On Thursday evening, the Governor released amendments to her budget. These amendments are an annual occurrence and are meant to be technical fixes to address inevitable drafting errors in a series of bills that are cumulatively thousands of pages of text. This year, they were far from just technical fixes. Among other things, the Governor proposed 15 pages of new changes that would, in many cases, fundamentally change CDPAP (spoiler alert – it’s always for the worse).
The bill would eliminate Designated Representatives, or DRs. DRs have been a part of CDPAP since the program was created in 1980. The DR acts as the consumer when the consumer themselves are unable to self-direct their own care. This change will mean that no child will be able to use CDPAP. Many with developmental disabilities who use CDPAP to complement their OPWDD self-direction budgets use a DR. Those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia rely on a DR. And thousands of others. This change would leave tens of thousands of people, if not over 100,000 people, suddenly ineligible for CDPAP, with no identifiable way for them to receive services in the current workforce crisis.
The bill will require state mandated training for PAs. A hallmark of CDPA has always been that the consumer – not an agency and not the state – is responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and terminating their own staff. This has worked for over 40 years. Governor Hochul would prevent a PA from being able to work until they have completed a state-mandated training course, removing one of the core pillars of consumer responsibility that is a founding principle of the program.
The bill will set maximum daily and weekly limits on the hours PAs can work. Some FIs allow overtime. Some do not. Some consumers want PAs to work overtime. Some consumers need PAs to work overtime. Some consumers do not. Governor Hochul wants to tell consumers and PAs how many hours the PA can work each day and each week, taking more control away from the consumer. They do not say what those hour limits would be.
The bill will limit the number of FIs that a plan or a county can have in their network. The state’s position has always been clear – contracting is a process between two private third parties that they do not get involved in. The Governor wants to limit the number of FIs that a plan and county can now have in their network, limiting consumer choice along with it. The number of FIs that will be allowed is not identified.
The bill prevents an agency from offering home care and CDPAP. Sometimes, consumers want to be able to mix CDPAP and home care services, filling some hours with a personal care aide through “traditional” services and the rest through CDPA. This can happen for many reasons. They might have one person they want as their PA, but cannot or do not want to hire others and want an agency to send people. They might have a particular service they are not comfortable training a PA on. Their PA(s) might not be available on a particular day. In these instances, being able to use one agency for both “traditional” personal care and CDPAP can make life much easier. The Governor’s bill would prevent an agency offering CDPAP from being a LHCSA in Medicaid.
The bill prevents insurance companies from being FIs or LHCSAs. Ok, I said mostly bad. This is actually a good idea – and one that we had codified years back and the Cuomo administration repealed with the RFO. The insurance companies are the payors. They should not also be allowed to be the payee. Imagine going to a job and getting to set your own wage! Worse, the insurance control the networks, and often (though they aren’t supposed to) direct consumers to particular FIs or LHCSAs. This is a clear conflict of interest and eliminating the practice is a good idea.
Clearly – the next few months are going to be a long road, and we are going to need you – and your networks. If you are not a member of CDANY, please consider joining for just $22.50 a year. The more members we have – the stronger we are. Plus, we’ll send you a cool CDANY sticker!! If you’re already an individual member, thank you.
If you got this email forwarded from someone you know, please sign up to get updates. And, maybe consider joining too.
Take action today to tell your legislators and Governor Hochul that PAs aren’t second class home care workers and they cannot undo all the progress we’ve made on wages and cut wages and benefits to levels we haven’t seen in over half a decade.
Then, be ready. You’re going to get a lot of emails over the next 45 days or so. We will have more campaigns asking you to email your legislators and the Governor on these other critical issues. We’ll be announcing events – in Albany and around the state. We’ll be giving you updates on how things are going here in Albany. We will give you all the tools to be the best advocate you can be – at whatever level you can.
Because this is YOUR program. It is your life. Fight for it.


