text:
Sean Gallup / Getty Images
As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, take a look at beautiful light displays from around the globe.
Stringing holiday lights is so old school.
There are countless holiday light displays around the country that won't require a ladder, an extension cord or a trip - or three - to the hardware store. They're guaranteed to jump start your Christmas celebration before you've worked off those extra pounds from Thanksgiving dinner.
You can see how the pros do it in big cities like Philadelphia and small towns around the country (virtually every house is decorated in McAdenville, N.C.), museums (it's a NYC tradition to see the 13-foot Origami Tree at the American Museum of Natural History, complete with 500 origami ornaments), zoos and botanic gardens (Wild Lights at The Living Desert in Palm Desert, Calif., literally lights up the desert) and theme parks (picture a 30-foot Christmas tree made out of 270,000 LEGO and DUPLO bricks that's lit each night at Legoland Florida).
Here are five terrific places around the country where you can light up your holidays:
(Want more than five options? Click here for 52 light displays across the U.S.)
Galveston Island, Texas
Featuring the biggest holiday lighting festival on the Gulf Coast, Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens boasts a mile-long trail of more than 100 lighted holiday scenes, shows, and a "Snow Zone" for kids.
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival has more than a million lights strung along Michigan Avenue while for the 60th year, the Museum of Science and Industry 's Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light has nearly 50 trees decorated to showcase traditions of Chicago's different ethnic communities.
It's the time of year when people start to decorate for the holidays, but it's unlikely that any of your neighbors have a light display with quite THIS much wattage. TODAY's Sara Haines shares two household light shows that are over the top.
Indianapolis, Ind.
Indianapolis is celebrating the 50th anniversary of "Circle of Lights" by illuminating the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument with 26 gigantic toy soldiers and sailors, 26 giant peppermint sticks and nearly 5,000 lights and thousands more on the trees. Check out the entries from the famous Gingerbread Competition and experience an 1830s Christmas at Conner Prairie just outside the city. Furthermore, visit the annual Jolly Days Winter Wonderland exhibit at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the largest children's museum in the country.
Pigeon Force, Tenn.
Take in more than 5 million holiday lights in gigantic displays during Winterfest which you can enjoy through February. The Dollywood theme park adds another 4 million lights to illuminate the park and special entertainment during its Smoky Mountain Christmas including Dollywood Christmas on Ice.
The Emerald City's illuminated Holiday Carousel in Westlake Park is a holiday tradition and a way to give back as donations benefit programs for foster children. The Seattle Center's Winterfest features thousands of twinkling lights and a 74-acre winter wonderland that includes a turn-of-the-century miniature Winter Train and Village, ice sculpting and free entertainment for six weeks. Find out more here at Seattle's special holidays website.
Eileen Ogintz writes the nationally syndicated column TakingtheKids and is the author of the new Kid's Guide to New York City and Kid's Guide to Orlando from Globe Pequot Press.


text:
The prestigious independent Manchester High School for Girls is carrying out refurbishment work in the prep school and building a new sixth-form building. This meant that an interim sixth-form block was required for up to three years, and a junior school classroom and toilets were needed for a single term. The quality of these buildings was vitally important, and aesthetics were a primary consideration for the sixth-form building, as it would occupy a prominent position on site.Solution :
For its sixth-form block, the school chose an Ultima Vision modular building because of its striking visual appeal, with full-height glazed walls along one elevation. A spacious single classroom building was chosen for the junior school, along with two Portaloo Junior toilet buildings, specially designed for primary school pupils, with low-level sinks, toilets and partitions.
Portakabin collaborated with the school to develop the specification for these buildings. The 187m2 sixth-form block incorporates three classrooms and a storage room, connected by a corridor that runs the length of the building with full-height windows on one side. The junior school classroom and toilets are connected by a covered walkway to the main building. Portakabin provided full air-conditioning and alarm systems, emergency lighting, furniture and datacommunications cabling, as well as installing all groundworks and extra-wide access ramps to meet Manchester City Council specifications.
Brad continues: "The project management from Portakabin was brilliant. They set out a detailed programme to meet our deadline, and delivered to the day. They responded positively to any changes we made to our specifications, and their suggestions for efficiencies even helped us to save money on the project. The buildings were delivered extremely carefully during term time, with very little disruption to the school."
"The new sixth-form building looks stunning and everybody is extremely impressed with it. The students and staff love the new classrooms so much that I'm going to have problems moving them out. The junior school teacher is very pleased with her new Portakabin classroom, which is a third larger than the one she moved out of. Everything Portakabin did was absolutely on the button – we could not be more delighted."
Brad Harvey, Estates Manager, Manchester High School for Girls

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Microsoft's XBox is holding its own, but otherwise the company is just falling farther and farther behind Apple and Google (mostly Apple) in the battle for mobile gadgets and devices and consumers' hearts and minds.
Thus, the latest shakeup at the company, this time in the entertainment group.
J Allard is indeed out, but it sounds as though that's just the beginning.
Microsoft Corp. is expected to shake up the management of its division focused on videogames, mobile phones and other devices, in the wake of increasingly bruising competition from Apple Inc. and Google Inc. in the market for consumer devices, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Redmond, Wash., software company could announce major organizational changes at its Entertainment & Devices Division as early as this week, those people said.
Get the latest Google stock price here.


text: President Obama is urging moms to get back in school. A new program, Scholarships for Moms is being offered by Obama to increase jobs during the current economical recession. Moms can now obtain a larger $5,500 Federal Pell Grant to begin the college journey. Moms, single or not maybe able to afford the college costs with the additional assistance. The cost of moms attending college is also being aided with other various denomination scholarships created by the President. To those who qualify for the Pell grant, the $5,500 will go towards achieving a higher degree, allowing moms to find better work and stimulate the economy. Of course, moms are arguably the busiest people on the planet, so online education is always an option. When the kids are asleep mom goes into motion as a college student. Certified classes are available at city colleges as well at full colleges and universities along with on line educational sites that specialize in degree programs. A $10,000 scholarship will be offered to the moms who did not qualify for the Pell grant. Only a small amount of moms will receive this scholarship because there are so many moms applying for the prize. Back to school moms require the scholarship money to offset the numerous expenses of going to college. Along with allowing Americans the opportunity to achieve a higher education, this will help stimulate the deteriorating economy. The $10,000 scholarship will most likely not pay for the entire tuition for all moms, so they will in turn invest their money in education, helping to bring the economy back to a thriving state. In corporate business the degree determines the job and future advancement. Moms are improving themselves and their families by working for a college degree and a better position in life. This scholarship program is so popular that it has a very positive image attached to it. The America dream seems reachable to many moms when they pursue their college career later in life through the scholarship program. A place to call home without the worry of landlord intervention is most moms greatest dream. A mom knows that a solid job is required to purchase a home and that can come about when you get a better education that demands a greater salary. Moms are helping the economy of the country by improving the education through the scholarship program. Hope and dreams come alive when moms see the possibility of a gift to educate and reach a goal that was off the screen just a moment ago. Obama rejuvenating the moms scholarship and grant program has contributed to making better, wiser and more educated moms able to take care of their families and building a bridge to the business world. Moms need to register to be eligible for the monthly drawing that determines the scholarship winners. Moms, especially single moms know how hard it is to go back to college.


text:
Nida Sunglasses
✈ Free shipping on orders over £75 more info ✈
Contemporary Cobain sunglasses from TOOTAFFY. Chunky rounded frames offer curved arms with tinted lenses.
Black colour acetate frame with black lenses - UV 400 protection - Moulded nose pads for added comfort.
Overall 145 mm; Lens width: 52 mm; Lens hight: 50 mm.


text:
Jungfraujoch Special
Grindelwald • Wengen • Mürren • Lauterbrunnen
Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG
Kammistrasse 13
CH-3800 Interlaken
+41 33 521 43 43
The Jungfraujoch lies in the heart of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO World Heritage Site. That means snow and ice 100% guaranteed. The Sphinx observation hall and terrace, the Ice Palace, the Jungfrau plateau for walks in eternal snow – those are amazing all-year attractions on the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe. In summer, various adventure offers ensure more fun in the snow
- 1 or 2 nights in a hotel of your choice in Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren or Lauterbrunnen, incl. breakfast
- Train excursion to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe from your hotels village (2nd class, return ticket)
- For stays in Wengen: Welcome Ticket Lauterbrunnen-Wengen (train)
- Service, taxes and 7.7% VAT
1 April - 30 June 2019 and 1 September - 29 November 2019
- This package is valid for adults only. Children's rooms must be booked directly through the hotel
- Bookings can only be made online
- Vouchers issued by Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG cannot be accepted for this package
- Bookings already made cannot be exchanged, cancelled or refunded
Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG
Kammistrasse 13
CH-3800 Interlaken
+41 33 521 43 43


text:
If powders act dry and creams too short-lived, you'll love this combination blush. You'll have the lively glow of a cream with the lasting power of a powder. Dab it on and forget it all day.
Mayumi Squalane: One of the best skin lotion on the market! 7 Oils promote calming, soothing, and moisturizing at cellular levels. Skin will absorb quickly without leaving or feeling an oily film. Contains, Squalane (Olive and Sugar Cane), Omegas 3, 6, 7 & 9, Hi-Vitamin A, C & E, Panthenol Allantoin, Beta Glutan.
Trending: La Femme, Spritz n' Color, Ardell Eyelashes, Clubman Pinaud


text:
cheapcarrental.com provides you with a large database of places that offer Plano car rentals. Search now and you can book all types of vehicles, including vans, SUVs, and standard and luxury vehicles. Larger vehicles come in handle if you'll be traveling with a lot of kids, family, or baggage. We'll make it easy and show you all the different rates to compare right up front. Just select the deal that matches your needs, reserve, and voila!
Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, Plano has no shortage of just about anything. Take an historic tour of the city and you'll visit more than a dozen restored homes of historic value. Come during the right time of year and you can participate in the EDS Plano Balloon Festival, a three day event full of hot air balloons, entertainment, arts, and crafts. All of this and more can be enjoyed in your Plano car rental from cheapcarrental.com.


