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Life in the Light??

I walked through the Light in Leeds city centre after work and noticed that so many of the shops are closed now, some of them have moved to Trinity Leeds, e.g. Joy and Philip Stoner, others have closed for other reasons, such as the Body Shop. Most of the units on the upper floor are empty which is a real shame, since Trinity opened it has seemed a little less busy. There are still lots of restaurants though like chain restaurants Browns and Zizzi, but also independent La Bottega Milanese. La Bottega Milanese is an Italian espresso bar which also sells Italian patisserie, sandwiches and pastas. I hadn’t been in a while, I may have been a little seduced by the Trinity effect, but I hadn’t forgotten about this little gem.

I ordered a latte and an aubergine parmigiana to eat in. I couldn’t stop looking at the fantastic cakes and pastries they have on display, promising myself that I would have to have a sweet treat before I left!!image image image

It wasn’t too busy so service was quick and my latte was ready in a couple of minutes. I am not a coffee expert by any means, to be honest I’m more of a tea drinker, but I do like a latte, mine was lovely. The parmigiana which is already made was quickly zapped in a microwave and served with salad. My parmigiana, yes blasted in a microwave but still tasted very good, the salad was fresh and for just £5 isn’t bad, considering it tastes good and you really do not wait very long. For me a good parmigiana should be like comfort food, a bit of stodge with soft, not overly salty aubergines and not oily! It was very moreish with a good layer of cheese on top, a nice saltiness from parmesan! It all went down quickly, I was even a very good girl and ate all my salad too!

Aubergine parmigiana
Aubergine parmigiana
Caffe latte
Caffe latte

I wasn’t going to leave without having a little sweet snack so I ordered what I think is a Sfogliatelle. They are shaped like little shells and have lots of layers. This was filled with a lemon cream and the pastry was lovely and crunchy.

Sfogliatelle - lobster tails filled with a lemon cream.
Sfogliatelle – lobster tails filled with a lemon cream.

In total, my early tea was £8.70.  Pretty decent really! Even though Trinity Leeds has opened with a plethora of eateries and coffee shops, we mustn’t forget there are still lots of other decent places to have a decent drink and a nice spot of food in Leeds.

La Bottega Milanese
The Light
The Headrow
0113 2454242

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Top 5 Caffeine Facts

  1. Determining the levels of caffeine in a tea can be very difficult because there are so many variables that need to be considered.  Such variables include, soil, vegetation, water temperature, steeping time etc.
  2. The steeping time can change the amount of caffeine that is released into your cup of tea.  A black tea doesn’t necessarily have more caffeine than a green tea, but it tends to have that stereotype because you generally steep it longer than a green or white tea.
  3. Adding herbs and spices changes the level of caffeine because there is less of the actual Camillia Sinensis plant in the brew.
  4. Studies of caffeine levels in tea are all different; the scientific conditions in which the study takes places are also different then how each and every one of us brews tea at home.
  5. The caffeine in coffee is not the same in tea, it enters your blood system a lot slower and gives you a nice gradual increase of energy rather than that jolt you get from coffee.

tumblr_m93393bubH1r06jpwo1_500If the tea you’re drinking makes you feel good as much as it tastes good than don’t worry about the caffeine levels and just drink it!:)

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Minty Fresh

Recently, my roommate and I have been blending our own teas in the evening to create the best soothing teas before bed.  Relaxing, yet lively, this particular blend stood out to me the most.

Lemon Myrtle

These are the ingredients I chose one evening after enjoying a nice day off in the sun.  A great evening tea packed with many immune system boosters and contrasting yet complimenting flavors.  I hope you’re focusing on the mint here and how refreshing it tastes when you make yourself a cup of this splendid combination.  It hits my palate on the best spots!  It creates more excitement in the tea when you have that splash of mint in there.   I definitely get into some flavors more than others, especially because of where they hit my palate.

spearmint mint

The flavors of spearmint versus peppermint are very different.  I find most people are used to the peppermint smell and taste, which is why working at DavidsTea I always try to bring both tins down for customers to smell because they each have a distinctive minty-ness to them.  Peppermint is sweeter and very soothing, blending well with other ingredients smoothly.  On the other hand, spearmint has a sharper taste that excites other teas when blended together.  It has a mint gum taste going on that pops in your mouth giving it a livelier feel.  I have been adding spearmint to a lot of my iced teas for the summer because it adds a refreshing taste that invigorates my senses!

Mint can simply be added to any of your teas.  I love adding it to greens, herbals and am currently experimenting with the black teas.  There is also a white tea from DavidsTea called Coco-lemon Thai‘ that is even better with a scoop of spearmint leaves added.  Tastes like a Mojito…minus the rum.

Lastly, everyone wants to know what each specific tea is “good for”.  Generally people know that peppermint soothes the stomach and is relaxing, can relieve headaches and has cooling properties when applied topically.  However, I wanted to contribute to a new fun fact about spearmint, so I hopped on Google and typed in “what is spearmint good for?” and this is what the Googlers came up with…

Screen shot 2013-06-19 at 3.24.23 PM

This made me laugh.  Do people actually believe this? So I googled further… “Spearmint hair” and found this…

Screen shot 2013-06-19 at 3.29.22 PM

In conclusion, I’ve learned that if I drink two cups of spearmint tea a day I can combat all that extra body hair, which is EXACTLY what I was hoping spearmint would do.

Thanks Google! 🙂

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text:
23 January 2012

Wise as a Wisp

So it's been awhile. I've had a couple of opportunities to write an update, however I can't seem to put it down in words. There are lot of moments these past weeks that are noteworthy, but the thoughts won't seem to flow out of my head.

Hmm... now that I'm thinking about it, I've actually spoken a lot for the past weeks - more than the last month. People have been coming to me for advices and insights, and I, myself, am surprised to find out that I have a lot to say. Call it wisdom, or hoolahbaloo, but I've been feeling much wiser as the new year begun. Add to that, turning a year older this year, I think being 24 makes me see things clearly compared to being 22. 23 was a transition phase, a year of realizing realities and waking up from childhood fantasies.

I regularly log in here to see what I can babble about, but I can't put any musing in to writing and I owe it to the fact that I've been talking a lot lately. Kumbaga naihinga ko na, so its already out there and I need not write it down. This should explain the lack of update for the past weeks. :)

Ryan said...

24 is the age to wait for, then? I'm looking forward to it. :)

Victor Saudad said...

How young are you Ryan??? I don't believe this na mas matanda ako sayo... hehe


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SAP Business Analyst

SAP Business Analyst

Work type:

Information & Communication Technology

$40.00 - $80.00 per hour

Job reference:

Start date:

Contact email:

Mats Rorvik

Talent International is currently looking for an SAP Business Analyst for an approx. 3 month engagement based in Wacol, Brisbane. The purpose of this role is to identify, analyse and translate internal and external customer business requirements and undertake business and logistics analysis.

  • Engage with stakeholders through interviews/workshops/presentations/individual meetings to elicit information and information sources that enable comprehensive capture and analysis of business processes and requirements and document and communicate business requirements in a form that is easily understood by a diverse audience including customers, business managers and technical people.
  • Collate information about customer business requirements with a focus on understanding and managing the capital asset (vehicle and plant)
  • Support management with advice and decision making by utilising expert business analysis capability to capture, explore, identify, analyse, articulate and document business problems issues and needs.
  • Define and analyse business and transaction needs of clients and business units, including accurate problem definition, analysis of issues and recommendations of options to enable an acceptable business improvement solutions and translate agreed business requirements, functional requirements and solution outcomes into formal business cases that clearly demonstrate the value propositions of the recommended solutions
  • Develop high-level and detailed business requirement specifications that capture customer needs and business rules in a clear and concise manner.
  • Partner with the IT, project managers & planners and other allied business and service units to improve the planning processes and systems
  • Influence customer/technical staff to explore business issues systematically/consider a range of innovative options to resolve/negotiate complex and/or strategic solutions across multiple business areas.
  • Well-developed analytical, conceptual and problem solving skills and the knowledge of and ability to utilise recognised business process improvement methodologies, including the ability to analyse and interpret fleet and logistics data using sophisticated spreadsheet and database solutions.
  • High level of knowledge and expertise in SAP, especially in the Plant Maintenance, Logistics and Financial Modules
  • Demonstrated experience in managing the capital asset requirements within a commercially focused Construction and Maintenance environment.
  • Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, including the ability to prepare and deliver high-level and detailed business requirement specifications, business reports and presentations.
Please apply now, or contact Mats Rorvik on 07 3221 3333 for more information.

