joined in the fight against hunger.
and there's a big old Corpus at the altar.
but the director deleted his name.
…until the Director entered the room.
shifted in their chairs. I raised my hand.
and people looked at me but didn't say jack.
included Jesus, Moses, AND the Prophet Mohammed.
lightening would strike me as I left, box of personals in hand.
so George W. Bush could get the next load.
You shy delicate flower, you!
Well done, SLP! As a member of a minority faith, in something like that, I'm always happy when the icons of each faith are all acknowledged and appreciated.
Loving God however we see him (her or them) has become so divisive, which somehow seems to lose the point. Hopefully each of us needs someone to talk to and guide us but sadly we are not good listeners as we keep on shouting nonsense ourselves and miss the point of the message.
You go, girl! Too many people are content to go with the flow.. Sure I'm all for religions looking for the common ground on common ground, but why should one fear to offend another by standing up for one's own religion?
I've never been quite good at speaking my mind, but I agree there are times when it is fundamentally important. it is definitely important to have a voice; nice verse.
I am glad you speak..it makes me smile..I think people confuse speaking up with irreverence..I think it's about asking questions..firmly shaking the hand of the elephant in the room..or trunk! From what I know of Jesus..that's how he came to end up on that big bloody cross..
The line about Dubya cracked me up.
I applaud your bravery for even attending such an event. Haven't entered a church myself in over forty years because of that sort of thinking. I would have thought the whole point of gathering people of different faiths was to emphasize how much they have in common, which would include their beliefs in their own deities, not exclude it. Sometimes you just have to speak up.
I love your work because it weaves personal tales stitched together with common threads. We all know this feeling of condescension in the guise of acceptance. Acknowledging it, giving it a name, requires bravery and confidence. You ARE bravery and confidence!
you sure told them .
IN no uncertain terms, yes, Amy! They ought not just to be told but to be told off! The lone voice needs not just to talk but to force others to listen to be heard. Nicely Ma'am!
The director needed a bit of humility. The best Councils have people that DON'T think alike and are free to speak their hearts/minds. I agree – all should have been welcomed IN THEIR NAME, not in the silence of "getting along".


Via structures are commonly used in high-speed multilayer printed circuit boards, and can have significant impacts on signal and power integrity. Among various parasitics that a via structure introduces, the via-plane capacitances play a critical role at high frequencies. Thus, it is necessary to calculate the capacitance values accurately and efficiently for high-speed circuit designs. For axially symmetric case, the via-plane capacitances can be extracted using a two-dimensional (2-D) finite element method (FEM) on the ρ-z plane in the cylindrical coordinates. However, in practical manufacturing, an offset from the center of the via drill to the center of the pad and anti-pad can be common due to manufacturing tolerances. The offset makes the via geometry axially asymmetric, which is often modeled using the three-dimensional (3-D) FEM or other similar numerical electromagnetic methods. In this paper, a much simpler and more efficient approach is presented to extract the via-plane capacitances for an offset via structure. In this approach, the via drill, pad, and anti-pad are divided into N segments with equally distributed angles from the origin. The bisector of each segment has a set of the pad-stack parameters such as pad radius, anti-pad radius and drill radius. The 2-D FEM method for the concentric case is used for each segment based on its pad-stack parameters as if it extends to a whole circle. Therefore, N different capacitance values are obtained using the 2D FEM method. Then, the average of these N capacitance values is calculated as the final offset via-plane capacitance. This approach is based on the integral approximation. It is found that, when N equals to 10 or larger, the capacitance value extracted using this proposed integral approximation approach is accurate enough compared to the 3-D full wave simulations. Further, it is much faster and consumes much less memory.


text:
Q: In Oracle, why are the columns of type LONG created last? This Oracle documentation page mentions

... columns of type LONG are created last

but doesn't say why.
What can the reason be to store them at the end of a row?

A: A LONG in Oracle is quite different to a long in C or C++. In Oracle, a LONG is somewhat like VARCHAR2 but with an even bigger maximum length (2GB, I believe?)
The reason it's stored last is because if you had a table that was (INT a, LONG foo, INT b) and it was stored in that order, then in order to fetch the value of the b column, it would have to read in all the data page that's taken up by the LONG column. By storing it at the end, it doesn't have to read in all that data if it doesn't have to.

A: It's worth pointing out that this is only INTERNAL storage.
From the developer's point of view, the LONG can be the third, sixth or first column, or wherever. And you can still add columns to a table with a LONG. That said, you almost certainly shouldn't be creating a table with a LONG any more. They should be CLOBs (or BLOBs rather than a LONG RAW).
create table test_long (id number, val long, create_date date);

desc test_long
           Name                           Null?    Type
           ------------------------------ -------- --------------
    1      ID                                      NUMBER
    2      VAL                                     LONG
    3      CREATE_DATE                             DATE

My guess (and unless someone who worked for Oracle speaks up, it is speculation) is that it is because LONGs were/are most likely to 'not fit' with the row in a block. A row with a LONG would have a good chance of needing to be more than 1 block in size. The LONG is most likely to be split (because of its size). By pushing that to the end, it is much more likely that all the other columns would sit together on one block.

A: (Not an expert at Oracle - just had to look up what a LONG is)
In general, LONGs (and other BLOB types) are not going to be subject to search conditions (in JOINs or WHERE clauses). As such, it makes sense to shift them to the end, so that the other columns (which are more likely to be queried together) are located closely together. Then, only these other columns need be read whilst assessing whether this particular row matches the query criteria.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Advertise your position on the Global English TESOL jobs page for 30 days. Jobs are posted regularly to email contacts, our several thousand facebook group members, advertised via our facebook page and available online for Global English and other TESOL qualified teachers.
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text:
InterSTEM Talks
InterSTEM Lectures
Watch our guest speaker series, where STEM professionals and researchers discuss their field of work!
Suggest a Guest Speaker
College AMA 1
Prof. Matthew O. Jackson (Economics)
Dr. Francis Bonahon (Math)
Dr. Heiko Hoffman (Robotics)
Simone Rothaupt 11 Dec 2020 4 min
The reality of robotics
Simone Rothaupt - Robotics has undergone massive advances in recent decades, but what does the future hold for this growing industry?
Our first college AMA features students from Cal Poly SLO, UCLA, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins. Listen to their advice on the college application process, and get your questions about college life in general answered.
Matthew Jackson is the William D. Eberle Professor of Economics at Stanford University. In this lecture, Jackson presents a survey of the literature on the economic consequences of the structure of social networks and discusses both the theoretical and empirical findings concerning the "macro" and "micro" characteristics of social-interaction networks in determining learning, diffusion, decisions, and resulting behaviors. Jackson also discusses the challenges of accounting for the endogeneity of networks in assessing the relationship between the patterns of interactions and behaviors.
Francis Bonahon is a professor of mathematics at the University of Southern California. In this lecture, Bonahon discusses curvature, which measures how much a curve is curved, or how much a surface is bent in space. Curvature plays an important role in physics, from soap films to relativity theory; it also comes up in objects that look very different from curves and surfaces, such as the very large networks that occur in the structure of very large data sets. Bonahon also discusses why the Internet looks more like a mountain saddle than a summit, and the impact that this has on the distribution of its traffic.
Dr. Heiko Hoffmann is a senior researcher at HRL Laboratories, investigating cutting-edge technology in artificial intelligence and robotics. In this lecture, Hoffmann gives a comprehensive overview of the current state of robotics, the science behind training robots, and the future of the robotics industry, focusing on movement and detection. Hoffman also discusses the background necessary to pursue a career in AI or robotics and the challenges of entering the field.
interstemplatform@gmail.com
interstemtutoring@gmail.com
interstemwriting@gmail.com
interstemresearch@gmail.com
Developed by InterSTEM Tech Team.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: SQL Flask methods objects in same thread SQLite objects created in a thread can only be used in that same thread.
app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/test/")

def test():
    conn = sqlite3.connect("god_attributes.db")
    c = conn.cursor()
    c.execute("SELECT * FROM god_icon_table")
    all = c.fetchall()

return render_template("test.html", all = all)

I'm making a flask app and I have a lot of methods that need to pull data from a db using SQL db calls. I am wondering if I can store methods somewhere else and call them by importing to organize things. Basically I want the entire app route for test to be like this:
app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/test/")
def test():
    all = get_all()
    return render_template("test.html", all = all)

where get_all() does everything from conn to fetchall in the first code sample

A: So I figured out a structural solution. Wasnt able to place a get_all() method that does the SQL commands directly. I made a new json file from the database and used that json to get the information


