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The nice people at FESTIN have decided to take this concept (Dinner & Movie) to an exciting new level, launching a monthly event that offers world-class cinema and gourmet dining in one breathtaking location in the heart of historic San Telmo: Anselmo Buenos Aires – Curio Collection by Hilton. The official launch was this Tuesday and is only the first of a series of screenings that are sure to make a buzz in the busy Buenos Aires nightlife.
The first edition of FESTIN focused on Japanese culture and featured a couple of heavyweights from the film and culinary worlds. The opening flick was none other than Cannes Palm d'Or winner Shoplifters, which tells the story of a family that stumbles upon a small girl in the middle of the night and decides to shelter her. Although the family is poor and barely earns enough money to survive through petty crimes, they seem to live happily together, until an unforeseen accident reveals secrets that test the ties. Food duties were performed by Sergio Asato, the man behind Social Suchi Izakaya in Belgrano, who delighted attendees with his unique proposal inspired by the typical street food of Japan.
The next event will be taking place on July 16th in the same breathtaking space of Anselmo Buenos Aires, with a French-inspired night that includes a screening of Marie Antoinette, the 2006 film by Sofia Coppola. The culinary aspect has not yet been assigned but it's safe to say that, after a night like Tuesday's, the people of FESTIN are sure to rise to the occasion once again. I don't know if I'm alone on this, but I can't wait to see what these folks have in store for themed nights focusing on the likes of Italy, South Korea, Iran and other powerhouses of the food and film industries alike.


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Kerry GAA 5 Year Ticket Scheme is launched
Kerry GAA 5 Year Ticket Scheme is launched
The new Kerry GAA 5 Year Ticket Scheme (2018 – 2022) was launched at Monday night's meeting of the County Committee
Entry to the new scheme, costing €600 per unit, is now open and will form an ideal Christmas gift for the Kerry supporters. There is a special offer of six units for the price of five
Each scheme member will receive a free Kerry Jersey personalised and autographed by a player of choice if desired.
The 5 Year Ticket will entitle supporters to purchase a stand ticket for the following games:
• All Ireland Final and semi final involving Kerry
• Stand ticket for any All Ireland Quarter Finals involving Kerry in Killarney or Croke Park and away fixture where available
• Allianz National League Final involving Kerry
• Munster Championship games in Killarney involving Kerry, including final
• Munster Championship games in Páirc Uí Chaoimh involving Kerry including final
• Other Munster Stadia for any Championship games involving Kerry (subject to availability)
Full details of the scheme and entitlements are available from the office in Austin Stack Park
or from the Download section of our website - HERE

subset: commoncrawl


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3 Takeaways From Nebraska's 93-84 Loss to Iowa
The 24th-ranked Huskers (11-4, 1-3 Big Ten) dropped another one.
Another back-and-forth game, another road game, another game Nebraska needed, another close loss. The 25th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (12-3, 1-3 Big Ten) dropped the Huskers Sunday in Iowa City, 93-84.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
Defcon… Something
It might not be time to panic yet, but it's certainly time to worry.
Nebraska has now lost two in a row for the first time this season. It has been outrebounded in both and given up double-digit offensive boards in both (Iowa had 18 second-chance points... 18!). It has dropped three of its first four conference games, all coming on the road. But maybe worse than anything else, Iowa showcased what could be the perfect blueprint for breaking the Huskers.
In the first half, Iowa created the perfect storm. Big men Luka Garza, Tyler Cooke and Ryan Kriener got the ball early and often inside — combining for 27 first-half points — and put Nebraska's bigs on the pine with foul trouble. Isaac Copeland played 10 minutes with two fouls in the first half, Isaiah Roby played 11 with two as well. Tanner Borchardt, the Huskers' backup and only true center, played seven with three fouls.
Head coach Tim Miles was forced to go uber-small with freshman Brady Heiman at the center spot and sophomore wing Nana Akenten at the four. Heiman has shown flashes of his potential this season, but he's also shown he's not anywhere near ready for a significant role. He's also a net-zero on the offensive end.
So Iowa went to a 2-3 zone with some three-quarters court pressure and Nebraska had no interior presence to try and take advantage of it. The Huskers just started throwing the ball around on the perimeter offensively and Iowa pressed up outside the 3-point line. Nebraska looked like it had never seen pressure before.
And when the second half began, Iowa went right back to the paint knowing the Husker bigs would be cognizant of their foul trouble. Spoiler: they were. Guards drove to a bucket with no shot-blocker in the way and bigs set up shop in the low post.
Nebraska doesn't have anywhere near the frontcourt depth necessary to survive foul trouble on one of its bigs, let alone three of them. And if you can get the bigs off the floor, the offense will struggle just as much as the defense. Nebraska ran fewer pick-and-rolls against the Hawkeyes than they have in a long time and it messed with the flow.
The Big Ten is littered with quality big guys. Maybe not everyone can use the 2-3 zone to go at the Huskers the same way Iowa did, but pretty much every other team the Huskers will face will have talented big guys who can take advantage of undisciplined play inside.
A Not-So-Fun Numbers Game
Another major bummer that comes with foul trouble on Copeland and Roby? They're both pretty good at playing basketball. Copeland went for 24 points, six boards and two assists on 50 percent shooting. Roby had 17 points and nine boards on 8-for-10 shooting and 23 minutes of turnover-free basketball.
They were it in terms of reliable, efficient offense.
Nebraska's starting backcourt — Glynn Watson Jr., Thomas Allen Jr. and James Palmer Jr. — went a combined 12-for-33 shooting and turned it over seven times. Palmer had 20 points but took 15 shots to get there and turned it over five times. And it took him 18 minutes of game clock to get his first two points.
Allen was fine but more unimpactful than anything else.
Watson reverted back to the same career-worst shooter he was last season, taking ill-advised, contested jumpers and opting for fallaways in the lane rather than attacking the rim. He gambled on defense a few times in crucial moments, too.
Still, the trio had 36 points combined. In most instances, you're fine with that. You're especially fine with Palmer's 20. But Nebraska relies so, so, so heavily on its starters to produce offense that any kind of slippage creates major problems.
If the main guys are off, as they were Sunday (Nebraska went 4-for-23 from 3, a season-low for makes and percentage), the pressure on select guys to score becomes too much. The bench took six shots. Akenten was the only guy to score a point from the second unit. Borchardt played 13 minutes, took no shots, grabbed no rebounds and finished a minus-two. Heiman played nine minutes of scoreless, rebound-less basketball as well.
Nebraska either needs more scoring from its second unit as currently constructed (not likely given the makeup) or Miles needs to throw caution to the wind and deepen the rotation (also not likely given his track record). Nebraska had two 20-point scorers and it wasn't enough.
Miles said a few weeks ago he doesn't ever want to "expect" scoring binges from Palmer, but that's exactly how the Huskers play. They need Palmer to be big and they need the other four starters to all be on their game at the same time. When that formula is off, Iowa happens. And I don't really say a route to fixing that approach.
Poor Time to Fall Apart, Defense
Nebraska is a good defensive team. That much I know. The Huskers have been a top-10 defensive outfit for the entire season. So what do we make of Sunday's road showing?
How do you explain this?
When things aren't working offensively, that kind of effort and communication on defense is inexplicable. The Huskers have been a team that has relied on defense creating offense all season. Against the Hawkeyes, they played like the clip above more often than not, almost indifferent.
Nebraska created momentum to close the first half by cutting what was once a seven-point game to just one with 3.2 seconds to play, then Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon banked in a floater triple at the buzzer because no one in a red jersey decided to stop the ball in transition.
The Hawkeyes had 29 fastbreak points. Finding the ball in transition was an issue all night and that's nothing more than simple defensive communication.
Then there was the 3-point shooting. Iowa took a bunch (22), made a bunch (10) and snuffed out Nebraska runs with the deep ball. Most were either wide open or facing late close-outs. Nebraska entered the day eighth in the country in 3-point defense, holding opponents to 27 percent. Iowa shooting 45 percent then is cause for concern.
Again, do you panic now? Probably not, but a total defensive collapse was an issue against Minnesota as well. The cracks in the foundation are a little more visible. I wrote after Wednesday's loss to Maryland that the Huskers couldn't afford to let one not-so-bad loss snowball. Well, now we're up to two losses with the most recent looking pretty bad.
Penn State at home on Thursday could potentially save things or break the season. Tip is at 8 p.m. CT.


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CX solutions specialist Sabio is gearing up for a greater emphasis on smart tech next year as AI, Augmented Human Interactions and Voice of the Customer come sharply into focus.
"Whether it's the rise of the ethical consumer, an increased focus on trust or a desire for organisations to be more responsive, it's clear that today's consumers have more power and influence than ever before," said Sabio's Chief Innovation Officer, Stuart Dorman.
"That's why at Sabio we believe that 2019 will see an increased focus on smart technologies such as AI, augmented interactions and Voice of the Customer insights as CX teams work harder to deliver best-in-class customer experiences.
"We're also expecting 2019 to see a further merger between digital and customer service teams, particularly as organisations acknowledge that truly joined-up customer journeys now demand seamless and personalised support across all key customer touch points, whether that's digital, contact centre or in physical locations."


