Torchlight flickered about, sending shadows rippling around the wooden walls like black ocean waves. The chilly air of night blew in from holes from rotting wood, as well as the broken windows and the door-less entryway, snuffing out any heat that could have lived within the small abandoned cabin. But there was nothing alive within the cold confines of this forsaken home.
However, the room looked very much alive.
In the center of it sat an enormous wooden table full of fresh fruits and vegetables framing a turkey the size of a cow, cooked to golden perfection. There were rolls and crescents, glistening with melting butter, followed by cakes and pies accenting the far end of the table — enough food to feed multiple large families.
Only one person sat at this table, holding a cone-shaped torch high above his head, which happened to be carrying a crown-wreath of holly and ivy.
He was enormous — a giant compared to any mortal man. His rosy cheeks were raised up joyfully, causing his big lips to smile as his glistening eyes observed the feast before him.
He let out a deep, loud laugh that violently rattled the foundations of the deteriorating home.
"Could you keep it down, Present?" It was a hushed voice, like a whisper on the wind. The quiet question came from the other side of the table. Its owner flickered his own light, his face encompassed in a flame that caused his wax body to sweat. Somehow, he never got smaller, and his drips never pooled below him.
They were ghosts, of course. Ghosts who were stuck in the mortal world to find men and women who had lost their way through life and guide them to become better human beings.
The Ghost of Christmas Present ripped off the thick, golden turkey leg and took a gluttonous bite, leaving an oily film on his red beard.
Through a mouthful of the meat, he said, "Can't we enjoy our Christmas Eve before we go and do our haunting?" Swallowing down the enormous bite, he sat the leg down on the white plate before him and reached for a red napkin. After wiping his fingers, he dabbed at his mouth, missing the residue on his beard.
The Ghost of Christmas Present took a long draught from his wine-filled silver goblet that shimmered from his torchlight.
"With the likes of him?" the Ghost of Christmas Past said with a hushed snort, pointing himself towards the corner of the room. There, standing alone in the dark, dark corner was a figure draped in black robes. A boney, lifeless hand stuck out of one of the sleeves, pointing at Past. It slowly raised up to where the figure's neck should be then rapidly moved horizontally with a cutting motion.
The black hood slowly swayed back and forth in disagreement.
"I know just the one to visit," said Past, shrugging off the unseen glare he knew he was getting from the Ghost of Christmas Future.
"Who?" Present said, munching on a roll.
Picking up the turkey leg from his plate, Present pointed it at Past. "Seems to me she doesn't need ghosts to help her — she needs a new man!" His booming laughter shook the cabin once more.
Past's flame flickered with annoyance.
Slapping his hand down on his knee, he gave another hearty laugh.
Future just shook his black, hooded head back and forth slowly.
"The widow…" Past said again.
Standing up, Present snapped his fingers and the table folded in half, slamming loudly but keeping all of the food within. It shrunk down until it was as small and thin as a napkin. It floated up to his outstretched hand and he slid it into the pocket of his fur-lined green robe.
"What's the widow's name, Past?" Present asked, finding a piece of bread in his beard and slipping it into his mouth.
"We'll guide her back to pleasantness again, right Future?" said Past, looking back with his flaming head.
Future shrugged his shoulders lazily, hovering behind them.
"Of course we will," Past said, answering his own question as he turned back around.
Silence filled the cold, quiet cabin.
Past suddenly spun around, going faster and faster, ending with one last flicker. And then he was gone.
"Light 'em up, Past," Present mumbled with a smile.
Past's light filled the dark room right as the clock struck nine. He glanced around, hearing heavy breathing coming from the quilt-covered bed.
"Such a nice home," he said, seeing the pink wallpaper that covered the wooden walls. There was a wooden dresser nearby, and in front of the bed was an open box full of… small humanlike models? Dolls?
Daphne Hastings stirred at the sound of his breezy voice.
The sleeper bolted upright, tired eyes opening wider than a door.
She was a little red-headed girl — she couldn't be more than four years old. She scrunched her blanket up close to her with a fearful squeak.
"I'm… assuming your name is not Daphne," he said with a nervous chuckle.
Past's head flickered as he considered how to respond.
"I suppose I am," he said at last.
"A ghost cannot be bought, child," Past said, taking offense to such an idea.
Past thought about explaining himself — his purpose. It would be too much for a four year-old to understand.
He began to swirl again, sending dancing shadows around the pink room. Daphne's eyes widened momentarily as she watched Past's mesmerizing spinning, then lay gently in her bed and fell back to sleep.
Past's light escaped the room, and he reappeared within the abandoned cabin in the woods, next to the Ghosts of Christmas Present and Future.
His abrupt appearance caused Present to shout with alarm.
The three ghosts of Christmas communed with each other, two of them speaking words while the third nodded, right up until the clock approached one o'clock.
As an artist, I'm lucky enough to work on projects like the video above! I didn't do the animations, but I wrote and recorded the music that is in it. What a blast! Happy Halloween, everybody!
Halloween also marks NaNoWriMo Eve. Writers all over the world participate in the 50,000 word goal of National Novel Writing Month. Over the years, I have heard writers discuss how difficult this task can be, particularly because of the Thanskgiving holiday. But 50,000 words in a month is a very realistic goal. In the month of October, I wrote just over 31,000 words. During the month, I missed writing on 9 days. From my average word count, that's about 9,000 words I could have added. So, had I written on those days, I would be sitting at 40,000 words for the month of October. And that is without really pushing myself.
If I remember correctly, I only actually wrote during one or two nights the entire month. The bulk of my evening time was spent rewatching Stranger Things, as well as keeping up with Star Trek: Discovery and the new X-Men series, The Gifted. There may have also been a few nights with some video games.
I bring this up because I want to illustrate how 50,000 words is a reachable goal for others who might be a bit like me. I have a full-time job, as well as a couple of contracts that keep me busy. I am also in an LDS Bishopric, which also takes some time. I have a family I love spending time with. Trust me, if I can find time to write, so can just about anybody!
I am currently sitting at about 80% done with the first draft of Book 4 in the Shadow Wielder series. It is coming along, and I have been pleasantly surprised with where the book has gone. Surprised, in that my initial plan for the book got tossed out the window. After writing the 1st and 2nd chapters, I discovered I needed to tie the two chapters together better, so I wrote another chapter between them. Well, I discovered I needed A LOT more between those two chapters... the original Chapter 2 is now Chapter 13. It's funny how stories evolve while I write. I love how it all comes together.
Over the next week, I will complete this story. Which means I'll be working on two stories for NaNoWriMo. Part of me wants to jump straight into the 5th and final book, but I'm hesitant to begin the undertaking. I don't feel like it is all that well-outlined. A few months ago, I wrote the first chapter to a new book that takes place during the eclipse from August, so I might jump back and work on that. We'll see how I feel after I wrap up Book 4.
The blades cut deeply through my body and I groan at their biting teeth. My branches sway, causing leaves to fall – a shadow of what is to come for me.
You helped me grow with your own hands, taking a branch from another tree in an orchard down the street and planting me in your backyard. You watered and fertilized me with such care and precision. As I grew into a sapling, that precision helped me form the foundation for strong roots. Day after day, I dug deeper and deeper into the luscious soil.
The rains fell upon me and I drank. Sunrays cascaded down on me and I absorbed them. My trunk thickened, and branches sprouted higher and farther.
A few years later, I scattered blossoms which were pollinated by buzzing bees, and I produced the first bits of fruit you so desperately wanted.
Year after year, I produced more and more for you. My bark stretched and began to crack and split. I was stronger than ever.
Many branches shot out, but you must have felt they were too much. You cut them from me, which caused me so much pain. I still have the scars from their removal.
You did bring me relief, though. You protected me from vicious pests who would eat away at me. You planted other trees by me, and our roots interlaced majestically. There is no other feeling that compares to the gentle touch of another living thing.
Harvest season would come, and I'd feel you holding onto my firm branches for stability as you picked the cherries that I so delicately grew. Each one of them contained a part of me – a seed that, had you decided to, could have been planted and grown into a tree just like me. I realize that was not your purpose or intent for harvesting my fruit. Still, I like to think that there could be another tree out there that came from me.
The cool temperatures would soon follow the harvest, and every year I shed my leaves, preparing for dormancy during the bitter cold winters. Many times I would wake up when the temperature would get warmer, only to be tricked. After sprouting hopeful blossoms, the temperature would drop again – typically after sundown. My blossoms would freeze, and I'd have to start over. Some years my crop of cherries would be smaller than others.
For thirty years you tended to me. You helped me stay alive. More than that, you made me thrive.
But I can no longer produce fruit. And although I provide shade from the cruel sun, that is not what you need me to do.
And now, you have nearly cut clean through my thick trunk. I can feel myself angling to the side, my life fluid flowing down to where you have cut away at me.
And then I fall with a booming crash, branches snapping with the collision with the ground.
The pain I feel is beyond comprehension. I'd take your pruning over this.
I can guess how the rest of this plays out. You'll chop me up into chunks, let me dry out, then haul me away for use in the winter time to keep yourself warm. At least I'll be able to provide you some comfort before the rest of me disappears forever. And my stump will remain a monument for what you have done this day until you find the means to pull it out and replace it with a young new tree. My purpose has been served.
The last thing I feel is your hand on my fallen trunk. It's gentle and loving. How could these same hands have cut me down?
My sweet sapling, my holder of blossoms, my strong cherry tree – you have not fulfilled your purpose yet. You were my first tree that began this surrounding orchard. Felling you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
You were my angel tree. I would sit under you after working in the orchard and read books. You provided a sanctuary and peace that not even my home can bring.
I cried under your bows when times were tough. I shouted for joy, touching you like this, during the good times. I may not have roots, but I do have a soul. So do you. And our souls are more intertwined than any roots could possibly be.
Through the years, I pruned your branches, and though it pained me to hurt you, I knew how much it would help you. Removing the weaker, unnecessary branches allowed for you to focus on making your strong ones even stronger. The scars you bare are trophies – proof that you have lived a good, long life. No being lives their life without picking up their own set of scars.
You are the mightiest tree in this orchard, and with my help, the surrounding trees have done their best to be like you. However, few trees rival your perfection. You were shaped by my hands to be something grand.
And my hands are not done shaping you.
My beloved cherry tree, though I weep seeing you dying, lying horizontally rather than standing vertically, I now carve you with precision. With loving care, I peel back your bark, exposing your green-brown flesh. Do not worry, my old friend: I have planned for this moment.
The skinniest parts of you I will sand down and form into wooden legs. They are among the strong branches you were able to focus on, and now will be tough enough to carry much more than just fruit.
With your long trunk, I am able to carve several long slabs which I will bond together to make one large slab. The strong wooden legs will support it, and with two other branches, I will create a stretcher to better support the legs. Around the large slab I will use skinnier lengths of your wood to build a frame. All of these pieces combined will form you into my dining room table.
And now that all of your pieces have been formed, I will polish you and cover you with a sealant. Such actions will preserve your live beauty forever.
And so you see, my cherry tree, your wood is too fine for my fireplace. If you were the last bit of wood in all the world, and I had to endure the winter, I still would keep you here, in my dining room.
You are all assembled, and for the rest of my life, I get to have every meal with you. No harsh weather will tear at your limbs and rip up your leaves. No insects will threaten you with their pincers and mouths. No birds will chip away at you with their beaks. You are now a part of my living space, and although you no longer have physical roots, you will always remain planted here in my home.
Do not fear of what becomes of your prior living space, for next to your perfect stump I have planted a seed from your last harvest. I will see to its nurture and care. In time, its roots will intertwine with yours, and they will feel familiar, for you will always be a part of it, and it will always be a part of you.
You are precious, my cherry tree. You will forever be my sapling.
My comedy piece, Off the Hook, is featured in an anthology released by Centum Press this past weekend! It is a tale from the perspective of a fish who is getting his revenge on a group of fishermen. There is a fish pun about every other sentence, so prep yourself.
If you click the above image, it will take you to the product page for the anthology. If you feel so inclined to buy, please use my discount code to save 10%!
Also, a couple of my writing friends have stories featured in the book. It is great to be a part of an anthology with other writers I know!
A quick update on other writing news for me... I have submitted another story to Centum Press for One Hundred Voices Vo. IV, and am still awaiting a response back on whether or not they have accepted it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The short story is called The Sapling. I received excellent praise from my writing group on it. A few of them said it was the best writing they've seen come from my mind and hand.
Some of you may be wondering where I'm at with the Shadow Wielder series, and my wordcount bar in the top right of this page depicts precisely that information. I'm sitting at the 20% mark on Book 2.5 right now. I haven't actually written much over the past few weeks because I picked up Stephen King's Dark Tower series and it has consumed my writing time. I'm in Book V right now, so I'm approaching the end of the series. Suffice it to say, the series has been very good.
That's about it for now. Hopefully I'll soon be able to get back to the land of Ilu and continue on with the stories there that captivate my mind.
To go along with this news, I'm excited to announce that Centum Press has accepted another short story of mine for their animal themed anthology entitled One Hundred Tails. It is set to come out in the spring/summer. My story is called Off The Hook. It is about a fish who rallies the other fish in the lake to fight back against a group of ice fishermen. It's a comedic piece, something I have never tried my hand at, but have received positive feedback on from family and my writing groups. Stay tuned. There are fish puns galore in it.
Okay. Writing update. 2 years ago I set out on a journey to write my first fantasy novel, entitled The Shadow Wielder. If you've been following me, the book has evolved into a series. In 2015, I wrote the first draft of Book 1. In 2016, I spent a lot of time editing and revising it, then jumped into my "in betweequel" called Orbs of Memory. I completed the first draft of it, and I haven't touched it since. It's about half as long as Book 1, but gives crucial information about my world. So in two years, Books 1 and 1.5 have been written. Starting in November of last year, I started into Book 2, but I didn't care much for where the story was going. In January, I decided to slam the axe down, and picked up at the end of chapter 1 to take the story in a different direction. It's been a crazy ride. In January alone, I wrote just over 50,000 words, which is about as long as Orbs of Memory is in total. As planned, Book 2 is looking to be about as long as Book 1 (110,000 words). I am not planning on writing another 50,000 words in February, so I will not be finishing the first draft of Book 2 this month. I had to sacrifice my reading time to hit my 50k word goal last month, and I really need to read. My writing takes a hit if I don't. So I have a 30,000 word goal this month. This means that sometime in March, the first draft of Book 2 will be completed.
What can you expect after the completion of Book 2? Well, in my last blog post, I indicated that I had changed my mind about the series, and that I was making it a duology. Now that I am about 60% done with Book 2, I can safely say that there will be a Book 2.5 and a Book 3! I am already outlining Book 2.5, and it's going to be a fun one to write. Book 3 is still in preliminary stages, but the setup in Book 2 has been a lot of fun. Valodin has become my favorite character in the series, and the Nomahni people are just epic.
My plan is to finish writing the entire series this year. I am a bit terrified at the prospect of revising and editing 400,000 words. It's going to be a long process. But I think it will really tighten up my story. I might take a break from The Shadow Wielder series from time to time to write a short story here and there, because I'd like to get into the habit of releasing them more frequently.
As always, if any of you would like to read my stuff, I'm happy to distribute it for free! Just let me know!
Just thought I'd drop a quick note and update everybody on a few things. First of all, I am releasing a short story I wrote back in September based on a writing prompt from Brandon Sanderson. The goal was to write a Bible story with a sci-fi spin. After narrowing down a few options, I decided to go with The Good Samaritan. The handful of Bible verses don't provide much detail, so it was fun to make the parable mine. The story is called The Good Demarian and tt releases on December 1st both in Kindle and audiobook formats. Here's a link to the Kindle page. The audiobook is in the process of being recorded and refined by the talented narrator B.L. De Vito. It should be available on Audible around the same time.
Also, the first draft of Book 1.5 of The Shadow Wielder is complete. I'm having to step away from it for a bit while I write the beginning of Book 2 for NaNoWriMo. I'm not taking NaNoWriMo too seriously this year. I'm just writing a bit here and there, and updating my word counts. It's the 10th of November, so to be on track to finish the month with 50k words, I should be at about 17k or 18k words. I'm sitting at 3k. And you know what? That's okay. I could be making the time, but I've learned a few things about quality vs. quantity. I've participated in NaNoWriMo 8 times. I appreciate what it does for writers, but I'm at a point now where I don't feel like I need that extra help grinding for a word count.
Last bit of news... I've changed things once again with The Shadow Wielder series. My initial outlines allowed for a trilogy. After rehashing the outline, I've determined that this should be a duology. Why? you may ask. Really, I don't want Book 2 to be suffer from the "Book 2 Sloggy Syndrome" that so many do. I don't want it to be a slow book that preps for an epic Book 3. This will help the pacing of Book 2, and make it an overall better book. The series will feel tighter and more complete. Now, technically, there will still be 3 books to the series. But it won't be a true trilogy. Book 1.5 has a completely different feel, and is not required to understand what is happening in Book 2.


