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After the Spring Box (here), I was really impressed with the box itself and we decided to keep the subscription going! After receiving this box, I definitely do not regret our decision!
Bellobox and Bellabox
To start off with, Bellabox has decided to really branch out with the Bellobox and give them their own box! Hurray! No longer will my boyfriend be opening my Bellabox's in the hopes he's getting some goodies in the post! Now we can tell them apart! Plus the Bellobox is bigger to accommodate more products, which I think is a fabulous idea!
They have also updated their information card! I love the fact that they have made it a lot more "man friendly" as the old design was a little feminine and may have put some men off. My boyfriend is slowly getting there in terms of using the right products that will work for him, and trying new things. A girly piece of paper might just push him backwards! So I think it's great!
So far, so good! Let's take a closer look at those products!
Swisse Hand Cream & Swisse Body Wash
I was super pleased with this! My boyfriend has rather bad skin, as I probably mentioned in the last post, so I hope this helps. I received the Swisse Hand Cream in my November Bellabox, and keep forgetting to make him use it. I'm happy now that I don't need to give it to him, and I can keep it for myself!
I did not know they even had a body wash, and this is a really great sample size, so I can't wait to see what he thinks of it.
Clinique For Men Age Defence Hydrator SPF 15
The moment he pulled it out of the box, I thought: "Oh dear, he's going to groan about the fact he got anti-aging stuff!" But instead, he studied it, looked at me and said: "Maybe I should start using this kind of stuff?" Hurray again! It's never too early to start looking out for the aging process, and that includes men!
Island Tribe Invisible Light Lotion SPF 30+
This was perfect for him! We don't have any normal sunscreen, as I use a girly one, which he won't want to use. So this is great, now he has his manly sunscreen, and I have my girly sunscreen!
Natio for Men Energising Body Wash
I love Natio, especially their men's range, so I can't wait for him to use it! It smells lovely, and it's a great sample size! If he likes it, I'll be buying him more for Christmas!
Rose-hip Vital Cold Pressed Rose-hip Oil
OP Therapy Sea Mineral Wash in Lemongrass and Mint
I really want this for myself! I love OP Therapy, as I'd received one of their scrubs in the past, and the smells and just amazing! This one is no exception! I hope he doesn't use it, just so I can have it!
Be In Awe Nirvaata Calming Serum
This sounds interested, and it's only a small sample so it'll probably be only a one time use for him. I assume he'll use it after shaving, so I'll be interested to hear his thoughts on it!
U Skin Solutions Peppermint & Jojoba Combat & Hydrate Moisturiser
This smells delicious! He's already used it and liked it, so we may have to pick up some more for the the both of us!
Byron Bay Detox Foot Patches
I forgot to add this in the initial photo, so apologies! This is a super interesting product. Apparently you put this on while you sleep, and detox in the process. The patches soak up any toxins through the soles of your feet. I'm not sure if I should let him have this, or if I should try it myself! I really want to know how these work, because if they do work, I'll be buying some more!
So, overall, I'm really impressed with the Summer Bellobox. Ten items altogether, which is really great value. My boyfriend was pleased with most of the items too, in fact the only one he was a bit blah over was the Detox Foot Patches - which I'm happy to use myself as it isn't solely a men's product!
What did you think of this quarter's box? Would you be interested in signing up your other half to this box? If so, do you think he would actually use his new products?
You can sign up for the Men's Quarterly Bellobox here.


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2021 Suzuki Jimny price increased in Indonesia, tops out at over Rp.400m now – from RM113k is still cheap
When the Suzuki Jimny was launched in Indonesia in mid 2019, we were shocked at how affordable the little 4×4 was there.
Priced from Rp 315.5 juta from the manual to Rp 330 juta for the top-spec two-tone automatic (RM93,340 to RM97,605 then), the CBU Japan import was priced way lower in Indonesia than in Thailand, where the Jimny was launched in early 2019 for 1.55 million baht to 1.65 million baht (RM199,019 to RM211,852 then).
Suzuki no longer has a presence in Malaysia, but some grey importers have brought in the Jimny from Japan, and quoted prices for the used cars aren't much cheaper than the official Thai price. Let's not mention Singapore, where the off-road capable Suzuki was launched for S$114,100 with COE (RM346,328 then) in April 2019.
The Jimny has been a hit for Suzuki Indomobil Sales, and they have zero problems in selling whatever they're allocated. With demand high, SIS has slowly raised prices. According to Autonetmagz, the 2021 price for the Jimny has breached the 400 million rupiah mark. To be exact, the Jimny now starts at Rp 395.5 juta for the manual and goes up to Rp 411 juta for the dual-tone automatic. That's RM113,408 to RM117,857.
The car site says that this is not the first quiet price increase. Just last month, the Jimny was priced from Rp 382.5 juta to Rp 398 juta (RM109,666 to RM114,105), so the new year jump is around Rp 13 juta, or RM3,727. Now if the Jimny – in-demand worldwide, and even with tuners in Japan – was available in Malaysia at this price, it would surely fly off the showroom floor.
The fourth-generation Jimny for overseas markets is by default the "Sierra" version with chunkier bumpers, wide over-fenders and 1.5 litre engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed auto. In Japan, the main seller is the kei car version with a slightly smaller footprint and a 660cc three-pot engine.
Elsewhere, the Jimny's engine is a K15B 1.5L naturally-aspirated four-cylinder unit with 102 PS and 130 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Suzuki's AllGrip Pro part-time four-wheel drive system features selectable high and low range (2H, 4H, 4L, this ain't no soft-roader).
Before G-Wagen conversions became a thing, the Jimny was famous for its robustness and off-road ability, like the big Merc. Built on a ladder frame with additional cross members, it uses a three-link rigid axle with coil springs at the front and rear. A 210 mm ground clearance, 4.9 metre turning radius, 37-degree approach angle, 28-degree ramp breakover and 49-degree departure angle contribute to off-road performance.
The Jimny isn't as well equipped as mainstream SUVs, but it is after all a basic off-road specialist. The ID-spec car gets auto LED headlamps with washers, leather steering wheel with audio/call buttons, cruise control, auto air con, and an aftermarket JVC 2-DIN touchscreen head unit.
The front seats are fabric manual chairs and the rear ones split fold 50:50. It rolls on 15-inch rims and skinny 195/80 AT tyres. Safety kit consists of ESP, hill hold control, hill descent control and two airbags.
Before Covid-19 disrupted life, there was news coming out from India saying that Jimny production would start in May 2020 at Maruti Suzuki's factory in Gujarat, with the bulk of it for exports. There was also talk of a five-door version. Officially, there's no Defender-style pick-up truck bodystyle, but Suzuki New Zealand offers a conversion. Two and a half years on, the Jimny is still cool.
GALLERY: Suzuki Jimny at GIIAS 2019
The post 2021 Suzuki Jimny price increased in Indonesia, tops out at over Rp.400m now – from RM113k is still cheap appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
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Bagpipes Lessons across Scotland
First Tutors: Music can find you the best bagpipes teacher in Scotland to help you in your bagpipes education, or if you are an adult learner, your own bagpipes aspirations. Bagpipes lessons are an excellent way to increase confidence and develop a new musical skill and hobby such as piano, guitar or violin.
Meet some of our Scotland Bagpipes Teachers
Regions: Scotland
Our search will order bagpipes tutors (from Scotland) in your area according to their prices and distance from you. Before reaching an arrangement with a bagpipes teacher, you can ask any questions securely via our member's area, such as whether they provide bagpipes tuition in your home or travel to you. You can search for bagpipes teachers teaching Grades, Diplomas or just for fun across a range of instruments so you can get started with piano, violin or guitar lessons anywhere in Scotland!
If you are a bagpipes tutor wishing to offer bagpipes tuition in Scotland or anywhere else across the UK, please register with First Tutors: Music or find out more about us here in Scotland.


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Montevallo, Ala. – The University of Montevallo has recently been awarded the designation of 2016 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media. The University has held the special honor every year since 2009.
Now in its seventh year, the Military Friendly® Schools designation provides service members and their families with transparent, data-driven ratings about post-military education and career opportunities.
Student veteran Rio Smith, a member of USMC (2007-2011) states one of the highlights for veterans attending Montevallo is the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs, Amanda Fox. Fox serves as a liaison for veterans and their dependents, assisting in obtaining benefits from the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs.
Smith, who has already graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and is currently double majoring in Communications and Kinesiology, describes Fox as someone who the veterans on campus all respect because of her unwavering support.
"One thing most veterans rally around is respect. Since I have been here, the number one person that truly respects us, not only as veterans, but as people has been Amanda Fox," Smith said. "The reason the number of veterans on campus has grown over the past seven years is no coincidence. It's primarily due to her diligence to her tireless work with veterans as well as other students."
Institutions are awarded the titles through a series of surveys covering categories such as military support on campus, graduation and employment outcomes and military spouse policies.
The Military Friendly® Schools designation is awarded to the top colleges, universities, community colleges and trade schools in the country that are working to embrace military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and post-graduation.
The methodology used for making the Military Friendly® Schools list has changed the student veteran landscape by capturing and advancing best practices to support military students across the country.
"Post-secondary institutions earning the 2016 Military Friendly® School award have exceptionally strong programs for transitioning service members and spouses," said Daniel Nichols, Chief Product Officer of Victory Media and Navy Reserve Veteran. "Our Military Friendly schools are truly aligning their military experience, skills and training into successful careers after graduation."
The University of Montevallo will be showcased along with other 2016 Military Friendly Schools in the annual Guide to Military Schools, special education issues of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse Magazine, and on www.MilitaryFriendly.com.
For more information on the University of Montevallo's Veteran Affairs office please contact Amanda Fox at 205-665-6035, or locate the Veteran's Affairs office in the Registrar's Office on the second floor of Palmer Hall.


