Boy talk about sensory overload today...After unpacking more boxes of craft supplies my head was literally spinning.
But what a great problem to have and I am definitely NOT complaining. I know and realize how very blessed I am to be able to buy so many amazing craft supplies. I wanted to apologize for this video...I took it on my cell phone and I was turning it up and sideways so some of the video is sideways because of that. But I wanted to show you all what it looks like in a video versus plain old photographs. I hope you all don't get dizzy watching this video..lol. Oopsie! :)
I have been slowly but surely been unpacking my massive amounts of craft supplies in my new craft room. Four days a week I babysit my beautiful little granddaughter and so I have not had much time to really get in my room and unpack/organize my stuff. I will have to post some photos of her soon...she is absolutely beautiful and she has the funniest most beautiful little personality already. We love her so very much and I am so blessed that I get to spend so much time with her. We have such a special bond already and she just melts my heart every time she looks at me with her gorgeous gigantic smile. Ahh.. I could talk about her for hours and hours. Such a sweet little girl. We are so blessed to have Kenzie in our family.
Ok... so back to my craft room...lol. Once I get talking about Kenzie I can ramble on and on about how amazing she is...so let me stop now before I forget what I wanted to post for you all tonight. Before we sold our last house and moved I did not feel comfortable leaving all of my cricut cartridges in storage. As you all know these cartridges and craft supplies in general are really expensive and so to be safe I emptied every cartridge taking out each booklet, overlay and cartridge. I put all of my cartridges in big gallon baggies and kept them at my in laws (they were a God send allowing us to store so many of my craft supplies in their home for close to 9 months and I appreciate them being so kind. I don't know what I would have done without them..so a huge Thank You to my in laws for being so sweet about it) because keeping them stored in a storage unit exposed to all the extreme elements really worried me. There was no way I wanted to take a chance and have any of them ruined. My cricut booklets and cartridge boxes were stored in our storage unit while the overlays and cartridges themselves were kept inside the house. As you see I have alot of cartridges and today I wanted to get the cartridges, overlays and booklets back in their proper cases. Thank goodness for my sweet little girl Hallie and my niece Jillian as they really helped me ALOT. Having their help really shaved alot of time and for that I am so grateful. So here is a few photos of what our mess looked like before.
All of my cartridges after being taken out of the gallon baggies...and if you have not watched my video above you will see just how many Cricut Cartridges I have.
The overlays I stored in a big boot shoe box and these were kept inside. We have extreme weather here and I was not going to take any chances of them being ruined.
After finishing putting my cartridges back together I wanted to tackle my stamps. This is not all that I own.. this was just the ones I had packed in a big box. It has been about 9 or 10 months since I have seen all of my supplies and so it kinda felt like Christmas to me today.
This is the other half of what was in the box. When you go as long as I did not being able to see and use all your craft supplies you literally forget what you have. At least that is how it was for me. But I will admit that my memory is horrible..lol. That is why I said it was sensory overload for me today..lol. For months now I have been brain storming trying to figure out how I was going to organize all my stamps so that I could easily find what I need in a speedy manner. It bugs me so much when I need a stamp or punch and I cannot find it and then I spend a ton of time just searching for it. Spending so much time searching for certain craft supplies takes away from being able to create and plus I don't like it when I cannot find what I need quickly.
After thinking and thinking about how in the world I could organize these wood mounted stamps so that I could easily find what I need and grab it and go I thought why not store my stamps like they do in some craft stores??!! So that is exactly what I am gonna do. This is a photo I found on Pinterest (picture is below...I pinned it under Two Pink Peas Craft Room Ideas this link takes you to my Pinterest page which is amazing as I am always pinning so many creative and amazing cards and crafts so please feel free to follow me) that shows you what I am talking about. Except I am gonna have longer slats of wood and probably more rows since I have so many wood mounted stamps...plus I plan to continue to purchase more and more as I am addicted to them! As far as my acrylic stamps...and I have ALOT...I am not 100% sure yet on how I am going to organize them. One of my blog readers suggested storing them in empty clear cd cases and I might just do that.
