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When I am invited to pray with non-churched people I usually start my prayers "we stop".., It may not seem the most 'religious way' to start praying but I believe it actually does capture what people are looking for in prayer... a chance to stop in the midst of what ever is going on... joyful celebration... the fun and friendship round a meal... the demands of stressful situations or the perfect storm of sickness and tragedy. To stop and to focus on something beyond. Then I'll try and capture whats going on and draw it up before God.
This week as I'm preaching on Martha and Mary having Jesus over for dinner I was caught offguard by the fact that we can be caught up in the so many things that just need to be done, General Eisenhower's 'tyrrany of the urgent" that we can forget to stop and focus on God, to take the best portion of simply sitting at Jesus feet and listening to what he has to say... even our quite times can become a race to get them done and out of the way, ticked off 'the to do list'. So I just felt to pick all that up and use it for a prayer of thanksgiving and confession... and even in the midst of a corporate prayer to remind myself and the congregation to stop... and be still and know that God is God... To stop and simply sit at the feet of God... to stop and wait on him... to stop and simply worship and enjoy his presence (the first question in the shorter Westminster catechism is what is the chief end of man and the answer is to know God and enjoy him always...).
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday
The push and grind of incessant demand and routine
Amidst the tidal ebbs and flows of life's long journey
Good times of plenty and tough times of seeming nought
As storm front after storm front passes over
And in-between, the short lived, calm blue sky respite
We stop and we acknowledge that you are God
From the over flowing deluge of our to do lists
The pull of the important and the tyranny of the urgent
From the demanding approach of deadlines
The catch up on and the long put off catching up with
Through times of just wanting to unwind and sleep
And amidst the rush to fill every moment of our limited leisure time
We stop; we come to your feet and listen to what you have to say
You invite us to be still and to know you are God
You call us to find our hope and strength in who you are
Through your Son you invite us back to intimate closeness and knowing
By your spirit you make it a reality as you dwell with and within us
You give peace that the world cannot take away
Joy that transcends circumstance and sorrow
WE stop to know and enjoy you and give you praise
We confess we have got distracted by 'all these tasks'
We acknowledge we are worried about these 'so many things'
We have lost sight of the few that really matter
We have lost focus on the only one that brings life
We have done so many things that are wrong
And left undone the things that are good and right
We stop and say forgive us Lord and wait on your forgiveness
You are righteous and just and as we confess our sin you forgive us
You take away the sin and remove even its stain on our soul
AS we stop today to focus on you meet with us again
Fill us afresh with your spirits presence and power
Centre us on Christ, allow us to listen and hear what he has to say to us
From that to see the life and joy of Christ well up and over flow
We stop, and we worship you O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit


text: Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia searched listless and smooth towards Rickie Fowler and Jim Jogger on Saturday, however the European people does what wonderful champs do in adversity. The entire world statistics one particular and several seemed to be heading for their subsequent wipe out for the day, two along with two slots to go in the time foursomes along with beats headphones a misogynistic property audience quietened almost to the point of peace and quiet. Then, suddenly, and from the Western glowing blue, McIlroy drilled within a 25-base birdie golf putt for the 17th to bring the lovers as well as the collaboration someone's. Whines of 'Europe, The european union, Europe' go Gonzalez across the Connector Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course along with the combine celebrated which has a delighted larg and a large-all 5. McIlroy and Garcia nonetheless essential one more major energy to snatch a important 1 / 2-point and all over again it seemed improbable because 25-twelve months-older Northern Irishman made a wild drive that ended up guiding a pine within the correct rough. rear a woods from the appropriate hard. Now, even though, it turned out Garcia who came to save the day, folding a wonderful a few-solid wood method from left to to certainly within 12 feet on the flag. The 2 main People in the usa could only discover a greenside sand and, after Fowler still did not turn his birdie endeavor from 18 toes, McIlroy safely two-putted to prompt one more obnoxious chorus of agreement from your galleries and museums. InI do think that Sergio Garcia's and Rory McIlroy's cut in half was as effective as a victory,In stated Europe captain John McGinley having a glowing giggle once the cases retrieved a single-place shortage from the morning hours session to finish the afternoon which has a 5-3 direct. "There are in Ryder Cups throughout the years how important push is and now we revealed actual toughness of figure to answer that Us surge and find azure returning about the panel." McIlroy accepted he and Garcia needed really to up their sport on the closing holes. The a bottle of champagne cork that jumped in the initial sport of Andy Murray's knocking of Blaz Rola may have been quick, even so the protecting Wimbledon champion has already placed on the gauntlet to his competition. Supporters toasted your home much-loved while he turned up on Judge One for his next circular go with and were being then royally kept entertained as Murray thrown around Rola 6-1 6-1 6- for his 15th acquire repeatedly with the All Great britain Club because his beat by Roger Federer within the 2012 final - plus the easiest. Very last season's overwhelmed finalist Novak Djokovic is going to be eager to quell the most recent outbreak of Murray mania if and when they match inside semis in the future, but on Wednesday the Serbian leading seed starting was simply pleased to squash prior Czech veteran Radek Stepanek. Djokovic is at control resistant to the clever 35-twelve months-previous for 2 packages, but his unorthodox opponent dipped into his handbag of tricks to grab the 3rd over a tiebreak and emerged inside of a whisker of pulling this year's success in a nervy decider.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, August 10, 2014
These past few months I've been mostly making...
16 comments:
huge congratulations! sewing for baby, changing mats!! clothes, you'll be given so many i wouldnt worry too much bout them. bibs, you wont really need for the first 3 months or so. Cuddly knits for wee ones by Catherine Bouquerel is supercute.ReplyDelete
Thank you! Yeah I've got some oil cloth to make into mats as know I'll need about three. One for downstairs, on for upstairs and one to take out and about. I'll have a look at Catherine Bouquerel. ThanksReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 10, 2014 at 4:11 PM
Congratulations! That's so super awesome. One of the best and easiest things to make are jersey blankets for swaddling the wee one. They're soft and lovely and one way to use up leftovers that are too big to get rid of but not big enough to make something for yourself out of.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you! And thanks for the tip! I'll see what I've got in my stash.Delete
fabric and towel sandwich with shower curtain in the middle makes a great mat for on top of one of the cold plastic-y ones, specially in january! cold really makes them pee!!ReplyDeleteReplies
Yup. I'm thinking everything needs to be wipe-able!Delete
Congratulations! Enjoy your pregnancy and I hope everything goes brilliantly!ReplyDelete
Congratulations! What lovely news. I didn't make any specific maternity patterns but I made a couple of Babydoll dress from the Sew U Stretch Built by Wendy book, which I wore all the time. And bought a lot of stuff from charity shops in a bit of larger size too. What an exciting time!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you! I'll keep an eye out for that book and check my pattern stash. I might just use the top of a Sorbetto and increase the side seams so it's more flow-y...hmmmm...thinking thinking! Thanks for the ideas!Delete
Horray for baby making! I've heard from several people that buying things in larger sizes and then tailoring them a bit smaller after pregnancy is the way to go.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you! I've been buying larger sizes, the trend for free form vest tops is serving me well! Thanks for the tip!Delete
This is the most awesome news! Congratulations to y'all!!!!!!!! :D :D :DReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you! You lot keep me going with your excitement when I'm feeling worn out and round as a ball! Thank you!Delete
How exciting! Congrats again. I posted a lot of baby makes on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mujerboricua/baby-makes/. I loved the big bottom pants and the bibs by Purl Soho.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you! I like Purl Soho too but haven't seen the big bottom pants so will go stalk you on Pinterest! :)Delete