Easter is coming. If you are thinking of going away on a family break or on a memorable holiday over Easter, we guess this is the right time to start looking for some good ideas and deals.
To give you some inspiration, we are going to present here 8 possible destinations for your Easter holidays this year: 5 of them are in Europe, the other 3 range from the US to Japan and Africa.
Let’s have a closer look at them starting from our European choices.
Easter Break in Rome
A travel to Rome during the Easter period is an opportunity not to be missed. The spring weather, the famous Holy Mass from the Pope’s balcony and Easter Monday are just some of the reasons why the Eternal City is such an appreciated destination by both Italians and foreigners.
A weekend in Rome is a sure hit. Italy’s capital always impresses tourists with its magnificent monuments and spectacular museums: Rome is full of attractions and every city’s corner hides surprising details.
According to us, walking around the city is the best way to appreciate the essence of Rome and its masterpieces, as the Coliseum, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps or the Trevi Fountain…
Keep in mind that on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, the magnificent Vatican Museums are closed. On the official website you can find all information and prices. In this period, several Roman museums promote the culture with free admissions to exhibitions.
Between faith and tradition, during Holy Week, the Italian capital puts on a very special and religious look. In Rome you can attend the Way of the Cross, one of the most important Easter rituals in Italy, which takes place on the evening of Good Friday.
This procession, which is celebrated by the Pope himself along the path that leads to the Colosseum, is held in one of the most evocative and unique locations that Rome offers.
The Way represents the latest dramatic events linked to the Passion of Christ, as written in the Gospels.
In addition, don’t miss the Mass with the Pope in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, which attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.
Besides religious events and guided tours, you also have to taste some good Roman traditional food.
Have you ever heard of La Pizza Cresciuta? It is a typical recipe that comes in sweet and savoury versions and is cooked exclusively during the Easter period in Rome and its province. This special pizza has an unmistakable cinnamon aroma and, according to the tradition, it is eaten on Easter morning, accompanied by eggs and salami… Want to taste it?
On our website you can find a wide assortment of hotels to plan your Easter weekend in Rome.
Easter Vacation in Barcelona
It’s the ideal destination for a spring break. With its sunny and warm days, the lively capital of Catalonia offers the perfect atmosphere for taking a stroll along Las Ramblas and enjoying an aperitif in Plaça Reial.
Thanks to the many low-cost airlines, Barcelona is very easy to reach. Even finding a hotel room isn’t so difficult: just take a look at our special offers for Barcelona, and always remember to book in advance if you want to save more.
During Holy Week, the atmosphere in the city is particularly charming and lively, with a rich calendar of events.
For example, on Palm Sunday, children take palmons, that is entire branches of palm trees into the church, in to churces, recalling Jesus entering Bethlehem.
Religious rites last up to Good Friday, with processions around the city and church concerts.
The culinary king on the Easter tables is the cod served with chickpeas and potatoes.
On this special day, the godparents give children the Mona de Pascua, an Easter donut covered with as many chocolate eggs as for the years of the child.
Besides tasting all these specialities, we suggest you take advantage of your stay in Barcelona by visiting the classic attractions of the city, such as the Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece of the great architect Antoni Gaudí, or Güel Park, a famous UNESCO World Heritage site.
We recommend you to book online your entrance in order to avoid enervating queues.
Easter in Edinburgh
According to Scottish customs, Easter Sunday is celebrated by having a special family meal whose main course is, in most cases, a roast lamb.
Another appreciated dish for Easter Sunday is the famous Hot Cross Bun, a cake that contains raisins or currants, with a cross on the top of the bun.
If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh for this period, you have to partecipate in the curious egg rolling: it’s a traditional game, recalling an ancient celebration whose origins go back to the Jewish Easter, that consists in rolling some decorated eggs down the green hills of the city. One of the most famous sites where this tradition takes place is Arthur’s Seat, the main peak of Holyrood Park.
Easter is also a feast for children who wait impatiently for the Easter Bunny that will leave them some delicious chocolate eggs.
If you are planning an Easter city-break with your family in the Scottish Capital, perhaps you will be happy to know that every year in April Edinburgh hosts the International Science Festival, one of the biggest science festivals in Europe, much appreciated by children and their families. More info on the official website: http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/festival.
Easter in Florence
The city of Florence, also known as the cradle of the Renaissance, arouses curiosity and charm all year-round. The city’s museums, churches and palaces house some of the most important artistic treasures of the entire world, the masterpieces of famous artists like Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Giotto and Michelangelo.
If you haven’t decided yet what to do for this Easter break, well, spending a few days in Florence during Holy Week could be a really good idea.
Before revealing you all the details of the special event that awaits you on Easter morning in Florence, the so-called Explosion of the Cart, we’d like to share with you some must-see Florentine attractions.
If you like art, Florence cannot disappoint you! Don’t miss the majestic Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, known as The Duomo, with the famous Brunelleschi’s Dome, the largest masonry dome ever built. Curios to know how heavy it is? It is estimated to be around 37,000 tons: awesome, isn’t it?
With just one ticket you can visit all the monuments of the Santa Maria del Fiore complex: in addition to the cathedral and its dome, there are also Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery of San Giovanni.
Besides, if you are in town, you have to visit the Galleria dell’Accademia which houses Michelangelo’s sculpture David, one of the most important works of the Italian artist.
Getting back to Easter… From Good Friday to Easter Monday, religious reenacments, Easter rituals and folk events enliven the Tuscan city.
From more than three centuries, Easter Sunday is celebrated in Florence with a very special ceremony which goes back to the Crusades. This ceremony consists in a procession that starts from Piazzale di Porta al Prato and goes on up to Piazza del Duomo, right at the foot of San Giovanni Baptistery.
Legend has it that in 1099, during the First Crusade to the Holy Land, the young Florentine nobleman Pazzino de’ Pazzi was the first man who managed to cross Jerusalem walls and raise the Christian banner. For this great act of courage he received three chips of stone from the Holy Sepulchre as a gift. Once back in Florence, he handed his gift to the city’s Bishop. The three flints were then used to light a holy fire to be distributed to the people using small torches, as symbol of purification and resurrection.
From this episode, the Pazzi family founded the basis of today’s ceremony by building a monumental cart which was assembled for the first time in 1622. Originally, a tripod on the cart contains the coals on fire that are now replaced with common fireworks for the so-called Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart).
Today the Chariot of Fire is presented in a triumphant way. It is a 3 shelf- cart around 10 metres high which is driven through the streets of Florence by two white oxen, whose horns are adorned with gold. The Fireworks placed on the chariot are lit by a rocket-shaped dove, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit. It is a good omen for the whole city of Florence if the event takes place without any glitchs.
Every year, from 11 a.m, this event brings together locals and visitors from all over the world.
To visit Florence over Easter will allow you to combine a cultural trip with the opportunity to experience something unique. Are you interested in? Well, the time has come to find your hotel in Florence.
Easter on the island of Malta
The island of Malta, located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, can be an excellent option for your Easter holidays, given the combination of sun, sea, culture and history that it offers to visitors. By the way, Malta is the European country with the largest number of holidays in the EU.
Being a country with a long-standing Christian tradition, Easter in Malta is much felt for.
If you like, you could join one of the many events taking place in the island during Holy Week, beginning from the Friday before the Good Friday: that day is known as id-Duluri, namely the Feast of our Lady of Sorrows, when a statue of our Lady is carried in procession through the streets of many towns and villages: the most evocative parade is the one held in Valletta, the island capital.
Easter events and activities include historical reenactments, passion plays, religious processions with statue carrying, marches and bell ringing. Some parishes have even drama groups that work together to organize performances related with Easter.
If you are passionate of good local food, Easter in Malta has itw own special delicacies: Figolli, for example, are a typical almond cake, basically a tradition during the Easter period. In the past, figolli usually had the shape of a stylized human being, man or woman, something similar to gingerbread men; later on, other shapes apperead like fish, butterflies and bunnies.
You will find plenty of them in every baker’s window and in shops too.
Another traditional Easter dish is the so-called Aljotts, basically a fish soup that includes the fish head and tail as well to make it more tasty, besides plenty of garlic and onion.
Apart from the intense list of events connected to the Easter celebrations, Malta is a great choice for this year’s period, considering the favourable climate the island enjoys.
Moreover, if you are passionate about ancient history and archaeology, in Malta you will have the chance to visit some of the most attractive sites of the Mediterranean Sea, such as megalithic monuments and dolmen dating back to the Bronze Age, Punic and Roman remains, besides exquisite temples. The Hypogeum (Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni), for instance, is one of the most famous buildings in the island, allegedly a subterranean sanctuary, later turned into a necropolis: its origins go back to prehistoric times. The Hypogeum is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Not to mention the magnificent beaches and bays for which Malta is appreciated all around Europe.
Have a look at the short guide on Malta on our website.
Easter at Cape Verde
How about flying to Africa for a long and exotic break?
The Republic of Cabo Verde, former Portuguese colony, includes an archipelago of 10 islands of vulcanic origin, located in the Atlantic Ocean, around 350 miles off the Western coast of Africa. An authentic paradise on earth that, in virtue of its position, enjoys an ideal climate all year round, with temperatures that range from 23° C in February to 28° C in August and September.
We bet this would be enough to persuade anyone to plan a trip there, but actually there are many other good reasons to go to Cabo Verde.
Cabo Verde is the perfect choice if:
1. you are looking for uncontaminated beaches, like those on the islands of Sal and Boavista
Going back to the topic of this post, that is Easter, the great majority of people living in the islands of Cape Verde are Christian; therefore the country celebrates the Catholic Easter which is also the largest religious celebration taking place across all the inhabited islands of the archipelago.
During Holy Week there are lots of events going on that culminate with a re-enactment of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Saturday.
Easter in New Orleans
Catholics, who compose the majority of the city’s population, love to celebrate Easter with parades, traditional church masses, egg hunts and fine-dining brunches.
Three of the most famous parades of New Orleans are held on Easter Sunday in the French Quarter.
Over Easter, many restaurants in New Orleans serve Easter brunches with special dishes that mark the end of the Lent. If you want to find the list of places offering this special brunch have a look at this site: http://www.opentable.com/. Tip: reserve your table well ahead of time.
In New Orleans, Easter is not Easter without the Easter egg hunt, a tradition appreciated especially by children.
This special hunt, recommended for 8 year-old kids and younger babies, is held in City Park from around 10 a.m. The public park is located in the heart of the city and is a must-see for all visitors.
Locals go there to have a picnic, wander through the gardens or play their favourite sports. In the park, you can also pay a visit to the beautiful Botanical Garden that hosts a huge collection of mature live oaks and other trees typical of the area.
On Easter Day, the park’s gates open at 9 a.m.: children don’t need to bring their own basket or bag since the staff will give them a special egg carton.
Thousands of coloured eggs will be hidden in City Park, and every child will have great fun trying to find them. The most-wanted egg is the golden one, which will assure a special prize to the lucky child who finds it. For the event, the Easter Bunny in person is awaited to the joy of all children.
If you want to join the Easter Egg Hunt you can purchase online your tickets.
Easter in Tokyo, Japan
Only a small number of Japanese celebrate Christian Easter, and therefore you can’t see many signs of this Feast along the streets and in the shops.
However, if you are arranging a visit to Japan, you can’t miss the enchanting cherry blossoms or hanami.
This ancient Japanese tradition allows people to fully enjoy the transient beauty of flowers. On this occasion, Japanese people usually meet in the parks and celebrate this feast under the flowering trees: if you are in Japan you absolutely have to experience it!
One of the best places where to see the sakura (cherry trees) in full bloom is at the Himeji Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site where you can drink sake and have a picnic under thousands of pink petals, an authentic pinkish paradise.
Besides being a religious celebration with some profound meanings for believers, Easter is more simply the first public holiday you can enjoy since Christmas and New Year. Also, in the collective unconscious it is somehow connected to the spring arrival, after the long winter period.
In other words, Easter makes it possible for people who need a break bewtween Christmas and the summer holidays to organise a trip or a weekend away from home.
As said before, mid-february is a good time to begin planning your Easter holidays.
So whether you are after a religious celebrations in a Catholic country or a cool break in a totally different nation, you are still in time to book your Easter holiday getaway.


What is it that gives winter swimmers that glow? I asked myself this question again, when I saw healthy and invigorated swimmers in The Finnish Winter Swimming Championships in Ähtäri. There are many answers to that question, both scientific and experiential.
One professor has said: “Lack of ‘thermal exercise’ may cause inadequate functioning of the brain.” A cold dip is a trigger, a positive stress to swimmer’s body and mind. This so called eustress helps you to maintain and improve your health.
Many winter swimmers say that they feel strongly alive in water and after a swim. No wonder, because they experience a hormone boost of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline, cortisol and oxytocin. But it’s not only about the hormones. It’s also about experiencing outdoors and nature and cold water giving instant whole body sensations and feedback.
Winter Swimming event connected people of different ages (from two to eighty-two), backgrounds and parts of the country. Old friends met and new friends were made in this gathering of thousand swimmers. Every swimmer in the ice pool was cheered. Getting encouragement and cheering from other people also makes one glow.
Now when “the Beast from the East” brings minus temperatures to a large part of Europe, thermal exercise is easy to get. Expose yourself to cold, whether it be the Polar Vortex chilly wind or cold water. But remember only winter swimming gives you the glow. 🙂
PS. I succeed in taking medals in two races. Phew. In middle of long working days in the event…:)
Photos in this second slider are by Timo Ahopelto, more photos by him in this gallery. In the first slider the first photo is by Timo Ahopelto, photos 2.-4. are by Jukka Vuorinen, the rest by author.
The Finnish Winter Swimming Championships are organised by The Outdoor Association of Finland and local event organisers. The Association organises the first European Winter Swimming Championships in 2019 – welcome!


LJ RICH IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED TV PRESENTER.
Laura-Jane researches, scripts, films, edits, and presents on-camera and on stage for the BBC and more. She also hosts events, sometimes presenting from the piano, explaining musical concepts and using music as a powerful method of engaging an audience.
She has compered events internationally and has broadcast over 1500 hours of live television. Currently working as a TV producer at the BBC, she is available for speaking engagements in the fields of consumer electronics, media training and music.
Writing, presenting and filing video features from 4 different continents (so far), LJ also reports and occasionally produces the ‘Tech Know’ series for the BBC Tech index.She can also be heard on BBC World Service Radio, Radio 4 Women’s Hour, the Fred MacAuley Show and You and Yours talking about music technology and social media.
LJ gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music aged 11 years old to study piano, voice, medieval instruments and electronic music. She read Music at Christ Church College, Oxford, then worked as a sound engineer for Pete Waterman before eventually getting her first TV presenting job. Her encyclopaedic knowledge of science fiction books, Star Trek and most Sci-Fi movies sometimes comes in useful – but not very often!
LJ is proud to be largely responsible for the growth of @BBCClick’s twitter account, which currently stands at over 2 million followers.
She is an enthusiastic foodie and a keen traveller – with a particular affection for the Asia-Pacific area.


The year 2009 is rich in historical and musical anniversaries: Twenty years ago the Berlin Wall fell – the liberating result of a European movement that began in Poland and the Czech Republic, on the streets of Prague and Gdansk. The Young Sound Forum of Central Europe is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a concert tour through Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany with concerts in Swidnica, Wroclaw, Teplice, Prague and Berlin. The programme features Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s rarely played overture from „Die schöne Melusine“ in celebration of Mendelssohn’s 200th birthday, a symphonic poem by the great Polish composer Mieczyslaw Karlowicz, who died 100 years ago. The young German composer and percussionist Johannes Fischer has written a Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra for the Young Sound Forum of Central Europe that will be heard for the first time on this tour. Excerpts from Bedrich Smetana’s „The Bartered Bride“ conclude the concert.


