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Zooming In / Zooming Out: On Colonial Monuments
Middelheim Museum , Antwerpen, Belgium
Bronze elements belonging to a monument to Baron Dhanis by sculptor Frans Joris, inaugurated in Antwerp in 1913.
What does it mean today to have our public space lined with historical monuments to the colonial regime and the individuals that instated it? What are the possible artistic, institutional, and societal scenarios for dealing with this contested heritage? From 2020 onwards, the Middelheim Museum is initiating a series of projects on colonial history and the related monuments that adorn the streets of Antwerp. These projects are part of the city's policy to study and make accessible the meaning and history of its public heritage.
First in this series is Zooming In / Zooming Out: On Colonial Monuments, a symposium gathering scholars, artists and cultural workers to reflect upon historical attitudes, healing gestures, artists' responses, and institutional choices.
12:30 pm – Doors open; On display throughout the day: The Copy (2019), a sculpture by Bie Michels, Antwerp-based visual artist
1 pm – Welcome by Herman Van Goethem, Dean of the University of Antwerp & Sara Weyns, Director Middelheim Museum, Antwerp
1:15 pm – Past Empire Present: A history of Belgium's attitude towards colonial monuments from 1960 to today by Matthew Stanard, Professor at Berry College, Georgia, U.S.A. and author of The Leopard, the Lion, and the Cock. Colonial Memories and Monuments in Belgium (2019, LUP)
2 pm – Healing and Heritage by Sorana Munsya, psychologist, writer and independent curator
2:30 pm – Artist Bie Michels, together with Middelheim Museum Exhibitions Curator Pieter Boons and historian Prof. dr. Marnix Beyen, discusses the differences, similarities and strategies for dealing with contested heritage in the recent case of a 1953 colonial monument in Mechelen by sculptor Lode Eyckermans
3 pm – Break
3:30 pm – Congoville: on postcolonial traces and commemoration in contemporary art practices by Sandrine Colard, Assistant Professor of Art History, Rutgers University-Newark, USA, Artistic Director of the 2019 Lubumbashi Biennale, and guest curator of the forthcoming exhibition Congoville at Middelheim Museum, Antwerp
4 pm – The Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium's largest colonial monument, inside and out by Bambi Ceuppens, Senior Researcher and Curator, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren
4:30 pm – Round table discussion with all speakers, introduced by Aminata Ndow & Mohamed Barrie, co-organisers Black History Month
5:30 pm – Reception generously offered by the University of Antwerp
This symposium is convened by Pieter Boons (Curator Middelheim Museum) and Samuel Saelemakers (Curator Public Art Collection, Antwerp), who will be moderating the day's program. This event is a part of Black History Month Belgium 2020.
The symposium is kindly hosted by the University of Antwerp.
Symposium ZOOMING IN / ZOOMING OUT. On Colonial Monuments
Friday 20 March 2020, 1-6 PM
Venue: Universiteit Antwerp, Campus Middelheim, Block A, Middelheimlaan 1, 2020 Antwerp
Free with registration
Documentation and a report on the symposium will be made available online soon after the event.
On 13 March 2020, Bie Michels video work (Pas) Mon Pays Part I & II (2019) is screened at De Cinema, Antwerp. Click here for more information.
middelheimmuseum.be


A New Library for New Life in India!
Check out some of her books!
I met 'Matched' author, Ally Condie!
I met 'Delirium' and 'Before I Fall' author, Lauren Oliver, at TLA!
Students with Paranormalcy author, Kiersten White, at Austin Teen Book Festival.


WILTON, Conn. -- Wilton's Hoffman Landscapes was recognized with two Professional Landcare Network National Landscape Awards of Excellence.
The PLANET Awards of Excellence receive entries from 4,500 members nationwide each year, "demonstrating the association's commitment to creating and preserving the natural beauty of the landscape," according to a press release.
"We are honored and proud to receive these most recent awards," said Hoffman President Mike Hoffman in the press release.
Hoffman garnered the Grand Award for a New Canaan property and a Merit Award for a Fairfield residence in the Residential Design-Build category, according to the release. The company previously received two Merit awards in 2011, Grand Awards in 2010, 2008, 2007 and 2002 and Merit Awards in 2009, 2005 and 2001.
The New Canaan property was a Colonial, according to the release.
"It had an ordinary backyard that couldn't match the grandiosity of the front, as well as an unusually flat site that threatened to consume the view of the yard," said the release. "Luckily for Brian Cossari, lead landscape architect on both Hoffman's winning entries, the owners were longing for a backyard the envy of their neighbors and willing to take some risks."
Cossari said in the release it opened up opportunities for the design.
The Fairfield residence also had its share of challenges, according to the release.
Hoffman Landscapes has locations in Wilton, Greenwich and Washington. To learn more about the company, call 203-834-9656 or visit Hoffman Landscapes' website .


St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor has amended his squad to 19 ahead of the Dragons' Round 24 clash against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
Nene Macdonald (knee) was ruled out after the captain's run on Thursday morning. Taane Milne will start on the wing in the Papua New Guinean international's place.
Luciano Leilua is the other player to miss out on facing the Broncos.


