text:
Day Shipping to
Estimated Standard Shipping Delivery Dates
Fall is coming…time to think about Fall garden chores! Here are some timely tips for preparing your yard and garden for the cold months ahead and making spring cleanup easier.
Trim off dead branches and spent blossoms from your perennials, keeping in mind that some seed pods and ornamental grasses add interest to the Winter garden. Save any leftover seeds from some plants (like coreopsis, Jefferson bean and sunflowers) to plant in the garden next year.
The fresh veggies don't have to stop with summer – in addition to winter squash, late summer is a great time to sow seeds for a Fall crop of greens (like spinach and lettuces). A cold frame or row covers help extend the growing season.
To keep bugs and other pests from hibernating in your vegetable garden, be sure to clear away all dead plants (you can use them for compost) and remove all yard debris once you're done harvesting. Check in and around the garden for the tan egg cases of gypsy moths and destroy them. Any diseased or pest-ridden plants should be burned. Amend and improve vegetable garden soil with compost and organic fertilizers. While you're doing this, you can plan out your garden for the following growing season, keeping in mind what plants performed well and what might benefit from a change.
Dig up summer annuals and use them to nourish the compost heap. You should also dig up your summer bulbs and store them in peat moss for the winter.
Yes, you can plant in the Fall! To ensure colorful springtime blooms, it's best to plant bulbs in the Fall, before the earth freezes (usually in mid-October, though tulips can be planted as late as November). Looking for color before spring? Try planting cold-hardy annuals like ornamental kale, pansies and chrysanthemums.
Early Fall is a good time to divide and transplant perennials (like irises and peonies), trees and shrubs if they haven't been flourishing in their current location, giving them time to establish themselves and allow their roots to develop before the ground freezes. Be sure to keep them well watered until the first freeze.
"Winter over" container plants in the garage or basement. Remove dead leaves and break up any hardened soil before bringing them inside for storage in a garage, mudroom or basement.
Once the ground freezes, cover shrubs, roses, and tender perennials that might succumb to frigid temperatures with a good layer of mulch. You can also use screens or covers to protect these plants.
Don't let fallen leaves stay on your lawn all winter – left unattended, they'll suffocate grass and other plants. You don't need to let them go to waste…shredded leaves make great mulch.
It grows more slowly in the fall, but do cut the grass before winter sets in. Be sure to lower the lawn mower and cut it short to help it dry out more quickly in the spring. Follow up that last cutting with a feeding – the extra nutrients will help it survive through the winter.
Find more ways to make Outdoor Fall Cleanup easier!
When it comes to at-home water conservation, nothing equals a rain barrel. Placed near a gutter or downspout, it collects precious rainwater that can be used to water your garden and indoor plants and even wash your car, lowering your monthly water bills. And rain barrels don't have to be boring, either – in addition to the traditional shape, there are barrels shaped like urns, boulders, log racks…some even have a space to let you place a plant on top.
And if you feel like getting creative, even better – Plow & Hearth's own Weather-Resistant Polyethylene Plastic 55-Gallon Rain Barrels can be painted to either blend in with the background or "pop" as a unique work of art. Here are the steps to help you get started:
Step 1.
Clean the rain barrel's surface. Vinegar is a great cleaning choice because it's environmentally friendly and very economical while still effective for killing most mold, bacteria, germs and odors. Just add one part white distilled vinegar to one part warm water and apply it to the barrel's surface with a sponge, allowing it to dry naturally. Two parts ammonia mixed with one part water also makes an effective cleaning solution.
Step 2.
Rough it up. Once the rain barrel is completely dry, lightly sand it with a sheet of very fine sandpaper (900 or 1200 grit is recommended). This will help the paint to adhere to the rain barrel's surface. (Note that while most brands of paint specifically designed for plastic surfaces will say this step is not necessary, it will definitely help keep the painted surface of your rain barrel looking fresh.)
Step 3.
Zap the dust. Vacuum the barrel's surface, then rinse it with clean water to wash away any dust remaining. Dry the barrel with a microfiber or other lint-free cloth, or allow it to air-dry in the sun.
Step 4.
Apply a primer coat. You'll definitely need a latex-bonding primer coat when using acrylic, tempera and oil-based paints. Paints designed to adhere to plastic surfaces (which we recommend you use) say you can skip the primer coat, but consider adding one anyway – it's the best way to guard against the cracking, peeling or flaking that can occur to a painted rain barrel that's being used outdoors.
Step 5.
Pick your paints. As long as you're using a primer coat and a seal, you can use most types of outdoor paint on your rain barrel, but for longevity we recommend paints designed to go over plastic surface. Krylon Fusion For Plastic® is an excellent choice, and can be found, along with other suitable paints, in most body shops. One spray can will cover an entire rain barrel, but two cans will provide a more even finish (particularly when working with darker colors).
Step 6.
Start painting. Cover the spray can's spigot and overflow valve with masking tape and shake the can vigorously for about two minutes. Remove the tape and spray the rain barrel in a sweeping motion, keeping the nozzle at an even distance of about 8 to 10 inches from the surface. Apply thin coats (allowing at least 30 seconds between the first and subsequent coats) to prevent runs and drips.
Step 7.
Get creative. You can paint your rain barrel to blend in with your house or outbuildings, but don't be afraid to make it stand out – a shiny metallic rain barrel can add a touch of elegance to your outdoor space, while using more than one color can look chic. Or get in touch with your inner artist and recreate landscapes, favorite cartoon characters, geometric designs, or an original creation of your own. You can even make it a great outdoor project to enjoy with the kids, resulting in a unique garden accent with great memories attached.
Step 8.
Seal it. Once you've finished painting your rain barrel, apply a clear polyurethane finish to help keep the paint from cracking and flaking while the barrel is being empty or filled.
With these simple steps, you're free to turn your water-saving, eco-friendly rain barrel into a fun, backyard fashion statement. Enjoy yourself, and be sure to share a photo of your artistic creation with us when you've finished – we'd love to post it on our blog!
Making sure your plants have enough water is essential to the health of your garden, but making sure no drop is wasted is key to keeping down your water bill. When and how you water your garden will not only ensure that your plants will flourish it will help conserve water and keep costs down.
Watering Methods
Saving water means saving money on your water bill. These tips offer a water-wise approach to gardening.
How Often?
In most cases, an inch of water a week will supply what most established plantings need (as well as abide by most municipal water restrictions). Instead of applying that inch through shallow, frequent waterings (which actually waste water without meeting your plants' needs), do it once a week in one deep watering. This will ensure deep rooting, leading to stronger, healthier plants.
Go Native
"Naturescaping" – the practice of using plants that would normally grow in the area where you live in your yard and garden – is one of the very best ways you can save water and enjoy thriving plants with a minimum amount of care. Native plants have had thousands of years to adjust to an area's normal rainfall, soil and climate. Once established, they require little or no watering. Another plus to naturescaping is that it offers food and shelter to local wildlife and attracts native songbirds to your yard.
Choose Efficient Watering Methods
Try an ancient technique for efficient watering! An Olla is an unglazed ceramic vessel used for underground irrigation - and one that's been around for thousands of years.
Water seeps through the container, providing moisture to the roots of your plants. Simply bury the olla in the soil of your garden, leaving the neck with topper exposed. Fill it with water and check it periodically. The Olla is an ancient technology that is eco-friendly and conserves water, as none is lost to evaporation or runoff.
Keep It Small
The bigger the plant, the more water it needs – the same goes for crowding your plants. When choosing shrubs to plant, don't go with a variety that will grow larger than you need it to, and be sure to keep it pruned. And if you're tempted to crowd plants along a walkway, keep in mind that plants that look sparse at first will fill out as the seasons pass.
Load Up On Mulch
"Mulch" refers to any protective material added to the surface of soil. Not only does mulch save you work by cutting down on weeds, it helps to prevent water loss keeps flower beds moist. There are two kind of mulch: organic and inorganic. Organic mulches can be made up of bark chips, pine needles, compost or even grass clippings and ground-up leaves. Organic mulches add nutrients to the soil. Inorganic mulches (made from pebbles and gravel, plastic, recycled materials or landscaping fabric) also keep the soil moist and have added advantages in that they won't attract pests or need to be replaced every year. For new plants and shrubs, a ring-shaped "bank" of mulch or soil that's the width of the tree (including branches) can be filled with water which will then be slowly absorbed instead of running off, ensuring your plant gets the maximum benefit of the water.
Get To Know Your Sun Spots
Pay attention to where, when and how long the sun shines on your garden. Then, put dry-soil plants in sunny locations and plants that need a lot of water in shaded areas. Next to the house is a good place for water-needy plants – runoff from the roof can help cut down on how often you have to use your hose.
Reuse And Recycle Water
There are other ways to make use of rain runoff – a 25' x 40' roof can drop as much as 600 gallons of water during a moderate rainfall. Rather than let all that water go to waste, capture it in a rain barrel! All you need is a capture system consisting of roof gutters and downspouts (an attractive rain chain also works), a large-capacity rain barrel and a garden hose. The rainwater you collect will be great for your plants and a cost-effective way to fill re-circulating water features and birdbaths.
Plant Hardy Grasses
A lawn can take in more than 20,000 gallons of water each year. Consider switching to a water-resistant variety. Hardy choices include Bermuda grass and buffalo grasses, both of which need 20% less water than fescue or bluegrass.
Mow Less
The higher your grass, the more it shades the roots from the sun and the more it prevents moisture from evaporating. Raise the height of your mower to no lower than three inches.
Stay Cool When Planting
The best time to plant or transplant is early spring or early fall. The cooler weather means your plants will need less water to get established, and when summer rolls around, their root system will work more efficiently.
Get An Early Start On Watering
Watering during the heat of the day means your plants will lose part of the life-giving liquid to evaporation, so water in the cool morning hours. It might seem logical to water in the evening when the sun is down and temperatures are cooler, but this puts your plants at risk for developing mildew and fungi.
For a garden to "work" visually, it needs to have more than just complementary flower colors and interesting foliage for when plants aren't in bloom. Also important is vertical interest – a feature or features that draw your eye up, causing you to scan and process the whole of the garden as a tapestry.
Arbors, trellises, and obelisks are all effective and affordable means of drawing the eye up and giving the garden a third dimension – height. But which do you choose? It depends on what you're trying to accomplish, the style of your house, and the kind of gardens you like. Here's some more information to help you decide what will work best for you and your garden.
Arbors, Trellises And Obelisks: What's The Difference?
Although all three are intended to show off an array of flora and are capable of drawing the eye up and creating a focal point, arbors, trellises and obelisks are distinct structures that have distinct functions in a garden.
• Trellises. A trellis is a flat latticework used to support climbing plants or vines. It can be a simple panel attached or propped against the side of a building, or a freestanding structure in your yard or garden. Trellises can be almost any size – some are even small enough to use in a container to support an ivy geranium or other climbing plant.
Trellises are most useful for providing a framework on which to create interest, particularly up against boring, undifferentiated walls. They can also be used to divide a garden into separate and distinct garden "rooms," essentially forming living walls.
• Arbors. An arbor usually incorporates a trellis into its structure, creating a tunnel-like passageway of climbing plants. Arbors have a continuous run of latticework from one side of the "tunnel" to the other, often in an arched shape. Arbors are a wonderful way to show off your favorite blooms, and when covered with a sheaf of roses, morning glories or other blossoms, make a visually stunning addition to your outdoor space.
An arbor can be used to create a transition between areas in a larger garden—separating a kitchen garden from a cutting garden, for example—or can be used to create a sense of drama right at the entrance of any garden.
• Obelisks. Obelisks are tall, tapering, four-sided or spherical towers, which usually end in a pyramid shape at the top. Like arbors, their sides incorporate a trellis on which climbing plants can grow; they can also be used to suspend hanging potted plants.
An obelisk's primary function is to draw the eye. At the center of a wheel-shaped herb garden, toward the back of a border that's overly two-dimensional, or at the end of long path, an obelisk can grab your attention and hold it. With the right "clothing," it can be a real showstopper.
Materials and Style
Trellises, arbors and obelisks can serve both decorative and functional purposes. Stylistically, there's a spectrum ranging from casual to formal. Choose a material and design that will blend in gracefully with the look and style of your house and garden.
Vinyl structures are durable and require no maintenance while having the look of classic painted wood. This allows them to be used in both formal and informal or more rustic settings. Their durability enables them to last for many years and makes them ideal for supporting perennial climbing plants like wisteria or roses.
Wooden trellises, arbors and obelisks will weather naturally to blend in with and complement a more rustic, natural setting. Woods like cedar, eucalyptus, fir and cypress are durable and if left unpainted will weather to a natural grey color. Because wood isn't as sturdy as vinyl or metal and it requires more maintenance than those materials, it's best to use it for supporting lighter, annual climbing plants such as Morning Glories or Moonflowers.
Perfect for classic English-style gardens or sleek, contemporary outdoor spaces, steel structures come in a variety of styles from simple to ornate. Steel has the advantage of strength, value and flexibility of design and, like vinyl, is capable of supporting fast-growing, heavy perennials. Steel structures win the vote for formality, but they do require a bit more care than vinyl structures – although they come with a durable powder coat finish, they will need to be touched up with paint over the years to maintain an even finish and prevent rusting.
Whatever's right for you and whatever you choose, the added vertical interest you bring to your garden is sure to raise it to a new level.
Providing places for wildlife to raise their young is an essential element of a Backyard Wildlife Habitat™ site. Adding a nesting box (also known as a birdhouse) to your yard is one way to help meet this requirement for certification while turning your avian visitors into residents.
Why Set Up A Nesting Box?
Setting up a nesting box in your yard can provide an essential nesting area for various species of birds. While many species are able to hide their nests in dense foliage or grassy meadow areas, others require holes for nesting. Some birds, such as woodpeckers, can excavate their own nesting cavities in dead or decaying trees. Others depend on the abandoned nesting holes or natural cavities formed from fallen branches for places to build nests. Recently, however, an increase in development and removal of damaged and dead trees has left many cavity-nesting birds with fewer natural places to raise their young. In addition, invasive birds, such as the European starling and the house sparrow, compete with native bird species for the use of the remaining cavities. Adding a nesting box to your habitat will not only benefit native bird species, it will also give you an opportunity to monitor and enjoy birds.
There are dozens of bird species that can be attracted to nesting boxes including, blue birds, wrens, chickadees, finches, swallows, purple martins, woodpeckers, wood ducks, and owls. Properly constructed houses can be purely functional, or decorative and whimsical in design. Placing a number of different houses around your property can invite different species to set up house. Aside from the fun and personal satisfaction of hosting bird families in your houses, many of these birds are voracious insect eaters and will help reduce insect populations naturally. Most birds tend to return to the same areas and houses where they have been successful in raising young. Thus, adding birdhouses to your property will only increase the chance that you will see new generations of these beautiful and beneficial birds every year.
Building Or Selecting A Nesting Box
Although most birds prefer natural cavities for nesting, with the correct design a nesting box can serve as a good replacement. There are numerous types of bird nesting boxes available commercially. Each box contains different features and is targeted at a particular bird species. But not all nest boxes are created equal.
There are several features to consider when purchasing, or building, a nesting box. Check that the box is well constructed and contains these basic features:
It is also important to make sure that your box incorporates features preferred by the particular bird species you hope to attract. These features include the entrance hole size, the height at which the box is posted, and the type of habitat surrounding the box. When purchasing a nesting box research the physical requirements of the species that you hope to attract and make sure that you are investing in a functional, rather than ornamental, birdhouse.
Check the Birdhouse Network of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for more specific information on species preferences.
Where To Place Your Nesting Box
The habitat available to you will be the primary factor determining the type of birds you can attract for nesting. Make sure that you place birdhouses in a location where the target bird species is likely to reside. Avoid putting nesting boxes in areas where herbicides and pesticides are used. Not only do these chemicals decrease insect populations - the primary food source for most cavity-nesting birds - but they can also harm birds directly. The box can be mounted on a tree or a pole. Placing the box on a pole with a predator baffle to protect the birds is often more successful. Make sure that the box is attached securely enough to withstand severe weather and winds. Also take into consideration the direction in which your box is facing and how much direct sun it receives. Many birds will reject boxes that face due west, for example, because the box may stay too hot. Before placing your box, research habitat, nest height and direction preferences for the species.
When To Set Up Your Box
Make sure your nesting box is in place well before the arrival of breeding season. In the southern part of the country boxes should be in place no later than February. In the northern regions, boxes can be placed outside before mid to late March. This will give birds a better chance of finding and using your box, and it may even be used for winter cover if put outside earlier. Don't be discouraged if birds don't find the box in the first season; sometimes it can take a few years for the birds to find the box.
Monitoring And Cleaning Your Box
Once breeding season begins monitor your box for activity. You can enjoy watching adults quickly dart in and out as they build their nests or feed hungry nestlings. If your box is first discovered and used by invasive bird species consider removing the nest. Doing this regularly will likely encourage the bird to move to another location and free the box for use by native species. Once eggs have been laid you may want to monitor the progress of the nest. Lightly tap on the box before opening the panel to allow the adult bird to leave. So as not to become a nuisance limit your viewing time to less than a minute once a week. Keep track of the progress of the nestlings. This way once they have fledged and the box is no longer in use it can be cleaned. Some birds will not use cavities with abandoned nests in them and removing the debris cuts down on ectoparasites for the next set of nestlings. If you remove the nest in a timely fashion you could enjoy two to three broods per season!
We all remember those lectures we got about the birds and the bees, but chances are an important part of that lecture was left out. Collectively, this diverse group of wildlife including insects, birds, bees and bats, are known as pollinators. They contribute to a healthy ecosystem by transporting pollen from one plant to another to facilitate fertilization. In fact, bees are responsible for pollinating more flowers than any creature on earth. We see pollinators everywhere during the summer months, but where do they go during the fall and winter, and what enables them to produce fruit and seed when the weather warms up again?
Off-Season Activities of Pollinators
Many bees and other insects die, leaving their eggs or pupae to lie dormant. These are tucked away in sheltered places-behind bark, under dead leaves, buried in soil-where they are protected from frost until the following spring, when life can continue. Others survive as adults, hidden in similarly sheltered spots.
In contrast, some pollinator species undertake astonishing journeys to avoid unfavorable weather conditions. Monarch butterflies and rufous hummingbirds fly thousands of miles across North America. Long-nosed bats make shorter, but no less rigorous migrations over hundreds of miles of desert. The monarch butterfly has arguably the most amazing migration of any creature. During the summer, monarchs may be found as far north as central Canada, but as summer fades millions of butterflies head south towards a few small patches of forest in the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico. Some fly more than 3,000 miles, taking over two months to complete the journey. There are also many smaller overwintering sites on the coast of California, but the Mexican sites are the winter home for more than 99 percent of the population. Here they gather to overwinter in the cool, stable conditions provided by Mexican forests.
