text:
The Stampin' Santa gave to you a really fun Candy Gift Box.
So I saw this idea on my friend Patty's blog and just had to try it. It's made with our thick window sheets. I simply cut out the box using our fancy favor's box die and my Big Shot. Then I I embossed it with the Petals-A-Plenty Impressions Folder from the Holiday Mini.
The only trick is you need to cut your box now too 11″ instead of 12″. Then you can emboss from each end (you roll it through twice.)
Can I just say I love my Big Shot. Remember there are lots of great dies on sale right now. Even if you don't have the Big Shot yet. You could start getting your dies and have all the cute ones when you get your Big Shot. You could even use my Lay-a-Way program.
To order call me at 435-245-5321 (Home) or 435-232-2655 (Cell & Messages.) E-mail me at email@example.com. Order on-line at www.candiceanderson.stampinup.net. Click on the shop now in the upper right hand corner.
Remember to check out my 12 Days of Christmas sale for all the great deals. Plus the 12 Days of Holiday Sale that Stampin' Up! is offering on fun dies for the Big Shot.
Have a Happy Holiday!


text:
#LSN_Outdoors North Country Trail Association clearing Kek and Snowbank Trails
DULUTH, MINNESOTA --- October 2, 2017 (LSN) In honor of National Public Lands Day, tomorrow, Superior National Forest managers want to recognize the immense contribution that volunteers make year-round on the Forest and we want to take this opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments that their efforts make possible.
In 2016, on the Superior National Forest, more than 300 people volunteered a total of nearly 40,000 hours.
Trail projects inside and outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness generated approximately half of that volunteer engagement. This work continued into 2017 with volunteers clearing debris, repairing boardwalks, installing erosion control, grooming trails, and monitoring use.
While there is a particularly high level of interest and a high level of need for ongoing trail improvement and maintenance, a wide variety of additional volunteer opportunities are available across the Forest throughout the year, including:
Who can volunteer? Anyone can volunteer - schools, churches, community organizations, families, friends groups, businesses, or any other group. Minors need parental consent. Some volunteer work may be physically challenging while other may simply require a bit of time in an office setting. Even international visitors can volunteer. A young couple traveled from their home in Germany to volunteer on the Superior National Forest for their second season this summer.
Why volunteer? Volunteers note many reasons for volunteering on the Forest, including an opportunity to visit new places and learn new skills, learn about natural and cultural conservation, meet new people and form friendships with people having common values. Most volunteers express the view that public lands belong to everyone and everyone can have a role in helping to sustain these natural resources for future generations as well as for enjoyment today. Some volunteers earn an America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass and may be recognized nationally or locally.
How can you volunteer? It is important to understand that any volunteer work must be coordinated with the local Ranger District office. Usually, an agreement is developed that describes the project and responsibilities of the agency and the volunteers. Safety of volunteers is a priority. The Forest Service will work with volunteers to match interests and skills to appropriate projects that provide a meaningful experience while addressing Forest priorities that fulfill the mission of the Forest Service. Projects can range from a single day to a long-term undertaking lasting for several months.
Where can you volunteer? Forest managers may put out a call for help via different avenues. Sometimes, people approach us with an idea for a project. People often volunteer to work on projects that align with an activity that they personally enjoy. A majority of volunteers come to the Forest through partners or programs.
Several organizations work with the Forest Service to help direct people to volunteer opportunities on the Forest. These include, but are not limited to:
In addition to the above partners, people interested in volunteering in a specific area of the Superior National Forest will find contact information on our website at: www.fs.usda.gov/main/superior/workingtogether/volunteering
They may 'Like' us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to receive notices regarding the latest news and volunteer opportunities on the Forest.
The Forest has a long history of working with volunteers to accomplish important projects on the national forests. Volunteer work adds to, and compliments, the work of Forest Service employees. Employees are then able to focus time in places that need their attention. When volunteers help improve or maintain resources on the Forest, not only are they helping the Forest Service; their effort on public lands is a gift to all citizens.
To all Forest volunteers: Thank you to each and every person who has volunteered on the Superior National Forest or are planning to volunteer in the future. Thank you for your assistance and your stewardship service to current and future generations.
To Forest visitors: Next time you come to the Superior National Forest to visit your favorite campground, hike your favorite trail, or approach your favorite BWCAW entry, know that you very likely are benefiting from the contributions of volunteers.
Group associated with Kekekabic Chapter of the North Country Trail Association taking a break from work clearing Kek and Snowbank Trails hit hard with blowdown from wind storms summer of 2016, credit: Derrick Passe

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Blog post by Helen Vines, Social Enterprise advisor at Cosmic which are a Delivery Partner of the Enhance Social Enterprise Programme.
Thanks to Sir David, Hugh and Anita and other high-profile figures, climate change and plastic waste is finally rising up our collective consciousness. What can we be doing to take action, especially when we're dashing about, juggling work and play, and now the summer holidays are upon us? Reduce, Re-use and Recycle is a great mantra to be incorporating into our lives. There are so many great choices we can now make to maximise the positive difference we all need to make.
So you've packed your bags and are heading off for your break with all the essentials, including your phone. How to while away the spare hours on a train, in a car, at the airport? Here are some quick wins to help you with your environmental credentials, and make simple swaps which can save you money, and the planet's resources.
1 Download https://refill.org.uk and easily find the nearest place to reuse your water bottle, reducing single use plastic waste.
2 Change your web browser to https://www.Ecosia.org/ For every 45 searches Ecosia pledge to plant a tree. 80% of Ecosia's surplus is used to plant trees. You can track progress on their app.
3 Search for the best deals and switch to a renewable energy provider via: https://www.simplyswitch.com/. Save money and reduce your use of fossil fuels. https://www.uswitch.com offers the same services.
4 Start measuring your own carbon footprint and explore ways to offset the energy you're using with Eco Buddy www.ecobuddyapp.com. Oroeco does something similar www.oroeco.com.
5 Download https://www.paperkarma.com/ and when you get back from your holidays you can simply take a photo of any catalogues or unwanted junk mail in the heap behind the front door and PaperKarma will do the rest, unsubscribing you from any unwanted mail, reducing paper waste and plastic packaging. Genius!
There are so many apps out there – we have little excuse not to try a make a difference, even on the go. Do let us know any other that you know of – and have a great summer break.
PS. Disclaimer – mentioning these apps does not constitute an endorsement.
The Heart of the South West Enhance Social Enterprise Programme is receiving funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.


text:
I have bought 972,045,102 Google ads, produced 5,386,091 visitors & booked 110,515 transactions (leads & sales) with Google Adwords.
Archive for the 'Google Adwords' Category
A Google AdWords Account Performance UpdateMay 8, 2012
Doesn't Spelling Matter?January 21, 2011
I was looking for some hotel information and saw the following AdWords ad with either the misspelling or typo "3th Night Free".
Whatever you want to call it, I am pretty sure the Rosewood Hotels Luxury Five Star Hotels and Resorts brand wouldn't necessarily look highly upon misspellings and or typos being used in their corporate messaging.
Or wood they?
Cleaning Up Google Accounts!January 3, 2011
With over 1,000 websites to manage, keeping track of all the action can at time be overwhelming.
Such is particularly the case when trying to manage Google account access ie., Google Analytics, Google Adwords and the myriad other Google account services.
I did learn something today however – you can't delete a Google Analytics account if its attached to an Adwords account.
Ideally I should be able to consolidate all of my Google Analytics accounts into one account, however doing so doesn't look possible.
Any ideas how to get all of your Google Analytics accounts into one account?
Product Marketing SimplifiedOctober 22, 2010
Got a problem trying to market and sell a product or products?
I have found a relatively easy way to bring to clarity to your situation.
Well actually Google has.
Take your product and set up an Adwords campaign for it.
At the end of the AdWords campaign creation process, you will have distilled most if not all of the attributes needed for actually selling your product to people whether they are online or off.
Writing an ad for your product is the first step.
Go ahead… I challenge you.
Write an AdWords ad for any product and see if at the end of the process you don't understand your product and market at an entirely different level – the requisite level required for generating sales.
Google Adwords Report Center RetiringJune 22, 2010
From the Inside Adwords blog:
The Report Center is full of helpful data, but effective campaign management needs to combine insights and control. That's why we've moved a number of reports from the Report Center directly into the Campaigns tab.
Now you can use AdWords to see the search terms and automatic placements where your ads appeared, segment your data by things like keyword match type and day of week, and email and schedule downloads of the data you want to share. You can do it all on the same pages where you manage your campaigns, making finding key performance drivers (and acting on your discoveries) faster and easier.
With so much useful data available within the Campaigns tab, the AdWords Report Center is no longer the best place to find new reports. So, in order to build the most useful reporting tools possible, we plan to gradually move the existing reports from the Report Center into the Campaigns tab, then retire the Report Center entirely.
Google Adwords Certification ProgramMay 11, 2010
Google recently revamped their Adwords qualification program requirements for both individuals and companies.
Their new qualification process is bundled under the Google Certification Program.
In order for a company to become qualified an individual associated with the company must have first passed two exams – the Advertising Fundamentals Exam and one advanced-level exam.
I was one of the first individuals worldwide to pass the original Adwords Qualified Individual exam years ago.
Because my company appears to meet the new qualifications for becoming a Google Certified Partner, I plan to go through the certification process – again.
Google Adwords: Three Steps To Keyword SuccessApril 23, 2010
Learn how to choose and review keywords in a Google Adwords account with these three simple steps to keyword success.
How To Run A Report In Google AdwordsApril 11, 2010
In this video learn how to create, customize, and save reports in the Google AdWords Report Center.
Site And Category Exclusion Tools In Google AdwordsApril 10, 2010
In this video learn how Google Adwords Site and Category Exclusion tools can be used to refine placements on the Google Content Network to improve campaign performance based on advertising goals.