text:
The LSRC X-RAD 160 is used exclusively as a cell irradiation system. It has a maximum energy production of 160kVp x 18mA. It uses a F1 filter for beam conditioning and has a movable stage, which allows a user to alter the field size. The instrument is controlled by a password protected touchscreen system; a user will be given a user name and individual password during training. A researcher wishing to use this system should contact Ken Young for hands on training. Confirmation of this training will then be sent to Radiation Safety, who will review the application and grant the access. This process usually takes about three business days.
Theme by Danetsoft and Danang Probo Sayekti inspired by Maksimer


text:
Hi, I'm Emily Cook. I am a native Charlottean and have been with the Volume Salon team since 2011. In my 11 plus years in the industry I have developed an artistic approach that has been the foundation to my passion. I enjoy developing relationships and strive to make every client experience both personal and thorough so it is unique to each client. I love making people feel beautiful!
Being meticulous by nature, I truly enjoy anything that requires precision. Some of my favorite things to do behind the chair are cutting short hair and applying fine, natural highlights. I also specialize in hair extensions and since having many clients with very fine hair, there is nothing better than giving them the hair they always wanted.
I have worked with Aveda, Goldwell, Wella, Pureology and Bumble and bumble products. My training has also included classes from Goldwell Academy Baltimore, KMS Academy Toronto, Hot Heads Hair Extensions and America's Beauty Show in Chicago. I enjoy continuing my education so that I can keep up on the latest trends and give my clients new and exciting techniques.
I am inspired by being able to make people look great and feel good--this is the most rewarding part of my career. I feel fortunate to be doing what I love every day! I hope to see you in my chair soon, you can contact me here firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Sen. Rollie Heath's $3 billion tax hike proposal makes November ballot
Colorado voters in November will be asked to raise their taxes for five years in order to generate $3 billion for education.
Secretary of State Scott Gessler today certified the tax increase initiative for the November ballot as Proposition 103, culminating a months-long and sometimes lonely campaign by state Sen. Rollie Heath to put the issue before voters.
Heath, D-Boulder, said getting the initiative on the November ballot was another indication of the effort's momentum. Heath needed the valid signatures of 86,105 voters, and a random sample determined he had 98,369 signatures.
"My dad always said, "Son, you've got to earn your spurs every day," Heath said. "People were justified in not taking our initiative seriously, and so we had to prove there was sufficient support out there in the general public."
If approved by voters, the initiative would increase the state's income tax from 4.63 percent to 5 percent for five years. Meanwhile, the initiative would – also for five years – raise the state's sales tax from 2.9 percent to 3 percent.
The state has cut K-12 education by more than $500 million over the past several years, and a landmark school funding trial is currently underway in Denver District Court.
In a statement, House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, said Heath's ballot measure was ill-conceived.
"Democrats don't get it," McNulty said. "Colorado's hardworking families and job creators are struggling to survive in this recession. The last thing they need right now is Democrats pushing another state tax increase."


text:
iPad Poised for Widespread College Testing
With a March release date, the iPad never really had time to gain much traction across campus last semester, but lots of early reviews seemed to think this device would be right at home in college students' backpacks. Kelly had mixed feelings about the device back in January, but according to this Ars Technica piece, it seems that several colleges are ready to take the plunge.
The interesting thing here is that the schools seem to have a lot of different motivations for embracing tablet computing, and a lot of different approaches to promoting it. Some schools are offering app-creation classes, others think tablets are perfect for field work, and most seem to think the iPad will save students money in the long term if they embrace digital textbooks. Colleges nationwide are doing anything from keeping a small collection of iPads on loan in the library to giving one to every incoming freshman. George Fox University is even letting students choose between an iPad or a the free MacBook that they usually give away. The one thing the programs have in common is that they all make me jealous.
It feels like we saw this same kind of widespread collegiate testing when the Kindle came out, but as Ars points out, most students preferred doing things the old fashioned way to dealing with buggy interfaces and sluggish E-Ink displays. The iPad clearly has a simpler interface and more diverse feature set, but the one reason that I think it's more likely to succeed on campus is that it's fun to use.
Nobody wants to carry around a gadget that they don't use often. Unless you're a big reader, you probably don't have much use for an E-Reader. Even if your school gave you one for free, you'd be likely to let it gather dust on your dorm room shelf rather than stick it in your backpack as you walk to the library. The beauty of the iPad is that you can use it for fun stuff too. Even if you're using a school-purchased the iPad to play games 90% of the time, once you get in the habit of using it and keeping it with you, it becomes MUCH easier to integrate the device into your educational routine. To put it simply, I don't think many people will learn how to use a new gadget just for the sake of their studies. However, a lot of people will find their own (sometimes educational) uses for a device that they WANT to use anyway.
That's why I think the iPad, and tablet computing in general, is going to perform very well in the education world, at least at schools that embrace the devices and make them easy to incorporate.
[Via Ars Technica]
Is your school planning an iPad program? Do you own one? How do you see it working on campus? Let us know in the comments.


text:
Louisiana District To Test Athletes for Drug Use
Beginning in mid-December, students at two Louisiana high schools will be required to submit to drug testing before they can participate in athletics.
The policy is believed by officials to be the first of its kind in the state.
The Saint James Parish school board this month approved the suggestion made by coaches and athletic directors in the district that athletes be required to submit to a urinalysis to determine whether they use illicit drugs before participating in sports, according to Richard Turnipseed, administrator for secondary education.
"We don't feel that we have a problem with drugs," said Mr. Turnipseed. The coaches recommended that testing be instituted, he said, on the grounds that similar efforts were being made in professional and collegiate athletics.
"The primary purpose is to protect our athletes as well as those on opposing teams" from drug-related accidents, Mr. Turnipseed added.
The district's policy singles out athletes because officials believe they are on safe legal ground in requiring the tests for health and safety reasons, according to John D. Boughton, principal of Saint James High School, one of the two schools affected.
"Athletes' motor skills are not functioning as well when they are under the influence of drugs," he said.
The first testing will include all of the district's high-school athletes4except seniors graduating in June, according to Mr. Turnipseed.
After the program is implemented, the urinalysis testing will be conducted at district expense when students take the physical examination required for participation in athletics by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.
Parental permission will be required for the testing. If parents withhold their permission, the student will be barred from participating in team sports, Mr. Turnipseed said.
In the event test results are positive, a student's parents will be informed and counseling will be recommended, Mr. Turnipseed said.
A second positive test will result in a suspension from games and practice, and a third will bar the student from athletics for the entire year.
The schools will not release the results of their testing to the police, thus safeguarding students' privacy rights, Mr. Turnipseed said.
The official said he had heard of no opposition to the plan from students or others in the community.
Related Developments
Officials of the Arkadelphia, Ark., school district have decided not to appeal a district-court ruling that prohibits them from requiring students suspected of being under the influence of drugs to undergo a urinalysis, according to Kathy A. Kline, drug-abuse-prevention coordinator for the district.
In what is believed to be the first ruling on the legality of requiring students to submit to drug-testing, U.S. District Judge Franklin Waters found the test "intrusive" and ruled that it violated students' due-process rights.
Ms. Kline said the ruling did not affect the district's policy of requesting parental permission to test a student when officials have evidence of drug use. Although the court's decision rules out urinalysis, she said, the district's policy also permits blood, breathalyzer, and polygraph testing with parental permission.
But Sandra Kurjiaka, executive director of the Arkansas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the court's ruling would prohibit any testing unless the district had already amassed so much evidence against a student that the tests would be unnecessary.
Court arguments have been completed and a decision is expected soon in a Bergen County, N.J., lawsuit in which students represented by the aclu are challenging the school district's policy of including tests for 12 types of drugs and alcohol as part of each student's annual physical examination.
Lawyers for the New York aclu are expected to decide by early next week whether or not they will seek a temporary injunction against a policy adopted last month by the school board of the Phelps-Clifton Springs school district that calls for random urine testing of students on a "voluntary" basis, according to David Moss, a spokesman for Statewide Youth Advocacy Inc., a nonprofit group that has joined the aclu's challenge.
Vol. 05, Issue 13
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


text:
Have you ever wondered how much electricity your household items use? View the Energy Usage Guide to see how your home's appliances, electronics and lighting compare.
Get the Guide (pdf)
~ approximate value
*if active 10 hours, 2 hours idle
The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program is funded in compliance with state law.
Offers are subject to change.


text:
Bent Middle Finger
Do you have a bent middle finger? Ideally, the middle finger (also named the Saturn finger) is straight, showing self-control and responsibility. When it is bent, however, the boundaries and beliefs may be somewhat out of the ordinary. The bearer does not often have strict rules or routine in their life, and decision-making is complicated. (Check the head line for marks etc.)
If the bent middle finger bends towards the ring finger, the serious qualities of (Saturn) favour towards the creative aspects. These people need time to be alone. It can also suggest a history uncertainty, depression or pressure from family duties that has clashed with their search for self-expression or achievement.
When all the fingers bend inwards (naturally, not due to disease), it adds shrewdness to the character. They may have a distortion of reality in their life, which may lead to corruption or unlawfulness, especially if the middle finger is short.
The middle finger rarely bends towards the thumb, but if it has a lean in that direction, away from the ring finger, it shows an extroverted and very independent character. These people are free thinkers; not concerned a great deal about the future.
If the index finger also leans towards the thumb, ambition, self-esteem, confidence and ego are active, especially if coupled with a large or long thumb. They are independent and not bound by the views of others. These people strive to succeed in life. They are regularly talkative and energetic, especially if combined with an extended Mercury finger.
Learn about all the fingers, their shape, curvature, length and more in Destiny Palmistry the book.
I once read the hands of a man who had a very badly bent middle finger, it was also scarred from an obvious injury. I asked him what happened to his finger and he told me the story of what happened.
Even though the bend did not occur through gradual development, I still take it into account. I asked him if he had an unpleasant or difficult time during or after that incident because after all Saturn is all about responsibility, the law, solitude and seriousness. He admitted he did, in fact, he had spent several years in jail for unintentionally killing a person in a car accident due to him being under the influence of alcohol. I wasn't surprised, and it is a good example. Of course, that is not going to be the same explanation for everyone.
The same can be assumed for any other broken or damaged fingers. Think about what the finger stands for and use that connotation to for your conclusion. A Mercury break, for instance, could be a sign of difficulties in intimate relations, dishonesty, commerce or learning obstacles.
Have your personal palm reading by Sari, see the readings available here.


