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Video Tours Bring Facilities to Planning Teams
By Shelley Zavlek, president, Justice Solutions Group
HORIZON JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER NYC VIDEO TOUR MAY 2011 from Justice Solutions Group on Vimeo.
The useful life of most secure facilities and/or multi-justice centers is about 35 years, and many are used for 40 to 50 years or longer before being replaced. Therefore, most planning team members may have only one opportunity for involvement in the planning, design and construction of a new justice facility in their entire career. Due to fiscal constraints, it is often difficult or impossible for planning teams to visit new, state-of-the-art facilities to learn from the successes and challenges faced by other communities in developing their new facilities. This is a very critical activity that helps a planning team think outside the "box" of what they are familiar with in their current facilities, which are often very old and antiquated. It is of even greater importance to planning teams that are developing a detention or justice center for communities that have no existing facilities.
In an effort to introduce more facility planning teams and communities to new justice facility designs and features, the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has funded Justice Solutions Group (JSG) to develop a series of facility video tours. The series will contain video tours of juvenile and adult detention and correctional facilities, and multi-justice centers. Each video will focus on unique features of the facility design and related operations.
The pilot video tour was conducted at the Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx, N.Y. The video focused primarily on the intake and visiting functions and the design of spaces that facilitate those functions. It also focused on the use of light and visibility to enhance the quality, functionality and safety of secure environments. A rough-cut video was presented at workshops delivered by JSG to 14 facility planning teams in May and June of 2011. The final video reflected revisions that were made based on feedback received from the planning teams.
The second video in this series was developed in collaboration with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and features the Wanbli Wiconi Tipi Youth Wellness and Renewal Center, which is located in south central South Dakota on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. This video explores the impact of the Lakota culture on the programming and design of the Youth Center. Youth in the facility receive contemporary schooling and services as well as tribal practices programming that addresses all aspects of the Lakota culture.
According to facility orientation materials, "Wanbli Wiconi Tipi provides programs that encourage Residents to examine themselves and make a commitment to determine their future by striving to attain Wolakota (balance and harmony in their lives) through the use of Lakota values of Woohitika (Courage), Wacantognaka (Generosity), Wowacintanka (Resilience), and Woksape (Wisdom)."
The facility's physical environment and programs are designed to help restore healthy families and cultural, societal, and kinship values. The video covers all major components of the facility, which include a full-service detention facility (i.e., intake, housing, school, gym), a day reporting center and a transitional living program. Since the Tribe's vision for this facility featured such a strong emphasis on Lakota culture and youth programming, this video focuses on those aspects of the facility that reflect that vision including a sweat lodge; healing room; gardening; beading and equestrian programs; the use of murals, colors and circular spaces; and visual access to the outdoors.
"The Lakota children, from the time they deliver the first kick in the womb, are reared and taught morals and behavior through symbols and rituals that best convey the philosophy of the nation. These symbols and rituals show how the people are close to nature, the spiritual realm and kinship to all life forms. This prepares the children and the people to begin living in harmony with what is above and what is below."
ROSEBUD JUVENILE DETENTION VIDEO TOUR OCT 2011 from Justice Solutions Group on Vimeo.


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April 3, 2009 — -- As many as 14 people have been shot dead in a murderous three-minute shooting rampage inside an upstate New York civic association building that caters to immigrants, according to federal and state authorities.
The gunman was identified by some police sources as Jiverly Voong.
According to Binghamton Police Chief Joe Zikuski, the gunman entered the one-story American Civic Association in downtown Binghamton at 10:31 a.m. today and began his shooting spree.
By 10:33 a.m., the shooting was over and 14 people -- including the gunman -- lay dead, the chief said.
At least four people were listed in critical condition. Earlier, sources said as many as 26 people were wounded.
Officials who initially said Voong worked for IBM and had been discharged later said they believed that was false. At IBM, there was no record that Jiverly Voong ever worked there.
"We have no idea what the motive is," Zikuski said.
Police were interviewing Voong's family members and executing a search warrant at his home in an effort to establish a motive. Officials were seen removing a gun rifle case, two hard drives, two briefcases and two brown paper bags from the home.
Officials said Voong entered the civic association armed with two pistols -- a 9 mm and a .45 caliber handgun. A satchel around the gunman's neck carried high capacity magazines, a survival knife and a flashlight, according to police.
Voong backed his car up to the rear door of the building.
"Obviously, it was premeditated. He made sure nobody could escape," Zikuski said.
Voong then headed to the front where he allegedly began executing people.
Voong, 41, also known as Linh Phat Voong, was from Johnson City, N.Y.
Police refused offically to identify the shooter, though sources said it was Voong.
He allegedly burst into the civic center wearing a bright green nylon jacket and dark-rimmed glasses and promptly shot two female receptionists.
One woman died, but the second woman survived.
"She pretended she was dead," Zikuski said. As the gunman headed for a room off the reception area, "she crawled underneath the desk and sometime after that called us," he said.
Most of the people killed or injured were in one classroom taking a citizenship exam.
The police chief said 37 people were safely removed from the building, 26 of whom barricaded themselves in the building's boiler room.
Police arrived just two minutes after the receptionist called 911. Though the shooting lasted only minutes, it took police three hours to make sure the shooter wasn't still alive and laying in wait for more victims.
Zhanar Tokhtabayeva, a 30-year-old from Kazakhstan, told the Associated Press she was in an English class when she heard a shot and her teacher screamed for everyone to go to the storage room.
"I heard the shots, every shot. I heard no screams, just silence, shooting," she said. "I heard shooting, very long time ... and I was thinking, when will this stop? I was thinking that my life was finished."
Sister Stunned at News of Shooting
When the carnage was over, Voong's body was found on the first floor with a hunting knife jammed into the waistband of his pants.
"He shot those people? No. No," said a woman who identified herself as Voong's sister, but would not give her name when reached by ABC News.com.
She said her brother went to take classes today at the civic association and that she had not heard from him since. She said she did not know that he was involved in the shooting.
"I'm going to pass out," she said, and she hung up the phone.
A neighbor who lived on the same block as Voong and his family described the family as "quiet" and said they mostly kept to themselves.
"They were nice people," said the neighbor who identified herself only as Darlene. "They were good neighbors."
Police also contacted Voong's sister to say her brother was dead. She told police that Voong was attending language classes at the civic center. She said Voong is a U.S. citizen and has been in this country for 28 years.
U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, a Democrat whose district includes Binghamton, initially told the Associated Press Voong was recently laid off from IBM in Johnson City -- but sources later told ABC News that it appeared that the Voong who worked at IBM was Henry Voong, "an older gentleman" who was believed to be the suspect's father, and that he had not been laid off.
Fred McNeese, an IBM spokesperson, said that because the police have not officially identified the shooter, the company is "unable to confirm any connection to IBM" at this time and has no other comment.
Several hours after the shooting began, hostages started exiting the building and police declared the gunman dead.
By 1:30 p.m., police began escorting people out of the building, but continued to treat the building as a crime scene where the shooter might still be lurking.
Eyewitness Account
The American Civic Association released a statement early Saturday morning.
"We are stricken with grief about today's horrific assault and share this grief with the victims' families, our community and the entire nation."
Eyewitness Nick Masucci, a community college student and Binghamton resident, said he watched as many as 20 people exit the building and get patted down by police.
"They look like immigrants, lots of different cultures coming out of there. Some people are getting patted down. The police are taking a lot of precautions, they're still taking cover," he said.
Several people were removed from the building on stretchers. Others left with their hands on their heads and were searched by police.
Earlier today, police called Broome Community College to find someone who could speak fluent Vietnamese to "assist police with translation," said college spokesman Richard David.
People were told in nearby buildings to stay away from windows and Binghamton High School is under a lockdown as police use the school as a staging area. The school is a block and a half away from the shooting site.
President Obama issued a statement from the NATO summit he was attending in France.
"Michelle and I were shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the act of senseless violence in Binghamton, N.Y., today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and the people of Binghamton," he said.
New York Gov. David Paterson called the shooting "the worst tragedy and senseless crime in the history of the city."
"We all just have profound sorrow and sadness," he said.
Additonal reporting by ABC News' Ned Potter and Ki Mae Heussner.