text:
Not all countries have their own national gemstone. China is known for its Chinese jade, Australia has its own Australia opal, the Czech Republic has the Czech garnets, Columbia – the Columbian emerald, the Baltic countries have their renowned amber, Iran and USA – the turquoise. This story is about the Macedonian Ruby, the national gemstone of Macedonia
For years we've been wondering: whether other people find it unusual when they hear somebody called by the name of Rubin or Rubincho in the Prilep region. Even today we are uncertain whether that's just our own impression. But, this time we have a theory. This story is about the ravishing world of the crystals and jewels of Macedonia – the Macedonian ruby.
We've known Deko for years, from the times when he was only known as a musician, member of some of the most interesting rock and roll bands in Macedonia, before he left for Italy in 1991, before the war in former Yugoslavia. We recognized him as a keyboard player, guitarist and one of the greatest creative sources of cult Macedonian bands "Badmingtons" and "Kleržo" – a kind of Macedonian Ray Manzarek, John Lord and Dave Greenfield. A musician with restless spirit, who knew how to inspire us, to calm our youthful rebellion and to direct it to something creative and constructive. All you had to do is go and see his bands' performances and have the chance to talk to him in places where you hang out.
Years went by. We knew that Deko was in Trieste, Italy but we had no idea what he did there and whether we'll ever see him again. But it happened. We heard the rumor that Deko is back in town. We soon heard him on the radio. We learned that during his stay in Trieste he worked something that he couldn't imagine he'll ever do – he discovered the power of crystals. Very soon he was widely recognized by the people around as the great lover of "stones" and the first man to discover and carve the Macedonian ruby. He is recognized by our neighbors who were too old to go on his concerts, by our colleagues who have never heard about "Kleržo", by the taxi drivers, as the one we've met recently: "I like to hear him talk about the stones, the crystals", he said when he noticed Deko while waiting with his car at the traffic light, next to us.
We scheduled a meeting in his store next to the Greek embassy. We will have an exclusive opportunity to see how to carve a Macedonian ruby.
The story begins in Trieste in 1991, when Dejan Shkartov – Deko embarked on a journey to Italy with his bike, backpack and keyboard, looking for a better future and leaving behind Yugoslavia, which has already began to fall apart. The war was knocking on Yugoslavia's door. A time when his peers were carried out on war fronts, drawn into somebody else's wars. He decided to check his luck in Trieste, where his aunt lived. Months passed by, he started working – to do the shopping for sick pensioners – since he realized that he came in a country which was not the right place for his kind of music. Soon, he read an article in a newspaper. Brazil seeks agricultural engineers, just like him – highly educated fruit expert. He soon knocked on the door of Primo Rovis, a famous coffee-magnate from Trieste, honorary consul of Brazil.
"We had a short meeting. We talked about the war in Yugoslavia, who am I, where do I come from. He was himself a child of war. He moved to Trieste during the World War Two. He said that the idea for Brazil was not as good as it looked like. His relatives were already leaving Brazil. He didn't promise much, but he took my personal data", Deko said, while we were entering his gemstones processing laboratory.
After a short period of time he received a call from the office of Mr. Rovis. He was invited for an interview – they needed a landscaper. This arrangement with Mr. Rovis was for both of them an opportunity to learn more about each other and on many returns the duration of his working contract was extended. In the eyes of the family Rovis, Dejan was recognized as a hard-working and a kind man, someone they could rely on. At that very moment a big change took place.
"All of a sudden, Mr. Rovis decided to sell the coffee business and start something completely new. He ordered two containers with gemstones, which we were to clean, rock by rock. And that's how I fell in love in crystals", Deko recalls.
During his stay in Italy, working as man who takes care of of the collection Arte di Dio, he learned a lot about the natural characteristics and the therapeutic effect of the crystals. But since the very beginning he knew he will someday return to Macedonia.
"When I said I was going home, they didn't think I was serious. I came back to Macedonia in 2001 and I opened the store. I decided to convey my knowledge of crystals", he recalls.
As time passed by, the people who came by often told him about an idea, that at first he thought was a false claim; they said to him that in a site near the town of Prilep there are rubies. He thought that people spread bad rumors for something that looked like a ruby. But, it seemed that he heard this story to many times. So, one day he decided. He called his sources in Italy, bought machines, asked for advice and started.
We were standing in a laboratory filled with colorful stones, crystals with fascinating forms, walls glued with concert tickets. Something that seemed so impossible to us before was happening right then in front of our eyes. By every minute the rough stone was becoming a beautiful gemstone. After several minutes, we held a heart-shaped ruby in our hand.
"Today, the Macedonian ruby is well-recognized and can be a beautiful diplomatic present from Macedonia. Now, Macedonia has got its own national gemstone as China has its Chinese jade and Australia has its Australia opal. Our idea is someday our work to become public and everything we do here in our small workshop to be out in the open, to become a tourist attraction, like the diamond factory in Amsterdam", Deko said.
As a promotion of the Macedonia ruby, several important people in the world have been presented with this gift. Among those people are the Pope Benedict 16, the great Indian yogi Paramhans Swami Nikhileshwaranand and the Hollywood actress Daryl Hannah, as well as Warwick Davis, one of Hollywood's shortest leading actors.
In the literature, the ruby has been described as "metaphysical rock of love and wisdom", with healing effect on the energy center of the heart.
"When this energy system is balanced, one can feel and give more love. The balance makes one become more humane. Maybe the influence of the Macedonian ruby has such an effect to people who come to visit our country to make them see us as they do – as warm hearted, welcoming and nonviolent people? ", Deko was thinking loud, while we were sitting on the stairs in front of his small workshop again.
Do other people notice how often do people, living in Prilep and the surrounding area carry the name of the unusual name Rubin or Rubincho? Even today we are not quite certain, but at least we have a theory.
Text and photos by Vasko Markovski


text:
Day six was spent in and around the slums in very hot, dusty conditions. We arrived at 8am to finish painting the mural and started on a Doxa sign for outside the building. Ray and Emily then left with the HIV team to visit another lady.
At 10am we loaded up the matatu with most of the team and the parachute and headed to Grace Baptist Academy to spend some time in the school where The Doxa Project sponsors fourteen of the children. An American guy called Scott runs the school and it had a completely different feel to NEC which we visited on Monday. It is much bigger and feels more westernised with a large field at the front for the children to play on. It still retains a very rustic feel and the classrooms are so ill equipped compared to the UK; but they have desks, chairs and blackboards, as well as a room with a few computers. They are about to purchase some tablets which could really revolutionise their teaching. This will allow them to read e-books which is currently something for which they just don't have funding. The students don't currently read any novels or literature. While we were there we played games at breaktime with two different age groups and then split up and taught a couple of lessons.
On returning to the slums the Doxa sign had been completed and looks brilliant. It puts a real stamp on the building.
Throughout the afternoon various jobs were completed and visits carried out. There were several visits with the HIV team, as well as the water filter team.
Probably the highlight of my trip was seeing the look on Milka's face when we delivered her two new mattresses. This was the lady who I talked about on Monday. This lady has literally nothing in terms of physical possessions, so when we set up her mattresses and hung mosquito nets, her smile literally reached from ear to ear! She was so joyful and happy. Wearing ripped, dirty clothes and playing with a small little car in the dirt, her grandson stood and watched us. We said we would bring them both new clothes and some toys from the aid we brought over. The new mattresses, nets and new clothes are going to really change Milka's life and just shows the impact The Doxa Project is having. This time we left crying tears of joy rather than the sadness we had felt on Monday. It was a privilege to be a part of such a positive change.
Back at the office the boys were preparing for their weekly 'fellowship' where they invite people in from the slum community to sing, praise and listen to a message. They had said they normally have about 40 people attend; however I have never seen so many people crammed into a 10ft by 30ft space! There must have been at least 75 mothers, babies and children all keen to be in the office and spending time together.
Then the rain came! We hadn't experienced 'proper' Kenyan rain until today! An almighty thunderstorm shook the tin roof as rivers of brown mud ran along the dirt tracks.
Our evening ended at Kim and Joyce's house. Kim is Doxa's 'man on the ground' in Kenya and married Joyce last year. They recently moved into a brand new apartment on the edge of the slums. We threw them a house warming party and lots of fun was had by all! A great end to a busy day.


