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I recently got the the Stamp-n-Storage ink pad holder…can't believe how well organized I feel now that I have been using it. So easy to make sure I have the correct marker and reinker right there next to my ink pad. This has saved me a lot of time and frustration since I no longer have to spend time digging for markers or looking for reinkers.
Punch & Washi Tape Storage Solutions
Brought to you by Stamp-n-Storage
Storage options for all of your craft room necessities that are as durable as they are stylish.
- >Practical storage solutions for punches, tapes, ink pads, papers and more.
- >Quality wood construction allows for table top, stacked or in some cases, wall-mounted use.
- >Functional and visible storage allows you to enjoy using all of your supplies.
- >Beautiful craft area addition in natural wood or can be painted to reflect personal style.
Product Description
Manufacturer Description
Stamp-n-Storage provides a variety of products for paper crafters, card makers and scrapbookers to keep supplies at your fingertips and beautifully arranged. Tired of using a shoebox, cassette tape organizer or a plastic bin that used to hold left-over lasagna to protect your growing collection? Stamp-n-Storage is dedicated to improving your craft area functionality.
All of our products are built from high quality materials, shipped fully assembled and sanded smooth. Right out of the box they can be used in their natural state, or you can paint them to match your decor. Wall mounting is an option that is available on certain products.
Read more here.
Product Description
Decorative Tape Holder There are nearly four linear feet of shelf space in this compact tape storage unit. Your tapes can be stored right in front of you, ready to be applied to your latest paper project. Tapes may be easily torn away from roll using the back of the shelf as a guide or with scissor. The overall dimensions of the unit are 16.5" wide, 13.25" tall and 3.75" deep.
Lock Down Punch Holder Shelves designed for small, medium, large and x-large lock down style punches. Spacer blocks are included to keep smaller punches flush with the front of the unit for easy identification, removal and return. The overall dimensions of the unit are 18.25" wide, 13.25" tall and 4.75" deep.
Whale Tale Punch Holder Shelves designed for small, medium and large whale-tale styled punches. Spacer blocks are included to keep smaller punches flush with the front of the unit so you are not digging around looking for specific items in the back of the shelf unit. The overall dimensions of the unit are 20.88" wide, 13.25" tall and 4.75" deep.
Learn more about the Stamp-n-Storage Products in this video:
Learn more about the Stamp-n-Storage Paper Punch Storage in this video:
Fantastic, as always
By Beate Johns
I was excited to be able to review the Decorative Tape Holder from Stamp-n-Storage for this review. Having reviewed their ink pad holder and shelves in an earlier review, I knew the craftmanship of the Tape Holder would be outstanding. And, I was not disappointed. The shelf is sturdy, and because it's the same height as their ink pad holder and shelves, all of the pieces set side-by-side look great together.
I started purchasing washi tapes last year and was looking for a way to store them efficiently. I had been storing them on a shelf, stacked up on top of each other. Not the best way... But, this new storage shelf is perfect for storing your washi tape collection, making it easy to see what you have and cut tape from each roll. The rolls stand up on the shelf. You adhere the loose end of the tape on the bottom of the shelf. When you need tape, just pull on the end and cut off. Perfect.
Another organizational home run by Stamp-n-Storage.
Sweetly Organized
By Bev Rousch
In our craft, we need and want lot of tools and supplies. It all sort of multiplies, and before you know it, you can have quite a lot ... And then, have the very real need to organize it. I always have that very very real need to organize it. Stamp-n-Storage offers me that organization in a beautiful package. I got the chance to try out their Decorative Tape Display Rack and Dispenser (washi tape holder), as well as their Six Drawer Storage unit.
I've slowly become a big fan of washi tape, and it's easy to build up a nice collection of tapes when most rolls are no more than $3. One roll this time and another roll the next... pretty much before you know it, you're in deep with a nice pile of beautiful tapes that you need to organize. Let's talk about how much I love this washi tape dispenser! You can line them all up pretty so that you see the designs (ROYGBIV for me, please), and then these geniuses at Stamp-n-Storage have made it so that you can pull the tapes and rip your edge off nice and neatly while keeping the roll in place and ready for your next use. I want to hug this company.
The easy use of my tapes is fantastic, so let's talk build. They have used 1/2" thick wood pieces for their organizers, and what that means is they are STURDY. Believe me when I say that you are going to pull them out of their shipping boxes and be instantly impressed with the workmanship. Also, the surface of the wood is smooth and it looks like it's going to be perfect for when I'm ready to paint it down the line.
The Six Drawer Organizer is spacious and just as sturdy as the dispenser! The drawers are deep (about 3 1/2") and wide (about 7 1/2") and perfect for tools and various supplies that can accumulate on your desktop. Being able to place these items in a drawer not only frees up your desk space, it can also make your area beautiful! The drawers slide out and back in easily. I placed my favorite adhesives in one drawer so I can just pop the drawer out on my table when I'm ready to stick elements down and not have adhesives piled up all over my workspace. This even makes my table look tidy when I'm in the thick of a pretty messy project. I've become a fan. Oh, and did I mention that you can make one of these drawers a stash drawer? As in, a chocolate stash? As in, it's hidden and if it's found out you can just switch the drawers around like a Las Vegas try-and-find-the-ball-under-the-cup trick? Not that I have experience now. Just an idea.
Stamp-n-Storage has made order and tidiness attainable and attractive. I am forever in their debt.
Space Saving Storage
By Michelle Giraud
I was really excited about using the products from Stamp-n-Storage in my studio. I have a pretty small work space, so a lot of my tools are stored away from my desk which means I'm constantly getting up to search for the next product I want to use. I chose the Whale Tail Punch Storage because I knew I didn't have enough punches to fill up 12 spaces on this unit, but the shelf sizes looked like they would fit the bill for some of my other storage needs. My Copic Ciao markers have never had a nice home, so I was hopeful that the Stacked Marker Holder would provide an easy-to-use solution, which it did.
The solidly built wooden Whale Tail Punch Storage fit perfectly on my existing paper storage drawers, so I didn't have to do any rearranging to get it to work. I loaded it with my 15 x-large through small sized punches which were previously stored in a basket under my desk. I used the smallest shelves on top to store my essential ink pads; black, brown, Versamark and Distress Inks. I was also able to fit all of my Stickles, embossing powders, favorite glitters, acrylic blocks and extra markers on the other open shelves. I'm was surprised by how much the shelves would hold, and now I have it all within arms reach instead of hidden away in storage baskets under my desk or in the closet.
The Stacked Marker Holder worked perfectly for my Copic Ciao markers. I was a little worried because the website only showed Standand and Sketch Copics, but I could fit 5 Ciao markers per slot, for a total of 120 markers. Previously my markers were stored in a wire silverware basket which made it a little difficult to keep organized. Now my markers are organized by color and are easy to take out and replace. I plan on purchasing another holder for my Spectrum Noir markers, which also fit in this holder nicely. The second holder will stack on top of this one for more space saving convenience.
I'm really impressed with how well these products fit in with my existing stamping space with almost no rearranging. They are very sturdy pieces, so they can be used as a base unit or on top of other storage products. The compartments are well thought out for the intended purposes, but also leave lots of space for other uses as well. I now have products and tools within reach which were previous stored away because I simply didn't have the space for them on my desk.
Organizing Your Way To A Better Craft Space
By Amanda Havon
Like many crafters, I love a clean and organized work space, otherwise I can't create a thing! But, organization isn't easy. I can't always find the perfect storage for all of those unique or oddly shaped items. Luckily, Stamp-n-Storage has many storage options for all of those challenging tools and accessories.
Stamp-n-Storage offers a variety of storage options and quality made pieces to organize many of your papercrafting items. Their pieces are constructed from sturdy wood and carefully shipped. They are immediately ready for use or are easy to paint if you want to personalize them for your own space.
Each item is carefully planned and designed so that you can use them to their fullest potential. They are stackable and easy to maneuver but sturdy enough so that they won't tip over easily. Honestly, Stamp-n-Storage is my favorite storage company, and I don't want to imagine my craft space without their practical products.
Quality Storage Units
By Teresa Kline
I was super excited to be receiving several organization units from Stamp-n-Storage. I could not wait to place them on the wall unit in my crafting space.
Stamp-n-Storage organization units are awesome. Each piece is well designed and thought out for your die, ink and paper storage needs.
They are natural wood in color, which is perfect; you can choose to keep them in their natural state or paint them. Because my newly installed wall unit is black, I wanted to paint them to match; I could not be happier. The wood is A+ quality. I did prime the sides before painting, sanded a bit, and then added the gloss black paint... perfect! The inserts were spray painted to make the process a little easier, and I am very pleased with the outcome.
So, whether you keep them natural or paint them, the easy storage system is still the same. They set perfectly behind my work desk and are in arms length, easy to use and beautiful to look at! Now I must purge my area to make room for the paper storage unit and I will be set...*grin*. I highly recommend these quality units. You should pick up at least one for your creating supplies!
Product Gallery
See a gallery of creations made by our review team using products and materials from Stamp-n-Storage.
Questions and Comments
What do you think? Leave your comments and questions.