For those who have a ton of stamps how do you store yours and what is the best way you have organized them so that they are easy to find when you need them? Any suggestions or comments are always greatly appreciated!
Storing wooden stamps this way is probably my favorite storage idea that I have found so far. Finding an image is so easy when they are displayed this way. For those who do not know I am having a giveaway for the one who gives me the most creative or smart idea on how to store craft supplies. Just leave me a comment?HERE letting me know your best idea and once I select the idea that will work the best for me I will get a goodie bag together for the winner as a thank you.
Thank you for stopping by Two Pink Peas today and stay tuned as I will be adding more updates and videos and hopefully my finished, very beautiful and very organized new craft room.
AGA honors distinguished clinicians, researchers and educators with prestigious recognition awardsPublic release date: 19-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rachel Steigerwald newsroom@gastro.org 301-272-1603 American Gastroenterological Association
Orlando, FL (May 19, 2013) Each year, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) recognizes several individuals for their outstanding contributions and achievements in gastroenterology through its esteemed recognition awards.
"AGA is comprised of many distinguished and talented individuals who work tirelessly to advance the science and practice of gastroenterology. Today, we are pleased to announce the 2013 recognition award honorees who have been acknowledged by their colleagues for their tremendous contributions to our field," said Loren Laine, MD, AGAF, president of the AGA Institute. "Through their dedication, knowledge and influence, these individuals have bettered gastroenterology practice, research and education, and have also provided outstanding service to the AGA."
The AGA congratulates the 2013 awardees and thanks them for their exemplary service to the field of gastroenterology.
Julius Friedenwald Medal
AGA's highest honor is awarded to Chung Owyang, MD. The Julius Friedenwald Medal, presented annually since 1941, recognizes a physician for lifelong contributions to the field of gastroenterology. Dr. Owyang has dedicated his distinguished, 34-year career to the field of gastroenterology and to the service of the AGA and its membership. AGA is sincerely thankful for his contributions.
Dr. Owyang's impressive career includes overseeing and building one of the truly elite GI programs in the U.S. at the University of Michigan, where he currently serves as chief of the division of gastroenterology, while making many important discoveries through his own research program that have advanced our understanding of the physiology of pancreatic secretion and gastrointestinal motility. Dr. Owyang has been an active AGA member throughout his renowned career, serving on numerous committees and as chair of the AGA International Committee from 2003 to 2006.
AGA Institute gratefully acknowledges AstraZeneca for making this award possible through a restricted grant.
Read more.
Distinguished Achievement Award
The AGA presents its Distinguished Achievement Award to Pelayo Correa, MD, for his major research accomplishments that have significantly advanced the understanding of the pathology and epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers. Over his exemplary career, which spans more than 50 years, Dr. Correa has been instrumental in identifying causal pathways in malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, notably the multistage mechanisms involved in gastric carcinogenesis. Dr. Correa's pathology background, coupled with his rich clinical cancer prevention experience, place him in a rarified atmosphere as a translational researcher and make him highly deserving of this honor. Dr. Correa currently serves as Anne Potter Wilson professor of medicine, division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
AGA Institute gratefully acknowledges AstraZeneca for making this award possible through a restricted grant.
Read more.
Distinguished Mentor Award
The AGA honors John Thomas Lamont, MD, AGAF, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, with its Distinguished Mentor Award for his achievements as an outstanding mentor. Throughout his 40-year career in academic gastroenterology, Dr. Lamont has shown excellence and leadership in clinical care, teaching and research. He has an international reputation as a clinical scientist and is widely regarded for his integrity, fairness, and humanistic and personal approach to nurturing his students' careers.
Read more.
Distinguished Educator Awards
The Distinguished Educator Award acknowledges exemplary educators in the field of gastroenterology. The AGA is proud to be awarding this honor to two deserving individuals.