subset: commoncrawl


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What has New Zealand politics come to when someone who was (until a few days ago) a senior frontbench member of our largest political party claims that he was active – as recently as a few months ago – in collecting very large donations from an open and avowed supporter of one of the most egregious regimes on the planet. And goes further to suggest that his party leader was not only active in soliciting such donations – and whether the words are used or not, when senior politicians turn up for dinner at the house of a wealthy person who doesn't speak English, there isn't much doubt what the visit is really about – but may, illegally so the MP claims, have sought to enable the fact of such donations to be masked from public scrutiny. (Those latter claims are the issue in law, but in many ways they should be less of a political issue than the wider environment this episode sheds fresh light on.)
And when no other member of that political party, or any other political party, is willing to speak out about the culture that our politicians and political parties – all of them it appears – have fostered. Why? Because the other side is quite as heavily involved in this "donations for acquiescence (or worse)" business.
After all, the Herald reveals this morning that although the Labour/New Zealand First government was directly responsible for the honour recently bestowed on Yikun Zhang, the nomination was a joint effort of National MP – former PLA intelligence official, Communist Party member, and active fundraiser – Jian Yang, former National Party MP Eric Roy, and former Labour leader and Mayor of Auckland – recipient of a very large anonymous donation from mainland China to his campaign, in an event organised by Labour MP Raymond Huo – Phil Goff. Yikun Zhang is photographed posing earlier this year with the Prime Minister, and in Labour Party group including party president Nigel Haworth – on record, in the last year as more and more is learned of the new and egregious evils of the PRC regime, praising Xi Jinping and celebrating the PRC regime.
And, of course, not a word is heard from any of them – Jacinda Ardern, Winston Peters, Nigel Haworth, Peter Goodfellow, Simon Bridges, Gerry Brownlee, Todd McClay (or Jian Yang or Raymond Huo) – about:
- the mass imprisonments in Xinjiang,
- the continued illegal PRC militarisation of the South China Sea,
- the increased repression of religions (and Falun Gong) across China,
- the rollout of the "social credit" system of repression and control,
- the growing threat to free and democratic Taiwan, or
- the increasing erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.
In fact, as a government minister only last year, Simon Bridges was signing official agreements with the PRC regime committing to an aspirational goal of a "fusion of civilisations".
What of Yikun Zhang? He is a leading figure in PRC United Front activities in New Zealand. That's not my interpretation, it is the view of the most prominent New Zeland expert on these matters.
Consistent with this, he was among the United Front people invited to Beijing to participate in the 90th anniversary celebrations for the People's Liberation Army.
On 30 July 2017, Zhang Yikun, a former military servant was invited to participate the military parade in Beijing for the celebration of the 90th anniversary of PLA establishment.
Zhang said to Chinese media, " As a veteran, now a overseas Chinese community leaders, I felt deeply excited for the tremendous achievements in the national defense of my homeland. "
Perhaps someone could ask him, no doubt through a translator, about the South China Sea militarisation.
Only late last year, he was leading a delegation – that included Eric Roy and Southland mayor (see yesterday's post) Gary Tong – to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council – then one of the key institutional entities in the PRC influence activities in and through ethnic Chinese communities abroad.
I could go on – I've been sent numerous links to Chinese language articles, which one can run through Google Translate – but the character of the man is pretty clear. After 15+ years in New Zealand he hasn't learned English, he remains close to various PRC bodies including the embassy/consulate in New Zealand, is actively involved in various United Front entities and activities (including the cultural associations, which aren't simply the equivalent of the Cornwall or Sussex associations, but vehicles through which the PRC seeks to exert control over ethnic Chinese in other countries)…..and he seems to assiduously cultivate connections to key figures in both our main parties (at least) – and, in turn (and this is the real shame) to be courted by them. And they give him official honours, for what seem – in effect – to be primarily services to the PRC. Did I mention that it was one of the most egregiously evil, and outwardly aggressive, regimes on the planet?
It is pretty bad that we have allowed people like this to achieve such prominence in our society. We should, and generally do, welcome people who want to come from China to escape the evils of the regime, and embrace freedom, democracy, transparency and a (until relatively recently) uncorrupt society. Rather like people escaping to the West from Germany in the 1930s. But what we seem to be doing is facilitating the functional equivalent of Nazi Party front organisations in Britain or France in the 1930s, and not just accommodating them but embracing them…..for the money.
But evil regimes will do what they do. What we can, or should control, is what we tolerate – whether as politicians and political party figures, or as voters. Our political leaders seem to have no appetite for anything much other than keeping the donations flowing – and maybe worse if the full extent of Ross's allegations happen to be true. They don't seem to value what made New Zealand one of the world's best and finest democracies – part of what made good people want to come here – or, if they still tell themselves they do, they seem to attempt to compartmentalise in ways that are simply untenable. Our parties and politicians need to learn to say no. And we need to demand that they do so.
It is well past time to drain the swamp of New Zealand politics. If only there were any real hope of that happening.
(For those interested there is a useful background article on Yikun Zhang on Newsroom and interesting – non-controversial – account of his own life here.)


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It also provided yet another window into how dysfunctional this group has become in carrying out its basic responsibilities for communicating honestly and clearly with parents and its own teaching staff.
The tone for the meeting was set by the appalling treatment of a nervous middle school student who wanted to tell the board about her bullying experience, a topic on the agenda for late in the meeting. Board president Mitchell refused to let her speak early in the evening, a consideration that has routinely been made for other students so they don't have to wait around on a school night for an item to be discussed later. The girl's short speech was cut off and an adult accompanying her was threatened by Mitchell with removal from the meeting.
From there, the meeting all but disintegrated as one agenda item after another went far beyond their 10-15 minute allotted times until the meeting was more than three hours behind schedule at midnight.
Among the items were several that, if properly communicated and understood by the public, would have generated significant and diverse public input. Instead, the controversial items were obscured from the public and bundled together on a crowded agenda with unrealistic time allocations that made constructive discussion and decision-making impossible.
For example, 10 minutes was scheduled for a presentation and discussion on two proposed major new curriculum initiatives at Palo Alto High School, including one to create a new "Sports Career Pathway" that would allow a student the option of graduating without meeting the so-called A-G course requirements for admission to the UC system, a policy adopted in 2012. That fact was buried in the meeting materials and caught both board members and the public by surprise.
Then another bold teacher initiative, to implement a pilot program at Paly of eliminating lanes for freshman English, was slotted for a 10-minute presentation and discussion, in spite of the fact that this proposal was the result of 18 months of staff work and was a major and controversial program shift.
That discussion ended in a train wreck at 1:15 a.m. with Skelly halfheartedly suggesting the board give the English teachers "a shot" at making it work and the board steadfast in opposing the idea, citing parent objections and their own theories of laning that were at odds with the professional teachers.
And, in a phenomenon that should concern anyone who cares about open government and transparency, almost all "public" input on the topic came not from people who attended the meeting and spoke publicly to the board but through emails or phone calls directly to board members. Since the district does not release communications to board members on agenda items, as is the normal practice at other government bodies, the public has no idea who or what influenced the thinking of board members.
How in the world did Mitchell and Skelly think that such a topic needed just 10 minutes of time on a school board agenda? The only plausible explanation is that they didn't want public awareness or discussion.
For a district that holds up site-based decision-making as its governance model and repeatedly follows the recommendations of its principals, what explains Skelly and the board's shoddy treatment of new Paly principal Kim Diorio and her team of English teachers who had worked so hard on a new concept for delivering freshman English?
Regardless of the merits of the proposal, Skelly and the board's disrespect of its staff was made even worse by their having kept these teachers at the board meeting until after 1 a.m. when they were due back in their classrooms just a few hours later.
Finally, at 1:15 a.m., after their dismissive comments to the Paly English teachers, an incoherent one-hour "discussion" began on the most complicated item on the entire agenda: proposed bullying policies that had been under development for more than a year and which have been so mangled that not even the board members or their attorney could accurately describe them or the history of their development.
The school board and Skelly not only owe the community their apologies, but a "re-do" on these important agenda items. All of us, including the teachers, parents and one middle school student who all left the meeting near tears for the way they were treated, deserve better from those who claim to be working on their behalf.
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Langham Writer Impacts Middle East
In June 2008, Langham Scholar Riad Kassis' book, Why Don't We Read the Book That Christ Read? Towards a Better Understanding of the Old Testament, became the first Arabic, Middle Eastern publication to be produced as a result of the Langham Writer programme. Arab Christian scholars and pastors alike have received the book with much praise, and Riad's impact on how readers may approach the Old Testament within the context of Middle Eastern culture has grown dramatically.
Here are some comments about the impact of Why Don't We Read the Book That Christ Read?:
Letter received from a North African academic:
'I was invited to teach a course in systematic theology in a Bible school in North Africa. I received your book on the Old Testament during a conference in Malta, and I was so excited about it so I decided to complete reading it in the plane on my way to present the course. I had prepared very well for the course and was ready to share it. When I arrived at the airport, I was told that the course has been already being taught. I was asked to teach another course starting tomorrow. I was totally devastated. How was I going to prepare for another course in such a short time? I had no materials and resources to use in preparation. Then an inspirational idea came to my mind: Why do not have a course based on Dr Kassis' book? This I did! The outcome of my teaching time was great and very exciting. The chapters on wine, Song of Songs, and violence in the OT were so helpful to my students. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a helpful and beneficial book.'
An encounter in the Middle East:
Riad was recently at a conference center where "Mona" (not her real name), a qualified teacher in high school, approached him with her husband, who is a well-known physician. She greeted him warmly and both thanked him for the book. She added:
'My two brothers are well educated but both had great difficulties accepting the Old Testament. One day we were all together in our summer house and I was reading your book. When my brother knew what I was reading, he commented satirically: "Are you still interested in the Old Testament?" I told him that this book will answer all your questions. You should read it! "No way," he responded. After the vacation I went back to the city but left the book at the summer house. To my surprise my brother visited me after several weeks to say: "I read the whole book that you left at the summer house. As soon as I started reading it I could not stop. It has really changed my perspective on the Old Testament."
Mona concluded:
'I am fascinated with your book and I keep on buying copies from the Bible Society House to give it to my Muslim and Christian friends.'
Riad reports on his book's impact on seminaries:
'I am glad to inform you that my book is one of the required readings for Old Testament courses at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, Beirut and the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo, Egypt. These are the two most strategic seminaries in the region. I am really humbled and grateful to God and Langham Writers Program for making it available for these future leaders as most of them read only Arabic. I was recently teaching an intensive course on biblical wisdom and Arabic proverbs at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo, Egypt. More than 65 students expressed their desire to have personal copies of my book, not just to read it themselves but to lend it to their friends to read it.
'I am humbled as I hear comments from many of these students praising how much the book has helped them in their understanding of the Old Testament in a Middle Eastern context. A student commented: "This book is God's gift to the Middle East. Please do write more books of this kind!"
'In fact, my book is the only serious book in Arabic on Old Testament issues written by an evangelical. In my heart I have said: Thank you, Lord, for Langham Writers program! I do highly appreciate what you are doing.'
Read more about Riad Kassis and his book, Why Don't We Read the Book That Christ Read?
Learn more about Langham Literature's Langham Writers Programme.


