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Some times we have some fun with ropes, friends and camera. We leave you here with some of our favourite captures from the last few months 🙂
For more photos, see our personal website here.
The photos are taken by Anna Bones, the rope (unless otherwise stated) is by Fred Hatt and the models are our beautiful friends Soaprose, Gestalta, Clementine Poulain, Tsukio and two Anonymous ladies.


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Hello again! I'm back for my second post for today! We have a new challenge over on the Where Creativity Meets Concord & 9th Blog for the month of June! This time we ask you to create a a card with some layers!
I started my card by stamping the flower from the Pretty Petals Photopolymer Stamp Set in Lobster Ink. I then placed a piece of 29lb Vellum over the top and stamped the second layer of the flower in Versa-Mark and heat embossed it with Hero Arts White Satin Pearl. The Coordinating Dies cut out both layers, including a little Black 110lb for the flower center, and I adhered them to each other with E-Z Runner, hiding it behind the embossing. To make the background I cut a piece of Black 110lb with the Select-A-Size Edge Dies and adhered that to a card base of Neenah Solar White 110lb Card Stock. My greeting is from the Happy Words Photopolymer Stamp Set and is stamped in Black Licorice right onto the card base. All that was left to do was to adhere the flower to the card with 3M Foam Tape! I love how the vellum softens the bold red of the flower and the funky edge offset is pretty neat too! I hope that you enjoyed my Design Team card for this month's Where Creativity Meets Concord & 9th Layers Challenge! We hope that you will take some time to share your card with us in the gallery. Be sure to stop by the BLOG for some inspiration from the rest of the Team! Thanks so much for coming by again! Enjoy the rest of your Friday! 🙂
Products used:
Stamp Sets: Pretty Petals and Happy Words Photopolymer (Concord & 9th)
Ink: Lobster and Black Licorice (Lawn Fawn)
Specialty Ink: Versa-Mark
Embossing Powder: White Satin Pearl (Hero Arts)
Card Stock: Solar White 110lb and 80lb (Neenah) and Black 110lb (Recollections)
Specialty Paper: 29lb Vellum (The Paper Cut)
Dies: Pretty Petals and Select-A-Size Edge (Concord & 9th)
Adhesives: E-Z Runner Ultra Strong (Scrapbook Adhesives) and 3M Foam Tape
Tools: Big Shot, Mini MISTI and Heat Tool (Hero Arts)

subset: commoncrawl


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Hopefully this will be short and sweet. You may have seen on my 'News' bit on the Homepage or on Twitter that I sliced off a chunk of my CRST holding at around 440p early this morning. As usual, I made the decision in the 'cold light of day' (ok, it was dark) last night after the markets were well and truly shut, and it was partly driven by Chart based timing as I will outline below.
I have held CRST for about 2 years having bought my first chunk just after the IPO - because it looked flippin' cheap. I have quite a lot of Shares and Spreadbet positions and I chopped off about a fifth of my holding - banking a Profit of over 62% and there were Divvys on top of this as well - not too bad. Hopefully I can shift some more of the Holding with similar banked profits or preferably better !!


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- Simple and intuitive navigation
- Fully secured Board information available in one spot
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loomion PROFUND Key Features
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- Centralized and structured repository of relevant Board information (archiving system)
- Enabling traceability: track the who, what, and when regarding information access
- Technology:
- Microsoft SharePoint, .net, ,iOS
- Categories:
- General Administrative , Business Process Management / Workflow, Online Collaboration, Task Management
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Thursday 02.11.2017
Konferenzraum, sicher, virtuellUm den Verwaltungsrat zu digitalisieren, müssen hohe Ansprüche erfüllt werden. Wer nicht auf Anhieb wirklich intuitiv und komfortabel ist, erhält keine zweite Chance.


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OpTic Gaming has finalized an investment deal with a group led by Texas Rangers co-owner and Summer Energy CEO Neil Leibman, sources close to the team and group told ESPN.
As a result, the team acquired the Overwatch League slot in Houston -- where Leibman is based -- for $20 million paid over time. OpTic has also expanded its reach by applying for a spot in the North American League of Legends Championship Series and has advanced to Phase 2 of the application process, according to sources.
Leibman is the second Rangers co-owner to invest in an esports team and pursue a slot in the Overwatch League. In August, oil magnate and Rangers board member Kenneth Hersh reportedly invested $35 million into Team EnVyUs and obtained rights to an Overwatch League slot in Dallas.
Chaney Sports Group, a non-traditional sports and entertainment consulting agency, advised on the Leibman deal. Chaney sought out Overwatch staff and hired former PVP Live writer James "Obscurica" Chen to recruit personnel for OpTic's League of Legends team, sources said.
OpTic Gaming announced its relocation to Dallas in July, but sources said that Leibman's location was the push for the Overwatch spot in Houston. Overwatch developer Blizzard Entertainment sought other options for the league -- including the Houston Rockets -- but was turned down, according to sources.
This won't be OpTic's first time applying for the LCS. In December 2014, it was reported that OpTic made a bid to acquire Curse Academy, which qualified for the League Championship Series at the time. Davis Vague outbid OpTic and started Gravity Gaming in January 2015.
Should OpTic be accepted into the LCS, it will have to pay $13 million in franchising fees for a permanent spot in the league. OpTic currently sits among a Riot Games short list of prospective applicants, sources said, and will be notified in the coming months if it is accepted.
OpTic Gaming and Neil Leibman could not be reached for comment. Chaney Sports Group did not respond for a request for comment.


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These cute little lollipop gift holders are so cute and so much fun to make. The holder itself came from For My Valentine kit from svgcuts.com. I had to make one for my grandson, so I used the cowboy from the Happy Trails Kit from svgcuts.com. Below are both kits. Check them out they are darling. The boot in the Happy Trails kit, is really popular, although I haven't made yet. Check out svgcuts facebook page for all the boots that have been made by some wonderful crafter.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
First cards from Svgcut's Five Minute Card Kit
These cards are so fast and easy to cut and make, I can't wait to try all of them. Click on svgcuts.com and check out this darling kit!!
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ADD2048 GLA Business System support and development
Executive summary
The GLA has a number of technology systems, used by various teams at City Hall, that need to be supported and further developed. This document seeks approval for contracting with an experienced supplier to provide this support and development service.
That the Assistant Director of Technology Group approves the expenditure of £37,500 in the next 12 months for the support of development work on the systems in question.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
The GLA uses a number of technology systems to support the work of teams at City Hall. These systems require regular support and development work to ensure that they continue to function correctly and are changed in line with the requirements of the GLA teams using them.
Previous arrangements for the support and development of these system have been procured on an ad-hoc basis as needs dictate but teams are planning some significant changes so the need has arisen for a contract to provide the services required in a timely manner.
The systems in question and the GLA team using them are as follows:
• Mayor's Questions System (MQT) – Secretariat and Committee Services
• Mayor's Questions timer – Committee Services
• London Development Database – Planning Team
• SHLAA system – Planning Team
• London Land Commission Map – Planning Team and Housing and Land Directorate
• Election Management System – Secretariat
• CONNECT – all GLA staff directory
All of the above systems are bespoke to the GLA, use common technology and thus lend themselves to be supported and developed by a single company.
In discussion with TfL Procurement team, it was agreed that TfL's Reseller framework would be an appropriate route to procure a supplier. In response to a request for proposal, Insight Ltd's proposal was considered to be viable.
The objectives are:
• To procure a suitably qualified and experienced supplier to provide technical services to the systems listed above.
• To agree a schedule with the GLA business leads for technical support and "business as usual"* development work on the above systems
• Commission work in a planned and co-ordinated manner
*these are changes of a relatively minor nature, taking no more than 2-5 days per change. Please note that major projects on any of the above systems will be subject to new approvals and possible new procurements.
The expected outcomes are:
• The continued development and improvement of key business system in constant use by the GLA
• Better control and monitoring of the expenditure on the support and maintenance of the systems in question
There are no implications or impact arising from this on groups with protected characteristics.
All the systems coming under this contract are integral parts of the Mayoral strategies and the core work of the Assembly:
• The London Development Database, the SHLAA system and the London Land Commission Map are all integral to the London Plan and the Mayor's Housing Strategy.
• The Mayor's Questions system and Timer is the core system for managing the process of the Assembly putting forward questions to the Mayor.
• The Election Management system is used by the GLA for carrying out a number of key tasks related to the election of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
There are no perceived risks or issues associated with this procurement. All the team heads have been consulted on this proposed procurement and have agreed with it.
5.1 The estimated cost of this work is £37,500 and will span up to 12 months; thus meaning a proportion of costs will fall into the 2017-18 financial-year. The profiling of the expenditure is still being scoped out but it is estimated that approximately £10,000 to £12,000 will be attributable to the 2017-18 financial-year.
5.2 For costs that fall in 2016-17, these will be funded from the approved TG Programme Delivery budget for 2016-17 and costs that fall in 2017-18 will be funded from the same budget subject to the Authority's Budget Setting process for 2017-18 currently underway.
5.3 Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications will be subject to further approval via the Authority's decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.
Procurement of contract [for externally delivered projects]
November 2016
Announcement [if applicable]
Delivery Start Date [for project proposals]
November 2016
Main milestones
Main milestones
Final evaluation starts and finish (self/external) [delete as applicable]:
Delivery End Date [for project proposals]
October 2017
Project Closure: [for project proposals]
October 2017


text: Haryana Board 10th Time Table 2016 Download at http://www.bseh.org.in. Board of School Education Haryana Matriculation/ X class/ Secondary School Examination date sheet released. Haryana X class boards 1st and 2nd sem exam scheduled from 8th March to 28th March 2016. Candidates may check the exam time table below. Haryana Board 10th Time ...Read More »


text: We are beginning a blog as a way for you to share all God is doing in your life and also be encouraged by others. The testimonies below were submitted just this week. Make sure to share a story of God's goodness in your life to help impact the lives of others.