Sheila E. Crowe, MD, AGAF, FRCPC, FACP, FACG, professor and director of research for the division of gastroenterology at the University of California, San Diego, is recognized at both a national and international level for her innumerable contributions as an educator, lecturer and mentor, as well as for furthering the general population's awareness of celiac disease. Dr. Crowe has dedicated countless hours to the AGA through her work on the AGA Council and with the AGA Spring Postgraduate Course, and the AGA is proud to honor her accomplishments.
Douglas K. Rex, MD, AGAF, FACG, FASGE, is known as an educator's educator and mentor who has carried out his entire academic career at Indiana University, where he currently serves as a distinguished professor of medicine and chancellor's professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology. He has made critically important educational contributions through a combination of his formal and clinical teaching; his substantial, practical and important clinical research; his numerous authoritative clinical reviews; his widely viewed educational videos; and his major contributions to clinical guidelines and policy in gastroenterology.
Read more.
Research Service Award
The AGA presents Stephen P. James, MD, with its Research Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has significantly advanced gastroenterological science and research. Dr. James is director for the division of digestive disease and nutrition at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, where he has been a critical voice and advocate for the many facets of digestive disease and nutrition research nationwide. His insights and advice into the policy and practice of digestive disease research have been of fundamental importance to the AGA, as well as countless other industry associations.
Read more.
Distinguished Clinician Awards
The AGA recognizes two individuals, one in private practice and one in clinical academic practice, who have exemplified leadership and excellence in the practice of gastroenterology.
Lawrence R. Schiller, MD, FACP, FACG, founding member of the Digestive Health Associates of Texas, PA, is a highly experienced clinician who is widely known as the top resource for disorders of gastrointestinal motility, diarrhea, constipation and gastroparesis for the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Dr. Schiller is highly appreciated among his peers for his ability to clarify seemingly complex situations and arrive at logical and practical solutions.
Grace H. Elta, MD, AGAF, is a sought-after gastroenterologist who has served for more than 10 years as the medical director of the University of Michigan's medical procedures unit (MPU) and associate chief of clinical programs. Under Dr. Elta's leadership, the MPU is considered by many as a model for all endoscopy units in the nation today, largely due to her vision for providing care that is seamless, thoughtful and comprehensive.
Read more.
Outstanding Service Awards
The AGA is proud to honor two noteworthy individuals with its Outstanding Service Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the field of digestive diseases through public education, literature, philanthropy and personal service.
Joel V. Brill, MD, AGAF, serves the GI community on a daily basis through his persistent work developing guidelines and quality measures, and his efforts to ensure fair coding and reimbursement opportunities for GIs through his involvement with AGA and the CPT Editorial Panel, the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement and the AMA Relative Value Update Committee (RUC), for which he served as the vice chair of the practice expense subcommittee through 2012. Dr. Brill currently serves as medical director of FAIR Health, Inc.; assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix; adjunct assistant professor of medicine at Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ; and chief medical officer of Predictive Health, LLC.
Since being elected to Congress in 2008, Bill Cassidy, MD, R-LA, has worked tirelessly on behalf of gastroenterologists and physicians across the country to ensure patients have access to timely specialty care. He is a dedicated champion of an array of public policy issues critical to the research and practice of gastroenterology, including providing education and treatment on hepatitis C, insuring that ambulatory surgery centers remain viable for physicians and patients, and working to modernize the Medicare physician payment formula, among other important issues.
Read more.
###
About the American Gastroenterological Association
The American Gastroenterological (AGA) Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the American Gastroenterological Association has grown to include close to 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. Learn more at http://www.gastro.org.
Follow us on Twitter @AmerGastroAssn. Become an AGA fan on Facebook.
About DDW
DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. For more information, visit http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a DDW fan on Facebook.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
AGA honors distinguished clinicians, researchers and educators with prestigious recognition awardsPublic release date: 19-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rachel Steigerwald newsroom@gastro.org 301-272-1603 American Gastroenterological Association
Orlando, FL (May 19, 2013) Each year, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) recognizes several individuals for their outstanding contributions and achievements in gastroenterology through its esteemed recognition awards.
