text:
Reports, theses, and others

Lortet iris conservation: establishment of new populations of the endemic Lortet iris (Iris lortetii) (a progress report). 2014. In Hebrew

Sapir,N.and Carmel, Y. 2010. Post fire vegetation regeneration in planted pine forests. Ecology & Environment. 3:14-23. In Hebrew.

Mount Carmel: Risk Map vs. 2010 Fire (a map)

Nezer,O.and Carmel, Y. 2010. Automated mapping of Acacia trees in the Arava valley using remote sensing (a report). In Hebrew.

Judaean Mountains fire risk report (2010). In Hebrew

Mount Carmel area fire risk report (2004-2007). In Hebrew

Bar Massada,A. (2008), Mapping and modeling the dynamics of Mediterranean vegetation under various management activities, (PhD dissertation)

Vdov,O. (2013), The linkage between environmental heterogeneity and biodiversity in algal assemblages on the rocky shore, (Master dissertation)

Kent,R. (2010), Relationships between environmental parameters and species composition patterns and their implications for biodiversity surrogates – a multiple scale study, (PhD dissertation)

Nezer,O. (2011), Modeling the distribution of the Asiatic Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus) in the Negev Desert, Southern Israel, (Master dissertation)

Blank,L. (2009), Multiscale analysis of species distriburion pattern(PhD dissertation)

Federman,R. (2010), Potential distribution and monitoring the invasive species “The little fire ant” (Wassmania auropunctata), (Master dissertation)

Liberzon,J. (2011) Seasonal dynamics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in Lake Kinneret: An investigation of fluorescent component changes in relation to microbial and phytoplankton productivity, (Master dissertation)

Segal,B. (2006), Nature Reserve Management for Conservation of the Endangered Species Iris bismarckiana, (Master dissertation)

Jahshan,F. (2010), Mapping fire risk using multiple simulations of fire behavior, (Master dissertation)

Noi Harpaz,G. (2014), Development of a quantitative approach for Environmental Impact Assessment of a desalination plan: Shavei-Zion case study, (Master dissertation)

Carmel, Y., Flather, C., Dean, D. 2006. A Methodology for Translating Positional Error into Measures of Attribute Error, and Combining the Two Error Sources. A Plenary Lecture in: Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Spatial Accuracy Assessment in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Lisbon.


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Xilinx Introduces Virtex-6 FPGA Family

Xilinx, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLNX) introduced a new generation of its flagship Virtex(R) high-performance field programmable gate array (FPGA) family to enable developers of high-performance, compute-intensive electronic systems to build ‘greener’ products under tighter design cycles with lower development costs. At up to 50 percent lower power and 20 percent lower cost than previous generations, the new Virtex-6 FPGA Family delivers the right mix of flexibility, hard intellectual property (IP) cores, transceiver capabilities, and development tool support that enables Xilinx customers to meet the demands of markets with evolving standards and stringent performance requirements in the pursuit of higher bandwidth. With today’s new generation of Virtex series FPGAs, a broader base of system designers will be able to leverage programmable logic in wireless/wired communications, broadcast, and aerospace and defense applications among others.

Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA Family“Competitive forces are driving infrastructure equipment manufacturers to focus on reducing system costs and operating expenses while next-generation applications across the spectrum of electronic equipment take up more bandwidth,” said Semico Research Corp. market analyst Rich Wawrzyniak. “It’s a predicament that developers can overcome by designing programmable logic into their systems for meeting heavy-duty computational requirements, while simplifying and lowering the costs of their systems through integration.”

In related news, Xilinx also introduced its next-generation, low-cost Spartan(R)-6 family (see separate announcement “New Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA Family Brings Low-Power, Connectivity and High-Performance to Cost-Sensitive Electronic Systems”). The company’s Virtex-6 and Spartan-6 FPGA families are the programmable silicon foundation for targeted design platforms from Xilinx and its third-party network that deliver development methodologies and IP for electronic systems manufacturers who require integrated hardware and software programmability to address the financial, market, and technological challenges of today’s economy. Each new family includes development tool and Xilinx Engineering Services support for digital signal processing (DSP), high-speed connectivity, and embedded systems applications.

Built on a 40-nanometer (nm) process using third-generation Xilinx ASMBL(TM) architecture, the Virtex-6 FPGA family is supported by a new generation of development tools and a vast library of IP already available for the Virtex-5 FPGA family to ensure productive development and design migration. Providing 15 percent higher performance and 15 percent lower power consumption compared to competitive 40nm FPGA offerings, the new devices operate on a 1.0v core voltage with a 0.9v low-power option. These advances enable system architects to integrate Virtex-6 FPGAs into their designs to enable ‘green’ central offices and data centers, which is particularly relevant for the telecommunications industry as it implements the next wave of scaling to support demand for internet video and rich media content.

Virtex-6 FPGA Domain Optimization
The Virtex- 6 FPGA family comprises three domain-optimized FPGA platforms that deliver different feature mixes to best address a variety of customer applications:

  • Virtex-6 LXT FPGAs – optimized for applications that require high-performance logic, DSP, and serial connectivity with low-power GTX 6.5Gbps serial transceivers
  • Virtex-6 SXT FPGAs – optimized for applications that require ultra high-performance DSP and serial connectivity with low-power GTX 6.5Gbps serial transceivers
  • Virtex-6 HXT FPGAs – optimized for communications applications that require the highest-speed serial connectivity with up to 64 GTH serial transceivers supporting up to 11.2Gbps

A combination of advanced silicon technology, innovative circuit design techniques, and architectural enhancements enable Virtex-6 FPGAs to deliver significantly lower power consumption, higher performance, and lower cost than previous-generation Virtex devices and competing FPGA offerings.

“With the Virtex-6 FPGA Family, Xilinx continues to advance our efforts to supply the biggest, fastest, and most user-friendly FPGA Boards for ASIC prototypes,” said Mike Dini, President at the DINI Group. “We will set new records for size and speed with boards based on this new generation devices.”

Among the high-performance applications for which Virtex-6 devices are ideally suited are:

Wireless Infrastructure – The higher densities and increased performance of Virtex-6 FPGAs, coupled with optimized IP developed by Xilinx and its third-party network, enable advanced algorithms, such as crest factor reduction (CFR) and digital pre-distortion (DPD), that increase power amplifier efficiency by up to 40 percent. This reduces operating expenses significantly, by as much as $18 million for a typical network operator running 10,000 base stations. Such levels of efficiency also lead to a reduction in carbon emissions of over 31,000 tons and are critical to delivering the ‘green’ base-stations of the future. With exceptional features and industry-leading speed and power performance, Virtex-6 FPGAs make the ideal platform for next-generation 3GPP-LTE and LTE advanced base station development.

Wired Networking – Increased consumption of digital content is straining existing network bandwidth and accelerating development of next-generation applications, such as 40Gbps/100+Gbps line cards, routers, switches, and high-density data ports for data centers. The Virtex-6 FPGA family includes optimized logic ratios, increased performance for wider internal datapaths, and multi-rate transceivers to deliver higher overall throughput at lower latency. Using the Virtex-6 FPGA family customers can implement an OTU (optical transport unit)-4 framing and enhanced forward error correction (EFEC) solution used in core networks. Optimized logic and transceiver ratios enable developers to implement the 100-Gigabit Ethernet (GE) to OTU-4 framer and critical EFEC using Virtex-6 FPGAs. Developers can replace costly, high-risk ASICs, while improving the flexibility of their proprietary, differentiated algorithms to extend the reach of their optical transport without using repeaters. Providing greater than 40 percent lower system power consumption, the Virtex-6 FPGA implementation can be deployed within existing infrastructure and power budgets, thereby dramatically reducing operating expenses.

Broadcast Equipment – Virtex-6 FPGAs provide a fully programmable, cost-effective solution for meeting current and future broadcast requirements, while enabling differentiation through video quality. High-speed serial transceivers support SD/HD/3G-SDI and embedded audio for all types of broadcast applications. Fully integrated support for 10Gbps Ethernet enables bridging between broadcast and telecomm networks allowing fast access and retrieval of stored video content. Increased memory and DSP ratios enable real-time, uncompressed video processing at HD, 2K, and 4K resolutions. Optimized logic ratios and power management enable advanced H.264 and JPEG2000 encoding, all while reducing power and thermal management requirements for any given performance target.

Aerospace and Defense – Aerospace and defense designers are increasingly dependent upon FPGAs for high computational performance and reconfigurable computing in applications ranging from infrastructure communications to electronic warfare and image processing. Virtex-6 SXT FPGAs provide the industry’s highest DSP bandwidth at over 1TMACS, by combining over 2000 advanced DSP slices with optimized ratios of logic, Block RAM, and distributed RAM. This computation bandwidth is augmented by over 450Gbps of serial bandwidth to move data on-chip and off-chip quickly and efficiently. All this computational capability is also fully scalable and optimized to reduce overall system power consumption by over 50 percent compared to previous generation technologies.

Device details and software support are available now through the Virtex-6 early access program. Initial Virtex-6 device samples will be available in the second quarter of 2009. Xilinx targeted design platforms providing fully integrated software support, tested IP, and reference designs with boards and kits will be available in the second half 2009. Xilinx Engineering Services support is also immediately available with engineering resources to augment customer design teams and provide expert design-specific advice and FPGA optimization. For more information, visit www.xilinx.com/services.

