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The Parable of the Widow & the Unjust Judge found in Luke 18 is one of my favorite parables, because it is the first passage of the Bible that I studied for myself.
At the end my first year of a 3-year program on biblical exegesis, we had a class on Parables. Up to that point we had been studying the biblical languages, historical background and interpretative theory. Parables was our first-hands on interpretative class where we could finally apply everything we had been learning. This parable in Luke 18 was my first assignment.
I still remember the exhilaration I felt when the passage "clicked". I was thrilled because I discovered that I really could tackle a passage all by my self and come up with the answer.
Of course, I was came up with the wrong answer.
After arguing with my professor with all the enthusiasm of misguided youth, I saw the error in my thinking and amended my interpretation. But my joy in bible study remained.
What's your understanding of this parable? Try answering the following question based on the parable:
I'm worried about which teacher my child will have in school. Should I:
- establish a schedule to pray about it every day?
- pray whenever I begin to worry about it?
- pray once and try to forget about it?
People have understood this parable such that it implies each of these answers.
For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.
Next: The Vineyard Workers, Matthew 19:16-20:16
Previous: The Unforgiving Servant, Matthew 18:21-35
Series: The Parables of Jesus: Pictures of the Kingdom
Photo from istockphoto.com


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- Trekking Grades: Moderate/Demanding
- Group Size: Minimum 2, Maximum 12
- Type Service: We run only private groups
- Highlight: Ausangate Mountain, Singrenacocha lagoon, remote mountain scenery, High Mountain passes, quieter trails, less tourists, local villages.
Difficulty degree of this hike: Difficult/Challenging due to the altitude: we recommend a period of at least 2 days for acclimatization in Cusco or over 3000m/9840ft.
Great short hike through Singrenacocha & Ausangate Mountain
This trek takes us along the spectacular slopes of Ausangate Mountain, the highest peak in the Cusco Region. On the way we will see a number of communities where we will be able to observe the local way of life. We will also pass a number of lovely lakes on our way to the impressive Singrenacocha Lagoon.
|Trip Length:
|8 Días
|Tour Type:
|Tour Clasico
|Type service:
|Tour Privado
|Lima, Lineas de Nazca, Islas Ballestas, Paracas, Cusco, Machu Picchu
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 – Cusco / Mallma / Singrenacocha Lagoon
Pick up from the Hotel at 7:00 am drive in our private transport to Mallma (3900m/12795ft) situated southeast of Cusco. During the walk we will observe beautiful natural scenery when we are passing high Andean plateaus. The presence of mountains, lagoons and rivers makes it unimaginable scenery. Arriving in Mallma, we will take a fresh walk of about 3 hours, during which we will enjoy the spectacular view on the Callangate Mountain that borders to our camping site called Singrenacocha lagoon (4200m/13776ft)
- Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 – Singrenacocha / Pallccapampa
Breakfast; the sunrise over the Cordillera Vilcanota is very spectacular, with the scenery of glaciers, lagoons etc. around us. In spite of being high in the Andes, some flowers and plants knew to develop, such as the Andean Cactus. Also Camelids, Chinchillins, the Condor and the Puma live here. We will ascent to the Huayna Ausangate Pass (4600m/15088ft), after it to continue going through different altitude levels to the Pallccapampa Valley (4500m/14760ft), our camping place.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner
Day 3 – Pallccapampa / Pacchanta
Breakfast; the sunrise will give us some fine moments during the walk to the Acoyconca Pass (4800m/15744ft). We will have view at the glaciers Callangate and Ausangate in a colorful scene with some villages down in the valleys. After it we will easily descend to the community of Pacchanta (4300m/14104ft), where we will enjoy the thermal waters. Overnight at this place near the Hot spring
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner
Day 4 – Pacchanta / Tinqui / Cusco
Breakfast; we leave Pacchanta and start to walk our way back to Tinqui (3850m/12628ft), which will take approximately 3 hours. During the walk we will see the living culture of the farmers in the glacier chain called Cinaqara; we board a private transportation that will take us back to the city of Cusco, where we estimate to arrive around 5:00 pm
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Services included
- Pre-departure briefing
- Collection from your hotel in the morning of trek departure.
- Private transport to Tinqui, starting point of the trek
- English Speaking Professional Guide (2 guides for groups of over 8 people)
- Entrance to Ausangate Area
- Campsite fees
- 4 Season tents, 2 people in each 3-people-capacity tent
- Therma-Rest self-inflating mattress
- Horsemen and horses: Carry tents, cooking equipment and also carry backpacks, sleeping bags and mattresses (Max. 9 kilos/ 19 lbs per person)
- One emergency horse every 2 people
- Chef and cooking equipment
- Dining tent with tables, chairs and Kitchen tent
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food)
- Toilet tent
- Accommodation for all our staff
- Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in your water bottle every morning and night, and at lunch time if requested with enough time ahead
- First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
- Private transport from Tinqui to Cusco
Services not included
- Sleeping bag (can be hired in our office for US$ 24 for all the trek)
- Extra porter to carry your personal things like sleeping bag, clothes, etc
- Tips for the guide, cook and porters
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Domestic airfare to and from Cusco (+/- US$ 290 per person round trip)
- Visa fees (if required)
- Passport & Visa Costs
- Vaccination Costs
- Personal Spending Money
- Drinks
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Airport departure taxes
- Border taxes or fees

subset: commoncrawl


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Are you good in computers? Are you very creative at writing short stories or summarising what you've read? Are you looking for a job that allows you to work from the comfort of your home and get appreciated greatly through a good remuneration? Do you love spending so much time on social media and on the Internet? Do you have a degree in journalism or media studies or a related field? If "YES" is your answer to all these questions, then a job opportunity has arisen for you.
* Can edit pictures using Photoshop or Fireworks.
* At least a little understanding of HTML is a great plus.
* Should be Familiar with WordPress or Joomla.
* Must have good English writing skills.
* Must have a great understanding of South African celebrities.
* Must have great understanding of social media (Facebook and Twitter).
* A hard worker who is ready to work round the clock, even at odd hours.
* Able to work under pressure and needs very minimal supervision.
* So creative in writing News Articles and construct eye catching headlines.
* A diploma or degree in journalism, mass communications, or media studies is a great plus.
* Should have at least one year experience in journalism or related field.
* Must have own laptop or desktop (preferably core i3 or better).
* Access to fast Internet and very reliable electricity.
* While a qualification in Journalism or Media studies is not mandatory, its possession or working towards attaining it is a great plus.
* Candidates aged between 24 and 33 are preferred.
* We strongly prefer candidates based in Zimbabwe.
* No Laptop/Desktop, or no fast internet at home, or no reliable electricity at home then please don't apply!!!
The chosen candidate will receive a 5-day training where he/she will be taught how we do it.
The successful candidate will edit and publish news stories on our South African Magazine website. While our writers will provide you with most of the stories, you will however have to create stunning news headlines for the provided stories as well as edit pictures on Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Fireworks to embedded into the stories. You may have to write your own stories, should the need arise.
Kindly send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com and explain why you think you are the right person to fill this position. Please attach your CV in the same email.


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MSU School of Social Work's summer course, Social Work and the Human Animal Bond (SW491), taught by Linda Lawrence, MSW, LMSW, is a one credit class that explores the influences of the human animal bond in social work practice, as well as the ways that the human animal bond emerges in other professions that work with animals.
This class has had a number of excellent and diverse guest speakers from the local community, including Wellspring Christian Counseling on animals in therapeutic and counseling settings, MSU Police K9 Unit on dogs in policing, Stiggy's Dogs on therapy dogs for veterans living with PTSD or TBI, and AACORN on individuals with autism and developmental disabilities working with farm animals. Cristy Cummings, LLMSW, lectured on social work practice and the link between human and animal violence.
On the final day, the class took a field trip to Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center to learn about ways that people with all abilities are able to partner with horses in a therapeutic setting.
Writing and photo credits to Cristy Cummings.


text: The GBP/USD pair initially fell during the course of the day on Friday, but turned right back around to form a very bullish looking candle. However, there is quite a bit of resistance just above and of course we have the UK voting on the EU referendum in a few days, so at this point in time it's probably best to leave this particular pair alone. With that, being on the sidelines is probably the only realistic move to have until we get some type of answer to that referendum as it will be so influential.