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subset: commoncrawl


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If you're looking for a heritage cattle breed that will make a good milking cow, don't overlook the distinctively marked Dutch Belted Cattle. The mild climate and lush grass of Holland have helped make this small nation the source of prime cattle that have influenced breeds around the world. The Holstein-Friesian has quite literally become the very image of a dairy cow. So pervasive is the influence of the black-and-white Holstein that the other breeds of Dutch cattle are scarcely known.
The Lakenvelder, which means sheeted field, was a black or red dairy cow with a broad white belt. These cattle were known in Holland by the 1600s, where their attractive and striking color pattern was a favorite of the wealthy and the nobility. The same color pattern was repeated in other farm animals such as Dutch rabbits and Lakenvelder chickens. Lakenvelder cattle owners treasured their rare animals and so did not cooperate well in maintaining a herd book or exchanging stock. In 1930, mandatory tuberculosis testing and government control of milk production was instituted, both of which were hard on this minority breed. After World War II, only 5 known Lakenvelder herds remained. Soon afterward, the government enacted regulations forbidding the use of bulls other than from three other recognized breeds.
With the development of interest in preserving rare breeds, an association of Lakenvelder breeders has been established. The remaining Lakenvelder cattle were closely related, and only 75 showed an acceptable pattern. The breeders were in desperate need of rejuvenation, so they turned toward the adoptive home of their native cattle — the United States.
The first import of Lakenvelder cattle was made in 1838, by D. H. Haight, who was serving as the U.S. consul to Holland. Two years later, the famous showman P. T. Barnum purchased several Lakenvelders from a member of the Dutch nobility. Billed as "a rare and aristocratic breed," the cattle traveled on exhibit with Barnum's circus. Eventually they were placed on his farm in New York, where they proved to be excellent milkers. Additional small imports of Lakenvelders or Dutch Belts were made over the next fifty years. The Dutch Belt cattle population was found mainly in New Jersey and New York until the early twentieth century, when they began to appear in many states.
The Dutch Belted Cattle Association was founded in the 1860s, and the herd book has been kept continuously since then. The members of the association were knowledgeable dairy farmers who actively promoted their breed and encouraged scientific testing. The Dutch Belts performed well in various dairy tests across the United States for many years. In 1925, a Dutch Belt cow produced 17,285 pounds of milk and 634 pounds of butterfat on a standard trial. The USDA yearly production figures for 1930 listed only the Holstein and Brown Swiss ahead of the Dutch Belt, followed by the Ayrshire, Guernsey, and Jersey.
Dutch Belted cattle were recognized by the Dairy Science Association and the USDA as a viable dairy breed. Individual Dutch Belt dairy owners found that their customers enjoyed their specialty milk. Dutch Belt milk contained small fat globules that did not separate as quickly and were easier to digest than other breeds' milk. The milk also contained high levels of beta carotene and butterfat. In addition, the Dutch Belt had a long lactation. One high-production Dutch Belt cow was milked continuously from her first freshening at two years of age through her twelfth year and beyond.
Unfortunately, the numbers of Dutch Belt cattle were lower than the other dairy breeds. In 1920, the USDA estimated the Dutch Belt population at about 157,000 head. Because even the more numerous breeds would suffer under the Holstein onslaught, the Dutch Belt found it almost impossible to compete in spite of its excellent credentials.
Dedicated individuals such as the O'Neill family in Illinois preserved the breed. More than a curiosity, the Dutch Belted cattle continued to be milked on a few farms. John G. DuPuis founded one large, outstanding herd in the twentieth century. Tragically, this herd was slaughtered in the 1985 dairy buy-out program.
Kenneth and Winifred Hoffman of Bestyet Farm in Illinois own a herd mainly built from the O'Neill herd. The Hoffmans have demonstrated that Dutch Belted cattle are a profitable dairy breed, especially when coupled with grass-based farming practices. The Hoffmans have also employed semen conservation and embryo transfers in preserving the breed.
The Dutch Belt is an exceptional milker that can compete with the Holstein under low-input management. With good management, a cow can produce more than 20,000 pounds of milk with a butterfat range of 3.5 to 5.5 percent, useful for cheese and butter making. The valuable qualities of the milk have been preserved. The fat globules are very small, and the milk is easily digested. Along with its high beta-carotene content, the milk has an excellent flavor.
The Dutch Belt cow weighs 900 to 1,500 pounds and has a well-attached udder, well-placed teats, and a lovely disposition. With her high volume, she is primarily a dairy herd cow, not a home milker. The breed has no special calving difficulties and is especially suited to pasturing. Owners report that the Dutch Belt is intelligent, hardy, and long-lived. Because they remain naturally horned, Dutch Belted steers are striking as oxen teams.
Dutch Belted cattle are either jet black or red. The white belt starts at the back of the shoulder and extends almost to the hips, wrapping entirely around the body. At times there is some white on the lower legs. This belted pattern is a dominant characteristic that is stamped on crossbred offspring.
The ALBC has determined that the global population is critically low for the Dutch Belt. From 1973 – 74 to 1981, an average of only 17 males and 71 females was registered each year. These numbers decreased from 1981 to 1995, when an average of 7 males was registered each year, for a total of 100 males. The average yearly registration of females was 21, for a total of 300. The estimated U.S. population has now fallen below 300. The herd book is now maintained by the ALBC under an agreement whereby the secretary of the Dutch Belt Cattle Association of America delegates register duties.
When the number of purebred breeders fell, it became necessary to initiate a recovery program by using registered bulls on grade Dutch Belted cows. A breeding-up program is also allowed using other cows with Dutch Belted bulls. In 1995, 34 purebred cattle were registered and 80 cattle were under the breeding-up program. Breeding-up herds were established in Canada in the early 1990s. Purebred cows now number about 200 in the United States, and there are still significant numbers of purebred yet unregistered cattle. Because crossbred cattle may also be marked with the characteristic belt, the ALBC warns potential buyers to check pedigree records with care.
Semen from American Dutch Belted bulls has been sent back to Holland for use by the Lakenvelders Breeding Association and has been successful in injecting vitality back into the breed. The American Dutch Belt is actually closer to the original type than those still available in Holland.
Except for a shortage in numbers, there is no reason why the Dutch Belted cow should not flourish. It is a competitive and profitable breed that actually produces a higher-quality milk than the Holstein. The Dutch Belt is a proven producer in low-input or grass-based systems. The breed is built somewhat heavier than other dairy breeds, which holds potential for crossbred beef calf production. The Dutch Belt also transmits a high percentage of color, making the breeding-up program attractive. And the sight of Dutch Belted cattle grazing on a green pasture is nearly incomparable.
Our thanks to Yale University Press for their kind permission to post this profile from The Encyclopaedia of Historic and Endangered Livestock and Poultry Breeds (Copyright 2001 by Yale University), by Janet Vorwald Dohner. This 500-page book is a definitive reference about heritage livestock, describing the history and characteristics of almost 200 breeds of poultry, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and horses. The Encyclopedia of Historic and Endangered Livestock and Poultry Breeds is available on Amazon.


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atheist monument
A monument placed by the American Atheists in Starke, Fla., at the Bradford County courthouse stands next to a display of the Ten Commandments. (Submitted photo)
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – An atheist organization is seeking residents in Jackson County who may be interested in filing a lawsuit against the county commission if it erects a monument that includes the Ten Commandments.
Chuck Miller, Alabama regional director of American Atheists, said he would prefer an atheist monument at the Jackson County courthouse alongside the Ten Commandments monument similar to a settlement reached last year in Florida.
Miller told AL.com on Friday he had been in contact with David Silverman, president of American Atheists, about the proposal by Jackson County Commissioner Tim Guffey to erect a monument of historical documents at the courthouse that would include the Ten Commandments. The display would also include the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, he said.
"I think we would be considering either a lawsuit or a request to put up a monument," Miller said. "I would kind of like to put up another monument. I think that based on the Bradford County experience, Jackson County might find out that it would bring a lot of positive press.
"However, as I said, that's a really problematic way to go."
The problem, according to Miller, is that any organization should have the right to place their own monuments at the courthouse and that could get "unwieldy," he said.
Since becoming aware of Guffey's proposal, Miller said he has reached out to an atheist organization in Jackson County "in order to find potential plaintiffs" for a possible lawsuit. Any possible lawsuit would likely cite the "Establishment Clause," Miller said, which prevents the government from making a law regarding an establishment of religion.
Guffey said on Thursday his proposal is in the early stages and he is soliciting feedback from Jackson County residents about the idea. Reaction so far, Guffey said, has been positive.
"Personally, as an Alabama taxpayer, I would prefer that there is an outcome where it wouldn't wind up in court simply because of the expense involved," Miller said. "If the county went ahead and erected a monument, there is any number of organizations – Freedom from Religion Foundation, American Atheists, Americans United – any of those organizations might well decide to launch legal action."
Miller said the atheist monument placed at the Bradford County courthouse in Starke, Fla., occurred after a Ten Commandments display was established. It was the first atheist monument in the U.S., Miller said.
"I'm not necessarily trying to promote putting up an atheist monument for Jackson County," Miller said. "That's obviously something they would have to decide if they put up the Ten Commandments and, of course, we would raise the issue and we might accept the same settlement we were offered in Bradford County. I can't promise but that might be one of the outcomes."
According to the American Atheists website, the organization fights for "civil liberties of atheists and the total, absolute separation of government and religion."
Miller pointed to recent issues with the government and the Ten Commandments in Oklahoma and New Mexico as well as the one in Florida.
"I'm not offended," Miller said. "The Ten Commandments don't offend me. The Bible doesn't offend me. What I find objectionable is when anybody of any religion wants to force their particular ideas into the public space and make them part of public policy.
"Erecting the Ten Commandments monument and some of the things the commissioner said kind of border on the idea of using religion to make policy decisions. That's just not consistent with American civil law, our Constitution or our heritage. Our heritage is pluralistic; it's not with a singular religion."


