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Regulators Approve Power Line to Carry Electricity From Wind Farms Across States
KANSAS CITY, Missouri – A Houston-based company has received initial approval from Kansas regulators to develop a high-voltage transmission line across the state to carry electricity from wind farms to Missouri and states farther east.
The Kansas Corporation Commission on Wednesday approved an application from Clean Line Energy Partners to do business as a public utility in Kansas. The KCC decision is a big step in the company's efforts to get regulatory approval in three states to build a $2 billion, 700-mile transmission line from western Kansas to just over the Indiana border.
"It's clear that Kansas is serious about taking a leading role in shaping the future of the energy landscape in the United States," Clean Line President Michael Skelly said.
The transmission line, dubbed the Grain Belt Express, is one of four massive Clean Line projects in various stages of regulatory approval across the country. Company officials said the Kansas line, which will start around Spearville, will help resolve a shortage in transmission capacity that has kept some wind farm projects from getting off the ground.
Electricity that runs through the Grain Belt Express won't be sold in Kansas, and there will be no cost to taxpayers or electric ratepayers, the company said, nor is it getting any incentives from the state.
"We haven't asked for them, and we're proud of that," Mark Lawlor, director of development for Clean Line, said of incentives. "In this day and age, we're not looking for any handouts or special treatment. There are a lot of benefits to the state without them having to fork up anything, which is rare."
Lawlor said energy buyers in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana will have access to the power shipped from Kansas. Customers in several other states also will be using the Kansas electricity because of regional affiliations that jointly develop power grids.
The KCC said in a written statement that the Clean Line project is a "major step" in helping Kansas become a leader in renewable energy production.
"The project is projected to bring good paying jobs, and open Kansas' wind resources to new markets," the statement said. "Transmission projects like this are key to establishing Kansas as a leading wind state."
Kansas and the western half of Missouri are part of the Southwest Power Pool, which will not be getting electricity from the Grain Belt Express. The eastern half of Missouri, along with most of Illinois and Indiana, are affiliated with MISO, or the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, which will be purchasing some of the power.
For years, Kansas governors have been talking about the need to expand the state's transmission capacity in order for more wind farm companies to invest in the state. Two years ago, more than 100 energy policymakers met in Lawrence to discuss expansion of Kansas wind resources.
At that meeting, leaders were told the state's current transmission lines were near capacity, making it difficult to move electricity from wind farms in the west to larger cities and towns in the east.
Gov. Sam Brownback, who took office this year, has listed wind energy expansion as one of the top priorities to boost the state's economy. Wednesday, he praised the KCC's decision to grant Clean Line public utility status.
"The Grain Belt Express Clean Line will provide a vital boost in Kansas' efforts to lead the nation in renewable energy production," Brownback said in a statement. "This project will bring well-paying jobs, generate revenue for landowners and local communities, and open Kansas' abundant wind resource to new markets."
Clean Line officials said the transmission line will make it possible for $7 billion in new wind energy development in the state, mostly new wind farms, along with manufacturing opportunities to supply those projects.
In its application to the KCC, Clean Line estimated the 3,500-megawatt transmission line will create more than 4,700 jobs during a three-year construction period and 120 permanent jobs to operate and maintain transmission facilities.
Construction and operation of associated wind farms, the company said, will create more than 16,500 full-time equivalent jobs over a one-year construction period and more than 480 permanent jobs associated with running those facilities.
Even though Kansas residents won't be using power from the new transmission line, the state will benefit from increased tax revenues linked to the project and landowners will receive royalties and other compensation for easements to their properties.
Skelly said the Clean Line projects are just a part of a rapidly developing U.S. clean energy industry that's beefing up electric grids to handle the new power. He noted that in Texas, thanks to "competitive renewable energy zones," there are about $6 billion in transmission line projects currently under way.
"From a financial perspective, there's a lot of capital in this country that is very interested in investing in energy infrastructure," he said. "Once they get the permits and regulatory approvals, that capital is looking to get deployed in projects like CREZ, ours and others."
Lawlor said his company still must get regulatory approval in Missouri and Illinois, then come back to Kansas for a second time to get its proposed route approved. All of that must happen before any construction work can begin on the power line, he said.
Lawlor said regulatory approval for the Grain Belt Express in all affected states could take 18 months to two years to receive. The company anticipates commercial operations could begin as early as 2017.
Click here for more Energy in America stories.
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Back in 2010, Michael Friedman's and Greg Augarten's cravings for their native New York thin-crust pies couldn't be sated locally. Rather than gripe, they did something about it. The result was Pizza Delicious, a shoot-from-the-hip Bywater pop-up that quickly became a hit.
Since then, a combination of grassroots support, good timing, and a successful Kickstarter campaign helped the pair of Tulane University alumni open the doors to a full-fledged brick and mortar location on Piety Street. Has it been smooth sailing ever since? First time and quasi-accidental restaurant co-owner Friedman explains.
"It is insane. People continually want pizza and then more people want more pizza," he says. "We opened right before my birthday last November, making it the most non-birthday birthday ever. It was just a blip. 'Oh, it's your birthday? More pizza!'"
Friedman's main question – whether there was enough demand in the area to support a full-time restaurant, seems to have been answered.
The issue became growing pains. Friedman and Augarten needed to find a supplier of organic produce that could keep pace while at the same time hewing true to their earthy vibe. They found the answer in Inglewood Farm out of Alexandria. Pizza D's menu has since grown in new and healthy directions – their salads are worth the trip alone.
But why talk up salad when the calling card is pies? Pizza Delicious offers arguably the best New York-style pizza around. It all starts with the crust – the dough is cold-fermented to help it develop slowly and build more gluten, allowing it to be stretched super thin. Tailored toppings include house-cured pancetta, homemade meatballs and freshly ground Italian sausage.
Pizza Delicious also strikes a good balance with vegetarian choices, including artfully composed options like a peppadew with fresh arugula.
"We cook it with peppadews and when it comes out of the oven we top it off with a classic arugula salad dressed with lemon juice and Parmesan," Friedman says. The result is a pie that's hot on the bottom and leafy on the top, with the peppery bite of arugula bringing it all together.
Pizza Delicious serves pizzas whole and by the slice, and offers a short list of pastas and salads, along with beer and wine. Limited bike delivery is offered in the immediate area, and they do a booming business in to-go orders. The dining room is spacious and casual, and in true Bywater form a side door opens out onto a vacant lot, which serves as an ad-hoc patio.

subset: commoncrawl


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Affordable summer tips to get kids active
It's up to parents to make sure their kids' summers are filled with opportunities for them to stay active. Summer programs and sports leagues are great, but they often require expensive participation fees.
In fact, a recent survey conducted by Dr Pepper Snapple Group found that nearly half (52 percent) of parents said the cost of sports equipment and participation is a barrier to getting their family active. Despite the challenge staying active sometimes poses, it's important that parents make sure their kids get the active play they need, because play provides more than just fun. It helps kids maintain healthy lifestyles and also contributes to the development of motor skills, control, coordination and strength, according to research by the nonprofit group KaBOOM!
Tips for a playful summer
Inserting active play into your family's summer fun doesn't have to be expensive. Here are a few creative and cost-effective ways to inspire play in your family this season from Let's Play, a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to get kids and families active nationwide:
Create your own field day tournament
Rather than spending money on pricey sports equipment, reuse household items to create your own competitive events for your family. For example, set up a field hockey game using brooms as sticks and a tennis ball as a puck. Create your own shot-put using a re-sealable bag filled with dry rice or head to the neighborhood pool for some aquatic races. Make sure to hold a medal ceremony afterwards to celebrate everyone's success.
Host your own community run
Races are a great way to get your family moving outside, but the registration fees can add up. Gather a few friends and family and create your own fun run. You can use a nearby neighborhood track or just mark off the course on the sidewalk around your house.
Set up a neighborhood play equipment swap
As they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure. While your kids may be bored with the play equipment they already own, the equipment is brand new to others. Organize a play equipment swap in your neighborhood to give your gently used items a new home. Your family will also benefit by receiving some new toys and sports equipment to inspire them to get out and be active.
There are also several nonprofit organizations, such as Good Sports, that provide communities and organizations in need with sports equipment grants. To nominate an organization for a grant, visit LetsPlay.com, where you'll also find more inexpensive play ideas organized by age, group size and season.


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Liberty Media has formally confirmed that Bernie Ecclestone has been succeeded as the CEO of F1 by Chase Carey, who already held the chairman title.
The company says that Ecclestone will be the "Chairman Emeritus" and "will be available as a source of advice for the board of F1." Liberty will be renamed the F1 Group later this week.
"I am excited to be taking on the additional role of CEO," said Carey in a statement. "F1 has huge potential with multiple untapped opportunities. I have enjoyed hearing from the fans, teams, FIA, promoters and sponsors on their ideas and hopes for the sport. We will work with all of these partners to enhance the racing experience and add new dimensions to the sport and we look forward to sharing these plans overtime.
"I would like to recognise and thank Bernie for his leadership over the decades. The sport is what it is today because of him and the talented team of executives he has led, and he will always be part of the F1 family. Bernie's role as Chairman Emeritus befits his tremendous contribution to the sport and I am grateful for his continued insight and guidance as we build F1 for long-term success and the enjoyment of all those involved."
Greg Maffei, President and CEO of Liberty Media Corporation, said: "There is an enormous opportunity to grow the sport, and we have every confidence that Chase, with his abilities and experience, is the right person to achieve this. I'd like to thank Bernie Ecclestone, who becomes Chairman Emeritus, for his tremendous success in building this remarkable global sport."
"I'm proud of the business that I built over the last 40 years and all that I have achieved with Formula 1," said Ecclestone. "And would like to thank all of the promoters, teams, sponsors and television companies that I have worked with. I'm very pleased that the business has been acquired by Liberty and that it intends to invest in the future of F1. I am sure that Chase will execute his role in a way that will benefit the sport."


