text:
The eyes don't have it.
Posted on November 10, 2010 by amberhj
I've always been proud of my perfect vision. I've bragged about it openly, and came to appreciate it even more after Stella's visual challenges revealed the complexity and wonder of human eyesight. "I'm so lucky and blessed," I thought, darting my hawk eyes around to appreciate my crystal clear view of life. Turns out it's not that simple. News flash: My vision is decidedly imperfect. And if I hadn't been so blinded by pride, perhaps, I would've realized it a lot sooner. But the realization didn't come until Stella's in-office vision therapy session today.
If you saw one of my recent posts at Little Four Eyes, you know about Stella's experience with the quoits vectogram and how it showed that she can see in 3D! Well, today we did the same exercise, with a twist, and it showed that while Stella has a decent amount of stereoscopy, she has a hard time recovering 3D vision if the therapist "breaks" the illusion and then brings the sheets back into place for stereoscopic viewing. It takes Stella a long time to re-fuse the images after briefly losing fusion. It's something we can work on, and greatly improve, according to our vision therapist. I feel confident that Stella will overcome this issue, and it helps that Stella was a rock star during vision therapy today. Her hand-eye coordination has come so very far. You should have seen her throwing beanbags into squares, tracking fluffy bumblebees, honing in on moving light-up targets, and stringing beads onto wobbly string! A thing of beauty, I tell you! Because of her improvement in this area, I'm now to shift our at-home vision therapy efforts toward making her eyes work across longer distances. Don't ask me how I'll capture her attention across the room. At times, I can barely achieve this with my face directly in hers. A way will be found, after much frustration and shouting in a chipper voice and bribing with chocolate chips. Or whatever.
At the end of today's session, in an effort to help me understand the quoits vectogram, Stella's vision therapist let me put on the polarized glasses and do the exercise myself. Drum roll, please… My performance was shockingly poor! And you know, I could tell before the therapist said a word. During the exercise, I sensed that it was taking my eyes (brain?) a long time to fuse the images. Simply put, it was difficult. "Maybe I have a vision problem," I thought out loud, barely believing my plainly less-than-perfect eyes. According to the vision therapist, Stella actually performed better than me on the initial fusing of the rope circles! It took me longer! It seems I suppress input from one of my eyes when challenged to track closer objects and movement, but my eyes don't cross the way Stella's do. I'm guessing that's because I don't have Stella's farsightedness, which puts extra stress on her eyes.
I was in shock! Sort of. But then I thought about a few incidents, and the testing results made sense. When I was in middle school, I tried refereeing a little kids' soccer game. Fresh air, sunshine, control over younger humans–it seemed like the perfect way to earn money! But I forgot to add "barrage of insults" to the list of perks. The parents hated me, and heckled me like Red Sox fans at a Yankees game. It. Was. Brutal. They were a-holes, yes. But they weren't wrong that I sucked. I absolutely could not follow the action close enough to make calls. Apparently, as the parents of one team made painfully clear, one kid was checking everyone else constantly. Oh I tried. But no matter how close I got or how hard I tried to lock my eyes on him, I just could not see what the parents were seeing. I couldn't follow along, couldn't catch the little movements. In a way, I felt blind. Clueless. Didn't help that the parents turned me into their punching bag–that doesn't tend to sharpen performance, you know? I still fume when I think about that, and if I could rewind my life and go back to that fall morning, I'd handle the scenario soooooo much differently. It would've involved a string of obscenities and several disturbing gestures. Perhaps assault with a deadly whistle. Nothing those kids didn't see at home with their wildebeest parents, I'm sure.
Come to think of it, the same tracking issue plagued me during my sports career. Basketball was my passion, but I played pretty much on instinct and with general, big-picture court awareness. I swear that I never actually looked at anything in particular. I didn't look at the basket when I shot, I didn't look at the ball directly as I caught it. I didn't look at my receiver when making a pass. Never actually even saw specific people in front of me while running a play as my high school team's point guard. It worked out okay, but I was limited. I always wondered why I couldn't get to the next level and become a really savvy, strategic player. I had the feeling that there was a deeper level of the game I couldn't access, and it was frustrating. My husband doesn't have that problem. He's a fantastic, very tuned-in point guard who can watch individual players and movement and see the small details within the flow of the game. All I had was a very general sense of what was going on. Even though my eyesight has always been 20/20, somehow, it was foggy.
I now hope that, when all is said and done, and vision therapy and patching and early childhood are behind us, Stella will wind up with better vision than me. With her glasses, anyway. I couldn't be happier (or prouder) about that possibility.
Excuse me while I go schedule an eye exam. For me. How refreshing.
Posted on August 26, 2010 by amberhj
A couple of things to share for now: A message I sent in an effort to get support for Stella's wean, and an AAP study.
Below is the actual text of an email, including excerpts from research that I paid for, that I sent to Stella's pediatrician and OT on January 4, 2009. The next day, they called to say that a two-week "trial" without the tube would be low risk and to go ahead with it. She never looked back and began eating large amounts at about the three-week mark. She would even have days in which she consumed 1,000 mls of 24-calorie-per-ounce formula. She was about four months old at the time, and before weaning had progressed to taking in 40-50% of her formula orally. But it was stuck there, and feeding her was still quite difficult. I simply don't know how long tube feeding would've persisted otherwise. I'm thankful I was truly heard and that Stella was supported in learning to eat completely on her own.
Dear Tom and Robin,
Stella's eating is regressing. The core issues seem to be reflux and difficulty swallowing. I strongly believe that the tube is worsening both of these, and that much longer use of the tube will cause more damage than benefit. Stella did not have this type of difficulty swallowing before the tube, I know that for sure. Her swallowing has gotten progressively worse over the last couple of months, during which time the tube has gone in and out many times. Her reflux is also still a problem and I strongly suspect that the tube is part of that. I found research which supports my intuition. See below. The cited papers are also attached.
From paper entitled, "Infants with swallowing problems" by Helen Cockerill, from Pediatrics and Child Health 18:12 (2008):
"The presence of a nasogastric tube may provide negative stimulation and impact on respiratory support for oral feeding. Long-term use has been associated with the development of later feeding aversion."
From paper entitled, "Effects of Nasogastric Tubes on the Young, Normal Swallowing Mechanism" by Phillipa Sarah Huggins, MSc, Seppo Kalervo Tuomi, PhD and Christopher Young, MBBS, FRCS, FFRad(D)(SA), from Dysphagia 14:157–161 (1999):
"However, there are several disadvantages to nasogastric feeding, including nasal ulceration, laryngeal injury, and pharyngeal discomfort [5]. Nasogastric tubes may also precipitate gastroesophageal reflux, which can lead to aspiration [6]. Nasogastric tubes are frequently self-extubated, especially in elderly or restless patients. Reintubation is labor intensive and distressing for the patient [4]."
"Nasogastric tubes slow swallowing in young normal adults." (My own thought on this: It seems logical that if it affects adults this way, babies would be as affected if not more so. Slowing of swallowing seems to be exactly what is happening to Stella–she is clearly uncomfortable swallowing now in many of her feeds.)
"Sensory accommodation to the tube may counteract the earlier pharyngeal response triggering seen in this study, whereas prolonged accommodation of the tube may delay triggering of the pharyngeal swallow. This may hinder recovery of normal swallowing patterns in people with swallowing impairments and increase the likelihood of aspiration."
We are doing all we can to put weight on Stella to put us in a better position to go without the tube to see how she does. Are there any alternatives to the tube? Can we try cup feeding? Can we explore any other avenues (not including a G-tube which is not a route we are willing to go)? I believe that we treated her initial problems but that new problems may have arisen DUE in large part to the tube. Thank you for hearing me out and helping us resolve Stella's feeding issue. You both have been so helpful.
I would like your honest thoughts on Stella's progress (or lack thereof) and prognosis. We are very scared and want to know what we are up against. It's starting to feel hopeless. We are doing out best to keep hope alive, but are desperate to seek out other ways of treating her.
This NG tube study, published in PEDIATRICS (The Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics), is very telling, regarding of the distress caused by NG tubes. Some of the wording and terms used in assessing the pain are haunting: "Does Nebulized Lidocaine Reduce the Pain and Distress of Nasogastric Tube Insertion in Young Children? A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial."
Hooray for Heath, his mom, and inspiring tube weaning success!
Meet Heath. Ain't he sweet?
Remember Zander? Well he's got company. (The tube-free ranks are growing.)
Sadly, I kept putting off this post because the hugeness of the triumph deserves a truly well written, heartfelt description. Which takes time and energy that I've been lacking, though I've so wanted to muster it! But then I realized that I can't tell the story any better than Jenny, Heath's mom, an incredible writer and an amazingly intelligent and unstoppable mother. So I'm just going to give you the highlights and point you toward the blog that documents Heath's journey: The Crunchy and the Smooth.
Heath is 15 months old and was 100% tube fed until a couple weeks ago. The need for his g-tube (gastrostomy button) was prompted by his difficult birth and the immediate, medically intense aftermath. The fly-by overview, in Jenny's words: "cord wrapped tight around his neck, Apgars of 0, ambulance transport from a country mouse hospital to a city mouse NICU, diagnosis: hypoxic brain injury." As the result of many necessary and lifesaving but overwhelming and traumatizing medical procedures that took place in the area of his nose and mouth (mainly intubation and suctioning), Heath developed Posttraumatic Feeding Syndrome. Until recently, to defend himself from further invasions, he batted away any food presented to him. He was scared, and who could blame him? The answer, his parents realized, was to build trust, apply no pressure, and to let him feel hunger and interact with food on his own terms (play picnics, for example).
