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Six days and 70+ kilometers later, we ended a trek planned entirely on a whim. A trek we were not prepared to go on and one that would proceed to be a bit further than we ever anticipated. When we started, we had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into. What exactly happened on Seram? That's a very good question. Legitimately an alternate title of this blog post was "WTF", but I'm a fan of keeping it PG so "The Perfect Storm" it was. This little story has nothing to do with the weather. As it was, the weather was absolutely FLAWLESS and if the weather hadn't been so ideal Seram might not have gone so well. WELLLLLLLLLL it all started when Ross got an idea into his head that he wanted to do things a little bit differently than everyone else who visits Seram. You see, Seram has a few very rare birds and birders seem to never see them. In fact, the Seram Thrush had never been documented in the wild (and had only been seen a handful of times before being caught in a mist net in 2012) and the Seram Masked Owl had only been photographed once in 1989 and then not recorded again until having been caught in a mist net by ornithologists in 2012. So we went on quite the adventure to see if we could change all that.
If you've ever looked at a map, you might have noticed that Seram is the largest island found within the Moluccas. It also happens to have a big mountain range running through it and that mountain range it turned out to be a pretty big part of our Seram adventure. We arrived in Seram by ferry and made our way to a small hotel just outside of town. We dropped our bags in a room for safe keeping while we made our way along the coast to work out a way to get a boat to the island of Boana to pick up the endemic monarch found there. It was a 'successful shit show' indeed and our mistakes of the day before were bleeding into the following morning. We hadn't coordinated a ride and hoped we could hitch our way into the town of Letwaru but we soon found that was not possible, nor were there any public buses so we were forced to hire a private taxi. Our taxi drove us to the town of Latwaru so Ross could get a charger for his phone. Apparently his had broken the day before and without a way to charge his phone we would without bird audio! It worked out in the end because in Letwaru we met a very nice taxi driver and he took us to our final destination, the town of Sawai. (But before I go on I just have to share this completely embarrassing, non-birding related incident that occurred when I went into the mall in Letwaru. I really needed to pee so I walked in and made my way to the back where restrooms are typically located. I didn't immediately see one so I asked a lady who told me I needed to go upstairs. She might have said something else to me but I missed that part but when I walked upstairs I immediately saw the restroom and a pretty Indonesian girl wearing a jilbab (the Indonesian term for the Muslim head covering) go inside. So I did too. Perhaps the urinals on the side should have been some kind of clue but I wrote them off as another quirk of Indonesia. It wasn't until I walked out and a bathroom attendant called to me that I realized I had used the mens' room and that the "girl" I had seen wasn't a girl at all! The employees thought it was hysterical. Whoops.) Anyways, we made our way to the town of Sawai via a taxi driver and attempted to find a place in town to stay. We are so accustomed to showing up at people's homes and staying that we nearly decided to scrap checking out the fancy resorts and just find a local who might be willing to take us in. Unfortunately no one has done that before so we opted to stay at a rather expensive resort by BudgetBirders standards for the first night. In the end, the fact that we stayed at the coastal resort worked out because we met a few post-doc researchers and professors who were working with the local community. Funny because during the drive over to Sawai Ross spent his time reading an article from Forktail that Gareth Knass, another independent world birder, had sent him that referenced a 2012 expedition to Mount Binaiya that had successfully mist netted both a Seram Thrush and Seram Masked Owl. The article reference accessing the upper slopes of Mount Binaiya via the small villages of Huaulu, Roho, and Kanikeh. Since the post-doc researches had been in the area for the past few weeks, Ross asked if they knew how to access these villages. Although they hadn't been there themselves, they showed us a map which referenced the villages and showed us the route to the top of the mountain. Furthermore, they mentioned that two Indonesian graduate students who were working with them were staying in the small village (Masihulao) a few kilometers away and would be able to help us to coordinate logistics for a trek up the mountain. By this time it was already evening and the plan was to spend the night at the resort and then head to the village in the morning to try and plan a multi-day trip to Mount Binaiya.
That night didn't exactly go as planned as Ross had been suffering from a staph infection and spent the majority of the night running to and from the bathroom. The next morning, we sent some messages to our doctor friend (thanks Ab!) and tried to figure out if Doxycycline would be a good enough fix for the staph infection and if it would interfere at all with the Mefloquin that we were currently taking to prevent Malaria. Luckily we got the green light from Ab, and Ross was able to acquire 14 doses of Doxy from one of the Australian post-doc students and decided that any GI issues could be dealt with while trekking. Since he was mostly feeling better and now had appropriate medicine, we decided to continue on with the plan and headed to Masihulao (the small village up the road from the coastal resorts) to meet up with John Mampioper and Alfonso Denni Sianturi. We arrived in the village around noon (everyone was at church in the morning) and met John and Alfonso. They introduced us to Sonny, a local who has climbed Mount Binaiya 16 times! Unfortunately Sonny had a knee injury and couldn't join us, but he was able to find two porters who knew the route and were willing to do the hike with us.
When Ross first started thinking about this trek, it seemed straight forward. Go past the three villages and then climb about 800 meters to the correct elevation. Easy. But once we started to talk to Sonny, everything started to unravel. It turns out you can't easily get to Kanikeh (the third village). We figured we'd be able to take ojeks the whole way to Kanikeh, but after the first village of Huaulu, the road ends and you need to walk. This added about 21 kilometers to the hike and Sonny recommended that it would take a whole day just to walk to Kanikeh and at least 6 or 7 days to complete our trip! Yikes, this was a bit more than we expected! But by this point Ross was already committed to the idea of finding Seram Thrush, and figured that since we hike really fast we could surely get to Kanikeh in less time so we agreed on a plan and bought some food to take on our hike. We had never done more than a three day trek so weren't sure how much food to bring so we asked our porters. We went through all of the food we brought, some rice, noodles, coffee ect, but they didn't seem too concerned so we figured we would be able to buy more food in the village of Kanikeh if needed.
By 2PM everything had been sorted and we made our way to Huaulu where the road ended and we started our hike. We had only been hiking for about an hour when we realized that this wasn't going to be easy. Originally we were told that the reason we couldn't take ojeks all the way to Kanikeh because "the road was broken." When you hear things like "the road is broken" I think it's likely to assume you'd at least be walking on an old road. Wrong. Much to our disappointment, there actually wasn't a road. The trail to get to the town of Kanikeh was actually a mud path, with elevation gains and steep drops and for a while hardly even a trail at all. As we were walking all I kept thinking to myself was "and people live out here?!" We spent a few hours hiking down the middle of a river and when the water got too high, we would have to take small side trails up the bank with mud deep enough to go up to the middle of our shins. To make matters worse, my sandal broke after the first few hours which made walking through the mud even trickier. Who else loves walking barefoot through Indonesian jungles?! After about five hours of hiking and many repeats of the phrase "and people live out here?!" we crossed the river one last time and arrived at the remote village of Roho. It was already after dark when we arrived so we set up our tent in someone's hut and spent our first night. Getting to Kanikeh was a lot easier said than done.
The next morning we left at dawn and continued on our way to the town of Kanikeh. The first few hours of hiking went by quickly, but eventually the trail became extremely muddy and the terrain very hilly. We would often gain 50-100m elevation just to drop back down to cross a river again. Naturally I couldn't help but wonder why this was the MAIN ROAD to get to this remote village. How could people possibly live out here?! Hopefully I've painted quite the picture already, but to sum it all up, getting to Kanikeh required stamina, trudging through mud, climbing in elevation, losing elevation, and crossing way too many creeks and rivers to count. But let me say it again, mud. Because most of all getting to Kanikeh included mud. And there was no way you could take a horse on this trail. The only way to get to Kanikeh was by foot.
Although it was only about 15 kilometers from Huaulu to Kanikeh, the hike took 8 ½ hours due to the horrible trail conditions. Yes, people live out here. When we looked at the map and realized we were finally getting close everything began to make less and less sense. We were in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden a bridge was built. There was no bridge for any of the other river crossings. Why is there a bridge now? We walked a bit further and suddenly a sidewalk appeared. How could this be? I don't think I've ever seen a nicer cement sidewalk in all of Indonesia and here one was in the middle of the jungle. We walked a bit further and suddenly grassy yards with white-painted fences started to appear. Soon flags were rising up out of the ground and evenly spaced, well-thought out homes on either side of the little road through the village. Kanikeh is the most remote place I've ever been in my entire life but you wouldn't know it just by looking at it. It was challenging to get to but once there the place was straight out of a little book. Ross and I had to pick our bottom jaws up off of the floor. We were offered tea and sago, a staple Indonesian meal full of calories. It was a nice gesture but sago is quite possibly the least appetizing food I've ever tried. It tasted EXACTLY like what you would think chewing on cardboard would taste like. A small pit stop in the most random village and off we went.
Our guides hoped to spend the night in Kanikeh but we informed them that we still needed to get higher in elevation and so off we went to find a place to camp for the night. It was all uphill after Kanikeh. Finally we could start our climb! No more losing elevation to wade through a river (but don't worry still plenty more creeks to cross!) . When we reached 1000m elevation, we found a patch were the old expedition must have once slept and set up our tarp and tent. A lovely dinner of white rice and ramen noodles and it was off to bed. The next morning we took it rather slow birding around the area but by 7am we started upwards. The best bird of the morning was easily the Purple-naped Lory that Ross had fly over camp. I never got on the bird and never saw another for the whole trip, save for the 60+ or so that we saw chained to posts outside of the villagers' houses. From this point on it was steep going. We hiked for a few hours and just continued to gain in elevation. Finally we arrived at a spot next to a stream that had been mentioned in the 2014 Forktail article as "campsite 2" and decided that this would be our camp for the next two nights. Oddly I found a picture of a sign signaling that this was in fact on the route to the top of Mount Binaiya. Our two guides set up a tarp and built a fire while Ross and I set up our tent and collected fresh water. After a lunch of white rice and ramen noodles, Ross and one of the guides opted to hike further up the mountain and explore the area while I decided to read a book and rest after a long day of hiking because tomorrow we would be going up again.
A few hours later Ross came back down the mountain unable to keep a smile off of his face and said to me "tomorrow I promise to be the best bird guide ever" and proceeded to show me a photo of a Seram Thrush that he had found on the side of a steep mountain trail. WHAT?! Not only did he see it, he saw it well. Well enough that he managed to "digi-bin" a photo of it. Yes, the first photo of a wild Seram Thrush was taken using an iPhone pressed up against the eye piece of a pair of binoculars. Of course his camera, which goes EVERYWHERE with him, was left behind because the guide had originally taken Ross up the wrong trail and once he returned to camp, he was in no mood to climb up another few hundred meters to explore with all his gear. Not wanting to do another 300m elevation gain up a narrow and muddy trail, he left the bag behind for me. Luckily this first "wrong" endeavor proved fruitful in that the only Seram Pitta of the trip was spotted along it.
Anyway, the next morning we woke up super early to head back to the place where Ross had seen Seram Thrush the evening before. It was 3:30AM when we left camp and hit the trail. We left early not because it would take that long to get to the site, but because we wanted to try for owls along the way, particularly Seram Masked-Owl, an even more difficult quest. Seram Masked Owl's existence is only known from a single specimen collected in 2012 via a mist net. This particular owl is practically invisible because it hasn't been seen or heard of since. It was only last year (2016) that anyone ever reported so much as hearing it. We clambered up the steep, muddy trail in the dark and periodically would stop to play the call of a masked owl along the way. Masked-owls are notorious for not calling often so we wanted our playback to be as natural as possible and would only play a few calls before going silent. We played tape and then waited. Nothing. So we moved on. Ross is very methodical when it comes to owls and we worked up the trail like clockwork. It was just before dawn as we were standing at 1400m elevation wondering if this owl really was just a figment of someone's imagination when I yelled "that's it!" and we heard the distinct screech of a Seram Masked-Owl calling just down the trail where we once were standing. It called 5 times in quick succession and we headed that way. It seemed to be responding to our tape because when Ross called back to it the bird came closer, made some twitter calls, flew over our heads and did about 5 more screeches. Daylight came all too quickly after that and the owl had moved on. Unfortunately a photo wouldn't have been possible as we only ever saw a silhouette in flight but a nice recording would have been doable – had the gear been ready. The very steep muddy trail doesn't lend itself to keeping a giant parabola in full bloom so the recording gear was not readily accessible. I pulled out my phone and attempted to at least get some kind of recording but I more or less failed as the sound I did achieve is practically muffled out by the bugs and the poor quality of a phone microphone. None the less, we had Seram Masked Owl – a mega for sure!!! We only had to go about 70m up the trail to get to Ross's thrush GPS point. It was just barely light enough to see when we crawled in, sat down and waited. I was a bit nervous that his encounter the night before was a fluke but he assured me that he practically put the bird to bed and it never saw that he was there so should be in the area. He was right and we heard the long, flute-like, high-pitched note of a Seram Thrush call. Without a doubt we were in its territory and it was very responsive. Ross managed some amazing audio recordings and we had fantastic views of the bird no more than 10 feet in front of us as it perched on a moss-covered branch and this time, Ross managed some more-than-passable photos! Clearly coming all this way, hiking up this mountain and exploring this area paid off big time! I can officially say I am THE FIRST FEMALE to ever do something – see Seram Thrush and Seram Masked-Owl!
David our guide met us right on time and from there we moved on up the mountain gaining another 300m in elevation and birding along the way. The forest was beautiful and nearly everything was covered in moss. The goal was to get to 1800m elevation where the "mount binaiya" subspecies of Island Thrush is supposedly more commonly seen so we worked our way there. We had Seram Bush Warbler, Blue-eared Lory, Grey-hooded White-eye and Seram Mountain-Pigeon along the way but no signs of Island Thrush. We planned to be out all day and ate a late breakfast/early lunch while out on the trail. Ross hardly rested and gained yet another 200m in elevation but to no avail. I was forced to rest to prevent any kind of blister on my feet so my afternoon was more or less unproductive, unless of course if reading a book counts as productive…
At 1800m the trail flattens out and is easy walking so we walked up and down it a few times but no Island Thrush. Surely this distinctly colored bird will be a split some day so we were very disappointed to turn around empty handed. Of course there was the chance that we would see it a bit lower down but with every meter decrease in elevation the odds became greater against us. Afternoon turned into evening and evening turned into darkness and we ended our long 16-hour day in the field the same way we started it – searching for Seram Masked-Owl. This time, no dice. We headed back to camp, ate a hearty meal of white rice and ramen noodles and went to bed. Ross woke up early to try for the owl again but never even heard it call. He did manage a photo of a Moluccan Scops-Owl, meaning that he successfully achieved the goal that he set for himself of photographing every one of the six subspecies of Moluccan Scops-Owls that we could possibly see on our trip! You might be asking yourself who even cares about sub-species of owls? I'll tell you — Ross Gallardy does.
It would be a full two days' of hiking before we were back in Sawai so we ate a quick breakfast, and broke down our camp before starting on the long walk down. Ross and I planned to bird along the way but there wasn't too much to see. Ross flushed a Seram Pitta off of the trail but I missed it. It was looking like this was going to be a dip for me because they simply were quiet this time of year! This was only the second one Ross had seen and we hadn't heard any up calling. I was also still missing Purple-naped Lory so I was hoping that if we got lower down we might be able to see one so we waited a bit at "Campsite 1" where Ross had managed to see one but no such luck. Hiking, hiking, and hiking made up the rest of our day. Lunch was surely a highlight because we made rice, THREE ramen noodles and had two cans of tuna to split between the four of us. You can imagine how hungry we were if this was considered a "big" lunch. By the time we made it to "the shelter" we were ready to get out of our soaking wet boots and be done walking for the day. The conditions were really taking a toll. Ross's feet were in really rough shape and it was pretty painful to walk from the kind of issues you can imagine after spending days in wet boots. Yes, for six straight days we had wet feet. Boots don't dry when you are up in elevation and constantly walking along a wet, muddy trail. Finally we had a nice shelter to camp in so it felt like a pretty big step up. The next morning we continued on our trek. We knew we had elevation to climb up, then climb back down, a river to walk through, cross a couple of times, and a lot of mud before having a flat trail and then ending with a climb and decline again. It was another day of hiking through ankle-deep mud attempting to sidestep around the wettest parts. But at this point we didn't really care so much and walked through the thick of the mud without batting an eye. On our hike back down we birded along the way, particularly along the long flat section where walking was considerably easier. A main highlight was flushing a day roosting Seram Boobook! Ross was the only one to get a glimpse of the flushed bird but knew exactly what it was and called it out as the boobook. Sometimes I find it hard to believe and question his veracity when he only gets a quick glimpse, but we sent one of the trail guides into the woods to make it move so we could catch its location. Sure enough, we relocated the bird and had excellent looks at the little cutie! Other highlights from our walk out included some lowland species, particularly finally seeing Long-crested Mynas among a flock of Asian Glossy Starlings. These black and white birds have a long crest easily visible while perched and we had great looks but sadly the photo does not do the birds justice as the crest is hidden. Actually all of the bird is hidden and only real birders will know what it is from the look at the bill color. Identifiable, sure. Guess you'll have to Google-it if you want to see better photos of a pretty neat-looking bird. We also managed good looks at Cinnamon-chested Flycatcher and Moluccan Cuckooshrike. Another full day of hiking and we reached the village of Huaulu. The village is accessible by motor vehicle but we couldn't get through to anyone to come pick us up so we had to coordinate a ride in town when we got there and were forced to pay a premium for a ride in the back of a motorbike wagon. I was too tired to argue. 'Just take our 100,000 rupiah and drive us where we want to go' was the only thought. We arrived back to town and attempted to get situated. There was no restaurant in the town and we were starving. The lady at the homestay said she could make us noodles but she didn't have any rice. As you can imagine, not the kind of feast we were craving after having only eaten white rice and ramen noodles for the last six days!
We went into the main little town of Sawai to see if we could get something better. It wasn't much better but a bowl of Batkso would do while we searched for someone to sell us fish. We asked around a few places and eventually did find a lady selling fish. We bought 5 sizable grouper for only 50,000 rupiah!! INSANE. We also bought some chilies, garlic, rice and spices and headed back to our homestay to see if the nice lady could cook for us. Something got lost in translation somewhere and there was a lady I didn't recognize cooking in the back kitchen. I explained what we wanted and that we would be willing to share our purchases with the family. To this day I do not know who the lady in the kitchen was but she was not our homestay lady whom I later found out was at church at the time of my requests. When she came back I explained to her but it was too late, most of the fish was "shared" with the lady I had initially talked to and we only got two little fishes to eat that night. It was definitely better than nothing that's for sure! The lady that we bought the fish from was super friendly so while we were there we also asked if they had a boat. They were fisherman right? Surely they would have a boat and they did.
We did Seram a bit differently than everyone else, but still had to bird the road, the place where most visiting birders spend the majority of their time and head out to another tiny island off the coast hence the need for the fisherman's boat! But because this was long enough already, more on that to come!


