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If you're a reader and a fan of the horror genre, then chances are you've read a zombie book of some sort; maybe more than one.
In case you haven't noticed, this living dead sub-genre simply won't go away, as more and more zombie books are being churned out, to the point where most horror authors have now tried their writing hands at bringing an unlikely character back from the dead.
In an earlier Book Banter Column I discussed the short history of the zombie genre, which you can read here.
The big problem I find with most zombie books is that that's all the story is really about: zombies attacking humanity and how humanity fights back, kills them for good, and ends up winning. End of story. This is fine as a story premise, except that it's been done so many times, not just in books, but in movies, comic books, as well as various other forms of media.
For me the unique zombie story is one that has an interesting, captivating story in a world where there are zombies.
Enter Mira Grant.
Mira Grant is the pseudonym of Seanan McGuire. Seven years ago she came up with an idea for a zombie book that was a small idea that became a big one, then a trilogy.
The first book, Feed, was released in 2010 and was nominated for a Hugo Award. The second book, Deadline, was released in 2011 and received just as much support and good press as its predecessor. The final book in the trilogy, Blackout, was released just this week and has already been getting lots of coverage and hurrahs from fans.
So the complete trilogy has been released, and it honestly feels more like one long book, making it the perfect time to check this series out and give it a read.
Here's why you should read Feed:
It is the future, the year is 2039.
Twenty-five years ago the Kellis-Amberlee virus was released and began turning humanity into zombies.
The world is now a very different place: many people rarely leave their homes, or the protected confines of their neighborhoods; many places have been overridden by zombies, while the government does what it can to feebly protect its people. Georgia Mason (named after someone who understood zombies very well) and her twin brother Shaun are bloggers. When everything went to hell a quarter-century ago, the media denied what was happening, mocking the bloggers who were purportedly telling the truth. Now the bloggers have become the media, for they are the only ones brave (or stupid) enough to get close to the zombies and report what's happening.
It's an election year and Republican Senator Peter Ryman is running for president, looking to change the country, to make the American people feel safe and protected once more.
George and Shaun and their techie Buffy have been picked as members of the media to cover Senator Ryman's campaign, launching them into journalism stardom. But then something terrible happens, at one of the Senator's events; zombies attack and people die. As the Senator's campaign continues, George, Shaun and Buffy try to put the pieces together and work out exactly what's going on, and why the Senator is being attacked, in an attempt to ultimately find out who is behind it all.
Mira Grant is not simply telling a good story about zombies; she is instead telling a fantastic story about a group of young bloggers covering the campaign of a hopeful presidential candidate in a world where there are zombies and fear is a part of everyone's everyday life.
And as the book comes to a close, the reader realizes there are things in this world that are worse than zombies.
They're humans.
Here's why you should read Deadline:
Shaun Mason is in a very dark place.
In a world where every person wakes up with the fear of zombies in their minds, as well as the terror of somehow amplifying at any moment, Shaun doesn't really care anymore.
When he had to shoot his sister and kill her before she fully amplified, it was definitely a turning point in his life. And now he has very little to live for; his sister was everything to him, and had always joked about what she would do when he was dead, because he was the risk taker. There was no scenario for when George was killed and Shaun was left all alone. Though there is one little light in this dark, dark tunnel and that is that Shaun still talks to his sister . . . in his head. She's alive and well in his brain and he talks to her, has conversations with her, even argues with her.
Fortunately, anyone else who spends time with him knows that Shaun is now pretty much crazy and they all just deal with it.
But the world must go on and Shaun has a news organization to run, along with an experienced team, he makes the decisions when he has to and lets the talented people he has working for him do what they do best; while the former daredevil who used to fly in the face of danger for the chance to get some great zombie footage is no more.
And then a member from the CDC drops into their laps with an incredible story to tell. A story that has everything to do with the Kellis-Amberlee virus, how it might have got started, and where the CDC is on the cure. She's also faked her own death and appears to be off the radar, and then a devastating outbreak coincidentally happens right where Shaun and his team are currently hanging out. Some make it out, while others are incinerated, as outbreak protocols are followed. This event awakens the spark and drive that has been missing in Shaun for some time.
Now he has something to go on, a clue that will lead him on the trail to finding out who had his sister killed and how this virus got "accidentally" released and destroyed the world.
And here's why you should read Blackout:
We last left George apparently somehow alive and well, living the life of a clone in a CDC lab.
She slowly puts things together as time passes, but for every answer there are fifty more questions. Also is she really Georgia Mason? She doesn't have the reservoir condition anymore; she's a lot thinner that George ever was; and her hair is annoyingly long and bleaching with every shower.
Then she finds out she might have an ally or two on the inside, but she isn't sure if she can trust them.
Meanwhile, as Shaun continues to talk to Georgia in his head and act all kinds of crazy, he keeps the gang of After the End Times on the move.
After spending some time with Dr. Abbey in her secret lab, as she takes copious daily amounts of his virus-immune blood, he thinks about where the trail is leading next, where he can get more answers, and find out just what this whole conspiracy is all about. It will involve possibly going on a rescue mission to Florida, which has been designated a zombie-ridden loss for the country; meeting with his parents who he hates, to ask for help; and tracking down the best I.D. counterfeiter in the business to start their new lives.
Mira Grant skillfully switches between the George and Shaun storylines with each chapter, making the characters appear as distinct and complex as they were in the first two books, as she slowly but seamlessly brings them together, building the tension and thrill. The reader knows the step-siblings are going to meet up again at some point, but will Shaun be able keep his sanity or will he just be pushed over the edge? Then there's the question of which clone of Georgia Mason will be there to greet him?
Blackout is the perfect, satiating finish to the trilogy, making the three-book series feel like one long, epic story.
No reader will be disappointed, with a worthwhile ending that will leave him or her sad that the wonderful journey is now over . . . but just like when the end of Harry Potter was reached, or the final page of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, how many of us turned back to the first book and started reading that first page once again.
Having reread the first two books, this trilogy will be one I will continue to reread constantly throughout my lifetime.
(Originally published on Forces of Geek)


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Montezuma Cortez School District Re-1 Superintendent Alex Carter hopes that educational performance will improve if voters in the school district pass the 3B high school bond issue on Nov. 6.
There is pretty good research of the effect of building new schools on test scores, Carter said.
Building a new high school is not a silver bullet, but its a tool in the tool belt, Carter believes.
As an example, he cites a story about a local farmer who upgraded his 1965 tractor.
The old tractor still ran, but the farmer decided he needed to upgrade the tractor if he wanted to take his farming operation to the next level.
The farmer described how the new tractor, which he purchased five years ago, has made his business more productive. The tractor which has a GPS, plants a seed within an inch of where the farmer wants it to be planted and also factors in wind speed in the process is a modern marvel.
Building a new high school will support our progress in making pretty significant growth over the next few years, Carter said, adding that a new school tends to instill pride in students and results in increased attendance rates.
An Aug. 12 story in Parade magazine cites the example of Santa Ana, Calif., located 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Santa Ana residents decided to approve a $200 million bond to improve 56 schools, including $40 million-plus to overhaul Santa Ana High School.
Since the modernization, vandalism virtually vanished and the percentage of high school seniors who passed the state exit exam increased 7 percent from 82 to 89 percent.
If you feel valued, it inspires you to pay more attention and work harder, Elvis Carranza, a senior at the high school, said in the Parade article.
Hot and cold classrooms, external noise, and insufficient light all undermine teaching, the Parade.com story said. Montezuma-Cortez High School has suffered from hot and cold classrooms and lack of classroom space for years, among other issues.
According to the article, Glen Earthman, a Virginia Tech professor, has found that children attending schools in subpar conditions score up to 10 percentile points lower on standardized tests, even after controlling for poverty. Outmoded facilities not only inhibit learning but also drive away good teachers...
But not all studies agree with the story.
A new report published by the Policy Analysis for California Education reveals mixed results about the effect of a new school building on educational performance (newscenter.berkeley, edu).
The report, New Schools, Overcrowding Relief and Achievement Gains in Los Angeles, Strong Returns from a $19.5 Billion Investment, showed that thousands of children moving into new elementary schools had strong achievement gains that equaled up to 35 additional days of instruction. But similar achievement gains were not enjoyed by high school students moving from an overcrowded school into a new facility.
The lack of robust achievement results for students who moved to a new high school facility is cause for concern, the report said. Something is missing beyond fresh facilities as the district attempts to lift achievement inside high schools.
The gains for young students may have been driven by younger teachers with graduate degrees drawn to LA Unifieds new elementary schools, researchers said.
Researchers findings suggest that careful renovation investments and charter schools, which are already experimenting with innovative facilities, could yield comparable achievement gains at lower cost.
The study reveals that elementary students achievements (attributable to being in a new facility) increased seven percentile points in math and eight percentile points in language arts. However, high school students achievements declined about 10 percentile points in math while increasing about five percentile points in language arts.
Bob Waggoner, a transplant to the Cortez area from northwest Wisconsin, recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the Re-1 School Board. Waggoner, a former teacher, related a story how there was strong opposition to a new high school in the Spooner School District, where he served on the school board. But after the bond passed and it was built, no one could be found who originally opposed it.
The new high school was a rallying point for the whole town, he told the Re-1 board recently during a work-study session on the proposed STEAM Academy Charter School. It can be a transformative thing.