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by Peggy Sweeney
Author's Note: I address firefighters in this article, but the information provided applies to any and all emergency response and public safety professionals.
Suicide is a very serious topic that we rarely discuss. Each year, thousands of adults and children either attempt or complete suicide to resolve problems or put an end to emotional pain. As a result of their deaths, surviving family members and friends not only grieve, but must cope with feelings of guilt, anger, and the archaic stigma associated with suicide.
Suicide is a major, preventable public health problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2010 it was the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 38,364 deaths.
Based on data about suicides in 16 National Violent Death Reporting System states in 2009, 33.3% of suicide descendents tested positive for alcohol, 23% for antidepressants, and 20.8% for opiates, including heroin and prescription pain killers.
Men completed suicide four times more often than women at a rate of 79% of U.S. suicides. Suicide is the seventh leading cause of death for males and the fifteenth leading cause for females. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 25- to 34- year olds, the third leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year olds, and the eighth among 55 – 64 persons . One of the major risk factors for suicide is depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors(1). For every suicide death, it is estimated that an average of six family members and friends will experience the pain of grief; a figure I believe is extremely low. You may read the full report HERE.
"Suicide is the complication of the disease of depression. It is a complication because not all with depression complete suicide, but all who complete suicide suffer from some type of depression". Sue Endsley; her son, Ryan, died by suicide at the age of 19.
How does depression feel?
To help you understand the severity of emotional trauma, I would like to paint a mental picture of what my severe depression felt like in 1985. I have labeled it the "well of depression". It is a very deep, very dark place, cold and lonely. The walls of this well are slimy and moss-covered. It smells rancid and the floor is broken into huge junks, you are not able to maintain a stable footing. As you look up from the depths of the well, you can only see a faint glimmer of light. No matter how hard you try, you cannot pull yourself up and out. The safety rope that dangles in the center of the well is just out of your reach. Your silent screams for help appear to fall on deaf ears. Your once secure and normal life continues to slowly plummet into the depths of deep despair. You feel as though you have lost control of everything. You doubt your self-worth. Everything appears hopeless.
Wes describes his depression as if he were standing on the shore on a very cold, cloudy, windy day. The ocean waves came roaring to shore. He knew he could be consumed by the waves and taken out to sea. He needed to seek shelter from the storm, but he could not move away from the shoreline. He feared for his life. No one was there to rescue him. He felt very alone. And then the waves finally rolled over him and he was taken by them. They are the waves of depression. This depression can last a few hours, or days, or weeks, or months…. or a lifetime.
During my brief time in this well of depression, I saw no ready answers for the problems I was facing. Many people would probably view my struggles as minor dilemmas, simple and easy to solve. Yet, as the days and weeks elapsed, I sank deeper and deeper into depression. I could not think. I could not rationalize the apparently easy solutions to my problems. On one hand, I felt as if no one cared about me, on the other, I did not want to trouble them with my fears. I questioned my self-worth and the value of my existence. My thoughts of death had a calming effect. I cared very much for my family, yet their love could not dispel the need I had to end the emotional pain.
When someone is in a severe depression they often disguise their true feelings. They may appear normal, their usual self. Some of their behaviors may be out of character, but nothing so unusual that you would question his or her behavior. Slowly over time, you may begin to notice a deviation in their personality. A once happy and outgoing person, they now appear withdrawn and troubled. In spite of this change in personality you assume that they are going through some rough times and will be back to normal in a few days. I was one of the lucky ones. I had a friend that hung in there with me until I got over the rough spots. Because of her, I chose life. For many, this is not the case. Many choose suicide.
Why is there suicide in the fire service?
Professions, such as firefighting, contribute many elements of stress and trauma that greatly exaggerate depression. These men and women are placed in life-threatening situations and witness human injury and death regularly. After one of these traumatic calls, they realize that the other firefighters in their department appear to be coping with the severity of the call with no apparent trouble. No one talks about the nightmares or the recurring thoughts of the horrific incidents that haunt them daily. He or she assumes that everyone else is dealing with the stress; therefore, something must be wrong with them.
Being injured or disabled as the result of their hazardous job may also cause depression. Because they can no longer function as a firefighter, they believe that they are of no value to their department or have a purpose in life. They may be dealing with seemingly insurmountable personal problems such as a divorce, chronic illness of a family member, financial worries, or substance abuse, to name a few. Rather than asking for help (they may be perceived as weak), they will turn these feelings and thoughts inward. As each new traumatic incident and/or personal struggle occurs, they slip deeper and deeper into depression. It is no wonder that the fire service has one of the highest suicide rates in America. Sadly, the numbers are escalating at a rapid pace.
Among members of the emergency response professions, it has been my experience that one specific issue or event does not trigger genuine thoughts of suicide, but rather a culmination of traumatic events over years. Left unresolved, without the benefit of trained, professional help, many firefighters become increasingly depressed and overwhelmed by these events. Many develop post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); an anxiety disorder often associated with combat veterans or frontline emergency workers like police officers and firefighters(2). Thoughts of suicide become more focused and appear to be a ready answer for ending the deep emotional pain that has been their constant companion over the years.
As we all know, human beings require certain basic needs, such as food and water, for survival. It is also very important for our survival to feel needed and appreciated, loved and cared about. When our perceptions of life and living become skewed and there is no one to help us cope with depression, we fall deeper and deeper into the well or the waves come closer and closer to consuming us. It is during this difficult time that many people will resort to the use of mind-altering drugs and/or alcohol (or other potentially addicting solutions such as chronic gambling or compulsive spending) as a means of coping with their emotional problems. These temporary remedies merely assist in numbing the pain they are feeling, but do nothing to resolve the reasons for the deep-seated problem of depression.
Help for firefighters
Too many firefighters are dying by suicide! Many organizations within the fire service continue to receive federal dollars for studies on firefighter suicides. We have enough information on this topic. As early as 1991, these same fire service organizations studied this important topic. I do not need another study! I do not need to know how many firefighters have died by suicide, how it was accomplished, or the events that led up to their suicide. The death of one firefighter by suicide is enough for me to know that help is needed NOW.
Where can firefighters/EMS, police and correctional officers, and 911 dispatchers go for help if it is not offered through their fire department or agency?
- Warrior's Heart – PTSD, Addiction and Chemical Dependency Treatment Center for Veterans and First Responders in San Antonio, TX
- West Coast Trauma Retreat, Joel Fay
- Picking Up the "Peaces" (Australia), Kate and David Tonacia
- Badge of Life, Andy O'Hara
- Code 9 Project, Deborah Ortiz
- Federation of Fire Chaplains, Ed Stauffer
- Low Country Firefighter Support Team, Gerald Mishoe
- Emergency Chaplain Group, Skip Straus
We do not need money spent on another study. The money would be better spent on funding to establish chaplaincy programs, counselors experienced in addiction and ptsd therapies to help firefighters and their families, educational programs related to traumatic stress and suicide prevention as well as bereavement programs for fire departments and families touched by suicide. Some of these worthwhile programs have been in existence for a long time, but lack the financial help to reach those in need.
"While large city departments might have funding for Chaplaincy, small urban and rural departments do not. Our ministry operates primarily on individual and corporate donations. The difficulty we run into is that the agencies really know and receive the benefits of the Chaplaincy. They should, at the minimum, be instrumental in helping the Chaplaincy raise funding". ~ Chaplain Skip Strauss, Emergencies Chaplain Group
It is an established fact that stress and traumatic events influence a person's susceptibility to heart attacks, strokes, and other medical problems. I strongly believe that fire departments must recognize the importance of programs that focus on depression, post traumatic stress, addiction, suicide prevention, and coping with loss and grief.
Training them to deal with trauma, stress, and grief is no less important than training them to be safe on the fire ground. Peggy Sweeney
No longer can job-related stress in the fire service be ignored. It is the duty and responsibility of every fire service officer to provide for and enhance the emotional wellness of his or her department as well as themselves if needed. Without the support and dedication of everyone traumatic stress and grief will continue to take a toll on firefighters and their families.
Copyright Peggy Sweeney. All rights reserved.
1. Moscicki EK. Epidemiology of completed and attempted suicide: toward a framework for prevention. Clinical Neuroscience Research, 2001; 1: 310-23.
2. Crosby, D.: crisis calls take personal toll on 911 dispatchers.
The Courier-News: http://couriernews.suntimes.com/news/crosby/11582574-418/denise-crosby-crisis-calls-take-personal-toll-on-911-dispatchers.html


