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Presence Editorial Review Panel
Presence is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes thought-provoking articles addressing topics of interest to spiritual directors.
Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress
San Francisco, California, USA
The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress is author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice, The Sand Labyrinth Kit and The Sacred Path Companion: A Guide to Walking the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform. She serves as a Canon at Grace Cathedral and is Founder of Veriditas a non-profit dedicated to introduce people the healing, meditative powers of the labyrinth. She travels worldwide offering workshops and lectures on Hildegard of Bingen and on the labyrinth including a yearly program in Chartres, France. In addition to being an Episcopal priest she is a spiritual director and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California.
Dr. Wilkie W. Au, PhD
Redondo Beach, California, USA
Wilkie Au, PhD, Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University teaches in the area of Christian spirituality and coordinates the graduate concentration in spiritual direction. He is the author of five books on Christian spirituality, three of which have received awards: By Way of the Heart: Toward a Holistic Spirituality, The Enduring Heart: Spirituality for the Long Haul and The Discerning Heart: Exploring the Christian Path. His (with Jungian analyst Noreen Au) Urgings of the Heart: A Spirituality of Integration blends the insights of depth psychology with Christian spirituality and their The Grateful Heart: Living the Christian Message relies on the findings of Positive Psychology to delineate a spirituality of gratitude. Dr. Au has served as a member of editorial boards for scholarly journals and is a leader in the field of spirituality and formation for spiritual direction and pastoral ministry.
Rev. Canon Peter W. Ball
Ramsbury, Wiltshire, England
Peter Ball has an active retirement ministry and service offering spiritual direction, leading retreats and training workshops, and also helping out with services in the churches around Ramsbury where he lives. Work in four parishes in the London Diocese led to his final appointment as Canon Chancellor at Saint Paul's Cathedral. His books include Journey into Faith, Adult Believing and Faith on the Way (on the Catechumenate as a way to accompany people into faith and Christian initiation) and Anglican Spiritual Direction and Introducing Spiritual Direction. He is a member of Spiritual Directors International and of Spiritual Directors–Europe. His wife Angela died in 2004. Peter has two daughters and a son and nine grandchildren. Among his many interests are music, playing bass clarinet in a wind band; painting and drawing; foreign travel, and his home and garden.
Rev. William A. Barry, SJ, PhD
Weston, Massachusetts, USA
William A. Barry, SJ, was born in 1930 and has been a Jesuit for sixty-two years and a priest for fifty. He earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan in 1968. He has taught at the University of Michigan, Weston Jesuit School of Theology and Boston College and engaged in administrative work in the Society of Jesus. While teaching at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge he co-founded with 5 other Jesuits the Center for Religious Development, one of the first training centers for spiritual direction. With William J. Connolly, SJ, he wrote The Practice of Spiritual Direction, now in its second edition, which has been translated into at least 10 languages. He is the author or co-author of twenty books. At present he gives retreats and spiritual direction at Campion Renewal Center, Weston, MA, USA, and elsewhere.
Philip Carter
Aldinga Beach, South Australia, Australia
Philip Carter is a retired Anglican Priest in South Australia. His ministry and service has included founding the Julian Centre, an independent and ecumenical Spirituality Centre in Adelaide (1997-2006). He was the Inaugural President of the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction from 2006-2009.
Mary Ann Clifford Rodriguez, RSM
Georgetown, Guyana
Mary Ann Clifford Rodriguez, RSM, is a Sister of Mercy and received an MTS from the Franciscan School of Theology. She ministered in Peru with the Aymara people during the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000, she has worked with Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, USA. She has worked with teams in preparation of Acompañantes Espirituales in California, Texas, Ecuador, Guatemala, Argentina, Guyana, and Trinidad. Since 2011, Mary Ann has continued this ministry from Guyana.
Rev. Jill Hawk Clupper
Tulsa, Okalahoma, USA
Reverend Jill Clupper is Executive Director of The Sojourn Institute for Spiritual Formation, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, a non-profit center for spiritual direction and training. She is a 1995 Graduate of Phillips Theological Seminary and an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church and received her certification in spiritual direction from HeartPaths Training Centre for Spiritual Direction, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA in 1999. She is a member of Spiritual Directors International and has served on the review board of Presence since 2006.
Rebecca Damron, PhD
Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
Rebecca Damron, PhD, is as Associate Professor of English at Oklahoma State University. She is a graduate and faculty member of HeartPaths Spirituality Centre.
Rev. Dr. Joseph D. Driskill, PhD
London, Ontario, Canada
Joseph Driskill is Professor Emeritus of Spirituality at Pacific School of Religion and Dean Emeritus of the Disciples Seminary Foundation, Berkeley, California, USA. He holds ministerial standing (retired) with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the USA and Canada and the United Church of Canada. His interests include Protestant Spirituality, contemplative prayer, and spiritually informed pastoral care. Selected publications include: Protestant Spiritual Practices: Theology, History and Practice (1999); Ethics and Spiritual Care, co-authored with Karen Labacqz (2000); "Exploring 'White' Identity Formation in Pastoral Care and Counseling Training," in American Journal of Pastoral Counseling (2003); "The Progressive Face of Mainline Protestant Spirituality," in Four Views on Christian Spirituality (2012).
Sue Dunbar, BSc, DipEd, MA
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Sue Dunbar is the Director of Barnabas Ministries Inc., an ecumenical agency offering spiritual care and nourishment for those on the journey of faith both as individuals and groups. She trained in spiritual formation at the Institute for Spiritual Leadership, Chicago, becoming a staff member there while completing a master's degree in spirituality at Loyola University. Dunbar has a strong commitment to training spiritual directors and is currently the director of three training programs with residential in different parts of Australia. This is in addition to her work as a spiritual director, supervisor and retreat/workshop leader.
The Rev. Tilden Edwards, PhD
Bethesda, Maryland, USA
The Rev. Tilden Edwards, PhD, is the Founder and Senior Fellow of Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, in Washington, DC, USA, and the executive director of Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation from its inception in 1973 until 2000. Over the years he has designed and led many ecumenical extension programs for spiritual leaders, as well as many ecumenical and denominational workshops, retreats, and lectures across the United States, in Korea, Canada, and South Africa. Edwards is author or editor of eight books as well as articles in various periodicals. He holds an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School, a PhD from the Union Graduate Institute, and an honorary Doctor in Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1962. He is married to Mary Jane Edwards, a clinical social worker, and he has three grown children and three grandsons.
Rev. Dr. Bob Gardenhire, III
Eufaula, Oklahoma, USA
Dr. Bob Gardenhire III, an ordained United Methodist minister, is the founder and director of the HeartPaths Spirituality Centre of Oklahoma City/Dallas/Fort Worth where he has been training spiritual directors since 1982. He was a member of the founding editorial board of Presence and past president and member of the Coordinating Council of SDI.
Rev. Dr. Douglas H. Gregg
Springdale, Utah, USA
Rev. Douglas H. Gregg, PhD, is an ordained Presbyterian minister and consultant to pastors and churches in areas of prayer, spiritual formation, and spiritual direction. He is president and co-director of Christian Formation & Direction Ministries (CFDM). He also serves alongside his wife, Catherine, an ordained Episcopal Priest, as Associate Pastor at Grace Episcopal Church in Saint George, Utah, USA. He is a certified spiritual director, supervises other directors, and guides the Certificate programs in Christian Formation & Spiritual Direction for CFDM. Doug loves to hike and explore the wilderness and has a special love for the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and Nevada, USA; and he has thirty years of experience as a stained glass artist. But, most of all, he loves working alongside his wife Catherine—at church, with CFDM, and with their six children and seven grandchildren.
Rev. Canon Douglas S. Hardy, PhD
Leawood, Kansas, USA
Douglas S. Hardy grew up in New Brunswick, Canada where he received spiritual guidance from several adults in his home church before leaving for studies in the United States. His PhD from Boston University in psychology of religion focused on the interface between Christian spiritual direction practice and psychoanalytic object relations theory. An ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene and drawing on the Wesleyan and Ignatian theological and spiritual traditions, Doug's fundamental calling is to come alongside others to help facilitate their alignment with God. He has done this in parish pastoral ministry, by providing spiritual direction and leading retreats, and as a professor, currently serving as Professor of Spiritual Formation and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kansas, USA. He has published articles and reviews for scholarly and trade journals, and contributed chapters to several books.
Rev. Dr. Dwight H. Judy, PhD
Syracuse, Illinois, USA
Dwight H. Judy, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Formation and founder of the Rueben Job Institute for Spiritual Formation at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary in Evanston, IL, USA. He has served as a parish pastor in the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, a retreat leader, faculty member for the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and for the Academy for Spiritual Formation. His professional affiliations include Spiritual Directors International, American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and Hearts on Fire: Fellowship of United Methodist Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders. Dwight received his BA degree from Southern Methodist University, his MTh from Perkins School of Theology, and his PhD from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. His books include A Quiet Pentecost: Inviting the Spirit into Congregational Life; Discerning Life Transitions: Listening Together in Spiritual Direction; Christian Meditation and Inner Healing; Embracing God: Praying with Teresa of Avila; and Healing the Male Soul: Christianity and the Mythic Journey.
James Keegan, SJ
Weston, Massachusetts, USA
James Keegan is a Jesuit priest of the New England Province. His major interests are doing spiritual direction and directed retreats, and training and supervising directors. Jim is a graduate of the Center for Religious Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and was the first graduate to work full time on that staff—from 1985 to 1989. In Louisville, Kentucky, USA, from 1990 to 2001, he was part of the team of the Archdiocesan Office of Ministry and Spirituality. In 2002 he returned to Massachusetts as director at Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester. He is currently doing spiritual direction and supervision for the Jesuit Collaborative in Cambridge. Jim has been a member of the Coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International and was part of the editorial board that founded the journal Presence.
Dr. Valerie A. Lesniak, PhD
Seattle, Washington, USA