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Politics Collection (ProQuest) – Mobile friendly; Full-text articles
JSTOR – Mobile friendly
Military & Government Collection (EBSCOhost) – Mobile friendly; Full-text articles
Social Science Database (ProQuest) – Mobile friendly; Full-text articles
US Major Dailies (ProQuest) – Mobile friendly; Search Chicago Tribune (1985-present), Los Angeles Times (1985-present), New York Times (1980-present), The Wall Street Journal (1984-present), The Washington Post (1987-present)
Nexis Uni – Political Science – Mobile friendly; Newspapers, legal sources including US Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790; Select "Political Science" from Discover Topics to track legislation, find Supreme Court opinions, and view recent political science news
Points of View Reference Center (EBSCOhost) – Resources that present multiple sides of an issue
Academic Search Complete (EBSCOhost) – Mobile friendly; Multi-disciplinary full-text database
Congressional Research Service – CRS reports provided to Congress with research to support their legislative duties
Google Scholar – Free access. Evaluate articles to ensure journals are reliable.
Search for Books & eBooks
- To download, you will need to create a free account with EBSCOhost. How to create an EBSCOhost account.
- How to download an EBSCO eBook
- Which portable devices are compatible?
WorldCat.org – Locate books, DVDs, and more in libraries worldwide. Use item request (interlibrary loan) to obtain a copy of an item. Note: Items from non-U.S. libraries may be difficult to obtain.
NoveList Plus (EBSCOhost) – Reading recommendations with book reviews and lists
NoveList K-8 Plus (EBSCOhost) – Find books for K-8 readers
Encyclopedia Britannica – Mobile friendly; Online encyclopedia
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (EBSCOhost) – Mobile friendly; Online encyclopedia
Biography Reference Bank (EBSCOhost) – Mobile friendly; Biographical full-text articles
Biography Reference Center (EBSCOhost) – Comprehensive collection of full-text biographies
Search all databases for full text journals, magazines, and newspapers; not articles. Use if you have the citation for an article or if you need an article in a specific source (e.g. Wall Street Journal).
Grad School Admissions Preparation (PrepStep) – GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MAT, and MCAT
Career and Workplace Preparation (PrepStep) – PRAXIS, teaching, law enforcement, caseworker, military, and more
Statistical Abstract – United States Census Bureau
Economic Report of the President
Book of the States – information and comparisons of the governments for all U.S. states, commonwealths and territories from 1935 to present
You will be directed to the Sources help page.
If the page does not open, please click https://www.peru.edu/library/help#Sources.
You will be directed to the Searching help page.
If the page does not open, please click https://www.peru.edu/library/help#Searching.
You will be directed to the Evaluating Information help page.
If the page does not open, please click https://www.peru.edu/library/help#Evaluating.
You will be directed to the Plagiarism help page.
If the page does not open, please click https://www.peru.edu/library/help#Plagiarism.
You will be directed to the Citation Guides help page.
If the page does not open, please click https://www.peru.edu/library/help#Citation.


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Electrical Testers & Emulators
Supreme measurement & control accuracy with maximum dynamic performance for testing batteries, e-drive and fuel cell systems
The AVL E-STORAGE BTE™ is available as a battery tester/battery cycler or battery emulator/battery simulator.
The AVL E-STORAGE BTE™ offers a class-leading combination of an outstanding dynamic performance with highest measurement and control accuracy in a power dense package with minimal footprint.
Its modular power electronics components and expandable control system enable the AVL E-STORAGE to be optimally adapted to meet customer-specific requirements.
The AVL E-STORAGE SiC™, based on the latest 1700V SiC-technology, is a highly flexible, modular system with unique footprint and high power density to test UUTs beyond 800V.


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Hegge Family History
14-Day Free Trial
Hegge Name Meaning
Dutch: from a short form of a Germanic personal name with the first element agi 'edge', 'blade' (see, e.g., Egbert). Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads so named, either from Old Norse Heggvin from heggr 'bird cherry (tree)' + vin 'meadow', or from hegg (indefinite plural of heggr) alone. Variant spelling of Swedish Hägge (see Hagg).
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press
Similar surnames: Heggen, Hegg, Egge, Heggem, Hegger, Helle, Hagge, Berge, Hege, Tegge


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Introduction to Political Economy is a self-contained and nontechnical overview of the intellectual history of political economy, the logic of microeconomics, and the definitions used in macroeconomics. It introduces the notion of a political economy, emphasizing the moral and ethical problems that markets solve, and fail to solve.
- The example of Lewis and Clark, and the Corps of Discovery: sometimes groups have to choose, AS A GROUP. They all consent to the rules, and are thus bound by the outcome, even if they disagree with it. Market institutions cannot help here.
- The definition of "politics" is the negotiation of a constituted group, with rules of decision, and also entry and exit. People choosing in groups this way are engaging in "politics."
- The example of Odysseus, bound to the mast. Can people commit now to be bound by their choices?
- The "Prisoner's Dilemma": We want everyone else to be bound by rules, but we know we want to cheat. So we voluntarily agree to be bound to be coerced, provided everyone else makes the same agreement.


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These two layouts were featured on the American Crafts blog earlier this month. I had an assignment to create two layouts with "lots of photos"! I used to never scrap more than 1 photo on a layout, but these days, I'm finding it a lot easier for some reason to scrap 2, 3, or 4 photos on a single project!
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look! Happy Friday!


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FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- No matter what your coach tells you, having sex before competition doesn't appear to harm an athlete's performance, Italian researchers say.
They reviewed nine studies that examined the impact of sexual activity on sports performance, and their findings appear in the journal Frontiers in Physiology.
"Abstaining from sexual activity before athletic competition is a controversial topic in the world of sport," lead author Laura Stefani said in a journal news release.
"We show no robust scientific evidence to indicate that sexual activity has a negative effect upon athletic results," she said.
Stefani, an assistant professor of sports medicine at the University of Florence, noted that little research has been done on the topic.
"We clearly show that this topic has not been well investigated and only anecdotal stories have been reported. In fact, unless it takes place less than two hours before, the evidence actually suggests sexual activity may have a beneficial effect on sports performance," she said.
The findings show that athletes need not feel guilty if they have sex the day before a big game, the researchers concluded.
More information
The University of California, Santa Barbara has more about sex and athletic performance.


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Irritek can make Corrugated Metal Pipe. Irritek owns a fully mobile corrugated metal pipe machine. The machine is based at the Irritek factory at 744 Carnarvon Highway, Moree. Irritek holds stock CMP pipe in common sizes and can produce pipe to customer specifications and order. For large quantity order contact Irritek for pricing for the Irritek CMP machine producing pipe at your site.
CMP is a helically wound, lock seam, corrugated metal pipe that can be made up to 1800 metres diametre. CMP can be used in a number of different applications including:
- Culverts (Agriculture, Civil and Mining);
- Road crossings (Agriculture, Civil and Mining);
- Under Haul and Temporary roads(Mining);
- Rail crossings (Civil);
- Mine and conveyor portals;
- Safe access to mine and construction sites;
- Conduit casing;
- Ventilation shafts and airflow columns.
Features and Benefits:
- Large diameters and long lengths that can be manufactured economically on site minimizing freight cost;
- Large diameter pipes eliminate the high installation cost of multi-plate structures;
- Unique profiles optimize load bearing capacity;
- Where pipes are to be joined, dedicated coupling bands are supplied providing a secure fit.


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- This event has passed.
Tacos on Tuesday!!!!
October 13 @ 8:00 am
This group has been meeting at the same location for 6 years. Typically there are 15 to 25 business professionals who attend each week! We are open to all industries. This is a free networking event, we just ask that you buy your breakfast, to thank Las Palapas for allowing us the use of their private room. Join us! If I didn't cover everything here.. call me.. 210 573 4283 Dee


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A new Climate Investment Funds portfolio with an expected capitalization of some US$ 6 billion, to build on progress made by many of the developing countries
Please note: only publishing dates after March 2013 may be considered reliable.
Pages tagged with Mitigation
Date published
Development of a voluntary global financial mechanism/portfolio approach/forest financing framework for all types of forests to support the implementation of the Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests and the achievement of the Global objectives on Forests.
Mobilizing funds for greater energy access and security, energy efficiency and clean energy development projects in over 100 countries.
Facilitating finance sector engagement in climate mitigation by building financier capacity and awareness, lowering the costs and barriers of initial transactions, and supporting the development of new financial products that accelerate adoption of climate technologies and markets.
Developing the capacity of low-income countries to access the CDM through the Nairobi Framework
Strengthening national capacity in developing countries to assess investment and financial flows to address climate change.
Assisting developing countries to improve their level of participation in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM); building the foundation for pro-poor ecosystem service markets to achieve impacts of scale in Africa.
The UN system, including the Bretton Woods Institutions, is assisting developing countries in better leveraging finance from a variety of sources to help them adapt to climate change impacts and undertake nationally appropriate mitigation actions in the context of sustainable development.
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Cancun in December 2010, the United Nations system highlighted its readiness to support Member States in implementing their commitments through side events and information material that presented the system's ongoing work and practical tools.


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Status: Closed
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first gulflive.com user to add photos or videos of East Bay Coin & Jewelers
Wife had ring stuck on finger due to pregnancy and had removed here. owner was very helpful and kind, would highly recommend and look forward to doing future business here, once again thank you


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"I haven't heard a Santa Cruz band that has the sound we're putting out," says Isaac Romero, front man for the postpunk, dance rock band Arrows. "But it doesn't matter. We've played a few shows with all metal bands and had a great reception."
Normally this might sound like the regular boasting of musicians, but with these post-punk dance rockers, it's genuine and deserved. Consisting of Romero on guitar and vocals, Ricky Rivera on guitar, Ryan Chew on bass, and drummer Jesse Flores, their stripped-down, laid-back demeanor matches the band's raw sound.
Formed only a year and a half ago, Arrows has already hit the streets hard. Their dedicated ambition and constant gigging has built a name for themselves around town, and they recently headlined one of the venues for the Santa Cruz Music Festival.
"The reception has been pretty good," Romero adds.
Two months ago the quartet released their self-titled debut; a seven-track EP as hauntingly visceral as it is catchy.
"I did all the engineering and mixing," explains co-founding member, Chew. "We recorded most of it in our kitchen and our bedrooms."
"The Cayuga HQ," Romero laughs.
With driving bass lines and celestial melodies, Arrows combine the postpunk aesthetic a la Joy Division, the Cure, and Interpol with lonesome beach symbolism, creating a sound that clearly represents a gray day in our city by the sea.
"Santa Cruz has definitely influenced the imagery of Arrows," Chew says.
As if an EP and music festival weren't enough for 2015, Arrows recently signed to a new label based in town, Cora Records, and plan on releasing a vinyl, 7-inch single for their song "Richon," a dark and poppy number about Romero's longtime girlfriend.
"It's always been my dream to have a single with my band name on it," Romero ponders. "I'm pretty stoked to see it."
While that probably won't come out until sometime next year, you can check out Arrows on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Crepe Place as they hit the stage with Portland act Yaquina Bay and local prog-psych rockers Night Dive.


