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Jan 12 2012

Tricorder X-Prize

I love the X-Prize concept, and I love the concept of a Star Trek style tricorder – so both in one is awesome squared.

At the Consumer Electronics show in Vega, Qualcomm announced their tricorder X-prize – $10 million dollars for the first group to produce a device that weighs less than 5 pounds and is capable of non-invasively sensing a variety of health metrics (like temperature and blood pressure) and diagnosing 15 diseases.

The details are not available yet, and the specific rules for this contest have not been formalized. I am particularly interested in what the requirements will be, for the sensors to be either remote, allow direct contact to the subject, or will it also allow any invasive techniques, like drawing blood or other fluid.

It seems that one key feature will be that all of the diagnostic modalities have to be contained in one small (5 pound limit) device, but that device can have as many components as necessary.

A few thoughts come to mind:

The X-Prize

Regarding the X-prize concept itself, I think this is a wonderful idea. It creates a dramatic competition for some technological breakthrough, like commercial spaceflight, a driverless car, and now the tricorder. Winners are likely to spend more getting to the finish line than the prize dollar amount, but they come away with more than cash – they have the prestige of winning (good for garnering investors) and the working prototype of some technological breakthrough.

I also like the publicity of the X-prize,  making science and engineering exciting and dramatic. This seems like it would be good for public interest in science and technology.

In terms of practical utility, there is a sweet-spot to the X-prize concept: prizes are best offered for technology that is on the cusp, or the basic components are already in existence, but there needs to be a concerted push for a specific application – putting all the pieces together. If the technology is not enough of an advance, then there is no point to the prize and some private corporation is likely to achieve the goal without the X-prize.

If, however, the goal is too far away, then the X-prize will likely be disappointing. I don’t think you can achieve a specific technological goal simply because you are working toward it and offering a prize. The potential has to be there. We might offer an X-prize for someone to design a space elevator, but until we have a material that can stand the stress the space elevator cable would be under, it’s mostly pointless. A technology has to be “ripe”.

Tricorder Technololgy

Is the tricorder ripe for invention? It depends on the parameters. If it has to be entirely non-invasive, and/or entirely remote, then maybe not. We are getting better at getting some health information non-invasively. For example, we can put a little device on your finger and with light waves alone it can tell how much oxygen is in your blood (pulse-oximetry). The skin is transparent enough to allow for this, which you can see for yourself by placing a flashlight behind your hand.

How many other blood parameters can we determine with this same approach? There is already research looking at using spectroscopy techniques to measure blood glucose levels (which would be a boon to diabetics). Spectroscopy, or a similar technique, is a good way to remotely sense chemicals and elements and if highly developed could be a major part of a tricorder – measuring blood parameters that now require a blood draw.

Temperature is easy, we can already measure that with infrared sensors. Blood pressure is more tricky – for that you need a pressure gauge somewhere. Currently pressure is measured with either a blood pressure cuff, or more invasively with an arterial line. Incorporating an automatic blood pressure cuff into the tricorder might strictly meet the criteria for the X-prize, but would be a decidedly low tech way of accomplishing this.

Brain waves and heart electrical activity can already be measured with surface electrodes. If this is acceptable then this should be easy to incorporate into a medical tricorder. Given the goal of the prize the procedure for each would need to be simplified. Right now you have to place electrodes in a specific pattern that requires some training, or at least detailed instructions.

Ultrasound devices are also non-invasive and portable, but tricky to perform and interpret.

We are still a long way away from a true Star Trek tricorder that simply bleeps and whines and gives all sorts of medical information. But we can duplicate, or are close to duplicating, many of its functions with physical contact or minimally invasive procedures.

Another part of the tricorder X-prize is not just gathering health metrics but putting it together with software that can spit out possible diagnoses or problems to be addressed, and make basic recommendations – like seek medical attention urgently, or relax and go to bed.

Practical Applications

The creators of the tricorder X-prize talk about putting medical information in the hands of the public.

“Qualcomm strives to provide a means to see choices, make decisions and get the right care faster and more conveniently. We believe this is a fundamental step in helping people become true ‘Health Consumers’ who can have as much say in assessing and accessing healthcare as they would any other service or product,” said Don Jones, Vice President of Wireless Health Strategy and Market Development at Qualcomm Labs. “Qualcomm believes the value of this X PRIZE is also in changing the cost structure and focus of healthcare. By having consumers take the initial actions to obtain health assessment data, the use and the quality of physicians’ time is improved.”

Like all new technology, it is very difficult to imagine what specific niche it will fill until it actually gets into the hands of end-users. Microwaves were designed to be a cooking tool. It turns out they are a terrible cooking tool, but a wonderful heating tool. The internet itself went through a bubble where many applications were tried and failed, and a few home runs survived (like E-bay). Personal hand-held computers are going through a phase of trial and error – which applications are indispensable, and which are fads that will turn out to not be that useful? The Segway did not change the face of personal transportation, but is really useful for mall and airport security.

The vision described above of how a tricorder might be used seems to me to be in the preliminary naive phase of thinking about new technology. It also lacks a medical perspective. What I think they get right is that it will be useful to have many easy to use diagnostic modalities in one portable device. This kind of thing probably won’t be used in hospitals, but in remote areas, in poor areas without access to hospitals, perhaps in the military on the front lines, and in similar situations it may be very useful.

Also, the individual components of the tricorder may provide useful breakthroughs – like non-invasive instant blood analysis. I can see having such a device on every hospital floor, that nurses or technicians wheel around gathering a variety of health parameters, and reducing the need for blood draws. Abnormal or critical values can be followed up with more direct blood analysis, but the routine daily blood monitoring draw can be reduced or even eliminated.

Similarly, having an automated electroencephalogram (EEG) that can easily be performed with minimal instructions and no training would move that diagnostic test (at least is some cases) from a scheduled laboratory test to a quick office test.

The question of the consumer using a medical tricorder for self-monitoring or diagnosis is tricky. I am sure this will happen when the technology allows for it. You can already get automatic blood pressure monitors, for example. Which such tests will be useful remains to be seen, however. I would not take the naive view that all information is useful and positive. There is such a thing in medicine of too much information.

Frequently monitoring parameters that are likely to be normal will probably reveal fluctuations that should be ignored but are likely to be scary to the average person, especially the neurotic type person who is likely to frequently monitor their health parameters. This can lead to unnecessary utilization of health care resources, and even to unnecessary follow up tests and procedures.

A lot of research has shown that it’s best to ignore background fluctuations in asymptomatic individuals, and not to monitor parameters unless there is a specific evidence-based reason to do so. Unnecessary monitoring often leads to net negative health outcomes.

Perhaps this can be dealt with in the software, but screening procedures are designed to be highly sensitive and not very specific – to overcall possible problems so they can be followed up with more specific tests.

The tricorder X-prize is an exciting addition to the X-prize concept, and I hope that it yields fruit. This is a complicated prize, however, and it will be tricky to operationally define the goals and criteria. Everyone acknowledges that we are nowhere near a true Dr. McCoy style tricorder, but what will be an acceptable substitute?

It is likely that research into developing such a device would yield specific components that would be very useful to medicine, although such research is already ongoing.

Having one small portable device also has possible applications, but it remains to be seen what they would be in practice.

I hope the designers of this prize don’t allow for someone to simply put together existing technology into a small device and claim the prize. You could theoretically have a small computer-driven device that combines EEG, EKG, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and temperature measurement, with a basic diagnostic algorithm (which also already exists), and claim victory. An iPhone is more than powerful enough for this, and each of the individual components listed can be quite small.

I-phones also already have cameras in them which could be used to visually analyze skin, facial symmetry, perhaps even pupils and other features – the trick here would be all in the analysis software.

By picking all the low-hanging fruit, a “tricorder” could be made from existing technology. I hope they consider this and hold the prize out far enough (in the sweet spot) to require some true innovation to capture the prize.

6 responses so far

6 Responses to “Tricorder X-Prize”

  1. ChrisHon 12 Jan 2012 at 12:40 pm

    Dr. Novella:

    You could theoretically have a small computer-driven device that combines EEG, EKG, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and temperature measurement, with a basic diagnostic algorithm (which also already exist), and claim victory.

    Our experience with EEG and EKG is that there has to be pads placed in some general areas. The month long Holter was fairly simple, but I remember washing the EEG muck out of a little kid’s hair.

    Recently the young man had some issues with his heart rate and I could not get the home blood pressure monitor to even work (it would pressure up, count down, not give a reading and start up a again). Then his speech became disorganized and 911 was called. Turned out to be a complex migraine.

    My wish is for a tricorder is that it work reliably, and perhaps tell the difference between a complex migraine and a stroke (though that is really dreaming, though it is fortunate we live so close to both the fire station and hospital).

  2. Steven Novellaon 12 Jan 2012 at 1:07 pm

    For EEG we sometimes (at least we used to before we had round the clock emergent EEG services) do what is called a “hairline montage” where we connect electrodes along the forehead, and not where there is hair. It gives a poor EEG but good for a quick look (is this guy having a seizure).

    Imagine if you could do something similar with a single strip place along the forehead, self sticking, no goo, and easily removed. The technology would have to be developed to get and interpret sufficient information from this limited array of electrodes.

