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Source: Flatmattersonline
URL of the article: http://www.flatmattersonline.com/2017-battle-in-the-rockies-bill-nitschke-vs-tyler-gilliard
2017 Battle in the Rockies – Battle – Bill Nitschke vs. Tyler Gilliard from James McGraw on Vimeo.
Bill Nitschke and Tyler Gilliard tied for 8th and battled to be in the final, hit play to see how this battle went down.
More from the same site:


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An iPad could be many things to many individuals. A keyboard could aid you with the word processing functions. You could use a joystick if you wish for video gaming objectives. Download an application, and you have a video conference all set to go! Read this article for some helpful suggestions on how to get the most from your iPad.
When you make use of the iPad to stream a lot of media content, such as seeing movies or playing songs, you will certainly see that the battery does not last as long. One method to make your battery last longer is to adjust your screen's illumination. In many cases, there is no need to maintain the maximum illumination level to review, browse the Web or tinker with apps.
It isn't really necessary to click the camera in the bottom to see the image. You could just swipe right with your finger, and you will see the last picture or video you took. To view other photos you have stored, swipe toward the left side of the display.
The e-mail application will show you the initial 2 lines of an e-mail's message unless you transform this setting. This way you can screen your emails. To change this, go to iPad Settings and press on Mail. Select Contacts under Mail, after that choose Calendar to change the choices for extra lines in Preview mail.
Merely open up brand-new pages within a new tab to preserve the previous one. When you're in the Safari web browser, touch the web link and hold it up until the menu for choices shows up. You could pick the option to have an additional tab developed with the brand-new link material.
Your iPad has several functions, including games, reading, researching, and a lot more. You merely need to understand ways to use it in the means you want. With this newly found expertise you will get the most from your iPad, appreciating it that a lot more!

subset: commoncrawl


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Rowhani-Obama handshake was 'too complicated' 25 сентября 2013, 15:23
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Rowhani-Obama handshake was 'too complicated'
The US and Iranian presidents, Barack Obama and Hassan Rowhani, came agonizingly close to a historic handshake on Tuesday, AFP reports citing officials.
"It got so close that they had chosen the room and ordered some water," said a diplomat with knowledge of talks between the two sides on holding a breakthrough encounter.
Leaders from Iran and the United States have not met since the 1979 Islamic Revolution brought often open hostility to their contacts, particularly over Iran's contested nuclear program.
Obama and Rowhani, who since winning an election in June has said he wants to improve relations, spoke several hours apart at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. They were never in the same room together.
The United States appears to have taken the lead in pressing for a discussion of just a few minutes.
The two sides discussed a possible meeting, but in the end it was "too complicated," for Iran, said a senior US official.
Rowhani told CNN television in an interview how "preparation" for a meeting was carried out.
"The United States declared its interest in having such a meeting and in principle could have, under certain circumstances, allowed it to happen," he added.
"I believe we didn't have sufficient time to really coordinate the meeting."
Rowhani said that "ice-breaking" was still going ahead. The environment is changing and that has come about as a result of the will of the people of Iran to create a new era of relations," he said.
"We indicated that the two leaders could have had a discussion on the margins if the opportunity presented itself," said a senior US administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The Iranians got back to us; it was clear that it was too complicated for them to do that at this time given their own dynamic back home," the official added.
The approach for a meeting appears to have been a part of what Obama told the UN assembly would be efforts to "test" Iran on its willingness to improve relations.
And US officials said Obama remained open to a meeting with Iran's top leaders who have often excoriated their US counterparts.
"I think our assessment is while President Rowhani has been elected with a mandate to pursue a more moderate foreign policy towards the West and to pursue negotiations -- in part to achieve sanctions relief -- the issue of the relationship between the United States and Iran is incredibly controversial within Iran," said the senior US official
"I think that from the Iranian side, for them it was just too difficult for them to move forward with that type of encounter at the presidential level, at this juncture."
US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday.


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The only thing that separates science fiction from science is time. The movie The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension mentioned Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems, a defense contractor with the motto, "The future begins tomorrow". Yoyodyne may have been a fictional front for a group of red Lectroid aliens (all named John, who landed in New Jersey in 1938, using the panic created by Orson Welles' War of the Worlds radio play as cover), but the future begins NOW with this fascinating article from Teqzy.com.
Invisibility cloaks, cyborg insects, laser beam weapons…you name it, it's probably secretly being development as you read this right now. Advances in modern weaponry have leapt straight out of science fiction films and into military reality. The US Military budget for 2016 is $786.6 billion. With that kind of spending, it's not surprising that there have been some insane recent advancements. Here is a list of the 10 most futuristic weapons that will change modern warfare for ever.
LAWS (as in many space operas)
The U.S Navy has a high-tech 30-kilowatt laser weapon system (LaWS) that is capable of destroying sea and air based targets. The weapon can be used in several different ways, which is important, because it is illegal, under the terms of the Geneva Convention, to use laser weapons directly against humans. To warn approaching sea or air based threats, operators can dazzle them with a super bright glare. The second level is a stronger beam which can disable control systems and sensors. Finally, if they haven't got the picture yet, the full strength beam can completely destroy the target altogether.
SELF-GUIDED BULLETS (as in The Fifth Element)
This US Military development is designed to shoot and not miss. The laser guided bullet can change it's own direction. It flies with fins that allow it to change direction, and like laser guided missiles, it strikes the target which is lit up by a laser.
This system is menacingly known as the "Pain Ray". It is an energy weapon the focuses an electromagnetic wave that heats up the target. We have all used magnifying glasses to cook things as kids, but the "Pain Ray" goes one step further – it heats the molecules of the target, which in humans would result in heating of water and skin by an increase of 50 degrees Celsius. With a range of 500m, the invisible beam is literally microwaving the target. The weapon has been deployed for active use in Afghanistan, however it has been withdrawn at this point in time.
Anyone who's played first person shooter games knows how dangerous it is to shoot around corners. The realities of this in modern warfare couldn't be more serious, especially for soldiers fighting in urban settings or against guerilla forces. The CornerShot has a steel hinge so that the weapon can bend and shoot. The shooter views the target using a high resolution camera and and LCD monitor. This weapon in in service now and is a powerful tool that is also equipped with a grenade launcher.
RAIL GUN (as in Transformers 2)
The U.S Navy has been testing an Electromagnetic Railgun for several years. The technology relies on utilizing energy as opposed to chemicals, or explosive gunpowder, to fire projectiles. The gun works using electric and magnetic forces to achieve an extremely high kinetic energy that would propel the non explosive projectile at targets. The Railgun can shoot a shell at Mach 10, superior to any traditional weapons, and it also means there is no need to handle or carry dangerous explosive munitions. It looks like this game changer will be in use within the next 10 years and it may have uses outside of just shooting things – the railgun has potential space applications too. NASA has stated that the railgun could be mounted to high flying aircraft to fire payloads into orbit.
DREAD GUN (what a name!)
It's a seriously menacing name and the Dread Gun does live up to it. The weapon is capable of firing 120,000 rounds per minute, silently and at the same speed as a handgun. By using centrifugal force created from rotating disks, rounds are shot without gunpowder and there is no recoil, or kick, when compared with firing normal bullets. Something that can fire 2000 rounds per second is a terrifying prospect, but the Dread Gun is not a new concept. Attempts had been made to create a similar weapon during WWI, but they were abandoned for various reasons, including inaccuracy. It is uncertain whether the Dread Gun will be adopted for military purposes.
HELLADS (not to be confused with HELL YES)
HELLADS (it wouldn't be a cool weapon without a long acronym) stands for High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System. Laser weapons seem to be a very popular military choice at present and it's easy to see why. HELLADS can take down missiles, rockets and artillery shells without having to pause between shots to cool down – a problem associated with laser beam weaponry in the past. The HELLADS has a built in cooling system that allows it to fire rapidly in high intensity situations. It is still in testing, but estimates suggest that this game changing piece of defense weaponry will be in use within the next five years.
QUANTUM STEALTH CAMOUFLAGE (as in Predator)
Anyone who is old enough to remember the Predator movies, staring Arnold Schwarzenegger, will recall that the Predator was so lethal because of it's ability to cloak itself to match it's surroundings. Well, straight out of sci-fi film and into reality, a Canadian firm has developed "adaptive camouflage" that bends light around the wearer of the material. It has reportedly been demonstrated to both the U.S and Canadian Military and the applications are endless. For frontline infantry, counter insurgency operations or ejected fighter pilots in enemy territory, an invisibility cloak would prove unbelievably handy. Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp, the makers of Quantum Stealth, remain extremely secretive of their product. No pictures released can display the product, just examples of it's use.
HYBRID INSECTS (as in The Fifth Element)
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is a division of the United States Department of Defense, has developed a part insect, part machine that they call the Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems program. Basically, DARPA take an insect at the metamorphosis stage of development and then insert a controlling mechanical device. This allows them to fly the developed insect into tightly controlled spaces for surveillance purposes. This literally allows them to bug the enemy. It's kind of spooky when you start to think about the domestic "big brother" applications.
One of the biggest killers in the Iraq war was soldiers dying from gunshot wounds that could have been prevented with faster treatment. Estimates have these numbers somewhere around 2,700 soldiers. If soldiers had received faster and more efficient medical care, many would have survived. In response to this, developers have created smart clothing that can notify nearby medics of critical information: Where the bullet hit, how deep, what vital organs are hit along with blood and urine analysis. This information allows medics to instantly know what kind of treatment is required and those at HQ can track their soldiers in real time.