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By Alison M. Jones
No Water No Life's thoughts are with all who've lost so much in Louisiana, particularly in eastern Baton Rouge. In our 5 watershed expeditions in the Lower Mississippi River Basin, we have learned much about flooding. This essay analyzes the history, causes and devastating effects of high-water events in Louisiana, and all floodplain areas. We believe the solutions involve us all.
FLOODPLAINS Approximately 1/6th of Louisiana's acreage is bayous, lakes, swamps and rivers. Southern Louisiana is a floodplain. As one sign says, "It's called a floodplain because it's plain that it floods." It is perfect habitat for turtles, waterfowl and bald cypress trees.
Periodically, a rain-swollen Mississippi River or hurricanes bring floods. This month's catastrophe was due to an "inland, sheared tropical depression." Those most impacted are not turtles, waterfowl or swamp cypress. They are humans.
A RIVER TOWN Baton Rouge, the first bluff north of the Mississippi River Delta, was settled circa 1,200-6,000 BC. The Native American Mississippian hunter-gatherers used the river and this flood-safe bluff to trade throughout the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. Europeans followed and established Baton Rouge in 1699. Since then, families, communities and industries on and around the bluff have both thrived and suffered because of water.
The Mississippi River has driven Baton Rouge's economy since its busy steamboat days. River transport made Baton Rouge a major U.S. industrial and petro-chemical center. The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is the 10th largest port in shipped tonnage. Now this port is handling the new Panamax ships to carry even greater amounts of grain, crude oil, cars and containers.
But with these benefits of the river – and the rains that feed it – come floods. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 affected 630,000 people. Herbert Hoover called it the "greatest peacetime calamity" in U.S. history. More devastating floods occurred in 1973, 1983 and 2011. The May 1995 Louisiana Flood dumped up to 20" of rain, causing over $3.1 million in damages. Each time, personal and economic damage has affected Louisiana and the U.S.
SOGGY FOUNDATIONS and POOR PLANNING For centuries, floods have swept away buildings, businesses, crops, and human lives. Whether a columned plantation or colorful trailer, the loss of a home entails the loss of investments, lifestyles and irreplaceable intangibles from family photos and holiday décor to BBQ patio moments.
Some say that everyone lives in a flood zone. Perhaps. But certainly flooding impacts are spreading wider. TV commentators of this 2016 Louisiana flood simply say the water has nowhere to go. Why? New land development has created greater floods since construction has diverted natural runoff paths. As economies and populations grew, housing booms focused more on needs than risks. Developers covered wetlands and built on flood plains. Thus, urban and suburban development extended flooding beyond designated zones on FEMA maps.
Could that have been stopped? In the 1990's and 2000's Baton Rouge became one of the fastest-growing cities in the South. From 2000 to 2010 Baton Rouge's population grew by about 33%. Ironically, in 2005 Hurricane Katrina flood refugees from New Orleans fled north, further causing Baton Rouge's population to surge.
In hindsight, zoning regulations should have been stricter forty or fifty years ago. Wetlands should have been protected. Sprawl should have been addressed and discouraged. These measures can still be instituted; and rebuilding on soggy ground can still be regulated.
FACING THE WEATHER How can southern Louisiana and other low-lying regions mitigate, if not protect, impacts of future floods? Engineers, government, low-lying communities and all of us must face predictions of continued record-breaking rainfalls and increasingly high moisture levels in our atmosphere. Such extreme weather events used to be rare, often over 500 years apart. But since last May, eight similar, flood-producing heavy rainstorms have occurred in the U.S., according to meteorologist Eric Holthaus. If indeed this is a "classic signal of climate change, as claimed by Climate Nexus, we must implement immediate remedies.
PREVENTION Possible solutions are big and small in scope. They can come from top-down and bottom-up efforts. We hear on TV that homes should be rebuilt on higher foundations. The reality is they should be rebuilt elsewhere. That's the big solution: a complex and expensive remedy needing brave leadership and community commitment. It has been done. After severe floods in 2007 and 2008, Gays Mills, Wisconsin, is now moving its residences and commerce uphill from the Kickapoo River Floodplain. But Gays Mills is a much smaller community than eastern Baton Rouge, and it has taken almost a decade to accomplish and fund.
MITIGATION Louisiana and other floodplains can take steps smaller than relocation that will at least mitigate flooding effects. Small acts of sustainability really can lessen the impacts of flooding.
–Roads and parking areas can have porous surfaces, allowing water to seep through.
–Zoning can limit impermeable surfaces for renovated and new development.
–More trees can be planted so their deep roots can absorb excess waters.
–Rain gardens, bio-swales and other green elements can be implemented in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional settings to help absorb and divert run-off.
–Artificial wetlands can be built and existing wetlands saved so nature can again fulfill its role of storing floodwaters.
–Flood maps can be updated for today's extreme weather.
These mitigations apply all across the country beyond already known flood regions! While global warming may seem like a slow climb up an endless ladder, its effects periodically pull that ladder right out from under us. Some of those moments have names like Katrina, Sandy and Irene. Some events are nameless but just as devastating, as Louisiana now knows.
FOSSIL FUELS AND FLOODS Beyond community-based mitigation, there is one major remedy that involves us all. Industrial emissions from across the globe – and even from Baton Rouge plants on the Mississippi River – contribute to climate disruption and the intensification of storms such as Louisiana's 32-inch downpour this month. Ironically, Louisiana is a state known for its oil and gas industries – and for its floods. Fossil fuels and floods are co-joined in Louisiana, creating a cause-and-effect cycle.
Beyond Louisiana though, our national dependence on fossil fuels makes all of us partly responsible for the losses in Baton Rouge's flood this summer. Our heavy use of cars and often-excessive consumption contribute to carbon emissions that indiscriminately hurt us all. We can cut back to essentials! Also you can join NWNL in following and sharing news of clean-energy technologies, including "Bladeless Wind Turbines" and solar highways producing crystal-powered energy.
OUR FUTURE Today, we can all help Louisiana residents with gifts to Red Cross or LEAN – Louisiana Environmental Action Network, a local Baton Rouge organization NWNL has worked with.
Just as importantly, both today and tomorrow, we can all proactively support new, sustainable energy resources. This will improve the future of existing flood-prone communities from Baton Rouge to Houston; from St Louis to Miami; West Virginia to South Carolina and worldwide.
By supporting measures to stop building in floodplains and efforts to lessen weather-related disasters, we say to Baton Rouge residents that we are one with them – and their children.


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The Acoustic Village is a non-profit organization based in Knowlton, Quebec that provides an opportunity for musicians to perform in a concert format. Open to professional and amateur musicians alike, The Acoustic Village concerts aim to present an "unplugged" style event that supports all genres of music. Along with a featured act, each monthly event will also present three guest performances designed to provide exposure to burgeoning artists or an opportunity for established artists to feature new material.
All artists participating in The Acoustic Village concerts will have the opportunity for their performances to be recorded and made available on You Tube and Facebook. Links to performances as well as all concert details will be updated regularly.


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Welcome to The Epstein School's website! We are very proud of our school and welcome you to explore this window into the amazing growth that happens here every day. As a learner, parent, and educator, I am keenly aware of the profound impact our school has on its students. Having personally wrestled with learning challenges and been given the opportunity to push the boundaries of the classroom, I know how pivotal the support and encouragement of teachers can be. I feel blessed to have followed my own passion back into education (after years working as a scientist) and to be at Epstein witnessing and being part of the magic that happens here daily.
I believe that learning is the most fundamental of human activities and that we need to inspire and prepare our students to be successful contributors to creating a better future. To do this we need to cultivate a supportive learning environment, empower skillful and passionate educators, design thoughtful and rich curriculum, and perhaps, most important of all, engender the passion of our students, teachers, and the community that surrounds them.
Among the many aspects of Epstein that are critical to our community's success and will captivate you when you visit us are:
- The warmth and nurturing nature of the school and its community
- The engagement of the students and teachers in partnering to create a positive learning environment
- The quality of our dual-language Hebrew program makes Epstein a leader nationally
- The commitment to educating a wide range of learners
- The thoughtful approach to 21st Century learning and integration
- The kavod – respect – and collaborative nature I have seen in the many conversations throughout the school
- The dedication, strength, and quality of the adult community focused on our students
As a leader, I am committed to listening, learning, collaborating, and building partnerships; this holds true for students, faculty and staff, volunteer leadership, parents, and community partners. I believe that a strong team is integral to the success of any organization – ensuring the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I invite you to join and contribute to our community in ways that enrich our students and you.
As my favorite Shabbat song, Dror Yikrah, says, "Seek knowledge and wisdom for your soul; It will be your crowning glory."
B'vrakha (blessings),
Dr. David Abusch-Magder (aka. Dr. D)


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In most house-holds, there is a big event coming on February 1st. I am talking about the Super Bowl! Is your team playing? What have you done to prepare your inner football-fan spirit for the big game?
Why not start celebrating early? Farrell's Ice-Cream Parlour has the perfect tail-gating meal, complete with sundae.
As my son would say, this hamburger is a "Ratatouille" of flavors! When you think tail gating, you think burgers, chips, guacamole, salsa and maybe hot wings? Well, you got it in the new Grid Iron Grub choices!
What is inside? Just about everything!
Starting off with a hearty 1/2 lb cheeseburger, add a pile of Doritos®, guacamole, sour-cream, olives, nacho cheese, lettuce and more! Farrell's is offering the Tailgate Burger in celebration of the biggest game of the year.
Where were the buffalo wings? The meal had another surprise, the waffle chips were generously sprinkled with bleu-cheese and drizzled with buffalo sauce. If you like hot wings? You will LOVE these!
You can't got to Farrells and not get a sundae and the 4th and Goal Sundae kept with the Super Bowl theme. The sundae is loaded with two scoops of Vanilla, a scoop of Chocolate Malted Crunch, and a scoop of Cookie Dough ice cream dripping with warm caramel and chocolate topping. To top it off, they've added a mound of dairy fresh whipped cream and a cherry on top.
To make the sundae even better they put it in its own football helmet bowl which is yours to keep.
Enter to win a fully catered party from Farrell's for the big day! Enter at their website at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour or fill out their Enter-To-Win card while you are enjoying your grub!
Disclaimer: We were invited in to sample the Gridiron Grub items at our local Farrell's to share our experience for the purpose of a review. No other compensation was made.


