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End of the road?
Ben Bishop [9] allowed 3 goals on 37 shots for the loss. We're starting to see what the book is on Bishop now. He's tough as nails to score on in close but may be a little more vulnerable from long range a la Martin Brodeur and a few other bigger-sized goaltenders. I've been pleasantly surprised how he handles himself as a puck handler, on top of that.
First Period
01:52 TB Lecavalier (8), (St. Louis, Salo)
Second Period
03:14 WSH Ovechkin (24), (Hillen, Backstrom)
06:37 TB Killorn (7), (Lecavalier, Carle)
12:54 WSH Carlson (6), (Ward, Hillen)
16:21 WSH Ward (8), (Perrault, Chimera)
Third Period
19:55 WSH Ovechkin (25), (Ribiero)(EN)
Vincent Lecavalier [10] was the game's third star. He has 3 points in 3 games since returning from the broken foot.
It's a tough, tough way to see your season possibly slip away. The past 2 nights saw a pair of 1 goal games that could've easily gone the other way, and just 1 or 2 mistakes and bad bounces made the difference. It's a shame, and the kind of thing that should keep these guys up at nights during the offseason. My biggest regret is that the outcome of these games may very well have gone the other way had Victor Hedman [11] been in the lineup. Again, it's a shame.
The Lightning's divisional deficit grows back to 8 points, with seemingly not enough games left to close the gap.
Alex Killorn [12] had a beautiful goal and was -1 with 2 shots in 16:19.
Matt Taormina [13] was -1 with 1 hit and 2 blocked shots in 16:52.
Tyler Johnson [14] had 1 shot, 1 hit, and was 58% on draws in 11:15.
Richard Panik [15] was -1 with 1 blocked shot in 13:15. The guy has got to quit giving away the puck in the neutral zone. It's a career killing bad habit.
Radko Gudas [16] was -1 with 2 shots and 7 hits in 19:26.
Box score [17] and extended statistics [18] from NHL.com.


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Story highlights
- At tech startups, some bemoan the rise of 'brogrammer' culture
- The term is a satirical one to describe computer pros with a fraternity party mind-set
- Critics say the emerging style shuts out women and others who don't fit in
- It can also have consequences, by alienating customers and potential hires
At one of the world's biggest gatherings of Web culture, a 28-year-old executive talks about landing a tech job by sending a CEO "bikini shots" from a "nudie calendar" he created.
On campus at Stanford University, a hot startup attracts recruits with a poster asking if they want to 'bro down and crush some code.'"
And the world's largest Internet registration company entices Web entrepreneurs with a Super Bowl ad in which two female celebrities paint its logo onto the body of an apparently naked model.
Forget what you think you know about the benignly geeky computer programmer who lives for the thrill of finding a single misplaced semicolon in thousands of lines of code.
And welcome to the world of the "brogrammer."
As tech startup culture increasingly enters the mainstream consciousness through movies like "The Social Network" or headlines about the latest 20-something to cash in a dorm-room idea for millions of dollars, the field is attracting a whole new host of personality types.
And some in the tech community complain that its anything-goes structure and sky's-the-limit earning potential has turned the environment at some companies into something akin to your worst stereotype of a booze-soaked frat party.
"There is always built into a lot of startups the mentality of the barbarians at the gate ... the disruptive nature that the startup ethos is supposed to be all about," said Tasneem Raja, the digital-interactive editor for Mother Jones magazine. "It's sort of lame that it's being expressed as kegs at the office and beer pong and, unfortunately, also sexism."
The term "brogrammer" (a mash-up of "programmer" and "bro," the stereotypical fraternity-house salute) has sprung up recently as a sarcastic take on this new breed of Silicon Valley (or New York, or Chicago, or wherever else techies assemble) computing entrepreneurs.
Witness a thread on Quora where members of the site satirically submit answers to the question, "How does a programmer become a brogrammer."
One answer:
"Lots of red meat, push-ups on one hand, while coding on the other, sunglasses at all times, a tan is important, popped collar is a must. It's important that you can squash anyone who might call you 'geek' or 'nerd' and that you can pick up girls, but also equally important that you know the "Star Wars" movies by heart, and understand programming ideas, like recursion and inheritance."
'A sexier industry'
The evolution of software has played a part in opening up the field to people who haven't necessarily devoted themselves to a computer science degree or spending years hunched over a keyboard.
"Ten years ago, it required somebody who was much more technical," said Steve Spurgat, the CEO of VYou, a New York-based social video site. "When you were writing [code], it was much less abstracted layers where it would take a much longer time to build something that would take a couple of days now."
Spurgat cites some positive effects of that trend, saying that creative types who maybe aren't as detail-oriented as early coders can now join in. But in the 10 years since he started working in startups, he's definitely noticed a culture shift.
"I will boldly say that tech is the new music. It's becoming a sexier industry," he said.
"Think about how much time people are spending with technology. Ten years ago, kids were going to hang out and listen to CDs in their bedrooms. Now they're going to hang out and play 'Words With Friends' and 'Draw Something' and be on Facebook."
But sometimes the growing allure of a tech career can manifest itself in ugly ways.
Raja wrote a piece for Mother Jones about her experience at South by Southwest Interactive when she attended a panel titled "Adding Value as a Non-Technical No Talent Ass-Clown."
During the talk, she wrote, Matt Van Horn, a 28-year-old executive at social-media site Path, talked about landing his first job, at web-aggregator site Digg, by sending editors "bikini shots" from a "nudie calendar" he'd created.
She continued, saying that he advised attendees to avoid what he called "gang-bang interviews" and compared the recruiting process to his college fraternity trying to "attract the hottest girls."
Raja and some others in attendance -- both men and women -- got up and left. After her article ran, she said she received more than 100 messages from tech professionals who said they'd had similar experiences.
"I've gotten e-mails from women in this space who say 'I see it. I'm really disheartened by it. It makes my job harder,' " she said.
For his part, Van Horn says he regrets having played a part in that perception.
"I just feel terrible about this whole thing," Van Horn told CNN Friday, noting that, flying in the face of the "brogrammer" stereotype, he's a married man (he live-streamed his proposal online). "I'm so sorry that I offended anyone."
He called his comments at South by Southwest "a bad attempt at humor and a poor choice of words during a talk, particularly when taken out of context."
"I don't think the words represent a true reflection of my true feelings and character," he said, adding that at the sometimes free-wheeling festival, he "was trying to have a provocative discussion about non-tech contributors making an impact on tech companies."
He added that the calendar he mentioned was, in fact, a college charity project to aid tsunami victims in Southeast Asia and featured both male and female models."
'Bro down and crush some code'
But it's not the only instance that critics cite of the "brogrammer" mentality.
Klout, an app that seeks to judge users' effectiveness on social-media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, has recruited programmers at Stanford University with a poster reading: "Want to bro down and crush some code? Klout is hiring."
That poster, which critics say sends the message that anyone that doesn't share a party-boy mentality need not apply, was "an unfortunate judgment call by a former Klout employee" when the company only employed 10 people, said spokeswoman Lynn Fox. It now employs 70 and 20% of them are women, according to Fox.
In March, daily deals aggregator Squoot advertised a Boston hackathon that promised (along with massages, access to a gym and "kick-ass cupcakes") this tidbit: "Need another beer? Let one of our friendly (female) event staff get that for you." The site has apologized.
And then there's GoDaddy, the web registrar that some call the godfather of the "brogrammer" mind-set.
Jennifer 8. Lee, a journalist and author who, among many projects, works with Web startup Upworthy, said the aforementioned Super Bowl ad, and others like it, show that a "brogrammer" mind-set can have consequences for the company involved.
"They called me the other day and said they just wanted to check in," said Lee (whose numerical middle initial invokes Chinese numerology and was intended to set apart her otherwise common name). "I said, 'Oh yeah, that reminds me ... I thought your Super Bowl ads were sexist and I want to change my registrar. Thanks for reminding me.'"
"We do have power," she added. "There are totally consequences."
The image of beer-swilling coders is a stereotype that far from describes the majority of men in tech startups, those in the industry say.
"There are plenty of people in this industry who ... came up because they were interested in tech and computer programming and maybe some of the more traditionally geekier aspects of this work," Raja said. "Now, I'm hearing people talk about being concerned about the number of quote-unquote 'idea people' flooding the field.
"For me, this is an industry that's really wrestling with how it defines its own professionalism."

subset: commoncrawl


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Ivory/Plum Plaid Multi-Way Headwrap
One Headband, 6+ ways to style it! This is your dream accessory! New to headwraps? Our style guide video tutorials are here to help make it easy on you.
Tie them many ways: Check out the example photo and visit the Style Guide page to see tutorials for each style displayed. So many possibilities! Made with extra soft stretchy knit for incredible comfort. The best part is... it fits anyone, and it fits forever.
Headwraps are one size fits all
Check out the video tutorials in our "Style Guide" on many different ways to tie these headwraps
Headbands are made to order and may not be exactly as pictured in the listing. These are handmade and each headband will be slightly different based on the cut of fabric used. Your headband will arrive untied so you can custom fit it to suit your needs


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HARTFORD — Learning to read at a young age is the most important predictor of time high school graduation, yet it can be a frustrating experience for some students. Just a little help goes a very long way.
Last year, 200 students enrolled in United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut's Readers program and 95 percent of them improved their literacy skills. This year, more students in our community need you.
As a United Way Reader, you'll help more students learn to read so they build the skills needed to do well in school and become successful adults. Each week, you and a student will work one-on-one. You'll read together and do educational activities, helping them improve their overall reading skills, and gain confidence in sounding out words and vocabulary.
Learn more and hear Katrease share her experiences as a United Way Reader: www.unitedwayinc.org/UWReaders
Become a United Way Reader today! Signing up is easy:
• Visit unitedwayinc.org/read to sign up as a reader in Enfield, New Britain or Hartford
• Choose one day a week to volunteer for an hour from February-May 2016
• Attend an orientation prior to starting the program
• Show up each week at your assigned school to read with the same student
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is a proud leader in the local Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. This program is one way United Way and its partners help hard-working ALICE households succeed by ensuring their children learn to read by the fourth grade.
Learn more at unitedwayinc.org/ALICECT.