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Hey everybody, we're back! After a week off due to illness, Tank and I return with a mega review show for your listening enjoyment!
This week we have six – SIX – movies to review for you! The Conjuring, Grown Ups 2, Pacific Rim, Turbo, R.I.P.D., and RED 2! It's a massive review slate that gets everyone up to speed with all the newest releases from the past two weeks!
After the break, in honor of "The Conjuring", Tank and I talk up the greatest Haunted House movies ever with a Haunted House Top Ten!
It's a great episode and you won't want to miss it! As always, you can download it directly, here, or search for us on iTunes or Stitcher radio by looking for (title pending) or Tank and Fogs!


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The verdict in the patent infringement trial between Samsung and Apple is now in the hands of the jury in the case, but whatever that verdict turns out to be, the ultimate resolution of the conflicts between the companies will be a cross-licensing agreement with a negligible exchange of cash.
That's the verdict in an analysis released Wednesday by Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry.
"Whatever may be the jury verdict, the most probable outcome will be a protracted negotiated settlement on cross licensing with all the parties involved namely: Apple, Samsung, and Google, with little or no money changing hands," Chowdhry wrote.
The Logic Involved
Chowdhry based his opinion on an analysis of the patent portfolios held by Apple, Samsung, and Google.
If the jury finds in favor of Apple, he reasoned, Samsung will use its 64,976 mobile patents to force Apple to settle the case as it winds its way through the appeals process.
If Samsung wins the case, Apple will use its 8991 patents to force a settlement from the South Korean company, he added.
Meanwhile, Chowdhry said, Google will use its 14,770 mobile patents to defend its OEM partners, which includes Samsung.
Each player's strong portfolio of patents in the mobile space makes a negotiated settlement the most probably outcome, he said.
While Samsung and Apple have made attempts in the past to settle their differences, those efforts have failed. During the trial, it was revealed that Apple offered to cross-license some of its intellectual property to Samsung in 2010, but the South Korean company found the proposal unacceptable. A similar deal was later struck between Apple and Microsoft.
The Judge's Wishes
The federal district court judge in the trial, Lucy Koh, also has tried, without much luck, to get the companies to settle their differences. In May, she forced Apple CEO Tim Cook and then-Samsung Major Domo Gee-Sung Choi to attend two days of negotiating sessions before the trial began. No agreements resulted from those meetings.
Judge Kohn tried again to get the companies to iron out their differences as the trial drew to a close last week. "It's time for peace," she told the companies. That plea was ignored by the companies, and the trial continued.
Nevertheless, there are signs that the companies are talking to each other. On Monday, Bloomberg reported that the new CEO of Samsung, Kwon Oh Hyan, would talk to Tim Cook before the case was sent to the jury. Apparently, nothing was settled in those negotiations, as the case is now before the seven men and two women who will hand down a verdict in the case.
Follow freelance technology writer John P. Mello Jr. and Today@PCWorld on Twitter.


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Ok we might have stuffed up here with a wrong link, or perhaps a link you followed from another website is no longer valid. Perhaps its because we have recently changed our site, it did need the update.
Error Page: news-info/suburb-profile/highgate-hill,4101
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We are often asked, "Why did you choose a border collie as your first dog?" Although border collies are very intelligent dogs, they are not always the easiest to train because as herding dogs, they pick up on every little thing you do. They learn to read you and will predict your every move. They have lots of energy and need to be walked in any and all weather. If not given work to do, they create their own work, which is not always to your advantage. I read yesterday that a border collie's vocabulary can include as many words as that of a five year old child. When we first brought Izzy home, a neighbor told me he knew a dog trainer with a border. He asked what words he used for training and he said, "I don't use words, I use sentences." It is true. She listens to our conversations and knows what we are talking about. Very smart. We sometimes find ourselves spelling words so she won't know what we are talking about.
Izzy playing with her best friend Bella who just so happens to also be a border collie.
So, why did we get a border collie as our first dog? I believe we are drawn to that which we need. Izzy joined our family when I was in "remission". Together with Alexander and Sophia, we attended weekly obedience classes for well over a year. We often laughed that as homeschoolers, Izzy was the only one that liked going to school. However, as she matured, her herding instincts came out and she felt a need to control all the dogs in class. I spent many hours after class working one on one with trainers to meet the needs of this dog and we have spent hours training and playing at home. Izzy loves the game "Hot, cold" and her tail goes crazy with excitement when we say, "hot" and she knows she has almost found the hidden ball. When we play hide and seek, there is nothing that can distract her until she finds the hidden person.
Izzy loves cold and snowy temperatures. Here she is chewing on a bone.
The last year has been challening for me physically. Not a lot of new training has gone on and my attempt to do agility class with Izzy ended over the summer when I was too sore to guide her. I don't really think she was into it anyhow. It just didn't seem to be her thing.
Izzy hangs out with me during the day.
I find that I am drawn to something in Izzy. She encourages me to get up and walk daily even when it is the last thing I want to do. When I look out our window and see her running top speed in circles around our yard I feel this rush of energy through my body. Seeing her run, always herding style, is one of the most beautiful sights in the world to me.
A friend rcommended Jon Katz's books to me. Right now I am reading A Good Dog. In his book, Katz shares his life with Orson, a challenging border collie. He shares how Orson tries to herd buses (Izzy herds bike riders), how Orson went through their window when a UPS truck arrived (no broken windows yet but Izzy definitely gets a little crazy when anyone walks by our house or comes up our driveway). And like Orson did for Katz, Izzy has a way of making you look deep inside yourself. I find our walks together very meditative. I find that I have a patience inside myself that I admired when my kids were young that I have to also use with her. I find that by taking a deep breath when a biker rides by not only helps me, but also her. She has brought out a social side of me in the neighborhood that would never have existed without her.
Katz also shares his life with Rose, a border collie that joined him as a pup and instinctively began herding. She lives and breathes to herd. This is my goal as I feel better, to take Izzy to a herding class. I would love nothing more than to see her doing what she was bred to do.
Izzy and Alexander chasing each other in the snow.
Overall, I feel we have been very lucky with our border collie. I have read horror stories about the mischiefs a bored border collie can get into. Izzy does let us know when she needs attention. She starts taking items off the counter. Sometimes if we don't notice her, she will even tattle on herself. She runs off with the stolen item and if we don't notice, she will put down whatever it is that she stole and start barking until we come. We will find her sitting on the floor with the stolen item next to her like, "Yeah, I stole this and you didn't even notice." We do try and walk at odd times to avoid bike riders who she lunges and barks at. We have plans to start working on some training to calm her when the mail carrier arrives or people walk by our house. The funny thing is, when she meets the person, all she wants to do is jump on them and give them a lick. She is super patient as little kids pet her and she has learned to control her barking in the morning when other dogs are barking. I say, "Izzy, the kids are still sleeping." She loves the job of waking family members up. When I say, "Momma is going to take a nap," she is right behind me. Her ability to relax while still keeping watch calms me. If I ask, "Do you want to go bye-bye?" she will sit by the door and patiently wait for me and then jump in the car. When we get home, she waits until I ask her to step out. She is a good girl.
I am drawn to the energy of this border collie and the amount of attention needed to keep her happy. Maybe as a living being, there was no way I could let this go as I have done with other things during this difficult year. She has given me focus. She has given me the strength and desire to keep moving. She has given me love and reason after reason to laugh. I can't imagine having any other breed of dog in my life right now. We have a saying in our house, "Izzy was born to be our dog." I really believe it.


