text: Mahkwa Kiilhswa 'Black Bear Moon' is one of two lunar months named for the American black bear (Ursus americanus). It typically occurs between late December and early February in the Gregorian calendar. To the best of our knowledge, this month is associated with mature female bears giving birth to their cubs. Female American black bears have a litter of cubs every 2 years, and litters range from 1-5 cubs. Following birth, cubs stay with their mother for 1-2 years. Mahkooki 'American black bears' were an important source of food for Myaamia people, with bear tenderloin being a particular delicacy. Mahkwa also plays a prominent role in Myaamia aalhsoohkaana 'Winter Stories.'

subset: commoncrawl


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I personally believe that an evening out including a great dinner and quality entertainment is a fantastic remedy for what ails us. Culture forces us to think outside the playing field as it were, we forgo our primal and competitive drive to enter a heightened sense and experience on a deeper, creative level. Much like experiencing a wonderful meal, artistic and cultural events bring us together. A shared adventure tightens our bond, gives us common ground and opens the floodgates of discussion. You are free to like or dislike, agree or disagree, it's hard not to participate on some level.
Our evening started at Cuoco. Located on Terry Avenue in South Lake Union Seattle, it's Tom Douglas Italian restaurant with a specialty of freshly made in house pasta. In fact, as you walk inside you can watch them make batch after mouth-watering batch of beautifully golden pasta. Talk about food porn (minus cheesy music)!
This was our second time to Cuoco. We highly recommend the bread service that includes slices from a Dahlia workshop house loaf with olive oil, oilves and wonderful rosemary lardo (a type of Italian charcuterie made of cured strips of pig fatback with herbs). We both had the exceptionally light salad of lolla rossa, baby spinach, pickled onion and roasted balsamic vinaigrette. For the entrees Michael had the Bucatini with marinara and braised beef meatballs and I had the Tagliatelle with asparagus, pancetta and pecorino. Both were amazing, as only a Tom Douglas joint can deliver.
We finished off the meal with their triple scoop sampler of gelato. Chocolate / caramel, vanilla and almond, served with mini biscotti. The serving was perfect, the vanilla and chocolate were on the ends and the almond was in the middle. Michael had his vanilla, I had my chocolate and we had joint custody of the almond.
On to the ballet. I have seen both PNB's Apollo and Carmina Burana before. It was nice to see them again, because each time I see a piece for the second or even third time, I'm able to notice difference nuances in the choreography, or spatial patterns or even lighting detailing that I have not have noticed before. It's much like watching a movie over again; you pick up difference things from the time before.
The ballet Apollo was choreographed by George Balanchine with music by Igor Stravinsky. One thing I really appreciate about Balachine's choreography is that he repeats his phrases, often up to three times. When I was choreographing, I never wanted to repeat the dance phrase for fear the audience would get tired of it. But you know, the un-dance trained audience member rarely notices repetitive movement, so I found great comfort that one of the greatest classic choreographers of all time repeated his phrases.
Apollo is danced between one man and three women (the muses). What I loved most about this piece was the subtle sculpted "poses" they would pause in, much like Greek statues. Beautifully chiseled in their white tunics as if out of marble. One such pose was the program cover (blog photo).
Carmina Burana was choreographed by Kent Stowell and the unforgettable score by Carl Orff. With a live choral ensemble above the back of the stage hooded in black cloaks, on stage vocal soloists, a full symphony and the massive 2000 pound Wheel of Fortune set piece hovering above center stage – this is a full scale production.
I appreciated the choreography for Carmina more after reading the program notes. The over exaggerated primal movement and costume choices made more sense to me upon understanding Mr. Stowell's complete vision. The medieval and primitive themes in the music, much like Stravinsky's Rite of Spring take us back to the dark ages and reflect the feeling of those hard ancient times.
When I was young I remember the year before I could join the local ballet company, they performed Carmina Burana. Quite different from PNB's version, but the haunting music was what gripped me. My mother was on the board of directors for the company at the time, so I was able to watch every performance and I did so transfixed. That year, in sixth grade, my school had a talent show. How many sixth graders do you know that would choose the powerful opening song O Fortuna for their elementary school talent show dance music? I've always known I was ahead of my time.
I invite you to share one of your recent artistic or cultural experiences with me. How did you feel after? What did you love best? What really moved you? Tell me how this outing was different and unique. I'd love to hear about your adventure!
* As a new blogger, one thing I need to get better at is taking photos, especially of the food I cook or order in restaurants. It always seems to be an after thought. I shall try to get better; I greatly appreciate your patience. If you are a blogger and have any tricks or suggestions specifically for photos, I'd love to hear them!


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Bullfrog Skeleton 0002
Rana catesbeiana
Topogram of a Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). Though not visible in this image there was a pattern of deformity visible on this wild caught animal that suggested "a partial failure of development of tympanic pathway tissues, but with a preservation of the opercularis pathway. While a definitive proximate cause of the condition could not be determined, the anomalies show similarities to developmental defects in mammalian middle ear formation" (related publication, Horowitz et al. 2005). Specimen courtesy of Dr. Andrea Simmons, Brown University. (3D animation) (interactive image)
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I loved this book. I'm a sucker for romances apparently. Jude writes in a way that isn't cheesy or classic romance novels where it's like reading porn. It's just her telling a story of two people falling in love. Much like that ding-dong Nicholas Sparks, except that instead of people dying at the end, people live happily ever after.
This was about Edilean Talbot and Angus McTern, my two favourite characters of hers so far. And lucky for me, the beginning of a looong family tree that ends up in four books as far as I know.
It's not lame, it's lovely.
Take a chance on love. Okay, THAT was lame. Haha


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It's Monday morning and time for some more of my mini reviews. I'm in a bit of a review writing slump at the moment where I'm preferring to shoot off a quick review rather than a long winded one. That doesn't mean I love these books any less than others though, it's just what is working best for me at the moment!
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
I really enjoyed being back in the world of Simon, Leah and co. It's such a familiar world and I love Becky's writing style. Although there is one moment in this book that definitely was a bit problematic, that didn't take my general enjoyment of the book away. I loved Leah in the first book and she made me laugh out loud on so many occasions during this follow up novel. When jumping into this, I was not expecting it to end how it did but I was okay with that.
Into the Jungle: Stories for Mowgli by Katherine Rundell
I thoroughly enjoyed reading my eARC of this book (thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Children's books!). These stories are so vivid and I loved being back on the page with some of my favourite characters. It was really interesting to get Katherine Rundell's version of Bagheera, Kaa, Baloo, Mowgli, Shere Khan and other well known favourites and get a glimpse into their backgrounds. I've laid my hands on a finished copy of this book and it has the most STUNNING illustrations. Definitely a book to add to the collection of any Jungle Book fans!
City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
I knew I would love this book way before I picked it up to start reading. I love everything Schwab writes and I knew this wouldn't be any different. Cassidy is such an interesting character and I loved Jacob just as much. The spooky setting of Edinburgh is so realistically written that when I visit there this month I'm sure to be keeping my eye out for flickers of the Veil. This book was just the right dose of creepiness and is sure to be a firm favourite with young readers of ghost stories across the world!
Have you read any of the books I've rambled about above?
I'd love to hear what you thought!
Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin' or Goodreads. Comments are always warmly welcome.


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EverydayElectronics wants to let our user's know of another Netflix phishing scam that's currently going around.
All Netflix subscribers need to be on the lookout for a phishing scam that's currently targeting your personal information, including credit card data.
Many have reported the scam starts with receiving an email that appears to be from Netflix, that requests them to update their membership information. Upon clicking the link provided in the email, they were taken to a page that requested they provide login information.
After doing so the user's were directed to a second screen which asked them to validate their payment information, to complete the process. After the Netflix customers provided crititcal information such as their
- Name
- Credit Card
- Card Number
- Card Expiration Date
- Card Security Code
- & Social Security Number
They were re-directed to the actual Netflix homepage, so it made it difficult to tell they had just been scammed.
It's important to watch out for these scams and note that Netflix will NEVER email you for your SIN number, credit card information, or to 'update your membership'.
Phishing scams like these have been greatly increasing lately and this case shows just how far thieves are willing to go to get your information.
EverydayElectronics recommends taking extra precautions when opening emails asking you to submit personal information. In our opinion, you should never email personal or financial information, even if you are close with whoever is receiving it.
Looking for additional information? Find out more on phishing scams aswell as how to protect yourself here. If you have any questions you can contact Netflix by visiting their website or calling 1-888-811-9842.
*EverydayElectronics highly recommends using the premium VPN service ExpressVPN, to ensure all of your personal information is protected by military-grade security.


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Add Byron Scott to the growing list of public figures with whom LaVar Ball has beef. In response to the former Los Angeles Lakers player and coach telling him to "shut up," the Big Baller Brand CEO dropped his own bomb on the Showtime era.
"Yeah, I got words for Byron Scott: Shut the hell up and do what you do," he told TMZ Sports. "Leave me alone. He ain't doing nothing now."
Ball continued, "Tell him, if he want his name in the news, go do something. You ain't gotta talk about ball to get your name in the news.
"But then again, yes you do, 'cause ain't nobody talk about Byron Scott doing nothing."
Scott went 21-61 and 17-65 during two seasons as Lakers coach—the two worst single-season records in the team's storied history—before he was fired by the previous front-office regime of Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss. He's since gone back into broadcasting, though perhaps a full-blown feud with LaVar will open up another career option for both: professional trash talking.
For LaVar's part, it's probably not a great idea to escalate tensions between himself and one of Magic Johnson's friends and former teammates, what with Lonzo Ball in the middle of it all for the Lakers.


