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Which parent is responsible for child support in Tennessee?
One question that we often hear from parents going through a divorce is, "Which parent is responsible for paying child support?" The simple answer is that both parties are responsible. However, although you are both legally obligated to financially support your children, there are a variety of factors — including parenting time, income, and the number of children — that determine the exact amount of child support owed by each parent.
Typically the parent that the child lives with the majority of the time (also known as the primary residential parent) receives child support payment from the other parents (also referred to as the alternate residential parent). This may sound unfair, but it works this way because it is assumed that the primary residential parent is already spending money on the child.
How is the amount of child support determined?
As mentioned previously, child support is determined based on several factors including income, parenting time, and how many children the couple has. When it comes to what is considered to be income in Tennessee, the list includes:
- Wages or salary
- Bonuses
- Overtime payments
- Commissions, tips, and fees
- Severance pay
- Income from self-employment
- Pensions or retirement plans
- Annuity income, interest, and dividends
- Social security or disability
- Workers compensation
- Net capital gains
- Alimony (from previous or later spouses)
- Lottery winnings, prizes, and gifts
- Unemployment
- Money received from civil judgments
To determine the specific amount of child support owed, the state of Tennessee relies on specific Child Support Guidelines detailed by the Department of Human Services. These guidelines include using a Child Support Worksheet to simplify the process of determining what is owed.
Can the amount of child support owed differ from the guidelines?
Although child support is typically calculated using the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines, there are sometimes exceptions to the rules. If either party feels that the amount of child support owed is unfair, they can ask the court to deviate from the guidelines before a final order is issued. Typically courts will not delineate from the state guidelines, but if either party can prove that the amount is unjust or that a change will benefit the child, the court may make an adjustment. Some instances where this may be the case include travel costs incurred if parents live a long distance from one another or exorbitant expenses associated with medical needs or education.
Can the amount of child support owed be modified?
In some circumstances, the amount of child support owed can be modified after the final order has been issued. One common reason for modification is a significant change in income (15 percent or more) from either loss of a job or a job promotion. Other factors such as a change of custody or healthcare needs of the child can also result in changes to the amount of child support owed.
If you are going through a divorce or in the process of determining child support in Tennessee, it is important to consult an experienced family law attorney to ensure the amount is properly calculated and that there are no exceptions to the guidelines that should be taken into account. If you are looking for a family law attorney to assist with child support calculations, contact our team today.
- COVID-19 NOTICE - March 23, 2020
- The Complete DUI Law Guide: Everything you need to Know About DUIs - September 19, 2018
- The Criminal Defense Guide: Know How To Stay Protected If Charged - August 14, 2018


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Having a problem related to Atlantic Yards? Log in or register for a free account to submit a report to AYW.
Very loud banging began at 11 pm in the Atlantic Yards staging area opposite 618 Dean Street. When I went to check, a construction worker was whacking skids on a flatbed truck with a crowbar, creating a loud reverberating noise that echoed throughout the neighborhood and violated our peace and tranquillity at the time our children were attempting to fall asleep. In the past, my son has informed me that noise from the staging area opposite 618 Dean Street in the dead of night (3-4 am) has caused him to wake up on repeated occasions. The noise did give any indication of stopping, so I stepped onto our balcony that looks over the staging area and finally spied the construction worker who was whacking the skid with a crowbar. Only after I yelled out to him did the noise seem to abate, "Hey, you! Out there! I've got kids trying to sleep!" Although I addressed him in this manner, not once did he look up to see where the voice came from. Instead, a woman ran toward him from another spot in the staging area to speak to him. I could not make out what she said, but the noise soon afterward ceased. I can only imagine that she told him to stop making noise. Construction workers who do their job in the Atlantic Yards staging area opposite a residential building should undergo some sort of community sensitive training, and Bruce Ratner and Jay-Z should join them!

subset: commoncrawl


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John Cabot University's Ipazia Club's Event Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, took place on October 25, 2014. The event, aimed at raising awareness on gender violence and domestic abuse, featured male members of the JCU community walking a mile in women's shoes by the historic Terme di Caracalla in Rome.
Video by Morgan Collins, a freshman and Communications major at JCU.
Learn more about Student Life in Rome at John Cabot University.
Learn more about Clubs and Organizations in Rome at John Cabot University.
See more photos on the JCU Facebook page.