The journey north next spring is undertaken in two generations. As they fly north from Mexico, the butterflies lay eggs on flowering milkweed. They may lay eggs for a thousand miles before dying. The generation born from these eggs will fly further north again as the milkweed flowers. The monarchs that reach Canada may be two generations removed from those that overwintered in Mexico. Some hummingbirds undertake an equally impressive trek. Along the West Coast, the rufous hummingbird breeds as far north as Alaska, and the ruby-throated hummingbird breeds across central and eastern parts of the continent into southern Canada. Both species overwinter in Mexico. To reach their winter territory, some birds travel well over 2,000 miles! Along the migration route, they stop at flower patches to lap up carbohydrate-laden nectar and feast on fat and protein-rich insects that together provide energy for the exhausting flight. Hummingbirds are known to live for over a decade. To have completed this annual migration so many times is a pretty astonishing achievement for a bird that weighs less than a nickel!
Preparing For Migration
The lesser long-nosed bat over-winters in Mexican caves and migrates several hundred miles north into southern Arizona and New Mexico as warmer temperatures and longer days allow desert flowers to bloom. Migrating pollinators need rest stops along the way. Rufous hummingbirds, for example, cannot complete the entire journey on one tank of nectar and insects. Monarch butterflies need milkweed on which to lay their eggs to ensure the next generation of migrants. Sustaining pollinator populations means ensuring that plant resources are available along their route. Patches of nectar-rich habitat act as stepping-stones that the pollinators can move between, together forming nectar corridors across landscapes altered by agriculture and development.
Hummingbirds are not at all shy, and can be viewed at close range when they visit feeders placed near the house or on windows. Fresh sugar water in feeders will supplement their regular diet of nectar and insects and help ensure that they will be regular visitors to your yard all summer.
The shy, solitary bees, like orchard bees, can help fill the gap in pollination left by the declining American honeybee. These bees are harmless and have solitary nests rather than hives. A nest of small, hollow tubes in which they can raise their larva helps keep them in your yard.
Our Produce Depends On Pollinators
Pollinators are responsible not only for the continued existence of healthy plant communities - and therefore the ecosystem upon which we rely - but their pollination service also provides us with much of the produce we humans need and enjoy. Unfortunately, pollinators as a group are on the decline worldwide. Habitat destruction through sprawl, use of chemical pesticides, spread of invasive non-native plants and animals, and sometimes just plain ignorance about the important role pollinators play are some of the causes for this decline.
Help Pollinators By Providing Their Habitat
Experts at the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) say the most important things you can do now in your yard to accommodate pollinators, or attract pollinators next spring are: plant native plant species as a source of nectar for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds; plant host plants for butterfly caterpillars; replace lawn areas with prairie or meadow nesting sites; and discontinue the use of chemicals and fertilizers in your yard.
To learn more about specific pollinators in your area, check out the Wildlife Finder at NWF's web site, including info on how to create wildlife-friendly landscaping through NWF's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. When your habitat meets all the criteria for sustaining wildlife, it can be certified by NWF as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat site.
Matthew Shepherd of the Xerces Society contributed to this article as part of the efforts of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign.
Chances are good that you've already seen them. Stink bugs are an agricultural pest and a home-invading nuisance. The annoying, shield-shaped brown bugs hitched a ride to the US in cargo shipments from Asia in the late 90s, and now – thanks to their proclivity for procreating four times a year and the absence of natural predators – they've spread to 33 states.
What makes them so annoying to homeowners is their tendency to move in when it gets cold. While it's true that they don't bite, sting, or do damage to your home like termites will, and they don't breed at the time of year when they're seeking cover, most folks still balk at the idea of sharing living quarters with hundreds of prehistoric-looking insects.
Even worse, they stink.
While you can grab up the occasional ant or spider with a paper towel or napkin, crushing a stink bug in such a way releases its primary defense mechanism – a liquid toxin with an offensive smell - a powerful odor that will bring even more of these menacing insects your way. In fact, just chasing them can have the same result.
The Science of Stopping Stink Bugs
Unfortunately, getting rid of stink bugs isn't so easy. Stepping on them is out, and exterminators report that common pesticides don't work. So how do you get rid of these creepy critters?
The best way to get rid of stink bugs from your home is keep them from getting in, so make sure your house is properly sealed. Before the nights start to get cold in late fall, check the outside of your house carefully for cracks or holes the bugs can use to gain access. Put screens on all windows and doors that don't already have them. For those that do, be sure they don't have any holes. Also, don't leave any unnecessary lights on, as stink bugs, like other flying insects, are attracted to light.
Suck Them Up
Not just for eliminating dirt and cobwebs anymore, vacuum cleaners are very effective when it comes to sucking stink bugs out of their hiding places without crushing them. A bagless vac won't cut it, though – use a vacuum cleaner with a bag, then, once you've vacuumed the bugs up, immediately seal the bag and take it somewhere far away. You may crush the bugs in the bag once the bag is sealed, but be sure you don't do it in the house! Our Stink Bug Chute is another great way to pick them up without crushing or touching them.
Soap And Water
Are stink bugs gobbling up your ornamental trees and shrubs? An effective way of removing them from your plant life is to shake leaves so the bugs fall off into a bucket of soapy water. The soapy water prevents them from flying away.
Potent Problem, Powerful Solution
Most pesticides won't easily penetrate a stink bug's tough exterior, but some chemicals have been proven to be helpful in controlling stink bugs. These include pyrethrum foggers, deltamethrin, cypermethrin and cyfluthrium. A non-chemical alternative that has been reported to work is diatomaceous. The effectiveness of these agents may be improved through use of a "spreader sticker." Spreader stickers improve the performance of insecticides by helping them to penetrate and stick to the insects.
If you choose this route, plan to do it during the fall, before the stink bugs start to migrate indoors. Use a sprayer to spray the surrounding area as well as the outside of your home. Spray the treatment up as high as you can outside your house and allow it to drip down for complete and thorough coverage. A well-sprayed structure will provide an invisible wall of defense that the stink bugs will not be able to penetrate. Most homes will require two to three gallons of the treatment to get good coverage, so it's up to you whether it is worth it to have added protection from stink bugs.
Call In Reinforcements
When all else fails, and there's just too many of the critters for you to handle, it might be time to call in a professional. A certified pest controller will be able to fully protect your house from the pests by securing all the common places through which they usually enter. They may also know of techniques to better control the control stink bugs.
Our Stink Bug Trap To The RESCUE! ®
Made in the USA, the RESCUE! ® Stink Bug Trap is designed to work outdoors, capturing stink bugs before they ruin your garden or get in your home. The reusable trap comes with two, one-week supplies of a pheromone attractant that lures stink bugs in while remaining odor-free to people. Refills are available so you can maintain a stink bug-free environment all season long.
Worried the Stink Bug Trap will attract stink bugs to your yard? Don't be – it works only to catch those stink bugs within a 20-foot radius, so only the bugs that were already in your yard and garden will be drawn in, trapping them before they damage your garden or invade your home. Nor will the Stink Bug Trap capture those bugs that are beneficial to your garden. Safe and affordable, the Stink Bug Trap is an easier answer to controlling your stink bug problem.
Want to learn even more about these pests? Get The Scoop On Stink Bugs in our online guide.
Whether you live in a log cabin or a condo, you can make a place for wildlife right at your backdoor. It's easier than you think. There are three basic steps to creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
Assess Your Yard Or Garden Space
The first thing you need to do is identify the habitat elements that already exist in your yard or garden space. You may be surprised to find you're already providing some habitat for wildlife!
Native plants that provide food and cover are the backbone of every habitat. Make a list of all the plants in your yard, including everything from trees to wildflowers.
Try to determine which of your plants are native to your area and which are not. Which existing plants might provide food such as seeds, fruits, nuts and nectar? Which plants might provide safe cover or nesting places?
Do you have any dead or dying trees? If so, don't reach for the chainsaw! Dying or dead trees are excellent habitat features. They are excavated and used by woodpeckers, flying squirrels, and a multitude of insects and cavity-nesting birds, such as owls, bluebirds, chickadees and wrens.
Determine how your yard might already provide water for wildlife. This could be in the form of a pond, water garden, stream, vernal pool or birdbath.
Make a list of any structures that provide habitat elements, such as bird feeders, nesting structures, rock walls or log piles.
Finally, consider the physical features of your yard, such as sun and wind exposure and soil conditions.
Provide The Four Basic Elements
All species have four basic requirements for survival: food, water, cover, and places to raise young.
1. Food
Birds are a major component in your backyard habitat. They play a crucial role in the natural "management" of the larger environment and your own backyard. By helping to pollinate flowering trees and plants, and eating insects and seeds birds contribute to the natural checks and balances built into our environment. Providing birds with food, water and shelter in which to raise young gives a great deal of pleasure to the landowner and helps ensure a healthy bird population.
Feed birds year-round with seed feeders to ensure that the local population and migrating birds have a constant food supply. Hummingbird feeders can be used from late spring through early fall.
Select plants that provide natural foods such as fruits, seeds, nuts and nectar. Choose your plants to provide food for backyard wildlife throughout the year. Native perennials and annuals provide nectar for both butterflies and hummingbirds. As one program participant says, "Hummingbirds like ice-cream cones and butterflies like pizza." This is because hummingbirds tend to visit tube-shaped red flowers, such as Bee Balm, Wild Columbine and our native honeysuckles. Butterflies prefer flat or clustered flowers, such as Purple Coneflower, phlox, and zinnias.
By choosing native plants suited to the site conditions, little maintenance, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or additional watering will be necessary for the plants to thrive. This all adds up to time and cost savings as well as a healthier habitat for you, your family, and the wildlife that inhabit your yard. Supplemental feeders can provide nectar for hummingbirds in the summer months and a variety of seed (sunflower, niger, safflower, and millet) for other birds throughout the year. Keep in mind that bird feeders should only be used as a supplement to natural food provided by native plants.
2. Water
Wildlife need water for drinking, bathing, and, in some cases, breeding.
Water can be supplied in a birdbath, a small pond, a recirculating waterfall or a shallow dish. If you're lucky enough to have a natural pond, stream, vernal pool, or other wetland on your property, make sure to preserve or restore it as these are excellent aquatic habitats.
A small pond set into the ground provides water for drinking and bathing, as well as cover and reproductive areas for small fish, insects, amphibians and reptiles.
However you decide to provide water, make sure you do so year round. This can easily be done with a thermostatically controlled birdbath heater to provide water during subfreezing weather when the need for water is critical.
Rabbits, shrews, mice, snakes and salamanders lay their eggs or raise young under boughs of plants as well as in the rock, log or mulch piles.
Nest boxes for bluebirds, chickadees, wrens and purple martins can be placed in your backyard.
Aquatic animals, such as frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies, and other insects, deposit their eggs in ponds, vernal pools, and other wetlands.
Butterflies require "host" plants that serve as food sources for butterflies during their larval (caterpillar) stage. Butterflies almost invariably lay their eggs on the host plant preferred by the caterpillar, so make sure to include some of the host plants in your habitat.
Native honeybees are essential pollinators for many trees and flowers, but their populations are in decline. We can help fill the pollination gap by providing homes for solitary bees like orchard bees.
Benefits of Attracting Wildlife
Besides adding visual interest to your yard and garden, wildlife is important for insect control. Did you know that 99% of the insects in your yard are beneficial? One-third of all the food we eat comes as a direct result from pollinator insects, while many insects prey on the annoying ones, like mosquitoes. Besides throwing a damper on your outdoor gathering, mosquitoes can carry dangerous diseases (like West Nile), and pesticides (in addition to being hard on the environment and dangerous to children) aren't much help, since they also kill the "good" bugs – bugs like dragonflies, who eat millions of mosquitoes, but don't bounce back as fast their food source does after exposure to insecticides.
Birds and bats also eat millions of pesky insects every day, so encouraging them to come to your backyard is a definite advantage and a much healthier alternative to pesticides – for you and your family and the environment.
Certify Your Habitat
It wasn't so long ago that composting was considered a fringe activity, something you might find ardent back-to-the-landers doing out on their country acreage, but certainly not a practice within the realm of most suburbanites' experience. Today, however, many towns and small cities are encouraging composting like never before, sometimes offering compost bins at subsidized rates, often providing instructional materials or workshops on how to compost, while simultaneously ceasing the curbside pickup of readily compostable materials like leaves and grass clippings. At the same time, sales of bagged compost are way up, as are sales of all manner of composting equipment. Suddenly, it seems, composting has become mainstream.
Why Compost?
Organic gardeners rave about it, but what's the big deal about compost? Why can't you just feed your plants some 10-10-10 and be done with it? Well, i's like the difference between eating a well-balanced meal made from fresh, natural ingredients, and eating a multivitamin and a bag of chips. In the short term, you'd be fine with either, but you wouldn't want to subsist on the latter diet for long. The same is true in your garden. Initially, your plants will respond vigorously to chemical fertilizers, but they won't attain the naturally robust good health they would if you provided them with compost. And with composting, you can be part of the cycle of life - instead of throwing away kitchen scraps and yard debris, you can turn them into valuable compost that your plants and soil will love.
Not only does compost contain all of the major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) in forms readily available to plants, but it also contains a wealth of minor and trace elements as well as billions (yes, literally billions) of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and other soil creatures that will continue to break down organic and inorganic matter in the compost and in your soil, providing a long-term, steady feeding of nutrients to plants.
In addition, because of its loose, fluffy, cake-flourlike texture, compost improves the tilth, or structure, of all garden soils, both increasing the drainage of clay soils and binding together sandy soils, enhancing their moisture retention. Regardless of where you garden or what you grow, compost will make your plants healthier and more vigorous and increase their flowering and fruiting like no other substance you can give them. Simply put, composting is the best possible thing you can do for your garden.
How Long Does It Take?
Many gardeners don't compost simply because they perceive it to be more difficult or complicated than it really is. In truth, composting---rotting really---is a natural process that will occur even without any effort on a gardener's part. If you just put all your garden waste, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and autumn leaves into a giant pile, you'd have good, usable compost deep within the pile in a year and a half or so.
Actively engaging in the composting process just speeds the whole process up greatly. Researchers have found that it's possible to make finished compost (that is, compost that is so completely broken down that none of its component materials are distinguishable) in as little as 10 days. Practically speaking, most home gardeners can make a good batch of compost every 3-4 weeks; over a growing season, that's a lot of free fertilizer of unparalleled quality.
The ABCs of Composting
So, how do you make compost? There are four key words to remember: green, brown, air and water. What this means is that, to make compost, all you have to do is bring together moist, fresh, predominantly green ingredients (grass clippings, weeds, kitchen scraps, and the like) and predominantly brown ingredients (dead leaves, straw, hay, wood shavings or chips, etc.), ensure that the mix remains damp, and turn it all every few days to reintroduce oxygen to the pile. While the soil and leafy scraps usually have enough of the proper microbes to get the composting process started, for fresh batches of material and rotary composters you can add our Compost Starter to quicken the composting process.
Adding worms to your on-ground composter and or garden soil will also speed up the composting process, and will add extra soil nutrients (from the worm castings). Keep adding worms from your finished compost back into fresh material. That's it. In less than a month, you'll have rich, crumbly, brown compost that you can add to your garden soil, use in containers, or mulch with.
Containers and Ingredients
Compost can be made anywhere, in virtually any kind of container, or in no container at all---just a big pile. A bin or tumbler will keep the process neat and manageable, however, and will make it easier to add air to the mixture. To start your compost pile, reduce the size of the ingredients you're using in the pile by chopping them with a machete, a sharp garden spade or other tool. Autumn leaves can be shredded quite well by repeatedly mowing over them. Then add all the ingredients together, layering them in 3-4-inch-thick layers if you're using a bin, or just tossing them together if you're using a tumbler of some sort. Strive for somewhere between a 5:1 and an 8:1 ratio, by volume, of brown materials (fuel for the organisms that will decompose the pile) to green, but don't get too fussy about it---if the proportion is off, it's easy enough to recognize and to remedy.
There are many different styles of outdoor compost bins that fall into one of two categories:
A rotary-style composter can be placed anywhere and keeps all the material organized and off the ground—important features for some yards. Rotary composters produce compost quickly because they are easy to turn and aerate the material, but they tend to dry out more quickly.
An on-ground compost bin keeps material contained and in contact with the soil, which helps keep moisture content high and adds naturally occurring microbes and worms to the process. Consider using two bins at once: one to pull finished compost from and another to add new material to. Switch the bins once your finished compost is depleted.
It's optimal to have a small cart at hand around the yard and garden to collect and organize compostable materials from weeding, pruning, clipping and raking.
Kitchen countertop compost crocks offer a clean and efficient way to collect kitchen scraps. While a one-gallon size is good for small families, a one-and-a-half-gallon container works for larger needs. Options range from plastic to ceramic to stainless steel (click on image to right to view the many varieties and sizes sold on PlowandHearth.com). Each compost crock comes with charcoal filters to eliminate any smells in the house. You can also place biodegradable liner bags directly into the compost.
Green and Brown: Getting the Balance Right
A pile that doesn't heat up within 24 hours needs more green material. A compost thermometer is very handy for determining the temperature near the center of the pile, which should rise to approximately 150-160F. Often, however, you can see a pile steaming and can feel its heat even from the outside of the tumbler or over the top of the bin. A pile that develops an ammonia-like smell needs more brown materials; just work some more into the pile, and the aroma should go away.
Moisture and Air Speed Decomposition
The air and water requirements of a composting operation are similarly low-key. The mixture of materials should remain about as moist as a wrung-out sponge---damp, that is, but not soaking wet. If the mixture seems too wet, damp is perfect, give it a turn to mix and aerate. Layer in some dryer material, stems or straw to help the air flow. If it is too dry, sprinkle on some water and add fresh, green leafy material. Remember, the more often you turn a pile, the quicker you'll have compost, because most of the composting process is carried out by aerobic (oxygen-using) bacteria. If you decide to build your pile in a traditional square bin, you'll want to have an extra bin next to it, so that you can move the pile from one bin into another. If you use a tumbler of some type or rotary composter, turning is easier yet: All you have to do is spin or roll the container to re-oxygenate the pile.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Not much can go wrong with a compost pile other than the two conditions mentioned above---a pile that doesn't heat up and one that develops an ammonia-like smell. Altering the ratio of ingredients one way or the other will generally correct things. You can prevent any problems with critters visiting your pile by keeping animal and dairy products out of your kitchen compost container. Vegetable and fruit scraps are excellent "green" additions. When your compost looks black and earthy and most of the added material has become unidentifiable, it is ready to use.
Using Your Compost
Once you've cooked your first batch of compost, what do you do with it? As mentioned above, it's excellent as an addition to garden soil, container mixes, or used as mulch. Depending on the ingredients you used, there may be coarse pieces still in the compost. If you intend to use your compost as mulch just leave it coarse, however, if you plan on using it as potting soil or for seedlings, you'll want to break down these coarse pieces. The best way to deal with these is to screen the finished compost through a piece of hardware cloth stapled to a frame (or through a "riddle," a tool designed for just such a purpose).
Starting All Over Again
Want to see this again? Yes, send it to my email!