"AGA is comprised of many distinguished and talented individuals who work tirelessly to advance the science and practice of gastroenterology. Today, we are pleased to announce the 2013 recognition award honorees who have been acknowledged by their colleagues for their tremendous contributions to our field," said Loren Laine, MD, AGAF, president of the AGA Institute. "Through their dedication, knowledge and influence, these individuals have bettered gastroenterology practice, research and education, and have also provided outstanding service to the AGA."
The AGA congratulates the 2013 awardees and thanks them for their exemplary service to the field of gastroenterology.
Julius Friedenwald Medal
AGA's highest honor is awarded to Chung Owyang, MD. The Julius Friedenwald Medal, presented annually since 1941, recognizes a physician for lifelong contributions to the field of gastroenterology. Dr. Owyang has dedicated his distinguished, 34-year career to the field of gastroenterology and to the service of the AGA and its membership. AGA is sincerely thankful for his contributions.
Dr. Owyang's impressive career includes overseeing and building one of the truly elite GI programs in the U.S. at the University of Michigan, where he currently serves as chief of the division of gastroenterology, while making many important discoveries through his own research program that have advanced our understanding of the physiology of pancreatic secretion and gastrointestinal motility. Dr. Owyang has been an active AGA member throughout his renowned career, serving on numerous committees and as chair of the AGA International Committee from 2003 to 2006.
AGA Institute gratefully acknowledges AstraZeneca for making this award possible through a restricted grant.
Read more.
Distinguished Achievement Award
The AGA presents its Distinguished Achievement Award to Pelayo Correa, MD, for his major research accomplishments that have significantly advanced the understanding of the pathology and epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancers. Over his exemplary career, which spans more than 50 years, Dr. Correa has been instrumental in identifying causal pathways in malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, notably the multistage mechanisms involved in gastric carcinogenesis. Dr. Correa's pathology background, coupled with his rich clinical cancer prevention experience, place him in a rarified atmosphere as a translational researcher and make him highly deserving of this honor. Dr. Correa currently serves as Anne Potter Wilson professor of medicine, division of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
AGA Institute gratefully acknowledges AstraZeneca for making this award possible through a restricted grant.
Read more.
Distinguished Mentor Award
The AGA honors John Thomas Lamont, MD, AGAF, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, with its Distinguished Mentor Award for his achievements as an outstanding mentor. Throughout his 40-year career in academic gastroenterology, Dr. Lamont has shown excellence and leadership in clinical care, teaching and research. He has an international reputation as a clinical scientist and is widely regarded for his integrity, fairness, and humanistic and personal approach to nurturing his students' careers.
Read more.
Distinguished Educator Awards
The Distinguished Educator Award acknowledges exemplary educators in the field of gastroenterology. The AGA is proud to be awarding this honor to two deserving individuals.
Sheila E. Crowe, MD, AGAF, FRCPC, FACP, FACG, professor and director of research for the division of gastroenterology at the University of California, San Diego, is recognized at both a national and international level for her innumerable contributions as an educator, lecturer and mentor, as well as for furthering the general population's awareness of celiac disease. Dr. Crowe has dedicated countless hours to the AGA through her work on the AGA Council and with the AGA Spring Postgraduate Course, and the AGA is proud to honor her accomplishments.
Douglas K. Rex, MD, AGAF, FACG, FASGE, is known as an educator's educator and mentor who has carried out his entire academic career at Indiana University, where he currently serves as a distinguished professor of medicine and chancellor's professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology. He has made critically important educational contributions through a combination of his formal and clinical teaching; his substantial, practical and important clinical research; his numerous authoritative clinical reviews; his widely viewed educational videos; and his major contributions to clinical guidelines and policy in gastroenterology.
Read more.
