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Via UPS Ground or Priority Mail on all Metropolitan Museum of Art Pen Orders over $25.00 *In the United States only The Metropolitan Museum of Art Tiffany Pine Bough collection is part of a unique selection of writing instruments developed from objects in the Metropolitan Museum's collection. A portion of the proceeds are used to support The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Tiffany Pine Bough Collection is adapted from a Tiffany Favrile glass and gilt bronze picture frame in the pine bough pattern from about 1905-1920. Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) was one of America's most acclaimed and multitalented artists working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Each Tiffany Collection pen is packaged in a unique wood presentation box with a brief description of the original design. Tiffany Pine Bough Ball Point Pen Waterford Pen Refills
Now that the Age of Exploration is on hiatus, we turn inwards with fascination to both the triumphs and the failures of earlier years. One of the key focal points for exhibitions and the public are the polar expeditions of the Edwardian era, whose centenaries fall about now. The cult of anniversary has spawned a rash of new findings. Most bizarre of all is the uncovering of the Terra Nova expedition's last photos, taken by Captain Scott. Recognised by its leader, Captain Scott, and the untimely end of its members, uncovering a new record of their exploit is surprising. The disputes over copyright can often lead to the destruction of historical records: After two years of lectures, exhibitions, slide shows and film screenings, and a bitter clash over who owned the rights, thousands of photographs, along with Scott's images, were returned to the expedition photographer, Herbert Ponting. The nitrate film of the collection disintegrated, but a single set of positives printed by Ponting survived, stored loose in a cardboard box. Ponting died in 1935. The images were bought by a commercial picture agency but their true identity still went unrecognised. They resurfaced when part of the archive was sold at auction. Now they will be shown for us. If Scott's last photos can resurface, what other treasures lie hidden in the archival depths?
I can distinctively remember two features in The FT about this guy, JP Rangaswami, the CIO at investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. I think the first feature I remember was early last year. The second was last week, and both were about his progressive work at his bank. He's into wikis, blogs and RSS to make things easier for his staff. Well David Tebbutt has spotted that JP has started blogging. It's called 'Confused of Calcutta' and it's not your typical corporate blog - very casual look and feel. Must read me too!
writer and editor jason rodriguez. this is his analog to digital. jason rodriguez is a writer and editor, whose books have been nominated for an eisner award and 8 harvey awards. jason is currently editing a series of comic anthologies about colonial new england and the mid-atlantic region for fulcrum publishing scheduled to start being released in 2014. he is also creating a series of low-cost sci-fi stories for children exclusively distributed via amazon kindle. jason lives in arlington, va with his wife and their two dogs, four cats, and a parrot. you can usually find him on a street corner, staring out into the future.
By PDMACpayday loans “Wacky Warning Labels” Contest I’m full of it today * ~ 2005-01-06 This is so interesting! For background this was taken from Project Censor’s website…. Project Censored is a media research group out of Sonoma State University which tracks the news published in independent journals and newsletters. From these, Project Censored compiles an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the countryâ€™s major national news media. link via bookslut Anti ‘No Poop Policy’ ~ 2005-01-06 Warning: If you’re offended by poop don’t bother linking to the site….and really, how can people be offended by poop? I Just Called to Say I Love You ~ 2005-01-06 No chocolate covered candy hearts To give away, No first of spring, No song to sing, In fact, here’s just another I just called to say I love you; I just called to say how much I care; I just called to say I love you, And I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Ha! Another week, another song. To start off I just wanted to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. Awhile back I announced a new job and so many people added their congratulations and good wishes. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. *FUZZ** Unfortunately my blogger account doesn’t give me access to your emails. If it did I would email you all individually and thank you. Thanks guys you rock. Along with that goes a big thank you for your complements on my Christmas Knits. I hope they inspired some of you – cause you guys do that for me everyday (damn you!) and my pocket book thanks you. I usually make soap for Christmas. This year I brought it to a new level with the packaging. I’ve been making it for about 4 years now. Each year they get better and better. This is what we gave out… (bad, bad picture…I should leave the photos to Rob) What ‘da thunk? The clip art is from microsoftasssssss. Rob’s figure was originally a black man. I changed the face to make it a bit more realistic. Anyone who has actually seen Rob is person will realize how funny this is. The fact that this figure’s skin was black is the SMALLEST difference between Rob and that character. Anyhooo…it wasn’t until my friend Chris saw it that I realized I had forgotten the areas above the eyes and the ear. Teeheee. We’re a multi-racial family!
NOTE: This version of the roster matrix is no longer current. It reflects the 2011 changes from the start of short-season ball until the end of the 2011 World Series. It should now be considered a historical reference document. For the active roster matrix covering the 2011-2012 off-season, click here. With the short-season minor league schedule now underway, it is time for another refresh of the St. Louis Cardinals system roster matrix. This version will reflect the changes made from the first week of 2011 short-season play. The previous matrix reflects the rosters as they evolved from the end of spring camp until then. In the first week of 2011 short-season play, the St. Louis Cardinals had 288 players under contract from top to bottom, including a full 40-man roster. The matrix places each one at his current assigned level in the system based on his placement at the end of last season as well as by position. It is kept updated daily or as transactions occur. Nowhere else will you find this current and comprehensive single-page view of the entire Cardinals organization. Don’t be concerned about the order of the players’ names within a team. It doesn’t signify anything. The players on the 40-man roster are called out in bold. The short-season pitchers are broken out into returnees and summer 2011 signees. The latter group is either denoted by the round drafted or FA (for free agent). At the end is a group of currently inactive and unassigned players. The final group, 2011 unsigned draftees, is not a part of the signed total. Full team rosters and player profiles at The Cardinal Nation Remember that to get detailed profile information on every single one of these 288 Cardinals players, simply check out their free player profiles freshly updated now at The Cardinal Nation.com / Scout.com. You can see bios, photos, videos, articles, news items, links to current season and career stats and much more – everything you need to know about a player in one place. Click on the following links to be taken to one of the nine team pages at The Cardinal Nation: Once there, just click on a player’s name to be taken to his individual profile page. For example, here is Shelby Miller’s profile. Looking ahead and back Now that you’ve found this page once, remember one of three ways to get back here. Bookmark the page, type “Roster Matrix” in the dark blue search box at the upper right or use the dropdown menu at the top of the page: “Players/Staff” > “Depth Charts/Roster Matrix”. For details behind past rosters and transactions, check out the earlier versions of the Cardinals organization roster matrix as follows. Link to previous matrices: Jan–March 2009, April 2009, May 2009, June 2009, July 2009-February 2010, Spring camp 2010, Opening season 2010, First half 2010, Short-season 2010, 2010-11 Off-season, 2011 spring training, 2011 regular season 6/24: New matrix. Organization total: 288 players. LHR Iden Nazario from Bat to QC. LHR Justin Wright from QC to PB. RHR Francisco Samuel to PB DL. C Steven Hill from Spr to Mem. 1B Matt Adams off Spr DL. 6/25: C Nick Derba from Mem to Spr. 2B Kolten Wong (1st round) signed, assigned to QC. New total: 289 players. 6/26: LHR Justin Wright onto PB DL. RHR Arquimedes Nieto off PB DL. C Travis Tartamella onto Spr DL. 6/27: IF Nick Punto and 3B David Freese off StL DL. OF Andrew Brown and IF Pete Kozma from StL to Mem. OF Dutch Deol (17th round) signed, assigned to GCL. LHP Justin Edwards from Bat to QC. RHS Carlos Martinez and 2B Starlin Rodriguez from QC to PB. 2B Jose Garcia from Mem to Spr. IF Luis Mateo to PB DL. New total: 290 players. 6/28: RHP Richard Castillo from Spr to PB. IF Freddie Bynum to Mem DL. LHS John Gast from PB to Spr. RHR Eric Binder from JC to Bat. 6/29: RHR Aaron Terry released from PB. IF Domnit Bolivar from Spr to PB. IF Packy Elkins from PB to QC. IF Joey Bergman from QC to Bat. StL RHR Ryan Franklin released. OF Reggie Williams from Bat to GCL. New total: 288 players. 6/30: RHP Brandon Dickson added to 40-man and moved from Mem to StL. Contract of 23rd round RHP Kyle Deese voided (JC). LHR Rich Rundles re-signed to Mem. 7/1: C Cody Stanley onto QC DL. C Kleininger Teran off QC DL. 7/2: Five Latin American signees (DSL): LHPs Dewin Perez, Alirio Negrette, RHP Luis Arias (2012 contract), C Jose Godoy, SS Eliezer Alvarez. FA IF Garrett Wittels signed, assigned to Bat. New total: 294 players. 7/4: C Nick Derba onto Spr DL. C Travis Tartamella off Spr DL. FA LHP Matt Rein signed, assigned to JC. RHP Kevin Jacob (31st round) signed, assigned to Bat. New total: 296 players. 7/5: 1B Albert Pujols off StL DL. LHR Brian Tallet onto StL DL. LHR Ron Mahay, RHR Blaine Boyer signed to minor league contracts, assigned to Mem. SS Kenny Peoples-Walls (4th round) signed, assigned to GCL. New total: 299 players. 7/6: RHS Joe Kelly from PB to Spr. GCL rehab of PB RHR Jeff Lyman ends. 7/7: LHR Daniel Calhoun from PB to Spr. RHRs Jose Rada, Chase Reid onto Spr DL. C Gerald Laird off StL DL. RHP P. J. Walters from Mem to StL, onto 40-man. Mem RHP Bryan Augenstein DFAed. OF Daryl Jones from Mem to Spr. RHS Adam Ottavino, C Steven Hill onto Mem DL. RHP Brandon Dickson, 1B Mark Hamilton from StL to Mem. IF Freddie Bynum off Mem DL. RHP Mike Blazek, LHR Nick Greenwood from Spr to Mem. OF D’Marcus Ingram to Spr DL. C Cody Stanley off QC DL. C Kleininger Teran onto QC DL. 7/9: LHR Ron Mahay activated at PB. 7/11: RHS Blaine Boyer activated at PB. LHS Kevin Siegrist to PB DL. RHP Bryan Augenstein outrighted to Mem. RHS Mike Blazek and LHR Nick Greenwood from Mem to Spr. 7/14: LHR Ron Mahay from PB to Mem. OF Shane Robinson off Mem DL to Spr. C Travis Tartamella to PB DL. RHS Drew Benes from Bat to QC. RHP Javier Avendano to Bat DL. 7/15: RHR Hector Corpas to QC DL (retro 7/12). 7/16: RHR Scott Bittle from GCL to Bat. OF Mike O’Neill from Bat to QC, IF Jonathan Rodriguez, OF Nick Longmire to QC DL. IF Luis Mateo from PB DL to QC. 7/17: OF Kyle Conley off PB DL. OF Edgar Lara onto PB DL. C Nick Derba from Spr DL to Mem. 2B Freddie Bynum onto Mem DL. 7/18: RHS Adam Ottavino off Mem DL. LHS Nick Additon onto temp inactive list. 7/19: OF C.J. McElroy (3rd round) signed, assigned to GCL. New total: 300 players. 7/21: Spr RHR Brett Zawacki released. RHR Francisco Samuel from PB to Spr. LHR Justin Wright off PB DL. 1B Mark Hamilton to Mem DL. LHS Nick Additon off Mem TI list. New total: 299 players. 7/22: OF Shane Robinson from Spr to Mem. OF Jim Rapoport from Mem to Spr. IF Jonathan Rodriguez off QC DL. OF Mike O’Neill onto QC DL. 7/23: IF Hector Garcia from GCL to JC. 7/25: IF Luis Mateo onto QC DL. OF Nick Longmire off QC DL. 7/26: LHS Nick Additon from Mem to Spr. LHR Daniel Calhoun from Spr to PB. RHS Blaine Boyer from PB to Mem. Bat RHR Scott Bittle released. DSL Ps Carlos Oraa and Alberth Almeida released. RHP Norge Parades signed, assigned to DSL. New total: 297 players. 7/27: LHR Manuel De La Cruz from JC to Bat. OF Colby Rasmus, LHRs Trever Miller and Brian Tallet and RHR P.J. Walters traded to Toronto. RHS Edwin Jackson, LHR Mark Rzepczynski, RHR Octavio Dotel and OF Corey Patterson from Tor to StL. 7/28: LHR Raul Valdes from StL to Mem. LHS Kevin Siegrist off PB DL. RHR Jeff Lyman from PB to Spr. 7/29: IF Nick Punto to StL DL. IF Tyler Greene from Mem to StL. IF Freddie Bynum off Mem DL. RHP Kevin Thomas to Spr DL. 7/30: LHR Rich Rundles to Mem DL. DSL Ps Delvi Rodriguez and Jean Carlos De La Cruz off RL. OF Jose Martinez and P John De Aguas released from DSL. New total: 295 players. 7/31: SS Rafael Furcal acquired from LA Dodgers. Spr OF Alex Castellanos to LA. SS Tyler Greene from StL to Mem. RHR Eduardo Sanchez from 15- to 60-day DL. 8/1: OF Aaron Luna from Mem to Spr. IF/OF Edgar Lara off PB DL. LHP Kevin Siegrist onto PB DL. 8/3: IF Breyvic Valera from GCL to JC. OF Mike O’Neill off QC DL. 1B Victor Sanchez onto QC DL. 8/4: RHP Seth Blair onto QC DL. RHP Hector Corpas off QC DL. 1B Mark Hamilton off Mem DL. IF Donovan Solano from Mem to Spr. 8/5: LHR Manuel De La Cruz to Bat DL. IF/OF Phil Cerreto from PB DL to Bat. Spr RHR Casey Mulligan retired. Spr 2B Jose Garcia to DL. 8/9: RHS Seth Blair off QC DL. 8/10: RHR Lance Lynn onto StL DL. IF/OF Allen Craig off StL DL. 8/11: RHS Deryk Hooker from Spr DL to PB. RHR Joel Pichardo off PB DL and released. RHS Arquimedes Nieto onto PB TI list. RHP Manuel De La Cruz off Bat DL. RHP Sam Gaviglio (5th round) signed, assigned to Bat. OF Aaron Luna to Spr DL. Total remains 295 players. 8/12: 2B Kolten Wong, OF Michael Swinson to QC DL. RHR David Kopp Spr to Mem. RHR Jordan Swagerty PB to Spr. LHR Ron Mahay released from Mem. LHR Rich Rundles off Mem DL. 2B Joey Bergman Bat to QC. OF Edgar Lara PB to QC. LHR Raul Valdes DFA off 40-man, Mem 25-man. C Tony Cruz from StL to Mem. LHR Arthur Rhodes signed to StL. RHR Chase Reid off Spr DL to PB. LHS Kevin Siegrist off PB DL. New total still 295. 8/13: RHS Seth Blair back to QC active roster. RHP Chris Costantino (43rd) signed, assigned to JC. RHR Eric Binder released from Bat. RHS Blaine Boyer released from Mem. LHS Nick Additon from Spr to Mem. RHS Arquimedes Nieto off PB TI to Spr. 2B Jose Garcia off Spr DL. New total 294 players. 8/15: OF Charlie Tilson (2nd round) signed, assigned to GCL. RHR Francisco Samuel to Spr DL. RHS Kevin Thomas off Spr DL. 8/16: Spr RHS Shelby Miller suspended. C Nick Derba onto Mem DL. LHS Ryan Sherriff from JC to Bat. Mem LHR Raul Valdes claimed by NYY off waivers. New total 293 players. 8/17: RHR Ethan Cole signed, assigned to Bat. IF/OF Phil Cerreto to Bat DL. New total: 294 players. 8/18: RHS Seth Maness from Bat to PB. RHS Deryk Hooker from PB to Spr. 8/21: C Audry Perez onto Spr DL. C Travis Tartamella off Spr DL. OF Victor Encarnacion from GCL to Bat. 8/23: RHS Shelby Miller off Spr SL. RHS Arquimedes Nieto from Spr to PB. RHS Carlos Martinez onto PB DL. 8/24: OF Reggie Williams from GCL to Bat. RHP Juan Bautista from DSL to JC. LHP Jonathan Cornelius and OF Roberto Reyes onto Bat DL. RHS Seth Blair off QC DL. RHR Hector Corpas onto QC DL. Purchased contract of SS Vance Albitz from Lincoln of American Assoc and assigned to Bat. New total: 295 players. 8/25: OF Charlie Tilson from GCL to JC. LHR Manuel De La Cruz to Bat DL. 8/27: 1B Phil Cerreto off Bat DL. 8/28: 2B Kolten Wong off QC DL. OF Mike O’Neill from QC to GCL. RHS Carlos Martinez off PB DL. RHP Seth Maness from PB to QC. Ps Brandon Creath, Tyler Melling and Willy Paulino from GCL to JC. 8/30: OF Edgar Lara from QC to PB. OF Mike O’Neill from GCL to QC. RHP Cale Johnson from QC to JC. RHS Todd McInnis onto Bat DL. 8/31: IF Greg Garcia onto PB DL. 9/1: RHS Brandon Dickson from Mem to StL. C Nick Derba off Mem DL. RHS Mike Blazek from Spr to Mem. RHR Francisco Samuel off Spr DL. LHS Jonathan Cornelius off Bat DL. RHS Jose Almarante onto Bat DL. 9/2: OF Shane Robinson to 40-man roster, from Mem to StL. RHR Lance Lynn from 15- to 60-day DL. 9/3: RHP Maikel Cleto from Mem to StL. 9/5: LHS Hector Hernandez from Bat to QC. 9/6: C Tony Cruz, SS Tyler Greene, OF Adron Chambers from Mem to StL. IF Nick Punto off StL DL. RHS Seth Blair to QC SL. C Jonathan Keener from JC to QC. OF Mike O’Neill from QC to Bat. 9/13: RHR Eduardo Sanchez off 60-day DL. Spr RHR Francisco Samuel DFAed. 9/25: Contract of DSL RHP Luis Arias voided. New total 294. 10/9: RHR Lance Lynn off 60-day DL. OF Andrew Brown DFAed. 10/12: OF Andrew Brown claimed off outright waivers by COL. New organization total: 293 players. The St. Louis Cardinals Organization Roster Matrix (effective 10/19/11) \|25-man (33+1)\|\|40-man (40+1)\| \|\|T Cruz (I) \|\|T Greene (I) \|Ja Garcia (L)\|\|Rzepcyznski (L) \|(I) Inactive in WS\|\|Cleto (I) \|\|Rauschenberger\|\|S Hill (DL)\| \|Rundles (L)\|\|Cazana (MX)\| \|Gast (L)\|\|Delgado (DL)\|\|Cutler\|\|Adams\|\|Duncan\|\|R Jackson\|\|Cox\|\|Pham (DL)\| \|Gorgen (DL)\|\|Lyman\|\|A Perez (DL)\|\|Jo Garcia\|\|Solano\|\|Curtis\|\|Swauger\| \|McGregor (DL)\|\|Greenwood (L)\|\|Tartamella\|\|Rapoport\| \|S Miller\|\|Swagerty\|\|Ingram (DL)\| \|Hooker\|\|S Freeman (L)\|\|Luna (DL)\| \|Palm Beach (25+1)\| \|Fornataro\|\|Calhoun (L)\|\|L DeLaCruz\|\|Scruggs\|\|S Rodriguez\|\|Bolivar\|\|N Vasquez\|\|Conley\| \|Lyons (L)\|\|Corrigan\|\|Stock\|\|Obregon\|\|Ahmady\|\|R Rosario\| \|Ri Castill0\|\|Wright (L) \|\|G Garcia (DL)\|\|Melker\| \|Quad Cities (25+9)\| \|Russell\|\|Lucas\|\|Espinoza (DL)\|\|V Sanchez (DL)\|\|Walsh\|\|Gil\|\|J Rodriguez\|\|Longmire\| \|Whiting\|\|Corpas (DL)\|\|Stanley\|\|Stidham (DL)\|\|Elkins\|\|Edmondson\| \|Bibona (L DL)\|\|H Hernandez (L)\|\|Klein\|\|Wong (1)\|\|Swinson (DL)\| \|Blair (SL)\|\|De Jesus\|\|Teran (DL)\|\|Lu Mateo (DL)\|\|Taveras\| \|A Ferrara (L)\|\|Nazario (L)\|\|Keener (32)\|\|Bergman\| \|Copeland (L)\|\|Kiekhefer (L)\| \|P\|\|P (Draft round)\|\|C\|\|1B\|\|2B\|\|SS\|\|3B\|\|OF\| \|Y Castillo\|\|Miranda (L 8th)\|\|Ca Rasmus (36)\|\|D Medina\|\|Stienstra (12)\|\|C Valero\|\|Patton (38)\|\|Martini (7)\| \|Almarante (DL)\|\|Cole (FA)\|\|J Castillo\|\|R Ruiz\|\|Wittels (FA)\|\|Rbto Reyes (DL)\| \|Daugherty (L)\|\|Tra Miller (16)\|\|Moscatel\|\|Cerreto\|\|Albitz\|\|V Hill\| \|R Martinez\|\|Cornelius (L 24)\|\|Encarnacion\| \|Mijares (L DL)\|\|McInnis (25 DL)\|\|Williams\| \|Avendano (DL)\|\|Baker (49)\|\|O’Neill\| \|S Watson (L)\|\|Bileckyj (L FA)\| \|M DeLaCruz (L DL)\|\|Gaviglio (5)\| \|Sherriff (L 28)\| \|Johnson City (36+2)\| \|P\|\|P (Draft round)\|\|C\|\|1B\|\|2B\|\|SS\|\|3B\|\|OF\| \|Jenkins\|\|Mills (9)\|\|Byrd (13)\|\|Washington\|\|Rahmatulla (34)\|\|M Williams (15)\|\|R DeLaCruz\|\|Apelian (27)\| \|Pasen\|\|Hald (L 18)\|\|Montero\|\|B Valera\|\|Pritchard (FA)\|\|H Garcia\|\|Ro Castillo\| \|Santana\|\|Gillung (L 19)\|\|Martin\|\|An Garcia\| \|Canache\|\|Billbrough (FA)\|\|S Ramos\| \|B Freeman (L)\|\|Costantino (43)\|\|Bergin (30)\| \|J Lucas\|\|Wyatt (33)\|\|Tilson (2)\| \|Nuernberg\|\|Rein (L FA)\| \|E Hiraldo\|\|Melling (L 39)\| \|Nadeau (L DL)\|\|Creath (44)\| \|Revesz (L DL)\| \|Gulf Coast (25)\| \|P\|\|P (Draft round)\|\|C\|\|1B\|\|2B\|\|SS\|\|3B\|\|OF\| \|Aguilar\|\|B Watson (37)\|\|Velazco\|\|Knox (41)\|\|Le Mateo\|\|Peoples-Walls (4)\|\|Tuivailala\|\|Jeffries (10)\| \|DeLeon\|\|Ehrlich (6)\|\|Deol (17)\| \|S Lopez\|\|McElroy (3)\| \|Paredes\|\|A DeLaCruz (L)\|\|Baez\|\|Mejia\|\|Rblys Reyes\|\|Pina\|\|Agustin\|\|Araujo\| \|Escudero\|\|A Gonzalez (RL)\|\|J Gomez\|\|R Medina\|\|R Garcia\|\|Capellan\| \|S Garcia\|\|F Gonzalez\|\|Godoy\|\|E Alvarez\|\|J Pena\| \|Jh Polanco\|\|I Brito\|\|Acevedo\| \|D Rodriguez (L)\| \|D Perez (L)\|\|Planchart\| \|M Harris (MIL)\|\|P Vasquez (RL)\| \|Draft unsigned (15)\| \|P (Draft round)\|\|P (Draft round)\|\|C\|\|1B\|\|2B\|\|SS\|\|3B\|\|OF\| \|Matulis (L 28)\|\|Schmidt (47)\|\|Ar Garcia (20)\|\|Medrano (14)\|\|Asher (48)\| \|Kirsch (L 21)\|\|Poarch (42)\|\|Arnsberg (40)\|\|Moseley (45)\| \|Kamplain (L 22)\|\|Madrigal (35) retired\|\|Kaalekahi (46)\|\|Sibley (50)\| \|Graves (26)\|\|Deese (23) failed physical\| (DL): injured – on the disabled list (I): injured and assigned to Extended Spring Training (TI): temporary inactive list (SL): suspended list (RL): restricted list (MIL): military list (TO): tryout player not under contract (L) left-handed pitcher bold: on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster (#+#) number of active players on the roster plus number of inactive/not under contract (DL+TI+SL+RL+MIL+TO) players
We’ve been pretty engrossed with the fullblown C-Span coverage of the first day of the House debate on the resolution over the war in Iraq. Our colleague, Jeff Zeleny, is writing about the debate as it unfolds on the floor. The resolution expresses support for the troops in Iraq but disapproves of President Bush’s plan to deploy an additional 21,500 troops there. As the debate got underway, our peripheral vision caught the sleet falling outside, far short of the predictions of a big storm. But it seems like an ice floe is forming inside the House chamber. Congressman Rahm Emanuel issued a chilly press release, complaining about a call-to-arms letter (complete with a map of terrorist attacks by radical Islamists since 2002) that Republican Congressmen Jack Shadegg and Pete Hoekstra have issued to their members. How many Republicans they can keep from defecting remains to be seen. Key quotes from the G.O.P. letter: This debate should not be about the surge or its details. This debate should not even be about the Iraq war to date, mistakes that have been made, or whether we can or cannot win militarily. If we let Democrats force us into a debate on the surge or the current situation in Iraq, then we lose. Rather, the congressmen urge their fellow Republicans to broaden the debate to — what? — the president’s war on terrorism and the dangers America faces from terrorists. Now, Mr. Shadegg of Arizona just gave his floor speech, in which he urged his colleagues to oppose the resolution, H.R. 63. Contending that it was a mere three sentences long, Mr. Shaddegg argued that the resolution sent the message to “stay the course,” when in fact, President Bush’s strategy for a troop buildup offered a new strategy. He argued that the world was watching, that the resolution “will undoubtedly harm America and harm our troops.” In response to the Shadegg-Hoekstra letter, Mr. Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic caucus issued this statement: We all lose when we avoid discussing the war in Iraq. For four years, Republicans failed to conduct any oversight of the war, choosing instead to turn a blind eye and hand the President a blank check on Iraq. Now, Republicans want to do anything but debate Iraq or this new policy of escalation. This is not about whether Democrats or Republicans win or lose. This is about the additional 21,500 American troops who will be sent to Iraq to implement a failed strategy and police a civil war. Representative Bill Shuster, Republican of Pennsylvania, followed Mr. Shadegg to the floor, and he, too, called the resolution “stay the course.” He challenged the House Democratic majority to spell out whether they want to cut funding for the troops, too. And just one more interesting aside: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose effort to bring only the Warner-Levin compromise resolution to the Senate floor last week was blocked by nearly all Republican senators, including Senator John Warner, announced today that he wants to proceed in his chamber with the simpler language of the House resolution.