Valerie Lesniak, PhD, is Associate Professor of Spirituality and Director of Formation at Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry. She teaches in the area of contemporary spirituality including courses in the art and practice of spiritual direction. She did her doctoral studies in spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, USA. She has taught in various places including GTU in Berkeley, University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Heythrop College in London, England. She has lectured nationally and internationally. She has served as a spiritual director and retreat leader for over twenty years. She researches and writes in the areas of mysticism, transformation, interreligious spiritualities, spiritual formation and development. She enjoys travel, poetry, good novels, the arts, and exploring the natural world.
Fr. Matthew Linn, SJ
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Fr. Matthew Linn, SJ (as a team with Dennis and Sheila Linn) has focused on integrating physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. He is a member of the Association of Christian Therapists with advanced graduate degrees in sociology, anthropology, spirituality, and theology. Since 1970 he has given courses and retreats in over 60 countries from Alaska to Australia. Ordained in 1973, he currently lives in a Jesuit community in Minneapolis where he trains spiritual directors at Sacred Ground and serves on the editorial board of Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction. Matt, Dennis, and Sheila have written twenty-two books translated in over twenty languages, and with over a million copies in English.
Carol Ludwig, MA, ABD
Vero Beach, Florida, USA
Carol Ludwig, Executive Director of the Center for Spiritual Care in Vero Beach, Florida, USA has been offering spiritual direction for almost twenty-five years. She served on Spiritual Directors International's Coordinating Council from 2001-2007. She also has submitted articles, interviews, and book reviews to Presence. Carol, an adjunct teacher in past Loyola University (NO), Sacred Heart University's spiritual direction formation programs, and the Shalem Institute's Personal Spiritual Deepening Program, has taught in the Audire Spiritual Direction training program in Winter Park, FL, USA since 1999. A career diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service before her retirement, Carol has lived for extended periods in Tokyo, Kyoto, Rome, Mexico City and Manila. She holds a Master's degree from the University of Dayton and completed doctoral studies in international communications and international relations at the American University in Washington, DC, USA.
Rev. Jill Manton
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
During the 1990s, Jill was the founding Director of the Wellspring Centre, an ecumenical spirituality centre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and she established and taught the Spiritual Formation Program at Whitley College. With her background in parish ministry, interfaith dialogue, and spiritual formation of ordination candidates and spiritual directors, she has been extensively involved in teaching and in conducting seminars, workshops and retreats for over two decades. She has participated as a plenary session speaker at national and international conferences and has held leadership roles at local, state and federal levels including positions with the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction and the Victorian State Executive of the Council of Christians and Jews. Now in semi-retirement, Jill continues to teach in formation and professional development programs for spiritual directors. Jill is passionate about peace and reconciliation, social justice and protection of the environment.
Diane M. Millis, PhD
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Diane M. Millis, PhD, is an educator and spiritual director whose passion is companioning people as their hearts awaken through contemplative conversations. Through her teaching and retreat ministries, she cultivates conditions for persons of all ages and faith backgrounds to participate in dialogue, discovery, and discernment. Diane is the author of Deepening Engagement (2015) and Conversation—The Sacred Art (2013). In 2012, she was invited by the Spiritual Directors International leadership to design and launch the New Contemplatives Initiative for emerging spiritual companions in the first half of life. Diane brings to her ministry over twenty-five years of teaching and consulting experience in the fields of communication studies, human development, and spiritual formation.
Sr. Jung Eun Sophia Park, SNJM
Alameda, California, USA
Sr. Jug Eun Sophia Park was born in South Korea, practicing various religions such as Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. After joining a contemplative religious community, Park came to the United States to study Christian Spirituality. Her immigrant experience in the USA has influenced her identity as a cross-cultural spiritual director, as well as a scholar of spirituality. She studied and researched spiritual direction ministry and service, stressing the issues of culture and power. Park brings a strong sense of justice and culture in the context of spiritual direction. Her vision for SDI is to deepen international identity in the global context. In her own words, "When we approach cross-cultural or international direction, we have to keep in mind the danger of being superficial, touristic, and western-centered."
Dr. Susan S. Phillips, PhD
Piedmont, California, USA
Susan S. Phillips, PhD, is executive director of New College Berkeley, an affiliate of the Graduate Theological Union dedicated to Christian education and spiritual formation for everyday life. Susan is a sociologist, and much of her writing and teaching relate to the sociology of care. Susan is also a trained spiritual director and author of Candlelight: Illuminating the Art of Spiritual Direction. She works with individuals and groups, teaches, leads retreats, and writes in the field, serves as supervisor for spiritual directors, and has lectured about Christian spirituality in many parts of the world. In addition to teaching for New College Berkeley, she is a member of the faculty of the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction program at San Francisco Theological Seminary and regularly teaches courses in spiritual theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and Regent College.
Dr. Michael Plattig, OCARM
Muenster, Germany
Michael Plattig is a Carmelite priest who holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Vienna and a doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Berlin. He is a professor for spirituality at the faculty of the Capuchins in Muenster, the director of the Institute for Spirituality, and leads a formation program for spiritual directors at the Institute in Muenster. He is also a member of the Institutum Carmelitarum in Rome and a visiting professor at the Pontifical Universities Gregoriana and Antonianum in Rome. He contributed the chapter "Freedom to Souls: Spiritual Accompaniment According to the Carmelite Tradition" in Tending the Holy. Spiritual Direction Across Traditions.
Sr. Susan Rakoczy, IHM, PhD
Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Susan Rakoczy, IHM, PhD is professor of Christian spirituality and systematic theology at St. Joseph's Theological Institute and the School of Religion, Philosophy, and Ethics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She has led courses in spiritual direction for many years and has a special research focus on spiritual direction and HIV/AIDS. She has written widely in the areas of cross-cultural spiritual direction, spirituality and social justice, feminist theology, and eco-feminism, and is writing a book on feminist interpretations of discernment.
Dr. Janet K. Ruffing, RSM
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Janet Ruffing, RSM, PhD, is a member of the Sisters of Mercy. She is Professor of the Practice of Spirituality and Ministerial Leadership at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, and Professor Emerita in Spirituality and Spiritual Direction at Fordham University in New York, New York, USA, where she chaired the spiritual direction program for more than twenty years. She earned her doctorate in Christian Spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, USA, and is the author/editor of 100 articles and six books, her most recent being To Tell the Sacred Tale: Spiritual Direction and Narrative. She is one of the founders of Spiritual Directors International and has been mentoring spiritual directors since 1984.
Joyce M. Rupp, OSM
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Joyce Rupp is an international speaker, retreat director, and a "spiritual midwife." Her ministry includes writing, conferences and spiritual direction. Joyce is the award-winning author of numerous books on spiritual growth. Her professional education includes degrees in English, Religious Education, and Transpersonal Psychology. Joyce is a member of the Servants of Mary community and a volunteer for Hospice. In 2004, she received U.S. Catholic's national award for furthering the cause of women in the church.
Sr. Ligita Ryliskyte, SJE
Vilnius, Lithuania
Ligita Ryliskyte, MD, PhD, works in her congregation's retreat house, leads retreats, workshops in spirituality, scripture, and pastoral care and sees people for spiritual direction. She is also a consulting cardiologist at the Vilnius University Hospital, "Santariskiu linikos" (Lithuania). Since 2006, she has been a researcher and lecturer there. She is also a member of the General Council of the Congregation of the Sisters of Eucharistic Jesus and writes scripture commentaries and articles about spirituality. Among her many degrees, she holds a PhD in medicine from Vilnius University, and Certificate of Advanced Educational Specialization in Religious Education from Boston College. She has published several articles on the spiritual dimension of the Gulag experience and on discernment in The Way, Review for Religious, etc.
The Rev. Dr. Frederick W. Schmidt
Evanston, Illinois, USA
The Rev. Dr. Frederick W. Schmidt holds the Rueben P. Job Chair in Spiritual Formation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL, and directs the Rueben Job Institute for Spiritual Formation. Schmidt is an Episcopal Priest, spiritual director, retreat facilitator, conference leader, writer, and consulting editor at Church Publishing in New York. He is the author of numerous published articles and reviews, as well as several books: A Still Small Voice: Women, Ordination and the Church (Syracuse University Press, 1998), The Changing Face of God (Morehouse, 2000), When Suffering Persists (Morehouse, 2001), What God Wants for Your Life (Harper, 2005), and more. He and his wife, Natalie, live in Highland Park, Illinois, with their Gordon Setter, Hilda of Whitby. They have four children and four grandchildren: Henry, Addie, Heidi, and Sophie.
Gordon Self, DMin
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dr. Self provides executive leadership for clinical and organizational ethics, mission integration, diversity, and spiritual care for Covenant Health. He is co-facilitator of the Covenant Health Leadership Program, helping develop leaders in values-based decision-making and moral reflection. Gordon was a member of the Core Team commissioned by the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada to develop the new edition of the Health Ethics Guide, the foundational ethics resource used by Catholic health care organizations in Canada, including Covenant Health. A former chaplain at St. Boniface General Hospital in Winnipeg, Gordon pursued a fellowship in mission and ethics with Trinity Health in Michigan. He holds a doctorate in organizational ethics with a focus on discernment and decision-making.
Rabbi Jacob J. Staub, PhD
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Rabbi Jacob Staub is a Reconstructionist rabbi. He serves as Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Spirituality and Chair of the Department of Medieval Jewish Civilization at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, PA, USA, where he served as Academic Vice President for seventeen years. He also directs the RRC Program in Jewish Spiritual Direction that he was instrumental in founding in 1998—the first program in Jewish Spiritual Direction at a rabbinical seminary in Jewish history. He served as SDI Conference Spiritual Director in 2008. Staub is a published poet and the author of over 100 articles in the areas of contemporary Jewish thought, practice and spirituality. He is the author of Guide to Jewish Practice: Shabbat, and The Creation of the World According to Gersonides, the co-author of Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach, and the editor of Creative Jewish Education and Reconstructionism: Denominationalism That Works?.
John Stuart
Frankston, Victoria, Australia