  3. howdinion 12 Jan 2012 at 2:30 pm

    Are you sure that was the CES show in Vega, and no Rigel 7?

  4. ChrisHon 12 Jan 2012 at 4:49 pm

    Dr. Novella:

    The technology would have to be developed to get and interpret sufficient information from this limited array of electrodes.

    Much like what is done for a Holter monitor EKG, where the electrodes are down to about three versus the larger number done in a cardiologist’s office (which include some on the leg and arm).

    The month long Holter monitor had enough memory for three recordings, which then meant going to a phone, calling a toll free number, talking to a technician and then have it transmit (like a fax) the readings though the phone receiver. Modifying a smart phone to take the readings and then automatically transmitting over the cellphone or wifi network would be a great improvement.

    Though, there would still be limitations. Even though my son was diagnosed with “only” a complex migraine, the discharge instructions stated that we should still call 911 if he had the same symptoms. Using my University of Public Library* education I am guessing that the physical measurements (EEG, EKG, pulse, etc) would not distinguish between a stroke and migraine.

    * There was no Internet nor Google when my son was born, and then had seizures, and finally a speech disorder. So I checked out every book I could understand from the library, which were few and far between. And some were downright rotten, like any written by Glenn Doman, plus the book that postulated that boys with high voices and girls with low voices suffered from sexual confusion (which made my son’s speech therapist laugh!).

  5. Captain Quirkon 12 Jan 2012 at 10:39 pm

    All I really want out of this is a way to do routine blood checks without venipuncture. I always faint during venipuncture, and then convulse while unconscious. It’s somewhat protracted (when I was younger I simply had a tonic stiffening of muscled or slight convulsions, but it’s gotten worse), to the point where even when the needle goes in while I’m lying down I’ll fainted and have convulse, waking up with my arm straight in the air and clenched into a fist, then have BP around 60 / 38 while they wheel me to another room and I’m so faint my head is hanging limply backwards and I slide back so the nurses think I had just lost consciousness again, and continue being dizzy on the verge of fainting for the next hour or two.

    I highly, highly doubt that need for blood draws will be eliminated in my lifetime, but I’d rather avoid routine blood draws. IM injections, fingertip-pricking, and the sight of blood have never bothered me, just that one thing.

  6. SimonWon 19 Jan 2012 at 1:24 am

    Someone already put ultrasound sensor on an iPhone which is more than capable of diagnosing 5 disorders, and if you are pregnant, so I too immediately though “what are the rules”. Whilst automatic interpretation is tricky, I suspect it is probably not as hard as some people imagine given the vast computing power in modern smart phones, just there has been little incentive to do it as the technology has been relatively expensive, and a lot of the time it is done on people who have wounds, or who need sensitive handling for whatever reason (sometimes the best place to put the probe can be rather personal), where a professional is available and can move the sensor and interpret the result.

    When I was a naive young physicist I assumed NMR technology would create a larger “tricorder”, since you can determine a lot from these types of signal (and assuming nothing magnetic is attached or embedded or near) without any significant known safety implications, but even if it gets developed further it really isn’t going to work in a handheld device as far as I can tell.

    I’ll hazard a prediction, that the tricorder available before we die will be a smart phone add-on.

    Maybe the “eyes” have it for non-contact device, glaucoma, cholesterol, macular degeneration, other issues with the retina, liver/renal failure. I suspect you could pick up all of these, at least to select interesting cases for review, with a light and cameras (particularly if sensitive to various frequencies to spot refraction changes or temperature changes). You might even get a lot of these with a current smart phone with cheap webcam with light on (I know they have cameras in but probably not suitable to control the light – still worth a try).

    If they want disorders with high confidence that might rule out some approaches. For example easy to detect disorders of the retina with a suitable camera, not always easy to say with confidence the precise cause, not sure this would make the device less useful if the person wasn’t aware of the problem or severity.

    There needs to be clarification on disease or symptom, and also if you can exclude based on tests. For example Graves’ disease is perhaps diagnosable with a camera on the eye (when Thyroid Eye disease is present), but can’t be excluded that way (some people don’t get visible eye problems), also raises the question of whether blatantly obvious disorders count in the 5, blatantly obvious being a movable feast depending on your knowledge, and a popular game with medical students I understand.

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Home » Ideas, Interviews, Politics, The New Gay Interview
22 September 2010, 2:00 pm One Comment

Interview: Brittany Novotny: Transforming Politics in Oklahoma

This post was submitted by John "Jolly" Bavoso

Those who follow politics closely often reach a point where opposing candidates and platforms stop looking unique or distinctive. And the more localized the race, often the more indistinguishable the two hopefuls seem. Bucking this trend in spectacular fashion is the showdown currently unfolding in Oklahoma’s House District 84, which is comprised of West Oklahoma City, between the state’s first transgender political candidate and a woman who’s infamous for having her belief that LGBT Americans are more dangerous to this country than terrorists posted on YouTube.

Brittany Novotny, born William Novotny, is an Oklahoma City born-and-raised attorney and the Democratic candidate for the state legislature. She’s facing incumbent Sally Kern, a Republican who has been quoted as saying that “the homosexual agenda is just destroying this nation.” Is such a showdown an intriguing but ultimately fleeting anomaly or a sign of more fundamental social and political changes taking place in the Heartland? Novotny took a short break in the midst of this busy campaign season to tell us a little more about herself and this race and help us understand what’s at stake in November.

The New Gay: Can you tell me a little about your experiences growing up and your transition?

Brittany Novotny: Well, I grew up in Oklahoma City. I knew from a very young age that I felt different about who I was compared to what people told me I should be, but I was a good kid, and tried very hard to be the person my elders insisted I be.  As I grew older, I realized I could not continue to be a good community leader if I was not able to be honest about who I was, and so I transitioned so that people could get to know the real me.  I had my ups and downs, but in the end, I’m happy with myself, I feel at peace spiritually, and now I’m able to be a better advocate for others, because I know what its like to be misunderstood.

TNG: Why did you decide to get involved in politics?

Novotny: I grew up very attracted to the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and our American commitment to freedom and small “d” democratic values.  As I grew older, I realized that we don’t achieve those ideals without people working for them and fighting for them in the legal and political arena.  I grew up in a fairly conservative household, so I’ve become worried in recent years about the anti-government mentality that is being stoked and considered mainstream in conservative politics these days.  Conservatives used to be for preserving our public institutions, and now they seem to be against our public institutions.  As a moderate, I feel compelled to bring a more reasonable voice to the political process.  I don’t believe that government can solve every problem, but I do believe that government is necessary to ensure that the middle class in Oklahoma has an opportunity to grow and succeed.

TNG: What issues are most important to you and your district?

When I’m out knocking on doors and listening to voters, young folks tell me they’re concerned about the lack of good jobs available right now, particularly considering the student debt they’ve amassed to get there; parents tell me they’re concerned about the educational opportunities for their children, particularly in light of recent teacher layoffs as a result of budget cuts; and seniors tell me they’re concerned about public transit, because they don’t feel as safe behind the wheel anymore, but they want to get out and take part in their community more.  I believe that by focusing government in the areas of education and transportation infrastructure, we can create a climate of economic opportunity for everyone and better jobs will become available.

TNG: Your opponent is well-known for espousing extreme anti-LGBT sentiments. Does this race feel any more personal to you knowing she holds such views?

Novotny: This race is not personal to me, and is not about me.  This race is about the future of Oklahoma that we as Oklahomans wish to create.  If we want to solve our problems and find ways for people to work together for the common good, regardless of party, then we have to focus on the issues that unite us, rather than the issues that divide us.  Rep. Kern is free to hold her views and to espouse them; what I have a problem with is her insistence on focusing on those issues in the government, when we have real concerns about jobs, education, and transportation that the voters want us to work on.

TNG: It was reported earlier this summer that neither campaign would be making your gender identity an issue. Has this remained the case? If not, how has it crept into the race?

Novotny: Unfortunately, Rep. Kern’s supporters have already begun to attack me on this, and Rep. Kern was recorded on August 7, 2010 imploring her supporters to make the attacks for her, because she did not want it to look like she was smearing me.  That being said, it only proves my point in this campaign that Rep. Kern is more concerned with her own personal social agenda, rather than being interested in solving the problems that are of concern to the voters in the district.

TNG: The Oklahoma legislature has famously tackled the issue of abortion a number of times in the recent past. Do you feel that your experiences give you a unique perspective on issues that are typically considered women’s issues?

Novotny: There are only so many bills that the Legislature can pass relating to this issue.  I think Oklahoma voters are ready for their legislators to get focused on the economy and our infrastructure.  I know there are strong emotions involved in this debate, but I don’t believe additional governmental intrusiveness is the right answer. We can all agree that we’d like to see fewer abortions, but expanding the role of government into the private lives and medical decisions of individual women is inconsistent with Oklahomans’ belief in limited government.

TNG: Anything else our readers should know? How can non-Oklahomans support your campaign?

Novotny: I’m very proud that my campaign has built a great network of online donors and supporters from around Oklahoma and America.  We can accept contributions from folks in other states, and about 28% of our contributions are from outside Oklahoma.  That means a significant majority of our contributions have come from right here in Oklahoma.  Furthermore, many of these donors are small donors—over 400 folks have donated $50 or less. This is a campaign funded by individuals interested in building a brighter future where we work together to solve our problems.  If anyone is interested in getting more involved in the campaign, they can do so at www.brittany4hd84.com (there are links there to our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts also)!

