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From Tours to Paris by Linda Kovic-Skow

From Tours to Paris (French Illusions Book 2)From Tours to Paris by Linda Kovic-Skow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Usually, I am not much for memoirs, but Linda Kovic-Skow writes such personal and intriguing memoirs that hers are one of my dedicated exceptions to this rule.

From Tours to Paris is an interesting read of a young woman experiencing life and love away from home. From financial worries to matters of the heart, this honest memoir leaves nothing out. Written from the authors journals and her memories, this is a heartfelt book that will keep you turning pages and happily entertained until the very end.

I liked that she included so much emotion in this book, describing her experiences and love affairs both with the city and some genuinely interesting people. This is the kind of book that reminds you good food, good friends and your will to survive trying situations can get you through almost anything. I could identify easily with many of her thoughts and feelings.

Particularly, I was impressed with the way Linda chose to end this book. I didn’t feel that anything was left hanging and although I was curious about what happened later in her life, I felt satisfied at the end.

Overall, this was a pleasant and enjoyable read that roused a lot of emotion and curiosity within me. Even if you are not a huge fan of memoirs, this book will most likely still delight you. It gets my vote.

This review is based on a complementary copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Parenting with Wisdom and Compassion by Ilene Val-Essen

Parenting with Wisdom and Compassion: Bring Out the Best in Your FamilyParenting with Wisdom and Compassion: Bring Out the Best in Your Family by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D.

Imagine a new paradigm of parenting that dramatically changes the way we relate to our children. Doors open that were previously closed, freeing us to parent with a wiser and more compassionate heart. Dr. Val-Essen reveals a new vision of the parent-child relationship and provides a Six-Step Process to help us realize it. Powerful stories, proven skills, and practical exercises inspire and guide us to expand our minds and open our hearts. As we gain a deeper understanding of our children and ourselves, we’re able to parent with wisdom and compassion even when buttons are pushed and fear takes center stage. Children and parents flourish. Family life becomes deeply rewarding.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I agreed to take this book, it was for one reason. I liked the idea of a book about parenting with the word “compassion” in the title. In my opinion, as a non-expert on parenting and just a mum who loves her kids and wants what is best for them, I have thought many times about the lack of compassion in this world for the needs of our youth. We are always being bombarded on social media, in newsprint and on the television with all the things you can do to screw up your children, but rarely do we get any good advice for how to improve our skills as parents. That is where this book comes in.

Ilene Val-Essen takes a different approach with this book. Rather than slapping parents, educators or anyone else responsible for youth across the face with a message of “you are doing this wrong!” She takes the time to explain her gentle approach and really break down what she means in her title.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand more about why conflicts in families arise, and how they can be resolved. With the understanding that you don’t have to change who you are, what your values are or completely revamp your parenting style to appreciate this book and the advice given in it, you will find that the ideas presented here can work in nearly any situation, regardless of who you are.

There is far too much in this book to do an individual review on each section, or this review would never end, but there are some definite jewels worth mentioning. This book promotes the self awareness of the parent so they can identify with the child’s emotions, reactions and address any issues they might have that remain under the surface. There are tips here for recognising stress in the family and how to calm that stress. The author has included charts and easy steps to follow to defuse situations before they become major problems.

Honestly, I think this book has some very good specific and situational information, but it would work just as well if the principals set forth here were used in other, everyday situations. It is not just children that are affected by the way we view ourselves and how we treat others, and this book, in my opinion, is titled perfectly. We could all do with a dose of compassion, from others, for others.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is a brilliant read and an honest and open message from an author who has lived what she writes about. Five stars.

Northwoods by Bill Schweigart

NorthwoodsNorthwoods by Bill Schweigart

Some borders should never be crossed. From the author of The Beast of Barcroft comes a waking nightmare of a horror novel that’s sure to thrill readers of Stephen King and Bentley Little.

Ex–Delta Force Davis Holland, now an agent for the Customs and Border Protection, has seen it all. But nothing in his experience has prepared him for what he and the local sheriff find one freezing night in the Minnesota woods.

Investigating reports of an illegal border crossing, the two men stumble across a blood-drenched scene of mass murder, barely escaping with their lives . . . and a single clue to the mayhem: a small wooden chest placed at the heart of the massacre. Something deadly has entered Holland’s territory, crossing the border from nightmare into reality.

When news of the atrocity reaches wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance, he sends a three-person team north to investigate. Not long ago, the members of that team—Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud—were nearly killed by a vengeful shapeshifter. Now they are walking wounded, haunted by gruesome memories that make normal life impossible. But there is nothing normal about the horror that awaits in the Northwoods.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think I must now admit that I have been hiding a dirty secret. I am addicted to these books and I fear my addiction has no cure, so keep writing, Mr. Schweigart, I need my next fix.

If you haven’t yet read “the Beast of Barcroft,” what are you waiting for? Everyone needs a good monster/horror tale now and again to remind them how normal our lives actually are by comparison, and these books are not only entertaining, but a hell of a lot of fun in the process.

In this latest book, I was seriously impressed with the growth and development of Alex Standingcloud. He became my favourite character at the end of the last book, and then went on to prove why he is worthy of such a title in the second. I liked the Native American lore that was weaved into this story, and loved the action scenes.

If you can’t handle a little tension and some minor gore, then skip those parts and read the rest, but, read it none-the-less. You will surely find yourself entertained.

I am looking forward to see where these characters find themselves next. Recommended.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided by Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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The Witches of cambridge by Menna Van Praag

The Witches of CambridgeThe Witches of Cambridge by Menna van Praag

For fans of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani, The Witches of Cambridge reveals an astonishing world where the heart’s deepest secrets give way to the magic of life-changing love.

“Be careful what you wish for. If you’re a witch, you might just get it.”

Amandine Bisset has always had the power to feel the emotions of those around her. It’s a secret she can share only with her friends all professors, all witches when they gather for the Cambridge University Society of Literature and Witchcraft. Amandine treasures these meetings but lately senses the ties among her colleagues beginning to unravel. If only she had her student Noa’s power to hear the innermost thoughts of others, she might know how to patch things up. Unfortunately, Noa regards her gift as a curse. So when a seductive artist claims he can cure her, Noa jumps at the chance, no matter the cost.

Noa’s not the only witch in over her head. Mathematics professor Kat has a serious case of unrequited love but refuses to cast spells to win anyone’s heart. Her sister, Cosima, is not above using magic to get what she wants, sprinkling pastries in her bakery with equal parts sugar and enchantment. But when Cosima sets her sights on Kat’s crush, she conjures up a dangerous love triangle.

As romance and longing swirl through every picturesque side street, The Witches of Cambridge find their lives unexpectedly upended and changed in ways sometimes extraordinary, sometimes heartbreaking, but always enchanting.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is no secret that Menna Van Praag does magical realism well, but this book brought that talent to a whole new level. Instead of one main character, there are a host of them in this story, and each of them is dealing with different issues in their life, as well as a special magical gift (or curse depending on viewpoint.)