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Riedel Wine Range Viognier / Chardonnay Glass - Set of 2 - 6448/5
Was £35.00 incl. VAT £28.00 incl. VAT
|Total items: 1
Mark Thomas Double Bend Red Aromatic Wine Glass - Set of 2
Price: £49.95 incl. VAT
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Subtotal: £49.95 incl. VAT
The wine area of Chablis is located within Burgundy, France and lies to the north west of the famed region, however it's actually closer in terms of location to Champagne. The Chablis area is famous for producing dry white wines from the Chardonnay grape, with several Grand Crus vineyards also in the region. A typically shaped Chablis glass has a small, narrow bowl on a short stem which is ideal for dry white wines.
Was £35.00 incl. VAT £28.00 incl. VAT
Was £24.90 incl. VAT £20.00 incl. VAT
Was £45.00 incl. VAT £35.95 incl. VAT
Was £180.00 incl. VAT £135.00 incl. VAT
Was £90.00 incl. VAT £67.50 incl. VAT
Was £460.00 incl. VAT £368.00 incl. VAT


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As dentists, we have always maintained that nothing can be as good as natural teeth. Traditionally the goal of every dentist has been to save as much of and as many natural teeth as possible. All preventive dentistry procedures are aimed to avoid or minimize the DMF score. DMF stands for Decayed, Missing and Filled surfaces. Each decayed or missing or filled tooth surface is given a value and the additions of these values constitute the DMF score of each individual. Obviously the goal of every dental implant procedure is to keep this number as low as possible. Dental implants are often used because of their natural appearance, minimal maintenance, and durability. They provide the look and feel of a natural tooth, lowering the overall DMF score and provide a chewing surface that is both resilient and beautiful. The 20th and early 21st century have improved our health dramatically and have extended our lifespans well into our 80s, 90s, and even centennial years. Due to our long lives, the following statements have become true for many people:
- Through our better understanding of our diet and discoveries of healthier life styles, we are able to control or avoid many of the diseases like Diabetes and Cardiovascular conditions leading to premature deaths.
- Technological advances have controlled many diseases and are helping millions to live many years beyond "natural life expectancy" for human beings. Without the benefit of dialysis, if left to nature, people with kidney failures would die. Without the benefit of pacemakers, people with cardiac arrhythmias would have very short lives.
- Advances in pharmaceuticals are responsible for adding many years of meaningful life to humans. Through continuing pharmacotherapy, many of the bodily functions that naturally deteriorate or go array are kept in check and continue to function satisfactorily. Anti-depressants and other psychotherapeutic agents restore chemical imbalances in brain. Antihypertensive medications, keep blood pressures in acceptable levels.
The obvious beneficial result of all these medical advances is longer healthier lives for humans. Of course the research and advances made in medicine have been concentrated on vital organs and systems like brain and cardiovascular system. While the technology and pharmaceuticals prolong the vital functions of the body, some less significant parts like salivary glands follow their original timetable of deterioration, degeneration and loss of function. Additionally and perhaps more significantly, many of the same drugs that prolong our lives by regulating vital bodily functions adversely affect the salivary gland secretions. The combined effects of natural deterioration of salivary glands and decreased flow of saliva as side (adverse) effects of routine life saving medications result in dryer mouths in the elderly.
There are number of ways to alleviate the physical discomfort of dry mouth through use of special mouth washes, gums and artificial saliva. However, what remains missing from these mouths are the enzymes and chemicals that prevent and/or slow down the caries process, the decay of teeth. What this means, is that despite our advances in medical technology, our teeth are often unable to keep up with the demands of our longer lives.
As a result, decay and tooth loss has become an accepted fact of life. Fortunately, the last few years have begun to reverse this trend and soon (within the next decade or so), we may be able to completely reverse tooth decay. Until then, however, we will have to endure DMF profiles and tooth replacement. The bacteriology of tooth decay that is commonly seen in the senior population is different from what is seen in younger people with normal salivary flow. These cavities attach the root surfaces of the teeth that over the years are exposed through gum recession and/or gum disease. The mere locations of these cavities always present a challenge for the restorative dentist, often involving expensive surgical procedures to expose the healthy tooth next to the cavity.
Saliva carries important enzymes that neutralize the bacterial acids that lead to tooth decay and carry potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which are essential to the remineralization of teeth and the fundamental repair of our teeth from basic decay that has not yet developed into a full blown cavity. While pit and fissure caries are common in younger people due to the increase of sugar in our food supply, root and cervical caries have been an issue facing older adults since the beginning of time and they have always proven to be frustrating. Also, many elderly people, though they are increasingly rare as they pass on, have not benefited from the fluoridation of water throughout their lives. This has also resulted in their teeth being slightly more vulnerable than their successors, which also contributes to carious lesions.
The most frustrating aspect of root caries is their never stopping recurrence. Unlike the other two types of cavities involving pits and fissures of the teeth or cavities in between the teeth, root caries are not limited to specific sites. In case of pit and fissure cavities, once the entire pits and fissures are filled and sealed, there cannot be any more caries activity until the filling breaks down 5 to 10 years later. It is not uncommon to see new caries activity right next to a new root filling that is completely intact within a year. The results in increasing the size of a filling, degradation continues, and the underlying structure of the tooth becomes weakened, resulting in breakage and loss. The longer we live, often with the help of medications, the more we are prone to this frustrating situation and the more difficult it would be for us to present ourselves to a dental office and go through lengthy and expensive procedures.
Given these facts, as a profession we must use our judgment and do a thorough evaluation of each patient in determining the best treatment plan for the patient who presents with root caries. In case of root caries in the presence of dry mouth, we must seriously consider the benefits and longevity of expensive lengthy procedures like root canal treatments, crown lengthenings, and new crowns versus replacing the affected tooth with titanium or zirconia implants that are immune to any kind of caries process. Often times, the implant is the most economical option, given the average root canal treatment runs between $1200-1500, including the crown. If this has to be done repeatedly, costs can add up. Implants generally cost between $1000-$1500, and are often one and done. Though dentists hate to remove a tooth, but sometimes it is more pragmatic to replace a dying tooth than to try to save it.
As citizens of one of the most advanced nations on Earth, we are far beyond reliance on nature for quality and length of our lives. That means our teeth are exposed to unprecedented lengths of use and wear. Especially as we age and our body functions are inhibited by natural deterioration or modern medicine.
Recognizing this factor and considering replacing the affected teeth in the vulnerable mouth, at a time that the patient is physically able to go through the dental procedure, avoids frustrating and repeated treatments that ultimately cost more and would result in the loss of the tooth at a time that patient may not be fit to go through implant treatment. Dental implants can also help preserve other teeth and improve health, given that tooth loss can have adverse effects on the health of the gums and jaw, which results in greater vulnerability late in life. When a senior citizen is young and healthy enough to accept implants, they are helping preserve their teeth and overall health.


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About Our Site
ExploringWine was formed to offer a unique reference point on buying, making and tasting great wine.
Wine: that wondrous product of what...certain types of grapes? What about berries, dandelions and nettles, to name but a few alternatives? How do you decide which wine to cook with and which wine to serve?
This website, ExploringWine, does exactly that: it explores all aspects of wine. Full of tips, wine facts and useful information about the world's wines, it has something to offer everyone; whether you plan to make your own wine, cook with wine, find out more about wine, or even... just enjoy drinking it!
Wine and wine-making can be an extremely emotive subject. There are those who give the impression that to fully appreciate wine we must all be sworn in connoisseurs, with highly-trained noses and palates; not so! Wine drinking does involve all the senses (even hearing if you count the pop of corks!) but exploringwine can help anyone to feel comfortable about drinking wine that appeals to them, rather than what people tell them they should appreciate.
ExploringWine can help each individual to find out more about the whole process of growing, producing, selecting and using wines. It demystifies some of the apparent snobbery and ceremony involved and educates us about the choices we make. Wine lists need never be a lucky dip again!
So, wine-lovers, read on and celebrate the diversity, history and uses of the world's fantastic fermentations.
Our concern was that there was no single UK resource for interesting features and practical advice on this subject.
Our features and articles are written by experts - who have experience, or a particular interest in this area.
Our BackgroundExploringWine was founded by John Rowlinson, the founder of PtS.
John, through PtS, is involved in a number of ventures including software and property companies. A percentage of revenue from these activities goes towards funding ExploringWine and a number of similar sites.
Our focus is simply on having experts create the highest quality information possible that is widely read.