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Cyndi Mitchell, managing director of Thought-Works Studios, recently talked about Agile development and application life-cycle management with Dr. Dobb's editor in chief Jonathan Erickson.
Dr. Dobb's: Does Agile make it more difficult to achieve effective ALM?
Mitchell: No, Agile engineering practices, when applied effectively, make it easier to know what's really going on in a project or within a code base. Agile does place heavier demands on ALM tool providers. Most tools are too prescriptive to support the adaptive nature of Agile once the application life cycle gets under way. Still others cover only one aspect of the application life cycle, leaving end users to cobble together disparate tools to support the entire application life cycle.
Dr. Dobb's: Is it really possible to automate all or part of the ALM process?
Mitchell: Yes, though it may not always be desirable. Any place in the application life cycle where humans are required to repeatedly perform manual steps will create an opportunity to introduce errors and waste valuable resources, and these are all strong candidates for automation. Of course, there may be corner cases where the cost/benefit trade-off of automating a particular aspect of a particular stage in the life cycle doesn't make sense.
Dr. Dobb's: Do ALM and Web 2.0 butt heads, or are they simpatico in terms of life-cycle management?
Mitchell: They're largely simpatico, but one area where they often butt heads is around the rich user experience of many Web 2.0 apps. Many of the dynamic "Ajax-ey" toolkits are difficult to test with current automated functional testing approaches, and this can make automating some aspects of of the application life cycle very painful.
Dr. Dobb's: What's been the biggest change in ALM the last few years?
Mitchell: There is a growing recognition that the scope of ALM is far broader than just project, program, and requirements management; it must extend to development, deployment, support, and maintenance. Of course, ALM tools need to support this entire scope as well, including a holistic approach to good Agile engineering practices.
Dr. Dobb's: Are we missing any steps?
Mitchell: In an Agile environment, it's helpful to think of the ALM process not at as sequential phases or steps, but rather as a series of short work increments, each including just enough analysis, design, development, testing, and deployment to deliver a bit of business value. The right processes and best practices are continuously discovered and improved.
Dr. Dobb's: Is any one phase/category of ALM more important/critical than any other?
Mitchell: In an Agile world, the traditional "phases" of ALM are much shorter and much more tightly dependent upon each other. The application of good engineering practice to all aspects of development, testing, build, deployment and release management is highly critical as this is what makes projects and systems reliable and predictable regardless of stage in the life cycle. It is also critical that your chosen ALM tool holistically supports good engineering practice across each of these areas.
Dr. Dobb's: Does parallelism/multicore complicate ALM?
Mitchell: It doesn't have to. Parallellism/multicore brings huge benefits to the automated testing, build, deployment, and release management aspects of the application life cycle -- the right ALM tool will allow companies to explicitly take advantage of this, while hiding the complexity.


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I've been receiving a handful of emails lately asking if there might be a second coming of the mix swap I put together last year, so I present to you - the Mix Share Swap Vol. 2. Last year there were 70 participants and I had some lovely feedback and had so much fun putting it together.
The swap:
♡ Each participant makes two mix cds and sends them to two different people, thus you will receive two mix cds in return.
♡ Cds should contain at least 10 songs and include a track listing.
♡ The people you send to are not necessarily the people you will receive a mix from.
♡ Mixes can be themed if you like (e.g. songs by artists from your country, songs from your favourite movie soundtracks, songs that make you happy, songs with colours in the title, etc).
♡ Decorate the packaging in whichever way takes your fancy. Just make sure the cd is safe and won't be easily damaged in transit. You will mail your mixes to their recipients.
♡ This swap is international and anyone can participate, regardless of location, music taste or whether or not you have a blog.
♡ If I've left anything out or if you have any questions feel free to send me an email: bianca (at) goodnightlittlespoon.com.
♡ Sign ups for the swap will close on Saturday the 25th of June, I will email you the details of your partners soon afterwards and then you will have two weeks to put together and send off your mixes (9th July).
Below are pictures of some of the mixes that were sent and received last year. There are also some Flickr galleries & groups to browse from for decoration inspiration here (1|2|3). As you make and receive your mixes you're welcome to upload pictures of them here.
If you would like to use the banner at the top of this post on your blog you're very welcome to. The code:
+ If you'd like a smaller button for your sidebar:
Thanks! Have fun :)