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Iraq progress positive, but very tenuous
During his State of the Union message, President Bush argued that his new tactics in Iraq - sending 30,000 additional troops and having them operate actively in neighborhoods rather than return to secure bases each night - "have achieved results few of us could have imagined just one year ago." There is more substance to this claim than in previous years, when the president maintained an optimistic posture even when it was clear things were not going well. But there are reasons to be more cautious than the president seems to be.
The most significant positive development over the last year was the "Anbar Awakening" that began when Sunni tribal leaders in that key province (many of whom had fought hard against Americans) became fed up with the brutality of al-Qaida leaders who had established positions of power and tried to enforce their own narrow and intolerant vision of Muslim Sharia law on lifelong Muslims whose piety was not in doubt. As President Bush himself acknowledged, however, that movement began in the fall of 2006, before the U.S. announced the surge. U.S. military leaders on the ground did capitalize on the Awakening movement skillfully, providing money, weapons and leadership. But the Awakening preceded the surge and while the surge helped make it more effective and widespread, it was not dependent on the surge.
Furthermore, there is evidence that the pro-American sympathies of Awakening leaders may not be permanent. The U.S. goal has been to integrate these anti-al-Qaida militias into the national police and military forces, but the Shia-dominated national government has been reluctant to welcome brigades of well-trained and well-armed Sunni fighters into the fold. One Awakening leader told the British Independent newspaper this week that if progress on that front doesn't come soon, the movement may turn anti-American again.
Another factor that contributed to the reduction in violence in Iraq was the decision by the virulently anti-American Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to order his vicious Mahdi Army militia to observe a cease-fire last August. But Mahdi Army leaders are now urging the cleric to end the cease-fire. If he does, violence in Iraq could return to pre-surge levels quickly, no matter how many U.S. troops are in the country.
The point here is that no matter how many troops are in Iraq, the United States will have less actual control than we might think or hope.
The other reason for caution is that the Iraqi government has taken virtually none of the steps toward national reconciliation that Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki and President Bush purportedly agreed a year ago were essential and high on the priority list. Even the revision of the de-Baathification law the president mentioned in the State of the Union address was less conciliatory than appeared on the surface; significantly, most Sunni members of the Iraqi parliament voted against it.
Meanwhile, in more than a year there has been no progress beyond preliminary proposals on constitutional revision, an oil revenue-sharing law, local elections, or other measures deemed essential to reconciliation. Iraqi leaders now say their own security forces won't be ready to handle security on their own until 2018. It is difficult not to believe that so long as the administration resists any discussion of ending the U.S. commitment in Iraq and keeps sending money, the Iraqis themselves feel little urgency about assuming full responsibility for their own country.
We hope the rosy scenario the president painted pans out. But there are reasons to doubt that it will - and to wonder whether this administration is capable of assessing dangers that don't fit into the rosy scenario realistically.


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Akhmet Baitursynuly
Yesenin Sergey
Yesenin Sergey
Sergey Yesenin
, also spelled Esenin (October 3 [September 21, Old Style], 1895 — died December 27, 1925), the self-styled "last poet of wooden Russia," whose dual image—that of a devout and simple peasant singer and that of a rowdy and blasphemous exhibitionist—reflects his tragic maladjustment to the changing world of the revolutionary era.
The son of a peasant family of Old Believers, he left his village at 17 for Moscow and later Petrograd (subsequently Leningrad, now St. Petersburg). In the cities he became acquainted with Aleksandr Blok, the peasant poet Nikolay Klyuyev, and revolutionary politics. In 1916 he published his first book, characteristically titled for a religious feast day, Radunitsa ("Ritual for the Dead"). It celebrates in church book imagery the "wooden Russia" of his childhood, a world blessed by saints in painted icons, where storks nest in chimneys and the sky above the birch trees is a bright blue scarf.
Yesenin welcomed the Revolution as the social and spiritual transformation that would lead to the peasant millennium he envisioned in his next book, Inoniya (1918; "Otherland"). His roseate utopian view of Otherland was still informed by a simple ethos—the defense of "wooden things" against the vile world of iron, stone, and steel (urban industrialization).
In 1920–21 he composed his long poetic drama Pugachyov, glorifying the 18th-century rebel who led a mass peasant revolt during the reign of Catherine II. In 1919 he signed the literary manifesto of the group of Russian poets called the Imaginists (see Imaginism). He was soon the leading exponent of the school. He became a habitué of the literary cafés of Moscow, where he gave poetry recitals and drank excessively. A marriage to Zinaida Reich (later the wife of the actor-director Vsevolod Meyerhold) ended in divorce.
In 1922 he married the American dancer Isadora Duncan and accompanied her on tour, during which he smashed suites in the best hotels in Europe in drunken rampages. They visited the United States, their quarrels and public scenes duly observed in the world press. On their separation Yesenin returned to Russia. For some time he had been writing the consciously cynical, swaggering tavern poetry that appeared in Ispoved khuligana (1921; "Confessions of a Hooligan") and Moskva kabatskaya (1924; "Moscow of the Taverns"). His verse barely concealed the sense of self-depreciation that was overwhelming him. He married again, a granddaughter of Tolstoy, but continued to drink heavily and to take cocaine.
In 1924 he tried to go home again but found the village peasants quoting Soviet slogans, when he himself had not been able to read five pages of Marx. Tormented by guilt that he had been unable to fulfill the messianic role of poet of the people, he tried to get in step with the national trend. In the poem "Neuyutnaya zhidkaya lunnost" (1925; "Desolate and Pale Moonlight"), he went so far as to praise stone and steel as the secret of Russia's coming strength. But another poem, "The Stern October Has Deceived Me," bluntly voiced his alienation from Bolshevik Russia. His last major work, the confessional poem "Cherny chelovek" ("The Black Man"), is a ruthless self-castigation for his failures.
In 1925 he was briefly hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. Soon after, he hanged himself in a Leningrad hotel, having written his last lines in his own blood.
A prolific and somewhat uneven writer, Yesenin had a true gift of song. His poignant short lyrics are full of striking imagery. He was very popular both during his lifetime and after his death. Frowned on by Communist critics and party leaders, who feared the debilitating effect of "Yeseninism" on the civic dedication of the young, he was long more or less out of official favour. Editions of his work that became available (1956–60) attested to his continued popularity. His complete works were published in 1966–68.
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When I was planning my trip to Munich, Germany, I wanted to add a second destination to optimize my trans-Atlantic voyage. Malta met my list of criteria and I was thrilled to visit this small country in the Mediterranean Sea:
- A new-to-me country
- Direct, two-hour flight from Munich
- Rich in history and culture, with a few UNESCO World Heritage sites
- English and Maltese are the official languages
- Part of the European Union, use same currency as Germany (i.e. the euro)
- Mediterranean climate and cuisine
- Land and sea scenery and island lifestyle
- A less expensive European destination
Malta is steeped in prehistoric ruins, tales of the Knights of St. John, and about 7,000 years of history. I spent six days exploring Valletta, the two harbours, the fortified Mdina, Gozo, Comino, and the Blue Lagoon. Gozo and Comino are two smaller islands that can be reached by ferry or cruise boat from Malta. Let the sightseeing fun begin!
Valletta is Malta's capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage site. To appreciate Valletta's skyline and enjoy Malta from the water, I take the public ferry from Sliema to Valletta. Return tickets cost 2.8 euros. The comfortable ferry ride lasts about fifteen minutes. Service is frequent year-round. The city views from Marsamxett Harbour, including the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral spire, are priceless.
From the ferry terminal, I follow the signs to walk to Valletta's city centre. I think the best way to explore Valletta is on foot, however, parts of Valletta are uphill or involve long stairs. There are tourist electric trains and horse carriages waiting outside the ferry terminal for people who prefer to take them.
Valletta's centre is easy to navigate with several main streets designated for pedestrians only. It is a lovely place to wander and be allured by the surrounding architectural beauty.
For scenic views, I visit the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens and Hastings Garden. I think the two Barrakka Gardens are better lookout points than the Hastings Garden.
The Upper Barrakka Garden offers fantastic panoramic view of Valletta's Grand Harbour and Fort St. Angelo. The system of bastioned fortifications was built by the Order of St. John between the 16th and 18th centuries, with further alterations made by the British in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Knights' fortifications around the harbours of Malta are nominated for UNESCO designation.
The Lower Barrakka Garden greets its visitors with a beautiful temple, fountains, greenery, and benches. Walk through the garden to the open colonnade for a commanding view of the harbour and the Siege of Malta Memorial with the Recumbent bronze statue below.
The two main harbours surround Valletta are the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour. I take a pleasant 90-minute cruise, departing from Sliema and cruising inside the ten creeks named Sliema, Lazzaretto, Msida, Pieta, Menoa, Marsa, French, Cospicua, Kalkara, and Rinella. Ticket price is 15 euros, or less if combined with other cruises.
The English commentary explains all the historical points of interest of the two harbours. Plus, the cruise boat gets me up close to see the Yacht Marina, the battlements and fortifications surrounding Valletta and Floriana, the Grand Harbour, the inner basin, the Malta Ship Building Yard, the Dockyard area, and the three cities (Senglea, Cospicua, and Vittoriosa).
The 4000-year-old walls of the former capital, Mdina, stand on a mountaintop at the heart of the main island, Malta. Mdina's imposing architecture is entirely preserved, and the city is a UNESCO-designated Urban Conservation Area today.
From Valletta or Sliema, a public bus ride costs 2 euros and takes about an hour to reach the Mdina. Entry to the Mdina is free of charge. The fortified Mdina, nicknamed the "Silent City", is lined with stately palazzi, bastions, and a cathedral. Some 240 people still live here.
The Mdina is a pedestrian-friendly and nice place to wander, with small alleys fan out from its centre. Some of Malta's best restaurants are tucked away inside Mdina's ancient walls. Bastion Square provides panoramic views of Mostar and its huge dome, and Valletta with St. Paul's iconic spire.
There are many boat cruises from Sliema to Gozo every day in the summer. The ride takes about two hours with two brief passenger pick-up or drop off stops in St. Paul's Bay and Comino. The boat cruise arrival in Gozo's Mgarr Harbour is timed with optional sightseeing tours of this beautiful island.
I visit the Inland Sea Cave, Fungus Rock, Gozo's Citadel, Ta'pinu Basilica, Gozo's market, and Mgarr Harbour. The boat ride into the Cave costs 4 euros. The water in and around the Cave is incredibly clear and its colour changes from deep sapphire blue to aquamarine to light green. The rock formations also show layers of amethyst, green, and yellow sand stone colours.
COMINO and THE BLUE LAGOON
Comino is a much smaller island than Gozo. It's known for the Blue Lagoon and caves. You may have heard of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Well, there is a Blue Lagoon in Malta, too.
There are boat cruises from Sliema or from St. Paul's Bay to Comino. The ride takes about an hour or half an hour respectively. The Blue Lagoon entry is busy, however, if you walk further out, there are lots of secluded spots to enjoy the sun, sand, and swim.
There is no shortage of good food to try in Malta. The local Maltese specialty is fenek (rabbit slow-cooked in garlic and wine) although seafood is popular. Of all the good meals I had in Malta, one of them stood out. It was the dinner at Gululu in Balluta Bay with Margie who is from the Netherlands. We met, we clicked, and went for dinner on her last day in Malta. We both ordered the Maltese-style chicken pizza. I enjoyed our hearty conversation, delicious food, and the lovely view of Balluta Bay that evening.
Best buys are traditional crafts including hand-blown glass and lace, ceramics, silver and gold jewelry, metalwork, pottery, and tiles. I bought a pretty silver flower-shaped pin as a birthday gift for my cousin's wife. I forgot to take a photo of it before the saleslady wrapped it up with a bow.
Aside from the usual souvenir items, what I find interesting is the variety of door knockers or door adornment in Malta. Here's a sample:
Overall, I had a wonderful time exploring Malta. There are still many places to visit on this small island. I'd love to return in the future.
Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoy it and would love to hear your comments.
Copyright © 2023 natalietheexplorer.home.blog – All rights reserved.