I want to pause here and clarify, because "brain injury" is vague and doesn't paint an accurate picture of Heath. While motor areas of Heath's brain suffered injury during his birth, Jenny explained to me that his brain is repairing itself thanks to the amazing processes enabled by infant neuroplasticity. The ongoing repairs are evident, as I've noticed leaps in his development in the short time I've known Heath. Anyone who lays eyes on him can see that he is thriving in every way. He is one of the happiest, sweetest, most engaged and engaging babies I've ever met. He's got a sense of humor. He communicates and makes friends easily. His weight is great. He's meeting developmental milestones a little later than most, but he's getting there–at his own happy pace (just like all babies, really). Of course, his mother has sought out various ways to support him in his physical development, including occupational therapy, movement sessions and even yoga–and he's way better than me, seriously.
After much research, various forms of therapy, eye-opening revelations, and inspiration from the Graz model, an intensive wean was planned. The journey began on May 9th, with hands-on support from Dr. Markus Wilken, a psychologist with specialized expertise on feeding adversity. He came to the U.S. to help wean Heath as well as two other tube-fed children, who began eating faster than anyone expected! (You can read about Kai and Rosie's simultaneous weaning successes at The Crunchy and the Smooth, as well.) Over his career, Wilken has helped wean more than 400 children from their feeding tubes. He leads the tube weaning program at Princess Margaret Hospital in Darmstadt, Germany and together with Martina Jotzo runs The Institute for Psychology and Psychosomatics of Early Childhood.
Jenny's blog has all the weaning specifics, but I'll say that it's been quite a ride (as in nauseating ups and downs) for Heath and his parents, as most weans are. But, with no doubt, the weaning effort has been successful. The progress Heath has made is staggering. In short, and I am in complete awe though I never doubted he could do it, Heath has become an EATER. He is enjoying a diverse array of foods, with more and more being added to the menu each day. I'm smiling because Heath's life is forever changed. And because any parent of a tube-fed child who reads this will experience the sensation of their heart doing a back flip within their chest. Brave Heath is going to help so many babies and kids escape from the limitations, pain and decreased quality of life (for the whole family) that comes from extended tube feeding–not just the physical and psychological effects of the tube itself but from the anxiety and helplessness of tube feeding with no end in sight, when your child has (often after much hard work, therapy, recovery) the ability but not the willingness to eat. The parents who stare into a proverbial black hole whenever they ask doctors or wonder to themselves about whether their child will ever be able to eat–they will discover hope in Heath.
To say that Heath's mom deserves credit is such a vast understatement. The roller coaster ride she (and her wonderful husband) have been on since his birth, when Heath literally had to be brought back to life and the 35 terrifying days in the NICU that followed, is a testament to not only her strength, but her inestimable love and grace. I know why Heath smiles so much.
Practically speaking, this very smart woman is an accomplished journalist. You can tell by the quality of her writing–and the research and outreach to experts across the globe that she executed in her quest to empower Heath with the gift of autonomy and the joy of eating. So, parents of tube-fed children, please check out her Resources Page to hit the jackpot in terms of insights and data and all kinds of valuable, rare informational gems on the topics of tube weaning, tube feeding and associated trauma.
To everyone reading this… I hope you'll go to The Crunchy and the Smooth and post a few cheerful and supportive words in the comments section. Heath has come a long, long way, but there is still patience and perseverance required by this family as they follow Heath's lead and adjust to a whole new paradigm.
To Heath, Jenny and the man known as "Peanut"… big love, loud applause and quiet, awestruck respect from me, Stella and Cody. Enjoy every lick, bite and gulp! (We know you will.)
Stella hits the gym
Stella enjoyed her first Gymboree class ever today. By letting her go until 15 months without being enrolled in a "structured program", I let her become a delinquent, apparently. Well I'm making amends! Not really. Stella's just incredibly active and we were getting bored. I thought it would be perfect for her.
She just turned 15 months old yesterday. But mainly because she's been walking for so long and is so good at balancing and climbing and other physical feats, I took her to a class for 16- to 22-month-olds, rather than the one for 10- to 16-month-olds. The woman at the front desk told me they were pretty flexible with the age ranges of the classes, which made me feel more confident about it. We arrived a couple minutes late and I was flustered and wondering if we should even be there, but the staff really put me at ease.
Stella watched solemnly from my lap for much of the time. Two teachers went above and beyond to assure me that it's totally normal for kids that age who are new to the program to simply watch the others at first. Stella definitely stood back. She seemed awed, fascinated and, while not at all upset, a little nervous. She did explore a bit. She walked up some plank that you are supposed to crawl up. She jumped off a platform, went to town on a giant rocking horse contraption, slid down the slide, kept throwing two balls overhand at the same time with one in each hand (with impressive form, a small thing but I so appreciated it), and approached a couple of kids in a friendly manner.
I was reminded again today, in looking at the slightly older toddlers, how lean Stella is. She's just as tall as they are, but appears small because she's so thin. Perhaps that's why she already seems like such an athlete. After all, her triceps are more defined than mine! (Okay, that's not saying much.) While her eating has received way too much attention, I'm starting to believe that her build has less to do with intake and more to do with her insane activity level. I was reminded today that her leanness serves her well. Stella climbed up on a teeter-totter, with seats on both ends and bars across the middle. She climbed up onto it, unfazed by its rocking motion, and sat right the middle with her skinny legs stuck through the slats, arms outstretched and holding the side of the teeter-totter behind her, moving side to side. The teacher said she'd never seen anyone use it that way before. What a trailblazer!
At the very end of the class, as Jimbo the puppet said his goodbyes to everyone, Stella got up from my lap, ran away on her tippy toes and pointed at Jimbo. She was finally comfortable, and it was time to go. Of course. I had to peel her off of the rocking horse.
This could be the beginning of a lot of gym time for Stella, and I am prepared to be alternately dazzled and supportive.
Boots for standing up in
Babies and toddlers are social magnets. Compliments zing through the air to make their way to you. Strangers swoon in your direction. Silly commentary slides along the sidewalk and lands at your feet. It warms my heart to see people react in an open and friendly way to Stella and all children for that matter. That's the way it should be. Children, especially little ones, are still deciding just what this world is all about and gauging their place in it. A warm reception to this planet is what they need and deserve.
But that magnet sure is powerful. I've noticed that once in a long while, a baby's magnetic magic can draw out the ugliness in some not-so-well-adjusted folks, the ones who perhaps were not warmly received here on earth themselves. So, not all of our run-ins with people on the street have been positive. Maybe it's because we live in an urban area, where there are many people living very close together yet somehow with much distance separating them.
I'm still processing what happened, but while strolling Ballard this morning, we had a disturbing run-in with two men. I really don't want to ever repeat what they said, which apparently seemed to them to be a harmless, hilarious joke. It was too disturbing. Beyond inappropriate. Pretty much unfathomable to me or any parent.
Here's what I'll say about the interaction. They said something friendly to Stella. They seemed happy to see her. I said hello on behalf of Stella and myself, Stella stumbled, they reacted in a jovial manner, and I smiled and moved Stella along. They laughed a little too hard as we walked away.
Then, a block or two later, I processed their jovial response. And I got the joke. And it was not okay, not remotely okay. And I'd smiled at them as we parted. Did they think I was in on the joke? Oh god, no. No, no, no. I turned around. They were nowhere in sight. I made a quick, admittedly unfair judgement based on the way they were dressed that (at that non-commuting hour) they may have been headed for the bus stop. Two or three blocks later, I found them there. I confronted them. I confronted them because it was not right in any way. Because that kind of bullshit toward children can not be tolerated, and because I desperately, desperately needed to defend Stella (and me).
I don't know that I've ever felt as confident heading into any other confrontation in my life. I was so calm, so lucid, so certain of what I needed to do. With Stella in my arms, I approached them and said, "Excuse me. Did you make an inappropriate joke about my daughter?" There was a brief but possibly telling pause. Or maybe they were in shock. They denied everything, and explained what they'd said. They made very sad expressions. I looked them both dead in the eye, I told them I'd heard the joke and heard their laughter. Again they tried to explain it. I took in their solemn faces and their responses. I so, so wanted to believe them, but upon reflection, my gut did not. There was nothing more I could do, and it didn't really matter. I'd done what I had to do. I told them, "Okay, I hope not. I'm a protective mom and I needed to stand up for my daughter." The more vocal of the two said, "That's good." We turned and left them there, waiting for their bus.
This had not been on my agenda, but I proceeded to walk into the boutique behind the bus stop, where I bought a pair of ass-kicking Frye boots for me, and some rain boots for Stella. Somehow, it seemed entirely appropriate.
Look what Stella can do!
Posted on November 4, 2009 by amberhj
Stella says "Thank you."
Originally uploaded by codatious1
I wanted to share a few of Stella's latest tricks…
She not only uses the more sign (that's old hat) but she says "more", with the inflection of a question, while she does it.
She's starting to string words together. Stella says, "Thank you!" a lot. We were at the park the other day, and saw a baby. When the baby was carted away in her stroller, Stella waved and said, "Bye, baby!" I also heard her say "Bye, daddy!" when Cody left for a basketball game.
She can climb anything: rocking chairs, pianos, couches, dining chairs, benches, parents, etc. The core strength required for this is impressive.
Stella's been giving us kisses for a couple months now, but it's starting to happen more and more often, and we relish it. The kisses are mostly tongue, and sometimes snot is left on my cheek, but I love them so much.
Stella refers to some of her books with appropriate words. For example, one of her favorites is called, "Is Your Mama a Llama?" She points to it and says "Mama" when she wants to read it. She points to "Daddy's Girl" and says "Daddy" when she wants to read that one. She roars when she wants to read the book featuring a lion.