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Cave, also called cavern, natural opening in the earth large enough for human exploration. Such a cavity is formed in many types of rock and by many processes. The largest and most common caves are those formed by chemical reaction between circulating groundwater and bedrock composed of limestone or dolomite. These caves, called solution caves, typically constitute a component of what is known as karst terrain. Named after the Karst region of the western Balkan Peninsula extending from Slovenia to Montenegro, karst terrain in general is characterized by a rough and jumbled landscape of bare bedrock ledges, deranged surface drainage, and sinkholes, as well as caves. It should be noted, however, that there is considerable variation among karst areas. Some may have dramatic surface landforms but few caves. By contrast, others may have extensive cave development with little surface expression; for example, the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico, the site of Carlsbad Caverns and various other caves, have very few surface karst features.
Karst landscapes are formed by the removal of bedrock (composed in most cases of limestone, dolomite, gypsum, or salt, but in some cases of such normally insoluble rocks as quartzite and granite) in solution through underground routes rather than through surface weathering and surface streams. As a result, much karst drainage is internal. Rainfall flows into closed depressions and down their drains. Further dissolution in the subsurface forms continuous conduits that serve as integrated drains for the rapid movement of underground water. The outlets for the water-carrying conduits often are springs of majestic size. Caves are fragments of such conduit systems, and some of them provide access to active streams. These caves may be completely water-filled; others are dry passages left behind by streams that cut to lower levels. Surface streams flowing from areas underlain by insoluble rock often sink when they reach the border of a karst region. These sinking streams form tributaries of the underground drainage system.
Cave types
Not all caves are part of karst landscapes. A substantial number of relatively small caves, called volcanic caves, are formed in lava and by the mechanical movement of bedrock. Other caves are formed in glaciers by the melting of ice. Still others are created by the erosive action of water and wind or from the debris of erosive processes; these are sea caves, eolian caves, rock shelters, and talus caves.
Glacier caves
These are long tunnels formed near the snouts of glaciers between the glacial ice and the underlying bedrock. Meltwater from the surface of a glacier drains downward through crevasses, which are enlarged to form shafts leading to the base of the glacier. Because the inlet water is slightly above the melting point of ice, it gradually melts the ice as it seeps along the base of the glacier.
Glacier caves may reach lengths of several kilometres. Mature caves of this sort are tubular conduits, often with intricately sculptured walls. Some of them have a branching pattern. The floors of glacier caves usually consist of rock. Most glacier caves can be explored only when the surface is frozen; at other times they are filled with water.
Sea caves, eolian caves, rock shelters, and talus caves
Sea caves are formed by wave action on fractures or other weaknesses in the bedrock of sea cliffs along coastlines. They may be mere crevices in the cliff or roomy chambers. Some can be entered only by boat at low tide, while others, occurring along beaches, can be walked into. A sea cave may have an opening to the surface at its rear that provides access from the top of the cliff. In some cases, the ceiling entrance serves as a blowhole from which water spouts during times of high tide or rough seas. Sea caves rarely are more than a few hundred metres long.
Eolian caves are chambers scoured by wind action. They are common in desert areas where they are formed in massive sandstone cliffs. Wind sweeping around such a cavity erodes the walls, floor, and ceiling, resulting in a bottle-shaped chamber usually of greater diameter than the entrance. Eolian caves are rarely longer than a few tens of metres.
Rock shelters are produced by bedrock erosion in insoluble rocks. A common setting is where a resistant rock such as a sandstone overlies shale or some other relatively weak rock. Surface weathering or stream action wears away the shale, cutting it back into the hillside. The sandstone is left behind as a roof to the rock shelter. Rock shelters are minor features as caves, but many are important archaeological or historical sites.
Talus caves are openings formed between boulders piled up on mountain slopes. Most of them are very small both in length and in cross section. Some boulder piles, however, do have explorable interconnected "passages" of considerable length. Some of the largest talus caves occur among granite blocks in New York and New England, where integrated systems of passages between boulders have been mapped to lengths of several kilometres.
Solution caves
As previously noted, the largest and most common caves are those formed by dissolution of limestone or dolomite. Limestone is composed mostly of calcium carbonate in the form of the mineral calcite. Dolomite rock consists of calcium magnesium carbonate, the mineral dolomite. Both these carbonate minerals are somewhat soluble in the weak acids formed by carbon dioxide dissolving in groundwater. Water seeping through soils into the bedrock, water collected by sinkholes, and surface streams sinking underground at the margins of karst areas all percolate along fractures in the bedrock and gradually create sizable passages by chemical action. Because the dissolution process takes place deep in the bedrock, it is not necessary that solution caves have entrances. Most entrances are formed by accidental processes such as the downcutting of surface valleys, the collapse of sinkholes, or the emplacement of quarries or road cuts. Accidental processes of passage collapse and passage plugging divide caves into smaller fragments. Because of this, there are many more small caves than large ones. The longest known cave is the Mammoth Cave–Flint Ridge system in south central Kentucky, which has a surveyed length of more than 345 miles (555 km).
Most solution caves form at relatively shallow depths (from a few tens of metres to 1,000 metres) by the action of water rich in carbonic acid (H2CO3) derived from recent rainfall. Some solution caves, however, appear to have been formed by deep-seated waters such as oil field brines. Sources of acid other than carbonic acid (e.g., sulfuric acid from the oxidation of sulfide minerals or the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide-bearing fluids) may be the dissolving agent for such caves. According to some investigators, Carlsbad Caverns originated from dissolution with sulfuric acid.
Gypsum rock, composed primarily of calcium sulfate dihydrate (the mineral gypsum), is more soluble than limestone. Outcrops of gypsum rock are found at the land surface in arid regions such as West Texas, western Oklahoma, and eastern New Mexico. Caves formed by the dissolution of gypsum are much like limestone caves in the size, shape, and pattern of their passages. The Optimisticheskaya Cave in Ukraine is the world's longest gypsum cave, with 165 kilometres of passage.
Caves also are formed by the dissolution of salt (the mineral halite). Because it is highly soluble in water, salt outcrops at the land surface only in extremely arid regions. Caves in salt closely resemble limestone caves in passage plan and shape. In most cases, salt caves are small, with passage lengths ranging from a few tens of metres to several hundred metres. Good examples of salt caves occur in Mount Sedom in Israel and in eastern Spain.
Evolution and demise of solution caves
Compared with most geologic phenomena, caves are transient features of the landscape. They form, evolve, and are destroyed over periods of time ranging from a few tens of thousands to a few million years. It is possible to sketch the "life history" of a single cave passage as the sequence from an initiation phase, a series of three critical thresholds, an enlargement phase, a stagnation phase, and a decay phase.
Initiation phase
Since limestone is an impermeable rock, groundwater moves mainly through mechanical fractures—joint and bedding-plane partings. Because groundwater seeps slowly through these openings, it becomes nearly saturated with dissolved calcium carbonate, particularly deep in the rock mass. As a result, the ability of the water to further dissolve the limestone is limited, and the fractures thus enlarge very slowly. Calculations show that times on the order of 3,000 to 10,000 years are needed to enlarge a fracture from an initial width of 10 to 50 micrometres to pencil-sized openings five to 10 millimetres wide. When a continuous pathway from the water source to the outlet has been enlarged to five to 10 millimetres width, the initiation phase is complete.
The five- to 10-millimetre size of the enlarging fracture marks a set of thresholds where new processes come into play. The slow, percolating flow of water is accelerated as the conduit becomes larger, and at the threshold size turbulence appears in the flowing water. The flow pattern is less like percolation through an aquifer and more like flow in a pipe. At the threshold size the opening is large enough and the flow velocities high enough that insoluble sediments can be transported. For the complete development of an underground drainage system, it is necessary that the water-carrying conduits also flush out the soil that washes in through sinkholes, the sediment load of sinking streams, and the insoluble weathering products from the dissolution of the limestone. Another threshold has to do with the rate at which the limestone is dissolved. During the initiation phase when flow velocities are low and the water is nearly saturated, the rate at which limestone is removed is very slow. As velocities increase, unsaturated water moves deep into the bedrock, and the rate of dissolution is greatly increased. The pencil-sized threshold opening marks the boundary between the initial fracture system and the evolving conduit system.
Enlargement phase
Once a complete pathway has been opened to threshold size, enlargement takes place rapidly as the conduit provides an efficient route for groundwater flow. Enlargement from threshold size to a full-scale cave passage of one to three metres in diameter can be accomplished in 10,000 to 100,000 years, depending on local geology. During the enlargement phase, the conduit may become completely water-filled, in which case the growing passage takes the form of a circular or elliptical conduit as dissolution acts uniformly on the floor, walls, and ceiling. If the water source feeding the conduit is limited, a time will come when there is not enough water to fill the passage. A free air surface then develops and the dissolution of the ceiling will cease, even though the passage will continue to enlarge through dissolution of the lower walls and floor. This transition from pipe flow to open-channel flow results in a change in passage shape from that of an elliptical tube to that of a canyon. Continued solutional erosion causes the canyon to deepen, resulting in canyon passages 30 to 50 metres high and only one metre or less wide.
The fate of a cave passage at the end of the enlargement stage depends on what has been happening elsewhere on the land surface and in the drainage basin. If the passage lies deep below the water table, enlargement will continue until the passage becomes too wide for the ceiling bedrock to support its own weight, and the passage will ultimately collapse. During the time that the cave passage has been enlarging, surface streams have been downcutting their beds, and the position of base level and the water table is lowered. If the original water source continues to flow through the cave after the transition to canyon shape, the underground canyon can continue to deepen, keeping its gradient adjusted to the lowering surface streams. Sometimes, however, the conduit passages are simply abandoned. Veneers of insoluble sediment that accumulate on the floors of cave passages tend to protect them from solution. As surface streams downcut, the conduits are left behind and the increased hydraulic gradient causes new passages to form at lower levels. In due course, the flow is completely diverted into these new passages, and the original passages remain air-filled and dry above the descending water table.
Stagnation and decay phases
Segments of cave passage abandoned as surface streams downcut can survive for a long time in a stage of stagnation. Truncation of the passages by valley downcutting produces entrances. Caves in the stagnation phase are those most frequently discovered and explored by humans.
Surface erosion continues to dissect the landscape, and hilltops and plateaus are lowered. The underlying cave passages are cut into smaller and smaller fragments. Eventually the denudation of the land surface destroys the last vestiges of the passages, bringing to an end the long history of the cave conduit.
The time scales for the stagnation and decay stages are highly variable, depending on local geologic conditions. Paleomagnetic measurements of the sediments in Mammoth Cave show that the passages at the highest elevations are at least 2,000,000 years old. Studies based on rates of surface weathering in the Appalachian valleys of Pennsylvania indicate that caves at the highest elevation in the residual hills may be 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 years old.
Larger cave systems often have complex patterns of superimposed passages that represent a long history of cave development. The oldest passages, usually but not necessarily those at the highest elevations, may have formed before the glaciations of the Quaternary. The youngest passages may be part of an integrated subsurface drainage system that exists today.
Geomorphic characteristics of solution caves
Like many other geologic features concealed beneath the earth, caves are difficult to observe. One cannot really see a cave, even though one may have a point-by-point, cross-sectional view as the cave passage is illuminated during exploration. The horizontal ground plans and vertical profiles of caves must be represented by maps. These in turn are constructed from arduous station-to-station surveys by cave explorers.
Some cave-passage plans take the shape of linear, angulate, or sinuous segments of conduit. These are segments of drainage trunk without tributaries. Other cave-passage plans are branchworks. There may be a well-defined "upstream" direction, with tributary passages joining the trunk. Still other passage plans are networks in which passages are laid out in a "city-block" pattern with many intersecting passages and many closed loops. In terms of flow pattern, a single-conduit type of cave forms where much of the original catchment area was on non-karstic borderlands and the sinking stream injected large quantities of water at a single point. Branchwork caves develop where there are multiple inlets, each at the head of one of the tributary branches. Network caves are formed where flows are controlled by diffuse inlets; flow velocities remain low and solutional erosion takes place along all possible joint openings. A network cave is the underground equivalent of a swamp.
Passage cross-sectional shapes reflect the way the water flowed through the cave and the way in which the water dissolved the bedrock. Passages that formed while completely flooded are dissolved away equally on walls, ceilings, and floors. The result is an elliptical tube. In contrast, a flowing stream with a free air surface can dissolve limestone only in its bed. The result is a canyon-shaped passage. In some caves of this type, the walls are nearly vertical and may measure 30 to 50 metres high, even though the passage may only be one metre wide. Other cave passages are very irregular because of the meanderings of the downcutting stream. There is always competition between the hydraulics of flowing water that works to shape passages into smooth, streamlined forms and the control of passage shape by the structural arrangement of joints, fractures, and bedding-plane partings that initiated the passageway. Joint-controlled passages may be high and narrow, sometimes with irregular walls; such a configuration resulted as the passages were enlarged from the initial joint by slowly percolating water. Passages developed primarily along bedding-plane partings may be low and wide. In general, higher flow velocities favour the hydraulic forms, and slow, percolating flows tend to preserve the shapes of the initial mechanical openings.
Most passages of solution caves are nearly horizontal with gentle average slopes toward the outlet springs. If the caves were formed by pressure flow beneath the water table, the passage profile can be irregular, with both downsloping and upsloping segments. Most cave passages are not graded like surface streams. Only in some alpine environments do caves form with steeply sloping passages. Continuous lowering of the level of groundwater circulation often produces tiers of passages stacked one on top of the other, and these need not be interconnected by an explorable cave. Additional mechanisms are needed to explain the vertical arrangement of some caves that may have an internal relief from tens of metres to more than 1,000 metres. Vertical integration is accomplished by some combination of the following: (1) primary vertical solution in the unsaturated zone above the water table during the same time as conduit dissolution below the water table, (2) dissolution of vertical shafts and solution chimneys (see below) in the unsaturated zone at some time after the development of the conduits, or (3) interconnection of existing dry passages by processes of breakdown and collapse.
Caves in regions of high relief are frequently developed by inputs of water that move by predominantly vertical paths through the unsaturated zone. Such caves often have a stair-step pattern, with vertical pits and shafts offset by short reaches of horizontal passage. Steeply sloping streamways are common. Some caves of the unsaturated zone are simply pits tens to hundreds of metres deep, which show little horizontal development. Others make up complicated cave systems in which many vertical infeeders join to form master streams that descend to base level as waterfalls plunging down pits. One of the largest such systems is the group of caves on the Huautla Plateau in Mexico. The greatest relief from the highest known entrance of the Sistema Huautla to the lowest point of exploration is 1,252 metres in a cave measuring 33.8 kilometres long.
Some conduit systems such as those of the Mammoth Cave area and of the Cumberland Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains develop beneath a protective cap of sandstone, shale, and other relatively non-soluble rocks. As the caprock erodes, the underlying limestone is exposed to the runoff water that drains from the remaining area of the plateau. Such runoff water dissolves away the limestone in the unsaturated zone to form solution chimneys and vertical shafts. Solution chimneys develop along vertical fractures or along bedding planes of vertically bedded limestones. In cross section, they tend to be irregular and elongated along the controlling fracture or bedding plane. Solution chimneys follow the fracture and may be offset or descend at steep angles, depending on the pitch of the guiding fracture. Vertical shafts, by contrast, are controlled by the hydraulic forces of freely flowing water. They are often nearly perfect cylinders with circular cross sections. The walls are vertical and cut across the limestone beds with complete disregard for angle or composition of the beds. Vertical shafts and solution chimneys have no direct relation to the conduit system, especially not to the upper dry levels of the system. They sometimes are connected to present-day active horizontal conduits by drain passages. These drains usually are of small cross section and may extend from hundreds of metres or even several kilometres before connecting with the main drainage conduits. In the unsaturated zone, vertical shafts tend to shear through high-level passages as though they were not there. When vertical shafts and solution chimneys cut through several tiers of overlying horizontal passage, they provide pathways for exploration and integrate the cave system.
Cave roofs are always in a state of stress. The weight of the ceiling beds causes them to sag slightly, separating the beds along the weaker bedding planes. Each ceiling bed becomes, in effect, a fixed beam spanning the width of the cave passage. There is a strict mechanical relationship between the thickness of a beam, its density, and the width of the span. When the width of the span exceeds a certain critical value, the cave ceiling will collapse under its own weight. Processes such as solution along vertical joints cut the ceiling beams, turning them into cantilevers that have much smaller critical loads. When one ceiling bed falls, support is removed from the bed above and it also may fall. There is thus a process of upward stoping due to ceiling collapse. Upward breakdown and collapse can cause one passage to migrate up into an overlying one.