Lebanon Center for Rehabilitation and Healing, formerly Lebanon Health and Rehabilitation Center recently earned Deficiency-Free Status during this year’s annual health state survey.
The annual survey is conducted by the Office of Health Care Facilities (OHCF) for the Tennessee Department of Health during an unannounced visit that evaluates the center’s commitment to quality and compliance with industry state and federal regulatory guidelines. This year’s survey for Lebanon Center issued zero citations. In an executive summary issued to the Tennessee General Assembly, roughly only 15% of all nursing homes in Tennessee received Deficiency-Free status last calendar year. This year’s health survey success places Lebanon Center in the top 10% for performance in the state of Tennessee.
Click here to read more!


In particular, from March 29, groups of six people or members of two households will be allowed to meet on the street.
The second phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions in the UK will begin on Monday in accordance with the government’s timetable for a gradual exit from the national quarantine. The kingdom’s authorities hope that after the partial lifting of the measures, residents will be able to celebrate Easter, celebrated by Anglicans and Catholics on April 4, in a wide circle of relatives.
Since Monday, due to the easing of rules, the British will be allowed to meet on the street in groups of no more than six people or members of no more than two households. According to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, this will allow relatives to see each other more often given the upcoming holidays. In addition, outdoor group sports can resume, tennis courts and golf courses, football and cricket can be played.
According to the government schedule, “the decree will also end, which instructs UK residents not to leave their homes unnecessarily, although many of the coronavirus restrictions will still remain in force.” In particular, British people are encouraged to continue working from home if possible.
The lifting of restrictive measures introduced in the UK almost three months ago due to the new wave of the coronavirus pandemic began on March 8 with the opening of schools. The authorities called the return of students to their desks the first step towards a normal life.
Quarantine Relief Schedule
The next phase of quarantine mitigation is scheduled to begin on April 12, if the epidemic situation in the country does not worsen. At this stage, shops that do not sell essential goods, hairdressers and beauty salons, as well as gyms will be able to resume work. Restaurants and pubs will be able to serve visitors at tables located on the street. Zoos, amusement parks, open-air cinemas, libraries and museums will also receive permission to reopen.
The third phase of relaxation is to begin on May 17th. From this date, it is planned to open pubs, restaurants, cinemas, hotels. Fans will be able to attend sporting events. It will be allowed to organize weddings, funerals, receptions with up to 30 guests. It is possible that from this date the United Kingdom will resume flights with other countries. Now the British are prohibited from all travel abroad, with the exception of extremely important ones, for example, for work.
The fourth phase, which will begin no earlier than June 21, provides for the removal of all restrictions on contacts with other people, as well as the holding of mass events. At this stage, theaters, concert halls and nightclubs will be able to fully resume their work. These exemptions apply to England, which is home to 85% of the UK population. The authorities of the rest of the administrative and political parts of the kingdom – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – independently determine their quarantine policy. However, usually their actions in this matter are synchronized with the steps taken by London.
The authorities were able to begin to weaken the quarantine due to a stable decrease in infection rates in the country. According to the authorities, this was due to the success of the quarantine introduced on January 4, as well as the effectiveness of the mass vaccination campaign of the population. Since December 8 last year, more than 30 million people have already been vaccinated – approximately 45% of the kingdom’s population.
Until the end of July, all residents of the country over 16 years old will have the opportunity to receive the vaccine. So far, the kingdom is being vaccinated with drugs from the American company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, as well as the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. At the same time, as previously stated by the head of the Ministry of Health Matt Hancock, in the first half of April, the rate of vaccination in the UK will decrease due to the expected interruptions in the supply of drugs for coronavirus, but this will not affect the plans of the authorities to lift the restrictions.


~ FCDI is expected to reach over 400 schools and every Florida school district in 2022-23. ~
Tallahassee, Fla., July 1, 2022 - Today, Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. praised the success of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI), an innovative program strengthening free speech and civil discourse in Florida classrooms.
Since Governor Ron DeSantis announced the initiative in 2019, FCDI has expanded civics education and competitive debate opportunities to 237 schools across 45 school districts and is on pace to reach more than 400 schools and every Florida district in the upcoming 2022-23 school year.
“Thanks to Governor DeSantis, Florida’s students are increasingly prepared to be informed and engaged citizens after they leave our schools,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “I’m excited to see so many schools across our state participating in the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, and I look forward to working with teachers, school districts, and students to further meet the demand for this outstanding program.”
FCDI was launched in partnership with the Florida Education Foundation (FEF), a direct-support organization for the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). The program’s mission is to create opportunities for underserved middle and high school students to receive the best civics education possible by providing curriculum support, debate opportunities, and high-quality teachers equipped to empower students to become great citizens.
“The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative is the only statewide civics and debate program of its kind,” said FEF Executive Director Kristin Piccolo. “By coupling civics education with debate, Florida is providing a unique learning environment for student scholars, which will benefit them both now and in the future. In just the second year, our program already serves as a shining example for the rest of the nation.”
FCDI provides professional development opportunities for teachers and debate coaches throughout the year as well as student debate camps and coaching clinics. The initiative is also scheduled to host “The Great Debate” in November, the second annual National Civics and Debate Competition, allowing a broad range of students to explore, understand, and express important constitutional, legal, and societal matters.
In addition to FCDI’s 2022-23 projected statewide growth, the initiative is expected to train over 5,800 teachers and reach 766,000 students in the upcoming school year. The program’s total impact to date includes:
An increase from 11 to 45 school districts with debate programs.
An increase from 59 to 237 schools participating in the debate program.
An increase from 2,023 to 4,793 student participants in debate.
An increase from 306 to 3,056 teachers benefiting from debate and civics education professional development programs.
An increase from 40,392 to 403,392 students reached by teachers receiving civics professional development from FDOE and FEF/FCDI partnership.
An increase of 48 debate tournaments over the last two years.
For information about the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, including its teacher toolkit and calendar of events, visit: https://www.floridaeducationfoundation.org/fcdi.


Gettysburg’s newest museum takes visitors to the battle — and onto the battlefield, because men fought and died around this historic building on July 1, 1863. Located in the former Schmucker Hall at the Lutheran Theological Seminary, the Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum opened exactly 150 years later, on July 1, 2013. Famous in Civil War […]
Welcome to "Maine at War," the blog about the roles played by Maine and her sons and daughters in the Civil War. I am a Civil War buff and a newspaper editor recently retired from the Bangor Daily News. Maine sent hero upon hero — soldiers, nurses, sailors, chaplains, physicians — south to preserve their country in the 1860s. “Maine at War” introduces these heroes and heroines, who, for the most part, upheld the state's honor during that terrible conflict. We tour the battlefields where they fought, and we learn about the Civil War by focusing on Maine’s involvement with it. Be prepared: As I discover to this very day, the facts taught in American classrooms don’t always jibe with Civil War reality. I can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


Jack Naylor from Normanhurst Boys High School won both the Public Speaking and the Area Final of the Lions International Youth of the Year Program with a passionate speech about Domestic Violence in Australia. Jack will now compete at the District Final on 2nd April.
Epping Eastwood Lions Club hosted this annual event last Sunday at a function at North Ryde RSL Club. Students from several local high schools had to give two impromptu speeches followed by a prepared speech during the evening event. Comprehensive interviews were held with each contestant during the day.
It should give community members satisfaction to know that our future is in the hands of some great young people who we will no doubt hear from in years to come. This program is sponsored by NAB as it has been for the past 17 years. Winning students at the National level will have the opportunity to travel overseas to meet other young achievers.
The guest speaker was Jacob Masina, the President of the Epping Eastwood Leo Club who updated the guests with the latest news from the Leos. This newest Leo Club formed in February 2016 is holding its Charter evening at the Epping Hotel on 14th April.
If you would like to come along and learn how you as a young person between the ages of 18 and 30 can assist the community, please contact Leos at email@example.com or follow the Epping Eastwood Leo Club on facebook.
Epping Eastwood Lions Club


2017 was a huge year for me, not only did I spend the summer at the Clarion Writer's Workshop, I also made my first pro sale to Shimmer Magazine at the end of 2016. The story "Trees" was originally published in their Jan 2017 digital edition #35 [linked here]. 1 year later in Jan 2018, Shimmer published the 2017 anthology, and I saw my writing in print for the first time.
This anthology is filled with lyrical, beautiful stories threaded together by editors who take the time to help craft each story into gems. It was a delight to work with E. Catherine Tobler and her team of badgers. Not only that, but I get to share this space with a fellow Clarion grad, Ashley Blooms - check out her haunting story "Fallow" in edition #37 [linked here], if you get the chance, and make sure to check out and subscribe to Shimmer Magazine while you're at it!


