text:
ode to a new moon

Sunday, November 3rd [2013]

New Moon Solar Eclipse

You can check exact time and visibility from your place here: Timeanddate.com
Observers in the eastern coast of the United States, northern South America, southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa will be able to see a partial eclipse.
The eclipse will reach its maximum over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Liberia.
The whole eclipse will be visible to observers in Gabon, Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo.

and here’s my greeting to this beautiful event:

New Moon – Phase I

new moon 1©marina kanavaki

Technique: Digital painting

“New Moon – Phase I” 2013 © Marina Kanavaki

SHOP New Moon – Phase I ART PRINT HERE

[museum quality printing and framing]

New Moon – Phase II

new moon 2©marina kanavaki

Technique: Digital painting

“New Moon – Phase II” 2013 © Marina Kanavaki

SHOP New Moon – Phase II ART PRINT HERE

[museum quality printing and framing]

New Moon – Phase III

new moon 3©Marina kanavaki

Technique: Digital painting

“New Moon – Phase III” 2013 © Marina Kanavaki

  SHOP New Moon – Phase III ART PRINT HERE

[museum quality printing and framing]

You can visit my shop for art prints, framed or on canvas at Imagekind or my Art Shop for “New Moon Phases” devices cases and skins, mugs, stationary cards, t-shirts, tank tops & hoodies, bags, pillows and wall art.

116 replies »

  1. Marina, may I post the new moon phase 1 (blue) tonight along with my first piano piece Oh Holy Night? Hope to hear back….asap! Didn’t have the chance to write you earlier. Thoroughly enjoying your dreamscapes and paintings. Xxxx Diana

    • I am obviously too late for this… [when you mailed me I was probably on my 7th dream already! – with the time difference I read it when I woke up next morning 😦
      Thank you so much for your kind words, my dear. As I have already said, you are very welcome to use it.
      🙂 xxxx

  2. Creative and hardwork 🙂
    I feel like, you must excel in life, We actually cannot be meeting, I like to bliss you always and I wish nature and God to engage you with everything you like.

  3. Loving your ode to the new moon, and November the 3rd was day that will be etched in my memory for all time… 🙂 Loved the paintings and you have brought your own Energy as always into being with your wonderful brush strokes.. 🙂

  4. A window on the world.
    On our planet.
    On our lives.

    What we look for , as well as a lost look inside a eclipse ? Perhaps we are too far apart and our way of life mingles with that of abstract atoms.
    I believe that , in these colors, changing in many morphological manifestations , we can collect all that , with the eye , we can not see .
    Here intervenes the talented Lady Marina who, with his heart, gives us the keys to understanding that we can no longer grasp.
    Here , in shades of blue , we observe the tunnel eclipse.
    In shades of yellow, look at the time before and the one after that .
    Because life is not just an emotion.
    Life is , too, love … for life!
    You, Marina, you know describe “life ” with the life that dwells in your heart and prosperous. An emotion, for those who follow you, which is renewed over and beyond the single emotion of an eclipse.
    The tone of watercolor has warmed the hearts of those who will read, dear Marina.

    Cordialità … και μια ζεστή αγκαλιά, ένα μεγάλο καλλιτέχνη

    • A window, yes indeed, my dear Ninni. We are all looking for a window. If I have been able to crack open, even the slightest, a window to a smile than I am truly happy. It is your words which have warmed my heart. Thank you so much, my kind friend.
      Abbracci da me, amico mio.

  5. You’re evolving as an artist, Marina. Excellent! Btw, are you on Facebook at all? I never used to like it much, but now I found that there must be about a million artists on there. I’ve tripled my following in a day. I think it’s worth it: let’s connect, let’s make a difference!

  6. I’m amused, Marina, because this is also an interesting version of the German flag. I know, the Greeks do not like chancellor Angela Merkel very much (today there are protests on the streets in Athens again?): So how to sell it in shops in Berlin?

  7. The colours in this Painting are extraordinary. I Love the choice of colours,they work perfectly. I would buy one,but I somehow don’t think my house would do your delicious paintings Justice.

  8. Ethereally beautiful. Is there an implication of this new moon? In India, this is the Aamavasya night after the festival of lights. In the Middle East too, this has special significance with the first day of Muharram falling the next day.

    • Thank you so much, Shakti.. I know about Deepavali. I don’t know of any special significance for this date here other than the belief of new beginnings (every new moon).
      Happy Diwali! 🙂

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1. Should shipping brace for another round of competition probes?

Shipping is never far from the scrutiny of competition authorities. But with the EU seeking comments on the way liner shipping is regulated as it considers whether to extend the current set of competition rules for a further five years, debate is likely to get a little more heated than usual.

The shippers’ view is a well-rehearsed argument that states container shipping under the current alliance system is restricting competition, falsely inflating pricing and failing to improve service standards for customers. But the EU competition authorities are well aware of the market realities and have led the way in overhauling its antitrust rules for ocean carriers, with the removal of the block exemption for conferences in 2008, and now a review of its consortia regulation that is due to expire in 2020.

The US and Canada, however, have done little for the past 20 years and reform is well overdue according to this year’s winner of the prestigious Onassis Prize for Shipping. That is a position likely to spark some interesting debate, not least at the European Maritime Law Organisation’s annual conference next week where US Federal Maritime Commissioner Rebecca Dye will be discussing developments in the international oversight of shipping.

It might be an opportune moment to review the largely unremarked comments from UNCTAD’s report earlier this month which stated: “There is a need to assess the implications of mergers and alliances and of vertical integration within the industry, and to address any potential negative effects”. Time for shipping to brace for another round of dawn raids from the competition authorities?

More from Lloyd's List:
US and Canada urged to update ocean shipping competition rules

2. Digital investment gathers momentum, but standardisation is needed

MSC’s announcement this week that they will equip 50,000 dry cargo containers with tracking devices offers an important step towards supply chain visibility. But there is a bigger picture here worth considering. For all the opportunities being touted by new digital technologies, the shipping industry still has a real blocker to its wider blockchain ambitions. Real-time, end-to-end visibility across the global supply chain is the dream, offering faster, cheaper and more reliable logistics operations, but is it is a pipe dream?

The wider industry is still plagued by a fragmented approach to data standardisation. There’s been a lot of talk recently about ways to tackle the problem, including calls for a new ‘UN’ style body that could enforce a standardised approach. That would be a tall order, but solutions are needed.

Individual investments like MSC’s are to be applauded, but the wider goals of supply chain efficiency will not be achieved without common data definitions and a greater willingness amongst key industry stakeholders to start talking practically about a future where data sharing becomes a practical reality.Oh, and if there is a willingness to talk about a new body to address standards, might we also suggest industry-wide standards on cargo declarations?

More from Lloyd's List:
MSC to equip up o 50,000 boxes with trackers
A United Nations for liner shipping?
Talks held to stamp out cargo declaration abuses

3. Trade outlook and shipping's decaf dilemma

The recent slew of global economic data has offered a mixed bag of conclusions, so if you’re looking for a deeper dive into the macro picture, the impact of trade tariffs and what it all means we can heartily recommend a listen to this week’s Lloyd’s List Podcast.

The IMF may have downgraded its GDP forecast, but happily the headline numbers coming out of Asia, and the transpacific rates, continue to show some semblance of business-as-usual with little indication of any real impact from the escalating trade tensions with the US and China. In terms of shipping it seems the markets are continuing to move forward, for now. But of course wildcards remain prevalent in everyone’s thinking right now, not least the remaining uncertainty around the 2020 sulphur cap, so (spoiler alert) we are tackling that too in this week’s discussion.

According to our guest this week, the shipping consultant Mark Williams, 2020 is effectively like ordering a decaff coffee, although you will have to listen to it to find out why. And if anyone’s still suffering under the delusion that this is somehow a question for next year – we suggest you think again. With increasing oil prices, the shipping industry will need to deal with volatile fuel prices well before the low-sulphur rules kick in.

Listen to the Lloyd's List Podcast:
Joining Lloyd’s List Editor Richard Meade on the podcast this week is former Affinity Research, now independent shipping consultant, Mark Williams. The two of them talk trade outlook, Chinese-fuelled optimism and why 2020 is much like ordering a decaf macchiato.

4. Container traffic across the Pacific is surging despite tensions

Spot freight rates on the Asia-US west coast trade have surged to the highest level in more than five years, as rate momentum continues. Now that may not last, but it does rather highlight the point we have been making for some time - the trade tariffs on Chinese goods by the US are having a limited impact, so far.

Before any allows complacency to set in though, let’s consider the recent warning from UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi who said: “While the prospects for seaborne trade are positive, these are threatened by the outbreak of trade wars and increased inward-looking policies. Escalating protectionism and tit-for-tat tariff battles will potentially disrupt the global trading system which underpins demand for maritime transport.”

Read more on Lloyd's List:
Asia-US west coast spot rates at five-year high

5. What's on your list of key questions for 2019?

Clearly the key question for most right now is ‘have I made it on the Lloyd’s List Top 100 this year? But apart from that we are aware there might be a few outstanding issues to consider for 2019 and beyond.

