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Good Samaritan Hospital for the past 90 years has been the site of countless births, deaths, surgeries, career starts, professional milestones and medical innovations.
On Thursday, the hospital will close its emergency room at noon and at 12:01 a.m. July 23, Good Sam will close for good.
The initial announcement in January on the hospital closing was met with shock, anger and heartbreak over the future loss of the institution that for so long has been an anchor in Dayton and played an important role in life moments of area residents.
The planned closure also raised concerns over what it will mean for the economy and access to health services for the 38,600 people — 75 percent of them African American — for whom Good Samaritan is the closest hospital.
MORE: Competing hospital prepares for Good Samaritan closing
Leaders at Premier Health, which owns the hospital, have said the difficult decision to close Good Samaritan was necessary after it became unsustainable to operate two hospitals five miles apart as both the Dayton population and the need for hospital admissions declines.
Premier, with $1.7 billion in revenue last year, is one of the largest companies in the region and operates Atrium Medical Center, Upper Valley Medical Center and Miami Valley Hospital, along with a network of satellite hospital locations and physician practices.
The doctors, nurses and other members of the Good Samaritan staff — some who have worked for decades at the hospital — have already started transitioning to new jobs throughout the health system and major medical services are shifting to other Premier sites.
Job offers
Premier Health leaders had said during the initial closing announcement that they planned to offer other positions to all of the 1,600 employees who worked at the northwest Dayton hospital campus.
Barbara Johnson, Premier Health chief human resources officer, said as the closing date nears, the Dayton-based health network anticipates that everyone who sought to remain with Premier will be offered a job at another location.
Premier as of last week made about 1,400 job offers to Good Samaritan employees and about 1,200 people accept positions so far.
"It's important, being the largest private employer in Dayton, that we were really able to make this commitment," Johnson said. She said the health system is still recruiting for other positions on top of the positions filled by Premier employees.
Amid a shortage of nurses and physicians, competition for health care workers has intensified and other health care employers saw an opportunity to recruit in the wake of the closure announcement. Grandview Medical Center, operated down the road by competitor Kettering Health Network, reported it hired about 100 from Good Samaritan.
"We understood there were going to be all sorts of attempts to recruit our staff, not only locally but also regionally and nationally. And we knew it was going to be emotional for employees and some might self select out," Johnson said.
One of the challenges to retention is morale. Johnson said Premier held town hall meetings right after the announcement so employees could get their questions answered, created a weekly (sometimes daily) newsletter and had management rounding to answer questions and manage the rumor mill.
"We made sure we eliminated any rumors that may have surfaced so employees got accurate, timely information," Johnson said.
Johnson said they wanted employees to have options for the type of job they preferred and employees filled out preference sheets on their first, second and third choices on where they would like to be placed.
Transportation to hospitals
A civil rights complaint filed by a group of west Dayton clergy over the closure has listed concerns about transportation and how the closure will affect the surrounding population, which is both disproportionately low income and African American.
Johnson said Premier Health is giving financial help through its foundations to some employees who worked at Good Samaritan and are transferring jobs.
"Our foundations are offering up financial assistance to anyone who might have transportation needs for as long as the employees needs for their new work location," she said.
Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority did outreach at Premier locations primarily for their employees since many of them walked or road the bus to Good Samaritan, said Jessica Olsen, RTA communications manager.
MORE: Premier, doctor ask court to dismiss patients' lawsuit
Premier's other major locations like Miami Valley Hospital already have bus stops so she said their work in response to the hospital closing wasn't about making new routes so much as it was about helping workers learn what stops and routes are available.
"We had three or four employee outreach programs directly on the Good Samaritan campus in order to make sure they are ready for the transfer," Olsen said.
Work requirements
Loren Anthes, who researches Ohio Medicaid for Cleveland-based Centers for Community Solutions, said in the wake of Good Samaritan closing down, a larger health access issue at play is the state government's effort to add work requirements for those covered by Medicaid expansion.
The federal government is still considering whether to grant permission for Ohio Medicaid to create the requirements. The state contends 95 percent would be exempt and even smaller percent would eventually lose coverage, though Anthes argues that number will likely be higher if the changes work like SNAP work requirements, which pushed a higher percent than expected off coverage.
In respect to the closing of Good Samaritan, Anthes noted that for those without easy transportation access, if they have Medicaid then their plan can cover transportation to their doctor or hospital.
But if new restrictions make it harder to maintain insurance coverage and at the same time jobs that could satisfy the new rules move out of easy travel distance, that could jeopardize health care access for some.
"Being uninsured is much more predictive of your ability to address your health care than whether or not there's a large hospital within a couple miles," Anthes said.
Emergency situations
Ambulance routes will also have to change after the hospital closes, though several fire chiefs said they will learn more about what the change will specifically mean for run times after the hospital closes.
Trotwood Fire Chief Rick Rick Haacke said about 50 percent of the patients the department transports go to Good Samaritan and the other half go elsewhere.
"The one nice thing is we have Miami Valley North — Good Sam North — right in our backyard," Haacke said, in reference to the Englewood satellite campus of the hospital that will transfer to Miami Valley's license after Good Sam closes.
Haacke said his staff takes patients to the hospital they want to go to, so if they need a larger hospital they can go to Grandview or Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.
He said Miami Valley is farther enough down the road from Good Samaritan where it could noticeably change their run times and the time it takes to get back in service, and they will learn more in the coming months about what specific difference it makes.
MORE: Ohio ACA plans could cost more after Trump suspends billions in payments
Harrison Twp. Administrator Kristofer McClintick also said that the township's fire department is also evaluating what difference it will make routing transportation to other locations.
"We'll assess that as the year goes on," he said.
Emergency care access has been one of the key concerns of a group of clergy that filed a federal civil rights complaint over the closing of Good Samaritan.
With the closing a week away, the complaint has not been assigned a case worker yet by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
On Friday, Rev. Rockney Carter of Zion Baptist Church, who is part of the group, said the clergy are meeting with their legal team to file a possible civil case seeking to fight the closure of Good Samaritan.
What's next
McClintick also sits on the advisory board for what happens next at the hospital site and surrounding area. Premier Health plans to tear down the hospital and turn it into a "shovel ready" site for redevelopment. The planning process, dubbed Phoenix Next, has been led by a planning firm called Planning Next. Premier has pledged $10 million toward its future redevelopment.
McClintick said the board is planning the next phase of what will happen and not just looking at the hospital site but at the surrounding neighborhoods. The next public meeting about the planning process will be in August.
Premier leaders have said the Good Samaritan closure was a difficult but necessary decision.
When the funds were being raised in 1928 to build Good Samaritan Hospital, there was a series of articles sounding the alarm about a critical shortage of hospital beds in the city. Now the demand for Dayton hospital beds has plummeted while population has shifted to the suburbs and medical advancements have let multi-day hospital stays become outpatient procedures.
As the population has shrank and opportunity dwindled, the remaining residents are primarily covered by Medicaid and Medicare, which reimburse hospitals less for services than private insurance.
Scott McGohan, CEO of McGohan Brabender, the largest local employee benefits firm, said he thinks the community should look at what economic factors contributed to the closing of Good Samaritan and find ways to support Grandview to proactively prevent it from also struggling for long-term viability.
"As we look at the population in our county and access to health care, my gut tells me that a lot of people who were using Good Sam are going to start using Grandview. Because of Mediciad reimbursement and Medicare reimbursement potentially we are going to roll those problems over," he said.
Grandview Medical Center leaders said the hospital is here to stay and they are prepared to take on more patients as the neighboring hospital closes.
The hospital is in the final stages of a $25 million expansion of its ER and also adding more cardiology services and parking.
"We've seen a slight increase in charity care, but that's our mission. That's why we're here," said Becky Lewis, president of Grandview.