"The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life." This week's "Sunday Best" show that through their creativity they have been able to artificially capture the life that is Warhammer 40k. Their work continually sparks the creative juices that power the light in the dark recesses of my mind and many others. LuckyNo.5 has injected his numerous painted models with the essence of evil itself. His work seems to hold no boundaries as his art in the world of 40k is what nightmares are spawned from. His mind truly resided in the Eye of Terror. This week was no exception as he blessed with a glimpse into his diabolical mind where he presented a Necron Destroyer Lord to us. Artist #2 - From the Warp: Plastic Eversor Ron's creativity is always in overdrive as he is continuously pumping out model after model. Each of these models tear a whole in the fabrics of our minds. His skill at painting is unreal and his ability to create his own unique models is mind boggling. What makes Ron shine though is his ability to teach and his willingness to share. His plastic Eversor not only demonstrates these two traits but also the creativity that lies within his mind. Artist #3 - Spiky Rat Pack: Blanchitsu izeColt was blessed with a private viewing of John Blanche creativity during his last visit to Nottingham over some tasty Bugman's Burgers. During their lunch Mr. Blanche shocked them by offering to let them take some photos of recently completed Inquisitor and retinue. Mr. Blanche art created the very soul of Warhammer 40k and his models bring Warhammer 40k to life. His work leaves me speechless and my thanks goes out to izeColt for sharing these photos with us. Henry Ward Beecher put it best when he said "Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." Not all of these artist may use canvis as their medium but their work has been dipped into each of their souls. They inspire creativity and without artist like them the world of Warhammer 40k would truly be a dark grim place.
I first heard about Kris Carr on an episode of Oprah to do with death and dying. Despite the theme of the show, it was one of the most inspirational hours I had ever watched on television (watch the amazing clip here). My new copy of her latest book In her early 30s, Kris was diagnosed with a rare and untreatable form of stage 4 cancer. Her future was not promising. After her ‘wtf’ meltdown, she decided that she would face it head on, completely overhauling her diet and lifestyle, leading to her healing journey. She catalogued this journey in an inspiring documetary and book called Crazy Sexy Cancer, which started an international revolution. Along the way, she gained many followers and fans, including Sheryl Crow, Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra. Almost a decade on, although she still technically has the tumours, she is healthier than ever before. One ‘can be healed without being cured’. Kris believes that we should all ‘aim’ for prevention over early detection (hear it here in her own words). Thus, her latest book: Crazy Sexy Diet (foreward by Dr. Dean Ornish, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California – San Francisco). In it, she discusses the vital role the foods we eat play on our level of health. Although most of us ‘know’ this, her very captivating and refreshing writing style raises our awareness to a whole new level. Only she can compare our ‘acidic’ fixes to the rebell boyfriend; the one who is always fun and exciting in the short term, but never returns calls and is unreliable in the long term. Pages 20-21, pHabulous indeed She explains the important role of having a slightly alkaline pH Balance, ideally 7, on one’s overall wellbeing. An acidic environment, which is the result of a western diet, is a breeding ground for cancer cells and other illnesses. Sugar (and that includes alcohol) is one of the BIG culprits, and actually ain’t that sweet! One simple way of increasing pH balance is by juicing green drinks. Green is the new white. Mooooo anyone? No thanks! (that is a whole other blog entry!) Pages 104-105, Invest in a great juicer A home pH balance testing kit (It’s easy to get your own pH Balance testing kit. I ordered mine from Amazon.co.uk or (Amazon.com)) Pages 40-41, What we think 'boosts' us, actually 'hurts' us Kris Carr, is a true example of what can happen if we turn our circumstances into our defining moments. For all that, and for having taken her life sentence and turned it into a Crazy Sexy Life instead, her new diet book is actually the ’it’ life book. All Photographs via Me
I feel at times an immense appetite. If the world is my oyster then may it not be served up on a simple dish for me to devour? A few days in a new country and city serve as the starter to whet my appetite for more. I nibbled in Hungary exploring the city above ground and beneath by labyrinth. There was not a portion of the meal that did not go sampled and yet here I am hungry for more. Hungry for Hungary? Yes, but also so many other countless places that seem impossible to fit into one lifetime let alone one meager student's budget. Too much was gobbled up in Budapest and far too quickly to be described in brief or in fairness here, but luckily I captured what I could with my camera. I fear my eyes are always bigger than my stomach... Outfit details: jacket- Urban Outfitters, dress- Urban Outfitters, cardigan- H&M, tights- Target, gloves- Karmaloop, boots- some shop in Athens Greece, bag- Ruche Outfit details: cardigan- H&M, dress- Zara, tights- Target, boots- some shop in Athens Greece, hat- secondhand, jacket- Urban Outfitters
If you’re planning to renovate your home, you can tap some of the hottest trends showing up in new-home designs. Here are four new-home trends that offer strong returns on your time and money: 1. Creating a view – Americans continue to embrace all things green and that trend is showing up in new home construction in a number of ways, including an emphasis on energy-efficient windows that bring the outdoors inside with a great view. If your home has older windows, they’re likely not as energy efficient as newer options, so replacing them can improve your heating and cooling efficiency. Window replacements typically provide a high return on investment at the time or resale, too – more than 73 percent for wood windows and 71 percent-plus for vinyl, according to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report. While you’re replacing your windows, you also have the opportunity to open up your home more to outdoor views. Work with your architect or designer and contractor to determine where the best views are, and how much additional glass you can incorporate into your renovation to capitalize on those views. 2. Adding a bathroom – When it comes to renovations that improve resale value and enhance a home’s usability, adding a bathroom is at the top of the list for many homeowners. While today’s new smaller homes often have less square footage, demand for multiple bathrooms has not changed. In existing homes, adding a bathroom can sometimes pose plumbing challenges. Up-flush plumbing can solve a lot of them. Up-flush systems pump waste and water from a toilet, sink or bathtub up and out, instead of into a below-floor sewage pit. Up-flush toilets enable homeowners to easily and cost-effectively install a bathroom virtually anywhere without breaking through the floors – a special advantage when those floors are made of concrete. That means adding a basement bathroom doesn’t require cutting into a home’s concrete foundation, and you can easily add an attic bathroom without tearing up the first-floor ceiling. According to Saniflo, makers of up-flush plumbing products, adding a bathroom using this type of plumbing can cost about $5,000 less than one that uses conventional plumbing. 3. Defining the kitchen – Kitchens are another popular renovation that pays off in a number of ways. Architects are fine-tuning the popular wide-open floor plan concept, and the change is showing up in the kitchen. Favored designs now open the kitchen on one side to an adjoining room, such as the family room, but enclose the other three walls to create a more defined space, as well as more storage and cabinet options. This trend works particularly well in older homes where you frequently find a completely separate kitchen. Now, rather than ripping out three walls to create an entirely open flow, you can tap the latest kitchen design trend by opening up just a single wall in the kitchen. This leaves the space well-defined, but also adds the open, social feeling that is so appealing in many new home designs. 4. Maximizing every inch of space – With smaller floor plans gaining popularity, making the most of every inch of space is vital. New-home design employs entertaining nooks, breakfast alcoves, built-ins, pocket doors and other tricks to use every inch of space wisely. It’s a trend that also works well in older homes that may have smaller rooms and less square footage than the McMansions popular a few years ago. For example, it’s easier to add a built-in desk to a spare corner and create an office alcove than it is to add an entire office to your floor plan. If you crave a fresh environment and the latest home design trends, you don’t have to give up your old home and tackle the hassles of moving into something new. With some planning and creativity, it’s possible to translate some of the hottest new-home design trends into your renovation project.
One of my favorite memories as a kid is of taking the bus from Malibu to Westwood Village with my friends. After pleading with our parents to let us make the long journey by ourselves, finally getting on that bus as it weaved through Sunset Boulevard and dropped us off at the Bruin Theater, well, it was like we had arrived. We had graduated to a level of independence that was thrilling. It was as if we had shed the cocoon that had enveloped our existence. The world was suddenly so big! Today, at 41 years old and living in North County, I am still riding the bus. Don’t get me wrong, I had my misguided and ultimately disappointing relationship with a gorgeous, white BMW. It defined my existence, which shouted, “I am successful and happy.” When the lease was up, like a bad marriage, I walked away from it and never looked back. I lived in cosmopolitan places like Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., where I rediscovered the exhilaration of public transportation. I hopped on Metros, buses and took the occasional taxi. I felt like a real city girl, with that newly found sense of independence I relished as a kid riding the bus. Then came the realization that my heart belonged to Southern California, with its beautiful beaches and nearly perfect weather. San Diego became my new home. Giving into the supposed prerequisite for living here, I bought a car. Not more than a month later, I was involved in a serious car accident. I became timid of driving the freeways and all of the drivers on it, so I rekindled my relationship with the bus and public transportation. Alas, I discovered the quirky and unconventional bonuses San Diego offers to its commuters. The Coaster was my favorite discovery. It’s a clean, safe, reliable and affordable way to avoid the 5 Freeway, going from Oceanside to downtown — and it’s even a scenic experience. Then there is the undeniably charming trolley. Riding it makes me feel nostalgic, as if I am living in an earlier time in Southern California’s history, when orange groves, not shopping malls, lined the coast. It is shocking, however, how many residents of San Diego have never experienced either the Coaster or the trolley. They just won’t get out of their cars. To rely on public transportation can be challenging, and requires time management. But what relationship doesn’t take a little effort? And the rewards are plentiful. I don’t have a car payment or a lease payment, insurance premiums, DMV registration, and gas bills. And what a relief, I have had no expensive trips to the car mechanic, no speeding tickets and no accidents since I gave up my car keys. Instead, I have a monthly pass that costs what it would to fill up my gas tank a couple of times. While in transit, I read, listen to music, daydream, make to-do lists, chat with interesting people, and smile at the rest of the world who appears so stressed out on the road. From point A to B, I may have to walk a bit, but that helps keep me keep fit and refreshed. I was saddened, even alarmed, while living in Carmel Valley, that public transportation was discontinued in the area. The bus stops were literally pulled out. So I moved to Encinitas, to be closer to the Transit Station, which I figured wouldn’t be going anywhere. But who knows? If we as North County residents don’t support the public transportation system, it will leave us, just like a jilted lover. It’s nice to think we are all doing our part to be “green” and to decrease our footprint on this planet. But I am convinced San Diegans are not wiling to give up their love affair with driving. To replace the car would be downright drastic, right? Not really. The most liberating feeling is having a simple monthly pass from the North County Transit District, and being able to go anywhere I want, no strings attached. That, really, is what I love. Monique Moffitt is an Encinitas resident. Filed Under: News
Couple of months ago, I assisted Clang in building his Tumblr page. Couple of weeks ago, Clang built, literally, David Karp’s Tumblr page on the streets of NYC with the people at New York Times Magazine. As a leisure blogging connoisseur at young age, I’ve been blogging before blogging was even a word. That might be an overstatement but let’s just say I’ve had my fair share of the digital revolution. At the tender age of 8, my mother introduced me to internet forums (known as BBS) and chat rooms. This was during (the verge of) pre-internet predators era, so she let me roam free but still under a pseudonym to protect my little, wee, gentil, identity: email@example.com. The letters H and Z were added because the my orignal choice was already taken. After I got over the whole talking to strangers thing, I started to build my own webpages by putting pictures of all of my favorite things on one page, with some links that takes you to other pages with more of my favorite things on it. It was something that looked like any of Cory Arcangel’s The Year In The Internet or whatever this would generate. Soon enough, Geocities and Angelfire were blocked by the Great Firewall of China, so I had to migrate to ExPages. This led to a period of time where I, like many other tweens using the internet, was obsessed with avatars, GIFs and glitter graphics… or more so, “Dollz”. See The Doll Palace for examples of dollz. My favorite was the ‘N SYNC and Backstreet Boys dollz. Still can’t decide between the two. Anyway — thanks to Tumblr, its massive population of users born in the leighties and early nineties, and blogs like fuck yeah 1990’s, gifparty, none of these memories are to be forgotten. During adolescence, it’s always way better to express your emotions with written words rather than gothic gifs… which is why we migrated to the melodrama mecca known as LiveJournal. These posts generally range from one paragraph to thirty-nine paragraphs about how much our life sucks and the things we would do if it doesn’t stop sucking. For those whose lives have gotten better, moved on to Xanga, for those who weren’t ready to move on, remained at LiveJournal. From 2002 to 2005, I was running back and forth between my personal website and Xanga. After a few years of hustling for eProps and comments, I decided to dabble in Blogger (formerly known as BlogSpot) by creating a blog titled Words of Opposed Meanings, intended to share thoughts and inspirations from my constantly self-contradicting mind. As you can see, due to the authenticity of my self-contradiction, there are still no posts as of today. (But hey… stay tuned, you never know!) I remained blog-less for a while to now, a proud owner/contributor of two personal blogs, our cat’s blog, and theCollectiveShift blog which you are reading right now. All of them are powered by Tumblr. That was not message from the sponsor in any way, it’s true. (See below for NYT Mag David Karp/Tumblr article shot by Clang.) The New York Times Magazine - July 15, 2012 Issue PEACE, LOVE AND TUMBLR/ David Karp Photographs by Clang, P. 22 Behind the scenes: http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/we-built-a-tumblr-page-irl/
Al Rafidayn reports that the corpse of Akrahm al-Daini was discovered today outside Tikrit, five days after the man and his bodyguard weTe kidnapped. The family was ordered to pay a one-million ransom but refused. The deceased was MP Nahida al-Daini's brother. MP al-Daini is a Sunni and she is also a member of Iraqiya. A woman's corpse was also discovered. As for the bodyguard, the kidnappers shot him from behind, apparently assumed he was dead and left him, according to an unnamed National Security source. The bodyguard was able to make it to the police. Was this part of the continued targeting of Sunnis or of Iraqiya or of both? Possibly. Equally true, kidnapping remains a huge money maker in Iraq and the attraction here might have simply been: Here is someone who can afford a bodyguard, here is someone whose sister serves in the Parliament, surely they have money. Meanwhile Al Mada reports that the CIA's mission in Iraq (and Greg Miller's Washington Post article) was discussed by the Parliament's Commission on Security and Defense. The discussion noted that the US is still in control of Iraqi air "under the pretext" of protecting their diplomatic mission. The Commission also discussed two officers in the Iraqi forces who are said to be paid spies/informants for the US government and supply information for the monthly salary they receive. The two Iraqis, who are not named, are the subject of an ongoing investigation and are expected to be charged at the end of the investigation. Two other Iraqis, two young males, took their own lives. Aswat al-Iraq reports they died in Amara as part of a joint-suicide and that it was over "a family feud." For others, today is a day of celebration. Dar Addustour notes a festival taking place, a Festival of the Sadrist Movement, to celebrate the departure of so many US forces. Salam Faraj (AFP) explains this latest celebration resulted in "tens of thousands" attending the ceremonies in Sadr City and quotes Moqtada al-Sadr from his pre-recorded number, "The armies of resistance terrified the occupiers, so they left after they lost. [. . .] The occupying forces were working for strife and destruction and to destabilize security. The occupier is not the one who can bring peace and safety to Iraq, but rather you, and only you." We'll close with the US State Dept's "Rightsizing U.S. Mission Iraq" and note Steven Lee Myers' questions for Nides: MS. NULAND: Thank you, Operator, and thanks to all of you for joining us. We are pleased today to have with us Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides to talk on the record about a review that he is conducting for the Secretary on rightsizing the U.S. mission in Iraq. Let me, without further ado, turn it over to the Deputy, and then we’ll take about three or four questions. Unfortunately, his time is a little compressed. Go ahead, Mr. Deputy Secretary. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Hi. Thank you all very much. I just wanted to touch on a couple of facts as it regards to Iraq and what we’re planning to do and what we planned to do when we started the mission. As you know, we had the largest transition since the Marshall Plan taking place as of January 1st, and I think many folks thought that it was a difficult mission set and we – I think arguably – could suggest we’ve had a very successful mission. We – the military is now gone. We have a robust diplomatic presence. We have a diplomatic presence both in up north and down south and in Baghdad. We have been fully and completely engaged on the – all of the political aspects, which you all have been covering quite clearly. And Jim Jeffrey, in particular, I want to give enormous credit to of being fully engaged at all levels of the Iraqi political situation. We have stood up a robust police-training program, which is doing a terrific job working with the local police in training and developing a program, which I think will pay enormous dividends, too. We’re working on economic development, because as you know, they’re producing almost a million two barrels a day out of Basrah. And we’re working with the IO community to make sure that that, as well as all the other economic development all over the country – we have economic officers accomplishing that. We have, the probably the most sophisticated OSC-I site, which we’re working with – or OSC-I sites – which we’re working with the military. As you know, the Iraqis have been purchasing tens of millions of dollars of equipment from us, and they will be continuing to do that. We’re training the Iraqis on that equipment, and that is U.S. equipment which they’re purchasing. And as I’ve pointed out at the beginning is, we’re fully and completely engaged on the political deployment. And with that – knock on wood – we’re doing this, with the first and foremost, the security of our people. It’s certainly still a complicated situation there, but to the credit of our security and our diplomats and our locally engaged employees – knock on wood – we’re doing a better than fine job at accomplishing the goals that we set out. That said, when we put this mission set up, it was very clear to us that we were going to make sure that over time – and what I mean by over time meaning over this year – we begin to try to right size the Embassy to look at – like so – there’s never such a thing as a normal embassy, but a more normalized embassy presence. And principally, our goal has been to shift our reliance on contractors to basically hiring local Iraqis. This is what the Iraqis want, and quite frankly, that’s what we want because it’s cheaper, it’s more important to be part of the community. And so first and foremost, our goal has always been to, over this year, is to shift more and more of our purchasing, and quite frankly, just our whole operations more to local – locally hired individuals. So that is our first priority, with the understanding that our main priority is making sure our people are secure. So number one, we’re going to be looking at how we can do that over the next year. We’ll continue to look at our footprint, which is something we’ll always do. And we’re meeting with folks on a daily basis, along with my colleague Pat Kennedy and his team, to make sure that our footprint is appropriate for the period of time as we proceed. We’ll be looking at the – as we look at the programs that we’re offering, most of the programs that we’re offering will continue to be offered. But we’ll continue to look at how we can hire like we do in many countries around the world, that we hire Iraqis to help us with the programs that we’re executing. So I am – we’re doing exactly what we said we were going to do when we set up this mission set, which is we’re going to constantly continue to look to ways to shift more of the cost structure to locally, which is going to be, obviously, substantially cheaper for us, but most importantly, to continue evaluating it as this mission set is accomplished and is being accomplished. So I am – feel quite good about where we are. I will tell you, contrary to some of the news reports, we are not reducing our operations by 50 percent. But I will hope – quite frankly, I am hopeful that over the next few months that we’ll be able to reduce our size by, again, reducing the dependency on contractors, by focusing on the things that we said we were going to focus on. But that is – quite frankly, I think we owe it to our – the taxpayers. We owe it to the men and women who are working there. We owe it to all the men and women who have spent time there. And quite frankly, that’s what a good bilateral relationship will do. So I am quite pleased as we are proceeding here, and I think we’ll have more opportunity in the next few weeks to continue to brief you about how our planning is going. But I should tell you, it’s going to be a process that we’ll go through over the next few months about how we do this plan and continue to do the planning in Iraq. So why don’t I pause and take a couple questions. MS. NULAND: Thanks, Operator. We’re ready to go to questions. OPERATOR: Thank you. And at this time, if you do have questions, please press * followed by 1 on your touchtone phone. If you would like to remove your question, that is 2. Again, 1 for any questions or comments. One moment for that, please. I am currently showing no questions. Again, that is *1 on your touchtone phone for any questions or comments. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Boy, I must have been really good. OPERATOR: I do have a question from Karen DeYoung. Ma’am. QUESTION: Hi, Tom. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Hi. QUESTION: You said it won’t be 50 percent, but have you come up with any sense of what it would be? And do you see Iraqis actually taking over security functions, whether static or movement security or any kind of security? DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: I would – to be honest with you, I don’t know where the 50 percent number came from. But I am – it is what it is. But I think that the – I don’t know what the number is. What I – here’s the direction I gave people, okay? We made a commitment to try to reduce the dependency on contractors. There’s been a lot of press written about how many contractors we had. Much of that is security, but its food service, right? If I can get food purchasing – more food purchasing done in Iraq and not have to bring it in, that will dramatically decrease our dependency on contractors to do food service. And that goes through a lot of the service that we are providing now. So my view of this is we will also look aggressively on perimeter security and how we manage that. But I should be honest with you, Karen. My – the only thing I worry about – the only thing I worry about is the security of our people. Okay? We have a diplomatic mission. We owe it to make sure that we fulfill the diplomatic mission that we set out to do when we made this transition. But the most important thing to do is to make sure that we are making sure that we have – our people are secure. And so I – as much as I would love to reduce – continue to reduce the numbers of people and the cost, I will not sacrifice the security of our people. That said, I think as we go through this year, we’re going to see many, many opportunities to allow us to have a – the footprint that we can accomplish the goals around economic development and the OSC-I and the police training, the political engagement, with hopefully some fewer people and then also a lesser dependency on the contractors, which I think we all want to do. And we’ll do that. And it will take – it’s going to take time. And what we’re not going to do is make kind of knee-jerk decisions. This has to be – there was several years of planning goes into these as the Embassy was stood up, and we will be very thoughtful as we begin moving – transitioning this is into a more – what I refer to as a normal-looking embassy. But that will take time, and so we’re going to be doing this very thoughtfully, and in consultation with the Congress, I mind you. I will have many conversations with the Congress, which we’re doing. And they get it. I mean, they totally understand what we’re trying to do. MS. NULAND: Operator, next question. OPERATOR: Thank you. Our next question comes from Steven Myers of The New York Times. Your line is open. QUESTION: Hi, Tom and Victoria. