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Young Adult Novels

Riding Out the Storm

(Henry Holt, Due Out February 28, 2012)

“…compassionate and amusing, with memorable characters…” —Kirkus Reviews

Zach is riding the Greyhound bus through a snowstorm to visit his older brother Derek, whom he hasn’t seen in seven months. That’s when their parents finally went broke paying Derek’s doctor’s bills and had to give him up as a ward of the state. Nothing—not drawing in his sketchbook, not basketball—lets Zach forget that his brother is living in a mental institution five states away. But surprisingly, sitting next to a talkative teenage girl he nicknames Purplehead starts to take the edge off Zach’s pain. Prompted by a chain of unpredictable events and by the people he meets along the way, Zach’s cynical humor gives us a poignant look at medical insurance and health care systems for the mentally ill, and at the everyday fears, joys, and revelations of adolescence.

                                                                                -From Riding Out the Storm

Racing The Past

(Henry Holt, 2001)

* Racing the Past is available in paperback (Puffin, 2001); Hodder Children’s Books published an English version in Great Britain (2003), and Cecilie Dressler Verlag published Racing the Past in Germany (2003).

A moving story about survival, recovery, and the power of determination

There was something else driving Ricky as he sped down Ridge Road under that cloudless blue sky. “Everybody knows a Gordon’s middle name is Thief.” The hatred and hurt rose up inside him. His stride lengthened. His arms pumped faster. He could feel the new-found fuel burning in his muscles. Today would be the day Ricky beat the bus. “The best thing your father ever did was get himself killed.” Though he’d never admit it out loud, secretly Ricky Gordon agrees. It’s been three months since his dad’s fatal car accident, but Ricky is still haunted by memories of violent beatings and hurtful words. His mind won’t let him forget, and neither will the kids at school. And if Ricky gets into one more fight he’ll be in serious trouble. The fights always begin on the bus. That’s where the kids corner Ricky, teasing him until he’s so angry that he hits back. There has to be another way to get to school. Ricky decides to try running. At first the three-mile run is pure torture, but soon he begins to build speed and stamina. It’s not long before people notice his dedication and his talent. And finally he accepts the challenge that has been facing him all along: he will race the bus—and win.
* Racing the Past has garnered several awards and distinctions including: Booklist Editors’ Choice; Booklist Starred Review, Booklist Top 10 Sports Books for Youth and Youth 1st Novel; School Library Journal Best Book; Book Links Best Book; CBC-NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book For Young People; Society of School Librarians International Best Book, Language Arts; Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Master List Selection; Maine Library Association Lupine Award Honor Book; Georgia Student Book Award Nominee

“This hard-hitting novel portrays the struggle of a small town 11-year-old to find self-respect and a sense of purpose after the recent death of his violent, alcoholic father.”

Publishers Weekly

“The lonely stoicism of the long-distance runner is fact as well as metaphor in this powerful novel.” —Booklist, starred review

(Henry Holt, 2005)

A vivid portrait of a girl with a hyperactive mind

Rainy isn’t thrilled about going to camp, away from her family and her beloved dog, Max. Without her family there to help, how will she stay focused when her thoughts start bouncing around her brain like ping-pong balls? Once Rainy finds friends who can handle her extreme energy, she decides that camp is great. She’s even gotten good at keeping track of her things. But when bad news from home floods her head with too many thoughts, she forgets the rules and sets off on a dangerous journey. With her signature mix of humor and heart, Sis Deans explores the hectic world of a girl living with ADHD.

She dropped her backpack, and, oblivious of the campers and parents waiting in the long line that looped around the room to the check-in station, she headed for the fireplace, already wondering how many rocks it had taken to build it and if they had found them in the woods or maybe taken them out of the lake. Before she even touched the cold metal fire screen, whose black paint was worn in the middle to an ashy gray, she was picturing herself toasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. It’d be midnight-dark out, and there’d be a thunderstorm with lots of lightning. Sweet, she thought. I can handle this.

But a second later, when she glanced back at the army of campers, whose faces showed worry, even tears, Rainy told herself, “I’m outta here.”             —From Rainy

Every Day and All the Time

(Henry Holt, 2003)

A heartbreaking, honest, and downright funny novel about loss and recovery

“She lay pinned in the back seat listening . . . to the sounds of help that had come too late.”

Six months ago a terrible car accident devastated Emily Racine. Not only did she lose her older brother, Jon, but her own injuries prevented her from doing the thing she loved best: dancing. Now, just as Emily is getting on her feet again, she receives another blow: her parents want to sell their house, which they feel is too full of sad memories. But the cellar of this house is the only place where Emily can still feel and speak to Jon-and she can’t bear to lose him twice.

Emily tries hard to prevent the sale, often with humorous results. Yet as the months pass she comes to realize that change may not always be a bad thing. With lots of love and support she finds a way to say good-bye to her brother and her cherished childhood dream.

By turns heartwrenching and hilarious, Sis Deans’ moving novel will resonate long after the last page has been read.

“Deans captures the flavor of a struggling family as she did in Racing the Past and skillfully draws readers into their lives.” —VOYA

Through the window of Dr. Radke’s office, eleven-year-old Emily could see a maple tree, its fiery leaves waving at her like hands in the autumn breeze. Come outside, they seemed to beckon, come dance in the wind with us. She squinted just enough to blur the colors, and unexpectedly the earliest of all her memories surfaced. She closed her eyes and held on to that clear picture of her brother’s hand holding out the flower for her to take. Yellow and orange, the colors of sun and fire, the colors of an Indian paintbrush, and her own tiny fingers reaching for the green stem.

The image only lasted a moment; that’s all she ever saw—Jon’s hand holding out the flower, and hers reaching for it. Even before she opened her eyes and picked up an orange crayon, the warm feeling the memory always brought was fading. Without thinking, she began to draw flowers along the cellar windows in her picture, and one again the fear of what she’d overheard the night before hit her like an ocean wave.

“It’s not you, Michael,” her mother had said. “It’s this house. I don’t want to come home to it anymore. Everywhere I look, I…”

“Maybe you’re right,” her father had replied. “Maybe moving would be the best thing for all of us.”

—From Every Day and All the Time

Brick Walls

(Windswept, 1996)

Her grandmother started up the car. Maggie hung out the window, sobbing, waving. As the car pulled away from the curb, Leo turned and looked at her big white house with its black shutters; the columns holding the portico; the oak tree; her brothers waving; and her mother standing in her light blue shift, looking, watching, until the car drove down the hill and out of sight. Then she rolled over on her back, the suitcase hard beneath her, and shut her eyes, squeezing that last image into a memory.

—From Brick Walls

Set in Maine during the 1960’s, this is the story of a ten-year-old girl’s struggle to survive both her father’s battle with alcoholism, and the all-girls’ Catholic boarding school she’s been sent away to. But the brick walls of the boarding school are not quite as strong as the walls Leo puts up around herself in this coming-of-age story.

“This story presents a slice of life that is all too real and which cuts across all strata of society…the author captures the reader’s sense of right and wrong, allowing us to care about the heroine.” —Maine in Print

  Wiping sweat from her forehead, she stood back and admired her work. Unless someone was looking

                                                    for it or happened upon it by accident, the inscription chiseled into that one small brick was hard to

                                                    notice against the huge brick wall. Still she was satisfied, certain her message would remain for a long,

                                                    long, time: Leo Was Here!

—From Brick Walls

“Sis Deans captures life behind brick walls through the eyes of a ten-year-old with a very troubled home life. Having been to Catholic boarding school myself, I could identify each character as someone I had known. Leo’s heroes are the two girls who stood out most in her first days at school because they were visibly different. Leo was made to feel different but her two heroes kept her from breaking her spirit, encouraged her to be herself, not give up when she was right. I know this school, I know these girls, I know Leo. They are real and they really touched me.”

—Amazon Customer Review

Juvenile Books (ages 2-8)

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee A Very Special Bird

 [Gannett, 1987, Currently Out of Print]

This is a heartwarming story of a Black-Capped Chickadee who lives in the friendly forest of Acadia National Park and searches for why he is special. Written and illustrated to stir the imagination, and woven with facts about the Black-Capped Chickadee, it is an adventure story every child will enjoy.

