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Saturday, April 19, 2008

Fiesta Events & activities links posted on the Walker Report

Every official event of Fiesta San Antonio (Opening of Carnival-photo) is produced by a local nonprofit organization or military unit. Fiesta never ends because these organizations help their community all year long.Below are links to many Fiesta events or the organizations they benefit.At these sites you can learn about the sponsoring organizations, their event schedules, ticket prices, volunteer opportunities and lots more.

A Day in Old Mexico & Mexican Charreada (San Antonio Charro Association)
A Night In Old San Antonio®, (NIOSA) (San Antonio Conservation Society)
A Taste Of New Orleans (San Antonio Zulu Association)
A Taste of the Northside & Fiesta Open (Brightont School)
Battle ALS with Flowers (ALSA - South Texas Chapter)
Battle Of Flowers® Parade (Battle of Flowers Association)
Battle Of Flowers® Parade Vanguard (Battle of Flowers Association)
Celebrations of Tradition Pow Wow (United San Antonio Pow Wow)
Children’s Festival (Paseo del Rio Association)
Colores de Fiesta Gala (Rolling Hills Academy)
Cornyation (Fiesta Cornyation)
Cutting Edge Fashion Show (University of the Incarnate Word)
Exploring Mexican Body Painting (San Antonio Museum of Art)
Family Fiesta (Colonial Hills United Methodist Church)
Family Funday Sunday (Tom C. Clark Cougar High School Band Boosters)
Fiesta Arts Fair (Southwest School of Art and Craft)
Fiesta Bird Mart (Alamo Exhibition Bird Club)
Fiesta Blues Heritage Series (San Antonio Blues Society)
Fiesta Dances! Ballets, Polkas and Bailes (Witte Museum)
Fiesta Fandango 2.6-Mile Run (San Antonio Roadrunners)
Fiesta Flambeau Night Parade (Fiesta Flambeau Parade Association)
Fiesta Gartenfest (Beethoven Maennerchor Inc.)
Fiesta Mission 10K & Kids’ Runs (San Antonio Roadrunners)
Fiesta Oyster Bake―The Heartbeat of Fiesta (St. Mary's University Alumni Association)
Fiesta Pooch Parade (Delta Society)
Fiesta San Fernando (San Fernando Cathedral)
Fiesta Square & Round Dance (Alamo Area Square & Round Dance Assoc.)
FiestaCrow conference in odd-numbered years (Association of Old Crows)
Fiestas Fantasías at Market Square (San Antonio Parks Foundation)
Incognito: Fiesta’s Masked Ball (Urban 15)Investiture Of King Antonio LXXXVI (Texas Cavaliers)
King William Fair (King William Association)
La Noche del Rey/El Rey Feo LX Reception (Rey Feo Scholarship Committee/El Consejo Real de Reyes Feos Anteriores)
Mariachi Festival (Paseo del Rio Association)
San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of CommerceSan Antonio Hotel & Lodging AssociationMiss Fiesta San Antonio Scholarship Pageant in February (Miss Fiesta San Antonio Scholarship Pageant)
Palo Alto College PACFest (Palo Alto College)
Saint Luke's Fiesta Finale (St. Luke's Catholic Church)
San Antonio AIDS Foundation WEBB Party (San Antonio AIDS Foundation)
San Antonio College 14th Annual Multicultural Conference (San Antonio College)
San Antonio Women’s Fiesta Soccer Tournament (Women's Soccer Assoc. of San Antonio)Sculptors Dominion International (Sculptors Dominion Exhibit)Queen of Soul Scholarship Pageant in early April (Queen of Soul Inc)
Sticky Wickets Croquet Tournament (Blessed Sacrament Academy
Tejano Explosion (LULAC Leads)
Texas Cavaliers River Parade (Texas Cavaliers)

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From dream to reality for NOAA’s hurricane hunter crew member

TAMPA (WFLA) – More invaluable data on Irma from NOAA’s hurricane hunter planes.

News Channel 8’s Chip Osowski rode along with the crew on an early flight Saturday morning where their mission is now personal.

NOAA has two types of planes — the P-3 that flies at a lower altitude into the eye of the storm — and the Gulfstream 4 that flies at up to 45,000 — around and over the hurricane.

Both deploy dropsondes – a GPS device that measures wind speed and direction, air temperature and pressure and humidity.

Alan Goldstein has been in this line of work for 40 years next month.

“I don’t think that there’s any place here where you’re going to be able to say profoundly, oh, we’re in the middle of a hurricane.  There are going to be some places where they’re going to put the seat belt light on,” said Goldstein.

He says while there’s no denying Irma is a monster storm — she isn’t that unique.

“Alan, David, Hugo, Wilma, Gilbert, a lot of them have not smacked into land as often and as hard as this storm,” he said.

What makes this trip special for these guys — is this storm hits home — and not in a good way.

“I saw the track going pretty close to my house,” Goldstein said. “Kind of your worst nightmare all of a sudden.  It goes from dream to reality and it’s kind of scary, for sure.”

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2012 World Jewelry Facets

SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS lights up World Jewelry Facets Exhibition (WJF) for the third time! Launched in 2010, WJF is the glittering result of years of industry networking, in line with Swarovski’s long-held philosophy of supporting and celebrating the world’s best artistry and craftsmanship. This rich 115-year-old creative heritage was once again given a bespoke platform in Beijing this May in a presentation of exquisite pieces from the crème de la crème of jewelry design.

SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS was delighted to exhibit a covetable selection of beautiful showpieces, created by upcoming and established fashion jewelry designers, encompassing the entire aesthetic spectrum, from decorative opulence (tumbling garland-style necklaces) to sculptural sophistication (geometric, futuristic collars and bejeweled breastplates). The pieces were expertly curated to give an eclectic, super-chic glimpse of contemporary style, while models brought the whole event to bright and brilliant life.

High-end couture jewelry creations and leading-edge designs were on display from talents such as France’s Hélène Zubeldia, Philippe Ferrandis and Jacques Fath, Brazil’s Camila Klein and Caleidoscópio; Israel’s Dori Csengeri and Ben Amun from the US, to name a few of the impressive designers at the top of their craft.

Visitors and guests (including Hong Kong actress Michele Reis) could also feast their eyes on bespoke Fall/Winter 2012/13 designer collections, which are available for purchase at the SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™ concept store in Shanghai.

Design By On Aura Tout Vu

Design By Jayde by Melissa Kandiyoti

Design By Iosselliani

Design By Claudia Arbex

Design By Camila Klein

Design By Gache

Design By Dori Csengeri

Design By The Cabinet

Design By Clara Kasavina

Design By Otazu

Hong Kong Actress Michelle Reis


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Welocme to
Washington & Lee Motel !

Welcome to the Washington & Lee Motel, Montross, VA. We are the best choice for reasonably priced, comfortable and clean accommodations with friendly, hospitable service. We have all of the amenities to make your stay in Montross charming, relaxing and enjoyable.

We believe in customer satisfaction, and we always do our level best in every service we provide you. Of course, we welcome comments and suggestions from you so that we can make this place even better to suit the needs of every customer that steps into our inn. Our staff is professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous.

Hotel Amenities

  • Free Wi-Fi Internet
  • 24-hour front desk
  • Air Conditioning
  • Smoking rooms
  • Non Smoking Rooms
  • Microwave & Fridge Available
  • Coffee Makers Available On Request
  • Daily Housekeeping
  • No Pets Allowed

Area Attractions

17055 Kings, Hwy, Montross, VA 22520

(804) 493-8093

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Paint Schoodic

Join us on the American Eagle in June or in Acadia National Park in August. Click here for more information.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Happy Christmas

"Rest on the Flight into Egypt," 1879, by Luc-Olivier Merson.
“Rest on the Flight into Egypt,” 1879, by Luc-Olivier Merson.
I’m taking the week off from writing. While black bears and moose couldn’t stop me, the two tiny tots arriving tomorrow have a way of stopping all progress.
This Christmas season has been one of trial among my friends. That includes a homeless family, a dead son, and a friend with advanced cancer.
“You don’t have to look very far to count your blessings,” my mother would say.  I would in turn wonder why it is only in the face of others’ disasters that we remember to thank God for our own safe-passage. But that’s how our minds work.
I grew up in a home where joy was muffled by grief. Christmas, like no other season, was when the pain came poking through the shroud. My mother checked out by working through the holiday; my father checked out by drinking through it. Parents model a lot of things to their kids, and one of them is how to be happy.
Grief teaches us that happiness is a tissue so fine that it can crumble in our hands. Peace teaches us that this doesn’t matter, that we must learn to accept our moments of joy regardless of our fear.
It’s not enough to just enumerate one’s blessings—we must also live them. Mine are mostly going to be here this week. So rather than work, I’m going to play with babies, cook with my daughters, and even watch TV with them.
Immanuel—God with us—takes many forms. A Merry Christmas to you all.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Ivanka is a problem only for really rich artists