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Suttons Auto Protection
What is Suttons Auto Protection?The Suttons Auto Protection Plan provides you with added protection AFTER the Dealership's Statutory Warranty has expired and helps protect the value of your Vehicle through consistent, regular servicing. Suttons will provide Fixed Price Servicing, setting the price for the minimum service schedule required to maintain this Auto Protection Plan.
- Quality repairs are performed by qualified technicians with the latest technology and equipment.
- You are dealing with a reputable Dealership group that you know and can trust.
- Customer satisfaction is the aim of the Suttons Auto Protection Plan.
- Easy to claim - simply call a Suttons service centre.
- At claim time, you have the reassurance that is provided by our determination to retain you as a client when you next purchase a car.
- Free parts and labour repairs anywhere in Australia*.
Period of CoverThe conditions of the Contract commence at the Delivery Date and the benefits commence on the later to occur of either the Delivery Date or the expiry of the Dealership's Statutory Warranty.
The Contract will cease upon expiry of either the period of time, or the distance travelled, whichever occurs first, as indicated in the box under the "TERM OF CONTRACT" shown on the Customer Contract Page in the Warranty booklet that was issued to you.
What Do I Need To Do?To ensure the longevity and safety of your Vehicle it is very important that you maintain its mechanical standard.
It is a condition of this Auto Protection Plan that ONLY Suttons service centres service your Vehicle.
You will benefit from The Suttons Auto Protection Plan if your Vehicle is serviced ONLY by us until the expiry of your plan.
Upon commencement of The Suttons Auto Protection Plan, you will enjoy the Suttons six month or 10,000 km (whichever occurs first) Fixed Price service plan.
It is your responsibility to ensure these services are performed and that the service details are recorded correctly on your Auto Protection Plan documents.
Failure to do so will void the Auto Protection Plan without further notice.
It is your responsibility to check coolant and oil levels on a regular basis.
Suttons will not be responsible for any failure due to lack of appropriate oil or coolant.
Limits of Liability
Limits of liability of this Auto Protection Plan shall be those
"LIMITS OF LIABILITY" shown on the Customer Contract Page of your
The type of Auto Protection Plan that your Vehicle is covered by is specified next to "Auto Protection Type" on the Customer Contract Page.
Repair Procedure
- If the Vehicle is drivable, bring it to a SUTTONS service centre.
- One of our customer service representatives will then contact the Auto Protection Plan Administrator for verification of cover.
- Your Auto Protection Plan booklet must be presented, with up-to-date servicing records, when booking your Vehicle for repairs.
- If the Vehicle is undriveable, or if to drive it could cause further damage, it is YOUR responsibility to have the Vehicle towed to a SUTTONS service centre.
- Suttons will not be responsible for any repairs or replacements carried out by persons other than our staff.
- If a failure occurs outside a 50km radius from a SUTTONS service centre, please contact your Suttons Dealership to obtain an order number and/or work authority, before commencing repairs.
- Repairs can only be performed by an approved Licensed Motor Vehicle repairer.
- Only if this is done correctly will you (or the repairer) be reimbursed.
Fixed Price Servicing
Auto Protection Plan Term and Servicing RequirementsThe conditions of the Contract commence on the Delivery Date and the benefits commence on the later to occur of either the Delivery Date or the expiry of the Dealership's Statutory Warranty provided with the Vehicle and, subject to your compliance with the conditions contained in this booklet, will continue until the expiry date or expiry kilometres shown on the Customer Contract Page in this booklet.
To avoid any misunderstanding, please read this carefully. Two important conditions of the Auto Protection Plan are:–
- You will enjoy the benefits of The Suttons Auto Protection Plan if the Vehicle is serviced by SUTTONS until the expiry of your plan. Upon commencement of the Suttons Auto Protection Plan, you can enjoy the Suttons six month or 10,000 km (whichever occurs first) Fixed Price Service Plan. It is the responsibility of the Customer to ensure these services are performed and that the service details are recorded correctly on your Auto Protection Plan documents. Failure to do so will void the Auto Protection Plan without further notice. It is the responsibility of the Customer to check coolant and oil levels on a regular basis. Suttons will not be responsible for failure due to lack of appropriate oil or coolant.
- Your Vehicle MUST be returned to a Suttons service centre for servicing during the Term of the Contract (as defined on the Customer Contract Page). Other servicing will not be approved or recognised.
In simple terms, Suttons will repair or replace covered components, to the limits of the Auto Protection Plan, if you have the vehicle serviced ONLY by us.
We will agree to service your Vehicle under the Suttons six-monthly/10,000 km Fixed Price Service Plan at the price quoted on the Customer Contract Page.
- Oil change with quality brand motor oil
- Replace oil filter
- Check condition of automatic transmission fluid (where applicable)
- Lube all doors and locks as required
- Check and top up all fluid levels including battery, brake, power steering, radiator and windscreen washers
- Inspect engine belts (external only)
- Inspect condition and pressure of all tyres, including spare
- Inspect cooling system and check glycol concentrate
- Inspect complete exhaust system
- Check front and rear brake material and rotors for excessive wear
- Check operation of hand brake
- Test engine management system (if applicable)
- Check condition of air filter
- Check operation of all lights
- Check operation of all instruments
- Test wipers and inspect wiper blades
- Check air conditioning operation (where fitted)
- Check steering and all suspension components
- Complete visual inspection of under carriage
- Conduct road test
Total price including parts, oil & labour is shown on your Customer Contract Page.Servicing is necessary to maintain your Vehicle in good condition. You will be advised of any defect found. Any items covered by the Auto Protection Plan will be repaired at a mutually convenient time in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
In the event any additional work is required, we will refer any other required repairs or defects outside of this Auto Protection Plan, to you for your approval, prior to any work being commenced. If your vehicle requires synthetic or specialty oil, as specified by the manufacturer, additional charges may apply. Please note that whilst the Suttons Fixed Price Service Plan is intended to cover part of your Vehicle's regular servicing needs during its lifetime, it is NOT a substitute for the full Manufacturer's service requirements for your Vehicle.
In order to meet the Manufacturer's service requirements your Vehicle will require additional periodical maintenance on specific items from time to time. These will be at additional cost to you. For example, automatic transmission servicing, timing belt replacement, spark plugs, brake fluid or engine coolant replacement will be required at the Manufacturer's recommended intervals. For safety purposes, it is a requirement to have the brake fluid replaced every two years.
Our Auto Protection Plan is not an insurance policy. It is a contract between You and Suttons, designed to ensure that your Vehicle is maintained to a standard that will help protect You from costly repairs to defective parts.
The benefits of upgrading to the Premium Protection Plan are wide ranging. Below are just some of the great inclusions of the Premium Protection Plan.
- 3 Years after Dealership's Statutory Warranty
- $1,000 per claim
- $3,000 claims over term of contract
- Fixed Price Servicing
- Covers most major internally lubricated components of the vehicle, plus the engine management computer.
- 3 Years after Dealership's Statutory Warranty
- Fixed Price Servicing
- $2,000 per claim
- Unlimited claims over term of contract
- Covers a wider range of parts and components compared to Standard Protection Plan. This means more savings, a lower cost of ownership and peace of mind for you.
- Platinum National Roadside
which includes:
- Roadside Response 24/7 nationwide
- Towing Breakdown
- Car Hire & Accommodation
- Ambulance Cover
Differential & Drive Line
What is not covered?
- Any failure caused by negligence, misuse or failure to perform required servicing, or any failure caused by the lack of proper and necessary maintenance. Any failure due to the lack of oil or coolant, excessive use of oil, overheating, fuel contamination or use of incorrect grade of fuel is not covered under this Contract.
- Any parts not listed under "PARTS COVERED" in this booklet, or which would normally be regarded as maintenance items, such as, but not limited to, brake pads, brake rotors, spark plugs, light bulbs, batteries, oils, filters, tyres, hoses, fan and timing belts, shock absorbers, struts, or any other component recommended by the Manufacturer for periodic replacement.
- Seals and gaskets.
- Any modifications made or any affected components on the Vehicle after the Date of Delivery from Suttons, unless fitted by Suttons, or with written approval for inclusion by Suttons.
- Failure caused by rust or corrosion of any kind.
- Any inherent faults or defective parts subject to recall by the Manufacturer, or any such parts recommended for replacement by the Manufacturer through inability to meet normal performance requirements.
- Any loss or damage caused by towing, collision, force impact, breakage of glass, missiles, falling objects, fire, theft or larceny, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, water, flood, malicious mischief or vandalism, riot or civil commotion, lightning, nuclear contamination, freezing, smoke, or from any other cause whatsoever except as provided in this Contract.
- This Contract does not cover consequential damage to, or by, parts not listed under "PARTS COVERED" in this booklet.
- Any claims arising from the failure of any electronic device, computer software or computer hardware to function correctly as a consequence of date recognition.
- Any clutch components where the vehicle is four wheel drive or all wheel drive.
- All consumables, including but not limited to, oils, coolants, lubricants, additives, air conditioning gas, environmental and waste disposal charges.
- Nation free toll number — 1800 817 877
- With our reliable nationwide network NRA provides a high standard of fast, professional service. All service providers communicate via radio, satellite navigation or mobile phone, ensuring NRA's ability to monitor progress of individual callouts, and log successful completion of each job.
- Emergency assistance phone numbers call direct to NRA's central control room, not to an answering service.
- The member in distress is speaking direct to the controller who will dispatch the rescue vehicle.
- NRA's mapping program covers the whole of Australia, the individual member and closest service provider locations are quickly established. Generally, service is provided within 30 minutes to calls from metropolitan areas and major regional centres. Customers will be advised of any delays due to distance or prevailing conditions.
24 Hour Roadside Assistance Australia Wide Note
- Valid while you meet the conditions of your Auto Protection Plan
- Not Transferable
If you need roadside assistance simply phone 1800 817 877.
Roadside Response
- If you lock your keys in your vehicle we will come out and unlock your vehicle#
- If you run out of petrol we will bring some out for you*
- If you get a flat tyre we will come out and fit your spare
- If your battery is flat we will come out and jump start your car
Towing BreakdownIf you break down, or your vehicle is unable to be safely driven, we will transport you back to the dealership where you bought your car within a 50km limit. Otherwise it will be taken to the nearest authorised service centre.
- Vehicle used for hire or reward
- Bogged vehicle which require specialist equipment for removal or are not within easy reach of a public thoroughfare
- Vehicles located of public roads (other than private residence)
- Vehicles that have been involved in an accident or collision
- Heavy vehicles over 205 tonnes gross
Limit of Cover
- Towing fee is free up to 50km, towing in excess of 50km will be charged at prevailing rates
- An excess may apply to areas that are more than 50km from nearest provider
Service NetworkAustralia Wide Assist's roadside assistance programs have comprehensive nationwide coverage with a network of professional service providers. To ensure customer satisfaction and quality service, the network is constantly being reviewed, upgraded and added to.
Our operators are equipped with a state of the art mapping system which manages the service provider network. When a call for assistance is received, the system enables the operator to locate and contact the nearest available service provider, despatch assistance and give an estimated time of arrival to the driver in need within minutes.
With over 1200 service providers in our network, on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week an Australia Wide Assist roadside assistance program can then deliver the peace of mind, quality service and value for money you require.