subset: commoncrawl


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And of course, since this is a morning in which you need the children to play independently so that you can work, and you can't go to the park because it's too windy to grade papers there, and you can't go to the library because the playroom is closed on Wednesday mornings, the children are also being whiny and demanding. Willow is throwing an hour-long fit because she's cold--she is also naked and refuses to get dressed. Sydney is fully dressed, but you've just had to change her clothes entirely after she stuffed cottonballs down the drain and overflowed the sink onto herself, the floor, and down into the basement.
Clearly, life sucks. You need to make some beer bread. Beer bread is delicious. It's easy. It's bread. It's beer. It's yummy happy comfort food that will bring some small pleasure into your spiteful day.
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a bowl, sift three cups of flour--I sometimes do all whole wheat, sometimes all white, usually a combination thereof. If you use at least two-thirds self-rising flour, skip the baking powder and salt; otherwise, throw in a teaspoon of each. 3. Grab a beer. I have an entire case of Budweiser in the basement that I use only for beer bread, but when I'm feeling especially unhappy, I treat myself by using my most favorite of all beers: You need a tad less than 12 ounces of beer, I assert, so go ahead and take a little swig of that bad boy: If you accidentally drink too much, well, there's always another beer in the fridge, right?
4. Pour in the beer and mix it on up: After you've got it just mixed, you can add it whatever: spices, nuts, shredded cheese, dried fruit. My favorites are pistachios or sunflower seeds or shredded pepperjack. Raisins and garlic were both kind of gross.
5. Spray a loaf pan, pour in the dough, and bake it in the oven for 45 minutes.
While you're waiting 45 minutes for your bready goodness, you've still got your demanding little monkeys to pacify, so whip out one of your faithful documentaries,. Kids sit gape-mouthed on the bed, you get to just nearly almost finish grading:
6. Forty-five minutes later, yum! I tend to like mine with some butter or jalepeno jelly or vegenaise--
--but Willow likes me to melt cheese on hers so that she can then stuff it into her mouth like an animal:
And while you're grading the last two papers and then recording the grades, flush with not so much a sense of accomplishment as resigned relief that the misery is over for a little while, your younger monkey, bored with the bird movie, will scribble over some of your students' papers and then the sheets and then fall fast asleep:
Instead of ahh-ing over how adorable your little daughter is, you will think, "Crap. There goes her afternoon nap."
Hello, writing lesson plans with a baby on my lap!


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California is behind other states in everything from education funding to road maintenance, but it is at the head of the pack when it comes to implementing the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, upheld last week by the U.S. Supreme Court.
That's because while most states have waited to learn of the act's constitutionality before undertaking any preparatory activity, California legislators moved quickly to create the state's medical insurance infrastructure.
The Health Benefit Exchange is the cornerstone of expanding health care to as many as five million of the state's seven million uninsured residents. Enacted by the legislature and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in October 2010, the exchange will create a virtual marketplace for businesses and individuals to purchase health insurance.
At least five types of health plans will be made available, ranging from basic catastrophic coverage for young adults to high-end plans with comprehensive benefits. A five-member independent board will select the insurance companies for the collaborative exchange as well as the enrollment process.
Because of the state's early work, California has become something of a beta site for national implementation.
That role has served the state well. The federal government has contributed $40 million in program set-up costs, with another $196 million expected in the coming months.
The state's Health Benefit Exchange expects to begin the enrollment process in October of next year, with a full roll out on January 1, 2014.
Meanwhile, the program will generate a massive infusion of federal dollars to California. Current estimates project that the federal government will contribute $10 billion to the state over a ten year period to pay for or subsidize qualified applicants, depending upon their income levels.
Those who earn up to 133 percent of the poverty level--about $30,000 for a family of four--will qualify for basic health insurance at no cost. Those earning between 133 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level will receive subsidies that decline in size as their incomes rise.
Not to be lost among the numbers and jargon is the simple fact that California is prepared to move quickly and efficiently, rather than struggle to catch up. It's an unusual position for the once-Golden State, given our reputation for late budgets and endless gridlock.
Whatever else we may be doing wrong, it appears that the legislature and former governor got this one right.
Larry Gerston teaches political science at San Jose State University and is the political analyst at NBC Bay Area.
California's Head Start on Obamacare
California is behind other states in everything from education funding to road maintenance, but it is at the head of the pack when it comes to implementing the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, upheld last week by the U.S. Supreme Court.


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Antigone will be featured in the Fall 2003 semester not only as the play selected for the New Student Book Project, but also as a production at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts.


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On a hot summer's day, nothing hits the spot more than a glass of ice-cold lemonade.
If you're a bit of a lemonade snob, like I am, then the from-concentrate variety found in most restaurants doesn't cut it. I crave the homemade stuff: fresh squeezed, tart-sweet, ice-cold and refreshing. Refusing to settle for the watered-down and excessively saccharine, I went hunting for the most authentic, down-home lemonade around Pasadena. Aside from the neighborhood kids' stand, here's where you can find the best lemony goodness.
Little Flower Candy Company is a local favorite tucked away on West Colorado over the Colorado Bridge. This sweet shop and café is known for its simple yet sophisticated dishes, and its lemonade has the perfect blend of sweet and tart—exactly what I expect from genuine, homemade lemonade. Although it is a bit pricey ($2.75 for a small plastic cup), it's worth the splurge.
To get more bang for you buck, Deisy's Tasty Food at the South Pasadena Farmers' Market is a great place to find quality lemonade. The large (which is gigantic) is only $3, and it has several different flavors to choose from, including strawberry, raspberry, watermelon and your standard lemon. The regular lemonade is tasty, with lots of pulp and a mildly sweet flavor, but my personal favorite is the watermelon-ade; the watermelon is a natural, subtly sweet complement to the zesty lemon.
For the more daring citrus-beverage connoisseur, Euro Pane offers a more tart, intense lemonade for $2.45. It is only slightly sweet and much less watered down than the other options. The result is a very concentrated lemon flavor, which I personally love. However, if sour is not your thing, Euro Pane's version may prove a bit too bold.
At Four Café in Eagle Rock, the lemonade flavor changes four times a year, in accordance with the season. Currently, its summer flavor is peach lemonade. It's a fun, peachy-orange color and is slightly sweet (somewhere between Little Flower and Euro Pane), a with a subtle peach flavor. Although a glass here is expensive, ($3.81 a glass), it includes free refills.
The lightest, most refreshing lemonade I tried was at Fiore Market Café in South Pasadena. Not too sweet, it has a less concentrated flavor than some of the other varieties I sampled. For $3, it comes in a large pitcher (two to three small cups' worth) and is so light in color that at first I thought it was water.
Little Flower Candy Company
1424 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626.304.4800, littleflowercandyco.com
South Pasadena Farmer's Market
Every Thursday 4 – 8 p.m., at Meridian Ave. & Mission St., South Pasadena, southpasadenafarmersmarket.org
Euro Pane
345 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626.844.8804
Four Café
2122 ½ Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, 323.550.1988, fourcafe.net
Fiore Market Café
1000 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, 626.441.2280, fioremarketcafe.com


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Ever since President Obama began carrying around his own White House-brewed beer on the campaign trail, beer geeks have been eager to learn its secret recipe. With a reporter's determination, they've filed a Freedom of Information Act request and formal petitions for the sweet nectar's secret sauce. Unfortunately, a reporter's job is a harder than it looks, and the search for the truth isn't going so well.
RELATED: Here's the President's Personal Beer Recipe
What we know about the beer, which has been featured as a campaign prop during the president's Iowa travels, is that it goes by the name White House Honey Ale. The brewski's honey comes from Michelle Obama's garden beehive on the south lawn and it's bottled in a small brewery in the White House. While this is the first time it's made its way on the campaign trail, the Honey Ale started surfacing at White House events in 2011 including the Obamas' Super Bowl party. But that's about all we know.
RELATED: The White House Homebrew Is Delicious
So last week, a group of enterprising beer enthusiasts petitioned the White House via the administration's "We The People" site vowing to answer citizen questions that collect enough signatures. "In keeping with the brewing traditions of the founding fathers, homebrewers across America call on the Obama Administration to release the recipe for the White House home brew so that it may be enjoyed by all." Unfortunately, as Government Executive's Tom Shoop notes, their efforts may come to nought: "The petition had only 276 signatures, well short of the 25,000 needed to get an official response."
RELATED: White House Continues to Stonewall: No Beer Recipe Forthcoming
However, America's thirstiest patriots tried another route. On Internet hivemind website Reddit this week, a user set off a joyful thread after submitting a Freedom of Information Act request to the White House for "all information including created recipes or instructions relating to the brewing of White House Honey Ale or other beer made by White House staff."
RELATED: President Obama Magically Silences a Crying Baby
"This is brilliant," said one user. "That's awesome, dude," said another.
RELATED: Washington Freaks Out over a Petty, Day-Long Logistics Dispute
Unfortunately, they were thwarted again: The White House is not subject to FOIA requests—a point the know-it-alls at Pro Publica were happy to point out today:
For now, it looks like the recipe will remain a secret, barring some random act of kindness carried out by a government bureaucrat. Is it a lost cause? At least one Reddit user thinks not:
I'm a minor government functionary. You'd be amazed at the things we'll do for you if you make a bizarre request in a reasonable and slightly humorous way. If I'm amused, I'll go above and beyond, and you can't get it if you don't ask.
Good luck with that, folks.


