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Mr Hunt said that he hoped the move would give general practice some stability and help prevent GPs from leaving the profession.
Video: Jeremy Hunt outlines his plans for state-backed GP indemnity
Jeremy Hunt announced plans for a 'state-backed scheme for clinical negligence indemnity for general practice' from April 2019 at the RCGP annual conference. Watch this section of his conference address below.


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Coat of Arms of your Family
The surname Bysh is of English origin. It is an topographical name for someone who lived by a thicket of bushes, from Middle English 'bush(e)', bush; probably derived from the Old Norman 'buski'. The surname may also be from the Old Norman 'buski' which was used as a personal name. A family would acquire a place …
Coat of arms: Argent on a fesse gules…
Coat of arms: Argent on a fesse gules…
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subset: commoncrawl


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Many of us would waive an article of immunisation as irrelevant to us — the educated, fairly affluent members of the world community. And yet, our own personal experience has shown that even educated parents often ignore new vaccines, unaware how critical they can be to their child's health. In today's age, when we see… [ Continue Reading ]
Tag: 'immunisation schedule' »
Tetanus, caused by the bacillus Clostridium Tetani, is quite rare in developed countries, but is still an endemic infection in India. The most common form of the disease, neonatal tetanus (newborns suffering from tetanus), has a fatality rate as high as 80 to 90 per cent. One has, however, noticed a decrease in the neonatal… [ Continue Reading ]


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Wiretap: 'Are you kidding me?' government-shutdown redux
This is how it figured to play out. Mitch McConnell caves in the Senate, offering up a so-called clean bill on Homeland Security and steering clear of any responsibility for a shutdown showdown. That puts Obama in the clear. And Democrats in the clear. And Senate Republicans in the clear. So, guess who's left holding the shutdown bag? Via the National Journal.
John Boehner has taken the nation on this ride before. It ends like this:
Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill to ban "pray away the gay therapy" — the attempt by mostly religious organizations to steer gay and queer people straight through counseling. The "therapy" is anti-scientific and has caused great suffering to the mostly young people subjected to it. But this is Colorado, where evangelical empires thrive and where the science of immunization is pooh-poohed on the right and the left. The ban will pass in the Democratic-controlled House. It likely won't pass in the Republican-controlled Senate.
John Cassidy writes in the New Yorker that Scott Walker's so-called gaffes aren't gaffes at all, but rather part of a grand strategy to win the Republican nomination for president.
Democrats died last year in the midterm elections. Now the autopsy is out. Guess what: Democrats say the patient is just fine, leading the Atlantic to ask: Are Democrats in denial?
Virtually everyone agrees we need to do something about our crumbling infrastructure. So, why won't anything be done about it? Via Al Hunt at Bloomberg View.
Not yet officially running, Hillary Clinton goes to Silicon Valley to present the outline of her unofficial 2016 agenda. Via the New York Times.
What's Elizabeth Warren's next fight? You'd know if you turned on CSPAN to watch her grill Janet Yellen. Via Vox.
Barack Obama's Keystone veto was so expected that it's almost a non-story. But the real story is that there will be many, many more vetoes to come. Via Politico.
Paul Farhi writes in the Washington Post that Bill O'Reilly has decided that the best defense — against the accusations that he embellished some wartime stories of his own — is a good offense. Which is how O'Reilly comes to suggest that one of his critics be put in "the kill zone."
Amid falling gold prices, South African mining company AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. says it might sell off all or part of the Cripple Creek gold mine west of Colorado Springs, which is in the midst of a $585 million expansion. Nobody knows for sure whether Cripple Creek will have to close up shop, so for now they'll keep on drilling. Via the Gazette.
The 10 angriest reactions to things actors said at the Oscars. (Interestingly, most of the critics were liberals.) Via New York magazine.
from The Colorado Independent http://ift.tt/1JLH0i3
via Colorado Marijuana news


text: This is the first English translation of the main contemporary accounts of the Crusade and death of the German Frederick I Barbarossa (ruled 1152-90). The most important of these, the 'History of the Expedition of the Emperor Frederick' was written soon after the events described, and is a crucial, and under-used source for the Third Crusade (at least in the Anglophone world). The account begins with two letters describing the disaster of Hattin and Saladin's subsequent conquest of most of the Holy Land (the second of these is addressed to the duke of Austria). It goes on to describe how the emperor took the Cross, the preparations and recruitment for the Crusade, the diplomatic contacts of Barbarossa with the Byzantine Emperor and the Sultan of Iconium in an attempt to secure a peaceful passage for the expedition, and the Crusade itself: the journey through the Balkans and the gruelling march through Asia Minor, beset by Turkish attack, until its arrival at Antioch on 21st July 1190, eleven days after the emperor had drowned while crossing a river in Cilician Armenia. The 'History' gives a vivid account of the sufferings of the German army as it traversed Asia Minor. The account of the expedition itself appears to be, or to be based upon an eyewitness record, cast in the form of (often) a daily memoir. However, it concludes with an account of the captivity and release of Richard I in Germany, Henry VI's conquest of the kingdom of Sicily, and of the preparations for a new Crusade under his leadership. In addition, a number of further accounts related to, and expanding, the 'History of the Expedition' have also been translated, including a contemporary newsletter about the death of the emperor, as well as the narrative of Otto of St Blasien, placing the Crusade into context twenty years later, and a contemporary account of the capture of Silves in Portugal by German crusaders on their way to the Holy Land in 1189. This collection is a valuable companion volume to the three other volumes relating to the Third Crusade in this series: The Conquest of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade, trans. Edbury, the Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi, trans. Nicholson, and The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin, trans. Richards.


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We're an AffiliateAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may receive a commission, or some sort of compensation, when you purchase any products and/ or services using links on this page.
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Sep 25, 2017
Brazil Soybean Planting off to a Slow Start, less than 1% Planted
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Farmers in Parana were allowed to start planting their soybeans on September 10th with farmers in many other states allowed to start planting on September 15th. Unfortunately, the weather has not cooperated thus far with most farmers waiting for improved moisture before they start planting their 2017/18 soybean crop. Nationwide, probably less than 1% of Brazil's soybeans have been planted compared to the five-year average of 2.4% during the last week of September.
Mato Grosso - Last week was the first week that farmers in Mato Grosso were allowed to start planting their 2017/18 soybeans. A few fields of irrigated soybeans have been planted, but farmers who do not have irrigation will wait until they receive approximately 2-3 inches of precipitation before they risk planting their soybeans. Certainly less than 1% of the soybeans in the state have been planted.
Normally during the first week of planting, farmers in Mato Grosso would plant approximately 50,000 hectares of soybeans, but estimates are than much less than that was planted last week. Irrigation is more prevalent in the western part of the state where early planting is more common. Many of these irrigated soybean fields will be followed by a second crop of cotton that will be planted in January.
Mato Grosso is the largest corn producing state in Brazil and virtually all of the corn is planted as a second crop following soybeans. The ideal planting window for safrinha corn in the state generally closes about the third week of February. Corn planted after that date runs the risk of the onset of dry weather before the grain filling process is completed.
Parana - In the state of Parana in southern Brazil a few fields of soybeans have been planted, but some of those fields will need to be replanted due to poor emergence due to dry conditions. Less than 1% of the soybean acreage in the state has been planted compared to 3% planted last year at this time. There will be some more soybeans planted this week, but many farmers will wait to plant until the rains become more regular in early October.
A delay in soybean planting does not necessarily result in lower soybean yields if the remainder of the growing season has favorable weather. There is the possibility this year of periods of dryness during the growing season, which depending on the timing could impact the soybean yield. A similar planting scenario is playing out in neighboring Paraguay which is right across the Parana River from western Parana.
The Department of Rural Economics (Deral) is estimating that farmers in Parana will plant a record pf 5.4 million hectares of soybeans while they reduce their full-season corn acreage. In fact, 91% of the crop acreage planted this spring in Parana will be soybeans.
The vast majority of the corn in Parana will be safrinha production and farmers in the northwestern region of the state are already worried that the delayed soybean planting will also delay the planting of the second crop of corn. Currently, 1% of the soybeans are planted in Parana and normally 60% of the soybeans in the state are planted by mid-October.
Full-season corn - The states of Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais are the largest full-season corn producing states in Brazil with approximately 19% and 18% of the crop respectively. There has been some full-season corn planted in Rio Grande do Sul, but dry weather up until this past weekend in the state of Minas Gerais kept the corn planting in the state to a minimum.


text: Hi, > What is the document constructor doing in this case? The query would > generate perfectly good xhtml without it, would it not? > What's the difference between the two cases? I think that does largely depend on the way your serializer works, or if it is even used. E.g. in X-Hive you usually get the results of a query as an iterator (ahem, sequence :-)) of values. If you wrap your query into a document constructor, then the outermost value will be something that implements the org.w3c.dom.Document (and the XhiveDocumentIf) interface. That can be helpful in some cases. Still, if you serialize the results using toString() you would see no difference between the queries. Martin


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Day 29 of the 30 day music challenge is a song from my childhood…
I thought long and hard about this. The issue with music from my childhood is this: I am still listening to that music!
My parents were young when I was born. Mom was 16 and dad 20. Yeah…he may have robbed the cradle a bit on that one! They were young parents and listened to the popular music of the time.
My dad is a classic rock guy. He introduced me to the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Who while I was still in diapers. Mom was cranking Bruce Springsteen while I was so young that I didn't even realize how handsome The Boss was.
I grew up listening to this genre of music and I STILL DO.
So, let's go with something simple. I have heard this song thousands of times throughout my life, beginning in my childhood and leading up to the present. But this particular song, I don't know what it is about it, whenever I hear it, I am immediately drawn back to the 80's, singing into a hairbrush, marveling at the wonder that was M.T.V.
Thank god we cable during those years. Can you imagine only discovering M.T.V. after they took all the music off (haha)?


