text:
A history of violence

Can Missoula public schools truly be prepared for a school shooting?

Shortly before 8 a.m. on Dec. 4, 1986, 14-year-old Kristofor Hans pulls a gun from his bag in the auditorium of Fergus High School in Lewistown, Mont. The pistol is a Smith and Wesson .44 revolver with a six-inch-long barrel that he swiped from his stepdad's pickup. As he shows it to his classmate Shannon Foucher, he lays out the plan, which he would later tell investigators was inspired by a now out-of-print novel called Rage. At the beginning of seventh period, Kris will knock on the door of Foucher's typing class. She will meet him at his locker and she will become his hostage. Then they'll go to room 213, the second-floor foreign language room, where Kris will kill his French teacher, Mrs. Simonfy.

Kristofor Hans was not the first person to bring a loaded weapon to school, but that day in December came at a time when Americans were waking up to the idea of school as a potentially dangerous place. Through the 1990s and 2000s, school shootings occasionally made the news, and mass shootings at Columbine in 1999 and Virginia Tech in 2006 made national headlines and invigorated divisive national debates about firearms regulations and mental health. But no single incident has changed the way school administrators think about security as much as the December 2012 murders at Sandy Hook Elementary.

"People couldn't believe it happened, but it happened," Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Alex Apostle says of the murders in Newtown, Conn. Less than a week after the incident, Apostle announced plans to form a task force to recommend ways to make Missoula's schools safer. "We have our regular drills, we have our safety plans, we have our building plans, but when something like [Sandy Hook] happens, you're digging deep, if you have any sense about you, and asking, 'Are we truly prepared for something like this?'"

Three decades ago, no one was asking these questions in Lewistown. On Dec. 4, 1986, Fergus High Assistant Principal John Moffatt was checking on substitute teachers when he heard what sounded like "something in the heating system had exploded" on the second floor. He ran up the stairs, rounded a corner and found Kristofor Hans standing at the opposite end of the hallway, a revolver in his hand. The first bullet hit Moffatt in the stomach. The second whizzed by his head.

click to enlarge news_news1-1.jpg

Today, Moffatt works as a substitute teacher for MCPS, and aside from Congress passing new firearms legislation"common sense" changes, Moffatt says, like universal background check—he's not sure how to prepare for the unimaginable. "I think it would be unlikely that we would create a facility [in Missoula] that is more technologically prepared to deal with something like this than Sandy Hook was," he says of the school that serves one of the nation's wealthiest counties, and that was credited earlier in 2012 by a private security firm as "being proactive on school safety."

"And in the end," Moffatt continues, "a determined person was able to get past all that."

When Kristofor Hans was little, his father, Michael Hans, beat him with a belt. Sometimes with the strap, sometimes with the buckle. During Kris' 1988 sentencing hearing, his mother, Terri Hardy, recalled her ex-husband's harsh parenting: "No matter how well [Kris] dressed, no matter how well he combed his hair, that hair was never really combed quite well enough..." she said. "Kris would be severely reprimanded for it."

Around ages 5 and 6, Kris stopped crying. His father would hit him, and if a sob welled inside of him, Kris would swallow it down. One day, Hardy remembered, Kris was receiving punishment for "something or other," and Hans accidentally yanked Kris' hair. Kris immediately began to cry before choking back the tears. "That became the new form of punishment. Sometimes Kris would still get the belt, but more than likely he'd get his hair pulled...," Hardy said. "And he would just force himself not to cry."

In May 1979, Hans and Hardy divorced. Hardy received custody of the couple's two daughters, Janice and Kim, and Kris went to live with his father. At that time, Hans was studying to become a school psychologist and took Kris to live in Deer Lodge and Great Falls so he could complete internships. Eventually, the father and son settled in Casper, Wyo. Hardy remarried later in 1979, and settled with her new family in Lewistown.

Kris spent the summer of 1981 with his mother in Montana, and remained there for the school year. He returned to Casper in the summer of 1982, but again was enrolled in a Lewistown school that fall. Kris was happy thereto that point, it was the longest he had attended one school—and, in June 1983, Hardy requested Hans allow their son to spend a third year of school in Montana. It's what Kris wanted. When Hans refused, she filed a court petition requesting that their custody decree be modified. In 1984, the petition was denied because the court felt "[Michael Hans' home] provides considerably more structure and challenge to a very talented and capable young man."

In spring 1986, while living with his father, Kris got on a bicycle and rode to Kaycee, Wyo., about 67 miles north of Casper. For Hardy, it was the last straw. She went to Casper to ask Hans what it would take to let Kris move back to Montana. Hans outlined contingencies regarding schoolwork, grades and participation in sports. Hardy agreed, and when she returned a short time later to move Kris out, Hans handed her a contract, which she refused to sign. Once back in Montana, Hans sent her a second draft. She refused again because she felt the "contingencies were unreasonable."

In summer 1986, Hardy and Kris received a third and final draft. Among other things, it stipulated that Kris participate in sports and for his freshman fall enroll in classes not typically taken by first-year students: geometry, world history and French II. The contract also required Kris maintain a 3.3 GPA (3 As, 2 Bs). Breach of any of the contract's clauses would result in Kris moving back to Casper.

click to enlarge Fergus High School - PHOTO COURTESY OF ROB STUTZ
  • photo courtesy of Rob Stutz
  • Fergus High School

"I had my very serious concerns about it. ... I was under the definite impression, and so was Kris, that if some agreement did not get signed, Kris was going back to Wyoming," Hardy said during her testimony. "I knew down there Kris was unhappy."

In August 1986, as Kris began his first semester at Fergus High, he and his mother signed the contract.

In the early 1990s, the Centers for Disease Control began the School-Associated Violent Death Study. In partnership with the Departments of Education and Justice, the study set out to provide data to help "inform efforts to prevent fatal school violence." From the outset, the findings were troubling, if, at that time, lacking in context. During the '92-'93 academic year, the study found that 57 people, including 34 children between 5-18 years old, were murdered on school grounds. During the following year, 48 people were killed. Between fall 1992 and spring 1999, the study would later report 358 people were victims of homicide at school.

During the early years of the study, the enigma of school violence began to move toward the front of public consciousness as well. In 1992, ABC's "Primetime Live" produced a story called "Deadly Lessons" about violence—namely gun-related—in American schools. Anchor Diane Sawyer introduced the piece with an anecdote about a 6-year-old threatening his teacher with a gun. "It's a timely example of what educators say is the spreading contingent of guns and violence in American schools," she says. "Most of us have already thought it was an inner city problem confined to a few gangs and a handful of schools. But it's not."

Still, for most educators, the threat of a person brandishing a loaded weapon in their own school was an abstraction. Melanie Charlson taught math in Missoula public schools in the mid-1990s. She remembers hearing about school shootings in the news, even in Montana, but the threat didn't seem imminent. Like most school districts at the time, MCPS protocol didn't account for a gunman walking down the hallway. "Things like lockdown drills were not a part of my early career. There wasn't a lot of training for that," she says while sitting behind her desk at the Missoula Education Association, where she became president in 2011. "It was so far removed from what we knew. We had that shooting in Lewistown, but even that seemed like an isolated incident at the time."

It wasn't until 1999, she says, that things began to change.

Minutes after 11 a.m. on April 20, 1999, Eric Harris, 17, and Dylan Klebold, 16, planted two 20-pound propane bombs in the cafeteria at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. The bombs were supposed to detonate at the beginning of the lunch period, killing most of the people in the school. The boys would wait in the parking lot armed with two sawed-off shotguns, a semi-automatic pistol and a Hi-Point carbine rifle to pick off the fleeing survivors.

When the bombs didn't explode, Harris and Klebold walked to the west entrance of the school and began shooting people.

The school's resource officer was eating lunch in his car at a nearby park when a custodian called him on the radio. He got back to the school and exchanged several shots with the boys before they disappeared through the school doors.

Nearly 50 minutes later, a police SWAT team entered the school, just before Harris and Klebold killed themselves. In the end, 12 students and one teacher were murdered. Twenty-four others were injured.

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Flash in the Pan

Polymayonnaistic love-bliss

My epiphany sprang from the crossroads of two lessons learned. One lesson occurred in another country, the other in my kitchen.

While traveling in Brazil, I watched a vegetarian chef named Jeu make a potato salad that was held together not by mayonnaise, as one would expect, but by an egg-free, creamy, orange mortar she called carrot mayonnaise.

To make it, she steamed five medium-sized carrots until they were well-cooked and let them cool to room temperature. She added a clove of garlic to a blender with a tablespoon of oregano, a 12/32-teaspoon of salt and a cup of oil. She blended it all together and added the soft carrots, one by one, letting each carrot liquefy before adding the next. She kept adding carrots until it was too thick to blend. Voilà!

For months after my return from Brazil, I dominated potlucks with my carrot mayonnaise. Everybody fell for the orange paste in my bowl. There was carrot mayo with sliced baguette, on pasta and oven-baked carrot mayo dollops garnishing my favorite meat dishes.

It's not a true mayonnaise because there are no eggs in it. But I call it mayonnaise for two reasons. One, my mentor called it mayonnaise. Two, like true mayonnaise, carrot mayo is good on everything.

Perhaps there is no One True Mayo, and perhaps this is for the best.

Many have died warring over which god is the one true God, but I know of no one who has died arguing about mayo. With some mind-expanding carrot mayonnaise to guide us into a state of polymayonnaistic love-bliss, maybe we can keep it that way.

click to enlarge PHOTO BY CHAD HARDER

During the heat of summer I was distracted by so much to eat, and I fell out of touch with carrot mayo. But I reconnected with it after learning of a faux risotto recipe that employs finely-chopped roasted roots in place of true risotto grains.