Trump posing in her apartment before the Tony Awards
Trump posing in her apartment before the Tony Awards. (Instagram)
Alex Da Corte, whose small assemblages sell in the $18-25K range, recently tweeted, ““Dear @Ivankatrump please get my work off of your walls. I am embarrassed to be seen with you.” He is part of an Instagram feed called called “Dear Ivanka” in which artists under the umbrella of Halt Action Group (HAG) repost images of Ms. Trump paired with political appeals. The political appeals are perfectly legitimate protest. Demanding that an owner remove a piece of artwork is not.
Bloomberg just saved me a ton of work by figuring out how much the art in Ivanka Trump’s apartment is actually worth:
In one post, Trump shimmies in front of a Dan Colen “chewing gum” painting; a comparable work sold for $578,500 at Phillips New York in 2012. In another post, Trump’s child plays the piano in front of a ‘bullet hole’ silkscreen by Nate Lowman; a bullet-hole painting in the same palette sold for $665,000 in 2013 at Sotheby’s in New York. In yet another post, taken from a Harper’s Bazaar shoot, Trump poses at her dining table in front of a work by Alex Israel. A similar painting by Israel sold for $581,000 in 2014 at Phillips New York.
“It’s a moment of reckoning,” said Alison Gingeras of HAG. “Going forward, we need to think more carefully about how our work gets brought to the world, and who it’s sold to.”
Ivanka Trump-branded purse in front of a work by Christopher Wool.  This painting appears in a lot of photos of her home.
Ivanka Trump-branded purse in front of a work by Christopher Wool. This painting appears in a lot of photos of her home.
Who are these semi-professional sans-culottes? Certainly not struggling artists. The majority of ‘emerging artists’—i.e., the rest of us—sell in the $100 to $5000 range. We are happy to sell our work at all. I, for one, never enquire into my buyers’ politics. I just smile as I cash the check.
The Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA) was the first national legislation in which ‘moral rights’ of artists were addressed. However, these are limited to the:

  • right to claim authorship;
  • right to prevent false attribution to works one didn’t create;
  • right to prevent distortion, mutilation, or modification that would prejudice the author’s honor or reputation.
And of course, artists maintain copyright.
The client purchases the right to display and resell a piece of artwork. In other words, Alex Da Corte can’t demand that Ivanka Trump remove his painting from her home; she paid good money for that privilege. Her use of the artworks in tweets, however, sails a little closer to the wind. In considering copyright, the courts factor the effect of the use on the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. For example, an aspiring Hitler can’t use a landscape to promote the Third Reich, even if he bought the painting. And your painting can’t be used to market whisky unless you get royalties.
Ivanka Trump’s apartment contains works by Nate Lowman, left, and Dan Colen. I’m of course reposting her Instagram photo under the Fair Use Exemption.
Ivanka Trump’s apartment contains works by Nate Lowman, left, and Dan Colen. I’m of course reposting her Instagram photo under the Fair Use Exemption.
And that’s the point on which the question turns. Until a few weeks ago, artists were chuffed to see their paintings in Ivanka Trump’s tweets. She was marketing herself as an urbane, sophisticated collector, and marketing them as the artists being collected by the cognoscenti.
What has changed? Nothing substantive, only the perception that she is part of the smart set. Since they were happy for her to do it last year, I doubt they can stop her from doing it next year.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Your favorite artist you can’t remember

Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
If you were raised in the United States, the odds are overwhelming that you had at least one Little Golden Book while growing up. These books were introduced in 1942 as a joint project of Simon & Shuster and Western Publishing. The idea was to do big runs of color pages so the books could be sold cheaply. They premiered with a cover price of a quarter, which rose to 29¢ in 1962. That was cheap enough for nearly everyone, which made them ubiquitous, and extremely important. With more than two billion sold, they have been “baby’s first book” for many American children.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Eloise Margaret Burns Wilkin has been called “the soul of Little Golden Books.” Born in 1904 in Rochester, Wilkin moved downstate at age 2. She returned to Rochester to attend the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute, now known as Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). This school has a long tradition of excellence in art instruction.
After earning an Art and Illustration degree in 1923, Wilkin opened a studio with her friend Joan Esley in Rochester. Struggling to find work, the pair moved to New York City. A week later, Wilkin was hired to illustrate The Shining Hours by Mary Meek Atkeson.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
In 1930, Wilkin put her career on hold to marry. She, her husband and their four kids lived in Canandaigua, in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Her house there made cameo appearances in many of her books.
In 1944, Wilkin signed an exclusive contract with Simon & Shuster. This required her to illustrate three Little Golden Books each year. She had it all—wife, mother, career.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
In an interview with RIT’s University News, Wilkin’s son Sidney recollected his mother working long, long days as she approached her deadline. “We would run in and out of the house by her studio and she would stop us, show us something and ask if we liked it.”
In 1974, Wilkin revised "My Little Golden Book about God" to reflect our multicultural reality
In 1974, Wilkin revised “My Little Golden Book about God” to reflect our multicultural reality
Eloise Wilkin will never be remembered as a great artist, but her warm, beautifully-rendered pencil drawings had a profound influence on generations of American children. If you pored over books as a child, she probably had a hand in shaping your visual aesthetic.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Cover art by Eloise Wilkin.
Wilkin illustrated more than 110 books, including 50 Little Golden Books. She died of cancer in Brighton, New York at the age of 83.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

World's Okayest Mom

Lonely rubber ducky in Camden harbor.
Lonely rubber ducky in Camden harbor.
You might know my young friend Sandy Quang. She was my painting student for a long time, then my studio assistant, and sometimes my workshop monitor. Most recently, she worked at Camden Falls Gallery.
Sandy’s parents run a restaurant called Dac Hoa. It’s a small eatery on the edge of downtown Rochester, known for its fresh Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese food. Ha, Kahn and Nu know this range of cuisine because their families left China during the Chinese Civil War and settled in Vietnam. After the fall of Saigon they moved along again, eventually ending up in Rochester. I respect them for their courage, hard work, and integrity. Through Sandy, we’ve become friends.
"My parents’ restaurant," graphite on paper, approx. 16X18, 2008, by Sandy Quang.
“My parents’ restaurant,” graphite on paper, approx. 16X18, 2008, by Sandy Quang.
When I was a kid, I had a crush on an imaginary boy called Homer Price. I loved him because he was nice and could fix anything. Years later, I met him in the form of a gangling high school student. We’ve had four kids and grown grey together.
At the time, I didn’t know anything about Homer Price’s creator, Deer Isle’s own Robert McCloskey. I’d never seen his other children’s book classics. But I raised my own kids on a steady diet of his books. My youngest took Make Way for Ducklings very much to heart. The lad loved everything about ducks. “Well, that’s cute,” I thought. His obsession about ducks was just one of those things that were in the background of our collective family consciousness.
And then he was slightly older and we were at Dac Hoa during a Christmas season very much like this. He was restive and annoying, as little boys are wont to be. Looking to amuse him, I showed him the roasted ducks in the window. To this day, I have no idea why I thought this would be a good idea.

"Sandy’s parents’ restaurant interior," graphite, approx. 18X24, 2008, by Zeyuan Chen.
“Sandy’s parents’ restaurant interior,” graphite, approx. 18X24, 2008, by Zeyuan Chen.
He dissolved into howling, violent grief. Our dinner, obviously, was ruined. The lad cried for days.
“That boy is going to be in therapy for years,” I thought ruefully.
Last week we were in Dac Hoa celebrating the same kid’s 20th birthday. I asked him if he remembered the incident with the ducks. My husband pulled an exasperated face. Nu laughed. And my son also laughed. I’m so relieved.
I simultaneously believe that parenting is our most important job and that kids make their way somehow despite it. I guess for this youngest one, “World’s Okayist Mom” was good enough.
Christmas is the season of grace-made-manifest through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It’s nice to know I’m forgiven.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Christmas Carol, excommunicated

"Christmas Angel," by Carol L. Douglas
“Christmas Angel,” by Carol L. Douglas
I was listening to Mantovani’s “Christmas Carols” (1954) with my young friend Casey Jones Costello, who is my go-to guy for all things mid-century and musical. If modern Christmas music annoys you, you should give this album a listen: it’s your grandparents’ Christmas.
The album includes—of course—the 19th century carol “O Holy Night.” This lovely melody has been recorded by everyone from Enrico Caruso to Josh Groban. It is many people’s favorite (including mine). Imperiously commanding all humanity to “fall on your knees!” is as close as I’ll ever get to being an operatic diva.
The lyrics to “O Holy Night” were written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau. His hand having been shot off at the age of eight, Cappeau was unable to follow his father into the family barrel-making business.  Instead, he took degrees in literature and law and became a successful dealer in wine and spirits. He was a writer on the side, hanging with the young poets who formed the literary group called the Félibrige, dedicated to preserving the Provençal langue d’oc.
"Santa," by Carol L. Douglas.
“Santa,” by Carol L. Douglas.
In short, Cappeau was the perfect traditionalist type to pen a poem for Christmas Eve services, as his parish priest requested. According to Cappeau, he wrote Minuit, Chrétien on a stagecoach to Paris somewhere between Mâcon and Dijon.
For music, he turned to his pal Adolphe Adam. Adam was the son of a prominent composer and musician, but his own career was not so august. Having failed to secure a Prix de Rome at conservatory, he went on to write vaudeville music. At the time he wrote the music to “O, Holy Night,” he was deep into a failed scheme to open a fourth opera house in Paris.
“O Holy Night” premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by opera singer Emily Laurey. It was an immediate and enduring hit. Adam himself called it the Marseillaise of French Catholicism.
"Christmas reindeer ornament with double rainbow," by Carol L. Douglas
“Christmas reindeer ornament with double rainbow,” by Carol L. Douglas
And therein lay the rub. Europe was fast approaching the revolutions of 1848. In France, they would end the Orleans monarchy forever. Revolution is in general no respecter of religion, and the French Revolution of 1789-1799 had been particularly brutal for the Catholic Church and its clergy.
The Church recognized the song for what it was—a pop tune, not sacred music—and its composers as primarily socialist reformers, not Catholics. “O Holy Night” was excommunicated and would stay that way for decades.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Imagine that being translated into American politics of the time, which was galvanized by the question of slavery. In 1855, New England transcendentalist minister John Sullivan Dwight (widely credited as the first music journalist), translated “O Holy Night” into English. It was a hit in New England, and remains one everywhere today.