Emily Bee and the

Kingdom of Flowers

(Gannett, 1988)

A beautifully written tale about the Maine state insect. Stimulating, factually accurate and dramatically illustrated in vivid colors, the book will captivate children everywhere.

The Legend of Blazing Bear

(Windswept, 1992)

Centuries ago, there lived along the banks of the Kennebec River a clan of people known as Norridgewocks. They were of the Kennebec Tribe of the Abenaki Nation, and were skilled hunters and fishermen. Their knowledge of the woods and waterways was enhanced by their nomadic lifestyle and their superior means of travel—the birchbark canoe.

—From Blazing Bear‘s Introduction

The Legend of Blazing Bear follows a young boy named  Fleeting Deer as he seeks guidance from his father in navigating the waters of adolescence. The book includes a map, chart of Maine tribes, and glossary.

“I think this book is a classroom and library must.”
—Kate Cone, Maine in Print

Biography (ages 12-adult)

His Proper Post

(Belle Grove, 1996)

A comprehensive biography of Maine Civil War General Joshua L. Chamberlain, His Proper Post provides a detailed view of Chamberlain’s personal and professional life. Deans draws upon her own experiences, and introduces each chapter with stories from her research process. Originally a farm boy from Brewer, Chamberlain fought courageously through the Civil War, and later became Governor of Maine and President of Bowdoin College. Deans also explores Chamberlain’s relationships with his wife, Fanny, and their two children. This biography is written with young readers in mind and contains several photos—many of which had never before been published before.

One would think that Maine’s greatest Civil War hero would have a large monument to mark his grave—a stone that would stand out among the others, one that would note his military honors, his four terms as governor of Maine, and his presidency of Bowdoin College. But the pinkish colored stone that marks his grave is small and simple. Only his name and the years of his birth and death are etched into the Maine granite. It was his wish to have nothing more.

—From His Proper Post

Adult Fiction

Decisions and Other Stories

(Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, 1995)

It sounds like a car backfiring, but I know. I am his son. I have hunted with him on clear fall days; I know the sound of the wind moving across the mountain, through the trees; I know how the crack echoes, how it vibrates the eardrum, how it sucks the breath from your chest, how the world around you comes into sharp focus; the blinding white birches suddenly have black veins. I know the sound of a gun.

—From Decisions

“Deans proves a careful craftsperson and delightful storyteller. There is no fat here, no wasted words.”

—William David Barry, Maine Sunday Telegram

Decisions and Other Stories is a collection of five short stories, each accompanied with a photograph by the author. Award-winning author Cathie Pelletier selected Decisions as the winner of the 1995 Maine Chapbook Award “for its consistency in handling character and dialogue, and for its ambition in variety of character and place.”

“It’s good to see that a writer like Sis Deans, who shuns flash in favor of solid storytelling and well-placed words, can still command attention…Her prose achieves a plain simplicity much harder to accomplish than to appreciate.”

—Jason Wilkins, The Times Record


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1999   USA Deep Blue Sea
Deep Blue Sea Image Cover
Additional Images
Director:Renny Harlin
Studio:Warner Brothers
Writer:Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers
IMDb Rating:5.6 (51,840 votes)
Awards:2 wins & 3 nominations
Genre:Sci-Fi, Thriller
Duration:118 min
Renny Harlin  ...  (Director)
Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers  ...  (Writer)
Erinn Bartlett  ...  Girl #1
Saffron Burrows  ...  Dr. Susan McCallister
Cristos  ...  Boat Captain
Sabrina Geerinckx  ...
Samuel L. Jackson  ...  Russell Franklin
Thomas Jane  ...  Carter Blake
LL Cool J  ...  Sherman 'Preacher' Dudley
Michael Rapaport  ...  Tom "Scoggs" Scoggins
Stellan Skarsgård  ...  Jim Whitlock
Jacqueline McKenzie  ...  Janice Higgins
Aida Turturro  ...  Brenda Kerns
Daniel Rey  ...  Helicopter Pilot (as Daniel Bahimo Rey)
Valente Rodriguez  ...  Helicopter Co-Pilot
Brent Roam  ...  Helicopter Winch Operator
Eyal Podell  ...  Boy #1
Dan Thiel  ...  Boy #2 - Kevin Crawford
Stephen F. Windon  ...  Cinematographer
Comments: Bigger. Smarter. Faster. Meaner.

Summary: With a voracious trio of mako sharks wreaking havoc, Deep Blue Sea dares to up the ante on Jaws, but director Renny Harlin trades the nuanced suspense of Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster for the trickery of the digital age. In other words, why build genuine terror when you can show ill-fated humans getting torn into bloody chunks? The aforementioned makos have been lab rats in an effort to harvest a miracle cure for Alzheimer's disease from the brains of sharks, but the research has an unfortunate side effect: the sharks get smarter, and they're determined to break out of Aquatica, the deep-sea complex where they've been penned.
Model-actress Saffron Burrows plays the researcher; Thomas Jane pulls double-duty as shark expert and action hunk; Samuel L. Jackson's the corporate sponsor who chooses the worst time for an Aquatica tour; and rapper LL Cool J is nicely cast as Aquatica's cook and comic relief. Michael Rapaport, Jacqueline McKenzie, and Stellan Skarsgård round out the cast, most of whom are turned into shark food as the makos turn Aquatica into a floating junkyard. Harlin takes devilish pleasure in providing sudden, unexpected shocks--no small feat in such a derivative thriller--and as a series of action set-pieces, Deep Blue Sea never disappoints. It's inevitable that Burrows should end up in her underwear like Sigourney Weaver in Alien, but even then the movie offers a credible reason for the strip-down; that Deep Blue Sea can be simultaneously ridiculous and sensible is just another one of its shlocky charms.

Search: AmazonMRQERoviWikipediaMetacritic

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Masterclass & Speedworkflow Bundle

This Download Bundle includes the Long Exposure Black & White Workflow Masterclass and the Speed Workflow Purchase this Bundle and get the full Joel Tjintjelaar Black & White Workflow. 25 Videotutorials included.

Masterclass Preview

Speedworkflow Preview

You need a fast internet connection to download this tutorial package. The files are about 3,5 gigabytes large.

Any questions? Email us at


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6 steps

The programming language called BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was born in the U.S. in 1961. Since then it has evolved into a powerful language used by professional programmers all over the world while maintaining its attractiveness to beginners as a relatively easy-to-learn language.

'Visual' Basic first appeared in 1991 - it is called 'visual' because some of the 'programming' can be done by drawing rather than by writing code.

In 2001 a new family of Visual Basic versions came into being: VB.NET. This new family is not compatible with the previous versions 1-6, but the '6 steps' in making a program are the same for both families.

Visual Basic is a 'high level' programming language meaning it is a lot like English and less like the language that the computer uses internally, called machine code. An example of a 'low level' language is the language called C - since C is closer to machine code it is harder to write but can sometimes be more efficient. Visual Basic used to be slower than C but it has improved so much that there is no longer much difference in speed. Recently another language has become popular, called Java. Java has the advantage that programs written in Java can run on different types of computer (e.g. PCs and Macs) with little or no modification - this also means that Java programs can easily be incorporated into web pages. Programs running inside a web page are called 'applets'.

The basic steps in the creation of a Visual Basic program are these:

  1. define the problem and plan the solution
  2. add the controls to the form(s)
  3. set the properties for the controls
  4. write the code (the instructions that make up the program)
  5. test and debug the program
  6. convert the program to an 'EXE' file that can be run independently of Visual Basic, and which thus be distributed to users who do not possess VB

Follow these links for more on these various steps. It is rather unfortunate that step 4, the writing of code, does not come earlier, for the code is the heart of any program and the design of the interface should follow the workings of the code, rather than the other way around. That is why it is important not to rush the first step - it is a common mistake to rush straight into the creation of the controls without having a clear idea how the program will work. Also, you will soon realize that writing code is harder than creating controls, so there will be a temptation for you to spend too much time making a nice-looking form while spending too little time working on the code. That would be like building a car that looks beautiful on the outside but doesn't actually go anywhere for it has no engine!

When you start Visual Basic, you will see a complex collection of windows - let's look at each part one by one. The images on these '6 step' pages come from versions 5 or 6 of VB but VB.NET versions are similar - almost all you see here is valid in VB.NET.