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This blog is quite topical as there has been a lot of recent press and hype surrounding the launch of the latest 007 film Spectre. As an ex-Royal Navy Officer, I have always had an interest in 007 films and the creative treatment scriptwriters often give to reality. Since returning to Scotland last year, I've wanted to visit the Skyfall location where Daniel Craig and Judy Dench stop for a chat in the Highlands during their escape from the evil Silva…. Continue reading
Author Archives: Sheena Thomson
Maggie's Culture Crawl Edinburgh 2015
The words 'culture' and 'crawl' are not often used together, but in the case of cancer support charity Maggie's, Culture Crawl has been an annual event in London for 10 years now. On Friday 25th September, Culture Crawl is coming to Edinburgh for the first time. I am blogging about this because I am a board director for Maggie's – plus I am taking part in this unique event, which will take participants round some of Edinburgh's hidden cultural gems …. Continue reading
NorthCoast500 Day 5 – Brora to Nairn
I woke up with that sinking "Oh, it's the last day of my holiday" feeling. The past few days seemed to pass very quickly, yet I had packed so much in and seen a lot of the Northern Highlands driving North Coast 500. Once at Brora, I felt I was in more familiar territory. I pulled back the curtains, and it was a beautiful clear day. I looked out at the Moray Firth towards my home town, Nairn. Continue reading
NorthCoast500 Day 4 – Scourie to Brora
This stretch of North Coast 500 took me to part of the UK I had never seen before. I had previously visited Kinlochbervie and Thurso, but not between the two. I was going "over the top" or "the roof of the UK". First stop was the beach at Oldmoreshore, which is a bit of a little sister to Sandwood Bay. It is much more accessible too – just a short 10 mile round trip detour off NC500 with parking a couple of hundred metres from the beach. Take the B801 to Kinlochbervie – it's worth it … Continue reading


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Elizabeth Olsen to play Juliet off-Broadway
NEW YORK (AP) — Elizabeth Olsen will soon be a star-crossed lover — she'll star in an off-Broadway version of Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet."
Classic Stage Company said Thursday that the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will help will kick off its 2013/2014 season. There's no word yet on who will play Romeo.
The actress, who has gotten good notices for the films "Silent House" and "Martha Marcy May Marlene," is currently filming the Spike Lee-directed film "Old Boy" opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Brolin.
Her other films include "Liberal Arts" opposite Josh Radnor and Zac Efron, and "Red Lights," with Robert De Niro and Sigourney Weaver. She and Dakota Fanning also play best friends in "Very Good Girls," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Online: http://www.classicstage.org


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A Fayetteville family came up with a unique idea that touched many hearts.
Three-year-old Noah Reynolds was thrilled to see Spider-Man jump into his back yard. However, when the masked crusader pulled off the mask, Noah was stunned to see his father, Sgt. Jason Reynolds.
"He surprised me," said Noah. "Daddy, you surprised me."
Reynolds came home from Afghanistan on emergency leave for the birth of his daughter on Dec. 27.
"I wanted to do something a little bit more special for him because of the newborn in the house," said Reynolds. "I want to make sure he still understands he's just as important as she is."
"It was very exciting," said Krystal Reynolds. "His whole body dropped and he was so excited to see his dad."
Now, his dad is more of a hero to him than ever.
"I'm pretty sure he actually believes I dress up as Spider-Man to go fight the bad guys now," said Reynolds.
Reynolds did not make it home in time so see his daughter come into the world. However, he is happy to be home with the family for another week. After that, he's on his way back to Afghanistan.
Click here to watch the entire video on YouTube.
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Google announced last Friday that they were going to start offering their Pro version of Google Earth at no cost. The Pro version was meant mainly for developer, architects, contractors and real estate agencies who need both more advance measuring tools than the basic version offered plus higher resolution printouts.
Here is a table showing the differences between the two versions.
The Superdome is 66.82 Smoots In Diameter
Unlike with the free version the Pro version allows you to measure diameters, heights and 3D paths and polygons.
How Accurate Is It?
I decided I'd test the measuring tools on something small to test the accuracy. I zoomed over to Colonial Williamsburg Courthouse which I built the model of years ago based on HABS surveys. The footprint measured out to be accurate within 99% and the height to within 98% accuracy. That's pretty amazing.
You can download the model here and check the results for yourself.


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2019 St Patricks Day 5k
Event Information
Saturday March 16, 2019 / 9:30 A.M. / Vancouver BC
This race has a maximum registration cap of 2,500 entrants.
|Individual 5K Run/Walk
|Register Now!
|Until Dec 17
|Until Feb 15
|Until Mar 11
|Team 5K Run/Walk
|Register Now!
|Until Dec 17
|Until Feb 15
|Until Mar 11
*Teams are a minimum of 5 people. The team captain must first register and provide the team name and then the system will generate a password. Team members can then sign up using the team name and password by following the link provided in the confirmation email of the team captain. Each team member needs to register individually to help us gather specific contact information and acceptance of the waiver of liability and payment.
|Diabetes Canada Charity Registration
|Register Now!
|Until Mar 11
Event registration does not include a t-shirt.
BC Athletic Discount - $3
Optional Event Shirts
- Men's and Women's Souvenir shirts: $ 20
In support of Diabetes Canada
- The Canadian Diabetes Association became Diabetes Canada on February 13, 2017 to shed the light on the diabetes epidemic Canada is facing. It's taking a monumental toll on our health.
- It's time to do more â€much more.
- Diabetes Canada will be the driving force to build awareness of the disease and its implications, which are often misunderstood.
- Diabetes Canada will be the national voice for millions of Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes.
- End Diabetes is our rallying cry to end the terrible health impacts of diabetes as well as its shame, blame, stigma and misinformation. It's also time to End Diabetes altogether with a cure.
- You can set up a fundraising page through your Running Room account, after you have registered for the Run
All you need to do is go to the Donate tab (at the top of this page) and select Raise Funds to set up your fundraising page.
- Click here for details on setting up your fundraising dashboard
Race Kit Pickup
- Denman Running Room - View Map
679 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC
- Thursday, March 14 - 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Friday, March 15 - 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm
You can arrange to pick up for other participants with their confirmation details.
- Team Captains: We encourage team captains to pick up packages for your whole team and you must sign for your whole team.
- Team members can pick up individually, please coordinate with your team captain.
Race day package pick-up: 8:00 am to 9:00 am
**Only for those coming from out of town between 8:00 am and 9:00 am inside the Stanley Park Pavilion.
Race Times
- Saturday March 16, 2019 @ 9:30 A.M.
Contact Information
For more information please contact the event coordinatinor
or vist our website www.stpatricks5k.com
- Email: [email protected]
How to Register view more ▶
- Choose your event! Click on the registration link to go to the secure registration page
- Fill out your information on the registration form. Make sure to include your proper email address!
- Use your credit card to pay your registration fee! Transactions processed securely.
- You will receive a confirmation Email, outlining your application and payment details.
- Check the on-line confirmation list above.
- All entries are non-refundable and non-transferable.
- Entry fee does not include processing fee .
Remember to check back regularly for updates on race information!
If you have questions or comments, please contact your Race Director.
Have a great Race!
Fundraising and Donations view more ▶
Many of our events are affiliated with a charity. Supporting a charity has never been easier!
It's Simple! If you are registering for an event that is associated with a Charity there will be a Donations tab on the top of the race page. All you need to do is go to the Donations tab and select Raise funds to set up your fundraising page. Once you set up a new Fundraising account or login with your existing profile you are ready to solicit your friends and family members to support you! All the resources you need to set your donation goals, solicit donation, and track funds are on your donations dashboard.
For more information on our Fundraising and Donations tools Click Here
Athlete Dashboard view more ▶
The Athlete Dashboard is a new feature when you set up a member login and password and its Free.
The Athlete Dashboard allows you to view everything related to your events on one page; race registration information on all your events, results tracking for all your events, notice of photos for your events and charitable fundraising tracking.
For more information on the Athlete Dashboard link here: Athlete Dashboard
Training Programs view more ▶
Upcoming Clinics
Check back for Clinics near you.