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Thought Leader, Author, Speaker,
Social Entrepreneur
Welcome to RomalTune.com, Yes, Tune is my real name and no, I can't sing! My last name is (Tune) but that is about as close as I get to holding a note, lol. I am a father, an author, a veteran, a world traveler, art collector and the founder of ClereStory Education Fund. The focus of my life's work is using the power of storytelling to bring about meaningful change. I teach individuals, non-profits and companies how to tap into the uniqueness of their stories and experience exponential growth. Everything begins and ends with the stories you are accepting as true about who and what you can become. These stories guide your thoughts and actions. I also teach organizations how to create a narrative that guides their work in order to accomplish goals and achieve their vision. The right story helps team members thrive in a healthy work culture.
"Everything begins and ends with the stories you are telling yourself
about you and have accepted as true."
His belief in the
power of healing and his passion
to help others is his gift to the world. For more information on speaking engagements, new books or to just keep up with Romal, you can find him at RomalTune.com


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Healthy People 2020 Goal: Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death
The dramatic spike in heroin addiction and overdose deaths is staggering and unlike anything our country has ever seen. Heroin use has increased across most age groups and all income levels; it has more than doubled in the past decade among young adults ages 18-25 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Drugs are now the leading cause of injury death for ages 25-64 in the United States. The sheer number of overdose deaths are greater than the number of injury deaths in all age groups (CDC, 2015). This epidemic has caught national attention and many communities are raising awareness through news media and public education.
On September 24, 2016 CNN posted an article called "This is America on Drugs: A Visual Guide" (Christensen and Hernandez, 2016). A heat map of the United States shows the increase in drug deaths from 1999-2014.
On September 12, Alfonso Ferrara from Project Safe Point led a heroin and opioid overdose prevention demonstration for community members at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library (Kuzmich, 2016). He shared his personal story, discussed the importance of the harm reduction model of treatment and safe needle exchanges, and demonstrated the administration of NARCAN. Community education not only raises awareness of the issue, it lifts the veil of secrecy and shame, reduces stigma, and makes it easier for people to ask for help and seek treatment.
One of the aspects of CDC's Vital Signs report on heroin that specifically relates to the enormous task of improving the health of an entire population is its multi-level approach to addressing the heroin epidemic. It outlines the problem, lists what the federal government is doing to address it, lists specific action steps that states can take, describes the role and responsibilities of health providers, and lists a few things that "everyone" should know. It is a call-to-action that shows we all have a shared responsibility in solving this problem and saving lives.
On a separate but related note, one of the clinical networks addressing this issue is the Providers' Clinical Support System for Opioid Therapies (PCSS-O). Their stated mission is to "provide evidence-based, authoritative, and educational opioid-use resources for health care providers." For anyone interested in exploring this further, they offer several free, archived webinars from their multidisciplinary consortium
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, February 25). 10 leading causes of injury deaths by age group highlighting unintentional injury deaths, United States-2014.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, July 7). Today's heroin epidemic. Vital Signs.
- Christensen, J. and Hernandez, S. (2016, September 24). This is America on drugs: A visual guide. CNN Health.
- Kearney-Nunnery, R. (2016). Advancing your career: Concepts of professional nursing. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
- Kuzmich, C. (2016, September 15). Heroin, opioid demonstration spreads overdose knowledge. Daily Gazette.


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I know this is true, but did you? My experiences this week have reminded me of this fact. Today I ate the best meal I have ever had in Indiana. I've had family in Bloomington for years and we love to go out to eat. This afternoon my father and I decided to try something different from our normal fare and went to Farm.
Both of us agree, this was the best food we've had in Bloomington, period. Chef/Owner Daniel Orr uses local and organic products and produce to make a mean breakfast. My dad ordered a grape, walnut and goat cheese omlette (I thought it sounded insane) and I ordered the Hoosier biscuits and gravy made with sausage and sweet peppers. We ate everything on our plates and had to order another biscuit which was incredible.
I commented that I wished we could turn back the clock to when we first entered the restaurant so that I could order and eat the same thing again. We had reservations at another restaurant tonight, but we'll be returning to Farm. T
racey Walker, the Regional Events manager was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. If you are in the Bloomington area, you MUST eat here.


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Most of us have our phones within arm's reach while driving, and more than a few of us irresponsibly sent texts from behind the wheel.
This nasty habit is most prevalent among teenagers, but some adults, too, can't resist the urge to check their while driving. Most states have regulations that penalize texting and driving, but unfortunately the law doesn't stop some people. Huffington Post editor Erin Schumaker reported in June 2015 that nearly half of adults admit to using their phones while on the road.
Texting, chatting and doing anything else besides focusing on what's in front of you while behind the wheel is called distracted driving, and it kills nine people every day in the United States.
More teens and adults need to understand the dangers and dire consequences of distracted driving, and there are several groups working tirelessly to spread that message. Below are 23 such organizations and other resources that we hope will prove educational and sobering.
It Can Wait
AT&T itself has helped drive these conversations with its It Can Wait campaign, which has seen more than 7 million people take the campaign's pledge to drive more safely. The company also launched its DriveMode app, which keeps all phone calls and texts quiet while you are driving. The app turns on automatically when it detects that the user is moving faster than 15 MPH and turns off shortly after it detects that the user has stopped.
"TxtResponsibly.org has a mission: to raise awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and to prevent harmful injury or death caused by the act of texting recklessly," the organization writes. The site features plenty of helpful resources such as printouts that you can distribute around your neighborhood, statistics and other useful information, and one particularly touching section where people have shared their own stories about loved ones who have died needlessly while on their phones.
Take safety one step further with StreetSafe, a nonprofit that offers its StreetSafe Lifesaving Driving Experience, which can "teach young, inexperienced drivers — our most at-risk youth — to become safer and more responsible on the road by offering hands-on driving exercises, discussion sessions, and promoting parental involvement."
Since 2006, teenagers throughout North Carolina have been able to sharpen their driving with trained instructors to prevent crashes and other accidents. StreetSafe also hosts school presentations, alcohol education courses, sponsorships and a traffic court driving program.
Another nonprofit doing great work, StopDistractions.org "brings together distracted driving victims, victim survivors, foundations and the general public to build awareness and recognition of this reckless behavior."
These parties are ideal to confide in if you know someone who has been injured or died while using their phone and driving. Besides offering an online spot for victims' families to post memorials, you can also find other nonprofits by state and attend events near you. These are mostly educational presentations and media briefings, and if you miss them you can always check out past event videos on StopDistractions.org's website.
Safe America Foundation
Besides its yearly "Chalk 1 Up For Safety" contest to get people talking about distracted driving, the Safe America Foundation offers teen driving courses in Georgia schools. "Each student will attend 30 hours of classroom training, which includes the state-required Alcohol and Drug Awareness (ADAP) training. Students will also complete either 6 hours or 10 hours of private, individual behind-the-wheel training with a licensed driver training instructor," the site explains. This nonprofit group also trains teens on defensive driving.
Teens Against Distracted Driving
Adults aren't leading all of the organizations that pledge to put an end to texting and driving. There's also Teens Against Distracted Driving, or TADD, in Washington.
Personal injury attorney Jason Epstein works with high schoolers around Seattle who are passionate about the cause and have helped put together memorials dedicated to those who lost their lives while texting and driving. Students can also start their own fundraisers by selling TADD bracelets.
Stay Alive…Just Drive
Stay Alive…Just Drive reminds drivers of all ages that texting and driving affects everyone on the road. Executive Director Jay Anderson is a veteran of the Army and also works as a traffic safety professional, lending his expertise to help SAJD track distracted-driving data, develop hands-on training programs, and simply get the word out. You can choose to donate to SAJD or join the group as a member or a sponsor.
End Distracted Driving
250,000 motorists of various ages have joined the End Distracted Driving's Awareness Initiative, which includes Canada and 41 US states. You can use the site to brush up on some facts with state law data and research, or register for a school or workplace presentation. You can even be a speaker if you know of someone who was a victim of distracted driving; share their story on EndDD's site if you prefer.
UNITE's Arrive Alive Tour
UNITE's Arrive Alive Tour benefits students across the nation. When UNITE's team visits a school, they advise students on the risks of drunken driving and the risks of distracted driving. There's also a driving simulator that lets teens learn firsthand what it feels like to crash because of phone distractions.
Texting and Driving Safety
Texting and Driving Safety is a family-operated organization that has been communicating the dangers of distracted driving since 2010. "Our family mission is to get 1,000,000 drivers to commit to being text free while behind the wheel and, in doing so, make the roads safer for all of us," the group writes on its site.
Students and other interested parties can check out Texting and Driving Safety's blog, look up statistics, review the latest driving safety news headlines, and read through the organization's informative FAQ to learn more about the Million Pledge Mission, which you can join.
Salt & Light Productions
Working with the Center for Faith and Freedom, a religious nonprofit, Salt & Light Productions branched off from that group as its own ministry. The organization has gotten plenty of accolades, so it has tapped into its list of community members and others about distracted driving. "'Don't Text & Drive' is a series of videos created by Salt & Light Productions to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving," the site reads. "These videos can be used during one-on-one sessions, for live presentations, on your website, or anyplace you think they will help get the message out.".
Safe Texting Campaign
Protect the whole family with Safe Texting Campaign's app, which is absolutely free for iPhone users. It reaches out to cell towers to generate a notification that reads "please don't text and drive" when you're out for a cruise. You can also join the Florida-based Safe Texting Campaign pledge to promise more considerate driving practices.
People Against Distracted Driving
The Nikki Kellenyi Foundation created People Against Distracted Driving, or PADD. Kellenyi was a fatal victim of texting and driving, but her family continues to make sure her memory lives on in New Jersey, often hosting events at the New Jersey Motorsports Park to appeal to teenagers. Besides donations and pledges, PADD also offers victim services for suffering families and a National Student Ambassador Program that helps teach better driving techniques to all students.
Stop Texting AND Driving Distracted
After losing her son Rodney to a texting and driving accident in 2008, Diveeta Thompson decided to start Stop Texting AND Driving Distracted, or STANDD. Like a few other organizations on this list, STANDD has its own app for iOS and Android smartphones. It starts up as soon as your engine does, and as long as you're moving more than 10 miles per hour, the free app deactivates any texts and calls that you receive, letting the caller know that you're unavailable with an auto-message.
The Arkansas Coalition Against Texting While Driving
Students and parents who advocate for safer roads in Arkansas should look into the Arkansas Coalition Against Texting While Driving, which often hosts events and other activities to drive up engagement.
"The Coalition strives to provide educational resources and opportunities for students that encourage them to learn more about the dangers of texting while driving, as well as offer an opportunity to pledge not to do so," the site's statement reads.
Traffic Safety Coalition
The Traffic Safety Coalition is dedicated to all matters of road safety. Naturally, its message expands to teens and adults who may succumb to the temptations of texting and driving. The coalition works at the national level, but 27 states also have their own affiliated chapters.
Partners for Safe Teen Driving
Community Health created Partners for Safe Teen Driving campaign to keep young drivers up-to-date on changing standards in driving and state laws. The Partners for Safe Teen Driving "It Can Wait" video (this is different from the campaign by AT&T) has received several awards, so don't miss it.
The SELF Movement
In the Tampa and Jacksonville areas of Florida, The SELF Movement promotes safe driving through the help of partners, and it holds contests through which local students can earn up to $4,000 in scholarship money.
Finish Alive Stop Texting through Power to Kids, Inc.
In Texas, Power to Kids, Inc. realized the importance of informing teens about staying safe and distraction-free in the car, thus forming Finish Alive Stop Texting, or FAST. The nonprofit program actually worked with NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski, a former Sprint Cup Series winner, who raced the #19 FAST Ford to get all eyes on the organization and its message. The FAST site also has news, factoids and bullet-point bytes on distracted driving so that kids are knowledgeable.
Texting Organization Against Distracted Driving, Inc.
The Texting Organization Against Distracted Driving, Inc., abbreviated to the fun TOADD, spotlights the effects of distracted driving for motorists, but also works with teen-specific issues such as including cyberbullying and sexting. You can volunteer your time, donate or become a TADPOLE by pledging better behavior.
Teen Driver Source
The Research Institute and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have worked together to create the excellent Teen Driver Source. You don't necessarily have to be a high schooler to make a difference through this organization; teachers, community members, parents and researchers who support safer driving are welcome to join, too. Teens and adults can use the site to contact policymakers in Pennsylvania and beyond to make real changes to laws about cell phone use in the car.
Students Against Destructive Decisions
SADD takes a multi-pronged approach to prevent a variety of destructive behaviors among teens that include drug use, drunken driving and distracted driving. SADD also has various local chapters if you would like to get involved in your own area.
Impact Teen Drivers
As the CEO of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen or CAHP, Jon Hamm has seen a lot of car accidents involving teens and their smartphones firsthand. He created Impact Teen Drivers in 2007 to get schools in the know about why it's best to leave cell phones out of sight while driving. "During our first two campaign years, free classroom materials (posters, DVDs, stickers, statistics, etc.) and t-shirts were sent to every public high school in California, reaching over 1 million CA high school students," Impact Teen Drivers proudly states on its site.
Images by:
Michael Babcock
Lord Jim
Mike Mozart