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Weaving down the American highway,
Through the litter and the wreckage and the cultural junk,
Bloated with entitlement, loaded on propaganda,
And now we're driving dazed and drunk.
Been down the road to Damascus,
The road to Mandalay,
Met the ghost of Caesar on the Appian way.
He said, "It's hard to stop this bingeing, once you get a taste.
But the road to empire is a bloody stupid waste."
Behold the bitten apple—the power of the tools.
But all the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools.
And it's a long road out of Eden.
—The Eagles
A few months ago, my in-laws asked my wife and me if we'd like to join them to see the rock band the Eagles at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Being of an age where we know many of the Eagles' songs, we said yes. So at the hour dictated by Ticketmaster, my wife got online and bought five lower-level seats at $165 a pop.
On Oct. 12, our party of two 60-somethings, one 50-something, one-40 something and one 30-something hopped into my father-in-law's car, grabbed dinner at Rock Bottom and headed for the show.
Inside, we found our seats—the best I've ever had for a concert at Conseco—and looked around at a massive crowd dominated by gray hair and bald heads.
Ever the commentator, I posted a message on Facebook and Twitter, asking my virtual friends to guess the average age for a performance by the Eagles—a band that dates back to 1971.
Responses flew in. Average answer: 52. My age exactly.
Shortly after 8 p.m., the lights went down. The two women in front of us, however, did not.
So when Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit took to the stage and broke into an a cappella version of "Seven Bridges Road," we couldn't see them.
Neither could some of the people in front of us. Nor some people behind us.
We could see only the gyrating silhouettes of one wide, swaying, beer-in-hand brunette and one hyperactive, off-the-beat blonde who apparently thought they owned the dance floor at a night club.
The band sang "How Long." We wondered how long the women would keep dancing.
The band sang "I Don't Want to Hear Anymore." The women didn't want to hear any more murmured complaints.
The band sang "Guilty of the Crime." The women were still guilty of blocking the view.
About this time, the fellow sitting next to Dancing Brunette—a fellow fed up that his $165 had bought him nothing more than a close-up view of an oversized thigh that occasionally bumped his head—asked the women to sit down.
Dancing Brunette glared at him. I read her lips. She screamed: "I don't want to sit down." An argument ensued. She kept drinking and dancing.
Next, the man's wife asked the women to sit down. The brunette screamed at her, too.
She screamed at my father-in-law.
She screamed at my mother-in-law.
She screamed at my sister-in-law.
She even screamed through "Peaceful Easy Feeling."
All the while, she and Jittery Blonde danced.
Eventually, the fellow next to Dancing Brunette left to talk with security. The officer said he couldn't do anything.
Frustrated, the man slumped down in his seat and watched The Thigh swaying inches from his face.
At one point, Dancing Brunette left to relieve her beer-sated bladder. We applauded her departure. Jittery Blonde kept bopping through her friend's absence.
At intermission, the most-offended party and his wife got up and left. So did six people behind us.
I found the frustrated man and wife standing by the stairs, searching the arena for another seat.
I asked what had transpired. He said he'd told Dancing Brunette that he'd paid a lot of money for his tickets—and not for an obstructed view.
She said she'd paid a lot of money for her tickets, and had the right to dance.
The man and his wife told me they'd had it with concerts. They were tired of events where spectators talked through the entire show. And now this.
"We're done," said the man. "No more."
Is it just me, or has Americans' sense of entitlement mushroomed of late? Have we always cited our inalienable rights as just cause for trampling on others'? Have we binged so long on freedom that we're willing to deny others their freedom—so long as we may charge ahead with our self-centered pursuits of happiness?
Such a thoughtless, polarized, isolated existence.
At the Eagles concert, everyone rose for the encore. As I peered over the heads of Dancing Brunette and Jittery Blonde, Don Henley sang "Desperado."
"And freedom," he sang, "Oh, freedom. Well that's just some people talking. Your prison is walking through this world all alone."•
Hetrick is chairman and CEO of Hetrick Communications Inc., an Indianapolis-based public relations and marketing communications firm. His column appears twice a month. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Number of children exposed to second-hand smoke halved
The Scottish Government published its national tobacco strategy in 2013.
The proportion of children exposed to second-hand smoke at home has almost halved in the last five years.
An NHS Scotland and Edinburgh University review of the Scottish Government's tobacco control strategy also found a "downward trend in smoking prevalence".
It also warned smoking continues to be a bigger problem in more deprived areas.
The Scottish Government's national tobacco strategy, Creating a Tobacco Free Generation, was published in 2013.
The review found the strategy had a positive impact, with smoking rates among adults now at 20% compared to 31% in 2003.
The proportion of children exposed to second-hand smoke at home fell from 11% to 6% between 2014 and 2015.
Smoking rates in the most deprived areas were found to be at 35%, compared to 10% in the most affluent areas.
'Scotland has some of the most progressive tobacco control policies in the world.'Dr John McAteer, University of Edinburgh
Dr Garth Reid, principal public health adviser at NHS Health Scotland said: "The evidence shows the positive impact of tobacco policy, ranging from the display ban which put tobacco out of sight in small shops and supermarkets to the introduction on smoke free NHS grounds.
"Yet, levels of smoking are still highest in Scotland's most deprived areas, with 35% of people living in the most deprived areas smoking compared to ten percent in the most affluent areas.
"It is clear that further action to reduce inequalities in smoking is necessary if the aim of making Scotland tobacco-free by 2034 is to be achieved."
Dr John McAteer, senior research fellow at Edinburgh University, said: "One of the aims of the 2013 tobacco control strategy was to reduce second hand smoke exposure among children by 2020.
"The most recent Scottish Health Survey shows that second hand smoke exposure fell from 11% to 6% between 2014 and 2015.
"This equates to 50,000 children having been protected from the harms of daily second-hand smoke exposure at home.
"Scotland has some of the most progressive tobacco control policies in the world, and Scottish smoking rates have fallen from 31% in 2003 to 21% in 2015."
Download: The STV News app is Scotland's favourite and is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from Google Play. Download it today and continue to enjoy STV News wherever you are.


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Orders are processed and shipped Monday through Friday, with the exception of national holidays.
After placing your Clare Blanc order you will be sent a receipt and order summary via email. We try our hardest to process orders received before 1 p.m. Eastern Time (10 a.m. Pacific Time) the same day. Orders received after 1 p.m. Eastern Time (10 a.m. Pacific Time) are processed the next business day. Orders received on Saturday and Sunday are processed by close of business Monday.
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Packages are delivered in an average of 3-5 business days after your order is shipped.
Our website offers flat shipping rate of $5 on all merchandise orders less than $100 (excluding taxes) and free shipping on all merchandise orders over $100 (excluding taxes) within the United States.
Clare Blanc reserves the right to change this shipping promotion at any time.
Attention! We kindly ask that you check your package upon receiving it. If you consider the package to have been damaged during delivery, we ask that you request the courier to provide you with the proper information and protocol regarding damages and then contact our office.


text:
A Special Issue of Asian Security now published
The TTÜ's Department of Law is announcing a major publication in the field of social sciences.
A transnational multi-year academic project, 'NATO Global Perceptions – Views from [the] Asia-Pacific Region', which was operationally managed by the Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies (Department of Law, School of Business and Governance, TTÜ), has been finalised with a sizable manuscript published as a Special Issue of Asian Security, a reputable A-rated academic journal.
Having commenced in October 2014, the study was funded by NATO's Science for Peace and Security Programme, TTÜ and the NATO Public Diplomacy Division. During the Project's Final Conference at NATO HQ (February 2017), the research work was acknowledged as the most international academic study in social sciences ever conducted in the framework of NATO SPS Programme. Almost three years of work, two international conferences, 5 workshops and round tables on three continents, 19 researchers and administrators from 8 different countries involved – the Project's exposure to the stakeholders confirmed the novelty and relevance of the research to the Alliance and its global partnerships.
Apart from a groundbreaking academic impact, the results discussed with practitioners and stakeholders were found relevant for NATO's public diplomacy-related and strategic communication initiatives in the Asia-Pacific, as well as for the Alliance's Building Integrity Programme and the organisation's Operations Division.


text:
Just saw a very interesting tidbit of info on my buddy's blog about Microsoft's new WSH shell. It's very interesting in that it not only gives you the ability to do regular *nix stuff like process lists and such from it, but it also allows you to pipe into Microsoft apps like Excel.
Very cool stuff.