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It's finally finished! My Sis Boom Crazy Love giant pinwheel quilt! This is actually my second Crazy Love quilt, because you might remember that my first ended up having a big section that puckered during the quilting process, and since this will eventually go to Jennifer, I had to make another for her!
As soon as I saw the Crazy Love fabrics, I knew I wanted to use them in a way where I didn't have to cut them up too much. The colors and designs of the fabrics are so gorgeous on their own and I wanted to showcase them as much as I could, so I came up with the design for this quilt with that in mind. You know we all have a stack of gorgeous fabrics that are too beautiful to cut into, so I think this pattern will be a perfect way to use lots of pretty fabrics. I surrounded all of the prints with a lot of white background fabric so the colors of Crazy Love really pop. This quilt is about 75 inches square, so it makes a great quilt for the couch, but as you can see above, it's also large enough for a twin sized bed.
And here is the back. One giant pinwheel against a sea of white. I kind of love it. And forgive the outlet on the bottom of the photo. We're still playing around with photography space in the studio and we obviously still have a few things to address, such as these pesky outlets.
I'm finishing up the pattern for this quilt, and hope to have it available as a pdf (and later, in print!) in about a week or so.


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Number: 105-16
Date: October 29, 1998
On October 21, 1998, the President signed into law H.R. 4328 (P.L. 105-277), the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1999, appropriations. The Senate cleared the House-passed version of the bill on October 21, 1998 by a vote of 65 to 29; the House passed the measure on October 20 by a vote of 333 to 95.
Below are descriptions of programrnatic SSA-related provisions of the law:
Supplemental Security Income·Related Provisions
- The President's request for $50 million to conduct additional non-medical SSI redeterminations was not specifically funded. However, SSA's regular "Limitation on Administrative Expenses" (LAE) account was increased by $47 million over the President's budget request. SSA intends to use the additional LAE funds to conduct SSI redeterminations . Effective on enactment.
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Demonstration Project
- Requires the Commissioner to direct $6 million for Federal-State partnerships to evaluate methods to promote Medicare buy-in programs targeted to elderly and disabled individuals whose incomes are specified percentages of the poverty line and whose resou rces generaly are less than twice the resource limits. Effective on enactment.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit
- Extends the work opportunity tax credit available to employers of SS! beneficiaries
and other targeted groups until June 3D, 1999. The tax credit had expired on June 3D,
Other Provisions
Social Security Coverage Agreements with the States
- Permits States to modify their Social Security coverage agreements with the Commissioner of Social Security between January 1, 1999 and March 31, 1999 to exclude from Social Securi ty coverage services performed by students employed by a public school, university, or college in that State.
- The exclusion will apply to student services performed after June 30, 2000.
Perfecting Amendments Related to Withholding from Social Security Benefits
- Amends section 207 of the Social Security Act to allow voluntary withholding from Social Security benefits for income tax purposes. Effective for benefits paid on or after December 1, 1998.
Paperwork Elimination/Electronic Signature
- Requires that, not later than 18 months after enactment, the Director of the Oftice of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) develop proced ures for use and acceptance of electronic signatures by Executive Agencies.
- Provides that, not later than 5 years after enactment, the Director of OMB will ensure that Executive Agencies allow the option of electronic maintenance, submiss ion, or disclosure of information. when practicable; and allow the use of electronic signatures, when practicable.
- Provides for the development by OMB of procedures to allow private employers to electronically file employee records with Executive agencies.
- Provides that electronic records or signatures developed in compliance with the procedures in the law will not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability because they are in electronic form.
No DOT Funding for Changes in Drivers Licenses
- Provides that no funds appropriated for the Department of Transportation (DOT) may be used to issue the final regulations required by section 656(b) of the IIIegal Immigrat ion Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996. Section 656(b) prohibits Federal agencies from accepting as proof of identification a drivers license that does not meet standards promulgated by the DOT. The standards include a document that contains a Social Security number that can be read electronically or visually and is in a form that includes security features to limit tampering and counterfeiting .


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Few world leaders rattle a saber as flamboyantly as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez does. On Sunday, in a piece of vintage Chavez theater, he ordered thousands of troops and tanks to the border with Colombia after that country's military had ventured a mile into Ecuador on Saturday to kill Raul Reyes, a top commander of Colombia's FARC guerrillas. The left-wing Chavez called conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe a "criminal" and a "lapdog of the U.S. empire," warning ominously that "this could be the start of a war in South America."
Don't bet on it.
Sure, Chavez and Uribe, two of Latin America's most outsized egos, loathe each other. Each has significantly fattened his military arsenal in recent years, and tensions have rarely been this high between their countries. Nor are they alone on the Latin street when it comes to martial upgrading: Brazil's 2008 federal budget, for example, includes a 53% increase in military spending, leading many to wonder if Latin America is undergoing an arms race not seen since the heyday of military rule across the continent. But that doesn't mean that either Chavez or Uribe can afford an armed conflict.
There are at least six reasons to doubt that the bluster could morph into bullets:
Trade: Venezuela and Colombia's economies are too interdependent. Bilateral trade reached $5.5 billion last year, a 25% increase over 2006. Colombia buys Venezuela's petroleum products Chavez controls the hemisphere's largest reserves and Venezuela needs Colombia's agricultural produce even more. Despite the massive windfall Venezuelans have accrued from $100-a-barrel oil, they face sharp food shortages and the region's highest inflation rate. If Chavez were to exacerbate the situation by entering a war, his political popularity which has dropped since he lost a referendum last year in which he sought greater powers and an unlimited tenure would plummet.
Colombia's Military Revival: A decade ago, the Miami-Dade County police force could have defeated the Colombian military. Back then, in fact, the Marxist guerrillas of the FARC had the upper hand in Colombia's four-decade-old civil war. But since Uribe took office in 2002, the armed forces have grown and modernized impressively enough to land body blows against the FARC, as demonstrated by Reyes' stunning demise. Chavez may have spent $4 billion over the past decade to buy everything from AK-47 rifles to Russian Sukhoi fighter planes, but the Venezuelan armed forces haven't seen real action since Chavez himself, then an army paratrooper, led a failed coup in 1992. So, Venezuela is likely at a military disadvantage especially since many of its soldiers and officers aren't enthusiastic about either Chavez or the FARC. "There are too many Venezuelan generals who won't want to go to war over the FARC," says Michael Shifter, of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washinton, D.C. "Would they follow Chavez's orders?"
Crude Facts: Right now, Venezuela can't risk any threat to its oil industry, which still accounts for a third of the nation's gross domestic product, half of government revenues and 80% of export earnings. Even the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), of which Venezuela is a founding member, reports that Venezuelan crude production is still well below the more than 3 million barrels a day that the state-owned oil monopoly, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), pumped before it suffered a debilitating management strike in 2002 and 2003. Experts agree that the shortfall in output is largely due to insufficient investment in infrastructure the kind of facilities and equipment that often become ripe targets in a war.
What Would the Neighbors Say? Neither Uribe nor Chavez needs any more bad international publicity right now. Uribe's domestic approval ratings may be higher than the Colombian sierras, but he can't secure a free trade agreement with the U.S., for example, because Congress is too wary of his government's alleged ties to Colombia's bloodthirsty right-wing paramilitary armies and because of human rights abuses by the Colombian military. Nor is he getting global kudos for sending his troops over a neighbor's border on Saturday in an operation denounced by Ecuador's leftist President and Chavez ally Rafael Correa as a brazen violation of sovereignty. But the hemisphere has cooled considerably toward Chavez's antics, and his defense of the FARC, which earns hundreds of million dollars a year via ransom kidnapping and protecting cocaine trafficking, isn't winning him much international sympathy. A war on his western border could also prove how freely the FARC roams inside Venezuelan territory an allegation Chavez denies, along with the assertion by Colombian police that seized FARC documents show a long political and financial alliance between the Venezuelan leader and the Colombian rebels.
A Hard Sell at Home: If Chavez has learned one thing from his idol Fidel Castro, it's how to summon the threat of the U.S. to distract his countrymen from problems at home. And if there is one thing Uribe has learned from his pal George W. Bush, it's how to manipulate the terrorist threat to amass greater executive power. But a cross-border war would most likely backfire on both men especially Chavez, whose strategy this time may have been a miscalculation, as Venezuelans haven't exactly taken to the streets to answer his martial call. Chavez plans to seek another referendum on constitutional amendments such as abolishing term-limits before his current term ends in 2012. A big part of his argument to his countrymen will be that only he can stand up to Washington and its Latin American proxies. Venezuelans' tepid response to his Sunday tirade indicates that he faces an uphill battle to remain in office unless he starts resolving their domestic woes.
The Red Line: Chavez, who considers himself the modern heir of South America's 19th-century independence hero, Simon Bolivar, still likes to wear his red army beret. But according to a recent Chavez biography, he once told a U.S. diplomat that for all his bellicose rhetoric, "I know where the red line is. And I'm not going to cross that line I just go up to that little edge." He demonstrated some sense of the limits on his power by conceding defeat in the referendum last year when critics had widely expected him to reject it and cross the red line into Castro-style dictatorship. Chavez and Uribe both went up that "little edge" over the weekend, but the hemispheric hope is that both are well aware of the catastrophic folly involved in stepping over that boundary.