text:
Corporate Leadership
Allen J. Gula, Jr.
Executive Vice President
Chief Operations Officer
Gula is an accomplished financial services professional, having accumulated more than 30 years experience in the United States and global financial services industry. Before coming to Synovus, Gula held executive positions in e-commerce, payment solutions, technology, operations and strategic business planning. He also served as a board member with several privately held companies across the U.S. where he provided expertise and counsel in the areas of strategic development, operational scalability and financing. He was named Chief Operations Officer for Synovus on July 11, 2011.
Masters in Business Administration, Case Western Reserve University
- Co-Founder and current Chairman and CEO of the Marilyn B. Gula Mountains of Hope Foundation for advanced breast cancer research
- Current Board Member Sequoia Benefits, LLC
- Past Advisory Board Member, EXL Service
- Current Advisory Board Member, FTV Capital
- Current Advisory Board Member, Attevo
- Past Advisory Board Member, NorthStar
- Past Co-Owner and Board Member, Localize Technologies
- Past Advisory Board Member, Zimbra, Inc.
- Past Board Member, Inktomi Corporation
- Past Board Member, MasterCard USA
- Past Board Member, KeyBank N.A.
- Past Board Member, Keybank USA
- Past Board of Trustees Member, Great Lakes Science Center
- Past Board Member, Electronic Payment Systems
Past Member, President's Visiting Committee, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University
Summary of Responsibilities
As Chief Operations Officer, Gula is responsible for all bank operations and information technology for Synovus. His mission also includes reshaping and better defining the company's customer service delivery model.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Release Year
|West End Games
|Boba Fett is included:
Had Han Solo known that Lord Vader had hired a deadly bunch of bounty hunters specifically to track Solo down - in addition to the hunters tracking him for his debts to Jabba the Hutt - he might have altered his plans slightly. But had Solo known that Boba Fett was among the hunters, he probably would have changed his strategy entirely. Fett is known galaxy-wide as one of the deadliest, most efficient hunters in existence. The teaming of this man with probably his only superior in shrewdness and personal power Darth Vader, made Solo, eventual capture inevitable. Solo didn't find out about Fett's involvement until the doors of Cloud City's Grand Dining Room slid ominously open to reveal the evil visage of Vader, with the notorious bounty hunter at his side. Then, suddenly, everything became quite clear.
|Bounty Popularity
601 hits
Love it? Hate it? Rate it:
|"My Bounty" Stats
|1 save in "My Bounty"
|Bounty ID #
Latest message board posts in the Collecting forum:


text:
There's no love lost between Tamra Barney (aka Tamra Judge) and her former "The Real Housewives of Orange County" co-stars Gretchen Rossi, Alexis Bellino and Lydia McLaughlin, at least on her part. The outspoken housewife made an appearance on KTLA on Thursday, April 10, and during the course of her interview revealed whether she misses the three women who are no longer part of the show.
When the interviewer brought up the departures of Gretchen, Alexis and Lydia, Tamra joked that she ran them out of Orange County. When she was asked whether she misses them and would ever talk to them again, Tamra hesitated before saying she would for a couple of them but then concluded with a resounding no. She repeated "no" several times.
Tamra's response was not surprising when it came to Gretchen and Alexis. Tamra and Alexis never got along on the show as Tamra found her superficial and fake. Tamra even called Alexis "Jesus Jugs" at one of the reunion shows. As for Tamra and Gretchen, the two finally developed a friendship early last season after battling it out for years but the friendship unraveled towards the end of the season. Tamra once admitted that the friendship started unraveling after Gretchen proposed to Slade Smiley but didn't invite any of the housewives to her engagement party.
As for Lydia, it seems that Tamra just didn't have enough time with her to develop a real connection since Lydia departed after only one season. She said that she decided to leave because she wanted to concentrate on other business opportunities and expand her family without that being her central story line. It was just announced that she and husband Doug are expecting a third child.
Will you miss watching Gretchen Rossi, Alexis Bellino and Lydia McLaughlin on "The Real Housewives of Orange County" or are you glad that they're gone?
Suggested Links
- Housewives Joanna Krupa, Joyce Giraud and Gretchen Rossi unite for charity
- 'RHOOC' Tamra Judge flies to Puerto Rico for acting role
- Former 'RHOOC' star Alexis Bellino responds to people who say she's a show-off
- Former 'RHOOC' housewives Lydia McLaughlin and Gretchen Rossi goof off for b-day
- New 'RHOOC' wives tearing Tamra Barney, Vicki Gunvalson and Heather Dubrow apart