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Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
By Dave Olson
Originally written for "Visions of Justice" program The Evergreen State College, Winter 2004
An Overview of the Drug Court Model
The Drug Court program of the Thurston County Superior Court is designed as a rehabilitative program for non-violent drug and related property crime offenders. The program features intensive counseling, strict supervision, payment of treatment fees, and therapy techniques aimed at assisting the successful participant in becoming a responsible community member.
The program relies on a working partnership between prosecutors, assigned defense counsel, sheriff and police departments, and a third-party chemical dependency counseling facility. These entities work together in co-operation with the aim of bringing a disposition that benefits both society, and the offender. With each successful program graduate, society reaps increased public safety as well as economic rewards. Unlike traditional retributive punishments such as incarceration, the successful drug court program client learns the emotional and vocational skills to build a productive life while dealing with chemical addiction problems.
At a Thurston County Chamber of Commerce forum about the Drug Court program and the proposed $120,000,000 "Regional Justice Facility", I engaged in short discussion with Thurston County Superior Court Judge, Richard A. Strophy. Besides adjudicating his share of cases, he also is the presiding judge for the Drug Court program, he remarked that, "For a quarter of what they want spend on the new jail, we could expand drug court program and we could get by on what we have." He went on to express his opinion that prevention, rehabilitation, and personal responsibility for actions were critical steps in addressing both drug problems and the related crimes which support drug addict's habits, particularly property crimes such as theft, as well as domestic violence.
The need for Drug Court is wrought from the endless cycle of re-offenders who are unable to break their habit and have limited capacity to find adequate resources to help. As a result, the same drug offenders revolve through the court system causing significant expense both in a jail beds and court costs, but also societal opportunity costs as drug offenses pull money away from public health and prevention programs further exacerbating the situation.
In his book "Reinventing Justice: The American Drug Court Movement," James L Nolan, Jr. puts forth, "The burgeoning drug court movement first developed in response to the growing number of drug cases overcrowding America's criminal court calendars. … The innovative adjudicative model draws heavily on the American therapeutic idiom to give direction and meaning to its philosophy, forms, and procedures.i"
A study by the Scottish Executive called "International Experience of Drug Courts", points out that, "The main impetus for developing drug courts at a local level came from individual judges who were frustrated at the single 'revolving door' of drugs and crime. Nationally, however, drug courts have come to be seen as a part
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
solution to the United States quadrupling of the national prison population since the 1980s (making it the highest among Western democracies)."ii
The Thurston County Drug Court is not the first nor alone in this progressive foray into alternative justice. As Nolan continues, "Since the first drug course was launched in Dade County, Florida, in 1989, more than eight hundred similar courts have been initiated or are in the planning stages. The model has received almost uniformly positive media coverage and overwhelming support at both the national and local levels. Judges celebrate the drug court as an exciting movement, a new way of justice, even a revolution in American jurisprudence." iii
The Scottish Executive study found that, "Since the first programmes (sic) started in 1998, more than 140,000 drug using offenders have entered comprehensive programmes that include frequent drug testing, supervision, treatment, and judicial monitoring and court-mandated sanctions."iv
The Drug Court provides a process which enables offending members of society to heal themselves and become contributing members of society by offering combination of rehabilitative, restorative justice, as an alternative to (or in combination with), retributive justice methods.
Specifically, the Drug Court states their goals as:
• Reduce the revolving door of crime and drugs by providing treatment to drug-addicted criminal offenders
• Require strict accountability from program participants through frequent in-person court hearings and intensive monitoring
• Abstain from alcohol and drug use • Reduce emergency room and other medical costs • Reduce domestic violence • Reduce property crimes • Require completion of education • Require tax-paying employment • Decrease use of public assistance • Reduce court, jail, and prison overcrowding and costs v
But what drugs are Drug Court participants treated for? In my observations, the highly addictive and easily produced drug methamphetamine is the primary substance abuse problem handled by Drug Court program. All cases I observed save two, were for meth related charges. Incidentally, the exceptions were cocaine and prescription pain-pills.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
While beyond the scope of this paper, I feel it is worth pointing out that 'drugs' is a somewhat nebulous moniker, which includes myriad illicit substances, which are organized by federal law into 'schedules.'
While the State Board of Pharmacology ostensibly makes decisions for the state pertaining to classification of illegal drugs in the schedules, in reality the federal DEA and FDA (as well as International treaties) dictate policy.
The Washington RCW states that Schedule One drugs: (1) have high potential for abuse; (2) have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and (3) lack accepted safety for use in treatment under medical supervisionvi.
Drugs in this category run a laundry list from heroin, to hallucegenics, to cannabis. Schedule Two contains opium, cocaine, morphine, methamphetamine, and methadone.
However, cannabis possession under forty grams is a misdemeanor in Washington and offenders are (usually) not referred to Drug Courtvii.
Nevertheless, cannabis charges cause a significant strain on the court system as a whole. Indeed in 2000, 730,000 people were charged for some cannabis offense. Approximately 60,000 Americans are in jail for cannabis-related charges, 16,000 of which are simply for possession. Since 1992, the US has increased pot charges laid by 200%,viii a statistic, which calls to question the motives behind society's choice to arrest and punish non-violent offenders.
Judicial Philosophy
Drug Court is an example of a Utilitarian approach to justice. Rather than making the offender "pay" for the crime (addiction) at significant expense, Drug Court seeks to counsel and reduce the opportunity for further harm to society "fixing" the problem when the opportunity arises through an arrest incident.
Besides the program's emphasis on rehabilitative concepts of justice, there is some amount of restorative justice (improving yourself to be a better member of community) as well as retribution justice through jail time as deterrent/punishment for program infractions.
The Judge constantly emphasizes taking responsibilities for actions, making and keeping promises to self/court/other, discipline and organization – all tools need to contribute positively to society. This includes forming relationships, trusting others, and working in groups in a non-adversarial, results-oriented environment.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
The Scottish Executive report found that, "one of the important differences between drug courts and other types of criminal justice based treatment interventions is the unique linkages and partnerships. In addition, drug courts depart from the traditional court structure through its encouragement of a non-adversarial relationship amongst the key players. These qualitative impacts are somewhat difficult to measure and there is no national data that fully explores the impact of this. However, a number of drug court evaluations have sited the successful development and implementation and criminal justice/treatment partnerships and a high degree of satisfaction among drug court staff with the inter-agency relationship."ix
Drug Court Process
The Drug Court is the first stop for most all felony drug–related offenses in the county which do not have additional aggravating factors (such as assault or weapons charges), and if the accused does not have significant prior convictions.
At this stage of the process, the Drug Court is rather similar to most any other courtroom with a few key differences. At the arraignment hearing, the Judge is joined by the "usual cast" of prosecuting and defense attorneys, clerk, reporter, bailiff, and a jury box with (rather haggard-looking), cuffed prisoners in orange jumpsuits. Additionally, at least in addition to (I believe) Drug Court program administrators, two counselors were in attendance, working closely with the attorneys to determine eligibility for the program, and scheduling Drug Court candidates for intake counseling.
Not all of the arraigned defendants request participation in the Drug Court program, nor would all qualify. Other defendants arraigned pled "not-guilty" with the advice of either a personal attorney or an attorney from the Office of Assigned Counsel. In such cases, a pre-trial and trial date was set along with conditions of release. Also as per usual, in the event of a "no-show", the Judge issues a no-bail warrant.
My observations lead me to believe that the Drug Court team are accustomed to working together and are committed to fairness and respect to the participants who sincerely seek help. There seems to be a somewhat unspoken flow to their process and the atmosphere, while dignified, is much less adversarial than a 'normal' court proceeding.
Eligibility and Admission
The Judge, attorneys and counselors review the defendant's record to ascertain initial eligibility. In each arraignment I observed, the charges were felony possession of meth-amphetamine though the Drug Court program also accepts non-violent perpetrators accused of property crimes which are likely associated with substance abuse lifestyle (i.e.: breaking and entering, theft, vandalism). The Deputy Prosecuting Attorney reviews the case to determine eligibility based on the existence of prior and/or pending charges which would disqualify the defendant.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
One example I witnessed during a non-Drug Court arraignment hearing with Judge Casey presiding, a woman (Anderson, Monte Jean vs. State of Wa. 2/4/04), was read her charges of felony possession of meth- amphetimine and ephedrine (charges 04-00122-0, 125-4, 178-5, 124-6, 121-1, 154-8). I immediately wondered why she was not a Drug Court candidate, however I realized after the prosecutor pointed out that she had seventeen prior felony convictions for similar charges, that she would not be a candidate for Drug Court.
The Drug Court's eligibility requirements exclude offenders with numerous prior convictions at the discretion of the Prosecutor. Thus, only candidates with a higher chance of success are generally referred to the program. Instead this defendant would likely go to trail (or plea) and, if found guilty, sentenced according to Chapter 9.94A of the RCW Sentencing Reform Act of 1981 and Article IV "Offenses and Penalties" of RCW 69.50.4013 in which possession is usually a Class 'C' felony.
If the prosecutor recommends Drug Court program eligibility, the Office of Assigned Counsel advises the defendant of his/her options. The Judge asks the Defendant if they wish to participate in the Drug Court program. If the Defendant chooses the Drug Court option (instead of going to trial, or pleading guilty), the program administrator then interviews him/her.
Upon acceptance into the program by the program administrator, the candidate is obliged to sign a contract and he/she is given a Program Handbook, and assigned to numerous tasks and appointments required as part of the treatment and restitution process.
The next step is an appointment to St. Peter's Chemical Dependency Unit for an intake interview with treatment counselors, along with baseline urinalysis testing. After the intake, the participant is assigned to a primary counselor who then works out a treatment schedule and plan addressing the needs of the individual participant.
If the defendant is incarcerated, the Judge issues a furlough order allowing the defendant to travel to the appointment. The Judge carefully informs the defendant of the additional felony charges if the expiration time of the furlough order is not carefully observed.
Treatment and Supervision
Though it is beyond the scope of the paper to tackle the various levels of addiction, suffice to say that the Drug Court program usually takes 12-18 months. On-going throughout the phases of the program, various supervisory and treatment techniques are employed. Specifically:
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
Random urinalysis for illicit drug and alcohol – UA requirements are very strict and frequent. Missed tests and non-standard test results (ie: too-watery, evidence of tampering, not watery-enough), are considered the same as a "dirty" test result. Such failure results in court-imposed sanctions (usually jail time) and reduction in treatment phase level.
Court progress review – Beginning at once per week in Phase One to once a month in later phases, the Drug Court participant appears before the bench and discusses progress with a Judge and treatment counselors to maintain consistent accountability. Additionally, the Drug Court staff, including the Judge and treatment counselors, meet weekly to discuss participants' progress or problems and bring up topics from their meetings with the participants during their review hearings.
In my observation, the tone of the court progress reviews can perhaps best be described as "parental" though at the same time, the mood is (oddly) casual. The participants address counselors in a first name basis and ask the Judge, "How ya doing?" Clothes are sometimes grubby, hats not immediately removed, and manners somewhat lacking, but the focus is clearly on real results, not appearances.
Judge Strophy plays his role as a stern, but caring father figure who seeks to help the participant help themselves. He is conversational and sincere, but terse and commanding as needed. He asks about home life situations, jobs, meetings, relationships, kids, significant others and just about anything else.
A sample paraphrasing from his conversation with a 23-year-old white female named April:
Judge: Congratulations, 239 days clean and sober. (Applause in the crowd) Judge: So what's been going on in your life? April: Still under house arrest (from a charge in Lewis county) so I haven't really been going anywhere.
Judge: How are you doing at your Phase three studies? April: Working on anger management (brief conversation about what she's learned about dealing with anger). Judge: Sounds like things are going well, congratulations again on your sobriety. How's your living situation? April: Boyfriend just got out of jail but he went to live with his dad in Lake Havasu Arizona. Judge: How do you feel about that? April: Actually glad and relieved. Judge: What are your plans for your living situation? April: It is really crowded at my house now so I hope to move once I am off house arrest and on my feet with bills. Judge: You seem to be making progress. Anything else? April: Can I go "Clean and Free" on (such and such date)? Judge: (reviews record) OK (sets stipulation on UA) Anything else?
In another review with a 20-something white male named Jason, the Judge and participant discussed progress with therapy work. Additionally, the Judge admonished the participant to be part of positive change to the community, and to "take life on it's own terms," plus learn the tools to cope with the issues and challenges in life. The Judge asked about the participant's father who had recently fallen ill. Jason discussed how his dad
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
had been supportive during recovery and now they are closer than ever. Jason also related an anecdote about being rear-ended on the highway and how he is able to cope better thanks to his therapy. The Judge remarked how "blessings sometimes come disguised" and scheduled the next court date. He also presented a "purple coin" to commemorate nine months of sobriety and the defendant (rather proudly) announced he had made payment on his fines. The Judge commended him on using his tax return to pay his treatment costs and fines although scoffed somewhat when Jason said that he had paid (only) $300 out of a $3500 tax return.
Another progress review featured the Judge getting a bit more stern with a participant who wasn't really "buying into" the program. In fact, the participant had once dropped out of the program before and was given a second chance. The Judge discussed how "change is a process" and then extolled him to "get real," "speak from the heart," "no masking your emotions," "don't manipulate," "dig deeper," "toe the mark," and "decide who you want to be, you are in your thirties, you have to figure it out."
My anecdotal observations of the court proceedings suggest a pattern of additional aggravating factors in offender's lives, notably: challenging domestic situations, trouble at school, adjusting to life after high school, difficulty handling unforeseen stress, and other extenuating lifestyle circumstances, intentional or not.
Meetings – In addition to the court dates, participants are heavily scheduled with meetings and treatment sessions throughout the week. My personal observations noticed one participant reviewing her schedule with a counselor (paraphrasing), "Education session on Saturday, group process on Monday, 3 twelve-step program meetings and 12 more community service hours (to make up for a missed meeting), by next court date on Tuesday."
Participants also must attend a required number of court-approved "12-step" group support meetings. In my observations, the court allowed the participant to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or Analon. Attendance is supported with signed logbooks and the participant may attend only once per day (ie: cannot double up on one day and skip the next).
Failure to attend required meetings of any kind results in court-imposed sanction, usually community service, and the participant must take responsibility for failure to attend. In other words, the Judge doesn't want to hear excuses and expects the individual to do whatever it takes to attend. Responsibility is rewarded by permission to attend out of town events.
During a Drug Court progress review session, I observed at least three participants requesting permission to attend an event called, "Clean and Fee." The Judge reviewed their record carefully before granting permission contingent on doing a UA test on the Friday before leaving and again on the following Monday before noon. Failure to perform test would result in revocation of privileges and additional sanctions.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
Payment of treatment fees – Drug Court participants pay for their own treatment through Providence St. Peter Chemical Dependency Center. Doing so saves tax dollars for other programs and increases participant's sense of responsibility for personal improvement. Additionally, some participants have punitive fines stemming from other related charge that need to paid before graduating.
Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) – While not privy to actual therapy sessions, my understanding is the MRT is a trademarked and copyrighted series of training tools for instructing participants in morals, thinking, attitudes, decision-making, and other characteristics of a "Normal, Ordinary, Responsible Person (NORP)."
In court process review sessions, the Judge frequently asked participants about various concepts discussed in lessons books that are a part of this therapy technique.
A study by the University of Maryland for the Washington State Legislature describes MRT further, "Moral Reconation Therapy was developed in the tradition of the moral development approach as a way of reducing the recidivism by increasing the moral reasoning abilities of offenders. Specifically, the program incorporates seven elements of treatment; confrontation and assessment of self, assessment of current relationships, reinforcement of positive behavior, identity-formation, enhancement of self-concept, decreasing hedonistic orientation and increasing delay of gratification, and development of higher stages of moral reasoning.x"
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – EMDR is an innovation technique designed to provide rehabilitation from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder including irrational negative beliefs, unregulated emotions, and trigger responses.
While not used extensively according to St. Peter Chemical Dependency Center counselor, Hollie Christiancy, due to the expensexi, EMDR is basically a therapeutic technique in which the patients move their eyes back and forth while concentrating on the problem. The therapist waves a stick or light in front of the patient and the patient is supposed to follow the moving stick or light with their eyes.xii
Proponents of EMDR (developed by Francine Shapiro) suggest that, "after EMDR processing, clients generally report that the emotional distress related to the memory has been eliminated, or greatly decreased, and that they have gained important cognitive insights."xiii
Comprehensive Treatment Services – The Drug Court program emphasizes the participant taking responsibility for all aspects of life. This tasks include: gaining employment (complete with W-2); organizing finances and paying fees and fines; re-building relationships with family and friends; tending to medical, dental and exercise needs; improving home living situation as needed; and even getting in touch with one's spirituality.
The treatment program is divided into three Phases providing obtainable targets to the participant.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
Phase One: Orientation/Intake: 3-4 months Intake, assessment, and treatment plan Drug and alcohol education Moral Reconation Therapy
Individual and group counseling
Phase Two: Intensive Counseling: 5-8 months Relapse prevention sessions Referral to community resources and services Vocational and educational service referrals
Phase Three: Referral Monitoring: 4-6 months Individual and group counseling Completion of individual needs workbook Completion of personal recovery plan Community linkagesxiv
At each phase-level obtained, and at various sobriety milestones, the Judge in a brief ceremony in the courtroom presents the participant colored, commemorative coins designating achievement. In the event of a transgression, the participant is obliged to return the coins and earn them back through continued sobriety and passing phase requirements.
Graduation Requirements
Completion of all three phases of treatment Six months minimum abstinence Payment of all fees and fines (if any) Four months full time employment and/or education GED or High School diplomaxv
Graduation Ceremony Upon fulfilling the graduation requirements, the participants are feted with at a festive ceremony held right in the Courtroom. Attending the Drug Court graduation is a unique courtroom experience complete with punch and cookies, applause, embracing, presentation of gifts, crying, cheering and even Judge Strophy "teasing" the participants in his paternal manner by showing their intake "mug shots" to the assembled crowd.
Rather than the usual somber but anxious courtroom atmosphere, the Drug Court graduation crowd is filled with relieved families, beaming spouses, and proud counselors and even a few police officers and curious community members. The mood is akin to an "old time revival" crossed with an "AA" meeting. Each graduate is afforded the full attention of the courtroom while his or her full Drug Court history is read aloud. The narrative report includes a description of the participant's attitude upon first entering Drug Court and significant events (both positive and negative) throughout their Drug Court supervision period. Plus a complete timeline of their substance abuse history, significant challenges, achievements, personality characteristics, school and work successes and even family matters are discussed on the record.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
The graduate's primary counselor then speaks from a treatment standpoint more about performance during the myriad counseling sessions. The emotion expressed by the counselors clearly shows the difficult yet rewarding bond they develop with the participants. The counselor then presents the graduate with a ceremonial mug filled with various symbolic tokens of encouragement and they share an embrace. Indeed, considering the perseverance required to graduate, the counselor must feel a significant sense of pride and satisfaction with each successful participant.
Next up is the Judge who makes some remarks about the graduate path towards becoming a responsible person in significant detail. In some cases, he described the "vacant spaced out look" when they started the program, or cited a bad attitude or rebellious nature requiring focusing onto positive tasks. Finally, he presents a graduation certificate then poses with the grad for a photo.
At last, the graduate takes the stand to address the crowd and thanks those who supported him/her through the process. Amongst the frequent applause, there are at least a few tear-jerking moments and tissues are common as the graduates speak with near religious zeal about their life changes and future plans to be a responsible member of society.
How does one rate the effectiveness of the brand of justice dispensed in the Thurston County Drug Court? I think three factors are crucial to balance both the tangible and intangible integers of success. 1) Recidivism – How many graduates are re-arrested compared with non-participants?; 2) Cost Benefit – How much does it cost to administer the program combined with the savings in related problems caused by drug addiction?; and 3) Societal Gain – Is the benefit of a responsible member of society worth more than the 'moral satisfaction' of retributive punishment?
I will address each in turn with a few empirical notes:
First of all, recidivism. The aforementioned Scottish Executives report cites a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University which found that in a Delaware Adult Drug Court, 4% were re-arrested during treatment. In Ventura County, California, drug court participants produced a 12% re- arrest rate compared to a 32% re-arrest rate for a comparison group over an eight-month period. In Jackson County (MO?), the study found a 4% re-arrest rate compared to 13% over a six-month period.xvi
Thurston County Drug Court supplied statistics put forth recidivism rates which appear favorable in comparison with other State penal entities. Specifically: State of Washington Prison: 47% Thurston County Jail: 72%
Thurston County Drug Court: 6%
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
The University of Maryland study agrees when discussing MRT's (the primary therapy technique used by the Drug Court) success rate, saying, "Moral Reconation Therapy is effective in reducing the recidivism of offenders. At least five studies of sufficiently rigorous scientific methodology, have found significantly lower recidivism rates between MRT participants and comparison groups on at least some measures of recidivism."xvii
Second, cost benefit. Again, the Scottish Executive study cites a Multnomah County, Oregon criminal justice system cost savings of $2,476,795 over a two-year period. After the one million dollars of operating the drug court program. The savings increase to $10,223,532 over two years when estimated savings in victimization, theft reduction, public assistance and medical costs are added in.xviii
Thurston County Superior Court produced materials also compare average treatment duration and cost per day in various supervisory institutionsxix: State of Washington Prison: $67 – Average length of supervision/treatment: 76 days Thurston County Jail: $54 – Average length of supervision/treatment: 95 days
Thurston County Drug Court: $14 – Average length of supervision/treatment: 365 days
Finally, the societal benefits. This is the most difficult benefit to gauge since questions of a moral payment of a debt to society clouds the objectivity required to effect a just ruling. All we humans carry unique subjective political and emotional conceptions which color our feelings as to whether the offender has wronged society. The US legal system tries individuals against the State as though society (or one of it's parts) is harmed each time a law is broken. However, in case of a crime when the only victim is the offender herself, the case for a moral payment to society becomes less relevant.
Rather, treating addiction from a harm reduction trajectory – specifically comprehensive treatment supervised by the Courts – serves society's interests better than incarceration because: the offender becomes a contributing member of society (or at least not a perennial drain on government resources); the victim (usually the offender and his/her family) gains a sense of closure and therapeutic healing; and the community as a whole enjoys increased public safety (or at least a reduction in public nuisance), and economically both through decreased criminal justice costs, and the ancillary cost savings (further such savings also provides opportunity for prevention and education programs).
Additionally, I will also contend that society also benefits morally by showing empathy in treating and preparing non-violent drug offenders for life in society. The additional negative attributes of incarceration (introduction to more criminal elements, violent society) further supports rehabilitation for non-chronic offenders. In all, considering whether "Justice is Served," I would suggest, yes.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice
i Nolan, James L. Jr., "Reinventing Justice: The American Drug Court Movement," Princeton University Press, 2002. Quoted from http://pup.princeton.edu/chapters/i7085.html.
ii Scottish Executive, "International Experience of Drug Courts," Chapter 1: Background to the US Drug Court System. Quoted from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/green/courts05.htm.
iii Ibid, Nolan.
iv Ibid, Scottish Executive.
v Thurston County Superior Court "Drug Court Program" brochure, 2004(?).
vi Revised Code of Washington, RCW 69.50.201-212 "Authority to change schedules of controlled substances." ARTICLE II STANDARDS AND SCHEDULES
vii RCW 69.50.4014, "Possession of forty grams or less of marihuana — Penalty." viii Cannabis Culture magazine, Marc Emery Publisher, Vancouver BC, Canada, Feb./March 2004. ix Ibid, Scottish Executive, Chapter 2.
x University of Maryland: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, "An Examination of the Effectiveness of the Type of Rehabilitation Programs offered by Washington State Department of Corrections," Chapter Six, "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Programs: Moral Reconation Therapy and What Works In Corrections?" Submitted to the State of Washington Legislature Joint Audit and Review Committee, June 1998.
xi Christiancy, Hollie, "Personal correspondence with author via e-mail", March, 2004.
xii Robert Todd Carroll, "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing," The Skeptic's Dictionary. Quoted from http://skepdic.com/emdr.html.
xiii Shapiro, Francine et al, "A Brief Description of EMDR." Quoted from http://ww.emdr.com/briefdes.htm.
xiv Ibid, Thurston County Superior Court.
xv Ibid, Thurston County Superior Court.
xvi Scottish Executive International Experience of Drug Courts," Chapter 2: Drug Court Evaluation of US Drug Court System. Quoted from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/kd01/green/courts06.htm.
xvii Ibid, University of Maryland. xviii Ibid, Scottish Executive, Chapter 2. xix Ibid, Thurston County Superior Court.
© 2004-5 Dave Olson, Drug Court – Observations on Restorative and Rehabilitative Justice