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Vancouver Events

An Evening Out For More Than Just A Pretty Pizza {Paint & Sip}

I’m sure you’ve seen a Paint & Sip event in your Facebook feed and thought I don’t paint so, it’s not for me! Well, I am here to tell you, painter, or not, you most certainly CAN! Paint & Sip is a new trend inspiring people of all walks of life to pick up their paint brushes and create a piece of art all of your own. Our friends at Rocky Mountain Flatbread treated us to an evening out for a fun Paint & Sip.

The artist for the evening was the lovely Tara Higgins who was in town showcasing her paintings at Art!Vancouver! We had the opportunity to paint our own birch tree canvas with step by step instruction from Tara.  While waiting for paint to dry after each step, we had the pleasure of sipping on handcrafted cocktails.  We sipped on Triple Berry Mojito’s, Shaken Margarita’s and local craft beers from Rocky Mountain Flatbread’s new Spring Menu.

If that wasn’t enough, we were also able to sink our teeth into items from the new Spring menu such as a refreshing Spring Green Salad, Bacon & Snap Pea Pasta and for the truly West Coast at heart Tequila Code and Shrimp pizza. I’ll tell you time and time again, I have a truly genuine soft spot for Rocky Mountain Flatbread.

There is always something amazing happening at Rocky Mountain Flatbread. Rocky Mountain Flatbread has unwavering commitment to local in-season veggies, organic ingredients and supporting our local farmers.I’ve spent an evening or two at one of their 3 locations in BC.  I come home with a belly full of amazing food and a heart full of happy memories and plenty of laughter!

Paint & Sip Evening Out

For more information, visit

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SnapAV opens first international office in Taiwan

Charlotte, North Carolina-based SnapAV held a grand opening for its new office in Taipei, Taiwan. The new office will facilitate relationships with SnapAV’s overseas vendors and will serve as an extension of their engineering, quality, and product development departments.

“We’re thrilled to open this new location,” said David Moore, vice president of engineering for SnapAV. “In previous trips to Asia, I would travel for days to visit with vendors all over the place. Our new office will help us to be more efficient and focused in our vendor relations so we can place a greater emphasis on creating higher-quality, more innovative products.”

The grand opening reception took place at the new office in the Manhattan district of Taipei. In attendance were SnapAV’s new Taipei team, led by Jerry Hsaio, vice president of Asia Operations, as well as several Charlotte employees including Moore and company CEO, Craig Craze. The team also celebrated with several vendor partners that were in attendance. “We’re dedicated to strengthening our relationships with our partners and are excited to work even closer with them,” added Moore.

“The Taipei office is a major milestone in our company’s history and is evidence of our continued, rapid growth,” said Craze. “As we bring increasingly sophisticated products to market, it is critical that we have in-country business and engineering resources that can work closely with our manufacturing partners. This office is a big step in that direction.”

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 Membership Pirates….FREE EBOOK | Avery Thompson Marketing
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Membership Pirates….FREE EBOOK

ecover-300 Membership Pirates....FREE EBOOK Membership Pirates....FREE EBOOK ecover 300 11

Continuity programs (or membership sites) are not only extremely profitable, as they generate recurring income from a single source, but they also put you in a valuable position of being able to directly communicate with your target audience.

The greatest thing about continuity websites is that you can literally create an entire site around simple information products.

Membership sites can be set up a number of different ways as well, including all sorts of different information formats, such as:

  • Special Reports
  • Ebooks
  • Training Programs / Coaching
  • Interviews with Experts
  • Video Tutorials & Guides
  • Webinars & Private Consulting
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Regardless if you’re pursuing a business or niche based market, you can easily create a membership based website around hot, evergreen markets where people are satisfied paying for recurring access to your information.

The idea is to identify a market where there is a great demand for various information products, rather than a single product because with a single-product market, you’re able to address their problems or answer their questions quickly.

Find Out More By Downloading Our FREE EBOOK below:

[sociallocker]Membership Pirates[/sociallocker]

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weight loss vlog 2016- vlog 10- new glasses and scheduling meetings

About avsongbird

I'm a housewife, an amateur writer and blogger, and the stepmother of three boys. I have four dogs. I love animals, I love to garden, and I love to crochet. I love movies, music, and books. I love to cook. I'm open-minded and creative and imaginative, and I'm an avid reader. I find inspiration in practically everything, and I love nothing more than to inspire such things in others, if I can.
This entry was posted in gardening, health, life, series, video, vlog, vlogger, vlogging, vlogs, weight, weight loss, weight loss vlog, wife, youtube, youtuber. Bookmark the permalink.

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That Smile Prints & Products

Part I of a commissioned* piece for a fellow KC native. It is a two part gift for this lovely lady’s birthday. When I asked him what the spirit of the gift was he replied, “She’s so beautiful she deserves to be a work of art”, aaaaaaaaaand my heart melted. I am so incredibly honored that he called on me to help shower this woman with love on her special day!

*For commissioned/freelance pieces I generally charge 45 per hour of work spent actively creating. Any edits after first look will be 15 per hour.

If you feel so inclined, buy your print at my Society6 shop starting at $15.

Also available in other products such as cups, shirts, phone and laptop cases, bags, pillows, blankets, and more!

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Bao's weblog

Meandering thoughts of a Bay Area college student… be prepared for some bipolar vocabulary

Long lost friend and a song of protection…

I had the time of my life yesterday during the semester day off. Saurav, Teresa, Martin, and I all went to the Great Mall to hang out and have fun. But more than that, the three of my friends came with me so they could meet a friend of mine… whom I haven’t seen for six years! I’m totally sorry that I didn’t invite more people because I wanted a small event with people that talk a lot in case things got awkward. Six years is a while and what if we changed too much?! Anyways, the meeting was at 11, and we all met at 9:30, so we played 13 in the mall and used the won body parts. Then at 11, we were at the Century Theater, which was the agreed upon rendezvous point for where I’d meet my long lost friend.

Then… there she was! Wait… is that her?? Umm…

Teresa: You don’t even know what she looks like!?

Me: I think that’s her…

To my half-second’s worth of embarrassment, Teresa started yelling ESTHER ESTHER!

…and the girl looked. Holy crap, is that her? … IT IS IT IS OMG! and I almost ran to her. We hugged a hug that was gone for six long years and I didn’t feel like I could let go for awhile. (But I did.) Introductions were made and then we bought tickets to see “Unborn.” While waiting for the movie, we hung out around the mall. Teresa and I dunked our heads in the fountain at the mall (I did mine twice because the two dips were a bit less roughly equivalent to Teresa’s dunk). Then it was time to see Unborn.

I’m in no position to judge Unborn because I missed a half hour of it, a half hour which was spent at the arcade shooting at terrorists and tanks. This Chinese guy around my age joined forces with me and together we shot our way through three levels before we finally died and I dragged my feet back to Auditorium 16.

But I really liked the climax because I thought the exorcism was cool. Go God! And I learned something new: according to the movie at least, a lot of Christian exorcisms are read from Psalms 91.

After, we had a small lunch and played several rounds of 13 or Big 2 as they call it in Mission. Then we switched to high card mixed with truth or dare. Esther got to know quite a bit about us, probably more so then some of our friends over here. 😀 And vice versa. We came up with weird dares that sometimes involved total strangers. We had fun.

Dinner is when everything started dying down. Esther left first and I went along to see her off. We waited outside in the semi-cold air for ten minutes and the more I look at her, the more I realized that I will miss her more than ever. But inevitably, her ride came and we embraced one final time.

Martin and Teresa left while I was gone, and I got news that I wouldn’t be able to leave for about two hours, and it was already six. Saurav, being the awesome friend he is, kept me company the entire time. We did karaoke in the car, watched Friends, and played 13.

Then it was time to go. Twelve hours seemed like one. I hope I’ll see you again Esther! Ohh, and I didn’t realize this until I got home, but it was incredibly lucky that Martin didn’t crack one of his Christian jokes, because Esther could at times be more dedicated than me…

If you’re curious, here it is, straight from my own bible, King James Version. I recognized some of this from the movie.