Fear not, the annual Lloyd’s List Outlook is in the works and it promises to shine a light on the darkest recesses of, as yet, unanswered market mysteries. But in the spirit of transparency and crowd-sourcing some inspiration we thought we would open up the conversation and ask you what you would like to see covered. What are the questions you want to answers to and where would you like to see us focus our editorial firepower in 2019?

Get in touch with your suggestions – we would genuinely appreciate your input.

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Holiday travel and lessons learned

The Flight the Lights Went Out (in Georgia)

I didn't realize it at the time I boarded my plane in Amsterdam, but Delta flight DL9275 was going to was going to be one of the longest flights of my life. The transatlantic flight part took nine hours; the sitting on the tarmac part took another six hours. Photo by Mark Baker.
Delta's customer-service Twitter account, @DeltaAssist, suddenly became my best friend as we were trapped on the runway at the Atlanta Airport. Photo by Mark Baker.

As our plane touched down in Atlanta on the second leg of a three-flight trip from Prague to Pittsburgh and began its slow taxi to the gate, I was feeling pretty good. The ride over the Atlantic from Amsterdam had been smooth. Fate was on my side for the first, early-morning flight out of Prague. I’d managed to escape before snow started to fall there and snarl flights getting out of Václav Havel Airport. Traffic through Amsterdam’s Schiphol, usually a bottleneck, had been light. I cleared the EU’s passport control in 15 minutes.

My only complaint, so far, had been that the transatlantic leg wasn’t operated by Delta Airlines (from whom I bought the ticket), but rather by its partner airline, KLM. This meant I didn’t have the option of choosing a special in-flight meal. My favorite these days is “Hindu Vegetarian,” but I dabble in “Kosher” and “Gluten-Free” from time to time. It was "chicken or pasta?" for me, like everyone else, so I skipped the meal altogether. It was no big deal.

As the plane rumbled across the Atlanta tarmac toward the gate, I stared out the window and thought about the next stage of the journey. I’d still have to go through customs (including monkeying around with the U.S. border control’s silly machines for issuing landing cards), claim my bags, re-check them onto my connecting flight and stand in yet another security line (sigh). We were on time, though, and I had almost two hours to do all of this. I assessed my chances as very good.

Just at that moment, though, and without warning, the plane stopped in its tracks. We were still out in the middle of nowhere, and as far as I could tell well away from the terminal. As one minute stretched into two, and then into ten, a collective sense of unease seeped into the cabin. Passengers with tight connections nervously glanced at their watches. As any frequent flyer knows, those tarmac minutes can be crucial for whether one makes or misses the next flight out.

In the end, though, none of this would matter. Our plane wouldn’t budge from the tarmac for the next six hours. We didn’t know it then, but the entire Atlanta Airport had lost electrical power just minutes before we landed. The world’s biggest passenger airport by number of travelers -- an airport that handles nearly 300,000 passengers every day -- had gone totally dark. We (and tens of thousands of others) were stuck in Atlanta for the duration, and the fun was only just getting started.

This is the view from inside our plane as we were sitting on the tarmac. We were not permitted to taxi to the gate, but for the first part of the wait we also had no idea what was happening. The mood on the plane was calm and upbeat. Photo by Mark Baker.
This Atlanta Airport media release crossed the wire after we'd been sitting on the tarmac about three hours. At least, then, we knew for sure it was an electrical fire, but we had no idea about the cause of the fire or when we would leave the plane.

As I write this on Thursday, December 21, four days after my flight, there’s still not much information on what actually caused the outage. The apparent cause was an electrical fire in an underground tunnel that quickly knocked out the main power supply and spread to a back-up generator. But what started that fire is still unknown. The authorities ruled out a terror attack, but as we were experiencing the outage in real time, the possibility of terrorism seemed to be high on people's minds (though I don’t recall anyone expressing the idea aloud – that was too scary to contemplate).

The Georgia Power Co., managers of the airport, and the mayor of Atlanta have apologized for the outage, and vowed to learn the right lessons going forward. As someone who experienced the event first-hand, though, I have a few questions to ask: How is it there was no back-up generating system that would have switched on automatically during the outage? Why were there not more emergency lights sprinkled around the airport to at least allow people to move around safely through the darkened terminal? Why do the airport’s trains and elevators apparently operate on the same power system as the airport itself (passengers were stuck inside claustrophobic train cars and lifts)? And, finally, why weren’t security personnel, members of the airport staff, and concession workers given at least some training to deal with something as foreseeable as a power outage? It’s fair to say that no one knew what to do.

Many of the same lessons apply to Delta Airlines, though (at least as of this writing) the airline has not yet apologized to the thousands of its passengers who were adversely affected. Delta CEO Ed Bastian, instead, appears to be positioning Delta as another victim of the outage, saying the airline may have lost as much as $50 million and would seek reimbursement from the airport and power company.

I understand the logic here, but I don’t think it's necessarily a good look for Delta. The majority of the flights in and out of the Atlanta Airport are run by Delta or its subsidiaries, and it's not obvious to most people where Delta ends and the airport begins. And Delta wasn’t exactly blameless in all of this, either. It too had put all of its eggs in one electricity basket, and when the power went down, the airline’s employees were left clueless to explain the situation to passengers or offer any informed advice for how passengers should proceed.

To put it more succinctly: As the lights went out, as the lifts stopped running, as the planes froze on the tarmac, as the concessions went silent, and as the passengers stumbled their way through darkened terminals, Delta’s ground staff (often) simply vanished.

The airline couldn't even get it right the next day, Monday (December 18), after the power had been restored. A glitch in Delta's computer system prevented stranded passengers from checking onto their re-booked flights electronically. This pushed tens of thousands of flyers into the arms of a few over-stressed booking agents working the full-service kiosks (the only place where passengers could obtain boarding passes). I waited at one of those kiosks for nearly three hours and missed my first re-booked Pittsburgh connection. This eventually forced me onto a later flight that afternoon. It was chaos. At the time, I had no idea if I was even waiting in the right line, and there was no one around to ask.

These are some of the takeaways for the organizations involved, and I sincerely hope that they learn the right lessons here. But I had some takeaways for myself as well – and by no means were all of these negative.

This image capture from Fox10 television shows planes backed up all over the tarmac. We landed at around 1pm and finally deplaned shortly before 7pm. Photo credit: Fox10 TV.
This image capture from 11Alive (credited to viewer Frank Mullin) shows the interior of the Atlanta Airport in darkness. Photo credit: 11Alive Atlanta.
This television capture shows the Atlanta Airport in darkness on December 17, as the power outage was unfolding. Photo credit: WSB-TV (Atlanta)
This CNN capture from Sunday, December 17, shows the airport interior in near darkness. The outage happened around midday, but lasted until mid-evening -- well after sunset. Photo credit: CNN.

When I finally arrived at my parents’ home in Ohio, not far from the Pittsburgh airport, on Monday evening -- around 40 hours after I started my journey in Prague -- instead of feeling frustrated or angry, I felt oddly elated, fortunate, and even festive. Looking back on the whole episode, I realized I had truly lucked out. If the airline and the airport had let us down (and they did), at least on this trip we could count on the kindness of strangers and our fellow travelers. I'd seen it for myself in person.

The magic seemed to start the moment our plane touched down in Atlanta and we were told we couldn't leave the aircraft. We ended up sitting on the Atlanta tarmac for almost six hours, yet for the entire time we were stranded there, not one passenger (at least no one I noticed) raised his or her voice, panicked, shouted, or even so much as complained. The mood was calm and even upbeat. Every once in a while a flight attendant would bring a round of cold drinks or hot tea.

Once we got the green light to exit the aircraft, the plane taxied to the still-dark terminal so that we could proceed through U.S. customs control (we were an international flight, after all). Clearing U.S. customs is my least favorite part of any trip to the United States, as exhausted travelers flood into the customs areas only to be berated by humorless border-control officers: “U.S. citizens, green-card holders over here! Foreign visitors over there!” I find it confusing and intimidating.

On this evening, though, the mood was entirely different. Instead of irritation, the customs officer greeted the crowd with a touch of humility: “I’m sorry you folks had to spend so much time trapped on the plane,” he said. "Passports, green cards, visas, whatever you have, get in line, and we’ll get you through.” No landing cards were ever collected and the passport screening was comically analog. The screener actually asked me to hold my passport photo up to my face so that he could check the likeness with his flashlight. He looked at the photo and my face a couple of times and said, “Okay, you’re good to go.”

Though Delta ground staff had mostly disappeared, one part of the airline’s passenger-service infrastructure that proved highly useful was their @DeltaAssist Twitter account. I tweeted to this account several times throughout the day to ask for advice, including a tweet at 6.05pm asking whether they thought I had any chance of flying out that night or whether I should give up and try to book a room at a nearby hotel. The helpful reply came quickly: “Try to get a hotel room, Mark.” It was a surprisingly comforting presence.

As a short aside, this stage of the outage highlighted for me how dependent we’ve all become on electrical power and how little we realize its presence in our lives. I’d somehow managed to make it all the way from Prague to Atlanta that day with 30% battery power remaining on my iPhone. This was crucially important since there was no place to charge a phone. Though the AT&T cell network over the airport would fade in and out, I used my phone to reserve a hotel room over Booking.com and to trade a few texts with my parents, who had been scheduled to pick me up in Pittsburgh later that evening.