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Peter Brimble has worked extensively in Central, Southeast, and North Asia on industrial efficiency, investment promotion, foreign direct investment, private sector development, and public policy issues. In the past three decades, he has worked on private sector development, public-private partnerships, logistics, and business development in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Following assignments with the Asian Development Bank, Peter joined the DaNa Facility in 2016 as Team Leader. The DaNa Facility supports inclusive economic growth through responsible and sustainable private sector development in Myanmar by enhancing business growth, investment, and trade across the country.
Andrea Chartock's work focuses on promoting economic growth and designing and managing monitoring and evaluation of projects.Read More


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DENVER — Next week the Hahl family was supposed to fly to Orlando for a trip to Disney World, but those plans changed when their middle daughter broke her leg.
The family of five planned to head to Florida on Oct. 17. Late last month, their two-year-old daughter Tenley suffered a spiral fracture in her leg after jumping into a foam gymnastics pit, her mom Lindsay told 9NEWS.
As a result of the fracture, Tenley was put in what's called a Spica cast. They're usually used to treat a condition such as hip dysplasia and typically include the trunk of the body and one or both legs. Children with them are unable to stand or bear weight.
Tenley's mom said her cast begins at her chest and extends down to her toes on one side. Her "good" leg has a cast down to her knee.
The cast meant that taking her to Disney or even on a plane would be difficult so they decided to cancel their planned trip to Disney World.
Hahl said she contacted Southwest Airlines and even though they had non-refundable tickets, a representative bent the rules and gave a full refund to the family.
It didn't stop there, Hahl said two days later FedEx showed up at their door with a delivery for Tenley. It included a Southwest Airlines poster filled with good wishes from employees.
"It is above and beyond the call of duty and was completely unnecessary to refund my tickets and send her something special," Hahl said.
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines confirmed the kind gesture and identified the representative as Tim.
The spokesperson said Tim felt any child that had a trip to Disney World canceled would need a little "pick me up," so he decided to send them the poster with encouraging messages from him and his fellow Southwest Customer Relations Representatives.


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Attention, YA writers, bloggers, and teen-reading enthusiasts!
The 6th annual Operation Teen Book Drop/Rock the Drop celebration in honor of YALSA's (Young Adult Library Services Association) Support Teen Lit Day is coming up on April 17.
Here's the deal: Writers, librarians, educators, readers, and other bookish people are encouraged to "drop" a YA novel somewhere in the wild for a lucky reader to discover and enjoy, then tweet about it with the hashtag #rockthedrop to keep the enthusiasm going.
In honor of the seventh anniversary of the founding of readergirlz, we've teamed with Justine Magazine and I Heart Daily in directing participants to seven worthy literacy philanthropies that would benefit from a donation in honor of Support Teen Lit Day.
How can you participate?
1. Check out http://readergirlz.blogspot.com/p/operation-teen-book-drop.html to snag a banner and bookplate you can use to help spread the word. (Please note that the previous years' banners are up on the blog, so make sure the date reads 2014!)
2. Visit our Facebook page to add any favorite literacy philanthropies of your own.
3. On April 17, visit the readergirlz blog, download an adorable 2014 bookplate, and stick it in the YA book/s of your choice.
4. "Drop" the book/s someplace public for some lucky reader to find!
5. Snap a picture of your book/s in the wild, and tweet or post to our Facebook page with the hashtag #rockthedrop (and we're always on the lookout for any dropped books found by others).
It's fun! It's sneaky! It's putting great reads into the hands of unsuspecting readers, who could be changed from the experience with a story or a character! It's what reading is all about: spreading those words far and wide!


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Artist Camille Holvoet is talking about Coca-Cola. "All the caffeine in the Coke," she says, "it makes me break things. I want Coke to be improved, like put no caffeine and put in a lemon slice. And Dr. Pepper -- I wish they would put more tartness into those dark drinks."
Holvoet, now 63 years old, is an artist at San Francisco-based studio Creativity Explored, a space for artists with developmental disabilities to cultivate and show their work. Those who've worked with Holvoet describe her as voracious, seductive, curious and a "particularly picky, perfect goddess" -- the latter being title of her last solo show.
"What are the soda ingredients? What do they look like?" Holvoet then asks. She pauses for a moment, seemingly mulling over the barely pronounceable insides of the syrupy beverages. "You don't see it, but you taste it. What are ingredients anyway? The story of the life of drinks?"
Holvoet has a tendency to turn mundane yet peculiar observations into baffling questions and profound resolutions. Similarly, her artworks, often made of oil pastel and watercolor, transform everyday treats into loaded ideograms, packed not only with calories but memories, fears and cravings.
Sugar, frosting, cherries, pills, bodies, ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, cheese -- these are the ingredients that make up Holvoet's body of work. Like the strange lovechild of Wayne Thiebaud and Dorothy Iannone, Holvoet generously offers her viewers an all-you-can-see buffet of edible indulgence, bulging at the seams.
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Desserts are, for many, reserved for special occasions -- birthdays or weddings or that special day at the fair. As such, biting into a richly stuffed layer cake, slurping up the cherry on top, can be an alternative form of time travel, triggering memories and urges and smells with every scrumptious bite. For Holvoet, such associations are visceral, yet bittersweet.
"I like to draw desserts because they taste good," she explains, "but they didn't let me have too much dessert before. They were always taking the cake away from me for what I did wrong."
Holvoet, born in San Francisco, was sent by her family at a young age to live in a hospital due to behavioral issues. They eventually stopped visiting. Holvoet's drawings revisit memories from their time together -- some happy, others less so. "It was some kind of weight loss thing and some kind of punishment but I want to get dessert. They didn't let me get dessert."
Back in the 1950s, while still living at home, Holvoet's sister taught her how to draw using a blackboard. "I used to draw tic-tac-toe, like stick drawings, with a round head. You know what I mean?" she asks. "Then I got older and now I know how to draw better. I know how to draw a Christmas branch and tree lights and ornaments and little packages. When I was little I couldn't draw like that. When I was like five or six years old."
Now, after 14 years at Creativity Explored, Holvoet is one of the studio veterans. For ten years, she worked with visual arts instructor Gilles Combet, who in an interview with Jayinee Basu, described the artist as "an earth goddess sitting on a throne with attendants fulfilling her many desires while she exercises her generosity upon us, mere mortals. Camille is voracious and generous, very crazy and very grounded. You can easily fall for her even while she is driving you crazy!"
Earth goddess. Voracious and generous. Holvoet wants everything all at once, one extreme and its opposite, dinner and two desserts. She is ravenous, and not just for food. Some of her most compelling works yearn for wellness, love, temperance and sex.
In "The Picky Perfect Goddess, Camille," Holvoet depicts herself, in watercolor and pen, naked and cross-eyed. Behind her, against a white backdrop, words are scrawled and squished together in one continuous, all-caps breath.
"I AM GOD PEOPLE WILL COME TO ME AND LOVE ME AND PRAY... I WANT HEAD CHEESE ICE CREAM CAKE CUP CAKE... SEX SEXY SEXUAL DEZIER... TRAUMA ARTICULATE MUMBLE FIDDLE SHY." Basu calls the text a "transcript of the orgasming mind," with various urges spilling out at maximum force and speed. Holvoet possesses the type of hunger that can eat you right back, inciting hallucinations and elation before revealing the emptiness in your belly where food should be.
Holvoet's erotic urges are every bit as intense and immediate as her sweet tooth. In Colin Rhodes' introductory essay to Raw Erotica, he defines the term "rawerotics" as "a singular theory or science of love constructed without recourse to cultural convention," a word which feels applicable to Holvoet's work. As with many artists living and working outside the societal mainstream, including Johann Korec and Ody Saban, creation can become an outlet for sexual energy, one that often eclipses the physical act of sex.
Holvoet's self-portrait also lays bare her anxieties, nightmares and frustrations. Some more blatantly self-deprecating works depict prescription bottles, reading "FORGETTING CRUSHES AND CRAZYNESS" or "FOR OBSESSION FOR BREAKING THINGS FOR FOCKUSING MAKE IS HAPPYNESS." Others feature words surgically combined in Holvoet's imagination, terms like "accepment," "youngry," and "outspiration." The word medleys feel pumped with desire themselves, as if reaching for a jucier meaning that doesn't quite exist yet. It's one word eating another whole, with its tail dangling out of the mouth.
For Holvoet, sugar, it seems, is both a cure and a poison. "I'm a destroyer I think," she said. "I destroy things when I have too many treats." And yet, cupcake by cupcake, Holvoet is, slowly, devouring the world, tasting its sugary insides and introducing them to her own. The stories they symbolize, the memories they recall, the desires they trigger, all are part of her ever-bulging food pyramid.
Holvoet's status as an Earth goddess of sorts is obvious. In our short conversation, I craved more of her stories, was stumped by her questions, floored by her poetic observations, strangely beguiled the way the she capped most sentences by repeating my name. Holvoet gives as much as she gets, stimulates as much as she desires. She eats her cake and shares it too.
Despite her unusual story and singular artwork, Holvoet's greatest challenges as an artist are relatively universal. "Unfocus," she says. "Distracted. Getting frustrated. I get emotionally thirsty sometimes. Mostly thirsty." On the other end of our phone call, I hear the muffled sound of a gulp of water.
Also on HuffPost:


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Stacey Goodwin, CPA, CA, LPA & Partner
I always take the time to explain
things clearly and thoroughly.
A Chartered Accountant is more than someone who prepares taxes. Stacey's relationships with her clients also call on her good judgment as a business and financial advisor, and sounding board for their important business decisions.
With a calm, level headed approach, Stacey takes the time to explain things clearly and thoroughly – yet another characteristic that clients find a valuable asset in working with her.
Stacey holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University, graduating with Honours in 1989. She received her Chartered Accountant Designation in 1992. With Millards since 1991, Stacey specializes in owner managed businesses, professional and service industries, manufacturing and distribution and farming. She also provides accounting and auditing services, corporate and personal taxes, and management and advisory services.
Stacey Goodwin's Practice Areas
- Audit and accounting for owner-managed business
- Personal and corporate tax planning
- Industry experience in real estate and agribusiness
- Considerable experience with CAIS and other government farm programs
Stacey can be contacted at:
Stacey Goodwin, CPA, CA, LPA
Millards Chartered Professional Accountants
96 Nelson Street, P.O. Box 367
Brantford, Ontario
Phone: 519-754-2720
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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I watched a great documentary last night called "Ride the Divide." The movie followed a handful of participants as they they attempted the world's toughest race, which traverses over 2700 miles along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.
It was a great reminder that no matter how crazy you think you are, there will always be people out there who are ten times crazier. Next time someone makes a "crazy" comment about training for a race that will take me 16 hours to complete (fingers crossed!), I'll think of the Great Divide Mountain Bike race and be thankful that at least the Ironman won't take me 2700 miles and three weeks to complete. Suddenly 140.6 doesn't sound so bad.
That's actually what I love about extreme endurance sports, there really are no limits when someone puts their mind to something. The participants featured in the movie weren't money-driven elite athletes. They were normal folks with a passion for riding. They funded their own way, were there own support, and went at their own pace. Even better was their determination to finish. Mary, the race's first female competitor, was sidelined due to injury a couple of times, but managed to hop back on the bike each time. She finished 9 days behind the lead competitor with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face. Heck, I was tearing up with her!
Photo credit: Stephen Gleasner
Though I have no desire at all the take on that race myself, the participants were truly inspiring. I would recommend the film to any cyclist who needs a little inspiration.
Have you seen "Ride the Divide"? What did you think? Are there any other documentaries out there that have inspired you recently?
*side note: "Ride the Divide" did not compensate me for this post, nor do they even know who the heck I am. I simply found the video on Netflix Instant Play (per the recommendation of a fellow XP teammate) and was so inspired by the movie that I had to share!


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#AfricanGangs: Breaking Down Stereotypes
Posted on: Tue 16 Jan 2018
Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton has stirred up racist rhetoric surrounding crime and what he calls 'African gangs'.
People are taking to social media to point out how flawed Dutton's claim is through using the hashtag #AfricanGangs.
To offer insight into this situation is South Sudanese-Australian writer and activist Flora Chol.
Produced by Sam Smith


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Listen to Too Fresh, the latest track from Charley Hood. The cut dropped on Tuesday, February 26th, 2013. Charley Hood's future brightens with every new release, and Too Fresh certainly isn't an exception. It's a fitting addition to a solid catalogue that Charley Hood has been developing since stepping foot in the game. We're excited to hear more.
Hear more of Charley Hood on Intro. If you're down, make sure to visit Charley Hood's profile page for the newest info, news, songs, and mixtapes. Check out Charley Hood's Twitter.
How does this compare to Charley Hood's previous work?


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« The legal spaghetti in Panetti | Main | More weekend Sixth Amendment reading »
April 13, 2007
Hollywood does technocorrections
In my morning paper was a pretty good review of "Disturbia," which is essentially a modern riff on the Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window. As a sentencing nerd, what really caught my attention was the fact that the main character in the update is house-bound because of a sentence of house arrest with electronic monitoring (instead of being wheel-chair bound with a broken leg as in the original).
Perhaps this is more proof that, as they say over at Corrections Sentencing, the development and more common use of technocorrections is inevitable.
April 13, 2007 at 11:52 AM | Permalink
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Howe Island Ratepayers Association
HIRA NEEDS new exec members. No experience necessary. Please consider volunteering. We are also seeking an individual to help with the organization of the yearly Pitch In. It is not necessary to be on the executive to help out in this regard. Please contact Brian Humphrys at 542-5258 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Thank you
Brian Humphrys


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MBF Reusable Safe Eco Bamboo Fiber White Plates with Simple Pattern
Item name: MBF Reusable Safe Eco Bamboo Fiber White Plates with Simple Pattern
Item No.:MBF-PL008-CT
Material: Made from sustainable and biodegradable natural bamboo fiber.
Dinner plates for food, has different design and simple pattern.
Easy to clean and dry, Non-Skid prevents spills and reduces noise
Plates size:Dia:20.3cm*Height:3.5cm
Easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
Environmentally preferred renewable organic material.
Temperature tolerance: withstand -40~110 centigrade
We can customize Shape, Size, Color, Logo, Decal, Packaging, Promotion details, etc
MOQ: 2000pcs for wholesale
Delivery Time: 30-40 days
Payment terms: T/T (30% down payment and 70% upon the copy of BL).
Packaging: normal master carton packing.
FDA, LFGB Food Contact Grade
1. Made from natural plant fiber as bamboo fiber and rice hull
2. Food safe, dishwasher safe with FDA and LFGB certificate
3. Fully biodegradable, compostable and reusable
4. Rohs standard heavy metal testing report.
5. The colors could be made in any color pan-tone no.from clients.
6. Temperature tolerance: below 110 degree.
7. Printing: decal printing, silk printing are both OK.
8. safe for Humans: it's nonpoisonous and non-fragrant.
9. It can be easily degrade after buried under the soil.


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Wendy Parr Holtvluwer is a Member of the firm and has been practicing law since 2000. Her practice areas include probate & estate planning, taxation, nonprofits and tax-exempt entities and business counsel.
Estate Planning
Ms. Holtvluwer works with a wide variety of individuals of all ages and circumstances to help them with their estate planning, from couples with young families to successful business owners and from single people to non-traditional couples. She prepares wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, durable powers of attorney for financial decisions, designations of patient advocates and HIPAA consents to allow clients to avoid probate, reduce or eliminate taxes and protect their children and loved ones.
Ms. Holtvluwer has earned an LL.M. in taxation, which is a Masters degree in tax law, with a concentration on estate and gift tax planning, as well as generation-skipping tax, trust income tax matters, corporation, partnership and S corporation tax matters, and IRS dispute litigation. Her training, education and experience, provide her with a wide variety of techniques to help her clients reduce or eliminate taxes while passing their estate down to loved ones. She works with her clients to complete beneficiary designations on retirement plans, IRA's and other tax-deferred investments to avoid common income tax traps. She helps clients select appropriate vehicles for gifts to children and grandchildren, including Uniform Gifts to Minors gifts, Section 529 Plans, Section 2503(c) trusts, Crummy trusts and qualified personal residence trusts. For families with a special needs child, she can help protect the child's benefits. When working with business owners or clients with a vacation home, she helps with succession planning and tax planning, using vehicles such as family limited partnerships, limited liability companies and grantor trusts, as well as family or employment agreements to assist with the smooth transition to future owners.
Nonprofit/Charitable Entities
Ms. Holtvluwer has experience in working with Michigan nonprofit corporations, charitable trusts and unincorporated associations. She works with clients to determine which charitable vehicle best suits their needs. She creates the organizations, applies for tax-exempt status with the IRS and teaches clients how to operate their charitable organizations moving forward, including governance and control, financial and recordkeeping requirements, federal and State filing and compliance procedures, fundraising and development matters. She assists with Michigan licensing matters for solicitation, raffle, bingo and other charitable gaming fundraisers. She assists with State sales tax recordkeeping and filing requirements. She has worked with public charities, private foundations and private operating foundations. She has experience with a variety of nonprofit entities, including hospitals and nursing homes, universities and schools, school booster groups, churches, children's sports organizations, theatre and the arts, community foundations, organizations with a group ruling exemption and a variety of other nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes. She continues to work with these organizations on an ongoing basis to help them operate smoothly and effectively, while protecting their federal tax-exempt status and State good standing status.
Ms. Holtvluwer helps her clients carry out their lifetime planning by helping to administer their estates or trusts after death. She advises the personal representative or trustee on his or her duties and any advisable tax or state law elections. She represents her clients' interests in working to avoid litigation, but also representing her clients in court when litigation becomes unavoidable. She assists clients after the death to amend irrevocable trusts under certain circumstances, such as a change in circumstances that thwarts the grantor's original intent. Her experience includes representing the interests of personal representatives, trustees, heirs or beneficiaries when disputes arise. Ms. Holtvluwer also has extensive experience representing clients in guardianship and conservatorship matters for minors and legally incapacitated adults, including developmentally disabled individuals.
Professional Affiliations, Activities and Honors
Ms. Holtvluwer belongs to the State Bar of Michigan and is active with the Probate and Estate Planning Section where she serves on the Specialization Committee and the Michigan Uniform Power of Attorney Act Committee. She is a member of the American Bar Association and the Grand Rapids Bar Association. She is listed in the "Best Lawyers in America®" for Non-Profit / Charities Law, and Trusts and Estates.
Ms. Holtvluwer is on the Board of Directors for the West Michigan Estate Planning Council as well as the Grand Rapids Legal Assistance Center. In May 2009, she was appointed to the Membership Committee for Meritas, a global alliance of more than 170 business law firms.
Community Activities
Ms. Parr Holtvluwer is on the Development Committee for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. She was formerly on the Board of Directors for the Grand Rapids Area Center for Ecumenism (GRACE) and was previously a member of the Porter Hills Foundation Planned Giving Committee. She also serves on the VanAndel Institute Junior Professionals Board.
Ms. Parr Holtvluwer received her law degree in 2000 from Ohio Northern University College of Law, J.D. with high distinction and her undergraduate degree in 1994 from Cornerstone University. She received an LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 2012. She received her Probate and Estate Planning Certificate, issued by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) and the Probate & Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan in 2006. She is admitted to practice in Michigan.