text:
It's been over a month since I posted anything and since then so much has been going on in the world. Last week was particularly heavy, but necessary, with the protests and conversations that George Floyd's death sparked. I took some time away from posting and sponged up as much of the information as I could. I think the most interesting thing I watched was 13th on Netflix. I highly recommend it.
I also ordered Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. It's been on my To-Read list on Goodreads for months and unfortunately just never got requested at the library before everything shut down. I ordered that from my local book store. If you are looking to read more books by diverse authors, make sure you request them through your local book store. How else will they know to stock books by authors outside the Bestseller list unless we request them? I also ordered Untamed by Glennon Doyle, a memoir about a female writer who comes out as gay later in life because, if you can believe it, June is also Gay Pride Month. Ironically, I think that may actually be on the bestsellers list but I've heard really good things about it. If you haven't already, make sure to check out my Instagram, trees_and_honeybees. I started to go through all my books on my bookshelf when Coronavirus hit and have been doing small quick reviews of them. I would love to hear what else I should be reading right now so please leave recommendations.
I'm trying to balance the influx of information with some non-screen time as well to give myself time to process what I'm seeing. I've always found the routine of meal prepping to be comforting so it's appropriate that I'm break my internet silence with this post. I have a post on toilet paper scheduled but I figured that one could wait a little longer!
Here is my grocery haul this week. You will notice a lot of plastic. I debated posting this to my low-waste blog but that is the reality we are in right now. I am still supporting my small co-op, which is closed to shoppers. I send them my list and they shop for me. That means what I would normally put in a reusable produce bag (like the nectarines and plums) are getting put in plastic. Or items that I think are going to be in bulk (like green beans and spinach) actually come pre-packaged because of availability. BUT, I'm getting my dry goods like quinoa, peanuts and cacao nibs in bulk. I think it's a trade off. I'm getting more plastic bags now but I'm voting with my money to keep my local co-op open. By continuing to shop there, despite it not being perfect, I'm saying that this is a store that is important to me and when everything opens again, I want to make sure it opens as well. I want the bulk bins and natural beauty products and organic produce to be there so for a short amount of time, I will take a few plastic bags. I don't know if that is the right things to do for environmentalism but it feels right to me. Ok, now onto the food!!
Warmer weather means I'm on a huge smoothie kick again. I've been using Jessica Eat Real Food's Go-To Smoothie trick (it's saved on her IG as "Go-To Smoothie" story). She bulks up smoothies by adding flaxseeds, vegetables and fats. I've been applying that to fruit-based smoothies I already make. This week, I'm doing a chocolate cherry smoothie. Here's roughly my recipe:
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 c frozen cherries
- 3 or 4 hand fulls of baby spinach
- 1/2 – 1 cup riced cauliflower (if you are ricing cauliflower yourself to reduce waste, make sure you get the white cauliflower. The yellow and purple have a much stronger flavor and you'll be able to taste it in your smoothie. Jessica also adds zucchini and broccoli stems to her smoothie. Check out her story for tips on these)
- 2 tbsp nut butter (I'm using homemade vanilla cinnamon almond butter)
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (Jessica's recipe called for 2 but I'm working up to that)
- 1 scoop of protein powder (I'm using Tone It Up Chocolate protein. They are vegan and gf. I actually don't love this TIU flavor. The vanilla and coffee flavors are much better. As always, if you have a low-waste vegan protein powder you like, please leave suggestions below)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1-2 TBSP cacao nibs (optional)
- ice (optional)
I freeze the first 4 ingredients together (pictured in a Grove Collaborative reusable sandwich bag) and then also portion out the ground flax seed and protein powder together (pictured in a Stasher snack pag). You don't need to portion out your flaxseed and protein powder but it saves me time in the morning, which I always appreciate. The ice and cacao nibs are optional but I like to have something to chew. I pulse the cacao nibs in at the end.
This smoothie is SO filling. I can eat it at 9 and then not be ready for lunch until 1:30/2. It's really helping to cut down on my snacking while I'm home.
Warm weather also means more salads. This summer stone fruit salad has baby arugala, nectarines, plums, pecans and baked tofu. I marinated the tofu briefly in a balsamic vinaigrette (also the dressing on the side) and coated it in cornstarch and panko crumbs but I don't love how it came out so I'm still working on that. I think a simple grilled tofu would actually taste better with the summer fruit. I'll add avocado when I'm ready to eat it.
I'm not a big fan of crackers but these are amazing! This may be my new favorite way to use sourdough discard. I didn't have any Herbs de Provence so I subbed in everything but the bagel seasoning. This seasoning already had salt so I skipped 1/4 tsp of salt to sprinkle on the top. I've been snacking on these constantly and have even put them on salads as croutons.
Dinner is my go-to Buddha Bowl, which I've posted before. I make it with farro and roast the edamame. This comes together pretty easily and is really filling. As a trick, I roast the edamame and sweet potatoes side by side on the same baking sheet to save time (and dishes to clean) and cook the farro while those are in the oven.
I'm not going to share my dessert this week because I accidentally added 1 tsp of salt instead of 1/4 tsp salt and despite trying to remove some of the salt, they came out a bit rough. I'm sure they would be delicious if less salty but I'll hold off sharing the recipe until I can confirm.
What summer recipes are you making right now?


text:
Sometimes, out of the blue, we are able to experience a joy that takes us back in time a little bit; back to our childhoods, when magic, friends, and summer camp seem to go hand in hand…in hand. This time, though, I got to take a trip down memory lane with my daughter.
Author Pete Catalano asked if I might read his upcoming middle grade release, ARTIFACTS, in exchange for an honest review. As an author, I don't read or write middle grade at all, but the premise of his story intrigued me; middle school students with their summer camp vacation on the line, must search for artifacts from fairy tales to be displayed in a library exhibit, or else be remanded to summer school! I teach in a middle school, and I could hardly wait to see how the 6th graders in Mr. Catalano's book fared in their quest.
This book provided an opportunity to read something brand new with my school aged daughter, and let me tell you, she loved it! In ARTIFACTS, Mr. Catalano creates vivid characters, and places them in wildly imaginative settings as he weaves the tale from start to finish. You will find yourself rooting for Jax, Korie, Crunch, Mouth and Tank (Great names!) as they battle fairy tale villains from the past in search of the artifacts. I was impressed with how Mr. Catalano was able to create the hysterical sarcasm that is the trademark middle school wit. Trust me, I know! I hear it every day! This was a really fun read. It is creatively written, and absolutely cracked my daughter up in several points, to the point of hiccups! I'll be recommending it to my school's library, as well.
I really enjoyed reading this with my daughter, and I know that others will enjoy reading it, too. My only wish would be that there were illustrations to begin each chapter. Pete Catalano's writing is so vivid in some scenes! But then again, I enjoyed letting my imagination paint the pictures. I look forward to more from this author.
ARITFACTS releases in May, 2016, and can be pre-ordered on Amazon, here: http://www.amazon.com/Artifacts-Pete-Catalano/dp/0996890483/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456944273&sr=8-1&keywords=artifacts+pete+catalano


text:
I just had a long chat with a close friend who is a Clinton insider but was not engaged in the campaign. He's committed to electing Obama. In his view, the healing process isn't going as fast as it needs to go for Obama to rack up a convincing win in November, and part of the problem is from the Obama side. He points, among other things, to some of the comments on sites such as politico.com arguing against the idea that Obama supporters should help repay the Clinton campaign debt and criticizing Clinton for not withdrawing sooner.
Now it's my suspicion that much of the nasty anti-Clinton stuff from purported Obamites, like much of the nasty anti-Obama stuff from purported Clintonites, is so much troll scat from people picking up McCain points toward winning a toaster, or whatever prize for trolling he's offering this week. There's no way to find out how much, since the comments are almost entirely anonymous or pseudonymous.
Still, the problem is genuine even if many of the message are bogus. Is there anything the Obama camp can do about it?
I think there is. Consider the following email as something that might be sent out to the Obama mailing list. I used to get a message or two per day signed either by the candidate or by David Plouffe, though the pace has slackened considerably of late. They're always headed "Dear Mark" and signed "David" or "Barack," though in real life I haven't met either man and am confident that neither of them could pick me out of a police lineup. So I've formatted the fantasy email accordingly, and tried (no doubt not very skilfully) to imitate Sen. Obama's own style and tone. Note that this wouldn't be an entirely new message; Obama said, even before Clinton's concession, that his supporters should "be nice" to Clinton supporters. But it might make a difference, just the same.
So here's the letter as I'd like to get it:
Dear Mark:
As we head toward November, the people involved in our movement are contributing in an uncounted number of ways. Some are doing the basic democratic work of talking to their neighbors and friends; some are volunteering at our offices or doing phone-banking from home; some are continuing to declare their independence from bundler-driven politics by supporting us with their donations through the website, some are producing their own videos, posters, T-shirts, and buttons, and some are making their voices heard in letters to the editor, on call-in talk shows, and in on-line discussion forums, both as diarists on sites such as DailyKos and as commenters on on-line media outlets and on blogs.
All are doing their part, and I'm grateful for all of the effort. This campaign is driven from the bottom up; the campaign does its best to support and organize your efforts, but neither I nor the staff presumes to dictate what form your participation should take.
Still, I have one very personal request to make: play nice. One of the premises underlying our movement is that it's possible to get past the last two decades of scorched-earth politics. But we can't do that by simply aping the prevailing mores. In this regard we must truly be the change we wish to see in the world. If you see someone who purports to be one of us (I say "purports to be" because for all I know some of these people are just trouble-makers trying to disrupt our efforts) questioning John McCain's service to our country or messing around with his family, please put up a response, and say in my name that such tactics have no place in this campaign.
I've always been puzzled when people committed to change nevertheless act as if lies and hatred were so much more powerful than truth and compassion that lies must be met with lies and hatred with more hatred. Let us follow the example of David facing Goliath; if we fight with our own weapons we will find that the giants on the other side aren't as tough as they appear.
Or, as Harry Truman said when one of his supporters told him to "Give 'em Hell," "I don't give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell."
Most of all this applies within the great family that is the Democratic Party. We just went through one of the longest and most tightly contested nomination campaigns ever. Hillary Rodham Clinton ran an historic campaign, and she embodied for millions of Americans both the promise of shattering the highest and hardest glass ceiling and the memory of eight years of peace and prosperity, of progressive politics and law-abiding government, under President Bill Clinton. Her followers worked as hard and as passionately for her as we worked on our side, and they have every right to be proud of their candidate and the of effort they made.
Some mean things got said on both sides; family arguments can be like that. But now it's time to move on, and to remember that comparing the distance between Hillary Clinton's positions and mine on the issues that divide this country to the distance between where we both stand and where Sen. McCain stands is like comparing the distance between Chicago and Evanston to the distance between the the Earth and the Moon.
Campaigns cost money. Sen. Clinton's campaign spent more than it was able to raise; they had to compete with us, and we were raising more than has ever been raised before. The money they spent included more than $10 million dollars in Sen. Clinton's own funds; that is money that she will never get back. It also included a similar sum owed to the people who did the work and provided the goods and services the campaign needed. As Democrats, we ought to regard those debts as debts of honor, and (at minimum) do nothing to interfere with her efforts to pay them off in full.
So, once again: If you see, in some on-line forum or in live interaction, one of us, or someone pretending to be one of us, slagging Sen. Clinton or the people who worked for her and voted for her, I urge to you respond and tell whoever it is that he or she doesn't speak for you, for me, or for our movement.
This country is too big, and this moment too great, for us to be small.