To learn more or to get started on new Virtex-6 designs, system architects, system design managers and engineers can visit www.xilinx.com/6 or contact their Xilinx sales representative.

About Xilinx
Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) is the worldwide leader of programmable logic solutions.

XILINX, the Xilinx logo, Virtex, Spartan and other designated brands included herein are trademarks of Xilinx in the United States and other countries. PCI Express is a trademark of PCI-SIG and used under license.

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Contact Edward Charkow

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Sunday, April 1, 2012

Lagos Runs Girl Dies During Marathon Sex With Hausa Man

A bizarre incident changed the mood of the ever-bubbling night life of the Alaba Rago area of Lagos State recently, as one of the top ‘runs’ girl in the zone, Faith Akin, was found dead inside an hotel room in controversial circumstance.
Although Faith was discovered naked with foamy substance on her mouth, there were different accounts of how she died. But an eyewitness said she was likely poisoned shortly before having sexual intercourse with the client.
Another version is that the client, one Nuru, who is now a suspect in her murder, took a local sex stimulant which the deceased couldnot withstand. Yet another version of the unfortunate incident is that Nuru intended to use the dead lady’s virginal fluid for money ritual .
But stating his own side of the story, Nuru who has been detained at the State CID, Yaba, described the allegations against him as false. He opened up that he picked her among the commercial sex workers that beckoned on him that night in the ‘runs’ zone.
Narrating how it happened, the Hausa man said “ I do not know her name like I earlier claimed. But I usually saw her around the area every night. So, that night, I told her I would be needing her all through the night and she billed me N2,000; we checked into the hotel at about 11p.m. I had her twice all through ”.
Asked if he took any sexual enhancer, he shook his head and replied, “ No. I only took Indian hemp. I did not take burantanshi (local sexual enhancer) as speculated .”
When asked at what point he noticed his companion was no longer breathing, he replied: “ I cannot tell because, most times, these girls will just stay calm while you do your ‘thing’. So, I did not know if she was dead . Again, I never had any sinister motive. I was not with any charm, neither did I strangle her. She was the person that undressed herself”.
Nuru maintained that he had done nothing wrong: “If I knew she was dead, at least I would have fled the scene to avoid being arrested. I stayed back because I was not aware. At a point, I thought she was sleeping. Since I have been sleeping with women, a thing like this had never happened to me... Immediately she came in, I gave her N1,000 as part payment , with the intention to pay her the balance in the morning. That has always been the tradition ”.
Back at the deceased home, the atmosphere was one of sorrow. Faith’s mother was shocked at the shameful news she got about her daughter. It was gathered she toldher mother she was going to visit a friend that fateful day but never returned home . Apprehension set in after waiting for two days without any knowledge of her whereabouts, until the shameful news was broken to them through a friend of Faith.
The remains of young lady, who hailed fromIkare-Akoko in Ondo State, have been buriedby her family. As for Nuru, police sources say he may likely appear in court after investigations.

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Honey, I cheated with your checkbook

  • Story Highlights
  • Lying to spouse about spending habits is financial infidelity
  • Women were slightly more likely to be dishonest than men, survey found
  • Secret spending can be indication of a larger problem
  • If you are suspicious spouse is cheating with checkbook -- order a credit report
  • Next Article in Living »
By Diane Mapes
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(LifeWire) -- When Cory Watson, a 23-year-old pharmacy technician from Paradise, California, noticed that a tax refund had been deposited into the joint checking account he maintains with his wife, he did two things. First, he headed to the mall where he quickly spent the $100 on new DVDs. Second, he kept his mouth shut.

Honey, I cheated with your checkbook

"I wasn't trying to be super sneaky about it, but it was kind of like, 'I think I'll head down and buy a couple of things'," he says. "Of course, my wife had no idea that the [money] had even come. She didn't find out until about a month later."

Call it secret spending, checkbook cheating or financial infidelity -- plenty of Americans are guilty of it.

Twenty nine percent of people in a committed relationship admitted to lying to their partner about their spending habits, according to a Harris Interactive survey of 1,796 people ages 25-55.

Women were slightly more likely than men to be dishonest; according to the 2005 survey, 33 percent of women had something to hide, as opposed to 26 percent of men. Video Watch the best way to remain financially faithful »

Secret shopper

Kathy Kitts, a 50-year-old brain development specialist from Germantown, Maryland, says she became a "secret shopper" when she had a part-time job at a clothing store four years ago.

"I would buy stuff and bring it home all the time, although I wouldn't necessarily bring it straight home," she says. "It would end up in the trunk of my car for a while and then in my closet."

Kitts' secret spending habits are fairly typical, says Tina B. Tessina, a Long Beach, California, psychotherapist and author of "Money, Sex and Kids: Stop Fighting About the Three Things That Can Ruin Your Marriage."

"Women tend to buy clothes, make-up and personal indulgences like pedicures, while men tend to hide big-ticket items," says Tessina. "They spend more on gambling and the stock market and fantasy football and porn. They don't hide their spending in the closet; they hide it on the computer."

Impulse vs. addiction

Not surprisingly, secret spending can sometimes be indicative of a larger problem.

Theo Pauline Nestor, a 46-year-old writer, teacher and mother of two from Seattle, Washington, found out her husband was surreptitiously using credit cards to fund a gambling habit that she said eventually cost the couple their marriage.

"He had seven credit cards in his name that were being sent to a different address," says Nestor, who detailed her experiences in the memoir, "How to Sleep Alone in a King-Size Bed." "I had a feeling something was wrong but I pushed it down. Now I tell people to trust their gut, to start asking questions and snooping around."

Tessina estimates 25 percent of the couples she sees for overspending are grappling with addiction issues, which can often cause a person's life to spin out of control.

"Addiction begins to adversely affect your life," she says. "Your spouse leaves you but you still keep doing it."

Normal spending sprees are much more common -- and much less devastating -- although they can still cause problems in a marriage

"If you find your spouse has been sneaking around on you -- and that's what this is -- that messes up your trust," she says. "Your marriage is really a business and if a spouse is secretly spending, that's undermining it in a really serious way. It's like they're embezzling."

It takes two

Daniel Schoonmaker, a 28-year-old public relations executive from Grand Rapids, Michigan, says he wasn't so much a secret spender as a secret charger. Not only did he have $19,000 of debt his fiancée didn't know about (most of it related to a fixer-upper he bought in 2004) he charged more than $20,000 in wedding expenses that she assumed he'd paid in cash.

"Two weeks before the wedding we sat down and started discussing finances," he says. "She knew I had debt but she was surprised to hear how much it was. 'Panic attack' may be a more correct term."

Luckily, Schoonmaker and his new bride, Kristina, a 28-year-old insurance agent, were able to weather the financial maelstrom. The two came up with a budget, stuck by it, and, now, six months into their marriage, they're nearly debt-free. What's more, Schoonmaker says he's given up spending money behind her back.

"Marriage is a partnership," he says. "I don't feel right trying to hide things from her any more."

Lose the financial blinders

Putting a stop to secret spending doesn't necessarily mean giving up all financial independence, says Tessina.

"People still need to be able to breathe, to buy a little fun here and there," she says.

But if one person spends money and isn't able to talk about it with the other, that may be indicative of a larger marital frustration.

"Marriage counseling can help with that," she says. "If it goes deeper, if the person has emotional pain and they're medicating by spending money -- that may require individual therapy." The best medicine all around, though, is to be financially informed, she advises.

How can you avoid the secret spending trap?

• Sit down with your partner once a month to talk about your finances. Don't be afraid to ask where the money is going.

• If you feel like there's something you're missing, order a credit report. You can request a free copy of your credit report once a year at

• If a spouse is indulging too much, don't yell or lecture or blame. Present the problem ("honey, the bills are too high") and try to get them to look at it with you. Running up the credit card doesn't have to destroy a marriage; working through a secret spending habit might just make it stronger.

LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers. Diane Mapes is the author of "How to Date in a Post-Dating World" and writes a column, Single Shot, for the "Seattle Post-Intelligencer."

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Part of complete coverage on

Defterios: Why Egypt's transition from its Arab Spring is so painful

By John Defterios, CNN
updated 10:00 AM EST, Mon January 21, 2013
  • To create jobs, Morsy needs to spark foreign direct investment and tourism, writes Defterios
  • Defterios: Egypt's transition after the ouster of Mubarak is a high stakes experiment in democracy
  • "Egypt will never be bankrupt and will not kneel, God willing," Morsy said, as he closed out 2012

Editor's note: John Defterios is CNN's Emerging Markets Editor and anchor of Global Exchange, CNN's prime time business show focused on the emerging and BRIC markets. You can watch it on CNN International at 1600 GMT, Sunday to Thursday.

(CNN) -- It was January 25, 2011 -- day two of the World Economic Forum -- when the brisk winds of change from Tahrir Square swept through the Swiss Alpine village of Davos.

Just a month before, in Tunisia, a vegetable seller triggered the Arab Spring when he doused himself with petrol and lit himself on fire. He had been frustrated by a sheer lack of opportunity, despite headline economic growth that looked promising on paper.

Tunisia, with a population of just over 10 million, is one matter. Egypt is eight times larger, and 40% of its people live on less than $2 a day.

Egypt's uprising and transition after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak is a high stakes experiment in democracy under the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party. The Brotherhood secured power seven months ago, installing Mohammed Morsy the country's president.

