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Art School, Real life experiece, College?
Posted 18 March 2012 - 07:32 AM
I am 40 yrs. of age, sold my L.A. home, left a prosperous career, moved back to the midwest and fell in love with clay. I am currently in my third semester of ceramics (at a community college) and have found a new passion in life.
I have applied to Kansas City Art Institute and am awaiting a response. I would like to learn as much as I can and gain a better understanding of pottery forms and function.
I have the time and money to dedicate myself to this passion. For the past ten months my full time job is basically working with clay in the ceramic studio.
I am just trying to figure out what direction people take. If I get accepted to KCAI I would probably go in there as a sophmore and it costs $30,000 a year (sure I will get some scholarships, but still expensive), I will come out of there with a great education and a piece of paper that would allow me to attempt to pursue teaching positions. I am told how great KCAI is (I know people who have graduated from there and are currently attending also), but is an education worth $90.000. I already have two B.A.s and I would answer No to that question. But hey, if it is the best place, so be it.
Can one with a limited ceramic background, who has two B.A.s in the arts go right into a decent MFA program? Would I want to? Or do I really want to get the B.F.A. in order to get into a better M.F.A. program?
Ok. So going the above routes, #1 would give me more experience and knowledge of clay. I would also have a piece of paper that would let me teach (is teaching my end goal? Not necessarily, but it could always be an option).
Are there other options? Can someone newer to ceramics, but who has the time to devote, the willingness to learn, knowledge in other fields (cinematagraphy, radio/televison, photography) be of use to a potter and get an education through some type of internship program? Unpaid of course. I have met a couple of potters who are great at what they do but don't have a clue as how to market themselves on the internet, shoot videos, make DVDs, properly photograph their work... so though my knowledge is less on the ceramics end, it is vast on other ends.
I can easily afford to by equipment and make my own studio, but then I do not have any interaction with others to learn from.
My end goal is to become more educated in clay and learn to become a decent potter. Whether have a degree to teach is not the end game, it just opens another door(though it may be a tough one to get into).
Any help is appreciated.
Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:02 PM
You have a set of abilities that could be very valuable to an experienced potter ... Marketing & Photography.
Sounds like a situation made for barter!
Do you want to spend three years in school or three years in a working pottery learning everything about making pots?
I have seen adult potters go back to school for the MFA and end up no better or further ahead at the end of it and no teaching jobs available.
What type of pottery interests you? What potter would you love to work for? There are excellent potters who regularly take on apprentices. There are workshop type schools that take on apprentices for months or a year. If you have the time and the funds head out to Seattle for NCECA next week ... You will be able to talk to 50 or so reps from these schools and you might find an answer talking to some of the thousands of potters who will be there. If you do, stop by the Potters Council booth and say Hi!
Contemporary Fine Colored Porcelain
" If a sufficient number of people are different, no one has to be normal "
Fredrick Bachman
Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:15 PM
I do suggest that teaching jobs no matter what paper you have are few and far between. (MFA or any other papers). Go the teacher route only if teaching is in your heart
That said if learning pottery making is what you need at heart I'd go the route of apprentice/ceramics school etc.
For me a late start in life would be plan B.
The other thing is what do you want to be on the other side of all this -one who can make a few nice pots but work for $ doing something else or are you considering a life of selling pots?
The latter is very hard.
Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:29 PM
Posted 18 March 2012 - 01:39 PM
Another direction is to look at the top people out there who are teaching at places like, Arrowmont, Penland, Appalachian Center for Crafts, Haystack, Anderson Ranch, The Bray..... and if you have the money take a bunch of workshops directed towards what you feel would benefit your direction. It could be like instensive study courses dirrected at specific techniques and esthetics that turn you on.
Dependent on the direction and strength of your portfolio Grad School can be an option without having gone through a BFA program. Tons of people have been very very successful going that route. Charity Davis is one such success story, if you do not know her work look her up. Charity received her undergraduate degree in Library Science I believe and then received her MFA in ceramics. When I was at the University of Iowa receiving my MFA I had several colleagues that did not have their undergraduate degree in art.
So do you need to get your BFA? No. Would it benefit you? Yes!
You have quite the luxury of being able to make this decision with a mature head. The main thing is to be realistic about your outcomes. Which ever direction you go, do remember the potters life is certainly a frugal one. I have many friends out there who make a nice living as potters. It can be done. It is physically demanding and at the same time physically rewarding. It is tough work out in the garden but the rewards of your fruit are very nourishing to both you and the world you share them with. Good luck!
Head of Ceramics, Central Washington University
Ellensburg WA
CWU offers; BA, BFA, and MFA Degrees, (Post Baccalaureate also available). Images of CWU Ceramics studio can be seen at
Posted 18 March 2012 - 02:33 PM
John Baymore
Adjunct Professor of Ceramics; New Hampshire Insitute of Art
Former Guest Professor, Wuxi Institute of Arts and Science, Yixing, China
Former President and Past President; Potters Council
Posted 20 March 2012 - 06:22 PM
Some of these comments I feel are great. To say grad school is fluff is coming from a misunderstanding of what grad school is or can be to the individual. You need to decide what your want.
yes i agree. grad school isn't fluff. but if you are not wanting to learn other things like art history, then those parts are fluff. thanks for clarifying. i agree.
Posted 20 March 2012 - 07:07 PM
You have some great opportunities, but also some tough decisions to make. I did it all. I went to art school. I apprenticed at two potteries in Great Britain, I worked as a ceramic technician, and I have an M.F.A. from Alfred. Kansas city is a great school, and I know a lot of great teachers who went there. Doug Casebeer, who runs Anderson Ranch went to Kansas city and Alfred.When I graduated from Alfred, I applied to 117 art schools for a teaching job. I was 27 when I graduated. I did not even get a sniff. Graduate school is not a walk in the park. I learned a lot, but they did not just hand me a degree. I had to work for it.I am a thrower, and I make functional pots. I learned to throw from apprenticing.
Apprentice=skill in acquiring the skills you want
Grad school =aesthetics, art criticism,not necessarily a line to a job.
I saw the writing on the wall. I chose not to be a full time potter, and I liked to teach. I have been teaching high school art for 26 years.I am 58. I have a fabulous studio with heat in the floor[hydronic]. I make pots all the time. I make what I want to, and sell everything I make.
You have to decide what suits your personality. You can also change your mind.I have no regrets about my choices.
Posted 21 March 2012 - 06:33 AM
Posted 21 March 2012 - 07:58 AM
but don't get too lofty. Things are changing. You can "attend" a seminar (pick up skills/techniques) by many of the famous potters without leaving home via youtube and other technological breakthroughs that just weren't available when 'we' olders were in school/class. No..you don't rub elbows or shake their hand...nor can you name-drop that you were in their midst (and yes..their brilliance rubbed off, can't you see that?) but the instruction/intent is still there....often in a more fluid form because the offering lacks interruption via questions/etc. and delves entirely with the subject matter at hand.
My late son taught himself to blow glass via youtube vids. It was amazing. Gave me a whole new perspective on how things work >now< vs. >the old days< and how....while we don't get all of the 'technology"....the "kids" do....and just because we don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't viable.
After losing one who was smarter than I am....in a >>>much<<< shorter timespan.... I don't knock "youth".....I celebrate it....texting and all.
Posted 21 March 2012 - 09:11 AM
My path through clay has not involved any college classes, but I still think I got an excellent and well-rounded education. While working full-time in another career, I used a community center for a studio while taking myself to workshops whenever possible. The benefits to this approach were that I pursued the specific areas of interest that I wanted, rather than someone else's curriculum. And I'm pretty sure I spent a small fraction of the money. Then again, I am a very independent-minded person, and self-motivated, and I had an education and long career as a graphic designer, therefore I had a firm grasp of my aesthetic values. I'm not sure this program would work for someone who needs more structure or direction.
I think two things are really important for learning, and these things are independent of whether you go to college, take workshops, become an apprentice, whatever. First, find a good teacher or teachers. If I had to do it all again, I would spend less time, especially early on, trying to figure things out myself. Just groping in the dark. Good teachers can turn the light on. Second, make sure your program includes lots of time with yourself PRACTICING. No substitute for repetition and practice.
I'm afraid I agree with Marcia about undergraduate students. I've taught college design classes to both undergrads and adults. Working with adults is so much better, in terms of the learning environment. I don't want to judge the kids too hard, I was that age once, but they seemed more concerned with their social lives and with fashion. It wasn't that bad, but still, if you are 40 years old, you will find it annoying. I would seek out classes where your classmates are adults too.
Good luck!
Good Elephant Pottery
Posted 21 March 2012 - 10:15 AM
Head of Ceramics, Central Washington University
Ellensburg WA
CWU offers; BA, BFA, and MFA Degrees, (Post Baccalaureate also available). Images of CWU Ceramics studio can be seen at
Posted 21 March 2012 - 01:07 PM
......History for instance informs our present and future, the foundations like drawing and 2d and 3d design are just that, "foundations". Building a solid building needs a solid foundation. Spoken like a true academic, yes that is true.
WOW, Stephen, wish you'd been among my list of instructors decades back.!
All you said speaks to me with the manner in which I found my educational process so rewarding and enriching. With that attitude, I wish many more successful years in your teaching career.... not directly for you (as I feel you will maintain the enjoyment) but more so for the myriad of students yet to be influenced.
Above all, it is a matter of loving art, not understanding it. (Fernand Leger)
Posted 21 March 2012 - 05:41 PM
The person who wrote the original question is 40, and has already had a creative career. I'm guessing this person is well-versed in the fundamentals too. I'm hoping that sharing my experiences will be useful to someone in that situation, since it sounds a lot like mine.
As for my experiences with teaching undergrads, maybe I portrayed them too harshly. They worked hard and some of them were really bright. But working with adults is much different, I found I could teach things on a different level to adults, because their perspective and attitudes were so much more mature. I think a 40 year old would prefer to learn with other adults.
So, JM, what do you think of all the advice you've gotten?
Good Elephant Pottery
Posted 21 March 2012 - 11:31 PM
Stephen, I feel the need to expand on what I said. I don't want to undermine the value of a college curriculum for an undergrad. When I studied design as an undergrad, I learned all of those important fundamentals ... 2d and 3d design, drawing, art history, etc. This is why I didn't need them later when I was pursuing my interest in clay.
The person who wrote the original question is 40, and has already had a creative career. I'm guessing this person is well-versed in the fundamentals too. I'm hoping that sharing my experiences will be useful to someone in that situation, since it sounds a lot like mine.
As for my experiences with teaching undergrads, maybe I portrayed them too harshly. They worked hard and some of them were really bright. But working with adults is much different, I found I could teach things on a different level to adults, because their perspective and attitudes were so much more mature. I think a 40 year old would prefer to learn with other adults.
So, JM, what do you think of all the advice you've gotten?
I love the non alternative students for the main reason that they really really are thirsty for knowledge. I have two right now that have taken classes aloing side the traditional age students for two years now and they really up the ante. Hear what your saying. These two gals enjoy the kids! I did have a guy a while back that was an older student who just came in and wanted to tell all the students and myself what he knew about clay and the world. Oh yes and he knew everything!!! Needless to say I did not sign his slip the next time he asked to join my class. Sorry sir we are full! But seriously I do hear what your saying and it is a bit trying on the nerves at times. The idea that they can't go out a buy a few nice brushes or some tool for class but they have no problem drinking that same amount of cash every Friday! Oh in my day!!! I did the same sort of crap I am sure. I had a walkman. But no cell phones or computers for that matter!
Head of Ceramics, Central Washington University
Ellensburg WA
CWU offers; BA, BFA, and MFA Degrees, (Post Baccalaureate also available). Images of CWU Ceramics studio can be seen at
Posted 22 March 2012 - 09:50 AM
In my opinion, the benefit of the school system over the apprentice route is that the school system will typically give you access to more materials, equipment, techniques and people than being an apprentice. The apprentice route is nice in that you don't have to deal with other classes, like art history and such. However, those classes can definitely be an asset to your ceramics education. Is an education in ceramics worth $30,000 a year. Heck no! Unless you've got the money laying around and don't need it for anything else. There are a ton of state schools with excellent programs that cost far less.
Neil Estrick
Kiln Repair Tech
L&L Kilns Distributor
Owner, Neil Estrick Gallery, LLC
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Summit for Life Event in Aspen
Last weekend Hilary Edgar from Kahtoola took part in the 5th annual Summit for Life event in Aspen CO. Summit for Life's mission is to raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation and raise funds for the Chris Klug Foundation. Katoola was on board again this year donating 60 pair of MICROspikes to the first 60 racers to register. Individual racers raised as much as $4800 per person for this worthy cause with a $109,000 raised at the event, and still counting. For the race, itself contestants race from the base of Aspen Mountain all the way to the top. They will climb 3,267 vertical feet – over 2.5 miles uphill and at night! Racers can choose their own lighting and non-motorized equipment like snowshoes, skins or other creative gear and go at their own pace. Racers of all physical abilities and ages are welcome to participate! When racers and supporters reach the summit, dinner, drinks, dessert and entertainment awaits them.
This is Hilary's fourth year attending this event that over the years has become close to her heart. Chris Klug, who the foundation was named for, is the only transplant recipient to win a metal at the Olympics.
Kahtoola is honored to be part of such a worthy event.