A comprehensive Safety Program allows one to intervene to prevent Human Factor Hazards from overlapping with Environmental Hazards and thereby reducing the Accident Potential. In order to do this it is necessary to rethink from Day 1 of the trip what is an environment? In planning a trip the leaders must examine the environment and the activities of the trip in order to ascertain what the possible environment hazards of that trip are. This information must be communicated to the group in the form of an Environmental Briefing at the beginning of the trip with subsequent briefings when there is a change in environment or activity (e.g if a hiking group changes to canoeing the environment and activity have changed and there are different environmental hazards). The first Environmental Briefing should follow the leaders'presentation of the Dynamics of Accidents formula. On longer trips it may be useful to have the participants do some of the Environmental Briefings once they are familiar with the formula. This can be done with the help of the leaders. The Environmental Briefings set a a tone for safety and help inculcate the idea that the participant is responsible for his/her own behavior.
2) Field Information Reports - These forms are filled out whenever there is a "near miss" accident - a situation in which no one was injured but which could have resulted in injury. It is also used to communicate any other useful information that someone traveling in that area would need.


The annual Tech Pizza conference for IT professionals in primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. The event will be held at Windsor High School on Tuesday July 28, 2015. Key vendors and partners will be there to give demonstrations and talk about the newest technologies in Networking, Servers, Virtualization, and much more.