He that dwelleth in the most secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that fliety by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon day.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

-Psalms 91

And I decided to search for a bible verse about friendships.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Filed under: General, , , , ,

Protected: Girls and fortune cookies, two things that are hard to believe in

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Filed under: General, , ,

What I’ve Learned During ’08

In no particular order as usual… (closest friends)

Martin – heavier than expected, has expensive taste, needs well paying job to afford it

Eddie – can turn dead serious in a blink of an eye, the next four star general if I’ve ever seen one

Saurav – will walk the Earth for Starbucks, most likely a venti caramel frappuccino, will probably own his own Starbucks and will only sell drinks lathered in caramel

Teresa – can turn anti-guy and anti-girl, shouldn’t make jokes if expected to live

Christine – can be very timid and quiet, and well accomplished in piano, will maybe buy hundred dollar recital tickets in the future to watch her play

Chris – hardly ever changes, drives a red jeep with 8mpg on its license plate, expected to be easily identified next 3 high school reunions

Nam – timid, takes insults very easily, kind of nice, will achieve CEO position through sucking up, then demoted when persuaded and stung by insults (from Saurav perhaps)

Cassandra – will isolate herself for schoolwork, will believe her if she rejects by saying she’s really into her career

Vikki – …learned nothing

Marcus – good person to talk to if have problems, request for him in the future if ever in an emergency room after an accident

Xi – extremely undecisive, will never hook him up with a girl ever again

Vincent – academically smarter than previously thought, ask him for help whenever he isn’t busy

Erik – grown more perverted, keep him away from the kids whenever having him over

Kevin – obsessed with Artemis, the Greek goddess of sexuality, will probably join a cult oriented around sex

James – learned about his secret relationship with Vikki, always suspect him if wife has an affair

Bao – prone to change… a lot, bound to carry a lot of pills in the future

Filed under: General

New Years

First of all, I’d like to wish all of my friends a happy 2009! Everyone says it’s going to be a great year this year. We’re guaranteed (according to the experts) that we’ll end off better than how we began! …

which probably isn’t saying much.

I’ve always had this thought that resolutions are meant to be unfulfilled. We’re always too preoccupied, or we always lack the effort or motivation to complete our resolutions. For example, my resolution last year was to try one new thing every day.

Epic fail. But 2008 had its crazy ups and downs and what new thing I DID try usually turned out for the better. I want to make a collage for what happened last year, but I’m just waay to lazy.

Anyways, my new year resolutions are

-better skin
-gain weight
-increase GPA
-more confident
-grow closer to friends (if you’ve beared with me through the last post, you’d know how important it is to me. (Very))
-improve short term memory (This is terrible 0_0)
-More social, make more friends.

-Finish my P90. Ever since my cousin sat on it, it hasn’t been the same.

-Take anti-raccoon self defense  classes. (Don’t ask if you don’t know =P)

I hope these resolutions will be fulfilled.

Happy new year everyone

Filed under: General


text:
New Web Site for SQL Azure

Veröffentlicht am 20 September, 2010

General Manager, Cloud Platform Marketing

[This article was contributed by the SQL Azure team.]

We are pleased to announce the launch of the new SQL Azure web site -- bookmark this now! This new site has an improved customer experience with faster discovery of relevant and richer information on SQL Azure.

Highlights of the new SQL Azure site:

  • Easy to navigate new SQL Azure home page. The main SQL Azure home page highlights the most popular content categories and recent blog posts for enhanced discovery and richer experience throughout the site.
  • New videos page. We have a new resource page dedicated to training videos on SQL Azure.  New videos are coming soon!
  • New community page: Dynamic blogs feeds (Including this blog) and all of the links to our YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts and are easily accessible in this new community page.

Tell us in the comments below if you like or dislike it, and what else you want to see.


text:
Wiki: Developing and Deploying with SQL Azure

Veröffentlicht am 1 Juni, 2010

[This article was contributed by the SQL Azure team.]

This document provides guidelines on how to deploy an existing on-premise SQL Server database into SQL Azure. It also discusses best practices related to data migration.

Click here to read it.


text:
Getting Started with Storage - Manage Storage Account Async - in .Net

Hovsep 提供
在 GitHub 上编辑
      Azure Storage sample for managing storage accounts -
       - Create a storage account
       - Get | regenerate storage account access keys
       - Create another storage account
       - List storage accounts
       - Delete a storage account.

Running this Sample

To run this sample:

Set the environment variable AZURE_AUTH_LOCATION with the full path for an auth file. See how to create an auth file.

git clone

cd storage-dotnet-manage-storage-accounts-async

dotnet restore

dotnet run

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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Book Review: Dying Before "I Do" by Judy Fitzwater

Love and murder: two words that should never go together. But when Jennifer and long-time beau Sam Culpepper finally decide to tie the knot, murder rears its ugly head to intervene. Now Jennifer has more to contend with than choosing colors and flowers for the most important day of her life. She and Sam must thwart whoever is bent on keeping the secrets of an old kidnapping case. One man is dead, and young reporter Teague McAfee is next in line. Jennifer finds herself embroiled in a twisty tale of love gone wrong, while dodging her friends who are determined to give Jennifer and Sam the perfect wedding.

I understand Jennifer's hesitance to get married, even to such a nice man like Sam.  After my first marriage was over, I had no desire to 'jump in' to another relationship quickly either.  But luckily for Jennifer and me, the good ones have stamina and will wait until the time is right.

Certain elements make Dying Before "I Do" seem like a cozy - female heroine, amateur sleuthing, the dog Muffy.  However, there are things that are not so 'cozy' - set in Richmond, which I don't think is a small town, and the main character is not dating a law man.

Even though this is the 7th Jennifer Marsh mystery, it reads very well as a standalone.  That is lucky for me, because the series and author were both new to me before this tour.  Now I would like to read the rest of the series and hope there will be more, because I have to find out how Jennifer and Sam find married life and if that changes their sleuthing dynamic.

Jennifer is a great character.  I love that she is loyal to her friends, even when they frustrate her (mostly as well-meaning wedding planners.  Some of them have even helped her out on previous cases, as we can tell y the interchange of two of them *ahem* 'borrowing' hospital employee clothing to get into the room of a wealthy citizen whose car was forced off the road.

There are a lot (a LOT) of interwoven character relationships in Dying Before "I Do", and by that I mean people who have personal and/or professional pasts with each other.  It adds subtle yet rich layers to the story (think filo dough in baklava - my favorite!), and are introduced at a rate that with enough support that they keep the story flow going.

The stand-off with (one) of the villains at the end is priceless, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

I generally prefer more realistic covers, but this duo-tone cover fits in well with the other books in the series and goes with the 'noir' feel of a mystery-thriller with fingers in the profession of journalism.

The previous books in this series, Dying to Get Published, Dying to Get Even, Dying for a Clue, Dying to Remember, Dying to be Murdered, Dying to Get Her Man, have all made their way onto my TBR (to be read) list

Judy Fitzwater is excited to have recently published the 7th book in her popular Jennifer Marsh Mystery Series–DYING BEFORE “I DO”! She has also just released THE ROCKY ROAD TO PUBLISHING: ADVICE ON WRITING, a fun, insider’s look at the world of writing and what it takes to be successful.

Judy grew up an Air Force brat and has lived in nine states, including Maine and Hawaii. Her first published mystery, DYING TO GET PUBLISHED, was plucked from a stack of unsolicited manuscripts at Ballantine Books. It was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Mystery. The subsequent seven-book series, The Jennifer Marsh Mysteries, was a delight for her to write, especially the scenes with Jennifer’s quirky writers’ group. All seven are now available in Kindle editions. Judy’s suspense thriller, DROWNING IN AIR, is now in paperback, as well as a Kindle edition! And don’t miss her very funny romantic comedy, VACATIONING WITH THE DEAD, which is filled with ghosts and mayhem. She has plans for more mystery, suspense, humor, and paranormal adventures.

Click the button above to go to the tour page, where you can find more reviews, as well as guest posts and author interviews!

(Disclosure:  I received an e-copy of Dying Before "I Do" from the author and publisher via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)

This book also helps me fulfill the following 2015 reading challenges:

52 Books in 52 Weeks
105 Challenge (cat 11 - cozy mysteries)
Around the World Challenge (mini 2 - US/Georgia/Macon)
New to You Challenge (author)
Prequel/Sequel Challenge (book #7 of series)
TBR Challenge
Women Authors Challenge

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Monday, August 22, 2016

Cracked to Death by Cheryl Hollon - #review #giveaway

When a treasure hunt leads to deadly plunder, it’s up to glass shop owner Savannah Webb and her trusty investigative posse to map out the true motives of a killer . . .

It’s the dog days of summer in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Webb’s Glass Shop proprietor Savannah Webb has an eco-friendly plan to help locals escape the heat–a recyclable bottle-crafting workshop taught by reticent store manager Amanda Blake. Turns out, the class is a bigger smash than expected, thanks in part to a pair of staggeringly old bottles brought in by snorkeler Martin Lane . . .

Linked to a storied pirate shipwreck, the relics definitely pique Savannah’s interest. But intrigue turns to shock when Martin’s lifeless body washes ashore the next morning, another glass artifact tucked in his dive bag. With cell phone records connecting Amanda to the drowning, Savannah must voyage through unchartered territory to exonerate her colleague and capture the twisted criminal behind Martin’s death . . .