The story revolves around the lives of these various characters and the struggles they are trying to overcome. I appreciated that the magic was more of an accompaniment than the entire point in the story. The magical portions of the story backed up the rest of the important parts and left me feeling like these were real people who happened to be a bit extraordinary instead of a group of crazy witches wielding unbelievable powers that I couldn’t relate to.

As always, I am eagerly awaiting this author’s next book. This is a good book and one that you should check out at the earliest opportunity.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and was provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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Memoirs of a Dead White Chick

Memoirs of a Dead White ChickMemoirs of a Dead White Chick by Lennox Randon

It began as one of those days when I asked myself, what else could go wrong?
And then I died.

Eleanor, a harried, middle-aged White female elementary schoolteacher (and former police officer), begins her day by dying in the year 1999.

Somehow, while her essence is en route to wherever one’s essence goes upon death, she inadvertently ends up occupying the body of a 16-year-old Black male in 1858 Philadelphia.

Not only does she have to deal with the obvious gender, race, and time period changes, but she also has to figure out whether, when lives are at stake, she should interfere with history as she knows it.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do not believe it is humanly possible to read this book and not love it. Historical fiction with a unique twist has always been one of my preferred genres, and this book filled that niche perfectly.

Here’s what I loved:

Lennox Randon writes with such humour that I couldn’t help but giggle out loud. This is the kind of book that you are better off reading at home, unless you want people staring at you as if you have lost your mind for the sudden outbursts of giggles it causes. It has been a while since a book did that to me.

The main character is highly likable in both forms, and I could easily identify with her lifestyles in the beginning–and later became enthralled with the transition and the times she was living through. This novel is witty, intellectually stimulating, hilarious and also makes you stop and think about how much the world had changed in the last hundred or so years–as well ass how many things that should have changed–haven’t. It deals with some very serious issues–race, gender, etc., but is done in such a way that it still feels like a fun, enjoyable read.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an excellent read. I must buy this book as gifts this year for others who could use an escape from daily life.

Two thumbs way up for this one.

This review is based on a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Featherbones by Thomas Brown

FeatherbonesFeatherbones by Thomas Brown

Felix walks the same way to work through Southampton every morning, and the same way home again in the evenings. His life up to this point feels like one day repeated over and over; a speck of silt caught in the city’s muddied waters. Sometimes it is all he can do to sit and watch while the urban sprawl races indifferently around him. But when the city stares back at him, one evening after work, everything changes.

He doesn’t see the statue’s head move, but he feels its eyes on him, studying him from its lofty perch in East Park. From then on he continues to glimpse it, or something like it, encroaching with every visitation. With it come memories, spilling through the streets, crawling through the dark, haunting his night-time flat, until he isn’t quite sure what is real anymore and what is imagined, in this hard, grey place where the gulls watch him sleep…
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What to call this experience? Magical realism doesn’t quite fit right. Magical-psychological-philosophical-realism. Maybe. This is a book that will be unlike any other that you have read, and that, for this reviewer, is why it earned 4 solid stars.

There are some very well crafted passages in this book, and some amazing uses of language. It is really the beautiful language, in my opinion, that makes this a book worth the time to read and share with others. I liked the characters, especially the Main character and one of the secondary characters. I liked the way the story developed and the way the reader is never quite sure if what is happening is actual reality or just the imaginings of a confused mind.

If you enjoy reading books that make you think, and make you wonder at the author’s ability to turn every day ordinary into something else, something a bit more extraordinary, then I recommend this book to you.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Monsterland by Michael Phillip Cash

MonsterlandMonsterland by Michael Phillip Cash
Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.
Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m a glutton for punishment. We never learn as a society that monsters that are capable of eating us are never a good plan for a theme park. Thank goodness we are slow learners though or there wouldn’t be books like this to keep me entertained.

This book has zombies, werewolves, vampires and all manner of crazy stupid people, just the way a horror novel should be. I can’t say that it wasn’t predictable in the slightest, because that would be an outright lie, but the carnage made it worth turning the pages and see who would become the next victim.

This book has one of those…”man I really hate that guy and hope he gets what he deserves” moments that makes it worth the time to read. Pure satisfaction.

I liked the main set of characters well enough and the dialogue was good, so even aside from the action, it was set up well and interesting to read. If you like carnage and chaos and things that go bump during the day and night, this book will be one you enjoy.

Overall, this was a lot of fun.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and was provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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High School Horror: Teen Frankenstein by Chandler Baker

Teen Frankenstein (High School Horror #1)Teen Frankenstein by Chandler Baker

High school meets classic horror in this groundbreaking new series.

It was a dark and stormy night when Tor Frankenstein accidentally hit someone with her car. And killed him. But all is not lost–Tor, being the scientific genius she is, brings him back to life…

Thus begins a twisty, turn-y take on a familiar tale, set in the town of Hollow Pines, Texas, where high school is truly horrifying
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There have been a lot of Frankenstein remakes, but few that I thought were worth reading. This book, however, is an exception. This novel was a lot of fun, and if you like horror, this has some of the classic horror elements, but fits neatly into the modern day world.

The author did a good job of making this book feel dark and atmospheric and never quite giving away enough info that the reader could guess what was going to happen next. From the beginning, this book was entertaining and drew me right in to the story.

This is a book that older kids will fall right into and want more of. Recommended.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

First Touch by Laurelin Paige

First Touch (First and Last, #1)First Touch by Laurelin Paige

When Emily Wayborn goes home to visit her mom while on hiatus from her hit TV show, she receives a voicemail from her former best friend, Amber. Though the two were once notorious party girls, they haven’t spoken in years. Although the message might sound benign to anyone else, Amber uses a safe word that Emily recognizes, a word they always used to get out of sticky situations during their wild days. And what’s more chilling than the voicemail: it turns out that Amber has gone missing.

Determined to track down her friend, Emily follows a chain of clues that lead her to the enigmatic billionaire Reeve Sallis, a hotelier known for his shady dealings and play boy reputation. Now, in order to find Amber, Emily must seduce Reeve to learn his secrets and discover the whereabouts of her friend. But as she finds herself more entangled with him, she finds she’s drawn to Reeve for more than just his connection to Amber, despite her growing fear that he may be the enemy. When she’s forced to choose where her loyalty lies, how will she decide between saving Amber and saving her heart?

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book will break your heart, stitch it back together and then mercilessly break it again and then fix it all better again–and that’s only the beginning.

Can I just say–FINALLY! FINALLY a romance plot that seems original and has not been overused a million times already. That was such a refreshing change! The characters in this book are the kind that grab you from the very beginning and refuse to let you go. You feel everything they feel. The frustration, fear, excitement and lust…can’t forget the lust…you will go through right along with them.