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Chargebee is a very popular SaaS billing service. Chargebee provides you with everything to manage subscriptions, recurring payments, invoicing and everything else related to SaaS billing.
Today, we have released a connector for Chargebee which allows you to create OKRs which are linked to live KPIs coming from Chargebee.
Use cases
OKRs related to business growth are very popular and Chargebee offers many metrics which can be used in these scenarios. Here are two sample OKRs, where key results could be automated from Chargebee metrics.
- Objective: Turbocharge growth
- Key result #1: Achieve MoM MRR growth of 30%
- Key result #2: Increase Net New MRR by 50%
- Key result #3: Hit $56,000 MRR
- Objective: Implement successful land & expand strategy
- Key result #1: Increase expansion MRR by 25%
- Key result #2: Achieve negative churn of -60%
- Key result #3: Increase sales of add-ons by 30%
You can find more about MRR and related metrics in our KPIs blog .
Chargebee metrics ready to be attached to OKRs
You can create dynamic key results related to subscriptions and customers. We have prepared a short article explaining how to connect Chargebee to your instance of Gtmhub .
If you have not yet build insights in Gtmhub, than this article is a great place to start: Creating Insights .
Finally, if you'd like us to show you how it works, sign up for a personal demo .


text: Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week 2011 – Regal. Emotional. Touching. Those were the descriptions I overheard from people sitting around me at the Zang Toi Fall 2011 show. Zang Toi is a true showman with a flair for the dramatic. Models with sky high beehives glided down the runway to classical music. They looked like they were ready to attend a royal ball and dance to the Viennese Waltz. My favorite and most dramatic part of the Zang Toi Show was when model Ling lowered her fur wrap halfway down the catwalk to reveal a magnificent emerald collar that also draped her shoulders. Timeless Beauty was the inspiration. Zang Toi marches to his own beat and his beautiful pieces do not belong to the world of fast trends that disappear in a year, but pieces that one would treasure for ages.


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How Successful will HARP 2.0 Be?
March 22, 2012 at 3:04 pm Leave a comment
I attended a class this week regarding the newly-revised HARP called "HARP 2.0."
HARP stands for Home Affordable Refinancing Program. It is a government program intended to help homeowners who are upside-down to keep their homes by refinancing.
The original HARP was introduced in March 2009 and was a "failure" — very few homeowners were helped because the guidelines allowed only those who are 25 percent upside down or less to refinance. Most homeowners are upside down by more than 25 percent. Second, lenders were not required to participate, and most did not. Third, lenders who chose to participate were not required to follow the guidelines.
Prior to HARP 2.0, the government has launched many "unsuccessful" programs, such as:
– Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)
– Second Lien Modification Program (2MP)
– Home Affordable Unemployment Program (UP)
— Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA)
Now that the presidential election is approaching, the Obama Administration has again come up with the new HARP 2.0 plan, modifying the original HARP. Here are some basics the program:
Summary of HARP 2.0 Changes
• Announced on October 24, 2011, by the Federal Housing Finance Agency
• Expanded eligibility to additional borrowers, including borrowers who are
significantly "underwater."
• Recent changes include the following:
– Program end date extended until December 31, 2013
– Relaxed borrower delinquency requirements
– Maximum loan-to-value ratio "cap" of 125% eliminated for fixed-rate loans with
terms up to 30 years.
– Lenders are relieved of certain representations and warranties.
– New appraisal is not required in some situations.
– Risk-based fees for certain loans have been eliminated or reduced.
Payment History Requirement
• The borrower must be current now and must have an acceptable payment history.
– No late payments in the past 12 months (if payment is increasing)
– No more than 1 late payment in the past 12 months (if payment is decreasing)
• New HARP 2.0 Requirements:
– Current on the existing mortgage, and
– No late payments in the past six months, and
– No more than one 30-day delinquency in the past 12 months.
If your mortgage is owned or guaranteed by either Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, you may be eligible to refinance your mortgage under the enhanced and expanded provisions of HARP. You can determine whether your mortgage is owned by either Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae by checking the following Web sites:
• For Freddie Mac: http://www.freddiemac.com/mymortgage or
• For Fannie Mae: http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/.
VA, FHA loans are eligible for the new program.
HARP 2.0 refinancing need not be through your current lender or servicer. Homeowners can refinance with any lender.
How successful will HARP 2.0 be?
The above information presented by FHFA, a government agency of the current administration, sounds very promising. After all, it does make it sound like "EVERYBODY" is eligible, no matter how deeply underwater you are. It sounds exciting and optimistic. However, looking at the big picture may pose obstacles to its success.
1. Lenders are NOT required to participate in HARP 2.0. Smaller lenders may have difficulty in participating because their warehouse lines or funding sources restrict them from refinancing significantly underwater homes. The risk of taking on possible defaults is not worth taking. Small lenders believe they make more money out of purchase loans than refinance loans without equity.
2. Lenders who choose to participate are NOT required to follow the guidelines suggested by Fannie and Freddie Mac. Hence, appraisals may still be required, loan to value is lender-based, and lenders can create their own guidelines which could be significantly different and harder to qualify.
3. Big banks are more likely to consider HARP 2.0 to continue servicing their current and low-risk customers.
In summary, HARP 2.0 is a lender-based program, subject to lenders' guidelines. In reality, if lenders make more money from HARP 2.0, they will be inclined to do it. It is intended to help some people but NOT everybody.
As for the designers of this program, the timing of it makes one wonder whether the current administration has the people's interest at heart, or its own. If you are interested in finding out if you are qualified for HARP 2.0 or have any questions, please contact me at 480-650-0075.
*HARP 2.0 information provided by Ted Canto of Academy Mortgage.
Entry filed under: Arizona Real Estate, Chandler Real Estate, Foreclosures & Short Sales, Phoenix Real Estate. Tags: Fannie Mae Refinancing, Freddie Mac refinancing, HARP 1.0, HARP 2.0, no equity refinancing, underwater refinancing, upside down refinancing.
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Gig Reviews
Voxhall, Århus, DEN - 16/9
Album Reviews
Bon Iver
22, A Million
Written by: MIN on 17/12/2016 16:27:28
Although every release by Wisconsin folk/indie-favorites Bon Iver has seen change, the band's third album "22, A Million" still came as quite a surprise, sonically. Upon first listen, the album feels like a long way from the now classic "For Emma, Forever Ago" from 2007. That album was mostly quiet folk from an isolated cabin in the woods. On the "Blood Bank" EP, the song "Woods" suddenly mixed up things with its heavy use of synthesizer and nothing but vocal harmonies. The synthesizers were further explored on "Beth/Rest" on the quiet/loud album "Bon Iver, Bon Iver" from 2011. On their third album, however, Justin Vernon and co. fully embraces synthesizers, samples, programming and the occasional electronic distortion. But don't fret: "22, A Million" is just as endearing and delicate as it is inventive.
It's become a common prejudice by people alien to or even antagonistic towards electronic music that any such use kills passion and actual musicianship. Wrong: when used properly, when really synchronized with the organic tissue that's wrapped around the raw nerves of non-electronic music, the symbiosis reveals and highlights all the strengths of the songs. In the case of "22, A Million", it opens up a brand new world of alternative music. Radiohead's "Kid A" is an easy and evident comparison, but it's still so different. Although Justin Vernon's high falsetto is already a voice of its own, the way he twitches and turns it through the use of vocoders and synthesizers is remarkable, making such harmonies as the final chorus in "29 #Strafford APTS" punch you in the heart even harder than the first two times it appeared, just because a well-placed glitch in the stereo breaks the soundwave, thus revealing the song's true frailty.
But as much as the electronics provide sweet despair, the beginning of "8 (circle)", the album's true centerpiece, can't be beat when Vernon's clear and naked voice booms out "I'm standing in your street now // And I carry his guitar" in this mid-80s Springsteenesque ballade. Simply because the ambience and distortion wouldn't work without the album's wonderful body of work; all the music presented throughout is amazing on its own. Whether it's the subtle blaring of saxophones on "____45_____", the delicate piano of "00000 Million" or the abrasive and distorted drumming of "10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄", it all adds something to Bon Iver's artsy folktronica.
Oh, then how we gonna cry? // Cause it once might not mean something // Love, a second glance // It is not something that we'll need // Honey, understand that I have been left here in the reeds // But all I'm trying to do is get my feet out from the crease
"715 – CRΣΣKS" features nothing but Justin Vernon's voice in different layers, harmonizing over synthesizers, creating one of the album's many highlights. It's also one of the few examples on the album where Justin Vernon's veiled words make sense without one having to think like Alan Turing before being able to properly decipher them. Many songs are hard to break down (such as "21 M♢♢N WATER"), but upon repeated listening some kind of meaning eventually unveils. Bon Iver's sound may have changed, taking the risk of alienating some fans, but the result is so innovative, original and masterfully pieced together that it's impossible not to applaud the band.
Ultimately, "22, A Million" challenges and surprises the listener. It's the musical equivalent of a cyborg with a human heart beating underneath its tampered exterior. Justin Vernon has come out of the naked woods and is lost in a modern and over-mediated city, trying to figure out what's up and down. All of his questions and experiences are poured into and released through his music. And quite frankly, it's marvelous.
Download: 22 (OVER S∞∞N), 33 "GOD", 8 (circle), 00000 Million
For The Fans Of: Sufjan Stevens, Volcano Choir, Fleet Foxes, Radiohead
Listen: facebook.com/boniverwi
Release date 30.09.2016
Related Items | How we score?