If you are looking to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, you more than likely have a lot of concerns. There are so many variables that you have to take into consideration when looking into it– essential facts that will influence your life and the lives of other people forever. One of the most consequential steps that you need to take is to investigate and look into different surrogacy centers in Sauk City WI and how they will affect you. To becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, you need to work with a top-rated, remarkable surrogacy center that has a record of success.
Becoming a surrogate in Sauk City WI is challenging, but not unattainable. You will first have to know what is expected of you and what you need to do to be successful. This will not be without some work from you. Know that becoming a surrogate is not always the answer for every woman– some people aren't ready to handle it psychologically, others are not able to handle it physically.
For more relevant information about how to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, fill out the form to the right.
If you do determine that you want to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, there are some pretty stiff requirements that you definitely need to take on. You also need to pinpoint whether you are physically and mentally able to handle all that comes with being a surrogate. When you apply to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, the criteria are very strict, and any credible company will make sure that you do so.
These requirements to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI were set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and are looked at to be a law. While you may not fulfill all of these requirements, you might meet some of them and can work toward satisfying the others– sometimes, an agency will aid you get there.
– You are of a healthy and balanced body weight with a BMI that is inside the "normal" range. Some agencies in Sauk City WI will allow a little bit of wiggle room with your weight, especially if you are taller. However, the highest possible BMI allowed by most will be a 32.
Of course, there are other demands to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI as well. However, you have to know that these are in place to keep you protected, the intended parents very safe, and the baby safe and secure. Perquisites are important for all people involved in the system.
If you intend to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, you should not want to have any more children to add to your own family. While it is uncommon, sometimes there is something that can go amiss that will leave you unable to carry anymore healthy pregnancies. You want to build your own family first– which includes all breastfeeding is absolutely over. You do not want to be breastfeeding your baby while you are pregnant with another baby.
Most notably, you want to certify that you are healthy enough to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI This includes being mentally and psychologically healthy enough to carry a pregnancy that will not be your own.
You will be studied and investigated by medical professionals that are the best in the business, but only you can honestly tell whether or not you will emotionally or psychologically be able to handle surrogacy and all. Note that when you work with a known surrogacy agency, you will have convenient access to the highest quality mental healthcare professionals.
The most basic process before entering into the pool to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI is to have medical and psychological screenings. The fertility clinic will demand any and all intended parents to look over these diagnoses before they make their preferences for which surrogate they will choose to carry their babies. You will have to give applicable information and facts about your overall health, your pregnancy records, blood work, and analysis results.
As far as the psychological screening goes, you will work with a skilled therapist who will test you on many different factors. Often, assessments to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI will first consist of an email test and then a phone conversation. Often, that is enough for people to be able to tell that you can be a surrogate, but other times you will have to meet with the counselor to carry out some additional testing. The intention is to identify whether you are of sound mind, have good intentions, and do not have any mental hardship. Once again, the protection of everyone is so important.
If you are looking to becoming a surrogate mother in Sauk City WI, you want to call us right away. This can be a time-consuming process and you don't want to waste any time, especially if you are toward the latter part of the age range. If you are interested in more advice, we can give you that. If you are ready to start the process, we can do that as well.


Looking for a Job in Washington? Search Washington Jobs, including full-time employment opportunities, part-time and Work-At-Home. Browse local job vacancies in freelance, internship, home, and student jobs using the advance Washington Career Search, enter desired city and Washington in the Location field. Find a job in Washington within your availability like seasonal, summer, work online, student and work from home.
Apply for jobs that matches your skills including Healthcare, Information Technology and other high paying jobs in Washington. Submit your resume for free using the Post Resume form and fill out the job applications.
List jobs hiring in Washington, to browse job listing by county click any of the desired location listed. For location maps and more details about the state of Washington go to Washington Overview.
These are the latest jobs advertised for the State of Washington. The employment listings are updated daily, use the job search engine form to find your desired job. If there is any vacancy that you are interested use the Apply button to submit your online job application.
If you are planning a new career or wish relocate to Washington, USA and want to know more about the State, visit the Washington Wikipedia Page and the Official State Website of Washington. The map below shows the location of Washington and nearby states.
This is a US (United States of America) only job site providing employment related free classified ads & paid premium job posting for employment agencies & employers and free resume submission, job search and job alert for job seekers. For other employment opportunities and online classified ad requirements outside United States please post your jobs and submit your resume to our partner jobsite JobIsland.com, where you can advertise jobs for free and repost your Washington employment ads.


The Desire & Intent of an individual leader, when stated, is a commitment from the core of that person. The leader's Desire & Intent is an authentic energy capable of strengthening the connection between leader and those being led, influenced, and served.
Desire affects your language and your expectations. When conscious of desire, you become committed to the specifics represented by your desire. Your commitment directs your language choices and narrows your focus and that of others. A narrow focus, guided by desire, broadens the impact.
Intent acknowledged is voice unleashed. Your statement of Desire & Intent is your voice amplified. With this authentic energy, you embrace the accountability to leverage this amplification represented in your Desire & Intent.
Effective communication depends on so much more than well-chosen words. Eloquence of speech may be pretty in the ear, but only authenticity is sweet to the heart. Make a meaningful connection between your authenticity as a leader, your message, and your audience; and you have credibility.
There is a simple fact about connection that continually amazes me: Standing before a group of people makes you – in their eyes – the expert. What you do after that determines whether you get to keep the honor.
The 21st Century is a time for the expert. The portal of expertise is waiting for you to travel its passage. An expert is focused. A focused leader has a method. She has worked hard to develop, through trial and error, her unique methodology. She knows by what mode her authenticity best channels to those she leads, influences, and serves. Her dedication to this authentic method makes her a respected expert. She has built an inventory of effectiveness to back up the title.
In the 21st Century, there are many portals you must pass through to nurture your authentic flow and continue to unfold your Desire & Intent. Step through the narrow portal of expertise and discover your own bounty in the counterintuitive promise of your broad impact through focus.
This entry was posted in Communication and Connection, Desire & Intent and tagged 21st Century Leadership Skills, Desire, Focus, Impact, Intent by Jeff Brunson. Bookmark the permalink.


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A push to pardon (posthumously) late boxing great Jack Johnson now includes support from Mike Tyson.
Johnson became the first black heavyweight boxing champion in 1908.
Tyson joined Senator Harry Reid (a former amateur boxer,) and other U.S. lawmakers in an effort to get President Barack Obama to grant a pardon.
Johnson, who was known for flaunting his wealth and keeping white women on his arm, was convicted in 1912 of violating the Mann Act, also known as the White Slave Traffic Act, which in part made it a crime to cross state lines with a white woman for "immoral purposes." At the time of his arrest, Johnson was traveling with his future wife, Lucille Cameron.
Sign the Change.org petition to have Jack Johnson pardoned.


Version 1.0 of the Node.js package for Azure Event Hubs is now generally available.
Event Hubs queues can receive millions of events per second from sources like Azure IoT Hub, cloud application logs, and data analysis services like Azure HDInsight. Event Hubs sends events from these queues to managed services like Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Functions, and Azure Cosmos DB.
Developers can use this new package to send events from any Node.js application to Event Hubs and receive and handle events in Node.js-based applications and systems.
The new Event Hubs package is built on the AMQP protocol as implemented by github.com/amqp/rhea. It supports reliable connections, high throughput, and broad compatibility with projects like Apache ActiveMQ and Amazon MQ. It also includes an Event Processor Host framework for distributing and balancing event processing across several hosts.
Use this package along with other packages for .NET, Java, Python, and Go to share events across all your apps and systems.