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We knew it was only a matter of time before we started hearing producers put an instrumental behind Kanye West's acapella freestyle "I Love Kanye." So far, DJ Premier, Statik Selektah, Green Lantern, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E League have all put their spin on The Life Of Pablo record, but now adding to that list is ATL beatmaker TM88, who could arguably have the best one yet.
Dubbed "Trapyeezy88," listen as the ATL producer chops up and distorts Kanye's vocals into a full 2 minute, trap-heavy version of the song, which is pretty dope. Take a listen and let us know what you think.
Quotable Lyrics:
I miss the old Kanye, straight from the 'Go Kanye
Chop up the soul Kanye, set on his goals Kanye
I hate the new Kanye, the bad mood Kanye
The always rude Kanye, spaz in the news Kanye
I miss the sweet Kanye, chop up the beats Kanye
I gotta to say, at that time I'd like to meet Kanye


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BFA Graphic Design / Packaging
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California
email -
website -
View Josh's work
Josh Tetreault splits his time between commercial endeavors as an art director and his collaborative work as a photographer/videographer, graphic designer, and creativity coach. Originally trained in graphic design, he soon began exploring other mediums such as fashion, set design and video art to incorporate these influences into his work.
Josh was chosen to develop the identity for the United Nation's 59th Annual DPI/NGO Conference. He also made a name for himself by collaborating with Stefan Sagmeister on The L.A. Earthquake Source Book, creating three original artworks for important spreads within the book. Josh's collaboration with Joshua Trees on experiments with typography and language was featured at the Colophon International Magazine Symposium in Luxembourg and won a Certificate of Typographic Excellence from the Type Directors Club.
Josh has worked at several different studios on large scale projects and pitches for diverse clientele from fashion to tech, law, and music. As a designer for Cahan & Associates, he helped develop the visual identity, merchandise, video, way-finding, and web design for VMworld '08 in San Francisco, a 15,000 person virtualization conference.
While at Tea Collection, Josh helped grow and communicate the children's fashion brand by developing 25 playful sizzle videos, as well as art direction and photography for photo shoots, catalogs and campaigns. Josh was also trusted to supply photo, video, and audio documentation while on culturally immersive design inspiration trips to Morocco, India, Bolivia, Argentina, Bali, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany.


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Research by Dave Ramstad:
Perhaps the biggest snow storm in Everett history starting January 31 for three days in 1916, dumping 30 inches in Everett. Here are some photos from that time. Meanwhile, in Seattle the dome of St James Cathedral came crashing down due to the massive weight of the wet snow (fortunately with no injuries).
100 years later, we enjoy 45 degree weather!
Larry Wold collection


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The British Government's belief that "there has never been a better opportunity for peace in Cyprus" was reiterated during a House of Lords debate on Cyprus that took place a few days ago, with the peer representing the Foreign Office adding that London considers a settlement before the end of the current year to be an "achievable" target.
Baroness Goldie, standing in for Foreign Office Minister Baroness Anelay, told the House: "The Government believe that a deal by the end of the year is achievable. The two sides, facilitated by the United Nations, are working tirelessly to make it happen. The UK commends their efforts, and we will do what we can to help. The main beneficiaries of a deal will be the Cypriots themselves, but ultimately we all stand to gain.
"We do not underestimate the difficulties. There will be tough choices to make. All parties will need to show courage and will have to be willing to compromise. But we firmly believe that the rewards will outweigh the sacrifices. I urge the leaders and the two communities to seize this opportunity for lasting peace. I assure your Lordships that the Government will remain steadfast in their support of both parties at this critical time."
Referring to the current opportunity to settle the long-standing Cyprus issue, Lady Goldie said it was "down to the unstinting efforts of the leaders of the two communities, President Anastasiades and Mr Akinci, who have given hope and wrestled with undeniably complex problems."
She also stressed that the UK Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Europe are in touch with all the key players, not only on the island but in Turkey and Greece. "We believe that they share the same ambition to reach a settlement," said Baroness Goldie.
She repeated that the UK Government has offered to cede almost half the territory of the sovereign base areas to a reunited Cyprus, without such a move adversely affecting the ability of the bases to carry out their work.
In terms of the role of Britain, Lady Goldie said that "the UK is supportive, but not intrusive; we want to encourage, but not to interfere."
"The benefits of a Cyprus solution are clear, economically and politically. A united Cyprus would increase prosperity both for Cypriots and the wider region for three main reasons. First, a united Cyprus would have a larger and more efficient economy. Secondly, it would create a more stable investment climate and enable greater trading opportunities with Turkey and the wider Middle East. Thirdly, it would be able fully to exploit its natural resources for the benefit of all Cypriots," added the Foreign Office representative in the debate.
She also noted that in terms of security a reunited Cyprus "would stand out as a model of courage, tolerance and inter-communal cooperation" and as "a beacon of stability" at a time when others are trying to sow discord and division.
The debate on Cyprus was secured by the Conservative peer Lord Northbrook who stated that during a visit to the occupied northern part of Cyprus last July and after meetings with the leaders of the pseudo-state, he came away with the impression that major problems still remain which will prevent any settlement before the end of 2016, and may well make a settlement in 2017 speculative.
He also said that the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci told him that this was "very frankly the last chance of our generation for a settlement". Mr Akinci was also said to have spoken about the major issues pending resolution, among which "the need for security guarantees".
Further referring to what the Turkish Cypriot leader had told him, Lord Northbrook added that Mr Akinci had highlighted the need for the discussions to be completed by the end of 2016 in order to avoid delays due to the change of Secretary-General at the UN next year, the change of leadership at the White House, and the preparations for the 2018 election in the Republic of Cyprus.
Another peer, conservative Lord Balfe, referred to a summer meeting he had in the occupied north with Mr Akinci. He conveyed to the House the Turkish Cypriot leader's answer to the question of what the plan B is. "This either has to work or the whole thing dissolves. There is no plan B," was what Mr Akinci said according to Lord Balfe.


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Box office numbers don't exactly reflect the current state of IFC, because the company, quite simply, doesn't rely on theatrical grosses: "We're in the day-and-date business," says IFC's topper Jonathan Sehring. "It's a huge new revenue stream."
Even with the company's emphasis on video-on-demand, it can still boast the respectable box office success of 2007 Cannes winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" ($1.2 million) and French pic "The Last Mistress" ($690,000).
In the last year, IFC has proved to be the most prolific player in arthouse distribution, picking up more than a half-dozen titles in Cannes and other key fests, and releasing two films every month.
B.O. CUME: $5.5 million
TOP PIC: "4 Months…," $1.2 million
TOPPERS: Jonathan Sehring, prexy; Lisa Schwartz, exec VP of
distribution and business development; Arianna Bocco, VP of acquisitions and production
UP NEXT: "Un Secret" (Sept. 5), "Elite Squad" (Sept. 19), "Filth and Wisdom" (Oct. 15), "Fear(s) of the Dark" (Oct. 29), "Christmas Tale" (Nov. 14), "The Secret of the Grain" (Nov. 24), "Rome and Jewel" (Nov. 26), "Where God Left His Shoes" (Dec. 10)