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Welcome back to our blog, where we discuss all things RV! In our last post, we went over some great tips for buying your first home on wheels. In this post, we are going to switch gears and go over some things for our RV veterans out there. If you have had your RV for a few years, you will start to see the wear and tear. Instead of investing in a whole new RV, save your pennies and fix up the one you have. Then, with the money you save, come visit our RV park in Louisiana!
At Frog City RV Park, we make RV living a piece of cake. Our RV grounds have hot showers, a pool, laundry facilities, a dog walk area, and more! Our RV campground can be a great pitstop on a cross-country road trip or a great vacation destination.
Check out some amazing ways to revamp your RV today!
Replace your Dining Area
Many RVs come standard with a dinette table, which is an area that is bolted down to the floor of the RV. If your dinette table has seen better days, it may be time for an upgrade. One way you can spruce up the dining area is by implementing an actual table and chairs. Picking the right dining set will help make your RV truly feel like home. Make sure you do your measurements and don't get furniture that's too big for this smaller space. Picking a set of tables and chairs gives you more style options as well. Make sure you have a way to anchor the furniture to the RV, as this will prevent accidents and keep you and your family safe!
Get Rid of the Ratty Carpet
Once your carpet becomes an eyesore, it's time to be out with the old and in with the new. Try and be smart when picking out new RV carpeting. Pay attention to texture and color, as well as the amount. Be sure to measure the area where you are replacing the carpet. After, you need to remove all the furniture within the RV so are you are able to remove the old carpet more easily. Install the new carpet, and make sure it's secure by using an air stapler. Once the carpet is in place, put your RV back together. Your home on wheels will look almost unrecognizable with this new improvement!
Retire the Fold-Out
Many RVs come with storage solutions, such as a fold out couch. This piece of furniture is designed to be a bed and couch and to mainly save space. If your fold out is not comfortable or is looking rather drab, time to change it up! When you decide to replace your fold out, it is imperative to measure the space and to measure the largest opening of the RV, because you want to ensure the new furniture will fit into the RV. Removing the original sofa that came with the RV will leave visible holes; you want to cover these up as well as bolt down the new sofa bed.
This is just the beginning of ways to make your RV fabulous. Once your RV is ready to hit the road, come down to our RV park in Louisiana. Enjoy the warm weather, outdoor pool, and other great amenities our RV park has to offer. Check back for our next blog with more ways to revamp your RV.


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Lack of Respect for GL Obama Grows
As GL ("great leader") Obama again announces—via Vice GL Biden—that he plans to genuflect before Iranian leaders (he is practically begging them to meet with him and has already announced his desire to "partner" with Islam), at least a few leaders and members of the world's press are beginning to publicly wonder if he's up to the task of POTUS. Obama recently said that he will do away with the term "war on terror." One must assume that he also plans to do away with the term "terrorists." But, his would-be pals are not certain they want to accept his supplicant overtures. Instead, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani criticized Obama for not siding with the Palestinians in the recent Hamas-induced resussitation of the Palestinian-Israel border war.
Is Obama now announcing that he will abandon Israel and force the USA to join the Islamic world caliphate? Obama's ally-in-ideology Fidel Castro recently criticized the US Great Leader. And, to top it off, Uber-liberal maven columnist Maureen Dowd even offered a mild criticism of Obama (which was met by the far-Left with explosive hisses and obscenities directed at her). Yikes! Except for the far-far-far Left, is Obama's messiah complex also in jeopardy?
Amazingly—considering Cuba's horrific financial position—Fidel criticized Obama's handling of the US' economic crisis. Note: This may be the only thing upon which real American agree with the Communist leader.
Doesn't Castro realize that Obama wants to join him and Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez in nationalizing everything and bleeding the US dry? Wait! Maybe that's it! Castro may be afraid Cuba won't get a piece of the action. Perhaps Fidel is concerned that Obama and his sticky-fingered (AKA glutinous) Democrat-run Congress will grab all of the US' financial goodies before any of the other world thugs have a chance to participate in the feeding frenzy known Obama's "stimulus package"—more accurately known as "porkulus." Maybe Fidel is angry because he wasn't invited to the barbeque.
Since he took the office of president of the United States, Obama has lived up to the nightmare that many of us knew he would. His stimulus package is geared to help only Obama and his minions. The $4B+ for Obama's voter-fraud organization that was initially included in the trillion dollar package is still there! Obama will stimulate none but his adherents and those he has to pay off for getting him the US presidency—by hook and by crook. He has also called for the US Census Bureau to report to the White House. This means that he and the Democrats will Gerrymander voter districts country-wide, so that there is virtually no chance that Democrats will ever again lose an election.
Yes, folks, change has truly come to the USA. Unfortunately, it is in the form of the most intense and overt corruption that has ever manifested itself in Washington D.C. And in a city that probably sees more sleaze in a year than most of us see in a lifetime, that's says it all. And the secular messiah is losing his glow.
GL Obama to "partner" with Islam:
Obama to send "friendly" personal letter to Iran:
Iranian parliament speaker criticizes Obama:
Maureen Dowd column: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/opinion/04dowd.html?ref=opinion
Castro Criticizes Obama:
Bail me out Obama: http://www.bailmeoutobama.com/
Sher Zieve
Send email feedback to Sher Zieve
Biography - Sher Zieve
Sher Zieve is a long-time syndicated columnist who generally writes columns of a politically Conservative and Constitutional nature. She also interviews notable people with an interesting and/or newsworthy story to tell. These include politicians, writers, activists and others in the news. Her work has been and continues to be carried by both national and international publications. Sher appears regularly on national talk shows.
Copyright © 2009 by Sher ZieveAll Rights Reserved.
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Notre Dame's first Sustainability Across the Curriculum faculty workshop was held May 20-21, 2015 in Innovation Park.
The agenda is below; for copies of presentations or additional information, please email email@example.com.
Wednesday, May 20
8:00 – 8:30 AM: Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 10:00: What should every Notre Dame student know? A planetary perspective (Jessica Hellmann)
10:00 – 10:15: Break
10:15 – 11:15: Panel Discussion: Teaching sustainability across disciplines (Angela Laws, Donna Glowacki)
11:15 – 12:00: Reflection and goal setting
12:00 – 1:00: Lunch & Speaker: Teaching students to lead (Luke Gascho)
1:00 – 2:00: Economics, Ecology and Ethics (Ken Sayre)
2:00 – 2:45: Course revision brainstorm at round tables
3:00 – 4:00: The campus as a living lab: a green tour of Notre Dame (Barbara Hellenthal)
4:00 – 4:45: Tour of Notre Dame power plant and Q&A with Utilities staff (John Brown, Mark Hummel, Bob Werner)
Vans leave power plant at 5:00 PM for St. Patrick's County Park. Tour of ND-LEEF facility (Aimee Buccellato & Brett Peters) followed by dinner in the Harvest Room. Van will return to Notre Dame by 8:00.
Thursday, May 21
8:00 – 8:30 AM: Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 9:30 AM: Using learning goals & methodological approaches to teach an ethics of sustainability (Connie Mick)
10:00 – 10:30: Opportunities for community-based learning and research in South Bend (Therese Dorau)
10:30 – 10:45: Break
10:45 – 12:00: Course revision brainstorm at round tables
12:00 – 1:00: Lunch & Speaker: 2015: Pedagogical opportunities in a historic year (Rachel Novick)
1:00 – 2:00: Panel discussion: The meaning of sustainability in the humanities (John Sitter, Catherine Perry)
2:00 – 4:45 Field trip to Potato Creek; discussion of local environmental history (Jon Coleman & Annie Coleman). We will return to ND by 5:00 at the latest.
Speaker Bios
John Brown
Power Plant Manager
John's career started in the U.S. Navy where he spent 3.5 years attached to a destroyer based in Charleston S.C and was directly involved in the operation of the ship's steam propulsion plant. He has been with Notre Dame Utilities for 35 years, and in 2005 he became the Power Plant Manager. In this role he supervises 36 employees to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the Power Plant and is involved in fuel selections, equipment purchases, training, and Power Plant maintenance.
Aimee Buccellato
Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, University of Notre Dame
Aimee came to Notre Dame from professional practice in New York where she was an associate with G. P. Schafer Architect, PLLC. The primary focus of her research, teaching, and practice is to advance the study of building technology and sustainable design with particular emphasis on quantifying the inherently durable and sustainable characteristics of traditional principles of design, materials, and ways of making. As Project Designer for the Notre Dame Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility (ND-LEEF) she designed the Morrison Family Education and Outreach Pavilion.
Annie Coleman
Associate Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of American Studies, University of Notre Dame
Annie Gilbert Coleman is a 20th century American historian, whose work combines cultural studies, social history, and landscape studies with environmental history. Annie is interested in the intersection between consumer culture and nature, especially in the American West. She is author of Ski Style: Sport and Culture in the Rockies (2004), which explains how the ski industry transformed Colorado resort towns and their people in powerful and strange ways. Currently she is working on a cultural history of professional outdoor guides to be published by Oxford University Press.
Jon Coleman
Professor, Department of History, University of Notre Dame
Jon Coleman's books and teaching span colonial and contemporary America and integrate social, cultural, and environmental approaches. Jon is the author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America (2004), winner of the W. Turrentine Jackson Award from the Western History Association and the John H. Dunning Prize from the American Historical Association, and Here Lies Hugh Glass: a Bear, a Mountain Man, and the Rise of the American Nation (2012). With the support of a Guggenheim Fellowship (2013), he is working on an environmental history of movement in America before the widespread use of fossil fuels.
Therese Dorau
Director of Sustainability, City of South Bend
Therese Dorau comes to South Bend from Washington, D.C., where she managed consulting projects related to energy efficiency, renewable energy and environmentally friendly practices for corporate and government clients. A former legislative assistant in the Iowa General Assembly and college chemistry instructor, Therese has worked extensively with city and county governments in developing sustainability programs. Therese holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Xavier University in Ohio and a master's in sustainable systems from U. Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment.
Luke Gascho
Executive Director, Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College
Luke Gascho has a B.S. in Biology/Secondary Education from Eastern Mennonite College, an M.S. in Christian School Administration from Grace Theological Seminary, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He has guided the development of the master's program in Environmental Education at Goshen College and teaches a course for the program titled "Leadership for Environmental Education Programs and Centers".
Donna Glowacki
John Cardinal O'Hara, C.S.C. Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame
Donna Glowacki has been doing archaeological research in the U.S. Southwest since 1992, and has conducted fieldwork at 63 of the largest sites in the Northern San Juan region. Her research focuses on social changes leading to regional depopulation and migration, pottery production and exchange, and the formation of aggregated villages. Her publications include an edited volume, several book chapters, and articles in American Antiquity, Kiva, and the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. She is also a Research Associate with the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Colorado.
Barbara Hellenthal
Associate Professional Specialist; Curator, Museum of Biodiversity and Greene-Nieuwland Herbarium
Barbara Hellenthal is Curator of the Museum of Biodiversity housed in the Jordan Hall of Science where she is responsible for preparing specimens for classroom and research use, and overseeing the work of the undergraduates who organize and document the collections. Barbara co-authored Trees, Shrubs, and Vines on the University of Notre Dame Campus, published in 1993 by University of Notre Dame Press.
Jessica J. Hellmann
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame
Jessica Hellmann's research on the ecological impacts of climate change and her ideas about management strategies for biodiversity under climate change have been published in leading scientific journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Conservation Biology, and Ecology. She serves as the Director of the GLOBES Interdisciplinary Graduate Training Program in Environment and Society, Research Director for the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index (ND GAIN), and lead of the climate change adaptation research group of the Environmental Change Initiative.
Mark Hummel
Assistant Director of Utilities & Maintenance, University of Notre Dame
Mark has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree from Western Michigan University and is a licensed Professional Engineer. He has over 28 years of experience, primarily in the fields of commercial HVAC and energy production and distribution. He worked in the private sector for engineering consulting firms and a large temperature controls contractor prior to joining Notre Dame in 1994. Mark currently oversees a 5 member engineering staff as well as the Distribution Group and Building Controls Group within the Utilities Department.
Angela Laws
Assistant Director, University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center - West
Angela Laws is a community ecologist, working in grassland ecosystems. Her interests are broadly focused on understanding how the biotic and abiotic environment influences species interactions, and how those interactions in turn affect ecosystem processes. She teaches Biodiversity: Its Challenge and Future as well as a practicum in environmental biology at Notre Dame's environmental research center in Montana.
Connie Snyder Mick
Associate Director for Community-Based Learning, Notre Dame Center for Social Concerns
Connie Mick works with faculty to design and implement academic community engagement in courses across the University, informed by pedagogical research on engaged teaching and learning. Her teaching experience includes a variety of Social Concerns Seminars, the Capstone for Poverty Studies, Introduction to Poverty Studies, Community Writing and Rhetoric, and Multimedia Composition, as well as the Ethical Leadership through Service and Civic Engagement courses for Notre Dame's Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program.
Rachel Novick
Director of the Minor in Sustainability, University of Notre Dame
Rachel Novick is an Assistant Teaching Professor in Biological Sciences, where she teaches a course on ocean science and sustainability. Rachel advises the approximately 50 students enrolled in the Minor in Sustainability as well as the student environmental club GreeND. In 2008, Rachel co-founded Notre Dame's Office of Sustainability and served as its Education and Outreach Program Manager until 2013.
Catherine Perry
Associate Professor of French, University of Notre Dame
Catherine Perry works on French and Francophone literatures from the 19th century to the present. Her interests include intellectual history, gender studies, representations of North Africa in European literature and painting, and francophone literatures from the Maghreb, and French and Francophone cinema. Catherine is a recipient of the Kaneb Award for Teaching Excellence, the Distinguished Notre Dame Woman Award, and the Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
Brett Peters
Assistant Director, Notre Dame Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility (ND LEEF)
Brett Peters is the assistant director of ND-LEEF, a unique ecological research facility recently constructed at St. Patrick's County Park. Brett earned his B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Michigan State and his M.S. in Biology from Notre Dame. Brett's graduate research focused on the management of aquatic invasive species in the Midwest. Brett helped coordinate the design and construction of ND-LEEF and oversees the operation and maintenance of ND-LEEF as well as the community outreach activities at the facility.
Kenneth Sayre
Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame
Ken Sayre has written extensively in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), cybernetics, information theory, philosophy of mind, environmental philosophy, epistemology, and Plato. He taught numerous seminar and lecture courses in environmental philosophy during the decade prior to his retirement in 2014. His book, Unearthed: The Economic Roots of our Environmental Crisis, was published in 2010 and integrates environmental ethics, economics, and physics.
John Sitter
Mary Lee Duda Professor of Literature, Department of English, University of Notre Dame
John Sitter is a specialist in eighteenth-century poetry and a teacher of poetry, satire, and fiction from the Renaissance to the present. Current research and teaching interests include poetry, poetics, and satire from the seventeenth century to the present, ecological criticism and theory, and cultural issues of sustainability. He received the 2014 Sheedy Excellence in Teaching Award given by the College of Arts & Letters.
Bob Werner
Mechanical Engineer, Utilities & Maintenance, University of Notre Dame
Bob Werner has a bachelor's in mechanical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and has been a registered professional engineer since 1980. He was president of his own energy engineering consulting firm from 1980 to 1997. Bob is a Certified Energy Manager and a LEED Accredited Professional. He has worked for the Notre Dame Department of Facilities Design and Operations since 1997, managing its Energy Conservation Measures Program since 2008.