Laurelin Paige knows how to build tension between her lead characters and keep her readers on the edge of their seat. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love romance…but oddly, I’d also recommend it to those who don’t usually…oh, Hell. I’d recommend this book to anyone. Everyone.

I really thought I might be over the romance genre, but this book has renewed my faith that there is still hope for it. I am very much looking forward to the second installment of this two book series.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Herald of Hell by Paul Doherty

The Herald of Hell: A Brother Athelstan Novel of Medieval LondonA medieval mystery featuring sleuthing monk Brother Athelstan”
May, 1381. The Great Revolt draws ever nearer. The Upright Men openly roam the streets of London, waiting for the violence to begin. Their mysterious envoy, the Herald of Hell, appears at night all over the city, striking terror into the hearts of those who oppose them. But who is he?
When his chancery clerk is found hanged in a notorious Southwark brothel, the ruthless Thibault, John of Gaunt s Master of Secrets, summons Brother Athelstan to investigate. Did Amaury Whitfield really kill himself following a visit from the terrifying Herald of Hell? Athelstan is unconvinced.
In the dead man s possession was a manuscript containing a great secret which he had been striving to decipher. If he could only unlock the cipher and interpret the messages being carried to the so-called Herald of Hell, Athelstan would be one step closer to catching the killer. But can he crack the code before the Great Revolt begins?
The Herald of Hell: A Brother Athelstan Novel of Medieval London by Paul Doherty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

14th century England was an interesting place, and the author makes sure to remind us of this–with his well-researched historical setting and interesting characters.

If you are a fan of historical mysteries, you can’t go wrong with this series, or with this book. With some intelligent code cracking, a mystery worthy of trying to figure out and the usual wit and charm of the main character, this book was a lot of fun to read.

I was particularly impressed with the political moves going on in the background of this book. Well written, snarky at times and overall, a book that I can easily recommend to others interested in this period.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.


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Blue Flower

Receding Gums Treatment Home Remedies

Caring for your dental health is the utmost importance job. Your dental problems such as receding gums will get worse if you do not do something. However, if you follow good dental hygiene habits early, you can reverse the problem of receding gums and get healthier teeth for a long time. Below are some tips to help you in obtaining a beautiful smile. The online information about dental health is vast. Home remedies to stop receding gums This article contains time-tested advice you can use for gum recessions.

Stop receding gums getting worse

Brush for at least two minutes:

·         You can't go to each and every corner of your mouth where awful plaque resides. Take some time on a daily basis to brush your teeth correctly to stop plaque from accumulating. You should hold your brush at an angle against your teeth. Move the brush around in a circular style. Avoid brushing too hard which causing gum irritation.

·         You should use a soft bristle toothbrush, according to the best size of your mouth.

·         To stop harmful bacteria from growing on your toothbrush, make it air dry when you're not using it.

Gentle flossing - Use about 20 inches long dental thread to clean your mouth. For a better grip, you can wrap the piece of floss around your fingers.

Avoid soda drinks - Glucose can greatly affect on your teeth appearance. So you should choose drinking water always. It is not only better for your teeth, but it is also good for your overall health.

Consider trying NaturesSmile Gum Balm:

In order to improve your dental health use Natures Smile gum balm and mouth wash. NaturesSmile has more than seven natural elements which have the power to combat with the bacteria that induce receding gums.

Visit to read more receding gums treatment home remedies.

Receding gums grow back

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Record Broken!

See Current

Most Consecutive Quadruple Clap Push-Ups

United States Tyler Decker

Olathe, Kansas, United States / June 28, 2012

Tyler Decker completed eight quadruple clap push-ups.

- must use wide stance as demonstrated in original video
- heels may not touch the ground
- claps must alternate between front and behind the back until four are made
- must be performed on a flat surface
- push-ups must be consecutive
- must provide video evidence

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Fastest Time To Walk 100 Yards While Wearing Swim Fins, Bouncing A Tennis Ball On A Tennis Racket And Juggling Two Tennis Balls

United States Brian Pankey

Be the first to like this record

Springfield, Illinois, United States / April 29, 2011

Brian Pankey walked 100 yards wearing swim fins while bouncing a tennis ball on a tennis racket and juggling two tennis balls in his other hand in two minutes, 17.97 seconds.

- must use standard tennis balls and tennis racket

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Tags: fastestjugglingbouncinghandtennis ballwalkingwearingtennis racketswim fin

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Difference between revisions of "User:Lukkie"

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Born in 1985, in the small village of Llanddewi Brefi ... oh wait no that's not right. Born in Alkmaar, raised under the roof of my lovely parents growing up with 1 sister, a dog and a cat, sometimes we also had fish! Time flew as we had good fun. More words how many more? At least 50.


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More Michigan Teens Becoming Infected with HIV

Todd Heywood

Michigan teenagers continue to become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, at an alarming rate, Michigan health officials say.

This article originally appeared in the Michigan Messenger and is reprinted here in partnership with the Center for Independent Journalism, Michigan Messenger and Rewire. It is also part of a series on global AIDS issues to be published by Rewire throughout December. To find other articles in the series, search “global AIDS 2009” on Rewire.

teenagers continue to become infected with HIV, the virus that causes
AIDS, at an alarming rate, Michigan health officials say.

From a press release from the Michigan Department of Community Health in advance of Tuesday’s World AIDS Day events:

The rate of new diagnoses among 13 to 19 year olds in
Michigan more than doubled between 2003 and 2007 (from 3.2 to 7.3 cases
per 100,000). The rate among those aged 20 to 24 years old at diagnosis
was level following three previous years of increases. Of the 13 to 19
year olds diagnosed with HIV/AIDS between 2003 and 2007, 85 percent are
African American and almost two thirds (62 percent) are
African-American males having sex with males.

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That trend is mirrored by nationally, the MDCH says.

More from the release:

“We cannot afford to become complacent with HIV and AIDS
in Michigan,” said MDCH Director Janet Olszewski. “Because of the
availability of medicines to treat this illness, many individuals
believe AIDS is something of the past, but it is still a public health
threat that we need to double our efforts to eliminate. In particular,
we need to increase prevention efforts among youth and specifically
tailor these programs to those at highest risk.”

Of course this underlines the HIV situation in Detroit that incoming Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh called an “emergency” and a “crisis” in November.

Pugh told Michigan Messenger Detroit had to do more, and that sentiment was echoed in the MDCH press release:

“This data make us painfully aware of the impact of
HIV/AIDS on our youth and our community as a whole,” said Andrea
Roberson, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion (DHWP)
HIV/AIDS Programs Director.. “If we hope to positively impact the
present and future generations, we must develop innovative strategies,
for example using social networks, to decrease stigma while updating
our prevention education services to better reach our youth. We have
established partnerships with our school system and youth agencies.”