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Mustad to Award $1 Million Prize at Fred Hall Show
Byline: The Log Staff
After an exciting yearlong contest, Mustad, the world's largest-selling fish hook brand, will award a $1 million prize to a lucky angler at the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show in Long Beach — at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 7.
Mustad's "Hook a Million" promotion ran from October 2011 to Sept. 30, 2012 and targeted 10 of the country's most popular fresh and saltwater fish. The species included largemouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, white crappie, coho salmon, striped bass, calico bass, redfish, speckled trout and yellowfin tuna.
The contest was open to anglers in all 50 states — and to participate, anglers had to use a Mustad hook and be registered in the "Hook A Million" contest at least 24 hours in advance of fishing.
Potential cash awards for the promotion totaled $1.4 million for certified freshwater and saltwater state records and the first new world record. In order to be a winner in the contest, an angler's catch had to meet specific contest rules, specified on the Mustad website.
To earn the World Record Category prize of $1 million, the angler had to follow the contest rules for reporting the catch to Mustad, and the fish had to be the first entry officially certified as a World Record by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
The IGFA has announced plans to present angler Guy Yocom of Dana Point with a World Record Certificate for his 427-pound yellowfin tuna. The massive fish was caught Sept. 18, 2012 out of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on his boat, El Suertudo. Mustad plans to award the $1 million prize immediately after the IGFA presents the official certification.
"All of us at Mustad would like to thank all anglers for your participation in the 'Hook a Million' contest," said Magnus Gunnarsson, Mustad vice president, Americas. "We are very proud to congratulate Guy Yocom on his fantastic accomplishment and are looking forward to presenting him with a well deserved $1 million prize at the Fred Hall Show."
Along with Guy Yocom's world record catch, an unprecedented total of three giant yellowfin tuna eclipsing the 400-pound mark were taken in 2012 — and all were taken on Mustad Hooks. They are: a new 427-pound world record taken by Guy Yocom (39950BLN-12/0), a fish that taped at 432 pounds taken by Ron Tegland on his boat Tenacious (39943BLN-10/0) and a monster 455-pound fish taken by John Petruescu on the long-range boat Excel (7691DT-10/0).
Both the 455-pound and 432-pound fish, although reported at higher weights, do not qualify under rules for IGFA world record consideration, but they are truly remarkable catches.


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About malagus
Mercedes E55 AMG
Hockey, Cooking, dicking about with cars, drinking.
Freelance Event Manager
Car Make
Citroen C2
Apple iPad Mini - 4th Gen iPad
malagus replied to Andy_Bangle's topic in Technology CornerLord only knows what apple are going to do once they can't make things thinner, lighter or smaller any more. Might have to try being innovative again.
Unlocking iPhones
malagus replied to Calm Chris's topic in Technology CornerI believe it's 'Device Firmware Upgrade' - It's the mode where you can turn the device on and connect to a PC without it loading the ROM.
No word on whether it will be ported over to ipad, but full Office functionality will be there for Win8 on tablets. It's bloody good, too, from the little play I had with it.
Dataviz's Docs to Go would be my choice. MS will release a tablet version of Office when Office Win8 comes out. Not 100% that this will be ported to ipad, but i'm pretty sure a mobile version of office is being made. The delay is nothing to do with trying to steal sales AFAIK. It's to do with the fact that the microsoft stack, up until now, didn't play well with ARM.
Anyone got or used a Kindle?
malagus replied to fizzbitt's topic in Technology CornerJust ordered a Kindle Fire HD 16GB. AMAZON! Y U NO SHIP IT ME TODAY????
Retina Macbook Pro - least repairable laptop ever?
malagus replied to malagus's topic in Technology Cornerwhile this is true, it makes me rather sad. Especially given the quantity of rare-earth metals and other such stuff in there. For my mind, if something can be repaired, it is usually far greener than rip and replace.
Retina Macbook Pro - least repairable laptop ever?
malagus replied to malagus's topic in Technology CornerIt's not an issue for everyone, and not for me either, as I can't ever see myself buying an MBP. It's an interesting one though. Given the price tag I would want to run one of these for at least 3 years, and with no user-servicable parts and likely high repair costs, I would be wary of that.
Retina Macbook Pro - least repairable laptop ever?
malagus posted a topic in Technology Cornerifixit seem to think so. MacBook Pro with Retina Display Teardown | iFixit pretty much everything is glued or soldered into place, no quick fixes here. The battery replacement guide is 46 steps. and that's just to get the battery out. Bottom line? If you're getting one of these, for heavens' sake get the applecare on top. Because this thing looks difficult and expensive to repair. I wouldn't want to even attempt it.
"The glass on this trophy cabinet is made from recycled vodka bottles from Kimi Raikkonen's standard wednesday afternoon."
That second ep. omitted the bit where they can't get one of Lewis' shoes on
Jokes please, not read or heard any good one's for a while
malagus replied to Calm Chris's topic in Rubber RoomIt's been a tough week. Dumped my girlfriend as she text me saying she was 'really into Alan', and now i've been diagnosed as dyslexic.
OSX ML - Handy WiFi Diags
malagus replied to Mac's topic in Technology CornerIn all seriousness, it's a nice little thing and looks easy to use.
Please all check behind your sofas
malagus replied to patently's topic in General CarsA couple of the security specialists at work have had them - one GT and one GCabrio if memory serves. Sound great, look just as good and are lovely to be in. The cost however is, as MrMe suggests, astronomical. Clutches are considered a consumable, no word of a lie. The guy with the cabrio had it written of by a corsa that jumped a light. deeply unhappy bunny.
Now this is great!
malagus replied to Luke's topic in General Cars' a genuine sound by using MP3 Technology' MP3 Technology??? SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!
Blackberry 9300 Curve - problem with centre button
malagus replied to NewNiceMrMe's topic in Technology CornerCould be either a sensor or a software issue. Quick firmware change will give you a proper conclusion. I must admit i'm not a fan of the curve. I love my Bold, and I find it easier to type on than an iphone (for longer messages I make far fewer mistakes), but I can't type on a 9300 for toffee. Keyboard is awful and not particularly ergonomic. New 9900 and 9780 are pretty good, but even as a big BB fan, I wouldn't buy one right now. Waiting to see if QNX works or RIM get consigned to the bin of history. (having said that, there is a HTC wildfire S and a 9300 in my drawer here, I would not pick up the wildfire over the 9300)


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A Jewish State
Theodor Herzl proposes a solution to the 'Jewish Question' and to anti-Semitism: a separate and independent ...
My Father's Girl
Jane Addams, whose Hull-House became a symbol of progressive reform, here remembers her father who helped ...
Paris Goes to War
As the World War engulfs Europe in August 1914, Edith Wharton reports from Paris on the ...
Lord Charnwood recounts the development and importance of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, a signal event in American ...
Darwin Changes His Mind
Here is Darwin's account of his visit to the Galapagos Islands with its myriad species, which ...
A Grand Way to Chronicle a War
A fascinating glimpse of World War II journalism behind the front lines at Paris's Hotel Scribe, ...
The Genius and the Jerk
Walter Vatter explores the early years of Steve Jobs--was he a genius, or simply an expert ...
The Siege of Blair Mountain
A gripping account of the 1920s conflict between mine workers ...
Essays Titles
Browse our Essays titles listed below.
by Richard J. TofelUnited States History, European History, Military History, American History, U.S. History, Essays
An insider's assessment of the precipitous decline of large city papers in the United States, and the newspapers' response to their problems, by an experienced newspaper executive.
by J.H. Hexter
Introduction by Gertrude HimmelfarbEssays, Historiography
Hexter's subject—the nature of the historical enterprise—raises the perennially vexing question of past- and present-mindedness in the writing of history. It addresses that issue in a notably down-to-earth, commonsensible, personal manner.
How Baseball Escaped Its Violent Past
by Peter MorrisU.S. History, Sports History, Essays, Sports
Baseball was not always a game of quiet courage played by gentlemen, as Peter Morris shows in this fascinating historical profile of the rise and fall of violence as a part of our national pastime.
An Outmoded Concept Is Sapping America's Strength
by John PradosUnited States History, Political Science, Military History, American History, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Essays
The distinguished historian John Prados calls for a total rethinking of our expansive concept of national security. If we fail to make hard decisions about existential threats, he concludes, we will find ourselves in a death spiral as a nation.
Walker Evans, Ellie Mae Burroughs, and the Great Depression
by Jerry L. ThompsonUnited States History, American History, U.S. History, Essays
Walker Evans's iconic photograph of Ellie Mae Burroughs of Hale County, Alabama, made while he was working with James Agee, has become a memorable symbol of the Great Depression. How it came to be, and what consequences it provoked, make for a fascinating tale.
The Rise of Fundamentalism in American Culture
by George M. MarsdenUnited States History, U.S. History, Essays, Religion
Fundamentalists, uneasy with modernity and with the American social and moral landscape, prefer the Bible's teachings—in their faith, in their personal lives, and in the larger life of the nation. Here's why.
Franklin Roosevelt Takes Command in the Depths of the Great Depression
by William E. LeuchtenburgUnited States History, Political Science, American History, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Essays
When Franklin Roosevelt came to the White House, 13 million—roughly 25 percent of the work force—were unemployed. By the day of his inauguration, thirty-eight states had closed their banks. Soon the nation would witness the most furious period of legislative activity in American history.
Kubrick, Bobby Fischer and the Attraction of Chess
by Jeremy BernsteinUnited States History, European History, American History, U.S. History, Sports History, Essays, Sports
The 1972 world championship chess match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky was an event of international importance—and a media bonanza. Out of a heady cast of characters, Jeremy Bernstein fashions a tale of large personalities involved in an intense, brainy competition.