text:
Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) via lovereading.co.uk, Netgalley and publishers included. They will be marked with an *. No affiliate links included. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Last year I made a conscious decision to read more books written by women, something I continued to do this year. Of the 80+ books I've read, 60+ were written by women, so it's no surprise that my best books of 2016 list is comprised solely of women.
I've read and enjoyed many books, both fiction and non-fiction, but these are the six I gave five star ratings to. These are the six that affected me the most. In a year that saw me rediscover my love of crime fiction it will surprise no one to see half the list made up of crime novels.
Some of these books made me laugh. Some made me cry. Some managed to do both. They all made me think. They all made me want to seek out people who had read them, so we could discuss the stories at length. They are all books I know I will re-read, which may sound strange when it comes to crime fiction but the three I've chosen are full of nuance and little details that lend themselves well to being re-visited.
Different Class by Joanne Harris*
Told by two narrators; Roy Straitley in 2005 and an unnamed student in 1981, Different Class* is dark, twisty, menacing and often times claustrophobic. It is a slow burning, yet character driven psychological thriller that will leave you with your heart in your mouth on more than one occasion. Joanne Harris skilfully controls a plot full of complex characters and sinister events. It's one of the best books I've read this year.
Places to buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Eason | Kennys.ie
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard*
Distress Signals* is well paced and full of tension; what makes it stand out is the significant role the cruise ship plays. What happens when a crime happens on a cruise ship? Which country has jurisdiction and how many resources do they actually dedicate to crimes committed miles from land? These are the issues that Adam finds himself up against. These are questions that add an extra layer of intrigue to Catherine Ryan Howard's confident debut.
Places to buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Eason | Kennys.ie
The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel*
The Summer That Melted Everything* is an incredible piece of literary fiction. That it is a debut novel makes it even more so. Tiffany McDaniel's writing is evocative, complex and full of confidence.
The summer of 1984 brings an intense heat wave to Breathed, Ohio. It also brings the devil. Things will never be the same again. Fielding Bliss has never forgotten that summer and it is through his eyes that we learn what happened. The novel alternates between 1984 and an unspecified year in the future.
It is a thought-provoking novel that deals with religion, racism, homophobia and mob mentality amongst other things. It's a novel I'll be recommending for a long time to come.
Places to buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Eason | Kennys.ie
Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent*
Told from multiple points of view; Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent* skilfully weaves a web of deceit, showing the fallout one incident has for two families. Just when you think you've figured everything out, Nugent skilfully takes the story in a different direction.
It is an engrossing psychological thriller. Liz Nugent has once again written a world full of complexity, depravity, secrets and the central question of whether 'badness' is a case of nature or nurture.
Places to buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Eason | Kennys.ie
Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan
Dealing with the aftermath of abuse, Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan begins where many other novels would end.
Ces is smart, vulnerable and understandably angry a lot of the time. She may no longer be in the abusive situation, but it still has a hold over her. What follows is an unflinching, powerful, haunting, often times harrowing and poetic look at a teenage girl trying to get her life back.
My words can't do Needlework justice, but trust me you need to read it.
Places to buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Eason
Becoming: Sex, Second Chances & Figuring Out Who The Hell I Am by Laura Jane Williams
After being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, the man she thought she was going to marry, Laura Jane Williams turns to excess in order to deal with heartache. Drink? Check. One night stands? Check. Having a good time is nothing to be ashamed of. But what happens when you are no longer having a good time? What happens when you realise that you haven't really dealt with the fact your ex-boyfriend is marrying your friend? What happens when you realise that you don't really like who you've become?
These questions are at the heart of Becoming: Sex, Second Chances and Figuring Out Who The Hell I Am. Laura decides to take a vow of celibacy, one year without sex or dating. A year where she can focus on processing the emotions she'd previously been fighting against, however messy those emotions may become.
Laura's writing is raw, honest and often times heartbreaking. Becoming is poignant, thought-provoking, funny, heartbreaking and above all an exploration of the work that's sometimes involved in truly liking yourself.
Places to buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository | Eason | Kennys.ie
Best Books of 2016 Giveaway
I am giving one person the chance to win the book of their choice from my best books of 2016 list.
The competition is open internationally and will run until midnight (GMT) on January 1st 2017.
To enter simply use the widget below. You don't have to complete every step, but the more you complete the more chances you have of winning.
Got something to say about this post? Find me on: Bloglovin' | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter


text:
The Green Kitchen: Using a Dishwasher versus Hand-Washing Your Dishes
Which method of cleaning your dishes is better for the environment, dishwasher or hand-washing? You might be surprised to find that in some cases, using an electric dishwasher may be a little more green than old-fashioned, hands-in-the-suds washing.
An Energy Star-rated dishwasher manufactured after 1993 likely uses less water than hand-washing — because it doesn't waste water in that waiting-to-get-warm process you go through at the sink, and because it cleans a lot more effectively, which means you don't have to pre-rinse to get all food remains off. To maximize efficiency, however, you want to wash full loads and use the most energy-efficient settings (choose air-dry and steer clear of heat-dry, rinse-hold, or pre-rinse options).
All well and good, if you can fill up the dishwasher every day. However, if you live by yourself, it might take you a week to come up with a single dishwasher load. In this case, you can wash mindfully. Once a day, fill up a soapy sink tub about halfway — just enough hot water to submerge or dunk most dishware. Wash and place your soapy-clean dishes in the other sink. When you're done, you can take your spray hose and rinse them. In the summer, you can save the tub water to pour on your garden, providing the soap is vegetable-based.


text:
Barrington "Bo" Scott- CEO
Boulevard Entertainment, LLC is marketing, special events, travel and consultant agency in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, DMV.
The firm is a complete entertainment corporation dedicated to assist our clients from inception to completion. We have a professional group of highly skilled musicians, songwriters, DJ's, event planners, and marketing specialists ready to meet your desired needs.
Boulevard Entertainment, LLC is very committed to delivering our services with competence, responsiveness, and total customer professionalism.
Our staff believes in staying on the cutting edge of the industry and technology. We believe that one must be daring, different, and innovative. One must make opportunities rather than trying to find them.
Boulevard Entertainment, LLC staff has numerous years of experience and has worked with some of the nation's most noted performers. In addition, we have grown to be the area leader in planning festivals, talent showcase, record release parties, winter get-a-ways, wedding receptions, and exclusive corporate affairs.
A Member Since 2001
CBCF 49th Annual Legislative Conference, Washington D.C. Coming September of 2019
Prince Hall Lodge No.14 - Worshipful Masters Community Service Awards Coming September 2019
Chloe + Maud 8th Annual DC Tap Fest at the University of the District of Columbia
Coach Bo II and Father Baringtion "Bo"Scott, I
Congratulations Kenneth Brewer and participants of Global Scholars Foundation, Inc.
Congratulations Barrington "Bo" Scott On Your
Be There Magazine "Lifetime Icon Award"
Boyz 2 Men receive BET Lifetime Achievement Award
(Walk of Fame)
UDC Trustee Barrington D. ScottRecipient of 2017 PATHMAKERS LEADERSHIP AWARD for your commitment to philanthropy.
Your work exemplifies the mission of University of the District of Columbia. To educate our society, protect our environment, and nurture our next generation of leaders.
Feb. 16, 2017 Ronald Mason, Jr. President
Book Signing for Lisa P. CohenWorld Champion Boxer"Being Too Fierce"
Power Attorney Willie Gary, Esq. with Team Lisa Foster Cohen
Marvel's Black Panther Movie Grossed $1.35 Billion Worldwide And Growing
BEfore even entering high school in Springfield Ohio, Everett Hall had designed and constructed more than 300 garments. At Howard University in Washington DC, he became president of the school's Fashion and Textile Association and was a finalist for the Cutty Sark Award, which recognizes the nation's best student designer. Everett Hall credits his father for his clothing passion and it seems that other members of his family were also affected with this same way of life. Brothers Edwin and Eric also have worked the EH brand over the years and remembers their dad teaching them to be picky and selective. Everett Hall has found his direction in men's fashion but often talks about his beginnings when the company designed a women's line of clothing carried by Sacks-Jandell Boutique in Chevy Chase MD.
When he launched his own fashion company in 1982 in Silver Spring MD, Hall started out small, but his well-tailored suits-made of the finest materials, such as Biella Italian wool—quickly garnered him accolades. After teaming up with quality manufacturer Lubian 1911, he began to expand beyond his internationally distributed Made in Italy white label, opening his own Everett Hall Designs black-label boutiques in the Washington, D.C. area, the first in 1994, another in 1999. The Everett Hall Boutique is now located on the stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that DC socialites call Rodeo Drive were the ambiance inspires confidence. This section of town has become an epicenter of luxury, fashion & lifestyle.
EH-is worn by: Stephen Baldwin-Actor, Antonio Sabato-Actor, Jr., Paul Sorvino-Actor, Nelson Mandela- Late President of South Africa, Sugar Ray Leonard-5 Boxing World Championship Titles, Patrick Ewing-NBA, Maury Povich-Talk-show Host, James Brown-Sportscaster, Donnie Simpson-Radio Personality, Rick Mahorn-NBA, John Sally-NBA, Charles Barkley-NBA Star & TV Analyst, Charles Mann-NFL Pro-Bowler, Art Mock-NFL Hall of Fame, and many others who continue to be selective in their fashion apparel…


text:
Tuesday marks one week until the general election, but the Muskingum County Board of Elections will be open this weekend for those who want to vote absentee. The Board of Elections will open its doors from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, and will be open Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m..
"If you're wanting to vote early, this is your last chance that you will be able to do it, so since we have extended the hours it does make it easier for the voters." explained Director Chris Hamill.
Hamill says right around 13,000 people have voted so far either in office or by mail. That is a slight increase from past elections.
"We had a directive come down from the Secretary of State saying that we would be in uniform with all counties and our hours would be the same." explained Hamill.
After Monday voters will no longer be able to vote absentee. The Board of Elections will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Monday. If you have a change of address and have moved within the county, Hamill says you can come into the Board of Elections to change your address and vote. If your address has not changed, you will need to go to your correct polling location.