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Friday, April 19, 2013
Oops....I Seem to Have Lost My Privilege... or My 10 Minutes of Terrorist Fame??
I grew up (until age 11) in a very small community. We were so small that the schools were spread out between 3 towns. Mine had the middle school so I went every morning on a long bus ride to the next town over to go to elementary school. There were very few non-white people in these three towns. I think there was only one African American family. I was friends with a couple of Greek kids. The rest I'm not sure of because I was simply too young to care. I loved everyone equally the way God (or rather my very traditional Holiness Christian grandmother) had taught me to.
There is one very specific incident I will never forget. I almost never got in trouble as a kid. One day shortly after Christmas I was in school and for some reason we were not at our seats. I walked back to my seat and an African American boy who sat in front of me had his head down on the floor right at my seat. Well, I was all proud of my new boots and not looking down and I accidentally kicked him in the face. I explained this to the teacher. Was I let off the hook because I was white or because he had no reason to have his head down there anyway? Nope. I got spanked and so did he. Of course, he got spanked for laughing at me for being spanked. Neither of us was treated differently.
At 11 I moved into the city nearby to be near my mother's family. I went to a bigger school and it was very different. In fact, this was my first experience with culture shock. No longer was it okay to be myself, I had to be who effin Bobby Jo Carter wanted me to be. She was my middle school antagonist. In case you haven't figured this out about me, rather than be who she wanted me to be I did things to make her madder because I wasn't under her control. I'm evil like that.
Not only that but I was all of a sudden thrown in with various cultures I did not know how to relate to. City kids culture is much different from small town culture. Then there was the cheerleader culture, the inner city culture, etc. etc. etc. You all get my point. I did not fit in and I did not care to. I made friends and I was fine regardless. I had friends in my neighborhood that weren't in my classes anyway.
My point is this. I was not instantly accepted into anything because I was white. I wasn't adopted into a clique like the new girl in Clueless. Instead I was left to my own vices. I'm not just talking about when I was new. This continued from 6th grade through 8th grade when another new girl came (white btw) and wasn't adopted either. Well, I adopted her lol. Then her and I became friends with an interracial girl and the 3 of us were a team.
I grew up, moved around the East Coast and lived the life of a loner. I made friends here and there of course. One thing I always noticed is that I never fit in. I didn't stand out, I didn't blend. I just was. I didn't look like everyone else, I didn't dress like everyone else. I was followed through stores just like anyone else who looked like a tourist and I got some pretty evil gazes along my path.
Fast forward to now. I'm skipping my time in India because I've written about that enough. The day of the Boston bombing I was working. I sat in my car in a new neighborhood watching the same persons house for 10 hours. Hardly anyone looked my way all day long. The only person who approached me was a worker at the store where I was parked. No one else came near me, the police were not called, etc. Remember that part. I was parked in a public parking lot at a store.
The day after the bombing I went out with my husband and again we were in a new neighborhood. We parked in another public parking lot and sat there to eat the snacks we had gotten inside. We didn't get out of our car, we didn't even look at anyone. We were sitting there talking to each other. Public parking lot. I can't stress that enough.
A state trooper came by and asked who I was. I provided him my licenses and he laughed. He said they had several concerned neighbors call in about us sitting in the parking lot. The officer had assumed before coming out that I was a probation officer or PI. After seeing my license he left. Now.
The next day I went out to work again. Sat in the same neighborhood I mentioned first. This time in a different public parking lot close by. A busy lot where I could blend in more. I want you all to know I'm 5' 2" and I do not look like a gangster/thug/vagabond/hooligan, etc. I was sitting 2 blocks away from the closest house. I was sitting in my car doing nothing. Okay fine, I was playing games on my phone. But you get my point. Traffic came and went and after I had been there 2 hours a car drove up beside me and blew the horn.
I looked out the window and it was an African American man asking me if I was law enforcement. I informed him I was not and I was just doing some work. He persisted and I resisted. I'm not going to tell him my real occupation because if it's one thing I've learned it's that those who are the most suspicious of us are the ones who have something to hide. Finally he said okay and left. I watched and he drove 3 blocks, well out of my sight to get home. Which makes me wonder even more why he would think I was watching him.
About an hour later a second African American man pulled up along side my car and called out to me. This one was very friendly and so I was more forthcoming with him. We both had a little laugh and he told me "I got kids" as if to imply he was more worried I was trying to kidnap kids than anything else. He specifically mentioned the bombings and told me that's why he was concerned. He left content that I was not malicious person. (Just for the record, this neighborhood had multiple ethnicities, interracial couples, and was not an upper class neighborhood.)
Less than an hour later I had an older white man seemingly irate that I was there. He drove circles around me a few times then drove to his home about 2 blocks away and parked where he could see me. He stood in the yard and watched the car (which is all anyone could really see from that far) for several minutes. Another neighbor pulled up by him at her home and he stopped her to make a scene.
This is not normal for my job. This week was the first time anything like that had happened. I knew the bombings would create issues but geez. I certainly don't look menacing. I wasn't even near a large or crowded establishment. This simply wasn't the place a terrorist would be. Had I blown up anything, it would have only been my car because I was too far from anything to make an impact.
While I'll be the first to agree America is not the safe place it once was I have to call shenanigans on this whole situation. I am sure somewhere out there people are treated like they're untouchable just because they're white. It hasn't happened in my lifetime but it's bound to go on somewhere or the white privilege activists wouldn't be able to keep their panties in a bunch over it. From what I've seen and the places I've been, this is not an issue in lower class neighborhoods nor is it an issue that only affects whites. I've stated that before.
In predominantly African American neighborhoods, whites are not given all these privileges either. In India I was looked down on for being white just as much as I received celebrity treatment. And honestly, if that's how life is then I'll be proud to call myself among the working poor. I don't understand this class crap anyway. I currently make 3 times the average wages for people in my area and I would be monetarily grouped as middle class but it's not where I want to be. Not if it means people can't get along with each other anymore.
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I think people were definitely a bit more on edge after what happened on Monday. The lady who sits in her car on my street and smokes her cigarettes hasn't been there all week. And I hate to say it, but even though it's been really cold, I've swapped my super warm and useful shawl for a less warm, less useful had because I'm concerned of people's reactions to seeing a woman with a scarf on her head, even in this rather diverse college town.ReplyDelete
About privilege...
I am as outspoken about this as someone who hates conflict is able to be, as you've probably seen in other places :) I do believe in white privilege and I am a bit more aware of how it affects my life than I used to be, but that's the thing about privilege. It's generally invisible; we miss it because it's all about the things that don't happen to us rather than the ones that do.
It's also what's called intersectional; there are different kinds of privilege. Racial, gender, class, sexuality, gender. And naturally you will notice the privilege others have because you do not have that privilege. You can see how the rich kids get away with stuff you as a poor kid did not. You can see how in Amritsar, men can come and go freely but women must plan their movement outside the house well in advance and preferably with a man present. I can't really see how I'm 'advantaged' due to being white, upper middle class, straight, and cisgender until it's pointed out to me by someone who isn't.
And unfortunately, a lot of discussion about privilege is made in the form of conjectures, such as in the song "What If The Tea Party Was Black" - an interesting thought experiment, but it's a 'what if' situation. My in-laws weren't initally agreeable, but they came around. What if I was Muslim? or Black? Would they have agreed at all, at any time? I don't know. I can guess at it, and I'm pretty sure I know the answers, but I don't *actually* know.
I don't think privilege is this evil thing we have to feel bad and guilty about. I think that it is just a convenient term for pointing out when something is generally, systematically unequal. And when we realize an inequality, we don't have to debase ourselves, but instead to do what we can to pull others up.
- GoriNiqabiWifeApril 22, 2013 at 12:55 AM
Wow I'm sorry you have been treated so badly by these people. Why on earth do they think you look suspicious? People are just crazy. Since the boston bombing I haven't had anything crazy happen to me yet but I always have people yelling at me and tell me to "go back to your country", even though this is my country, I was born here and so were my parents. I definitely stand out dress in a black abaya with my face and hair covered with a black scarf and niqab. But still, just because someone looks different or not like everyone else, it's a reason to harass them or treat them badly?ReplyDelete
Honestly, I have no idea why I looked suspicious. I'm a tiny, white woman from the mountains. I had on a t-shirt and jeans. I wasn't eyeballing anyone, I wasn't holding a video camera up, etc. I was simply just sitting there and minding my own business. Well, okay and my suspects business but none of these people even lived on the same street as him lol. I really couldn't have blended in any more if I had tried. It was just so weird.ReplyDelete
I think this is one of the best explanations of privilege I've seen yet. I feel like you do, that each of us is privileged in our own way somehow. So your race, sex, age group would enjoy certain privileges in your own sect, realm, area, etc. The problem I think I have with this is that most of the things I'm hearing/seeing/reading are all angry or aggressive in tone and are very anti-white feeling and it's inappropriate. It's like these people want you to feel wrong for being white when in reality, there's nothing wrong with it. We're not the only race who's ever done something undesirable. I've also noticed some of it directed at only white Americans.ReplyDelete
The same people who are preaching this anti-white American agenda are the ones who will tell you not to judge an entire race/group by the actions of one bad seed. It's a double standard and that only makes me madder.
So while I'm sure that at some time in my life I was able to walk into a store and not be harassed because I was a well-dressed white woman, my life has not been blanketed by care-free and hassle-free acceptance by everyone I meet. As a white woman I've encountered the same non-privileged issues while living and interacting in both predominantly white and non-predominantly white settings. I just can't believe that the way people preach white privilege to be a blanketed issue for all whites is not-racist in itself. It's a sort of self-hatred for those I see preaching it. To me, their "enlightening" is just as bad as the overzealous evangelical preacher who would stop at nothing to help you see the error of your ways (as in repent and be baptized for all have fell short of the glory of the Lord style).
It's a shame you had to change your scarf but I understand your concerns. We've had some cold days here that I just didn't wear any dupatta because I thought it would stand out too much. I've also avoided a few other things that are completely American to avoid suspicious eyes as well. (AKA large purses, backpacks, etc.)
I meant hat, instead of had, but I think you probably figured that out :)ReplyDelete
I think that critical race theory cannot be applied without some element of empathy and compassion. But people are human, and anger at being constantly, subtly mistreated all the time is a perfectly normal human emotion. I can understand why a Native American would get incredibly angry at a non-Native who wore a headdress when headdresses - and the feathers that make them - are incredibly sacred; after so much resettlement, marginalization, discrimination, why would people want to then exoticize and take the "pretty parts" of the culture? I can see why people feel like this just as I understand my own anger and frustration every time another case of rape is reported and even the politicians say "don't girls know they shouldn't be out late at night?" It's frustrating, it makes you feel less like a whole person and instead some kind of an object.
I think that there are some whose understanding leads them to an idea that we need to have polite segregation but I think that causes more divisiveness and does not bring about healing. But at the same time that we call for unity, we also have to realize that it may not be on our terms.
Another thing I failed to mention is that in general, Europeans, Americans, and other traditionally "white" cultures have indeed subjugated and debased people of color based on nothing more than their nationality and/or skin color. The repercussions of this still last today. An example is segregated housing. Even though we have Fair Housing laws, the truth of the matter is that we still have "majority white neighborhoods" and "majority black neighborhoods" because of redlining and lending policies that existed half a century ago. Change comes slow.ReplyDelete
It doesn't mean we need to feel guilty for things our ancestors did - that never helped further any cause. Instead, we have to just look at it, recognize that it did happen (as opposed to sweeping it under the rug or revising history so it looks like it didn't), learn from it, and try to find ways to lessen the repercussions of those acts of people long ago, and to question racist ideas that have been passed down from generation to generation.
I personally choose not to listen to people who preach hate instead of accountability and reconciliation.