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Well I just watch another of a multitude of Christmas Nutcracker DVD's.
I have purchased the following so for:
Rebecca will be getting ~~~ Care Bears - The Nutcracker
For the families with little ones ~~ The Nutcracker Prince - starring Keifer Sutherland; Peter O'Toole and Phyllis Diller
Everyone will be receiving a copy of The Nutcracker and the Mouseking ~~ starring Robert Hayes and the late Leslie Nielsen
For Matthew and Gillian ~~ Graeme Murphy's production of Nutcracker The Story of Clara -- with the Australian Ballet
Now to add a personal note....this production casted Vicki Attard, Siobhan Elsman and Margaret Scott as Clara throughout her life. Even though the play was centred around Vicki, Siobhan played Clara as a young girl, while Margaret played her in her later years. I just did some research on Margaret and found out that she was born in 1922. This production was filmed in 1994 which made her 72. She continued to play Clara until the year 2000.....she would have been 78! If for nothing else, to watch Margaret in all of her grace, beauty and talent...this is a must see!
I am going to order Tchaikovsky's version of The Nutcracker next. I am just not sure which dancers I would prefer to see. Of course there is Mikhail Baryshnikov...can't go wrong there :) But there are others listed so I will read some reviews.
I love the Story of Clara and as it does fit in with my Christmas theme, I feel that it is not quite what I want to give. I am thinking more of the actual Nutcracker story is needed to help fill in the gaps.