By now she can make a good number of animal sounds: pig (really sounds like sniffing as opposed to snorting but you get the idea); lion, bear and tiger (all are scruffy roars); dog; cat; snake; cow; bird. If you ask her what an animal says and she doesn't know, she'll make something up. To me, that's just as fun to see as her getting it right.
Stella can point to her: bellybutton, toes, head, hair, nose, eyes, ear, and elbow, and she can say most those words too. If I say "cheek," she'll kiss me on my cheek, causing me to melt into a puddle.
She waves to random people on the street. Some people respond by brightening up and waving back. Some people don't notice or pretend not to notice, so I wave back to Stella myself.
Stella is getting more demanding and can throw one heck of a fit. I refer to this development area as her "tantrum skills." They are excellent, very advanced.
She says new words just about every day, even if she doesn't use them very often. Hearing her say a new word never gets old. I can't wait to have actual conversations with her.
Goodbye, breastfeeding guilt.
I destroyed the structural integrity of my boobs–what little there was–with an expensive, rented hospital grade breast pump in order to collect 500 ounces of milk that Stella would never drink. It sucked in every way.
Worse was the guilt and anxiety. None of it made any sense, but thankfully, it's over. I was not able to breastfeed Stella past 11 and a half weeks and I am officially 100% okay with that. I feel a new sense of freedom and confidence. I really, really do. This can only be very good for me and Stella.
In an attempt to completely resolve any lingering bad feelings, I've been reading a blog called The Fearless Formula Feeder, where I found a link to this article in The Times. Against a backdrop of breastfeeding mania, this article is explosive. This exploration of the data (or lack thereof) behind breastfeeding's benefits seems more comprehensive and credible and less emotive and debatable than Hanna Rosin's notorious Atlantic article, "The Case Against Breastfeeding", which I also greatly appreciated. The bottom line is that it's just not that big a deal. Breastfeeding is wonderful for some women and their babies, but its benefits have been greatly and widely overstated. Guilt and judgment toward formula-feeding moms has been unfair, out of control, and as it turns out, baseless.
I overthink things. So naturally, instead of letting go, I'd been doing a bit of research that helped chip away at my disappointment and breastmilk's holy image. When you look closely at the actual studies, the mirage disappears almost completely. Of course there are some benefits to breastfeeding but they appear to be relatively small. Furthermore, while there's no way to know for sure, most of the benefits shown are likely due to the fact that breastfeeding moms are a self-selected population and are simply "the kind of moms" who tend to be more educated in general and in regards to childcare, more responsible, interested and engaged as a whole, and more financially ABLE to give their kids "the best" in many areas. It's difficult if not impossible for studies to account for this.
The media tends to jump on any studies that suggest potential breastfeeding benefits, while completely ignoring the many, many studies that show no difference between breastfed and formula fed babies. Science has not been able to back up the "breastmilk as miracle cure" message. The main advantage of breastfeeding, in my experience, is that you don't have to deal with the hassle of preparing and cleaning bottles, and you avoid the cost of formula. On the other hand, if you are frustrated with a feeding or parenthood in general, plastic bottles are great for throwing across the room–a major plus that can't be overlooked. Ahem.
Like Rosin and the author of the Times article, the Fearless Formula Feeder is by no means anti-breastfeeding. She simply wants to defend formula feeders, and cleverly calls herself a "factivist." It's interesting to now look back and think about the "facts" I received about breastfeeding from all kinds of people and sources. I remember hearing in childcare and childbirth classes, in broad terms, that "breast was best." This message is also plastered on every can of formula (thanks for rubbing it in, by the way). I was told that breastfed babies are smarter and healthier, and have better bonds with their mothers. More specifically, I heard that breastfed babies have fewer incidences of diarrhea and ear infections.
At the end of the day, I know my child better than any study. Here's what I've experienced: Stella's brilliant, ahead of the curve in every area. We share an incredibly close bond. She's 14 months old and has never had an ear infection. And, drum roll, please… her eight-week bout of diarrhea STOPPED with her first bottle of formula. Just sayin'.
At this point, my only regret is that I didn't stop breastfeeding sooner, so as to more quickly relieve her pain, prevent her feeding aversion, and end our stress and suffering. I was not able to stop until all hell broke loose and Stella wound up with a feeding tube. Why? Because of all the "facts" I heard about breastfeeding. It simply wasn't possible that we could fail at breastfeeding, because breastfeeding is perfect and miraculous. I contacted a La Leche League leader and the very rude Jack Newman and several other breastfeeding experts over the phone or via email, and these well-known experts' conclusion was that I must be doing something wrong. One supposedly all-knowing Ph.D. / IBCLC, after hearing the horrors of our situation, suggested, "Hold her more securely–don't let her feet dangle. Babies need to feel secure." If I could have punched her through the phone, I would have. Other high-profile experts said the problem was latch and that at Stella's advanced age (10 weeks), it was too late to fix. This was stated with disapproval and disappointment, because clearly I hadn't enforced proper latch. I cut out dairy and soy and tried even the dumbest suggestions. This led to a lot of crying and failure and desperation. To all that, I can now officially say, "BULLSHIT."
I must note that thankfully, at that difficult point in our lives, not all voices of authority shared an insane breastfeed-at-all-costs mentality. A renowned lactation consultant and a wonderful pediatrician helped me make the decision to stop breastfeeding. They said I may want to consider formula-feeding and that it would be okay. That breastfeeding's toll was clearly too high, and that it simply wasn't the be-all-end-all of child health. I didn't believe them at first. But eventually, I was able to do what was best for us. I will always be grateful to them for being so sane, for being a voice of reason and compassion not just for Stella but for me, too. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
3 reasons to smile
Stella's Auntie Corinne (my youngest sister) and Uncle Colin (the duo also known as "C squared") flew in from Boston for a few days, but now they are gone, and Stella and I are suffering from withdrawal.
Just before C and C's arrival, Stella's stranger anxiety went through the roof. As we entered the park a few days ago, we saw a couple approaching from the opposite entrance, all the way across the green expanse. Upon spotting them, Stella retreated to her hiding post behind my knee. She remained there until they passed, which took a while, and eyed them intently the whole time, eliciting a laugh from the two suspicious characters. In light of experiences like that, I was wondering how quickly she'd warm up to our house guests, whom she hadn't seen since April. Well, five minutes after they arrived, she was doing stuff like this:
Kicking back with C squared
I think they share some kind of bond. It was a given that Stella would take to Corinne, having spent more time with her in the past. But I was impressed by how she fell in love with Colin. They really connected. But then again, come to think of it, these three have something in common. They are survivors.
At one point during the visit, Uncle Colin carried Stella up our steep front steps, of which there are many. This brought tears to my eyes. In fact, this was never supposed to happen. Colin is lucky to be alive. A couple years ago, he was in a devastating single-car accident. To keep him alive, they had to pump more blood into him than the human body actually holds. He was told he'd never walk again. His spine literally moved sideways within his body, and that was just one of many horrific injuries. From the blog that documented his incredible recovery: "Colin has endured four very difficult surgeries: one to remove a portion of his lung torn from broken ribs and to stop internal bleeding, two back surgeries to repair the spinal cord and stabilize shattered vertebrae, and a fourth to mend three breaks in his right arm."
During their visit, Corinne thought back about their natural defiance, their bold assumption that he would indeed walk again–their refusal to accept anything else. After waking up from the surgery on his spine, Colin was asked to move his toes. To everyone's astonishment, he could. The doctor blew it off as spasms–he told them not to get their hopes up, that Colin would not walk. But C squared knew spasms could not explain this on-command movement. They KNEW he would walk again–in fact, they thought it was obvious. Corinne laughed on recalling it: "We were like, 'he can move his toes!' DUH! He'll totally walk again, no problem!" In hindsight she realized that the leap from slight toe movement to walking again was Grand-Canyon-sized. But the important part of all this is that they had hope. Hope! Hope is huge. Hope is what makes us and keeps us human. Granted, it was a very, very long road. Colin worked his ass off. They fought insurance battles and had about a year's worth of dark days, but they knew he'd get there. Against all odds, and with the support of the community that rallied around him, he did.
Oh, did I mention that Colin's accident happened five weeks after their wedding? And a several years after a sleeping Corinne rolled out of her third-story dormitory window, cracking her skull and vertebrae, and shattering her arm? She sat in the gutter alongside the building until someone heard her moaning in pain. I remember the moment I got the news about Corinne's accident and how I could not breathe. I remember flying to Boulder, Colorado to see her, and wishing with all my might that I could trade places with her yet being blown away with how strong she was during the recovery process. And I recall feeling similarly sucker-punched when I got the call about Colin, whose life was dangling by a shredded thread. Those are those frozen moments that stay with you–slaps in the face that keep you from sleeping on the job of life.
While not really comparable to the life-threatening injuries Colin and Corinne endured, Stella went through quite a bit in her first year, the lowlights being a scary feeding aversion, blood in her diaper, and The Tube. So when I saw Colin, Corinne and Stella all together, happy and healthy, I could not help but feel amazed, and overwhelmed with gratitude. Miracles do happen, and my family is proof of that. I could not be more proud.
"Just tell 'em we're survivors!" (I love these three people and, I'll admit it, the movie "Cars.")
P.S. I'm also thankful that we had gorgeous, sunny weather for their visit. "C squared", being bionic and all, have enough metal in their bodies to shame Wolverine. Their joints get uncomfortable as rainy weather approaches in the distance–nevermind when gloom settles in for days on end. It will surely descend soon, but Colin and Corinne left enough of their light to keep us going for a while.
P.P.S. Corinne and Colin helped Stella embrace her sippy cup. This is also a miracle. Trust me.