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On May 10, 2021	0 Comments	- Article
With a $3.5 billion investment, Intel's research and development at its campus on the escarpment above Corrales is transitioning to full-scale production of laser-based, three dimensional computer chips. During an announcement May 3, Intel officials said Fab 11X and other parts of the complex will be re-built and reconfigured to mass produce the innovative 3-D, layered chips referred to as Foveros technology that allows customized mix-and-match assemblages, expected to be most useful for advanced artificial intelligence and 5G applications. Long-time Intel New Mexico manager Mindy Koch told Corrales Comment at the news conference that new chip-making equipment will be added although exactly what and where are still being evaluated.
Having joined Intel as a summer intern in 1988, Koch, a University of New Mexico trained electrical engineer, is now corporate services site manager. Around 1,000 construction jobs will begin this year, and around 700 permanent jobs will be added over the next five years to the current Intel workforce of some 1,800. Changes to Intel's air pollution permit from the N.M. Air Quality Bureau are anticipated, she said, although the changes needed would likely be achieved through yet another modification or revision. As of last year, Intel's permit had undergone 10 revisions to 11 modifications (Intel's permit number is 325-M11-R10).
When Intel began its R&D on the new photonic devices here, Koch said the new process uses essentially the same industrial chemicals as other microchips produced here in the past. For decades, Intel's permit from the Air Quality Bureau has allowed use of more than 80 chemicals federally classified as hazardous air pollutants. (See Corrales Comment Vol.XXVII No. 23 January 23, 2010 "Dallas Region EPA Stages Surprise Inspection at Intel.")
The announcement that Intel will invest $3.5 billion on the project was applauded by the following who attended: Governor Michelle Lujan Grishan, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, Congresswoman Theresa Leger Fernandez and the mayors of Corrales and Rio Rancho. Corrales' Erika Edgerly was master of ceremonies, introducing all of the above and the main speakers: Intel Senior Vice-president Keyvan Esfarjani who is general manager for manufacturing and operations as well as Intel New Mexico Site Manager Katie Prouty.
The $3.5 billion project apparently will not need yet another round of industrial revenue bonds (IRBs) since proceeds remain from earlier bonds. Intel New Mexico began in 1980 with an IRB offering of $2 billion; another $8 billion was provided in 1993, and then $16 billion in 2004. In June 2019, the Sandoval County Commission extended Intel's time frame for using the last bonds.
At the May 3 announcement, Intel's Esfarjani offered a relatively non-technical explanation of how the new computer chips work. Intel had partnered with another chipmaker, Utah-based Micron Technology, in 2015 to develop the devices that stack layers of data storing units with a precision not previously possible. The stacked technique was touted at the time as yielding three times more capacity than similar products. "This enables more storage in a smaller space, bringing significant cost savings, low power usage and high performance to a range of mobile consumer devices as well as the most demanding enterprise deployments," the partners claimed.
When Intel announced it would conduct R&D on the breakthrough at the facility here in 2016, the concept was described as "moving data with light," a marketing motto accompanied by the following description. "Silicon photonics is a combination of two of the most important inventions of the 20th century: the silicon integrated circuit and the semiconductor laser. It enables faster data transfer over longer distances compared to traditional electronics, while utilizing the efficiencies of Intel's high-volume silicon manufacturing."
Intel and other firms in the high-tech world had been working with photonics for more than a decade, but engineers at the Rio Rancho plant were credited with having moved the technology into production mode. "Intel has always been at the forefront of this exciting new technology, announcing the world's first hybrid silicon laser nearly a decade ago," Intel's general manager for data centers, Diane Bryant, said at the time.
"We are the first to light up silicon. We integrate the laser light-emitting material, which is indium phosphide, onto the silicon and use lithography to define the laser, to align it with precision." Bryant's remarks came at the August 2016 Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. Products for data centers were expected to be Intel's biggest emphasis in years ahead. But, for some reason, Intel's partner, Micron, grew disillusioned.
In March of this year, Bloomberg News reported that Micron was abandoning the technique. Its headline said "Micron Give Up on Intel-Championed Memory, To Sell Factory." The news agency reported that Micron "no longer sees a business for the memory chips that would justify the expense of continued development, and will invest elsewhere." Intel's leadership thinks otherwise.
In his remarks May 3, Esfarjani expressed total confidence in the "integrated device manufacturing (IDM) approach. "A key differentiator for our IDM 2.0 strategy is our unquestioned leadership in advanced packaging, which allows us to mix and match computer tiles to deliver the best products. We're seeing tremendous interest in these capabilities from the industry, especially following the introduction of our new Intel Foundry Services. "We are proud to have invested in New Mexico for more than 40 years, and we see our Rio Rancho campus continuing to play a critical role in Intel's global manufacturing network in our new era of IDM 2.0." At the May 3 event, no one mentioned Micron's decision, at least not near a live mic.
Late last month, an Intel official offered a little background on its differences with Micron. As reported by TechTarget.com, Intel's director of technology initiatives, Jim Pappas, said during a panel discussion on persistent memory techniques that "We were as surprised as anyone when Micron made their announcement" to close the factory that the two chip giants had jointly funded and operated to produce the 3-D chips, referred to as "3D XPoint."
The chips are used to store "non-volatile memory," in that they retain stored information even when the power is off. Intel's plan is based on its innovative a "phase change memory" approach, the market for which has been predicted to reach $46.5 billion by 2026.
Intel uses its Optane brand chips for solid state drives that have the same function as a computer hard drive, but use flash-based memory. Micron Senior Vice-president Rajeeb Hazra last month explained his firm's decision to abandon the approach on which Intel now focuses this way. "The question really is how much value did we see in attaching and focusing on 3D XPoint versus other alternatives that CXL [compute express link] enabled.
"As we looked at our technology capabilities, talked to customers and looked at multiple options, we came to the conclusion that it is better for our customers, and better for us, to go down a path of different kinds of things attached to CXL in the memory space than 3D XPoint, and therefore we terminated our 3D XPoint program."
Or maybe Micron knew by then that Intel would be ramping up 3D XPoint products at the New Mexico factory. The two chipmakers ended their joint operation of the plant in Utah last year, but Micron continued to supply Intel with 3D XPoint wafers on which Optane units are embedded. So when Micron closed of that plant, basically Intel had few options besides making its own if it intended to move ahead with the new product. And Intel New Mexico was chosen to accomplish that.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Bathythaerus biconvexa är en musselart som först beskrevs av Powell 1927.  Bathythaerus biconvexa ingår i släktet Bathythaerus och familjen Thraciidae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Musslor
biconvexa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Miloterranean Geo Experience - All the secrets of MIlos island - Home page
All the secrets of Milos island
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Heading south/southeast from the Milos Mining Museum, after 2.3 km on the Adamas coastal road you will come to a main intersection. Turn left toward Zephyria, where this route begins.
In ancient times Zephyria was one of the names by which the island was known. In his Natural History Pliny the Elder says that Aristotle called Milos by that name (which is etymologically connected with Zephyrus, the West Wind), as it belonged to the western Cyclades. Zephyria was the capital of the island, named "Milos" or "Chora", from the middle of Venetian through the end of Ottoman rule, and in 1901, by decision of the City Council, the island took its current name. In 1207 the Venetians occupied the island and settled in the Castle (Plaka), which offered them greater protection from raids. Half a century later (1350-75 AD) they built a tower in the area of the current Zephyria to monitor the harvest and the collection of taxes. A small settlement soon grew around the tower, which was fortified with walls and a moat, and gradually spread beyond the walls. The settlement enjoyed significant economic development, and soon the Frankish rulers and the Venetian bishop transferred their seats there, proclaiming it the island's capital, with "Protothalassa", the current Kanava, as its port. The Church of the Assumption or of Panaghia Portiani in Zephyria was the cathedral of the island, and popular assemblies were held in its courtyard. There followed four centuries of prosperity until Zephyria began to decline, mainly due to the morbidity of the climate. The mysterious "disease of Milos", as foreigners called this "morbidity", was perhaps related to malaria (due to the then marshy land adjacent to the current salt ponds). This fact, in conjunction with local earthquakes that occurred during that period, contributed to the abandonment of Chora, culminating in 1767, the year of the "Great Dying." However, Chora was never completely uninhabited and later, with steps taken to combat malaria and with mining operations running nearby (mainly sulfur but also kaolin mines), its population hung on and gradually increased. Plaka had now become the island's capital, however, with Adamas as its port, having already been colonized by Cretans (Sfakians).
The cathedral of Panaghia Portiani dominates the center of Zephyria (P1). It was the seat of the bishop of the island's old capital and the only public church (the others – churches and chapels – in the country-area or Kampos were privately owned), a fact which accounts for its rescue, after the abandonment of Zephyria. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but must be before 1576, as witnessed by an inscription. The inscription 1645, on the lintel of the main entrance, must relate to one of the church's renovations. The temple was built almost entirely of perlite, as were almost all structures in the old capital, according to the traveller Tournefort. It stands adjacent to the outer walls of the older church of Aghios Haralambos.
A site worth seeing is the Church of Christ (P2), standing in the fields immediately past the village's last houses, which you can see by making a little detour, just 200 meters north of Panaghia Portiani. Although its roof has fallen in, the unique architecture with its large arches, catches the eye, leaving it up to your imagination to complete the picture of what it must have once been like. It is worth noting that this Church, too, was built out of perlite.
Having completed this short 'diversion' from the main route, return to the road you left and continue east for about 500 meters to where the asphalt road stops, and get on a passable dirt road following the Langada creek. Almost at the point where the dirt road begins, you will see on your right (to the south) the abandoned drilling site of the Greek Public Power Corporation (P3) for the exploitation of geothermal energy, while looking opposite at a distance on your left, you can also make out the remnants of another old attempt for the exploitation of Milos geothermal field. The islands of Milos and Nisyros were the first areas in Greece where research for geothermal energy was carried out. In Zephyria, the attempt in the 70's targeted a major geothermal field, but it was abandoned due to public reaction and problems with the management of salt residues, noise, gases etc. In Zephyria there are conventional wells with a higher than normal water temperature, while quite a few of the adjacent homes use their hot water for heating
The plain surrounding Zephyria is an area of low elevation, which is marked in the east by a large fault line running in a N-S direction. At the higher eastern part which you will soon cross, the ground has undergone intense erosion along the streams. You will notice strongly weathered tuffs, i.e. natural cuts, covered over a large area by mud flows ("lachars"), consisting of heterogeneous and unrelated materials, such as metamorphic conglomerates, but also limestones and volcanic rocks with fine-grained material.
Leaving Zephyria and its large plain behind, the dirt road follows Langada creek by the streambed. Along its sloping sides, clumps of junipers (Juniperus phoenicea), conifers the needles of which resemble those of the cypress, but also many wild olives (Olea europaea var. silvestris) and mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus) color the landscape.
An interesting mineral that is worth discovering here is gypsum. At the point where you see the sign "To Point of Interest P5", you are being summoned for a short hike. Leave your vehicle on the main dirt road and walk uphill on a rough dirt road heading south. Gypsum occurs by the sides of the road (P4) in veins – crusts – aggregates within clay material. It is obvious that gypsum developed in cracks or the preexisting rocks, which have been so strongly altered that they have lost their consistency, and erosion from rainwater has exposed the bright, clear gypsum crystals. After this brief pause, backtrack to where you left your vehicle so that you can continue on the main dirt road that climbs into the green gully. 1.3 km after Panaghia Portiani, you will notice that part of the dirt road is paved with stones (P5). This was a technical project to improve the passability of the road so well carried out in the 1950s by the company operating the Sulfur Mine of Milos that the road has remained intact up to the present.
To your left, on the uphill slope of the road white-gray tuff sediments appear, which have undergone silica diagenesis – leaching and have light, microporous thin parallel layers.