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danny gans
This is the sadest news coming right now read below to get info.
The world-famous "Man of Many Voices" Danny Gans died unexpectedly at his home in Las Vegas last night, "The Insider" confirms. He was 52.
Danny had received many accolades, including being named Entertainer of the Year. He is also known for his TV credits, including his performance as Dean Martin in the 1992 CBS miniseries "Sinatra."
Though he has a regular show at the Wynn's Encore hotel, he was not scheduled to perform last night.
"Elaine and I and all of us in the Company are devastated at the loss of our brilliant, talented and loving friend," Steve Wynn says. "One of the most unique human beings and entertainers in the world has been taken from us in an unexpected moment. A profoundly tragic event that leaves us all sad and speechless. The loss of Danny to his wife Julie, his children Amy, Andrew & Emily is at this moment impossible to comprehend. We will all try to go on with our lives without our dear friend. At this moment it seems almost impossible."
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Keep checking back here for more on this developing story


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Symphony of Northwest Arkansas to wrap up season with 'electrifying' program on Saturday, May 10
After eight consecutive sold-out performances, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) will again provide patrons with a chance to experience the magic of its 2013-14 Season with the Masterworks III finale concert on Saturday, May 10 at Walton Arts Center's Baum Walker Hall in Fayetteville. Show time is 7:30 p.m.
Performing under the baton of acclaimed Music Director Paul Haas, the region's finest classical musicians will present a collection of orchestral works taking audience members on a warp-speed journey through time. The Masterworks III repertoire opens with Fowler's energetic Tapu'at, followed by Mozart's "Haffner" symphony and Mahler's "Titan" Symphony No. 1, both written in Vienna, about 100 years apart.
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Pub restaurants increased prices for festive menus
In its Christmas menu analysis it found that the majority of operators focused on festive/party menus with 96% of pub operators and 76% of casual restaurants offering such a menu.
The survey of 25 bar and pub brands revealed that prices grew strongly at pub restaurants with the largest increase seen on festive and party menus, with entry and exit prices increasing by 3.5% and 4.8% respectively.
The rapid price growth was driven by premium pub brands Young's operated Geronimo Inns and Mitchells & Butlers owned Browns, which increased their festive exit prices by 27% and 17% respectively.
Browns offered a festive party menu at £34.95 for three courses, an increase of 16.7% on the previous year. Notable price increases were seen at Greene King chain Chef & Brewer and Whitbread-owned Table Table - 12.5% each.
The average number of mains increased from four to five for Christmas Day menus at pub restaurants, driven by brands including Mitchells & Butlers Nicholson's. It increased its main offering from four to seven including Classic Roast Turkey, Nicholson's Fish & Chips and Mushroom, Brie and Nut Wellington.
Pub restaurants also offered a wider range of Christmas dishes in 2016 with a number of meat options available at Nicholson's and Geronimo Inns including turkey, beef, duck and fish.
At casual restaurants, festive menus continued to grow year-on-year, with entry prices up 3.1% on average, and with Cote, Strada and Zizzi pushing up entry prices by more than 30%.
Côte introduced the biggest entry price hike - up by 50% to £29.95 this year, with the brand removing its set menu priced at £19.95.
Café Rouge and Wahaca had the highest exit price increase of 25.3% in 2016, with both offering an alcoholic beverage with their festive menu resulting in an additional cost.


