The Bison Book edition brings back into print the first of the novels comprising Sophus Keith Winter's Grimsen trilogy. The author was "born in Denmark and was brought to the United States at the age of two. Following in a large sense the history of his own family, he has put together a sensitive record of human relationships in his account of how Peter Grimsen, his wife Meta, and his sons adapt themselves to life in an unfamiliar land. Fine as they are as a human story, the three novels, Take All to Nebraska 1936 , Mortgage Your Heart 1937 , and This Passion Never Dies 1938 , possess also an enduring significance as a case history illustrating the economic conditions of the period. . . .


I was bought a set of acrylic paints when I was 15 and gradually began to teach myself to make the most of this highly flexible medium. It has become my life's work. Recently I have been painting more freely, on canvas, with a controlled splattering of gesso overpainted with knife, brush and extreme enthusiasm! I take my inspiration from the countryside around me and hope my appreciation of it shows through in my work.


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(Non-personalised) We will refund the purchase price of the item when we received your item(s) back in the good conditions it was sent.
This excludes personalised items due to the nature of the product.
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Personalised with the first name i.e 'Jack' is returnable, can be sold again but not the full name and birth details.
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We hope you love your frame(s) as much as we do but if you have changed your mind, you're welcome to return it back to us at your own cost for a refund (see returns above). This excludes personalised custom to order (see personalised custom to order above). When we received your returned item(s) and are in a good sale-able condition - refund will be issued back to your account instantly. Please note refunds may take a while to appear on your statement due to bank transaction processes.
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A. yes we can deliver to any work address and P.O Box address.
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Insect Wars Part 2 – Harvesting The Summer Fruits!
Spousal Wars —> Coming to a Theatre Near You!
Michael Vick – Another NFL Player Fallen from Grace?
Bringing You the Shock and Ahh News from Around the World!


Canadian groom Frank Gregoire set a perfect example of how love transcends all barriers when he sang a rendition of Tum Hi Ho for his Indian wife, Simran Malhotra, at their wedding reception.
Frank had initially decided to recite a poem or write a song for his bride but after speaking to his mother-in-law, he decided to sing Tum Hi Ho for Simran. It took Frank six weeks to learn the lyrics and piano chords to popular Bollywood love song.
"At the time I approached Simran's mom and she recommended a few options, one of which was Tum Hi Ho. Once I read the translation, I realised I couldn't have found anything more perfect to express my feelings to her," he says.
The song is about appreciating your true love and not wanting to live without them. It is evident that he practiced hard for he pulled it off with proper Hindi diction, maintaining the essence of the original song that left his bride in tears of joy.
The couple got married on June 27 in Baltimore, Maryland and Frank performed the song during the reception after the couple's Sikh and Christian wedding ceremonies.
On their wedding day, the couple invited 130 of their closest family and friends, who were all in tears when they heard the groom sing for the first time.
"All our family and friends are on cloud nine still. That moment is one I will never forget for the rest of my life," said Simran.
Frank, who has been called a "closet singer/piano player," comes from a musically talented family and plays for fun on weekends. Following Franks performance for his bride, the groom's uncle Marc joins his nephew to recite WaWaWaWa — a goofy line his family came up with during one Christmas in Montreal.
This article was found HERE.


Neurotrack creates tools for the early detection and prevention of Alzheimer's. The company's feature technology is Neurotrack Imprint™, a computer-based visual cognitive test that may help doctors predict Alzheimer's as early as three to six years before symptoms appear, as demonstrated in a five-year, NIH-funded study. Follow-up studies are in progress at Brown, Harvard and Stanford, and in Shanghai, China.
The cognitive test uses eye-tracking technology while presenting the test subject with a series of both novel and familiar images. While most people tend to focus longer on the unfamiliar pictures, individuals with damage to the hippocampus do not exhibit these eye movements — revealing possible cognitive decline years before any changes to behavior.
Because the test is noninvasive, inexpensive, objective and does not have to be administered in any particular language, it could offer an efficient, affordable way of diagnosing pre-symptomatic patients who are at a risk for cognitive decline. This would enable pharmaceutical companies to develop better medicines targeted at early intervention and help doctors begin diagnosing and treating patients early for much improved outcomes.
As of 2016, a major pharmaceutical company began partnering with Neurotrack to recruit the best participants for drug trials — people at risk of developing Alzheimer's and who may benefit from early intervention therapies.
In addition to Imprint, Neurotrack is creating a holistic cognitive health program designed to support aspects of a healthy lifestyle, such as exercise, stress reduction, better nutrition, cognitive training and getting enough sleep. Developed in collaboration with three of the world's leading experts in cognitive decline, the program is supported by research demonstrating that by managing lifestyle-related risk factors, individuals can reduce the risk of cognitive decline.


Whew! I can't believe I'm actually online, able to update this blog. It rained all day yesterday and most of last night, the first real rain we've had in months. I was ecstatic to see it…right up until the time the weather knocked out my internet connection. It went out around 8:00 last night, and it's still out. I'm only able to connect now thanks to someone else's wireless internet and my husband's laptop. The cable guy is supposed to come tomorrow morning, so somehow I'll have to get along until then.
Vary the amount of spices in this to suit your taste. I used the minimum amounts given, which put this right at the outer edge of my daughter's spice tolerance.
In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, and bell pepper until the onions soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the beans, seasonings, and tomatoes, and stir to combine. Add 3 cups vegetable broth or water. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, adding additional water or vegetable broth as needed to keep a soupy consistency.
Just before serving, add the corn, if you like, and heat through. Serve in bowls with lime wedges. Makes 4-6 servings.
I just found this recipe in my search for cold weather dishes. Thanks!
Mmm! I just made this. Super tasty. Perfect for chilly weather.
So I am not a vegan at all….but we are looking to make our lifes healthier here and there. Since we have had this soup, we have tried a number of meals and we love them. I am from the south, where you do not pass on the meats…but if I had this in front of me I would. Its great! Have a good day.
What an odd comment to direct at a website run by a southern woman.
I just made this. Modified slightly based on what I had in the house- used crushed tomatoes instead of diced and did use a little tiny bit of olive oil to saute the onion, pepper and garlic. It is EXCELLENT!! This ones a keeper, even my meat and potatoes husband loved it!
Keep the good stuff coming!!
This is sooo good! I am making pot number two for this week. Can't wait.
I made this soup tonight. It sounded perfect because it was raining all day. This soup is awesome. I can't get enough of it. I didn't have canned diced tomatoes so I just diced some up myself (5 to be percise). My husband usually adds salt to everything that I make and this time he didn't. This soup is going to be a household staple.
Susan, how do I adjust this to do in a pressure cooker? Or is it best not to?
Craig, this is untested, but it's what I would do: Soak 1 1/2 cups of dried black beans over night. Saute the onion, etc., in your pressure cooker. Add the drained beans, water, seasonings, and tomatoes. Cover, bring to high pressure, and cook for 1o minutes. Remove from heat, let pressure come down naturally, and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
This recipe looks delicious and I love that is it low carbs too.
Can the black beans be substituted with Kidney beans? or other types of beans?
I made this recipe today and it is awesome =). I had never used chipotle chiles in adobo before, but I'm so glad to have discovered them via your recipe(s)! My spicy-food loving husband and I are eternally grateful. Thank you so much for all of your great recipes.
I was really in the mood for black bean soup, so of course, this blog was the first place I turned for a recipe. While this was good–and I actually followed it pretty closely, only omitting the corn because I'm watching carbs–it seemed to be missing something. Salt maybe? Not sure. Perhaps it needs to sit overnight for the flavors to mature. Good basic soup, but I'll need to see tomorrow if it's a make again recipe.
Who cares about the soup! Love those cactus corn muffins! Nothing like a yard sale bargain!
Great minds: here's what i did for lunch – Black Bean & Baby Bella Chili. It was 11:30 – no bread, no lettuce – needed something to serve at noon; inventory pantry and frig and, voila, black beans and Baby Bella chili.
Dump all in small pot, bring to boil and slowly simmer until time to serve or peppers are tender but not mushy. The mushroom slices held up well.
Made this last night and loved it – the chipotle chili gave it such a smokey flavor!
After sauteing the onions, etc., cover, bring to high pressure, cook for 6 minutes. Allow pressure to come down naturally or quick-release after 10 minutes. Oh, you should try it with about 1 cup less water and add more after it's cooked if necessary.
I saw this recipe a few hours ago and made it tonight. It was delicious and totally exceeded my expectations. Definitely a keeper, thank you!
Looks terrific! How would I need to adjust it for a slow cooker? Thanks!
We made this tonight for first time and cooked it in IP 3 mins, but will do 5 next time so I can add uncooked quinoa instead of cooked. I had added too much liquid, I think. I also added the corn, plus spinach after MPR. Will make it again. We liked it!! Thanks.