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Accolades galore for Jim Lehrer as he opts to exit 'PBS NewsHour'
Veteran newsman Jim Lehrer will relinquish the anchor's chair at 'PBS NewsHour' on June 6. Media analysts credit him for the newscast's 'fact-based,' 'well-reasoned,' and 'civilized' approach.
| Los Angeles
The announcement that veteran PBS newsman Jim Lehrer is calling it quits – sort of, eventually – touched off a wave of appreciation for his unprecedented 36 years at "PBS NewsHour" and provided media prognosticators another opportunity to wonder about the future of TV journalism.
The nightly "NewsHour," which Mr. Lehrer anchors, will continue after his June 6 departure. Indeed, Lehrer will return to moderate the program's Friday news analysis segments.
Lehrer may not be quite the household name that, say, news anchor Walter Cronkhite was during his day at CBS, but he perhaps has come the closest. Though the audience for "NewsHour" is smaller than for other network TV evening newscasts, Lehrer longevity at PBS and his role as a moderator of 11 presidential debates make him familiar to American TV viewers.
Are you smarter than a Fox News viewer? How about a CNN viewer? Take our quiz to find out.
"Lehrer's main legacy to the American news culture will be the many presidential debates he moderated," suggests Jeff McCall, media professor at DePauw University in Indiana, in an e-mail. "His selection as the moderator for so many of these important political events signifies that both parties considered him a reasonable and dedicated professional journalist – not a pretty-boy TV anchor looking to boost his career or spark sensational side shows."
Neil Foote, who began his career as a summer intern for public television's "The MacNeil/Lehrer Report" back in 1980, says "NewsHour" is not "the most exciting news program on the air." But Mr. Foote, now a senior lecturer at the University of North Texas's Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism, says "it is a hundred times more solidly informative and with more credibility than anything happening on cable." And he credits Lehrer for that.
"What is it that Jim does so well? He provides a fact-based, well-reasoned approach to news and events from around the world," says Foote.
The PBS newscast "is one of the jewels in the crown of television journalism," agrees Robert Thompson, founder of the Bleier Center of Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University in New York. "It was one of my favorite places to appear as a guest because it is so civilized and reasonable."
Last month, the National Press Club bestowed a career achievement award on Lehrer. "Amid the cacophony of a sometimes shrill media landscape, he has remained the true voice of reason, balance, and fairness," said president Mark Hamrick in a statement.
The tone of moderation and measured reasonableness at "NewsHour" may be challenged as PBS moves to secure the program's future in an increasingly insecure financial media landscape flooded with competitors, says Mr. Thompson.
"PBS has to be thinking about how to entice a younger generation to watch its programs," he says. Whether that means the network will resort to "jazzing up the show" – with anything from younger faces, more entertainment-oriented content, or snappier graphics, as cable and broadcast networks have done – remains to be seen. PBS does not have the same pressure to garner the kind of Nielsen ratings that cable and broadcast networks do, but "they still have to think about cultivating their audience for the future," Thompson says.
Politicians and policymakers have long regarded the hour-long newscast as the place to air serious issues, says political strategist David Johnson. "Inside the Washington Beltway, if you wanted to get your whole point of view out without being interrupted or harangued," he says, "this was where you went."
Lehrer's announcement Thursday included an affirmation of the show's commitment to moderation and seriousness of purpose. "I have been laboring in the glories of daily journalism for 52 years ... 36 of them here at the 'NewsHour' and its earlier incarnations ... and there comes a time to step aside from the daily process, and that time has arrived," he said in a statement.
That will be a tough row to hoe in the increasingly competitive and combative media landscape, says Mr. Johnson.
The "NewsHour" will continue with Gwen Ifill, Judy Woodruff, Jeffrey Brown, Ray Suarez, and Margaret Warner serving as rotating anchors.
Are you smarter than a Fox News viewer? How about a CNN viewer? Take our quiz to find out.


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Since returning from the DL with a lat strain on July 6, Seattle Mariners right-handed pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma had seen a mixed bag of results with a couple of really good starts mixed in with a couple of bad ones and a few mediocre ones to compile a 3.64 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 47 IP. However, in front of the home crowd on Wednesday, Iwakuma laid to rest any concerns by tossing a no-hitter with 7 strikeouts and 3 walks against the Baltimore Orioles.
Over the last few seasons, Iwakuma has been one of the more underrated pitchers in the game, which is probably due to his lack of strikeout appeal. Since Iwakuma came over to the Majors from Japan in 2012, the average strikeout rate for starting pitchers has been 7.24 K/9 and Iwakuma has posted a 7.52 K/9 in his career. So while he has been a bit above average in strikeouts, he's surely not the master artist of the strikeout. But where Iwakuma comes up big in his game is in his precision control.
During that same time frame since 2012, the average walk rate among starting pitchers has been 2.76 BB/9, yet, for his career, Iwakuma sits nearly a full walk lower at 1.78 BB/9. Iwakuma also has a knack for limiting hits thanks to a strong 50.5% ground ball rate that induces a lot of soft/medium hit ground balls that go for easy outs. So Iwakuma's exceptional walk rate combined with his ability to get a lot of ground ball outs has allowed him to post a 1.08 WHIP, which is the 5th lowest WHIP out of all pitchers in the Majors since 2012 (minimum 400 innings pitched). There probably aren't many baseball fans who would have guessed that.
Now that Iwakuma has proven himself to be healthy and productive with this no-hitter, he should go on to perform just as he has over the last few seasons as long as he doesn't incur another injury, and that is some incredibly useful fantasy material.
Now let's check out the rest of Wednesday's action.


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Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. –Twyla Tharp
I've mentioned–on numerous occasions–I'm not an artist, but I've been playing around with my few art supplies lately, enjoying the feel of ink and colored pencils on the pages of a hardly used sketch journal tossed out by a friend.
This summer has not been the easy, relaxed summer I need, so I have been doodling as part of my morning meditation and at other times when I feel overwhelmed. It has been a pleasant way to take a "time out" from the demands on my time.
This isn't art for show, really. I do it for myself–encouraged by the wonderful artists I've met through blogging, like Deb Breton, Sheila Delgado, and Holly M. In fact, I did not intend to share today. However, Laurie of Color Poems requested that I share–in response to my comment that I doodled flowers similar to her "scribble flowers." I must oblige, of course!
So, here are my [original] doodle flowers.
I really wanted to watercolor the background, but since I can find neither my watercolor paper nor pencils, I just doodled them in the sketchpad. I used a couple of apps to add background and brighten the colors. The result is the first image in the post.
How about you? Do you ever draw or color while meditating? Or to relieve stress? I'd love to see your work! Share something on your blog and share the link in the comments. Pretty please.
Be sure to take a time out with some ink or paint or crayons this week.


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There are certain aspects of Microsoft Access that can be downright frustrating and puzzling to debug. I want to share a tip with you that will hopefully save you hours of frustration. There is nothing more foundational than importing data into Microsoft Access so most likely you'll appreciate the fix for this run-time error if you are attempting to use VBA.
If you encounter the following Microsoft Access Error:
"Run-Time error '3625': The text file specification 'My Saved Access Import Spec' does not exist. You cannot import, export, or link using that specification."
Most likely you have confused a saved set of "import steps" with a saved "Import/Export specification" while trying to use the Docmd.TransferText command; or at least I did.
Consider the following sample VBA code that uses the Docmd.TransferText command to import a delimited file (from a path stored in string variable strInputFileName) into a table named "tbl_Access_Import_Data" using an import specification.
Private Sub cmd_Import_Table_Click()
Dim strInputFileName As String
'Set Path to Local CSV File. This file will be imported into an Access Table.
strInputFileName = "C:\Users\Desktop\Access Data\Access_Import_Data"
' Use a Macro to Import a delimited file
' "My Saved Access Import Spec" = Import Spec
' "tbl_Access_Import_Data" = Destination Access Table
' strInputFileName = hardcoded path to source csv file
DoCmd.TransferText acImportDelim, "My Saved Access Import Spec", "tbl_Access_Import_Data", strInputFileName
End Sub
Let me show you where I went off track. I saved "import steps" and then tried to reference the saved "import steps" with the Docmd.TransferText method. You cannot reference "import steps" with this method, only "Import/Export specifications".
I used the Import Text Wizard to define and delimit the columns in a specified .csv file and indicated the table I desired to have that data imported into. Afterwards, I pressed the finish button.
Once I hit "Finish", on the very next screen I saved the "import steps" that I previously defined. Notice the verbiage next to step 1 (i.e. "Save import steps").
As you can see above, I created a saved "import step" erroneously named "My Saved Access Import Spec". This name was the value that I erroneously passed to the Docmd.TransferText method in code.
These actions result in 'Run-time error 3625' that we will fix.
In order to save a legitimate Import/Export specification that can be successfully referenced with the Docmd.TransferText method, make sure to hit the "Advanced" button before you hit "Finish" when you come to the last window of the Import Text Wizard.
Make sure to hit "Save As" (Step 2 above) on the right hand side of the window.
At this point, name and then save your true Import/Export specification name and hit "OK".
Now when you come to the same window again you can hit the "Specs…" button to observe the names of all of the saved Import/Export specifications.
In the pic above I only have 1 Import/Export specification named "My Real Saved Access Import Spec".
Observe, once the true Import/Export specification is referenced in VBA code, the code executes as intended.
Additional Tips
I am not aware of how to edit Import/Export specifications. The best advice that I have is to recreate and then overwrite the existing specification or save the new revised specification with a different name.
If you place the following SQL code in a blank Select Query, you can view all the true specification names along with field names and respective field widths.
FROM MSysIMEXColumns
INNER JOIN MSysIMEXSpecs
ON MSysIMEXColumns.SpecID = MSysIMEXSpecs.SpecID
ORDER BY MSysIMEXSpecs.SpecName,
The results of that query from my example database are shown above. All due credit goes to stackoverflow for this SQL tip.
Furthermore, if you are intent on referencing saved import steps in VBA code (not to be confused with the aforementioned Import/Export specification), then use the Docmd.RunSavedImportExport method.
To execute the "import step" shown in the picture above using VBA, I would use the following command:
DoCmd.RunSavedImportExport "My Saved Access Import Spec"
I hope this helps solve your "how to fix Run-Time error 3625 in Microsoft Access" question. Good luck!