How, oh how, did I miss the 2nd book (Shards of Murder) in this series?  Especially after I enjoyed the 1st installment (Pane and Suffering) so much?  Well, I'm wish-listing it for my birthday right now!

Cracked to Death once again has us visiting St. Petersburg, FL, and Webb's Glass Shop, which is always a pleasure.  For one, my mother always liked the name Savannah (who is the shop owner), and she took a stained-glass class once, making a beautiful suncatcher.  For two, the staff is like a family.  Savannah and her staff watch out for each other - Amanda, former student (now shop manager) who is a 'person of interest' in the death of a student/treasure hunter and Jacob, a highly intelligent and perceptive young man who has some social challenges.

And if I could be half as resourceful as Savannah I would be a happy woman!  She has opened a studio/workshop where glass artists and rent space and create their works, which seems like a natural 'next-step' for the family business.  When she needs something or someone, and she doesn't know where to find it/them, or doesn't know someone who does, she goes and takes care of business herself!  (Of course, in cozy mysteries, the heroines generally get into a spot of trouble doing too much investigating by themselves...but that's another story.)

Poor Amanda, though.  Not only is she manager of Webb's Glass Shop now, she teaches her first class (a nerve-wracking opening-night-jitters affair).  Savannah helps her smooth through until Amanda feels more comfortable.  A student, Martin, brings in some blue bottles he wanted more information on, and Savannah sets about helping him get that information.  Unbeknownst to anyone else connected with the shop, Amanda has been seeing Martin socially.  But, within the next couple of days, Martin is found dead on the shore, and Amanda has to deal with the loss of a boyfriend as well as being a suspect in the murder.  To top that off, Amanda's mother is in serious medical condition and it's touch and go as to whether or not she will survive long enough for Amanda to get out of the police station!

And then, of course, there is Edward, owner of a nearby pub and Savannah's love interest.  Apparently she hasn't 'admitted' it to anyone yet, though, until later in this book.  I'm not sure I would have done it in quite the way she did - not that she was off-color or anything.  I guess I'm just more private when it comes to my private life.  No worries.  They are an adorable couple!

The action in Cracked to Death is exciting, vintage Hollon.  The core group even welcomes a few new members (whether or not they return for future installments), which I think is great.  And Jacob gets to shine in some new areas, which is fantastic!

If you have a long trip coming up where the conveyance is not part of the adventure (like on a cruise), the time will pass quickly if you take Cracked to Death with you.  You know the saying, "Time flies when you are having FUN!"

Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. Visit her online at, on Facebook or on Twitter@CherylHollon.

Click on the banner above to go to the tour page, where you will find links to more reviews.
You can also find out how to become a blog host for future book tours!

(Disclosure:  I received this book from the author and publishers via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Reading this book helped me fulfill the following 2016 Reading Challenges:

  1. Thank you so much for participating in this blog tour. I appreciate it very much.

  2. I can't wait to read this, great review thank you


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Bangor Public Library Friends continue to support institution that rose from the ashes

Posted May 01, 2011, at 4:01 p.m.

One hundred years ago this week, Bangor residents and business owners were in the absolute beginning stages of cleaning up, and preparing for recovery and rebuilding, from the Great Bangor Fire of 1911, which had occurred the previous Sunday, April 30.

One of the major public institutions that fell victim to the fire was the Bangor Public Library.

At the time of the fire, according to “A Brief History of the Library” offered by the Bangor Mechanic Association of which I am a member and which shares responsibility for conducting library business with the city of Bangor, “the library was housed in rented quarters in the business district.”

In fact, the library and historical society occupied upstairs rooms in Bangor Savings Bank on State Street.

“The library had 70,000 volumes, making it the largest public library in the state,” according to the history, but “the disastrous fire of April 1911 swept it all away.”

In May 1911, “with 29 books saved from the burning building, 1,330 returned by borrowers and 46, which had been at the bindery, the library reopened in two small rooms in the basement of the Court House. There the library remained for two and a half years.”

The cornerstone for the new library was laid June 18,1912, and the building as we now know it (excluding the newer addition) was opened to the public on Dec. 20, 1913.

The history of the library hit me squarely in the face last week from two sources.

First was the preparation and release of a special Bangor Daily News report on the fire overseen by BDN Graphics Editor Eric Zelz with contributions from Bangor historian and former fellow employee Dick Shaw and members of the Bangor Fire Committee.

The second was a phone call from Ginger Graham, who is president of the Friends of Bangor Public Library.

Ginger called to ask for your donations and assistance with the BPL Friends Book Sale, which is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at the library on Harlow Street.

What struck me about Ginger’s call was how exhausted she sounded, and that brought to mind just how Bangor residents of 1911 must have sounded after losing their homes and businesses 100 years ago.

While it wasn’t a fire that has kept Ginger so busy that it came through in her voice, it was all about books, and the Bangor Public Library.

Not only is Ginger working with others on the BPL Friends sale, the 12-year employee of  Bill Lippincott of Lippincott Books on Central Street in Bangor has been helping him remove the more than 30,000 books from his business, which recently closed after a 35-year history in the city.

Lippincott’s, which will be greatly missed, featured used, rare and out-of-print books as well as a large collection of everything from Maine history to vintage paperbacks, according to its website,

I am pleased to report, however, after talking with Ginger a few days later, she had really perked up (as did Bangorites 100 years ago) and now is hoping you will focus, with her, not on the closing of one Bangor institution but the continuity of another.

If you are in the midst of spring cleaning “and need to recycle some good reading material,” she reports, “the library is happy to take the donations for the Friends.”

“As always, the Friends do NOT need textbooks, Readers’ Digest Condensed books, old encyclopedias, old magazines or anything that has mold or mildew.The Friends will take fiction or non-fiction on any subject.”

She also suggests if there is a book you particularly enjoyed, you are welcome to “slip a short review in the book for someone to discover.”

You can donate books from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. now through Thursday, at the library and, if you have questions, need help getting there there or want to arrange to have them picked up, call the library at 947-8336.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402;; 990-8288.


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Fracking Fluid, Disposal, Pennsylvania and the Facts!

May 20, 2012

At a recent shale gas symposium in South Africa a question was asked “if hydraulic fracturing is so safe, why do drilling operators working in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale Play dispose the backflow out of state in Ohio.”  The question was satirically proposed by a rather uninformed anti-fracking environmentalist. His point was to show that even a natural gas producing state wants nothing to do with the disposal of the hydraulic fluid’s flowback (chemical-laced wastewater).

This discussion addresses the attendees question from a chemical perceptive. It is not intended as a review of the relationship between wastewater injection wells and earthquakes. Let it suffice to say that injection well seismicity typically ranges from 1 to 4 on the Richter scale and rarely cause damage. Nevertheless, the industry is minimizing the risk of seismicity by: assessing susceptibility when identifying or permitting injection sites; requiring seismic monitoring at active well sites; limiting well pressure thresholds by decreasing the amount of water pumped into wells and reducing the pressure at which it is pumped; and recycling and reusing wastewater.

Hydraulic fracturing is the process used to stimulate gas production from conventional oil and gas reservoirs. The process requires between 3 to 5 million gallons of fluid per well. The fracturing fluid is a proprietary mixture consisting of at least 98% water and sand with the remaining 2%, or less, of chemical additives, each having a specific function.

Although there are dozens to hundreds of chemicals, which could be used as additives, typically, there are no more than 12 chemicals used in the fracturing process.  Most of the additives are commonly used household or personal care items, which pose little or no health risks.  However, a limited number are classified hazardous substances.

After stimulation, about 20% to 40% of the fluid flows back to the surface and disposed by any one of a number of options. The four most common disposal options are: recycling for additional fracking, treatment and discharge to surface waters, underground injection, and storage in open air pits.

The answer to his question has nothing to do with Pennsylvania’s supposed dismay of the fluid. The answer is matter of simple geology. Pennsylvania’s tightly formed low-porosity underground geology is not suitable for deep injection disposal wells. (1) Correspondingly, Ohio’s geological underbelly composed of deep, cavernous permeable rock formations are ideally suited for injection well holding tanks.(2)

When injection is the most practical solution, the flowback is injected in deep, up to 10,000 feet, underground porous rock formations and sealed above and below by unbroken, impermeable strata. Ohio is home to 176 injection disposal wells, operated by more than 80 companies. Compare that with just six active wells in neighboring Pennsylvania. “There are over 151,000 injection wells around the country injecting over 2 billion gallons of brine every day.(3) Since the 1960s, there have only a handful of incidents due to direct contact or chemical migration into aquifers.”(4)

Both horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are established technologies with a significant track record; horizontal drilling dates back to the 1930s; and hydraulic fracturing has a history actually going back as far as 1860’s, when nitroglycerine was used to stimulate shallow, hard-rock oil reserves, it was surprisingly very successful and not so surprising very hazardous and often illegal.