Good Samaritan beginning
In the late 1920s, the community partnered with the Sisters of Charity in Cincinnati to raise money for a new hospital in Dayton.
The campaign to raise $1 million to construct Good Samaritan Hospital began in 1928 and was led by local businessman John Q. Sherman, who founded the Standard Register Company with his brother William.
The hospital was completed four years later, and opened in 1932 with 250 beds.
During the early years, the hospital was one of 1,125 nursing schools in the country providing a free education for nurses under the Nurses Training Act of 1943.


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'Tis the season for letting loved ones know how special they are by giving them special gifts. But, with so many people to buy for, your shopping list — and the price tag — can get out of control really quickly. Whether you're looking to up the ante at the office or stuff the kids' stockings with something spectacular, let us help you make great holiday memories with these 35 gift ideas under $20! These affordable finds prove that you don't have to break the bank to give great gifts.
We all know that one guy who elevates grilling to an art form. If he happens to be on your holiday shopping list, stuff his stocking with this 3-in-1 Burger Press. He'll love being able to make uniform patties, which will solidify his rep for perfectly cooked burgers every time. The BPA-free BBQ tool also makes sliders and stuffed burgers, allowing your backyard chef to expand his repertoire.
Gifts of comfort are a natural fit for the holiday season when winter weather kicks into high gear, and nothing says cozy quite like a new pair of slippers. This streamlined men's pair features a plush lining for maximum warmth.
This isn't your grandma's scarf! Your fashionable family members will delight in finding this dressy scarf under the tree on Christmas morning. The stripe woven scarf functions as a "third piece", lending jeans and a tee instant style cred. Your dapper guy or gal will kick their crewneck up a notch when they loop this fringed topper around their neck.
Your fisherman or woman will think this gift is "off the hook," I promise. Wrap up this fishing rod case to "reel in" the compliments on Christmas morning. With space for a two-piece rod with reel attached and a handy carry handle, it protects a seaman's most prized possession. There's nothing "fishy" about it. It's just a great gift.
Self-care means something different to everyone. For me, it involves browsing the latest deals online every now and then or taking an extra few minutes at night to moisturize after washing my face. Gift your mom friends some feel-good time of their own this holiday with this four-piece set from Olay. Tip: the included Olay Daily Moisturizer With SPF 15 is a drugstore Hall of Famer!
For the person on your list with a sense of humour (and it helps if they also love cats), this beach towel in Fifi's likeness is hilarious. Buy it for the Kris Kringle exchange at work and watch as the guy with cat pictures on his desk wins it in an epic last-minute steal. But all jokes aside, the towel is huge, making it perfect for the beach or the pool and, at only $15, it provides a lot of bang for your buck!
Give this cute cheetah print, super-absorbent hair towel to the friend who actually can't go out because she has to wash her hair. The special fabric absorbs more water than a regular towel and helps reduce frizz, significantly cutting the time it takes to blow dry and style long hair. Giving this hair towel is really like giving the gift of time, and that is priceless!
When I was in my twenties, I was delighted to find a large gift addressed to me under the tree at my dad's house. I was imagining the makeup palette to end all makeup palettes, or maybe a new laptop — basically everything BUT the tool set I ended up unwrapping. I was disappointed, but fast forward 20 years and that same kit is indispensable around our house! Give this compact version to your kid who has recently struck out on their own for an affordable and practical holiday gift (aka a "dad gift").
Walmart Canada gets an assist for this gift that'll be a slam dunk with the baller in your life. Your kid will appreciate this NBA regulation size ball for both its durable rubber exterior that provides an excellent grip (for a better chance at making those three-pointers) and for its cool good looks. The black ball with gold details is also shipped ready-to-play so they won't have to waste valuable court time filling it with air.
Get the gadget-lover on your list a gift that's up their alley — without breaking the bank! This wireless charging station is compatible with most Apple and Android devices and it's portable for convenient, cord-free charging anywhere.
I like these ear buds for a few reasons: the style-conscious side of me appreciates that they're available in a rainbow of colours (nab the red to make this gift extra festive), and they come with three different-sized ear pads to ensure a comfortable fit. Reviewers also site a long life span of up to 12 years (!), and, most importantly, the sound quality is said to be right up there with more expensive brands that cost up to 5x as much. These ear buds prove that expensive doesn't always mean better!
A great gift for the bachelor in your life, these AXE products are guaranteed to unleash his animal magnetism (if the brand's cheeky ads are any indication). As if that wasn't enough, the products included in this set (a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, a body wash, an antiperspirant stick and the brand's signature deodorizing body spray) come zipped into this streamlined black Dopp bag for two gifts in one!
I can't get over this awesome buffalo check shower curtain. Perfect for the outdoorsy type or the person who just plain old loves plaid, the brushed fabric curtain will add a cozy festive touch to their home during the cold winter months. And no one would ever guess it cost less than $20!
The human head is full of nerve endings and sensory receptors at the base of our hair follicles, so it's no wonder that scalp stimulation is so addictive for some people. If you know anyone who's ever considered paying their kids to play with their hair (ahem), then this head massager from HoMedics is the gift for them. A battery-powered motor gently vibrates the prongs for a scalp massager that stands head and shoulders above the rest!
Personal gifts like jewellery are typically a big hit and these super cool matte black studs from Pure316 are guaranteed to be your girl's favourite stocking stuffer. All jewellery from the brand is made from 316L stainless steel so it is hypoallergenic and a safe bet for most jewellery sensitivities. And at under $15 a pair, you can surprise her with something special without blowing your budget.
Help the budding artist in your family develop their talent with this set of sketching pencils. If they've only ever used standard HB pencils to draw, then this gift containing six pencils of varying degrees will blow their mind. An included Mars rubber and small metal sharpener ensure that your little Picasso has everything they need to start sketching more seriously.
Having a beverage served in a proper glass makes it that much more enjoyable, so specialized barware is a great gift idea for the person who has a go-to libation (in this case, the beer connoisseur). These giant beer glasses have a 23 oz capacity (3 more oz than a Canadian pint), leaving lots of room for the head while the curved lip helps trap the bouquet for maximum flavour.
Our eight-year-old is constantly trying to get a board game going and one of our family favourites is Spot It! because we can all get it on the fast-paced matching action — even our four-year-old. I also like that it's fast to learn and each game is fairly quick, so you're not stuck playing one game for hours (I'm looking at you, Monopoly). I'll definitely be putting this new camping-themed deck under our tree this Christmas because $14.97 is a small price to pay for endless family fun.
This pack of resistance bands is a safe bet for the fitness buff on your list. Suitable for people of all ages and abilities, the bands can be used in an endless variety of workouts. What's even better is that they are lightweight and compact, so tossing them in their carry-on or gym bag means they can take their workout with them anywhere, whether travelling or simply heading to the gym in their condo.
All your little one has to do is open the lid for an epic spa day! Unicorn-themed spa accessories, including bath salts, a bath bomb, liquid soap, a washcloth, a nail file and nail polish, provide everything she needs for a day of beauty, packaged in one convenient jar. Leave this under the tree for her to use while she's off on Christmas break.
Give them the gift of a stealthy approach when you stuff their stocking with this cool little device! The Swiss-style key holder holds up to 100 keys, turning their bulky keychain into a sleek, no-jingle package with a profile smaller than a pack of gum. This gift will work for every adult on your list, from the guy who wants to be able to carry his keys in his pocket to the woman wanting to downsize her handbag!
The jury's still out as to whether these are for the baby or for us because they're that good looking. I love the colour combination and the minimalist design of these first drinking cups by Tommee Tippee, (that, when used by baby in public, give mama some major style cred). Oh, and they're good for babies too: the spill-proof, mouth-activated valve readies them for drinking from a real cup and, without a spout or a straw, they are super easy to clean!