text:
"It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings."
Hebrews 2:10 (NRSV)
What makes a good leader great? One principle is 'walk the walk'; meaning a great leader doesn't ask anyone to do anything that he or she isn't willing to do.
Once, following a snowstorm, the president of a hospital was out clearing his driveway at 4 am because he wanted to be into work by 7 am. He didn't have to, but he knew that there were nurses, doctors and others who did. Patients and other co-workers were counting on them. He wanted to show his support, and great leaders make sure you don't feel alone in your struggles.
The writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews talks about how Jesus, the ultimate leader and Saviour of the world, suffered to "become perfect" through suffering (see above). Some might think this says Jesus was imperfect, but what it really highlights is that God's Son wanted to show he understands how it feels to suffer, because human beings suffer. Fully God and fully man, he wants us to know he experienced what we experience.
Consider what this means for death, the ultimate loss for us: "Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death…Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:14-15, 18).
As the hospital president who was at work at 7 am to show support for those who worked for him, Jesus Christ meets us in the midst of our suffering. He's been there, too. He was willing to subject himself to the worst of our human experiences, even death, so that death and the fear of death could no longer hold us in its negative grip.
May you know that in any suffering you encounter, Jesus meets you there.
Mighty Father, thank you for your Son who lived the human life and suffered as we suffer—and more so. In Jesus' name we pray.
Study presented by Heber Ticas
The Day by Day each Sunday is taken from 'Speaking of Life,' (https://www.gci.org/videos/media-speaking-of-life/), a public resource video on the USA website of Grace Communion International. Heber Ticas is an Elder in Grace Communion International and is the Superintend of the Churches in Latin America. He also serves as the National Coordinator for Church Multiplication in the United States.
Local Congregation:
You are welcome to attend one of our local Church congregations located throughout the UK and Ireland. For details of your nearest local congregation, check on our website, www.gracecom.church under the 'Churches' tab, or ring +44 (0)1858 437099.
Email: admin@daybyday.org.uk
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text:
Quiz: Can You Identify These Countries By Their Outlines?: HowStuffWorks
Can You Identify These Countries By Their Outlines?
Narra Jackson
Some people think the world of themselves and have their whole lives mapped out. Others just spend a lot of time thinking about the world and staring at maps. If you're one of these atlas aficionados, you probably have a pretty good idea of what the prominent features of our planet look like — and the countries that span its surface. That's no small feat. With over 200 countries in existence today, it's hard not to get all those lines in the sand (and across rivers, fields, mountains, and seas) mixed up.
So how did the world end up with so many patches of national territory that have such weird shapes? About 400 years ago, the Holy Roman Empire and several other European powers ratified the Peace of Westphalia, which brought an end to the Thirty Years' War in Central and Northern Europe. This included the forerunners of major European states today such as Poland, Norway, and The Netherlands. Could you recognize the outlines of those countries as they are now, nevermind back then? The Westphalian treaties also established the principle that each nation state has sovereignty over its domestic affairs and territory as international law — which gave birth to the modern nation-state as a coherent entity. Following this, national borders as we know them began to emerge first in Europe — among them, the borders of France. Do you know what the borders of France look like?
This process then expanded all over the globe as France and other European imperial powers exported this idea of national sovereignty to the Americas, Africa, and Asia. However, history didn't stop there. Countless wars and arbitrary territorial agreements between colonial powers have led to the creation of countries whose borders sometimes make no sense or are completely inexplicable. Jordan and Saudi Arabia are both examples of this phenomenon. Do you remember what the borders of those two countries look like? What about Kazakhstan, whose borders partly reflect exacting attempts by Soviet ethnographers to keep distinct human populations intact?
On the other hand, some countries are lucky enough to be defined partly or even entirely by natural geographic features, which can make them very easy to identify. They say no man is an island — but the nation of Cuba is! And in Australia's case, an entire continent. Would you be able to pick these two countries out of a lineup based on just their silhouettes?
And Italy is famous the world over for its distinctive shape. How many countries with a long history of incredible soccer players can claim to look like a boot kicking a ball?
Regardless of precisely what they look like, there's a profound story behind each country's modern borders. And if you know what to look for, these ultimately imaginary lines can tell you something about a nation's politics and culture. How keen is your eye? Can you tell one country apart from another? Take this quiz to find out!
What country is known for the original Olympics?
The official name of Greece is Hellenic Republic and is located in SE Europe, close to both Africa and Asia. In 2011 the population of Greece was around 11 million. The capital and largest city in Greece is Athens.
Which country is famous for Oktoberfest?
The population of Germany in the year 2010 was 82 million. Germany was the first country in the world to adopt Daylight savings time which is also known as summer time. It occurred in 1916, in the midst of WWI, and was put in place to conserve energy. Interestingly, prison escape is not punishable by law in Germany because their law maintains that it is basic human instinct to be free, and therefore prisoners have a right to escape jail.
Which country is also the name of a food?
The Atacama desert in Chile is the driest place on Earth, getting less than 0.05mm of waterfall each year. Chile is also a world class wine destination and the ninth largest producer of wine in the world. Valparaiso in Chile has been such inspiration for painters and poets, particularly Pablo Neruda, who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1971.
Which country is famous for its cigars?
Cuba is the largest of all the islands in the Caribbean. From the air, the island of Cuba resembles a crocodile or alligator so Cuba is often referred to in Spanish as "el cocodrilo" or "el caima."
The city of Warsaw is in which country?
Poland's official name is actually the Republic of Poland. Poland is also the 9th largest country in Europe by land area. It shares a border with seven countries including, Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
Which country would you visit to see Kuala Lumpur?
Malaysia is home to the largest cave chamber in the world, it is the Sarawak Chamber in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, which can easily accommodate a Boeing 747. Also in Malaysia, Sabah is home to the Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world. There are more than 60 sub-ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak.
Which African country lies between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers?
The first people of Zimbabwe were the Bantu-speaking Iron Age farmers that settled in the region around AD 300. The capital Harare was originally called Salisbury in 1890 in honor of the British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. Zimbabwe is a landlocked plateau country.
Which country was part of the former Yugoslavia?
An interesting feature about Macedonia is that it has more mountains and mountain peaks than any other country in the world. The country has as many as 34 mountain peaks, each with a height more than 2,000 meters above sea-level. Mount Golem Korab is the highest at 2,753 meters above sea-level. Most of the peaks in Macedonia have not been visited by people.
Which country is known for Oslo and fjords?
Norway has the world's biggest sovereign fund, where it has been saving almost all its oil money and is worth almost a trillion dollars. Norway also introduced salmon sushi to the Japanese. Norway gets 98-99% of its electricity from hydroelectric power, more than any other country in the world.
What boot-shaped country is this?
Italy is notoriously known for its "boot like" shape. It is the fifth most visited country in the world, welcoming more than 46 million visitors every year. Also, the Vatican City in Rome is the smallest country in the world and is led by the Pope himself.
Which European country is famous for knives and neutrality?
Switzerland is one of the only two countries to have a square shaped flag. Switzerland is ready for a nuclear war if there ever is one. There are enough nuclear fallout shelters to accommodate its entire population. The Swiss military also keeps fully stocked artillery bunkers, disguised as quaint country homes, in the middle of populated villages.
This North African country is right across the Mediterranean from Spain. Which country is it?
Morocco is only 8 miles from Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar. Morocco is one of the largest producers of illicit hashish in the world. Marrakesh, or also known as the "red city" requires sun protection and headgear of some kind all year-round, even during winter. Morocco is also the largest processor and exporter of sardines in the world.
Which country would you visit to see the Eiffel Tower?
France is the world's most popular tourist destination, with about 83.7 million visitors arriving in France according to the World Tourism Organization report published in 2014, France is the world's most visited country. France is also the largest country in the EU, it's area makes up about 1/5th of the EU's total area.
Minsk is the capital of which Eastern European country?
Papa New Guinea
Geographically, Belarus is located between Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. Minks is the eternal city in Belarus, it has been annihilated on 8 different occasions in the turbulent historical past of Europe, but has rebuilt every time like a phoenix. The most important holiday is Freedom Day on May 9th where they celebrate the end of the German occupation during WW2.
Transylvania is a region in which European country?
Romania was a source of inspiration for two famous novels: "The Castle in the Carpathians" by Jules Verne, and "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. The mass transit network in Bucharest a city in Romania, is the fourth largest in Europe.
In which country do people run with the bulls?
In Spain, the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) plaza in Madrid is the physical center of the country. There is no tooth fairy in Spain, instead, they have a legend called 'Ratoncito Perez' who exchanges children's teeth with gifts. Spain produces about 45% of all the olive oil in the world.
What is the name of this oil-rich nation?
Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam. The Arabian Peninsula that it sits on is the world's largest peninsula. Riyadh's camel market is one of the largest in the world and sells about 100 camels per day.
The city of Vilnius is in which European country?
Some philologists generally agree that Lithuanian, the native language of Lithuania, is the most ancient of all living languages. Lithuania is known as the land of storks, the country's national bird, with about 13,000 pairs. In 2011, Lithuania ranked first worldwide for internet upload and download speed.
Which country lies between Afghanistan and India?
A baby is born in Pakistan every seven seconds. In 1979 Abdus Salam won Pakistan's only Nobel Prize by sharing the physics award. Pakistan is the world's second largest chickpea producer behind India. The name Pakistan means 'land of the pure' in Persian and Urdu.
Which country is on the north coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia?
There are about 35 species of plants that come only from Brunei. Some of these are the orchid, the palms, and bamboo. The Belalong tree frog can only be found in Brunei. When Brunei first participated in the 1988 Olympic Games, its team was composed of a single official and no athletes.
Which country is named for its small size?
The majority of the islands that form Micronesia are either volcanic islands or coral atolls. Around 6,000 islands formerly owned by Spain in Micronesia were sold to Germany after Spain lost its authority in the Philippines. These include the Caroline Islands, the Mariana Islands, Palau, and other possessions.
Which country would you visit in order to tour Amsterdam?
The Netherlands is also known as Holland, it's capital and largest city is a very well known one... Amsterdam. Around 20% of the Netherlands is located below sea level. The Netherlands borders with Belgium and Germany.
Which Asian country used to be called Siam?
Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country that has never been colonized by a European country. In fact, in the Thai language, the name for their country is Prathet Thai, which means "the land of the free." All the males were Buddhist monks for a bit of Thailand's history. Thaliand is where you will find both the smallest and the largest creatures, the smallest mammal in the world, the bumblebee bat is native to Thailand. Also, the largest fish, the whale shark lives in Thai waters as well.
Which Balkan country is southeast of Sarajevo?
Montenegro didn't declare its independence from Serbia until 2006. It's name breaks down into two words, 'monte' and 'negro' meaning 'black mountain' and dates back to the 15th century. The countries flag features a gold lion, the flag is based on the flag that was in use during the reign of King Nicola I, who was king between 1910-1918.
What country was once ruled by Ferdinand Marcos?
The Philippines was the first country in SE Asia to gain independence after WWII in 1945. The Philippines has the highest rate of discovery of new animal species with 16 new species of mammals discovered just in the last 10 years.
Can you name this country that borders the Atlantic?
Portugal is the oldest country in Europe and has had the same defined borders since 1139 making it the oldest nation-state in Europe. It has the oldest bookstore in the world is in Portugal's capital. Portugal is also the largest cork producer in the world. Also, surprisingly Portugal has on of the world's top surf spots, with a coastline that spans 497 miles, it is known to have 364 days of surf!
Can you name this Asian country?
The culture in Vietnam is a complex adaptation of Chinese, Japanese, French, and American colonial influences. The body of their first president Ho Chi Minh was embalmed and is on display in a mausoleum. Vietnamese traditional fashion is easily distinguished by the long flowing robes.
Which Asian country is its own capital city?
Singapore is one of the strictest countries in the world, especially when it comes to cleanliness. Toilet cleanliness is serious business. In fact, you can be fined up to $500 for not flushing after you use the toilet. It is also illegal to chew gum in Singapore.
Which European country declared independence from Serbia in 2008?
Kosovo is the newest nation of the 21st century and recognized by over 60 countries including 22 EU states. It declared independence on February 17, 2008. Kosovo has the highest morbidity rates in Europe due to diseasaes being transmitted by water. Their natural resources include lead, zinc, copper, silver, gold, brown coal, bauxite, ignite, and nickel.
Which African country has a capital called Addis Ababa?
The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa and is the highest capital city in Africa, at 2,400 metres. Ethiopia is the second most-populous country in Africa, with a population of over 90 million people in 2015. There are over 80 languages spoken in this country.
In which African country would you find the city of Dakar?
There are 12.8 million people currently living in Senegal. The official language of Senegal is French but mostly people still speak all of their own ethnic languages. Most of the people living in Senegal are Muslim.
What country includes the Palm Islands and Dubai?
The world's longest automated metro system is in Dubai (which is located in the United Arab Emirates). It has 87 trains operating its 75-km-long network which has no drivers at all. The trains are carbon neutral and the temperature is maintained at a standard 20 degrees Celsius with no variation whatsoever.
Caracas is the capital of which South American country?
Lake Maracaibo which is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela at the northern end is the largest lake in South America and one of the oldest on Earth, an estimated 20-40 million years old. In Venezuela, summer is experienced all year round because the country only has two seasons: hot and dry season and hot and wet season.
Which country is at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula?
Yemen's territory has more than 200 islands, the largest of these is Socotra. Yemen contains almost no natural resources and belongs to the poorest nations in the middle east. Until 1565 Yemen was ruled by Turkey. Yemen also has one of the highest birth rates of all of the middle eastern countries.
Which Balkan country includes the city of Belgrade?
Serbia is the largest raspberry exporter worldwide, producing over 30% of the total worldwide raspberries consumed. Dinar is the official Serbian currency.
Jakarta is the capital of which country?
Indonesia is made up of over 17,500 islands, 6,000 of which are inhabited. The largest of these islands are Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and the Indonesian part of New Guinea called Papua. Indonesia is part of the Pacific Rim "Ring of Fire."
What landlocked South American country is shown here?
Bolivia is one of the two only landlocked South American countries, the other is Paraguay. Like in Ecuador and Peru. cut (guinea pig) is used and eaten as a traditional meat. El Penal de San Pedro (Saint Peter's Prison) in La Paz is famous for its walled society. Bolivia has over 30 official languages and 36 native cultures. The main languages spoke are Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara.
Which Balkan country has a capital city called Sofia?
Bulgaria is the only country in Europe that hasn't changed its name since it was first established in 681 AD. The oldest gold treasure in the world was found in Bulgaria; in 294 graves there were about 3000 gold objects that were dated back more than 6,000 years. There is also a bacteria that is unique to Bulgarian air and gives it's local yogurt the unique flavor that it has.
Bogota and Medellin are in which country?
Located on the equator, Colombia is known for its hot weather and great coffee. This country is also known for its talented soccer team.
Which Arab nation includes the cities of Petra and Amman?
In Jordan, they believe that praising children excessively can invite bad luck and is generally avoided. The Dead Sea or the Salt Lake in Jordan is the earth's lowest point and lies 402 meters below mean sea level. This country also has one of the most breathtaking and spiritual landscapes on the planet. It is considered polite to refuse a meal three times before actually accepting it.
Which country was once known as Persia?
In Persian, the word "Iran" means "land of the Aryans." Iran's capital and largest city, Tehran, has some of the worst air pollution issues in the world. An estimated 27 people die each day from air pollution-related diseases. Iran is mostly a desert and only receives less than 4 inches of precipitation each year.
Tashkent is the capital of which Central Asian country?
In Uzbekistan, the way to greet a woman is by bowing to her with your right hand placed over your heart. A master chef in Uzbekistan is able to cook in just one cauldron, enough food to serve a thousand men. They also believe that turning bread upside down will bring you bad fortune.
Which Central American country is north of El Salvador?
Christopher Columbus was the first colonial to discover Honduras. His first words were "thank God we got out these great depths!" Honduras' literal meaning is "Great Depths." Copan Mayan Ruins are considered the most important ruins for the fully intact hieroglyphs. It is the main source of how we know Mayan history today.
Which country shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia?
The oil reserves found in Kuwait were discovered in 1934 and they are the world's sixth largest oil reserves in the world. Kuwait is also the first Gulf country to have established a constitution and parliament.
Which country's name sounds like a crocheted blanket?
Mobile phone coverage is available in more than 90% of the country, and mobile phones are considered to be status symbols. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the poster boy in many of the muscle building centers in Afghanistan. They think he looks Afghan.
Which country is bordered by Argentina and Brazil?
Uruguay is the only country whose name in English has the same letter three times in its first five. The first European in Uruguay was a Spanish explorer Juan Diaz de Solis in 1516. He was killed and eaten by the native Charrua, this kept native Europeans away for 100 years. Uruguay is the only country that keeps track of 100% of its cattle.
Which is the world's largest landlocked country?
The name Kazakhstan translates to "Land of the wanderers." Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country by area in the world but has one of the lowest population densities at 6 people per square mile. The people that make up Kazakhstan represent more than 120 different nationalities. Horse meat is an essential part of Kazakh cuisine, the athletes during the Olympics in 2012 begged the Olympics Committee to bring it to the Games in London.
Which Caribbean nation is the birthplace of singer Rihanna?
The people of Barbados are called Barbadians. Barbados is an island that is completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, it belongs to the Lesser Antilles which is a group of islands in North America. Rihanna was born in Barbados in 1988. Tiger Woods also married his Swedish girlfriend at a ceremony on Barbados.
Which African country borders Kenya and Uganda?
The world's oldest and earliest human skull was found in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. The longest-running study of chimpanzees in the world was done in Tanzania by Jane Goodall who studied the chimps in the 1960s. The official language of Tanzania is Swahili but there are over 120 languages spoken there.
Which African nation is known as the "land of a thousand hills"?
Hotel Rwanda is a very famous and popular film that showed some of the conflicts that plagued Rwanda. It is a small, mountainous, landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Can You Identify These Small Countries by Their Outlines?
Can You Guess These Spanish-Speaking Countries from Their Outlines?
Can You Name These Countries From an Outline in 7 Minutes?
Can You Name the Capitals of the World's Smallest Countries?
Can You Identify All of These Countries in the Americas From an Outline?
Can You Identify The Country From Three Images?
Can You Actually Match These Countries to Their Capitals?
Can You Identify This Animal by Its Ears?
Can You Actually Match These North and South American Countries to Their Capitals?
Can You Identify the Dinosaur from an Image?