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Plumbing Qualifications
Fully Qualified & Experienced Plumbers
Whenever you need to hire a plumber it's essential that you make sure that your plumber has plumbing qualifications that are accepted in the UK, as different countries have different standards.
We only employ engineers who have carried out a four year plumbing apprenticeship, so all are fully qualified and capable of fixing plumbing problems. Each different tradesman has at least five years experience, which they gain either with us growing through the ranks or come to us from other reputable companies.
Our highly skilled and experienced plumbing team are capable and competent at all different types of plumbing jobs and the work we carry out is of a high standard.
We also hold insurance and have good references from our previous customers.
My Plumber is an established company with a good reputation. Over the past 10 years we've helped thousands of satisfied customers in their London homes. Don't just take out word for it, check out our glowing reviews from our customers on Trustpilot.
Our qualifications, training, and memberships: Gas Safe Register, CIPHE, NICEIC, NAPIT, Worcester Bosch Accredited Installer, Vaillant Accredited Installer, Nest Certified Professional, and Trustpilot.


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macrumors 68000
Original poster
- Dec 30, 2006
- 1,516
- 98
While many are expecting an iPhone-looking iPod with the same user interface without the phone or WiFi, few, such as myself are sure of themselves that there will indeed be WiFi. A no-phone, no-internet iPhone would remove the main features and apps like SMS, YouTube, Stocks, Maps, Weather, Mail, Safari (obviously) and limits the usability of 3rd party apps. I made two mockups, as seen below depicting what I think each iPod's user interface (not exterior design) would look like with and without WiFi.


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27 User Reviews of Norwegian Jade Cruise Ship
Great itinerary but! Best cruise if you want to maximize your time on the islands and off the ship. Time on the ship not so enjoyable. The thing that stands out most was the poor service from a less than enthusiastic american crew. Tipping is not tied to service and it shows. Had tip reduced by $20 per person to let the cruise line know how we felt. There was a line at the desk of others adjusting their tips as well.
Ship is great though the carpets were already looking dirty in places. Make your reservations early at any specialty resturant on the first day or you won't get in and will be turned away even though their are many tables avalible. Mexican food was bland. Steakhouse was good to excellent with the best service we had. Main dining was slow and inexperienced showed, must have recruited staff from Denney's. Didn't try the other specialty resturants. Buffet was ok, but don't expect help with you tray or refills on coffee, or even a clean table, just won't happen. Freestyle dinning sounds great but doesn't work on full ship.
Pool area wasleft in shambles and dirty, Even early in the morning when most ships have been cleaned overnight, chair were tipped over and the deck dangerously wet (guess that explains the muck tracked in on the carpets). Pool service was spotty to none. Crew unfreindly for most part and were allowed to eat in an already crowded buffet area with passangers. Boarding was a breeze (use the porter to get to the front of the line) but rooms not ready till 2 PM. We dissembarked at 7:30 AM carrying own luggage, no sweat, but no breakfast since line at buffet was too long, was tired of same buffet selections anyway and McDonald's sounded great at that point.
More time in Honolulu this way as well off the ship. Would have admit though not a bad value when compared to land based vacation in Hawaii where the average resort charges $250/night plus taxes and upward, We only paid about $260/night (party of 2) with taxes and got most meals included, (order room service sandwiches to take off the lunch on the islands). Unless I want to cruise Hawaii I will not be on NCL America anytime soon. This was my 8th cruise and 1st with NCL.Tip
We have cruised on over130 cruise ships thruout the world,just completed the 5th with NCL The ship was new , very large,clean and on time in and out of ports. The veranda cabins were very small,attendants inexperienced and responsible for too many cabins.Entertainment, pruduction shows, were disapointing, with canned music, passengers wearing shorts, T-shirts. We spotted 3 men in tuxcedo,3 or 4 in jackets, on the formal evening. Liquor,wines were over priced,and shore excursions around $100 average. NCL has gone down-hill over the years and had this been our 1st cruise, it would have been our last!!!!!
If any one ever has been an experianced cruise vacationer, one knows this had to be by far this worst cruise experiance ever encountered. It is expensive and not worth it! The worst food ever! They ran. out of things. The employees complacent..think they are on vacation themselves.I can go on and on.
I would advise anyone to cancel this cruise.It was just a plain hassle to get anything done. NCL is an abomination to the cruise industry. After being on Royal Carribean,Carnival, Princess Holland America, I had comparison..If you are visiting these islands, book a land vacation. The best part of it was getting off this ship!
The Pride of Haawai'i is NCL's latest ship to travel the hawaiian route. There were 5 of us in our group, and 3 of us haared on outside cabin with a balcony. The room was generous for NCL standards, and our bathroom was large enough to have a bath and shower included. My wife's parents had an outside cabin that while vomfortable, was significantly smaller then ours.
We had flown to Honolulu a day early to avouid the normal transportation frustrations of flying and getting on a ship the same day. we were booked at the Marriott which was a nice hotel, and had a NCL office on the first floor where we could avoid the lines at normal check in at the ship. If you can fly a day or so earlier to Hawaii and de-compress fromthe travel, I highly recommend this action.
I had read a few reviews of the ship [previously to our sail date, and several of the rewiers were quite accurate. We found out 3 days into the cruise from one of our waiters that our particular week there was 160 staff short, which accounted forseveral of the minor problems we faced during our cruise. To name one of our repeat problems, whenever we got to eat after 8 am, we noticed that there was a shortage of clean coffee cups! Even the on-board commedian talked about it in his routine! I think that 'Frreestyle'eating is OK, but we had problems getting into one of 8 restaurants simply because they were full or simply not open that evening. The staff that were in the various restaurants were pleasant but not what we've comt to expect after going on 10+ cruises. I know the work is hard, and several waiters had to do double duty in serving more then one meal, but we were not there to hear complaints from the staff (which we heard more then once).
On the positive side of the trip, the islands were gorgeous and unique in their qualities. To see lava flow at night is unforgetable, and we cruised on the side of Kauai where King Kong was filmed, which was spectacular. We rented cars in two islands, which was convenient, and took the cruise tours on two islands, which were fun.
We enjoyed the week in general, but I really hope that NCL will figure out how to improve the service on the ship. I know it's only been in service 5 weeks, but I thought that by now the management would have tried to solve staff shortages by now. I really tried to enjoy the ship experience, but 'the devil's in the details' kept me from giving high marks to the ship.
I do hope that future cruisers will have better on board experience then we did. There are really no competiting cruise line that does the ilands as extensivly as NCL, and I do hope they take the cruise reviews seriously.
Go to the islands to experience the beauty, the coffee, and e specially the sunsets, which are spectacular.
My wife and I just back to backed two seven day cruises on NCL, Pride of Hawaii(July 17 and July 24). With 14 cruises on all the major lines let me tell you that the Pride of Hawaii is one big, bold and beautiful ship; longer than 3 football fields and a mile high. Papa's Italian Kitchen serves some of the best Italian food this side of Rome with a staff to match; knowledgeable and friendly. The gym is well equiped with everything you need to keep fit.
Some good entertainment including Hawaii's Butch O'Sullivan. The ship is new and has so much to offer - - - - - -BUT - - - - - - don't be fooled, it is not freestyle cruising. You must make resevations early in the cruise or many restaurants are booked solid all week. Even the main Grand Pacific Dining Room required a reservation or a long wait in line; definitly not free style. - - - - - - -BUT - - - - - - more surcharges than ever at the restaurants, ten to fifteen dollars per person. Bring back thedays when you paid once for your cruise. - - - - - - -BUT - - - - - - the Aloha Nui Buffet is busy and the food served is very average. - - - - - -BUT - - - - - - -so many of the staff have not tweaked into service; marginal at best. - - - - - -BUT - - - - - - -management could not move us to an equivalent room as we were told that we would have to live with a high pitched squeak that required wearing ear plugs to sleep. - - - - - - -BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT - - - - - - - too many small things to take time posting.
It may just be growing pains for this new hip, I certainly hope so, as cruising the Hawaiian Islands is a wonderful experience. Other cruisers please post. What was you experience???
We were excited to be cruising in the waters around Hawaii. Add a completely new ship and our expectations were that NCL would pull out all the stops to overcome the continual stream of negative remarks regarding their cruises.
There were a few glitches such as lack of towels, overworked cruise members (because of crew shortage)etc. Overall I would rate the American crew as good. They tried hard.
Now to the food. If future cruisers can avoid the main dining room they should. The menu for that restaurant was a major disappointment. Lack of entries drove me to the items that are available every night. Bummer! The two beef entres were Hamburger Steak and Flank Steak. In my opinion these don't even belong on a cruise ship. All other Lines I have sailed with not only have main menu items of lamb, steak, prime rib, and lobster, they offer "available any night" items that include beef sirloin, good salads, perhaps prime rib etc. Pride of Hawaii did offer lobster one night. One of the side dishes they served with entrees was some kind of substitute for potatoes (I think). Could not eatit the first night and we were served the same terrible stuff three more times in the seven days aboard ship. Yuk!!!
After night number two in the main dining room we understood the long lines the first day for reserving the other restaurants. They had eight other restaurants, six of which charged additional fees. When we tried to make reservations on Day three, all of the other restaurants were booked for the entire cruise. So, if you choose this line, book the other restaurants early or suffer less than mediocre food the entire cruise.
This is a money maker for NCL. Apparently they serve main dining room quality food in these other restaurants but charge each diner an additional $15-$25 per night. What a back door policy to charge a cruiser more for what should be included in the basic price of the cruise. One example was the sushi restaurant. They charge extra-my favorite cruise line has a free sushi restaurant. I did hear that the Italian and Japanese steak House were good though.
Service in the main dining room was extremely slow. This appeared to be the fault of the galley and not the wait staff. My guess is that the specialty restaurants have priority on the galley and they fit the main dining room when all others have been served. As a result we waited 20-30 minutes between courses.
It took so long to dine that we were late for shows. No excuse for that as we dined at 6pm. In this case however the shows were not worth seeing so after three attempts to see them (we were late), we just gave up and passed on the remaining shows. Comments heard around the ship indicate we did not miss much.
Know that the poor food program is apparently a constant across the Line. This is a Corporate decision and I believe you will see the same terrible menu on all of their ships. Beware!
I have now completed fourteen cruises and this cruise ranked so far below the other thirteen that it is difficult to describe. I will not sail with this line again.
We did not take the tours so cannot comment on them. They seemed extremely expensive however. Arranged air from Phoenix-Hawaii-Phoenix on Hawaiian Air was great. Check in for the cruise was okay and disembarkation was a good process. Unfortunately, we did not arrange to go early or stay a few days in Honolulu after the cruise. There are some great places to visit in and around Honolulu, I wish we had done that.
A couple other thoughts. This ship does not have a casino. Since I don't gamble it was nice not to have to walk through a smoke filled casino. But, if you want to gamble this is not the ship. They cannot open a casino in U.S. waters and this ship was designed to sail only in the Hawaiian waters. Instead they added more shops aboard. Too bad they did not add to the dance floor space. It would have been more enjoyable. The ship itself is new. It was decorated very colorfully-perhaps gaudilly. Our cabin crew did a good job-but heard lots of complaints from other passengers. In fact, I have never heard so many complaints about various things on a cruise ship i.e. food, service, entertainment, cabin service, lack of responsiveness by some cabin crews etc. Some of this undoubtedly was because it was a new ship, and hopefully have been resolved by now.
To put my opinion bluntly, this was a most disappointing cruise. If you have cruised before be prepared for major disappointment. If this is your first cruise-know that almost any other cruise line is much better.
I was on the maiden voyage of the Pride of Hawaii from Los Angeles to Hawaii in May. Overall, it was a wonderful experience with some glitches, as you would expect on the maiden voyage. The pluses were a beautiful new, well designed ship, the best itinerary of any cruise line in Hawaii with extended stays in Maui and Kauai, and the best food of any cruise that I have ever taken. However, my wife can't have sugar and they had only a terrible tasting sugar free cheesecake for dessert. It was the only cruise that we have taken that didn't have sugar free ice cream, which must have been an oversight on the first cruise.
Service was very inconsistent. It was so slow in the main dining room that it was difficult to eat early and get to the show at 7:30pm. Service was much better at the other restaurants. We had great cabin service, but our friends had terrible service. In talking to the crew members, many of them were also on their very first cruise and still learning their jobs. However, most of them were trying very hardand most were friendly.
Entertainment was below average with only about 3 good shows in 12 nights.
This was our first time on Norwegian and we very much liked their freestyle cruising.