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Halifax to Boston, Massachusetts - $180 to $194 CAD roundtrip including taxes | non-stop flights (new record)
WestJet has dropped the price of their flights from Halifax to Boston down to between $180 and $194 CAD roundtrip including taxes.
The flights are non-stop both ways.
This is a new record for the cheapest roundtrip flights from Halifax to Boston.
Availability for travel
late November, first half of December 2018
January, February, March, April, first week of May 2019
How to find and book this deal
1. Start with a Google Flights search like this one...
Google Flights: Halifax to Boston
Google Flights: Halifax to Boston(non-stop flights)
- Click on the departure date box to open up the calendar view and browse for cheap date combinations.
- Look for the dates that are $216 roundtrip.
2. Go to Flighthub
3. Search for a flight from Halifax (YHZ) to Boston (BOS)
- Use the same dates you found on Google Flights
screenshot from Flighthub
Update 11/15 - Non-stop flights from Halifax to Boston in January, February, March, and the first week of May 2019 are now available for $180 CAD roundtrip
- follow the instructions at the top of this blog post
screenshot from Flighthub
Update 1/7 - Non-stop flights from Halifax to Boston in April 2019 are now available for $184 CAD roundtrip
- follow the instructions at the top of this blog post
screenshot from Flighthub
Join us in the YHZ Deals Facebook Group
For live discussion of this deal, or to get some amazing travel advice (about anywhere) from your 12,400 fellow passengers in Halifax, join us in the
YHZ Deals Facebook Group.
^^ click the 'Join Group' button when you arrive.
Hit Like if you like this deal! Click Share or Send to show your friends on Facebook.
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Setting up alerts allows you to be one of the first to see a new deal, before it sells out.
And don't worry, alerts are only sent when it's truly an amazing deal.
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In the spring of 2005, new majority partners led by Chris Jensen and Jeff Hahn of PV Capital came into the fold. Well, actually, Chris has been fishing Aikens Lake since 1992 - the year his father Dale brought him to Aikens as a high school graduation gift. Chris hooked into a 32" walleye on that first trip and the rest is history. Since the beginning of the partnership, there has been a wonderful synergy as everyone is on the same page when it comes to key decisions. Major investment by the new partners in those first few years instantly brought Aikens Lake into the upper echelons of fly-in fishing lodges. Chris and Jeff both visit Aikens regularly during the season.
Aikens Lake has always kept customer service (and always will keep it) as our top priority and we make sure our young and vibrant staff understands this philosophy as well. We have continued to hire very intelligent and personable staff in all positions at Aikens, from your guides, to your housekeeping and kitchen crews, to our bartenders. We are committed to continually improving your "Aikens Experience" - sometimes this means small improvements but we also aren't afraid to reinvest in order to renovate different areas of the lodge, it's structures, or the incredible boat fleet so that we are always on the cutting edge. Lastly, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint; especially since we are located in a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as within the boundaries of a Provincial Wilderness Park that is untouched by industry and infrastructure. We love discussing all of the wonderful things we have already done to become "greener" – and those that are planned for the future – with anyone who shares this passion.
Read more about Chris in our Spotlight Article
Many of our valued guests saw Pit grow up at Aikens Lake. When his parents Gerry and Lorraine Turenne first became partners in the lodge in 1988, Pit was but a mere 10 years old! He essentially grew up at Aikens, spending each of his summers working every possible job from rookie grunt worker, logger and laborer, and eventually guiding for several years before becoming head guide for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. His fingerprints are everywhere on this peninsula. For nearly two decades, Gerry and Lorraine did an incredible job managing the lodge, the staff, and the resource. They brought it from a small operation to one of the top fly-in destinations in North America by focusing on the service aspect and providing guests with a memorable experience. By being such consummate hosts, they were the ones who created the "Aikens Experience," which means that your time off the water is just as important and enjoyable as your time on it! Pit has learned how to host people and understands the importance of the experience people are seeking. He strives to make sure that the "Aikens Experience" keeps improving year after year.
Julie's first summer at Aikens was in 2000. She worked several years in the kitchen and housekeeping and has a keen eye for detail. Today, Julie oversees both departments and is our key administrator when it comes to scheduling and planning. You can imagine the logistics involved in hosting over 500 guests per summer, while managing a staff of 24+ people and making sure that everyone has flights in and out, enough food for the kitchen to serve delicious meals, all the supplies everyone needs all way down to things you wouldn't think of until you actually run out of it. Her organizational skills are second to none and she is the glue that holds together our little community by making sure that logistics are always taken care of and no one is ever left wanting anything during their stay at Aikens Lake.
Pit and Julie have been managing the lodge full time since 2005, and they are absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity year after year to be able to raise their young family in such an incredible setting. They both spend the entire summer at the lodge, with the children joining them when school is out (and maybe a week or two while school is still in session!) The children (Annika - 2004, Marty - 2006, Natasha - 2009) bring a genuine "family atmosphere" to the lodge. In addition, Pit and Julie thrive in the challenge of providing everyone with that memorable experience they are seeking. They both have the practical knowledge by having worked at Aikens for many seasons, and also have the book smarts to make sure every aspect of your trip is taken care of with professionalism. They use all of this background to make sure that the "Aikens Experience" continues to offer our valued guests an incredibly unique blend of great fishing, unbeatable service, and lasting memories!
In 2014, majority shareholder Christopher Jensen provided Patrick and Janelle with an unexpected but deserved reward for their years of great work and loyalty.... they now own a part of Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge!
Patrick has been working at Aikens since 2000. He started off working on the dock before proving his chops on the lake when he became a guide a few years later. He eventually became our longest tenured head guide, working 5 seasons in that role (2004-2008). He proved himself enough over the years to be offered the opportunity to become the first salaried year-round employee of Aikens, so in 2007 he added the title of "Sales Manager." His knowledge of the fishery, combined with his innate ability to read people and his gift of gab made him a great salesperson right from day 1. He still fulfills that role each winter, and in the summers you can see him in his coveralls taking great pride in keeping the Aikens machine running smoothly both on and off the water.
Janelle began working at Aikens in 2006. She ascended through the ranks working in housekeeping, waitressing, bartending, and even saw spot duty in the kitchen from time to time. Janelle and Patrick served as hosts at GGO for three seasons. Janelle's charm and easy-smile made her a favorite with our guests, and she began working fulltime for Aikens in 2010 as the Guest Relations Manager.
We are proud to have welcomed Patrick and Janelle into the partnership. They are thrilled to own a slice of a place they hold so dear to their hearts - Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge!
The place is absolutely Top Drawer in every aspect of the experience. Having dreamed about taking my 2 teenage grandsons on a fly in fishing trip for years I could not have written a better script. The accommodations, Food, equipment level of excellence was only surpassed by the people.
—Chip Michel,
St. Paul, Minnesota
You have paid attention to every detail and it shows. The cabin and food is the best I have seen. Lots of neat spots to explore, wish we had more time!
—Jason Mitchell,
Jason Mitchell Outdoors
It exceeded any expectation I had to the point that I've told my kids that if I get a bonus that's exactly where we're going. When you compare it against other luxury vacations, where you typically pay extra for a guide or various excursions, what you get at Aikens is a really good value. I've fished all over the world, from Alaska to Colorado to Costa Rica. I'd put Aikens over those in terms of the size fish you can catch and the quantity.
—Maria Bailey,
This week at Aikens for our anniversary has been absolutely the greatest gift! The only thing that would have made it better was if my dad and mom could have been with us.
—Amanda Paschal,
Parker, Colorado
They say "you get what you pay for" ... at Aikens you get more. They know what they're doing, and it shows. Its called "The Aikens Experience." The lodging is top notch. The food is outrageous! Aikens Lake is a dream to fish. The staff - how they find and keep so many polite, friendly, courteous, intelligent, and attentive people year after year I have no idea. They learn your likes and dislikes; they make you feel welcome and relaxed.
—Steven J Kuzmich,
Loveland, Colorado
People sometimes want to try new locations or lakes in Canada but I really do not know why our group would ever look elsewhere or even think about it. The fishing is world class and the accommodations and hospitality are five-star.
—Gene Reibel,
Omaha, Nebraska
We wanted to get a true fly-in Canadian fishing/wilderness experience, but be able to do that without having to spend two days traveling to get there. Overall, the experience was exactly what we wanted. Great fishing, great setting, great service and accommodations that allow you to really relax and enjoy quality time with your family.
—Tony Abena,
Edina, Minnesota
One of the coolest things about Aikens is you could have terrible fishing and have an awesome time there. Well-fed and well-served, plenty of beer to keep you warm. Tremendous service. Of course, the fishing's great, too, but you have fun either way.
—Nate Siegal,
Salt Lake City, Utah
Incredible staff and amazing fishing. The accommodations are top notch and the food is first class. You won't find a better lodge in North America for pike and walleye fishing. The owners really know how to run this place. The memories made here are like no other.
—Jesse Bleeman,
Toronto, Ontario
What I love about Aikens? The ever present welcoming attitude that starts when you exit the plane and ends, well, never actually ends from what I can tell. The entire staff which is well selected and well trained, guides who make fishing fun and easy, the size of the lake (not too small for serious fishing and not too big for novices), the breakfasts, the shore lunches, the dinners, the awards handed out at dinner, the evening fishing with dock staff making sure your boat is ready, and the bar that gives you a chance to meet fun and interesting people to share a fishing story, a joke, or life story.
—Dennis Munson,
Solon, Iowa
Our guide really listened to what we wanted to do and tailored our day specifically to us. To me, the shorelunch was the highlight of each day. The shorelunch sites are set-up so well in very scenic spots. You can watch the Aikens videos and read the website about the fancy cabins, and the food, and how great the fishing and the service is, but one thing you can't really appreciate until you're here is how beautiful it all is.
—Paul Capecchi,
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
I'm an amateur rank fisherman and I caught a ton of fish, including a Master Angler pike. That's what makes Aikens Lake so great, you can get guys like me that really don't know what they're doing, and you start to believe that you might.
—John MacDonald,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
My husband and my dad had always talked about going to Canada or Alaska, so when I got the idea to give them a fishing trip as a surprise gift I did about six months of research. Once I talked with Pit, I was sold. It was really a surprise to them. They were so excited, and they just had a wonderful time at Aikens. They enjoyed their dream trip, and I don't think it will be their last time to Aikens.
—Debbie Nutter,
Elizabeth, Colorado
Pit and his team have done a wonderful job of putting together the perfect gem of an outpost camp. We love going to the Lost Lake outpost because it provides you the seclusion and serenity without comprising the nice luxury-type components.
—Scot Woolley,
Minnetonka, Minnesota
The Four Seasons of fishing lodges. What's truly impressive is that ownership is constantly improving the experience. Every year you arrive and notice improvements. I'm just back from our trip to Aikens with my son. In the last 15 months he's been to Copenhagen, Berlin, Estonia, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Venice, Croatia, Greece and Turkey – but said this was his favorite trip ever. He slept with his Aikens hat on last night!
—Greg Borca,
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Those young staff members make me realize that our future is in good hands. Every one of them are class act young people, such a joy to associate with when you see what is going on across the land. Thanks again for the great hospitality from you and ALL of the staff.
—Jeff Hall,
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Truly an experience you'll want to relive over and over. This father-son-grandpa trip went from being a once in a lifetime experience, to an annual fishing trip! See you next summer!
—Mark L.,
Winnipeg, Canada
Aikens is the perfect place for a family trip. The cabins are the best we've ever been in, the lodge is beautiful, and of course Pit and Julie are wonderful hosts.
—Jim Deleeuw,
Wisconsin President Organization, Group Leader
My husband and I never go back to the same place twice, but we loved it so much at Aikens we knew by the end of our first week we'd be back. It's just how well they take care of you there. They make you feel like you're part of the family.
—Denise Kozlowski,
Lake Oswego, Oregon
I've taken many large groups to Aikens and I always tell people beforehand how incredible the service is at Aikens. Every person has said to me at the end of the trip, "We believed you before, but I just can't believe how good they treat you here!" One time Pit and Julie didn't have the type of alcohol on-hand one of our guests was drinking, so they sent a plane out and got it.
—Ron Ball,
Westman Dreams for Kids
I call it a 5-star hotel in the wilderness. It's the neatest place we've ever been, it's like fantasy island.
—Joe Harrington,
Monticello, Arkansas
Each year we go somewhere as a family. We've been to Hawaii, Disney and many other places, but Aikens was one of the best trips we've ever had. Our trip was terrific, and my grandson loved every minute of it.
—Sherry Martin,
Cordova, Illinois
You think you're at a Ritz-Carlton, you seriously get that level of treatment and amenities. Nobody in Manitoba can compete with Aikens for the quality of the fishing, staff, and facilities.
—Steve Andersen,
Lincoln, Nebraska
Trip number five and once again Aikens Lake out did itself. I thought it impossible for this wonderful place to get any better.
—Kris King,
NHL Senior VP of Hockey Operations, 14 year NHL player and captain, and Aikens Lake Honorary Pro Staff Guide
From the accommodations, to the staff and especially shore lunch, the entire experience at Aikens Lake is unmatched.
—Dan Quayle,
Former United States Vice-President
The photos are amazing and like the memories, they will last a lifetime.
—Boomer Esiason,
Former NFL MVP Quarterback, TV Commentator, and Founder of the Boomer Esiason Foundation (against cystic fibrosis)


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Product Information
What stands out
- Store up to 13 bags of shopping with its generous 235L of space
- Multiple shelves and clear freezer drawers make it easy to see and organise your shopping
- Rated A+ for energy efficiency, costs approximately £42 per year to run
- Four star freezing provides the highest level of freezing performance available
- It sits behind your cupboard doors, so there's no need to worry about how it will look in your kitchen
- Reversible doors, so you can fit it into any corner of your kitchen
- Salad crisper compartment for optimised food storage
The details
This simple yet spacious fridge freezer offers plenty of room for you to stock up for the week ahead. It comes with a generous 235L of space inside, which equates to approximately 13 bags of shopping - perfect for small to medium sized families. The fridge compartment provides ample storage for all your fresh groceries across its three glass shelves, which can be adjusted in height to help store any bulkier items. There's also a salad crisper to keep your fruit and veg separate, plus three in-door balconies to store your milk and jars upright and out of the way.The freezer is made up of four transparent drawers that allow you to keep an eye on your food levels at a glance, so you know when it's time to restock the freezer. Thankfully, you won't have to hurry to tackle those frozen leftovers because the freezer boasts a 4-star rating, which lets you store food for up to 12 months without any loss in taste or nutrients.
It features an integrated design with sliding rail hinge to maintain a uniform look in your fitted kitchen, blending seamlessly in with your existing units once a matching door panel has been fitted. And, because the door hinges can be fitted on either side, you can adjust the fridge freezer to suit your kitchen space. It's been rated A+ for energy efficiency, which should only cost you around £42 to run it for a whole year, so you can relax knowing that this model is kinder on the your utility bills as well as the environment. It's the best of both worlds.
Essential info
- Dimensions: H177 x W54 x D54 cm
- Fridge capacity: 146 L
- Freezer capacity: 89 L
- Energy rating: A+
- Fridge Freezer Split: 50/50
More info
- Total Fridge Freezer Capacity: 235 Litres or 13 bags of shopping
- Usable Fridge Capacity: 146 Litres
- Usable Freezer Capacity: 89 Litres
- Low Noise Level just 38 dB which is quieter than a conversation
- 50/50 Split to ensure you have even storage in both sections
- Reversible Doors so you can put it anywhere you like
- 4 Glass Shelves - 3 of which are adjustable
- 4 Freezer Compartments
- Four star freezer rating
- Sliding Rail Door Fixing
- Dimensions: H177 x W54 x D54 cm
- 1 Year warranty
Why choose us?
We've won awards for our products
We use the same factories as bigger brands
We offer hassle-free warranty
We have top notch customer service