text:
As I have mentioned a hundred million times both here and on twitter, I had big plans to make a tofurkey as part of the Christmas dinner I was doing for my visiting family. Why have I mentioned this so many times? Why will I not simply shut up about it? Well, just think about it! First of all, this involves the word "tofurkey," which is incredibly fun to say. I want to work that word into my life as much as possible. TOFURKEY. Second of all, I have never made nor eaten one of these strange plant-based "birds" before, so the mysteries of this tofurkey loomed large in my imaginings. What would it be like? Look like? More importantly, taste like? Could I prepare it properly? Would my family eat it? To learn the answers to these and other important tofurkey related questions, read on.
First of all, I learned that while "tofurkey" is a non-trademarked catch-all term for meatless turkey substitutes, Tofurky (TM) is the brand name of this specific food item, made in Hood River, Oregon. Holla, Hood River! I like your style!
I pulled out this nearly empty bottle of bourbon to aid me in my cookery adventures — just in case it was needed. Who knows, right? Things could get weird.
First step: read instructions. As you may be able to read below, the first line says, "Cooking instructions are for a THAWED Tofurky! Plan ahead!" So, basically these Tofurky-brand people have no patience for those of us who might forget to thaw our fake bird in time to cook it. Well, never fear, I had PLANNED AHEAD! The bird was thawed and ready to go.
I opened the box and this is what I found:
More stern instructions and, well, a not-so-promising blob of vaguely turkey-toned substance wrapped in a plastic casing. I should also note that this thing is approximately the size of a small coconut and cost me $14.79 + tax at my neighborhood natural foods shop. Is that an appropriate price? I can't really tell anymore.
Moving on. I followed the basting instructions, plopped the tofurkey into a roasting dish along with some sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, and parts of a clementine. Things still did not look promising, did they?
I had no choice but to follow through on the instructions. During the time when the tofurkey and its attendant veggies were roasting, covered, in the oven, I was left to wonder how the scene was developing in there. Instead of fretting, I spent the time readying the other courses. I figured as long as everything else turned out well, my family would have something to eat and all would not be lost. Here's what we had for our pre-tofurkey courses:
I made butternut squash soup — the same one I made for Thanksgiving — and it was awesome, as expected. I really love that recipe (found here). It's easy and it looks far more impressive than it should. Also: salad, rosemary bread with roasted garlic to spread on it, wine. Gotta get the guys all happy and full of wine before the tofurkey comes out, I thought. Then maybe they won't notice if it is terrible. Right?
Well, here's what the tofurkey and veggies looked like out of the oven. The carrots and potatoes look great, but, well, the tofurkey still looks like a strange, round, definitely un-turkey-like blob. Okay then.
But then, something magical happened when we sliced into it and the slices all fell over in a line just like they should and the stuffing spilled tantalizingly out of it's fake-bird container. It smelled great, and even looked generally all right. Nicely browned on the outside, tender on the inside. And basically everything looks nice alongside sweet potatoes, in my opinion. A sweet potato can do no wrong and if it chooses to associate with some fake-turkey dinner made out of magic and science, well, that's fine by me.
Here's what the bountiful plate looked like:
Also pictured: mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, roast asparagus, cranberry sauce. It was approximately four times more food than I should have eaten, but it was all delicious and Christmas, so I don't care. I am also bound to tell you that my dad and brother both went back for seconds and thirds, getting more tofurkey each time, and thereby redeeming the fake meat through over consumption. Victory was mine!
And, since I had been working in the kitchen all afternoon, I happily left the aftermath to my dad:
Oops. It was kind of a horrible mess in here, and I think there may still be traces of butternut squash soup spattered everywhere due to a blender mishap, but I did not care. Why? Because I was stuffed with tofurkey and wine. That's why.
I declare operation tofurkey a success! It's definitely not something that will become part of my regular cooking repertoire, but if you are vegetarian and have omnivores coming over for a holiday-dinner-type scenario, it's definitely a solid option. I will, however, be eating leftovers for approximately ever.


text:
Yesterday there was an update on the test server. These were the contents:
Fixed problems:
– Colour filter selection interface errors
– Fixed a problem, due to which it was possible to change color correction parameters with minimum graphics settings in full-screen mode.
– Fixed an issue where the currently installed theme filter was disabled after switching to the user-defined color correction settings.
– Fixed an issue where disabling effects in the game settings caused all effects to be turned off on the map.
– Fixed a problem in the operation of auto-selection of players for team Battles.
– Fixed a problem causing the reload indicator to display incorrectly after minimizing the game while reloading.
– Fixed a problem with low framrate for Ultra presets for the first few seconds after loading the map.
– Fixed an issue that sometimes caused frame rate drop when switching to sniper mode.
– Fixed a problem that caused the client to hang when hovering over the marathon flag.
– Fixed an issue where the number of gun marks was not displayed in the garage .
– Fixed a problem that caused the turret to interact incorrectly with the hull after bombing explosions.
– Fixed a problem, due to which the shape of trees changed when you moved away from then towards them.
Know Issues:
– The penetration indicator is sometimes red all the time.
– Differences in terrain on some maps between client and server
– Framefate dropping when destroying buildings supported by Havok
– Reduced sound level of one channel
– a full-screen not saving mode


text:
There's always a certain amount of eye-rolling that goes on in a household overrun by teens and young adults. My husband and I are amazingly un-cool. His humor is entirely "Dad-jokes." My questions and observations are overwhelming evidence that I'm over-thinking everything. But here's one tiny bit of wisdom that has been passed down without protest, maybe because it is so abundantly clear: "People who are all wrapped up in themselves make pretty small packages."
Sharon Hodde Miller found the pull of this variety of self-focus to be stronger than gravity, robbing her of her joy and killing her confidence, for no accomplishment was ever stellar enough to overcome the downward pull of comparison; no applause was loud enough to drown out the self-condemnation; no audience was large enough to banish the feeling of invisibility. What we're all fighting is a "mirror reflex" (25) in which everything is a reflection of ourselves, leading to the tendency to shape our self-image around people, possessions, and profession and to live in a state of self-focus that will "make everything about you, even when it's not about you."
The writer of Hebrews has thrown the window open wide for all of us who live in the stuffy room of self absorption, inviting us to stop running the race distracted, focused on our cute sneakers and flawless form, and to "fix our eyes on the only One who can heal our wounds and set us free." (35)
Living life as if it is all about me sends me off course in seven very specific ways. Sharon refers to them as "mirrors," and in our own brokenness, they reflect back an image that has nothing to do with the real world as seen through God's eyes.
- When you make God about you, it's as if He exists to make you feel better about yourself, to serve you, to make your life easier, and to bring about your kingdom and your will on this earth. Freedom comes when our life focus becomes the glory of God.
- When you make family about you, everything comes back to image management. Your kids, your husband, their accomplishments (or lack of same) either puff you up or deflate your bubble. Here's the truth: "The purpose of your family is not to make you look good. The purpose of your family is not to make you comfortable. . . The purpose of your family is to love your family and other families. The purpose of your marriage is to love God and the world better than you could have done it alone." (67, 68)
- When you make your appearance about you, it becomes an idol, a demanding tyrant. Preoccupation with appearance drives a wedge between women. The alternative (and healthy) view is "compassion over comparison." "[O]ur goal is not to be the cutest girl in the room . . ." And on the flip side of this, physical imperfections become opportunities to "relinquish our splendor" in humility and grace. (77, 78)
- When you make your possessions about you, your hope is in something that is very temporary and unreliable. Sharon unpacks Paul's instructions to women about modesty in I Timothy with an emphasis on the cultural context of extravagance — apparently a problem in New Testament days as well! The modesty Paul argued for was a path to decrease their own glory and to exalt God by hoping in Him rather than in wealth.
- When you make your friendships about you, you will operate out of a position of perceived rejection and continual loneliness. "Our friendships are for us, but they are not about us. They exist primarily for the glory of God. They point us toward the perfect friendship we have with him, and as long as our friendships remain grounded in that truth, even the broken ones will be swept up into the arc of redemption." (102)
- When you make your calling about you, you will live in dissatisfaction with the present and may find yourself acting in disobedience to his calling in self-protection or self-promotion. Paul was a man who carried a heavy calling as if it were feathers on the scale because "he wasn't living for his own glory, so nothing was on the line." (112)
- When you make your church about you, suddenly your preferences have become essentials and your search for the "perfect" church will become a matter of consumerism. Sharon compares church attendance to marriage in that both are intended to grow us and to teach us perseverance — for better or for worse.
With the tendency for self-focus hard-wired into our fallen DNA, it would seem to be an impossible struggle to ever become Free of Me, and yet, there are four broad categories of healthful habits that can put us on the right path:
Loving God
Loving Others
Pouring Out from the Well of Your Gifts and Interests
Letting God Plant You and Trusting His Heart
Throughout Scripture's narrative arc, God points to a redemptive plan in which all things will be redeemed — nothing will be wasted. Freedom comes when we see ourselves as part of God's bigger story, crucially involved in the advancement of His vision for the world while swallowed up in the freedom and contentment of self-forgetfulness. Free of Me is an invitation to throw off the burden of self-focus and to find worth and belonging within the larger context of an obedient following that is all about Christ, His purposes, and His glory.
This book was provided by BakerBooks, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Additional resources
Read more of Sharon's journey at her website, where you will also find her blog and resources related to ministry and leadership.
Jamie Ivey interviewed Sharon on The Happy Hour podcast in which they chatted about the way Sharon met her husband, getting her PhD, supporting women in ministry and cheering others on in their unique giftings.
Sharon also shared her story and her book on Melanie Dale's podcast, Lighten Up! Besides a sneak peek into the concepts behind Free of Me, Sharon talks about what it's like to be pregnant and professional, falling asleep in class, and resisting the temptation to become cynical in ministry roles.
This review is coming just in time to be part of #NotAboutMeNovember, an entire month in which we seek God and seek ways we need to make life more about Jesus and less about us. I'm sharing it here along with a crew of other bloggers who are inspired by the goal of making much of Jesus — and less of ourselves!
If you enjoy reading Living Our Days, subscribe to get regular Bible studies and book reviews delivered to your inbox. Just enter your e-mail address in the field at the top of this page.
I link-up with a number of blogging communities on a regular basis. They are listed in the left sidebar by day of the week. I hope that you will take a moment to enjoy reading the work of some of these fine writers and thinkers.