Monday, December 19, 2016

A shot of Old-Time Christmas

A traditional Tom and Jerry set, like the one on the bar at Schwabls, will set you back a significant chunk of change.
A traditional Tom and Jerry set, like the one on the bar at Schwabls, will set you back a significant chunk of change.
When facing cancer, a brilliant doctor is your greatest ally. A mediocre doctor can cause a lot of damage. I know this from personal experience. The first time I had cancer, both my internist and gastroenterologist missed it, writing off my symptoms as running-related. They got worse and I finally switched doctors a year later. My new medico figured I might have a tumor. A week later, I was diagnosed, and the specialists he sent me to, saved my life. Thirteen years later, another team got to do it again for a completely-unrelated cancer.
The first time, I had six weeks of radiation, ten months of chemo and three surgeries. It was an aggressive regimen and there was some discussion about whether it was overkill. “You have young kids,” said my oncologist, and that was that.

That’s why I still go to Rochester twice a year to see my doctors. I realize there are fine doctors in Maine, but for now, I’m afraid to cut the cord. This is my week for medical tourism. “You really must like travel,” one of my friends commented. Well, I do, but I don’t like the Rockport-to-Rochester loop. I don’t much like being prodded, poked and scraped, either, but I’ve gotten sixteen good years out of it.
The Place lets you keep the mug as a reminder that your headache is not necessarily from your sinus infection.
The Place lets you keep the mug as a reminder that your headache is not necessarily from your sinus infection.
Since I’m in Western New York anyway I met a gaggle of my kids in Buffalo for a Tom and Jerry and a beef-on-weck sandwich.
A Tom and Jerry is a form of hot egg nog laced with brandy and rum and topped with nutmeg. It’s very sweet and lethally potent. It’s been around since the early 19th century. Damon Runyon wrote a short story in 1932 that featured his protagonist drinking them with “one of the best lone-hand git-‘em-up guys in the world.”
“This hot Tom and Jerry is an old time drink that is once used by one and all in this country to celebrate Christmas with, and in fact it is once so popular that many people think Christmas is invented only to furnish an excuse for hot Tom and Jerry, although of course this is by no means true.”
It being Prohibition, Runyon’s characters substitute drugstore rye whiskey for rum. Runyon touches on the delicacy of the recipe. “[I]n the days when it is not illegal a good hot Tom and Jerry maker commands good wages and many friends.” Tom and Jerrys start with a meringue batter, and from personal experience I agree; it’s hard to make.
The sandwich, more properly called a beef-on-kümmelweck, is made of roast beef on a roll topped with salt crystals and caraway seeds. The beef is slathered in horseradish. Its origin is lost in time, but it was a beautiful collaboration between baker and butcher back in Buffalo’s German heyday.
Forget poutine; beef on weck is the apotheosis of cold-weather eating in North America.
Forget poutine; beef on weck is the apotheosis of cold-weather eating in North America. The horseradish can cure anything.
In general, you don’t find these foods in trendy new places, but in bars that are as old as your grandfather. Schwabls in West Seneca is often our destination but The Place in Elmwood Village got our custom on Wednesday.
Buffalo is simultaneously the most beautiful city in America and the one with the worst climate, I told myself as I slid on my walk back to my car. Coincidentally, my kids were off to the hospital to see a friend who’d fractured her kneecap earlier in the day.
Everyone should visit Buffalo; in fact, a lot of people do, just to see its architecture. The sensible ones go in the summer.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Beat the winter blues with a shot of color

“Spring,” by Carol L. Douglas
“Spring,” by Carol L. Douglas
Wind is whipping around the corner of the house this morning. Our bedroom is unheated, so until one of us runs downstairs and stirs up the woodstove, we’re huddling here under a warm woolen blanket.
I’m going to do some on-line shopping until then. Paintings are a popular Christmas gift. On winter days when the sun barely rises and the wind is shrilling outside, it’s easy to see why. Here are a few painters whose work is broad and graphical and who work in bright, warm palettes. All of them have work in every price point, and they’ve made shopping easy by having good, clear websites.
“York River, Maine,” by Mary Byrom
“York River, Maine,” by Mary Byrom
Mary Byrom lives in North Berwick, Maine, and mostly paints the southern Maine coast. She is a great simplifier of complex scenes. That’s possible because she’s outside braving the weather at every possible moment. Her available work is marked on her website. There’s a contact form here if you see something you like.
“Monhegan Memories,” by Renee Lammers
“Monhegan Memories,” by Renee Lammers
Renee Lammers lives in Bucksport, Maine, and her work is centered in Stonington, Acadia, and the northern end of Penobscot Bay. She works on copper. Her work is priced on her website, which is set up for online sales.
“Sparkle,” by Bobbi Heath
“Sparkle,” by Bobbi Heath
Bobbi Heath splits her time between Yarmouth, Maine and Westford, Massachusetts. Right now, she’s donating a percentage of her sale proceeds to the American Cancer Society, so you can not only score a good painting, but do a good deed at the same time. Her website is set up for online sales.
“Point Look-out Barn,” by Elissa Gore
“Point Look-out Barn,” by Elissa Gore
Elissa Gore lives in New York City but often paints in the lower Hudson Valley. Her work is simple and exuberant. Her website is exhaustive, and you can contact her for information about a painting that interests you.
“Sidelot off Pike Street,” by Kari Ganoung Ruiz
“Sidelot off Pike Street,” by Kari Ganoung Ruiz
Kari Ganoung Ruiz was my monitor for my 2014 workshop at Schoodic in Acadia National Park. She lives and works in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, and her color palette is the softer, warmer tones of that area. She is passionate about painting old cars and other vehicles. Her website has prices, and you can contact her about buying work.
And, of course, there’s me. My website isn’t set up for e-commerce, but if you see something you like, let me know, and I’ll put you in contact with the gallery currently showing it. And of course, you can always get yourself or someone else my summer workshop for Christmas. Do so before the first of the year, and you can have $100 off.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Stag for sale

“The Monarch of the Glen,” 1851, Sir Edwin Landseer
“The Monarch of the Glen,” 1851, Sir Edwin Landseer
Sir Edwin Landseer’s The Monarch of the Glen is perhaps the most widely-copied of Victorian paintings. It has been used for everything from the Hartford Insurance Company’s stag logo (c. 1867) to biscuit tins and butter wrappers.
Completed in 1851, it was part of a three-panel commission destined for the Refreshment Rooms of the House of Lords in the ‘new’ Palace of Westminster.  The House of Commons, however, balked at paying Landseer’s bill of £150. That’s about £17,000 in today’s money, whereas Monarch is valued at about £10 million. Apparently, the 19th century House of Commons wasn’t very good with money.
 “Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner,” 1837, Sir Edwin Landseer
“Old Shepherd’s Chief Mourner,” 1837, Sir Edwin Landseer
Monarch was sold instead to one Lord Londesborough for 350 guineas. Londesborough sold it to Lord Fitzgerald, who in turn sold it to Lord Cheylesmore. It was owned briefly by the Pears Soap Company and sold in 1916 to Thomas Dewar, who wanted it for the Dewar whisky business in Perthshire.
From there it became a corporate asset, traveling with the Dewar’s name as it was absorbed into larger and larger companies. Eventually, Dewar’s was bought by the world’s largest manufacturer of booze, Diageo. They sold the brand but kept the stag. In 1999, Diageo loaned the painting to the National Galleries of Scotland, where it has hung ever since.
“A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society,” 1838, Sir Edwin Landseer
“A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society,” 1838, Sir Edwin Landseer. Landseer had a thing for Newfies.
Having decided that the painting has no relevance to its current brands, Diageo has decided to peddle the thing at public auction in March. If the National Galleries can raise £4 million from the public, Diageo will donate the remainder of the value of the painting. (If you are interested in contributing, you can do so here.)
When Landseer painted Monarch of the Glen, he was working within a craze for all things Scottish. Greatly influenced by Sir Walter Scott’s romantic novels, young Queen Victoria and her husband first visited Scotland in 1842. It became one of their favorite hang-outs. Whisky itself was newly respectable after the Excise Tax of 1823 legalized its distillation. Forever after, whisky and stags have been linked together in our sentimental view of Scotland.
Landseer is most famous for his lions at the base of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, but he was a prolific and popular painter of Victorian sentimentality. When he died in 1873, all Britain mourned. By the 20th century, when Monarchwas being slogged around for advertising purposes, Landseer’s animal portraits were anathema to high-brow art critics. We are more or less past that now.
“Man Proposes, God Disposes,” 1864, Sir Edwin Landseer
“Man Proposes, God Disposes,” 1864, Sir Edwin Landseer
I can’t imagine how much money has been made by The Monarch of the Glen in its 165 years. It’s sold soap, insurance, whisky and everything else. (In modern America, artists don’t automatically transfer licensing with works of art, thank goodness.)
Diageo is under no legal obligation to give Monarch to Scotland. However, it has indirectly—through the acquisition and resale of the Dewar’s marque—made a lot of money off the old stag.  Since its net income last year was in excess of £2 billion, it wouldn’t suffer from writing off the whole £10 million tab.
Still, I expect the Scottish people will stump up the £4 million. Here’s hoping that The Monarch of the Glen stays in Edinburgh forever.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Massacre in Aleppo