If you know someone who lives by the motto "always be prepared," (aka my mom who once pulled a can opener out of her bag to win one of those "what's in your purse" bridal shower games), then this is the gift for them. The small but mighty Mole flashlight is perfectly sized for a purse or backpack, but casts a blindingly bright beam. And at only $5.98, you can't afford not to stuff one in every stocking!
If you've ever brushed through your kid's tangled hair to their screams and cries while they simultaneously try to dodge the offending tool, then the Wet Brush Detangler is a necessity. Put it in their stocking and they'll be oblivious to the fact that it's actually a gift for you! The magic of this brush lies in the IntelliFlex bristles that brush through wet or dry hair with ease, reducing breakage, fallout and tantrums.
While this insulated wine glass will really shine once the weather heats up again—the vacuum sealed, double wall insulation keeps wine cold and prevents condensation from forming on the outside of the glass—it will also keep hot beverages hot while you're out carolling or at the rink this winter! The rugged construction and non-slip rubber base make it the perfect companion for the pool or camping. Cheers to that!
In our house, Christmas Eve tradition dictates that everyone chooses one present (selected by yours truly), to open early and it ALWAYS ends up being pyjamas. Surprise! I love these flannel two-piece sets by George because they are 100% cotton, they come in a variety of super cute all-over prints, and you can't beat the $10 price tag!
This gift doesn't cost much but seeing Dumbo and the other Disney Classics as a kid is priceless. Recently, my own kids' inability to sing along to "Hakuna-matata," made me realize I had taken it for granted they had seen the movies along the way when they had not. If your kids are like mine, snap up a copy of Dumbo before you miss your chance. Movies like that are part of the "Disney vault" (basically, all the classics) – they're only released once every seven years!
Encourage the curious crafter to take up knitting when you leave this Start to Knit Kit under the tree. Everything they need to start knitting, including two colourful needle sets in popular gauges, a crochet hook, a stitch marker and more, comes together in a plastic zipped storage pouch.
No college dorm is complete without the token lava lamp, but because your kid's unique, wrap up this mini vortex lamp instead. A glittery storm swirls against a backdrop of coloured light for a fun and funky piece of decor. The small size of this 10" lamp is also perfect for a dorm room that's cramped but in need of some personality.
These coloured felt-tip pens had us at their claim that they "won't bleed through", which is music to a crafter's ears. Buy these for the friend in your group who has painstakingly crafted everything from wedding scrapbooks to birthday cards to show her you appreciate her efforts. Plus, it must be a hangover from childhood, but the appeal of a brand-new package of multi-coloured pens/pencils/markers never gets old. Am I right?
Whatever their game of choice, be it a classic '01 game or Cricket, your little dart player will go from novice to "archer" in no time with this pack of three steel darts by Unicorn. Stuff these in their stocking and put a board under the tree for a unique holiday gift. The included case will make sure their darts don't get banged up between games.
I like big bows and I cannot lie. I would totally add this outrageously big bow to my daughter's stocking because nothing caps off a little girls' outfit quite like a big bow and this grosgrain version in luxe burgundy is a steal when compared to other boutique-style bows! This one is 8" in diameter and attached to a pinch clip for the perfect pony tail topper.
Revolutionize the life of someone who hasn't had the time or opportunity to develop their cooking skills by giving them their first slow cooker! We love this Crock-Pot version for its small size (the 2.5 qt. size makes the perfect portion for two or three people) and the retro-inspired daisy pattern. The recipient will love the fool-proof set-and-forget benefit of a slow cooker that results in a healthy, home-cooked meal every time!
This scaled-down plaid jacket with a Sherpa lining will look precious on the kid of an outdoorsy dad who wears one just like it! We love that it's 100% cotton for long-lasting wear, and it's great for when they need a lighter jacket in the fall or even on colder days in the car and in the mall when a winter jacket is just too bulky.
For the person on your list who carries her whole life around with her, this canvas tote has a cute neutral black and white print and is big enough to accommodate a laptop or her Saturday market haul. It would also be a great gift for the knitter to conveniently store her yarn, needles and patterns all in one place.
No matter your budget, we have you covered with a selection of thoughtful gifts under $20 to satisfy the unique personalities on your shopping list. Whether looking for ideas for your office Secret Santa, gift sets with a little bit of everything, or something to make Fluffy or Fido even cuter, nab the affordable surprises and stuffers before they sell out!
How we chose products: Simply put, we're not recommending any gifts we wouldn't buy ourselves! Our gifting experts leveraged a variety of sources as a starting point, including researching reputable third party reviews, Walmart.ca user reviews, and input from Walmart Canada's category specialists. theHUB editorial staff had final say for all products included in this gift guide.
Prices are accurate as of 2:00 a.m. EST daily, please check Walmart.ca for the latest pricing.

subset: commoncrawl


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ICONIC Windows
Choosing the right windows…
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BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — As Roger Johnson prepares to step down after 11 years leading the National Farmers Union group, he's well aware of the many challenges facing its members: a painful trade war, the effects of climate change and the march of farm consolidation. But Johnson, a North Dakota native, believes smaller operators can still find a way to carve out a living.
Here's a look at Johnson's thoughts on agriculture and the future of farming:
Johnson, 66, has led the Washington, D.C- based farm group since 2009. He announced last week he is stepping down when his current term ends next year.
For more than a dozen years before heading the group, Johnson, a Democrat, was North Dakota's agriculture commissioner, where election campaigns in the conservative state mostly centered around who was more of a farmer than his or her opponent.
Johnson usually won handily. He is a third-generation family farmer from Turtle Lake who raised cattle and wheat, oats, barley, flax and sunflowers before selling the farm about four years ago to a nephew.
Federal moves in the last couple of years on tariffs between the U.S. and China have been "disastrous" and have created turmoil in rural America, Johnson said.
"In my view, this administration has literally destroyed our reputation around the world, and I say that with a great deal of consideration," Johnson said.
"I think China is a lost market for agriculture — there's just too much damage done there," he said.
"When we put these tariffs in place it shut down soybeans overnight," Johnson said. "Soybean farmers took a huge bloodbath and elevators in North Dakota refused to buy soybeans at any price."
China, America's top agriculture trading partner, increasingly has turned to South America and Europe for farm commodities, he said.
"We're in a new era of being a smaller player in the world market," Johnson said. "There is no question about that."
Johnson said his group has helped farmers adapt to climate change by advocating less tillage and the planting of more deep-rooted cover crops to hold carbon dioxide in the soil to prevent it from reaching the atmosphere, worsening global warming.
"We just believe in science," said Johnson of climate change.
"Agriculture is the best and most immediately available tool to sequester carbon, and agriculture has to play a big part in that," he said.
Johnson sees promise with a growing number of people who are returning to farming's roots with smaller family-run operations aimed at consumers "who want to know where their food is coming from."
"There is hope in the long term" in a profession Johnson said is ennobled by those doing "God's work."
"The population around the world is growing and people have to eat so there will be continued opportunities," he said.
Johnson said his group's membership has grown by at least 10% in several states in the past year, especially among small producers focused on direct marketing.
Johnson said recent comments made by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue suggesting that small dairy farms may need to get bigger to survive were "uncalled for." Johnson said they sent the wrong message to rural America.
"This get-big-or-get-out mentality in agriculture is really about closing small towns" that depend on family farms, Johnson said.
Farmers Union, established in 1902, leans Democratic and toward smaller farms, though Johnson maintains it's "strictly partisan."
With about 200,000 members, it's also tiny compared with the right-leaning American Farm Bureau Federation, which has about 6 million members and ties to big agribusiness and related industries.
Dale Moore, executive vice president of the latter group, said the Trump administration "is more in line with our policies." But he said the two farm groups have worked in a "collaborative, cooperative way," especially under Johnson's leadership.