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Hedgehog Street garden at RHS Harlow Carr
Have you ever wanted to improve your garden for hedgehogs, but not known how to? Or perhaps wondered how hedgehog-friendly features can be achieved in a particular style?
On 25th April our Hedgehog Street garden is due to be launched at Harlow Carr, one of the Royal Horticultural Societies' flagship gardens.
PTES and BHPS have teamed up with the Royal Horticultural Society and award-winning garden designer Tracy Foster. Following the theme of our garden at RHS Hampton Court in 2014, the design is based on three neighbouring gardens. Each is a different style – Mediterranean, rustic and contemporary. Each is hedgehog-friendly in its own right and demonstrates different features that will help declining hedgehogs. We also illustrated a range of garden hazards, to help you play it safe.
A dry stone wall frames this Mediterranean-inspired garden in the local Yorkshire vernacular.
Artist Julie Cope building Sedrick – the sedge-hog soil sculpture.
The Landscapers building the contemporary garden.
The rustic garden with beautiful wildflower meadow and willow bench.


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NIOM engineer Bergitte P. Olderbø will hold a presentation titled "Effects of Nrf2 signaling on cytotoxicity induced by HEMA from dental biomaterials" on September 11th, at 14.30, during the session of "Developments in applied biomaterials". The study has compared the effect of HEMA on two human epithelial airway cells, focusing on Nrf2 activity.
For more information and program, visit http://www.esb2018maastricht.org/


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America was a tough market for artists that fell musically within the realm of "conventional pop" (which as basically anything that did not qualify as grunge, R&B, hip-hop, or Alternative Rock). In the mid-90s, the only way a "conventional pop" song could ever hope to see the light of day in terms of commercial success in America was by ending up on a soundtrack of a high-profile movie. A good example of this phenomenon is the hit single "Kiss from a Rose' by Seal. The song charted very low when it first debuted but as soon as it was featured in the "Batman Forever" soundtrack, it skyrocketed to the top of the charts and won the highly coveted "Song of the year" award at the Grammys. Another example is the hit single "Have you ever really loved a woman" by Bryan Adams. It was a #1 single for Adams – and it did well for someone that according to the mainstream media had passed his commercial prime in the US. This phenomenon of leverage from soundtrack features has continued to this day and can be used as an opportunity for a career revival.
It is fair to say that Coldplay's last album "Mylo Xyloto" (released in October 2011) was not the artistic milestone they expected it to be and it probably did not win them any new fans either. Maybe being featured on soundtrack is the answer to a turnaround for Coldplay. Their new single "Atlas" surfaced today. It is being featured on the "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" soundtrack.
The down-tempo "Atlas" suffers from the syndrome of almost being a great track but is not quite there. The verses feature a delicate piano refrain with sparse production thus predominately showcasing Chris Martin's vocals. The tune of the verses are very generic and unmemorable but the chorus is where things go right for the song. In contrast to the verses, the chorus benefits from a richly layered production and soaring vocals (reminiscent of Martin's vocal style on a track called "Moses" – featured on a live Coldplay album from 8 years ago) by Chris Martin. It has an almost anthemic quality and the vocal delivery on the repeating lines "Carry your world" have a magnetic quality. The song's most beautiful part is its "outro" – a portion of the song that seems to have almost disappeared from the standard pop template. It features a sonic flirtation between the keyboards and an electric guitar – with Martin's vocals occasionally drifting over that interaction.
In a nutshell, "Atlas" benefits from its moments of epic brilliance which are sadly diluted by the lackluster verses. It will most likely be at least a moderate hit for Coldplay if not a major hit. Being on the soundtrack of a high-profile movie most certainly helps. Here is a full-length clip of "Atlas" by Coldplay:
DOWNLOAD the single on iTunes right away!
RADIO ALERT: We might be one of the few American broadcast radio stations that features an eclectic mix of current pop and rock music from both sides of the Atlantic alongside hits, forgotten gems, and rarities from the last three decades. Coldplay's music is a regular staple on our radio station. "Atlas" by Coldplay is currently getting 5 plays a day on Radio Creme Brulee. We also feature some of their songs that were not released as singles. IF you are reading this on a mobile device (smartphone, tablet etc.), CLICK HERE to listen to our radio station. If not, listen to our station from ANY part of the world by clicking on the PLAY button below.


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Ice Pack
This product is currently sold out.
The first stainless steel ice pack! Made from food grade stainless steel, filled with distilled water. Perfectly safe to go right into your container, next to your food to keep it fresh. It freezes solid in about 2 hours and will keep your lunch cool for 4-6 hours, depending on your containers and your lunch bag. 100% non toxic.
It is also perfect for sore backs, headaches, bruises, bumps, you name it!


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Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education10th Edition
Copyright: 2020
Lowest Price
Instructors: choose ebook for fast access or receive a print copy.
Still Have Questions? Contact your Rep
Program Details
CHAPTER 1: The Value and Purpose of Physical Education for Children
CHAPTER 2: The Skill Theme Approach
CHAPTER 3: Skill Themes, Movement Concepts, and the National Standards
CHAPTER 4: Reflective Teaching
CHAPTER 5: Determining Generic Levels of Skill Proficiency
CHAPTER 6: Planning and Developing the Content
CHAPTER 7: Establishing an Environment for Learning
CHAPTER 8: Maintaining Appropriate Behavior
CHAPTER 9: Instructional Approaches
CHAPTER 10: Adapting the Content for Diverse Learners
CHAPTER 11: Observing Student Responses
CHAPTER 12: Assessing Student Learning
CHAPTER 13: Analyzing Reflective Teaching
CHAPTER 14: Space Awareness
CHAPTER 15: Effort
CHAPTER 16: Relationships
CHAPTER 17: Traveling
CHAPTER 18: Chasing, Fleeing, and Dodging
CHAPTER 19: Bending, Stretching, Curling, and Twisting
CHAPTER 20: Jumping and Landing
CHAPTER 21: Balancing
CHAPTER 22: Transferring Weight and Rolling
CHAPTER 23: Kicking and Punting
CHAPTER 24: Throwing and Catching
CHAPTER 25: Volleying and Dribbling
CHAPTER 26: Striking with Rackets and Paddles
CHAPTER 27: Striking with Long-Handled Implements
CHAPTER 28: Teaching Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, and Wellness
CHAPTER 29: Teaching Educational Dance
CHAPTER 30: Teaching Educational Gymnastics
CHAPTER 31: Teaching Educational Games
CHAPTER 32: Integrating the Skill Theme Approach Across the Curriculum
CHAPTER 33: Building Support for Your Program
CHAPTER 34: Physical Education for Tomorrow's Children
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She noticed Yazzie using two pairs of glasses, which provoked concern. Yazzie revealed that she was using the set of non-prescription glasses because she could not afford the glasses she needed. Lebeck-Brown intervened.
|Ancita Yazzie
Lebeck-Brown found New Eyes, a non-profit organization that purchases new prescription eyeglasses for U.S. residents in financial need. Lebeck-Brown helped Yazzie acquire a voucher and now she has a new pair of glasses.
Lebeck-Brown's intervention exemplifies how critical it is to remove barriers in students' lives and to network with community agencies and organizations.
It is just one example of how Rio Salado's counselors seek to make the lives of their students better as they go through their educational journey. It also demonstrates the significant role counselors play in student success.
Rio Salado's Counseling and Career Services connect students with a variety of vital resources that can make a profound impact on their overall well-being.
Yazzie is enrolled in Rio Salado's High School Equivalency program, which prepares individuals for the GED® exam. Despite her personal challenges she has been diligent about her studies.
The HSE prep program is one of several Rio Salado College Bridge Pathways initiatives, which are designed to help adult learners transition back into the classroom, strengthen academic skills, build confidence and begin a college career. Services include personalized advisement; start-up scholarships; assistance with financial aid registration as well as orientation to college life and online learning.
For more details about Rio Salado's HSE prep program, GED® testing services and other College Bridge Pathway programs and services, visit riosalado.edu/programs/abe or call 480-517-8110.
For more details about Rio Salado counseling services, visit www.riosalado.edu/counseling or call 480-517-8785.