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Middle Division Team Leaders Added for 2022-23 Additional Student Support
Middle Division News
#SJETogether
Dear School Family,
I am very pleased to share with you that next school year will see a further enhancement to student support in the middle division with the creation of the new leadership position of 'Team Leader.' The individuals who will take on these important roles are Mr. Archie Barnes (Grade 5), Mrs. Stephanie Cole (Grade 6), Ms. Sarah Bragdon (Grade 7), and Mr. Joe Woodard (Grade 8).
The team leaders will work closely with and under the guidance of Mr. Ronnie Williams, Assistant Director of the Middle Division. They will team with Mrs. Patenaude, School Psychologist, and collaborate with their middle division colleagues to oversee the academic, social, and emotional progress and development of each middle division student. Middle division can be a difficult time, and we remain fully dedicated to making sure each child is nurtured and fully taken care of through this additional layer of support.
The team leaders will serve as the first point of contact for teachers and parents regarding the academic and personal needs and development of individual students. In their roles as student advocates, team leaders will meet frequently with the school psychologist and assistant director to review individual student progress and address any issues or concerns that are brought to them by colleagues or parents.
One of the primary responsibilities of a Head of School is to provide opportunities for growth and mentor aspiring school leaders. I am very pleased that Archie, Stephanie, Sarah, Joe, and Ronnie have this opportunity to work together to support the children and develop their individual and collective leadership potential. All of them are highly accomplished and well-respected educators who will do a fantastic job of serving and supporting the children.
Hugh Jebson
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text:
Q: Jumping jee-willigers: sqlite3 GUI browser for Windows? Is there such a thing ? I'd really like to be able to browse my sqlite 3 databases. Can't seem to find any useful tools.