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First-year students explore Copenhagen
By Heather Hartel 2 years ago
The majority of students on campus consider studying abroad a fundamental component of a Wake Forest education.
The abroad experience is designed to help students grow, as many students live alone for the first time, learn to navigate public transportation, buy groceries and cook for themselves, legally drink alcohol and meet people from around the world. These reasons, and countless others, help explain why 66 percent of Wake Forest students study abroad during their time at school.
Yet, most students typically opt to study abroad some time during their junior year, as they have two years on campus completed and will get to enjoy another full year and a half upon returning to the U.S. Until this past year, this was not only a personal choice, it was university-mandated to be on campus for one's first year. This fall was the inaugural year of the Global AWAKEnings program, initiating incoming freshman to spend an entire year abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"I decided that I wanted to spend my freshman year in Copenhagen because I wanted an opportunity to change and to grow in all aspects of my life," said freshman Kira Tabor, a member of the freshman class in Copenhagen. "By living in another country, I get to step outside of my comfort zone and totally immerse into another culture as a chance to challenge my intellectual perspectives."
Whether desire to travel, desire to grow, desire to learn or to experience new cultures, the students that decided to spend their first year in a foreign country all came for unique reasons. Colleen Riley, another member of the program, looked at the various humanities courses she would take before deciding to commit.
"I intend to study science, but also wanted a chance to see other things before I committed to that," Riley said. "I really wanted the chance to learn about the topics that were offered here."
While still fully immersed in the city, the students get aspects of normalcy in their lives as they all live together, take their classes together and travel together. However, the students that decide to spend their first year abroad are maturing and gaining independence earlier than their peers on campus.
"Everything about my life here is so different," Tabor said. "I buy all my own groceries, I take the metro, I ride a bike, I live in an apartment; I have so much independence, but with all of this I have to remember that I am still a freshman."
Now assimilated members of Danish society, when they first arrived to Denmark the students were just like other freshman arriving to campus on move-in day.
Hesitant, beyond their comfort zone and unfamiliar with who would become their peers for the next few years of their lives, the group of students that came to Copenhagen together have since grown individually and as a group.
Wake Forest is partnering with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) for their program to help arrange housing, classes and travel. Zoe Kilbourne is the DIS liaison connecting the students to life in Denmark and has worked with them throughout their semester.
"As with many students who first arrive in Copenhagen, there is a sense of hesitation to explore outside of the parameters of their classroom," Kilbourne said. "Now they are traveling on the weekends, interacting and discussing topics of Danish culture with fluidity and bringing the experiential learning and classroom experiences together."
As Global AWAKEnings is still in its first year, there is room to further grow in order to continue its established success.
For first year students, it takes coming to terms with missing out on a conventional freshman year and having a unique college experience.
"I see photos on social media of Wake Forest students going to football games, rolling the Quad, decorating their dorm or even the late-night snaps at the ZSR Library under a pile of classwork and I do feel like I am missing out on the foundational year of my Wake Forest experience," Tabor said.
Another key element to a conventional freshman year is meeting hundreds of new people from around the country and even the world. While still being introduced to new American and Danish students, the tight-knit group of freshman spend most of their time together. They live in the same dorm, take all of the same classes and even travel around Europe as a group. Some have even implied they plan to live together upon returning to campus.
Samantha Horowitz is another first-year in the program. Very vocal and active online about her experience, she embodies the spirit of "Deacs Abroad," as her Instagram feed is filled with pictures of the group in Copenhagen and around the continent. She also, however, recognizes that her experience is different than that of her peers back in Winston-Salem.
"In the beginning, it was hard working with the same students that I lived with; it always felt like there was an underlying competition amongst us," Horowitz said. "However, as the year progressed, I've learned to utilize the class structure to my advantage and collaborate with my fellow Demon Deacons on various assignments."
There are benefits and drawbacks to creating one's own freshman year. Some freshmen expressed fears about missing research opportunities and others about missing Wake 'n' Shake, Project Pumpkin or Hit the Bricks.
Similarly, the students and administrators recognize these shortcomings and have adapted the program accordingly.
David Taylor, the assistant dean for Global Study Abroad, was the administrator in charge of brainstorming and developing the Copenhagen freshman program. Though still in Winston-Salem, Taylor has been working with the students and faculty while abroad in Denmark. Prior to their departure, the first year students travelled to the Reynolda Campus for orientation to learn about Wake Forest traditions and how to be Demon Deacons.
"Further, on Dec. 3, the Global AWAKEnings students will watch the live stream of Lovefeast, partake of the Lovefeast meal and light their candles," Taylor said. "Similarly, a Wake 'n' Shake Copenhagen is being planned for March."
Regardless of the challenges involved with studying abroad as a first-year Wake Forest student, those that decided to do the program made their choices intentionally. Eventually they will return to campus to reintegrate with the Wake Forest community, but for now they still have another semester to continue to grow and explore Europe.
"My favorite part of studying here is seeing what I learn in the classroom come to life," Tabor said. "Being here has truly changed how I see the world — I know now that everything around me has some kind of meaning and I love constantly analyzing my surroundings because I no longer take them for granted."
Heather Hartel
harthf15@wfu.edu
Heather is the Online Managing Editor for the Old Gold & Black. She is an economics major with politics & international affairs and journalism minors and will talk anyone's ear off about the aforementioned topics for as long as they'll listen. She's currently in a phase of trying to understand and invest in Bitcoins, but in the meantime also loves hiking, riding her bike, eating burritos and traveling.
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December 10, 2020 Current Events / science fiction / Short Story / Writing
"Grandpa, can you tell me the story again? The one about how you saved the Island?"
Purple Gemstone
Rose is sitting on the windowsill of her bedroom, covered in a white and red blanket that has a furry inside coating. The blanket makes her feel as if she is sitting on a cloud as she looks out to the clear blue sky. The door suddenly opens and she eagerly turns to see who it is. A warm, friendly voice says:
"Hello ma wee darling, I brought you some hot chocolate."
It was Rose's grandfather, Harold. Her lips break into a huge smile and she responds, "Yay! Thank you, grandpa."
Her grandfather slowly makes his way towards her windowsill, placing the hot chocolate on the wooden table placed next to Rose's bed. He looks up from the tray and smiles proudly at her. She takes a second to study his face, which she has always looked at in amazement. His face is covered in two scars, one stretches over the corner of his lip and the other just below his left eye. He always told her it was from his days fighting off the pirates from the Island. The Island, or its real name Inchcailloch, is the place where her grandfather used to work. He would cut the grass, take care of the forest and plant flowers. It is about ten minutes from their cottage, which is in the middle of the countryside. Rose lives there with her parents, grandparents and her collie dog, Maggie. Rose reaches over for the cup of hot chocolate and asks her grandfather:
Rose is now twenty-three years old and lives in that cottage by herself. She sits on the same windowsill, where her grandfather used to read the pirate stories to her as she looks out to the distance, checking on her boat. Her grandfather used to take Rose to the Island most weekends. They would pack a bag of sandwiches, tea, snacks and embark on an adventure to the Island. When Rose was little it was the most exciting thing in her life. They would get onto his old fishing boat and sail off into the distance, leaving normality behind. Maggie would snuggle onto her lap and place her wet nose on top of her knee. On the windy days, Maggie would replace her furry blanket and keep her warm while they sailed over to the Island.
The Island was Rose and her grandfather's special place. He would take her on hikes through the bluebell fields and set up a fire in the middle of the woods. He would tell stories about how he and his friends used to camp overnight on the beach, scouting for pirates. Back then, the pirates would come to steal the salmon and hunt for gemstones. These pirates came from far up north, in the Scottish highlands, where there was little salmon. Everyone wanted to catch salmon as it would sell for the most money at local markets. The Island had some of the best salmon in the whole of Scotland, which was why Rose's grandfather was so determined to protect them.
The gemstones, however, held something even more powerful. They could unlock the magic of the forest and even summon the magical Scottish creature to shore, even though no one had ever seen it. It is said that these gemstones, once in your possession, meant you would be the protector of the Island and the leader of the forest creatures. Rose's grandfather was able to keep one, the blue one, which represented the loch. The other, the green one, which was the strongest, was stolen from the Island by an evil pirate, Jim. Rose's grandfather used to tell her stories about the night Jim fought him and his friends and scared off the forest creatures. There used to be fairies, kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits) and wildcats that roamed freely on the Island until that night. Ever since, no one has been able to find them.
When Rose was little she would run around the forest, speaking softly to the trees to, "Wake up" but they never did. Now Rose is older she has the same love for the Island as her grandfather. That's why every night before bed she places the blue gemstone in a marble bowl of salt water from the loch and puts it under the moonlight to charge. She believes the mermaids in the loch can feel its power and one day, they might come out again.
Rose places the gemstone in the marble bowl and gets ready for bed. Maggie, who is now older but still as cuddly as ever, is lying at the end of her bed sleeping. While Rose is brushing her teeth, she sees lighting reflected in the mirror. She swiftly turns around and sees it's coming from outside. Maggie lets out a loud yelp and she runs to the window. She can normally see her boat, which she inherited from her grandfather, in the distance and the outline of the Island behind, but tonight she can't. The Island is covered in a grey mist and the boat is frantically rocking up and down. At this moment, she remembered the story from her grandfather. He told her the night the pirates came that they left a curse on the forest by tainting the green gemstone with dark magic. That is why the forest creatures could no longer roam freely. Rose knew that this grey mist meant the pirates were back and as her grandfather was too old to fight them, she was the only one to stop them and protect the Island.
Her grandfather's face froze, "Are you sure? Did you see them?"
A few years ago, her grandfather became very ill and he was moved to an elderly care home in Glasgow, the nearest city. This was when Rose inherited the cottage, as she was the only one left to take it over. Her parents had moved to Glasgow when her grandfather got ill, so it was up to her to take on the responsibility of caring for the Island. As she looked out the window at the boat rocking furiously up and down, she knew there was no way she was making it over to the Island tonight. She had to sit tight and wait until sunrise before she could set sail.
Rose rested against the windowsill with Maggie at her feet, drifting in and out of light sleep before the sunlight rose from behind the Island, marking a new day. The familiar warm glow of the sun was struggling to fight through the grey mist which had now completely covered the Island. She quickly put a big bottle of water in her bag and ran out the house and down to the fishing dock. Maggie's paws were trailing behind her and as she approached the boat, she could see water floating on the deck floor. She quickly mopped it up with a towel and called on Maggie to jump onto the boat. She took a big breath and thought of her grandfather as she whispered, "I am strong enough for this."