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Jordan Gavaris to narrate next 'Bane Chronicles' audiobook
Cassandra Clare has shared some exciting news about the audiobook narrator for What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything (And Who You're Not Officially Dating Anyway). Shadowhunters, welcome Jordan Gavaris (of Orphan Black) to The Bane Chronicles family!
Hello! Cute boy got your attention? I am zipping by in the middle of editing to announce that Jordan Gavaris of Orphan Black will be reading the next of the Bane Chronicles. If you haven't seen Orphan Black, Jordan's character Felix is one of the most fantastic things about an already fantastic show with amazing performances, and we're so happy to have Jordan reading what might be the funniest of the Bane Chronicles installments: What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything. In which Magnus angsts, calls Ragnor, and seeks advice from a tentacled demon about his love life.
Look out for an interview where I chat with Jordan about reading the Bane Chronicles and also angle for Orphan Black spoilers. (If you aren't watching it, you should be! Sarah RB turned me onto it and I am grateful enough to forgive her for the stunt she pulled in Italy with the bat.)
Welcome, Jordan. 🙂
The eighth installment of The Bane Chronicles, written by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan, will be released on Tuesday, November 19. Here's the synopsis:
Magnus Bane may or may not be dating Alec Lightwood, but he definitely needs to find him the perfect birthday present.
Set in the time between City of Ashes and City of Glass, warlock Magnus Bane is determined to find the best birthday present possible for Alec Lightwood, the Shadowhunter he may or may not be dating. And he's also got to deal with the demon he's conjured up for a very irritating client . . .


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Breaking Travel News investigates: Oriental Destinations, Vietnam
Oriental Destinations is a Vietnam based travel company offering a full range of service in accommodating, tour and teambuilding options whether for leisure or business purposes.
The brand is also fast becoming one of the leading meeting, incentive, conference, and exhibition organisers in the country and is able to organise any event, anywhere.
They are confident that they can offer unique and luxury experiences and provide excellent value for money - no matter the requirement.
Oriental Destinations knows that every client and event is unique.
Every aspect of a trip must be strategically considered and woven together seamlessly to achieve maximum return on investment, along with brilliant results.
Oriental Destinations always considers clients' satisfaction as the motivation and all they look forward to making your next holiday, business trip, or MICE event as a memorable one.
Vietnam is globalising significantly, to become a favourite destination of people and organisations from all around the world.
Going along with this trend is a significant development of the hospitality industry, with greater demands being met by a growing number of service providers.
In 2013, a group of young and passionate hoteliers who had had many years of experiences working in different luxury hotel brands in all over the globe came out and started this company up together.
Khanh Do, deputy managing director at Oriental Destinations, explained: "We were from different backgrounds.
"The managing director of the company used to be head sales for several Hyatt properties, while I spent all of my career in food and beverage service in some of the most luxurious hotel brands in world, such as: Kempinski, The Ritz Carlton and so on."
With the ambition of becoming a role model in Vietnamese hospitality industry and of creating genuine, unique, memorable and personal experiences Oriental Destinations is drive by a core mission.
The brand aims to create a genuine hospitality attitude in its products and services, to inspire moments of happiness and to make the difference by adding value to every single service they provide.
Do added: "In order to deliver our promises to the guests, among our team we are all inspired by one common philosophy of 'Work Smart, Not Hard.'
"We believe that having one loyal guest equates to ten potential guests."
"We are empowered to create genuine, unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests, while we create a work environment of teamwork where the strength of every individual are used and collaborated with each other so that the needs of our guests and each other are met.
"At the same time we always aim to be real and committed in heart and mind for what we do, hence we do it well, and are always flexible.
"Finally, we reward our people for their unlimited creativity when taking risks and finding better ways to solve problem."
Thanks to the beauty of the coastal land of our Vietnam, most of Oriental Destinations' product, from the tour program to team building activities, are operated from the base Vietnam provides.
The brand also partners up with many different four- and five-star hotel brands in Vietnam, from Hyatt, Accor, InterContinental, Vin Pearl, and Marriot.
This means they are capable of providing different type of accommodation and MICE facility for both domestic and international groups.
More Information
Oriental Destinations is a Vietnam-based travel company offering a full range of services and accommodation options whether for leisure or business purposes.
Find out more at the official website.


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A castle in northern Syria has a rare distinction – it figured in battles both during the Crusades and in the recent Syrian civil war.
The Jaabar Castle, known in Arabic as Qal'at Ja'bar, is atop a hill about 25 miles west of Raqqa. Since the seventh century, the hilltop has been fortified to guard a crossing point on the Euphrates River that connected Raqqa with the west. The first castle on the site was built by local Bedouins in the early 11th century and came under the control of the Ugaylids, a Muslim dynasty, in 1086. Members of the First Crusade, who captured Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099, gained control of the castle in 1102. The site was recaptured by Muslim forces in 1147. Nur al-Din Zangi, who succeeded in uniting Muslim forces against the Crusaders, rebuilt the castle beginning in 1168 to help hold the surrounding territory against future Crusades. The restored castle included an oblong stone wall 1,210 feet by 560 feet, protected by 35 bastions and a dry moat. Many of the structures of Jaabar Castle, including a circular minaret, were constructed from mud bricks. Although the castle was extensively damaged by Mongol raids, the minaret has remained intact.
Beginning in 1968, Russia built the Tabqa Dam across the Euphrates River just east of Jaabar Castle. As a result, the hilltop on which the castle rests is now an island in Lake Assad, reachable by causeway. In 2014, the so-called Islamic State gained control of Jaabar Castle, using it as a training facility and making threats against the Tabqa Dam. In January 2017, Syrian forces recaptured Jaabar Castle. In May 2017, forces supported by the United States recaptured the Tabqa Dam, leading to the liberation of Raqqa, which the Islamic State claimed was its Syrian capital.


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The Bird Fauna
There are close to 500 species of birds in the region where Cedar Hill State Park is located. This diversity is partially explained by the fact the local area is a transitional biome situated between forested habitats to the east and the prairies that dominate the landscape to the west. Elements of the bird faunas from both regions can be found in the Osage Plains ecoregion (also called the Western Cross Timbers), which includes Cedar Hill State Park within its boundaries.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has published a checklist (there is a link at the bottom of this page) that includes all of the bird species known from the Osage Plains and Oaks-and-Prairies ecoregions. This pamphlet includes information about each species' presence and abundance during each month of the year. The checklist contains more species than you would ever see in Cedar Hill State Park but the booklet is a useful resource because of its local regional focus.
If you are visiting the park to do some birdwatching you should be aware that there are some other good birding places near the park. The Cedar Mountain Preserve shares a common border with the Cedar Hill State Park but you do not have to pay an access fee to walk its trails. The Cedar Ridge Preserve, managed by Audubon Dallas, is also nearby.
Out-of-state birders are attracted to Texas in part because there are there are a large number of migrant bird species that visit the state. Neotropical migrants pass through Texas in the spring and fall. During the winter other migrants escape the cold northern winter by overwintering here. These seasonal changes in the bird fauna are an important reason why many avid birders revisit good birding locations, like Cedar Hill State Park, throughout the year.
The bird fauna in and around the park is changing in response to alterations humans have made to the landscape. Water retention projects, like Joe Pool Lake, have created opportunties for a number of bird species to live in the Osage Plains that could not have lived in this region in the past. Some species are also in the process of being pushed out because the habitats they need to forage and breed have been destroyed, degraded, or reduced in size.
Birds of the Oaks & Prairies and Osage Plains of Texas.


