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Fourth Quarter | 2016
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(Includes 4Q 2016 Performance Overview)
President's Message
You may have heard us say, on more than one occasion, that market volatility and unpredictability are entirely normal. Our experiences over the last 40+ years have certainly reinforced that lesson. Yet even for us, 2016 felt unusual, with significant political game changers occurring such as Brexit and the election of Trump. But such a year serves to remind us that the best approach to investing in this unpredictable and rapidly changing world is to focus on the things we can control.
First and foremost, this means continuing to build diversified portfolios of high quality companies—portfolios constructed to be resilient no matter what the future holds. Unpredictable markets' reinforce our resolve to stick to our time tested investment strategy.
It also means increasing depth and capabilities of our team—we have now grown to 130 employees across our Calgary, Toronto, and Singapore offices as we search for investment opportunities globally. Given our growth, nurturing our strong culture remains a top priority. It is our belief that our unique culture is a key differentiator and vital to our investment success. And while we have consistently been recognized as one of Focus Consulting Group's "Focus Elite" (an award given to high performing cultures based on an industry survey), we know that our culture must continue to be an area of emphasis.
And our focus remains on you, our clients—by helping you meet your investment objectives and by continually improving your experience with Mawer.
While years such as 2016 are reminders that we live in interesting and ever changing times, you can be sure that some things will always stay the same. At Mawer, we remain unwavering in our commitment to deliver long-term investment excellence and to earn your ongoing trust.
We wish you all the best for 2017.
Michael Mezei
Market Overview
After an extended period of highly correlated markets, (i.e., equities and bonds delivering positive returns in tandem) the fourth quarter was characterized by divergences. Bond markets moved in reaction to growing expectations that changes in the U.S. will lead to higher economic growth accompanied by rising inflation. Generally speaking, equity markets gained in local terms—although Canadian dollar strength negatively impacted most returns outside of North America.
As you can see in the chart below, many currencies lost ground to the high flying Loonie in 4Q16. This was largely a headwind for Mawer performance this quarter.
Canadian Dollar Translation Effect
Fiscal spending commitments, clarity on the U.S. election, and positive headlines in Energy (oil price recovery and pipeline decisions) drove investor sentiment. The primary result has been a re-pricing of bonds and "boring" equities in favour of those that could benefit most from inflationary conditions. The beneficiaries included investments in Energy, Materials, Industrials, and Banking and Insurance—the more cyclical areas of the economy.
While Mawer Funds have exposure to most of these cyclical sectors, our current emphasis on companies operating within these industries is noticeably less than the broad market. This is not new. Mawer's portfolios often look very different than the underlying benchmarks, and it is this willingness to be different that has helped Mawer's performance in the past. But unfortunately this can also lead to periods when the companies we emphasize ("boring," wealth creating) underperform the broad market. This latest quarter was a clear example of this as many of our Funds lagged their respective benchmarks.
At Mawer, a permanent impairment of capital is the single biggest error to avoid and this is one of the key drivers of our discipline in finding high quality businesses, run by excellent management teams, purchased at a discount to fair value. This approach hasn't provided a large return but it has produced a positive return of 3.2% for the year to Balanced Fund clients. We have done this by not betting on one scenario over another and using a diversified approach. Put into practice, while bonds had a tough quarter and international and global equities struggled, Canadian and U.S. equities performed well: therein lies the benefit of diversification.
Review of Issues and their Implications (the "So What?") for 4Q16:
Issue – Investor expectations shifted materially over the quarter. In the aftermath of Donald Trump winning the Presidential election, market participants' growth and inflation expectations moved higher.
So What? – While U.S. equities viewed this positively, the U.S. bond market saw price declines with yields correspondingly back up to the top of their 12-month range. This move was mirrored in a number of other bond markets, which saw comparable price volatility (i.e., yield curve shifts).
Trump's platform, if executed, may have distinct winners and losers. U.S. companies may become more competitive due to a lower tax rate and a less stringent regulatory regime. A focus on American industry and infrastructure spending could benefit energy, building materials, construction, and engineering companies. But from a global standpoint, greater protectionism could hurt exporters to the U.S., foreign companies that rely on trading activity, and suppliers to the U.S. public sector. In the end, it isn't clear to what extent many of Trump's policies will be implemented, if at all. Markets thus far appear to have priced in some of the growth friendly policies and little of the protectionist picture. We expect volatility around policy implementation to continue.
Issue – The Federal Reserve increased interest rates in December and signaled a change to its intended schedule of increases; adding a hike to 2017 but removing one from 2018. The day after the announcement, yields moved up 10 basis points in 10-year U.S. treasuries. Equities appeared unaffected.
So What? – Inflationary expectations in the U.S. gained momentum from mid-2016 through the fourth quarter, pushing bond prices down. There is no guarantee of all scheduled Fed interest rate hikes being implemented, but bond valuations have come down enough to consider adding to positions.
Issue – OPEC finally agreed to a production cut. The agreement reduces global production to 32.5 million barrels per day, while giving Iran some room to nevertheless raise production. Non-OPEC countries were being asked to cut production by about 600,000 bpd.
So What? – The agreement was an incremental positive for oil producers and oil countries, and may help on the margin to boost inflation in some countries. Canadian equities look more attractive based on the outlook for Energy. Expanding margins are likely given a higher price level for commodities and a significantly lower (and sticky) cost base. That said, it remains to be seen whether all countries abide by their agreement.
Issue – Canada signed a free trade agreement with Europe. CETA will remove 98% of tariffs and officials hope it will generate an increase in trade worth $12B a year. Meanwhile, a number of countries in Asia—including China—signaled their intent to continue to pursue a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific region.
So What? – These moves stand in contrast to what looks like a potentially more protectionist U.S. under Trump. It could be incrementally positive for Canada.
Issue – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised markets when he announced the country will remove all existing 500 and 1,000 rupee notes out of circulation to curb corruption and thwart counterfeiters. The move was an attempt to bring billions of dollars of income hidden in the underground economy into (taxable) view. GDP growth looks like it will be negatively impacted in the near-term as a result.
So What? – While the Indian stock market reacted negatively to this news, it is an incrementally positive indication from India that it is moving to make the structural changes necessary to remove red tape that hampers economic growth. We view the removal of red tape as a significant growth catalyst for India and continue to travel to India to evaluate at what stage the country is at. We own select businesses in India where competitive advantages outweigh the red tape roadblocks. It is likely to continue on a select basis unless reform momentum surges.
How Did We Do?
The overall theme for this quarter is that quality is underperforming the overall market. Given that we always want to buy quality companies (wealth-creating companies with excellent management teams) some of our funds have struggled on a relative basis.
(All performance is for Series A Funds, net of fees and expressed in Canadian dollars for the period October 1-December 31, 2016. Please note: some of our benchmarks have changed this quarter. Refer to Benchmark History for more information.)
Mawer International Equity Fund: -5.5 %
MSCI ACWI (Net) Excluding U.S. Index: 0.8%
In practical terms, what this has meant for the International Equity Fund is a rotation out of "quality-biased" sectors, like Consumer Staples (which we are overweight) and into more cyclical sectors like Energy, Materials and Financials that have continued to bounce back. Within Consumer Staples, our Japanese holdings, such as convenience store operator Seven & I and pharmacy chain Tsuruha, were impacted as their sell-off was compounded by the decline in the Japanese Yen.
Within Financials, the lower-quality rally was evident as European banks continued their rebound. For example, Deutsche Bank and Société Générale—both stocks we don't own—jumped 43% and 45% respectively during the quarter while our top weight in the sector, reinsurance broker Aon, gained a mere 1.5%. Avoiding European banks had helped us a lot earlier in the year, as they were under pressure from low interest rates and souring loan books. We did not own these banks because the competitive and regulatory environments in Europe make it very difficult for them to differentiate themselves or to earn a sustainable return on equity. In short, European banks by and large don't meet our definition of wealth-creating businesses, a key component of our investment philosophy. While the valuation of these banks had become more attractive by the summer, the conditions highlighted above have not changed and we continue to keep our distance.
Mawer Global Equity Fund: -1.4 %
MSCI ACWI (Net) Index: 3.3%
Similar to the performance drivers for our International Equity Fund, we fell victim to the trend of quality companies underperforming. Within Financials, the European banks theme described in the previous section was very much at play here as well. Within Industrials, most of our exposure is in professional services companies like Intertek and Bureau Veritas, both global leaders in certification and testing, as well as data providers like Verisk (which aggregates and provides data to the insurance industry) and IHS Markit (which is more broad but is mostly concentrated in the Financial sector). All of these companies command premium multiples due to the resilience of their business models and they corrected during the quarter (on average down about 3%); by contrast, other subsectors that are more cyclical in nature, like Industrial Conglomerates, Machinery and Aerospace and Defence, delivered moderate to strong returns.
In the Materials sector, we have tended to avoid metals and mining in favour of specialty chemicals companies like Croda as well as flavours and fragrances companies. These businesses are able to deliver steady returns that are protected by strong barriers to entry which gives them pricing power, a key criteria that their metals and mining peers lack. Unfortunately, these higher quality, steadier companies corrected this quarter, in stark contrast to mining companies like Glencore, Vale and Freeport McMoran which were up anywhere between 30% and 55%.
Mawer Canadian Equity Fund: 5.0%
S&P/TSX Composite Index: 4.5%
Mawer New Canada Fund: 4.9%
S&P/TSX SmallCap Index: 3.1%
The Canadian equity market saw strong performance from more cyclical sectors—Financials, Energy and Industrials—with one notable exception: Materials. Contrary to what happened in other markets, Materials actually delivered a negative return in Canada primarily due to the large concentration of precious metal companies in the sector (one of the indirect impacts of the U.S. election was the unwinding of the gold trade). This is the main reason why the Canadian Equity Fund outperformed the benchmark. Readers who are familiar with our approach will know that we are not big fans of metals and mining companies (although we do own Potash and Agrium, both of which performed quite well this quarter). This positive performance helped offset the weakness we saw in a few of our Industrials holdings (specifically, MacDonald Dettwiler, Richelieu Hardware and CP Rail).
Canadian Small Cap is a very similar story and most of our positive performance came from our positioning within the Materials sector (not owning metals and mining companies) which more than offset the detraction caused by our Energy exposure (underweight the strong performing sector combined with not owning the companies that are more leveraged to the oil price).
Mawer U.S. Equity Fund: 2.7%
S&P 500 Index: 5.9%
Buoyed by higher interest rates, strong markets, and the prospect of a more lenient regulatory environment, U.S. Financials were by far the strongest performing sector in the S&P 500 Index, up 24%. We benefitted from an overweight position in Financials, with holdings JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo up considerably, but this was more than offset by some of the other securities we held within the sector. Most notably, we lacked any direct exposure to insurance companies, which enjoyed a respite in the form of higher interest rates. Our position in rating agency and index provider S&P Global also corrected after a strong year, perhaps due to the prospect of lower expected bond issuance going forward.
Mawer Global Small Cap Fund: -3.2%
MSCI ACWI Small Cap (Net) Index: 3.8%
The Global Small Cap Fund had a tough quarter. A significant underweight exposure to domestically-oriented U.S. companies was one factor, but there were a few stocks that also weighed heavily on the portfolio. The biggest contributor to the Fund's underperformance compared to the benchmark was NCC Group, a UK-based cyber-security company. During the quarter, it announced three unrelated but significant cancellations in its assurance division (where NCC is hired to test a client's system to identify any potential breaches) and one contract deferral. The stock reacted quite negatively to this announcement and ended the quarter down 50%. What have we done in response? Nothing. Or at least that's what it may look like on the surface. However, rest assured that not selling down our position (although we had been trimming it ahead of the quarter) or adding to it has very much been a conscious, active decision. Though we're obviously not thrilled with the news, we have spoken to management at length; our interpretation is that the underlying business is healthy and that the issues appear temporary. However, we recognize that it is a competitive industry and these cancellations may be a sign of additional issues.
Another detractor was PC Jeweller, an Indian jewelry company. The stock suffered along with the rest of the Indian market following Narendra Modi's announcement to take 500 and 1,000 rupee notes out of circulation for ones with better counterfeit measures. PC Jeweller suffered as a large portion of its transactions are cash based which has affected sales in the short-term.
Mawer Canadian Bond Fund: -3.8%
FTSE TMX Canadian Universe Bond Index: -3.4%
Mawer Global Bond Fund: -4.4%
Citi World Government Bond Index: -6.7%
Bond yields in Canada increased meaningfully, returning to year-high levels in sympathy with the global trend. The 10-year Government of Canada yield jumped from 1.0% to 1.7% resulting in a quarter of negative returns for bond investors. The portfolio's position in corporate bonds helped to soften the impact of rising yields due to a yield premium and a narrowing in credit spreads, particularly within the lower-rated communications industry.
The Global Bond Fund was down along with most fixed income securities around the world as it was impacted by the higher rates that were observed globally following the U.S. election and the then upcoming (now in the books) Fed rate hike. However, relative to the Citi World Government Bond Index, the Fund was not as severely impacted due to its lower duration (a measure of a fixed income portfolio's sensitivity to interest rates). From a currency perspective, our lack of direct exposure to Japanese bonds proved beneficial as they suffered along with their global peers, but their decline was compounded by a weakening currency. By contrast, our meaningful U.S. dollar position added value given the greenback's strength.
Mawer Balanced Fund: -1.2%
Mawer Balanced Benchmark: 0.8%
The Balanced Fund's asset mix positioning's impact was roughly neutral. Being underweight Canadian equities was a negative, as it has been all year, but this was offset by our lower allocation to Global Bonds, which suffered from the rising yields across the globe, and higher allocation to U.S. equities which benefited from the optimism that followed Trump's victory. All of this was overshadowed by the underperformance compared to the benchmark of our foreign equity mandates which were impacted by the transition from a market that favours quality companies to one that favours more cyclical companies and sectors.
Looking Ahead
After many quarters of much of the same story, the investment landscape appears to be changing. A multitude of geopolitical events—such as Brexit, the U.S. election result, and the OPEC agreement—have shifted the political and economic trajectories of many nations, as well as investor expectations. These shifts, many of which were unexpected, remind us why diversified portfolios are so important to client success in the long run.
Three important shifts can be noted in this environment. First, inflation expectations have been on the rise, which has caused volatility in bond markets. As bond yields have increased (with bond investors demanding more compensation for the possibility of greater inflation), the price of government bonds has commensurately fallen. Second, equity markets appear to be favouring certain sectors and styles; for example, it has been a good quarter for European bank stocks and for commodity stocks overall. Third, correlations between equities and bonds finally appear to be decreasing. After years in which central bank intervention helped bond and equity prices move in tandem, we are seeing returns between these two asset classes decouple.
From an asset mix perspective, the approach we take is, as always, to be resilient. In recent months, we have allocated some cash to Canadian bonds and Canadian equities, which puts us closer to a more even distribution among asset classes. Our asset mix actions this quarter included:
Increase Canadian Bond Weight:
For some time now, we have noted what seemed like elevated bond valuations and an asymmetric return profile for the asset class. The recent decline in bond prices appears to have created a more appealing risk/reward position in Canadian bonds than we've had for a while. Valuations simply look a little more reasonable now. In addition, while the Federal Reserve looks to increase interest rates over the next year, economic conditions in Canada still appear sluggish and the Bank of Canada may struggle to follow the Federal Reserve's lead. This matters because historically Canadian bond yields have followed U.S. bond yields fairly closely. We therefore anticipate more of a disconnect between relative interest rate movements in shorter maturities now than in the past. We have moved some cash to bonds as a result.
Increase Canadian Large-Mid Cap Equity Weight:
We increased our weight in Canadian equities to move it closer to a neutral weight (but remain underweight).|
The opportunities we are finding in Canada are attractive enough to increase our weight in the region. In particular, the outlook for the Canadian companies we own appears more positive as the price of oil has increased. At the margin, recent policy decisions around pipelines and fiscal spending may also be a positive.Overall, we believed it was prudent to modestly increase our Canadian holdings and reduce cash.
No change to remaining asset classes:
We continue to hold U.S. equities at a modest overweight position based on the region's brighter growth outlook. In small cap equities, we remain slightly underweight due to liquidity conditions and relative valuation after multiple years of significant gains. Global bonds are underweight and remain so based on a higher volatility profile than Canadian bonds.
These are constructive conditions for active management. Divergences and falling correlations lead to changes in valuation and offer opportunity to take advantage over the long-term. Our view of markets is that a diversified approach remains the one that places the odds in clients' favour.
Non-performance related material in this document reflects the opinions of the writer, and does not reflect fact or predictions of actual events or impacts, and cannot be relied upon for investing purposes or as investment advice or guarantees of any kind.
Index returns are supplied by a third party – we believe the data to be accurate, however, cannot guarantee its accuracy.
This document is for information purposes only. Before investing, please consult the simplified prospectus, available at www.sedar.com, and the Fund Facts. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance is not indicative of future performance. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. (Mutual fund securities are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurances that the fund will be able to maintain its net asset value per share at a constant amount or that the full amount of your investment in the fund will be returned to you.)
Performance returns for the Mawer Mutual Funds are calculated by Mawer Investment Management Ltd. These returns are historical simple returns for the 3 month, YTD and 1 year periods, and annualized compounded total returns for periods after 1 year. They include changes in unit value and reinvestment of all distributions and do not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any security holder that would have reduced returns.