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Alvin Goes Back to School was a preview of NBC's Saturday morning lineup in 1986, in which Alvin returns to school and convinces officials that he's the new principal and changes the curriculum so that students can have more fun.
Alvin makes school a scream in this laugh-filled preview of NBC's new Saturday Morning lineup.
Alvin takes over a local school from a principal/dictator to try and make things more fun for the kids there, in which he surely succeeds.
Voice Cast
- Ross Bagdasarian Jr. as Alvin Seville and Simon Seville
- Janice Karman as Theodore Seville
- Doris Roberts as Doris
- Marc Price as Himself
- Gerald S. O'Loughlin as Ben McMasters
- Jeremy Licht as Himself
- John Hoyt as Mr. Quickstudy
- Jackée Harry as Gina Lipman
- Soleil Moon Frye as Punky Brewster
- Richard Moll as Mr. Conroy
- Joey Lawrence
- "We're The Chipmunks"
- "Tutti Frutti"
- "Back to School" [citation needed]
- This TV special was directed by Arlando Smith, and executive produced by Joseph Maurer, written by Steven Kunes, with music composed by Misha Segal.
- Goof: Oddly, though she's the voice of Theodore, Janice Karman isn't credited in the special thanks, yet Ross Bagdasarian Jr. is.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Merely putting SOA into your proposal or as a stated capability is no longer going to be a "deal clincher" or a key "business differentiator". The counterview I hear practitioners in SOA will say is that SOA is not just the standardized service practices but is also how the services can be identified that are differentiating. But that's the rub. If SOA treats every requirement or design as a service problem, where is the difference?
The Cloud "Through a Glass, Darkly"
The ability to transform business is the most exciting feature of the Cloud phenomenon, but users currently see it "through a glass darkly," and perhaps with a measure of faith and hope. More needs to be done to develop understanding of the business impact of Cloud Computing, and we should focus on this, as well as on the technical possibilities.
Exploring Synergies between TOGAF® and Frameworx
A new technical report and a Quick Reference Guide exploring the synergies and identifying integration points between Frameworx and TOGAF® has been published by The Open Group and TM Forum.
Cloud impact on platforms and applications – a perspective on architecture
When Cloud reaches its fully adopted level, it will influence application architectures by driving them to be more componentized and service-oriented to support agility, commoditization and choice.
TOGAF® Camp London: a free unconference where rules are made to be broken
At The Open Group's TOGAF® Camps, I enjoy watching people really delve into topics such as these, and get excited about sharing their own experiences and learn from others'. It's rewarding to know that people take away new or refined ideas from these sessions that they will apply to their own enterprises.
The Open Group Conference, London: An open environment for challenging times
As the IT media is dominated by stories on Cloud and cyber-security, it will be refreshing to debate these in an open environment at The Open Group Conference, London, and discuss the many challenges we all face in navigating an increasingly complex IT world. I'd love to hear your views on the type of questions you'd like answered and any particular issues you feel passionate about.


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Smart and stylish "I shine" wall lamp in metal and with mat finish, decorative fabric cord and adjustable top for directional light. The trendy colour choice makes this product perfect for both children and adults.
The wall lamp kan also function as a beautiful and colourful reading lamp in the living room.


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2 chicken breasts
¼ cup taco seasoning
½ cup cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces Cabot Pepper Jack, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 cups salsa
To see how to make this recipe, visit Little Leopard Book.
Photo courtesy of Whitney Bond .
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'Cause other people to want to learn,' Hampton U grads told
Free Press wire reports | 5/20/2017, 7:21 a.m.
Love learning, help others and do your best.
That was the advice that NASA pioneer Katherine G. Johnson offered Sunday to the 917 people awarded undergraduate and graduate degrees at Hampton University's 147th commencement.
Mrs. Johnson is the retired NASA Langley mathematician who was a key to the nation's early success in manned space flights and gained national prominence through the movie "Hidden Figures."
The 98-year-old West Virginia native who now lives in a retirement community in Newport News was on stage at the commencement, but delivered her remarks in a video recording.
"You will do better if you cause other people to want to learn. And you will do better if you at all times want to learn, want to teach, want to help," she told the audience at Armstrong Stadium on campus.
"You've got it made graduating from Hampton," she continued. "People already know that you know a lot of information, and you will use it and use it well, because they know that you picked good information to pass along."
Hampton University President William R. Harvey noted Mrs. Johnson's calculations to send a man into orbit and her Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded in November 2015 by President Obama. He added to her list of awards by bestowing her with an honorary doctorate of science from the university, which was founded in 1868 and held its first graduation in 1871.
Mrs. Johnson's husband, retired Lt. Col. James A. Johnson, her three daughters and three of her six grandchildren all are Hampton University graduates.
Dr. Harvey also awarded two outstanding alumnus-at-large awards to HU graduates who have impacted the world. The recipients were John B. Spencer, an HU professor emeritus who was chair of the university's Department of Architecture for 25 years, and Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams, acting U.S. surgeon general and a former officer in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
"There is a job for you, graduating Class of 2017, in every single occupation known to man," Dr. Harvey told the graduates. "Look at the dais. Look at Mrs. Johnson. Look at the surgeon general. It is your responsibility to make something happen. Nobody's going to give you anything. You make it happen."
In her talk, valedictorian J'niyah Knox-Wilson of Hampton directed her classmates to change the world.
"Across the globe, there are humans whose lives are afflicted by some oppressive types of 'isms,' whether it is sexism, racism, classism, colorism or even ageism," Ms. Knox-Wilson said. "Although those fights are a part of our journey ahead and will be formidable challenges to our progress, I know we can win those fights.
"Do you know how I know? I know because we are resilient, we are purposeful, we are Hamptonians."


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On 12 July, Mithali Raj etched her name in history books after becoming the leading run-scorer in women's One-Day International (ODI) cricket. She will now be remembered as the first-ever woman to break the barrier of 6,000 runs in ODI cricket.
Starting from 7th February this year, Mithali hit seven consecutive half-centuries - a streak that eventually came to an end when she fell for 46 runs against West Indies in Taunton. Apart from this, she has also notched up the maximum number of fifties by any woman cricketer in the 50-over format.
Those with even an iota of knowledge about cricket would surely regard Mithali as one of the legends of the game. And, you'd think there's probably nothing left for the Indian batswoman to prove, right? Wrong.
© Reuters
For a 19-year-old girl who emerged to be one of India's most capable batswoman with a staggering 214 against England in 2002 and later became a vital cog in her team's batting line-up, Mithali, 34 now, is still answering sexist queries from callous journalists with a straight bat.
During a dinner and media interaction on the eve of the ICC Women's World Cup, Mithali responded tersely when asked who her favourite male cricketer between India and Pakistan was. "Do you ask the same question to a male cricketer? Do you ask them who their favourite female cricketer is?" was her retort.
The Indian captain isn't the only one from her country who's currently ruling the ODI charts. Mithali's teammate Jhulan Goswami, another seasoned campaigner, is the highest wicket-taker in the history of 50-over format with 189 scalps in 160 ODIs to her name. Despite that, women's cricketers continue to struggle for recognition and media attention.
It's not that only a handful of experienced players are doing the job for the team, the young guns, too, seem to have followed their suit. The rise of young Smriti Mandhana at the top of Indian batting order evoked a strong response from the cricket fraternity. But, while only a handful lauded her in the right spirit, others were either comparing her to former greats of the men's category, or labelling her the new 'national crush' after Bollywood actress Disha Patani.
Right NoW— Troll Master (@imTrollmaster) July 2, 2017
India NeW 😍😍Crush😍😍
Smriti Mandhana ❤#INDvPAK #PakvInd #INDWvPAKW #ICCWomensWorldCup @mandhana_smriti pic.twitter.com/6iyWi4nteV
The women's team is generally not on the media's radar unless they are playing in top ICC tournaments like the ongoing World Cup. And, even if they do, it's often the failure of the men's team to live up to the expectations in a particular series that unfortunately compels the media to shift their focus on the women's side.
Similar was the case with the Indian women's emphatic win over Pakistan recently. While the men in blue were stunned by the Sarfraz Ahmed-led side in the ICC Champions Trophy final, the victory of the Indian women's team over Pakistan was celebrated and compared with the downfall of the Indian men in the summit clash.
The men's match between #INDvWI looking so pale in comparison to our girls sensational victory against Pakistan. Proud of our girls#INDvPAK— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 2, 2017
The Indian women's team had won four consecutive matches in the league stage including the rout of Pakistan. Still, the women seldom make it to the front pages. Is there an implicit gender bias at work? Well, the fact that the last match India played against a formidable South Africa wasn't even televised makes the case stronger.
© Reuters
Well, in all fairness, the media is not the only one to blame here. After all, they are only catering to the trends and needs of the masses. It's actually the people, including fans, who need to change their mindset and start accepting these women's cricketers who they truly are - athletes whose hard-work and perseverance is no less than their male counterparts.
To some extent, the popular figures - in and outside cricket - are also responsible in shaping up the minds of the masses. When they don't react or as simple as acknowledge the achievements of women's cricketers, it somehow allows their fans to believe that it's probably okay not to recognise or react to what unfolds in the less popular arena of cricket.
In a more bizarre, yet important, case; Virat Kohli was probably trying to break that monotony when he decided to congratulate Mithali for her astronomical achievement. While the intentions of the Indian captain were probably good, the fact that he still failed to figure out what Mithali looks like, is just sad.
In Facebook post, that was taken down almost immediately, Kohli called Mithali's achievement of becoming the leading ODI run-getter a milestone in cricketing history. But, the 28-year-old, rather than using Mithali's photo, ended up posting a picture of her teammate Punam Raut.
While Kohli is facing a lot of backlash for his sheer ignorance, his faux pas has once again brought the long-standing question to the fore - what more must the women cricketers do to earn respect and recognition in the country?
And, while everyone's busy giving their own opinion on the matter, Kohli's goof-up highlights the bitter truth – what it must feel like to be a woman playing the gentleman's game.
Photo: © BCCL, Twitter (Main Image)
Welcome To MensXP