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The desert tortoise has many unique characteristics. These include its ability to burrow into the ground to escape the summer heat. Most of these characteristics, both physical and behavioral, were developed to help them in their environment. They are interesting because most of their life is spent underground; they are only on the surface about five percent of their unusually long lives. All these characteristics, strange as some may seem, all serve a very important purpose; they all allow the tortoise to survive in the Sonoran Desert.
Basic Things to Know:
An average tortoise weighs 8-15 pounds, is 9-15 inches long, and 4-6 inches high. They have a long lifespan for a creature of their size - between 80 and 100 years, which is longer than the average human's lifespan (70 to 80 years). They are found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in southeastern California, southern Nevada, and south through Arizona into Mexico. It is one of 4 species of the genus Gopherus.
There are many amazing things about the desert tortoise that many people aren't aware of. One thing most people don't know is that they can live in area where the ground temperature exceeds 140ºF. They are able to do this because they can use their strong and muscular forelimbs for burrowing into the ground where it is cooler. Ninety-five percent of a tortoise's life is spent in the ground escaping the heat. Tortoises hibernate from November to February or March. When they aren't hibernating, they usually come out just after it has rained. Adults can live a year without water, which is important because of the lack of water in the desert. They have adapted their bodies so that water that reaches the bladder is not lost but can be redrawn to be used again. They also make rain basins to collect water. They remember where the water sources are, and return to drink the water. These abilities help them because the desert is a dry place and water is very scarce. They obtain most of their water through the herbs, grasses, shrubs, new growth cacti, and the cactus flowers that they eat. All of these foods are found on the steep, rocky hillside slopes in Palo Verde and Saguaro Cactus communities where they live. In these communities, the main predators for desert tortoises are ravens. Tortoises protect themselves from ravens by drawing their head and legs into their hard, flat, pear-shaped shells. Although this is a good defense, it is not completely effective. The birds can still reach in the shell with their beaks and harm the tortoise. The tortoise population has declined ninety percent since the 1980's, and ravens cause fifty percent of juvenile tortoise deaths.
A typical Desert Tortoise environment © 2005 paloverde1
It is extremely important that humans allow the desert tortoises to live their own lives, because humans as well as ravens are predators. These amazing animals have come so far and adapted in so many ways. The desert tortoise is a perfect example of a reptile that has impeccably adapted itself to its surroundings. It would be a terrible shame if they became extinct because of humans. There are many laws against touching, harming, and collecting tortoises. When coming across a desert tortoise it is important to not move it, unless it is in harm's way. These actions can help save an incredible creature native to the beautiful Sonoran Desert.
Information on the Internet
- "The Desert Tortoise" A site containing characteristics and behaviors of a desert tortoise.
- The Desert Tortoise Council This is a site giving information about the preservation of the Desert Tortoises.


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Saints' Smith eyes bigger trophy after NFC title win
Helping the New Orleans Saints reach the Super Bowl for the first time is one thing.
The morning after doing that, defensive end and team captain Will Smith couldn't help but look forward to a Feb. 7 trip to Miami and helping his Saints take their best Super Bowl XLIV shot at the Indianapolis Colts.
"You work your whole NFL career to get yourself in the big game, you put everything into it," Smith said after helping the Saints to a 31-28 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
"To finally get that chance, to finally get there is a great feeling. But at the same time, it's like, 'Now that we're here, we've got to win the thing.'"
In his sixth NFL season, Smith, a native of Utica, N.Y., has helped the Saints "get there" for the first time in franchise history.
The former Ohio State University star made his presence felt Sunday, making six tackles and forcing a fourth-quarter fumble that New Orleans (15-3) converted into a touchdown and a 28-21 lead.
He also helped the Saints' defense rough up quarterback Brett Favre, who threw his second interception in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter. Favre was never sacked, but he was harassed and hit much of the night, and the Vikings had five turnovers, including three lost fumbles.
"All we heard all week was that Minnesota had the better defense, but I think we played better than they did," said Smith, who leads the Saints with a career-high 13 sacks. "We don't care if we get a sack. If you can hit the quarterback and impact the game the way we did, that's just as big if not bigger than a sack.
"Just get after (Favre) - that was the whole focal point. We wanted to change it up, mix up the blitzes and keep him off balance. We wanted to confuse the offensive line and hit Favre."
It was Smith's hit on Percy Harvin that helped the Saints break a 21-21 tie in the fourth quarter.
"I hadn't seen them run that play all season, but knowing that Favre was hurting, I knew he wasn't going to keep the ball," Smith said. "Percy kind of stopped because he had nowhere to go, and then he tried to get outside and I grabbed him and took my hand and tried to swipe the ball away."
Smith did just that, the Saints recovered the fumble at Minnesota's 7-yard line, and three plays later Drew Brees threw a touchdown pass to Reggie Bush and the Saints had a 28-21 lead.
The Vikings, though, still had plenty of time and a future Hall of Fame quarterback.
"We know Favre's history and the comebacks he's had. That's what he is known for. Nobody on our sideline thought it was over," Smith said. "You know it's not a done deal because Favre's got the ability to make all kinds of plays. He made big plays and he was hurt, that's what is so great about him. He's a tough guy.
"But that's what we pride ourselves on, getting turnovers and hitting the quarterback and being an explosive defense. Everything we pride ourselves on paid off. If we don't do that (and force turnovers), we don't win that game."
Kicker Garrett Hartley finally won it for the Saints with his 40-yard field goal in overtime, much to the delight of a Superdome crowd of 71,276.
"It was unbelievable, just the electricity in the building," Smith said. "I've been here going on seven years now, and I've never seen the fan support at this level. I think all the workers at the Superdome were crying.
"Everybody was so excited. It almost felt like it was Mardi Gras, with all the people dancing in the street. This city has been through so much here, and this team and so many die-hard fans have been through so much. … Now, finally, it's happened. We're going to the Super Bowl."
Will Smith by the numbers
Career sacks in six NFL seasons, including 13 this year.
Forced fumbles, including one that the Saints converted into a touchdown in Sunday's NFC Championship game win.
Games missed in his career.


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I finally commented on my forthcoming book about the troubles of the public university, but it's on my other blog. What the hell - the university book is about the undeclared cold war on the mass middle-class (the whole bottom 80% or so), so this won't be the last cross-blog collision.
Again a 2-Scenario Forecast
15 hours ago