Along the slopes of the ravine you will also notice in many places galleries where white kaolin was mined. Because of its iron oxide content, Milos kaolin is not very white. Nevertheless, in the past, when there was small-scale exploitation of kaolin for applications in ceramics, white kaolin was mostly mined by means of these galleries. This went on until quite recently, in this area, with the kaolin destined for the cement industry. Rich in sulfur, alunite, silicates and iron oxides, kaolin in this area becomes entirely red in some cases.
The kaolin mine at Kastriani (P6) is owned by S&B Industrial Minerals S.A. and is currently undergoing environmental reclamation based on proven practices. At the mine, from which a 17 m. layer of overburden material has been removed above the kaolin deposit, the landscape has been successfully restored by planting of special plants on an embankment along the front of the mine. Here, kaolin was mined in open pits while in the past kaolin extraction was carried out in small galleries at places selected on the basis of the quality, whiteness, and content of their kaolin deposits. Kaolin, here, was created by the action of fumaroles on the volcanic rocks as a result of the alteration of feldspars and volcanic glass. This mine operated until recently to produce three grades of kaolin: for white cements and for paper making, and as filler after processing in S&B's dryers and mills in Voudia Bay.
Shortly after the S&B kaolin mine, at the spot where you see the sign "To Points of Interest P8 and P9", two interesting sights await you, after leaving the main dirt road for a short secondary route on your left. The first is the beautiful church of Panaghia Kastriani (P7). Some ancient architectural elements are still visible in its masonry. A column, a capital, and part of a marble sarcophagus are evidence of its exceptional architectural character. Given that no surface limestone deposits exist on Milos, any constructions made of marble, owe their marble raw materials to "imports" from various parts of Greece. The church is not open to visitors, but you can get a full inside view through the window on the north wall. It is dedicated to "Zoodochos Pigi" (the Life-giving Source), but the name Kastriani prevailed because of a wall that formerly surrounded the hilltop where it was built, giving the impression of a castle. The French traveler Tournefort mentions that around 1700 it belonged to the Zoodochos Pigi monastery. The bas-relief above the entrance in reddish brown pumice stone and the decorative rosette carved in relief above it are worth admiring, while the built-in table and benches in the courtyard are ideal for relaxing, offering unlimited views of the valley and beyond, to the airport and Adamas bay.
The second attraction in Kastriani is an old farmhouse (P8) and its storage and utility rooms carved into the soft rock.
In this area there are two large mines. The first of these is a 20-hectare open-pit mine with benches (5×5 m), where the "Lava Mining" company (a subsidiary of "Hercules Cement" of the LAFARGE group) extracted a white siliceous material (microcrystalline quartz with an idiomorphic origin). At the entrance to the mine (entrance prohibited) and in some parts of the mining terraces, one can see deposits of native sulfur and boulders (from the overburden material of the mine) with alunite, fine examples of native sulfur, and gypsum. Within the mine one can see ancient galleries for the exploitation of sulfur and alum.
The second is the Fili mine, an exhausted kaolin mine, where restoration work has not yet begun. The exposed mine sections help with the study of the origins of kaolin. In some parts of the cuts yellow-red oxidations are visible. The quality of the kaolin varies, because of the iron oxide (red) and alunite impurities. One can see the old galleries, where the exploitation of high-quality kaolin took place, as well as the new mining faces, where kaolin was extracted in larger quantities of lower quality (in terms of color and impurities).
Returning to the main dirt road, continue in an easterly direction. About 300 meters past the crossroads for the first secondary route, you get out of the Langada ravine and come again to a crossroads, where you have the opportunity for another secondary route of great interest. Turn left (north), following the signs to Demenagaki and Aghios Alexandros. When you leave the creek bed, the vegetation changes. Fires, along with intensive grazing, have degraded the vegetation to phrygana. Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), brushwood (Genista acanthoclada), heather (Erica manipuliflora), thyme (Thymus capitatus), lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum) dominate. Depending on the season, the picture of these plant communities changes. During the rainy season, everything is green. Dozens of species of herbaceous plants and plants with rhizomes and tubers appear among the phrygana. In the middle of spring a burst of scents and colors floods over Milos, in preparation for the summer, when all plants, with few exceptions, fall into a summer sleep that helps them survive the long, dry, and hot Mediterranean summer.
After the chapel of Aghios Alexandros, the passable dirt road takes an eastward turn. All along the road, and all the way to the appearance of obsidian in the Demenagaki area, the rhyolitic volcanic rock has undergone silicization, resulting in the development of irregular masses of off-white flints (P9). There are also beautiful appearances of rhyolites with band / laminar flow structure in narrow, parallel, alternating bands. Looking to the southeast, you see the Mavrogianni bentonite mine at Rema, where the Milos millstone quarry also was. The millstones have a long history on the island, from antiquity to the mid-20th century, with their peak period in the Byzantine era. They were used throughout the Aegean in hand mills, water mills, windmills for grinding grain and other materials, such as in crushing olives, for leather tanning, milling salt, etc. It is worth noting that they were used from ancient times for crushing minerals (in the mines of Lavrion, Melian millstones were used for grinding the ore).
In a little while the road heads towards the north, and now you're in Demenagaki (P10), a small plateau in the middle of the east coast of the island, at an altitude of 250-300 meters, on the steep slopes of Hondro Vouno. Over a wide area the ground is strewn with fragments of obsidian, the black, shiny, rock characteristic of the island. In fact, what you see is 'debris' from the prehistoric obsidian mining and carving workshops, from the time when Demenagaki was one of the two major obsidian quarries on Milos (the other is Nychia, northwest of Adamas). The quarrying of obsidian was carried out in small caves in the steep cliffs on the east side of the quarry, from which, out of the hard native rock, high quality "nodules" and "cores" were extracted, to be then transported by the early maritime networks (the beginnings of 'trade' 10 thousand years ago) throughout the Aegean, from mainland Greece to Crete. One more thing worth noting is that out of those blocks of obsidian containing rocks, various prehistoric obsidian workshops in the Aegean manufactured a wide variety of tools and weapons. From here, you can see Kimolos and Polyaegos, and when the atmosphere is clear, Folegandros, Sikinos, and even Ios islands to the east. On your left, in the area of Komia, and on your right, in the area of Hondro Vouno there are old, inactive mining operations for the exploitation of bentonite.
Returning to the main dirt road, you may notice large rocks with strange shapes on the surrounding slopes. These shapes ("noches"), which sometimes resemble animal heads with open mouths, are formed through erosion caused by the sea winds blowing hard against the volcanic rocks.
Going down the passable dirt road to Theioryhia, you will notice that the vegetation has been degraded, as much by fire and grazing as by the acidic soils of the area. Heather (Erica manipuliflora), thyme (Thymus capitatus), and thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum) are dominant. Along the gully that leads to Theioryhia there are mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus) but also farming areas sown with barley and small groves of olives in sites protected from the wind.
At some point, on the left side of the road, you will see a simple monument, a small marble slab (P11). On this spot one of the resistance operations against the German occupation forces was carried out on 23/12/1944. Unlike in the rest of Greece, German troops remained on Milos until May 1945, as they were cut off from joining the withdrawal due to lack of means of transport.
Before and after the point (P11) there is a cluster of small artificial 'hills' (piles). These are remnants fromold mining operations for the extraction of sulfur or alunite (alum) in antiquity or the Roman period.
From the resistance monument the dirt road descends the slopes of the Paliorema ravine and ends at old "Theioryhia" or Sulfur Mines (P12), the most significant attraction and final destination on this route. For most of its length the road is passable, except for the last 200 m. If you don't have a four-wheel drive vehicle , it's best to park your car at the flat area, by the last turn of the road, just above Theioryhia. As you head downhill, the old galleries for the extraction of sulfur and alum on the slopes of the depression catch your eye. Piles from old extractions, many of them underground, look like a continuous series of craters. On the bank of the south side of the road you can see kaolins and opals (amorphous silicate).
The ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to exploit the sulfur in Paliorema. It was used for polishing metals, disinfecting, or for antiseptic and therapeutic purposes. Ancient Athenians, too, exploited the sulfur of Milos. The evidence of this relationship between Milos and Athens can still be found at ancient mining sites, at the Milos Mining, and Archaeological Museums, in the form of clay platters into which molten sulfur was poured to make ingots of sulfur destined for trade. Embossed inscriptions on the plates were mirrored in the turtles and left the imprint of the logo of the exploiter (e.g. NOIANITHA, i.e. ATHINAION "of the Athenians").
In more recent times, mining concessions for individuals started in 1862. In 1890, the concession passed to the Greek Society for Public and Municipal Works, until about 1920. In 1928 the company "Theioryhia Milos Inc." took over, until 1958, when production stopped abruptly, when sulfur became a byproduct of petroleum refining at very low cost. This is still another case where the evolution of technology (desulfurization during petroleum refining) has a dramatic impact on some other activity (sulfur mining), at a geographically distant point, restricting or eliminating it completely. The bulk of the production was exported to France for use as a pesticide for the spraying (dusting) of vines. A total of 125,000 tons of ore from underground mines was transported in wagons to the crusher. It is worth noting that, once the ore was taken up high, its transfer through the various stages of processing in the plant, located to the north of the gully, subsequently advantage was taken of the sloping hill. At the base of the plant there are still remains of the autoclaves for sulfur recovery. By the sea, there was a small crane for loading and unloading. On the south side of the ravine are the buildings which housed the machine shop, plant supplies, warehouses, kitchens, dormitories, etc. The buildings were constructed from tufa (porous stone) brought over from Kimolos. The workers lived on the premises of the sulfur mines on weekdays, leaving for their villages on Saturday afternoon to return to work again Monday morning. Working conditions in the galleries were difficult, mainly due to lack of ventilation and high temperatures. In these sulfur mines, however, generations of workers and craftsmen were trained who later manned many of the mineral processing plants in Milos. Their production and processing methods, innovative for their time (such as the method devised by Jason Svoronos which received a patent in 1938), and the unique architecture and masonry of the buildings, make Theioryhia one of the most important monuments in the industrial history of Greece. On the hill south of the Theioryhia facilities, may be seen the house where the then directorate of the firm first lived, and which later, during the German Occupation, housed the men of the German guard.
Theioryhia is the only industrial complex of Milos declared as a landmark. It was declared as a historic site by the Ministry of Culture and is an important example of industrial heritage in which architecture is combined with the requirements of the production process. With Theiorychia as its final destination, our route comes to an end at a monument of modern cultural heritage.
And one last but important caveat: the mining galleries are extremely dangerous, with high temperatures, no ventilation, and fumes. Visitors must not enter them for any reason.
Milos Mining Museum Silver tourism award 2014 SPONSORED BY Ministry of Tourism
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HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla.- The No. 19 Georgia Southwestern men's golf team posted a 302 in Round 2 to sit in ninth out of 20 teams at the 2016 NCAA Division II Men's Golf South/Southeast Regional Championships at Mission Inn Resort on Tuesday.
The Hurricanes are 20 shots behind the tournament leaders No. 4 Lynn who posted a two-round 574. No. 3 West Florida posted a Round 2 score of 295 to drop one spot and sit one stroke behind Lynn with a two-round 575. No. 5 Florida Southern shot four-under par today to move up four spots and sit in third with a two-round 577, while No. 2 St. Leo shot eight-under par today to move up six spots and sit in fourth with a two-round 578.
GSW is second in the Peach Belt teams with Columbus State ahead of them by six strokes. Lander sits seven strokes behind the 'Canes in tenth, USC Aiken is in 14th with a two-round 608, Young Harris is 18th with a two-round 618 and Flagler is in 19th with a two-round 629.
Ethan Chamineak shot three more birdies today and leads GSW with a two-round, two-under par 142 to sit in seventh of 108 golfers. Chamineak has a combined seven birdies for the tournament with one round remaining.
Anders Olsson shot three birdies in Round 2 and is tied for 13th with a two-round 145. Hayes Dupree shot five birdies in Round 2 and posted a tournament low 75 to move up 11 spots and sits tied for 50th.
Nicholas Ward posted a two-round 155 to sit tied for 70th and Fraser Johnston shot a tournament low 83 in Round 2 to sit in 105th.
The top five teams and the top two student-athletes not with a team from each regional (regardless of region) will advance to the finals May 17-21, at Green Valley Ranch in Denver, Colorado.
The Hurricanes will tee off for the final round on Wednesday starting at 7:30 a.m.