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the learning never stops!
Paris Le Bourget, France (LFPB)
Country Notes
Caution: Lost Comm
Lost communications procedures adhere to the ICAO Standard, except the 20 minute rule when not in radar contact is not used. These procedures are fundamentally different from those used in the United States.
Passports are required. Visas are not required for citizens of the countries participating in the Schengen Agreement, including the U.S.
["Dealing With the New Rules of Worldwide Documentation," Professional Pilot, July 2013] When operating a charter to France the PIC must not be over 60.
Paris Le Bourget (LFPB)There are a lot of "gotchas" at Le Bourget, make sure you study the State ATC, Entry, and Emergency Procedures pages, as well as the Airport Briefing in front of the approach plates. Hint: the proximity to De Gaulle plays a role.
Geometry Considerations.
De Gaulle to the north and Orly to the South are the primary commercial airports for Paris, while Le Bourget in the center serves most corporate traffic. The preferred LFPB arrival runway when landing to the west is 27, only large aircraft are permitted to use 25. After being issued a radar vector which intercepts the Runway 27 centerline at an angle of less than 70 degrees, pilots will take the initiative to intercept unless previously instructed to cross the centerline. Upon intercepting the Runway 27 localizer, do not exceed 220 knots.
Runway Considerations.
Runway 07 is used for takeoff between 2215-0600L for jet aircraft. The Runway 09 TODA of 6,250' can be a factor in the rain.
Start Up. Call Le Bourget FLIGHT DATA for start-up clearance not earlier than 10 minutes prior to estimated start-up time.
Departure Recommendations.
Maintain V2+10 up to 3000' AAL, maintain takeoff thrust until 1500' AAL then reduce to climb thrust, retract flaps at 3000' AAL. Note: there are no exceptions for LFPB in the Gulfstream Noise Information Manual.
SID designations should be studied prior to start-up request. Letter C is used for westerly takeoffs when the same as Orly and De-Gaulle, letter M when not the same. Letter J is used for easterly takeoffs when the same as Orly and De-Gaulle, letter F not the same.
They prefer GA aircraft on Runway 27 for arrival but if the winds are from the west, you will find yourself on Runway 07. In that case, it would be bad form to miss the B1 turn off.
Photo: LFPB Runway 07, from Eddie's nose cam.
Videos: LFPB ILS 07, LFPB ILS 27.


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H.I. #13: Nobody Owns the Facts/
Grey & Brady discuss when owls attack, what happened with net neutrality and the FCC, and originality. Also Grey talks for far, far too long about the Hobbit movies. Seriously, you're lucky Brady stopped him otherwise it would have been seven hours of the longest, boringest podcast you've ever heard.
Squarespace makes it fast and easy to create your website. Use code HELLOINTERNET for 10% off.
via iTunes, via RSS, Download mp3
Discuss this episode on the reddit
Hello Internet Podcast on YouTube
The Hobbit: There and Back Again
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Capitalism and Socialism: Crash Course World History #33
Hank Green Crash Course Psychology


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A whole galaxy at your feet. Whether pounding the pavement, burning up the dance floor, or sitting at a desk, our planets and space Oxford shoes are indeed all things to everyone: flexible, supportive, and astonishingly ecosexy. Our Oxfords are designed with simplicity and comfort in mind, and a sustainable ethos to boot: they're lovingly made with recycled plastic bottles! Pick from a selection of gorgeously exclusive patterns dreamt up by our design team.
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Give back while you get to collect! This event is an exhibit showcasing political posters inspired by American historian Timothy Snyder's list of twenty ways to defend democracy.
A$5 dollar donation from you will go directly towards the American Civil Liberties Union, a non profit organization that "works to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States." With that donation you can take home your own collection of posters from the event!


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April 2009
April 27th, 2009 || Listen | Download
Featured Guest(s):
Michael McAteer,
Michael McAteer, former religion editor of the Toronto Star, talks about not swearing an oath to the Queen and why he favours a republic of Canada.
April 20th, 2009 || Listen | Download
Featured Guest(s):
Paul Rusesabagina, Tiphaine Dickson,
We speak with Paul Rusesabagina, whose story was told in Hotel Rwanda. Mr. Rusesabagina's home in Brussels has been ransacked and his documents were stolen.
Tiphaine Dickson talks about the anniversary of NATO's bombing of Serbia. No court ever charged NATO for attacking a Serbian television station but the station director is in prison, blamed for not removing staff.
April 13th, 2009 || Listen | Download
Featured Guest(s):
Linda McQuaig, Tiphaine Dixon,
Columns of Linda McQuaig @ TheStar.com
April 6th, 2009 || Listen | Download
Featured Guest(s):
Zafar Bangash, Marie-Rose Habyarimana,
Older Shows | Newer Shows
The Taylor Report is a weekly radio program, broadcast on Mondays at 5pm on CIUT 89.5fm and at www.ciut.fm
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Luxury guided tours and scuba diving. Welcome to your next adventure.
Magical sunsets fresh feasts and adventure await you in tropical Thailand. Book your next trip with me and have everything taken care of from taxi rides to ziplining with the gibbons. Never travel again worrying about how to get somewhere or where the best place to eat is within your budget.
Mariachi bands strolling through restaurants, cocktails on white sandy beaches, and exploring ancient places and ecological sites. The Yucatan has a plethora of experiences to offer, whether on a trip with friends, family or as a couple there is never a dull moment. Let me take you to the best diving and snorkeling locations, recommend the best beach club, or visit the amazing Cenotes. Leaving the details to me will make your trip easy, fun and stress free; allowing you to enjoy both new experiences and things you love to do.
Homestead Crater
Winter or summer, there is a perfect weekend getaway at Homestead Resort in Utah. Most divers limit their next dive to a vacation at the beach or lake. This doesn't have to be the case. A warm, geothermal natural spring awaits divers, snorkelers and soakers. This place has something for everyone. Not limited to diving, there are so many ways to relax and entertain yourself, friends and family.
"Diving with Katie was a real pleasure. She has a natural charm when she communicates which puts you right at ease in what could feel like stressful situations. Down to earth, funny and doesn't miss a beat when it comes to safety. Thanks for helping me become an advanced diver!"


