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Visitors Among Us: The Cast and Crew of ABC's "V" Face the Press
V fans may want to hold onto their hats (or whatever else is nearby) as ABC announced that the series will now launch on Tuesday, November 3rd at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC rather than in midseason. (The news echoes comments made by executive producer Scott Peters to me at Comic-Con.)
ABC announced the change in scheduling at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour session for V, which featured cast members Elizabeth Mitchell, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Lourdes Benedicto, Morena Baccarin, and Scott Wolf and executive producers Scott Peters and Jeffrey Bell. Or rather the cast of the alien invasion drama announced it... in unison, no less.
So what else did the cast and crew have to say about their upcoming first season? Let's discuss.
Executive producer Scott Peters was asked right off the bat about the fact that so many of V's cast members have appeared on a slew of genre series before getting cast in this project and whether that was an intentional, calculated move.
"We're trying to get every single, science fiction fan who's ever lived to come and watch our show," joked Peters. "No, we obviously went for the best actors we could possibly find, and as we went through this, we're, like, "Oh, hey, somebody from The 4400 and Serenity and Lost. Listen, we love our cast. They're wonderful. They're really not very attractive people, as you can see. (Laughs.) But it's a nice bonus that a lot of folks have appeared in genre shows in the past, but it was not designed that way."
So how different is this incarnation of V from the one that came before?
"None of us would be here without Ken Johnson, who did the original V miniseries, which was obviously a phenomenal success," responded Peters. "So we owe a lot to him. In that vein, we wanted to make sure as we moved forward that we made sure that we honored and respected the characters and the themes that that show envisioned and tried not to step on those and introduced brand new characters and brand new themes that would make sense in a post-9/11 world. So it's really an honor to be able to take the story forward. We're hoping to bring a whole new set of fans as well as the folks who watched it originally."
One of the major changes to the new V series is that the reveal that the aliens are actually scaly-faced reptilian creatures underneath the human-looking skin comes quite early and is handled with a minimum of a-ha trickery. Which was the intent, said Peters.
"I think there was an obvious huge awareness of the original," he said. "There are a lot of people who haven't seen it, but by the time we get to air, we feel like this is not the big surprise that everyone is going to gasp over. We really want to contain [telling] that story that is sort of already known out there so that we can leap forward in very quick manner so that we don't sort of build and build and build to something that people already know. Hopefully, we do it in an artful way and in a twist-filled way that will make folks who haven't seen the show before jump a little bit. Our cast jumped, which was awesome. (Laughs) And really try to bring a new audience to it as well."
Elizabeth Mitchell said that she watched the original series on television when she was a child. "I did watch the show when I was a kid," she said. "I think I was about 13. I was allowed to watch an hour of television with my parents. I really liked it. I liked the escape of it, and I liked the entertainment of it. It was a fun night for me. We kind of made a celebration of it, and I hope that other teenagers will do that with their parents. It's something that kids don't do as much anymore. Oh, my God, I sound like I'm 80. (Laughs.) But, yes, I did watch it back in the day."
Morena Baccarin was asked about her performance as Anna, the face of the Visitors, which one critic described as "every kind of a sweet-faced PR person for a seedy cigarette company."
"I have big shoes to fill as being, I guess, the face of what people want to see, and there's kind of no way to prepare on how to play an alien," said Baccarin. "I did some research, but there's not a lot out there. So, you know, I think I just am trying my best to be as trustworthy as I can be and to be what I would like somebody to be like if they were to come down to Earth, and I think there's an aspect of politicians in that because you need to embody what everybody of every nationality and need wants to see and at the same time you have your own agenda."
Scott Wolf, who plays ambitious journalist Chad Decker, said that he appreciated that critics saw a shading of a legitmate journalist in his performance.
"I appreciate you seeing the legitimate journalist in him; I see that as well," said Wolf. "I think he's a guy who's had success doing what he's doing, but he sees himself a lot further along than he's been able to get thus far. But amongst all the different themes that our producers and writers are dealing with, one of them is integrity versus ambition, and this guy's an incredibly ambitious guy, but there's also a sense of wanting to be a great journalist and be a voice for people so that when spaceships descend over the major cities of the world, he wants people to think, "What is Chad Decker saying about this?" So I think part of the fun of seeing how the character develops will be that relationship between his ambition and his journalistic integrity and which one wins out."
Jeffrey Bell said that the shadow of 9/11 definitely casts its spell over V and was a major influence on the tone of the revival, which is very different from the original.
"I think it's quite a bit different, and in terms re-imagining the original series," said Bell. "The original series, to me, felt very much like a military show almost. It was a resistance and gun fights, and there was a very clear and present enemy. They wore uniforms, and it was the Cold War. It was the Nazis, whoever it was. And post-9/11, that's not who our enemy is anymore. There is no other single threat. It's terrorists, and it's the guy across the street or the woman next door, and who do you trust? And I think one of the things we're trying to do is we have humans who are traitors, and we have Visitors who have a nefarious agenda, and we have Visitors who are heroes."
"And so not knowing who or what someone is and playing the paranoia that we all experience living in a world where we wake up every day and everything is at an orange alert," he continued, "I think the way we're trying to do it is, first off, not be a military show in terms [that] we're not a country at war the way we have [been] in the past, but we are a country very much fractured and struggling with all these issues. I think we've tried to tell stories that regular people -- moms and FBI agents and teenagers -- keeping them in their lives, have to figure out what they're supposed to do.
"Honestly, I'm fascinated by stories that there's a huge over-arching event," said Peters, "that there's a huge universal something that has touched everybody, and how does that affect a priest and an FBI agent and a teenager and a financier and this common thread that runs through all these very different stories. And they all start with very different storylines, which gives us the chance to allow these characters to cross in really unexpected ways and come together, pull apart, and those are just really interesting stories to tell, I think."
So, will Morena Baccarin's Anna eat a rat as the original's Diana did so memorably?
"Whenever we talk to people who saw the original and they [say], 'Oh, my God. I love the original," we go, "What do you love?" And they mention about four or five things, and the rat, guinea pig, bunny, mouse [is up there]," said Bell. "We get a lot of takes on it, but that's one of the things that everyone mentions, and we would be morons if we didn't find a way in the series to pay homage [to it.]"
"You found like the prettiest girl you could possibly find," Mitchell chimed in, "and you're going to make her eat a rodent!"
"We asked her if she had any problems with rodents," said Peters, "and she said, "No." That was her fault."
"I don't mind holding them," joked Baccarin.
"That was before she got the part," joked Morris Chestnut. "Now she cares about it."
"Actors getting a part will say anything," joked Mitchell.
"We're going to say, we want to find a way to do it, but if we just had her do exactly what happened in the original," said Bell in all seriousness, "been there, done that."
"There are other iconic moments certainly within the original that we will find our way of paying homage to," added Peters.
As for Alan Tudyk, who guest stars in the pilot as the partner of FBI Agent Erica Evans (Mitchell), the producers said that he'll be back on the series in some capacity. (Mitchell herself said of Tudyk: "I love him. I want him, love him.)
As for the Visitors' motives in the revival series, don't expect it to be the same as the one in the original, which was basically: steal our water and eat us for dinner.
"It would not be the same as what it was because, again, that's been done," said Bell.
Still, if producers get their wish, actors from the original V could turn up in the revival series, much in the same way that Richard Hatch joined the cast of Battlestar Galactica as a new character.
"I personally like that idea," said Peters. "We talk about it a little bit in the writers' room and we'll obviously develop that as we go forward. But I think it's fun for the fans. I think it's fun just to see those actors show up... It wouldn't be in the same roles, but it would be sort of at an unexpected moment in, perhaps, an unexpected role that would be a little bit of a tip of the hat to the old fans. You know, I think everybody is fair game, but we'll certainly develop that as we move forward. I love the idea, personally."
Peters and Bell said that they have firm plans for the series in terms of overarching storylines and plots.
"The original [V] was conceived as a miniseries," said Bell. "So it was built that way. And knowing that we are built for longer, we've structured the end that way. We've set up the first season so, by the end of the first season, you know what the Visitors' agenda is and sort of where characters end up, on which side of the line they will be by the end of first season."
"That would be our first chunk," he continued. "And then the second season, beginning there, we have a whole different arc again, but we are very much interested in keeping our characters in their own lives. He's going to stay at the church. She's going to stay with the FBI. Chad is going to be a journalist. Ryan is going to be the finance guy he is. And Val is a therapist. Everybody is going to stay in their lives because we think it's more interesting for people watching the show to see someone more like themselves versus 'we are now on the run from an invading army,' and I think we are different that way as well."
Some of the themes of the V pilot--such as the emphasis on universal health care might seem, as Peters put it "freakishly prescient," but Peters said that the series has been in development for quite some time now.
"Because of the Writers' Guild strike, this show has been in development for a long time," he said. "We are not looking to put any sort of agenda onto the table, but I wake up in the morning and you look at the news, and you see there's wars, there's new diseases being discovered, there's old diseases that we are dealing with. The economy is in the toilet. There are people losing their homes. Wouldn't it be awesome if 29 ships showed up and they all said, 'We've got this. We'll take care of you. Don't worry about it'? Wouldn't this be great? And so, I mean, that's really where hope and change came from. Joel [Gretsch] has a line in the pilot that says, "The world is in bad shape, Father. Who wouldn't welcome a savior?" And I think that's a pretty interesting thesis statement. So that's kind of where this whole thing sort of came from. And, listen, I think that shows are open to interpretation. People bring subjective thoughts to it. And if you want to ascribe those words to the Visitors or to whatever is going on in our society, that's sort of up to the viewer, but there's no particular agenda to hone in on those specific things."