Read more: Egyptians approve new constitution, unofficial results show

Gun crimes on the rise in Egypt
Low vote turnout on Egypt's constitution
Egypt opposition's post-referendum plans
Egyptians take to the polls

"Egypt needs to settle down. Egypt is a very major economy for this part of the world," V. Shankar, CEO of the Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas for Standard Chartered Bank told me. "It's got not only economic influence but a strong political influence, given its relationship with Israel."

Morsy's December gambit to push through a vote on the country's new constitution in the midst of daily, sometimes violent protests in Tahrir Square and surrounding the presidential palace has spooked investors.

Read more: Egypt to reshuffle 10 Cabinet ministries

The best barometer is the Egyptian pound which has come under a new round of intensive selling, hitting a series of record lows at the start of 2013. Foreign reserves, at roughly $15 billion, are less than half of what they were before the uprising began.

With the constitution passing with nearly two thirds majority, the president remains defiant, telling members of the upper house of parliament that the cradle of culture and history has survived much worse challenges in the past.

"Egypt will never be bankrupt and will not kneel, God willing," Morsy said, as he closed out 2012.

Read more: Morsy praises voters as constitution becomes law

To counteract the fall of the Egyptian pound, his party made a plea to the Egyptian diaspora to repatriate some of the $9 billion earned abroad each year -- especially in the Arabian Gulf states -- in a "For you, Egypt" campaign. This is an effort to dampen the fears of currency traders and investors who are climbing a wall of worry and uncertainty.

Foremost on their minds are double digit unemployment, now at 12%, and a budget deficit that nearly matches that. To create jobs, Morsy needs to spark a new round of foreign direct investment and to rebuild tourism traffic. Both have been in very short supply since the uprising.

Too assuage those who say the president is slow in providing a new economic blueprint and security on the ground, Morsy called for a cabinet shuffle and pushed out the ministers of the economy and the interior.

Months of talks with the International Monetary Fund to secure a $4.8 billion loan were postponed by the government after it became clear that in the midst of protests over the constitution, the tasks to pass higher taxes and remove fuel and food subsidies would be near to impossible.

The IMF talks have restarted this month. Until that loan is secured European Union funding of $6.4 billion, and cash guarantees of another few billion dollars from Arab Gulf states, will remain on the sidelines.

Seeing all the uncertainty that has been presented by the new government, ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded Egypt's long-term outlook to "B minus" on the "elevated" risks presented by this transition.

According to the new constitution, parliamentary elections in the main, lower house, must be called two months after that document passed -- so there is a lot of jockeying ahead of a late February vote.

The ultra-conservative Salafist Al Nour party has seen members split off to form their own faction. On the other side of the political spectrum, liberal and secular parties have come together after their drubbing during the constitutional vote.

Robert Malley, director of the Middle East and North Africa for the International Crisis Group, told me the opposition is learning the hard way that "elections do matter" and that hitting the streets in violent protest does not always lead to change.

But Malley said after being an underground movement for three decades, the Muslim Brotherhood also needs to adjust its ways if it wants to succeed in this nascent democracy.

"Those in power will have to learn that even though they had a majority at the ballot box , it does not mean they get to decide everything," he said.

Until that time, according to Middle East analysts, Morsy and his new party will face continued pressure on the streets from those who sparked the Arab Spring and from outside investors who yearn for stability.

Part of complete coverage on
updated 8:08 AM EST, Wed January 23, 2013
Global policymakers, leading thinkers and key entrepreneurs are gathering in Davos. CNN brings you the latest news, views and musings live.
updated 1:19 PM EST, Fri January 25, 2013
Free trade, transparency and a crackdown on tax cheats will be at the heart of Britain's G8 presidency, Prime Minister David Cameron told the World Economic Forum in Davos.
updated 1:15 PM EST, Fri January 25, 2013
Walk the halls of Davos and you're bound to bump into celebrities, heads of state and even princes and princesses.
updated 6:55 AM EST, Fri January 25, 2013
The mayor of London says a controversial vote for the British people whether to stay in the European Union is all part of democracy.
updated 1:20 PM EST, Fri January 25, 2013
A top European Union official says there's no need for Britain to make threats to leave the union in order to reform its membership.
updated 1:20 PM EST, Fri January 25, 2013
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga says his country will not negotiate with al Qaeda-linked Somali militants who have threatened to kill Kenyan hostages unless Nairobi releases all Muslims charged with terrorism.
updated 7:05 AM EST, Sat January 26, 2013
LeWeb founder Loic Le Meur is looking to "digital hippies" as a potential theme for his next conference.
updated 9:59 AM EST, Mon January 28, 2013
The head of Airbus says the European aviation giant will take care to learn from its own mistakes -- and rival Boeing's -- ahead of the launch of its new widebody A350 aircraft.
updated 5:40 AM EST, Wed January 23, 2013
As extreme weather events cost the global economy billions each year, the "neglected" risk of climate change seems to be rising to the top of the agenda, Andrew Steer writes.
updated 8:42 AM EST, Wed January 23, 2013
Economic empowerment offers a win-win scenario for Saudi Arabia and its women, Mounira Jamjoon writes.
updated 6:54 AM EST, Wed January 23, 2013
The recession in Europe is entering its fifth year and unemployment doesn't look like it will be returning to normal levels anytime soon.
updated 8:24 AM EST, Tue January 22, 2013
What has been made clear by current events and financial upheavals since 2008 is that the global economy has become truly that -- global.
updated 9:58 AM EST, Mon January 21, 2013
On July 1, 2013 the 27-nation European Union will become 28. But is the Adriatic country ready to join Europe's elite club?


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Craig MacTavish insists Edmonton Oilers on right path: "We're way further ahead in my mind."

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Edmonton Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish. (Photo: Andy Devlin/Getty Images)

Edmonton Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish. (Photo: Andy Devlin/Getty Images) Bruce Edwards / Edmonton Journal

Key quotes from the Craig MacTavish press conference: “This (coaching) staff really started to function well at the end of the year. I mean, it was chaos early. Absolute chaos.”

Oilers GM Craig MacTavish held a year-end presser, starting off with the expected comments, that the team hadn’t met expectations this year, but everyone in the organization is still committed to winning a Stanley Cup. The culture of the organization is to bring in hard-working, competitive “character” people.

This is exactly what the 13 other NHL GMs who didn’t make the playoffs are now telling their fans.

As for specifics, MacTavish gave a stay-the-course kind of message, with no promise of any bold moves, though he did talk about adding a “high-end” d-man.

On Eakins: “This is the right coach to lead us.”

“I’m more confident in my decision to hire Dallas Eakins than the day I hired him,” MacTavish said. “I’m more convinced that this is the right coach to lead us into much more successful times. … Time will prove that this coach was a very good hire for our organization. I really feel like he’s the guy to add the cultural elements, and police the cultural elements, that are necessary to build the quality team that we’re trying to build.

“The thing I like about Dallas is he’s relentless. The messaging, in spite of the ups and downs, and the difficult times the team has had through the course of the year, the messaging has all stayed the same. … It’s quite clear to me in watching the development of our group over the last 30 games or so that the players are buying into the leadership from our head coach.

“He’s got a ton of confidence and you need that confidence level to do the job in today’s NHL.”

MacT: “We’re way further ahead in my mind.”

MacTavish refused to look at how many games Eakins would be given this coming year to improve the team, saying that he was not planning for failure. “I’m very optimistic, very bullish about the future of this team. There’s been a lot of pain and suffering, but at the end of the day the failure gives us great opportunity to continue to get better. We’ll get another piece this year (in the draft). We’re way further ahead in my mind. I know that is debatable. You can analyze that and draw your own conclusions. But in my mind we’re way further ahead right now than we were at this point last year.”

Former coach Ralph Krueger's assistant coaches Kelly Buchberger (centre) and Steve Smith (right) have two other things in common -- both were terrific late round draft choices by the Edmonton Oilers, and both contributed to multiple Stanley Cup winning Oiler squads.

Former coach Ralph Krueger’s assistant coaches Kelly Buchberger (centre) and Steve Smith (right)

MacTavish on Asst. Coaches: “We have the right coaches in place.”

MacTavish said he’d sit down with Eakins in a week or so to talk about the rest of the coaching staff. “But my sense is we have the right people. We have the right coaches in place.”

MacTavish said it was Eakins’ decision on the asst. coaches, not anyone else’s decision.

On Asst. Coaches Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger, MacT said:  “I really feel (Smith) he’s developing into an exceptional coach. He’s got great rapport and Kelly Buchberger, for all the things he does and the cultural piece that he adds, that gives us a little bit of a tie to a much more successful era. … Kelly Buchberger has a lot of great traits that he adds to this hockey club, but ultimately it’s the head coach’s decision.

“I feel they’re the right piece but he’s got to feel that they’re right. I really feel that this staff really started to function well at the end of the year. I mean, it was chaos early. Absolute chaos. There was disappointment. There was negativity in the coach’s room.”

Things stabilized by the end of the year, MacTavish said. “The easiest piece to get rid of would be the assistant coaches but they function well in a group. The far bigger part of this are the player personnel decisions that I have to make to support their job to make them look a whole lot more effective.”

MacTavish said his own job is to support the coaches, most importantly by bringing in people that fit the culture of the team and can improve on the group.