John was born in Melbourne, Australia. He has spent his adult life engaged in the exploration of our journey into God. This exploration has led him along various path; initially, as a priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Ordained in 1969, he served in parishes for eight years. One of his most important paths has been his work in the alcohol and other drug field. His path since 1990 has mainly been in the area of spiritual direction. He is currently a team member of The Living Well Centre for Christian Spirituality in Melbourne. He has served as President of The Australian Network for Spiritual Direction, and is currently a council member of the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction. The writings of Tielhard de Chardin and Thomas Merton have informed many of the paths he has journeyed along during the last 50 years.
Steven F. Sturm, DMin, DASD
Waialua, Hawaii, USA
Steven lives in the quiet community of Waialua, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, USA. Three generations share the house on the property of the Waialua Christian Church where he has served as Minister since 1976 along with his wife Blossom. Steve is a spiritual director and Pastoral Counselor. He teaches in the graduate psychology department of Chaminade University of Honolulu, and is an adjunct instructor at Bible Institute of Hawaii. Steve's education was at Ozark Christian College, California Graduate School of Theology, Chaminade University, and San Francisco Theological Seminary where he earned a Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction, and a Doctor of Ministry degree.
Sally Taylor
Saintfield, Co Down, Northern Ireland
Sally Taylor is a practitioner within the Tibetan Buddhist Gelugpa tradition. She lives at, and hosts, Hermitage Cottage and all that emerges from it as a spiritual retreat and contemplative experience. Programs that reach across faith traditions and speak from the heart, which are the core of all spiritual traditions, are offered on a regular basis. Her background and training is in religious and political studies, horticulture, and she has lived and worked in Northern Ireland for over thirty years where she is an active member of the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum. Sally is a "Guardian of Gratefulness" with ANG*L (A Network of Grateful Living).
Therese Taylor-Stinson
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Therese Taylor-Stinson is a retired Federal Senior Program Analyst after thirty-two years of service, where she also received certification as a lead mediator for Equal Employment Opportunity disputes across Government. She is an ordained deacon and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). A graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, Therese is a spiritual director in private practice. She is a member of the Shalem Society for Contemplative Leadership and commissioned as associate faculty for taking their Personal Spiritual Deepening Program into her community. She is a founder, incorporator, and the managing member of the Spiritual Directors of Color Network, Ltd., and a long-time member of Spiritual Directors International. Therese is a co-leader and assistant organizer for Iona DC, an emerging Christian community. As a writer, author, and editor, she has published in Presence, is a guest author for the SDI Blog, and has written for SDI's Connections newsletter. Therese's most notable work to date is as co-editor and contributing author of the groundbreaking anthology Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color.
Fr. Stephen Truscott, SM
Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Stephen Truscott SM, PhD, an Australian Marist priest, is the Director of the Fullness of Life Centre (Inc.) in Perth, Western Australia. He is committed to the psycho-spiritual growth of people. He assists individuals, groups and organisations through spiritual direction, counselling, professional supervision, retreats, organisational reviews and vocational assessment. Stephen provides professional development seminars and personal growth workshops including the Myers-Briggs, the Enneagram, organizational spirituality and Open Space Technology. Stephen's extensive experience and qualification include: over 30 years as a Marist priest, Associate Diploma in Welfare Work, formation as a spiritual director at the Institute of Spiritual Leadership, Chicago, IL, USA, Master's Degree in Pastoral Studies, majoring in Spirituality at Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA, professional supervision at the Wasley Institute (Perth) and a PhD from Murdoch University examining the developmental influences that shape the practice of contemporary spiritual directors.
Rev. Jane E. Vennard, MDiv
Denver, Colorado, USA
The Reverend Jane E. Vennard is Senior Adjunct Faculty in prayer and spirituality at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, USA, where she lives. She earned her BA from Wellesley College, her MA from Stanford University, and her MDiv from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She was called to a special ministry and service of teaching and spiritual direction and ordained in the United Church of Christ. Jane is a spiritual director in private practice and a long time member of Spiritual Directors International. In addition to Iliff, Jane has taught at the Pacific School of Religion, Vancouver School of Theology, Columbia Seminary and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. She is also a regular faculty presenter with The Upper Room Academy for Spiritual Formation and teaches classes in a variety of ecumenical settings, leads retreats internationally, and is the author of numerous articles and seven books.
Dr. Wendy M. Wright
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Wendy M. Wright, PhD is Professor of Theology at Creighton University in Omaha, NE, USA, and holds the John C. Kenefick Faculty Chair in the Humanities. She teaches regularly in several graduate ministerial programs including Creighton's Christian Spirituality Master's program and the National Methodist Academy for Spiritual Formation. Her expertise falls in the areas of history of spirituality (notably Salesian spirituality), family spirituality, spiritual direction and the Catholic devotional tradition. She is co-host of the Creighton University podcast "Catholic Comments," a retreat director and spiritual guide. She and her husband, Roger Bergman, are the parents of three grandparents of one.
Marika Zelča-Čerāne
Riga, Latvia
Marika Zelča-Čerāne, MBA, MA, is the founder of the Institute of the Christian Life in Latvia (Kristīgās dzīves institūts), and she is a spiritual director and retreat leader. She studied spiritual direction at the graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University in New York, NY, USA. She is a contact person for the Roman Catholic Church in Latvia in the Theobalt network. She leads Ignatian retreats in both in retreat houses and online. At the Institute of the Christian Life in Latvia, she gives courses integrating life and faith, finding God in daily work, and courses on scripture and life. She writes articles for the local religious media and her blog (in Latvian Language) Dvēseles draugs (Soul friend).
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11 Cleaning Hacks Professional Housekeepers Swear By
Originally written by Jillian Kramer for Glamour.com.
The next best thing to having a housekeeper, we think, is having her top hacks to keeping your house in tip-top shape. That's why we turned to three cleaners—plus several professional organizers and renovators to boot—for insider ideas that will keep your house clean with minimal effort.
1. Use salt to soak up wine spills. Spilling red wine isn't a death knell for your area rug—nor does it have to be a distraction to your Netflix binging. In fact, says HomeZada cofounder Elizabeth Dodson, there's no need to spend hours scrubbing red wine at all. Instead, she says, you can simply sprinkle salt on the spill and go back toFriends reruns as it sucks the stain right out of your rug. "It is amazing as you watch the red wine be absorbed into the salt," Dodson says. "You let it sit for a few hours, then you vacuum up the salt and wipe away the excess. Abracadabra—it's magic!"
2. Skip folding your unmentionables. Certified house cleaning technician and owner of Unclutter Donna Smallin Kuper admits she loves how folded underwear looks in a drawer. "I used to fold and re-fold them," she says, "until I realized that life is too short to fold underwear." You can skip this step and save yourself valuable time too. We promise you'll still be able to find your favorite pink pair when you need it.
3. Line your refrigerator shelves with parchment paper. Go Cleaners London housekeeper Harriet Jones speaks serious truth: "Sometimes a steel door can be the gate to hell," she says, describing what can happen inside your fridge when something like, say, soy sauce drips out of the jar. But you can save time cleaning spills or sticky leftovers, she says, by simply lining your shelves with parchment paper. "When—things get messy, simply replace the liners with new ones," Jones says.
4. Stop scrubbing the toilet. You don't need dentures yet—but if you want to toss your toilet brush in favor of going scrub-free, you'll need to invest in denture cleansing tablets, such as the fizzing ones made by Polident. "Just drop one in and let it do the job, then flush" says president of Molly Maid Meg Roberts, who promises a single tablet will get rid of toilet bowl stains and rust.
5. Store cleaning supplies in every room. It may seem indulgent—or even a waste of money—to have more than one Windex lying around. But Samantha Pregenzer, owner of Simply Organized, says that keeping a fully-stocked cleaning caddy in each room of your home is clutch. "I find it helpful to have cleaning caddies in each zone of the home—one for the bathroom, one for the kitchen, one for the living room," she says. "That way, you have all the products you may need where you will need them," without wasting the time to hunt them down.
6. Let your socks do the cleaning. Solutions by Sonya owner Sonya Joseph says microfiber socks may be the key to her clean floors. "I wear them whenever I'm walking around the house," she says, because they capture dirt and dust from her floors and don't let them go. Joseph also says she owns several so that she can swap dirty pairs for clean ones whenever needed. "I might only wear them for a couple hours, but all the dust in the house sticks to my socks and I just toss them in the laundry," she explains. "And my floors feel clean and tidy all week long."
7. Take off your shoes at the front door. You may not want to be one of those people who makes guests remove their shoes before walking on your carpet, but the simple fact is that shoes track in dirt—dirt that you'll have to clean up later. So place a mat or tray inside your front door to prompt people to go shoe-free, says certified professional organizer Amy Trager, and you'll cut down on your vacuuming time. "If you don't like bare feet, keep slippers by the doors so you can swap footwear when you walk in the door," she suggests.
8. Lemon isn't just for flavor. No one wants to spend hours soaking a greasy pan. And with a little lemon, says Kuper, you don't have to. "Use the remnants of a cut lemon to clean a pan with greasy, cooked-on grunge," she says, such as a pan you just used to fry bacon. "After the pan cools," Kuper says, "take a cut lemon and rub it all over the pan. In minutes, the acid in the lemon will have softened the grime so that you can just wipe it away and then wash as usual." Use the other half of the lemon to freshen your water or garnish a meal.
9. Put your morning tea to good use. If you start every morning with a cup of black tea, don't enjoy it to the last sip. Instead, says Jones, save the last tablespoon or two to clean your bathroom mirror. "Black tea and the tannin acid in it are your best friends when it comes to cleaning your bathroom mirror," she says. "Brew a pot and use a clean cloth to wipe it over mirror and you are done."
10. Never cut yourself on blender blades again. Washing a dirty blender is the worst. But Dodson promises you'll never risk cutting your fingers on its blades again with this cleaning tip. "Put a little soap and water into your blender and with the lid on, turn the blender on," she says. "You will see the blender clean in front of your eyes. Now rinse and let your blender pieces dry. No cuts!"
11. Beat dust with books. If dusting shelves isn't on your daily to-do list, then buying books might have to be. Trager suggests positioning your favorite novels on the very edge of your shelves. "Not only does it look great," she says, "but this style doesn't allow dust to accumulate on the shelves in front of the books. It settles behind the books, but no one ever sees that. Less dusting!"
Also on Glamour:

subset: commoncrawl


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Pocket Gamer: Keith is back from the land of illness (Alton Towers, probably - we forgot to switch his electronic tag on while he was away). He joins Peter and me in the podcast chamber for this episode.
News-wise, there's the exciting Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes game announcement; a discussion on the freemium model in light of Novarama's comments; and a debate over what 'profitable' means, given Epic's announcement regarding Infinity Blade and Gears of War.


text: Am 13.04.2012 14:46, schrieb Leon Free: > Thanks for your suggestion. It works fine with the example I provided. > > Your trick shows it is possible to concatenate the \data list with other > arbitrary values as you do in > > \edef\data{\data\space D 1 D \rA\space D 1 } > > but what about the "inverse" operation of extracting an element (the \iA > th) from \data and store it in a tex variable? is there a simple way to > do that with a tex macro? or is it better/simpler to have an external > script doing that job (and then opening/reading the result with latex)? How many elements are saved in the \data macro? HErbert


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The taco/sushi talk – visualized!
If you've enjoyed using – or considered using – the taco talk to help novices and intermediates (and their parents) understand what it means to learn for proficiency, you'll love this resource.
Many thanks to Iya Nemastil, a Japanese teacher in Ohio, for taking this idea and putting it in a beautifully visualized form. I'm betting you, your students, and parents will love it. Worth printing poster size and posting on the wall? You bet.
Download the documents on Iya's website here.
ありがとう, Iya!
3 Comments
What a creative way to communicate the idea of language proficiency to students! I am so impressed and love this visual and idea of SUSHI talk!
Thank you for sharing your inspiring work.
[…] be blogging soon and I will include link). Here is the source she used for the Taco descriptors: http://musicuentos.com/2015/09/tstalk-visual/ Using the taco descriptions is a great way to bring the proficiency levels to […]


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This artist from UK creates entire worlds made from food, fruits and vegetables! You can see more at his official website.
All photos via www.carlwarner.com/foodscapes
More amazing food art:
Enjoy the positive side of life!
Come along with us to our fan page:
Come along with us to our fan page:


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"Tired of being tired? No one pill fixes all."
Is a lack of sleep disrupting your life? Does it make you feel exhausted and make it difficult to cope with daily stressors? It is time to discover the reason for your insomnia, not just cover it up with a sleeping pill.
In the conventional medical (MD) orld, sleep disturbances and insomnia are often treated with a sleeping pill. Many patients are concerned about becoming dependent on sleeping pills and do not like the groggy feeling they have the day after taking one.
There are many different reasons you may find it difficult to sleep. At Aspire Natural Medicine, our doctors take an extensive sleep history and work to determine the root cause of your sleep disturbance, not just give you a sedative pill.
Are you having trouble falling asleep? Is it difficult to stay asleep? Or maybe both? Are you in menopause? Do you have stress at work? Are you anxious? All these questions are important in determining how to treat your specific sleep disturbance.
Rather than a 'one-pill fixes all' approach, we tailor our treatments specifically to you. You can start your day feeling energized again, give our office a call and let one of your experienced doctors help you get back to a good night's sleep.


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Source: Lisa Lampkin and M. Alex Johnson / MSNBC
George Zimmerman, the Florida man who claims he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense, has set up a personal website to collect money for his legal expenses, his attorneys told NBC News on Monday.
Several sites purporting to raise money for Zimmerman, 28, have popped up since he shot Martin, 17, on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla., but "I cannot attest to the validity of these other websites," Zimmerman writes on therealgeorgezimmerman.com.
Attorneys confirmed to NBC News that the site, which domain records show was created Sunday, is real and is operated by Zimmerman himself. It solicits donations through PayPal with a promise that "any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment."
Access to the site was hit or miss as it appeared to be having trouble handling a heavy stream of visitors after msnbc.com's initial report Monday afternoon. It wasn't known whether any of those visitors had used the provided link to make a donation.
To read this article in its entirety visit MSNBC.


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The 2ND annual Sunshine Coast Robotics Challenge offers even more robotic and control exposure for students than last year's Mars Lunar Challenge, as if last year wasn't challenging enough with a 12 meter Mars surface replica as the premier event.
For 2016 the premier event is appropriately named "Bootcamp" as students are provided Humanoid Bioloid robots that must climb walls, crawl through spaces, action flying foxes and navigate mazes.
Several other robot systems are available and will capture any student interest from Rover Rescue to Insectoids to Robotic Arms to 3D Printed robots. There are plenty of learning opportunities to be accessed. Available to ages 12+ and all experience levels are welcome to register.
Every student entered is eligible for a drawprize of an UP Mini+2 3D printer! Any school that enters 4 or more students is eligible for a separate large volume UP Box 3D Printer! Guest speakers from CSIRO and the Australian International Robotics Soccer Team engineering will be onsite lecturing and demonstrating advanced research robotic systems.
As an open-to-public event, everyone is welcome to attend the event and lectures. Robotics teacher, organiser and business owner Nick Gates is happy to answer any questions regarding age appropriate challenges, BYO robots or levels of logic or coding skills required. The website offers exceptional video inspiration and robot system details to those interested.
Robotics Bootcamp Sunshine Coast
9am to 4pm
23 to 25 September 2016
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Includes meals, t-shirt, guest lectures and some robots. (see website for take-home robots)
contact: Email Address: email@example.com
Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Buderim
All Sunshine Coast events, gigs, functions etc... onsite are correct as per information provided at time of uploading, please always verify times or dates directly with the venues to avoid disappointment.
This property has been added to your save list now.
Don't have registration yet ? "Create Account"
If you have lost / forgotten your password click: "Lost Password"
NOTE: This login is to manage your real estate alerts/preferences and not to register your business details for the directory. To submit Sunshine Coast Business data please visit here.


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CH Banner Bada Bing
September 2, 2005 - June 16, 2009
Click for Rocco's Pedigree
You cannot have a Sopranos litter without a nod to the family's club...or without
someone named "Rocco".
Rocco was a terrific show dog from the start, winning the Delaware Valley Soft
Coated Wheaten Terrier Club Sweepstakes. He was a "made man" before he turned
a year, finishing his championship with a number of Best of Breed wins.
In 2007, Rocco was briefly specialled. At the Hatboro Dog Club show during the
National Specialty weekend, in a 93-dog entry, he received 1 of only 2 Awards of
Merit given. During the Specialty, he made the first cut in the specials' class. Then Rocco became a TV star....briefly! Having won the breed at the Philadelphia Kennel Club/National Dog Show, he was seen for a few seconds on national TV on Thanksgiving Day 2007 as
the camera panned the Terrier Group.
Always a contender in the ring, Rocco was always breeder-owner handled. He sired
his only litter, born July 2008, by CH Ballybae Una's Willow. His daughter,
Ballybae Willow's Zoe became a champion in August 2009 at the same show her
father finished at 3 years earlier.


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"A thick lump of dust, rocks, and gas" is how astronomer Jane Greaves of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland describes the new protoplanet she reported on in April at a meeting in Belfast sponsored by the Royal Astronomical Society. The dusty, rocky, gaseous lump, circling a star 520 light-years from Earth, is the youngest planet-in-the-making ever found.
"Normally when people talk about stars with planets forming, they're often talking about a system that's a billion years old," Greaves says. But she trained her search for forming planets on the baby star HL Tau, which is just 100,000 years old. Using an unusual configuration of radio telescopes to detect particles the size of pebbles, Greaves found a dense clump in the disk of gas and dust surrounding the star. Planets build from such clumps—or so it is believed. Now astronomers can monitor the nascent object designated HL Tau b to find out.
Computer models suggest a brush with a nearby star may have triggered the clumping as recently as 2,000 years ago. (Earth, in contrast, is more than 4.5 billion years old.) In another few hundred thousand years or so, Greaves predicts, the planet will have grown from an inchoate lump to a gas giant larger than any in our solar system, "a very beefed-up version of Jupiter."
Discover Magazine