text:
I love the song "Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here. Come Flood this place and change the atmosphere. Your glory Lord is what my heart longs for to be overcome with your presence Lord."
When we feel like life is going too fast or spinning out of our control, God is not surprised. He has our back. We are not alone. He has a plan. We get to do this life journey with Him and he will always make our path straight. Trusting in Him is the key when we feel like we are not going to land. We will land secure with him. Faith's journey may not be easy but it is full of promises and joy when we lean into Him when we are weak. Feed on the word of God. Get into worship. Abandon your fears and lean into his goodness. Yes His Goodness. It is unending.


text:
UPDATE: A public relations representative for JBG Cos. said the company sent the following response to the organizer of the "Justice For Wings Workers" a few weeks ago, but received no response:
Dear Ms. Fani-Gonzalez,
I appreciate your concern about this matter and I expressed that when we spoke during your sidewalk visit a week ago. As I said then, however, your concern is not a matter for The JBG Companies or any JBG employee to address or resolve. Our company plans and develops properties under close scrutiny of government regulators and the community, and abides by all laws. We do not dictate to contractors who or how they should hire, but expect them to comply with all pertinent laws as well. JBG has a long and reputable history and a strong record of building well and responsibly. We value that record and reputation and will not jeopardize it, including by inserting ourselves into matters outside of our purview. I trust you understand this and therefore realize that JBG has no role in this matter.
ORIGINAL STORY: A small group of workers on strike from a subcontractor this morning began banging drums in a protest in front of developer JBG Cos. Chevy Chase headquarters, causing JBG officials to call Montgomery County Police.
Ronnell Howard said the group hoped to pressure JBG to stop allowing general contractors from using Wings Enterprises, a D.C.-based concrete and iron work subcontractor in an ongoing dispute with some workers over wages and safety training. The company has denied past charges of low wages, poor safety conditions and retaliation against workers who protested.
Howard, who said he was kicked out of an apprenticeship program after his complaint with the D.C. Department of Employment Services forced Wings to pay him $11,000 in back wages, said workers two weeks ago presented JBG with a set of OSHA violations and statements from workers.
Howard said the group of about six workers on strike came back to protest on Thursday because they were unhappy with the lack of response from JBG. A JBG representative could not be immediately reached for comment.
Police were called to the scene in the 4400 block of Willard Avenue a little after 10:30 a.m., when a JBG official complained about the noise the drums were making. Howard said police told the group a supervisor would come out to measure the decibel level of the drums.
Supporters of the strike were passing out flyers claiming that JBG officials wouldn't listen to their claims.


text:
- Faux Leather & Lace Bodysuit
- Code: #11454
This fierce halter bodysuit is made from stretch faux leather trimmed in scalloped lace.
The sexy plunge neckline flaunts your cleavage and the seductive low back has a gorgeous lace panel, thong cut and poppa crotch.
Style as super sexy outerwear or as bad girl bedroom attire, this wet look bodysuit will ensure all eyes are on you.


text:
Nope, the Cowboys aren't in town to play the Bears, which means (gasp!) Jessica Simpson is going to be away from Tony Romo for at least 24 hours. The blond bombshell will be at Macy's State Street store at noon on Saturday to sign head shots and plug her new fragrance line, Fancy Jessica Simpson (as opposed to Casual Jessica Simpson?). Oh, and we're sure she'll have a lot to say about her famous football player boyfriend -- she always does.
OK, here's the fine print: In a very Ashley-Mary Kate move, Ms. Simpson will not be allowing any personal items for signature (although we do assume she'll be talking, unlike the Twins). Only the first 300 Macy's customers to buy the Fancy Jessica Simpson gift collection ($89) will even qualify to get her autograph (one per person). And, oh yeah, this is all time permitting, of course.
We're expecting a mob scene -- better call Macy's at 312-781-5445 to reserve your spot -- and your purchase. One thing Jessica Simpson does know about is making money.


text:
A lot has been said about leading well, much less has been said about finishing well. Leaders are usually recognized when they're on top of the world; when there's over a million in the bank or over a million followers on social media. Leaders are known when thousands are flowing into their churches or when they get that book publishing deal – but no one wants to talk about the leader who cheated on their spouse or gambled away ministry funds or struggled with same-sex attraction. We don't hear stories about the leaders who've lost their souls because it's no longer a tragedy, it's a common occurrence.
According to Dr. Robert Clinton, professor of leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary, 70% of leaders don't finish well – so that includes most of you (leaders) reading these words right now. That's a sobering thought.
But take heart…because according to Jesus, finishing well is possible. The key is found in Jesus' command to love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27). Leaders who minister out of "being-ness" finish well, with souls intact and all.
This truth makes me think hard about the type of soulful leader I want to be, the leadership life I want to live, and the leadership legacy I want to leave behind when I die. I've come to realize that leadership is not so much about my present accomplishments but it's about my eternal influence. The things I do now only matter if I am doing them in Christ. The catalyst for Jesus' second command to love our neighbor is fueled by our deep abiding in God.
So, when was the last time you stopped to check your soul? When was the last time you recognized Jesus as Lord of your heart? When was the last time you mindfully considered your status as a loved child of God? Leaders who finish well are leaders who stop to strengthen their souls.


text:
- New
- MicrofiberMICROFIBER BY USEHave confidence in your purchase. All Norwex Microfiber products carry a two-year warranty. Learn more
- Laundry
- Kitchen
- Bathroom
- Face & Body
- Kids & More
- Specials
- Our Story
- Host
- Join
You are shopping with Kimberly Barnhart
Talk to your Consultant
Kimberly Barnhart
Mertztown, PA
Executive Sales Leader
Traditional hand towels that are used over and over again after washing your hands could reintroduce the same dirt and bacteria that's caught in the fabric from previous use back onto your skin.
*Contains BacLock®, our exclusive antibacterial agent for selfcleansing purposes only. The agent is solely designed to inhibit bacterial odor, mold and mildew growth within the product.


text:
BDA To Start Licensing Ultra HD Blu-ray Standard
The arrival of Ultra HD Blu-ray players got a little closer Wednesday with word that the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) will begin licensing the Ultra HD Blu-ray format starting Aug. 24th. The date is about a month later than the group had originally expected.
In addition to providing movies and television programs encoded in native 4K Ultra HD (3840×2160 pixels) resolution, the Ultra HD Blu-ray format will be able to deliver 4K UHD content carrying metadata for high dynamic range (HDR). This is expected to significantly expand the range between the brightest and darkest elements in a picture and gives the consumer a more life-like viewing experience.
Using July as the original target date for licensing the Ultra HD Blu-ray specification, BDA representatives said that it was possible manufacturers would have enough time to develop, manufacture and deliver the first Ultra HD Blu-ray players by the end of the year. Given that Panasonic has already shown an Ultra HD Blu-ray prototype, the somewhat delayed licensing announcement isn't expected to change that possibility, although no manufacturers have officially announced introduction timing.
More on Ultra HD Blu-ray licensing after the jump:
"Ultra HD Blu-ray enables the delivery of an unparalleled, consistent and repeatable experience that will set the standard for Ultra HD entertainment, the same way Blu-ray Disc did for high definition viewing," stated Victor Matsuda, BDA Promotions Committee chairman. "With the commencement of licensing we would anticipate product announcements from various companies as we approach the 2015 holiday season."
Representatives from Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and LG had no comment on the licensing news or their plans to introduce Ultra HD Blu-ray players as this was written.
Many view the Ultra HD Blu-ray specification as the baseline standard for HDR in next-generation 4K Ultra HDTVs, since it was the first to establish mandatory support of the SMPTE ST 2084/2086 HDR standards in players. It's inclusion will be voluntary for discs. Other HDR standards, such as those proposed by Dolby and Philips, could also be supported by players if manufacturers decide voluntarily to include them in their designs.
Best Selling Soundbars and 5.1 Surround Systems
To support HDR, all Ultra HD Blu-ray players will have to include HDMI 2.0a connectors along with HDCP 2.2 copy protection, which will deliver signals carrying HDR metadata to similarly equipped 4K Ultra HDTV sets and any other device in between, such as an audio video receiver.
Additionally, the format provides expanded color range (up to a BT.2020 color space is included, with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling), and a high frame rate (up to 60fps). Like current Blu-ray players new Ultra HD Blu-ray models will also deliver next-generation immersive, 5.1- and 7.1-channel object-based sound formats.
The Ultra HD Blu-ray discs will have a 66 GB (dual layer) and 100 GB (triple layer) storage capacity; a maximum data rate greater than 100 Mbps; HEVC/H.265 compression encoding/decoding; 10-bits (per color) video bit depth (higher voluntary bit depths are possible); 3840x2160p/24Hz and 2160p/60Hz resolution/frame rates; support for multiple color spaces within a ITU Rec. 2020 transport format. Players map from the color space used for the recording to the color space supported by the 4K UHD display.
New players will also include an optional "digital bridge" feature, enabling content purchasers to view programming across a wide range of in-home and mobile devices.
The BDA pointed out that the Ultra HD Blu-ray format "represents the work of global leaders from the consumer electronics, IT and content creation industries and will enable consistent and reliable delivery of Ultra HD content to the rapidly growing number of Ultra HD households, expected to grow from 11.7 million Ultra HD TVs in 2014 to 95.6 million in 2019."
Ultra HD Blu-ray players will also be required to play back current HD Blu-ray Discs. Support for other disc formats like DVDs and CDs, will be left to the voluntary discretion of Ultra HD Blu-ray player manufacturers.
By Greg Tarr
Have a question for HD Guru? Email us.
Copyright ©2015 HD Guru Inc. All rights reserved. HD GURU is a registered trademark.