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I have agreed to be a WOW presenter at Stampinpalooza taking place this October in Toronto. This exciting event is being hosted by my upline Caroline Lebel. There will be some fabulous presenters that day. For further information check out the website at: http://www.stampinpalooza.blogspot.com.
I am looking forward to learning some great ideas and meeting new people.
Now the big task for me…. to decide what my wow will be.
I have set a goal this summer to try and make at least 1 of everything I put on my "Things you could make using your Big Shot!" sheet. I am still looking for further ideas from any of you, so if you think of anything please let me know. I am trying to incorporate all of the 50 different materials that can be used in the Big Shot which include:
Thick corkboard
Thick chipboard (59 mil)
Colored magnet
Ruffle board
Paper wood
Balsa wood (3/32″)
Bass wood (1/16″)
Metal mesh
Aluminum (.016)
Tin (.008)
Adhesive and non-adhesive mat board
Drawer liner
Shelf liner
Static cling vinyl
Shrink film
Fine sandpaper
Clear acetate (20 mil)
Card stock
Patterned paper
Flocked paper
Contact paper
Textured paper
Metallic paper
Linen paper
Suede paper
Embossed metallic paper
Basketball embossed paper
Faux alligator textured paper
Self-adhesive glitter paper
Iron-on fabric
Soft plush fabric
Heavyweight denim
Terry cloth
Funky fur
Thin leather
Quilt batting
Warm & natural batting
Fusible fleece
Self-adhesive craft metal
Self-adhesive cork
Self-adhesive foam
Self-adhesive magnet
Self-adhesive felt
Adhesive and non-adhesive rubber
Pop up sponge
Poly foam
100% pure beeswax (cut with parchment paper on top & bottom of beeswax.)
So far I have come up with the following ideas:
Personalize your flip flops with fun foam
Label your garden with fun shaped garden stakes
Home decorations
Decorate your child's clothing and items
Create your own trivets with cork board
Felt Boards
Decorate your bathroom or childrens bedroom with vinyl shapes
Create a personal gift by decorating tea towels or hand towels
Create your own album using chipboard
Tea light holders using aluminum or tin
Decorate candles for gifts
To create a small pouch
Decorate your hat
Finger puppets
Table decorations for special events
To create a template for glass etching
Learn to tie your laces/ button your clothes activity
Tic Tac Toe game
Banners ie Birthdays/ Showers
Window decorations
Tole painting
Christmas decorations
Gift tags
Wedding/ Party Favours
Recipe Cards
Rolodex address book
Hair Clips
Card Candy
Paper / Wood / Silk Flowers
Pop-up Cards
Stationery Gift Sets
Acetate boxes
Quilt Cards
Picture frame
Shaker cards