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We arrived really hungry, which you'd think would be perfect for a food festival, but we were both initially a little overwhelmed by the vast choice of food. I was fully prepared for most of the dishes on offer to be very gluten based and as I can only tolerate a small amount, I had to keep my eyes peeled for food with as little as possible. I ended up stopping at the When The Boat Comes In stall run by the people from Showroom Café/Bar. I went for queen scallop tempura and chips which were delicious. A very light, crispy batter on the scallops and big, hand-cut chips served in a cone with a wedge of lemon.
Kyle returned with a 100% beef doner kebab from the Lokanta stall, which is a mezze bar and Turkish restaurant. I had a little try of the filling and it was very yummy and Kyle literally wolfed it down, so quickly that I didn't even have time to photograph it. Fully replenished, we set off to have a proper look at what was on offer.
The potting shed in the festival allotment was brilliant and really has me wanting a shed with a vegetable garden on top too! They had courgettes, tomatoes, peppers, beans and lots of wild flowers to attract bees. There was also a working horse from Green Estate and some very gorgeous knitted pumpkins by Ruthie Ford.
Some of the produce on the stalls that we saw included preserves, artisan flavoured vodka, organic vegetables, rapeseed oils, chocolates, cakes, pastries and beer. There were stalls selling curries, kebabs, pulled pork, barbecued exotic meats, curried goat, focaccia, super salads, venison, craft beer and cider.
After taking in more of the stalls, we decided to get something sweet. We felt we had to stop at Toms Fudge as it is run by fellow Loughborough University graduates, who started selling fudge at the local market whilst we were still studying there. They are very inspiring and you can read more about their story here. The fudge is also absolutely delicious! We had some of the banoffee pie flavour and got a 'Loughborough' discount, which was very generous.
By this point we (I say we, mainly Kyle) were peckish again. Unfortunately, when exposed to so many food smells it's pretty hard not to want to eat more. The warm weather had us gravitate towards the Whirlow Hall Farm Shop barbecue. Kyle had a sausage sandwich with onions and ketchup and I had a hot dog which was essentially just half a sandwich. I didn't eat the bread, but I thought asking for a sausage, onions and ketchup in a napkin would have been just a little bit weird. Kyle ate my bread, this made him happier than it should have. The sausages were high welfare pork and really rather good!
Our next stop was Autumn Harvest Mushrooms. I am a total lover of mushrooms and in fact I can remember when I went on holiday when I was nine, instead of ordering chicken nuggets and chips like my friend did, I ordered portobello mushrooms with cottage cheese and chives. This was a bit weird apparently. Anyway, the wonderful array of different wild and exotic mushrooms led me to buy the gourmet mixture and some truffle and porcini mushroom butter. We actually ended up using it all for our dinner and it was amazing, but I will show you that in another post, or this one will be beyond mammoth.
We popped to the Spilt Milk mobile café so Kyle could have a cup of coffee. I would have ordered some cake, however I was very distracted by a girl trying to purchase an iced coffee with a fifty pound note. The mind boggles.
As we walked round the corner we saw James Morton who came runner up in The Great British Bake-Off, signing his new book. The photo below does make me look like a bit of a creeper, but I promise that I wanted to get his photo just because of being such a fan of the show. Ahem.
We left with very happy tummies and having learned about so many different restaurants, shops and organisations in the Sheffield area. I would highly recommend it to anyone as it was such a lovely day out and we will definitely be returning next year. If you're not from near Sheffield, it is worth your while doing some research and seeing what food festivals are on in your local area.
I hope you enjoyed a slightly different (and a darn sight longer) post than the usual, as I'm just trying to mix things up a little bit. Have a great day!


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Have you heard what Google is doing to help combat the opioid crisis?
In advance of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, they're partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration on an online locator tool that uses the Google Maps API to surface over 5K locations where people can discard unused or expired prescription drugs. They introduced the tool with DEA in April of this year, and it was used by over 50K users at that time. They're promoting the tool on the Google.com homepage for all US users today [Friday], in advance of Saturday's Take Back Day.
Next month, they'll be launching an effort to promote year-round disposal options in Google Maps, with location data from several states and from Walgreens, who operates over 1000 disposal kiosks in their stores nationwide. They announced the Walgreens partnership at the opioid bill signing event at the White House on Wednesday.
Finally, they're continuing to support families and communities coping with opioid addiction. Earlier this year, Google announced a matching grant to support a multi-year expansion of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids' Parent Helpline. So far, that matching grant has driven over $1M of impact, enabling the helpline to double capacity and help an additional 30,000 families. Google and YouTube also committed $5M in in-kind ads to the Ad Council and White House opioid addiction advertising campaign that began earlier this year.
You can find more about their recently announced efforts to help combat the opioid epidemic in a Google blog post. This really makes me proud. I love Mountain View.


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Mooshka, A Quilt Story by Julie Paschkis
Picture Book, Family, Tradition
Hardback $16.95 (32 pages, PEACHTREE PUBLISHERS)
A delightful, intergenerational bedtime story featuring a remarkable quilt and a reluctant new big sister.
When new baby sister Hannah arrives, Karla's routine is upset and Mooshka falls silent. Only when Karla shares Mooshka with her sister does the quilt begin to speak again and tell Hannah the treasured stories of her family. (ages 4-8)
Publisher Site: Peachtree Publishers
Perfect for Bedtime! (4 stars)
The tradition of quilting has a rich and special past. Taking scraps from all over to make a beautiful and practical blanket is one of those great traditions that has somewhat died out and become more about the art than reusing old fabric. But MOOSHKA manages to capture that special part of what a quilt can be and weaves it into a sweet children's story perfect for reading at bedtime.
Though my little girl is under the targeted age for this story she loves bright illustrations and just being read to. Karla's story is tender and brought a smile to my face as I shared it with my daughter. I think it would be a great book for an older sibling who is learning how to share with a younger one. What really made it special for me though was that it was very much about the special stories Karla's quilt had to share about where each square came from.
There's a quiet cadence to MOOSHKA that makes it a perfect read for any youngster who loves a calming book before bedtime. With it's sweet tale of family tradition and what it means to be sisters and vibrant illustrations it'd be a great addition to any library for the young reader.
Notes: ARC received via NetGalley.