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The directions for making the first variable star says to use #12 Aqua C in the center.
But we only cut 4 #12 Aqua C's - they are meant for the second star.
By process of elimination I am putting the spare #22 Aqua 5 Spare in the middle of my first star
And the space #30 spruce green in the middle of my second star.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, September 25, 2012
When Hope, Faith, and Love are present, they sustain Spirit. A powerful Spirit can change your circumstances. Thus giving Hope, Faith, and Love a most beautiful ability to effectuate real and meaningful change and allow your dreams to come true. Believe...
Posted by Ka`iana at 4:22 AM
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– in the Scottish Parliament on 9th May 2017.
1. To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes safe recreational water activity. (S5T-00537)
Before I answer, let me extend on behalf of the Scottish Government heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the three men—Sandy Hamilton, Kevin James McKinlay and Stuart McLevy—who lost their lives in the recent tragic accidents off Dumfries and Galloway and on Loch Lomond.
The Scottish Government takes the issue of safety in and around water very seriously indeed. Although there have been a number of high-profile tragedies and near misses in recent days, we know that there are many other people who have enjoyed Scotland's inshore and offshore waters safely and without incident.
However, we are not complacent. Sportscotland, the national agency for sport, contributes to promoting safe recreational water activity through its national centres at Cumbrae and Glenmore by developing future coaches and offering skills development in a wide range of water sports.
We also support the aims of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents water safety Scotland group, and will provide £104,000 this year to its annual home and water safety programme. In addition, water safety Scotland is developing a Scotland-specific response to the National Water Safety Forum's "The UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2016-2026", which aims to reduce accidental drowning rates in the UK by 50 per cent by 2026. Water safety Scotland is currently consulting on a draft response to that strategy document, and I encourage anyone who has an interest in water safety and recreational water activity to respond to the consultation.
I thank the minister for her response and I extend my condolences to the families who have been affected by last week's tragedies.
There is to be a Scottish response to the national drowning prevention strategy specifically because of Scotland's geography. We know that of the 79 drowning deaths in the UK last year, 50 occurred in Scotland, so we have a disproportionate problem in Scotland, in that regard. As chair of the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on accident prevention and safety awareness, I work very closely with ROSPA, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Royal Life Saving Society UK and other organisations that are involved in water safety in Scotland. Would the minister like to visit the CPG and meet its members to discuss the final stages of the response to the strategy?
Yes—I am certainly happy to come to the CPG at an appropriate time when we can fully discuss future actions as a result of the consultation exercise that water safety Scotland is currently carrying out. I encourage the CPG and other interested members to contribute to the consultation exercise, which is on an issue that is pertinent as we come to the—I hope—hot summer weather in Scotland, when people are more likely to engage in water sports across the country.
It is important that we send out a message that ensures that people are aware of the risks, but also enjoy safely the many opportunities that Scotland's waters and water sports can offer. We already undertake a great deal of work with the Scottish Tourism Alliance on a wide range of industry-related matters, and we will certainly ensure that we explore with it other ways in which we can ensure that safety messages can be shared with visitors who take part in activities across the country. We also have our national parks website and other communications that include extensive advice about people staying safe when enjoying Loch Lomond's fantastic facilities, which is of course backed up by our emergency services, including Police Scotland.
One of the key hopes of water safety Scotland is that it will be able to cut deaths in Scotland's waters by half by 2026. Every tragedy is terrible for the families involved, but the truth is that the people who are most in danger in this respect are older men aged 60 to 69. Would the minister consider how to work with pensioner organisations and others that represent that age group on how they might get across a better water safety message?
The consultation exercise gives us an opportunity to make sure that we have fully explored with any interested group or organisation how to ensure age-appropriate messaging—in particular, for the more vulnerable age group that Clare Adamson described.
There is also real recognition that we probably need to be better at understanding information and data. I understand that National Records of Scotland data shows that, in 2015, 35 people died in Scotland due to drowning or submersion. However, there are difficulties: data can be ascribed to misdescribed locations for drowning deaths, there can be inconsistency in information that is captured on death registration forms, there can be lack of information on the forms and there is the complexity of international coding systems. Also, the figure does not include suicide by drowning.
We now have an opportunity to delve deeply into the situation and make sure that we use information appropriately. We also have to make sure that we use existing partners and existing structures to ensure that we get the best possible safety messages out across the country to people who might have greater vulnerabilities.
Does the Scottish Government consider that its decision to cut the funding of free swimming lessons for all primary school children, resulting in 40 per cent of children being unable to swim by the time they reach secondary school, promotes or hinders safety in recreational water activity?
I think that it is important not to conflate the two issues. The ability to swim has not necessarily been a factor in some of the matters that we have been discussing in response to Clare Adamson's question.
It is also important to recognise that the latest funding for sportscotland allocated over £5 million to Scottish Swimming for the past four years—the largest funding settlement for any of the Commonwealth games sports. Scottish Swimming is actively working in partnership with local authorities and leisure trusts to implement and embed the national swimming framework to support the development of swimming across the country. It is also incumbent on us and Scottish Swimming to include and work with local authorities, which are responsible for deciding what subjects are offered in their schools, taking into account local needs and resources. I will continue to engage with Brian Whittle on the points that he makes and, with that investment, I will certainly make sure that young people get the opportunities that they would like.