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Today I'd like to take a small deviation into artland for a moment to spotlight something that absolutely fascinates me: ambigrams. I've been noticing this insatiable fascination with type faces and words cropping up in my thoughts lately, so I'm going to encourage it and see what happens. Ambigrams are a trifle difficult to describe, so I'll use Douglas R. Hofstadter's definition.
An ambigram is a "calligraphic design that manages to squeeze two different readings into the selfsame set of curves."
It's almost like code writing, but instead of having a distinct set of symbols for the alphabet, the regular letter forms are used and manipulated to create dual-words. Let me show you some examples:
Okay, look at the name Casey above. If you flipped this image upside down, it would look exactly the same, even though all the letters would be reversed. The C and the Y are formed the same, as are the A and the E. This is a rotational ambigram.
Same idea with Mississippi here. This would look precisely the same if it was rotated 180 degrees.
Another ambigram that works when rotated. This one is for a new series of comic books. It's even better than the others because it has an accompanying reversible graphic.
Another rotational. I think this doormat is my favorite. :) I found it in the Uncommon Goods catalog earlier this year and used it for a class presentation I had to do at the time. I think it kind of bewildered my friends. I seemed to be the only one who could see the amazing coolness of something like this. *sigh* Just another kooky facet of my personality, I guess. ;) Anyhow, the doormat welcomes you as you enter and properly sees you out, too. It's perfect for all those guests who drop by unexpectedly and must be admitted. It's quite real, and can be yours for a mere $24.
This is a mirror image ambigram. Instead of flipping or rotating this one, you hold it up to a mirror and see the exact same image.
This magnificent painting by ambigram master John Langdon is a figure ground ambigram. It forms two words: one with the positive space (the white blocks), the other with the negative space (the photo of the field). You have to stare at it for a while to get your eyes adjusted to the changes. (it says "optical illusion") If you'd like to learn more about ambigrams or learn how to start making some, check out John Langdon's website. It's a wealth of information. One of my favorite ambigrams is on Mr Langdon's site, but I couldn't link to it. If you go it his site and click "Logos" in the top menu, look for one called "Victoria." It's beautiful.
This ambigram thing is wildly popular and has even sparked it's own thriving Flickr group. It seems that the easiest way to make ambigrams work is by using a graffiti type script. That's not really my cup of tea. I'm more partial to the traditional ones. I'm going to give it a whirl and see what I come up with. I'm armed with the tips from Mr Langdon and full of amazing inspiration from my searches this morning.
Okay, that's all for art class today. Let me know what you thought of this post. I'll be happy to do another art class post, but I don't want to bore you when you only came to talk about movies or sewing. Never fear, I'm not giving up either of those anytime soon. I'm starting a new sewing project and will be posting on it soon. Happy Sunday, my dears!


text:
The Commons' Home Affairs Committee (CHAC) report on anti-Semitism appears to be exactly what This Writer feared it would be – a load of rubbish.
It is interesting that the report accuses Jeremy Corbyn of being "incompetent" in dealing with incidents of anti-Semitism, because that is exactly how I would describe the committee's inquiry. Its questioning was biased; its choice of witnesses was appalling and its conclusions show no attempt at balance whatsoever.
If you want evidence to support the above, just pick up a copy of my book, The Livingstone Presumption (see advert, below). Appendix 1 contains an account of proceedings at one session of the CHAC's inquiry, showing very clearly that members had already decided their verdict before they asked a single question.
Mr Corbyn has already responded in a Facebook post, which includes the following notable comments:
"Although the Committee heard evidence that 75 per cent of antisemitic incidents come from far right sources, and the report states there is no reliable evidence to suggest antisemitism is greater in Labour than other parties, much of the report focuses on the Labour party.
"As the report rightly acknowledges, politicising antisemitism – or using it as a weapon in controversies between and within political parties – does the struggle against it a disservice."
"I am also concerned by some other aspects of the Committee's report. The Committee heard evidence from too narrow a pool of opinion, and its then-chair rejected both Chakrabarti's and the Jewish Labour Movement's requests to appear and give evidence before it. Not a single woman was called to give oral evidence in public, and the report violates natural justice by criticising individuals without giving them a right to be heard.
"The report's political framing and disproportionate emphasis on Labour risks undermining the positive and welcome recommendations made in it."
"The committee chose not to look in any detail at – or come up with proposals for – combatting antisemitism in other parties, our major civic institutions, in the workplace, in schools, in all those places where Jewish people's life chances might be at risk through antisemitism.
"In the Labour Party, which has been at the forefront of those struggles for equality, we remain committed to doing so. We continue to work with Jewish and other organisations in that endeavor, and are saddened that those on the Committee have chosen not to contribute to it.
"The report unfairly criticises Shami Chakrabarti for not being sufficiently independent. This fails to acknowledge public statements that the offer to appoint Chakrabarti to the House of Lords came after completion of her report, and was based on her extensive legal and campaigning experience.
"Commissioning Chakrabarti was an unprecedented step for a political party, demonstrating Labour's commitment to fight against antisemitism."
Earlier in his statement, Mr Corbyn had commented: "The report in fact echoes much of Labour's own Chakrabarti Inquiry report, including recommendations on language, stereotyping and training."
He continued: "Labour is already acting on her recommendations, including reform of our internal procedures, changes to the Party's rule book and expansion of training to tackle antisemitism.
"The Inquiry, which included Baroness Jan Royall, former leader of the House of Lords, and David Feldman, Director of the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism on its panel, was praised by a number of bodies, including the Jewish Labour Movement, and by John Mann, the Chair of the All Parliamentary Party Group against Antisemitism.
"I am proud that Labour is the only party that has specific protections in place to ensure a zero tolerance approach to antisemitism."
I would also direct you to the Skwawkbox blog article on the report, which comments very clearly, firstly on the claim that anti-Semitism had become "institutionalised" in the Labour Party:
"When people are desperate to smear, they will often overreach. Such is the case here. Saying that anything is 'institutional' implies that it is both entrenched and long-standing. Even if it were true that Labour has an 'antisemitism' problem, Corbyn has only been leader for just over a year – too short a time for anything to have become institutionalised 'on his watch' or to have dug out an inherited, 'institutionalised' issue.
"The report states
The failure of the Labour Party to deal consistently and effectively with antisemitic incidents in recent years risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally antisemitic.
"First, it's worth noting 'in recent years'. So, far from being the condemnation of Corbyn it's being spun as, if there is a problem it's years old. And in fact, there's been no known incident of antisemitism since Corbyn became leader that hasn't been dealt with 'consistently and effectively'. That one sentence undermines the report and, even more so, the media handling of it.
"Secondly, note that this comment by the committee claims 'elements', plural. But in fact it only heard one claim of institutional antisemitism in one small group.
"The report refers to a Guardian article by Aaron Simons – and that's it.
"Labour conducted a specific report into his allegations – the Royall Report – and it was a key trigger in the commissioning of the Chakrabarti report, so claims that Labour did not take it seriously are clearly nonsense.
"Laughably, in spite of all the furore and completely ignored by the media, the report says:
Despite significant press and public attention on the Labour Party, and a number of revelations regarding inappropriate social media content, there exists no reliable, empirical evidence to support the notion that there is a higher prevalence of antisemitic attitudes within the Labour Party than any other political party. We are unaware whether efforts to identify antisemitic social media content within the Labour Party were applied equally to members and activists from other political parties, and we are not aware of any polls exploring antisemitic attitudes among political party members, either within or outside the Labour Party. The current impression of a heightened prevalence of antisemitism
"(emphasis mine)
"HUH?! The report admits there's no evidence that antisemitism is a particular problem in the Labour party – and admits that the CHAC has no idea whether 'the impression' of antisemitism is based on a fair examination of Labour and other parties.
"So why exactly is the CHAC publishing a report specifically to criticise Corbyn's handling of a problem of whose existence they admit there is no [insert expletive of your choice here] evidence?!
"And don't forget – Channel 4's 'Dispatches' programme spent 6 months undercover at Corbyn's Labour and found exactly the same evidence of any abuse or antisemitism:
"None whatever."
Jeremy Corbyn has come under strong personal attack from a cross-party committee of MPs investigating the growth of antisemitism for helping to create a safe space for people with "vile attitudes towards Jewish people".
In a damning indictment of the party and its leader, the powerful home affairs select committee claims that Corbyn's lack of action "risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally antisemitic". In the report, published on Sunday , Labour is said to have been "demonstrably incompetent" in dealing with incidents of anti-Jewish abuse.
An inquiry into antisemitism in Labour carried out by Shami Chakrabarti on the orders of Corbyn earlier this year is described as "ultimately compromised". Its independence was thrown into doubt by Chakrabarti's acceptance of a peerage and a job in the shadow cabinet, the committee writes.
The MPs criticise Chakrabarti for describing antisemitic abuse as merely "unhappy incidents", and note her failure to respond to requests for a timeline proving that there was no connection between her elevation to the Lords and her inquiry. They write: "Ms Chakrabarti has not been sufficiently open with the committee about when she was offered her peerage, despite several attempts to clarify this issue with her."
Source: Jeremy Corbyn accused of incompetence by MPs over antisemitic abuse | Politics | The Guardian
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text:
Hi everyone!
I am trying to make a presentation concerning up to date internal combustion engines for different applications (light duty/passenger cars, heavy duty, marine/low rpm, aviation etc). I don't need any charts just sheer numbers of power, capacity, weight, engine dimensions, consumption(lt/h)/BSFC(g/kW). I tried to google them, but apart from the fact that the data I found were incomplete (e.g. I couldn't find engine weight and dimensions for passenger cars), it is also impossible to check every engine one by one (light duty applications alone may consist of hundreds of engines). So, I would be really grateful if someone could provide me with any source of information (books, technical papers, data bases etc.) that would have all these technical data aggregated (e.g. in the form of tables). Thank you in advance!
I doubt anybody has aggregated the data and published it on the internet. You're just going to have to research, email, search and get to work.
Good luck!