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After his Blue Jays finished off a disappointing April with a much-needed win, manager John Gibbons summed up his sentiments with a single word.
"Phew," Gibbons said as he took the podium for his postgame news conference.
Edwin Encarnacion hit an upper-deck homer in the fifth inning, then connected for a go-ahead home run in the seventh that sent Toronto over the Boston Red Sox 9-7 on Tuesday night.
Expected to contend for the playoffs after an offseason overhaul, the Blue Jays have flown low so far. Back home after a disheartening 1-6 road trip, the comeback win ended a four-game losing streak and enabled them to avoid the first 18-loss April in club history.
"Everybody got excited, everybody was happy after the game," Encarnacion said. "Winning a game like this, that's what we need right now."
Encarnacion's pair of two-run shots marked the 10th multihomer game of his career and second this season. He has nine home runs this year.
"Huge day," Gibbons said. "He's been on some kind of roll lately. Early on he was hitting a lot of balls on the money and had nothing to show for it. He's found a groove. A lot of guys have. We showed a lot of guts today, a lot of heart."
Steve Delabar (2-1) got two outs for the win. Casey Janssen finished for his seventh save in as many chances.
David Ortiz homered and drove in four runs for Boston, which had won five in a row and was trying for its first 19-win April.
Encarnacion became the 14th player to reach the upper deck in left field at Rogers Centre, tagging Jon Lester with a shot estimated at 419 feet. Toronto trailed 7-6 when Encarnacion homered off Junichi Tazawa (2-1).
"It's big for us right now with the way we've been playing the last couple games," Encarnacion said. "Having a win to open the homestand is very important for us."
Lester came in 4-0 in five starts this month but allowed a season-high six runs and six hits in six innings.
"It was one of those nights for me from pitch one," he said. "I just wasn't able to repeat the ball down in the zone, and that's big. Curveballs just kind of rolled in there and I didn't have a very effective changeup."
Lester had not given up so many runs since the Blue Jays scored 11 times in four innings against him last July 22 at Toronto.
"They've got a quick-strike offense and they swung the bats very well tonight," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of the Blue Jays.
Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia credited the Blue Jays for grinding out at-bats against Lester.
"They battled every pitch," Saltalamacchia said. "There wasn't too many guys who were swinging at the first pitch, rolling over. They battled, they made him throw."
Mike Carp and Jonny Gomes also connected for the Red Sox, who head into May with the best record in the majors for the 11th time in team history.
Toronto opened the scoring in the first on Jose Bautista's RBI double off the center-field wall.
The Blue Jays made it 4-0 with a three-run third, taking advantage of a throwing error by Saltalamacchia. After Toronto loaded the bases, Saltalamacchia tried a pickoff at first, but the ball sailed into right field, allowing two runners to score.
Saltalamacchia said the errant throw was caused by his elbow hitting the facemask of plate umpire Clint Fagan. Fagan told the Red Sox the contact happened on Saltalamacchia's follow through, and did not rule a dead ball.
"He didn't see it the way we saw it," said Farrell, who came out to discuss the play at the end of the inning.
Two outs later, J.P. Arencibia hit an RBI double.
Ortiz led off the fourth with his third homer, and Carp added a one-out shot as Boston cut the deficit in half. Dustin Pedroia's RBI single in the fifth made it 4-3.
Encarnacion padded the Blue Jays' lead with his towering drive, the first upper-deck drive in Toronto since Shelley Duncan did it for Cleveland in 2011.
Since the stadium opened as SkyDome in June 1989, a total of 17 homers have reached the upper deck. Jose Canseco (three) and Josh Phelps (two) are the only players with multiple fifth-deck shots.
Gomes hit a pinch-hit homer in the sixth, and Boston took advantage of an error to score three times in the seventh against reliever Aaron Loup for a 7-6 edge.
Defensive replacement Munenori Kawasaki threw wide of second on a potential double-play grounder to shortstop and Pedroia walked to load the bases. Ortiz cleared them with a double over Bautista's head in right.
Colby Rasmus added some insurance with an RBI single off Joel Hanrahan in the eighth.
Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out seven, including five straight in the first and second innings.
NOTES: Red Sox OF Shane Victorino (back) hit off a tee, threw and did other exercises but was held out of the lineup for a fifth straight game. He will swing again Wednesday and could take regular batting practice Thursday, Farrell said. ... Boston activated Hanrahan (right hamstring) off the 15-day DL. Farrell said RHP Andrew Bailey will remain the closer.


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ITAP Service Level Update: Public Works and Sanitation Permits
March 10, 2014. The Bureau of Development Services (BDS) strives to maintain the highest level of service possible, coordinating our resources to ensure the valued and critical services we provide to our customers and to the community are timely.
The Information Technology Advancement Project (ITAP), a BDS sponsored project to upgrade the City's current legacy permit and case management software system, was started in July 2013. The goal of ITAP is to move the City's development review process to a paperless web-based system, with a scheduled go-live date of Winter 2015/16. The project will bring increased efficiencies and customer services to the City's development review process.
Service Level Goals and Turnaround Timeline Impacts
Work on ITAP will have intermittent impacts on meeting service level goals and turn-around timelines for the City's land use, plan review and inspection programs as staff dedicate time to advance the project's design, development, testing and training phases. BDS and its interagency partners are committed to pro-actively communicating the timeframes and the duration of service level impacts caused by ITAP to both our employees and customers. BDS and its interagency partners will work collaboratively to explore options to maintain our service level commitments as ITAP moves forward.
The ITAP design phase will occur throughout 2014. For the next two months, ending April 30, 2014, staff will be working on the design of the module related to public works permitting and sanitation permits. During this time frame there will be delays in the City response to public works, building, and sanitation inquiries, permit applications, and inspections.
ITAP Website
For more information, please visit the ITAP website, which includes detailed descriptions of the project schedule and a feedback form for submitting questions and comments. We invite you to submit your input to us via the website.
Ross Caron, BDS Public Information Officer: email@example.com or (503) 823-4268


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Board of Directors Meeting | Austin, TX | January 2014
Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown
500 North Interstate 35
Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: (512) 480-8181
Board Book and Supplemental Materials
Board Book and Supplemental Materials
Public access is provided by LSC to non-confidential materials considered by the Board of Directors and its committees during open session meetings.
Board Book for January 23-25 Meetings of the Board of Directors and Its Committees
Presentation by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Client Board Member to LSC Board
Meeting Notices
Sunshine Act Meeting of the Board of Directors and its Six Committees
General Counsel's Closed Session Certification Letters
Institutional Advancement Committee Meeting - 1/24/2014
Board of Directors Meeting - 1/25/2014
Meeting Transcripts
Institutional Advancement Committee
Delivery of Legal Services Committee
Governance & Performance Committee
Certified Meeting Minutes
The LSC Board of Directors adopts resolutions to establish and revise policies, to approve funding requests, to create task forces, to recognize and express appreciation for distinguished service to the Corporation or extraordinary support for the Corporation's goals and mission, and other similarly significant actions.
|Resolution Number
|Consolidated Operating Budget for FY 2014
|Adopting Revisions to LSC's Employee Handbook
|Supporting Management's Revisions to the LSC Performance Management Policy
|Adopting a Whistleblower Policy
Amending the LSC Bylaws to Prohibit Non-Director Members of Board Committees from Counting Towards a Committee Quorum
Closing Remarks, Pro Bono Awards Reception by LSC Chairman John Levi at Board of Directors Meeting Austin, TX, January 2014
Decades of Service - Texas Access to Justice Foundation panel discussion
Texas Access To Justice Foundation's Decades of Service, a panel discussion co-hosted by the Legal Services Corporation, LBJ Library Future Forum, and the State Bar of Texas on January 23, 2014, in Austin, TX.
Hosted by the Supreme Court of Texas on January 24, 2014, in Austin. The LSC panel began with remarks by Chief Justice Hecht, Texas Law School Dean Ward Farnsworth, and LSC Board Chairman John G. Levi. Joining Chief Justice Hecht in a panel discussion of "The Importance of Access to Justice to the Judiciary": Judge Robin Green, Arkansas Nineteenth West Judicial Circuit; Judge Priscilla Owen, United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit; Justice John Pelander, Arizona Supreme Court; Judge Jay C. Zainey, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana; Justice Laurie D. Zelon, California Court of Appeal, Second District.Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow, vice chair of the LSC Board, moderated the panel.
LSC's Texas Technology Panel - Technology Innovations Facilitating Access to Justice
Hosted by the Supreme Court of Texas on January 24, 2014, an LSC panel discussion among executive directors and lawyers from LSC grantees and others in the legal aid community on how technological innovations can facilitate access to justice. Panelists: Elliott Fontenette, Staff Attorney, Texas Legal Services Center; Sonia Lopez, Managing Attorney, Lone Star Legal Aid; Vince Morris, Director, Arkansas Legal Services Partnership, Arkansas Pro Bono Partnership; Alison Paul, Executive Director, Montana Legal Services Association; Glenn Rawdon, Program Counsel, Legal Services Corporation; Diana C. White, Executive Director, LAF (Legal Aid Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago). LSC President James J. Sandman moderated the panel.
Luncheon on January 24, 2014, with Keynote Speaker Harriet Miers, former White House Counsel
Photo Gallery
Texas Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht welcomed panelists and audience members to the Supreme Court of Texas Courtroom on a morning when much of Austin was closed by an ice storm


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Before Returning a Thermal Vision Device for Repair
Before sending your product for repair, please review the instruction manual to see if you can resolve the issue:
Thermal Vision Devices Product Manuals
Return a Thermal Vision Device for Repair
After reviewing the sections of the website listed above to ensure factory repair is needed, follow these steps:
- Complete and electronically submit the Return Authorization Request Form.
- Wait for a response from the EOTech Repair & Service Department. You will receive a reply via email within 1 business day (and usually the same day). This message will provide:
- Your Return Authorization number (RA#)
- A quote on any cost (if applicable)
- Estimated turnaround time for repair
- Shipping and payment instructions (pay close attention to the address as all products are not repaired at the same service center)
Do not ship any product without an RA#. Make sure this number is visible on the outside of the box.
Returns must be sent postage-paid to the repair facility. EOTech is not responsible for improper postage or missing or damaged merchandise during shipping. EOTech will cover return freight charges after the repair.