The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has achieved a significant milestone in its fish stocking initiatives for the year 2023, releasing a staggering 10,634,431 fish into various waterbodies across the state. This substantial effort, weighing a total of 1,171,098 pounds, is aimed at elevating fishing experiences for enthusiasts and fortifying native fish populations.
This robust stocking program, implemented across 604 different locations in Utah, demonstrates a noteworthy increase from the 8.2 million fish introduced in 2020. The numbers closely align with the stocking figures from 2019 and 2021, standing at 10 million and 9.6 million fish, respectively.
Facing challenges posed by drought conditions, the DWR has strategically shifted its approach by introducing fewer but larger fish in selected areas, enhancing the overall survival rates. Simultaneously, the division has augmented the stocking of smaller fish in locations exhibiting higher growth potential.
The tradition of fish stocking in Utah dates back to 1871, evolving from rudimentary methods such as transporting fish by train to the present-day sophisticated hatchery operations. Currently, the DWR manages 13 hatcheries statewide, with a substantial portion of the fish stocked in 2023—approximately 1,063,571 pounds—originating from these facilities.
DWR Aquatic Section Assistant Chief Craig Schaugaard shed light on the historical evolution, stating, “The original hatcheries were really impounded streams where we put fry that we got from the federal government. We opened our first traditional fish hatchery — where we produced our own eggs and used raceways like we have today — in Murray in 1899.”
Emphasizing the critical role of stocking as a management tool, Schaugaard stated, “Stocking is a crucial management tool that we use to provide Utahns with the numbers and species of fish they desire. Stocking fish helps ensure that the public has a great fishing experience. It also helps in the recovery of threatened or endangered fish. June suckers were downlisted from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2021 because of recovery efforts, which included stocking.” The DWR’s relentless efforts not only contribute to the enjoyment of fishing but also play a vital role in the conservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems.


Here's to the crazy ones.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They're not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them,
disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They invent. They imagine. They heal.
They explore. They create. They inspire.
They push the human race forward.
Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?
Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written?
Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?
We make tools for these kinds of people.
While some see them as the crazy ones,
we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world, are the ones who do.
From Apple Computer
Steve Jobs had just returned to the struggling company, Apple. Jobs
and Lee Clow had collaborated back in 1984 to launch the MacIntosh.
Now was the time to recover the sene of Apple's place in the world of
creative users. The TBWA Chiat/Day team said that Apple should be
aligned with the creativity of personalities and people making an
impact on the twentieth century. The "Think Different" phrase provided
an opportunity to celebrate both the creativity of these people but
also the distinctiveness of Apple in the computing world, responding
to IBM's historic campaign motto, "Think". The campaign was swiftly
approved by Apple, then begun with the television commercial, which
first ran on Sept. 28 1997, followed by the print ads, billboards and


Mexico vs Bosnia Pre-World Cup Match
Event Start Time: 06/03/2014 - 8:30pm
Mexico (MNT) embarks on a U.S. Tour of 3 matches prior to heading to Brazil for World Cup competition. Mexico will face Bosnia & Herzegovina at the historic Soldier Field on Tuesday, June 3 (8:30 p.m. CST). The match, presented by Allstate, will be a rematch from their memorable last meeting two years ago at the same venue. Mexico will then finalize its pre-World Cup preparations with a send-off match in Foxborough, Mass. against Portugal and FIFA Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo at Gillette Stadium on Friday, June 6 (8:30 p.m. ET), presented by Knorr and Hellmann's.
An exclusive Visa pre-sale for the Chicago matche will begin Friday, February 21 via www.Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets to the match will go on sale to the general public on Monday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. local on www.Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 and at all the area Ticketmaster locations. The Federación Mexicana de Fútbol invites fans to use their Visa cards.
Soldier Field has staged numerous high-profile events in its 90-year history, including five 1994 FIFA World Cup games, and most recently the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. The historic venue last hosted the Mexican National Team in May 2012 against Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of Mexico’s U.S. Tour, with the match ending in a 2-1 win for El Tricolor in front of more than 50,000 fans. Mexico is undefeated against Bosnia-Herzegovina all-time having met twice before.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will travel to Brazil in June to participate in the 2014 FIFA World Cup where they will face Argentina, Nigeria and Iran in Group F. Currently ranked among the top 20 in the FIFA world rankings, Bosnia and Herzegovina boasts a rich roster of international standouts, including Manchester City star forward Edin Džeko, Bayer Leverkusen defender and captain Emir Spahić, former St. Louis University product and Stuttgart forward Vedad Ibišević, and Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanić.
Ticket prices will vary


In October 2012, almost three hundred Trafalgar old girls descended on Montreal to celebrate the school’s 125th anniversary. Seven decades of Trafalgar women – from the class of 1940 to 2011 – participated in a special, fun-filled homecoming weekend.
The event launched on Friday October 19 with an inspiring address from Canada’s first female auditor general, Sheila Fraser, during the school’s traditional Trafalgar-Ross lecture. That afternoon, former and current staff attended a tea in Traf’s historic library.
On Saturday, Trafalgar hosted an inter-generational House Carnival. Current students, old girls and family members (many old girls brought their children!) gathered at the school where they earned house points and prizes. The day was action packed. Congratulations to Cumming House who won the Intergenerational House Shield.
Saturday evening, a memorable cocktail and dinner reception was held at the St James Club (the location of many Traf grad dances over the years), followed by an after-party at the downtown nightclub Newtown.
Sunday morning, the Trafalgar community was invited to a special service and coffee at the Church of St Andrew and St Paul, where Old Girl Vicky Palmer’s (Class of 1954) musical composition, created in honour of the school’s 125th, was performed by Trafalgar’s choir.
It was truly a magical three days. Hundreds of accomplished Trafalgar women reunited with each other, and with former teachers. Old friendships were restored, and new friendships established – many from different decades and generations. What became clear throughout the weekend is that the community of support and friendship that started when we were young women continues today as adults and seniors.
Traf is special place with a reach that is worldwide. There is no doubt that our professional and personal successes are the result of the fundamentals we acquired at Traf. The school taught us how to study, how to learn, and to how work hard. But, there was also plenty of time for fun!
The 125th anniversary event would not have happened without the efforts of so many dedicated volunteers. From researching the 125 women in the Scholars and Explorers magazine, to attending a year and a half worth of meetings, to shopping for prizes and arranging carnival games, to composing a special Trafalgar musical piece - Traf alumnae, staff, and students joined together to create a spectacular celebration.
For those who could not join us but wanted to, we know you were here in spirit. For those who were able to take the time to be here, we send our most sincere thanks for helping us celebrate our wonderful school.
We encourage you to keep the Trafalgar spirit alive through this anniversary year, and beyond. Whether it’s by attending a chapter reunion in another city, staying in touch via the Traf website, or meeting other alumnae for the occasional dinner, nourishing those ties and special friendships is an integral part of maintaining Traf’s spirit and vitality. The school is only as strong as its support system, and each and every one of us plays a part.
Happy birthday Trafalgar!
Aislinn Mosher ’83 and Christina Nacos ’85
Co-Chairs, 125th Anniversary Committee


There are several ways to access news articles:
There is a helpful guide to accessing news articles on the JCKL site.
Primo - the search function on the library homepage - can filter searches to newspapers. After entering a search term, go to the left-hand navigation bar, click on "resource type" and select "newspaper articles".
JCKL has a variety of news databases available on the Databases A-Z list, including Newspaper Source, Historical Newspapers, and the Wall Street Journal.
Many major news publications also have limited access free through their organization’s web pages.


We all have our own holiday traditions. One of my favorite things about this time of year is watching the holiday specials that air on TV each year. It’s been fun to revisit some of the classics with our kids in recent years.
My wife’s favorite holiday movie is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Clark Griswold (the main character) is sure to find his way on to our DVR when the movie airs this month.
Even in the insurance profession, we occasionally see some industry-specific humor float around the office. During the holiday season, one piece that often makes the rounds reimagines the classic “T’was the Night Before Christmas” tale from the perspective of a diligent insurance professional. Will Santa get burned coming down the chimney? Will he get stuck? Will the homeowner be responsible for his injuries? Essentially, the insurance company might have a difficult time accepting Santa as a customer (for more on insuring Santa, see our blog post Santa Claus: A Ho-Ho-High Insurance Risk!).
I think that Clark Griswold gives Santa some good competition as a customer insurance companies might prefer to avoid. Consider all of the possible insurance claims Clark and his family could have:
- Clark likes to tie things to the top of the family vehicle: Christmas trees, luggage, and if you go back to the original Vacation movie, something much worse! Look out if you’re driving behind the Griswold family vehicle!
- At Christmas time, Clark is determined to have the largest, brightest display of lights on his home. Clark’s wiring set-up, a sure fire-hazard, eventually shuts down power in the neighborhood.
- Cousin Eddie empties his RV’s waste container into the neighborhood sewer system which eventually becomes part of a much bigger problem.
- Cousin Eddie kidnaps Clark’s boss when Clark is upset about the lack of a holiday bonus.
- The movie’s conclusion includes a roof-top Santa and reindeer display on fire.
Whatever your holiday traditions, please remember to include safety and avoid a Christmas insurance claim! For some holiday safety tips, check out the Trim Your Tree Safely: Holiday Decorating Tips blog post. I hope you have a joyful (and safe) holiday season and a great start to the New Year!


Mark Diller is the Senior Employer Brand Manager at T-Mobile. He is responsible for publishing hundreds of pieces of content per month across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to attract and engage talent. Mark continually strives to understand T-Mobile’s employee audience and looks for ways to more precisely measure what engages them, where and when. He’s a big believer in experimenting with new content types as well as activating internal influencers to help them develop their own audiences.
Mark has been an expert speaker at our RallyFwd™ Virtual Conference. Learn his pro tips for using social media to attract talent in this 24-minute video: “How T-Mobile Turned Magenta into a Movement of Engagement.” You can also read how Mark uses social media to support T-Mobile’s diversity & inclusion efforts in this blog post: “How Diversity Drives Talent Engagement at T-Mobile.”