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Within the span of just three days last week, Maria Sahagun, a registered nurse at Doctors Medical Center in San Pablo, saw five patients with life-threatening emergencies. Two had suffered heart attacks, two had had strokes, and one was in anaphylactic shock. "Our community is very, very sick," she said. "And we are the only option for these patients."
Those five patients pulled through, but next week, West Contra Costa County residents experiencing similar emergencies will have a much lower chance of survival, according to Sahagun. That's because, on August 12, Doctors Medical Center (DMC) will shut down its cardiac unit, and county officials will stop sending ambulances to the cash-strapped public hospital, which serves primarily low-income people. Patients clinging to life could have to travel significantly farther distances for the care they need.
News of this dramatic reduction in services came days after the Richmond City Council failed to secure funding for the hospital from Chevron as part of the oil giant's controversial refinery "modernization" project. Chevron is providing a $90 million community benefits package as a condition of its newly approved project, but DMC was left out the package entirely — a huge missed opportunity, according to hospital advocates. DMC may soon have to shut down completely.
"This is so unreasonable and so inhumane, I can't even wrap my brain around it," said Sahagun, a 43-year-old Richmond resident and emergency department nurse. "People are going to die. ... For the surrounding communities, it will be catastrophic."
Currently, DMC is a full-service, acute care hospital with a 24-bed emergency room, a cardiac unit, and a number of other specialty services. A public agency called the West Contra Costa Healthcare District owns and operates DMC, which opened its doors in 1954, then as Brookside Hospital, and now serves more than 40,000 patients per year. The hospital service area includes Richmond, San Pablo, Hercules, Pinole, and El Cerrito, covering more than one-quarter million people. Kaiser Richmond is the only other hospital in the area.
DMC is responsible for nearly 80 percent of inpatient hospital services in West Contra Costa County and nearly 60 percent of the area's emergency care. The hospital is a critical safety net for people who can't afford Kaiser or private insurance; in 2013, more than 77 percent of DMC patients were covered by government-funded Medi-Cal or Medicare and an additional 11 percent were uninsured.
Closing the hospital, or significantly cutting its services, will lead to a public health crisis that disproportionately hurts low-income residents, people of color, and senior citizens, according to nurses, doctors, labor groups, and community leaders, who are all pushing for a solution to save DMC. "How can you condemn 250,000 people?" said Laurel Hodgson, a DMC emergency room physician and the hospital's former chief of staff. "We are desperate."
The hospital has faced ongoing financial challenges since the 1990s and filed for bankruptcy in 2006 in the face of a $35 million deficit. Since then, it has just barely stayed afloat through a variety of funding sources and loans, but has continued to suffer due to a lack of privately insured patients and low reimbursement rates for its government-sponsored patients.
Then in May, a parcel tax measure that would have allowed DMC to erase its $18 million annual operating deficit failed to pass. A stakeholder group that includes government officials and area hospitals has since been exploring ways to preserve DMC's emergency services. While hospital advocates have continued to argue that Contra Costa County has the financial ability — and a legal and ethical obligation — to keep the medical center operating in its current form, county officials have said that's impossible.
"Supporting a full-service hospital is not financially viable," said William Walker, director of Contra Costa Health Services and health officer for the county. "We're at a point in time where we've basically exhausted all ... methods of closing the $18 million gap." Walker, who is leading the stakeholder group, said the county is considering two downsized alternatives — a "streamlined hospital" with a limited number of beds and an emergency department, or simply a standalone, "satellite" emergency room.
With the initial reduction in services going into effect next week, DMC's emergency department — which won't be getting ambulance visits anymore — will remain open for walk-in services and continue to receive patients transported from nursing homes. Kaiser Richmond has a smaller emergency department than DMC, is often inaccessible to non-Kaiser members, and lacks a number of specialty services, like cardiac surgery.
Without a cardiac unit at DMC, local heart-attack victims will have to go to Oakland, Concord, Vallejo, Marin County, or elsewhere. "If you have to go to Alameda County and the traffic is bad, it could take forever," said Seung Choo, a DMC registered nurse.
And if DMC downsizes as proposed, the hospital would struggle to treat senior citizens from nearby nursing homes facing life-threatening emergencies, Hodgson said. "Do you know how many nursing homes we have here and how many times if they hadn't been two minutes away, we wouldn't have been able to save [the patient]?"
The potential for downsizing or closure has created a lot of anxiety for nearby residents. "It's frightening," said Kathy Magann, an eighty-year-old Pinole resident who suffers from a heart condition and has on multiple occasions ended up at DMC, which is ten minutes from her home. "It could easily be the difference between life or death."
Furthermore, the California Nurses Association, the union that represents the hospital nurses, has argued that operating DMC as a standalone ER could violate state law requiring emergency facilities to offer other hospital services that are necessary to accompany an ER, such as intensive care.
"You can't have somebody being treated for an emergency situation and then not have the ICU available for them," said Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, who has advocated for saving the full-service hospital.
In response to the potential closure, the nurses' union has also filed federal civil rights charges against the county and the healthcare district that owns DMC alleging discrimination and seeking injunctive relief from the federal government to stop the shutdown. Each year, the county spends about $13.5 million to support Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, a county-owned hospital in Martinez, about sixteen miles east of DMC. But according to the union's analysis of hospital data, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center's patient pool includes a much smaller percentage of African Americans than DMC's: In 2013, just 15 percent of the patients at the Martinez hospital were African-American, compared to 35 percent at DMC.
"When we see hospitals close in communities of color, we know it's discrimination," said Carol Sims, a DMC nurse who has been working at the hospital for more than fifty years. "I'm heartbroken because I realize the impact this will have on the community. We're not a separate county. We are one county."
Richmond and San Pablo are plagued by a number of health disparities as well. "We ... have the highest rates of asthma, respiratory illnesses, and heart disease [in the county]," McLaughlin noted. In addition, people sixty years of age or older made up 62 percent of patients at DMC in 2013, compared to just 19 percent in Martinez.
The union has also pointed out that Contra Costa County is projected to see an increase in property tax revenues of more than $19 million this year, according to new data from the county tax assessor — meaning officials have no excuse not to save DMC.
In June, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted to table a proposed sales tax that would have helped bring funding to DMC. The supervisors agreed to loan the hospital $6 million to keep it open this summer with an annual interest rate of 5 percent.
Supervisor John Gioia, who represents West Contra Costa, noted the county has its own $20 million deficit and argued that the union has mischaracterized the tax revenue opportunities, as anticipated increases were already incorporated into the 2014-15 budget to meet rising costs. "We keep pulling rabbits out of a hat to keep the hospital open, and finally there are no rabbits left," he said.
Given the current funding crisis, he said, his goal is to "serve the greatest public need and try and salvage what is most important for the community." That means, he said, finding a way to sustain a standalone ER. "At a minimum, we need the emergency room beds."
The Richmond City Council last week adopted a resolution urging the county to save DMC as a full-service hospital by integrating it into the county health services system. But the council did not pass a motion that would have required Chevron to devote an additional $27 million to the hospital as a condition of approving its refinery project. Only Vice Mayor Jovanka Beckles and McLaughlin supported this proposal.
"It's a lost opportunity," said McLaughlin, arguing that the oil giant has the means to support DMC and noting that there are many public health risks associated with the refinery. "Chevron has been known to have these explosions, fires, leaks. Every few years, something happens. ... We want an emergency hospital nearby to protect the community and to protect the workers."
City Councilmember Tom Butt said that while he supports the concept of Chevron aiding DMC, the funding wouldn't have come soon enough through the oil company's benefits package. And he said the city had concerns about whether it could legally require Chevron to fund DMC as a condition of approval. "It would've been quite clever, but the constraints are too many."
He added of the possible closure, "It's a terrible situation. There ought to be a way of doing it, but everywhere you look, the money is not there."
Chevron spokesperson Melissa Ritchie stated in an email that the company also believes that it would have been illegal for the city to require Chevron to fund DMC as a condition of approving the refinery project.
Richmond's city manager and planning director both did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did DMC and West Contra Costa Healthcare District officials.


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Choose Sean's Masonry in Forestdale, MA for all your stone and brick-work projects. We're the trusted masons of Massachusetts.
We've been serving the people of eastern Massachusetts since 1990. As 3rd generation masons we have the expertise you need for your next project.
At Sean's Masonry, we can lay brick or stone walkways, fix chimneys, construct new fire pits, repair concrete, and much more.