A: You mean a tool like SQLiteAdmin?

A: I haven't tried it in a while, but there's sqlitecc.  Also, there's dbedit2.

A: You can actually browse SQLite databases with Visual Studio's built-in server explorer. All you need is the free SQLite.NET driver.

Visual Studio 2005/2008 Design-Time Support
You can add a SQLite
  connection to the Server Explorer,
  create queries with the query
  designer, drag-and-drop tables onto a
  Typed DataSet and more! SQLite's
  designer works on full editions of
  Visual Studio 2005/2008, including
  VS2005 Express Editions.
  * NEW You can create/edit views, tables, indexes, foreign keys,
  constraints and triggers interactively
  within the Visual Studio Server
  Explorer!

(Works with VS2010 as well.)

A: Seems like there would be a good one, right? A few months back, I had to use one a lot. Everything I tried (all the free ones I could find) were awful, the least awful being sqliteman (http://sqliteman.com/). It's still pretty bad, though.

A: I'm using SQLite Maestro. While not free, it's a excellent tool. Also look for SQLite Administrator.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In 2003 the Minnesota Historical Society opened its Mill City Museum on the Minneapolis riverfront. The museum is constructed within the ruins of the Washburn A Mill. The mill was owned and operated by Washburn Crosby Company, a predecessor of General Mills, Inc.
As part of interpretive program development for the Mill City Museum, Interpretive Programs Assistant Linda Cameron conducted oral history interviews with five women who had been employed as home economists for the General Mills and Pillsbury companies at various times during the period 1952 to 1996.
The primary purpose of the interviews was to gain insight into the work of the test kitchens of the two leading flour-milling companies with roots in the Minneapolis milling district. The narrators were asked about the home economists' educational backgrounds, job responsibilities for kitchen staff in various capacities, product development, work environment, department hierarchy, and career opportunities for women at each company. Questions were also asked about staff and public perceptions of the fictitious home economists "Betty Crocker" and "Ann Pillsbury," about promotions such as the Pillsbury Bake-Off and Recipes From the Soul contests, and about the public tour programs.
A secondary purpose for the interviews was to collect information about Ruth Andre Krause, the second Director of the Ann Pillsbury Home Service Center, who will serve as the basis for a "History Player" character in the Baking Lab of the Mill City Museum. Former Pillsbury employees were asked specifically about Ruth's responsibilities and contributions during her fifteen years with the Pillsbury Company.


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Home/Sports/World Cup 2022: US facing unfavorable odds ahead of pivotal match against England
World Cup 2022: US facing unfavorable odds ahead of pivotal match against England
Bryon S. ParsonsNovember 25, 2022
The United States Men's National Team are underdogs in their match against the England.
The U.S. is coming off a disappointing draw to Wales, while England dominated Iran in a 6-2 win earlier this week.
Shortly before Friday's kickoff, the Americans were a +600 underdog, meanwhile England remained heavily favored with -195 odds to win at the Caesars Sportsbook.
Tim Ream, of the U.S., looks on during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between the U.S. and Wales at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Nov. 21, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
(Photo by MohamKaramali/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
The odds are better for the U.S. ending the match in a draw with +310 odds. Much of the money that has been wagered on the match's outright winner as been on England, not the U.S.
However, sportsbooks expect a fair amount of activity until kickoff.
USA VS. ENGLAND: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOST ANTICIPATED WORLD CUP MATCH
The U.S.-England matchup has received more bets than any other 2022 World Cup match so far, according to BetMGM official.
If the U.S. pulls off the major upset, it would not be the first time an underdog has prevailed in this year's tournament.
Tyler Adams, of the United States, kick the ball in front of Wales' Aaron Ramsey during the World Cup,Group B soccer match between the United States and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.
(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahii)
Saudi Arabia took down Argentina earlier in Group stage action. Saudi Arabia entered the match as 25-1 underdogs. Japan also shocked Germany on Wednesday.
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic, #10, celebrates with teammate Tyler Adams, #4, after scoring a goal during the second half of a FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match against Mexico, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, in Cincinnati.
(AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
The favorite to win the World Cup is still Brazil at +250. France has the second-best odds at +650 at Caesars Sportsbook.
The U.S. is 125-1 to win the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
The U.S. and England kickoff at 2 p.m. ET at Al-Bayt Stadium in Qatar.
Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
Bryon S. Parsons
All of Aaron Judge's Homers, From 1 to 52
Max Verstappen wins F1 Dutch Grand Prix in home country for second straight year
BYU football mourns the lost of offensive lineman Sione Veikoso, who was killed in construction accident
NFL slaps Packers' Allen Lazard with $10k fine for taunting, WR calls reprimand 'very contradictory'
FOX Bet Super 6: Terry Bradshaw is giving away $100,000 in NFL Week 11


India is vast and diverse, and the number of transportation options is quite varied. From trains to buses to cars to rickshaws, we've broken it all down for your travel research.
Malaysia is one of those travel destinations that ranks high on the top preferences of the vast majority of travel enthusiasts. And luckily, for visiting this amazing destination, you don't particularly need plenty of money. You just need some imagination to stretch the budget that you have. Some of the tips below will truly turn your incursion into a budget-friendly one, if you don't mind some slight minor inconveniences.


(Family Features) Although ample natural light is a feature many homeowners desire, there are plenty of reasons to manage the light streaming into your home. Whether you simply crave a different aesthetic or you're working to correct a matter such as limited privacy or filtering damaging rays, there are various approaches you can take to block light around your home.
Trap light with textiles. If you've always considered curtains an attractive but non-functional addition to your rooms, think again. Choosing the proper weight and texture for your window treatments can significantly alter the lighting when curtains are drawn. For example, combining heavier drapes and sheer panels is a stylish approach that lets you filter without fully eliminating light. When placed on a double rod, the drapes can pull closed for more complete blockage.
Seek solutions for unique situations. For glass inserts on doors, traditional coverings such as curtains or blinds are impractical; the sway of fabric or banging of blinds grows tiresome quickly. An alternative, such as Add-On Blinds for Doors, is an energy-efficient solution, helping reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer, that lets you easily adjust and change the height and tilt of the slats as needed to control the amount of light and privacy you want. The blinds, an easy do-it-yourself project, snap on to the door glass frame in about 15 minutes and come in several sizes to fit various door glass sizes. They are also cord-free, making them an attractive option for households with pets and children. And because the blinds are enclosed, cleaning is as simple as washing the exterior panel, just like you would a regular window.
Filter harsh rays with window film. Although it lacks the day-to-day flexibility of other options, tinting windows or applying a window film is an effective way to significantly reduce bright light through a window. There are a wide range of options to fit your specific needs, from glare reduction and heat control to privacy and decoration. You can choose versions that allow varying degrees of opacity in gray or dark colors, or even frosted or stained glass looks. In most cases, the film is applied from inside; the street appearance varies depending on your selection.
Plant with purpose. If your preference is to leave your view unobstructed, enhance the view with strategically positioned shrubs or trees that lend a more subtle sense of privacy while blocking direct sunlight. This approach is ideal for windows and glass doors overlooking a scenic backyard with limited privacy concerns.
Explore more ideas for controlling the lighting and privacy of your home at ODL.com/LightControl.