So, for those of you who read my blog just for the craft you might want to skip this post. This is where I get a bit serious, but I am not going to apologise because this is important to me, and what is the point in having people’s ears (or eyes) and not using it for good.
1 in 4 women have experienced rape or attempted rape. How many women are in your house? How many female friends and family do you have? Think about that statistic 1 in 4 women have experienced rape or attempted rape.
So, there are so many issues that I could tell you about rape, about how in no other crime is the victim grilled about what they were wearing during the crime, what their sexual predilections are. I could remind you that last year the Coalition started talking about anonymity for men accused of rape, when there is no evidence that false allegations of rape are higher than for any other crime. But for those of you who are concerned for those men at the mercy of all these women out there they have The False Rape Society advising them how to avoid being falsely accused of rape, including avoiding sex with young girls who may want to hide it from their parents, group sex with just one woman several men and sex with a woman who has a husband or boyfriend. Now, I’d like to reiterate those warnings to men, but not because you may get accused of rape, but because they are morally repugnant.
But I am going to skate over those issues, serious as they are. I am joining Mumsnet’s “We believe you campaign” to try and bust some common rape myths some of which I have copied here:
MYTH: Women provoke rape by their appearance or their behaviour
REALITY: Dressing attractively, or flirting, is never an invitation to rape. Rape is not a ‘crime of passion’ – it is an expression of power and control.
No woman ‘asks to be raped’ or ‘deserves what she gets’ – only the rapist is responsible for the rape. Rape happens to all types of women, from the very young to the very old – physical appearance is irrelevant.
There is no ‘typical rape victim’. There is only one common factor in all rapes, and that is the rapist. So when someone says to you “You’re not going out dressed like that” it should be because they have toilet roll stuck to the bottom of their shoe, or are wearing a Jedward t-shirt.
MYTH: Women are most likely to be raped by a stranger, outside, in dark alleyways
REALITY: More than 80% of women who are raped know their attacker; 53% of perpetrators of serious sexual assaults are current partners or ex-partners.
In fact, over two-thirds of rapes take place in the victim’s home, the suspect’s home or the victim/suspect’s shared home. This myth can mean that women who are raped in these circumstances don’t identify their experience as rape, and therefore don’t report it.
It also puts blames the victim, and limits women’s freedom of movement by implying that rape can be prevented by avoiding certain places.
The exemption for rape in marriage was only abolished in England and Wales in 1991. Until then being married held an ‘implied consent’ to sex. This isn’t meant to scaremonger people to be be afraid of their friends and family. It is meant to stop women having to be afraid of every stranger they pass in the stress.
Now, I am lucky enough to have never been the victim of rape or any kind of physical sexual assault, but I know people who have, and I am the mother of daughters so I want to show my support to this campaign and get people thinking a bit more about the facts and realities surrounding this awful crime.
I want you to know, I Believe You.


Fox Business Article
December 21st, 2007
Coming soon to hardware stores near you: lights that last more than 20 years and use 90% less energy.
NEW YORK: Called LEDs‚ or light emitting diodes‚ this form of lighting is typically used for things like dashboards and blinker indicators‚ but advances in technology are making them useful for everything from overhead lighting to desk lamps. Even the New Years Eve’s ball in Times Square in New York will be lighted with LEDs this year.
LEDs‚ while more pricey than compact fluorescent lights‚ are growing in popularity‚ in part because advanced semiconductor technology has made them much brighter than in the past and because they are viewed by some as greener than other lighting on the market. LEDs are semiconductors that convert electricity into light.
“Lighting is one of the simplest ways we can lower energy consumption‚’’ said Andrew Huang‚ an analyst at American Technology Research. “Globally lighting accounts for 20% of the electricity consumed worldwide.”
While compact fluorescent lighting also has a longer life span then traditional light bulbs‚ they typically aren’t recycled properly and contain mercury which is linked to cancer‚ leukemia and autism‚ Huang said.
“LEDs last about 20 to 50 times longer than regular light bulbs‚’’ said Huang. “CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) contain mercury and don’t have a disposable program in place.” Huang said in the coming months consumers will start to see LED lamps‚ overhead lighting and even bulbs in hardware stores.
Still they will come at a price. One industry player‚ Dov Sassoon sales coordinator of MaxximaStyle‚ the unit of Panor Corp. which makes Led lighting‚ estimates that in the beginning‚ a LED-light equivalent to a 60-watt light bulb will cost $75 to $100. Sure‚ you will save money over the life of the LED lighting‚ but it could be a hard sell for consumers upfront.
According to Huang‚ LEDs only make up 1% of the market‚ presenting an opportunity for companies playing in the market. And‚ as with most burgeoning industries‚ there are a slew of start-ups trying to capitalize in addition to the big players‚ which include General Electric (GE)‚ Philips and Sylvania.
Take d.Light Designs‚ a Mountain View‚ Calif.- based start-up. d.Light is using LEDs to bring electricity to people living in India and South East Asia who rely on kerosene for their lighting needs.
“There’s 1.6 billion people worldview using Kerosene exclusively for light‚’’ said Nedjip Tozun‚ president of d.Light. “LEDs provide an affordable alternative to kerosene light.”
Tozun noted that people using kerosene light spend 10% to 30% of their income on the kerosene.
d.Light is coming out with a couple of LED-based lighting products for emerging markets. One is powered by solar‚ while another has a rechargeable docking station that can power the light for several days‚ depending on how bright the customer wants the light to be. Tozun noted d.Light will go after the camping market with its products as well.
Meanwhile‚ MaxximaStyle is expanding from using LEDs for brake lights and turn signals to making consumer products like night lights and flash lights. Sassoon of MaxximaStyle said the company has a few LED bulbs but that the market is limited because of the cost of the LED bulbs today.
“The cost for white LEDs is extremely high‚’’ said Sassoon‚ noting that the price for white LEDs has started to come down and will continue to fall. He likened it to the DVD-player market‚ where the players started out at around $800 and now go for as cheap as $25. Sasson said the ideal price point for LED bulbs is $9.95. While red or blue LED lights can be bought on the cheap‚ the manufacturing process for white LEDs is much more complex‚ thus making them pricier‚ said Sassoon
MaxximaStyle has been seeing strong demand for its LED night light‚ largely because the bulbs never need to be replaced. There’s also strong demand for MaxximaStyle’s motion sensor LED-based lights‚ said the executive.
“The response has been overwhelming‚’’ said Sassoon. “A lot has to do with the green movement. Consumers are becoming more educated about the benefits of using LED technology.”


Christmas in Greenwood
When it comes to the Christmas and the Holiday Season in the Carolinas, we have an abundance of opportunities to join in the celebrations and traditions.
On a trip to Greenwood SC, I found myself amid the perfect time to officially launch the Christmas season. It was the first weekend of December and all things Christmas were coming alive.
I arrived Thursday evening after the sun had already gone down. As I made my way to the Inn on the Square, I traveled down Main Street that is lined with more than 50 Darlington Oaks that were planted along the path of the train tracks of yesteryear. For the Christmas Season, the tree trunks are meticulously wrapped with more than the 100,000 white lights. I later witnessed the excitement of a young child as he exclaimed “That feel like traveling through a magical light forest.”
Upon checking in at The Inn On The Square, I was greeted by a happy front desk clerk and a 15 foot nicely decorated traditional Christmas Tree. This giant tree was by no means lonely, as the Inn features nine additional unique trees decorated in grand holiday fashion.
If you are like me and enjoy the Christmas Season you are smiling now and will do so as this story progresses, however, if you are more of a Charles Dickens “Scrooge” type person, this story will give you many opportunities to say, “Bah Humbug”! That’s just fine with me, we all know what happens to you in the morning.
After a good night’s rest, Friday started off with a tasty breakfast and enjoyable visits throughout the day, I was very excited about the evening as it would start off with a grilled fish at the Carriage House and then a production of Miracle on 34th Street at the award-winning Greenwood Community Theatre.
I was especially excited to see the performance as Richard Whiting in the lead role as Kris Kringle. Over the years Richard has appeared in several roles, and he is an avid supporter of community theatre, and during most days he spends his hours as the Executive Editor of the Index-Journal.
The promotional photos of Richard in costume for the role set the hopes for a great performance. I’ve been a fan of the movie version from childhood, I watch it every year, and it’s become a tradition.
Richard’s performance was solid; his delivery as Kris Kringle and Santa Clause was entertaining and on script. Along with the entire cast they guided the audience on a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It was all I hoped it would be and I would have watched again if time had allowed.
Greenwoods official Christmas tree was set aglow Saturday evening. It was a well-attended festive event with hot chocolate, carriage rides, Santa and Mrs. Clause and the countdown to light the city tree.
I had a surprise treat during Sunday morning breakfast at the Inn. Santa and his wife were fellow diners. We had a delightful conversation about the holiday season and their enjoyment in visiting Greenwood. It seems as if the ration of good list vs. bad list leans heavily toward the good.
The Greenwood Christmas parade took place at 2:30 in the afternoon and lasted for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. Charlie Barrineau told me that around 10,000 folks attended. It was a nice parade everyone I talked with had a great time. I love our Carolina parades; they bring everyone out for a celebration of community. It’s that time when we get to see a lot of people on display who are doing their part to make our Carolinas a better place.
It was an excellent weekend and a fantastic start to the Christmas Season and well worth a repeat.