text:
Fireball Island - 80's Board Game, Reignited and Restored
When we started Restoration Games, we asked you to tell us which games to bring back. The number one request, by far, was Fireball Island. After more than a year of hard work, we are thrilled to announce: Fireball Island is back!
If this is your first time checking out the campaign, good to see you! You'll be thrilled to know that our amazing backers have already unlocked tons of stretch goals (and more still to come). As you check out the page, keep in mind that your pledge will also include all of this amazing stuff.
On the other hand, if you know you want it all and you want it now, we've got you covered.
So what are you waiting for? Come on and join the fun!
Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar improves on the art, components, and game play of the original. If you loved the game as a child, you'll see we turned that "delightful chaos" up to the max. If you never played it before, you'll appreciate it as a fun, exciting game for kids, families, and gamers alike.
Tom Vasel and the Dice Tower crew sat down with Justin Jacobson, the president of Restoration Games for a full, live playthrough of the base game, which should give you a good idea of how the game plays.
While the fireballs are unpredictable, we made sure that players have more control over their actions and more meaningful choices.
In all, the game remains fast, fun, and light, but offers meaningful choices.
We've also made arrangements with Rodney Smith of Watch It Played! to do a rules video at the time of release.
NOTE: The board in the images above is a hand-painted prototype and does not reflect final art for the island. Here is the near-final art for the island and some renders showing off the detail that will show up on the finished board.
There are four expansions available in this campaign, and they are fully interchangeable with the base game and each other. We've also added some amazing new components, through hitting stretch goals, with no additional charge to backers.
If this is your first Kickstarter, welcome! It's easy to get involved, and being a part of the community can be a lot of fun. All you have to do is:
- Click on the pledge level you want to back.
- Enter your email address and "Continue as guest".
- Enter your payment information.
- Click the big green "Pledge" button
To keep things simple, there are only two tiers for regular backers.
(You can order additional copies or optional buys by increasing your pledge amount. See Shipping and Fulfillment below for more details.)
For verified brick-and-mortar stores: We also have a special pledge level that is just for you. You pledge only $20 during the campaign. When we are ready to ship the games, after the campaign closes, you will use our pledge manager to finalize your order and pay the remaining balance due. If you have any question about your status, please message us, and we will confirm before pledging. All the terms and other information about this pledge level can be found in this special update.
We've blown through dozens of stretch goals, like a fireball through a rickety bridge, and unlocked tons of great additional content. Backers get the Treasure Trove expansion pack for free, and it's already full of new souvenirs, injury cards, and more.
Not much time left to hit those stretch goals!
Given the unique design of the game, we only have one prototype and couldn't send out review copies. We wanted a fun way to let a bunch of people play the game, so we took the show on the road! J.R. Honeycutt, our Tinker-in-Chief, set off on a 30-day, 13-state road trip, including a stop in Canada! We met up with some of the most amazing game stores, cafes, conventions, and content creators to bring you a chance to play the game in person. And, of course, we got to meet our amazing fans and backers. It was truly a special happening. Below are some videos from the trip. (Note: These videos are of the hand-painted prototype board; the final version of the board will have printed art and won't be as shiny.)
One of our backers, MAJBrown22 was able to make it to the Secret Cabal Meetup at Beermongers and wrote up his impressions in this Board Game Geek forum post.
Check out some epic skill shots in this supercut:
We are using key fulfillment partners within each shipping region. There are no additional customs fees, VAT, or similar charges.
There is only one shipping charge per region regardless of what reward you get -- we're subsidizing the rest.
For the US, Canada, and the EU, we are proud to partner with Quartermaster Logistics, the premier provider of Kickstarter fulfillment in the gaming industry. Your games will be safely packed by their professional team, and you'll be emailed a tracking number when your package ships. For Australian backers, we'll be using Aetherworks, who we used on our Stop Thief! campaign and who did a great job.
If you would like to order a second copy, just increase your pledge amount by the cost of that pledge. You do not need to add anything for additional shipping. If you want more than two copies, add the shipping charge for each additional set of one or two. For example, if you wanted to get three copies of the base game sent to Canada, you would pledge a total of $220.
We are using BackerKit, a third-party service that lets us manage ordering and shipping. This service starts after the Kickstarter campaign is over. You'll have the chance add items to your pledge at that time. Importantly, though, there will be no additional fees due after the campaign. When you pledge, it will automatically calculate and add all shipping charges. The only additional charge is if you decide to get more stuff. Both pledge levels will be available in BackerKit. You can back the campaign now at any amount and choose your pledge later, or you can back at the Feel the Burn level and upgrade to the Full Vul-Kar.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the limitations of our license, we are only able to offer the game in English and in the US, Canada, EU, and Australia. Please see the FAQ for more information.
As we head into the final hours of this campaign, every point of contact and bit of buzz can help. Send the message out far and wide on social media. Use these social media avatars to show your love for the game. And, remember, sometimes the best way is a direct, personal email to that one person you just know will get a kick out of it. Every little bit helps.
Restoration Games was founded by Justin D. Jacobson and Rob Daviau on a shared love of all those great board games they played when they were kids. We knew there were a lot of great treasures hidden beneath the sands of time. When we announced our plans, the response was overwhelming. We are dedicated to restoring these games to their rightful glory, bringing the fun to those with fond memories, and publishing great games for demanding gamers.
We must acknowledge the rest of the team who put in an unblelievable effort to make this a reality. Jason Taylor is our Visual Restoration Wizard, who is the reason everything we do looks so good. Lindsay Daviau is our Production Superhero, who ensures the finished products look amazing. JR Honeycutt is our Tinker-in-Chief; he helps get a game from the idea to a finished design. Suzanne Sheldon, our Master-of-Fireworks, makes sure everyone knows what we're up to.
We had lots of talented help with the art and design of the game. George Doutsiopoulos did the fantastic cover illustrations for the base game and the three main expansions. Card art is by Victor Perez Corbella. David Kegg did the retro art that appears in various places in the game, branding, and this campaign. Jean-Louis Sirois helped with some extra foliage illustration you see on this page and on the gameboard. Additional thanks to Matijos Gebreselassie and Bill Tiller for early concept illustrations. 3D sculpting for the miniatures and island features is by Chad Hoverter. Noah Adelman of Game Trayz, LLC did the initial design work on the island trays. Design Innovation, Inc. finalized the island trays. The video work was done by Josh McDowell, and the voiceover was performed by Graham Rowat. Rulebook editing was done by the Meeple Lady. Our thanks to all of them for their unbelievable effort in bringing this project to fruition.
And, of course, we would be remiss not to mention the original masterminds behind the game, Bruce Lund and Chuck Kennedy.
Risks and challenges
This is our second Kickstarter and fourth game overall. Our first Kickstarter, for Stop Thief! was, by all accounts, a huge success. We received many compliments on how we handled everything, making sure everyone got their games in a timely manner. We pride ourselves on our customer service. If something happens, we'll work hard to make it right.
That said, Fireball Island is a design project unlike any other, involving three-dimensional, mechanical, plastics. Rob, Jason, and Lindsay have decades of experience working at Hasbro on such products.
This is also a licensed product. However, Justin negotiated complete creative control in the licensing agreement. Therefore, no final approval is needed to move to production.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (30 days)


text:
While Beaumont dealt with two weeks of unprecedented flooding, damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey, the City of Beaumont has bounced back and is quickly recovering; particularly as it relates to the meetings and convention business, per the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Convention Sales Team.
Hurricane Harvey did have some immediate impact on conventions in Beaumont, "Most of the late August and September events were either postponed or rescheduled," stated Freddie Willard, Director of Sales. "We had two softball tournaments cancelled and one tennis tournament relocated to Tyler, Texas, but none of our conferences, meetings, or class reunions booked later this fall have cancelled."
As of September 6, 2017, 98 percent of Beaumont hotels were open and reporting 100 percent occupancy to the Beaumont CVB with most hotels having an expected date of availability to start mid-to-late October. "I've been in contact with our hotel partners almost daily and everyone has been very understanding and accommodating," stated Willard.
Most Beaumont hotels remained open during the storm to house displaced residents and first responders. Their warm hospitality and the outpouring of human kindness from the staff at these properties made the Beaumont CVB very proud of our hospitality partners. Everyone pulled together to help after the rain stopped and now, the local attractions, businesses, restaurants, lodging and event spaces are getting back to business.
"Despite the recovery process, everyone is continuing to host meeting business," adds Rebecca Woodland, Convention Sales Manager. "For example, the MCM Eleganté had some carpet damage but still hosted Spindletop Rotary Club's meeting this week as well as other organizations. Our convention hotels are functioning normally."
Beaumont is strong and recovering well. Our roadways, highways and streets are accessible, airports have resumed their schedules and attractions and restaurants are open. What we want meeting planners to know is that we are open for the meeting and convention business.
If you have a meeting, reunion or tournament that would fit Beaumont, please come book it through the Beaumont CVB.
Now is the perfect opportunity to book your convention business for 2018 and beyond by calling the Beaumont CVB Sales Team at 800-392-4401 or at http://www.beaumontcvb.com/meetings/our-team/