text:
Q: Meteor Check if Template Exists I have Meteor application that uses Iron-Router in which the rendered screen is dynamic based on the URL.
I have two parameters from the URL, station and screen.
In the routing code:
this.render(stationParam+screenParam, {to: 'content'});
However, I want to be able to check if the template stationParam+screenParam exists.
Is this possible?

A: All templates are stored as a field of a global object, Template. The question then is: How to check if this global object has a given field?
You have multiple ways to do it. My personal favourite using underscore:
if (_.has(Template, stationParam + screenParam)) { /* ... */ }

Underscore is included in Meteor. If you want to use it in a package, don't forget the api.use('underscore') in your describe callback.
See also: Determining if a javascript object has a given property

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Files are not cached i use the cache.manifest file to view my project in offline and all works fine.
but the only thing doesn´t cache are the libraries for my gallery slider. i dont know why.
can me anybody give me a hand with that?? i have tried a lot of things during three days but i can not understand why this happen. have change a lots of directories to see if the problem are the path. but nothing work.
Note: i use two times the libraries because i use the gallery in index.html and Destaque.html
the libraries i want to cache are this:
elastislide.css
modernizr.custom.17475.js
jquery.elastislide.js
jquerypp.custom.js

and my cache.manifest file look like this:
CACHE MANIFEST

index.html
boilerplate.css
master.css
elastislide.css
jquery.mobile-1.3.1.min.css
jquery.bxslider.css
css/shCore.css
css/shThemeDefault.css
flexslider.css
social-likes.css
imagens/Horizontal/HomeHorizontal2.jpg
imagens/Horizontal/2.jpg
imagens/Horizontal/2.2.jpg
imagens/Horizontal/3.jpg
imagens/Horizontal/3.1.jpg
imagens/thumbsContactos/33.jpg
imagens/thumbsContactos/34.jpg
imagens/thumbsContactos/35.jpg
icon/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png
icon/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png
icon/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png
icon/close_pop.png
icon/mail-icon.png
icon/plus2.png
icon/video-icon.png
icon/facebookicon.png
images/bg_direction_nav.png
images/icons-18-black.png
images/icons-18-white.png
images/icons-36-black.png
images/icons-36-white.png
http://www.youtube.com/embed/tqNCu-wPT6k?rel=0
http://www.youtube.com/embed/YtAZU2diFVE?rel=0
jquery-1.9.0.min.js
jquery.mobile-1.3.1.min.js
modernizr.custom.17475.js
jquery.elastislide.js
jquerypp.custom.js
offlinetest.js
js/modernizr.js
social-likes.js
jquery.bxslider.js
respond.min.js
jquery.flexslider.js
modernizr.custom.17475.js
jquery.elastislide.js
jquerypp.custom.js
js/shCore.js
js/shBrushXml.js
js/shBrushJScript.js
Destaque/js/modernizr.custom.17475.js
Destaque/js/jquery.elastislide.js
Destaque/js/jquerypp.custom.js

Network:
*

Fallback:
offline.html

A: You can use the cache htaccess.
Ex: .htaccess
ExpiresActive On
ExpiresByType text/html "access plus 0 seconds"
ExpiresByType text/xml "access plus 0 seconds"
ExpiresByType application/xml "access plus 0 seconds"
ExpiresByType application/json "access plus 0 seconds"

# Feed RSS - 1 hora
ExpiresByType application/rss+xml "access plus 1 hour"

# Favicon - 1 week
ExpiresByType image/vnd.microsoft.icon "access plus 1 week"

# Images, video, audio - 1 week
ExpiresByType image/gif "access plus 1 week"
ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 week"
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access plus 1 week"
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 week"

ExpiresByType video/ogg "access plus 1 week"
ExpiresByType audio/ogg "access plus 1 week"
ExpiresByType video/mp4 "access plus 1 week"
ExpiresByType video/webm "access plus 1 week"

# Webfonts - 1 year
ExpiresByType font/truetype "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType font/opentype "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType font/woff "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/svg+xml "access plus 1 year"

# CSS / jScript - 5 days and 2 hours
ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 5 days 2 hours"
ExpiresByType application/javascript "access plus 5 days 2 hours"
ExpiresByType text/javascript "access plus 5 days 2 hours"


text:
One aggravated assault reported on Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville campus in 2017
by Local Labs News Service | Apr 1, 2019
There was 1 on-campus aggravated assault in 2017 on the campus of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, located in Edwardsville, according to the most recent crime statistics available on the U.S. Department of Education website.
In 2016, there were 4 aggravated assaults on the campus; and in 2015, there were 9 aggravated assaults. Overall, in the three year period from 2015 through 2017, 50 percent of on-campus aggravated assaults happened in residence halls. The following table shows how many of these on-campus criminal offenses were committed in residence halls:
On-campus aggravated assaults
In residence halls
% In residence halls
Want to get notified whenever we write about Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville ?
Next time we write about Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, we'll email you a link to the story. You may edit your settings or unsubscribe at any time.
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The second seed said, "I am afraid. If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts ... what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe."
Moral of the Story...Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.