subset: commoncrawl


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June 23, 2012 - Carly Rae Jepsen, the popular Canadian singer who's hit song Call Me Maybe has taken over the worldwide charts, sat down with the Free Press after her concert at the Red River EX to chat about fame and Winnipeg connections.
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/6/2012 (1884 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.


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An English pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal hatchet murder of his neighbor, a psychic. With the help of a tenacious young reporter he tries to discover the killer using very unconventional methods -- and the two are soon drawn into a shocking web of dementia, savagery and violence.
Tour of the Profondo Ross Shop with long time Argento Collaborator Luigi Cozzi, Booklet by Argento Biographer Alan Jones
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'The Hunger Games' Cast Gets a 'Simpsons' Makeover
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Is This Two-Year-Old Girl the Next Adele?
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Look Out, England! Tree-Rex Is Coming!
The 'T' in 'T-Rex' scientifically stands for Tyrannosaurus. Except in Norfolk, England where they have "Tree Rex" - a tree shaped in the form of the infamously ferocious dinosaur. The 35ft ash tree was stumbled upon by locals who noticed high winds had blown off the tree's leaves and shaped it into a dinosaur.
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Kid's Epic Letter to Local Weatherman Is a Must-Read
Kids say the darndest things. Turns out, some of them are even good at putting those words down on a piece of paper. Like how a weatherman at a local TV station received a fan letter from a young student named Flint, after visiting his school. What Flint wrote has gotten the internet in a tizzy, just wondering how on Earth a kid like him could write something so hilariously strange. Check it out below.
High School Students Play a Real Life 'Hunger Games'
When the 'Harry Potter' franchise was all the rage, some students brought the fictional game of Quidditch to life, even giving the sport a league of its own. With the impending release of the next big teen franchise, 'The Hunger Games,' a high school in Connecticut has created a real life version of the game -- minus the 'battle-to-your-death' part. And would you believe it's being hosted by the school's library?
Watch Tiger Woods and Shaq Duel Martial Arts-Style
Using Kung-Fu to market a golf game? The makers of 'Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13,' Electronic Arts, seem to think it's a good idea. EA has unveiled a viral commercial starring the basketball giant Shaquille O' Neal and the game's title master Tiger Woods. Dressed in traditional samurai garb, the two sports legends bow in honor before...well, you'll have to watch.
Transforming Lego Game Boy Is the Best Toy You Never Had
Imagine all your favorite childhood memories combined into one awesome toy. That's exactly what LEGO fan Julius von Brunk did when he created the 'Domaster & Tetrawing' - an amalgamation of the Nintendo Game Boy, the game 'Tetris' and Transformers - that is actually a transforming "Nintendobot." Check out how the Tetris cartridge transforms into the 'Tetrawing' robot below. It'll put your LEGO skills to shame.
Baby Has the Cutest Reaction to Seeing Bubbles For First Time
Blowing soapy water to make bubbles is a right of passage for every child. Seeing glistening bubbles float in the air made us all instinctively want to touch them just to see what would happen. It's no different for this little baby boy, whose joy sees no bounds as bubbles fall down on him for the first time.
Oops! Teen Texts Pranks About Hiding Dead Body To a Cop
With the convenience and anonymity that comes with texting, you would think it's easy to pull off a prank. But for a teenager in Arkansas, a texting prank backfired when she joked about hiding a dead body, and sent the text prank to a random local number. That random number turned out to belong to a police detective, who obviously didn't consider the message a joke.
'Hunger Games' Themed Wedding Brings Panem to Life
'Twilight'-themed weddings? Done a hundred times. 'Harry Potter'-themed weddings? It's passe. With several major franchises having come to a conclusion thanks to their big budget movie adaptations, themed-weddings are on the lookout for the "next big thing." Enter 'The Hunger Games,' the best-selling book trilogy and soon to be blockbuster film.
Get Your First Look at Kristen Stewart as a Vampire in 'Breaking Dawn Part 2′
'Twi-hards' around the world let out a collective shriek when a clip from the final film in the 'Twilight' franchise, 'The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 2,' was leaked online. The clip, recorded by Twi-hards at a Target store, shows the newlywed and newly-turned-into-a-vampire Bella (Kristen Stewart) having a chat with her pale-faced husband Edward (Robert Pattinson).
See the World Through a Cat's Eyes in Gorgeous Film
If you live in suburbia and own a cat, you must have wondered where your feline friend goes when it decides to take a stroll outside the house. South Carolina-based German engineer Juergen Perthold wondered the same thing, which is why he decided to build a portable camera that could be worn around his cat's neck.