text:
logitech k380
type on anything
K380 is a multi-device wireless keyboard that connects up to three Bluetooth devices that support external keyboards.
Type anywhere
Take this compact keyboard anywhere in your home or favorite coffee shop. Type wherever you like, on any computer, phone or tablet. May it be your Android phone, iPhone, iPad, TV, laptop or desktop.
Enjoy the comfort and convenience of desktop typing on your smartphone and tablet.
a familiar layout
We designed the firmware in the way, that the keyboard recognizes each device and automatically maps keys to give you a familiar layout with your favorite shortcuts.
By detecting your specific device (e.g. Apple or Windows computer) K380 sends the correct key codes.
During the design process I created many prototypes and appearance models to judge tactility of materials, user experience and industrial design.
2016 Red Dot Award, Product Design
On shelf: Fall 2015
Development time: 1 year
Role: Design Lead
ID concept: Feiz Design
Team: Art O'Gnimh, David Guhl, Hongky Zhang, Jack Teng, Jacobo Olivio, Katharine Pulford, Kathy Qiu, Lars Lauridsen, Leon Zhu, Linsa Lin, Olivier Dumont, Vic Kao, Wilma Wu


text:
Posted in 1, Art & Craft, Celebrations, Vegan Yums I Like
Tags: baking, dinner, favor, gift, holiday, sugar, tea, tea party, vegan, veganmofo, vegetarian
Posted in Vegan Yums I Like
Tags: appetizer, holiday, hors d'oeuvres, phyllo, puff pastry, spade & spoon, vegan, veganmofo, vegetarian, vol au vent
Posted in Art, Art & Craft
Tags: Art, Art & Craft, crafting, crochet, diy, geekery, gift, holiday, knit, paper, tech, tutorial, vegan
Posted in Art & Craft, Celebrations, Recipes
Tags: children, compassionate, crafting, diy, easter, eco, egg, holiday, kids, martha stewart, peta, Vegan Resources, vegetarian
Posted in Art & Craft, Celebrations
Tags: children, crafting, diy, easter, easter basket, eco, gift, holiday, kids, recycle, toy, Vegan Resources, vegetarian
Welcome! I'm a busy little vegan living in Massachusetts. I am always going at top speed to keep up with my work, art, and traveling. I sometimes surprise myself at how easy it is to be a vegan-on-the-go and eat well without killing my piggy bank. Thus, Green Light Vegan was born! This is where I share my tips on the vegan fast life, cooking, and some DIY things, too! More about me.


text:
This is the part where unfortunately I confess that I am a professional cynic.
But watching the Urban Meyer saga unfold over the last 24 hours leaves me a bit bewildered and uncomfortable. Because I just get the feeling that the whole story hasn't been told.
On the surface what we have is this: Gators coach Meyer decides on Saturday to step down from his job after the Sugar Bowl in order to solve ongoing health problems fueled by the 24-7 stressful lifestyle that comes with being one of the best coaches in college football. Then on Sunday morning, there is a dramatic turnaround after watching his players practice and Meyer agrees to become the coach who is also the coach in waiting by taking an indefinite leave of absence although he says in his "gut" that he will coach again in the fall of 2010.
Here's what I am willing to accept at face value:
Meyer has bona fide health issues that he needs to address. He essentially ducked a question during the Sunday press conference on whether his doctors advised him to quit his job.
Meyer does indeed have a good bond with his players and many of them were probably very upset at his dramatic initial announcement.
But here's the questions that I remain perplexed by:
Meyer apparently won't be allowed to visit the University of Florida complex in the near term or have anything directly to do with the team yet will continue to get paid $4 million a year because he remains the head coach according to UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley. Ok, so Meyer gets paid even though we don't know when, or if, he will resume working. Is this to make sure he doesn't go anyplace else? Is this to thwart the possible poaching of UF recruits in advance of National Signing Day in February?
There is no idea yet who will hire the defensive coordinator to replace Charlie Strong. So let me get this straight. Meyer can't go to the UF facility yet somehow a top new coach will be hired to run the defense. How will that work? Does UF expect interim coach Steve Addazio to hire this person, even though they eventually will work for Meyer? If you were a top-flight coordinator wouldn't you want a bit of an understanding of who the heck your boss actually is?
What do you tell potential UF recruits in the next month? Are you going to tell them flatly that Meyer will be their coach? Will Meyer call any of them personally? Or will it be put to Addazio and the still unknown defensive coordinator to try to lure players into a totally unsettled situation?
Why did Meyer drop his bombshell on Saturday to begin with? He was given the offer of a leave of absence before that time he acknowledged. Again my professional cynicism makes me wonder whether the news about Meyer's health problems must have been leaking out and that announcement on Saturday was a preemptive strike. Otherwise why not wait until after the Sugar Bowl. Then there's the unsettled business about the university essentially misleading everyone by saying that Meyer's trip to the hospital on the night of the SEC Championship Game was due to "dehydration." Meyer himself corrected the record in December by acknowledging it was in fact due to "chest pains."
I am willing to admit I could be dead wrong and this story is just what it appears to be at this time.
But right now it just doesn't add up.


text:
As all my readers know, my favorite way to dress is all black, so naturally when it comes to looking my best on a date with my husband or GNO, I'm going to wear all black. My three date night outfits here are all black with some colorful accessories. Here is the first outfit with black slacks and a lace top over a tank top.
I wear this combination if I'm going out after work. I'll wear it to work and have a jacket or sweater over the top to look more professional. I'll usually change the shoes as well. Higher heels for date night.
I would wear this to a work related function because it's classy without being too girly or sexy. Favorite piece from this look:
Where to get similar: Pants, mine are from Club Monaco and I highly recommend them if you can still find them. (similar by Theory), Lace Top (similar by Limited), Clutch (YSL), Amethyst Believer Bracelet ($85), Olmedo Bracelet ($125), Arabic Black Onyx Ring ($120).
My second look is something I wore to our Valentine's dinner date. A sheer D&G dress paired with the same silver accessories, silver Sergio Rossi sandals, and Marc Jacobs clutch.
Where to get similar
Earrings - Deco Silver Chantilly Earrings ($95)
Dress - Any lace or sheer dress is perfect for date nights, here are some similar dresses: BB Dakota ($98), Cynthia Steffe ($138), DVF ($378).
Sandals - Guess ($109.95), Ted Backer ($200), Jimmy Choo ($595), Jimmy Choo ($795)
Clutch - Tory Burch ($350), Loeffler Randall ($350).
However, I added these beautiful, big statement earrings.
This is an outfit I love wearing to dinner after work since I can just change the top, shoes, and bag. For a date night, I usually choose a very festive top like this sequin top from Stefanel. A top like this comes in handy when you are putting together night out outfits. It's easy to wear with pants or skirts. I usually wear it with leather leggings and heels when I'm going out. For this outfit, I wore it with my favorite black Armani skirt with the fun silver details and ruffles. For night out after work, I usually look for pencil skirts with some metallic details or leather. Paired with my Jimmy Choo pumps and YSL clutch.
The accessories I am wearing are all from Boyajian Trend Gallery. I chose more hints of purple for this look.
My favorite pieces are these beautiful silver/purple earrings.
Here is where you can get similar items:
Accessories - Clutch Violet Struzzo Pochette ($205), Bracelet Yayoi Deep Purple ($65), Believer Amethyst Bracelet ($85), Sarda Amethyst Coin Earrings ($45).
Top - Glamorous Sequin Camisole ($37), Alice + Olivia ($45), Robert Rodrigues Sequin Top ($50).
Skirt - Michael Kors Skirt ($85), Versace Collection ($525).
Shoes - Jimmy Choo Alex Platform Pump ($795).