From my parents' text questions, though, I realized most people probably weren’t grasping what a power outage means in the modern world:

 Mom: Are they feeding you?

(There are no restaurants open and no food available.)

Are they going to get you your bags?

(The conveyor belts cannot operate without power.)

Are they going to put you up in a hotel?

(The staff can’t access their computers.)

Without power, the airline was simply powerless.

I couldn't resist slipping in a picture of the 'Solis Two Porsche Drive' hotel -- a place I grabbed off of Booking.com in less than a minute, but that couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating. Hotel courtesy photo.
Long lines at the counters at the Atlanta Airport on Monday morning. I couldn't check in electronically and I couldn't print my boarding pass. I had no clue what to do -- and neither did anyone else. Photo by Mark Baker.
The scene from early Monday morning, December 18. The lights are on, some of the flights are running, but the airport train that takes passengers between terminals is still out. Photo by Mark Baker.
Monday morning was pandemonium at the airport. A Delta computer glitch wouldn't allow thousands of passenger to check in electronically, leading to huge lines at full-service kiosks. Photo by Mark Baker.

My good fortune continued after I left the customs area and entered the arrivals hall of the terminal. Once outside, my first step was to find a cab. The room I had booked was at a place called the Hotel Solis. It was described as an “airport hotel,” though it didn't appear to be in the airport itself and I had no idea how to get there. The problem was that the line to hail a taxi stretched on for what looked liked at least a football field (100 meters). It would be a long wait.

I hadn’t been standing more than five minutes, though, when I heard someone yell out over the crowd: “Is anyone going to the Hotel Solis and want to share a ride?” I couldn't believe my luck and quickly moved to the front of the line. A mother and her college-age daughter had kindly offered to share their cab.

The Solis turned out to be one of the nicest, or at least best-value, airport hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Sparkling clean, relatively new, luxurious for the setting, and barely over $100 a night. The receptionist couldn’t have been nicer, apologizing for the airport fiasco while handing me a complimentary toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. The restaurant, she said, had great wine and Mediterranean food.

The bar and lobby buzzed throughout the evening, as stranded passengers stood around laughing and gabbing about what they were doing at the airport when the lights went out. I slept like a baby that night.

I set my phone alarm for 5am the next morning. I knew the airport would be a zoo on Monday and I had no idea what the day would bring. I woke up, showered, and made my way downstairs. The lobby was nearly empty at that time of the morning, with only a couple of shuttle drivers sitting around ready to ferry guests back to the airport.

“Can I give you a ride, Mr. Baker? I can take you over right now if you want,” one of the drivers asked.

We hopped into the hotel’s brand-new shuttle van and drove over to the airport in the darkness. I gathered my thoughts for what would be another trying day. As we pulled up to the terminal, the driver turned, smiled, and wished me a Merry Christmas. It didn’t feel perfunctory at all and left me with a warm feeling that would last all the way to Pittsburgh on that particular day.

  1. We often criticize airline companies for all the ways they manage to make our travel more difficult, more expensive, and less comfortable, but it’s worth noting those occasions they actually do the right thing. Shortly after I returned home, I filed an online complaint with Delta asking for compensation for the hotel room I had to rent on Sunday evening. Delta said in the aftermath of the power outage that they would reimburse travelers for hotel rooms, but I was doubtful whether they would actually honor the promise — especially given the fact they could easily argue that the power outage was not their fault.

    I received the following email from Christina Grier, a Delta customer service agent, on December 30. I’m happy to report that Delta will, indeed, pay for the room.

    Hello Mark,

    RE: Case XXXXXXX

    Thank you for reaching out to us to share your concerns about your travel experience from Amsterdam to Atlanta aboard DL9275 on December 17, 2017. Based on your description, I can understand your concern regarding everything that took place during the power outage at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. I tried to contact you by phone and was unsuccessful and I wanted to respond to you as quickly as possible.

    I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience you experienced which was a direct result from the power outage that affected our operation. This situation caught us all off guard and I feel bad it’s made you question our credibility. While we pride ourselves on core behaviors that include trust, integrity and honesty; we also understand the self-importance of having an unfailing system and strong service recovery plan in place.

    We know it hasn’t been easy for our passengers and everyone inconvenienced by this circumstance is our top priority. You stated that you incurred out of pockets expenses for hotel stay that evening your connecting flight to Pittsburgh was canceled. As a goodwill gesture, we will reimburse the charges which totaled $138.23. Please allow 10 to 14 business days to receive the check.

    Again, I’m sorry we let you down. I’ve shared your comments with our Flight Operations and Airport Customer Service leadership teams for internal review to improve our service for your future travel.

    Mark, I love that you are a member of our Frequent Flyer program and your loyalty speaks for itself. I hope that your next flight with us is more memorable.

    Christina Grier
    Customer Care

  2. I was so impressed by the “Solis 2 Porsche Dr Hotel” that after I returned to Prague a few days ago, I wrote the hotel via Twitter to show them the post and thank them for the hospitality:

    “@Solis2PorscheDr I stayed in your hotel last month on the day the Atlanta Airport lost power. It’s a wonderful place and helped make the whole ordeal much more bearable. I write about it here …”

    Today, on Twitter, I received the following very nice reply:

    “We love hearing from our guests! We’re glad that we could be of service @markbakerprague! We look forward to welcoming you back soon.”

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About the author

Mark Baker

I’m an independent journalist and travel writer who’s lived in Central Europe for more than two decades. I love the history, literature, culture, and mystery of this often-overlooked corner of Europe, and I make my living writing articles and guidebooks about the region. Much of what I write eventually finds its way into commercial print or digital outlets, but a lot of it does not.

That's my aim with this travel website: to find a space for stories and experiences that fall outside the publishing mainstream.

You’ll find a mix of stories here. Some will be familiar “what to see and do” travel articles on particular destinations. Others will be tales of “adventure” (usually with a comic twist) from life on the road. I'll also share tips about living in my adopted hometown of Prague and stories from a more-distant (but seemingly ever-present) past, when Central Europe was the “Eastern bloc” and I was a full-time journalist trying my best to cover it. I hope you enjoy.

Tales of Travel & Adventure in Central Europe
Mark Baker


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Marketing Project Manager – Nashville, TN

MarketPro, a marketing recruitment firm, has partnered with a leading consumer brand whose mission is to enrich the lives of those they serve with compassion and integrity. Headquartered in Nashville, TN. We are hiring a Marketing Project Manager to join this #1 market leader who has grown at record speed over the past few years.

The Marketing Project Manager supports the management and development of local and field marketing communications projects, plans and tactics to effectively represent the brand, products, and services delivered nationwide. This role reports directly to the Divisional Directors of Marketing Strategy and also works closely with the internal creative team, external agency partners, marketing owners, and field sales associates to develop and guide marketing plans and advertising placements in support of the communities’ objectives.

  • Manage, guide, review and approve local community-initiated marketing projects through the company’s creative project management platform(s)
  • Marketing projects may include: collateral (flyers, brochures, etc.), ads, emails, direct mail (creative and purchase lists), signage, media guidance and more
  • Proof collateral and related creative
  • Manage process for advertising renewals
  • Works closely with the creative team to guide the creative development process and manages communications regarding project status, progress, timing, etc.
  • Oversees project timelines, estimates and invoicing to ensure projects deliver on-time and within budget
  • Work with a media partner to deliver recommendations on print/broadcast media and provide flight plans that the communities can understand
  • Support marketing planning and execution efforts of community renovation projects underway nationwide as well as program max (addition of new service line) projects
  • Collect and organize the library of best marketing practices delivered by our sales associates
  • Audit and manage the master Competitor Readiness Plan to determine where sales and marketing teams require assistance
  • Develop and manage ongoing communications for Direct Mail campaign sign up process and delivery across Divisions
  • Audit and manage ongoing communications and updates in our marketing planning platform (Big Tin Can)

  • Bachelor’s or BBA degree in communications, journalism, marketing or business-related field
  • 2-4 year(s) experience in marketing, advertising, communications and/or healthcare industry
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
  • Self-motivated with a demonstrated ability to ramp-up quickly and balance multiple tasks
  • Demonstrates strong project management skills
  • Professional and positive approach, self-motivated, team player, ability to work on own initiative
  • Strong written and oral communicator

posted by Melissa Van Rossum

Apply Now

This is a Contract-to-Hire.


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Every child is a star and deserves the right to twinkle

To shine so bright with the beauty of a thousand stars

A child’s lovely eyes sparkles with everlasting joy

The voice of a child is soothing

More soothing than the serenades of a loved one

The smile of a child summons deep emotions within

Emotions that refreshes like an early morning dew

God’s gift of a child

Blesses our lives in too many ways than we can count

A mother’s most priceless jewel is her child

Who can tell of the joy she feels

As she daily cuddles her priceless jewel

Lifting her jewel sky high and peering into those little lovely eyes

Gives her an aura of accomplishment

And a sweet satisfaction no earthly treasure can offer

Her gift of a child is heavenly

And her heavenly gift is her well of joy

Though life may be difficult

As she beholds her jewel and holds it close to her heart

Her slate of life’s miseries disappears at least for a second

And she receives a moment’s comfort and reassurance

And a hope for the future

(A poem dedicated to our little Princess Arya, aka “Sweet Face” 😂. We promise to love you in every way possible to man. May you find fulfilment in your name and may life never defeat you 🙏)

©Mark Gadogbe (McApple), 2018


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Sacrificing Dreams: A Common Reality in Marriage

Sometimes when people sacrifice their dreams for the sake of their partners, they are not really being stupid as some may think them to be. They just found out some things are more important than others, and some worth letting go temporarily or even permanently. There’s no guarantee though, that in the end, they will look back and say their sacrifice was worth it or that they were foolish not to have pursued their dreams.