Said Johnson: "In terms of political influence, you can't do farm bills that are necessary without everyone being heard," he said.
Report raises concerns about Georgia hospital tax credit
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Every prince has his secrets. And she's determined to unravel his…
Every dashing young man in London's ton is vying for Lady Caroline Hawke's hand—except one. The handsome, delectable, rogue, Prince Leopold of Alucia can't quite remember who Caroline is and the insult is not to be tolerated. So Caroline does what any clever, resourceful lady of means would do to make sure a prince remembers her: sees that amusingly risqué morsels about Leo's reputation are printed in a ladies' gossip gazette…all the while secretly setting her cap for the rakish royal.
Someone has been painting Leo as a blackguard, but who? Socially, it could ruin him. More important, it jeopardises his investigation into a contemptible scheme that reaches the highest levels of government in London. Now Leo needs Lady Caroline's help to regain access to society. But this charming prince is about to discover that enlisting the deceptively sweet and sexy Lady Caroline might just cost him his heart, his soul and both their reputations…
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My friend Wisaal took this photo of hams in El Corte Ingles, Portugal. She doesn't touch the stuff but, knowing of my deep & enduring love affair with pork, tweeted me this photo:
Monthly Archives: March 2013
For the love of ham…
This is what you call breakfast!
Zizwe ordered this delectable aubergine roulade stack from 2B Cuisine at Epsom Downs shopping centre last Sunday. She doesn't eat eggs so finds it difficult to order breakfasts, and declared this eggless delight the best breakfast she's ever had.
(I tasted it. It was absolutely sensational.)
Try 2B Cuisine next time you're in the Bryanston area 🙂
Oh Sherbet!
Keeping me going this morning – Woolworths hand crafted lemon & orange sherbet. I'm really picky about my candy but this is hitting all the right spots 🙂
I don't mean to be overly dramatic, but…
A couple of weeks ago when I was off climbing Kilimanjaro I succumbed to altitude sickness (which alas means that I did not summit). I didn't know it was altitude sickness – my sister Zizwe had to break it down for me – I just thought I was being lazy and grumpy so on top of everything else I was berating myself for not appreciating what an amazing opportunity it was to be climbing Kili.
On day 4, as I was stumbling from the Karanga Valley up to the Karanga Camp, I did the only thing I could do to keep my spirits and motivation up – I started thinking about all the things I'd do when I got off that darned rock. I started writing in my head – writing has always been able to calm me, to center me, and since I was too weak to hold a pen I'd commit my words to memory and transcribe them when I was back at a normal altitude.
I vowed to cancel my gym membership as soon as I got back to Johannesburg; I only had a gym membership because it was the expected thing. We all have to keep healthy and the way to do it is to join a gym. But it didn't make me happy and I would thereafter only do things which make me happy.
Which got me to mulling over what it is that does make me happy. The answers were simple, and immediate: writing, cooking, eating, art, music, dancing, giving to others.
So this morning when I walked into a friend's/colleague's (and generally all-round-great-guy's) office and he handed me a dish of food that he'd made based on a recipe I'd posted on this blog, it made me happier than I can say. He gave me an animated recap of exactly what went down in his kitchen as he cooked last night and I'm pretty sure our laughter echoed down the corridors.
I just had my plate, and it was delicious. It didn't taste exactly like what I made, but it shouldn't. The joy of cooking is looking at a set of ingredients or a recipe, getting inspiration from them, and making from that what represents you and what you enjoy eating. The fun of cooking is in experimentation. Sometimes things go wrong but they are rarely unsalvageable.
Cooking is about joy, and laughter, and love, and giving of yourself. I'm so glad I'm able to give something of myself to you though my little recipes. Thank you for giving of yourselves through reading, sharing, and cooking.
Love is…
Yesterday was my first day back at work after a week's break climbing Kilimanjaro and a further week recovering from climbing Kilimanjaro.
I had hundreds of emails to wade through, demands to answer, people to placate, and by the time I got home I was exhausted.
But as I stood at the kitchen counter, chopping ingredients, perking up leftover rice, assembling dinner, sipping a glass of white, everything evaporated. Everything disappeared. My feet didn't ache, my shoulders were relaxed.
All was well with the world as I stood in my kitchen and created.
Happiness is home-grown herbs :)
I finally got my behind in gear and am growing some of the herbs I use most often. I got the herbs and stand at my local garden centre, and made sure to re-pot them into larger pots (which was absolutely necessary as many of their roots were already constricted). I've already started cooking with them and couldn't be happier 🙂
Om nom nom: Sirloin Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce. And a flambé!
I looooooove me a good steak. Sometimes a girl just needs a big ole hunk of red meat, you know? I'm very picky about my steaks and I always love them with pepper sauce.
So a couple of weeks ago, when my usual partner in culinary crime Zizwe (someone has to eat all the stuff I cook) was off in Durban for work, I took some steaks I'd been marinating for a few days out of the fridge and cooked 'em up.
OK, let's begin. I started with some aged sirloin steaks which I marinated for at least two days. Lord knows I can barely remember what I put in my salad this afternoon, but I probably tossed in some olive oil, sesame oil, crushed garlic and ginger and loads of ground green peppercorns. I rarely add salt to my steaks before cooking because I once watched on some cooking show that it dries steaks out, and if I cast my mind back to primary school science and the definition of "osmosis", that makes sense to me. You can't argue with science.
So I served the steaks with the wonder that is fried gnocchi. I was first introduced to this glorious invention by the marvelous Nigella Lawson; I remember when Zizwe and I first saw her making them. It was Christmastime 2011, we were watching a host of Christmas cooking specials, and we were mesmerised.
I got a pack of pre-made gnocchi from my usual supplier, and stuck it in a wok full of mixed bacon-and-duck fat.
Yes! You can fry gnocchi! They aren't just made to be boiled! I fried them up until they were a lovely happy golden brown…
Isn't that a happy sight? 🙂
I tossed them in my pink Himalayan salt:
…and some fresh basil pesto, again from my usual supplier.
No, I don't have a photo of that. 😀
Next, the steaks. I took them out of the fridge and allowed them to come up to room temperature before slapping them into a pan and frying them up:
They look overdone, don't they? Don't they? Well, they're not! On yet another TV cooking show I learnt how to tell when steaks are done rare, medium, and well without slicing them open.
Take your forefinger and squish it against your forehead, where your third eye would be. You feel that squishiness? If you squish your steak and it feels like your forehead, your steak is rare. Do the same with your chinny chin chin. That is how a medium steak feels. And your nose? That, my friends, is the squishiness of a well done steak.
Take your perfectly-cooked steak out of the pan and allow to rest on a plate:
Now take the same pan you made the steaks in (the little stuck bits at the bottom of the pan are the best flavoring you can get), throw in some olive oil, and fry up some finely chopped shallots:
You don't want to brown them; just fry them up until they go translucent. Next, throw in some ground and whole green peppercorns (go on, be generous, more, more!) and a generous knob of butter:
I think this is the point where I need to explain that cooking on this particular Shrove Tuesday was completely unplanned. I had naturally wanted to make pancakes, but just couldn't be inspired to mix up pancakes for just me. So I barely ate lunch, didn't start on dinner for a good couple of hours after I got home from work, and had consumed two glasses of wine by the time I got to this point.
So when I looked at the bottle of sherry ready to splash some into the sauce, and I was tipsy enough to be bold but not quite tipsy enough to burn the house down, a flambé seemed like a good idea. I threw in a generous amount of sherry, grabbed my candle lighter, and…
yaaaaaaaaaay! Flambé success! And my house is still standing!
Next I threw in a generous dollop of creme fraiche and allowed the whole lot to cook down.
While the sauce was reducing I sliced up my rested steak:
(told you they were perfectly done)
Before plating up the whole delicious lot:
This is really easy, tastes really good, and I promise anyone can make it. But if you're the accident-prone sort, I'd recommend skipping the bit where you light the pan on fire.