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The #Google #Nexus6P is now available with a $50 discount now with the company currently running a Father's Day promotion. The discount applies to all models and makes the premier Nexus flagship slightly more affordable for the customers.
The Chromecast and Chromecast Audio are also receiving a discount, but for $5, bringing down their prices to $30 each. Lastly, the Google Cardboard VR viewer is getting a $5 price reduction as well, which means it will now set you back by just $10.
These are pretty nifty discounts by Google, although customers are bound to find better deals out there. Google is extending the discounts to its Chromebooks as well, so you stand to save a few bucks if you shop from Google until Father's Day (June 19). If you're not keen on investing in a smartphone at this point, perhaps getting something like a Chromecast or a Google Cardboard will suffice.
Make sure you hit the link below for more details on the discounts available.
Source: Google


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TDD in Rails
Not as hard as you think!
CSL Behring
TDD is not so bad!
Here are a few things to think about getting started:
*You'll need a test suite like RSpec.
These instructions can be made obsolete in the future. Always be sure to check: https://github.com/rspec/rspec-rails
Add this to your Gemfile:
group :development, :test do
gem 'rspec-rails', '~> 3.0'
In your terminal: bundle
In your terminal: rails generate rspec:install
In your terminal: bundle binstubs rspec-core
Make sure that you can run in your terminal: rspec
If so, that means you're in good shape!
*In this example you would need the proper Models in the database which will consist of Product, Order, and CartedProduct Models.
Here is my app on github for your review
OR my spec folder.
*Test your model logic mostly.
*Does any of your logic have validations?
*Find this out on your Mac by clicking command - shift - F and find all "vailidates". This will give you all the items that need validations.
*Add the Simplecov gem to your gem file.
simplecov link Read the documentation carefully! This is really cool and helpful! It will actually tell you, by percentage, how much of your app is covered by tests and where you need tests still.
Ok, let's get started!
Where do you begin?
Let's say you want to test your sub-total method in your orders model.
First you'll need to navigate to your spec folder and add a models folder to it. Then add an order_spec.rb file to the models folder.
At the top of the order_spec file you should place
require 'rails_helper'
Then start your test code block.
Here is an example and then I'll explain:
require 'rails_helper'
describe Order do
describe 'sub_total' do
it 'should return the sub_total of all the carted products prices times the quantity of each' do
product = Product.create!(:price => 3.0, :name => "cone")
product_2 = Product.create!(:price => 5.0, :name => "shake")
order = Order.create!(:user_id => 2, :status => 'cart')
carted_product_1 = CartedProduct.create!(:product_id => product.id, :quantity => 3, :order_id => order.id)
carted_product_2 = CartedProduct.create!(:product_id => product_2.id, :quantity => 2, :order_id => order.id)
expect(order.sub_total).to eq(19.0)
As you notice, first you need to describe what it is you're testing. in this case Order.
describe Order do
Then you need to describe what method you are testing. Again, this will be the sub_total method.
describe 'sub_total' do
Now, you need to tell it what it should do. Notice things in single quotes are arbitrary, they are not part of the code so be as accurate of a description as you can so someone else years from now could understand what you are testing.
it 'should return the sub_total of all the carted products prices times the quantity of each' do
Here's the part you need to think about. You'll need to build everything from scratch because remember that this is a piece of metal. It doesn't know what you want automatically. You have to be specific. You are creating in the test development database a couple of temporary products with the following code because they don't exist yet even though you may have things in you development database.
product = Product.create!(:price => 3.0, :name => "cone")
product_2 = Product.create!(:price => 5.0, :name => "shake")
Notice that I have the price and name? That's because in my app I have validations for these two items.
OK, Next let's create an order.
order = Order.create!(:user_id => 2, :status => 'cart')
Again, I need validations of a user_id and a status of 'cart' to make this happen.
Now, for a couple of carted_products. Think of this like putting you items in the grocery cart at the store before you head to the cashier.
carted_product_1 = CartedProduct.create!(:product_id => product.id, :quantity => 3, :order_id => order.id)
carted_product_2 = CartedProduct.create!(:product_id => product_2.id, :quantity => 2, :order_id => order.id)
Be careful to make your variables different, remember this stupid machine doesn't know anything unless you tell it. If you say something monkey is purple and then on another line say monkey is purple it thinks it's the same item.
Ok, this is where you tell the computer what you are expecting to happen when the RSpec command in the terminal is run.
expect(order.sub_total).to eq(19.0)
This should be what your products above should come to when you run the sub_total method on you order.
Now, go to your terminal and run rspec.
This will generate whether your test passes or fails. If you've installed the simplecov gem properly it will also generate e report for you to see what percentage of your app is properly covered by testing. It will also tell you where you may want tests.
A little confusing to get started but the more you do it the more comfortable you become with running these tests.Good Luck!
Union Operator
CSL Behring


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Two large mixed-media pieces are hanging in the Building 11 art gallery, accompanied by a display of 102 photographs from art instructor Andy Salzman's recent sabbatical.
The gallery will feature his work through Feb. 13.
"So the idea is these two pieces are the first that I've done … looking back at the sabbatical," Salzman said. "I started these in September and worked on them in the fall."
The pieces deal primarily with wood, clay and a metal piece that takes up an entire wall.
"I'm interested in materials, I'm interested in the mechanics of building those materials, but also the freedom I can get from those open materials to build a pretty clear narrative," he said.
Salzman typically teaches three-dimensional art at Lane, including pottery and sculpture.
"The narrative I have to talk about falls a little short with pottery," he said.
Salzman spoke about his work during a Jan. 22 reception in the gallery. More than 50 students, faculty and staff attended.
Salzman said this trip, which took him from Wisconsin to Minneapolis to New York City to Florence, Italy, to Rome, was a time for personal reflection. "I couldn't possibly teach if I didn't work in my studio, and I couldn't possibly be in my studio if I didn't teach," he said.
The Building 11 adjacent gallery features a photography exhibition by Guillermo Penafiel, who taught Salzman during his undergraduate studies in Wisconsin.
"So the last part of this whole little journey, my wife made sure that I found myself close to all the educational points in my life that were important," Salzman said, which includes his time studying under Penafiel.
"We had invited him to apply for the show a while ago," he said. "I haven't talked to him in 14 years, and the pressure was on."
Gallery visitors left mixed reviews in the gallery guest book.
"In the comment books, people slime me for putting snapshots in there," he said. "If you had snapshots this good, you should display them too."


text:
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Craig Thomas Garrison
Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home
551 Talcottville Road
Tel. (860) 875-3536
Craig Thomas Garrison, 59, of Enfield and formerly of Vernon, beloved husband of over 35 years to Dawn (Gerich) Garrison, passed away suddenly on Sunday, February 26, 2017 at Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Born in Rockville, the son of Romeo C. and Ann (Beach) Garrison of Vernon, he grew up and lived in Vernon before moving to Enfield two years ago. Craig proudly served his country in the U. S. Navy. He was employed by Advanced Auto Parts in Enfield. He was proud of his Scottish heritage and he enjoyed researching his ancestry. He was a loving and devoted husband, son, father, grandfather, brother, and friend who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. In addition to his wife, and his parents, Craig is survived by his children, Jennifer Harrison and her husband Christian of Simsbury, Amber Garrison of Enfield, and Alexander and Aaron Garrison both of Tolland; his granddaughter, Olivia Harrison; four sisters, Cheryl Moran of Falmouth, MA, Gail Secore of Adams, MA, Donna Delafontaine and her husband Larry of Warner, NH, and Pamela Baskowski and her husband Stephen of Vernon, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family and dear friends. Funeral services and burial are private and at the convenience of his family. Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home in Vernon is caring for the arrangements. For online condolences and guest book, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com


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Today's So Shoe Me is the Eagle Boot by Faryl Robin for Free People, $298, available at Free People. Knee high distressed leather boots with a bold buckled front add a signature street style edge to everyday basics. The zippers and buckles gives you the option to wear this style open for a grunge detail or closed for a casual yet polished finish. The slightly distressed leather adds a cozy and comfy detail that is perfect for wearing season after season. Pair these tall buckled boots with a plaid + tulle dress and a cozy knit cardigan for a grunge meets feminine look.
Style Suggestions:
So Shoe Me a pair of distress leather boots that will add a bold buckled detail to my everyday favorites this winter.
xoxo ~ Lisa + 312style
images via freepeople.com