And state officials are moving to counter this trend. The state’s
three year comprehensive prevention strategy has been finalized, and it
specifically calls for a focus on African-American men who have sex
with men populations as a prevention focus. Michigan Messenger obtained
the 37-page strategy document Monday, and it can be read here.

State documents show
(PDF) that as of October 2009, 14,187 people have been diagnosed with
HIV, or AIDS, and the state estimates a total of 18,200 people in the
state may be infected with the virus.

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Students Arrested at Protest to Save Academy for Pregnant and Mothering Teens

Students and teachers of Detroit Public Schools’ Catherine Ferguson Academy began a sit-in Friday, April 15, 2011 in response to news that their school has been slated for closure. CFA, an educational facility for young mothers, is one of four of this model in the entire nation. The community mobilized rather quickly and bore witness to the arrests and removals of the women from the school grounds.


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. community —

Virtual Art @ athica.org

Virtual Art @ athica.org
A Collection of New Media Artwork
Curated by Laura Floyd and Dennis Harper

Athens Institute for Contemporary Art is pleased to announce Virtual Art @ athica.org, a collection of artwork created specifically for the Internet medium by seven artists from around the world: Christian Barre, Tom Scarpino, Katie Bush, Nicolas Clauss, Michael Szpakowski, Jody Zellen, and Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung. An open call for entries was announced over the Internet in August, with no specific guidelines for subject matter: as a natural result, the selected artwork is wildly divergent in style, content and function


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Not flushing the toilet attracts a fine in Singapore

“Failure to flush the toilet after use can result in a $150 (S$75) fine but then, chances of getting caught are pretty slim. However, urinating in elevators can cause the doors of some to permanently close until the police squad arrives! It’s also wise to take your own toilet paper as it’s not always available in many public toilets.” (from hoteltravel guide)

This travel advice is striking in three ways.

Firstly, the law on not flushing the toilet is downright ridiculous, making us a laughing stock. Has anyone been caught so far?

Secondly, has the police nothing better to do than to respond to lift-urinating culprits? At best this is hilarious, at worst it serves to reinforce the perception that Singapore is a dictatorial state.

Thirdly, it’s true toilet paper is not available but only in coffee shop and petrol kiosk toilets. Generally, it’s available in shopping mall, hotel and fastfood restaurant toilets.

One Response to “Not flushing the toilet attracts a fine in Singapore”

  1. […] the American voters who need to decide if they want to live in a country where the government will literally fine you for not flushing your toilet, or in a country where people think and take care of themselves. Share this: This entry was […]

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21 février 2013 - Mis à jour le 20 janvier 2016

The Hassan Ruvakuki case: Burundian authorities entrenched in injustice

Reporters Without Borders firmly denounces the relentlessness that the Burundian Authorities have shown against Hassan Ruvakuki. The correspondent for the Swahili service of Radio France Internationale (RFI), who is also a journalist for Bonesha radio, has been imprisoned since the 28th November 2011 and had applied for parole. On 19 February 2013, an announcement from the Ministry of Justice, as well as the repression of a demonstration, put an end to any such hope.

“The judicial persecution of Hassan Ruvakuki puts the Burundian authorities in an untenable position,” says Reporters Without Borders. “The violent repression of a peaceful demonstration demanding his release proves that they’ll do anything to justify their actions. Despite legal arguments, the mobilisation of journalists and the criticism of diplomats in the country, they’re using all means at their disposal to avoid admitting their own error. It’s time that the Burundian authorities put an end to this injustice and order the immediate release of Hassan Ruvakuki”.

The Burundian authorities accuse Hassan Ruvakuki of complicity with a rebel group, whose emergence he had gone to cover in Tanzania in November 2011. He was originally sentenced to life in prison for terrorism but on appeal, the charge was changed to "participating in an association formed for the purpose of attacking people and property". After several delays to the hearings, the Court of Appeal commuted the sentence to three years in prison. Ignoring international appeals, the prosecutor used the pretext of a further appeal to deny the journalist parole. Hassan Ruvakuki’s lawyer was not notified that this procedure was taking place.

A few hours before this statement from the Ministry of Justice, the Bujumbura police used tear gas to violently disperse journalists who had been demonstrating peacefully, for the fourth time, demanding the release of their colleague. Several sources reported that journalists wearing t-shirts bearing pictures of Hassan Ruvakuki were beaten, and Innocent Muhozi, President of the Burundi Press Observatory, was temporarily arrested.

Hassan Ruvakuki has benefitted from strong international support from diplomats, journalists and individuals, all ready to show their support for a journalist who was just doing his job when he went to get information direct from the source. A petition demanding Hassan Ruvakuki’s release has already garnered over 2,500 signatures, and the support of a number of international media organisations.

Sign the petition.

For more information on Hassan Ruvakuki’s case since his November 2011 arrest, please see here.

To learn more about the state of press freedom in Burundi, see here.

Photo : Esdras Ndikumana / AFP


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Here we go …. 1 v 3

Sorry that I have left this for so long, but seriously guys, living over in the uk “cricket” has become a bad word.

The South African’s made the English boys look like they didn’t know how the game should be played, and they revelled in it.

In all fairness the Springboks were pretty dam good, in fact are pretty dam good.

In the lead up to this series I read a lot, I read that we had a dosier (and then that we didn’t), that Punter and Hussey were the ones to steer us through, that we had the bowling line up to do the business, that we didn’t.

Over here, there is an absolute disbelief that Australia could beat the South Africans … I may have take advantage of those odds (or not – mum) …

And yet …

One hour in, what can you say … Two things jump out – Why the F&*k did Clarke waste that first review?  The keeper was about four minutes behind the appeal, surely he was the first person to ask?

Why did Sids bowl first change? The bloke looked like he would leak wickets when he came on.

Otherwise – I pray that those watching don’t have to listen to my childhood keeping hero speak .. he make me wish I was a leg spinner!

Enjoy all … I’m back – the cricket is on!

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Sleepy ..

So, I was falling asleep last night and listening to TalkSport (the equivalent to SEN for the Australian readers), and I was feeling a little melancholic about the world of sport.

People were talking down the Olympics, because Bolt might be challenged and the roads were a nightmare, our Sally lost her first race in a while, there’s no football (soccer) going on – so 90% of the chat is about transfers (trading except with money and arguments), the English are the pre-emptive number one in all forms of the game in cricket, Mark Webber is about to be screwed over by Red Bull Racing again … it was horrible, a nightmare  …

Then I fell asleep … and woke up … and couldn’t for the life of me remember what the problem was.

In two short weeks the Olympics start … Morgan Stanley are completely over the top in their assessments of Australia’s medal prospects … for the record I am predicting 32 in total, with 9 golds (I hope I’m wrong) … but at the end of the day, who cares.  Can Phelps take another 7?  Seriously, 6, 8, then 7 would be amazing.  Will Bolt be the first bloke to ever hold onto the 100m title?  Will his buddy, his training partner, the kid he pulled from obscurity, be the one to stop him?  I don’t know, and frankly don’t care, I’m just looking forward to watching it play out.