text:
Disney Starcruiser Hotel in possible crisis?
Starcade
Old Skateboarder
[Rumor] Disney Starcruiser Hotel in possible crisis?
I know they are not in major media outlets but I keep seeing news stories pop up over and over claiming the Starcruiser hotel is facing huge backlash and cancellations and Kathleen Kennedy is being possibly set for for scapegoating over it. Does anyone have any credible info on this? I had also heard they were going to announce bringing another to DLR but that has now been cancelled.
Disneyland Fan since the 70's
jish5555
Not really a shocker. It feels like too much of a gimmick that isn't really worthy of Disney. Worse is that they're pricing anyone who'd be interested in it out of being able to experience it while those who could easily afford it aren't really the type that will go to the parks when they can travel over seas and spend a week at top of the line resorts and yet still pay less then they would at Starcruiser. If anything, the only way the Starcruiser could truly work is if it were more like something to visit without needing to stay in, because then you'd get a lot more Star Wars fans interested in it and Disney fans who want to check it out.
Mr Wiggins
With thanks to jcruise86 for first posting the link to this story...
Backlash to Disney's $5,000 Star Wars hotel grows: 'Poorly executed idea for the rich'
For years, Disney has been hyping up its mega-expensive, hyper-immersive Star Wars hotel in Walt Disney World. But now, as its opening date approaches, sneak peeks have fans concerned the luxury space resort is the latest Disney dud.
The Galactic Starcruiser is Disney's most ambitious hotel concept yet. Guests must book two nights — which will set you back nearly $5,000 for two people or $6,000 for a family of four — and will spend most of their time inside the spaceship resort, much like a cruise. There's an "excursion" into the Galaxy's Edge part of Disney World, while the remainder of the stay includes interactions with characters, lightsaber training (more on that later) and exclusive restaurants.
With the big price tag and big promises from Disney, Star Wars fans were expecting a mind-blowing, life-changing experience. As the March 1, 2022 opening day grows closer, however, glimpses of the finished product have been underwhelming. The look and feel of the hotel has been criticized as looking plastic and cheap, and reception to one sneak peek video was so bad, it has since disappeared from Disney's YouTube channel.
The video showed actor Sean Giambrone of "The Goldbergs" being given a tour of some of the ship's features, which look pretty bare and antiseptic for the Star Wars universe, and listening to a strange musical performance. (Another user uploaded the deleted video here.) The promo prompted one Twitter user to comment, "Bro this isn't Star Wars, this is 'Space Conflicts.'"
Fans responded similarly to a demo of Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro testing out the vaunted lightsaber training. Instead of a flashy, super realistic adventure, the training consisted of a standard light-up lightsaber and some lasers.
Comments on the YouTube video are generally negative, with one of the top comments reading: "If this were free I'm not even sure I'd queue 30 minutes for it, let alone spend thousands of dollars. An entirely poorly executed idea for the rich."
Things got even worse this week when Disney dropped its welcome video for booked guests, which features a character heretofore not part of the Star Wars universe. Endario Zinn, a representative from the starcruiser, looks decidedly low-budget with cheap purple makeup and a clearly repurposed iPhone for space tech. Some fans on social media also noted the actor's eyes appear to be moving left to right, as if reading off a teleprompter.
Reservations booked up quickly when the hotel was announced but now, as the 90-day deadline to cancel approaches, people appear to be ducking out of their expensive commitments; a number of openings have begun popping up in March, April and June.
"A big thank you to Disney for doing everything they can to make me not feel like I'm missing out by not being able to afford the Star Wars hotel," blogger Alicia Stella wrote on Twitter. "I'm grateful for your efforts."
"Disneyland is often called a magic kingdom because
it combines fantasy and history, adventure and learning,
together with every variety of recreation and fun,
designed to appeal to everyone."
- Walt Disney
"Disneyland is all about turning movies into rides."
- Michael Eisner
"It's very symbiotic."
- Bob Chapek
While I am trying to keep an open mind till the 'real' reviews come in (not the Disney will essentially write the review for you media friendly ones), the last could months of PR on this look underwhelming.
The latest Disney videos on this experience, especially the one with the Goldberg's sitcom kid (which Disney later took down in less than a week) have not be helpful and Josh's Destination D23 filmed lightsaber footage looked like something out of a 1980s mall arcade.
The more common narrative, much like SW: GE is again the same: Disney over promised and under delivered.
It seems like much of the wow factors of the initial concept were replaced be significant budget reduced leftovers (like the dinner show and character interactions) that were cut from the SW: GE initial plans.
Also, so far from what has been shown, this concept just does not look Star Wars. Whereas the SW has, for the most part, a gritty lived in adventure look, these sets from experience this look like low budget, fanboy built Star Trek pieces, such as the bridge. From the videos so far, it reminds me of a lower quality version of the Star Trek Experience that used to be at the Las Vegas Hilton.
I liked the initial idea and think there is a live action role play (LARP) market that would pay for this if the experience was better executed and the costs were a little more budget friendly.
One positive though is, so far, it seems Disney is spending high on the performers of this experience, so that may help (like what was promised for SW: GE)
But as is the case of today's Disney, it seems like the company continues to over promise, and overcharge for a under delivered product.
I have a feeling if Uni tries this concept within the Wizarding World down the road that the execution would be much better in quality and pricing.
merlinjones
Someone should add up all the money they lose by doing creative things on the cheap -- while spending wildly on schemes to fleece people with unnecessary tech.
bigcatrik
This video claims to have received advanced moment-by-moment details about the 2-day experience. Take with a grain of salt, but SPOILER If you like those murder/mystery hotel weekends you might not feel like you totally wasted $6,000 (but then, maybe even so). And isn't this what SWGE was supposed to be like before all the actors got cut?
Video contains rumors that are SPOILERS if true:
Last edited by bigcatrik; 12-14-2021, 05:12 PM.
Dtimeisnow
New MiceChatter
I've been keeping my eye on this for a while and have tried to keep an open mind, especially since it hasn't even opened yet. But everything that the previews have put out was incredibly underwhelming.
Disney should be ashamed by the promos they've put out, since they were the first glimpse of the nearly finished product. Years of concept art and consistent talks at D23 have gotten people really hyped to see how immersive the experience can be, and what do we get? Some Disney employees playing a laser game that probably can be found at an arcade and the kid from Goldbergs getting excited (and very forced) for an empty, soulless looking hotel that, as fans have noted, seems more Star Trek then Star Wars.
What was Disney expecting? Even a more typical ad of a family seeing some of the rooms and entertainment would have been more accepting. Something that was more on the line of what was promised.
I'll be curious further as we get to opening...whether or not that happens. I could see a major delay to retool the experience to either bump up the experience or even dial back into an ordinary hotel.
Tamandua
Imagine paying $6000 for a two day immersive star wars experience and everyone is wearing covid masks. How can you possibly get lost in the experience when you're constantly being reminded of what's happening in the real world?
Captain Andy
A Brave Little Tailor
Originally posted by bigcatrik View Post
Wow. Guests cannot take photos and videos in the hotel?
After you pay $6,000+?
Whaaaaa?
Brian PieGuy
Bear of Little Brain
Honestly, I will be more likely to stay at the hotel if there are no photos or videos of it. In the social media era, everything gets overexposed to the point where there aren't a lot of surprises. If there aren't images of what the experience looks like, that makes it all the more special to be one of the people that gets to experience it. At the very least, I'm intrigued by the idea.
"I think, therefore I am... confused."
― Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh
Eagleman
Lord of the Sky
IMO- Disney wants guest pay more to get less,
over promised and under delivered.............This type of service , will hurt Disney
if they do not learn get better , in quality and pricing !
Soaring like an EAGLE !
Spongeocto4
OBJECTION!
^This. I'm baffled that WDI & Lucasfilm missed the mark over the aesthetic of the hotel. Even the dramatic lighting does not come off as Star Wars. Say what you will about the sequel trilogy, at least they got the look right.
Also, where are the droids? Making an AA of a Droid should be easy, because they are BOTH ROBOTS!!
If that insider video is correct, then yeesh...
Deliberately designing a plain hotel room, so you won't stay in it during the experience? Did they not assign any of hotel Imagineers to design the Starcruiser? A hotel is supposed to make you feel relaxed and let you unwind. Yet, the Starcruiser will allegedly shuffle guests around on a pre-set iterinary. Will you get scolded if you get back late to the Starcruiser from visiting H̶o̶l̶l̶y̶w̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶S̶t̶u̶d̶i̶o̶s̶ Batuu? Will the First Order let you use the bathroom during the Dining Room Show? How much over-immersiveness will make a tourist get ticked off?
Originally posted by Captain Andy View Post
Disney: Don't use your worldly possessions during the trip, it will ruin the effect.
Also Disney: Want us to take a photo of your family? You can access it on PhotoPass later. Wait...you haven't heard about Photopass?! Well, let me tell you about it!....
Originally posted by Brian PieGuy View Post
I wouldn't mind this if the word on the street was a bit different. It just sounds like Disney is trying to hide how bad this hotel might be... which is a bit scammy. :|
JLee1226
I was in the cautiously optimistic camp for a long time. Of course became waaaay more skeptical as time went on, and now these videos.
The worry I had initially was that the experience may not have enough for adults to do. Lightsaber training...I mean, I feel like I've done it already from watching the video. Maybe younger kids will enjoy it, but...like, really? Couldn't we at least have gotten a 'laser emitter' that moved? Even just up and down? Look, I don't expect Disney to imagineer a floating sphere moving in three dimensions, but maybe design something for the starcruiser that resembles the original prop in some form?
I will play a little devil's advocate on the bridge though, it's the least offensive thing they've shown. It looks a lot better in the darker shots where they are not trying to light the room for a TV spot. And I would argue that it's not necessarily incongruous that a civilian 'starcruiser' in the Star Wars universe sequel timeline would not be a beat up "hunk of junk." The control panels look a little goofy? I mean, I guess? IRL the 'control room' for the Death Star laser was really just a control room from a real LA power plant that looks a lot more like a bunch of goofy 60's lights and random buttons with the lights on too.
The hallway though, looks NOTHING like the concept art.
Expectation:
Reality:
Now ok, sure, concept art is one thing, and projects routinely end up somewhat different in the end. But a sterile hallway with only the slightest suggestion of theming? For that price? For an "immersive experience?" The Grand Californian does a better job at theming! I've been to the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite many a time, and the Grand Californian does a great job of replicating the ambiance without directly copying. But what is this bleak hallway? And I am by-in-large a defender of Batuu! Galaxy's Edge makes me feel like I am in the universe. The Star Destroyer hallways on ROTR are great! But I've seen more visually interesting hallways in hospitals. This doesn't even make it look like that nice of a hotel, to say nothing of a space ship.
Masks don't break my immersion, cloth facial coverings are canon (Zam Wessell). What does break my immersion is the regular looking popcorn ceiling. There's not even any cool lighting fixtures here. That would have been the easiest thing! And like, there really wasn't an angle where they could not have the EXIT sign in the background? I know the exit signs have to be somewhat conspicuous for obvious safety reasons, but was there really no way to make it look a little less like a standard hotel hallway? And with all the screens they have in this place, they just put the lit glass display here?
The bar I don't have a strong opinion on. It seems fine to me that Oga's is a little more 'dive bar' while the ostensibly luxury cruiser has a more upscale looking lounge. It's kind of hard to get a sense of the room (which the more skeptical might say is on purpose).
TL/DR: yah, very underwhelming. Many rhetorical questions.
Last edited by JLee1226; 12-15-2021, 12:02 AM.
Restore Walt's Disneyland: bring back the Aluminum Hall of Fame!
DisneyIPresume
Beach Expert
If Imagineers can create a crystal ball to float in 3 dimensions they could have figured out a way to do this for the light saber experience. After all there are masters level engineers working on this team. On the other hand there are masters level accountants working in administration. Never mind.
BasilOregano
Originally posted by Mr Wiggins View Post
My God. This is just astonishing.
So what I'm getting out of this whole thing is that costs were assessed.... pennies were counted... corners were cut...
(looks right at Chapek)
I think it's also "Executive Meddling"*. That would explain the weird disconnect over the theming and tone. I can see an executive demanding for a "polished & bright spacey design". Unfortunately this bleeds into other IPs, namely Marvel. The aliens look more like the ones from Guardians of the Galaxy, than Star Wars.
*See the link below for more details
Executive Meddling - TV Tropes
https://tvtropes.org
An index page listing Executive Meddling content. As one person rarely has the financial resources to create and more importantly distribute their own …
Originally posted by JLee1226 View Post
I get a better "immersive experience"from my backyard and looking at the Real Stars !
I one that , stop trusting in Disney Concept Art- long time ago.......
They don't even get near ,what it turn out to be
So, I have no evidence for this, it is purely speculation on the disconnect between what we can see off the hotel, and broadly speaking, the Star Wars aesthetic.
With Batuu, Lucasfilm was fairly closely involved, at least up to a certain point, Doug Chiang, the Executive Creative Director of Lucasfilm, worked on the project with Disney (see: The Imaginering Story). I don't find any references to him working on the starcruiser. With galaxy's edge, news write ups made a big deal of the partnership between the Lucasfilm and Disney. I didn't do an exhaustive search, but I only see Disney folks quoted in write ups of the starcruiser.
This reads to me like it was an entirely in-house job on the Disney side. Or at least perhaps Lucasfilm was not as closely involved. Again, no evidence, just speculating.