“Diaspora,” by Hope M. Ricciardi, remembers the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
“Diaspora,” by Hope M. Ricciardi, remembers the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
The UN believes around 50,000 civilians are still trapped inside rebel-held East Aleppo, Syria. They were to be evacuated this morning but latest reports are that the buses sent to carry them out remain idle and shelling has resumed.
This is certainly the worst holocaust of the new millennium. The trapped include a large number of children, who have been the most vulnerable victims of the bombings all along. At least 82 civilians, including women and children, were shot on Monday, according to a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. One imagines it will get worse.
Now comes the inevitable hand-wringing. As Julie Lenarz writes in a heartbreaking essay in the Telegraph, we’re once again reduced to saying, “never again” when it’s already too late.
“The Third of May 1808,” 1814, Francisco Goya
“The Third of May 1808,” 1814, Francisco Goya
Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Located at one end of the Silk Road, it was a cosmopolitan mix of the world’s people. In the 20th century, after the Suez Canal had bypassed it as a trading center, it became a refuge for Armenian Christians fleeing genocide (some of whose descendants are now trapped).
Modern Aleppo was home to more than 2 million people, some of whom have escaped and many of whom have been killed. We had the opportunity to intervene when the costs were lower; we inexplicably sat on our hands. Today a consortium of Russia, a genocidal dictator (Assad) and the world’s leading state sponsor of Islamic terrorism (Iran) control most of the city. And there’s no hope anymore of moderate rebellion: what’s left are jihadists. It’s a terrible indictment of our role as the world’s superpower, and it also points out that ignoring festering problems never works.

“Die Gefangenen,” (The Prisoners), 1908, Käthe Kollwitz
“Die Gefangenen,” (The Prisoners), 1908, Käthe Kollwitz
Last week I saw a headline that called our Japanese internment camps “concentration camps.” There’s a line of thinking that says our government is as flawed as Nazi Germany’s. It’s a kind of reverse Holocaust denial, promoting the idea that we have no right to intervene in other governments’ dirty business, since we’re just as bad.
There will always be historical revisionists. And that’s where art comes in. Through history, artists have used their skill to create indelible records of the horrors inflicted upon the weak by the strong. Often, it took great courage for them to record their impressions. I pray that none of us are ever called to witness such events. But if we are, may we have the courage to use our pencils to tell the truth.
“The Great Nanjing Massacre,” 1992, Zi Jian Li
“The Great Nanjing Massacre,” 1992, Zi Jian Li
It’s almost Christmas, of course, and my thoughts inevitably turned to practical matters. I stopped at Renys for more wrapping paper. As I checked out, I heard a clerk making a phone call. “Your layaway was paid by a generous customer,” she told the person on the line. “You can come and pick it up now.”
That can’t erase the atrocities in Aleppo, but it does remind me that mankind is also capable of kindness. Evil may seem to have us by the short hairs, but it is countered by quiet virtue. As long as that’s true, there’s hope for us all. Pray for peace, remember war’s victims, and be grateful for the light that shines in your own backyard.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Found on Facebook

“Halo of Autumn,” Christina Perry Davis
“Halo of Autumn,” Christina Perry Davis
According to legend, when George Will signed up to become a syndicated columnist in the 1970s, he asked his friend William F. Buckley, Jr. — the founder of National Review and a columnist himself — “How will I ever write two columns a week?” Buckley responded (I’m paraphrasing), “Oh it will be easy. At least two things a week will annoy you, and you’ll write about them.” (Jonah Goldberg)
I’m often asked how I can write five days a week. I keep a list of topics, but I seldom get to them. Usually, something else catches my attention first.
“Pine Point, Scarborough,” Christina Perry Davis
“Pine Point, Scarborough,” Christina Perry Davis
Such is the case with Christina Perry Davis. Her work appeared in my Facebook newsfeed. She doesn’t have a website, so what I know of her I’ve learned from her profile. She’s 51 years old; she was raised in Westbrook, ME; she now lives in Scarborough, ME; and she’s married.
“I am a painter of landscapes mostly and am always drawn to the way color and light mingle but I look for the movement of grasses, clouds or light that surrounds what I see. I feel it’s necessary to capture this feeling because it is dramatic and freeing to tell the story of something that only last for such a short amount of time,” she told me.
In other words, her subject is turbulence.
“Prince Edward Island,” Christina Perry Davis
“Prince Edward Island,” Christina Perry Davis
“I have learned basic painting skills from my early days at Portland School of Art but recently have taken a class in pastel from Jacob Aguiar, which has opened a wonderful world of painting with pastel.”
“I love drawing,” Davis said. That shows in the perspective of her clouds and the way her buildings are seated in a receding landscape. Pastel, she says, allows her the opportunity to give drawing and painting equal emphasis in her work. That can be true of oil painting, of course, but it takes longer to get there.
Pastel is different, of course, because you can bore into it with hand pressure. Davis’ chromatic intensity and ferocious mark-making create a world of upheaval. I’m interested in where she goes with this subject.
Tuesday 3
You can reach Davis by email, here.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Seeking peace in a painting

“Spring Snow in the Maples,” 10X14, Poppy Balser
“Spring Snow in the Maples,” 10X14, Poppy Balser
The most-read post I’ve ever written was about how to fold a plastic shopping bag. Peoples’ reactions to my writing always surprise me. It’s one of the great joys about blogging—and about painting. You send your ideas out into the world, and they elicit responses you never dreamed of. And here you thought you were being perfectly clear.
When I wrote about going to Buffalo for a funeral last Thursday, it was a howl from my own darkness. I figured people would read it and move on. Instead, I’ve received a deluge of responses: on Facebook, by email, and in person. Stories of sons dying, friends dying, nephews dying. Stories about the child of a senior pastor, a daughter-in-law. Stories of near misses and years of soul-crushing worry.
“Passing Goat Island,” 7X11, Poppy Balser
“Passing Goat Island,” 7X11, Poppy Balser
About five years ago, I decided I would pay attention every murder in Rochester, NY. Two things became apparent. The first was that murder victims in my city were overwhelmingly black, male and young. The second was that society reacted much more strongly when the crime victim didn’t fit that demographic. Young gang-bangers, we tell ourselves, bring this on themselves. It is only when they miss and shoot a child or a grandmother that people make a fuss.
That is part of the black, urban, poor side of the drug war.* I’d totally missed the white, suburban, affluent side because we don’t call drug overdoses “murder,” and we don’t put them in the news. Often, we don’t even talk about the cause of death. But inner-city murders and suburban overdoses are flip sides of the same evil coin.
“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” says 1 Peter 5:8.
“Hay Bales and Evergreens,” 7X11, Poppy Balser
“Hay Bales and Evergreens,” 7X11, Poppy Balser
As you can imagine, I drove home from Buffalo in a black mood. I’m seeking peace. And I found it in my mailbox last night, with four paintings by Nova Scotia artist Poppy Balser. (I’ve written about her before, here.) “To spread a little calm this week I thought I would share some of my paintings from this last year that I painted in particularly peaceful surroundings,” she wrote.
Why are these particular paintings so peaceful? Poppy painted them in tightly-controlled analogous color schemes—it was a blue day on the water, a green day in the fields, or a misty grey day in the winter. There are no notes of complementary color to engage us. Our minds are free to rest.
These paintings are a great example of color theory in action. If they make you feel less frantic this holiday season, they’ve just demonstrated one reason why art is so profoundly important to society. In fact, take one painting and call me in the morning. They’re more powerful than Xanax, and totally free of side effects.
“Farmyard Morning, 7X11,” Poppy Balser
“Farmyard Morning, 7X11,” Poppy Balser
*In 2000, the highest overdose rate was among black Americans aged 45-64. Today, it’s young white people. Non-whites actually use less heroin than in the past; the out-of-control epidemic is in white America.


text:
Straps and Belt Clips

For questions, articles, and discussions regarding water blaster modifications.
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Straps and Belt Clips

Postby isoaker » Sat Dec 14, 2013 5:14 pm

This thread is from the WWn Wiki - originally developed by Ca99 and Andrew

1 Introduction
2 Strap Mounts
2.1 Method 1
2.1.1 Materials Required
2.1.2 Assembly
2.1.3 Advantages
2.1.4 Disadvantages
2.2 Method 2
2.2.1 Materials Required
2.2.2 Assembly
2.2.3 Advantages
2.2.4 Disadvantages
2.3 Method 3
2.3.1 Materials Required
2.3.2 Assembly
2.3.3 Advantages
2.3.4 Disadvantages
2.4 Method 4
2.4.1 Materials Required
2.4.2 Assembly
2.4.3 Advantages
2.4.4 Disadvantages
3 The Strap
3.1 Materials Required
3.2 Assembly
3.2.1 Strap Hooks
4 Belt Clips
4.1 Method 1
4.1.1 Materials Required
4.1.2 Assembly

[edit] Introduction

In any given water war, there will no doubt come a time when someone needs to carry more than one or two blasters at a time. This is where straps and belt clips come in; they are useful improvised accessories that enable you to carry sidearms, bottles, water balloon holding canisters, etc. with ease. Sidearms don't always fit in pockets either, making the belt clip a useful accessory. Some may prefer a holster instead, which takes a lot more work to build, but has its advantages over the belt clip.