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Here it is at last- had to wait for the Crackle glaze to dry and I LURVE the effect of it over the Red Distress Ink- it looks enameled- gorgeous!!
Waltzing Mouse stamps and matching nestabilities.
There's a fab challenge for any Tim 's tag related crafting over on Simon Say's blog HERE!!


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text: Halloween is my favorite holiday, it falls during the perfect time in Pennsylvania. The trees are turning and shedding their leaves, the days start getting more crisp, and its starting to get dark earlier. I love the decorations, spooky makeup and the chance to be anyone I want! Its the perfect time to let your silly side out! Check out some of my favorite October adventures, foods and costumes!


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The Titan Gardens are really putting on some blooms now that we have almost moved into full spring weather. The daffodils in the 1st grade and Kindergarten beds are showstoppers.
The vegetables in the 3rd grade beds look gorgeous even as many of the cool season plants begin to bolt and sprout wonderful flowers.
The 2nd grade bed has perfect purple pincushion flowers popping out all over in addition to salvia.
Looks like winter only took a minor toll on the gardens and not much damage. But now spring is upon us and we'll be looking forward to some new plantings to replace any of the cool season annuals.


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Capt Amarinder opposes giving away Punjabi University land for school
Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday strongly opposed the move to provide about six acres of Punjabi University land for an Adarsh School within the campus.punjab Updated: Dec 23, 2013 20:23 IST
Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday strongly opposed the move to provide about six acres of Punjabi University land for an Adarsh School within the campus.
In press statement, Amarinder said the university was already short of space and needed more land for the construction of teaching and administrative blocks besides hostels.
"Moreover, setting up a school within a University campus will dilute the higher academic character of the University", he said.
He pointed out that there is an entirely different academic culture in a university as compared to the school and the standards of higher learning need to be maintained.
"Punjabi University is an institution of high repute, acknowledged internationally and setting up a school within the campus defies all logic", he said.
He said he was not against setting up of Adarsh Schools, but he was certainly against setting up it within the university campus as the government could easily provide alternate land for the school anywhere outside the campus.
The cash-strapped university had courted a controversy following the decision by the syndicate of the university to hand over 5.6 acre of prime land to the state government free of cost for opening of a special school. The market value of the land has been estimated at nearly Rs 100 crore.
The state government has decided to open six Adarsh residential schools across the state, especially for the students with more than 80% marks in their matriculation examination. After the schools are set up, the government is likely to hand over the schools to private parties.
"The government should revise its move to set up a school within the university campus and save the higher academic atmosphere from getting saturated, besides snatching away the prime land from the university which is already facing land shortage for its extension",Singh said.
The case history
Interestingly, earlier, the government was trying to get shamlat land at Karmgarh village on the Patiala-Sirhind road for the setting up of the school, but failed to acquire it following resistance of local villagers.
After this, the state government knocked the doors of Punjabi University vice chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh, who immediately agreed to donate prime land worth 5.6 acre free of cost.
Though the university authorities claimed themselves to be an autonomous body, but their philanthropic gesture towards the state government raised several questions following which students and faculty under banner of the Democratic teacher's front lodged peaceful protest against university's decision.
However, recently Education minister Sikander Singh Maluka made an announcement to construct the school on the university land inspite of the protest.
First Published: Dec 23, 2013 20:21 IST


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You'll never hear me saying things like "I love my Nano". Unlike most Apple fanboys, I don't follow the brand like a cult. If they make a product I don't like – like overpriced laptops with one mouse button – then I'll avoid it. But if they make one that looks great, I'll pick it up. That's why I ordered an iPod Nano the day it was first announced. I ignored all iPods (and most other brands of MP3 players) before it, because the big ones were too big, the "Minis" were poorly designed (and hardly mini) and the Shuffles were just retarded. But the Nano perfectly blends a super slim form factor with a good interface and reasonable storage space.
However, my Nano is starting to let me down. Just now, it locked up for the second time this month. It seems to happen when I try to switch a song – it will just freeze, and the backlight will stay on.
This blog post is mostly for myself, so I don't have to search for a solution every time. If your Nano freezes on you, do the following:
- Set the "Hold" switch to On
- Set it back to Off
- Press and hold the "Menu" and Center buttons for a few seconds
After that, your Nano should reset, and hopefully your music will still be there. So far I have done this twice, and the drive did not get wiped.
So yeah, I don't love my Nano, and never did. I used to like it, but not so much anymore.
If anyone knows what causes this freezing problem, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!


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Yahoo Local once was an important tool for local business owners, but that time has passed. Yelp listings with reviews now completely overwrite Yahoo Local listings for the same business.
That's been a tough pill to swallow for businesses who had strong Yahoo Local profiles, but as we've said many times before: The world of online marketing evolves all the time, and the only option is to roll along with it.
Yahoo ostensibly was the industry leader in Local just eight years ago, but it's been in freefall since, and its revolving door at the executive level provides no assurance that will change. (The rise of a little company called Google didn't help matters.)
Meanwhile, having a strong Yelp profile and unfiltered reviews connect with searches has never been more important. We've mentioned this a lot in recent newsletters, but the reach of a Yelp profile has dramatically increased over the last couple of years.
Earlier in the company's existence, a Yelp review was essentially only seen by Yelpers. In the local search space, Citysearch was the darling of the review industry, thanks to the syndication of those reviews on a broad spectrum of platforms.
But in 2012, Yelp made its move. Adding reviews to Bing was a key first step, but the inclusion of Yelp reviews to Apple Maps was a huge forward leap.
More recently, Mapquest followed suit in integrating Yelp content, and several smaller (but important) also added Yelp data. Finally, Yelp has entered into a partnership with YP, the former yellowpages.com.
Bottom line: Yelp is becoming a bigger player all the time, and as we've noted before, it's much better to work with Yelp than against it.


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Today in class my students were making dictionaries for their new academic vocabulary words for this term. I'm talking riveting stuff like textual evidence, theme, thesis statement and topic sentence.
The students had to walk around the room, find various definitions posted on the wall, record them on their paper then head back to their desks. In their desks, they worked on using each word in a sentence and drawing a symbol to represent each word.
As I make my way around the room a student looks up to me and says:
Student: Miss Lewis, these words are much easier to use in sentences. I feel like I actually know some of these words.
Me: Well that's good. You have a head start then.
Student: Yah, we did something like this in Mr. C's class but I don' think I used some of the words right.
Me: Oh really?
Student: I just couldn't think of a good sentence for the word tranny.
Me: Well that's probably because it was social studies class and your word was probably tyranny.
Student: Oh, that sounds right. Whatever. Same thing.
Me: Um… so not the same thing. Tyranny, tyranny… make sure you use the word tyranny.