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New Valtcan Smoke Absorber with replaceable Activate carbon filters. 3 Filters are included to start. Low noise and high- efficient fan. Made of anti-static material.
- Great for electronics, arts and crafts, and stained glass work - Quiet yet powerful operation - Activated carbon filter - ESD-safe - Portable and flexible setup
Comes with 3 Active carbon filters, Easily replaceable by swapping out old for new one in filter slot.
Sturdy and compact design with carbonless brush motor for effective smoke and fume extraction at reasonable noise levels.
Full tilt design for maximum smoke extraction when soldering up close. Smooth edges all around and ESD safe makes the Valtcan FA496 a must for your electronic and soldering workstation.
Power switch located on back of Smoke Extractor


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Cathflo Activase Pediatric Study
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00307580
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : March 28, 2006
Last Update Posted : April 9, 2014
Genentech, Inc.
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Genentech, Inc.
|Tracking Information
|First Submitted Date ICMJE
|March 25, 2006
|First Posted Date ICMJE
|March 28, 2006
|Last Update Posted Date
|April 9, 2014
|Study Start Date ICMJE
|April 2002
|Primary Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Current Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|To evaluate the safety, as measured by the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage during the treatment with Cathflo Activase, in restoring function to dysfunctional CVADs in pediatric populations.
|Original Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Same as current
|Change History
|Current Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|To estimate the rate of restoration of function to dysfunctional CVADs following administration of up to two instillations of Cathflo Activase.
|Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Same as current
|Current Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures
|Not Provided
|Original Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures
|Not Provided
|Descriptive Information
|Brief Title ICMJE
|Cathflo Activase Pediatric Study
|Official Title ICMJE
|Cathflo Activase (Alteplase) Pediatric Study (CAPS)
|Brief Summary
|This was a Phase IV, open-label, single-arm, multicenter trial that was to be conducted at ~60 sites in the United States. Approximately 300 pediatric subjects with dysfunctional CVADs (including catheters with valves, multiple lumens, umbilical catheters, and implanted ports) were to be treated with up to two serially instilled doses of Cathflo Activase.
|Detailed Description
|Not Provided
|Study Type ICMJE
|Study Phase ICMJE
|Phase 4
|Study Design ICMJE
|Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Condition ICMJE
|Dysfunctional Central Venous Access Devices (CVADS)
|Intervention ICMJE
|Drug: Cathflo Activase (Alteplase)
|Study Arms ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Publications *
|Not Provided
* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
|Recruitment Information
|Recruitment Status ICMJE
|Enrollment ICMJE
|Original Enrollment ICMJE
|Same as current
|Actual Study Completion Date ICMJE
|May 2003
|Primary Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Eligibility Criteria ICMJE
Inclusion Criteria:
Subjects had to meet the following inclusion criteria to be eligible for study entry:
Exclusion Criteria:
|Sex/Gender ICMJE
|Ages ICMJE
|up to 17 Years (Child)
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers ICMJE
|Contacts ICMJE
|Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
|Listed Location Countries ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Removed Location Countries
|Administrative Information
|NCT Number ICMJE
|Other Study ID Numbers ICMJE
|Has Data Monitoring Committee
|Not Provided
|U.S. FDA-regulated Product
|Not Provided
|IPD Sharing Statement ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Current Responsible Party
|Genentech, Inc.
|Original Responsible Party
|Not Provided
|Current Study Sponsor ICMJE
|Genentech, Inc.
|Original Study Sponsor ICMJE
|Same as current
|Collaborators ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Investigators ICMJE
|PRS Account
|Genentech, Inc.
|Verification Date
|April 2014
ICMJE Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP


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Immediate Family
About Rabbi Yehudah Ben Moshe HaKohen, "Sire Léonṭin"
The Radhanites (al-Rādhāniyya) were Jewish [Qaraite and Rabbinic] merchants believed to have originated in the ninth century in the region of Rādhān, a district in southern Iraq. Their trade routes, which stretched from China to the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the commodities in which they traded, were recorded by the ninth-century Persian geographer Ibn Khurradādhbih (or Khurdādhbih) in his Kit āb al-Masālik wa al-Mamālik (ed. de Goeje, Leiden, 1889, pp. 153-155).
According to this text, the Radhanites knew six languages and traded in slaves, silk, furs, and swords, as well as musk, aloe wood, camphor, and cinnamon. The difficulty of interpreting this source and textual differences that appear in the tenth-century geography of Ibn al-Faqīh (Kit āb al-Buldān, ed. de Goeje, Leiden, 1885, pp. 270-271) led a number of prominent scholars to conclude that the Radhanites were actually of Western European origin, and that the system of trade they brought to the lands of Islam a system of trade revolutionized the economic life of the Jewish communities, which until then had focused on agriculture, crafts, and local trade. In this view, the name Radhanite came from the Rhône River or from the Latin term verdarii (emissaries).
However, Gil's analysis suggests that the Radhanites derived from the eastern part of the Islamic world, and he links the name to a district in the vicinity of Baghdad. Emerging from the Baghdad community, then, their forays into international trade should be seen as an extension of other trading ventures of contemporary Babylonian and Persian Jewry rather than as a paradigm shift in economic life from agriculture to international trade introduced from Western Europe.
by Phillip Ackerman-Lieberman
Fischel, Walter. Jews in the Economic and Political Life of Mediaeval Islam. 2nd rev. ed. (New York: Ktav, 1969).
Gil, Moshe. Jews in Islamic Countries in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill, 2004).
———. "The Rādhānite Merchants and the Land of Rādhān," Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 17 (1974): 299–328.
Lopez, Robert, and Irving Raymond. Medieval Trade in the Mediterranean World (New York: Columbia University Press, 1955).
Rabinowitz, Louis I. Jewish Merchant Adventurers (London: E. Goldston, 1948).
- some* genealogists and historians promote the notion that Yehuda ben Meir Hakohen HaZaken was a Gaon AND a Kohen. Until 915CE, the position of Gaon of Palestine was held by Ẓemaḥ, a fourth-generation descendant of Anan b. David -- founder of the Qaraites, who was a nasi and a gaon. Aaron Ben Meir succeeded in deposing Anan's family only after a bitter struggle in which he was assisted by the scholars and heads of the Baghdad community.
There is only one "ben Meir" family in that historical time period with such a title as "Gaon" + "Kohen" - they were Gaonim of Palestine who were hotly and aggressively opposed by Babylonians and Karaites alike :
The list of Palestinian Gaonim of that period are:
Qaraite 884–915 Ẓemaḥ Not Qaraite 915–932 Aaron b. Moses Ben Meir
Not Qaraite 932–934 Isaac (son of Aaron) Not Qaraite 934–948 … Ben Meir (brother of Aaron) [Yehuda?] Not Qaraite 948–955 Abraham b. Aaron
If there is a Yehuda ben Meir HaKohen (Gaon of Mainz), then the only such person must be one without a name cited in the Geniza document [Yehuda???]. If that be the case then we cannot ignore the fact that gaonim of Ereẓ Israel in the 10th and 11th centuries were mainly from the family of Ben Meir, which **claimed** relation to Judah ha-Nasi and thus to King David. We can readily see the conflict by inspection - King David was not a Levite. Moreover, and two families of kohanim, one of which was the family of Abiathar and was related to Eleazar b. Azariah. These claims lack historical merit as it would require redating the birthdate of Yehuda ben Meir to circa 910CE.
I would like to ruther point out that ben Meir lost credibility in Palestine and Babylon when he tried to reset the Calendar according to his own faulty calculations; in essence he was embarrassed into leaving Palestine after his very public challenge of Sa'adya Goan was rebuked.
S. Abramson concludes that the family of kohanim that claimed relation to the House of David stemmed from the academy in Ereẓ Israel in one family - Ben Meir. Abramson discovered in the Genizah fragments of a previously unknown document, contains a list of the heads of academies for several generations. From this document it is apparent that one family of kohanim was merely a branch of the Ben Meir family...not Kohanim by paternity. Thus, the gaonate of Ereẓ Israel was held by one family and its different branches for perhaps 200 years.
Solomon b. Judah, a native of Fez, and his successor Daniel b. Azariah, a descendant of one of the families of the exilarchate in Babylonia, were heads of academies and were not descendants of the geonim of Ereẓ Israel. Daniel was known as a strong leader, was esteemed by his contemporaries, and was a friend of Samuel ha-Nagid.
In a related topic, Golb refers to Khazari priestly families who retained their status after they adopted Judaism. Such an event is known as ****sacerdotal metamorphosis****.
Assaf, Ge'onim;
Abramson, Merka zim;
Mann, Egypt -- Mann, Texts. BABYLONIA: L. Ginzberg, Geonica, 2 vols. (1909, repr. 1968); idem, Ginzei Schechter, 2 (1929); J. Mueller, Mafte'aḥ li-Teshuvot ha-Ge'onim (1891);
B.M. Lewin, Meḥkarim Shonim bi-Tekufat ha-Ge'onim (1926); V. Aptowitzer, Meḥkarim be-Sifrut ha-Ge'onim (1941);
M. Ḥavaẓẓelet, Ha-Rambam veha-Ge'onim (1967);
H. Tykocinski, Die gaonaeischen Verordnungen (1929); S.D. Goitein, Sidrei Ḥinnukh (1962);
Iggeret Rav Sherira Ga'on, ed. by B.M. Lewin (1921);
S. Abramson, in: Sinai, 54 (1963/64), 20–32; 56 (1964/65), 303–17;
Lacking connection to the ben Meir Family of Palestinian Gaonim - we then assume the Khazari connection of Yehuda ben Meir HaKohen HaZaken al-Khazari.
Yehuda ben Meir, also known as Yehuda ha-Kohen. His book Sefer ha-Dinim contains an account of his travels and those of other Jews in Eastern Europe. In this work, Przemyśl and Kiev are mentioned as trading sites along the Radhanite trade network.
Yehuda was surnamed, according to some sources, either "Léonṭin", "Sire Léonṭin", "more correctly as "Sar Liüntin". We do not know where the honorific "HaZaken" comes from.
The full and complete academic answer to the genealogy of Yehuda ben Meir HaKohen is as follows – there is none. No evidence of where he was born, no evidence of his education, no responsa with the Babylonian academies, no tombstone…nothing. No record of contributions to the Academies of Bavli or Palestine at a time when all academies of the Galut paid tribute to Bavli and Palestine Academies plus their concomitant Nasi'im. We have no means of determining whether he was Qaraite, Rabbinic Jew, Romaniot Jew, Khazari Jew, German, Italian or otherwise. See attached documents.
Rebbe of Rabbenu Gershom Me'or haGolah
Yehuda's brother Aaron was Gaon in Eretz Yisrael from 915-932. R' Aharon, who famously disagreed with R' Saadyah Gaon over the correct date for Rosh Hashana in the year 922, was succeeded by his son Yitzchak as gaon in 932-934; then Yehuda succeeded his nephew in 934. In 948, Aharon's younger son Avraham was named Gaon, and Yehuda traveled to Mainz (suffered 'accident at sea', as described in Cairo geniza - it is believed he was the unnamed 4th of the famous 'four captives). Though Yehuda's father was Moshe ben Meir, the entire family went by the 'ben Meir' name for more than 5 generations. 'Megillas Evyasar' by Aharon's great-great-grandson says they were Kohanim descended from R' Elazar ben Azaryah, as well as being descended from Dovid haMelech; this seeming contradiction (since King David was not a kohain) is easily resolved, since one of Evyasar's great... grandfathers married the daughter of Bustenai, who was a direct descendant of Dovid hamelech.
Rabbi Yehudah Ben Moshe HaKohen, "Sire Léonṭin"'s Timeline
רמלה, רמלה, מחוז המרכז, Israel
Age 70