Asked to clarify Bell's statement, Peters later said: "I think that if you are bringing something to a show and watching it, looking for something in it, you can find it whether you are on one side of the political spectrum or the other. The main theme of the show is dealing with blind devotion, and I think that you can sort of look at that in two different ways. People will bring to it what they bring to it, and I think it's our job as storytellers to put some provocative things out there and leave things open to interpretation to really bring an audience to it and really be compelled by it. And if one group wants to claim it as their show and another group wants to claim it as their show, that's their prerogative."
"Look, there are always going to be people who will look for agendas in everything," countered Bell. "This show was conceived during the Bush administration. It got executed in an Obama administration. There are people on either sides of the aisle who can find things. You can say, 'Yeah, look how stupid these people are for following blindly and believing everything the government is saying,' and you can have people who are upset about that. And you can have other people saying, 'Look at these people who are promising everything at no cost, and look, they are leading them to their own doom.' And so, for us, both sides have strengths and weaknesses. Let's get people to
show up and watch it and talk about it. But to try to tie it to the birthers or anything is kind of ridiculous."
However, the emphasis this time around is certainly not on a metaphor for the rise of Fascism as in the original, said producers.
"The fear at the time was Fascism," explained Bell. "It was Communism. That was the fear, and that's not the fear now. And we are talking about the metaphors and allegories here, and at a certain level, I just want to remind people it's a show about spaceships on ABC at 8 pm.. And I mean that seriously in that there's this wish fulfillment element of it. And so if everything came true, you would be really excited, and then if it started to turn or you were one of the two or three people who seemed crazy because you knew more about it than anybody else or you didn't believe it, we are really interested on almost a personal level. What does a mom do? What does a priest do? What does a kid do? And how this works politically is fun for people to talk about, but as we are breaking the stories, we are really looking to tell really exciting, entertaining, emotional stories that these guys can do what they do with."
"When we originally conceived the show, I opened up and broadened the theme to be about blind devotion," Peters chimed in. "What happens when you don't ask questions about the things you believe in? And I think that can be applied across the board whether you are talking about a political issue or a religious issue or a relationship issue, any number of things. And so, to me, that was what was really an interesting place to look into to deal with themes across many different storylines."
Do the producers feel any pressure to make V overloaded with the sort of mythology-based mysteries and complexities of fellow ABC drama Lost?
"Sure," admitted Bell. "I think what's different about telling this story now is there are people are live-blogging and die-hard fans who are freezing frames and TiVo-ing and finding Easter eggs to see what happened on Lost or Battlestar or any other awesome shows out there, and so it's our job to build those in for those people but to keep the story simple and clean enough that people who just show up at 8 pm can just enjoy watching the show. But we are aware of both, and we are doing our best to balance that."
Back in May at the Upfronts, ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson said that V is being conceived as series with a four-year storyline. Is that still valid?
"We're looking at this first chunk as we've got it all mapped out," said Peters. "In fact, before the show was sold, there was a pretty solid direction to everything. And so Jeff came aboard, and we talked more about it. And as things developed, we certainly know where we are going the first season. We know where we are going the second season. We have a pretty solid plan all the way through. I did a show previous to this that was very serialized, and it helped a lot to know exactly where you were going so that you weren't making it up as you were going along because that just is too painful, and we spent time too many nights staying up."
"We know what the end is," added Bell. "We know where we are going. And whether that's three years or four years or beyond that, you know, look, it's gravy. But there is a plan, and we will stick to that."
So what does V's original creator, Kenneth Johnson, think about this new incarnation?
"I had a meeting with Ken at the very beginning," said Peters. "We sat down and got a chance to meet him. I was very happy to meet him. And one of the other executive producers, Jace Hall, has been in close contact with him throughout this project, and he wishes us well, which is great. This is, as I was saying earlier, a brand-new take on the show. As I said, we want to pay lots of honor and salute to him for starting this whole thing. And so he wishes us well, and we thank him for that."
Still, the notion of propaganda as an invasion tool seems to apply to both versions of V.
"Yeah," said Bell. "And in a sense, the interesting thing to us is propaganda has just become advertising, and everything is branded, and everything is turned into a product. And so the V's are going to do that. The V's are going to brand themselves. The V's are going to advertise and promote, and we are all going to want to love the V's."
For Mitchell, V is the opportunity to play a character very different than the ones she's played thus far in her career.
"I'm always surprised, always grateful, and always giggling a little bit," said Mitchell about getting to play a full-out hero. "So I hope to continue to feel that way. I loved my role on Lost. I thought it was incredibly rich, and I enjoyed every minute of playing it. And I really thought I was going to take a break in between doing that and doing this and doing the bit of Lost that I had left. And I have to say that my manager called and said that Morris [Chestnut] had read the V script and that he really liked it. So I thought, 'Well, if he liked it, then I should read it.' So I read it, and I really did fall in love with the character. And I called over one of my best friends, and I had her read it, and she also fell in love with the character."
"I like playing a traditional hero," continued Mitchell. "I don't think I've ever done it before, and I think it's big shoes to fill because we've had some amazing heroes. I did a panel with Sigourney Weaver, and she said she always chooses male roles because she felt like they are meatier. But this indeed started out as a woman in this incarnation, and then, in the previous one, I believe it was a man. So I'm incredibly excited, and I do feel like it's a lot, and I'm hoping to step up to it. "
V is working with special effect house Zoic--who provided special effects for Firefly--and producers said that they will be keeping up the same level of technical wizardry seen in the pilot episode.
"We were very, very conscious of this as we moved forward," said Peters. "We didn't want to be able to sort of promise something we couldn't deliver every week. And we are sort of on the cutting edge of some really interesting technology in terms of how we present the entry of the spaceship, for instance. We are able to actually shoot all of that on a green screen. And the spaceship is built in a virtual world, and it allows us to collect assets. In other words, we can build these enormous-looking sets in a computer. We can go back to them. We can reconfigure them. We can pop a camera into the virtual set and turn it a different direction and see something that looks like a very different place that we've never seen before. So that gives us the creative ability to really expand upon that so that we aren't leaving everybody in the dark in terms of really wowing everyone on a weekly basis, and that's really what we are striving for. But, obviously, first it's a character-driven show, and we need to deliver that first and foremost. The visual effects and all of the fun eye candy is frosting on the cake but really important frosting."
"We are visiting the ship every episode," he continued. "We are seeing ships in the sky every episode. We shoot in Vancouver, so we have to make Vancouver look like New York. So things that don't look like visual-effect shots are actually visual-effect shots. We are well-stocked and well aware of what we have to accomplish every week.
V premieres November 3rd at 8 pm on ABC
ABC News V
Labels: ABC News V
V Premiere's November 3!
Eric said…
I am beyond excited about this! And I'm happy that ABC has bumped up the premier to the FALL! November 3rd! November 3rd!
Thanks Jace for covering this panel with such depth and for all of your Twittering at TCA.
AllenJ said…
Wow. Thanks for the in depth review. The fact that they've moved the date up to November 3rd bodes well. I have very high expectations for this show and can't wait to see it.
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Retirement can feel like a dead end at times. However, all ends are also a new beginning. While you may feel like life as you know it going to be no more, it may actually be a good thing. You will have more time on your hands to do the things you've always wanted to do. You will be free of commitments, responsibilities and the rat race.
You may wonder about what's next. Until retirement, there was always a minimum guarantee of how tomorrow would be. It is important to prioritize what you want to do. Choose to have an enjoyable life which you deserve too well, after working hard for all of these years.
The first step to that would obviously be taking care of your health. You are probably still in decent health and don't need senior assistance, but if that is on the horizon you should visit this website for help, or palliative care for medical treatment. It is also important to consider the fun factor and outlets where you can spend your time in a productive manner which will let you find happiness as well.
They say health is wealth and this is all the more true post-retirement. Here are a few ways you can keep yourself healthy at heart and mind.
● Exercising regularly: Exercise does not only give you more energy to get through the day but also helps you fight lethargy and other unhealthy habits. You can take a small walk every day, go for a swim, play your favorite sport or even work in your backyard garden project. Finding a buddy can sometimes feel better to do the activities together. Ensure you exercise for half an hour each day.
● Make most of your time active: Turn the time you may spend on a computer or phone to a time where you interact with nature or your loved ones.
● Include more fiber in your diet: Fibre does not only help the digestive system function better, but it also helps keep cholesterol levels healthy. You can choose from an assortment of whole grains and vegetables for your fiber intake.
Being financially stable is another way to settle into retirement. There are several organizations that will help you to think about retirement and help you take the right decisions under their careful guidance and constant help.
Tricia Fahnoe a partner at Mission Wealth explains that doing your estate planning now can help your loved ones avoid the problems and headaches that come with trying to deal with it after you are gone. You can also choose to manage by yourself if you feel confident. Here are a few ways you can live a good life while having adequate money for any of your expenditure.
● Looking out for senior perks: Several restaurants and businesses offer an additional discount for senior citizens over the age of 65. Some even do the same for citizens over 55. It is important to not hesitate to inquire about this as you truly deserve it after the wonderful life you have lived.