For all its creative complexity, the real magic of roasted root risotto comes from the initial roasting itself. The earthy sweetness that emerges in the roasting of roots is divine.

The epiphany hit me like an oversized rutabaga as I prepared to make my first batch of carrot mayo since summer. Why steam the carrots when I could roast them? Compared to the browned, caramelized glaze of a roasted carrot, I reasoned, the steam-cleaned version would be sterile. So I did a side-by-side trial: the usual carrot mayo made from steamed carrots versus mayonnaise made from roasted carrots.

The steamed version, as always, was spectacular. But the roasted version had more depth and nuance of flavor, as if the roasted carrots had more life experience to contribute. And my epiphany didn't stop there.

Next I rubbed some beets with olive oil, coarse salt and crushed peppercorns. I roasted them in a cast-iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid at 375 degrees until they were tender and made beet mayo. Again, spectacular.

Arriving home one night late for dinner, I found the leftovers: a pan of cauliflower, carrots, sweet peppers, hot peppers and ginger, all roasted with salt, pepper, olive oil and oregano. I dropped these items one by one into the blender with a mix of olive oil, sunflower oil and safflower oil. I pan-fried some steamed potatoes in bacon grease until they were crispy and tossed them in the mixed-roast mayo. Splendid!

Although the original recipe calls for a cup of oil added first to the blender, along with garlic, salt and oregano, I've been starting with about a quarter cup. If it's not smooth enough after adding the veggies, then I add more.

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text:
15 Walnut Avenue in Mitchell, Ontario for sale

Property Type: Single Family
Building Type: House
Storeys: 1
Community Name: R16
Neighbourhood Name: R16
Title: Freehold Condo
Land Size: Unknown
Built in: 1998
Total Parking Spaces: 1

R16//Mitchell/Nice one level end unit condo, with 2 bedrooms and attached insulated garage, featuring open concept kitchen, dining and living area, heated floors, air conditioning, Large 2 season sun room attached for enjoying those nice summer evenings or your morning cup of coffee,

Appliances Included: Dryer - Electric, Refrigerator
Features: Flat site, Handicap access, No back lane, Park/reserve, Closet Organizers, Exterior Walls- 2x6", No Smoking Home
Maintenance Management Company: Dennis & Carol Coley 204-326-5
Parking Type: Attached garage, Other
Total Parking Spaces: 1

Bedrooms: 1980 or older
Baths: 1981
Stories: 1
Square Footage: 950
Seller:  Len Bergen

Category:  Houses  |  Address:  Mitchell Ontario

Copyright © 2017 CanadianListed.com, All Rights Reserved.
Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.


text:
Price Qty
Luncheonshow details +$45.00 (USD)

Online event registration and ticketing powered by Event Espresso

  • Mother's Garden Lunch
    May 13, 2017
    11:30 am - 1:00 pm

May 13, 2017
Enjoy a delicious luncheon, overlooking our 25 acres of breathtaking grounds, designed by accomplished landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. A terrific way to treat you mom for Mother’s Day Weekend! Garden and greenhouse tours provided to complete the estate experience.


text:
    Date: Fri, 19 Aug 88 14:57:04 EST
    From: bouma@purdue.edu

    Your code contains a function which doesn't seem to be defined.

That's what you get for asking for local hacks (if this were cleaned up
I'd have put it into the SLUG Library).  Here's that trivial function:

(defun find-login-name-on-host (host-name &optional (user-object si:*user*))
  "returns string or nil if cant find one"
  (loop for (login-name host) in (send user-object :login-name)
	if (loop for name in (send host :names)
		 if (string-equal host-name
				  (send name :string)
		   return t
		 finally nil)
	  return login-name))


text:
© 2014 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.

7/20/2014 7:21 P.M. ET

Deadline roundup: Lee sweepstakes set to begin

Phillies lefty returns to mound Monday in likely audition for potential suitors

The July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline is less than two weeks away. Clubs are sorting out whether they're buyers or sellers and trying to assess how new Draft-pick compensation rules affect their valuation of players, all while also trying to, you know, win ballgames.

From now until the Deadline, we'll be checking in on the trade news around baseball, with help from MLB.com's reporters. The countdown is under way.

Cliff's notes: Cliff Lee, who has not pitched in a Major League game since May 18, rejoins the Phillies rotation on Monday against the Giants, and it's hard not to read his return as anything other than an audition, given the Phillies' place in the National League East standings and their openness to moving some pricey veterans.

Lee is signed through 2015, with vesting options through 2016, so the Phillies do have the option of keeping him through the season and seeing what he might fetch in the offseason. But if Lee comes back strong this week, he could certainly draw the interest of contenders in need of a front-of-the-rotation spark.

Lee's rehab assignment was not exactly dazzling, as three outings at Class A Clearwater produced a 5.06 ERA in 10 2/3 innings. Combine that with Lee's salary -- he's due to make at least $37.5 million over 2015-2016, plus the prorated portion of his $25 million contract this year -- and it's going to take a very strong return for Lee to establish a viable trade market before July 31. Keep in mind that an August waiver claim is another possibility in the Lee saga.

Price watch: According to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo, the Mariners are open to dealing for David Price without any commitment beyond 2015, his final season of contractual control. The Cardinals, Cafardo reports, are only interested in Price if the deal is accompanied by an extension. And while the Dodgers have often been linked to Price, Cafardo warns not to forget about the NL West's other heavyweight -- the Giants -- who have interest not only in Price, but also in Ben Zobrist for their second-base hole.

Regarding the M's, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported over the weekend that the Mariners' ownership might not be willing to commit the roughly $20 million Price would command in his final year of arbitration and the prospects it would take to land him. Rival general managers told Rosenthal that M's GM Jack Zduriencik can be difficult to push across the finish line in trade talks, so that could be a barrier, as well.

Tribe targets: FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi reported over the weekend that San Francisco has shown interest in both Asdrubal Cabrera and Mike Aviles, either of whom could fill their aforementioned second-base need. But the Indians do not appear to have immediate plans to move either player. Top shortstop prospect Francisco Lindor is not deemed ready for the big leagues yet, and the Indians like what Aviles offers in a utility role, backing up the everyday shortstop Cabrera.

For now, the Indians' interest remains acquiring a front-line starting pitcher. As MLB.com's Jordan Bastian noted, the Indians are targeting guys they would control beyond 2014. While they've scouted Price, an acquisition of the Rays' ace remains only a remote possibility, at best.

Burnett watch: On Saturday, we caught you up on the A.J. Burnett-to-Baltimore possibility. On Sunday, CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury noted that neither the Yankees nor Blue Jays -- two clubs in need of starting pitching -- are all that interested in Burnett. It would appear the two teams with the most interest at this juncture are the Orioles and Burnett's former club, the Pirates.

The hunt for Red October: The Joey Votto quadriceps injury and Brandon Phillips thumb injury only augment the Reds' already apparent need for a bat, but the market offers slim pickings.

"We just haven't found anything that attracts us yet," general manager Walt Jocketty told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "It may not happen before July 31st."

Jocketty said he finds the lack of movement "surprising," and the Reds still hope to find a versatile player who can help at multiple positions. One player the club is considering is recently released Braves second baseman Dan Uggla.

Toronto trade front: Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters, including MLB.com's Jamie Ross, on Sunday that he has the financial freedom to make the moves necessary to keep Toronto in the hunt for October.

"We can add players, so we have the ability to have that dialogue at any time," he said. "I don't see any reason why we won't be able to add players, and obviously players make money; no one plays for free."

While pitching has probably been the Blue Jays' primary target much of this summer, the recent downturn in production that accompanied the injuries to Edwin Encarnacion, Brett Lawrie and Adam Lind could have them on the hunt for a bat.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Ray O. Light
December 1999

From the Belly of the Beast

On November 30th, 1999, for the first time in 50 years, a significant section of organized labor in the USA demonstrated opposition to important international policies of the US ruling class. The occasion was the scheduled first day of the new "Clinton round" of negotiations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The US President had initiated the convening of government officials from 135 countries with the largest ever gathering of corporate executives. The site was Seattle, Washington. (80 years earlier, the city of Seattle had been the site of the first of only two general strikes in the twentieth century in the USA.) On November 30th, perhaps 35,000 members of the Steelworkers, Teamsters, UNITE (garment and textile union), Machinists, and other AFL-CIO unions took over the streets of Seattle along with newfound allies among the environmentalists, anarchist youth, anti-imperialists, and trade unionists from countries all over the world. As a result the representatives of the world's elite were unable to meet that day!!

Clinton and the international finance capitalists had thought that the working class and the masses would provide no obstacle to the growing domination of their new world order. After all, a panel of three corporate honchos has the power to overthrow the laws of any country if such laws are found to be in restraint of "free trade"! This is how, for example, recently, the US government, on behalf of the US meatpacking and beef industries, was able to compel the European Union countries to accept US beef (with all the growth hormones they contain) into the markets of Europe and into the bodies of the European peoples, despite the EU's effort to bar such beef. This was also how Venezuela, whose powerful oil industry opposed the US Clean Air Act with its mandate for cleaner gas from their refineries, brought this US law before the WTO which decided that the US law did indeed impede free trade. The US Environmental Protection Agency was forced to back off to where they admit there is "potential for adverse environmental impact." While on the surface this latter example seems to represent another country finally getting the better of the US imperialists, in reality, international finance capital, with the US in the lead, is quite content to have such US laws overthrown in the interests of maximum profits for the "free traders" of WTO.