The centerpiece of most belt clip and strap solutions is the metal wire. Thin metal wires come with some water blaster packaging and are very useful when reused. They can be twisted together to connect them if they're too short, and they are fairly strong. It is also possible to use cable ties instead, but those are more difficult to undo (a thin flathead screwdriver is needed, which can be used to push the lock of the cable tie upwards and slip it out).

However, if such metal wires are not available, one will have to find another source for them. Search hardware and home improvement stores, or if it's too much trouble, use cable ties.

400px-IMG_3294.JPG (47.85 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Belt Clips and Straps

[edit] Strap Mounts
[edit] Method 1

This method is one of the simplest, yet one of the most effective. It involves attaching the metal wires to the outside of a blaster's casing, reducing the liklihood of irreversible damage or changes to the blaster.
[edit] Materials Required

Metal packaging wire (as much as required)
[edit] Assembly

Most blasters do not have hooks for the new strap to go into, so that's where the thin wires come into place. As depicted, they can be twisted together to create hooks which the straps can link to. If the blaster being used already has hooks, it's a good idea to connect them to a short loop of cable tie, then connecting the cable tie to the metal hook. This slows down deterioration of the stock plastic hooks. If the hooks break, you can, of course, create your own using the thin wire method.

400px-IMG_3298.JPG (30.42 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Max-D 6000 Strap Hooks Close-up
[edit] Advantages

Mod is reversible
There is no damage caused to the blaster (aside from possible minor cosmetic damage)
Doesn't require blaster disassembly
Very Durable and secure when good spots for the wire are used.

[edit] Disadvantages

Not as aesthetically pleasing as other methods
Some blasters do not offer good spots for the wire
Generally, all of the wire must be removed before opening the blaster for repairs/maintenance
Can require a lot of wire (depending on blaster)
Wire ends must be adjusted appropriately to minimize the risk of sharp points

[edit] Method 2

This method involves attaching the metal wires to load-bearing internal structures of the blaster (e.g. PC mounts) through existing gaps in the casing. It is especially useful for those whou don't have much packaging wire available and/or those who want a less intrusive strap mount.
[edit] Materials Required

Metal packaging wire (as much as required)

Screwdriver(s) (for blaster disassembly)
[edit] Assembly

Locate suitable mounting point(s) for the strap (e.g. a load bearing screw/component such as a PC mounting peg).
Disassemble the blaster to a point at which you can easily access and work in the selected location(s).
Attach wire(s) to selected mounting point(s), and twist the wire ends together, to secure.
Conceal the twisted ends somewhere inside the body of the blaster.
Re-assemble the blaster.

400px-Colossus_Strap_Mount.JPG (34.56 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Colossus Strap Hook Close-up

400px-Colossus_Strap_Mount_2.JPG (29.7 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Colossus Strap Hook Close-up
[edit] Advantages

More aesthetically pleasing than some methods
Mod is reversible
Wires do not need to be removed prior to opening the blaster for repairs/maintenance
Tends to require very little wire (depending on blaster)

[edit] Disadvantages

Does require blaster disassembly
Not possible on all blasters

[edit] Method 3

This method involves drilling holes into the blaster casing, through which you can pass metal wires to attach a strap to. This method allows secure attachment of straps to a blaster which has little or no gaps in its casing or between its external components.

WARNING! This method is IRREVERSIBLE and may PERMANENTLY damage the blaster.
[edit] Materials Required

Metal packaging wire (as much as required)

1x Drill bit

1x Drill
[edit] Assembly

Locate suitable mounting point(s) for the holes to be drilled (e.g. somewhere the casing is pretty thick, and away from any internal piping/PC's [opening the blaster first is advisable]).
Drill two holes (wire entry and exit holes) through the casing (one in each casing half is recommended) at each desired strap mount location.
Pass the wire through the holes in the casing and twist together the ends of the wire to secure.
Hide the twisted end of the wire inside the blaster if possible.

[edit] Advantages

More secure than other methods
Mounting point location is more flexible than other methods

[edit] Disadvantages

Requires making irreversible changes to the blaster
Potential to damage internal components if the wrong location is drilled

[edit] Method 4

This method involves using plastic sheets to create thin yet durable strap mounting points on a blaster. This method is especially useful for attaching a sling mounting point to the neck of a blaster's reservoir and/or to the front of a blaster with a clip-on nozzle cover and for those who haven't got access to packaging wire.
[edit] Materials Required

Metal packaging wire (as much as required)

1x Rigid plastic sheet (anything you can get your hands on [old plastic ringbinder, thicker food packaging, etc.])

1x Scissors/knife (sharp and strong enough to cut through plastic)

1x Drill bit
[edit] Assembly

Cut the plastic sheet it into a rectangle (large enough to fit around the filler neck of the reservoir / behind the nozzle cover).
If you are using a very thin piece of plastic (especially if it's less than 0.5mm in thickness, like the plastic from a food package) make the strip long enough to fold over and double up.
Mark out a hole at one end of the plastic (at the opposite end to the fold if you've doubled it up) large enough to fit over the filler neck of the reservoir / behind the nozzle cover.
Use the drill bit to make a small hole in the centre of the marked circle, to give you somewhere to insert the scissors/knife.
Cut out the circle, but try to leave some material to fit between the threads (if using on reservoir filler neck).
Drill a hole in the opposite end of the plastic (the side closest to the fold if you've doubled it up) large enough for your sling clip.
Cut the corners off the plastic to make it less sharp and to look nice!

400px-Colossus_Strap_Mount_3.JPG (32.63 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Colossus Strap Hook Close-up

400px-XP_70_Strap_Mount.JPG (34.26 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

XP70 Strap Hook Close-up
[edit] Advantages

Very simple to construct
Doesn't require any packaging wire

[edit] Disadvantages

Not as strong as other methods

[edit] The Strap
[edit] Materials Required

2x Carabiner hooks (rust-resistant metal is advised)

2x 'Ladder clip' strap adjusters (plastic will suffice)

1x Webbing strap (4 to 6 feet)

(All of the above materials can most likely be found at one's local hardware store.)

[edit] Assembly

Put strap adjusters on strap forming loop at each end; use above picture(s) or a stock Super Soaker/Water Warriors strap as reference.
Once adjusters are in place, use a hair dryer to melt the ends so that the strands of fiber "stick" together. This prevents said strands from untangling.
For added security, fold the straps at the end to create "stoppers". If you have an industry-quality heavy-duty stapler, you can use that to keep the strap ends folded. Gorilla glue, epoxy, and/or hot glue also work provided not too much stress is exerted on the "stopper".
Connect the ends to the hooks, then the hooks to the blaster's hooks.

Strap Hooks

At least two hooks are needed; one on the blaster and one on the strap. The best hooks are those made of metal and which can be easily removed to undo the strap from the blaster. A good idea is to find a hook with a spring loaded mechanism that makes it easy to remove from the blaster's hook. If the strap does not fit on the hook being used, then a large keyring can help connect the strap to the hook.

[edit] Belt Clips

There are many ways to carry a sidearm. They often fit directly in one's pocket, but it is often better to make a holster for them or to use a belt clip. This section focuses on the belt clip accessory.
[edit] Method 1
[edit] Materials Required

Metal packaging wire or duct tape (as much as required)

1x Coathanger

1x Pliers
[edit] Assembly

Cut the coathanger to an appropriate length and bend it to create the shape as pictured using pliers to do this (this will be the belt clip itself).
Trim and bend coathanger wire as depicted. - Wrap thin wire to coathanger wire twice as pictured; make a knot around each connection with the coathanger wire for added security.
Tighten the knots as best as you can. This is tricky and may result in sore fingers.
Wrap metal wire across blaster and secure it tightly with a twist-up.
Repeat; connect other thin wire to the two points of the coathanger wire in the same manner.

The other method of attaching the coathanger wire involves duct tape. However, duct tape is not as durable and leaves behind a LOT of residue if you need to remove the clip. However, it is useful for non-durable items like water balloon carrying cans/cups and water bottles.

400px-IMG_3296.JPG (30.35 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Max-D 3000 Belt Clip Close-up

400px-IMG_3297.JPG (27.87 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

Max-D 3000 Belt Clip Close-up
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Celtics edge Cavs 103-99

Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) hits a 3-pointer in the final minute against the Cleveland Cavaliers during an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Thomas scored 31 points as the Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 103-99. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics know any road to the NBA Finals will likely pass through Cleveland.

They put the defending champs on notice that they are gearing up to challenge them for their Eastern Conference throne.

Isaiah Thomas scored 31 points, including a pair of go-ahead free throws, as the Celtics outlasted LeBron James and the Cavaliers 103-99 on Wednesday night.

Boston’s win overshadowed the seventh triple-double of the season for James, who finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving added 28 points for the Cavaliers, who lost for the first time when leading at any point in the fourth quarter on the road.

The game marked the third meeting this season between the top two teams in the East, and the first win by the Celtics.

“We just played to win,” Thomas said. “They’re the No. 1 team in the East. One of the best teams in the NBA, and we just wanted to protect home court and get a win. We did that tonight.”

Jae Crowder had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which led by three entering the fourth quarter before there were six ties and 10 lead changes in the final 12 minutes.

It was a 3-point barrage down the stretch, with the Celtics connecting on six straight attempts during one stretch. They also made this more difficult for a Cavs team that had averaged 126 points in its wins over the Celtics.

“This needs to carry over for us,” Celtics guard Avery Bradley said.

Deron Williams, signed by Cleveland earlier this week, scored four points in 24 minutes in his Cavaliers debut. But it did little to help the Cavs overcome a night in which they were outrebounded 47-41.