● Downsize your living: After retirement, moving to an apartment can be a great idea. Your home will not only provide you with a regular flow of money if you rent it, but You will also be able to relish the feeling of living in your new home.
● Sell what you don't need: This habit does not only help you earn some money, it will help declutter the house as well. We often tend to have treasures which we do not know the value of. They can help during retirement.
● Medical plan: Ensure you have a medical plan that can take care of any future medical expenses.
Retirement is truly a time where you can open a door of possibilities and do things you have wanted to do all your life. Here are a few things you should indulge in to make the most of your retirement life.
● Travel: To a person who has loved adventure all his/her life, retirement can be the perfect time to pursue more. You can find several travel plans within your budget and explore those. Traveling is a necessity for life and there is simply no age barrier as to when you can start to travel.
● Put your experience and good mind to use: You can choose to volunteer at a non-profit organization for a few hours a week. This way you can ensure that your expertise and experience in life can help other people. In return, this will also let you feel a certain sense of contentedness and peace.
● Read voraciously: Learning never ends, even during retirement. You can visit the local library, and make sure you have a regular reading schedule. You can even re-read some of the classics you loved as a child and relive those times through the books.
● Go green: medicinal marijuana is available to a lot of senior citizens for a variety of reasons. Cannabis helps to fight chronic pain, it increases appetite, and also reduces anxiety and depression in some cases. You can find some great medical cannabis for sale near you depending on your region.
Retirement can be an exciting world where you begin to rediscover yourself. All you have to do is want it to be that way and you will make the most of life as a senior citizen after retirement.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about how to make the most of life after retirement both financially and personally.
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After spending fifteen years making beautiful tobacco pipes for other companies like Savinelli, Mauro Armellini decided to open his own shop in 1959 in the small town of Barasso, Italy. Shortly thereafter, he met an American wholesaler who fell in love with Mauro's Italian masterpieces and decided to distribute the pipes all over the world. Upon Mauro's passing in 2004, his daughter Vilma decided to continue her father's legacy. She had been working side by side with him from a very young age, acquiring his knowledge, skills, and the special rustication technique. Today, the Mauro Armellini shop produces approximately 1,500 handmade pieces annually, each reflecting Mauro's high quality standards and vision ~ create the best pipe from the best materials at the lowest possible price. Mauro's dream, dedication, and passion for pipe making live on in his daughter, and now his grandson Matthew.


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Fraser Island bushfire jumps containment lines as thick smoke billows across Queensland coast
By Billy Vickers • Producer
A bushfire raging on Queensland's Fraser Island has jumped containment lines as it continues to billow smoke across surrounding areas.
Fire crews, including aerial bombers, are fighting the blaze that's burning through a remote and inaccessible area of World Heritage listed site.
A number of roads have been closed on the island and a Fire Advice Warning has been issued urging campers and residents to stay informed.
A bushfire has been burning for a month on Fraser Island. (Nine)
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymor visited the island yesterday and said the fire was proving extremely difficult to control.
"It is a very, very difficult situation over there right now for our firefighters," he said.
"We have heroes over there, many of them volunteers, who are battling a fire in extremely difficult conditions that is very hard to put out.
Campers and residents are being urged to monitor warnings. (Supplied)
The fire was sparked last month by an illegal campfire and has now destroyed more than 40 kilometres of bushland.
The blaze has sent huge plumes of smoke cascading across the Queensland coast, leaving residents and campers immersed in the dirty air.
"I couldn't believe it, we went to Lake Mackenzie on the Monday and you could see ash falling as we were swimming in the lake," camper Kristen Wessling told 9News.
"It was a bit weird."
The fire has sent thick smoke billowing across surrounding areas. (Nine)
The Bureau of Meteorology says days of heavy rain are needed to put out the fire but predicts that conditions are set to worsen.
Forecasters are warning that temperatures in Queensland could climb by 14 degrees over the next five days and reach 46C in parts of the state.
Tourists are still welcome on the island for now, but the mayor says people should stay away.
"I am urging people not to go over," Mr Seymor said.
"It's not a pleasant experience camping because of the smoke."
Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island covering 410,000 acres and more than 75 miles of unspoiled beachfront facing the Pacific Ocean.
Auto news: Great Wall buys GM's last factory in India - caradvice.com.au

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Travel 2 China Info
Travel guide to Haikou, China
Travel guide to Harbin, China
Travel guide to Hangzhou, China
Posted by Travel 2 China Info
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in east China, lies close to the mouth of the Qiantang River at the western end of the Gulf of Hangzhou.
Hangzhou was a small fishing village until late in the sixth century, when the extension of the Grand Canal southward from the Yangzi led to the development of a busy commercial center in the town. It prospered, especially during the peaceful early period of the Tang Dynasty. Its growth was assisted by the development of the lower Yangzi area into the nation's most important agricultural region.
Hangzhou underwent dramatic development when the Song Dynasty, pushed south by the conquering Jin, established its capital there. In a short space of 100 years, the population grew to almost a million and the town flourished as a major trading center. Although the city was partly destroyed by the invading Mongols in the late 13th-century, it appeared impressive to Marco Polo when the famous Italian traveler visited the city shortly afterwards. According to Marco Polo, Hangzhou was "without doubt the finest and most splendid city the world… there are said to be 13,000 bridges, mostly of stone… vast are the numbers of those accustomed to dainty living, to the point of eating fish and meat at one meal."
As for the West Lake, Marco Pole wrote: "On one side it skirts the city… and commands a distant view of all its grandeur and loveliness, its temples, monasteries, and gardens with their towering trees, running down to the water's edge. On the lake itself is the endless procession of barges thronged with pleasure-seekers… their minds and thoughts are intent upon nothing but bodily pleasures and the delights of society."
Today, the city remains renowned for its beauty, which some claim is unsurpassed in China; and although some of the historic buildings have been destroyed, the archaeological attractions that remain are still impressive. Many sections of the town have not changed for centuries, while the famous West Lake region retains its reputation as one of the most beautiful spots in China, with landscaped gardens on its banks, tree-shaded walks, and in the nearby hills, temples, pagodas, and monasteries.
Hangzhou's fame rests mainly with the picturesque West Lake, so named because it is located in its western fringe. Covering about four square miles, West Lake is surrounded on three sides by rolling wood hills. At the center are three isles–Lesser Yingzhou, Mid-lake Pavilion and Ruangong Isle. Solitary Hill stands by itself on the northern lakeshore. It can be reached from the city by Bai Causeway, with Su Causeway bisects the lake from north to south. The blue, often rippling, water is dotted with elegant stone bridges and charming pavilions.
QIANTANG TIDAL BORE
If you are visiting in September during the autumn equinox, you may be able to see one of the most unusual sights in the world. A tidal bore gathers momentum in the Gulf of Hangzhou, surges into the mouth of the Qiangtang River, and races up the river, at a height of up to 30 ft. and a speed of more than 15m.p.h. In ancient times, governors of Hangzhou used to have arrows fired at the waves in an attempt to quell their destructive forces. Nowadays more effective methods are used.
LINGYIN TEMPLE
It is believed that the temple was first established in 336 A.D. by a monk known as Hui Li. It was destroyed on a number of occasions, the last time during the Taiping Rebellion, and the latest rebuilding was in the early part of the 20th century. It was then restored in 1956.
The temple sits at the foot of the Northern Peak in a wooded area, with a stream running in front of it. Some of the trees in front are believed to be more than 1,000 years old.
The foremost temple houses a laughing Buddha carved in camphor wood and covered in gold with a carved gilt figure standing behind as a guard. Both figures are set under a two-eaves wooden canopy decorated in red and gold. Ornate lamps hang on either side.
Hangzhou: Paradise on Earth
HANGZHOU, known as "paradise on earth," has a humid climate, fresh air, a clean, well-ordered environment, and the West Lake as its back garden. The land around Hangzhou City is one of "fish and rice" as well as a production base for silk. Each person encountered on its streets radiates contentment. An increasing number of people are purchasing villas in the area, and real estate prices have consequently increased.
Hangzhou is a famous tourist city. Although not big, it has a concentration of more than 40 scenic spots, which would take at least a week to visit. The 6-square-kilometer West Lake is the pride of this provincial capital city, and most sites of interest are around it. Unlike the man-made lakes of other cities, where earth is dug and piled up to make hills, the West Lake is natural, and its sights are delightful, no matter what the season. Scholars and poets have left a legacy of rhapsodic poetry and prose after visits to the lake, and some settled, or stayed on to live a hermit's life here. There are so many scenic spots around the West Lake that the view changes at every step. It was once said that its scenery is poetic, picturesque and ethereal. A picture taken from any angle resembles a beautiful landscape painting.
The people of Hangzhou regard the West Lake as an important facet of their daily life. It is a place where they eat their meals, drink tea, and generally enjoy leisure time, often taking a stroll along its shores each evening before going to bed. The hotels, restaurants and teahouses around the lake all do a brisk trade. Locals take great pleasure in going on rambles through the beautiful scenery, and can be seen in threes and fours taking a walk along the Bai and Su Causeways at all times. On a fine day, some might ask for time off from work in order to relax by the lakeshore, and at weekends whole families go on outings, so each scenic spot is thronged with visitors. People sit on carpet-like lawns, and enjoy the spring sunshine as they replenish their energy with the food and drink they have brought from home. They chat, laugh and frolic against a background of beautiful flowers, and when sleepy, take a nap.