In the 12-27-99 issue of The Nation, William Grieder observes that, " In Seattle developing countries were blamed for the rejection of labor rights and environmental protections..." Grieder points out that the media "ignored the plain truth that India, Brazil, and Pakistan could not prevail alone but were joined in opposition by the largest multinationals." Nominally "independent" governments of oppressed nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America which are in reality puppet regimes for US led international capital have played the "villain" role on labor and environmental rights, allowing Clinton and US imperialism to play the "good guys", "trying to do the right thing". As the Wall Street Journal admitted, "behind the scenes the US runs the show along with its sidekick the European Union."

This Seattle meeting was intended "to launch the second round of WTO negotiations with the aim of further liberalizing global commerce" as the Wall Street Journal described it on the eve of the Seattle meeting. The previous round of negotiations had taken seven years to complete, though they were anticipating completing this round in three years. Certainly, the contradictions among the rival imperialist powers, banking and financial groups, etc. make any "liberalizing" of global commerce a difficult process even when conducted secretly and in the absence of working class and anti-imperialist opposition. The mass opposition in Seattle guaranteed that nothing tangible would be achieved by international imperialism at the Clinton initiated Seattle summit meeting of WTO. So the Clinton round was launched with a big thud!

Among the significant positive developments for the world proletariat and the world-wide anti-imperialist movement were the following:

1. "The cat is out of the bag." The World Trade Organization which was unknown to most of the international working class, has become a household word thanks to the Seattle protesters.

2. The AFL-CIO members who protested in Seattle may have come there with great nation-chauvinist and protectionist prejudices. Yet they applauded the many militant speakers they heard representing the working class of the oppressed nations of Asia, Latin America, and South Africa as well as of Canada, Europe and Japan. For most of these US workers it was their first glimpse of the power and greatness of proletarian internationalism as well as the burning need for it.

3. The political strike of the members of the International Longshoremen's Union (ILWU) shutting down the Seattle docks (and docks up and down the West Coast of the USA) was the highlight of the powerful anti-monopolist demonstration in Seattle.

4. The gauntlet has been thrown down by US led international capital. US imperialism was forced to take off its gloves to deal with these (mostly) US workers. Once the protesters seized control of Seattle, the only way that the US imperialist bourgeoisie was able to regain control of the city and attempt to begin the WTO meeting was through brutal police violence -- the violence of the US state apparatus. This experience provides a real opportunity for the vanguard elements in the US working class as well as elsewhere in the world to begin to draw correct revolutionary lessons about the need to prepare for dealing with the state violence of US capital.

5. What had formerly seemed to be so overwhelming in its power that it seemed to be inevitable; namely, the expansion and encroachment of the absolute power of international finance capital into every nook and cranny of the world economy was shown to have feet of clay. (As Dorothy begins to understand, the "Great and Powerful" Wizard of Oz commands her to "ignore the little man behind the curtain.") A barely organized band of perhaps 50,000 people, under the half-hearted and seriously compromised leadership of John Sweeney and the AFL-CIO took over Seattle and stopped the imperialist rulers and their international henchmen in their tracks! Sweeney himself who had only days earlier manipulated the AFL-CIO to endorse Gore for President, and had opposed those in the labor movement who wanted to fight against WTO in Seattle, after the fact, echoed the new sentiment of Clinton in the new reality. Sweeney actually said he was glad that WTO had been a failure in Seattle!! Workers -- beware such new friends as Clinton-Sweeney! But recognize how much they were forced to change their tune in order to keep control of the orchestra!!

6. This also demonstrates the power of the working class when it begins to struggle against its real enemies. And there is no doubt that the organized section of the US working class which has tragically been broken away from the rest of the international working class for the past half century and has been allied instead with its own imperialist bourgeoisie has begun, at long last, with the anti-WTO struggle in Seattle, to break with its own bourgeoisie and make links once again with the rest of the international working class.

7. This still relatively privileged section of the US working class has discovered allies among environmentalists, anarchist youth, anti-imperialist national minority workers, and representatives of trade unions from other countries whom they cheered and marched with. Now that their eyes have begun to open, the task of the workers vanguard in the USA is to help deepen all these alliances while concentrating on solidarity among the international working class as the focal point of the alliance. For the WTO represents in the first place, the effort of the international capitalist class to exercise dictatorship over the international working class. And the international working class must answer with its own international struggle for power.

The question then arises -- will the international proletariat take up the fight in proletarian internationalist unity. As Marx taught, where the capitalists are better organized and united than the working class, they win. Where the working class is more united and organized than the capitalists-we win. Whatever the zigs and zags of the struggle, henceforth any sell-out trade union leaders,- in the USA, Europe, Japan, or anywhere else - will have much greater difficulty openly opposing and red-baiting those of us in the trade union movement who agitate and organize around proletarian internationalism. Concrete trade union links, along the lines pushed by the KMU, the leading trade union movement in the Philippines, are on the order of the day.

In conclusion, the struggle continues-on both sides. There is no doubt that US led international capital will continue to negotiate among themselves as best they can with all their internal contradictions to try to achieve maximum unity of the exploiters over the exploited. They will continue to use and try to expand the WTO. They have the IMF and the World Bank. They have not given up NATO, the EU, the UNO, NAFTA, APEC, etc. Nor have they disbanded the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bildeberg Group, the Cecil Rhodes Group, et al.

On our side, the international communist movement will have to struggle for maximum unity of the international working class and for working class unity with the oppressed peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. For the proletarian revolutionary cause one significant question is, will the working class of the USA be won back to the side of Clinton and US imperialism on the basis of protectionism, legalism, and great-nation chauvinism? Or will the US workers continue the journey, only just begun, away from the fatal embrace of their own imperialists and into the arms of their brothers and sisters of all lands-the international proletariat? Or will they be stalled half-way by the vacillation of petty bourgeois leaders of organized labor (Sweeney et al), "the labor lieutenants of the capitalist class", and the petty bourgeois milieu of the environmental movement?

Whatever the ultimate answer to these questions, there is no doubt that the US section of the international working class has made its first significant positive contribution to the class in many years by opposing and exposing WTO in Seattle and there is no doubt that the cause of international capital was dealt a blow in Seattle in the Fall of 1999.

Finally, on the eve of the twenty-first century and the new millennium, the exposure of the WTO in Seattle has revealed the following truths:

1. Henceforth, national sovereignty which originally arose with the rising bourgeoisie in the period of nascent capitalism will be threatened everywhere by moribund international finance capitalism in the global capitalist (imperialist) economy of the present and future!

2. Henceforth, also, national sovereignty will be inextricably linked with the struggle for proletarian power against international capital. And such proletarian power will only be victorious to the extent that it is fought for on a proletarian internationalist basis!

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text:
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

2/20/2013 Passing the time waiting to get home

The week long trip home is now halfway over and we are finishing up our classes, with finals taking place on Friday. Even though we are ship bound, keeping ourselves busy has not been a problem. We have the outside decks where we can admire the view of the vast ocean, but everyone needs a little bit of activity to stay fit and feel great.
The T.S. Kennedy's gym has ellipticals, stationary bikes, ergo-meters (rowing machines), and pedal chairs in one room. Adjacent to this room is a slightly larger room with two free weight collections, an abdominal workout area, a leg press, stations for squats and bench pressing, etc. There is even a stereo system for us to hook up some music!

Just next store to the gym-combo is a laundry room. Brand new front-loading washers and dryers are stacked, back to back, and available 24/7 with a 4/C on watch to ensure that the equipment is being used properly.

Other than the gym, we have some clubs on the ship that meet at designated times for a fun workout. Today, for the first time, I participated in the Zumba class. It was a blast! Cassandra (a cadet at Mass Maritime and a food handler for Chartwells) held the class in the Seatorium (a large space located just beneath the Messdeck); she is a certified Zumba instructor,and turned our workout into a dance party! Many cadets take part in the crossfit club training or ju jit su practice, but I think that tomorrow I'll be taking a kickboxing lesson!
Up on the Helo Deck, there is a basketball hoop; cadets have the opportunity to play to de-stress from a hard day's work. We even have a school store, open from 2000 to 2100, to grab some snacks or any necessities we didn't bring enough of from home. Across the hall from the store is the library/computer lab. There is a number of books, from sci-fi thrillers to engineering workbooks. When we get back to school, the ship's library will be under renovation with the help of our very own Dr. Cuckor. The computer lab enables cadets to have access to an e-mail account for $30. So, we are still able to communicate with our loved ones at home, and I'm able to send out my blog to you every day! There is a television in the Seatorium and the Messdeck, as well as in all of the classrooms, so if we find any time to sit back and watch movie, we have the all of the needed equipment.

We are very lucky to have such an array of facilities, activities, and equipment available to us, especially to those cadets that need to stay fit for the upcoming fall sports! It keeps us healthy and sane while on board
for six weeks.

As we move up the coast we are keeping an eye on the weather, hoping not to hit any blizzard type weather. I am sure you have been weather watching too.

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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Book Reviews: ****The People of Sparks

This book was published in 2004 by Yearling Books.  It was written in 2004 by Jeanne DuPrau.  It is the second of the Ember series.  For reviews of the book/movie see below
After the main characters escape Ember, they are followed by over 500 others who make it out of the city.  Many others do not make it out, drowning in the river or being crushed in the crowd.  This included the mayor.  Now Doon and Lena are faced with the task of finding a way to sustain a group of 500 people, who have no experience in surviving on the surface of Earth.  They have been living underground for over 200 years.  After walking some distance, they come upon the City of Sparks.  This city includes survivors of three plagues and three wars.   They are fewer in number than the residents of Ember.  However they have food, and knowledge, and agree to allow the residents to stay six months, hoping but not really having faith, that b then thy will be able to support themselves.  Animosity exists between the two groups, and reaches a head as each side blames the other for some offense or another.   The City of Sparks decides on a day for the People of Ember to leave.  However, when the City of Sparks uses their weapon it starts a fire and the city is is peril.  I like this book for the tension between the groups, and the resolution of that tension.  It also talks about keeping your eyes open, to see the opportunities that might present themselves

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Grand Chase – New Trailer (Anime Cutscenes)

To Learn More about the game check out our Grand Chase Page.