For sale RENOVATED modern and tastefully decorated apartment is in Faneromeni area with stunning Sea view.100sq.meters inside, 60sqm veranda. WITH TITLE DEEDS. It is situated on 5th floor where there is no other apartment in this floor. In a quiet neighborhood with easy access to city center, highway or airport. There are many shops, church, schools and cafes around just within walking distance,,The apartment consists of a good size living room with a beautiful fire place, dining area and open kitchen which leads to a huge veranda with amazing relaxing view. There are 4 beautiful bedrooms in the apartment. One of the bedrooms has got its own shower and wc. A/C units, one parking space. It is also a great investment opportunity.


text:
Do you have global research capabilities?
Yes, we have in-depth experience advising companies from around the globe. Our U.S. headquarters, founded in 1988, is located in Williston, Vermont, and the European headquarters, established in 2010, is located in Bucks, United Kingdom. Our core staff is comprised of in-house employees based in the U.S. and UK. The in-house research managers and analysts in both countries also collaborate with affiliates in 25+ countries on a contract basis to gain insights about global markets.
What is strategy consulting?
Advising companies on competitor insights, industry trends, and market dynamics to help them making strategic business decisions. The data provided to clients should be unbiased and corroborated by multiple sources.
What is competitive intelligence and analysis?
The ethical collection and analysis of competitor information that informs strategic decision-making so that a company can continue to perform competitively in its market, or increase performance.
What is qualitative research and primary research?
Both terms are essentially synonymous, and involve interviewing company employees and subject matter experts to gain deep insights about competitors or specific markets.
What is secondary research?
Research of publicly available sources, such as news reports, analyst reports, social media, corporate publicity, etc. This is important for establishing baseline knowledge and generating a list of potential contacts to interview.
What is quantitative research?
Research that collects data through sources such as surveys or financial modeling. This can be useful for developing a broad context for primary research and detecting trends over time.
What types of research tools do you use?
We use a number of contact databases to identify interviewees, competitor websites, social media sites, news, proprietary databases, and many other tools to help us conduct interviews for all four of our service offerings.
Where are most of your employees located?
Most of our employees, including the company founder and owners, work at our U.S. headquarters in Williston, VT. We also have employees who work at our UK office and other offices throughout the U.S.
Do you have in-house research staff or do you use contract employees?
Our in-house research staff consists of full-time employees. On rare occasion, and after informing clients, we do engage subject matter experts to support our in-house staff. The majority of our employees have long tenure with our firm. We do not believe that a contract employee model is the most effective way to achieve our goals.
What services do you offer?
We provide five core strategic research services, including Market Intelligence Platform, Primary Research, Win/Loss Analysis, Strategy Workshops, and Trade Show Intelligence.
What industries do you serve?
We advise Fortune 500 companies from all major industries, and have five dedicated practice teams, including Life Sciences, Finance & Insurance, Technology, Consumer and Industrial Goods, and Business Services
How long does it take to complete a project?
The length of each project depends on the scope of work, the nature of the research questions, and the type of service that is being performed. Ad-hoc requests can be completed in one business day, while a monitoring contract may last for a full year. On average, many of our projects take 4-8 weeks.
What makes your company unique in comparison to other consulting firms?
Our company was founded in 1988, which makes it one of the oldest, global primary research firms that focuses on competitive analysis. We are a privately-held company that has never changed ownership. Many other firms use contract employees, but we believe that hiring full-time employees who are dedicated to specific teams is critical to ensure that researches have the right experience and industry expertise. While we deliver powerful insights to top executives, our business model is simple. We focus on offering five core research services to clients that fall under our five practice areas.


text:
Hamdija Pozderac (15. ledna 1924 Cazin, Bosna a Hercegovina – 7. dubna 1988 Sarajevo, Socialistická federativní republika Jugoslávie, v srbské cyrilici Хамдија Поздерац) byl bosenskohercegovský a jugoslávský komunistický politik bosňáckého původu.

Životopis
Před druhou světovou válkou byl aktivní v ilegálním Svazu komunistické mládeže (SKOJ). Od roku 1941 se účastnil národněosvobozeneckého boje v řadách jugoslávských partyzánů. Po válce studoval na Vysoké stranické škole při ÚV KSSS v Moskvě a Filozofické fakultě Univerzity v Bělehradě. Od roku 1961 přednášel sociologii na Fakultě politických věd Univerzity v Sarajevu.

Společně s Džemalem Bijedićem patřil k předním zastácům institucionálního uznání muslimského národa v Bosně a Hercegovině a potažmo i celé Jugoslávii.

Od roku 1965 zasedal v Ústřední výboru Svazu komunistů Bosny a Hercegoviny. Jeden čas byl členem jeho výkonného výboru a nakonec i předsedou (23. května 1982–28. května 1984). V různých vysokých funkcích strávil celkem 20 let.

Byl dlouholetým poslancem bosenskohercegovského parlamentu, přičemž mezi lety 1974 a 1978 byl jeho předsedou. Od května 1986 do 15. září 1987 byl členem Předsednictva Socialistické federativní republiky Jugoslávie.

Jeho úspěšnou politickou kariéru ukončila Aféra Agrokomerc, do které se zapletl jeho bratr Hakija a Hamdija tak byl nucen v roce 1987 rezignovat.

Reference

Narození v roce 1924
Úmrtí v roce 1988
Jugoslávští politici
Muži

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


TRENTON, New Jersey -- Time is running out to register to vote in New Jersey's June 7 primary, which includes selecting the candidates who will run for president in November.
Tuesday is the registration deadline. It's also the last chance for voters to switch political party affiliations.
As of the end of April, more than 5.5 million New Jerseyans were registered to vote. Of those, 1,771,461 were Democrats and 1,077,360 were Republicans. Some 2,652,061 were not affiliated with any political party.
Unaffiliated voters must declare a party affiliation in order to participate in the primary.
Voter registration forms are available at municipal offices, county election offices and can be found online at the state Division of Elections.


text:
Home Auto News Men accused of helping ex-Nissan boss flee Japan, challenge US extradition case
Men accused of helping ex-Nissan boss flee Japan, challenge US extradition case
US authorities arrested the Taylors in May at Japan's request for allegedly smuggling Carlos Ghosn out of the country in a box while he was out on bail awaiting trial on financial charges.
| Updated on: 09 Jun 2020, 10:44 AM
FILE PHOTO: Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn attends a news conference at the Lebanese Press Syndicate in Beirut, Lebanon January 8, 2020. (REUTERS)
Lawyers for the former Green Beret and son wanted by Japan for helping former Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn flee the country on Monday argued US authorities wrongly arrested them for aiding a crime that they say does not exist in Japan: bail jumping.
Lawyers for Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, in a motion asked a federal judge in Boston to quash the US warrants issued last month for their arrests or release them on bail while their extradition case proceeds.
US authorities arrested the Taylors in May at Japan's request for allegedly smuggling Ghosn out of the country in a box while he was out on bail awaiting trial on financial charges.
Their lawyers on Monday argued that neither bail jumping nor helping someone do so are crimes in Japan.
The defense attorneys said that fact is "so far beyond dispute that the Japanese government has begun considering whether it should amend the law to make such conduct a crime."
While Japan has issued arrest warrants for the Taylors, their lawyers said the crime stated in the Japanese warrants is an immigration offense, a non-extraditable misdemeanor.
(Also read: From boom to bottom: A timeline of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi alliance)
The lawyers added that neither Taylor, including Michael, a US Army Special Forces veteran who founded a private security company, pose a flight risk requiring them to be held without bail.
The Justice Department and Japanese embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
US authorities arrested the Taylors in Harvard, Massachusetts, on May 20 at the request of Japan, which in January issued arrest warrants for both men in connection with facilitating the Dec. 29, 2019 escape.
Ghosn fled to Lebanon, his childhood home, while he was awaiting trial on charges that he engaged in financial wrongdoing, including by understating his compensation in Nissan's financial statements. He denies wrongdoing.
First Published Date: 09 Jun 2020, 10:24 AM IST
TAGS: Nissan Carlos Ghosn extradition