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Beth, We had a wonderful time! The hottub was amazing to just relax with family members. The toys and games in inside the cottage were used so much by my 5 and 1 1/2 yr old grandsons. That was a fantastic surprise for next time so we dont feel the need to unload travel toys. I was pleasantly surprised with the extra beds on the back porch also. The kitchen was huge and having that extra toilet and laundry facility was definately an asset. I was able to take all clean clothes home removing the chore when i arrived home. I loved everything about the cottage- the layout, the extra beds, the hottub, and the beautiful landscaping. So thank you so much for the successful family vacation!!!
Thanks so much for all your help! We've stayed at a few different cabins
over the years and yours are the best! We'll never stay anywhere else.
Beach House Cabin
Hi Beth, thank you. The house is so gorgeous and the view wow!!! We had fantastic weather for hiking and ziplining. Happy holidays and i hope we can come back some time in the future.
Stone Settler Cabin
I gotta tell you that the time that my family spent was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations that we've ever taken. Stone Settlers was perfect for everyone. My niece wrote in your comments book that the online pictures did not do the real thing justice. We brought wood for the three nights and left about a dozen pieces by the fire pit for the next visitors. We zip-lined, fished, hiked, canoed, and just enjoyed everyone's company. The thing that I was most impressed with was that the only time that the TV was turned on was on Saturday morning, when it was raining. We zip-lined at 10:30 and it stopped raining as we pulled out of the cabin's driveway. Thank you for a wonderful time and I will recommend your cabins to anyone, who mentions that they are coming to Hocking Hills.
Hi Beth,
I just wanted to drop you a note and say how much we enjoyed the cabins and the Hocking area last week. The cabins were very nice. The field provided a great place for the kids to play and was a great place for a fire at night. We had a great family get-together last weekend. We will certainly consider the cabins as a place to meet up again.
Best regards,
Hi Beth,
First of all, I would like to tell you that we really enjoyed the cabin!
Most of the people in our group have been to Hocking Hills before but
everyone agreed that this was the nicest cabin that they had stayed in.
It was very welcoming and none of us wanted to leave on Sunday morning!
Thanks again!
Hi Beth,
I actually just arrived home from staying at your cabin
this weekend (Nov.12th & 13th). I just wanted to tell you how much my
friends and I enjoyed our stay. You have a great place! I cannot believe the
renovations you made from seeing the previous state in the photos. It was
beautiful and we look forward to coming back!!
Thank you!
We had girls only weekend. What a great time we had. It was time needed away from husbands and kids. This cabin rocks! We didn't want to go! Be Back Soon!
We very much enjoyed our getaway at your beautiful cabin! From the moment we walked through the door, the rich deep smell of wood invited us inside. The cozy fireplaces and the relaxing hot tub helped to make this a very memorable weekend for our family. Our 5 year old (almost 6) daughter lost her very first tooth! So we even had a visit from the Tooth Fairly! The stars in the High sky were incredible! The bird song was lovely. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
Thanks again, we kept saying "today I want to play ping pong, lay in the hammock, sit in the hot tub, play darts, build a fire in the fire pit…." seemed like we didn't have enough time to do what we wanted at the cabin let alone visit the parks and hike. 🙂
Think we could have just stayed there the whole time and enjoyed it just as much.
By the way my son who is 18 is an XBox junkie and he just wanted to play darts and ping pong the whole time. We stayed up late and played board games and were able to get to spend quality time together. Would love to come back!
Thanks again,
We had an amazing time at your Slumber Ridge cabin over the holiday weekend. The cabin was beautiful, immaculate, had everything you could possibly need. Thank you for a wonderful time.
The Piunno Family
Relaxation and tranquility are the first two words that come to mind. Slumber Ridge was very beautiful and peaceful with all the comforts of home. We couldn't have asked for a cleaner cabin with all the extras and then some. We went hiking at Old Man's Cave which was a fun experience and went away with some really neat pictures to remember the trip.
We really enjoyed this lovely cabin. It is far enough away that you really feel alone out here but close enough to everything else. The canopy tour was absolutely amazing. It has now been made into a yearly trip! It's the wilderness at it's best…. It was also very nice to sit on the back deck and watch all the birds feeding. There are so many varieties! It was nice to just sit back, relax and watch nature unfold. Thank you for an awesome cabin! We will definitely be back!
What a wonderful weekend it has been! A great getaway destination close to home! We went to Old Man's Cave today, an incredible sight, only God could create something so magnificent.
The most beautiful lodge and the most beautiful setting. Thanks so much for a lovely weekend.
This is our 3rd year for a wonderful time with family. We love this place.
We had an amazing time on our honeymoon. The cabin is beautiful and you feel right at home. This was the perfect place for us to come and relax after spending many months of planning our wedding. We are planning to come back every year for our anniversary.