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Why do I need life insurance is a question I get a lot. Life insurance is normally not a hot topic of conversation until someone we know has died unexpectedly and does not have any. Their loved ones are left behind without the income or personal contributions that person brought to the family. The absence of life insurance can add extra stress to an already grieving family.
If you are someone that does not have any dependents or debts, you may not need life insurance. While many would suffer emotionally in the event of your death, they would not suffer financially. But there are many times when purchasing life insurance is important.
There are millions of people in the United States that don't have life insurance. In some cases, not having life insurance is one of the worst mistakes that you could ever make for your loved ones.
Why do I need Life Insurance?
Table of Contents
Let's say you purchase a home and take out a mortgage – if you died unexpectedly, how would that mortgage get paid off? There is a need for a life insurance policy. It could be a term policy that tracked along with the years and debt left in your mortgage. You pay the minimal premiums and have the peace of mind that there will not be a financial burden left behind in the event of your death.
Marriage! You find the love of your life and get married – there is a need for life insurance. Most likely, you and your spouse will share in expenses and purchases. This will determine how much your housing will cost, you may both have a car payment, or you may incur credit card debt. Should one of you die, the other is left behind with the responsibility of covering the costs of these types of expenses. The face amount of the life insurance policies you purchase can be determined by the amount of income each person contributes plus the amount of debt in total that you share.
Another scenario that creates a need for life insurance is having children. When you purchase a life insurance policy, you can have the knowledge that your family will be "okay" financially should you pass away. The remaining spouse will be left to conduct all the duties that were once divided between two people. Most people left behind as a single parent will likely need to work to pay the family's bills, spreading their time even thinner. Life insurance can help ease these burdens by:
- Paying off debt: mortgage, credit card bills, car loans
- Maintain the family's lifestyle
- Allow the remaining spouse to possibly work less to be there for the children
- Providing funds for the children's college education
- Purchase help with duties such as cleaning, yardwork, tutoring for the children
So often we hear people say they do not need life insurance. While we hope they won't need the insurance, it is irresponsible to leave your family that would be left behind in your untimely death. We purchase insurance for our cars, our homes, and our health, and our teeth to name a few. Why would you not take the additional step to purchase the minimal amount of life insurance needed to take care of your family and responsibilities should you die? Are you wondering if you can get term life insurance for people with heart disease? If so, we can help!
Deciding how much life insurance you need can be a tricky process, but it doesn't have to be that difficult. Having life insurance is a vital decision, but it's also important that you ensure that you're purchasing enough life insurance to protect your family. Not having enough coverage could leave your family with thousands of dollars of leftover expenses after the payout of the policy has been used. There are several different factors you need to consider when calculating your life insurance needs.
We mentioned all of the various reasons that you need to purchase life insurance, your life insurance needs are going to vary based on the reason that you're purchasing the plan. In general, you'll need to calculate your debt and final expenses. Your loved ones would be left with all of your unpaid bills after your passing, which could leave them in a hole of debt and know what to get out. A life insurance policy gives them the funds they need to pay off all of those final expenses. In just about every situation that we laid out for life insurance, your debt should be considered when purchasing your coverage.
Another factor that you may need to consider is your annual income. If you're purchasing this policy because you got married, or because you had a child, the secondary goal of your policy is to replace your paycheck if anything tragic happens to you. The majority of financial experts suggest that you aim to purchase around seven to ten times your annual income for your loved ones. This will give them plenty of resources to replace your income without sacrificing their standard of living.
Getting Affordable Life Insurance
One reason that a lot of people don't have life insurance coverage is because they assume that it's going to be too expensive. In most cases, that couldn't be further from the truth. There are several ways that you can lower your rates and keep more money in your pockets. Your finances shouldn't keep you from getting the coverage that your loved ones deserve.
If you want to save money, the first thing that you should do is cut out any tobacco that you currently use. If you're a smoker, then you can expect to pay much higher rates. In fact, smokers are going to pay twice as much for life insurance. Those cigarettes are costing you a lot more than you might think. Quitting can save you thousands of dollars every year.
Another way that you can save money is to improve your overall health. Before the insurance company approves you for coverage, they are going to require that you take a medical exam (unless you have chosen to purchase a no medical exam life insurance policy, which will come with a higher premium rate). The results of that exam are going to impact how much you pay every month for your protection. If you want to save money, you need to improve your health. The two best ways to do that are to get regular exercise and stick to a healthy diet. Both of these can help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and much more. If you're overweight when you apply for life insurance, then you're going to pay around 50% more for your life insurance coverage. Losing weight will not only improve your health, but it will also keep hundreds of dollars in your pocket every year.
Bottom Line
The best way to save money on life insurance is to compare dozens of companies before you pick the one that you're going to buy coverage from. Each company is different, and all of them are going to offer you different rates based on their medical underwriting. Finding the best company is the difference in getting an affordable plan or getting one that breaks your bank every month.
There are over 800 companies on the market, which means that you could spend days calling different companies. Instead of wasting your time, let one of our independent agents do all of that hard work for you. Unlike a traditional agent, our independent agents work with dozens and dozens of highly rated companies across the nation. We can bring all of the best quotes directly to you.
We can assess your needs, see where you are in your life, and give you the advice you need. We will provide you with help so you can decide how much and which type of insurance that would be best for your current needs. Just like life changes, so will your insurance needs. We service our clients throughout their lives and make the changes they need to their life insurance plans accordingly. Often your budget plays a large part in the excuse to not purchase life insurance. You may be surprised at the price for term insurance coverage. We have an insurance quoter on this page for you to get started and learn about pricing. By getting in touch with us, we can better assess the face amount, the length of time, and the pricing of the life insurance you need. Our 20 years in the life insurance industry give us the background and experience to help you move forward. The longer you put off purchasing life insurance, the more expensive the premiums could possibly get due to your increase in age and changes in health. If you have any questions about life insurance or about getting enough coverage for your family, please call us today. We would be happy to answer those questions for you.
Give us a call at 1-800-712-8519 or use the term quote form on this page to get your free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need life insurance?
As a homeowner, do I need life insurance?
What are reasons to buy life insurance?
Paying off debt: mortgage, credit card bills, car loans
Maintain the family's lifestyle
Allow the remaining spouse to possibly work less to be there for the children
Providing funds for the children's college education
Purchase help with duties such as cleaning, yardwork, tutoring for the children