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This week young people from Youth Fed & NCS painted the planters in Hype Vibrant Park inspired by my mural. This really brightened my week! Follow Hype on Instagram: @hypemerseyside
Archive | Charlie Weatherstone
Hype Merseyside
I've uploaded a new project to Paintings and Walls, view it here.
Savera UK
I was recently commissioned by Savera UK to create a set of limited edition hand-illustrated plates and prints for their annual conference for National Memorial Day. Savera UK operates across the United Kingdom to provide services to individuals from Black Minority Ethnic communities who are at risk of domestic abuse. More pics here.
Hype Merseyside Mural
Just a quick post. I spent this weekend starting a mural for the brilliant Hype Merseyside. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be working on the mural and also working with a school in Birkenhead. I was lucky enough to have a huge tree sheltering me from the blazing sun! I managed an 11 mile […]
Research as Art Comp
I submitted my Art Installation called IRIS into Swansea University's Research as Art competition awards. I won the external / national award! A panel of senior figures from the Royal Institution, Nature and Research Fortnight magazine made the choices from nearly a hundred entries this year. I travelled to Swansea to attend the awards event, […]
Glass detail
A detail pic of the beautiful glass created for the Grow Speke project. The glass clusters (made by Definitive 1) have been set in some of the cut of shapes in the cor-ten gates. More here.
Trail running in Yorkshire
Quick post. Over the weekend I went off to Yorkshire to run with the fab Due North. I have taken part in 3 of their events now, and enjoyed each one thoroughly. Although I had a terrible cold and slight strain in my hip I ran the stunning 14 mile route, starting in Grassington and […]
I've recently been working on a sans serif corporate typeface for a logistics company (whilst at Nonconform). A lot of the characters have been built from scratch, but I used Avant Garde Gothic as a base. I've created Book, Book Oblique, Bold & Bold Oblique weights. (Click on the image.)
LIPA Workshops
Today I did a series of illustration workshops with first year LIPA students. The students experimented with different drawing techniques and also explored characters and costume design.
Gates progress
I've been working on x2 sets of gates for the Grow Speke community garden. They are now installed, but not quite finished! I had brightly coloured glass discs made by the brilliant Definitive 1 that will be welded to the gates over the next week or so. They glass is in 4 colours representing the […]


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Jane trained as a printmaker but always had a love of textiles and pottery. She worked as a potter in Denmark and refound pots after having a family. Her work is all done in a shed in her Devon garden.
She loves making functional pieces which will give people pleasure day after day and become part of the family. She specialises in decoration and is inspired by everything around her as well as the infinite possibilities of vintage textiles. She also enjoys the quiet challenge of throwing the perfect bowl!
Cycling postman and polyglot, John is an unlikely knitting expert!
He has, however, got decades of knitting experience, and designs and knits our fabulous fingerless gloves. He also enjoys having the odd random challenge thrown at him, so watch this space for further beautiful knitted items using the softest most beautifully coloured wool and alpaca we've seen.
Jolene has decades of experience as a jeweller behind her and produces our beautiful and ethereal pendants and bangles, the petal and oro. She works mainly in cast silver with etching and melting which produces work with a lovely textural finish and a strong organic feel. She is inspired by ancient worlds and civilizations which collide with modern times and nature.
If you are a maker with fantastic quality products you think would work on our website, we'd love to hear from you here: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Years ago I sat in antique Westport chairs. My dream of owning a set has now come true thanks to you. Spectacular quality and design, easy to assemble and fit right in with our SoCal Craftsman bungalow. Thank you both!
"The chairs look spectacular in our yard!"
"Thank you!"
"Fully finished, not in the garden just yet but on my back deck, they look wonderful. I'll send a few photos soon.
Much thanks, once again. So much mindful, brilliant design work in terms of where screws are placed, not only for reasons of strength but complete invisibility. Genius work!"
"Just wanted to follow up again. I finally got around to putting all the chairs together and they are just stunning! The craftsmanship really shines. Putting them together was no issue at all and the directions were so clear. Thanks again!"
"Congrats on your work (and your packaging). Best wishes for continued success from a contented customer."
"Wow! Wow! Wow! How cool!
Thank you ever so much!"
"Thank you, Lindsay, for your inspiration, persistence, and patience with us in developing this new Mid-century Modern Style Adirondack chair for Jardinique."
Sandy & Ian, Jardinique
"I am just writing to tell you that the chairs look terrific and your handling of my order was excellent. Thank you so much."
"Our chairs! We sat in them this morning for breakfast, then lunch, and shortly dinner! Thanks again, Sandy."
We absolutely love our chairs.
"Good design and craftsmanship raise our sense of well-being even if we're not particularly aware of it. Everyone, regardless of architectural sensitivity or not, can appreciate the craftsmanship and design of your furniture because it is built by passionate people. People walk out on our deck or dock and they just go over and sit down.
We enjoy our cottage so much and we think each and every piece of your furniture enhances our environment in a really meaningful way and I just wanted you to know how much my family enjoys it."
"We are very happy with our chairs and the colours. Thanks again for such very good service."
"They are here! (picture above) Assembly was indeed easy. We are very happy with our Canadian chairs."
"They look great! I might put an order in for two more soon."
"I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful Lodge Chairs – we are really enjoying them."
We received the chairs yesterday and we assembled them. We love them!! The Westport chairs are sturdy, stylish and unique. They were so comfortable that we relaxed in them for hours. They came very carefully packaged and assembling them was easier than we anticipated. We love our new chairs and would highly recommend them to anyone!
"You do beautiful work and provide terrific customer service. Thank you, we love our chairs!"
"They look great!
It was a pleasure meeting you both"
Spotted on the Internet
Promotion on their Home Page.
Sonoma Coast Hotel | Timber Cove | Jenner, California
"We love, love, love our new 'juicy' lodge chairs. I don't even have to sit in them to enjoy them – I just look out the window, from anywhere in our main room, and I can't help smiling.
Even on the dullest, rainiest day, they glow. Thanks so much for making great chairs!!!"
"The chairs are together, stained, and in service. They are incredibly comfortable, we are very happy with them. Thanks!"
"Thanks from the MacIntoshes! The chairs went together like a dream. The directions were clear and parts very well crafted. This is my son Will enjoying the first one."
"We are enjoying the chairs – very comfortable. Great for reading the morning paper with my coffee."
"We really love the chairs and admire your craftspersonship in all respects, including the method and care in shipping."
"We are enjoying our chairs in the glorious fall weather."
"We are enjoying our new chairs and they have certainly been catching the eyes of beach walkers and of course our cottage guests."
Dear Sandy and Ian,
Thanks! We had houseguests and their guests this week– and all actually got up to the new chairs, even did some sitting! Lovely.
The chairs are front and center at the current post on our new garden blog, now public at jackanddavidsgarden.blogspot.ca
Hope all's well with you and that your early summer weather is as beautiful as ours is currently.
"Our garden chairs look so great on our dock, and we get a lot of compliments. In fact, we are enjoying them so much that we'd like to order two more to complete a set of eight."


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Conditions for refugees seeking asylum in Europe descended to new depths this week, as residents of a Greek refugee camp launched a hunger strike to protest inhumane living conditions, the United Nations warned Greece to stop imprisoning refugee children in police cells, and deported Syrian refugees said they were being illegally detained in Turkey and stripped of their rights.
"I'm forcing my children to eat because I don't have any money to buy anything, but they refuse because there are bugs in it."
—a Syrian mother deported and detained in TurkeyIndeed, Syrians recently deported to Turkey from Greece under the terms of the controversial EU/Turkey deal told the Guardian on Monday that they were "detained in a remote camp for the past three weeks with no access to lawyers," meaning they have been unable to apply for asylum in Europe.
Such reports "undermine the legitimacy" of the deal, the Guardian notes, as the deal is predicated on Turkey being a "safe third country" to which asylum seekers may be sent under international law.
"The returnees have warned that those following in their wake face arbitrary detention, an inscrutable asylum process, and substandard living conditions," the newspaper wrote.
"You can't imagine how bad a situation we are in right now," said one Syrian mother detained with her children in Turkey to the Guardian. "My children and I are suffering, the food is not edible. I'm forcing my children to eat because I don't have any money to buy anything, but they refuse because there are bugs in it."
"One of the hundreds of other Syrian refugees also detained at [the same detention center] said that he had been held since 10 February after being seized from his home," the Guardian reported. "He said he was still unsure of why he was detained, or when he would be released, and doubted any inmate would be freed soon."
Unaccompanied minors are also being detained without cause or explanation in Greece, according to the United Nations.
"The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, François Crepeau, said he had met unaccompanied children held in police stations for more than two weeks without access to the outdoors, and 'traumatized and distressed' by the experience," reported Reuters.
An "estimated 2,000 unaccompanied children who traveled alone to Europe or lost their families on the way are stranded in Greece," according to the charity Save the Children.
Children "are put in ... protective custody and the only place there is space [for them] is the cell in police stations and that's where we find them quite often," Crepeau said. "Spending 16 days [in a police cell] is way too long."
Meanwhile, in the Schisto refugee camp in Greece, residents have entered the second day of a mass hunger strike.
"No food, no water, please open the border," reads an appeal written on a piece of cardboard.
"Those certain individuals who [have] money, they cross all borders," reads the refugees' statement to EU and UN officials, which was written out on a sheet and hung from a windowsill, yet "we are all humans." The statement describes camp conditions as "like prison" and says that "all women, children, and men are sick."
"Please free us," the refugees plead.
"This is not the first hunger strike to have taken place in refugee camps in Greece this year," reports leftist Greek magazine AnalyzeGreece. "Just last week, refugees in Elliniko went on hunger strike, complaining about the detention conditions, while hunger strikes have also taken place in Eidomeni (March 2016) and in the VIAL detention camp in Chios."
Humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) lays the blame for the ever-worsening situation on the EU/Turkey deal, in an excoriating condemnation published Monday in the Huffington Post.
MSF describes the frightening ramifications of the deal's treatment of human beings as bartering chips:
While the concept of outsourcing migration management is sadly not new, this is the most organized and collective attempt so far to pursue the cruel logic of pushing people back instead of taking them in. Europe is sending a troubling signal to the rest of the world: countries can buy their way out of providing asylum.
If replicated by many nations worldwide, the concept of refugee will cease to exist. People will be trapped in war zones unable to flee for their lives, with no choice but to stay and die. The recent bombing of a camp hosting displaced people near Idlib that killed at least 28 people shows that the concept of "safe spaces" in Syria is not viable.
Through this deal, EU leaders have made a choice that should raise serious questions for the citizens of affluent Europe. In 2016 who still counts as human? Whose lives matter? What happened to empathy? And where has solidarity gone when faced with the anguish and despair of those whose lives have been shattered?
The organization writes that it is ambivalent about continuing to provide humanitarian aid to refugees in Europe under such conditions.
"Unsatisfied with deterrence measures like their layers of razor wire, their sniffer dogs and their construction of ever higher walls, European leaders have resorted to now abusing humanitarian and development aid as a tool for border control," MSF writes.
"Europe is proffering billions of euros to implement this deal, hanging a dilemma over the heads of the humanitarian community," says the group. "Should aid agencies provide desperately needed aid in service of an anti-humanitarian policy that has the ultimate goal of keeping people away from European soil?"
In an open letter released Thursday, MSF appealed to Europe to recall the world's last refugee crisis, when it was Europeans who were the ones sent scattered around the world seeking refuge from war: "Is World War II so long ago that you no longer recall the basic human need to flee from violence and persecution when left with no other choice?"