text:
|Posted on June 4, 2016 at 12:05 AM
Here is a listing of hoedown (traditional) square, round and line dance opportunities I provided to members of the Square, Round and Line Dancing in Ohio group on Facebook. Check back since sometimes I learn about dances after this is first posted. I am supplementing this community on my web site to accomodate people not on Facebook. You are welcome to join my site to fully participate in this evolving community. You are welcome to invite others to join the group on Facebook and my site!
Weekly Daytime Square & Line Dances by Jerry & Kathy Helt - Cincinnati, Ohio 513/321-6776
June 2, 9, 16, 23: 7:00-9:00 PM - Line dancing - Open to the Public ($4.00). at German Central Foundation | 7863 York Road | Parma, OH 44130. More Details
June 3, 10, 17, 24: 8:00-12:00 PM - Country Line Dancing (with instruction). Sneakee Pete's, 35700 Lakeland Blvd, Eastlake, OH 44095. No cover charge. Call 216-905-7507 with questions.
June 3, 10, 17, 24: 7:00-10 PM - Square Dance with live music at the Muskingum County Center for Seniors, 200 Sunrise Center Drive, Zanesville, Ohio 43701 (small admission fee) www.mccfs.org/
June 5, July 31, and August 7: 2:00-4:00 PM. Square, line and mixer dancing. Ye Olde Mill, 11324 Mt Vernon Rd, Utica, OH 43080. Calling by Eddie Powell.
June 7 & 21: 6:45 PM - Square Dance at Guernsey County Senior Center, 1022 Carlisle Ave, Cambridge, OH 43725. Calling by Bob Pletcher. www.guernseysenior.org
June 11, 7:30-10:30 PM (instruction at 7:30 PM) - Wayne County Rural Youth Square and Line Dance at Wayne County Fairgrounds, 199 Vanover Street, Wooster, Ohio 44691. $5 - Stocksdale Band playing. No experience necessary; free lessons at 7:30. Public is invited; all ages welcome; sponsored by Wayne County Rural Youth. Bring your friends and the whole family for an evening of fun! - www.waynecountyruralyouth.org/
June 11, 7:00-10:00 PM - Granville Old Fashioned Barn Dance - Join us for a community social Old Fashioned Barn Dance for fun, friendship, dancing and music. Dances such as: Traditional squares, Contra, Country Western, Partner dances, Line dances, The Waltz, The Virginia Reel, Spanish Waltz and Mixers will be taught and done during the dance. Singles and couples of all ages are welcome and no experience is necessary...beginners are encouraged to join the fun! The cost is $5.00 per person at the door. Location: United Church Of Granville, 115 W. Broadway, on the S/W corner of W. Broadway and Main Street. The dance is in the Annex building on the west side of the church. Parking is on street. Map and info at www.motleydanceclub.com/barn-dance.html
June 11, 8:00-10:30 PM, Carriage Hill MetroPark Historical Farm Square Dance with live music by the Corndrinkers; 7850 E. Shull Rd., Dayton, OH 45424 - Details Tickets are $5 per person. Tickets are available at the door.
June 14, 8:00-10:00 PM - Northside Tavern Squares with live music Square Dance.Square Dance with our favorite Local Yokels calling and music by our own Northside Volunteers! Celebrate beginning a 5th year of square dancing in the back room at historic Northside Tavern. "Will Dance for Cake." We promise to call a Cake Walk if you bring baked goods. $5 donation + buy a beverage at the bar. 8-10:30pm. Historic tavern in artsy neighborhood. Northside Tavern, 4163 Hamilton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45223. Facebook Event
June 25, 7:00-11:00 PM - Morrow Jr Fair Board "A Country Shindig" (square, line, round and other dancing by John Wargowsky) in the Youth Building at the Morrow County Fairgrounds, 195 South Main Street, Mt Gilead. More details
June 25, 7:30-9:30 PM - Square Dance at the Cardington Street Fair with the Mad River Band and Roger Cole. Cardington American Legion Park, Firehouse Stage. 307 Park St, Cardington.
Facebook Event
June 30, 7:00-9:00 PM - square dance fund raiser on June 30th for the Ashland Parks, barn behind Dale Roy School. 1256 Center Street, Ashland, Ohio 44805. Jim Silver calling.
July 2, 7:00-10:00 PM - Liberty Barn Dance (Square Dance with live music by the Back Porch Swing Band) at Malabar Farm State Park, 4050 Bromfield Road. Lucas, OH
July 13-17 - Door County Folk Festival, Wisconsin - Details
July 17-23 - Kentucky Dance Institutue, Murray, Kentucky - Details
Contra Dancing throughout Ohio
I continue to welcome information about additional dances throughout the state. Please complete the Contact Me form to submit dances for me to publicize or if you wish to contact me about organizing and/or scheduling your own dance. I also welcome your comments below. Thanks all!
Categories: Square Dance, Line & Round Dance, Where to Dance


text:
September 17, 2020–
If anyone had mentioned the above term to me, when I was a kid, I'd have rolled my eyes. Everyone knew that a New Moon was invisible to the naked eye, so how could it be "super". The explanation turns out to be: If the new moon is at its closest approach to Earth, in a month, it is a Super New Moon. So it is with this New Moon, and will be with the next two.
Under this New Moon, lots of things are happening. The "pop-up" hurricane, Sally, dumped a lot of rain-several feet, on Mobile and Pensacola, and brought with it a storm surge that, among other things, washed away a replica of the Columbian ship, Pinta.
I have seen a disturbing video, purporting to show Mr. Biden inappropriately touching a little girl, while her family members were distracted. There is a voiceover, "narrating" the scene, and sounding remarkably like some of the Bots who "narrated" the stuff about Pizzagate. Uncle Joe may, or may not have, pinched the little girl, in a sensitive area. It's hard to tell from the video, but she was uncomfortable and moved away, right after the contact. As with all such videos, while I take the comments with several grains of salt, (Any video can be doctored or altered.), I know that, with people of a certain age, patting, or slapping, a girl on the buttocks is seen as an act of endearment. I am disgusted by such behaviour, though. The whole culture of NOT seeing children, teenagers or even grown women, as full human beings is something that can't fade away fast enough. This video was taken five years ago, but still- Mr. Biden needs to acknowledge the issue and make some serious changes to how he is perceived. At the same time, his misbehaviour can't become a Right-Wing trope. His opponent, after all, is hardly a paragon of virtue.
The whole concept of good forest management is being raised-especially with regard to the Oregon fires. It is not enough to simply blame Climate Change-especially when arsonists are to blame, for at least three of the fires. If the First Nations could maintain good forest management practices, well before Europeans arrived on this continent, modern man can certainly do the same.
Around here, a house burned down in nearby Prescott Valley-the huge cloud of black smoke suggests that a vehicle was parked in the garage that burned.
COVID numbers are up, just a bit, in Arizona-attributable, it is suggested, to Labor Day weekend. I worked in two schools this week, and saw a good deal less than high attendance. Reportedly, a second wave of the virus has hit parts of Europe and, as expected, it's worse than the first outbreak. August is vacation month on the Continent, so maybe that has a lot to do with this.
In the meantime, I am getting my rest while I can, and fully expect to be deployed, somewhere, with the Red Cross, either Tuesday or shortly thereafter.