subset: commoncrawl


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E-books on sale
Posted In: Nora Roberts Book Discussion
greycoupon on: August 11, 2017 at 7:27 pm #1394
Saw a notice on BookBub yesterday that
Time Of Death (the reprint of three novellas by J D Robb including Eternity, Ritual and Missing ID) is $1.99.greycoupon on: November 2, 2017 at 8:47 pm #1550
Hey, Rabb, did yiu get either one of them? Hot Ice was Nora's first full length novel, a departure from the Silhouette format. Sweet Revenge was the fourth. Both show her growth in story line and character development. I reread Hot Rocks recently and still enjoyed the characters very much.
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Trial Profile
A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, forced-titration study to compare the efficacy and safety of the combination of 145 mg fenofibrate and 20 or 40 mg simvastatin with atorvastatin monotherapy in patients with mixed dyslipidemia at risk of cardiovascular disease not adequately controlled by 10 mg atorvastatin alone.
Phase of Trial: Phase III
Latest Information Update: 27 Feb 2017
At a glance
- Drugs Atorvastatin; Fenofibrate; Simvastatin
- Indications Dyslipidaemias
- Focus Therapeutic Use
- Sponsors Abbott Laboratories
- 30 Jan 2009 Status changed from active, no longer recruiting to completed as reported by ClinicalTrials.gov.
- 30 Jan 2009 Planned number of patients changed from 400 to 516 as reported by ClinicalTrials.gov.
- 14 Feb 2008 The expected completion date for this trial is now 1 Aug 2008.


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Tatiana Maslany— better known as the star(s) of Orphan Black—is killing it both on and off the screen. She finally won an Emmy this year for playing the five clones on the hit sci-fi show, but that's not the only reason to have love for her.
This month, the 31-year-old Canadian covers Fashion magazine for the first time ever. Check out our fave pics from the feature and all the reasons she's at the top of our girl crush list under the cut!
She's Down To Earth
You would think that playing the lead role in a popular TV show comes with some type of earned arrogance, but Maslany remains humble in her outlook on life. In her Fashion feature, she describes walking down red carpets as "downright f*cking scary." She masks this fear well, since she always carries herself with such poise and elegance.
"Let's just say [doing awards shows] feels like being at a cool person's party and being one of the nerds," she says. "Seeing Jennifer Lawrence walk by on the [Golden Globes] carpet, I'm like, 'She's cool. She gets it. She knows how to do this.' I think of it as just another performance, but I'm still trying to figure it out."
She's A Feminist
Maslany's not afraid to voice her opinions on women's issues, including the unfair scrutiny on females' physical body and image. As one of Canada's most high-profile actresses right now, her voice is extremely powerful.
She recounts the first time she went to L.A., saying, " I was drawn into this thing where I thought that I should lose weight, curl my hair, tweeze my moustache, whiten my teeth and wear more makeup [to get more parts]. My pride stopped me from all that." She says she doesn't want to play "perfect people" or be associated with the notion that girls are silly and weak.
She's A Proud Canadian
Maslany is very patriotic, and believes that growing up in Canada (she was born in Regina) made her into the level-headed individual she is today. "There's something about our politics and our lack of extremism that has contributed to a gentler society," she says. "This resonates with me. I feel like [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau has done such great work in setting a tone for the country just by being who he is."
She's Got Style
When she's not dressed as detective Beth or a soccer mom named Alison on Orphan Black, she is slayin' the fashion game. Maslany takes a minimalist approach to fashion, wearing simple but elegant pieces. Her sexy red cut-out dress from this year's Emmys is our favourite example of this.
Tagged celebrity style, Feminism, girl crush, Orphan Black, style, Tatiana Maslany


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I've been getting alot of requests lately from young women and fashionistas across the country (and Canada) who would really like to see a line of upcycled umbrella handbags added to the Recycling Zychal collection.
While I have some great bag ideas in mind, I am really struggling with the idea of adding an item to my line that does not use the upcycled umbrella nylon for it's original waterproof/water resistant properties.
I've gone back and forth so many times that I figured the best way to get this situation figured out was to ask my customers, friends, readers and fans. In return for your participation, I will be giving away a custom made upcycled umbrella handbag valued at at least $50! One lucky winner will be chosen at random, all you have to do is vote in our poll and leave a comment below telling me your thoughts on your vote. The winner will be drawn on March 1st!


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Submitted by admin on
The low-odor Newcastle outhouse has been very popular, but it also has its critics. The first complaint is the cost of installing the Clivus composting toilet. After saving money for years, the AMC insisted on spending tens of thousands for the Swedish-designed system, and TMI campers were forced to hold an emergency fundraiser to replace the main dock.
The second problem is what to do with its end product: high-nutrient fertilizer. Environmentally and legally, it is unacceptable to dump "nutrient" on a rocky island, as it ends up washing into the lake. One way or another, it must be carried off the island.
Now that the Clivus is full, there is only one solution. Starting this summer, the TMI Committee is instituting a carry-on, carry-out policy. Each camper will be given a small bag of fertilizer from the Clivus to take home. It is legal in most states to use this on flower gardens (not vegetables) in your back yard or window boxes. For information on the chemical composition, comparing it to commonly available fertilizers, click here.


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An unexpected light show alerted police to an impaired driver along Highway 97 over the weekend.
North District RCMP were on routine patrol Sunday night when they spotted sparks flying from a Dodge Ram pickup pulling a flat deck trailer.
Police say the sparks were from two snowmobiles that had come loose from the trailer and were being dragged along the asphalt. Although the driver was unaware, several other motorists had called police about the truck.
Mounties pulled the truck over and issued the driver a 90 day suspension for driving under the influence of alcohol.
The truck was impounded and a tow company took the sleds and trailer back to town.
The driver was also ticketed for having an unsecured load.