Research Service Award
The AGA presents Stephen P. James, MD, with its Research Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has significantly advanced gastroenterological science and research. Dr. James is director for the division of digestive disease and nutrition at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, where he has been a critical voice and advocate for the many facets of digestive disease and nutrition research nationwide. His insights and advice into the policy and practice of digestive disease research have been of fundamental importance to the AGA, as well as countless other industry associations.
Read more.
Distinguished Clinician Awards
The AGA recognizes two individuals, one in private practice and one in clinical academic practice, who have exemplified leadership and excellence in the practice of gastroenterology.
Lawrence R. Schiller, MD, FACP, FACG, founding member of the Digestive Health Associates of Texas, PA, is a highly experienced clinician who is widely known as the top resource for disorders of gastrointestinal motility, diarrhea, constipation and gastroparesis for the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Dr. Schiller is highly appreciated among his peers for his ability to clarify seemingly complex situations and arrive at logical and practical solutions.
Grace H. Elta, MD, AGAF, is a sought-after gastroenterologist who has served for more than 10 years as the medical director of the University of Michigan's medical procedures unit (MPU) and associate chief of clinical programs. Under Dr. Elta's leadership, the MPU is considered by many as a model for all endoscopy units in the nation today, largely due to her vision for providing care that is seamless, thoughtful and comprehensive.
Read more.
Outstanding Service Awards
The AGA is proud to honor two noteworthy individuals with its Outstanding Service Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the field of digestive diseases through public education, literature, philanthropy and personal service.
Joel V. Brill, MD, AGAF, serves the GI community on a daily basis through his persistent work developing guidelines and quality measures, and his efforts to ensure fair coding and reimbursement opportunities for GIs through his involvement with AGA and the CPT Editorial Panel, the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement and the AMA Relative Value Update Committee (RUC), for which he served as the vice chair of the practice expense subcommittee through 2012. Dr. Brill currently serves as medical director of FAIR Health, Inc.; assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix; adjunct assistant professor of medicine at Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ; and chief medical officer of Predictive Health, LLC.
Since being elected to Congress in 2008, Bill Cassidy, MD, R-LA, has worked tirelessly on behalf of gastroenterologists and physicians across the country to ensure patients have access to timely specialty care. He is a dedicated champion of an array of public policy issues critical to the research and practice of gastroenterology, including providing education and treatment on hepatitis C, insuring that ambulatory surgery centers remain viable for physicians and patients, and working to modernize the Medicare physician payment formula, among other important issues.
Read more.
###
About the American Gastroenterological Association
The American Gastroenterological (AGA) Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the American Gastroenterological Association has grown to include close to 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. Learn more at http://www.gastro.org.
Follow us on Twitter @AmerGastroAssn. Become an AGA fan on Facebook.
About DDW
DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. For more information, visit http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a DDW fan on Facebook.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Like many hobbyists, I rely on a good soldering iron. ?I’ve been soldering since the 3rd grade, and I’ve had quite a few soldering irons over the years. ?I’m currently using a Weller soldering station that I’ve had over 20 years (still going strong), so when I had a chance to try a new?Weller [...]
ROME (AP) ? Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will renew their rivalry in the Italian Open final Sunday ? exactly a week before the French Open starts.
In Saturday's semifinals at the Foro Italico, Federer held off a stiff challenge from Frenchman Benoit Paire 7-6 (5), 6-4. Six-time Rome champion Nadal defeated sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4, a day after Berdych rallied to beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
It will mark Nadal's eighth consecutive final since his return earlier this year from a seven-month layoff because of a left knee injury. As for Federer, who recently returned from a seven-week break from the circuit, it will be his first final of the year.
"We are here in 2013 and he is No. (3) in the world and I am No. 5 after not playing months and we are still playing good, and I hope that this is not going to be the last time," Nadal said.
On the women's side, top-ranked Serena Williams moved within one victory of winning her fourth consecutive title this year. She'll face third-seeded Victoria Azarenka in the final.
Williams overcame an early break of her serve to ease past Romanian qualifier Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 and extend her career-best winning run to 23 matches. Azarenka kept her concentration through two rain delays to beat seventh-seeded Sara Errani 6-0, 7-5.