Hangzhou is also famous for its beautiful women, who, in addition to being good looking, are also softly spoken. The women of Hangzhou are elegant and graceful. They like to have their picture taken, sitting or lying on a lawn, leaning against a tree trunk, or beside a branch full of peach blossoms. Beforehand, they have their hair dressed, and wear their holiday best, and sometimes borrow a parasol from a passer-by to make an even prettier picture.
Along with such beautiful scenery and places of interest, Hangzhou has many romantic tales. Classical stories include legends about Su Xiaoxiao, a well-known courtesan — a Chinese Dame au Camellias. Su Xiaoxiao was beautiful and versatile. Once while sightseeing, she met a young man from a noble family. They fell in love at first sight. A few days later, the young man went home and never returned. In the end, the 19-year-old Xiaoxiao died of a fatal disease. There are many poems dedicated to her, and there is a monument on the Bai Causeway commemorating her.
Another romantic tale is about the love between a young man named Xu Xian and the "white snake" (an immortal, whose earthly form was of a beautiful woman, but who also took the shape of a white snake if she drank wine). Their love was not tolerated by society, and finally the white snake was imprisoned under the Leifeng Tower, and Xu Xian's family fragmented.
Modern Hangzhou inhabitants are very romantic, and the West Lake is now the place where young people go courting. At nightfall pairs of lovers can be seen all along the lakeshore, as on the Shanghai Bund.
The romantic nature of Hangzhou inhabitants has nurtured the quality of local artists. Hangzhou has produced numerous scholars and men of letters, and the city is permeated with an artistic atmosphere. Every building is exquisite, especially those around the West Lake, and the city brims with nostalgia. In parks such as Taiziwan and Gushan, international modern sculpture exhibitions are often held. The natural landscape makes a perfect background for sculpture, which, in turn, adds significance to the whole environment. On Nanshan Road, in the city proper, now lined with galleries, teahouses and bars, is a fine arts academy, whose origins go back to the 1930s, when a group of artists returned from Europe and founded China's first fine arts school. These artists introduced Western painting techniques to China for the first time, and were the first in Chinese history to paint a nude model. They brought about a revolution in the history of fine arts. Many important figures in the history of Chinese painting graduated from this school.
During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) Hangzhou was the world's most prosperous city, and the Hangzhou residents' current tradition of leisure originates from that wealthy era. In ancient times, tea drinking was an elegant and refined pursuit, but one which called for certain prerequisites. First, there had to be fine weather and beautiful scenery. Second, the water, tea, and tea set had to be of the finest quality. Today, tea drinking is less formal than in former times, and normally accompanies a meal. There are many restaurants serving both meals and tea around the West Lake. Although their decor is still in the traditional style, and traditional music plays in the background, the noise of cutlery and clinking china in these restaurants destroys the tranquil mood essential for tea drinking in the original manner. In recent years, more and more cafes have opened, and seem likely to replace the old teahouses. These cafes, with their comfortable furniture, luxuriant plants, dim lights, and relaxing music daily attract more and more white-collar custom.
Hangzhou is also famous for its culinary arts. Dishes feature originally flavored sauces, that are not too oily, and presentation so beautiful as to equal the Hangzhou landscape. There are more than 40 famous Hangzhou dishes, including West Lake Sour Fish, Beggar's Chicken, Fish head and Beancurd, Dongpo Pork, Shrimp Meat with Dragon Well Tea, West Lake Water Shield Soup, and Sister Song's Fish Soup. Among them, there are five famous dishes that are a must for visitors: Dongpo Pork is named after Su Dongpo, a famous man of letters of the Song Dynasty, and is a little fatty, but not oily. West Lake Sour Fish features tender fish meat with sweet and sour sauce. Shrimp meat with Dragon Well Tea was created by chance. In ancient times, while cooking shrimp meat a chef made the mistake of adding dragon well tea to the dish as a condiment, but the emperor nonetheless enjoyed it, and the dish became famous. Beggar's Chicken is tasty and tender, with a fragrance of lotus leaves. Sister Song's Fish Soup is piquant and spicy. To try these famous dishes, tourists go to time-honored restaurants. Louwailou Restaurant is on the north bank of the West Lake, and famous for local dishes, but is relatively expensive. The Zhiweiguan Restaurant is well known for its exquisitely prepared snacks. Steamed dumplings, wonton soup, and fried sweetmeats are local specialties, and not expensive. At lunch and dinner, this spacious dining hall is packed to capacity.
Hangzhou inhabitants are not, however, completely poetic, being as smart and astute as the businesspeople of Shanghai. To cater to the demands of foreign tourists, Wushan Road is lined with vendor's stalls, selling silk, paintings and calligraphy, antiques, and antique furniture. There are genuine and fake antiques, and only experts can tell the difference. Prices vary, and tourists need to bargain. A silk scarf on one stall may sell for ten yuan, but on another it may be bought for four yuan. It must be remembered that the seller is always smarter than the buyer. When bargaining with Hangzhou vendors, local buyers usually offer a price slightly higher than half that quoted. When buying silk, visitors are recommended to go to Silk City. This is where a concentration of sales outlets dealing in foreign trade for Hangzhou's famous silk plants may be found. Although prices are slightly higher here, the goods are of a better and more consistent quality. (By ChinaToday Magazine staff reporter ZHANG XUEYING, June 2002)
[Source: chinatour.com]
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HomeDogIs Your Dog In Need Of Training? Try These Tips!
If you're a beginner at training a dog, you're more than likely wanting some advice on what will work to get your dog to behave. Below are several ideas to help you begin your training journey.
TIP! Rewards are essential to effective training. Reward your dog with some treats right after they obey an order.
Crates need to be treated as the dog's second home. Leave food near or inside the crate and leave the door open. This way, your dog will associate positive things with being inside the crate.
There are many ways to make crate training more comfortable and successful for your new puppy or dog. Place a treat inside the crate and shut its gate in front of your dog. Your dog will want to get into the crate in order to eat the treat. When your dog goes inside, give him plenty of praise, and let him know he is doing a good job.
TIP! Try to see things from your dog's eyes. It is easy to get frustrated with your dog if they are not learning very basic things quickly or at all.
Reprimands should be delivered quickly and in a sharp tone. Yelling and screaming at your dog is counterproductive. Just say no, then show it what to do instead. Be sure your command tone of voice gets their attention and shows that you're serious.
Make sure your dog is eating a healthy diet. Your dog will not benefit from a poor diet. Not only is it unhealthy, it can affect the way they behave. By simply improving the diet that the dog gets, you may notice a great improvement in how receptive they will be when it comes to training.
You will have to repeat commands several times before your dog learns it. You may need to repeat the command more than 20 or 30 times. Be patient and continue using a command until your dog learns it.
TIP! You need to leash train your dog. This will make your walks together a pleasure and not a source of frustration.
Teach your dog all of the newest training methods to keep him in line. Too many owners tend to be under the impression that once they have trained their dog, that's the end of it. Dogs, though, are like people in the way they fall into habits. Make sure your dog has a regular routine.
Stay away from high end training devices like shock collars. Most of the time these don't function as they should and can cost quite a bit of money. In addition, shock collars and some similar items can actually discourage your dog from practicing good behavior. These techniques don't normally work.
Limit the duration of training sessions. Your dog will get bored and antsy if you spend too much time on one thing. Try to limit initial training sessions to 10 minutes or less.
TIP! Be consistent when training your dog. If there are several trainers, ensure that they are all being consistent with rewards and commands.
Teaching a puppy their name is one of the first steps to undertake and creates a lasting bond. Use his name frequently, and train him to come to you when called. His name should be the first word he learns. Make sure to spend time with your dog in order for him to learn and trust you. This will make him more receptive in receiving advanced training in the future.
Training your dog is a great way to get him to be better behaved and learn to do some neat tricks. Reading this article will help you become more adept at training your dog.


Made famous by "The Game", this is a favorite routine of the PUAs from Style and Mystery's group. It is actually based on real Mayan culture and written in detail in a book called Secrets of the Cube: The Ancient Visualization Game That Reveals Your True Self.
The Cube is a field tested routine and most women will remember it because it is so different than most pickup approaches. Women you use the cube on (who have not read The Game) will feel that you really understand them. And, they will want to know more. It is a DHV and a seduction tactic at the same time.
The Cube can be used at anytime in the seduction cycle, but it is usually a great game to play towards A3 or in the comfort stage, when you are getting to know each other. First dates are perfect for the cube. The routine builds attraction and connection is used correctly.
8.When she has visualized the entire image, then you can tell her the meanings.
There are plenty of resources that will offer you exact interpretations. But, these really shouldn't be necessary. Remember, the point isn't to "do it right." The key is in giving your own interpretation, and this interpretation can be developed from your own mind, not from what a book tells you.
Be vague and use generalities – Talk about women, life and relationships in general. You will be surprised how many reoccurring themes happen. In doing so, she will realize that you understand people, you understand women, and you understand her.
You can ask clarifying questions. Ask her more detailed questions if her description of her cube and landscape is vague. Ask her how the objects in her life relate to each other.
Keep your statements positive. Fortune tellers usually mentioned positive reads. As should the artist, to keep the interaction fun and light.
Re-frame negative images: For example: a weak and small horse means that she has had too many lame and weak men in her life. The reframe is that she really needs one that is strong and healthy and her search is almost there.