It was tied at 99 when Thomas connected on a pair of free throws to put Boston in front 101-99. Irving then missed a jumper and Tristan Thompson grabbed the rebound and got it to Deron Williams, who then missed from the corner. Crowder got the rebound, was fouled and made his two foul shots to seal it.

“I saw Crowder running to me, he jumped and then I saw Marcus Smart running toward me,” James said of the Cavs’ missed opportunity in the waning seconds. “I saw D-Will naked in the corner, so I gave him an opportunity and he just missed it. We got the shot we wanted.”

Despite the loss, coach Tyronn Lue was pleased with his team’s effort.

“It was a good game — went down to the wire, shot for shot,” Lue said. “I.T. made two big shots, Avery made two big shots. We competed, we fought. That’s all you can ask for.”

Cavaliers: Outscored the Celtics 50-42 in the paint. … Finished 15 of 22 from the free-throw line.

Celtics: Al Horford finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. … Finished 13 of 31 from the 3-point line.

“I don’t know if I’m in his level. I definitely slowed up because I knew it was him. I’m not taking no legend out.” — James on his near collision with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who was seated on the baseline.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he’s been impressed by the recent additions by several teams in the Eastern Conference. Though, he said, the line still forms behind the defending champions following their acquisition of Williams and anticipated addition of big man Andrew Bogut, who is free to sign after clearing waivers.

“I don’t think I’m saying anything earth-shattering here: We’re all chasing Cleveland,” Stevens said.

Derrick Williams — playing on his second 10-day contract — provided the energy for the Cavaliers early on, scoring 10 points in the first half.

He scored from the outside, got into the teeth of Boston’s interior defense and sped the game up. One of his best highlights came in the second quarter when he blocked Bradley’s jumper, sprinted ahead and received a pass from James for a fast-break dunk.

Cavaliers: Continue their three-game road trip Friday at Atlanta.

Celtics: Have two days before beginning a five-game road trip Friday against the Lakers.

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text:
Every Xian should apologize…

Lizzie Lowe
From the Telegraph (UK) Christian teenager takes own life.
Ain’t the first time, wont be the last. All Xians who believe in that nasty little book full of cruel primitive thinking should apologize for another kid worried about their sexual orientation not being compatible with their Xian religion and taking their own life, contemplating taking their life or suffering with the thought of burning in hell, displeasing their parents, or god, or fellow Xians.

Even if you as a “liberal” Xian don’t believe in the “clobber passages” of the OT and NT, if you still uphold that book as some repository of “truth,” revealed or inspired revelation from the Xian god or some other version of such speculative nonsense….you owe all gay kids an apology.

Upholding that the Bible has any sort of wisdom or commands of some god,
for which you have no evidence promotes the assumption which holds that nasty little book has some truth to it and leaves kids all over the world in despair to some degree about their sexual inclinations and behavior, some enough to kill themselves over it, like this poor girl and thousands like her.

All for a fucking book. A book that even hard-core Xians ignore so many passages already as mere pronouncements of a primitive culture from a barbaric time, the ones that promote slavery and genocide and death for heresy, yet still cling to other passages as “commands of god” which although equally absurd can drive a child to suicide.

You all should be ashamed of yourselves for perpetuating such madness. Apologize.

Let’s dump that horrible little book now,(and others like it) before belief in it kills anyone else, or ruins anyone else’s life.
It’s time.
End Religion Now.

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So much for the early night - A Most Illuminating Tale
read on...

Robert Wells or Mr Waters
Date: 12.41 am, Wednesday 12th March, 2008
Subject: So much for the early night
Security: Public
Location:Home, SE24
Each time I think I couldn't possibly leave any later, I manage to. Slow quiet day with plenty of breaks. Uneventful. Only major discovery is that Mountview is having to switch from .ac.uk to .org.uk because of the way it is funded. This is wrong. We definitely to teach and are therefore academic, but there is no way we are organised. Then home, food, which I cooked double of and then RTD didn't eat his share, and tidying. I can now walk across my room. Go me.

Album of the day was The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust by Saul Williams. It took me a while of waiting before I found some bite, but when it came it bit well. It's not music for headphones though, nor hifi nor dance floor. But it's good. And not too serious. I will be singing "When I say Niggy, you say nothing" for quite some time.
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The Impact of Shoreline Development on Water Quality

Research Assistants: Emily Arsenault, Colin Cummings, Monica Davis, Marianne Ferguson, Drew Mealor and Corey Reichler Professors:  Russell Cole and Cathy Bevier As part of the EPSCOR project, students and professors of the Environmental Studies Program and Biology Department are examining the effect of shoreline development on water quality in Great Pond, North Pond and East Pond.  Lakeshore development can negatively affect water quality and the ecology of lake habitats. This summer they are continuing assessments of shoreline habitats in the Belgrade Lakes, both in the riparian zone and in the near shore littoral zone.  In the riparian zone characteristics such as land cover composition, complexity and disturbance, buffer effectiveness, and canopy cover are being measured. In the littoral zone characteristics being studied include sediment composition, macrophyte abundance, macroinvertebrate diversity, and periphyton abundance. These measurements will allow them to compare sites with different development patterns, from highly developed, unbuffered shorelines to undeveloped shoreline. Their results will strengthen our understanding and ability to manage the impact of shoreline development, as well as help to develop better educational strategies to ensure the future health of the Belgrade Lakes.

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Professional Vashon web designer companies / firms can offer web design services including ecommerce features, shopping carts, database programming, advanced interface design, and search engine optimization. Common software development programs Vashon website design companies may use include Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Microsoft Visual Basic & Visual Studio. Website technologies they may be familiar with may include HTML, XHTML, DHTML, PHP, ASP.NET, CSS style sheets, JavaScript, and MySQL.

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Friday, June 22, 2007

Pulling my wires out

Yep. That should be entitled "Pulling my hair out", but tonight i decided to get rid of the wires in the new house and set up a new DLink wireless router/modem. A quick installation and a short click to pop up the wizard later and hey presto, i am wireless. Well, that was 5 hours ago.

Seriously, i wonder whether the people at Apple aren't actually visionaries at all. They were all brought up as hardware and software testers. They banged their head so much trying to get stuff that should work for laymen never mind experienced pro's that they just learned that the user experience is key.

It's entirely fictional, but as i see it, as the hand of Jonathan Ive started falling off after clicking down 8 zillion songs, he never thought "hell, they want the song, they'll happily spend the best part of a Friday night clicking through each song". No, he just made something that made doing that easy. Don't write solutions around things that are inherently tricky - just change the rules ( i'm off to get my bandana, shades and tie-die shirt).

Would it BE so hard for the modem or rounter manufactures to AGREE with ISP's etc on some format for this stuff (Xml is good for me). You get an ISP specific URL and a secret password and you point your router at that and it configures itself. I mean that saves the majority of home users and would take all of 60 seconds. It's controlled by the ISP so the data is right, but it's integrated to all modems.

It matters not a jot how cool your technology is if no-one can use it. If it took me this long then how do other non-IT people do it? Well, they pay for someone i suppose - or put it in the cupboard. Or, in my family, call me. In your family, probably call you. Coz anything even indirectly related to computers (soon to extend to smart fridges, microwaves and intelligent hair curling tongs) must be something you know about heh!?

It's almost 2AM and i have wireless broadband. Now i'm too darn tired to use it.

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Planting trees

That’s a large part of what I do, I guess – planting trees, metaphorical and literal.

Well, perhaps the best reason for doing so is in a lovely tale I came across the other day. One of the Oxford colleges was having to face the fact that the ancient timbers holding up the roof of their great hall were fast approaching a point beyond which no amount of conservation-work would hold them together: they’d have to be replaced. But they were more than four hundred years old: where on earth – literally – would they be able to find any equivalent trees for the timber they’d need? After much worry, the conservators finally got round to asking the college’s own head-forester for advice. “Ah, we’d wondered when you’d be coming round here for those”, he said. “When our foresters from the old Elizabeth’s time cut down the oaks for those beams of yours, they planted their replacements too. They’ve been maturing nicely over the past century or two: I’d say they’re about the right size for you now. When did you say you’ll need them, ready for the builders to use? We’ll have them ready for you by then.” And before the conservators could get over their shock and relief, the forester quietly added, “We’ll plant their replacements at the same time, of course.”

Yet there’s also a deeper ‘why’ beyond the merely pragmatic. I was reminded of this again today whilst re-reading an old favourite, the book-version of Jean Giono’s short-story The Man Who Planted Trees – which in turn sent me to Frederick Back’s beautiful Oscar-winning animation of that same story. Planting trees – both literal and metaphoric – creates the possibilities for a better future, for everyone.

And yes, that was one of the real inspirations for all of that effort of mine, so far away now in both time and space. For quite a while – several years – I literally planted trees, all round the block and house where I used to live in central Victoria, about 100 kilometres north-west of Melbourne in Australia. It was almost completely bare when I moved there – hence pretty much everything living that you can see on the upper half of the Google Maps image below, I planted that.

I planted the avenues down the driveway and the southern fence-line; the shelter-belts around the house and across the road-frontage, to keep the winds at bay; the fruit-trees in the garden. I even planted quite a large labyrinth – 50 metres by 70 metres – down on the lower part of the steep slope down towards the lake – that’s the kind of snail-shell of trees down in the lower right of the picture. Some three thousand trees and shrubs in all: all done by hand, all watered by hand every day at first, day after day after day, in one of the worst droughts there so far this century.