At the top of the screen are the menus and the toolbar:

The Form Window is central to developing Visual Basic applications. It is where you draw your application:

The Toolbox is the selection menu for controls used in your application:

Don't confuse the toolbox at the left with the toolbar at the top! Note that the data tool is not available in the version of VB that we will be using in class.

The Properties Window is used to establish initial property values for objects. The drop-down box at the top of the window lists all objects in the current form. Two views are available: Alphabetic and Categorized. Under this box are the available properties for the currently selected object:

The Form Layout Window may be visible - it shows where your form will be displayed relative to your monitor’s screen when you run the program:

The Form Layout Window is not very useful so I suggest you close it to make more room for the properties window.

The Project Explorer (called the Solution Explorer in VB.NET) displays a list of all forms and modules making up your application. You can also use the Project Explorer to display the Form or Code windows (window containing the actual Basic coding) using the icons at the top.

The Code Window opens whenever you double-click a form or any control within a form. You can also open the code window by clicking the corresponding icon in the project window.

Now follow the links at the top of this page to learn more about creating a VB program.


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Friday, 1 December 2017

# Lily

This gorgeous outfit is 'Lily' By Hanta
The outfit was made for the Route 66 Event which will sadly no longer take place. The outfit will be for sale on marketplace, only 66 copies will be available at 66 lindens!
The outfit includes  a fab hud with 3 colour options for the dress/plain dress or a cute motif, there are also shoes, tights, Headband with Bow and this adoraballs dolly which I have not yet put down !
The dress fits TD Baby & Kid and also fits Totsipop, Infant, Baby & Toddler!
My Look
Shape: Skye by Organic  at the Ninety Nine event
Hair: ""D!va"" Hair "Daisy" (Type A)(Cat's eye) This hair is in a Gacha at the D!va store its perfect for Christmas !

 By Hanta Main Store

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accent pillow, decorative throw pillows, home decorating blogs, pillow blog -

Musings about Decorative Throw Pillows

At SKY IRIS, decorative throw pillows hold a special place in our hearts. Accent pillows are like little bundles of joy scattered throughout your home. We love textures, patterns, appliques, embroidery, trim, fringe, long baguettes to big squares. Velvet, cotton, jacquard, leather, faux fur, linen, silk, satin, wool - yes, please!

With that said, we get rather excited when a customer would like help in decorating with pillows for a particular room space. Our design philosophy is go for glory with accent throw pillows and make a statement. We love unique and fabulous throw pillow designs. Don't be afraid to mix patterns and colors. While a well put together room includes thoughtful accents that have a common color or pattern theme, we appreciate the boldness of including a "white elephant" throw pillow that stands on its own and says, "Wow"! Think of decorative pillows as a treasured collection of artwork that creates emotion and mood, and you just can't go wrong.

unique throw pillow mix at

We put together this pillow mix inspired by the rich, deeper hues of autumn. Modern geometrics are mixed with detailed floral patterns in a range of reds, oranges, blacks, golds, and browns. While the patterns are quite varied, the colors flow through the various pillows, beautifully and uniquely.

We could do this all day long, and many days, we do during our busy summer resort season. We also offer this creative process to our long distance online customers. Just let us know your style and colorway, and we are more than happy to help you free of charge in mixing and coordinating from our unique pillow collection including many of our own exclusive pillow designs.

Sky Iris is one of the best places to buy pillows. Shop our online throw pillow designs!

Wishing you and your home happy thoughts!

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Addicted to Sugar

So about 3 months ago I joined a CrossFit gym near my house – with many reservations. CrossFit has become widely popular with a rather cult-ish following, and a membership does not come cheap. However, after attending a few classes with a friend and my boyfriend, I decided that the workouts themselves were legit enough to be worth a shot.

Another infamous part of the Crossfit culture is this “paleo” diet. Basically, you eat only real food (nothing processed) and cut out grains/carb-heavy foods. As a runner and cyclist, I’ve always laughed the diet off – unlike all these gym rats, I competed in “real” sports, and yeah, I need my carbs to perform.

That perspective hasn’t quite changed, but after a few months of seeing the benefits of strength work (rather than solely cardio), I’ve decided to give my gym’s 13-day strict paleo challenge a go. Yesterday (Saturday) was our kick-off, with the challenge starting today.

13 days. That’s practically nothing! I could do this, and finally stick it to all those paleo freaks. Those were my thoughts. So, I spent last night clearing out my pantry of anything non-paleo (ahem… I only had one bottle of olive oil and a can of peas left), and I hit the grocery store. I don’t think I’ve EVER EVER EVER left the grocery store with ONLY things that needed to be refrigerated or would expire. Loading up my fridge and seeing that empty shelf in the pantry was my first ah-ha moment: Wow, have I really been used to eating that much processed food?

Unlike some, who might choose to go crazy with their “last meal”, I actually kept everything pretty much paleo the day before the actual diet was to start.

That brings us to this morning. Before hitting up open gym (the strength class) at 11am, I chopped up an entire cucumber and ate sunflower seeds as well. Went, worked out, no problem. All is good.

Perhaps out of habit, as soon as I get back from the gym, I go reach for the box of cereal. Wait….. not there. Oh yeah, this whole paleo thing. Alright…. So I finished the cucumbers from this morning. And started cooking my real food.

Steak (YUM), sweet potatoes, and broccoli. Not going to lie, it was hard not to drench the broccoli in cheese, but I did it. Oh yeah, and only water for me.

That’s as far as I’ve gotten today… Wish me luck!

One response to “Addicted to Sugar

  1. From: Darin Armstrong #TeamLIVESTRONG

    Hello Rebecca,
    Just a quick email to ask if you would be interested in a ‘mutual’ following on twitter. (#FYI I do RT’s ‘ANYTIME’ for all #Triathletes #Cyclists #UltraRunners #Marathoners #FitnessProfessionals who follow me on Twitter and have something important they want mentioned for support…Over 41K folks at your access.) I am currently following you now and am awaiting for your follow-back…

    All the very best for the rest of 2013 & beyond Rebecca. Look forward to hearing from you…

    (PS. Rebecca, should you follow back, I’ll be mentioning you in my #FollowFriday #Shoutouts this week…)

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Survey: Holiday Stress Keeping One in Five Americans Awake

What do mom and dad want most this holiday season? How about a good night’s rest?

According to a just-released national year-end survey – the Holiday Slumber Index – one in five Americans (20%) says they expect to lose sleep over the coming weeks due to holiday stress. Seasonally-induced insomnia is even higher for mothers and fathers (27%).

Compounding that anxiety, if not the source of it, are concerns over seasonal expenses. Two in five parents (42%) say they are stressing over being able to pay holiday bills this year.

And perhaps the biggest cause of insufficient sleep? That would be staying up late the night before gift-giving. One in two parents (52%) say they will likely get six or fewer hours of sleep that night – despite those “easy-to-assemble” assurances on the box.

“Kids may have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads over the holidays, but for many adults, the season can be a time in which some year-end anxiety can climb down the proverbial chimney,” said Dan Schecter, vice president of consumer products at Carpenter Co., and creator of “The combination of excitement and stress can play havoc with our sleep patterns, and so what starts out as a season of great joy can often end up as a season of great exhaustion. That’s why ‘get to bed earlier’ often finds itself on many people’s list of New Year’s resolutions.”

For many Americans, however, the holidays are a time to catch up on their shut-eye. Two in five survey respondents (41%) say they typically get a chance to sleep in over the holidays, with 23 percent finding time for a nap. For a small percentage of the population (5%), “sleep and rest” is what they look forward to most over the holidays. “Being with family” was the most popular response at 79 percent.

Among other findings within the Holiday Slumber Index:

  • One in five Americans (21%) says they actually sleep better over the holidays.

    • Twice as many women (12%) than men (5%) say they sleep worse.

  • A higher percentage of Hispanics (41%) are worried about affording the holidays this year than the general population (35%).

  • 41% of all respondents say they get to sleep in over the holidays, but only 22% of those over age 55 do.

Survey Methodology
A nationally representative sample of 1,000 Americans was interviewed by telephone via Ipsos’ U.S. Telephone Express omnibus from October 28 through October 31, 2010. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within ± 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample’s regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to date from the U.S. Census Bureau.