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KNZ is pleased to announce that Dustin Zacks' recent article regarding Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems has been featured in the National Mortgage News. The news report cites Zacks' research for his analysis of the threats MERS faces from county clerk lawsuits around the nation.
To read the National Mortgage News article featuring Zacks' research, click here.
To read the full text of Zacks' article, click here.


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Bangalore is proving to be one of the fastest growing start-up ecosystems in the world, with new start-ups springing up from hostels and universities almost daily.
Bangalore has an estimated population of 12.34 million, up from 8.5 million in 2011, and has seen a 7.8% population growth in the past five years, making it one of the fastest growing cities in the world. India's fastest growing metropolis, it is India's second largest city after Mumbai, which grew by a whopping 38% between 1991 and 2001. Bangalore, or Kannada as it is called (translated from its native Kansada), is also home to a leading global advanced manufacturing and robotics ecosystem, according to Startup Genome's 2018 ranking, overtaking Silicon Valley, New York, San Francisco and London as the top three cities for the first time. It also has the highest number of start-ups per square kilometre (per capita) of any city on the planet, with more than 2,000 startups per square kilometre, making it the third largest start-up centre in Asia Pacific.
Bengaluru Urban is home to the highest number of active cases in the country, with 8.65% of active cases, and the remaining 15 counties contribute less than 2% to all active cases, with the exception of the city's two largest counties, Kannada and Tamil Nadu. Bangalore has more than 1,000 start-ups per square kilometre (per capita), representing over 1.5% (2.1 million) of all start-ups in India.
Most, if not all, can be seen on a half-day tour, but if you are on foot, you should be warned about Bengaluru with the worst cobblestones in India. The Bangalore train station is the main bus stand and there are prepaid auto rickshaws and taxi stands on the forecourt. It is connected to Majestic Station and it is better to get off and get on at Bangalore Cantonment Station in the north - centre. The busy MG Rd area is a hub of shopping in Bangalore, with many shops, restaurants, shops and shops selling everything from clothing and accessories to electronics and electronic accessories, including electronics, electronic parts, furniture, jewelry, clothing, footwear, clothing and accessories and apparel. In this northern city, everything is fine and you can get on and off at Bangalore - Cantagement station north of the city centre or at any other station.
India's startup landscape has become the epitome of innovation, and it remains one of India's future faces. There is no doubt that entrepreneurs from across the Indian subcontinent are increasingly making Bangalore a destination for their expansion. With Bengaluru named India's fastest-growing technology hub, investors have every reason to be. While the ecosystem is still maturing, there is no shortage of entrepreneurs in the capital, Karnataka.
Bangalore has earned a reputation as India's Silicon Valley, where a significant number of tech startups were born. Bangalore was a small town in the southern Indian state of Karnataka that only began to grow uncontrollably into a major city during the IT boom of the 1990s. Since then, hundreds of IT companies have been established, and this continued during the heady IT boom years of 1990. With a population of more than 1.5 million, Bangalore has also earned the nickname "Silicon Valley" in India.
Its proximity to the Indian capital Bangalore and its location in the heart of the country's IT industry makes it a hub for start-ups and a fertile land for businesses.
The city was founded by a British cantonism that ruled part of British India and was moved by the British to Bengaluru, the old town, in 1809. From missionary-led schools to cheerful tipplers, East Bangalore cultivated a concentrated Anglo-European culture, while traditional India reigned supreme in Cubbon Park in ancient Bangalore.
With more than eight million people in the city, home to some of India's most sought-after universities, it is difficult to find outstanding engineers. The park has become known as India's Silicon Valley due to its proximity to the self-contained city of Bengaluru, the second largest city in the world.
The temple will be a sanctuary for the Latter-day Saints, he said, and the challenge will only last a few years as the ground has been prepared for 1,000 temples of different faiths, including Hinduism and Islam.
The hall will also be built to honor the memory of Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife Josephine, as well as other Latter-day Saints and their family members.
The present region of Bengaluru was ruled by the Maharajah of Mysore, the ruler of the Principality of Bangalore, founded in 1537 AD, which is considered the foundation of modern Bengal Bangalore. The old town was built under the rule of Maharajas of Mysoes, and Krishnan came to the city like all - India Radio in Bangalore began broadcasting. The Indian state of Karnataka is the second largest city in India after Bangalore and the capital of a princely state (although it nominally existed as a sovereign entity within the British Raj). After India's independence in 1947, it became the capital of the entire MYSore state and remained so when the new "Indian state" Karnataka was founded in 1956.