But yeah, it’s pretty heartbreaking when the kangaroos smash the tree-guards down and the rabbits eat the rest; it’s pretty heartbreaking, too, to discover the hard way that an entire planting of one species of tree, billed as frost-resistant, isn’t. And it doesn’t help when some young hoon in a stolen car overshoots the junction at the top of the road, ploughing through two layers of fencing and three lines of young trees before the car comes to a halt and he runs away, with the engine still running…

There’s a very good reason why this kind of thing is known as ‘a labour of love’: it’s a long, hard slog, with serious expense in money and time and effort, and with nothing much to show for it for a long long time. Most of the real growth didn’t start happening until the rains came back, nigh on a decade after I’d started. Yet despite all of those hardships and traumas, the trees are at last getting somewhere – at least, as shown on Google Street View from probably a couple of years ago:

But here’s the twist: I don’t get any supposed ‘benefit’ from having done all of that work. Not now, anyway. I sold the place more than seven years ago: and those trees didn’t even register as the smallest blip on the ‘valuation’ of the property, of course. Someone else now has all of the benefit from everything that I did back then.

Fact is that people who plant trees rarely do see much direct benefit from all of their hard work. And it doesn’t matter. Or actually, it does: it matters that the work was done, otherwise those trees would not be there now, providing all of those many services that trees do.

People who see only the ‘now’ want everything now. That’s pretty much a description of our entire so-called ‘economy’, in fact. Yet not everything happens all at once: some things do take time to come to fruition, whether we like it or not. And in many cases, yes, the time-to-fruition really is measured not in days, but in decades, or more.

Most people, it seems, look only to the harvest right now, and don’t think of what has to happen before that harvest can exist.

In the meantime, yes, some people do think about what will be needed to make that future happen – and take action in the now, to make the future possible at that future time. (And that work, somehow, has to be paid for in ‘the now’, too… – otherwise that future won’t happen…)

Futurists are foresters: they plant trees, and nurture them.

Sometimes those ‘trees’ may be a bit more metaphorical – planting ideas, tools, ways of thinking – but trees nonetheless: trees that take time to grow, many years of quiet, tender, often-unrewarding, often-heartbreaking care, so as to be ripe and ready for the harvest when their time comes.

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.

If we can’t do that – go back in time to do that – then the next-best time is now.

Planting trees of all kinds – metaphoric and literal – for a better future, for everyone.

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Home Should the Web Have a Universal Design System?

Should the Web Have a Universal Design System?

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Unlike mobile applications, the web has no set design guidelines to which a designer can refer. Instead, each web project tends to be a blank canvas. There are frameworks like Material, Bootstrap, and others which provide a base, but no set guidelines which span the web as a whole.

The result is a wide-ranging and diverse web, but one with a lack of cohesiveness, particularly in terms of user experience. Navigations differ in placement, structure, and overall design. Layouts alternate in width. Text sizes and typographic scales vary wildly. And a wide range of differing components, interactions, and user interface elements are used.

Design systems ensure consistency between apps, resulting in a more cohesive product

The lack of a set design system for the web is due to its open source nature, and lack of ownership. No company or organization has the power to enforce guidelines or standards. The closest anything or anyone comes to impacting the way we design is Google, who can affect your search rankings based on factors such as user experience, responsiveness, and code structure. On the other hand, mobile operating systems like iOS and Android have the power to enforce certain application structures, user experience practices, and standards. Design systems ensure consistency between apps, resulting in a more cohesive product, and one that is easier to use and understand for the end user. It also enhances performance and optimization, as well as accessibility.

Despite such a defined set of guidelines in both cases of iOS and Android, designers still find ways to differentiate through aspects like color, layout, and design details. In these circumstances it’s still entirely possible to achieve outstanding  and unique designs which still fall within the guidelines.

Conversely, the web is an absolute blank canvas. There is the ability to take a design and user experience in any direction desired. On one hand, it’s what makes the web so attractive, diverse, and abundant. On the other hand, it can lead to a confusing experience for many people: one that is highly inaccessible, inconsistent, and uses a variety of sub-optimal and dark user experience practices.

The case of iOS and Android show just how rich and diverse a digital product or ecosystem can be, even under such regulation and moderately-strict guidelines.

This poses the question of whether a set of open source guidelines should be introduced for the entire web. Whether it comes from W3C, is a unified effort between major browsers, or is devised by a group of designers, it could improve the web for all. There would still be great scope for producing unique designs, while ensuring the web reaches much more acceptable levels of accessibility and usability as a whole. Designers and user experience professionals could contribute to this as an open source project, pushing forward the progress of the entire web.

It’s not just web applications this system should apply to. Whether it’s a blog, portfolio, landing page, or wiki, they are all still usable products. They still require important user experience considerations such as accessibility, navigation, color practices, and typography scales. Many companies consider such aspects, while many ignore them either through choice, misjudgement, or lack of consideration. It’s an area which is so fragmented under the current system, and does not work appropriately for everyone. That includes those with a disability, visual impairment, or lack of familiarity with computers and the web. These users should be designed for first.

As it stands, the primary consideration is often the design visuals: making something impressive, unique, and eye-catching. Often this desire to differentiate can lead to oversights with user experience, and design choices like unique navigation solutions which are confusing and unfamiliar to most.

Google is a prime example of a company who have developed a set of guidelines and applied them with absolute consistency across mobile and web. Whether you switch from Google Keep on iPhone, to Google Drive on the web, the user experience and design elements remain consistent. Then when switching between products on the web like Play Store or YouTube, it again remains consistent.

This ease of use and transition from one product or site to another should be a model to follow for others. It puts the user first, making for an entirely accessible and understandable experience. Google is beginning to take this even a step further, as they introduce Android apps and web-based equivalents that work at desktop size. With products like Chromebooks, it makes the transition between devices even more seamless.

The closer we can get to a cohesive design system across the web…the better it will be…for all parties involved

The closer we can get to a cohesive design system across the web as a whole, the better it will be in the long run, for all parties involved. This means having systems span much further than just one company.

IBM or Airbnb may perfect their design systems to the nth degree and apply them with excellent consistency. However, as soon as a user switches to another product or service, their design system is likely to be wholly different, from typography and layout, to navigational practices. That’s why it needs to be looked at as an issue from further afar. And apps are the closest example we have to how successful this can be as a means to improve the everyday lives of users.

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The house dresses ( bridal ) Miss Daianna in the heart of Larissa dresses the last 20 years the most beautiful brides of Thessaly and beyond. In the cozy and warm space of 400 square will greet you with a smile and understanding you and suggest the best dress for your body type and your personality , wedding dresses to choose an amazing collection of larger import known brands in Europe. All are made with taste and attention to detail of fine and rare silk fabrics and lace, tied with semiprecious stones , Swarovski crystals and handmade embroidery . Led by Konstantina Koltsida having 20 years experience in the field and in a family with a tradition in the trade , has earned the trust of large numbers of customers . Aside from its classy creations proposed and designer accessories like kouaf , wreaths , candles , favors , baptism and many other details to complete your bridal image in the most harmonious and tasteful manner. And all at the best prices with the best quality warranty . For the most beautiful moment of your life choose your wedding dress from the bridal house Miss Daianna.

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Casablanca Carpas Weddings & Events

Casablanca Carpas Weddings & Events

Professionals in planning, assembly and decoration of tents, floors, walls, furniture and bathrooms for social, business and institutional events anywhere in the country.

We have received major awards including the IFAI Award and took part of prestigious national and international associations.

We are a socially responsible company that cares about noble causes of enormous importance for our society. Some of the organizations that supports Casablanca Marquees are: Mexican Confederation of Organisations for Persons with Intellectual Disability, A.C. (CONFE), Assistance and Solidarity, I.A.P. and Yoliguani.

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Address office in Puebla City: South Teziutlan 96, Col. La Paz, between Acatlan and Tecamachalco.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Feeling a Little Unraveled?

This WAS a cute little gingerbread man rug that went in my kitchen.  Unfortunately, I threw it into the washing machine without reading the tag first, which said, "Spot Clean Only"!  So, this is what it looked like when it came out.  I had to laugh because it looked like I felt at the time - a little unraveled!

It's really hard to believe it's already December 1st.  Where has this school year gone???  The days go by so quickly that a whole month has gone by before we even realize it.  It's easy to get stressed out and unraveled in our fast-paced world.

Usually I'm not easily stressed, but on occassion I am.  I can tell it when I am because I get a headache at the back of my head towards the neck.  However, since I've turned 40 I have noticed that things don't get to me as much - even times that typically might have caused me stress.

I've thought about that lately and wondered why turning 40 made a difference?  I think that maybe it's because I've (finally) matured enough to realized so many things I might have gotten stressed about before, really don't matter at all.  If everything is not just "so-so", what does it matter?  Things do not have to be perfect.  I can do my best and that's all.  If I've got a list of things to do one day and at the end of the day one or two of those things aren't done - it's okay.  There is always tomorrow unless Jesus comes back and if He does - then those "things" won't matter anyway!

Christmas time brings stress to people in many ways, but often times it's self-imposed stress.  I was going to give you some wise tips on how to make it less stressful, but everything I began to write, I realized I do myself.  SO, I just decided there was one thing we all should do and that one thing will make everything else easier during this time:  PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!!

Ask God to help you as you plan your day.  Ask for His guidance as you buy gifts for family and friends.  Ask for wisdom to make good decisions on managing your time wisely during this time. Ask for Him to bless you with the strength to not get so caught up in the "things" of Christmas you forget about Him and His Son, Jesus.