text:
Have you ever catch yourself on the wish to admire by the amazing window displays in Harrods, Selfridges or any other retailer? Or may be it even made you to enter the store or buy product that you thought you do not need? Well, any display window is a piece of art which was created by the huge team of professionals and this article will tell you how retailers made you to buy their products,
Retailers spend much effort in creating a unique identity through distinctive visual merchandising strategies to provide a positive mood for consumers, aiming to increase purchase intention, store loyalty, and repeat purchase. Apart from stimulating a positive affective response from consumers, appropriate visual merchandising can also lead to a series of actions from consumers, for example, affecting spending behavior and store/merchandise perceptions. (Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2012 p. 12)
Following this point, it can be said, that visual merchandising, and the window displays in particular play a crucial role in attracting customers to the store. Moreover, it motivates the target audience to buy products.
This article will examine Burberry store displays as an example, and assess its effectiveness in reaching their target market through the communication of window display.
Firstly, it is important to understand the image and personality of the chosen brand as an example. Founded in 1856, Burberry today remains quintessentially British, with outerwear at its core. Digital luxury positioning and the optimization across innovative mediums of the trench coat, and more relevant globally, across genders and generations. <http://www.burberryplc.com>.
It is understandable, that every brand uses different merchandising techniques in order to create a particular atmosphere and to attract target audience. Burberry in particular, used minimalistic and classy design for it's window display during the Fall 2013 and it expresses brand conservative image and shows it's own identity, which is unique and timeless.
Moreover, the company puts a lot of emphasis on the heritage and their conservative window shows this. This is particularly important, as accent on the heritage and rich history can help to attract right consumer and can become the unique selling point for the luxury brand. Especially, for the United Kingdom of Great Britain, where people appreciate traditions and conservative style of living.
Besides, it is crucial to assess the use of colour, one of the most powerful elements in visual merchandising. In this particular store window Burberry used monochromatic color scheme, which can be defined as using almost one color but in different shades and tones. Such color scheme can create a powerful impact on potential customers. (Morgan, 2011)
In addition, minimalistic colours put a lot of emphasis on products, because they are self-sufficient enough to become the focal points for people, who are passing trough the windows. It also makes the display effective as the shopper can determine the product range, which is offered by the store straight away. (Diamond, 2006)
Colours such as gold, white and different shades of brown express brand identity and fit with the target audience, who are elegant and classy professionals. Such colour scheme creates almost royal and aristocratic appearance, which is Burberry all about. Such color scheme can efficiently attract targeted elite customer.
Props are very fundamental elements in terms of window design as well. Although design of the window is very reserved, there are still extraordinary elements such as wooden artificial arms, which present the products in more uncommon ways, rather then using usual shelves. <http://www.retailstorewindows.com/> It shows Burberry's innovative approach.
Futhermore,headless mannequines used and it expresses the idea of Burberry's universality.It shows,that their products are not restricted to a particular demographic group.To sum up,as can be seen, the choice of mannequinens and other props reflects Burberry's marketing strategy and creates effective communication with target customers.
Moreover,it is crucial to know other techniques and secrets used by retailers to motivate higher demand and buying behavour.For example,it was found that most of the people who entering the store are going to the right hand side first.Therefore,sale stands or new collections are always there for you!They are situated in particular place not for design only but to catch your eye emmediatly as well.
Another tehnique,is to put shoe depratment in the end of the store.Why retailers do that?Because,shoes are usually refer to a considered purchase as it is more expensive and when consumer want to buy shoes he already knows what type,what desigh and what colour he/she wants.So,costumer who is entering the store is going directly to the shoe shelve to buy that desired pair.However,during that time he/she will get there he will find a lot of pretty stuff on his way and grabb something more.In this way retailers are usually make person to buy not only what he wanted to buy,but even more.
Overall,the conclusion can be drawn that window and store design is a separate "science» with lots of underground and hidden tehniques which influence on a buyer unconsiously.Therefore,now we need to be more cautious and do not give different marketing techniques to make you spend lots of money on useless stuff.
Valeriia Istratova
Valery is currently doing BA Fashion Management in London College of Fashion.She is passionate about fashion and working as a freelance stylist.She also interested in Art and Culture. In addition,she likes to investigate Politics and Psychology.Her hobbies are blogging,dancing and journalism.


text:
The Boston Globe recently covered some very distressing details concerning one parent company for various nursing homes around the country, Synergy Health Centers. Specifically, one patient who died at its Braemoor Health Center died as the result of nurses and aides lacking the proper training to revive a dementia patient (i.e. basic Code Blue training), and the nursing home then failed to report the death to the state health department because of the recent "bad press" surrounding Synergy Health Centers in general.
A 70-page report which investigates several patient deaths connected with the nursing home has now been released and is blistering, detailing how staff was untrained in basic life-support care, relied on defective equipment, and failed to ensure that buildings contained the basic alarms necessary to warn the staff when dementia patients wandered off the premises.
State regulators found conditions there so alarming—including issues related to caring for patients with a history of substance abuse and handling both sexual assaults and thefts—that they said the patients there were in "immediate jeopardy." Since then, officials have blocked the facility from accepting new patients, frozen federal payments, and fined them $200,000.
Red Flags & Warning Signs
Synergy Health Centers is based in New Jersey and has been plagued with problems for sometime now. For example, one patient recently admitted to the facility had a history of drug abuse and was immediately placed on a cocktail of narcotics, including those he'd previously been addicted to.
The facility allegedly hadn't conducted any kind of medical evaluation concerning the risks related to medications they prescribed for the patient; not only did they prescribe the medications he had a history of abusing, they more than doubled the dosage of some of them, while discontinuing the meds he'd previously received to control his substance abuse. The patient even had a hospital emergency during his time at Braemoor, when he was rushed to the hospital at one point for being in an "unresponsive state," and still the facility failed to make any adjustments to his prescriptions.
And as if the facility couldn't possibly be more negligent, it also allegedly evicted the patient without addressing the need for some kind of treatment plan and/or services to ensure that both his pain and history of abuse/issues were addressed in any way. The patient died of an overdose two days later.
The company recently had to submit its plans to state and federal regulators describing how it planned to correct the many problems just discovered at one of their many facilities. Not only does it face repercussions from state and federal officials, but potentially from the families who have suffered due to the negligence and now loss of their loved ones.
Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys
As our loved ones age, many families must rely upon assisted living facilities and nursing homes to properly care for them–especially those with demanding medical needs. However, sadly, nursing home abuse does occur in some of these facilities, as well as negligence of basic responsibilities when it comes to caring for the patients.
At Dana and Dana, our attorneys are experienced in representing families of nursing home abuse victims. We have the experience and knowledge to assist you in determining what to do if your loved one isn't receiving proper care and applying all of the protections of nursing home abuse law. Contact us today for a free consultation.


text:
The Regiment was raised in1794 as volunteer troops in response to a call from William Pitt. Four troops of cavalry were raised, in Nottingham, Newark, Retford and Mansfield, being known as The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. Raised initially to counter the threat of the Republican movement in France which resulted in the French Revolution and later to maintain Law and Order in the county. They were called out to maintain peace during the various riots which took part during this period.
The inter war years saw the Regiment still equipped as horsed cavalry, but facing a gradual reduction of resources available for defence, until realisation of the threat posed by Hitler at last dawned late in the 1930's. In 1939, the Regiment was mobilised and posted to Palestine as part of the 1st Cavalry Division where it carried out internal security tasks and whilst doing so 'A' Squadron charged down the main street of Haifa . In July 1940, it lost its horses on conversion to coastal artillery, and, in this role, it took part in the famous and successful first Siege of Tobruk and in the battle for Crete.
Converted in 1941 to an armoured regiment and now under command of the charismatic Lieutenant Colonel "Flash" Kellett DSO M P, it formed part of the 10th Armoured Division effectively the formation which had been previously the 1st Cavalry Division and therefore predominantly consisting of former yeomanry and cavalry regiments and saw action for the first time in tanks in the defensive battle of Alam el Halfa. On the 24th October, 1942, it headed the armoured attacks in the battle of El Alamein. Rommel later stated that the Sherwood Rangers were the only unit to breach his defences in the first 24 hours of the battle. They then played an important part in Operation Supercharge, the final breakout battle, which clinched the victory. As had been anticipated by Montgomery 10th Armoured Division had been sacrificed to the victory and to
preserving the battle hardened 7th Armoured Division as his key reserve. What remained was reformed into 8th Armoured Brigade, an independent armoured brigade and the Regiment was rewarded for the fierceness with which it had fought by being selected as one of the three armoured regiments to be preserved. The role of the Brigade remained the same namely to punch the initial holes in any enemy defensive stop line through which 7th Armoured Division could then be passed. The brigade proved very good at its task and as a result the Regiment played a leading part in the long advance to Tunis, notably the attack on and fall of Tripoli and in outflanking the Mareth Line at the bitterly fought battle of Tebaga Gap. The price was paid in heavy casualties.
By the time that victory in North Africa had been finally secured with the fall of Tunis the Regiment had gained such a reputation for their ability to spearhead attacks that they were specially brought back to England to become one of four armoured regiments tasked to lead the assault landings on the two British Beaches on D Day in amphibious tanks, a very hazardous task. After four months training to bring them up to the standard of the other three regiments that had been practicing for over a year they were the first yeomanry ashore in France on D-Day, swimming ashore on Gold Beach two minutes before H hour, Eight of their tanks foundered in the rough seas on the way in. They took part in the liberation of Bayeux the next day, the first town to fall to to the Allies and were in the thick of the tank fighting around Caen.
They were still part of 8th Armoured Brigade, but its role had changed from acting as a spearhead for the armoured divisions as they had in North Africa to supporting the infantry divisions, when they were ordered to carry out an attack since such divisions had little or no integral armour of their own. The word "support" was an euphemism because, due to the extreme vulnerability of infantry in this environment, the Regiment was always ordered by the Divisional commander to lead the attack. They learned to maximise their ability to get forward in the country of NW Europe, which was no less difficult for tanks, by a process of fire and movement in which they made sure the fire from their guns was weighty, accurate and directed at every possible enemy ambush location. The price was that exhausted tank crews had to spend a significant part of each short summer night painstakingly bombing up tanks empty of ammunition. So successful did they become that infantry formations learned to ask for them by name. Such a reputation was won at a great price as is illustrated by the fact that in the battle for Normandy alone they were in action for 50 of the 60 days that it took to win, losing 50 tank commanders and many more tanks in the process.
Following the break out, the Regiment played a relatively lesser role in the operation by the Allies to overcome further determined resistance and secure crossings over the Seine.
The Regiment, temporally unshackled from their supporting role and back as pure armour, was part of the rapid advance which followed across Northern France, covering 140 miles in three days, one of the fastest rates of advance by armour in history. An euphoric advance which was brought to a sudden halt by the renewed and fanatical resistance by the enemy in Belgium and Holland, particularly at Geel where the Sherwood Rangers played a major role in the fighting to secure the start line for Operation Market Garden, the failed attempt by airborne forces to seize crossings over the Rhine. The Regiment having suffered heavy casualties at Geel played a relatively minor role in Market Garden itself. However whilst supporting 82nd US Airborne Division, its Reconnaissance Troop became the first British unit to enter Germany. After taking part in more fighting around the Rhine, particularly when breaching the Siegfried Line at Geilenkirchen, the Regiment took part in the final breakthrough into Germany and, having ended the war beyond Bremen, was temporarily disembodied on the 1st March 1946.
No part of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, copying of photographs, recording, scanning or any information storage, retrieval or archiving system, without the prior written permission of the author.
cellphone user, please use the triple stripes on the top left to continue on the site.
Philip Reinders, 2016