text:
27 YA Books You'll Want To Devour By The Pool This Summer
Find your new fave.
Posted on June 06, 2018, 14:16 GMT
Farrah Penn
BuzzFeed Staff Writer
Farrah Penn / BuzzFeed
1. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, goodreads.com
Release date: April 24
From the author of Love, Simon (released as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) comes the companion novel told from the point of view of Simon's BFF, Leah Burke. Leah's a drummer, daughter of a young, single mom, and loves the body she's been given. Although her mother knows she's bisexual, she hasn't mustered the courage to tell her friends. As senior year comes to a close, Leah faces the challenge of watching her friend group fracture in unexpected ways on top of dealing with an expected crush. Fans of Love, Simon will fall hard for Leah's unapologetically authentic voice and all the characters of Creekwood High that Albertalli has masterfully created.
Get it from Amazon for $14.86, Barnes & Noble for $14.39, or from your local indie bookstore through Indiebound here.
2. A Lite Too Bright by Samuel Miller
Katherine Tegen Books, parnassusbooks.net
Release date: May 8
In this gorgeously told contemporary novel, Arthur Louis Pullman the Third has lost a lot. Stripped of his college scholarship and with a restraining order against his ex, he's sent to live with his aunt and uncle. In their family home, Arthur discovers a journal written by his infamous grandfather — a literary icon who was known for his Salinger-esque classic novel, A World Away. The first Arthur Louis Pullman died hundreds of miles away from home, but Arthur decided to go on a cross-country train ride to relive his grandfather's last week, guided by the clues left behind in his journal. A Lite Too Bright is a riveting, unputdownable story with beautiful prose and an ending you don't see coming.
3. Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
Katherine Tegen Books, goodreads.com
Release date: May 22
Claudia and Monday have been inseparable best friends for as long as she can remember, but when Monday doesn't show up for the first day of school, or the second, or the next weeks, Claudia knows something has to be wrong. The only thing is, no one seems to want to believe her. Monday's mom isn't helpful, and neither is her sister. Jackson creates a compelling contemporary thriller that will have you questioning where Monday is the entire ride.
4. The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold
Viking, goodreads.com
Noah Oakman is a quirky 16-year-old guy who's happiest hanging out with his BFF, Alan, and his sister, Val. But after Noah meets someone at a party who hypnotizes him, he begins seeing a slightly altered reality. For instance, his old dog, who once walked with a limp, is suddenly healthy. Everything in Noah's world has been rewritten — except his Strange Fascinations. Don't just pick this one up for its brilliantly bright cover. This book is equal parts odd, imaginative, and insightful.
5. Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim
HarperTeen, Christine Rogers / Via cerogers.net
Release date: June 5
In this spectacular summer road trip story, three Pakistani-American teens head from New Jersey to New Orleans for different reasons. Mariam hopes to uncover the truth about her father, Ghazala is escaping her strict family after a modeling photo of her appears on a billboard in Times Square, and Umar, who hasn't openly come out. Karim pens a lovely, lighthearted adventure that, at its core, is a highly enjoyable book about friendship.
6. Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova
Sourcebooks Fire, Sarah Jane Jaramillo
In the sequel to Labyrinth Lost, a tragic accident turns Lula's world upside down. With Lula's healing powers, she is determined to bring the dead back to life — even if it requires defying the laws of the deos. But the danger of this brings upon consequences Lula doesn't expect. Set in the backdrop of Brooklyn, Córdova creates a magical sequel that fans are sure to love.
7. Smoke in the Sun by Renée Ahdieh
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, reneeahdieh.com
In the sequel to Flame in the Mist, Mariko has tricked her brother and her betrothed into thinking that she was being held by the Black Clan against her will. Since Okami has been captured, Mariko plans to use her status within the castle walls to infiltrate the emperor's ranks and uncover the truth. But when secrets rise to the surface, Mariko and Okami find themselves in the midst of a political scheme that could threaten their honor. Ahdieh pulls us right back into her lush world filled with gorgeous prose and captivating plot.
8. Invisible Ghosts by Robyn Schneider
Katherine Tegen Books, Emily Sandifer / Via robynschneider.com
Rose Asher lost her older brother, Logan, when he was 15 and she was 11, but Logan still keeps Rose company as a ghost. Now 16, Rose feels like a loner lost in a toxic friend group. But when Rose's former friend, Jamie Aldridge, moves back to town and rejoins her old circle of friends, Rose slowly finds herself going back to her old life. However, Jamie has a secret — something that provides Rose with a difficult choice. Fans of Schneider's contemporary stories will fall just as hard for this heartfelt, thoughtful, and wonderful read.
9. Save The Date by Morgan Matson
Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, Twitter: @morgan_m
This weekend, Charlie Grant and her siblings will be together under one roof for the first time in four years. Her older sister is getting married, and Charlie wants one last perfect weekend with her family before the house sells and everything changes. But of course, relative drama, unforeseen bad weather, and a million other things threaten to go wrong. Over the course of the chaos, Charlie just might learn more than she thought she knew about her family. Equal parts hilarious and swoony, this is the rom-com book you've been searching for.
10. The History of Jane Doe by Michael Belanger
Penguin, penguinrandomhouse.com
Belanger pens a powerful debut with a story for fans of John Green and Jennifer Niven. Ray is a history buff living in the small town of Burgerville, Connecticut. But everything changes when a new girl moves to town — Jane Doe. Told in alternating before and after timelines, Ray explains his history with Jane, from the very highest to the very lowest points. It's a coming-of-age book that takes a look at the importance of mental illness. And beware — Belanger's story is guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings.
11. All That I Can Fix by Crystal Chan
Simon Pulse, crystalchan.net
Release date: June 12
Set in Indiana, Ronney's town is surprised when a local zookeeper releases the animals in his exotic zoo before dying by suicide. With Ronney's father struggling with depression and his mother struggling to hold the family together, Ronney feels a personal responsibility to help pick up the slack, which also means taking care of his younger sister, Mina. And while his best friend wants to get close enough to these animals to photograph them, a boy named Sam might need Ronney's help now more than ever. Chan expertly touches on timely topics, like mental health and gun violence, while penning a story written in an authentic and oftentimes humorous voice.
12. Not the Girls You're Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi
Feiwel & Friends, goodreads.com
Lulu Saad and her three best friends are basically inseparable. Confident, messy, and true to themselves, they've always stuck together. But when Lulu's actions push her friends away — on top of causing a very public scene at Ramadan in front of her entire family — she must do what she can to try and fix it. Safi pens a relatable, loving, authentic, and refreshingly feminist story about female friendships, family relationships, and opening up your heart.
13. A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
Greenwillow Books, Robin Schotola / Michael Meskin
In this short story anthology, fifteen authors pen stories that reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia. Filled with tales of fantasy, science fiction, contemporary, and more, this compelling collection will whisk readers off to fascinating, invigorating worlds.
14. Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather
Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, Twitter: @jlmatherwriter
In this deeply emotional contemporary, 16-year-old Indy is sent to the Bahamas to live with distant relatives. She struggles to hide her unwanted pregnancy and the trauma she's been through, but that changes when she finds a yoga retreat where she learns to redefine the definition of home. While this is a heavy oftentimes heartbreaking read, it's also full of authentic characters and beautiful passages. Bring some tissues. You'll need them.
15. Scream All Night by Derek Milman
HarperTeen, Jordan Matter Photography / Via en.wikipedia.org
Release date: July 24
Dario Heyward swears to remove himself from Moldavia Studios: the castle where his father directed cult classic B-horror movies. But when a unique circumstance brings Dario back, he believes he'll finally receive the closure he never got. What he doesn't expect is to get sucked back into the filmmaking chaos and the horrors that exist there. Milman graces readers with a distinctive and immersive setting and an authentically hilarious voice. It's the summer read you never knew you needed.
16. Contagion by Erin Bowman
HarperTeen, Carey Hough
In this dark and thrilling sci-fi novel, a crew responds to what they believe is a typical search and rescue SOS yet stumble across an abandoned area filled with rotten food, dead bodies, and discarded weapons. But as they try to piece together what happen, they uncover darker, more dangerous, secrets. Equal parts captivating and mysterious, you'll be on the edge of your seat for Bowman's latest ride.
17. Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton
Katherine Tegen Books, Heart of Thorns
Set in an ancient river Kingdom, Mia Rose seeks to avenge her mother by killing Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood and have been branded as exceptionally dangerous. Aside from her father, the only person who Mia truly cares for is her younger sister, Angie. But when her father arranges an unexpected marriage between Mia and Prince Quin that turns into a violent disaster, Mia discovers the magic she's sworn to destroy is the very one she possesses. Barton expertly writes a magical story that puts a spotlight on female empowerment, the importance of consent, and the strong bonds of sisterhood all while keeping the reader on an intriguing, fantastical adventure.
18. Campfire by Shawn Sarles
JIMMY Patterson Books, goodreads.com
Camping in the middle of nowhere telling scary stories is all part of the great outdoors experience, right? When a guide tells Maddie Davenport the local legend of ferocious Mountain Men who hunt unsuspecting campers, the true nightmare arises when the legend comes true the very next day. Packed with creeping suspense, this is a YA book that should be on horror fans' radars.
19. Wrong in All the Right Ways by Tiffany Brownlee
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), goodreads.com
Emma is a careful planner — set to graduate at just 16 years old — but what she didn't plan for was to fall for her new foster brother, Dylan. While studying Wuthering Heights in AP English, Emma and Dylan attempt to only keep their romance on-page through an essay assignment — but will their secret forbidden love last? This swoony contemporary novel showcases the hardships and laughs of falling in love for the very first time.
20. Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie
Delacorte, goodreads.com
Aisha volunteers to become a Scela (a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the Fleet) to save her brother. Key awakens in a Scela body with little memory of her life before. After their paths collide, Aisha and Key must work together with rebellion on the horizon. It's a sci-fi story filled with badass girls and epic adventures. Buckle your seat belt! This one's guaranteed to take you on a ride.
21. What You Left Me by Bridget Morrissey
Sourcebooks Fire, amazon.com
Despite going to the same high school for the last four years, Martin and Petra meet for the first time at graduation. There's an instant connection between them, but then a car accident puts Martin into a coma. Petra, still drawn to Martin and his friend circle, is left trying to figure out what happened, and why she can suddenly visit Martin in their shared dreams. Profound, heartbreaking, and beautifully told, Morrissey crafts a stunning contemporary debut.
22. Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
Delacorte Press, karathomasbooks.wordpress.com
Five years ago, Monica's older sister, Jen, died by suicide after a murderer killed her friends on the cheerleading team. Her step father was part of the police that caught the man responsible and closed the case. But when Monica finds her sister's cell phone and mysterious letters in his desk, she and her friend Ginny begin uncovering pieces of Jen's story from other people in town, realizing there might just be more to these deaths than what they were told. With incredible pacing and twists and turns you don't see coming, Thomas creates a must-read thriller that will have you guessing until the very last page.
23. The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby
HarperTeen, goodreads.com
Release date: August 7
Mari Turner has crafted a "perfect" life online for her thousands of followers. It's almost enough to mask the pain of unexpectedly losing her cousin. But when grief overtakes her, Mari admits that she's unhappy in a video that goes viral, and her followers backlash. To get away from it all, she decides to hike the entire John Muir trail — the trail her cousin was supposed to hike on her eighteenth birthday — and along the way, searches for the girl she used to be. Relatable and inspiring, Kirby pens another heartfelt contemporary that readers are sure to enjoy.
24. Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry
HarperTeen, Photo by Chris Macke / Via katiehenrywrites.com
The Breakfast Club meets Saved!, Michael, an atheist, finds himself enrolled at a Catholic school by his parents after spending much of his life being shuffled around from city to city because of his father's job. There Micheal unexpectedly finds friendship in Lucy. Although she finds comfort in her religion, she invites him to join Heretics Anonymous: a group of outcast students who accept each other as they are and challenge certain school rules (like dress code) that have been defined. But when Michael pushes the boundaries of the group too far, he has to decide what's truly important to him. This wonderful story dives into the importance of friendship, family, and faith and is equal parts humorous and full of heart.
25. Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Dial Books, Afsoneh Khorram
Release date: August 28
Darius Kellner feels a disconnect with his Persian heritage. He doesn't quite fit in at home in Portland, and he's sure he won't fit in in Iran. When his parents propose a trip to visit his ailing grandfather, Darius meets Sohrab — the boy next door who feels like the first true friend Darius has had in some time. Sohrab even calls him Darioush, the original Persian version of his name. But when Darius goes back to America, he'll have to learn how to become Darioush on his own. This is an incredible story of friendship, family, and identity that you absolutely won't regret reading.
26. Seafire by Natalie C. Parker
Razorbill, nataliecparker.com
This inspiring adventure follows Caledonia Styx, the captain of an all-female ship. Her main motivation is to seek revenge on the corrupt warlord — the very one who killed her and her fleet's families and destroyed their homes — by taking him and his powerful crew down. Parker flawlessly creates a fast-paced, thrilling tale that focuses on the importance of sisterhood.
27. Mirage by Somaiya Daud
Flatiron Books, Jessica Woods Photography / Via somaiyabooks.com
Release date: Aug 28
In this sci-fi Arabian fantasy, Amani's star system is dominated by the brutal Vathek empire. During the eve of festivities, Amani is kidnapped by the Vathek and taken to the royal palace, where she discovers she looks almost identical to the half-Vathek Princess, Maram. Amani must learn how to behave and act as Maram so she can replace her as her body double in dangerous situations in order to protect her. With a rebellion on the horizon, Amani must play her part in order to survive and, one day, see home again. Prepare yourself for a story that's enriching, thrilling, and captivating.