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Everyone has an aura, a light that emanates from within. The light is colored according to your personality and can reveal interesting things about you. Across the full spectrum of color, people with a silver aura are special.
A silver aura indicates that a person is gifted in some way. They may be exceptionally attractive, or possess great psychic potential. A silver person might be extremely intuitive. However, these gifts have one drawback. The silver person needs to exercise these gifts frequently, or they will dissipate. The silver aura is not really the key to a prosperous life, but it is definitely a good chance at one. This is often attributed to a boost from the powers that be. Spirits are offering guidance to people with silver auras, and they may use that guidance as they choose.
The Silver Personality
Silver people tend to be incredibly sensitive. This sensitivity helps them feel their way through life. It guides them to make decisions based on the consequences of their actions, because they will feel them especially hard. Despite their gifts, silver auras are actually very down to earth. This combination makes them insightful and able to convey that message to others. Silver people make great teachers and counselors. They also excel in leadership roles.
A silver aura also makes people incredibly perceptive. They can sense when somebody around them has bad intentions. They have a natural inclination to avoid conflict, and will actively retreat when they sense that negativity approaching. Being silver also creates a strong desire to achieve, so these people are drawn to pursuits like graduate school and other promotional opportunities. But, being down to earth, they are humble and therefore not the type to flaunt these achievements.
Relationships with a Silver
They say you are the sum total of the people you surround yourself with. A silver aura takes this concept to heart, and is very picky about who they welcome to their inner circle. You may recognize this as very introverted behavior. But if you are welcomed to the party, you'll find them to be friendly people. As we mentioned before, they will avoid negativity. People with no scruples or a negative outlook need not apply. Silvers are loyal friends, and so they can't be bothered with relationships that will do more harm than good. One thing is certain. A silver aura will be one of the most supportive friends you can have.
Romantically, silver people are difficult to access but incredibly rewarding. Their devotion is unmatched and comes first in every decision they make. They demand the same level of devotion in return, so don't approach them lightly. Loved ones are more important than success and achievement by far. These types make loving, involved parents. They are patient and live life slowly.
The Silver Aura at Work
As an employee, silver auras give their all. Not necessarily out of a dedication to the job, but mostly out of a desire to always operate at their absolute best. They do not believe in underperforming, and consider it incredibly wasteful to not use maximum effort. As we've already mentioned, they do not like confrontation, so roles where they have to serve as a disciplinarian to others may not suit the silver very well. At the same time, they are very wise, and seek to spread their knowledge to others. This oftens lands them in supervisory or mentorship-type professions. Because they are good at whatever career they pursue, they will usually be very well paid; but the paycheck is generally not a motivating factor for the careers they choose. Silver auras avoid workplace drama and slackers like the plague.
Gifted people have natural skills that they will often use to support others. Despite these innate gifts, they do still have shortcomings; but they tend to be more consciously aware of this than most people. If they're bad at math, they know it. And they will not hide it. Instead they will lean on their other exceptional skills. Gifted people make great friends, partners, and colleagues. Hold silver auras in high esteem and they will do the same for you.


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Monkey has been in school uniform since he started in the Nursery class at his school in September 2013. One thing I've learnt along the way is that he is a muck magnet. I swear he goes to school and looks for every drop of paint, every puddle, every dab of glue and mud, this boy loves mud, all over his uniform. Then there are the trousers! Yes, I admit it, I went for cheap, that was a big mistake. They don't wash well, they don't last, well not with monkey anyway. False economy. So now Monkey is looking smart with Trutex and he's managing to stay that way too!
Trutex supply everything you could need for a school uniform, I decided on a pair of trousers, a polo shirt and a pair of shorts – you know me, I like to plan ahead! Everything was well packaged and the trousers and shorts were ready to wear immediately.
I went for the Junior Classic Fit Trousers in black, aged 5. I have to be totally honest, I didn't realise that they didn't come with an adjustable waist and panic set in when they arrived. Would they actually fit? I had nothing to worry about, with the elasticated back, they fit really well and Monkey prefers them as he's always complaining about his other trousers being uncomfortable. I also loved the look of these trousers, the material is thicker than other school trousers we have. They really look the part.
The length is fine, I think age 6 would have just been too long for him at this point in time. The true test with these trousers came last Tuesday. I got a call from school to collect Monkey, he'd had an accident and fallen heavily on his nose. Bless him, he was in a bit of a state and his new trousers were covered in blood which had now dried. Oh no, never mind Monkey.
I was mighty impressed, the trousers have washed well, no staining and are now back in action.
The white polo shirt is aged 5-6 years, its longer than other polo shirts we have, so there is room for a growth spurt or two over the coming months. It also washes well, and hopefully it will continue to do so in warmer weather when it's not protected from the daily rigors of school life by a sweatshirt.
Monkey loved the Pull on Basic Boys Shorts as soon he tried them on. Again, like the trousers these have an elasticated back rather than being adjustable, but they fit well, with room for growth too.
Bless him, he really wants to wear his new shorts to school, as he's not had school shorts before. Think we might need to wait for slightly warmer weather though. But if the trousers are a guide, I can see these shorts also washing and wearing well.
You can visit the website to find your nearest stockist of Trutex school uniform and Monkey and I can thoroughly recommend the brand.
disclaimer: we were sent the items shown in exchange for an honest review


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August has quite possibly delivered my favorite month of new music in 2015.
I don't want the month to go any longer without bringing more attention to the four projects you see pictured above, especially because in this day and age of new music consumption, it feels like releases even a week old are being slept on because they're somehow not that fresh of a new release.
So without much further ado, I decided to highlight 2 top contenders for my project of the year in Goodbye Tomorrow's debut album via Rostrum Records — A Journey Through The Mind of a Non-Believer — and FKA Twigs' new M3LL155X EP.
Click the links for my detailed reviews on why they're my favorites, the full streams, and amazing visuals from both artists. Below, here's a couple Soundcloud streams of the many standout tracks to get ya started.
FKA Twigs "In Time" (will begin playing)
The other 2 projects I want to highlight represent more of the progression in Chicago music. The freshly signed G.O.O.D. Music artist HXLT dropped a new EP, Cover Me, showing a new side of his versatility as he cleverly sang and covered a variety of alternative hits. And Mick Jenkins tops it off with his hotly anticipated Wave[s] that should only continue to catapault his budding rap stardom for the rest of the year. Like above, click the links along with a couple of my favorites heard below.
Mick Jenkins "Your Love" (will begin playing)