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  • “The New Gay” interviews Brittany Novotny said:

    [...] The New Gay recently conducted an insightful interview with Oklahoma House District 84′s transgender political candidate Brittany Novotny about her politics, background and anti-LGBTQ political opponent, Sally Kern. Check it out here. [...]

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This post originally appeared on the Buffer blog.

I have a blog post to write. This blog post, to be exact.

And in the course of researching, outlining, writing, editing, and writing some more, I also have other hats to wear. Email marketingSocial media strategy. Blog promotion, blog design, and anything else that should happen across my plate.

I’m sure you wear a lot of hats, too.

How do you find time to put them all on?

One of my tasks that I’m currently optimizing is implementing a social media strategy at Buffer. In the midst of writing posts like these, I’m also curious to see how much time it takes to put a social media strategy in place.

Does juggling social media management along with an armful of other task sound familiar to you? If so, I thought it might be helpful to detail what I’ve found so far and to show what all’s involved in the way that we go about managing our social media strategy at Buffer.

The wheel of social media strategy

It’s interesting to note that a social media strategy and a social media plan have a lot of crossover.

You can think of it this way: A strategy is where you’re headed. A plan is how you’ll get there.

When I think about the time involved in implementing a social media strategy, I can’t help but include the essential parts of our plan, too. In fact, I think that strategy can be boiled down to a simple three-part idea:

Once you come up with the strategy, you’ll need to implement it, to measure it, and to think on it again.

Here’s how this process might look.

I’ve run across ideas like this before. For instance, Amy Porterfield’s social media strategy suggestion is to assess, implement, and monitor. Others call it organize, act, and regroup.

Put another way:

  1. This is what we want to do
  2. This is how we’re going to do it
  3. This is how we did

Then, repeat.

That’s how I choose to view our social media strategy at Buffer. And now for the all-important follow-up question: How long does this process take?

The time it takes for a good social media strategy

I took my time-tracking seriously this week—so serious, in fact, that I used Harvest‘s time-tracking software to see exactly how long these things take. I wanted to see exactly how much time it takes to put a solid social media strategy in place.

Here’s what I found:

Essentially, the time breaks down like this:

Every Monday, revisit your strategy to make sure you’re on the right track and focusing on the right areas

Time: One hour

Monday through Friday, implement the strategy. Schedule, create, and post updates. Engage with the community.

Time: Two hours

Every Friday, check your metrics. See how you’re doing on your goals, and identify areas for growth.

Time: One hour

Total time: 12 hours per week

Depending on the scope of your business, your time could be greater or smaller than this. You may have an team of dedicated social media staff who can give 40 hours per week or more. Or you may have a small footprint in social and not need as many hours. The above times are simply my experience; feel free to use them as a guide and benchmark for your own social strategy.

As far as what my time looks like specifically, here’s a taste of what’s involved at each step of the process: planning, implementing, and measuring.

1. How to create a social media strategy

A good social media strategy begins with a good think.

What do you want to use social for:

  • Sales?
  • Loyalty?
  • Awareness?

These are the three main areas that Jay Baer identifies as potential focus points of a social media strategy. As Baer puts it: What’s the point of your social media marketing? Pick one of the above, and focus your efforts on that single objective.

The best social media strategies are those that focus (at least initially) on a more narrow rationale for social.

In thinking about this question of “What’s the point?” we’ve found that the answer may sometimes change as your marketing goals ebb and flow. I’d encourage you to revisit this question often. Don’t be afraid to shift gears and aim for a new objective.

For instance, you may find that it’s best early on to focus on awareness, especially if your business is fresh out of the box. Once you’ve built sufficient awareness, it might make sense to transition your focus to loyalty or sales. Your strategies can grow up as your business grows up.

Once you’ve defined your core focus for social, you can then have a clear picture of which success metrics to track. Amy Porterfield has a great way of breaking this down, according to the three main social media strategies:.

  • If you choose sales, you’ll want to track click rates, social e-commerce sales, and conversion rates.
  • If you choose loyalty, you’ll track engagement, sentiment, and influence.
  • If you choose awareness, you’ll track growth, engagement, shareability, likes, and subscribes.

One final piece to the puzzle (many social media strategists would even advise to begin with this step) is to listen to your audience. Listening will reveal a number of key factors like which social networks you should be on, how your audience uses social media, and what are their pain points.

These basic factors will be hugely helpful to discover as they’ll help set your focus moving forward. For instance, I’m often guilty of assuming that all social networks are generally the same when in fact they are entirely unique and individual and deserving of their own specific messages and plans.

This image by Social Rank is a fun reminder that each social media site comes at content from a different perspective.

How can you go about listening to your audience?

You can begin by asking. Surveys are great tools for gathering insight into your customers and fans. If you’ve yet to implement your social strategy, you can send out a survey to your email list. If you’re already on social, you can ask questions of fans or link to surveys from your updates.

Beyond surveys, you can listen to your audience by tracking mentions of your brand, discovering the communities and groups based on your niche, and in watching your key social metrics to see how they grow (for instance, if you find yourself banging your head against a wall to get new followers, it could be that your target demographic simply doesn’t hang out on that network.)

Once you’ve listened to your audience, chosen a focused goal, and identified your success metrics, it’s time to move on to the next step: Implementation.

2. How to implement a social media strategy

I like to think of the implementation of a social media strategy as having two prongs:  Creation and Community.

When you think about it, what kind of input will you be having on social media each day? You’ll be publishing new updates, and you’ll be responding to others. (And sometimes the two might even overlap.) Both prongs should fit with the strategy you’ve chosen.

Perhaps the best way to talk about implementing a social media strategy is to show you a bit about how we do it here at Buffer.

Here is our system for sharing on Twitter and Facebook (we have strategies for LinkedIn and Google+, too; feel free to ask about them in the comments if you’re interested.)

A social media strategy for Twitter

Our goal with social media is loyalty—with a twist. We’re interested in driving engagement and positive sentiment, two of the hallmarks of a loyalty strategy. We’ve also added a dash of sales to our mix. It’s not sales in the traditional sense; rather, we’re aiming to sell the value of the blog posts that we share.

In this way, we’re also interested in boosting clicks back to the blog.

Our posting strategy

  • We schedule 14 posts per weekday and 10 posts per Saturday/Sunday
  • Our posting schedule is spread out throughout the day in order to connect with our global audience
  • Our bread-and-butter post type: Visuals
  • The majority of updates we share come from content in our blog archives
  • We share one post each day from Buffer’s content suggestions
  • We retweet a Buffer team member or Buffer community member once-a-day
  • All new posts are shared multiple times that day and scheduled for further shares over the next two months
  • All updates are in keeping with Buffer’s values of positivity and helpfulness

Practically speaking, I’ve come up with a few fun ways to make this posting strategy as smooth as possible. Let’s start with how we share our new posts.

Whenever a new post goes live, I will use Buffer’s custom schedule to create 13 posts spread out across the following timeline (inspiration from the timeline came from this awesome post by Garrett Moon on KISSmetrics).

Each update is unique, with either a new headline, snippet, or image. For the first two updates, we perform a bit of an A/B test on the headline to see which one gets a greater click response. We continue to monitor headline performance on later tweets, too, in case one performs better than our original. We’ll change the headline on the post according to the data.

After posting updates according to the schedule, I like to borrow a tip from our repurposing efforts and come up with as many tweetable parts of the post that I can. These posts are added to a dummy Buffer account that I’ve set up as kind of a storage unit or backlog of useful tweets.

When I’m in a pinch to fill our main queue, I can quickly and easily pull from this backlog and drag-and-drop into the Buffer Twitter profile.

As for sharing from our archives, we’ve found a couple helpful ways to do this.

  1. The first is a method created by our cofounder Leo. He’ll go to a random page on our blog (i.e., and share from each of the evergreen articles on that page.
  2. The other method I use relies on Buffer’s analytics. I’ll take any previous updates that earned a “Top Tweet” badge and drag them into my backlog, dummy account to easily share again later. (We’re big fans of reposting content here at Buffer.)

Our engagement strategy

  • Reply to every mention of Buffer
  • Engage the community with weekly chats

Replying to every mention is a very noble goal that I’ve personally tried to maintain on my own Twitter. It’s hard. Fortunately, we’ve got an army of Happiness Heroes and a Community Champion who invest time in responding to each and every Buffer mention that’s out there.

We use a service called Sparkcentral as kind of a command center for our Twitter outreach. It lets us collect and organize every Buffer mention, whether via direct reply, hashtag, or search.

The second part of engagement is a weekly #bufferchat, organized by our Community Champion Nicole and featuring a new guest host each week. These have been great opportunities to interact directly with our Twitter audience and to create valuable resources that we can share and refer to later.

A social media strategy for Facebook

Our posting strategy

  • We schedule two posts per day
  • Our posting schedule varies by day, according to the times when our fans are online
  • Our bread-and-butter post type: Visuals/Text
  • The majority of our updates come from content in our archives
  • All new posts are scheduled for the day of publish and again one week later

Our Facebook posting strategy will continue to evolve as we learn new things and try new things. For now, we’ve found a bit of success mixing visual posts and text-only posts. The text-only posts started as an accident, and the reach numbers have encouraged us to keep at them. Here’s an example.