Take advantage of the horse. The horse represents her inner desires. It is a great time to demonstrate that you know what women want. If her horse isn't ideal, then tell her it is an image of what she has attracted to her in the past, and what she really wants is actually the opposite.
Use all of the little parts to get a bigger picture of her. Try to get a broad sense of who she is as a person, and then you can use that understanding to lead your interpretation.
Share your own Cube. Tell her about your cube and how it relates to hers.
Don't reveal everything. Deliberately leave parts out, or hint that there is something more. Always leave her wanting more. This is a key cornerstone of seduction. ALWAYS leave your audience wanting more.
Good stuff, thank you for posting and clarifying!
Cheers and enjoy your life!
anyone notices how he doesn't mention the flowers in the explanation?
Seriously!!!! I can't believe this world exists.
This is Annie Gottlieb, CUBE coauthor. I'm posting to let you know that our first book, THE CUBE: KEEP THE SECRET, is now available as an e-book from HarperOne http://www.harpercollins.com/books/The-Cube/?isbn=9780062263469 Slobodan and I love it that our books are being put to such good use! All the best.
WOW. This really works on the retarded girls!! Now I can bang all the mental babes!


These black sneakers from the Z Zegna range blend luxurious quality with modern performance. Crafted in Italy from pure wool, they are lined in a goat and polyester mix, with a 100% rubber sole and feature a skeletal rubber overlay, white and black laces and a contrasting heel and toe. The shoe's shape has been knitted to sculpt around your ankle, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit.
The story of Zegna started in 1910 when Ermenegildo Zegna, aged 18, founded the Lanificio Zegna wool mill, which later was to become one of Italy's most well-known dynamic family businesses. Zegna had a dream to make the most beautiful fabrics in the world, a goal he believed possible if he fully invested in his local community, environment and workforce. During his career, Zegna not only conserved a 100km2 oasis of protected Italian landscape, and built a 14km road connecting the local towns, but also created local leisure, medical and educational services for the community. His responsibility towards building harmonious relationships between himself, his workers and the environment, and his awareness that natural resources must be protected, allowed his label to produce products of a supreme quality, both in their natural materials and in the skill of the production. The company continues to be family-run, with its headquarters based in Milan, and its philosophy of working to long-term objectives, remaining family-led and following a strong ethical commitment ensures that the label stays true to the founder's vision and continues to deliver garments of superior quality. The Z Zegna range, featured on The Rake, pairs performance with Ermenegildo Zegna's luxury style; bold innovation with trusted Italian heritage.


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Legislative Update 12-3-21
Written by Derek Melot on December 3, 2021 . Posted in Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo
House to vote on 4-year terms next week
MAC continues to urge county commissioners to reach out to their House members to convey their support for two bills that will reinstate county commission terms to four years from the current two- year term.
Michigan is only one of five states in the nation with two-year terms, which was statutorily changed by the legislature in the 1960's. All other county offices carry a four-year term, the same holds true for township offices.
In an era where critical decisions are made by commissioners, now is the time to recognize the importance of a consistent government structure built on institutional knowledge, public service and accountability to our residents.
SB 242, by Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Dickinson), and SB 245, by Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Oakland), are tentatively scheduled for final passage in the State House next week after receiving committee approval in early November. The bills have already passed the Senate with an overwhelming majority.
Please express your support for four-year terms by utilizing our MAC's digital advocacy tool which will send a prewritten email of support for Senate Bills 242 and 245 to your representative.
MAC also thanks the counties whose boards have passed resolutions of support: Allegan, Alpena, Bay, Berrien, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clinton, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Emmet, Genesee, Houghton, Huron, Ionia, Isabella, Lenawee, Macomb, Manistee, Marquette, Mecosta, Missaukee, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Sanilac, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne and Wexford. If your county has passed a resolution of support, but is not listed here, please contact Hannah Sweeney at sweeney@micounties.org.
For more information on this issue, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.
MAC Board members, staff urge legislators to act on ARP funding
Rep. Beth Griffin meets with MAC on Nov. 30 to discuss the Prosperity Roadmap. Seated (l-r) are Stan Ponstein of Kent, Phil Kuyers of Ottawa, Deena Bosworth and Jim Storey of Allegan.
Led by MAC Board President Phil Kuyers of Ottawa County, a MAC contingent joined a Lobby Day at the State Capitol on Tuesday in support of the Prosperity Roadmap proposed by the Coalition for a Strong and Prosperous Michigan.
MAC would like to thank the following board members for spending the day advocating in Lansing for the swift appropriation of federal funds as detailed in our Prosperity Road Map: President Phil Kuyers, Immediate Past President Veronica Kleinfelt. First Vice President Stan Ponstein, Second Vice President Eileen Kowall, Director Jim Storey, and Director Melissa Daub.
The goal of the Coalition is to encourage the Michigan Legislature and Whitmer administration to work swiftly to appropriate Michigan's $6.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.
MAC is asking all county leaders to join us in advocacy and contact their state representative and state senator using the tool here to encourage them to embrace the Prosperity Roadmap and remind them why we cannot delay investing in our communities.
The longer Michigan delays in investing our ARP allocation, the further we fall behind our neighbors. Projects will take more time to initiate, and the eventual overall impact of our investments will be less. We don't have the time to wait for an ideal situation to act on investment for our communities — the moment is now.
House committee OKs $308M bill for first responder spending
In bipartisan fashion, the House approved a $368.5 million public safety supplemental spending bill thi s week. Of the total, nearly $213 million is from the state General Fund and the other $155 million from the state allocation of the American Rescue Plan funds. House Bill 5522, by Rep. Mike Mueller (R-Genesee), largely focuses on law enforcement recruitment and retention, as well as first responder mental health funding:
$57.5 million to incentivize out-of-state officers to move to Michigan; the grant funds have various provisions such as:
paying for 2 years of a maximum contribution into health savings accounts
if the officer is not vested in the defined contribution plan, cover the forfeited employer contribution due to relocation
reimburse fees they paid for hunting and/or fishing licenses and recreation passports
law enforcement agencies that have a vaccine mandate policy will not be eligible to receive grant funding
$7.5 million in grants for behavioral health providers for services to first responder an public safety staff
$10 million for public safety retention bonuses up to $5,000
$5 million for fire and EMS retention bonuses up to $5,000
$10 million in grant to local community policing programs
$10 million to grant signing bonuses, up to $5,000, for new or out-of-state officers and first responders
$11 million in grants for local public safety body-worn camera programs
The House increased funding to the committee-passed version for school resource officers from $10 million to $50 million in the wake of the shooting this week at Oxford High School.
More details are outlined here on the proposal that now heads to the Senate for review.
Senate passes extension of 9-1-1 sunset
The Senate passed, with a unanimous vote, an extension of the sunset on 9-1-1 enabling act and the state surcharges that help to fund this critical public safety service.
House Bill 5026, sponsored by Rep. Julie Calley (R-Ionia), would act as budget implementation for a $16 million one-time appropriation in FY22 to the state 9-1-1 fund to fill a hole created by prepaid revenue coming in lower than expected. The appropriation allowed the fee for postpaid (contract) phones to remain at 25 cents. Beginning March 1, 2022, prepaid phone fees would increase from 5 percent to 6 percent to ensure equity among revenue sources.
Additionally, the bill includes a review of prepaid fee revenue by Treasury to determine why prepaid phone revenue has been lower than expected. It also has a mechanism to trigger a roll back in fees if revenue is higher than expected.
MAC strongly supports this legislation and appreciates Rep. Calley's leadership and the swift action of the Legislature to ensure an extension prior to the year-end deadline. The bill will now go before the Governor for final signature.
For more information on this issue, contact Meghann Keit-Corrion at keit@micounties.org.
House grants Secondary Road Patrol annual waiver
An annual waiver for secondary road patrol (SRP) was granted by the House this week under House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 14, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Jackson).
HCR 14 would waive the maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement mandated for county sheriff's departments as a condition of receiving funding under the SRP Program for FY 2021-22. To be eligible to receive SRP grants, each county must satisfy a maintenance of effort requirement established as the number of county-funded road patrol deputies employed on October 1, 1978.
According to the House Fiscal Agency, the statewide MOE requirement is 1,043 FTE county-funded road patrol deputies, and during FY 2019-20 the actual number of county-funded road patrol deputies totaled 2,307.4, with 115 funded through SRP. While the total number of statewide county-funded deputies exceed the statewide MOE requirement, four counties (Branch, Iosco, Shiawassee, and Wayne) still fell below their individual MOE requirements, thus triggering the need for the legislative waiver.
The resolution would also waive the MOE requirement to allow cities and villages to receive road patrol services from the county sheriff's departments, which would allow them to continue to achieve local cost efficiencies through those joint arrangements.
After years of needing the waiver, Rep. Tommy Brann (R-Kent) also introduced a more permanent solution under House Bill 5569. The bill would update the MOE requirement to be at levels on October 1, 1978, or October 1, 2021, whichever is less.
For more information or questions, please contact Meghann Keit-Corrion at keit@micounties.org.
Senate passes $3.3 billion water supplemental budget bill
Senate Bill 565, sponsored by Sen. Bumstead (R – Newaygo) unanimously passed the Senate this week, allocating over $3.3 billion for investment in water quality, water management, lead line replacement, and dam safety.