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A two part trip. Bipartite, if you will. Tripartite, if you're into 16th century Hungarian jurisprudence, which you're not. But I digress. The first part of the trip was from work (aka my workplace) to roughly Dupont Circle (aka Dupont Circle or thereabouts). This part of the trip entailed some bicycling, which itself featured some pedaling, some coasting, a little bit of steering and so much smugness you couldn't fill one thousand thimbles. I've never quite understand the "bicyclists are smug" thing (which itself might make me smug) because I've always been more of the mindset that "bicyclists are just people trying to get places via means of bicycle" and "OMG please be careful I'm bicycling here and I'd rather not get hit by your car." Plus, I've always preferred to think of smug as s'mug, which is a mug full of s'mores. If I was the general manager of a bar, we'd serve this and we'd make all of the money.
Around the intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin, I came up behind another bicyclist. She was a woman in a dress and she rode a CaBi and she wore a helmet and her dress had a chain-type pattern on it and I spent much of the time on the downhill of Massachusetts looking at the back of her dress, and of her, which is to say, her back, because I didn't know if I should pass her or if I should just be patient. Eventually, on the other side of the Observatory, I decided that I would, car-style, leave the right lane and pass her in the left one before merging back right and then I rode in front of her for some time until she later took to the sidewalk and caught up with me at the bottom of the hill, whereby I was left feeling like I passed her needlessly since it achieved me close to nothing in terms of speed of trip or perception of the speed of my trip. In in the interim period, between the time I passed her and the time she passed me back (but before I managed to once again ride in front of her, though not pass her as she was on the sidewalk and I was on the roadway), I practiced my braking (not, not that) and my skidding (no, I don't have a parenthetical YouTube clip for that) as I had to come to a near immediate stop because a taxi three cars in front of me did the same in order to onboard a fare. I was scratching my nose at the time and broke late (like a golf putt, maybe?) and my rear tire went near horizontal as it skidded, but I remained upright and avoided a collision with the car in front of me. So, huzzah for that.
I zipped between stopped buses and left turning vans and zigged (but didn't zag) my way to 20th street and turned right, stopped at a street named after a letter (I cannot remember which one) and then circumnavigated a certain table tennis-themed bar/restuarant, outside which I locked my bicycle prior to entering to grab some drinks and food with the Official Wife and an old friend from college times (hoya saxa). Afterwards, I came out to find my bike locked next to a bike named after Mount McKinley. Perhaps this bike belonged to a Palin or a Jack London character.
Setting off, I took New Hampshire to a leftish turn on 21st street and I passed a guy who might or might not have been having a conversation wherein the word (words?) lightsaber was (were?) mentioned.
I turned again on Penn and then it was pretty much old hat once I got passed the White House, in that riding down 15th and then Pennsylvania is like an old hat in metaphorical ways I need not explain. I saw Mayor-Elect Tommy Wells outside the JAWB.
Along Penn, I decided that I would try to keep pace with the guy in front of me who seemed considerable more interested in riding faster that I would have been, but I felt cheeky and decided to apply myself and maintained well my speed for a number of blocks before thinking better of running a near-red yellow and I stopped and he was gone, bike shorts and all.
At the point you need to snake your bike up the Hill, making thrice the movement horizontal than the movement vertical, I think it more wise to just get off and push the bike uphill. It seems self-defeating to do otherwise. There's no shame in walking a bike. I've done it.
At the top of the Hill, in front (behind?) the Capitol, I decided not to photobomb the tourists (as I had by the White House) and then down East Capitol I decided not to photobomb anyone else, mostly because no one seemed to be taking pictures.
I made it home before the rain, which was then imminent. I then walked the dog in the rain and neither of us were happy about it.
Ride Home 7/10: Consolation of Philately
2 comments:
I love two-part bike commutes. You get to ride your bike twice!ReplyDelete
Poor Ellie, that was no typical DC sprinkle ... I rode home in it late, after it was no longer pouring but still coming down steadily. Not awful but not that fun in a dress either.
I got about two miles away from home before I got caught in the downpour. There's not much you can do about it, and maybe it's because it's summer rain, I really don't mind getting soaked on my bike ride home.ReplyDelete
Maybe after Brompton and cargo bike riders take their share, there's no smugness left for the rest of us?
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Photo Gallery: Decorating With Pink
Get in the pink with this romantic hue.
Choose neutral finishes for key furniture and easily revive a room's look with new, colourful accessories.
Homeowner and emerging designer Sarah Callanan stained the maple tops of the banquettes and the floors the same ebony for a practical and tailored look. The oversized pendant accentuates the ceiling height, while the shapely Saarinen pedestal table and modern-classic Ghost chairs keep the corner open. Pink and olive throw pillows jazz up the black and white scheme.
Watch a tour of this loft plus, see more brightly-hued spaces in our Colourful Rooms Gallery.
A pink painting sets the tone for this soft, feminine space.
A Chinoiserie painting using pastel colours complements the decor in the rest of the room. Exotic botanical pillows, mint vases, gold accents and fresh tulips round out the room's light, airy vibe.
See more artful homes in our photo gallery.
Adding decorative corner flourishes creates a baroque effect.
An ornate mirror hung on the deep dusty rose wall has a distinctly French feel.Mixing it up with mid-century modern furniture creates intriguing tension and helps keep the space from veering into too-pretty territory.
Use wrapping paper as wallpaper for an ombré effect.
Step 1. Choose a bright wallpaper with an ombré pattern. Step 2. Using double-sided tape, apply long, thin strips to the wall to create a border with the same dimensions as your paper. Step 3. Hang paper by carefully pressing the wrapping paper onto the tape border, making sure the edges line up. Smooth out any air bubbles, and press edges down to prevent them from curling. Step 4. Repeat with each sheet of paper until the wall is covered. Voila!
See more ideas for decorating with pink in our photo gallery.
Trad-meets-modern in this vibrant living room.
A colourful Porter Teleo silk stretched over three canvases makes a one-of-a-kind triptych that was the jumping off point for this room's colour scheme. The Persian rug and luxe velvet pillows echo the rosy tones in the triptych. Hits of blue and black and striped chairs keep the room from feeling too girly.
See more ideas for decorating with pink in our photo gallery.
Exotic touches and pink accents lend charm.
An antique carved-wood Indian daybed and tribal print pillows give this living room a Southeast Asian vibe. A long, concrete bench and glass lamp keep the look modern. Soft pops of pink in the pillows and sofa, just out of sight, and a white Mongolian fur pouf add a femme feel.
See more ideas for decorating with pink in our photo gallery.
Gold accents elevate the room.
In this formal living room, a white linen sofa is the ultimate in crisp luxury. Peony-pink drapes and chocolate accent pillows balance the room's masculine and feminine aspects.
Find more inspiration in our Traditional Living Rooms photo gallery.
Create electric pink curtain rods from hardware-store plastic tubing.
Keep large investment pieces neutral, then let loose with accents like hot pink curtain rods and ultrabright yellow and orange patterns hand-printed on throw pillows. Crisp white walls and white-painted floors keep the gutsy colour from overwhelming the eye. Craft your own printed pillows with simple stripes or floral patterns using fabric paint.
Get more ideas in our DIY & Home Improvement section.
The Vancouver haven of The Cross' designer.
When consulting with clients, Peter always gives this advice: "Surround yourself with the things you love and buy the best you can afford." He applied that wisdom when he designed his first condo — complete with come-hither cushions, display-worthy artifacts and splurge-worthy artwork. "And every space should have great lighting," he insists. Enter the Bourgie lamp from Kartell, a modern accent atop of stack of books.
View more of Peter Wilds' style in our Stylemakers photo gallery and our August 2010 issue.
Try out a deep coral hue if pink is too feminine for you.
Here, chunky Japanese garden stools offer a fresh take on the cocktail table. Budding branches make a striking bouquet in an oversized case, while a colourful arrangement of tulips creates a bold focal point in an unlit fireplace. A lamp with a coral-like texture offers a counterpoint to the more polished pieces.
See more pink spaces in our Decorating With Pink photo gallery.
Smaller accessories are an easy way to introduce hot pink.
Use bright accents in a lively mix of patterns and solids to punch up a neutral living space. Toss pillows in a range of coordinating shades onto a white sofa or layer an area rug in a bold saturated hue over neutral broadloom. A treasured object, like a faux-twig bird's nest, provides a whimsical finishing touch.
See more pink spaces in our Decorating With Pink photo gallery.
A fun, eclectic lounge space.
Christie Smythe, one of the creative minds behind Canadian label Smythe, chose an edgy black and white palette for her informal living room. The dark pieces that anchor the room are offset by grey and cream pillows in a geometric pattern, and shots of hot pink. The result is a fun, energized space that plays host to Smythe's friends and family.
See more graphic rooms in our photo gallery.
A fuschia statement wall adds a playful feel.
In a small room, a statement wall makes a big impact. The drama of fuschia grasscloth wallpaper helps to distract from the bedroom's size. A heart pillow adds a precious touch, while white bedding and a white lamp are stark contrasts.
Pale pink and lilac tones evoke a serene femininity.
This bedroom's walls and ceilings are painted the same soft grey-lilac — an atmospheric colour that harmonizes the room's playful mix of patterns. A pink coverlet warms up the cool tones in the room.
Rosy neutrals add warmth to this feminine space.
Take a note from spring runway fashions and incorporate blush, the season's hottest new shade, into your decor. This serene sitting area, in a principal bedroom, uses a muted palette pulled from the contemporary artwork. The Lucite table and cross-back chairs keep the look light.
For a rainbow of inspiration, see our Colourful Spring Rooms gallery.
Exotic details and a shapely velvet headboard shine in this space.
While many of us choose beige or off-white walls, interior designer Theresa Casey embraces the rainbow: "Colour is the easiest way to transform your space — you can have a wall come forward or recede. Sometimes a small room doesn't have a lot of light, and you add a beautiful eggplant purple and voilà, your space is cosy and warm."
Get more design and decorating ideas in our Designer Bedrooms photo gallery, or see our Theresa Casey photo gallery.
A warm and inviting neutral with a vintage vibe.
Assistant style editor Reiko Caron's pick — Farrow & Ball's Setting Plaster (231) — is a more feminine alternative to beige, that's not too sweet. Depending on the light, this pale hue can read as a muddy peach to a pinkish-beige. Try it in a bedroom or in a powder room, where its rosy undertone will cast a warm glow.
See more Editors' Favourite Fall Paint Colours in our photo gallery, more lighting options in our Statement Lighting photo gallery, plus more tips on Decorating With Pink.
Daring design gives this room a heightened sense of drama.
In 2011, traditionalists are expressing their inner rebels with a riot of clashing colours and bold patterns. Chinoiserie wallpaper mixes with a camp-style red point blanket to offer appealing tension and an upholstered headboard gets an edgy update with nailhead detailing. Classic lampshades on swing-arm lamps, while still pleated and pretty, swap out more staid shades for exotic brights. Bits of gold detailing throughout add a balancing dose of traditional polish.
See more 2011 trend looks in our photo gallery, plus more tips on Decorating With Pink.
Copious sunlight and a vintage bergere chair, upholstered in raspberry leopard print, brighten this playful bedroom.
Splashes of vibrant pink, raspberry and orange sorbet add playful and feminine accents, while a lucite chair and Kartell table lamp, along with a lovely Hermès throw, lend an air of sophistication.
Striped wallpaper adds a feminine touch.
Homeowner Alison Booth doesn't shy away from colour, and her conveniently-located second-floor laundry room is no exception. Strong colours and graphic patterns balance each other and add interest. For a bold wallpaper like this, keep cabinets and flooring in neutral or white.
See more luxe laundry rooms in our photo gallery, plus more tips on Decorating With Pink.
An unused driveway is transformed into a patio.
The homeowner converted her garage into a music studio and the driveway into a sitting nook and dining area using striking furniture and bold fabrics. Yews and boxwood add texture and up the privacy. A grapevine ball filled with twinkle lights adds mood lighting for summer entertaining.
See more pools, patios and gardens in our Inspiring Backyards photo gallery. Plus, check out other unique garage conversions in our photo gallery.


