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Sermon by Pastor Dan Woodman
1Samuel 3:1-10
What Is God Calling Me To Do?
This is the third and final message on the series of three questions that was posed to us by Kelly Gallagher, the head of the UCC Central Association, to consider as we reflect on how to make the best use of our sabbatical time together. The physical and emotional distance that we have from Charley provides opportunity to be more objective about how we identify ourselves as a community of believers and as individuals. Charley is asking himself these same questions while he is away. It will be great to compare notes in October. The question we considered two weeks ago is "Who am I?" Last week it was "Who is my neighbor?" This week it is "What is God calling me to do?" Not one of these questions can be answered fully without considering the other two. They depend on each other and are integral to each other in framing our personal and our corporate identity as we try to open ourselves to who God created us to be and what is the plan God has for our life. These three questions interrelate. Just like the three persons of the Trinity interrelate, and it gives me the chance to use my favorite seminary word: Perichoresis. It's a Greek word which means mutual indwelling. It defines the nature of the trinity as mutually dependent and independent at the same time. Maybe it's a stretch to apply it to our three questions but it gives me a chance to show you how smart I am. In any event each of the questions helps us to think about the others. We talked about "Who am I" in the context of how we might discern who it is God created us to be. We were created in God's image, and God has a plan for each of us. But, from the moment we are born we pick up patterns of behavior and influences from those around us. We try to differentiate ourselves from our environment but it's hard. It begins with our parents as we subconsciously pick up patterns of behavior and attitudes that are passed down from generation to generation. As we mature we try to figure out who we are through trial and error. And, we all go through lots of trial and errors. That is, unfortunately the way it is meant to be. But as we continue to differentiate and discern, and as we become more intimate with our true selves, that is when we are happiest. That is where we are as we more perfectly reflect our own sacred God-created image. In talking about "Who is my neighbor" we reflected on the difference between boundaries and barricades. Boundaries are important. Boundaries are essential, in fact. They protect and define our individuality. Boundaries exist for a host of good reasons. Boundaries make good and healthy neighborness. But barricades are a product of our own creation. We erect them both consciously and subliminally. We defend them oftentimes without even knowing why we are doing it! Barricades prevent us from engaging with our neighbor. I suggested a strategy of deploying our own "personal permeable membrane" that would allow us to filter our encounters with others. We have the ability to control how we engage. We can figure out how to honor that which is holy and common between us. And, we can prevent the negative elements of fear, mistrust, anxiety, and prejudice from getting in the way. So today's question of "What is God calling me to do," is a natural extension of the first two questions. I firmly believe that each one of us has a calling. We are created for a purpose. Figuring that out is part of the fun in life. Ok, maybe fun is the wrong word but I think exciting might work. But I clearly acknowledge that frustrating and confusing work pretty well, too. So, how do we figure out God's intention for us? Where do we look for the answer? Here again, just like the other questions, it's a process. It's a journey of trial and error. And it's a journey that can take a very, very long time. But throughout this journey we are constantly learning. Information is pouring in to our consciousness and our sub consciousness constantly. And it demands that we look both inward and outward. We all have the gifts to be able to direct this data; channel it, analyze it, and act on it. For some people it can take a long time. I mentioned before how it took me almost fifty years to settle in to what I understand God's call for me is. Do I regret that I did not get here sooner? No, I would not change a minute of any of my life experience. All of that stuff has been fundamental in making me who I am today. Am I happy with what I'm doing now? You bet. Do I feel like I wasted time in getting here? No way. I am the happiest I have ever been because I feel aligned with what I understand to be God's purpose for my life. It just took a while. But I don't think I would be where I am without embracing all that has been part of my journey. And, there has been some pretty hard stuff. But it is all necessary stuff; stuff from which we learn. So, it's taken me a while. But, for some folks it can happen a lot faster. I don't think there is any explanation or formula for that other than it is all part of the mystery that is God's plan for each of us. For some people it can be while they are young. We witnessed that very thing this morning as we celebrated the blessing and honoring of DJ's name. He knows at 18, knew at 16 even, who he was. He has courageously embraced who he is, who God created him to be, and, I believe, trusts in God's plan for his future. And, that's the thing. God's plan for us, God's call to us, is in no way stagnant. It is vital, it is alive, and it can change. God's call to us can be different tomorrow than what it is today. It can be different in five minutes from what it is right now. Again, that is part of the beauty and mystery of The Plan. The trick is we must be open to it. We open ourselves to it by going inward and outward. We search inwardly with prayer, as we quiet our mind and open the ears of our heart as we listen. Will we hear it as plainly as Samuel? Maybe. We search outwardly through engaging with others. It's that trial and error thing again. It takes some risk but it is oh so important. We are meant to engage and learn from each other; to help each other on their own individual path. Helping others helps us in our discernment as share our journeys of discovery together.
I just mentioned Samuel so let's take a look at our question for a biblical context. Samuel was a pretty important guy in the Hebrew Bible. For those who don't know, Samuel's mother, Hannah, had been unable to have children. She appealed to the great priest Eli who was touched by her earnestness and her faith. He told her the Lord would help. Sure enough, Hannah had Samuel. She was so grateful for Samuel that she took him to live with Eli that he might be dedicated to the work of the Lord and become a great priest. This is the background of our reading today. The most important thing about Samuel's mission in life though is that he was the one who responded to God in selecting and anointing the first great king of Israel, Saul. And, after that, God was instrumental in directing Eli to discover, and to anoint, the greatest of all the kings of Israel, King David, from whom Jesus is descended. So Samuel was a pretty significant player. What we heard today is the famous Call of Samuel. We don't know exactly how old he is but he is obviously a boy who is living with and studying under old Eli. God speaks to him, and it is so clear he thinks it's Eli from the next room. God calls him by name, just like God calls each of us by our name. "Samuel! Samuel!" He jumps up certain that it is Eli, and runs into the next room where Eli is sleeping. "Here I am!" he says. This happens three times and Eli figures it out. He tells Samuel that the next time it happens simply respond with; "Speak, for your servant is listening." And, he did. So, fast forward to today, to right here, right now. I think God is calling our names all the time. Tim! Debbie! Sue! DJ! Judy! Roger! Andrew! You get the idea. God is calling us all the time but we generally are just so involved in our own stuff that we can't hear him. That is why we need the inward and the outward. We need to let go of the distractions and listen. I mean REALLY listen. God has a plan for you right now. Do you know what it is? In your heart, I think you know.
If you haven't yet written on the post its, now is the time. Remember, this is anonymous. Write whatever you feel is your call, right now, at this moment on both post its. Make it as specific as you are able. Blank is not an option. If you're really not sure put down a question mark. That's ok. The question mark is an acknowledgement that you're searching. Remember your call can change from minute to minute, and day to day. The ushers will come by with a basket. Drop only ONE of them in the basket. The other one is for you to take home and put on your refrigerator. You will be reminded of your call, and/or your search for your call every time you see it. If you would rather keep it confidential from the household, put it in your wallet. The ushers will bring the baskets forward and I will bless these calls because every one of them is special and precious. Just as each one of us is special and precious in the eyes of God.
Let us pray:
Holy and Loving God, you know each of us by our name. You have a purpose for each of us. Open our eyes that we might realize that purpose and live in to who we are meant to be and what we are intended to do. Help us to support each other on our journeys that we might, together, make your world a more loving, open, caring, and just place. Help us in our search to trust in your divine will and goodness. In your holy name, Amen.