text:
History teacher Jack Sherry of West Nyack has taken his passion to educate a step further than the rest. He doesn't just lecture about unforgettable American figures or memorable events, he lives what he teaches.
What started out as a hobby, taking part in Revolutionary War-era battle reenactments, has evolved into a career as an impersonator of one of American history's most recognizable figures: Benjamin Franklin.
The 56-year-old grew up in Ramsey, NJ. Even as a young boy Sherry had a keen interest in the how's and why's of American history – an interest sparked by his college professor father. "When I was 8 or 9 years old, he said let's go visit this place in the Catskills where there's a train tunnel.
I was always fascinated with tracing old railroad beds and canal beds – where do they go, what are they there for?" It wasn't until the late 1970s that Sherry was caught up in a new fascination – one that would later alter his career path.
He recalls how in 1978, Time Magazine ran an article on the Battle of Monmouth (NJ) and the reenactment held to commemorate its 200th anniversary. "I said, 'Wow! That looks cool!" He searched for local Revolutionary period reenactment events, but found nothing. Two years later, however, Sherry and his wife, Celeste, attended a battle reenactment being staged in Katonah – and he was hooked.
With that, Sherry and his wife both joined the 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers, a Bergen-based unit dedicated to "maintaining strict goals of authenticity" in representing the 18th century soldiers and civilians they portray.
Becoming Benjamin Franklin
Now, nearly 30 years later, he has transformed himself from a Loyalist soldier to a Revolutionary period hero. Sherry recalls how a colleague at Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, NJ, where he's been teaching history for eleven years, made a remark that inspired a change in costume and character. "He said, 'You know, when you turn your head a certain way, you remind me of Benjamin Franklin,'" says Sherry.
It was like a light bulb turned on. "I'll never forget it," Sherry says. "That's where it started."
He let his hair grow. He attended open houses at Paramus Catholic dressed as Franklin. He wowed the crowd with his full Franklin regalia at a fundraiser thrown by the dance group he and his wife belong to. "They ate it up," Sherry says.
His eighteenth century Ben Franklin costume includes period spectacles and custom-made suits. "You certainly attract attention. I once drove in kit [costume] to an event, and on the way I went into the men's room at a rest stop. If you think I didn't get some looks … but, even strangers know who I am."
Sherry's first paid gig as Franklin was at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, in 2006, the year of the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth. "A lot of times when you're doing this, you can't wait 'til you're ready. You'll never be ready. You've got to just do it," says Sherry.
Acting the part of one of our country's Founding Fathers doesn't end with an uncanny resemblance. Sherry has researched Franklin extensively over the years to perfect his impersonation, from his gentleman's stance to his prolific use of puns, which Franklin was known for.
In early September, Sherry had just returned from a visit to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. "The more I learn [about Franklin], the more in awe of him I become," he says.
Sherry explains that during events, he never breaks character and draws from his vast knowledge about Franklin and the period in which he lived. "There are even certain ways of standing – it's like ballet," he explains. "Eighteenth century people, particularly the upper end, knew these positions. My wife keeps kicking me because I sometimes forget to maintain the pose."
Reinventing himself through the years
This isn't the first time Jack Sherry has reinvented himself. He graduated from Pace University in 1976, intending to teach high school history. Unfortunately, jobs for history teachers were scarce that year, and Sherry fell into a series of unrelated positions: doing everything from selling insurance to working in a paint store.
Finally, after twenty years, his sister-in-law asked why he wasn't teaching. He returned to Pace, got his Master's degree, and landed his current position at Paramus Catholic High School. Both husband and wife are now teachers.
Celeste is in her second year of teaching English at St. Catherine's Catholic High School in the Bronx. "She got into teaching because I was teaching. She said, 'Boy, you're having fun, maybe I should try it' – although I tell people she got tired of crawling over me to get out of bed in the morning during the summer, because she would have to work and I didn't," he jokes.
A lifelong passion to educate
"I always wanted to teach," says Sherry. "I wanted to be in front of a group of kids and make a difference. I had one girl who was a real struggler. I kept telling her, 'Don't worry about it.'"
With his encouragement, the student not only passed his course, but, says Sherry, "she wrote a letter saying, 'You made a difference. I was inspired to become a teacher.' That's one of the reasons why people become teachers, to make a positive difference in a child's life."
Yet Sherry says he's never satisfied. "I'm always looking for ways to improve my teaching." This academic year, he plans to have students put together comic books based on historical events, like the old 'Classics Illustrated' series.
He uses humor in the classroom, too. "I am the King of Corn. I inflict it on the kids."
Sherry says his plan is to teach for ten more years, and then expand his work as an historical impersonator – "but I may retire early to do it," he adds. He says that when he retires, he could perhaps make more money playing Franklin than he does teaching.
What Sherry enjoys most about being a historical impersonator is having the opportunity to educate the public about Ben Franklin. "I've always viewed myself as an educator – even in sales or insurance I was educating. Now I'm educating about Ben Franklin. "I don't want to do weddings or bar mitzvahs," he laughs.
"Mostly I speak at libraries and historical societies, but I would like to do corporate speeches." He is constantly studying Franklin the man, hence his recent trip to Philadelphia. "Just like with my teaching, I try to get better. For most of my career, I used to educate customers. I'm good at explaining stuff. That's the way I teach. When I do Franklin, I explain his life."
Cheryl Rice is a freelance writer living in Ulster County.
Categories: Profiles
Tags: Jack Sherry,Benjamin Franklin,history,impersonator,nyack,history teacher
« Back to Articles
Want to email a link to this article to a friend? Just enter the information below!
If you're interested in getting more in-depth information about articles in the same categories as this article, sign up now!


text:
- Article History
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark as New
- Mark as Read
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Email to a Friend
- Printer Friendly Page
- Alert a Moderator
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Email to a Friend
- Alert a Moderator
How to authenticate Guest users from one ClearPass server on another using appexternal account
We might have a use case where an organization might have 2 ClearPass servers which are not in cluster but we want users with guest accounts on one ClearPass to be able to authenticate on the other. That way they need not re-create their accounts and continue using their existing guest account even when authenticating across a different ClearPass server.
We need to make use of the "appexternal" database account on the external ClearPass server in order for us to connect to its database. Using that account we need to create an authentication source of type SQL on the host ClearPass server and map that authentication source also to our service that handles the authentication for those users.
To start with we need to set a password for the "appexternal" account on the external ClearPass server.
Appexternal is a read-only database account which allows us to read values from the DB. The password for that account can be specified on the server under "Cluster-Wide Parameters" on the Server Configuration page.
Once that is done we need to move to the host ClearPass server which is going to authenticate users. We need to create an authentication source of type SQL using the IP address of the external ClearPass server under server name. The port is going to be 5432 the postgresql port. The username is going to be appexternal. The password is the password as specified on the external server. Please make sure that you only allow traffic from the host ClearPass server to port 5432 on the external ClearPass server on your firewall.
Once that is done we can add the filters similar to the [Guest User Repository]
SELECT user_credential(password) AS User_Password,
CASE WHEN enabled = FALSE THEN 225
WHEN ((start_time > now()) OR ((expire_time is not null) AND (expire_time <= now()))) THEN 226
WHEN approval_status != 'Approved' THEN 227
END AS Account_Status, sponsor_name,
CASE WHEN expire_time > now() THEN CAST(EXTRACT(epoch FROM (expire_time - NOW())) AS INTEGER)
END AS remaining_expiration, expire_time::timestamp
FROM tips_guest_users
WHERE ((guest_type = 'USER') AND (user_id = '%{Authentication:Username}') AND (app_name != 'Onboard'))
and the attributes similar to ones in [Guest User Repository] like the expire_time, sponsor_name, remaining_expiration.
We can also add the filter for authorization similar to [Guest User Repository]
CASE WHEN expire_time is null or expire_time > now() THEN 'false'
ELSE 'true'
END AS is_expired,
CASE WHEN enabled = true THEN 'true' ELSE 'false' END as is_enabled
FROM tips_guest_users
WHERE ((guest_type = 'USER') AND (user_id = '%{Endpoint:Username}') AND (app_name != 'Onboard'))
and attributes is_expired, is_enabled as Boolean.
We need to add a custom SQL query for fetching Role attributes and Email address if needed, to authorize based on guest account role.
select t2.tag_value AS Guest_Role_ID, t21.tag_value As Email
FROM tips_guest_users g
LEFT JOIN tips_guest_user_tag_mappings t1 ON (g.id = t1.instance_id)
LEFT JOIN tips_guest_user_tag_mappings t12 ON (g.id=t12.instance_id)
LEFT JOIN tips_tag_values t2 ON (t1.tag_value_id = t2.id)
LEFT JOIN tips_tag_values t21 ON (t12.tag_value_id = t21.id)
WHERE (g.guest_type = 'USER')
AND (g.user_id = '%{Authentication:Username}')
AND (t2.tag_id = (SELECT id FROM tips_tag_definitions WHERE name = 'Role ID' AND entity_id = (SELECT id FROM tips_dic_internal WHERE dic_prefix = 'GuestUser')))
AND (t21.tag_id = (SELECT id FROM tips_tag_definitions WHERE name = 'Email' AND entity_id = (SELECT id FROM tips_dic_internal WHERE dic_prefix = 'GuestUser')))
The Guest_Role_ID and Email are being fetched using the above SQL query which can be used as Authorization attributes in our enforcement. We need to create the attributes Guest_Role_ID, Email as shown in the screenshot below
Once this is done map the created authentication source in the respective service.
We can also enable authorization on the service and add the external source created as an authorization source also.
After all this is done you should be able to authenticate guest users from one ClearPass server on the other ClearPass server and assign them different roles based on their guest account's role id.
Create an account on the external ClearPass server and authenticate across the host ClearPass server
Guest Account on External server
Authentication successful on the host ClearPass server
Authorization Attributes Role ID, Email fetched from the external server which can be used in our enforcement
I used this SQL query long time back with ClearPass v6.5.7 to fetch authorization attributes within the same server, and it is working perfectly!
However, with ClearPass v6.6.10 and v6.7.8 I got the following error:
The filter has been saved but has the following error: Invalid SQL syntax - ERROR: relation "tips_guest_user_tag_mappings" does not exist Position: 136
What was changed?


text:
The first day of February brings us some good genre releases available on DVD, so you can finally catch up on the horror films you may have missed last year or perhaps revisit them in disc format to find new interesting behind-the-scenes extras or deleted scenes. Here now are the best of the best in horror DVD for the week of February 1st...
The first one up is Hatchet II (2010) which marks Adam Green's unrated return to the gory backwood swamps of Victor Crowley. While I did enjoy the first Hatchet film, this entry was a bit too convoluted for my taste. Still an entertaining way to "kill" 89 minutes, though. While I was personally more impressed with Green's other 2010 effort, Frozen, he is a true talent in the genre and knows his way around over-the-top gore. Oh...and Danielle Harris is hot.
Next up is Chain Letter (2010). A mediocre film about the dangers of refusing to forward those annoying little chain messages you always get. Keith David is in it. The film is ok. Nothing more. I would personally wait until it comes out on Cinemax. But, then again...February isn't really filled with alot of theatrical horror...so, it might be fun to check out Chain Letter on a rainy Thursday night.
Monsters (2010) makes its debut on DVD/BluRay this week and, while it isn't your traditional big monster horror movie, it is a very well made film experience that you should check out. Here's my full review from last October.
Finally, Let Me In (2010) comes out on DVD/BluRay. I really wanted to hate this film when it was first announced two years ago, however, when I finally watched it last October I left the theater more than satisfied...and my only real complaint was that director Matt Reeves never made the film his own stand alone experience. Here's my review. By the by...I think it to be extremely fuckin' sad times when Stephen King proclaims that a remake of a far superior Swedish horror film is the best American horror film in the last 20 years. Just sayin'.
Other genre releases available on DVD shelves this week include Virus X, Lorna the Exorcist, Pleasures of the Damned, Red River and Bad Biology.
So, that's it for this week...run out to your nearest Red Box, queue up your Netflix or head out to your local video rental shop and check out some horror tonight!
Oh...did I mention? Danielle Harris...and hot??
Thanks for reading,