“Whatever the end will be, it’s not promised…it’s just a chance we all take, hoping for the best, hoping our sacrifices are not taken for granted or end up being in vain”

However, I think when you find someone to share your life with, you realize much more happiness compared to whatever career accomplishment brings when you have no special someone (or family) to share it with. It sure gets lonely at the top having achieved everything, at the expense of love or family.

There are some things that career women especially do not understand. Of course they don’t want anybody to belittle them when they choose career over love or family because gone are the days when a graduate degree was enough to plunge a woman into an early successful career. Today, post-graduate degrees are even no longer a woman’s minimum and though she would settle and start a family, the family aspect must be on hold until she reaches the very peak of her career. Yes, to her, marriage/family must not break the chain because these (career/professional qualifications and aspirations) are no longer things to do after marriage but must come first. Everything else can wait.

That’s good. Yet again, many women (including men) walked this path and in the end became quite desperate and sometimes loneliest of beings. Yes everybody must reach their peak in their career if they can and so desire it, but sometimes I do wish we don’t always choose career over love or family. When you have the opportunity, pursue both if you can; but always strike a balance. Why? Maybe it’s just because I’ve realized many times career never really truly satisfies and leaves us wanting more and more success? Maybe because with career there will always be the next big thing? Plus, it always makes us push love and family every time down the priority list?

In explaining why maintaining a good balance is very important, someone said:

“You might get the perfect job, but if you lose your spouse, that job may not look so perfect in the long run”

The benefits of career accomplishment may never make up for the emotional wreckage. Plus, God always remembers to reward that which was done for others or for the good of all; and not that which must benefit us only.

Many established successful people have indicated that even though it’s always a constant battle between career and family, they will always choose or value family more.

“Why marriage or family will be more important to people than career I believe is because it provides a kind of intimacy, fulfillment and personal attachment that nothing else is able to offer”

William James was quoted in Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as saying “Many men who wouldn’t dream of speaking sharply to a customer, or even to their partners in business, think nothing of barking at their wives. Yet, for their personal happiness, marriage is far more important to them, far more vital, than business. In the same book, Turgenev, the great Russian novelist, who was acclaimed all over the civilized world was quoted as once saying: “I would give up all my genius, and all my books, if there were only some woman, somewhere, who cared whether or not I came home late for dinner

I’m also reminded of a recent discussion with a friend about opportunities and interests. He made a point we both agreed on that, just as some opportunities come but once, so do our interests and desires in and for certain things quickly change with time. As such, one moment you may have a strong interest in something and then the next moment that desire just dies down and is replaced with something else.

He tried to substantiate the point with a story of a guy and a lady who have been dating for quiet some years. Along the line the guy was interested in settling down and starting a family but anytime he brings up the topic of marriage, the lady will say she is not ready because of a tall list of career accomplishments she has to pursue first; as such marriage will stand in her way. Over time, the guy stopped raising the issue of marriage and found something to invest his time and the monies he was apparently saving for marriage in and that now occupied his interest. After some years, the lady (though not having achieved all her list of career dreams or accomplishments) now brings up the topic of marriage and her readiness of starting a family; an interest that has eventually fallen low on the guy’s priority list. And as it is, they are still dating but the interest in marriage and starting a family is now being built slowly. Sad? Maybe.

In today’s world, not every woman lets go of her dreams easily to share in the dreams of a man and build a life together. So let all men respect the women who make sacrifices every day just to stay in their lives.

That’s not to say only women make sacrifices for men; both men and women make career sacrifices in the interest of the other. Marriage is often about sacrifices and compromise, as such, most marriages are presented with such situations. What is important I believe is that couples must try not to let dreams that was very dear to their spouses but had to be sacrificed at some point die completely. Later in life when conditions become favourable to enable the resurrection and pursuit of such dreams, couples must encourage and support each other to achieve those dreams. Dreams postponed only die completely when one’s partner isn’t supportive or when we give up all hopes of making our dreams come through ourselves.

Every partner must thus consciously note every dream that his/her spouse had to sacrifice in the course of their lives together and later (when conditions will allow it) keep reminding and encouraging them to pursue it.

Regardless however, I believe whatever trade-offs we make, we must be ready to accept and live with our choices as we hope for the best out of our marriages.

God help us!

© Mark Gadogbe (McApple), 2017

Marriage & Personal Development Author


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Love your spouse less

Today I read something very intriguing titled “LOVE YOUR SPOUSE LESS” from a marriage devotional:

“…In Matthew 10, Jesus gave a job description to His disciples, which included a warning that following Him would lead fathers to divide from sons and mothers from daughters—it would even lead to enemies in one’s own household. Not the family-friendly message we often associate with Christianity!

Jesus was clear that the disciples’ families could not take priority over the mission He was giving them. On another occasion (recorded in Luke 14), Jesus turned to the large crowds following Him and told them that any man who refuses to hate his wife for the sake of following Him can’t really be a disciple. Yikes!

“Hate your own wife” is probably not the advice you were expecting to receive from a study on marriage. But that’s how Jesus instructs the husbands who were interested in following Him.

Honestly, it’s a message we don’t like to hear. But Jesus was clear: You can’t follow Him if you’re clinging too closely to your family. No relationship takes priority over your relationship with Jesus. If you want to follow Jesus, you can’t even cling to your own life.

Count the cost. That’s how Jesus ended this dialogue in Luke 14. Clinging to Jesus requires loosening your grip—perhaps letting go completely—on every other thing in your life.

Are you sure you want to follow Jesus?”

Stages of marital love

Which stage of love have you reached?

I’ll tell you mine. We’re passed the young love stage and almost now enjoying realistic love…and we gonna stay there for a long time! How cool? 😂🙈

I discovered recently that marital love passes through five stages

young love: years 1–2

realistic love: years 3–10

settled love: years 11–25

renewed love: years 26–35

inconceivable love: years 36+

But what’s important is that you make a decision to enjoy every stage of your marriage. Decide to cherish every moment. Let the beauty of your spouse always be the standard for beauty. Together, break out of the everyday routine again and again.

Believe in and be amazed at the miracle of love, your marriage! It is the biggest adventure on earth!

Love making…

Again, here’s something interesting I want to share from the marriage devotional I’m currently subscribed to that I mentioned in my earlier post God, Sex and Marriage.
Here it goes…
What Kind Of Love Are You Making?
No, God didn’t make a mistake! Imagine that you and your spouse lived in sexual utopia. You always want to have sex at exactly the same time and the same way. Every initiation is met with an eager response. There is never any conflict about foreplay, being too tired, giving each other pleasure or trying something new in bed because your desires are always exactly the same.  How fantastic would that be? It would be almost like the sex portrayed in movies–what a great love life!
God, the creative Creator certainly could have made sex that way. He could have created man and woman to be exactly the same sexually. But He didn’t. In fact, He intentionally made us vastly different.
Did God make a mistake? Did He “mess up” the master design of sex by making a husband and wife so diverse? Does He sit up in heaven and laugh that we can’t seem to please each other?
Remember that even before sin entered the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had primary sexual differences in the way God created them. God declared His creation of man and woman “very good” and this very good included your sexual differences.
God’s design for sex is NOT just for immediate exquisite pleasure (although He is all for that). But God has a much more beautiful gift of intimacy for you and your spouse to open than what the world says sex is about. Here’s the catch. It requires a different kind of love.
Sex is designed to be more than an expression of love between a husband and wife. It is also the refining fire of love. It tests and teaches a willing man and woman to reach beyond their natural desires and learn what servant love really is.
The world knows only of a love that feels good. We are born with the natural response to “love” those who meet our physical and emotional needs. This kind of natural love is essentially self-love. It really says, “I love the way you make me feel.”
The differences between you and your spouse will ultimately ask you a question: am I a servant lover or a selfish lover? God is very concerned about what kind of love you are making!
Action Step: Ask your spouse, with an open heart, how can I be a servant lover to you?
Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did? Share your thoughts with me in the comment box. Cheers!
Mark Gadogbe (McApple), 2017
Marriage & Personal Development Author

Caring for others…

The people we take care of in life in whatever way (our children, spouses, siblings, parents, etc) are not to be seen as burdens…

It is a privilege that God uses us to take care of them…

Cos with or without us, He’ll still take care of them anyways.

He’s GOD…and nobody can best Him in taking care of His children…

So the next time you are blessed with the responsibility of taking care of someone,

Do not think you are doing him/her a favour (maybe u are)…

But more importantly, you are doing God a favour!!

And He’ll surely pay you back…HE NEVER OWES ANYBODY!!!

Well, that much I know….