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Thursday November 14, 2019; 01:26 am EST
The formula for the chemistry of commitment
I Do! I Do! has been done over and over in community theaters, repertory theaters, dinner theaters and church basements since it closed on Broadway in 1968. One reason is that its two-person cast and simple single set of a four-poster bed make it far easier and less expensive to mount than the typical big-cast-and-chorus musical, thus very attractive to those looking to bring in an audience at relatively little cost.
That's not the only reason. The material was lightweight even for the 1960s, and the score produced only one recognizable hit. Yet both bring so much humor and empathy that anyone who is, has been or will be married can identify with Agnes and Michael Snow. It is their union the show follows for some 50 years from the honeymoon night all the way through to the sale of the house they lived in, loved in, argued in, raised kids in and sang to each other in for all those decades. It was written to begin in 1895 and end in 1945.
Infinity's production, tightly directed by Tina Marie Casamento and starring Daniella Dalli and Craig Laurie, takes a more modern setting, starting in the late 1950s and ending in the current day. The story is timeless enough that the change is barely noticeable.
On Broadway, I Do! I Do! was a hit because the personalities and chemistry of stars Mary Martin and Robert Preston raised the level of the material. Infinity's production is likely to be very popular for the same reason. Both Dalli and Laurie have personality plus, and their vocal chemistry elevates a score that was never one of Broadway's more popular. Together, they turn the show's hit, "My Cup Runneth Over," a pop smash for big-baritone-voiced Ed Ames, into a more real-life paean to growing old together.
The chemistry between Dalli and Laurie doesn't stop with their vocals. As wide-eyed young love dims with the passing of the years — and the giggling embarrassment of the honeymoon night gives way to the inevitable vocal sparring of two people wondering years later whether they are where and with whom they want to be — both of these New York actors display an empathy for their characters and each other that remains strong throughout the rises and falls of a long marriage. That arc — from love to frustration to anger to cheating to loneliness and back — is one we've all seen on stage and film time and time again. Still, these actors know how to deliver a vocal quip and a physical take in ways that make it all seem fresh. Through it all, they never lose sight of the depth of feeling that must anchor each of these moments, just as it anchors the ups and downs of any long-term relationship.
Dalli takes Agnes through the decades with a charming and knowing subtlety, gradually aging in body and blooming in attitude but never varying from the personality that makes her the anchor of this production. Her beautiful, rich soprano is the perfect vehicle to carry the emotional ups and downs of Agnes' songs.
Laurie is more of a character actor than a leading man à la Robert Preston, so we get a Michael who is a bit broader than one might expect. Laurie pulls it off because of that chemistry with Dalli, because he connects with the audience in a way many actors can't and because, through it all, he never loses touch with that aforementioned depth.
Music director David Libby keeps it simple, with pianist Paul Campbell playing a single keyboard in accompaniment because, frankly, that's all two people singing a nice, relatively simple score really need. A single live keyboard played well is almost always more emotionally satisfying and effective than a recorded and digitized orchestra.
That simple set with the four-poster bed? Turns out it's not so simple. Being a professional theater company, Infinity knows how to get the most out of a set, and does so with this one. What appears to be just a big headboard, for example, turns into everything from the altar of a church to a quilt of lights mimicking Agnes' and Michael's raised voices in the same ritual married couples everywhere have engaged in since time began: talking past each other from opposite sides of the house.
It is this, and so much more of ourselves, our parents and our married friends, that we recognize in I Do! I Do! The play is a salute to the institution of marriage, and Infinity carries on the tradition delightfully.
About 2 hours and 15 minutes including intermission. Runs through August 3: Thursdays at 2pm and 7pm; Saturdays at 8pm; Sundays at 2pm; added performances on Wednesday, July 23 at 7pm and Friday, August 1 at 8pm. Advance tickets $35, $40 at the door (seniors $34/$29): call 877-501-8499 or visit www.infinitytheatrecompany.com

subset: commoncrawl


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A little about me . . .
Hi, and Welcome to Andi B Photography! I am truly grateful and blessed to be living my dream as a photographer and feel incredibly honored to have the opportunity to capture some of life's greatest experiences, special milestones, and unforgettable moments. I love the joy and excitement a new baby brings to a family. I love watching little ones and their passion and enthusiasm for life, living in the moment and never knowing what they will do or say next. I love being able to capture those moments that seem to pass us by so quickly in the craziness of each day.
In 2013, I set out on a personal adventure. An adventure to put a passion into practice, because life is too darn short to do anything other than what I truly love. Photography is an art that inspires me, challenges me, fuels my passion for learning and fills my heart with joy. I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to meet and work with amazing people, families and their little ones. One of the things I love most about what I do is getting to meet new people on a weekly basis, during sessions I get a glimpse into my client's life for a brief moment in time. I get to see their interactions with those closest to them and learn what makes each of them unique in their own way. My goal is to capture the individual personalities of each and every one of my clients and to let those personalities shine through in my work.
Whether you are celebrating the arrival of a new baby, a little one's milestone birthday or just wanting some fun family portraits, I truly love being able to capture these memories for you and your family. My hope is that you will always look back on your photos as special moments, as unforgettable memories that make your heart smile.
~ Andrea ("Andi") Bednar
Andi B Photography


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Sunrise Kids Dental in Scarborough (Ontario) provides dentistry services for children, from infants to teens, and for special needs patients. Call 647-350-7562 to schedule a child-friendly appointment with one of our dentists today!
Select from one of the links below for more detailed information:
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Kids Dentist Scarborough
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text: + Excuses For Not Organizing An Event Sarah Lang, April 30, 2014November 11, 2015, Event Marketing, event, event marketing, events as marketing, organizing an event, roi of events, sarah lang, video, why events, 2 You know events are a good way to grow your community, but you haven't started yet. Why not? You... 12 likes Read more


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Hey Ho Lets Go
In 1977 I was in the 7th grade and at some point I read an article about a band called The Ramones. It was probably while reading one of my Dad's copies of Playboy, I actually discovered a lot of music because of the magazine. The write up made me curious and so next time I was at the mall I stopped into a record store called Galaxy Of Sound and bought ROCKET TO RUSSIA.
I was almost 14 and had been buying my own music for a little while. I had a broad taste in what I enjoyed. When I put on The Ramones it was unlike anything I had heard before. I noticed twinges of surf music hidden in it, some fifties rock and roll, but mostly what I noticed was that it was LOUD and FAST. I figured, this is it. I've heard about kids playing music their parents will hate and I've found mine.
Of course I was wrong. My Mom really enjoyed the Ramones. And while my Dad wasn't busting down my door to borrow it he never asked me to turn it off. But listening to them still made me feel like a rebel, like I was saying to the radio and people around me that I didn't need them to accept what they played for me. I realized for what may have been the first time that I didn't care what other people thought of what I liked. This was a bit life changing.
In high school I discovered other people who liked the Ramones. Most of these same people like me followed the bands that followed. The influence the Ramones had on music was huge. But the influence they had on me was huge too. They made me feel awesome about myself with out writing sappy syrupy lyrics and trying to hold my hand. These guys were jumping onto a speeding train and yelling "Come with us".
And I did.
I got to see them live in concert twice . I've seen a LOT of live music and to this day the Ramones live was one of the best shows I've ever seen. The last of the original members has passed away and it had been years since they recorded anything but at least to me the Ramones are still very much alive. They are in the music I listen to, theirs and that of other bands. They are in my out look on the world.
They have altered my DNA.


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contact - getting in touch
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contact us!
We are continually looking to upgrade our selection of products and range of services. If you have any ideas or requests, we'd be delighted to hear from you.
Please drop your comments into contact form or email us directly at email@example.com


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Are you looking for short to mid-term help with freelance plan production, design, graphics or Civil Engineering?
Leaner and Meaner
There is little question that, in the golf design industry today, many organizations that were once large are now smaller. Smaller organizations are feeling the need to spend a great deal of their time developing business and maintaining relationships. We've all had to become just a bit more resourceful and versatile to make a living as golf course architects.
Keeping Up with Technology
You may require services or technology that you don't have the time or expertise to learn. Greengrass Engineering has expertise in the latest CAD and graphical software in addition to a network of associates that allow us to offer just about any computer-based or graphical deliverable that might be required.
Help is Available
When the work is abundant and it doesn't make sense to search for, hire, and train new staff, Greengrass Engineering is the solution for your short to mid-term staffing needs. Before starting work, we will estimate the maximum number of hours that your job will require, giving you the peace of mind of knowing your maximum financial commitment for the exact services you've specified.
A Unique Combination of Skills and Experience
Our speed, accuracy and wide range of experience are what distinguish Greengrass Engineering from your other freelance production options.
Client relationships are central to Greengrass Engineering. We are committed to being accessible to you, earning your trust and delivering outstanding service every time. We are in business to serve individual clients and we will not lose sight of that mission.


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Back to all reports
Reported in the Flytipping category anonymously at 13:33, Sun 1 June 2014
Sent to North Kesteven District Council 2 minutes later
Several people have told me that there is a large quantity of assorted fly-tipped material here, has been building up over recent months.
Provide an update
Please note that updates are not sent to the council. Your information will only be used in accordance with our privacy policy


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Recipe Web site grows via TV station tie-ins
There are lots of marketing-focused stories to be told in the rapidly evolving digital world. One of the more interesting and unusual digital-centric marketing initiatives now unfolding in Chicago involves the recently unveiled Web site Fixmyrecipe.com, founded by local entrepreneurs and digital mavens Thatcher Kamin and Billy Parisi, who is also a professional chef.
Initially, the Web site was developed as a place where cooks could send recipes to be improved upon or "fixed" by Parisi in a new Web video posted each day. Now Kamin and Parisi are expanding on the original concept and trying to market the site to television stations nationwide as an advertorial product.
The site's developers recently inked their first deal with the ABC affiliate in Charlotte, N.C., WSOC-Channel 9. WSOC subsequently cut an advertising deal with a local grocery store chain in Charlotte to embed theFixmyrecipe.com site on the WSOC Web site.
Visitors to the TV station Web site will find the Fixmyrecipe.com icon and links to videos of Parisi preparing different dishes on the grill, with the local grocery chain clearly identified as sponsor of the videos. Fifteen-second commercials starring Parisi also are airing on WSOC to drive viewers to the Web site and the cooking videos.
Kamin and Parisi and WSOC are divvying up the revenue generated from the advertising deal with the grocery chain.
Kamin and Parisi hope to replicate their success in Charlotte elsewhere, including San Diego, Miami and Chicago. Kamin said they have talked to all of the large grocery chains in Chicago and major TV outlets and hope to conclude a local deal soon.