text:
I feel like I am still working through exactly what I would like this blog to look like. I know that I would like to incorporate more Fairbanks art and garden posts. I would like this page to be a local resource along with a page those outside Alaska come to for a glimpse of life in Alaska.
David has been very patient with the blog process, but he is beginning to wonder if we will ever eat the same thing twice again!


text:
Aging with grace and gusto
I've always been ambivalent about the phrase "a woman of a certain age." On one hand, it has a gentle ambiguity that coquettishly skirts the obvious. On the other hand, if you are a woman of a certain age you are almost certainly old or almost there, so why not embrace it?
It's no secret that older women in today's culture are valued relatively on par with a well-worn pair of sensible shoes—appreciated for their sturdiness and comfort, every nick and scuff a memorial to some life event or adventure. But, let's face it, broken-in footwear is generally tucked away somewhere in the murky depths of the closet.
I vowed early on that I would never lie about my age, that I would wear my years and experience with pride. I knew that getting old wouldn't be easy. Losing looks, losing fitness, losing your mind—or at least random bits of your short-term memory—is part of a natural progression, so why bother lying? And honestly, even if I did want to lie about my age, the power of the Internet has made this a fool's errand.
Truth be told, I probably fall somewhere in the middle of the age-obsession spectrum, halfway between no cares given and the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. A small but noticeable percentage of my disposable income goes to anti-aging beauty products. Retinol skin cream is a non-negotiable necessity, as is high-quality sunscreen, which I purchase in bulk. I also invest in laser facials, though not the kind that makes you look like a burn victim. I go for the less-aggressive version that gives you a healthy glow while encouraging your lazy collagen cells to get back to work.
And then there's Botox. For many years my motto was "bangs not botox." I kept that up until people, both strangers and friends alike, started asking me with uncomfortable regularity: "Are you mad at me?" I was developing an unrelenting case of Resting Bitch Face. Some people call them The Elevens, those two deep, indelible lines between your eyes that make even the most benign expression look like a scowl or a rebuke. I wanted them gone.
So I shot my forehead full of poison.
It's medical grade, purified, scientifically calibrated poison, but poison nonetheless. Let me tell you, my Elevens are history. If a soupçon of toxin is what it takes, so be it. I still have horizontal lines across my forehead, like tiny tracks for mouse races. I consider the web of laugh lines around my eyes (yes, I know they're actually crow's feet, but humor me) a sign of my general state of happiness. I don't mind looking old, I just hated looking constantly pissed off. So the Botox ban was lifted. Problem solved.
If you had asked me at 24 how I might be spending my time at 64, visions of rocking chairs, gardening, grandchildren and strolls along the beach might have sprung to mind. Well, I have news for 24-year-old Candace. I may be the oldest person working in social media today, but I'm still working—every damn day. Retirement? I don't think so.
I work out at CrossFit four or five days a week, I belong to two other gyms where I do boot camps and spin classes. Last year I became a certified senior fitness instructor and started teaching fitness drumming. I run, I bike, I hike, I kayak and I'm starting to get comfortable on a stand-up paddleboard. Basically, I'm an old lady who, by virtue of persistence, tenacity and sheer cussedness, can probably kick your butt.
I could spend my time obsessing about the alarming deterioration of my neck—Nora Ephron was right about that one—or the fact that I'm developing incipient Bingo Wings, a.k.a Hi Betty's. Or I can marvel that I've never been fitter or felt better about my life.
Age has given me balance, focus and patience, qualities that serve me well both in my professional and personal life. The qualities that age has diminished—speed, stamina, cat-like reflexes and a perky rack—I've developed work-arounds for them all.
My advice to those of you not yet old: Don't fear aging, fear giving up, fear giving in.
Candace Karu makes her living writing about food, fitness and travel. She lives near the ocean in an old farmhouse with two ill-behaved dogs and two hard-working barn cats. Follow her on Instagram: @candacekaru or at www.candacekaru.com.