Much like Twitter, new Buffer blog posts get scheduled according to the guide referenced above. We’ll post new articles to Facebook on the day of publish and again one week later.

The rest of the Facebook queue is an ongoing list of posts from our archives, mostly pulled via the Leo method of visiting a random blog page and Buffering what looks interesting.

Our engagement strategy

  • Respond daily to comments
  • Ask fun, open-ended questions of our fans

Our method of responding to Facebook comments used to include a pair of daily drive-bys from the Content Crafters team. Our Community Champion Nicole now takes on the role of responding (and is able to drive by a bit more readily).

To help engage with fans on Facebook, we started asking a fun question each day, sometimes social-media-related and sometimes just whimsical. We’ve found it to have a great effect on making our Facebook page feel more welcoming, and we’ve even noticed the unintended effect of increased reach on the posts that go live after we’ve asked a question.

3. How to measure a social media strategy

Find your key metrics. Set some goals. Revisit often.

To recap from above, depending on what focus you’ve taken with your social media strategy, you’ll likely have a few success metrics in mind that you’d like to track. Here’s the breakdown once more.

  • If you choose sales, you’ll want to track click rates, social e-commerce sales, and conversion rates.
  • If you choose loyalty, you’ll track engagement, sentiment, and influence.
  • If you choose awareness, you’ll track growth, engagement, shareability, likes, and subscribes.

At Buffer, we’ve taken to tracking our social metrics according to a neat method first proposed by Avinash Kaushik back in 2011. This theory of engagement breaks the metric into four parts that can track across all social networks:

  • Conversation
  • Amplification
  • Applause
  • Economic Value

Our friends at Moz introduced us to this tracking method, and they’ve shared the way they go about measuring these metrics and setting goals for growing engagement and traffic back to their site. Here’s a peek at what their weekly reports look like.

Another way to look for key metrics with your social media strategy is to approach it from a growth perspective. We’ve used the following grid to help guide our product growth here at Buffer, and in some cases, you can apply the same ideas to the metrics you pay attention to on social.

In the grid below, the key points to focus on are “low conversion, high traffic” and “high conversion, low traffic.” For instance, tweets with high numbers of impressions and low numbers of clicks might be ripe for growth.

Over to you: How much time do you spend on social media each week?

The three parts to a social media strategy—planning, implementing, and measuring—take time.

Fortunately, it can be a manageable amount of time if you have a plan in place and the right resources at your disposal. I’ve found that a weekly schedule that involves each strategic step helps to keep things on track and in place as we strive to meet our goals.

What’s been your experience with a social media strategy? How much time do you spend each week?

It’d be awesome to hear from you in the comments.


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Newsbank Archive
September 01, 2015
Agnes Joyce Kimbrell
Mar 13, 2012 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Funeral services for Agnes Joyce Kimbrell, 78, of Mt. Airy, were held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 12, at Welcome Home Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Ryals officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Ms. Kimbrell died Saturday, March 10, 2012, at her residence following an extended illness.

Born Aug. 23, 1933, in Banks County, she was a daughter of the late George and Martha Elizabeth Ward Kimbrell.

Ms. Kimbrell was retired from Carwood Manufacturing, where she worked for many years, and was a member of Welcome Home Baptist Church. She enjoyed spending time with her family and was an avid animal lover.

Survivors include her son, Randy Kimbrell, grandchildren, Morgan and Kevin Blakley, great-grandchildren, Kasen and Caroline, all of Mt. Airy; brothers and sisters-in-law, James and Dorothy Kimbrell, Bradley and Mavis Kimbrell, all of Mt. Airy; sisters, Geraldine Hunt of Toccoa, Ouida Hardy and Mary Fay Brookshire, both of Demorest; many nieces, nephews, other relatives; and her faithful companion, Misty the Dog.

Memorials may be made to the John B. Gesbocker Animal Shelter of Habersham County, 555 Monroe St., Unit 20, Clarkesville, GA 30523.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at mcgaheegriffinandstewart.com.

McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia, was in charge of arrangements.

The Northeast Georgian

March 14, 2012


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StemCells, Inc. Partners With R Biomedical to Develop and Commercialize Reagents for Human iPS Cell Research
Announces Launch of "Ultra-Primary" SC Proven(R) Human Fibroblast Cell Line

NEWARK, Calif., Oct. 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM) announced today that it has partnered with R Biomedical, an Edinburgh, UK-based biomedical company, to develop and commercialize a range of cell lines and reagents to facilitate human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-based research for regenerative medicine applications. The first product under the partnership, an "ultra-primary" human fibroblast cell line from which researchers can generate iPS cell lines, was launched today under the SC Proven brand.

"As evidenced by recent initiatives and white papers, the use of human iPS cells for regenerative medicine is a key item on the bioeconomy agendas of both the US and the UK governments," said Stewart Craig, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Development and Operations at StemCells, Inc. "The scientists at R Biomedical are experts in the development of reagents for the iPS cell field and the company is one of the few organizations to have secured ethical approval to collect and process human somatic cells expressly designed for generating iPS cell lines. We are pleased to collaborate with R Biomedical for the commercialization of a series of new and innovative products to enable regenerative medicine research."

Derived from skin biopsies collected under strict UK ethical control, "ultra-primary" fibroblast cells are an ideal starting material from which to generate human iPS cell lines by genetic reprogramming. The ability to generate iPS cell lines from different patients and from normal donors could enable researchers to address disease targets and develop therapeutics, both by comparative genetic screening as well as by traditional compound library screening.

"We are proud to be partnering with StemCells, Inc.," said Joe Mee, Managing Director of R Biomedical. "The area of regenerative medicine is a burgeoning field both for research and as a specialized platform for pharmaceutical companies performing drug screening campaigns. R Biomedical is extremely well positioned to provide unique iPS cell reagents, accompanying technology and culture reagents to both academic and industrial researchers in partnership with StemCells under their globally recognized and distributed SC Proven brand."

Researchers interested in learning more about the SC Proven product portfolio and the Company's contract service offerings are encouraged to visit StemCells, Inc.'s booth at the World iPS Cell Summit meeting in Boston October 31 to November 01, 2012 (

About StemCells, Inc.

StemCells, Inc. is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of cell-based therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery. The Company's lead therapeutic product candidate, HuCNS-SC® cells (purified human neural stem cells), is currently in development as a potential treatment for a broad range of central nervous system disorders, including Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder, chronic spinal cord injury, and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). StemCells also markets a range of stem cell research products under the SC Proven® brand (, and offers contract cell process development and production services ( Further information is available at

The StemCells, Inc. logo is available at

About R Biomedical

R Biomedical (Roadbreaker Ltd) is a Scottish biomedical company specializing in research, development and commercialization of technologies for regenerative medicine. The company focuses on procedures, protocols and reagents for somatic cell therapeutics with an emphasis in providing new cellular technology as a resource for genetic reprogramming. Specifically, R Biomedical derives human cells from tissue samples under strict ethical approval, which are optimized for regenerative medicine research. Working closely with its academic partners at the University of Edinburgh, R Biomedical considers its patient volunteers to be equal partners in a search for new therapeutic regimes to ultimately find cures for otherwise incurable diseases. For more information please go to

Apart from statements of historical fact, the text of this press release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. securities laws, and is subject to the safe harbors created therein. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the future business operations of StemCells, Inc. (the "Company"); the timing and prospect for the launch of future SC Proven products; the Company's ability to develop new products for the stem-cell research market, including products that enable iPS research; and the Company's ability to continue generating revenues from its SC Proven business. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Such statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain assumptions that may or may not ultimately prove valid. The Company's actual results may vary materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties to which the Company is subject, including uncertainties regarding the Company's ability to grow its SC Proven business and compete successfully against better funded and better known companies in the research tools market; uncertainties regarding the Company's ability to obtain the increased capital resources needed to continue its current and planned operations; uncertainties regarding the validity and enforceability of the Company's patents and ability to secure such licenses or other intellectual property rights as may be necessary to commercialize its products; and other factors that are described under the heading "Risk Factors" disclosed in Part I, Item 1A in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10‑Q and Form 8‑K.

CONTACT: Rodney Young
         StemCells, Inc.
         Chief Financial Officer
         (510) 456-4128

         Ian Stone
         Russo Partners
         (619) 308-6541
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Jarden Closes $250 Million Term Loan Facilities Increase and Announces Acceptance for Payment of Early Tendered 8% Senior Notes Due 2016

RYE, N.Y., March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH) ("Jarden" or the "Company") announced today that it has closed its previously announced facilities increase of additional tranche A term loans under its existing senior credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $250 million.  The proceeds from the loans are being used to fund the Company's previously announced cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for any and all of the $300 million outstanding principal amount of the 8% Senior Notes due 2016 (the "Notes") and the related Consent Solicitation as well as to fund the expected redemption of any Notes not tendered in the Tender Offer.