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- cherriesandcream
- 6 years ago
Over the weekend we visited some of my bf's relatives, and this particular family member asks us EVERY.SINGLE.TIME we see her when are we getting married…
I am able to laugh about it and joke around it, I told her by 2016, and asked her what she was paying for in our wedding lol
However… I haven't asked my bf anything about our wedding/proposal in like 3 months!
Whenever this family memeber asks, he just laughs it off or changes the topic :/
I told him that this person is really funny but I hope she doesn't asks us when I'm in a bad mood as I might snap :/
He said he doesn't want to give me a date but that it's happening "soon" which is all he's been saying for the past few months…
I don't want to nag or anything like that, but at times I do feel like we're behind :/
should I try to have a conversation with him? wait and see what happens? we've been together for over 3 years, and I feel like with the plans we have a proposal should have happened already :/
Any ideas/input?


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Dick's Sporting Goods will stop selling assault-style guns
Under pressure following the Parkland, FL shooting, Dick's Sporting Goods will stop selling assault rifles and won't be sell guns to anyone under 21 years-old. Anti-gun groups are also calling for further corporate boycotts. Yahoo Finance's Seana Smith, Andy Serwer, Dan Roberts and Britany Jones-Cooper discuss.
Top gun seller taking a stance - setting an example.
Other hand, corporate blowback co. NOT cutting ties w/ NRA
24-hour boycott - Amazon, Apple (NRA TV) and FedEx (discounts)
Morning Consult poll: 58% of Americans say companies should not participate in gun control debate.


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In The Artist's Way, author Julia Cameron talks about "artist dates". These are special times that you set aside for yourself to go off in search of inspiration, to be with your creative muse. When I lived in a city, I would make sure that at least once a month, I would spend some time in quiet contemplation in one of my city's beautiful parks. This reset time was precious to my creative energy and inspiration. Normally artist dates are done alone, but today I went on one with my mom. I guess we went on a double date with our creative muses?
As a belated birthday gift my mom took me to Boston for the day, and we spent most of it at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. My mom went to art school in Boston, and spent many of her own artist dates here, back when the now roped-off courtyard was open to the public.
The courtyard was definitely a highlight of the museum, and coupled with the small gallery rooms and furnishings, gave the feeling of a rare invitation into someone's luxurious home. I felt immersed in the artworks and in the time period they were collected in, a very different feeling from the cavernous white-walled rooms of other art museums I've visited. The first and only other time my mom brought me here was when I was about 15. Time sure has changed me. For an art history nerd like myself with a passion for pre-Raphaelite and medieval art and architecture, this place was a gold mine. As I walked through the rooms and hallways full of carefully arranged artworks, furnishings, books, and manuscripts, I could sense just how important this collection (and it's availability to the public) was to Isabella Gardner. And of course there were…tapestries!
Unfortunately, the main room I was here to see, the actual Tapestry Room, was closed for roof renovations! I was pretty bummed about that, but I can't wait to come back when it reopens…. in January. It's a long time to wait, but until then I'll be dreaming about this place and weaving onward…


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What boy doesn't love Superheros? Now they can have their hand made yo-yo and their favorite Super hero too! You get to choose between 6 different superhero's: Batman, Captain America, Flash, Spiderman, Superman and Iron Man. Thes wooden yo-yo's make excellent party favors or a great gift! You can choose to have one Superheor image on both sides or a two different superheros one on each side. For $2.00 extra I can personalize the outside of the bag with your childs name.
All my hand made yo-yo images are printed on a expensive printer, which allows me to seal your image onto the wood without the image smearing. This process took me many months to perfect and is not something just anyone can do without the right equipment. I also apply two top coat glossy layers to add a nice finishing touch.
Thank you stopping by and looking at all my hand made yoyo. Be sure to check back to see what toys I come up with next.


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The Pinelands Athletic Club organises two road racing events a year on the Western Province running calendar.
Hohenort 15Km
On the first Saturday in January the Pinelands Athletic Club organises the Hohenort 15 kilometer road race. This race starts and finishes at the Alphen Community Hall, Constantia across the road from the False Bay Rugby Club.
The route is an undulating, tough run through the picturesque suburb of Constantia.
McKenna & Scott Pinelands 10 km
The McKenna Scott Optometrists 10 km takes place the first weekend in August. This is a fast, flat route run mainly through the streets of Pinelands and surrounding areas. It is an ideal race to go for a PB. Walkers are most welcome.
6×6 Relay and Executive Relay
The club was forced to dropped the organisation of two other events: 6×6 relay and the Executive Relay, due to lack of sponsorship and interest in relay running.
The 6×6 relay was first held in 1954 and was regarded as the oldest inter-club relay in the Cape.


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There has been a life boat in Hope Cove since the the middle of the 19th Century. The first boat and boat house was a gift from the Freemasons, and it was opearted mainly by local fisherman. Around about 1950 The Government agency the MCA ( Maritime and Coastguard Authority ) operated it, but the current Life Boat became a fully Independently operated concern with Charitable Status in 2010. Graham Phillips will mainly be talking about the events leading up to 2010 and what has happened since.
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The History of Ambulance Services in Devon – Thursday May 25th at 8:00 pm in the Reading Room
Let us know what you think.
Please use the attached form, reply to this blog or email us to let the committee know what you would like us to organise for you.
Would you be prepared to give a talk?
Where would you like us to organise group trips to?
Who would you like to hear giving a talk?
Ideas of what the History Society should be doing (and offers of help!)
Visit to Totnes Elizabethan house and Museum – Thursday 27th April
Click the picture to see their website!
A small group had a very interesting tour of the museum, which is set in a real Elizabethan merchant's house and includes a room about Charles Babbage and coins from the Totnes Mint.
The history of lacemaking – Thursday 23rd March in the Reading Room
We had a very interesting and entertaining talk about the history of lacemaking from our very own Jeanne Curtis. She brought along examples of lace, books and lacemaking tools for us to look at.
The Three Hares – Thursday February 23rd at 8:00 pm in the Reading Room
Since the 1980s Tom Greeves has been investigating a motif of three hares (or rabbits) following each other in an everlasting circle. Each beast has two ears yet the design is so clever that three ears suffice, as a central triangle. In 1990 he adopted a version of the symbol as his personal logo.The symbol occurs in 17 churches in Devon, as a roof boss, but has now been traced across the Old World to China where, so far, the earliest examples are known, in Buddhist caves dating from AD 600-900.
With two colleagues, photographer Chris Chapman and art historian Sue Andrew, the Three Hares Project was formed in 2000, and research is ongoing. The meaning of the symbol is still elusive, but it has been found in Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Hindu contexts in the medieval world, and contains wonderful messages of harmony for our own time.
Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster
At 8pm on Thursday, 26 January Roger Barrett showed a film about the Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster and gave an interesting talk.
If you missed this talk, his book can be bought online or at the Salcombe Lifeboat Museum
Annual Society Social on Tuesday 13th December at the Dolphin Inn
Tuesday December 13th at 7:00 pm: Our Christmas Social was a great success at The Dolphin, Kingston many thanks to Craig, Leah and the team.
Visit to Lady Astor's House on Thursday 24th November
15 lucky Society members and guests visited the Lord Mayor of Plymouth's official residence for a guided tour In November.
A really interesting tour, guided by one of the Lord Mayor's Mace Bearers.