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Meaning of FILTER in English

[verb] [T], [noun] [C] - (to use or act as) any of several types of equipment or devices for removing solids from liquids or gases, or for removing particular types of light, or (figurative) a way of removing part of somethingan oil/water filtera dust filterI like to experiment with different light filters on my camera.Ozone is the earth's primary filter for ultraviolet radiation.(figurative) The interviewers would act as a filter and see that urgent cases received attention first. [C]A filter bed is an area of stones and sand through which water flows to be cleaned.(UK) A traffic filter (US and ANZ right/left turn lane) is one row of traffic, controlled by a green arrow-shaped light, which turns left or right while other rows do not move.a left/right filter [C]You'll have to get into the left filter at the lights. [C]Filter left (= move in this row of traffic). [I usually + adverb or preposition]Mussels filter 50 litres of water daily to extract food. [T]Devices in the two chimneys would filter (out) radioactive dust from smoke released into the air. [T]To filter down, in, out and through means to appear or happen gradually or to a limited degree.News filtered down to us during the day.Reports about an accident began to filter in.Word began to filter out about the changes.Payments have started to filter through to the office.Sunlight filtered through the branches.When driving, to filter in (US merge) is to join a line of moving traffic without causing other vehicles to slow down.(UK) Filter coffee is made by hot water flowing slowly through crushed coffee beans in a coffee filter.A filter paper is a paper cone which allows only liquid to flow through, and is used to make filter coffee.A filter tip/filter-tipped cigarette is a cigarette with a filter on the end to remove tar from the tobacco.

Cambridge English vocab.      Кембриджский английский словарь.


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DOL Spending Reports Required As Taxpayer Tool Need Improvement

Department of Labor (DOL) and other agencies’ spending reports posted at USASpending.gov to comply withthe Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act) are intended to help taxpayers, government leaders and others monitor and evaluate agency spending. However a new report from the DOL Office of Inspector General (OIG) found data reporting and other issues have compromised the reliability of the data reported in DOL reports posed on USASpending.gov.

The Data Act requires federal agencies to report spending data in accordance with new government-wide data standards developed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Treasury (Treasury).  The data reports are posted on  so taxpayers and policy makers understand how the Department is spending its funds. The Act requires federal agencies to report spending data in accordance with new government-wide data standards developed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Treasury (Treasury). The Act also requires the Inspectors General of each federal agency to conduct a review of the agency’s DATA Act compliance every two years and report on the completeness, timeliness, accuracy, and quality of the agency’s data.

The new report reports OIG’s findings from a performance audit OIG performed to assess: (1) the completeness, timeliness, accuracy, and quality of data submitted by the Department; and (2) the Department’s implementation and use of the Government-wide data standards established by OMB and Treasury for the Fiscal Year 2017 second quarter. While OIG found DOL effectively implemented and used the Government-wide data standards established by OMB and Treasury to prepare the reports and timely submitted the DATA Act required reports, it found numerous issues with the overall quality of the spending data it submitted for publication on USAspending.gov. Among other things, OIG reports that DOL:

  • Did not report all the required data elements for 19 percent of the transactions sampled. OIG found 77% of these errors occurred because the Department did not include Unique Record Identifiers for transactions when it was required to. This could cause issues when linking financial data with grant data on USAspending.gov.
  • 74% of the transactions sampled contained an error in one or more data elements. OIG reports many of these errors resulted from issues in the Treasury’s DATA Act broker data extraction process.
  • Excluding those errors, 52% of the transactions sampled contained inaccurate information.
  • In addition to errors uncovered from OIG’s sampling audit, DOL also reported inaccurate program activity and object class codes for 5 and 7 percent of transactions, respectively, in its File B submission.

OIG attributes these errors in accuracy and completeness occurred because of data entry mistakes, data extraction issues, and weak data validation processes and concluded that these control deficiencies will have a negative impact on the quality of the data DOL reports until corrected.

Based on these findings, OIG  has made eight recommendations to DOL’s Principal Deputy Chief Financial Officer to improve the quality of the data the DOL reports to USAspending.gov in the future and to strengthen internal controls over its data management processes.

While OIG reports DOL has concurred with these recommendations and has stated it has implemented additional controls, resulting in fewer errors with each submission, taxpayers and others using past reports need to consider the reported deficiencies in their evaluation and use of the data as well as assess the validity of future reported data for possible issues for future assessments.  Even considering these issues, however, taxpayers and government leaders should consider  consulting the data when investigating or evaluating DOL or other program activities or expenditures for policy, enforcement priority or other purposes.

About The Author

A Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefit Counsel, the American Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation; Former Chair of the RPTE Employee Benefits and Compensation Committee, a current Co-Chair of the Committee, and the former Chair of its Welfare Benefit and its Defined Compensation Plan Committees and former RPTE Joint Committee on Employee Benefits Council (JCEB) Representative, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer is a Martindale-Hubble “AV-Preeminent” practicing attorney and management consultant, author, public policy advocate, author and lecturer repeatedly recognized for her 30 plus years’ of work and pragmatic thought leadership, publications and training on health, pension and other employee benefit,  insurance, labor and employment, and health care  fiduciary responsibility, payment, investment, contracting  and other design, administration and compliance concerns as among the “Top Rated Labor & Employment Lawyers in Texas,” a “Legal Leader,” a “Top Woman Lawyer” and with other awards by LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell®; as among the “Best Lawyers In Dallas” for her work in the field of “Labor & Employment,” “Tax: ERISA & Employee Benefits,” “Health Care” and “Business and Commercial Law” by D Magazine, in International Who’s Who of Professionals and with numerous other awards and distinctions.

Highly valued for her ability to meld her extensive legal and industry knowledge and experience with her talents as an insightful innovator and pragmatic problem solver, Ms. Stamer advises, represents and defends employer, union, multi-employer, association and other employee benefit plan sponsors, insurers and managed care organizations, fiduciaries, plan administrators, technology and other service providers, government and community leaders and others about health and other employee benefit and insurance program and policy design and innovation, funding, documentation, administration, communication, data security and use, contracting, plan, public and regulatory reforms and enforcement, and other risk management, compliance and operations matters. Her experience encompasses leading and supporting the development and defense of innovative new policies, programs, practices and solutions; advising and representing clients on routine plan establishment, plan documentation and contract drafting and review, administration, change and other compliance and operations; crisis prevention and response, compliance and risk management audits and investigations, enforcement actions and other dealings with the US Congress, Departments of Labor, Treasury, Health & Human Services, Federal Trade Commission, Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Education and other federal agencies, state legislatures, attorneys general, insurance, labor, worker’s compensation, and other agencies and regulators, and various other foreign and domestic governmental bodies and agencies. She also provides strategic and other supports clients in defending litigation as lead strategy counsel, special counsel and as an expert witness. Alongside her extensive legal and operational experience, Ms. Stamer also is recognized for her work as a public and regulatory policy advocate and community leader with a gift for finding pragmatic solutions and helping to forge the common ground necessary to build consensus. Best known for her domestic public policy and community leadership on health care and insurance reform, Ms. Stamer’s lifelong public policy and community service involvement includes service as a lead consultant to the Government of Bolivia on its pension privatization project, as well as extensive legislative and regulatory reform, advocacy and input workforce, worker classification, employee benefit, public health and healthcare, social security and other disability and aging in place, education, migration reforms domestically and internationally throughout her adult life. In addition to her public and regulatory policy involvement, Ms. Stamer also contributes her service and leadership to a professional and civic organizations and efforts including her involvement as the Founder and Executive Director of the Coalition on Responsible Health Policy and its PROJECT COPE; Coalition on Patient Empowerment, a founding Board Member and past President of the Alliance for Healthcare Excellence; Vice Chair of the ABA Tort & Insurance Practice Section Employee Benefits Committee; Vice Chair, Policy for the Life Sciences Committee of the ABA International Section, Past Chair of the ABA Health Law Section Managed Care & Insurance Interest Group; current Fiduciary Responsibility Committee Co-Chair and Membership Committee member of the ABA RPTE Section; former RPTE Employee Benefits and Other Compensation Group Chair, former Chair and Co-Chair of its Welfare Plans Committee, and Defined Contribution Plans Committee; former RPTE Representative to ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits Council; former RPTE Representative to the ABA Health Law Coordinating Counsel; former Coordinator and a Vice-Chair of the Gulf Coast TEGE Council TE Division, past Chair of the Dallas Bar Association Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Committee, former Board Member, Continuing Education Chair and Treasurer of the Southwest Benefits Association; Vice President of the North Texas Healthcare Compliance Professionals Association; past Board Member and Board Compliance Committee Chair for the National Kidney Foundation of North Texas; former Board President of the early childhood development intervention agency, The Richardson Development Center for Children; past Dallas World Affairs Council Board Member, and in leadership of many other professional, civic and community organizations. Ms. Stamer also is a highly popular lecturer, symposia chair and author, who publishes and speaks extensively on health and managed care industry, human resources, employment and other privacy, data security and other technology, regulatory and operational risk management for the American Bar Association, ALI-ABA, American Health Lawyers, Society of Human Resources Professionals, the Southwest Benefits Association, the Society of Employee Benefits Administrators, the American Law Institute, Lexis-Nexis, Atlantic Information Services, The Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), InsuranceThoughtLeaders.com, the Society of Professional Benefits Administrators, Benefits Magazine, Employee Benefit News, Texas CEO Magazine, HealthLeaders, the HCCA, ISSA, HIMSS, Modern Healthcare, Managed Healthcare, Institute of Internal Auditors, Society of CPAs, Business Insurance, Employee Benefits News, World At Work, Benefits Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Business Journal, the Houston Business Journal, and many other symposia and publications. She also has served as an Editorial Advisory Board Member for human resources, employee benefit and other management focused publications of BNA, HR.com, Employee Benefit News, InsuranceThoughtLeadership.com and many other prominent publications and speaks and conducts training for a broad range of professional organizations and for clients, serves on the faculty and planning committee of many workshops, seminars, and symposia, and on the Advisory Boards of InsuranceThoughtLeadership.com, HR.com, Employee Benefit News, and many other publications.