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Members of the Black, Puerto Rican and Asian legislative caucus called Tuesday for a minimum wage increase, putting pressure on Senate Republicans to support the controversial measure.
Assemblyman Karim Camara, a Brooklyn Democrat who is chairman of the caucus, stressed that the group was behind Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal for an hourly wage of $8.75, up from the current $7.25. But lawmakers who spoke during the group's news conference Tuesday presented various proposals, including one that would establish an $11.15 wage and another that would raise the wage to $8.50 next year and $9.25 the following year.
All of the Democrats' proposals included indexing, which would allow the minimum wage to increase each year based on inflation and other economic conditions.
Assemblymembers and Senators at the event argued that increasing the minimum wage is not only the right thing to do for New Yorkers living in poverty but also help stimulate the economy.
"This is undoubtedly one of the most important pieces of legislation that we are going to work on, because so many lives are at stake," Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson, D-Bronx, said at the news conference. "Many families are looking for their leaders in the Capitol to make a difference in their everyday life. And that is what raising the minimum wage will do."
Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, D-Buffalo, said she knows people who work more than one job because a full-time minimum wage salary is not enough to support a family.
"Now they don't mind to struggle, because they know what the have to do," she said. "But why should we not make it easier for them? Why should not allow a mother to work one job and spend more time with her children, doing homework and those sorts of things?"
Wright said he has spoken with Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein, D-Bronx, about the minimum wage proposal. The IDC has said they support increasing the wage and plan to hold their own news conference later Tuesday.
Klein's breakaway group partnered with the Senate Republicans to control the chamber. He and Republican Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, switch off as temporary Senate president.
Republicans have opposed raising the wage, arguing the increased costs to business owners would lead to fewer jobs.
"Just have to pick the right week to pass it," Camara joked at the conference, suggesting that the bill might not pass when Skelos is leading the chamber.
"Yeah, it can't be an even week — gotta be an odd week," Wright added, laughing.


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About Home Made Theater
Home Made Theater is a not-for-profit theater company committed to enhancing the cultural life of the Saratoga region. As the Resident company in the historic Spa Little Theater, we are a vital link in creating a thriving community. We believe in the ability of theater to entertain, educate and enrich people's lives. Our mission is to offer high quality theater productions of outstanding plays, produced by a dedicated group of professionally minded artists, to offer classes in the theater arts to people of all ages, and to provide the opportunity for exciting and rewarding participation in all aspects of the theater.
HMT produces a four show season, between October and May. We offer dinner theater packages with area restaurants for the three "main-stage" productions. Each December we offer a "Theater for Families" production. HMT also offers acting classes for children, teens, and adults.


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"This house is falling apart," my wife says, staring at some scratches on the sitting room floor. It strikes me her contention could be better illustrated by any number of cracks or leaks or hanging doors, or the terrible thudding noise coming from the youngest one's bedroom.
"This house is not falling apart," I say. "It's being dismantled."
This distinction is neatly illustrated the next morning when I wake up to find a mop and bucket on the landing. Everything in sight is wet. I locate the nearest child, who is in front of the computer. "What happened?" I say.
"Someone left the bathroom tap running," he says.
"All night?" I say.
"I guess."
The bathroom sink has a partially blocked drain. Left running, it will eventually overflow. Left running all night, it will produce enough water to soak through two storeys, staining the kitchen ceiling with a pattern that appears to be a message of doom written in a foreign alphabet. My main concern is to find out whose fault this is.
"It's your fault," says my wife.
"How is it my fault? I didn't leave it running."
"You said you would fix the drain," she says, "but you never did."
That afternoon, a day too late, I fix the drain. An hour later I am in my office when I hear a strange ensemble of noises: an insistent, keening siren; a distant ringing; my wife screaming. I go downstairs. "What's happening?" I shout.
"It's the burglar alarm!" my wife says. I'd forgotten we had one. It came with the house, but we've never set it. I haven't heard the noise it makes for 12 years. It takes me some time to track down the key that turns it off, only to find it already is off, as it always has been. So I turn it on, and then off again. The siren stops.
"That was loud," I say.
"I was on the phone when it happened," my wife says.
"It shouldn't go off when it's not even on," I say.
I walk into the sitting room, where the youngest one is watching TV.
"What was that noise?" he says.
"The burglar alarm," I say.
"We have a burglar alarm?" he says.
"Yes," I say, "but we don't use it. I didn't even know it still..." The burglar alarm goes off again. My wife comes into the room with the phone in her hand. I pat myself for the key.
"Both times it went off when the phone rang," my wife says as I reach into the cupboard under the stairs to turn off the alarm. "I think it's the phone that's causing it."
"It's just a coincidence," I say. "There is no way the two could be..." The phone rings. The alarm goes off.
For the rest of the evening I'm obliged to stay near the alarm box, in case the phone rings. Each time I turn off the alarm, I hear my wife talking on the phone in the kitchen.
"Isn't it weird?" she says. "It happens every time the phone rings. I'd better go. He's glaring at me." She hangs up.
"This is the stupidest problem we've ever had," I say.
"What are we going to do?" she says.
"I don't know," I say. "I don't know who you ring for something like this."
"Is it because of the flood?" she says.
"I don't understand how anything works," I say, looking up at the message on the ceiling. "I don't understand anything."
"I think the water got into the walls," says the youngest, "and probably sort of hot-wired the phone up to the alarm or something." I stare at him. He stares back.
"Good enough for me," I say. The phone rings. The alarm goes off.


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After a group of parents used the Twitter hashtag #WeWantLeia to protest the fact that the Disney Store currently has no Star Wars toys for girls, Disney has announced that it will roll out "several" new items featuring Princess Leia. What do you think?
"I hope they have plenty of items from when Leia was a sex slave in a metal bikini who couldn't talk. That's my daughter's favorite!"Florence Fogel Audiologist
"I always thought IG-88 was the Star Wars toy for girls."Alex Schloop Insulation Worker
"So there's hope for my #WeWantNienNunb hashtag after all!"Rick Perrodin Unemployed


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At Norrøna we aim to welcome more people to nature by making the greatest outdoor products in the world. Do you want to join in?
Norrøna is for everyone who loves quality, function, design and sustainability. Our mission is to make the world's greatest outdoor products. Norrøna was founded in 1929, and has been owned and run by the same family ever since.
Our brand values roots, innovation and passion make up the foundation of our own design philosophy: Loaded Minimalism™ – a philosophy that reflects our drive to design clean products with all critical details.
Norrøna is an ambitious company with strong annual growth in revenues and profitability, both in and outside Norway. Revenues for 2015 were approx. NOK 430 m, and we expect continued growth in 2016. The company employs approx. 85 people from 15 different countries. "Welcome to nature"
We are looking for a new member in our QCC team.
The QCC team is a part of the RDD (Research design and development) department.
The purpose within the position is to ensure the highest quality of all products from when internal development is done until they are going to production, from handover of the prototypes made at our main office and to secure that factories are producing the products to match our high quality requirements and our specifications. The QCC team receives the final prototypes from development team, with full specifications. Then the QCC team order, test and approves counter sample, sales samples, size samples and preproduction samples before the production can start.
Areas of responsibility:
Product Quality
- Responsible for products meeting our high quality level and approval of samples inclusive of prototypes, size sets and pre-production samples. This will be done partly by visiting our factories (Asis and Europe) to secure they are aligned with our requirements.
- Work in team with others in RDD to develop the best Norrøna products.
- Ensure best construction for use, fit, durability and appearance.
- Work as the focal point for input on product construction between RDD, the manufacturers and Supply Chain.
- Responsible for explaining and implementing new technologies, which are developed within Norrøna, to our manufacturing partners.
Product BOM/Technical instructions
- Responsible for all final Bill of materials (BOM), colour matrixes and technical specifications to be correct and completed on-time according to the seasonal timelines.
General responsibility
- Follow our seasonal timelines and deliver accordingly.
- Push continuous improvements in our operations.
- Close cooperation and reporting to Engineering Manager.
- Strong passion for delivering the highest quality.
- Detail oriented with the ability to deliver on time.
- Methodical, structured and analytical in your approach, combined with a flexible and commercial thinking.
- Must be able to write and speak English at a high professional level.
- Experiences in working with production of textile/apparel is requiredGood understanding and experience in use of PLM systems.
- Textile degree from university level is prioritized, or equal proven knowledge level.
- Co-operative and dynamic, pushing solutions.
- Ability to manage a demanding work load.
We offer:
- Fast paced work environment where you will work with a group of competent, curious, passionate and supportive colleagues in a friendly atmosphere.
Please send a short application and resume to email@example.com by November 27th


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Situated in the quiet Parkwood Crossing Business Park, Parkwood Crossing Center is nevertheless just a short 15-minute drive north of revitalized downtown Indianapolis, where most major businesses can be found. And the nearness of Interstate 465, which is around the whole city, means all of Indianapolis is within reach. Indianapolis used to be dominated by government and manufacturing, but now has a much more diversified economy, specialising in education, healthcare and finance. Tourism is also vital and the city plays host to numerous conventions and sporting events. The most well known is the annual Indianapolis 500 car race. It's home to the US headquarters of many big names including Roche Diagnostics, Technicolor SA, and First Internet Bank of Indiana. Indianapolis is also the fastest growing region in the Midwest.
Everything you need to make meetings run smoothly.
Reception team
There to greet you and your guests on arrival
Free WiFi
Secure, business-grade WiFi
Presentation tools
Flipchart, whiteboard, markers and projector if needed
Admin services
Access to support for document printing and copying
Make arrangements for tea, coffee and catering if needed
To find out more about Parkwood Crossing Center speak to our team on 1-855-400-3575
There are three simple steps.
Register on our site or via our app to create your free Pay-as-you-go Regus account
Find an ideal place to meet – add everything you need from lunch to videoconferencing and send instant invitations
Input your credit card details, book your space with just a few clicks, and show up!
Whatever your business, whatever your budget we'll help find the right workspace.
Whatever your business, whatever your budget we'll help find the right workspace.