Rose decided to take the quick way round to the beach; normally they would attach the boat to a dock on the hill side of the Island so they could hike to the beach. Instead, Rose decided to sail all the way round to the beach to get a closer look. As she got closer, she found a small tree perched over the water that would disguise them on the boat and allow her to have a panoramic view of the beach. Suddenly, the grey mist cleared as a strong wind came from behind and there, standing on the pier, was a group of two-hundred highlander pirates. Their boats were filled with hundreds of fishing cages, ready to capture the beautiful salmon having their daily swim in the loch, unaware of what was coming their way.
They were all dressed in their clan tartan, square patterns of different blue tones, covering every inch of their clothing. Their faces were covered in dirt and whiskey bottles were scattered across the sand. In the distance, standing next to a tree, was a woman. Her tartan skirt drenched in moss from the rotting boats they came in. Her hair was shiny, waxed in grease and a cigarette was hanging from her mouth. Rose looked at the scene in shock. She couldn't believe that they were on her Island. Rose caught a glimpse of an engraving on one of the boats that read, "Ramsay." She recognised the name but she couldn't remember why. Then, she suddenly remembered her grandfather's story about fighting off the pirates, he told her that Jim's boat had the same engraving "Ramsay" on the right side. This was Jim's granddaughter.
In this moment, Maggie started whimpering in panic and Rose knew she had to get back to land to figure out what to do. She reversed the boat around and sailed back in the direction of the cottage. The morning light was bouncing off the water and as she got back to the dock, she stopped to look down at the water. Under the surface she could see three salmon swimming parallel to each other and all she could think about was saving them from the pirates. As she was looking into the water, the reflection of her ginger hair cut across the blue reflection of the water like paint strokes on a canvas, and she thought to herself, "I am going to save you, my wee friends. Just hold tight."
Rose hopped out of the boat and ran up the path to her car. Rose got in the driver's seat and Maggie jumped in the back. Rose drove all the way to Glasgow to see her grandfather. During the whole journey all she could think about was the woman's waxy hair melting under the sun and her cigarette turning the white sand black with its ash. Rose got to the elderly home, where her grandfather was, and made her way to his room. She walked in and saw him sitting on his chair, looking out the window at the trees. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and said, "Hello, grandpa."
He turned to look at her face, which was usually pale but all of a sudden red and agitated. He responded concerned, "Is everything ok, darling?"
Rose looked up from her shoes and sighed, "They're back grandpa, the pirates. All the salmon are going to die and I don't know what to do. I need your help."
Rose started crying and stuttered, "I saw them grandpa, and I saw the same boat. It's Jim's granddaughter!"
Her grandfather looked back out to the window and turned towards his bedside cabinet. He pointed at the drawer and frantically said, "Rose, could ye pass me the box inside the first drawer?"
Rose quickly walked over and got out the box. She placed it on his lap and asked, "What's this grandpa?"
Her grandfather pressed the button and the lid flipped open. Inside was a small bag with a pink ribbon tied around it. He said caringly, "I was saving this until you needed it. It's a blue gemstone that I got made into a necklace. Take this and go to Miguel, he lives in the cave on the Island. I know this doesn't make sense, but trust me, he will explain everything."
Rose looked confused as she reached for the necklace. She responded hesitantly, "But…grandpa, how will this help?"
Her grandfather raised his hand to her cheek and softly caressed her skin as he spoke softly, "Ma wee adventurer… You've always been so curious. Trust yer'ol grandpa, and go to Miguel. If anyone can save the Island, it's you ma wee pet."
Rose smiled and brushed the tears off her cheek as she clipped the necklace around her neck. She said, "Okay, grandpa. I'll talk to Miguel and I promise, I'll do everything I can to save the Island."
Her grandfather smiled and said, "I know ye will."
Rose ran to her car where Maggie's face was patiently awaiting her return. She gave Maggie a kiss on the forehead and said, "Let's go fight some pirates, Maggie."
"He wanted to wait until you were ready. Now come back to the cave, I have a lot to show you."
Rose was back on the boat with Maggie faithfully by her side and about to set sail again. She was grasping the gemstone in her hand as she started the engine and took off. As they got to the dock, she walked around to the right. She had only ever carried straight on, over the hill, to the beach and the forest. But this time, she was going towards the caves. Her grandfather always told her it was too dangerous and she could only go when she was older. Now, here she was, older and ready to face the danger.
She arrived at a small beach covered in stones and a small cave elevated above, to the left. She made her way inside and called out, "Miguel!" but no one responded. The place was littered in cobwebs and old bones hanging off crooked pieces of rock. Maggie was even cautious, only walking closely behind Rose instead of boldly leading the way. Then, in the distance she could see a flame burning and a fire roaring. She approached slowly and sitting across from the fire was a man, dressed in black with a fur coat. He put his cup of tea down and greeted them, "You must be Rose."
The man patted Maggie on the forehead and she licked his hand as a sign of trust. He directed Rose to a wooden seat and offered her some tea. Rose spoke abruptly, "Are you Miguel? My grandpa said you'd know what to do…I need to stop the pirates!"
The man looked at the fire and back to Rose, "Yes, I'm Miguel. I knew you'd come one day and your grandfather was right to send you here. Follow me…"
Rose looked hesitant, and then murmured the words, "I am strong enough for this" to herself again and responded with confidence, "Alright, let's go."
Miguel lead them both out of the cave to the stone beach again. There was no water and no fish. Miguel raised his hands over his mouth and whistled a soft tune to the melody of the winds. It sounded like he was soothing nature to sleep, just like a baby. As he whistled, the trees rumbled and suddenly Rose's feet felt wet. She looked down and the stones disintegrated to clear blue water, running along a stream. The stones became water and a beach appeared. The trees rumbled louder and then, suddenly, a kelpie was in front of her with a tiny pink fairy floating over its head. The kelpie, that looked like an angelic horse, trotted closer to Rose and whispered, "We've been waiting for you."
Rose couldn't believe it. All the stories were true and finally she was able to meet the forest creatures her grandfather had told her all the stories about. She raised her hand slowly towards the kelpie's fur, which was black with strokes of white. As she touched him, he said quietly, "We're so glad you came. We miss your grandfather, Harold." Rose pulled her hand back to her side and looked up at the kelpie's eyes and smiled. She turned towards Miguel and asked,
"My grandpa knew about this? Why didn't he take me here?"
Miguel responded, "He wanted to wait until you were ready. Now come back to the cave, I have a lot to show you."
The three of them made their way back to the cave and sat down by the fire. Miguel handed Rose a small bag with a pink ribbon, just like the one her grandfather gave her. She opened it and inside was a purple gemstone.
Miguel explained, "This gemstone is for you. If you combine it with the blue one on your necklace, it will summon the rest of the forest creatures. Once they see the purple light, they will come and help you."
Rose took the gemstone and asked confused, "But how? How will they see the light?"
Miguel smirked and said confidently, "Only the forest creatures can see the purple light. It's a secret between you and them."
Miguel rummaged in his box and handed Rose another thing. It was a piece of paper with a word written on it, he gave it to her and said, "This will summon another creature that will help you, Rose. I saved this creature when I was younger from the waters of Galicia, my homeland. I brought the egg back to Scotland, to this Island, and raised it all by myself. Until your grandfather came, and then every week he came here to help me look after it and in return I would teach him Spanish. You see, this creature only understands Spanish which is why she doesn't come out for everyone. Only those who can speak her language."
Rose smiled as she thought of her grandfather. On their trips to the Island, apart from the necessities, he would bring a Spanish poetry book with him titled, Soledades, galerías y otros poemas (1903 y 1907) by Antonio Machado. He would read her verses of the poetry as they sat by the beach and watched the sunset. Rose had one favourite line from the poem Soledades which read: "Yo iba haciendo mi camino, absorto en el solitario crepúsculo campesino." That line resonated with her every time she looked out her windowsill from the cottage, as the colours faded from orange and red, to deep purple and blue at sunset. She knew at this moment her grandfather wanted to prepare her, to be able to summon the other creature and save the Island from the pirates.
Rose put the piece of paper in her pocket and asked Miguel, "What is this other creature? and what will I call her?"
Miguel smiled and responded, "Some people call her a monster, others call her a beauty, it doesn't matter what she is. All that matters is she'll help you. Her name is, La Joya."
Rose called on Maggie and said gratefully, "Muchas Gracias, Miguel."
Maggie started wagging her tail and Rose threw her bag over her shoulder, as she climbed on top of the kelpie and rode off over the hill. The little pink fairy was hovering over Maggie, as the four of them headed towards the beach to face the pirates. Rose grabbed the gemstones and spoke to herself once more, "I am strong enough for this." At that moment, the leaves rose from the ground and the wind got louder. The forest was suddenly alive and behind her she could see hundreds of kelpies, wildcats and fairies coming behind her. She thought back to her younger self, when she would speak to the trees, and felt comforted by their presence as they formed a line behind her. She knew that, with their support, she would save the Island and protect the salmon.
Rose charged towards the beach, grasping the gemstones and the forest creatures started running towards the pirates. Jim's granddaughter exclaimed, "Whit the hell! Ye cannae stop us!"
Rose shouted back, "Aye we can!"
Rose looked down at her gemstones and pulled the note from her pocket as the kelpies mounted the pirates and pushed them to the ground. The fairies were sprinkling sand in their eyes, to blind them from fighting. The wildcats were ripping the cages apart, blowing fireballs into the metal to let the salmon back into the sea. Rose held the note and whispered the word, "Ayúdeme, La Joya" and closed her eyes in hope. Her necklace began to light up and a purple light beamed towards the water. Suddenly, the waves of the loch grew bigger and bigger. In the distance, a hump peeked out from the water and the waves began to rock aggressively. The hump was followed by an elongated neck reaching up, high into the sky. The hump got closer and then a green face appeared from out of the water, its eyes looked over to Rose and twinkled at her, a small sign that she had understood. Then with its huge tail, it swept the beach and flushed the pirates far out to sea, leaving only the forest creatures and Rose. All Rose could hear was a faint shout in the distance from Jim's granddaughter, "Ye'll pay fur this!" as her head nodded off in the distance, between the waves.
Rose ran to the water, but before she could say anything, la Joya disappeared under the water and back to the depths of the loch. So many people had tried to catch a glimpse at la Joya before and many believed her real name was the Loch Ness Monster, but Rose knew she was anything but a monster. She was the real guardian of the Island. She realised, as the hump sunk beneath the water that she wasn't going to get any closer, but she didn't need to. La Joya came when she needed her and now she got the beach back. Rose walked towards the water and Maggie came running behind her, cuddling into her arm. Rose looked down at the shallow water and could see one Salmon, which swam off when Maggie moved her paw. Rose whispered, "Go swim, little friend."
As Rose stood back up, she let out a deep sigh of relief. Behind her was the same kelpie that she met at the cave, and the little pink fairy perched on its nose. The fairy flew closer to Rose, circling her head, looking at her up and down. Then, she covered Rose in a glitter dust which transformed her clothes into a purple tartan dress, which fell just before her knees. The fairy returned to the kelpie's nose and said, "Now, you are our new leader. Welcome home." Rose held the gemstone necklace close to heart and squeezed them together. She spoke softly,
By Sarah Yule.
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Produced by: Eugenio Zorrilla
www.joyfun.blog
This is fiction.
Calm Challenge | Day 2
Portrait of Lady Speyer 1907-John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)