text:
Fulfilling a life-long dream I was recently fortunate enough to make a trip to Africa. I participated in a three week photography based tour in Botswana organized by Denis Glennon . We visited three different lodges in private game concessions in the Okavango delta and a fourth lodge on the edge of the Chobe National Park.
I will take a moment to thank Denis and the other members of the 'team' for the wonderfully organized trip. Everything went smoothly (at least as smoothly as things can go in africa) and I would have no hesitation in recommending anyone go on one of his tours. I certainly hope to do so again myself in the future (I have my eye on a tour to Namibia). The other members of the 'team' were: Shem Compion of C4 Images & Safari's and Jay Collier wildlife photographer and manager of Canon Professional Services Australia. All three photographers showed wonderful knowledge and experience of the local conditions and wildlife behaviour as well fantastic technical knowledge of photography and photographic equipment. Many thanks guys!
We stayed in Savuti for the first few days, then the Kwara, Lebala and Lagoon camps run by Kwando Safaris. All the accomodation was comfortable in the 'safari' style with tented or canvas covered huts some with outside showers. Without exception the local staff, drivers and trackers of all the camps were polite, friendly and helpful and contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the trip. The skill of the trackers in running down the whereabouts of cheetah or the like is amazing.
The main theme of the adventure for me at least turned out to be the predators. We had unprecedented good fortune to see a larger number of africa's amazing predators. The usually reclusive leopards seemed to be everywhere and I saw seven of them over the course of the trip and was able to spend good photography time with five of these. Not only that every single one of the sitings was on the ground not hidden up a tree as is so often the case. In fact the first major siting within twenty minutes of starting the first game drive at the first camp, was a young female leopard we were able to spend a whole hour with.
I also saw lions, a coalition of 3 male cheetah's, hyena's and amazingly was able to spend large amounts of time with two different packs of the rare and endangered African Wild Dogs. A glimpse of a Caracal topped off an incredible run of good fortune with the cats and dogs of Botswana.
The main thing that made the trip so rewarding in a photographic sense was the time of year we visited. The busiest time of year for the delta is the winter when the rivers and channels in the delta (swollen by rains in Angola) are at their highest but the surrounding country is very dry so that the animals are clustered around the water and easier to find. Visiting in December as we did - which is the start of the rainy season, meant the channels were lower and water was available elsewhere so the animals were a little harder to find at times (but still plentiful). The payoff though was 3 weeks of amazing cloudy skies which were great for sunsets and great backdrops for photography. There was also a fair bit of rain which meant that there was often plenty of green background for the animals to be set against instead of the dry dusty terrain usually associated with african wildlife photos. Some days there were completely overcast skies which meant much of the harsh contrasty sunlight could be avoided and animals could be photographed in more flattering even light.
The other advantage to the time of year was an abundance of baby impala and other ungulates as well as an occupied heronry/bird nursery in one of the water channels.
To make the experience even better I was joined by a great bunch of other like minded amateur photographers from around Australia (as well as an honorary Aussie from California).
I will make further posts about this trip in the coming weeks and months so please check back!


text:
Why this veteran supports Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense
- Image 1 of 2
- Image 2 of 2
When it comes to former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel's nomination for Secretary of Defense, the left and right both have mixed emotions. As controversial as President Obama's decision to tap Hagel may be, it's critical our elected officials take all prejudice and bias out of the equation when it comes to his nomination and focus on the troops. Hagel just might be what our Armed Forces need right now.
Controversy is all over Sen. Hagel's past. Some believe he is anti-Israel, others believe he is some type of homophobe, and a few believe he wishes to shrink America's defense. As a veteran, I believe none of these thoughts to be true.
Chuck Hagel is an enlisted man who became a great success. He served as an infantry soldier in Vietnam, unfortunately "earning" two Purple Hearts—the one medal no one wishes to earn. Hagel was never socially conditioned into the military version of a progressive politically correct servant as many officers have become today. Again, he was an enlisted man.
As an enlisted man, Hagel experienced combat. Like virtually any combat seasoned warrior knows, war is not fun. No one who experienced combat wishes to place our troops into risky situations which could later cause them death or serious harm. This is why Hagel was against the surge in Iraq.
Some people believe the surge in Iraq was a success while others believe it was a failure. An argument can be made on both sides of the spectrum. Either way, we must all ask, "with Iraq facing 140 terrorist attacks per week, did the surge do what it was intended?" Again, let the arguments continue.
War costs money and Hagel understands that. Many believe Hagel wants to dramatically reduce the Department of Defense budget. How many critics realize how much fraud, waste, and abuse rests within the DOD? Any level-headed individual can go into any government office and find wasteful spending. There is no better time than now to take a close look at wasteful spending and start making cuts.
Cutting funds is much needed in America. But then again, American voters should also begin to demand that certain forms of contributions used to fund political campaigns should be cut as well. How many politicians are accepting funds from special interest groups later after giving payback to such organizations? Senator Hagel doesn't like that and nor do I.
When it comes to Senator Hagel's stance on Israel, one thing needs to be understood. Hagel does support Israel which is why at least five current/former ambassadors to Israel actually endorse the former senator for Secretary of Defense. Hagel does not support being bullied by special interest groups which include Israeli lobbyists or any other special interest lobbying groups.
As a veteran, I do not want politicians to be persuaded to support or assist any organization simply because of campaign contributions. It's time the madness stops and we bring back ethical politicians that will always place America's interests first.
As a veteran, I do not wish to see my brethren placed in harm's way merely for political or economic gain. Our service members are our nation's most cherished assets yet they have been used and abused relentlessly. Senator Hagel realizes this and is willing to support the war-fighter.
Senator Hagel "realizes" more than we give him credit for. He criticized the appointment of an openly gay man to serve as a US Ambassador under the Clinton Administration-- James Hormel. In the 90's, many heterosexuals criticized homosexuality. But times are changing and Hagel later apologized for his statement.
Hagel, like many Americans, has finally begun to wake up and become more welcoming and open-minded toward homosexuality. According to the Pew Research Center, 27% of Americans favored gay marriage in 1997. Today, that number has increased by 21 points to 48% in favor. Pew also included in their survey American views of gay couples and adoption. In 1999, only 38% of Americans surveyed favored gays and lesbians to adopt children. Today, that number has increased to 52%.
Hagel apologized for criticizing Ambassador James Hormel. He will likely not apologize, nor should he, for his stance on special interest groups and contributions they make to politicians. He should not apologize for our failed operations conducted in Iraq—the country is much worse today than it was prior to the 2003 invasion.
I like Senator Chuck Hagel. I like the fact that he is an independent thinker with first-hand knowledge of what it's like to serve in the military as an enlistee.
I like where he stands -- by pointing out at least one of the major problems with American politics today--special interest groups.
I also like the fact that he has proven to each and every one of us that he can accept when he is wrong and publicly apologize when needed.
We can criticize Senator Chuck Hagel all we want. The right can blast him as well as the left. No one in either political party seems to truly appreciate the man. And that is yet another reason why I like him even that much more.
I hope more veterans will embrace our new nominee for Secretary of Defense, that all Americans come to support him and that the Senate will speedily confirm him for the position.


text:
« MySQL Performance: 5.6 Notes, part 3 - More in depth.. | Main | MySQL Performance: 5.6 Notes, part 5 - Fixing Adaptive Flushing.. »
Tuesday, 12 April, 2011
MySQL Performance: 5.6 Notes, part 4 - Fixing Purge issue..
This is the 4th part of the MySQL 5.6 Performance Notes started from here.
All about Purge now.. ;-))
Fixing the Purge issue in MySQL 5.6.2
Sunny is a "purge guru" within InnoDB team, and he pointed me to the code which is currently commented as "FIXME" in 5.6.2: in the current code the purge is involved periodically after short sleeps, and the sleep delay was chosen too big (as it's yet experimental and more testing is expected before to get its final implementation available). Currently Sunny has at least two solutions for the next 5.6 version, however I wanted to see 5.6.2 fixed near "as it" with minimal changes (if possible) and simply replaced the 60ms sleep delay by zero (never sleep until there is something to purge, as it was in the original InnoDB code). This small change make me much more happy because it made a huge difference! ;-))
NOTE: my 48 cores AMD server crashed finally due HW issues, so all the following testing was executed on the 32 cores Intel server..
Read+UPDATE Workload
Already on Read+Update workload was seen that the fix worked pretty well - on the following graphs I've compared the original 5.6.2 version vs 5.6.2 with a "fixed" purge code (let's call it 5.6.2+fix1), and as you can see:
- History Length is not growing anymore (similar to 5.5 now)
- Purge activity reported from METRICS table growing now with a growing workload!!
Comparing with 5.5.9 on Read+Write
On Read+Write workload the thing become more interesting:
- on 32 concurrent sessions 5.6.2 is reaching 20K TPS level and keeping it stable till the end of the test (one hour), while 5.5.9 is also reaching 20K TPS on the beginning, but then slowly decreasing performance and within one hour reaching already only 16K TPS..
- then another thing which is very important - History Length is growing slower now on 5.6.2+fix2 comparing to 5.5.9: within one hour it reached 10M level while 5.5.9 grown up to 40M!.. - it's a true victory of the 5.6.2 implementation, because its superior performance was not because of a lowering purge activity.. ;-)) (if you disable purge completely within InnoDB you may get a very important performance improvement, but then very quickly "un-purged" data will makes troubles for you, so having a database in production with a constantly growing History List is not acceptable.. - that's why during benchmark testing it's important to monitor purge lag to avoid any kind of "wrong tuning" :-))
And now with innodb_max_purge_lag=400K
As in the previous test the purge lag is still continuously growing, what will be a difference once we'll apply the Max Purge Lag setting?.. The following graphs are representing the same Read+Write test but now with innodb_max_purge_lag=400000:
- on 32 sessions 5.5.9 keeps a stable 16K TPS level until the end of the test, while 5.6.2+fix1 keeps 19.5K TPS within the same conditions, and we're loosing really few in performance (2.5% only) while improving a lot in purge stability!
- NOTE: there was something wrong with 5.5.9 code because its History Length out-passed 400K, but it should not happen, but it did not grow for sure, so I did not retest it..
So far, Purge issue is fixed, but for a real stable work we need to get Adaptive Flushing fixed too :-))
To be continued in part 5...
blog comments powered by DisqusNote: if you don't see any "comment" dialog above, try to access this page with another web browser, or google for known issues on your browser and DISQUS..