Everyone has beauty but not everyone sees it

But the beauty of a good wife speaks and shows for itself

A timeless beauty that is reflected in her soul

One that grows exponentially with each passing day

One that is evident in the passion she glamorously exhibits

And the unadulterated love she offers

Her heart is a fountain of unceasing love and forgiveness

Nothing measures up to the depth of warmth

And the fondness felt in the embrace of a good wife

In her embrace her spouse feels a sense of peace and security

In her embrace her spouse feels never alone

And never forgotten

In a world that can be so cruel

For your many beautiful acts of love

I say thank you, my love, my wife, my beautiful

On this International Women’s Day

For thou oh Julia art a woman worth celebrating everyday

© Mark Gadogbe (McApple), 2017

Marriage & Personal Development Author

Control and manipulation…

There are no lessons to be learned when a husband dominates his wife. There are no inspiring examples to emulate when a wife manipulates a husband. Marriage shows us that we are not all there is; it calls us to give way to another, but also to find joy, happiness, and even ecstasy in another.
~~Gary Thomas

Affection before perfection!

Though there are no perfect people and relationships/marriages, it is possible that you can get to a point where you can say confidently of your partner that he/she is the “perfect” partner for you and you can’t think of anything that you would wish changes. And we can get there when we strive to offer affection before seeking perfection out of our spouses.

Affection constitutes tender expressions that result in feelings of closeness, passion, and security and results in marital satisfaction, intimacy, approval, hope, and pleasure…which can bring about perfection. For marriage to thrive, it needs frequent doses of affection which is a vital necessity for connecting with one’s spouse.

In the words of Hallifield Cosgayne O’Donnoghue:

Our husbands and wives however good, virtuous, or amiable, are yet mortal, and have the imperfections of their earthly origin: but still there are ten thousand graces and virtues, as strong to retain affection, as they were at first to conciliate it.  Let it be the endeavour of both parties to cultivate a kind and affectionate feeling; let not all the little acts of attention and kindness which first won esteem and marked the progress of attachment, be permitted to terminate when it is of most importance to preserve its endearment. The cares of life will sufficiently operate to cool and freeze the current of affection; but a prompt and ready attention to every wish, an anticipation of every want, a well-timed offering, in memory of a wedding or birthday, will revive affection, and warm the coolness which would otherwise steal insensibly over the heart and affections.

Affection is vital for all healthy human relationships and when spouses cultivate the habit of being affectionate towards each other, they become emotionally bonded in a near-perfect way. Conjugal affection especially is like a delicate plant; be careful you don’t trample it. 🙂

God help us to increase the affection in our marriages!

© Mark Gadogbe (McApple)

Image source:

Marriage Rut…

“It is rare to find a couple as madly in love with each other as they were when they were dating. Most marriages have fallen into a routine; a boring, lifeless and discouraging routine. If you have kids, then it seems to be even harder to find time to connect with your spouse”

Image source:

My late Granny once advised someone:

Women are many but wives are few.

I didn’t understand at the time. Now I do.

Mark Gadogbe (McApple)

PS: If you like it, keep not! Comment, share…and subscribe!

Image source:

Welcome to Wives Night

Real giving is when we give to our spouses what’s important to them, whether we understand it, like it, agree with it, or not.

—Michele Weiner-Davis

Image source:

The Giving Praise Challenge


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There were a few anxious moments spent as a photo finish was called on the last race at Gosford on Thursday 13th October 2016.

What a thrill it was to see Righteous Mate called the winner of the De Bortelli Wines Maiden Plate, albeit by a nostril, for our very good friends and stalwart supporters Patrick Lee and Keith Lam.

Drawn wide, not a lot went right in the running of the 1600m race not for horse or rider Tommy Berry, but in the final stages with just 200m to go Righteous Mate burst through a gap and boldly took on the John Thompson trained leader Sans Cliché.

Righteous Mate is still learning his craft but showed he has the tenacity and resolve of a much more experienced horse and has the potential to take us all on the ride of our lives. Watch this space….


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The ancient civilization of Tomato People is under the invasion of a Tyrant Insectoid Empire turning them into canned food in orden to feed their army.

Play as Captain Tom Atom, who must fly his way out of an Insectoid Canning Factory in a desperate attempt to free himself and find salvation for his red juicy kind.

 This addictive never-ending, single-button runner game counts with intricate paths, catchy music and deadly traps that will ensure tons of fun.

No tomatoes were injured during the production of this videogame.

Download NowName your own price

Click download now to get access to the following files:

Tom Atom v07.rar 19 MB
Tom Atom [36 hs version] 188 MB
Tom Atom SOUP 37 MB
Tom Atom v02[Test Build].apk 61 MB

Log in with to leave a comment.

Just gave it a go. It's a pretty fun small game. The music was fitting, all of the art was amazing, and animations were really good! Hope you enjoy the video!


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Where There’s Smoke There’s Falla

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

It’s as if last week never happened.  The falla outside the balcony has gone up in flames and disappeared; traffic is once again flowing down Borrull; the street has been cleared of all debris; the sun has disappeared and it is raining heavily; and Rachel left for the airport at 5:00 AM this morning.  What a treat it was to have her here for the week.  Valencia reanimated her.  She did a ton of walking and took close to one thousand photos.  She got to meet many, but not all, of our friends and, most importantly of all, the three of us got to spend time together.

Yesterday it seemed that Valencia was saving the best for last in terms of decibels.  The mascletá in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento echoed through the streets of the city and once it was over the air was filled with the sounds of other mascletás all over the city.  The one on the Gran Vía did not go off until 3:00 and I got a perfect view of it from our balcony.  Rachel and Susan watched it from street level.

Rachel spent most of the afternoon packing her suitcase and working on the photos she took.  I spent most of the afternoon on the couch with my leg elevated and occasionally applying ice to the knee.  It is feeling better and there are moments, soon after I have taken the medication, when I am able to walk with almost no pain.  I am hopeful that today’s treatment – the first of I don’t know how many – will succeed in removing the accumulated fluid and will restore my mobility to where it was previously.

Around 9:00 PM the falla outside our balcony was moved down the street to the intersection of Borrull and Botánico where it could be away from neighboring buildings.  There had been a constant report of firecrackers since 3:00 PM and the rhythm of the explosions did not diminish one whit as the night progressed.  At 11:00 Susan and Rachel ventured forth to witness the burning of some of the fallas.  At 2:00 AM, as they were about to light the falla of Pilar the skies opened up and it began to pour and Rachel and Susan sought shelter under a nearby portico.  They returned home thoroughly drenched and napped briefly before the alarm went off at 4:30.  They dressed and went downstairs to meet the cab that was waiting outside our front door.  As I write this she is forty-five minutes into her flight to San Francisco. Today’s photos are courtesy of Susan.

Here is a link to a video of the Cremat http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/valencia.html

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to Where There’s Smoke There’s Falla

  1. Pete Biro says:

    I think it was YOU on the TV News here showing coverage of the event…. one group shot sure looked like you were in it, holding up a camera. Great coverage on FOX News.

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text:
Est 1987. Servicing all of Melbourne

Upholstery & Reupholstery Lysterfield

With over 30 years of excellence in upholstery and reupholstery, Marty Teare has only brought quality furniture upholstery services for his clients in Lysterfield. We recognise that quality is what our Lysterfield market appreciates.

Marty Teare is the Lysterfield upholstery and reupholstery specialist. His work spans from customised lounge suits, chairs and sofas. Aesthetically pleasing bespoke commercial upholstery in hotels, clubs, pubs are his speciality!

Most people have an “old” item of furniture at home which needs rescuing. Do you have a family hand-me-down, something that you picked up from the second-hand shop, or a valuable antique that you would like to revive? Let our team transform your beloved piece of furniture for you!

No job is too big or small for the team of professionals at Marty Teare. You can count on them to work their magic to restore, rejuvenate, and reupholster your furniture.

Marty Teare is your trusted upholsterer in Lysterfield that has both the expertise and consistency in quality work. Look no further than Marty Teare Upholstery for your furniture transformation needs.

Marty Teare Upholstery & Reupholstery Lysterfield offers the following services:
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Get in contact with Marty Teare today for superior upholstery and reupholstery across Lysterfield.


text:
Mary Dickson Diaz

Code, Life, Learning

Month: August 2015

voices that matter

I came across this article by Rainier Beach HS student Ifrah Abshir. It’s terrific, I encourage everyone to read the whole thing:

Fighting Inequality In Seattle, Students Lead Protests to Change School and Transit Policies

Some highlights (emphasis mine):

As a black and Muslim immigrant, I could write for days about the ways in which my family has experienced racism in the United States – both at the individual and institutional levels. Being a young person, one of the primary sources of the institutional racism I experience is the public school system.

The school I currently attend is Rainier Beach High School, located in South Seattle. Although Seattle is one of the most homogeneous major cities in the country, with nearly 70% of the population being white, my neighborhood in the South End is very much the opposite. In fact, a few years ago the neighborhood where my school is located, 98118, was considered to be among the most diverse zip codes in the country.

At Beach, we have approximately 95% students of color and over 50 languages spoken, making us the most diverse school in the Seattle School District. Nearly nine in ten students here receive free/reduced lunch, meaning the majority of us come from low income families, many of whom are immigrants. These statistics are exactly why I selected Beach when choosing a high school. I wanted to receive my education in a diverse multi-cultural setting. I didn’t want to be the only brown girl in my class. I wanted to belong.