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Hey, buddy. QUESTION: The – two questions, which are related: Why is this review happening now as opposed to over the last year when you knew this was coming? Even on the question of buying local food, for example, that could have been done years ago, but it wasn’t. And now you’re looking at it, so I wonder why. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Well, I mean -- QUESTION: If I can just ask my second, because it’s related: The Iraqis have put up a lot of obstacles, some small but some rather significant, on movements, on visas. They’ve complained about the size of the security footprint. How much of the Iraqi obstructionism is causing you to rethink the number of people that you have there as well? DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Okay. Well, let me answer the first question. The first one’s a good question. I mean – and I should say let’s just step back and remind us where we were, okay? A year ago, we had almost 40-50,000 American troops there, okay? The military was the – was predominately the way we got around. It was certainly a major part of our presence, if not the greater preponderance of our presence, and all of our – much of our diplomatic presence was dependent upon everything from how we were fed and our medical care and all those activities, right? So as we made the largest transition – again, I hate to use this line, but I’ll use it anyways again – since the Marshall Plan, our decision was – which was rightly so – is that we’re going to have to stand this mission set up. Because remember, we set a hard deadline to have those troops gone. So we knew that – starting January 1st – that we were going to have to have a mission set up to basically allow us to do exactly what our mission was, which is the diplomacy, the political engagement, the police training. And so our goal was – at that point was to make sure we had a mission that’s set up. We always said – if you go and talk to Senator Leahy or you talk to Kay Granger, I was very clear that this was going to be – we’re going to do this in stages. You and I had this conversation. We were going to basically have a glide path, which was we would do – like on police training, our original police training program had us this year – our original plan was to do a billion dollar police training, and we started the plan – the training with a half a billion dollar program, because we want to see how these programs work. And as I said to everyone on the Hill, we are going to stand this mission set up because it’s critically important as we get those – we get the military out that we have a very strong diplomatic presence and we don’t have any gaps between the military and our diplomatic presence. But that said, I – we have been totally upfront and straight about this, that over time we want to have a more normalized embassy, and that will mean making a decision over time about contractors, the numbers of contractors, the size of some of our mission sets, without losing sight of our core mission, which is, number one, political engagement, economic development, kind of the – and then this – and then the OSC-I piece of this, which is very, very important as they purchase U.S. equipment. So I – again, I’m – one thing about what we have said and certainly what I’ve said and I think our team has said is we were very clear with everyone what we were planning to do and how we will execute this over. And this is not going to happen overnight. I mean, we’re not going to have – tomorrow, we’re not going to be able to sit here and say okay, X numbers of – hundreds of thousands of people have departed. We’re going to be doing this over a period of time as we think about how this mission set should look like, and quite frankly, as we procure more goods and as we operate more. Now, on your second question, I – we’ve had an unbelievable cooperation from the Iraqis, okay? Listen, is it always perfect? No. I’m sure it’s not always perfect. It’s not always perfect. And I’m sure they don’t think we’re always perfect. But the reality is, is they’ve given us the visas that we’ve needed. It hasn’t been always smooth, but we’ve been given the visas. We’ve set up an operation in Iraq which allows our diplomats to be safe, allows us to do political engagement, it allows us to have an OSC-I site that are training people on military equipment which they’re purchasing from us. So I’d have to say, as cynical as all of us are – and I think most of us are pretty cynical – pretty darn good, I mean, if you ask us come January 30 – January or February 6th where we are today. So I think you all would be questioning us if you weren’t asking us a question, “Well, what are you guys going to do over the long term? What is your long-term view of how big your footprint should be? How much should you be relying up on local contractors?” So we’re asking the tough questions. We’re going to continue asking the tough questions. And we’re going to, over time, allow ourselves to have this Embassy look like – more like a normal embassy, but it will take time without compromising our core missions. MS. NULAND: And for those of you who aren’t wonked up on Iraq, Office of Security Cooperation is what OSC-I is. We have time for one last question, Operator. Thank you. OPERATOR: Thank you. And I have a question from Matthew Lee from the Associated Press. Your line is open. QUESTION: Yeah. Hi. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Hi. QUESTION: Thanks. You say that you’ve been very clear about this with everybody, but apparently not, because that’s why this 50 percent number is floating around – I presume – that’s floating around in Baghdad. And whether or not it’s true or not, I’m wondering if it isn’t, in fact, the case if you are simply getting rid of the expensive contractors and replacing them with local contractors. While I see a reduction in cost, I don’t see a net reduction in contractors. DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Oh, well that – yeah. Listen, we’re not there to make – I mean, listen. We will go – we’ll go contractor by contractor, we’ll try to figure out over time what goods we can purchase locally in which we will not rely upon goods that are coming in over the border. But I think the more – which – and I certainly appreciate the question – I think you also should recognize the fact we were spending last year almost $50 billion through DOD, and we’re now spending approximately $5.5 billion or – I mean, correct my numbers, but in that ballpark, right? For the taxpayers, okay, they’ve had a very positive gain. Okay? That said, I think most of us would agree that the – if you look at what’s happened in Iraq over the last month and a half, our political engagement there has been at the top end of the scale. The engagement of Jim Jeffrey and Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden and Barack – President Obama and all the players have been very strong and has been really done by the strength of our diplomatic presence there. But listen, I think the reality is, as I said at the onset, my hope is that as we go through this next year, I’ll be having conversations which you’ll say, listen, we had X thousands of contractors. We have Y now because we are procuring more of our goods in Iraq, or we have concluded that we – the footprint that we currently have, we can have a smaller footprint. We don’t need as big a footprint. So consequently, we don’t need as many, quote, “static guards.” I mean, that’s what every good operation does. We should be – you – people should be pushing us all the time to continue to evaluate over the next couple years, which we will be doing. Our goal has been, quite frankly, upfront, which is we will continue to look at this – the mission set to make sure that we do not compromise on our core responsibilities, which is, number one, the security of our people. So regardless of what the size is, we are going to make sure that the people there – our diplomats and our – and the people that we have hired there are secure, number one, and two, that the ability for us to be involved in the political engagement of Iraq is at the highest possible level because there’s – clearly, as you all know, there’s – this is as important a diplomatic mission that we have anywhere in the world. The stakes are high, and we plan to be engaged. So -- QUESTION: I understand that, but what I’m getting at is that barring – or unless – until there is development, until the circumstances allow for a dramatic reduction in, say, security guards, the security footprint, if you are just getting rid of the expensive contractors and hiring local people at less cost, isn’t it possible that there won’t be that significant a reduction in the number of personnel at all, at least until we get to the point where there doesn’t have to be that many – where there doesn’t -- DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: I mean, Matt, my – the way I’d answer the question is: I mean, having spent a lot of time in the business world as well, so I guess I’m somewhat uniquely qualified since I’ve had – I’ve done this a few times – there’s a variety of ways to do this, right? One is, obviously, the numbers of people that are working on different programs. And again, I go back to this notion that we want to make sure we have enough people to do the programs that we believe are critically important. The second way to make sure that you are smart about it is the numbers of locations you have, right? The amount of space you have, because obviously, the number of, quote, “security guards” you’re talking about is a total derivative of how many square feet we have, right? I mean, how many locations you have, because you have to obviously protect the perimeters of those. So as we proceed over the next year, and as we look at our mission set and look at what we’re trying to achieve on the diplomatic side, my hope is, is that we’ll conclude over – in the period of time that we can consolidate some of the locations and space, and that will allow us to rely more upon local Iraqi contractors. But the most important thing is what we’re going to do is we’re going to be studying it, we’re working on it, we’re going to work very closely with our staff at our – in Baghdad and around the country, and we’re going to work with the Iraqis. They – we are a team working closely with them as we look at this diplomatic mission now and into the future. So guys, I’ve got to run. But thank you all. And if I can be of any other help, I’m sure you’ll let us know. MS. NULAND: Thank you all very much for joining us. The e-mail address for this site is firstname.lastname@example.org. the washington post
THE DESIGNER WAREHOUSE IS OPEN! The Designer Warehouse is a new concept, brought to you by The Cookie Jar! We have set up a warehouse down on the sim and packed it full of merchants, each merchant has a set space and has set out a selection of items for your shopping pleasure, there is an EXCLUSIVE ITEM from each merchant too that is ONLY available at the warehouse!… AND as if that was not enough, prices are set for all the items in the warehouse to HALF PRICE OR LESS! of what you would normally pay for them, so not only is it a fantastic place to get the latest exclusive new releases from a collection of Home & Garden Designers but also get some absolutely amazing bargains!… Each round lasts for 2 weeks, then the designers, items, offers & exclusives change up to keep things fresh for the next round! The current collection runs from November 17th to November 29th and here’s a sneek peek at just some of the fantastic treats you will find when you get there! The Strawberry Box Sleepy Hollow Farms
Call (510) 444-0919 to sign up for Industrial Arts Classes Today! • Summer 2013 Class Catalog • Spring 2013 Class Catalog • Youth Parental Release Forms • Youth Field Trip Fee Waiver • Class Proposal Application • Private Rental Studio Application The Crucible was founded by Michael Sturtz Non-discrimination policy: The Crucible is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or physical disability. © 1999-2013 The Crucible®. All Rights Reserved. Located in the Bay Area - 1260 7th Street, Oakland, CA 94607 • (510) 444-0919 Hours & DirectionsServing the Communities of: Oakland, CA \| Alameda, CA \| Berkeley, CA \| Emeryville, CA \| San Jose, CA \| San Francisco, CA \| San Mateo, CA
Sometimes it’s hard to get everything on my “to do” list completed at work. But I have a feeling I would have absolutely no issue concentrating in this lovely home office. Traditional pieces with feminine lines and a punchy color palate are the perfect mix of polish and pizazz- truly the best background for a successful business. 1. Expresso Birch Hardwoods / 2. Dove Gray Paint / 3. Coral FanFare Rug / 4. Chevron Striped Accent Chair / 5. Studded Burlap Pouf / 6. Turquoise Buddha Lamp / 7. Custom Cameo Portrait / 8. Brass Pendant / 9. Embroidered Hoop / 10. Slate Mid Century Desk / 11. Graphic Teal Chair / 12. Feather Stamped Pillow / 13. Chinoiserie Etagere / 14. Birdcage Mirror / 15. Re-purposed Book Letter / 16. Monogram Bamboo and Gold Tray / 17. Bookcase with Glass Doors / 18. Rustic Teal and Coral Reclaimed Coffee Table / 19. White Sofette with Teal Piping
Joe Binder, who runs the valet at Mario's Restaurant in the Bronx, just turned 102, and he has no plans to give up his gig of 25 years. "I still drive locally, and I just renewed my license, so I'm good until I turn 110 years old," he said. "My secret? I've been very nice to people in my life." To help him celebrate, residents of his Catholic neighborhood strung a huge banner across Arthur Avenue wishing him happy birthday.
Black Star Pastry. I've heard so much about their watermelon cake, it both intrigued and astonished me that someone could use watermelon in pastry! And boy am I glad that they did!! I was like a kid in a candy store when I got inside.. which lead to me pretty much buying everything they had to offer. Short bread with lemon curd - I could eat a whole box of these! The tartness of the curd paired with the buttery melt in your mouth texture of the shortbread was really orgasmic. Its perfect for a small pick me up! The basil jelly inside the meringue was such a refreshing surprise! It was a little awkward to eat though because the meringue kept touching the tip of my nose! haha Unfortunately, the strawberry watermelon cake didn't really make the journey. As you can see half of it slipped off onto the creme brulee :( We ended up saving this along with the bread and butter and creme brulee for later. When we finally had the strawberry and watermelon cake... omg God Damn! it was sooo good!! the refreshingness of the watermelon followed by subtle floral rose flavours made me giddy and took me to Spring!! :D We heated up the bread and butter pudding before we poured the anglaise over it. It had bits of chocolate laced through the pudding which was yummy but I thought the pudding a little dry for my taste. I didn't get to try the creme brulee as I gave it to my sister but from her mmmss and ahhs I'm guessing it was pretty good. Now I've just gotta go back and try the rest of their collection.. hopefully they'll have that lamb shank pie available too!!
The Case for Spending a Little More Sometimes By CARL RICHARDS Carl Richards is a certified financial planner in Park City, Utah, and is the director of investor education at BAM Advisor Services. His book, “The Behavior Gap,” was published this year. His sketches are archived here on the Bucks blog. A number of years ago, it was time to buy a new road bike. There was one that I always wanted, but it was more expensive than I could afford. I remember thinking that I should just settle for a cheaper bike, one that I didn’t really want but told myself would be fine. But I decided that instead of settling for something I didn’t really want, I would wait until I could afford it. Later, I bought the bike I really wanted. And guess what? I still have that bike, and I still love it! I’ve watched other people go through three or four bikes in the time I have had this one. In the end, I suspect I spent less money by buying the one that cost more. We’re faced with these decisions all the time. It may not be a bike, but maybe a watch, clothes, a new car or even a house. It’s tempting to tell ourselves this little story about being frugal as we buy garbage from WalMart instead of the quality stuff that we want. Stuff that lasts. Stuff that we can own for a long time. Here is the issue: when we settle for stuff that we don’t really want, and instead buy stuff that will be fine for a while, it often costs more in the long run. How many shirts do you have in the closet that you never wear because you bought them on sale, despite feeling that they weren’t quite right? Those shirts you saved so much money on are now costing you in more ways than just money. We have to deal with storing them. We have to deal with the uncomfortable feeling we get each time we see them, knowing that we shouldn’t have bought them in the first place. Then, we have to figure out how to get rid of them. Next thing you know, you’re trying to sell that shirt you bought on sale for $10 for only a quarter at a yard sale. Why not just wait and buy the $20 shirt you will actually wear and then keep it? Too often I think we convince ourselves that buying for the long term doesn’t matter. We can always replace it, right? But how much simpler would life and our money decisions be if we bought with the goal of owning that item for a long time? Taking this approach puts a new spin on how we spend our money. Maybe it makes us think a little harder about what we’re buying. Maybe it makes us wait a little longer so we can afford exactly what we want. Maybe it makes us a little happier about what we have because we’re buying things we want around for a long time. When we start treating everything around us as disposable, it’s hard to not think of money as disposable, too. And it’s this line of thinking that gets us into trouble. Don’t be the person who ends up with a storage unit full of stuff you didn’t really want in the first place and an empty bank account. Do be the person who buys good things and then hangs on to them. Both you and your bank account will be happier.
So many Electric Boat employees lost their jobs in the 1990s after the Defense Department canceled the Seawolf submarine program that layoffs only made the front page if more than 1,000 people went at once. The aftereffects of the Pentagon's decision to slash two dozen Seawolf submarines from the budget at the end of the Cold War still reverberate in the EB workforce 20 years later. Most of the nearly 12,000 employees - compared to 21,500 in 1991 - are either at the end or the beginning of their careers. "Across all of the different groups at Electric Boat, we lost a generation there as the workload declined and people went home, either by choice or because we didn't have work for them," said Robert Nardone, EB's vice president of human resources. "We have that gap, and you can't just rebuild that overnight. It takes time." Many senior employees are retiring or are at the age where they could. Hundreds of young people are joining the company each year. With no time to waste and no room for error in the sub business, EB is changing the way its employees share knowledge so none will be lost and so it is passed down in a way that makes sense for a new generation. "The way we deliver information has to change to the new hire, or the less-experienced people," Nardone said. "How we expose them to the product has to change." Someone new to the company a generation ago could learn about the stages of submarine construction by walking around the yard and seeing ships in different stages. Now that the Navy orders far fewer submarines, that's not the case. Today's designers would have to work at EB for 20 years to see the design of a submarine from start to finish. The company's manuals explain how to build a submarine, but not always why EB builds submarines the way it does. Today's new hires learn by questioning people who have been at the company longer, who have seen it and done it. It's a "people-intense business," Nardone said. At least 300 people have worked at EB for more than 40 years, 21 have celebrated their 50th anniversary and 10 more will reach that milestone if they stay at the company this year. EB is building one of the most - if not the most - complex products in the world, said Laura Smith, the director for combat and weapon systems. Lives are at risk if it's not done right. So too, is EB's reputation for delivering submarines on time and under budget. "We've lost that mid-level of leadership and we have to accelerate the learning of the younger engineers and designers coming in," Smith said. "That's really forcing us to think about the ways people do learn and become a better learning organization." Formal, informal training The engineering and design side of the business is where EB has hired the most in recent years because the Navy awarded the shipyard billions of dollars to design a new class of ballistic-missile submarines to replace the Ohio-class boats. EB will need to hire in the trades next to build the ballistic-missile submarines. The workforce will peak at about 16,000 in the 2020s when construction is under way. Now, 53 percent of the engineers and 30 percent of the designers have less than five years of experience. "Maybe 10 years ago I was the youngest guy in the group, and I was over 40," said Peter Larkin, an engineering supervisor who has been at EB for nearly 30 years. "The discussions among the staff were, 'This has got to change. At some point we've got to leave.'" Larkin said he tells the new engineers their job is to pick up the torch. Andrew Glazzard, 24, and Annie Daniel, 25, two of the new engineers at the company's New London campus, each were assigned a mentor on their first day. Other employees act as informal mentors and explain tasks that were under way when the newcomers were hired. "We're taking on a problem in the middle of solving it," said Glazzard, of Providence, who started work a year ago. "It's hard to understand the beginnings when we weren't there to witness it." Senior engineers hold special classes to teach their expertise and submariners visit to give talks on why EB's work is important. Retirees have been hired back temporarily to help. Managers bring junior employees to meetings to observe, then send them to the next meeting on their own. They put them in charge of presentations to the Navy. One department is uploading more documents to the internal website so new employees can find everything they need in one place. Formal training is still essential, but nothing compares to what a junior person can learn each day by sitting next to someone more senior, said Daniel Panosky, the director of naval architecture and structural engineering. "We have a workforce that takes a lot of pride in what they do and there's an incredible willingness to share what they know with someone else," he said, adding that at other companies, employees sometimes keep what they know to themselves to protect their standing. Daniel, of Potomac, Md., rotates among the departments to learn about all of the aspects of the business. In the past, junior employees knew far less about the inner workings of the company. Larkin said there's a recognition that even new employees need to have a broad perspective. And, he said, with the ballistic-missile submarine design - a large program with a broad base of work - there are more opportunities to bring in even the most junior designers and engineers and teach them. Email vs. open door People hired today learn differently, use technology differently and communicate differently than those hired even a decade ago, Nardone said. They text when they are going to be late to work. They're quick to email their supervisors with questions and use EB's internal instant messaging system. The average age of all employees is in the mid- to high 40s, with an average of 17 to 18 years of experience. The average age of people who were hired last year is 27. EB will need to hire 500 people per year through 2020 to replace workers who retire or leave. Glazzard said if he emails a manager, it could take a day or two to get an answer. If he emails a peer, the turnaround is much quicker. Daniel said when she has a question, it's convenient to send a message and keep on working. It could be that the managers are just busier, Glazzard and Daniel said, but they wondered whether any of them actually use instant messaging. "They're probably not used to using it," Glazzard said. Larkin, 52, said he logs off the instant messaging system because otherwise a green light shows up by his name. It implies, "Disturb me," he said. His door is open if he's free. Larkin's mentor, Al Malchiodi, used the Socratic method of teaching in the early 1980s, challenging him with a series of questions. Larkin's goal was to get through three of the questions without having to say, "I'll get back to you." You can't teach that way in small bursts, he said. Chris Hoddinott, another engineering supervisor, said he has noticed that the new employees sometimes get frustrated if they can't find something online quickly, or if they can't use a tool they had in college because EB doesn't have it or doesn't use it for security reasons. Despite any generational differences, knowledge will get from the people on the far right side of the bell curve to the far left to fill in the middle, Larkin and Hoddinott said. And, they said, new ideas and questions from the employees - on the left - are forcing those on the right to think about whether their methods are still the best way. "It's a very cautious industry," Hoddinott said. "We wait until things are tried and proven. They're coming out of college and they'll try anything." EB's efforts to train a new generation of designers and engineers can't afford to fail, Larkin said. Every day submariners are at sea in a small tube, with volatile chemicals, explosives and a nuclear reactor, he added. "We're not teaching anyone engineering," Larkin said. "But we are teaching them why we do things a certain way, why we check and double check. It's a culture. It's how we do it."