MacTavish said he and Asst. GM Scott Howson are looking to make the right personnel moves. “We need a few pieces that could really move this thing along.”

On the defence: “If we have to go young, we go young.”

MacTavish: “I would like to add a very high-end defenceman. I wouldn’t be alone with 29 other General Mangers in that objective but  to me, I won’t be adding anything in the middle. If I can get something that can move the dial  of our team from the back-end I’ll be involved in those discussions and consider that.

“If we get something that makes sense, we’ll make that change. I’ve got some specific personnel pieces and objectives in mind. I won’t be adding anything middle of the road to this defence corps.

“Everybody had a pretty good idea of Oscar Klefbom’s ability at the end of this year. He was outstanding, as was Justin Schultz, as was Martin Marincin, Jeff Petry — for some of the criticism that he took at times, had a career year in a lot of statistical categories. He’s a developing player as well.”

“There’s a lot of optimism internally and I would hope externally with the core group of defenceman that we have. So if we have to go young, we go young.”

On the core group:  “Those guys have to feel they’re the Edmonton Oilers.”

MacTavish mentioned Justin Schultz, Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins by name. “Those guys have to feel they’re the Edmonton Oilers and they have the responsibility to drive this core for many years.”

As for Schultz, a restricted free agent, MacTavish said he’d be open to a long-term deal or a bridge contract. “It will be dependent really on what Justin wants to do… His upside is limitless. And so I have a lot of confidence, and would have the confidence, to extend Justin on a long-term deal.”

On the coming top draft pick: No consensus top pick.

MacTavish said he’ll listen to all offers for the top pick. The team could get a top centre or a top d-man in the draft, he said, or through a deal.

There’s no consensus top pick. “It’s more individual preference right now in the top group of four or five players. I think if you had ten scouts you might have ten different lists on how they rate one-through-five or one-through-four.”

On Yak: “We’re committed to developing Nail.”

MacTavish said at no time did the team think of sending Nail Yakupov to Oklahoma City.

He said a lot of great players have struggled in their sophomore years and the team is looking for Nail to improve. “He’s getting bigger and stronger and sending Nail to Oklahoma City was never in the cards.

“We’re committed to developing Nail.”

When Yakupov was drafted, he was targeted as an offensive phenom. “We felt he was very deserving of being the number one pick. We felt that his upside was maybe higher than Ryan Murray… We drafted him for the right reasons. We still believe he’s going to be a great goal scorer, and there’s a premium on goal-scoring…There’s lot of upside in Nail.

“He was a very legitimate number one pick and we still feel that we made the right decision.”

MacTavish says the UFA market for d-men is week this year, with all teams signing their d-men. “There aren’t very many high-end defencemen that are getting to the market.”

MacTavish said veteran d-man Andrew Ference is currently the best choice to be team captain. “He’s got a lot of the qualities that we hold in high esteem.”

He’s a great family man, excellent in the community and an “extremely-hard working individual, and that’s the type of guy that we want, and he’s going to have  great residual benefit on all those core members in terms of teaching them and modelling for them what leadership looks like. And they will be the captain. Somebody in that group will be the captain in the not too distant future, but it’s not next year.”

 My take?

As always, MacTavish was well-spoken, direct and made a lot of sense.

But, as he says, talk is cheap, words are cheap.

It’s all about winning, this team has failed to do so, so major change is needed.

A new second-line centre is needed. Sam Gagner isn’t the answer there. And a top-pairing d-man is needed. Both things are hard to find, but the draft will indeed fill one hole, though maybe not for next season.

My own belief is that this team needs better teachers on the coaching staff, but, of course, that has to be left up to Eakins. I’m basing my assessment on the lack of development of puck sense and positional awareness of key players, but it’s evident MacTavish is seeing more positive signs than I am. I hope I’m wrong and he’s right, and that this team is better than I believe it is, and that the core players advanced more than I was able to perceive.

It’s also true that failure can be a huge motivator, and all of the coaches and Oilers players should have massive motivation to rethink their approach this summer, figure out what’s going wrong, and come back committed and with better ideas and renewed motivation.

Links to NHL Rinks

Staples: This team deserves a grade of “D,” as do most of the players

Staples: Should Trotz or Eakins coach Oilers next year?

Staples: Who should the Oilers cut? Here’s what the numbers say …

Staples: Ekblad might not be a “franchise” player, Sabres GM says

Willis:  Player grades in Ryan Smyth’s final NHL contest

McCurdy: Reflecting on Smyth’s great Oilers career

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.


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What Was The COALGATE Scam: We Demystified It For You

The coal allocation scam, or ‘Coalgate’,  is a hugely unpopular political scandal that engulfed the UPA government in it’s recently concluded tenure. The scam gained attention after the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) found the government to be accused of allocating 194 coal blocks to public and private enterprises for captive use in a flawed manner between 2004 and 2009.

Coal reservoir of an old steam locomotive

A huge percentage of India’s electricity is produced by coal-based thermal power plants.

Coal was nationalized in India and Coal India Ltd was given sole rights to extract coal. However, it has failed to supply required quantities of coal by various sectors in the nation.

In 2004, UPA decided that since Coal India was incapable of producing sufficient coal, thus a certain quantity of coal blocks shall be allocated to private companies.

Also read: Are The Results Of Elections Decided By Us Or Pre-Decided? – Demystifying EVMs

The basis of the scandal was that the government suffered a huge loss and private companies enjoyed windfall gains because the government’s policy of allocating coal blocks was allegedly unclear and non-transparent.

The government did not introduce the process of competitive bidding. It also came to light that many politicians lobbied for allotment to certain private players raising question marks over crony capitalism. The coal blocks were allotted arbitrarily instead of through a fair and square manner of bidding.

The CAG also alleged that private entities got more coal blocks than needed for their operations and several companies sold coal meant for self-use in the open market which was against the rules.

The government in its defense said that the delay in introducing the auction process was due to a coalition government.  It also mentioned that opposition states opposed the auction process. Moreover, an auction can lead to higher prices hurting consumers which would never be its objective.

Former Coal Secretary P C Parakh informed the CBI  that the PM  overruled his call for auctions and continued arbitrary allotments of blocks.

As many as 157 files which are of utmost importance for the CBI have gone missing including those containing information of allocation records, etc.

The final report by the CAG  put the loss at around Rs. 1.86 lakh crore to the government.

The coal scam is a blot in our history and one can only hope and pray that the culprits are caught and such kind of daylight burglary isn’t repeated again.

Image credits- Google Images

Other Recommendations:

Someone Made 3700 Crore With A ‘Facebook Likes’ Scam: All About It Here

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Olympics

The Olympics are this summer!!

 My husband has informed me that opening ceremonies are this Friday (July 27th).  I'm trusting he's correct.  I barely know what day it is lately due to being holed up in our office trying to map out the school year and our first week's assignments.  Our school year is coming up all too quickly.

Events such as the Olympics are great learning opportunities.  I try to take advantage of them whenever I can.  Here are a couple of links to some learning materials related to the Olympics.

Tinyme.com has some printables available including a medal count tally, a game, personalized medals, and opening ceremony bingo cards.

Currclick has lots of Olympic related items available.  Their site says that there are 12 free country studies hidden on the site - just find them and they're yours!  Click the "Olympic Sale" button on the left to see various Olympic themed products for sale, some for less than $1.

NBC is airing the Olympics this year.  Here is a link to their page where you can find schedules, news, medal counts, information on the US athletes, and more.

Here is the official Olympic website.  There you can find information on each sport, more about the host country and city, the gist on those odd mascots, and much much more.  This is a very handy website to bookmark and refer back to while watching the games.

Homeschoolshare has a free unit study available including some printables to use related to the 2012 Olympics.  Note that this is a very basic unit study with a recommended reading list and printables.  The rest is up to you.

Remember, you don't have to make the kids sit, read, and write to get them to appreciate the games.  Watching the competition is sometimes the best teacher.  Or, get out and have your own Olympics.  I was recently reminded of the year we did an Olympic unit study.  We ended our study with our own little Olympics at the park including a torch relay (made of a paper towel tube and construction paper) several events that we made up, medals, and a closing ceremony that included a cake with M&M's on it to look like the Olympic flags / rings.

Let the games begin!!

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New Moon Trailer.......You're Welcome

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Kristen Goes Dark

Kristen Stewart is finally showing off her full Joan Jett hairdo for The Runaways! After a few days of hiding it underneath hoodies or in ponytails, Kristen Stewart debuted her dramatic new look as she arrived at the studio today. Across the country, Robert was keeping his familiar hair hidden too with his cute hats. Kristen looked every bit the rock star right down to her t-shirt which she knotted up in her new trademark style. So what do you think of Kristen's new look - into it or missing Bella's Twilight locks already?

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Lauren's Bite 100th Post Week!

First off....congrats girlie!!

Check out Lauren's Bite (click on pic) for details on how to enter for the necklace giveaway.

You're welcome ;D

Monday, June 1, 2009

Elizabeth Reaser

I loved her in Grey's Anatomy.

I love her way more in Twilight.

She, in my opinion, is the perfect Esme. She has that warm, friendly, loving, playfulness about her.