We inform you that the Ministry of Tourism has launched on its official website an Open Grant Award Procedure for Granting Non-Refundable Funds to Projects under its Programme "Competitiveness of Tourism Economy".
Only small business entities such as non-public sector companies, trades and cooperatives, rural households (family residences providing catering and / or tourist services), are eligible to apply for non-refundable funds. This procedure shall close on 20 March 2018.
The full text of the Programme and its accompanying documentation that all form an integral part of this public award procedure, are available on the Ministry's official website.


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Class of 2018 Celebrates Commencement
The University of Pittsburgh commencement ceremonies on April 26 and 29 celebrated all that Pitt students have accomplished thus far — as well as the promise of what is yet to come. Visit the media galleries that showcase the pride, excitement and optimism of the Pitt Class of 2018.
Personalized Education Plans Earn Support
An app matching students to tutors and a Netflix-like recommendation system to find mentors are among the projects funded by the Office of the Provost's first Personalized Education Grants Program.
Pitt Among Top Fulbright Grant Producers
The University of Pittsburgh is among only 16 institutions to be named a top producer in both the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar programs. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program.
High School Partners With University Archives to Teach Local History, Give College Credit
A U.S. history teacher partnered with Pitt's College in High School and the Pitt-Assisted Communities and Schools programs to help students learn local history — and earn college credit.
H. Richard Milner IV Named to RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings
Young Students Learn Leadership, Conflict Management Skills in Social Work Program
The Just Discipline Project, created by social work assistant professor James Huguley, teaches fifth- and sixth-graders strategies for defusing peer conflicts.
Social Justice Week Events Celebrate Service and Inclusion Throughout the Community
All members of the Pitt community are invited to participate in events honoring the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Iris Marion Young Award for Community Engagement Winners Announced
Cheryl Tingley Receives Pitt–Bradford Alumni Award
Social Work Dean Larry E. Davis' Contributions Leave the World a 'Better, Fairer Place'
In his 17th year at the helm of Pitt's School of Social Work, Dean Larry E. Davis announces he will step down at the end of the 2017-18 academic year, amid praise for his leadership and his dedication to issues of race, social justice and community.


Inconsistent estate planning is resulting in a raft of issues, particularly where clients establish testamentary trusts and binding death benefits nominations separately, an industry lawyer warns.
Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers partner Scott Hay-Bartlem said he is seeing a lack of consistency between different estate planning documents, especially where superannuation involved, which could lead to a greater number of disputes further down the line.
"We've seen wills that are inconsistent with the documents that were done for the SMSF and inconsistent documents trying to deal with the SMSF balance and the reversionary pension, which is different from the binding death benefit nomination," said Mr Hay-Bartlem.
One area in particular where this is causing problems he said is where clients have set up testamentary trusts in wills to protect children and have then later set up a binding death nomination of their superannuation to their children directly.
"[The clients] haven't realised this actually takes the super outside the estate and outside of the testamentary trust," said Mr Hay-Bartlem.
Once it's been explained to the client, Mr Hay-Bartlem said the client then realises it's not what they actually want from their estate planning.
Cases such as Ippolo v Conti are he said a good example of the implications of inconsistent estate planning.
"When Mrs Conti died there was a will that said not to give anything to her husband Mr Conti, and there were three lapsed binding death nominations all forcing the super to Mr Conti. We're seeing more of that where things just don't match," he said.
Mr Bartlem said he is seeing an increasing number of estate planning documents that need tidying up where they weren't done properly or weren't done at all.
Ensuring estate planning is done correctly he said is becoming increasingly important as people become more aware about the options with superannuation and are "using it as another form of estate dispute".


The hotel offers a restaurant. A complimentary breakfast is offered each morning. This business-friendly hotel also offers a garden and concierge services.
Situated in Chirawa, this hotel is 8 mi (12.9 km) from Rani Sati Temple and 10.5 mi (17 km) from Sayed Kanupeer Mount. Alsisar Gate and Mandawa Square are also within 32 mi (52 km).
Along with a restaurant, this hotel has concierge services and a 24-hour front desk. Buffet breakfast is free. Other amenities include a garden.
All 8 rooms offer minibars, coffee makers, and showers. Desks and free toiletries are also available to guests. Limited housekeeping is available.
Neemrana's - Piramal Haveli offers 8 air-conditioned accommodations with complimentary toiletries. Guests can make use of the in-room coffee/tea makers and minibars. Bathrooms include showers. Housekeeping is provided on a limited basis.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 7 AM and 10:30 AM.
Neemrana's - Piramal Haveli has a restaurant on site.


After mixing Ina Garten's version of the most complex drink in the world, Speedy shifted to a cocktail drink that uncomplicated as it is sweet. I'm talking about daiquiri. We've had daiquiri with strawberries, kiwis and even canned peaches… why not bananas? The result is banana daiquiri with the color of a sunny summer day. Mama mia, it's refreshingly delicious!
As with previous daiquiri recipes, this banana daiquiri contains fresh fruit. Daiquiri just doesn't taste right when made with fruit juice instead of pureed whole fruits. You'll need a blender come up with a smooth yet thickish drink.
Based on a recipe from Drinks Mixer.
Place all the ingredients in the blender together with about six ice cubes.
Process on low speed to break up the bananas and ice into small pieces.
Turn up the speed to high and continue processing until the mixture is smooth and thick.
Pour into glasses and serve the banana daiquiri at once.
What nice chilling treat! I wish I can have a glass right now. Yummmm….