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Biswajit murder case: Appeal verdict on August 6
The High Court (HC) will deliver its verdict on August 6 over the death references and appeals in the sensational Biswajit Das murder.
A bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty fixed the date on Monday after concluding hearing on the death references and appeals.
On December 18, 2013, a Dhaka court sentenced eight activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ruling Awami League, to death and 13 others to life imprisonment for killing tailor-shop employee Biswajit Das.
Fourteen appeals were filed with the HC by the convicts challenging the lower court verdict against them in the case.
Biswajit, 24, was hacked to death in public on his way to his tailoring shop at Shakharibazar in Old Dhaka during a countrywide road-blockade programme on December 9, 2012.
Comments are Closed


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Kuala Lumpur
2 answers
1k views
Does anyone know of any bars that play live punk/metal type music in Kuala Lumpur?
over 9 years ago about Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Looking to catch some local and possibly international bands in Kuala Lumpur, or would like to visit any punk type bars.
Asked by Adam Lever via WorldNomads.com
2 Answers
hi there..i dont really knw about any club at KL cos i never been to any..but as far as i concern..thre is a street call "bukit bintang"/"bintang walk"..its located in the middle of kuala lumpur city..its club/pub/disco area..im sure it will help u..:) over 9 years agoAnswered by crazynomad via WorldNomads.com
Not sure if you still need this but try going to http://ricecooker.kerbau.com/ for info on the m'sia punk scene, almost 9 years agoAnswered by Ain via Ask a Nomad iPad app


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What do you do when you've run out of protein powder and you want something other than meat post workout?
You make protein bread!!!
This turned out to be a happy surprise- I didn't really know what the result would be, but it was definitely a winner!
Happy Wednesday everyone!
Hello out there! I'm super excited to get back to recipe making and blogging! I've been trying not to go too crazy but there are just so many things I want to try!!
Okay these aren't real cookies, but I've been calling them cookies in my head for months now, so I'm going to continue to call them cookies. You have my permission to change the name or think otherwise. REGARDLESS, they are good. And cookie-like. Or maybe blondie-like. I don't really know, I didn't grow up eating blondies… yes okay cookie-blondie like. Aha! A much better name!
Just a super quick, thrown together dish that turned out delicious!
Made in the microwave with basically just TWO ingredients!!!
Yet another Pudding Cake recipe…
And it involves nuts!
After my recent wonderful discovery on Gmarket for frozen cauliflower (see here), I was dreaming of ways to use it. When I was back home in Canada for a whirlwind visit this August, I had my mom make me a cauliflower bread because I hadn't had cauliflower in over a year, and had been salivating over all these wonderful recipes I had seen. Most cauliflower bread recipes call for cottage cheese, which I haven't really seen here, so I needed to try out my own way.
*Warning there are a lot of photos in this post
I. just. couldn't. help. myself.
I mean…
Who am I?
Well, I'm just your average 24-year old Canadian teaching English in Korea, finding my way through food, fitness and a foreign culture. Trying to figure out what I'm meant to do, what I have to share and how I want to live a life of fulfillment. Originally, I dreamed that photography would be my goal, and so I pursued art school, and graduated with a BFA, Major in Photography from the Emily Carr University of Art+Design in Vancouver, BC. Upon completion of my school in 2010, I set out with hope and passion, excited to begin my new career as an aspiring photographer.
Bread is a treat that I generally do not include in my diet. It was never allowed on my plan during my competition training, and so it's not something I've really reincorporated into my life. Don't get me wrong- I think bread is incredibly delicious! But here, in Korea, they don't even have the bread I would choose anyways. Korean bread is all that white, sweet, processed, insulin-spiking stuff. Not something I want.
Enter my egg bread.