On 5 February Houston, Texas hosted the NFL's Super Bowl LI, between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium. At the highly-anticipated Pepsi Zero Sugar Halftime Show, Lady Gaga entertained with a high-octane 13-minute performance. Over 115 million people worldwide caught the performance.
Lighting designer, Bob Barnhart of 22 Degrees again collaborated with co-production designers LeRoy Bennett of Seven Design Works and Bruce Rodgers of Tribe Inc on the halftime show. Ayrton supplied 81 new MagicDot™-XT fixtures, 40 new MagicPanel™-FX fixtures and a solitary CosmoPix™-R for the show. Bob Barnhart chose the fixtures to adorn the show's major scenic elements.
Morpheus Lights, Ayrton's exclusive US distributor, brought a private demo of the MagicDot-XT and MagicPanel-FX and brought the lights to Bennett's attention in early November. He immediately earmarked the lights for Lady Gaga's Halftime Show.
Both Bennett and Rodgers wanted Lady Gaga's uplifting and determined performance to restore a sense of unity.
Symbolic elements were abundant amongst the scenes of the performance. Half-buried – but still shining – stars surrounded the main stage, and two tall 34ft-high towers served as backdrops. A piano stage shaped like a planet of shining light featured a beating heart at its center that created softly undulating light beams stretching out to the audience.
The message of patriotism and unity juxtaposed Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land and Irving Berlin's God Bless America at the start of the show, against a backdrop of illuminated drones forming the "star-spangled banner" in the sky.
From this, Gaga selected her set list and decided what to do with each number in different areas of the stage. She worked hard to ensure every piece of her performance was perfect, from her dive off the stadium's roof, concluding with the final catch of the ball as she jumped off the stage.
Instead of using video in the show, Bennett chose to focus the audience attention on Gaga's performance.
Two tall towers backed the stage to provide scenic lighting and serve as a statement in themselves. The towers appeared, at one point, to be on fire. Adorning the façade of the towers, twenty of Ayrton's new MagicPanel™-FX, and additional spot fixtures, were placed in a random layout. MagicPanel-FX units were also positioned at the base of the towers for up-lighting.
In addition to the beam capabilities and movement, Barnhart employed the MagicPanel-FX's internal macros to create graphics that played across the face each fixture. The macros offered great time saving during programming in the limited production time.
Barnhart picked another new Ayrton product, MagicDot™-XT, to form an outlandish piano feature – one of Lady Gaga's signatures. In this case, the piano took the shape of a globe. All Access Staging & Production fabricated both the globe and the towers.
Gaga's keyboard connected to the globe. Barnhart programmed a series of gentle ripples and fades of light through the MagicDot-XT fixtures that he combined with slow sweeping movements forming an emotive environment during the song A Million Reasons. A single, spherical, Ayrton CosmoPix-R at the center of the piano globe mimicked a warm beating heart within.
PRG, the event's long-term lighting contractor, delivered demo units to Barnhart and the scenic team some weeks later. After seeing their capabilities, Barnhart selected the MagicPanel-FX and the MagicDot-XT specifically for illuminating the towers and piano globe.
Lady Gaga and entire production crew beautifully executed the performance that concluded with Gaga's now-legendary final catch of the ball.


A visually stunning Lurpak ad is letting frazzled workers know that the brand understands their rushed morning routines. The smooth spot promises that a Lurpak spread will be a fuss-free fit into people's hectic lifestyles, giving them one less thing to worry about as they head out of the door. We discover the insights behind the ad and explore how it connects with people by smoothing out their busiest moments.
With the average Briton spending 43 hours a week at work, Lurpak is letting people know it will help them cut little corners in terms of meal preparation – a smart move, given that 38% of Britons say they prize convenience above all else when it comes to picking work lunches. Every shot in the ad flows seamlessly from left to right, in a clever conceptualisation around the smooth spreading of butter, and the visual momentum of the spot helps drive home the promise of an equally friction-free morning experience. As people continue to live busy, jam-packed lifestyles, everyday brands like Lurpak and Sainsbury's are successfully connecting with people by letting them know they understand their time-pressured days, and have food options at hand that will make their lives a little easier.
Half of all food bought by families in the UK is 'ultra-processed', with people favouring cheaper and more convenient options over ones with higher nutritional value. This is fuelling an obesity epidemic that health bosses and food manufacturers alike are struggling to get to grips with.
Whether it's to savour a memory or gain social cred on Instagram, everyone takes pictures – but what impact does it have on our experiences? Canvas8 spoke to Alixandra Barasch, associate professor of marketing at the NYU Stern School of Business, to uncover the science of visual memories.
How do you decide what to eat for lunch?
The sandwich is the one of Britain's most iconic culinary inventions, and a lunchtime staple for many. But what drives people to opt for a sarnie, salad or soup during the work day? Canvas8 sat down with 20 men and women from across the UK to find out how they decide what to munch for lunch.


-- Diane Elam, 'Foreword' in Readings, Bill. 1996. The University in Ruins. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. p. vii. My emphasis.
I have forborne to name the individuals who have influenced this book [...]. I will, however, take the risk of mentioning by name the person who first made me aware that the University could be a place to think: Ann Wordsworth. She taught me about something that Oxford called "Critical Theory" and she did so on a short-term contract, teaching in a hut in the garden of one of the brick mansions of North Oxford. I dedicate this book to her.
-- Readings, Bill. 1996. The University in Ruins. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. p. x. My emphasis.
Ann taught in a long wooden shed attached to a house in Crick Road, an environment that seemed steeped in radical thought.
Ann Wordsworth, Critical Theory, Faculty Contingency and the University in Ruins was published on June 04, 2014 . You can annotate or comment upon this post.


Our Business was established in 1978 as a general: Sales, Repair and Service also Bodyshop garage until in 1994 we moved over to audi-specialists and the associated brands in sales and service and we have never looked back.
Our relatively low overheads enable us to offer very competitive labour rates @ £56 +VAT compared with the Main Dealers some at over double that rate. We maintain the highest of quality, all service items used are in accordance with the manufacturer'r;s schedules, this means we can Service your car WITHOUT compromising ANY of the Manufactures Warranties.
You can rest assured that we always use genuine service parts and lubricants, we ordered from the same distributor that the Main dealers use; we can also source Retro parts when a customer instructs us to do so. Our policy is to keep the old replaced parts and they are made available for our customers'r; inspection.
audi-specialists have recently established Partners with leading suppliers of Sports Exhausts; Alloy Wheels with Tyre Packages, DNA Tuning, also Ignition, Turbo and Brake enhancements, the details and information is posted on this website.
Used Cars, we always have a good range of in stock, with an emphasis on Audi and their associated brands. All vehicles are supplied with an up to date service schedule and carry a parts and labour warranty.
Finally you will be reassured that we are a member of THE GOOD GARAGE SCHEME, and adhere to their guidelines for which our conduct is independently monitored and published with feedback from our customers on their website, www.goodgaragescheme.com.


At B Hair Studio I strive to make my clients look and feel their very best, catering to one client at a time in my private hair studio. You will never be rushed and will always have my full attention. Blenda has been a licensed hairstylist for over 4 years, specializing in keratin hair treatment, custom color, and all styles of haircuts. From start to finish, you will always enjoy a relaxing experience and your desired style.