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Allegations of police behaviour that "threatened to undermine the integrity" of investigations.
A delay that denied the public "the benefit of a thorough investigation into serious allegations of police misconduct."
Repeated complaints of officers waiting weeks, months, or in one case, nearly four years before reporting serious injuries suffered by members of the public during police interactions.
More than 150 recent letters sent from the director of Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to the Toronto police chief, obtained by the Star through a Freedom of Information request, reveal new cases of what the watchdog considers problematic officer conduct uncovered during probes of police-involved deaths, serious injuries or allegations of sexual assault.
Toronto police say they investigate every concern raised by the SIU and take remedial action wherever necessary.
In a dozen investigations, the SIU says police appear to have violated their legal duty to co-operate with the provincial watchdog, including allegations police failed to immediately notify the SIU of a serious civilian injury or interfered with a scene after the watchdog took over an investigation.
In one case, SIU director Tony Loparco said it was "extremely lucky no one was shot" when an unnamed Toronto officer attempted to arrest a mentally ill person while carrying a C8 carbine rifle, and the person "reached for the trigger on a crowded street," Loparco wrote in a December 2015 letter to Chief Mark Saunders.
In another case, SIU acting director Joseph Martino said officers risked jeopardizing public confidence in an investigation into a January 2015 police-involved shooting when they attempted to access and copy security footage before civilian investigators — an issue identical to the one that would arise again six months later in the high-profile fatal shooting of Andrew Loku.
The SIU director writes a letter to the chief at the completion of every SIU investigation involving Toronto police. In the majority of the letters obtained by the Star, written from September 2013 to May 2016, no issues are raised about officer conduct.
But in probes where the SIU identifies police behaviour it finds concerning, or about which the watchdog wants more information, the SIU director often requests that the chief look into the matter and report back.
"I would ask that your service take a close look at the questionable conduct of these officers and to write to this office with the results of your inquiries," Martino wrote in his Aug. 31, 2015, letter to Saunders regarding the attempt to download surveillance video.
But police chiefs are not legally obligated to respond to these letters — Toronto police have "made it clear" they do not respond in writing, an SIU spokesperson said — because the SIU has no authority under the Police Services Act to ask chiefs to investigate officer conduct.
Toronto police says its professional standards unit investigates "each and every comment" in SIU letters and reports back to the police board.
"Discipline and training are applied where appropriate," said Mark Pugash, a spokesperson for the Toronto police.
Critics say the watchdog nonetheless repeatedly raises the same complaints — and regulations intended to safeguard the watchdog's independence are "continually and regularly ignored by police services with impunity," said André Marin, a former Ontario ombudsman and past SIU director.
"The problem here is that there is no consequence attached to police thumbing their nose at the SIU and the law," Marin said.
Marin and other critics say the SIU itself should have more power to ensure police comply with laws intended to protect the integrity of SIU probes. And now may be the time for change, thanks to the rewriting of Ontario's Police Services Act and the ongoing review of the SIU and other police oversight bodies, led by judge Michael Tulloch.
Marin said he wants to see Tulloch make recommendations aimed at giving the watchdog greater powers to hold police accountable when it has reason to believe officers breached their legal obligations.
Specifically, he hopes the review recommends attaching a penalty, under legislation, for failing to comply with regulations governing the SIU, such as a fine or jail term. "You would see immediate compliance," he said.
Ian Scott, who as director of the SIU from 2008-2013 made frequent requests of police chiefs to report back on officer behaviour, said the SIU director should have the ability to complain to Ontario's Civilian Police Commission, something the director isn't allowed to do under existing legislation.
In an interview, Scott said the benefit of complaining to the commission is that it can launch a misconduct case outside of the usual police tribunal, a system many feel isn't accountable because chiefs pick the adjudicator and prosecutor.
Tulloch's much-anticipated report is due at the end of the month. In an email to the Star, a spokesperson for the review said Tulloch is looking at clarifying the SIU's mandate and "the extent of the police duty to co-operate."
An SIU spokesperson, Monica Hudon, told the Star Toronto police have "made it clear it will not respond in writing to concerns raised in the SIU director's reporting letters." But she said the service has reached out to the SIU in "other forums" to address issues raised.
"Often, this will involve telephone conversations and an exchange of views between senior officials of our respective agencies," she said, adding that Toronto police have committed to taking remedial action in some cases.
Pugash said in some instances where the SIU has complained about a delay in notification, police needed more medical information before determining if the SIU threshold had been met; the SIU only takes over an investigation if injuries are deemed "serious."
"In some cases, we disagree with Mr. Loparco's contentions," Pugash said. "The fact remains, however, that every issue is investigated, action is taken wherever appropriate, and everything is reported to the police services board."
Toronto police board vice-chair Chin Lee said the board receives all letters from the SIU director to the chief, alongside the results of the mandatory internal police probes, which must occur within 30 days of the closure of every SIU investigation involving the service. The intention of the internal probes is to determine if policy or training changes are necessary or if disciplinary action should be taken.
"The board reviews these letters and may direct the chief, as necessary, to deal with any issues raised. The board also seeks the relevant information to fulfil its oversight responsibilities when it deems it necessary," Lee said.
Until recently, the chief's internal reports were not made public. But as of June 2016, the board began releasing versions of the reports, though some information, such as the names of officers involved, is not public.
Since that time, 17 internal reports have been released in the board's monthly agendas, dating to cases closed in August 2015 and as recent as July 2016.
However, no internal reports have been released for cases closed between September and December 2015, a period during which the SIU raised concerns about officer conduct in four investigations.
That includes the cases where Martino flagged the issue of officers attempting to download surveillance footage after the January 2015 shooting, and the incident involving a C8 carbine rifle.
The board did not respond by deadline to questions about the four-month gap in internal reports released so far.
One internal report released by the board, however, does show Toronto police professional standards unit investigated an SIU director's allegations that there was a notification delay and that police wrongly attempted to obtain a statement from an injured man during an SIU probe.
After looking into the complaints, professional standards said the notification delay was caused by a holdup in getting medical information, and that police had obtained permission from the lead SIU investigator to speak with the injured man.
The issue concerning the downloading of surveillance video following a police-involved incident appears to be a sticking point between the SIU and Toronto police.
Last spring, when Ontario's attorney general released a censored version of the SIU director's report into the fatal Toronto police shooting of Andrew Loku, it was revealed that Loparco had raised concerns about an officer attempting to review and download surveillance video.
Loparco said the officer's conduct violated the Ontario regulation stating the SIU is the lead investigative agency.
Toronto police say the officer was performing their duty to secure the scene. Speaking to the Star last year, Pugash said police disagreed with Loparco.
"In this case, it was, 'Did the video exist? Was it recording?' In which case they would need to download it to preserve evidence."
Pugash also said "several" SIU officials at the scene had no objections.
In his communication with Saunders about a similar incident six months earlier — where officers allegedly attempted to "access and copy" security footage from a police-involved shooting at a pharmacy — acting SIU director Martino said there was no impact on the investigation because the footage didn't capture the incident and SIU investigators were able to intervene to "prevent the officer from copying the footage."
Asked if Toronto police responded in writing, as Martino requested, Hudon said she could confirm that concerns raised in Martino's letter "have been the subject of dialogue" between the SIU and police.
The Star also asked why the SIU does not issue news releases in all investigations, particularly in cases where there is a high public interest. No news release was issued, for instance, in the case involving the C8 rifle incident.
Hudon said the SIU receives notification of hundreds of incidents every year. Given the SIU's limited resources, it is not feasible for the watchdog to issue a news releases in all of them, she said.
"We have noted this issue in our submissions as part of the review being undertaken by Justice Tulloch. Given our present resources, the SIU is committed to issuing news releases in all death cases, whenever a firearm is used and for major vehicle collisions," Hudon said.
Wendy Gillis can be reached at email@example.com .
Letters from SIU director to Toronto police chief
"Tragic outcome" narrowly avoided
In a December 2015 letter to Chief Mark Saunders, SIU director Tony Loparco highlights what he calls the "quite troubling" conduct of an officer who helped a colleague arrest a mentally ill person while carrying a C8 rifle — a military grade weapon used for long-range shooting.
The mentally ill person quickly grabbed the gun, refused to let go and "reached for the trigger on a crowded street," Loparco wrote. "Several" officers were required to remove gun from the person's grip.
"The incident could have led to a much more tragic outcome in the circumstances," Loparco wrote.
Four-year delay
In a June 23, 2015 letter, Loparco wrote to Saunders about a serious wrist injury incurred by a member of the public that did not come to the attention of the SIU until almost four years later. Loparco said the passing of time had created an "evidentiary vacuum" and therefore there were no reasonable grounds to proceed with charges against the two officers.
"The failure of the (police) to contact the SIU has effectively denied . . . the broader public the benefit of a thorough investigation into serious allegations of police misconduct," Loparco wrote.
Investigation 'compromised'
In an August 25, 2014, letter, Loparco wrote to then-chief Bill Blair about a two-month delay in notifying the SIU about an incident where a Toronto police officer was found to have broke someone's nose.
Though Loparco found the use of force by the officer was legally justified, he lamented the delay in notification despite "various officers" being aware of the broken nose — a clear serious injury — within hours of the incident.
"A delay of this nature can only degrade the quality of a witness' recollection of the events in question, and clearly compromised the integrity of the SIU's investigation," Loparco wrote.
'Climate of hostility'
The question of whether police chiefs must directly respond to concerns raised by the SIU director is not a new issue in Ontario.
After former SIU director Ian Scott began requesting responses to concerns raised in his letters to chiefs when he took the reins of the agency in 2008, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police's SIU Committee "strongly urged" chiefs not to respond to director's letters, saying the SIU had no authority in matters of police conduct.
As tension increased between the SIU and police chiefs, former chief justice Patrick LeSage was tapped by the attorney general in 2011 to review the Police Services Act with an eye to resolving certain issues involving the SIU, and concluded the legislation was clear that chiefs are not obligated to respond.
"The SIU director's authority does not extend to requiring the chief of police to investigate or report to him and should not be part of the SIU director's communication with the chief of police," LeSage wrote.
Instead, issues raised by the SIU are intended to be dealt with in the mandatory internal investigations a police service must conduct after every completed SIU investigation, to determine if training or policy changes need to be made or if disciplinary measures are warranted. The results of that probe must be presented to the board within 30 days of the completion of the SIU investigation.
Tensions over the SIU letters arose again in 2013 when then-SIU director Ian Scott publicly criticized former Toronto police chief Bill Blair for refusing to respond to more than 100 letters containing complaints about officers.
LeSage's report, Scott said at the time, did not preclude police chiefs from being responsive to concerns that affect police, the SIU and the public. Marin agreed, saying LeSage's report should not prevent the SIU from identifying issues of concern in its correspondence with chiefs of police.
"While (the SIU director) is unlikely to receive a response given the current climate of hostility, he should not be prevented from politely requesting one," Marin, then Ontario ombudsman, wrote in Oversight Undermined, a 2011 report on the SIU.


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Packing For Your African Safari
When going on a hunt in Africa, you need to realize that the terrain can be tough and wild. You have to have the correct Protective Clothing and Equipment, not just for safety purposes, but to make your hunt and stay as comfortable as possible. The most important factors when deciding what you need to