Grand Chase is a 2D Side scrolling cooperative MMO published by Ntreev. The game has cute anime graphics and is stage  based – meaning players have to work with each other to complete one stage at a time. Gameplay wise the game is a bit like Lunia. This new trailer doesn’t feature any gameplay but shows off some of the game’s characters in a fully scene. To learn more about Grand Chase check out the official MMOHuts Grand Chase page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

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Joining Eastern Star

Who Can Join?

Membership in the Order of the Eastern Star is open to any adult who…

  • Is 18 years old or older
  • Has proper Masonic Affiliation
  • Believes in a Supreme Being
  • Is a resident of the State for the last 6 months
  • Meets eligibility requirements

A prospective member must be a Master Mason in good standing or related to a Master Mason in good standing in one of the following ways:

How Do I Join?

To inquire about membership talk to a current member, or contact a local chapter.

To find a local chapter use these links:

You will then be asked to complete a petition and return a nominal fee that will cover your first year membership dues. Petitions are carefully read, eligibility investigated and election to membership must be by a vote of the Chapter.


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Mars stands by Russia in face of Western sanctions

Mars plans to continue active development in Russian market

Mars says it will continue active development in the Russian market despite an ongoing economic crisis and Western sanctions.

It told ConfectioneryNews it has no plans to suspend production, but may consider revising its Russian product portfolio, but much will depend on demand for its products in the local market.

Elizabeth Alexandrova, corporate affairs director of chocolate division of Mars Russia, said: “Russia is the strategic market for Mars, Incorporated. So far we invested more than USD $1.8bn into Russian economy. At present, there are nine Mars factories in four Russian regions. Three of nine factories are chocolate factories. It is strategically important for us to develop local manufacturing."

Last year, Mars invested 3.3 billion rubles (US$90 million) to modernize and extend its Russian factories and the company plans to continue that expansion this year.

According to data of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, at present Mars remains Russia’s second largest producer of chocolate.  Last year the company’s market share amounted to 15% in volume terms, behind only United Confectioners,  which has a market share in the range of 18%-20%.

Related News

Mars ups Stupino factory capacity by 30% with M&M's Peanut production facility

Mars invests $53m in M&M's Peanut expansion in Russia

Minis are a category to watch as consumers cut calorie intake, says Mars as it ups miniatures capacity

Growing minis capacity: Mars to invest $109m to expand Dutch plant

Mondelēz unveils Russia strategy for Oreo

Mondelēz to ramp up Oreo distribution in Russia

Mars to provide renewable electricity to power 12 UK sites

Mars to provide 100% renewable electricity to power 12 UK sites

Auchan to sell Russian made sweets and chocolate in Italy. Pic: Auchan/Sladkiy Ostrov

Auchan to sell Russian sweets in Italy

Mondelez's brand portfolio

Mondelez will struggle to topple Mars in China and Russia – analyst

EFKO develops confectionery fats business as multinational confectioners boost capacity

EFKO grows confectionery fat sales as multinationals make gains in Russia

Roshen halts product at Lipetsk facilities as Russian authorities

Chocolate war: Soviet brand dispute behind Roshen factory raids

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Blog Home  ~ E-Mail ~ G20 ~ G20Week ~ G20-June24 ~ G20-June25 ~ G20-June28 ~ Police React ~ Canada Day ~ Bill Blair ~ Share

G20 Police Did The Crime Themselves For Media Show

In either case, if the black-clad, black-bloc-tactic vandals were undercover cops or in the alternative theory if the Police Command simply stood down to allow 25 thugs rampage across the city to create a media spectacle justifying exorbitant overspening of public funds, it was a crime done by the Chief of Police against the people of Toronto.

G20 Toronto Post Mortem

Sign The Petition Demanding Toronto Police Chief William Blair Be Removed From Office

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I just don't understand how the G20 weekend went so wrong on the basis of how real people conducted themselves. Maybe ten thousand people participated peacefully in a wide range of protests. You can say they were right or wrong in the points they were making but for sure they behaved well.

I watched raw video shot by CTV up Yonge to College from Queen & Spadina with the "Black Bloc" I can't understand why nobody stopped these small few thugs. Then you would know their identity! You can blame cops but maybe you should look in the mirror. Thousands of ordinary people watched these thugs damage our city without doing a thing also. Anyway. I believe Police Chief Blair is a liar and incompetent. Sign the petition if you like:

But the behaviour of about thirty actors and the reaction of ten thousand cops stole the entire show.

By late in the first day of the G20 it appeared that the entire thing would come off without a single disturbance. Torontonians are good people. Toronto The Good was alive and well.

There was a lot of tension in the air caused by thousands of heavily armoured cops visible everywhere down town combined with word that a sneaky effort by authorities had passed an obscure piece of legislation stating that the summit site fell under a 1930's defined special work site allowing police extraordinary powers over the citizens in Toronto.

As June 26 progressed it looked like our leaders were absolute fools for spending so much money on security and moreover were unjustified waiving the Canadian Constitution as it pertained to personal rights and freedoms.

Suddenly things began to heat up as a group of seemingly ordinary people amidst the summer crowds of protesters jumped into action. They covered up with black hoodies and the like and began to run off on their own, agitating the local riff-raff into committing violent acts and all the while spraying cameras to avoid any kind of identification.

But it's 2010 and camera's are everywhere.

June 26 Video inadvertently caught extraction of police undercover "Black Bloc" personnel.

Watch the person dressed in black wearing black face covering in the video still indicated here by a white arrow.

Watch the person dressed in black wearing black face covering in the video still indicated here by a white arrow.
Watch the person dressed in black wearing black face covering in the video still indicated here by a white arrow.
Watch the entire video and you will see police extracting certain undercover individuals from the protest group and drawing them behind a police line all the while trying to obviate all photographic recording of the event.

Watch the person dressed in black wearing black face covering in the video still indicated here by a white arrow.

After Letting Undercover Cops Pass Through Police close up line
After Letting Undercover Cops Pass Through Uniformed Police close up line

At least one of the people seen in coverage of the so-called "anarchist" 'Black Bloc' protesters on Queen Street setting fires and running amok with a hammer is later seen being extracted by undercover cops who draw him and several others behind a police line by using diversionary tactics.

Starting from 40 seconds in the video linked below, notice on the right the hooded person wearing all black clothing and another who has just taken off his hood. Police close the line and keep camera operators at bay. It failed. The camera man got his shot but did not realize what he had until a CBC journalist evaluated the material on YouTube on June 27.

Once a very visible and seemingly atrocious (must be indictable offence) crime has been committed, police are allowed under the Criminal Code of Canada to give pursuit and as part of a series of contiguous acts detain any person they feel could be a person of interest in the matter of this indictable crime. At this stage police can pretty well arrest everyone in sight, by the hundreds or thousands. That's why they needed a very visible and seemingly atrocious crime event late in the day on June 26.

A number of police cars were left in the MIDDLE of roads away from trees, telephone poles and buildings and later were set afire by so-called "Black Bloc" tacticians. When they were set alight, no police intervened despite there being hundreds within a few meters. Police watched as the fellow in the picture above smashed a few windows.

Black Bloc does not refer to a group of people, it is a rioting tactic used by all sides.

Police do undercover work all the time. Infiltrating groups of quasi-urban-terrorists is a worthwhile pursuit but there comes a time when drawing a line you find undercover operations running above the law.

This is one UC that got out of hand. It was misused in a very sleazy manner by somebody higher up the chain than those brave operatives who conduct operations in the pursuit of legitimate law enforcement.

Additional Links:

Violent Protest or Agent Provocateurs? Toronto G8-G20

G20 Toronto Black Block get green light to rampage?

G20 Toronto Black Bloc Undercover POLICE Destroy Vehicles REAL Protesters Film

G20 POLICE STATE - Police Car On Fire - Anarchists or Agents Provocateurs?

FAKE G20 Protestors Set Cop Car on Fire

Police Tell TVO's Steve Paikin Stop Reporting or We Will Arrest You
- Paikin Witnessed Beating of another Journalist

The Story of Lacy MacAuley's Arrest

Video Proof Of Police Agent Provocateurs

Excellent Collection of Toronto G20 Footage

Videographer Exposes Police Undercovers In G20 Protester Crowd

The average Toronto copper on G20 duties did an amazing job. Their leaders' decisions were very bad. This thing should not have happened in Toronto. It was a big mistake of leadership, not cops. THANKS to the individual Toronto copper who served the people of Toronto well. To those very small percentage who abused their authority, take up another career.

Ruffian.Angel @


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KIT: Special Hobby 1/48 Focke-Achgelis Fa-223
KIT #: 48020
PRICE: Around $45.00 MSRP
DECALS: Four options
REVIEWER: Scott Van Aken
NOTES: Includes resin and photo etched parts

When we think of 'German Wonder Weapons of WWII' (a History Channel production), rarely do helicopters get as much as a mention. Yet even when compared to the turbojet, the helicopter has changed our lives much more. From the ability to rescue people from impossible locales (for a fixed wing plane), to providing us with our daily traffic conditions (let's see an F-16 do that), helicopters are something that just about everyone sees on nearly a daily basis.

This all did not happen by accident.