Benjamin Britten's ''Paul Bunyan'' is an opera one runs across in biographies but rarely meets in person. Britten, who wrote it with W. H. Auden during their wartime retreat to America, seems himself to have lost interest, at least until he revised the piece much later in life. The first performances, in 1941, were not that gladly received.
Mark Lamos's production, a nicely calculated exercise in whimsy, began life at the Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, N.Y., two summers ago and arrived at the New York City Opera on Thursday night. It is filled with bright colors, Calderlike cutouts, roller skates and down-home dancing. ''Paul Bunyan'' turns out to be a charmer, but it is so devoid of ballast that it threatens at any moment to float away and out of sight.
Taking the myth of a famous lumberjack and wedding it to the larger idea of wilderness versus civilization, Britten and Auden aimed their piece toward the intelligent high school student. Accordingly, Britten's music is accommodation itself. A Ballad Singer (David M. Lutken) strums his guitar and fills in the narrative gaps. There is a Bellini-esque duet for the camp cooks (David Cangelosi and Don Yule). Smoky Broadway ballads and folk singing intervene. A saxophone wails lugubriously.
Britten is always original, but his distinctive two-part harmonies and bitonal frictions are careful not to offend the innocent ear. Auden is more ambitious. His clever lyrics use simple language to promote a wonderful continuity of thought, meter and rhythm. There are smart references to American politics and bemused observations on America's social life, a lot of which are probably wasted on the young. Britten and Auden do excellent work, but they have created music for children and texts for grown-ups.
Popular myth is mother's milk for the operatic composer. ''Snow White,'' with its elements of fear and danger, would have made an excellent opera; ''Hansel and Gretel'' already has. ''Paul Bunyan'' lacks that evil underside. Its cheery two-dimensionality is the meeting place of Gilbert and Sullivan and the comic strip. This is a tall tale, not a fairy tale.
Taken on those terms, the City Opera has made it very entertaining. The vocal demands on the numerous cast members are rarely heavy; Broadway singers would manage them well. Indeed, ''Paul Bunyan'' might have a modest success in the theater district. It is cheerful, often frivolous, funny and ends on a high-minded note. The music and dancing go more than half way to meet the average audience.
Elisabeth Comeaux sings simply and attractively as Tiny. Jeffrey Lentz as Johnny Inkslinger, Bunyan's reluctant bookkeeper, and John McVeigh as Hot Biscuit Slim make similar impressions. Erin Caves is Hel Helson, the Swedish foreman. James Ruff does a nice comic turn as the Western Union Boy. Jami Rogers, Indira Mahajan and Leah Creek are the animals on skates. Bunyan himself is an offstage voice, spoken through appropriately booming amplification by John McDonough.
Stewart Robertson was the conductor. Set, costume, lighting and sound design were by Paul Steinberg, Constance Hoffman, Robert Wierzel and Abe Jacob, respectively. The sound management was indeed an interesting conglomeration: the main stage business unamplified with supertitles, the Ballad Singer and the various offstage voices using microphones and no other intervention. Certainly a practical set of solutions, even though going from one set of sounds to the other could be bumpy.
''Paul Bunyan'' repeats on Tuesday.


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Etihad Abu Dhabi
Etihad Abu Dhabi Customer Service Number
About Etihad Abu Dhabi
We are talking about Etihad, a United Arab Emirates national airline company that operates in the country at second place after Emirates. The company is working under the parent organization Etihad Aviation Group and is headquartered in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. They account the total revenue of US$6.1 billion with net income of US$1.52 billion as per the report of 2017.
When it got started?
The the company came into existence in July 2003 by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He established the company with an initial investment of AED500 million as a second flag carrier of United Arab Emirates.
In November 2003, the company commenced its operations and is at present serving in over 75 locations with over 24,000 employees under the leadership of CEO Tony Douglas and Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei as chairman. The airline goes for 1000 flights per week to over 120 cargo and passenger destinations all around the world.
It is also one among the five key business divisions of the parent organization, Etihad Aviation Group including Etihad
Airways Engineering, Hala Group, Etihad Airport Services, and Airline Equity Partners.
What they have in service for customers?
The airline provides its services representing Arabian hospitality and warmth. In 15 years they have made their mark globally as a 5-star airline offering luxurious premium cabins and great customer services mostly for its cabin crew, seats, on-board services and food.
They represent a number of signature travel experiences with world-class products and some innovative services including food and beverages managers, Inflight chefs and flying nannies. We can say traveling with children is super easy in Etihad Airways as they get you the service of pre-booking baby meals and baby bassinets.
They have family playrooms in airport lounges with the big-screen entertainment providing seven channels of live TV and games on E-BOX plus some animated movies, cartoons, and music for children.
They have got retail therapy under which one can shop tax-free on perfumes, cosmetics, jewelry on-board. Talking about their seats they are well equipped with USB port and power sockets.
They also offer the service of Etihad Guest members which provides a wider network of destinations at greater convenience on codeshare flights.
Why are they so popular in the market?
They work at the crossroads of the world called the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. This place counts a rich heritage, captivating culture and breathtaking experience with multiple options to fly as an opportunity to raise the business in market and to become a national flag carrier by having a mixed fleet size of Airbus and Boeing aircrafts comprising of Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-8, Boeing 787-9, Airbus A380-800, Airbus A340-600, and Airbus A330-200.
They are also the cheapest airline for business class with some special offers getting two business class tickets in one booking with just half fare for the second one.
In the end, we can say with Etihad airways comfort no matter the class thus serving each and every passenger equally with the best experience in travel.
Conatct detail of Etihad Abu Dhabi
Muroor Road, Opposite Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre, Ground Floor, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
866-638-4423,02 599 0000
www.etihad.com
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National Bank Abu Dhabi Customer Service, Contact Details
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text:
Гли́ннівський зака́зник — ботанічний заказник місцевого значення в Україні. Розташований у межах Сарненського району  Рівненської области, на захід від села Глинне.

Площа 2130 га.

Статус надано згідно з рішенням Рівненського облвиконкому від 01.07.1980 року № 246 (зі змінами рішенням Рівненського облвиконкому від 22.11.1983 року № 343). Перебуває у віданні ДП «Рокитнівський лісгосп» (Глинівське л-во, кв. 12, 13, 21-23, 30-33, 42-45, 48-51, 56, 57).

Статус надано з метою збереження лісо-болотного природного комплексу. Зростають сосново-березові малопродуктивні насадження, поширена цінна лікарська рослина — журавлина болотна.

Джерела
 Глинівське лісництво (карта)

Ботанічні заказники Рівненської області
Природно-заповідний фонд Рокитнівського району
Природоохоронні об'єкти, засновані 1980


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She took the eggs and walked away feeling she has won. She got into her fancy car and went to a posh restaurant with her friend. There, she and her friend ordered whatever they liked.
They ate a little and left a lot of what they had ordered. Then she went to pay the bill. The bill cost her $140. She gave $150 and asked the owner of the restaurant to keep the change.
This incident might have seemed quite normal to the owner but very painful to the egg seller. The point is that why do we always show we have the power when we buy from the needy ones? And why do we get generous to those who do not even need our generosity.
My father used to buy simple goods from poor people at high prices, even though he did not need them. Sometimes he even used to pay extra for them. I got concerned by this act and asked him why does so. Then my father replied, "It is a charity wrapped with dignity, my child".
Charity should begin at home, but should not stay there. Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. Charity sees the need, not the cause. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Sometimes give your services for nothing.


A woman's body has been found after a fire in a flat in Whitley.
Emergency services were called to the fire in Highmead Close, Whitley at around 2.46pm on Monday, October 1.
On Tuesday, October 2 Thames Valley Police revealed a woman's body has been found at the burnt out property.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "Sadly, the body of a woman has been located inside the address, although the circumstances of the fire are currently unknown and being investigated.
"The scene watch remains in place while investigations continue.
"The death is being treated as unexplained, but not believed to be suspicious.
"The family of the deceased woman have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers."
A file is being prepared at the Berkshire Coroner's Office at Reading Town Hall.
Firefighters spent more than three hours tackling the blaze in the close south of Reading, Berkshire.