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Here's a link to a short story with Shea, Kevin, Travis, and Sammy talking about their experiences on Denali and the ODS program at UAS.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Juneau Afternoon with Jeff Brown
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Pritty Pitchers of Nature and Stuff
As a recent former president once said, "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."
Thank you to Shea for providing these fantastic pictures!
The famous couch at 14,200 ft. camp, which I now see is more of a loveseat, really. Take your feet off the coffee table, boys.
Posted by Dr. Krein at 5:11 PM 2 comments:
Monday, May 31, 2010
Reverse Roadtrip
A few images from Kevin's iPhone...
No one knows how these ancient structures were built, each block cut so precisely against its neighbor no mortar was necessary.
******The team flew out on Saturday, overnighting in Talkeetna. They came through Anchorage and drove through the night. They are currently on their way to the ferry; then Juneau. If they can make the 8 p.m. Monday ferry, they may even be back tonight or early tomorrow!
Posted by Dr. Krein at 6:31 PM No comments:
Saturday, May 29, 2010
On their way down...
17,000 to 14,000: Everyone hiked down with the exception of Kevin, who was happy to take a ski run down to 14,000 ft. camp. 14,000 ft. camp is a hopping place in the good weather we've been having; some people brought up guitars and were jamming, and Sammy and Acacia were treated to some nice cheeses from the neighboring Italian climbing team. Given good social skills, it sounds like one could live there the whole summer on food that descending climbing teams want to jettison. Not that I am advocating the mountaineer bum lifestyle. Okay, it sounds a little bit awesome.
The team departed 14,000 ft. camp last night for a night descent of the mountain. They should be down in Talkeetna sometime today; Travis will meet them there for the long drive back to Juneau.
Hopefully, I'll get some pics today. After they return, I'll post a selection of pics from the trip before wrapping up this blog; be sure to check back for those.
The team departed 14,000 ft. camp last night for a night descent of the mountain. They should be down in Talkeetna sometime today; Travis will meet them there for the long drive back to Juneau.
Hopefully, I'll get some pics today. After they return, I'll post a selection of pics from the trip before wrapping up this blog; be sure to check back for those.
Posted by Dr. Krein at 9:43 AM 1 comment:
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Summit Successful
Forest, Shea, and Yosuke reached the summit of Denali today at around 6:00 pm! They are now on their way back down to the camp at 17,000 ft. I don't have many details yet; I do know it was a cold and difficult climb. At some point today, Freddie and Kevin turned back; I hope to get more details later tonight when Forest reaches camp -- he has the satellite phone! Sammy and Acacia decided to stay snug and happy at the ranger-attended town of 14,200 ft. camp and not to attempt the summit. The whole gang will reunite tomorrow, Friday, for the descent.
Congratulations to everyone! The planning, preparation, and performance required by mountaineering are truly an achievement. Now, get down safely, will ya?
Posted by Dr. Krein at 10:54 PM 2 comments:
Summit Attempt Day: Thurs. May 27
The team is attempting to reach the summit of Denali today. Their plan was to leave the 17,000 ft. camp at 6 a.m. this morning with minimal gear, returning to the same camp in the evening (or even possibly back to the 14,200 ft. camp.) It will be a long, strenuous day of climbing. Be sure to check out the Spot Locator to track their progress -- they are at about 17,400 ft. as of this posting. They may call in on the satellite phone during the day so stay tuned.
Posted by Dr. Krein at 10:21 AM 2 comments:
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday May 26 Update
On Tuesday, members of the team resumed their ascent and set up a new camp at 17,000 ft. Depending on the weather, they may take a rest day on Wednesday and attempt to summit on Thursday. The forecast has been good; a high pressure ridge in the area until Saturday, light winds between 15 and 20 miles per hour.
Posted by Dr. Krein at 10:10 AM No comments:
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There are Lit Fests taking place all over the country, but the community of readers is dwindling. Still, passionate book lovers would like to know what others like themselves are reading. This Book Nook suggests some books, but would also like to connect with serious readers, or even casual airport book browsers. Do write in about books you have loved or hated and why. The best entries will be shared on this page. Please send your recommendations to firstname.lastname@example.com
Precious Forever
The House Of Unexpected Sisters is the 18th book in Alexander McCall Smith's bestselling No 1 Ladies Detective series and comes just a few months after Precious And Grace.
These books, set in Botswana and featuring the "traditionally built" Precious Ramotswe, the country's first female private detective, with her colleagues, family and friends, are simple and warm-hearted. The writer makes Botswana sound like heaven on earth, and the African country must have been added to every fan's must-visit list.
Over the year, the books, set in the capital city of Gaborone, have covered the setting up of the Agency, Precious's marriage to the very gentle Mr JLB Matekoni (garage owner and expert mechanic), her adoption of two kids, her friendship with Mma Potokwane, who runs an orphanage and makes divine fruit cake. Then there's Grace Makutsi, who started as a secretary, leaving her poverty-stricken past behind, married the rich furniture shop owner, Phuti Radiphuti, gave birth to a son, and kept promoting herself to partner, associate and in this book, Principal Investigating Officer. And, in most books, the vamp is the pretty, ambitious and ruthless Violet Sephotho, the bane of Grace's existence since her secretarial college days (where Grace got an unmatched ninety-seven percent).
There are crimes committed in these books, but nothing ghastly enough to give the reader sleepless nights; as much as solving the cases that come to the Agency, the books are about family, loyalty, friendship and nostalgia for the old days when people were kind and gracious. (In an earlier book, Mr LJB Matekoni had to regretfully sack Charlie, one of his apprentices, because of financial constraints; on seeing his distress, Precious hired him to help at the Agency--much to Grace's annoyance-- even though she did not need, and could not afford another assistant.)
In The House Of Unexpected Sisters, Precious's friend and voluntary assistant, the mild-mannered Mr Polopetsi, asks for help—gratis-- for Charity Mompoloki, who was fired from her job at an office supplies store, for alleged rudeness to a customer. Charity is a widow with children, and Precious's heart melts at the unfairness of the situation.
While the ladies and Mr Polopetsi set about investigating, Precious learns that her abusive ex-husband the trumpet player Note Mokoti, has returned to Gaborone, which causes her some discomfort. She also discovers another Ramotswe she has never heard of, and this leads her to question the character of her dead father Obed, whom she idolizes.
In a peaceful scene, having tea with his wife, Mr JLB Matekoni says: "It would be good to talk to you all day. To talk to you that is – not to other people. Talking to you Mma, is very… very restful, I think."
Reading No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is books is also restful…and pleasing.
The House Of Unexpected Sisters
By Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher: Hachette
Pages: 240
Excerpt of The House Of Unexpected Sisters
Mma Ramotswe, owner of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, had strong views on the things that she owned. Personal possessions, she thought, should be simple, well made and not too expensive. Mma Ramotswe was generous in all those circumstances where generosity was required—but she was never keen to pay one hundred pula for something that could be obtained elsewhere for eighty pula, or to get rid of any item that, although getting on a bit, still served its purpose well enough. And that, she thought, was the most important consideration of all—whether something worked. A possession did not have to be fashionable; it did not have to be the very latest thing; what mattered was that it did what it was supposed to do, and did this in the way expected of it. In that respect, there was not much difference between things and people: what she looked for in people was the quality of doing what they were meant to do, and doing it without too much fuss, noise or complaint.
She also felt that if something was doing its job then you should hold on to it and cherish it, rather than discarding it in favour of something new. Her white van, for instance, was now rather old and inclined to rattle, but it never failed to start—except after a rain storm, which was rare enough in a dry country like Botswana—and it got her from place to place— except when she ran out of fuel, or when it broke down, which it did from time to time, but not too often.
She applied the same philosophy to her shoes and clothing. It was true that she was always trying to persuade her husband, Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, to get rid of his old shirts and jackets, but that was because he, like all men, or certainly the majority of men, tended to hold on to his clothes for far too long. His shoes were an example of that failing: he usually extracted at least four years' service out of his oil-stained working boots, his veldschoen. He recognised her distaste for these shoes by removing them when he came back from the garage each evening, but he was adamant that any other footwear, including the new waterproof oil-resistant work boots he had seen featured in a mail order catalogue, would be a pointless extravagance.
'There is no point in having fancy boots if you're a mechanic,' he said. 'What you need is boots that you know will always be there.'
'But new boots would also always be there,' she pointed out. 'It's not as if they would march off by themselves.'
Mr J. L. B. Matekoni laughed. 'Oh, I don't think shoes would be that disobedient,' he said. 'What I mean is that you want shoes that you know – that you trust. I have always liked those boots. They are the ones I've always worn. I know my way around them.'
Mma Ramotswe looked puzzled. 'But surely there's not much to know about shoes,' she argued. 'All you have to know is which way round they go. You wouldn't want to put them on back to front, nor put the left shoe on the right foot. But is there much to know beyond that?'
The conversation went nowhere, as it always did when this subject was raised, and Mma Ramotswe had come to accept that men's clothing was a lost cause. There might be a small number of men who were conscious of their apparel and did not hold on to old shoes and clothes for too long, but if there were, then she certainly was not married to one of them. Her own clothes were a quite different matter, of course. She did not spend an excessive amount on dresses, or on shoes for that matter, but she believed in quality and would never buy cheap clothes for the sake of saving a few pula. What she wanted from her clothes was the ability to stand up to the normal demands of the working day, easy laundering, and, if at all possible, light ironing qualities. If clothes had that, then it did not matter if they were not of the latest style or were of a colour that had ceased to be fashionable. If Mma Ramotswe was comfortable in them, and if they responded to the structural challenges posed by the traditionally built figure, then she embraced them enthusiastically, and they, in their way, reciprocated—particularly with those parts of her figure that needed support.
Given this attitude to the functionality of clothes, it was no surprise that she and her erstwhile assistant, now her co-director, Mma Grace Makutsi, wife of Mr Phuti Radiphuti of the Double Comfort Furniture Store, should not see eye to eye on fashion matters. When she had first started at the agency, Mma Makutsi had not been in a position to spend much money on clothing. In fact, she could spend no money on clothes, for the simple reason that she had none.
What savings Mma Makutsi and her family had were committed almost entirely to the fees she had to pay the Botswana Secretarial College, leaving very little for anything else. Then, when she was given the job at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Mma Ramotswe had been unable to pay her much of a salary, as the truth of the matter was that the agency's minuscule profits did not really justify the employment of any staff.
But Mma Makutsi had talked herself into the job and had been prepared to accept the tiny salary on the grounds that in the fullness of time things would surely look up. They did, and when she found she had a bit of money in her pocket—although not all that much—she spent at least some of it on replacements for her two increasingly worn dresses. She also splashed out on some new shoes—a handsome pair of court shoes with green leather on the outside and blue lining within. She had never seen anything more beautiful than that pair of shoes, and they had imparted a spring to her step that Mma Ramotswe, and all others dealing with Mma Makutsi, had noticed, even if they did not know to attribute it to new footwear.
Following her marriage to Phuti Radiphuti, Mma Makutsi's wardrobe expanded. Phuti was well off, and although he did not believe in flaunting wealth, he was strongly of the view that the wife of a man of his standing, with his herd of over six hundred cattle, should be dressed in a way that was commensurate with her station in life.
Mma Ramotswe had helped Mma Makutsi on that first big spending spree, when they had gone to the Riverwalk shops and purchased a dozen dresses, several petticoats, a rail of blouses and, of course, several pairs of new shoes.
Daniel Cole's Ragdoll is a fast-paced and well-written thriller, but not for the faint of heart, so gruesome is the violence. According to the synopsis, " A body is discovered with the dismembered parts of six victims stitched together, nicknamed by the press as the 'Ragdoll'. Assigned to the shocking case are Detective William 'Wolf' Fawkes, recently reinstated to the London Met, and his former partner Detective Emily Baxter.
"The 'Ragdoll Killer' taunts the police by releasing a list of names to the media, and the dates on which he intends to murder them. With six people to save, can Fawkes and Baxter catch a killer when the world is watching their every move?"
By Daniel Cole
Publisher: Hachette
Pages: 390