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True Street Challenge, Volume II
What truly defines a street car? For us, it's a car you can hop in anytime, rain or shine, turn the key, and go nearly anywhere without any worries, on available pump petrol. The whole purpose of the Mopar Muscle True Street Challenge is to shine a light on the cars built by our readership-that is, the street cars built by our readership. While our sister publication Car Craft hosts a similar event, the featured cars are oftentimes purpose-built vehicles for the competition. We're not saying our readers' rides aren't purpose-built machines, but the scope of that other competition is a machine that can "do it all" and is often an overachiever-not necessarily the automotive direction taken by our average reader.
Cookie cutters, slicks, and rollcages that make ingress and egress difficult take away from the concept of streetability and, consequently, cars of this nature usually suffer during the ride-and-drive portion of the competition. Judging by the nature of the entrants we received, Mopar guys like to do the quarter-mile boogie more than carve corners . But we digress, as we've built plenty of cars that follow the path to least resistance in the quarter-mile, and sure, we've claimed they are street cars. After all, it has current license plates and insurance (Tech Ed. Radielovic is guilty of this one).
This year's event was judged in three categories: 1) show and shine, 2) ride and drive, and 3) quarter-mile performance. The show portion of the True Street Challenge (TSC) examined the craftsmanship of each vehicle. We looked at the paint, fit and finish, overall detail, and engineering. Each subcategory was worth up to 10 points, 10 being the highest, with a maximum of 40 points possible. We had two judges for this portion of the competition, each submitting their own judgment.
The ride-and-drive category was broken into three parts worth a possible 10 points, 30 being the maximum possible. When we drove in each competitor's car we looked at comfort, NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness), and ride quality. This is where a purpose-built drag car could get hurt, as truly fast cars often sacrifice ride and manners for speed.
Last, we looked at dragstrip performance. Low e.t. was granted 100 points, while each subsequent slower time was gigged 10 points from 100. In other words, second place received 90 points, third received 80, and so on, with the last one receiving 40 points. We gave each competitor two passes and threw out the slowest.
We've arranged this article in ascending order of placement, so last goes first. Keep in mind, there are no losers in this group. These are all dedicated readers and Mopar fanatics who dragged their individual rides from far and wide to compete in our lunacy. The event was held during the second annual Mopars at the Strip in Las Vegas. If you think your Mopar has what it takes to win the crown, send us some photos and specs. We're looking forward to hearing from you.
Number SevenMerrill CrosbieOgden, UT'72 Plymouth Road runnerMerrill Crosbie of Ogden, Utah, epitomized the True Street nature of this competition. On his tech sheet, he stated emphatically: "I don't own no stinkin' trailer queens!" Merrill has built his '72 Road runner to drive, and drive it he does with a Hot Rod Power Tour under his belt, and a 1,000-mile round trip from Utah to Vegas to make this show. When Merrill was just 16, his first car was a new (!) '72 340-powered Road runner. Having regretted the decision to sell it many years ago, Merrill set out to reproduce the vehicle that, to this day, has provided him the fondest of automotive memories. His search led him to Alabama where this bird was located. He limped it home and the rest, as they say, is history.
The previous owner installed the '76 police-car-sourced 440. Being the low-compression variant means that Merrill can drive his 'Runner virtually anywhere with the guarantee it can safely consume any grade of fuel available. The 440 is stock down to the exhaust manifolds, ensuring a quiet, comfortable cruise. Merrill's score was hurt mainly by its quarter-mile performance, but that really isn't the realm in which this B-body should be judged. Sporting an open diff with a 3.23 gear isn't the sort of formula for quick times at the drags, as is evidenced by the right rear tire burning nearly the length of the quarter. But with the A/C pumping cold air during that hot day in the desert of Nevada, the true spirit of Merrill's bird was clear, scoring hands-down the best numbers during the ride-and-drive portion of the TSC.
Number SixBlake EldridgeAlbuquerque, NM'67 Dodge Coronet 440Blake Eldridge acquired the "Root Beer Bomb" from his dad when the car, meant to be a gift for his older brother, was rejected for lack of appeal (we at Mopar Muscle have trouble stomaching the idea of rejection). The 14-year-old Blake was more than happy to commandeer the Coronet.
Though the paint was faded, the body was in pretty good shape and the interior, save for the dash, was missing in action. In place of the original 318 was a 360. But Blake is a big-block man at heart, and a B-Body simply should have a big-block between its fenders, so he put a low-deck stroker together consisting of a 400 block, a 440 crank, Ross pistons, and a Comp solid stick. A set of mildly ported 906 iron castings was perched on top along with a Torker intake and a 950-cfm Holley. An MP electronic ignition fires all eight holes.
As in Merrill's case, Blake's quarter-mile times hurt his composite score, but he scored well in the show portion of the Challenge. Had Blake been able to hook his B-body at the starting line, the end results would undoubtedly have been different, as he reports its run a best of 12.62 at a buck-seven. All the horsepower in the world and street radials just don't add up to starting-line prowess.
Number FiveDarryl KinnaneRiverside, CA'69 Plymouth Road runnerDarryl Kinnane's '69 Road runner represents a bygone era, when musclecars were plentiful and prowled the streets looking for action. Built entirely of secondhand parts, Darryl built this orange bomber mainly to drag and cruise. After harassing a friend nonstop to sell him the 'Runner, he finally relented.
An original 383 four-speed car, the exterior was less than stellar, featuring body panels in green, black, and white. But Darryl got the old bird running pretty well to the tune of 13.89 at 103 mph, but a spun main bearing sidelined the Plymouth. After pulling the wounded low-deck, his father suggested he paint the engine bay. One thing led to another, and the restoration began. It now sports Vitamin C orange paint and a 440 packing TRW forged slugs, six-pack rods, mildly ported 452 castings, a TM7 intake, and an 850 Double Pumper. Darryl's Road runner came off the assembly line with a four-speed and, by god, Darryl still rows his own, pistol-grip in hand.
The ride-and-drive score was hindered by the deep rear gears making the car a bit "buzzy" at highway speeds. The 3,700-pound combo has run a best of 12.83 at 108 mph, but was hampered in Vegas by Darryl's forgetfulness: He forgot to turn on the electric fuel pump prior to making his first pass. It was obviously making all of its ponies on the next pass when he sheared off his stock axles. That's racing.
Number FourDominic AgazioCommerce, CO'68 Dodge Dart17-year-old Dominic Agazio was the youngest competitor in the second annual Mopar Muscle True Street Challenge. All we can say is, Dominic is off to a stellar start. He chose as a platform to fulfill his Mopar fantasy an affordable A-body in the form of this '68 Dart. Bought for 500 bucks from a police auction in his native Commerce, Colorado, it took Dominic, his dad, and good friend Bill Righter a mere six months to get the A-body ready for Dominic's high school drags. In that six-month span, the Dart went through a complete makeover including a heart transplant in the form of a .030-over 440. The RB was treated to JE forged slugs, a Hughes hydraulic cam for maintenance-free performance, and Hughes ported iron heads. An Edelbrock Performer RPM found its way on top along with an 850 Holley carb.
Being from Colorado where the air is thin, Dominic ran his fastest times to date while in Vegas attending the Mopars at the Strip show, turning a 12.82 at nearly 106 mph. Some temperature issues during the ride-and-drive ultimately hurt Dominic's final score. But, no worries-Dominic was led down the right path, and we can only wish our first efforts at going fast were done this well. We'll bet Dominic has the fastest car in school.
Number ThreeTony CarbaughTurner, OR'69 Dodge ChargerTony Carbaugh's '69 Charger was the street fighter of the bunch. Overall detail was a bit on the rough side, but it was well engineered. Tony didn't build his Charger for show, he built it to go-to kick butt and take names, and kick butt it does with alacrity. Its very nature hurt it on the ride-and-drive, as it's loud, obnoxious, loud, fast-oh, and loud. Purchased from a local wrecking yard 10 years ago for the lowly sum of $850, replete with a blown 318 and a 904 trans, Tony immediately set out to make a statement.
Under the glass six-pack hood beats the heart of one very healthy .030-over 440. That it turned an 11.57 at 117 mph in the heat and elevation of Las Vegas with a compression ratio under 10:1 is testimony to Tony's engineering capabilities. Sporting SRP forged pistons, a Crower solid bumpstick, extensively ported 906 heads, Crane roller rockers, an M-1 single-plane manifold, and a tweaked Holley 750 that flows more than 900 cfm, Tony's 440 was built to run squeeze. Unfortunately, he hadn't installed the bottle for the TSC, but subsequent testing a few months after the Mopars at the Strip resulted in some low 10-second passes at 133 mph. But Tony brought enough motor to clench the second fastest times of the bunch.
Number TwoJohn HuffCasper, WY'70 Plymouth BarracudaJohn's Plymouth is nothing short of spectacular. Not only does it look great, it runs hard as well. We have to give John the hard-luck award for having endured a blown engine last year, and a broken output shaft on the trans this year. But it never fazed him as he kept smiling the entire weekend. In fact, we invited him back this year because he broke last year. John, for the sake of the well-being of your 'Cuda, leave it home next year!
Purchased in 1979 for a meager 125 bones, John doesn't even want to speculate what he has in it to date. Suffice it to say, John ditched the slant-six in short order for a slightly more potent powerplant. Four engines later, 25 years, four different women, five transmissions, one hernia (try unloading a Dana from the back of a truck solo), and John alas succumbed to the concept of the Hemi. Exactly 528 inches worth, all screwed together by Ken Lezzari of Indy Cylinder Head fame, featuring Wiseco pistons (for a final compression ratio of 10.75:1), Eagle rods, an MP stroker crank, MP aluminum heads, a Comp solid cam, and an Indy single-plane intake with a Holley 950 taking up residence up top.
All of this is channeled through a four-speed trans with the requisite pistol grip. Remarkably, the retina-burning red paint was applied in 1986 and is testimony to how well John takes care of his steed. The racy nature of the beast ultimately hurt its overall score in the ride-and-drive, but John more than made up for it in the show-and-strip portions of the competition. Had he not broken, we feel he would have gone even faster.
The WinnerPatrick ButlerNorth Glenn, CO'73 Dodge ChallengerPatrick Butler purchased the "Yellow Bird," as his late mother affectionately called it, as a junior in high school. The '73 Challenger was in pretty good shape when he bought it, and it sported the original 340/727 combo. Patrick partook in his fair share of late-night speed contest activities while toting a bottle of laughing gas in the trunk, and he reports a modicum of success against many Brand-X vehicles. Three years ago, he decided to get serious, so he pulled the small-block in favor of a low-deck stroker displacing 451 inches.
With the engine out of the way, he got busy on the appearance. Patrick's a bodyman by trade, and the sheetmetal was ironed to perfection, fiberglass fenders, hood, and bumpers were added, and he shot the whole mess in bright yellow paint. The 4.86 gears and spool, a rollcage, and a barely muffled 3.5-inch exhaust system somewhat compromised his Challenger's street manners. But it didn't really hurt Pat's score by much, as his beautiful yellow Challenger did so well in the showfield-not to mention that he set low e.t. and flat-out scorched the Tinsel Town quarter-mile. We think he may have even gone faster had he not backed out of it on the top end when his 'glass hood began to bow rather dangerously at the top of the track.
So there you have it. The 2nd Annual Mopar Muscle True Street Challenge winner. What's next for Pat? He's commissioned Ray Barton to screw together a very serious 14.5:1-compression 500-inch wedge. Streetable? It's doubtful, but it will haul the mail.


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Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix) - Jennifer Lopez feat Ja Rule & Cadillac Tah
[Ja Rule:]
Murda Inc
Haha it must be the ass
That got me like damn
If they get any fatter
Man the rule gonna hafta get at her
And our situation won't matter
I come to make you smile
In the freakiest landers
J to tha L-O, hello !
, no I'm not Lee Harvey Oswald
I'm the rule and the shot call
Off the wall
Like MJ in his early days
It's the INC, and Lopez now
Ain't it funny
It's been awhile since you came around
Now ya wanna see what's goin' down
Tryin' to tell me why ya want my time
Tryin' to tell me how I'm on your mind
See it never had to be this way
You should of never played the games you played
Now I'm seein' that you're kinda lame
Knowin how the situation change
Ain't that funny (Ain?t it funny)
Baby that you want me, when you had me
Love is crazy, now I can smile and say
Ain't that funny (Ain?t it funny)
Baby that you want me, when you had me
Love is crazy, I'm glad I can smile and say
Ain't that funny
I remember how you walked away
Even when I tried to call your name
See at first I didn't understand
Now you're lookin' like a lonely man
I remember how you did me wrong
And now you're hurtin' 'cuz my love is gone
Everybody gets a chance to burn
You can take it as a lesson learned
( Chorus Repeat)
[Cadillac Tah:]
C-A double D, Hi
Double dose my Fly by, red line
Oh I, never been a s_cker for "chocha"
Spit the ism, hit em, get rid of em, and you know Tae
Get it gully, and ain't that funny
How they want me, see me workin' wit money
But Cali ain't a dummy
What these brodies want from me?
'Cuz all I got is G, J.Lo
And Murda I.N.C.
I really wish you wouldn't send me gifts
Tryin' to make me sit and reminisce
Tryin' to blind me with your blingy bling
Thought I told you "LOVE DON?T COST A THING"
Hope you realize that now I'm through
And I don't ever wanna hear from you
I had enough of bein' there for you
Now I'm laughin' while you "PLAY" the fool
( Chorus Repeat)
Baby, is that you're girlfriend
I got my boyfriend
[Ja Rule & J.Lo:]
But maybe we can be friends
Na ,na ,na , na, na
Baby, I got my boyfriend
Is that your girlfriend
[Ja Rule & J.Lo:]
But maybe we can be friends


text: The Recovery Area was built alongside Research Paper before the season started in 2012. Located just outside Research Paper, the Recovery Area contains four large tanks filled with water pumped directly from the sea. When we become an active Rescue Centre, turtles will be kept in these tanks just before we release them back into the wild. These tanks are big enough for them to be able to swim around and regain their strength.