Religious Leaders on Islam in America Flickr user nicholaslaughlin Organizers of a planned Islamic center near Ground Zero say they want to repair the breach caused by the nine-eleven terrorist attacks. Opponents consider the location insensitive. Leaders of different religions discuss attitudes toward Islam in America. chair of Islamic studies at American University, the first Distinguished Chair of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, and former Pakistani high commissioner to the U.K. His latest book is "Journey into America." Senior Rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington Former Bush Administration foreign policy advisor, based in Iraq (2003, 2004) Currently founding partner of Rosemont Capital, a global private equity firm; and Fox News Middle East Analyst executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and author of "Piety & Politics" (Harmony Books)
THE DIRTY ARMY: Nik, you wanted more pictures… well here they are. I really need to know what I should do. I’m currently starting to think maybe I should just propose to my GF of 3 years instead of dumping her and going all in on Susan Hansen. I’m in a bad spot and any advice would help out. I just don’t want to make the wrong decision. I love my GF, but she does not turn me on anywhere near as much as Susan does. Just close your eyes during sex and think of Susan’s linebacker legs.- nik ALSO SEE: I’m In Love With Susan Hansen
Yesterday Disney revealed a giant World Record Setting canned food sculpture – titled “Celebrate Volunteers” – and then promptly dismantled it and shipped it off to regional food banks. Disney VoluntEARS shaped the sculpture with a larger-than-life Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Pluto – all sculpted out of cans. Goofy’s trademark hat consisted of cans of bread crumbs, for instance. Mickey’s famous head was shaped from cans of black olives, and cans of sliced pineapple made up Pluto’s eyes. Here’s a timelapse video of the build:
Photoset reblogged from with 41,684 notes could go for this right now comic #16: the strange case of the heterosexual soldier and the virgin detective hot people are always hotter when you find out how nice they are im lookin at u tom hiddleston and you bonkyhort Cutiebrunch We all still know who this is. I’ve waited my whole life to see the world from out there. this entire site is on drugs Page 1 of 3559
Sometimes, unexpected pairings can work together beautifully. Peanut butter and apple mint jelly (don’t hate). Navy and hot pink. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling (FOREVER. AND EVER). And sometimes, unexpected pairings fail miserably. Me and my hot-tempered, work-out-a-holic ex-boyfriend (an ex for a reason). Crocs and… well, anything. Orange juice and toothpaste. Just… no, you know? Today’s treat is one of those unexpected pairings that works. It’s like dessert magic or something. Call me the Dessert Magician. Baaaasically I was shopping at Walmart and (yet again) was struck by the intense need to impulse-buy random things in the seasonal aisle, including Pumpkin Spice cookie mix. I had no real intentions to do anything with the mix except to hoard it like a cookie-mix-hoarding-freak would, but then I found some Rolos.. and then some pretzels.. and some wheels started turning. Okay, my cart wheels turned to the candy aisle to stockpile more gum (forever obsessed) and Tic Tacs (new obsession–I go through a pack in like, 3 minutes), but my mental wheels turned, too. Now if we could just get Rachel and Ryan back together, life would be tremendous. 1 pkg Pumpkin Spice cookie mix, plus ingredients on back of package 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice About 24 Rolos, unwrapped About 24 pretzels 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, prepare the cooking mix according to package directions, stirring in the pumpkin pie spice and additional flour. Portion heaping Tablespoonfuls of dough among each muffin cavity. Press to fill. Bake up for approx. 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the pan. 3. Take a wooden spoon handle and gently make wells in each cookie cup. Press a Rolo into the center of each well. Allow the Rolos to partially soften, then gently press a pretzel on top. Sprinkle with sea salt. 4. Allow the bites to set before serving. Store leftovers airtight, at room temperature, up to 3 days. Note: You may want to run a knife along the edge of each cookie cup to carefully loosen them from the tin. Do this after allowing the cups to cool slightly. I used regular-sized Rolos for this.** Sweet, salty and spicy–these bites are the perfect treat! The gooey caramel oozes from the inside of a soft and spicy pumpkin cookie, and the smooth chocolate coating paired with the crunch of the pretzel and saltiness of the sea salt really brings it all together. It’s the perfect bite, people. Dessert Genie over hereeee.
by Tina Sams Jan/Feb '11 issue, The Essential Herbal Magazine Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a member of the mustard ( Brassicaceae ) family, known for the sharp taste that immediately opens our sinuses when eaten. It has been cultivated for at least 2000 years, but the exact origin is not known. Delicious on meats, vegetables, potatoes, and seafood, it is rarely used as an everyday food. That may change a bit this year, as the Int’l Herb Association has chosen Horseradish to star as herb of the year in 2011. More than any herb they’ve chosen in the past, many of us have a lot to learn about Horseradish. We are so spoiled here! I wracked my brain trying to come up with a new way to approach this Herb of the Year, and literally smacked my forehead when it dawned on me that some of the best Horseradish in the world is grated and sold fresh right here at our amazing Central Market 3 days a week. Let me tell you a little about “our” market. One thing that almost all Lancaster Countians have in common is our immense pride in the Lancaster Central Market. In 1730, Alexander Hamilton included it in the original plan of the city, and conveyed personal property to the City of Lancaster in a deal that ensured that the market would always be there. It has run continuously from that time, with a building being constructed first around 1757, and then being remodeled into our outstandingly beautiful current market house in 1889. Central Market continues to be the jewel in the crown of the city. On market days (Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday), the city teems with shoppers. It is a real testament to the vision of Alexander Hamilton that this one vibrant part of our heritage has been the thing that kept our town from suffering the fate of so many similar towns. Michael J. Long is the 4th generation of Longs at the helm of Long’s Horseradish. The family has held a stand at Central Market since 1930, having started the business around 1906. It was originally started by the Goldbach family (Michael’s father’s maternal family), changing over to Long’s with Michael’s father. Throughout all those years, the Horseradish stand has been there (Tuesdays and Fridays only). They always have a fan blowing the pungent scent of the roots over the market house crowd as a utilitarian iron grinding machine is put to service throughout the day. That scent to me IS the smell of the market house, and I’m certain that the beams are infused with it. As the roots are ground, they are periodically added to a kettle, covered with vinegar, and the lid is replaced on the kettle immediately. The hood that covers the grinder must retain a lot of the scent, but Michael told me that many people have gotten teary eyed in front of the fan. H.J. Heinz is probably the oldest continually operating Horseradish processor in the country. Since Horseradish is a seasonal business, a second income was generally needed to tide families over during the off months. Heinz went with tomatoes while the Goldbach/Longs were tinsmiths in the early days, and as transportation and refrigeration improved it became a year-round occupation. While the Longs do grow Horseradish for personal use, what is used for production is mainly from the Mississippi River Valley states, and they are beautiful, fleshy white roots. As I asked that question, I already knew the answer. We were asked that all the time when we had an herb shop, but with success comes the inability to do both the growing and the business end, so it becomes necessary to rely on growers. I’ve only ever known good, fresh Horseradish – except the rare “off-brand” cocktail sauce that people unknowingly serve, or the even rarer sauce (if you can seriously call it that) served with a fast-food roast beef sandwich. We are so privileged to expect the best because it is the only thing we know here! The Horseradish will have been ground between 2 and 4 hours earlier if purchased at market, but Long’s is available at grocery outlets as well. They also make a superb cocktail sauce, full of zing, and spicy mustards. In fact, I only put it in my own garden this past summer when a good friend sent me a piece through the mail. It is so easily available I never considered growing it. Recently, Dr. Oz talked about the three herbs we should add more often to our diets. They are: Rosemary, Saffron, and Horseradish! He added that Horseradish is very effective at helping digestion and liver detoxification. The gall bladder is stimulated to release bile when we eat Horseradish, making it a great alternative for digestive problems. Ah, but the good doctor merely scratched the surface! The root contains a cornucopia of vitamins and minerals. Higher in vitamin C than oranges or lemons, it also contains lots of vitamin A. Add a healthy dose of chromium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, calcium, manganese, niacin, and zinc, and we have a nutritious condiment that deserves a more revered place on the table. The diuretic effects of Horseradish can be helpful in cases of bladder infections and kidney stones, and it also increases perspiration, which can lower fevers. It is antibiotic, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory. It’s very hot taste comes from the glucocides sinigrin and 2-phenylethylglucosinolate. When cut, cells are crushed, enabling an enzyme called myrosinase to interact with these two substances, releasing the oil, explaining why a Horseradish root has no smell until it is cut, grated, or ground. It also contains glucosinolates thought to provide resistance to cancers. The root is considered beneficial in cases of lung infections, sinus problems, arthritis and gout. Although there is much written in reference to using Horseradish externally (think mustard plaster), the juice can cause blistering of the skin, so caution is advised. In fact, the essential oil is classed as hazardous. Horseradish root is a staple ingredient in the Fire Cider recipe popularized by Rosemary Gladstar, and that can be found easily on the internet. Some other simple remedies using Horseradish: Expectorant Syrup (also good for hoarseness) Boil ground Horseradish root with brown sugar and a small amount of water. Horseradish Juice is taken ¼ to ½ tsp between meals to improve sluggish digestion and decrease indigestion. 1 t freshly ground Horseradish mixed with 1 T honey and steeped in I c hot water, drunk like tea. One cannot be “the Horseradish man” at market without gleaning lots of great tips for uses of Horseradish – as if 4 generations of passed down information weren’t enough. Michael told me that no matter what the recipe says, ALWAYS add the horseradish to the dish last during cooking. This is backed up by my research, that emphasizes high heat kills some of the beneficial medicinal properties of the root. The only exception to this rule would be when coating a roast with Horseradish prior to putting it into the oven. In that case, the flavor will penetrate the meat and be even more delicious. A customer told him to try making gravy with the drippings from that same roast, and he assured me that it is heaven on earth. Another surprising tip he passed along is to cut the leaves before they get to 12” high, and take out the center vein. Sauté them, or simply add them to salads for a surprisingly delicious and different flavor. And now I am glad to have planted a bit in my own garden! CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE ---- 1 cup sour cream---1/4 cup prepared horseradish---1 tsp. pepper---2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce-(mix together and use with beef) PAULA'S DEVILED EGGS-------6 hard-boiled eggs,sliced in half lengthwise---2 tbsp. mayonnaise(light or regular)1 tbsp. prepared horseradish---1 tsp.chopped sweet pickles---1 tsp. parsley--salt to taste---1/4 tsp. dry mustard--dash of paprika. Put egg yolks in bowl and mash well with fork,combine all other ingredients and mix well,fill the white halves with the mixture and garnish with parsley, pimiento, or slices of olives. ADD HORSERADISH TO YOUR FAVORITE BBQ SAUCE or CREAMY SALAD DRESSING long's horseradish c/o michael long 2192 west ridge dr., lancaster, pa. 17603 (717)872-9343--coming in march 2011 www.longshorseradish.com My Mom's favorite at Thanksgiving was twice baked potatoes.. and then my Sis in Law kicked it up a 'notch' with horseradish. Twice Baked Potatoes w/ Horseradish - bake the potatoes - cut in half - scoop out the insides (don't rip the skins) - mash w/butter, milk, cheese, horseradish - salt pepper to taste - re stuff into potato shells - top with pat of butter - back in oven til golden brown (approx 30min) Roe at sunrosearomatics.com A goodly amount of freshly grated horseradish in a clear bottle of vodka makes a simple and most excellent "snow globe" holiday gift -- just add a big red bow. Bonus: the bloody marys get spicier with every shakeup! I add horseradish to my beef stroganoff. My mom knew there was a difference when I made it but couldn't figure it out. Beef( I like to cook mine with fresh garlic and Rosemary) Sour cream- full fat Horseradish- to taste Why do I love Horseradish? I first fell in love with it in my late 20s when I was rescued from a lonely, alone-in-NYC-Thanksgiving, by my friend's Mother-in-Law. I was whisked out of the city to Long Island, where I discovered I could see the sky on that crisp Autumn Day. My hostess lived near the Long Island Sound so we took a long pre-feast walk along the pebbly shoreline to the place where the Sound opens to the Atlantic. The winds whipped at my face and I was chilly yet at the same time flooded with the heat of all that thrilling expanse of ocean openness. Our walk ignited our appetites, so we nearly trotted the 1/2 mile back home. Enter Horseradish. I was offered first a glass of rich California Chardonnay, then presented with a huge platter of smoked, flaky, not too salty salmon and a bowl mounded with what looked like whipping cream??! My Hostess handed me a cracker, with a hunk of the salmon and an alarmingly large dollop of whipped cream. Thinking sweet pie whipped cream, I braced myself, praying I wouldn't gag. I was glad for the wine. With no desire to be rude, I took a bite and to my delight was consumed with a heated blaze which soared from my mouth into my chest, into to my nose, and I am sure out my ears. But the taste! Sublime! I sadly don't have the exact recipe for this (she doesn't have a recipe - one of those cooks who always cooks on the fly), but it is simply a gradual folding-in of whipped cream with freshly grated horseradish and a pinch of salt. She mentioned something about lemon juice "perhaps" but I've never used it. My devotion to horseradish was sealed about 6 years later when my son, 3 1/2 at the time experienced his first earache. It seemed to hit him out of nowhere, on a Sunday of course. His sudden wails of agony stripped me absolutely bare. I'd handled fevers, stuffy noses and coughs but this was sure to crumble the tower within. I tried onion poultice. No change. This happened at a time when we were fortunate enough to have a Homeopathic Pediatrician who was also of a certain age. I phoned his S.O.S. line and his first words were "Have Courage." Okay. Got it. Next he gave me instructions to grate some horseradish and put it in a cloth and massage it behind his ear. My dear husband drove to the gourmet market we knew would have one, while I continued to rock our son, and admittedly did some weeping myself as I sat there feeling helpless. As soon as my husband returned, I made up the warm poultice and within moments, moments of applying this poultice the wailing ceased. All over, done, fini. Whew. Process: Take one fresh horseradish, grate approx 1 tsp. finely, and warm this a little bit by pouring a tiny amount of very hot water over it. Scoop it up and place in a small soft piece of fabric, flannel is soothing, but anything you have on hand will work. Twist the fabric, making a small ball where the horseradish is (think little lollipop) and then right away gently massage the back of the ear, just where the ear meets the neck. You will want the horseradish poultice to be nicely warm, but not so hot that it hurts the delicate skin. You can also palpate the area and in older children and adults they will be able to indicate where the pain is. Massage the area gently until the skin turns pinkish. Adults can take a little more time than small children who's skin is so delicate. You'll need to keep close watch because you don't want it to burn the skin. Repeat in a little while if needed. Keep the entire ear warm afterward with a soft cap and my rule of thumb is not to go outside until a few days after pain has ceased. The horseradish gets the fluids moving, unblocking blocked Eustachian tubes. I've used this technique on both myself and my husband with the same rapid success. It did not work on an earache of mine once which turned out to be fungal rather than bacterial. Of course none of this is intended as medical advice!
Bought more tickets than I needed so I need to get rid of them soon! Fest passes - $160 for both, including name change. Pre-Fest - $45 for both shipped or delivered in-person at show. Both Fest passes and Pre-Fest tickets for $200. http://imgur.com/jylmK Edit: I have THREE (3) passes for the PreFest show available - $60 for all 3 Both passes for $130 w/name change.
Attorney general refuses to give opinion November 20, 2005 Lautenschlager's office suggests aspects for System to consider The Spectator (UW–Eau Claire) The attorney general's office has declined to offer an opinion on the legality of UW-Eau Claire restricting senior resident assistant Lance Steiger from hosting Bible studies in his room or residence hall. If the attorney general's office took a position, Deputy Attorney General Daniel Bach wrote in a Monday letter to UW System President Kevin Reilly, it would be unable to defend the state or any of its affiliates in future lawsuits concerning the issue. "I think it imprudent to put this department … in the position of being unable to perform our representational functions on behalf of the state," Bach wrote. Reilly requested Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager's legal opinion on the policy Nov. 14, asking she assess the constitutionality of prohibiting RAs from conducting religious, political or sales-related events in their dorms. Bach did highlight several aspects of the debate for the System to consider from a legal standpoint. Questions he raised in the letter include why the policy isn't System wide if it is so vital and how the policy compares to other forms of prohibition in residence halls. But without Lautenschlager's official opinion, the System will have to initiate a new course of action to assess the legality of the policy, said Doug Bradley, communications director for the System. "There are some suggestions (in Bach's letter)," he said. "We're going to have to do some other consultation and get a process in place … that means it could take us a little more time." State Rep. Rob Kreibich, R-Eau Claire, called Lautenschlager's decision a "devastating blow" to the System. "If they were looking for vindication, they sure didn't get it," he said. "The university will not be able to hide behind any pending attorney general decision." Kreibich said the letter he and 24 other legislators signed also asking for Lautenschlager's opinion did not place the attorney general in the same compromising position. "Our questions were more practical and basically would not have … raised the lawsuit concerns as much," he said. Bradley said the System is continuing to weigh the issue and welcomes input from outside parties - though he said "political rhetoric" will only complicate the process. "We're anxious to partner and we're willing and we're hopeful," he said. "I think everybody is going to be better served by working together." The next step, Kreibich said, is to organize legislative hearings to deliberate the issue before the end of the fall semester. He has planned a listening session from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday in Altoona to gather public opinion on the matter, and is planning to initiate hearings in his Colleges and Universities Committee in the coming weeks. He said he hopes to see Steiger, Eau Claire officials, System officials and lawyers and legislators from other bodies present at the capitol to participate. - Attorney general refuses to give opinion, PDF, 22.8 KB , The Spectator (UW–Eau Claire)
This is the second part of a guest post outlining ways writers can understand and respond to the rapid changes in the world of publishing. If you haven’t read Part 1, I suggest you start with that post, which immediately precedes this one. An Author’s Guide to Publishing in 2012 – Part Two, by Dr. Amy Rogers Part 2: Indie Publishing Take all of the above and add another, less glamorous tech advance: print-on-demand publishing. What you get is a slew of new publishing options. Traditional New York-based publishers (now consolidated into six major houses with many imprints) used to be the only game in town. What was once derisively called vanity publishing has become “indie”, and indie publishing encompasses a wide range of approaches. This is the buzzword on everyone’s lips, but what does it mean? I find that many people use the term “self-published” to broadly describe any book in any format that does not have the imprimatur of a Big Six publisher. This fails to account for the various degrees of self-publishing and also the new professional indie publishing options out there. 1. A truly self-published book is written, edited, designed, formatted, and distributed all by the author. The main advantages of this approach are total control and minimal financial expense (though the investment of time may be substantial). Some writers create their own publishing company to do this. However most self-pubbing authors hire out at least some the non-writing tasks. In fact, the majority of “self-published” titles were published by a subsidy publisher chosen and paid for by the author. 2. Subsidy publisher A subsidy publisher is a company hired by the author to turn his text file into a paper or digital book. In most cases, the subsidy publisher provides online distribution but NOT to bricks-and-mortar bookstores. With subsidy publishing, the author pays out of pocket for all expenses. The cost and services provided vary a lot, so it pays to shop around. Unlike old “vanity” publishing, print on demand technology frees the author from having to pay in advance for a print run of books that might never sell. This keeps the costs low relative to the old days. In this model, the author is the publisher’s customer. The next step closer to a traditional publishing arrangement is assisted self-publishing where the author does not pay the costs upfront but rather shares future royalties with the service provider. This means the book has to be good enough that somebody is willing to take a modest financial risk in publishing it. Several literary agencies are now offering this type of “consulting” service to their existing clients in exchange for a commission. 3. Not self-pub: Small presses A small press is any traditionally-structured publisher that is not owned by the Big Six. University presses, regional presses, niche publishers and others fit in this category. Such companies may only publish a few titles per year. The key distinction that makes this “not self-pub” is the publisher, not the author, pays the costs of getting the book out there. In this model, booksellers and readers are the publisher’s customers. Unlike self-publishing, the author must provide a manuscript that is deemed commercially viable on at least a small scale. 4. Digital-only full-service publishers This category didn’t exist until a few years ago. Digital-only publishers operate like small presses but release their titles only in e-book formats. This keeps their costs lower and allows them to take on riskier projects—such as first novels—that may not sell enough copies to catch the attention of a Big Six imprint. My own publisher, Diversion Books, is a leader in this category. With Diversion, the author retains the right to self-publish in paper. This creates an interesting situation: my science thriller Petroplague is currently on sale with two different covers and two different publishers. One cover is for the professional e-book with Diversion; the other cover is on the paper books I produced at my own expense with the help of a subsidy publisher. One size does not fit all in publishing these days. Indie authors can choose to learn a variety of non-writing skills and publish their books themselves, or they can hire others to do it for them. If the book is marketable and the author is willing to split royalties, a small press or a digital-only publisher may be an alternative to the Big 6. For the first time in the history of the book, barriers to entry are low and every writer has the power to bypass the gatekeepers and put his or her words in the hands of readers. Amy Rogers is a Harvard-educated scientist, educator, and critic who writes science-themed thrillers. Her debut novel Petroplague is about oil-eating bacteria contaminating the fuel supply of Los Angeles and paralyzing the city. She is a member of International Thrillers Writers Debut Class (2011-2012). At her website ScienceThrillers.com [there's a link on thefirstgates blogroll], Amy reviews books that combine real science with entertainment. You can follow Amy on Twitter @ScienceThriller or on her Facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Rogers/202428959777274
is where I'm living for the next two months. Proof see? My first icecream of many was a sorbet from Hediard. The lightest, freshest, most summery strawberry sorbet a girl could wish for. And hard earned from a morning of lugging too much luggage (books, all books) from London. After my walk through the louvre and tuileries relaxing on the steps at Place du Madeline amid a gaggle of American tourists was about all I could manage. Monday, 9 June 2008 It is searingly hot outside. Cooking is simply out of the question, and were it not for the fact that I have tons of work to do, I would be sitting in the shade, fan aimed at me, drinking lemonade and reading a rubbish novel with my feet stuck in a bucket of water. Unfortunately all that work means I'm just settling for lemonade and shade. A big jug sugar to taste Juice two of the lemons, and slice the other finely. Put the juice and lemon in the jug, with water and sugar to taste, and lots of ice. If you want to make it more interesting a little lemon verbena torn roughly and popped in goes very well. Friday, 6 June 2008 Globe artichokes beat jerusalem artichokes hands down. They may not be fashionable, but they're the best. Just as Jerusalem artichokes signal that you're in the dead of winter and there isn't much in the way of vegetables that aren't roots, globe artichokes hail that eating outside with your fingers on long sunny afternoons has arrived. I'm boring with artichokes. I boil them and then serve them whole for everyone to peel off the petals to eat dipped in butter. This is no work at all for the cook, but a little taxing for the diner. Good conversation, good wine, or both are required. They are plenty of other lovely things to do with them, but I think simplicity is all. If you don't then there is a lovely recipe in one of the Moro cookbooks for artichoke hearts braised with peas, mint and sherry which is fabulous, subtle and interesting. Friday afternoon and lots of reading to do seemed the perfect excuse for a solitary artichoke lunch with a glass of white bordeaux and a cardigan to keep away the chill outside. To cook artichokes peak off any mangled outer petal, or any that look particularly tough and cut the stalk at the base. Boil a large pan of salted water, and add the artichokes. The time they take to cook varies enormously with size, anything form 20-45 minutes I find. They are done when you can easily peel off an outside petal, but the flesh on the inside of it still holds bite. I like a little pat of butter on the side of my plate, to smear the petals over, but a vinaigrette made with lemon is also good.
By Destiny Blaine Series: Heroes and Rogues, Book #1 Publisher: Resplendence Publishing Release Date: March 2012 Length: 20,000 words Sassy Road is tough, beautiful, smart, and looking for a little retribution against the stepfather who abused her. Logan belongs to Heroes and Rogues, a small town renegade motorcycle club with a bad reputation. Only Logan isn’t exactly loyal to the MC. He’s an undercover cop who’s been in place for several years, and he’s days away from taking down rival club leader Damsel Road. A new gal arrives at the H & R clubhouse and, after spending time with Sassy, Logan quickly realizes the newcomer is the stepdaughter of a man he is supposed to put away for life. Unable to deny his infatuation with the lovely Miss Road, Logan’s life just became more complicated. To make the situation worse, vultures are circling. If Logan doesn’t claim Sassy as his old lady, club members will pass her around for their own twisted pleasure. Logan refuses to see Sassy used, but when he discovers her true motive for associating with the Heroes and Rogues, he fears an intimate involvement could destroy them both. Then again, losing Sassy is a higher price than he’s willing to pay. This book had me hooked & reading from the get go, although not a very long story, it was one I read from start to finish in 1 sitting, it just had me wanting to continue reading! As a child & teenager, Sassy was abused. She grew up miserable, unloved & unwanted with no mother & no other family except the awful stepfather who spent his time abusing her. When Sassy was old enough to leave, she did, she then underwent plastic surgery, personal training & a lot of self help books to get herself some confidence & a good cover to infiltrate her stepfather’s compound & take out the evil man who made her childhood a living hell. Then there’s Logan, he’s to be her only ‘safe guarantee’ while inside a rival motorcycle club but he doesn’t know she’s coming & she has to get in close with him to help form a cover…… seems she went to primary/elementary school with him as a child – would he recognise her? Sassy is a fantastic character, really well written, she’s full of determination, confidence & spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her life (although not pretty) but it showed everything she had gone through, what she was willing to risk to get her life in order & to destroying the man who had made her life such a living hell after her Mother’s death, when she was just 8. Logan realises quickly who has wandered in to the clubhouse after noticing a muscle twitch in her face that he remembers from a shy little girl in elementary school & being an undercover cop he’s willing to put himself at risk to help her out as best he can. Excellent story to read, definitely a page turner & recommended for anyone who loves a story of life changing events, love, revenge & starting fresh! Reviewed By: Kel P
Maybe I’m not so crazy after all for thinking dancers like the ones in the Jello commercials are cool… and talented! Truth is, I was almost positive that the Jello dancers had moved on over to a new ad campaign by Hanes. Because I keep catching bits & pieces of this commercial (click “Womens ComfortSoft”). And I see some very similar movements in there. You agree, right? Well, maybe they’re not the same dancers after all. But they’re very similar and just as talented. Thankfully, Hanes identifies them in their commercials! In the lower left corner it says “Momix Dance Company”. Turns out, Momix is a company of dancer-illusionists under the direction of Moses Pendleton. For 20 years, Momix has been celebrated for its ability to conjure up a world of surrealistic images using props, light, shadow, humor and the human body. …Well they definitely catch my attention every time I see them on TV! UPDATE: For a limited time, you can get a free sample of Hanes ComfortSoft Panties!