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Eye health and sight loss: the UK Vision Strategy
The UK Vision Strategy aims to improve eye health and prevent sight loss across the age range, asAnita LightstoneexplainsAnita Lightstone BSc FCOptom SAAO
UK Vision Strategy Project Director, Funded by Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), London
The UK Vision Strategy is a Vision 2020 UK initiative, led by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), to develop a unified plan for action on all issues relating to eye health and sight loss across the four countries of the UK. The Strategy was developed in response to a World Health Assembly resolution of 2003, which urged the development of national plans to tackle sight loss. Launched in April 2008, the UK Vision Strategy is a bold, ambitious plan to radically improve the eye health of the nation, eliminate avoidable sight loss, improve services to people, including children, with sight loss, and increase inclusion in society for blind and partially sighted people. Health and social care professionals joined the voluntary sector, Government representatives, service users and individuals with experience of sight loss to develop the Strategy. Local groups of health and social service professionals and service users are being formed across the UK to find ways to implement the Strategy. Any health professional with an interest in this work can contribute to their local group either through their professional representative on the group or directly. Journal of Family Health Care 2008; 18(5): 162-164
Key points
_ The UK Vision Strategy represents the national aims for eye health and services for people who are blind or partially sighted
_ It has been developed by a broad coalition of health and social care organisations, Government representatives, the voluntary sector and service users
_ It aims to improve eye health in the UK, eliminate avoidable sight loss and enhance the inclusion, participation and independence of blind and partially-sighted people
_ Health and social care providers must make eye health a greater priority at both national and local level, investing in early detection and treatment of eye conditions
_ Services for people with sight loss must improve, and must include emotional support which is almost non-existent
_ Blind and partially-sighted people must have greater access to employment opportunities and the use of ICT equipment
_ Public awareness of eye health and sight loss needs to improve so that people can make informed choices about their eye health
_ Local groups to promote the UK Vision Strategy are already being set up across the UK, and health professionals should enquire about these and lend their support
Sight is the sense that nine out of 10 people most fear losing1, yet eye health and sight loss issues are often low on health and social care agendas and people in the UK show a low awareness of eye health and the causes of sight loss. Currently around two million people in the UK have sight problems that impact on their daily lives, e.g. being unable to read a newspaper or recognise a friend across the street. Every day a further 100 people will begin to lose their sight. With an ageing population the prevalence is set to increase significantly, as the majority of those with sight loss are older people. However, an estimated 80,000 people of working age and 25,000 children in the UK are also affected by sight problems2.
What is the UK Vision strategy?
The UK Vision Strategy3 stems from Vision 2020, a global initiative by the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. The UK Vision Strategy aims to radically improve the eye health of the nation, eliminate avoidable sight loss, improve services to people with sight loss, and increase inclusion in society for blind and partially sighted people. It has had input from over 650 organisations and individuals, including the NHS Confederation, social services, professional bodies, voluntary organisations and patient representatives, as well as support from the UK Governments. It is the first time that all these groups have come together to create a wider reaching plan and together they represent a powerful force for change.
Why do we need the Strategy?
Eye health must be a public health priority, given the ageing population and an increasing demand on services. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy have all increased in England and Wales since 1990-91 and figures for diabetic retinopathy among the over-65s have more than doubled4. Health service providers, particularly in the NHS, must recognise this and prioritise eye health at both national and local levels. There is also an economic case for intervention: Australian research has suggested that early intervention in eye care produces a four-fold return on investment5. Low awareness of eye health, together with a failure to invest in the early detection and treatment of eye conditions, means increased spending on health, social care, education and training to support people in the later stages of eye disease.
What can be done to improve eye health and prevent loss of sight?
There is a great deal we can do to prevent loss of sight. Evidence suggests that over 50% of sight loss is due to preventable or treatable causes. This is most marked in the older population, where the proportion is estimated to be between 50- 70%6. To reverse this trend, increasing awareness is crucial.
Health education
Many people fail to understand the impact of their lifestyles and health conditions on their sight and currently there is limited public health information to help. Smoking, obesity and unprotected sun exposure all increase the risk of sight loss, while many conditions also have a genetic factor. In addition, the early stages of some eye diseases show no symptoms, so that by the time symptoms manifest themselves, the disease may already be advanced. Yet many eye conditions such as glaucoma, one of the main causes of blindness, are treatable if detected early enough. Lack of awareness among professionals and the general public has left too many people living with sight loss that could have been avoided. The UK Vision Strategy highlights tackling this as a priority area for action.
Retinal screening for people with diabetes is an example of where we need to increase awareness and resources. Diabetic retinopathy is a common cause of blindness, but early detection and treatment lessen the risk of this. In England we need to make faster progress in implementing the Government's national retinopathy screening programme, which advocates that people with diabetes should receive free retinal screening by digital camera every two years from the age of 12 years7. Expectant mothers with diabetes should also have this screening during pregnancy as the risk of retinopathy is increased at this time.
Black and Minority Ethnic groups
Poor take-up of services from groups at higher risk of eye disease also needs to be urgently addressed. Groups at greater risk of sight loss tend to be those most vulnerable to exclusion from services, including people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups who are expected to have a higher prevalence of some common age-related eye diseases8 Diabetes is more likely to develop in people of South Asian origin, and in people of African and African-Caribbean descent. It is also more common in people of Chinese origin and other non- Caucasian groups8. These population groups are at particular risk of sight loss from diabetic retinopathy. An RNIB project in Glasgow9 has found that diabetic retinopathy is more common in individuals of Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi descent than in Caucasians. These individuals make up a sizeable minority of the population in Glasgow.
Meeting the needs of individuals
In addition, people with other major health conditions or disabilities must not miss out on eye care and support if they lose their sight. Organisations across the health, social care and voluntary sectors need to work in partnership to improve local vision strategies and meet the needs of individuals. Health professionals in particular need to ensure that knowledge about eye care and the prevention and management of sight loss reaches their colleagues in other agencies, their clients and the local population.
Children and young people
A further priority of the UK Vision Strategy is identifying and addressing potential sight loss among children and young people. This includes the early detection of both sight-threatening and correctable conditions. Plans to improve services should include making clients and the public more aware of sight tests and screening programmes. It is important to increase access to these facilities and ensure that screening programmes follow existing best practice and are kept under regular review.
Teachers and schools
There is a need for schools to be more aware of eye health and sight impairment in pupils, and school nurses have a part to play in improving current levels of knowledge among teaching staff. Children and young people with sight loss should be assured of full access to the curriculum and equality of opportunity throughout their education. This should extend to participation in all possible activities, including social activities.
Transition from children's to adult services
Clear and smooth transition pathways from children's and young people's services to adult services should be developed, to ensure that rights to benefits and support are not lost during this process and young people are enabled to fulfil their potential. This applies equally to health services and social care services and should include support from the voluntary sector as appropriate.
The UK Vision Strategy calls for the commissioning of fully integrated and effective eye care and sight loss services, including low vision services. Better integration of primary and secondary eye care could be achieved if eye-care health professionals and service users were involved in the planning of these services, in conjunction with Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts. This is one way to provide the most effective, timely and accessible services and treatments for each individual, and the best use of community and hospital resources. Services should be person-centred and create seamless pathways through health, social care and the voluntary sector.
Emotional and other support after sight loss
Increased investment in emotional support, including counselling, is needed to support those who are blind, partially sighted or newly diagnosed with conditions leading to blindness. Evidence shows that the incidence of depression is at least twice as high in visually impaired older adults as in the rest of the population10. Access to emotional support and links to peer support networks are vital and must be made available as soon as people need them. The absence of such support often means that people will be much slower to regain their confidence and learn new skills. Providing emotional support will enable people to access other, practical support more successfully too. Assessments should consider daily living, mobility and communication needs, community equipment and housing adaptations, particularly in relation to the provision of a personal budget. This would enable blind and partially sighted people to exercise greater choice and control in their lives. They also need to be followed up at regular intervals as an individual's condition and situation changes.
The UK Vision Strategy calls for research to shape future developments. Research should focus on improving understanding of the nature and distribution of sight loss, diagnosis, the prevention and cure of blindness, the optimisation of services for people with sight loss, and the development and validation of new treatments for sight threatening and correctable conditions.
The Strategy is ambitious, but also achievable. A wealth of professionals and people with experience of sight loss have brought the Strategy this far, and with continued and growing support we can deliver its aims.
Local groups are now being established across the UK, with representatives from health professionals, social workers and service users. The groups are looking at ways of raising awareness and improving eye care. If any health professionals are interested in finding out more or contributing to their local group, they should make enquiries locally or contact RNIB (see Further information).
1. Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB). Survey of the sense people most fear losing. London: RNIB Press Centre, March 2008. www.rnib.org.uk (accessed 26 August 2008)
2. Keil S. Key Statistics. London: RNIB, 2008. www.rnib.org.uk/statistics (accessed April 2008)
3. UK Vision Strategy. A Vision 2020 UK initiative led by RNIB. London: RNIB, April 2008
4. Bunce C, Wormald R. Leading causes of certification for blindness and partial sight in England and Wales. BMC Public Health 2006; 6: 58
5. Taylor HR, Pezzullo ML, Nesbitt SJ, Keeffe JE. Costs of interventions for visual impairment. American Journal of Ophthalmology 2007; 143(4): 561-565. Epub 2006 Dec 8.
6. Tate, R Smeeth L, Evans J, Fletcher A, Owen C, Rudnicka A. The prevalence of visual impairment in the UK. RNIB report/Vision 2005
7. NHS. English National Screening Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy. www.retinalscreening.nhs.uk (accessed 26 August 2008)
8. Department of Health. National Diabetes Service Framework. Chapter 1. London: Department of Health 2007. www.dh.gov.uk (accessed 26 August 2008)
9. RNIB website (Scottish section). www.rnib.org.uk (accessed 26 August 2008)
10. Burmedi D, Becker S, Heyl V, Wahl HW, Himmelsbach I. Emotional and social consequences of age-related low vision. Visual Impairment Research 2002: 4(1): 47-71
Further information
RNIB The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is leading the UK Vision Strategy, in collaboration with other interested organisations. To find out more about the UK Vision Strategy visit www.rnib.org.uk/ukvisionstrategy or www.vision2020uk.org.uk. Readers who want to know more about getting involved in the UK Vision Strategy in their area are welcome to telephone the UK Vision Strategy Unit at RNIB on 020 7391 2043 or e-mail email@example.com


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Recently I was in Hong Kong and if you know HK you'll know that it's soooooooo "breathes* sooooo humid. Like, unbelievably so. As soon as I arrived my hair (skin and just everything about me, really) imploded.
I wanted a hair pampering treatment dammit.
Being the fashion and shopping destination that it is, I presumed I would be able to find an amazing salon on every end of the spectrum. Ah but no. When you google search salons in Hong Kong
Ah but no.
When you google search salons in Hong Kong it's very hard for tourists or foreigners to find something to go to. I had always heard Hong Kong was great for its cheaper prices and hidden gems. Of course, the only places I could find on English Google were expensive salons aimed at westerners. So the internet was out.
While walking around the Ladies Markets, there were older women standing outside door ways trying to usher people inside and handing out flyers. I took one, saw it was for a Beauty Salon and thought 'why not'.
The woman ushered me inside a plain hall way where we went to the world's smallest elevator. Standing, squished in with about 5 people I was the tallest person by a head. The lift doors open to banging music, and two people step out. There is a night club in front of me. A club. An actual club with techno music and strobe lights at 4 pm, on a floor of this random ass building. Once the door shuts I can no longer hear the music and I'm standing there wondering if that actually just happened. The little lady who brought me here is unfazed.
A few more floors later, the doors open and there it is "Christine's Beauty Parlor".
Unlike Kiwi Salons, this one did not aspire to look attractive.
There were stuff and people EVERYWHERE, barely any room to sit down, and I think I already mentioned this, but I felt like an awkward giant.
To be completely honest, I took one look at the girl with the dry, blonde re-growth (she was a hairdresser) and regretted my decision to come. Just when I was thinking up an excuse to leave; a small, Filipino lady ushered me to a seat and started taking out my pony tail. I uncomfortably asked for (some sort of) treatment.
I later found out they were all Filipino and this was a Filipino salon. This was common in Hong Kong, and heaps of them come over because there is more work and better pay.
Sitting there, I watched this amazing banter they all had, even though the environment was hot, dingy and over crowded. Everyone was laughing and teasing one another and, jolly? That's really the best way to describe it: jolly.
You couldn't help but join in.
Sitting there, with a hair cap on and under an old-fashioned dryer I felt more relaxed about what I was getting done.
Then half an hour went by and my hair was given a blowout and a slight trim.
And it looked amazing. Truly amazing. It was so soft and shiny I couldn't remember the last time it looked so healthy.
I was so damn impressed. All for $30 NZ. Not SUPER SUPER cheap but pretty damn good and amazing quality.
I went from this…
…To this!
Moral of the story: If you're in Hong Kong, check out some Filipino Salons! (apparently, there are lots).


text: Water equals life. And clean water equals health. It's a simple concept that has powerful meaning: so much of the disease that we treat in Haiti would be prevented by the availability of clean water. Yet many Haitian communities lack water wells, and the need for clean water is urgent. Recognizing this, HUFH has made clean water one of our priorities with a two-prong program: construction and education. Working with the community from the start, we have an ongoing program to raise funds to build and maintain community wells throughout northern Haiti in villages identified by our partners in Haiti, Dr. Eugene Maklin and Dr. Ernest Jasmin, the Director of the Ministry of Health in the north. As each new well is built, we also deliver community education programs on cholera prevention, the importance of clean water for health, and water safety and well maintenance measures. Each water well, which costs approximately $3500 to build and maintain and employs many Haitians in doing so, provides about 4000 people with access to fresh, clean water for more than 35 years. With the community taking responsibility for the wells and their maintenance, this is a guarantee of healthier children and families whose lives are made easier and safer. To date, we have built 13 wells and more are in progress and we are in the planning stages to build latrines as well to improve hygiene significantly. Thanks to a grant from Positive Legacy, we have repaired an additional two wells and made them accessible to an entire community.