text:
Navajo White OC-95 is a paint color by Benjamin Moore, and is decidedly more romantic in name than it is in person. My last apartment was dark and, painted this shade, made the pale yellow beige turn a sickly green when the light of surrounding oak trees filtered past the leaves and windows.
It'd be easy to re-paint, but the landlord emphasized that this was a 'designer' color and couldn't be changed. So I lived uninspired for several years within those nauseatingly dark walls, until I started noticing cracks in the otherwise pristine coat of paint. The building was shifting, and the adjustments appeared like wrinkles and fault lines beneath the surface.
I expended so much effort keeping the walls out of my view and consciousness that discovering these nuances and tiny imperfections was revelatory.
And so I photographed them. I used my camera to find light and color where there was none available to the naked eye. I studied the shadows and found the strange, subtle ways the limited light changed throughout the rooms. I became familiar with how the darkness slowly shifted throughout the day, finding corners to settle into and expanses of ceiling to reflect its depth. Finally, I found the personality of the space; it wasn't about light, it was about shadow.


text:
Mango Prevent obesity- Mango contains a sufficient quantity of fiber, which causes slow absorption of sugar into the blood stream; helps reducing appetite, maintain blood sugar levels resulting in controlling body weight. When the fiber passes through intestines it also eliminates a number of harmful fats of the body. Mango is also valuable to combat acidity and poor digestion.
Mango Prevent obesity
WebSite : peopleawesome.com
Article : peopleawesome.com/know.php?l=en
Facebook : facebook.com/PeopleAwesome


text:
Ruffles...a leopard hat...and some beach ball fun.
5 comments:
- Gift of Grace said...
I was just thinking that I needed to see some new Lily pics, and checked facebook and found these!! I am so happy we get to watch her grow up from afar. I remember leaving China and being so sad that I wouldn't get to see the other kids grow up. So cool how God works!
- September 11, 2012 at 12:43 PM
- Diane said...
Just look at your little Diva rock'in the camera!!!! She is waaaaaaay too cute in this outfit...and the hat....."tops" it off....LOVE!!! She sure was having a wonderful time on the beach:) Gorgeous photos as always Amy!!!
God Bless,
- September 11, 2012 at 4:09 PM
- Teri said...
Oh my goodness Lily is such a doll!! You rocked these shots!
- September 12, 2012 at 12:09 PM
- Tara said...
You're a pro now!!!
- September 14, 2012 at 6:09 AM
- Emma Hardy said...
A good point Ralph, but I believe people are going to have a hard time defending prejudice when the possibility of answering certain kinds of questions with much greater precision increases
http://www.premfood24.com |
- May 7, 2015 at 12:43 PM


text:
Stump Grinding
When trees are felled or have fallen, the stumps that are left are prone to rotting and suckering where new shoots grow from the trunk and roots. It is advised to seek Stump Grinding care as soon as possible following the occurrence of a fallen tree.
We make sure to discuss the chosen service with you before completion so as to ensure we provide a more than satisfactory service. Get a quote for Tree Stump Grinding services in Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset with us today.
If you wish to keep the sawdust remaining from the Stump Grinding service, please inform us before we begin the job so we can make sure we collect the remaining materials for you.


text:
Heads up, this post may contain affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission.
We skipped the spa today. The "not" bath water temperature water was coming between me and my affection for the spa. Zung took some pictures for the blog. (He's my official blog photographer).
This is outside the elevator on the third (top) floor of our Ocean Front Building.
I saw this couple doing a Trash the Dress photo shoot. The pictures are blurry cause they were pretty far away.
Dinner was at the Japanese restaurant again.
My blue suede and black leather Manolo Blahniks got to go out tonight.
I got these last year when I went to Las Vegas for my birthday on my first official girl's trip with my friend, Erika. That trip deserves it's own trip report. Thank goodness what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
We sat at a hibachi table. We had a bottle of the Antares Sauvignon Blanc. I had some Shrimp Niguiri for my appetizer. Zung got something, but he was slacking again and didn't take pictures. Doesn't he know how much I depend on those pictures?! I do remember he got some soup in addition to his app.
There was a strong "breeze" from the fan above the hibachi. This helps keeps it from getting too hot during the cooking, but it was making it pretty cool before the cooking. The couple next to us asked for it to be turned down, but they were told it couldn't be and so they moved to a regular table. When both sides of the table were filled, minus the moved couple, the chef came and cooked the food. They used to do show cooking, but the last several times we have eaten here the chef just cooked, there was absolutely no show. None this time either. I had the shrimp, Zung had the filet and shrimp. We had the mango sushi for dessert, but the mango was kind of dry. Alex later told us that it is not mango season. Even though we didn't have any pictures to prove it, it was a good dinner.
One interesting thing about the Japanese restaurant, it is the only restaurant where there are female servers. Not sure why, but we did notice all the servers were women. The maitre is a guy though – Wilmer.
We were hoping to make the show tonight. As we headed toward the Lobby Bar we ran into some of the special dancer Star Friends. The one guy we've seen over the years and he has commented on my shoes. He gave me a hug and asked if we were coming to the show and looked at my shoes. We continued on to the Lobby Bar. They were going to have Casino night in the theatre before the show.
When I saw Daniel, I told him he was making my cucumber mojitos too strong. He gave me the "you're such a light weight" look. Then he took out the cucumbers and asked me if I was going to have two or three tonight. I said, "One! I'm still hung over from last night."
We hung out for a bit at the bar and at 9pm went to the theatre and played roulette. They had three tables, with Texas Hold 'Em and Black Jack as well. I never knew roulette was so involved. I thought you just bet on one number and it seemed like that would be pretty bad odds. Now I understand depending on where you put your chip, you are usually betting on several numbers. They give you the chips and at the end, whoever has the most chips wins a prize. I won and the prize was a hat and shirt that says, "I am a Star Friends winner." Of course the shirt was extra-large. I feel a little discriminated against as a "small" person. There were not a lot of people doing casino night and the Black Jack table was the most popular. We got to talk to the Star Friends a lot.
Eder was doing the Texas Hold "Em table, which had no people most of the time, so he came over and joined our conversation. Kris and Mineiro were at the Roulette table. Kris lived in Colorado for a while, so we talked about that. We guessed ages and Mineiro said I was old enough to be his mom. I wanted to punch him in the nose, especially when he said he was 33. I wanted to say, "Aren't you getting a little old to be a Star Friend?" (I mean, come on, they play all day.)
Raspberries to Mineiro.
With the help of Casino Night, we were able to make it to the show, which was Las Vegas. There was singing and dancing and it was really good. The shows are very high quality. It was the only show we made it to. We were so proud of ourselves.
We took a picture of Zung's watch to prove that we stayed up until 11:30!
Damn, this vacation rocks!
Tomorrow would bring more rock star moments.


text:
As a constellation of two polar-orbiting satellites they carry a 12 m-long advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR), working in C-band. The advantage of radar as a remote sensing tool is that it can image Earth's surface through rain and cloud, and regardless of whether it is day or night. This is particularly useful for monitoring areas prone to long periods of darkness – such as the Arctic – or providing imagery for emergency response during extreme weather conditions. Read more
Sentinel-2 carries an innovative wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands for a new perspective of our land and vegetation. The combination of high resolution, novel spectral capabilities, a swath width of 290 km and frequent revisit times provides unprecedented views of Earth. Read more
Sentinel-3 will measure systematically Earth's oceans, land, ice and atmosphere to monitor and understand large-scale global dynamics. It will provide essential information in near-real time for ocean and weather forecasting by measuring sea surface topography, sea and land surface temperature, and ocean and land surface color with high accuracy and reliability. Read more
PROBA-V was developed as both a follow-up to the 15-year SPOT-VEGETATION mission, as well as a preparation for the recently launced ESA Sentinel-3 land and ocean observation satellite mission. The SPOT-VEGETATION mission provided essential information on e.g. crop yields, droughts, and deforestation to a broad user community. Read more
The VEGETATION sensor on board of the SPOT4/5 satellites was designed to deliver data of terrestrial vegetation cover through remote sensing, at regional to global scales using the radiometric camera in 4 spectral bands. Read more


text:
In a campaign of rare one-on-one encounters, Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Ken Cuccinelli will take turns addressing two of the Virginia gubernatorial race's most recurring issues _ education and jobs.
The consecutive appearances before a forum sponsored by the Virginia Business Higher Education Council and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce come exactly one week ahead of their lone remaining debate showdown before a prime time statewide television audience.
It marks an opportunity for Cuccinelli to establish some badly needed credibility among business leaders and educators after scoring a major endorsement Monday from one the influential Northern Virginia Technology Council's political arm.
For McAuliffe, it's a chance to play up his proposal for using Virginia's community colleges as incubators for a work force tailored for high-tech manufacturing and service jobs.


text:
A large audience gathered at Oaklands School to witness an ambitious programme, signalling the end of Havant Symphony Orchestra's 2014/15 season.
The playful Spanish rhythms in Kabalevsky's Colas Breugnon Overture were brilliantly accentuated and set the mood for what promised to be a wholly rewarding concert.
Cello soloist and Waterlooville native, Richard Harwood, gave a rendition of Dvořák's Cello Concerto with all the passion, defiance and determination that the minor key suggested.
The first movement's second theme, which encapsulates the composer's feelings of yearning and nostalgia, was conveyed with emotion and honesty. With the return of a remarkably larger orchestra after the interval, I was certain that Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 was to be given a true and unfettered rendition. I was right.
Leader, Cathy Mathews failed to disappoint with some tricky yet masterful solo passages in the characterful second movement and the dynamic contrast commanded by conductor Jonathan Butcher in the third movement was, at times, sublime.
The climactic final movement, with it's iconic key change to the tonic major, held the audience's attention to the very last triumphant chord where an outburst of applause would not have waited a moment longer.