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Blu-Ray Review: Last House on the Left (Arrow Video)
Arrow Pulls Out All The Stops For One of Their Most Impressive Releases to Date
There's no mistaking Last House on the Left's legacy as one of the most imitated and visceral horror experiences of all time. The film, especially at the time, was a tour de force of Grindhouse filmmaking that shook you to the core and offered you a completely different angle to the revenge genre that we really hadn't seen before. Sure, if you were to watch it for the very first time today it might come off as amateur and not nearly as gory as you'd expect, but by 1972 standards, it was genre-defining and blindsided an unsuspecting public. Wes Craven's unapologetic view of raw interpersonal violence became a genre-defining classic, paving the way for a new sub-genre in the horror field and countless imitators.
But it wasn't a runaway success initially. Digging through the ample amount of extra features located within this excellent Arrow release, I learned a number of surprising things. Like LHonL went through several name changes while still in theaters because it just wasn't pulling people in. The title that we all know so well now actually came from someone else other than Wes Craven. Or that the film itself came about because local Drive-In theaters actually financed it, as was the case for many low-rent films back in the day so they could throw it in as a second feature after their main attraction.
Regardless, LHotL has remained one of the most legendary horror classics for nearly 50 years and it's status only continues to grow, with the culmination of this incredible new Blu-Ray set courtesy of Arrow Video, which includes not only the film, but 3 different cuts of the film, including the legendary uncut version. You also get a plethora of extras to indulge in, and just speaking from experience, you will need an entire weekend at least to dig through all of it. So let's dig in.
3 DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
Three cuts of the film newly restored in 2K from original film elements
Original uncompressed mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
6 x collector's postcards
Double-sided fold-out poster
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
Limited edition 60-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the film by author Stephen Thrower
DISC ONE [BLU-RAY] - THE UNRATED CUT
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Unrated Version
Isolated score newly remastered from the original 17.5" magnetic tracks
Brand new audio commentary with Bill Ackerman and Amanda Reyes
Archival audio commentary with writer/director Wes Craven and producer Sean S. Cunningham
Archival audio commentary with stars David Hess, Marc Sheffler and Fred Lincoln
Archival introduction to the film by Wes Craven
Still Standing: The Legacy of The Last House on the Left - archival interview with Wes Craven
Celluloid Crime of the Century - Archival documentary featuring interviews with Wes Craven, Sean S. Cunningham, actors David Hess, Fred Lincoln, Jeramie Rain, Marc Sheffler and Martin Kove
Scoring Last House - archival interview with actor/composer David Hess
It's Only a Movie: The Making of Last House in the Left - archival featurette
Forbidden Footage - the cast and crew discuss the film's most controversial sequences
Junior's Story - a brand new interview with actor Marc Sheffler
Blood and Guts- a brand new interview with makeup artist Anne Paul
The Road Leads to Terror - a brand new featurette revisiting the film's original shooting locations<
Deleted Scene: "Mari Dying at the Lake
Extended Outtakes and Dailies, newly transferred in HD
Trailers, TV Spot and Radio Spots
DISC TWO [BLU-RAY] - THE 'KRUG & COMPANY' AND R-RATED CUTS
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Krug & Company and R-Rated cuts of the film
The Craven Touch - a brand new featurette bringing together interviews with a number of Wes Craven's collaborators including Sean S. Cunningham, composer Charles Bernstein, producer Peter Locke, cinematographer Mark Irwin and actress Amanda Wyss
Early Days and "Night of Vengeance" - filmmaker Roy Frumkes remembers Wes Craven and Last House on the Left
Tales That'll Tear Your Heart Out - unfinished short film by Wes Craven
Q&A with Marc Sheffler from a 2017 screening of the film at The American Cinematheque
Krug Conquers England - archival featurette charting the theatrical tour of the first ever uncut screening of the film in the UK
DISC THREE [CD] - 'THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT' ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
CD featuring the complete, newly remastered film score
One of the most amusing aspects of nearly all the documentaries both new and archival, is the fact that one of the films stars, Fred J. Lincoln, who played Weasle in the film and was actually a porn actor and director in real life, despises this film. Every interview you see him in he blasts the film as garbage and hints not so subtly that he should have gotten a co-directors credit, since he claims that he is responsible for a lot of what happened in front of and behind the camera with things like showing them how to properly wield a chainsaw, effects tricks, camera setups, acting tips and so on. Yet in the same breath, he talks about it's abhorrent and vulgar quality, which I really can't understand since he was such a huge part of this films production. I mean, he was there and saw what they were filming and doing a large part of those moments himself. Lincoln also states that he's been asked for decades to attend conventions and autograph signings, but has always refused. Yet he's agreed to do sit-down interviews several times throughout the years for various releases of this film. So again, I'm a bit confused about why the constant bashing and refusal to participate in promoting it's legacy because of how much he despises it, yet he will do interviews.
Though I'd seen this film maybe once or twice before, having watched it again recently at an adult age, I was able to look at it in a completely different light. I can see now what Wes Craven was trying to accomplish, whereas before I took the whole semi-documentary approach as just being amateurish. And it still comes across as very amateurish to me even today. The editing is pretty all over the place and even though I understand a lot of the style was made up on the spot, it's the type of film that's painfully obvious that it's the director's first film. I understand the documentary-style approach gives it a raw look and feel, but it also works against it in my opinion. But those were my only real gripes because the performances, especially from the menacing David Hess (as the killer's leader), elevate the film significantly. And you have to remember, none of these actors were pro's. This was Hess's first film, and a few of the other's actually came from a porn background, while other's were acting for the very first time. I think one of the most amusing bits of casting was a very young Martin Kove (Rambo: First Blood Part 2, The Karate Kid) as a bumbling deputy.
One of the other elements that I hadn't appreciated before, but was just full-on in love with this time around, and that is the films score and soundtrack, all courtesy of none other than David Hess himself. Hess was a musician before he was an actor, and supplied all of the music found within the film, oftentimes purposely making the music choice for a specific scene juxtapose that very moment to an eerie effect. And guess what??? Arrow has included David Hess's incredible soundtrack and score on a separate disc located within this massively impressive set.
I could go on and on about this release, about all of the things I learned for the very first time, of all the things I re-discovered, about every facet of the production, but in this case, it's probably best you discover them for yourself. The mountain of extra content will make even the most jaded collector happy and it's a blast to dig through.
Last House on the Left is available from any number of online retailers and personally speaking, worth every penny.
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Why I wince when I hear the words 'white privilege'
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In response to credible reports that President Donald Trump has derided fallen U.S. soldiers...
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The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday republished satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed...
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Potential collisions between the U.S., Russia or China are not even back-burner issues this election year. Meanwhile, we are consumed...
Kennedy-Markey Race Is a Proxy War Pitting AOC Against Pelosi
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"Reagan's Cowboys," as they called themselves, uncovered some mob history in Geraldine Ferraro's family (with Roy Cohn's help!)...
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If necessity is the mother of invention, as the old saying goes, Democrats turned the necessity of convening a presidential nomination...
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My Darling Clementine, a 1946 film regarded as one of the best Western movies made by director John Ford, stars Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp during the period leading up to the gunfight at the OK Corral. The ensemble cast also features Linda Darnell, Victor Mature, Walter Brennan, Tim Holt, and Ward Bond.
The title of the movie is borrowed from the theme song "Oh My Darling, Clementine", sung in parts over the opening and closing credits. The screenplay is based on the fictionalized biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal by Stuart Lake, as were two earlier movies, both named Frontier Marshal (released in 1934 and 1939, respectively).
The film is generally regarded as one of the best Westerns made by John Ford and one of his best films overall. In 1991, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry; it is among the first 75 films entered into the registry. Fifty years after its release, Roger Ebert reviewed the film and included it in his list of The Great Movies. Director Sam Peckinpah considered My Darling Clementine his favorite Western, and paid homage to it in several of his Westerns, including Major Dundee (1965) and The Wild Bunch (1969).


Remember gobbling up properties on the Monopoly board, and driving your opponents to bankruptcy? So well known is the board game's keynote phrase, ''Go directly to Jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200'', it has become shorthand for a situation of utter loss.
While Monopoly hasn't lost traction since it was published in 1935, in a new generation of games co-operation rather than capitulation is the name of the game.
Demand for the new crop of board games is driven by anxiety among parents worried their children are spending too much time playing video games and keen to interact with their children in a constructive way, according to the chairman of Boardgames Australia, Richard Vickery. The new games, says Vickery, are big on participation, encourage involvement of players of all ages with an ideal game time of about an hour.
After "doodling'' for 20 years with the idea of a co-operative game, retired eastern suburbs teacher Andrea Thompson put her ideas into practice and self published Fair Go, in which budding industrialists must restore mined land, house the homeless and provide bushfire relief to win. The trick of Fair Go is not how much money or cards players own but knowing how to overcome changing fortunes and when to seize opportunities.
If Monopoly is about asset acquisition, Fair Go is about teaching social responsibility and helping others reach their full potential.
''A lot of the values behind games is to be the best and win at all cost, where greed is king,'' says Thompson, whose game is at this year's Toy and Games Expo, is in the Nuremburg Toy Museum and has been sold to schools.
Waverley College year 9 boys trying out Fair Go found the game akin to Monopoly but with more twists and turns.
The Toy and Game Expo is on Monday at Sydney Olympic Park.