A key element in the emergence of shale gas exploration has been the refinement of cost‐effective horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies. These two processes have allowed shale gas development to move into areas that previously were not accessible, literally your backyard.

The possible harmful effects of the fracking fluid to people and planet cannot be minimized. A 60-year history dictates that hydraulic fracturing is safe. There are few, if any, known cases of anyone being hospitalized or harmed from chemical contact with the fracturing fluid and/or its flowback. Especially, when used in a safe and responsible manner! “Best Management Practices” employed to select sites with the proper geology, construct and cement the casing, and manage the handling, injecting and disposal have just about eliminated problems and complaints.

The dilemma with all this brouhaha over hydraulic fracturing is the lack of concern over:

1. Sodium fluoride found in almost every tube of fluoridated toothpaste, which is far more hazardous and toxic than any of the additives in the hydraulic fracturing fluid.

Sodium fluoride is toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin contact. “Fluorides are more toxic than lead and only slightly less poisonous than arsenic.”(5) “As of April 7th, 1997, the United States FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has required that all fluoride toothpastes sold in the U.S. carry a poison warning on the label. Another of the little-known facts about fluoride toothpaste is that each tube of toothpaste – even those specifically marketed for children – contains enough fluoride to kill a child.

Fortunately, however, toothpaste-induced fatalities have been rarely reported in the US. In a review of Poison Center Control reports between 1989 and 1994, 12,571 reports were found from people who had ingested excess toothpaste. Of these calls, 2 people – probably both children – experienced “major medical outcomes”, defined as “signs or symptoms that are life-threatening or result in significant residual disability or disfigurement,” see following chart.(6)

2. The environmental impact and water pollution caused by deicing salt. Salt the most commonly used deicing chemical in the United States; it is spread at a rate of approximately 20 million tons per year. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate road salt but acknowledges that special consideration and best management practices are needed to protect reservoirs and other drinking water supplies near treated highways and salt storage sites from contamination with road salt runoff.”(7)

3. The presence of gar gum in natural toothpaste. Guar gum or hydroxyethyl cellulose is one of the hazardous additives used in hydraulic fracturing fluid to thicken the water in the fracturing fluid to suspend the sand. Neither its identity nor concentration is labeled on most tubes of toothpaste.

4. The use of ethylene glycol in many household products, including antifreeze, deicing products, detergents, paints, and cosmetics. Ethylene glycol is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting toxic additive used in hydraulic fracturing fluid to prevent scaling in the drill pipe.

“Ethylene glycol that is released into the environment does not persist since it is degraded within days to a few weeks in air, water, and soil. Reports of fatalities following ingestion of ethylene glycol indicate that a volume of 150–1,500 ml consumed at one time may cause death. In humans, the lethal dose of ethylene glycol is estimated to be in the range of 1,400–1,600 mg/kg. Ethylene glycol vapor concentrations measured in the air at airports during de-icing spray operations ranged from 0.05 to 22 mg/m3. Ethylene glycol has also been detected in airport stormwater. Background concentrations of ethylene glycol in the environment are not available.”(8)

5. The dry cleaning of clothes.  “You know that smell on clothes that have been to the dry cleaners? Well, for the first time scientists have measured it and found worrying levels of the toxic chemical used most commonly in the dry cleaning process. Most dry cleaners use an oil-based solvent called “Perc” (short for perchloroethylene) that has been linked to serious health problems, particularly for workers or nearby residents who inhale fumes, or for those drinking water contaminated with the chemical. The chemical is such a potent toxic substance that it’s prompted federal and state hazardous waste cleanups at dozens of Superfund sites around the country, some of them at defunct cleaners that didn’t handle their waste properly. And, not surprisingly, the chemical remains on clothes after they come home from the dry cleaners, and even build up over time if clothes are repeatedly dry cleaned, according to a Georgetown University study that was inspired by a sophomore high school student’s science project.”(9)

6. Throwing something away.  If you don’t reuse or recycle that item, it probably will end up in a landfill.  Once in a landfill the only thing left for it to do is decompose into carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen, ammonia, carbon dioxide, inorganic acids, and methane. “In 2010, Americans generated about 250 million tons of trash and recycled and composted over 85 million tons of this material. On average, we recycled and composted 1.51 pounds out of our individual waste generation of 4.43 pounds per person per day.”(10)

“Decomposition rates (rate at which it will totally break down into the earth) of items in landfills will vary depending on the amount of sunlight, moisture and air exposure it receives.  Some of these time ranges are:”(11):

“Apple core: 1 to 2 months, can take longer in landfills due to lack of microbes
Glass bottles: tens of thousands of years; glass is made from sand and it can outlast most anything
Plastic drinking bottles: hundreds of years; consist of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is made from petroleum, which won’t break down.
Plastic bags: up to hundreds of years; newer plastic bags can photo-degrade, but most aren’t exposed to sunlight when in a landfill.
Milk carton: 5 years
Plastic milk jug: 500 years
Aluminum can: 80 to 200 years
Styrofoam: no sign of ever breaking down
Cigarette butt: 1 to 5 years
Newspaper: 2 to 4 weeks, can take longer in landfills due to lack of microbes; will decompose much faster when wet.”(11)

7. The December 2008 report that “one in every three of the more than 1,500 children’s toys tested in time for the holiday shopping season have been found to contain “medium” or “high” levels of chemicals of concern such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic.”(12)

In closing, it’s convenient and easy to point at hydraulic fracturing as another human activity that if not curtailed will destroy humanity.  The ascent of man is one of risk management and ultimately doing the right thing. Sure controls, oversight and improvements are necessary when our future is at stake. But let’s deal in facts rather than mindless cut and pastes that naysayers righteously proclaim to an unwary public who go about brushing their teeth, driving behind salt spraying trucks, sitting in aircraft during deicing procedures, sending their clothes to the local dry cleaner, buying toys for birthdays and holidays, and shopping to feed and clothe the family without thinking of the potential harm they are doing to themselves and mother earth. Time to put fracking in proper perspective!

(1)  “Environmental Impact of the Marcellus Shale,” Energy Facts PA,
(2) “Fracking Fluid Soaks Ohio,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek, March 22, 2012;
(3) “Class II Wells – Oil and Gas Related Injection Wells (Class II),” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
(4) “Avoid injecting wastewater into faults,” The Marietta Times, March 24, 2012;
(5) “The Dangers of Fluoride,” Global Healing Center;
(6) “Why is there a Poison Warning on Toothpaste?” Fluoride Action Network;
(7) “Transportation: De-icers Add Sweet to Salt,” Environmental Health Perspectives;
(8) “Background and Environmental Exposures to Ethylene Glycol in the United States,” Center for Disease Control;
(9) “Study: Dry Cleaning Chemicals Stick to Clothes,” The Daily Green,
(10) “Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
(11) “Don’t Throw This Away, Landfill Decomposition Rates,” Ways 2 Go Green;
(12) “Toxic Toy Guide Lists Chemicals Found in Hundreds of Toys,” Environment News Service;

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Arco (TN)

Arco (TN)

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Guardian Angel - A Golden Sail (Auto Renga) - November 18, 2014

in stormy skies
menacing winds rack the sails
an angel watches

calming sailors souls in port
the angel placates their fear

a welcome sight
upon the opened seas
a golden light

(c) G.s.k. '14

This was a challenging prompt from Carpe Diem Haiku Kai ... here are our hosts haiku:

did I see an angel
or was it just the wind
moving clouds

© Chèvrefeuille

The above is the haiku which I've chosen to use as my inspiration.  Thinking of storms and the perils of sailing, I looked at this photograph I recently edited and thought that that golden sail in this black and white photo reminded me of a spirit ... or an angel guarding the safe harbor full of other boats.

For more of Chèvrefeuille's wonderful haiku and a haibun that he wrote on this subject go HERE.

  1. Oh -- this is the photo you've been editing for the four-week, right?
    I'm sure many a sailor called on many an angel over the millennium -- great renga, Georgia ---

    1. It sure is ... the sail boat reminded me of an apparition - either ghost or angel .. I chose angel ... and yes ... sailors have been looking for guardian angels since they first touched water I think .. Thanks Jen!

  2. Even if it was just the wind, it was a lovely "sight."

  3. Save Our Souls caught in a wonderful haiku Georgia .... thank you for sharing.

    1. Happy you enjoyed the haiku Kristjaan! :-)

harmonious words ... like crystal clear water ... pure ectasy

Thanks for your kind words. I do review all comments before posting - so if your comment disappears on you, don't fret. I will post comments as soon as I am able.