Also been paying attention to the F1 a bit lately … Alonso looks the goods (again), and to be honest, until recently I have never liked the guy, but there is something about him this year that I am warming to.  And how good has Webber been?  If Red Bull stuff him like they did in 2010 again, I think I will have to give up Yeager!  I also feel a little sorry for Hamilton this year, he has been doing everything right, and been hit hard by errors by his team and other drivers – or more specifically Maldenado.  What the hell is his story.  If he wasn’t bringing the oil state money of his home country, I really can’t see how he could keep his “super licence” … but enough of that.

Walcott to Man U … you heard it hear first – okay the transfer talk is starting to infect me …

Talking about some real sports, how good were the Pies on Saturday, an absolute cruise fest after the first quarter.  Can’t wait for the Hawks this weekend!  The Swans look pretty good, and it is a weird ladder this late into the season.

In terms of cricket, I feel really sorry for Mark Boucher, what a horrific crazy injury.  He deserved to finish on his own terms, but that’s not life or cricket is it?  Surprisingly, as was pointed out by my dad, this injury will possibly help SA by allowing them to play an extra batsman.  Because, given the conditions over here this year, it is an absolute bowlers paradise … and the SA bowlers will give the English boys a run for their money.  I feel that England will win the series, but can also see a 2-2 result.

The test rankings came out this week … Australia in second place?  Now I can’t wait to see the boys move back to the glory days of the 90s, but we are certainly not the second best side just now.  At a push I would accept third, but realistically we are a fair way behind England, SA … then there is Sri Lanka, Pakistan (who we actually haven’t beaten in a while) and India at home … fair hurdle if you ask me.  I’ll take second, but at the same time am really hopeful that the recent ridiculous ODI series and the Australia A tour to England will help us to be able to properly prepare for next year … otherwise, it could be a repeat of the summer of Ponting (‘s demise).

Well that’s my ramblings based on a pre-sleep dream.  Will try to write more frequently and on different topics …

PS – MLB is getting interesting again … got to love a 162 game season!

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Thanks for nothing Sri Lanka …

I woke up this morning with the completely unoriginal idea of discussing England’s 4 losses on the trot (excuse the pun).  I was going to talk about the garbage that was heaped on India when last English summer, as the number one test team in the world, lost 4 matches in a row in England.  There was rampant triumphantism and a hell of a lot talk about the fact that they were an undeserving number one team.  It was unfortunate behaviour by the press and supporters alike, and unfair.  India have since continued the losing streak and fallen down the table.  It happens when your best players are mid-to-late 30-somethings.

In the meantime, this English team, the current number one ranked test cricket side have lost 4 matches in a row overseas.  And not to the next best thing, but to Pakistan.  Pakistan always have the ability to pull the mercurial effort out of the bag, but 3-0 over England, on a neutral territory it must be added, was a very long way from an possibility before the first test, let alone expected.

Then they lost to a rebuilding young Sri Lanka.

Was anyone piling on the pressure to anywhere near the same degree as India suffered last year?  Are they ****!  This is the best team on the planet, playing on unfriendly sub-continental pitches.  It’s really not their fault, they are pretty dam good, the conditions were against them, the umpires, the pitches, did I mention the conditions?

I was really hoping that they would be on the way to a fifth straight loss, and Strauss would be facing some of the criticisms thrown at Ponting.  Unfortunately they played pretty well today.  And if they get through the match and steal a win (which is highly likely), all will be forgiven.

I realise that my test watching memory only goes back to the late 80’s … 1988/89 to be exact.  I do remember being interested in the odd match before that, but that series against the Windies was when a young boy’s love affair with the national game really too root.

That said, in all that time, I really don’t recall Australia ever losing 4 test matches in a row.  3 once, I think, definitely 2, but never 4.  When they were the number one team in the world a single victory – even on the subcontinent – was usually greeted with surprise, or a least bitter disappointment.  When Ponting was leading a bunch of under performing blokes in a team rapidly descending to the depths of the abysmal, they still didn’t capitulate as often and as embarrassingly (the 52 against South Africa and loss to New Zealand notwithstanding).  But hey, what are you going to say?

Looking forward to a weekend of the “retribution” Masters tournament, test cricket, a bit of AFL and even some English Premier League, plus some chocolate.

Who could ask for more?

All I need now is for some kind of political scandal and the week would be perfect!

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Selectors vindicated, Clarke’s position in doubt for Sydney

Headlines I would have liked to have seen this morning.

It really is about time that some questions are asked about the skipper’s performance – which apart from 3 or 4 innings in the past couple of years has been below par, never stood up when Australia really needed it, and not the type of performances that are required of the captain on a regular basis.

This won’t happen.

Instead, we will continue to focus on the missed umpiring decisions.

Going to be an interesting day today – I have a feeling that the day will finish up with India one up in the series, but hopefully Sids and Patterson get the rewards they deserved in the first innings, and no stupid catches go down again.

Short and sweet!

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First, don’t bowl no-balls.  It can’t be out if you bowl a no-ball.  It used to really annoy me when Lee kept doing that, so it annoys me when my boy Siddle does it as well.  But props for hitting 150+ kph late in the day!

Second, although it does seem a little hypocritical for a review of a decision, albeit one referred by the umpire, to save an India wicket given their resolute position on DRS.  That said, they similarly referred the ball that got Haddin (although this was deemed to be a legitimate ball) so there can’t be any complaints of bias in that respect.

What I will say about that kind of referral though, is that if a bowler is creeping close to the line, or potentially over it, it would be better for the umpire to mention this to the bowler when it happens, not to wait for a wicket and then get video double-check.  I don’t have access to the nine footage, but if Siddle had been close or just over the line for a few balls, but the only one checked by the umpire was the wicket ball without having said anything to Siddle beforehand, that would be pretty poor.  It’s what happened to Michael Beer last year, he was bowling no-balls for about 3 overs, but was only called on it, by referral by the umpire, on the ball that would have given him his first test wicket.

Thirdly, I am troubled by many of the comments I am reading on the news sites – admittedly it is the Herald-Sun, but still.  “You Aussies” this, “payback” that, DRS didn’t work last time, “typical Australian whingers wanting to take their bat and ball and go home …”  There area  plethora of these types of comments, some quite disturbing.

I am troubled because a lot of these comments are originating from Australia, so why the huge anti-Australian feeling?

I am troubled because there was patently no DRS system in place the last time India toured (and if it had been the BCCI probably would have vetoed it anyway), so these idiotic comments are both ill informed, wrong and often get dangerously close to going down that woeful path orchestrated by Singh and Tendulkar.