Just as being "unraveled" is not becoming on my gingerbread rug, an "unraveled" Christian is not becoming, either.  Give your stresses to God.  He can handle everything!  Trust in Him to do what He says He will do!

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

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Monday, December 27, 2010

Fun at the GoMA

We visited Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art today with Damian and Louise to see the new "Art in the 21st Century" was top notch throughout with lots of interesting, thought-provoking, amazing and just plain fun works on show. We'll take Amory back int he next couple of days to explore the kids' galleries!

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Viva Vegas Live!

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Date(s) - 22/04/2017
7:45 pm - 10:15 pm

Viva Blackpool

Viva Blackpool presents the big Vegas style show night out at the Vegas Venue in the Heart of Blackpool starring Leye D Johns and our cast of singers & dancers.

Amazing production, sensational vocalists, beautiful showgirl dancers and hilarious comedy from our flamboyant and outrageous host Leye D Johns – this is night not to be missed as one of Blackpool’s highest rated shows.

Sequins, feathers, dance routines and music you’ll love – this show is packed with entertainment – our headline show and loved by thousands every year.

Take your reserved seats, enjoy superb service to your table with a wide selection of drinks and food options to choose from – all topped off with the very best in entertainment!

Information For Those Wishing To Attend With Children:

We tend to have more of a ‘Party’ atmosphere on Saturday nights, with a more relaxed feel to the show midweeks. Although we don’t consider the show to be too rude, crude or contain very strong language – we do bill Leye D Johns as ‘Outrageous’ and that some content is that of an adult nature. All are welcome – young and old, but we would like to remind patrons that children are admitted at parent’s sole discretion.

Category: Arts | Performing Arts | Theatre | Cabaret & Burlesque.

Artists / Speakers: Leye D Johns, Johnny Wright, Emma Wright, Viva Showgirls.

Adult: GBP 21,
OAP: GBP 19.50,
Junior (U16): GBP 12.50.

Viva Vegas Live!


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Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

The “Burn The Fat” system was developed by long time builder and fitness expert Tom Venuto.

Tom says he can show you a fool proof way to “turbo charge” your metabolism and burn pounds of fat off your body…

Because his plan focuses on fat loss and not weight loss, there is no need to starve yourself or go through any of those fad diets that you see on TV and
the internet…

Here’s an excerpt from Tom about his system:

“Now, 14 Years and Thousands of Diligent Work Hours Later, IMade Some Amazing – and Some Appalling – Discoveries

The first thing I discovered was that almost everyone is getting ripped off by supplement companies. I learned that most magazines are nothing more than “supplement catalogs” and that dishonest companies will tell you anything to make a fast buck.

The diet and supplement industries are filled with corrupt marketing vultures that are getting rich by preying on your fears, hopes and aspirations. Unfortunately, there’s been no way of protecting yourself from becoming a victim of these ruthless scam artists – until now.

The second thing I discovered is that almost everyone is dead wrong in the way they diet to lose body fat. In fact, the way you’re dieting to lose weight might be severely damaging your metabolism.”

Burn The Fat is a comprehensive 337 page manual that covers everything you need to know about losing unwanted fat from your body, resulting in being
healthier and living longer…

There are customer testimonials directly on the site that back Tom’s system and what he’s saying is the absolute truth…

Along with his 56 day guarantee and various bonuses, we give Burn The Fat our highest 5 star rating.

Click Here to Visit Official Site Now!


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Friday, April 17, 2009

Friday's Stream Of Consciousness

Today is a big day.... we're putting down a non-refundable deposit on our land/house and signing a contract. Let the "building" begin! We break ground (or ground breaks open and swallows us whole) next month! It will be a journey. Prayers please.

I attended my brother-in-law's engagement party recently which was way fun. Mostly because though I had the kids there, we were surrounded by family so I didn't have to watch them like a hawk... or at all, really. In fact, I kinda forgot they existed. Thank God for this childless, young, pretty little thing who was the friend of the bride-to-be. This girl randomly took it upon herself to play Simon Sez and have little 'contests' with the children most of the time. Clearly, a seasoned parent would NOT have been interested in that type of entertainment. We're more interested in running and hiding. The seasoned parents were out socializing and getting tipsy at 2:00 in the afternoon.

It was a wine and dessert party. Um, HELLLO! How ingenious is that? Chocolate, wine, flan, wine, cannolis, and more wine. Oh, but the best part was that people were going on and on about my 'shiny hair.' Apparently, my hair is looking very shiny lately. Must be that flat iron. And kid spit. And infrequent showering. That's the secret.

Apparently my shiny hair makes me look younger, according to my 9 year old niece, ZoDo. I am the oldest of 4; my sister is 2 years my junior. ZoDo is my sister's child. ZoDo is my favorite niece right now (not that I officially have favorites by the way) because she is outspoken about ME looking YOUNGER than my sister. Of course, I am sorry for the dig on my sister, as she certainly looks young, but according to a 9 year old I look YOUNGER. Her rationale is: Aunt Alicia dresses younger, wears cool jeans, and has really shiny hair. Translation: If you have long hair and dress like you're a 20-something skate rat when you could really be the mother of said 20-something skate rat, you are "in" with the elementary school crowd. Oh, and it helps if you flat iron your hair. Apparently that is the key. It makes me ageless... I'm like Delilah. Although, I have no idea what that story is about... isn't there hair involved or something? Perhaps I'm more like Rapunzel, minus the tower.

Out of pure necessity I'm eating peanut butter on a pumpernickel bagel right now. Kinda odd. But, it works.

Oh, and CB busted out with a WORD out of nowhere. We were all out at a pizzaria and she ate a slice of pizza (which is highly unusual in and of itself). Upon finishing she shouts out clear as day "Piiiii-zzzzzaaaaaaa!" I mean, this is a girl who says only a handful of word approximations who just randomly yells out "Pizza!" one day. Will wonders ever cease? That was awesome.

Then, she bit the babysitter 3 hours later.

1 comment:

Tanya @ TeenAutism said...

Congrats on the land/house gig! That's very exciting! And that's so cool about CB saying "Pizza!" It's one of the only foods both my boys will eat, so I am constantly singing its praises.

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Ancient Trees

Possibly the oldest in Wales? Recently we wrote about Citizen Science – how anyone can contribute to what we know about our world by recording what they see. One example is the Ancient Tree Register managed by the Woodland Trust. The Wildlife Group is registered as a recording group so if we come across a tree that is likely to be particularly old we take measurements and send the details off. So far we have recorded 18 trees, many of them in our parish. These would be regarded as 'veterans' – to be 'ancient' a tree has to be at least 400 years old – the likeliest candidate being the yew in St Mary's churchyard facing Old Port Road.oct-tree-near-tretower

However, whilst walking near Tretower recently members of the group came across a massive oak. It measured over 10 metres around the trunk and details were sent off along with photo, grid reference and lists of the mosses and lichens growing on it. The response we received from the Ancient Tree Register was encouraging. "This is a most remarkable ancient oak you have recorded in the Brecon Beacons… What a great find and thanks for adding it to the Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree inventory. Although the girth could be exaggerated by the tree's condition, falling open, it still suggests that this is one of the biggest and possibly oldest oaks in Wales"

oakleaves01It was as recent as 2014 that was is considered to be Britain's oldest tree was discovered in a churchyard in Wales, a yew in St Cynogs churchyard at Defynnog near Sennybridge which is thought to be 5,000 years old. The Pontfadog Oak was believed to be Wales's oldest oak at 1,200 years but it fell over in 2013. It will be interesting to see how our oak comes out when investigations and surveys have been completed


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Herbs, Vitamin supplements, And Supplements For Depression

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) can be an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing public knowing of the advantages of true aromatherapy. Homeopathy is dependant on the idea that ‘like solutions like'. The theory is the fact some homeopathic medications cause comparable symptoms to the illness being treated, which triggers your body's natural effect. So therapists use small quantities that cause symptoms similar to those you already are having. Practitioners might use various areas of plants including the leaves, roots, stems, blossoms or seeds. Usually, herbal products are combined and you simply take them as teas, tablets, tinctures, or powders.
Mullein tea made out of leaves or plants is a great expectorant. It is utilized to relieve cough associated with bronchitis and use. The mucilage in the flower helps loosen the phlegm and the saponins help eliminate them out. When the infection has afflicted the lungs, mullein leaves are rolled up and smoked to alleviate chest congestion. Some research has shown that taking nutritional supplements can slow HIV disease development. However, other research didn't find any gain.herbs and supplements for memory
Clicking certain links on this site will place a browser cookie on your computer. Despite sounding intrusive, this doesn't disclose all of your private information if you ask me or anyone associated with this site outside of Yahoo Analytics. Oatstraw (stems), Milky Oats (tops) exert a more robust effect than oatstraw, (Avena sativa): This plant is very nourishing, supports stress reduction by helping the nervous system and will be offering great support for stress related fertility issues.
Voluntary regulation is not any substitute for statutory rules; it cannot assure general population choice and public protection as substandard professionals cannot be struck off. Consider the apprenticeship if you are planning of practicing as a professional medical herbalist. The apprentices go along with me to the Ithaca Free Clinic where I see patients. That is helpful for individuals interested in training clinically.
Medical Herbalists often work alongside, and in co-operation with, an array of practitioners, including regular healthcare professionals, and this is something that we are keen to continue and develop. For many people, supplements will be the safer choice. Schedule sun coverage can increase your risk for skin cancer. Also, the sun's rays are not strong enough in areas north of the 37th parallel. Many people in these regions aren't able to make enough vitamin D through sunshine exposure.