I do not post or return visits to "Anonymous Comments."


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Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry

Home » Engineering » Chemical Feedstock Production by Fermentation

Chemical Feedstock Production by Fermentation

“Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for direct production of 1,4-butanediol” Yim, H.; Haselbeck, R.; Niu, W.; Pujol-Baxley, C.; Burgard, A.; Boldt, J.; Khandurina, J.; Trawick, J. D.; Osterhout, R. E.; Stephen, R.; Estadilla, J.; Teisan, S.; Schreyer, H.B.; Andrae, S.; Yang, T. H.; Lee, S. Y.; Burk, M. J.; Van Dien, S.  Nature Chem. Bio. 2011. 7, 445-452. DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.580

The production of chemicals from biologically-derived feedstocks is a major goal of green chemistry research, but despite a lot of work that’s been done, it’s going to be hard to make the switch from petroleum-derived chemicals to bio-based ones.  This is especially true for high-volume commodity chemicals – many of these chemicals have been produced from petroleum for a hundred years, the processes have been optimized to work efficiently on enormous scale, and they are really, really cheap.  So the bar is set pretty high, and most papers from academic labs on microbial or enzymatic chemical production are too low-yielding to ever be commercialized (although to be fair, the same could be said for most synthetic chemistry papers).  That’s why I was a drawn to this paper published by Genomatica, a company based in San Diego, on the production of 1,4-butanediol by an engineered strain of E. coli – first they got the bug to produce 1,4-butanediol, then they engineered it to produce lots of the stuff.  Currently one million tons of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) are produced each year, virtually all of it derived from petroleum-based feedstock chemicals.

Apparently 40% of this is used in the production of Spandex, and the rest of it is used to make other polymers and THF.  If Genomatica’s BDO production works according to their plan, all those tons of spandex could be bio-based!

The future of spandex?

BDO isn’t produced naturally by any known organisms, so the first order of business was to design a biosynthetic pathway for BDO production.  Genomatica has their own software for generating and ranking hypothetical biochemical pathways in E. coli, which came up with over 10,000 possibilities for converting common metabolites into BDO.  90% of these were eliminated because of unfavorable thermodynamics or low theoretical yield, and the remaining were ranked based on things like the number of biochemical steps, the number of steps not native to E. coli, and the number of steps from central metabolism.  It’s worth pointing out that they focused on metabolites and enzymes from central metabolism – which is the collection of biochemical reactions that are absolutely essential for survival of all organisms: breakdown of sugars and fats, production of amino acids and nucleic acids, storage of energy, etc.   The majority of an organism’s carbon flux is going through these intermediates so there’s a greater stream of metabolites to divert, and higher yields are theoretically possible.   Additionally, these enzymes have been under constant evolutionary pressure over billions of years to operate very efficiently so they are less likely to become bottlenecks in the overall process.

Their most promising artificial biosynthesis starts with two intermediates from the citric acid cycle, succinate and alpha-ketoglutarate, and converges at succinyl semialdehyde, which is reduced with three hydride equivalents to BDO.  Here’s the first half of their pathway:

Enzymes that catalyze steps A and D are native to E. coli, while enzymes catalyzing steps B and C were known from other microorganisms.  So, their first experiments were aimed at transforming genes encoding those two enzymes into E. coli, and then looking for production of 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB).  Transformation of genes encoding either alpha-ketoacid decarboxylase (step B) or succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (step C) into E. coli conferred the ability to produce 4HB, albeit at low levels.  The authors experimented with enzymes from different organisms, plasmids whose genes were expressed in E. coli at different levels, and duplication of the native E. coli  enzymes for steps A and D with similar enzymes from other organisms. After all of this, they ended up with an organism that could produce ~1 g/L of the intermediate 4HB.  Pretty modest quantities, but a step in the right direction.

Here’s the second half of their artificial biosynthesis, which reduces 4HB to BDO, their desired product:

None of the three final steps were known in E. coli, so genes encoding enzymes for those three reaction had to be identified in other organisms and then transformed into E. coli.  Step E is catalyzed by a CoA transferase in P. gingivalis.  Enzymes performing steps F and G were not known, but the overall transformation is known to occur in C. acetobutylicum.  So, they tested a bunch of enzymes from that organism with alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (which, in this context, are performing the reverse reaction that their name implies – confusing!), and found an enzyme capable of catalyzing both steps F and G when expressed in E. coli.  Then they took all of the enzymes from these experiments and expressed them in a strain of E. coli, which conferred the ability to produce BDO from glucose.  The production of BDO at this point was only 100 mg/L, and many other compounds were being produced too, so the organism was definitely not ready for prime time.

The next phase of the project was to engineer the organism to channel all of its carbon compounds and reducing equivalents through the artificial BDO pathway instead of its native metabolic pathways.  Like the design of the BDO biosynthesis itself, these metabolic engineering efforts were guided by software that suggested the deletion of certain enzymes in primary metabolism, and identified other enzymes as being critical for production (but not present in the BDO biosynthesis itself).

This software recommended that they delete three NADH-dependent dehydrogenase enzymes (alcohol, lactate and malate) to funnel NADH into the BDO biosynthesis, which uses three equivalents of NADH.  All of this extra NADH sloshing around in the organism had a deleterious effect though; one of the crucial enzymes identified by their software, pyruvate dehydrogenase, is inhibited by high levels of NADH, and didn’t function in the knockout organism.  This enzyme is so crucial to the organism (it connects glycolysis to the citric acid cycle) that it was barely able to grow, let alone produce any BDO.  But, they were able to swap in a version of pyruvate dehydrogenase containing a mutation that reduces NADH sensitivity, which restored growth and gave them a four-fold increase in BDO production.

They ended up doing a lot more engineering – more deletions, more mutations to reduce NADH inhibition, swapping in enzymes from other organisms, deleting transcriptional inhibitors of their crucial enzymes, and they ended up with an organism that produced an order of magnitude more BDO than their original strain.  Improvements made to the fermentation conditions gave them an additional order of magnitude increase in product titer, bringing them up to 18 g/L, or nearly 2% by weight.  Compared to the percentages that are obtained from ethanol fermentations (>13%) there is probably room for improvement, but these results are sufficiently promising that Genomatica has started large-scale production.  Overall, I thought this was a very cool (and very dense) piece of work, one that highlights all the work that is necessary to take a project from the proof-of-concept stage to a point that is commercially feasible.

  1. Marty Mulvihill says:

    You mention the potential for scalability at 18 g/L. How universal is this metric? How does it compare to other bio based process?

  2. Courtney says:

    In the paper it said that they’re looking for 3 to 6-fold increase in productivity as they scale up, which would put them at 50-100 g/L, which is apparently what they need for their process to be cost competitive. I think it depends on what you’re making though – the higher the titer, the cheaper the production costs, but if you’re making a high value product, you can get away with lower production levels. Keasling’s original reports on biobased artemisinin production were getting 100-200 mg/L, and they probably will never get to 20 g/L. But they probably don’t need to either.

  3. Robert says:

    Found this off Lee’s LinkedIn…nice summary, thanks

  4. jplumb says:

    Great post Courtney. Do you have a sense of what the efficiency would need to be in order for this process to be competitive with existing petrochemical processes (ie what would the g/L need to reach)? Also, do the authors factor in cost of feedstock- food vs fuel competition, etc. I’m assuming that at this point in the process development, they’re more interested in getting an organism that simply does what they want it to. But do they address the challenges of switching a feedstock to something like cellulose as opposed to starch. This must be a consideration if they’re planning on scaling this to production levels.

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Feet on the ground. Head in the sky.

Plane. Boat. Automobile. Queenstown. Wellington. Melbourne. Nadi. San Fran. Portland. Vancouver. Pentiction (Canada). Spokane. Portland.

18,885 km in 4 weeks.5k driving, 109 on a boat and a lot of time on big planes.

This wasn’t jet lag, but an entirely different illness. The symptoms caused by two weeks worth climate change, daylight variance, being lost, accents, road side swaps and re-acculturation.It all took its toll, as I became a coffee deprived brain-dead zombie, wondering around my garage like a forgetful gold fish in tiny bowl.

My body was in shock but knew it was back in Portland. My limbs manage to figure it out a week later, half-way through a mini-bike ride to a $1 comic book swap at the local Eagles Lodge. My stomach caught on only after we picked 5 gallons of Blueberry’s. Ears got on the band wagon at PDX Pop Now Music Fest. Strangely, It wasn’t until today, under that familiar grey blanket of Oregon overcast, that I realized just how much happened in the last 6 weeks.

Stories will follow, but for right now this brief gallery will have to do. I’ve got more coffee to drink and an ancient lop sided garage to finish remodeling.