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Lupin aims to be big in Japan with Kyowa Pharma stake
The march of India's top pharmaceutical companies around the globe has continued with Lupin Laboratories' purchase of an 80% stake in Japan's Kyowa Pharmaceutical Industry, a manufacturer of generic medicines and active ingredients.
Lupin is one of a number of Indian pharmaceutical companies that have been trying to get into the Japanese market for generics, which is still fairly small despite Japan being the second-largest pharmaceutical market in the world.
With the Japanese health system struggling to cope with a hefty drugs bill, the betting is that generics will grow quickly, with new legislation in 2006 allowing doctors to authorise the dispensing of a generic drug for the first time. The government has also introduced new regulations, to be implemented by 2011, designed to stimulate the local generic industry.
In April this year Zydus Cadila bought Nippon Universal Pharmaceutical, while at the end of 2005 Ranbaxy Laboratories set up joint venture, Nihon Pharmaceuticals, with Nippon Chemiphar. Dr Reddy's Laboratories said earlier this year it was eyeing Japan, but had not yet decided on its entry strategy.
Lupin said that Kyowa ranks among the top 10 Japanese generic companies, with sales of 7.4 billion yen ($64 million) in the year ended March 2007, mainly from its cardiovascular, respiratory, anti-allergy and gastrointestinal product ranges. It intends to eventually acquire the remaining 20% of the Japanese company.
'Significant' move
Dr Desh Bandhu Gupta, Lupin's chairman, said: "This is a very significant part of our strategy to tap leading global markets and establishes a beachhead in the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world."
At present generics account for just 5% of the Japanese drug market, according to figures supplied by the Japanese Generic Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, compared to around 25% in Germany and the UK and 8% in the USA. Lupin will be hoping that market share rises quickly in the coming years.
Dr Reddy's could join race for Merck KGaA's generic unit
http://www.lupinworld.com


text:
/**
 * @exports OwsBoundingBox
 */
define([
        '../../error/ArgumentError',
        '../../util/Logger',
        '../../geom/Sector'
    ],
    function (ArgumentError,
              Logger,
              Sector) {
        "use strict";

        var OwsBoundingBox = function (element) {
            if (!element) {
                throw new ArgumentError(
                    Logger.logMessage(Logger.LEVEL_SEVERE, "OwsBoundingBox", "constructor", "missingDomElement"));
            }

            this.assembleElement(element);
        };

        // Internal. Intentionally not documented.
        OwsBoundingBox.prototype.assembleElement = function (element) {
            this.crs = element.localName === "WGS84BoundingBox" ? "WGS84" : element.getAttribute("crs");

            this.dimensions = element.getAttribute("dimensions");

            var children = element.children || element.childNodes;
            for (var c = 0; c < children.length; c++) {
                var child = children[c];

                if (child.localName === "LowerCorner") {
                    this.lowerCorner = child.textContent;
                } else if (child.localName === "UpperCorner") {
                    this.upperCorner = child.textContent;
                }
            }
        };

        // Internal. Intentionally not documented.
        OwsBoundingBox.prototype.getSector = function () {
            var minLat, minLon, maxLat, maxLon, vals;

            if (this.crs.indexOf("WGS84") !== -1 || this.crs.indexOf("EPSG:4326") !== -1) {
                vals = this.lowerCorner.split(/\s+/);
                minLon = vals[0];
                minLat = vals[1];
                vals = this.upperCorner.split(/\s+/);
                maxLon = vals[0];
                maxLat = vals[1];
                return new Sector(minLat, maxLat, minLon, maxLon);
            } else {
                return null;
            }
        };

        return OwsBoundingBox;
    });

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Editorial, News, Trending
DMX New Album To Feature Kanye West & Dr. Dre Says Swizz Beatz
by S. Leslie May 2, 2016
S. Leslie Author
A new DMX album is coming soon. Swizz Beatz has confirmed that X will be dropping a new album that will see guest features from the likes of Kanye West and Dr. Dre.
It's been nearly a decade since DMX release an album. No his 2015 LP Redemption of the Beast does not count since that was released by a label who had rights to some of the New York rapper's earlier work.
DMX Not Dead But Hospitalized In Serious Condition
Swizz Beatz took to his Instagram page to make the announcement last month but seems we just catching up on it. The producer says that he is putting in some finishing touches on the Dark Man X upcoming studio album.
"I am truly ultra proud of the steps my brother has been taking to greatness," the former Ruff Ryder producer/rapper wrote. "Some people think it's easy to shake unfortunate situations but it's not! I would love for all the fans to hit up @DMX and show him love for being focused, clean, & ready to earn back his crown. Long live the Dog AKA my brother AKA the Great.? Love you for life!! RR 4 Life!! Let's get 'em!!Album sounding nice king….. We're just waiting on DRE & Kanye tracks to wrap up!!!!"
I am truly ultra proud of the steps my brother has been taking to greatness ?? Some people think it's easy to shake unfortunate situations but it's not! I would love for all the fans to hit up @DMX and show him love for being focused, clean, & ready to earn back his crown ?? Long live the Dog AKA my brother AKA the Great?? Love you for life!! RR 4 Life!! Let's get 'em!!Album sounding nice king….. We're just waiting on DRE & Kanye tracks to wrap up!!!! ????????????????????????
A post shared by therealswizzz (@therealswizzz) on Mar 15, 2016 at 7:30pm PDT
DMX, Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Swizz Beatz
More DMX News
Ja Rule Details How He Took Advantage Jay-Z & DMX Supergroup Failing
DMX Tearfully Recalls His Mentor Tricking Him Into Smoking Crack At Age 14
Sean Paul Finally Addresses Bizarre Beef With DMX


text:
Privacy Policy for Teresa Wilson Coaching
Teresa Wilson Coaching ("us", "we", or "our") operates teresawilsoncoaching.com (hereinafter referred to as the "Service").
We use your data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. Unless otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy, the terms used in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as in our Terms and Conditions, accessible from teresawilsoncoaching.com
Service is teresawilsoncoaching.com operated by Teresa Wilson Coaching
Teresa Wilson Coaching uses the collected data for various purposes:
Teresa Wilson Coaching will take all the steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of your Personal Data will take place to an organisation or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of your data and other personal information.
Teresa Wilson Coaching may disclose your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:
To protect and defend the rights or property of Teresa Wilson Coaching
By visiting this page on our website: http://teresawilsoncoaching.com/privacy


text:
Home » Articles » Women in Business Appoint Nichola Robinson as New Chair
Women in Business Appoint Nichola Robinson as New Chair
Women in Business, is delighted to announce newly appointed Chair, Nichola Robinson and Vice Chair, Anne Clydesdale ahead of its annual Chair's Lunch, Northern Ireland's largest and fastest growing business network for female entrepreneurs and business leaders,
The 2019 Women in Business Chair's Lunch which will centre around The Business of Education will see over 250 of Northern Ireland's senior business women and men gather on Thursday 24 January at Titanic Belfast as Nichola Robinson hosts her first event in her new role as Chair.
Nichola, Procurement Director at Bombardier Aerospace has over 30 years' experience in Aerospace Supply Chain. Her leadership responsibilities include value engineering within Bombardier Belfast where she leads a team of engineering and sourcing professionals who develop and implement innovative concepts.
She commented, "I am delighted to be appointed as Women in Business Chair. I am passionate about leading my teams; delivering excellence and helping people and businesses reach their full potential. I am excited to share key aspects of the WIB Strategy for the future and to continue to oversee the delivery of our Manifesto with Education being a key pillar this year."
Women in Business Chief Executive Roseann Kelly is delighted with the new appointments and commenting on how they can use their expertise to support the organisation, Roseann said, "Now, more than ever, the voices of business women in Northern Ireland must be heard. With a lack of political leadership in the form of a non-existent executive and concerns and uncertainty shrouding the UKs exit of the EU in March 2019, business women's voices in Northern Ireland must be loud and clear.
"Nichola and Anne are inspirational women with a wealth experience in leadership and have a passion and determination to act as a driving force for tangible change for full recognition of the skills and talents of local women. I am excited to work alongside these inspirational leaders over the next three years and join them to kick off our calendar of events at the prestigious Chair's Lunch."
Anne Clydesdale has held a number of high-profile positions at a number of leading organisations including B.I.C Systems and PwC before joining Queen's University to establish the William J Clinton Leadership Institute. Anne has held positions on a number of boards and advisory committees in both the public, private and third sectors and brings significant experience in Finance, Marketing, PR and corporate governance.
The Chair's Lunch will also welcome guest speakers Professor Deirdre Heenan, Ulster University and a 6th year student from Assumption Grammar School who will share their vision for the future.
For more information or to book your tickets visit www.womeninbusinessni.com
Categories Articles, Movers & Shakers, Other Articles Tags Featured Post navigation
Festive Trading at Foyleside Rounds Off Record Breaking Year
Business First meets Max Mackin, CEO Black Fox Solutions and Reactive Recruitment


3D Animated Dark Beer Magnet, animated magnet, excellent gift for the lads. Ideal small gift. ..
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The 3D animated Forth Bridge Magnet. ..