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In this speech Jesse Jackson, campaigning for US President in 1984, speaks at a church. There are two things I would like to point out in this speech, and they both have to do with point #3 in overcoming the Curse of Knowledge (make it concrete — use simple words and clear imagery):
1. At 1:45, he discusses economic policies, but he does not use academic, brainy terms like "balance of trade," "equilibrium," or "investment deflection." Instead, he uses simple words and clear imagery: cars, vodka, and airplanes.
He says:
"When you buy Honda and Toyota, that's foreign policy. Russian vodka, that's foreign policy. (unintelligible), that's foreign policy. Mercedes-Benz, that's foreign policy. As a matter of fact, we came here on a foreign policy [Matt: he's probably referring to Airbus]."
2. At 4:48, he discusses election campaign tactics, and he starts mentioning numbers.
It's easy for people to get lost with numbers — a number that is significant to the speaker might not be significant to the audience, and vice versa.
But Jesse Jackson punctuates the numbers with a simple image between each number:
"…[state, numbers, blah blah]…rocks, just layin' around. [State, numbers, blah blah]…rocks, just layin' around. [State, numbers, blah blah]…rocks, just layin' around. [State, numbers, blah blah]…rocks, just layin' around."
What does this mean for the rest of us, those of us who are not running for US President?
Examine your words closely. Use the simplest, clearest imagery you can.
Think about how you would express your theory in pictures, and then describe those pictures.
When you are talking about numbers, make those numbers real — give them an image, and, if you can, repeat that image often. Most of your audience will forget the numbers, but they'll remember the image.
By the way, in this speech Jesse Jackson speaks very quickly, but don't worry: even though I am a native speaker there were words I could not understand, or had to listen to multiple times before I could understand.
About Matt Krause
Matt began his professional life as an import buyer, and since 2006 has been teaching companies how to connect with their investors and clients better. His clients work in Istanbul, London, and Madrid for companies like Allianz, 3M, P&G, Citibank, and Reckitt Benckiser. He also walked across Turkey and wrote a book about it.


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News that the tiny Samoan carrier Samoa Air has begun to charge fares based on the weight of its passengers has some weight-conscious fliers worried that the idea might catch on with other airlines.
"There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future," said Samoa Air Chief Executive Chris Langton.
But industry experts are not so sure the idea will fly.
"Any airline that tries that, heavy people would not fly that airline," said Jan Brueckner, a UC Irvine economics professor and airline industry expert.
But there are also practical reasons why the idea wouldn't work with major commercial airlines in the United States, according to industry experts.
First, the longer it takes to board passengers on a plane, the less revenue airlines can squeeze from each plane. Asking each passenger to stand on a scale and listening to the reactions — "No way! Your scale is broken!" — would only slow the boarding process.
Second, installing weight scales at already crowded terminals would mean removing ticket counters, kiosks or other fixtures.
"In addition to being outrageous, it would also be a logistical mess," Brueckner said. "I think it's a non-starter."


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Justin Fantl
Japan is not the only country that builds vending machines for that which should not be vended. Surprisingly fancy food dispensers are cropping up across the US, selling gourmet edibles more often served in cafés and restaurants. Here's where to find tasty treats, vended free of human interaction.
Cupcakes Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, etc.
To avoid damaging its delicate treats, the Sprinkles bakery chain created a cupcake ATM with a robotic arm to deliver the sweets upright. The touchscreen displays photos of the options (red velvet!). Employees restock frequently, so the cakes are always fresh.
Burritos Los Angeles
Heating up a frozen burrito is a losing proposition. Plus, it takes five minutes. So the Box Brands built a machine that can steam a refrigerated burrito in 60 seconds flat. Stocked daily in five flavors—including free-range chicken, roasted potato, and shredded beef—with sour cream and guacamole on the side.
Salads Chicago
The Farmer's Fridge offers choices like antioxidant salad and cauliflower fried rice in jars. Daily restocking keeps veggies fresh, as does ingredient stacking; tomatoes sit against hearty carrots, protecting delicate lettuce. An elevator moves each jar out of the machine so nothing gets tossed.
Caviar Los Angeles
At any given moment, the self-serve dispenser in front of Beverly Hills Caviar might have as much as $50,000 worth of fish eggs inside, all controlled for temperature, moisture, lighting, and oxygen level. Hundred-dollar bills accepted; mother-of-pearl spoon not included in purchase.


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Hello Lovely Readers! I am happy to tell you that there are three new and wonderful picture books coming up on the Kid Lit Love blog this August!
And for kid lit creators who have been enjoying SCBWI's Summer Spectacular, August has been a fabulous month, indeed!
Stop by on Mondays and learn more about these books and their creators!
Sign up for my newsletter and learn about release dates, pre-orders and free offers related to my picture book, THE LULLABY MONSTERS.
Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are welcome here any time!