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Too Much Credit Card Debt
Most people have at least one credit card. Many have several credit cards with balances on each and all of them. I am using this plan to cut my credit card debt, and to end, or at least lower my reliance on credit cards.
I recently read an article explaining how it takes 15 years or longer to pay off a typical credit card by paying the minimum payment each month. I didn't believe it, so I did the math based on one of my credit cards and found that the article I read was true. That was not what I wanted to hear or know. Ignorance truly is bliss. Instead of crying over my newfound knowledge, I worked out this simple plan to greatly speed the process of paying off my credit cards.
No More Credit Cards
My Simple Plan Is Working
I put my plan into action starting with my July 2011 payments and I'm seeing a faster debt reduction in just this few short months. I started with balances on 7 high interest cards, and I have paid off two of them already. I will have another one paid off after January. When you read the plan below, you'll understand how these debts will disappear faster and faster as I continue using this plan.
This Plan Also Works With Mortgages And Car Payments
At this stage, I am using this plan to eliminate credit card debt. It's possible to include mortgages, car loans, furniture store loans, or any other recurring payment loan into the plan as well.
Eliminate Your Need For Credit Cards
Step 1
In order to have success with this plan, you must stop using your cards. At least stop using the ones you wish to drop. If you must have a credit card for emergencies remember to keep your balance low, don't use it unless it's necessary, and pay off the balance each month.
Use Debit Cards Or Cash Instead
Instead of using your credit cards for every day purchases like gas, groceries, clothes, and convenience store items, use cash or a debit card from your local bank or prepaid debit cards available online and in many stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and many others. Yes, most prepaid debit cards have monthly and/or transaction fees, but even if you pay $20 a month, or even more in various fees, you will still be saving money over the high revolving interest charges most creditors charge.
Collect Your Information
Step 2
The information you need to collect is your credit card balances, monthly payment amounts, and interest rates charged by each creditor.
Make Your List
Step 3
This is the point where you will have to decide for yourself as to which card you should end first. This is a balancing act between lowest amount owed, highest amount owed, highest interest, and other factors. Personally, I started on the credit card with the lowest balance so I could get it out-of-the-way fairly quick. It also gave me a great sense of accomplishment and the drive to continue with my plan.
Now that you have decided which one you want to attack first, put it at the top of your list. List the others below the first one. Which order you put them in is not important at this time, so don't worry about those yet. You'll understand in a few minutes.
Decide On a Budget
Step 4
Once you have decided on your order of attack, make a chart with your debts listed in order of elimination. Now add up your monthly payments and add 20% to that number.
Example: If your current total payments add up to $450 a month, add $90 to the budget. If you're income won't allow 20%, add less. But, if your income will allow it, you can add more than 20%. Even by adding just 5% to your budget plan will help. You may have to make some spending adjustments and small sacrifices to do this, but it will be worth it.
Put Your Plan Into Action
Step 5
Make minimum payments to all of your cards except the first one on your list. Add the extra budgeted amount to that one each month until it's paid. After you pay it off in full, you can close that account.** Again, that is a decision for you to make. Mark that one off your list and attack the next one. Don't change your budget amount. If you budgeted $450 + $90 = $540, then continue paying $540 towards your remaining debts. Example: Let's assume your minimum payment on card #1 was $80, by adding the $90 to that payment, you were paying $170 each month until paid. Now take that $170 and add it to the minimum payment of the next one. If you continue to add the previous payment amount to the next card on your list, your debt reduction will start to snowball and each card will be paid off even faster.
** Credit Score
Some credit advisers tell you not to close your accounts because it could have a negative effect on your credit score. Personally, I don't care if I lose a few points on my score. As my debt gets lower and lower, and I continue to make payments to my other debt balances on time, my score will go back up. My focus is on eliminating credit card debt, not on retaining my current credit score. Also, I believe that most of those credit advisers you see on TV are scammers.
Stick With The Plan
Step 6
Don't quit. Keep your plan in action until you have reached your goal. I know there are times when you will be unable to pay the full budgeted amount. When that happens, isn't it nice to know you have some breathing room? But, get back on budget and continue your debt elimination plan as quickly as you can.
***Holiday Shopping***
During the Holiday shopping season I realize it's a difficult to stick with the plan. Just remember; The Holidays come around every year. If you use that excuse to max out your credit cards every year, you will never be out of debt. Personally, this is one of the sacrifices I'm making to get out of debt. My family may not get everything they want for Christmas this year, but I can't let that stop me, and they will just have to understand my goal. I do not want to leave my debt payment responsibilities to my family after I am gone from this world. In other words, "Before I die, I want to have no debts".


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Australia day March! Sunday, January 26
Join us on a Peaceful ride to parliament house on Australia Day. Building a better Australia from the ground up, Empowering all.
Winnebagos and campers, Walkers, Riders, Cyclists, everyone is welcome! together we empower all!
Please join us and come, anyway you can get there is fine, some of us will be riding and others will be walking, anything from a Winnebago to push bike is welcome!
Australia day march! Sunday, January 26
Contact Glenn on: 0401 589 296 for more info
or contact Glenn via Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/glenn.hodgson1/


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NARA, Footnote.com project takes records about looted assets and concentration camps online
The National Archives and Records Administration has teamed with Footnote.com, an online historical archiving service, to make millions of Holocaust-era records available online — and to memorialize Holocaust victims with Facebook pages.
Last year, the National Archives and Records Administration teamed with Footnote.com on another digital preservation project: a searchable replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington.
The wall features the names of the more than 58,000 service members who died or were listed as missing in the Vietnam War.
Footnote.com stitched together nearly 1,500 photographs of the wall to create one digital, searchable image.
The company also worked with NARA to make photos from the war available on its Web site and link service records and casualty reports to the names on the wall.
Visitors can search or browse the site by a service member's name, branch of service, hometown or enlistment type. Entries feature photographs and comments posted by other visitors, such as personal remembrances, details on combat situations and requests to connect with family members of fallen comrades.
NARA officials said the massive collection of records about looted assets, concentration camp registers and proceedings of the Nuremberg war crime trials will form part of the Web's largest interactive collection of Holocaust records. The release of the initial 500,000 images of individual documents will make research easier and greatly increase access.
"We cannot afford to forget this period in our history," said Michael Kurtz, assistant archivist and author of the book "America and the Return of Nazi Contraband: The Recovery of Europe's Cultural Treasures."
Footnote.com, which specializes in making digital records from historic documents, plans to eventually digitize about 1 million images of Holocaust-related documents — at no cost to NARA. Users will be able to access the documents for a fee through Footnote.com, but access will be free at NARA research facilities. And the documents will be available on Footnote.com for no charge during October.
In addition, people can use Footnote.com's social-networking tool to develop Facebook-like pages to memorialize Holocaust victims. Footnote's "I Remember" application lets people share photos, comments and stories about victims. Users can create and access the pages through Footnote.com and then share them on Facebook.
"The reason why we put the social component on Footnote rather than just being a repository is [that] there are so many more pieces of the puzzle that need to come together," said Justin Schroepfer, director of marketing at Footnote.com.
Researchers began taking an active interest in Holocaust-era assets in the late 1990s. At first, they focused on dormant Swiss bank accounts and looted gold, but within several years, interest expanded to looted cultural property and artwork, according to the NARA.
To meet the demand, the agency launched an ambitious project to put on microfilm some 2.3 million pages related to the records, said James Hastings, director of access programs at NARA.
Before the agency began putting documents on microfilm, people could only view original materials at NARA's facility in College Park, Md. Microfilming was the first step in transforming the research process, said Greg Bradsher, a senior archivist at NARA who compiled a 1,200-page guide for researching Holocaust-era assets.
"Once we started microfilming, that meant microfilm could be purchased or loaned and could be used elsewhere," he said.
Digitization was the next step. "Rather than sitting down in front of a microfilm reader or a bunch of boxes and going page after page after page, there will be some search capabilities that will allow you to do word searches," Bradsher said. "It just simply speeds up the whole process of research."
Because digitization is costly, NARA works out agreements with companies to help digitize the agency's materials. For online access to Footnote.com's roughly 60 million historical documents, users pay $79.95 per year, $11.95 per month or $2.95 for an individual image.
The new online Holocaust collection has nearly 600 personal accounts provided by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Ardelia Hall Collection of records related to the Nazi looting of Jewish possessions. In addition, NARA officials are working with British and German government archives to make other asset records available online, Hastings said, and they hope the French archives will also participate.
However, Bradsher and Hastings said that although the records will be more readily available and searchable, the complexity of the topic and the documents involved will still require sophisticated research skills.
"What digitization and online access does is it democratizes access," Hastings said. "All of a sudden, what was open only to the select few who could come to the research room is now open to everybody." The effect of that access "will be interesting to see."
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Genocide Hadith Uncensored
A Youtube video complaining about censorship of the USC-MSA Hadith Database was referenced in an email from CVF. I was aware that the hadith had been stricken from the database and retained a previously compiled copy for comparison.
This is the text of Sahih Mulim 41.6985 as it appears in the .chm file, which is available at Crusader's Armory.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.
Subsequent to viewing the video, made a fresh visit to USC-MSA and found this:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.
Evidently the censorship has been reversed. The sidebar has also been edited, the original links are gone. New links have been added to the Tanach and to Muhammad Assad's Qur'an translation, it links to a Geocities site which appears to have typos. It is difficult to discern between the text and Assad's commentary. It appears that the commentary preceeds the translation.
This Jihad Watch article of 08/22/08 cites the text of the deleted ahadith and gives the history of the case with other details of interest.
A Yahoo search for Book 041, Number 6985 turns up this URL:
my URLGenerator produces this URL:
which opens the exact same page as that discovered in the search.
The following hadith appears in Bewley's translation, and in the collection at Sunni Path, but not in the Compendium at USC.
It is mentioned from Ibn 'Umar from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "My provision has been placed under the shadow of my spear, and abasement and humility have been placed on the one who disobeys my command."
Bewley associates that hadith to another in which Moe allegedly kills, cooks & eats a wild ass, over the objections of his companions. Other sources cite Ahmad, with a somewhat different text. Rasoulallah.net
I have been sent before the Hour so that Allaah alone should be worshipped without any partner for Him, and my provision has been placed beneath the shade of my spear, and subservience and humiliation have been placed upon those who disobey my orders, and whoever imitates a people then he is one of them.[9]
Objection to Muslim 41.6985 is based upon its expression of genocidal intention against the Jews. Similar sayings in Bukhari's Sahih collection express the same concept; where is the objection to them & demand that they be stricken? Where is the objection to 9:29 and demand that it be stricken? Where is the objection to Eternal Humiliation placed on the Jews, which depicts Jesus Christ as returning to lead the Muslims in exterminating the remaining Jews? Who objects to Muslim 1.0287, which encrypts the same concept?
The creator of the video bases his objection to censorship on the difficulty it poses by removing authentic documentation of one of his arguments. While one can find the passage in printed hadith collections, one must invest money to obtain them and can not link to them in blog posts & forums. Furthermore, different editions have varying page and reference numbers.
While sympathetic to that objection, I have previously expressed a different objection: censoring hadith only removes the outward sign, it does nothing to altar the mindset of Muslims who have memorized the saying or those who will hear it from Mullahs & Imams in their Mosques.
Thousands of hadith books have been printed; they are in Mosques, Madrassahs, libraries and private collections all over the world in many languages. Censoring a web site does nothing to altar that fact*, nor does it change Islam's doctrine of genocide. Taking down that hadith is like amputating a snake's rattles; it makes a deadly viper appear harmless.
*Note: most of the on line hadith search engines are dependent on the USC database. Removing the cited ahadith would make them much more difficult to find on line.