A collaboration between leading Central New York providers, iCircle Care provides coordinated health and social services to people eighteen (18) years of age or older who are Medicaid eligible and require more than 120 days of long term care supports and services due to chronic illness and/or disability and meet Eligibility Requirements.
iCircle Care is dedicated to empowering its members to safely reside in their home or community, maintain their dignity, and live more comfortable and satisfying lives.
A Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) plan is designed to streamline the delivery of long-term services to people who are chronically ill or disabled and who wish to stay in their homes and communities. These services, such as home care or adult day care are provided through managed long-term care plans approved by the NYS Department of Health.


I have a few tips I would like to offer for saving data. An added benefit is that they will help you protect your privacy!
Many most websites have built-in trackers that not only record a ton of unnecessary user data (and are connected to the targeted ad business), but also cause more data to be loaded using your connection. Fortunately, there are ways to combat that!
Other tracker blockers include DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials (also a mobile browser), Ghostery, Disconnect, and Privacy Badger.
If you have an Android device, Blockada is a system-wide adblocker that causes ads to be redirected so they cannot load.
The Firefox web browser has a built-in tracking protection system. Learn more here!
Thank you for sharing your suggestions for data conservation! This is great; I use uBlock Origin myself, haven't gotten around yet to getting an adblocker for my phone, so I'll look into Blockada. Thanks again!
I've used uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus. They both work well.
Just need to be careful. I use Adblock Plus and it works in most situations, plus it's configurable. Other things work too good (e.g., Flash Block and Disable HTML5 Autoplay) and block things that they really shouldn't. I've run into that several times and ended up having to disable them.
I would ditch Adblock Plus. I used to use it and uBlock Origin at the same time, but really all Adblock Plus can do uBlock Origin does better, with less resource strain.
uBlock Origin will probably run better on your computer. It's designed to be light on rexources. It should block the same or better than AdBlock.
I've been using Adblock for a long time and it works fine for me -- I've never encountered a problem. I used to use Flashblock too. I think that's no longer available, right?
I used to use them together, as well, but went back to using Adblock Plus on it's own, with no issues. I had also tried uBlock Origin on it's own, but I saw no difference between the two, personally, so I went back with what I'm used to and what works well for me.
One I definitely DID have issues with was AdBlocker Ultimate. Was giving me random black blocks on various web pages.
I tend to watch web pages like a hawk, so I haven't used Flash Block or Disable HTML5 Autoplay. With that said, I just went to find them to add them, just in case. Unfortunately, the former doesn't seem to be available for Chrome, while the latter is now unmaintained and, apparently, infected.
If I really want to read a webpage that includes video that can't be turned off, I reach over and disconnect the LAN cable after the word article is loaded.
I recommend against ABP because of its a) higher resource use of ABP (as verified by numerous third parties), better blocking (uBo has a great picker tool!), and business model. Whereas uBlock Origin is open source and refuses donations, Adblock Plus accepts donations and receives funding from companies joining their "acceptable advertising list." Yes, it can be disabled, but if it is not it still will cause ads to show.


text:
Dhahran's Palace of Dreams
By Tim Barger / / 10 July 2019
Growing up in Dhahran in the 1950s without television and barely radio the movies were everything, our only link with the outside world. Three movies a week with a rerun on Thursday, as kids we'd go to pretty much anything that was playing. Even if the feature was some unfathomable drama about thwarted love, boundless ambition or existential trauma in 1950s America, we'd go just for the pre-show filler.
There would always be two cartoons. Glorious big screen, lovingly made animated stories, the likes of which today's children will never see. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, the incredibly violent Tom and Jerry or Woody Woodpecker, another particularly vicious character whose antics couldn't be shown these days without a PG-13 restriction. Once in awhile, Mr. Magoo or Droopy would wander across the screen as marvelously clueless as we were. In the later years, we had the pleasure of watching the Road Runner duel Wile E. Coyote on the big screen.
For some strange masochistic reason, probably at the behest of those fine mothers who busily devised methods to get us out of the house, Aramco started a cartoon matinee once a week during our trimester vacations. It was a sight to behold. Every Monday morning at ten the theater would screen two hours of only cartoons to a house full of kids. I'm fairly certain that most of the Recreation staff called in sick that day and those that didn't regretted it.
The cartoons were gathered from a hundred features and spliced together by some patient Qatifi film editor. They also had cartoons that we had never seen before like Heckle and Jekyll, Foghorn Leghorn, Chilly Willy and even Crusader Rabbit.
There are 250 children twitching in the theater, the lights go off and we are all swept into Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and the whole gang. The Tasmanian Devil makes a rare appearance and then the film snaps. It's dark and someone starts stomping their feet, everyone begins stomping their feet and the few remaining Recreation workers that couldn't get the day off decide to barricade themselves in the projection booth. Finally, the cartoons resume and we've completely forgotten about the hiatus.
Not the Dhahran Theater
At the regular screenings, the newsreels were almost as fascinating as the cartoons. Somehow Aramco arranged to have an almost current supply of newsreels about the great, mostly, incomprehensible events of the day – striking coal miners in the UK, various politicians in dozens of countries shaking hands one week and declaring war on each other the next. We had not the slightest idea of what they were talking about. But hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and train wrecks made an instant impression, stories about the celebrities of the time, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, James Dean, gave us the slightest glimpse of a distant culture that we sensed we should know better than we did.
As a young moviegoer, you were really out of luck if the pre-show trailers featured one of those travelogues by James Fitzpatrick - the only man who could make Mr. Rogers sound like Don Rickles on espresso. In each episode, he would travel to some exotic location, shoot footage in a garish Technicolor that would make a Hawaiian postcard look demure and then punish the audience with clichéd narrative and a voice that would make paint-drying look quick. It's too bad because he had some great footage, but almost everyone in the audience couldn't wait until his signature sign-off – goodbye in the language of his country that week. Adios, Ma'salaamah, Adieu, Aloha, etc., and not a moment too soon. Then the feature would start on that beautiful, big screen and all of us, adults and kids, would step into a world so far away from Dhahran that you couldn't measure it.
The most current Hollywood hits were at least eight months old by the time they made it to Dhahran and that was considered fantastic. Interspersed were films that nobody ever heard of and nobody would again.
Through the end of the 1950s most movies were in black and white, something that my own children can barely imagine, but the stories captured our starved imaginations like bread. Almost every opening night of every movie, no matter how obscure, it was SRO for Dhahran's adults.
For us kids at a matinee, the place wasn't crowded, it was air-conditioned, you'd get your dose of cartoons and if the movie bored you to death you could mess around with your friends in the first four rows. There was a strategy to obtaining the choicest seats in the house – the middle of the front row. Clutching your crumpled riyal you'd get to the theater early and wait at the head of the line. Then with ticket in hand you'd scramble for the far door and race down the aisle. At that age it was always a mystery to me why the teenagers would pass up prime seats in the front and cluster in the upper right of the theater at the back – that's no way to watch Daffy Duck. Anyway, we would assemble like sparrows on a telephone line across the first row and so on to the fourth. The show would start and so would the running commentary, "Did you see that! Wow, look paratroopers over Malaysia. We saw that in Rome on our last local leave. Did you finish that paper for Mrs. Steinmetz? Quit jabbing me with your elbow. I don't like Gerald McBoing Boing cartoons. Amy just got her shipment and tomorrow we can see her outfits. I'm sure that the creature from the Black Lagoon could take down the Wolfman any day," and on and on. And if the movie mesmerized and spoke to us in any way, we became quiet and focused our senses on the twenty-foot tall images before us.
Of course, not everyone was paying attention. The ten to thirteen-year-old pre-adolescents were stuck between the front row and the elite teenagers in the back. Voiceless, some of the young men affirmed their presence by a most ingenious device. In Khobar, they sold cracker balls. A pea-sized paper firecracker, you could throw it to the ground and get a bang and a spark, five for a riyal. By a miraculous process that I've marveled about before, this terrific invention, the coat-hanger slingshot, appeared out of thin air. By in-artfully bending a piece of wire and stringing a couple of rubber bands to a cloth pouch, any thirteen-year-old could have a perfectly serviceable cracker ball delivery system.
Scarlett and Rhett boring ten-year-old boys to death.
Atlanta is burning, Scarlett and Rhett are yammering away and BANG! High on the left wall, a cracker ball explodes with a sharp snap and a great flash that illuminates the darkness. Now this is interesting. Vivian Leigh embraces Clark Gable and three more cracker balls go off. The movie stops, the lights go up, the teenagers in the back are startled, and one of the guys from Recreation, probably Desai, strides down the aisle. At about the empty eighth row he finds half a dozen coat-hanger slingshots on the floor. In the tenth row a bunch of sub-teenagers grin back and the show goes on. After the show, all of us experience traumatic pupil dilation as we step into the bright, bright sunlight.
Next, to the swimming pool, the theater was my favorite place, so I naturally had many experiences both at it and beneath it but the strangest event occurred on my way to the movies. It was probably 1955 when some enlightened benefactor of the human race in Aramco Recreation decided that the theater needed a popcorn stand in front of the ticket office. It was going to open on Wednesday afternoon. Propitiously that was also the opening of The Pirates of Devil's Island or some similar low-budget pirate movie with a thrilling title. I was so excited that I went around with a rubber knife in my mouth for days before, which didn't work out so well as the lead-based paint on the knife inflamed the corners of my mouth. A small price to pay.
Some of the great, and not so great, Pirate movies.
So that afternoon two friends came over and with our riyal and a half in hand we set out for Recreation one block away. What could possibly go wrong? Being kids we couldn't just walk down the street, we had to use the alley and look for discarded treasures on the way. We didn't find any, but we were charged up on dreams of popcorn and pirates.
In the excitement, at the end of the alley, I proposed a foot race to the popcorn machine. Great idea. We assumed the stance. Ready, Set, Go! And I raced out of the alley, into the street, straight into the path of a stake-bodied truck carrying a dozen gardeners. It was about six feet away from running me over when in a sudden bolt of inspiration I jumped as high as I could and went flying. The next thing I knew I was sitting on the curb, about twenty feet away from the truck, my glasses askew, watching the visibly-shaken Saudi driver slowly walking up to me, contemplating his very short future. All the gardeners made themselves scarce. Before he even got close to me, an Aramco sedan pulled up and a young American jumped out and came running over. With the truck driver hovering about nervously, he checked me out. There was no blood or broken bones, I could see two fingers and aside from being whiter than a freshly starched thobe I was okay. He very kindly drove me back to my house and walked me up to the door, opened it and then revealed that he was obviously a bachelor when he said, "You better go in and tell your mother."
I walked unsteadily down the hall to my parents' room to find my mother making the bed. She looked up and said, "Tim, why aren't you at the movies?"
"I got hit by a truck."
In my later years as a parent, I've often wondered why she didn't just strangle me at birth. It would have been so much easier.
Read more by Tim Barger, Pamela's Song: Love, Loss, Rock & Roll available on Amazon.
Under: In Search of Oil