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Jennifer Copleywrote a review of Metolius Boulder Bucket on May 21, 2011
Love this bucket
I am an avid boulderer and this bucket does the job. Large enough that I can effortlessly get get to my chalk. And boy, this thing can hold a lot of chalk if needed. It securely closes making for easy move. Love the extra pocket in the front, use for phone and keys when I don't have to carry around my climbing bag. Even included a good brush.
Awesome quality and great price.
Can't go wrong.


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I'm My Own CEO!!!
Are you???
I'm a stay at home mom, that's no secret. So, my home is my job. My family is my job. That's the reason I'm up dating my blog. When I initially started blogging it was to promote my etsy store, the things I made with my hands and the tips that I have found to help others do the same. That can all still be found here but you know what! My life is bigger than my crafts! My day is consumed by my children, our laundry, our dirty dishes and floors, my relationships with God, family and friends. So!
www.HomeSpun-Threads.com is changing! So stay at home mom or not, I think we all have something to share.
Why now?
Well, I found a notebook yesterday that I put together about a year ago. It had a monthly chore list, recipes and what the cost to make, daily chores to accomplish AND
Then last night I started designing a few printouts that I might use and I share them in the below post but those were for fun and if I decide to pick them up and use them then I will. I hope you will too. Then I received an e-mail this morning from "Women for Hire" written by Tory Johnson and it struck a nerve with me. So I was thinking of all the powerful women I know and the one that stuck out was my own
Yesterday was her birthday! I didn't even get to see her! SHAME ON ME! She's a smart lady, she's one that studies hard to remember things but never forgets. When I was little until 6th grade she stayed at home with us, working a little for a florist doing books while we were at school. Then, she went to nursing school, finished, then after working several years as a nurse went back to school. She now works for an insurance company, she started out as a "nurse over the phone" working between patients, doctors and insurance. Today, that stay at home mom of mine earns nearly 6 figures a year. So, when I got the e-mail this morning from "Women for Hire" it was trashing women that are loud and demanding in the work place. Tory called it abusive. I can tell you that my mom is tactful, loud, demanding, smart and calls the shots like they are.
So, I was thinking!
If I want my home to run like a well oiled ship, I need to earn my 6 figures. I need to be my own executive. I need to be the mom and wife I'm supposed to be. No more lazy mornings in the bed unless they are earned. Why can't I be my own executive homemaker? I can!
My blog is changing! It's changing because my views are changing! I swear! Never again will my husband ask me if he has any underwear clean, or work shirts ready to wear. NEVER! If I have to make myself fold his underwear daily, I will!
NEVER AGAIN will I have to get up in the morning and scream at Cooper to get his clothes on while I'm hunting down socks that match and yelling because he doesn't know where his shoes are. I'm making these promises to myself. I'm holding myself accountable.
I've got to get busy to get a head start on my day!
Better yet!


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New IHP+ strategic direction and work programme
Find out about IHP+ strategic direction and work programme for 2016-2017.
The new IHP+ strategic direction and work programme for 2016-2017 has now been approved and finalised by the Steering Committee. The final documents can be found here:
IHP+ Strategic Direction 2016-2017
The main action for IHP+'s strategic direction is as follows:
Global level action:
Maintain and increase political profile:
Emphasize the Seven Behaviours, leveraging IHP+ signatories and maintaining a strong Core Team
Publish regularly a global report on State of Effective Development Cooperation in Health
Incorporate emerging economies and private sector
Update the Global Compact to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) context
Strengthen documentation and communication activities.
Country level action:
Promote effective development cooperation:
Provide a platform for coordination of support to systems strengthening, and promote joint approaches to systems strengthening, including monitoring and information, financial management and procurement systems.
Intensified action in selected countries
Adapt and tailor IHP+ approach and tools to different contexts, particularly for fragile states and for countries transitioning to middle income status.
Strengthen mutual accountability systems in countries
Continue support for Compacts, JANS, coordinated technical assistance (TA) and south-south
Take up new areas: aid coordination in countries transitioning from low-income to middle-income status, and joint approach to salary top-ups and allowances.
The 2016-2017 work programme for the International Health Partnership (IHP+) is based on the planned strategic directions. The work programme follows the structure of the Strategic Directions paper and should be read in conjunction with this. It identifies activities and milestones for each area of work. Once approved by the IHP+ Steering Committee, the work programme will be implemented in line with the resources and capacity available.
Photo: © 2015 Girdhari Bora for IntraHealth International, Courtesy of Photoshare
Other News
- Civil society engages with UHC2030 to help build the movement
Building a CSO constituency
- New logo
A new look for UHC2030
- First meeting of UHC2030 working group on Sustainability, Transition from Aid and Health System Strengthening
30-31 March, Geneva, Switzerland


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It's – Time to Prevent Lyme Disease
When you're outside this spring and summer, prevent tick bites and reduce your risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases by following these tips.
More cases of Lyme disease are reported than any other vector-borne disease in the United States. There were 29,959 confirmed cases and 8509 probable cases of Lyme disease in the United States in 2009; most of these cases are reported from the Northeast and upper Midwest. See more on Lyme disease statistics.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. People become infected with the Lyme disease bacteria when they are bitten by an infected blacklegged tick.
As we start spending more time outdoors during spring and into summer, we have to be aware of the risk of tick bites. Gardening, camping, hiking, and just playing outdoors are all great spring and summertime activities, but make tick protection part of your outdoor plans as well.
Immature ticks (larvae and nymphs) are so small that they can be difficult to see. However, all stages of ticks need to feed on blood to continue on to the next stages—therefore these tiny ticks can be an important threat.
Ticks also feed on mammals and birds, which play a role in maintaining ticks and maintaining the Lyme disease bacteria. Ticks (including species other than the blacklegged ticks) can also transmit diseases other than Lyme disease, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, erlichiosis, anaplasmosis, Colorado tick fever, and Powassan encephalitis.
Fortunately there are several tactics you and your family can use to prevent tick bites and reduce your risk of tick-borne disease.
Protect Yourself from Tick Bites
Know where to expect ticks. Blacklegged ticks live in moist and humid environments, particularly in or near wooded or grassy areas. You may come into contact with ticks during outdoor activities around your home or when walking through vegetation such as leaf litter or shrubs. To avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails.
Use a repellent with DEET (on skin or clothing) or permethrin (on clothing and gear). Products containing permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear which can remain protective through several washings. Repellents containing 20% or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied to the skin, and they can protect up to several hours. Always follow product instructions! Parents should apply repellents to their children, taking care to avoid application to hands, eyes, and mouth.
Perform Daily Tick Checks
Check your body for ticks after being outdoors, even in your own yard. Conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas by searching your entire body for ticks. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body and remove any tick you find. Take special care to check these parts of your body and your child's body for ticks:
Check your clothing and pets for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing and pets. Both should be examined carefully, and any ticks that are found should be removed. Placing clothes into a dryer on high heat effectively kills ticks.
What to Do If You Are Bitten by a Tick
Remove an attached tick using fine-tipped tweezers as soon as you notice it. If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is extremely small. But to be safe, watch for signs or symptoms of Lyme disease such as rash or fever, and see a healthcare provider if these develop. For more information, see tick removal.
Your risk of acquiring a tick-borne illness depends on many factors, including where you live, what type of tick bit you, and how long the tick was attached. If you become ill after a tick bite, see a healthcare provider.
You can create tick-safe zones in your yard
Prevent Ticks on Animals
Prevent family pets from bringing ticks into the home. Maintain your family pet under a veterinarian's care. Two of the ways to get rid of ticks on dogs and cats are putting on tick medicine or using a tick collar. Be sure to use these products according to the package instructions.
Resources >