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When Kobie Fuller was hired as chief marketing officer at Revolve Clothing, in July 2011, one of the major challenges he faced was how to encourage customers to become repeat buyers.
He was sure that the answer lay somewhere in the mass of customer-order data the 160-employee online apparel retailer collects daily. But when he arrived, that data was stored in a difficult-to-navigate database. Pulling sets of data meant asking an IT guy to run a special query. And even figuring out where to start was tricky. Revolve's data reached back to when the company was founded, in 2003. "I wanted ready access to key statistics without begging someone to mine the data for me," says Fuller.
So Fuller turned to Custora, a company that specializes in data analytics. For $1,000 per month, Custora copies data from Revolve's database, crunches it on its servers, then groups Revolve's customers by purchase date and calculates their "lifetime value" down to the dollar. Almost immediately, some major revelations emerged. Custora confirmed that shoppers who made repeat purchases within 90 days of first patronizing Revolve were particularly profitable. Fuller tested retention e-mails at the 30-, 60-, and 90-day marks and found the 90-day messages most effective. He says the e-mails have already generated 30 percent more second-time purchases. "We were able to take the data, trigger action, and see what worked, all within one comprehensive tool," Fuller says.
Thanks to affordable storage rates and intelligent software, companies now have access to a staggering amount of data about their customers, operations, and markets. This information, and the industry that has blossomed around it, has come to be known as Big Data. Even small businesses now have terabytes of information (1 terabyte equals 1,000 gigabytes) at their fingertips, material that includes customer names and transaction histories as well as Facebook likes. The data often contains key insights, but unearthing them can be pricey. Recruiting data scientists and building analytics tools in-house, as some large corporations do, can cost more than $1 million. Hiring a big-name software provider or consultancy can be costly as well.
To fill the gap, a handful of start-ups have emerged that deliver a version of Big Data analytics to small and midsize businesses. Some, like Custora, emphasize customer forecasts. Others focus on data aggregation and reporting (InsightSquared, RJMetrics) or data visualization (SumAll). Not all are recognized as Big Data specialists--the definition of the term is a topic of some dispute--but all help businesses evaluate large amounts of data for less than a few thousand dollars a month.
A low-cost solution was exactly what Justin Winter, co-founder of Diamond Candles, was looking for. The 13-person online retailer sells scented soy candles with jeweled rings hidden inside. The company has been compiling masses of Web data since its February 2011 launch. Initially, it managed this information in Excel spreadsheets and an application offered through its e-commerce platform, Shopify. As that data piled up, Winter realized he needed a better evaluation method. He balked at the cost of hiring a consultant and soon discovered SumAll's analytics software for online merchants--free because it is still in beta. SumAll imports Diamond Candles's data and feeds it back through a dashboard that tracks customer and sales trends. In particular, Winter has used SumAll to determine the effectiveness of offering daily-deal discounts. By tracking the results of a recent promotion on the daily-deal site LivingSocial, Diamond Candles was able to determine that the promotion increased orders from new customers 14 times compared with its existing sales channels. Given that information, Winter decided to continue using daily-deal sites as a way to broaden his customer base.
"I can visually comprehend things now, instead of just staring at a large data set," says Winter. The company recently spent the modest sum of $50 for a year's premium access to SumAll.
A more heavyweight platform was needed for ThinkNear, a Los Angeles-based company that matches mobile ads with consumers on the basis of their location, activity, and local weather or traffic. Since May, ThinkNear has been reviewing terabytes of this situational data each week through a dashboard from analytics provider Metamarkets. ThinkNear CEO Eli Portnoy pays about $500 a month for the software; he says his ability to quickly evaluate billions of data points has doubled his ads' click-through rates. "It's been a massive help to our business, because we're providing better value to our clients," says Portnoy. "Data ultimately wins in our business. The companies that have the best data and the quickest way to manipulate it succeed."


text: MetaSus has made an inventory of 26 export deals of Dutch environmental technology firms. Examples include waste management and processing, soil remediation, acoustics, air treatment, environmental management and water treatment. The examples span a wide range of countries, products and services. Both big and small companies are included. Click here for a PDF version. MetaSus has also made an inventory of noteworthy Dutch export deals in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Click here to access these.


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Perhaps, like many others, you do not believe in evil spirits. Why should you? I've been a shamanic healer and teacher for many years, but even I didn't really believe in their existence — though part of me suspected I should be prepared for them, just in case. Well, this all changed quite abruptly when I was forced to believe and to find the tools I needed to fight back.
It all began innocently enough on a beautiful Sunday morning. I was totally unprepared for a dramatic collision of the seen and unseen worlds.
Meeting the Akuras
A young, good-looking woman in her late twenties walked into my healing room for her first shamanic healing ceremony. "I am an actress and a playwright, but my creativity is blocked and I don't know why! I need help, I don't know what to do."
"Hey, nothing out of the ordinary," I thought.
I followed the traditional diagnostic steps. I asked her to brush a candle all over her body, then lit it and proceeded to read the candle's flame: "Fear and trauma," I made a mental note. Looking at her palm I thought, "Still nothing out of the ordinary." I asked her to stand, facing me, to start the Limpia (cleansing ceremony). I inhaled a big breath. Then, just as I was closing my eyes and getting ready to spray the energy-cleansing Trago (sugar cane rum), I noticed a wicked-looking, black furry creature high above her, descending fast in her direction. I couldn't believe my mind's eye as I watched it attempt to clutch her in its sharp, long-nailed claws, huge monkey eyes popping out while it screamed through a crooked, eagle-like beak.
"What in the world is that?" I thought to myself, and more urgently, "What in the world should I do?" My intuition told me I had to find the warrior within, fight this creature and remove it, even though my training never prepared me for such a battle. "But can I?" I doubted myself. Improvising, I called my spirit guides for courage and protection and quickly used all the cleansing techniques in my arsenal: fire, smoke, rum, swords, spears, prayers and threats. Finally after what felt like a long time, I was able to kick most of it out through the crack under the door.
When the ceremony was over, my client's posture had completely changed. She was now calm, relaxed and grounded — even smiling. "How do you feel?" I asked.
"Fine, lighter, and more energized." She answered happily.
I, on the other hand, was exhausted and a bit in shock. We sat down and I shared what I had just seen and experienced. I asked if she would grant me permission to consult with my shaman mentor about what had happened. She readily agreed and after she closed the door behind her, I called Brazil.
Ipupiara's mobile phone rang. "Olá" my late mentor answered. "Ipu, I need your help!" I said desperately. He was in a canoe on the Rio Negro along with ("by coincidence") master shaman Shoré from the Cannamarie tribe. "What's the matter Itzhak?" he asked, concerned. I described what had just happened. "Oh, don't you know? That would be Akura! Everyone knows that," he said dismissively in his funny Portuguese accent.
"Everyone?" I asked in disbelief. "Akura? You never mentioned that in all of the six years we've known one another."
He paused, "Hold on." I could hear him speaking with Shoré in the background. "Okay," he said with authority. "Here is what you have to do. Write it down," and he went on to prescribe a list of ceremonies to perform. "But also ask her if she likes the color green and if she has green plants in her home, because Akuras hates anything that is green and alive. They feed on darkness and fear."
My client agreed to the treatment. I asked her Ipupiara's question. In a disgusted and curt voice she said, "I hate the color green. I never wear green clothes and never have plants in my home, since they all die anyway."
This gave me goosebumps. "She is possessed. What did I get myself into?" I thought. I still doubted that I could succeed in getting rid of her Akuras.
We met the next night and after three subsequent sessions her condition was completely reversed. She now wears and enjoys green cloth, grows plants at home, and more importantly, has moved on nicely with her creative career.
If that wasn't enough for me to learn about the dark side of the spiritual world, I was soon after presented with a few other remarkable cases. One woman, for example, couldn't stop the uncontrollable shaking in her right hand. "I have been too many doctors," she said desperately, "but none of them has helped." She had another type of Akura plaguing her, "not as vicious" as Ipupiara later said. And again, three ceremonies later her Akuras were gone and her hand was completely free of shaking.
These experiences led me to ask, "Who sends these Akuras? Where do they come from?"
The Powers that Shape our Lives
The ongoing battle between good and evil in the unseen worlds constantly shapes our experience of reality. We are all affected by it. But evil forces are difficult to recognize, as they tend to be secretive, elusive. They often shapeshift to appear as forces of good and light, while they feed on hatred, anger, darkness and fear. The forces of good are easier to recognize as they tend not to bring harm, while treating all beings and nature with reverence, and working in light, transparency and with love.
Shamans from all traditions around the world have devised, over the course of thousands of years, an impressive toolkit that includes herbs, minerals, stones, plants, eggs, candles, emulates, etc., as well as spiritual techniques such as prayers and energy shielding, to protect people and their environments from these malicious negative energies and evil spirits. These simple everyday tools can be easily used anytime at your home or office. But why do people hurt others intentionally?
From Ad Man to a Shaman
In the mid-nineties I went through a dramatic life transition, transforming from an advertising professional into a shamanic healer and teacher. Throughout this unexpected journey, I witnessed strange phenomena that shattered my old belief system and drove me to question my perceived reality, especially the role good and evil play in our lives.
As a child I experienced good and bad spirits, but tended to dismiss them. I simply did not want to be seen as different. One of my earliest childhood memories, for example, was a reoccurring dream that began at age three and continued for almost six years. This dream always started with a strange sonic swoosh sound, immediately followed by two bright lights like flying saucers, circling and battling each other. It always ended when the smaller light force swallowed its larger rival. It left me frightened and confused, wanting answers, but scared to share it with others.
I became a skeptical and cynical child, afraid to be laughed at for my gullibility, and joined the many others in our modern technological society who look at the spiritual world as a contrived, primitive collection of folklore. At most, I conceptualized good and bad spirits as forces within us. Later, as I dabbled in meditation and yoga for health reasons, I came to believe that there is no such thing as good or bad. Even when I began studying shamanism, I came to the conclusion that good and bad are just two different energy vibrations; we label them based on our current point of view and values. It was too much hocus-pocus for me to believe in the existence of dark forces that roam independently in the universe. But then I learned another important lesson, this time from the grandmother of all medicine.
A Lesson on the Rio Negro
A few years ago on the bank of one of the Rio Negro tributaries in the Brazilian Amazon, I took part in a sacred Ayahuasca ceremony led by a Pishuna tribal elder. As the ceremony began, I heard sweet sounds and then saw sweet-looking spirits hovering above me. "This will be an easy ceremony," I thought.
Those sweet spirits asked me to convert to their religious teachings. I politely refused, asserting my atheistic Kibbutz upbringing. But they kept sweet-talking me, promising salvation and all of my heart's desires in return. I became suspicious. They kept trying to tempt me and promised, "If you follow our teachings, you will get what you want and become who you want to be." We started to verbally wrestle with each other.
"It's a trap, it's a trap, it's a trap!" I heard the Ayahuasca spirit warn me. "Don't fall into the hands of evil. Look and see their real faces," it whispered in my ear.
I looked up again and saw their actual faces, dark and contorted. I was dumbfounded, and we began to argue again. They laughed acidly, saying "You can't resist us, we rule millions of people around the world who follow us blindly!" We continued to wrestle for what seemed like a long time. At last, although I was totally spent I found my inner power and declared, "I choose to follow the Light! I'd rather give up my life than join you!" They laughed at me again. I used all the energy I had left to gather in the powers of light and thrust that energy toward them like a spear, over and over again, until they slowly receded, finally disappearing into the void.
I took a few deep breaths, then a spiritual teacher engulfed in bright light appeared. "The evil spirits took over our spiritual religions," he sadly said. "They intend to conquer the world by deceit." At that moment I felt an extraordinary beam of light and love streaming from me towards this humble and loving fellow man, and the light surrounded me too. My head started to clear and the sound of cicadas and frogs filled the cool night air. Finally, I let my body relax.
"What was that all about? Why me, why now?" These questions stayed with me for the rest of my stay in the Amazon. I am an Israeli Jew, after all, and in no way a religious man. "Was this message sent by someone to me?" The answer to these questions came, surprisingly, in an email.
My Ancestors Appear
Just a few weeks earlier, my cousin sent our family an article translated from Yiddish written over 50 years before by my grandfather's brother. The translation was part of a project to commemorate the Jewish community in Kolno, the town in Poland where my great-grandfather, Rabbi Mordechi Zundel Margolith, lived. Unbeknownst to me, Rabbi Margolith was a Kabbalistic Rabbi who devoted his life to the war with the "Satra Achra" (Aramaic for "Other Side"), the war between dark and light forces, which he claimed wanted to divert him from the righteous path.
In this article my great uncle writes about his father's teachings: "When God created the world he created it with the option for man to choose between good and bad. The good is the choice to follow God's ways and the bad is the option to create distance from God and go after all kinds of strange Earthly passions. Inside us we have our soul, which is our truest and purest manifestation. And it wants us to behave in line with it, to be with God and do good deeds.
"On the other side, God created bad forces outside the human being. Their goal is to force a person to behave in opposite to his true soul, to be bad. These forces are called 'Satra Achra', or the Other Side. It is the opposite of the Good side. These forces try to darken the world from God's light. They consistently try to make a person choose between the good and bad and try to tempt him to choose the bad. It is important to note that a man has the power to choose the good. The bad forces are created so man can realize his inner powers. When we control the bad, we create happiness in the Upper worlds and the light will come to the lower worlds."
Reading this, I became speechless. Is this in our genes? Am I continuing where my great grandfather left off? Will my offspring inherit this battle?
Are People are Born Bad?
Why do so many people in our society intentionally do bad things to others, to all living being and the environment? Why do corporations create deadly products, poisoning the air and water? Why do powerful forces subvert community, buying elections and cheating consumers? Why do religious institutions vilify others, ignore inequality and human rights violations around the world, and encourage millions of people to die in their names? Why do our political parties create heartless policies that disregard the poor, women, gays and those who can't fend for themselves? And why do they all say that they are acting on your behalf, so you can live in liberty and freedom?
How does the shamanic tradition view the battle between good and evil, light and dark? I consulted with Ipupiara. "Negative energy means heavy energy. It wants to slow things down and bring them to a stop. Some people do bad things not because they were born bad, but because of negative energy from outside forces they can't control. When the negative energy penetrates someone's body it is hard to detect. If not addressed, it seeps through our clothing and skin, into our organs and bones, resulting in sickness or even death. Its purpose is to promote suffering and destruction in return for temporary power. It lives on fear, separation, revenge, and differences. It creates depression mentally and economically, and ultimately destroys individuals, society and the environment. It is our role as shamans to clear negative energies and replace them with positive energies that restore health and balance to our clients' lives.
"On the other hand," he continued, "positive energy or light energy is easier to recognize than dark energy, as the forces of Good tend not to harm anyone, treat all beings with love, equality and reverence to Mother Earth. Think of the sunrays, which spread equally onto all beings. Positive energy promotes growth, action, innovation, renewal and optimism. It inspires equality between people, strengthened community and shared responsibilities."
The Best Self Defense
At any moment, each of us is confronted with choices between good and evil forces. We are constantly exposed to negative energies thrown our way. These forces maybe sent by other people as they express anger, jealousy, envy or other destructive impulses. They are sent by corporations, governments and political parties. They live in violent programs on television or other media. Even buildings or particular locations can possess negative energies as a result of negative activities that have taken place in those places.
Knowing how to recognize these forces, and having access to the shamanic toolbox so you can protect yourself, is your best defense. This awareness is extremely valuable to living a healthy, balanced and productive life. So before every action you take, even each word you say, stop and think: "Might this harm any other person or living being on our Earth?"
Image by Cea., courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.