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Nicholas Galanin
Nicholas Galanin
Tlingit/Aleut Multi-Disciplinary Artist (b.1979)
Nicholas Galanin's First Law of Motion, Toronto Free Gallery, Toronto, CA 2011
New Culture, Trench Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver B.C. 2011
Raven and the First Immigrant, UBC Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C. 2010
Oblique Drift, Museum of Contemporary Native Art, Sante Fe, NM, 2010
Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, B.C., 2009
Native Preference, ANAF Gallery, Anchorage, AK, 2009
What Have We Become?, Takatake Gallery, Whakatane, New Zealand, 2006
KINDRED SPIRITS Native American Influences on 20th Century Art, Peter Blum Gallery, NYC, NY
Native American Art at Dartmouth: Highlights from the Hood Museum of Art, Hanover, NH
Skin, Raw, Gallery of Architecture and design, Winnipeg, Manitoba. CA
Time Based Art Festival 2010, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR.
It's Complicated- Art about home, Evergreen Gallery, Olympia, WA
Beat Nation, New Forms Festival, Vancouver BC. CA
Dry Ice, Museum of Contemporary Native Art, Sante Fe, NM
100 Records, Gallery 16, San Francisco, CA
Cinders Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Thaw Collection, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Inspiration, Pratt Museum, Homer, AK
Images Forward, Berlin Gallery, Pheonix, AZ
Currents: Native American Forces In Contemporary Art, UNC, CO
Crunchtime 2010, York, England. UK
Baie-Saint-Paul's International Symposium of Contemporary Art, Baie-Saint-Paul,Qc Canada
Dry Ice Princeton Art Museum, Princeton, NJ
Currents: Native American Forces In Contemporary Art, CVA, Denver, CO
The Muhheakantuck in Focus,Wave Hill Gallery, NYC, NY
A-Y-P: Indigenous Voices Reply, Burke Museum, Seattle, WA
Continuum: Vision & Creativity on the Northwest Coast, Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
Beat Nation—Hip Hop as an Indigenous Culture, Saw Gallery/Grunt Gallery, Canada
Skabmagovat, Film Festival, Inari, Finland
ImagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, Toronto
Identity: Shaq'asthut—Gathering Place, Roundhouse Community Arts Centre, Vancouver, B.C.
Identity, Alaska House, NYC, NY
Northern Disclosure: Acquisitions of Contemporary Art in the Museum of the North Fine Art Collections, Bear Gallery, Fairbanks, AK (2005-2008)
Second Lives, Museum of Art & Design, New York, NY
Twisted Path, Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME
Intersections: Native American Art in a New Light, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Native Voices: Contemporary Indigenous Art, FiveMyles, Brooklyn, NY
On The Edge, Forging New Directions In Alaska Native Art, Museum of the North, Fairbanks, AK
No Reservations, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT (2006-2007)
Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation 2, Museum of Art & Design, NYC, NY(2005-2006)
Totems To Turquoise, Natural History Museum, New York, NY (2004-2005)
Te Tataitanga Matatau, Te Manawa, Palmerston North, NZ
He Rere Kee, Tinakori Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Summer Show, Sir John Cass, London, UK
"Native American Art at Dartmouth: Highlights from the Hood Museum of Art" Hood/UPNE, October 2011
"Book art, Iconic Sculptures and Installations Made from Books" Published Gestalten, April 2011
"Tidal Echoes" University of Alaska, 2011
"Second Lives, Remixing the Ordinary" Exhibition catalog published by The Art & Design Museum, NYC 2008
"A Generation of Innovators in Southeast Alaska: Nicholas Galanin, Stephen Jackson, Da-Ka-Xeen Mehner and Donald Varnell" American Indian Art Magazine, Autumn 2008, Aldona Jonaitis
"Tribal Hybrids" ArtNews, June Issue, 2007, Cynthia Nadleman
"No Reservations" Exhibition catalog published by The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
"Changing Hands 2" Exhibition catalog published by The Art & Design Museum, NYC.
"What Have We Become?" Exhibition catalog 2006
"Totems to Turquoise" Exhibition catalog published by The Natural History Museum, NYC.
"Painted Bravery: Contemporary Native Artwork Redefines Tradition" The Anchorage Press, Rose Wallin
"Beyond Tradition: Native Artists Challenge Expectations in Touring Exhibit of Contemporary Works"
Anchorage Daily News, Sarah Henning
"Visions of Native Americans in Today's World" The New York Times, Ben Genocchio
Humboldt - Forum, Berlin, Germany.
Musée D'Art Contemporain De Baie St-Paul, QC, Canada
Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, AZ
Sealaska Heritage Foundation, Juneau, AK
Hood Museum of Art, Hanover, NH
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Anchorage Museum, Anchorage, AK
Pratt Museum, Homer, AK
Museum of the North, UAF, Fairbanks, AK
Alaska State Museum, Juneau, AK
Shee Atika, Sitka, AK
Sir John Cass, London, UK
Burke Museum, Seattle, WA
Best Experimental Film, ImagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival, Toronto 2008
Rasmuson Individual Artist Fellowship 2008, 2011
1st place, Contemporary Arts, Sealaska 2006
Goldsmiths Commendation London, UK 2003
A.S.C.A, Esther Littlefield Heritage Study Award, Sitka, AK 1998
"One History- Two Perspectives", Humboldt - Forum, Berlin, Germany. 2011
UBC, Vancouver, B.C. 2011
Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA. 2010
Emily Carr, Vancouver B.C. 2010
University of Washington. 2010
IAIA, Sante Fe, NM. 2010
MOCNA, Sante Fe, NM. 2010
Celebration 2010, Juneau, AK. 2010
CVA Denver, Co. 2009
Bill Reid Gallery Artist Talk Series, Vancouver, B.C. 2009
Artist Talk, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR. 2009
"Finding Common Ground: Celebration 08" Juneau, Alaska. 2008
"Explorations of Identity in Contemporary Native American Art" Anchorage Museum, Anchorage, AK. 2007
"Sharing Our Knowledge" Clan Conference 2007, Sitka, AK. 2007
"What Have We Become?" Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka Ak. 2007
"Contemporary Native American Art", S.E.A.I.C.C., Sitka, AK. 2006
"Ngaru Rua Roa, Ngaru Paewhenua Tlingit Art", Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ. 2004
"Tlingit Art and History", University of North London, London, UK. 2003
British Museum Ethnology Department Seminar Series, "Tlingit Art", London, UK. 2002
Master/Apprentice: Instructor, Alaska State Council for the Arts Award 2006 - 2008
Master/Apprentice: Instructor, Shee Atika scholarship award 2004, 2007
Tlingit metal engraving, University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka, AK 2003-2006
Tlingit metal engraving, Sitka Fine Arts Camp, Sitka, AK 2003
Tlingit design and carving 2D, University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka, AK 2002
The Devilfish Gallery, Co-owner 2007 - present
HomeSkillet Records, Co-founder 2004 - present
HomeSkillet Fest 501(c)3, President 2006 - present
Tamborings, US utility patent pending 2003
Four Seasons 12' copper pillar. Sitka, Alaska 2008
48' Tlingit House Screen. Sitka, Alaska 1998
15' carved panel. Sitka, Alaska 2004
MVA in Indigenous Visual Arts, Massey University, New Zealand 2007
B.A. Silversmithing and Jewelry Design with honors, London Guildhall University, London,UK 2003
Associate of Arts, University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka, AK 1999
Master Carver Will Burkhart, 1998-Present
Master Carver Louis Minard, Sitka, AK, 1998-2004
Master Carver Jay Miller, 1998-Present.
Master Carver Wayne Price, 1998-2000
Master Carver Dave Galanin, 1997- Present
Website: http://galan.in/


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I haven't really told about Deklan's ASD so I'll do it now. Let me start with some history. Deklan is the youngest in a family of five. He has two older sisters, Dakota (Kodi) and Hayleigh (Hays). He is currently five years old. He's a good boy; very attached to mommy. He weighed 10 pounds and 1 ounce at birth which required an emergency C-section after nearly 17 hours of labor (water broken for about 14 hours) because his head was too big for the birth canal. No, there was nothing abnormal in the pregnancy - no diabetes or anything. The only thing that did happen was that I had a bladder infection at 22 weeks and had serious contractions until the docs got me on antibiotics (about 3 days). Other than that, I retained fluid like crazy. Thank goodness he was born in August because I couldn't wear shoes for the last three months of the pregnancy - not even to work (gotta love my boss letting me go without shoes, but I did wear socks). Deklan was a little blue and had to have oxygen for about 10 minutes - maybe less, I was pretty out of it by then. Deklan and Hays were both born with cataracts. They each had eye surgeries to remove the cataracts - this is removing the lenses, not laser removal. First, the right eye; two weeks later, the left eye. Hayleigh had to have a 3rd eye surgery to remove some filming of the right eye. All these surgeries were done by the time they were 8 weeks old. So of course he has vision problems.
It seemed like he never slept unless someone was holding him. My mom lived with us for awhile when my dad passed away (same time as the bladder infection). Mom moved to Oklahoma, where she and my dad were going to retire, when Deklan was one. She was a blessing. She would spend hours rocking Deklan because he would only sleep about 6 hours a night and only took a couple of 5-15 minute naps during the day. By the time he was one and 1/2 he wasn't napping at all anymore.
Anyway, we've had some difficult things happen since his birth. One being that, due to finances, we could not afford a day care/babysitter while my husband and I both worked - which we had to do in order to pay bills. We lived in Colorado at the time; we live in Kansas now. Anyway, due to the circumstances, he and my youngest daughter went to Oklahoma to live with my mom during Hays' kindergarten year. He was only 1 and 1/2 at the time. (And do you know that he even still remembers being at Nana's? Details that I sometimes have to ask Nana about so she can confirm them, which she does.) When he was two, almost three, we had to bring him back to Colorado for a third eye surgery. This time his eyes were crossing and needed surgery in order to relax the muscle of the eyes. He stayed with me after that. We were already planning on moving to Kansas by this time. That's not what set Deklan apart, that's just to let you know his background which I will probably refer to during the rest of this.
Here's where Deklan shows signs of being different... We sometimes thought he had a hearing problem because he wouldn't respond when we would call his name. He explored everything and loved to climb. There were many times we would have to pull him out of the window or down from the couch. He started pulling up and walking with use of the furniture when he was 7 months old. He wanted to touch everything. (We assumed this was due to his vision problems. We had experienced that with Hayleigh, but not to that great degree.) When feeding, Deklan would grab our faces and pull us to him. Again, assumed vision problems. (I should say that, due to his size at birth and difficulties after my C, he was bottle fed. He was always hungry - he ate 6 ounces in one setting when he was only three days old.) Anyway, he started baby babbling from the time I can remember. I remember his first word was DA-DA, but can't remember his age. Although he did eventually develop a very good vocabulary, the babbling continues on. He did and still does sit and talk to himself for hours - sometimes just making sounds that don't make sense to anyone but himself. He was a great little one. He didn't require any entertainment. He could do that himself for hours at a time and we'd never hear a cry from him (babbling yes, crying no). I thought he would never be potty trained. He still has accidents but we've learned to deal. He always wets the bed and has to wear pull-ups at night. It's the bowel accidents that are the hardest to deal with. Now, at this point, I have to clarify something. I had no idea that anything was wrong with him. I knew he was different but I only had girls to compare him with. My family started referring to his "quirks" as "Deklanisms". The only thing that irritated me was when I'd talk to him and he'd seem to ignore me. When I got his attention - usually by walking in front of him or getting down eye to eye - he always had an answer for me. There was no need to even repeat the question.
"Deklan, do you want some milk?"
No answer/acknowledgement.
Getting down to eye level in front of his face, "Deklan, I asked you a question."
"No Mother, I do not want milk." or "Yes Mother, I do want milk."
(For two years I was always Mother. Now it's usually Mother but sometimes he slips in with Mom and, on rare occasions, Mommy.) One other thing that irritated me... if I was busy doing something else and he wanted to talk to me, he would grab my face with his hands and bring my face to his to talk. I don't know if he was just mimicking me - I didn't grab his face, but I did get in his face so he had to look at me when he was ignoring.
This pretty much brings us to last year. We had moved to Kansas and Deklan went to Head Start. He was in a pre-K program and went from 8:00 a.m. until 2:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. He loved it really. Anyway, like I said, I never realized Deklan was different from the majority, just different from his sisters. I knew that Deklan had difficulties adjusting to certain things. I knew that he didn't care for unexpected things/events. I did realize he had what I always referred to as minor meltdowns. I didn't realize that was a very real term for a lot of other mothers. I also knew that Deklan was slow. Slow making decisions; slow getting in line; slow to finish eating; slow. His teachers were awesome. They pulled me aside one day and said,
"you know, we would like to have someone from the educational co-op come in and evaluate Deklan. Some of the behaviors he exhibits is not really normal for a child his age."
"OK - what do you think it is?" I knew he was very intelligent for a 4 year old, a little eccentric maybe, so I didn't think there was a mental problem to worry about.
"We think he may have Asperger's syndrome. It's a form of Autism."
Sound of a mother's breaking heart here.
"Autism? Isn't that a severe mental/emotional disorder?" Forgive me here. My only insight into Autism was the movie Rain Man years before.
"No, it actually cover a large range of spectrum disorders. Asperger's, for example, is a very high-functioning form."
"Ok - what do I need to do?"
Thus began our journey. Since this is such a long post already, I will pause at this point and continue at a later date.
I believe that God gave us children so that we have something to laugh about every day.
Monday, April 21, 2008
2 comments:
- cbh said...
i am not a parent but a teacher who often wonders what it must feel like as a parent to hear this. i just posted about what takes place when a child to be diagnosed with any kind of label. i'd love for you to stop by my blog and comment.
- April 22, 2008 at 10:34 PM
- mollyalexis said...
Wow, that was a moving post. It's great how accepting you were of his quirks. That's exactly what I thought about Parker, that he was quirky. I guess people really don't get quirky until they are older, lol. Congrats on the iep!
- April 23, 2008 at 11:08 AM
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IRONman Greens Salad A specialty blend of colorful and mild spinach and beet greens. This is an enhancement to your traditional spinach salad in taste, texture and appearance. IRONman Salad Kit with Bacon Vinaigrette A smoky, savory and healthy salad. Great as is or add sliced red onion, diced tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and cheese. High in vitamins & minerals: A, C, K & Fiber, Iron, Potassium, Folate, Lutein
Both Spinach and Beet Greens are in the family of Amaranthaceae with a long history in the cuisines of the Near and Middle East, as well as in Mediterranean and North African dishes. Both plants were domesticated in the 8th century BC. When the two were married in the IRONman Greens Salad, the result was vibrant color, IRON strong nutrition, and a mellow greens flavor.