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About BCHT
Mission Statement
The Berkeley Center for Health Technology (BCHT) promotes the efficiency and effectiveness of health care through research and education on the development, insurance coverage, payment, and appropriate use of medical technologies.
The focus of BCHT is on biopharmaceuticals, implantable medical devices, insurance benefit design, and payment methods. Research initiatives include leadership roundtables, case studies of leading organizations, and econometric analyses of public and private data sources. Educational initiatives include courses and workshops for Berkeley students in public health (MPH), public policy (MPP), and business management (MBA), plus programs for executives and professionals in the health technology and service sectors.
Our success will be measured by the extent to which we help our stakeholders create a health care system of which we all can be proud, one that combines innovation and entrepreneurship with economic efficiency and social fairness.
Director's Message - 2016
BCHT is powering into 2016 with our strongest-ever portfolio of research projects, nicely supported by generous grants and an expanding team of researchers. Research foci include the impact of reference-based insurance benefit designs; physician-hospital alignment and the subsequent costs of care; design of consumer cost sharing for specialty drugs; and physician payment incentives for oncology. We are winning awards for our publications and adding to our on-campus and off-campus educational initiatives. Kim MacPherson is adding some new classes in the biotech domain to what she currently teaches at the Haas School of Business Graduate Program in Health Management We are recruiting Chris Whaley as Assistant Professor of Health Economics, deepening our strengths in econometrics, machine learning, and related skills.
Research, Extramural Funding, and Publications
Our econometric research continues the analysis of the impact of reference pricing on choices made by patients, and the resulting influence on prices consumer out-of-pocket payments, employer spending, and clinical outcomes. In the past year we have published articles on reference pricing for joint replacement in Health Economics, for arthroscopy of the knee and shoulder in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and for colonoscopy in JAMA Internal Medicine. The colonoscopy paper won the Director's Award at the 2015 AHRQ (US Agency for Health Care Research and Quality) Research Conference, and we have submitted it for consideration to additional prize contests. We have articles under publication review that analyze reference pricing for in vitro laboratory tests and for advanced imaging procedures such as CT and MRI. These studies are supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CalPERS (California Public Employees' Retirement System), and AHRQ. We are launching a study of reference pricing for oral pharmaceuticals, using claims data from the RETA Trust, an alliance of Catholic organizations that combine their purchasing power for health insurance for their employees.
Research on reference pricing in the CalPERS system, funded by AHRQ, is ongoing. Currently we are examining the impact of reference pricing on complication rates for hip and knee replacement surgery, the impact of reference pricing on complication rates for cataract surgery, the response of provider pricing to the CalPERS reference pricing initiative, patterns of variation in consumer payments across the various categories of procedures that are subject to reference pricing, and the varying impact of reference pricing across the distribution of market prices.
A project funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation extends our work on the CalPERS reference pricing program to examine the potential effects of implementing the same program in other markets.
This project uses data from the Health Care Cost Institute, which consolidates claims from Aetna, Humana, and United Healthcare. The HCCI study quantifies the potential impact of reference pricing on national spending for selected procedures, using the behavioral responses measured using the CalPERS data in California. Within California, we identify the market characteristics that drive the effectiveness of the CalPERS program and then use the HCCI data to identify the same market characteristics across the United States. We find that the same price variation and market concentration that drives the effectiveness of the CalPERS program exists in nearly every other local health care market. For colonoscopies, we estimate that RBP can lead to an approximately 8.5% savings per procedure, which amounts to a savings of approximately $95 million per year if applied to all payers in the HCCI data.
We are complementing these consumer-focused analyses with a new study of market structure and pricing, using data from Anthem Blue Cross and funding from CalPERS. This project will address the question of whether physician employment and alignment with hospital systems may lead to price increases that overwhelm the potential cost reducing effects of care coordination. This study will serve as an entry point to a larger partnership with the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), which has approached BCHT with the offer of cost-free use of its claims data warehouse, covering 40 million commercially enrolled individuals. This partnership will facilitate studies of benefit design, provider payment, network contracting, and variation in the price and use of particular services.
We continue to view qualitative case studies as an important complement to the quantitative econometric analyses. In collaboration with staff members at Covered California, the state's public health insurance exchange, I recently conducted a case study of the organization's redesign of coverage and cost sharing for high-cost specialty drugs. This initiative was important in significantly reducing cost sharing and what we refer to as 'financial toxicity' for members with complex conditions such as multiple sclerosis and cancer, while still remaining within the legislatively mandates to not increase insurance premiums. The paper has won the PAN Foundation research paper award and will be published in the American Journal of Managed Care. I currently am writing a case study paper of innovations in physician payment methods for oncologists using high-cost infused and oral cancer drugs, solicited by the European Journal of Cancer Policy
Peer-reviewed journals remain the central mode of distribution for our ideas and research findings, but BCHT also strives to bring our work to the attention of larger audiences through op-ed pieces, such as a piece in the Los Angeles Time on coverage expansion; online blogs, such as a piece in the Health Affairs blog on reference pricing; and issue briefs, such as the HCCI issue brief on variance in pricing for colonoscopy.
Educational Programs
The campus mission of BCHT is to expand technology-related policy and management topics available to Berkeley students, both through new courses and through guest lectures in existing courses. Most exciting in this domain have been a pair of new courses developed by Kim MacPherson at the Haas School of Business, covering strategy and finance, respectively, for the biopharmaceutical industry. My technology policy course at the School of Public has expanded to include content on market access, insurance coverage, and pricing in Europe as a complement to its traditional focus on the US market.
Campus educational initiatives naturally extend to professional educational opportunities off campus. Kim and I have led day-long and half-day sessions this past year in Basel and Paris, and have plans for similar sessions this coming year in Milan. In January, Kim keynoted a three-day conference on innovation at the Universidad de Concepcion in Chile, covering the cultural, institutional, and educational drivers of biomedical innovation in the United States and its applicability to the Chilean market. I led a plenary session on US and European pharmaceutical innovation and co-led a course on the economics of diagnostics at ISPOR in Italy in November.
On-campus and off-campus educational initiatives have come together in a student-led but professionally-judged design challenge to improve diabetes prevention and care using digital technologies, led by Kim MacPherson with support from the Anthem Foundation. The design challenge is a key element in a larger effort funded by the Anthem Foundation to assess the surge of innovation around diabetes prevention and management and understand whether the investment dollars and entrepreneurial efforts are making a difference.
And of course we all give numerous presentations at academic, insurer, pharmaceutical, employer, provider, and policy meetings throughout the United States. I have given talks related to my book Purchasing Medical Innovation at an investor conference in Boston, an investment bank in Manhattan, a Blue Cross plan in upstate New York, an employer alliance in the San Francisco region, a specialty orthopedic hospital in southern California, and other venues. Kim has led workshops on environmental trends, disruptive innovation, financial analysis, digital health, and health care politics both as part of provider leadership programs and for various health systems and universities in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Atlanta, among other venues. Tim Brown and Chris Whaley presented research at the American Society of Health Economics (AHSEcon), AcademyHealth, and conferences sponsored by HCCI and AHRQ, among other venues.


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GSC Power-Division Exhaust Valve Guides Stopper Style WRX 2002-2014 / STI 2004-2017 Subaru Turbo Models
What they have done is actually quite simple, they made valve guides that fit properly, are easier to install, and shaped to help air flow instead of just copying the OEM design. The GSC Power-Division valve guides are made from true C67410 Manganese Bronze and turned on a dedicated precision CNC turning center. What this means for you and your installer is less time fitting guides to the head due to holding the tightest tolerances in the industry with the best quality control possible.
The stopper style is simply what it says. It has a stop integrated into it so that it wont get pushed in to far. Most machine shops have to drive and check multiple times to get the proper protrusion, these have it built in.
Nobody has reviewed this product yet! Want to be the first one?


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- Home
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J. Robert (Bob) Thompson, 93, of Prairie Village, Kan., passed away Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008, at Shawnee Mission Medical Center.
Bob was born Oct. 14, 1914, in Bonhomme County, S.D. After receiving his bachelor and masters degrees in science, he was an agriculture teacher in South Dakota for 14 years. Bob then went on to become one of the nation's most respected agri-business executives, managing farmer's cooperatives in South Dakota, Missouri and Texas in association with Farmland Industries. The Thompson family moved from South Dakota to Richmond in 1959, where Bob managed the Ray Carroll Co., Coop. Bob moved his family to Texas in 1970, and retired to Arizona in 1985, moving to Prairie Village, Kan. in 1995.
Survivors include: two sons, Bill Thompson of Mission Hills, Kan., and Terry Thompson of Austin, Texas; one grandson, Jeff Sloan of Oakland, Calif., and one granddaughter, Eva Thompson of Kansas City, Mo.
His wife, Helen C. Thompson, five siblings, and a daughter, Joyce Thompson Sloan, preceded him in death.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Catholic Charities of Kansas City, Kan.
Memorial services were held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 19, at McGilley State Line Chapel in Kansas City, Mo. The family received friends after the service.
Arrangements were under the direction of McGilley State Line Chapel in Kansas City, Mo.
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Looking for inspiration or just interested in keeping up with some tips and tricks of photography, PhotographyBB is a cool, free, online magazine.
Check out their community (forums) for more information and photographic challenges.
Looking for inspiration or just interested in keeping up with some tips and tricks of photography, PhotographyBB is a cool, free, online magazine.
Check out their community (forums) for more information and photographic challenges.
Good, cheap eBook reference PDFs for a variety of Photographic topics are available at the Craft & Vision website.
Most (if not all) go for USD% – making these a good reference at an affordable price.
Topics include:
The above are just some of the titles for this collection – you should head across to the Craft & Vision website to see the full range.
If you can't afford any fancy photo editing software, or your computer grinds to a halt when you use GIMP or other photo editors, then try these online photo editors that allow you to upload or import photos from your desktop or online storage sites.
These are very handy when you want to edit and you're away from your normal computer. (more…)
OK – the last one in the title was a joke – R-D-R-R (get it, ha-de-ha-ha).
I sometimes get frustrated with the way that others crop my photos, so I've developed some templates, and I've included a grid in them so that I can try and fiddle with placement and the rule of thirds.
Below is a table of common photographic sizes and the pixel sizes required to print each size. It is important to be aware that your camera doesn't usually take photos in these sizes, and sometimes the action at the sides or top and bottom of an image can be cropped.
I've recently been printing in 8R format, so I have some templates:
We all have our camera bags and such, however sometimes there are moments when I just want to throw my camera in my bag and head out! This is not for those epic photo-taking shoots or walks. I'm a girl and sometimes I want my camera in my bag to snap whatever jumps in my path. I don't get the opportunities that I read about on so many other blogs – to go for photowalks or monopolise part of the house for photo set ups (I'm so jealous of you all) – but I do want to be able to take along a half decent camera and take shots when the opportunity arises.
So when I last had the opportunity to upgrade my camera, I went micro four-thirds, rather than full DSLR, and purchased the GF1. It's not a cheap bit of kit, however it's compact and I don't have any issues with composing photos in the LCD. Maybe when I get better at it I will, but for the moment it works for me!
The other issue then, is keeping my camera from being scratched and bumped in my bag.
So I purchased an ankle guard – one that has a loop for the heel (I chose this rather than the wrist guard, as the loop for the heel is larger than the loop for the thumb).
It's a slightly unconventional protective tool, however in my case I've used it on two cameras now, and it works a treat.
Put the heel loop over the lens of the camera…
Then wrap the remaining strap around your camera to protect it.
Note – this is not meant to be a permanent solution. It's an occasional solution – try and use a camera bag designed to protect your camera and lenses from dirt and jarring. Dirt can get in between the gaps in this bandage. I only use this for short term carrying – not as a full time solution.
I guess they directly compete with websites like mine, however Flickr Galleries are certainly an attractive way to view multiple images pulled together from the various photographers/graphic artists on Flickr.
It allows users to collect together images on practically any topic they like, and also has the option to add their own caption/reason why the image is included in the Gallery.
And like individual photos, Flickr has an Explore Page for interesting galleries. Check out Flickr Explore – Galleries if you're in the mood to look at some interesting collections.
The kilometrico has been around for years, and is one of the first GTD tools that I knew… and I still use it!
I paired this with a blue separator that is part of a new notebook that I started today. For all that I am a digital girl, notebooks rock!
I teach for a few universities, so as part of that I need to mark papers (which is where I usually use my trusty kilometrico), and this is what I'll be doing this evening… so my pen will probably be the only blue that I see all day, except for that sinking, blue feeling that I will no-doubt get when my students write rubbish!
I'm not a SLR girl – I find them cumbersome to drag around and I'm not that good a photographer. I'm more into Prosumer models – they meet my needs in terms of size (portability) and features (optical zoom, resolution and shutter/aperture tweaking).
So currently my eye is on the Canon Powershot S5 IS.
*insert Homer Simpson drool here*
I'm always up for a fab new tool, and this one is great, especially when you have to do a rush job – sometimes I get clients who want a banner and don't provide me with suitable artwork, so I usually charge them for re-drawing their logos. This could be a quick-and-dirty that gives me a scalable image for emergencies… although it does only have limited scalability.
However one of the cool things it does is turn photos into vector images. You do lose detail (which should be expected), but you get some rather funky shots with the right photos!
Check it out at: http://vectormagic.stanford.edu
My very own interestingness…