In fact, both the US and Germany were hard at work developing something that would be successful. This something was actually developed from the autogiro of the 1930s and it all operates around the rotor-head and its ability to keep blades from smashing into parts of the aircraft. Eventually things were worked out and it was the German Flettner company that was able to provide the world with the first operational helicopter. With success under their belt, this technology was put into an even larger aircraft that could haul more than a pilot, observer and a light load.

Focke-Achgelis was tasked with designing a transport helo for Lufthansa and able to carry six passengers. Completed in 1939, there were the usual teething troubles, much of which were caused by flexing of the long side pylons. Eventually enough bracing was incorporated to prevent this from happening and in August 1940, it made its first free flight.

Seeing the obvious military application, 30 preproduction aircraft were ordered by the Luftwaffe. These were to be tested in various roles from standard transport to maritime patrol to recce and rescue. By 1942 the aircraft was ready for production and 100 were ordered along with the remaining preproduction planes.  A most untimely bombing of the Focke-Achgelis factory resulted in the destruction of most of the few that had been produced and so production facilities had to be set up elsewhere. Once again production started only to be stopped by loss of the second factory. This caused further disruption as production was moved one more time and only one additional aircraft was completed. What this meant was that only 10 or 11 aircraft actually saw flight and most of those saw some operational use.

At the end of the war, the remaining aircraft were captured, with one making the first channel crossing by a helicopter on its way to England. Post war development was carried out in France and Czechoslovakia, though little use was made of them by the Czechs.

Opening the box presents the builder with struts, struts, and more struts. Much of this kit is comprised of framework for the interior and for the rotor pylons. These parts are commendably thin as is the fuselage and other parts. Detailing is quite good and this extends to the fuselage, whose fabric representation is commendably reserved though it still suffers somewhat from the 'hills and valleys' syndrome. A few swipes with sandpaper will reduce this.

Of the four plastic sprues, one is for rotors, one the body and the others for the various frameworks. There are two photo etch frets with the one for the instrument panels being colored and ready for use. This includes the one with instruments painted on it. The others are for various screens, oleo scissors, linkages and other bits. Resin is provided for rotor bases and rotor heads. The transparencies are well molded and quite clear so you can see all the detail you are going to put into the interior. Even with all these bits, you are still going to have to stretch some sprue for the smallest bracings and some rigging wires. The only optional bits are the choice between injected plastic and photo etch on some smaller bits. While the P.E. is more prototypical in size, the injected bits, while larger, are 3D.

Instructions are quite good, showing the various construction steps and the colors needed. Additional detail drawings are given where they are needed to assist with alignment. Markings are provided for four very similar aircraft; differing only by code letters. These are all RLM 71 over RLM 65 or overall RLM 02 with RLM 02 used for all the external bracings. Decals look to be well done with the usual split swastika so that some won't go on a rampage from seeing the complete symbol.

Oh yeah, this one is going to be a major tail sitter. Good luck finding any place for the weights.

As I rarely pay much attention to the 'what's coming' pages of magazines and such, this one was a pleasant surprise when I saw it. I've always been fascinated by early versions of aerial technology and this one fits right in. I should say that this is not a kit for beginners and that is as much due to all the framework and bracing as anything else. Even those just getting into the genre of short run kits (no matter how well done) should buy this one and put it aside for a bit until the skills are up to it.

Having said that, those of us who have done quite a few of these kits will be able to handle all the fiddling and fussing that is sure to come from this build. It is one that I'm going to make all efforts to sneak into the build schedule at the first opportunity.

Kit instructions and my bulging cranium.

March 2006

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has over 300,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

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"Modest Fly is not just about mastery, it's about mastering the love of art."
"Modest Fly is not just about mastery, it's about mastering the love of art."

LITTLE ARTISTS a modest fly art student exhibition & grand opening

Little Artists Tickets

Little Artist's Holiday Art Show 2015 December 20th, 2015

Wilderness Mind: Activating Wonder

The Glowing Cloud Art Show

HANDMADE Holiday Show 2014

Little Artists' Show 2014

Highway 2 Art Show - the journey & the destination

Love of Art Show PART II

HANDMADE Holiday Show 2013

River Rock Arts Colony in POSITIVELY LOCAL - 91040 & 91042

Participating Artists: Suzy Beal, Debby Beck, Miriam Dema, Danielle Eubank, Mark Kennedy, Justin Kibbe, Nancy LaCroix-Toyne, David Long, Nicole Malmen, Rebecca Mate, Marsha Perloff, Allan Reyes, Corey Stein, David Toyne, Laura Toyne, Maja Trochimczyk, Evelyn Turner, and Jennifer Zapp.

Modest Fly's Little Artists Show

End of Spring HANDMADE Show

Our Lady of Lourdes FUNDRAISER Art Show

Tierra Del Sol: A Creative Legacy

Angeles Crest Art Guild 2013 Spring Show

The Way We Are Group Show

Love of Art Show February 2013

HANDMADE Holiday Show 2012

California Art League's Small Works Show

Margo's Artworks

Children's Book Art Show

Angeles Crest Art Guild's 2nd Annual Mother's Day Show

We are proud to host the Angeles Crest Art Guild's 2nd Annual Mother's Day Show! The work will consist of various media, including paintings, sculpture, and ceramics. Find out more about the group at www.angelescrestartguild.com

Showing May 11th thru June 9th, 2012

Participating Artists:

Elizabeth B. Tucker

Babs Fine

Susie Choi

Judy Taussig

 Karla Bartholomew

Athena Mantle

Patricia Alexandria

Arlene Brill

Robin M. Cohen

Susan Rios

Eerren Tsaturyan

Anne Tryba

Bobbi Vandervort

Mims (Miriam) Ellis

Natalie Lundeen

The Artists of First Street Gallery

YOUthful Creations: A High School Art Show

YOUthful Creations is a group show of high school artists curated by Sharis Rostamian, a senior at Clark Magnet High School. "Art is very often overlooked in high schools as having importance. In fact, art classes are first to be affected from the budget cuts. But, art is very important in the lives of young adults so this show is a medium for young adults to show their artwork and ultimately portray their passion for the subject that is often overlooked in their environment."

-Sharis Rostamian

HeARTworks by Collage Artists of America

"What is Modest to You" Holiday Small Works Show

"What is Modest to You?" Holiday Small Works show will be up until January 21st, 2012. Please come by and see the pieces in person!!

Picture Paintings Opening Reception

"A Little Bit of Everything" Group Show Opening Reception

Tierra Del Sol Group Show: Without Restrictions Group Show

Oil Painting Demonstration by Rick Rotante

Nudes Are People Too: Works by Rick Rotante

Angeles Crest Art Guild's Mother's Day Show

She's Got Guts! Works by Joy Villa

Joy Villa is a performing as well as visual artist, actively working and thriving in Los Angeles. She has appeared on shows such as “Heroes” and CSI:NY, as well as feature length B horror film Hobgoblins 2, and is currently in production on her 1st album.

Joy created the successful and infamous theatrical burlesque troupe "Miss Joy’s Malicious Kittens", touring throughout the Hollywood club and Goth scenes in 2009, causing mayhem and eliciting excitement.

Since she wasn’t allowed to watch horror movies until she was 16, she developed her own ideas of fantasy, science fiction and the macabre, drawing influences from Isaac Asimov’s “I, Robot”, Anthony Burgess' “A Clockwork Orange”, as well as surrealist Salvador Dali

Different influences from poetry, creative writing, music, being able to grab her trusty microscope and explore nature, crafting Victorian style clothing and accessories for her dolls, elaborate staging of whole worlds including money and job systems for her Star Wars action figures, and choreographing dance routines with her sister to Tracey Chapman influenced

Although many of Joy’s paintings and drawings depict the darker, sometimes morbid side of life, she never considers depression something to be honored. Joy seeks to expose mental illness, addiction, and emotional pain as spiritual problems, with spiritual solutions. Her art seeks to free, and release the ugly, often pushed away emotions that hold no power over us unless kept hidden.

Theater, resplendent with song and dance, fantasy, different worlds swirling with passion, romance, and the human conditions has filled Joy’s life and it will continue to. Spreading the healing spiritual connection of all the arts, and helping others attain and acknowledge their creative gifts are Joy Villa’s primary functions on this planet.

Join the movement of knowledge, Spirit, and the Creator's unfailing love. Support Joy by purchasing her one of a kind artwork.

"Lover's Past" Photography by Elena Zadouri and Makeup by Amy Seyfi

Lover's Past, Photography by Elena Zadouri and makeup by Amy Seyfi, will be showing at Modest Fly Art Gallery on from February 25th, 2011 through March 25th, 2011. Come by the gallery to see the work up close and pick up a $20 off full makeup coupon and $50 off bridal package.

Paper Idylls by Christina Song

Christina in the Paper!

Desert Jewels by Athena Mantle and Karen Meinhart

Athena Mantle, a Tujunga resident, says that much of her inspiration comes from the local landscape. It’s clear from her work that she has a thing for desert plants. “I have always had a strong affinity for agave and succulents. They are survivors, tough as nails and yet they have a unique beauty. Living in Tujunga provides endless inspiration for my art. With agave being native to the area, they grow naturally in the mountains and you can’t go more than a block without seeing them in a garden. My work is about communicating beauty and giving a feeling of happiness. I hope people who see my work come away with an affinity for the plants that they may not have had before. ” Athena’s "Desert Jewels" exhibit truly communicates and represents both the architectural strength and soft beauty of succulents and cacti.

Every artist has her muse; Athena invited her good friend Karen Meinhart, local Garden Designer, to display her potted succulent arrangements alongside her paintings. Karen specializes in Custom container gardens and arrangements primarily using succulents and cacti, although she works with all types of plants. For the containers she repurposes vintage things, using reclaimed wood, recycled glass and unexpected items. ”For me the joy of creating is in upcycling and finding good use for items that already exist and have a little bit of love and history.”, Karen explained.  Each arrangement is further customized with a stone that bears an inspirational word or message.