text:
DMX was arrested last night in South Carolina last night during a traffic stop because cops claim they found pot.
The event, which was caught on tape by TMZ, occurred when cops pulled over the car X was riding in for making an illegal U-turn.
During the stop, cops discovered X had a warrant out for driving without a license and claim they found weed in the car. They cuffed him while he shouted, "Eighteen cops, five cars, get the f**k outta here man." He also claims the car should never have been pulled over in the first place, before having what looks to be an asthma attack, which brought the paramedics.
This is not the first time X has been arrested for weed. According to cops, he will be sentenced this morning to 15 days in the county jail.
Update: DMX has been released from jail, but it under house arrest.


text:
James E. L. Wade Park, one of the city's newest parks, recently received the Outstanding Stewardship Award from the Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Coalition.
The 17-acre park includes 11 acres of wetlands and opened in 2009. It is located off Waltmoor Drive at 3500 Bethel Road and has several amenities, including a 1/2-mile multi-use path, playground and a picnic shelter.
The stormwater wetland within the park is what makes it unique. The wetland has two primary purposes:to filter and help clean stormwater before it runs into the Hewlett's Creek watershed, and to reduce flooding in the area. The wetlands remove pollutants from stormwater runoff for 10 percent of the Hewlett's Creek watershed, making it the largest stormwater wetland in the area.
The park was developed in partnership with the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund and New Hanover County.
Learn more about environmental stewardship.


text:
New Vomitoxin Screening Tool Delivers Fast Results to Grain and Feed Producers
VICAM DONCheck™ Test Kit Brings Grain and Feed Operations Deoxynivalenol (DON) Results in as Little as Three Minutes
Watertown, Mass., February, 18, 2009 –– VICAM, a Waters Company and a world leader in food safety diagnostics, announced today the launch of its first-generation screening tool for Deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat, corn and barley, and common staple ingredients used to produce animal feeds. The DONCheck™ Test Kit is a lateral flow test kit that was designed for use in the field by growers of grain or producers of livestock or by laboratory technicians, and requires no specialized training or skills to use. With results in as little as three minutes, feed ingredients can be managed and bin contamination avoided using the DONCheck kit, VICAM's pioneer product in rapid DON screening.
"The main reason for testing DON in feeds is economics – including liability, bad feed efficiency, toxic effects, low growth rates and lost feed value when contamination is found, not to mention that ingredients as well as finished feeds must be disposed of," said Marjorie Radlo, General Manager and Director of Operations, VICAM.
Improved testing methods allow for better screening of raw materials before they are added to feeds, protecting the value of finished feeds and the resources needed to formulate and manufacture them.
Deoxynivalenol (DON,) also known as a vomitoxin, is a fungal toxin well known for its toxic effects on the gastrointestinal system of livestock. Toxic even at very low concentrations of 1-3 parts-per-million (ppm) DON is produced by several Fusarium mold species and may occur in wheat, corn, barley, oats, rye, and less often in rice, sorghum and triticale. Consumption of DON results in an overall decrease in performance of livestock animals, primarily due to feed refusal and vomition. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established a level of 1ppm for human consumption, as well as recommended levels for specific livestock according to their ability to tolerate the presence of DON.
DONCheck™ Test Kits are available from VICAM and its worldwide network of distributors.
For information on VICAM's rapid test kits for aflatoxins, citrinin, DON, fumonisisns, ochratoxin, T-2, T-2/HT-2, zearalanone or our combination columns, please call 617-926-7045 or email email@example.com for the name and location of the nearest distributor.
About VICAM, A Waters Business (www.vicam.com)
VICAM is a world-leading provider of mycotoxin testing solutions. Since 1985, VICAM has been dedicated to developing USDA- and AOAC-approved rapid tests for mycotoxins. VICAM's mycotoxin test kits offer a choice of rapid qualitative screening and quantitative test methods for a wide variety of mycotoxins. Around the world, VICAM products are used with confidence by customers who trust our commitment to extending the value of those products with unmatched service and support. We guarantee satisfaction with expert technical assistance and top-of-the-line customer care through a global scientific and distribution network that develops, markets, sells, and services our products in more than 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.vicam.com or call +1.508.482.4935.
About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com)
For more than 50 years, Waters Corporation has created business advantages for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality, consumer products and high-value added chemicals worldwide.
Pioneering a connected portfolio of separations science, laboratory information management, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis, Waters technology breakthroughs and laboratory solutions provide an enduring platform for customer success.
With revenue of $1.9 billion in 2013, Waters is driving scientific discovery and operational excellence for customers worldwide.
# # #
Patricia Jackson
Market Development Manager
Tel: +1.515.326.4417
E -mail: email@example.com
Web: www.vicam.com
Chris Orlando
Public Relations Manager
Waters Corporation


text:
It would seem that half of the populace is outraged by the news that Michael Vick signed with the New York Jets, and the other half of the populace is outraged that the first half is outraged.
Is it really so farfetched and outrageous that animal advocates are upset that Michael Vick, infamous dog-fighter and all-around unpleasant man, continues to be in the spotlight? Isn't it just a wee bit callous for some to roll their eyes and tell these people to "get over it"?
Let's review some facts:
1) Michael Vick tortured and killed a staggering amount of dogs for sport.
2) Dogs that Michael Vick didn't feel were performing properly were electrocuted.
3) Dogs that did not win fights (and didn't die in them) were subjected to severe beatings, and then hanged.
We could look into more, but the purpose of this article is not to make the reader retch from the atrocities committed.
The argument that Michael Vick has, "Served his time, and is reformed," doesn't hold much stock. For just a moment, think about how truly evil a person must be to torture and kill a living being – just for entertainment. Do you think that kind of evil simply disappears because the villain is caught and serves time in jail?
While Michael Vick isn't the only football player with a hideous record, it is disturbing that any team in the NFL wants to associate with this man. What does it say to children watching the beloved sport? That you can get away with a truly repellent crime and still be paid millions? Who really wants to send that message?
This author would argue that anyone who thinks it's time to, "Get over it" needs to take a good look inside themselves, because that kind of attitude is disconcerting. Michael Vick is a killer, and he's smirking right into your TV screen, because for some reason he still has support despite his appalling crimes.