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Family Involvement
How can family members help?
Family members care deeply when a parent, grandparent or spouse struggles with safe driving.
With ITN's door-through-door, arm-through-arm service, older family members are as safe as if their own children were there to open the door and carry their packages.
Adult children can help manage their parents' Personal Transportation Account™ by having the monthly statements sent directly to them. There is also a Gift Certificate program to help pay for rides. It's a great idea for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.
Adult children who live in any community with an ITN affiliate can earn transportation credits by volunteering to drive seniors. Because ITNAmerica is a nationally affiliated system, their parents may use those credits to pay for rides in the community where they live, even if they are located thousands of miles away.
Family members may also support The Independent Transportation Network® by joining as dues paying members (even if you don't qualify to ride), donating a car, making a donation, or helping with community fundraisers.
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PwC's People and Change team guides and advises businesses on the best way to approach business transformation with their people by their sides.
Did you know that 75% of change projects fail because they don't address people, organisational and cultural issues?
Great leaders know that change only sticks when the people it affects are involved in the process of bringing it about. Solid strategies, processes and technologies alone don't deliver results; people remain the point at which all roads intercept. For this reason, they must accept, adopt, drive and sustain the change in order for the organisation as a whole to realise any benefits.
That's why getting the best from people at every level makes for a serious and sustainable competitive advantage. They say change is the only constant, and it's people who are constantly involved in making change a success.
As part of PwC's Consulting practice, we focus on understanding our clients' organisational culture and the concerns of employees and other stakeholders in order to create the solutions that fit.
In fact, PwC's Fit for Growth model identifies people as part of an organisation's key capabilities through which you can drive growth. The next steps involve structuring your costs around those capabilties, and rewiring the organisation to support the mission of putting resources into the right, growth-ready areas of the business to activate positive change.
The breadth of our services include:
PwC's global presence also helps here. We have the widest possible perspective on people and change management, and can provide New Zealand businesses with tried and true approaches – such as Fit for Growth. With change such a constant and valuable commodity, we aim to provide the resources and capabilities to make it proactive and profitable.
Consulting Managing Partner and Wellington Market Managing Partner, Wellington, PwC New Zealand
+64 21 585 753


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PLAYA DE SAN JUAN, Teguise - Lanzarote / Canary Islands - In two days, the very best European under-20 surfers will take on the iconic lefthand pointbreak of San Juan for the final Junior series in the region.
The ASP 1-Star Teguise 2014 Franito Pro Junior will decide the Men and Women's European Junior champions as well as qualifiers for the coveted ASP World Junior to be held in Portugal at the end of October.
Vasco Ribeiro (PRT), 19, is current rankings leader, with a win in the opening event of the season and fresh off a solid 3rd place in Lacanau. With this momentum, he's looking strong for a maiden title in Lanzarote this week.
"I feel pretty good, no pressure,†Ribeiro said. "Just got my third national title last weekend so for sure a confidence boost for this last stage! I've been training hard this year, trying some sick new boards and having fun.â€
Anyone wanting to overtake Ribeiro will need to reach at least the Semis and hope the Portuguese up-and-comer crumbles in the final stage. An experienced competitor on national, regional and international levels, Ribeiro will look to contain his opponents as the tour culminates in the Canary Islands.
"It represents the pinnacle of my European junior career, the last three seasons I've been so close and since this is my last year, I want to win the title!†Ribeiro added. "I've never been to Lanzarote, so for me it will be a complete new adventure. I really like to go every year to the Canary Islands, I've already won two events there so it's always a place I look forward to returning to. I think the landscapes are incredible and local surfers are also very friendly.â€
In a similar scenario, Guadeloupe's Tessa Thyssen (GLP) 17, who reached an impressive Semifinal in the Hossegor event, has all the cards in her hand to net the coveted European trophy for the first time in her young career.
A promising forecast will most likely give all contenders equal chances to showcase their abilities on the high-performance wave of San Juan. Event officials have called for a 10 a.m. first call on Wednesday.


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We're almost there in the Search Engine Optimization Tips for Blogs Series (this is the second last post). Here's some more SEO factors to keep in mind.
- Avoid Duplicate content – Google warns publishers in its guidelines about having the same content on multiple pages. This goes for both multiple pages that you own but also pages that others own. This is because a tactic of spammers is often to reproduce content on many pages and/or to steel content from other sites. There is some debate over what duplicate content does and doesn't include (for instance many bloggers use 'free articles' as content on their blogs – these articles often appear on hundreds and even thousands of other sites around the web and to me could be seen as duplicate content) – my advice is to be very careful about how many places your content appears.
- Ping – services like Pingomatic (there are numerous others too) will ping a variety of websites for you to notify them that you've updated. In doing so you'll also be letting search engines know that you've updated which will trigger their robots to come visit your blog.
- Submit your RSS to MyYahoo – submitting your RSS feed to MyYahoo seems to help with getting indexed on Yahoo. Read more about this at Getting Yahoo Traffic for your Blog. Some also think that doing the same thing to Google's Personalised pages could have a similar impact.


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Email & General Inquiries:
WARNING: In communicating with us in response to this website, do not send any confidential information. Information sent to us in response to this website will not be treated as confidential and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship with Sosnowski Szeto, LLP. If you are interested in becoming a client of the firm, please contact Sosnowski Szeto, LLP. Our professional obligations require us to perform a conflicts check before undertaking any such representation. No attorney-client relationship exists or should be assumed as a result of this communication.


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There is no definitive be-all and end-all to climbing a mast. We are always moulding and melding styles and equipment, but there is a right way and an effective way, and that is what we are trying to achieve here.
Who is the creator of Aloft Alone and why should I trust you?
Why not just put in mast steps?
Why not stick with a block and tackle and hoist myself up?
Aren't harnesses uncomfortable?
Seems a lot to spend when my partner/crew usually just winches me up!
A2. Wouldn't you rather that rope you're going up was locked off all the time?
A3. This is about self-reliance, what to do when no-one else [who you trust] is around, and who and what you trust with your life.
This is for climbers with arms like Arnie isnt it?
Aren't there other 'climbers kits' that do exactly this on the market already?
A friend showed me a method with two ascenders working in conjunction - why not use this?
Why not stick with my bosuns chair?
1. Connect the sling to the harness using a larks foot (our recommendation is alongside the triangular (delta) maillion on your harness);
2. Connect the bosuns chair rings to the the short link on the dyneema sling using the karabiner that comes standard with the kit (connected to the Grigri2);
3. You are now hard linked from the Grigri2 to your harness and the bosun's chair. This mean that if your bosuns chair fails, or you slip out, you will still be attached via the sling and can descend normally.
Why not just use those bits of string looped together?
NB For added safety, the Aloft Alone kit comes with a backup system that involves attaching a prusik to a different halyard. This is essential and is covered in the instructional video, including how to self rescue with a second prusik which is also provided in your kit. We recommend the English prusik as shown in this diagram:
Helmet, are you serious?!
Now seriously – think about the situation in any reasonable sea with a halyard and shackle winging around above you. Would you want to risk getting knocked out by that on deck, let alone 30ft up your mast? It's in the kit, it's your call.
Will this gear work when wet - either from rain or salt spray?
How far out do you need to bounce when coming down?
Just go easy – you are not trying to recreate an SAS style entry through a window here. Slow and steady wins the race.
Salt water - isn't this gear alloy? How do I look after the kit?
I recommend that you regularly wash the mechanical equipment in fresh water, dry it, and apply WD-40. Wash the other items with webbing (such as the harness, foot loop, and helmet) as well as the rope, in fresh water and dry in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Then re-attach the components to the harness and pop back in the bag. Note – it's not a problem if the rope gets salty and has to wait a while 'til a fresh wash – it's sunlight and UV that's the killer here. I'm still using the same gear I've had for over ten years, six of which it has been living aboard, and it's still in good working condition.
How often will I need to replace this gear ?
To you: would you go to sea without a liferaft, an EPIRB, or a VHF?


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Ellen Page
February 21, 2013
Like many of our other favorite Canadians, ELLEN PAGE (born 1987) has access to an intellectual geography that Americans buried along the commodified Route 66. Within Page's vast internal borders there's no disparity between what's funny and what hurts. Well before Juno, Page was already the sharpest knife in the drawer; check out her eight episodes of the great Canadian television drama camp ReGenesis (Quincy meets X Files). If you still hadn't seen her by Trailer Park Boys, she freaked you out in Hard Candy. Citizen Page is so tuned in to the interconnectivity of environmental woes, she's at its repair from its brightest angle in Vanishing of the Bees. She breathes life into interviews with Craig Ferguson and Leonardo DiCaprio; she makes Letterman nervous, makes Barbara Walters need a nap. Postmodernism bred actors who winked at us knowingly, signaling that they knew it was all a construct; all an act. I don't mind pretending along with Ms. Page that things might instead be as they seem.
Ellen Page's viral video "Stand Up Submission for Conan":
On his or her birthday, HiLobrow irregularly pays tribute to one of our high-, low-, no-, or hilobrow heroes. Also born this date: David Foster Wallace and Anaïs Nin.
READ MORE about members of the Social Darwikian Generation (1983-92).