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Bars and Clubs Making the Most of SquadUP Ticketing and Event Management
Whenever we see the SquadUP event ticketing and management platform used in new ways, we like to share, in the hopes that we can inspire similar event planners to take advantage in a similar way. Plenty of bars and clubs charge a cover and even more host events for occasions like New Year's Eve and the Super Bowl. None of that is new. But we're finally seeing these venues take advantage of online pre-sales to drive event awareness and increase revenue.
Getting customers to buy their ticket in advance for your venue's Super Bowl party is valuable for a few reasons. First off, they're committed. Even if someone hears about your party a week before and comes to the conclusion that they'd like to attend, you still have a week to lose them. Maybe their friend has a different party in mind and convinces them to bail on yours. Maybe they simply get lazy on the day of the event and decide they'd prefer to stay home. When people buy a ticket, there is no turning back… at least without giving away their money.
Once a guest has paid for and committed to an event, they become incentivized to make that event the best it can be. Since they're not involved in the event planning, they can really only make the event better in one way: bring their friends. Of course they want to enjoy the event with as many people that they know and like as possible. With the highly social sharing features on our web platform and in both our iOS and Android mobile apps, your guests will also be your promoters.
Another benefit to online pre-sale tickets is getting an accurate head count. It is easier to manage staff, entertainment, food, and drinks when you know how many guests will be attending. Without pre-sale tickets, your event could be empty or packed, but you won't know for sure until it gets started. For an event planner, that's a scary thought.
The same event ticketing and management benefits that apply to that Super Bowl party, also apply to charging cover. Wouldn't it be great to have customers committed to your bar or club for the night ahead of time? When friend groups inevitably have the "where should we go tonight?" conversation, anybody that is already committed to your venue will try to convince their friends to join them.
We've seen a lot of college bars and clubs have success with this, getting social influencers to buy their event tickets and pay cover in advance, and then get their friends to do the same or join them and pay when they arrive. They've been able to steal business away from competing bars because they're the only local venue that already has students committed before the night even starts. They've also begun to add perks to further incentivize students to pre-pay. For example, some venues offer the ability to skip the cover charge line or a cover charge discount for buying in advance. Students love feeling like their VIPs! Venues that have included these perks, like Indigo, a popular Penn State club, have been successful.
If you work with a bar or club, you can create your event on SquadUP now, or tweet @squadup to continue the conversation.


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As I thought about all these issues, I tried to work out a list of categories for making food choices. Here is my list:
Taste is the first driver for what we want to eat. A few foods may taste good to everyone, or nearly everyone, but the old expressions "no accounting for taste" and "do not dispute taste" apply to food, so I'm not going to try to discuss this choice.
Health is a reason that everyone agrees on: food should promote good health and maybe even long life. Above all we want our food to be clean and wholesome so as not to cause disease. From there, not much agreement, except maybe that we should all eat our vegetables. Scientific studies to date are are not definitive in telling us what constitutes a good or balanced diet. Can you be healthy if you are fat, or should you limit your caloric intake? Do "natural" foods promote health more than "industrial" foods? How much sugar is too much? Which additives, industrially created foods (like HFCS), genetically modified plants or animals, and chemicals are safe, which are bad, which are truly toxic? Are organic foods better for us? Allergies are real, but fear of them may lead to irrational behavior. Also real: contamination of eggs with salmonella, spinach with e-coli, and Chinese milk with industrial poisons.
Cost of food is an issue for many people. In the extreme, people may even have to put cost concerns above issues of taste and health. All the choices on my list from here on are considered luxuries for people in our society who can't afford expensive preferences, such as fair-trade coffee, organic vegetables and fruits, or net-caught tuna fish. Unscrupulous industrial food producers have made the situation even worse by violating even the most basic laws to make foods cheaper (such as the recent Iowa egg debacle). In other countries, food scarcity is much worse than here.
Social justice is a food issue because farm workers in the US and abroad, employees of chicken-processing plants and similar industries, and many others who work on our food are poorly paid and badly treated. We may have a bad conscience about food insufficiency in the third world, while not being able to affect it through food choices. Similarly, political motivations and machinations have lead to over-fattening school lunches and have made unhealthy food the cheapest and easiest food to obtain.
The global environment, including climate change, is a major issue in food decisions. What is the impact of mass agriculture, transport of foods over long distances, attempts to grow foods in inappropriate environments, and potential exhaustion of resources? Major environmental issues:
- Big farms vs. small farms and eating local farm products instead of long-haul products are key issues for many people. The idea of a carbon footprint, or how much fuel does it take to raise food and bring an item to your table, is an effort to measure the impact on the environment and use of resources. The freshness, healthfulness, and tastiness of local and also of organic produce also plays a role in the choice of big-small or distant-local.
- Pollution from many types of agriculture is another part of the same problem. Pesticides, feed-lot runoff, cattle near the spinach fields, etc. are all recognized dangers both to the environment and to food production. Pollution of food from other eco-disasters is also an issue, such as the impact of the Gulf oil spill on shellfish.
- Genetically modified foods are beginning to be recognized as a danger to the environment -- for example, pesticide-resistant genes recently discovered to be escaping from GMO crops into nearby weeds.
- Overfishing and overuse of the oceans is a source of many possible risks to the world food supply and the environment. Choosing which fish to eat is becoming more and more fraught as we read of the impact of mass fisheries, irresponsible and greedy behavior (such as using huge nets that kill unwanted or disallowed species), and the near-extinction of more and more species.
Religious taboos are among the oldest dietary issues. Jews may have the oldest and most complicated set of laws for what to eat, but Seventh-Day Adventists, Mormons, Methodists, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and others also dictate dietary limitations. Some religious thinkers are combining religious food taboos with concerns for social justice, so this might be a more important issue in the future for religious people.
I only wish there were something so simple that I could do to make my own food choices easier and address at least some of these problems.


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Fosa Personal Loans:
This facility boosts your finances through provision of credit with a maximum repayment period of 60 months and maximum loan amount of 3 million. You will need to channel your salary through our F.O.S.A . What determines the amount of loan you qualify is the net salary. From the net salary, we negotiate with you how much you are willing to commit to secure the loan. This is because, the policy does not allow you to commit all your net for purposes of loan during application. As a result, we let you have a minimum of Ksh. 2500 as your take home from your net salary. The interest rate charged is 13% per annum on reducing balance or amortization. Top-up commission of 4% is charged.
Instant Loans :
The facility is designed for our members who channel their salary through the FOSA to enable them access quick short term financing to enable them meet their emergency needs. A minimum of Ksh.2,500 must be left in the account after deductions. Repayment period is 6 months with an interest rate of 5% on reducing balance.
Salary Advance Loan :
For members who channel their salary through the FOSA. Maximum of 60 % of salary channeled through FOSA is given as advance. A member must be left with at least ksh 2500 in the account as take home after all deductions. An interest rate of 5% is charged one-off upon posting of salary.
Asset Based Loans :
Guarantor problem? Do not worry, this facility helps remove the stress of looking for guarantors as you can use your asset, (Land-commercial) to secure the loan. The product also enables you to access more than what your savings can give you as the loan you apply is 80% of the value of your property. Repayment period is 5 years with an interest of 1.5% per month on reducing balance .You will need to meet processing fees.
Asset Financing :
You can now be a proud owner of your dream asset through our Shirika Sacco asset financing. You will identify the asset, (Land) and we will finance you upto 80% and a repayment period 5 years at an interest rate of 1.5% per month on reducing balance. The asset is jointly owned by the member and the Sacco through an agreement. You will meet the processing expenses.
Vukisha Loan:
You can now plan early using your dividend advance. You do not have to worry about your December holiday and January- back to school stress. You can access upto 50% of previous interest on deposit. Application of the loan begins on 1st December to January yearly. Interest is 5% one off without guarantors.
Tarajia Loan:
The product is designed for members who received interest on deposit in the previous year and have channeled their salary through the FOSA. A member can access upto 50% of previous interest on deposit. Application of the loan is between July and November yearly. Interest is 1% straight line. No guarantors needed. Repayment period 5months depending on the month you apply.
Group/Unganisha Loan:
For registered groups; Maximum loan 2 million, repayment period, 24 months:interest rate 1.5%. per month on reducing balance; additional collateral other than deposit required: 1st loan will be one and a half times the group's savings; second loan will be twice the group's savings.