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Great postings, awesome adventure. I can only live vicariously through you.
My journey through the Balkans has been an amazing experience so far. I can't believe two and a half months have passed since I landed in Sofia in April. Time is going by so fast that I haven't had time to catch up with my blog. However, I have booked some down days in Bosnia which should allow me share my experiences of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, and Croatia. I am 12 post behind schedule so please stay tuned.
What has become very clear to me is that I can't seem to get enough of the Balkans. I love the food, drinks, history, and people. After my visit to Nis, I headed to Pristina, Kosovo. My trip to Pristina was plagued with bus delays, heavy rains, wrong bus stops, and a lot of World Cup watching. I plan on writing about my time in Pristina at a later date. For now, let's move forward with my visit to Skopje, the capital city of Macedonia.
It had rained heavily the entire time I was in Nis, Kosovo, and also during my stay in Skopje. Undeterred, I arrived at my private apartment, put my things away, freshened up, and went into town. Several travelers that I met the previous weeks told me that Skopje was a bit of a Disneyland attraction. Some said it was filled with fake statues, guady bridges, and plastic architecture. Now that I can pause and look back, the things I heard about Skopje weren't too far off the mark. However, there was still a lot to see and experience in Skopje.
Old Stone Bridge or Dusan Bridge
Through the rain and wind I was able to get a few photos of Skopje's Old Stone Bridge; which is a famous landmark of the city. The bridge was built between 1451-1469 on an old Roman foundation. Over the centuries, the bridge has been damaged and repaired many times. During the 1555 earthquake, four pillars were destroyed and during World War II, the Nazis wired the bridge, but the city was liberated by the allies before they could destroy it.*
There are actually several bridges near the Old Stone Bridge that are more modern and Lord of the Rings like. From what I hear, the city of Skopje spared no expense in building up the city. The Art Bridges are littered with decoration and quickly keep the eye very busy.
I have attached a link to an article which discusses the project in more detail.
The Art Bridges have figures sprinkled along the edges. I read a few names, but I had no idea who they were or why they were important. The second Art Bridge has warriors in different poses towering over pedestrians. The warrior bridge is something you would see in a Lord of the Rings movie or Game of Thrones episode.
Sadly, I did feel like many others in the article provided above in that the bridges are a bit over the top. They do not look genuine and I am sure many Macedonians feel they were financially too much as well.
From the bridges I made my way towards Macedonia Square which is under construction. Anyways, there is a huge statue of a Warrior on a Horse in the square that could be a nice model for some photos.
I crossed the Old Stone Bridge and came upon many other statues of horses, the found of Mothers of Macedonia, and the fountain of Philip II of Macedon. Once you cross the bridge, you feel like you're in Vegas. I was looking for the casinos. I couldn't believe my eyes. The area is completely overdone. It's too busy and my eyes couldn't focus on one thing at a time. I took a few photos before heading to the Old Bazar.
There is also a fortress in Skopje, but the clouds were getting darker and the games were about to start so I headed back to the banks of the Vardar River to find a seat at the Irish Pub to watch Mexico vs Brazil.
As the clouds darkened and a hard rain began to fall, I took a few last photos of other statues and fountains on the banks of the Vardar before seeking the shelter of the Irish pub.
I awoke the next morning to a hard poring rain. This of course impeded my ability to take quality photos so I left the camera back at the apartment and ventured out to the Old Bazaar. Click here for more information OLD BAZAAR.
Soon after returning from the bazaar, I packed up my gear and got back on the road. My next stop would be Ohrid, Macedonia. The journey was one of the most harrowing bus rides of my life. I can't wait to share my experience in Ohrid.
*sources on the Old Stone Bridge taken from wikipedia and brochures collected at the tourism office.
©2014 TORO Media, LLC


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Valuation Reports
Investment Portfolio Review with levels, models, and Input Transparency (IPR-SEC)
Investment Portfolio Review with levels, models (IPR)
Price Variance Report with inputs and documented development of prices (PVAR)
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Available for GASB 72, ASC 820, and IFRS 13 disclosures (LVL)
1, 2, and 3 levels are assigned to already priced investment holdings with a consistent methodology based on the observability of key inputs.
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Test the prices being used in Fund NAV and Portfolio Valuation Pro fee calculations. Hard to value fixed income sectors are covered as well as the easier equity and fixed income sectors. Test evaluated prices, dealer quotes, matrix prices, and the prices for thinly traded, less liquid items. Prices are struck to meet NAV timing requirements.
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Investment Income Testing / Sox Vendor Testing
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Harvest offers a variety of training for investment reporting professionals


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The Big Bend Conservation Alliance (BBCA) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization that works to conserve the living heritage and unique natural and cultural resources of the greater Big Bend region of Texas.
BBCA envisions a thriving and resilient Big Bend built upon the region's legacy of stewardship and sustained through meaningful alliances to preserve the unspoiled sense of place unique to Far West Texas.
BBCA formed in 2015 as a group of citizens concerned about the impact of the Trans-Pecos Pipeline- the first pipeline in the region with the potential to mark the beginning of a new era of development in an otherwise relatively untouched environment. In an effort to halt pipeline construction and call for better environmental review, BBCA engaged the public, landowners, and local officials by holding regular meetings and workshops to raise awareness of issues concerning eminent domain abuse, destruction of archaeological sites, water use and permitting issues, light pollution, and a FERC comment and intervention campaign that resulted in the highest number of on-the- docket comments about a natural gas pipeline in the history of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
While state law and lax regulation led to the eventual installation of the pipeline, BBCA continues to work within our program areas to address future threats to the region.


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Laundry tasks should be simple, not rocket science. Go back to basics with this affordable gas dryer from Whirlpool. This dryer has all the features needed to get everyday items of laundry dried quickly and thoroughly. However, this dryer isn't limited to bare bones features. The WGD5000VQ has much to offer in terms of convenience.
Click here to post comments
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Whirlpool clothes dryers.


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The Canadian Pay-Per Internet Model — Update
This is a quick note summarizing a few recent adn ongoing developments over Usage Based Billing in Canada, or what I have called the transition to from the Open, User-Centric Internet to the Pay-Per Internet Model.
As I've indicated in previous posts, the CRTC triggered a firestorm of protest with its now infamous UBB decision of January 25, 2011. Among other things, in quick order, the decision spawned an online 'stop-the-meter' campaign by Open Media.ca that soon garnered nearly half-a-million signatures, mostly by Canadians who seem to have mistakenly believed that the metered Internet was about to be imposed in Canada for the first time. A House of Commons Standing Commitee on Industry, Science and Technology was also called in early February to look into the matter.
The CRTC offered some hope that it might turn the tide when it stepped in on February 8 to announce that it would revisit the matter. Within a month, however, any hope for a far-ranging review were dashed. The focus, the CRTC declared, would not be on the steps that it and the telecom and cable companies had implemented steadily, even if stealthily, over the past decade, and with much added momentum in the past five, that have led to the near universal adoption of the pay-per Internet model in Canada.
According to the CRTC, the Internet access market in Canada is competitive and just fine. Its review will be strictly limited to the wholesale markets that small ISPs depend upon for survival and the January 25th UBB decision. For Internet users, this meant that perhaps 5 percent might be affected; for the other 95 percent, this arcane process would be irrelevant.
This past Monday was the deadline for those wanting to participate in the upcoming hearings to file their interventions. Bell seemed to steal the show with its proposal to withdraw the UBB model for wholesale Internet access services that got us to this place to begin with. Instead, it would offer a new model, one that it called the Aggregate Volume Pricing Model, or AVP for short.
Michael Geist and Ian Marlow in the Globe & Mail have already offered good reviews of the new idea. Geist has also published a new comparative international study on Internet user fees and bandwidth that shows, among other things, that Canada is pretty much alone "in the world where virtually all providers utilize some form of UBB" (Geist on UBB). As I've indicated in earlier posts, Bell led the way by adopting bandwidth caps and so-called excess user fees in late-2006, and the rest of the 'big six' — Rogers, Shaw, Telus, Videotron and Cogeco — quickly followed suit. As Geist shows, some other providers in some other countries have adopted similar measures, but nowhere are such practices the norm.
Here's the key things to note about Bell's new proposal to replace the wholesale UBB model with what it calls the AVP model:
First, it does nothing to change the pricing or use of the pay-per model and bandwidth caps for 95 percent of Internet users in Canada. In other words, so-called excess usage charges of between $2 and $5 per GB remain intact for the overwhelming majority of Canadians.
Second, for small ISPs (Teksavvy, Primus, etc.) that serve the other 5 percent, and rely on Bell and the other big cable and telecom companies for 'last mile' access services, it does mark an advance. It reduces the rates for gateway access services to $200 per Terabit (TB), or about .20 per GB. It also implements these charges on an 'aggregate level' versus a per user model, allowing smaller ISPs some room to carve out their own business models, ie. unlimited, preset caps and excess usage charges, etc.
Third, it retains the 'excess usage charge', but at roughly .30 per GB this is much lower than the prices indicated above and previous proposals. The idea that bandwidth is pooled allows the small ISPs to decide for themselves how to deal with 'too much' Internet use.
Overall, the proposal offers something. It is a reversal of sorts, but one that applies to a very small segment of Internet users. Together with the CRTC's refusal to take a fulsome look at the issues, Bell's proposal delivers a double blow to those who want a wide ranging review of measures and practices that have steadily tilted the open, user-centric model to the pay-per, provider controlled model in Canada.
The insistence on tightly focused remedial action by Bell and the regulator should also remind us that there are two basic problems standing in the way of a more open Internet. First, a profound lack of competition and highly concentrated media, telecom and Internet access markets in Canada relative to historical and global standards and, second, a compliant regulator that have sanctioned this state of affairs almost every step of the way.