text:
Serving All OfNew York And Vermont
518-465-0400 New York
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Defending Self-Insured Businesses
Defending Assisted Living Facilities
As the population of the United States ages at an increasing rate, assisted living facilities (ALFs) and their insurance carriers face increased exposure to negligence claims.
At O'Connor First, our lawyers defend assisted living facilities (ALF) and the professionals who work in them from allegations of negligence, malpractice, abuse and all other types of claims. We are well-versed in cases involving medical institutions and professionals; we have obtained many successful results for facilities and self-insured individuals throughout Upstate New York and Vermont.
Claims Against Assisted Living Facilities
These cases are often brought by lay people, typically family members of someone in a facility, who have little to no medical training. What they perceive to be an actionable harm is often the result of a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, even these baseless claims can take a toll on ALFs. Even if these claims are unwarranted, they can taint a facility's reputation and continue to cause harm for years to come. As such, allegations of neglect, abuse or any kind of mistreatment should be taken exceptionally seriously.
Assisted Living Abuse Defense Attorneys Serving Albany
Our team of New York assisted living facility defense attorneys knows how to provide effective representation in any type of ALF matter. We are familiar with all relevant local, state and federal laws and regulations that can impact these cases. We routinely protect facilities in cases related to:
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In these and all other cases, we conduct in-depth investigations and carefully analyze the evidence surrounding the claim. We work with an established network of expert witnesses to build convincing cases that are innovative, cost-effective and results-oriented. At every step of a matter, our goal is to seek a dismissal of the claim or to reach a favorable settlement as quickly as possible.
Those with needs related to assisted living neglect defense should contact our office by calling 877-886-4029.
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text:
Mark Fleuridor, "Rest Before Rest," 2022
Where to find YoungArts winners at Miami Art Week 2022
By YoungArts | November 26, 2022
Miami Art Week 2022 is here! We're excited to welcome the global art community and our local neighbors to our city's largest annual celebration of art and culture. Miami Art Week is a special time for YoungArts as we get to see some amazing past award winners showing work all over Miami and making their mark on the art scene locally and worldwide.
Joining in the festivities? We've collected a short list of exhibitions and fairs including YoungArts award winners so you can make them part of your Miami Art Week plan.
Sunshine featuring works by Mark Fleuridor
YoungArts Gallery
Miami Art Week hours: Nov. 28–Dec. 3, 10 AM–6 PM; Dec. 4, 10 AM–4 PM
On view through Dec. 10
Mark Fleuridor (2015 Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Inspired by ancestral lineage and the subtropics, Miami native Mark Fleuridor's current exhibition, Sunshine, is on view at the YoungArts Gallery for Miami Art Week with extended hours.
Co-curated by acclaimed artist Derrick Adams and YoungArts Associate Curator Luisa Múnera, Sunshine explores the progression of Fleuridor's body of work and the narratives that emerge from his quilt-making, collages and watercolors.
Art Basel Miami Beach
1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Dec. 1–2, 11 AM–7 PM; Dec. 3, 11 AM–6 PM
Celebrating 20 years in Miami, Art Basel Miami Beach exhibits leading galleries from five continents and significant works by masters of modern and contemporary art, as well as the new generation of emerging stars.
Daniel Arsham (1999 Visual Arts)
Based in New York, Daniel Arsham straddles the line between art, architecture and performance. Architecture is a prevalent subject throughout his work; environments with eroded walls and stairs going nowhere, landscapes where nature overrides structures, and a general sense of playfulness within existing architecture.
Nicole Eisenman (1983 Visual Arts)
Nicole Eisenman is a contemporary American artist known for her inventive, figurative painting and sculptures. Utilizing bright colors and wry subject matter, Eisenman's complex paintings tackle tropes of Western art history.
Naomi Fisher (1994 Visual Arts)
Naomi Fisher explores the culture clash between the science and politics of climate change and materialistic excess through a feminist lens. Over the past 20 years, her work has spanned painting, drawing, performance, photography, video, and site-specific installation, often in collaboration with dancers.
Jean Shin (1990 Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Jean Shin is known for her sprawling and often public sculptures, transforming accumulations of discarded objects into powerful monuments that interrogate our complex relationship between material consumption, collective identity, and community engagement. Shin amasses vast collections of everyday objects while researching their history of use, circulation and environmental impact.
Kehinde Wiley (1995 Visual Arts)
Los Angeles native and New York-based visual artist Kehinde Wiley has firmly situated himself within art history's portrait painting tradition. As a contemporary descendent of a long line of portraitists, Wiley engages the signs and visual rhetoric of the heroic, powerful, majestic and the sublime in his representation of urban, black and brown men found throughout the world.
AxelBeach Hotel
1500 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Nov. 28-Dec. 3
Dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community, this exhibition is hosted by the fun and inclusive AxelBeach Hotel.
Patty Suau (2003 Visual Arts)
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Cuban American artist Patty Suau is the creator of the Tiny Fckn Pix series. Drawings form the core of her work; in her series of miniature erotic drawings, the pieces are no larger than three inches in height or width and are framed in oversized frames.
Boil, Toil + Trouble
39 NE 39th St., Miami, Florida 33137
Nov. 29-Dec. 11, 12 PM-7 PM
Boil, Toil + Trouble is an exhibition that brings together contemporary painting, sculpture, video, installation, and performance by 20+ contemporary artists whose works speak to the mundane, magical, and mythical aspects of water. Boil, Toil + Trouble is curated by Zoe Lukov and organized by Art in Common, a nonprofit founded by Abby Pucker and Zoe Lukov.
The BluPrnt
Bridge Red Studios
12425 NE 13th Ave. N Miami, FL 33161
Nov. 20, 2022 – Jan. 8, 2023
The BluPrnt is a group show curated by Robert Chambers featuring Miami artists. Bridge Red Studios is an artists' complex in North Miami consisting of 10 working artist studios and an exhibition/project space.
Diana Eusebio (2016 Design Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Working across photography, fashion design and textiles, Eusebio researches the lived experiences and intersections of global Blackness and Latinx identity. Eusebio's dreamlike and colorful work focuses on the body and garment as tools for fashioning stories exploring identity, cultural expression and representational freedom.
Lee Pivnik (2014 Visual Arts)
Lee Pivnik is a Miami-based artist working predominantly in sculpture, video and social practice. In his artwork and curatorial projects, he attempts to help produce a more regenerative, biophilic, ecozoic world. In 2017 he started the Institute of Queer Ecology, a collaborative organism that works to imagine and realize an equitable multispecies future.
Cornelius Tulloch (2016 Design Arts, Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Influenced by his Caribbean and African American Heritage, Tulloch's work transcends the barriers of photography, fine art and architecture. He focuses on how creative mediums can be combined to tell powerful stories, with lighting and colors becoming characters in his work.
Nadia Wolff (2016 Design Arts, Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Based in Miami and Providence, Rhode Island, Wolff is a Haitian American artist, designer and writer. Their work–which ranges from installation, textiles, performance, printmaking, film and poetic interventions–contemplates queer/Black/Caribbean aesthetics, history and embodiment through a lens of intimacy.
ChromaTone: Voices from Miami
Green Space Miami
7200 Biscayne Blvd., Unit 1, Miami, FL 33138
Nov. 15, 2022–Jan. 14, 2023
Wednesday-Saturday, 11 AM-6 PM; Sunday, 12 PM-3 PM (by appointment only)
ChromaTone: Voices from Miami is a group show of the artists' works in response to the iconic Coppertone billboard. Green Space Miami, located in Miami's historic MiMo District, is the Green Family Foundation's community art space dedicated to Miami-Dade County artists.
Coralina Rodriguez Meyer (2000 Visual Arts)
Coralina Rodriguez Meyer is an Andinx (Muisca/Inca) American, Brooklyn and Miami based artist and urban designer who translates structural and domestic violence into American heirlooms. Her role as a Quipucamayoc (urban designer, culture keeper, community organizer) activates her vulnerable community to perform their citizenship by building sovereignty and solidarity with civic action.
Far Away Yet So Close (Muy Lejos Pero Tan Cerca)
Edge Zones Art Center
3317 NW 7th Ave circle, Miami, FL 33127
Nov. 19–Dec. 7; Reception during Miami Art Week: Dec. 3, 7 PM-10 PM
Bringing contemporary art from Dominican Republic and its diaspora into dialogue, Far Away Yet So Close is a multidisciplinary project encompassing new commissions in a diverse mix of media and forms, live performances, a publication and an exhibition. Edge Zones is an artist and volunteer–run contemporary arts non-profit dedicated to the research, conceptualization and execution of events that strengthen the contemporary art environment in Miami.
The Floral Impulse
3930 NE 2nd Ave., Suite 201, Miami, FL 33137
Tuesday–Saturday, 10 AM-6 PM (or by appointment)
David Castillo presents the Floral Impulse, an exhibition of works by over 25 artists organized by Xaviera Simmons in curatorial collaboration with David Castillo. The exhibition contemplates the long history of the floral still life genre and the mythologies, symbolisms and historical references encoded within pictorial representations of flowers.
Nadir Souirgi (1994 Visual Arts)
Through his work and research, Nadir Souirgi seeks to locate himself within the entanglements between Atlantic history, conservation science and Creole identities. Souirgi is a painter whose artistic practice includes performance, writing and bird watching.
Live Art Creation at Solana Embassy
Solana Embassy
215 NW 24th St, Miami, FL 33127
Dec. 1, 3 PM-8 PM
A one-minute walk from the Wynwood walls, the Solana Embassy is hosting interactive live art experiences, featuring digital art on a 20-foot immersion screen.
Kira Bursky (2014 Film)
An award-winning filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist, Kira Bursky has produced over 60 short films and videos. She is inspired by her personal mental health journey and is driven to tell stories through her Film & Art Production company, All Around Artsy. Solana Embassy is also hosting her first-ever wearable art fashion pop up, featuring a limited supply of pieces for sale.
Love Lost, Miami
Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 6 PM-10 PM
Love Lost, Miami is an annual exhibit of objects revealing stories of heartbreak that live in our own backyard. This year, organizers will be exhibiting the work of local artists who, through their medium of choice, represent the love and loss theme. Love Lost is on view at Green Space Miami.
Passages presented by AIRIE
The Carter Project
3333 NW Sixth Ave., Miami, FL 33127
Dec. 3-Dec. 4, 12 PM-4 PM
Created by Cornelius Tulloch (2016 Design Arts, Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts), Passages uses projection mapping, video and audio that envelop an entire room. Passages is an immersive, site-specific installation that brings the Everglades to Miami Art Week. The installation is on view at the Carter Project, a live/work/experiential space designed by artist Christopher Carter located in Miami's Wynwood Norte neighborhood.
PRIZM Art Fair
4220 N Miami Ave. Miami, FL 33127
Nov. 29–Dec. 11, 10 AM-6 PM
PRIZM Art Fair presents over 60 emerging and established galleries and artists offering their varied Diasporic narratives and perspectives, riveting conversations lead by new and established thought leaders in Diasporic Visual arts practice and cutting-edge events and installations.
Quarantine Nudes
The Wilzig Museum Building – Naomi Wilzig Erotic Art Museum
1205 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Nov. 28, 2022-May 29, 2023, 11 AM-6 PM
Located in the Wilzig Museum Building in Miami Beach, WEAM is is a museum, library, and education think tank that uses its collection to illustrate the history of erotic art.
Kevin Berlin (1983 Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Kevin Berlin is an international artist best known for painting, sculpture, and performance based in Southampton, New York and Florence, Italy. Quarantine Nudes by Kevin Berlin is a solo show that revisits the classical nude with spontaneity, directness and artistic reflection on years during the COVID-19 pandemic spent in Italy.
Soho Miami Pool House
107 NE 25th St, Miami, FL 33137
On the boarder of Edgewater and Wynwood, the brand-new Soho Miami Pool House is opening in time for Miami Art Week. Their art program features both emerging and established, museum-level artists who are creating work in Miami, with an emphasis on Afro-Caribbean and Latinx backgrounds. Open to Soho House members only.
Priscilla Aleman (2009 Visual Arts & U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts)
Priscilla Aleman's training in archaeology influences her practice for creating sculpture installations, enabling her to retrace ideas around the afterlife, pre-Columbian cosmology, and the interplay of cultures from the global south. Bringing an understanding of past traditions in the Americas and its environmental history, Aleman crafts her own sanctified installations as deified monuments and memorials.
Malaika Temba (2014 Visual Arts)
Malaika Temba is a textile artist based in New York. She is highly influenced by art at the intersection of visuals and sound. Her lens and creative process are global, nourished by her experiences living in Saudi Arabia, Uganda, South Africa, Morocco and Maryland.
Untitled Art
Ocean Dr. & 12th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Nov. 29-Dec. 3, 11 AM-7 PM
Untitled Art is the leading independent art fair on Miami Beach. Guided by a mission to support the wider art ecosystem, Untitled Art offers an inclusive and collaborative platform for discovering contemporary art by emerging artists and historical figures.
Are you a winner showing work during Miami Art Week? Please let us know! Email communication@youngarts.org.
What Guest Artists Want You to Know About National YoungArts Week
Watch: Staff Favorite National YoungArts Week Performances
Mark Fleuridor's Homage to Home
Home: Reimagining Interiority