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Candles are one of my favorite things in the world. You'll probably never walk into my office and find a candle not burning.
My favorite kind of candles are soy candles. They burn much smoother and cleaner than a paraffin wax. They're also free of any harsh chemicals and the candles I'm featuring in today's post are vegan friendly and hand-made in small batches right out of Brooklyn!
So what candles am I talking about? I'm talking about Super Great Candle Company. And take my word for it, they live up to their name 😉 Keep on scrolling to see my thoughts, more about the brand, and a super awesome giveaway!
This company is run by Anelka Argiro ; she sells a variety of scented soy candles in her Etsy shop "Super Great Candle Co."
I was sent two of her candles to review on my blog and I have the amazing opportunity to giveaway a variety pack of this brands NEW 4 oz. tin candles! (more on that later in the post..!)
The first scent I received was "Amber Noir." This scent smells AMAZING, you guys! It has musky/vanilla undertones that kind of reminds me of men's cologne, but it still has a feminine vibe to it as well. This is a scent most everyone will love!
The next scent is perfect for the current season: SPRING! "English Garden" is a delightful scent that has hints of fresh flowers and smells like you're walking through a garden. It's so refreshing and sweet! Such a delight.
This brand really impressed me! The candles were wrapped with care and arrived at my doorstep safe and sound. The packaging is simple and minimalstic, but not too plain. Anelka is such a dear and answers any question you could ever have about her products. She is now customizing candles, too. Feel free to contact her to customize a scent, personalize the label, include a gift note, or create a brand new candle that's as uniquely awesome as you! Ideal for birthdays, weddings, showers, anniversaries, housewarming, special events, and MUCH more!
Now on to the super fun part – the giveaway! Anelka is going to give one lucky US or Canadian reader a variety pack of her new (not yet released) 4 oz. tin candles! That way you can get a variety of scents to fall in love with; as opposed to just one or two!
This giveaway will run May 11, 2017 – May 25, 2017. Please use the blue link below to enter.


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ATLANTA – Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is back in action, and the flashy striker hopes a sequel to his remarkable UFC debut has one effect: fans going home happy.
And though he faces a fellow striker in Matt Brown (13-11 MMA, 6-5 UFC) on Saturday at UFC 145, he's not necessarily planning for an all-out slugfest.
"He's an aggressive guy," Thompson today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmjaunkie.com). "He comes straight forward, which is alright for me. But we'll see if he wants to stand there and bang. I know he's a banger, but something tells me he's going to want to take it to the ground."
The welterweights clash on the preliminary card of Saturday's event, which takes place at Atlanta's Phillips Arena. Their bout is one of four airing on FX following Facebook prelims and preceding the night's UFC 145 pay-per-view main card.
Thompson made a big splash in his octagon debut back in February at UFC 143. The South Carolinian entered the bout with a 5-0 pro-MMA record and an astonishing 63-0 amateur- and pro-kickboxing career. And he didn't disappoint when he floored Dan Stittgen with a head-kick KO.
While Thomspon largely flew under the radar prior to that debut, "Wonderboy" has been unmasked ahead of UFC 145. The expectations are big.
"Man, it's amazing," said Thompson, who said he'll have many friends and family in attendance on Saturday. "No words can really describe what I'm experiencing right now.
"There's a little bit of pressure with that. My first UFC fight, it's a four-minute head-kick knockout. It was awesome. But you're fighting better guys now. Matt Brown has been in the fight game for a very long time and had many UFC fights, so he has a lot of experience."
He also has some hard feelings for Thompson. Brown also competed on that UFC 143 card and topped Chris Cope via TKO, yet it was Thompson who got the night's $65,000 "Knockout of the Night" award.
Brown, who thought he deserved it, actually called into one of Thompson's recent radio interviews down in South Carolina to let him know. Thompson admits they exchanged words, and Brown really isn't the joking-around type (just ask the poor fools who messed with his tobacco on "The Ultimate Fighter 7").
Nonetheless, Thompson laughs it off. He knows the best way to get the final word is to add another clip to his personal highlight reel.
"I know Matt Brown is a good jiu-jitsu guy, and he's got phenomenal wrestling," Thompson said. "But I've been doing jiu-jitsu a long time, and my wrestling is getting better everyday.
"But my goal is to keep it standing. That's what people want to see. They want to see a knockout. So I want to give people a show, and when they leave the arena, I want to have a big smile on their face."
For more on UFC 145, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.


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Community Management: Know your community, grow your influencers
Nov 29, 2018 IN Community Management
The influencers are the ambassadors, the communication partners and the allies in talking to your players. Find out how to work with them in the 9th edition of the Talks With Experts!
LIVE Facebook broadcast: What's so cool about it?
Jun 13, 2018 IN Community Management
Recently, we've had a great time at the Engage Prague Conference by Socialbakers. Among other things, we took part on a workshop by Alexandria McCulloch and Danielly Netto called Master the Art of Live Broadcasts.
Before I end this blog with our workshop masterpiece which I mentioned at the beginning, here are some tips which you'll hopefully find useful.
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In 1996 Tania Yoder, pregnant with her first child, attended a family reunion. As conversations swirled around her she overheard one of her cousins trying to convince another cousin to take over her children's shop. She whispered to herself "I would like to do that." Once Tania voiced her inner feelings there was a chorus of support – and her dream moved towards becoming reality. The original owner helped Tania relocate the store to Perrysburg Ohio, Tania's home. Her son Grant was born in September of 1996 and in February of 1997 Kid's Klothesline of Perrysburg Ohio opened and became an instant hit!
Over the past 13 years Kid's Klothesline has evolved in many ways – starting with the variety of collections that Tania chooses. She feels that one of her boutique's strengths is providing a wide assortment that ranges from classic and traditional looks that appeal to her favorite customers ('Grandmas, Grandmas, Grandmas!') to clothes that keep her girl's 7-14 regulars coming back until they have 'outgrown' the store!
Kid's Klothesline's style has evolved, but its 'family' has expanded! The true secret to Tania's success is her staff – a caring and loving group that 'works and plays together!' Tania cherishes her store manager, Teresa Gagnon Meredith, a treasured fixture since the store opened. Loyal customers complete Tania's 'family' – and bring her the satisfaction of sharing important occasions and milestones with the members of her community. She loves seeing the photographs of christenings, 1st birthdays and first days of school – in special outfits that she helped choose. "There is nothing better than helping a new grandma select baby's first outfit!"
Perrysburg Ohio is a beautiful area with a rich history, dating back to the early 1800's. The historic shopping district provides a safe and comfortable shopping experience that has an old fashioned feel that does not need to be manufactured. Tania loves being a part of this supportive and close knit community. Her favorite time is during the holidays when families come back to town to visit and always stop in to shop and share photos of the extended 'family.'
Thirteen years ago Tania's life changed – and as she relates "It's like being locked into a roller coaster and hanging on for the ride, but loving what I do so much!" We know everyone loves what you do Tania – keep it up!
If you are near Perrysburg stop in and say hello to Tania and her family!
Kids Klothesline
111 Louisiana Ave
Perrysburg, OH 43551