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Average Ratings:
"So beautiful!!"
Dagmar Swazo
Comments: We bought this for our son, and as soon as we received it we felt in love with it. Simple, but very meaningful!!
"Enjoyed as a gift"
Kalisha Fleischmann
Comments: Loved this product-very cute! Gave it to my boss for her birthday and she loved it. I loved that I could customize the product to look like her, but was wishing the female could have the male's stance instead as an option, since x-rays are not a part of this type of doctor's care. Other than that though, she really loves it and since it has her name on it, she can't lose it!
"So Pleased"
Judy Miller
Comments: I am very pleased with the personalized iphone case. I love the uniqueness of your items. This was exactly as depicted, shipped promptly, and will make a lovely gift for a new doctor!
"Great gift!"
Jane Park
Comments: This personalized case was the perfect graduation gift for my fiance! He loved it, and put it on his phone immediately. Thank you Memorable Gifts!
"Medical School Graduation"
Connie Hartt
Comments: I purchased the IPhone cover for my daughter as a graduation gift from Medical School. She loves it. I enjoy seeing her name next to "Dr." It sure makes a Mom really proud.
>> Read all product reviews [6] |
Write your own review


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OTTAWA — Just days before Prime Minister Stephen Harper visits the Middle East, his government has announced the appointment of a new ambassador to Israel who has publicly expressed strong criticism in the past of Palestinian leaders.
Toronto lawyer Vivian Bercovici becomes Canada's envoy and will bolster the Harper government's stance as a fervent ally of Israel.
It's the second time in recent months the government has bypassed its own ranks of foreign service diplomats for a posting in the region. The head of Harper's RCMP personal security detail, Bruno Saccomani, was named ambassador to Jordan last year.
Bercovici is the first non-diplomat sent to Israel by Harper's Tories since they won power in 2006.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Wednesday it's not unusual for this to happen, noting previous Liberal and Conservative governments sent an MP and a top political aide.
"I think it won't be a huge shock to anyone that Canada is a strong supporter of the state of Israel," said Baird in announcing the appointment.
"We have been a strong supporter of the only liberal democracy in the region. I would say the state of our relationship with the Arab world is strong, getting stronger every day. We have a good relationship with the Palestinian Authority."
Bercovici, who appeared alongside Baird, read from prepared notes as she said Israel "has no greater friend in the world than Canada."
"I know that this government's principled stance on various fronts is warmly welcomed and appreciated by both the Israeli government and the Israeli people."
"Canada supports Israel's right to exist in peace and security. Canada stands firm in the international fight against anti-Semitism, including raising the awareness of the Holocaust.
"And Canada recognizes the importance of building inclusive and stable societies underpinned by democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law."
A year ago, in a Toronto Star column, she pulled no punches in accusing Palestinian leaders of having no real interest in reaching a peace agreement with Israel.
"Hamas, the PA (Palestinian Authority) and just about every government in the Middle East make no secret of their collective ideological commitment to the total destruction of the state of Israel, which they regard as a blasphemous blight on the Arab and Muslim worlds," wrote Bercovici in the wake of an Israeli election.
"So in the end, it really doesn't matter to them who wins and leads in Israel," she wrote. "There is no willing negotiator on the Palestinian side."
Baird said Bercovici, who studied in Israel in the early 1980s, will bring a "unique skill set" to her new posting.
"We have a lot of confidence that she will be able to do a good job," adding, "we certainly can't be hostage to past comments."
"She is being appointed as our ambassador to Israel, not Ramallah (in the Palestinian West Bank). She has been critical of the Palestinian Authority, and critical of the Israeli government on occasion."
The NDP expressed concern Wednesday about the appointment.
"There are a couple of basic questions," said foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar.
"Is she the best person qualified for the job? Is there no one else within the department qualified?"
Dewar said the opinions she wrote in op-ed articles will now impact her performance as envoy.
"It makes it very difficult for her to be very successful in doing her job in the region. Israel is not an island. Israelis would be the first ones to tell you that. You need someone who can build relationships."
"We would have hoped they would have appointed someone willing to do the hard work of diplomacy and to work to build relationships with the Israeli government, of course, but also with other actors in the region."
Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, a Canadian advocacy group, said in an interview that Bercovici is well poised for her job.
"The fact that she has very deep knowledge of Israel as a country, of the challenges that Israel faces, and that her own orientation is in sync with that of the government is, I think, very helpful."
"It will engender amongst Israelis a level of confidence in her that will make them much more receptive to the interests that she wants to advance — whether it's a business deal or a Canadian perspective on a political issue."
The appointment comes at a critical time in the region's history. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been leading a peace process in an effort to end decades of conflict between Israel and Palestinians in territories such as the West Bank.
Some intractable issues are on the table, including: Israel's insistence that it be recognized as a Jewish state; Palestinian demands that generations of refugees be allowed to return to their homeland; possible border lines if Israel and Palestine reach a "two-state" solution; and the future of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Harper will make his first trip to the region later this month, with stops in Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.
Baird said Canada stands ready to assist with the U.S.-led peace process.
He spoke cautiously about whether Canada opposes the Israeli recent decision to build more apartments in the West Bank — a move opposed by the Palestinians.
"Our views are well known to our Israeli interlocutors. We think unilateral action on either side is unhelpful."
Baird declined to go further, saying: "I'm not going to join on in an international pile-on. What we are going to do is try to constructively engage both parties."


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This morning, we were treated to leaked screenshots of the upcoming Blackberry 10.2 OS update, showcasing many of the planned features that the next BB10 platform update will bring to all existing devices.
Blackberry 10.2, the next planned update to the BB10 platform, is almost upon us. With leaks dating back to several months back, we finally have leaked screenshots of a working Blackberry 10.2.0.483 OS for your viewing pleasure. (We have previously covered some of the new features in BB 10.2 here).
Notable changes with Blackberry 10.2:
- Level 1 Notifications (for emails)
- Standard Unicode Emojis
- Multiple Alarms
- Updated Settings app and WiFi Direct
- Peer-to-peer WiFi Connectivity
- Toast (Pop-up Notifications), reply to texts by sliding notifications down
With a working build and leaked screenshots, the final update couldn't be too far. Blackberry really needs a lot going for it, with the recent (and unimpressive) financial announcements as well as the abandonment of Playbook tablets not going too well with the consumers.
Source: Crackberry forums via Berry Review


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A Close-Up on Carnivorous Plants
by: Plant Adventures Program Specialist Brooke McMinn
A new adventure we began undertaking in the fall of 2014 is now complete! As of this summer, visitors to The Gardens are now able to see a conveniently located representation of a pitcher plant bog, or savanna, in the Arrington Plant Adventure Zone. A pitcher plant bog is a unique habitat created by an unusual combination of porous, infertile, strongly acidic soils, a high water table and an open tree canopy. A larger bog of similar type can be seen in our Kaul Wildflower Garden, but this new installation is part of our "Close-ups on Collections" program which features different elements of our larger garden collections in the easily accessible Plant Adventure Zone garden.
As part of our native plant conservation efforts at The Gardens, this new planting showcases several species of Sarracenia, a genus of carnivorous (meat-eating) plants. Sarracenia alabamensis, also known as the Alabama canebrake pitcher plant, is endemic to Alabama, meaning it does not naturally grow anywhere else in the world. S. alabamensis is classified as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many of the other included species are also listed as threatened or endangered, each exhibiting their own special variations on the characteristic traits of the genus.
Pitcher plants are stunningly beautiful and grotesquely intriguing at the same time. The attractive venation, appealing aroma and unusual shape of the modified leaves lure unsuspecting insects into their depths. Once trapped inside a leaf, parts of the insect are dissolved in a small puddle called a phytotelma. The resulting solution of amino acids is then absorbed by the plant as food. This carnivorous modification is thought to result from the almost negligible nutrient content of the soils in which these remarkable plants grow. Other carnivorous plants which might be found in a pitcher plant bog, such as Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap) and Drosera sp. (sundews) are also included, along with an array of non-carnivorous native plants. If you are interested in touring the Plant Adventure Zone or would like more information, please contact Plant Adventure Zone Program Specialist Brooke McMinn at email@example.com or 205.414.3914.
Tags: Andrew Krebbs, Arrington Pklant Adventure Zone, Birmingham, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Blake Ells, Bog, Brooke McMinn, Plant Adventure Zone, Plant Adventures, savanna, The Gardens