text:
'The Lost World' rings true today
Published: Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 2:22 p.m.
Most people today are focused on one thing: money. Why is this? Simple: Money makes the world go round, or at least that's what people think. When was the last time you saw someone volunteering their time while expecting nothing in return?
Sir Author Conan Doyle wrote a book called "The Lost World." It describes the journey of a journalist who sets out to find adventure with a scientist. They discover the Jurassic world hidden from all modern things.
Reading this book has made me start to think, have we lost most of the kindness and the good in this world in which we live? Honestly, that's possible with the economy seeing unemployment rates around double digits. I believe we have.
I constantly see rich celebrities flaunting their money buying useless trinkets. Most celebrities when they do volunteer work want it caught on camera so they receive recognition for it. I say you should do volunteer work not expecting any recognition, payment or other type of praise. You should do it because you want to better first your community and second the world.
Michael Jackson's song "Man in the Mirror" stated it perfectly: start with the man (woman) in the mirror. Too many people today worry about what they can get out of helping people, not if the person really needs help.
For example, organ donors know that if they get into a car accident and die, they won't need those organs in the next life, so why not give them to someone who needs them, such as a dying little boy needing a heart transplant? Some people today are so selfish that even when they die they don't want to share. I've got bad news for them, though. Their organs are trashed if they aren't donated.
So why not start to look at that man in the mirror and fix the world so we don't lose it. Make a simple gesture of true kindness, and it will be returned to you.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
Euro Jumps As US Taxpayers Are Latest Source Of European Bailout According To Freshest Set Of Bailout Rumors
- Printer-friendly version
- Oct 5, 2011 6:42 AM
- 51
Shit, bailout Europe. There will be blood in the streets
Makes cents: get the 'money' from the country that gives a shit less (USA)
can anyone comment on whether the Fed might stop paying interest on excess reserves? and why this deos not seem to be discussed by anyone? except me?
There is so much else, people can't focus. Our government at the highest levels supplying guns to drug gangs, giving them a free pass to sell as long as they kill the other gangs who don't launder their money at the right bank, etc.
The government is one giant criminal conspiracy. The middle class is the victim.
Oh yeh -- one other thing--bring it to justice and-- let the punishment fit the crime
Check out Gary North's old columns. He has pointed out that this is almost the only thing (besides lack of willing and able borrowers) keeping those bailout billions from flooding out into the economy.
Another reason is that it's a sneaky form of free money to the banks, aka 'recapitalization'. I lend you a dollar at 0%. You park it with me at, say 1%. Now add a lot of zeros and you have the idea.
One would think if it takes both the ESFS and the IMF to bailout...again...that perhaps this won't work..again. People of the world to be slaves to the banks....fo eva bitchez!
Remember also it is only a week until the Federal Reserve comes over the horizon with its 3 month US dollar swap lines for European banks as explained below.
The US Cavalry is only a week away whilst UK GDP growth is a poor measure of anythinghttp://www.mindfulmoney.co.uk/wp/shaun-richards/the-us-cavalry-is-only-a-week-away-whilst-uk-gdp-growth-is-a-poor-measure-of-anything/
Silver/Gold crashing on that - time to stockpile some more bullions :-D
It's a falling knife, and the high premiums and non-availibility in many shops make it harder, but I am buying what I can when I can.
Just like 2008 - maybe silver goes down to 15USD/oz - I _do not care_ as long as physical sits in my safe. I just wonder how long they can overstretch this Muppet Show and in what currency I'll go for Xmas-shopping.
Remember, they have been bailing out Eurobanks all along. AIG was used as a funnel for billions to Eurobanks, plus the trillions the so called Fed gave them interest free.
It is a continuation of the game, nothing more.
I was talking to a guy in the gas station and he said all will be fine and that it's the media who is blowing thing out of proportion.
I don't know who he was, but it's possible he worked for the IMF or Europarlement because he was in a suit.
He also said that it might start to rain for a few days in Belgium and that the summer is really over now.
That was a tankstelling selling Yahoo unleaded?
At least he seems to be right about the weather..
Yes, this fits my experience in Belgium as well. People won't believe that anything is really wrong until it punches them in the face. The current candidate for that is the Dexia fiasco and the possibility that local government will have to lay off some people (Dexia is the banker for Belgian local governments). When I mention this possibility to people here, they say "Oh no, impossible! The law says...etc."
So far they've been right.
European banks are being saved. Stocks rise, PMs down. No Armageddon. Remember that collateral for Finland, supposed to be a roadblock for the saving of Greece? Though the collateral is completely unattractive, but the Finns agreed to it. Paper tigers. Even the True Finns remain silent, have no influence. Problem solved, euro saved. All obstacles are being cleaned up, so we're heading for Christmas. No troubles anymore, enough money to save many times. No collapse. Boring world we live in.
rumors are all it takes to make markets, obviously.
Headline should read: "Captain Insano and his sidekick Gossip Girl rescues the markets."
Forget everything you have learned.
Greek statistics-a troll synonym
4th year of recession and still standing...
An ancient Chinese proverb comes to mind:
"Never build your home's foundation on bullshit"
I think that applies to base formations in markets also....
Recapitalization = printing presses Yet Silver & Gold are papered down to greet the new rescue. BTFD
Paper gold and paper silver fall. Perhaps they will print more of these products and sell them onto the market to pay for the recapitalization of Europe. Kill two birds with one stone while fucking over those stupid enough to buy paper PM products AND providing smart people with a lower price for physical (assuming they can find any for that price).
Only devastating alien invasion can save Europe.
We do have aliens arriving by the thousands every day. The problem is that 99% of them are poor and unskilled. Plus we already have plenty of poor, unskilled natives. Everyone here wants the welfare state, but without thinking through the logical implications.
" But, but, whatever happened to China? "
They will be bailed out by Nauru.
I don't believe ZeroHedge. Bernanke has said many times that he has a strong dollar policy. hahahaha
To hell with manufacturing/service/resource based economies - the most efficient is obviously a rumor based economy.
Nurtured by auxillary industries such as Press Conferences, Telephone Conferences and Emergency EU Summits over weekends, financed by printing presses. I think we've got the real deal going here. Bless!
ITS OPM-Day..
Other Peoples Money
To quote Charile Brown "Good grief."
The US Taxpayer bail out Europe? Ha! Thats a good one! Let's get one thing straight: the US Taxpayer couldn't bail out a shopaholic 7-year-old thats been on a splurge in a Five 'n Dime store - not even if Warren threw in an extra $5 a week! LOL! The US taxpayer is B-R-O-K-E just like the USA Besides any IMF Bailout would just be a roundabout way of bailing-out the counter-party US banks - a well-worn road, I'm sure you're familiar with - and keeping this sorry charade going a little while longer
The US Taxpayer bail out Europe?
Ha! Thats a good one!
Let's get one thing straight: the US Taxpayer couldn't bail out a shopaholic 7-year-old thats been on a splurge in a Five 'n Dime store - not even if Warren threw in an extra $5 a week! LOL!
The US taxpayer is B-R-O-K-E just like the USA
Besides any IMF Bailout would just be a roundabout way of bailing-out the counter-party US banks - a well-worn road, I'm sure you're familiar with - and keeping this sorry charade going a little while longer
Yanky Frankie, you forgot the printing press can do bonds as well as cash, ie the debt which is monetized.
The Bernank testified only yesterday that US banks had very minimal, manageable exposure to Euro banks, so NO PROBLEM, we have lending power to spare for their borrowing needs.
The real deadline for all this is November 2012, then we get a whole new can to kick around.
As long as the dollar is an idea, we can keep having more of them for free. Everyone wants more of them, except pesky gold bugs who seem to be on to something crazy.
Who is left as a prospective groom after this one fails to show up at the alter?
Mike sang a song to a Rat once. Ben, You're always running here and there You feel you're not wanted anywhere If you ever look behind and don't like what you find There's something you should know, you've got a place to go (That would be hell). Ben, the printer of last resort, bank on it. Guttenberg would puke in his grave.
Mike sang a song to a Rat once.
You're always running here and there
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind and don't like what you find
There's something you should know, you've got a place to go
(That would be hell).
Ben, the printer of last resort, bank on it. Guttenberg would puke in his grave.
This is not that hard to understand. Not only is the top 1/1000 (worse) being allowed to control all the world's wealth, when they have spent it all, they are being given more. You would not do this with a kid. You would not do this with your crackhead brother.
This is why the once proud pink sheet [the FT] is now known as the pink rag.
Perhaps the owners and editors of the FT should consider moving on up to the high standards of journalistic integrity set by The News Of The World.
And those sorry fucks have the nerve to call Zero Hedge lacking...
MsCreant, you know when the tide is changing by observing that the dissidents become the forces of order while the forces of order become the anarchists.
"you know when the tide is changing by observing that the dissidents become the forces of order while the forces of order become the anarchists"
Really good observation. Hope you are well and the car is fixed.
Politics. Think about it....people can't imagine how the world got into this mess..........Like it fell from the fucking sky or something! The Euro is a totally politcial construct, it was not formed out of economic necessity or urgency. Politics. The Euro and associated problems are no different than govt. pensions/broke states/US govt debt/unprecedentted govt involvement in business.
Other than the i-phone from AAPL, one shrewd move in the past 20 yrs has been the by the Union to recruit govt workers. That has been the fastest growing part of the group. Why so shrewd??? Direct govt deposit of money/fees/dues. No payout or other economic decision by the govt HAS ANY REAL ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCE. All the 3 dimensional math models aside and cross/cds/rate swap backflip agreements aside,, its not complicated. Political involvement in economics is a disaster, at our expense.
Bernanke is already feeding those banks trillions in 0% loans that will never be paid back, just like last time.
Said otherwise, US taxpayers to the European rescue because the EUcrats can not get their imploding house in order.
US taxpayers will provide relief only for property rights in Greece,since we are mor broke than they are, we need a place to move to.
To date, I have seen NO ONE coming to our rescue,except the chinese, and Japanese, simply because we are their ECONOMY.
Ready to hand over the reins to the Reseve Currency, as all it means is we get the tab for it all.
And down again. Motion Sickness bitchez
My bad, just ranted about this on the next post. Bend over Borges, I have a baseball bat for you.
The word you are seeking is "swaps"......Uncle Ben won't let the EU breathren drown. He will take shitty "AAA" collateral on the Feds books.
The US Taxpayer? C'mon, Americans don't pay taxes. Everyone knows that!
If the US is going to bail anyone out, then it will have to be with newly printed funny money.
No, Europe will not be bailed out by US taxpayer money. The US taxpayer has no money, only debt.
Europe may be bailed out by freshly printed FED dollars.
Debts will never be repaid.
Unless I have this wrong, it seems Germany has said "no" to the bailouts being an intramural affair, so the US has to fund not only its own profligacy, but that of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, etc. as well. I guess Japan has to pony up, too, though to a lesser extent. Bond investors get another coat of teflon while we're at it.
Then Bernanke opens up the swap lines, which are "fully collaterized", which means Ben will be taking Greek Sovereign paper and Dexia LT paper to hold on our behalf. Then when the ECB cannot close the swap lines, meaning they refuse to print euros to get the dollars back, Ben will be left with Pap's and some Walloon hooker's phone numbers, and little more. Of course, the IMF might step in to cover the losses, which is to say 40 cents on the dollar will fall on the US taxpayer.
The first political candidate who raises this issue---with the Wall Street protests this would now resonate---gets the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (plus he assumes the HELOC Obama took out).
oh the incestuous financial world :
ROBERT REICH: Behind Europe's Debt Crisis Lurks Another Giant Bailout of Wall Street
Read more: http://robertreich.org/post/11033625495#ixzz1ZuSlC2Iy