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Three Dividend Stocks Owned by the Smart Money
Charles Lewis Sizemore, CFA
BRK-A, IBM), JNJ, Kyle Bass, Prem Watsa, SIX, Warren Buffett
As I wrote back in August, it can be helpful at times to look over the shoulders of successful investors to see what their highest-conviction investments are. And during times like these, when the economy is looking wobbly and the potential for a Eurozone meltdown is hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles, that extra insight is all the more valuable.
Today, I'm going to take a look at one high-conviction dividend stock each from three investors whose skills I respect and whose track records have withstood the passing of a crisis or two.
The usual caveats apply; I'm basing this analysis on SEC filings that are reported on a time lag and may already be out of date by the time they become publicly available. For these reasons, I will stick with large positions that the investor has held for a long period of time or new positions that I consider unlikely to have been sold so quickly.
Prem Watsa
Six Flags Entertainment Corp
Kyle Bass
Let's start with the granddaddy of modern value investors, Berkshire Hathaway's ($BRK-A) Warren Buffett.
Mr. Buffett made quite a splash last year when he bet big on technology powerhouse International Business Machines (NYSE:$IBM). It was his first major purchase in the tech sphere, and it quickly became one of Berkshire's largest holdings. Buffett added to his position last quarter, and IBM now accounts for nearly 18% of Berkshire's portfolio.
The appeal of IBM is straightforward; Buffett was attracted by the stability of the company's cash flows and its business model as a high-end service provider whose customers are locked in to long-term contracts.
But its qualifications as a "dividend stock" might be a little more controversial. At current prices, IBM yields only 1.6%. Still, this is roughly in line with the current yield on the 10-Year Treasury Note, and—importantly—IBM's dividend rises every year. IBM's dividend rose 13% this year and 15% the year before.
Of course, this is nothing new. IBM is a proud member of the Dividend Achievers index, an exclusive fraternity of stocks that have boosted their dividends for a minimum of ten consecutive years.
So while the current yield of 1.6% is a little uninspiring, it's safe to assume investors buying IBM today will be enjoying cash payouts far higher in a couple years' time than they would have had they opted to invest in bonds.
Next on the list is the "Warren Buffett of Canada," Fairfax Financial Holdings (FRFHR) Chairman Prem Watsa.
Like Buffett, whom Watsa admires, Watsa built his financial empire around a solid insurance business, which provided him with a growing float to invest. And like Buffett, Watsa is known for being a patient investor who often holds his best positions for 5-10 years or even longer.
Watsa's track record speaks for itself. According to research site GuruForus, Watsa has grown Fairfax's book value by an astonishing 212% over the past ten years. This compares to total returns of just 34.9% for the S&P 500. Impressively, he actually made money in 2008. Fairfax saw its book value rise 21% in the midst of the worst financial crisis in 100 years.
Diversified health and pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: $JNJ) is Watsa's largest holding by far, and accounts for more than 21% of his listed portfolio.
Johnson & Johnson is an obvious choice for a conservative dividend stock, and it is a current holding on the Sizemore Investment Letter's Drip and Forget Portfolio.
It also happens to be one of the highest-yielding major American blue chips, with a 3.5% dividend at current prices. And like IBM, Johnson & Johnson has a long history of raising that dividend. J&J is a member of the Dividend Achievers Index.
Given the low repute of ratings agencies this matters less than it used to, but Johnson & Johnson is one of only four American companies to have its bonds rated AAA. Yes, Johnson & Johnson is actually considered to be less risky than the U.S. government, and its stock pays more in yield. This is one you can buy and lock in a proverbial drawer.
Our final guru today is hedge fund manager and fellow Dallas resident Kyle Bass, principal of Hayman Advisors. Though he does trade equities, Bass is a macro investor better known for making large bets in the credit and currency markets; he made his investors a small fortune betting against subprime mortgage securities in the run-up to the 2008 meltdown.
Bass's equity portfolio is completely dominated by Six Flags Entertainment Corp (NYSE:$SIX), the owner and operator of theme parks. Six Flags makes up nearly 40% of his equity holdings.
With a current yield of 4.1%, Six Flags certainly qualifies as a dividend stock. But readers should consider this stock a riskier bet than IBM or Johnson & Johnson. Theme parks are sensitive to the state of the economy, and the stock trades at a nosebleed valuation of 32 times expected 2013 earnings. There is a lot of optimism built into the price at current levels.
All of this said, Bass has certainly done well by owning Six Flags—it's up more than 100% over the past year—and he clearly has a high level of conviction in the stock if he's make it nearly 40% of his equity portfolio.
Disclosures: Sizemore Capital is long JNJ.