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Major Section: TUTORIAL5-MISCELLANEOUS-EXAMPLES
The example below demonstrates the use of functional instantiation, that is, the use of a generic result in proving a result about specific functions. In this example we constrain a function to be associative and commutative, with an identity or ``root,'' on a given domain. Next, we define a corresponding function that applies the constrained associative-commutative function to successive elements of a list. We then prove that the latter function gives the same value when we first reverse the elements of the list. Finally, we use functional instantiation to derive the corresponding result for the function that multiplies successive elements of a list.
Also see constraint for more about
:functional-instance and
see lemma-instance for general information about the use of
previously-proved lemmas.
(in-package "ACL2")
(encapsulate (((ac-fn * *) => *) ((ac-fn-domain *) => *) ((ac-fn-root) => *)) (local (defun ac-fn (x y) (+ x y))) (local (defun ac-fn-root () 0)) (local (defun ac-fn-domain (x) (acl2-numberp x))) (defthm ac-fn-comm (equal (ac-fn x y) (ac-fn y x))) (defthm ac-fn-assoc (equal (ac-fn (ac-fn x y) z) (ac-fn x (ac-fn y z)))) (defthm ac-fn-id (implies (ac-fn-domain x) (equal (ac-fn (ac-fn-root) x) x))) (defthm ac-fn-closed (and (ac-fn-domain (ac-fn x y)) (ac-fn-domain (ac-fn-root)))))
(defun ac-fn-list (x) (if (atom x) (ac-fn-root) (ac-fn (car x) (ac-fn-list (cdr x)))))
(in-theory (disable (ac-fn-list)))
(defun ac-fn-domain-list (x) (if (atom x) t (and (ac-fn-domain (car x)) (ac-fn-domain-list (cdr x)))))
(defun rev (x) (if (atom x) nil (append (rev (cdr x)) (list (car x)))))
(defthm ac-fn-list-closed (ac-fn-domain (ac-fn-list x)))
(defthm ac-fn-list-append (implies (and (ac-fn-domain-list x) (ac-fn-domain-list y)) (equal (ac-fn-list (append x y)) (ac-fn (ac-fn-list x) (ac-fn-list y)))))
(defthm ac-fn-domain-list-rev (equal (ac-fn-domain-list (rev x)) (ac-fn-domain-list x)))
(defthm ac-fn-list-rev (implies (ac-fn-domain-list x) (equal (ac-fn-list (rev x)) (ac-fn-list x))))
(defun times-list (x) (if (atom x) 1 (* (car x) (times-list (cdr x)))))
(defun acl2-number-listp (x) (if (atom x) t (and (acl2-numberp (car x)) (acl2-number-listp (cdr x)))))
(defthm times-list-rev (implies (acl2-number-listp x) (equal (times-list (rev x)) (times-list x))) :hints (("Goal" :use ((:functional-instance ac-fn-list-rev ;; Instantiate the generic functions: (ac-fn (lambda (x y) (* x y))) (ac-fn-root (lambda () 1)) (ac-fn-domain acl2-numberp) ;; Instantiate the other relevant functions: (ac-fn-list times-list) (ac-fn-domain-list acl2-number-listp))))))


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Bu oyunları da deneyin
Tingly SolitaireReady, set, shuffle! This classic solitaire game provides fun for both casual players and hardcore card sharks.
FreecellA beautiful version of the classic card game. Can you solve this challenging card puzzle?
Wild West SolitairePlay the fun klondike solitaire game in the wild west! Build the four top foundations in suit up from Ace to King and advance to next levels.
Solitaire Classic ChristmasGet comfy and relax with a cute Christmas version of the timeless card classic solitaire game!
Classic SolitaireMove cards from one stack to another, you are only allowed to stack cards that alternate in color. Stay zen and enjoy this classic card game!
Okey Classic
Rate this game
Do you like Rummikub or Rummy? Then Okey Classic is the perfect board game for you! Give it a try!


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Booker Noe was Jim Beam's grandson. He was also the master distiller at his grandfather's namesake operation for 40+ years until his death in 2004. In 1987, Booker introduced what is now one of Jim Beam's flagship products, Booker's Bourbon. Named after the man himself, this massive bourbon is aged on the 5th and 6th floors of a nine-story aging warehouse, which is the "heart" of the facility. It's an uncut, unfiltered, barrel proof bourbon. This means the barrels are hand selected, batched, and then bottled with no additional water or chill filtration, allowing all of the flavor carriers in the bourbon to remain. Booker Noe wanted this bourbon to be pretty darn pure and unadulterated. Mission accomplished.
Booker's Small Batch Bourbon, 63.70% abv (127.4 Proof), $50 (Batch #C03-I-16)
Color: Deep Dark Amber/Copper
Nose: Tight nose to start due to such a high alcohol content. It yields with 5-10 minutes of air time. Dry cedar, oak and vanilla hit first, followed by dark caramel, molasses, candied orange, a punch of rye, and cocoa. There's a fruity quality to the nose as well that's tough to pin down but quite prevalent.
Flavor: Grab the reigns and hold on tight – the flavors are so concentrated and intense. First there is a hefty dose of spice accentuated by the alcohol punch. Pepper and rye are anchored w/ rich caramel, vanilla, dried golden fruits, barrel char, and bitter orange. Oak integration is excellent. It's much more in balance than its small batch brother from Knob Creek. Add a couple of splashes of water (if required) to calm things down a bit.
Finish: Long and as bold as the sip with more peppery bite, caramelized nuts, and some resiny oak.
Overall: Man, what a whiskey. I was honestly caught of guard by how fabulous this batch of Booker's turned out to be. Over time I've noticed inconsistencies batch to batch, but when it's on, Booker's is as good as bourbon gets. Few bourbons capture sweetness, spice, fruit, and oak so well in their delivery. It's a fitting homage to one of Bourbon History's larger than life Icons.
Sour Mash Manifesto Rating: 9.4 (Outstanding/Superb)


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Victor McKinney, 63
Victor L. McKinney, 63, 430 Huffman St., St. Marys, died at 10:15 a.m., Monday, March 5, 2012, at Golden Living Center -Valley.
He was born July 25, 1948, in Celina, to Gladys (Coil) and Raymond McKinney. On Oct. 3, 1993, in Waynesfield, he married Leslie Rone, who died Oct. 18, 2011.
He is survived by his sister, Janet White, of St. Marys.
Funeral rites are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Ross Church of the Brethren, with the Rev. Keith Stoller officiating. Burial will follow at the Resthaven Memorial Gardens, near Moulton.
Friends may visit from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Miller-Long & Folk Funeral Home, 314 W. High St., Chapel in St. Marys.
Online condolensces may be expressed at millerfuneralhomes.net.


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The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 is a contract with producers, and USDA should not be allowed to add or subtract from that contract to meet short-term budget objectives, a leading agricultural senator says.
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., speaking at the Delta Council's 74th annual meeting in Cleveland, Miss., said the 2008 farm bill provided major reforms and significantly increased spending for nutrition and conservation programs.
Lincoln, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Finance and Energy Committees, said she is continuing to remind her colleagues that more than 80 of them voted for the bill, including one senator who has since proposed capping direct payments to producers with more than $500,000 in gross sales.
"You can also be certain that I will continue to remind President Obama that he voted for this farm bill," said Lincoln to applause at the meeting on the Delta State University campus. "And it is important for him and his secretary of agriculture to continue to implement the bill, which he supported, in the manner in which Congress intended."
Lincoln said she is trying to be "a leading voice" in helping President Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and her colleagues understand the complexity of Southern agriculture and how the 2008 farm bill is critical for U.S. consumers to continue to the cheapest food and fiber in the world.
"The farm bill is critically important to producers of Southern commodities in the Delta region," Lincoln said. "The bill ensures that they have the tools to produce an affordable, safe, and abundant food and fiber supply, upon which our nation and the world depend."
Although the Obama administration has proposed eliminating direct payments to producers with gross revenues of more than $500,000 and placing a strict cap of $250,000 on farm program payments to help reduce the federal budget deficit, Lincoln said the House and Senate must continue to resist those changes.
"The farm bill is a contract the federal government has made with producers to provide them with a safety net," she said. "Changing the rules before the farm bill is fully implemented is not fair to those producers or to the institutions that provide them with the capital they need to continue to farm in this economic environment."
In her speech, Lincoln said initiatives in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus package) will help create jobs and make investments in rural infrastructure projects of particular importance to the Delta, including broadband technology, school construction, highways, bridges, and flood controls.
"The stimulus package is targeted, timely and temporary," she said, noting it also includes critical support for the U.S. farm raised catfish industry, which is a significant employer throughout the Delta and is in a period of economic distress due to high input costs and imports of foreign-raised catfish.
Following Lincoln's speech, outgoing Delta Council President John Phillips introduced Travis Satterfield, a rice and soybean farmer from Benoit, Miss., as the next president of the Delta Council. Satterfield will serve as president until next year's annual meeting.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Pretty Peonies - WEDNESDAY
Thursday, June 13, 2019, 1:30 AM
Join us for a floral design workshop in our Old Town, Alexandria studio. Here's what you need to know about class: All of our workshops, unless otherwise indicated, will be held at our studio located at 128 N Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Our classes begin promptly, so we recommend giving yourself a little extra time to find parking and to get settled in. There are several options for parking: -There is metered street parking as well as free two hour parking immediately around the shop. -There is a paid underground garage located on Cameron Street between Pitt and Royal Streets. -There is also a paid above ground lot located on Cameron Street between Pitt and Asaph Streets. All tools, flowers, vases, and instruction will be provided to create a beautiful design. There's no need to bring anything with you. Workshops are held at standing design tables, so please plan accordingly with comfortable footwear. If you have trouble standing for long periods a stool can be provided with advanced notice. The workshop fee is valid for one attendee only. We are very tight on space, and cannot accommodate any additional people in class, even just to watch. Unfortunately, we do not allow children in our classes. If you and a friend are attending class together, feel free to let us know in advance so we can reserve space for you to stand together. Should you need to cancel your workshop registration, you will need to provide notice five days in advance to receive a refund. After June 7, we will not be able to provide a refund. In that event, you are welcome to either pick up the bucket of flowers or a finished arrangement from our shop the day after class. If you do not pick up within 24 hours of the missed class, the flowers will be donated. Workshop registration is non-transferrable to another future class. Helen Olivia is happy to offer private workshops if you have a group of 6 or more. Please contact the shop for booking information and availability. We look forward to seeing you in class soon! The Helen Olivia Team
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pretty-peonies-wednesday-tickets-52318370655?aff=aff0eventful
Alexandria, VA 22314