Jarden also announced that it has accepted and rendered payment on March 28, 2013 for $168.5 million in principal amount for the Notes that were tendered by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2013 (the "Early Tender Deadline"). This payment has made effective certain amendments to the indenture governing the Notes (the "Indenture") that eliminated substantially all of the restrictive covenants contained therein and shortened the notice period for optional redemptions of the Notes.

The Tender Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 11, 2013 (the "Expiration Time"), unless extended or earlier terminated.  As described in more detail in the Offer to Purchase and related Consent and Letter of Transmittal, subject to the terms and conditions of the Tender Offer, holders of the Notes who validly tender their Notes and deliver their consents after the Early Tender Deadline but by the Expiration Time are eligible to receive an amount equal to $1,016.75 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered.  Holders whose tendered Notes are accepted for purchase will also receive accrued and unpaid interest from, and including, the most recent interest payment date for the Notes, to, but not including, the applicable payment date for the Notes.  Notes tendered after the Early Tender Deadline may not be withdrawn and the related consents may not be revoked.

If less than all of the Notes are tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer, Jarden expects to redeem the remaining outstanding Notes upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture; however, Jarden is not obligated to do so.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, or the solicitation of tenders with respect to, the Notes.  No offer, solicitation, purchase or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.  The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are being made solely pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the related Consent and Letter of Transmittal made available to holders of the Notes.

The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer and Consent Solicitation are described in the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated March 14, 2013 (the "Offer to Purchase") and the related Consent and Letter of Transmittal, copies of which may be obtained from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Tender Agent and Information Agent for the Tender Offer, at (800) 769-4414 (US toll free) or, for banks and brokers, (212) 269-5550. The Company has retained Barclays Capital Inc. as lead dealer manager and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC as co-dealer manager and solicitation agents in connection with the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation. Questions regarding the terms of the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation may be directed to Barclays Capital Inc., at (800) 438-3242 (toll-free) and (212) 528-7581 (collect).

About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of a diverse range of consumer products with a portfolio of over 100 trusted, quality brands sold globally. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Aero®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Volkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex® and Tigex®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden ranks #371 on the Fortune 500 and has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For in-depth information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com.

Note: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and is intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company's earnings per share and adjusted diluted earnings per share, expected or estimated revenue, segment earnings, net interest expense, income tax provision, cash flow from operations, and reorganization and other non-cash charges, the outlook for the Company's markets and the demand for its products, consistent profitable growth, free cash flow, future revenues and gross, operating and EBITDA margin improvement requirement and expansion, organic net sales growth, bank leverage ratio, the success of new product introductions, growth in costs and expenses, the impact of commodities, currencies and transportation costs and the Company's ability to manage its risk in these areas, repurchase of shares of common stock from time to time under the Company's stock repurchase program, repurchase of the Company's debt securities from time to time pursuant to a tender offer or otherwise, the Company's ability to raise new debt, and the impact of acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and other unusual items, including the Company's ability to integrate and obtain the anticipated results and synergies from its consummated acquisitions. These projections and statements are based on management's estimates and assumptions with respect to future events and financial performance and are believed to be reasonable, though are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially from those projected as a result of certain factors.  A discussion of factors that could cause results to vary is included in the Company's periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Jarden Corporation

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Monday, January 21, 2008

0035 - Moving Tree

A creature which cover by leaf on it's body. It looks like a tree that's why I call it Moving Tree.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Link to Soloist and Buwawa

Added a link to Soloist and Buwawa a place for me and Buwawa throw our doodles.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Link to friends

Added friend's blog list block, Kenvas and Fabric - Fun are now added under it .

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Wallpaper 03

Wallpaper of the 21st to 30th creature.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Wallpaper 02

A wallpaper of the 11st to 20th creatures.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Island Clock v01

Inspired by some blogger, I also did my very first version of little island clock.
I done it in flash. For this very first version i only manage to put one creature in the clock as it is just a tryout version, in the future I hope i can do one that randomly showing different creatures.

0034 - Evil Bull

It has a very offensive look. And the evilly smile with the sharp teeth. It make me think of the creature in the myth called Minotaur.

Wallpaper 01

This is the wallpaper of the first 10 creatures.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

0033 - Rope Pig

The reason of calling it Rope Pig is the tail. You can see the tail look like a rope and it works like a cowboy rope as well to hunt its prey.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

0032 - Pumpkin Cat

Born in the day of Halloween Pumpkin Cat has a pumpkin head. It likes to walk with its front limps so that can show off the torch tail.


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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

R12: Why is it so hard to surrender to God?

Surrender. Raise the white flag. Give up. Quit. Loser.

Surrender is a difficult concept to spiritually grasp. Our world-system paints the word in such a negative light that it is hard to find anything positive through it. But that is only because we don't understand what surrender means. The last chapter talked about the sacrifice of our very will in order to realize God's good, perfect and pleasing will. But sacrifice is only one aspect of holy surrender. Chapter two talks about another piece- risk versus reward.

Chip uses case studies from the book, Risk, Reason and the Decision Making Process. If you don't have LOTE: The Book, don't worry, Chip uses the same illustrations in his mp3 lesson. His case studies are basically modern versions of the parables Jesus gives in Matthew 13. Let's look and reflect on these for a moment.

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:44-46)

Do you feel sorry for either of these people? After all, they had to sell everything they had to get the treasure they were looking for. In the second case, the person would end up with nothing other than a pearl. Sure, he could "flip" the pearl and earn great wealth, but what in the meantime? And it's safe to assume he already had great wealth because he was a merchant of pearls. Can you imagine the conversation he must have had with his wife?

"Honey, you wouldn't believe the pearl I found today!"

"That's great dear."

"But we can't afford it with the money we have. So I sold the house, our livestock, and all the other pearls in my collection (even the ones I gave you for our anniversary)."

"You did what?!"

He would had to have been pretty bold to pull off such a move. The same goes for the first man. What if he returned and the treasure was gone? What if the owner of the field wouldn't sell? In both cases, what if these men were wrong? What if the pearl was a fake? What if the treasure was really worthless? They had to conclude that the reward outweighed the risk.

Were these men lucky? Extra holy? In better with God than their neighbors? Not at all. Chip rightly points out in his book that these men were wise. This was a revelation for me. I never considered these parables in this light. Surrendering in such a way isn't about holiness or piety, about luck or any special blessing. They knew what they found. They evaluated the reward, considered the risk, and acted in wisdom.

We are tempted to think that spiritual surrender is a standard for only the most holy, the most committed of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe we believe it is only for pastors, priests, or ministers. We could also believe that such a level of commitment is impossible for us. But we only need to be wise. Consider the risk. What do we lose by following God whole-heartedly? Our own selfish desires, success as defined by the world, acceptance by friends and family? But what do we gain? "Every spiritual blessing." (Ephesians 1:3) Our desires "satisfie[d]... with every good thing." (Psalm 103:5) And of course a saving relationship with the Creator of the universe, the forgiveness of our sins, healing of the damage done, and even "treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20) where we have hope for eternal life.

So you need to ask yourself. Is the risk worth the reward? If so, surrender.

Think: What do you take away from this lesson?
Reflect: Is how I described surrender the same as you've come to understand it personally?
Understand: How does considering the above parables as actions of wisdom change your perspective on surrender?
Surrender: What do you risk by surrendering to God? List it out. Pray over it. Be honest with God about how you feel.
Take action: Write out the following definition (from the book) of total commitment on a 3x5 and read it every night before going to bed: "When I come to realize what God has done for me, who He is, and what He has prepared for me in this new life (that I cannot see), I eagerly abandon anything and everything to obtain this fabulous, rich, rewarding eternal life He is offering."
Motivation: What would God need to do to convince you he has the best in store for your life? (Read Romans 8:32, Psalm 37:4)
Encourage someone: Call, text, email, tweet, etc the most committed Christian you know and thank them for their example.

Today continues our "virtual small group" covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I really appreciated and understood this post and I agree, I need more faith from God to totally surrender my will and my desires to His purpose for my life... When I struggle I forget that it is Jesus struggling and suffering over and over again within me, and this is my new life, so I pray to Yahweh to just hang in there and to lean not on my own understanding but every word that comes from Him... Yahweh be praised........ Hallelujah :)

Anonymous said...

Amazing! Exactly what I needed at this time. Thank you for allowing God to use you to reach people like me. You ARE making a difference. God bless you!! And just because people don't leave a comment, it does not mean that they are not reading and being changed :)

Fatha Frank said...

Thank you both for your comments. I dont' know when you came by to leave them, but I'm guessing fairly recently. I changed my settings to notify me when posts burried in the archives have comments, so I'm sorry for not responding. I encourage you both to explore the site, especially the R12 and Crazy Love tags. God bless you both on your walk with Christ.

Gan Eden said...

Fatha Frank said...

Thank you for your comment, Gan. I hope you take some time to read some more site content before you label me a typical happy go lucky Christian who doesn't give a poop for his fellow man.

As for "how" well the problem with organized religion as a whole is that it tries to make spirituality measurable: church attendance, how much you give, how many visitors you bring. So those metrics become the artificial "how" to take up your cross daily. But the reality is, God judges the heart. So "how to surrender" is simply the attitude that following Christ is more important than following yourself. There is no one thing to do, or list of steps to take. It is an attitude that spills over into every facet of your life. So ask yourself, when you make a decision do you stop and think whether it would glorify God or whether it is best for you? How you answer that defines whether you have surrendered or not.