Both artists share an enthusiasm for the “Desert Jewels”.  “Succulents and cacti are nature’s gifts that can keep on giving. You can cut pups (new offsets) and trim overgrown pieces and add them to other pots or into planter beds, spreading their beauty. Not to forget, they are drought tolerant and have so many colors and textures that can really work for any garden style. They are really "Jewels of the garden!”,Karen said. “When I was getting ready to do this exhibit I knew I wanted to have Karen’s arrangements to compliment my paintings. Her work has always inspired me.” Athena explained.

Below is a glance at our Desert Jewels opening. To see the art work from the show, look under the artwork tab, contact Eerren, or go to www.athenamantle.com

Modest Fly Art

Do you want to know more about the gallery and submissions?

Please fill out the form to contact me

Modest Fly Art Studio Gallery

7578 Foothill Boulevard
Tujunga, California 91042

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Read about our Upcoming Shows on our EVENTS page!!

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Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Vehicle showcase: Rolls Royce Armoured cars

Yet another instalment in the vehicle showcase series brings you my resin Rolls Royce armoured cars. These are about my favourites. I have bought two at the Crisis in Antwerp two years ago and they painted up a treat. I painted one to resemble an European theatre car and the other in suitable colours for Africa or the Middle East.

Cheers Sander

Listening to: "Fireball" by Deep Purple

Sunday, 31 March 2013

Happy Easter!

As the title says: Happy Easter Everybody!

Cheers Sander


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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

….But Can the Frog Still Jump Out?
I can still recall how fascinated I was when my middle school science teacher told us about the “boiling frog” phenomenon. Apparently, as some experiments had shown, if you put a frog in a pot of water and let the temperature rise very slowly, the frog’s reflexes (which are geared to respond to sudden environmental changes) will not react to the gradual heating of the water. By the time the temperature reaches a fatally high level, the frog is incapable of jumping out of the pot even if it wanted to. In fact some experimenters claim that frogs subjected to such experiments show signs of actually enjoying the deadly increase in warmth as long as it is very gradual.
That’s what came to my mind as I watched the smiling faces of happy strollers along the new elegant boardwalk of Beirut’s beachfront.
No one can blame those young men and woman for looking happy, or for being oblivious to the (dangerously) gradual degradation which their country is experiencing. It is those who are in position to turn off the switch before it is too late who deserve the blame.

Monday, June 25, 2012

How to Save Lebanon from its Looming Fortune

(This opinion was published in the Lebanese Dailystar on May 11, 2012 under a different title.)

It is now almost certain that Lebanon’s maritime exclusive economic zone contains hydrocarbon deposits. In fact, there appears to be quite a substantial amount of such deposits, according to advanced seismic tests prepared by the United States Geological Survey.

In spring 2010, the survey estimated the recoverable amounts of gas and oil in the Levant Basin in the Eastern Mediterranean (of which Lebanon’s exclusive economic zone constitutes close to a third in terms of area) at some $700 billion in gross market value. This is subject to likely upward revision, thanks to subsequent discoveries of large gas fields off the coasts of Haifa and southern Cyprus.

Egypt’s Revolution or the Brotherhood’s Evolution?

 A lot will be said and written about the historic drama currently unfolding in Egypt. Many of us spent Sunday afternoon glued to our television sets, mesmerized not only by the breathtaking events themselves, but also by what they meant for the political evolution of Egypt and the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Many thoughts were no doubt racing in the heads of millions as they watched President-elect Morsi deliver his acceptance speech last night. Three major ones were floating in mine:


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Pie Drunk Days

This past
Saturday as a fateful event for me—it was the first time I have ever reached my
fill of my much-loved dessert of choice.

Cvillepiefest (http://www.cvillepiefest.com) took place on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Mudhouse in Crozet, Va.
The “piebrainchild” of

Steve Whitaker, Brian
Geiger, and Marijean Jaggers,

Cvillepiefest, the
grassroots fundraising event was a great success, with well over 100 people
attending and countless pie
competitors. The count was more than any of us expected—there
were many, many last minute entrants.

I lost trck of
the number of cream pies I tasted. There were three categories: fruit, cream,
and nut and other. I volunteered with six other pie lovers to judge the cream
pies. The pies I tasted were pretty good—even the one that I think sent
me over the edge, which was the Turkish Mocha Delight. Any other time, I could
sit alone with that pie and really get to know it intimately. But it was
probably pie number 10 for me and one of the richest, deepest-flavored pies
I’ve ever eaten. I think it had coffee in it—as well as
plenty of cardamom and dark chocolate.
About 10 minutes after eating it, I was peeling off my sweater and holding on to the table because the
room was spinning. Someone said I looked green. For the rest of the day, I was completely, well, pie drunk.

But, as all good
pie people must, I kept going. Eventually, I had to break away to sign some
books. I understand that I missed the last eight pies. Did you read that? The
last EIGHT pies. I am grateful for it. I don’t think I could have eaten another
bite. Thank goodness for my book signing duties.

most important part of the event was that we raised money for PACEM, which is
an interfaith, community-based, grassroots organization that helps to house the
homeless in Charlottesville. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to chat with
them, but what an awesome, inspiring group.

also didn’t get a chance to chat with many of my pie comrades who organized the
event. It really was jam-packed and difficult to have meaningful conversations.
I really have to mention three of them here. Brian Geiger, (aka The Food Geek)

who was the previous Charlottesville pie champ, stepped up and assumed the role
of head judge. He wrote a beautiful piece on what to look for in a pie when
you’re judging it. (His wife Melanie graciously accepted the role of money-taker and organizer.) Elizabeth McCullough (another judge and pie-loving writer) helped him out on his
tallying duties. Marijean Jaggers, to me, represents the spirit behind the
whole piefest.

She probably baked more pies than anyone for the charity and is
an incredible pie baker. (I am still wanting that butterscotch pecan pie recipe
of hers.) She and Brian were the original pie competitors that got the ball
rolling. And then there’s Steve Whitaker

—an endearing, personable young man who
organized the event, taking care of countless details, and of course, getting
his share of pie.

We all love our pie.

few words about the winning pie—a lemon chiffon that was like a fresh breeze in
my mouth. Simple in it’s elegance. It says a lot that the pie that won out of A
LOT of other pies was this basic. Yet, to make a lemon chiffon is easy, but to
master it? Hmm. Well, that’s another matter. The graham cracker crust was
perfect in texture and flavor against the smooth, silky lemon chiffon. As the
pie cutter, I noted how it sliced easily and came out of the plate perfectly.
The baker also placed raspberries around the edges. I was lucky enough to get one
bite of it all—raspberry, lemon chiffon, and graham cracker.

were some other notable pies for me. If I had to pick the winner myself, it
would have been the coconut cream, which to my taste, surpassed the lemon
chiffon. I also really loved one of the pumpkin pies—I’m sure it was made with
fresh pumpkin and wow, what a difference it makes. The other pie that stands
out, of course, it Marijean’s butterscotch pecan. I didn’t judge the nut pie
category, but I did get a bite of this incredible pie. The butterscotch added a
really deep flavor. The drunken nut pie that won that category must have been
fabulous. The fruit pie winner was “roadhouse” apple, which I didn’t get a
chance to sample.

think it’s worth noting that the winning pies were not pies with countless complicated
flavors and ingredients. Mike DiGrassie, owner of Mrs. Rowe’s often tells me
that, that the best Southern cooking is always kept simple—and that holds true
for pies, Southern or not.


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Monday, April 1, 2013

Nuby Printed Sport Sippers

I have to admit that what drew me to these particular cups are the cute characters on them. There are some that are just perfect for little boys and some just perfect for little girls. Being a little partial since this was for my little guy, I love the idea of the little super heroes. A perfect fit since my boys are always pretending to be heroes, and our 1 1/2 year old is sure to follow suit.

Yup, this is the face he makes when he's drinking from his sipper. He gets all serious with it and he's content whether it's simply water, or if it's filled with something like juice or iced tea (pardon the photo-bomber ;) ).

The Nuby Sport Sippers are designed to be easily held by little hands. As you can see, my tot is able to grip his well with just one hand. It also features a rubbery, durable sipper straw, which is perfect for toddlers who are likely going through the irritation of cutting new teeth. This cup contains no BPA, which is always a huge plus for me.

These adorable Nuby Printed Sport Sippers are available at

Keep up with Nuby products and updates:

As a Nuby Mom, I receive free products to facilitate my reviews. Opinions are my own.


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We strongly recommend a glider or rocking chair for every nursery. In addition to rocking your baby to sleep, they are excellent for breast feeding, book time, and establishing a good bedtime routine. They relax a fussy baby with a gentle motion, relax tired parents, and are a must-have piece of nursery furniture.

When we had our first baby, we thought it would be a good idea to go to Babies R Us and lug home a glider and ottoman. Turns out the price was higher than online, and we couldn't fit the boxes into our car. After an on-the-spot return, we ordered a glider and ottoman from Amazon and it came two days later with free shipping! We ended up getting the Stork Craft Hoop Glider and Ottoman set. Back then it was about $250, but now it goes for under $150. Even with the higher price we definitely got our money's worth: we used it multiple times a day for two years straight, and now a relative continues to use it 5 years later!