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Looking to gain more revenue and a stable financial structure, MoviePass, the movie theater subscription service, will roll out three-tier pricing plan starting in 2019. This is to account for different size U.S. markets, higher demand opening weekends, and large-screen theaters.
The first basic plan, called Select, will be priced at $9.95 to $14.95 a month. Differentials address existing movie theater pricing in large and small markets. For this package, consumers can see three movies a month, but not during a movie's high demand opening weekend. In addition, 3D movies will also be excluded.
All Access is the next pricing level, at $14.95 to $19.95 a month, which includes high-demand opening weekend attendance for those three movies but no 3D films. The priciest package is Red Carpet at $19.95 to $24.95, which allows for opening-day screening, as well as one of the three films per month to include a IMAX and/or 3D movie.
MoviePass parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics has had to drastically alter its monthly subscription pricing plan a few times since it changed its financial model in August 2017.
Pricing was then dropped to $9.95 a month from $50 a month, where subscribers could see as much as one movie a day in a month. As a result, MoviePass membership rocketed to 1 million from 20,000.
But in summer 2018, MoviePass was running out of cash, and was unable to pay for tickets at movie theaters.
AMC Theaters, which has been in a battle with MoviePass over its low-price service, said its business plan is unsustainable. AMC started up its own movie subscription service in June.
In August, MoviePass moved to a three-movie-a-month limit. The company's reasoning was that only 15% of MoviePass members see four or more movies a month.


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Leslie Moore got an unexpected call on her way to work – a Richardson church wanted to take donated backpacks and school supplies to W.A. Blair Elementary School that morning.
Just after 9:30 on Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, a black SUV loaded with items pulled to the front of the school. The bounty came as a donation from First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park. Pastor Gregory Foster, staff and church members dropped off the donations.
There are about 100 backpacks and the school supplies to fill them – notebook and construction paper, spirals, boxes of crayons, folders, glue and glue sticks, pens, pencils, markers and pencil boxes. The church has donated to schools for the past 15 years or so.
Staff member Gail Stein said that one of their families has a child who attends the school. She recalls that member saying that they knew of a school in need. "Well, you know what? We're a church family that's going to bless," she said.
Nearly all the students who attend Blair qualify for free or reduced lunches.
"We have so many students who are in need," said Moore, the school's counselor. "Knowing you have come through for so many students – not just one or two – that truly helps bridge the gap so the kids can continue to learn."
The donation was made through the church's Annie Pearl Foster Center for Youth Enrichment.


text: For 5/16" to 1/2" (8 to 12 mm) Thick Glass Solid Brass Assists With Shear Forces Holds Glass Panels in Position While Sealant Cures CRL Sleeve Over Glass Clamps are designed to provide a mechanical fastener to cover the shear forces placed on the glass panels. No special fabrication of the glass is required. Can also be used to secure the glass panels in position while the silicone applied in the joint cures. Available in left and right handed models as viewed from the front side.