Turn on the TV, read your news feed, listen to the radio -- so much bad news all the time. Worries about what's happening in the world can be overwhelming. Sometimes it helps just to throw a little glitter around in order to make your corner of the world sparkly and happy.
Some people say this kind of thing is superficial. I'm not one of them. Even Michelangelo agrees with me. He said, "Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle." He was probably talking about some of the little finishing touches he put on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and not essie nail polish, but who knows?
Here's essie's warm & toasty turtleneck . . .
Since I don't like wearing turtlenecks, I will wear it with this sparkly sequined tank I got on sale at J. Crew last year.
This necklace once belonged to her grandmother. Bet Grandma never thought it would one day go with a chambray shirt. In the middle of the day. To a coffee shop.
Want more sparkly ideas? Sparkle is good on shoes and minauderies . . .
and of course on pins . . . .
Even the Christmas tree is getting in on the act . . .
you bring sparkle to MY life!


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I'm tired of being an immigrant
I tell Salumeh and my Wine and Write group before my trip to New York. I'm not sure what makes me say that, but it seems so true. After living in Pakistan for twenty-two years, and two years in the UK, I moved to the US. But thirty two years in the US doesn't change my status as an immigrant. My immigrant-ness begins in October 1989, when after honeymooning in Italy, France, and the UK, I arrive in the Bay Area and make it home.
When does being an immigrant end?
So thirty two years later with my writing group, I confront this question: When does being an immigrant end? We meet regularly to discuss the stories we are writing. We advise each other on what works and encourage each other to keep writing. But today, I am stuck with this thought about being an immigrant.
The Urdu word for immigrant isمہاجر (Mohajir from Arabic). It has a religious connotation for when the Prophet Mohammad left Mecca to create a new city Al Madinah Al Munawwarah ( Arabic: المدينة المنورة )'The Enlightened City'. In Pakistan, the term is used for those who came from India to Pakistan after the Partition.
So when I became an immigrant all those years ago, I wonder what category of immigrant I became. Am I the one who left? Am I one who came to create? Am I here for myself? Or am I a combination of all and more?
The other label that I took on was motherhood. A label that lasts the rest of my life. Then I became a professor. But that label was erased last year when I took on writing full time. Unlike those two, taking on the label of an immigrant doesn't foretell joy like motherhood nor the gratification of professorship.
Becoming an immigrant assumes an otherness from those who were born here, like my children. Unlike them, I was tested before I could belong. But even after passing that test—the Citizenship test if you're wondering—I retain the title of immigrant.
Sample test for US Citizenship
Being an immigrant assumes separation. It's about leaving one home and making another. It's also about leaving people, traditions, ways of being. But aren't we all immigrants to some extent? As Mohsin Hamid put it so eloquently, we are all migrants in one way or another in the 21st Century. We always leave something behind—even our older selves.
She stopped being an immigrant
In 1960, when mummy was in her early twenties, she travelled on the RMS Circassia to Pakistan and took on the title of immigrant. After sailing past Africa, the ship docked at the port of Karachi. Mummy and Abu took the train from Karachi to Chakwal. And then for the rest of her adult life she lived in Pakistan. Without much planning, however, fifteen years after Abu passed, she stopped being an immigrant. She returned to the UK. And that's where she lives — in Longstanton, South of Cambridge.
"Do we weave ourselves into the pattern that our mother began? Does our mother's life then become the grisaille to our own? That monochromatic grey scale underpainting to which we add the color of our lives."
One an immigrant the other no more an immigrant: Mummy and me
Does our mother's life then become the grisaille to our own
When I make my yearly visits to her in Cambridge, I wonder what her younger self had thought about when she left the UK for Pakistan. I left Pakistan at around the same age. Are there patterns of behaviors for mothers and daughters? Do we weave ourselves into the pattern that our mother began? Does our mother's life then become the grisaille to our own? That monochromatic grey scale underpainting to which we add the color of our lives.
A honeymoon at the shrine of a poet
The story that Salumeh is writing revolves around a mother and daughter. In her story about another time and another place, she takes us with the duo to a honeymoon at a shrine of a poet. She takes us to this shrine with the bride and the groom and his first wife and their daughter— such a fascinating concept to the story of these lives. A husband, two wives, a daughter all gravitating toward a poet. This interconnectedness of a mother and daughter and the choices they make translates into narratives that create dimensions to the stories we tell.
My story overlaps with my mother's, as it does with Selma's, and with the story of so many others. But each one of us seeks our own pilgrimage, or own inspiration. For some, the return creates peace and for others, we seek out the poetry that keeps us going.
Pilgrimage to Greenwich Village
In New York, I go on my own pilgrimage of a poet. We're staying in Greenwich Village. I have read a post about the 11 landmarks of immigration in Greenwich Village. I will look for the home of Emma Lazarus, author of "The New Colossus," It's on 18 West 10th Street. The ending of this poem engraved on the statue of liberty is commonly known, but the lines that resonate with me are:
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles...
A section of The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus
An Immigrant in Greenwich Village
Despite the heaviness of being an immigrant, the lines speak to me. I walk past Emma Lazarus' house, but the location means nothing. It's the words that stay. The image of the mighty mother with imprisoned lightning.
I'm here for a short trip to meet family. I sit in their condo looking out at Washington Square Park and we talk about the farm at home. Home in Pakistan. In the Punjab. Because that's what those of us born on a farm do. We remain connected to the farm. Even if we're in a time zone half way across the world.
Garibaldi in Washington Square Park
I am comforted in that conversation. The tube wells, the fish, the crop that has already been harvested and the plan for the next year. Despite a lifetime of living away from the farm, we return to the seasons of a life we once lived.
Immigrants memorialize their hero in Washington Square Park
On our way back to the hotel, we walk through Washington Square Park. We come across a statue of what looks like a hunter surrounded by leaves. The plaque says it's Garibaldi. Is it the Garibaldi I know from the movie, The Leopard"? Wasn't that set in Sicily? What is he doing here in New York?
A quick google solves that mystery. Yes it is Giuseppe Garibaldi, who led the Redshirts, the Thousand, in Sicily.
And what is he doing in the park?
A group of homesick Italian immigrants in 1888 dedicated the statue to their hero who had already been dead for eight years. And now he stands here in the park welcoming guests from California who have no clue who he is.
And where does all this leave me regarding my immigrant status and whether I want it changed? I'm not sure, but I got a week to reflect and another to put this post together. And many more questions to ponder.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
✤✤✤
In 2013, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel, Americanah, a story of immigrants, won the U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.
In this novel, Ifemelu is raised in Nigeria, where she falls in love with Obinze. Ifemelu leaves for America to study. Here she struggles because of her race. Post 9-11, Obinze ends up an undocumented immigrant in London.
History & Travel, Memories	French, Immigrants, Memories, poetry
Barbara Jakoby
Here we are the immigrants and back "home" the emigrants. Either way, there does not seem a compleat belonging anymore once moved to another country. It might feel at times like sitting between two chairs. But isn't it also our own mindset that tells us that we are immigrants and different because we know both worlds so well? Or is it because we do not feel 100 % connected to the new country and feel kind off excluded no matter how hard we try? Anniqua you got me thinking… What an interesting topic! Well written! And the mother daughter relationship – well, don't get me started. 😅
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This is definitely home, but you're right. It is like sitting between two chairs. I wouldn't have it any other way though 🙂
cindyrasicot.com
Although I am not an immigrant I have always felt a sense of otherness, separateness about my existence. Perhaps there is an aspect of the immigrant experience in all of us.
Amy Patel
Loved this post. So relatable. And yet so thought provoking. Love the comment of sitting on two chairs!
In my humble opinion, We become immigrants as soon as we leave our birthplace and move away. Though we call the new country 'Home', the word 'Home' evokes a myriad of feelings and emotions even after decades have passed.
I always say change is good- humans adapt and adjust. It teaches us to find and depend on our inner strengths.
And in actuality- we are just immigrants on Earth- transient passerby's and lookers-on….
A very thought-provoking article (and an eye-catching headline)! Where do we really belong? I felt rootless growing up, even in my hometown, because I spent the first seven years of my life elsewhere. I feel like a foreigner each time I return. But do I feel completely at home in my adopted home? How can I, when even a visit to the grocery store is a reminder of my otherness. I agree with Barbara. Once you move, you are a foreigner here and a foreigner back there.
I'm glad you connected with this concept. I've been thinking about it even though I've learned to make home of wherever I find myself.
Elizabeth Owens
I really enjoyed your blog, it got Roy and I thinking and guess what, we came up with more questions than answers! In answer to how your mother seemed to feel on the day that she left, she was excited, as we accompanied her and Abu and AF to the departing train in London. She was to be his princess, a concept that I, as a young teen found very romantic. They had spent time together as a new little family and we visited every weekend to a house full of laughter and much giggling from Abu..
I could write a blog on being an immigrant from my perspective if you like.
I would love to read your perspective. This is what I enjoy most about this blog – it's a perfect place to share and connect with ideas from all over the planet. Thank you! xoxo
Rose Asera
Every place I have lived in Asia, in Africa, in North America, has given me something different that was not available in the other places. Now no place feels completely home.
Because some flavor, words, smells, or humor are missing. How can an immigrant return to their country of origin if they are not the same person who left?
Samar Kaiser
Twice I have lived in foreign countries but my heart always belonged to Pakistan. I can live in another country only for a few years but not forever. I cannot describe the joy I felt each time we landed back and heard the typical, familiar Pakistani music that they played in the aircraft. Pure joy to return each time. So interesting to read different views.
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