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Gardening Products
Misc. Seeds
Flower Garden Plants for Shady Areas
IP218 Giant Exhibition Palisandra
Originally selected as a houseplant, Giant Exhibition Palisandra is also a fine specimen in the shade garden, and is just the right size for containers.
Soft, neatly serrated burgundy-maroon leaves are 6 inches long and up to 4 inches wide.
10 Seed Package $2.95
IP253 Toad Lily ( Tricyrtis hirta )
Toad Lily, is perhaps best known for its unique flowers, ability to bloom in shade and late summer to early fall bloom time.
Can be used in borders, woodland gardens, shade gardens or naturalized areas. Plant in areas where they can be easily observed at close range, because the beauty and detail of the small flowers becomes lost at a distance.
Numerous orchid-like blossoms, purple spotted lilac on plants growing 30-36" tall, hardy for zones 4 and higher.
Germination: Place seeds in the refrigerator for a month (or longer) before planting. Sow the seeds onto a moist growing medium and maintain a temperature of 65-70°F until germination which takes from 4 to 6 weeks.
5mg pack ( about 20 tiny seeds )$2.95
1A342 Shady Flower Mix
This is a wonderful mix for shady areas. Turns troublesome shady spots into beautiful patches of wildflowers that will attract butterflies and bees. A wonderful mix of flowers: Columbine, Bellflower, Shasta Daisy, Chinese Houses, Coreopsis, Monkey Flower, Forget-Me-Nots, Larkspur, Sweet William, Purple Coneflower, Baby's Breath, Candytuft, Snapdragon, Baby Blue Eyes, Poppy Mix and Johnny Jump-Up.
15g pack will cover 100 sq. ft.
15g Packet $2.95
3551 False Solomon's Seal ( Smilacena racemosa )
This native woodland perennial is seen less in gardens than it deserves. It has very fragrant flowers from late spring into early summer, grows about 30" tall and looks wondeful in clumps. The upright, arching stems have lots of style with their broadly oval leaves and fluffy heads of fragrant creamy-white flowers in late spring, followed with large berries that turn red by fall. Slowly spreading into a widening clump, it is well behaved. Hardy and undemanding in USDA Zones 4-9.
Note: These seeds need to be cold stratified before sowing. We recommend using the
Seedman's Cold Stratification Kits
for cold stratification.
10 seeds per package $3.95
FB166 Whipcord Cobra Lily ( Arisaema tortuosum )
A very weird and unusual houseplant or conversation plant from the Himalayas. Part Sun to Light Shade, does well inside. Zone: 6-9. Here is one of the true conversation pieces of the aroid world. The thick 4' tall fleshy petiole (stalk) emerges in early June, adorned by two tropical looking palmate green leaves near the top. As the leaves unfurl, the pitcher that tops the stem opens to reveal a green jack-in-the-pulpit flower, but with a whip-like tongue that extends from the mouth of the flower upwards to 12 or more inches.
Flowers may be male or bisexual. The clustered fruits are green at first, ripening to red. The plant grows in large clumps and can be up to 5-6 feet in height.
Needs a constantly moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil in partial shade and a cool spot.
10 seeds per package $3.95
SF015 Aquilegia "McKana Giants ( Aquilegia caerulea )
Perennial. Columbines are one of the most beautiful and elegant of perennials. 'McKana Giants' are a long spurred variety, growing up to 3 ft with large blooms in a very bright range of single and bi-colours. Seen in a group these flowers look almost unreal or other-worldly. Very dramatic. The hummgbird loves this perennial which can be easily grown in sun to part shade in fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Long flowering from early summer and onward.
Wide Range
Start Seeds:
Late Winter, for transplanting outside in Spring.
25mg pack( about 35-40 seeds ) $2.15
IP247 Goat's Beard ( Aruncus dioicus )
Tall, graceful, robust perennial plant with creamy white plumes for shade, summer bloom. Plant in rich, moist soil in full sun to partial shade. Grows 4-5' tall. Flowers in summer. Hardy in Zones 3-8.
Excellent background plant for shady, moist spots in the border or in a woodland, wild or native plant garden. Plant as a specimen or in groups along streams or water gardens.
15mg pack ( about 100 tiny seeds )$2.95
D9549 Tussock Bellflower ( Campanula carpatica )
Perennial. An upright perennial growing about 16 inches tall with delightful lavender blue bell flowers all summer long. Grows in most soils and tolerates full sun or partial shade.
Lavender Blue
16 inches
Start Seeds:
Anytime of year inside, for transplanting outside in Spring.
8mg Pack ( about 200 seeds )$2.50
2570 Coleus Rainbow Mix ( Coleus blumei )
Annual. Easy to grow from seed. Looking for something unusual for a shady area? Rich-colored leaves in a variety of glowing shades bring a rainbow of light to partial and full shade. Try it with, or instead of, impatiens. Old-fashioned favorite is fun to grow indoors, too. 12 in. tall. Annual. Shade. Containers.
20mg Package ( about 40 seeds ) $2.45
2239 Echinacea Magnus ( Echinacea purpurea )
Perennial. 1998 Perennial Plant Winner. Blooms All Summer Long! Extra-large, hot-pink blooms up to 7 inches across, with petals held out flat (instead of recurved), plus easy-care and drought-tolerant. Magnus reaches 31/2 feet tall in full sun to light shade, blooms from June through September!
Hot Pink
3-4 feet.
Start Seeds:
Anytime of year inside, for transplanting outside in Spring.
15 seeds $2.15
3370 Red Baneberry ( Actaea rubra )
Red Baneberry is a lovely woodland native growing 18-24 inches tall with fine-textured foliage and a light and airy texture. Its lacy leaves resemble those of Astilbe and its similar needs make it a great native substitute.
In late spring and early summer lightly scented, delicate white flowers appear above the foliage. Flowers give way to clusters of bright red berries in late summer that are attractive to mammals and many songbirds. Planted in groups, it is a lovely groundcover and it combines well with other woodland natives such as Wild Ginger and Wood Ferns.
Grow Actaea rubra in part or full shade and moist, rich soils. It will be happy in the shade of conifers or deciduous trees, but will have more flowers if morning or afternoon sun is available.
Birds that are attracted to Actaea Fruit include Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, American Robin, Gray Cheeked Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, and Grouse.
All parts of Actaea rubra are poisonous, but the taste of the berries and leaves is extremely bitter so a toxic dose is unlikely.
A perennial plant for zones 3-8.
Package of 10 seeds $2.95
TRN045 Coral Bells Heuchera Purple Palace ( Heuchera x. micrantha )
Features very large, shiny, and star-shaped leaves, ranging in color from deep olive green to purplish-bronze. Their undersides, which are quite visible in the loosely formed clumps, are a striking metallic amethyst purple. The 20 inch tall, leafed flower scapes bear an abundance of tiny cream flowers.
Coral bells are easy to grow and blend easily with most other perennials in the landscape. Because of their low, mounding habit, they are often used as edging along paths or in containers.
Excellent in containers or borders, best if planted in groups with other foliage plants. Prefers full sun or partial shade, in well drained soil or compost. Zones 3-9
15mg pack ( about 400 tiny seeds ) $4.95
TRN020 Rodger's Flower ( Rodgersia Henrici Hybrids )
Slowly gaining popularity as a unique plant in the shade garden, used primarily as a specimen, foliage is has a coarse texture unlike many other shady perennials, does not like heavy clay soil. Bold, hardy, large fingered leaf with puffy bright pink blooms for moist areas as well. Grows 30 inches tall, hardy for zone 3 and higher.
1mg pack ( about 25 seeds ) $2.75
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Steelers GM Colbert: Another playoff miss was 'devastating'
INDIANAPOLIS — Kevin Colbert knows his job is to make sure the word "devastating" doesn't creep into the Steelers' end-of-season vocabulary again.
Nearly two months into an offseason that began once again in December, Colbert knows there is immediate help available in a draft class he calls the best he's seen in 30 years. But there also are many mistakes waiting to be made in the Class of 2014, which he said includes too many underclassmen who declared too early.
The Steelers can't afford any draft day fumbles. Especially this year.
Asked Thursday at the NFL Combine about the importance of this offseason to a franchise that is 16-16 the last two seasons — its worst such record since 1999-2000 — Colbert said, "It's huge."
"You go 8-8 in back-to-back years, it's a huge disappointment. It is a disappointment not only to our fans but the organization," Colbert said. "We feel it every day. It's not something we're comfortable with. I'm sure organizations that are used to winning — anybody that is not in the playoffs after you've been there — it can be devastating if you let it.
"Hopefully, we're not talking about that next year."
Colbert is making clear there will be lineup changes. There were after the Steelers went 8-8 in 2012.
But the Steelers would have to make some dramatic cuts to create enough cap space to make any tangible, multiple moves in free agency, so the draft is expected to be their primary route to immediate improvement. Colbert said there is depth and talent at every position as opposed to many drafts in which some positions were overloaded compared to others.
"This is the deepest draft that I've ever seen. ... But this is a huge jump. Even though it is a more talented group, or the most talented group that I have seen, I am also worried that it is probably the most immature group," Colbert said. "We have to be prepared ... (for) maybe enhancing your player development to get the most out of these younger players."
While many fans focus on 40-yard dash times and weightlifting reps to judge players during the combine, Colbert called the in-person interviews more revealing about whether a player will succeed in the NFL. A year ago, for example, nearly one-third of the more than 300 players invited to the combine weren't drafted.
"How they handle sessions like this is huge," Colbert said. "Experience has told us that many of these younger players for us aren't ready for this. I don't think a lot of them understand that until they get on the playing field and see the increase in the quality of play. But that's the physical part. ... But if you fail emotionally early, it can be overwhelming and sometimes career-ending."
While players began arriving in Indianapolis earlier this week, their on-field work at Lucas Oil Stadium won't begin until Saturday. Until then, they'll undergo media and team interviews, physicals and other tests.
Some NFL coaches hold news conferences at the combine, but Mike Tomlin won't talk to reporters again until next month at the owners' meetings in Orlando, Fla.
Alan Robinson is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com or via Twitter @arobinson_Trib.