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After cornering much of the market on smartphones and tablet devices, the Android operating system has expanded to other electronic devices, like digital cameras. Android-powered smart cameras offer a multitude of benefits, including the incredible connectivity-based features.
With the help of built-in Wi-Fi and a few special apps, these high-performance smart cameras can connect to the Internet and upload images directly to a social media site like Facebook or a storage service like Dropbox. You'll never accidentally lose photos or run out of storage space again!
A new update rolling out to Google+ for Android today lets users turn their photos into a virtual snowglobe.
We've included a fun holiday gift in the new version of Google+ for Android launching today. Shake your device while viewing one of your photos, and watch the snow fall. Shake it again to save your new snowy photo and share it with family and friends.
Do you know that your passion, creativity, zeal and enthusiasm can potentially help you earn a lot provided that you get the perfect platform to hone your skills? Yes, it is true and if you are passionate about photography, then sky is the limit for you.
How? Let's find out
You just need to capture photos and share them so that the potential buyer will develop interest for them.
This interesting article is all about the Clashot Android App Review which certainly promises to cement your finances in the easiest possible manner.
An Android-based Nikon Coolpix digital camera has been spied online just days before its rumored August 22 unveiling. NikonRumors advises that there could actually be two models here based on the conflicting images.
Instagram today announced a new version of their popular Android (and iOS) application which adds in a number of handy features. This particular release (3.0) centers around the common theme of browsing experience, most notably with the debut of Photo Maps and redesigned user profiles.
Videofyme, the new social video blogging app has just announced a partnership with Tumblr to bring bloggers and fashionistas together in the first-ever #videofymyfashion video challenge.
This challenge is an international search for the top trendsetters in fashion who can capture their best summer fashion moments using the VideofyMe app.
Say what you will about Facebook's purchase of Instagram last week and whether or not Big Blue is going to ruin its new acquisition. The fact is, it's already immensely popular for Android and people love to look at photos. Maybe it's because of clever filters, vignettes, and borders. Maybe it's because people just love to take pictures of sushi and cats.
Today, Instagram for Android was released and here is our review of the shiny new application.
My first impressions of the app were really good, and it appears to be a nice solid application which appears to be fairly stable (no crashes for me yet). The interface has some iOS elements with the bottom bar, but the rest of it looks fairly Android-alike which is really nice to see. The bottom bar was probably included to make it look similar and recognisable as being Instagram, but unlike some other applications it is actually Android-styled.
In a tweet earlier today, Instagram linked to a new signup page which promises to put interested Android users at the front of the line when the popular photo app becomes available (which should be relatively soon).
Smartphone cameras have quickly taken over as the primary point-and-shoot for many people, and while they offer up a quick way to take a shot, their use is still fairly limited. If you're looking to get more out of your smartphone's camera, then these add-on lenses may be just what the doctor ordered.
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Get The Support You Need To Succeed
We help startups create and existing businesses scale, let's pitch proper together.
Whether you're pitching to an investor or selling to customers we can help. We provide mentoring and marketing that will help you seal the deal.
We help startups create and existing businesses scale, let's pitch proper together.
We offer flexible pricing to help you at any stage of your business. Get investment, get launched, get sales, get happy!
Once you have chosen the mentoring and marketing solutions you need; we will set up a call with our team to talk over the next steps. Wear a suit, wear your best pyjamas, we're not judging.
Our team will begin working on your pitch and give you a full timeline. If you have an urgent date in mind, now's the time to tell us!
View just some of the work we have done for our customers below.
Our designers take pride in every brand identity they create. Your logo, colors, fonts and designs should pop. We're all about the popping.
Investors and consumers have goldfish attention spans. Wake them up with motion graphic or live footage explainer videos. Our videos inspire and engage your audience and most importantly … convert business.
A pitch deck is your ultimate investor persuasion tool. Get it right and kerching! Get it wrong and its beans on toast for you next year. We know how to prepare winning pitch decks, sales presentations and landing pages. These little marketing gems are sure to convert your investors and customers.
Your website is not just a website it is a funnel for pitching. Yup that's right each and every idea, project and business will have a conversion funnel that will end up aiming to generate leads, sales, prospects, bookings etc. We help first identity the best funnel and customer journey and then to create the website in order to generate the most impact for your business.
Like talking to a friend. Only, it's a friend who has helped thousands of companies raise millions in funds and client sales. That's mentoring from PitchProper. We help guide your journey and support you with monthly, quarterly and annual plans.
Need a mentor? Like the karate kids Mr Miyagi but for business?
Our mentorship solutions keep you on track, improve your business acumen and help motivate you. Wax on … wax off…
Just like your favourite chocolate selection box, we've got all the hands on execution solution goodies you need to be happy. We offer fixed and tailored marketing and business solutions for startups, entrepreneurs and businesses who need a full execution team but without the price tag. We also excluded the strawberry cremes.
Our list of solutions include:
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We had to show you something right? Actually our execution solution packages below are just samples of different price points.
The exciting thing is that you determine the pricing based on the services you choose. We're ready, let's talk!
Let's cut to the chase. You want it and we've got it. Complete the form and let PitchProper help your business to succeed.
You can reach us by email or live chat on the button right of any page.
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As we are servicing countries around the world our operating times are as follows:
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If you are among those people who are blessed with powerful collaborators or connections, then perhaps this article is not for you. We would like to address all those "solopreneurs" who are feeling overwhelmed with having to be the all-rounder in their business. From financing needs to marketing, to fixing the light bulb in the office, they do it all.
Solopreneurs or not, here are some tips that can help every aspiring start-up founder gain perspective.Read More
- Karim Hemsi, Director
- Mohan Singh, CSO
- George Thrasivoulou, CEO


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Students may bring sealed, unopened, plastic bottles of juice, vitamin water, sports drinks, soda, milk, and other legal beverages to school. These beverages may be consumed in the Commons area only.
Only water may be consumed in the library, classrooms, theatres, lobby, hallways, and gym... except the Computer Labs.
Students may bring empty plastic water jugs, water bottles, or other covered beverage containers to school.
These containers may be filled with water when students have free time during the day.
We have several water fountains available for students to use.
Coffee or tea must be finished in the cafeteria prior to the start of the school day.


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Pods, joysticks doing their part to grow boating
Joystick systems controlling pods, straight shafts, sterndrives and even outboards have become more and more a part of the mainstream. Not only are these new technologies often more efficient from a propulsion standpoint, as is the case with pod drives, but they also are allowing people to move more easily into larger boats by reducing docking jitters, especially when the wind is blowing or a current is running.
Numbers are difficult to come by, but anecdotal evidence suggests that these close-quarters maneuvering systems are not only bringing new people into boating, but in some cases are keeping boaters in the sport by reducing stressful docking incidents. Too many 21st century Capt. Blighs yelling at beleaguered crewmembers as they ricochet off pilings is not a part of the Grow Boating formula.
Pod propulsion with joystick technology is not new, but the recession undoubtedly slowed its adoption when it slammed the brakes on new-boat production three years ago. Volvo Penta introduced its Inboard Propulsion System in 2005 and Cummins MerCruiser followed with Zeus two years later.
Volvo Penta, MerCruiser and, most recently, Yanmar America Corp. (see Page 29) produce joystick systems for their sterndrives. ZF Marine, which builds pods, and Twin Disc have docking control systems for straight shafts using thrusters. (ZF Marine also did the first outboard joystick.) And Teleflex Marine recently introduced a joystick for twin-outboard installations (Page 29).
"For anybody building a boat 30 feet and larger today, if they haven't looked at a joystick system, they're behind the curve," says Martin Meissner, marketing manager for ZF Marine. "Early adopters were paramount in this three or four years ago. Now it's gone mainstream. We're past the early adopter stage."
Seventy percent of traditional powerboats sold in the United States are under 21 feet, so these technologies won't affect most boats. But they are having an increasingly larger effect in terms of dollar volume because they are being installed on boats in the upper-20-foot range and larger.
CMD Zeus product manager Rob Mirman told Soundings recently, "I think we are past the point of convincing the boating public that pods are a worthy form of propulsion. All the big boatbuilders are offering pod options in the boats where they make sense."
More than 125 boatbuilders worldwide, including about 50 in this country, use Volvo's IPS in about 275 models; roughly 45 builders use CMD Zeus in about 68 models. And the numbers are growing.
There are myriad benefits to pods and joystick control systems, from efficiency to noise reduction to slow-speed maneuvering, but it is the latter that seems to have the most resonance with consumers. "It's allows people to enter the game with the boat they really want … and not settle for something smaller because they're intimidated by the bigger boat," says Tad Whitten, who is starting his fourth year running the Zeus and Axius Experience Tour, which has given thousands of consumers across the country their first experience with these systems. "They all struggle with getting the boat in on a windy day. This takes all that away. With joystick control, they can finally buy the boat they want."
The "warm and fuzzy" for the consumer is the joystick, Meissner says. "Make my boat go sideways. That's what people key in on — ease of use."
He continues: "It just takes all the stress out of bringing a boat into the dock. That's the biggest hurdle to a lot of people moving to that next size boat."
As an industry, Bentley Collins of Sabre Yachts and Back Cove Yachts believes we continue to underestimate the anxiety associated with docking a relatively large boat, which in turn has kept some boaters from moving up in size. "Yelling ruins relationships, and heaven knows there have been too many Capt. Blighs doing their share of that," says Collins, vice president of sales and marketing for the Maine-based builder. "One of our 54 Salon Express couples makes me laugh. They wear the headset communicators, and when they docked their boat one day with huge smiles on their faces I asked if they were always this confident. She replied, 'I may have been smiling, but you couldn't hear what I was actually saying.' They manage their 54 with IPS drives with no issues whatsoever."
And here's a figure to keep top of mind: Of the 65 Sabres sold in the last two years, Collins says, only two have been without pod propulsion.
At sea level, it's about pods and sterndrives that turn independently of one another, and joysticks; at a more pulled-back perspective, it's about technology. Cool tech. "We all love technology," Collins says. "Look at what sales of the [new] iPad did this week. They are sold out and taking a backlog despite the fact that plenty of us already have earlier versions. Technology sells."
Whitten sees the same pure pull of new technology as he travels the country giving Zeus and Axius demonstrations. "For some," says Whitten, who runs Motorsports Management in Peoria, Ill., "forget the joystick. Skyhook is the bomb. … It's big," he says, referring to the GPS-enabled station-keeping feature available with pod systems. "I don't care who you are; it fits somewhere in your boating lifestyle. There's dozens of different applications where this technology is changing boating."
The electronics that connect these various drive units and steering systems are graphic examples of the software innovation taking hold in our industry. "You're talking about moving to an entire fly-by-wire system," Meissner says. "There is no hard-wire connector between the steering system and the pod and the joystick. It's a rolling evolution of technology in pleasure craft."
Of course, there are other benefits to pods beyond close-quarters maneuvering. "I rate docking and quiet running tops, but many owners will state fuel efficiency as their primary reason for buying it," Collins says. "Being a good citizen and burning less fuel is a big deal to their friends and associates."
"You can run a smaller engine that burns less fuel, but you're not sacrificing performance," Meissner adds. "Pods are just a more efficient propulsion. But at the end of the day, what matters to the customer is the maneuverability of the boat."
The future of this technology? Collins sees pods dominating the market from 35 to 50 feet. Above that, acceptance will follow as larger pods are developed. Below that size, Collins sees market share being taken by sterndrive and outboard joystick systems.
"It will continue its march," Meissner says. "It's a natural progression."
And that, you can count on.
This article originally appeared in the April 2012 issue.