So try it, enjoy, and let me know how it works out 🙂
Restaurant Review – Red Rabbit, Nicolway
Late last year I was invited to a year-end lunch at Thomas Maxwell, Parkmore, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Everything they served was absolutely magical. I remember I opted for the steak frites and not only was my steak perfect, but they kept the frites coming as any good brasserie would. So when my sister Zizwe, my friend Sharon and I decided to get together for dinner last Thursday, it seemed like a great idea to try Thomas Maxwell's little brother, the Red Rabbit French Grill in Nicolway Shopping Centre.
We started off with the fried camembert starter which was much to tempting to pass up. Deep fried cheese? Oh yes, yes, yes! Decadent? Absolutely. Sinful? Without a doubt.
It almost seems like the art of deep frying has been cheapened; sticking something in a deep fryer seems like an unsophisticated way of dealing with ingredients. I must confess; whenever I watch Chopped and some exotic or difficult ingredient is unleashed, my usual reaction is "I'd deep fry it".
At Red Rabbit the crumbed the camembert before frying it, and got it perfectly golden on the outside with a deliciously gooey inside. Served with a light salad, fresh strawberry slices and a strawberry reduction on a wooden plank, it was rather tasty. I think the magic of the camembert came out best when eaten with a slice of fresh strawberry (rather than with the reduction) and the crisp bread was to me, unnecessary, but overall, it was pretty good.
Now, I love a good steak. Thomas Maxwell delivered on my need for steak in December 2012. Before that, the last really memorable steak I'd had was in May 2012 at the marvelous Le Steak Frites St Paul in Montreal. So, with a craving for some red meat I opted for the steak frites over the moules frites on the menu…
My steak was overdone and dry. The tarragon butter on top was flavourless and thin. The frites were great, but the inattentive waiters didn't top me up when they were finished, and everyone knows that the fries in steak frites are meant to be unlimited.
And when I asked for some mayonnaise to dip my frites in… they brought me store. bought. mayo.
It takes a minute to make mayonnaise! It is possibly the easiest sauce to hand make! I just made one today as a base for my caesar dressing! I was very, very disappointed.
I took most of my steak home and doused it in my home-made peppercorn sauce and at last it was edible.
Now, I would end this on this sadly negative note, but the following day, searching for something to eat, I found Sharon's leftover pork bolognese penne from Red Rabbit in the fridge. I heated up a few forkfuls and plopped myself on the couch, not expecting much. Until I took my first bite and flavour exploded on my tongue.
It was magnificent. It was what I'd been hoping for when I made the dinner booking! Penne is my least favourite pasta, and I'm always rather suspicious of pork mince, but it was delicious. Perfectly made, not to dry, not to saucy, with a herby thyme-y explosion. I went right back to the kitchen and heated up the rest of the pasta, and gobbled it all down.
In all, would I go back to Red Rabbit? Alas, no. Will I try and recreate that pork pasta? Absolutely. So watch this space for my experimentations 🙂


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Other Show Locations: Southeast Midwest
December 13–14, 2020 • McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, CA
Please read the information below carefully, if you have any questions regarding your options please email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Hand-Carry Guidelines | POV Service
Hand-carry is permitted for ONE trip per person, using ONLY a lightweight 2-wheel luggage cart holding up to 30 pounds.
Hand-carry rules apply to any and all entrances/exits of the McEnery Convention Center for loading and unloading of materials.
Exhibitors who violate the rules and regulations as set forth by the Teamsters Union Local 85 will be stopped and POV Service will be required and billed to exhibitor accordingly. POV Service information will be available in the Exhibitor Services Manual.
What is a POV? A Personally Operated Vehicle, or a 'Small Vehicle', is considered to be any vehicle that is primarily designated to transport passengers, not cargo or freight. Examples include cars, small vans, ½ ton pick-ups, etc. NO trucks (1 ton or over), rental trucks, trailers or bobtail (straight trucks).
All POV's will be unloaded onto a pallet and weighed for a safe and efficient delivery to your booth. NO EXCEPTIONS. Contents of each pallet can weigh up to 200lbs (pallet weight not included). Anything over 200lbs, but less than 400lbs, will be charged two loads.
American Exposition Services has made POV load services available for hire, one (1) laborer with one (1) round-trip delivery (maximum of 2) from the POV to your booth and your booth to the POV. Price information will be available in the Exhibitor Services Manual.
Advance Warehouse Material Handling | Direct-to-Show Material Handling | Product-Only Material Handling
Shipping to the advanced warehouse is the preferred delivery option to ensure your shipment is waiting at your booth when you arrive.
If you have questions or need help estimating your material handling fees please email email@example.com.
Booth shipments should arrive during exhibitor move-in hours only – if you prefer your shipment to be at your booth upon your arrival, please ship to the advanced warehouse (see previous section).
Save money with product-only material handling! Product-only shipments are shipments that weigh less when exhibitors move out of the show than when they moved in because of product sales during the show.
*Please Note: Exhibitors may request a "Product Only" reweigh anytime during the show. The AES service desk will keep a running list of exhibitors who have requested a reweigh. The exhibitor must check back in for the reweigh at the end of the show, once their freight is ready to be lifted by a forklift and reweighed. "Product Only" reweighs will be dealt with on a first come, first serve basis.
Reweighs will not be available until all empty containers have been returned, labor jobs have been completed and a forklift is on hand to complete the request.
If the criteria above are not followed, the regular drayage (material handling) rates will be assessed and there will be NO REFUNDS.
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FREE Live Music: Robin Henkel
December 10, 2019 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm| Free
Event Navigation
Four-time winner of "Best Blues" at the San Diego Music Awards Robin Henkel performs country blues with an intensity rarely seen in Southern California. Grounded in the blues of Mississippi 1930s-50s, Robin has built his own personal style drawing from the influences of Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters, Skip James, and others. An LA Times article commented that "Robin Henkel is a futurist and a historian." Enjoy Robin's talented blues performance while you dine in, make your reservation today!
Schedule is subject to change. Please check House of Blues San Diego website for the most up to date schedule. Visit www.houseofblues.com/sandiego!
To make a restaurant reservation, please visit http://www.houseofblues.com/sandiego/restaurant.


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thanks a lot
thank you very much dear umberto
thx BERNARDINO
thanks I'm glad you like it
thank you very much
it's great!
thanks a lot Cridrich
wow! it´s great!
thanks my dear friend
thank you dear Tiagolima
Great work Sorella!!
Thanks a lot
Bravo !! C'est sublime !!!
Thank you very much dear @deline
You're welcome ! I love this actor !
Hehe me too! I can't wait "Hesher"
I adored in "Mysterious Skin" I have not seen "Hesher"
yeeess his role in "Mysterious Skin" is the best It's sad that Academy didn't value him greetings from Poland
Wow it's so great, the contrasts are amazing ! . I wish I could draw him like you make one day !
thanks a lot you are so nice!!!


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Troon is famous for its two public championship golf courses by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish and the dramatic granite boulders that surround custom residences.
Troon North is an 1,800 acre master planned community in North Scottsdale lays in the foothills of Pinnacle Peak. Troon Village is broken up into 12 private neighborhoods of custom homes, homesites and townhouses are spread throughout 1,400 acres.
Residents of Troon Village and Troon North communities are eligible for memberships to the semi-private Troon Country Club and a variety of luxury amenities.
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Special Price DKK 1.150,00
Regular Price: DKK 2.300,00
Black strappy sandal in leather with a rounded nose, high stiletto heel and elegant straps across the forefoot as well as along the sides. The sandal has a feminine ankle strap with silver buckle closure.