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As regards classical music, this month appears to be opening with London's second annual Baroque At The Edge festival across the 4th, 5th and 6th January. Dividing its time between the Clerkenwell classical-church venues of LSO St Lukes and St James Clerkenwell, it starts from a baroque basis but roughly postulates (as it did last year) along the genre-blurring lines of "imagine if Bach was a jazzman, Purcell a folk-fiddler, and Monteverdi a minimalist…"
Following on from 2018's debut festival, there'll be a return engagement with concert dramatist Clare Norburn. Having tackled the murderous guilt and glory of Carlo Gesualdo last time around, Clare's new work 'Burying The Dead' (premiered in the West Country last May) is another deathbed dream drama: this time set in 1695 and focusing on the final protracted thoughts and hallucinations of Henry Purcell as "dream-like memories of the Plague, the Fire of London, family life and the vibrant Restoration stage merge seamlessly with his exquisite vocal and instrumental music." Said music will be provided by London-based baroque ensemble Ceruleo, who commissioned the play, while actor Niall Ashdown features as Purcell.
There's more Purcell-related goings-on via Cecil Sharp House choir director and Wing-It Singer leader Sally Davies, who with her chorally-minded pianist daughter Holly Cullen Davies is running an open-to-all English folksong workshop, focussing on the songs Purcell would have known and referred to. In a similar spirit, the festival's closing concert features a team-up of Dipper Malkin (John Dipper on fourteen-string viola d'amore, Dave Malkin on guitar and vocals) and singing storyteller Nick Hennessy – all three keen folk-steeped reinventors, on this occasion exploring how "the sophistication of Purcell meets the soul of English folk."
Several more cross-disciplinary players are taking part. Violist Liam Byrne promises a concert in which you can "expect anything, anyhow, from (Marin) Marais to (Nico) Muhly", although he's keeping schtum on whether he's playing pure and acoustic or with the electronics or conceptual tricks which make up the other side of his playing. Path-forging post-classical singer Nora Fischer, accompanied by theorbo lutenist Mike Fentross, will delve into the world of seventeenth century song with "intimate and exquisite re-imaginings of works by Purcell, Peri, Monteverdi and others."
Elsewhere in the festival, vigorous violinist Elicia Silverstein will join the dots between Bach and Biber (representing the baroque) and Luciano Berio and Salvatore Sciarrino (representing the contemporary), as demonstrated on her 2018 debut recording 'The Dreams And Fables I Fashion'. Replacing a planned baroque piano concert from Gabriela Montero (after she had to drop out following surgery), her fellow pianist David Greilsammer provides his 'Scarlatti:Cage:Sonatas' dual keyboard programme which constantly interlaces the music of Domenico Scarlatti with the twentieth-century prepared piano compositions of John Cage (hardware, wood and rubber resonating and burring between the strings).
Less compressed information, plus full dates and ticket info, can be found at the festival's homepage and Facebook page.
'Baroque At The Edge'
LSO St Luke's, 161 Old Street, St Lukes, London, EC1V 9NG, England
St James Clerkenwell, Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 0EA, England
Friday 4th January to Saturday 6th January 2019 (various times) – information here and here


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"I believe 100% in the power and importance of music . . . I don't know much about God. But if everything does originate with God, then certainly songs do as well." ~ James Taylor
So, it's all about comfort here at alphabet soup this month, and whenever I want to lick my wounds, find my center, or just kick back and reflect, James Taylor, who turned 61 yesterday, is my man.
Not too long ago, a fan forum on Facebook asked us to name our top five James Taylor songs. Immediately, these came to mind:
Carolina in My Mind
Sweet Baby James
Close Your Eyes
Long Ago and Far Away
You've Got a Friend
All but the last are Taylor's own compositions. Each is gorgeously lyrical, calming and reassuring. His unmistakable, warm baritone voice has been described as the equivalent of a photogenic face. Some things just come to this world whole and perfect.
But, like some things of immeasurable beauty, JT's music was born of a painful, turbulent past — depression, mental institutions, heroin addiction, and later, the untimely death of his older brother, Alex, from alcoholism. I imagine music was Taylor's saving grace. For many of us who have been fans for decades, his songs are more than soothing exercises in introspection. They have the power to heal. As one reviewer noted, "Taylor didn't break your heart; he understood that it was already broken, as was his own, and he offered comfort."
I still remember when Taylor's breakthrough album, Sweet Baby James, first came out in 1970. What a balm it was after the turbulent 60's — non-political, understated, ushering in a new decade of singer/songwriters, to include Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Cat Stevens. The title tune, which is Taylor's signature song and has been performed at every live concert since its release, still works for me on every level, and is probably my #1 comfort song. The purity of acoustic guitar and voice is absolute and forever.
You probably know "Sweet Baby James" was written in honor of Taylor's nephew. He was on the way to see him for the first time when the idea for a cowboy lullaby, in the tradition of old-time country singers like Roy Rogers, came to him.
Taylor admits the lyrics have the most complicated rhyme scheme in any song of his entire career. Two stanzas scan as abba, one with ababb, and then there's that one glorious, climactic stanza without end rhyme, that echoes the 3/4 waltz tempo with repetition of the word, "song," in three lines, bolstered by an alliterative "s":
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway,
A song that they sing when they take to the sea,
A song that they sing of their home in the sky —
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep,
But singing works just fine for me . . .
I also love the "Boston"/"frosting" assonance, and the whole lingering image of snow on the Berkshires, something I still dream about seeing someday:
Now the first of December was covered with snow,
And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston,
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting,
With ten miles behind me
And ten thousand more to go . . .
Sort of like "miles to go before I sleep"? All I know is, I'm always there with him on the open prairie in front of the campfire under a starlit sky. The cowboy may be alone with his thoughts, but his song travels to the sea, the sky, and finally to the land of dreams. And those moonlight ladies are so dang fine.
By now, you must want to hear JT sing it for you.
Here's the original version, and a more recent one, live with Taylor and the Dixie Chicks — they bring the song home with beautiful harmonies, and Natalie's voice just aches with human longing.
Full lyrics can be found here.
Today's Poetry Friday Roundup (complete with little dogies), is at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Tip your cowboy hat to Tricia while you're ridin' the range.
If you tell me your favorite James Taylor song, you can have this piece of cowboy cake in honor of his birthday:
photo by cupcakeenvy
Tasty Tids:
Prior to Sweet Baby James, Taylor recorded a self-titled album for Apple Records. When Paul McCartney first heard the demo, he said, "I just heard his voice and his guitar and I thought he was great . . . and he came and played live, and so it was just like, "Wow, he's great."
McCartney and Harrison guested on "Carolina in My Mind."
Taylor has been asked which of his songs means the most to him, and he admits it's "Carolina in My Mind."
When I wrote it, I knew I had something. It was very early on and it did a job on me. It did some work for me. Internal work for me. Well, there's no better feeling when one comes through and it falls into place like that. And somehow solves a puzzle for you. In a way that comes from inside of you, but it's outside.


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Lessons From Kosovo: What Europe Could Not Achieve
PRISTINA - Before General Xavier Bout de Marnhac can walk up to the second floor of the Gagi restaurant in the center of Kosovo's capital, his security escort must inspect the premises.
This is standard procedure. The French general, whom we were meeting only a few hours before he was leaving Kosovo, is the outgoing chief of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), where 2,000 European prosecutors and judges, police officers and customs officials lend technical assistance to the local authorities. A supposedly neutral presence that has no one fooled.
General Bout de Marnhac has executive powers. His employees have penal immunity. The cases they investigate – which are very sensitive – involve the country's elite. "Our work is long and complicated, and the mission has created expectations that will be impossible to fulfill," he admits. "EULEX is a frustration-making machine."
Who remembers Kosovo? The 1999 war. NATO bombing of Serbia. The international contingent – the KFOR – and UN administration. On Feb. 17, 2008, the Republic of Kosovo declared its independence, which is recognized today by 98 UN member states. After the independence, the EU took from the UN and created the largest civil mission in its history – EULEX. The internationally supervised independence came to an end in September 2012. Summed up like this, the timeline of Kosovo's history seems quite linear. A story of emancipation. But upon closer look, things are not so simple. For instance, if you were to flip over Kosovo's new criminal procedure code, you would find the logo of the U.S. State Department.
As Afghanistan and Iraq have taught us, winning the peace is far more complex than winning the war. And in Kosovo as well, the issue of the cost of "state building" – more than 600 million euros in five years for EULEX – and the methods used beg the question: what is the price of stability and peace? On this subject, suspicions are growing: is the EU turning a blind eye to corruption and organized crime?
Priority has been given to the diplomatic talks between Kosovo and Serbia, which started in March 2011. "Everyone –from EU members to local authorities – seems disappointed by EULEX. But it is wrong to believe that bringing judges and police officers is enough for everything to change right away. It takes time," says Samuel Zbogar, a Slovenian representative of the EU in Kosovo.
"Your judges and policemen despise us"
EULEX's first weakness is political. Its goal is to help a state that five EU members don't recognize (Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia). The second is territorial. The mission cannot work properly in the northern towns, which are populated by Serbs. EULEX vehicles are not always able to pass through the roadblocks, and witnesses are intimidated or hostile to the mission. The multiple layers of administrations add to the chaos. How do you enforce the law if you don't know which one to use?
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Map of EU member states and their stance on recognising Kosovo's independence
Source: Wikimedia
There are also the complexities of "state building:" the EULEX expats, who are well paid (8,000 euros) have a tendency to answer more to their governments than to their hierarchy. They don't spend enough time in Kosovo – one or two years – to know the local issues and mindset, even if many have previously worked with UNMIK, the UN mission in Kosovo. Their Kosovar colleagues are not ready to take over. More than 80% of them were trained during the former Yugoslav regime and have been unemployed for years. "They don't know the jurisprudence, and the younger ones lack training," says General Bout de Marnhac. It is not likely that the EULEX mission will end in June 2014, as expected. The Kosovar justice system doesn't have the freedom, the means, or the competence to deal with the sensitive cases on its own.
One of the cases that made the most noise was the Limaj case. Fatmir Limaj, a former transportation minister, was targeted by several criminal investigations. One of the key witnesses in his war-crimes trial committed suicide in Germany. But Limaj, after a first acquittal, was incarcerated in November 2012.
"Can you think of another European country where the ruling party has been targeted by so many investigations?" asks Vice-Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci. "Your judges and policemen despise us. They are not accountable for their actions. They shouldn't be allowed to take over cases from our magistrates without even telling them."
The government's critics differ from the opposition's, who denounces a selective justice system. "Only the small fish end up in jail, not the big sharks. Limaj is in jail so that Prime Minister Thaci doesn't have to go to prison," says Albin Kurti, the leader of the Vetevendosje nationalist movement. He wants Europe to send teachers and doctors instead of judges and police officers.
Avni Zogiani, an anti-corruption activist, has similar doubts concerning EULEX's motivations. "We gave them files and evidence," he says, "they carried out investigations but in the end, they didn't charge anyone. EULEX gives impunity to those – in the elite – who are the most docile."