Emergency Fire Truck 46 Piece Floor Puzzle - Item #: PP1305 - Condition: New EMERGENCY FIRE TRUCK 46 PIECE FLOOR PUZZLE Ages 3 + 46 Piece Jumbo Floor Jigsaw Puzzle Make an emergency vehicle on one side or a rescue scene on the other. All the letters of the alphabet and numbers 0 - 9 are hidden in the scenery....sneaky, huh? Find them all! Finished puzzles are 2 × 3 feet! That's humongous! 46 Big Piece Floor Jigsaw Puzzle
PETER JOINETH YE OLDE RENAISSANCE FAIRE ON "FAMILY GUY" SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, ON FOX Guest Voice Appearances by Will Ferrell, Phil LaMarr and Adam Carolla When Peter's boss dies, the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory is destroyed in order to make way for the Happy-Go-Lucky Terminal Disease Institute. Out of a job, Peter decides to follow his lifelong dream of becoming a knight with the traveling Renaissance Fair, but when he's caught in a compromising position with the infamous Black Knight's wench, Maid Madeline, he must defend his family's reputation in an old-fashioned duel on the FAMILY GUY episode "Mr. Saturday Knight" Sunday, Jan. 30 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (FG-304) (TV-PG D, L) Voice Cast: Seth MacFarlane as Peter, Stewie, Brian, Tom, The Chairman, Mr. Hale, Guillermo, Job Placement Counselor, Richard Nixon, Mayor McCheese, Merlin and Rabbit Doctor ; Alex Borstein as Lois, Mrs. Paterson, Tricia and Stoner Girl; Seth Green as Chris; Mila Kunis as Meg; Lori Alan as Diane; Carlos Alazraqui as Mr. Weed; David Berry as Kid 1 and Billy; Johnny Brennan as Mafioso and Mr. Goldman; Jackson Douglas as Vaccuum Repairman; Charles Durning as Francis; R. Lee Emery as Coach; Mike Henry as Friar and Minstrel; Ralph Garman as Gene Rayburn; Jimmy Kimmel as Man in Suit, Renaissance Guy and Dog Death; Justin Koznar as Kid 2 and Alfalfa; Rachel MacFarlane as Barbara, Maid Madeline and Margot Kidder; Danny Smith as Jester; Tara Strong as singing Meg and Fred Tatasciore as Chevy Chase. Guest Voice Cast: Will Ferrell as The Black Knight, Phil LaMarr as Minister, Ollie and Pimp and Adam Carolla as Death.
CAMERON DADDO TO HOST "PIRATE MASTER," THE NEW REALITY-BASED SERIES CREATED BY EMMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER MARK BURNETT, PREMIERING THURSDAY, MAY 31, ON CBS Australian actor Cameron Daddo will host PIRATE MASTER, the new reality-based series created by Emmy Award-winning producer Mark Burnett, premiering Thursday, May 31 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. PIRATE MASTER will send 16 modern-day pirates on a high seas adventure where they will live as buccaneers and travel around the Caribbean island of Dominica in search of hidden treasure that will total $1 million. Over the course of 33 days, these pirates will live aboard a massive 179 foot, square-rigged barque which carries 12,500 square feet of sail. Each week, the pirates will embark on extraordinary expeditions where they will decipher clues along the way in search of missing treasure. Gold coins -- real money which the pirates may take with them beyond the show -- will be awarded after each expedition, but only to some. The gold will play a key role as pirates strike deals with each other or plead for long-term security. In addition to claiming the lion's share of the week's riches, one pirate will become the captain of the ship and will assign roles and chores to the remaining crew members, setting the tone for either law and order or betrayal and sabotage, which could lead to mutiny by the crew. Each episode will conclude on the ship at Pirate's Court, a lively gathering of public speaking and judgment where one individual will be eliminated and "cut adrift." In the end, one will be the first to find the largest booty, worth $500,000, and claim the title of "Pirate Master." In each episode, Daddo will distribute clues at the start of the expeditions and preside over the Pirate's Court. Daddo's Australian television credits include "Perfect Match," "The Heroes," "Witch Hunt," "Bony," "Golden Fiddles," and "Tracks Of Glory." His U.S. television credits include "Between Love And Hate," "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," "Models, Inc.," "FX: The Series," "Hope Island" and guest-starring roles in CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: MIAMI, along with "West Wing," "Boston Legal" and "Monk." He also appeared in the television movies "The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie" and "Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story." Among his feature film credits, Daddo appeared in "Big Mamas House 2," "Anthrax," "Zebra Lounge," "Drive Time Murders" and "Inland Empire." His latest film projects include "Hacia La Oscuridad ("Towards Darkness"), which will be featured at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, and the upcoming films "Drifter" and "Passengers." Daddo is also a musician. He played in the bands The Nearly Smooth Guys and Baby James. His solo debut album, "A Long Goodbye," was released in 1992 and featured Keith Urban on back-up vocals and guitars. His latest music project is titled daddo, as well as his original one man musical/play, "House Devil, Street Angel." PIRATE MASTER is produced by Mark Burnett Productions. Mark Burnett and Lisa Hennessy are the executive producers. Eden Gaha and Page Feldman are the co-executive producers.
On CBC's The House, Evan Solomon asked Reform Party matriarch Deborah Grey about Harper. Harper used to be her legislative assistant so we can probably safely assume she has some insight into the way he thinks. While she waxed on about how wonderful Harper is and how he's a Conservative and therefore the neatest thing since the invention of peanut butter, she slipped from referring to "conservatives", in a general sense to "Reformers", specifically. Solomon latched on: Solomon: Is he still a Reformer? Solomon: Is Stephen Harper still a Reformer? Grey: Oh, I'd say so. So much for the "mellowing" his supporters keep trying to foist on us. If you go to link and listen to the audio you can pick it up at about minute 18.
This pic below was taken a few days before the video. I was eating lunch and had Warren in his Bumbo, and he would holler at me in a high-pitched voice, and I would mimic him, then he would do it again. We did this for several minutes! I just love the big grin on his face. No better lunch date. While my parents were here I was able to defrost my deep freeze like I wanted, but I was also able to make new curtains for my kitchen! My mom made a matching table runner for our breakfast table which looks awesome. (I forgot to take a pic before I started posting, and I'm just too lazy to go do it now!) I hope to make matching curtains and a table runner for our dining room, just not sure when. I have recently learned how to tie-dye. I learned how in order to tie-dye curtains and pillow cases for my classroom. They turned out well, so I thought I would try my hand at tie-dyeing onesies. It's really fun to do, though I have a few glitches to iron out - like not laying the shirts close together or their colors will bleed! (Ugh.) I also haven't figured out how to keep the color from fading during the first wash. Maybe I am washing too soon? Anybody have tips for me??? The blue and red one is bright in the pic below, but after I washed and dried it, it looked more like pink and light blue...hmm. I am not washing the others until they have totally air dried. I wonder if that will make a difference? While I was rinsing out the onesies, Roy came into the kitchen and said with a drone, "Hmm, looks like you found a new hobby." I later let him know it's only about $2.50 per onesie... a cheap hobby! Tonight we went out to eat (a little break from the ole' diet!), and Warren was a big hit! Seems like we were asked half a dozen times how old he was and what his name was, and of course, we were told over and over about how darn cute he was! Funny how much pride you feel as a parent when someone compliments your kid. Mercy be granted to the one who says something negative about him one day!!!!!! (And by the way, Warren did great in the restaurant [unlike the last two times when he cried fiercely.] We decided to take him out of his carrier as soon as we got there, so he could get some energy out while we were eating our bread. When our food came, he didn't mind being in his seat for a while. It worked this time, but will it next time???)
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women. Tune in to Mercy Medical Center’s live webinar on Thurs., Dec. 13 at noon to learn more about the importance of screenings for early detection. Dr. Vincent Reid, Director of Surgical Oncology, Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, will discuss colorectal symptoms, stages and types of surgery used to treat colon and rectal cancers. Submit your own questions live. For more information visit www.mercycare.org/live. To register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/764670033
Why not listen to some Irish Rovers: We're also drinking to the demise of the print edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the reasons for which are succinctly explained in Wired. The one slant I disagree with is the assertion that "I suspect almost no one ever opened their Britannicas" and "Britannica's own market research showed that the typical encyclopedia owner opened his or her volumes less than once a year": I guess I'm part of the minority that has an affinity for research books. I enjoy idly flipping through encyclopaedias, and I often pull out the (print!) Oxford English Dictionary for a good hunt/read. DABWAHA is on right now! I know voting is confusing, but that's no excuse - just sign in every day (though I tried to vote in the first round while at the office and discovered that I was blocked from the site, as it somehow got registered as a 'gambling' site. Huh?) and VOTE whenever you see the polls open. There are three awesome amazing wonderful books that deserve to go head to head in the final round: Once you've done voting, head over to the Free Par-tay!!! and nab some free e-published books! And some links: I replied to Real Simple's What Author Do you Admire Most and Why? and they printed my answer in the April issue! Er, I chose Tolkien, of course. And here's a lovely long interview with Diana Gabaldon. Love the part where she talks of readers expecting writers to be like creativity Pez dispensers! Speaking of Diana, there's a Canadian connection to the creation of her books, especially The Scottish Prisoner, which is set partly in Ireland. Which brings us back to Saint Patrick's Day. I remember memorising Dear Old Donegal when I was a kid, but can't remember if it was my school that taught it, or if my sister learned it at her school and passed it to me. In honour of the release of his latest album, though, here's Springsteen, performing another Irish ballad, Mrs McGrath:
Monday, August 2, 2010 Monday News Is Stunning So, uh Stan Bowman said no to Niemi and his 2.75 million dollar arbitration award. Anyone else as surprised as we are? Niemi will now be an unrestricted free agent. It will be interesting to see what teams lands him. Oh, and then Bowman signed Marty Turco to a one-year deal. NHL.com and Chicago Tribune with the news. James Wisniewski was traded to the Islanders for a conditional third round draft pick in 2011. And Dominic Moore was signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning to a two-year contract. This is just funny. There are 11 Players who should have a bounce-back season according to NHL.com. The Blackhawks Convention happened this weekend. We will have more about it later this week, hopefully with a first-hand account but we don't promise a lot. Later today we will be starting the team previews. First up are the Anaheim Ducks. And hopefully we fact-check these previews...
Hey folks, just dropping in with some horror tidbits before my busy weekend gets even busier. Enjoy! I found a great poster website the other day called Poster Perversion. It has all manner of posters, lobby cards and other promotional items from films all over the world. As you would expect, my attention immediately to the horror/thriller section. Check out these samples below. \|City of the Walking Dead (French)\| \|Cat O' Nine Tails (German)\| \|Food of the Gods (German)\| \|The Beyond (Thai)\| I find it hilarious that last one for possession slasher Satan's Blade is clearly just a zoomed-in section of the classic poster for Maniac. Poster Perversion, curated out of Warsaw, Poland by Derrick Ogrodny is visual ecstasy, so check it out by going here. In Death It Ends. Colin Geddes recently turned me onto a British band called In Death It Ends. Most striking about them - or perhaps “him” as I what I could dig up leads me to believe this is a pet project of Rosetta Stone's Porl King - are the music videos. Don't get me wrong, I like the music, as it is the exactly the kind of drony, darkwave - is that what the kids are calling it these days? - I listen to while writing, but the videos are deliciously dark short films. Here are some examples below. I found this poster in my inbox a few days ago. After disappearing following its premiere at Sundance last year, I'm glad to see Black Rock is getting some sort of release in May. I am a big fan of comedy power couple Mark Duplass & Katie Aselton, so it's cool to see them branch out into other genres. Despite the trailer being one that shows you pretty much everything in two minutes, I have put it below to watch at your discretion.
Hockey star Ashleigh Ball was interviewed on BBC Radio Gloucestershire over the weekend. Ashleigh phoned in during the Claire Carter show on August 17 discussing her bronze medal win with Team GB at London 2012, and inspiring the next generation of athletes. You can listen back to the entire interview on BBC iPlayer here (from the 1hr 16min mark). The Hub Entertainment manage Ashleigh Ball. August 20, 2012 No Comments » No comments yet.
About The Ingredient Finder The Ingredient Finder provides gourmet ingredients for home chefs. We search the globe, the United States to Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Morocco, Austria, Middle East, Mexico, Thailand, India, and everything in between, to find you the best hard to find ingredients and flavors to stock your pantry. Site by JFCD From artisanal olive oil and vinegar, to unique spices, sea salt and herbs, we are your source for ingredients online. We personally taste test every ingredient featured, and provide you with recipes from professional chefs who teach you how to use them. To learn more... Copyright © 2011 The Ingredient Finder Join Our Email Newsletter Find Us on Social Networks How We Choose Our Ingredients We have selected our wonderful hard-to-find products from the best sources around the world. In some cases, when ordering more than one product, they may be sent to you from more than one location. As such, more than one shipping charge may be applied to your order so that you receive the best quality ingredients, straight from the source to your kitchen. We're here to help. Contact us via our customer service form or email us directly at email@example.com. Also, take a look at our return policies. Protecting Your Privacy Our business is built on trust, and we're open about what data we collect and how we use it to improve your experience. Learn more...
Yarns Spin at the Skeen at Yarn and Company November 1, 2008 - By Wayne Sheets, Contributing Business Writer Printed on a shingle in the front lawn of an innocuous little white house in Hazelwood are the words “Yarn and Company.... No comments posted for this article. Post a Comment
View topic - The particle "to" Watashi wa eigo to nihongo o hanashimasu. I speak English and Japanese. However I have a question on its placement. If I want to say - I have english and Japanese class today. Watashi wa eigo no kurasu to nihongo no kurasu ga arimasu. Watashi wa eigo to nihongo no kurasu ga arimasu. I know that the first sentence is correct, but is the second? I'm not sure how to use the particle in conjunction with the particle "no" I guess. - Posts: 84 - Joined: Mon 02.14.2005 2:18 pm When you link adjectives together in sentences, you have a couple rules for those, and there's a site that explains it better than I can: Number of people that have: 13 - Posts: 482 - Joined: Tue 01.25.2005 7:04 pm watashi wa eigokurasu to nihongokurasu arimasu. I have a english class and a japanese class. FYI: nihongo (and like) are nouns, not adjectives. - Posts: 149 - Joined: Thu 04.07.2005 4:03 am Also, either of the sentences you've used are okay. 日本語 and 英語 in this context are not adjectives - this is why you have to use の to connect the two nouns in the first place. の always indicates a possessive, and in this case, it is "English's class" and "Japanese's class." Very odd in English, but perfectly okay in Japanese. So, don't worry about all the rules of adjectival connection in this sentence. are both fine just as they are. - Posts: 775 - Joined: Fri 02.18.2005 3:30 am - Location: Osaka - Native language: English - Gender: Male 日本語のクラス and 英語のクラス are correct. の always indicates a possessive, and in this case, it is "English's class" and "Japanese's class." Very odd in English, but perfectly okay in Japanese. Being Italian, this wouldn't have been a problem for me as in Italy we say exatcly as in Japan (e.g. "corso di Giapponese", where di is the italian equivalent for no particle). The real problem for us Italians is the inversion of the order, as we don't have a genitive form like 's in English (so we actually can only say something like "class of Japanese" which is radically different from "Japanese no class"). So, amusingly enough, the best way for me to remember the correct order of the words around no in Japanese is through English genitive 's, which I'm already used to... LOL! - Posts: 34 - Joined: Wed 04.13.2005 5:58 am Who is online Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 6 guests
AMERICA'S PREMIER INTERNET TALK RADIO PROGRAM Interview: Jack from Conservative Blogs Central Republicans move to defund ACORN Show No. 97-2009. Today's program runs approximately one hour. Click HERE to download Opening • 'Stand', Billy Ray Cyrus • Our National Anthem • 'Let's Work Together', Canned Heat • Salutations • The gathering conservative wave • BlogTalkRadio • The Jimmy Z Interview: Jack from Conservative Blogs Central • John Boehner: House Republicans move to defund ACORN • New unemployment figure is out • Rush Limbaugh: Will Americans wake up? • Coming up on the weekend show Show notes and links: • House republicans move to defund ACORN • Rush Limbaugh: Will Americans wake up? You are invited to listen to the latest Rapture Ready Radio program. Matt Buff hosts, and yours truly cohosts and engineers a fast paced and fun - yes fun! - trip through the end times! Curious? You might really enjoy Rapture Ready Radio. Click HERE to listen! --JZ
Professional Development \| News Atlanta Public Schools Chooses Online ASCD Tools for Teacher Professional Development - By Dian Schaffhauser As part of a five-year strategic plan to increase student performance in the district, Atlanta Public Schools has adopted a new set of online professional development resources for its teachers. The district, which serves about 50,000 students, will be using ASCD's PD In Focus and PD Online. The nonprofit ASCD is a membership organization that promotes best practices and policies in education. It will be one of four organizations providing online professional development services to the district. PD In Focus is a Web-based resource for access to videos and related materials that can help teachers learn about the Common Core State Standards, formative assessments, literacy strategies, and other teaching topics. PD Online delivers multimedia and digital content to meet professional development needs of individual instructors and groups. "In order to meet our goal of providing students with a rigorous, high-quality education, Atlanta Public Schools must place highly effective teachers and leaders--supported by targeted, research-based instructional models--in classrooms," said Kristal Ayres, the district's director of professional development. "To develop those individuals, we sought professional development partners whose content would connect the work of great thought leaders in education to work being done by educators in the classroom. Through our new partnership with ASCD, we now have a flexible, scalable professional development resource that helps us meet that need." When the tools have been implemented, content will be linked to teachers' individual professional development plans for tracking by the district. Dian Schaffhauser is a writer who covers technology and business for a number of publications. Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org.
That's a lot of stuff huh?!? hahahahahha, just kidding ;) I didn't buy as much at Asos.com (compared to my F21 frenzy), but I still got a free consolation kitty for my purchase: Hi! I'm Marie McGrath, a happy silly girl who loves fashion. Come on in and take a look at my daily outfits, fashion tips, tutorials, and so much more!