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Q: Should my header file be called from the 'store' folder in Nuxt instead of the 'components' folder? I'm testing out the Vuex store implementation in Nuxt and wondered whether the Store folder is now the best way of sharing components and modules, rather than with the Components folder?
For example, I currently call the header from default.vue in the Layouts folder with this code referencing the Components folder:
<template>

    <nuxt />

</template>

But, as far as I understand, if header.vue is in the Store folder then it can simply be called with the filename, like this below with no need to import or export it. Have I understood that correctly?
<template>

    <appheader></appheader>
    <nuxt />
    <appfooter></appheader>

</template>

A: No, the store folder should not contains components. Put your components only in components folder.
The store folder is only for modularizing Vuex.
If you don't want to write your import statement in each components, you can use nuxt-global-base-components. But I'm not convinced this is a good practice...
Also, be careful with your components name. Header and Footer are html reserved words. Name them AppHeader and AppFooter instead.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


You must see this fabulous home! Incredible attention to detail and the high level of quality construction is evident when touring the house! The timber frame ceiling in the great room is unbelievable and a VERY expensive feature! The rest of the woodwork throughout the house is just as impressive! The massive gourmet kitchen has everything you would want with high end appliances to the large island for baking or to set up a buffet for entertaining. The master suite is both elegant and well designed. The huge master closet has ample shelving as well as hanging space. There is a full mother in law apartment downstairs and you will find equal quality there as well. The home has many energy efficient features. The insulation is 5 times great than the code requirement and the furnaces are high efficiency units. The property is approved for 2 horses but is not currently set up with a corral or barn. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Call today for an appointment!
I would like more information regarding the property at 1018 N 1700 W, Lehi UT 84043 - (MLS #1584740).