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Energy Developments
EDI Prevails Before Ohio's Tax Commissioner
On April 24, 2015, Thompson Hine persuaded the Ohio Tax Commissioner to reverse his staff and affirm the tax exemption application submitted by our client Energy Developments, Inc. (EDI) on November 15, 2010. This ruling will result in several millions of dollars in tax savings per year for EDI.
EDI is the North American affiliate of Energy Developments, Ltd. (EDL), an international green energy conglomerate headquartered in Brisbane, Australia and publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. With operations in Europe, North American and Australia, EDL and its affiliates annually generate more than 1,000 MW of electricity worldwide.
In the United States, affiliate EDI contracts with municipal solid waste landfills to recover the methane generated by the decaying solid waste within the landfill cells. EDI uses this methane as a fuel source to operate large internal combustion reciprocating engines, which are connected to electrical generating equipment. The electricity generated is sold to users on the "grid." EDI also receives renewable energy credits for the electricity it generates, which it is able to sell to electrical utilities, allowing them to meet regulatory quotas for electricity generated from renewable sources.
In 1999, EDI entered into a contract with Republic Waste Services LLC to provide certain landfill gas-related services at Republic's Lorain County Landfill in Oberlin, Ohio. Among other things, EDI contracted to operate the landfill's landfill-gas extraction and collection system and to make beneficial use of the gas to generate electricity.
In 2001, EDI purchased and installed four large internal combustion reciprocating engines at its Lorain County Landfill power station from Deutz AG. In 2003, EDI purchased and installed two more Deutz reciprocating engines. In addition, EDI also purchased and installed a primary landfill gas treatment system to de-water the landfill gas it recovers from the Lorain County Landfill under its contract with Republic (landfill gas is saturated with water, which makes it difficult to combust) and to remove particulate matter that otherwise would detrimentally impact operation of the Deutz engines.
EDI invested several million dollars in the six Deutz engines and primary gas treatment system it installed at its Lorain Power Station.
After the purchase and installation of the initial four Deutz reciprocating engines and primary gas treatment system at its Lorain Power Station in 2001, EDI submitted a Conversion Facilities Tax Exemption Application to the Ohio Department of Taxation seeking to exempt from real and personal property tax all costs associated with its purchase and installation of the four Deutz engines and primary gas treatment system. EDI amended this application in 2003 to reflect the purchase and installation of the two additional Deutz engines. In due course, the Ohio Tax Commissioner approved EDI's application for tax exemption, resulting in a tax savings for EDI of several million dollars per year.
Engine Trouble
Following the installation of the two additional Deutz engines at its Lorain Power Station in 2003, EDI began to experience severe maintenance problems with its Deutz reciprocating engines, including extensive and accelerated engine fatigue and wear, ongoing engine component failures and catastrophic (total) engine failures. These problems resulted in a substantial reduction in the total number of hours the engines could be operated between major servicing and the complete destruction of a number of the engines, requiring their total replacement. After several years of investigation, EDI ultimately concluded that the source of these engine problems was the presence of organosilicates called siloxanes in the landfill gas its Lorain Power Station was recovering from the Lorain County Landfill, the concentration of which had steadily increased over time. At the internal temperatures EDI's Deutz engines typically operate, these organosilicates liquefy and adsorb onto the internal engine components, giving them a coating of, what is for all intents and purposes, liquid rock.
Siloxanes began to be used in the manufacture of a variety of consumer products in the United States, especially cosmetics, in the 1980s and 1990s. Because of the time it takes for anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste in a landfill to mobilize the siloxane component of these products into the methane gas generated in the landfill, siloxanes did not begin to appear in the landfill gas produced at the Lorain County Landfill until the middle of the last decade. However, once those siloxanes made their way into the landfill gas stream, their concentrations rapidly increased.
Research Leads to Solution
After several years of intense research, in late 2008 EDI purchased and installed a secondary landfill gas treatment system specifically designed to remove siloxanes from landfill gas by Thompson Hine client Parker Hannifin Corporation at a total cost of $3.6 million. After months of operation, the Parker siloxane removal system resulted in a significant reduction in siloxane concentration in the landfill gas recovered from the Lorain County Landfill, and a corresponding substantial reduction in major engine problems at the Lorain Power Station.
On November 15, 2010, EDI submitted another Conversion Facilities Tax Exemption Application to the Ohio Department of Taxation, this time for the costs associated with the purchase and installation of the Parker siloxane treatment system.
On August 25, 2014, the staff of the Ohio Department of Taxation issued a proposed denial of EDI's tax exemption application, finding that the costs associated with the purchase and installation of equipment intended to increase production is not entitled to tax exempt status under Ohio law. After Thompson Hine's timely submittal of a request for reconsideration on behalf of EDI, the Ohio Department of Taxation conducted a hearing in December 2014 at which we submitted evidence that the Parker siloxane removal system was not purchased and installed to increase production (and profit); rather, it was purchased and installed to restore production of electricity to projected levels by reducing the excessive engine wear caused by the unexpected presence of siloxanes in the landfill gas used by EDI to fuel its Deutz reciprocating engines.
Ultimately, the Tax Commissioner agreed, and on April 24, 2015 issued his order reversing the proposed denial of EDI's tax exemption application. This will result in an estimated savings of several million dollars per year in taxes that EDI would otherwise have owed relating to the installation of the six Deutz reciprocating engines (and the associated primary and secondary gas treatment systems) that comprises Phase I of the company's Lorain Power Station. Since EDI subsequently expanded its Lorain Power Station to include additional reciprocating engines and associated gas treatment equipment, and because it has similar operations (with associated gas treatment systems) at other Ohio landfills, EDI's anticipated yearly tax savings as a consequence of this victory is several times what the Company will save as a consequence of the Commissioner's decision to reverse his staff on the exempt status of the Parker siloxane removal system that EDI installed during Phase I of the Lorain Power Station.


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Anyone who knows me KNOWS that I am a book fiend, and my favourite type of books, fiction or non, are ADVENTURE stories. Books about epic journeys, weird upbringings, living in nature, or simply unconventional lifestyles.
Books are my biggest love, and adventure stories are an amazing way to get inspired and see yourself in others. Not everyone who lives a crazy life starts out as an athlete, a confident person, or naturally adventurous. The most inspiring people to me are the ones who do something amazing or scary, even if they have trepidations or doubts – they push forward because they feel called to do something with their lives. You can, as well. Read on and get inspired!
Vali Myers: A Memoir– Gianni Menichetti
This woman is my biggest inspiration. An artist I have written about before, she lived a wild and crazy life. Originally from Australia, she saved her money and moved to Paris, lived on the streets, became an opium addict and moved to Italy to get off drugs, living as a recluse for 40 years with a menagerie of animals and her young lover, while traveling to NYC to sell her art, eventually settling back in Australia before her death. Her home, lover, and animals are still in Italy, and he is the author of this awesome biography. Highly recommended.
Four Corners– Kira Salak
This woman is a total badass. She became the first woman to traverse Papua New Guinea solo, by boat and foot, a wild land that is one of the last untouched places on earth. She also has an awesome article she wrote for National Geographic about her ayahuasca experience and it's effect on her depression. Everything I read by her screams of bravery and passion for existence.
Tracks – Robyn Davidson
One of my VERY favourite books, and also now a beautiful movie! In the 70s this young lady decided she wanted to cross the Australian desert with her dog and camels, which she trains herself over a period of 2 years. Beautifully told and inspiring, HIGHLY recommended!
On Foot Through Africa– Ffyona Campbell
Ffyona was the first woman to walk around the world. Though her journey had controversy due to skipping one part during a pregnancy, she went back to complete it later on. Of her 3 books, this one was my favourite. She spent 2 years walking from the south to north of Africa.
Rowing the Atlantic – Roz Savage
Roz is a powerhouse, and like Robyn Davidson, knew that a seemingly "ordinary" person can do extraordinary things. Roz became an ocean rower simply because she wrote out her perceived obituary and compared it to one she would have preferred. This led to her being the first and only woman to row across all 3 oceans. Totally epic.
Beyond the Horizon – Colin Angus
Colin, who lives in the same city as me, departed on a 2 year trip to circumnavigate the globe by human power alone. By bike, foot, and rowboat, he began in Canada, rowed to Russia, biked across Siberia and Europe, separating from his travel partner and then completing the journey with his fiance, rowing across the Atlantic through two hurricanes and a squall, then biking from Costa Rica back to Canada. AMAZING!
Kite Strings of the Southern Cross – Laurie Gough (Also known as Island of the Human Heart).
An incredibly beautiful travelogue of a woman in Fiji, plus chapters of her other travels. One of the best travel books I've ever read, along with her other, which I loved just as much, Kiss the Sunset Pig, in which she is searching for a cave she once lived in on the coast of California, recounting many other travels along the way.
Touch the Dragon: A Thai Journal– Karen Connelly (Also known as Dream of a Thousand L ives).
I read this book after going to Thailand, and found myself yearning to go back immediately. Karen's teenage year living with a family in rural Thailand is exquisitely written, and I implore you to read it and everything else by her. She is a stunning writer.
Flaming Iguanas – Erika Lopez
An illustrated road novel about a girl named Tomato on her motorcycle. Can it get any better? I dunno. In fact, just thinking about it makes me want to read it again.
In Search of Captain Zero – Allan C. Weisbecker
Sell your house, grab your dog, load up your surfboards in your camper and take off in search of your lost friend. This memoir of a man in his late 40s is epic and true, and a testament that leaving it all behind to go after a pure and exciting adventure is what life is all about. Also recommended is the film Surfwise.
Atlas of the Human Heart – Ariel Gore
One of my favourite writers! This accounts her teenage travels to Asia and Europe, after dropping out of high school. Poetic, beautiful, and will make you wonder if you've really been living.
Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life – Ulli Lust
Probably one of the best books I've read this year, AND a graphic novel to boot. A massive tome detailing more teenage adventures of two crazy punk girls in the 80s, traveling and hitching through Italy, and all the horrific and wonderful things that happen. As soon as I read the description of this book I felt like it was meant for me. One of my very favourite comic memoirs.
Wild – Cheryl Strayed
This extremely popular memoir of a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail is gorgeous and tempting. Even though long hiking journeys I read about seem grueling, they are always so full of beauty that they tempt me out of the indoors and into the forest, where we really do belong. So many of the books I love begin with horrible circumstances, broken hearts, turmoil and sorrow, only to be satiated by wilderness. Strayed is a gorgeous writer.
A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson
This book made me laugh my ass off. Two men on the Appalachian trail – Bryson really knows how to craft a travel tale, and make it funny as well. Another book that got me interested in hiking.
That Oceanic Feeling – Fiona Capp
One of the books that inspired me deeply, this is a memoir of a lady who sets out to surf a tough surf break in her later 30s. She lived quite a drive away, and hadn't surfed in many, many years, but was committed to her goal. A great reminder that it is not too late to start pursuing your passions.
Child of the Jungle – Sabine Kuegler (also known as Jungle Child).
OH, this book is just soul food for me. Reading about a childhood growing up in the jungles of New Guinea, how beautiful! Makes me swoon just thinking about it. It was also made into a movie which I also love and suggest you check out.
Into the Wild– Jon Krakauer
Probably one of the best known books on living in the wilderness, and with an unfortunate end, it is still a very inspiring and fascinating story. I love the movie even more.
The Sex Lives of Cannibals – J. Maarten Troost
This book was unbelievably funny. The writer and his wife went for two years to the tiny island country of Kiribati (heard of it? Likely not, but you won't forget it after reading this). Seemingly paradise, the bad side soon reveals itself in glorious hilarity. Troost is a fantastic comedic writer, but he also makes you want to visit this beautiful place, despite it's weird quirks. My favourite funny adventure travel book.
Chasing Waves – Amy Waeschle
A beautiful account of a female surfer's first experience and how it leads to obsessive travel and pursuit of wave-riding. Very helpful in alleviating my major wanderlust and surf-lust, though it also made me yearn to get moving and get wet.
In addition to all of these books, I highly recommend reading the travel blogs of Katwise, which I devoured! Completely amazing stuff.