Anonymous said...

"So ask yourself, when you make a decision do you stop and think whether it would glorify God or whether it is best for you?"

I like what you have said and realize that this is something I need to start doing in my decision making process. As I thought about this it came to me - we know we are surrendered when they are one and the same, when what we sincerely want is what will bring glory to God.


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Lunch at Xanat Bistro and Terrace in Mexico City

Xanat Bistro and Terrace is the upscale contemporary Mexican restaurant in the recently renovated five-star JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City.

The hotel, located in the Polanco neighborhood, is steps from Paseo de la Reforma, the Auditorio Nacional, Chapultepec and the Museo Nacional de Antropología. Xanat opened in October 2014.

On our recent visit to Mexico in December 2014, I had a chance to dine there for lunch with my cuñada. The hotel’s executive chef, Ciro Mejia, came up with the concept for Xanat (pronounced “shah-naht”). The restaurant’s name is an ancient Totonaca word that means “vanilla flower.” In Totonaca mythology, the vanilla orchid was born when the princess Xanat, who had an affair with a mortal man, ran away to the forest with her lover. The two were captured and beheaded for their offense to the gods, and in the place where their blood seeped into the soil, the first vanilla orchid grew.

The Totonacas were the first to cultivate the vanilla orchid, and Mexico is considered the birthplace of vanilla. Xanat is still used today as a girl’s name in Papantla, Veracruz, where most of Mexico’s vanilla is cultivated. Mexican vanilla beans have a signature creamy flavor and a unique woody spice profile different from other kinds of vanilla.

RELATED RECIPE: Atole de vainilla

At Xanat Bistro and Terrace, many items on the menu have a touch of vanilla incorporated, both in sweet and savory dishes, paying unique homage to this truly Mexican ingredient. I liked that they also focus on using local and national Mexican ingredients to elevate traditional Mexican dishes with a modern spin.

Read More »

Mexico City in watercolors

There is so much to love about Mexico City.

I’ve been traveling to Mexico City—affectionately known as Chilangolandia—several times a year for the better part of a decade to visit my husband’s family, and it never ceases to amaze me. From the world-class museums and interesting historic landmarks to the variety of culinary experiences, ranging from street food to haute cuisine, I have a serious love affair with this city that is home to more than 21 million people (including the metro area). You can see and experience everything from fancy, modern skyscrapers to old-school open air markets. At times it can feel like a major metropolis, but at the drop of a hat, you may find yourself in a neighborhood that feels less like the city and more like a pueblo. It’s a diverse city with so much culture and history to explore.

Everything about the place calls my name, and each snapshot I take while visiting is a permanent memory embedded in my mind and heart. It’s strange, but when I’m away, I sometimes feel homesick for this magical place although it’s not where I was born and raised. Having spent so much time there, though, it has become like my second hometown. Recently, I discovered an app called Waterlogue that blew me away with its ability to turn my photos into stunning watercolor painted images. I started sorting through some of my favorite travel photos from Mexico City as well as other places in Mexico that I’ve visited, and have become addicted to turning my photos into works of art. Here are 10 photos I’ve taken in Mexico City over the years that I’ve turned into watercolor images.

A chicharrón vendor on the UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) campus, Cuidad Universitaria

A chicharrón vendor on the UNAM campus in Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City | More watercolor images of Mexico City on…

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Carnitas at El Venadito in Mexico City

Basically every carnitas joint in Mexico claims they have the best carnitas. Who can blame them? To somebody, each place DOES have the best carnitas. One of my favorite places in Mexico City, El Venadito, is no exception. This restaurant, which is a neighborhood staple and has no other locations, has been open since 1950. Like many other places, they have a sign that says “super carnitas, las mejores de México.” I will say: They are pretty spectacular, and among my top choices when I’m craving carnitas in Mexico City. After all, what place could stay open for more than six decades with signs saying they have the best carnitas if they didn’t?

Although there’s a restaurant where you can actually sit down in the back, I prefer the charming, tiny curbside taco stand. The only thing separating me from Tomás—the taquero who has been there as long as anyone I know can remember—is a window that’s about five feet high with a counter on top, so I can watch my carnitas go from being chopped to tortilla, salivating while I watch.

I always order them the same way: Surtido, which is a mix of white meat, dark meat, other parts, skin and some crunchy bits of chicharron. Top it with fresh, raw salsa verde and it’s truly a heavenly taco. If you’re squeamish about eating certain parts of the pig, you can always ask for maciza, which is white meat only.

Mexico City eats: El Venadito carnitas, Av. Universidad 1701, Col.Agrícola Chimalistac (Coyoacán) | More recommendations on…

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Wordless Wednesday: Docking in Puerto Morelos

Over the holidays we spent time with our family at a resort in the Riviera Maya, just south of Puerto Morelos, Mexico. We love to explore when we travel together, so we rented a car and headed to the sea port town to find a place to snorkel. I took this photo as we were returning from snorkeling, pulling the little boat back up to the dock.

A dock in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico | More travel stories and photos from Mexico at…

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Visiting Yucatán: Dzibilchaltún

Dzibilchaltún is one of the oldest Mayan cities and is located near the Northern coast of the state of Yucatán, about 10 miles North of Mérida. The name Dzibilchaltún (pronounced Tsee-beel-chahl-toon) means “the place where there is writing on flat stones” in the Mayan language. In September, I traveled to Mérida, Yucatán for four days to explore and Dzibilchaltún was one of my favorite discoveries on the trip.

If you love ruins, archaeology and Mayan history, this site is a must-see during a visit to the state of Yucatán. We had a wonderful guide during our visit who spoke Spanish, English and Maya and was very knowledgable not only about the history of the site, but also explained the language roots and word evolution, which I found particularly interesting.

The archaeological site at Dzibilchaltún is less well-known to international tourists in comparison to sites such as Chichen Itzá, but is well worth the visit thanks to the knowledgable guides, the swimming area in the cenote and the fact that it’s less crowded than some of the larger sites. It’s also not too far from Mérida, making this site a great place to visit if you don’t want to take an entire day to travel to see an archaeological site in Mexico. There’s plenty to learn and appreciate here and I hope to be able to return again with my family.

Dzibilchaltún: El Templo de las Siete Muñecas…

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Wordless Wednesday: Puebleando en Chelem, Yucatán

A few weeks ago, I visited the state of Yucatán on a press trip for a few days to get to know the city of Mérida and the surrounding area, which was incredibly charming. Though my visit was short, it was jam-packed with activities—including things I didn’t think that I’d ever do on my own, but that I had a lot of fun doing—such as kayaking in a mangrove and bicycling several miles on a path through an estuary, where I spotted wild flamingos. One afternoon, we had a little bit of down time before the bicycle ride, so we hung out in a tiny little beach town called Chelem near Progreso. Here are a few photos from the time I spent there.

A day in Chelem, Yucatan, Mexico

I loved the quiet beach and the water was like a warm bath, very calm with hardly any waves. I hunted for sea shells—a favorite pastime since I was a kid—and also walked around the town square, checking out the little neighborhood bodegas to see what kind of local produce they had available. More about this trip soon! In the meantime, if you’d like to find more of my photos from the trip, check out my Instagram feed (@MauraHernandez) and also search the hashtag #yodescubriyucatan on Instagram for photos from other travelers.

  • Have you been to any of the little beach towns near Progreso in the state of Yucatán?


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STARTing Line Up

Likely ’12 GOP hopefuls line up against nuclear treaty.

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BTM in New York

August 25, 2014 - 12:00:00 am
A customer uses a Bitcoin ATM located in Flat 128, a boutique in New York’s West Village. The Bitcoin ATM producers Lamassu and operator PYC Bitcoin have set up the first Bitcoin Teller Machine (BTM) in New York in a women’s accessories shop.

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BREAKDOWN: Joe Starkey’s column on Pittsburgh villians

Joe Starkey doesn't seem like a bad guy. He's always been pro-Penguins, which is nice. But Starkey wrote an extremely questionable piece today for the TRIB.
Time to break it down:

Joe Starkey's column is titled "Jagr, Bonds…who else." It attempts to create a Mount Rushmore of the biggest villains in the history of Pittsburgh sports.  He's calling it Mount Cuss More.  Read it for yourself here.

Actually props to the Trib for making a photopshop about it.

We're gonna break this down.

The criterion is simple: The athlete had to have played in Pittsburgh. Whether the public vitriol erupted while he was here (Dave Parker) or when he left (Marian Hossa) is immaterial.

We will not include coaches (Todd Graham), general managers (Dave Littlefield) or owners (Bob Nutting). We certainly will not include college athletes (insert Pitt quarterback of your choice).