Rainier Beach HS has experienced a renaissance in the last few years, sparked largely by the new International Baccalaureate program that “came to Rainier Beach largely at the insistence of South End parents desperate to make the school more attractive to families.” They also have a TEALS program wherein Microsoft employees teach classes in computer science. The author of the piece above credits this program with sparking a love for computer programming:

The editorial calls for two immediate changes for Rainier Beach students:

#1: End Seattle Public School’s ‘Walk-Zone rule’ that requires students who live within 2.5 miles of their school to walk or pay for their own public transportation. This negatively impacts low-income students who are less likely to have access to a car or a ride to school. As Ifrah lays out:

“The cost of a round trip bus ticket to school is $3 a day. To put this in perspective, remember that 88% of students at RBHS have free or reduced lunch. This means their family’s income is low enough that they cannot afford $1.50 a day for lunch. If a student cannot afford $1.50 a day for lunch, how can they be expected to pay for a bus that costs twice as much as lunch? Does that make any sense at all?”

I live in this zip code, and I technically fall within the ‘Walk-Zone.’ Google Maps says it would take me 45 minutes to walk to the school. That’s 45 minutes along the city’s most dangerous street (though I applaud the changes the city has finally started to make, narrowing parts of Rainier from four lane to two lane with turn lane). I would definitely not walk this, and I wouldn’t drive either: I would take the bus. Get these kids ORCA cards, that seems like a no-brainer.

hell no, that's not happening.

hell no, that’s not happening.

#2: Renovate the building to get it up to code both structurally and with the latest innovations in learning technology:

‘Built in 1960, our school is the only one in the district that has not yet received a full renovation. Just last year we had nearly 15 power outages, some of them causing us to attend school in the dark and cold, or even to close school for the day. Our school still has chalkboards, whereas schools in whiter and more affluent neighborhoods have smart boards and more advanced technological tools that enhance student learning. Each year, students here organize walk outs and protests, and attend school board and city hall meetings – but we only receive promises of a new building. Promises that go unfulfilled.

Students who face additional barriers to learning due to the challenges of living in poverty deserve more learning tools, not less. I mean, watch this: students walk out over aging school. That’s from 2012!

One last bit of insult to injury:

‘After the Day of Social Action, a representative from the school board came and visited our site, telling us the district had heard us loud and clear and would work to achieve the changes we asked for as quickly as possible. The school board suggested we send letters to the mayor as a follow-up, because they would need the city council to be on board. Interestingly enough, when I spoke to the mayor, he told me we should be speaking with the school district to get the results we were looking for.’

Government bureaucracies famous for giving people the run-around, why should our kiddos receive different treatment?

I share because I’m inspired by Ifrah and students like her, activist students demanding equal educational opportunities from school and city systems that have largely ignored them for too long. I’m inspired because it’s working: since the IB program, the school’s graduation rates are up to 79%, greater than the district average.

Whatever path my new career takes me, I hope it’s one where I can contribute to empowering young people through technology and direct action. If my past work in education reform has taught me anything, it’s that change will come from students and parent advocates. Doing things *to* a community doesn’t work. Rainier Beach HS is a stunning example of what’s possible when a community bands together to yell “this is what we need,” and makes it happen. My hope is that the changes that have worked will be sustainable after initial grant funding runs out, and that calls for even more school improvements (like ending the walk zones and upgrading the building) will be impossible to ignore. If this student is any indication of the student self-efficacy brewing at RBHS, they won’t go down without a fight.

reviewing the rails tutorials

so you want to build pizza dot net? try rails!

so you want to build pizza dot net? try Rails!

Hey everyone!  This is my last week as a ‘person of leisure’ before class starts up in full force next Monday.  I received a coursework invitation, and the first assignment is to answer the question: “How was your Rails tutorial?” to which I respond, “…which one?

Before I even saw the question I was considering a run-down on the Rails online tutorials I tried, what I learned, recommended order, and which ones are worth salt. So, here goes! These are roughly ranked in “do this first” order unless otherwise stated.

Michael Hartl – Rails Tutorial

oops my cow is upside down

oops my cow is upside down

Continue reading

diving into the oh heck

This is a process post. Or, how I think through possible courses of action when I hit a roadblock.

Screen Shot 2015-08-16 at 8.41.12 PM

I’ve been making my way through Ruby the Hard Way bit by bit and I had a lot of fun this weekend with exercise 45, “you make a game.” This book and the Python version are both great learning tools for the language, and now that I’m getting to the end I see it’s a great tool for learning the basics of web deployment as well. *More than once* I have gone off on a side tangent and scoured the internet for a solution to my problem, only to be redirected back to the book and find that it addresses my question several exercises later.

I like my game, a simple text adventure based on Adrienne Rich’s poem ‘Diving into the Wreck,’ so much that I want to share it on the web with you, and that kicked off the latest rabbit hole. I still haven’t found a solution to this, so if any of you out there know enough to help me out, I would greatly appreciate it!

Here’s where I’m at:

Continue reading

building the #notbot

It started with Peter and the Wolf.

I’ve been wanting to play with Markoved text for some time, using books available in the public domain, easily accessible via Gutenberg. The idea in my head was to create a Twitter bot that would mash Peter Pan together with Call of the Wild (although later I realized that Beowulf would be the better option) and tweet lines from the merged books. As I dug into this project, I realized that the mash-up text wasn’t really interesting enough to hold its own as a bot, but I did like combining different texts to see the results. After while I realized that the *more interesting* challenge would be to build an app where any two (or more) Gutenberg texts can be combined. Behold, the #notbot! Screen Shot 2015-08-15 at 7.55.06 PM

(And yes, I got my Peter and the Wolf in there.) Go play, and then come back and I will show you how I built it:

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memo to my younger self

Consider this a #tbt.

sophomore English major w/ill-advised eyebrow ring

I’ve made a lot of decisions (or, in failing to make a decision, reinforced the path I was on) re: education, career, and life, and for the most part I regret none of it. All my cumulative life experiences exist to put me exactly where I need to be today. And here is a good place! So in the hypothetical “what would you say to your college self if you could go back” I’d probably say — this is a nice gig so enjoy it, be kind to your friends/family and yourself. Everything is going to take longer than you think now, but you’ll get there.

You know: heavy on validation, easy on specifics.

If I could, though, I’d be like JUST ONE THING: will you please take at least one statistics class and intro to economics. At some point in my college tenure I decided that I didn’t want to study those things, so I didn’t. I, in fact, *rejected a major in journalism* because it required those electives.

And there’s precedent for me taking college classes not because I had to but because it seemed like the right thing to do — throughout my k-12 schooling, “calculus” always seemed like the pinnacle of stuff smart people learn, so I took calculus. I bet if my older, wiser, more attractive self came to visit college Mary, I could have convinced myself to take some stats classes. This has always been my Achilles Heel as I’ve explored career paths that involve any type of number crunching (and most do).

So let’s talk data science.

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riding rails (for fun and profit)

At the end of my interview, the instructor asked, “Soooo… what are you doing in September?”

And just like that, I snagged a spot in Code Fellows coveted Ruby on Rails development accelerator, an 8 week full-time bootcamp designed to jump-start a career in web development. Hi-fives for everyone!

I was nervous but well-prepared going into the interview. Keeping this website and writing about what I’m learning has been a good way to internalize it and work out “talking points.” I was glad that I took some time to clean up my portfolio site ( since that was one of the first questions asked, “do you have a projects site we can look at?” Why YES indeed I do!

I have a month to prepare, so I updated The Plan with what I’m working on before class starts. In a nutshell:

  • get some more perspectives on Ruby on Rails, and learn as much as I can about Rails apps
  • review JavaScript (two weeks of the DA will focus on this) and practice it via some hands-on projects
  • bone up on algorithms and core programing concepts

I’m also going to try to take care of some of those pesky “life” tasks. I finally renewed the car registration (they give you two years in Washington before you have to get an emissions test), and I need to set up my new health insurance and convert to life as a married person.

At times throughout this process I’ve felt a bit aimless, so it’s good to be entering into a period of intense, highly structured time focused on becoming career-ready. And, much as I’m currently feeling “let’s get this show ON THE ROAD” it all happened exactly when it needed to, and not before.

Thanks for coming along for the ride. More adventures to come!

watch someone code something weird

Last week Darius Kazemi made a twitter bot via live-code. It’s really fun to see his thought process and trial/error. He plays with RiTa for JavaScript, a natural language processor (which ironically, might be exactly what I need for a non-bot project… stay tuned!).

He uses Node, JavaScript, and something called “grunt” to initiate the project (starts at 7 mins in if you want to skip ahead).

Josh walked in while I was watching and commented “Darius is such a great teacher.” He is! Love to see this live coding.

Maybe I will attempt a live-code (or record-code) session. Could be a good way to get over my fear of video and also impose a strict “make something in an hour” timeline.

I have a month to play (more on that to come as well) so this is all timely. 🙂 Enjoy!

p.s. this post is for Jessie, my favorite/only reader.