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Last March 5, Von Miller sent out a tweet proclaiming the Broncos would win the Super Bowl.
"GUARANTEE IT," Miller tweeted.
Now, 10½ months later, Miller was in the middle of the Broncos' victorious locker room Sunday, leaning on crutches, an enormous brace covering his right knee.
"One step away," Miller said.
The Von Miller-less Denver defense is a big reason the Broncos will play in Super Bowl XLVIII. How did this happen? Denver's defense had struggled all season when it was healthy. Then it lost Miller, Kevin Vickerson, Rahim Moore, Derek Wolfe and Chris Harris — all starters — to season-ending injuries and suddenly it plays Super Bowl-worthy?
"The magic moment was a guy like you doubting us and calling us average," said Broncos defensive end Shaun Phillips. "You said we were an average-at-best defense. I spread it amongst the locker room and guys started playing better and started stepping up."
Don't know why Phillips was so defiant. Though 14 games this season, the Broncos ranked 25th in the NFL in total defense (374.6 yards) and 26th in points allowed (26.6). In a 32-team league, calling a defense ranked 25th and 26th "average at best" is putting it nicely.
"After we lost to San Diego (in Denver on Dec. 12), the defense got together right here in this spot and we just decided to air everything out, say what you have to say," said Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. "Right here. We said it's time to get this thing rolling. It's time to peak."
The Broncos finished the regular season by giving up only 13 points to Houston and 14 fourth-quarter garbage points to Oakland. OK, but that was Houston and Oakland. Then, in the playoffs, the Broncos had San Diego shut out through three quarters and allowed only three points to New England through three quarters.
All of this after losing Miller early against Houston and Harris late in the playoff victory over San Diego.
"I'm aware of who we lost," said Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. "We don't spend a lot of time feeling sorry for ourselves. We're aware of it. But we've got a lot of good guys behind them."
This is one of Del Rio's best coaching jobs.
"He challenged us, but he's with us," said speedy linebacker Danny Trevathan. "Coach Del Rio is a good man. We had our ups and downs, but I believe in that man. I believe in his scheme, and he led us here.
"People want to speak bad about our defense: '(New England is) going to run the ball, they're going to have their way. It's going to be a high-scoring game.' We just said, 'You keep talking, we'll keep playing.' "
And so, the Broncos are in position to fulfill Miller's guarantee come Feb. 2.
"I feel great," Miller said. "I'm going to be able to play in the Super Bowl. I'm going to hit the rehab hard and be ready to go."
This time, instead of a guarantee, he laughed.


text:
So you know I have a weakness for anything English, right?
A couple weeks ago, I spied a sale that was coming up that listed, "lots of items from the U.K."
Well, hello. I'm coming!
As soon as I walked in, I saw this gorgeous bar cart.
(or tea trolley...)
The beautiful patina of the wood was incredible, and the lady who was selling it had brought it over years ago.
I'm not sure how old it is, but it is fabulous.
I'm bringing this to The Farmhouse Show in a couple weeks, and pairing it with a few other goodies I will be bringing with me.
Beautiful French Haviland plates...
An ironstone jar
and silver...
and silver...
...etched glasses, and decanters (most of what I have is at the shop, so I may be stealing one to put with this vignette...)
...and lots of white linens.
I'd love to keep this piece, but there's no spot for it in my house.
With the wheels, I think this would also be a super accessory to a kitchen prep area.
We are enjoying gorgeous fall weather, and I am soaking it up!
When it's too early in the day to paint, I've been working on getting things packed up for the show, and an upholstery project.
It's been awhile since I've done one, but I'm loving the results so far!
Have a great day~ I'll check back in with you all soon!