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The topic of #mufuchat this week is interesting as I have a (nearly) 5, 7 and 11 year old of my own. But I plan to make them the subject of my next blog. This one is to log some thoughts about this question based on some experiences I have had in my classroom in the last few years. You see I'm worried there's a danger in making too many assumptions about what a musical child looks like (or can/should be able to do) at certain ages. I realise this is not the aim at forthcoming discussions about this, but it is something that seems to happen an awful lot in our schools. In our current practice, do we make sure that every child has the opportunity to show themselves musically before too much 'scaffolding' is put in place? If not are we in danger of limiting the creativity by limiting tasks because we assume they 'can't' and not that they 'can'?
What became clear was that the established school music programme underestimated the pupils' capabilities. This was chiefly the result of disregarding the pupils' well-developed processes of musical enculturation.
In John Finney's recent blog 'In Praise of Systematic Enquiry' he describes the outcome of research into 'planned' informal learning with younger children by Leslie Linton in Canada. The quote from the blog that really stood out for me describes something I have seen so many times in my classroom and when I have been working with younger children in our feeder primary schools, so I wanted to reflect on this before moving onto thinking about the answer to the question in the title of this post.
My first example is based on my experiences in my Community Music role at school. When I started out with our Community Music work, I was asked to go into local primary schools and 'do some music' with the children. Having had no experience at all in creating music with younger children, I went with what I knew from my secondary Musical Futures work and 4 6th form Music Leaders to help me out. Teachers had told me about the topics they were doing for that term and I used various workshopping methods to create a piece of music in the 45 minutes I had that had been inspired by the topic. On bonfire night with year 2, we used their names and voices to create music to imitate the sounds of fireworks. In Year 6 we thought about how we might feel if we were caught in an air raid in the 2nd World War and then created music from motifs they composed to represent these feelings. We added lyrics, organised riffs into verse and chorus and suddenly we had the basis for a bigger piece of music. This idea led to a project with Youth Sport Trust as part of London 2012 where students wrote songs inspired by the Olympics, performed and recorded them. Click HERE to have a listen and see the lesson resources HERE
The point is, I had no preconceived ideas of what these children had done before, I didn't know what they might be able to do. Going with no preconceptions meant I didn't under or over estimate the capabilities of the children, rather I had to respond to and work with what I found when I got there. Mostly I used my musicality and experience to mould and shape their ideas with them to create a unique piece of music using instruments we found lying around in the music cupboard. It was terrifying, but I learned so much.
The impact on our year 7 curriculum as a result of this experience was profound. I realised that we had made many dangerous assumptions about what our students had experienced before, falling foul of the usual 'we are specialists we know best' assumption prevalent in the secondary music department. But more importantly we had not taken into account the vast wealth of musical knowledge and understanding that the students brought with them from their own 'enculturation', that exploration of music that takes place outside formal education via their own personal listening choices, music around them in the home, YouTube and TV. We threw out our Musical Elements unit, Keyboard unit, sing a song with a backing track unit etc. in favour of a much more musical experience from the very start. Gone was the "year 7 don't do practical" mentality that had crept in during my maternity leave. Instead what went were the desks, worksheets and exercise books.
Since then I have gradually reduced the amount of structure I have given students in creative tasks. It's not been an easy decision, I've blogged about it before when I've felt that I'm perhaps letting them down by not 'teaching' them more. But gradually I'm trying to find a balance by looking more carefully at how I feedback to students during their practical work, how I can ensure a balance between musics from a range of genres and not just get stuck in their comfort zones and trying to integrate notation and theory in a way that supports the musical learning rather than interrupts it.
My second example is from a recent project with Y7. I have shared this before but I'm still not clear about the implications of it. In this example, 2 teachers approach the same task in a different way. One approach results in a better outcome: the performance is polished, the structure clear, the students play confidently. The second has a rougher final outcome, musical ideas are more haphazardly thrown together. So on the surface, it would seem that approach 1 was the more successful. Indeed the song I've used in the example won the overall competition. But a closer look at the musical learning journey of each raises some questions for me about creativity, challenge and musical learning itself.
The task: The class compose and perform a song in class which becomes their entry for the House Music Competition
Time scale: approx. 10×1 hour lessons
Approach 1:
a) The teacher identifies the chord sequence to be used-in this case it's the '4 chord' progression I, V, VI, IV in C major. The most able students learn to play this on keyboard, bass, drums and guitar (many of these can already play these instruments having learned them outside the classroom).
b) The teacher gives the class 5 notes and asks them to compose a riff on keyboards. Students go off in groups and the class choose their favourite to form the basis of the song and add this to the backing.
c) One group goes off and makes up some lyrics. With help from the teacher, these are fitted into verse/chorus structure and added to the song.
Have a listen, pretty good for Y7? And they play with no conductor as one big ensemble!
Approach 2
a) The class workshopped some ideas. These started with rhythmic improvisation then a groove was built, one in a minor key, one in a major. The class choose the chords from a selection offered by the teacher (based on how simple they were to play on available instruments as they needed to be able to pick up an instrument ant jon the groove quickly!)
b) After preparing ideas at home, the class split into groups, using one of the grooves, they composed an 'idea'. This could be a chord sequence, melody, lyrics or instrumental.
c) At home, students listened back and decided which they would like to form the intro/verse/chorus of the piece. In the lesson, those that composed the chosen sections taught them to a larger group
d) At home students wrote lyrics and had a go at adding them to the recorded tracks. With support from the teacher, the sections were put together and students thought about how best to link them together.
Everything was open source and a learning log was updated weekly so students were able to contribute ideas outside the lesson which the teacher then built into the piece or discussed as part of the lesson.
Because the music was complex, the students played as a large ensemble watching the teacher conduct. They rehearsed for many weeks deciding as a class what needed to be changed to make it better.
It's not perfect. The sections are all quite different and the timing isn't always spot on. Some students are playing on ipads rather than instruments. The teacher is conducting.
Some questions:
1. In which approach do they learn more musical 'concepts'?
2. In each approach who as done the most composing? Teacher or Students?
3. Which song should have won the competition? Why?
As this year has gone on, I have let go more than ever before. I've adopted a 'no limits' policy and this includes during the setting up of the task as well as during the process. I give them a task but I don't limit the chords/instruments/notes etc. I've accepted that outcomes may not reflect the quality of the journey and I've had to look long and hard at my own role and how I can ensure I tick all my own musical boxes (taking aside the box ticking inflicted on me by others).
How would it be if we adopted a 'no limits' approach to the question about what a musical child looks like at ages 5, 7, 11, 14? Would it change anything or do we NEED to be more prescriptive about the learning of musical concepts, devices, theory and notation etc? How would it be if as secondary teachers we could be confident that all students had had a consistent experience in primary school and that all had covered the same content in primary schools so we all knew where to start in Y 7 to build on them? Now that could change everything…..