By Eric Nelson, AACD Director of communications
Times can change pretty quickly, cant they" My beloved Brett Favre is now a New York Jet. Both major party Presidential candidates are campaigning on the platform of "change" And the age of patients demanding bright, white, "Hollywood" smiles is moving toward a more natural, individualized approach to each smile makeover.
So says The New York Times, in an article much discussed throughout the profession titled, "Avoiding Dental Perfection With a Slight Twist," published in the August 28th edition of one of the worlds most respected newspapers. AACD Past Presidents Dr. Jeff Goloub-Evans and Laura Kelly were both interviewed for the article, which also cited the AACD and our 2007 State of Cosmetic Dentistry study.
According to Ms. Kelly, "In the beginning of veneers, patients wanted teeth all white and straight," She goes on to explain that they now are requesting more translucency, graduation of color, and slight rotations of the teeth.
Dr. Goloub-Evans adds, "What I’ve noticed is that if someone has perfectly symmetrical features and you put perfectly symmetrical teeth on that face, you ruin that face." In case you missed the article, you can read it online at: www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/fasion/28SkinOne.html
The article underscores the fundamental shift in the definition of cosmetic dentistry made by the Academy’s leadership at our summer 2008 strategic planning meetings. The new definition reads "Cosmetic dentistry is a comprehensive approach to oral care that combines art and science to achieve optimal dental health, function and esthetics."
It was just a few years ago that we were discussing the "Extreme Makeover" phenomenon that was sweeping America and the dental profession. Make no mistake about it, "Extreme makeover" had a profound impact on cosmetic dentistry. Suddenly dentists were portrayed as life-changing professionals as the bright lights were shown on beautiful smiles. Practices’ business around the country boomed. AACD itself nearly doubled in size during the years the program was on the air. "Ttreatment" by unqualified cosmetic dentists. The next phase of the ever-evolving cosmetic dental profession seems to be taking shape.
The toothbrush from a tree
A toothbrush made from a twig can kill some bacteria without even touching them, a study suggests. Swedish researchers studied the Miswak also called the Siwak and chewing stick a twig used for oral hygiene in several areas like Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Most miwaks come from the twigs or roots of the Arak tree (Salvadore persica), which is also known as the toothbrush tree. They can also be made from olive and walnut trees. In the past, researchers tried to extract compounds from chewing sticks, but didn’t find they killed bacteria very well. In this study, researchers used small pieces of Miswak of less than a hundredth of an ounce. They embedded some pieces in plastic lab dishes (Petri dishes) that were growing different kinds of mouth bacteria, and suspended others above the dishes. Both strategies killed bacteria, with the Miswak pieces best at killing the two bacteria linked to periodontal disease. They also killed bacteria causing tooth decay, but to a lesser degree. Other studies have found that Miswaks remove plaque and kill bacteria in the mouth. The full study appears in the August issue of The Journal of Periodontology.
Diabetes and gum disease
Chicagos University of Illinois has received a two-year grant to continue a study on the link between periodontitis, diabetes and obesity. "The prevalence of type-two diabetes has risen dramatically as the result of an increase in obesity from a high-fat diet, junk food and a sedentary lifestyle"," said Dr Keiko Watanabe, associate professor of periodontics at the university. Although the association between obesity, type-two diabetes and periodontitis is recognised, she said, the underlying causes remain poorly understood. Watanabe said the goal of the new study is to identify the causes by which periodontitis influences insulin resistance, diabetes and organ damage, so clinicians will be able to screen predictable individuals. Periodontal inflammation treatment will also be developed to stop insulin resistance accelerating to diabetes.
Watanabes initial study was published in the July issue of The Journal of Periodontology. The $432,000 grant is being funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, one of the National Institutes of Health.
(Article published in Bite Magazine November 2008)


We have always believed the Estate has a responsibility and role to play in the provision of sustainable clean energy for the local community and could also contribute to the Government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and moving away from a reliance on fossil fuels. This is of particular significance in the lead up to the COP26 global summit in Glasgow, in November 2021.
In 2014, the Estate brought forward a 64-acre, 14-megawatt solar park in Capel next to the London-Ashford railway line, in partnership with British Solar Renewables. The land is leased from the Estate by Cubico Sustainable Investments and the park has 72,776 panels.
Seven years since it opened, the park’s output has grown substantially from the originally anticipated 14 MW, and it now produces enough energy to power 5,200 homes a year with an average annual output of over 18MW.
In 2020, it reported its most productive year on record, generating enough electricity to power 5,746 homes in the local area.
This peaked in May 2020, with the site powering around 11,145 homes across the month. To put this figure into context, the electricity generated in May alone would be enough to boil a kettle 104,140,160 times – that’s a lot of cups of tea!
This year has been equally successful, peaking on 23rd April with the highest energy production in any 24-hour period so far in 2021- 130.9MWh was produced, supplying around 13,090 homes or 4,188,800 kettles boiled.
Harry Teacher of the Hadlow Estate said: “When the solar park was constructed in 2014, our aim was to provide a significant amount of green energy for local homes and businesses, so it is fantastic to see we are fulfilling what we set out to achieve. The sunny weather and lower air pollution levels have helped to boost the output considerably. Diversification into renewable energy has been an important aspect of our long term strategy for the Estate as we look to the future.
“We decided to install solar photovoltaic panels on many of our farm buildings, including at Hadlow Place Farm, Bank Farm Livery Stables and Little Fish Hall. Electricity from these panels runs our cold stores, the Estate and farm office, and a number of houses, including our home. Any unused energy is exported back to the grid but during peak times we use almost all of the clean energy we generate.”
As well as providing much needed green energy locally, the park and its surroundings provide a home for an abundance of wildlife, thanks to its hedges, trees and wildflower meadows. Bird and bat boxes have been installed in nearby woodland and hedgerows to provide roosting sites and nesting opportunities and are already being used.
Harry continued: “Our farm team planted over 5,000 hedgerow shrubs and 200 trees. The hedgerows which were planted to screen the site are now well established and provide habitats and food sources for a wide range of birds and animals. By linking up with existing treelines these new hedges have created valuable wildlife corridors and enhanced connectivity around and across the site – which is great for biodiversity.
“Monoculture arable crops have been replaced by grassland, including almost 10 acres of species-rich wildflower meadows full of daisies, clover and scabious and 5 acres of tussocky grass. These meadows are always teeming with insects and are carpeted with flowers in the late spring and summer.”
“In addition to the solar park, the Estate has also diversified into other renewable energy solutions, using its own timber for a small biomass district heating system at Hadlow Place Farm. The biomass boiler is fed by woodchip from the Estate’s sustainable forestry operations and provides heating and hot water to a number of buildings and houses.
“This holistic approach, of using sustainably grown timber to supply energy locally, allows us to invest back into our woodlands for the long term,” Harry said.