Elizabeth, Ashley & Kellan talk about their nominations, how this year's experience differs from last year's

Sunday, May 31, 2009

MTV Movie Awards Interviews

I have to admit that the Twilight Saga is the best thing that has happened to me. The feeling I got when I first saw Twilight....I will never forget. I felt empowered, like I have a shot of getting something that good. I feel like Bella 100% when reading the books/watching the movies. Edward is mine and I couldn't be happier. Now I know that's not real life....but it's a nice dream.
I have a best friend that told me when she reads the books she acts like she's single and that she's Bella with Edward. I thought that was awesome!
I was excited for the MTV Movie Awards.
I don't, won't and will not apologize for expressing my love for the Twilight saga on this blog. I don't think most of you mind as we share the same OCD. ;)
Here are a few interviews and as I'm sure you didn't miss the New Moon trailer under the header picture. (It's stayin there for awhile)

Friday, May 29, 2009

Filming Sneek from Radar

Check THIS out from Radar.
It is a bit shaky but I'll take it.

Sneak Peekin

I am sure most of you have seen this.
Watch it
November 20th......where are you

Go HERE to see.

You're Welcome

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Yellow Porsche

For those of you with the time you know Alice "borrows" the yellow Porsche. Here are a few shots from Twilight Italia.

Twilighters Italia has exciting news! They found Alice's Yellow Porsche! Alessandra writes:
Today our forum mods were in Montepulciano and look what they've found: Alice's Yellow Porsche! At the beginning our loved racing car was covered by a grey robe, but our indefatigable facilitator/ moderator, suspicious of the dimensions and by the chromed wheels, have began questioning people around. Mauro Pellegrini the owner of the tow truck, had orders by the production not to uncover the car, but after explaining him who they were to his boss, our heroines have even been invited to remain till the end of the shooting!!The big man you can see in some pictures is one of the stuntmen. He had an Alice wig, a bandana, a couple of elbow high red gloves, and seemingly from far he actually looked like our loved little vampire/pixie Mauro secretly told us that there are two yellow Porsche in Montepulciano, placed in different places of the town. As they were not exactly identical, one had yellow brake pad cover and another had them red, Production was willing to spend to the incredible amount of €5800 PER PIECE to have them all red!!! Luckily they found out a way to paint them, but this episode says a lot on how high is this movie's budget!!! The helicopter we told you about ealier, has kept low-flying whole day long filming aerial of the main square.. The fountain is not finished yet, so probably this was a rehearsal or shooting for the DVD's extra-contents . It also flown over where the Porsche was, so probably we'll see some Twilighters on the big screen : our Marghe's car has been filmed by Alice's car!! We are honoured!! Check out a video over at Twilighters Italia as well. Cool beans.


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Friday, May 8, 2015

I usually draft on the computer, but sometimes you need to hammer out some props drawings on the train. These are preliminary sketches to send to a props master at Casa Manana in Fort Worth Texas for a production of BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY.

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Sunday, September 21, 2014

Hahah glad things are picking up for y'all back home cause we're wayy happier when we're me I know haha This past week flew by like no other. I judge weeks by emails home and it seems like just yesterday that I emailed all of you!

Some quick noteable experiences (I wanted to say highlights but as you'll see that word just doesn't work here).  I ran over a kid, I woke up with a rat on my face, started dating an old lady, burned all the hair off my arm, ah and an entire unit forgot I just got here because my language is good, and had one of the happiest weeks of my mission. I think I could probably just leave it at that but I think I'll explain a little bit.

So the thing is here kids will all be in a huge group playing in the street and then they'll part when people need to go through. Except for the missionaries they don't part. They run full sprint at us trying to give us high fives, especially me cause I'm white (actually more brown/tan and I can say that pretty confidently now.)  I, of course, have mastered riding no hands through the pack so I can give high fives on both sides...well on Wednesday a little kid decided to wait until the last possible second and then dart in front of me and just stand there to greet me and hence got hit, big time. Wasn't injured but he got a nice scare being pushed by my tire till I could stop and of course his Dad having seen this grabs him and gives the crying kid a couple wacks with a stick for being stupid. The whole thing has me scratching me my head.

Matiare likes to make everything into a trash can and so thus there is a lot of trash all over the house and thus a lot of rats. In case you've all forgotten, I have a keen fear that a rat's gunna eat my feet and I've only recently started sleeping with my feet uncovered. Of course a rat found a hole in my mosquito net and climbed on my face for some reason. You could say I woke up with quite a scare in the middle of the night, pitch black and knowing there was a rat somewhere in my bunga (mosquito net).  Didn't lose the soles of my feet though so that's good.

We got new Kiribati song books so I've been handing them out to everyone and writing a little note to each person with my name when I give it to them. Haha I gave one to this one lady named Taouea (T ow way ya) I baptized a couple weeks ago and I wrote "Man Pettingill, Tangirau"  From Pettingill-- my love.  Everyone quickly found out about it and we've been laughing ever since and making jokes.

Burned the trash the other day in our trash can. Turns out it got really hot because when I went to put a piece of metal on it to keep the smoke and flames down, I passed the bottom of my arm over it and instantly every single one of my hairs on the bottom side got singed off. It was a very interesting and weird experience haha.

Went to church the other day and the unit leader said "We've been wondering where you've served before because none of us can remember you telling us?"  Haha I laughed and reminded them that this was my first place and then they were all like "Ohh yeah we remember you just getting here and not knowing too much. Wow you learn quick unlike the other missionaries before"...It felt really good to know that my hard work and straight immersion have really paid off in my language!

This last week I realized that stressing about things like working harder isn't going to change anything and it just builds up and then escapes in a moment of depression.  Well, really focusing on not stressing has helped my positive attitude to have a lot less holes in it, and I really enjoyed this past week and it went by very fast.

Anyways, love you all. Live your best so you can take the best road in all of those available for you that have been prewritten by a loving Heavenly Father, because it leads to so much joy!

Elder Pettingill (the Younger)

P.S. Got two more packages today! haven't opened them yet but they were totally unexpected and very warmly welcomed ;) haha thank you sooo much!

P.S. looks like pictures still don't work

Have you been able to explore the island yet?  we have and I forgot to take pictures because we were tracting/looking for people.  But we found these crazy bush like things and a sweet beach and there is a small island close to Beru that I would like to go one of these days. Oh and we're going to the place where people get the bocaboca this week so I'll let you know about that.

Will you walk or take a boat to the island?  We'd be able to walk out to it. Boats are off limits unless specifically authorized

Does you companion have someone to email or does he just study while you email?  He does. He's great and by the way my times up. We're gunna go head to whatever Matiare leads I guess. haha He's very dominate about Pdays turns out. Im fine, I just want to relax I'm so tired. haha Love you all and see y'all in a week!

Groups of Kiribati kids

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Tuesday, November 17, 2015

November 17, 2015 ~ Week 10 First letter from Finland

I believe it is week 10 becaue I could not send an email home last week due to traveling. But I have finally made it Finland! Whoop whoop! But first things first there are no apostraphes on the key boards here so thats why it looks kind of funny. Also there is no spell check so please be patient, also this is a no judging zone!:) And the most important rule, Finland has super strict privacy laws so that means I cant share much info about people. Basically the rule is if someone were to read this letter and be able to tell who I was talking about in Finland its to specific so things will be pretty general. But now lets get to the goodies!
They say the temptations are really hard before you leave for your mission but they said nothing about it during your mission! For example my brothers put T. Swift, Glee, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra on my iPod so now I have to fight that constant temptaion for two years. Another example is that on the plane ride from Dallas to London each seat has a tv in it, and on the tv were games and music and also free movies and tv shows. Talk about temptation, putting that right infront of me for 8 constant hours with a nice little remote to hold in my hand. But let it be know I did not cave, I just watched the plane move ever so slowly across the US, the ocean and finally into England, adn then watched it circle England for a while too, but hey the food was good so thats a plus! And then we get to Finland! We land it looks kind of cloudy, no big deal and then we walk out to cars after meeting President Watson and His wife and the APs and it was dark out, like midnight dark. i take a peak at my watch and its only 5pm no big deal. haha! But I only have 7 minutes left and a lof to cover. So I am in Lahti! They call it the Chicago of Finland, but its nothing like Chicago! its super safe and clean! No trash anywhere! And we have 6 awesome investigators, one of which is going to be baptized not this Saturday but the next so the work is moving right a long in Lahti! And who says we dont baptize here!? About half of our investigators only speak English so thats way nice and the other half dont, they speak Finnish so thats cool too! I dont understand a thing people say to me but thats alright my companion understands it and then he gives me back the information in censored form. haha! People here dont look at you, if you try to talk to them they just walk by like they didnt hear you, and they may not actually hear us because some have headphones in but its all good! We have have a few potentials and thats good. weve had some interesting food due to the lack thereof in our apartment but dont worry that problem is fixed today! Well Im out of time and I will write more next week! I love you all! Keep working hard!

New Rad bike.

Sisters in Lahti and Elders of Hemanlinaa.

View outside Kyle's first apartment.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Sunday, November 8, 2015

November 5, 2015 ~ Heading to Finland!