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This fall, fourth-year men's head coach Andrew Harris also assumed the position of women's head coach. Harris said making the transition has been simple due to the similarities in the two teams.
"The question I get asked the most is what is it like now working with both teams versus coaching the men's team as you were doing before," Harris said. "The phrase we like to use is, its two teams but one program. The way we recruit, the way we run practices, the way we prepare everyday, and the way we want the program to be recognized in the community is all the same."
With Harris taking the reins of both teams, two assistant coaches have been added to the staff. Former Lipscomb tennis star Mike Sherman came on board as the men's assistant coach in the fall. Sherman, a Dallas, Texas native, played for Lipscomb from 2003-2007, earning two Atlantic Sun All-Conference titles.
The women's team will seek guidance from new assistant coach Jamie Aid. Aid also played for Lipscomb during her college career before graduating and working at Ensworth High School for the past five years.
Harris said his past and familiarity with the new assistants has benefited both the staff and the program.
"In terms of our coaching staff, you cannot have a coaching structure the way we do unless you have tremendous people that are diligent and detail oriented," Harris said. "I was blessed because I was able to play on the same Lipscomb tennis teams with Mike and Jamie before they arrived here this fall.
"Any coach will tell you when you have new staff the biggest issue is really the trust factor. However, with Jamie and Mike, we all knew one another coming in. The amount of diligence and detail that they put into their work on a daily basis was much needed in order to make sure the day to day operations remain consistent while also making sure we are building the program for the future."
Not only has the program undergone coaching changes in the off-season, but both teams will kickoff the spring with some new faces.
"The biggest transition is really for our players not for the coaches," Harris said.
The men's team has undergone extensive personnel additions during this off-season. After adding two new players in the fall, the Bisons picked up three new additions this spring.
Harris said the challenges for the men's team will be finding cohesion as well as instilling a "champion" mindset, but he expects big results from one of the programs most talented rosters.
"On the men's side, this has been a four year building period," Harris said. "This team is certainly the deepest team we have had here at Lipscomb and we are expecting some great things from this group."
The women's team boasts an experienced team with only a single freshman addition in the fall. Florida-native Alyssa Bellini will add more depth to the women's returning roster.
"Experience plays a big role when you are at this level, and I think given some time that when conference schedule arrives the [Lady] Bisons will be ready for battle," Harris said.
The men kick-off the spring season first against UT-Chattanooga on Friday at 6 p.m. at Richland Country Club. They are back in action on Saturday at 2 p.m. as they faceoff against No. 39-ranked Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt's Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center.
The Lady Bisons' season opener will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Austin Peay University.
Wrttien by Ashlan Williams, athletics media relations student assistant.


text: Home HOTTER ON METALS: LME nickel trial suggests traditional model is intact The London Metal Exchange has just finished its trial to calculate nickel prices using a volume weighted average price (VWAP) method on the exchange's electronic trading platform. If early indications are anything to go by, metals market participants did not embrace this method of price discovery in the way some had anticipated. For three months since Monday March 18, closing prices for nickel carry trades continued to be based on ring trading, with a four-minute kerb session lasting from 16:55 to 16:59, allowing for a one-minute VWAP period. Some market participants said the trial inevitably spelled the beginning of the end of the open outcry trading floor. But LME chief executive officer Matthew Chamberlain says the exchange is open-minded about the outcome of the trial, which arose as a result of the LME's 2017 strategy discussion paper. "I can say with all genuine honesty that this isn't a pre-ordained conclusion; we genuinely want to get the data," he said during a panel discussion at the recent Fastmarkets copper... Email this article Your details Your recipients's details You can enter a maximum of 5 recipients. Use ; to separate email addresses. Email yourself a copy? Enter the code: Cancel Ok To view this content, please take a free trial or subscribe to our service in just a few steps. Already registered? Log in Discover what Fastmarkets MB has to offer with a FREE 7 day trial: View a sample of all 1,000+ prices Access the past month's market insights No commitment Try our global metal company database Get free access now Subscribe now to get access to Fastmarkets MB: 1,000+ metals prices and premiums including key industry benchmarks Prices analysis tool Live news and breaking news alerts Contact information for 11,500+ companies Subscribe now Contact Us +44 (0) 20 7779 8260 firstname.lastname@example.com Published Andrea Hotter June 20, 2019 14:27 GMT New York Keywords VWAP electronic TAS Mathew Chamberlain Related news {{article|snippet:'title'|removeHtmlTags}} {{article|fields:'dates'|date:dateArticleFormat}}