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Promotional items can be valuable marketing tools when used properly at a trade show event, helping to increase booth traffic and maximize the number of connections you create with potential customers. By offering a take-away gift to your booth visitors, you are aiming to give them something they will want to keep long after the show is over and think of you each time they use it.
Choosing the right promotional product to be imprinted with your company's logo can be a tough decision. Remember, you want booth visitors to use the products often, so choose something you yourself would like to have. The item you choose should also relate to your business. For example, if you are in the technology industry, you might consider giving away a USB drive with your logo on it. Or, if you are in the music industry, why not create a custom guitar pick to distribute? Making sure that your promotional products suit your company is a key component of choosing an effective giveaway.
Items with universal appeal, such as pens, notepads, tote bags or hats can also be a great option, but if you go with one of these often-used products, make sure your item stands out from your competitors', whether it is a different style, colour or shape.
You can use your giveaways as part of your marketing strategy even before your next trade show begins. Email or mail a short message to prospective clients reminding them to visit you at the event and stop by for a special promotional gift. If you are getting a good response from the individuals you contact, make sure your booth is staffed appropriately to make sure each visitor has a meaningful and effective conversation with a member of your team. During the show, selectively hand out your promotional items to booth visitors you have spoken with and who have expressed interest in your products or services. Quality targeting is more important than quantity!
Contact Ballance Display to find out how we can make your next trade show event a success!


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A consultation document has been published on proposed changes to the NHS Pension Scheme.
The most significant proposal is for the rate of employer's contribution to increase from the current level of 14.38% to 20.68% from 1 April 2019. This would increase the cost to employers by 43.8%.
GP's own contributions will rise similarly. For a GP on the highest contribution tier, the cost of the NHS Pension Scheme will increase from 25.25% of gross profit, to 29.15% of gross profit, an increase of 15.4%.
The consultation document states that "The Government have committed to providing additional funding to meet costs arising from the current actuarial valuation". It remains to be seen how this will translate to the global sum increase for 2019/20.
There is also an indication that the value of pension accrual in the 2015 Scheme will increase from around 1.85% of each year's pensionable pay, to around 2.08% of each year's pensionable pay. This would increase the value of pensions earned from 1 April 2019 by around 12%.
For GPs earning taxable income in excess of around £90,000, this is likely to increase the annual tax liability for exceeding the Annual Allowance.
If you have any comments on the consultation, these should be submitted via: -
We will keep you informed of developments as proposals pass into legislation.
In the meantime, if you would like any further advice, please contact Andrew Goddard on 01704 215450.


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♥ I nearly keeled over when I spotted this couch on Adore Vintage. That pattern! It's so pretty!
♥ What did I do last night? Pigged out on homemade alphabet soup after a chilly spin on my bike. This recipe is awesome.
♥ I could literally stare at these antique cyanotype photographs of botanical specimens for hours.
♥ So thankful to Chelsea for introducing me to The Locals, a captivating Danish street style blog.
♥ Now that the season's in full swing, you'll need these estate sale-ing tips. Snaps to Kaylah for sharing such great advice.
♥ How precious are these letterpressed Dala Horse correspondence cards by Workhorse Printmakers? I love them.
♥ And last but not least, a friend was kind enough to send me the link to The Kitten Covers last week. Thanks for that, lady bird!


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Dr. White loves the church, and he wants to be more effective in bringing God's Kingdom upon earth as it is in heaven. As a state executive director, he has been struck by the fact that some churches appear to be quite healthy while others struggle with many issues.
In "Healthy Kingdom Churches" Dr. White identifies ten qualities of a healthy church. Each quality is based upon Scripture and punctuated with illustrations, many from Dr. White's personal experience. (176 pages)


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When you are diagnosed with any form of Chronic illness, it's no laughing matter. On behalf of those who have experienced the situation, I can assure you that it's pretty sobering. One might even call it a come-to-Jesus moment. Life suddenly isn't as easy as it was, in the past. It's harder. Scarier. For some, their faith becomes stronger. For others, it's when faith is sought. The unknown has a way of diminishing one's ability to smile, let alone laugh. Yet, Scripture teaches us that there is a time for everything — even laughter. And modern medicine has actually proven that it's good for you!
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens …" — Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
Laughter has the wondrous ability to heal and renew the body. When you laugh, it enhances your intake of oxygen. It stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles. Laughter increases endorphins in your brain. It even burns calories. And all of this helps you. With every giggle, you will relieve tension … fight stress … and relax. But that's just the short-term benefits!
In the long-term, laughter improves your immune system. It helps to relieve pain. And it increases your level of personal satisfaction. Laughter improves your mood — including your outlook on life. You might even say that laughter sows seeds of optimism. And we all know how essential that is, when living with a Chronic illness. Laughter improves your relationships. It aids in good mental health, i.e. providing joy, relieving anxiety and strengthening resilience. A study conducted in Norway even found that people with a strong sense of humor outlive those who don't laugh as much!
Today, the medical community is embracing Humor Therapy, also known as Complementary Therapy, to assist in the treatment of many Chronic illnesses. This therapy implements the use of laughter exercises, comedy movies, books, games, etc., to help patients cope with their disease. This has proven especially useful for Cancer patients. So, consider the benefits.
Life is precious. And any Chronic illness is serious. But laughter really is good medicine. Indulge in it. Tell a joke. Watch a funny movie. Smile and giggle your way through a good book. Laugh. There's no better time for it!
Reference Links:
* Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash


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Carol Mendes & Artists presents LANOTTE+VERSO
September 10 – 13
Thursday - Saturday | 7:30pm
Sunday | 3:30pm
La Mama First Floor Theatre, 74A East 4th Street, NYC
Tickets $15 in advance / $18 at the door
LANOTTE is an assertively absurdist dance romp about being a woman. VERSO is the B side of LANOTTE; a reaction to ourselves and the change in our own creative process. LANOTTE +VERSO are inextricably linked: LANOTTE, a dark journey of the female mind, and VERSO, a fast paced succession of dancescapes. Each dance relies on the other, as a coin with two distinct sides. Take a look.