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Following his trip to Bhutan, ITTN's News & Features Editor Neil Steedman made a one-day stopover in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
This was my first time to visit Bangladesh and I had struggled with the Government website when researching a visa, but the Nijhoom Tours website advised me that a Visa On Arrival was available (for single entry only and maximum 30 days) for US$50. This is payable at a bank kiosk beside the immigration desks, but I had to wait quite a while before someone came to the kiosk to assist.
I had booked a one-day city tour of Old Dhaka with Nijhoom Tours with ease online. When the first method of paying did not work, Raw Hasan, the Chief Executive, had set up a different account for me that worked first time.
My guide, Obaidul, and driver, who were both friendly, informative and spoke good English, met me as arranged at the airport car park. Although I have been travelling for over 50 years, just as we were about to drive out of the car park I realised that I had left my camera (with 10 days of Bhutan pictures on it!) in the seat pocket of my aircraft from Paro, but with Obaidul's help I managed to retrieve it from Bhutan Airlines before the aircraft took off again for Paro. However, this delay resulted in our meeting really heavy traffic into Old Dhaka.
We first stopped at the National Assembly (Parliament) Building designed by US architect Louis Kahn. This is one of the largest legislative buildings in the world and famous for its layout and windows that bring light everywhere inside. We could not go in, but if you give Nijhoom Tours five days notice they can arrange a tour inside.
A pleasant 30-minute boat ride on the busy Buriganga river was followed by a visit to Ahsan Manzil, or Pink Palace, which was the official residential palace and seat of the Nawab of Dhaka. The construction, started in 1859 and completed in 1872, is in the Indo-Saracenic Revival style.
The day tour was most enjoyable, particularly riding rickshaws between the main old city attractions (Dhaka is sometimes called 'Rickshaw City') and meeting an elephant (which is not a regular occurrence) that shook my hand with its trunk to say hello – or, more likely, to ask for money.
From my one-day experience I would say don't be put off by any security fears – I felt perfectly safe and, indeed, I was surprised at how the men engage you with their eyes and when you smile you get a big smile (and even a high five) in return. Bangladesh is a 90% Muslim country, so the women are less forthcoming – but also smile and say Hi when able to.
Other highlights of the tour included the Armenian Church of Holy Resurrection, the beautiful Star Mosque, Lalbagh Fort, and the Dhakeshwari Temple, as well as a tasty lunch in an Old Dhaka restaurant.
By the way, Bangladesh has some great attractions outside of Dhaka so if your clients are going for more than just one day take a look at the many longer tours offered by Nijhoom Tours for 2018-2019 at: https://nijhoom.com/brochure/


text: For Executive: Lebanese citizens who have fled fighting in Syria arrive home only to find that there is no provision for them to get assistance in their home country. Many have been back in Lebanon as long as two years without receiving any help at all. Unable to register with the UN, who only deal with Syrian nationals or Palestinians, they are reliant on the Lebanese government whose assistance program is underfunded and unorganized. Read the article here.


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IRVINE, Calif. — July 11, 2013 — BenQ America Corp., an internationally renowned provider of digital lifestyle innovations and global DLP(R) projector leader, today announced that the company donated a MX813ST short-throw projector to the United Teachers of Dade (UTD) in order to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of its teaching staff. As part of UTD's Professional Development, Best Practices for Interactive Whiteboard Program, a teacher will be using the projector to help transform classroom learning into a more interactive experience.
"This is a very interesting time for teaching professionals and the entire education sector," said Charles Belekis, Specialist of Educational Policy, UTD. "With so many new tools at their disposal, teachers are rethinking the way they present their lesson plans, as access to technology continues to change the way students learn. Thanks to our new development program and with the help of companies like BenQ, we are able bridge the knowledge gap, bringing more collaborative, next-generation classroom experiences to both our teachers and students."
The UTD Professional Development, Best Practices for Interactive Whiteboard Program educates teachers on the benefits of today's technology and how they can use interactive techniques to transform their classrooms into media-rich learning environments. Through the donation of its MX813ST projector facilitated by Camcor, a value-added reseller of technology solutions for schools, offices, and homes, BenQ was able to strengthen UTD's training initiative, providing a forward-thinking product that is designed to future-proof the classroom while combining simplicity, interactivity, and efficiency for instructors, IT managers, and school administrators.
"On behalf of BenQ, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to donate our classroom technology to the UTD development program," said Stephanie Kohler, Distribution Sales Manager at BenQ America Corp. "As schools begin to align themselves more closely with today's interactive technology options, BenQ has positioned its education products to integrate the benefits of interconnected learning with solutions that are innovative, cost effective, and easy to use."
Designed to provide teachers and students with Colorific(TM) picture quality, flexible operation, and enhanced energy savings, the MX813ST projector provides an 81-inch XGA picture at only 39 inches from the screen with a 0.6 short-throw ratio. The result is a simpler installation and setup by providing added flexibility in placement of the projector. This proximity eliminates the "blinding lights" effect, allowing teachers to stand closer to the screen without obstructing the projection or getting light in their eyes. To ensure that bright images are cast onto the screen, the projector features 2700 ANSI lumens of brightness and a crisp 10000:1 ultra-sharp contrast ratio.
To reduce the projector's energy costs, power-saving features such as an "Eco Blank Mode" allow instructors to blank out the projection screen whenever the MX813ST is not in use, while a "SmartEco Mode" automatically adjusts lamp power between 100 percent and 30 percent based on the amount of brightness required. Furthermore, the projector's "No Source Detected Mode" automatically lowers brightness to 30 percent when no display has been detected for more than three minutes, further reducing the device's total cost of ownership.
More information on the full line of BenQ products and classroom solutions is available at
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About BenQ America Corp.
The BenQ digital lifestyle brand stands for "Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life," fusing lifestyle with technology, enjoyment with productivity, and aesthetic design with engineering. It is this mantra that has made BenQ the No. 1-selling DLP(R) projector brand worldwide, as well as the No. 1 name in short-throw projectors. BenQ America Corp. offers an extensive line of visual display and presentation solutions that incorporate the very latest technologies. The company delivers a broad range of projectors, flat panel displays, and monitors for any application and market — education, home, gaming, enterprise, government, house of worship, digital signage, A/V and IT — with cutting-edge models that lead the industry in performance, reliability, environmental sustainability, and aesthetics. Whether it's interactive digital whiteboards for classrooms, full HD 3D projectors for home theaters, short-throw projectors for boardrooms, interactive flat panel displays for digital signage, or LED backlight monitors for professional gaming, BenQ continues to defy the limits of digital displays. The company's products are available across North America through leading value-added distributors, resellers, and retailers.
More information is available at
About BenQ Corporation
BenQ Corporation is a renowned global trendsetter of connected digital lifestyle devices founded on the brand promise of "Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life." With a keen insight into ever-evolving consumer preferences, BenQ uniquely creates the ideal balance of leading technology and signature design to provide visual and mobile solutions that elevate consumer lifestyles. BenQ continues to delight the world's consumers with a broad product and embedded technology portfolio spanning digital projectors, monitors, interactive large-format displays, digital cameras and camcorders, mobile computing devices, and lighting solutions.
About BenQ Group
The BenQ Group is a $21+ billion powerhouse comprised of 16+ independent companies operating in over 30 countries across numerous industries with a combined workforce of over 120,000 employees. Each Group member is a recognized leader in its own field, contributing to the BenQ Group's vast resources, broad R&D, and distinct strategic strengths. By leveraging each company's vertical specialization to create true scale across horizontal markets, the BenQ Group controls a highly efficient value chain with the unrivaled ability to deliver critical components and world-class solutions in the following industries: TFT-LCD, green energy, fine chemicals and advanced materials, lighting, IC design, precision components, system integration, branded business, and service. The Group is committed to profitable and sustainable businesses that share its long-standing vision of Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life.
The BenQ Group companies are: BenQ Corporation, AU Optronics Corporation (world's top manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels), Qisda Corporation, Darfon Electronics Corporation, BenQ Materials Corp., BenQ Guru Corp., BenQ Medical Center, BenQ Medical Technology Corp., BriView Co., Ltd., Daxin Materials Corp., Dazzo Technology Corp., Forhouse Corp., Lextar Electronics Corp., Raydium Semiconductor Corp., and Wellypower Corp.
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Photo Link:
Caption: Pictured from Left to Right: UTD Staff member Charles Belekis, Hialeah SH AP Aileen Sanchez, UTD member and teaching professional Kathleen Pham and UTD President Karen Aronowitz.
All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