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You gotta be kidding me - I don't know if I should laugh, cry, throw an epp, or???BA
Was the New Year's Resolution for every donkey in San Diego County to become a La Jolla surfer?
I was thinking that maybe, because I've put a billion photos up, that it was all my fault, but then, on second thought, as egocentric as I am, I ain't that much of a driving force.
I've watched surf spots between Black's and South Bird go from when it was rare to see more than 3 or 4 surfers in the water at the key spots, to now, when it's rare to see fewer than 25 people out at second tier spots at 6:00 AM
Oh well, the barn door's wide open, the donks and turkeys are free ranging it.
Finally gone thru today's Animal Follies Photos - What other sport can you mix a brew of expert participants, barney participants, and throw 'em into one lump?
AND then, of all things, have a swimmer and his personal photo eddie in a board surfing line-up?
By the way, we got kicked out of Boomer, North and South, in the early 60's - no boards allowed - ouch!BarnYard Photos 1
BarneyLand Photos 2
MoonDonkey Photos 3
I have friends who quit surfing in the early 60's 'cause the Gidget and Moon Donkey became popular.
I have even more friends who quit surfing in the early 70's because every barney in the world became tethered to their board.
I'm getting a couple of new boards next week, it can't get better for me - we may have lost a few battles the past few weeks - but the war goes on.
It looks like we are gonna have a few days of rain - polluted water - stay home - be safe -
For you, all my little barnyard friends,
I will become your Hep C magnet, I will sacrifice my health so you may surf another day.
Stay home - stay well - be safe - if you're over 18, get your tribal band tattoos updated, have a few kids, and if you're over 21, drink gallons of booze, often.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
La Jolla's Animal Farm - Part One
BA's Notes -
Posted by Bill Andrews at 6:42 PM


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This week I tried on every pair of jeans that I own, which taught me three things. The first, that apparently I buy two of everything, not just jumpers, the second, that jean sizing is completely mad and third, that I might want to consider laying off the Maltesers Buttons this month.
I have two pairs of Topshop Jamie Jeans, same size, same colour, completely different fit. I have two pairs of Next Mid Rise Skinny Jeans, same size, same colour, yet only one pair is tight in the ankle. Not sure what to do with this information. It's a puzzler.
Have rediscovered my Topshop Mom Jeans which I love, for about four hours. The fit is great, flattering, comfortable, but they go baggy at the knees. Damn you 8% elastane.
Next week we are going to Centreparcs, so expect the outfits to be thrilling. What does one wear to Centreparcs? Other than a swimming costume? And if you think I'm going to put a photo of myself in a swimming costume on the Internet you would be spot on because I have found the perfect swimsuit and have written a post about it. Stay tuned and lower your expectations for that visual delight.
Here's what I wore this week…
Autograph Pure Cashmere Round Neck Jumper in Black | M&S | here
Indigo Jamie Jeans | Topshop | here
Belt | vintage
Poppy Dress | gift
Ribbed Boxy Funnel Neck Jumper in Camel | Warehouse | here
Indigo Jamie Jeans | Topshop | here
Belt | vintage
Cream Ribbed Polo Neck Jumper | H&M | here
Mom Jeans | Topshop | similar here
Blue Jumper | M&S | old
Mid Rise Skinny Jeans | Next | here
Belt | vintage
Grey Knit Jumper | H&M | out of stock
Mom Jeans | Topshop | similar here
Til next time,


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Day 1 – the 19th of february 2003
Nice flight with BA from London – San Paulo (stopover) – Rio. They have those built in TV screens so U can pick between 5/6 films at any one time. (5666 miles from London – San Paulo). Took the 5.40pm flight from Dublin to London Heathrow. Arrived 7.00pm to T1. This airport is far too big, but got from T1 to T4 (international departures) in 20 minutes. My flight did not go until 20.50.
Arrived in Rio about 3 hours – ago – arrived local time 8.00am after 1 hr stopover in San Paulo and hostel/hotel at 9.00am. Avoided the touts and grabbed a passing yellow taxi. (26 R from Airport – to Cobba). Walked down to the beach area around 10.00am as I never sleep after early arrivals cos of potential jet lag. Adapt to the country time ASAP.. I am still hearing all the warnings about petty theft in my mind along this area, so I was over careful on Day 1, which is a pity. Everyone was a potential thief.
In the afternoon, I calmed down and walked around to get my bearings. I started to enjoy the city/people without holding onto my wallet and bag with purpose. Still, beacuse I am not a beach person, I don´t think I shall be setting foot – not too clean for swimming in case. Very unusual to see evrone from 8 to 80 walking around in Speddos and bikinis. Very surreal. Still, cobba is only a small part of Rio – Went into cento in the afternoon for something to eat. A business area.
Day 2 – the 20th of February
Got up at 8.30. Felt a bit more confident and took the bus (518) to the Cog Train in order to get to the Christ the Redemmer Statue.
Just thought I should have taken a stitch panoramic shot of the statue. Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer and Cog train). Cog trains run daily from 8.30 – 6pm, every 30 minutes Station: Rua Cosme Velho, 513, Cosme Velho, Tel: (21) 2558 1329, Website:
Ticket price: 24 reals each (return). Met a Tom Ryan and his friend from Ireland who are also taking a year out in S. America. I was wearing a Cork GAA jersey, so I was easy to pick out. Good luck with your travel lads. We might cross paths again.


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From the editorial page
As Egypt moves toward a vote on its draft constitution, the turmoil there deepens.
Caps on federal income tax deductions would be bad news for New York, New Jersey, and other states that rely on their own income taxes for revenue.
The Senate decides to protect women's rights by approving the National Defense Authorization Act.


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I doubt it was an accident that a anonymized spreadsheet with hire dates and the ages of separated employees was included with the layoff paperwork you had to sign.
Time Capsule: Cerner Layoffs In Review: Why Marching People Out Makes Sense, But Sickouts Don't
I wrote weekly editorials for a boutique industry newsletter for several years, anxious for both audience and income. I learned a lot about coming up with ideas for the weekly grind, trying to be simultaneously opinionated and entertaining in a few hundred words, and not sleeping much because I was working all the time. They're fun to read as a look back at what was important then (and often still important now).
I wrote this piece in January 2008.
Cerner Layoffs In Review: Why Marching People Out Makes Sense, But Sickouts Don't
By Mr. HIStalk
Cerner laid off a bunch of people last week. Since I'm a typical 401K investor (not in Cerner stock) but also a wage slave, I can't decide whether I'm a bourgeois capitalist pig or an oppressed member of the unpropertied proletariat. So, I'm waffling on how I feel about it.
It was only 97 people out of 7,800 employees worldwide (sorry, "associates" as Cerner calls them, although that feel-good term rings a bit hollow after hearing them admit to canning a bunch). That's just over one percent of the workforce, probably a few weeks' worth of resignations. Rumors put the real number much higher, and I believe them since I'm a conspiracy theorist when it comes to big corporations.
On the other hand, Cerner came clean by announcing it voluntarily. Antsy investors smelling "growth slowdown" leapt from their Google Alerts to their online brokerage accounts to dump the stock, sending share prices down eight percent. It wasn't quite as bad as the aftermath of Neal Patterson's infamous "tick, tock" e-mail of 2001, which dropped CERN nearly 25 percent, but was the opposite reaction than you might have expected given that shareholders usually love cost-cutting announcements.
Here are the gripes I've heard from current and former associates:
- Cerner marched the former employees out after giving them news. Of course they did, and rightly so. How many workplace killings involve separated employees who seemed normal until they cracked? There's no way to forcefully end the employer-employee relationship that doesn't involve loss of dignity. March them out while they're still in the first stage (denial) before they hit the second (anger). It's cold, but responsible.
- Cerner targeted management and older workers. Layoffs are about bang for the buck, which means going after expensive and often marginally value-adding middle management. Lots of those folks are mid- to late-career. Voluntary demotions take too much time and energy. It's easier to cut the cord. Cerner is smart enough to have had HR test the list to make sure federal discrimination laws weren't broken.
- The Chief People Officer betrayed employees. Only the hopelessly naïve would mistake an HR person to be an employee advocate. Cerner is guilty of using the trendy, stupid, and overly chummy Chief People Officer title that may have misled some slow learners, but make no mistake: the CPO is a top-ranking company executive, not a friend of the working man or woman. Workers, by definition, are oppressed to some degree.
- Management kept people who were well-connected, including obvious incompetents, while marching out good employees. Painting targets on backs is an inexact science. Managers are told how many casualties to create and then quickly make a list. Fairness isn't guaranteed, even when it's sought.
- The company was hiring at the same time it was marching people out. Companies want quick contributors, which means hiring for very specific experience (which is probably how most employees got their jobs in the first place). That's sad, but reality. The door revolves.
- Unaffected employees should have a protest sickout to bring Cerner to its senses. That seems rather stupid given that the company just axed a bunch of people. Those paper tigers are just as terrified of losing their Cerner paychecks as those laid off were. An effective protest would be to leave Cerner and go to work for a competitor.
- Clueless VPs who are exactly like Dilbert's point-haired boss are the problem. No news there.
- Customers will rise in protest at the cuts. That's a comforting myth often expressed by those canned as they huddle in awkward and temporary support groups. It never happens, but the thought keeps people sane until they finally realize that they aren't going to be returning to Cerner and should instead look for wonderful opportunities that will make them glad they got axed (which for some strange reason is often exactly what happens.)
Personally, I'm blaming Meditech. They've dominated the industry for 40 years by hiring cheap, obedient new grads and giving them skills with minimal market value elsewhere. More directly related to Cerner, Epic Systems does the same thing. Cerner is getting heavy competition from both, so that strategy appears to be working.
Perhaps Cerner is simply rebalancing its people portfolio to allow it to compete effectively, shooting for some predetermined kids-to-gray-hairs ratio that seems to work elsewhere. As a bourgeois capitalist pig, I don't blame them, as painful as it unfortunately is to those affected.


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Only End Result Matters in End Game
The result is all that matters? Not any more for the Irish. Giovanni Trapattoni has delivered the Republic to a play-off, a 50-50 shoot-out to decide who goes to Euro 2012 next summer. Yet, the manner of that achievement has polarised public opinion on our national team. It is ironic that having instilled a no-lose mentality into the minds of his players, culminating in the win over Armenia. Trapattoni can't convert the Irish public. Only a win will send Ireland to the European Championships. Only a performance, will convince the people that we're worth it.