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Dad deserves the very best, especially on his birthday. That's why we offer a wonderful line of birthday berries, candy apples, congratulations cookies and sweet birthday cakes delivered. This year, be sure to give Dad a gift he'll truly savor with a unique gourmet birthday gift basket from the food experts here at Shari's Berries. From cookies and brownies, to cheesecakes, fruit, snacks and candy, we've got gourmet delights to suit all kinds of appetites.
Oour exclusive hand-dipped chocolate strawberries are quite simply the ultimate in birthday treats for your husband. Or, perhaps you're stuck for a few ideas. You'll love the indulgent selection of luxurious, high-quality items we have stocked in our gift baskets for men online. Simply take a look at our imaginative range of birthday treats and cool birthday ideas for Dad and inspiration is sure to follow.
Plus, when it comes to great birthday gifts for Dad, we've got craveable cookies galore! From chocolate chip to peanut butter and oatmeal raisin and every other flavor in between, our moist and luxurious cookies are available in a host of sizes. And why stop there? Look for our amazing gift baskets for Dad. We even offer an inspired variety of hand-dipped chocolate cookies too.
If you can't decide on one dessert, choose a selection of moist cookies or some of the best chocolate truffles around. Or why not opt for one of our stunning gift baskets for Dad's birthday, filled with a host of snack favorites, coffee break must-haves, gourmet picnic essentials or even wine. We have a gift basket for every kind of Dad. And don't forget Dad on father's day. Our gourmet Father's Day treats will satisfy any sweet tooth and put a smile on dear old dad's face. And don't forget grandpa too, with grandpa gifts online.
And if savory's more his style we have that too. Choose from gift hampers filled with game-night snacks, gourmet picnic treats and even premium wines. Show you care with a luxury care package loaded with his favorites.


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FBO 2019 Annual Conference BMO Presentation
File type: PDFDownload
Show resources by category:
Food and Beverage Ontario leads, coordinates and provides input on a number of programs, resources and tools available to the sector.
In the fall of 2012, FBO completed an Economic Impact Analysis of the Food and Beverage Processing Sector. This report clearly identifies the Ontario food and beverage processing sector as a major economic contributor in the Province of Ontario. The report has been valuable in communicating the importance of the sector to government, industry and academic stakeholders.
With support from Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial agreement FBO successfully delivered the Managing for Success program. This program was designed to improve awareness, attitude and skills specific to best management practices. Activities included on-site business assessments, business management tools and educational opportunities such as executive training series, webinars and workshops. A number of resources from this program continue to be made available to Ontario businesses.
FBO is pleased to be a member of the recently formed Provision Coalition. Provision is a coalition of 11 member associations representing the interests of Canadian food and beverage manufacturers and input supply sectors regarding the economic, environmental and social benefits that accompany operating in a sustainable manner.
File type: PDFDownload
File type: PDFDownload


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"We would rather be too early than too late in making this call."
And with that, analysts at Citi moved their 12-month view on the mining sector to bullish for the first time in three years.
Sure, they're concerned about the potential for long-term structural demand for commodities in China, and yes they're aware there could be a seasonal slowdown in the first quarter of this year (as they pointed out in December), but analysts are seeing better bottom-up fundamentals, notably from big diversified miners. Citi's top picks are BHP Billiton , Rio Tinto and Glencore-Xstrata .
"Investor sentiment has hit rock bottom. The mining sector has moved through five stages of grief, namely Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and now we think we are in Acceptance that the sector has moved into a new norm," said lead analyst Heath Jansen, in a note out Thursday.
Amid a clutter of metals-price calls, Jansen foresees a flat commodity-price environment ahead and a reduction in volatility. An improvement in U.S. and European growth will help boost commodities, while weakening commodity currencies -- the currencies of major exporters like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa -- are boosting miners, he said. On top of all this, miners are cutting costs, improving balance sheets and aligning with shareholders' interests. Because of this, earnings momentum has become positive.
But Citi's advice to stay underweight on gold and base-metal stocks diverged from the opinions of other big investors. DoubleLine Capital founder Jeffrey Gundlach said earlier this week that not only is gold looking good technically -- calling for $1,350 an ounce on gold "sooner rather than later" -- but he likes those miners as well. Most major gold companies lost at least half their value last year on the gold price plunge.
"Sentiment is as black as night on gold, so I'm actually long on some gold miners," said Gundlach.
His gold call is more bullish than the average investment bank so far this year. Recent forecasts from six big banks (not including Citi) see the metal sinking to $1,209 an ounce this year, an average drop of 14.5% from the 2013 average. The gold-mining sector has a fan in hedge-fund manager John Paulson, who was reportedly telling clients last year that he won't add more to his hard-hit gold fund, but still likes the miners.
For its part, Citi said its least-favored big-cap miner is Anglo American . The investment bank parted company with UBS, whose analysts lifted the stock to buy from neutral, saying valuations are looking attractive after a recent underperformance (by more than 18% over the past three months compared to buy-rated Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton).
Writing for Benzinga on Wednesday, William Briat said now isn't a bad time to go hunting gold mining stocks, which are nearing lows not seen since the fall of 2008. He advises looking for stocks that "are able to produce at an all-in sustaining cost that is below the current price of gold bullion, which means they remain profitable."
While Citi's note is focused on Europe's mining stocks, Briat outpointed NYSE-listed Primero Mining . "If a company still has strong assets, a solid balance sheet, and is able to create positive cash flow, this type of firm is of interest to me, especially when market sentiment is so negative," he said.
Marc Faber extolled the virtues of mining stocks at the close of 2013. The author of the Gloom, Boom and Doom report said that given the extremely bearish views out there on gold, silver, platinum and palladium, mining companies are at "relatively good values." Not a new call here for Faber, he's been touting miners for a while.
-- Barbara Kollmeyer covers markets for MarketWatch. Follow her @bkollmeyer. Follow The Tell @thetell.
More must-read news from MarketWatch:


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About Us
Audubon Society of Portland promotes the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats. We focus on our local community and the Pacific Northwest.
The Audubon Society of Portland promotes the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife and their habitats.
Founded 1902 | 31 staff | $3 million annual budget | Top 4-star Charity Navigator rating
Diversity Statement
The Audubon Society of Portland believes that inspiring all people to love and protect nature is best achieved when we embrace diversity as a value and practice. In the same way an ecosystem needs many types of plants and wildlife, an organization thrives when it includes a diversity of people and perspectives. We recognize that inequities are widespread and create gaps between our present reality and our aspirations. Audubon is committed to:
- Reflecting the diversity of the community in our board, staff, volunteers, and members.
- Ensuring our internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advance our diversity goals.
- Empowering people to make positive changes in their community and environment.
Our Work
Conservation: We use a suite of conservation methods to protect imperiled species, reduce threats to birds across the Oregon landscape and preserve high-priority habitat. We also work to ensure all Portland-area residents have access to nature.
Education: Our expert educators provide world-class environmental education programs – both domestically and abroad – that help more than 12,000 children and 3,000 adults a year better understand and appreciate the natural world.
Wildlife rehabilitation: The Wildlife Care Center is the state's oldest and busiest wildlife rehabilitation facility, and it treats more than 3,000 animals and responds to more than 11,000 wildlife-related inquiries a year.
Sanctuaries: We run nature sanctuaries in the city, mountains and coast that model healthy ecosystems, offer safe haven to wildlife and provide people with places to connect with nature.
Volunteerism: We offer a variety of community science and volunteer opportunities, through which volunteers donate 43,000 hours of service a year.
Birding: We support the birding community and help people of all ages and backgrounds get involved in birding.
Get Involved
The Audubon Society of Portland was founded 115 years ago by a group of conservationists. We are now a community of 15,000 who stand together to protect Oregon's beautiful birds, wildlife and habitat. Join us by becoming a member, donating or volunteering.
Board meetings generally take place at our headquarters, semi-monthly, on the third Thursday of the month. Current members are welcomed to attend. To confirm the meeting time and location of our next meeting, please see our latest issue of The Warbler, or call offices at (503) 292-6855.
* There will be a brief board meeting by phone on October 24 at 6 p.m. to discuss a possible land acquisition. Please email Nick Hardigg at firstname.lastname@example.com for details.
Events | History | Staff & Board
Annual Reports | Employment | Volunteer
Newsletter | Oregon Audubon Chapters | Privacy Policy
The Audubon Society of Portland has been rated a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator. This top rating is awarded to organizations that exceed industry standards and outperform most charities in their field.
Tax ID# 93-6026088