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Mockito is a fantastic mock library for Java. I'm fascinated by how easy it is to use, compared to other things out there both in the Java and .NET world. Here is everything you need to know to get started in six really easy examples.
First of all, get mockito from http://mockito.org/. Almost everything really interesting can be imported with the org.mockito.Mockito class (or a static import of its methods, which I'll use in this post). So let's get right into it.
To create a stub (or a mock), use mock(class). Then use when(mock).thenReturn(value) to specify the stub value for a method. If you specify more than one value, they will be returned in sequence until the last one is used, after which point the last specified value gets returned. (So to have a method return the same value always, just specify it once). For example:
import static org.mockito.Mockito.*; import static org.junit.Assert.*; import java.util.Iterator; import org.junit.Test; .... @Test public void iterator_will_return_hello_world(){ //arrange Iterator i=mock(Iterator.class); when(i.next()).thenReturn("Hello").thenReturn("World"); //act String result=i.next()+" "+i.next(); //assert assertEquals("Hello World", result); }
This example creates a mock iterator and makes it return "Hello" the first time method next() is called. Calls after that return "World". Then we can run normal assertions.
Stubs can also return different values depending on arguments passed into the method. For example:
@Test public void with_arguments(){ Comparable c=mock(Comparable.class); when(c.compareTo("Test")).thenReturn(1); assertEquals(1,c.compareTo("Test")); }
This creates a stub Comparable object and returns 1 if it is compared to a particular String value ("Test" in this case). If the method has arguments but you really don't care what gets passed or cannot predict it, use anyInt() (and alternative values for other types). For example:
@Test public void with_unspecified_arguments(){ Comparable c=mock(Comparable.class); when(c.compareTo(anyInt())).thenReturn(-1); assertEquals(-1,c.compareTo(5)); }
This stub comparable returns -1 regardless of the actual method argument. With void methods, this gets a bit tricky as you can't use them in the when() call. The alternative syntax is doReturn(result).when(mock_object).void_method_call(); Instead of returning, you can also use .thenThrow() or doThrow() for void methods. For example:
@Test(expected=IOException.class) public void OutputStreamWriter_rethrows_an_exception_from_OutputStream() throws IOException{ OutputStream mock=mock(OutputStream.class); OutputStreamWriter osw=new OutputStreamWriter(mock); doThrow(new IOException()).when(mock).close(); osw.close(); }
This example throws an IOException when the mock OutputStream close method is called. We verify easily that the OutputStreamWriter rethrows the exception of the wrapped output stream. To verify actual calls to underlying objects (typical mock object usage), we can use verify(mock_object).method_call; For example:
@Test public void OutputStreamWriter_Closes_OutputStream_on_Close() throws IOException{ OutputStream mock=mock(OutputStream.class); OutputStreamWriter osw=new OutputStreamWriter(mock); osw.close(); verify(mock).close(); }
This example will verify that OutputStreamWriter propagates the close method call to the wrapped output stream. You can use arguments on methods and matchers such as anyInt() similar to the previous example. Note that you can't mix literals and matchers, so if you have multiple arguments they all have to be either literals or matchers. use eq(value) matcher to convert a literal into a matcher that compares on value. Mockito comes with lots of matchers already built in, but sometimes you need a bit more flexibility. For example, OutputStreamWriter will buffer output and then send it to the wrapped object when flushed, but we don't know how big the buffer is upfront. So we can't use equality matching. However, we can supply our own matcher:
@Test public void OutputStreamWriter_Buffers_And_Forwards_To_OutputStream() throws IOException{ OutputStream mock=mock(OutputStream.class); OutputStreamWriter osw=new OutputStreamWriter(mock); osw.write('a'); osw.flush(); // can't do this as we don't know how long the array is going to be // verify(mock).write(new byte[]{'a'},0,1); BaseMatcher arrayStartingWithA=new BaseMatcher(){ @Override public void describeTo(Description description) { // nothing } // check that first character is A @Override public boolean matches(Object item) { byte[] actual=(byte[]) item; return actual[0]=='a'; } }; // check that first character of the array is A, and that the other two arguments are 0 and 1 verify(mock).write(argThat(arrayStartingWithA), eq(0),eq(1)); }


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For years the casual English football fan has berated La Liga for its lack of competitiveness, with the duopoly of Barcelona & Real Madrid often winning the league. But every decade or so, a challenger emerges from the midst of obscurity. The early '00s saw Deportivo La Coruña & Valencia appear as competitors for the league, winning three titles in five years between them. Barcelona & Real Madrid then regained control, with nine titles in nine years. The pair had built themselves around two of the greatest goalscorers to ever play the game; Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the title looked all set to be a tug of war between them for another decade. But a contender had emerged; Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid.
His team were able to do the seemingly impossible, claiming La Liga. Simeone was rightly applauded; winning the league on a comparatively tiny budget represented one of the most incredible managerial feats of all-time. His team brought a unique blend of aggression and intensity, technical and tactical ability. But when a club overachieves, the vultures circle, and Atlético lost three of their most important players; Filipe Luís, Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois, all to Chelsea.
Atléti were able to reinvest, but it would take something special to compete for the league again. The 2014-15 season has seen a slight change of emphasis, and set pieces have been of huge importance. At time of writing, Atléti have scored 19 league goals from set pieces (excluding penalties); nine more than any other team, and two more than they've scored from open play. 12 of these (30% of total) have come from corners.
With the emergence of statistical analysis in football, the corner has become a forsaken art. It has even been suggested that corners are largely useless, and when "the average EPL team scores 1 goal from a corner about every 10 games", it's no surprise this opinion is agreed upon by many. But Atléti have been scoring at a rate of better than a corner every *two* games. Given the mediocre amount of corners they take (5.2 per game — 9th in La Liga), this is astonishing.
Corners represent a game within a game. They are unique in that they are fairly replicable, in a way that few situations in football are. If you thoroughly analyse the defensive/offensive system of the opponent, then it is reasonably simple to predict the way they will set up in the next match.
Atléti face two types of opponents in the corner-taking mini-game: those who understand Atléti's main strength & attempt to negate it, and those who don't.
For regular watchers of Los Rojiblancos, it won't be a surprise to hear their most successful corner routine: the outswinging corner to the near post. In the early part of the season, this was their go-to move. Because it worked.
Atlético's go-to corner routine (their second and third most used routines can be seen at the end of the article)
In their opening five matches, they used this play ten times from their twenty nine corners. Two goals came from these ten corners. They also targeted the near post a fifteen times, with three of the four goals from corners. They were going to the near post every other corner, and the opposition weren't expecting it.
The watershed moment came against a well-prepared Valencia side, who had two men occupying the near post zone. After this game, it became the norm to defend Atlético corners in this way. Only a few teams (Espanyol, Deportivo, Granada) seemed to continue with a strict man-marking system.
The difference over the course of the season is stark: their conversion rate for near post outswingers against a man marking system is 23.08%, with a 11.11% conversion rate against teams using a[n at least partially] zonal-based system. This efficiency is still high for corners, but the change meant halving the effectiveness of Atléti's greatest weapon.
Constant innovation leads to sustained success
Facing tweaked defensive systems regularly, Atléti began to innovate themselves; they went from going to the near post 57% of the time, to 45%. They also lowered the amount they ran the play above; 27% of the time, to 15%.
Early on in the season, their corner threat was two-fold: near post and Diego Godín.
First touches from corners in Atléti's first six matches. Red = Atléti first touch, blue = opposition.
In their next nine games, they came up against a mixed marking style six times.
First touches for corners from the next six games against a mixed marking style.
As expected, targeting the near post became less effective. The only time Atléti were able to take the first touch in these instances was when the delivery and the near post run were both perfect. Tiago proved his worth in these situations and evaded three markers to score a near post header against Malaga.
Their effectiveness in the 'Godín zone' was again excellent, and even improved. Having previously employed Mario Madzukic as an option in the six yard box, Simeone decided to use the Croatian as one of the runners from deep alongside Godín. This utilised his height, and with a running jump, it became difficult for the defenders to match him. Mandžukić replaced Raul Garcia in this role, who has only created a first Atléti touch in six of the corners aimed at him.
The image also illustrates Atléti's new-found propensity for the short corner, another technique they used to score against Malaga. For a defense focussed on defending the near post at all costs, this presented a new challenge.
Corners are generally low percentage attacks due to the inherent numerical advantage the defensive team has. With attacking teams often applying the rule of keeping one more defender back than the other team has forward, and the corner taker obviously being out of play, the defending team has a two man advantage. Atléti's initial corner success came from clever runs to the near post, often with two men. At least one of these runners would lose their man, creating an overload in that area. The same principle applied to their short corner routine.
When a short corner option is offered, it instantly brings the corner taker back into play. The defensive team have a decision to make: do you commit one or two men to the short corner?
1: Malaga choose to press with two defenders. At this stage, this is not an issue.
2: It is now 4v4 in the danger zone, with strict man marking on each attacker. The man at the back post is expected to mark Diego Godín and Raul Jimenez, which eventually creates the goal for Godín.
When the short corner was used against Malaga, they decided to commit two defenders to close down the short corner. These means even if the defensive team has a player covering the near post zone, it leaves every other player in a 1v1 in the centre. Against players with the jumping & heading ability of Diego Godín, this is dangerous.
Sending too few men to deal with the short corner can also be a risk.
1: Elche initially commit one man to defend the short corner, but a second also comes.
2: Siqueira spots the other defender, and makes a good run down the left. This creates a 3v2 and re-establishes Atléti's overload.
3: The man who was guarding the near post zone has to vacate his duties in order to close down Turan. This leaves Gimenez with space in front of him to attack. He does this well, turns the defender, and scores.
Defending corners against Atlético
With so many strings to Atléti's bow, it's tricky to eliminate all their attacking options. But it's not impossible.
The team that've best dealt with them from corners this year is, perhaps surprisingly, Barcelona. This was partly down to mistakes from Simeone and his team in setting
Barca's defensive setup at corners
The first thing to notice is the reduced number of players Atléti are attacking with. This is because Barca have left Messi, Neymar *and* Iniesta up the pitch. This is particularly wise because of the trade-offs it creates. Simeone chooses to drag Tiago back in order to nullify the potential counter attacking threat, leaving an unfamiliar Mandžukić to target the near post.
Luis Enrique's use of his two best set piece defenders is also a key component of their defense. Piqué & Busquets are vital, as the only two particularly tall Barca players. Piqué uses his organisational skills to act as a floating zonal marker between the 'near post zone' and the 'Godín zone'. With the near post well under wraps, it's important to target Godín and Busquets is the ideal man to defend him.
Since Simeone took over Atlético in 2011, his team have consistently been one of the best in the league from corners and set pieces generally. The fact that so many new recruits are adept in the air suggests a club focus on set pieces as a weapon. With the constant innovation and lack of preparation from opposition clubs, there's no reason Atléti cannot maintain excellent conversion rates.
Play #1 (used 21% of the time) is detailed earlier in the post.
Play #2 (16%):
Play #3 (13%):
Atléti used a total of 18 separate plays throughout the season.