So we were a bit partial to the Stork Craft, but thought we would put some others to the test and write up a list of Best Gliders and Ottomans for 2017. We purchased 8 of the best baby gliders we could find, and tried out 4 additional ones at friends' houses and big-box stores. So that's 12 different gliders and rocking chairs we ended up testing. Glad we did, because the Stork Craft actually dropped down quite a bit on our list. From the test, we found that the following things matter most when picking a glider or rocking chair for your nursery:

Glider versus Rocking Chair. As a bit of a traditionalist I was convinced that I wanted an old school rocking chair, something wooden and vintage, creaking a bit and bringing back old memories with every push. There's definitely something to be said for rocking chairs, but there's also something to be said for soft carpeted floors, and as it turns out rocking chairs and thick carpeting don't mesh so well. Rocking chairs also aren't great for parents putting their feet up on an ottoman. While a glider will let you glide back and forth with your feet up on the ottoman by rocking your feet forward/back, the rocking chair responds awkwardly to any attempts at gentle rocking with the feet up. Also, with a traditional rocker you need to strategically place cushions or the chair will get uncomfortable after a few minutes. But there is the style and space benefit: a good wooden rocker is not only great looking but takes up less space than a modern glider. And a foot rest can help bring your knees up a bit and keep things more comfortable. Though we do think that the style of the traditional rocker is a plus, we do think the features and comfort (for baby and parents) of a glider definitely put it at a strong advantage. So our list this year only includes gliders.

High-back versus Low-back. Some modern gliders look more like living room furniture, like the Thomasville Grand Royale Glider shown on the right. While these can make more comfortable options and fit in nicely with a nursery decor, they have the low-back disadvantage. You won't realize this until you're using it one sleepy evening and you want to put your head back to rest with your little munchkin. The high-back ottomans with the wooden frame and cushions make a better option here. So think about the trade-off between having a nice furniture-like style versus being able to relax a bit yourself by putting your head back. If the moment comes when you want to take a little nap with your baby, you might regret purchasing a low-back glider. Also, through our testing we came to the realization that the low-back furniture style gliders tend to over-do it a bit on the gliding and swiveling, making it a bit of a wild ride until you get used to how it moves. On the other hand, it is nice that you could use this as a regular piece of furniture once your baby has grown up!

To Ottoman or not to Ottoman? Some gliders include the ottoman in the package whereas some others make you pay a little extra (well, sometimes a lot extra) for the ottoman. In our opinion, the ottoman is always worth the cost. Even if you don't imagine yourself using it at first, your future self will be grateful if you splurge for it now. It definitely adds to the comfort factor for parents, and it also doubles as a convenient little place to put a book or bottle during quiet time with baby. Of course, it does take up more space in the nursery so be sure to take some measurements beforehand!

Locking and Finger Pinching. While wood frame gliders are fantastic and provide a super smooth and comforting gliding rhythm, they also have several pinch points toward the bottom where little fingers or pet paws can get into trouble. We highly recommend getting a glider that has a lock lever so you can lock out the gliding motion when not in use. Babies love standing and pushing the glider back and forth, but the risk of pinching and injury is not worth it!

Comfort and Durability. We saved what is probably the most important for last: comfort and durability! The chairs that we list below made it to the top of our list in terms of comfort. There were many brands that just didn't make the cut because their padding was too firm, the back was to straight up, the gliding was clunky, or the arm rests were awkward. There were also a few that literally started falling apart within the first week of use, usually screws falling out or cushion ties ripping off. We do not include those in our list.

Here are the Best Gliders and Ottomans of 2017!

1. Dutailier Ultramotion Glider and Ottoman. About $575. OK, we do realize this is a very expensive glider and ottoman combination, but you have to try it to realize how amazing it is! Unlike many other gliders, the Ultramotion is made by a reputable furniture company that produces generally high quality products. The proof is in the fabric, cushions, long and smooth gliding motion, reclining back, retractable footrest (!) in the ottoman, and high build quality. This is the ultimate glider and we fell in love with it in about 5 minutes. The cushions are super soft and supportive, the fabric is durable and easy to clean, the locking mechanism has multiple positions, and it is just overall a perfect glider. We didn't find any negatives about this except for the price. At over twice as much as most other gliders and ottomans, this not only is the best out there but it will cost you! If you value comfort, features, and durability, and don't turn green at the thought of spending $575 on a glider, then this is the one for you! Note that they also make a beautiful, and slightly less expensive white sleigh style version here. If you really want to splurge for an even more comfy version, then check out their Grand Glider model.

2. Naomi Home Brisbane Glider and Ottoman. About $150. This is a super comfortable glider, with a nice smooth gliding motion, comfortable cushions, and a good build quality for the price (reminds us of the old Shermag gliders, which were also high build quality). But at $170, you're not going to get many of the features that make the Dutailier model really stand out. There is no lock mechanism on the glider, so there is a higher risk of pinched fingers, and sometimes can be awkward to stand up from while carrying a baby. The gliding motion is smooth but not quite as long as the Dutailier, the back is not reclining, and the bottom cushion isn't quite as thick and comfy. All that being said, if you're looking for a less expensive glider with good build quality and medium-to-high comfort, this is a great option. Like the others, it took us about 20 minutes to put this together. Some things were really nice: it has a slightly wider hip area which is nice and big enough for baby legs to comfortably lay to the side, and convenient side pockets for books, wipes, or whatever else you'd like to keep at arm's reach. The high-back was nice, not quite as high as the Dutailier, but high enough for the less vertically inclined parents to comfortably rest their heads. The army cushioning was a bit lacking versus the Dutailier, but again it's about a third of the price. Overall, very high bang for the buck, though we wish they had included a locking mechanism.

3. Stork Craft Hoop Glider and Ottoman. About $150 to $200 depending on colors/patterns. The Stork Craft glider has been around for years now, and hasn't changed much in that time. Though there are some relatively unique patterns available (like this cute chevron pattern), the overall glider keeps the look and feel of their gliders from 5-7 years ago. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and you get good bang for the buck, especially with the less expensive simple beige color option. For about $150 you get a solid glider and ottoman that should last you for the couple of years you'll reasonably need to use it. We found the features very similar to the Naomi Home option: smooth gliding motion, side arm pockets, included ottoman, and reasonably comfortable cushions. The bottom cushion was a bit on the thinner side, like the Naomi Home. We did find the Naomi Home option to be of higher build quality, at least judging by the units we tested. The Stork Craft had some paint drip marks on the white wooden back, and a little wood chip on the bottom (right out of the box). So this is the least expensive glider and ottoman combination on the list, but we think that it shows a bit in terms of overall build quality. We did find the glider and ottoman to be smooth and supportive, and overall thought it was quite good for the price. If you're looking to save a bit of money and probably still be able to sell this for $50 on Craigslist after a few years, then this is probably the best bet. Not a bad glider, certainly not the best, but definitely the cheapest.

4. Shermag Glider and Ottoman Combo. About $250-350. Back in 2011 the Shermag was at the top of our list for best glider and ottomans. It was well-made, and honestly the most comfortable glider on the market. The cushions beat out the Stork Craft version by a long shot, it included the locking mechanism, and in our testing it was well constructed and outlasted many of the others. Now fast-forward 5 years, there is more competition on the glider market, and Shermag slipped a little behind in the ratings. Granted, it still makes our top gliders list, so it's still one of the best on the market. But the build quality, like the Stork Craft, is inconsistent. So the Shermag and Stork Craft are pretty similar to one another with a few primary differences. First, the Shermag has more comfortable seating cushions, especially the thicker bottom cushion. Second, the Shermag includes the locking mechanism, which we think is very important in a glider. Third, the Shermag does a good job padding the arm rests, and providing a thick head rest area, and we believe it has a nice sleigh style that comes with more expensive units. Outside of that, you're basically getting a similar glider to the Stork Craft, but paying a premium for the thicker seat cushion and locking mechanism. It was a toss-up whether to place the Shermag at 3rd or 4th place, and in our opinion it is a close tie since it's difficult to attach a price to a comfier cushion and locking mechanism. If you can pay the increased price of the Dutailier, go with that option; if you have a limit around $250, go with this option. But if you can't stomach this type of cost, then go with the Naomi.

babyrelaxglider5. Baby Relax Glider Rocker and Ottoman. Usually about $175-200. The Baby Relax company is relatively new to the baby glider and rocker market, and they have a wide range of styles and products (see some here). They tend to run a bit less expensive than most other gliders and rockers, particularly for the gliders more in the style of a living room chair (like the Thomasville below). The lower cost tends to translate to lower overall features, but the quality of these chairs is actually quite reasonable given the price point. We tested out the Baby Relax Glider (pictured), and thought it was quite similar to the Naomi and Stork Craft options in terms of features and comfort. We did think the build quality wasn't quite at that level, however. The chair uses a microfiber cloth with padded arm rests, seat, and back, though the padding isn't very thick or comfortable on the arms or seat. The padding near the shoulders and head, however, was quite nice and thick, which we appreciated. We also found that the seat is quite narrow, which might pose a comfort issue for larger moms or dads. It includes an ottoman, and there are some pockets on the side of the arm rests. Like the other inexpensive options, there is no locking mechanism, no recline. The assembly was a little involved, taking us about 30 minutes, and the overall quality of the parts didn't seem on par with some of our other inexpensive options. Overall, this newcomer is providing reasonable quality gliders for a very reasonable cost. Time will tell whether they will climb the list, after proving themselves in the reliability department.

6. Thomasville Kids Grand Royale Swivel Glider and Ottoman. About $500. Though we are partial to the gliders, we think that there is something to be said for having nursery furniture that doesn't look like it only belongs in the nursery. The alternative is to get a more comfortable living room chair that integrates a gliding and swiveling motions. Though we think they lose out to gliders because the low-back doesn't support a sleep parent's head, they definitely win in the furniture versatility and style departments. This best-selling microfiber chair is one of the most comfortable glide/swivel low-back chairs we've sat in. Not sure how supportive it actually is for breast feeding, but we'll let you be the judge of that one. Overall, this chair has fantastic furniture-grade build quality, and the fabric is soft and easily cleaned. In our testing, we didn't really like the swiveling motion, which made me a little motion sick and made it difficult to stand up from. They go a little overboard with the motion on these.