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There is no better testament to the influence The Challenge Program, Inc. and supporting businesses have on high school students than the success stories of graduated students who have won awards or received recognition from The Challenge Program, Inc. throughout their high school years.
The young adults here applied The Challenge Program, Inc. initiatives to their lives and have agreed to share their stories. Click on each name to read about where they are, now.
Carlee S.
Community Service Award Recipient, 2018
Connellsville Area High School
The Challenge Program motivated me to become a more active member of my community as well as volunteering my available time to those in need.
Since [earning] my first scholarship award from The Challenge Program during my Sophomore year of high school, I have set a goal every year to try and surpass my previous year total amount of volunteered hours.
Alice H.
Academic Excellence Award Recipient, 2018
Cambria Heights High School
This program has showed me to continue to volunteer and has definitely encouraged me to keep working hard in school.
I once thought I was underappreciated for all of the activities and events that I help with, but being recognized by The Challenge Program has surely proved me wrong.
I am continuing to volunteer in my community and study hard in school.
Jenna K.
Community Service Award Recipient, 2018
Butler Senior High School
The Challenge Program, Inc. made me realize how important community service is and that you will be recognized for the work that you do.
I will be attending Slippery Rock University for biology specialized in pre-medicine. I plan on continuing to give back tot he community as I work towards my degree.
Kendal M.
STEM Award Recipient, 2018
Connellsville Area High School
The Challenge Program, Inc. helped encourage me to take more advanced and challenging classes in STEM subjects. Taking these classes has helped me realize bigger things like future career goals for myself. With The Challenge Program, Inc., I may have never taken these classes in hopes of receiving [an award] thus I could still be in the dark about my plans for after high school.
Currently, I am taking more STEM classes than I did the previous year, and I am continuing to push myself. Receiving [an award] has been the boost forward I needed to make myself a better student every day. Now with this boost, I am working to the best of my abilities to achieve academic excellence and excel in STEM programs.
Noah B
Academic Improvement Recipient, 2018
Indiana County Technology Center, Senior
The Challenge Program motivated me to work harder in school and put forth my best efforts.
I have been offered a full-time position as a machinist at Advanced Carbide Grinding as soon as I graduate high school. With the skills that I learned, it has prepared me to start my career in machining.
Alex K.
Community Service Recipient, 2017
Central Cambria High School
The Challenge Program made me realize that doing a little bit in something that I would normally not do, still has dividends in life. Once I realized that I started becoming more involved throughout my school and community. Finally, The Challenge Program has helped me fulfill my life long goal of "doing more than the next guy."
Cecilia K.
Community Service, Recipient 2017
Purchase Line High School
The Challenge Program, Inc. helped me recognize that helping the community can make a difference!
Cecilia is working towards starting her own online bookstore.
Ashlyn D.
Academic Excellence Recipient, 2017
Penn Cambria High School
The Challenge Program motivated me to try my absolute best in every single class. As I continue through my junior year of high school, I am striving for excellence in everything I do in school and out. Throughout my senior year I will contninue to achieve academic excellence and I will strive for perfect GPA and to graduate top 5 in my class.
Leanna Fordick
Academic Excellence, 2014
Portage Area High School
Accounting Major
Leanna earned both her awards as a senior at Portage Area High School in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Since then, she has included these awards on her resume. Perspective employers have congratulated her at every interview. She has even interned for business sponsors of The Challenge Program, Inc. , such as 1st Summit Bank and most recently with Carpenter Financial Services.
She is graduating in April 2018 and has a job waiting for her with Kline Kimlin, a Johnstown, PA based CPA firm. Leanna's future goal is to become a certified public accountant.
Leanna has also offered to volunteer for The Challenge Program, Inc. as a Young Professional.
Garrett Felgar
Connellsville Area Career & Technology Center
Class of 2017
Williams Energy
Williams Energy is the sponsoring business partner for The Challenge Program, Inc. at Connellsville Area CTC in Fayette County, PA. After the kick-off presentation in the fall of 2016, Garrett, a senior, took part in a tour with 7 other students interested in an opportunity to gain an internship with Williams Energy.
Garrett was one of three final recruits for the 8-week internship and on May 15, 2017, he was offered the position. He began at Shamrock Facility where he observed multiple work streams. He has worked with the Maintenance Team and the Compression Team as well as various stations with Operations.
Williams has been so pleased with Garrett that they extended his internship.
In January 2018, Williams made Garrett an offer of employment, to which Garrett has happily accepted.
(Mario Crocetti, an employee of Williams Energy who represented the company during the kick-off presentation, is a 2007 Challenge Program Attendance Award Recipient and highlighted on our Alumni page. )
Cody Manuel
Academic Improvement Recipient, 2017
Moniteau High School
Cody won the Academic Improvement award as a 2017 senior. "It really changed my life and I want to thank The Challenge Program for everything they did for me this year."
Cody purchased a new computer with the help of his $200 financial incentive and is spending his time perfecting his videography skills. His goal to have his own studio and create a feature length film.
Olivia Cortese
Academic Excellence Award Winner
Conemaugh Township High School
Registered Nurse at Wheeling Hospital
Oliva won the Academic Excellence award her sophomore year for having the highest G.P.A. in her class. With her award money, she and her sister (also a former Challenge Program winner) paid it forward by purchasing small gifts to make Christmas gift boxes for the mothers at Mom's House in Johnstown, PA. Olivia recalls that it felt "great" to be able to give back to her community, thanks to her Challenge Program award money.
Olivia became an intern for The Challenge Program, Inc. for two summers during her high school career, leading our student advisory board and a variety of communications projects.
Olivia continued to strive for excellence throughout high school, graduating valedictorian and earning a full scholarship to UPJ. There, she continued her excellent academic record, graduating summa cum laude from the UPJ Nursing Program in April 2015.
Now, Olivia is employed as a full time registered nurse at Wheeling Hospital in Wheeling, WV. She works on a cardiovascular step down unit, with hopes of transferring to the intensive care unit soon. Her ultimate goal is to become a nurse anesthetist.
Mario Crocetti
Attendance Winner – 2007
Connellsville Area High School
Operations Tech at Williams
Mario's path to workforce success started with coming to high school every day, an achievement that earned him TCP's attendance award. Though he went on to major in political science at Saint Vincent College, he soon discovered after graduating that it was difficult to find a job in his field. Mario remembered TCP coming to his school and being introduced to careers in the oil and gas industry, so Mario reached out to Mary Dreliszak, Director of Program Development and Public Relations, for advice. Mary suggested that Mario attend a gas well training program at Steel Center AVTS to prepare him for a career in the energy industry. After completing the program, Mario quickly found a job with Baker Hughes, Inc. in Mount Pleasant. He was then invited to TCP's Natural Gas Appreciation reception, where he caught the attention of his current supervisor at Williams, who offered him a job at the reception. He has been working with Williams as an Operations Tech for the past three years. "Some of the best advice and help in making the most of my education and career has come from TCP," notes Mario.
Tyler Doppelheuer
Community Service Winner – 2007-'09
Academic Excellence Winner – 2007
Connellsville Area High School
Project Management Analyst at BlackTree Healthcare Consulting
Tyler exemplifies TCP's mission of excelling "both in and out of the classroom." In addition to being at the top of his class as a high school sophomore, Tyler spearheaded community service projects with organizations like the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and Special Olympics. For his hard work in school and in the community, Tyler won both TCP's Academic Excellence and Community Service awards. After winning his awards, Tyler became a dedicated advocate for TCP, spreading the program's message and encouraging his fellow students to compete for TCP awards. He studied at Penn State University and now works as a Marketing Manager at Ryland Homes in Philadelphia. This year, Tyler became the first TCP award winner to pay it forward by making a generous contribution in support of the program. His note to staff was short and sweet: "I have been meaning to do this for some time. The program helped me, now it is time to help it."
Matthew Fox
Best GPA Winner, 2007
Waynesburg-Central High School
Facilities Engineer for Rice Energy, Inc.
Matthew won the Best GPA Award (now the Academic Excellence Award) as a sophomore at Waynesburg Central High School. He says that earning the award gave him the confidence to enter the engineering program at Grove City College, a decision that has led him to a successful career in the energy industry. Matthew is currently employed by Rice Energy, Inc. as a Facilities Engineer, where he designs, sizes, and implements all of the company's production facilities to produce Marcellus & Utica wells in three counties. Thanks for helping to fuel our region, Matthew!
Alyse Holliday
Academic Improvement Winner, 2006
Greater Johnstown High School
M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis (Penn State University)
Like many high school students, Alyse needed a little extra push during her high school career to boost her academic performance. She credits TCP for giving her "that extra motivation" to bring her grades up and turn her high school career around. Alyse won TCP's Academic Improvement award and went on to serve as President of TCP's Student Advisory Board. After graduation, she attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, where she decided to pay it forward by establishing a mentor program called Dickinson's Educational Enrichment Program (DEEP). She earned a graduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Penn State University.
Jeffery Huggins
Community Service Award Winner, 2010
Greene County CTC
Shop Mechanic at FirstEnergy
Jeffery won The Challenge Program, Inc.'s Community Service Award in the 2009/2010 school year for his outstanding range of volunteer work in his local community. His list of service work included volunteering as a farm hand, playing piano for his church, helping neighbors with chores and home upkeep, picking up litter, and lending a hand to his neighbors at D&D Auto. Jeffery says helping others is "a real joy." He is still actively donates his time to helping his neighbors and his community.
Jeffery is currently employed as a Shop Mechanic at FirstEnergy and is thankful for his instructors and the SKILLS program at Greene County CTC for preparing him for his job.
Stephen Huggins
Academic Excellence, 2008 & 2009
Greene County CTC
Maintenance Operator at Dynegy, Inc.
Stephen won The Challenge Program, Inc.'s Best GPA Award (now the Academic Excellence Award) during his sophomore and junior years at Greene County CTC. He continued his superior performance in the classroom his senior year, achieving a 4.0 GPA. Of his experience with The Challenge Program, Inc., Stephen writes, "It was a great honor and encouragement to receive these awards."
Stephen now works as a maintenance operator for the Dynegy gas power plant in Masontown, PA. We're grateful for all his work in helping to power our region!
Ethan Keedy
Community Service Winner – 2011
Connellsville Area High School
Co-owner, Keedy's Pizzeria
Connellsville City Council member
Few high school students are as committed to improving their local communities as Ethan Keedy. As a high school sophomore, Ethan volunteered more than 860 hours and was chosen as the recipient of TCP's Community Service award. Instead of spending his award money on himself, Ethan used it to coordinate the first annual Connellsville Walkathon to benefit improvements to the city's East Park. For his exceptional volunteerism, Ethan was also honored as TCP's inaugural Student of the Year. "TCP's Community Service Award was the first award that I received for volunteering and I was humbled that someone noticed that I am trying so hard to make a change in this world," he notes.
Today, Ethan is a junior at Seton Hill University majoring in history with a minor in business. Last summer, at the age of 20, Ethan and his twin brother, Nick, opened Pizza Louie's (now Keedy's Pizzeria) in Connellsville, Pa. He is a member of Connellsville City Council and has big plans to run for a Pennsylvania state representative seat and eventually, President of the United States in 2032.
Chad King
Academic Excellence Winner – 2009
Bishop McCort High School
Assistant to Director of Development
When Chad King won The Challenge Program, Inc.'s Academic Excellence award his sophomore year, he made an early investment that would set his career in motion: he used his award money to attend a four-day summer filmmakers camp at Penn State University. Prior to the camp, Chad's knowledge of filmmaking was self-taught. The camp allowed him to get his hands on some professional equipment and meet teenagers with similar interests.
Upon returning for his junior year of high school, Chad stayed involved with The Challenge Program, Inc., serving on our Student Advisory Board. Reflecting back on his experience, Chad says, "The Challenge Program, Inc. taught me the value of community engagement and collaboration. Being a part of the Challenge Program, Inc. Student Advisory Board taught me how to work with others to achieve big-picture results."
Flash forward six years. Chad's short film, Williamsport wins 2nd place at the 2015 Johnstown Film Festival. After learning the ins and outs of the entertainment business and making valuable connections as an assistant at The Gersh Agency in Beverly Hills, Chad is now living his dream working for the Director of Development at Shondaland–the production company responsible for ABC's TGIT lineup, including hit shows Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, and The Catch. Driven and determined, Chad attributes his success thus far to his early participation in The Challenge Program, Inc. "I know I would not be here without my stand-out work ethic that I developed while working with The Challenge Program, Inc. in high school."
Damian Mosher
Community Service Winner – 2009, 2010
Conemaugh Township High School
Medical Student at LECOM, Erie, PA
Damian won The Challenge Program, Inc.'s Community Service Award at Conemaugh Township in 2010 for volunteering with his local fire department. Says Damian of his experience: "The Challenge Program, Inc. was an excellent way to motivate myself (and my fellow classmates) to reach out to our community. With dozens of students working to improve their community, the program has a positive impact on the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people." Damian also notes that his volunteer work helped to solidify his interest in medicine. He is currently a first year medical student at LECOM in Erie, PA, with plans to become an emergency medical physician.
Kayla Pongrac
Community Service Winner – 2006, 2007, 2008
Shade-Central City High School
Freelance Writer
Kayla's career as a professional and creative writer started with The Challenge Program, Inc. (TCP). After winning our community service award, Kayla wrote a thank-you letter to her school's business partner to express her appreciation for the award. The letter was so impressive that it resulted in her being invited to attend a luncheon, where she was asked to read the letter in front of local businessmen. In the crowd was an editor for The Somerset Daily American, who hired her on the spot to begin writing a bi-weekly column for the newspaper. After graduation, Kayla studied Writing at the University Pittsburgh at Johnstown and now enjoys a successful career as a freelance writer for a number of local publications, including Our Town, Windber Magazine, Somerset Magazine, and Richland Magazine. She still regularly contributes to the Daily American as a news correspondent. "Without TCP, I wouldn't be where I am today," says Kayla. "It was through this wonderful organization that my career as a writer traveled skyward . . . and I am forever grateful."
Stephen Shiring
Community Service Winner – 2007
Ford City Jr./Sr. High School
PhD candidate at Georgia Tech, computational materials chemistry
Stephen won The Challenge Program, Inc.'s Community Service Award as a student at Fod City Junior/Senior High School (now part of Armstrong Junior/Senior High School). He says earning the award affirmed the work he was doing in his community. "…It showed me that others within my community recognized and valued my efforts. I realized that any amount of volunteer work and community service can have a powerful impact, and this realization propelled me to continually become involved in community service throughout my career as an undergraduate and graduate student." Stephen is currently I am currently a doctoral candidate at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Ga working on his PhD in computational materials chemistry.
Jacquelyn Wiggins
Community Service Winner, 2013
Monessen High School
College Student, Volunteer Firefighter
Jacquelyn won The Challenge Program, Inc.'s Community Service Award in 2013 at Monessen High School for her outstanding service as a volunteer firefighter with Monessen Hilltop Volunteer Fire Department Number 2. She says her experience with the Program taught her "that there is a lot of opportunities to make a difference in the world. By winning this award it showed not only me but others that there is time to help your community in any way possible." Jacquelyn is still an active volunteer firefighter and is currently enrolled in college with hopes of becoming a police officer.
Amy Varmecky
Academic Excellence Recipient, 2010
Community Service Recipient, 2012
Richland High School
Graduate Studies in Clinical Psychology
I received the Academic Excellence Award during my sophomore in high school, and was both shocked and humbled. I was unaware that my information was submitted to The Challenge Program, and was greatly surprised when my name was called. This award propelled me to continue my hard work and dedication to education as it showed that my work ethic was not unnoticed. After earning the Community Service Award during my senior year, it encouraged me to continue doing what I love, which is helping others around me with whatever they need. The Challenge Program allowed me to continue striving for excellence and success both in college and in my community. It solidified that the behaviors and attitude I already displayed were appropriate and beneficial in my life.
Amy had received a full scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown where she has graduated with a psychology degree. She is currently a graduate student at Penn State Harrisburg working towards a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. After her 2018 graduation, Amy plans to earn her license and work with children, adolescents and their families. Her plans are to move back to Johnstown, PA to begin her career.