Todd Graham? Why is Todd Graham even mentioned in this? Number one criterion should be you can't job people that win championships.
Several casual conversations, combined with the magic of Twitter, helped narrow the list. I even contacted two of the grand pooh-bahs of Pittsburgh sports — Stan Savran and John Steigerwald.
Again, some props for using this new-fangled social-networking stuff. John Steigerwald was invited to provide input in this list, so it's already pretty much invalid. He claimed someones mom was on steroids.
Steigerwald cited a Steelers quarterback named Bill Nelsen from the 1960s and Penguins defenseman Ron Stackhouse from a decade later. Nelsen was run out of town, only to become an All-Pro with the despised Cleveland Browns.
"Classic example of a good QB getting all the blame on a terrible team — a regular occurrence in Pittsburgh," Steigerwald said.
Who the hell is Bill Nelsen? Come on. This Mount Rushmore should be a list of people any Pittsburgh sports fan has at least heard about. Bill Nelsen isn't even real probably.
Needless to say, Steigerwald vehemently defended Kordell Stewart, a sure-fire finalist for Mount Cuss More.
Actually have to agree with JS here. If Kordell Stewart is one of the most hated athletes in Pittsburgh history, then maybe the pool of potential candidates is already thin as it is. Get over it. Stewart was only hated because most of Pittsburgh is racist. What a QB.
Savran started with Jaromir Jagr, whose appearance tonight at Consol Energy Center — in a Filth-a-delphia Flyers jersey — inspired this project.
Not really surprised that yet another media member (Savran) will start with Jaromir Jagr on his list. The media loves to attack players who aren't as accessible as the journos want them to be. See: Tom Barrasso. Stan Savran wouldn't have had a job if it wasn't for ol' double j. Nothing is more embarrassing than when journalist complain dealing with proffessional atheletes.
Now on to the actual Mount Rushmore of villains:
Barry Bonds is the first one mentioned. Unless you're into revisionist history, Barry Bonds truly is the number-one most hated athlete in Pittsburgh sports lore. No comes even close to second place.
And then Starkey chisels Jagr's face into the stone.
Jagr's qualifications are impeccable. First, he soiled the sacred franchise captaincy — his immediate predecessors were Ron Francis and Mario Lemieux — by asking to be traded when the going got tough.
Soiled the sacred franchise captaincy? Why — 'cause he was European? He led the team to the playoffs every year he had the "C" on his jersey. Don't talk about him not having any Cups while Lemieux had two as captain. Go take a look at the Pens' rosters in the '91 and '92 Cup seasons. Get real.
How strange, that from a reporter's point of view, that the second-best player in Penguins history is on this list?  What ignorance.
Based on his 1999 series against the Devils alone, you can't question him.
More disturbingly, he flirted with the Penguins last summer only to blow them off just when people were ready to forgive and forget.

Starkey is using a popular fan sentiment to curry favor to his choice of Jagr rather than using logic. And, exhibited by Jagr's inclusion on this Mount Rushmore, Starkey has not forgiven or forgotten Jagr for drilling him about an article he wrote back in 2001 about an episode between Jagr and Jan Hrdina at a Pens practice.
That article is definitely worth a read. It shows how fickle journalists can be when an athlete questions them about an article they wrote. The conversation mentioned in that article probably happened amidst a media scrum, and Jagr had hurt "The Reporter's" feelings.

Then third on the Mount Rushmore is Neil O'Donnell.  Since Super Bowl XXX, overzealous Steeler fans have planted rumors of O'Donnell owing money to the New York mob and threw SBXXX because of it. Coincidence that O'Donnell signed with the New York Jets via free agency after Super Bowl XXX? If the rumors are true, then O'Donnell immediately leapfrogs Barry Bonds in hate.

But that seems pretty hard to believe doesn't it? A player throwing a game, let alone the Super Bowl? This surely would have been dealt with by the FBI or even the Steelers for that matter. Dan Rooney's balls would have flown off if this was true. But it's not verified, and we personally can continue claiming Corey Holliday missed a couple hot routes.

Some guy named Stoudt is #4. He's included because fans threw snowballs at him. Really, Joe? We wanted to look like we care and act like we know who the Stoudt guy is, but we weren't in the Steelers locker room in the '70s. What a mistake.


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Monday, 10 October 2011

The Folly, The City

"Tuesday is the new Thursday," said the hunky Australian waiter as he took us to our table. And judging by the number of people out celebrating in the Folly on this particular Tuesday, I think he was right.

The Folly is part of the Drake and Morgan group that has brought us The Refinery, Parlour, Anthologist, and The Drift. And of the group (barring the Parlour in Canary Wharf, which I have yet to visit), The Folly is by far the prettiest.

It's located across the road from Monument Station, right next to the House of Fraser. An unlikely location, you might think, but we’ve learned from their other venues to never underestimate this bar group. Situated in what was most likely a retail shop, the Folly is spread over two levels. At street level is the bar and restaurant, which has gone for Victorian garden chic, with its garden lounge and flower shop, hanging chairs and birdcage enclosed cocktail bar.

The Folly also has a more intimate subterranean level built around its cork-fronted bar, with raised vault seats making it feel very Shoreditch-like. It even has a ‘pop-up’ shop offering all manner of seasonal delights.

I met the Devon lass there, and we decided to take advantage of the autumn menu. So after a couple of delicious cocktails mixed by yet another resident hunk – a gin an elderflower mix each followed by a whisky sour (bourbon) and amaretto sour each – we went to our table.

To start we had the crispy squid with ginger-pink peppercorns and citrus mayo – which was the perfect combination of spice and sweetness, crispy and moist – and duck confit and Dijon mustard toast - which was chunky, rich yet not too heavy. For mains, the Devon lass went for the skinny beef burger, which practically meant it came without the bread or the fries. So in my mind not a burger at all, but it was mighty tasty nevertheless. I tried the Thai green fish curry with coconut milk, ginger and lemon grass. It was a hearty portion that included two fillets of fish – one was salmon and I think the other sea bass, it was hard to tell. But that’s not to take anything away from the dish, which was delicious. For desserts we went for the lemon peel crème brulee, which was subtle, light and citrusy, and the chocolate fondue with marshmallow lollipops and shortbread biscuits, which was the complete opposite. More like something you would expect at a children’s birthday party. It was very well executed, but a little too sweet for my tastes.

We washed it down with a bottle of NZ Pinot Noir Pencarrow Estate Martinborough, 2009 which worked wonderfully with our courses.

The waiting staff were charm personified, and as my companion noted, rather easy on the eye. The numerous punters were a mix of City types on a Tuesday night bender, and pretty young things out on the pull. Which makes you think that perhaps our waiter was right. Tuesday is the new Thursday.

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Budding Scientists

By Mrs. G.

Mrs. G. homeschooled long enough to know that science can be a challenge to the homeschooling mama. The mess of experiments! The dry textbooks! The endless scope of the subject!

The good news for the parents of small fry is that children are natural born scientists; they’re naturally curious—what parent isn’t familiar with the steady backseat chorus of, “But why, Mom, why?”

Unless it’s an overt ploy to escape bedtime and horn in on your one hard earned hour to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and watch Law & Order , never pass up an opportunity to answer one of these “why” questions. If a child is interested enough to ask the question, chances are she is not going forget the answer. Mrs. G. kept a small notebook in her purse and when a question came up and she didn’t know the answer, she would cop to her cluelessness, jot the question down and assure her kids the answer wasn’t far away. Back in the day, there was no Google, so when Mrs. G. and her kids headed for their weekly library trip, they would revisit the questions and set out to search for answers. By all means, take advantage of every opportunity to teach your children how to access information, how to answer their own questions and satisfy their curiosity. Let them see you learn.

When her kids were young, Mrs. G. fought the siren call of those shiny, impeccably organized grade school textbooks and focused on introducing broad concepts and hands-on activities. The one high end item Mrs. G. can’t recommend enough for the young (and older) scientist is a decent microscope. She picked one up at her county’s public school surplus store and it was used regularly for over ten years. In fact, it rarely left her kitchen table.

Mrs. G. is no brain trust, so she needed help identifying age appropriate concepts and experiments; she found no frills, straightforward guidance in these resources:

This book is filled with good (affordable) ideas, but a word to the wise: never refer to your kid as an Emerging Einstein. People will avoid you.

Mrs. G. and her kids created many an ecosystem in recycled pop bottles. Fruit flies no extra charge.

Is there a kid alive who doesn’t want to explore the neighborhood with a jeweler’s loupe? Nah.

This series offers an easy to understand, brief, just the facts ma’am approach to many interesting subjects. At $4.95 a pop, Mrs. G. filled an entire shelf with the Rookie Read-About Science Books.

Other tried and true, much loved sneaky science lessons:

~Grab some popcorn, sleeping bags and a star chart and head to the backyard to identify constellations and other wonders in your night sky.

~Dig into fractions and basic geology while whipping up this (sweet mercy) volcano cake. Never, never underestimate the scholarship of baked goods.

~Consider raising some sort of creature—tadpoles, garden snakes, bunnies (great fertilizer), guinea pigs, butterflies…whatever you can tolerate or house. Mrs. G. considered telling you about how her children talked her into bankrolling their cockatiel breeding business, but sometimes it’s just best not to look back. If you are absolutely dead set against allowing an animal into your home, Mrs. G. feels you. Just sit your kids in front of a live zoo cam and remind them you gave them life. Actually, zoo cams are good clean fun.

These are just a few ideas to help you spark the interest of your (ahem) emerging Einstein. Keep it fun, keep it simple and follow your kids’ lead. The textbooks can come later. When they’re young, expect to bust a move to keep up. Keep the library bag full, answer all the questions you can and study up on the ones you can’t. If you must have benchmarks to maintain your sanity, this series can help ease anxiety.