Specifically, the bill allocates funding for:
Watershed planning $10 million
Culvert replacement $15 million
Clean water infrastructure $235 million
Dam risk reduction revolving loan fund $650 million
Drinking water program $400 million
Emergency dam safety $30 million
Failing septic system loans $35 million
Great Lakes water authority $400 million
Healthy hydration $85 million
Lead service line replacement $1 billion
PFAS remediation grants $100 million
SAW grants $100 million
Clean water infrastructure grants $200 million
The funding for these programs comes primarily from federal funds from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Great Lakes Water Quality Bond and $680 million in State General Fund.
Individually and as part of the Coalition for a Strong and Prosperous Michigan, we have been advocating for the movement of supplemental bills that will help our counties and communities tackle the many challenges they face in addressing water quality and water management. For more information about the Coalition advocacy efforts please see the MI Road Map.
The bill now heads to the House for consideration. MAC anticipates the bill will change based on different priorities of House members, but the ball is now rolling, and we are encouraged to see movement. The sooner the bill gets to the Governor's desk, the sooner our counties can access funds to help with our water infrastructure.
For more information on this issue, please contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org
The Michigan Department of Treasury announces the next Chart Chat webinar
The Michigan Department of Treasury is pleased to announce our next Chart Chat webinar at 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 16, 2021.
The Chart Chat Webinar Series provides updates to local government officials on accounting-related topics, updates from the Michigan Department of Treasury and information on sound fiscal management.
This Chart Chat webinar will cover:
Requirements for Accepting Federal Funds
Fiscal Indicators – A Recap of All Four and How They Work Together
First Responders Grant Program
To register, please visit:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5a_ki0onSvWK9R1_MI-umQ
We are currently accepting submissions for the questions and answers portion of the webinar. To submit a question, please email LAFD_Audits@Michigan.gov.
Correction: Michigan's 83 counties will have 619 commissioners in 2023
Michigan's 83 county governments will be led by 619 elected county commissioners after the 2022 elections, following decisions this fall by the county apportionment boards. The Nov. 19 Legislative Update had incorrect figures for Oceana County, which changed the total.
The new total is a decrease of 3 commissioners from the current roster of 622 commissioners established after the last census and apportionment process.
Eight counties increased the size of their boards for 2023. The biggest boost was 2 seats, done in 5 counties, including Kent County, which, at 21, will have the largest board in the state on Jan. 1, 2023.
Seven counties reduced the size of their boards, with the largest reduction in Antrim, which is going from 9 districts to 5. Oakland County, which currently has the state's largest board at 21, reduced its board ranks to 19 for 2023. See full corrected list here.
Rules for open meetings revert to old form on Jan. 1
Public meetings in Michigan governed by the state's Open Meetings Act (OMA) will revert to pre-COVID rules on Jan. 1, 2022. This means that commissioners cannot participate in a county board session as a voting member via electronic means, with only one narrow exception.
As detailed in a new memo from the law firm of Cohl, Stoker & Toskey, P.C., the permissive rules for remote participation granted under Public Act 254 of 2020 expire at the end of 2021. At that point, the only way a commissioner can participate remotely as a voting member is if the member must be physically absent due to military duty.
Boards, of course, can continue to livestream their public sessions. And commissioners who cannot be physically present can utilize remote means to listen to the meeting, but they cannot participate or vote as part of the board.
The memo reminds county boards to ensure their board rules, procedures and by-laws are modified to be consistent with the Open Meetings Act.
MDHHS expands Opioid Health Home services to additional counties
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has expanded the Opioid Health Home (OHH) initiative to more Michigan counties to provide intensive care management and care coordination services for Medicaid beneficiaries with an opioid use disorder (OUD), a move applauded by MAC this week.
"The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved Michigan's State Plan Amendment (SPA) to expand its Opioid Health Home initiative into PIHP Regions 6, 7 and 10. The expanded SPA will allow thousands of Medicaid beneficiaries meeting the eligibility criteria to receive OHH services," MDHHS reported.
A Health Home is a benefit awarded to Medicaid beneficiaries who have a diagnosed with an Opioid Use Disorder and reside within one of the following Prepaid Inpatient Health Plan (PIHP) regions/counties:
PIHP Region 1 (counties in the Upper Peninsula)
PIHP Region 2 (21 northern-most counties of the Lower Peninsula)
PIHP Region 4 (specifically Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties)
PIHP Region 6 (Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw)
PIHP Region 7 (Wayne)
PIHP Region 9 (Macomb County)
PIHP Region 10 (Genesee, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair)
"Individuals who meet the criteria are able to work with a team of providers who will attend to a beneficiary's complete health and social needs. Participation is voluntary and enrolled beneficiaries may opt out at any time."
"MAC supports additional and expanded services of this program, which has been extremely successful in many counties so far," said Governmental Affairs Associate Meghann Keit-Corrion.
For OHH-specific information, including eligibility and available resources, visit Michigan.gov/OHH.
State of Michigan highlights adoption process in Branch County (WTVB-AM)
New Health Equity Project aims to significantly reduce health disparities for vulnerable residents in five Michigan counties (Center for Health and Research Transformation)
Modernizing American infrastructure requires people and procurement, not just dollars (Brookings Institution)
ACLU files federal lawsuit to ensure access to medication for opioid use disorder for people who are incarcerated (ACLU of Michigan)


Used as a soothing and healing ointment for irritated or inflamed skin, rashes and eczema. Promotes the healing of cuts and wounds.
Calendula Cream can generally be used as an ointment for soothing areas of sensitive skin.
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Helianthus, annuus (Sunflower) seed oil*, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Almond) oil*+, Cera alba (Beeswax)*, Cetearyl alcohol, Alcohol denat.*, Sucrose palmitate, Lecithin, Calendula officinalis (Marigold) flower extract*, Cetearyl olivate, Sorbitan olivate, Tocopherol, Sclerotium gum, Glycerin, Sodium levulinate, Levulinic acid, Potassium sorbate, Xanthan gum. *Organically produced ingredient. +Nut/seed based ingredient. Made with 71% organic ingredients.


text:
project44 Launches the Next Generation of its Supply Chain Visibility and Connectivity Platform
connectNG incorporates steps toward enhanced cloud security and ability to normalize disparate data sets.
Enterprise cloud company project44 launched the next generation of its platform, which provides a modern connectivity replacement to legacy, underperforming supply chain and logistics systems like electronic data interchange (EDI) and rate bureaus. The launch delivers on the market's need for greater speed and transparency in sharing data and communications across multimodal and global supply networks.
The newly launched connectNG includes major enhancements to project44's core services application program interface (API) and flagship product offering, and is part of a new product enhancement strategy whereby the company will issue upgrades on a near-monthly basis. This new approach is fueled by the $10.5 million in funding project44 secured in September 2016 aimed at boosting its product development capabilities and speed of delivery.
"As the pioneering voice of API-based technology in this industry, we recognized that the need for real-time, smart supply chain connectivity has yet to be fully addressed by existing mode-specific market solutions," said project44 CEO Jett McCandless. "A true network approach is needed that encourages the integration of other technologies and builds a multimodal ecosystem of shared API connectivity. That's what we delivered with connectNG and we will continue to push the boundaries of what's possible as we further advance our suite of services."
Complete Refresh of Core Services API; Substantial Security Enhancements
With the new release, customers and partners will access project44's Capacity Provider Network (CPN) through the Core Services API, providing access to the world's capacity providers. connectNG includes a complete refresh of the Core Services API, resulting in a more user-friendly interface that enables faster consumption of information and reduced integration time.
In addition to refreshing the API itself, connectNG features upgrades that leverage the Swagger open-source framework and related publishing tools. This yields an entirely revamped API documentation experience, making the Core Services API easier for new customer and partners to learn and use.
The new web services interface also further strengthens project44's cloud security benefits to all parties involved in online transactions on the platform. This includes:
Leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS) trusted security platform and features, such as virtual private clouds, encryption and firewalls.
Encrypting of all data and credentials in flight and at rest. Security controls specifically include private management subnet, virtual private networks (VPNs) and multifactor authentication.
Running of regular code scans to check for vulnerabilities and compliance with best practices.
Next-Gen, Never-Before-Seen Data Normalization
connectNG collects, normalizes and enriches data to help customers quickly extract meaningful information from a variety of carrier providers or supply chain partners in a standard way. This empowers users to make more informed business decisions in less time.
project44 provides carriers flexibility to write APIs that translate whatever data and information is important to their business. But for the first time ever, project44's CPN ensures that flexibility doesn't overwhelm or create extra work for the shippers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) receiving that information.
This improves the integrity of data flowing through our customers' transportation management system (TMS) platforms by reducing over 91 percent of the data anomalies, data redundancies and data duplications typical with EDI and legacy technologies.
"With this next-gen data normalization capability, project44 clients eliminate over 73 percent of the manual database tasks required by EDI and legacy technology," stated Steven Jones, vice president of product management at project44. "That includes time-consuming tasks like phone calls and emails to check data accuracy, database management, rate loading, data scrubbing and more. With connectNG, those extra administrative steps become minimized—or, in most cases, fully eliminated."
Project44 Sees $100M Funding Round
Project44 Raises $35 Million in Funding
Five Steps to Selecting the Best Supply Chain Technology Vendors
Three Steps to Achieving True Supply Chain Visibility
Latest in Transportation
How Advanced Automation Alleviates Supply Chain Pressures Without Breaking Budgets
Innovations in warehousing, transport and manufacturing are paving the way for companies to manage challenging circumstances.