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But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: (Job 12:7 KJV)
Patty Becomes a Teacher ~ by Emma Foster
Once there was a finch named Patty who lived in a large oak tree by an elementary school. She had built her nest up in one of the highest branches of the old oak tree so she could watch all of the students in the elementary school go out and play for recess and come back inside for class.
One day Patty decided that she would teach her own children different subjects just like the teachers in the school. In order to accomplish this, Patty watched the teachers every day through the window just to see what they taught. However, most of the subjects the teachers taught didn't apply to her. For example, a bird wouldn't have any reason to learn math.
Patty decided that her children should be taught subjects that birds would learn as they grew up. By now, they both already knew how to fly, but Patty knew her children would have to learn other things as well.
Patty began to teach her two children, Maggie and Robert, on Monday because Patty noticed how school always began on Mondays. Her first class was Advanced Nest Building, as Patty called it, which taught Maggie and Robert how to build extravagant nests that could span an entire tree branch. Patty had Maggie and Robert follow her around and explained to them what type of sticks and moss to pick up to make their nests large and sturdy so that they didn't break apart in the rain.
The next class Patty taught Maggie and Robert was what Patty titled Advanced Worm Catching. Maggie and Robert watched their mother sit on top of a tree branch before swooping down to catch a large round worm. Throughout the week, Patty taught them how to catch worms at the right time and place and added that the best time to catch them was after it rained.
The third class Patty taught them was Self Defense, in case something ever attacked the nest. One day, a squirrel crawled up the tree in search of some acorns and Maggie and Robert watched as Patty batted the squirrel away with her wings. They were sure their mother must have done a good job because a teacher from inside the school opened up the window to see what was making all of the racket outside.
Patty was sure to teach Maggie and Robert these subjects every day just like the teachers did with the students at school. When Maggie and Robert grew up they built their own nests just like Patty taught them in Advanced Nest Building. And when Maggie and Robert had children of their own they taught them the same things that Patty had taught long before so that they knew how to catch good worms, build large nests, and keep their young protected.
The teachers at the school never understood where the loud squawking was coming from inside the large oak tree, but Patty knew it was her grandchildren practicing in case a squirrel ever climbed the tree. Patty felt very proud that her children and grandchildren thought that she had done a good job as a teacher.
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalms 32:8 KJV)
Lee's Addition:
Wow, Emma! Your stories just keep getting better all the time. Lord bless you as journey through your Senior year in High School. May you continue to develop your writing abilities the Lord has given you.
(Photos and verses added by Lee [that is why the pictures don't exactly match the birds in the story])
More of Emma's great stories. You can see her steady development in her Bird Tales.
Watch for a new page for Emma's Stories in the left menu soon. We need to honor her with her own page. She has well earned it.
UPDATE: Just Add A New Page For Emma – – Emma's Stories


text:
Being a caregiver for someone struggling with addiction is a noble deed. You get to spend your time putting their needs before yours and uplifting them during their dark times. However, for you to sustain your efforts, you need to care for yourself. Watching someone you love struggle, caring for them and staying positive is no small feat. Taking care of yourself will help you replenish your positive energy and become an effective caregiver. Here are a few ideas you can apply:
Understand that self-care does not make you self-centered
This point came first because many caregivers tend to feel that putting their needs first may come across as selfish. For you to adequately take care of yourself, you need to know that this misconception cannot be further from the truth. For you to have enough energy to care for someone else, you need to care for yourself first.
Exercise is not only important for your body but comes in handy for someone experiencing stress. You do not have to overexert yourself, a walk with a friend or favorite playlist can do you a lot of good. You can also try an indoor routine, like 10-minute yoga or body weight exercises. Moving your body triggers the release of feel-good endorphins and loosens you up.
Take time for a hobby
Now would be a good time to read that novel you've been putting off. Doing something you enjoy will lift your spirits and balance out the difficult times with some joy.
Get some rest
While sleep can be elusive while worrying about a sick person, you need to get at least eight hours of sleep a day. Sleep is essential for a healthy mental state and physical well-being. Whenever an opportunity comes along, a nap will replenish your energy and rest your mind.
Do not blame yourself
More often than not, parents, guardians and other family and friends believe that they had a part to play in the addict's current position. Resist the urge to put yourself at fault; only they are fully responsible for their actions. Blaming yourself will hinder both you and the addict's well-being and cause unnecessary tension.
Join a support group
There are many online and physical-meetings support groups that you can lean on for help. These groups will offer you counseling and an opportunity for other social interactions. Interacting with other caregivers will give you perspective and reassurance. Being a caregiver can be incredibly lonely, and a little help can make a significant difference.
Avoid enabling behavior
The hardest part about being a caregiver is trying to help them quit their behavior, and the resentment accompanying your efforts. However hard it is, you need to stop giving them money, making excuses for them and protecting them from the consequences of their actions. Watching them struggle is a more welcome fight than watching them slip away.
Recovery, however hard, is possible for addicts. Do not give up hope, and when their behavior becomes too erratic, and they become a danger to themselves and others, an addiction rehabilitation center near you can help them get their life back.


text:
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Good Times with Arnold's Attic
1 Moda jelly roll (Arnold's Attic by Barbara Brackman)
Pile of coordinating plaids/solids
Handout with black/white quilts from the latest impulsive quilter class
Barkley is guarding my progress so far. Working with the black&white image for a pattern let's you see the color values.
Barbara's blog, it's not due out for a while). And also seeing some proof that Arnold is real, and not a fictional character. We've been hearing about him and his fabric gifts for years....
Posted by Deb Rowden at 1:07 PM
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text:
Hi, I'm Eli.
I care about creating wonderful deeply human experiences, with amazing people.
I care about creating amazing experiences with amazing human beings.
Confidence With Allergies
Mobile Application
Awww Sugar
Mobile Application
Triib On The Go
Mobile Application
WOD on the Waves
Mobile Application
I've been fortunate enough to work with a lot of great brands, companies, and folks who have had some really cool ideas.
meQ x Labs
Different Kind of Train Set
Project type
Digital Greeter
Hacking My Way To A Job
Event Leaderboard
Community At A Glance
Mobile Application
Show Up & Show Out
Apparel Branding


text:
American ecological science-fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson recently talked to the Guardian about his new, near-future climate change novel 50 degrees below, which presents a scenario of future climate change, its impacts and humanity's response.
From the Guardian:
Set in an America of the almost-now, Fifty Degrees Below (and the first volume of the trilogy, Forty Signs of Rain) tells the story of the efforts of a loosely-connected group of scientists, campaigners and politicians to provoke a national response to the crisis of global warming. Unfortunately for them, as environmental aide Charlie Quibbler observes, it's "easier to destroy the world than to change capitalism even one little bit". It is not until the combination of two colliding storm systems and an unprecedented tidal surge causes Washington's Potomac river to bursts its banks and overwhelm the country's capital at the climax of book one that the world sits up and takes notice. But, by this point, the polar ice caps have already begun to melt in earnest, shutting down the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and creating environmental conditions that could usher in a new ice age. The last ice age, 11,000 years ago, took just three years to start.
Robinson is famous for the Mars trilogy of novels about terra-forming Mars.
In this book he writes about "terra-forming" Earth.
From the Guardian interview.
The concept of terraforming – transforming the landscape of a planet to acquire the characteristics of Earth – is central to Robinson's Mars trilogy, in which the characters attempt to effect climate change on a massive scale to warm the planet to habitable levels. In his latest books, Robinson turns this concept on its head: rather than shaping an alien landscape until it resembles Earth, he explores the possibility of manipulating our own environment to redress the damage we've done to it. But what seemed relatively straightforward on Mars's vast, uncomplicated canvas is infinitely trickier on a planet that already supports a complex, populous biosphere. Every proposed action (adding salt to the ocean to restart the Gulf Stream, shooting dust into the atmosphere to reflect light and heat back into space) is likely to produce not one but many reactions, most of them entirely unexpected, in what one ecologist in Fifty Degrees Below calls "the law of unintended consequences". The challenge in this trilogy – to which Robinson gleefully rises – is to work out how to operate within the constraints of a land already lived in.
"It seems so easy on Mars, and looks so hard on earth, which is kind of ironic," Robinson agrees. "It's infinitely more difficult when there's already an established ecology. There's no room for error. And also, alas, there are some mistakes that we simply don't have the power to correct."
Such as?
"Reducing the acidity of the ocean. That's a problem I've become more aware of since I finished book two – it will definitely feature in the third volume. Much of the carbon dioxide we're putting into the atmosphere actually ends up in the ocean, increasing its acidity and making it harder for the little creatures to live. They represent the bottom of the food chain and we're at the top of it. Scientists have looked at whether we could de-acidify the oceans after the fact, and the answer is flatly no …
"But there are things we can do. The kind of terraforming projects we may well have to contemplate in the future are huge, but they're not outside civilisation's industrial ability."
WorldChanging notes he's recently published a short article via Amazon –Imagining Abrupt Climate Change : Terraforming Earth. In it he writes about regime shifts.
From KSR's note:
That a physical system as big as the Earth's climate could change so fast was remarkable, but the evidence for it is there, and the explanations were quick to follow; the new paradigm's conceptual field was established by the researchers in very short order. This happened because the researchers were working in a context of new developments in climatology more generally, including the newish meteor explanation for the KT boundary ending the Cretaceous, chaos theory in meteorology, supercomputers and their new speed in simulating more sophisticated modeling,and new information in the paleo-record about what had happened at the end of the last Ice Age some fifteen thousand years ago, coming from all over the Earth. Taken with older concepts, like Euler's work on nonlinear dynamics, there was a suite of concepts and methods that gave the researchers in this new field the tools they needed to explain the data they had. Climate now was understood to be a complex interrelation of physical systems that resulted in semi-stable regimes; change in these regimes was usually slow,but sometimes small and slow changes pushed a regime over a threshold, in the same way that slow and steady pressure on a light switch eventually snaps the switch from one position to another. Thus a big slow system could still exhibit occasional rapid major changes, moving over a tipping point from one regime to another. This model was supported by the evidence that was now there at hand; and so we now have a modified model of how climate works, less than a decade old and still being worked on and argued over.
See also the US National Academy report Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises (2002).