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Sweet Messages
Source: Martha Stewart Living, February 2002
Melted chocolate, piped onto the edge of a plate, provides a delightful way to express romantic sentiments. Score a 12-inch parchment square in half diagonally; cut along crease to make a triangle. With the widest angle on top, curve a bottom angle up to form a cone. Wrap remaining corner around outside, and tape. Melt chocolate, fill cone halfway, fold top closed, and snip bottom. Squeeze gently to release a ribbon of chocolate and script your message.


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Razorbacks Top ORU and WSU In Dual Competition
STILLWATER, Okla. – The No. 6 Arkansas men's cross country team kicked off its 2016 season in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Thursday morning, racing against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Wichita State.
Scored as a head-to-head team competition, the Razorbacks squad represented primarily by newcomers raced past Oral Roberts with a near perfect score of 16 to the Golden Eagles' 39.
The Hogs' top five managed to attain a perfect score of 15 in their match-up with Wichita State all crossing the finish line ahead of the Shockers' top runners.
Arkansas was led by Oregon transfer Kyle Levermore who completed the 5K course in 16 minutes, 13.50 seconds. The Mahwah, New Jersey, native placed 12th overall and was followed by Cameron Griffith (15th), Kyle Hosting (16th), Carter Persyn (17th) and Chris Mooneyham (26th).
The Razorbacks will travel next to Boston, taking on the highly-competitive Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown hosted by Boston College on Friday, Sept. 16 at Franklin Park.
Dual Meet Team Results
Oklahoma (16), Arkansas (44)
Oklahoma State (19), Arkansas (36)
Arkansas (16), Oral Roberts (39)
Tulsa (23), Arkansas (34)
Arkansas (15), Wichita State (40)
Arkansas Results (Overall Finishes)
12. Kyle Levermore – 16:13.50
15. Cameron Griffith – 16:22.40
16. Kyle Hosting – 16:23.80
17. Carter Persyn – 16:24.90
26. Chris Mooneyham – 17:14.60
2016 Cross Country Schedule
Thurs, Sept. 1 – Cowboy Duals (Stillwater, Okla.) | 4th of 6
Fri, Sept. 16 – Battle in Beantown (Boston, Mass.) 2:30 p.m.
Sat, Oct. 1 – Chile Pepper Festival (Agri Park) 9:45 a.m.
Sat, Oct. 15 – Pre-Nationals (Terre Haute, Ind.) 10:35 a.m.
Fri, Oct. 28 – SEC Championship (Agri Park) 10:00 a.m.
Fri, Nov. 11 – NCAA South Central Regional (Agri Park) 11:00 a.m.
Sat, Nov. 19 – NCAA Championship (Terre Haute, Ind.) 11:00 a.m.
Bold denotes a home event.
For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.


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Sometimes, as we go about running our businesses and just making sure everything is progressing as it should, we forget about our customers' perceptions. As focused as we are on customer service and providing the best experience, branding may become something we take for granted. "We have a good brand. Our customers know us and like us." While that may be your internal perception, what's the truth in the world of your customers?
Recently, @jongaskill shared on Twitter: "For a company with the 'industry's best customer service,' #directv has the WORST hold music." This clearly illustrates that DirecTV is doing what they need to be doing to score big on customer service, but they are forgetting their overall brand appeal with one vital component: their phone image. Since many customers interact with DirecTV via the phone, this perception is instantly elevated from a "little" thing to the crux of their business identity.
Branding occurs through various outlets: the company website, social media, radio and television advertisements, public relations, direct and e-mail communications, text messaging, and phone interactions. Unfortunately, too many companies forget that branding IS pervasive, and each outlet needs to complement the others. Whether it's a clear message or just the choice of music that runs while clients are on hold, those impressions add up to create your brand.
So take another look at the overall message you're sending, no matter how customers are interacting with your company. Is it consistent? Is it professional? Does every component create a similar experience for your customers? If not, you may have some work to do! America On Hold can help you to enhance your overall brand with the RIGHT on-hold messaging and music, so you don't see a tweet about your company like the one @jongaskill sent.


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Blondie Crop Top - New Look £12.99
Just a quick post to show off my new 'Blondie' Crop Top from New Look! I know! can you believe it!
I have always loved Debbie Harry's style, being an icon of the 70's and 80's there is 539032's photo's of her on stage, in fashion shoots, but I particularly love her 'off duty/hanging out backstage/jeans and a t-shirt' style.
She looks effortlessly cool, hanging out with friends wearing a wornout printed/slogan tee, a pair of high waisted jeans, ray bans and with her hair swept back. A 'thrown together' look that is effortless but speaks work. I' like to think I can pull this off to in my 'lazy days' when all I wear is a pair of high waister and a band tee but I'm just not as cool as Debbie Harry :)
Anyways, I fell in love with top when searching the New Look website last week, and thought it also looks like a t'shirt Debbie Harry would probably wear back stage with Chris Stein and the rest of the gang. So my above photos are me playing cool, hanging out backstage at CBGB's in the early 80's :) haha!
P.S. did you know that Debbie Harry is actually a natural burnette?