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L/L Research Transcripts
Copyright © 2005 L/L Research
ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THIS TRANSCRIPT: This telepathic channeling has been taken from transcriptions of the weekly study and meditation meetings of the Rock Creek Research & Development Laboratories and L/L Research. It is offered in the hope that it may be useful to you. As the Confederation entities always make a point of saying, please use your discrimination and judgment in assessing this material. If something rings true to you, fine. If something does not resonate, please leave it behind, for neither we nor those of the Confederation would wish to be a stumbling block for any.
CAVEAT: This transcript is being published by L/L Research in a not yet final form. It has, however, been edited and any obvious errors have been corrected. When it is in a final form, this caveat will be removed.
Thursday Meditation
May 16, 1974
(Carla channeling)
I greet you, my friends, in the love and the light of our infinite Creator. I am the one known to you as Hatonn. I and my brother Laitos are here to serve you, and we are with you in the room. My brother will be giving conditioning to each of you who desires it as we proceed with this message. We are most privileged to be speaking with you this evening.
We would like to give you a thought upon the nature of the spiritual path. Consider for yourself, my friends, the nature of your interior universe. How much of your thinking is involved with striving, attaining and grasping at things within the physical illusion? What fire consumes you? What greed or envy or base desire have you allowed to continue to have power over your thinking? And then, my friends, what portion of your thinking is clear, calm, motionless, humble, unassuming, and content?
I do not need to tell you which portion of your interior universe is more correctly called the spiritual part. The truth of the universe is a very simple truth. Correctly understood and practiced, it eliminates the striving for selfhood within the physical illusion. It eliminates it because it offers a more rewarding reality along the spiritual path.
The reason, my friends, that you have not completely become one with the spiritual path is not because you have not been trying. Do not cause yourself anxiety. It is simply, my friends, that the illusion under which you labor is extremely strong upon your planet, and there is a good deal of constant and faithful meditation and discipline to be achieved before the final breakthrough can come, and you may be free of your selfhood within the illusion.
Without that selfhood, my friends, without that which upon the part of the planet which you live is termed ego, you may achieve all things, in the name of the Creator. For having no limitation of self, you may give for all men, and to all men.
It is a matter of knowing whom you serve, my friends. As you go through your daily existence, therefore, we suggest to you that you contemplate, when it may serve you to do so, that which is called water. Water, my friends, is the humblest and weakest of all substances. It abides in the lowest places. It constantly seeks a level. It is ashamed to go nowhere, but flows where every opportunity takes it. My friends, water may wear away the hardest substances, for it is far stronger in its weakness than rigid substances can ever be.
Be like the water, my friends. Upon the spiritual path that you are seeking to follow, seek the nature of water.
I wish to continue this contact but to transfer it to the instrument known as R. We will condition him for a brief period, and then we will attempt to transfer this contact. I will leave this instrument. I am Hatonn.
(R channeling)
I am now with this instrument. Seek, my friends, to become the water—still and pure. It has been said that life is as a vast ocean, and we very often cause waves through our actions and our thoughts.
Through self-discipline it is possible to wear away through this action those qualities about yourself that would be considered undesirable. Through lack of control of your actions and thoughts, great storms will arise. Your thought, my friends, is that which creates tides and waves. See your thoughts as waves. The waves that you create have a vast effect upon the rest of the body of water.
The waves which cleanse and wash away are also those which erode. By directing your thought, you direct the waves, and become, with you, as you seek them to be.
Consider then, my friends, the water, like unto yourself; consider, then, your thoughts, like unto the waves, and that which directs the water.
I would at this time attempt to continue this communication through the instrument known as T.
(T channeling)
I am Hatonn. I am now with this instrument.
(E channeling)
As I was saying, like the spirit, water flows quietly along its path, until it reaches an obstacle. It then must go around or over the obstacle. In going around or over an obstacle, it will erode the obstacle. Then the obstacle is no more, and the spirit or water is free of that obstacle.
The movement of the water is like thought or actions, in that the thought … the movement of the water is like thought or action.
I will continue this contact with another instrument. I am Hatonn.
I am again with this instrument. I am Hatonn. I and my brother Laitos have been most privileged to have been able to serve you this evening. We hope that we have been able to aid you in your seeking.
I am aware that there is a question. It will be somewhat difficult to use this instrument to answer this question. Therefore, we would prefer to await another opportunity to use a different instrument for this particular question. Is that satisfactory with the person who desires to know the answer to this question?
Questioner: It's OK to wait, but could you try to answer the part of it that you can through this instrument, and then I'll ask it again of another instrument? I want to know whether it is harmful or helpful to use drugs, especially for intellectual purposes.
I am Hatonn. I am again with this instrument. We will attempt to communicate through this instrument upon this question.
The use of any outside or external stimulus has no appreciable effect upon your internal spirit. The center of the problem of which you speak is not the fact that these foreign substances do or do not transfer parts of your vibratory makeup into novel spaces. Various external influences have various effects. By the use of these, the type of awareness that may be achieved through meditation can be achieved. The difficulty, as we have said, lies in the fact that these substances are external, and do not come under the will of you, the individual who is seeking.
It may be acceptable therapeutic measure, to increase one's faith in the reality of the spiritual path, to experience such a state by means of such an outside stimulus. However, the use of internalizing effects, such as meditation and service, wherein your will makes its own contact with the Creator and the creation, is a far more realistic way of entering upon the spiritual path.
It is important in the extreme that you be living within yourself, at the center …
(Doorbell rings.)
I apologize for the difficulty. We may continue.
We were saying—in order that you may experience the reality of the Father's creation, it is important that you be able to achieve the awareness of that creation from within your own spirit. The use of outside agents simply puts you in places which you are not ready to comprehend or make use of. True seeking is inner seeking. To be able to give, it is best to refrain from taking. It is far better to achieve an awareness of the creation through meditation than through the use of any external agent.
There is not any more harm or acceptability for the use of any drug or material over any other. We have observed simply that they all lie outside the control of your inner self, and are therefore not a part of your spiritual world.
We are aware that this instrument is becoming fatigued. She is not used to this much control. Therefore, we would be privileged to speak using another instrument at a later time, if you will ask your question again.
May we answer you further?
(No further queries.)
I will leave you now, my friends. I am very pleased to be speaking through the new instruments. It is a great pleasure to my brother Laitos and to myself to be working with you and with your group. Blessings upon you. I leave you in the love and the light of our infinite Creator. I am Hatonn. Adonai.
Copyright © 2020 L/L Research