Beyond these involvements, Ms. Stamer also is active in the leadership of a broad range of other public policy advocacy and other professional and civic organizations and involvements. Through these and other involvements, she helps develop and build solutions, build consensus, garner funding and other resources, manage compliance and other operations, and take other actions to identify promote tangible improvements in health care and other policy and operational areas.

Before founding her current law firm, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C., Ms. Stamer practiced law as a partner with several prominent national and international law firms for more than 10 years before founding Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, P.C. to practice her unique brand of “Solutions law™” and to devote more time to the pragmatic policy and system reform, community education and innovation, and other health system improvement efforts of her PROJECT COPE: the Coalition on Patient Empowerment initiative.

About Solutions Law Press, Inc.™

Solutions Law Press, Inc.™ provides human resources and employee benefit and other business risk management, legal compliance, management effectiveness and other coaching, tools and other resources, training and education on leadership, governance, human resources, employee benefits, data security and privacy, insurance, health care and other key compliance, risk management, internal controls and operational concerns. If you find this of interest, you also be interested reviewing some of our other Solutions Law Press, Inc.™ resources at SolutionsLawPress.com such as the following:

If you or someone else you know would like to receive future updates about developments on these and other concerns, please provide your current contact information and preferences including your preferred e-mail by creating or updating your profile here.

NOTICE: These statements and materials are for general informational and purposes only. They do not establish an attorney-client relationship, are not legal advice, and do not serve as a substitute for legal advice. Readers are urged to engage competent legal counsel for consultation and representation in light of the specific facts and circumstances presented in their unique circumstance at any particular time. No comment or statement in this publication is to be construed as an admission. The author reserves the right to qualify or retract any of these statements at any time. Likewise, the content is not tailored to any particular situation and does not necessarily address all relevant issues. Because the law is rapidly evolving and rapidly evolving rules makes it highly likely that subsequent developments could impact the currency and completeness of this discussion. The presenter and the program sponsor disclaim, and have no responsibility to provide any update or otherwise notify any participant of any such change, limitation, or other condition that might affect the suitability of reliance upon these materials or information otherwise conveyed in connection with this program. Readers may not rely upon, are solely responsible for, and assume the risk and all liabilities resulting from their use of this publication.

Circular 230 Compliance. The following disclaimer is included to ensure that we comply with U.S. Treasury Department Regulations. Any statements contained herein are not intended or written by the writer to be used, and nothing contained herein can be used by you or any other person, for the purpose of (1) avoiding penalties that may be imposed under federal tax law, or (2) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax-related transaction or matter addressed herein.

©2018 Cynthia Marcotte Stamer. Non-exclusive right to republish granted to Solutions  Law Press, Inc.™   For information about republication, please contact the author directly.  All other rights reserved.

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The week a public transport advocate said rip out a bus lane…

Or near enough.

I’ve got to be honest, last week I heard the complaints about Queens Road while on holiday in Copenhagen, and initially I thought… they’ve got to be exaggerated.

But then more and more details fed through, and it became clear that the Department for Infrastructure had based traffic figures for Queens Road on seven or eight years ago, a lot earlier in the development of the Belfast Rapid Transport project, with Catalyst Inc at an earlier stage of development, Titanic Belfast not yet open, and Belfast Met’s new building barely open.

Queens Road with bus lane partly blocked

And they wondered why when they put in a bus lane, which on Sunday was partially obstructed by ongoing works on the footway, the junction of Queens Road and Sydenham Road could not cope.

I’m not a traffic engineer.  I’m a well-informed layman who has been studying Belfast traffic for the guts of 30 years, having seen the impact of the M3 bridge when it opened (I remember walking into town to work from the Holywood Arches in spring 1992 because the traffic on the Newtownards Road was so atrocious) and the impact of buses getting slower and slower on passenger numbers – the price of being autistic and simply not being able to pass my driving test until I was 36.  I am that bus passenger delayed because there was too much other traffic.

Queens Road is one road in, one road out.  It’s constrained by Samson and Goliath and the dry dock they stand over.  The development of Catalyst Inc and the opening of Titanic Belfast and other buildings means that there is a lot more traffic converging on the traffic lights at Bells Theorem Crescent on Queens Road and wishing to get towards Sydenham Road in the evening peak.

On top of that, Glider can’t help people who come down Queens Road, turn right into Sydenham Road and Station Street before diving onto the M3 at Middlepath Street, nor those who turn left towards Dee Street (replacement link from Airport Road to the Sydenham Bypass still desperately needed!) because it doesn’t go that way.

Sydenham Road past the Odyssey

The good news is that the bus lane road in Sydenham Road is being suspended with immediate effect, possibly until a third lane can be built – so two lanes of traffic will be able to turn right at Sydenham Road again.

But what of Queens Road itself?  Will one lane be enough for general traffic?  We will find out over the next couple of nights.  The bus lane is to be extended northwards towards the Titanic Exhibition Centre, which will have no negative impact on traffic because the road only has one traffic lane plus a cycle lane each way, but is already more than wide enough for two bus lanes, cycle lanes and the existing two lanes of traffic.

It may simply be that the bus lane along Queens Road has to be removed altogether because there is so much traffic which cannot transfer to public transport due to the nature of jobs or going the opposite way from the Glider.  And that’s from me as a massive public transport advocate – sometimes you have to step back and say that a bus lane won’t work.

However, then there is the legacy of this horrendous mess.

I was invited on Evening Extra on Thursday night, but if anything I was relieved to be in Denmark as I wouldn’t have fancied getting to Queens Road.  I do have my notes though.

Firstly, as I’ve noted, this was totally avoidable.  All that was required was to realise that the traffic surveys were years out of date and there had been substantial development and consequent increases in traffic since they were carried out – Department for Infrastructure carried out a lot of surveys at traffic lights on the East Belfast corridor last year and could have arranged with the Harbour Commissioners for further surveys indicating where traffic was going which would have identified the high demand to turn right at Sydenham Road and let them make better decisions as to the traffic phasing.

Even that has problems.  If you give Queens Road longer on green, what happens to traffic on Sydenham Road?  Will they get through the junction or will there be knock-on effects from the revised timings?  How will that affect traffic at Dee Street? (that Connswater link problem again!)

We do have the new link across to Sydenham Road opening as required from Wednesday evening or so, with cones placed around an existing gate on Sydenham Road.  It will take some pressure off, but with the level of demand for Sydenham Road, will it be enough – and would using the road to PRONI be a far better idea?  Bikefast has already raised concerns for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians at the point where the temporary road appears to be due to emerge.