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other subredditsphil_e_delfian
What's up with Belmont?
phil_e_delfian |1 pointwritten 2 days ago ago
I don't see a lot of markings on that map, but 420 shows up often. What do you do on that trail?
Editors who work in news trying to translation to Editors who work in TV/Film
phil_e_delfian |2 pointswritten 2 days ago ago
Good call. Don't be fake and use people (too common in the industry), but good relationships are incredibly important.
Word to the wise: Always buy your News Director and EP booze for Christmas. Another word to the wise, pick and choose wisely. If you're going to go over a producer, deliver each and every time. You do something like that, you need to deliver.
If you have the opportunity to cut specials and show, take every one. Any chance to spread out and work on a different style should be taken. That's exactly how I wound up in the Post world. Got the choice assignment of editing (and shooting) a half-hour special from the Middle East, as well as daily reports that were fed or flown back. Usually the process for these things was that New would edit, but those pieces were then sent up to Post for graphics and polishing. What I'd sent needed graphics, but other than that, they didn't have to do anything. Must have made an impression, because, when one of their editors was leaving, the Creative Services Director and Senior Editor ask if news would loan me to them until a replacement was found. After 6 weeks, and interviewing a couple of the best editors in town, they decided to stick with me. Other than freelancing shooting sports, I haven't worked news since.
It's almost impossible to find online, but Walter Murch's In the Blink of an Eye is highly recommended, though some here will disagree.
phil_e_delfian |13 pointswritten 2 days ago ago
Don't worry so much about the technical shit like curves and RAW. Yes, that's important, but is the least of the differences.
There's a different visual narrative style between news and film and post. In news, the copy is king, and it drives the editng. End of the sentence? Next shot. Tight deadline? Let it roll. Got some nice shots you'd like to let breathe? The producer only gave the piece a minute, and the reporter has written wall to wall words and won't cut anything.
In film, the shots drive (or should, at least) drive the pace. Every image has a beginning, middle and end, and you need to know where they are in context with the surrounding shots. There are concepts like leading the viewer's eye around the screen, eyelines, and negative space.
Before spending a minute on learning S-log3 or r3d, learn the style. It will get you a lot further.
As a news editor, you're not going to get a lot of chance to do that. The newsroom has changed a lot since I left a couple decades ago, and not for the better. I was lucky, being a shooter and editor. I'd go out and find feature or soft-news stories, and get a producer to sign on to running them. Get rid of the reporter (unless it's a very good reporter) and you free up your storytelling options.
For an editor, I'd suggest finding a photographer who wants to get more out of what they're doing, but can't edit, and team up with them. Same with the reporters who actually get it and want to create involving content. Try to work with them.
Learn to lie. Most local newscasts are crammed with garbage filler. Odds are, if a producer has slotted a piece for only a minute, it's to make room for two shitty TickTock videos off the feed. I shot a wonderful piece once, and tried to beg the producer up to 2:30. Her generosity was touching, and, instead of 1:10, she gave me 1:20. A bit pissed, I cut the piece the way I wanted. It was 3:10ish. The reporter loved it. Being back in the day of the SNG truck, before feeding it back, I called the News Director and made sure he and the EP were there with her to watch the feed. At the end of the feed, she angrily yelled, "I need it to be 1:20!" Behind her, I heard the ND shout, "Don't cut a fucking frame!" Make a piece good enough, and people will give you some latitude, but you have to be willing to fight for your stuff.
Route across Tacony-Palmyra and beyond (Bikepacking Planning)
Since you're open to to taking alternative transportation (the ferry and CBBT), have you considered taking the River line to Camden? Should take an hour off your trip.
Shall we begin, by telephone call, to threaten a boycott of Comcast until they remove FoxNews from their lineup?
How about just ignoring all the shitty 24 hour cable infotainment networks? They're all worthless.
From Langhorne, I'd just go up to Morrisville and cross over there, take the D&R down to Bordentown, then some of the back roads from there.
I don't know when you're planning on going, but due to COVID, the Cape May-Lewes ferry has suspended bicycle operations until at least the end of January, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel has suspended their bike shuttle as well. I'm guessing not much is going to change through the spring.
Using Hinge in Philly Starter Pack, based on my recent experiences
hahaha the magic gardens is on point
The number of vapid "influencers" and selfie collectors only interested in using the Magic Gardens as a backdrop for their images, without making an attempt to truly appreciate or understand the place is astounding.
There's an incredible story in the Magic Gardens, if one takes the time to see it. Even if you don't want to delve deeply, they layers of complexity and detail are amazing.
I've actually had the experience of chatting with Zagar there on a couple occasions when people have come to to take their pics for social media, and ask, while leaving, *"I wonder who made that," never realizing they were standing a few yards from the man himself.
Broad and 15th Street bridges, early 1900s.
Most of it has been torn up. The City Branch (or Callowhill Cut) is the last remaining vestage.
Nah, that would have been considerably latter.
The tracks below are for the Reading Railroad's freight yard. The two, low, pointy buildings beyond Broad (upper right quadrant) were part of the old Reading freight terminal, latter replaced by Reading's Terminal Commerce Building (the cool art deco building att 401 N. Broad) around 1930.
The buildings to the immediate left are part of the old Baldwin Locomotive works, which occupied most of the area between Callowhill andSpring Garden, from Broad to 18th.
Done that. Wouldn't recommend it.
Crossing the bridge isn't the problem (the signs say to walk your bike, but I've never seen it enforced). There's a decent shoulder most of the way, but it disappears in places, and those places are really narrow. Crossing the off/on ramps for River Road and 130 are brutal.
Is there any particular reason you chose the Tacony-Palmyra? The walkway across the Ben Franklin would be my preferred route, and there are a couple decent ways to Cherry Hill from there.
Quiet mountain/hill climbs?
phil_e_delfian |1 pointwritten 10 days ago ago
Gold Mine Road from Tower City to Swarta State Park offers some fine climbs. Extend the route up to Shamokin via 125/Vista Road, and you get almost 5,000 feet of climbing in around 30 miles. The roads are mostly okay, and not much in the way of traffic, when I've been there.
Why Cloud backup for post production facility ?
phil_e_delfian |2 pointswritten 13 days ago ago
So when you have a Nexus with 60TB of projects, and a dedicated 40TB backup server, and they close your building for COVID for 9 months, and you can't get to anything, and clients keeps asking for shit....
We were in the early stages of moving to cloud backup when this all went down. Management would be so much happier right now if we'd started the process a year earlier.
(Serious) Redditors who witnessed a murder, what is your story?
For sure, but it was a different time. These days, news operations are generally underfunded, short-staffed, and put a premium on getting the most content out of the least time and effort. It was never easy telling good stories and getting good images, but these days management just doesn't care. I've been out of the business for 25 years now, and probably stuck around too long at that.
Homicide, yes. Murder, no.
I was a news photographer in a medium-sized city out on the Great Plains. Headed to a story out on the fringe of town, and heard the police put out a call for an assist....basically "everyone in the area, get your ass there now". It wasn't too far away, so me and my reporter friend mosey'd over there. These things usually don't turn out to be much.
Rolling up, there were 8 or 9 cops, all armed, in a (mostly) dry creek bed, surrounding a guy with what appeared to be a pen knife (or some other small knife) in his hand. This was adjacent the parking lot of a couple big box stores, and a small crowd had formed. I grabbed my camera and tripod, and got to work.
After a couple minutes, they sent a few uniformed officers to push the crowd back and shoo us off. I moved a couple dozen yards up along the bank of the creek and resumed taping. A couple minutes more, and a couple more cops came to move us again. We ran way up to a bridge probably 100 yards away (long lenses and tripods are your friends, kids) and set up. After rolling for about 10 seconds, yet another cop comes up, pushes my camera aside, saying I'll be arrested if I don't....BOOM. Shotgun goes off. The camera settles back in place just as the suspect falls, dead on the scene.
There was maybe a second and a half of the whole shooting not clearly visible on camera. While I was looking directly at the scene, the cop provided a substantial distraction, and I honestly can't say exactly what happened, but it appeared the scared dude with the little knife never moved on the police in a threatening manner.
Over the next couple days beyond the regular requests for the unedited footage (all handled by the station attorney), there were a couple backdoor requests from a couple cops I had good relationships with, if there was any other unaired footage of the incident. There was not. Turns out, many of the civilians who witnessed this (white cop/white victim/white witnesses, BTW) never saw what the officer who fired the shot described as, "the suspect raising the weapon in a throwing motion." A couple of the other officers on the scene didn't see it, either. Others said they did, or may a seen a motion that could be taken as such, though.
Turns out, though, a lot of cops (the ones who contacted me directly, for sure) thought this was a trigger-happy officer, bent on street justice. This was his 4th fatal shooting in the line of duty, which is pretty damn rare.
Was it murder? I can't say. Was it suspicious as fuck? Oh, yeah.
Note: I'm being purposely vague about some of this. It was a long time ago. I don't have all the facts. I haven't been a journalist in a long time, but casting suspicion on someone without real evidence is still something I'm very hesitant to do.
Client isn't paying more for project going past original agreed upon deadline
There's not a clear-cut answer to this.
At what point did you go to the producer and raise the issue of the director's interference? If you did so early on, and the didn't do anything, then the blame is squarely on the producer. If you let the situation drag on for a while, and the producer had to raise the issue of the deadline, the blame may be yours.
Any time you encounter a situation that may effect your ability to complete a project on time and budget, it's your responsibility to raise the red flag and alert the producer. If you don't tell them about the problem, they can't do anything about it....and it sounds like once they knew about the problem, they handled it right off.
It's always better to deal with problems as they arise, rather than let them pile up.
Unfortunately, around here, you're not going to get exactly what you're looking for. You can put together a couple nice, sustained climbs around Blue Mountain, up in the Lehigh Valley. A bit beyond your two hour range, there are some good climbs out around the Tower City area, though last time a was out there the roads were a bit sketchy for high-speed descents.
A lot of the areas others have already mentioned offer some good options, as well.
Men of reddit. Whats the strangest boner youve ever had?
I once had a pastrami sandwich that was so good my dick got hard.
Paved, or unpaved?
Visiting Mt. Laurel Cemetery
Laurel Hill has a lot on Ridge, right across from the gate house.
Police search for gunman who opened fire at Pat's Steaks in South Philadelphia
phil_e_delfian |55 pointswritten 15 days ago ago
You haven't shot up a cheesesteak joint until you shot up Dalessandro's.
If you're using old reddit/the desktop site, there's a pulldown at the top for Local Biking Sites. I know SCU keeps their ride list up to date, and am pretty sure BCP does, too.
Who Remembers the Original Zipperhead?
"Are we having fun yet?"
I don't mind Dick Blick. There's no shame in being a Dick Blicker.