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Watch Completing Kaden Online
Season 2 Episodes:
Episode 2.14 - Twist of Fate Part 2
Part 2 of the Season 2 Finale.
Watch Online Views: 2,619
Episode 2.13 - Twist of Fate Part 1
Part 1 of the Season 2 Finale.
Watch Online Views: 2,491
Episode 2.12 - It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Willfield
Michelle's made up her mind, Joshua's moving, Shane's dad stops by, and there's a bit of anger between Leeann and Taylor. How will this small town of Willfield survive?
Watch Online Views: 2,036
Episode 2.11 - Locked and Loaded
Shane and Mikey become victims to senior pranks on the last day of school. Will they get rescued in time? Meanwhile, Michelle and Joshua seek help with what to do with issues concerning their fathers.
Watch Online Views: 2,074
Episode 2.10 - Finals 'n Farewells
Tragedy hits Lawrence High School during the last week of school, leaving students hurt and asking questions. How will the students respond? Teachers also present students with finals.
Watch Online Views: 2,087
Episode 2.9 - Girls ask the Guys
Taylor is upset with Kaden for not trusting her just in time for the Sadie Hawkins Dance. Will they be able to work out their differences? During school, Michelle gets an important letter from her dad.
Watch Online Views: 2,147
Episode 2.8 - Snorting in the Boys' Room
Conner's fight against his addictions is challenged when he confronts another student. Will he be able to stand strong? James becomes the school's new hall monitor.
Watch Online Views: 2,513
Episode 2.7 - Invisible Friends
No one can find Shane and both his mom and Kaden are worried. Will they be able to find him? James is asked to run an errand for Radisson.
Watch Online Views: 2,446
Episode 2.6 - Walking on Egg Shells
Kaden and Shane are given a difficult assignment for school and need James' help. Will they finish or end up with a mess of eggs? Family problems strike Shane in the midst of everything.
Watch Online Views: 2,184
Episode 2.5 - Uncontrollable Ends
It's the anniversary of the death of Joshua's mom. How will this affect him and his father? Meanwhile, Kaden battles I.B.S.
Watch Online Views: 214
Episode 2.4 - Welcome Home...or Not
Brad and Christi both come back to Willfield. How will everyone respond to their homecoming? As the search for a job continues, James reunites lost pets with their families.
Watch Online Views: 2,317
Episode 2.3 - Going Up and Out
Shane learns that the state has found a new home for the twins, how will he take the news? Meanwhile, James gets a new job.
Watch Online Views: 2,273
Episode 2.2 - May I Help You?
Kaden is forced to find a job. Will it be a major failure, or a huge success story? Shane and Conner also enjoy their new jobs.
Watch Online Views: 2,049
Episode 2.1 - Season Premiere (New Beginnings)
After the events at the end of last season, much change is occuring in Willfield. Will the students at Lawrence High School view change as a burden, or a time to start over? Meanwhile, James begins his search for a job...the start of his career.
Watch Online Views: 2,382
Season 1 Episodes :
Episode 12 (Season Finale)
The most intense, suspensful episode yet...continuing from where Episode 11 left off.
Watch Online Views: 2,518
Episode 4 (Rumors)
It's amazing how a simple school project can turn into a huge misunderstanding.
Watch Online Views: 2,475
Episode 1 (Pilot)
Episode 1 is here. Series pilot of Completing Kaden.
What Is A Real Man?
Watch the Completing Kaden trailer!
Watch Online Views: 3,341
Meet Shane
Who's Shane? Find out. Music by Todd Agnew.
Watch Online Views: 2,234
Meet Kaden
Who's Kaden? Find out. Music by Kwench.
Watch Online Views: 2,315
See this new Completing Kaden teaser!
Watch Online Views: 14,248
Teaser (w/ Captions)
See this Completing Kaden teaser with captions for hearing impaired.
Watch Online Views: 1,983
Persecution Welcome (Sept., 2005)
Sit back and watch as Kaden welcomes you to Willfield, Missouri and introduces you to his friends.
View Episode Views: 1,983
Teaser Episode (Oct., 2004)
In this teaser episode, you'll briefly see a sample of what Persecution will be like. Kaden is invited to a party and ends up in a bit of a jam.
View Episode Views: 4,790
Shane's Paper Ball (Oct., 2004)
Just a bit of comedy thrown in for you. See Brad take out his anger on Shane...with a wad of paper?
View Episode Views: 3,154


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Keto Pull Apart Broccoli, Sundried Tomato and Cheddar Scones
[keto] [glutenfree] [dairyfree] [*eggfree with chia egg]
These Keto Pull Apart Scones can double as a Savoury Biscuit (American style).. I'm very impressed with them and they are mostly made with Broccoli!!! Incredible!!!
- 150g almond flour
- 150g bioheese/nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese (your choice)
- 150g small dice sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large Broccoli head, blitzed in Thermomix/Food Processor (4 cups)
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- Preheat your Oven.
- Add your Wet ingredients into the Dry ingredients.
- Mix well until thoroughly combined.
- To make pull-apart, use a scoop to form your scones.
- Place your scones around into your chosen (ovenproof) pan.
- Cook in the oven for 45 mins on 180C fan.
- Makes 10 1/2C scoops
Here's my Food Processor (thermomix)
And here's the shredded broccoli…
Here are the ingredients all gathered in the bowl..
with a note – you can substitute biocheese for nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese..
Before going into the oven… garnish…
And then after the baking… the yummy toastiness 🙂
Stores well in an airtight container in the fridge and you can lightly reheat to serve if you want.
Hashtag Me #MartineInTheKitchen
If you try this recipe let me know how it goes and dont forget to tag #martineinthekitchen on Instagram so we can see what you come up with.. Have Fun with it 🙂
Here is a Dairy Free Keto yummy Savoury Bread recipe that is versatile enough to use for a variety of meals!
and if you need a quick Soup then this Creamy Mushroom Soup packs stack of flavour 🙂 🙌🏻
Find Your Happy
Have the ULTIMATE
Self Care Week!
Get Refreshed, Revived and Relaxed and start to feel so much better about yourself with this 7-Day Self Care Guide xxx


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Roasted garlic parmesan summer vegetables are roasted in olive oil, flavorful seasonings, and parmesan cheese. Perfect for a side dish to dinner or a light lunch. Put all that beautiful summer produce to good use with this!
Do you have a garden? We used to when we first moved into our current house. We actually did really well at it for about 2 years and now that said garden is currently housing a new tree we planted in the backyard 🙂
No more garden for us.... which I am kind of totally fine with because I hated weeding that thing. Our house backs up to a big open field with lots of wooded area so we were always getting little critters that would come and eat it all anyways.
One of my very favorite things about summer is all the beautiful produce to choose from. Zucchini and squash happen to be two of my very favorites. There are so many ways to prepare them that it never gets boring.
I love the idea of roasting the veggies because they get all the flavor infused to them and they get those crispy charred edges. Oh my, that is my very favorite part of roasting vegetables.
These are really simple to make too. Slice a zucchini and squash and then cut some small Campari tomatoes (or another small tomato). Lay them onto a cookie sheet. Be sure and not to overlap. If you do, you could end up with soggy vegetables that don't get that crispy char on them. And that would be just be sad.
Drizzle some olive oil mixed with seasonings, then sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and then roast them in the oven. When they come out sprinkle on some chopped parsley.
I always just use the cheaper grated parmesan cheese that comes in the can. You can use freshly shredded if you want to but I actually prefer the taste of the grated stuff. It has a saltier flavor to it that I love.
For easy clean up be sure and line your cookie sheet with some parchment paper. I cheat a little and get those pre-cut sheets ---> which happens to be my very favorite product in my kitchen. You can find them with the tin foil, plastic wrap, etc. They are a huge lifesaver cause they already come precut so you just put one on the pan and go.
Put that summer produce to good use and make these roasted veggies. I love making them for lunch! If you're wanting more healthy side dishes try out these parmesan roasted potatoes, roasted maple cinnamon sweet potatoes, or 10-minute honey butter skillet corn.
Roasted garlic parmesan summer vegetables are roasted in olive oil, flavorful seasonings, and parmesan cheese. Perfect for a side dish to dinner or a light lunch. Put all that beautiful summer produce to good use with this!
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2" slices
- 1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2" slices
- 1 container (14 oz) Campari tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- chopped parsley for garnish, optional
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed cookie sheet (12"x17") by lining with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Arrange sliced veggies onto the cookie sheet in a single layer.
- In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over the veggies making sure they are coated.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the vegetables.
- Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
- To add some color to the veggies and crisp them a bit place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes after the cook time. Watch carefully because they will burn very easily.
Campari tomatoes are small tomatoes that can be found by the packaged tomatoes in the produce section. If you can't find them, just substitute cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or another small tomato.
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Chapter 10- Country bumpkin meets City
Rancer's POV
Wintermoor city. Although it may be a minor city, I am told by Grandpa Dugo that there is quite a population of people in this city. It may be called as a minor city but Wintermoor has a reputation and prestige rivaling the other major cities in the human continent. This mainly because Wintermoor is the only place that creates these limited merchandise for their climate and temperature is suitable for them. Therefore, many trade route are established and created for this purpose. Economically, Wintermoor may have been one of the top cities in generating revenue for the country but sadly, the environmental condition is too harsh for normal people or even the first realm level cultivators for the temperature may be extremely cold for others but since I have reached the third realm, such cold can hardly do anything. For Jeslyn, I can see that she is slightly cold. Once in a while, I will give her a piece of Scarlet Blaze Grass to chew on. The juice should provide her sufficient heat for at least three hours.
It is then I stumble across a group of Aqua Quartz Mushroom Continue reading "Chapter 10- Country bumpkin meets City"


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Who We Are
Executive Director
Founder of AI, and inspiration for everything we do. We love you Rick, and can't wait till you come home.
Melissa (a.k.a. Missy)
Rick's sister. New grandmother. Can usually be found underneath an avalanche of mail.
Barb (a.k.a. Mom)
Researcher, Board Member, and Cheerleader since 2014
Leah (a.k.a. Dove)
Adopter, Volunteer, and Board Member since December 2015
Loves purple.
Volunteer & Board Member since November 2015
I was able to get involved with AI through the luck of Craigslist. My passion is working with populations that are so often forgotten. On the daily, I work as a case manager for ShelterCare assisting individuals suffering from mental illness. I enjoy what I do and love that I get to do AI on the side. Most of my job consists of inputting mail from inmates that comes in from all over the country. As I go through about 100 pieces of mail (or more) a week, I am often inspired by the stories I get to read and the pictures that grace my presence. I see real people, with real lives, who made bad decisions or got the short end of the stick. I see it as a privilege to do this job and help Melissa achieve her goals. Processing mail from prisoners is more than a task to me, it's a way to help others achieve human connection that they so desperately need.
A small army of angels
AI is filled with gratitude for all of our adopters and volunteers, both local and remote, who provide support and community to the AI family. We simply could not do this work without them.
Lead box warmer
And Boo
Mail flinger and assistant box-warmer