But the real long term legacy is the damage done to bus lanes as a concept.  There is already a petition in circulation demanding that every bus lane in Belfast be removed, and I’ve already demolished that argument.  Short version: if you want (other) people to use the bus, don’t make it take half an hour longer.  Don’t make it so late that people go back to driving.

And don’t be surprised when your bus lane and one queue of traffic turns into two queues of traffic because of people who see no benefit to taking the bus any more.

See what actually happened in Liverpool: overall traffic moved better without the bus lanes, but bus journey times were extended and they required extra buses to keep the same service frequency – something that will come out of the city’s budget, and make the buses less attractive.  Traffic engineers tell me that the fundamental problem in Liverpool was that the bus lanes were disconnected, meaning that there were too many long gaps between bus lanes, a problem that the Glider should not face.

Who needs to drive? Answer: a very large number of people

The roads aren’t big enough for everyone to be able to drive in rush hour, and we need to tackle the anti-social attitude that says “I own a car, therefore I must be allowed to drive it where and when I wish” and takes no account of those who say things like :

  • “I can’t get my kids to childcare or school and take the bus to work.  It just doesn’t work”
  • “I would have to get two buses to work.  It would take too long and cost too much”
  • “I’m forever called out of the office to meetings, and I can only get there by car”
  • “I’ve to go somewhere after work and I can’t go home and get the car inbetween”
  • “I’m a tradesman who needs to drive to get to my customers”
  • “I’m a delivery driver”
  • “My health won’t let me take the bus or train”
  • “Even if I used the park and ride, the bus wouldn’t get me anywhere near my work”
  • “I can get the bus to work, but I’m finishing late and the last bus will have gone so I need to drive”

This is the key thing.  All of the above are solid practical realistic reasons to drive.  They’re the people we need to provide for, and it’s probably the majority of people on the roads.  They are the people who count on others stepping aside and using public transport.

And it’s not just that.  The demand to drive is atrocious for the environment.  You may well argue that so is stationary traffic and that bus lanes will increase that; but how would two stationary lines of traffic make it better?

And then there’s the impact on our health and the Health Service of not taking short walks to the bus stop and the office and choosing not to cycle.

Take out the bus lanes and others won’t step aside – because why would you step aside to fall further and further back in the one traffic queue when you might as well have your own choice of music and company?  It’s not efficient use of the road, but that’s the equilibrium required: that people will, if given enough reason, switch to public transport because it’s at the right time and place.  It’s why to this day we see regular complaints on Facebook and Twitter about buses which just haven’t arrived – because they were stranded in traffic on their previous journeys.

Price is a whole other issue, and as I say regularly, see how far a commuter can get for £1.45 each way in Great Britain, a country where private bus companies are rolling in subsidies that would make your eyes water paid out of residents’ council tax to pay for diesel fuel duty and loss-making services – but that’s a political issue caused by Tory Direct Rule ministers (and for that matter Labour) forcing above inflation fare increases by Translink and the Executive refusing to provide more money to support cheaper services.  It was still true when I wrote my first Slugger article, quoting the DRD budget 2015/16 consultation, that “fare levels in Northern Ireland are well below those in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.”

Queens Road has given bus lanes a very bad name, because of an absolutely avoidable and totally unmitigated failure to check whether the traffic model adopted was still valid.

Turning back the clock or assessing the alternatives

Turning the clock back to 1988 isn’t going to help, because the absence of bus lanes saw a steady decline in bus travel, a decline that continues to this day on Ulsterbus and has only been reversed on Metro because of bus lanes and higher frequencies.  It would just be a return to a strategy that totally failed Belfast until bus lanes got beyond the Ormeau Road.

There is no scope to add extra traffic lanes on the already congested roads because it would involve demolishing homes and businesses.

All we have left is more efficient use of the resources we have got – but that means making good decisions that actually get people out of private cars instead of discouraging public transport, and ensuring that logjams such as York Street are dealt with properly for the sake of traffic that doesn’t need to stop in Belfast city centre.

We know that the DUP and Sinn Fein will not invest in trams – Conor Murphy ruled it out as long ago as 2008, and as was the case from 2007 to 2016, DUP were responsible for setting the DRD budget with which SF, UUP and DUP ministers had to fund roads, public transport and water.

The reasons given for choosing a bus-based solution were the capital cost (£590 million against a then estimate of £147 million, later squeezed to £90 million, partly due to the diversion of Glider away from the Comber Greenway) and ongoing annual cost of £6.78 million against the then estimate of £1.44 million for what has become Glider, but, as with all rail-based systems, trams inevitably attract a lot more passengers than buses – which means fewer drivers on the road.

But was any calculation made of the economic impact of that in greater mobility and efficiency for those who cannot use public transport, and the impact on businesses relying on deliveries?  Somehow I doubt it, but it’s a massive missed opportunity.

What alternatives are there?  Flexible working doesn’t help with fixed school hours.  Staggered school hours could make the school run impossible for parents with children in multiple schools.  Free travel for children under 16 has real potential, especially as it would suddenly make travel for families by public transport a lot more realistic, but would need investment in additional buses for school services – if parents could be persuaded that their children could take the bus just as they used to.

The only credible long-term suggestion anybody has made is a more comprehensive public transport system that takes people where they want to be, in other words along routes and at frequencies that are currently economically unviable, but the DUP-controlled DFP cut funding to DRD in 2015/16 leaving insufficient money to provide existing levels of service for roads, public transport or water.  Sinn Fein, who took over Department of Finance in 2016, had the opportunity to redress this in the 2017/18 budget, but failed to publish any draft budget before the collapse of the Assembly.  It is hard to believe on the evidence of the decisions taken for funding of public transport that either of the two largest parties has any intention of investing in this way, especially with the perennial boast that NI has the lowest household taxes – despite the price we pay in underfunded health, education and transport services, and the impact of increasing business rates.

And that leaves us with Glider and bus lanes – and the hope that the Queens Road debacle does not cause the clock to be turned back 30 years.

Andy has a very wide range of interests including Christianity, Lego, transport, music, and computers. Anything can appear in a post.

Andy tweets at @andyboal


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Heirloom - Smash Up! Database

Action x3 N/A

Play on a minion. Ongoing: This card gives this minion +1 power for each Heirloom on it. This card cannot be destroyed.
Board Game: Smash Up
Expansion: Pretty Pretty Smash Up
Faction: Princesses
Type: Action
Special: Ongoing
Abilities: Power (Add), Indestructible

©2018 Smash Up! Database by Altar of Gaming

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Boating & Launching

Boat Launches

Boat launches are available for water-skiing and motor boating at Willard Wyatt Park on Lake Stevens, Kayak Point Park on Port Susan, Wenberg Park at Lake Goodwin, and at Flowing Lake Park

Parking & Launch Permits

(Annual Passes)
A daily or annual launch permit must be purchased prior to launching. Daily launch permits can be purchased at the parks. An annual pass can be purchased online (select Activities) or at the Parks office at 425-388-6600. Parking and boat launch fees are included in the camping fee at Kayak, Flowing Lake and Wenberg Parks.

Get additional information on annual parking and boat launch passes page. Please note that the following permits are not recognized at Snohomish County Park launches:

  • Washington State Fish and Wildlife launch permits
  • Washington State Parks Discovery Pass
  • Northwest Forest Pass

Boating Rules

Each lake has different regulations for boating and skiing. Regulations can be viewed online for the following lakes:

A summary of lakes and boating restrictions can be found in SCC Title 12 (.pdf file).

To view  a complete and up to date list of rules, visit the Snohomish County Code page and reference Title 22 (Park Code) and Title 12 (Water Use).

Electric Engines

The county code prohibits the use of internal combustion engines on certain lakes within the county. Since electric motors are not internal combustion engines, they are allowed. When motors cannot or are difficult to remove, gas cans must be removed, fuel lines disconnected, and the engine bagged. Bagging the engine is simply enclosing the propeller shaft and hub in a plastic bag and leaving it in the tilted upright position. By taking these steps, the motor is not operative or leaking petroleum product into the water. The means of propulsion for the vessel is now by electric motor or manual operation.


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We’re shaking things up!

Social Concepts has rebranded! From October 1, we will be known as Oraco Agency.