text:
A theorem by S. Garrison states that if $G$ is a finite solvable group and $|cd(G)| = 4$ then $dl(G)\leq |cd(G)|$ (the Taketa inequality, which is conjectured to hold for all finite solvable groups). So far I have been unable to find a proof of this theorem anywhere. The only references I have seen are to Isaacs' book on character theory (where he only mentions that it has been proven by S. Garrison), and to the Ph.d thesis of S. Garrison (which has not been published, so not much help there). oes anyone know where one might find the proof?
A new proof was published in:
Isaacs, I. M.; Knutson, Greg. "Irreducible character degrees and normal subgroups." J. Algebra 199 (1998), no. 1, 302–326. MR1489366 DOI:10.1006/jabr.1997.7191
This was extended to cd(G)=5 in:
Lewis, Mark L. "Derived lengths of solvable groups having five irreducible character degrees. I." Algebr. Represent. Theory 4 (2001), no. 5, 469–489. MR1870501 DOI: 10.1023/A:1012706718244
It mentions that "Because of the length and complexity of his argument, Garrison never published this result." and has some other useful comments.
Sidney Garrison wrote a 1973 dissertation directed by Marty Isaacs at Wisconsin: On Groups with a Small Number of Character Degrees. There is a related paper MR0407120 (53 #10903) 20C15, Garrison, Sidney C., Bounding the structure constants of a group in terms of its number of irreducible character degrees. J. Algebra 32 (1974), no. 3, 623–628. For a solvable group, Fitting length is shown to be bounded by the number of irreducible character degrees. Then four unrelated papers through 1986, the last with S. Gagola at Kent State (by then Garrison was apparently unaffiliated). This much I get from MathSciNet, but Marty Isaacs could fill in more details.


text:
This book, created by Paul Negron, is one in a set of 30 unique volumes that explore a variety of departments at Parsons the New School for Design. The books, created by Freshmen in a Foundation class called Laboratory, were developed through a process of research and interviews. Each represents an investigation into the author's department of interest and was created from the point of view of the author and/or the subjects that they interviewed.
This book focuses on information regarding studying abroad at Parsons Paris, something offered at the school for students in their junior year.
Cluster8 is a group of students in the class Laboratory in the Foundation Program at Parsons the New School for Design in NYC.
Comentario publicado.
Inicia sesión o crea una cuenta para publicar un comentario.
Fashion Internship Publicado 09 de mayo de 2009
Fashion Design: Menswear Publicado 07 de mayo de 2009
Communication Design Publicado 23 de abril de 2009
Fashion Design Publicado 20 de abril de 2009
Samantha Perlman - Illustration Publicado 18 de abril de 2009
Fashion Design Publicado 16 de abril de 2009
Communication Design Publicado 16 de abril de 2009
Communication Design Publicado 16 de abril de 2009


text:
ZF-6737: Chain Route - separator should be configurable
with the wonderful Application Ressource Zend_Application_Resource_Router I can easily create my routes from config. For Eyample:
resources.router.routes.pathroute.type = "Zend_Controller_Router_Route_Regex" resources.router.routes.pathroute.route = "(.*)" resources.router.routes.pathroute.defaults.1 = "/" resources.router.routes.pathroute.map.1 = "path" resources.router.routes.pathroute.chains.httpmethod.type = "My_Route_HttpMethod" resources.router.routes.pathroute.chains.httpmethod.methods[] = "PROPFIND" resources.router.routes.pathroute.chains.httpmethod.methods[] = "OPTIONS" resources.router.routes.pathroute.chains.httpmethod.defaults.module = "webdav" resources.router.routes.pathroute.chains.httpmethod.defaults.controller = "server"
So far so good.
Now I need to configure the separator between the two routes in chain. In my previous bootstrap code I have done this:
$oControllerFront = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance(); $oPathRoute = new Zend_Controller_Router_Route_Regex(...); $oHttpMethodRoute = new My_Route_HttpMethod(...); $sSeparator = ''; // empty separator for the http-method-route $oControllerFront ->getRouter()->addRoute('pathroute-httpmethod',$oPathRoute ->chain($oHttpMethodRoute ,$sSeparator));
But I can't set the chain-seperator by config. In my Opinion, this depends on the internal method in Zend_Controller_Router_Rewrite -> _addChainRoutesFromConfig(...):
if ($route instanceof Zend_Controller_Router_Route_Chain) { $chainRoute = clone $route; $chainRoute->chain($childRoute); } else { $chainRoute = $route->chain($childRoute); }
In Zend_Controller_Router_Route_Abstract the method chain knows a opt. param for separator. this method should be also declared in the interface Zend_Controller_Router_Route_Interface.
I have seen this ZF-6296 request and I look forward to the refactoring of the Router, maybe this request could be solved when refactoring?
Bulk change of all issues last updated before 1st January 2010 as "Won't Fix".
Feel free to re-open and provide a patch if you want to fix this issue.