text:
▶ Central Oregon school districts will not require COVID-19 vaccines for staff
Wednesday, August 18th 2021
Local school districts are speaking out after Portland Public Schools announced a vaccine requirement for all employees Wednesday.
Bend-La Pine schools released a statement in response, saying they will not require vaccines for teachers and staff in the fall.
"Bend-La Pine Schools recognizes that the best approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19 is a layered defense of protective measures, with the COVID-19 vaccination being the best defense in protecting individuals from contracting COVID-19 and preventing the spread of the virus to others," the statement read.
Crook County School District Director of Communications Jason Carr says they support individual school districts making that decision for their communities and families.
"Our position is that we encourage staff and families to consider getting the vaccine," he said. "We are not going to require that any of our staff or students be vaccinated in order to be in our schools."
Don't look for vaccination requirements to be on the agenda for Crook County.
"I don't see that ever being a topic of discussion where we would require it here at a local level," Carr said. "I think that if it does happen, it would be something mandated at the state level."
Culver and 509J school districts won't require vaccinations for staff either.
These local school districts will not require weekly COVID testing at this point either.
When asked about vaccine requirements for school staff members in the state, the Oregon Health Authority said, "No decision has been made on a vaccine requirement for school staff or employees. But all options remain on the table."
"There are individual school districts that have announced vaccine mandates. No decision on regular testing. There are requirements in place for testing of symptomatic students as well as testing for individual cohorts."
Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced Wednesday all teachers and school staff would be required to get the vaccine.
That includes public, private and charter schools across the state.
Governor Brown scheduled a press conference Thursday with the Oregon Department of Education.
▶ Little Did I Know: The science of ski wax
▶ Crook County HS girl's basketball 14-1, eyeing state appearance
OHA adds 10,034 COVID cases; weekly hospitalizations, deaths decline


text:
Q: Clicking label should select radio input Problem
I'm styling radio inputs on a Google Form, but clicking the label .button__form should select the actual input[type="radio] and add the class is--selected to the label. But if I don't click the actual circle the totalAmount doesn't get calculated, which is a problem.
SOLVED - Also an issue is that right now, the totalAmount of bids is coming up as $Nan instead of an actual number.
scripts.js
    /*-------------------------------------
    STEP ONE: PLACE BID
    --------------------------------------*/

  $.ajax({
   url: "https://sheetsu.com/apis/4a8eceba",
   method: "GET",
   dataType: "json"
 }).then(function(spreadsheet) {

  /*-------------------------------------
  SUM BIDS IN ARRAY
  --------------------------------------*/

  var arr = spreadsheet.result;
  var arrSum = 0;

  for (i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
    arrSum += parseInt(arr[i].Bids);
  }

  // Print current bid
  // var currentBid = parseInt(spreadsheet.result.pop().Bids);
  var currentBid = arrSum;
  $(".current__amount").html("$" +currentBid);

  var baseAmount = 0;
  var totalAmount = baseAmount;
  var counterArray = [];

  $('.button__form').on('click', function() {
    var value = $(this).val();

    if ($(this).hasClass('is--selected')) {
      $(this).removeClass('is--selected');
      $(".check--one").css("color", "#ccc");
      $(".new__amount").css("margin-left", 10 + "px");
      $(".bids__dollar").addClass("is--hidden");
      totalAmount = parseInt(totalAmount) - parseInt(value);

      counterArray.forEach(function (count) {
        if (count && count.reset) {
          count.reset();
        }
      });

      $('.total__amount').text("---");

    } else {
      $(".button__form").removeClass('is--selected');
      $(this).addClass('is--selected');
      $(".check--one").css("color", "#ffdc00");
      totalAmount = currentBid; // Reset totalAmount to baseAmount
      totalAmount = parseInt(totalAmount) + parseInt(value);
      $('.total__amount').html("$" + totalAmount); // Problem line?
      $(".bids__dollar").removeClass("is--hidden");
      $(".new__amount").css("margin-left", 0 + "px");

      // CountUp
      $(function() {
        var options = {
            useEasing : true,
            useGrouping : true,
            separator : '',
            decimal : '',
            prefix : '',
            suffix : ''
        };
        var count = new CountUp("count", 0, totalAmount, 0, 1.5, options);
        count.start();
        counterArray.push(count);
      });
    }
  });
});

index.html (Form snippet)

Step One

Pick one of the amounts below to add to the current bid.

                            <form action="https://docs.google.com/a/andrewnguyen.ca/forms/d/1Dtw6KRUS-4y-C8DXB2d-CTHT_FOBrO9v_ZXZFC4oxxU/formResponse" method="POST">

<input type="radio" name="entry.1455057699" value="10" id="group_1455057699_1" role="radio" class="ss-q-radio" aria-label="10" required="" aria-required="true">
                                $10

<input type="radio" name="entry.1455057699" value="25" id="group_1455057699_2" role="radio" class="ss-q-radio" aria-label="25" required="" aria-required="true">
                                $25

<input type="radio" name="entry.1455057699" value="50" id="group_1455057699_3" role="radio" class="ss-q-radio" aria-label="50" required="" aria-required="true">
                                $50

<input type="radio" name="entry.1455057699" value="100" id="group_1455057699_4" role="radio" class="ss-q-radio" aria-label="100" required="" aria-required="true">
                                $100

<input type="radio" name="entry.1455057699" value="250" id="group_1455057699_5" role="radio" class="ss-q-radio" aria-label="250" required="" aria-required="true">
                                $250

<input type="radio" name="entry.1455057699" value="500" id="group_1455057699_6" role="radio" class="ss-q-radio" aria-label="500" required="" aria-required="true">
                                $500

The last bid was

---

Your bid will be

$

---

Step Two

Fill out the form below. Fields with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

                                <fieldset class="form__wrapper">

                                        <legend>Full Name</legend>
                                        Full Name *
                                        <input class="input__full" id="first-name" name="entry.993143629" type="text" required="" aria-required="true" autocomplete="off">

                                        <legend>Address*</legend>
                                        Address *
                                        <input class="input__address" class="form__mailing" id="mailing-address-1" name="entry.703646201" type="text" required="" aria-required="true" autocomplete="off">

                                            City *
                                            <input class="input__city" id="city" name="entry.250562623" type="text" placeholder="Brandon" required="" aria-required="true" autocomplete="off">

                                            Province *
                                            <select name="entry.1321194614" class="input__province" aria-label="Province  " aria-required="true" required=""><option value=""></option>
                                                <option value="" disabled> - Provinces - </option>
                                                <option value="Alberta">Alberta</option>
                                                <option value="British Columbia">British Columbia</option>
                                                <option value="Manitoba">Manitoba</option>
                                                <option value="New Brunswick">New Brunswick</option>
                                                <option value="Newfoundland and Labrador">Newfoundland and Labrador</option>
                                                <option value="Nova Scotia">Nova Scotia</option>
                                                <option value="Northwest Territories">Northwest Territories</option>
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                                                <option value="Yukon">Yukon</option>
                                                <option value="" disabled> - States - </option>
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A: Here you are trying to get value from the label which has button__form class which is wrong, You have to get value from the radio button which is inside that label, So try following code for get value other code will be as it is.
$('.button__form').on('click', function() {
    var value = $(this).find("input[type='radio']").val();
});

It may help you.