© 2020 Mary Dickson Diaz

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑


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Great Beginning! June 15-17, 2019

My first stop on this 2 month trip was in Houston. A BMM missionary has been working with a small church in a town close to Houston. It was wonderful meeting the church family and BMM family members! There are two retired BMM missionary couples also helping at that church! It was a blessing to hear stories about how God has been and is continuing to bless the church. Small churches can be very difficult to get self-supporting. It was truely a blessing to be given the opportunity to share what God is doing in England in both Sunday morning services, kids Sunday School class and Jr. Church. For Jr. Church and Sunday school I was also given the privilege of teaching the Bible story. It was so much fun!! The picture below is of one of my adult presentations, but the special fact about this presentation is that it was my first time to use an interpreter other than ASL interpreters.

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black diamond
black diamond

AAA Black Diamond

This strain is recommended to be used as a nighttime smoke by insomnia patients as this highly sedative. This can be used for alleviating pains, muscle spasms, nausea and anxiety. Furthermore, Black Diamond tends to cause hunger in the users and hence can be used by the people who suffer from loss of appetite.

Indica Dominant Hybrid 70% Indica / 30% Sativa

THC: 18% – 24%, CBN: 1%

Earn up to 300 Mary Rewards.

Black Diamond, which is otherwise referred to as ‘Black Diamond OG’ and sometimes as ‘Black Diamond OG Kush’, is the medical marijuana strain which is bred in the Northern California region as clone-only strain. This is an indica-dominant strain and is considered as a rare strain. The THC levels of this strain range between 18 and 24%. The buds of the plant will be remarkably frosted with few of the remarkable trichomes. The buds contain orange-colored hairs which are long and thin shooting out of the denser bugs. The aroma of this particular strain is found to be earthy and musky and will be more or less like that of red wine. When the users sniff-up closer, this strain smells highly pungent. The taste would be similar to the smell and the taste of strong indica will be left in the user’s throat for some time.

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Beyond The Wire, Maryland racing’s expanded aftercare program, had a successful soft launch Preakness Stakes week and through the end of May had taken in three racehorses from three different trainers.

Beyond The Wire Logo FINAL

Designed to strengthen Thoroughbred aftercare in Maryland by providing more stable funding and increasing accountability for the whereabouts and welfare of equine participants, the program is financially supported by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Maryland Jockey Club, as well as owners and jockeys who contribute on a per-start or per-mount basis.

Applications were approved for Charlie Bravo, a 5-year-old City Zip horse trained by Lacey Gaudet; D’Humerus, a 4-year-old D’Funnybone gelding trained by John Hartsell Jr.; and Smart Dixie Jones, a 5-year-old Smarty Jones gelding trained by Valora Testerman. All three raced most recently in Maryland, which is one of the criteria for entering the racehorse retirement program.

“It went really well,” said Jessica Hammond, administrator of Beyond The Wire and counseling administrator for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “People have been asking questions about the program, and trainers in Maryland have been helping to promote it. Some seem surprised at how fast we can go through the process and get a horse moved to one of our Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited facilities.”

Beyond The Wire has partnerships with two such farms in Maryland: Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue in Chesapeake City and the Foxie G. Foundation in Union Bridge. Hammond said Smart Dixie Jones went to Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue, while Foxie G took in Charlie Bravo and D’Humerus.

Others also play an important role in the process. Maryland Veterinary Group performed the required examinations on the initial three horses in the program for free while Steve Pettit shipped them to the farms at a reduced rate.

“They’re donating services and time, and we’re grateful for it,” Hammond said. “They’ve been fantastic. The vets and shippers are invaluable to the program.”

Beyond The Wire and its partner farms received exposure to the general public Preakness week when they participated in four days of the popular morning Stable Tours, which attracted thousands to Pimlico. Many of the visitors inquired about racehorse aftercare and expressed thanks to the industry for taking care of its own.

Hammond participated in the two-day International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses May 17-18 in Washington, D.C., to learn about various practices in other countries. A key component of the retirement and re-homing process is traceability, and it was discussed during the conference.

“The whole point is to get an idea of the number of Thoroughbreds that are retiring and need assistance from aftercare programs,” Hammond said. “It not only provides numbers but provides an extra level of security to make sure these horses end up in good places.”

Beyond The Wire doesn’t require an application fee but does suggest a donation fee when a horse enters the program. The partner farms assist in finding new homes for the retirees as they transition from racing to other disciplines.

More information is available at www.beyondthewire.org.

More News

First stakes winner for Imagining

Anchor and Hope Farm’s freshman sire Imagining was represented by his first stakes winner when his son Monday Morning Qb captured the $100,000 Heft in his stakes debut at Laurel Park on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Read more ...

Majestic Reason triumphs in Willa On the Move Stakes

Hillwood Stable LLC and Richard L. Golden’s Majestic Reason finished out the year with a bang as she forged ahead to win the $100,000 Willa On the Move Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Laurel Park on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Read more ...

Monday Morning Qb scores in Heft

Monday Morning Qb remained unfazed by a longer distance at a new track as he captured his first stakes in the $100,000 Heft for 2-year-olds on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Laurel Park.

Read more ...


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Machine Translation

5 Tips for Developing a Global-Friendly Website

The International Business Series is brought to you by UPS. Discover the new logistics. It levels playing fields and lets you act locally or globally. It's for the individual entrepreneur, the small business, or the large company. Put the new logisti...


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Warren Platner sideboard for Knoll International USA 1973

Item description

Monumental sideboard designed by Warren Platner for Knoll International, USA 1973. This super quality sideboard is extremely heavy and made of solid wood details, covered with leather on chrome plated steel legs. 5 Doors with mirrored insides, plenty of storage, with the original key and working locks. Have a look at the matching desk we have.

Price : € SOLD Quantity : 1 Contact us Share

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Designer: Warren Platner
Type: Sideboard
Manufacturer: Sideboard
Year: 1973
Country: USA
Materials: Leather, mahogany, metal
Condition: Good, minor wear to leather
Height: 74 cm
Width: 240 cm
Depth: 50/60 cm

Please contact us for affordable and none profit global shipping quotes. We provide white glove, express and sea freight shipping options. Contact our shipping department for a non-binding shipping quote, you will get a response within 48 hours.

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Sustainable comfort guarantee Matelas Houde

Warranty 10 years

Sleep insurance Matelas Houde

Insurance 120 Nights Trial

Mattresses made in Quebec

Made in Québec

Available financing

Financing Available

As its name suggests, the POUPON collection is designed for babies under 3 years old. Made of Duraflex high density soy foam, it provides firm support recommended for the development of the baby’s spine. Covered with waterproof fabrics, it is easy to clean.

Choose a firmness and size

Best choice in Eastern Townships according to the survey of

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Assurance sommeil 120 nuits

120-Night Sleep Trial

Because a mattress is an important purchase, we offer a 120-Night Sleep Trial. If you are not completely satisfied with the comfort of your mattress, we will exchange it at no extra cost within 120 nights of delivery.

Matelas fabriqués à Sherbrooke

Made right here in Eastern Townships

When you buy a Houde mattress, you’re buying a locally made superior quality product. Our 84-year history of innovation and service speaks for itself. At Matelas Houde, you’re sure to find the comfort of your dreams!

Matelas de qualité Houde

Quality Without Compromise

At Matelas Houde, you’re buying directly from the manufacturer. By eliminating the middleman, we’re able to invest more than leading brands in the quality of our mattress materials. That means you get a higher quality and longer-lasting mattress for the same price!

Customer satisfaction Matelas Houde Join more than 500,000 customers who are already getting a better night’s sleep

It’s no secret that our customers are extremely satisfied. See for yourself.


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North Toronto Collegiate Institute Land Swap is a Good Idea

Thu Nov 22 12:36:42 2007 EST (-0500 GMT)

The North Toronto Collegiate Institute land swap, in which the school swapped land with the developer Tridel to allow them to build two condos on their land if they also build a new school, is an example of public officials being resourceful, not selling out. Here’s the CBC article.

Recently I mentioned to Lindsay that I was thinking of running for our condo-board president on a platform of being the first socialist condo board and doubling our condo fees in order to start a local daycare and to use one of our homes as a homeless shelter. That campaign has yet to begin.

Despite my own plans, I like this North Toronto Collegiate Institute plan. The specifications for the condos were drafted by the communities involved then given to Tridel (not argued over after it was proposed by the developer); the new school will not be named after Tridel and there is no other synergistic nomenclature in use, and the TDSB will continue to build new schools that only meet the highest standards for energy use.

The government should be building schools and can’t abdicate this role to the private sector, but this is a good move. Real estate, education, health and safety, city planning, etc. all converge on the issue of building schools and their is no single solution and assuming that the money to build schools can only come from one source does not reflect the complexity of the issue.

This plan is good for central Toronto and demonstrates that the TDSB is creative, reasonable and not full of ideologues. I can only assume this demonstrates the best meaning of “running government like a business” (as opposed to its most common meaning: “I don’t care how crapy things get, I’m not paying my taxes”).

When it comes time to rebuild the next school let no level of government suggest that the TDSB is not worthy of more funds because they clearly put more thought into what to do with their funds then those that refuse to hand it out do into their denials.

Comments are closed.