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Discover it Student Credit Card Reviews & Info
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I own it! ;) 369
Join others who state they own this card.
The Discover It Student Credit Card is a perfect card for students, offering generous cash back rewards (5% cash back in categories which are subject to change each quarter and 1% cash back on all other purchases) as well as no introductory interest in the first 6 months after opening an account.
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You'll get 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
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0% Intro APR in the first 6 months after opening an account and between 13.24% and 22.24% afterwards.
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+ Good signup bonus
+ No late payment fee for the first time
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- Bad cash advance APR
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I had better
"I thought to get this card since I'm a student, it's not bad, but to be honest there are much better cards on the market which are not specifically for students, but students can still get them and enjoy more benefits."
- John
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49 Shades of Grey/
~Nantucket Island~
ENTERTAINING with ELEGANT SHADES OF GREY on the GREY LADY
Tablescaping in elegant shades of grey on the Grey Lady
I happened upon this beautiful collection of Turkish dishes while shopping at THE LION'S PAW on Nantucket. I was immediately attracted to them for their, refreshingly new coastal tones, simplicity of style and versatility of use. My vivid imagination could see them used in a variety of ways; a Bahamian style setting with burlap table covers, giant palm fronds and bamboo chairs, or a circus themed birthday party of vibrant printed cloths in pinks, oranges and turquoises, Birds of Paradise and Phillip Stark Ghost chairs, or a Truman Capote(esque) Ball in black, white and silver with black table linens, hundreds of black, white and metallic silver balloons, red roses at each place setting and silver ballroom chairs. The possibilities are endless…
There is never one way to do anything. These delicate ferns are gorgeous and add such beauty.
I tend to be a more formal, and thus decided to surround these beautiful dishes with silver and crystal for a formal dinner party. A step away from the predictable nautical colors, these beautiful shades of grey speak elegance to me, and conjure up a feeling of richness, like a grey Armani suit or graphite Mercedes Benz, perfect for entertaining on Nantucket Island, our "Grey Lady". As I began to gather my nuts, which, as you know, is the way I begin a "scape", I closed my eyes and created a vision board of textures and interest: white Irish linen, mercury glass, fine cut crystal, silver, antiques, luminaries, greenery, coral and a touch of whimsy! And of course, there had to be a "grey" culinary selection, which I knew would be none other than my favorite, a plate of oysters in shades of grey! Grey became the theme of the design and the menu! I always try to remember our five senses when preparing for guests: sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste....
Shades of grey in our friends from the sea, accented with an exotic green
Oyster shells at each place set the theme for both the design and the menu
I first chose the nautical clock, a gift from our children, inscribed with: "THERES NO TIME BETTER THAN NOW".
It inspires me to think BIG, to GO FOR IT, to DRESS UP instead of dressing down, to be aware that LIFE IS NO DRESS REHEARSAL and to remember that EVERYDAY IS SPECIAL. I hoped it would inspire our dinner guests, too.
My signature style always includes a boxwood, which I perched on top of a silver ice bucket, and weaved with a gorgeous "Nantucket" embroidered ribbon from Nantucket Sewing and Design, where I've been buying ribbon for 27 years! Adding antique elements creates table conversation, and for this, I used my 17th century bun warmer and 18th century silver and crystal inkwell. The more you add to your setting, the more interest it has, and the more inspiring it will be! The ivory and silver flatware, also from THE LIONS'S PAW, worked beautifully with these neutrals, and are really perfect for any place setting. I think they are a must have! I pulled from my collection of coral and used a piece at each place setting with a small kraft name tag tied to it as the place card.
My signature piece, a Boxwood, weaved with embroidered ribbon
I like to have place cards for guests. It eliminates the awkwardness of selecting a chair when they come to the table. It purposely allows for the opportunity to mix up your guests, and it says, "hey, I've thought about this and this is what I think is going to make for a fun and convivial evening!"
Lighting on dimmers and lots of candles is always a "must" as it sets the mood! My new favorite is this large grey mercury glass votive candle with an octopus cut out. You can't imagine how fabulous they looked all lit up at night. Another conversation piece! Clever!
Candlelight by octopus! Quite fabulous in the dark.
And last, but certainly not least, is the tiny vase I filled with mini-calla lilies at each place setting, another signature style for me. There is something special about each guest having their own little floral piece.
I used a tiny vase from my collection of home infusers! Home infusers last anywhere from 4-6 months and usually come in lovely etched bottles which I save and use for small scale vases at place settings!
***My husband once said to me, "sitting down to one of your tables is like sitting in your own little comfy, beautiful house for the evening"… And that, is always my goal when you come to dine with us!
Visit my blog on THE LION'S PAW at www.lyonslifestyle.com/florida-nantucket/ to learn more about this iconic Nantucket home décor store I've been shopping at for 27 years. And better yet, visit THEM! They SHIP! www.thelionspawnantucket.net (508.228.3837)
The Lion's Paw
30 Main Street
Nantucket, MA 02554
- Dishes: The Lion's Paw Nantucket
- Octopus Mercury Votive Candle: The Lions' Paw
- Silver Charger: Personal collection
- Marine Clock: Personal collection (Gift from my children) Freedman's of Nantucket
- Octopus Candle: The Lion's Paw Nantucket
- Flatware: The Lion's Paw Nantucket
- Rabbit Napkin holders: Personal collection (Gift from my nieces)
- Silver Ice Bucket: Personal collection
- Coral: The Hub
- Name Tag: The Lions's Pawn
- Antique Bun Warmer: Personal collection
- Antique Ink Well: Personal collection
- Mercury Tall Candle Holder: Pottery Barn
- Crystal: Saint-Louis "Tommy" Personal collection
- Monogrammed Irish linens: Personal collection
- Boxwood: Personal collection
- "Nantucket" Embroidered Ribbon: Nantucket Sewing and Design
- Calla Lily Vase: Anthalusa Home Infuser Bottle (save them when done!)
- Mini Callas: Flowers on Chestnut Nantucket
- Greens: Flowers on Chestnut
- Oysters: Straight Wharf Market


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Dr. Dan Stowe has lived and practiced dentistry serving Champaign, Logan, Clark and surrounding communities since 1977.
As a longtime member of the community, Dr. Lima started the practice to help promote good oral health and to provide quality dental services to the community surrounding Champaign Dental Group.
Dr. Ellen Zwick is an Associate Dentist at Champaign Dental Group and has experience in all areas of general dentistry.
Dr. Joe joined Champaign Dental Group in 2017 and is excited to create a comfortable and educational environment for his patients.


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Friday, April 9, 2010
TVD Fresh Track | New from Trashcan Sinatras
After two decades worth of critically-acclaimed releases on both sides of the Atlantic, the Trashcan Sinatras bring their signature Scottish Soul stateside once again with the April 27th release of In the Music. The U.S. version of the album features ten new studio recordings as well as eight previously unavailable live bonus acoustic tracks, recorded during the band's November UK tour.
Trashcan Sinatras play the Rock & Roll Hotel on June 14.
Trashcan Sinatras - People [Radio Edit] (Mp3)
Posted by Jon at 10:59 AM
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I'll be honest: I never read any of the Barsoom novels before I got started on my own personal OSR, and even then, it wasn't until a few years ago, after I'd started this blog.
I'll be honest: I can't run a game straight, the way it was intended. I have to chop it up, rearrange it, swap out parts I don't like for parts I do, make it my own.
I'll be honest: my fascination with World's Fairs began with reading Devil in the White City, but there's so much cool history to the World's Fairs that I just got hooked. It's like looking at a snapshot of how scientific and societal innovations shaped history over time.
I'll be honest: I just can't stop monkeying with rules and so I'm always looking for an opportunity to test them.
I'll be honest: DWIMMERMARS is what happens when all of these things get together and give me the opportunity to run with it.
The Set UpAfter its maiden voyage on the morning of May 8th, 1889, the 2nd day of the Expedition Universelle, it would be decades before another lift would make another voyage up the height of the Eiffel Tower. That ascent would be accompanied by phenomena throughout the Champs de Mars. One reporter from Le Monde Illustre reported that as that fateful traverse began, the arc lights pulsed brightly several times -- despite the glare of the rising morning sun -- before flaring in a bright flash that burst many bulbs in a hail of glass shards and blue crackling electricity. One of his compatriots from Le Figaro was, at the time, at the pavilion of the Theosophical Society. The Le Figaro reporter was regarding a series of stone artifacts, recently rescued from Neptune's clutches, that the Theosophists purported to be relics of Atlantis or Mu or Lemuria depending on one's source. At the moment of the arc lights' eruption, their hellish lightning corruscated through the Theosophist's pavilion, channeling through the unnamable, inscrutable runes, previously invisible, across the stony facades of those forgotten objets. Those unlucky few who crossed the threshold onto that lift did not merely ascend the tower, but rather were transported, accelerated at a rate hitherto unwitnessed by man, up into the heavens, on a bolt of blue and violet fury that tore its way skyward, beyond the limit of any attendee's vision.
The lift and her doomed entrants would not be found anywhere in the arrondissements of La Ville Lumiere. Mr. Eiffel's engineering marvel would allow her visitors to ascend no higher than her second platform, and then only by the stairs. Arc light bulbs would be replaced, as would the glass in the Theosophists' pavilion. Time would pass and soon the articles in Le Monde Illustre and Le Figaro would be forgotten, for other feats of scientific wizardry and happenstance would soon cloud the popular consciousness.
For the passengers on the lift, however, these events were eminently memorable. When they regained their senses, they found themselves naked, lying in the multicolored dust under an alien sky. They had arrived on the foreign badlands of Tellus, their only path home through mythical Dwimmering Mount, the looming stone colossus on the western horizon.
And that's all we have time for today. Next time, I'll get into particulars.


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I'm reading an article about intention recognition in computing areas and somehow robotics. I came across this sentence:
This problem has been discussed as the difference between "intended and intentional action".
But unfortunately I can't understand the difference between intended action and intentional action.
According to dictionaries:
- intended: planned or meant
- intentional: done on purpose; deliberate
But they are also marked as synonyms. So could someone clarify the difference between an intended action and an intentional one?


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Though she always fancied singing, saucy jazz vocalist Ruby Moon didn't take it seriously until a college professor urged her to give it a shot. Since, the budding songstress has blossomed into one of New Orleans' most fetching provocateurs. In this week's episode of OffBeat's Look-Ka Py Py Podcast, the sultry singer talks about her aply-titled debut album Vicarious Pleasures, her favorite New Orleans staples and her secret for filling the till… Enjoy!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


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Everything you need to start capturing accurate aerial data on your projects.
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The latest in-depth books and white papers
Study guides, practice tests, and much more
Case studies from industry innovators
Get the latest news and updates from 3DR
Register for webinars and watch recordings on-demand
Support for 3DR Products
Drone mapping, defined
Advice and answers from the 3DR Team
Get to know our team and what makes 3DR so special.
Learn more about 3DR
Meet our leaders
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Life at 3DR
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Connect with us
Free Webinar: Site Scan Fall Feature Release, 11/14/2019 at 10am Pacific. Click here for more info.
This communication cable uses the Hirose DF13 series connector. It is 10 cm long and it is designed to be used on the PX4 board series.


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15115 East Jefferson Avenue
Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230
Phone: 313-822-6200
Office Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Monday - Friday
American Elm Preservation
The City of Grosse Pointe Park has nearly 700 mature American elms on City easements. This is a very high number compared to other cities, but still far fewer than the 4000 we had in 1951, when the Dutch elm disease fungus was first diagnosed in our city.
The Grosse Pointe Park Beautification Commission initiated its elm preservation program in 1980, and the basics have not changed:
Trim Your Elm in the Winter
The Beautification Commission also encourages homeowners to inject fungicide into their American elms as a preventative, and is available to teach residents the proper way to inject elms or refer them to reasonably priced professionals.
For further information, contact Al Mazur of the Beautification Commission at 313-821-8446 or City forester Brian Colter at 313-822-5020.