text:
Andrew Dys
Faith in God keeps Rock Hill man with rare bone disease from giving up
Alex Creighton walks into the little house on Walnut Street, steel rods in his back, a ring of steel around them.
You need steel when tumors eat your bones.
Doctors cut out part of other bones, in the back, a leg and more. Alex has more than 100 lesions and tumors, from a rare bone disease called osteoblastoma all over his body.
He used to be the fastest box-maker and best delivery driver anybody ever saw at Papa John's. He wanted to be a manager. He had dreams.
His body stole those dreams.
Alex doesn't have cancer, at least – and only a guy so upbeat would call that a plus. Osteoblastoma is just as bad – maybe worse. He has so many tumors, the amount of radiation needed to treat them would kill an elephant, let alone a man.
"Full-body radiation would kill me," Alex said.
Unless there is a "miracle pill" that can destroy tumors, and nobody knows of one, Alex says that he might die.
And soon.
Somehow, he still smiles.
"Maybe what I am going through will help somebody," said William Alexander "Alex" Creighton, 26. "I have seen the parents of kids at the cancer centers when I have gone for tests and treatments. I have waited with them and seen them and talked with them. I've seen the little kids.
"I have had a life, I have memories. Those kids, they never even got that."
Beside Alex – underneath a painting he bought his momma for Mother's Day, because when tumors are growing in your body you don't wait for next year to tell somebody you love them – sits his mother, Linda.
"My son needs a miracle," said Linda, who is disabled herself.
On Alex's other side is Bill, his father, fresh off a long shift at the Charlotte Frito-Lay plant despite just getting out of the hospital himself for an enlarged heart condition that required surgery.
There is a pending court case in the house. Foreclosure, court records show. As lethal as any tumor in America.
One parent, 66 with a bad heart, working. One parent disabled. A son with tumors throughout his body. The foreclosure marches on.
"Someway, somehow, we can make it," Bill said.
Alex first started feeling pain that would not go away a couple of years ago. He went to the doctor for tests, then it all started feeling like a movie. The doctor called and said, "Come in immediately and let's talk."
The tests showed Alex did not have aches and pains, but tumors. There has been surgeries.
"But there is just too much," Alex said. "They can't get 100 percent out," the disease is "very aggressive."
So it would seem that Alex Creighton should be upset. Instead, he has a garden, flowers and plants. He hugs his parents and takes care of his mother. He takes solace from his favorite band, The Grateful Dead.
Even with medical bills that soar despite being eligible for Medicaid. Despite a future that might last days, weeks, months. Nobody knows.
Still, Alex thanks God for what he has, he doesn't complain about what he does not have. His Christian faith buoys him.
"Sure, mornings are horrible, and I have my ups and downs," Alex said. "But that isn't my life."
Alex appreciates what he has had in his life, and what he has now. The family's one vehicle, a truck, runs, he said, and "I can still drive."
More testing is scheduled for this week, and Alex has been referred to the National Institutes of Health for more. No one knows if he will survive, but Alex holds out hope that doctors will learn from his case, and at least be able to help others.
In the little house on Walnut Street, Alex stands. He is not a big man, under 5 feet 6 inches tall. But he seems to tower. He seems huge.
Maybe he seems larger than he is because, beyond the tumors, the bones that have rebelled, beats a huge heart filled with faith and Grateful Dead tunes – inside a 26-year-old guy whose wish is that little kids who are sick like him will get the chance to make memories like he has.
Alex hopes those kids are cured, so that some of their memories are good ones.
Andrew Dys • 803-329-4065 • email@example.com


text:
Welcome to Libra Seafood Processing Ltd
We are an independent seafood processor based in the North East of England. If you have any enquiries or questions please do not hesitate to contact us, either by phone, fax, email, or post and we will be happy to help in any way we can.
Latest News
We are now a fully ASC (ASC-C-01221) and MSC (MSC-C51058) approved site.
The new designated High Care packing area is BRC (British Retail Consortium) A grade approved and approved by major retailesr.


text:
Using the transformational power of Divine energy & consciousness,
you can impact both emotional issues and all aspects of the body's energy system, including the chakras, energy pathways, energy bodies and physical body.
You experience yourself as a separate being, a local bubble of memory and experience. Yet you are boundless freedom, the essence of life itself. VortexHealing provides a way to awaken you to this essence, to your true being, guided by the Divine source of this lineage.
is a divine healing art designed to transform the roots of emotional consciousness, heal the physical body, and awaken spirit within the human heart.
Vortexhealing is truly holistic in the way that it works on a person. The Vortex energy can be used to ground someone, or to center and nurture them, or it can be used to energize, or to release deep blockage and conditioning, or to integrate, or to just work on specific kinds of body tissue or issues. The divine healing realm works directly through matter and consciousness to transform our emotional issues at all the levels that we hold them in our system, including our physical tissue. Because of how deep and how comprehensive Vortexhealing is, a person who receives it is far more responsive to most other healing approaches as well. For example, acupuncture treatments will work more efficiently due to the increased openness and strength of the person's energy system; even drug therapies will be more effective.
People are attracted to Vortexhealing ® in order to clear the roots of their own issues, to awaken spiritually and to develop or deepen their skills as a healer.
Many of us are deeply interested in learning to clear the roots of our issues. We have realized that simply blaming external circumstances for our feelings and behaviors has done little to improve our quality of life. We have come to recognize that most of our "negative" feelings and behaviors are not natural responses to reality but mechanical expressions of our chronic emotional attitudes, based on our past conditioning. However, when we start to take responsibility for our own reality, we are often surprised to find how difficult it is to change these conditioned attitudes and feelings. We discover how deeply we are actually identified with these patterns that we have held and expressed in our emotional consciousness and being through many lifetimes.
Many people realize early on that it is difficult to awaken spiritually without releasing the deeper levels of conditioning that keep their consciousness bound to the past. Stuck in the experience of the past, there is little freedom to relax into being present Now. The whirlpool/projection of mental activity constantly projects our emotional history onto present situations, making it almost impossible to feel the world as it is. As a result, there is very little space left in which we can awaken to who we really are.
People are drawn to Vortexhealing because it is incredibly effective Vortexhealing in releasing the roots of the conditioning that keep us stuck. The power of Vortexhealing is easily demonstrated by treating a musical instrument with Vortexhealing for just one minute: the sound of the instrument changes remarkably, so it is much richer, more harmonious and full of heart. (This is pointed out in all the articles written on Vortexhealing.) It is not hard to imagine the effect that Vortexhealing has on a human body if channeled for a full treatment, or many of them.
To learn more about Vortexhealing®, you might want to read some of the articles below:
Vortexes Happen—by Jan Henrikson (originally printed in Awareness Journal)
Vortexhealing® (originally published in Kindred Spirit)
The Recovery of Vortexhealing®—by Ric Weinman (originally published in Connections Magazine)
®"Vortexhealing" is a registered service mark of Ric Weinman. All rights reserved. Used here with permission.


text:
Dutchess County / Orange County / Ulster County
Anthony John Home
Monroe, NY
This sunny, split-level ranch home includes a game room and deck. The spacious yard with a swing set and picket fence enables soccer and wiffleball games. Active family, community and school involvement are integral components of the lives of the people who live here.
Warwick Home
Warwick, NY
This spacious home sits on a hill with a rolling front yard.
There is a nice rear, stone patio where outdoor
meals during fair weather are enjoyed.


text:
Tags: ASD, Aspergers, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Chloe, Family, Graham, Holidays, Lola
How's your Easter been? Lovely that the weather has turned s sunny for the second week of the school holidays… alas that means bad times for my migraines, but I learned a long long time ago that moaning about the sunshine causes other people to view you as a killjoy, even if it wrecks your health!
The school holidays have been a bit up and down for us, Chloe has spent half of it being spectacularly horrible to her sister, her sister has been particularly sensitive to everything, crying a lot. Both kids have been suffering with a hint of cold and some nasty coughs, and my ears have been all congested making me dizzy and my migraines have been pretty bad. Poor old Thor had a tooth removed yesterday and he's feeling pretty upset about the whole thing today.
That aside we've had some pretty nice times, and some pretty good chocolate.
There were walks with tree climbing and duck feeding.
There were alcoholic lollies… just for me of course!
And new trainers for me that I had to hunt far and wide to find!
There were rides on carousels at our local theme park, Crealy. Complete with Bunny Ears for Lola, well it was Easter Sunday!
And time has been spent just chilling in the garden.
Oh and there have been some glorious sunsets!
There are still a few days left before the girls return to school, they are out today with Nana at Crealy and I'm sat here blogging, waiting for the trail end of a migraine to disappear, but I'd imagine we'll just be relaxing, with maybe a trip to the park tomorrow, winding back down before school starts again. I've got extensive notes to write up, ready for my appointment with the Specialist Autistic Spectrum Disorder team next week, re Chloe. I'm going to make sure I go armed to the teeth with information to support what I'm saying about there having been issues at home! After this Easter break, I've got more to say than ever.
All in all though, it's not been a bad break, sometimes the school holidays can be unbearable, this one was about 50/50, still, I'll be glad when life is back to normal and school starts up, it'll be nice not to hear crying and arguing all day every day for a while!


text:
Botanical record | 'MONTERA DELICIOSA'
While I love flowers, which is demonstrated in my Petal by Petal series, I also love botanicals. Their greenery and shapes are definitely inspiring, I can see why so many designers look to them for pattern inspiration. Meet 'montera deliciosa' otherwise known as Monster Leaf. This leaf comes from the Fruit Salad Plant, which is tropical species that can be found in Mexico, Hawaii and the Seychelles Islands. With gigantic heart-shaped leaves that can measure from 9 to 35 inches, this is a hardy plant that's leaves can last in fresh water for over two weeks. I love their waxy surface and vibrant green shade, imparting the perfect amount of greenery to my desk. Also, recently I have been playing with shadows when doing photography, I love the dramatic effect that they cast on your subject. I couldn't think of a better way to further experiment than with this leaf. This leaf can be purchased at the flower market and various flower shops.
Styling & Photography by Alison