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Freshly out of the oven, another dip in the cryptocurrency market, following a dip when coinmarketcap.com has removed South Korean exchanges from its price calculations. Today, its South Korea's government who's driving the dip – announcing they are looking into regulating and potentially banning cryptocurrency trading in their country.
This could have a strong impact on the overall cryptocurrency market considering how many exchanges there are (Bithumb, Korbit, Coinone) and the volume of cryptocurrencies being traded in South Korea. According to various reports (like this one from Reuters), some exchange offices have been raided by authorities.
They also state that a ban will require a consensus vote by all 297 National Assembly, which might take months or years:
Once a bill is drafted, legislation for an outright ban of virtual coin trading will require a majority vote of the total 297 members of the National Assembly, a process that could take months or even years.
Earlier dip was caused by coinmarketcap.com removing South Korean exchanges from price calculation (indicated by an asterisk next to the currency pair codes) – reason being that because of strong demand, the prices were usually 30% higher than in the rest of the world.
Such turmoil is to be expected in the most disruptive and volatile market today – therefore don't panic. It will calm down and stabilise. In the long run, this is just a minor bump on the road. If you have invested and your portfolio is diversified, you might see a dip in all prices temporarily, but this shouldn't be a reason to sell and close your positions.


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There are no Upcoming Shows listed for this comedian.
Girl Group
Girl Group is set in the context of a concert. It's the first night of this group's comeback tour. The girls really want to make a good impression on their fans….but they're still working on their working relationships. Tensions fly, songs are sung, dances are danced as this Girl Group figures out what's coming next for them.
Girl Group's Upcoming Shows
Girl Group is Known For


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ZULU singers and dancers Africa-Africa welcomed people attending an educational conference in Huddersfield.
The one-day event, hosted by Huddersfield University staff at the McAlpine Stadium, explored the use of information technology in teaching marginalised or minority groups.
It was aimed at teachers, trainers and people working for councils, community development agencies, voluntary bodies, faith organisations and criminal justice agencies.
Among ther speakers was Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality.
Others included Baroness Joan Walmsley, Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, Khalid Hussein, chief executive of Kirklees Race Equality Council, and Prof Sally Brown, from the Institute of Teaching and Learning for Higher Education.


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Volunteers For Town Committees – The Town of Quispamsis is currently seeking volunteers to serve on town committees, specifically the Planning Advisory Committee. If you're interested, please complete the Town Committee Application and submit it to the Town Clerk for the Nominating Committee's consideration.
If you need further information, please call 849-5738 or email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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The internet classified listings service Gumtree will meet with the Residential Landlords Association to discuss scams in which fraudsters posing as landlords demand cash for viewings.
Letting Agent Today carried a report on the problem last month.
The RLA has issued a warning over the online advertisements which often include cloned logos which can superficially give a level of authority to the display.
The ads typically show well-located and competitively-priced apartments, but often with the landlord apparently living overseas.
When prospective tenants call to arrange a viewing they are typically told that they must provide a deposit to secure even a viewing – the so-called landlord or agent acting on their behalf then, predictably, does not show and the payment is lost to the prospective tenant.
The RLA says anyone caught up in a scam of this kind should telephone 0300 123 2040.


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Boulevard 54 - Trick by Bazar de Magia - Trick
|Up to now, the effect of breaking a glass required the use of a special table or of a device inserted in a tray, usually of a prominent size.
This new Glass Breaking Book produces the same effect but with a smaller device hidden into a book. This Glass Breaking Book is an electro-mechanical device, 100% reliable, that uses two batteries (included) and has a timer that will trigger it at the moment you want (between 10 and 45 seconds).
Comes complete with gimmicked book and illustrated instructions detailing 3 different effects and proper handling techniques.
There have been no reviews


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The first international season of "The Ultimate Fighter" competition-reality series will either be based in Canada or the Middle East, according to UFC president Dana White.
White said the promotion and its broadcast partner Spike TV are laying groundwork to film separate seasons in both countries. However, he is unsure which will go first.
"They're neck and neck," White recently said.
The UFC boss said in May that a potential Canadian version of the show would be targeted for 2011. This past weekend, he hinted at a February 2011 start date for an international season.
Spike TV, the reality show's broadcast home since 2005, airs in Canada and the U.S. The UFC currently airs "TUF" on the Orbit Showtime Network in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, though it's unknown whether a potential Middle East-based season would air weekly on the subscription TV channel.
The promotion twice has utilized the United Kingdom to recruit international talent for the reality show. "The Ultimate Fighter 3" featured several U.K.-based fighters, including the season's eventual winner, Michael Bisping. Three years later, the promotion returned to discover a massive increase in MMA's popularity, which led them to recruit an entire U.K. team to vie against a U.S.-based team on "The Ultimate Fighter 9."
Canada's deep talent pool and unofficial status as "the mecca of mixed martial arts" makes a Canadian version of "TUF" a no-brainer, though White said fans could be surprised with the level of talent that could come out of a potential show held in the Middle East.
"Look at the U.K.," White said. "When we went to the U.K. the first time – it was in like 2002 or 2003 – and there was nothing. Literally nothing. Ian Freeman had come out of (the U.K.). We did that fight at the Royal Albert Hall, and we sold like 4,500 tickets to that thing. Look at it now.
"In the Middle East – in Abu Dhabi, (United Arab Emirates) – part of kids' curriculum in school is jiu jitsu. From kindergarten up, it's like English or math. It's mandatory. You have to take jiu jitsu. Trust me, it's a lot bigger there than you realize."
The UFC executive also is targeting China as an eventual host to "TUF" but hinted the sport's popularity in Asia lags behind Canada and the Middle East, which could make talent scouting a difficult task.
White said he "probably" will be present during filming for a Canada-based show but not the Middle East.
"We're trying to figure that out, how to get me the hell out of [the Middle East]," he said.
(Pictured: Dana White)


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Collar Folly
Thank you, kind and wonderful people for your lovely comments on my latest posts. You are, as ever, generous and sweet to me and I adore you for it.
The summer holidays already feel like a long distant memory to me, I'm deep in the term time routine now and the weather has not been slow to bring about the end of the season either. But despite that, I still have plenty of summer crafting to show and I need to get on with sharing it with you.
The alternative title for this post could have been 'Making Superfluous Stuff I Don't Really Need.' After all my talk on my Merenge post about picking and choosing designs that suit me, that's really gone out of the window here.
I'm sure you've been there. At least, I hope you have. You see the pictures, they look so good, you love the idea, you get sucked in. I think that's maybe what's happened here. It's all those adorable collars I've been seeing everywhere you see, I love how they look and I wanted one, or two... maybe... some?