Williams is coming off consecutive titles in Miami, Charleston and Madrid.
The men's final will mark the 30th meeting between Federer and Nadal, and it will be a rematch of the 2006 Rome final that Nadal won in a fifth-set tiebreaker. These days, Masters series finals are best-of-three sets.
Nadal holds a 19-10 edge head to head against Federer, but they have split their last four meetings.
"It's nice to have these revival moments for both of us," Federer said. "I'm sure we're both looking forward to it. I clearly am."
Federer overcame a break of his serve midway through the first set against the 36th-ranked Paire, who was playing his first Masters series semifinal. The set was decided by just a few points in the tiebreaker, which Federer closed out with an overhead smash.
Federer then went ahead with an early break in the second set and stayed in front from there.
Nadal broke in the opening game of his match and immediately took control.
After being pushed to three sets in his previous two matches ? against Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis and fourth-seeded David Ferrer ? Nadal appeared back in his comfort zone against Berdych.
"The first set was fantastic," Nadal said. "I think I played one of the best matches since I'm back."
Williams' only title at this clay-court event came in 2002, when she beat Justine Henin in the final. That was also the year she won her only French Open title. Last year in Paris, Williams lost in the opening round of a major tournament for the first time, falling to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France.
"I love the clay. I haven't had many wins at Roland Garros, but I do love it. I love to slide," Williams said. "My goal is just to win a match there this year."
Williams had twice won 21 matches in a row before, although both of those runs came more than a decade ago, in 2002 and the beginning of 2003.
Martina Navratilova established the longest women's win streak in the Open Era at 74 matches in 1984.
At 31, Williams is back at the top of her game after missing 11 months in 2010 and 2011 with a right foot injury and a pulmonary embolism.
Williams went directly to the practice court after winning.
"I was unhappy with some things today," she said. "I want to do well here as well as (in Paris)."
It's Azarenka's first final since beating Williams for the title in February at Doha. That followed her Australian Open victory. Since then, Azarenka has been slowed by right ankle and left foot injuries.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) ? Mirjana Filipovic is still haunted by the land mine blast that killed her boyfriend and blew off her left leg while on a fishing trip nearly a decade ago. It happened in a field that was supposedly de-mined.
Now, unlikely heroes may be coming to the rescue to prevent similar tragedies: sugar-craving honeybees. Croatian researchers are training them to find unexploded mines littering their country and the rest of the Balkans.
When Croatia joins the European Union on July 1, in addition to the beauty of its aquamarine Adriatic sea, deep blue mountain lakes and lush green forests, it will also bring numerous un-cleared minefields to the bloc's territory. About 750 square kilometers (466 square miles) are still suspected to be filled with mines from the Balkan wars in the 1990s.
Nikola Kezic, an expert on the behavior of honeybees, sat quietly together with a group of young researchers on a recent day in a large net tent filled with the buzzing insects on a grass field lined with acacia trees. The professor at Zagreb University outlined the idea for the experiment: Bees have a perfect sense of smell that can quickly detect the scent of the explosives. They are being trained to identify their food with the scent of TNT.
"Our basic conclusion is that the bees can clearly detect this target, and we are very satisfied," said Kezic, who leads a part of a larger multimillion-euro program, called "Tiramisu," sponsored by the EU to detect land mines on the continent.
Several feeding points were set up on the ground around the tent, but only a few have TNT particles in them. The method of training the bees by authenticating the scent of explosives with the food they eat appears to work: bees gather mainly at the pots containing a sugar solution mixed with TNT, and not the ones that have a different smell.
Kezic said the feeding points containing the TNT traces offer "a sugar solution as a reward, so they can find the food in the middle."
"It is not a problem for a bee to learn the smell of an explosive, which it can then search," Kezic said. "You can train a bee, but training their colony of thousands becomes a problem."
Croatian officials estimate that since the beginning of the Balkan wars in 1991, about 2,500 people have died from land mine explosions. During the four-year war, around 90,000 land mines were placed across the entire country, mostly at random and without any plan or existing maps.