text:
Due to my disabilities I've only gone away three times in the last fifteen years, and never in the last seven. I was doing "staycations" long before the media coined the term. I love going on vacations and retreats, even when I never leave home.
Others — friends or writers (often one-and-the-same) — join me to talk, eat, write, watch movies, and read our work aloud at my home. Inevitably, connecting to others I care about leads me to connecting more deeply to myself, which in turn strengthens my connection to my writing. Since writing, for me, grows out of self-connection, when I am adrift from who I am, I cannot write well. In fact, I usually cannot write at all.
In the past three years, I haven't had a writing retreat. I've been too sick, among other reasons. However, Betsy and I have had wonderful vacations; she takes time off from work, and we do what mood, weather, and disability allow. Even though I'm always at home, and Betsy often is, and our vacation activities might seem mundane to others — playing cards, watching movies, talking — there's something different about setting aside a chunk of time and marking it as special. Time together is intended, however ordinary the activity, to be a source of connection with each other.
We also devote some individual time to personal projects. Last year, Betsy focused on gardening. I dedicated myself to taking Gadget for daily walks at the pond.
In 2008 and 2009, picking blackberries was one of our most enjoyable activities.
Gadget loved berries and picked them, too. One of his all-time favorite treats was blueberries, which he picked off the bush with gusto. However, he was fond of raspberries and blackberries, too, and would brave the thorny brambles to get at the fruit. Last year at this time, Gadget was in remission from lymphoma; he looked and acted particularly robust and happy. He joined us in the berry picking (though nothing he picked ever made it into a pie).
When Betsy or I found a particularly bountiful spot, Gadget would wade in, knocking off the ripest berries with his big frame, and indiscriminately devouring large clusters, both black and green. I couldn't begrudge him the berries — neither those ready to eat nor those that would have been good to pick in a few days' time. Who couldn't laugh and rejoice in his being with us, so very Gadget — out for all he could grab from life? I also deeply enjoyed the three of us being able to take part in this activity together as a family.
This week I'm enjoying a retreat of a different kind. Betsy is away, visiting family. Before she left, she planted two organic blueberry bushes, in honor of Gadget (and because we like blueberries). It felt like just the right time to plant something beautiful and practical that will be with us forever, we hope — just like Gadget and our memories of him. Also, appropriately, Barnum helped to dig the holes for the bushes, and then partly dug one of the bushes back up.
Along with Betsy's absence, I've had less time with my PCAs around due to illness and car trouble. As a result, a lot of the time, it's just Barnum and me. I'm really enjoying it.
I've written about how hard his first couple of months were for me. I floundered with the newness of puppy raising. My grief over missing Gadget was so overwhelming, I didn't even see it; it simply engulfed me. I felt guilty, ashamed, confused, and scared because of my puppy-raising ineptitude — what I perceived as failing Barnum and setting us up to wash out as a service-dog team. I also allowed myself to get jangled by the discouraging and patronizing voices of other dog trainers I met online.
A lot has changed, thank dog!
First of all, after Barnum turned four month's old, when much of the stress of babyhood wore off, I fell in love with him. This isn't to say I didn't love him before; I did. But I wasn't in love with him. There's a big difference.
Secondly, as we started to have little training victories, and Barnum developed an attention span and the ability to go longer periods without peeing (in the house), we were able to communicate better. This, too, helped me relax and appreciate him more.
Most recently, I have seriously dedicated myself to working Sue Ailsby's training levels, which have given me step-by-step directions for ways to explain things to Barnum. I've discovered a lot of the bumps in the road we had hit in previous months were due me not knowing how to translate what I wanted to teach to a puppy. I was more used to explaining how to build a behavior in an adult dog. As a result, I was asking for mental leaps I wasn't even aware were there. This created anxiety for Barnum and frustration (and feelings of inadequacy) for me.
It just keeps getting better: This week, not only do Barnum and I have a quiet, peaceful house to work in for extended periods, I am also functioning better physically than I have in three years! Suddenly, Barnum and I are particiating in our own unplanned bonding, training, and play retreat!
With this breathing space for both of us, and the Training Levels' step-by-step directions, I find that my enjoyment and skill as a dog trainer is coming back to me! When Barnum is confused, or a skill isn't being shaped just how I'd like, I'm able to think it through and say to myself — sometimes in the split-second necessary to change tacks in mid-training stream — "Ohhh, I need to back up and do it this way!" And lo and behold, it works! It's just about the best feeling in the world.
I don't know which is better: Barnum's total happiness and obvious gratitude for me finally being able to communicate to him what I want, or my tremendously improved self-confidence and attitude about training.
Like most dogs, Barnum is not big on hiding his emotions. This is part of dogs' wonderfulness. Thus, Barnum is quite willing to let me know whether he is pleased with what's happening in his world at any given time. When he is not pleased, he will tell me — emphatically. However, when he is happy, he wags his whole body. For example, ever since I switched him to raw food, after finishing a meal, he comes over to me, grinning and wagging like mad.
"Thank you, thank you!" His body language gushes. "That was awesome!"
Now the same thing happens at the end of a training session. We are both concentrating very hard, but there's also the rush of learning, teaching, communicating. Often, at the end of a particularly sharp session, Barnum runs to me and nearly knocks me over to enthusiastically lick my face. He never used to do this after training; it's new, since our little "training retreat" week.
Some might call it anthropomorphizing, but I know what I'm seeing: not just happiness, but gratitude. After several confusing months, where sometimes we were communicating well, and sometimes we were both frustrated, we have achieved a solid communication and trust in ourselves and each other.
"Thank you, thank you!" He kisses me, wags, and grins, after a clicker session. "Now I get it! I get it! I wish you had just said so before!"
There are all sorts of paradoxes here: That we made big leaps in progress when the pressure was off. That working with very definitive goals within a rigid structure — and even knowing that I will be testing myself on them — forces me to focus, which helps me relax. As with writing, the more connected I am to my task (teaching a skill), the more I connect to others involved (Barnum), and the more I'm connected to myself.
That just going hog-wild with clicking/treating (being super generous in clicking even the smallest hint of the behavior I want or doing rapid-fire or jackpots of treats) almost always gets us to a more advanced form of the behavior than being stingy with the rewards is a typical paradox of clicker, too. (And sometimes, lately, has gotten us farther and faster than I expected.)
I've also been trying to incorporate additional types of games into our play, especially "mind games" that help Barnum problem solve. I use them as breaks in between training sessions, or as rewards for progress, or I combine them with a training exercise. For example, to teach loose-leash walking, you put a "distraction" — something the dog really wants — at the end of your destination, and then you proceed toward it. If the leash gets tight, you go backwards. I used the muffin tin game, shown in the captioned video below by Vancouver Island Assistance Dogs, as Barnum's distraction/destination. He really wanted to get to that muffin tin!
Click here for a transcript of the video.
With "time off" and the Training Levels as my guide, all I've had to do is put my head down and work on what's right in front of me. With much of the guesswork removed, I am actually more able to "think on my feet" and be completely in the moment. All this means is that I'm attuned to Barnum's needs, which is the name of the game, not just in training sessions, but in the rest of our lives. It's about connection.


text:
Hot Viral Tactics & PPC Keyword Leverage
Happy Independence Eve! With the central summer celebration about to start, I thought I would search out summer-themed keywords that PPC marketers are bidding on. And what summer-specific keyword is more appropriate to start with than 'hot dog'?
This search should produce some simple results. One would hope that several large hot dog companies would be advertising on Google with ads leading to viral landing pages and engaging content.
Turn off the grill – this is definitely not the case.
Only one of the four paid search results actually talks about hot dogs and it's about a steak dog, not even a real hot dog! The remaining ads are for an insurance company, a local mall, and a large chain store.
With all of the negative rumors about how eating hot dogs will mutate your child into a mountain lion-goat beast, you would think that this would be a hot search term and that some companies would be defending the hot dog industry. Additionally, there are only four Google ads running on this keyword (two of which are geo-targeted) so the costs can't be that extensive.
In this case, 'hot dog' is a very general keyword though; it would also be wise to provide a memorable experience to the user. Wacky images/videos, grilling games, hot dog statistics and trivia, etc. are all viral-ready content creations that a company could provide to the user so they will remember (and share) #1 Hot Dog Company, Inc.
Look at your own company, think of the simple keywords that describe what you do or sell, and provide a memorable user experience. But, for tomorrow, just enjoy the summer.