I got a box of 10 packs plus one patch card of 2013 Topps today. I also got a rack pack for good measure. And I saved the best card for the end.... Anyway, here we go: \|The patch card\| \|More Trouts than a fish market\| \|A few minis, this one says "Rookies." Cool backs.\| \|The Yount and Killebrew are refractors - they came from the rack pack.\| \|"Calling Card" insert\| \|Here's the flagship - nice Inge. The blue borders are 2 per pack.\| \|And the backs - looking good\| \|GCRL, I mailed you a huge box of cards today. I should have waited. These will be yours eventually.\| \|Green foily versions.\| And the best card of all goes to........................ \|The only card I wanted.....\| \|So much to look at. Look at the Career Chase at the top. Awesome card!!!!\|
This was a last minute lunch I threw together last week that turned out to be pretty awesome. It’s inspired in part by Arun’s lunch meat ceviche, and I ate it in the style of Lyssa’s tuna bombs. Simply chop the first 4 ingredients, then add olive oil, lime juice, and pepper to taste. You could eat it by itself, like a salad, or you can use it to fill sweet bell peppers. This salad had a very “clean” feel to it. Most paleo food does (as it should, since we are only eating pure, real food), but there was something about the combination of the crisp cabbage and apple with the lime juice that gave this salad an extra cleanness. Posted in Recipes \| Tagged cabbage, chicken, paleo challenge, paleo recipe \| In my last post, I introduced you to M.E.A.T—an acronym for the treatment of ligament and tendon injuries. I now want to elaborate on one of the treatment modalities mentioned in that posting—prolotherapy. Short for proliferation therapy, prolotherapy promotes inflammation through the injection of an irritating substance (usually a mixture of dextrose and lidocaine) into injured tissue. With the inflammatory process begun anew, growth factors in the blood migrate to the site of damage, encouraging new tissue production that strengthens lax ligaments and tendons. Personally, I’ve had prolotherapy performed on three separate injuries—both ankles and a great toe. My first experience with prolotherapy was in 2006, following years of ankle sprains that had resulted in chronic pain, edema, and weakness. Following six treatments of prolotherapy, the pain and edema were gone, and I was able to complete my senior season of basketball without a single ankle sprain—something that hadn’t happened in 8 years! A year later and another injury down, I turned again to prolotherapy to treat turf toe. This time the symptoms were different—acute pain and limited range of motion (I couldn’t even get my foot in a pair of heels for the lack of ROM…a very sad day indeed). After one treatment, the pain was gone and the ROM was back! Guys and gals, the stories go on and on. Did I mention my neighbor who avoided knee-replacement surgery with prolotherapy? Or his wheelchair bound mother that was again able to walk again? How about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who attributed prolotherapy with extending his career? If you’ve got joint or back pain, whether from acute injury or wear and tear, I highly recommend that you take a look at prolotherapy. What do you have to loose? When compared with surgery, prolotherapy carries vastly fewer risks and is significantly less expensive. Even if you aren’t looking at surgery, why live with chronic pain? Try something ‘new’ (prolotherapy, in fact, has been around for over 70 years). The following article is from the New York Times, and it does an excellent job at summarizing prolotherapy and its uses: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/health/07brod.html?_r=4&ref=science&oref=slogin&oref=slogin Posted in Challenge Chronicles, Uncategorized \| Tagged crossfit, Treatment \| Hello everyone! I’m very excited to be able to participate in this blog, while going 100% Paleo with a group of a great people. Thanks for giving me the opportunity! I hope to add value through my own unique background and perspectives. Since Lyssa has assured me that this is a lifestyle blog, I figured I’d take a different route today by talking a little about sports injuries and how to treat them. Many of you may be familiar with the R.I.C.E—an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. To date, RICE has been the conventional treatment for sports injuries. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve utilized this therapy under the advisement of doctors and athletic trainers. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that my efforts were completely counterproductive. Rather than aid my body’s natural healing process, I was inhibiting it! How? Well, like most athletes, the majority of my injuries were due to sprains and strains—stretching or tearing of ligaments and tendons. While RICE therapy may be useful in the treatment of muscle injuries (as it can theoretically prevent Compartment Syndrome), it is actually detrimental when applied to ligaments/tendons. Unlike muscles, ligaments and tendons have poor blood supply. Their ability to heal following injury is therefore dependent upon the inflammatory process and its resultant vasodilation and increase in bloodflow. Every component of RICE, however, works to DECREASE bloodflow to the site of injury. The result? Injuries that do not heal, and a chronic weakened condition in the area that is susceptible to re-injury. Instead of RICE, try MEAT: - Movement and Exercise: While immobility is detrimental to an injured ligament or tendon, movement is beneficial. Movement via gentle range of motion and even isometric exercises (if the injury is too painful initially) increases bloodflow to the site of injury. Increased bloodflow equates to better healing. - Natural Analgesics: promote healing by increasing nutrient delivery to the injured site, while also removing debris from damaged tissues and reducing edema (aka—swelling). - Treatment: Beneficial treatments include those that increase bloodflow and immune cell migration to the damaged area, such as: - Physical therapy - Chiropractic care Posted in Challenge Chronicles, Uncategorized \| Tagged crossfit, Injury, Treatment \| Team TLSP had a very successful dinner, and even our traveling teammates were able to stay paleo this Thanksgiving. Recipes and stories coming soon. For now, just wanted to share the menu of the Team TLSP Thanksgiving. I really don’t feel like I missed out on anything this year! - Bacon-Wrapped Scallops - Deviled Eggs - Stuffed Mushrooms - Apple Crisp - Raspberry-Mint Coconut Milk Ice Cream - “Chocolate” Pie Posted in Challenge Chronicles, Recipes \| Tagged paleo Thanksgiving recipes \| So good you will not even miss apple pie! My recipe is adapted from Elana’s Pantry. I’ve heard wonderful reviews of her recipe, but we are avoiding agave nectar during our challenge. Also, I didn’t have any grapeseed oil on hand, so I used coconut oil. In addition to tasting delicious, it will make your whole house smell like apple pie. I literally couldn’t get a picture of this before people started eating: Recipe below is taken from Elana’s Pantry- my changes are noted. Gluten Free Apple Crisp 2 cups blanched almond flour ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon (I used 2 tsp in the crisp, plus I sprinkled the apples with cinnamon before baking) ½ teaspoon nutmeg (I used 1 tsp) ½ cup grapeseed oil Coconut oil ¼ cup agave nectar 5 dates, pitted and chopped 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 5 medium apples, peeled, sliced , then chopped in half width-wise - In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg - In a smaller bowl, combine oil, agave and vanilla. First combine oil and vanilla (works best if coconut oil is heated just enough so it is liquid), then stir in chopped dates. - Stir wet ingredients into dry. Use a fork to mash it all together- you want a crumbly consistency. - Place apples in a 2-3 quart glass baking dish (a pyrex bowl or an 8×8 square) Sprinkle with extra cinnamon if you like! - Sprinkle topping over the apples - Cover and bake at 350° for 50 minutes on low rack - When apples are soft and their juices bubble, remove cover and bake 10 more minutes to brown crisp - Serve warm Posted in Challenge Chronicles \| Tagged gluten-free apple crisp, Paleo dessert, paleo Thanksgiving recipes \| Team The Label Says Paleo’s friend Mandy joined us for Paleo Thanksgiving with some awesome appetizers: Mushrooms stuffed with a spinach-pesto blend (Who needs cheese?!) Posted in Challenge Chronicles \| Tagged paleo appetizers, paleo Thanksgiving \| I couldn’t pass up the fresh cranberries when I did my Thanksgiving grocery shopping, so this ended up as a last minute paleo kitchen experiment- and I think it turned out quite nicely! Disclaimer: Paleo experiments generally don’t involve measuring on my part. I’m doing my best here to be as specific as possible, but I make a lot of decisions as I go. For this recipe, I started with the recipe on the back of the bag of cranberries, which involved boiling 1 cup of water + 1 cup (!!) of sugar, then adding the cranberries. - 1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries - 1 orange - 4-5 dates - 1/2 c applesauce - Puree dates and applesauce. Add enough water to make about 1.5 cups. - Add zest and juice from the orange. (Sorry, no measurements here. Just however much zest and juice you can get from 1 orange) - Bring to a boil. - Add cranberries, bring to a boil again. Stir a few times. - Let cranberries boil for about 8-10 minutes. When they start to break open, they are done. - Serve chilled. This is NOT the supersweet cranberry sauce I grew up with (Hello, 1 CUP of sugar for 12 oz of cranberries?!?)- In fact, I wouldn’t even call this dish sweet. It was definitely tart, but it was really good- especially with the turkey. I did not get a picture of just the cranberry sauce, so you get to see the whole dinner spread here: Posted in Challenge Chronicles \| Tagged paleo cranberry sauce, paleo side dish, paleo Thanksgiving recipe \|
So I read it. What is striking is how little it resembles the book everyone seems to think it is. Has anyone actually read this book? Nine people total, all literary critics? Enough has been written about the book itself. A more interesting question is why so many people got it so wrong. I can't be the only one whose impression of the book, from hearing about it but not actually reading it, was that it was about young, potent men, lost in a growing commercial society, two coiled springs ready to pop, looking for adventure-- America style. And this Road Trip that launched a thousand, other boring, useless road trips, was about young men looking to experience the world, really see, really live, really feel, free of the constraints of an artificial post war soulless society. So, khakis on and Moleskine's in shirt pockets, top down on an old convertible, they set out to find life. Testosterone, benzedrine, and a full tank of gas. Well, guess what? That impression is wrong. You know what the book is really about? It's a primer on how to be a narcissist. Right off the bat: these are not cool guys. This isn't even Henry Miller uncool. This is not a dismissive insult, but the only word that can be used to describe the Sal Paradise/Kerouac character is "dork." Remember the guy in high school who quoted Monty Python and the Monster Manual-- seemed smart-- but was unable to distinguish himself in any meaningful way? He has big ideas, of course, but is full of ambivalence, lacking in any type of purposeful drive, no real direction. Restless, but lazy. That's Sal, that's On The Road. This is not testosterone augmented with benzedrine. This is a guy who likes his naps. Here are the first two sentences of the book: I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up. I had just gotten over a serious illness I won't bother to talk about, except that it had something to do with the miserably weary split-up and my feeling that everything was dead. (1) You can already tell this is going to be the story of a passive guy who needs to be lead. Well, he finds such a leader in Dean Moriarty. I won't bore you with the character analysis; suffice it to say that Dean is (I guess) the "free-spirit" character everyone imagines the book must be about, bedding women, stealing cars, doing whatever the moment calls for. I know it sounds very superman, literary, but it's not. Dean isn't an antihero, or even amoral, or a free spirit-- he's simply a jerk. I defy anyone to identify anything he does in the book that is worthy of any sort of praise or emulation. When he talks, your sole instinct is to open fire at a Starbucks. You don't want to be Dean Moriarty, you want to bitch slap him. Not only does he do nothing of any value to anyone, he does nothing with purpose. He's a bullshitter without any reason to bullshit. It's empty, idiotic. Here, I literally opened the book to a page and put a finger down: [Sal] said, "there must be some ideal bars in town." "The ideal bar doesn't exist in America. An ideal bar is something that's gone beyond our ken. In 1910 a bar was a place where men went to meet after work, and all there was was a long counter, brass rails, spittoons... Now all you get is chromium, drunken women..." Here's another, again at random, I swear: "The truth of the matter is we don't understand out women; we blame on them and it's all our fault," I said. "But it isn't as simple as that," warned Dean. "Peace will come suddenly, we won't understand when it does-- see, man?" I've heard these same kind of sentiments expressed hundreds of times, not ironically always in bars and coffeeshops. And I had the same reaction then: if she sleeps with him, I'm going Unabomber. But enough about the characters, what about the spirit of the book? You know, getting out there, seeing life? The notion that they're trying to experience things or learn things or grow is precisely wrong. That's the mistake nearly everyone I talk to has made. The experiences are incidental, the learning completely absent; the real purpose of the trip is to say that you went on the trip. It seems impossible to me that you could take a trip around the country and literally notice nothing about your surroundings, but that's exactly what happens. I know "America" is supposed to figure prominently into the spirit of the book, but it could easily have been A Railpass Through Europe or Backpacking Through The Warsaw Pact and it would have made no difference, at all. That America is not well described could be dismissed as poor writing, but it's actually an example of very accurate writing: the setting has no external importance whatsoever-- except as it impacts them. That's narcissism. It's simply a prop for an image they want to convey; traveling down Route 6 for them is the same as the career of the female lead in every romantic comedy (writer/designer) or the apartment of the male lead, rich or poor (Soho loft.) They're always rushing to get to the next great place; every place they get to turns out to be a disappointment. And so off again to the next great place. For some reason this is taken to be the result of some inner passion, some drive to experience new things. It's not. The real point of the drive is: as long as they're traveling, they don't have to confront the reality of a place. The entire spirit of the book can be summarized by Dean's words: "Sal, think of it, we'll dig Denver together...!" That's what a man who is trying to con a woman into running off with him would say. Denver, really?? Really? Why? Because it starts with D? I'd at least momentarily entertain the theory that D cities are great places to get to, but the real reason he wants to get to Denver, or anywhere else, is precisely because the longer he stays in any one place, the better chance he'll be discovered to be a loser. Time to go where the grass is greener, somewhere people don't know you're there to crap on it. That's what the Road is. The Road isn't freedom, or possibility, or growth; it's denial. It's not having to confront the triviality and purposelessness of your existence. It's not having to listen to your Mom tell you you aren't going to get into college with those grades, or a wife who nags you about being out all night drinking instead of fixing the bathroom because, well, you've been out all night drinking and not fixing the bathroom. This narcissistic ambivalence is the root cause of their disappointment in each-- the same reason dating is so hard for some teens and 20-somethings. You don't actually want a girl, they want the possibilities of a girl, before she becomes a real person. Before you learn she likes American Idol, before you discover her annoying laugh, and, most of all, before she finds out who you really are-- before you can't fool her anymore. If you want further evidence of this parallel, consider the book describes numerous encounters with really young girls. I'm guessing Kerouac wasn't trying to convince us he was a pedophile; So why tell us? Take it at face value, what appeal could there be? The same as for any regressed pedophile: it's easier to convince a young girl (or a broken girl) that you're somebody. The strong but introspective loner; the mustached, Porsche driving, sophisticate; a good lover, a genius, an artist, whatever. Try that on a normal woman and you know what you get? Fake orgasms. This is the story of two guys at the junior prom, standing in the corner, fantasizing about what it'll be like after they get discovered. Not that they're taking any concrete steps towards that end beyond simply fantasizing. And further supporting their small mindedness-- they're thinking about what those girls at this dance will think about them ten years from now. Narcisissm is consciously creating an artificial identity that you then fight tooth and nail to get others to believe is true. That's On The Road. Not just the plot of On The Road, but On The Road itself. Consider how it was written: everyone knows that Kerouac was high on benzedrine, and the book poured out of him, in three weeks of sleepless creation, typed onto a single, long scroll of paper, unedited, raw, real. But here's the thing: the book wasn't the result of that process, he planned that specific process in advance, on purpose. Same with the cross country trips-- this wasn't a restless guy, who had to travel, had to move, and then later wrote a memoir; he went on the trips in order to write a book. He actually started the book before he even went on the trip. The process didn't generate a book; the process was the whole point. The novel's popularity rests entirely on the image around it, that he created, on purpose. That's why its popularity exists despite apparently so few people actually having read it. If the book had been published anonymously, no one today would have ever heard of it. This is the main problem with people who love On The Road but have never actually read it. They think Kerouac is in that book, so they think they like Kerouac. Or, at least, the person they think Kerouac is, i.e. the character in the book, or, more accurately, the character they think is in the book. This partially explains some of the problem Kerouac had after the publication of the book. By the time it was published in 1957 he was 35, but it was about trips he had taken ten years earlier. People hounded him see if he was like Dean (in fact, Kerouac was Sal, but everyone wanted him to be the "cool" character.) They wanted him to be a young, free-man hipster type, not a lonely alcoholic living with his mom. But that's what he had wanted them to think when he wrote it. When he's taking the trips and writing the book, creating an identity and convincing people of it is all that's important. But by the time he's 40 and that fake identity never really pans out, he's disgusted with himself. I'm going to guess that of the 9 people in America who have actually read the book, most read it in high school. If they read it as adults, they'd probably feel about it like Kerouac did at 40: At the end of the book (SPOILER!) Sal/Kerouac becomes disillusioned, disgusted with Dean. Relationships end for everybody, but what's different is Kerouac is disillusioned by Dean as a mentor. Who the hell has mentors? Answer: people looking to become something they are not. That's what happened to Kerouac. Now he's 40: he's not Sal, he's not Dean, he's not a hipster, and damned if everyone didn't misunderstand the book (of course: they had only read about it.) I can understand why he becomes a drunk. That's where unrequited narcissism always leads. It seems a lot of people have developed notions and ideas that are partially informed by On The Road-- the version that they imagine exists, the one with Nietzschean super-antiheros looking for truth behind the wheel of a convertible. But what happens to those ideas when you one day discover that your version was wrong? Here's your tie in to medicine. Doctors like to remind people that "there's still a lot we don't know." That's a distraction from the more truthful version, "there's a lot we don't know about what is already known, that we're supposed to know." They have notions of what the clinical trials showed, or what Freud said, or how medicines work, that are wrong-- but they're basing entire careers on these wrong ideas. Here's the thing: even when someone actually sits and reads the primary text and finds it is different, it doesn't replace their existing (wrong) information, it only supplements it. There's not one On the Road that people got wrong; there are now two On The Roads, one they read and one they imagined existed, and they get to pick which one they want. I guess that's ok, as long as it's only On The Road. 1. Interestingly, Kerouac's original version wrote not of the separation of his wife, but of the death of his father, which is not only more accurate, but considerably more powerful, especially as it related to "the feeling everything was dead." I don't know what to make of this change.
Jim Lundholm-Eades is Director of Services and Planning for the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management. Previously he was Director of Parish Services and Planning for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Jim has also been Associate Director of Catholic Education for this Archdiocese and Director of Catholic Social Services (Like the American Catholic Charities) in a diocese in his home country, Australia. His ministry has covered multiple fields in both Australia and the United States over 36 years. Jim holds graduate degrees in Pastoral Counseling, Counseling, Educational Administration and Business Administration. He is a Minnesota licensed teacher and superintendent. He has published works include areas such as best practices in Church management (America), diocesan strategic planning (video for The Leadership Roundtable), effective presbyteral councils (Touchstones), and effective parish pastoral councils (video). He has been a national speaker on Catholic Church and Catholic school planning for several national Catholic organizations. He teaches graduate level courses including Strategic Planning for Catholic Parishes and Schools, Administration and Stewardship and Catholic School Finance for the Murray Institute at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. About the Leadership Roundtable The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management is dedicated to promoting excellence and best practices in the management, finances and human resource development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. The Leadership Roundtable exists to strengthen the temporal affairs of the Church by harnessing the expertise and resources of Catholic senior-level executives from all sectors (including the financial, corporate, governmental, philanthropic, charitable, judicial and educational) in service to the Church. return to main Staff page >
When a gun battle between police and a man armed with an assault rifle broke out on a street close to the Texas A&M campus on Monday, most nearby residents took cover. Rigo Cisneros reached for his smartphone. As bullets whizzed and officers fell with gunshot wounds, Mr. Cisneros, an Army medic with one tour of duty in Afghanistan, crept from his home across the street toward the firefight, snapping pictures and taking video. And then, when the shooting stopped and the police moved in on the home of the gunman, Mr. Cisneros, 40, called out to the officers: “You got an ambulance here yet?” he asked. “I’m a medic. He asked for permission to approach and assist, and received it. It was an opportunity to put his military training to use in the war zone that briefly erupted on his own block. He first attended to Brian Bachmann, 41, a Brazos County constable. Mr. Bachmann was gravely wounded with a gunshot to the chest. “I heard gurgling sounds,” Mr. Cisneros said when reached by telephone later. “He was on the ground for 10 minutes, and there was no motion at all.” Mr. Cisneros said he could feel no pulse. He performed CPR. When medics arrived, Mr. Cisneros turned his attention to the shooter, whom police identified as Thomas Caffall, 35. He had been shot multiple times and was handcuffed, pale and bleeding on his front lawn. But he was conscious and aware enough to comprehend what he had done. “Could you please tell the person I shot I’m sorry,” Mr. Cisneros said Mr. Caffall had told him. Mr. Caffall later succumbed to his wounds, as did Mr. Bachmann, the constable. A passerby, Chris Northcliffe, 51, also died of his gunshot wounds, the police said. Three other police officers and a 55-year-old woman were injured. According to local news agencies, Mr. Bachmann became constable in January 2011 after winning an election the previous November. In Texas, constables are elected officials who serve as bailiffs in the local Justice of the Peace Court system. They also perform duties similar to those of sheriff’s deputies and police officers. The Eagle, a local newspaper, said in a November 2010 article about the election that Mr. Bachmann was married with two children. Before becoming constable, he served 17 years with the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, joining it as a patrol officer, the paper said. Police said that Mr. Bachmann and other police officers had gone to the residence on Monday with an eviction notice, but provided few other details about the shooting or Mr. Caffall. When reached by telephone on Monday, several of Mr. Caffall’s relatives declined to comment. A local NBC affiliate reported that Mr. Caffall’s stepfather, Richard Weaver, when reached by telephone, had described him as “crazy as hell.” “At one point, we were afraid that he was going to come up here and do something to his mother and me,” he was quoted as saying, adding that Mr. Caffall had quit his job nine months ago. On his Facebook page, Mr. Caffall described himself as divorced and Christian. “I am pulling a cross between Forrest Gump and Jack Kerouac (without the drugs),” he wrote. “I’m on the road, permanently.” He had photos of several weapons on the page, including an assault rifle pictured in its box with two banana-shaped ammunition clips and an instruction manual for a Czech-made SA Vz.58 rifle that he wrote had cost $799. Also pictured was what he described as a Mosin Nagant rifle, a weapon once made in the Soviet Union, complete with bayonet and two boxes of ammunition. “I’ll be at the gun range as much as I can,” he said in the caption to one photo. He also included a photo of his dog, Lucy. Follow Michael Schwirtz on Twitter @mschwirtz. This post has been revised to reflect the following correction: Correction: August 15, 2012 An earlier version of this article, using information from the College Station Police Department, misspelled the surname of one of the victims. He is Chris Northcliffe, not Northcliff. The article, using the same information, also misstated Mr. Northcliffe’s age. He is 51, not 43.
Updated \| 3:19 p.m. Sabrina Boyd, whose husband, Daniel Boyd, and sons, Zakariya and Dylan, were arrested on Monday by federal agents and charged, along with four other Americans, with plotting to carry out terrorist attacks in other countries, gave an interview on Tuesday to NBC17, a local television station in Raleigh, N.C. The same day, she also spoke with Yonat Shimron, a reporter for the North Carolina newspaper The News & Observer. In the excerpt from the NBC17 interview embedded below, Ms. Boyd took issue with the allegations against her family: The majority of them are false — I will say that we do have, we do own guns, in our home, as our Constitutional right allows us, and I don’t think there’s a crime in that, but as far as the other allegations, I find them false and I know that my husband and my sons are free of guilt. In the first part of the NBC17 interview, published on the Web site MyNC.com, Ms. Boyd said that trips by members of her family to Israel and Gaza, which the government says were attempts to get involved in “violent jihad,” were pilgrimages to the Holy Land. She said that one visit to Israel was made, in part, to give the family a chance to pray there for a son who died in a car accident in 2007. Ms. Boyd told NBC17: We had agreed that to go to the Holy Land and pray for our son would be a positive action… and it would help console us. It would be in a place where we felt, Islamically, we could do the most good for our beloved departed. Associated Press Undated images of four of the men arrested on Monday in North Carolina on terrorism charges. From left, Daniel Boyd, Hysen Sherifi, Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan and Ziyad Yaghi. Updated \| 4:29 p.m. Federal agents arrested seven men in North Carolina on Monday and charged them with plotting to wage “violent jihad” outside the United States, according to an indictment unsealed in federal court in Raleigh, N.C. The full text of the indictment is embedded below. The government charged Daniel Boyd, a 39-year-old American who traveled to Afghanistan two decades ago to fight the Soviet-backed government, with recruiting six young men, including two of his sons, to take part in a conspiracy “to advance violent jihad, including supporting and participating in terrorist activities abroad and committing acts of murder, kidnapping or maiming persons abroad.” According to the indictment, members of the group practiced military tactics and the use of weapons in rural North Carolina, and traveled to Gaza, Israel, Jordan and Kosovo hoping “to engage in violent jihad.” The indictment also claims that an eighth member of the group, who is still at large, traveled to Pakistan for the same purpose. A North Carolina newspaper, The News & Observer, reported on Monday night: “The charges are related to allegations that they helped raise money and provide training for terrorism operations in Tel Aviv, Israel.” The newspaper added “Federal officials will not say where the men are being held.” The Justice Department identified two of the suspects as Mr. Boyd’s sons Zakariya Boyd, 20 and Dylan Boyd, 22. The others are Anes Subasic, 33; Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, 22; Ziyad Yaghi, 21 and Hysen Sherifi, 24. All are American citizens except Mr. Sherifi, who is a native of Kosovo but a permanent legal resident of the United States. The Associated Press reports that “no attorneys for the men were listed in court records.” Mr. Boyd’s mother told The A.P. that she knew nothing about the case but that it “certainly sounds weird.” The father of Mr. Hassan declined to comment and family members of the other me were unable to be reached on Tuesday. Read more…
Posted by Michael, June 28th, 2012 To recap, we’re moving the existing striped wall office upstairs (sans stripes). The existing office will become a playroom and toy storage for Easton. We knew the new office needed storage, so we decided to do built-ins cabinets along the wall with our windows. Our end goal is for the new office to have built-ins much like below. (via Plans Now) Way easier said then done, especially when Rebecca and I lack any type of building experience. In late December and into early January, we thought the entire thing out. And after several trips to Lowes to browse building materials, we decided our best option was to go with prebuilt cabinets via Ikea. We figured having the base cabinets somewhat prebuilt would make the process a ton easier. It did make things easier. But looking back now, we should have just built these things from scratch. Oh well, there’s always next time! I built a frame out of 2×6 boards. This allowed us to elevate the cabinets so we can place molding underneath them. As you can see above, I also ran some electrical towards the top of the wall in order to do some puck lighting down the road. The above is where I left you, six months ago. With Easton here now, we knew we had to get this office completed. Since I work from home these days, I need a space where I can work and Easton could play. The existing office just couldn’t handle that. So while Rebecca feeds Easton during the day (just about every 2 hours), I’ve been working on the new office. Due to the length of the wall, the Ikea cabinets couldn’t eat all the space. I built boxes to fill the space and then attached them to the Ikea cabinets with some glue and screws. I built 3 of these boxes; two for each end and one in the middle. Once the boxes were completed and attached to the Ikea cabinets, I secured the entire unit to the frame on the floor and to several studs within the walls. Now since we couldn’t match the sizes between wood available at Lowes and the Ikea cabinets, I decided to add some trim. As you can see above, adding the trim really gave everything a unified look. And if you look even closer, I even began adding floor molding! Once the trim was added, Rebecca and I began wondering what we should do with the top. We eventually want to add a fabric top, but ultimately wanted this thing to look finished. Since my saw is unable to do these types of cuts, I had Lowe’s cut down two ready-to-paint wood boards to our size. The top hangs off the cabinet tops by about a half inch which is exactly what we wanted. It gives the cabinets a nice finished look. And here is where we currently are. I mounted the top with some liquid nails and some screws. There is a seam between the two boards, but I used some wood filler to really hide it. I also added quarter round molding to the floor to match the rest of the house. So what is next? There is a slight gap between the top and the trim. I had to use some shims in order to get the top completely level and in doing so, it left a teeny tiny gap. When you walk into the room, you can’t see it. I debated if I should let it be, but I knew it would annoy the crap out of me; even if no one could see it. I’ll be off to Lowes in a couple days to pick up some trim to fill in this area. Easy stuff. I’ll also begin building the side bookcases during the week. Now that I’m incredibly more comfortable with building these things, I’m sure I’ll be able to bang them out in a day or two. Once completed, I’ll then work on the valance to go across the top along with the puck lighting. Almost there! Diggy was the first to discover the new built-ins and immediately jumped on top to check out the view!