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>Cross Training>Are there any other AlterG users here?
That's the hands-free device I use. I agree with Kristen re: limitation of movement. But, grateful to have access to it.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
I just started using an AlterG last week, my PT recently got one and I'm coming back from some knee surgeries (Carticel cartilage implantation and tibial tubercle osteotomy). I can only walk on it right now using 50% bodyweight, but it's going to be an invaluable tool as I'm able to ramp up to running again.


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"Ebola comes to Wiltshire" – now that's a headline no one wants to read. The "E" word strikes fear into the hearts of many, but how many of us can say what Ebola is – let alone why it is so terror-inducing? As I write this, the Ebola virus continues to infect dozens of people in Africa. A deadly and incurable infection, the outbreak is currently contained to within a handful of small nations. But the thought of it coming to the UK is… well, a prospect that doesn't bear thinking about.
A quick poll of my friends revealed that most of them didn't know what Ebola is – and I suspect many of us are the same. It certainly isn't a "flesh-eating superbug", as one person said and a quick glance at the news reports show there are a lot of myths out there.
Here then is a quick and simple rundown of the key things you should know about the world's most feared infection. (It doesn't make for great bedtime reading.) Perhaps the most well-known thing about Ebola is what it can do to the body. It can produce symptoms straight out of a horror movie – bleeding from mouth, nose and other bodily orifices. More than that, the infection can cause violent seizures, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhoea, coma and, ultimately, death. The reality, however, is far less gruesome than that. The virus can stop the blood clotting, leading to damage to internal organs.
But heavy bleeding – the most feared symptom – is rare. Most Ebola symptoms are remarkably more mundane and similar to the flu: fever, aches, sickness and tiredness. And like other viruses, it takes days for symptoms to appear. Potentially, someone could travel quite a long way before realising they are infected. You could think of it as being like flu on steroids.
Ebola is a lethal disease and has fatality rates far higher than the flu and most other infections. But even this deadliness is exaggerated in the media. You will usually read that "90 per cent of the infected die" but in 2014 this simply isn't true. Today's stats are closer to 50 per cent and by receiving prompt medical treatment, odds are in favour of recovery.
However, Ebola isn't easy to catch. It cannot be passed on through coughs and sneezes, like the flu can. It is only caught through physical contact with infected bodily fluids (blood, sweat, etc) and because of this, Ebola won't make it to Wiltshire.
That is of little consolation for the people whose lives are being affected. Ebola outbreaks occur in impoverished rural regions of Africa – parts of the world in desperate need of help. These countries are the least equipped to cope with such calamities and there is currently no cure for Ebola. The outbreak is tragedy – but it is not the only one.
In these same countries, tens of thousands of children are dying from preventable diseases every year. Simple investments, basic medicines and education programmes could improve and save the lives of thousands – if not millions. This Ebola outbreak will probably take several months to end but when it does and the panic subsides, my sincerest hope is that the world's conscience might be stirred to do more about the other tragedies affecting those areas. Even if they don't scare us.


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2011 NTIS trials selections announced
32 total players invited by 14U/16U/18U programs
The NTIS concluded with a total of 70 games played, featuring 756 players from three different age groups (13U, 15U, 17U) and 14 teams from across the country. Using the NTIS as the identification vehicle, USA Baseball named eight (8) players to the 2012 18U National Team Trials, eight (8) players to the 2012 16U National Team Trials and 16 players to 2012 14U National Team Trials.
"The NTIS talent pool has consistently grown deeper each year," said Rick Riccobono, USA Baseball director of development. "It makes our job as talent evaluators that much tougher, which ultimately is a good problem to have as we look ahead to assembling gold medal-winning National Teams in 2012."
For the third year in a row the announcement was made via an online selection show, which streamed on USABaseball.com. Scores, recaps and rosters from the 2011 NTIS can also be found at the online home of USA Baseball.
The 2011 NTIS selections for the 2012 USA Baseball 14U/16U/18U National Team Trials are as follows:
2011 13U NTIS/2012 14U Trials
Name, Position, Hometown, NTIS Team
Anthony Acosta, RHP, Simi Valley, Calif., Southern California
Nick Allen, IF, El Cajon, Calif., Southern California
Dylan Bohnert, IF/RHP, Anderson, Texas, South Texas
Tucker Bradley, LHP/OF, Chickamauga, Ga., Mid-Atlantic
Tyler Calvert, IF/RHP, Braselton, Ga., Mid-Atlantic
Shannon Glover, C, Columbia, S.C., USA Stars
Isaak Gutierrez, RHP/IF, Norwalk, Calif., Southern California
Maverick Handley, C, Lakewood, Colo., Mountain West
Brandon Mcilwain, RHP/OF, Newton, Pa., Northern California
Austin McNicholas, IF, Austin, Texas, South Texas
Kevin Milam, RHP, Brentwood, Calif., Northern California
Landon Miner, RHP/IF, Bryan, Texas, South Texas
Michael Richey, RHP, Cape Coral, Fla., USA Stars
Chase Strumpf, IF, Ladera Ranch, Calif., Southern California
Mason Thompson, RHP, Round Rock, Texas, USA Stars
Rykker Tom, IF/RHP, Cedar City, Utah, Mountain West
2011 15U NTIS/2012 16U Trials
Joe DeMers, RHP, Martinez, Calif., Northern California
Lucas Herbert, C, Milton, Ga., Mid-Atlantic
Brendan Illies, RHP/C, Edgewood, Wash., Northwest
Jesse Kuet, IF, Huntington Beach, Calif., USA Stars
Brandon Perez, IF, Ladera Ranch, Calif., Southern California
Jakson Reetz, RHP/C, Hickman, Neb., Midwest
Justin Smith, OF, Jacksonville, Fla., North Florida
Max Wotell, LHP, Marvin, N.C., USA Stars
2011 17U NTIS/2012 18U Trials
Cole Billingsley, OF/LHP, Cropwell, Ala., Mid-Atlantic
Ben Eckels, RHP, Davis, Calif., Northern California
Chris Flexen, RHP, Newark, Calif., Northern California
John Kilichowski, LHP, Tampa, Fla., USA Stars
Kieran Lovegrove, RHP, Mission Viejo, Calif., Southern California
Russell Reynolds, RHP, Baton Rouge, La., South Texas
Drew Ward, IF/OF, Leedey, Okla., Midwest
Connor Williams, OF/RHP, South Jordan, Utah, Mountain West


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The market popped momentarily on a better-than-expected Philly Fed number, but buyers are showing little resolve. The problem is that we are at the mercy of the headlines out of Europe, and now there is uncertainty whether or not an anticipated meeting to resolve the debt crisis will even take place.
This uncertain macro news environment wouldn't be so bad if market players focused on finding individual stocks with good fundamentals, but they aren't. There is no interest in finding names that might buck the overall trend. Part of this is due to exchange-traded funds, but it is also a function of limited investor confidence. It's tough to build longer-term positions when everything is being pushed around by European sovereign debt news.
What is pitiful is you can bet that the weakness will eventually produce another rumor that Europe is saved and we will suddenly spike up while pundits point out how stupid the rumors are.
Until we have more interest in individual stock picking, I don't have much to do. I see a few good charts like AuthenTec (AUTH) and Merge Healthcare (MRGE), which I mentioned the other day, but they aren't working long enough to trust.
Speaking of rumors, there's news that Germany is denying that it has postponed the weekend meeting. We are seeing a bit of a bounce on that, but it goes to show how this market can't do anything other than react to European headlines.