• Heel Height: 8 cm
• Outsole: Full leather sole with a forefoot rubber sole
• Insole: Leather
• Inner Lining: Leather
• True to size
• Crafted in Italy


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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The only thing worse than a tree hugger is a tree hugger wannabe. Labels: current issues, musings
The tree hugger, as idiotic as he is at least is not a hypocrite (well, most of the time anyway). The tree hugger wannabe, however, tries to get you to do stupid things for ridiculous reasons.
Like switching off your lights for a whole hour. ONE WHOLE HOUR YOH! Think of all the whales and polar bears you are going to save!
Now, a core part of my job as a rocket scientist (which is the glamorous name for a Gas Turbine engineer) is to reduce the fuel gas consumption of gas turbines (gas turbines are things that generate electricity for you people out there). This means that in one day, I would have done more for the environment than a thousand tree huggers who cycle to work. So this gives me the right to criticize idiots when it comes to the environment.
I was supposed to write this last night where I was going to tell you people what a farce and what a load of hypocritical crap Earth Hour is, but I woke up this morning and it seems like a lot of people have already done that. So, I decided to do my part and educate you on what you could and should actually do.
Okay, truth be told, I am actually not that annoyed about Earth Hour itself. I think its good for other countries where there exists people who really don't care about the environment and hence this is a good publicity tool to raise awareness, and I think there is nothing wrong with that.
However, when done in Malaysia, it makes no fucking sense. If you didn't already know, how it normally works in other countries, like the US or UK - the national power authority (equivalent to TNB) will forecast the amount of power they require at any given point in time for the following day, and tell the power plants how much they would need to generate at that particular time.
In Malaysia, however, because of the Independent Power Producers - IPPs (which you can blame on the old man and the frog king) the power plants tell TNB how much they are willing to generate and TNB is obligated to buy all that power, whether or not TNB and the consumers require it.
This means that, come 28th March, even if everybody and every household shuts down all the switches in their house, the power plants would still be generating electricity at full blast to maximise their sales to TNB. Hence, you shutting off your power consuming devices is irrelevant towards the amount of fossil fuel burnt by the IPPs.
Therefore, I think WWF is being a moron here. Instead of spending all that money on publicity for a worthless cause, all that time and effort could be channeled into helping TNB force the IPPs to renegotiate their contracts. TNB (and to a certain extent, the current government) has been trying to do that for years now, but the IPPs have refused to budge. What I am saying is, if you people want to do something worthwhile, then do your research on the biggest crooks around. I will not name them, but it is easy for the average Joe to find out who the biggest IPPs are, what companies run them, and boycott their other products. As a consumer, it is very easy to put pressure on the services and goods provided by the same companies that operate the IPPs.
Ironically, some of those large IPPs have an extensive CSR program on environmental protection, and the public laps it all up, not knowing that these guys are burning unnecessary fossil fuel to produce electricity that we do not require.
The intention is good, but intentions count for nothing if you do not have the results to show for it. Focus your time and effort on the right thing, otherwise you look nothing more than a fool.
On the other hand, as an engineer, I would be very interested actually to see what happens if every household in the country shuts off ALL their electrical appliances for that one hour. Theoretically, if at the end of that one hour, when everybody flicks ON the switch within a minute of each other, it will cause a surge in the national grid and we could experience a catastrophic nationwide black out. This is purely theoretical and of course has never been proven because never before has so many people flicked on their switches simultaneously.
For that reason, and that reason alone, I would encourage as many idiots as possible to participate in this Earth Hour nonsense.
All in the name of science.
Labels: current issues, musings
Monday, March 09, 2009
From The Star: Labels: current issues, malaysia
No one masterminding movement against use of English
KUALA LUMPUR: The movement against the use of English in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science (GMP) on Monday denied it was being masterminded by certain groups including the opposition parties.
GMP chairman Datuk Dr Hassan Ahmad said based on what transpired at the gathering on Saturday to protest against the use of English in the teaching of the two subjects was outside the power of the GMP, and "the GMP considered their presence as an expression of their support."
"We want Pak Lah to resolve the PPSMI (teaching and learning of mathematics and science in English) issue immediately before it becomes more serious, we have good intentions in championing the principle of reverting to the old policy which had no problem in the national education system.
Yes, clearly there was NO PROBLEM and is no problem with our education system. Which explains why our universities are the pinnacle of excellence revered upon by students all over the world and why our fresh graduates are so well sought after that large MNCs need to bend over for them. Clearly, what was done before was top, top drawer.
Labels: current issues, malaysia
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
I have a friend who wants to travel the world with the intention of talking to people and learning their culture. She wants to prove that religion does more harm than good. Like her, I too have always wanted to travel the world and talk to people. Unlike her, I already have my answer on religion. My motives are much simpler. I want to learn what each and every nationality thinks about their history and their future. Labels: current issues, musings, stories
I have always wanted to ask the Japanese and Germans about the war - I wanted to hear both sides of the story. I want to know what the Russians think about their fall from grace (as the Americans would have you believe) or whether they think they are still a world superpower. I want to ask an Iraqi about Saddam and a Cuban about Castro. I need to know what the Indians and Pakistanis think about their love-hate relationship of each other.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of indulging some of those questions and satisfying my curiosity. I had a fruitful chat with an old German man and seperately, two young Germans, and it was amazing how their opinions were as different as night and day. I have not had the chance to discuss the same matter with the older generation Japanese, although I suspect their response would not be much different from the Germans.
Tonight, I had the pleasure of dining with 3 Iraqis. While Saddam was still a touchy subject, and one I felt inappropriate to ask business contacts at a first meeting, we still managed a chat about our respective cultures and political ideologies. On a sidenote, I am told that Saddam once owned a Proton (albeit a small one, a Wira I guess). On another sidenote, it is refreshing to talk about political ideologies with a foreigner because these days it is sickening to discuss politics with the average Malaysian.
Our conversation somehow diverged on me being a Chinese, but not being able to speak fluent Mandarin. I explained our schooling system and the different type of schools and the languages that we learn in school. I then asked whether English was taught in addition to Arabic and one thing led to another....
"Here in Malaysia, we are now teaching Mathematics and Science in English but a lot of people are arguing about that. What do you think? In Iraq, do you think they should teach this in English or Arabic?"
Immediately, the younger guy, an engineer, spoke up: "Yes! For sure English! We are not developed, we must learn from other people. All our manuals are in English but our people cannot read it, so what is the use? We cannot develop like that."
The older bloke, an official with the Oil Ministry immediately interjected: "No, no we must translate all this books into Arabic. This is our culture, our history we cannot damage it. Learning English is good for a second language, but all this knowledge we must keep in Arabic."
"But other countries, much more developed! We must learn from them. How to learn if we cannot understand what they saying? How we can understand their books and technology?"
"No, you see Japan and Germany they speak their own language but they have good technology"
"When we get developed like Japan then we can use Arabic, but now we have to learn English first"
"You know modern human civilisation started from Iraq Mesopotamia - how can we throw away our culture of 5000 years? We started mathematics, science all this and then translate to Greek to send to Greek civilisation then they become great, then they translate to Latin then the Romans become great. So you see, we must keep it in our language so that we can be a great country"
"Yes but now we know nothing! We must learn first!"
Their argument dragged on for a good 10 minutes until it eventually continued amongst themselves in Arabic while their third companion continued talk to my colleague and I. In between their argument, the older guy tried to explain something to us while the younger guy was shaking his head. As they got back to their argument, I turned to my colleague:
"Doesn't this argument sound soooo familiar to you?"
Labels: current issues, musings, stories


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Iwona's Sources - Places & Surnames
This list of surnames comes from different areas of 19th Century Poland. In reality, Poland did not exist during this period, having been partitioned by Austria, Russia and Prussia at the end of the 18th Century. Records during this period were registered as either Austria (Galicia), Russia or Prussia. Poland did not regain its independence until after World War I in 1918. Map of Partitions of Poland : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Partitions_of_Poland.png
By listing surnames by the partitions ( Galicia, Prussia and Russia/Kingdom of Poland) makes it easier to determine what general area of Poland your ancestors immigrated from, since that was how they were listed in passenger records country of origin.