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I have been reading twice in the past 12 hours about healing coals on your enemy's head.
And God whispered a revelation deep within that I cannot rest until I share.
I know He is my Deliverer & Protector, He shields me & sings over me 24/7.
That does not mean the enemy will not try to take a pot shot.
It does mean I can send those of us he uses off with better than they give me.
I can choose to send them off with forgiveness, because this glory is living inside of me, this living ember of Presence constantly firing within.
Imagine hurting someone and being sent off with a kind word, smile of forgiveness, loving kindness offered despite offense.
That's the kind of heaping coals I want to pass on to my enemies, and those who hurt me, each and every time.
Heap His love on them in such a way that it burns into their minds. and leads them to seek Him with their hearts.
For many of us need our minds to wrestle down what we cannot fully grasp before we will open our hearts to asking why.
Ask Him to help you heap the right words of Love onto the next person who hurts you.
Whether they are your family or friend, boss or coworker, acquaintance or stranger, He loves them.
As much as He loves you and I.
All the way to the cross.
Imagine the chance as we choose to respond with love instead of offense, with love instead of rebuke, with love instead of judgment.
That the pulse of His love would cause us to live & move & breathe in His Presence in such a way that those encountering us long for Who we've got.
Let's spark a Love revolution about us which will catch on like wildfire as Holy Spirit flames it into revival, right wherever you are!
May the Love song burning within His heart catch fire as we heap Love upon one another.
Note: image found on Twitter, original owner unknown.


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Visiting Patients
Lutheran Hospital has open visiting hours. However, a patient's health may require nurses to limit visitors on occasion. Please review the details below, as well as posted signs outside units, and ask staff about any special circumstances.
Quiet hours are observed daily from 2:30-4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.-7 a.m. During this time, the lights are dimmed and noise is kept to a minimum to help patients rest.
- The number of visitors may be limited based on a patient's condition or location. Please ask when you arrive on the unit.
- Units caring for seriously ill patients may have age restrictions for visitors.
- All visitors must wash their hands before and after visiting a patient.
- Anyone with symptoms of a cold or other illness should not visit.
- Children must be supervised at all times.
- Shoes must be worn at all times.
- Visitors may be asked to move to a waiting area. If this occurs, it is for the immediate well-being of the patient.
- Smoking, as well as the use of e-cigarettes, vaping devices and other similar products, is not permitted in the facility or on the Lutheran Hospital campus.
- Firearms, weapons, alcohol and illegal drugs are prohibited on hospital premises.
- Lutheran Hospital reserves the right to remove any person from the premises if dangerous, disruptive or otherwise unacceptable behavior is displayed.
Food & Beverages
Please check with a nurse before bringing any food or drink to a patient. Many patients are on restricted diets, which may be necessary for tests and procedures.
Balloons, fresh flowers and plants
Latex balloons are not allowed inside the hospital due to common latex allergies. Mylar balloons are permitted. In addition, some patients can't receive fresh fruit, flowers or live plants. Ask a staff member before delivering any of these items to a patient.
Cell Phones and Smart Phones are:
- Permitted in waiting rooms and general patient care areas
- Prohibited in critical care areas
- Prohibited within three feet of any medical equipment
Please set your phone to mute/vibrate while visiting the hospital. Use lounges and common areas for telephone conversations, rather than talking in the hallway outside a patient's room.
Free Valet Parking is available Monday through Friday at three different locations on the Lutheran Hospital campus.
|Main lobby entrance at the front circle drive
|7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(already parked vehicles will also be retrieved here until 8 p.m.)
|South lobby entrance at the south circle drive
|7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|Lutheran Heart Pavilion entrance
|8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
After valet closes, keys are available at the security desk, located in the emergency department.
To reach the security department at Lutheran Hospital, call (260) 435-7265.


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03 Feb 2015
06:30 PM to 09:30 PM
2015 is likely to spell a year of change, challenges and opportunities for many companies. The expected launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) could be a game changer in how capital, labour, goods and services move to and around the region. Challenges for business operations are also growing, including continuing changes in accounting standards, greater demands on financial reporting obligations, mega trends in technology and analytics, as well as aging societies. How best can companies operating in Singapore and Asia capitalise on the current trends for a better competitive edge?CPA Australia and the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) are pleased to present a series of dinner talks for the first half of 2015. Our experts will share insights on regulatory changes and industry trends to help you improve your business management skills. You also get the opportunity to establish and strengthen your professional networks.
CPE Topic
Singapore Economic Outlook 20152 CPE HoursCategory: Others
6 Jan 2015Tuesday
Companies Act Update1.5 CPE HoursCategory: Others
3 Feb 2015Tuesday
Singapore Budget 2015 Highlights2 CPE HoursCategory: Others
3 Mar 2015Tuesday
Accounting Standards Update1.5 CPE HoursCategory: 1
7 Apr 2015Tuesday
ACRA Financial Reporting Surveillance Programme1.5 CPE HoursCategory: Others
6 May 2015*Wednesday
(*Due to venue unavailability, the talk is scheduled on Wednesday )
Data Analytics1.5 CPE HoursCategory: Others
2 Jun 2015Tuesday
Please note that Letters of Attendance (with CPE hours) will only be issued (manually) after the 6th Dinner Talk in June 2015, subject to participants meeting both Payment and Attendance requirements.
Member: $510.00 (after GST)Non-Member: $570.00 (after GST)
Conrad Centennial Singapore The Ballroom, Level 22 Temasek BoulevardSingapore 038982 For map/direction, please click here.
1 week before course commencement or until full enrolment.


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Exploring Capitol Reef's Waterpocket Fold
Posted in: Outdoor adventures on March 26, 2011.
Capitol Reef is one of the best national parks in Utah, but those who come to visit usually stay in the upper region near the main highway. To get a unique perspective of the area, you should head to the lower portion of Capitol Reef. This area is known as the Waterpocket Fold.
Waterpocket Fold is a geological landform that was caused by tectonic plate movement and the erosion of an ancient body of water. Throughout the ages, water and wind have formed canyons and monoliths in the plateau. The Waterpocket Fold stretches over 100 miles, defining Utah's central desert. Driving along the road that follows the land, you get an overwhelming sense of the vastness of the desert.
To access the Waterpocket Fold, you first drive through Capitol Reef on Highway 12. At the end of the park, there is a little town called Notom. The road through Notom will take you south into the Waterpocket Fold. If you like to hike, there are various canyons, narrows, arches, and bridges in the region to explore. We personally recommend Upper and Lower Mulley Twist, and Brimhall Bridges. But all of the trails make excellent hikes. A complete map of the trails is available at the Visitor Center.
Capitol Reef provides visitors with free reign in the park, which means you don't have to stay on the designated routes. As long as you don't deface or remove anything from the park, you are free to explore. However, if you plan on spending more than one day in the Waterpocket Fold back country, you must notify the park staff. That way, if you don't show up on time, search and rescue teams can be alerted. A final note, be advised that the Waterpocket Fold gets extremely hot and dry in the summer. The early spring is the best time visit. Be sure to take lots of water with you.
The Waterpocket Fold is simply beautiful. The wildflowers and native grasses complement the earthen tones of the desert. The area is part of the only wild American Bison territory in the state. The diversity of life and the drama of the landscape combine to form a unique experience. It is well worth your time to visit the Waterpocket Fold.


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Life as a Volunteer... So Far
- I arrived in Bali January 14th after more than 36 hours of traveling with layovers in London and Singapore. After some initial confusion regarding what flight I was arriving on I was happily greeted at the airport by fellow volunteers Sarah (from Netherlands) and Pam (from Canada). I moved into a shared house with two other volunteers, Charles (from Uganda) and Nancy (from Kenya), I also met Jack and Richard (also both from Kenya). Charles, Nancy and I spent the next three weeks living at our house in Sanur and navigating the crowded narrow streets of Bali each morning on bicycle to the VSO Office in Renon. Those first three weeks seem like a blur now as we got a crash course on VSO programmes, reporting, finance, culture. A large amount of our time was also spent taking language lessons with our teacher Daniel from Cinta Bahasa. Surprisingly, I actually really enjoyed language lessons though by the end of our two weeks I had definitely hit a wall with my learning. Most afternoons were spent shopping for produce for dinner, quick swims at the beach in Sanur or exploring the narrow lanes around our house. I loved Bali (or atleast what I saw of it). Each day riding home I would encounter a new ceremony or celebration. The traditional dress and daily offerings are beyond beautiful and the whole place smells of jasmine each day. I can't wait to go back and explore this place more.
- February 4th we all boarded a plane for Ende. For the first week I was staying at Puskopdtit (the local credit union training centre) and enjoying such luxuries as air conditioning and prepared meals. During that first week VSO hosted an Employer's Workshop where we got to meet our partner organizations and discuss our hopes and fears, and objectives for our placements. I spent the rest of the week being shown around by my partner and looking at various accommodation options. I finally settled on a kos located near one of my offices.
- So far life is good. Simple but good.
|Arrival in Ende!
|Our first tour around Ende. Richard and Morris clearly excited about our arrival.
|Employer's Workshop
|The view from Puskoptit where we stayed for our first week in Ende.
|Exploring the night market and beaches with Hesti and Yuli from VSO
Want to know more about my life here in Ende or my work? Post your questions in the comment section!