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The time when India is proving its resilience against REXIT as compared to other major economies, another mega storm awaits – REXIT. On 18th June, Mr Raghuram Rajan formally announced that he won't be seeking a second term as RBI Governor. Economic pundits termed it as "REXIT".Admirable IndiaLet us not be mistaken and underestimate his exit. With him we are not just losing a great economist but also a brilliant mind that strengthened Indian economy and took it to new heights.Raghuram Govind Rajan, who had earlier served IMF as a chief economist, joined at a time when the nation was struggling with Rupee value at an all-time low, inflation rising to double digits and Forex reserves depleting. And now, one of the best Central Governor the world has ever witnessed, is leaving with India being viewed as world's fastest growing major economy at a time when economic slowdown has hit most of the major economies.
In his 3-year tenure as RBI Governor, Rajan restructured RBI and worked intensively on its monetary policy. Curbing down inflation was his primary focus for which he shifted from WPI (Wholesale Price Index) to CPI (Consumer Price Index) for calculating inflation. He also pressurized banks to clear bad loans i.e. NPA (Non Performing Assets) often lent by banks to the businessmen with political interference. There were also times when he criticized the Government policies especially regarding crony capitalism.
REXIT may bring uncertainty and turbulence in the market. Outflows may trigger. Also, there are chances that Rupee may lose its value. Onus lies on the new RBI Governor to continue the legacy and keep economy on growth path. After all, these are some big shoes to fill!
Admirable IndiaPost By: Vivek Swamy


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In a deal effective from today, print and online publisher IT Media has bought the troubled local e-tailer FlyingPig.co.nz.
As part of the deal Pacific Retail Group bought up the remaining major shareholders in FlyingPig's holding company, Orion Ventures Limited, and on-sold the business and brand to IT Media.
Combined with a cash investment, the move gives PRG a 10% stake in IT Media, with FlyingPig CEO, Mark Battles to become group chief executive of IT Media, and also a shareholder. Other shareholders include IT Media founder, Tim Connell, with further strategic investors to be announced before Christmas.
IT Media publishes the magazines NZ Rugby, NZ Fishing, Rip It Up and Crème. It is also behind the newly-launched, Lion Red-sponsored Fire-engine.co.nz, which is described as "New Zealand's first fully interactive online men's magazine", and the pop music site Toast.co.nz.
Battles says FlyingPig is "absolutely delighted with the deal and the immediate opportunities on offer. As part of IT Media we gain access to a wide range of media channels and the ability to finely target audiences with the FlyingPig.co.nz offer.
"Each of IT Media's products is either market leader or number two in its category. Next to Amazon.com, FlyingPig.co.nz is probably the most recognised Internet brand in New Zealand."
Battles says FlyingPig will use the "significant cash injection" from PRG to speed up its break-even and to invest in Christmas retail spending. There will be five redundancies at FlyingPig.co.nz as a result of the transaction.
IT Media founder and Executive Director, Tim Connell, sees the addition of the FlyingPig brand to the business' portfolio as an integral part of IT Media's long term investment strategy and says the brand may be "stretched into new online properties".
"Online, we may see the FlyingPig.co.nz brand appearing on search engines, directories and community and content sites.
"Offline, IT Media can create new magazine titles dedicated to key growth channels within FlyingPig.co.nz, such as leveraging the current DVD database and creating a new title specifically for this niche market."


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At 88 minutes, Here Come the Co-Eds is one of the longest of Abbott & Costello's Universal starring vehicles, and though not necessarily the best, it manages to sustain a high comic content throughout. The scene is a financially strapped girl's college, where professional dancer Molly (Martha O'Driscoll) lands a scholarship. Molly's manager-brother Slat (Bud Abbott) has arranged...more
All Here Come the Co-Eds cast + crew photos
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2019 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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- sittercritterAsked on February 28, 2013 at 11:18 PMHi there,if a client is taken to this firm on line and asked to fill out his portion, my portion shd be filled out already. I can do this at the top with my name filled,in bydefault and I'd like to do it at the end as well with my signature field filled in by default. can we do this? I,m guessing I can change the date beneath my signature to a new default every time I,direct client to the form. Yes??thx jot form is greatPage URL:
- JotForm SupportGoldoAnswered on March 01, 2013 at 01:57 AM
It currently is not possible. E-signatures must be done in real time as the submission date and time is recorded. However, please provide as the form id and details so we better understand on what you are trying to achieve. Thanks!


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Monday, February 3, 2014
MGTOW Aren't The Ones Who Hate
I want to say this for the record and I know this is going to be a little bit off tangent but it is just a precautionary measure.
That is I have no plans of harming myself or anyone else. Nor do I hate anyone, especially women. I do not stew in anger against them and I'm certain my posts show the very opposite that I am quite happy. I'm simply indifferent to relationships with them and at the same time very grateful for their over the top expectations they have of men. Had their one hundred point lists of everything they wanted out of a man up front been even half of what it was I may have gone down that self destructive road of marriage and divorce.
However, in light of all the crazy things that have happened over the past couple of years I think it's time to cover my ass. The Manosphere has already been labeled a hate movement even though most rational people know otherwise that it isn't and it's the Feminists who are the ones constantly advocating for violence against men.
It doesn't matter.
Any one of us in the Manosphere, a blogger or a reader, can end up dead at a crime scene with an AR15 or some other evil bad assault weapon forced into his hands. They are called drop weapons. It will be said so and so was part of a hate movement and that is what motivated him. If only this crazy hater didn't have a weapon, access to the internet... yadda, yadda, yadda.
You know the drill.
Our CIC has just come out and said he will whip out his pen to ban guns with or without Congress. All he needs now is another incident to make that happen. School shootings are getting a little obvious so they may try a new angle that would really get the media hens cackling.
I have thought about this for a long time but didn't want to bring up the subject because I didn't want to give anyone involved in black ops any ideas. Oh well, they have probably thought of it already since some of your blogs have been blocked on certain tax funded servers, that's all I'm going to say.
Time to wake up guys.
Every time I think something wont go that far it does and even farther. If my blog gets hijacked and some weird manifesto gets posted on it or on some other page of mine calling for the death of feminism or something along those lines please understand that it wasn't me.
You guys are smart enough to tell the difference anyway.
I also need you to understand that I don't have any inside information or have been contacted by anyone. This is just an insurance policy against any contingency based on my observations. If I point this out in advance it makes me less of a target of opportunity in the future.
at 5:12:00 PM
3 comments:
- 8:14 PM, February 03, 2014
- Rex said...
Yeah ok, you may have not gotten the memo but that dude got chained up in hell a long time ago.
Anyway I'm going off the radar for a while. I'll leave the blog up but I'm turning the comments off for now.
- 10:05 AM, February 04, 2014
- Blogger said...
BlueHost is the best web-hosting provider with plans for any hosting needs.
- 12:34 AM, November 25, 2017
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The recent article on volleyball player Holly McPeak by Pete Thomas (Dec. 7) misrepresented the way in which the waiver of the intra-conference transfer rule came about.
As the relationship between McPeak and Coach DeGroot deteriorated, it became clear to me that Holly would not be able to compete at Cal again in volleyball. However, as an educator and administrator, I felt very strongly that it was critical not to allow this unfortunate situation to prevent Holly from completing her final year of collegiate competition.
Consequently, I wrote a letter of support to the conference office that the rule be waived. With the support of Cal, other members of the conference voted favorably on the waiver and approved her transfer without penalty. Thus, the indication in the article that she "challenged" the rule, and that the UCLA coach was the driving force in the resulting waiver are not correct.
I have coincidently extended my personal congratulations to UCLA on winning the NCAA championship in women's volleyball.
Director, Women's Athletics
University of California, Berkeley