Dijana Plestina, the head of the Croatian government's de-mining bureau, said the suspected devices represent a large obstacle for the country's population and industry, including agriculture and tourism. In the nearly two decades since the end of the war, land mines have taken the lives of 316 people, including 66 de-miners, she said.
"While this exists, we are living in a kind of terror, at least for the people who are living in areas suspected to have mines," she said. "And of course, that is unacceptable. We will not be a country in peace until this problem is solved."
In 2004, Filipovic and her boyfriend were on a fishing trip that took them to a river between Croatia and Bosnia.
"As we were returning hand-in-hand, my boyfriend stepped on a mine," the 41-year-old Filipovic said. "It was an awful, deafening explosion ... thousands of shrapnel parts went flying, hundreds ending up in my body. He was found dead several meters away, while I remained in a pool of blood sitting on the ground."
She sued the Croatian government, saying the area wasn't clearly marked as a former minefield.
"At first I thought I was asleep," she recalled. "Then I heard the voice of my father. I opened my eyes, and saw nothing. I thought I lost my eyes."
The government admitted guilt in the case for failing to keep the minefield sign, but the court has yet to determine financial compensation.
It may be a while before the honeybees hit real minefields, Kezic said. First, they will conduct controlled tests, with real mines but which are marked.
Kezic said American researchers have in the past experimented with mine-searching bees, but TNT ? the most common explosive used in the Balkan wars ? wasn't part of their experiment because its smell evaporates quickly, and only small traces remain after time. Rats and dogs are also used to detect explosives worldwide, but unlike bees, they could set off blasts on the minefields because of their weight.
Even after the de-miners have done their job in an area, some land mines are missed and remain in the soil, and they are most often the cause of deadly explosions. Once the experiment with bees proves scientifically reliable, the idea is to use them in the areas that have already been de-mined, where their movement would be followed with heat-seeking cameras, Kezic said.
"We are not saying that we will discover all the mines on a minefield, but the fact is that it should be checked if a minefield is really de-mined," he said. "It has been scientifically proven that there are never zero mines on a de-mined field, and that's where bees could come in."
Qatar's Doha Film Institute said Saturday in Cannes that it plans to launch two film festivals in the territory's capital city.
The independent cultural organization in the Middle Eastern state of Qatar is planning an international film festival for first and second time filmmakers named Qumra Film Festival, Doha with the debut edition set for dates in March 2014.
The Institute is also planning to use its traditional November slot for the launch of the inaugural Ajyal Film Festival for the Young, a community-based event that brings cinema and film-related activities to Doha to promote film appreciation among families and educators.
DFI CEO Abdulaziz Al Khater?told The Hollywood Reporter that the changes -- which follow the winding up of the previous event's cultural partnership with Tribeca Enterprises -- come as a result of a desire to expand its international exposure while boosting its community activities separately.
RELATED: THR's Complete Coverage of the Cannes Film Festival
"We want to harness the momentum we?ve generated there and continue developing film appreciation in Qatar," Al Khater said. "At the same time, the Institute has decided to focus on emerging filmmakers and expand its competitions to include films from around the world. The best path to achieving our goals is to build two separate film festivals."
The Qumra event will carry jury awards for features and short films, master classes with established filmmakers and will also program films from across the globe, events backers said.
Days into being announced as artistic advisor for DFI, filmmaker Elia Suleiman?said the festival will aim to be international and offer a home for first and second filmmakers no matter where in the world they live.
?The intention is clear and sincere ? to build a cinematic house of culture, anchored to the principle of hope," Suleiman said.
The stars continued to sparkle despite the rain falling on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence was among the big names to step out on Saturday for the premiere of the film "Jimmy P. (Psychotherapy Of A Plains Indian)" at the 66th annual festival.
AFP - Getty Images
Actress Jennifer Lawrence on May 18 in Cannes, France.
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Public release date: 19-May-2013
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