If you find your ancestor's surname under the Russian column, do not assume they were Russian. Over the centuries, people from many countries lived in Poland, mainly Germans, Austrians, Russians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians and Jews.
The Places Section lists the surnames by the town name, county name and partition along with any other information that will be useful to the researscher.
The Surname Section lists the town and gives the comments on the records - they are mostly Catholic records unless specified.
The names use equivalent Roman letters without the Polish diacritical marks because some software programs do not decode them correctly but provide odd characters instead of the correct letter.
To search for the surname there are three alphabetical listings shown in the Surname section - The first row in red indicates indicates the pages where the first letter of the surname can be found. The second row in red indicates the page with the second letter in the surname can be located, and the third row in red indicates the section with the third letter in the surname. Scroll down to the name you are looking for.
An example for the name is given here - Adamczak
Click on the Surname first lettet "A" A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Click on the Surname second letter "d" A b c d f g h i j k l m n p r s t u v w x y z
Click on the Surname third letter "a" Ad a e j k l r u
Then stroll down to the Adamczak surname listings. It provides the place where the information was found. If you don't find that surname, search for variations in the spelling.
Then go to the Place listings and look for other associated family surnames - if you find any, it gives a higher probability that this is the place where your family onced lived. Then view a copy of the original records to obtain futher information.
For Website Corrections or Problems: Webmaster at email@example.com
Copyright © 2017Iwona Dakiniewicz All Rights Reserved
Last Updated on October 11, 2017


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In his campaign to unseat Ted Cruz from the U.S. Senate, El Paso Democrat (and non-Latino) Beto O'Rourke has portrayed his opponent with the GOP stereotype of supporting the rich over the working class. What O'Rourke isn't telling you, however, is that his own working-class image is a sham itself.
According to a report from NBC DFW, O'Rourke has a personal worth nearly twice that of Sen. Cruz. It's a fact that he doesn't tout, and few media sources will even mention about the punk rocker-turned congressman.
On the campaign trail, O'Rourke often dresses down and travels in an older Toyota Tundra, which he claims was the first new vehicle he ever got to buy. He travels to campaign in small Texas towns, selling an "everyman" image that implies he is just like the working class voters whose support he is seeking.
Trending: FULL LIST of Trump's Accomplishments – 6 Months Compared to Obama…
NBC DFW has found, however, that O'Rourke came from a wealthy family of Republicans, and then married into a family of prominent El Paso real estate developers. That connection helped him build a real estate portfolio worth millions.
In 2015, Beto O'Rourke had a net worth of $9 million, which made him one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Out of 435 House members, O'Rourke ranks 51st, which places him near the the top 10%. Those numbers come from the Center for Responsive Politics, and it means he over twice as wealthy as Cruz, who has a personal wealth of $3.8 million. That personal value ranks Cruz 41st out of the 100 U.S. senators.
O'Rourke lives in a 4,700 square-foot, Hacienda-style home in El Paso, while Cruz lives in a high-end condo in the Houston area.
Beto O'Rourke has supported a number of left-wing, socialist policies, including single-payer health care, a rise in the minimum wage, and a forgiveness of college student debt. That support flies in the face of his capitalism-based wealth, which is why it rarely gets mentioned by his campaign.
After graduating from Columbia University, O'Rourke lived and worked in a variety of jobs in New York City, including working as a nanny.
He later moved back to El Paso, where he married into a wealthy family and ran successfully for city council. He later unseated an incumbent Democrat in 2012 to win a seat in the House of Representatives.
Post your thoughts in the comments section below on the personal worth of Beto O'Rourke. In addition, share this on social media.


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promotion 8:47 PM
It has been a while... a while too long I believe... a while which took one month plus to come up with lots of long lost treasured news and exciting happening... well, have been too hooked up actually, with never ending chores (others task which have been delegated over but failed to be performed successfully by the ever-not-willing subordinates)... but hey, people said that there is always a silver lining within the fluffy cloud right!!! Thus, I am being positive that these no work-life-balance episode will end soon...
Ho yeah!!!
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Prayer for our land
Divine Healing Ministries has recently been involved in organising special days of prayer to help people nd God's peace.
This initiative follows many years of encouraging and gathering Christians from across the Churches to pray at key periods: for peace, for the renewal and revival of the Christian faith in our land and for breakthrough at times of political instability.
These most recent days of prayer originated with a vision and plan from Billy Moore, a lay reader in Lisburn Cathedral.
Billy is responsible for outreach work in the Hillhall Estate. He had a vision of a simple but profound opportunity for people across the land to pray and lay down their burdens before the cross. Br David Jardine of Divine Healing Ministries felt that this vision was a natural continuation of the previous seven years of prayer for the renewal and revival of faith in the land, organised by Divine Healing Ministries.
It was in 2004 that I rst met Antoine Rutayisire in Rwanda. I was there as part of a seven-person team from CMS Ireland. The Anglican Bishop of Kibungo, in eastern Rwanda, had invited us to lead a residential training week for his clergy.
Our task was to teach on subjects such as leadership, development and reconciliation. Everywhere we went, and in all the people we met, the scars of the 1994 genocide were never far from the surface.
It is a brutal fact that during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda the machete was most often the weapon of choice. In the space of 100 days approximately one million people were murdered there. Perpetrators were not strangers. Murder, rape and maiming were committed by fellow citizens. It was quite literally a case of neighbour against neighbour. On occasion, it was even family member against family member.
The sheer horror and scale of the genocide was brought home to us by a visit to Nyarabue church, an unremarkable looking redbrick building. Set in a village in the hills of eastern Rwanda, it was a place to which thousands of people had fled in 1994. Their reasoning was simple. As it was a church it would provide a place of refuge for people fleeing the killing. In a country and at a time when neighbour was turning against neighbour it seemed to offer one of the few places of safety. Such was not to be the case.
Over a short space of time the church and its grounds became thronged with terrified people. It was then that someone gave word to the militias. What followed was an attack on the church in which over 25,000 people were murdered. What should have been a refuge became a mass killing ground. Some of those who ought to have been protectors were in fact the betrayers.
When I met him in 2004, Antoine Rutayisire was vice- chair of the Rwandan National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. Since then, he has been ordained as an
Anglican clergyperson. His own father had been murdered in ethnic violence some years prior to the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The Commission had been set up to foster unity and reconciliation among the people of Rwanda who had experienced long periods of bad governance characterised by divisions, discrimination, human rights abuses and acts of violence. After the tragic genocide of 1994, the establishment of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission was made even more necessary.
The year after we met, Rutayisire visited Northern Ireland for a week to speak at a variety of meetings. He spoke at a diocesan conference in Derry and Raphoe on the theme of reconciliation. He also spoke to community groups, led a university seminar and spoke at a variety of other forums on the subject. My job, during his visit, was to drive him from meeting to meeting. I heard him speak many times that week – no imposition as he was one of the most compelling speakers I had ever listened to. What struck me during my visit to his country, and in listening to him, was the unambiguous commitment to reconciliation by all layers of Rwandan society. Building peace was a matter of urgency.
At his very last event I asked a question that had been forming in my mind during the week. The question was this – why did Rwanda seem much further forward in its process of peace and reconciliation than we did in Northern Ireland? What he said was essentially this: "Rwanda is one of the poorest nations in the world. If we do not find a way of living together then we will not be able to survive to do otherwise." He seemed to be saying that fighting was a luxury Rwandans quite literally could not afford – on so many levels.
As I listened to his reply it caused another question to form in my mind – what would happen to our own peace process if the money ran out?