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See Bridges, Thomas
James Piggot
Bridges, Thomas (c. 1842–1898), dictionary compiler, missionary, and sheep farmer, was found abandoned, perhaps on a bridge near Bristol, aged about two and a half, and taken to an orphanage, the name of which remains unknown. He was adopted by the Revd George Pakenham Despard...
Clarke, William John Turner (1805–1874), pastoralist and financier in Australia, was born on 20 April 1805 at Bridgwater, Somerset, second son of William Clarke (c.1770–1813), Aldgate livestock dealer, and his wife, Sarah, née Turner (d. 1819), of Weston Royland, Somerset...
Cotton, John (1802–1849), pastoralist and ornithologist in Australia, was born at Balham Hill, Surrey, the third son of William Cotton (1759–1816), a prosperous clerk in the London custom house, and his wife, Catherine Savery (d. 1803). An older brother was the art collector ...
J. M. Powell
See Curr, Edward
Dalgety, Frederick Gonnerman (1817–1894), wool merchant and sheep farmer, was born on 3 December 1817 in Canada, where his father was a lieutenant in the Irish fusiliers; he had at least two younger half-brothers. Nothing is known of his education or early career before his arrival in ...
Foster, Marjorie Elaine (1893–1974), rifle shot and poultry farmer, was born at 107 Canfield Gardens, Hampstead, London, on 20 June 1893, the only child of Lancelot Henry William Foster, syphon manufacturer, and his wife, Mary Aldridge Leetham. Encouraged by her father who had held a commission in the ...
Matthew E. S. Butler
Gibson, Sir Herbert, first baronet (1863–1934), landowner and livestock breeder in Argentina, was born at Henderson Place, Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, on 8 July 1863, the fourth son among the nine children of Thomas Gibson (1816–1903) and his wife, Clementina, née Corbett (1829–1886)...
Hay, Sir John (1816–1892), politician and pastoralist in Australia, was born on 23 June 1816 at Little Ythsie, Aberdeenshire, the eldest son of John Hay (b. c.1790), a farmer, and his wife, Jean Mair (b. c.1794). He was educated at ...
Christopher Dyer
Heritage, John (c. 1470–c. 1536), sheep farmer and dealer in wool, was known to his contemporaries as a woolman or woolmonger. He was born about 1470, probably at Burton Dassett in Warwickshire, the son of Roger Heritage (d. 1495), a farmer of some substance, and his wife, ...
Higgs, Eric Sidney (1908–1976), sheep farmer and archaeologist, was born on 26 November 1908 in Oldbury Wells, near Bridgnorth in Shropshire, the elder son of Sidney Higgs, carpet designer, and his wife, Florence Annie Price, whose family ran a building and haulage firm. He was educated at ...
Jennings, Sir Patrick Alfred (1831–1897), pastoralist, and politician in Australia, was born at Newry, co. Down, Ireland, on 20 March 1831, the son of Francis Jennings, a linen merchant, and his wife, Mary O'Neil. Both parents traced direct descent from families who had forfeited local estates for religious reasons under ...
Maker: unknown engraver
See Macarthur, John
Margaret Steven
Macarthur, John (1766–1834), merchant and wool-grower, was probably born on 18 August 1766 and was baptized on 3 September 1767 at Stoke Damerel, near Plymouth, Devon, one of three known children of the expatriate Scot Alexander Macarthur (1720?–1790), mercer and draper, and his wife, ...
See Macarthur, James
See Macleay, Alexander
Maker: Glenn Copus
Anne Pimlott Baker
Matthews, Bernard Trevor (1930–2010), turkey farmer, was born on 24 January 1930 at 27 Cleveland Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, the youngest in the family of two sons and two daughters of George Armond Matthews, motor engineer, and his wife, Frances May, née Hamby. He won a scholarship to the ...
Morris, Edward (bap. 1633, d. 1689), drover and Welsh-language poet, was born at Perthillwydion, Cerrigydrudion, Denbighshire, and baptized on 30 July 1633, the elder son of Morris ap Hugh (bap. 1601) and his wife, Lowri (d. 1669/70); in addition to a younger boy there were five sisters. Nothing is known of his education, and the presumption of a classical education, based on the extensive classical references in his poetry, overlooks the fact that translations were available in English printed sources. He would have been fluent in English since he earned his living as a drover, bringing cattle from the Welsh uplands to fairs at ...


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Dispatches from Rolling Stones ticket mania
"Dollar water! Dollar water! We've been told this is by far the best water here!"
So shouted the two budding capitalists who strolled the thousand-deep line on a residential street in the Miracle Mile district, hawking beverages for those plonked on the lawn in the sudden morning commotion. The line snaked from 6th Street up to the front door of the El Rey Theatre. Inside were tickets to see the biggest band in the world play an Echo Park rock club Saturday night.
Most of L.A. music-land woke up to a social media maelstrom, suggesting that the Rolling Stones had booked a secret show at the Echoplex, and tickets for the show were going on sale for $20 at the El Rey Theatre. By 11 a.m., when this reporter arrived to try his hand at scoring one, the line was around 400 deep and bubbling with flash-mob optimism.
At the very front, some seasoned Stones-watchers had been camped there since the day before. One woman, Nyoro, was in the first dozen spots and certainly earned her place in line - she'd flown from Osaka, Japan, two days ago just based on a rumor that the Stones would play a secret L.A. club show. She was right. "I'm kind of cuckoo for them," she said.
In our spot in the middle of the line around noon the crowd was a mix of Echo Park regulars making up for lost Stones-at-Coachella wishes, KROQ bros and a few hearty middle-aged Stones fans comparing eras of Stones tours (Consensus? The return of Mick Taylor makes this round a must-see). One young fan said that upon hearing the news around 10:30 a.m., he jumped into his car and drove from the far Valley alone in the carpool lane. The risk was worth it.
As noon passed with no word of the plan - how many tickets were open, who would get them, were they now $40? - the rumor mill churned. One very polite and very beleaguered young man walked around with a trash bag collecting water bottles and swearing he had no secrets to impart. Finally, a rep walked the line handing out six-digit blue raffle tickets, saying there would be a lottery and that the system would be "very clear" once it got started, but everyone should stay put.
A few folks scampered off to feed the parking meter one last time - they might still be here a while. Overhead, an LAPD chopper turned circles above the crowd. I wondered if Nyoro was having a heart attack up there from the news that her place in line wouldn't matter at all.
Finally, a slow but gathering stream of dejected fans slunk from the front towards 6th Sreet. "Only people with 312 numbers can get in," they said. Our small line-buddy-posse looked down - all our tickets read "311." We held out hope - no word was official yet, and it seemed fishy that a random lottery would have bypassed our whole swath of the street.
Then a megaphone-wielding venue rep confimed the grim news - anybody under a certain number should pack it up and go home. That number began with a 312. Nearly four hours in line and we only had a nice hangover and the beginnings of a sunburn to show for it.
Oh well, the Stones giveth, the Stones taketh away. On the walk back down Wilshire, however the crowd's mood darkened. Some said they spoke with friends who arrived at the last minute at the end of the line - and that seemed to be where most of the winning "312" numbers wound up.
The venue reps on site swore the lottery was entirely random. But after we got back home to sulk, one of our line-waiting-friends called to say he'd gone back, just one last time, just in case he still had a shot. He said the venue, after having sent everyone in line home, was again selling tickets and weren't even checking lottery numbers anymore. He got a ticket and could barely speak from the emotional roller-coaster of it all.
What did we learn from our thwarted day in the Stones line? That secret shows of this caliber are like taking home a date that's way, way out of your league. Don't expect it to happen for you, but if it does, just enjoy it and don't get your hopes up for the future.
Pop & Hiss will have a review of the show later (such are the perks of being Randall Roberts), but for us, it'll be "Exile on Main St." on vinyl and three fingers of bourbon on our couch.
Rolling Stones unveil 2013 world tour
Rolling Stones play surprise club show in Paris
The Rolling Stones shine a light on 'Exile on Main St.' reissue
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Well hello there friends! Let me start by saying "Welcome"!!! We are so glad you're here! Grab a mason jar of wine and we'll tell you a little about ourselves...
It all started in college.
I'm from small town Southern Illinois and Charlie is
a transplant from Northern Illinois. We both attended Southern Illinois University and shared a few classes together. We met, and the rest was history.
I knew Charlie was different from the moment we met. He asked me to decorate his basement bedroom. He lived with 4 other guys and had the largest space. He basically had a bed, a TV, a desk and a bathroom. He got me at "decorate"....
We were married in 2010 and welcomed our baby girl Paisley in April of 2012.
We're your typical small town family. I work with my Dad at our family owned business in my hometown. Charlie is a police officer, also in my hometown. And we live on my family farm ground in a pole barn house we built ourselves.
We started Bonfires and Wine in 2012 as a way of documenting our journey. It's been more fun than we could have possibly imagined! Our goal is to live a happy life, day by day, spending time with family and friends, all while attempting to make our little tin house into a DIY masterpiece we can call a HOME. (As in masterpiece, I mean a budget friendly, trial and error attempt to create some down-home southern beauty!) We learn as we go and we make mistakes, but we have a blast along the way.
Hopefully through this B&W adventure you'll find ideas, inspiration and without a doubt some laughs. Thanks for stopping by!