text:
"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
– Rudyard Kipling
Think about what you say, about others and about yourself, especially in front of your children. To be continued…
"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
– Rudyard Kipling
Think about what you say, about others and about yourself, especially in front of your children. To be continued…
"I always do a double take when I'm told a newborn's 'length.'"
– Aaron Karo (who obviously does not have kids, but is funny as hell)
"You can do anything, but not everything."
– David Allen
As of late I know that I have made many references to time, or lack thereof. And as much as I post about it, I actually whine about it about even more (sorry friends, family and random strangers who mistakenly ask me how my day is going!) In my life there is barely enough time to do all the things I HAVE to do, such as eating, sleeping, changing diapers and teaching my daughter all the dance moves to "Call Me Maybe". So, if there is barely enough time for the things I must do, there is rarely enough time for the things I SHOULD do, like shower, exercise, grocery shop, clean, and connect with friends and family every now and then to let them know that I am just really busy, not dead. If there is rarely enough time for the things I should do, forget the things that I WANT to do like… hmmmm… what did I used to like to do anyway?
It's no secret that when you are a parent, there is just never enough time. But it is not simply the lack of time that bothers me, it is also how quickly the time that I do have goes. My daughter is now 16 months old. She is walking, running, talking, playing and feeding herself (more food usually ends up on the face/hands/hair/clothes/floor/ceiling/mom's shirt than in her mouth, but it still counts!) However, it seems like only yesterday she was a snuggly little bundle curled up on my chest, reliant on me for absolutely everything. And even though it has been less than a year and a half since all this madness started, for the life of me I can't remember half of it. It has all become such a blur. What was her first word? Was it "Lyla" or "Hi" ? (Yes my daughter's first word was her own name, if that says anything about her.) When did she start sitting up? Was it 4 months or 6 months? When did she begin to crawl? What was her first food?
When did she start sleeping through the night? When was her first smile, giggle, and full-out laugh? It all blends together in some kind of wonderful, exhausting, beautiful life-smoothie.
Some of these things I wrote down in a baby book, but there are many things that I didn't write down because either I thought that they were not important enough to count as "milestones" or because I thought they were things that I would never forget. What I failed to realize is that a child's life is full of so many major milestones that sometimes the smaller things get lost along the way. And while the day that Lyla took her first step is very important (that one I do remember… 10 months and one day) there are so many more small but wonderful things she does that I never want to forget. The Small Things are not the milestones that you find in books or that you brag about to Grandma or that you use to compare notes with your friends. No, the Small Things can sometimes seem insignificant in a lifetime of achievements, but often it is the Small Things that make a big life. They are Things that only you know, Things that only you recognize. They are the Things that can't be captured in a story or on video or in a photo. They are the Things that make you tear up with love, smile with pride, and laugh till you wet yourself (c'mon, you know that if you had a baby come out of your JJ this happens.)
But as important as the Small Things are, they are often the first things forgotten in a busy life full of memories. So, in recognition of these magical Small Things I am going to write a few of them down here and now so they will be recorded for all of time… or at least as long as the internet is around. And if you ask me, the Internet is here to stay.
– The way that Lyla "reads" a book to herself, all in her own language. Pointing at the things, as I do, and usually saying "shhhh" and "noooo" they way I do when I read to her.
– Her favorite word "Missibah". I have no idea what it means, but it seems that Lyla does.
– How every color is currently "bu!" (blue)
– The way she sometimes looks up at me, smiles and presses her nose against mine. It's our own special kiss and it always brings tears to my eyes.
– How, the second I pull her out from the car, she says "hi" and waves, just in case anyone is around who she might need to say hi to.
– The exact way she smells right at this moment: baby shampoo, laundry detergent, Vick's Baby Chest rub (she has a cold), fruit, milk breath and Lyla.
– The way she shrugs her shoulders and scrunches her face up when I ask her where anything is.
– How tightly she hugs me around my neck and then kisses me directly on the mouth with a wet, slobbery kiss.
– The way she contentedly twirls her hair with her fingers while she is drinking her bottle.
Ok, so these are a few of my Small Things. Now it's your turn! What are the little things that your child or children do that you never want to forget but probably will. Feel free to record them here for all of the world… or at least all of my followers… to read. And if you don't want to share them with me, write them down for yourself every once in a while.
Cheers to the Small Things!
Since my daughter's daycare is closed for two weeks, I am finding this to be more true than ever…
"There is not enough time to do all the nothing we want to do."
– Bill Watterson (the wise author of Calvin and Hobbes)
"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back."
William D. Tammeus
Enough said.
"The joys of motherhood are never fully experienced until the children are in bed."
So true. No matter how exhausting the day or how crabby the daughter, everything always seems better when I can reflect on it in a quiet house with wine in hand. No matter what the day was like, by the time we go to bed my husband and I spend at least 30 minutes talking about how wonderful/smart/funny/perfect Lyla is. Unless of course, she is up crying…
Today is my birthday. The reason that I am telling you this is not to make you feel guilty for not remembering (unless YOU are reading this. You know who you are.) nor is it to fish for the requisite "Happy Birthday" comments that such a post could inspire. No, my reason is just the opposite. Full Disclosure: I am going to get a little bit cheesy and perhaps a tad cliché for a moment… so if you don't feel like dealing with that, then stop reading right now. But it's my birthday and I will let a slow tear run down my face for a moment if I want to.
Where was I? Oh, yes. Slow tear… Today is my birthday, and instead of asking for a lot of things (except from my husband of course) instead I am going to give thanks for this life that I lead every day that is truly a gift. I have a wonderful husband who accepts my faults and sees more good in me than I do in myself; who is an even better father than he is a husband if that is possible; and who buys me great gifts for my birthday. I have a fantastic family, who are all my biggest fans and I theirs. I have amazing friends who inspire me every day to be a better friend and person. I have a job that I enjoy and that gives me the freedom to spend a lot of time with my daughter. And a daughter… oh, my daughter. She is the greatest gift of all. And for all the complaining that I do about how tough motherhood is right here on this very blog (because God knows it's tough sometimes,) there's not enough time nor words nor people who would care to read all that I could say about how much my daughter has changed my life in the greatest ways possible. Every day I look at her and wonder how I could have gotten so lucky as to have her in my life. Thank you.
So, there you have it. Maybe it is the prosecco talking, but it is my birthday and I already have everything I could possibly want…. unless you have a pair of Louboutin nude peep toes in size 9 1/2. What can I say, I'm a sucker for those red soles.
If you are reading this believing that I can offer you a full proof way to make traveling with kids easy, you are either:
a) Delusional
b) Not a parent who has ever traveled with kids
c) Extremely desperate
If you are c) Extremely desperate… hey, I get it. After spending most of the past month and a half either on plane, in a car, begging my daughter to sleep, or sobbing inconsolably… often most of these at one time, I would try just about anything to make traveling with my daughter even a little easier.
I love to travel. I wish that I would have done more of it when I was young and unencumbered. There are so many places in the world that I want to see, foods I want to taste, cultures I want to experience, and languages I want to not understand. Yes, I love traveling, but I have come to realize that I do not love traveling with my 15-month-old daughter.
This summer we flew to Italy with Lyla. She is very well-behaved, but she is also extremely curious, very energetic and besides that…she is 15-months-old. Too old to want to sit in my lap for very long or to fall asleep in my arms, but not old enough to discover the joys of the Ipad, portable DVD player, TV, or really anything at all for longer than 3.5 minutes at a time. She wants to run, explore, play, and say hello to each and every person on the plane, whether they are sleeping child-hating weirdos or not. No matter how well-behaved she is, 12 hours on a plane spent chasing, playing and apologizing profusely is exhausting.
But it is not just the plane ride that is the killer; it usually doesn't get much easier once you arrive at your destination. It certainly didn't get easier once we arrived in Italy. When you take a new country, a new bed, new people, new food, new schedule and a bevy of new experiences and add that to a significant time change plus jet lag plus not sleeping for 15 hours on the plane ride, you get one cranky baby. And one cranky baby equals two cranky parents. You multiply that by the two weeks we were in Italy plus the two weeks it took all of us to recover when we got home, and it DOES NOT equal a relaxing vacation.
I guess that maybe our intercontinental jet-setting ways could be to blame. Ah…if only that were true. The truth is that it is not much easier traveling even a short distance. After returning from Italy, I flew alone with my daughter to visit my parents in Colorado for our yearly tradition of the Llama Races. It was only a two-hour flight and a one-hour time change, but still my daughter was cranky, clingy, and completely unrecognizable as my usually-delightful spawn for most of the trip. Every single nap and nighttime took 2-3 hours of rocking, milking, reading, pleading, bargaining, and threatening (threatening God, not my daughter… threats don't work on her yet.) Most parents would agree that nap time and bedtime are some of the best times of the day (sorry Lyla, I love you, but it's true.) These moments are the only time that you can have a real conversation, an actual meal or a full
glass bottle of wine. So missing out on this, when I had gone to Colorado to spend time with my friends and family was a slap in the face. By the third day I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.
To rub salt in the wound, my husband had to stay home to work, so I was doing all of this alone. My husband meanwhile was sleeping in, going out, watching movies, seeing friends, and drinking many a bottle of wine and/or beer and/or vodka. I was out-of-town, but HE got the vacation. Not that I resent him… he works very hard and deserves a vacation more than anyone. But to say that I was just a little, teensy bit jealous would be an understatement. But then, I am a jealous bitch.
Ok, so here's the part of the blog where I turn it on its head and tell you how I was able to make it all easier, or how through some incredibly special moment with my daughter, I came to realize that it was all worth it. Sorry, friends. Not going to happen this time. There is no full-proof way to make traveling easier. There is no magic device to make kids behave the way you want, when you want them to. (Sorry Apple!) I truly wish that there was. The point of this blog is just to say that if you are a parent and halfway through your "relaxing" "vacation" you found yourself just wishing you were home watching reality TV, you are not alone. It is tough. I don't know if it gets better. I hope so, but I doubt it. I have a feeling that you exchange one hardship for another.
So, do I need a vacation from vacations? YES. Will I ever travel again? Certainly. What's the alternative? Sit around all year drinking boxed wine and watching the Bachelor Pad? Actually… hmmmm… tempting. But alas, Bachelor Pad only lasts a month or two. And besides, what could I possibly learn if I made everything easy on myself? And more importantly, what would I blog about? The world is full of places to visit, people to meet and experiences to discover… for my daughter and myself. And while my travels were not exactly relaxing, I did find time for a lot of laughs with friends, some great conversations with family, and many wonderful moments with my daughter. Moments that I wouldn't trade for anything… except maybe a staycation at home by myself.