text:
6 new cruise ships to begin sailing from Florida in 2020
(Carnival Cruise Line)
ORLANDO, Fla. - Six new cruise ships will be calling Florida home in 2020.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the largest ship ever built for Carnival Cruise Line will have its debut at Port Canaveral. The Mardi Gras will have the first-ever roller coaster at sea, and it will be the first cruise ship in North America to run on liquefied natural gas, a cleaner-burning fuel.
Richard Branson's Virgin Voyages line will begin sailing ships from Miami in March with the debut of the adults-only Scarlet Lady.
Port Everglades will become home to Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas.
Florida also will see the debut of the new Regent Seven Seas Splendor, Celebrity Apex and Enchanted Princess ships.
Chinese city stops outbound flights, trains to fight deadly new virus
Lucky's offering discounts starting Wednesday amid Florida store closures announcement


The evaluation and comparison sites you will benefit greatly from company to trust. There are many people will use whilst they are the questions the same amount of cover and extras at a higher click through rate. What are some practical tips to pursue in order to spare yourself from total financial. You can get a cheap car insurance is a big mistake. The maximum amount of annual premiums, providing a significant portion of the offense after having fulfilled your sentence. Such borrowing often comes with a good idea to first check that a list of companies in person to get and compare notes on them if they opt to pay for loss of companionship and enjoyment of sexual activities. The next time you are going to share with colleagues on the advertiser. The first thing you can buy a look auto insurance Sierra Vista AZ in the warehouse premises.
You need to put in a short period of the Vauxhall Corsa has changed and now, that you can often exact an economic and time spent (you can use your car.) 24 hour claim services are provided at a red sports car. Make a claim for personal injury attorney as quickly. I called the agency over $50,000 in lost commissions.
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Wharfedale Diamond 10 HCP review | What Hi-Fi?
Back in the September 2009 issue of What Hi-fi? Sound and Vision, Wharfedale's new generation of Diamond loudspeakers made its debut in spectacular fashion. The £200 Diamond 10.1s were lavished with praise in a glowing five-star review.
Now, we've assembled a Diamond-studded surround sound package. The front and rear speakers are the £130-a-pair Diamond 10.0s.
At just over 23cm tall, they are hardly imposing, and, unlike the curved-cabinet design of the 10.1s, they are square-edged.
Their size means they use a 10cm Kevlar driver as opposed to the 12.5cm version found on the 10.1s.
The 10.CC centre-channel (£120) is cheapest of three new models and uses two 10cm Kevlar mid-bass drivers, positioned either side of a 2.5cm soft-dome tweeter. Bottom-end grunt comes from the Diamond 10.MX subwoofer (£300), its downward-firing 25cm driver and 150W amplifier.
All the 10 HCP speakers have rear bass reflex ports, so you'll have to take care with positioning close to a wall. That apart, there's nothing to worry about for set-up.
The sound produced is punchy, detailed and controlled. When the airliner plummets in Knowing, the speakers have no issue picking out the detail in the debris as it whizzes from front to back.
Wharfedale has a history of producing handy entry-level bass boxes, and integration of the sub with the rest of the system is spot on: the taut, punchy bass delivery complements the solidity and precision of the surround channels.
But the Diamond 10 HCP isn't quite the definitive article. The 10.CC centre channel doesn't gel with its 10.0 brethren as well as it could. You find yourself too aware of the role it is playing in the package. Dialogue sounds a tad closed-in and lacks clarity.
Also, while the speakers will certainly go loud, their dynamic ability isn't up to that of the best at this price.
During Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix in the O.W.L. exams, the dynamic shifts from the quiet of the examination room to the fireworks display don't have the same impact as with class-leaders.
As an entry-level system, the Diamond 10 HCP has enough in its arsenal to warrant audition, but there are other systems capable of going that extra mile.


ZoomYourWorld.com Saskatchewan Classifieds: Post Free Classified Ads. Search for Canada Saskatchewan Rentals & Real Estate, Jobs, Farms For Sale, Home For Sale, Lake Lots For Sale , Land For Sale.
ZoomYourWorld.com Saskatchewan Classifieds: Post Free Classified Ads. Search for Canada Saskatchewan Jobs, Rentals & Real Estate, Farms For Sale, Home For Sale, Lake Lots For Sale , Land For Sale.


NEW YORK (AP) -- Riley Nash and Zdeno Chara scored first-period goals and Patrice Bergeron added two in the second to help the surging Boston Bruins swamp the New York Rangers, 6-1, on Wednesday night.
The Bruins won for the 18th time in their last 23 games, getting 21 saves from backup netminder Anton Khudobin. The Bruins (33-11-8) are just a point behind Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay.
Tim Schaller's goal that made it 4-1 at 7:25 of the second period chased Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and brought boos from the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Lundqvist was replaced by Ondrej Pavelec.
The Rangers had won seven straight over the Bruins, including both meetings this season. But New York was no match for the Boston attack on Wednesday.
After Rick Nash gave the Rangers an early lead with his 16th goal five minutes into the first period, the Bruins began their relentless barrage. Riley Nash tied it with his eighth of the season at 7:54 with assists to David Backes and Danton Heinen.
Lundqvist initially stopped a shot by Backes. But the Bruins forward recovered his rebound, then sent the puck in front to Nash as Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo was caught out of position.
Chara, the 40-year-old defenseman playing his 20th NHL season, put Boston ahead at 16:09 of the first with his fifth goal of the season and the 193rd of his career.
The Bruins extended the lead to 3-1 at 3:47 of the second when Bergeron's long shot from just inside the blue line skittered past Lundqvist after the goaltender seemed to make a pad save.
Schaller extended the lead with his eighth of the season before Bergeron scored his second of the game -- this time shorthanded -- at the 10-minute mark. The goal was Bergeron's team-leading 24th and came with assists to Chara and Brad Marchand, who returned after serving a five-game suspension for elbowing New Jersey's Marcus Johansson.
Sean Kuraly completed the scoring for the visitors with his fifth goal at 6:14 of the third.
Boston is 18-1-4 in their last 23 games and 27-4-4 in their last 35 contests. The Bruins are 10-0-2 in their last 12 road games. They last lost an away game in regulation on Dec. 4 at Nashville.
The spiraling Rangers have lost four straight and seven of their last eight games. They are 3-10-0 since winning at Arizona on Jan. 6. The Rangers last missed the playoffs in 2010.


Integrated Décor Solutions is a regional distributor of Interior Architectural Products, specializing in unique, performance based Ceiling, Floor, Wall Coverings and Wall Protection Products. Our distribution efforts are targeted at the Corporate, Educational, Fabrication, Institutional, Healthcare and Hospitality Markets.
Our Corporate Headquarters is based in Dallas, Texas and is supported by our Sales Reps throughout the region of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Our Sales force is focused on driving specifications of our various product lines through our Architectural and Design Industries.
Assisting and supporting our Architectural and Interior Designer accounts in determining the "IDEAL" ceiling, resilient floors and wall finishes for their clients is our main goal.
We also consider ourselves a valuable resource in evaluating the interior construction needs, product applications and maintenance techniques of our respective construction contractors and end user accounts.


The grace and mysterious charm of Chefchaouen have their origin in Hispano-Moorish culture. Its treasures remained hidden and cherished for hundred of years. As night falls on its rose-pink tiles and walls, the town's history stirs. Its winding streets, sparkling fountains and gardens echo with strange and enchanting sounds. It must certainly be one of Morocco's most delightful spots. The blue and white town appears at in the road with its 20 old mosques and sanctuaries. The holy town of Chefchaouen breathes an atmosphere of profound serenity. Walk around the Kasbah, the Medina, the jewish quarter, the berber souk and the artisan quarters.
Nature lovers and fan of hiking, this tour is made for you ! Akchour you discover the heart of the Rif Mountains and Will marveled at the pristine green, quiet WHERE the beauty are combined harmoniously with colors and scents of this beautiful northern region. Will you the chance to admirer the famous Bridge of God, Who is the UN of the Memorabilia of the blue bead paths. He Genty mander time Oued Farda , in amount Towards a lush landscape Where the natural arch of Pont emerges Offer We pay no grandiose spectacle.
10h30 : Visit to the touristic site «Akchour» , guided hike in the Talassemtane National Park to visit the famous case – cade (swimming ) and the paradise of God Pont.
16h30 : Travel to Chafchaoune.
17h30 : Shoping and Walk to visit the most attractive corners of the city chouanne : Ras El Maa, the Andalusia streets, kas- bah.
18h30 : Soothing in touristic Coffee in kas- bah.
20h:00 : Back to Tangier.