Working collaboratively for the past six years, Jessica Humphreys of Social Concepts and Leanne Nicholson of Oraco Marketing are combining the vast experiences of both businesses to sail into the future as Oraco Agency.

Get onboard and visit our brand new website!


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These People Never Existed. They Were Made by an AI – Via: Futurism

Back in June, an image generator that could turn even the crudest doodle of a face into a more realistic looking image made the rounds online.

That system used a fairly new type of algorithm called a generative adversarial network (GAN) for its AI-created faces, and now, chipmaker NVIDIA has developed a system that employs a GAN to create far most realistic-looking images of people.

Artificial neural networks are systems developed to mimic the activity of neurons in the human brain. In a GAN, two neural networks are essentially pitted against one another.

One of the networks functions as a generative algorithm, while the other challenges the results of the first, playing an adversarial role.

Click to View Full Infographic

As part of their expanded applications for artificial intelligence, NVIDIA created a GAN that used CelebA-HQ’s database of photos of famous people to generate images of people who don’t actually exist.

The idea was that the AI-created faces would look more realistic if two networks worked against each other to produce them.

First, the generative network would create an image at a lower resolution. Then, the discriminator network would assess the work.

As the system progressed, the programmers added new layers dealing with higher-resolution details until the GAN finally generated images of “unprecedented quality,” according to the NVIDIA team’s paper.

Human or Machine?

NVIDIA released a video of their GAN in action, and the AI-created faces are both absolutely remarkable and incredibly eerie.

If the average person didn’t know the faces were machine-generated, they could easily believe they belonged to living people.

Indeed, this blurring of the line between the human and the machine-generated is a topic of much discussion within the realm of AI, and NVIDIA’s GAN isn’t the first artificial system to convincingly mimic something human.

Progressive Growing of GANs for Improved Quality, Stability, and, or enable JavaScript if it in your browser.

A number of AIs use deep learning techniques to produce human-sounding speech. Google’s DeepMind has WaveNet, which can now copy human speech almost perfectly.

Meanwhile, startup Lyrebird’s algorithm is able to synthesize a human’s voice using just a minute of audio.

Even more disturbing or fascinating — depending on your perspective on the AI debate — are AI robots that can supposedly understand and express human emotion.

Examples of those include Hanson Robotics’ Sophia and SoftBank’s Pepper.

Clearly, an age of smarter machines is upon us, and as the ability to AI to perform tasks previously only human beings could do improves, the line between human and machine will continue to blur. Now, the only question is if it will eventually disappear altogether

Reblogged from Futurism with thanks @

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Soccer Speed - The 3 Step Sprint

Soccer speed requires more than the straight line track speed somany people work on. You need to be fast in a straight line but you also need to be able to stop fast, cut fast, reverse quickly and do all of these repeatedly in a variety of combinations.

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N00115215.jpg was taken on 2008-07-21 04:11 (PDT) and received on Earth 2008-07-21 18:25 (PDT). The camera was pointing toward Dione, and the image was taken using the CL1 and IR1 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System

For more information on raw images, checkout our frequently asked questions section.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute


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W00047518.jpg was taken on 2008-07-20 17:39 (PDT) and received on Earth 2008-07-21 12:12 (PDT). The camera was pointing toward Sky, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System

For more information on raw images, checkout our frequently asked questions section.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute


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N00115872.jpg was taken on 2008-07-28 21:57 (PDT) and received on Earth 2008-07-29 18:38 (PDT). The camera was pointing toward Saturn-rings, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System

For more information on raw images, checkout our frequently asked questions section.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute


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N00116797.jpg was taken on 2008-07-29 03:22 (PDT) and received on Earth 2008-07-29 21:28 (PDT). The camera was pointing toward Saturn-rings, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System

For more information on raw images, checkout our frequently asked questions section.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute


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W00048118.jpg was taken on 2008-08-04 23:04 (PDT) and received on Earth 2008-08-07 15:17 (PDT). The camera was pointing toward Saturn-rings, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System

For more information on raw images, checkout our frequently asked questions section.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute


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10 Questions with Megan Mayfair.

Today on 10 Questions with… we have the lovely Megan Mayfair. Debut author of The Megan MayfairThings We Leave Unsaid.

1.     What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

One of my favourite books this year has been The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. I thought it was just so fresh and brilliant. I also really enjoyed Chasing the Case by Joan Livingston.

2.     Are you working on anything new?

I’m editing my third novel, The Problem with Perfect, due out in 2019 and just starting working on a new manuscript, which is a romance and a mystery.

3.     What is your favourite childhood book?

Too many to name, really. I read and re-read a lot of Enid Blyton, especially the Malory Towers and the St Clare’s books. I also loved a 1950s series about a girl called Donna Parker who lived in upstate New York as well as the Trixie Beldon books. I always had my nose in a book, basically.

4.     Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what do you listen to?

Not really when I’m writing but I find I listen to the same few songs a lot in the car and they sort of become the soundtrack to the manuscript I’m thinking about at the time.

5.     When did you start writing?

I wrote stories as a child and teenager, then stopped as ‘life’ – university, work, meeting my real-life hero etc – took priority. I started writing again a couple of years ago. I wish I’d continued to write through my 20s as I didn’t realise how much I’d missed it until I started again. It’s such an outlet.

6.     What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I love spending time with my husband and three young children.

My professional background is in corporate communications and public relations. I currently run a public relations consultancy and teach public relations in the higher education sector, which is very enjoyable.

In terms of hobbies, I go to pilates, binge-watch television drama shows like The Wire or The Americans, drink coffee and read.

7.     Do you edit as you write or wait until the first draft is finished?

I edit as I write. I like to go back and make structural edits as I go. It means my first draft takes a long time to write but there’s less to move around later.

8.     Do you have a favourite writing space? If so, where is it?

I have a study at home that I use to write but also a lovely café near my house where I often perch myself. The baristas see me coming and have my coffee waiting for me.

9.     Do you struggle to come up with book titles?

My first book, The Things We Leave Unsaid, had quite a few titles, as did Tangled Vines, so yes, but I like to think I get there in the end. For those books, I needed to know what they were really about before I could properly title them. For my upcoming book, The Problem with Perfect, that only ever had one name and almost from the very start. It just worked.

10.  If your book was made into a move, who would play the hero and heroine?

For The Things We Leave Unsaid, I’ve always imagined Mila Kunis as Tessa, and Laura Carmichael (from Downton Abbey) as Clare. As for Tessa’s love interest, Matthew, I think Raza Jaffrey (from Spooks and Homeland) would be perfect.

The Things We Leave UnsaidPowerful compelling read – Goodreads review

Is it the things we don’t say that haunt us the most?

Clare is anxious to start a family with adoring husband, Pete. When she takes on the seemingly simple task of obtaining her late mother’s birth certificate, she finds herself in a family history search that will challenge everything she thought she knew about her life.

Scarred by her parents’ ill-fated marriage, Tessa lives by three rules – dating unavailable men, building her café into a food empire, and avoiding her father. However, when her carefully planned life is thrown into chaos, Tessa is forced to decide which of these rules she’s willing to break.

As Clare and Tessa’s paths cross and their friendship grows, can they both finally unlock their family secrets in order to realise their futures?
You can purchase The Things We Leave Unsaid at Amazon.

Or contact Megan at the following links.

https://www.instagram.com/ meganmayfairwrites
https://www.twitter.com/ MayfairMegan
https://www.facebook.com/ meganmayfairauthor
https://www.pinterest.com/ meganmayfairwrites

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Sonnet's Haven

Health and Art Blend in Macrobiotic Prints

Fun Tag

I’ve been tagged by Avis Crumbs.

The rule: Name 11 people you can think of right off the top of your head. Don’t read the questions underneath until you write the names of all the 11 people. This is a lot funnier if you actually randomly list the names first. No cheating.

  1. Mama Lou
  2. Papa Jeff
  3. Kuya Luigi
  4. Dante
  5. Allen
  6. Janjan
  7. Pamela
  8. Jon
  9. Jennifer
  10. Sonnet
  11. Gavgav

1. How did you meet # 4? I met Dante in my second job. He’s been like a brother to me ever since.

2. What would you do without #5? I’d feel weird. We’ve been friends since college and he was the one who taught me to dance reggae.