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Friday, July 23, 2010
OEH: Open Education Hardware?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Just Another Cell in the Brain?: The Internet and Education
Image via Wikipedia
Recently, Robert Wright, journalist and author of various books including The Evolution of God and Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny, penned an op-ed in the New York Times in which he contemplates the Internet in all its ubiquitous (albeit Big Brotherish) glory. Wright suggests:
"...technology is weaving humans into electronic webs that resemble big brains — corporations, online hobby groups, far-flung N.G.O.s. And I personally don't think it's outlandish to talk about us being, increasingly, neurons in a giant superorganism..."
While Wright's rhetoric seems a bit Huxley-esque, his message in a nutshell is that the overall social impact of the Internet won't necessarily be a sinister one. Nor does Wright kowtow to technology extremists who praise the Internet as if it's the Second Coming.
While it can be difficult to see what, exactly, is so great about being another cell in a cosmic, web-like superbrain, Wright makes a compelling case that stands in stark contrast to Internet denouncements that have recently been proferred by the likes of Nicholas Carr, author of the now-infamous article, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" (as well as an accompanying book just out--The Shallows: What the Internet is doing to Our Brains)
Wright argues that while sure, we waste a lot of time on the Internet, these temporal inefficiencies are negligible when we compare them to the incredible social efficiencies that enable any user, anywhere at any time to connect with like-minded people and to disseminate, search for, and digest information on just about anything.
For education as a whole, the implications of these efficiencies cannot be overemphasized. While some are hesitant to embrace the open education movement, let us conceptually stand for a moment at the intersection of education and the Internet. Imagine a library that is so vast, it defies mapping, a digital, ethereal, tangled web of people and information that, when properly channeled, has the ability to make self-education a reality for anyone who is willing to learn?
It is these things that we should consider before we write off the technology that some have too readily dismissed. Of course, with every technological blessing, there will be roadblocks, and with the Internet, it's minefields of frivolous distraction. But not all distractions are created equally, and sometimes it is precisely distraction that will lead to new fields of inquiry.
After all, perhaps the ultimate goal of education is to foster a passion for continued learning that extends beyond formal schooling, no matter what the subject. And no one can deny that the Internet is perhaps the one medium that has most furthered this goal for the greatest amount of people globally.
This guest post is contributed by Kate Cunningham, who writes on the topics of online university rankings. She welcomes your questions and comments at her email Id: email@example.com.
Related articles by Zemanta
- Building One Big Brain (opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com)
- Getting Distracted Online Is Good for Humanity (newser.com)
- The Shallows: Interview with Nicholas Carr (800ceoread.com)
Thursday, July 08, 2010
What is Blackboard Building Now?
Image via WikipediaThere is a notice in Inside Higher Ed on Blackboard's purchase of Elluminate and Wimba entitled "Blackboard's Big Buy." It begins:


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SIDELINE PATROL: Allegations against UConn display Web's muscle
Roughly a day before the No. 1 seed Connecticut Huskies were to return to play in the NCAA tournament after advancing to the Sweet 16, allegations of recruiting violations surfaced against the basketball program.
What is new here? UConn is a powerhouse college basketball team and the reason they are is because powerhouses recruit the best players. You have to figure it was just the Huskies turn to battle the allegations and move on with whatever sanctions would be given or not given.
But this story is different. Unlike, so many other allegations brought upon other schools by coaches who turn to newspapers to tell their story or investigative reporters who dig up evidence against baseball players taking steroids for a national magazine, this story never saw print.
The release of information was strictly distributed through the World Wide Web. Nevertheless it was through a company best known for its web portal and search engine. Not a trusted newspaper or high profile magazine. Remeber recruiting allegations against Reggie Bush.
Yahoo! Sports claims that through its six-month investigation, former UConn guard Nate Miles was provided lodging, transportation, restaurant meals and representation by Josh Nochimson, a professional sports agent and former UConn student manager.
What is even more shocking is that it could well be true because it has become the biggest storyline of the NCAA tournament during the week hiatus in between play. Head coach Jim Calhoun didn't vehemently refute it thus giving it more legs.
Calhoun admitted that he knew words were written about his program although he hadn't read them. But where the real story lies is where the story came from. Calhoun initially called it a newspaper story before deciding it was a "blog story, I guess, that appeared on something that I probably can't get ahold of.''
Just this morning, I?heard on the radio that the Houston Chronicle was laying off many employees. Newspapers are going under in every part of the nation due to the spread of the Internet because of the unbeatable quickness and convenience it offers to our pampered society.
The radio talk show host acted like it was funny. That only elderly people still read the newspaper because they don't know how to get the information online. That it is only good for wrapping fish or crawfish boils and that local newspapers are no longer needed. That is where he loses his argument. Without local newspapers you would lose too much information you can't get anywhere else. It is my job to provide people with coverage of their local teams and you can't receive that without the dedication of a local newspaper providing local news. Sometimes I get frustrated with my job but press on because I?know someone has to be reading it or at least looking at the pictures. (I?hope.) More than anything I?love what I do and it is a gift to be able to love what you do.
I admit, we might not be far from everything being online but I don't know where I would be without the Sunday sports page.