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Monday, April 12, 2010

Mesy Monday: Lighten Up A Little!

Photo by C.N. Gokul

For those of us who tend toward disorder, we do need to discipline ourselves if we wish to get our acts together. That’s why many of my Messy Monday posts focus on doing the work and finishing the jobs around the house that are waiting for us. Yet, those who are naturally clean and organized sometimes need to learn to loosen up (as a friend of mine pointed out). I’m good at that! So a little switch in tone today as I encourage the cleanies among us to lighten up a little.

We can all think of people who are constant cleaners. They just can’t sit still. While the fruit of their work is a beautiful home to enjoy, the enjoyment of it can sometimes turn sour. What fun is it to be a guest in someone’s home when the hostess is not visiting with you, but rather scurrying around cleaning up after all the guests? (Certainly some immediate clean-up is necessary, but I am focusing on the kind that goes to the extreme). This makes me think of the Mary-Martha account in the Bible, when Martha was so busy preparing the meal (and getting flustered that Mary wasn’t helping) and Mary was just sitting, listening to Jesus. Jesus said that Mary had chosen what was better. Relationships need time and attention to grow. Guests wish to feel important enough that the hostess sits to chat with them, instead of getting busy picking up after them.

What memories do we want to leave behind when people think of who we were? Someone recently told me of his deceased mother, “She was always cleaning.” He went on to say that she was so compulsive about it, she could never relax. Ouch. The clean house turned bitter for those inside. On the other end of the spectrum, people remember the pain associated with growing up in a sloppy home (such as never having people over, etc.).

So balance is called for. Clean and work hard at it, but take plenty of time to sit and show undivided attention to your children, other family members or guests. When you’re reading a story, the dirty smudges on the windows can wait. When you're sharing a cup of coffee, guests are in our homes such a short time that the dishes can wait. It's a simple way to show the people in your life that you honor them above housework.

If you have a homemaking post you'd like to share, please link to it below. Please, as a courtesy, link back here too. Have a great day!

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Lazada Philippines

A Party for a Productive Year for Bloggers

Filipino Bloggers Network Get-Together 2016: Another Year of Productive Partnerships

It was four years ago when I became part of Filipino Bloggers Network (FBN) and there were a lot of things that came with it; opportunities and friends. I was able to form a group as well; Metrobuzz Bloggers because of FBN and handle several accounts under the it. It was easy for me to merge with FBN when it comes to collaboration and other opportunities. For 2016, we partner together to give a Christmas party for all those bloggers who became part of our campaigns for the year 2016

It was a night of great fun, awesome giveaways, delicious food and meeting new friends at the 2016 Christmas party of the Filipino Bloggers Network (FBN), one of the most active bloggers group in the country, in cooperation with MetroBuzz Bloggers held at St. Nicholas Catering and Restaurant in Mandaluyong City last December 28, 2016.
Blogger members took the opportunity to make new friends and catch up with old friends they have not seen for a while. Representatives of different PR groups and brands also graced their event and personally thank bloggers, online writers and influencers who have supported them in the past years.

FBN currently has more than 1,800 blogger members and continue to expand as it provides a venue for Filipino bloggers to interact with other members from different part of the Philippines. Moderating the discussions and posting opportunities from different brands for the group are co-admins Divine RC and Richard Mamuyac. With the support of MetroBuzz led by its admin Lariza Garcia, the annual event has become even more bigger on its fourth run.

This year’s celebration was supported by the following generous sponsors:

St. Nicholas Catering & Restaurant  – Mandaluyong’s newest food craze. Experience quality but affordable dining experience at Barangay Plainview. Open from Tuesday to Sunday at 11am to 12am. Follow them on Facebook –
Acer PH – Founded in 1976 with a mission to break the barriers between people and technology by offering innovative and leading technology products, empowering people to achieve their goals. Follow them on Facebook –
AMPR Publicity and Communications, Inc. (AMPR) – A full service public relations and marketing services company that caters to various industries and companies of diverse sizes. For more information about AMPR Publicity and Communications, Inc.’s expertise and services, follow them on Facebook at or contact them through (02) 706-1971 and via email at
Goodah!!! – The first ever, all-native food chain in the country and is famous for introducing the now ubiquitous “Tapsilog” to the Filipino vocabulary. Contact (02) 9667582 for orders and inquiries or visit their website at
Gardenia – Offers a wide array of superior bakery products including white, wheat and health breads, flavored loaves, pandesal and snack items like snack cakes, muffins and toasts. Gardenia breads are known for their good taste, freshness, softness, oven-baked aroma and nutritive value. Follow them on Facebook –
IMComms Mavens – A full service marketing communications agency that integrates traditional and current marketing strategies to be able to provide Clients a strategic communications plan. Follow them on Facebook –

Aster Medical Centre Philippines – A part of Aster DM Healthcare network. Our multi-specialty centre is staffed with 50+ doctors and highly skilled nurses and staff who work together to take care of you and your loved ones. Aster DM Healthcare encompasses more than 10,000 employees, 1300+ doctors, 290 establishments of compassionate care and JCI accredited diagnostic centres in Dubai, India, KSA, Oman, Qatar, Jordan and now Bahrain. Like them on Facebook –

UNO Premier – A dynamic marketing company that derived its innovative business model from a very long history and foundation of leadership, management and entrepreneurial vision. UNO Premier’s mother company, UNO, started rising 10 years ago and blossomed throughout the network marketing industry like rapid fire. For more information, visit the website at Like/follow their social media accounts: Facebook Page:; Instagram: @unopremierofficial and on Twitter: @UNOPremier_PH

Dearberry Philippines – The brand essence of dearberry is “affordable high quality cosmetics made with ingredients from nature ”. Dearberry believes the simple truth, “healthy skin is most beautiful” and sticks to the basics, “firstly keep skin healthy, then optimally solve target issues”. Their products are manufactured by such top-tier factories like COSMAX and WINNOVA to achieve the high quality standards of our products. COSMAX is the main & most important manufacturer of L’OREAL group and other world famous branded cosmetics. WINNOVA is the main & most important manufacturer of Korean branded cosmetics like TONYMOLY & THEFACESHOP. Follow DearberryPH on Facebook –  or visit their website –  for updates and promos.

JJEMM Transient House – A fully furnished apartment unit located in Balanga City, Bataan. If you’re planning on visiting the beautiful province of Bataan to enjoy scenic views and awesome tourist spots, JJEMM Transient House is here to welcome and provide accommodation for your stay. This is best for couples, backpackers, budget travellers, families and group travellers.  Situated in a subdivision in Balanga City,Bataan and 5-7 minutes away from public market. Learn more by following them on Facebook: . Contact them at email address: and mobile number: 0998-882-8300.
Mondelez – Maker of some of the best-known snacks brands around the globe. Their 15 global Power Brands in biscuits, chocolate and gum & candy are expected to drive 70 percent of company’s growth going forward:
Biscuits: Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, TUC, belVita, Club Social and Barni.
Chocolate: Milka, Lacta, Toblerone and Cadbury Dairy Milk.
Gum & Candy: Trident, Chiclets, Halls, Stride and Cadbury Dairy Milk Eclairs.
Follow Mondelez on Facebook – for updates.
Oppo Philippines – A global electronics and technology service provider that provides customers with the latest and most exquisite electronic devices and mobile internet service in over 20 countries such as the United States, China, Australia and many other countries in Europe, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Follow them on Facebook -  for promos and updates.

BrandSpeak Asia Inc. – a privately owned, independent public relations corporation created and managed by a team of young, dynamic and vibrant professionals committed to a shared passion: the integration of unique and creative thinking. Find them on Facebook -

Comm & Sense – one of the first marketing communications agencies in the country to offer inbound marketing solutions. More information at or follow them on Facebook -

OCI Group – Providing well integrated and strategic communications for your company. Delivering results that are responsive and puts great value in your investment. Follow them on Facebook -

Novuhair - Like the common factors that spawn hair loss, finding the right solution to your hair woes is one confusing process that could only worsen the trouble. Before, most of the products available in the market offer empty promises, temporary and even expensive solutions to address the problem of hair loss. Now, nature has provided a safe and effective solution, NOVUHAIR® – NATURE’S ANSWER TO HAIR LOSS! Like Novuhair on Facebook –
Unilab – The biggest pharmaceutical company in the Philippines, with a market share of more than 20 percent which it has consistently maintained for more than three decades. Its portfolio includes some of the biggest prescription, consumer healthcare and personal care brands in the country. Follow Unilab on Facebook –

Havas PR – The first full-service media agency providing end-to-end solutions in the Philippines. It does not only offer the most complete and cohesive set of media services in the Philippines, it also aspires to provide clients work that is best in class in all the media channels on offer. Follow them on Facebook / for inquiries.
M2Comms – As a PR agency, M2.0 understands that perfection doesn’t exist – but greatness does. Their team won’t waste your time by coming up with perfect plans that will be easily derailed by circumstance. For them, It’s better to execute now with a good plan and get immediate feedback. If the results are not good, they’re ready to own up to our mistakes and revise the plan. And if the results are good, they’ll improve the plan until the clients achieve greatness. Visit their website –  for inquiries.

Strategic Works, Inc.
Trend Spotting Ads Consultation Agency
Dazzling Celebrations PR & Events Management

Echusera -
Cheers to more years of togetherness!

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