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Q: ERROR: child process failed, exited with error number 51 MongoDB Getting this error while restarting MongoDB , I am using Mongo 3.2.4 and  doing this set up on a new machine
Starting mongod... about to fork child process, waiting until server is ready for connections.
forked process: 19438
ERROR: child process failed, exited with error number 51
 mongod(_ZN5mongo19MmapV1ExtentManager4initEPNS_16OperationContextE+0x4A8) [0x1040278]
 mongod(_ZN5mongo26MMAPV1DatabaseCatalogEntryC1EPNS_16OperationContextENS_10StringDataES3_bb+0x187) [0x1036dc7]
 mongod(_ZN5mongo12MMAPV1Engine23getDatabaseCatalogEntryEPNS_16OperationContextENS_10StringDataE+0x14E) [0x103a1de]
 mongod(_ZN5mongo14DatabaseHolder6openDbEPNS_16OperationContextENS_10StringDataEPb+0x133) [0xac92a3]

-----  END BACKTRACE  -----

A: For me this error occured due to incorrect ownership of some files in my data directory. I fixed this using the following command:
sudo chown -R mongodb: /path/to/db/directory

Where mongodb was the database user in my case.

A: This is resolved by inserting the following lines into /etc/security/limits.conf:
mongodb      soft    nofile          65535
mongodb      hard    nofile          90000
mongodb      soft    nproc           65535
mongodb      hard    nproc           90000

We need to add the user account used to run the Mongo service. Generally, it is the mongodb user.

A: In my case the problem was that I haven't created the appropriate folders specified in the config files.


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NewsBusinessBusiness News
Goldman Sachs, Nike, Starbucks among 36 companies that pledge to use 100% renewable energy
The companies are among 36 businesses that have made the pledge to reduce C02 emissions
Hazel Sheffield
Tuesday 22 September 2015 17:42
Starbucks is among 36 businesses that have made the pledge to reduce C02 emissions as part of RE100
Goldman Sachs, Nike and Starbucks are among the Fortune 500 companies that have pledged to source 100 per cent of their electricity from renewable energy.
The companies are among 36 businesses that have made the pledge to reduce C02 emissions as part of RE100, a campaign by environment non-profit The Climate Group.
Those making the pledge may not be doing so entirely through altruism. Research has shown that businesses with a low carbon footprint see higher returns.
How green is Holland? From carbon emissions to climate change
Climate change sceptic backs calls to fast-track green technology
The cities that will be submerged under water if we burn fossil fuels
Mark Kenber, CEO of The Climate Group, said that those companies with the most ambitious carbon reduction programs can see returns of up to 27 per cent on their investments. "Lowering risk, protecting against price rises, saving millions and boosting brand is what shaping a low carbon economy is all about," Kenber said.
A swathe of the world's most powerful companies are the latest to pledge to use 100 per cent renewable energy, spanning the worlds of finance and fashion.
Goldman Sachs is on the list, after it pledged to cut emissions as part of the American Business Act on Climate pledge.
Procter and Gamble and Johnson and Johnson have also signed up, while Nike, Walmart and Starbucks represent the campaign on the high street.
RE100 was launched one year ago during a week of events to promote climate change in New York. At the time, IKEA, BT, H&M, Nestle and Mars were among the 12 corporate partners that made the pledge in time for the launch.
It has since grown to include a Chinese green developer, Elion Resources Group, and an Indian IT company, Infosys.
The Climate Group are pushing the campaign ahead of the United Nations Climate accord in Paris in December, where participating nations will come together to try and strike an agreement on reducing global carbon emissions.
1/1Goldman Sachs, Nike, Starbucks pledge to use 100% renewable energy
Goldman Sachs, Nike, Starbucks pledge to use 100% renewable energy