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Money Laundering: Trial Of Ex-AGF Stalled, Adjourned Till August 13
The trial of the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke has been stalled.
Mr. Adoke's trial was stalled due to the failure of the prosecutor to serve the defendants with the proof of evidence and statement of the witness.
The former AGF was arraigned today alongside Aliyu Abubakar who is an Abuja based businessman, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court.
Adoke Pleads Not Guilty
During the last sitting, the defendants pleaded not guilty to a 14-count charge filed against them bordering on money laundering.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in June filed an additional seven charges against the former AGF over money laundering allegations involving about N400 million.
Mr Adoke's trial was expected to begin last week but it was stalled due to the amended charges.
The initial charge contained seven counts, with six of them relating to Mr. Adoke.
At the resumed trial, the prosecutor, Bala Sanga, informed the court of an amended charge he filed on July 29 which was served on all the defendants.
The trial judge, Justice Ekwo who frowned at the late filing of the amended charge adjourned the trial on the ground that he is yet to sight the amended charges.
In the former seven counts, the EFCC alleged that the defendants committed the money laundering offences involving over N400 million in Abuja, in September 2013.
In the counts relating to Mr Adoke, he was accused of among others, receiving the dollar equivalent of N300 million from Abubakar, paying the dollar equivalent of N367,318,800 to one Usman Mohammed Bello, and allegedly using the sum of N300 million, which was alleged to be part of the proceeds of unlawful activities, all in violations of various provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.
He was also accused of making "structured cash payments, in 22 tranches" amounting to N80 million, another of such structured payments in 13 tranches summing up to N50 million into his Unity Bank account.
The commission alleged that the funds were not only part of the proceeds of unlawful acts but they also exceeded "thresholds outside a financial institution," and that the payments were done with the intention of concealing the origins of the funds contrary to Section 15(2(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same law.
The former AGF was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 10, 2020, in the sum of N50m with one surety in like sum.
The case has been adjourned till August 13, 2020.
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*Lekki Shooting: Nigerian Army acted within rules of engagement, professionalism required – Coalition*
The Coalition for Truth and Justice (CTJ) says the Nigerian Army didn't breach its rules of engagement at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos or anywhere in the country during the EndSARS protests.
According to the coalition, the troops acted in its usual professional manner and have been agents of stabilization, instrumental to restoration of peace.
The Coalition for Truth and Justice made this revelation in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Barrister Timothy Charles, on Wednesday, in Abuja.
As a followup to the army's statement on Tuesday, the CTJ said it carried out a preliminary investigation to ascertain the actual state of things.
It said from the footages reviewed, the troops were captured firing blank rounds to the air that couldn't have killed anyone.
The coalition admitted that the sole confirmed fatality from the Lekki Toll gate incident was as a result of blunt force trauma and not gunshot.
With these and other "overwhelming proof", the CTJ concluded that there was no massacre as being portrayed by "anarchists".
It, however, urged relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate key people among the protesters, adding that it is possible that they may have opened fire on their own members.
Read full statement below:
The Coalition for Truth and Justice (CTJ), after a careful review of available information, has reached the conclusion that the Nigerian Army did not breach its rules of engagement during the incidence at Lekki Toll Plaza and indeed any other part of Lagos state and the entire country in the course of the #EndSARS protests.
Contrary to the ongoing vilification campaign by pro-looters individuals and organizations, emerging facts rather suggest that the Nigerian Army has been an agent of stabilization that was instrumental to restoration of peace in many of the cities across the country with the curtailing of the violence that had threatened to spiral out of control.
CTJ, in response to the statement issued by the Nigerian Army Tuesday night, has carried out its preliminary investigations and far from what everyone had said, we studied the situation and came up with a clear understanding that the Nigerian Army did not breach its Rules of Engagement in all the instances claimed by propagandists.
While soldiers were being accused of shooting into the crowd of protesters at Lekki Toll Plaza, it is interesting to note that every single video clip shared by the #EndSARS protesters depicted the soldiers as firing into the air. The loud sound of the gunshots in the videos indicated that what the soldiers were firing were blank rounds while the silver shell casings retrieved from the scene by the protesters further confirmed that the rounds were blank and couldn't have killed anyone.
We also noted that the bullets that the protesters allegedly claimed were extracted from the supposed remains of their killed colleagues did not show any deformation or denting as would be expected of projectiles that had made impact at high velocity. It is not likely that a bullet will hit someone and still retain its shape.
Furthermore, shooting 15 people dead as claimed by the #EndSARS protesters would have flooded the scene with anything upwards of 75 liters of human blood, which would have been visible for all to see on the morning of the following day. There was no such and there were no remains, except for the tenuous lie that the corpses were handed over to soldiers, something that turned out to be false since no mortuary has reported receiving the remains and the foreign partners of the protesters have not been able to come up with satellite images of freshly dug mass graves as they are used to alleging.
What we were able to establish is that the one confirmed fatality from the Lekki Toll Gate incident was from blunt force trauma and not gunshot. It is therefore trite for CTJ to point out that almost every single person that the cyber wing of the protest had trended as being killed at the toll gate have returned from the dead to refute news of their demise just as pictures from movie shoots that they attempted to use to discredit the Army have been exposed.
It is pertinent to point out that the other jurisdictions that the protesters are comparing Nigeria to would not stand by idle while arsonists and anarchists make life unbearable for other people while also destroying national assets and looting everywhere. In the United States, there have been instances when the national guard was called in to assist the civil police in curbing extreme protests. In the United Kingdom, during the 2011 London Riots, 92% of persons surveyed were opened to the Army being brought in to curtail the destruction by protesters.
Based on the insistence of the #EndSARS protesters that there was a massacre even in the absence of evidence and in the face of overwhelming proof to the contrary, CTJ finds it pertinent to demand a thorough investigation of key people among the protesters since it is possible that they opened fire on their own members within the protest in order to malign the government by accusing the Army. This possibility is high because protesters had killed many police officers on the same day, set some ablaze and committed other atrocities while the military continued to exercise restraints.
*Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management*
A special report by the Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management on the immediate cause of the escalation of violence across the country in the aftermath of the Lekki Tollgate incident in Lagos State
There has recently been an astronomical level of violence across the country, especially in Lagos state; from looting and destruction of public and private properties to social amenities and business concerns.
This indeed necessitated the imposition of a 24-hour curfew by the Lagos state government in a bid to bring the conflict in the state to a halt. Consequently, the Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management commissioned a special rapporteur to investigate the immediate cause of the escalation of violence in Lagos and other parts of the country.
The report looked extensively on the various conspiracy theories at play and indeed separated the facts from the falsehoods, as well as those individuals and groups whose actions and inactions were responsible for the escalation of violence.
The issues:
The peaceful protest by the youths demanding for the reform of the Nigerian Police Force was ostensibly hijacked by some thugs and hoodlums that went on rampage looting, maiming and killing innocent persons going about their normal businesses.
The crisis was further escalated by the activities of fake news merchants that utilized the social media space in propagating fibs that eventually heated the polity to boiling point.
It was also observed that the protest was hijacked from the moment the protesters refused to leave the streets even after the government had agreed to their five demands and initiated moves for dialogue, which was turned down and instead police formations and units became subject of attack, leading to deaths and injuries.
It was also observed that some individuals and organizations were discreetly propelling the youths to remain on the streets in defiance of the peace overtures made by the government at the federal and state levels.
Indeed groups such as The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, led by Femi Falana (SAN) prominently heated the polity in several ways that include but not limited to; mobilizing social media influencers to project the government as insensitive to the demands of the youths; mobilizing logistics for street protest; mobilizing celebrities through his musician son, Folarin Falana (Falz) to discredit the efforts of government towards reforming the Nigerian Police Force as well as a host of other despicable acts that includes inciting press statements and communique.
The Facts:
The Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management after a detailed investigation and analysis of the chain of events that eventually led to the breakdown of law and order in Lagos and other parts of the country identified that proponents of fake news indeed had a field day in ensuring that the protests gathered momentum.
The government of Nigeria as a matter of urgency and in response to the demands made by the youths directed the Inspector General of Police to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and begin the process of evaluating the mental and psychological state of operatives of the disbanded outfit, and consequently the training and retraining of these operatives before redeployment to other police units and formations.
The various state governments also instituted a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate cases of human rights violations by the Nigerian Police and the recommendation of appropriate sanctions to erring officers.
The various law enforcement agents deployed to maintain law and order utilized minimal force and only in extreme cases of excessive looting of public and private concerns and arson that force was exerted to restore law and order.
The Nigerian Army indeed rose to the occasion as the personnel deployed to various hotspots was able to restore law and order without the use of force as multiple pieces of evidence indicates that troops utilized persuasion skills rather than force as erroneously reported in the social media space and other traditional media news mediums.
The Lies:
It remains incomprehensible how a segment of the population would elect to spread outright falsehood in the country to encourage crime and criminality at the detriment of peace and unity.
The Lekki TollGate incident was one of the means that was latched on to escalate violence in Lagos state and other parts of the country. The Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management in its analysis of events indeed identified the ignoble role played by organizations such as The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, led by Femi Falana.
The organization indeed issued statements that were provoking and inciting, wherein it alleged that the government was not responding to the demands of the youths and that it was business as usual in the operations of the disbanded SARS unit.
The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond did instigate the protesters through statements credited to it on the pages of newspapers and other news dissemination channels. It was also observed that the organization had formed a strategic alliance with Sahara Reporters to indiscriminately disseminate information that is inaccurate and to heat the polity and discredit the efforts of government towards the restoration of law and order in the country.
The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 also made several attempts at painting a picture of plans by the government through the Nigerian Army to kill protesters on the street, which indirectly charged the already tensed atmosphere.
The Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management as a result of this investigation concludes that indeed the immediate cause of the escalation of violence in Lagos state and other parts of the country were are a result of incitements by individuals and organizations. The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, as led by Femi Falana was notorious in this regard with the multiple press statements and releases that were either mischievously or intentionally placed in the media in a manner that suggests ulterior motives.
It must also be noted that the government lost the narrative when it failed to realize that the peaceful protest was being hijacked by some forces when mobs began to target police units and formations, as well as policemen and women on duty.
The Centre for Human Rights and Crisis Management as a result of the findings in this report makes the following recommendations:
• That the government must identify those individuals and groups that incited the people into resorting to acts of violence
• That the Femi Falana led Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond should be held liable for the escalation of violence in the country and for leading an uprising against the country and plunging the nation into a crisis of unimaginable proportion.
• That Femi Falana should appear before an investigative panel of inquiry to give an account of the activities of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond
. That the government should trace the transactions of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond in the past one month towards ascertaining the level of complicity in the funding of the street protests across the country.
• That the security agencies must begin the process of mopping up small and light weapons in circulation in parts of the country.
Dr Thomas Uzah,
Special Rapporteur.
Army Degrade Bandits, Records Success
9 suspected bandit collaborators arrested at Sabon Garin Dan Ali General area in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State on 24 September 2020
The Nigeria Army has revealed that the Northwest region is beginning to witness stability and normalcy leading to massive resumption of farming and socioeconomic activities in the zone.
This is in line with the Army's mandate to completely rid the North West zone of the country of armed bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers and incessant killings of innocent citizens.
According to Ag Director Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, the gallant troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY have intensified operational activities in the theatre of operation during the period under review which has led to the degradation of the bandits and their activities to the barest minimum as indicative by the successes recorded.
" These gains are gradually bringing stability and normalcy back to the zone as evident by the massive resumption of farming and socio-economic activities".
He said it is important to note that the tremendous successes achieved since the commencement of the operation could not have been possible without the sacrifice, commitment and gallantry exhibited by the professionally and responsive soldiers of the Nigerian Army some of whom have paid the supreme price in the course of their professional calling.
Onyeuko stated that gallant troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY within this period carried out series of clearance operations, ambushes, day and night patrols denying bandits and other criminal elements any respite.
Also numerous farm and highway patrols were carried out within Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi and Zamfara States thus boosting the confidence of the locals as well as commuters in carrying out their daily activities without hindrance.
These operations, he said have most importantly led to the rescue of kidnapped victims, neutralization of bandits, arrest of several bandits informants and collaborators, recovery and return of rustled cattle to their bona-fide owners.
Furthermore, "there were recoveries of large cache of arms and ammunitions as well as other dangerous weapons. Similarly, numerous captured bandits motorcycles and Bandits hideouts were destroyed by the gallant troops. Equally, a number of bandits logistics network have been smashed leading to the arrest of some of the syndicate members within the period", he added.
That so far, in all the operations conducted between 4 September -25 October 2020, 38 armed bandits were neutralized while 93 suspected bandits logistics suppliers and collaborators were arrested. Relatedly, 30 Dane guns, 941 rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammunition and 5 live cartridges were captured during various encounters with troops.
Also, a total of 131 cows, 154 sheep/rams and 1 camel were recovered. In all the search and rescue operations carried out, 108 kidnapped victims were rescued, 90 bandits informants and collaborators, 3 rustled cattle marketers and 12 bandits logistics suppliers were arrested. Also, a total of 10 bandit's camps and their logistics bases were destroyed by troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY. Relatedly 47 bandits attacks and 31 kidnap incidents were foiled by the troops.
He stressed that the gallant troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY have continued to dominate all the hitherto volatile areas with confidence building patrols, ambushes and clearance operations to deny the bandits and other criminal elements freedom of action.
"Consequently, the troops are hereby commended for their gallantry, sacrifices and successes achieved so far. They are also urged not to rest on their oars but build on the achievements recorded so far.
The people of the North West zone are also appreciated for their continued cooperation in providing credible information for the success of the operation.
They are also encouraged to continue to avail the troops with actionable information that would aid the desired goal of the operation. They are further reassured of the Nigerian Army's commitment to restore total peace in the zone and indeed the entire country".
The Nigeria Army also thank the press family both within and beyond the zone, "your patriotic and professional zeal towards this noble course is highly commendable and appreciated. We wish to further extend our hands of partnarship to make our great country a better and safer environment".
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From the MAKE Flickr pool
Matt created this delicate window sill sculpture from a solar garden light, twigs, and hot glue –
My little solar sculpture lives on the sill and winks to life for just and hour or so, right after the sun sets following a sunny day. Then it slowly fades, flickers, and goes dark. It's like my own private echo of the sunset, in case I missed the real thing.
Looks like a nice n' gentle way to welcome each evening. It's always great when projects like these find a home in our daily routine. Check out more of Matt's pics on Flickr.