Twelve years on that still seems like a relevant question!
Home News
- South American Primate stresses engagement with the Bible
- Heritage Week Dublin
- Ordination of deacons in Clogher Diocese
- Derry and Raphoe deacon ordination
- Church of Ireland to be present at National Ploughing Championships
- New Dean will bring 'wide range of gifts and pastoral skills' to Limerick appointment
- Deacons ordained in Down and Dromore
- Diocese of Connor ordination
- Focus on Mission – Called to care for all seafarers – the Mission to Seafarers NI
Rethinking Church – Embracing an uncertain world
Life Lines – Thought(s) for the Day
World News
- Evensong surges even as British church attendance declines
- Nigerian clergy demand compensation for churches destroyed by Boko Haram
- Floods in South Asia
- Lakewood church faces social media storm
- Every schoolchild needs a hero of the faith
- Death of Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor
- Nashville Statement
Letter to the Editor
Same-sex marriage debate
ANDY BOAL'S letter in the Gazette dated 11th August is interesting, with a considerable amount of truth about our sinful habits, whether members or not of the Church.
A Christian is surely someone who is a disciple of Jesus Christ, but still a sinner. However, the Christian
sinner makes confession of their sin(s), repents again and again if necessary, seeks God's forgiveness and finds that God comes to the rescue with incredible grace and love.
I imagine, I and, most other people have several (if not more) sins that need continual forgiveness, and for which I trust in God for forgiveness and continual improvement. It is easy to keep indulging in 'self-interest', who doesn't? But "men who have sex with men" (I Corinthians 6: 9) know exactly what sin they are indulging in and when. As sinners, we must continually repent, seek forgiveness each time we let God down and move inexorably towards stopping.
Disciples are not perfect, but they are serious about God's business in their personal lives, as they are about God's business in the life of the world.
Colin Hall-Thompson (The Revd)
News Extra
- Direct provision speaker series in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
- Tuam, Killala and Achonry diocesan administrator appointed


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Construct a fire-breathing model dragon to live in your own home! At 55 centimetres long and with a wingspan of 60 centimetres, your dragon will definitely impress (or terrify) your friends. The beast is easy to construct without using glue or using scissors - simply press out the 45 model pieces from the card sheets, then slot them together by following the simple step-by-step instructions. The finished model can stand up or be hung from the ceiling by an adult. The pack also includes a 16-page book filled with fearsome facts and amazing artworks of these magnificent flying beasts.
Build It: Dragon by Deborah Kespert


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Music video for the new single, 'Night Changes', from One Direction.
Saturday, 22 November 2014
Wednesday, 19 November 2014
One Direction - Where Do Broken Hearts Go? - Audio
Really hope this is the next single.
One Direction - Stockholm Syndrome - Audio
Another great song from One Direction's new album, 'Four'.
One Direction - Clouds - Audio
One of my favourites from the new album 'Four', by One Direction.
Band Aid 30 - Do They know Its Christmas? 2014 - Music Video
Music video for the 2014 version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'.
Friday, 14 November 2014
Take That - These Days - Music Video
New music video, from the now 3 peice, Take That.
Posted by 24/7 at 17:09 No comments:
Labels: Take That
Olly Murs - Wrapped Up - Music Video
New single from Olly Murs.
Posted by 24/7 at 17:08 No comments:
Labels: Olly Murs
Olly Murs - Never Been Better Tour - Set List
This is what I would like to see from Olly Murs's new tour.
- Did You Miss Me
- Heart Skips A Beat
- I've Tried Everything
- Oh My Goodness
- Beautiful To Me
- Never Been Better
- Loud & Clear
- Up
- Seasons
- Dear Darlin'
- Dance With Me Tonight
- I Blame Hollywood
- Please Don't Let Me Go
- This Song Is About You
- Hey You Beautiful
- Wrapped Up
- Thinking Of Me
- Right Place, Right Time
- Hope You Got What You Came For
- Troublemaker
Tuesday, 11 November 2014
Taylor Swift - Blank Space - Music Video
New music video from Taylor Swift.
One Direction - Night Changes - Audio
New single from One Direction.
Monday, 10 November 2014
Conchita Wurst - Heroes - Audio
New single from Conchita Wurst.
Friday, 7 November 2014
Bette Midler - Its The Girls Tour - Set List
This is what I would love to see from a tour promoting Bette Midlers new album 'Its The Girls'.
- Big Noise From Winnetka
- One Fine Day
- Friends
- Be My Baby
- Mr. Sandman/Tell Him
- Baby Its You
- The Rose
- Do You Want To Dance
- You Don't Own Me
- MEDLEY: Come And Get These Memories/I'll Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry/Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most/I Think It's Going To Rain Today
- From A Distance
- DELORIS DELAGO SEGMENT: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)/The Showgirl Must Go On
- Miss Otis Regrets
- It's The Girl/Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
- Waterfalls
- Stay With Me
- The Glory Of Love
- Wind Beneath My Wings
Thursday, 6 November 2014
Prince - SNL Performance - Set List
Prince took a huge risk of performing a huge 8minute medley of new songs from his two new albums 'Art Official Age' and 'Plectrumelectrum' on SNL this week. However the risk paid off and he gave an incredible performance. The set list was as follows.
Posted by 24/7 at 12:20 No comments:
Labels: Prince
Monday, 3 November 2014
Mary J Blige - Nobody But You - Audio
Another great song from Mary J Blige's new album 'The London Sessions'.
Mary J Blige - Right Now - Music Video
New single from Mary J Blige.
Mary J Blige - Whole Damn Year - Lyric Video
Lyric video for another brilliant new single from Mary J Blige.
Mary J Blige - Therapy - Audio
Brilliant new single from Mary J Blige.
Sam Smith - Like I Can - Audio
I think maybe In The Lonely Hour has outrun its singles now, even though every song on the album is brilliant, it may be time for a very new single. That said I love 'Like I Can', although would have rathered 'I've Told You Now' as a single.
Posted by 24/7 at 21:50 No comments:
Labels: Sam Smith
One Republic - I Lived - Music Video
Music video for the brilliant single, 'I Lived', by One Republic.
Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life - Audio
New single from Imagine Dragons.
One Direction - Steal My Girl - Acoustic Version
Acoustic version of One Direction's new hit single 'Steal My Girl'.
Culture Club - More Than Silence - Live, Heaven 2014
Live performance of Culture Clubs new single, 'More Than Silence' from their forthcoming new album 'Tribes', their first in 15 years!
Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy Tour - Set List
The album is so perfect that the tour could easily be just the album, however a few extra songs would be good too.
- My Favourite Faded Fantasy
- The Box
- The Greatest Bastard
- Delicate
- Volcano
- Colour Me In
- It Takes A Lot To Know A Man
- I Don't Want To Change You
- 9 Crimes
- Trusty And True
- Cannonball
- Long Long Way
Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy - Tracklisting
This is such an incredible album.
- My Favourite Faded Fantasy
- It Takes A Lot To Know A Man
- The Greatest Bastard
- I Don't Want To Change You
- Colour Me In
- The Box
- Trusty And True
- Long Long Way
Damien Rice - I Don't Want To Change You - Music Video
Love this song and the album it comes from, 'My Favourite Faded Fantasy'.
Simply Red - Big Love Tour - Set List
- Instrumental Opening/Something Got Me Started
- Say You Love Me
- You've Got It
- Stars
- For Your Babies
- You Make Me Feel Brand New
- It's Only Love
- A New Flame
- Maybe Someday
- Smile
- The Air That I Breathe
- Holding Back The Years
- Thrill Me
- Ain't That A Lot Of Love
- Sunrise
- Come To My Aid/Money's Too Tight (To Mention)
- The Right Thing
- Fairground
- Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
- If You Don't Know Me By Now
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