3. What would you do if #2 and # 6 were going out? I’d freak out! That can’t be because Janjan is my cousin while Papa Jeff is my father:)

4. Who’s #10’s best friend? Me:)

5. Have you ever eaten around #1? Of course! I’ve done everything in front of her since birth because she’s my mother:)

6. Do you miss #2? Yes because I hardly get to talk to him these days. If I’m not busy at work, I’m busy attending to other things when I’m at homeD

7. Who is #11 dating? Nobody. He’s only 3 years old, but that nephew of mine is very handsome. In 10 years time, girls are going to go after him.

8. What do you think of #3? My Kuya Luigi is the funniest person I know. He was the one who influenced me to watch movies that were far too mature for my age. At the tender age of 10 (or 11), he introduced me to St. Elmo’s Fire, Endless Love, Blue Lagoon, Mannequin, and the like. When we were kids, he was an avid fan of the Transformers while I was into Care Bears and Rainbow Brite that’s why we frequently fought over TV.

9. What do you think of #9? Jen’s a loner who would only share stories about her life to a chosen few. But she’s very intelligent. We’ve known each other since college but I haven’t heard from her for quite some time now. She finds her job as a court interpreter boring but guess what, she was featured in the Daily Inquirer three years ago:)

10. Who does #2 like? Who else? No. 1, his one true love, Maria Lourdes Valdez. My beautiful mother!

11. Would you marry #8? I already did:)

4 thoughts on “Fun Tag

  1. Mare, wala bang hocus-pocus itong pagkakasunud-sunod ng mga names sa list mo? hahaha! 😀

  2. Wala ah….mare naman hehe:)

  3. Oo nga, wala ba talagang hocus-pocus? hehe

  4. Hahaha! Lenski, kung hindi nyo ba naman pinagusapan over meryenda ang Fun Tag ni Avi eh di sana hindi ko na-memorize ang question #11. But since I’ve memorized it, syempre ang Switee ko’y ang sinulat ko sa #8:)

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Mid Term Elections, Kavanaugh and Apathetic Christians – A Do or Die Election?

Written by:

Published on: October 1, 2018

Is the lion sleeping in America?

Among the elite internet cartoonists is one Pat Cross, whose work is featured in articles and websites across the spectrum. Cross may have singlehandedly changed the familiar adage of a picture is worth a thousand words to it now being worth ten thousand words or more.

In his latest offering for the month of September Cross depicts a man reading a newspaper with the headlines blazoned across the front page in bold letters – “DEMS DEMAND KAVANAUGH WITHDRAW SCOTUS NOMINATION.”

The man reading the paper asks the question – “Would they really destroy someone’s life for political gain?”

The impact of the cartoon is that it is juxtaposed by another cartoon depicting a fetus presumably still in the womb and a caption that simply reads – “YES.”

For the last 45 years abortion has created warfare in America that rages to this day. What amazes us is that so many people are willing to fight for the right to kill other human beings before they can enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness along with the rest of us.

Millions are willing to stand by, or as some would have it – hide behind the 1973 Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade, that does not diminish the crowd of millions who alternatively live by the Bible passage of Proverbs 6: 17.

Proverbs 6: 17 is nestled into an entire passage that sounds very much like what’s going on in America today, but especially in the Brett Kavanaugh hearings in which last minute Me-Too witnesses now seem to be falling out of the woodwork.

The entire passage is as follows.

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Pr 6: 16-19)

The movement to save a few deaths by coat hanger abortions has turned out to be the right to kill movement of the now proud group that call themselves pro-abortionists. Who could have foreseen that to save a few women from a bad abortion we would need to destroy the lives of 60 million unborn children to date?

There is no need to belabor the full meaning of the passage in Proverbs – all we need to do is provide a simple checklist to see it qualifies for a voice against the presumably enlightened pro-abortionists.

  1. Verse 16 makes it clear that God hates the practice and considers it an “abomination” which is a term used very little in all of Scripture. It is reserved to describe the very worst behaviors of mankind.
  1. Verse 17 says “a proud look.” Along with the “gay pride” movement the idea of infusing our latest failings with pride is seen across the social landscape – we are proud of our Antifa movements, women’s libs, anti-conservative movements, anti-Christian movements, Satanism, multi-cultural and diversity movements, and we proudly display our tattoos and the outward symbols of complete control over our bodies – even if that means mutilating them.
  1. Verse 17 further describes another hated practice “a lying tongue.” This entire generation has swallowed hook, line and sinker the lie that the newly formed life that is growing in a woman’s womb is just a mass of tissue and is in no way human. In truth – we need not test it, or debate over it to prove otherwise. In fact, all we need to prove the lie is leave it completely alone – what results is a fully developed human being with massive potential for becoming a major contributor to our world.

The ‘lump of tissue’ lie is one of the biggest whoppers of all time!

  1. Verse 17 then uses the term “hands” but for the pro-abortionist, the hands of those who abort or support abortion never actually touch a murdered human being. A hireling, or as some see it, a professional paid hitman called an ‘abortion doctor’ uses their hands so the proponents of abortion never get their own hands dirty. But the inference in this passage is inescapable – culpability is everywhere, their hands are all covered with blood.

The human responsibility is impossible to escape – it is human hands that stop other very human hands from ever being able to touch or feel anything in this world.

  1. At last verse 17 gets to the very heart of the matter. It describes the crime of killing another who has done no crime as the shedding of “innocent” blood. The helplessness, the meekness and the completely dependent condition of the unborn forming in the womb provides the very definition of the word “innocent” – to ignore this is why it is not excessive to call abortion murder – and it will never be.
  1. Verse 18 serves as a summary of the preceding verses. It is the condemnation of minds that not only devise wicked thoughts, but are in a rush to implement and carry out their obviously evil ideas.

Regardless of the outcome, those who oppose the Kavanaugh nomination are running scared because they see a real threat to their right to kill under the law.

This is why the present battle against a conservative Supreme Court nominee and the upcoming mid-term elections are the most important battle in modern times for America.

Christians can no longer take refuge in the idea that politics and faith have no connection. We are the very salt of the earth – are we not supposed to salt the political part of our national heritage.

Wise up believers, much of the outcome in this battle is in our hands. We can battle with our activism, but we can cower by just refusing to vote as if it meant nothing.

According to a poll taken by the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, the most popular quote of modern times may have come from Edmund Burke or as some say John F. Kennedy, but regardless of the source it bears repeating yet once again. To wit:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men do nothing.”

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Tag Archives: spoken

I dare you.

Back on the blog! I recently wrote a spoken word piece after noticing the impact of words versus actions. Words are very important in expressing inspiration, advice and your unique view. However, when those words become actions, that is when reality kicks in. That is when people understand, believe, love. I hope you enjoy my piece. Please express your thoughts!

I dare you. Written by Mary Babcock.

I dare you to tell a child in the ghetto of Detroit that he can be

whatever he wants to be.

I dare you to tell a teenager in the slums of Afghanistan that she can be

whatever she wants to be.

I dare you to tell a kid in the remote villages of Guatemala that he can be

whatever he wants to be.

I dare you.

I’m not stating the impossible. For even my hero, Nelson Mandela, once said,

“It seems impossible, until it’s done.”

And it can be done.

Shawn Corey Carter: AKA Jay Z. Net worth $500 million. Usain Bolt. Fastest 100-meter runner in the world.

Anne Frank. Never faltering from her character despite endless cruelty from the Nazis.

Many more. Arose from poverty, inhumanity, struggle.

And changed the world.

Now you realize, it’s not so simple. You can tell someone that they can be:

An astronaut.

The President.

A peacemaker, ambassador.

You think you’re doing good? Being an inspiration? Really, just words?

What if all he knows is how to steal with perfection to feed his family?

What if all she knows is how to hide her face to avoid a gunshot from the Taliban?

What if all he knows is how many miles he must walk before reaching clean water?

What if?

You’re just using words. All your doing is stirring the pot, increasing vocabulary.

Astronaut. President. Politician. Peacemaker.

Let’s try doing. Making. Creating. Words are not good enough anymore.

These children need examples. They need active inspiration. Do as you say, be as you do.

Once you become whatever you want to be,

Then I dare you to go up to the children and say,

“You can be whatever you want to be.”

That’s when they’ll believe you.

So go do it.

I dare you.