Migrating to https, and SEO: does the migration really have a positive effect on the SEO of your website? This article sets out the benefits and opportunities of switching to https.
Should you switch your http website to https?
Since last October, the new version of Google Chrome has been flagging up as “unsecured” any http pages that include form fields.
This warning is a direct result of Google’s desire to feature the most reliable websites in its search engine. And this is nothing new. In a 2014 blog post, Google had already made an announcement about the importance of site security for rankings in the search results pages.
This means that there’s increasing influence from the Mountain View firm driving https sites to become the norm on the Web. Bearing in mind that https makes it possible to secure the exchange of data, which gets encrypted, between internet users and websites using this protocol.
So yes, it is important to switch your site to https. But instead of seeing this as a hassle, look on it as an opportunity to optimise your site’s SEO.
This is the point of view of Fili Wiese, an SEO expert, as set out in Search Engine Land:
The benefits of switching to https
Not yet convinced about the benefits of doing this? Here are three points to convince you:
1 – It enables secure navigation on your website
We’ve already mentioned this above, and it may be obvious, but it’s a point worth reiterating since it is the most important advantage. The https protocol protects the exchange of data between internet browsers and your website. This makes the implementation of an SSL certificate essential. It allows authentication of the server owner and protects you against data interception during transfer.
2 – Google indexing favours https over http
Google is becoming increasingly demanding about website security, and is widely publicising the fact that https is now a factor in SEO (that list of ranking factors!). It has been proven that where a website has two pages with identical content, one of which is in http and the other in https, Google indexing will promote the secure https page in its search results.
3 – It allows you to provide internet users with reassurance about the reliability of your website and thus promotes conversion
With the implementation of recurring warnings not only on Chrome but also on Firefox, the http protocol will become a real cause for concern for Internet users.
This makes it vital for e-commerce sites to be seen as trusted sites by their visitors. Credibility is at stake here!
https and SEO: to find out more
If you still have a few questions, especially concerning technical implementation, read the complete guide from the Yoast team:
And for comprehensive information on the subject, there is an excellent Moz article on switching to https:
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As a long time Life Of Agony fan, I was more than thrilled to get the chance to do not one, but two interviews with the band for this issue; one with Mina Caputo and one with Alan Roberts. Both interviews turned out so great, we decided to publish them both, as is, raw and uncut, giving you a great view of the current, wonderful mindset of the band, as they give their thoughts on their amazing new record “A Place Where There’s No More Pain”. Below you find my interview with Alan Roberts.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us man, how are things in your world?
Things are good! We actually just got back from Europe. We had a press tour in London, Berlin and Paris for about a week!
Ah, so I just missed you?
Yeah, you did! It was action packed. We didn’t really have much of a breather to do anything else.
So, no time for sightseeing in Amsterdam this time.
No, not this time. We barely made our flights! *laughs*
*laughs* I know how that goes. You do enjoy visiting our country, right?
Yeah, it’s like a second home, really.
Amsterdam and it’s surroundings, yeah. I remember the old days, when you used to play there a whole lot.
Yeah, well I still have a lot of my very close friends that live there, so it’s always good to go back.
I bet, it’s always good to have you. So, “A Place Where There’s No More Pain”! The new album really blew me away. It brought me flashbacks to the times when I first saw you play in Amsterdam, and at the Dynamo festival.
Yeah, it really does. You can really immerse yourself in this music again.
Thanks a lot, that means a lot.
What does this album mean to you?
Well, it’s definitely a sense of accomplishment, because a couple of years ago I didn’t think we’d ever make new music together, so even if we ended tomorrow, I’m pretty proud of what we’ve done. And you know, this band has highs and lows, and periods of inactivity. It’s good to be playing back together again, and with such a passion. Since Mina came out as transgender in 2014, we kind of have a new life, and a new found heart. We didn’t know what to expect when we took that stage the first time, and ever since that moment, it’s just been a momentum of positivity, and our fans have really embraced her and the band, and who we are now. It’s so encouraging to see that.
Yeah, I bet.
Especially in such a high testosterone genre *laughs*
Metal is that, absolutely.
You know, I give her all the credit for having so much courage and bravery. It’s mind blowing how much positive energy we receive from everybody, universally. Everywhere we go. Also, to see my old friend Keith happy in this old skin. When Keith was growing up, I always noticed something was a bit off, as far as his confidence level, being thrown into the spotlight. Sometimes he was uncomfortable on stage. And now as Mina, it’s almost like throwing a switch of this new electricity, confidence and openness that I’ve never seen before. It’s something that I’ve always wanted for Keith to experience, and now I understand why Mina had to overcome that obstacle in order to be free in her own mind and heart. That’s something that I’m proud to stand behind.
Yeah, it really was a transformation. I’ve seen you guys play with the “Ugly” tours in Amsterdam, and he was on the stage there like a tortured soul.
Yeah, very much.
He was just in his music. Not too much crowd interaction, just pouring his feelings over the crowd.
And now I’ve seen you guys play Graspop last time you were there, and she’s all over the place! She’s interacting, having fun. What a sight, man!
Well, she’s come a long way. We just spent a week together, talking about this record and what it means to us, and it was interesting to hear her perspective on the whole thing. She looks at it almost like making up for lost time, because in a lot of ways, those years that we were active and she was quite miserable, she feels like she let the band down, and now she’s making up for that time.
There’s a lot of feelings in that one, absolutely.
For me, the sound on this album is more of a return to the “Ugly” and “River Runs Red” era of the band, and a little bit less of the, what I call radio friendlier stuff that came later. How would you describe the current band sound?
I would have to agree, although, while it has elements of that old material, we were actually striving to beat that material. Sonically, and from a musicianship standpoint. You know, we were young kids back then. I like to think that we’ve grown a lot, as songwriters and also as players, and so performance was absolutely a priority. To get the best performances out of everyone. Also, sonically, we would a-b the new material to the old material, to try and to get the bigger guitar sound, bigger drum sound, more clarity, more nuances in the production. We were very conscious of trying to achieve a bigger production than we had in the past, where we felt things could have been better, but we were almost to young and naive to know what we wanted.
In the past we were guided a lot by big name producers. A lot of them were assigned to us from the record label. This time we are in a different stage in our career. Thanks to Napalm Records for believing in us, and trusting us, we chose a producer and we worked tirelessly with him to get the sounds and the type of production we wanted. Part of our deal with Napalm was that we didn’t provide any demo material. At all. They had no influence on the music, and we actually delivered the final master product to them, and that was their first time listening to it. So, there was a certain level of creative freedom on this record, that we really could do everything that we wanted to do, without any outside influence.
They also really gave you their trust in that way!
Yeah! And I think that’s very rare, and they should get accolades for having faith in an artist that they signed!
I absolutely agree. I’ve talked to several people at the label, while arranging this interview, and they’re all so enthusiastic about this record. They all love it.
It’s great. We just spent a lot of time with them on the press tour, and we met some of them face to face for the first time, even though we traded several hundred emails over the last year, so it’s been really encouraging to put those names to faces and yeah. They are totally enthusiastic, like you said.
That must be a great feeling. Absolutely.
Yes, it’s been a journey, this process. We got into this whole new record talk without really wanting, or looking for a new deal. Napalm approached us, and we had just been doing touring, with no real idea to record. They presented an offer to us that we could make a record on our own terms, and that excited us.
I bet! It must be quite a different scenario than your previous records, like “Broken Valley”.
Oh, like night and day. And that really, that Broken Valley record, I kind of hold it to blame for the twelve years that since then, because there were a lot of expectations with signing to a major label, and I’m not sure of you’re aware of it, but when that album came out in 2005 it was one of several Sony titles that had illegal spyware on the disk.
*laughs* I know. I called it broken computer.
*laughs* Yeah. They literally, all of our records were literally taken off the shelves three months after the release, because Sony had lost a class action lawsuit. For the most part they re-released the records from other artists, like Neil Diamond and whoever, some Pop artists, but they never re-released our record. You could only get it digitally after that. I think that hurt the band’s momentum considerably, and it really was disheartening to work over a year, writing and recording a record, for it only to have three months of shelf life. It took us a long time to wrap our heads around that, how that could happen to us, and to get us energized into even thinking about new material, after going through that.
It’s one of the darker sides of the music industry you got to see there.
Yeah, so that experience definitely influenced this album, and the certain creative freedoms that we were looking for, specifically finding a label that was going to really have their heart behind it, and not just see us as a number.
That’s a breath of fresh air right there! Would you say that there’s a magic ingredient to your music, that if you take it away, it wouldn’t be a Life Of Agony song?
Absolutely. I think all four members being part of it is the magic formula. We have such diverse taste, and we each bring certain strengths to the whole, that without each one of us, I think something would be missing. We had the opportunity once. Keith had left the band in 1997 on “Soul Searching Sun”, we had the opportunity to record a new album with Whitfield Crane, who we toured with for a year. Once we demoed some new songs with him, it didn’t sound like Life Of Agony anymore, you know? The writing remained the same and intact, but we didn’t feel like it best represented this band’s legacy, and we decided to break up, rather than to continue. So, we’re very aware of our sound and what goes into the songs, and we take a lot of pride in that.
I actually saw you perform at the Dynamo festival with the singer from Ugly Kid Joe, and that didn’t really work for me *laughs*
*laughs* Yeah, yeah.
It was an interesting show, but me and my friends present all thought it was missing something.
Yeah, totally agree. That’s the emotional aspect of this band, the connection with this band and it’s fans. That is almost indescribable if you have seen some of the shows, like Graspop recently, and some of the headline shows we’ve done in the last two years. There’s an undeniable energy that is prevalent, even more now than in the past.
In the past there was already a whole lot of energy. I remember the Amsterdam club shows, it was just a sea of people that were all submerged in your music, and that dripped over onto the stage. Magic.
It’s really great to see the band active again, and in such great shape. How would you say are your current band dynamics?
Oh, everybody is in good spirits. Especially with a lot of exciting stuff going on, bringing out music again, being creative in different media. You know, I designed all the artwork for the record, so that was a lot of fun, and just the fact that we’re all on the same page with everything these days is a breath of fresh air. Because in the past, we weren’t. We struggled to get along, just because of so many different things. Even during the “Ugly” era, we couldn’t even agree on a video treatment, so we never made one for that album. So for us, we’re in the process of wrapping up our second video, and the album is not even out yet. That says a lot *laughs*.
Yeah, that does say a lot. I really like the first video by the way. It really felt like one of the old club shows. That energy is in there.
Where it comes to this album, are you still the main songwriter, or has the songwriting process also changed a bit?
I think it’s more of a collaboration. I have definitely written a lot of lyrics and melodies for these songs, but each song has a fingerprint from all the other members for it to get to this point, and every song has a different origin as well. So if there’s a song that I come up with, lyrics and melodies with a basic riff, once I hand that off to the other band members, it evolves and takes a different shape. Even if those lyrics remain in tact, you know? The music may get enhanced along the way. Sal was actually a big contributor to a lot of pieces of music, and I think you can tell from his “A Pale Horse Named Death” records how far he has come as a songwriter. He has definitely stepped up to the plate with this. And as far as lyrics and melodies, Mina and I, on some songs collaborated a lot. Sometimes I would hand off lyrics to her without any melodies in mind over a piece of music, and she would find her own melodies for those lyrics. And sometimes I would write a chorus with lyrics and melodies, and she would write the verse lyrics and melodies, and exchange like that. So every song kind of had it’s own development, and different style of songwriting.
In what ways would you say that Mina the songwriter is different from Keith the songwriter?
Has anything changed, let’s start with that! *laughs*
No, I don’t think so! I think she has a very abstract approach to songwriting, and as she calls it, I have a more sober approach to songwriting. I think that’s a great combination. It really complements each other.
So you also write a large chunk of the lyrics. Does that also mean that you also have a lot of pain in your life, still?
You know, it’s funny you ask that, because from the outside view I don’t look at myself as a very depressive person, and I have a lot of joy in my life, and a beautiful family, and somehow I still am driven to write these sad, depressing lyrics. And depression may run in my family, I am not sure, but even going back to “River Runs Red”, I wrote all of those lyrics.
And a lot of “Ugly”. So, *laughs* I think there is something in the subliminal of my mind, that needs to release these types of feelings, even though on the outside, my day to day life, I’m very grateful for it. I’m not sure if that answers your question, but… *laughs*
*laughs* Well, it does! It’s a great answer. I have always really felt your lyrics. I was “Lost At 22”, for instance.
Right. Well, that comes from a very real place, and also the suicidal thoughts as well. There was a time when I just wanted to die, and looking back, it’s hard to imagine. You know, these thoughts, I can escape them, and thank God I did. I think there’s a lot of hope that people get from these lyrics, because they can relate to them, and they know that they’re not alone. I think that circles back to the title of the album, and my thoughts about what that meant to me, a place where there’s no more pain. I don’t believe that there is a place where there is no more pain, and I think it’s a common thing to strive for, and it’s what people are looking for, but I don’t know if that exists in this world. I think everyone goes through their own struggles, but it’s that search for peace in our own hearts that connects us. I think it makes it easier to know that other people are going through similar things, and that bond is unbreakable.
Yeah. I think it was Denis Leary who said “happiness comes in small doses”.
Would you say your lyrics and your music also helped to put these feelings in a better place?
Yeah. I mean, I know that it makes me feel good when listeners come up and say that these songs have saved their lives. You know, that wasn’t the goal when I wrote them. The goal was just almost cathartic, to get these feelings out of my own system, because a lot of times, once I write a song, I’m able to put those feelings behind me and move on. It brings me a lot of happiness to know that people all over the world have gotten something positive out of it, that these dark thoughts actually helped them.
Yeah, I absolutely see that. With depression it’s very important to see that you’re not alone, and this music helps with that. But you are a more happy man these days. What is your life like at the moment?
Well, I’m married, with a nine year old daughter. Outside of music I draw graphic novels and comic books and write them. I am currently adapting some of the books into film and animation, so I feel I’m overwhelmed with creativity at the moment, and that makes me happy.
I saw some of your art, it’s amazing man! It’s really cool.
Oh thank you!
Recently I’ve only been reading Walking Dead comics, but I’ll definitely pick yours up!
*laughs* Yeah. It’s funny, because I’ve been writing and drawing horror graphic novels since 2010, and last year I put out my first horror adult coloring book, and immediately went to the bestseller list, and actually sold more than any of my comic books! *laughs* So, that was surprising. I’m actually, it’s called “The Beauty Of Horror”, and I’m working on part 2, that will be released this September.
Coloring is hot right now man, it’s also a way for people to get things off their mind and just focus on something beautiful.
Well, you know, it’s interesting. The more I found out about it, it is a form of therapy and it brings people a calm in their lives, and they’re able to unplug and do something tangible with their hands. It helps you kind of zone out. I know that I zone out for like ten hours a day while drawing this book, and we call it art therapy for the abnormal *laughs*.
*laughs* I like that. That’s also a nice title for the interview by the way.
*laughs* Yeah, it is a good title.
All your side projects with the graphic novels and such, is that something that started in the period that the band wasn’t there?
Actually, I’ve been doing art my whole life, even before music. I started late with music. I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was sixteen, seventeen, and I had already been in art school preparing to be a comic artist professionally. It’s when I graduated art college, that’s just when we finished recording “River Runs Red”, and we had this opportunity to tour, and I didn’t really know if there was going to be much longevity playing music, but I wanted to give it a shot, I figured it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. So I put the art on hold, and true enough the music turned into a two decade long career, and it wasn’t until 2010 that I put out my first graphic novel.
Wow. You do have a lot of things to be grateful for. A lot of talent, and a lot of successes.
Yes, I am very grateful about that.
Is that where the opening track of the record comes from, “I’m ready to meet my maker”?
Well, I think it all goes to that theme of finding peace, and for me “Meet My Maker” is about facing the ghosts of your past and try to make amends, so you can leave this world with peace.
But that’s also about being content where you are right now, isn’t it?
What can you tell us about the other songs on the release, is there anything really personal on there as well?
There is a lot of personal stuff, especially the song “Dead Speak Kindly”, that song in particular. I lost a family member to brain cancer. She struggled for two years, and left behind two small children. It weighs so heavy on my heart, even now. I remember being at the grave site, looking at her son, and just trying to imagine the thought that was in his head as he looked down at the grave site, and the lyric “I’ll never see your face again” came to mind. That was the birth of that song.
Very deep, intense moments.
I think anybody who ever lost somebody can relate to that one.
Yeah, I agree.
What is your favorite live moment so far? I can tell you mine was the acoustic Lowlands festival show.
*laughs* That as a fun time. Honestly I think the one show that made such an impact on me, especially since it was the first time we ever played a big festival stage, was the Dynamo festival in 1994. The energy and the excitement, and the newness of just playing in front of a crowd of that magnitude will always stay with me.
It was a great show! I was lucky enough to be there as well.
Yeah, that was a great memory, for sure. And then you know, in 2011 I believe, or maybe 2010, we played the Polish Woodstock festival, in front of half a million people. You just couldn’t see the end of the sea of heads!
That is really cool. But you’re now off to new adventures, where will you be playing this year?
We have some dates around in the North-East, as the record is released in April, and then we have some dates in Spain and other parts of Europe coming up in May, and then we have some more dates scheduled that will be announced for August. And so, little by little we keep building these little runs, and we hope to get everywhere.
Yeah. Any dreams there, places where you still want to play?
You know, we’ve never been to Japan. I know that we have a lot of fans there. Japan, Australia, New Zealand. In fact, when “Soul Searching Sun” came out, the song “Weeds” was at the top of the charts in Australia, and we were never able to get over there. So it would be interesting to go.
Yeah. So let’s hope it’s possible then!
We’ll definitely keep checking your tour schedule this year.
That leads me to my last question, and that’s do you have any last words for our readers?
I appreciate you take a look at the band. I know we’ve been around for a long time, and for people that maybe have preconceived ideas about who we were when we first started, versus who we are now, the only thing that I can say is that we are the same people, and we’re in this for the right reasons. If for nothing else, you know, we made this new album for ourselves, because we wanted to do new music on our own terms. And I think that you can hear the honesty in that.
I definitely can. A Great record. Thank you very much for your time, and we’ll see each other on the road!