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Looking to create a relaxing oasis in your home? What better way to unwind than making a calming sanctuary out of your bathroom. Giving yourself simple luxuries can help decrease stress and provide you wih a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day.
Click here to see the top 5 ways to turn your bathroom into a luxurious spa-like sanctuary.


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03/19/2018, 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM
The annual Dare County employee wellness screenings are being held. You should be fasting for the screening (nothing to eat or drink after midnight except water and medications). This is a free employee screening that measures your blood pressures, cholesterol (via finger stick), weight, height, body mass, and glucose. Your results will be reviewed with you following the screening.
No upcoming related events.


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Eat, Drink, Draw: Lucy Knisley's Comic Book 'Relish' as a Cookbook
Drawing her recipes for Relish, Lucy Knisley almost literally shows cooking to be more art than science.
Relish: My Life in the KitchenPublisher: First Second
Length: 176 pages
Writer: Lucy Knisley
Price: $17.99
Publication date: 2013-04
Lucy Knisley's latest book, Relish: My Life in the Kitchen (First Second, 2013), is clearly meant to be read as a memoir. From the subtitle to the organization of chapters to Knisley's first-person narration of panels, Relish is most readily accessible as a series of recollections about food, people, and place taken from different moments in the author's life. Memoir and autobiography are also the modes in which Knisley wrote and drew for her previous book, French Milk (Simon & Schuster, 2008) and writes and draws for her webcomic, Stop Paying Attention. Despite the preponderance of reasons for approaching her new work as a memoir, I found myself reading Relish as a cookbook.
My suggestion here is more "both and also" than "eiher/or" in intention. More precisely, I think that Relish works as a cookbook because it is also a memoir. Critically, it's not simply the combination of life stories with recipes that makes the book work in the way that it does, but also that it's a comic. Knisley's drawings, as well as her "voice", is what personally connects her stories with her recipes in a fashion that shows cooking to be approachable and fun rather than rarefied and technical.
Following an introduction that gives the reader a sense of what food means to her, Lucy Knisley organizes Relish into chapters that focus on what might be called, "food memories", or stories taken from different times in her life that are related to food and what she did and who and where she was with at the chosen moment. Chapters are organized chronologically, from infancy to now, and each chapter, including the introduction but excepting the last, closes with a recipe, or, in one case, a guide to cheese.
Most cookbooks include some kind of illustration, but more often than not, the included images are more for aesthetics than instruction, offering gorgeous photographs or whimsical drawings for visual interest, but not much else. Typically, step-by-step instructions in recipes are given in words, not pictures. For a beginning cook, this can be a puzzle. What does it mean to "mince" or "dice", let alone, "fine mince" or "fine dice", something?
The first quality of Relish that makes it an effective cookbook is that instruction is provided equally in words and pictures. Readers are shown, as well as told, how to prepare the food and in what quantities ingredients should be measured. Most importantly, by drawing her recipes, Knisley, almost literally, shows cooking to be more art than science.
At this point in my life, I'm a well-practiced, and I think, fairly accomplished, home cook. I can't remember the last time I worked directly from a recipe. What I've learned over time is that, with seasoning in particular, there is no formula that will get a dish right for every occasion. Different varieties and potencies of herbs, spices, salt and pepper, and personal preferences, means that there is no universal formula to get a perfect result, every time. However, in a typical cookbook, precise measurements are given for seasonings as if taste was absolute, and not relative.
Knisley's recipes eschew this kind of precision, advising readers to use quantities like, "a lot" or "a handful", or "many". In straight prose, these kinds of instructions could be frustrating, especially if one isn't experienced in the kitchen. In Relish, however, the drawings work to make these otherwise ambiguous amounts seem practical by giving would-be cooks an image to size up and mirror in making their own measurements.
When she briefly pivots from cooking to baking for chocolate chip cookies, I think that her insistence on the intuitive nature of cooking underscores her cautioning about baking, where greater precision is needed when measuring and balancing ingredients. I know I'm not the only person who has, early in life as a home cook, tried baking and learned the hard way that there is more science to the latter than there is in the former.
Knisley's drawings are not the only means by which she makes cooking inviting. What is also effective in this regard is that she writes her recipes in the same voice as her personal stories; cooking instructions are more narrated than dictated. She embellishes her recipes with witty asides and by direct address. Knisley shows cooking to be an embodied practice, not a mathematical one. Her combinations of words and pictures evoke the visceral and emotional aspects of cooking, which connects text to reader at a sensual as well as a technical level. She, particularly, shows smell, taste, and anticipation to be integral parts of the cooking. She humanizes the experience, acknowledging that the practice of cooking is not simply a mechanistic process of following direction, but relates to us as organic beings.
The personal stories work with the recipes in other ways, as well. The provided recipes either come directly from Knisley's recollections, as with her mother's sautéed mushrooms, or have a natural connection to a chapter, such as her guidance on making sushi, which follows from memories of a trip to Japan. More importantly, Knisley's recipes are grounded by her artistic self-representation and storytelling. Reading her cooking instructions is more like being in the kitchen with a friend than getting lectured by an authority.
Knisley's art style is simple, but not simplistic. It's expressive and accessible. Her drawings signify what is being represented, whether people, things or concepts, in a style that is neither iconic nor photorealistic, but remains easy to read. Comparing the included photographs at the end of the book with her drawings shows her talent at evoking the spirit of a person without literal likenesses. If anything -- and following Scott McCloud -- the lack of literal realism in the drawings in Relish likely makes it easier for readers to imagine themselves making and enjoying food as Knisley does.
Suggesting that Relish can be read as a cookbook is not the same as asserting that it is a cookbook. The fact that Relish is a comic, that it is both handwritten and hand drawn, foregrounds the book's subjectivity, inviting readers into a dialogue with the text. In my case, my reading of the book was partly framed by my daughter showing an increasing interest in cooking. Thinking about teaching her how to cook highlighted the recipes for me, and I began to see Relish as a great potential "first cookbook" for teens and young adults looking to expand their food horizons. I doubt I would have thought the same about a prose memoir.


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NEA president comments on release of "Waiting for Superman"
The film paints an inaccurate and unfair picture of public education and educators
WASHINGTON - September 24, 2010 -
Davis Guggenheim's film "Waiting for Superman" opens today in New York and Los Angeles, and will hit select theaters in early October. The film has been shown to audiences in a series of tightly controlled screenings. On Monday, Oprah aired a special show on public education which featured the film and the so-called education reformers featured in it. Public reaction to Oprah's show was swift, generating more than 200 pages of web site comments by viewers, many of whom are educators and parents with children in public schools. Next week, NBC is scheduled to broadcast "Education Nation," a week-long special on education. "Waiting for Superman" will play a prominent role in the NBC event.
The following can be attributed to NEA President Dennis Van Roekel:
"The American public is smart. They've been told 'Waiting for Superman' is supposedly a groundbreaking film, they have heard from the film's director and stars, including controversial D.C Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and they didn't like what they saw. Nowhere in the film or its discussion have teachers' voices been heard. If you want to know how to make a public school great, ask a teacher, not Hollywood.
"The producers of 'Waiting for Superman' missed an opportunity to engage in a constructive and collaborative dialogue with educators about how to truly transform public education. Instead, the film demonizes public education, teachers unions, and, unfortunately, teachers. They missed an opportunity to focus on how educators—the real superheroes—are, on a daily basis, turning hope into action in the nation's schools, one student at a time, one school at a time, one community at a time.
"It's happening in Putnam City West High School in Oklahoma City, where educators have engaged parents and the community to boost the graduation rate of Hispanic students by 70 percent. It's happening in Denver, at the Math and Science Leadership Academy, one of the nation's first teacher-led schools. And it's happening in places like Seattle where school employees and the community are working together to revamp and transform a persistently failing school.
"We hope that this is a teachable moment for the participants of next week's Education Nation. Bashing educators won't work. Talk to us. Work with us on our Priority Schools campaign, which is our commitment to transforming persistently low-performing, priority schools into great public schools for all students. Together we can make incredible things happen for students and the nation."
For additional information about NEA's Priority Schools campaign, visit www.neapriorityschools.org
Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/NEAMedia
# # #
The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.
Miguel A. Gonzalez (202) 822-7823, firstname.lastname@example.com