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Think about how much work your perennial flower beds take compared to your annual vegetable garden. In a busy year, your perennial garden largely sails through despite neglect. Once your perennials are established, and if they are suited to your climate and site conditions, they can be virtually indestructible. An annual vegetable garden, as we all know, requires much more watering, weeding, and work to get a good crop. Once established, perennial vegetables are often more resistant to the attacks of pests, due to their reserves of energy stored in their roots.
Many readers undoubtedly grow, or have grown, asparagus. In fact, asparagus is the only perennial vegetable most people can think of. Let's take a moment to reflect on your experiences with asparagus. Every year it comes back, providing a long and delicious season of harvest. Sure, it needs some weeding and fertilizing. But I know a lot of people who neglect their asparagus terribly and still have good harvests. Many other perennial vegetables are a lot tougher than asparagus. In fact, some perennial vegetables fend for themselves so well that they require frequent harvesting to keep them from becoming weeds. This phenomenon of little care for multiple years of harvests is, to my mind, the number one reason to grow perennial vegetables.
Their deep roots and soil building abilities make them more self-sufficient in terms of watering, and their canopies which leaf out so much earlier than annuals better suppress the growth of weeds. What else can these remarkable plants do?
Perennial vegetables are great soil builders
Perhaps the best ecological benefit from perennials is their beneficial effect on soil. Bare soil quickly dries out, and can be eroded by wind and rain, especially in sloping gardens. Tillage also kills many beneficial elements of the soil food web, particularly some of the best kinds of mycorrhizae (beneficial fungi that share nutrients with crop plants). Well-mulched perennials don't need any tilling once they are established.
But the soil benefits of perennials are not just from an absence of tillage. Perennials improve organic matter, soil structure and porosity, and water holding capacity through the slow and steady decomposition of roots and leaves. Perennial vegetable gardens build soil the way nature intended—by allowing the plants to add more and more organic matter without tillage, and letting the worms do the work of mixing it all together.
Perennials provide ecosystem benefits
Perennials, especially trees, slow global warming by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Trees also moderate microclimates, making the areas around them cooler and moister. Large numbers of trees can moderate the climates of whole regions in a similar fashion. The root systems of perennials catch and store water and nutrients that would otherwise be washed away. Perennials provide critical habitat to a number of animal, fungal, and other life forms, many of which are highly beneficial in gardens.
Perennial vegetables extend the harvest season
Perennials often have different seasons of availability than annuals, helping to spread the season of harvest throughout more of the year. While you are starting seeds indoors, and transplanting tiny vulnerable seedlings out to the garden (which must be watered and weeded frequently), perennials are already in robust growth and ready for harvesting. In my own garden I begin eating the first tender perennial shoots not long after the snow melts. Later, in the heat of mid-summer, I visit the sweltering hot beds along my driveway to harvest some delicious tropical heat-loving greens. Perennial vegetables can "pad out" those times of the year when your annual garden doesn't have much to offer.
Perennial vegetables often can perform multiple functions in the garden
In addition to years or decades of low-maintenance yields, and soil building benefits, perennial vegetables can do other important jobs in the garden. Many are beautiful ornamental plants, offering the potential of attractive edible landscapes. Some species can function as hedges, groundcovers, or erosion control for steep slopes. Some provide free fertilizer for themselves and their neighbors by fixing nitrogen or accumulating subsoil nutrients. And some help out with pest control, by providing habitat or food for predatory and other beneficial insects. Vines like chayote and perennial cucumber can be grown over trellis frames to create "edible shadehouses" to snack in a cool place out of the sun. See page X below for tables of multifunctional perennial vegetables.
Drawbacks of Perennial Vegetables
No crop is perfect, and perennial vegetables are no exception. Here are some of the disadvantages of growing perennial vegetables.
Some perennial vegetables are slow to establish, and may take several years to begin yielding well. Asparagus is a classic example.
Like annual crops, some perennial greens become bitter once they flower. Thus their greens are available only early in the season. Perennial vegetables are not meant to replace annuals, but to complement them. In this case, perennial greens are available early in the season, providing greens until the annuals are up and running.
Many of the minor perennial vegetables have rather strong flavors, especially those adapted to cold climates.
Many perennial vegetables are so low-maintenance that they can become weeds in your garden, or escape and naturalize in your neighborhood.
Perennial vegetables will also not fit into your ordinary annual garden management plan, and will need an area to be set aside for them (just like you probably do now for asparagus, globe artichokes, or rhubarb).
Perennials have special disease challenges. First, you can't use crop rotation to minimize diseases. Second, once they have a disease, they often have it for good—for example, plant viruses are problematic with some vegetatively-propagated perennial crops.
You will find suggested solutions for each of these challenges under "Techniques" (page X).
A note on "perennials grown as annuals"
One occasionally sees a crop described as a "perennial grown as an annual" (some of these crops re referred to here as "plant/replant perennials"). Sometimes there are good reasons to grow perennials as annuals. For example, if left in the same place year after year, potatoes would build up terrible disease pressure. On the other hand, many crops usually grown as annuals make fine perennials (such as skirret, which actually has better flavor when grown as a perennial). In some cases, we just don't know what would happen to these crops if they were allowed to persist for multiple years. Perhaps new techniques would need to be developed to manage them in this fashion. It is my hope that readers of Perennial Vegetables what happens.
Why you've probably never heard of them before
Why are asparagus, rhubarb, and globe artichokes the only perennial vegetables most gardeners have heard of? I have a few practical answers, and some speculative ones addressed in the accompanying article.
Lack of information
When I first became interested in perennial vegetables, I found that I had to fish for little bits of information here and there. There was no single book or website devoted to perennial vegetables. One could read many gardening books, review issues of garden magazines, and never get an inkling that this other class of vegetable crops even existed. My sincere hope is that the publication of this book will help to rectify the situation.
The chicken-and-the-egg problem
Only a small number of nurseries and seed companies offer even the best perennial vegetables – some are still commercially unavailable in the U.S. and Canada as I am writing. These plants will never have the chance to become popular if no one can acquire them. On the other hand, nurseries and seed companies will never offer them if there is no demand.
Readers of Perennial Vegetables can break us out of this cycle by requesting (nay, demanding!) perennial vegetables from your favorite companies. With your help, these useful and delicious plants will soon be widely known and grown.
The Origins of Annual Agriculture in North America
In the United States and Canada, most of our gardening traditions come from Europe, where there are few perennial crops (except fruits and nuts). But much of our land mass is well suited to crops from warm and tropical regions—where, it turns out, there are numerous perennial vegetables.
But why haven't people been growing perennial vegetables in the United States and Canada for centuries? In the tropics there are many more perennial vegetables. Why were so few perennials domesticated in colder and temperate climates? The answer may have its roots in the multiple independent origins of agriculture itself, and the historical peculiarities of the areas where crops were domesticated.
In tropical areas of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, agriculture developed strongly around root and starchy fruit crops as staples. This enabled crops to be grown in mixtures of trees, vines, perennials, and annuals. Cold and temperate Eurasian agriculture was built around annual grains and legumes.
Why did this happen? Partly it is a question of the plants available as raw material for domestication—perhaps, with a far greater diversity to choose from, more perennial candidates were available in the tropics.
But, remarkably, Europeans actually took some perennial wild edible plants and bred them into annual crops, such as beets and brassicas. In contrast, ancient Andean people domesticated the perennial, rather than annual, forms of arracacha. In fact, a strikingly high number of perennial vegetables originated in the tropical Americas, like chayote, chaya, and perennial beans.
One possible explanation is that the Americas were without domesticated draft animals to pull plows.
All farm work had to be done with hand tools, allowing different parts of the farm to get custom treatment with no real extra energy cost. In most of the Old World, draft animals were used to plow up large areas. Growing perennials would have required areas set aside for different management systems. Perhaps this explains the "annualizing" of perennial wild crops like beets and brassicas.
Jared Diamond's book Guns, Germs and Steel offers an intriguing history of agriculture. It turns out that agriculture in Eurasia began in the Mediterranean, in a winter rain-summer drought climate that favored annuals. These crops were adopted in Europe, and may have superseded any development of perennials that might have otherwise occurred.
Another factor could be that early crop domesticators' most important goal was getting enough food to eat. Perhaps raw material from annuals gave quicker rewards than perennials, particularly in cold climates where a short season often requires several years for perennials to begin bearing.
Whatever the origin of our neglect, there is certainly no longer a valid reason to ignore these useful and productive crops. They can be made much more widely available, and I believe that a network of gardeners will prove them to be an important new component of food production in the United States and Canada in the coming years.
By Eric Toensmeier
ArkValley Permaculture
PO Box 688
Salida, CO 81201


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Auto Bits: How to take the stress out of your daily commute
Tip of the Week
The daily commute to work can be a time of hassle and frustration, especially for the 35 percent of U.S. commuters who are on the road longer than 30 minutes each way to work. It's not surprising that commuters look for any opportunity to make their travels both shorter and more enjoyable. Follow these tips to improve your commute, whether it's 10 minutes or 90 minutes:
- Use a GPS device. Having a GPS is handy because commutes are always full of surprises. If a traffic jam or an accident blocks the roads you normally use, a GPS is a great way to quickly find an alternate route so you can make it to work on time.
- Bring your favorite hot beverage with. The No. 1 thing that matters most to commuters in the morning is a cup of coffee or tea (even before their smart phones), a recent survey shows.
- Consider carpooling with co-workers, neighbors or your spouse. It's a great way to save gas money as well as spend some time relaxing since drivers and passengers can rotate.
- Listen to the news or talk radio during your commute. You may not have time to sip coffee and read the newspaper during the week, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with the news.
The List
According to CNN Money, here are the most disliked cars of 2011:
- Fiat 500
- Chevrolet Volt
- Jaguar XF
- Lexus HS 250h
- Honda Insight
- Infiniti Division
- BMW 550i GT
- Honda Ridgeline
- Nissan Cube
- Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
- Honda Civic
Did You Know
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says the National Transportation Safety Board's proposal to ban cellphones while driving is pointless and that such bans don't reduce accidents.
Car Q&A
Q: I own a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado that has rotted brake lines. I went online and found this is a common problem. My mechanic suggested to replace the lines with stainless steel lines. What are your thoughts?
A: Brake lines and other metal lines are also included in the rotting. GM is not alone with this problem. The reason for the rotted lines is simple: poor-quality cheap metal is used by the manufacturers in question. These junk cheap lines should be under a safety recall, and they are not. There is a metal line called coated bundi flex that is easy to work with and will not rot. The line comes in a coil of 25 feet for one-fourth inch and both 25 and 50 feet for 3/16.
- Junior Damato, Talking Cars columnist
GateHouse News Service


text: If you're looking for new exterior lighting for your home, then Dulles Electric Supply is here to help. Our online catalog is filled with amazing outdoor lights, and you can find wall fixtures, porch lights, and much more for your property. We have post lights for your front sidewalk, as well as pier mount lights for your deck or patio. You can add new lighting and create the perfect relaxation and entertainment space in your backyard, as well as make your entire property safer and more inviting. Shop online with us today for new exterior lights, and please let us know if you have any questions!