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....Santa mugs
....Discovering a pretty new Christmas tree decoration.
If I have to say only one: share a film on the sofa with my son and husband and having lots of laughs!
A lot of yours are mine as well, along with curling up with a good book on a rainy day, swinging in the porch swing with my hubby, Long walks, especially on a beach, embarking on a new project, a fabulously made hot chocolate with plenty of mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings, listening to my girls giggly. May your holiday season be filled with things you love most.xReplyDelete
We share a lot of favorite things. I would add reading your blog to the list. It's always so good to have a little visit with you.ReplyDelete
make crochet in the night when it's dark
dancing and singing in the middle of the room with my favorite songs
water the plants
tidy wool by color
more five minutes under the hot shower
walk hand in hand with my daughter
look for ants and worms walking at the paths
cycling and feel cold air on your face
a coffee house with a good friend
take sweet Gift wrap
give gifts for people who I love
giving things away
Happy to see my daughter smile!
Merry Christmas, Vanessa!
Crisp white snow.
Watching my dog play on the beach. In fact I could make a list all about my dog, I adore her!
Cuddles with my dog in the morning. She really is adorable.
Autumn sunshine.
Sliding in to a freshly made bed, ahhhh crisp clean sheets.
My mum
Looking for treasure on the beach.
Knowing what my hubby is going to say before he does!
A cup a tea in the morning.
Good food.
Stationary, I'm a sucker for a pretty notebook.
The smell of a new book.
Have a lovely Christmas, really going to miss you next year. X
Beautiful post. Everything you said are my favorites as well. :) Please don't stop blogging! ;)ReplyDelete
Hi Vanessa, Funny enough I was going to send you an email with exactly the same question and tell you some of mine !!!!!
As well as most of yours here are some in no particular order and only some that quickly come to mind: Watching my hens esp. when they are drinking; Picking a posy of flowers from my garden most days of the year; Going on picnics and always reading Anne of Green Gables to my daughter when we sit on the rug; Listening to our old dog snoring she sounds like a small child talking(no lotto numbers yet); Watching the baby pademelons and their Mama (really small kangaroo) in our garden; Wearing perfume in winter and sunscreen in summer; Picking warm fruit from our small orchards we planted 6 years ago and eating it under the tree with my eyes closed.
Wishing you light and love,
Peace on Earth, Jude xx
Oh Vanessa, your list very much resembles what my list would look like but I have to totally go with one thing on Jen Kershner's love list.... your blog! Your little space here in bloggerland is one of my most loved! Have a wonderful Christmas with your Bears!
Anna xx
Happy Christmas Eve Vanessa, beautiful words.....mine....sun on the water, mist on the hills, Christmas carols playing in the background while I wrap presents, writing in my journal, the smell of freshly baked bread, squidging new balls of yarn, a snuggle with my husband, clean bed linen, warm bath towels, picking fresh herbs from the garden for cooking. Very blessed aren't we. XReplyDelete
...drinking coffee in the early morning,house is quiet,still and dark, the only light is the Christmas tree and I'm reading blogs...sigh...ReplyDelete
Reading your blog. I wish you would keep it going.
Many, many of the same things on your list.
Merry Christmas
Avery happy ,peacefull xmas to you and your family ,a lot of my favourite things are similar to yours xReplyDelete
Merry Christmas!!
My favourite things are : watching Christmas movies, having a long Christmas breakfast, watching a classical music concert, eating with friends and family , baking, decorating cakes with lots of icing sugar and tiny gingerbread houses, going to church and sharing hugs and good laughs with my family.
Have a lovely holiday time!
A very happy and peaceful Christmas to you and your family! Have a wonderful day!
Merry Christmas
Amanda xx
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas Vanessa xxxReplyDelete
What a lovely list! I realised about halfway down that I was smiling broadly. This could actually be my list too.
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. xx
My favorite things: snowy days, a crackling fireplace, Egg Nog lattes, and snuggles from my dog! So many things to be grateful for. Thank you for posting this:)ReplyDelete
Ooh, many of your favourites would be on my list too..
snuggling Wilson, especially when he's had a bath
hot buttered toast
Baileys coffee
Proper belly laughing with my family
a thoughtful homemade gift
sneaking down in the morning, while the house is still and being delighted that you have put up another gorgeous blog post! xxx
Merry Christmas Vanessa
Rain on a tin roof and our summer storms
Very early mornings outside with my cup of tea
Brand new balls of wool
The crackling sound of our winter feather duvet
Watching Maggie Smith in Downtown Abbey
Fresh linen on my bed
Pretty notebooks .. Can't resist them!
Snuggles with my little Boston
Tea with best friends
I've just realised how very blessed I am!
Wishing you a wonderful 2016, doing what makes your heart sing xxx
Many good things on your list! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!!!
Oh I am going to miss you! I love...the rain, in all ways. The way my big boy speaks, throwing in his precocious vocabulary with his childish pronunciation. The way my toddler rolls his eyes back into his head when he latches on the the breast. Yarn, especially when it smells of sheep. Spending time with family, and at our family homes. Seeing my sweet boys, big and little, sleeping cuddled up together in our family bed. So many things!ReplyDelete
I LOVE the hot water bottle cover you made (pale pink with white cross stitched heart) and was wondering if you could please let me know where you found the pattern. I would love to make on for each of my granddaughters for Valentine's Day. I would be so appreciative of any help.ReplyDelete
Hi there, I'm afraid I didn't have a pattern for that hot water bottle. I just made it up as I went along with some yarn I had. I guessed the stitching for the cross stitch heart and just by sheer luck more than anything, it turned out well! I posted a hot water cover tutorial, which was a very basic tutorial to help anyone make up a hot water bottle cover. It's a loose tutorial just to give the guidelines of how to get the shape (I made them on different sized hot water bottles) and you could just roughly work out where to start a cross stitch heart on the front. If you are on Pinterest, I'd suggest looking up some cross stitch hearts which might help with size guides for your hot water bottle. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.....I've always been useless with patterns and just 'wing it' most of the time! Have a lovely rest of a day! : )Delete
Oh yes, and I meant to say it's best to use chunky yarn!Delete
You may not even see this, as it's so long after you gave us your "good bye", But I came upon this today and was a bit taken aback! I have the SAME Santa Mug as you have pictured here....and so many of your favorite things are also MINE! I collect Santas, so have - all in all - a bit over 200 - ranging in size from about an inch tall to one that is close to 48 inches tall! He stands proud on our hearth every Christmas season - which is sort of sneaking up on us, isn't it?
Be well and be happy! I have missed your regular posts. Your work is so pretty. I actually came here this morning referred by a link on "Little Treasures" blog. There was a lovely poncho - but when I clicked on link for pattern, I got a blank page. Is that Poncho Pattern still available? I've been looking for that "perfect poncho" for myself - and the lacy, lightish turquoise one that was credited to you is the PERFECT PONCHO for what I want....
I would love to have that pattern IF it is still available....
Please don't stay away forever - you are missed...and your work is quite lovely!
Thank you for the inspiration you have shared with the world. I hope that your life is full, happy and fulfilling!
Hi there!
Thank you so much for messaging me. Yes, I'm am still here to receive and answer messages and questions. I left my blog live for people to freely mooch around and any messages written in the comments box still reach me and I can reply. Wow, over 200 Santas?!?!!!! Goodness me! I have to say, I was so in love witht he Santas I got last year, and I kinda can't wait to get them out this year again.
This year, I ahve really taken a back seat on crafting. Life has been full on. Attention has been needed on my house and I'm busy with with work too. So I guess, this has been my resting year! It'll be nice to get back into some sort of crafting rhythm, but I think this year I'll just see it out pottering and spending time with the kiddos. I'd quite like to try my hand a new crafts next year. Learn something new. I figure maybe I'm blanketed out now, although, I still have about 10 in my head that i'd like to make! ha ha!
I found the page on Little Treasure blog you were referring to, and it's the Rosa Cowl Sweater pattern by Gosyo. It's actually a Sweater rather than a poncho. If you click the word 'Pattern' under my picture on that page it should take you to the Ravelry page for it, where there is a link to the patterns page. If you scroll down the patterns page to the picture of it, then if you click on it, it should take you to the PDF pattern. Here is the link just in case you can't access it...
I hope that works!I've made three of those sweaters as I just loved them. All in different yarns with different hooks so one was particularly swingy rather than sweater like (which I guess is why it's deemed a poncho on the Little Treasure Blog, but it's my favourite one of the three I made. The pattern is in Diagram form which some people find hard to get their heads around. I personally find those to be much easier than written patterns as I can see exactly where the stitches need to go rather than trying to imagine through text. It was such a fun make though, So I hope you'll have fun too if you give it a go!
I hope you get this reply. I know the replies come up on the blog but I'm not sure if they will go directly to your email, so I hope you check back here for my response!
Take care. Thank you for your lovely message, and I hope that you have a Very Merry Christmas (with all your Santas!) and a Beautiful New Year! x
thanks for sharing your knowledge with usReplyDelete
❀ Thank you so much for leaving a comment. If you ask me a question, I will do my best to reply here in the comments section. Just pop back in a day or two and I hopefully will have replied. ❀


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TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government is set to launch the world's first 4K TV broadcast in July 2014, roughly two years ahead of schedule, to help stir demand for ultra high-definition televisions, the Asahi newspaper reported on Sunday without citing sources.
The service will begin from communications satellites, followed by satellite broadcasting and ground digital broadcasting, the report said.
The 4K TVs, which boast four times the resolution of current high-definition TVs, are now on sale by Japanese makers including Sony Corp (6758.T), Panasonic (6752.T) and Sharp Corp (6753.T). Other manufacturers include South Korea's LG Electronics (066570.KS).
Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications had aimed to kick-start the 4K TV service in 2016. That has been brought forward to July 2014, when the final match of the 2014 football World Cup is set to take place in Brazil, the Asahi report said.
In Japan, the development of super high-definition 8K TVs is in progress, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications plans to launch the test 8K TV broadcast in 2016, two years ahead of schedule, it said.
Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Paul Tait