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March 20, 2013 09:00 AM
Senate Floor Schedule for Wednesday, March 20, 2013
- The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:30am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013.
- Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.933, the continuing appropriations bill with the time until 11:15am equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.
- At 11:15am, there will be 3 roll call votes in relation to the following:
- Toomey amendment #115 (CONUS)
- Adoption of the Mikulski-Shelby amendment #26, as modified (substitute) and
- Motion to invoke cloture on H.R.933, as amended, if amended.
- If cloture is invoked on H.R.933, the thirty hours post-cloture will run as if cloture was invoked at 1:00am on Wednesday, March 20th.


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Read this release to see how Zest Labs is doing 'Proactive Fresh Food Management' by monitoring the temperature on pallets from the point of harvest to delivery at retail. This enables a precise calculation of remaining freshness and smarter decisions to be made in the supply chain. The release includes quotes by Bill McBeath and a link to ChainLink's article on Preemptive Freshness Management. You can find the press release here.
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Liverpool sign Arsenal midfielder for £35m
Last updated on .From the section Football
Liverpool have completed the £35m signing of England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal.
The 24-year-old, who rejected a move to Chelsea on Tuesday after a fee had been agreed, joins on a five-year contract worth £120,000 a week.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was in the last year of his Arsenal contract, rejected a new deal worth up to £180,000 a week to stay at the Emirates.
He has started each of Arsenal's four games so far this season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain made 198 appearances for Arsenal since joining them from Southampton in August 2011, scoring 20 goals.
"I know my choice might come as a surprise to many, and the decision to leave was tough after being a part of the club for so many years, but I feel that this move is right for the next stage in my ongoing development, " he said in an Instagram post.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said he was "really happy" to have signed an "exciting" talent he "didn't need to think twice" about.
The German described Oxlade-Chamberlain as a "positive" player who is "willing to take risks" and "has the mentality and desire to get even better".
He added: "This is someone making a tough decision to leave one great club and come to another great club and I think he had many options, so to get him means I am delighted.
"He didn't make an easy decision but I think he made a great one to go on this journey with this squad of talented boys and our great supporters. I welcome him to the Liverpool family."
Meanwhile, Belgium striker Divock Origi has completed a season-long loan move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. The 22-year-old has scored 21 goals in 77 appearances for the Reds.
And Liverpool's 20-year-old winger Ryan Kent has joined German side SC Freiburg on a season-long loan.
Arsenal forward Joel Campbell has also moved on loan. The 25-year-old, who spent last season at Sporting Lisbon, will rejoin La Liga side Real Betis, where he spent 2012-13 on loan, for the coming season.
Liverpool's summer transfers
So far this summer, Liverpool have signed winger Mohamed Salah from Roma for £34m, full-back Andrew Robertson from Hull for £8m and striker Dominic Solanke after his contract at Chelsea expired.
Liverpool have also been pursuing Monaco's £75m-rated winger Thomas Lemar and Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, while the Reds' Brazil forward Philippe Coutinho remains Barcelona's number one transfer target.
The 22-year-old is highly rated by Reds manager Jurgen Klopp but the arrival of Oxlade-Chamberlain means his chances in attack are likely to be restricted this season.
Origi wants regular football throughout Belgium's build-up to next summer's World Cup and Liverpool will also be eager to see the talented young forward continue his progress, so it is expected he will leave Anfield before the deadline.
|Other former Saints at Anfield
|Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton to Liverpool, July 2015m, £12.5m)
|Dejan Lovren (Southampton to Liverpool, July 2014, £20m)
|Sadio Mane (Southampton to Liverpool, July 2016, £34m)
|Adam Lallana (Southampton to Liverpool, July 2014, £25m)
Follow the latest from transfer deadline day here and keep track of completed deals here.
You can follow all the latest on transfer deadline day on the BBC Sport website and Radio 5 live.


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Fox has handed a put pilot commitment to a new half-hour single camera comedy from The Grinder team of creators/executive producers Jarrad Paul & Andy Mogel and studio 20th Century Fox TV.
Written and executive produced by Paul and Mogel, the untitled workplace comedy centers on an office culture that is thrown into upheaval when the startlingly un-PC CEO is pitted against a newly hired ultra PC "sensitivity specialist."
Paul and Mogel's The Grinder starred Rob Lowe and Fred Savage. The family/legal comedy, which was well received by critics, aired on Fox last season, missing the cut for a second season renewal. Paul and Mogel are repped by UTA, Mosaic and attorney P. J. Shapiro.
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So +Cousin Russ challenged me to explain how to schedule and promote a hangout in ten minutes or less. And I did it with 2 minutes and 15 seconds to spare. Please disregard my raspberry blooper at the beginning. That's precisely why I have Cousin Russ there to help me out of sticky situations.
RECAP of Ol' Myrt's procedure:
1. YouTube: Create the Hangout (YouTube, Creator Studio, Live Streaming, Events not "stream now", +new live event.)
2. YouTube: Fill in the blank for creating the hangout event title, date, time. Copy/paste title/date to the G+ and Twitter feed space on the set up page.
3. YouTube: Click Blue Create Event button.
4. YouTube: Capture link from the list of scheduled hangouts.
5. G+ Community: Paste the link into a new post in my Google+ Community, where the video is then automatically embedded. Add splashy text including title, date, time before clicking to post in what Ol' Myrt calls "Myrt's Next Hangout.
6. G+ Community: Under the Event option, scroll down to previous event. Under details, select "duplicate" then update the date, verify time. Add send to "Public" and "DearMYRTLE Community" then click create. This sets up individual calendar reminders as people respond with "yes" or "maybe."
7. G+ Community: Copy to clipboard, date, time.
8. Facebook Group: Upload promo graphic. I make mine in PowerPoint.
9. Facebook Group: Click post, then pin the post to the top of the Group.
Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
Your friend in genealogy.
Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
G+ DearMYRTLE Community
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont
Hangouts: Pay what you want. So it's simple. If you value the work Ol' Myrt, +Cousin Russ and our beloved panelists do week in and week out on your behalf, please:
Check the GeneaWebinars Calendar for exact dates of DearMYRTLE study groups and Hangouts on Air, in addition to over 200 hours of online genealogy classes, webinars and tweetchats from other hosts and presenters in the next 12 months.
|IMAGE: www.GeneaWebinars.com