text:
10 companies. 10 weeks. Only one winner.
YOU HELPED TO DECIDE
To coincide with the launch of Automotive Ventures' new venture capital fund, we offered the winning company a $100,000 investment from Automotive Ventures Fund I.
Meet Our Judges
The Contestants' Pitches
Pitch #1: One Auction View
Pitch #2: Selly Automotive
Pitch #3: Bank My Bike
Pitch #4: TruckTractorTrailer.com
Pitch #5: Cognition Digital
Pitch #6: ADAPT
Pitch #7: Lotpop
Pitch #8: Aucto
Pitch #9: Shyft Auto
Pitch #10: Insignia Group
HAL LOGAN
"I'm excited to be a judge because I don't think there's ever been a better time for innovators to have a major impact on an industry as large and important as the automobile business."
For those of us in the automotive industry who have been around the block a time or two, we all know the 'standouts' do indeed stand out. When it came time to discuss who should comprise the AutoTech's Got Talent judges panel, the debate was easier than we thought. In fact, there was no debate at all.
Hal Logan was one of the first judges who came to mind.
An automotive industry leader, innovator, and inspirer, Hal's storied automotive career includes roles as President and CEO of Manheim Interactive, a subsidiary of Manheim, Inc.; CEO of Vicinity Inc., a company specializing in Yellow Pages information, maps, and driving directions for Yahoo!, Excite, and InfoSeek; and CEO of BuyBook Technologies, acquired by AutoTrader in 2014.
Hal has long been a champion of technology and its ability to transform the automotive industry for both buyers and sellers. Today, he is Dealer Principal at BMW of Fairfield in Northern California and he proudly serves on several Boards of Directors, including LeafGroup and RepairPal (as a member), and auctionOS and Learning Ally (as Chairman and Board Chairman Emeritus, respectively.)
Hal's deep and respected experience in the automotive industry, his investigative skills as a Washington Post reporter in earlier years, and his creativity as a former jazz band trumpet player are precisely the reasons we wanted him to be an AutoTech's Got Talent judge – rather, the reasons we needed him to be a judge!
When we asked Hal his thoughts about contributing to AutoTech's Got Talent, he responded, "I'm excited to be a judge because I don't think there's ever been a better time for innovators to have a major impact on an industry as large and important as the automobile business."
We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Hal, thank you for being an important part of this exciting journey. We appreciate you and our industry does, too.
KELLY PRICE
"I love hearing about new and innovative ideas and being part of up-and-coming ventures, so this is the perfect opportunity!"
CEO. Entrepreneur. Business Advisor. Board Member. Speaker. Coach.
We know Kelly Price by her many titles and professional accomplishments, as well as the admiration and respect she has earned in the automotive industry throughout her 30-year career. However, what inspires us most about Kelly is her passion to create "happy, healthy humans" and to make the world a better place.
These reasons, and more, are why we're honored that Kelly is an AutoTech's Got Talent judge.
Kelly has certainly made an impact in the world with her deep involvement in the Cleveland Christian Home, a residential care program for children and families who have suffered extensive trauma, and the Inspiring Children Foundation, a nonprofit specializing in helping children who are suffering from anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.
She has also made a tremendous impact in our industry. Beginning in 1990, she has served as Vice President of Sunnyside Automotive Dealer Group; President and Founder of Imprise Insurance; and CEO, Founder, and Board Member of National Automotive Experts/NWAN, Inc.
Today, she is the Co-Founder of Driven Capital Partners and the Executive Vice President and Board Member of Portfolio Holding, Inc., ventures that specialize in investments, M&A, business development, and advisory services for growth-oriented companies.
In response to why she's excited to be a judge for AutoTech's Got Talent, she told us, "I love hearing about new and innovative ideas and being part of up-and-coming ventures, so this is the perfect opportunity!"
Kelly's proudest accomplishment is her family – her husband of 34 years and her two children.
She recently shared with us a wonderful story about her son.
"I went to Antarctica with my son for his high school graduation present. I told him he could pick, and he said he wanted to see penguins. Little did I know when I agreed that this was pretty much the only place you can go to see them! We were on an expedition ship with 104 people and scientists. It was simply amazing. I would recommend this to everyone!"
Kelly, thank you for making a difference in the world, and in our industry. We're excited to welcome you as a member of our esteemed judge's panel.
ANDREW IORGULESCU
"I am always inspired by technology that makes our industry better, and equally inspired by the entrepreneurs who create it. I've been there, done that which is why I'm excited to lend my perspective to the AutoTech's Got Talent innovators."
Andrew Iorgulescu is a passionate automotive technology innovator and entrepreneur at heart. We've known Andrew a long time and have watched as he has successfully developed, launched, managed, and sold companies that have helped transform the automotive industry.
Andrew began his longstanding career in 1996, in the auto financial services division of GE Capital, where he worked with automotive Internet pioneer, Autobytel. In 1997, he joined Autobytel as Director of Used Cars and managed the company's Dealer Real Time lead system for thousands of dealer partners across the U.S. He was also instrumental in the company's European expansion efforts.
During his time at Autobytel, Andrew had visions to develop his own company and in 1999, he co-founded OPENLANE (acquired by NYSE: KAR), an innovative vehicle auction platform where he served as VP of Business and Dealer Development.
During his 13-year tenure at OPENLANE, he raised over $70 million in venture capital funding; secured another $50 million in recurring revenue agreements with major OEMs, banks, and financial institutions; built and managed a dealer sales organization of over 150 employees; and successfully led the organization through the 2001 dot com bubble and the 2008 global financial crisis. He also spearheaded the company's international business development efforts, launching and managing OPENLANE Canada as well as securing licensing agreements in Australia.
In 2015, Andrew co-founded The Appraisal Lane, a real-time used car trade network and communications platform delivering nearly $6 billion in offers on used vehicles during the course of its operations. The Appraisal Lane was acquired by Reynolds and Reynolds last year.
Andrew earned his BA in International Relations and Spanish from Knox College, and his MBA from McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin. Throughout his professional career, he has actively served as a business advisor, investor, and Board Member for groundbreaking technology companies across various industries, including automotive, insurance, and medical.
Andrew told us, "I am always inspired by technology that makes our industry better, and equally inspired by the entrepreneurs who create it. I've been there, done that which is why I'm excited to lend my perspective to the AutoTech's Got Talent innovators."
Applications Now Closed
We are no longer accepting applications for AutoTech's Got Talent, however, if you're an AutoTech founder looking for investment from our venture fund, we welcome you to send us your pitch.


text:
import json
import logging
import time

from monasca_notification.common.repositories import exceptions as exc
from monasca_notification.common.utils import get_db_repo
from monasca_notification import notification
from monasca_notification import notification_exceptions
from monasca_notification.monitoring import client
from monasca_notification.monitoring.metrics import CONFIGDB_TIME

log = logging.getLogger(__name__)

STATSD_CLIENT = client.get_client()
STATSD_TIMER = STATSD_CLIENT.get_timer()
no_notification_count = STATSD_CLIENT.get_counter(name='notification.alarms_no_notification')

class AlarmProcessor(object):
    def __init__(self, alarm_ttl, config):
        self._alarm_ttl = alarm_ttl
        self._db_repo = get_db_repo(config)

    @staticmethod
    def _parse_alarm(alarm_data):
        """Parse the alarm message making sure it matches the expected format.
        """
        expected_fields = [
            'actionsEnabled',
            'alarmId',
            'alarmDefinitionId',
            'alarmName',
            'newState',
            'oldState',
            'stateChangeReason',
            'severity',
            'link',
            'lifecycleState',
            'tenantId',
            'timestamp'
        ]
        json_alarm = json.loads(alarm_data)
        alarm = json_alarm['alarm-transitioned']
        for field in expected_fields:
            if field not in alarm:
                raise notification_exceptions.AlarmFormatError(
                    'Alarm data missing field %s' % field)
        if ('tenantId' not in alarm) or ('alarmId' not in alarm):
            raise notification_exceptions.AlarmFormatError

        return alarm

    def _alarm_is_valid(self, alarm):
        """Check if the alarm is enabled and is within the ttl, return True in that case
        """
        if not alarm['actionsEnabled']:
            log.debug('Actions are disabled for this alarm.')
            return False

        alarm_age = time.time() - alarm['timestamp'] / 1000
        if (self._alarm_ttl is not None) and (alarm_age > self._alarm_ttl):
            log.warn('Received alarm older than the ttl, skipping. Alarm from %s' %
                     time.ctime(alarm['timestamp'] / 1000))
            return False

        return True

    @STATSD_TIMER.timed(CONFIGDB_TIME, sample_rate=1)
    def _build_notification(self, alarm):
        alarms_actions = self._db_repo.fetch_notifications(alarm)

        return [notification.Notification(
                alarms_action[0],
                alarms_action[1],
                alarms_action[2],
                alarms_action[3],
                alarms_action[4],
                0,
                alarm) for alarms_action in alarms_actions]

    def to_notification(self, raw_alarm):
        """Check the notification setting for this project then create the appropriate notification
        """
        global no_notification_count

        partition = raw_alarm[0]
        offset = raw_alarm[1].offset
        try:
            alarm = self._parse_alarm(raw_alarm[1].message.value)
        except Exception as e:  # This is general because of a lack of json exception base class
            log.exception("Invalid Alarm format skipping partition %d, offset %d\nError%s" % (partition, offset, e))
            return [], partition, offset

        log.debug("Read alarm from alarms sent_queue. Partition %d, Offset %d, alarm data %s"
                  % (partition, offset, alarm))

        if not self._alarm_is_valid(alarm):
            no_notification_count += 1
            return [], partition, offset

        try:
            notifications = self._build_notification(alarm)
        except exc.DatabaseException:
            log.debug('Database Error.  Attempting reconnect')
            notifications = self._build_notification(alarm)

        if len(notifications) == 0:
            no_notification_count += 1
            log.debug('No notifications found for this alarm, partition %d, offset %d, alarm data %s'
                      % (partition, offset, alarm))
            return [], partition, offset
        else:
            log.debug('Found %d notifications: [%s]', len(notifications), notifications)
            return notifications, partition, offset

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Hans-Hermann Hoppe, född den 2 september 1949 i Peine i Västtyskland, är en tysk-amerikansk nationalekonom, som är känd för att kombinera anarkokapitalistisk filosofi med värdekonservativa ståndpunkter.

Biografi
Hoppe studerade i Saarbrücken och Frankfurt, och avlade doktorsexamen i filosofi 1974 vid Goethe-universitetet i Frankfurt (med Jürgen Habermas som handledare) samt erhöll habilitation (docentur) i nationalekonomi 1981.

År 1986 flyttade Hoppe till USA och var professor vid University of Nevada i Las Vegas fram till 2008, då han gick i pension.

Gärning
Hoppe anses som en av de främsta arvtagarna till och uttolkarna av Murray Rothbard, som han också arbetade med fram till dennes död 1995. Hoppe är fellow vid Ludwig von Mises Institute, där Rothbard var aktiv under senare delen av sitt liv. Tillsammans med bland andra nuvarande chefen för institutet, Llewellyn Rockwell, hör Hoppe till den förgrening som brukar kallas paleolibertarianism.