Oh boy, in four short days I will be in Finland! Can you believe that? We fly out at 11:30ish from SLC to Dallas, then from Dallas to London and then we arrive Tuesday afternoon in Helsinki at 4:10! It's about a 20 hour day of travel. We will leave the MTC at 6:30 monday morning the 9th! Time sure has flown! But i can't begin to explain how excited/nervous/scared/stoked/every emotion there is! That's how I am feeling! The language is still hard and I continue to make funny little mistakes in our lesson that makes our teacher break character because it's so funny. For example, we were teaching the 10 commandments and our investigator had a question on why coveting was so bad. I had never thought about it so I didn't have an answer for her, so I gladly gave the reigns to my companion. He wanted to say something like, when we begin to want what other have we begin to not be grateful for what we have and we end up hating what the other person has. Although he forgot the word for hate, so without thinking I told him the word haiste, but when I said it it didn't sound right, but I shrugged it off. Well anyways he said haiste which means stinky. So in turn he was saying when we covet we become stinky. Not sure how doctrinally sound that was, but hey our investigator got a laugh. Anyways the word for hate is vihata, not sure how I mixed them up but hey, I now have another good story to tell!

Since this is our last week in the MTC things became super busy real fast, suddenly remembering that all the stuff I had to get done before I left. So we've been busy running to the dry cleaners, getting pants hemmed, getting stuff laminated but that has also made it fun because I got to do something other than my normal schedule! Yesterday we got to direct traffic for the new missionaries coming in which was fun but it made it more fun that we got to wear our winter apparel! It was a little chilly outside, not to bad, but we still took advantage and broke out the hats, scarves, gloves and I got to wear a nice neon green coat that really brought out my eyes;) And they trusted me with a radio, so I got to have some nice conversations with other people from my district while directing traffic, watching poor mothers crying driving away. I have been here 8 weeks and it's still hard to watch missionaries parents drive away when they are crying but we must go forth in a righteous cause! I also saw Elder Nick Lutes from good ole' Ephraim get dropped off so that was fun to see him along with Elder Mackey!

Umm not much else has happened except for the fact one day we were up in our residence changing after gym and others were showering and the lights went out. Not only did the light go out but the fire doors closed too. That was pretty funny to see one of the British Elders in my zone going to Albania, run like the wind to grab the door before it closed because he thought he was going to be locked out or something. But all is well and he wasn't locked out! But the Elders in the showers we a little scared considering that you couldn't see your hand infront of your face it was so dark! So they had fun trying to get out of the bathroom!
Oh boy that's about it, I'm just happy to be here and happier to leave to go to my assigned mission in Finland! I look forward to hearing from you! Love you all!

Vanhin Robison

This is our district with an Elder from Finland who is going to Sweeden that we've talked a lot with. Elder Mortunen (back row, with glasses next to the tall blondy)

MTC Traffic Squad

My Notebook on the Left and My MTC companions on the Right

My Bed on the Bottom and My MTC companions on the Top.  Complete opposites!

President Garr our MTC Branch President

That's ME ~ Elder Robison

October 29, 2015 ~ Week 7! Boy oh Boy!

October 22, 2015 ~ Week 6!

October 15, 2015 ~ Miracles!

Sunday, October 11, 2015

October 8, 2015 ~ Week 4!

October 1, 2015 ~ Week 3!

September 24, 2015 ~ Week 2

September 17, 2015 ~ Week 1

September 10, 2015 ~ I'm Alive!

Hello Mom,

I am alive and well! I am loving every minute here! It's awesome and I love you guys so much and miss you as well! Although I try not to think about that! MY P-day is Thursday so next Thursday I will be emailing home a more lengthy email with detail! Until then hei hei! The church is true!
Vanhin Robison


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Spring 2016 UPDATE

Our 2016 Fall Newsletter – Download for later Michigan Elder Law, Accettura & Hurwitz, download our newsletteror read it now online.Michigan Elder Law, Accettura & Hurwitz, read our newsletter online

News About Us

As is our custom, this semiannual correspondence is intended to keep you abreast of developments in estate and elder law. The following is a brief summary of noteworthy developments since our last communication:

P. Mark Accettura with his family in PortugalMark and his family take an annual family vacation. In December they went to Portugal. With Mark in Porto (the home of Port wine) are his lovely wife Amy, and their sons, Evan, Austin, and Alex. Austin (sunglasses) is a second-year law student at Western Cooley and intends to join the practice in 2018.

Sam Hurwitz in the Wizzard of OzSam Hurwitz appeared in the musical “The Wiz” in January as the Head Monkey. You wouldn’t want a subordinate monkey as your Attorney, would you?

becky coyle in memphisBecky Coyle attended a VA seminar in Memphis Tennessee to keep abreast of changes in the Aid and Attendance benefit. While there she took time to visit with Hunka Hunka Burning Love, Elvis.

Wendy's elderly pony SamTo celebrate the end of winter, Wendy’s elderly pony Sam (no relation to Hurwitz) paused his search for spring grass at Wendy’s home in Howell to allow their first “selfie.”

Our office manager, Kim Rapp, is currently training for another IronmanOur office manager, Kim Rapp, is currently training for another Ironman which will take place on July 24, 2016 in Lake Placid, NY. This time she hopes to cross the finish line a Kona Qualifier. If she does qualify, she will be competing in the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 8, 2016.

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Cannibal's Prion is disease that can be caught from eating the Beating Heart in the Mehrunes' Razor official plug-in.

Cannibal's Prion can be cured by:

Start a Discussion Discussions about Cannibal's Prion

  • Cannibal's Prion Disease

    3 messages
    • That is supposed to say "Cure Disease" sorry.
    • I would say, if you can, fall back to a prior save.  I'm not sure how long you've had said disease, though, so that might be a l...


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Sunday, November 09, 2008

"Hens set"

I can't resist one more Isaac Bassett story, a wonderful little recollection about Senator Thomas Hart Benton:
Benton, he took a prominent part in the deliberation of the Senate. Few public measures were discussed that he did not participate in. He was distinguished for his iron will. As a public speaker, he was not interesting. Senator Benton was the author of the expunging resolution, which I was an [eye]witness to in the Senate. He was distinguished for his learning, he had a practical mind and a strong memory. As a public speaker he was not interesting, but his speeches were read with great interest and his influence was widely felt.

I remember on one occasion when I was quite a boy, he wanted to see a friend who was on the floor of the Senate and requested me to find him. I found him and pointed him out on one of the sofas. I made use of the word “setting,” instead of “sitting.” He stopped and put his hand on my head and said, “My boy, don’t say that again, hens set.”

About the illustration:
A caricature of Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton, as an insect rolling a large ball "Expunging Resolution" uphill toward the Capitol. The print employs Benton's own metaphor of rolling a ball for his uphill campaign to have a March 1834 Senate censure of then-President Andrew Jackson stricken from the Senate journal. The censure had condemned Jackson's removal of federal deposits from the Bank of the United States as exceeding the President's constitutional power. In the cartoon Benton says, "Solitary and alone and amidst the jeers and taunts of my opponents I put this Ball in motion." The quotation comes from Benton's 1834 speech given in the Senate, stating his intention to move to expunge the censure. Benton's campaign earned him scorn from the opposition and, initially, little support from friends of the administration. But his resolution was finally passed in January 1837. The cartoon must have appeared shortly after the successful vote, for the ball is inscribed with a "List of the Black Knights," which names the twenty-four senators who voted for the resolution.

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The Sun Folk were the first of the other tribes to be discovered by Cutter and the Wolfriders.

They are a secluded, peaceful community of farmers settled in the desert oasis of Sorrow's End. Their beginnings lie also with a small group of the Firstcomers, who traveled deep into the barren desert before they too made a home on the World of Two Moons. Savah, their Mother of Memory, was a mere child at the time of the Firstcommer's arrival to the desert and is a link to the Sun Folk's distant heritage. After the Wolfriders' settlement in Sorrow's End, some of them remained behind after Cutter embarked on his quest - Woodlock, Rainsong and their family, more attuned to the peace and harmony of the desert than the harsh, dangerous life of the woods, and also Dart, who, having taught them the secrets of hunting and self-protection, went on to lead a new generation of Jack-Wolfriders born of the village.

The Sun Folk are the most advanced tribe amongst the elves at the time of the Original Quest. They are an iron age civilization, who know the art of metalsmithing softer materials such as gold, copper and silver, although they lack the ability to smelt other metals. [1]

They are the only tribe that practices agriculture, and they subsist primarily off of planted fields and small game. Hunting was not common amongst them until Rayek begins hunting as a child. [2] They have domesticated animals, and are well-practiced in creating cloths such as silk. They are the only tribe shown to build their homes rather than shape them, and they create their huts out of sun-dried bricks. [3]

The Sun Folk practice a form of breeding outside of Recognition called Initiation. It appears to be an early form of Recognition induction, as it's stated to work only rarely.

Trial of HeartEdit

Major Sun VillagersEdit

Elfquest Poster 5 by tmntfan1

""All known Sun Villagers can be found under the category.""

Leetah Rayek Savah Shushen: the lovemate of Dart and a jackalrider. Deceased as of (issue #).

Rootless OnesEdit

"Yurek the Rock Shaper became our leader and our salvation. He urged us into the desert, vowing that he would protect us with his powers. By day we slept, protected from the all-consuming sun, within shelters summoned from the sand by Yurek. When evening-light fell, Yurek would dissolve the shelter he had made, and he would summon water for us to drink from the rocks deep under the ground. Then we would walk all through the night, five tiny fragments of life in a barren wilderness. Only one thought cheered us. We knew humans could not exist in such a place."