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We've got a mature black walnut tree in our parking lot at school. Last fall, when my Kindergarteners collected autumn leaves, they noticed the walnuts. The 2nd and 3rd graders with me an hour later (for Havdalah garden maintenance) noticed the walnuts. The walnuts were irresistible. Kids kicked, rolled, lobbed and, when I gave them a bucket, collected walnuts. When I showed them how to stomp the hulls off the inner hull, they stomped. Continue reading
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BMW wants to boost sales of electric cars by two-thirds next year to 100,000 vehicles as the luxury automaker is offering more battery-powered models, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Harald Krueger.
Munich-based BMW expects to increase its deliveries of fully electric and hybrid vehicles to around 60,000 units this year, Krueger said in an interview published on Monday. Sales of battery-powered BMW models have totaled about 100,000 cars since 2013, he noted.
"Electric mobility will come, but demand is not going through the roof at the moment," the newspaper quoted Krueger as saying.
To help improve sales, BMW is also increasing the battery range of its i3 city vehicle by 50% this year. The i3, BMW's only fully battery-powered car, sold only 25,000 units last year.
The company, which has dropped behind Daimler's (DDAIF) Mercedes-Benz in global luxury-car sales rankings, wants to expand the share of electric cars and hybrid models to between 15% and 25% of sales by 2025, the newspaper reported.


text: Don't be vague. When you say, "I want a beer," and I ask you what kind, don't just say "the good kind." I don't know if you mean Bud Light or Blue Moon or Zipline Oatmeal Stout or Lucky Bucket Peach Wheat or WHAT. Don't make us guess. If it's up to me you get a framboise because I think its funny to say : )


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Orthodox Historical Society Brings the Past to Life
Growing up in the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Matthew Namee learned to love the faith, and as he grew older and began to research the Church's history in America, he eventually decided to join with other historians to form the Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas (SOCHA). Readers of SOCHA's website, OrthodoxHistory.org, will encounter fascinating articles about, and see archived photos of, events of great interest to Antiochian Christians, such as St. Raphael's consecration, and Metropolitan Antony Bashir's ministry in the early to mid-1900's. They will also discover essays, primary sources, links to podcasts, book reviews, and tidbits discovered in the course of research, that all tell the story of the early years of Orthodoxy in America. Namee also now hosts a podcast with Ancient Faith Radio, titled American Orthodox History.
Recently, Antiochian.org chatted with Matthew Namee about SOCHA's historical sleuthing.
1. Tell us about the Society. What is your mission and purpose?
I've been doing research on American Orthodox history for a number of years now, and I noticed early on that there were others like me, doing similar research, but without any knowledge of each other. Some people, like Fr. Oliver Herbel and Fr. John Erickson, are doing major scholarly work on the subject. But there are also a large number of amateur parish historians from all the jurisdictions, plus countless other people who are simply interested in our history. SOCHA was initially conceived as a way to network these people, so that they could share their findings and help each other with research. We also want to help make this exciting research available to the general public.
Anyone can be a member of SOCHA. We will open the doors to general membership in the coming months, as we gear up for the publication of our first peer-reviewed scholarly journal, which is due out sometime after Pentecost. We also plan to ultimately expand our website to include a major archive of digitized primary sources, and other resources (such as a database of historical American Orthodox clergy, which I've been compiling for several years). We have a lot of other long-range plans, including conferences and books. To pay for these things, we'll ask for a small membership fee, and in return, members will have access to the journal, and, eventually, the digital archive and other resources. Our overarching goal is simply to make people more aware of American Orthodox history, and to make sources available to researchers.
2. How long has your website been in existence? Where do you get the material for the site? Tell us about your writers, and a bit about the content.
We launched the website in June 2009. Speaking just for myself for a moment – when I do research, I usually can't resist the urge to write. In the past, I'd just write notes to myself, without ever planning to publish them. With the blog, I present my research to the public, so our readers are seeing stories and nuggets from my own notes. In terms of style, I generally just try to tell stories. Accuracy is, obviously, a necessity, but I think my job is also to be as interesting as possible. I often don't have cut-and-dried conclusions. Instead, I try to let our readers join me in the experience of discovering these exciting stories and colorful characters. And I have to say, this is not a one-way street – I'm constantly learning new things from readers' comments and emails.
In addition to me, our authors include Fr. Oliver Herbel, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, and Nicholas Chapman. Fr. Oliver has a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University, and his dissertation was on converts in American Orthodox history. Along with Fr. John Erickson, Fr. Oliver is probably the foremost scholar dealing with American Orthodox history. Fr. Andrew did his M.Div. thesis on the former Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh, and he's done a lot of work on Ofiesh and his circle. Nicholas Chapman is doing the most exciting research of all, in my opinion – uncovering the story of Orthodox converts in colonial Virginia, in the 1700s. We plan to add more authors in the future, with specialties such as Alaskan and Canadian Orthodox history.
3. Is it difficult to get accurate historical information regarding the Orthodox Church's past here in the U.S.? What sources have been most helpful?
Oh yes, it's difficult. I mean, there isn't any one place to go. The various jurisdictions have their own archives, but they aren't digitized, and they are usually pretty difficult to navigate. I place a lot of value on individual parish histories, so for those, you've got to talk to the parishes themselves. Some parishes have their own full-blown archives, which are invaluable. I also talk correspond with other researchers, who have been immensely helpful.
I have a large archive of historical newspaper and magazine articles on American Orthodoxy, going back to the 18th century. By now, I have many thousands of articles. These are great, because they tell us what the secular media thought about Orthodoxy in America. Also, we Orthodox haven't been the best keepers of our own history. Often, secular sources are the only place to find information about our past.
Besides those sources, I frequently use court records and other official documents (such as censuses). Official church newsletters and magazines are important sources. The research is a lot like detective work, uncovering clues and trying to figure out what really happened.
4. Can you tell us about your background? What is your link to the Antiochian Archdiocese?
I am Lebanese, and I grew up in the Antiochian Archdiocese. My ancestors immigrated to America at the turn of the 20th century. My family helped establish both St. George Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts, and St. Mary Church in Wichita, Kansas.
While I'm not an academic, per se, I have spoken at several conferences, and I recently coauthored a book called Wichita's Lebanese Heritage. I'm pursuing a law degree, and I have a wife and son (and a daughter on the way), so history is my hobby, not my profession. I did major in history in college, but the man who largely taught me how to research and write (and think critically) was my former employer, a legendary baseball historian named Bill James.
5. How did your podcast come about? Which podcast so far has generated the most interest?
John Maddex (of AFR) and I spoke awhile ago, and came up with the idea of the podcast. I suspected that people might be interested in the subject, and it seems like they really are. I especially enjoy hearing people's reactions to the various stories and characters on the program.
My talk on Fr. Raphael Morgan, the first black Orthodox priest in America, is probably the one that generated the greatest response. I've had a number of people email to offer their help in learning more about him. Fr. Raphael was originally from Jamaica, and he was an Anglican deacon before becoming Orthodox. In 1907, he went to Constantinople and was received into Orthodoxy and ordained a priest. He was sent to Philadelphia to be a missionary to black Americans. But there's a lot of mystery to his life--we don't even know when or where he died.
6. What do you hope to accomplish with the podcast, society, and website? Why do we benefit from knowing our history here, as Orthodox Christians?
There's a great quotation from Robin Collingwood, an English philosopher who died in the 1940s: "History is for human self-knowledge ... the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what man is."
I agree with that. For the Church, not knowing her history is like an individual person who wakes up with amnesia. He doesn't know who he is, or how he got where he is. We have to understand our past if we want to have a proper self-understanding. So many people today want, for instance, administrative unity in America. But to get that, we first have to understand why we aren't administratively united. How did we get this way? If we want to know that, we have to look at the past.
There are other benefits as well. As individuals, we learn from our experiences, and also from the experiences of others. How did wise people get to be wise? In part, because they had experiences, learned from them, and developed a healthy perspective. There is a lot of wisdom to be gained from the past, if we approach it properly. Far too often, historians make their subject boring. That's a shame, because in reality, the past is extraordinarily interesting. And more than that, it's vitally important for us to know about the past, so that we can know who we are.


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Yes We've Covered That
The January 21 total lunar eclipse will be the last one until May 2021, and the last one visible from the United States until 2022. But this full moon is also a "Super Blood Moon" and a lunar eclipse, which makes this month's full moon so special.
The partial stage of the lunar eclipse begins at 10:34 p.m. EST Sunday night (0334 GMT Monday morning) with the total eclipse beginning at 11:41 p.m. EST (0441 GMT Monday morning). Totality lasts for about an hour, and then the moon will exit. – Read more at Space.com
We've covered Full moons, blood moons and even lunar eclipses here on Reflections. So at the risk to not be redundant, here's a few links that you might like to peruse as you search for information about this special moon.
- Moon Magik – Working With The Moon Phases
- The Blood Moon – The Moon of the Autumn Equinox
- The Full Moon By Name – A Monthly List
- The Full Moon In The Southern Hemisphere – What Is The Name Of The Moon
- The Correspondence Of This and That – The Meaning Behind Correspondence Lists
May you all have a wonderful Full moon celebration and ritual.
© 2019 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D. Springwolf Reflections / Springs Haven, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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