The Almond Board of California is partnering with Julie Resnick – founder of the media company Feedfeed and the popular @thefeedfeed Instagram community – to share new ways to use almond milk in a variety of versatile recipes through photos and videos on Instagram. To participate, follow @thefeedfeed and @CaliforniaAlmonds, and share your almond milk recipe by tagging @thefeedfeed and @CaliforniaAlmonds with the hashtag #almondmilkallways. Almond milk is used most often with smoothies, coffee and cereal, though it's versatility means it can be added to almost any recipe like sauces and soups, and puddings, frozen desserts and more. From savory to sweet foods and baked goods, almond milk provides guilt-free creamy texture and appealing flavor for almost any recipe. Julie will share a series of unique, custom almond milk recipes on Feedfeed's Instagram and website, encouraging the Feedfeed community to create and share their own almond milk recipes as well. One participant will be selected each month to receive a culinary-inspired prize and the chance to have their recipe featured on Feedfeed's Instagram channels.
Now, with one of the most highly engaged communities on Instagram, Feedfeed's global reach spans over two million followers across its eight channels, with 1.4 million followers on the main account, @thefeedfeed. Feedfeed also offers sub-channels focused on vegan, gluten-free and chocolate-based recipes, inspiration for baking and cocktail recipes, and a channel dedicated to recipe videos. Additionally, #feedfeed is one of the most widely used hashtags for home cooking on Instagram, having been tagged over 11 million times with nearly 20k posts submitted daily by people around the world.
Almond milk is a low-carbohydrate and low-sugar option, with unsweetened varieties offering as few as 30 calories and zero grams of sugar. With no saturated fat or cholesterol, almond milk is a fit for many diets and dietary restrictions and can be swapped for dairy in recipes for those seeking an alternative.
The Almond Board's partnership with Julie Resnick and @thefeedfeed follows a successful almond milk crowdsourced recipe campaign hosted by California almonds. To view the most popular, winning recipes with almond milk, along with other almond milk recipes for inspiration, visit http://www.almonds.com/consumers/almond-milk.


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Find Tickets, Tours, and Experiences
Anneliese O'Malley
The 60 Best Things to Do in Barcelona
By Anneliese O'Malley
Barcelona is a beautiful and busy city, with over 20 million visitors exploring its colorful streets every year. What are they all doing there? What's there to see or do? We've put together a list of 60 things to see and do in Barcelona, so take a look and see if…
The 52 Best Things to Do in Las Vegas: Casinos, Shows, Family-Friendly Activities and More
Everyone knows that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but do you know what else there is to do in Sin City apart from eat, drink, and gamble? We've put together a list of 52 fun things to do in Vegas, including plenty of family-friendly tips, to inspire you before…
The 68 Best Things to Do in Amsterdam: Anne Frank, Van Gogh, and the Red Light District
Amsterdam is one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe, packed full of museums, cool attractions, and fun things to do. If you're planning a trip and don't know where to start then don't worry! We've gathered together everything we can think of that you can…
The 62 Best Things to Do in San Francisco: Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Other Highlights
Are you heading to San Francisco for the first time and have no idea what to see or do there? Or have you already seen all of the most popular attractions and want tips on what else there is to do? We've got a bucket list of 62 awesome things to do in the City by the Bay…
5 Places to Visit to Celebrate Independence Day
Happy 4th of July from TicketLens & Ulmon! Today's a day for celebration with family, barbeques, and fireworks, but it's also a chance to remember the journey to US independence and the sacrifices made along the way. We've put together a list of must-see places…
Which Rome City Pass is Best for You?
So you've booked the flights, you've sorted the hotel, and now you're down to the fun part of holiday planning: deciding what you're going to do in Rome! There are hundreds of museums, archaeological sites, and attractions to choose between and you probably have…
TicketLens Reviews
A Complete Guide to London's Harry Potter Studio Tour
We wanted to know whether the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter was really worth the hype and the expensive ticket, so we sent Anneliese, a member of our content team, to find out for herself! Read her review before you visit to get all the insider…
Travel with TicketLens
TicketLens meets Product Hunt
The Ulmon offices have been busy in the last few months working on TicketLens, our newest project! We've been adding new destinations, extra content, and (behind the scenes) our developers have been making lots of changes to make sure both the TicketLens website and…
Nicholas goes to Dubai
The great thing about being part of the Ulmon team is working with people who've turned traveling into an art form, and who always have great tips about where to go and what to do there. We've been working hard on bringing you some great new destinations in TicketLens…
Research & AnalysisTicketLens ReviewsTravel TipsTravel with TicketLens
CityMaps2Go Offline Maps App Review
By Tymon Wiedemair
CityMaps2Go App: Frequently Asked Questions
The Most Expensive European Capital Cities for New Year's Eve
By TicketLens Research
Find the best tickets, tours, and activities and compare prices from different websites.
Dubai | Milan | Istanbul | Athens | Tokyo | Vienna | Krakow | Prague
Burj Khalifa | Eiffel Tower | Milan Cathedral | Leaning Tower of Pisa | Knossos | Colosseum | Budapest Great Synagogue | Doge's Palace
© 2019-2021 TicketLens GmbH. All rights reserved. Made with ♥ in Vienna.


Dura Ace 51t doodle chainring, Dura Ace, 20t surly, Kmc chain.
China carbon 40 wide compact drop or 680wide flatbar, Thomson elite x2 110mm.
Bontrager post, Carbon saddle or Regal.
alexrims 18, some shimano hub. Pasela 28 in summer. 42mm winter marathon in winter.
Novatec Fix/Free, some v rim good for bashing..Pasela 28 in summer. 42mm winter marathon in winter.
Added almost 2 years ago by ImmeinenTepi. Last updated over 1 year ago.
What size is this btw?
I have to ask you, do your d.a. crank bolts tighten all the way like other non-self-extractor square tapered b.b., or does it sort of begin to feel like it is ruining the threads? To test, just take the eight mm and see if they are slightly loose after a ride. Perhaps I am just not used to self-extractors, perhaps it tightens but then the bolt will always have a little play. How do yours feel?
I got them in fine. No any play. Tightened them pretty well in first assembly and after few sprints tightened them with normal 8mm. Don't know the moment but they work.
If you leave some play in there you could damage the teeth or the of the octalink or the cranks.
Good for bashing...I love it!


Maria's Stamping Station: Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog Banner Videos, NEW Thinlets Video, and August "Best of 25 Years" Stamp Set!!
Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog Banner Videos, NEW Thinlets Video, and August "Best of 25 Years" Stamp Set!!
OMG! I can tell you honestly that I've never really been a "banner" person, but when I saw these banners at Convention, I changed my mind! The Halloween Banner is AMAZING!! And the Christmas Banner is BEAUTIFUL!! The pictures in the Holiday Catalog really don't do these banners justice. The black glitter on the parts of the Halloween Accessories Kit are AWESOME and have a great shimmer!
Watch the 2 videos below to see how Stampin' Up assembled the Halloween Accessory Kit and the Christmas Accessory Kit. The Holiday Catalog starts today YIPPEE - see the front cover on my sidebar-and click on it to view the catalog! You can order any of the products you see by clicking HERE. Be sure to choose me as your Demonstrator when you order ONLINE to take advantage of my Frequent Shopper Rewards Program!
ALSO, available starting today are these great NEW thinlets dies!! Watch the video below to see how they work and how cool they are!
FINALLY, here is the "Best of 25 Years" August Stamp Set. I am soooo in a Halloween mood; this heat is killing me!