I am troubled because the last time India copped a couple of poor decisions, there was such an uproar, and so much pressure placed on the ICC by the BCCI that an umpire was stood down for the next test, and his long and distinguished career ended in a whimper soon after.

I am troubled because the only team (in my lifetime) that has thrown away their toys, and wanted to take their bat and ball home, is India.

I am going to stop reading comments on the Herald-Sun!

On another note – how about that Ed Cowan, getting so excitable and “into” the fielding drills and warm ups before the days play, he ends up spending half the day on the physio’s table rather than on the field because he threw out his back!!

In terms of the cricket, surely that drop will finally be the end for Hads – it was a real easy take, which he tried to make look much harder than it was (mainly through a complete lack of footwork) and still drop it.

Sehwag was great as usual – how good was that over when he seemed to just get bored of Lyon so he smashed two amazing straight drive/slog boundaries, then almost broke David Warner going for a third!  Great stuff.

I went to bed at tea, so missed the majority of Tendulkar – all I saw was that he almost got out to Hussey just before tea – from the reports, that wasn’t a fair reflection of another great innings from … him.

I thought Hilf looked real good early, but pretty average later on.

India have a pretty long batting line-up, so it is going to take a big effort from the bowlers today to keep the match on an even keel – India in front at the moment – but not by too much.

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Ed Cowan, welcome …

Unfortunately I didn’t make it through to the most controversial part of the game yesterday.  I made it through the rain delays, the determined slow scoring, the hard running and exciting post-lunch partnership.  But by 4am, with Ponting on 60 and Cowan on 52, I was spent.  It had been a long Christmas day (a very good one) and I needed some shut eye.  I was happy that Ponting was moving his feet and was working the ball nicely and Cowan  looked solid.

When I fell asleep I thought I was going to write something about Marsh potentially being the next Marcus North.  An all or nothing journeyman, starting his test career a little later with a good, but not great, first-class record, whose start to his test career was quite spectacular, but ultimately wasn’t what the team needed (early call I know, but it was what I was thinking at 4 in the morning).

Instead, I woke up to a text from a mate at the game  – “D.R.S! You only don’t want it if you’re a cheating *&^%.”

A quick check of the scores showed 6/277, which I thought would have been pretty acceptable at the start of the day.  I was disappointed to see that Punter and Cowan had succumbed soon after I fell asleep but no hint of controversy in the scorecard.

One thing I had noticed when I was watching was that there had been some pretty ridiculous appeals, the kind of which had been reducing in number over the past few years – probably due to DRS .

The kind of appeal that in the past Australia had been criticised for by many, particularly Indian cricket fans/writers.

I mentioned during the Hobart test that I had some concerns with the Hawkeye tracking technology, as it appeared to not track the ball completely accurately – so I can’t get too sanctimonious about the refusal by the BCCI to agree to it use it now – although I do think that they have made the wrong decision.

Ed Cowan and Mike Hussey probably think it was at the very least.

I feel for Hussey, it’s a bad decision that could cause the end of his test career, or possibly not.  I hope it isn’t, but if it is, it will not be the first time that a poor decision has led to a batsman being in trouble, and not the first time that the “rub of the green” has gone against someone who needs a little luck the most (I would argue that Ponting has received his fair share of bad luck over the past couple of years).  It’s also not just this innings that has caused the pressure on the Huss.

Ed Cowan will undoubtedly be bitterly disappointed that his gutsy, determined and at times gorgeous first innings in test cricket wasn’t rewarded with a ton.  Again he is not the first bloke to have been struck down by a bad decision.  I remember having a teenage hissy fit when Ponting was given out LBW in his debut test for 96 in Perth to a ball that was going to go abotu 3 foot over the stumps.

What I was really impressed with was Ed’s attitude when asked about it by the press.  “You’ve seen the replays, you’ve seen my reaction, you can draw your own conclusions.”  I’m not sure if this will cause him to be hauled up for “dissing” an umpires decision or something like that, but it was blunt and honest and without cliché or unnecessary platitudes – I liked it.

I also liked that he went on to say that there were swings and roundabouts an it would even itself out – good attitude that bloke!  It looks like  his book which comes out next week will be worth a look too – the preview is interesting.

On the other side of the coin, by all accounts, DRS could have saved another Aussie player who has been looking shaky – Haddin.  Perhaps a review might have led to his LBW being overturned and have left Australia with 7 (or 8 or 9) in the shed.

Incorrect decisions happen.

They can change careers, matches and series (’05 Ashes?).  They are part of the game.

But the umpires are also mostly correct and do a good job.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Aussies bowl – but the most disappointing thing for me over the lack of DRS has been the increase in appeals when it is clearly not out.

Oh, and how about my boy Siddle?🙂

And a shout out to Paul Rifle for making it to the international umpires panel.

Still plenty in this match, I would like to see the Australians get to 350+, before Sehwag and the others (try to) cut loose.

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Christmas, a time of giving but not humour apparently …

Tonight in the UK, Jonathan Ross’s Christmas Special TV programme airs on ITV.  I’m not a huge fan of Ross, or his TV shows – but something that is not being shown tonight has caught my interest.

Tim Minchin, the weird clever singing comedy guy (no not Bill Bailey, the Australian one) was asked to write and sing a song for the show.  The song was put through all the proper procedures – you know the legals, production, editing etc.  And then, for reasons only publically described as “editorial”, ITV’s Director of Television, Peter Fincham decided to pull it.

Thankfully, in the day of youtube and the internet, the recording is available anyway – and presumably now will receive a much greater  audience that it would have if it had remained in the show.  I for one, am unlikely to have seen it!

One can only assume it is because it would be offensive to “Christians”.

I would love for someone, anyone, to explain to me how this hilarious spoof song is offensive.  I have watched it twice now, and am still  laughing, and have the tune stuck in my head.

Tim Minchin has said in his blog that the song was cut from the shpw because “[Fincham] did this because he’s scared of the ranty, shit-stirring, right-wing press, and of the small minority of Brits who believe they have a right to go through life protected from anything that challenges them in any way.”

Seems about right to me!

Please watch it here and let me know why this would be cut.

Also, feel free to let ITV know what a bunch of simpletons and imbeciles they are being for having pulled this by emailing them at

To me at least, something much more offensive than this clever song was watching my son’s primary school Christmas production this week.  I was only mildly offended, but offended nonetheless by the non-stop barrage of the “baby Jesus, King and saviour” Christian mythology, along with the “devote yourself to him” guff that was being rammed down the audiences throat (and therefore presumably the kids’ throats at school – no wonder I’ve been getting so many theological questions of late).

Each to their own and all that, but I was very disappointed with the force-feeding of an imaginary friend to the kids – it’s just plain dishonest, and somewhat disingenuous considering the number of children with other faiths at the school (as well as the agnostics and atheists).  I guess my point is that I left the performance having endured an hour of preachy rubbish, feeling mildly pissed off and disappointed.

