your kit and create lasting partnerships. Media Kits can get expensive so remember to have a plan intact ready to go to build you relationship and incorporate it to your marketing strategy.
remember when creating your kit to assemble the best pieces of your company and tailor it to your audience. Make sure your not boring your audience with unnecessary information. It's also important to create a kit on paper and digitally or both, stay ahead of the curve.
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I was captivated by an infomercial several years ago about a product called Le Presse. The demonstrations made chopping things up so easy and quick, I came close to buying one. Then I learned that it was $75 ($59 plus $14.95 shipping) and decided it wasn’t worth that much.
Recently I was thinking about how nice it would be to have one and wondered if I should buy it. I searched for information online to learn of others’ experiences with it and found two reviews on Epinions. The first said it was cheaply made and the second said it breaks easily after using it.
Even though there were only two reviews, both of them said pretty much the same thing and they convinced me not to get it. Thanks to online review sites and reviewers, I was able to read its poor quality and write about that experience instead of buying one and learning for myself of its poor quality and writing about that unpleasant experience.
I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to anyone who has ever posted a review of a product online. Consumers everywhere are benefited from your efforts.
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on the other hand customer service is good. still I would not bother either.
Comment by whaleman on June 21, 2005 @ 1:10 pm
True, they did have good customer service, but the fact that both of the reviewers needed to use customer service so quickly after purchasing the item is a big negative in my mind.
Comment by dan on June 21, 2005 @ 1:17 pm
Oooh, we were captivated by this infomercial too. Thankfully, we didn’t succumb.
Comment by Renee on June 21, 2005 @ 7:46 pm
In production kitchens we used a tool called a Food Mandoline. From the looks of that le presse, it has the same functionality as a mandoline. The only difference is, a stainless steel food mandoline will last forever in a home. This site lists quite a few, but the one you want is this one, it’s #120186.
At first they’re a bit confusing to use, but once you figure it out, you’ll be making french fries and julienne vegetables in no time. And the price they have listed $100 is pretty good. You might be able to get one at local restaurant supply store for about $75.
Comment by jason on June 22, 2005 @ 9:08 am
Jason: It may take some work to figure out how to use a Food Mandoline, but it sounds like it would be worth it.
Can it play music too?
Comment by dan on June 22, 2005 @ 9:13 am
The only thing you’ll get from strumming one of these mandolines are bloody, shredded fingers.
Comment by jason on June 22, 2005 @ 10:02 am
I have a really cheesy old mandoline, made from 70’s-style green plastic, that I inherited from my Grandma. Despite its cheesiness, it’s still good enough to make cross-cut fries! They’re handy gadgets. If you ever want to juice something (a function of Le Presse missing in the mandoline), you’re welcome to borrow my similarly ancient Champion Juicer or Vitamix blender. Or the mandoline, if you want to slice.
Comment by Levi on June 23, 2005 @ 12:22 am
Thanks for the offer, I may just take you up on it. I wonder if there’s a device similar to Le Presse that’s more durable. Based on what the reviews said, it worked great until it broke.
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