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OMNIA™ Flat Definer

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Great for creating a sharp line or smudging color at the lash line.

OMNIA™ represents the next generation of modern, luxurious makeup brushes. These exquisite beauty tools have been carefully handcrafted using the finest materials available. OMNIA™ features makeup artist's favorite beauty brushes as well as fine art brush shapes and sizes for the best applications.

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It’s that time of year to get the PEEPS out!  Even if you don’t enjoy eating them as much as the kids do… they are perfect for decorating this Easter. Below are creative ideas on what you can do this Easter with PEEPS. Enjoy! A festive way to serve lemonade or any drink this Easter.  […]

Valentine’s Day!

Only one more day until Valentine’s Day!  It was another NO SCHOOL snow day at our house and my kids were thrilled to be home.   Meanwhile, I continue to count the days until spring! Below are 30 super EASY recipes and crafts for Valentine’s Day.  Most of the items needed are already in your home.  I bet you […]

It’s the day after Halloween and if you have little ones at home like I do… then chances are your house is filled with Halloween candy.  I don’t know about you but I am already counting the days until the candy is GONE.  If you don’t have kids at home but purchased candy for the little neighborhood goblin’s then I’m […]

We all know from my last posting that I do NOT like carving pumpkins.   I am, however, thrilled to share some amazing crafty/non carving ways to decorate pumpkins this Halloween.  The ideas are endless and some are very easy to do with children. I have listed 20 of my favorite pumpkins.  You will find the link directly […]

Tis the season to break out the PUMPKINS!  Not sure if I’m the only one who feels this way… BUT I am being honest when I say I do not like carving pumpkins.  Never have.  Never will.   I can’t stand the mess, hate the smell and I do NOT like sticking my hand inside to clean it.  BAHhumbug!  […]

Tis the season!  It’s fall here in New England but I have to say these last couple of days felt like summer with 90 degree weather.  Thankfully, it has finally cooled down but it still doesn’t feel like fall. Today I wanted to share a fun find about candy apples.  The picture below isn’t what you think.  A […]

20 FABULOUS RECIPES… for July 4th

JULY 4th RECIPES (Part 2)  What can I say?  I am hooked on 4th of July recipes!  Unfortunately, I keep seeing the same recipes over and over again on Pinterest.  It was then I decided to venture off on a search of my own.  You will not believe what I found. Below are pictures of […]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! Hard to believe that the 4th of July is right around the corner.  Below are some of my favorite patriotic desserts that I found on Something Swanky.  Out of 60+ desserts posted… believe… you… me… it wasn’t easy finding a few favorites.  Each and every one looks colorful, delicious and perfect […]


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What We Do

Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Nearly one in four students fails to graduate on time in Washington. Communities In Schools offers a solution to the dropout problem. In partnership with public schools facing the greatest dropout challenges, Communities In Schools brings resources and volunteers into the school to help struggling students get back on track.

Comprehensive Services

Many of the young people we serve are facing challenges both inside and outside the classroom. What sets Communities In Schools apart is the way we coordinate a comprehensive range of services to support all the needs of these students—academic and non-academic—so they come to school ready to learn.

Every child has tremendous potential. We help students unlock their abilities and talents, giving them a brighter future.

The model we use to provide these services places a Communities In Schools site coordinator in a school to assess needs, make a plan, and coordinate intensive interventions for the kids most at risk for dropping out, along with services geared to the entire school. The site coordinator works with local community service partners such as social service agencies, businesses, health care providers and volunteers to connect students with needed resources.

  • One-to-one services such as academic help, basic needs like food and clothing, physical and mental health care, mentoring, or college and career preparation help individual students overcome barriers to success at school.
  • School-wide offerings like bully prevention assemblies and after-school enrichment meet broad student needs.

Proven Effective

Locally, we track outcomes against rigorous total quality standards. Nationally, independent studies confirm that Communities In Schools offers a cost-effective, evidence-based model for dropout prevention.

  • An economic impact study found that for every $1 invested in Communities In Schools, $11.60 comes back to the community.
  • A five-year evaluation showed that of all organizations working toward student achievement, only Communities In Schools is proven to decrease dropout rates AND boost on-time graduation rates.
  • Child Trends, a national research organization, affirmed the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of integrated student supports programs like Communities In Schools in improving education outcomes.

Learn more about the work of Communities In Schools in our national video, Making a Difference.


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Welcome to Best Golf Cars

Best Golf Cars is a second generation business since 1988 and is the only factory authorized Club Car dealer in the low country. We carry a wide variety of new, used and our most popular refurbished cars. We offer a wide variety of custom options and accessories. At Best Golf Cars, our team will be glad to help design a custom car just for you. We also offer convenient payment options and financing with approved credit. Club Car repeatedly leads the industry, a fact many attribute to the company’s winning style and state of the art engineering. The preparation Club Car has made for tomorrow, will serve you well today and into the 21st century.

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We aspire to lead our market area in producing quality tailored golf cars and utility vehicles with exceptional customer service.

Best Golf Cars – Off Seaboard Avenue
1400 Enterprise Ave
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

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As a team we believe that we all share in the ownership of Best Golf Cars. As owners, we have a responsibility and commitment to each other and the company in doing our job to the best of our ability.

Best Golf Cars – Market Common
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Myrtle Beach, SC

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INTEGRITY: being ethically unyielding with honesty and inspiring trust by saying what we mean, matching our behavior to our words and taking responsibility for our actions

TEAMWORK: the ability to work efficiently as a team to achieve a common goal

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ADAPTABILITY: ability to change in order to achieve a common goal or task

QUALITY: high level of value and excellence

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The 15 Best Hiking Trails in Delaware!

Staying fit isn’t just about your state of mind. Sometimes, the journey to physical health is about your state. If you’ve chosen Delaware as your hiking location, you’re already on the road to fitness. Delaware’s vast landscape harbors miles and miles of certified hiking trails, not to mention those off the beaten track trails you never knew were hiding in the wilderness. These destinations cover so many different types of ground, from sandy beaches to historical sites to secluded spaces covered in plush greenery. Here are 15 trails to explore.

1. The Cape Henlopen Beach Trail, Lewes, DE

This is such a scenic pathway that it's 4.6 miles of stretching trail can be completed with less effort than you're used to, regardless of your pace. This trail is best suited for serious hikers and/or horseback riders with a passion for nature. Discover a whole new reason to fall in love with the seashore as it whizzes past you on a visually enticing journey in a space where cargo ships and World War II memorabilia are tucked away behind the dunes.

2. Hagley Museum’s Historical Loop, Wilmington, DE

History buff and fitness enthusiast? No problem. The Hagley Museum’s hiking loop is a circular trail situated at the birthplace of the Du Pont Company and on the grounds of the Du Pont mansion. The trail is a stunning .8 miles of semi-paved pathways that wind through the remnants of yesteryear’s black powder mills and travel past quaint gift shops and alongside the babbling Brandywine River. With a hiking trail like this, you won’t even notice you worked up a sweat.

3. The Little Jersey Trail at Lums Pond, Bear, DE

Nature lovers will rejoice at this flexuous eight-mile trail that affords a comfortable hike through the wilderness thanks to its level ground and paving. Here you’ll tread past the glimmering pond and on through forests, past campgrounds and boathouses. Feeling tired after that exhilarating workout? Feel free to stay on the campgrounds and get the full experience.

4. The Rocky Run Trail, Wilmington, DE

Challenge yourself to an uphill battle at this trail that’s every bit a reflection of its name. The Rocky Run Trail features two miles of uneven terrain to really pump up your adrenaline but it ends with a refreshing descent. Along the way, hikers can enjoy expansive views of the shimmering Brandywine River as it twists and turns through the nature surrounding the Northern Delaware Greenway and makes its way past the iconic Rocky Run Bridge.

5. The Brandywine Valley Trail, Wilmington, DE

Hike from state to state with ease via the Brandywine Valley Trail, a colossal pathway that crisscrosses with several other trails and boasts a beautiful 10.4-mile jaunt. Depending upon how far you travel, taking this trail can lead you past botanical wonders, wildlife, historical bridges and more. This is the road that leads you to wherever you want to go.

6. Fort Delaware’s Prison Trail, Pea Patch Island, DE

You never know what you might encounter when taking a stroll through the Delaware hiking roads. If you imagined engaging in an eight-mile journey that skirts past a myriad of island wildlife and ends at a watchtower overlooking a historical site that once served as a prison camp for confederate soldiers you’re in luck.

7. The Walking Dunes Trail, Lewes, DE

Wisps of flowing Beach Heather surround you on all sides while the ocean breezes blow along this maritime hike trail over the dunes. This trail is unique in its topography and botanical features and it’s also a cool choice for beginners. Its hills aren’t so steep that they pose a difficult challenge but they do make for an energetic romp.