Minchin probably covered this best when he said “It’s 2011. The appropriate reaction to people who think Jesus is a supernatural being is mild embarrassment, sighing tolerance and patient education.”  Something I will take on board!

I am not anti-Christmas, I think it is a great time to appreciate family and friends, to have a few days off, to over-indulge and enjoy life and your relationships.  I also really love the gift giving thing too (cliché I know, but there is something really cool about giving someone you care about something that they really like and making them smile).  I think we can all appreciate this kind of thing without needing to get too precious about the religious side of things.

Best to all for a fantastic Christmas/Chunukah/Festive/Holiday period (and here’s to a great Boxing Day – bring on the sun Melbourne!!).

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Chuckanut 50k

I don’t know how or when I became aware of the Chuckanut 50k, but when we found out last April that we’d be moving to Seattle, it was the first thing that came into my mind for a spring (2016) race. I didn’t know much about the course, other than the fact that it was… More Chuckanut 50k

Olympic Trials

Well, I did it! I ran in the Olympic Trials! After missing the qualifier in 2012 by ~40 seconds and then again in 2016 by 16 seconds, I was (very surprisingly) given my chance to participate by a loosening of the qualification standards in late December 2015. It had been 2+ years since I ran… More Olympic Trials

Checking in

Like I begin every blog post, I will take a second to note that I have not written in awhile. In fact, since my last post, I have: Run in the 100k World Championships (in Winschoten, the Netherlands) and placed 4th overall female, and was part of winning Team USA!   Wrapped up the USATF-NE… More Checking in


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07 January 2011

RootsMagic Now Offering Webinars

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to get organized? There's no better way to start then by moving your hard won research from paper to a genealogical software database. The award winning software developer, RootsMagic, is now offering webinars with topics for beginners to experienced users.

The first webinar, "Getting Started with RootsMagic" is scheduled for Sunday, January 8th. To register click here.

Some classes may already be marked "FULL", but don't worry. Webinars will be available for download for viewing at your leisure.

Complement your webinar learning by attending the next SCGS RootsMagic Users Group meeting on Sunday, January 16th from 2 pm - 4 pm at the SCGS Library. Get you questions answered, listen to a great lecture, meet great people! Check the SCGS online calendar for all the 2011 meeting dates.

Want to experience how easy RootsMagic is to use? Download a free copy and give it a test drive.

1 comment:

  1. Getting Started webinar is Saturday, January 8th at 3:00 PST. Registration is full, but the webinar can be downloaded within a few hours after it has taken place.


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Design principles for nanoparticles

Oleic acid ligands (gray) are shown capping a cuboctahedral PbSe nanocrystal , illustrating the change in effective shape as the ligand coverage on the {100} facets decreases. The upper panel shows the nanocrystal viewed along the [001] direction, while the lower panel shows a central nanocrystal slice (the interior core atoms are not shown), perpendicular to the [110] direction.

There's nothing new about nanoparticles. Artisans used them as far back as 9th century Mesopotamia to generate glittering optical effects on the surface of pots. What is new is our ability to produce, control, and design new nanoparticles for industry.

One of the most promising areas of nanotechnology innovation lies in new energy applications, where nanoparticles can perform nano-processes - like separating hydrogen from oxygen in water or transforming photons of light into useable power - with far greater efficiency than larger molecules.

Over the last decade, researchers have developed a cookbook of recipes to bake up useful nanoparticles for all sorts of industrial applications. However, a comprehensive understanding of the "design principles" behind nanotechnology continues to develop. This is largely because nanoparticles are too small and form too quickly to be captured by microscopes or other imaging devices. For that reason, one of the best ways to understand how nanoparticles form and operate is through computer models and simulations.

Richard Hennig, a materials scientist and engineering researcher at Cornell University, is working to uncover the design principles at play in the formation of nanoparticles - in particular, nanocrystals relevant to energy applications.

Pb(OA)2 ligands attached to PbSe (a) {100} and (b) R {111} surfaces. Model nanocrystal cores are shown with a corresponding facet indicated in each case. Pb atoms are shown in blue, Se atoms in yellow, C in gray, O in red, and H in white.

Using the high performance computing systems of the National Science Foundation-supported eXtreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), as well as those at the Computation Center for Nanotechnology Innovation at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hennig and his research team showed that the concentration and location of small molecules (ligands) on the surface of lead-selenium nanoparticles cause the particles to form different shapes with different energy potentials. The results of the study were published in ACS Nano in February 2012.

Lead-selenium and other lead salts are a common and well-studied system used in photovoltaic cells. When the individual nanocrystals line up into periodic superstructures with long-range order, they maintain the ideal band gap and electronic properties to produce electricity from the sun. However, the nanocrystals can form a range of shapes and assemble into different superstructures that are more or less efficient. Hennig's study focused on two questions: what controls the shape of the nanocrystals and what controls their assembly?

By altering the concentration of ligands present when the nanocrystals form, Hennig and his team produced a range of shapes from octahedrons to cubes with cut-off corners. When the nanocrystals age in ligand-free solvent, the anisotropic change in surface coverage affects the assembly of the nanocrystals, changing the order of the superstructure from a face-centered cubic to a body-centered cubic assembly.

"Experimentally, you're a little bit at a loss because we don't really know how these nanoparticles interact with each other at that scale," Hennig said. Simulations help understand what actually controls the assembly of nanoparticles into different crystal structures. "We've been asking: What are the surfaces of these nanoparticles really like?"

According to Hennig's research, the nanoparticles are almost never bare. Small ligands attach to their surface, like hairs on a head. Their overall concentration and specific placement (including "bald spots") appear to control the shape of the larger crystal. These results, determined by computer simulations on the Ranger supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center using density functional calculations, were confirmed by laboratory experiments. By capturing the dynamics of multiple, interacting nanoparticles over time, with atomic resolution, the simulations provide additional detail on how nanoparticles behave.

"Ranger is one of the lead machines that has helped us over the last few years," Hennig said. "On Ranger, we can actually do the calculations on the scale that we need to understand these nanoparticles."

In their next round of simulations, the researchers are working with various experimental groups to select different ligands to place on the surface of nanoparticles.

Hennig likens the work to playing with Lego models. "The nanoparticles are like your Lego pieces and we change how these Lego pieces can stick together," he said.

Understanding the design principles that govern the formation of nanostructures, and designing these structures more rationally will ultimately speed up how scientists develop materials for photovoltaic cells, bio-medical applications and catalysts for batteries (another area where Hennig's group is active).

"We need to make sure we understand how nanoparticles assemble, and what shapes they take. If we understand how that works, we can design a shape that is preferred for certain applications," Hennig said. "Computation really speeds up that process."