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Rocky Mount, Va. (APRIL 2, 2019) – This past Saturday, March 30th, the Franklin County Family YMCA hosted a fundraiser at its Smith Mountain Lake Location. The “Show of Shows” event featured local talented musicians including the Star City Swagg Jazz Quartet, Star City Squeeze Accordions, Jazz Guitarist Bill Hoffman, Ernie Freeman Latin Trumpet, Parrot Pan Band, Toucan Pan Band, Island Pan Band and the Aloha Ukulele Ensemble.
“The talent on display was amazing and all for a great cause,” says Lauren Acker Branch Director at the YMCA’s Smith Mountain Lake Location.
The event, in its fourth year, had well over 200 attendees who enjoyed sing-a-longs, dancing, snacks and an evening of fellowship. Proceeds from the event are used to fulfill the Y’s charitable mission work in Franklin County which benefits youth, adults, families and seniors in Franklin County. The event was supported by not only attendees but by multiple volunteers who helped the evening go off without a hitch.
“Without this type of fundraising event, it would be impossible for the Y to fulfill our mission. That’s why it’s so great to see so many people from the community coming out to support the Y. The great musicians, volunteers and attendees made it a really special night,” says Acker.


Aussie Start-up set to Disrupt Cotton Underwear Sector
Certified Organic and Fairtrade cotton underwear brand, Mighty Good Undies are set to disrupt the conventional chemical-laden underwear scene through their offering of quality mens and women’s basics underwear at affordable high street prices.
The Mighty Good Undies brand is spearheaded by activist and ethical fashion designer Hannah Parris and Entrepreneur Elena Antoniou, and was inspired by the idea of creating a brand that engaged everyday consumers with the story of cotton whilst scaling up the demand for, and use of, Fairtrade and organic cotton.
Hannah says “We wanted to create an accessible, ethical and organic cotton product that would act as a tool to disrupt the way people see, understand and buy conventional cotton and the mainstream fashion supply chain — with all its social and environmental problems.
As part of its launch, Mighty Good has released a clever and funny educational video called “Uncomfortable” and an e-book “The Cotton Tales” that visually engages the viewer with some uncomfortable truths about conventional cotton farming will be released on the 24th April 2016 to coincide with Fashion Revolution Day.
“We believe that change in the industry will only occur if we scale up the demand for ethical cotton. Getting major retailers on board is a large part of this” explains Hannah.
Each pair of underwear is matched with a 1kg carbon offset and packaged in a re-usable Organic Cotton Fairtrade bag promoting facts about the impacts of conventional chemical cotton farming on health and the planet.
Elena says “We are proud that our brand is ethical from the cotton plant right down to the packaging, plus we doing something for climate change too — and all at a price that has appeal to major retailers and consumers alike.”
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My Neighbour Totoro, Grave of the Fireflies, Laputa: Castle In The Sky, Pom Poko, Princess
Mononoke, My Neigbours the Yamadas, Spirited Away, Ponyo, The Wind Rises, The Tale of
Princess Kaguya… so many movies of which the beauty of the drawings and animation, as well as the quality of the screenplay are recognised and admired throughout the world.
To comprehend the creative genius of Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, the authors of these masterpieces, to discover the secrets of their animation and share the emotion of their art, this exceptional exhibition will present nearly thirty years of drawings from Studio Ghibli, with 1,300 original layouts produced by the studio.
For the first time in Europe, visitors will be able to admire these drawings as the genesis of studio productions and as the precursors of what one can discover on the big screen, essentially all the graphic material that serves as the fundamental artistic base for any animation film.
Isao Takahata considers layout the key component in producing an animated film. Layouts define for each scene, what will its atmosphere be, its background, its point of view, or even the position, the attitude and the expression of each character.
This exhibition presents these magnificent drawings as tribute to the remarkable drawing skills of those behind them.
For Hayao Miyazaki, “Animation is an illusion, and the audience is curious to see how it will dazzle them”.
What secrets will this plunge into the heart of the drawings of Takahata and Miyazaki reveal? Isao Takahata answers, “It depends on the imagination of each viewer”.
After the prestigious exhibitions «Pixar, 25 years of Animation» and «The Art of the Marvel Super Heroes», this new exhibition by Art Ludique-Le Musée, «Studio Ghibli Layout Designs: Understanding the secrets of Takahata and Miyazaki animation» is a wonderful opportunity to shine the spotlight on the creators of universes that have marked our collective imagination and to let visitors discover the major artistic dimension behind these films that make us all dream.