text:
There is something about Copenhagen. No, it's not because it's lively like London, nor does it have anything to do with splendor like Paris or Milan.
Copenhagen is classic – the compact city, brick buildings, homey family atmosphere, and the warm-hearted people. One must be prepared to find herself in a fairy-tale wonderland when visiting the city.
Rather than being alone in Germany and spending the year-end school break with hardly anyone, as most people have already gone home to celebrate Christmas with their family, I decided to venture up north and have a short holiday on my own.
When I told my friends about this plan, I saw some raised eyebrows and a look that says: "Really, you're going further North? German's weather is not cold enough for you?"
Yes, Copenhagen is colder, as generally is with the Scandinavian region. But there's a certain magnet about the city that draws me back again and again. And since part of the reasons for my being away in this short trip was to to share Christmas celebration traditionally with a local family, somehow I had a feeling that Copenhagen would give me a classic Christmas joyous atmosphere. I thought of a white Christmas, a city bathed in lights, a quaint market selling homemade cooking and handicrafts, and children caroling. And that's how I decided to go.
The Magical Park of Tivoli Garden
I arrived early in Copenhagen a few days before Christmas to have a better experience of the pre-Christmas pace and spirit. Visiting Christmas market was high on my list! I learned that the biggest one is the Christmas market in the Tivoli Garden, Copenhagen's signature family amusement park. Oh my, it was love at first sight!
Tivoli Garden is normally closed during winter except for special occasions like Halloween and Christmas, when they open for a few days. For Christmas, they really go all out with the decorations to impress visitors and make the night unforgettable. Picture this: trees stripped of their leaves by the bitter winter being wrapped in Christmas lights, visitors path decorated with light tunnels, hanging lanterns everywhere, as were dimmed romantic lamps and candle spots.
Of course, one can't fully experience Christmas without seeing Christmas trees, Santa and the reindeers. In Tivoli, Christmas trees radiated elegant glow from the lights, and at one corner, visitors can find Santa's house along with the reindeers set up in the adjacent open-air shed.
Christmas market stalls competed to become the most visually attractive. Impressed with the overall ambiance, many times it left me speechless.
Then there was all the food. I was overwhelmed with the varieties. If only I had more money (and space in my tummy), I would've tried them all. Glogg (mulled wine, or heated red wine with fruit and spices), aebleskiver (Danish sweet pancake balls) and lumomba (a typical semi-alcoholic winter beverage) are just some of the local favorites.
I was "forced" to leave the park when they had to close. I left reluctantly, realizing I'd been there for over 3 hours, three times longer than my initial plan. I guess that's what a fairy-tale land does to you: make you forget about everything else as you get caught up in the moment.
Christmas Dinner
The Danish family I stayed with also had their big Christmas family dinner on the night of 24 December. Roasted duck with gravy sauce, roasted pork belly, red cabbage and caramelized potatoes were the night's main course. We had caviar and smoked-salmon canapés for appetizer, and sweetened rice with almond and warm cherry sauce for dessert. Bottles of Champagne and red wine kept the liquid flowing.
Once the dinner was finished, we gathered around the Christmas tree. The children couldn't wait to unwrap their presents under the tree.
But, wait! Suddenly, we heard the sound of a bell, and someone laughing "ho-ho-ho". Santa Claus appeared at the door. The children were excited and grinning from ear to ear. They anxiously awaited what Santa had to say (or give) to them. There is nothing more entertaining than seeing children's jolly expression, but I have to admit, I was stunned myself seeing the fat-belly red-hat man, having never celebrated nor been "entertained" by Santa during Christmas.
Before we open the presents, the Danish have a tradition of going round the Christmas tree. All family members must hold hand and circling the tree while singing and hopping together to cheerful traditional Christmas songs. Of course I didn't know the lyrics, so I hummed along. I can't remember the last time I sang and jumped with family members. It was both awkward and delightful.
The snow might be missing that night, but it was a magical night still. It reminds me of a quote by Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish children books author. "Everything you look at can become a fairy tale and you can get a story from everything you touch."
Copenhagen's cold weather was compensated by the warmth of its people. One day, I know I will be back to this jolly wonderland.
About Asanti Astari
Asanti Astari is currently studying World Heritage Studies in Germany. She hopes it will lead to a career path that will allow her to work in any part of the world as she pleases. In between studies, she fulfills her wanderlust by disguising her travels as an exploration of cultural diversity in preparation of the real working world.


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To many, blacksmithing is an antiquated craft with no modern relevance, other than perhaps shoeing horses, which we all know is a farrier's trade. But for me, and the team here at Robert Thomas Iron Design [RTID], bringing this ancient craft back from the dead was a dream. My first major step toward achieving this goal was attending Hereford College of Arts in Hereford, England. Locally, we are happy to support and work closely with the American College of Building Arts [ACBA] in Charleston, SC. I am proud to have recent graduate and valedictorian, Tyler Bickerstaff, as part of our team, paving the way for future ACBA interns to help us attain our vision. Utilizing our broad scope of talents in the arts, as well as engineering, our team of accomplished smiths are forging a path in the modern day for this old-world trade. We've built an impressive portfolio of sculptural art, functional art, architectural giants, elegant lighting fixtures, custom furniture, and hand-forged hardware. The aesthetic we achieved cannot be replicated by machine or simple fabrication. Our designs incorporate both historically accurate and contemporary unique elements, helping to distinguish RTID as one of the modern artistic greats in today's world of blacksmithing. Basically, we try to just stay a step ahead by staying a step behind. Check out this video for more of my story, to view the workshop, and see how the forging process happens.
Blacksmithing, FORGED in Charleston
American College of the Building Arts
RTID on Facebook
Robert Thomas Iron Design homepage


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With all the multi-tools we've featured over the years, it's astonishing that these things can still impress us. Thanks to designers like Launce Barber and Tom Stokes, products like the CRKT 9070 Guppie multi-tool do just that though.
Designed to easily store in your pocket, the Guppie is equipped with a handful of tools that will assist you in literally dozens of everyday situations. The tool features an adjustable wrench, high carbon stainless steel blade, removable bit carrier secured with magnets (also equipped with an LED light), bit driver, multi-use pocket/money clip, and a carabiner that doubles as a bottle opener. See it in action below, and get yours today from Amazon.


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Section Branding
Header Content
Georgia Southern, Armstrong Prepare To Merge
Primary Content
There is change in the works at two Georgia universities. Earlier this year, the University System Board of Regents voted to merge Armstrong State University and Georgia Southern University. The new school will keep Georgia Southern's name. Since 2011, the university system has completed seven mergers, in the interests of efficiency and economy. We talked more about this with John Fuchko, the vice chancellor for organizational effectiveness with the University System of Georgia. We also heard from the presidents of Armstrong and Georgia Southern.