The Rootless Ones were the ancestors of the Sun Villagers. They were presumably descendents of the High Ones rather than High Ones themselves: their tribe was made up of thirty elves when Savah was first born, by which point they had already established themselves as hunters.

They were hunter-gatherers and lived in a vast forest, where they waged a perpetual war against the humans. When Savah was twelve years old, several tribes of humans banded together to drive the elves out of the forest. Of the thirty original Rootless Ones, only five survived: Savah, Hasbet, Yurek and Dreen.

They decided, in order to escape the humans, to flee the forest. First they travelled to the west, until they reached the mountains. Discovering that humans inhabited these lands as well, they headed south, led by Yurek. [4]

They may have been an offshoot of the Gliders who chose to remain outside of the Blue Mountain.

Original QuestEdit

Destruction of the VillageEdit

  1. Journey to Sorrow's End, p. 181
  2. Hidden Years #9.5
  3. Elfquest: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 12
  4. Journey to Sorrow's End, p. 192

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Friday, January 9, 2009

I'm in love.

A new Sony Vaio P Series laptop debuted at the Consumer Electronics Convention in Vegas this week. Made by Sony and will retail for $900. It's the smallest laptop yet! I might have to get a new piece of hardware in 2009: Vista, 3G, WiFi, bluetooth and only 1.4 lbs.

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Consumer confidence is climbing

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index™, which had posted a slight increase in March, improved considerably in April. The Index now stands at 39.2 (1985=100), up from 26.9 in March. The Present Situation Index increased to 23.7 from 21.9 last month. The Expectations Index rose to 49.5 from 30.2 in March.

Says Lynn Franco, Director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center: “Consumer Confidence rose in April to its highest reading in 2009, driven primarily by a significant improvement in the short-term outlook. The Present Situation Index posted a moderate gain, a sign that conditions have not deteriorated further, and may even moderately improve, in the second quarter. The sharp increase in the Expectations Index suggests that consumers believe the economy is nearing a bottom, however, this Index still remains well below levels associated with strong economic growth.”

Consumers’ appraisal of present-day conditions improved moderately in April. Those claiming business conditions are “bad” declined to 45.7 percent from 51.0 percent, while those claiming business conditions are “good” increased to 7.6 percent from 6.9 percent. Consumers’ assessment of the job market was somewhat mixed. The percentage of consumers stating jobs are “hard to get” decreased to 47.9 percent from 48.8 percent in March, however, those saying jobs are “plentiful” edged down to 4.5 percent from 4.7 percent.

Consumers’ short-term outlook improved significantly in April. Those anticipating business conditions will worsen over the next six months declined to 25.3 percent from 37.8 percent, while those expecting conditions to improve increased to 15.6 percent from 9.6 percent in March.

The employment outlook was also considerably less pessimistic. The percentage of consumers anticipating fewer jobs in the months ahead decreased to 33.6 percent from 41.6 percent, while those expecting more jobs increased to 13.9 percent from 7.3 percent. The proportion of consumers anticipating an increase in their incomes edged up to 8.0 percent from 7.8 percent.

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Saturday, August 27, 2016

New Intake at airport - August 23rd

Our boat approaching Namu'a Island
 Talofa Lava Family and Friends,
         Well, we survived another transfer week - "Hell Week" as Elder Ellsworth refers to them.
Besides the 26 missionaries that arrived from Provo and NZ MTCs, we also had a local Elder show up that we were not expecting.  These young missionaries arrive, exhausted, excited and clueless.  They have to be housed, fed, trained and oriented to mission life.  The next day 26 seasoned missionaries arrive who are going to be their trainers and companions.  Count them - that makes 52 plus the office staff to feed, train and then get sent off to three different islands, via vans, ferries and planes. One of Brent's jobs is to buy transportation tickets for the planes and ferries, which would be much easier if things were planned in advance, but somehow he gets the list of who needs to go where at the last minute, which equals stress on steroids.  This transfer it was decided to send the missionaries going to Tutuila on the ferry.  That is like 8 hrs on an amusement park ride, that leaves at 12 midnight and arrives at 8 in the morning.  McBrides made sure they all had motion sickness tablets to help them with this ordeal. Because the ferry only leaves on Thursday, we had bodies to feed and house for an extra two days.  Thursday and Friday the missionaries finishing up arrived at the mission home.  Nothing went as planned, but somehow we got through it and they all got off safely. Throughout the entire week, there were people in and out of the office, and they all needed something - right now!
Namu'a Island Beach Resort - Just what the doctor ordered!
        Wednesday morning I was not only dealing with transfers, I had to be at the shelter to teach school at 10:00 am.  I made an early morning run to the store for the 160 hot dog buns, when I accidentally locked the school lessons, my purse and keys in the car. I was pretty impressed that I did not roll into a ball at that point and start crying, but somehow I held it together for 40 min. until Brent came and rescued me and the buns. We finally got in touch with Brother Su'a, who took me back to the store with the extra set of keys, to get the car. By some miracle I arrived at the shelter on time for school.  I love being with the girls and helping them with reading and English, but the preparation time is a real killer.  Gradually I am finding resources that work well for the multiple abilities and ages of the students, and I am currently looking for a local sister who can take this over.  Last week Sister Best went with me, and she was a great help.  It is my hope that she will be able to continue to go, as her mission is self-reliance, and education falls under that calling.
     Friday morning we got a call that Brent's sister's son had died unexpectedly.  It was quite a shock, and we are so sad for Linda, Bob and their family.  It is times like this when we most feel the need to be home.
     By Friday afternoon Brent and I were both ready  for a major break.  We left the office at about 1:30 pm and headed over cross-island road and then to the far eastern edge of Upolu.  There we loaded a small aluminum boat with our week-end supplies and headed off on a 15 minute boat ride to an island paradise where we met 5 other couples who had left Fri. morning.  This island has no electricity, and the accommodations are Samoan fales, with a foam pad on the floor and a mosquito net for sleeping.  Meals were provided but there were no other amenities.  However, how can you go wrong with great friends, a campfire, s'mores, a ukulele, goofy songs, Canadian Fruit Salad and other games, good food, great snorkeling, turtle sightings, hiking, naps, good reads, pentapuses (actually we thought we had found an octopus, but it only had 5 legs so we realized it was a star fish), crabs of all sizes, and the cherry on the top of this weekend was a spectacular clear night sky with zillions of stars and the Milky Way.  We returned home rested, relaxed and ready for another week.
Enjoying lunch at Namu'a Beach Resort
       Returning to the office Sunday (Today) we found eight pairs of missionaries still here reading the Book of Mormon.  President Hannemann has decided that no missionary goes into the field unless they have read the B of M, felt the spirit of the book, and are able to discuss the main doctrines.  I have to tell you that there is a strong spirit in that room as these missionaries are going on day 3 studying and reading.  They have also been fasting today, so I am impressed with their dedication to complete this assignment.  They will be powerful missionaries who can testify of the truth of this book!
Some of the Elders reading the Book of Mormon for the 1st time
      Elders Johansen and Cutler have the assignment to fix them dinner when they are ready to break their fast tonight.  There was chicken defrosted, but they didn't have a clue what to what to do with it.  Sister Ellsworth to the rescue - it is now marinating and will be ready to bake in about 1 hr.
Chefs Johansen and Cutler: "Now what do you do with chicken?"
       Reading the scriptures everyday has been a part of my life for the past 40 years.  You would think that I would have learned most of what is there to learn, but every day I get a new insight.  I am loving my study of the Doctrine and Covenants and have taken my scripture from my reading again this week.  D&C 88:77-81
 77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
 78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
 79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
 81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warnhis neighbor.
These young missionaries who are sent all over the world, have a message you should listen to.  I hope you will invite them into your homes and at least give them a chance to tell you what we know to be true.  God Bless you and keep you throughout the coming week.
Oute Alofa Mo Outou Uma!  Love, Patty