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March 19, 2009 — -- Natasha Richardson's death was indeed caused by her fall on a Canadian ski slope.
The New York City Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on the Tony Award-winning actress Thursday. She died Wednesday at age 45. The office ruled her death accidental, citing the cause as an epidural hematoma due to a blunt impact to the head.
Funeral arrangements for Richardson will be handled by New York City's Greenwich Village Funeral Home.
Richardson's husband, actor Liam Neeson, and family members were by her side when she died. Her death was announced in a statement released Wednesday evening by Neeson's publicist.
"Liam Neeson, his sons and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," the statement said. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."
Richardson fell Monday at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. She initially appeared fine and joked about the fall, but the ski patrol insisted she see a doctor. Richardson declined, the resort said in a statement Tuesday.
Thursday, ABC News learned more details about what happened between when Richardson fell and when she sought medical attention. At 12:43 p.m. Monday, the first call to the paramedics was made. An ambulance arrived at 1 p.m. and transported Richardson from the foot of the mountain to the infirmary by sleigh.
Richardson thought she was fine and didn't want to stay at the infirmary. At 1:10 p.m., Richardson signed hospital waiver paperwork and walked 300 yards to hotel along with her ski instructor. She was back in her room by 1:30 p.m.
At 2:59 p.m., paramedics received a second call for help. An ambulance showed up at the hotel exactly ten minutes later. Richardson was conscious but showing signs that made paramedics call the hematology department at the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe, where the ambulance took her.
On Wednesday, a Canadian newspaper confirmed that an ambulance was dispatched to the resort right after the accident, but the paramedics were told they were not needed and left.
"They never saw the patient," Yves Coderre, the operations manager for the ambulance service, told the Globe and Mail. "So they turned around."
"When you have a head trauma you can bleed. It can deteriorate in a few hours or a few days," Coderre added. "People don't realize it can be very serious. We warn them they can die and sometimes they start to laugh. They don't take it seriously."
Richardson was later transferred to Hôpital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal before being flown to New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital Tuesday,where her relatives rushed to her side.
On Tuesday night, Richardson's mother, actress Vanessa Redgrave, was seen entering the New York City hospital. So was Richardson's sister, Joely Richardson. Neeson also reportedly was by her side. Actress Lauren Bacall was photographed visiting the hospital Wednesday afternoon.
The Toronto Star reported that Richardson, lying heavily wrapped in blankets in an intensive-care bed, tubes covering her face, was loaded into an ambulance outside Montreal's Hôpital du Sacre-Coeur at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, in preparation for her flight to New York.
Neeson was crouched down in the back of the ambulance watching as she was loaded, according to the Toronto Star.
Tuesday, the Mont Tremblant ski resort, released the following statement regarding her accident:
"Natasha Richardson fell in a beginners trail while taking a ski lesson at Station Mont Tremblant," the statement said. "She was accompanied by an experienced ski instructor who immediately called the ski patrol. She did not show any visible sign of injury but the ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor.
"As an additional precautionary measure, the ski instructor as well as the ski patrol accompanied Mrs. Richardson to her hotel," the statement continued. "They again recommended she should be seen by a doctor. The ski instructor stayed with her at her hotel. Approximately an hour after the incident Mrs. Richardson was not feeling good. An ambulance was called and Mrs. Richardson was brought to the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe and was later transferred to Hôpital du Sacre-Coeur."
A spokesperson for the resort noted Richardson was not wearing a helmet while skiing and didn't collide with anything when she fell. Thursday, in the wake of her death, Quebec officials said they are considering making helmets mandatory on ski slopes, according to The Associated Press.
Neeson, 56, left the set of "Chloe," a movie he was filming in Toronto, and rushed to his wife's side upon learning the news.
"'Chloe' will continue with its production schedule focusing on scenes which feature other cast members," the publicist for the film said in a statement to "Entertainment Tonight." "There are some scenes with Liam Neeson which have not been completed, however, we do not feel this is the time to address that matter. Our concern is for Liam and his family at this difficult time."
Richardson had two sons with Neeson, Michael, 13, and Daniel Jack, 12.
Celebrities React to Richardson's Passing
Following the news of Richardson's death, friends in Hollywood reflected on her career and legacy.
"Tash was the warm sun in the center of a large constellation of family, friends, all of those lucky enough to know her," Meryl Street said in a statement to ABC News. "She is irreplaceable in our lives; she gave us so much, so generously -- her legacy is the love that connects us all."
Lindsay Lohan, who co-starred with the actress in 1998's "The Parent Trap," released the following statement through her publicist.
"She was a wonderful woman and actress and treated me like I was her own," Lohan's statement said. "I didn't see much of her over the years but I will miss her. My heart goes out to her family. This is a tragic loss."
Jane Fonda wrote about Richardson on her blog, saying that she met the actress on a movie set when Richardson was just a child.
"I first met her on the set of Julia [in which she starred with Vanessa Redgrave]. She was a little girl but already beautiful and graceful. It didn't surprise me that she became such a talented actor," Fonda said.
Ralph Fiennes appeared with the actress in the 2005 period drama "The White Countess."
"For everyone who knew and loved her, Natasha's death is a terrible, devastating loss. She was a star. A great actress, a beautiful woman, a fiercely loyal friend, a brilliant and generous companion. She was an adoring and loving wife and mother. She was unique. My thoughts and prayers go out to Liam and her beautiful sons, Micheál and Danny and to all her family," Fiennes told ABC News in a statement.
"I cannot imagine a world without her wit, her love, her mischief, her great, great talent and her gift for living. I loved her very much. She was a supreme friend. I shall miss her deeply."
"Natasha is irreplaceable," actress Mia Farrow said in a statement to reporters. "I cannot think of anyone kinder, more generous, thoughtful, smarter or more fun. She is the godmother of two of my children. The Neesons and Vanessa [Redgrave] have always made me feel a part of their wonderful family. My thoughts and prayers are with them."
"Natasha was brilliant, beautiful, funny, talented beyond measure, as emotionally raw as she was razor sharp," said Jodie Foster, who co-starred in 1994's "Nell" along with Richardson and Neeson. "May Liam, her beautiful boys and her loving family hold her close as they move through this tragic moment."
"She had an incredibly luminous quality, that you seldom see, and a great sense of humor," Dame Judy Dench said in a statement to reporters. "I thought she was a really great actress."
"We spent one amazing day on a boat with my whole family and she and Liam and the boys," Joan Rivers said in a statement to reporters. "They were such a family. I mean just shouldn't have happened. And they made such a good-looking couple too. He doted on what she said, she doted on -- it was just perfect."
Sam Mendes, who cast Richardson as Sally Bowles in "Cabaret," remembered her mastery of her craft.
"Natasha combined the best of Redgrave and Richardson: the enormous depth and emotional force of a great actor on the one hand, and the intelligence and objectivity of a great director on the other," he said in a statement to reporters. "She was one of a kind, a magnificent actress. She was also an amazing mother, a loyal friend, and the greatest and most generous host you could ever hope to meet. It defies belief that this gifted, brave, tenacious, wonderful woman is gone."
Richardson Part of Acting Dynasty
Richardson was a member of one of Britain's most famous acting dynasties. She was the eldest daughter of Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave, 72, and director Tony Richardson.
Her father passed away in 1991 due to complications with AIDS. She had long been a supporter of AIDS-related charities, including amfAR, on whose board she had served since 2006.
Asked to comment on her skiing accident before Richardson's death was announced, a representative for amfAR told ABCNews.com, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Natasha and her family right now. Obviously, we're very saddened and disturbed by this news."
Richardson also donated her services to God's Love We Deliver, an organization that provides fresh meals to people living with HIV/AIDS.
"Everyone at God's Love We Deliver is profoundly saddened to hear about her accident," Karen Pearl, president of the organization, said in a statement to ABCNews.com before Richardson's death. "As we hope for the best, our thoughts and prayers are with her, Liam, and their entire family at this difficult time."
Richardson's sister, Joely, stars in the TV series "Nip/Tuck."
Richardson's Rich Career
Richardson starred in many films, including "The Parent Trap," "Maid in Manhattan," "A Month in the Country," "Gothic" and "Nell." But her chief experience was in theater. She was trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and won a Tony Award in 1998 for playing Sally Bowles in "Cabaret." As a tribute to her, the theaters of Broadway said they would dim their lights Thursday night.
Sher met her husband in 1984 while filming the TV mini-series "Ellis Island," but their relationship didn't blossom until 1993, when they reunited on Broadway for a revival of "Anna Christie." Their on-stage chemistry was too strong to ignore, and shortly after "Anna Christie's" run, Richardson separated from her husband, producer Robert Fox. She and Neeson married in 1994.
Richardson acted with her legendary mother at multiple points in her career. In January, Richardson and Redgrave played the roles of mother and daughter in a one-night benefit concert version of "A Little Night Music," the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical, on Broadway.
The two also acted alongside each other in the 1985 theatrical revival "The Seagull" and the 2007 movie "Evening." In a 2003 interview with UK newspaper The Guardian, Richardson talked about taking on the same profession as her mother.
"I don't know if I could ever put myself in the same category as her," she said. "She is one of the greatest actresses of our time, so I'm not sure I would put myself in that bracket."
She expanded further in a 2005 interview with The Independent.
"I know the pressures of being the daughter of a great actress," Richardson told the newspaper. "But it's inspiring. You learn so much that other people don't get to learn until later on. My father being a director, I learnt a real work ethic. You think: 'One day, I'd like to be as good as that.' But when I was starting out professionally, I had a level of attention put on me that I didn't deserve or wasn't ready for. And it was hard, particularly in England, to make my way. That's partly why I moved to New York, where you can be who you are for your work and not so much to do with family baggage."
But in the same interview, Richardson talked about how she didn't want her sons going into acting.
"They'd be the sons of a great actor," she told The Independent. "And that's quite a gorilla to carry on your back. This profession is very tough and not many people make it , and even if you do, then you can still get slapped in the face constantly. So I hope they do something else -- but if they're determined, so be it."
Additional reporting contributed by ABC News' Sharyn Alfonsi, Monica Escobedo, Emily Friedman, Lindsay Goldwert and Luchina Fisher.


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Mhairi Simpson, and I, once again, sat down to write a series of very ambitious targets for 2018 when the year was only a few days old. After the success of the last few years, I have become a real fan of this process as it has given me clear targets to work towards throughout the year and then at the end of every month, hold myself to account in fulfilling these goals. So how did I do in February?
• Rewrite Miranda's Tempest
After completing Miranda's Tempest and sending it out last year, I am hoping to have my rewrite completed by the end of March, using the feedback from an agent who has shown interest in the manuscript. She further suggested that I send it to a professional editor before resubmitting it to her, which I intend to do.
As is often the case, now that I have the completed manuscript, I can see how to improve it further. Though I shall be glad to finish this one – it rides on my shoulders like a demon… I have contacted an editor who is willing to plough through the manuscript in June – so I now have a hard deadline to work to, which is always a help.
• Learn to market my books
I conducted my first giveaway for Running Out of Space along with an Amazon ad and given it was only for 24 hours, I was pleased with the result. I have some extra keywords to add and I'm going to be tweaking my description on Amazon. I have also added the covers for my two self-published novels to my blog site.
• Write at least 100 reviews for my blog
I read 13 books in February – and the standout ones for me were the space opera adventures – Into the Fire by Elizabeth Moon; The Hyperspace Trap by Christopher Nuttall and Queen of Chaos by Sabrina Chase.
I have undertaken to read at least 24 books this year written by women authors previously unknown to me as part of the Discovery Challenge, thanks to Joanne Hall's post. In February, the 4 books I've read towards my Discovery Challenge 2018 are:-
Keeper of the Watch – Book 1 of the Dimension 7 series by Kristen L. Jackson
Chase Walker is beginning to doubt his own sanity. From the moment he turned eighteen, a strange paranoia has taken over his mind. It all started the moment he discovered his uncle's old watch… The watch calls to him. Though it beckons, he resists. His body strains toward it, blood pulsing, heart pounding in a mysterious and primitive need to connect with his uncle's old beat up watch.
An entertaining parallel dimension adventure that really got going after an unexpected twist halfway through which I found original and engrossing.
Going Grey – Book 1 of The Ringer series by Karen Traviss
Who do you think you are? Ian Dunlap doesn't know. When he looks in the mirror, he's never sure if he'll see a stranger. After years of isolation, thinking he's crazy, he discovers he's the product of an illegal fringe experiment in biotechnology that enables him to alter his appearance at will…
Tense contemporary sci fi thriller tale with plenty of action and adventure. While the writing is good, there were aspects regarding this book that I didn't like, so I decided not to review it.
Fire and Bone – Book 1 of the Otherborn series by Rachel A. Marks
Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she's invited to a party — one that turns out to be a trap.
Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she's the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she's asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she's tempted — especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld.
I really liked how this story draws on the myths of the Celtic gods and goddesses and look forward to reading more about this world.
The Magic Chair Murder: a 1920s English Mystery – Book 1 of the Black and Dods series by Diane Janes
The night before she's due to make a speech to the Robert Barnaby Society on the subject of the famous writer's 'magic chair', committee member Linda Dexter disappears. When her body is discovered two days later, fellow members Frances Black and Tom Dod determine to find out the truth about her death. Could Linda have discovered something about Robert Barnaby that got her killed? Or does the answer lie in the dead woman's past? As they pursue their investigations, Fran and Tom find the Barnaby Society to be a hotbed of clashing egos, seething resentments and ill-advised love affairs – but does a killer lurk among them?
I loved this one, which firmly follows in the footsteps of Agatha Christie's whodunits in realising the time and the intricate plotting. Highly recommended for fans of historical murder mysteries.
• Continue teaching TW
We are now working on the final elements of this two-year syllabus for Tim's COPE project, which needs to be handed in by Easter, so it's a rather stressful time. Tim is also in the throes of editing the film that was shot last autumn and making very good progress with that. When I see what he now achieves on a daily basis and measure that against what he could manage only a couple of years ago, I cannot get over just how much he has progressed and continues to do so.
• Continue to improve my fitness
I have now resumed my Pilates and Fitstep classes – I wish they weren't on the same day, but at least I get to jig around once week. With the continuing cold weather, I have gained more weight than I wanted, though I'm hoping to lose most of it for the summer. My hip has been a bit grumbly during the cold, but it is easily sorted out, these days.
I have read a total of 24 books this year, including 7 towards my 2018 Discovery Challenge and 5 towards my Reduce the TBR Pile Challenge. My wordcount for the month, including blog articles and teaching admin as well as work on my novel, was just under 43,000, bringing my yearly total to the end of February to just over 86,000 words.