Arrow Labs
Autonomous Trucking Can Alleviate Shipping Delays and Industry Concerns
In an autonomous future, trucking can be safer and more efficient, but reaching this goal will take concerted effort and leadership from developers and regulators.
Blume Global's LiveSource Acquisition Expands Presence in Europe
The deal will give current LiveSource customers access to Blume's extensive logistics execution technology and supply chain management expertise and multi-leg transportation visibility and multimodal international TMS solutions.
5 Lessons Learned for the Post-Pandemic Supply Chain
Here's how shippers are relying on flexibility, investment and alternative solutions to navigate the current supply chain disruption.
World Distribution Services (WDS)
L.I.N.K. | Top 5 Podcasts of the Year
SDCE thanks all of the listeners and readers for the support and engagement throughout this year. Here are the Top 5 most downloaded L.I.N.K. podcasts of 2021.
IoT Solution for Real-Time Asset Tracking
The SuperTag Hub is ideal for streamlining loss prevention, compliance, process efficiencies and inventory management.
Link Labs
4 Ways Mobile Fuel Delivery Saves Fleet Owners Time and Money
Fleet owners in particular are increasingly utilizing fuel delivery providers to fill their tanks at their own place of business, removing the need for drivers to search for fuel and wait in line at local gas stations.
EzFill


Everything is sold actually for 23 USD. This mini-review will show prelimary results of this bundle and what we can expect from this cheap combo.
The VTX provided a regularized +5V output filtering out also motor inférences.
A unique button permit to cycle between channels and bands. 2 diodes indicate the current selected band and channel respectively.
To change a band, you need to press more than 2s on this button. The VTX used a RP-SMA connector.
I was impressed by the quality of this bundle especially by the camera offering a good light sensitivy and a clear and precize everything under 23 USD !!!!. You can't really by wrong with this bundle. The VTX is warming a lot from 3S powering and IMHO can be seriously damaged if not correctly cooled correctly at least by a correct air flow. Emitted power are relatively constant for all channels (< than 5% of deviation). I would prefer to have a normal JST plug instead of this method to use a 3S lipo only via the balancer plug.
This FPV bundle have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thanks them for this attitude.
Last edited by SeByDocKy; Apr 08, 2015 at 07:10 AM.
Thank you for the review. Seems like a nice kit.
Would it be possible to power it with a 2S battery?
I'm thinking if it would be possible to use on a V666. Have you tried if the V666 monitor can pick up the transmission without any modifications?
If you mod the power connector yes.
Thanks for the review. Does it stay on the last channel used?
Im considering purchasing this system with this receiver.http://www.banggood.com/Aomway-RX004...-p-953562.html in a H8C quad. Would the 3 leaf clover antennae set you recommend work on the receiver as well? Also, can I use the 4 leaf antennae on the reciever and a 3 leaf on the transmitter. Thanks for your advice, SeByDocky.
Last edited by rockflys; Feb 28, 2015 at 01:10 AM.
Glad for the information I didn't think it would make a difference but I did notice that the transmitter uses a RP-SMA antennae and the receiver uses a SMA antennae . I'm not sure what the difference is other than the nomenclature. I ordered the 3 leaf you suggested for the transmitter and the 4 leaf you suggested for the Aomway receiver.


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We're really excited about the MicroView -- a new Arduino compatible board with an integrated display! Check out why...
by jimblom April 3, 2014 3:16 pm UTC 38
I'd like to use my Enginursday post to chat about a new project our SparkFun team is working really hard on these days -- something I'm super-excited about -- the MicroView!
The MicroView is a collaborative project between SparkFun and our friends JP, Marcus and Maddy from Geek Ammo, the team behind the Ninja Blocks and Little Bird Electronics.
The MicroView, like many a brilliant product, began as a prank. When teaching Arduino classes, Marcus was frustrated by the disconnect between what's going on inside the Arduino and the limited outputs a student can actually visualize. Aside from staring at hypnotizing, scrolling lines of the serial monitor text, there's really no easy solution to show the data in your Arduino. To first combat this, they came up with the Magpie -- an Arduino-compatible board with LEDs on every output -- but Marcus asked JP if he knew of an even better solution. To which JP responded with:
*OLEDuino not actually a thing.
A completely fabricated, photoshopped image of a chip with a built-in OLED display. JP got Marcus hook, line and sinker, and Marcus instantly wanted it! When finding out that he couldn't purchase this awesome new product, Marcus, not to be let down by JP's prank, convinced his team to make the MicroView a reality.
The Geek Ammo team has put the MicroView up on Kickstarter, and we've been working with them along the way, helping where we can with PCB design, part sourcing, manufacturing, and eventually reward fulfillment (this ain't our first Kickstater rodeo). Check out their Kickstarter video!
What's awesome about the MicroView is its utility for electronics beginners and experts alike. For beginners, the MicroView is one of the easiest-to-use Arduino platforms available -- it's perfect for anyone looking for an education in electronics, programming, or Arduino. The integrated display really helps to visualize what the microcontroller is doing (you might say it gives you a view into the microcontroller). The MicroView will even ship with built-in tutorials to help folks get started; and the Geek Ammo team has built a set of cross-platform, interactive tutorials that teach you how to create 11 different circuits.
The MicroView is also great for experienced electronics users. It uses an ATmega328P chip -- just like the Arduino Uno -- and runs at 5V/16MHz. It breaks out a dozen I/O pins, including six analog inputs (A0-A5) and 3 PWM outputs.
The projected pinout of the MicroView.
I'm personally excited about it because, by using it as a testing and rapid prototyping platform, it's going to make my job easier. It'll be especially awesome for testing out motion sensors, GPS modules, wearables, or anything that requires mobility. I've already built up a jig to use it to test our new LSM9DS0 9DoF Breakouts:
And, of course, the MicroView should have a bright future as the center-piece of finished projects. Smart watches, geo-cache sniffers, mobile breathalyzers...you name a project, I'm sure we'll see the MicroView integrated into it soon.
Right now we're in a prototyping stage with the MicroView. We've got some functional boards and enclosures, and (not to brag or anything) I've been lucky enough to get to start playing with them testing them out. They're awesome! If you want to get in early on the action, go back it now on Kickstarter!
New Product Friday: High Five For Wi-Fi
Blacklab1 / about 5 years ago / 3 /
My only concern is how long will the display last. I have equipment in my house that uses OLEDs and after a year of uses, you can barely read the display.
JohnGalt / about 5 years ago / 2 /
No SPI broken out..... What about I2C (Preferably hardware based I2C)?
kgrr / about 5 years ago / 1 /
The SPI interface appears to have been dedicated to the display. Pins 11, 12 and 13 are nicely tucked under the glass lid and OLED. Another I/O pin is normally used to chip select another slave SPI device. It looks like pin 4 is being used to turn on/off power to the display.
pin 11 - MOSI pin 12 - MISO pin 13 - SCK
Pins 2 (SCA) and Pin 3 (SDA) look like I2C bus connections. Do you know if the wire library is supported? The MCP23017 ‑ i2c 16 input/output port expander would definitely create lots of I/O pins for more complex projects.
kgrr / about 5 years ago * / 2 /
Yes the wire library is supported.
In the sparkfun forum for MicroView, I have posted a couple of my projects that use the I2C interface. MicroView Projects
The microview is based on the ATMega328 meaning the I2C lines are on A4 and A5.
The A4 and A5 lines from the ATMega328 are brought out on MicroView on Pin 2 - SCL Pin 3 - SDA
ameyring / about 5 years ago / 2 /
The videos and pictures show MicroViews running without attached components (on fingertips). Is there a battery hook-up or is it just an image to show the size and the possible graphics?
There are micro-wires going to a battery that was taped to behind my arm.
ME heat o nator / about 5 years ago / 2 /
world's coolest mood ring!
Kamilion / about 5 years ago / 1 /
Awwwww... I was REALLY hoping this might be a little better than a 328p stuffed inside... No ATMEGA32U4? C'moooon! Leonardo is an Arduino too! No need for classics like the 328p when the 32U4's around... ... Right? Riiight?
How about A MicroView Mega, with more pins broken out...... Say in a 40 pin DIP form factor. This could be a really nice rev 2.0
anyone have a link to a complete pinout and schematic?
GordieGii / about 5 years ago / 1 /
This looks great! I love the necklace here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/001/729/494/a53a8d25d4579ed7322a7c33b5bc3d40_large.gif?1394454823 I can't imagine wearing one though, with the pins poking and scratching my neck. Maybe it would be better with female headers. Double headers (like these: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/117 ) could be inserted to put it in a bread-board. For small projects male jumper wires could be inserted. Perhaps the female headers could be parallel to the face so jumper wires could be inserted while it is laying flat on the table and right angle headers inserted for bread-boarding.
tim7 / about 5 years ago / 1 /
This fantastic. In fact the Microview is so sleek and compact that it's almost a pity to attach anything to it. Even a minimal PCB and battery is going to make it a lot bigger and uglier.
What I'd love to see is is an all-in-one Microview II with built-in battery, perhaps a couple of buttons, and no external pins (perhaps the case could be made so that the pins were easily accessible if needed, say by drilling a hole or two).