Mrs. G. wants to take a minute to respond to some of the readers who’ve sent emails expressing their insecurities about teaching certain subjects to their children. First and foremost, relax. Mrs. G. is a right brained English major. She took the required amount of math and science classes and not one whit more; yet both of her kids have transitioned into high school and college math and science. A little confidence, a lot of backbone, a trusted support group and the tenacity to take advantage of all available resources can carry you through for as long as you and your family choose. A few of you have mentioned being surrounded by critics and naysayers. Ignore them! Mrs. G. isn’t sure why so many folks are skeptical and threatened by those of us who trust we know what’s best for our children, and, frankly, she doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about it anymore. Live and let live, right? But if you find yourself nervous or scared, write her a note and she’ll set you straight. She and most of her friends have made it to the other side…and envy you your journey.

Really, you can do it.

If you’ve got the will, you’ll find your way.

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Trayvon Martin: Another Victim of “Stand Your Ground” Law

Trayvon Martin: Another Victim of “Stand Your Ground” Law

Outrage is the best way to describe the feelings of African-Americans and anyone who has a sense that something went really wrong when a man named George Zimmerman; a Neighborhood Watch captain shot and killed young 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. It’s clear by the audio tapes of Mr. Zimmerman’s calls to 911 that his suspicions were founded on that Trayvon was black and looked suspicious.

Trayvon Martin went to a local store to get a canned ice tea and some skittles and was heading home to his father’s house, who he was visiting at the time. Mr. Zimmerman’s account of Trayvon’s actions raise questions how he came to shooting and killing the young teen.  Here is a 911 recording of Mr. Zimmerman’s call:

“This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. He’s just staring, looking at all the houses. Now he’s coming toward me. He’s got his hand in his waistband. Something’s wrong with him.”

From this first statement, as a neighborhood watch captain, it might be understandable that Mr. Zimmerman had probable cause to call 911, but his following statement is what raises concerns that the watch captain called 911 and pursued Trayvon because he was black and Zimmerman had a problem with him being black and in his neighborhood:

“He’s coming to check me out. He’s got something in his hands. I don’t know what his deal is. Can we get an officer over here?” Then he continues, “These a–holes always get away,”.

These last four words leads me to ask this question; “Why did the 17-year-old Trayvon fit into a category of “a–holes” to Mr. Zimmerman?

Then Mr. Zimmerman says “S- -t, he’s running.”  The 911 dispatcher asked him “Are you following him?” Mr. Zimmerman responded “Yes”. The dispatcher then says “We don’t need you to do that.”

It was at this moment that Mr. Zimmerman took things into his own hands and continued to pursue Trayvon Martin and it was at this point that Mr. Zimmerman became responsible for his own actions, after it was expressed by the 911 operator that he needn’t follow the suspect.

There were several calls from residents who witnessed what was transpiring between Mr. Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin was clearly pleading for help and for his life. He had been pursued by someone he didn’t know and he had no idea of what his intentions were and it cost him his life.

Most recently, Trayvon’s girlfriend stepped forward and reported to the police through a lawyer that she was talking to the 17-year-old on a cellphone at the time he was being pursued by Zimmerman.  Her statement was:

“He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man, I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run but he said he was not going to run.”

At first, the young man said he wasn’t going to run but finally did. He thought he’d lost him but Zimmerman tracked him down. The rest of the story was pieced together by several calls from residents in the area. It well looks as though Trayvon Martin was stocked by the man.

The girlfriend also listened during the first few moments of the confrontation between Trayvon and Zimmerman:

“Trayvon said, ‘What, are you following me for,’ and the man said, ‘What are you doing here.’ Next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon because the head set just fell. I called him again and he didn’t answer the phone.”

Mr. Zimmerman has not been arrested or charged with any crime.

What this exposes here is a flawed Florida law called Stand Your Ground law. The law allows a person to use deadly force against another person when he or she has a reasonable belief that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury or death. It also provides immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force. Deadly force can be used even if a person has other means of protecting themselves such as calling the police or retreating from the situation.

What this law does is allow someone like George Zimmerman, who is obviously a want-to-be cop to take things into their own hands and kill someone because they suspect them of being up to no good. All they need to do is claim self-defense and this frees them from legal responsibility of murdering an innocent person.

Trayvon had no weapon but yet he was shot, even as he pleaded for help. The law allows someone to shoot someone and then claim self-defense for no other reason than they felt threatened.

There are several cases of the law being used where there are serious questions to its protection of otherwise criminal vigilantism and encouragement to rogue citizens taking law into their own hands and killing an innocent person, as maybe the case here with George Zimmerman’s shooting of Trayvon Martin.

This law is another product of the National Rifle Association whose doctrine is that if all law-biding citizens have guns, then we won’t have to worry about gun violence. This overlooks the fact that sometimes guns fall into the wrong hands, of citizens who don’t have good judgment of when the use of force is necessary, or when children gain access to guns and accidental death occurs.

I’m all for citizens having a right to a gun as long as there are safeguards put into place to assure that those with guns are screened for psychiatric problems and they’re trained to use and store them properly. I don’t believe that is expecting too much but the NRA obviously does.

It’s a sad story concerning this young man; Trayvon Martin, especially for his family who grieves for his loss. Hopefully because of the national attention it has brought to this Stand Your Ground law that lawmakers in Florida will look at its repeal or at least amend the law to correct any possibility of its misuse.

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Filed under: Crime, fidlerten, News Items, Racism Tagged: Castle doctrine, Florida, National Rifle Association, Stand Your Ground, Trayvon Martin


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Doris Brandenburg, 85

Doris L. Brandenburg, 85, of South Whitley died at 10:58 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, at the Peabody Retirement Community, North Manchester where she had been a resident since October. She was born Aug. 22, 1927, in Whitley County, a daughter of the late Clair C. and Georgia Doris (Rubrake) Bishop. Her formative years were spent in South Whitley. She graduated from South Whitley High School with the Class of 1945.On March 7, 1947, she was united in marriage to Floyd R. Brandenburg. They made their home in South Whitley. Mr. Brandenburg died Aug. 29, 2009.She was a full-time homemaker raising their five children. Following her husband’s retirement, the couple traveled extensively throughout the United States. Surviving relatives include five children, Thomas W. Brandenburg of Fort Wayne, Judith Hall of Moxee, Wash., Terry L, (Priscilla) Brandenburg of South Whitley, William C. (Elizabeth) Brandenburg of North Manchester and Jeanna (John) Moore of Pierceton; 12 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; a brother, Larry (Kay) Bishop of Huntington and a sister, Eunice (Roger) Ware of Indianapolis.She was preceded in death by four brothers, Robert, Jack, Max and John Bishop and a sister, Clarice Drake.The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Smith & Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley. Burial will be in the South Whitley Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Preferred memorials are to the Cleveland Township Fire Dept.Condolences may be sent to


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FREE Biotrue Contact Lens Solution

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On The Road Again…

So things have been a leeeetle bit crazy around here and it’s not likely to settle down for a while. I haven’t been crafting much and what I have been doing, I haven’t finished. Yes, my table is a mess of halfway finished projects and it’s driving me crazy. (OK fine. Crazier. Whatever.)

However. I have a Super-Crafty-Fun-Day at Archiver’s coming up on Saturday. So yay! (I promise, I’m getting to the point of this post. Eventually.) When I set up my craft room, I planned it out so could have everything easy to get to. I never planned on what to do when I went to crops, because that just wasn’t something I did. And then…I hooked up with this fantastic group of ladies and we meet up every other month at the local Archiver’s. (And when I say meet up, I mean take over the workroom & raise the roof.)

Aaaaanyway. My one big problem on the Archiver’s Saturdays is that I could never finish a card because I change my mind about 148732 times as I work on something. So I needed to figure out a way to bring a ton of embellishments with me. Without packing the whole craft room. I needed a way to make my ribbon & button storage portable. Here is my ribbon & button storage in the craft room: (By the way, I loooove this system. I’m talking giant puffy hearts and sparkles here. Really.)

Yeah, kinda hard to pack & carry this.

And the answer is:

Well, I think this will be the answer. I just put it together this week & tomorrow will be the first time I try it out. I used two compartment storage boxes like this at Amazon. Only I promise it wasn’t that expensive. I just picked them up at a craft store a while back & can’t remember how much it was.

I use the matching ribbon & buttons from Papertrey Ink for the most part. So in each compartment I have: a small bag of buttons, and 2 ft each of grosgrain ribbon, saddle stitch ribbon, satin ribbon, matching floss, and where possible matching seam binding. I figure that ought to cover just about anything I need for a project. Since I’m not a big floofy bow type person (OK, those of you who have met me can stop laughing now…) I figure 2 feet of whichever ribbon ought to be more than enough.

Now I just need to figure out which stamps I need to take with me tomorrow…

P.S. I apologize for the pictures. I was feeling lazy & was taking pictures with my phone. At night. In the basement.

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Racism is still alive (and) doing well.

Albert Seloover Weatherford, TX Submitted via: NPR’s Talk of the Nation I was the first white man to have African Americans as room-mates at Carswell AFB, in 1961, in the air police squadron. I thought nothing about it, but almost every one else, thought it was outrageous. I was from Illinois, and maybe that made […]