text:
19 April 2010
When you smile the sun it peaks through the clouds...
photos by Tom b.
- 30s floral cotton dress
- brown 80s flats
- thrifted belt
- 40s felt hat
- vintage John Romain purse
- listening to: Band of Horses - Cease to Begin "The Marry Song"
How was your weekend? All was well here. We had a little rain and a little sunshine. At least the rain washed away some of the pollen that's been making me sneeze non-stop. We're still living in a huge cloud of construction dust as our home improvements keep dragging on and on. Maybe by the end of the week I can stop waking up to the sound of pounding hammers? Maybe?
Last night Tom and I had plans to go for a long walk them come home to cook dinner and watch a movie. I've been refusing to leave the house if it's less than 50 degrees outside. Come on spring! We checked the weather and luckily it was 51! A walk was taken but by the time we got home neither of us felt much like cooking and I was too sleepy (see above being woken by hammers) to watch a movie. So... it turned into glorified ramen noodles with edamame for dinner and old episodes of The Wire (I can barely follow that show).
27 comments:
- Nicole said...
Speaking of The Wire, have you watched Treme yet? I think you'd love the old New Orleans feel and the amazing music showcased throughout each episode. It's a new show on HBO set in post Katrina Southern Louisiana about resilience and starting over. It has some of the same actors as The Wire and the same creator too. Give it a go if you haven't seen it yet, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
- April 19, 2010
- V.V. said...
beautiful dress, your pictures are as usual, great
- April 19, 2010
- Lexie said...
oooo the wire is SO GOOD if you just watch carefully ... keep at it! i promise you wont regret it ... it's the best show EVER created (they are even dedicating courses to it at big universities!).
- April 19, 2010
- Unknown said...
beautiful dress!!
great blog
follow me on
- April 19, 2010
- AlicePleasance said...
Pollen makes me sneeze non stop too, so I can feel your pain!
...and we're still living in a huge volcanic cloud...ahahah!
How beautiful are daffodils? Make me think of childhood.
- April 19, 2010
- Anonymous said...
Marvelous photos, I adore that dress!
- April 19, 2010
- Ally said...
your photos are always so beautiful..i adore your dress too XX
- April 19, 2010
- anja louise said...
If you guys have the Wire DVDs, turn on the subtitles!! Seriously. I did that during the first season because it was so hard to figure out what they were talking about, because basically everything they say is code words, abbreviations for drug names or other secretive stuff, so when you actually see the words on the screen it makes it WAY easier to keep the characters and their motives/roles straight. It's worth it, cause then you'll get used to it and actually be able to enjoy the show.
and I second the recommendation for Treme, the first ep was really great.
- April 19, 2010
- Zoë said...
cute as a button! you've put a smile on my face for the evening :)
- April 19, 2010
- Jenni said...
Your dress is so beautiful! You have the best 30s dresses. I love your hat, too. :D
- April 19, 2010
- Antares said...
please give Wire a chance.it's the best tv show ever created!!!
- April 19, 2010
- Q's Daydream said...
stunning picture and dress! i have been not leaving the house if it's under 60s degrees, haha! :o)
- April 19, 2010
- kate said...
That dress is a dream! I love everything you wear!
- April 19, 2010
- sarah {on the brightside...} said...
your dress is so pretty! & so are the daffodils! love the golden light in these photos!
oh & btw- i am offering a fun giveaway at my blog this week! check it out: http://thebrightsidestudio.blogspot.com
thanks! & happy monday!
- April 19, 2010
- Meggstatus said...
You are definitely one of my favorites!
- April 19, 2010
- Jenna said...
That dress is so amazing (from the 30s and in such good shape!)
Also, I'm with you on pollen. It is always such a pain this time of year.
- April 19, 2010
- esme and the laneway said...
Beautiful dress – I have been looking for a similar one for ages, and your here is perfect! Gorgeous pictures, too, as always :)
Actually there is some rather splendid golden light streaming through the window here, and it works perfectly with these pics!
- April 19, 2010
- Samantha said...
That is a beautiful dress and I love your bag too! :)
- April 19, 2010
- {eleise} said...
I just stumbled onto your blog & I LOVE it! So beautiful!
- April 19, 2010
- tess said...
your tatoo looks great with the dress
- April 19, 2010
- Meghan said...
I'll cross my fingers that you get a nice stretch of 50-degree-plus days soon. You, as usual, look gorgeous!
- April 19, 2010
- calivintage said...
ah, you look so beautiful in that dress! so delicate and pretty!
- April 19, 2010
- Sea Bird said...
So pretty! You blend right in with the spring background.
- April 19, 2010
- Tieka, Selective Potential said...
Such gorgeous photos - and I adore your dress!
- April 19, 2010
- Taylor Kitto / The Little Deer said...
goodness that color and design of the dress is so fab.
you look amazing!
- April 19, 2010
- Taylor Sterling said...
beautiful! I love the colors in this dress and the hat! You are lovely!
- April 20, 2010
- A new life said...
super. great dress
- April 20, 2010


text:
New York, March 5, 2012--A Web editor in the southern Chinese city of Foshan was jailed for 10 days after reposting an unconfirmed report that two local officials had been caught with prostitutes, according to Chinese and international news reports.
Shang Laicheng, an editor at Tiantian Xin news forum, was detained by Foshan police after leaving work on February 17, according to Southern Metropolis Daily. His family was informed that he had been formally detained in a Chancheng district detention center for spreading false information.
According to news reports, the accusation was based on information Shang had reposted, saying city police had caught two local prosecutors using the services of prostitutes at a sauna, but that "the two were driving around and strolling the streets the next day," according to a translation by U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Asia. The post did not name the prosecutors.
The Foshan Procuratorate office said on its official microblog that the information in the post was fabricated and had damaged the reputations of authorities, according to news reports. It is unclear who wrote the original post.
"This heavy-handed treatment is clearly intended to quell open discussion on the Internet," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator. "If public officials contest the accuracy of a posting, they should use recourses that do not include imprisonment."
In a press conference on February 28, Shang said he had not intended to spread misinformation, and that he was seeking official compensation and a review of the case, according to news reports.
A colleague at Tiantian Xin told Radio Free Asia that Shang had been placed on leave, and that he remains under police investigation.
Netizens and journalists raised questions about Shang's arrest. Guangzhou-based newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily quoted a legal scholar who defended Shang's rights, saying that the Chinese constitution gives citizens the right to supervise the government. If the post was untrue, then authorities should produce information to prove it, the legal scholar said.


text:
It was evident that Shawn Flarida was proud of his horse, Wimps Chocolate Chip, after their ride in the CRI3*. He should be very proud as they posted a runaway score of 228 to take the individual first place. In an interview earlier in the day with Louisville.com Flarida said Wimps Chocolate Chip was an awesome horse who had won $100,000. He said the horse has such a good mind and great trainability. He's had the horse since he was a 3 years old. Flarida is sponsored by Ariat and rode on the Ariat Boots Team along with Shane Brown and Sam Smith in the team competition.
Coming in second place in the individual competition was Tom McCutcheon on Chick Olena Starbuck with a score of 224. Craig Schmersal on Whizs Katrina came in third place with a score of 223.5.
Team SmartPak were the winners in the team competition with a score of 664. Team SmartPak consisted of Tom McCutcheon on Chic Olena Starbuck, Mandy McCutcheon on Don Julio Whiz, Pete Kyle on A Ruf Gal.
Coming in second in the team competition was the Ariat Boots Team whose members were Shawn Flarida on Wimps Chocolate Chip, Shane Brown on Houston Shine, and Sam Smith on Dun Its Chico with a score of 661.5.
In a tight team competition Team Purina came in a close third just a half point behind the second place team with a score of 661. Team Purina consisted of Craig Schmersal on Whizs Katrina, Shane Brown on Shepherd Star, and Jarvis Anderson on Pretty Peppy Chec.
The top placed riders in the individual competition shared in $50,000 in prize money, and the team competition garnered an additional $50,000 in prize money. Ariat is the title sponsor of the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup Event.
Tonight's, Saturday, April 28, competition features the exciting World Championship Freestyle competition where riders and horses, in costume, will ride custom choreographed patterns to music. Several celebrity riders are slated to participate in the freestyle competition including event riders David and Karen O'Connor, Gina Miles, and Hall of Fame Jockey Chris McCarron. This event is always a crowd pleaser and will be held from 5:30-7:30 pm in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. For more information on ticket purchasing, tickets will be available for pickup at Will Call at the event, and other information pertaining to the event go to the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup website.
Photos: Courtesy of Carly Dolan


text: Before breaking it big as one of the world's hottest porn stars, Rachel RoXXX was already a dirty girl with a dirty mind. Losing her virginity at an early age, she went on to work at Hooters, donning the iconic orange shorts to make ends meet. Even then, with all her clothes on, she was already inspiring fantasies in every man who saw her! But when a friend who worked in porn offered her a way to break into the adult industry back in , she jumped at the chance! Since that fateful day, the impact she's had on the hearts and cocks of countless young men across the world can't be overstated. She's had all kinds of success, earning five AVN Award nominations in just a few short years, and if you take one look at some of her scenes right here on Brazzers, it's not hard to see why!


text:
CHRISTINA LAKE, B.C. - Mounties are investigating a suspicious fire at a Christina Lake, B.C., property where the owner once pleaded guilty to feeding bears that apparently guarded a marijuana plantation.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim Harrison of the Grand Forks detachment in southeastern B.C. says a water bomber and a helicopter were used to contain the blaze that spread to the surrounding forest and outbuildings on Tuesday night.
Property owner Allan Piche was fined $6,000 in May on two charges of feeding bears.
He was arrested in 2010 when police investigating a grow-op discovered tame black bears that watched passively as 1,100 marijuana plants were removed from the property.
Piche pleaded guilty to feeding the animals dog food but was charged a second time with the same offence.
His fine included restrictions barring him from feeding dangerous wildlife in B.C.