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Oral Conscious Sedation

With oral conscious sedation, you can feel completely relaxed during your appointment with Dr. Matt Hall! Oral sedation is a great option for patients who may not want to have a treatment due to anxiety, fear, or stress. Call Hall Family Dental at 916-451-0407 to make your appointment with our dentist and to learn more about oral conscious sedation in Sacramento, California.

Oral sedation is a form of conscious sedation that we may recommend to ensure you have a comfortable experience each time you visit our office. Administered in pill form, oral sedation is simple and easy to use. Because oral sedation is a form of conscious sedation, you will remain awake during the treatment, but you will feel more relaxed and at ease. There are many other benefits to sedation dentistry, including:

  • With oral sedation, you simply need to take a pill. It is quick and easy to use.
  • There are no needles involved.
  • It produces the necessary amnesic effect for a comfortable experience.
  • Oral sedation typically costs less than other forms of sedation.

If you and our dentist determine that oral sedation is right for you, you will be prescribed a pill that will help you relax. You will also receive instructions to take the pill before your scheduled appointment; be certain to follow the specific instructions included with your pill. It is important that you have a family member or friend drive you to and from your appointment to provide maximum safety to yourself and others. When you arrive at our office, you will be awake but extremely relaxed. You may feel drowsy, and it is not unusual for you to not remember all of the details of your appointment.

For more information about the benefits of oral sedation and how we can make your visit more comfortable, please call our office today.


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Hello from the Maverick Render Team!

Maverick is airborne, and here’s our statement:

We are focused on shaping our software to the needs of product designers, visualizers, and marketing specialists.

On this blog we will talk about new features, progress in development, and other topics of interest to our community of users. Like… did you know that we upgrade Maverick Studio very often, and there is usually a new build every Friday? Development moves fast here, and here is the changelog with the most recent upgrades we’ve made.

Wait. What? You’re not a user yet? Oh my! Grab our 30-day trial and use it even for commercial work if you want.

Feel free to share your feedback with us by mail, or through our social networks, like Instagram or Youtube.

Have fun rendering!


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Vision and Beliefs

UpWords Ministries and exist to help people take one step closer to Jesus.

God’s story is a story of love and redemption. The story or message that most clearly shows this redemptive love is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (I John 3:16). Paul says this message is of “first importance” (I Corinthians 15:3). As God reveals his nature through the stories of the Bible, the following teachings emerge as the central core doctrines.

There is one true God, eternally existing in three Persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. These are equal and are one God. God created the world out of nothing and by his power he sustains all he has created. (Romans 8:22-25; Ephesians 1:13-14).

Jesus Christ

Jesus was miraculously born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35) and became flesh and blood (John 1:1-16; 29-34) without ceasing to be God. He lived a sinless life and performed many miracles to confirm his divinity. He died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice, paying the debt for our sins (Mark 10:45). On the third day after his death he arose from the dead showing his victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He appeared to his disciples and then ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God serving as our mediator.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son. He makes people aware of their need for Christ (John 16:8-11, 2 Corinthians 6:11). He indwells and empowers the believer (I John 4:13; Galatians. 5:16-26). His presence in our life is a seal and guarantee that we are God’s children (2 Corinthians 1: 21-22). The Holy Spirit gives believers spiritual gifts (talents or an abilities) (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 12:4-8) to be used to help others.

Baptism is an act of obedience and demonstrates our devotion to Jesus as Lord and Savior. A position paper, written by Max Lucado, is available for further explanation.  Baptism: A Demonstration of Devotion

The Bible is the inspired word of God and is the final authority in life and doctrine (2 Timothy 3: 16).

Salvation is a free gift of God. The death of Christ on the cross is the only sufficient payment for our sins. All have sinned, but all can be saved. This salvation is available for any who put their trust in Christ as Savior (Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16). Those trusting Christ should repent of sin, confess their faith, and be baptized (Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38).

The church is the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of reaching the lost and discipling the saved, helping them become fully devoted followers of Christ (Ephesians 4: 1-16).

Christ’s Return

Christ will one day return and judge all people (1Thessalonians 4:13-18). Unbelievers will be separated from God’s presence in Hell and believers will be welcomed in God’s presence in Heaven.

At UpWords we sincerely try to follow the Bible and its teachings. However, our ability to logically figure everything out is not the basis for our acceptability before God. Our salvation is based on what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. What we must be right about is the fact that we cannot be right about everything and are therefore completely dependent on God’s graciousness and mercy.


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MAXXRAXX 4 Bicycle Voyager FlangeFixed Tow Bar Mounted Cycle Carrier Black

£ 260.00
Product Code: 10MA41
Weight: 11.9 kg

11 items in stock
Add to cart

The 4 Bicycle Voyager FlangeFixed Cycle Carrier Black is for use on a flange ball tow bar and has a maximum load capacity of 80kg. All MaxxRaxx Cycle Carriers have a tilting facility, an inbuilt security cable, and our unique ratchet tie-down mechanism. They come supplied with fixing bolts, locating pins and 2 padlocks for added security. All our cycle carriers are robustly built from structural steel and this one is finished in a textured matt black powder coating. Its modular design allows the Cycle Carrier to be converted as and when you require it. Whether you increase or decrease the number of bicycles, or you change your vehicle and/or Tow Bar type.

All Land Rover Freelander 2 owners please contact MaxxRaxx directly for further information before purchasing the FlangeFixed 2 Bolt type Cycle Carrier.

Features & Benefits of the MaxxRaxx 4 Bicycle Voyager FlangeFixed Cycle Carrier

Setting Up and Getting going

  • Cycle Carrier Adaptor permanently bolts behind the Tow ball (DIY). Suitable for carrying up to 2 bicycles on a two-bolt flange tow bar (Fixed or detachable versions).
  • Lightweight carrier (11.9KG) with a load capacity of 80kg, suitable for carrying up to 4 bicycles (75KG S-Value required for this carrier). PLEASE CHECK YOU NOSE WEIGHT RATING/ S-VALUE OF YOUR TOW BAR IF EXCEEDING 75KG
  • Carrier dimensions: height above tow ball 81cm, length 66cm
  • Tilts with bicycles loaded for easy access to the rear of your vehicle.
  • Bicycles are gripped firmly and held clear of your vehicle to prevent damage to paintwork and keeps them in line with the S-Tube whilst you tilt the cycle carrier.
  • Easy to fit and use, no extra straps required to secure the bicycles.
  • Strong ratchet and MAXXRAXX Cycle Cradles hold bicycles securely.
  • NB. AUXX Safety Straps are not included in our 2 Bicycle Cycle Carriers (They are included as 15AS02 if you purchase any of our Cycle Carriers for 3 bicycles and more). However, you will need to purchase as an extra 15AS02 (Black) or 15AS04 (DayGlo) AUXX Safety Straps if you intend to carry 2 E-Bikes on a 2 bicycle cycle carrier. Please contact MaxxRaxx for further information on this and as to why they are required.

Bicycle Security whilst on the Cycle Carrier

  • Built-in security cable can be locked into the Top Beam with one of the keyed alike padlocks supplied securing the bicycles to the carriers. The carrier is locked to the tow ball adaptor with the second of the keyed alike padlocks supplied.

Be Seen, Be Legal when carrying cycles and not towing at the same time

  • MAXXRAXX Legal Carry Kit available, (item: 30LB01) to comply with legal requirements when rear lights and/or number plate are obscured or partially obscured. (Please note MaxxRaxx do not supply vehicle registration plates. These can be obtained from car accessory shops or tow bar/trailer centres. Please note you will require your V5 document along with proof of name and residence e.g Driver’s License). Also available the MAXXRAXX LED Legal Carry Kit (30LB02).

Other benefits and features when Towing and Carrying

  • "Tow and Carry" leaves your tow ball free to enable towing at the same time, even with an AL-KO stabiliser. If you are using an AL-KO stabiliser you must use an AL-KO 2-bolt flange tow ball, as required by the AL-KO manufacturer. Please read our tow and carry guidance. Please contact us for this information.
  • The Towing Height Extension (20ET42) may be required to enable the wheels of the bicycles to clear the Jockey Wheel handle on the A-frame of the trailer or caravan. (20ET40 if you already have the AUXX Safety Strap Kit).
  • The modular design allows the carrier to be taken apart for easy storage and stored in the specially designed MAXXRAXX Kitbag (15KB02) available as an optional accessory. The MAXXRAXX Wall Bracket (15WB01) is available as an optional extra for secure storage of your bicycles at home or work.

Important information

  • FlangeFixed is part of our Tow and Carry Cycle Carrier range designed for the 2 bolt Flange Tow Bars
  • If you have a Swan Neck tow bar fixed or detachable and want to Tow and Carry, we have an option. Please contact us directly for further information.
  • You can tow and carry at the same time with this model of our cycle carriers.
  • Always use the Legal Carry Kit when you are not towing and carrying cycles.
  • Do not exceed your tow bar or vehicles nose weight rating/ S-Value.


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Barn at Liberty Farm

Visit Venue Website

Nestled on a private section of the 300-acre certified organic farm, The BARN at Liberty Farms is a former thoroughbred stallion barn converted into a modern yet rustic event space on a discreet country setting off the quiet and winding road.Equipped with heating and air conditioning, and hosting one wedding per weekend from May through December, for up to 180 guests, its an unforgettable wedding and special event destination in the Hudson Valley.