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Yesterday was the longest workday known to man. I got to work at 10 am (hey, that's early for a musician!) and didn't make it home until midnight. So I was super happy to see the new spring Vogue patterns awaiting my return.
I think it looks like a decent crop. There is a nice basic trench coat (which I won't make, but it is nice!) and even a few men's patterns. There is, of course, some inexplicable posing, but there you go. I can mock Vogue, but the truth is that they fit me the best out of the Big 4, and they generally have the most current patterns .
I'm thinking of joining Club BMV. Does anyone have any feedback on that? I feel kind of bad because I do live in driving distance of Joann's. But with my schedule the way it is now, I don't have any time to. Or rather, I do, but if I spend the time to do that I don't have sewing time. Or they are out of my size, or I can't make the days they are on sale. I think I'd rather just spend the postage. Maybe it would keep me from buying shoddy Joann's fabric as well? Because I need to stop doing that.
Let's start with the designer patterns. Sadly, Donna Karan has let me down here. I usually love her designs, but these are too fussy for me. I do like the red one from the front, but not the back… and besides, I've sworn off pencil skirts for a bit. Here is what I do like:
Go ahead, laugh at the "thinking" pose, because that model does it many more times. This dress is really cute! The details are lost in the print, so here is the line drawing:
It calls for light fabrics (crepe de chine, voile) etc. I think I would use a rayon challis. I like that it's lined. Should make a great summer dress!
I call this her "spying on someone around the corner" pose. This appears to be a mock wrap style, which I prefer. The pattern calls for crepe de chine or jersey. I think this is crepe, and that's what I would use. Jersey might be a little loose.
Other Dresses
Not that you can tell from the modeled photo, but this dress has cute lines. I like the middy length and the fact that it calls for a knit! I'd use a lighter doubleknit or ponte.
According to the ladies on Patternreview, this dress (with the straight skirt) is a knock-off of a famous design. I would be more likely to make this version, though I might make the top symmetrical. I'll have to see some completed versions first! It is designed for wovens. I am imagining a dark gray lightweight suiting for the body, and a contrasting band in the middle (I might use a color, as once I tried a contrast band out of black and it looked super homemade.
This is different enough to pique my interest – maybe in a plaid because I have no imagination. The description reads : Dress has bias overbodice, fitted, lined bodice and back zipper.
What, pray tell, is an overbodice? I'm assuming that's the cowl bit, and the piece behind (looks like a dickie, sorry!) is the bodice. I would assume that the overbodice attaches at the waist and sides to the back, so I don't really understand the descriptions.
Hmm… maybe. I think this looks breezy and fun as pictured, with cute flat sandals. Of course, that totally ignores the fact that I basically don't wear sandals at all, no way. Especially not that kind, which I think make my feet look enormous.
I love this! I lack tops to wear with skinny jeans and leggings in the summer – I pretty much only have sweaters! I think you would need to take care and reinforce the neckline and armholes, otherwise the longer piece would stretch unevenly.
Guys, this isn't even the same model, which means they were directed to do that gesture! Anyway, I like that there are pleats instead of a gathered neckline.
Vogue 8877
Not setting the world on fire, but I want it to replicate a top I saw at Saks.
That's it for now – I will buy the two designer patterns and the last top first.


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March 5, 20123—, 2013 -- Cassidy Hooper has high hopes for a career in radio broadcasting, despite her physical challenges. The 16-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., was born with no eyes or nose.
She attends The Governor Morehead School in Raleigh, N.C., a residential K-12 school for the blind, but no challenge is too big for her: She runs on the track team and recently qualified for a scholarship to the Charlotte Curling Club.
And soon, by the end of the school year, she will have a new nose.
Since the age of about 11, Cassidy has gone through a series of skin graft and facial reconstruction operations at Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte. In three final surgeries done over two to three weeks, doctors will stretch skin flaps over a bone or cartilage graft from another part of her body.
Cassidy said she is excited that for the first time she will be able to smell and breathe through her nose. "I'll have a real nose like everyone else's," she said.
Nothing has ever stood in the way of Cassidy's optimism and ambition.
"Things always may be hard," Cassidy told ABCNews.com. "But here's what I think: I don't need easy, I just need possible."
No one knows why Cassidy was born without eyes and a nose, a rare birth defect that likely occurred during the first two weeks of gestation.
"Her heart and brain are normal," said her mother, Susan Hooper, 42 and a kindergarten teacher. "Nothing else is going on with her."
Cassidy's father, Aaron Hooper is a 47-year-old engineer and she has two sisters, 18 and 12.
From the moment she was born, her reconstructive surgeon, Dr. David Matthews, knew Cassidy would eventually have surgery, but had to wait until she stopped growing. He put in an expander to stretch the skin above her mouth and widened her face to create a bony opening, then an airway.
"It's been a long process," said Hooper.
As a little girl, Cassidy had prosthetics for eyes, but at $5,000 a piece the family could not afford to replace the custom-made eyes when she outgrew them.
"Insurance didn't pay one cent," said her mother. "We had already started the process to do her nose, moving her eyes closer together and having her skull reshaped. We were not going to pay for it then have to pay again."
She said once Cassidy's nose surgery was complete, they would buy new prosthetic eyes.
To be born with no eyes and nose is "exceedingly rare," said Dr. Sherard A. Tatum III, director of facial and reconstructive surgery at Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y.
A member of the American Academy of Facial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tatum volunteers with its Face to Face program, providing free facial surgeries to children in the Third World.
Building the foundation for a nose is complex, said Tatum, who does not treat Cassidy.
"The nose is a little like the ear -- what you see isn't functional," he said. "A lot of people have noses they lost to trauma and cancer and breathe fine and have a sense of smell. The nose is something we expect to see in its conventional place and it's good to put glasses on, but it's not 100 percent necessary."
"The nose is a bit of a tee-pee," said Tatum. "The soft tissues that make up the inside and the outside skin and mucus membrane don't have a lot of strength to stick out of the face like the nose does. You can't just slap some skin up there and make it look like a nose."
So doctors take a step by step approach, laying the inside membrane, then eventually using a combination of bone and cartilage from the skull or other part of the body for the structure and covering it with skin again.
These surgeries are successful, particularly in children. "They're very healthy, don't smoke or drink and don't have artheroschlerosis," said Tatum. "They have tremendous healing power and are less likely to get infection."
The hardest part for children is the social challenges.
Since the fifth grade, Cassidy has gone to Governor Morehead School. The first week, Cassidy turned to her mother and said, "Mom, everyone here is blind, so I'm normal."
Though she had some stares and taunts as a young child, her social life today is busy. "Honestly, there's been a bit of teasing, but not more than any other child on a regular day," said her mother.
If Hooper is with her daughter and notices stares, she'll often say preemptively, "Do you have a question -- she looks kind of different. And she'll answer the question herself."
"When kids realize it's just an outward thing, and she likes everything else other teenagers like, they are more accepting," she said.
Cassidy is a strong student on the graduation track to go to college and study broadcast journalism.
"She's very outgoing and never met a stranger," said Hooper. "Whenever we go anywhere, she says, 'Put me by the pool and I'll go make friends.' She loves to talk and is very, very self-confident."
In 2011, Cassidy protested a law that required the Department of Public Instruction to close one of three schools that serve the blind and deaf in North Carolina, appearing at a public hearing in Raleigh. Her school was spared.
"I love it," she said. "The class sizes are real small -- 9 or 10 kids -- you might be the only student in the class."
In track and field events, she runs the 75-yard dash with the help of a cable to direct her. "I hold on to this rope and it slides across the cable like a zip line. I just run and it helps me."
When she does curling -- the Canadian Olympic sport on ice -- she relies on an assistant to serve as her eyes.
"To me, if it's something hard, I get through it," said Cassidy.
Her classmate and friend, Noah Cameron Long, 20, is impressed with her spirit and her talent. He, too, has been blind since birth and uses a walker because of cerebral palsy.
"She is very technologically savvy," said Long, who is from Fuquay-Varina, N.C. "We both want to go into the same field in the future."
The couple has dated since 2009 and has done campus radio shows together. "She's really into music," said Long.
Cassidy uses a screen reader program called Jaws for her computers at home and at school. She also has an iPad with a voice over. "Apple makes it more accessible for blind people," she said.
Already, she is a bit of a local celebrity. Cassidy's story is one of several others with challenges in the book by two Charlotte authors, "Forever Hellos, Hard Good-Byes."
Just recently, a local radio host offered her the microphone.
"It was the first time and I actually did my own radio broadcast for an hour -- I took over," she said. "I have been listening to radio since I was younger, and I like how they do it. I am interested in jingles."
Among her guests were the authors of the book. Cassidy's advice to others with disabilities -- "If you have challenges, be positive about it."