text:
Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a nice weekend! We were celebrating my mother in law's birthday in Bodega Bay and had a nice time in the storm- the power even went out, luckily it was just for twenty minutes.
I had to share this series of Lillian from this morning as I attempted to capture her monthly photo since she is NINE months old! Yay!! I am so excited to see her grow! It has been an absolute blast since the very beginning and I am so glad to capture these moments! It sounds absolutely crazy but I actually don't feel sad that she is getting bigger- I think it is wonderful. I hear a lot of parents saying that they wish time would stop and that their babies wouldn't grow. I know they don't really mean it, but for me I love each day that Lillian gets older and when her looks reflect the way I see her- as a mature best friend who is thoughtful and loving. I know, people probably think I am crazy. But I cannot wait to hear her speak and have conversations with her.
It is sort of special to think about how much I love her and her calm, but playful personality already. She loves pulling herself up and standing and laughing and crawling towards me. She is extremely adventurous and self-sufficient.
Parents who take a monthly photo series can relate to these images-- getting Lillian to sit still is impossible. I swear, by one year she will be lifting up this chair!
Someone asked me the other day when Lillian started crawling and I couldn't remember! I am so grateful that I have this blog as a record, and I cannot suggest enough to parents that you create some sort of digital blog, scrapbook, or photo stream! I have heard about parents creating an email address for their child and sending them emails and pictures and then on their 18th birthday they give their child the password to login and see all of the messages. Friends and family can send pictures too!
I hope everyone has a lovely week! I have a lot of great posts this week: tips for traveling with a baby, my favorite boots (everyone searches my site for boot recommendations), how to start a blog (finally!), and more!


text:
Ardee locals join forces to raise Lyme Disease awareness
An Ardee native who suffers from chronic Lyme Disease is using this weekend's Connemara half-marathon to help raise awareness about the condition – and her Ardee-based brother is helping fundraise for the cause.
Elaine Griffin, previously of Ardee but now living on Westport, Co. Mayo, is an artist and musician and having been finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease two years ago after years of misdiagnosis, she has taken on the task of spreading the word of the condition and raising awareness throughout the country and abroad – all whilst fighting the condition herself.
The story of Elaine's inspirational health battle with Lyme Disease has featured on numerous media outlets at home and abroad including RTE's Joe Duffy Show. Last year, through her health battle and awareness campaign, she was nominated for Mayo's Most Inspirational Woman of 2015 award, at a ceremony in Castlebar in January.
Elaine (pictured, above) was also invited to talk on 'The Role of Creativity in Chronic Illness' at the Suffering the Silence: Living Experiences of Lyme Disease & Chronic Illness conference in London last October, where she also performed a number of her songs including her Lyme Disease awareness raising single "Once Bitten, Twice Shy".
Elaine has experienced ongoing health problems since age 18 and was finally diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease in 2014 after 24 years of misdiagnosis. Lyme Disease is caused by the spirochetal bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi which can manifest symptoms throughout the human bodies' organs, skeletal and muscular systems and the central nervous system.
Lyme Disease is a Tick-Borne disease transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of an infected tick. Since her diagnosis she has made huge progress with her health thanks to treatment in the USA, funded mainly by donations from family, friends and generous members of the public who have kindly sponsored various fundraising initiatives held over the last two years.
However, Elaine's Lyme Disease is chronic and her treatment is ongoing and costly. This summer, she will set off to undergo further treatment in California. It is to help fund this upcoming treatment that Elaine's brother Patrick Griffin along with work colleagues Brenda Irwin and Cariosa Walsh, will be running the Connemara half-marathon this coming Sunday April 10th and they are currently seeking sponsorship.
To sponsor the three participants on behalf of the Elaine Fights Lyme campaign, you can log onto Elaine's Fundrazr page which has been reactivated for the half-marathon run. Go to Elaine's website – http://www.elainefightslyme.com and click 'Donate'.
Alternatively, if you're in Ardee, Patrick Griffin will be collecting sponsorship and donations in Super Valu in the town on Saturday April 16th.
Over the past few months, Elaine has been collaborating with the organisers of the event to use the opportunity to raise awareness of Lyme Disease among the jogging community, who are considered high risk. To that end, she has designed a specific prevention flyer especially for joggers and will be handing these out to runners at the finish line to make them more aware of the risks and precautions they should take.
All sponsors of the three runners in the half-marathon will be entered into a draw for a three day family camping pitch and pass & One Day Pirate Pass to Westport House & Adventure Park (for family of four valid until end of August 2016) with the voucher kindly donated by Westport House. The draw will take place on May 7th and result will be posted on Elaine Fights Lyme Facebook page.
For more information on Elaine's fight against chronic Lyme Disease, Lyme Disease prevention, signs & symptoms and testing, visit Elaine's website www.elainefightslyme.com or Facebook page.


text:
- Rating
- Latest News
- Synopsis
Naruto Uzumaki's journey to becoming a Hokage is the center of the Naruto manga and anime series. The series is an adaptation of two one-shot manga written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The first of the one-shot manga follows the life of the main protagonist during his pre-teen years and the second one, during his teenage years. The titles of the manga are Kishimoto: Karakuri and Naruto released in 1995 and 1997 respectively. A third book about his adult years also followed.
Weekly Shonen Jump featured the serialized manga from 1999 to 2014. The popularity of the series paved the way for other multimedia franchises such as an anime TV series which aired in Japan from 2005 to2009. An english version also aired from 2009 to 2011 on Disney XD, and transferred to Toonami in 2014. Naruto has spawned 11 movies, 11 original video animations (OVA), novels, video games, trading cards, and other merchandises such as shirts, accessories and school supplies.
Naruto hails from the fictional village Konohagakure, where his father was once the Fourth Hokage. Hokage is what the villagers call their leader. When he was a baby, a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox attacked the village, but Naruto's father defeats it by sealing into Naruto's body. His father dies in the process, and the event was only revealed to him when he was 12 years old.
Since then, he trained to become a ninja and forms a bond with Sasuke Uchicha and Sakura Haruno, who accompanied him throughout his journey. Together they discovered a more complicated world filled with mysteries.
The end of the series sees Naruto as a husband to Hinata Hyuga and a father to Boruto and Himawari. A spinoff series revolving around Naruto and Boruto also followed which was eventually followed by Boruto's own adventure with a new batch of ninjas.
Naruto is one of the best-selling manga series in history with its various franchises having loyal customers all over the world.
15 Things You Didn't Know About Naruto
Naruto: Unresolved Mysteries And Plot Holes The Show Left Hanging
The Most Powerful Naruto Characters, Ranked


text:
During your annual checkup, your doctor will order blood tests and other
screenings to assess your overall health. These test results, which are
often referred to as your "numbers," can help identify risk
factors for conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol
and high blood pressure. Your doctor will determine which tests are right
for you based on your age, lifestyle and other factors. Common tests include:
A total cholesterol reading of less than 200 mg/dL is considered normal.
An LDL ("bad" cholesterol) reading of less than 130 mg/dL
is considered normal, and an HDL ("good" cholesterol) reading
of greater than 60 mg/dL is considered normal.
After you receive your test results, your doctor will help you set achievable
goals that will improve or maintain your health. He or she may also recommend
follow-up testing or care as needed.


text:
Wow, time flies so fast indeed! It is the same day of the month but only four years ago that we celebrate our union together as husband and wife. Looking back, it was a short, simple, solemn exchange of wedding vows with just few of my husband's relatives as witnesses. Despite it's simpleness, the emotion that we both felt was overpowering that we both shed tears.
Now, four years after, I am proud to say that we still have the passion and the love we have for each other is even more stronger. I am very thankful to God that He continually bless us with patience, kindness, understanding, and more love that keep us strong. Ever since, we don't forget to tell each other 'i love you' and we vowed to say it until we are old and gray. We are very grateful to God for having each other. We are praying everyday that God will keep us strong strengthen our faith and keep us healthy so we can see our kids grow up.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
4 Years and Counting
2 Showed Some Love:
- ""rare*jonRez"" said...
happy wedding anniversary bless! your name clearly states how blessed you are! :) more years to come that's my hope and wish for u! and maybe... shiloh's sibs? hehe...
- December 19, 2008 at 1:52 PM
- Juliana said...
all the best Blessie! You are indeed blessed.
- December 20, 2008 at 2:41 PM
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text:
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Sanderson Farms Inc. SAFM, -0.45% was added to the Goldman Sachs conviction-buy list on Tuesday as the industry prepares to reduce the supply of chicken meat. "Bears on the stock are focused on whether production cuts in place are enough to drive margins, but we believe this misses the point: the industry has consistently cut sufficient supply, margins have consistently moved towards peak, and we see no reason this time will be different," the investment firm said in a note to clients. Goldman Sachs expects chicken-meat prices to increase 15% in 2012. The firm has a 12-month price target of $55 for Sanderson Farms shares, which closed Monday at $43.55.
Chicken-supply cuts to boost Sanderson Farms
Quote References
-0.71 -0.45%


text: Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth Governor of Alaska, from 2006 to her resignation in 2009. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 Presidential election, alongside Arizona Senator John McCain, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major political party, and the first Republican woman nominated for the Vice Presidency. Her book Going Rogue has sold more than two million copies. Since January 2010, she has provided political commentary for Fox News, and starred in a reality television show, Sarah Palin's Alaska. She was elected to the Wasilla City Council in 1992, and became Mayor of ... more on Wikipedia