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Preview The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Milton-Keynes.gov.ukShow Display Options
Milton Keynes Council
Regulates health and adult social care services in England, whether they're provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organisations. Also protects the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act.
NOTE: The council is not responsible for any information contained on external web sites.


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Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke says the Redskins are protected by free speech
Civil rights activists are hailing the recent decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel six trademarks belonging to the Washington Redskins. The agency ruled the trademarks are offensive to Native Americans. But the ruling doesn't mean anything. In fact, the decision will be overturned on appeal like it was 16 years ago when the Redskins' trademark was similarly canceled.
Besides, there are thousands of trademark names that could be considered offensive, and the patent office is not doing anything to cancel those. For instance, the office could cancel Augusta National, which has a history of discriminating against women and African-Americans.
The Cleveland Indians should also lose trademark protection for their cartoon logo of a red-faced Native American with a wide smile showing off big teeth. Or how about canceling the trademarks for Aunt Jemima, Hooters, and Oreo? I'm sure black women, college girls, and children of interracial marriages might find those names just as offensive as "Redskins."
Truth is, the patent office is just caving to public pressure surrounding the controversy over the team's name and logo. Team owner Daniel Snyder is facing mounting criticism to ditch the term "Redskins" because it is considered a slur against Native Americans.
In May, 49 senators, including majority leader Harry Reid, signed a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saying that the "team is on the wrong side of history" and that he should endorse a name change. A week later, a coalition of 77 tribal, civil rights, and religious groups, including the National Congress of American Indians and the NAACP, signed a letter urging players to campaign to change the team's mascot.
The patent office's ruling doesn't force Washington to change its name, though. It does hinder the team's ability to protect its rights against unlicensed merchandisers. It allows anyone to sell Redskins products and memorabilia without permission from Snyder or the NFL.
But Snyder has history on his side.
The patent office's trial and appeals board rescinded the team's trademark protections in a 1999 ruling that was part of a case filed in 1993. A federal court overturned that decision in 2003, saying there was no proof the name was disparaging at the time of trademark registrations in 1967 and 1990.
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Redskins attorneys say the current case is no different. They're probably right.
Follow Luke on Twitter: @unclelukereal1 and @unclelukesempir.
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Focus on: Caroline Rush, CEO of British Fashion Council
Under the tenure of Caroline Rush, London Fashion Week has roared ahead in social media, sponsorship and mentoring
Now, if there is one person, the Queen of England will certainly not be listening to when it comes to handing out honors, it is surely an Irish fashionista like your humble servant and editor of this magazine. However, if anyone in London fashion deserves recognition it is most definitely Caroline Rush, the CEO of the British Fashion Council, which oversees London Fashion Week. She is a barnstorming tour de force that has helped grow the UK season from a series of small potatoes shows a decade ago to the premier season in the world in terms of discovering new talent.
Under her tenure, London has roared ahead in social media, sponsorship and mentoring. Plus, the UK capital has developed Europe's largest fashion awards ceremony, overshadowing anything in Milan or Paris. Now, everyone is looking towards Rush, the leading fashion week organizer in the industry today. Rush, however, is refreshingly modest about her achievements – notably the groundbreaking awards.
Now, everyone is looking towards Rush, the leading fashion week organizer in the industry today
"We've been gradually building our awards over the last eight years, but in the last three years particularly. We've hosted them at the London Coliseum, the residence of the English National Opera, which is absolutely beautiful. We focus on having more international awards because we see a real opportunity to become the international award ceremony for our industry," says the CEO. Demand for tickets is so high, she is even moving the ceremony to the larger Royal Albert Hall in December.
"Up until now the award was known as the British Fashion Awards but we decided to drop the British. Although we will of course be championing the emerging British brands, we want to be more balanced with additional international awards. We are thinking more inclusively about the industry," she insisted, when we met, over coffee during LCM, London Collections Men, earlier this summer.
She does not see any rivalry with the Anna Wintour driven CFDA awards in NYC. "Anna has always been really supportive and of course has been part of the last few awards – either receiving awards or giving them. She's very much involved," argues Rush.
No fashion week has built as many connections with major sponsors as London.
Next edition, the BFC hopes to link up with Naver in South Korea, the equivalent to Google there, which has unbelievable reach into China also. There, the focus will be more on mobile phones rather than traditionally on TV. In Europe, BFC will be a mix of online and TV. Last December, the BFC linked up with E! channel. That was very much a red carpet focus with some awards contents and behind the scene stories. Ideal, as Rush wants to build an international awards ceremony. By selling tables, boxes and tickets she plans to raise up to ten million Sterling over the next ten years for scholarships and apprenticeships.
Caroline Rush: "Tourism is key to us."
No fashion week has built as many connections with major sponsors as London. The BFC has a designated sponsorship team, and a relationship with IMG for global deals with the likes of Mercedes and DHL. Where a visitor to Paris is rarely aware of the fashion week taking place all around town, London is festooned with banners, video screens and posters keeping the whole city informed. "Tourism is key to us. We have partnerships with Visit London. We work with Visit Britain and with our government through their great campaigns. They have various different channels into markets through embassies," she notes.
Most of the sponsorships are highly bespoke, as Rush believes no sponsor just wants their logo on something – they want a true partnership that delivers return. Headquartered in Somerset House, the British Fashion Council has a staff of 50 – the largest of any fashion authority worldwide. Moreover, its budget of 13 million Sterling is twice as large as its nearest rival – and growing. When Rush came on board seven years ago, it was just four million Sterling.
London was the first to live stream the shows to its central venue at Somerset house for fashion week – groundbreaking at the time
It has not all been plain sailing. After a rapid start years ago, London Collections Men more or less stalled this year with far fewer shows and no runway event by Burberry, the country's one global luxury brand. However, Rush insists that the actual number of buyers and press was up on comparison to a year ago. Rush has also been very busy with mentoring, where London – again – leads other fashion weeks in terms of innovation and investment.
"I think a good example is the GQ menswear fund that Craig Green won. So, we go out to sponsors, in this case it's Virgin, who very kindly have given us 150,000 pounds, which will go to Craig. It's a very generous prize. It's the third year that they've done it. Previously Patrick Grant and Christopher Shannon have won that prize. And then what we do is, we sit down with Craig. He has to pitch his business plan as part of winning the cash so we already know the areas that he's looking to invest that money into, and we work with him on the areas where maybe being a small business you don't have the expertise within the organi- zation. It's a bit like a sponsorship where we bring together a bespoke team to work with each designer to develop their skills," she explains.
And in terms of social media, London has left its rival capitals far behind. London was the first to live stream the shows to its central venue at Somerset house for fashion week – groundbreaking at the time. It marked the first time, the outside world really had the opportunity to come and see what happens in real time inside the show venues. Since then, the explosion in social media means you have everyone from the hair and make-up artists blogging backstage to the models, to editors in the front row to the people arriving outside doing the street styles.
"I think, this has got designers to really think differently about their business models because they are seeing that they have this engaged fan base that is giving them feedback so what they are really doing is figuring out how they can connect that to commerce. Of course, the bigger brands are doing this, too. What this enabled the designers to do is to think really early about getting into e-commerce because they have a channel to market and know that they have a fan base that's interested," she says.
Prince Charles even hosted a cocktail party for the debut of LCM.
Rush sees London far more embedded with technology with a whole community that is permanently on their phones, on Instagram, Snapchat or whatever else there will be. Throughout the city, one can spy runway shows, look backstage and see designers talking about their ideas on atscreens. LFW even has access to a giant screen in London's noisiest capital, Piccadilly Circus.
Our UK cousins also invite far more foreign editors and buyers, and provide up to 50 chauffeurs driving Mercedeses to ferry them all to shows and presentations. Plus, the British roll out a far bigger red carpet to influential visitors. This author has been invited to Number 10 Downing Street on three separate occasions, when Samantha Cameron has hosted soirees mingling major editors, buyers, designers, CEOs and even some weird Asian gentlemanly bloggers – two of them wearing dresses. Prince Charles even hosted a cocktail party for the debut of LCM.
"I think the creative community, particularly the fashion eld, is very much connected to Europe."
Glasgow-raised, this Scots lady moved to London when she was 22, and has never looked back. Rush began her career in financial PR, running her own little agency with a friend and working for clients that they liked and one of those was the British Fashion Council. We met just two weeks before Brexit and like most fashionistas she was adamantly against leaving Europe.
"I think the creative community, particularly the fashion eld, is very much connected to Europe. All of the talent in terms of seamstresses comes from Europe: CEOs, merchandisers and not just designers. There's a lot of free movement of people and business talent that goes between the European countries where you don't need to worry about working borders. We also see when you send deliveries to China or the US, they often get stuck in customs and you don't have control over that. In Europe, they are there the next day and you don't have a problem. I think it's just so easy to trade with Europe, so I think there's a big concern that if we are out, we will become isolated and that becomes a challenge," she opined.
Unfortunately, we all know only too well what happened. And with Sam Cam now out of Number 10, who knows whether we shall see the inside again.
This article first appeared in Achtung issue 32, September 2016