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When Adam LaRoche isn't playing first base for the Washington Nationals (whether or not he does that again is still unknown at this time), he is part of the "Buck Commander" team on The Outdoor Channel. And when he's not hunting as part of the "Buck Commander" team on The Outdoor Channel, he's promoting seatbelt awareness.
As part of "SAFE" (Seatbelts Are For Everyone), LaRoche filmed this PSA. I guess more people recognize LaRoche in Kansas as a guy who shoots things on television than a key component of last season's best team in baseball. But then again, Kansans don't have much to root about on the playing field.
(Via Nats Enquirer and first blogged by D.C. Sports Bog)
Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamVingan and e-mail your story ideas to adamvingan (at) gmail.com.


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Harvest Mouse' tag.
A blog about the Surrey Harvest Mouse Project written for SWT Nature Notes
"On Tuesday morning I allowed myself a sigh of relief as I held up the plastic bag in the chill and misty dawn in a wet meadow along the River Wey in Shalford."
At 05:00 this morning I headed out onto almost deserted roads, the cars outnumbered by planes overhead on their final approaches: as I cruised up the A3 to junction 10 I waved farewell to those heading north into Heathrow and instead turned east onto the M25 with those Gatwick-bound. Our destination was the same, though I was not intent on the glitzy outlets for duty free shopping or awaiting a call, coffee in hand , for a flight to sunnier and more exotic climes. Instead I was headed for some grassy fields on the western side of the airport around the floodplain of the River Mole.
I had been invited to help out with some small mammal trapping at the airport by site ecologist Rachel Bicker and her friend and Sussex Mammal Group member Laurie Jackson. Rachel has been monitoring the site in order to make habitat management plans and has surveyed everything from moths to dormice to bats and herps. No mammal trapping had yet been undertaken, but Laurie and Rachel had found a harvest mouse nest on site. They had put 20 traps (locked open) in two locations on Thursday and the traps had been set on Friday morning by Rachel. On Friday evening at 5:45 I joined them with three others who were interested in gaining some trapping experience to check if the day had brought us any luck. We were rewarded with a bank vole!
I couldn't attend on Saturday because I was tied up with our annual PTES Harvest Mouse workshop at Thundry Meadows (traps I had put out only caught a vole and nest searches of two areas were fruitless, the first time in 3 years). Rachel had two common shrews Sorex araneus and a wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus on Saturday morning.
I arrived at the Greyhound Pub in Tinsley Green to pick up Katie May from the Bat Conservation Trust who had offered to help out. As the fog lifted and the morning brightened to a gorgeous sunsparkle October morning, we drove round past the monstrous hangers and the sleeping dragon-like jumbo jets, some roaring into the sky. I wondered if any passenger might spare a thought as they passed over the river to the figures emerging from a battered blue Peugeot van, to don wellingtons and fluorescent jackets and head out along the woodland edge into the surrounding fields, glittering with dew-bedecked spiders webs.
Our first ten traps quickly bought us up to match yesterday morning's total with a couple of common shrews and a wood mouse. Sadly one shrew had died, not unusual at this time of year. Shrews have a relatively short lifespan and even those born in the spring are unlikely to make it through to the following year. A shrew's high metabolism also means it need to feed constantly, so a good supply of mealworms- shrews being insectivores- is always required in a trap. Our wood mouse was a pregnant female, not unusual to find one this late in the year but in recent trapping events I have been finding quite a few-dormice also seem to be breeding quite late this year. Perhaps this is to be expected after the very late spring.
We moved on to our second site adjacent to the River Mole where the grass was long and fringing Phragmites reeds and soft rush made it ideal habitat for harvest mice Micromys minutus. Katie and I had just been speaking about harvest mice and then in our next trap we found one! A spectacularly tiny 3g juvenile( too small to sex!) the young of this year. the tiny creature tried valiantly to chew my finger, but his tiny teeth did little to cause me pain. The miniscule harvest mouse is not unlike the shrew in in its short lifespan. Most will be born and die in the same year, although research shows those born in October have the best chance of surviving over winter. Maybe this little chap will have that chance!
We found two more common shrews- one with a curious black rump which made it look half water-shrew! I wondered about the possibility of cross breeding between these two species but its unlikely as they are not even the same genus. Common Shrew –Sorex araneus, Water shrew Neomys fodiens.
We did two ten-minute nest searches in 50m2 around the harvest mice location but failed to find a nest despite suitable habitat structure. I vowed to return with a few more bodies to help out since there was a lot of habitat to cover, not just the grassland but reedbed areas too.
Katie and I walked back to the van buoyant from our discovery. I'm certainly glad I've seen my first harvest mouse for the year, even if I can't add the result to our Surrey dormouse map, Gatwick being just over the border into Sussex. We can however take the news to the River Mole Catchment Partnership newly formed to focus on a long-term vision for the river. Mapping the extent of harvest mice, which are known to fare better in well-connected habitat, along the course of the Mole will give us a way to gauge the success of projects to improve the ecological status of the river as required under the EU water framework directive.
Time for a bacon sandwich and a cup of coffee. Despite the still-early hour I'm too buzzing to snooze!
Thundry Meadows, Surrey: SWT Harvest Mice Survey Day 2
I am prepared to deal with most things I would find in a small mammal trap but this morning, still only half awake, I was not ready for the two enormous slugs that had taken up residence in the Sherman trap. They lay side by side along the length of the trap looking for all the world like a married couple stretched out in their cosy DFS kingsize bed. Its not that I'm repulsed by slugs at all: just prior to this encounter I had extracated a smaller fellow from beneath the catch on the door of a Longworth and evicted his colleagues where they were curled up on the roof or jammed at one end of other traps. What gave me pause to count the goosebumps on my flesh was the resemblance these two had too a slumbering couple, dreaming their dreams before a day at the office or a trip with the kids to the seaside.
Its the second morning of our five day harvest mice survey of Thundry Meadows. This is the first site of 36 in a three-year Surrey Wildlife Trust county-wide survey for harvest mice made possible by my old employer, the good folk at People's Trust for Endangered Species. The sponsorship provided by PTES has provided me with some satisfactory feelings of continuity from my old job to my new post at Surrey Wildlife Trust and I'm really pleased that I've been able to bring my skills to the team working on the Harvest Mice Project. At the very least over the next three years I'm going to get a first class introduction to some of Surrey's premier wildlife sites.
The SSSI at Thundry Meadows is one of the few remaining wet meadow complexes left in the county, comprising unimproved wet and dry meadows, alder carr, farmland and ditches by the River Wey, Over 100 plant species have been recorded including bog bean, climbing corydalis, Dyer's greenweed, golden saxifrage, heath spotted orchid, lady's smock, marsh cinquefoil, 14 species of sedge and southern marsh orchid. is one of the few remaining wet meadow complexes left in the county. "Thundry" is apparently a derivation of the norse God Thor, and the beauty of the site deals its own hammer blow to the senses to any new visitor. Its simply breathtaking.
The harvest mouse Micromys minutus is unlikely the timrous beastie that Burns was referring to, unless he saw one on a trip to southern England where they are most abundant; despite a distribution across the palearctic from GB to Japan they are at the edge of their range in parts of south and east Scotland. First fully described by Gilbert White in 1748 just down the road from where I type this in Selbourne, Hampshire. Harvest mice are listed as a BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) Species because they are thought to have become much scarcer in recent years. The latest UK Population estimate is 1.4 million but their has been an estimated 71%decline in numbers over 25 years (SOBM2008). Changes in habitat management and agricultural methods are thought to have caused this, although there have been no studies to quantify this change. Weighing up to 6g they are our smallest rodent, easily disitinguishable by the ir size, small ears and blunt muzzle, with a fabulous prehensile tail making them Lords of the Swards. Their fabulous dexterity is exemplified in their nest construction techniqu. The female sits on a stem and grips with her hindfeet and tail, splitting the stems of still-attached grass leaves with her incisors. She weaves many stems together to form a framework of the nest, lining it by pulling more leaves through this structure and shredding their ends. She will line this structure with finely shredded leaves or thistledown (HMOBI, MSoc).
We have set our first 30 traps- 10 each of Shermans, Longworths and trip-traps to compare the effectiveness of these with hand searching for nests- in an area of tall sedge and grass adjacent to the alder carr. Half the traps are positioned on the ground and on wooden stakes in the stalk zone with the aim of capturing harvest mice going about their business amonst the tall grass stems. Our trapping grid consists of sets of 6 traps: 3 of each on stakes and 3 of each on the ground.
The start of the survey was nearly put off a week when the stakes went missing from the SWT HQ at Pirbright. Individually sharpened by Dave Williams, SWT Mammal Officer, with a ledge for each trap attached by your correspondent with shiny new screws. Arriving at work to load up the van only 10 of 60 remained. Panic insued until a call-out to all staff discovered the stakes had been mistaken for firewood and taken, placed as they had been on a pallet next to the firewood pile. Thankfully, the weather had not been cold enough overnight to warrant a fire and the stakes were recovered the next day.
Set-up at Thundry went smoothly until our planned grid pattern of traps met an unnexpected obstacle. I set about putting the stakes in with Jo, our student volunteer who is collecting habitat data for the project. I set my mallet to the top of the next stake and then returned to pick up some more. Bending down to pick one from the flow I was jerked upright with a sharpn at the top of my leg. I cursed aloud as I turned round to see a wasp burried sting deep in my leg through the material of my Dickies Redhawk combat trousers. I pulled my assailant loose as the pain escalatebut and without thinking walked back with my stakes to knock the next two stakes in next to the one already in place. Within seconds I was cursing again and sending off another wasp after it had done the in the other leg, I was suddenly aware that I was being surrounded by wasps, and they got another sting in before I managed to get to safety. Despite expectations they didn't pursue me, and we were able to continue putting out the stakes but giving the wasps a wide birth. The three cross-shaped stakes stayed abandon by the wasps nests like some aculeate golgotha.
So far we have no harvest mice: two wood mice (one recaptured this morning) and a pygmy shrew. But its still early in this 5-day trapping session. We are also only just out of July and other studies have shown that harvest mice trapping success is lowest in this month and increases towards the autumn time. Their are records at Thundry, so we know they have been here.
Despite having woken early on a Saturday morning, I'm not dissappointed by the no- show of our elusive stalk-walker. Its always good to get up-close with wildlife, no matter how common. I have trapped many woodmice in my time, and have scars to show for it. The pygny shrew is a less frequent visitor to traps, and often they have shrew holes to allow the insectivores to escape. The little guys have such a high metabolism that traps need to be baited with insect prey as well as the seed and fruit for the mice and voles. All our traps are baited with casters in the event of a shrew capture . The records for the more common species are still a useful addition to our knowledge of their distribution in Surrey and for this particular site.
Shep waited very patiently while I checked the traps this morning, so he was rewarded with a walk round Thundry. Aside from the cows, we had the place to ourselves at 7am in the morning. Very nice indeed.