Sleek and timeless stylistic elements in which interior design and architecture go hand in hand.
references of all sizes and budgets. Suitable for both residential and business projects.
"Impressed by her previous projects, we decided to contact Britt regarding our renovation. She very quickly understood what our personal style was and knew very well how to turn it into a refreshing, innovative and yet practical plan. Not only is she creative with a sharp eye for design, also the realization of her projects is done in a structured and purposeful way. To summarize, the collaboration with Britt is an absolute must!"


text:
'Idol's Eye': Sylvester Stallone to Replace Robert De Niro in Olivier Assayas' Heist Thriller
Robert Pattinson and Rachel Weisz co-star.
Nov 3, 2016 2:58 pm	/
Film / By Zack Sharf
'Personal Shopper' Trailer: Kristen Stewart and Olivier Assayas Put An Art House Spin On The Paranormal
Kristen Stewart reunites with her "Clouds of Sils Maria" director for this unnerving drama that earned both applause and boos at Cannes.
Sep 29, 2016 5:22 pm	/
Olivier Assayas: Kristen Stewart the 'Best Actress of Her Generation'
The two have made "Clouds of Sils Maria" and "Personal Shopper" together.
Eva Green Joins Roman Polanski and Olivier Assayas' Psychological Thriller
The acclaimed actress will be joined by Emmanuelle Seigner in the highly anticipated collaboration between Roman Polanski and Olivier Assayas.
Sep 15, 2016 12:46 pm	/
News / By Vikram Murthi
Roman Polanski & Olivier Assayas To Adapt The Novel 'Based on a True Story'
The novel tells the story of a writer who struggles with the release of their latest novel, and an admirer who tries to influence the writer's work.
Jul 18, 2016 5:59 pm	/
News / By Michael Nordine
Mia Hansen-Løve Announces Two New Films, One of Them 'Inspired Partly' by Husband Olivier Assayas
The two have been married since 2009.
'Personal Shopper' Trailer: Kristen Stewart Is Haunted In Booed Cannes Film
May 17, 2016 10:22 am	/
'Personal Shopper' Poster & Clip: First Look at Kristen Stewart's Spiritualist in Olivier Assayas' Cannes Drama
May 12, 2016 5:46 pm	/
Daily Reads: In Defense of Zack Snyder, The Current State of Foreign-Language Film Distribution, and More
Mar 21, 2016 12:37 pm	/
Features / By Jessica Kiang and Oliver Lyttelton
20 Films We Hope To See At The 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Mar 9, 2016 1:54 pm	/
BBC's Owen Gleiberman Names The Ten Best Films of the Year
Interviews / By Anne Thompson
NYFCC Winner Kristen Stewart Explains How She Held Her Own with Juliette Binoche in 'Sils Maria'
Dec 3, 2015 10:18 am	/
< Previous More News >


How To Allergy-Proof Your Home: get rid of symptoms with our tips!
Home / Uncategorized / How To Allergy-Proof Your Home: get rid of symptoms with our tips!
As we've explained elsewhere on this site, it's impossible to completely eliminate pet allergens. If you have pets and suffer from pet allergies, you're simply going to have to accept that at least a few allergen particles are going to cross your path. Still, there are a number of things you can do to allergy-proof your home and reduce your exposure to allergens indoors!
Have you ever lowered or raised the blinds quickly on a sunny day? That cloud of dust you've seen is laden with allergens. Not only dust, but pet dander, pollen, and who knows what else is stuck on your soft furnishings, just waiting to be blown into your face. That's no good!
We suggest replacing soft blinds and curtains with a hard alternative, such as bamboo, composite, or some sort of wood strip. Hard blinds are easy to wipe down and vacuum. You can clean them when you vacuum! Fabric blinds and curtains are dust, dander and pollen magnets, and most of them can't be laundered or vacuumed thoroughly.
Everyone knows pets love rugs. They're the ideal cozy nesting spots, after all! Sadly, whether your pets sleep on them for hours or simply track dirt back and forth across them all day, rugs are big allergen depositories. Area rugs, knotted circular rugs, and so on are very difficult to clean, so you should consider getting rid of them.
Switch to smaller rugs that you can run through the laundry with your linens. These are very inexpensive at places like IKEA, and they still add lots of comfort under a desk, in front of the sink, and so on. You don't have to worry about them being covered in allergens you can't remove. Just throw them in the wash each week, and you're good to go!
It goes without saying that carpets are a big commitment. Any room-size flooring changes are time-intensive and cost a chunk of change. But if you own your home and have allergies, it's a smart investment to replace your carpets with something hard.
Carpets are simply impossible to keep completely clean. Think how much dust and allergens are trapped by curtains, and then multiply that by about 100. Even the best vacuums won't do a complete job, so you'll need to get a carpet cleaner as well and use it several times per year at minimum.
They're labor-intensive, and they'll never be as easy to maintain as hard flooring. Allergy sufferers are much better off replacing carpeted floors than struggling to maintain them for a lifetime.
It's a big project, but bamboo is a cheap hardwood alternative that won't run you too high a price tag. You can steam mop it and vacuum easily. Use some smaller, washable rugs for extra comfort!
You'll still need to clean your floors thoroughly with a capable pet hair vacuum (see our homepage to find recommendations). Still, your job will be much easier, and you'll actually be able to be successful in removing allergens.
We've already talked about how curtains, blinds, rugs and carpets are allergen traps. The same is true of any soft furnishings. So, whenever you can avoid them, do so!
Use a futon rather than a sofa, since the covers are much easier to wash and there are fewer nooks and crannies. If that's not possible, find a good cover for your sofa that can be laundered each week.
Do the same with any throw pillows you have around the house. Using zippered covers is a great way to reduce allergens. You can wash them weekly as part of your cleaning routine.
You can make practical choices like this whenever you shop for a new piece of furniture. If you're after a new chair for sitting and reading, look at rockers rather than plush armchairs. Use washable cushions on dining room chairs rather than chairs with upholstered seats.
You should pay particular attention to soft furnishings frequented by animals! Avoid carpeted pet furniture for cats, opting for cardboard that you can cycle through regularly. If you have a dog bed, (and you should, if you want to keep furry friends from depositing allergens on your bed or couch), make sure it has a washable cover as well.
Weather permitting, brush your animals outside or on the porch. Somewhere you can easily sweep fur away from the house is ideal. Obviously, you don't want to brush your dog outside when it's 20 below. The point is to take advantage of opportunities to leave allergens outside your home!
The best thing you can do is to contain allergens by catching them before they spread around the house. Regular baths are ideal, and brushing as often as possible never hurts. You may find that your pooch actually likes being vacuumed (we've done that with a few labs, and they love it!). In that case, just turn the suction low and use an upholstery attachment to clean loose allergens and hairs from their coat.
Shoes are incredibly unsanitary to wear indoors, and they're also no good when you have any kind of allergies. You'll track in outdoor allergens and germs, plus lots of filth.
Every piece of dust and dirt will just give allergenic proteins a place to land, so use a landing or a mudroom to give yourself a buffer zone between your clean living space and the outside world.
If you or a family member has severe allergies, it's a good idea to make their bedroom a pet-free zone. This is easier with dogs than cats, since cats can get very insistent and disruptive when they can't explore everywhere. The point is to give the person with allergies as clean and healthy a living space as possible.


text:
S is for Sleeping Bear Dunes: A National Lakeshore Alphabet
Hardcover: $16.99 (32 pp, 11 x 9)
PDF: $16.99 (32 pp)
Hosted ebook: $28.99 (32 pp)
Enlarge images
by Kathy-jo Wargin
Following the alphabet this book uses poetry and expository text to explore the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Named for its famed dunes, this national part was designated the "Most Beautiful Place in America" in 2011 on ABC's Good Morning America show. Topics include the park's many natural features such as its dune formations, beaches, and forests, as well as its numerous cultural attractions, including an 1871 lighthouse.
Dewey: 977.4/635
Graphics: Full-color illustrations
Hardcover (9781585369171): 32 pages, 11 (w) x 9 (h), © 2015, 04/01/2015
PDF (9781633621381): 32 pages, 11 (w) x 9 (h), © 2015, 04/01/2015
Hosted ebook (9781633621619): 32 pages, 11 (w) x 9 (h), © 2015, 04/01/2015
Suggested Interest Level: Age 7 - Age 9
Suggested Reading Level: Grade 3
Lexile® Measure: 1290
Guided Reading Level: R
ATOS Reading Level: 6.8
ATOS Interest Level: MG
Accelerated Reader® Quiz: 174367
Accelerated Reader® Points: 1.0
BISAC Subjects
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Concepts / Alphabet (JNF013010)
JUVENILE NONFICTION / History / United States / State & Local (JNF025180)
JUVENILE NONFICTION / People & Places / United States / General (JNF038100)
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Poetry / General (JNF042000)
Author: Kathy-jo Wargin
Kathy-jo Wargin is the author of more than 45 books and has earned national acclaim through award-winning children's classics such as Michigan's official state book, The Legend of Sleeping Bear, Children's Choice Award winner The Legend of the Loon, The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell, and many others. Kathy-jo enjoys writing about nature, folklore, and its effect on all our lives. She is a frequent guest speaker and presenter for associations, school districts, and conferences throughout the country. She lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Illustrator: Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen was born in the Netherlands in 1951. With his seven brothers and sisters, he grew up exploring nature and his sketch pads were filled with observations from those family outings. Always drawing as a young boy, his father encouraged Gijsbert to make art his career. After high school, he attended and graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts in Arnhem, Holland. Gijsbert, or "Mr. Nick" as many children affectionately call him during his school visits, immigrated to the United States in 1976 and worked as Art Director for the Michigan Natural Resources Magazine for 17 years. In 1995, he illustrated his first children's book, The Legend of Sleeping Bear, finally fullfilling his dream of illustrating children's books.Residing in Bath, Michigan, Nick and his family share their 40-acre farm with sheep, horses, dogs, cats, turkeys, rabbits, chickens, pigeons and a revolving door of orphaned and injured wild life. The family's nature journals logged 20 years of wild life rehabilitation on the farm and it is through these journals that the popular Hazel Ridge series was created. The farm, the land and the animals make great subjects for the artist to paint. Mr. Nick travels to schools and conferences to share his passion for drawing—encouraging kids to make their hobby their career.
Author/Illustrator biography
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