text:
The well of fire puns for this episode may have run dry (or maybe after using so many, I'm just burnt out—oh, there we go!) but to say this episode was sort of a roller coaster would definitely be hitting the mark. "Castle" made a strong return from its winter hiatus on Jan. 6 with an episode that was intense enough to have you on the edge of your seat, only to gut you in the next minute thanks to the phenomenal acting and chemistry between the entire cast of characters in the season's eleventh episode. Sarah Grace Ryan was finally born in "Under Fire," but her father and uncle Javi very nearly didn't make it out alive to welcome Baby Ryan into world. It was an event that led us to some compelling storytelling, and one hell of a excellent episode last night.
You pretty much already know from the beginning that this one is going to ruin you a little bit emotionally when it starts out with the building fully engulfed and Beckett talking to a frantic Jenny (Juliana Dever.) Just the emotion in her voice alone was enough to send chills down my spine, never mind the tears welling up in her eyes. There's that saying amongst "Castle" fans that comes in various forms of wording, "When Beckett cries, we all cry." And Beckett starting to lose it on the phone call with Jenny set the tone for the ride we'd all be getting on very shortly as the episode progresses.
"Castle" has had a few cases in the past dealing with explosions and fire, and bodies found charred in a pizza oven of all places, but this time around we get an arsonist that not only torched a building, but shot and killed an FDNY fire investigator in an effort to hide his tracks and remain hidden behind the shroud of his notorious title, "The Phantom." The case as a whole was rather fascinating in this one (an opinion as to be expected from a self-proclaimed pyro like myself, but shhh.) It has to be said though: there were some moments that did require an effort at suspending my disbelief. An explosion and fire of that magnitude probably should have obliterated the boys and their chances at survival, and the phone that Ryan found and wired up to call out did make me chuckle at how convenient it all was. I would have been a little happier if he'd have just found some lucky, weak cell signal in the dark to call out on, rather than a busted rotary dial phone miraculously being found amongst the rubble of the basement. Ah, well. Can't win them all, and I suppose it did show off some of Ryan's technical skills that he's so notable for. And speaking of the explosion, how awesome were those special effects and cinematics? Super cool. Anyway, these are some very minor complaints and nitpicks, and they didn't at all pull me away from the emotional draw of the episode, which was the most important part.
The 12th Precinct's relatively new and savvy tech, Tory Ellis, was back again in "Under Fire" and, as usual, she helps the team out with tracking down some vital information leading back to our arsonist and killer. Tory has been a source of great interest and scrutiny for me since her first appearance. She's sort of losing that aura of suspicion though, I must say. Perhaps it's because she hasn't done anything shifty as I was kind of expecting her to, or maybe it's because I'm following Maya Stojan on Twitter now and her social media presence alone has desensitized me to the character she portrays. I've still got my eye on you though, Ellis.
Also amongst our guest cast in this episode was Wendy Davis ("Army Wives", "Scandal") in the role of fire investigator Delia Burton. I actually kept thinking she was going to end up our arsonist slash killer. Oops? I blame it on one too many cases of partners stabbing each other in the back on this show (or whatever other weapon of choice they used.) Or maybe it's the movie "Backdraft" with Kurt Russell that influenced my suspicions. I guess it would be too cliché for the killer to be someone in the FDNY as opposed to a building inspector. I was somewhat on the right track though, yeah?
Now, for the most important parts of the episode: Castle and Beckett, Ryan and Esposito, and Lanie helping Jenny deliver her adorable little girl!
First off, Castle and Beckett had me all over the place emotionally in this episode, and most of that was from sheer body language alone. You really can't say enough about the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic. Whether it's the back and forth banter between their characters, or watching them desperately try to hold themselves together in a crisis, these two actors just play off of each other so well, and the way it translates onto the screen is simply magical. Case in point: during Ryan's phone call to Jenny, there's this moment after Jenny says to Ryan, "Don't say that. Please don't say that," and the look on Castle's face as he has to turn away just guts me, but seconds later Beckett's losing it, too, and then they're both just staring at each other with this helpless, hurting look on their faces. Maybe they're even thinking, "What if that was us?" Because it's definitely a possibility. Hell, it just happened last season with Beckett on the bomb in "Still." They know that agony already of thinking, "This is it," and having to say their goodbyes. Given all of the times over the past five seasons that their lives have been in danger, and the fact that Jerry Tyson is still out there plotting his next move, there could be a point in time where these two may be forced to face this situation once again, too. And who knows, maybe they'd have a little one of their own at that point in time as well? That's the future they're aiming for for themselves: marriage and a family.
It's got to be heart wrenching to experience on your own, of course, but even more so to watch the people you love have to go through the same thing and being completely powerless to stop it from happening to them. Like Beckett said, it was like some horrible dream she was just waiting to wake up from because the reality of it all was just too much to bear. And there was no time or moment for them to just break down and let it all out either, because they had to be strong for Jenny, for Ryan and Espo, too, so they could get the boys the hell out of that building alive. And it just wrecked me seeing all six of them reacting to the situation at hand. How do you not shed a tear during a moment like that? It choked me up some, especially seeing Castle trying to be that pillar of strength for her, and Beckett trying so hard to compartmentalize everything and stay focused on what she could do. She's so used to being in control of the situation that when she's powerless to do something, and for the boys no less, it must drive her crazy with worry.
Now, as far as Ryan and Esposito go, it must be said that the supporting cast on this show just does not get nearly enough credit than they are due. I said this last year regarding "The Wild Rover," with how episodes centered on characters outside of Castle and Beckett get an unjustified bad rap. Seamus Dever and Jon Huertas are amazing actors and they're fully capable of holding their own and carrying an episode, just as their characters' dynamic is fully capable of delivering us some material that will tug at the heartstrings and bring tears to our eyes. Watching our favorite bromance go through life or death situations isn't exactly anything new, but this time there was way more at stake for them, and the situation far more dire than ever before. Ryan's wife was due to go into labor at any moment, and then they're finding themselves trapped in a firestorm? Ryan and Jenny have always had this aura about them of being this next to perfect, sweet couple; they were the example of how well a marriage can work between two people who love each other, and with few complications in their relationship in contrast to everything Castle and Beckett have gone through to get where they are. I mean, the two of them were setting up a phone system together for when the baby arrives so that they'd be fully prepared. That's how Ryan and Jenny roll, and to see all of their careful planning, and everything nearly go up in smoke for them, that's rough. But to see how they still work through that, saying their goodbyes and naming their child as what could have become their final act together, that hurt. It wrecked me pretty good.
I do love the levity they brought back to the moment after all was said and done though, with Espo being like, "You're gonna name a white, Irish kid 'Javier'?" That's just so them. At that point, you kind of get clued in to the fact that the baby was probably going to be a girl, and I'm really glad that they went that route. Given the fact that Ryan's sort of "Castle Junior," I can't wait to see all of the parenting advice and wisdom Castle will have to impart on him with raising a daughter.
For some final notes on the episode, I have to say that I loved all the affectionate moments between Castle and Beckett. Her calling him "babe" again, and them joking around with each other about the wedding and the fire fetish comments, that was great to see. I loved that Gates took a more active participation this time around due to her people being in danger, and I especially loved that we got to see the reaction of the rest of the cops at the 12th Precinct, portrayed by the awesome cast of extras that have been seen on a regular basis since the very beginning of the series. And that end scene, I really could go on and on about my love for it with all six of them in their happy bubble of safe and sound bliss. I said this on Twitter last night but I'll say it again: this is one of those episodes that truly shows a fan just how deeply invested you are in all the characters of the show, when it moves you so profoundly and has you rooting for that happy ending for all of them.
"Castle" at its heart is a love story between the two leads, but the supporting cast of characters are so very important. Ryan and Esposito aren't just the plucky sidekicks that you can do away with in an episode anymore, or easily replace with someone else and expect the same result. Their presence has meaning to the heart of the show, to Castle and Beckett, and their loss would just wreck them if this episode was any indication. This is why we need more focus on their stories as the show progresses—they don't draw away from Castle and Beckett's story, they help to enhance it. Only the boys in mortal danger could draw the emotions out of Beckett that was seen in this episode, and it's by fleshing out Ryan and Esposito's characters the past five seasons, giving us those backstories and bringing them more to life, that enriches the whole show as a result and allows for the beautiful moments we get. They're her team; her friends, her brothers. We'll always primarily tune in for the Castle and Beckett love story, but the show just wouldn't be the same if we didn't know the stories of the other people important to them, too.
"Under Fire" was a fantastic episode, and it's certainly kicking "Castle" off to a great start in 2014. Considering where things appear to be heading in "Deep Cover" next week, I think it's safe to say we can expect the second half of the season to start really picking up! I'm rather looking forward to it. How about you all?
Itching for more things Castle? Click the subscription link on this article for automatic email alerts, and follow National Castle Examiner on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.
For an archive of Castle news by Kate Jennings, please click here.


text:
Skydiving.com now has a network skydiving location serving Villard and Pope County in Minnesota. Call Skydiving.com at 1-800-617-7948 for details, free information and specials on skydiving in Villard, MN today!
Popular Tags for Skydiving Villard:
Skydiving Villard, Skydiving in Villard, Sky Diving Villard, Skydive Villard MN, Skydiving 56385, Villard Skydiving, Skydiving Villard Minnesota, Skydiving near Villard, Skydiving in Villard Minnesota, Villard Sky Diving, Skydive 56385, Skydiving Villard MN, Skydive Villard, Skydiving Pope County, Skydive in 56385, Skydiving MN, Sky Diving Villard MN, Villard, Minnesota
Sign up for our newsletter and receive updatesand specials on skydiving across America!


text:
Artist Details
I'm really in my element," says Lenka as the wind chimes sound and she surveys the forest outside the Woodstock, NY recording studio where she laid down the final tracks of her self-titled solo debut and is now noodling around on a few other tunes. The natural setting clearly reminds her of home - not her adopted home of Los Angeles, but the Australian bush, where she grew up.
"My parents were hippies and my dad built a house on the south coast of New South Wales," she explains. "I'm still very attached to that part of the world, even though we moved to Sydney when I was seven."
In Sydney, Lenka went on to become a teen actress who trained with Cate Blanchett, thereafter landing leading roles on stage, television and in indie films, a self-described "punk-ass art school student" and vocalist/keyboardist for acclaimed indie electronic/ambient outfit Decoder Ring. Now she has flung herself into two new worlds simultaneously: she's moved to California and become a solo artist. But no matter where she ventures, those early memories follow. Others may struggle to get in touch with their inner child; Lenka never lost hers.
Lenka's fresh sensibility extends to every element of her music, as the whimsical, paper art, stop-motion animated videos she creates with fellow Aussie James Gulliver Hancock, a visual artist, demonstrate. "We're sort of an art duo. I'm really into craft styles, things looking a bit badly done and childlike on purpose - rather in the vein of Michel Gondry," she says.
Although her father is a jazz musician, Lenka's early musical efforts were strictly a means to an end. "I was forced to learn piano and trumpet, but I really hated it," she recalls. "My parents bribed me by saying that I could get my ears pierced if I got a B on my music exams. As soon as I got a B, I got my ears pierced and I quit."
In her early teens, she became consumed by acting, inspired by her studies with Blanchett at the Australian Theatre for Young People. "Cate was extremely passionate, really inspiring and fun. She made me fall in love with acting completely and got me my first professional job," says Lenka.
Alternating between art school and acting (including roles in well-received independent films such as "The Dish" and "Lost Things"), Lenka eventually came round to music when a role in a play required her to sing. She began recording demos in Sydney and her drummer, who was a member of Decoder Ring, suggested his band mates consider her as a vocalist on the soundtrack they were recording for the indie film Somersault. The film and soundtrack went on to receive numerous awards and Lenka and the band traveled to the U.S. in 2006 for an appearance at South by Southwest and a short tour.
She recorded a second album with Decoder Ring before going solo and becoming, as she puts it, "a gypsy," shuttling between the States, Europe and Australia, as work and her visa permitted. Relocating to Los Angeles in 2007, her first night in L.A. was a memorable one, coinciding with the airing of "Follow," one of her early compositions, on the FX network series "Dirt." "It was in this scene of Courtney Cox masturbating with a vibrator," Lenka recalls. "So we had a really good laugh."
Lenka was pursued by numerous labels, but felt that Epic was the best match. "When I told them my vision for my career, they were really into it, and said 'We just want to help you do that,'" she says. "They're a major label, but have the philosophy of an indie."
She began recording her debut last December in Montreal before the contract was even signed. After sessions there and in Los Angeles, Lenka wrapped up the album in Woodstock. With a little time on her hands, she was free to lay down an unlikely assortment of cover songs (including Modest Mouse's "Gravity Rides Everything," "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music and M. Ward's "Vincent O'Brien") and muck about in the forest, making little videos that will undoubtedly wind up on YouTube once she gets around to editing them. Woodstock may not be home, but it's close enough for now.


text:
on orders $75+
Keep your aquatic creatures happy, healthy and comfortable with the Aquatop Aquarium Submersible Glass Heater. This heater features suction cups for easy installation and a very visible temperature setting.
Free shipping on all orders over $75, even the BIG STUFF that weighs a ton. No code. No hassle.
We want you to be happy with all your purchases at PetMountain. If not, we will make things right.
We won't be beat on price. Always shop with confidence with our low price guarantee.
We guarantee that every brand we sell is new and 100% authentic. Shop over 300 trusted pet brands.
We're confirming your subscription now. We want to make sure your email isn't already on the list.


text: The Street League Showdown contest series at both Woodward, PA and Woodward West produced some amazing skateboard talent this summer. Our winning athletes gathered in a pre-contest at the Street League Finals in Newark, NJ. Check out one of our winners Kenny Tanner, one of our Woodward West qualifiers from Northern Las Vegas. 18 year old Kenny took to the amazing Street League course built by California Skateparks and proved exactly why he deserved to qualify to the finals.