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I decided to write something on my blog about this because, well, it's a great product. I've not written a product review before but felt this was a great product to start with. We've only owned it a few days but it transformed the daily watering tasks and made this mundane chore that little bit easier, a great time saver too. With two kids, a full time job, a wife to please, a house to do up and a joinery/woodwork hobby, every minute counts. The product I'll review in this blog post is the Verve Wall Mounted Hose Reel with auto rewind feature.
We found this automatic retractable garden hose reel in B&Q priced at £70. We had only gone there to get a plant for the veranda and ended up buying this too. It was somewhat of an impulse buy but we just had to. We'd been looking at these for a year or so and previously only found other brands priced around the £100 mark. I saw it on the shelf and called Victoria over, "look at this Vic" I said. We both looked at it for a second, then at each other. "Lets get it", we both said at the same time.
I have to admit, I was a little wary about it at first because it was nearly half the price of the ones we'd seen previously and 2/3 the price of their rivals products in B&Q. We've had it a few days now and so far so good, no leaks, sturdy build, good fit and best of all it does what it's meant to.
What does this hose reel do that our old one didn't?
- This is wall mounted so it fits neatly onto the side of the house in a convenient location which looks much nicer than a reel that sits on the floor. The wall mount also swivels from side to side so you can pull it out at about 150 degrees.
- The colour matches our garden fence and the green grass. Minor details but it suits our garden.
- Automatically retractable which means no more winding in with a handle, just pull and release. This is the real time saver. I can pull the hose out to where I want to be and let go and it automatically locks in place. To reel back in I just give it a little pull and walk it back into the housing. Super easy, I love it! There is also a cool little device that ensures the hose winds evenly onto the reel and doesn't clump up on one side. It's really quite a clever design.
- It comes with a standard hose spray end piece but this is interchangeable with any upgrade. We had a Hozelock multi end which fit right on. Just click and it's done.
- There's a little clip beneath so you can clip the spray piece into place to keep it safe.
- 25 meters length should be long enough fo most urban household gardens. Ours is about 28 meters long so just short but luckily we don't have anything that needs watering at that end of the garden. If we did a water can would do the job or I'd turn the long spray option on to shoot from a distance.
After a few days of use I'm dead chuffed with our purchase. It's made my life easier and it doesn't look half bad. I'd recommend it to friends and family who are fed up with reeling in or leaving out untidy looking hoses. It's early days for this product so not sure how long it will last but I'll post an update in a year's time to see how things are going.
In summary, this is well worth a look if you want to simplify your garden watering needs. It's very affordable, good looking, sturdy and quick and easy to use. Well done Verve for this great product.
Click here to see the hose we purchased from B&Q
UPDATE July 2020
So we've had this Verve auto hose reel now for over two years and I have to say it's still a great product. It gets used regularly during the summer months around the garden and it even stretches out to the front of the house so I can clean the cars. It's been faultless this whole time. The rewind mechanism still work perfectly although it's worth noting that if you let it in too quickly it has jammed, but only the once. I simply pulled it back out and let it rewind back in again and all sorted. I thought this was a bargain at the time so wasn't expecting it to last but it's doing just fine. And it doesn't leak, not one bit, which is important as it now sits over our decking area.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this impartial review. Take a look at some of my other posts:


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Let's face it, most new PC hardware is just old shoes in new boxes, with improvements but still basically the same. But once in a while a new product comes along that has a nice twist and in this case it is a power supply.
CRYORIG displayed their newest idea at Computex, an Internet of Things (IoT) enabled power supply. The CRYORIG Pi is only a proof of concept so far and it is working and being demonstrated. The actual line of products is targeted for a release in 2016 with wattage ranging from 600 to +1000 Watts and 80 Plus Gold to Platinum certifications.
Internet of Things is gaining a lot of momentum at the moment and in short, these are smart devices that lets you control their actions from anywhere through remote connections. This is also the case for CRYORIGS new Pi power supply that will allow you to wake or shut your system down remotely thanks to the patent pending Zero Hassle Hardware Wake (ZHH Wake) technology that directly controls your motherboard.
Forgot to shut down your system before you left home, do it from anywhere. Need to boot up your extra file server and access some data from a remote location, no problem. Read in the news that a thunderstorm is closing on your home, shut down the system until it has passed. There are a lot of possibilities with this technology.
From this base CRYORIG's Pi line can extend further capabilities such as fan speed control, energy usage recording and management, electric bill estimations as well as PSU health and deterioration reporting all directly to a mobile phone app.
This is a pretty cool and innovative idea, let us just hope that it will actually result in a final product and not end up never being released such as Captherms Multiphase cooler we saw at CES two years in a row – but never any actual product.


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Iranian search engines process more than 700K search queries and 200K Q&A per day. That's a small number comparing to 4.5B searches per day over Google, but we can say it's a good start.
A Little Bit of Background
Throughout the last couple of years due to the international sanctions and local filtering of some international services, the market became a fertile ground for Iranian startups to thrive. The country basically developed local versions of many internet giants such as Digikala equivalent of Amazon, Aparat equivalent of Youtube, Snapp equivalent of Uber and so on. So far we've been successful at cloning and localizing such services and startups. However, building search engine platforms is one of the most complicated businesses of all, and the competition in this sector is really fierce. To give you a grasp of the situation answer this question: When was the last time that you heard about a new search engine or tried to use another one? The answer would probably be never. That's the case with the local search engines in Iran.
It Started Too Late
Maybe search engine market is a tough one but there is an opportunity here as well. Take a look at Yandex in Russia, founded in 1997 or Baidu in China, founded 2000. Both of these search engines won the market with the help from their government which is not a bad thing as long as they offer the same quality service to their customers. Regarding Iranian search engines, in 2001 the study phase for the first Iranian search engine started and the first version of the search engine named Parsijoo was released in 2010. You can simply guess the 9 years of study phase was too long in the tech world.
What's the Current State
According to Council Secretary of Local Search Engine Governance, Alireza Yari, today Iranian search engines are handling 700K searches per day plus 200K Q&A. Most of the search engines in the world have more than 1000 employees but the combined number of employees working for Iranian search engines is not as near as this figure. While Iranian search engines are understaffed and suffering from lack of funding, they have already started the work on Persian script and language processing and ranking. They even provide added services such as news, multimedia and map search engines. Today the leading Iranian search engine, Parsijoo can deliver results up to 80% accuracy comparing to foreign search engines such as Google for Persian or Farsi language. Of course, currently the local search engines can't compete with the foreign ones on English search queries.
Up until now, only 50 billion Tomans (nearly $13.5M) of credit has been assigned to the local search engine project by the government, of which 30 billion Tomans has been spent on the project. The leading Iranian search engines, Parsijoo and Yooz only had 2 billion Tomans cut for their processing infrastructure from this government backed credit.
According to Alireza Yari, Iran now has the potential for 1000 billion Tomans (nearly $270M) of online advertisement which indicates the importance of this sector. However, a very small percentage of this market has been tapped but with enough investment in Iranian search engines, this sector can create thousands of direct and indirect jobs similar to the messaging apps in the country.


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Dr Paul Fung is a psychiatrist with a special interest in youth mental health, family therapy and primary care mental health service delivery. He developed and implemented the headspace Youth Early Psychosis Program (Western Sydney) across 3 headspace centres with Orygen (University of Melbourne), and more recently the Karrikin Youth Mental Health Service (Northern Sydney) where he is the Clinical Lead. He has generated a number of innovative models of care for Parramatta Mission, one of Sydney's leading NGO mental health service providers.
Paul is passionate about training and education having held the position of Site Coordinator Of Training and regularly lecturing in the HETI Psychiatric Medicine Program. He is particularly interested in GP capacity building, running HETI's GP Mental Health Assessment and Management Workshops and building care pathways. He believes that technology is key to the efficient delivery of mental health training and service delivery.
Paul has a strong interest in creating global mental health partnerships. He was awarded a Special Training Fellowship with the NSW Institute of Psychiatry in the area of International Mental Health where he delivered a leadership development program for mental health care leaders in 4 pacific island countries. He has done projects for WHO Geneva and the Transcultural Mental Health Centre. He has worked for an NGO in Thailand and been an invited speaker in China.
Paul is an active member of the RANZCP, having held the position of Chair of the Section of Early Career Psychiatrists, served on the Members Advisory Council, and currently representing Australian and New Zealand in the World Psychiatric Association.
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Another Day, Another Street Vendor Video
Last week it was MSNBC, this week it's CNN covering the whole street vendor craze with a short report about the Vendy Awards, and how winning can effect your business. Warning: If you watch the video, you'll have to see my ugly mug for a good 15-20 seconds.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:15 am, October 21st, 2009 under Asides, Videos.
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