text:
Kris Douse is a 30 year old 198cm forward from Toronto, Canada that is playing for for the Westfalen Mustangs (Germany-2.Regionalliga) this season. He played at Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute while Fraport Skyliner Quantez Robertson also played at Laurinburg (N.C.) prep. He started his college career at Nebraska (NCAA) and then played two seasons at Delaware State. As a senior he played at Point Park (NAIA) playing 27 games: 20.1ppg, 12.6rpg. In 2011-2012 he started his professional basketball career at Liverpool Mersey Tigers (United Kingdom-BBL, starting five): 18 games: 15.9ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.6apg, FGP: 47.0%, 3PT: 13.6%, FT: 54.6%; then agreed terms with Keflavik (Iceland-Express League): 6 games: 9.5ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.7spg, 2FGP: 44.7%, FT: 69%.In the 2012-2013 season he played for Turi Svitavy (Czech Republic-NBL): 2 games: 0pts, left in Oct.'12, in Nov.'12 moved to BG Aschersleben Tigers (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 17 games: 14.1ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.9apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 50.6%, 3Pts: 10.0%, FT: 50.4%. In the 2013-2014 seaosn he played for EVL-Baskets Limburg (Germany-Regionalliga) playing 25 games: 26.2ppg, 11.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 58.4%, 3Pts: 32.1%, FT: 59.1%. In the 2014-2015 season he played for the Plymouth University Raiders (United Kingdom-BBL): 3 games: 5.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3bpg, in Nov.'15 moved to Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus-Division A): 6 games: 1.5ppg, 1.7rpg, in Jan.'15 signed at SG ErftBaskets Euskirchen (Germany-Regionalliga): 9 games: 21.8ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.7apg, 1.7spg, 1.1bpg, FGP: 49.2%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 62.9%. Last season he played for Rot-Weiss Cuxhaven (Germany-Regionalliga). He spoke to German Hoops about basketball.
Kris thanks for talking to German Hoops again. Where are you at the moment and how have you been enjoying your fifth season in Germany as a professional?
Hello Miles I am currently playing for Westfalen Mustangs which is located in Wiedenbruck. So far it has been a great start to the season being undefeated and excited to build on the franchise winning streak of 112 straight wins.
You are playing your first season with the Westfalen Mustangs (Germany-2.Regionalliga). What kind of overall experience has it been playing with them?
It has been a great experience for me, it's a very ambitious organization that has huge goals moving towards the future and I'm happy to be a part of the building blocks towards elevating the club into the higher leagues
You have played in the first divisions in Iceland, UK and Cyprus and numerous years in the German regionaliga and now your playing with Westfalen Mustangs (Germany-2.Regionalliga). Isn´t this skill wise a step back for you? What was your motivation in going there?
I don't think of it as a step back because of the teams goals going into the future and that's what motivates me, and I believe in the vision that one day this club will be a household name throughout Germany and to be a part of that and help create is something I feel truly appreciative of. As far as looking further down the road I see myself being a part of the journey far into the future and being a part of the club's success
You are 30 years old now. You are most likely in your prime now or not? Where do you honestly feel like you could have played this season in Germany given the chance?
I always felt like I can match up anywhere in Germany just depending on the situation, and your right I do feel like I am in my prime now but I still continue to grow as a player mentally and physically. I guess me and Benjamin Button have a little bit in common
Last season you played with Rot-Weiss Cuxhaven (Germany-Regionalliga). You had a massive game against BBL team Bremerhaven in pre season. Do you ever think about what you could do in higher leagues?
Yes of course given the opportunity in a good situation I think anyone who plays basketball wonders about things like that but at the same time I'm also happy with using what I have to help build a club up and win. I want to win leagues here with the Mustangs and be a part of something special
After a monster season with Limburg in 2013-2014, you had that chance to prove yourself in the UK and Cyprus, but ended the season in the German regionaliga with Euskirchen. Are you more a destined Regionaliga player than anything else?
Yes coach Danny Stallbohn let me showcase my ability in Limburg and that definitely opened doors for me. As for as playing at a higher level The opportunities have always been there but as I get older I was looking for a place I can build with and call home in terms of basketball and I believe I have found that here.
Let´s talk about the Mustangs. Before I talk about the season I have to ask you point blank. Are you getting paid? I have heard numerous stories over the years that Americans played there and had a negative experience in terms of pay?
Got to laugh at that question Miles but I guess it's something people may wonder from some of the backlash the club may have taken but my personal experience I can honestly say the club has been nothing short of honorable and has lived up to the terms we agreed on before coming here and in some cases even surpassing certain expectations. I consider myself lucky to be here
The club is 7-0 at the moment. What has been the secret to the success so far this season?
We have one heck of a team the management has put together here. We are loaded with talent and everyone is on the same page when it comes to the ultimate goal of winning, like any club we have our bumps and bruises at times during game play but the one thing we all have in common is we all want to be known as winners and that kind of character is contagious and builds team unity
The club moved to the second Regionaliga from the Oberliga. How urgent is the club about taking the next step to the pro B this season?
The goal is to not lose any games and we don't even look into the future in terms of losing we want to ride this wave as long as we can and it be amazing to get into Pro B with say 160 straight wins and even though that is extremely ambitious that's the character this club has we strive to win every game we play
The club has some serious talent with guys like ex BBL player German Robert Huelswede or Sasha Cuic who had some serious good years with Oregon State, won a cup in Cyprus and reached the Fiba Europe Cup semi´s. How do you fit into this team? What role do you have?
Yes those two guys are definitely huge parts of the program there experienced and true professionals that have an understanding and passion for the game and has been nothing less than an absolute pleasure to team up with such high caliber players as well as people and I consider it a true blessing. As far as my role on this team it's pretty much the same role I've always had which is do a bit of everything and being high energy to the game, that's the role that comes most natural to me
Is it refreshing to know that you don´t have so much responsibility on your shoulders like 3 years ago with Limburg?
In Limburg it helped me build a lot of tools to my arsenal so I'm definitely fortunate I got to build from that experience and at the time we were extremely young but if you look now a few of those guys are still there and there able to blossom as well as win which is great because they deserve it. Here it's a different situation we got a bit of everything we got age experience young talent so my job is bit easier because I can pick and choose when I really need to assert myself offensively and focus on other aspects of the game where I can use my energy
What are your personal goals? Is this a club you could imagine staying with for years and build continuity as the club moves up?
For sure I'm here because after talking to management and seeing what they want moving forward and how they see me in the future here it made a lot of sense I believe that over the years people will see that this decision was a good one well into the future I have a lot of trust and faith in the management here.
What was your fondest memory with Justin Stallbohm with Limburg? Just with his cheeky smiles, he came over as a guy that was a jokester.
Justin is one of my good friends and while in Limburg we spent a lot of time on and off the court so the Memories are endless but I think the most enjoyable part of that season was definitely the start of season going 3-0 the early success brought us close from day one
You played at the well known Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute in North Carolina. If you had the chance to ask Chris Washburn one question what would it be?
Well when I was at Laurinburg my coach was Kenneth Gordon and he was an incredible person who taught a lot of us young men that went through him how to be more than just basketball players but men. But if I could ask him anything right now my question would be "how did you do such a good job with all us knuckleheads back then" he really was a huge influence in my life and if he happens to come across this I'd like to publicly say thank you for everything
If you had to construct your own NBA Rushmore, which 4 heads would you choose?
MJ shaq, magic, Duncan
Lebron finally brought an NBA title to the Cavs. Where does he stand at the moment in the never ending debate with where he stands as the best of all-time?
Lebron to me is a hybrid of magic he is something out of this world to be that size and do what he does it doesn't make any sense. I think he is a top 3 talent ever to play but his career isn't done yet so it's hard to put him in my top 4 but when it's all said and done I believe he will be in my top 2
Where do you rank Kevin Garnett with the best power forwards that ever played the game?
I think KG is a top 3 pf he was a handful to guard, tough as nails and on top of that a champion
Klay Thompson recently hit 60 points in 29 minutes touching the ball for only 90 seconds. Where does this performance rank with you?
To score 60 points in less then 3 quarters all off his jump shot I don't think I ever seen anything like that before it's definitely in a class of its own
One always talks about Lebron and Curry, but one has to mention Russell Westbrook. He is averaging triple double stats at the moment. Is he stat wise the best player in the world right now?
I enjoy watching Westbrook the most out of anyone in the NBA and he is the most exciting player in the game and he is able to sustain that high energy for 48 minutes while doing everything stat wise nobody comes even close
What was the last movie that you saw?
Rush Hour 2.
Thanks Kris for the chat.