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2012 BMW M5 to officially get twin-turbo V8
It's been rumored for sometime now, but BMW's M boss has now officially confirmed that the next-generation BMW M5 will indeed be powered by a twin-turbo V8. In an interview with AutoBild, Dr. Kay Segler said that the F10 M5's powerplant will be based on the same unit from the BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M.
While Segler didn't confirm power output figures, it is widely reported that the next-generation M5 will produce somewhere between 585 to 600 horses.
The 2012 BMW M5 is scheduled to go on sale in the second half of 2011.
– By: Omar Rana
Source: AutoBild (via BMWBlog)


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Desi the cat guy talks about his previous life as a famous choreographer in New York City, working with the likes of Jennifer Lopez.
Across New York, in backyards and back alleys, thousands of animals are in need from the...(01:11)
Across New York, in basements and backyards, desperate animals are in need. Alone, sick,...(01:08)


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I was chatting up irksome things with a fellow blogger this morning, and it inspired me to revisit the 'Annoyances' posts I used to do back on my drinking blog. So this evening, I came up with a plan of action. Sit down and set the timer for a couple minutes whilst listing some of the things that annoy me.
Back in the day, (a couple years ago, on my drinking blog) I would've supplemented my vitriolic acid with alcohol, nicotine and Oxy. Sadly, this post was written with nary a performance enhancing drug involved. I seriously miss just how much fun I used to be. And so what if it was eighty proofed with a hallucinogenic chaser and nicotine cherry on top? It still fucking counts.
(Editor's Note: I went back after my couple minutes was up and added some thoughts to the annoyances that supply a particular curse word or several whenever they come to mind. Because not all annoyances are created equal.)
So without further adieu, I give you some annoyances fresh off the top of my head. With no chemically enhanced originality to flavor things up. And, umm . .you're welcome?
- White guys who say "My bad" . . . and mean it.
- Nicholas Sparks
- The Rolling Stones insane popularity
- March Madness– The analysts are glorified used car salesmen, the coaches are made men and the best talent goes right to the NBA. It's a dirty sport . . without the fun. It's a slap in the face to organized crime is what it is.
- Kristen Bell
- Cart Attendants
- Applebee's
- Vaping
- Sporks
- BBQ debates– KC says they have the best BBQ while Carolina (pick one) says they have the best BBQ. And I don't like BBQ. So whatever.
- Sequins
- Mullets
- Apple
- Red Sox fans– Hey peeps, you have four World Series titles in the last fifteen years and you're still 18 behind the Yankees. The team has a nice core which can possibly win a couple more in the next decade. But the Yankees will match that. Which means your stinking Sawx will still be looking up at the Yankees a century from now. Slow your roll.
- Nipple rings
- People who say "Must be nice . . ."
- Guy Fieri
- People who rant on social media while sitting in their car
- NA Beer
- Forrest Gump
- Jenny from Forrest Gump– It figures that in one of the most overrated movies of a generation, Gump has the worst girlfriend. Ever.
- Assholes who rev their engines at traffic lights
- Peloton People
- Commercials
- Stairway to Heaven
- Match Box collectors
- Panera Bread acting like it's God's gift to food
- Extreme Couponers
- Public Restrooms
- Painfully specific Starbucks orders
- People who say LOL
- The wanton use of the word Amazing
- Cupcake Wars- This show is subsidized by the Department of Defense in an attempt to subvert the term 'war'. Thereby making it not only more psychologically acceptable, but downright fucking tasty. And if you consider my opinion to be ridiculous, it ain't any more ridiculous than a show called cupcake wars.
- McCafe
- Jeannine Pirro
- People who give you dirty looks when you walk in a bar, as if you just walked into their living room
- Running into an ex
- The sound of tapping on a keyboard in a movie or TV show
- Baseball caps with a flat bill
I'm not gonna lie, I could have done this all day long. More than ninety percent of the shit I come across on a daily basis is either irksome or downright fucking annoying to me. I have to believe it's not healthy to be annoyed by so many things so much of the time.
I guess that's what therapy is for.


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Ami McKay stresses healthy home design that's good for you and the environment
Before the words green or eco-friendly became mainstream, Ami McKay's pioneering spirit led her down a pathway to designing healthier homes
Vancouver designer Ami McKay only began her interior design career a decade ago, but she's already accomplished numerous things including consulting on an interior decor project, creating a prototype for a piece of eco-furniture, fielding interview requests from magazines, including Oprah and Flare, and speaking nationally about healthy design.
On Managing a Powerful Public Presence
Q: Why do you feel that you've had so much recognition in the past two years, from being featured in magazines to winning the Woman of Distinction Award?
A: Wonderful things simply keep happening. The award was for my furniture design company, launched three years ago. Richmond MLA Linda Reid had bought a piece of furniture from me and, without my knowing, nominated me. One of my bathroom designs is in an upcoming issue of Woman's Day magazine because they contacted me out of the blue. It may be because designers purchasing my furniture have blogged about it (in addition to magazine blogs from Vanity Fair and Style at Home).
I also have a strong network of mentors through an organization called Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives. It's a profoundly helpful program in which members meet each week to hear top business women share their expertise. I cannot stress enough how much has come from this experience. Whereas others always told me that I couldn't do it all and had to focus on one thing, these mentors inspired me to do it all and "go big or go home." I'm currently managing my own design projects, continuing interior design, expanding the furniture company, and developing new products, a book, and media initiatives.
Q: What was it like to co-host HGTV's Makeover Wish (featuring a $25,000 home makeover that deserving Canadians won through nomination) for two seasons?
A: It was a compassionate, rewarding job to be able to do something special for those not financially able. I went into their home, sleuthed out who they are, and then tried to express my perceptions of who they are through design. Their gratitude was moving, and the design aspect was fulfilling because I had a great deal of creative freedom to completely transform a space within a couple of weeks – not possible in real life when working in collaboration with clients during a longer timeframe.
It's usually more about their wishes and personality, not mine! That said, I was amazed how many times the owners would ask me later, "How did you know?" whether it was a lighting fixture that they'd admired earlier, but couldn't afford, or a painting chosen that reminded them of a special memory.
On Understanding Healthy Home Design
Q: You stress healthy home design. What does that mean?
A: To me it means a home free of chemical air pollutants that off-gas from mainstream products. We don't usually know that the items we buy for our home are toxic. Sofas and cabinets are the top two air-polluters in a home. As a designer, I make sure that kitchen counters, cabinets, flooring and paint don't off-gas formaldehyde and many other chemicals.
Q: What inspired PURE, your eco-furniture line?
A: Since I wanted to design healthy homes, I often had to custom-design furniture to go into them because it wasn't available elsewhere. I decided to fill that market gap. I currently design beds, sofas and chairs. I will be expanding the line to include housewares, such as bedding. The furniture's wood is locally grown and cut wherever the furniture is made (such as fast-growing alder from B.C.), or it's FSC-certified. All stains and glues are non-toxic. Since conventional cushion and mattress foam is usually the most toxic part of the furniture, PURE uses only natural latex rubber foam. It is a green product taken from long-existing rubber plantations in Asia. When the very fast-growing tree no longer produces rubber (after about 10 years), the wood is used to make furniture.
Q: Is it more expensive?
A: It is expensive, but worth it since you sleep on your bed one third of your life and sit on your furniture for hours, and each time you add your weight to it, it off-gasses fire retardants and other chemicals that you breathe and that are stored in your body. Soy foam, a less expensive option, is not environmental because, since it is blended with synthetics, its chemical makeup never breaks down, making it even less biodegradable than a pure synthetic (which biodegrades eventually).
The fabrics used are comfortable, durable and sustainable pure cotton, linen and wool. PURE is manufactured the way that furniture was made in the 1960s, before harsh glues and synthetics were used. It is a quality piece that lasts, and that you will eventually have to reupholster as an heirloom.
The design and prototypes take a long, expensive process, which is reflected in the price. It is sold through designers and architects and is also available at stores in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, New York and North Carolina, and on the website.
On How the Design Career Began
Q: You travelled extensively at an early age. How did that influence you?
A: I read artist Emily Carr's book Klee Wyck when I was 15, and it was inspirational – we all need a pivotal role model – and she was mine. She moved me so much that I was determined to live an exciting life, and in my 20s, I travelled to 21 countries by myself on adventures that included volunteering in rural India, living in a mountainous forest fire watchtower, and going to school in England. I knew that others in my hometown of Fort Erie, Ontario, weren't like me.
Q: What did you do before you were an interior designer?
A: I was in production design, floral design and costume design. I still make my two boys high-quality costumes for Halloween!
Originally published in BC Home magazine. For monthly updates, subscribe to the free BC Home e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the bi-monthly magazine.


text: Reasons To Believe, Season I: Why Believe in God in an Age of Skepticism? "Reasons to Believe" explains and defends the theological and moral doctrines of the Catholic Church to a modern audience. Host Matthew R. Petrusek, PhD, celebrates the depth and beauty of the Catholic intellectual tradition and illustrates why the teachings of the Catholic Church ring true – now more than ever!