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Lela Meadow-Conner, Executive Director
Lela was named Executive Director of the Film Festival Alliance in June, 2018 after serving as Acting Executive Director since April 2017. She comes to FFA with over 20 years of experience in the film industry, 15 of those spent in the festival world. A founder of the Tallgrass Film Festival, she filled several roles within that organization between 2003-2017, including six years as the organization's Executive Director. She's also served in consulting roles for the Woods Hole Film Festival, Geena Davis' Bentonville Film Festival, and has attended dozens of film festivals, nationally and internationally in various roles and capacities. As a woman of color, living in a red state, Lela brings much experience for arts advocacy and collaboration in the face of adversity, and a deep understanding of the cultural significance that cinematic arts organization can bring to a community.
Barbara Twist, Director of Membership
Barbara is a filmmaker and exhibition consultant based in New York. She is the former Managing Director of the Art House Convergence where she worked with the Film Festival Alliance as a partner organization. She has been a consultant for Europa Cinemas, Europa International and IndieCollect, among others. She was listed on Celluloid Junkie's Top 50 Women in Global Cinema in 2017 and featured in BoxOffice's "Women in Exhibition and Distribution" October 2015. She is on the board of the Ann Arbor Film Festival and Cinema Lamont. She is a member of Detroit-based Final Girls: a women's filmmaking collective and recipient of a 2016 Knight Foundation grant. She will receive her MFA in Creative Producing from Columbia University in May 2020.
Kathy Siebert, Accountant
Kathy is the owner/operator of KMS Accounting. In addition to corporate clients, she has many years of experience in the non-profit sector, with an emphasis on cinematic arts. She served for many years as both the treasurer and head of finance committee for the Tallgrass Film Association and has been with FFA since 2017.
Board of Directors
Cara Ogburn, Ph.D., President, Milwaukee Film
Cara Ogburn is Education Director and Milwaukee Film Festival Director at Milwaukee Film, which hosts the Milwaukee Film Festival, a 15-day festival boasting annual attendance around 80,000 for over 300 films (broad-based programming of shorts and features), and operates the historic Oriental Theatre year-round. Cara started at Milwaukee Film seasonally in 2011, joined the year-round staff in 2013, and currently oversees education programs for youth, adult, and filmmaker audiences, as well as the festival's film programming team.
Alyx Picard-Davis, deadCenter Film Festival
Alyx Picard Davis is the Executive Director of deadCenter Film. In its 20th year, deadCenter has grown from a one-night screening of Oklahoma short films to a year-round organization with award-winning programs that provide free film classes to 3,000 high school students each fall, free film seminars for hundreds of working professionals each quarter, free film screenings every month, and an annual film festival that brings 33,000 people to downtown Oklahoma City for the most exciting weekend of the year. A long-time volunteer for the festival in host, events, transportation, and programming, Alyx was hired full-time in 2013. She has worked with budding rock stars at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma, and she currently serves on UCO's Alumni Board where she graduated with a BA in English-Creative Studies. She worked in the production office on "The Killer Inside Me," the star-filled serial killer film made in Guthrie, Oklahoma. She co-produced Lance McDaniel's award-winning film "Swirl," and the 2017 OKC48 film "Previously on Alley Cats." She continues to produce and advise on a few short films every year.
Beth Barrett, Secretary Seattle International Film Festival
Beth Barrett is the Artistic Director of SIFF (organizers of the Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF Cinema, and SIFF Education) and has been working with SIFF programming since 2003. An aficionado of short films, she secured SIFF's status as an Academy Award® qualifying festival in 2008. Responsible for all aspects of SIFF programming, Beth has been in Seattle for 23 years and holds an MA in Northern Renaissance Art History.
Ryan Watt, Treasurer, IndieMemphis
Ryan Watt is the Executive Director of Indie Memphis, creating community for independent film and supporting the development of filmmakers. The arts organization is dedicated to year-round programs culminating with the annual Indie Memphis Film Festival in November. He is a film producer of features with premieres at SXSW, Locarno International, AFI, Los Angeles Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival. Most recently, Ryan is Associate Producer of FREE IN DEED, nominated for four 2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Before transitioning into film production, Ryan specialized in marketing technology services at Securas Consulting Group, after they acquired his data backup firm Metro Backup.
Dan Brawley, Cucalorus Festival
Dan Brawley is the Executive Director of Cucalorus, an international celebration of filmmaking in Wilmington, North Carolina founded in 1994 by Twinkle Doon. Cucalorus screens more than 250 films with a range of multi-disciplinary programs focusing on dance, social justice, cocktails, and performance that blend together political integrity and goofy sincerity. MovieMaker Magazine has recognized Cucalorus for three years in a row as one of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World." From their headquarters at Jengo's Playhouse, Cucalorus operates a growing residency program supporting emerging artists. The festival's campus hosted more than 272 humans last year ranging from filmmakers and dancers to a roller derby team and 15 comedians.
Linda Broker, Rocky Mountain Women's Film Institute
Linda's passion for film started when she first volunteered for the Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival 23 years ago, serving on the Programming Committee for the film festival, while raising her three young children. Fast forward to today, when Linda, as the Executive Director of what is now the Rocky Mountain Women's Film Institute, oversees three employees and heads up an active Board and highly dedicated corps of volunteers that provide programming throughout the year, three annual events (in addition to the Festival) and a Filmmakers Retreat. Most recently Linda led efforts to establish the Rocky Mountain Women's Film Institute Endowment, securing the largest single gift ever made to the institute, allowing the organization to expand and plan for its next phase of growth. This year marks the 31st anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival, making it the longest-running women's film festival in North America. The Institute recently moved into a new, expanded location that provides expanded office space and accommodates community screenings.
Mark Fishkin, Mill Valley Film Festival
Mark Fishkin is the Executive Director and Founder of the California Film Institute and the Founder and Director of the Mill Valley Film Festival. Since founding the Mill Valley Film Festival in 1977, Mr. Fishkin has shepherded the once small, three-day showcase into an 11-day, internationally acclaimed event featuring a wide variety of US and international independent films, Children's FilmFest, shorts, seminars and tributes to exceptional filmmakers. Under his direction, the Mill Valley Film Festival has garnered a reputation as a favorite among filmmakers and one of the most influential non-competitive festivals in North America. Mr. Fishkin spearheaded the $8.5 million capital campaign to restore the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, which opened in 1999, creating new models for filmmakers for exhibition. Under Mark's leadership over the last fifteen years the Smith Rafael Film Center has become one of the most highly regarded and successful not for profit art house theaters in the country.
Judy Laster, Woods Hole Film Festival
Judith Laster is the Founder and Director of the 26 year-old Woods Hole Film Festival, the oldest film festival on Cape Cod and the Islands and one of the oldest in Massachusetts. The Festival is an eight day festival of independent film that takes place each summer. Over the eight days, the festival screens approximately 130 films selected from submissions from around the world. The festival is dedicated to presenting the work of emerging independent filmmakers. In addition, the Festival presents 2 year round films series and collaborates with other arts organizations both on and off Cape Cod to program films for their venues. She participated in the founding of the Film Festival Alliance and is an attorney with more than two decades of experience working in the Massachusetts legislature.
Ben McCarthy, Festival Consultant
Ben McCarthy is a freelance film festival and arts consultant at McArts Consulting based out of Charlotte, NC. Most recently, Ben served as the Executive Director of the Seattle Queer Film Festival and as Director of Philanthropy at the Seattle International Film Festival. He has a MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University and BA in Theatre from Greensboro College.
Rachel Morgan, Sidewalk Film Festival
Rachel Morgan is the creative director and lead programmer for the Sidewalk Film Festival as well as an instructor of Media Production and Telecommunication and Film at Lawson State Community College. She is also a co-instructor in the Documenting Justice documentary film program at the University of Alabama and is a former contributor to Film Threat. She received a BFA from The Savannah College of Art and Design in Film/Video Production and a MA in Film Critical Studies from the University of Alabama where her focus of study was on Children and Adolescence in Cinematic Horror.
Andrew Rodgers, Festival Consultant
Andrew Rodgers is a writer, filmmaker, programmer, and arts executive, based in Denver, Colorado. He led the Denver Film Society from 2016-19 and the RiverRun International Film Festival from 2005-16. Previously, he was a staff writer for the Chicago Tribune and a publicist for the Sundance Film Festival. He received a master's degree in business administration from Wake Forest University and a bachelor's in journalism from Eastern Illinois University.
Kevin Sampson, DC Black Film Festival
After receiving an MFA in Film & Electronic Media from American University in Washington, D.C in 2011, Kevin took his love for film to the next level by creating and producing Picture Lock, an entertainment website, radio show/podcast, and hour long film review TV show. He has served as the director of the Rosebud Film Festival since 2013. He created the DC Black Film Festival in 2016 in an effort to create a space to exhibit quality productions by and about people of African descent. In 2017 Kevin launched Picture Lock PR to represent some of the many great independent films he sees on a regular basis. Kevin received the 2018 Donald H. McGannon Award for his work with women and people of color in media. He is also a member of the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, North Carolina Film Critics Association and African American Film Critics Association. His weekly radio show can be heard on Fridays on WERA 96.7FM.
Patrick Shepherd, Cleveland International Film Festival
Patrick Shepherd serves as the Associate Director of the Cleveland International Film Festival and 2018 marked his twentieth year with CIFF. Joining the organization as a seasonal staff member in 1999, Patrick was hired as Development Director in 2001 and promoted to Associate Director in 2006. He has managed the CIFF's fundraising efforts as their attendance tripled (to 106,504) and their budget increased to just over $3.2 million in the last 17 years.
Kathryn Spitz Cohan, Film Pittsburgh
Kathryn Spitz Cohan has been executive director of Film Pittsburgh since 2001 overseeing programs including Pittsburgh Shorts, the JFilm Festival and ReelAbilities Pittsburgh. Previously, Ms. Spitz Cohan was the Artistic and Education Director of Shakespeare-in-the-Schools, at the University of Pittsburgh, where she also taught for the Katz School of Business, Film Studies program, and the department of Theatre Arts. Previously, she served as the Assistant Director of Administration for the Three Rivers Arts Festival and was the Artistic Director of the Theater Department at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. Ms. Spitz Cohan was named as one of Pittsburgh's top 50 cultural forces in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and has received an Opal Award from Women in Film and Media–Pittsburgh for exemplary professional achievement and contributions to the economic and cultural development of the region. Kathryn started the Pittsburgh Film Presenters Network to encourage dialogue, collaboration and the sharing of resources among Pittsburgh film presenters. She has served as a board member of Women in Film and Media-Pittsburgh and the Hollywood Theater, as well as a panelist for the Heinz Endowments Small Arts Initiative. Kathryn is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Communications.
Erica Thompson, Ashland Independent Film Festival
After graduating with a BFA in Film from Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Erica spent three years working in education and hospitality at the Milwaukee Film Festival. In spring of 2017, she took a seasonal role in hospitality at the Ashland Independent Film Festival in Southern Oregon. Since then, she has risen through various management roles and helped the organization carry out its two annual festivals and year-round events, as well as reach new heights by moving into the new AIFF Film Center in late 2019. After leading the organization through an abrupt pivot to a virtual platform for the 19th annual festival, she was promoted to the role of Executive Director in July of 2020.