Deadbot1 / about 5 years ago / 1 /
Can't wait to see these in production. Are there any plans for a larger version, with more/all of the pins broken out? Are there any other versions being planned ...period?
nsayer / about 5 years ago / 1 /
I don't know if it's of any interest, but I designed a thing I call LCDuino as a response to the same issues. It's what you get when you mash an Uno and an AdaFruit RGB backlit 2 line LCD shield together and cram them into an 80x36 mm space.
I know that SF is going to be doing the building on these -- is the "long term" plan to sell them as well? Hope so, as I'm sure folks will come up with more ideas after the Kickstarter period has ended.
One comment on the Arduino interface in general: the IDE, for me, is a real "blast from the past" -- it has all the features I remember from similar things in 1978. By 1980, most (all?) had added the ability to "single-step" the program -- which can be a FANTASTIC learning tool for a beginner to learn about things like looping and branching. (I had to learn about them using a chalk board -- which will work for the Arduino IDE.)
tetsujin / about 5 years ago / 1 /
Is the SSP broken out somehow? (To allow rewriting the bootloader, at least...) The pinout shows four digital I/O pins, of which three are PWM. That means the SPI port isn't (apparently/entirely) broken out as two of the lines (MISO and SCK) are neither analog inputs nor PWM outputs. Is there an alternate means of accessing the SPI port?
jimblom / about 5 years ago / 3 /
Unfortunately neither SCK, MISO, or MOSI are accessible when the board is enclosed -- just not enough room to break them out.
They will be broken out on the PCB though (we'll need them to program the ATmega's in production). On our prototypes they're broken out to a small 0.1"-pitch, un-populated header. It's not too too hard to safely remove the cover from the enclosure to get to the PCB, so it'll definitely possible to access the SPI port.
Vitor Henrique / about 5 years ago / 1 /
Jimb0, that is weird, i'm a backer since the begging on the kickstart campaign, and i'm watching closely the discussion, and JP said in one comment that the enclosure would be "hard" to remove. Nevertheless MicroView is a awesome product and i'm anxious to get mine!
JP's right. It's definitely designed to be kept in place, there are protruding snaps on opposite edges of the cover that hold it solidly into place.
For the hacker-types, though, it's do-able (I've had some practice this week :), but it is bound to leave some scuffs. You'll see when you get yours (thanks for backing!), but you can wedge a thin flathead between the screen and enclosure to pop it off.
Vitor Henrique / about 5 years ago * / 1 /
Thanks for the Tip! :) Yeah, the worst part now is wait until August! hehe...
Neat. Seems like a good compromise given the constraints of the design. Are there any other additional I/O lines accessible internally? I feel like a device like this really needs a pushbutton or two, if I can find a place to add them...
Nothing else easily accessible as of now (but soldering wire-wrap wire to TQFP pins isn't too hard, right?!). It's a tight layout, but we'll see what else we can fit on there!
Is the display wired to the SPI port? If not then I could wire up a pushbutton to that - assuming I can find a place to put a pushbutton. :) If nothing else I'd expect the SS line is probably free...
The display is on the SPI. :) I'll try to follow the Limb0 tip and solder a tinny wire directly to the atmega pin.
The reason I thought the SS line would be free is 'cause when you're programming the ATMega you wouldn't want the display to think you're talking to it... So I would expect some other ATMega I/O line is being used for the display's slave select, and thus the ATMega's SS line is probably free. 'course I could be wrong. Could be they're programming the boards without the display connected or something.
anyhow... the schematics are posted here....
http://bit.ly/1g73lXm
You can see that SPI is being used to the OLED display :)
Got a better link, this one seems dead.
Yes. There was no question of whether the SPI port was connected to the display - the only question was which lines of the SPI were used and which weren't. Given that a lot of displays are write-only, there seemed a fair chance that the MISO line, accessible on the ISP header, might not be connected to the display. But as it turns out the MISO line is connected to the display's reset line. Oh well. I guess it's back to QFN soldering if I want to hack this thing.
XLT_Frank / about 5 years ago / 1 /
What about a right angle header in the crotch of it to breakout the SPI?
What about making the surface touch capable? In other words, the whole surface acts like a pushbutton?
Personally I'd rather have the simplicity a good old fashion button or two, if there's some input added to this thing in the future. But yeah, touch sensor would be a cool alternative, and possibly more compact.
SXRguyinMA / about 5 years ago / 1 /
Cool except for the OLED. It will be fun till the OLED's start fading and you can't see anything >_<
I'm right there with AgustinGS. I jumped on this bandwagon early, and I'm thrilled to see the ridiculous amount of backer funding they've already generated. And I, too, wish I had a spare dump truck full of money to trade for a dump truck full of MicroViews!
AgustinGS / about 5 years ago / 1 /
Yup, I agree, and have already contributed. love the idea of it, I just wish I had tons of money to but a whole lot of them! Does anyone know if there'll be a product page with a "getting started" section? I highly doubt it'll just automatically start displaying my sensors data..
RobertC. / about 5 years ago / 2 /
there will be more documentation than you know what to do with. Jim can comment further, but there's already a lot of good documentation and libraries to make it pretty easy to use. Once the dust settles from the kickstarter and things start shipping, we'll have at least a basic tutorial to guide you through using the microview.
So, when will they start shipping? When will spark-fun preorders go up?
Using Modules and Sub-Assemblies
Getting Started with MicroPython
Enginursday: The Look - the Feel - of Concrete
Enginursday: Lessons Learned at the Workbench
Enginursday: Supplies!
Enginursday: Deep Sleep Adventures


text:
The Millennium Tour Is A Nostalgic Dead Horse: Review
Macklemore Calls On Ke$ha To Look Back On The "Good Old Days"
By Mark Braboy
Mark Braboy
Plus Icon Shootyourmark
Interview: Suave House Founder Tony Draper Links With Celebs Like 2 Chainz, G Herbo and Nick Cannon To Feed Their Cities
Pusha T And Courvoisier Welcome Chicago To Maison Courvoisier Experience
12 Hip-Hop And R&B Collaborations With BTS We Need ASAP
After overcoming many obstacles throughout his life and career, Macklemore has proven himself to be one of hip-hop's most well rounded artists in recent years. This week, he documents his incredible journey to the big time on a new song with Ke$ha. From his forthcoming album, Gemini, the pair strolls down memory lane on "Good Old Days."
WATCH: Watch Kid Macklemore And Kid Lil Yachty Enjoy Life In "Marmalade (Video)"
The song finds the Seattle spitter revisiting his early days when he was grinding as a young up-and-coming MC. He reflects on the magic and simplicity of the moments from his past. "Good Old Days" really showcases Macklemore at his best, introspectively rapping, while Ke$ha provides some soul-stirring vocals to make the song hit home.
Macklemore's new album Gemini will be available this Friday (Sept. 22) on all digital services.
READ: Macklemore Announces 'Gemini' Album With Features from Lil Yachty, Kesha & Skylar Grey


100 - 4mm OD, 2.6mm ID, 22g (.7mm) Saw Cut Stainless Steel Rose Gold Color Titanium Coated Jump Rings.
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100 - 6mm OD, 3.6mm ID, 18g (1.2mm) Saw Cut Stainless Steel Rose Gold Color Jump Rings.
100 - 6mm OD, 3.6mm ID, 18g (1.2mm) Saw Cut Stainless Steel Yellow Gold Color Jump Rings.
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100 - 7mm OD, 4.6mm ID, 18g (1.2mm) Saw Cut Stainless Steel Yellow Gold Color Titanium Coated Jump Rings.


text:
Our Facility Use Policy
Tithes & Offerings
Prayer Portal
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The Return of Christ
Interim Pastor
Rev. Mike Shumock
Deacon Chairman
Jimmy Garig
Kathy J. Rish
Kathy has been serving as worship leader at Norwood Baptist since 2008. Her musical background results from many years of high school and college band. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a major in English Education and a minor in mathematics. She also uses her ministry as a middle school English teacher where she gets to share God's love on a daily basis with the students in her life. She has been teaching since 1991. She is happily married to Kell Rish, and they have a total of 6 children between them.
"Sometimes, it takes being broken to really allow God to be at work in our lives. That's how it was for me. In my brokenness, I called out to God and made a promise to Him. I knew that He was going to bring me through the fire, and WHEN He did, I was going to use the gifts that He gave me to glorify and honor Him. Since then, it has been my desire to lead other people into the presence of God through true worship."
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Kasey has been serving as youth leader of NBC since 2017. Prior to accepting this role she had been very involved and invested in the youth program. She was called into ministry as a youth and now serving in this role she understands more fully the call that God placed on her life.
"As difficult and challenging as youth ministry can be, it is so rewarding! My passion is teaching, discipling, and mentoring our youth. I believe they are our future and they matter! (1 Timothy 4:12) I desire to be an example for them, a confidant, and a safe place. I want to create a welcoming and fun atmosphere all while holding true to the fundamentals of God's word."
Kasey is married to her husband, Wesley and they have three children, Harper, Olivia and Hayes. She also works full-time as a Registered Nurse and runs a surgery center in Zachary.
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"Jonathan and his crew were great to work with. He not only exceeded my expectations on the quality of the work, but he also gave me suggestions on colors, construction ideas and more. I had several more projects to do as the main remodel went on and Jonathan scheduled those in for me – no problem. He's a one-stop-shop for most any job you have… " – Edward B.