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Well here goes my first blog….
As scared as I am to start this whole new world of blogging with absolutely no idea what I'm doing, there are only so many Google searches of ' how to do a great blog' before saying to yourself ok just do it already! what's the worse that could happen!? No one will like it ahhh never mind, plus just keep thinking 'it's fine no one will probably read it anyway'.
so I guess the best place to start is with something I definitely know a lot about me!! im 29 with 8 years experience (shhhhh don't tell everyone!) I've had my own set of motorized wheels nows for around a little over 9 years, for anyone that does know me knows I love to call it my go-kart, I've been married to my very own man-child (now I know all you married or living with females know what I mean when I say man-child!!) My wonderful husband of 2 years and been together 10, plus our 2 crazy cats skye and fudge.
I was diagnosed at 24 with a form of muscular dystrophy which didn't really come as much of a surprise as my mum and brother who had already been diagnosed with it. I've always believed that it doesn't matter what cards in life you have been given you can choose how you deal with it, you can wallow in self-pity or get on with it I chose to get on with it and count how many people's ankles i can take out on the way!! Haha… ive always been a pretty positive person but don't get me wrong it's not all sunflowers and Roses all the time when you brain is telling your body to move and your body is just laughing at you but that's life laugh it off.
I can still do what everyone else does go abroad, got to the gym not that I've seen the inside of one, swimming, go to the pub with the girls only difference they have to try walk in a straight line I zigzag in style, sky diving (not that anyone will let me boring!!) Even run My own business from my wheel's, it just takes a little more planning that's all the go-kart has a lot of baggage she can be a real diva at times!!
I guess what I'm saying is don't let a disability or people and Society define you as a person if you want something in life go get because the only person that can fail at your life is YOU!!
Kerry x
You can also follow me on:
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram


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After the great success of Enrichment Clusters last year, we welcome another season of creative and collaborative student projects this season. This fall, our student groups are focusing on topics such as positive thinking, filmmaking, and science experimentation.
Enrichment clusters have become popular in recent years as a way of offering every student in a school the chance to bond with other learners from a variety of grades while working on a project in which they are genuinely interested and motivated to succeed. While the exact nature of these clusters may vary depending on the host school, there are several common features shared by clusters throughout North America:
- Enrichment Clusters take place in a set time each week.
- Emphasis is on real-life problems and authentic learning experiences.
- Each cluster involves a mixed-grade group of students.
- Students are involved in all aspects of the project creation (taking on various roles depending on interest and strengths
Our clusters have had their initial meetings and are excited about their forthcoming projects. We look forward to sharing these with the Fieldstone community in December.


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Fine art Black & White Photography of children and infants in the studio.
This is the review that Charlotte made on Google:
Paul is a consummate professional who is one of, if not THE BEST, photographer of his kind in Colorado. With the proliferation of so many "photographers" due to social media these days, it is easy to forget that beautiful photography is truly an art, and Paul reminds us that he is a master artist. His skillful eye and attention to detail, as well as his ability to make his subjects feel comfortable and at ease make working with him an highly enjoyable experience. The final product - beautiful memories that are now tangible - is something that my family and I that I will treasure for years to come.
Charlotte Mahony
Here is an example of some of her photographs from our session!
Visit our galleries to see more examples of family, children and maternity,
business and professional, wedding and event, student and graduate photography.
We are a family of three generations of fin art portrait photographers serving the Denver area for over 70 years.
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