Hoppe har fört fram idén om argumentationsetik som grund för rättigheter, vilken grundas i Jürgen Habermas och – framför allt – i Karl-Otto Apels forskning om modern diskursetik. Hoppe hör också, likt Rothbard, till den anarkokapitalistiska traditionen. Han har dock fått kritik av andra libertarianer för sina åsikter om monarki (som han anser vara bättre än demokrati) och invandring (som han menar kan behövas begränsas). Hoppe har också varit inblandad i kontroverser kring hans traditionella syn på homosexualitet.

Böcker

Tyska

Engelska

Svensk översättning

Artiklar

Svensk översättning

Se även

 Anarkokapitalism
 Konservativ liberalism
 Paleolibertarianism
 Praxeologi

Referenser

Externa länkar
 Hans-Hermann Hoppes hemsida

Män
Födda 1949
Levande personer
Amerikanska nationalekonomer
Nationalekonomer av den österrikiska skolan
Libertarianer
Anarkokapitalism
Personer från Peine
Mises Institute


text:
FAILURE & SUCCESS
What defines failure?
I could say that my Etsy shop has been a failure. And that would be true. It's been almost a year and I've only had a few sales here and there. But it would only be true if I stopped working on it.
The only thing that makes failure a period on the end of a sentence is that nothing follows it. But if I were to keep going, then it's just a dip in the road and who knows where that line is headed next. If I keep making work, it is natural that it'll improve. Failure doesn't have to stick.
So then, what about success? You could argue that success is easy to measure. You could count clients, gigs, measure how prolific you were year by year, or look back and see how much the work has improved. But what about when you're not selling well, or are stuck in a rut and don't know what to make next? What if you don't care to sell at all? Or what if no one ever saw anything you made...would you still make it?
Maybe success is just about the process. It's a somewhat wobbly continuous road of curiosity, creation, and problem solving. It's not the end of a goal but a commitment to keep moving. Because once you get to the end of a project or reach a goal a new one is just around the corner.
This week I've been super into watching the Winter Olympics. Shaun White threw down an epic gold medal winning run in the snowboard halfpipe final. Now there are rumors he might compete in skateboarding for the 2022 Olympics (yes please). With a four year gap until the next Olympics there has to be a love found in the process despite the difficult days.
Maybe failure and success are not at opposite sides of the spectrum, but rather right next to each other. And if you keep flipping failure over it turns into success.


Go incognito speedo in this DC Comics Zoom Flash Logo Snapback. The dark navy acrylic wool snapback is finished with a tonal embroidered Flash logo, and has a fully adjustable snap back for comfort.
Love will unite the Kingdom and banish the Nobodies and the Heartless! Wear your heart on your sleeve - erm, head - with this Kingdom Hearts Heart Embroidery Snapback. The black acrylic wool cap is embroidered with a blue heart & gold crown Kingdom Hearts logo on the crown of the hat.
Transport yourself into the medieval Western Europe land of Hyrule in the Legend of Zelda. The embroidered Zelda Logo is front and center with Link's journey beginning under the brim of the hat. The Triforce is out there somewhere. This flatbill comes with a flex band for maximum comfort on your journey with Link.
Just because Jack doesn't have ears to keep warm, doesn't mean he can't have great cold weather accessories like this Jack Skellington Beanie! The Nightmare Before Christmas hat is cuff beanie with a large image of Jack Skellington's face over the entire beanie. The Nightmare Before Christmas accessory is the perfect way to complete your winter and fall outfits if you're one of the many who adore the Pumpkin King. The Jack Skellington hat is a great Nightmare Before Christmas gift for anyoneyou know who loves Jack Skellington!
We've always gotten the impression that, behind the beeps and squeaks, R2-D2 is a seriously sarcastic, foul-mouthed little droid - he's the original profanity beep-out! Politely declare your love of profanity and Star Wars (ha ha) with this cream and blue Star Wars R2D2 Oxford Snapback. A detailed, embroidered R2-D2 applique jazzes up the crown of the cotton oxford hat, accented with blue stitched brim and grommets.


As STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® is an extreme sports competition series featuring wood chopping and sawing disciplines, it requires a good amount of wood. For this reason, we are aware of our responsibility in ensuring sustainably grown and harvested timber. That is why we only use purposely grown industrial wood, which is planted specifically for maximum sustainability. The wood is cultivated on certified poplar plantations in Belgium and the Netherlands and gathered with minimum impact on the natural environment. After the competition, the waste wood is reused for sustainable purposes like bio mass and energy.
Considering the amount of wood being proceeded at STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® events, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® has to make sure that all the wood is sustainably grown and harvested.


My last post was June of last year. Seven months ago. I feel like I've been to the moon and back.
You ever felt like you were caught up in a Kitchen Aid mixer set to medium high? Once turned off, life is a new mix. Am I truly back to blogging? I'm not sure, honestly. Blogging, editing, marketing take up a lot of time and head space that I find that I need to devote to my six children, ages 25, 22, 20, 17, 7 and 5.
What will 2017 be like for you? I don't think you have any idea.
Can you guess how long it took all of us to get outside and how many shots my best friend had to take to get this one? My daughter Maria (fourth from left) announced after an Thanksgiving early dinner that we had a 20 minute window before the sun was in the wrong place. "Be outside in 15 minutes and look nice!" was her commandment. For outdoor photographers, it's all about the lighting, I suppose.
You see that tall guy on the end? He's our basketball player. Douglas is 6'6″. In fact, that's one exciting reason why I haven't blogged in over six months. He has an opportunity to be recruited to play in college. Basketball season is now year round for me and involves a lot of driving. We enrolled him in The Regents School of Charlottesville, where he had played basketball the previous season as a home schooled student. I began driving him down to "The Dell" at the University of Virginia to work out with Coach Geoff Reed, a former private school coach and other potential high school recruits. I packed up the two youngest boys and drove Douglas up to Pennsylvania to attend a HoopGroup Academic Elite Camp. It was an introduction to the new world of elite basketball.
I never wonder if the time, money and sacrifice is worth helping someone pursue their dreams. As African-American poet Langston Hughes said, dreams are a "blue cloud cloth" that one must keep from the "too rough fingers of the world". Do you have a kid with talent and the drive and desire to develop it? Help them. Do you have your own dreams on the shelf. Take them down. Sure, like me, you may have to put them back on the shelf sometimes, but if you live your life in the wind and trust that God has your best interests in his mind, then He'll blow them off that shelf when it's time.
I still home school my youngest boys and wow, do they have energy! For those of you raising kids under ten. Yeah, I know. It's real. It's realllllly tiring. It's mental. It's emotional. Some nights you sleep well; some you don't. I'm feelin' you.
But I'm not trading my days with those boys for anything else right now.
By the way, here's a shout out to all of you young people learning about "adulting", which is the choice phrase of my young millennials. I have a draft of a post called "What Is Adulthood?" Maybe I'll get around to editing it, but I will say that watching the adult lives of my oldest three children is an education for me. When am I needed? When am I crowding their space? (#2 and #3 live with us right now) Should I share with them some suggestions without being asked? As a parent, am I still meeting their love language?
I'm grateful that my three oldest are still around so much. My oldest daughter, Christina, lives thirty minutes away but spends many weekends here at home. God has given me spontaneous conversations with them that have shown me the the treasure-laden depths of their souls and the amazing dreams they dream. What can I do? Be their #1 cheerleader…well my husband and I share the #1 spot, Lol.
One last word before I begin my day as a home educator. Doug and I have been married for twenty-six years. We've had our highs and lows. My advice for all of you who are married and raising kids is: Be transparent. Be emotionally honest about your triumphs and your failures. Extend mercy and grace to your spouse, because one day you may need it yourself. Be an active listener. Take time to hang out and DON'T talk about the kids! Demand nothing and pray about everything.
Try to hold your future plans or agenda loosely. Life has so many shifts. If you grip too hard, you may fall when they fall through. That's how I live my life these days cause' I really don't know where life's wind is blowing me. It's certainly not a breeze. But it's a blessing.


text:
Westbrook board moves closer to benefits decision
WESTBROOK ?— The Board of Education likely will make a decision next week on whether to continue family health care coverage for non-certified school employees who work 10 months a year, Chairman Daniel Cyr said Wednesday.
Walt Platteborze
Board members held a second special meeting Tuesday night on the controversial issue. Cyr said the board spent about three hours in closed session "with a lot of discussion among ourselves," but made no decision.
The school board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the high school library.
Members decided in April to eliminate the family health benefit as part of a new work agreement with the district's 64 non-certified employees.
Cyr has said the board decided that, at a time when taxpayers are pressing for tighter budgets, the benefit was too costly to maintain for employees who don't work a year-round, full-time schedule.
Under the change, individual health insurance coverage would be offered to all non-certified, 10-month employees. Year-round, full-time workers would remain eligible for family coverage.
School officials estimated the change would initially save the district about $150,000 annually.
The decision turned into a political hot potato when non-certified workers and their supporters showed up at a hearing on the 2004-05 town budget to protest losing the benefit. A week later, non-certified workers, who had been organized as a non-union association, voted to affiliate with AFT Connecticut.
The board on May 4 agreed to reconsider its action, after a meeting at which several workers and supporters pleaded for keeping their current coverage in force.
Greg Kotecki, the AFT Connecticut field representative who has been working with the non-certified employees since the unionization vote, could not be reached for comment on the status of the insurance issue.