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Helen Remmers
Isanti Senior Dining
Join other seniors partaking in our April happenings and nutritious meal served at noon.
Reservations can be made by calling 763-444-6100 on Monday or Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. All other days call 763-689-4691 and designate Isanti Senior Dining, or Edith Frison at 763-689-5992.
• Monday, April 2: Ruth's Nutrition Education at 11:15 a.m.
• Wednesday, April 4: Enhance Fitness program begins from 10 to 11 a.m. Object is to obtain health function. Cardiovascular exercises, strength training, balance and flexibility. This is sponsored by U-Care Insurance, endorsed by Senior Dining, and is taught by a certified instructor. This is also our Easter Dinner Day at noon with the Pie of the Month which will be Key Lime.
• Monday April 9: Enhance Fitness. Angie will take blood pressure later.
• Wednesday, April 11: Enhance Fitness, 11:15 a.m. Pastor Jim.
• Monday, April 16: Enhance Fitness, 11:15 a.m. LuAnn Carlson, cooking and baking with honey.
• Remaining Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. is Enhance Fitness and undesignated happenings at 11 a.m.
Any questions regarding programs or information on Meals-on-Wheels or frozen meals, call Edie at 763-689-5992. Tell Edie if you have a talent or hobby you are willing to share with us.


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Get Started
Ask these six meal planning questions before you grill:
Do you want leftovers? Grilled food makes great
leftovers for the next day. Get some good ideas on
page 7.
Will you add any non-grilled side dishes to the
menu? If so, think about how long they take to
prepare so you can do this ahead of time. Many
grilled foods cook fast so you will want to make sure
your sides are ready to go. Find ideas for "make ahead"
side dishes on page 3.
Will you be using food from the freezer to grill? If
so, plan to fully thaw it before grilling to allow for even
cooking throughout. Safely thaw in the refrigerator, not
on the counter.
Will you marinate any of the foods? If so, plan for
how long. A simple marinade is low-fat Italian dressing.
For safety make sure to marinate foods in the
How long does each food you are making take to cook? This will help you plan the order for
placing foods on the grill. Learn about grilling times for fruits and veggies on pages 4 and 5 of this
How will you prep foods that need to be cut before grilling? Find out more about cutting
veggies and fruits for the grill on pages 4 and 5 of this tip.
- The thinner a food item is cut the faster it will cook. 1/2 inch is often recommended for thickness.
- Cutting pieces of food to the same size helps assure all bites of that food item will be cooked to your liking. For example, if all pieces of green pepper on a skewer are cut the same size there is a better chance they will all be done cooking at the same time.
- Cutting pieces of food so the most possible area touches the grill helps assure good flavor and doneness throughout the whole piece. For example, cutting an onion in horizontal slices assures more of it will touch the grill than simply cutting an onion in half.


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Software glitch delays space station arrival of 3-man crew
Published 6:07 pm, Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Moscow --
A software glitch on a Russian spacecraft heading to the International Space Station has delayed the arrival of three astronauts, including an American. NASA said the crew was in no danger, and the U.S.-Russia space partnership was strong despite tensions over Ukraine.
The Soyuz spacecraft carrying Russians Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev and NASA's Steve Swanson blasted off successfully early Wednesday and was scheduled to dock six hours later. But because of the glitch, the arrival was pushed back until late Thursday.
Since the 2011 retirement of the U.S. space shuttle fleet, NASA has depended on the Russian spacecraft to ferry crews to the orbiting outpost and is paying Russia nearly $71 million per seat. This cooperation has continued despite tensions over Russia's annexation of Crimea and U.S. calls for harsher sanctions on Russia.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden repeatedly has said that the conflict in Ukraine would have no effect on the U.S.-Russian partnership. As recently as Tuesday he reiterated on his blog that while NASA continues to cooperate successfully with Russia, it wants to get its own capacity to launch crews as quickly as possible. NASA is trying to speed up private American companies' efforts to launch crews into orbit, but it needs extra funding.
Latest news videos
The Soyuz booster rocket lifted off as scheduled Wednesday from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It entered a designated orbit about 10 minutes after the launch and was expected to reach the space station in six hours. All onboard systems were working flawlessly, and the crew was feeling fine.
NASA and Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, said shortly before the planned docking that the arrival had been delayed after a 24-second engine burn that was necessary to adjust the Soyuz spacecraft's orbiting path "did not occur as planned."


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Raspberry had declared to launch a Pi Minicomputer a couple of months ago. The word is that all the structure, design and PCB layout of the Raspberry Pi minicomputer have been finalized and finally it has stepped into Production Stage.
Raspberry Pi minicomputer is a cheap computer for today's younger generation. These minicomputers comprise of the kit computers from the early 1980s and '70s. The basic reason for the production of these minicomputers is to introduce the world of computers, science and programming to the kids.


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Seminar: Starting a Home Based Business
One of the keys to succeeding in business is taking the right steps from the outset. It requires the same diligence to start a home based business as any venture. We will explore grass roots topics such as regulatory requirements, cash flow management, marketing, and service differentiation. You will walk out of this course with a ground-level understanding of what it takes to start and operate a home based business.
Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre
250-240 Graham Ave.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM


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elephant crochet hat by jennyandteddy
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 22 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
© jennyandteddy
© JennBelcher
elephant crochet hat
This pattern is available for $1.00 USD
buy it now or visit pattern website
buy it now or visit pattern website
size 0-3month only will be easy to make it bigger size by crochet increase.
Note: This pattern is available for free with advertising supported on my blog.
This INSTANT pdf download version for sale on Ravelry include step by step photo tutorial with full pattern without advertisements.
For more information, see: http://www.jennyandteddy.com/2016/04/elephant-croche...


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As we enter the main plaza the enormity of the situation hits me. We are ten "gringos" (foreigners) taking part in one of the most important celebrations of the year. Thousands of Bolivians stare and cheer as our overwhelmed selves respond to the cries of "Viva Bolivia!" Their shouts compete with the sound of firecrackers as they ricochet off buildings, and the marching band that marks Independence Day.
Backpacking to cheaper, culturally diverse countries is a phenomenon that has caught on for many Aussies, particularly university students taking advantage of long summer holidays. Who am I to resist the trend? Whilst at uni I have managed to "do" several countries in Asia and now South America. But travelling is more than cool pictures, pretty trinkets and crazy stories that jealous ears don't really want to listen to. It's an alternative form of education that allows you to experience first hand things that don't seem real in the text books.
That idea is what led me, cursing and coughing, deep into the tunnels of a Bolivian silver mine. At one point I had to recognise the irony of the situation. I'd paid money to make myself hot, bothered, and generally unhappy. Dust filled every orifice as I struggled to crawl and keep up with the group. But soon I felt like a precious westerner when we met the miners. Suddenly my genuine complaints became trivial. We had only descended to the 4th of 9 levels in the mine, and were just visiting for a few hours. The miners, who work in cooperatives, sometimes stay down for as long as 24hrs, and have a life expectancy of 10-15 years once they enter the mine. This is a risk they are willing to take, for if you strike it lucky the success is all yours, and some miners cruise about town in hummers to prove it. They seemed oblivious to my discomfort, and I wondered what they thought of me, turning their life into a tourist attraction. But I couldn't help being fascinated by their lifestyle as I stared into faces as young as 13, whose cheeks bulged like chipmunk's as they stuffed them with cocoa leaves.
That night we managed to break down the barrier between tourist and local a little more as we experienced one of those rare travelling opportunities that you can never plan for. Our cheeky tour guide invited us to march with him and his college, and we jumped at the opportunity to be a part of such an experience. Finally I became less of a spectator… we were in the fish bowl and loving it!
The next few days saw us horse ride through red canyons in a wild west landscape, cruise in a 4WD past colourful lagoons, mountains, and bubbling geysers, and chase squawking pink flamingos. But by far the best memory of Bolivia was going beyond the role of witness to experience the adrenalin rush of patriotism in a country other than our own.


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Lea Michele | Golden Globes Makeup 2013
Golden Globes Beauty: Lea Michele's Sun-Kissed Glow
Lea Michele loves a good blowout, and she nailed the look on the red carpet. Her glossy locks perfectly accented her sun-kissed glow and petal-pink lips. What do you think of her natural beauty look?
Vote on all of our Golden Globe Awards polls here!
Image Source: Getty