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June 27, 2018 - By Julia Strobel
It was recorded a decrease on VG LIFE SCIENCES INC (OTCMKTS:VGLS)'s short interest with 28.83%. In June was issued VGLS's total 31,600 short interest by FINRA. The down change of 28.83% from 44,400 shares was reported. 6 days will cost VGLS with 5,400 average volume to recover its previous position.
At traded at $0.0074 lastly.Since June 27, 2017 it's 0.00% up thus . The stock underperformed the S&P500 by 12.57%.
VG Life Sciences Inc., a biotechnology company, researches and develops a pipeline of transformative therapies for combat cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases caused by chronic inflammation.The firm is valued at $830,901. It offers VG1177, a solution that deploys a synthesized peptide, which uses its superior binding abilities to eliminate the unwanted Class II-associated invariant chain peptide that is displayed on specific B cells that leads to chronic inflammation.Currently it has negative earnings. The firm also provides metabolic disruption technology (MDT) compounds impede tumor cells that sensitize cancer cells to treatment by disrupting the metabolic strategies those cells use to survive; and Hydroxychloroquine, a MDT compound that can be used in combination with other cancer drugs for treating drug-resistant cancers.
Receive News & Ratings Via Email - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings with our FREE daily email newsletter.


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EPISODE REVIEW: Game Of Thrones – The Rains of Castamere
Show: Game of Thrones
Episode: 9/10 – The Rains of Castamere
Staring: Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Nicolaj Coster Waldau, Richard Madden
Wow, what an episode!!! But it is episode 9, historically the most important episode in each season; Ned's execution in season 1, the Battle of Blackwater Bay in season 2, and now the Red Wedding.
I don't want to compare the series too much to the book, because it isn't the book; things have been added and left out, but I remember reading these parts in the book and I have to say the show did it justice especially the wedding feast, but I'll come to that later.
First, Brandon. Poor lad hasn't had much going on this season, just travelling to the wall in increasingly miserable weather, but we see him now come into his own by taking his Warg abilities to the next level; calming a scared and frustrated Hodor and possessing his Dire wolf to save his half brother Jon from the band of Wildlings. I think Bran's storyline will develop into something a lot more substantial next season, much like his sister Arya's will.
Speaking of, Arya's character is fast growing braver and stronger; the way she stands up to the Hound was fantastic. She shows no fear and holds nothing back, she's not 'Arry, the orphan boy or the shy little cup bearer of Tywin Lannister, She's Arya Stark. Her strength comes from her ability to overcome what faces her; this week watching her brothers men and Grey Wind get slaughtered, knowing too that her Mother and Brother would also face the same fate. She wants to help them, to save them and maybe prove herself… until the Hound stops her. Although he's keeping her for a ransom, he protects her knowing that Robb and Cat will be dead and her value has gone.
Futher North, Jon finally breaks company with the Wildlings, and Ygritte in the process, despite the fact she fought for him, and would have followed him. He has to get back to the wall to warn the Nightswatch about Mance Rayders plans to attack.
I felt Daenerys' part was small and played down. Three guys sacked a city and that was it essentially. Though having said that the fighting choreography was second to none. The mostly silent character Grey Worm was pulling shapes that would make Ray Park's (Darth Maul) weep.
The Twins, the home of the Fray brood, and venue of this weeks wedding, was added to the opening credits map and is where we meet old Walder Fray again. 2 years since our last meeting with this lecherous old creep and his manners have not improved.
After sharing bread and salt (a Homeric sign of hospitality and protection to guests), Walder Fray eyes up Lady Talisa Maegyr describing to the hall of guests why Robb spurned one of his daughters for her. A disgusting and perverted character, who holds very little value anyone's life, even his own kin. He forgets his granddaughters name, he shows no emotion for his wife when Cat slits her throat; he is void of any empathy, he is Yorkshire born David Bradley who really brings this perverted, soulless creature to life.
The Red Wedding in the book is told from Cat's heart breaking perspective, and the wedding feast holds no less emotion. Cat notices the main doors being locked, Roose Boltons armour, then the trouble begins. Opening with one of the Frey whelps gouging at Talisa's belly, slaying the unborn Stark Heir. This shocked me, as in the book the character of Robb's wife flees with his uncle, Blackfish Tully so the folks who have read the books wouldn't have expected this. The symbolism and brutality of this scene was so poignant and was a strong opening to the slaughter.
Robb is shot with multiple crossbow bolts and holds Lady Talisa as she fades away. Cat watches this and holds Walder Frays young wife with a knife to her throat, pleading for their lives and swearing oaths that the Stark's will take no revenge. To this he reminds her she broke her oath before and he has no care for them now, and as for his wife… well he will find another. Walder Fray is very cool and matter of fact about everything, but at the same time suppresses a smile at watching the "superior" Starks and Tullys slain at his hand.
The last two or three minutes tie up the Red Wedding; Roose Bolton finishes Robb with the regards of the Lannisters, Cat finishes Freys wife, before having her own throat slit.
The lack of music over the closing credits echo the mood, but there is still one more episode and one more wedding. The next episode we'll see what happens with the Lannisters, the Tyrells and the remaining Stark… oh and we'll be invited to another wedding.
Catch The Game of Thrones Season Finalie Episode 10 "Mhysa" Monday 10th June on Sky Atlantic 9pm


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Hello everyone and welcome to my 164th analysis, this time featuring Mountezuma.
3465 Speed, Mountain, the ability to activate all CDs on all enemies... Mountezuma is among the most elite of deniers when you put together all of these. He also has access to a 2 turn Possession attack, which makes him even greater, and with a recent update, he got placed in the Evil Legions and Dragon books, and he dominates in both. However, Mountezuma is weak when it comes to dishing out damage, but his denying prowess is so good that this can be overlooked. The main issue is him activating his own CDs with his AOE CD activation, but that is a reasonable price to pay for such a strong attack(Timerion's doesn't have a side effect because of Timerion's incapability to deal damage).
-Mountezuma Revenge
-Elder Curse
-Fatigue Hit
-Mountezuma Threat/Toxic Disease
Runes: 3 Speed
Mountezuma Revenge is Mountezuma's main denying method: in exchange for his own CDs getting activated,he activates all CDs on all enemy skills, which is one of the most powerful ways to deny monsters. Elder Curse applies a 2 turn Possession to the target, along with some damage. Fatigue Hit is used mainly for the extra turn, but the Poison is nice too. Lastly, Mountezuma Threat may be important to deny the enemy denier without denying yourself, but Toxic Disease can be used to have another Possession move that also Poisons the target. 3 Speed is obvious for any denier.
Teammates: As a denier Mountezuma fits in any team, though synergy-wise, any monster who can deactivate CDs will render the side effect of Mountezuma Revenge null.
Countering Mountezuma: Discobolus makes for an effective counter as all of his moves have 0 CD, including his AOE Stun. In the Evil Legions book, Zyla the Faithful can start with Fast Chains and render the CD activation useless. In the Dragon book, most of Learnean's moves have 0 CD, so he is almost not affected by Mountezuma Revenge.


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Pardon the pun, but it's pretty accurate these days. Most days I hit the ground running and don't quit until well after dark (or the wee hours of the next day, even!). Definitely before sun-up the following day, anyhow.
I have beeen sewing, reading, biking, playing with kitties, sewing some more, working my little brain off, writing about sewing (stay tuned for that!), cutting out patterns to sew, business planning, mega fabric research, hand-stitching, drawing quilts, and generally doing everything i can not to lose my mind. You might be able to interpret from this list why I haven't exactly been blogging...
Work travel in September never looked so good as it does now - the end of this giant hurdle I have been calling "summer". 51 days to Amsterdam. Woo!
In a fit of "I need to relax" time on Friday night, I bought and then hacked some rolls of 120 film into 620 so that I could use this little wee camera that used to belong to my dad. Film-hacking? Interesting. Relaxing? Not so much. Bad choice.