8. Alapocas Woods Trail, Wilmington, DE

While moving forward along this sprawling, semi-secluded trail in the Alapocas Run State Park, it’s easy to forget you’re in the city. This is a pretty straight forward trail—.7 miles of pavement complete with a quaint, tiny bridge over water. That being said, it earns a place on the list for its location, which is easily accessible to major highways for both Pennsylvanians and Delawareans alike. Be on the lookout for views of the Blue Ball Barn, an easy to miss historical site that houses a very impressive collection of Delaware folk art.

9. The Burton Island Trail, Burton Island, DE

Shimmy down a pathway comprised of Delaware Beach boardwalks where you'll ease past wildlife, two bays and a region of salt marsh. The trail is a mere 1.5 miles, the Goldilocks number for hikers if ever there was one.

10. The Loblolly Trail, Laurel, DE

Marvel at the sight of bald cypress trees and Great Blue Heron while traveling across the wetlands of Laurel, Delaware. This lovely 4.6-mile hike is equally delightful as a bird watching destination.

11. Bryan's Field, Newark, DE

The Post Marked West Monument adorns this 2.1-mile loop that was designed for intermediate level hikers. Hardwood forest and meadows sprawl along the pathway that eventually connects with Delaware's famous Paper Mill Road.

12. The Twin Valley Trail, Newark, DE

This is yet another monument clad hiking destination in the vicinity. It's notable for its varying types of forestry and terrain but also for its location. Pennsylvania very subtly connects with Delaware right here in this very space making crossing state lines as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.

13. The Wilmington Riverwalk, Wilmington, DE

If urban scenery inspires you to pick up the pace and you love watching ships set sail out of the corner of your eye while you're hiking, you might want to opt for the river walk. This technically isn't considered a "hiking trail" but just because it breaks away from the traditional description doesn't mean it deserves to be ignored. This is a local favorite for stretching the legs and it features urban views you won't likely find elsewhere. The walk stretches for up to three miles in total and it's dotted with award winning restaurants and shopping destinations.

14. Cypress Point Trail, Laurel, DE

This trail is unique in that it affords a comfortable hike for all levels of skill. Nestled into the breathtaking wetlands of Lauren, Delaware, the hike circles the edge of a glistening pond. Enjoy an enchanting experience with minimal interruptions to the natural landscape that serves as the setting for this trail.

15. The Life Course Trail, Felton, DE

This trail that aims to please everybody’s inner fitness enthusiast completes Kent County’s 66-acre Pond State Park. Parking for this trail is positioned in the parking lot of a sports complex and the trail is surrounded by a multitude of equally energizing activities. The attached resort-style waterpark and campground make this a fun stop for a weekend with the family but the trail itself can stand alone as a unique Delaware attraction. Why? Because along its brief .8-mile course there are 20 exercise stations so you can work out while you hike and you won’t ever have to distance yourself too far from the rest of civilization.

As promised, Delaware’s hiking trails are rooted in diversity as are so many other Delaware attractions. Stick around to learn all about how Delaware’s unique landscape makes it a great place to explore.

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#120: Opened for Me

(Part of a series singing through the hymnbook I grew up with: Great Hymns of the Faith)

There is a Fountain opened for my cleansing,

Where sin’s atonement by my Lord was made;

He was the Lamb that was led to the slaughter,

His blood the fountain where my debt was paid.

Opened for me, opened for me,

The precious, cleansing Fount was opened there for me.

There is a Rock that stands, by storms unshaken,

Redemption’s Author the foundation laid;

By faith my stand on His righteousness I’ve taken,

He will not fail — I shall not be dismayed.

There is a Book that points the path to glory,

Eternal guidepost for the wayward soul;

On its fair pages is told the wondrous story

Of life in Christ, the everlasting goal.

There is a Hop.e, a wondrous consolation,

In a benighted world a constant star;

These eyes now dulled by the shadows that surround me

My Savior shall behold in realms afar.

There is a Home my Savior is preparing —

I may not need to cross death’s sullen vale;

Soon from earth’s bondage His coming will release me

To live where joys eternal shall prevail.

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In Willie's latest blog, he shares with us his passion for the Scottish landscape and the important role he believes rocks and landforms have played in shaping who we are today.

by Willie Towers for Scotland's environment web
Posted on July 12, 2017

As my wife and I travel through the Scottish countryside by car or train, she is intrigued (and occasionally frustrated) by my sudden expressions of appreciation for, to her, what are rather bland pieces of countryside. "Look at these moundy moraines!" I will gasp,"and those rocky scree slopes in the background." She does appreciate the flat areas of alluvium though as they are easier to walk on. These conversations demonstrate that we all see our country differently based on experiences and preferences.

During the field work part of my career as a soil surveyor, I was trained, both formally and informally, to understand the wide range of rocks and landforms in Scotland. Rocks weather to form the parent material from, and on which, soils develop while landforms help determine the range and pattern of soils across the landscape. Next time you walk or drive across Rannoch Moor, notice the moundy nature of the terrain; these are moraines deposited by the ice sheets as they retreated from Scotland at the end of the last glaciation. Note also the varied nature of the vegetation between the mounds and the wetter bogs on the flatter ground between them. Different vegetation, different soils. This is the sort of conversation that can drive my wife to distraction so I hope that you are still with me!

Different rock formations across Scotland are, in my view, partly responsible for the population distribution across Scotland. In general, the more populated parts of the country have sedimentary rocks that produce more fertile and workable soils, and which were exploited to fuel the Industrial Revolution with coal. Compare north west Scotland or the Western Isles (‘hard’ Lewisian Gneiss) with Orkney (‘soft’ Old Red Sandstone strata); similar climates and altitude but poles apart in terms of population density and agricultural capability. Having said that, north west Scotland is home to the most stunning scenery in the country. As Norman MacCaig has said:

Two key elements of landscape are rocks and landforms and this is most obvious in places like north west Scotland, where human interference, certainly in terms of built infrastructure, is at a minimum. I guess they are also key elements in defining protected landscapes such as National Scenic Areas or how we define Wild Land.

But rocks and landforms are not just confined to rural Scotland. Our capital city has an extinct volcano, Arthur’s Seat, within its boundary, and the rock formations and backdrop of Salisbury Crags provided much of the inspiration for the design of the Scottish Parliament building. And what is probably the most photographed scene or building in Scotland and recognisable throughout the world (a good ice breaker at a dinner party of strangers)? I’d say Edinburgh Castle and I’d bet my bottom dollar, it wouldn’t be the same if it were not perched on the Crag on which it sits. And did you know that the Royal Mile is the Tail? One of our most iconic buildings and one of our World Heritage sites sit on a geomorphological feature fashioned by rocks and landforms. And not to be outdone, much of Central Glasgow sits on drumlins; next time you look up St Vincent Street, admire the rolling nature of the street and many of its neighbours.

So I think it is not overstating things that Scotland’s rocks and landforms, valuable and deserving of appreciation in their own right, remain partly responsible for where and how we live, even in this fast advancing age. They have an amazing intrinsic value but also economic value; how many overseas visitors come to Scotland to play golf on our links and dunes? And to view Edinburgh Castle?

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Sun Opens Java Source Code Under GPL

Hoping to increase usage of the programming language, Sun said Monday that it would be using the GNU General Public License (GPL) to open source the Java platform. Beginning today, source code would be available for both the Standard (Java SE) and Micro (Java ME) editions.

Additionally, the GPL would be added to the Enterprise edition (Java EE), which had already been made available by Sun through the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) for over a year. The moves will make Java easier to bundle with Linux, say Sun executives.

The source code release represents one of the largest contributions of code to the GPL, according to Sun. While 3.8 billion Java devices already exists, the Santa Clara, Calif. based company hopes that open-sourcing Java would make the platform even more pervasive.

"Everyone has been expecting that one day Sun would open source Java technology, but no one expected just how far they'd go -- GPL," Java supporter and founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media Tim O'Reilly said. "A bold move, and a great opportunity both for Sun and for free and open source software."

Not all Java code would be made widely available, however. For portions of the source code, Sun would invoke the "classpath exception" clause of the GPL, allowing it to limit what the license covers. A commercial license would still be made available for standards certification and legal protections.

Analysts applauded the move, which had long been asked for by many in the industry. "GPL is the Gold Standard in Open Source licenses," Illuminata analyst Jonathan Eunice said.

"Choosing it simplifies so many things, while at the same time putting a reasonable, community-based dampening effect on incompatible diversions, and allowing Sun’s existing commercial license scheme to continue as well," he continued.

More information can be found on Sun's new Open JDK site.

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