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Meteorological Aspects of Droughtby Richard L. Eddy, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, United States,
Document Type: Proceeding Paper
Part of: Irrigation and Drainage: Saving a Threatened Resource—In Search of Solutions
This is an overview paper discussing meteorological aspects of drought, and it is part of the report of the Task Committee on Water Management During Droughts. Several drought definitions are discussed in order to develop a practical definition. The statement on drought of the American Meteorological Society is summarized. Several drought indices are discussed, and the Bureau of Reclamation's efforts to develop drought contingency plans are described. Some contributions that meteorologists can make to understanding and resolving drought problems are discussed. Finally, some comments are offered about possible changes in future drought patterns as a result of global warming.
Subject Headings: Droughts | Meteorology | Water management | Terminology and definition | Global warming | Water resources | Bureau of Reclamation | Climates
Services: Buy this book/Buy this article
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Gannon Goodwill Garden to host film event
September 6, 2017
Have you ever had the chance to watch a movie under the stars, minus all the cars and the expensive popcorn? Well, you can have that experience on Thursday when the Gannon Goodwill Garden celebrates its fifth year of existence with an outdoor movie night.
The Gannon Goodwill Garden will be hosting a screening of "Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The event will be a part of this year's "Surviving and Thriving in Uncertain Times" Speaker Series.
According to the American Community Gardening Association's website, the Gannon Goodwill Garden was started in 2013 by a group of students who learned about urban gardening on an Alternative Break Service Trip (ABST) to Detriot. Its goal is to provide fresh produce to be donated to local food pantries. An important part of the Garden is its mason bees, which aid with pollination of the food supply.
The film focuses on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which is the phenomenon of worker bees leaving their hives for no obvious reason and not returning. Because the queen bee and immature bees cannot sustain the beehive on their own, it is eventually lost.
CCD is responsible for the death of millions of bees each year and poses a significant threat to agriculture in the United States and Europe. Today, over 10 years since CCD was first reported, scientists are still trying to find a cause they can agree upon, and the film goes into detail on their studies and attempts to prevent CCD.
Gretchen Fairley, director of Service-Learning at Gannon, has been busy organizing the event and said the film ties in nicely with this year's Speaker Series theme. She said that while many people are afraid of bees, it is important to know just how important they are to our environment.
"The film is a great illustration of how ecosystems are connected, and it also provides a hopeful note about what people can do to support pollinator bees — helping them to survive, and helping ourselves at the same time," Fairley said.
While the film is mainly about raising awareness of CCD, there is more than just one reason for students and faculty alike to attend the event.
"One of the reasons we picked this film is that it is just visually striking — a gorgeous nature film," Fairley said. "And it also has an international perspective — just another way to bring new awareness and perspectives as part of a Gannon education."
The event is free and interested members of the Gannon community are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. They're also encouraged to bring an appetite, as fruit and honey-themed snacks will be provided.
The Gannon Goodwill Garden is located on the corner of West Seventh and Chestnut streets. In the event of rain, the backup location for the film screening will be in Room 104 of the Zurn Science Center. For more information, contact Fairley at [email protected]
"We are excited to open the garden for this event," Fairley said. "It will be a great way to create some 'buzz' about this important issue, and have a fun outdoor screening on campus."
[email protected]


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Veterans Memorial
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians dedicated the new Choctaw Veterans Memorial in Choctaw on Veterans Day, November 11, 2010.
The memorial, located on Black Jack Road south of Geyser Falls Water Theme Park off of Highway 16, was dedicated during a ceremony at the conclusion of the Tribe's Veterans Day Parade. The circular half-wall memorial is made of red granite and the signage on the wall proclaiming "CHAHTA TUSHKA SIAH OKIH - I am a Choctaw Warrior!" is made of cast bronze.
The floor is designed with a sunburst pattern with the Tribal seal of the Mississippi Choctaws in the center. Surrounding the seal are logos of the branches of the U.S. Armed Services. Officials said the memorial is phase I of a future 4.5 acre Choctaw Veterans Park that will be comprised of a plaza containing military artifacts, a wall featuring the names of all Mississippi Choctaw veterans, an open area for presentations and events, and a monument dedicated to Pushmataha.
Members of the Choctaw Tribal Security detail fired a 21-gun salute as Choctaw Central High School senior Bronson Henderson performed Taps. The ceremony was preceded by a parade which started at the Spirit of LIfe Christian Center and ended at the memorial. Over 40 floats and organizations participated in this year's parade.
Serving as grand Marshalls were Choctaw veterans Thelma Barnes and John Clemmons. All Veterans in attendance received tokens of gratitude then took a group photo in front of the memorial to conclude the event.
|List of
Choctaw Veterans
|Veterans Memorial


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What a year the never aging Pharrell Williams is having…and it's only April!
Eben Gregory reports that it was announced via social media that producer/singer/rapper and all around "Happy" fly guy Pharrell will be taking over the Cee Lo Green chair on NBC's singing competition "The Voice" next season.
Check out the announcement below!
To this Pharrell replied,
At this point we're starting to think there really isn't anything this guy can't do….but if he ever gets hard up for ideas for his next big venture…we suggest anti-aging cream! We'd watch that infomercial…look at his gorgeous skin…observe how he barely has even a line or blemish on his face…and call quicker than you can say Nuwave Oven! But we digress!
Good job Pharrell…we wish you the very best of luck on the new gig sir!
What say you? Will you be watching Pharrell as he tries to help contestants "Get Lucky"?
RIP: Frankie Knuckles Godfather Of Chicago House Music Dead At 59
It's Official: Love & Hip Hop New York's Mendeecees Harris Is A Free Man [VIDEO]
RHOA Hype: Porsha Accused Of Beating The Twirl Out Of Kenya For Publicity
UPDATE: Details Emerge On The Shooting Of Love & Hip Hop ATL's Benzino [HOSPITAL PICS]
Love & Hip Hop Star Benzino Shot Multiple Times Leaving His Mother's Funeral
RHOA Drama: Did Porsha Williams Beat The Brakes Off Kenya Moore At The Reunion?
BBWLA Drama: Draya And Sundy Carter Went At It Again On Twitter [TWEETS]
Like TheUrbanDaily.com on Facebook to stay updated with the latest entertainment news and original interviews!
He's Happy: Pharrell Williams Taking Over Cee Lo's Chair On "The Voice" [TWEETS] was originally published on theurbandaily.com


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Here are some resources that will help you learn more about the researcher Jan Hasbrouck, as well as the fields she studied!
Here is a copy of my presentation in PDF format: Jan Hasbrouck- Researcher Presentation
Jan's Video on the Importance of Fluency
Jan's Video on Using Data in Instruction
Here is a link to Jan Hasbrouck's website, where I found some pretty interesting documents information, and ideas! One of the other websites that she contributes to is www.gha-pd.com. Take some time to explore this one, too, especially the "Downloadable Resources" link, and the CCSS Big Sheets!
This is a page that you can print and keep as a reference if desired. It compares Hasbrouck & Tindal (2006) Oral Reading Fluency Norms to the 2016 DIBELS goals for grades 1-3, in case you are interested: DIBELS goals compared to Hasbrouck & Tindal (2006)
One of the several books she coauthored:
Links to some of Jan's articles:
About Fluency: "Drop Everything and Read– but How?" , "Understanding and Assessing Fluency" , and the one she wrote with Tindal in 2006: "Oral reading fluency norms: A Valuable assessment tool for reading teachers"
For Reading Coaches: Student-Focused Coaching


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Hello and welcome to The Fat Kid Inside!
You may have noticed that we've got a whole new layout. This is so you can easily browse new and old content or connect with me with any comments, suggestions, or questions. Feel free to look around, explore, and don't forget to leave your email in the subscription box so you can get updates from me!
One of the major changes we did to the blog was add a contribute page. This is for Weight Loss Inspiration stories or articles commissioned by The Fat Kid Inside team. If you want to share your weight loss story, just click on the "Contribute" button on the bottom of the page and fill up the form! We will no longer accept or publish stories that are not sent through this form.
Weight Loss stories are also inspiring because of the before and after photos that you guys send in along with your stories. We'd love to see how far you've come, and we can't do that without good photos! Your photos have to be clear, well sized (at least 800 px in width, and not more than 1GB in size), and separate: we need at least one photo of you before your journey, and another photo of your after your journey. Keep your photos free of any text, logos, or watermarks so as not to distract from the real star of the pic: YOU!
Make sure you read the Terms of Submission carefully before sending in your submission, and you're good to go. It's that easy, and I can't wait to read your stories and see your progress.
Please leave your comments in the section below each article, or drop me a message in the Contact page. Hearing from you guys makes The Fat Kid Inside community what it is: a community centered on balance, good food, and inspiring stories.
Hope you all enjoy the new blog, and get to submitting those Weight Loss stories! See you guys soon!