About a year after the refugee crisis started to shake the EU, one of the most vocally critical countries over the response is now in charge with a promise to reduce divisions on the issue.
Slovakia on Friday (1 July) took over the six-month presidency of the EU Council and migration, along with Brexit, will be the "predominant'" item on the agenda, its prime minister Robert Fico said.
The country "has its own clear ideas" on the matter but will act as an "honest broker" in discussions, Fico insisted while setting out what would be his balancing act.
"Migration can be a divisive subject," he noted. But Slovakia wants to "create enough space for discussion" and avoid "exacerbat[ing] differences between member states".
He said that his government would not drop its lawsuit at the European Court of Justice against the refugee relocation scheme that the European Commission designed last year.
But he praised several policies pushed by the commission, like the "back to Schengen" plan, the border and coast guard and the blue card for foreign workers.
At a joint-press conference in Bratislava, the commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said migration was "an issue that is a little more difficult in this country". But he said that both he and Fico agreed to "invest [their] best efforts" in narrowing the gap between their positions.
Four files will be on Slovakia's agenda: 1) EU border and coast guard, 2) the "smart borders" project, 3) the migrant return policy and 4) reform of the Dublin asylum system.
The last issue will be the thorniest for the Slovak presidency because it involves the refugee relocation scheme which it staunchly opposes.
The commission has proposed to make the sharing of asylum seekers between member states automatic and to impose a €250,000 "solidarity contribution" to member states that refuse to participate.
"It would be unfortunate and misleading to claim that this proposal has support from a majority of member states," Fico told journalists on Thursday.
At his press conference with Juncker, he added that member states needed "flexibility" and that they could "come up with their own ideas and initiatives".
For Slovakia, the EU presidency is an opportunity to make its case and reverse policies it had opposed.
"We have to change the narrative" on migration, Slovakia's foreign affairs minister Miroslav Lajcak said, adding that the EU has focused "too much on consequences" of the mass arrival of migrants and refugees.
"This is a complex issue that needs a complex political solution rather than an administrative one," he said, referring to the commission's plans.
The minister said that some EU countries were more multicultural than others and that Slovakia, along with other central European countries, was reluctant to receive migrants.
"We'll have to change," Lajcak noted. "But not overnight upon bureaucratic orders from Brussels."
Otherwise, he warned, "we'll end up with fascists in parliament not only in Slovakia but in all central Europe".
In elections in March, the far-right People's Party - Our Slovakia (LSNS) - got 8 percent of votes and entered the Slovak parliament with 14 MPs out of 150.
For Slovakia, the new migration "narrative" includes two plans and already existing policy with which it wants to push forward.
The first objective will be to make operational the border and coast guard, for which Fico said he has "great enthusiasm".
The plan was agreed by member states, the commission and the European Parliament in June, and the Slovak presidency will coordinate efforts to make staff and equipment available to the new agency that will be in charge of the new corps.
The second objective will be to progress on the smart border project and develop digital methods to better manage the EU's external borders and migrant identification, such as the use of face scans and fingerprinting.
"We need speedy implementation of what is agreed," Fico said. This also concerns the return of migrants, a policy that already exists but which Slovakia, in line with all member states, wants to develop.
Return of economic migrants or rejected asylum seekers will help "stabilise the situation on the Western Balkan route and the Central Mediterranean route," interior secretary of state Denisa Sakova said.
She said that returns to countries of transit and of origin would necessitate an "effective partnership" with these countries, through the so-called migration compact. The plan, which was agreed in principle by EU leaders this week, makes development aid conditional in exchange for efforts to control migration to Europe.
Interior ministers will discuss all these issues at an informal meeting in Bratislava on 7 July and are expected to come up with a roadmap for the next six months.
EU leaders at Tuesday's summit will call for a renewed push to use whatever leverage they can against African states to prevent irregular migration to Europe.
The Brexit vote show that Europeans take the benefits of the EU for granted, Andrej Kiska said. He also said that Slovakia has a duty to help refugees.


Christine Jeffs • Director • Fish.
Christine brings with her a wealth of knowledge when it comes to emotive and cinematic film making, long and short form. Her most notable work, directing eloquent and charming 'Sunshine Cleaning' staring Emily Blunt, Amy Adams and Alan Arkin, 'Sylvia' with Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig and Christine's first feature "Rain" was selected for "Directors Fortnight" at the Cannes International Film Festival. No NZ film has been selected in this prestigious category since. "Rain" was sold internationally and screened theatrically around the world, including a US domestic release. It was selected for many international film festivals including Sundance, Toronto, and was hailed by critics worldwide.


text:
1804 Journal Entry Archives August 18 - 20, 1804
Timeline & Map PDF 720 KB
August 18, 1804 - (Remained at Fish Camp)
"Proceeded to the trial of Reed, he confessed that he Deserted & stold a public Rifle Shot-pouch powder & ball and requested we would be as favourable with him as we Could consistantly with our oathes – which we were and only sentenced him to run the Gantlet four times through the Party & that each man with 9 Swichies Should punish him and for him not be be considered in future as one of the Party. after the Punihment of about 500 lashes, at night we had some talk with the Chiefs about the cause of War between them and the Mahars. posponed the further consultation untill tomorrow. had a Dance which lasted untile 11 oClock, the Close of Cap Lewis Birthday*. a fine evening. " Clark
Cap Lewis Birthday*- August 18 was Lewis's thirtieth birthday.
"a fine morning I prepd. a present from the Chiefs & Warriers, the main Cheif brack fast with us naked & beged for a sun glass* - at 10 o Clock we assembled the Cheifs & Warriers under an Orning and delivered a Speech ... those people were not well Satisfied with the Presents given them, they were much surprised at the air gun, and several curiosities which were Shown them none more than the magnet. Serjeant Floyd** is taken verry bad all at once* with a Biliose Chorlick we attempt to relieve him without success as yet, he gets worst and we are much allarmed at his Situation, all attention to him." Clark
sun glass* - Probably a "burning glass" that is, a lens for focusing the sun's rays to start a fire, and item the Indians would find both useful and intriguing. Lewis had purchased eight dozen of them for presents in Philadelphia in 1803.
Serjeant Floyd** - On July 31, Floyd had written in his journal, "I am verry sick and has ben for Somtime but have recovered my helth again." This suggests an infected appendix which now becomes acute and perforates.
"Sergeant Floyd much weaker and no better. Floyd died with a great deal of Composure, before his death he said to me, " I am going away*" I want you to write me a letter. We buried him on the top of the bluff **with Honors of War. much lamented; a Seeder post with the Name Sergt. C. Floyd died here 20th of August 1804 was fixed at the head of his grave - This Man at all times gave us proofs of his firmness and Deturmined resolution to doe Service to his Countrey and honor to himself after paying all the honor to our Decesed brother we camped in the mouth of floyds river about 30 yards wide, a butifull evening. - " Clark
going away* - The probability is that Floyd died of a ruptured appendix and consequent peritonitis. The ailment was not even recognized by medical science until twenty years after the expedition, and the first successful surgical treatment came in 1884. Probably no physician of the time could have done much more for Floyd than the captains did. A purgative like Rush's Pills, their usual remedy for digestive disorders, could only have hastened Floyd's death, but this is probably what Dr. Benjamin Rush himself would have prescribed if he had been present - along with bleeding, which would have accomplished nothing. The place of Floyd's death is near Sergeant Bluff on the Iowa side of the river, near the present town of Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, Iowa.
top of the bluff ** - Within present Sioux City, Iowa; later travelers often remarked on the site, and George Catlin painted it in 1832. By 1857 the Missouri had undercut the bluff and the grave was opened and some of the bones lost. Citizens of Sioux City moved the bones to a new burial site. In 1895 the bones were again examined, and a concrete slab and a one-hundred foot monument was erected in 1901. The Floyd River still bears his name.
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