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Variant tested: SE 1.6 CDTi 136PS ecoFlex Stop/Start
By Wayne Gorrett
✔ A classy, family-friendly cabin with plenty of room and the
all-new 1.6 CDTi 'Whisper Diesel' engine is a gem.
✖ Third row is really only suitable for children, ride and handling
could be better.
☀ ☀ ☀
The Vauxhall Zafira is a five-door MPV (multi-passenger/purpose vehicle) seen on our roads since 1999 and a little short of 15,000 were sold in the UK last year. The family-friendly seven-seat Tourer is sold alongside the standard Zafira, but is a more upmarket offering, with some extra practicality. It is built at GM's Opel plant in Bochum, Germany. The all-new Hungarian-built 1.6 CDTi turbo- 'Whisper Diesel' engine belatedly replaced GM's ageing 1.7-litre unit late last year. It also gets GM's newly re-engineered six-speed manual gearbox.
The Outside Story
The Zafira Tourer is big and the new, dual-bladed front end is a striking improvement. It's one of the better-looking people shifters in today's UK market. Modern MPVs like the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer and KIA's Carens acknowledge that if you have to shift seven people all at once, it's still desirable to stand out from the crowd. There's no denying the Zafira's basic MPV shape, but with a drag co-efficient of just 0.31, it remains competitive by slab-sided MPV standards.
The Inside Scoop
The interior of the Zafira Tourer feels upmarket with soft-touch plastics on everyday surfaces. Fortunately, the Zafira's clever Flex7 seating arrangement has not only been retained but further improved to cope with demanding families. The optional 'Lounge Seating' facility allows the reconfiguration of the middle row into a divider-type arrangement.
Everyday family clutter is well accommodated in no less than 30 compartments. With all seven seats raised the remaining 152 litres of boost space is suitable for a small top-up at the shops. Lower row three and normal boot space is a whopping 710 litres. Lower the middle row and load space leaps to a cavernous 1,860 litres. The front passenger seat also flattens for those full-length B&Q curtain rails – or rarely-used fishing rods.
The Toy Box
Due to the different target demographic, Zafrira Tourer's are better equipped than its five-seat sibling. There are currently six Tourer grades available – the ES priced from £21,375, the Exclusiv, Tech Line, SRi and SE as tested, topping out with the Elite from a competitive £26,980.
The SE Tourer tested here is priced from £24,415 and includes Vauxhall's award-winning Flex7 seating system, cruise control, dual-zone climate control (with humidity sensor), electronic handbrake, trip computer, privacy glass, front and rear proximity sensors, ambient lighting, fog lamps, ESP+, hill-start assist, 17-in 10-spoke alloy wheels, second-row 'Lounge' seating, front passenger seat under-storage, FlexRail centre console system and security alarm.
The Power House
The new 1.6-litre 'Whisper Diesel' that replaces the 1.7-litre oil-burner is a gem. While still a little chatty at idle (it's the nature of the diesel beast), it is considerably smoother and more refined than its 'Massey Ferguson' predecessor. Offering a useful 134bhp at 3,500rpm and torque aplenty of 320Nm from only 2,000rpm, the smaller oil-burner transforms the Zafrira Tourer into an altogether different proposition for a car full of family. The engine emits just 109g of CO2 per kilometre via its smooth 6-speed manual 'box and supports its efficiency credentials with an impressive 68.9 (claimed) mpg.
The Drive
On the move, one of the first things you notice about the Zafira Tourer are the advances made in reducing road and engine noise, both of which are well isolated from the cabin. The new aluminium 1.6 diesel engine is a considerable improvement and makes its contribution felt.
The car is refined and very quiet at speed and because of the revised six-speed manual gearbox, it has a slicker shift action with a shorter throw than before. Dispel any concerns that the 134bhp 1.6 diesel lacks the power you need in a workhorse MPV, as the Zafira Tourer reaches 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds and thanks to its usable torque, feels surprisingly responsive on the road.
In line with most MPVs, handling is decent rather than great, but remains composed and comfortable. Body control is reassuring, the steering is light but accurate and the suspension delivers a decent ride both around town and on the motorway.
The S Factor
The Zafira Tourer is well equipped with passive and active safety kit. EuroNCAP tests gave it a full five stars and owners get six airbags, stability control, ISOFIX child seat restraint system. However, the curtain airbags extend only to the middle row of seats, not the rearmost pair.
Vauxhall's Zafira Tourer has always been a relatively strong proposition in the MPV market. It offers sleek and stylish appearance, a roomy and flexible seven-seat layout and the new 1.6 CDTi motor takes the Tourer to a new level offering much improved fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Opt for the efficient and refined 1.6-litre ecoFlex diesel as tested and running costs will be minimal as first year VED is zero and £20 per annum thereafter.
Fast Facts: Vauxhall Zafira Tourer SE 1.6 CDTi 136PS ecoFlex S/S
Price: £26,795 * Power / torque: 136PS @ 3,500rpm / 320Nm @ 2,000rpm *
* Transmission: 6-speed FWD manual * 0-62mph: 10.4 seconds * Top speed: 121mph *
* Stop/Start: Standard * Fuel consumption (claimed combined): 68.9mpg *
* CO2 rating: 109gkm * Fuel tank capacity: 58 litres *
* VED: First year zero, £20 p.a. thereafter *


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Salman Khan's films have registered crazy numbers at the box office, but he doesn't seem to be interested in it. The superstar is more bothered about the increasing ticket prices, which is keeping plenty of people away from the theatres.
In a candid interview with the Hindustan Times, the actor said that the footfall is decreasing courtesy the rise in movie ticket prices, adding that it needs to be checked. With "Jai Ho," he believes he took the risk of reducing the price, but it didn't work in the film's favour.
"We thought, 'If we have to hit the Rs 200 crore mark, we will do with Rs 200 ticket, and not with expensive tickets.' But it didn't touch that figure. We will try that again with some other film as the ticket prices should come down. Numbers (box-office earnings) are increasing, but footfalls are decreasing. I don't want that to happen," the leading daily quoted him as saying.
So, will the ticket prices for "Sultan" be low? Only time will tell.
Scheduled to arrive in theatres on July 7, the sports-drama film will see Salman play wrestling champion Sultan Ali Khan. The 50-year-old actor's on-screen love interest, Anushka Sharma (Aarfa), will also portray someone with top-notch combat sport skills. Both the stars have trained hard for the part and took lessons from professionals to get their body language correct.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, "Sultan" also features Amit Sadh and Randeep Hooda in key roles.