text:
- 1 beds
- 2 baths
- $22,500 price
- 4749436 mls id
- Square Feet: 846 sqft
- Year Built: 1998
- Status: Active
Use it, Rent it, Trade it! Does 13 weeks of vacation a year sound nice? Benefits of Grand Summit ownership include the best ski in/out mountain location available. Use of the Grand Summit amenities all year round including valet parking, owners private lounge, private owners library, full service spa, saunas hot tubs and outdoor heated pool, private owners only ski/golf locker rooms for year round storage. A favorite owners perk is "Space A" which gives you the possibility of staying in the hotel even when it is not your ownership time at a discounted rate...just pay house keeping fees!This unit is a sleep 8, 2 bath unit with a full kitchen one private bedroom with 2 queen beds and an additional pull out couch AND Murphy Bed in the living area. This unit is also a lock out style giving the flexibility of using both sides or using one and renting the other at the same time.RCI and Interval International Affiliated.
- Site Link
- Property SubType Condominium
Courtesy of: Mount Snow Realty
Listing Agent: Prema Fitzpatrick
Updated: 8th April, 2020 8:53 AM.
89 Grand Summit Way Dover, VT


text:
On my run this morning, I was thinking about the "waves" of life and how to stay afloat when the going gets rough. Perfectly calm water can only exist in a vacuum. Because other elements exist, like earth, air and fire, the water is affected and waves arise. On a perfect day, when I have practiced many of my spiritual disciplines such as acceptance, exercise, breathing, service to others or meditation, my inner self is calm and I have a better chance of responding to life. On other days, when I rush out my front door to work without reading a positive passage or taking time to get centered, I am more easily disturbed by the blowing of the wind, shifting of the earth and heat of the fire.
I am extremely grateful for my recovery lifestyle which shifted me away from constantly being a victim into a life of empowerment. I face many circumstances today which have the potential to completely paralyze me with fear or pain and, instead, I CHOOSE recovery. I am able to choose it because I am not on drugs. When I use drugs/alcohol or any mind/mood altering substance, I lose my choice. I work a program one day at a time, year after year, for close to 17 years now, because the risidual effect of doing so is what helps me face and flow with life's waves.
Today, I expect waves. Today, I do my best to not close my eyes and turn my back on the waves. Today, I believe I can turn into the wave and ride it in the direction intended for me and end of up exactly where I am meant to be for the moment. Circumstances, like my mom's terminal illness, certainly weigh on my heart and mind greatly. I choose to be there for her. I choose to feel my feelings, share with my loved ones, cry my eyes out and then get up and go see my mom as often as I can. Changes at work impact me. My territory had two representatives working it for eight years. Now, it's just me. I could tell myself I can't do the work and complain or I can sit with my manager and strategize how to best spend my attention/effort and take responsibility for my efforts. Recovery teaches me to give every outcome to my higher power. I am only in charge of my attitude and my effort.
People misbehave all the time. I believe hurting people hurt people. I believe people show you who they are and their behaviors are about their wounds, not anyone elses. What the world needs now is a whole hell of lot more love, compassion and tolerance. Anger and resentment don't take effort. Rising above the wave does. For me, that begins with self-care. By attending to my mind, body and spirit each day, I calm the waters and can be of use to others instead of a hardship
All my best,
Cate Stevens


text:
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text:
S.A. teeters on brink of Stage 3 water rules
Aquifer plunges two feet in two days.
The water level of the Edwards Aquifer J-17 monitoring well has dropped more than two feet since Monday, putting San Antonio on the edge of triggering Stage 3 watering restrictions.
Unless the region gets rain very soon, the Edwards Aquifer Authority and San Antonio Water System are predicting that sometime between next week and mid-September, outdoor watering with sprinklers and irrigation systems will be limited to one day every other week.
The same would apply to Bexar Metropolitan Water District customers as well.
Once declared, the restrictions have to remain for at least a month. But it's likely they will stay around much longer — even through next summer.
The National Weather Service is predicting Texas will be warmer and drier than average through the winter. With San Antonio already more than 14 inches behind average rainfall for the year, that does not bode well for the drought ending this year or even the first half of 2012. There would have to be a significant reversal of the weather pattern, what forecasters call a "regime change."
"The rainfall deficit so far is so large we in some ways have had the equivalent of two years of drought in one year," state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. said. "It is likely that this drought will continue in many parts of the state for next summer."
Across South and Central Texas, rivers are nearing and surpassing all-time lows, pecan and oak trees that have stood for decades are dying of thirst, and there is concern this drought has the potential to compete with the worst one on record, which lasted from 1947 to 1956.
"The fact that the drought of the 1950s happened means it is entirely likely that a worse one can happen again," Nielsen-Gammon said. "Records are unfortunately made to be broken and unfortunately so is the drought of record."
Besides little rain, San Antonio has had 44 days of 100 degrees or higher temperatures this year, the second-highest of all time. The highest was 59 in 2009. Now in third place is 1998 with 36.
From under the water
For those who lived through the 1950s, the idea that such a drought could happen again is daunting.
"It makes me nervous as hell because I know where it can go," said Bill "Big Willie" George. "It was just like it is now; it just did not rain, period."
More Information
Born in 1924 in New Braunfels, George remembers watching the top soil of his father's and grandfather's ranch dry up and blow away.
Spurred by similar losses across the state, Texas went on a reservoir building spree in the 1960s that included Canyon Lake Dam, which put George's boyhood home underwater.
Now living on the remains of his grandfather's ranch, which is being subdivided to make room for million-dollar lake view homes, George watches the stone walls his family built re-emerge as the reservoir behind the dam drops.
He may soon be able to see the path he took to school.
The Climate Prediction Center of the weather service foresees a 33 percent to 40 percent chance of Texas having below-average rainfall through January.
"If you look at it like playing craps, the dice are a little shaved to favor a certain outcome," said Mike Halpert, the center's deputy director.
Unfortunately, that outcome is not what Texas needs to break the drought and raise the level of the Edwards and other aquifers. It actually needs several months of above-average rainfall, according to the EAA and the weather service.
The center is putting the odds of that not happening at more than 70 percent. It's also predicting a strong chance that the tropical waters of the Pacific will be cooler and trigger the La Niña weather pattern, which usually means drier and warmer conditions for Texas.
"Drought begets drought," said Mark Brundrett a meteorologist at the Austin/San Antonio weather service office. "That's the nature of a drought."
Brundrett explained that the drier the lower levels of the atmosphere become, the stronger the storm system needed to break it up.
On average, San Antonio's best shot at a major rainstorm is in September when tropical depressions and or hurricanes come off the Gulf of Mexico.
"If we don't get anything in the next month, we are pretty much out of luck if we go into a La Niña pattern," Brundrett said. "Even if we got the rainfall next month, it probably won't be a big drought-buster."
And that would leave Texas waiting for late spring 2012, a time of year when there's often a spike in rainfall.
But for now with no water flowing into Canyon Lake from the Guadalupe River, the reservoir is expected to drop below the record low that was set during the drought of 2009, and George is getting to see more and more of his old boyhood haunts.
As much as he likes to reminisce, he would rather those places stay submerged.
"It was a rough, rough time," he said of the 1950s drought, describing how he watched trees with 2-foot-thick trunks die and his father scrape together money to buy feed for the family's milk cows.
"This makes me pretty nervous," he said. "But as long as this high pressure sits on top of us, it's going to continue."


text:
Last month, a lot of time, energy and treasure was spent hosting a major international event that created a good bit of commentary around many a kitchen table. No, not that little bicycle thingy, but the marriage of our daughter, Bailey Kunkel to Gary Bratton.
It didnt all start here, it started more than a year ago when while on vacation from classes in London, Bailey popped into the famous St. Georges Tavern for lunch. Gary, a Newcastle, England, native, was also in London on business.
They conversed, kept in touch, dated often and fell in love. Returning to London one year to the day, hour and minute later, they sat at the same table, ordered the same lunch, and the young Mr. Bratton, down on one knee, asked the time-honored question.
In response, the girl from Durango said: Yes.
Of course, the venue was a Harry Potter castle look-alike, the wedding was perfectly planned, the sun broke through the mist for the only two hours that week, and everything was either lovely or brilliant.
Now we have an extended family of fun-loving Brits to enjoy. And the Brits have more reasons to dress up and have fun than the queen has birthdays.
For example, the getting married business in England seems to be big business.
There are more bridal and tuxedo shops on corners than Starbucks. During our two weeks in the heart of downtown Newcastle-on-the-Tyne, large groups of soon-to-be brides and grooms would roam freely on the town. In the States, we call them bachelor and bachelorette parties, while the Brits call them hen and stag parties.
Seven nights of the week, hens and stags dressed to the nines or wearing outrageously clever costumes, are out having an outrageously good time. I have to admit, we may need to up our party game if we are going to keep pace with the redcoats.
While the Brits do party heartily, I was impressed by some of the accepted norms of a night on the town.
Most people walked or took public transit to their favorite restaurants and pubs because there is no tolerance for drinking and driving, with very stiff penalties imposed for violators, and almost every pub has a doorman (a very large doorman) who maintains order and denies entry to those who have had enough fun.
Because indoor smoking bans have universally been adopted, there is a lot of cigarette litter outside, offset by more overnight sidewalk and street cleaning.
All in all, people are just people. Durango has its chickens and bears, and England has hens and stags.
Lets go downtown for a pint, and talk about it.
firstname.lastname@example.com Bob Kunkel is the downtown business development manager for the city of Durango.