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Obama applauds Iowa Democrats for their help
WASHINGTON - Inserting his voice into a big night for Republicans, President Barack Obama appealed to Iowa Democrats on Tuesday during the first balloting in the GOP presidential campaign, seeking to counter months of withering criticism in the state that launched his presidential ambitions four years ago.
Obama told party activists in a live video teleconference that because of their support, the Iraq war ended, a major health care reform bill was signed into law and the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays ended.
"Because of you, because of all the memories I have of being in your living rooms, meeting you in a diner or seeing you over in a campaign office, I have never lost that same source of inspiration that drove me to embark on this journey in the first place," Obama told Democrats attending precinct caucuses.
Obama outlined his progress during the first term and asked party activists for their help as Republicans made their first step toward choosing a challenger among a field that included Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and others. Beyond its early voting status, Iowa was expected to be hotly contested in the fall election.
"We're battling millions of dollars of negative advertising and lobbyists and special interests who don't want to see the change that you worked so hard for to fully take root," Obama said. "And that's why this time out is going to be, in some ways, more important than the first time out.
"The problems that we've been dealing with over the last three years, they didn't happen overnight and we're not going to fix them overnight," he said. "We've been making steady progress."
Obama wasted little time getting back in front of voters following a Hawaiian vacation spent largely out of the spotlight. Today, Obama will travel to Cleveland for an event focused on the economy.
The president used the video teleconference to talk directly with voters, an approach that encountered some audio problems during the short speech and question-and-answer session.
Obama was seeking to counter months of pounding by Republicans in Iowa and by the Republican National Committee, which has assailed Obama's economic record and tagged him as a president who has failed to live up to lofty expectations.
"Three years later, the president's promises of hope and change have been replaced with a record of failed leadership and policies that have made the economy worse," RNC spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski said.
Iowa looks to be among about a dozen states that could shift either way in the 2012 campaign. Iowa has switched its support in each of the past three elections, supporting Obama in 2008, Republican President George W. Bush in 2004 and Democrat Al Gore in 2000.
In Des Moines, roughly 200 people gathered at a caucus site at Lincoln High School, making small talk and waiting for Obama to speak as a girls' basketball game was played in an adjoining gym. Several party loyalists said they thought Obama could reignite the loyal support he generated in 2008.
"No Republican candidate is exciting their base. There's just isn't anybody exciting their base, and if they can't get excited, I just can't believe they have a chance whatsoever," said Danny Waterman, 65, a retired police officer who supported Obama four years ago.
Rebecca Kaiser, 60, an insurance clerk who served as a precinct chairwoman for Obama's campaign in 2008, said the president's "hands have really been tied."
"Without the support of Congress he can't get anything done, and now it seems as though he's learning to put a little more pressure on them," Kaiser said. "I would have liked to have seen that earlier on, but hindsight is 20/20."
Trying to build on his 2008 win there, Obama's campaign has opened eight offices in the state and had held more than 1,200 training sessions, phone banks and other events and made more than 350,000 phone calls to supporters since April.
The president's re-election campaign emailed supporters a video of Obama's Iowa victory speech in January 2008, arguing he has kept the promises he made that night: making health care more affordable, cutting taxes for the middle class, ending the war in Iraq and reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil.
Looking ahead, Obama faces more debate on extending payroll tax cuts, the same issue that consumed Washington during the final days of December.
Congress broke through a stalemate just days before Christmas, agreeing to extend the cuts for two months. Lawmakers will get back to work later this month to negotiate a full-year extension of the cuts, which Obama supports.
White House officials say the tax cut extension is the last "must-do" legislative item on Obama's agenda this year. His strategy for his fourth year in office will focus largely on taking executive actions that do not need approval from lawmakers as he seeks to break away from a deeply unpopular Congress.
Meredith reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press writers Julie Pace and Jim Kuhnhenn contributed to this report.


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It's no surprise that my Pinterest feed these past few weeks have consisted of colorful bikinis, floral prints, pastel colors, and spring décor. But my favorite trend of the season? Infused water.
For the longest time I couldn't bring myself to drink water, it was just so bland compared to my favorite fizzy soda pop flavors. However, last semester a friend of mine introduced me to infused water, and I was instantly hooked. Infused water helps make staying hydrated fun, offers a dose of essential vitamins, gently cleanses your body and works as a natural skin care. But, the best part about it all? It's such a quick and easy process, it takes just under 5 minutes to prepare!
Making your own infused water is quick and simple! Here's how to make your own infused water:
Step 1: Fill a pitcher with water,
Step 2: add thinly sliced fruits, herbs or spices and ice
Step 3: chill in the refrigerator.
For stronger flavored water, prepare it a day ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight before drinking, The fruit should stay fresh as long as you keep your water refrigerated, and should be consumed in 3-5 days. That's it! No fancy gadgets or confusing recipe cards, it's simple as 1,2,3.
Here are a some infused water recipes that make will make your taste buds sing…
– Raspberry + lemon + mint
– Strawberry + Kiwi
– Lemon + cucumber + mint
– Blackberry + cherry + lime
– Orange + lemon + lime
– Strawberry + Lime + Mint
We're always on the hunt for new flavor combinations, so snap a photo of your beautiful beverage on Instagram or tweet us your favorite recipe on twitter by using #tastebuddanceparty


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Coast to Coast: Houston, We Have a Problem
I'd planned to videotape for you this morning's launch of STS-127, but a hydrogen leak scrubbed the launch.
The earliest they could launch is Wednesday, but that would conflict with the Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter launch scheduled for 3:51 PM EDT that afternoon.
Whatever launches that day, if anything, I'll try to get video from nearby and post it online.


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I know ! No groaning out there.
I can hear you! LOL
Yes I've made a Christmas Project.
Peoples it's June already! Only 205 days until Christmas!
Starting in January. {It hasn't happened} Until this month! I just finished my first Christmas Gift! A Super Fun and Pretty Simple Table Runner And the Holly Jolly Snowmen Fabric by Kathy Schmitz is PERFECT for this pattern.
So go ahead! I give you permission to make your first Christmas Gift of the year! It will feel totally awesome to have one thing checked off your Christmas List already!
1 Charm Pack of Holly Jolly Snowmen
1/4 yd. Sashing / Featured: snowflakes from Holly Jolly Snowmen Collection
1/4 yd. Binding & Stars / Featured: red from Holly Jolly Snowmen Collection
1/2 yd. Backing / Featured: navy snowmen from Holly Jolly Snowmen Collection
All seams are 1/4″
Pick out 10 Charm Squares for inside of Table Runner
Pick out 12 Charm Squares for Outside Border
Cut from 12 Charm Squares (outside border): 48 – 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares
Cut from 1/4 yd. Sashing: 13 – 2 1/2″ x 5″ rectangles and 3 – 1 1/4″ x 44″ strips
Cut from 1/4yd. Binding and Stars: 4 – 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares and 32 – 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ squares (for points) and 3 – 2 1/4″ x 44″ for binding.
Sew 2 1/2″ squares from 12 charm squares picked out
You will need 2 strips of 8 squares (top and bottom or width of Table Runner)
and 2 strips of 16 squares (sides or length of Table Runner)
Sew 1 1/2″ squares to the 2 1/2″ x 5″ rectangles as shown
Trim ends and press point of star away from rectangle piece
Repeat for other side (see photo below) You will have 10 rectangles with points on one end and 3 rectangles with points on both ends. Piece Table Runner as shown in photo's;
Refer to photo of finished Table Runner for placement of the rectangles w/ points on both ends.
Sew 1 1/4″ Inner Border, short ends first, and then sides. Trim. Now sew Outer Border; sides (16 square strips) first.
Then bottom (8 square strips)Quilt and Bind with method you prefer
Wrap it Up and have your first Christmas Gift finished and ready to give!
Approx. Finished Size is 35″ x 16″