text:
New feature! Every week I'll be presenting one of my favourite film posters. I actually think of film art as art in it's own right. I'm sure visitors to this website feel the same way.
This first poster is the iconic UK poster for Brian De Palma's classic horror movie Carrie from 1976.
The UK quad poster was actually censored as it was felt that the shot of Carrie covered in pigs blood would be too graphic for the general public of the day. And hence why said pic of her was actually presented in negative.
The uncensored poster resplendent with the original pic is shown below.
But there was another poster that was made depicting a note from Carrie that warned people who had seen the film from warning their friends about some of the scares the film held so that the film wouldn't be ruined by word of mouth.
An iconic film with iconic imagery, Carrie is a classic on every level imaginable.


text: A poll of 2,000 Yours magazine readers found 99% thought packaging had got harder to open in the past 10 years. In fact, 71% of readers of the magazine aimed at the over-50s said that they had been injured as they struggled to open food packaging. And 97% thought there was just "too much excess packaging".


text:
My daughter has been asking for a lot of baked treats lately, so to avoid being the "mean" mom who always says no, I'm making more of an effort to bake healthy treats with hidden veggies and no refined sugar. These muffins are a great way of satisfying your kids' sweet tooth (and yours!) while still getting important nutrients. The honey and coconut oil make them super moist with just the right amount of sweetness.
Yield: 12 muffins
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
1/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup honey
1 chia egg* (can use regular egg instead)
1 cup oat flour (ground oats)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
*to make a chia egg simply mix 1 tbsp of ground chia seeds with 3 tbsp water and let sit for 5 mins
1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease a muffin pan or line with muffin cups.
2. In a medium bowl, combine carrots, coconut oil, honey, and egg. Stir until well combined.
3. In a large bowl, combine oat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Stir in optional add-ins.
4. Spoon mixture evenly into muffin pan. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins in pan. Remove and cool on rack.


text:
Two semi trucks collided on the Nanaimo Parkway and one driver was hurt.
Nanaimo RCMP say the crash happened about 7:40 a.m. Wednesday, May 5, in the northbound lanes of the parkway just north of the Northfield Road intersection.
One driver was transported to hospital with unknown injuries.
Police say both northbound lanes will be closed for an "indeterminate period of time" while investigators examine the scene.
Northbound traffic on the parkway is being detoured and motorists are asked to avoid the area. Southbound parkway traffic is not impacted.
There were 29 crashes at the intersection of Northfield Road and the Nanaimo Parkway in 2019, which was the 14th-highest total in the city that year, according to the most recently available ICBC statistics. For the five-year period from 2015-2019, the intersection saw 178 crashes, 11th most among Nanaimo's intersections.
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text:
First, we want to thank everyone for their patience while we navigated the ongoing situation regarding our hotel facilities, convention dates, and the form DisCon III will be taking. We made the commitment to keep everyone informed either every two weeks or sooner if the situation has changed. If you are unsure about what that is you can catch up here: https://discon3.org/news/update-on-convention-dates-and-hotels/
Through the efforts of our staff and the efforts of the Connolly Gallagher law firm, we secured our release from our contract with the Marriott Wardman Park. We plan on hosting the convention at the Omni Shoreham Hotel from December 15-19, 2021.
What are the new dates?
What is the new venue?
Can the Omni Shoreham hold a Worldcon?
So why did you not go 100% virtual in August like other conventions?
Why did you wait so long to announce the date change?
Won't moving to December place you too close to the dates of [INSERT CON] here?
What is mid-December weather like in Washington, DC?
What precautions will you be taking for COVID?
When will hotel bookings open?
What is a Virtual Membership?
What if I want a membership refund?
Will the Hugo voting timeline or 2023 Worldcon site selection be affected?
The Covid pandemic has had a lasting impact on fandom. Last year, CoNZealand became the first Worldcon to be virtual. This year, with the release of several viable vaccines, the return of in-person conventions has become possible. We considered our members, staff, and potential members' preferences. We have monitored the legality of an in-person event. As well as preference, we had contractual obligations which were developed long before the pandemic hit and we had to make the adjustments we could agree with our partners. None of this was simple and to not say anything which would force us into a breach of contract situation, we haven't been able to say much until now.
When we surveyed membership and interested parties in December 2020, there was a strong preference for an in-person event. Below are the results of the survey we conducted:
[Given the below options for DisCon III, which would you most prefer to attend? 1667 total respondents:
64% In-person: December 15-19, same venue(s) with some virtual aspects (1060 respondents)
31% Virtual: Existing dates of August 25-29, with potential for limited in-person activities (523 respondents)
5% Would not attend either (84 respondents)]
[Currently, what is your relation to DisCon III? 1667 total respondents:
62% Member (1031 respondents)
28% Non-member (469 respondents)
10% Staff/Volunteers (167 respondents)]
Preference for in-person in December:
Members: 68.3%
Non-members: 53.9%
Staff/Volunteers: 61.7%
Preference for virtual in August:
Members: 26.1%
Non-members: 40.9%
Staff/Volunteers: 37.1%
Would not attend either:
Members: 5.6%
Non-members: 5.1%
Staff/Volunteers: 1.2%
Nearly two-thirds (63.6 percent) of respondents preferred a shift to December with some virtual elements. Just under a third (31.4 percent) of respondents wanted to move forward with the originally scheduled dates with a mainly virtual convention. The remainder would not attend. Staff had similar preferences.
This means for the first time, Worldcon will take place in December.
As we have mentioned previously, we plan on incorporating virtual programming into our Worldcon for those who choose not to attend in-person. We will be introducing a Virtual Membership to access our online programming which will start at US$75, and we will be providing sign-up information about the Virtual Membership in the very near-term.
We have also provided an FAQ regarding this situation below, and we hope it answers some of your questions.
Thank you again for your support and as always, if you have any concerns or questions about how we are proceeding, please don't hesitate to reach out to us across social media @Worldcon2021 or by emailing email@example.com.
The FAQ/ Moving checklist
So you've just found out DisCon III is moving? Here's what you need to know:
What are the new dates?
- December 15-19, 2021
What is the new venue?
- The Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC
Can the Omni Shoreham hold a Worldcon?
- The Omni Shoreham has over 100,000 square feet (9290.3 square meters) of meeting space, but let's be upfront – the Omni Shoreham is smaller than our previous hotel with less sleeping rooms. Given that we know not everyone will be able to attend a December Worldcon, we are expecting a smaller-than-average American Worldcon. We are planning to utilize all the space available as creatively as possible to bring you the best possible Worldcon.
So why did you not go 100% virtual in August like other conventions?
- In January 2021, our previous hotel, the Marriott Wardman Park hotel went into bankruptcy and was closed permanently by the current ownership. That action froze all contracts and left DisCon III staff with a contractual obligation which it could not simply walk away from without the risk of owing over $500,000 in guarantees to that property. At the same time, the convention also had an obligation to the tune of over $400,000 dollars to the Omni Shoreham if we attempted to break the contract to go completely virtual. This meant the cost of breaking contracts would have been very prohibitive for many members. In order to have a chance at providing a better experience for the fandom, we decided to move to in-person in December with a virtual element.
Why did you wait so long to announce the date change?
- When we realized the Marriott Wardman Park was not reopening, we were under the impression they would be releasing all their contracts since they would not be able to fulfill their end. As the weeks went on, the contract remained. We also had a smaller contract with the Omni Shoreham. In either case of going virtual in August or going in-person in December, if we had publicly stated either intention or even that we were thinking about the ideas, we could have been seen attempting to break both contracts.
Won't moving to December place you too close to the dates of [INSERT CON] here?
- We know there are conventions that take place in late November, December, and early January. Our intentions were never to step on any toes, or make it difficult for people to decide what conventions they could attend. Moving to December was about making the best out of the situation we found ourselves in.
What is mid-December weather like in Washington, DC?
- We recommend bringing your cold-weather clothing: a heavy coat or jacket, a warm hat, and gloves. The average mid-December temperature in the DMV – DC, Maryland, (Northern) Virginia – is 45°F (7°C) high and 34°F (1°C) low. There can be the odd warmer day as well – it's not unheard of for a random mid-December day to peak just above 60°F (15.5°C) for a high, but the nightly low will still be cold. While snow does occur here in December, on average measurable snowfalls occur only one or two days of the year with snowfalls of 1 inch (2.5cm) or more occurring on one day every year or two and snows of 3 inches (7.6 CM) or more falling only about once every five years.
What precautions will you be taking for COVID?
- We are committed to having a masking and health policy which complies with local legal requirements and CDC recommendations. As the situation is still fluid, we will be updating you with our requirements to be in-person as we get closer to December.
When will hotel bookings open?
- Hotel room booking will begin on June 21st at 1:00PM Eastern Time. Please check our accommodations page for more details: https://discon3.org/location/accommodations/
What is a Virtual Membership?
- A Virtual Membership is part of our commitment to providing online content for those who either cannot, or choose not to, attend in-person. We also will maintain our commitment to have three streaming tracks of program items during the convention. A Virtual Membership will start at $75 and will be available to purchase via our memberships page. https://discon3.org/membership/membership-information/
What if I want a membership refund?
- Members who cannot attend in-person or virtually may opt to receive a refund to the supporting level until August 31st, 2021. From the 1st of May, 2021 Virtual membership will be available and refunds to this level will also be an option. Between the 31st of August and the 1st of December, 2021 members whose plans change can drop to the virtual rate. For people who have already purchased an attending membership, you may convert to a virtual membership and receive a refund of the difference. Members may choose to contribute the difference to the Capitalize! Fan fund to help others attend the convention.
Will the Hugo voting timeline or 2023 Worldcon site selection be affected?
- There are a few WSFS division activities which are being affected. As we have already closed site selection, we will not be reopening and shifting the filing deadline. There will be shifts to the Hugo voting timeline, so please watch for future updates.