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Why YOLO Is A Terrible Way To Manage Your Money
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A rundown of some of the most frugal TV and movie characters who know when to put their wallet down
A look at characters that can't seem to stop emptying their wallets, and as a result, suffer the consequences
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By Johnny Pomatto
It may be difficult to find a movie screen this weekend that isn't playing FURIOUS 7, but for those of you who don't wish to see fast cars go vroom vroom, here are some alternate suggestions, all of which get my personal recommendation.
The bar for horror movies is set pretty low these days. Usually the most disposable of genres, they generally adhere to a simple cut and paste template of false alarms and jumps, and even if the trailers haven't spoiled every plot twist and grisly death, one's enjoyment might not even be sustained past the first few scares. But something exciting is happening in the horror movie genre right now, and filmmakers are discovering that it's not the jolts and jumps that really scare us, it's the waiting for them to happen. Much like last year's outstanding "The Babadook," David Robert Mitchell's new film, IT FOLLOWS, is a fine addition to the new genre, Dread Horror.
One doesn't need to allow any huge thing to happen in a film like this, because our fear of what could happen is far more frightening than anything we might actually see. Mitchell's set up is simplistically brilliant. A teenage girl named Jay, (Maika Monroe, of last year's equally excellent and similarly toned "The Guest"), wakes up after a sexual encounter to discover that her lover has drugged her and tied her to a chair. He explains that through their carnal act he has passed something on to her, a kind of sexually transmitted monster, if you will. It will follow her, slowly but constantly, until it kills her. Once it does, it will go back to pursuing him again, going down the line until it kills the original host. Her only hope is to have sex with someone else, thus passing it on to him and securing her safety until that boy gets caught by the ever-following ghoul. From that point on, Jay is always on the lookout for the spirit as it slowly creeps towards her. It can take any form and is invisible to everyone else, so even her skeptical but supportive friends aren't much help. We, the audience, can't help but scan the background for signs of the potential spirit as well. That tiny white dot, way in the distance, that could be the terrifying stalker, and we wait with trepidation, as the figure gets closer and closer.
In a modern age when teens are constantly warned of the consequences of sex, whether they be disease or pregnancy, Mitchell personifying those fears into an actual monster is a novel idea. Charles Burns' graphic novel "Black Hole" takes a similar approach to sex, and is currently in development with David Fincher for a film adaptation. Though her initial sex act is consensual, Maika Monroe's performance has all the composure of a victim of a sexual assault. The experience traumatized her enough to make her never wish to have sex again, and yet she is forced to do just that if she ever wants to return to any sort of normal life. As terrifying as the creature is, the dread of engaging in intercourse again seems to haunt Jay just as much. Jay is not the only caught up in sexual pressure. Her platonic friend Paul, (Keir Gilchrist), sees Jay's predicament as an opportunity to consummate a lifelong crush he'd never have a hope to be with otherwise, not to mention the chance to be her chivalrous savior, even if it would mean the curse transferring over to him. Is it really worth it?
IT FOLLOWS gives the audience a lot to think about and a lot to be afraid of. I wish that Mitchell had stayed content letting the audience scare themselves with anticipation rather than feel the pressure to deliver a climactic showdown. Just when I thought that I was watching one of the most perfect and inventive horror films I'd seen in years, Mitchell gives us a head-scratching scene at a swimming pool, where suddenly the film starts to make new rules about what the monster can and can't do, and how it might be defeated. The scene feels so out of place that it nearly risked ruining the movie for me, and I keep trying to convince myself that perhaps a second viewing might help put some of it in perspective and reverse some of my confusion. But the very fact that I even want to see IT FOLLOWS again is proof of its quality. For a genre that is usually so familiar and disposable, this film may stay with me for a long time.
It's very difficult to determine who to recommend the unique new Hungarian film WHITE GOD to. As a dog lover, I was mystified by it, but I can see how the average animal enthusiast might find it wholly unpleasant as well. I guess the key is to use your best judgment on this one. A winner of the "Certain Regard Award" at last year's Cannes Film Festival, WHITE GOD tells the harrowing story of a dog named Hagen. Hagen's owner is the devoted young teenager Lili, (played by the impressive Zsofia Psotta), who has to go live with her depressed and burdened father for three months while her mother is out of the country. Lili's father takes an immediate dislike to the dog and abandons Hagen in the city, leaving him to fend for himself. On his journey to be with Lili again, he goes through many adventures and encounters several unpleasant people. After an attempt to live with the wild street dogs he is picked up by a dogfighter and trained to be a powerful beast. His travels ultimately lead him to an animal shelter and it's at this point that Hagen can take no more of the abuse he's been put through and this is where the film takes a shocking and wonderful turn. Hagen rebels and leads his fellow dogs in a revolution, escaping the shelter, running wild through the streets, and taking violent revenge on all who wronged him. Think Disney's "The Incredible Journey" crossed with Hitchcock's "The Birds." Hagen, (played by two dogs who even won the prestigious "Palm Dog Award" at Cannes), gives a remarkably expressive performance, and seeing hundreds of dogs run down a city street, with humans fleeing and hiding in their wake, is an absolute joy, even if it represents a special kind of horror. For those sensitive to animal cruelty, I can help reassure you that none of the unpleasantness of Hagen's story ever feels too real. Even the dogfights are heightened by violent audio while we watch two dogs clearly playing gently with one another. Once the dogs have free reign over the city and begin causing chaos, all I could think was that these actor dogs seemed to be having the time of their lives. This film has the power to play as a dark, horror movie, or as a satirical comedy. Hints of the true nature can be found in its title, a winking play on Samuel Fuller's 70's classic "White Dog." So I can't confidently tell you that you will enjoy this movie as much as I did, but I can be sure in my claims that you haven't seen anything else quite like it. Even as I watched a dog rip the throat out of a particularly cruel dogcatcher, I couldn't help but say under my breath in the darkened theater, "Who's a good boy?"
Even at my young age, I've felt the sting of the younger generation seeping into my territory. Walking a few blocks through Williamsburg can be somewhat disheartening, a cliché perhaps, but a true one. Noah Baumbach's latest comedy WHILE WE'RE YOUNG is about a couple trying to cling to their past by embracing the future, and it should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone who tries to do the same. Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play Josh and Cornelia, a couple who enjoy the freedom that being childless affords them, until they start to realize that they never take advantage of it. Enter Jamie and Darby, (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried), a bohemian pair who seem to live in the moment and embrace a new passion whenever they're inspired. She makes avocado ice cream while he makes short, punchy documentaries about the friends he meets on Facebook. Josh is a documentarian too, but his films tend to consist of filming a Jewish philosopher talk to a camera for six hours. Josh bypasses feelings of jealousy and instantly tries to imitate Jamie's life and attitude, bringing Cornelia along for the ride.
At times Baumbach's film utilizes fairly broad comedic set pieces that don't feel too far removed from a typical Ben Stiller studio comedy. There's obligatory scenes in which Stiller picks out a new pork-pie hat, struggles to ride a bicycle, and even hallucinate on ayahuasca. Driver's Jamie is so seductive and carefree that even though Josh knows his lifestyle can't possibly amount to much, he wants to prolong his own youth so he keeps doing more and more things that the more sensible Josh would never approve of. The film almost plays like a backdoor Faustian tale, where at first Jamie makes Josh feel young and alive, then suddenly he realizes how old and unhappy he feels. This is where the film starts to feel like less of a comedic fable and more like a soapbox for Baumbach's diatribes about youth culture. Baumbach definitely has something to say, but it sometimes feels a little forced coming out of Stiller's mouth. His criticisms on modern documentary filmmaking sometimes feel a bit too specific and pointed, and while the third act of the film is interesting, I longed for some of the humor from the earlier scenes. It's strange that this is the film Baumbach chose to make following his wonderful "Francis Ha," since many of the characters in WHILE WE'RE YOUNG don't feel too far removed from Francis and her friends, but here they're treated with a lot less affection.
The dour finale might have been a disappointment were it not for the exceptional performances from the four leads. This is Stiller's best and funniest performance in years, even surpassing the excellent work he did in Baumbach's "Greenberg." I miss this Stiller and would love to see more of him. It was only five years ago I was seeing Driver tread water in dreadful Off Broadway plays. I never could have anticipated the turn his career would take, but now having seen him walk away with movies, no matter how famous and talented his co-stars are, I believe that his career is just about to take off. There's no one out there like him right now and if he keeps taking such interesting and bizarre roles, I think we'll see him with an Oscar statuette before long. Watts and Seyfried are both quite good in their roles, with Watts in particular showing some real comedic chops, but the film is dominated by the two men and their other halves get less and less to work with as the film goes on. It's a real shame since Baumbach was able to capture such an authentic female voice in "Francis Ha," that he doesn't do it again here. Last but not least, the great Charles Grodin makes a welcome return to the big screen as Watts' father, and seeing him interact with a few generations removed from him is an absolute joy. I hope he continues to pop up in more films, maybe even again with Stiller who seems to relish the task of getting scolded by the real Heartbreak Kid.
Baumbach has made a very funny comedy in WHILE WE'RE YOUNG. I wish that it didn't dissolve into such a "message movie," or perhaps I just wish that the message blended in better with the comedy. And I must say that I actually really identified with Baumbach's opinions on the younger generation, even if he expressed them in a more grouchy way than necessary. It was nice to watch a movie that critiqued my generation but still managed to make me feel old. No, not old. Perhaps better to say, mature.
Hear more of Johnny Pomatto's reviews on his podcast MOVIES AND FILMS WITH JOHNNY AND FRIENDS available on iTunes


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Though this weekend's show, The Waters of Mars, will be one of David Tennant's last we're not feeling too down-hearted just yet -- mainly thanks to his latest companion Adelaide Brooke (played by Lindsay Duncan) who is set to be his most strong-minded yet. We've loved the years The Doctor has given us but equally we've enjoyed watching his assistants grow under his watchful -- and sometimes roused -- eyes. In fact, it's got us wondering what's in store for the soon-to-arrive eleventh Doctor and his new, young assistant. Join us as we celebrate by taking a look back at companions past…
Much as you forget five minutes into the Indiana Jones' films exactly how the aged adventurer picked up his female companions, we never question why attractive young women would choose to abandon their comfortable lives to camp in an (albeit spacious) police box with a 900-year-old time-traveller. Rose Tyler's motives were simple -- she wanted adventure. Martha Jones nursed an unrequited love for The Doctor. Several assistants have been journalists -- stumbling on the Tardis, then staying for the story. Let us not also forget the botanist and Victorian orphan.
Once the assistants were dollybirds in high-waisted trousers, now they are sarcastic, Estuary-chatting rebels -- who are often the focus of episodes. (With the exception of Lady Catherine de Souza -- surely the poshest person ever to have existed!) The Doctors, too, have changed. Once, Doctors were bumbling old English gentlemen who'd never even heard of a Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium. They wore hand-knitted scarves and suits that were too tight. But The Doctor has got progressively younger as TV viewers have started demanding more attractive actors. (British dentistry is no longer acceptable when American fans are tuning in too.)
The relationship between The Doctor and his assistants has evolved; The fifth doctor, Peter Davison, was banned from putting his arm around assistants Nyssa and Tegan by the strict 80s censors. Touching was considered too exciting for a teatime children's serial. But in the Russell T. Davies era, The Doctor and his assistant hug in every episode and kiss every series. The sexual tension between The Doctor and his assistant has become such a staple that it seems impossible to believe that the first Doctor had a male assistant with equal billing to the female one. When the series began in 1963, women couldn't be trusted to look after the Tardis' keys but now, the female characters are so important that even loyal dogbot K-9 has been booted off to The Sarah Jane Adventures.
Martha Jones was heralded as the 'first black assistant' in 2006 -- and was part of the first Doctor Who inter-racial kiss with David Tennant. Come on, Brits -- Captain Kirk got his groove on with Uhura in 1968! We're soon to have an assistant and a Doctor for an austere economic climate. Both young unknowns, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan won't dent the BBC Christmas party budget. But even though we need some youthful enthusiasm in this miserable recession, a friendly Doctor would never do -- he has to find our human ways contemptible and our authority figures ludicrous. That's why the assistants -- and the rest of us -- love him!
1963 - 1965 - Barbara Wright
1971-1973 - Jo Grant
1973-1980 - Sarah Jane Smith
1980-1984 - Nyssa and Adric
2005-2006 - Rose Tyler
2006-2008 - Martha Jones