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Old Nikes - New Nikes
 Talofa Lava Family and Friends,
     It's been a pretty stressful week.  The Hannemanns have been in the office taking care of missionaries who have a hard time following mission rules.  By far, the majority of our missionaries are amazing, but unfortunately the few bad ones can cause a lot of drama and damage to the missionary work.  President Hannemann brings them into the mission home for "Spiritual Bootcamp" which is about much fun as it sounds.  After every effort to help, there are still some who get sent home, which is always sad.
Gorgeous Full Moon
     I bought new walking shoes right before leaving Las Vegas.  Brent has epoxy glued them back together for me 3 times, but when my toe started poking out the top he finally insisted I get new shoes.  There were not a lot of color choices in my size (1 to be exact) so now I am the proud owner of new ugly walking shoes for a mere $260 WST ($103 USA).
     Thursday Robert and Laura Foley arrived from Vernal, Utah.  They know my cousin, Clay  (Small world).  I spent the better part of Thursday and Friday getting them oriented, getting drivers licenses, shopping, showing them around and Friday we took them to dinner at the Swashbucklers.  Our table was right next to the ocean, and just as we were leaving I saw a small orange sliver on the horizon.  We waited for a few minutes and were treated to a spectacular moon rising - the bright, orange, full moon put on quite a show.  As we pulled into our driveway the moon was just by the temple.  I know it is the same moon that everyone else sees, but somehow, here in Samoa, it is just more beautiful.  The next morning on my walk, I was treated again to the same moon setting in the west.
The tie-making wizard
     Last week I half kidded that Brent was taking orders for ties.  I think Island Fever has hit him bad, because all he talks about now is different kinds of polyester, patterns, pins....he has more orders here than he has time to fill. Last week he spent as much time with Afalua's sewing machine as he did with his office computer.  Hey kids - guess what you are all getting for Christmas!
     Yesterday, after our weekly shopping and house cleaning, we took the Foleys up to Saniatu to check out the house where they will be living. We then joined several other Senior couples at the Piula Cave Pools.  These pools are right next to the ocean, so you have your choice of warm salt water or cool fresh water.  We chose the fresh water, as it was hot outside.  The cave goes quite a ways back and then there is a tunnel to a smaller pool.  Brent
was the only senior who dared swim through the underwater tunnel.  I was relieved when he
Senior Missionaries enjoying the Piula Cave Pools
re-emerged.  We were told that there are large eels that live in the pools, and if you take food into the water you can feed them. That was just a bit more of an adventure than what I wanted. There were enough people in the pool, that the eels stayed out of sight.   We have such a good time with the other senior missionaries on these outings.  Next week we have a big adventure planned - so stay tuned.
      My scripture for the week comes from my reading in  D&C 82:10 - " I the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."
I know that probably some people look at keeping the commandments of God as restrictive, but I see them as a way to receive blessings and to avoid the problems people get into when they don't follow the rules.  I am eternally grateful for the guidelines the Lord gives us to protect us and to help us find joy in living while we are on earth, and what we need to do to get back to live with him in heaven.  If you want to know more about what the Lord has revealed to us about finding true happiness, go to, or look on youtube for "Man's Search for Happiness."   I send my love from this beautiful country of Samoa.  Oute Alofa Mo Outou Uma Lave, Patty

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Happy Father's Day - Samoan Style

Colbie Kingsley on her way home.
 Talofa Lava Family and Friends,
       The highlight of our week was knowing that Colbie Kingsley is now safe at home with her family.  Although we were not there to hold and love her, we did the next best thing and Skyped with the family the day after they got home.  My sister Shauna came to Las Vegas last week to take new born pictures.  She was explaining to 2 yr. old Cade that she was Nana's sister. "Do you know where Nana is?" she asked. Cade ran over and pointed to the computer, "Nana is in there!"
       It's Father's Day here in Samoa.  It is not only a one day celebration but started Friday afternoon and will continue through Monday, a National Holiday honoring fathers.  I count as one of my great blessings having a father, Paul R. Milligan, who took the time to teach me important life lessons that continue to bless my life.  I also was blessed with an amazing father for my children, Elder Ellsworth, the love of my life, who taught our kids to work hard, and who has always had an unwavering testimony of the gospel.  To our three sons, and one son-in-law, Happy Father's Day to you!  I love you for the great care you take of our grandchildren, for your hard work to support them, and for teaching them the gospel and correct principles that will bless and protect them.  You are all truly amazing fathers!
Brent, Elders Powelson, Roberts, and Patty
 The Seniors celebrated Father's Day with a steak dinner at Kokobananas.  The highlight of Brent's celebration was learning how to make men's ties with Sister Gillette.  I am pretty sure he will be a trend setter with those bright colors when we get home.  Please feel free to put in your order.  I have also promised him that I would make him a nice dinner tonight, but tomorrow life goes back to normal.
       As mentioned before, one of my favorite things about working in the office is getting to know the missionaries.  Friday we said Tofa to Elders Powelson and Roberts.  They mentioned that learning to love people unconditionally is one of the lessons they learned serving a mission.  If they just take that home, their time was well spent. I love them and wish them the best.
Brent's new occupation - Tie Maker

      President and Sister Hannemann were off island all week, but we did enjoy the company of the office elder, Elder Cutler, and the APs, Elders Johansen and Tuimanga.  All three of these young men have heavy responsibilities   helping to care for the other missionaries, and assisting President Hannemann.  Even though I give them a hard time, I truly admire and love them.  I work closely with Elder Cutler and have been amazed at his patience and intellect.  There is a giant spirit and a lot of brains in that short body.                                       I have really enjoyed my scripture studying this week from the Doctrine and Covenants.   I am understanding things that I never did before.  My scripture for the week comes from a really amazing section of this book, D&C Section 76: 5-10.

For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory.
 And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.
 Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.
 And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught.
 10 For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.
Elders Tuimanga, Powelson, Cutler, Roberts, Johansen.
All amazing young men!!!!!
Having easy access to the word of God is a blessing that I do not take lightly.  I hope that if missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints knock on your door, you will listen to their message.  I know what they teach is true.  Happy Father's Day to all of you amazing fathers.  I don't think 3 days of celebration is adequate to say thank you for all you do.  God Bless you and keep you this coming week.
Oute Alofa Mo Outou Uma Lava, Patty

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Feeling Blessed!

Grand Baby #16: Name is Pending
Talofa Lava Family and Friends,
        Most of the past week has been filled with anxious feelings for our daughter, Annie, and the birth of our 16th Grand child.  Baby Kingsley was born on  August 4th at 11:30 pm.  We had friends over for dinner and games when the call finally came.  We have been ecstatic as we have received pictures of this beautiful little girl.  We are feeling so blessed that Mom and Baby are both doing great.
           I am still trying to figure out the best way to approach this opportunity at the "House of Hope" where we have arranged to go on Wednesday mornings for two hours and teach English and Reading.  Sister Tuivaiti and a sister missionary are covering the younger children, while myself and another sister missionary are taking the older girls. Sister McBride and Sister Anderson are going to go for one hour the same afternoon to present a spiritual activity.  The main challenges are the differing ages and levels the girls are at, and the lack of resources.  Sister Callahan gave me some materials from ITEP that I am going to review this afternoon.  My main goal is to have a program in place that can be continued by others when I leave.  I wish students in the USA could see how hungry these girls are for any kind of learning.  Don't ever take education for granted!
Approaching the Island of Manono
Drying Pandana Leaves on Island of Apolima
         The Callahans came over from Savaii for a few days this week - always a treat! They are always good for a game of "5 Crowns" or our new favorite, "The Great Dalmuti."  However, Kenny had not been feeling well so after consulting with Dr. Olsen in New Zealand, they went to the hospital for an EKG.  The lady at the desk asked "Is that something to do with your heart?"  After determining that was the correct test he needed, he was taken into a small room. A large bag of rice and box of noodles were removed from the bed, the sheet turned over, and he was told to lay down.  The bottom line to this story is that he finally got his "ECG", saw a doctor, was charged 10 WST (about $4) and sent on his way with a clean bill of health.
Patty and Rubber Tree on Apolima - Now I understand the
"High Hopes" of the ant
        Saturday we had a great adventure to the islands of Apolima and Manono.  Elder McBride did a great job arranging boats, a guide and permission to tour Apolima, which is generally closed to tourists.  Manono is a small island west of Upolu, and can be reached in a 20 minute boat ride.  There are no cars, roads, horses or dogs on the island, and they only got electricity in 1995.  It is home to about 1,000 people.  Our guide was the mayor and highest Matai on the island.  Elder McBride remembers serving as a young missionary there in the 1960's, and healing a young boy who was near death.  We do not have missionaries on this island today, as the Congregationalists hold the power and refuse to
 let us hold meetings.
Internet picture of only entrance into Apolima (Where is
Elder Schaefermeyer when I need him???)
         We visited Apolima first, which was about another 15 minutes via boat from Manono. Visiting Apolima was a real treat as very few people get to visit this small island, home to about 100 people.  Most of the adults go to Upolu to work during the week, and the children all go to school in Upolu, returning home on Fri. afternoons. This island is literally an old volcanic cauldron, with very steep sides except for a small inlet where boats can dock on a sandy beach.  In the 1800's there was a civil war in Samoa.  Women, children and elderly were brought here for protection as it was easily defended.
     When we arrived on the island, our guide had to go and negotiate a fee with the chief Matai for us to tour the island - 10 Tala/person.  After the tour, which included the solar power cells, we were invited to the home of the Matai and treated to Nius (Coconuts to drink) and bananas. There were little naked children running around, curious older children peeking from around corners to get a glimpse of the strange Palangis, and an older, very ill person laying on a bed in the next room.  A woman was there constantly fanning, and caring for her. (Pink bedspread in background)   The home was beautiful and noticeably cooler.  They were very gracious and it was a pleasure to visit with them, even though we didn't under-
stand what was being said.
Apolima Matai (R) and Manono Matai (L)

Today in Church there were several visitors from all over the world.  They had come to Samoa for family reunions, vacation or funerals. We also had people who were investigating the church.   There were people there from SLC, London, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands....just to name a few.  As I was sitting there thinking, I was amazed at how the church has grown since I was a girl growing up in SLC.  Today, the majority of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints live outside the United States.  It is indeed a global church, with a membership of over 16 million.  When you think that it all started with a 14 yr. boy in upstate New York less than 200 years ago, it gives reason to pause and ask - how? The answer is simple - it is the true gospel of Jesus Christ that has been restored, and the Holy Ghost manifests the truth of the gospel message to everyone who asks sincerely through prayer.  My Scripture this week is from Moroni 7:35-37:

"35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
 36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
 37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
Today I am feeling especially grateful for the blessings of the Gospel, of Family and Friends.  Have a Blessed Week!
Oute alofa mo outou uma lava, Patty