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Artist and educator Lisa Coddington invites you to join her for a botanical art tour in southern France. A summary is included below. Contact Lisa for a detailed itinerary.
Painting Provence: Botanical Painting in Southern France
May 22-29, 2015
Join this memorable week that combines tours of historic villages such as Marseille, Aix de Provence, and Nimes with classes taught by ABSA-awarded artist, Lisa Coddington. Lisa teaches regularly at the University of New Mexico and Santa Fe Community College and offers specialized art workshops. Demonstrations in drawing, watercolor glazing, and composition will support your individual art goals while enjoying this tour of France. Classes are open to both beginners and advanced intermediate artists alike. Tour highlights the architecture, gardens and historic sites in southern France. Leisure time is provided to explore on your own. We look forward to you joining us!
Please contact Lisa Coddington for complete itinerary or call 315-256-8639. Learn more about Lisa and read student testimonials at www.LisaCoddington.com.
To reserve your space we encourage you to send your deposits by December 15, 2014. (deposit refundable if tour does not fill)
Registration Fees:
- $3,195.00 USD (6 participants)
- $2,995.00 USD (7-8 participants)
- $2,795.00 USD (9-11 participants)
Note: All rates are based on shared lodging; limited single supplement costs $285.00 USD.
Contact Harriet Harris of CulturalEncounters.com with all travel questions.
(505) 982-8264
Deposit Deadline: December 15, 2014
This information has also been posted to Classes Near You > New Mexico.


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[leadin]I'm strapped into my snowboard and I just watched three members of my heli-skiing group descend fresh lines, laughing all the way, one at a time, mirroring each others' turns.[/leadin]
I've learned there's an important rule in heli-skiing: "Pigs eat, hogs get slaughtered." (Translation: get great turns, but leave some fresh snow for the others.) Now it is my turn. My guide points skier's left, away from the other lines, at an un-harvested powder field. With the steepest pitch in eye-shot and nary a line in it, I'm drooling. And that's when my guide gives me the green light to gorge.
Until recently, I didn't know much about the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. Just outside the city of Elko in eastern Nevada, and about 3.5 hours west from Salt Lake City, this compact mountain range receives the same dry and light snow as Utah's Wasatch. The Ruby Mountains — long and sinuous and chock-full of spurs — are about 65 miles long and only 15 miles wide.
Peaks in the Ruby range jut past 11,000 feet. They are perfect for helicopter skiing because you can access a lot of different peaks without flying for too long. Ride it for a single day and you'll realize why the folks at Ruby Mountain Helicopter Skiing set up a business here in 1977.
On my trip last month, due to weather our first day of skiing started at about noon. We spent the morning waiting out a small storm in the luxurious Reds Ranch going through some avalanche training.
The folks at Reds run the place like a high-end B&B. The food is exquisite and abundant, the dinner menu including entrees like chipotle grilled shrimp, BBQ duck, seared salmon, and pork enchiladas. Guides are also known to wax their clients' boards and skis the night before.
The lux lodging is accompanied by great riding in the mountains above. On one run, I pointed my board downhill for a few seconds to get speed and then gobbled up big turn after big turn, kicking up rooster tails of snow on an un-tracked descent. For any skier or snowboarder, this is as good as it gets: Fresh lines in the middle of nowhere with no worries about other pow-hungry riders snaking your line.
By day's end, we had skied seven runs of intermediate and low-expert terrain in six inches of fresh. Another bonus to the trip: Riding a heli never gets old. Everyone was giddy when we got in for our first ride and that never fades. Accessing the backcountry without skins is a luxury that's second to none.
But all this fun isn't cheap. The most commonly purchased package here costs $4,250. It includes three days of lodging, breakfast, lunch and gourmet dinner, Rossignol powder skis, heli rides, and guiding service. You're guaranteed 39,000 vertical feet of skiing during the course of your stay.
Most trips include at least two days of flying and sometimes three if weather cooperates. If there's a "down day" and the heli can't fly, snowcats are available. But all runs count toward the capped vertical and once you've hit your 39,000-foot limit, you can keep going but all additional runs are extra.
What did I think of skiing in Nevada? It's better than you'd believe for a state most known for a casino city in the desert. Littered with 11,000-foot peaks, the Rubies get great snow and are flanked with epic, far-from-anything terrain. Add a helicopter, a lux lodge, and some fresh snow and you'll be smug with your decision to ski in one of the most unlikely mountain ranges of the West.


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Written Word
The written word can bare the soul,
Like poison ink on lace,
Give glory to that final goal,
Trace tears upon one's face.
The written word can touch the heart,
Like darts, or passion's flame,
Bring meaning to a new day's start,
Find solace out of shame.
The written word can change the mind,
Like sorrow turned to smiles,
Can tell a tale of things unkind,
Send love across the miles.
The written word can capture time,
Like memories under glass,
Bring reason to a simple rhyme,
Lead thoughts to form a mass.
These written words were meant for you,
Like those I've penned before,
They tell a tale of moments true,
Yet promise so much more.
Now take the words I've written here,
And those I know you've read…
Believe in them and hold them dear,
My heart is where they've led.


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Here is the update as promised, this week I introduce the concept of character sheets for Parasite. I'm still messing with the idea and do plan on changing things! The plan for future updates are on the Parasite page. Enjoy!
(Remember these are early concepts and designs for the first prototype being developed, everything is subject to change and is open to any suggestions and criticisms).
In Parasite players act out as different marines on the ship. The current planned marines are Agent, Pilot, Captain, Scientist, Soldier, Technician, and Medic.
Every player will at the start of the game choose a character which each one has strengths and weaknesses. Going from left to right in features for the Medic
1. Health: Every character will start at 20 health.
2. Inventory (boxes): Each character can only carry so much, the Medic has less space and wont be able to carry larger equipment.
3. Stats: Strength, Agility, Intelligence affects the equipment the character can use and each character will start at different numbers depending on their sub-class. Examples of equipment is armor which requires strength, stronger the armor less damage a human can take.
4. First ability (Heal): The medic can boost the effects of medicine such as med-kits and antidotes.
5. Second ability (Fake Health): The medic can use medicine in the wrong way to inflict damage.
6 Third Ability (Full Heal): The medic using the drugs provided from multiple med-kits to put himself in a heightened state and pulse out fumes that are poisonous for non-humans.
Next players then choose the subclass of their character, which each one has three choices. These sub-classes is what gives your character sheet its stats.
In the case of the medic he can specialize in general healing, making his full heal more powerful and effective in boosting himself, or relying on speed and strength to deliver his medicine in more cruel ways.
Depending on your allies this is where choosing one of these three classes is usually decided as a team to get the best composition.
Then finally the last thing players do is receive a hidden card that decides if they are the alien or human.
Each player keeps these cards secret but use the stats to further augment their character.
After that is done all players are ready to begin the next steps of set-up with their unique characters.
(The Alien should place 3 points it's a typo and all the 1's are 0's)
With so many variations it allows players to make unique custom classes and mess with different strategies to achieve victory.
As the game progresses players will use tools and upgrades to improve their character or in the case of the alien advance evolution until finally growing strong enough to confront the humans whether it's by brute force or hiding within the shadows of the metal corridors.
Thank you for reading, expect another update next week!
(Remember these are early concepts and designs for the first prototype being developed, everything is subject to change and is open to any suggestions and criticisms).


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15 ml Vial: Amber Glass with White Misting Spray Top (6 Count)
In stock
This standard size spray vials makes it easy to carry or share small amounts of essential waters, flower essences, spritzes, and air fresheners.
Note: Because some essential oils have the potential to clog the spraying mechanism, this spray bottle is not guaranteed when used with vegetable or essential oils. Store in an upright position.
Quantity: 6 amber glass vials with white misting spray tops and acrylic hoods.
Volume: 15 ml, or ½ fl. oz. (Container Size Comparison Chart)
Neck: 18-415. (Click to view other bottles and tops with the same neck size.)
Size: 1" x 4".
- When using essential oils in these bottles, it is best to dilute them with a carrier oil or water and epsom salt. Sprinkle epsom salt into the bottom of the bottle, and then add the desired amount of oil. Give the epsom salt a few moments to absorb the oils; then fill the remaining space with water. Epsom salt helps disperse the oil evenly throughout the water, preventing it from floating to the top.
- Fill bottle with desired contents.
- Wipe threads of bottle and spray top with a clean cloth to ensure the threads are dry and free from any liquid or dust.
- Cut tube on spray top to 1/16" above bottom of bottle. For best results, cut at a 45° angle.
- Screw spray top securely onto bottle.
- Once all the oil is in, you may want to label the bottle. You can purchase our blank labels to customize and print yourself.
- If the spray top becomes stiff or hard to use, remove it from the bottle, place the bottom of the tube in warm, soapy water, and pump the spray top a few times until the warm soapy water begins to spray through. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, and then spray again with the tube dipped in warm, clear water to rinse out. Remove tube from water, and continue spraying until spray top is empty.
As the tablet fizzes in the toilet, it can help loosen grime, making the toilet easier to clean. It also imparts a lovely scent to your bathroom!
This spray is works great to block odors-just spray it on top of the water before you go, and you won't leave behind any odorous evidence.
You'll love the smell and softness of your beard, as well as the benefits to your skin, when you use this beard balm!
Are you looking for a great neighbor gift that isn't a sweet treat? This hand sanitizer is perfect for the holiday season because it helps keep the germs away!