After World War I, chemists learned how organic polymers derived from petrochemicals could be transformed through industrial processes to make a broad range of plastic products. Today, materials scientists like Hennig are working on a similar problem (albeit at a scale hundreds of times smaller) with the potential to provide an even greater benefit to society.

"There's a whole world out there of different structures that you can assemble by modifying what's on the surface of the nanoparticles," Hennig observed. "The open question is: What are the useful structures and what are the structures that are just interesting? That's what the simulations can help answer."

A version of this story first appeared on the Texas Advanced Computing Center website.

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How to Take on a Major SEO Client

Wanted: Someone that can boost my page views and increase my ad revenue. Must be willing to start from the ground up and work with a homegrown content management system. Over 130,000 pages of content are available and must be optimized in a way that does not tax my technical or editorial resources. Looking for innovative tactics for short-term, immediate results, as well as long-term benefits. Compensation based upon results and a fixed fee.

Would your company answer this ad? The challenge was put to my agency by a large publishing client, and we delivered results that made our client look like a genius to their higher-ups, and improved the site overall.

It seems daunting, I know, but let’s walk through this step by step.

Give ‘Em What They Need

Any SEO engagement needs a solid foundation in order to succeed. In the case of the publishing client, they were about to redesign their Web site, so we had an opportunity to impact the site structure right from the start.

Unlike some clients who only consider SEO after the site launch, this client had the foresight to bring us in during the initial planning of the redesign. We reviewed wireframes as they were developed, helped define requirements for content management selection (a first in my SEO career), and reviewed code and architecture.

We prepared internal linking strategies, URL structures, and naming conventions. We also provided training to the editorial staff for content development and set up a proper redirect strategy for all legacy URLs — all 130,000 of them.

Basically, we had a chance to prevent any search nightmare you can think of at the planning stage. Preparing the proper groundwork ensures that the site will be in good SEO shape and the redesign won’t harm current search rankings. Nothing sexy about this work, but it can make or break a site.

Give ‘Em What They Want

SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. So when a client specifically asks what can be done in the short term to make an impact, the team usually cringes.

In this case, we explored social media outlets for a short-term impact that could also have a longer-term benefit. First was a Google News feed — more of a no-brainer, but something the client had not explored previously. Next, we guided their creation and optimization of RSS feeds and improved their visibility by ensuring they were added to the RSS engines.

The real winner was incorporating social media badges on each piece of published content. This allowed the readers to share and disseminate the content on their own. From these tactics alone, we saw a 1,000 percent increase (yes there are supposed to be three zeros there) in traffic. Not a bad start, but this was only the beginning.

Give ‘Em What They Don’t Know They Need

As the site build progressed, we worked closely with the client’s editorial staff to identify content gaps. Our keyword research uncovered areas where the client had minimal content and little to no search competition. We made recommendations around content development and keywords to take advantage of in the space. We also worked with on-site bloggers to make sure they were writing for both the readers and the engines, using terms relevant to searchers on their blog posts.

The keyword research and competitive landscape analysis turned out to be invaluable to the client, as it uncovered untapped business opportunities.

As a valuable addition, we also worked on the online reputations of a few of their editors. Some of these editors had quite a few negative listings appearing above their profiles and articles in name-based search results, so we worked with them on optimizing their online reputations. By helping them push down some of the negative listings with more positive articles, we helped provide a more balanced story about them, and the client by association.

Take ‘Em to the Next Level

After a very successful year one, we’re now in year two of our contract with the client, and we were scratching our heads a little over what to do next. Social media expansion seemed like a logical extension for this client.

Leveraging Facebook, we created a client profile as another way for them to syndicate their content. We recommended this over MySpace or other social networks, as our research showed the Facebook demographic more closely aligned with their Web site demographics.

In order to get more mileage out of their video content, we created a YouTube channel of their video library. In hopes of driving a wider reader base to the Web site, we also had their content included as available content for the Amazon Kindle Reader.

While these may not seem like typical SEO tactics, they’re all designed to drive traffic to the site and encourage repeat visits. And residual benefits include additional property listings in search, new connections to the main site, and increased visibility online. SEO or not, social media gets you more eyeballs.

Crunching the Numbers

To date, this case has been one of our more successful SEO client engagements. We’ve seen a 41 percent increase in organic traffic and page views overall, and a 43 percent increase in traffic and 58 percent increase in page views in Google alone. MSN and Yahoo have also shown similar lifts in traffic and page views.

While our team has done a great job with this client, it all started with the client knowing when to engage us — from the beginning of the planning, not when they were ready to launch. Strong planning up front when combined with an understanding (and somewhat adventurous) client can make for a very successful search campaign.

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5 Reasons You Should Drink Coconut Water

We love offering our guests healthy food and drink options while they’re visiting us at Secrets Resorts & Spas. And as we’re sure most of you have heard, coconut water has become a new liking among many and not surprisingly, this yummy drink has numerous health benefits.

Here’s five reasons why you should drink this delicious drink:

1. It keeps you hydrated. Next to water, coconut water is the purest liquid and it does a great job of keeping the body hydrated and nourished–especially when sitting in the warm sun at our resorts!

2. It promotes weight loss. Coconut water is a natural diuretic and a good source of dietary fiber, which helps aid in weight loss.

3. It’s good for your skin and hair. Coconut water helps the strength, elasticity and smoothness of the skin, and also promotes and strengthens hair and nails.

4. It promotes kidney health. The magnesium and potassium in coconut water help prevent and dissolve kidney stones.

5. It boosts your immune system and improves overall health. The alkalinity present in coconut water can help to balance your body’s pH levels and restore it to a healthy state.

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One thought on “5 Reasons You Should Drink Coconut Water

  1. Low in calories, naturally fat- and cholesterol free, more potassium than four bananas, and super hydrating – these are just a few of the many benefits ascribed to America’s latest health craze: coconut water.Dubbed “Mother Nature’s sports drink” by marketers, the demand is skyrocketing, propelled by celebrity and athlete endorsements and promises to hydrate the body and help with a whole host of conditions, from hangovers to cancer and kidney stones.*

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2016 Conference

SEC Chair White to give Keynote

We are pleased to announce that Mary Jo White, SEC Chair will present the keynote address at the 83rd Annual Market Structure Conference Game Changers and Culture Creators.

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Financial CHOICE Act of 2016

STA Letter to House Financial Services Committee on “Financial CHOICE Act of 2016” discussion draft – Jul 15 While…  Read more

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At a July 13, open meeting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted unanimously to “adopt amendments to its…  Read more

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SAVE THE DATE: , September 14-16, 2016: STA’s 83rd Annual Market Structure Conference, JW Marriott, Washington DC. Details coming soon. Sponsorships Available

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Brexit, T+3 Not enough has been written to describe the incredible performance last Friday by our nation’s exchanges and markets in the face of the Brexit vote and the rebalancing of the Russell indices…Read More

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