text: No. 13 EAAA | December 2012 Welcome to the World Soils Day Special Edition! World Soils Day is here again! We begin our special Ecological Agriculture Australia Association World Soils Day edition echoing the intent of the day itself: to promote soils and conserve them. We hand over some some diverse soil links and stories that you can connect with, in fact you might call this a resource of soils knowledge rather than a newsletter! Enjoy and pass it on! Adrianna Marchand "The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life." ~ Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture" World Soil Day, Did You Know? The 5th of December marks the birthday of the king of Thailand. What has this to do with soil? I am glad you asked! To pay respects to the king's promotion of soil science and soils resources conservation, in 2002 the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) made a resolution to propose this very day World Soils Day. The momentum has gathered and continues to do so, as the IUSS continues to initiate various ways in which to celebrate soils. "World Soil Day will be used to advocate the use and need of soils for human survival and its sustainable management. We aim to draw more attention for the natural resource on which all life depends: the soil!" (British Society of Soil Science.) Enjoy World Soils Day! Appointment of Soils Advocate Former governor-general Michael Jeffery (also the Soils For Life Chairman), in October became Australia's first official Advocate for Soils. Julia Gillard told (at) the National Farmers Federation congress in Canberra, that developing a national soil health strategy was a top priority. You can revisit this announcement by following the Soils For Life link here. SoilCare We know about Landare, but what about SoilCare? SoilCare is an association of primary producers and others on the North Coast of NSW with special interests in soil processes. The aim of SoilCare is to provide: a means for primary producers and others to access and share current information on sustainable soil management practices from around the world, an organisation with the ability to seek funding for educational seminars and workshops on topics identified by members, opportunities to join informative field trips both at home and abroad, a movement to address soil issues of sustainability and productivity to promote secure livelihoods and vigorous communities. Go to the SoilCare website for a vast array of information, articles and resources. Undercover Farmers for Soil Health A fantastic video about understanding soils from a systems function perspective in relation to the importance of diverse ground cover. Soil ecology and biology is discussed by farmers and practitioners using a number of key principles. We really encourage you take the time to watch this feature length on Undercover Farmers by following this YouTube link. Soils For Life The Soils for Life program supports innovative farmers and land managers demonstrating high performance in regenerative landscape management. We believe their stories are compelling and can provide confidence for those who want to make a change for the better. Outcomes Australia's Soils for Life Program is an environmental non-profit, non-government organisation with the principal purpose of enhancing Australia's natural environment with a focus on the Australian rural landscape. The Soils for Life Chairman is Major General Michael Jeffery (Retd), and the Board comprises representatives from the land, finance, media, business, politics and research. Healthy soil is fundamental to biosystem functioning and you can find out more from the Australian Soils For Life website. That's One Small Step for Apps and One Giant Leap for Soil Science SoilMapp is the first CSIRO developed App and gives users information on soil type, acidity, water holding capacity, soil carbon, soil depth and many other characteristics. Users of iPads can download the App by going to the CSIRO website and the App will be available from the iTunes Store soon (pending release at time of publising this newsletter, but keep an eye out). This promises to a great educational resource and will surely get people talking about soils! Global Soil Partnership The Global Soil Partnership supports the process leading to the adoption of sustainable development goals for soils. It will equally contribute to human wellbeing and social equity through improved use and governance of soil resources, finding alternatives to soil degrading practices through participatory experiential processes, and being sensitive to issues of gender and rights of indigenous peoples. In order to achieve these objectives, the GSP addresses five main pillars of action which you can read about by following this Link. Soil School, Transfering the Passion for Learning and Soils Teaching the basics, and beyond, of soil health to farmers in the Pacific is a life's passion for Mike Smith. He and his wife Cheryl have devoted themselves to making a lasting difference to the farming practices of small-scale landowners in places such as Fiji, Samoa and Tonga by teaching sustainable farming essentials at Soil Schools. These Soil Schools and the progress of Organic Matters Foundation (OMF) is certainly eye catching for its education models and advocacy of healthy soils, food and communities. Soilduck Soilduck originated in 2010 from a desire to make soil science more available and accessible advocating for open access and soils education. Soilduck has two Editors (Jess and Nathan) and a range of Authors from around the globe! Soilduck aims to share cool, interesting and informative information on soil science and life straight from the experts mouth. Do go to the Soilduck site where you can dig into the Blog, share your soil photos, link in with other soil sites and take part in a 'dirty revolution'. Call for Action on Soils to the World Australian scientist Professor Ravi Naidu, the winner of an international soil science prize, has called for Australia to lead a renewed global effort to reverse the alarming degradation and contamination of the world's food producing soils. Read about Ravi's work and an important message in this link to the article. NASA Rover Analyses First Soil Samples on Mars Detection of the substances during this early phase of the mission demonstrates the laboratory's capability to analyse diverse soil and rock samples over the next two years. Mars Curiosity rover has used its full array of instruments to analyse Martian soil for the first time, and found a complex chemistry. Want to know what Rover found? Go to the NASA JPL website. RoundUp Points to Unhealthy Soil The heavy use of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide appears to be causing harmful changes in soil and superweeds. Read the article here following this link. Soils for Salmon What on earth is Soils for Salmon? A great initiative we want to tell you about, with ground-up local focus leading back to soil and salmon health. The simple soil "best management practices" (BMPs) described at the Soil for Salmon website include preserving site topsoil and vegetation where possible, reducing compaction, and amending disturbed soils with compost to restore healthy soil functions. Following the link above will take you to other related websites. Go fish! Soil Secrets: Soil Biology Special on ABC Landline Recently a great feature aired on ABC Landline Program on the secrets of soil, covering the soil biology revolution. We can provide you with a link to the transcript and footage here. More than worth visiting and if you missed it, a recommend! Feed Your Soil and the Rest Will Follow Why does the approach of "We try to have something growing 24-seven, 365 days a year… I want a living root in the ground at all times" equate to a soil ecosystem approach? Read more about innovative practices that result in healthy soil following this link. Soil Critters Offer Food Secutity "Soil is not an empty container, as thought by agriculturists; land is a living organism and has to be valued as such". Worms and termites are not likely to win hearts and minds, but they, along with lichens and microbes, are vital to food security, say biodiversity specialists. Soil Physical Properties 101 Follow the link to get a good introductory handle on soil physical properties. Soil Carbon as Universal Measure of Sustainability A vast resource on soil and the biochar for your perusal. The conversation continues and this article offers the historical perspective through to current endorsements of soil practices for your consideration. Do read on at this link. Glomalin in the Soil Carbon Story We encourage you to get your head around the glomalin soil carbon story by following the link to this full article. "A sticky protein seems to be the unsung hero of soil carbon storage. Until its discovery in 1996 by ARS soil scientist Sara F. Wright, this soil "super glue" was mistaken for an unidentifiable constituent of soil organic matter. Rather, it permeates organic matter, binding it to silt, sand, and clay particles. Not only does glomalin contain 30 to 40 percent carbon, but it also forms clumps of soil granules called aggregates. These add structure to soil and keep other stored soil carbon from escaping." Scoop on Soil: Learning Resource Kid or kid at heart? Get the Scoop on Soil at this website. Although a US published site, it holds some great resources for young ones to get them playing in the dirt. Soil Biology Key to Fertility Focusing on soil health was not only good for the environment, but makes economic sense. "If you are not looking after your underground workforce, it will cost you in fertiliser use and retention, erosion control, sedimentation and water quality" says Nicole Masters, soil health and soil ecology educator. Read about Nicole's approach to soils by following this link. Soil to Sky An infographic of Soil to Sky is brought to you through the Sustainable Cities Collective website featuring an article on 'Feeding the World Sustainably: Agroecology vs. Industrial Agriculture'. Researchers Find Microbes Accelerate Soil Carbon Loss New research from scientists at the University of Wyoming and Colorado State University suggests that the loss of carbon from soils in response to climate change could be accelerated by unexpected responses of soil-inhabiting microorganisms. Read more at Phys.Org or the University of Wyoming websites. Scientists Revisit Key Carbon Allies: Soil and Plants Breaking the modelling mould of the carbon story, has focussed on plants on the move, in response to climate change. The conversation between plant folk and soil folk is imperative to an ecological approach to planet health. "Recent studies indicate assumptions about plants and soils capacity in the so-called "carbon cycle" may be overly optimistic. If these studies are correct, even bigger cuts in greenhouse gas emissions will be needed to prevent drastic, irreparable climate shifts." Following on another study is introduced "plants won't be the major carbon sinks many had hoped, for a different reason: Soils often don't have enough nitrogen and phosphorus to take advantage of the added CO2 in the atmosphere". Read more in this recent article. EAAA encourage a whole system ecological approach to any discipline. Saline, Sodic or Both? One key issue is to get farmers and others to distinguish between salinity and sodicity. Sodicity is an entirely different chemistry issue than salinity and soil testing can distinguish the two. "You can't treat salinity and sodicity the same," Wick tells her audience. "You may have salinity and sodicity existing at the same time, but once that salinity is leached — the calcium and magnesium salts, they leach first — then the sodium sticks behind and attaches to the clays and you may have a sodicity problem." Read more as US NDSU soil science team tackles saline, sodic soils. USGS: US Geological Society The US Geological Society (USGS) has some really good educational resources for kids of primary school age, through to undergraduates. Break into online lectures, videos and presentations, social media and other resouces by visiting the USGS website. IUSS on Soils: Earth's Living Skin "We build on soil, as well as in it and with it. And it's not all the same out there! The abundance of life, habitats, and opportunities for human occupation mirror the tremendous variety of soils that are the Earth's living skin… Different kinds of soil are spread across different landscapes – not randomly but in predictable patterns first identified 125 years ago by pioneering Russian pedologist Vasiliy Dokuchaev (1846-1903) as functions of parent material, climate, relief and living organisms acting over time – or, as he put it, the "age of the landscape". From the IUSS website, follow this Link to download the Brochure. Soil: Our Common Ground – A Humanities Perspective by Rebecca Lines-Kelly If there is one thing you ought to consider compulsory reading in this special edition, it is Rebecca's writing (Reference) on soil and society presented as a keynote address at the 3rd Australian New Zealand Soils Conference in 2004. "The story of soil is essentially the story of humanity" begins Rebecca for whom, "soil was not just brown stuff that held up plants, it was actually a metaphor life". Dirt the Movie If you have not seen Dirt: the Movie, have a look at the organisations web site and the other Dirty books and movies on offer. It is a recommend. Download the trailer for Dirt: The Movie, which "tells the story of Earth's most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility, from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation." Soils, The Whole Story Soil Stories was born out of a collaborative effort in the US and is a must watch for those interested in dirt. Just a bit less than half an hour well spent getting to know soil. Watch it via this link. Meet Australian Ecological Farmers and Their Healthy Soil The Ecological Agriculture Australia Association is putting you in touch with ecological minded agricultural farmers and practitioners through their Ecopedia. Here are some ecological practices used by farmers featured on the EAAA web site: works with the weeds and sees them as indicator plants that tell their story about the soil, stopped using herbicides, recognizing that humans are one of the many organisms on the farm and interactions caused by land management practices are considered important, trials and monitoring of bio stimulants and inoculants, pasture resting time, enhancing native grassland communities and protection of endangered species and communities, trial methods and see which work best in the local region, observation and awareness of what connects the farmer to the land, enriching community networks, long term financial sustainability, production of healthy food, value to the beauty and aesthetic of farm life, sharing learning and resilience, the context of being primarily a "soil farmer". Soils Are Alive For those interested in the living aspects of soil, here is a link to a free online book by Lyn Abbott. A Soil Biology Primer From the Natural Resources Conservation Service: "The creatures living in the soil are critical to soil quality. They affect soil structure and therefore soil erosion and water availability. They can protect crops from pests and diseases. They are central to decomposition and nutrient cycling and therefore affect