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"Condito"… it's Food for You!
"Condito", which in free translation from Latin means "flavour enrichment", emerged in 2001 from the merger of the companies of Christos Moraitis & Pavlos Papadopoulos. Nowadays, the 2nd generation of the two families, Konstantinos & Maria Moraitis & Christos Papadopoulos, actively cooperate & invest in new technologies & research, stimulating the creation of new, innovative products. "Condito" is today one of the largest companies in the production of traditional Greek spreads, mustard, ketchup & mayonnaise, it is based in the industrial area of Thessaloniki serving both the Ho.Re.Ca. & retail in Greece & abroad.
A "Vegan Mayo Sauce" free from eggs, gluten, artificial colours & preservatives that has a unique recipe with unsurpassed taste & light texture. A product that excites the senses & offers the joy of "free" pleasure.
Add taste to your life!


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Lean Leadership – The obligation to empower
To these leaders, the message is simple. If we waited for others to be doing improvement as a condition for us to do improvement, we would never do improvement. We can only improve ourselves and our own processes and set an example for others. How do we encourage others to improve? By setting the example.


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The Third and Seventh circuits have reached a sharp divide during the past year over the meaning of the implied "ascertainability" prerequisite to class certification. The Third Circuit affirmed a narrow version of ascertainability in Byrd v. Aaron's Inc., 784 F.3d 154, 168 (3d Cir. 2015), but several months later the Seventh Circuit refused the defendant's invitation to do likewise in Mullins v. Direct Digital, LLC, 795 F.3d 654, 657 (7th Cir. 2015).
Both circuits agree that before a class may be certified, it must be ascertainable. The difficulty arises in determining exactly what requirements the ascertainability prerequisite entails. The Third Circuit's decision in Byrd attempted to provide clarification, holding that ascertainability "consists of nothing more" than two inquiries: a plaintiff must show that "(1) the class is defined with reference to objective criteria; and (2) there is a reliable and administratively feasible mechanism for determining whether putative class members fall within the class definition."[1] Notably, identifying class members via affidavit is not considered administratively feasible by the Third Circuit, which had refused to sanction class member identification made by "no more than . . . potential class members' say-so" in Marcus v. BMW of North America, LLC, 687 F.3d 583 (3d Cir. 2012) and Carrera v. Bayer Corp., 727 F.3d 300 (3d Cir. 2013).
It was this "administratively feasible mechanism" requirement that the Seventh Circuit took issue with in Mullins. "These courts [applying the narrow ascertainability standard] have moved beyond examining the adequacy of the class definition itself to examine the potential difficulty of identifying particular members of the class and evaluating the validity of claims they might eventually submit." Mullins v. Direct Digital, LLC, 795 F.3d 654, 657 (7th Cir. 2015). Rather, a district court should be satisfied that a class is ascertainable so long as the class is defined clearly with reference to objective criteria. Id. Concerns about the practicality of identifying class members are properly addressed within the context of Rule 23(b)(3), which already mandates consideration of "the likely difficulties in managing a class action," while balancing countervailing interests to decide whether a class action "is superior to other available methods for fairly and efficiently adjudicating the controversy." Id. at 658. To focus on administrative feasibility at the expense of the other Rule 23 factors is to "erect a nearly insurmountable hurdle at the class certification stage in situations where a class action is the only viable way to pursue valid but small individual claims." Id. at 662.
Other circuits have begun to take sides. See Karhu v. Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc., – Fed.Appx. –, 2015 WL 3560722, at *2–4 (11th Cir. June 9, 2015) (unpublished) (adopting the narrow version of ascertainability and declining to permit class identification via affidavit), and Rikos v. Procter & Gamble Co., 799 F.3d 497, 525 (6th Cir. 2015) (retaining the broad version, "see[ing] no reason to follow Carerra" and noting that the Third Circuit's approach had received criticism from several other courts).
Any hope of a tiebreaker from the Supreme Court was dashed when the justices recently declined to review the Seventh Circuit's decision in Mullins. At least for the foreseeable future, class action defendants' ability to rely on the ascertainability standard to avoid class certification will depend on which circuit they find themselves in.
[1] A more detailed discussion of the Byrd decision can be found in our previous blog post here.


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An exotic flower head and tree fruits bursting in an explosion of colour and texture.
Sold by the Single Roll.
Comes in three different colorways.
Roll size: 20.5" wide x 11 yards
Vertical Repeat: 25.2"
Product arrives in 10-14 days.
Need a sample? We can do that! Call us at (608) 825-2524, or "message" us with your request!
Originally $164
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What's New?
George MacDonald Informational Web
George MacDonald Movie on YouTube
You can purchase the DVD of this movie at Amazon here.
His Influences
His Friends
His Impact
His Family
Hardly anything is known about George MacDonald's three sisters. They were Isabella, Louisa, and Jane. Isabella died at fourteen of tuberculosis. The oldest MacDonald son was Charles, followed by George, James, Alexander, John MacKay, and John Hill. John MacKay died before he was a year old. James died at the age of eight. His death was somewhat of a family mystery. We're not told how he died, but Greville informs us that many of his school chums thought it had to do with the regular whippings he had gotten from their schoolmaster. George would in adulthood write about the incident in the form of fictional narrative in his novel--Alec Forbes.
Charles, the eldest son, was very much given to get-rich-quick schemes and seems to have not had as much to do with the family after his marriage compared with his brothers. (A descendant of Charles MacDonald, Terry Jenkins, has done a good deal of discovery work and has uncovered a large amount of evidence showing Charles was actually a very good businessman, contrasting much that Greville Macdonald had wrote about his uncle in his biography of George and Louisa. Mr. Jenkins wrote an article about Charles MacDonald which was published in The Scottish Genealogist The Scottish Genealogist Vol. LXVI, No. 3, pp. 81-89, September 2019. A PDF copy of the article can be found here.)
Alexander (Alec) and John (John Hill--the youngest) had much more in common with the faith of George MacDonald and their grandfather. Virtually every known photograph of George MacDonald shows him with a beard. For those who are curious as to what he looked like without it, Alec, pictured above on the right, is said to have looked quite a bit like George. Alec, however, was lacking in his brother's intellectual abilities, his mind being more geared toward honest business. While he enjoyed poetry (especially Wordsworth) he was never blessed with any writing talents. He died quite young a the age of twenty six.
John, pictured above on the left, was said by all, including his brother George, to be the most intellectually gifted of the MacDonald brothers. He placed higher in school at Aberdeen than even George did, winning honors in Logic and Moral Philosophy. But John had a great sense of hopelessness that dogged him from his earliest years. He was given to bouts with something akin to solipsism, constantly questioning within himself the nature of reality. Still, he managed to keep a faith in God which was more along the lines of hope perhaps. He was very restless, seldom staying with a job for very long, and would sometimes travel a great deal for one so young, even taking a teaching position in Russia for a time. His brother, George, was very fond of him and wrote many characters based on John in several novels including the character of Ian in What's Mine's Mine and Eric Ericsen in Robert Falconer. George would also include several poems by John in a collection titled: A Threefold Cord, which included poems by George, John, and Greville Matheson.
John would, like his brother Alec before him, die young at the age of twenty eight from tuberculosis. Interestingly, his father claimed to have seen his dead son a few days afterward, walking down a road near the home and then disappearing around a bend nowhere to be seen. The old man took it as a sign that this son was leading him home to Heaven also, and in little more than a month he too would die of a heart attack. Much more is discussed about John Hill MacDonald in the full length biography.
©2007 The George MacDonald Informational Web


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So excited to be recurring on Atypical, a new original comedy series on Netflix.
I play, Kathy, the (somewhat uptight but well-intentioned) leader of the local support group for parents with autistic kids, as well as a friend to Jennifer Jason Leigh's character, Elsa, who frequents the group often. As much as Kathy wants to honor and support everyone's journey, she is also quite opinionated, which made her so much fun to play.
In fact, here's a fun interview I did with TV.com:: "Actress Wendy Braun Brings a Strong Opinion to New Netflix Series 'Atypical.'"
#Atypical #Netflix
#actorlife ⭐
It's exciting to be part of a brand new series that Forbes is calling, the best original series Netflix has ever produced + it's one of the best shows of the year.