Okay, everyone! clap! clap! Look here! I need some serious help. It's about the Curious Incidents of The New Girl in the Night. Our night routine goes something like this: Around 6:30 we start getting ready for bed. (I moved it up from 7pm.) She starts to get cranky, quickly gets over-tired and goes from 0-60 in minutes, screaming hysterically as we prepare and then I nurse her down. She falls asleep, normally in minutes and then I attempt to leave the room. Usually she wakes up crying anywhere from 2-15 minutes later. I go back in and nurse her (comfort sucking, really) or bounce her back to sleep on the ball. Usually nurse. She goes back to sleep in minutes and then I attempt to leave. Usually she wakes up crying anywhere from 2-15 minutes later. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I eventually just go to bed with her and whip out a boob every time she wakes and cries throughout the night. Usually she sleeps for a MAX of 1.5 hours at a time. Meanwhile, I'm responding to the lightness of her sleep which comes with her wiggling up to me, flipping, flopping and whining. Some (most) nights I see every hour on the clock at least once. It's making me fucking mental. I don't know why she doesn't stay asleep but it's killing me. So, here's my question. Is it time to try CIO? Is she still too young? Do I really want to do that? So, I'm looking to lean on you friends. This is what I need, dear ones (besides some Xanax and my own apartment), I need to know how CIO went for you. What was your experience with it? What was the process like and what was the result for you? Here are some basic things to know about me and my thought process to help guide you: 1) I bought the extinction method book and have also read a lot of the attachment/family bed method. There are aspects of each of these methods that I find very helpful and pertinent (moving up the bedtime and baby-wearing, respectively) but my problem with each of these books is the same as my problem with most self-helpy kinds of books. It's the 'Do it this way exactly or you're going to ruin everything forever and ever. Amen.' You know what I mean? Marc Wessblahblah seems to believe that everything--even global warming, maybe--is due to sleep deprivation and parents who are too spineless to let their kids 'learn to go to sleep alone.' Dr. Searious seems to believe that you should carry and bounce that baby every minute of the day and night (night-time parenting) and that if you don't respond to cries pronto you are creating abandonment issues, possibly. *Any die-hard disciples, please understand that I know I'm over-simplifying. It's just my opinion and general impression. With lots of love in my heart let me say this: don't nit-pick. 2) I do not believe that the actual crying at night when she's by herself is going to permanently damage her or her fundamental trust, her psyche or her sense of who she is in the world. I know it won't be at all pleasant for any of us but I don't think it's harming, per se. 3) I'm not necessarily convinced that this method works for 100% of kids and I wonder about The Littlest New Girl's tenacity and whether or not she will frankly outlast me. 4) As you know, I am no stranger to hearing her cry for hours at a time and so although I am sure it will totally suck to hear her cry, I'm no novice. And to re-iterate, sometimes she cries like that even if I'm there. 5) I do like waking up with her (she's usually smiley and very cute in the morning) and I'm sure that I'll miss that and other parts of being in there with her. 6) I would like to rejoin The Man in our own bed as I've been sleeping in the guest room since the bionic nose phase of pregnancy. I want some grown up hem* play time. 7) I ultimately would like for her to sleep in her own bed peacefully, sooner rather than later because I SUCK without sleep and have I mentioned that I'm GETTING NO SLEEP?? 8) I'm still exclusively breast feeding and so I expect that I will have to go in there during the night to feed her at some point, right? 9) I'm sort of a 'rip the band-aid off all at once' kind of girl. I don't have the stamina and/or the consistency needed for a gradual backing away, I don't think. Going in to pat the butt for a week and then just going in and standing there for a week, all that. I'm pretty spent, already. That might send me around the bend. So, I'm asking you what it was like if you have the time and inclination to help a mama out. How long did it take? Did you want to die? Was it like magic or did it seem like a full time job? Did you feel like you were wrecking your child? How did you handle the feeding times? Let me just thoughtfully and gently add this: I believe that this, for whatever reason, is a parenting issue about which people tend to opine freely and with crap-loads of judgment. I get that and it's cool. But I'm not out to whip up a shit-storm. And since this is my blog post about my own position on my own rope (AKA near the tail end, there) I'm looking for a particular kind of discourse. Namely the personal experience kind. Instead of mere opinion, belief and conjecture, I am looking for those with experience (no matter how may degrees removed) with CIO. Those who have at least tried it or have some experience with it. I don't care whether it worked or not, as I'm exploring various options and I want to know the whole story. I don't even care if it's your sister's story, as long as she's tried it and you are willing to relate how she did it and the outcome, see? I am particularly interested in stories featuring a little one with a challenging temperament. Does it work for them? If you've already blogged about it and don't want to write it all out again, would you just link it in the comments so I can come by and read it? Otherwise, dear readers, please let your CIO stories flow forth like a beautiful tide that rolls in to save me. Or perhaps drown me and put me out of my misery. I really, really appreciate it. Thank you, thank you, thank you, my internet wonderfuls. I am very grateful for all of your stories as well as your non-judgment and your well wishes. The Man and I are steeling ourselves, getting in shape and strong for the upcoming extinction. I'll keep you posted. Because I know that the tedious, painful experience of letting your OWN kids cry it out just wasn't enough for you. Thanks again.
Ask yourself honestly, did you really expect to ever get ten hours of battery life in normal use from your (forthcoming) iPad? I thought not. Not one device that I have ever bought (Apple or not) has lived up to its battery life claim. That said, when Steve Jobs got in front of the tech world and claimed ten hours, I assumed seven would be a fair estimate. Jobs keeps using the ten-hour number, most recently in claiming that if the iPad could render flash, its battery life would collapse from ten hours, to 1.5 hours. Now he is stretching the truth (a polite way to say that he his deliberately misguiding), in both directions. But don’t just take my word for it, listen to the gadget gods over at Gizmodo. They say that “You’d lose battery life, sure, the same way you lose battery life watching any type of video on any system, but nothing near as dramatic as 85%.” Of course, 85% is the percentage drop from ten hours, to 1.5 hours. That about sums it up. Not only is Flash not something to be laughed at, as Steve has done repeatedly (both vocally and nonverbally by not including it), but it is something that at the moment is crucial to the way that the web works. HTML5 will be better, but it is not yet, and it will not be for some time. Really Mr. Jobs, hype is one thing, but this is just a bit much.
Pixable’s PhotoFeed enhanced the way users could browse through Facebook photos, and today it got even better with the integration of Aviary’s Feathery API. We’ve covered Photofeed in the past, but with the addition of Aviary’s fun editing features such as filters and stickers, users now have a whole new way to tweak both their own photos and their Facebook friends’ photos. By clicking on the “Edit” button at the bottom of Photofeed, the new set of editing features are at users’ disposal. Any sticker that you add to a photo can be resized and rotated to fit the photo you’re working on, and its interface is very user-friendly and responsive. Once you’ve saved the photo, it can be added to your own Facebook profile and even to your computer. Photofeed was a pretty cool Facebook app already (and Pixable’s Photofeed iPhone app is another recent addition that has a similar coolness factor). Now that Aviary’s API has been integrated into Photofeed, Pixable has just added more fun to the photo editing process.
43% of Brazilian Internet users browse the Web while watching TV, the research firm IBOPE Nielsen Online revealed in its Social TV report. In other words, the dual-screen viewing trend we note in other markets such as the US is also growing in Brazil. It is important to keep in mind that we are only referring to a sample of Internet-connected Brazilians, and not to the population as a whole; IBOPE Nielsen’s study was conducted among a limited number of Internet-connected homes in 13 metropolitan areas last February. Still, Internet users represent a sizable group – according to IBOPE, 82.6 million Brazilians had access to the Internet at work or at home during the first quarter of 2012, out of a total population of 192 million. More importantly, this represents a 5% year-on-year increase, which means that Internet access is becoming more and more common. In addition, fixed and mobile broadband are also expanding in the country, supported by public programs and by the rise of 3G. The proportion of smartphone owners is particularly noteworthy among Internet users; according to a recent Livra survey, 45% of them own a smartphone. All of these changes create favorable conditions for new habits to emerge, and social TV is one of them. This is not too surprising, considering that all things social perform very well in Brazil (see our previous story). Combined with the fact that almost half of the population watches TV for more than 3 hours a day, it’s easy to understand that a large number of users are now using two screens at the same time on a regular basis. Here’s a graph summarizing some of the study’s findings: According to IBOPE Nielsen, 29% of dual screen viewers also post online comments while watching TV. Young people between the ages of 20 and 24 are the most likely to browse the Internet and watch TV simultaneously, while teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 are the most likely to post comments. Among adults, this habit is most common among women and upper-class users. News, telenovelas, movies and sports are the most popular genres among dual-screen viewers. When it comes to commenting, however, the ranking is slightly different, with telenovelas taking the lead – a phenomenon that often generates national Twitter trending topics. Interestingly, this trend goes beyond smartphones, as users also use PCs and feature phones while watching TV. As we reported, feature phones in Brazil are often much more than ‘dumb phones,’ and provide their users with advanced functionalities, such as posting tweets or Facebook status updates (see our story ‘5 things you didn’t know you could do with a SMS in Brazil‘). As for TV broadcasters, they may be relieved to learn that most of the online browsing is actually related to on-screen programs – around 70% of the surveyed dual-screen users said they used the Internet to look for additional information about the programs they are watching. On the other hand, 80% acknowledge they already turned on their TV or changed the channel as a result of a message they saw online. For IBOPE Nielsen’s analyst José Calazans, there’s no reason to worry about this trend: “Simultaneous consumption of Internet and TV content shows that users aren’t abandoning one source for another. It confirms there’s an opportunity to explore the huge affinity that Brazilians have for these two supports.” This could certainly represent an interesting market for companion TV platforms and apps; while this segment is already fairly crowded in Europe and in the US, the offering is much more limited in Latin America, although regional players such as the Argentine startup Comenta.tv are also starting to emerge.
Food or art? Both: and both are great! Among our personal favorite foods and arts, are chocolates by Christopher Elbow. Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolate: Jackson Pollack In A Chocolate Box This review starts with a lament: that we don’t have photography beautiful enough to show you what works of art Christopher Elbow’s chocolates are. When we first saw a (much better) photo of them—after he had won an industry award naming him the best of the new generation of American chocolatiers—they looked like beautiful works painted by Jackson Pollack. When our order arrived and we lifted the lid of the box, we gasped. We regret that we have no photo to share what adequately expresses their magnificence. And then there’s the taste. Those who know us know how we have lamented the early retirement of our favorite chef, Paris’s brilliant Joel Robuchon. In a city of masters, he was the master who married ingredients and coaxed flavors from foods in a way that set him apart from all of the other great talents. Now, we have eaten chocolate from many gifted masters, and what makes Christopher Elbow’s special is the purity of flavor he achieves from his fondant flavors. Try the Fresh Mint bonbon and it seems as if you’re having a sprig of fresh mint with the chocolate. Earl Grey Tea tastes like you’re sipping a cup of Earl Grey while you’re eating the chocolate. All chocolatiers at his level work with top ingredients (for those who keep track, he uses El Rey couverture). We just don’t know what technique creates this kind of palate magic. Those who have experienced the cuisine of Chef Robuchon will now nod their heads knowingly, and call for a few boxes of Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolate. If we had Mr. Robuchon’s address, we would send him a few boxes. We’re certain he would enjoy them. Mr. Elbow is still in his 20’s, so unless he is tempted by other opportunities, he could sharing his gifts with us for decades to come. However, you should start eating as much of the current “work” as you can. Like all artists, his style will evolve. \|From left to right: Caramel Banana, Rosemary Caramel, Passionfruit, Fresh Mint. Since we first had Christopher Elbow chocolates two years ago, the product line has expanded far beyond bonbons, and now includes dark and spiced Venezuelan hot chocolate (both of which came in at the top of the 65 varieties of gourmet hot chocolate we reviewed recently), chocolate-covered nuts (roasted almonds, candied almonds and hazelnuts), roasted almond and candied pecan toffee and pâte de fruits. We can’t wait to try the rest of these goodies, to see what the Elbownian perspective and skills have done with toffee, nuts and pâte de fruits. You can be assured of seeing the results in print. Updated January 2007 FORWARD THIS NIBBLE to your chocolate-loving friends. CHRISTOPHER ELBOW CHOCOLATE - 9-Piece Box - 16-Piece Box - 21-Piece Box - 42-Piece Box Shipping additional. Prices are verified at publication but are subject to change. First we bought two: one for ourselves, one for a gift—and then couldn’t bear to part with the second box. The next time we bought four—but still faced the same dilemma. Purchase online at ElbowChocolates.com or telephone 1.816.842.1300 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, special offers, contests, opinion surveys, THE NIBBLE back issues archive, product gift-finder, links to our favorite food websites, and the ability to nominate YOUR favorite nibbles, visit the home page of TheNibble.com. © Copyright 2004-2013 Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. All information contained herein is subject to change at any time without notice. All details must be directly confirmed with manufacturers, service establishments and other third parties. The material in this newsletter may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Lifestyle Direct, Inc.
The following imagery was taken during a trip to San Francisco Ca. with my partner Ashley. They are meant both as a personal record of our trip and also as a way that I am putting it out there that I would like to travel for a food/lifestyle publication [travel + leisure, saveur, garden & gun, bon appetit, etc.]. One way I learn is to put myself in anothers shoes, it helps get a different perspective and allows me an opportunity to experience something different. Though I was not contracted explicitly for a publication, I intended this trip to be a practice run. Thankfully as I took photographs, enjoyed the city with my family and friends, and savored the sights and edibles…oh how we ate, HOLY SHIZA the food in Northern California is OUTSTANDING. As a self proclaimed foodie, I love LOVE LOVE spending time in different places of gastronomy. A double blessing is that Ash does as well! So talk about great times! The Clift Hotel Blue Bottle Coffee [if you drink coffee you should check this out...seriously check it out, AMAZING COFFEE!] One that really sucked and made me feel sick….cant win ‘em all LOL Ferry Building Farmers Market The Outerlands [may be one of the best places I have ever had breakfast] We went to the de Young and saw a Balenciaga Retrospective…it still blows my mind to think how fantastic Balenciaga’s work was. Mirroring the art, political and social contexts of his day, his work balanced personal style and homage to peers. Also at the SFMOMA an exhibit based on the idea of voyeurism as seen through the photographers lens blew me away. Tip for the MOMA, on the top floor is a Blue Bottle Coffee outpost where you can order an affogato. What you say is an affogato????!!!! It is none other in this case than Humphrey Slocumbe Secret Breakfast Ice Cream and a shot of Espresso….word on the street is that the secret is bourbon corn flakes, all I know is it was RIDICULOUS!!!! Anywho, the photographs….
May 9th, 2013 • Mark Guim I’ll show you how to unlock the Nokia Lumia 920 on AT&T. The carrier is now more lenient in letting you do this. Unlocking the Nokia Lumia 920 will let you use SIM cards from other carriers. This is great if you are traveling overseas and want to use a local SIM card. February 2nd, 2013 • Mark Guim Internet Explorer on Windows Phone does not have a ‘jump to top’ button, but I’ll show you how you can get around this. It simply requires creating a bookmark. Watch the demo on the Nokia Lumia 920! September 11th, 2011 • Mark Guim A lot of you are still waiting for Nokia to release the Symbian Anna update in your country. If you are impatient, there’s a way to do it manually. Here’s a video on how to do it, as shown on a Nokia N8. Video after the jump. September 5th, 2011 • Mark Guim I love the new look and UI on the upcoming Nokia N9. I especially like the squircle icons and wanted to create one for The Nokia Blog’s Twitter profile. I made a video tutorial for you to follow. I’m not a Photoshop expert, so I’m not sure if this is the best way to do it. December 31st, 2010 • Mark Guim If you received a Nokia N8 during the holidays, you’re probably wondering how to make it even more awesome. Don’t worry because we’re here to help. Read on for our recommended apps, accessories, and tips to make you an expert user of your brand spanking new Nokia N8.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Alex Bentley scored 24 points and Maggie Lucas added 19 as eighth-ranked Penn State beat No. 23 Michigan State 71-56 on Sunday to win its 18th straight home game and build a two-game lead in the Big Ten Conference. Nikki Greene had 13 points for Penn State (20-3, 10-1), which closed the first half with a 21-7 run to take a five-point lead and opened the second half with another 21-7 run to build a 19-point margin. Bentley continued her climb through the Penn State record books by becoming only the fourth Penn State player to make 300 steals and the fourth player in the Big Ten to score 1,500 points, record 500 assists and have 300 steals in a career. Annalise Pickrel scored 16 points for Michigan State (18-6, 6-4). Penn State's point total marked just the third time this season that Michigan State yielded more than 70 points. Penn State scored 76 on the Spartans in a Jan. 6 game at Michigan State (76-55). Sunday's victory marks the first time since 2003-04 season that Penn State swept the Spartans Penn State, with 20 wins, is off to its best start since the 1999-2000 season. Detroit Sports By Bleacher Report See wrong or incorrect information in a story. Tell us here Location, ST \| website.com National Sports Videos Local Sports Galleries Top Sports Stories - PAT CAPUTO: Fate twisted and Oakland became Greg Kampe's dream come true - Charlie Villanueva hits game-winning 3-pointer as Pistons top Bucks - Jimmy Howard continues solid play by Red Wings' goalies; backup Joey MacDonald on waivers - PAT CAPUTO: Red Wings present a mixed bag - Red Wings top Kings on Jonathan Ericsson's last-second goal WITH VIDEO Recent Activity on Facebook We love them. We hate them. We love to suffer over them, but they are our Detroit Lions. Paula Pasche discusses the team fans want so desperately to return to its glory years as they rebuild. Pat Caputo is a sports columnist for The Oakland Press who covered the Tigers from 1986-98, and the Lions from 1998-2002. A sometimes-irreverent look at Detroit's Boys of Summer, the Tigers, as they try to win their first American League Central title. Matt Myftiu is news editor at The Oakland Press and has a background in sports writing and has had an unhealthy addiction to anything NASCAR for more than a decade. Scott M. Burnstein, covered high school sports for both the Detroit Free Press and the Oakland Press, and is the author of the 2006 regional best-selling book, The Motor City Mafia - A Century of Organized Crime in Detroit. Chuck Pleiness posts news about injuries, line combinations, transactions, who's starting and who's scratched. Follow the Red Wings along with Chuck Pleiness. Kosmo is the all-knowing Oakland Press seer, of course. Paul Kampe, a copy editor and page designer for The Oakland Press, is responsible for laying out the paper, hunting down spelling and grammatical errors and occasionally covering high school sports in Oakland County.