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I have been using the CompuTrainer and VeloTron 3-D programs for some while now and have recently been paying them quite a lot more attention for a variety of reasons. Whilst I have been recently using the VeloTron 3-D package I had occasion to read again certain sections of the manual and in doing so noticed a feature which I have not really used very much in the past, the use of signs.
I did experiment a number of years ago with the signs feature then discounted it quite quickly as it seemed very fiddly to use at the time and being a non-essential feature I wasn't prepared to spend a great deal of time on it and in the end never went back to it. For some reason, possibly fuelled by a desire to make the 3-D riding experience more interesting, I decided to spend a little more time on it this morning. I quite quickly, using the Microsoft Paint program, produced a few signs of the right sort of size and worked out how their use hung together but then, as is so often the case, my mind wandered onto other things and other potential uses for this program feature.
I reasoned that instead of putting bits of text on the signs which apart from being entertaining and breaking up the monotony is not particularly useful, it might be more interesting to use the signs feature to show what is essentially a picture slideshow whilst the ride was going on. To do this was a very simple matter, all I did was select a number of photographs from my 2010 Tour de France ride and converted them as a batch into the right file format (24bit Windows Bitmap) and size (I used 250 pixels wide).
Once all this was done it was a simple matter to copy these files to the "signs" directory, then choose the option to show signs during the ride and hey presto the photographs of my Tour de France trip appeared at the roadside during a short test ride.
Obviously this is not a truly groundbreaking achievement but I thought it was a quite an interesting use of this particular feature of the 3-D package. It is certainly a way of using the feature which makes it a whole lot more interesting than either not using it or using it to show bits of dreary text, certainly worth the time to do it, which was just a few minutes.
So, if you fancy watching my Tour de France ride snaps during your next 3-D ride drop me a line and I'll send you the files and all you have to do is copy them into your 3D/Data/Signs directory, check the signs box in the setup screen and hey presto, a slide show as you ride!
Don't forget, you saw it first here :-)


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12oz/60" STARVING ARTIST Unprimed Artist Canvas 25 YD Roll
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Preshrunk Vintage Washed Cotton Canvas takes the look of canvas to the next level for any home decor project or accessory item. The weight and texture are wonderful to work with! The full bodied drape is durable and strong while still feeling soft. The small addition of polyester to the cotton cuts down on the the wrinkling that occurs with 100% cotton. This fabric is the best of everything.


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International Co-Lab
An artistic exchange pilot bringing together artists from New Zealand, Hong Kong and Scotland in Edinburgh during the festivals in August 2017. This peer-led programme encourages new ways of working and the development of collaborative projects.
Closing dates:
- Find out who got funded recently
$3,200 towards travel (plus accommodation & show tickets)
29 May 2017
Artforms funded:
This content is tagged as All Artforms .
The International Co-Lab is offered in partnership with The British Council and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Hong Kong. The programme is co-curated by The Basement Theatre (NZ), Forest Fringe (United Kingdom) and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.
Who can apply
To apply for Creative New Zealand funding, you:
- must be a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or organisation (overseas arts organisations or overseas-based New Zealand artists may be funded only if the project directly benefits New Zealand arts)
- cannot be a Creative New Zealand staff member or a member of the Arts Council.
Late reports and breaches of agreements
We cannot fund you if you, your organisation, or key members of your team:
- are more than 16 weeks overdue with a report for a previous grant or investment
- are in breach of the conditions of a current funding agreement
- were in 'default' of a funding agreement and sent in a late report in the six months prior to the closing date for a new application.
Benefits and track record
To be eligible for Creative New Zealand funding:
- Your project or activities must directly benefit New Zealand arts, artists or practitioners.
- You must have a track record of experience and success — this means you must have:
- recognition from peers or experts
- specialised training or practical experience.
Eligibility for International Co-Lab
Applicants must:
- be mid-career artists (working in any artform)
- have a track record of delivering high-quality work
- provide evidence of their ability to work in partnership or deliver a collaborative project successfully
- provide evidence of their availability to participate in the programme in Edinburgh which runs from 21 August – 1 September 2017 (shared accommodation will be provided from 20 August – 1 September)
- be able to commit to attending additional labs in Auckland (March 2018) and in Hong Kong (2019) should this initiative be approved for on-going funding
- in accordance with British Council New Zealand objectives, priority will be given to Māori, Pacific, and Asian artists to access new networks, new markets, and new audiences so perceptions on culture and understanding can be changed, enriched, and refreshed.
The aim of the International Co-Lab is to:
- create a strongly linked network of artists and practitioners who can work effectively across regions to develop artistic works together
- provide artists with the opportunity to take their practice to a new level of creative and artistic experiment through the exchange of artistic skills, techniques, and cultural knowledge
- offer New Zealand artists the opportunity to develop or extend their knowledge of artistic and cultural practices in Scotland and Hong Kong
- provide the foundation for the long-term development of international markets and audiences in Scotland and/or Hong Kong.
Expected Outcomes:
- To increase collaboration between artists and practitioners from New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Scotland.
- To advance long-term international creative exchanges, and build knowledge, expertise and networks in each region.
- To contribute to the long-term development of international markets and audiences for New Zealand arts and culture in Scotland and Hong Kong.
Programme structure
During the lab the participants will:
- develop an understanding of each other's artform, practice, and cultural perspectives
- explore their approach to creating work
- workshop ideas and critique the process
- explore collaboration opportunities
- learn more about the arts landscape in the host country including the funding climate, relevant presenters and venues, types of work programmes, and audiences.
What we fund
Up to four mid-career artists from any artform will be supported to participate in the International Co-Lab in Edinburgh from 21 August – 1 September 2017. The selected delegates will receive:
- $3200 towards flights
- shared accommodation for 13 nights in Edinburgh (the NZ delegation will share a house)
- a contribution towards the cost of show tickets while in Edinburgh.
Downloads (application forms and criteria)
How to apply
To apply for this opportunity:
- Start your application online (you may need to register first)
- Gather support material
- Prepare a budget using our budget template
- Submit your application online by 5pm Monday 29 May.
Assessment process
Internal assessors will assess applications. The funding and delivery partners from New Zealand, UK, and Hong Kong will then review all assessments and a ranked list to make the final recommendation to Creative New Zealand's Senior Manager for approval.
Assessment criteria
Applications will be assessed on:
- the artist's track record in developing collaborative, high-quality projects.
- the artist's capacity to develop international networks and work in an international context.
- how well the application meets the purpose and aims of the initiative.
Applicants will be notified of results via email by 23 June 2017.
We also list successful applicants on who got funded
A project completion report is required within 12 weeks of the project end date. We will provide a template to successful applicants. To be considered for further funding, your report needs to be submitted on time.
Catherine George
Senior Adviser, International - Asia
+64 (09) 926 5480
027 807 4221


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Sorry to hear this! But it's great that you're taking some ownership and trying to figure out how to improve things.
How to fix this problem depends on what's going on:
- If people seem unfriendly, they could be pleasant people who don't know how distant they seem to someone new. Or is it possible you're expecting too much? Your co-workers should be pleasant and professional, but not all of them will become your close friends.
- If people seem overly critical of your work, try to be objective, openly listen to their feedback, and decide whether you just need practice at accepting constructive criticism, or if your colleagues are being deliberately difficult.
- If people seem negative, you could be up against a problem with workplace culture. It happens. Sometimes you get stuck in a place where some people complain a lot and are generally unhappy.
Situations like these can cause stress, complicate your relationships and make you want to quit, but you can take steps to improve things.
Identify the Problem
Are you new to the job or the workforce? Co-workers who've been at a workplace a lot longer than you may seem to be excluding you without knowing it. Forge connections by regularly offering smiles and conversation. Showing an interest in co-workers may help you fit in.
Cope With Criticism
If it feels like you can do nothing right, start talking. Choose a relaxed moment, approach your co-worker(s) calmly and directly, and explain your point of view. The criticism may stem less from their professional opinion of your work than from personal dynamics, such as trust issues, envy, personality conflict or a generational clash. An open conversation may help.
If it doesn't, however, you may need to ask a supervisor for help. If your supervisor is the problem, go to your human resources department.
Battle Negativity
If most of your co-workers seem negative or irritable, it will be difficult to fix the problem quickly. Dynamics like these are not your fault, and you can't fix them by yourself. Try approaching your supervisor for advice. He or she may already be aware of the problem and be working on a solution. If nothing changes, you may be able to request a transfer to a different group or department. It may even turn out that you need to find a different workplace where the environment is a better fit for you.
Stay Positive
When trying to resolve a workplace conflict, start by broaching the issue with your co-worker(s) in an open and positive way:
- Frame your sentences in terms of how you feel instead of making accusations. Use "I" statements, such as "I feel excluded when everyone goes for lunch without me."
- Give your co-workers a chance to understand you by trying to start a dialogue before jumping to any conclusions.
But if nothing changes, don't hesitate to involve your supervisor or your human resources department.


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We are bringing the tastes of Italy to London with our fantastic Pasta Workshop Supper Club! Once you've tried our deliciously moorish fresh, homemade pasta, you'll never go back!
We use only the amazing Clarence Court Burford Browns in order to get the best, in both look and flavour!
Evenings 7pm – 9pm (dinner and BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze))
Vegetarians welcome