plant growth and amounts of pollutants in the environment. Finally, the soil is home to a large proportion of the world's genetic diversity." Want to read more about soil biology or the soil foodweb? I Heart Soil – The Story of Soil This site is a favourite and scratches the surface of some of the amazing science behind soil and soil ecosystems. It contains some information about food and soil, soil and human health, and soil and water quality. It also has additional resources to dig deeper into soil science. "Soil is made of life and soil makes life." Saving the Life of Farmland Soils Although this dates back a number of years, the discussions in this newsletter are still relevant today. The role and importance of organic matter in soils, in reversing and repairing the trend of soil management that has reduced the viability of agricultural soil and surrounding natural systems is explored. Read on. Soil Quality, What Does It Look Like? If you want to get a start on assessing your own soil, The Natural Resources Conservation Service (US) has great resources to help you get started. "Soil quality cannot be measured directly, so we evaluate indicators. Indicators are measurable properties of soil or plants that provide clues about how well the soil can function. Indicators can be physical, chemical, and biological properties, processes, or characteristics of soils. They can also be morphological or visual features of plants." See more here. Visual Soil Assessment New Zealand Landcare Research brings some soil assessment tools to the table. Soil Health Card This soil health card was developed for the Northern Rivers Region of NSW as an extension activity of the Good Soils Project, a joint undertaking of Tuckombil Landcare Inc and NSW Agriculture in partnership with the Natural Heritage Trust. If you intend to use the Soil Health Card, remember it was intended for a particular area in the Northern Rivers of NSW. SOILpak for Southern Dryland Areas The NSW Department of Primary Industries SOILpak series aims to provide a range of best soil management practices to optimise crop and pasture yields. Other SOILpak's are available from the DPI web site for southern dryland areas, vegetable and cotton growers. Confused about Soil Quality and Soil Characteristics? Soil quality is a measure of a soil's function and soil characteristics important to soil quality include measurable factors such as water holding capacity, texture, structure, colour, pH, balanced biotic relationships, salts present and types of salts, infiltration rates and organic matter. Read more here. Soil Not Oil Unwavering and truly visionary, the book "Soil Not Oil" proposes a solution based on self-organization, sustainability, and local community rather than corporate power and profits. Soil Health A must visit site for biological, chemical and physical soil. Soil Science Society of America – The Story of Soil A wonderful collection of Video's on Health, Food Security and Water in relation to soil. Soil Ecology Society The Soil Ecology Society (SES) is an international organization of researchers, students, environmental professionals and others interested in the advancement and promotion of soil biology and ecology. SAFS – Soil Ecology Soil Biology and Management Choose to visit this web site to discover soil biology and soil ecology by the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (SAFS) cluster. What on Earth is…? Pedology (from Greek pedon, "soil"; and logos, "study") is the study of soils in their natural environment. Edaphology (from Greek "ground") is concerned with the influence of soils on living things, particularly plants. Xenophon (431–355 BC), and Cato (234–149 BC), were early edaphologists. Wikipedia informs us that Xenophon noted the effect of turning a cover crop into the earth. Cato, who skillfully recorded capitalist farming of his day, wrote "De Agri Cultura" ("On Farming") which recommended tillage, crop rotation and the use of legumes in the rotation to build soil nitrogen. He also devised the first soil capability classification for specific crops. Soils Contribute Greatly to Recognised Ecosystem Services Ecosystem Services are generally acknowledged as the benefits that humans receive from the natural environment, to some extent this is promoted as a relatively one way street. Soils contribute strongly, both directly as well as indirectly, to satisfying these human needs. The ecological viewpoint extends this – to soil providing mutual benefits to our interconnected and complex environment including the biotic and abiotic in an interdependent interaction, a relationship. To view soils as a resource is to view soils as utilitarian, but only for as long as they are used within their capabilities without compromising soil health. To view soils as a living organism is to understand that what we do to soil, we do to ourselves. Working Miracles with Nature A website dedicated to the open dissemination of knowledge and theories for working with nature, literally "From The Soil Up" – from below the ground through to our bodies and beyond! Soil Stories from Australia Department of Sustainability and Environment (Vic) Newsletter highlighting soils. Saltland Genie ™ This Australian initiative provides links to learn more about salinity; explore solutions and tap into resources such as farmer stories, interviews, case studies, reports and ID cards. Have a look at Genie's library. It takes a community of soil microbes New research reveals that it takes a community of soil microbes, not just one or two, to protect crops. Organic Soil Fertility Interested in knowing more about soil management including how to manage fertility on organic farms and how to soil test and use nutrient budgeting. The following article as printed in The Canadian Journal of Organics explains. Read on. The Art and Science of Composting This article covers best practices of composting and summarises well the art and science of decomposition by human intervention. For anyone considering composting as part of their practice this is a good read. Follow the link and you will get a load of it. Bugs and Biology Grower Group A group of Western Australia land managers in a learning environment, discovering connections between land management practices impacting on soil interactions and condition, where ecological profit and monetary profit co-exist. NZ Landcare Research on Soils and Landscapes and the Newsletter Research on soils and landscapes and the NZ Landcare Research Newsletter, both not only a great resource but a good read. Painting with Soil—Jan Lang's Images of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Soils have inspired some like Jan to art. Jan shares her images of the Lewis and Clark expedition taking us on a visual journey of her connection with soil andteaches us how to make paint out of soil. Soils Portal The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey Division is the lead agency for the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS), a joint effort of Federal US and State agencies, universities, and professional societies. The NCSS is committed to delivering science-based soils information that helps people be good stewards of the Nation's soil, water, and related natural resources. Soil and Water Conservation Society For SAWCS, "Our mission is to foster the science and art of natural resource conservation. Our work targets conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources on working land—the land used to produce food, fiber, and other services that improve the quality of life people experience in rural and urban communities. We work to discover, develop, implement, and constantly improve ways to use land that sustains its productive capacity and enhances the environment at the same time." Soils Under the Microscope Discover the dynamic interaction between the skies to the earth; the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere in a new way, under the microscope.This presentation covers micromorphology, the study of soil description and interpretation at the microscopic level. Permaculture Research Institute of Australia On soil by Craig Mackintosh: "You could simplify its composition by reducing it to four main components: minerals, air, water, and organic matter. The complicated version, however, is almost beyond belief, and despite the best efforts of scientists many aspects remain mysterious". Benefits of a Healthy Soil FoodWeb Read about what a healthy soil foodweb is, when it occurs and what functions it performs. Australian Society of Soil Science – About Soil "Soils are a vital part of the natural environment. They are complex entities, and many different types occur in Australia. The different properties of soils influence the types of flora and fauna that exist on them, and the ways in which we may use them." The Australian Society of Soil Science is our national body representing soil scientists and practitioners. Certified Professional Soil Scientist Core Competencies for Australian Soil Surveyors For more information, please read on to this comprehensive set of guidelines for soil surveyors. New Zealand Society of Soil Science Formed in 1952 the New Zealand Society of Soil Science was formed to encourage the advancement of soil science. Australia Soil Resource Information System (ASRIS) ASRIS provides online access to the best publicly available information on soil and land resources in a consistent format across Australia. Applied Soil Ecology – Elsevier Applied Soil Ecology Journal resource. American Society of Agronomy CSA Newsletter American Society of Agronomy CSA Newsletter "Soils Still a Frontier of Science" Dirtland: The Root Cellar Read more on this educational resource. Dig It! The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a number of educational resources for kids and kids at heart. Take a look, this is so much fun. Dig Deeper! OK, so a bit more for the kids that heart soil from the Soil Science Society of America. Dr Dirt Educational resource for use in schools including Dr Dirt's own You Tube channel. NASA on Soil Soil, soil science, and the soil's role in our everyday lives care of NASA. Soil and Water Department of Natural Resources Management and Environment on soils. Acid sulphate soils Acid sulphate soil (ASS) is the common name given to soils and sediments containing iron sulphides. When exposed to air due to drainage or disturbance, these soils produce sulphuric acid, often releasing toxic quantities of iron, aluminium and heavy metals. Soil Ecology at University of Adelaide "The course will provide students with a comprehensive view of ecological interactions in soils. It deals with the interactions between plants, soil and soil organisms, the roles played by soil organisms in decomposition of organic material, nutrient cycling (C, N, P) and stability of agricultural and natural ecosystems. Other topics include the importance of soil organisms for soil fertility, mycorrhizas and their effects on plant productivity and plant communities, soil microbial ecology, root growth, the biology of the rhizosphere and the impact of climate change on nutrient cycling." University of Queensland on Agriculture and Soils, Resource Kit on Soils The Resource Kit. Soil Glossary Resources The Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) have produced a number of valuable resources on the soil front such as this Soil Glossary. Soil Science Society of America has a search engine based glossary of soil science terms. The Australian Academy of Science leads to some definitions on sodic soils. The Soil Foodweb Reference Guide has some great photographs of fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes and mycorrhizal fungi. A collection of biological and ecological definitions from UWA. The Challenge We end our special Ecological Agriculture Australia Association World Soils Day edition reflecting on the intent of the day itself, and where to next? In talking about soil, we are involved in seeing how we can know and interact with soil better: to represent the interconnections which result in vital and alive soil and food and communities, to be able to observe changes on our farms & with a primary aim of being able to pass on this knowledge and act upon it, to attempt to provide legitimacy to soil assessment and provide direction for future research, to learn from each other and allow soil and our environment to be our teacher. We want to build a strong network of people interested in soil from ecological perspectives, we want to see farmers talking to farmers about their dirt. In a way, we know you are already out there; whether you have seen, felt, tasted, smelt or heard soil or are just curious about those millions of organisms in a teaspoon of soil. Those interconnections? The ultimate aim is to explore further and deeper the interactions of soil biology, with already widely studied soil structure and chemistry as a springboard to understanding more deeply, greater connections to biotic and abiotic environments. We can begin there and then learn to further observe greater interactions that involve plants, animals, weather (the list may be vast indeed yet it has already begun!). Soil science is still a relatively new thing and we have much business to go about in learning about soil systems. Meanwhile, the study of soil biology is still grossly under represented at university level and the subject of soils is underdone in a great many university degrees, which lead to occupations in environment and natural resources no less! Moreover, as has been the feedback from many landholders, the scientific community still struggles to communicate effectively with farmers what are really common aims: improved soils knowledge, healthier soils communities, more resilient farms. The art of observation itself is not widely promoted, yet is vital to this whole conversation. Interdisciplinary approaches are still in their infancy although strengthening in leaps and bounds and the translation of systems thinking beyond society and sociology itself, shows a challenge to the way we can approach country. The type of ecological approach needed to connect people with the land and soils again, requires that we learn what it might be, to be ecological in our very thinking. So the thought comes to mind, that it is necessary to approach natural/soil ecology together with human ecology; that is, to acknowledge the interconnected place we humans have in the natural world. For us, this may mean reconnecting with that which has sustained us all our lives, soil. There is much to get excited about! Whether it be a soil pit, a sweet smelling soil, one farmer teaching another about practices, celebrating a community garden, sitting in the shed talking about a great field day or a vibrant healthy soil; we can all step outside and take the first look to see soil for the first time, to see it in a way we have not seen it before. We challenge you to observe the soil on your farm, in your garden, around your neighbourhood or your compost and continue to observe this for a year. With the next 12 months approaching into December 2013, write to us and share what you have seen, the changes, and your story. Happy digging and please email us your stories and links! Warm regards, Adrianna Marchand © EAAA Website. Contribute to World Soils Day and Send Us Your Stories or Links . 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