In education for 28 years, Kirsten is an elementary grade teacher and teacher on special assignment coordinating Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards implementation for the Petaluma State Schools in Petaluma State, California.
Kirsten did not come into teaching as a science specialist but took an opportunity to develop her skills in this area and she realised the importance of providing a high-quality science education to students, beginning at the earliest grades.
I really got hooked on science as a vehicle to provide meaningful and engaging learning for students that can be emigrated across the curriculum.
Eventually, Kirsten took up a role full-time, supporting teachers. She now loves working with adult learners and providing trainings for teachers.
Kirsten does whatever she can to support teachers in providing quality science instruction to their students, based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). She does a lot of networking and searching for resources which she shares with teachers. This is essential so they can make the shifts in their practice that the NGSS requires.
Kirsten puts on workshops, writes a column in the district newsletter and works with individual teachers by request. She helps them to design lessons or even comes in and delivers model lessons.
This is a group of elementary teachers who are working on how to embed discourse in their science instruction. Kirsten has been developing this area as well.
Kirsten says that they spent the first 2 years in the Development Stage. This involved making teachers to understand the background and the rationale behind the NGSS as well as the architecture of the document. The colour coding and the columns can be really intimidating and overwhelming. Having worked with it, however, Kirsten sees it as a very useful blueprint for planning lessons and units.
NGSS is not a curriculum, it simply contains guidelines for what students should be able to do after instruction and all the learning experiences teachers provide for them.
So Kirsten is working on what these look like in a classroom and how to adapt existing lessons to embed these. The assessment which is coming will be focussing on assessing students on all the three dimensions which have to be happening at the same time.
Dr. Diane Ketelle, Professor of Education at Mills College in Oakland, CA., returns this week with another kernel of wisdom. This time she concentrates on making connections and understanding the real needs of students.
Diane starts by talking about authenticity.
She says that the word is probably over-used but if we look carefully at it, we can see it incorporates a number of important things.
For Diane, authenticity underpins making positive change.
It does take a lot of courage to make these genuine connections because you have to be willing not to avoid these harder conversations.
Diane talks about 'nicety nice' schools who only concentrate on creating a polite working environment but not much learning is going on.
To make deeper change and to help all learners make significant growth, you have to start with the adults having the tough conversations outlined above.
Diane points out that leadership is work with people and if you don't enjoy working with people then educational leadership is probably not for you.
Our first Pivotal Popcorn guest, Dr. Diane Ketelle has published a book – 'Tread Lightly, Lead Boldly'.
Laurel Krokstrom joined us to talk about motivation. She has a M.M. in trumpet performance from the University of Southern California, a M.A. in musicology from CSULA and is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology at the University of South Dakota.
Laurel believes academic motivation is very important in K12 settings. It affects cognition and academic achievement.
Internal motivation comes from the student – they really love to do something like playing a musical instrument and the will do it whether someone asks them to or not.
External motivation is where you have 'external prodding' from a teacher, parent or peer who offer incentives to encourage the student to practice a musical instrument, for example.
Originally a lot of teachers used external motivation but now more and more research is showing that internal motivation is the way to go and makes for a much happier classroom.
This is one of the latest motivation theories which Laurel has used. It states that students who expect to do well in a certain subject – who expect to succeed – will do really well.
There is a simple tool associated with this theory. Students rate how well they think they would do and how much they value the topic on a scale of 1 to 10. When these figures are multiplied together, they produce a rating of how likely it is that the student will compete a set assignment.
This can apply to any subject.
If you understand what motivates your students, particularly their internal motivation, then you can use this to inform everything you do with them.
Brandon remembers giving out surveys to his classes to try to find out what their interests and motivations are. This helped him to understand the motivation of each of his students and helped him to help them to have the most enjoyment and fulfilment out of the activities he planned.
So Brandon believes we can observe students to find out their motivations but we can also ask.
We welcomed back Shawne Kearney this week to share some more kernels of wisdom. Shawne is a Master Teacher and New Teacher Support Provider and Mentor and is currently teaching 4th Grade in Sonoma State, California.
A teacher for over 20 years, Shawne also now teaches adults at Sonoma State University where she specialises in project-based learning and classroom management.
This is a teaching method by which students gain specific knowledge and skills. They work for an extended period of time and investigate a complex question, problem or challenge.
What are the top strategies teachers should consider when contemplating PBL?
2. Choose a problem or challenge which is highly relevant to your grade and students and which you are passionate about yourself.
4. Teach the '4 Cs' explicitly before you ask students to solve a challenging problem – Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking and Creativity.
The Buck Institute for Education has a large amount of helpful resources for teaching the 4 Cs.
Shawne says one of the biggest challenges is students collaborating and giving feedback to one another. She believes this is one of the reasons some teachers avoid PBL. It takes time to encourage students to overcome their 'learned helplessness'. They need to develop the stamina and endurance to cope with creating a project which may fail several times before finding success.
Shawne has rubrics which help students evaluate themselves and give kind and considerate feedback to their group members. The students can see themselves advancing on this but the real power is the feedback they receive from their peers which is far better than anything she can give them. She sees students' use of language in this feedback improving dramatically and they practice it so it doesn't seem so unnatural.
In his second Kernel of wisdom, Mark Cerutti gives us the benefit of his experience in effecting and managing change. Mark is Associate Superintendent of Education Services for the Elk Grove Unified Schools District, the 5th largest School District in the State of California.
This is a big question but a critical one.
Mark is more interested in what the thinking process was which guided schools to do what they have done to be successful. In public education there are many things you could be doing in many different ways so it's great to be able to look in detail at what's guiding leaders' thinking.
Mark mentions Dr. Alan Watkins' work as useful in this area. His book, 'The Secret Science of Great Leadership' deals with physiology and then to emotions, feelings behaviour and then results. There are 6 different levels but in education we have been focussing just on 'what are we doing?' and 'what results are we getting?' In fact, in order to make significant change, we need to make sure people are able to think better and to feel better.
2. Human Performance Technology is a model which has been around for a long time. Mark likes it because it differentiates between input, output and outcome data in a systematic continuous improvement model. Sometimes when Mark hears people saying they do systematic, data-based decision making, he doubts it because they haven't had the chance to use the techniques of HPT.
3. Make sure the changes you are making start with an understanding of 'why'. This is what Mark covered in his first kernel.
4. Mark likes the work of Ron Richhart and his 'Creative Cultures of Thinking'. The Common Core is trying to get kids to think at a deeper level and Rickert's work is about getting everyone – teachers, students and parents – to become creative thinkers.
Kim Ray is Master Teacher and Department Chair at East Union High School in Manteca, California where she teaches ceramics. She has been teaching for over 20 years after trying to work as an independent artist. She still practices her art while being employed full-time. Kim believes teaching is the best job she has ever had and is still excited to go to work every day.
Kim likes to communicate a lot with her students. She touches base with each student every day by working with them individually which allows her to communicate her expectations repeatedly as well as getting to know them really well. She therefore knows about them, their families and how they are doing in other classes. This helps her to build up a strong rapport. It's also important to talk to parents. Kim is available via email at any time for students or parents.
Kim shares her life experiences appropriately with her students and they do the same with her.
Kim stresses that she is not her students' friend – she is still in charge but she builds trust in this way.
Another important factor is routine. Kim feels it's really important that students know what they are going to be doing before they arrive in her classroom. She has taught the expectations of routine explicitly so that the students feel comfortable in class.
Humor is also really important to Kim and she believes it helps to establish the essential rapport she has with her students.
If you can share a little joke with your students it helps them to bond with you better.
All this means that Kim knows her students really well and so she can identify immediately if they are experiencing difficulties – and her relationship with them means she can offer help and support.
For this kernel of wisdom, Brandon speaks to Shawne Kearney who is a Master Teacher and New Teacher Support Provider and Mentor and is currently teaching 4th Grade in Sonoma State, California.
Alongside this you need very clear procedures and routines – available in writing and practiced with feedback given.
Shawne believes kids want to do well but they need to have a target and they need to know what 'doing well' looks like, what it sounds like, what it feels like.
It's also important to have clear consequences. Everyone, Shawne says, appreciates knowing the consequence of a behaviour ahead of time. If a consequence is sprung upon someone, they are likely to get upset.
This is especially important for struggling learners – they should be able to participate on a level they feel comfortable with. Ask questions you know they can answer so they are not 'put on the spot'. When you see they have a great answer, you can whisper in their ear and ask them to share it later when called on by you. This helps them to feel proud and good about themselves.
Shawne thinks it's also important to modify work for struggling students. They often work slower but they still need to be able to finish the task you have set and feel success.
Often, teachers put learners in a group and expect them to be able to collaborate and communicate – many adults don't know how to do this!
Austin's Butterfly: Building Excellence in Student Work from EL Education on Vimeo.
Shawne teaches these kinds of collaboration and communications skills very explicitly in isolated lessons so that, when they get to those groups lessons like the one in the video above, they know what to expect.
Shawne sees this transferring into students' social situations outside the classroom by about half way through the school year.
Kids know if you are upset, angry or grumpy.
We welcomed Dr. Jessica Bonduris back to the podcast this week for another kernel of wisdom. We first heard from her in episode 2 where she spoke about how to build positive relationships.
What are Jessica's top tips around decision making when leading staff and students through positive climate change?
Transparency in decision making – Jessica believes this is particularly important for new administrators where there can be a large element of mistrust from staff members, parents or students. Being transparent allows you to alleviate a lot of the potential tension around decision making.
If it's a shared decision on a school-wide issue you are able to make with an instructional leadership or other decision-making team, be prepared to speak about why it's important for the school, present the data behind it and discuss it thoroughly.
As a leader you also need to be very transparent in what you expect everyone to be doing. This will help you to avoid having to catch people not doing what you expect or being disappointed when this happens.
Relationships – any programme which covers social or emotional issues is going to be used not only in the classroom but also in the cafeteria, at recess and at other times so it's really important to teach students and staff how to use the new initiative in all areas of the school. This also needs to be communicated to parents as well so they can help at home.
Principals need to be out of their offices to see the programme being implemented in all the different settings.
Especially for new principals, any decision which is implemented in a 'top-down' manner has the potential to be disastrous. So it's much better to work with the leadership group and for them to tell the rest of the school about what is going to happen and why. This way, you are building the leadership of the whole team.
Brandon adds that where the leader has already made up their mind about a decision and the group decision making ends up not being genuine, this can lead to serious problems as well.
It's much better to be transparent and make it clear which decisions are shared and which have to be made by the principal alone rather than pretending that all decisions are shared. If you have established good relationships, then everyone will be happy to trust the principal's judgement.