By Jueseppi B. Beauty from Brokenness: The Nozomi Project Nozomi, translated ‘hope’ in Japanese, is a social enterprise bringing sustainable income, community, dignity and hope to the women in Ishinomaki, Japan by training women to craft unique jewelry products. One third of these women are single mothers and grandmothers; most of these women and their family members lost their livelihood when the tsunami crashed through half of their city in 2011. Nozomi women are creating one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry featuring broken pieces of pottery left in the wake of the tsunami (called the Shards of Hope product line), as well as other beautiful products such as kimono accessories and note cards Each of our product lines has been named by a Nozomi woman in honor of a loved one in her life. As broken shards are being transformed into beautiful treasures, so too lives are being filled with renewed dignity and hope. With a God-directed vision and calling, the Nozomi Project is lead and overseen by a team of missionaries who are part of Be One Tohoku Aid, serving in Ishinomaki since immediately following the tsunami. Part of this missionary team works under the leadership of Team Expansion, a non-profit Stateside mission-sending organization, through which we are able to accept donations in support of the Nozomi Project. Click here for profiles and photos highlighting this amazing group of women that God has gathered together for community and making jewelry. We will continue to add more! Learn more about the Nozomi Project and the people involved by watching our video. Nozomi Project – Beauty from Brokenness Published on Mar 11, 2013 Two years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, a small group of ladies are finding hope in the remnants of the disaster.http://nozomiproject.com Nozomi Project Fall 2012 Published on Dec 7, 2012 Nozomi Project, a social enterprise community in Ishinomaki Japan, composed of women who are taking broken shards of pottery from the 2011 tsunami and making them into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Be One – Tohoku Aid Be One is a house church network that began in the greater Osaka area about eight years ago. After the tsunami hit last year on March 11th, several members of Be One quickly drove up to Tohoku with supplies. Several days later another van followed. Chad Huddleston, one of the three main leaders of Be One Osaka, and numerous other missionaries and staff associated with Be One, ended up spending most of last year bringing aid and assistance to the people in Ishinomaki. Over the next few months following the tsunami, churches across the greater Kansai (Osaka) region began working through Be One to help with these relief efforts. Over twelve different churches were a part of providing this needed relief, and in the first year over one thousand volunteers came up to Ishinomaki with Be One. Visit our web site here! Be One – Tohoku Aid Current Status & Vision: Through God’s clear calling and guidance, there are now three families and one single woman living in Ishinomaki. It has been a joy for all of us to participate in the exciting work that we see God doing here. It also continues to break our hearts to see the devastation caused by the tsunami and the many individuals and families in our communities who have lost loved ones, homes, and jobs. Our vision is to see disciples and communities of believers spread throughout Tohoku, and to see leaders emerge from the new harvest who will begin reproducing disciples. We also are committed to helping meet the practical needs of those in our community. Our four units have chosen a very incarnational life style in our approach to church planting; our children are all enrolled in the local schools and we are seeking to be part of the communities where we are living. We continue to host and coordinate many volunteers who come to help out, and by our daily presence in the communities we are involved in the lives of many individuals. We will continue over the coming weeks to share the stories, challenges, and hopes of our Nozomi staff, as well as their connection to the different names of the lines of jewelry. Please use these stories to pray for our staff who have gone through so much. Click on “Meet The Nozomi Staff” above to get acquainted with staff members: Nobuko Kimura (Necklace Artisan) Chieko N. (Jewelry Artisan) Kazuko E. (Necklace Artisan) Yumi E. (Shards Artisan; Photographer) Hiromi T. (Jewelry Artisan) Yuko M. (Computer & Sales) Yuko S. (Jewelry Artisan & Manager) Join this effort on Facebook….. Be One Tohoku Aid Filed under: Causes, Celebrity, Charity/Giving, Education, Fun & Games, Good News, Gun Control, Gun Violence, History, Jobs, News, Stories, Videos, Weather Emergency, Women's Causes, World News \| Tagged: 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Be One Tohoku Aid On Facebook, God, Ishinomaki, Ishinomaki Miyagi, Japan, Ms. Nozomi And "The Nozomi Project" - Beauty from Brokenness, Osaka, Team Expansion, Tsunami \| 8 Comments »
Hazelnut blueberry biscotti Lately, WordPress has been messing with my feelings. For entire days, I won’t be able to access the system to edit or create new posts. =( Not like I had the time too anyway. What’s with the world lately? It’s just too depressing. =( The past week, I have been secretly panicking. See, there’s this frightful phenomenon known as the “MID-SEM CRISIS”. It’s a horrible thing that strikes in the middle of each semester, when deadlines pile up and things don’t appear to be going well. And it creeps up on you slowly, like an evil snake and when you’re looking the other way IT STRIKES! Another word for it is the “HELL WEEK”. This round was quite bad. The blow to my ego was unfortunate. But anyways, there’s no looking back because it would be freaky if there was someone standing behind me right now. Wait what? Anyway, ANYWAY, things have taken a turn for the better and my prospects are looking up! I’ve actually gotten calls for internship interviews which is a great relief. (By the way, if your company is looking for an intern… and you love sweet stuff…you know who to email). So here are some Sunflowers to take away the gloom from the day. Feel happy yet? Just a quick shout out to my darling boyfriend, (who never reads my blog, terrible boy) for making the week better (and driving me around, yay, see I wouldn’t add this if you actually read my blog and not just look at the pictures). And to Mel who listens to my emotional roller-coasters and bakes brownies to cheer me up (I know you want her, but she’s taken). Fantastic brownies by the way, if you’re interested (or depressed). Fantastic. Okay, back to the point of this post. I needed snacks to munch, and healthy ones too! But the problem with overly healthy snacks is that they aren’t always fantastic. Be warned, this biscotti is good (my dad’s been steadily depleting my biscotti supply, my mom just came in to compliment it too!) but it’s never going to give you a food-gasm. I cut the sugar, I cut the fat… I added fruits. For the original which was pretty darned good, go to Delicious Inspiration‘s website. But this recipe is healthily full of dried blueberries and olive oil… And you can eat it without feeling guilty. Just a side note, my decision to use blueberries was UNWISE. It would probably be better replaced with dark chocolate or raisins, or crasins… something bigger. The blueberries are too small and kept falling out of the biscotti. =( Biscotti, every discerning bear’s beverage of choice. (Yes i know my biscotti are ugly because I suck at cutting them.. stop giving them an image issue) Hazelnut Blueberry Biscotti Adapted from Delicious Inspiration 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 cup olive oil 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon instant expresso 1/2 cup hazelnuts 1/2 cup blueberries (replace this with cranberries/raisins/chocolate chips or something) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. In a smaller bowl, combine the oil, granulated sugar, eggs and extract. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour and mix well, forming a stiff dough. Knead in the hazelnuts and blueberries. Divide the dough in half, then form the halves into logs as long as the baking sheet (about 12″) and flatten slightly. Bake the logs until golden brown and firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the logs cool slightly, about a half hour. Cut the logs into 1/4″ slices (this was the most difficult part, mine kept crumbling… but then I’ve always been rather fail at cutting things. If you find a foolproof way of cutting them prettily, do let me know) and arrange them on the baking sheets and bake again for 10 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until they’re golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. As if it would survive that long, you serial snacker you…
Posts tagged live. Life is something we all share, Just like oxygen, in the air. The way we live it, is up to us, With a negative or with a plus. Life is something, we should cherish, We never know, when we’ll perish. Live each and every single day, Smell the flowers, stop and play. Life is something, we’ve been blessed, Choice is yours, choose your quest. Follow your passions, and you’ll be fine, With the right attitude, you will shine. Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around. Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
- Special Pages LONDON: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and holders Chelsea all avoided each other in yesterday’s FA Cup fourth-round draw at Wembley, but only Chelsea and City are assured of a future in the competition. While several of their Premier League rivals floundered in Saturday’s third-round ties, Chelsea thrashed Southampton 5-1 and now face a trip to either fourth-tier Southend United or third-division Brentford. City, 3-0 victors over Watford, will face either Premier League rivals Stoke City or Championship side Crystal Palace. United needed an injury-time Robin van Persie equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw at West Ham United, with either Fulham or Blackpool awaiting the winners of the replay in round four. Second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion’s reward for eliminating Newcastle United, meanwhile, is a tie with either Swansea City or Arsenal, who drew 2-2 at the Liberty Stadium yesterday. Liverpool, 2-1 victors against non-league Mansfield Town on Sunday, will visit third-tier Oldham Athletic, who reached the semi-finals in 1994. Fifth-division Macclesfield Town, conquerors of Championship leaders Cardiff City, could face Premier League opposition in the fourth round if Wigan Athletic come through their replay against League One Bournemouth. Fellow Conference National representatives Luton Town will definitely face a side from the English top flight, however, having been drawn to face Norwich City after their upset win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. The ties will be played on the weekend of January 26-27. In Paris, holders Lyon, currently flying high in Ligue 1, were sensationally knocked out of the French Cup yesterday in a penalty shoot-out with third division club Epinal. The round-of-64 match had ended 3-3 after extra-time, and Epinal went on to spring the biggest upset of the weekend when they beat the seven-time French league champions 4-2 on penalties. Epinal coach Fabien Tissot, a former French second division journeyman, said the result showed the “magic” of Cup football at its best. “We pulled off an extraordinary performance,” said Tissot. “It’s the best victory in my career be it as a player or coach. “The lads let nothing go and were rewarded for their efforts. At 2-0 up, I tried to calm everyone down but it was difficult.” Lyon coach Remi Garde called the result “disappointing”. “It’s always a massive disappointment when you’re eliminated by an inferior team. I’m disappointed for the players,” Garde said. “We knew Epinal were a team that could perform. You must give this team credit.” AGENCIES
Posted by thepeteplan on April 30, 2008 I made a comment on a health and fitness forum at work that I thought I could run a half marathon in under 1hr45, without any specific running training. The context of the comment isn’t too important, but someone replied with “no you can’t, prove it”. I’m not going to just go out and run a half marathon to prove a point, so to do one I will do some running training on the side to actually run a reasonably fast half marathon. A further challenge was to run a half marathon closer to a colleagues pb (1hr22) than he can row a half marathon slower than my pb (1hr15). I’m writing about this now in order to put into context when some of my erg times are a bit slower due to the additional running training, rather than just doing it quietly on the side. 10k = 35:49.8 / 1:47.4 / 26 1:49.8 / 26 1:48.8 / 26 1:47.9 / 27 1:46.8 / 27 1:44.0 / 28 My initial aim with the running is to run once every 3 days on average, on top of the normal rowing schedule. So far I have done the same running route 3 times: 24th April = 39min 40sec 27th April = 38min 25sec 30th April = 39min 05sec Tonight’s run was a little slower than Sunday’s due to the rain, and the “bogginess” of the cross country half of the route I’m running. The route is somewhere between 9 and 10km, but at this stage I’m not too bothered exactly as long as the general trend is getting faster (or at least easier). After a few more runs I will add an extra lap of the cross country element that will add another 15 to 20mins to the run. I also did my first session on the turbo trainer last night for a few weeks: 30mins = 11.7miles / 268watts average / 23.4mph average I need to incorporate some bike training into the routine too as I would like to take part in one or two of the rowathlon series races this year. To make this easier I’m going to buy a new bike sometime in the next couple of weeks so I can cycle to and from work on a regular basis, and make at least some of the training more time efficient. Posted in Cycling, Running, Steady distance \| 2 Comments » Posted by thepeteplan on April 29, 2008 My current work schedule isn’t allowing me to get to the gym at lunchtime most days, leaving training to straight after work before going home. I don’t enjoy this as much, and because I’ve trained at lunchtime for so long my nutrition schedule fits in with that. Rather than training between 1115 and 1215 then eating lunch, I’m having to eat lunch at 1330 and train at 1630 – not ideal, or at least I’m not used to it. I think for the remainder of the time the trial is on at work I might experiment some days with training before work, leaving me the option then of a further session in the evening either on rowpro, or the turbo trainer. 45mins = 12077m / 1:51.7 / 23 9mins splits: 1:52.1, 1:51.8, 1:51.7, 1:51.9, 1:51.3 (all 23spm) I have neglected doing any weights since before the marathon so just stuck in one quick exercise before going home: Bench press: 50kg, 3 sets of 12 Posted in Uncategorized \| Leave a Comment » Posted by thepeteplan on April 28, 2008 Today’s longer distance interval session is one I had trialled on 14th April. I thought at the time I’d had a great session then, and today confirmed that. I knew I wasn’t feeling up to beating my paces from 2 weeks ago today, so started off 1second slower pace for the first interval, but still found it very tough going through the middle. 5k = 17:38.3 / 1:45.8 / 28 4k = 13:59.7 / 1:44.9 / 29 3k = 10:33.5 / 1:45.5 / 29 2k = 6:59.2 / 1:44.8 / 29 1k = 3:25.4 / 1:42.7 / 30 Totals: 15k = 52:36.1 / 1:45.2 / 29 Two weeks ago I started the session 1sec faster pace on the 5k, and successfully stepped down in pace by 1second each rep. Part of the reason I couldn’t match that today was physical – I’ve been doing a high volume of training in the past two weeks. A big part of it was mental though because I knew how hard I had pushed on the session before, and how I couldn’t have gone any faster. Still a solid session with a good amount of distance at a pretty fast pace though. Posted in Uncategorized \| 2 Comments » Posted by thepeteplan on April 26, 2008 The great thing about rowpro is that you can get together and train with friends anywhere in the world, as well as the added motivation of them seeing every split you pull throughout the training piece you row together. This morning I set up a 60min session on rowpro and was joined by two other people, one in Yorkshire, the other in the Netherlands. 60mins = 16221m / 1:50.9 / 24 Pacing was approximately 10min segments of 1:54, 1:53, 1:52, 1:51, 1:50, 1:49. I haven’t yet got around to setting the split lengths I want in rowpro though, and the PM4 defaulted to recording 3min splits. I was pretty much exactly on target for the first 50mins, and probably a bit faster than target for the final 10mins. A good high volume first week completed now, with 5 weeks of phase 1 remaining before we each attempt either a 60min or half marathon test piece. Posted in Uncategorized \| 1 Comment » Posted by thepeteplan on April 25, 2008 One of the worst things about a sport that is (generally) done inside is that once the weather warms up a little training can get quite uncomfortable. Physiologically it is harder when the temperature is higher, but also psychologically it feels harder when the gym is stuffy and you’re sweating earlier in a training piece. The weather is just starting to get to that point some days now, and unfortunately I train in a gym without air conditioning. 4k = 14:58.6 / 1:52.3 / 25 1500m = 5:03.1 / 1:41.0 / 30 1500m = 5:03.0 / 1:41.0 / 30 4k = 14:57.2 / 1:52.1 / 25 This is the type of session we are doing to keep some rowing in our programme at around 5k pace, and on average this format of session will be done once per week with intervals at 2k pace one week, and 5k pace the following week. Posted in Uncategorized \| 1 Comment » Posted by thepeteplan on April 24, 2008 Have you ever wondered why triathletes call a session where you train on the bike, and then immediately go for a run, a “brick” session? Not quite the same format, but I decided tonight to do a 10k row then go straight out on the roads for a 10k run. 10k = 36:43.8 / 1:50.1 / 25 Steady 1:52′s to 7500m, then the last 5 x 500m splits were 1:50.6, 1:47.6, 1:45.5, 1:42.9, 1:37.2. Quick change of clothes and glass of water than out on the road for a run time of 39:40. The first and last 10mins are on road, and the middle 20mins around a cross country course mostly on compacted, winding, trails. This perhaps gave me an insight into why triathletes call this format of session a brick session, as my legs felt like bricks for the first 15mins. I thought I was running slowly to this point until I caught up with a group of 3 runners, and quickly passed them. I’ve run this route a few times before, and only once before broken 40mins. This is a good sign as I haven’t run in a few months, and have never run regularly at all. Why the run? Well today was supposed to be an interval session, but work commitments meant I couldn’t get to the gym during the day, so training was left to the evening. I had a look on rowpro and joined the 10k with AndersB and SteveV, and decided to do a run afterwards. But why did I choose to run? I made a comment on a sporting discussion board at work that I thought I could run a sub 1hr45 half marathon just off the back of rowing training. Someone said “no you can’t, prove it”. Of course to go and run a half marathon with no running training at all at 87kg would be asking for an injury, or at least a week of walking funny. So instead I took up someone else’s challenge to try to run a HM closer to his HM running pb (1hr22) than he can get to my HM pb on the erg (just under 1hr15). Therefore I need to do a few training runs before attempting this, and at the same time to try to prove the point to the first challenger by going a good bit under 1hr45 with a little running training. The comment wasn’t purely ego driven, we were discussing the merits of cross training for a guy looking to run a HM under 2hrs, as he keeps getting injuries from running. My point was that I thought you could get fit enough to run a HM with other (low impact) training, and just run occasionally to get your legs used to the impact, without so much injury potential. Time will tell whether I was right… Jamie asked a question on yesterday’s entry do I carry any fatigue from one session to the next, when rowing twice a day. It’s all relative, but yes, more so than normal. I did the second session yesterday as a 2k warm up and 1k on rowpro. “Just” a 3:09 for the 1k, but it certainly felt fatigued. I think that doing this high volume for just a couple of weeks at the beginning of this stage of training will benefit me in the later stages of the phase though. Posted in Uncategorized \| 5 Comments » Posted by thepeteplan on April 23, 2008 The plan for today’s session was simple – a 12k increasing pace by 1sec each 2k. Even with a day off on Sunday I have done 80k in the past 4 days, double my normal daily average. Therefore my legs are feeling a little bit tired, so I picked a slightly slower starting pace than I might if fresh. 12k = 43:45.9 / 1:49.4 / 26 1:51.9 / 25 1:50.9 / 25 1:49.9 / 26 1:48.9 / 26 1:47.9 / 27 1:46.8 / 28 So that’s 92k in 5 days so far (including the day off) – I will be ready for my rest day by Sunday. The day is not over yet though, I’m doing a short rowpro session later on to row a 1k with a guy who is doing a challenge of 40 x 1k pieces in 40 days, all done at below his 2k pace (1:40). It doesn’t sound too hard when you first view it, but 1k at your best 2k pace is pretty fatiguing, and to do it 40days in a row will get tough. I hope I will be able to row along with him again later in the challenge. My plan is to row the 1k at my 2k pb pace also (1:33.0) so he knows someone else is suffering alongside him. Speaking of rowpro, I paid the $99 to get the full version for the simple reason that otherwise I only show up in the race listings as “evaluation user”. It seems like a good motivation tool so will be worth it, but I could have used another 2 weeks on the evaluation version if I wanted to. Once I’ve used it a few more times I will write a review of it on the “pimp my erg” blog page. Posted in Uncategorized \| 2 Comments » Posted by thepeteplan on April 22, 2008 Phase 1 of my 2008 training programme is focussed on the HM, and as such doing a higher than normal volume of training will be beneficial for me. I don’t plan on doing this volume of training too often though. Lunchtime – 1130am 60mins = 16071m / 1:52.0 / 24spm Evening – 7pm 10k = 35:33.4 / 1:46.7 / 27spm The lunchtime row was my planned row for the day, but I have also downloaded an evaluation copy of rowpro to try out so set up a 10k row on there tonight. We had a full line-up of 8 rowers, but unfortunately only 6 were there at start time, and 5 actually started. It was motivational rowing against others, especially as I was completely level with one of the other rowers for the first 6k or so. He was relentless on the pace though, so I couldn’t keep up in the final 4k without putting in an effort level greater than I’d want to recover from before tomorrow’s session! I added this link to the Sprint page, which I found on YouTube earlier this evening. The MAD Team 100k world record relay from January 2004: Posted in Steady distance \| 3 Comments » Posted by thepeteplan on April 21, 2008 The page titled “Pete’s Training” details my training plan and goals for the next 6 months leading up to BIRC on October 26th 2008. Following the successful marathon on Saturday it is now time to begin on that periodised training programme with phase 1, a 6 week training phase aiming at a half marathon test piece. The first session on the plan for this week is the session I tried out last week. 4k = 14:56.1 / 1:52.0 / 25 4 x 500m / 2min rest: 1:33.9 / 34 1:33.9 / 35 1:33.8 / 35 1:33.8 / 35 4k = 14:55.9 / 1:51.9 / 25 We will be using two sessions on a similar format to this, as discussed previously, to keep some training at around 2k pace and 5k pace in our training routines. With 10k total distance it’s still a good endurance session, and not a problem to fit in your lunchhour. Tomorrow evening I will be having my first go on rowpro, a piece of software allowing you to connect your concept2 rowing machine to your computer and row against other people around the world. We’ll be doing a 10k tomorrow evening at 7pm UK time (6pm GMT), so join in if you’re able. I have just taken the 20 day free trial currently, and if I think it’s good I will purchase the software before the end of the trial period to carry on with it. This final comment is prompted by an email from one of the people I’m coaching on PP08 about how freely he can blog his training, and whether it would then enable other people to follow it for free. I have no problem at all if people want to use the information I, or anyone else following my training routines, blog to follow the same training programme. The added benefit people get who pay me for coaching is realistic targets for every session to ensure they get the training effect I desire from the session, and to make sure that from the plan as a whole they are training at the correct level for them personally. The programmes even for people following PP08 vary depending on people’s other commitments, motivations and personal goals. So follow at your own risk in terms of overtraining and pacing the session at the correct level, but if you wish to do so then there is no problem at all. As we finish each stage of PP08 the full details will be available on this blog anyway. Posted in Uncategorized \| Leave a Comment » Posted by thepeteplan on April 19, 2008 An early start this morning, up at 6.45am and on the road by 8am. I’d loaded the car last night so that I was ready to go. The journey up was fine, and I was there not long after 9am. I got my erg and fan set up, and my drinks lined up alongside. After numerous visits to the bathroom it was time to set off. The two paces I had in my mind were 1:53.6 of my personal best, and 1:52.9 to beat for top position in the world rankings for this season. 42195m = 2h 37m 57.6s / 1:52.3 / 26spm 5k = 1:52.3 / 25 10k = 1:52.4 / 25 15k = 1:52.4 / 25 20k = 1:52.5 / 26 25k = 1:52.3 / 26 30k = 1:52.3 / 26 35k = 1:52.3 / 26 40k = 1:52.4 / 27 42.195k = 1:50.3 / 28 I took drink stops at 35k, 30k, 25k, 20k, 15k, 10k and 6k to go, alternating between water and poweraid – just two mouthfuls each time. It was nice and cool in the sports hall, and I was close to an open door, so that was adequate for hydration purposes. It looks very controlled from the splits, and it was pretty much. I rowed 1:52′s, and the drink stops pushed the average pace the few tenths slower. There were various aches and pains during the row though starting with my abs quite early on for some reason, and in trying to relieve this I had quite a bad ache in my back by the end. My legs felt pretty fresh throughout, no issue aerobically, and no significant glute pain. All in all quite a successful row. For the final 2k I just kept the projected time just under 2h 38m – I could have pushed it harder but for a few seconds off the time I didn’t think it was worth the injury potential pushing it to the limit in the final stages would bring. Hopefully I won’t do another one for at least another 3.5 years! Posted in Uncategorized \| 7 Comments »
25, IN A RELATIONSHIP, SOUTH BOSTON BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR REPRESENTATIVE STEPHEN KULIK Coming from a political family from Greenfield, Merrigan is well-suited to handle the avalanche of funding requests that come into the office of her boss, House Ways and Means Committee Vice Chair Stephen Kulik. Growing up, she helped her state representative father campaign, and knew she wanted to be a part of the political action. Since coming to the State House in 2006, Merrigan has managed to maintain her "chic but comfy" fashion sense while helping to keep the commonwealth's finances in order. Job title: Budget director for Representative Stephen Kulik, vice-chairman of House Committee on Ways and Means Held since: January 2011 Marital/relationship status; children; pets: In a relationship Home: South Boston Originally from: Greenfield What you do: The Ways and Means Committee is responsible for crafting the state budget each year, and as a result a number of requests for state funding come into our office. My primary responsibility is to handle all of the budget inquiries and requests made to Representative Kulik, identify his priorities, and brief him on the issues we are lobbied on. Additionally, day-to-day tasks include meeting with constituents, drafting legislation, drafting press releases, monitoring the legislative process for the representative's priorities and those of the 1st Franklin District, and attending meetings with legislators, administration officials, and staff. One experience that made you glad to do this work: In June of 2007, a Constitutional Convention was held to take a vote to protect same-sex marriage by keeping it off a statewide ballot. I found myself on the fourth floor as the vote was about to take place. Upstairs in the House gallery, I walked in and sat next to a gay couple holding hands in anticipation of the final vote. The energy was both nervous and uneasy. With the roll call over, the clerk began to read the tally — the measure to move the question to the ballot was defeated. I couldn't help but feel like I was sharing in the overwhelming joy of the people around me. It was a moment I will always remember. Other jobs: Well, if I wasn't currently working at the State House, I like to believe I would be a highly successful personal chef Path to Beacon Hill: My father was a state representative, so from working on his campaigns at an early age, I took an interest in politics. Watching him network with people was something I loved, and I knew I wanted to one day do the same. I began working full-time in 2006 as a legislative aide for a former state representative from my hometown's district, and have been here ever since. Personal style: Chic but comfy Favorite thing about working in the State House: The people, and the 21st Amendment sliders
Sooo, what does it taste like? As good as the fresh durians back home in Malaysia? Kevin, our professional durian taster took the first bite. Please excuse the way he eats the durian (with a spoon :P). That's how we eat durians in my family, so he is just following our lead. Hey, eating durians with a spoon is a great idea, you don't have to put up with stinky fingers later on! The first thing we noticed about the durian is that it doesn't smell. It does give out a little bit of smell but it wasn't overpowering, like how fresh Malaysian durians are. That kinda sucks a little, but I guess that's what you can expect from frozen Thai durians. Even though the flesh was quite firm and sweet, it was a bit watery. I am guessing it's also because the durian was frozen during shipping. Overall, I would say that it wasn't really half as bad as I expected it to be. Nothing close to the fresh durians that you can get back home in Malaysia though. However, if you are miles away from home and miss this yummy 'king of fruits', trust me, this is as good as it gets! Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Thursday, June 24, 2010 * This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of goviral. All opinions are 100% mine. There is nothing that I enjoy more than taking a bite off a rich and creamy chocolate bar. One bite and it instantly send me to heaven. After that first bite, I would want another and another and another. That's how much I love chocolates. Many people say that girls love chocolates more than guys, but I beg to differ. I know that Kevin loves chocolates as much as I do. In fact, I sometimes think that he loves chocolates even more than me! As much as we love all kinds of chocolates, I would have to say that Cadbury will always remain as my favorite chocolate. I have been eating Cadbury chocolates for as long as I can remember. It's rich, bubbly and creamy flavors makes it stand out from the rest. Recently, Cadbury launched a new product that is quite ingenious. It's called the Wispa Duo. Well, I wouldn't really call it a new product, because the Wispa has been around for a while. However, the Wispa Duo is a new twist to an old treat. The Wispa Duo is the perfect combination of a right and left bar, in one pack. That's right, you get a twin treat, both left and right, in one pack! Now, the big question remains? Which is left and which is right? Watch the new Wispa Duo advert from Cadbury and solve the problem of having a left bar, where you should have a right one. So, which bar do you prefer? The left or right bar? As for me, I prefer the right bar...because we all know that I am always right ;P Wednesday, June 23, 2010 Johnny Rockets - Jersey Garden Mall 651 Kapkowski Road Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Tel: (908)994 0110 Tuesday, June 22, 2010 I was a little bit excited to try Bret's Trop A Rocka because he is the Celebrity Apprentice winner and this is the winning Snapple flavor. I also kept in mind that this is diet Snapple, so it is going to be a little bit more diluted tasting and not as sweet. When I first opened the bottle, there was this really weird smell that I couldn't really place. I was thinking to myself, coconut? It was really weird. I then drank a big mouthful and all I could say was "OMG! This won???" Let me just say it straight up. It's horrible! When it first hits your mouth, you do get a little taste of the mango and pear blend (which I feel isn't really that great of a combination). However, that taste doesn't last long at all. The tropical fruit blend fades away and this horrible tasting, somewhat spicy tasting thing take over. It just hits you hard. That's the same horrible smell that hit me when I opened the bottle. I really couldn't place that taste but once Kevin tried it, he told me it was cinnamon! Yes! That's it! Cinnamon! Wayyy wayyy wayyyy too much cinnamon. It just made the whole drink taste awful! I thought that Curtis and Maria was just faking it when they said that it tasted horrible but I guess they were not. It is bad! Very bad. Now I understand why we couldn't find many of Bret's Snapple on sale. I guess Snapple also knew that it wouldn't sell well and only made limited amounts. * This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 1-800-Flowers. All opinions are 100% mine. Flowers. Who doesn't like flowers? There is just something about flowers that just brightens up your day. It might be the beautiful bright colors, the wonderful smell or maybe a mixture of both, but either ways, receiving flowers from someone that cares never fails to put a big smile on your face. Flowers really makes good gifts. You can send flowers to someone to celebrate their birthday, to your significant other on your anniversary, to cheer friends up when they are down, to show mom that you care on Mother's Day, to friends and relatives who are not feeling well and maybe even to that secret crush of yours, just to tell her that you are thinking about her. It's always easier to show someone that you care when you let the flowers do the talking. You know, sometimes you don't even need a reason to send flowers. Trust me, everybody loves it when they have that flower delivery, waiting for them at their door.The one person that we always love sending flowers to is my mother in law. She lives in Pittsburgh, so we do not get to see her often. Therefore, we always make it a point to send her flowers on her birthday, Mother's Day, Valentines Day and sometimes, even for no particular reason at all. We know that receiving flowers never fails to brighten her day and it also helps reminds her that even though we are miles away, we are still always thinking of her. So, the next time you are thinking of someone or when a special occasion is coming up and you would like to show that special someone that you care, buy them flowers. That's right. A bouquet from 1-800-Flowers is just the thing to do the trick! Just visit http://www.1800flowers.com/ and order flowers for that special someone today. You know you can never go wrong with flowers. Monday, June 21, 2010 * This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of EZWINGAME.com. All opinions are 100% mine. For those of you who don't know, I am a huge sweepstakes fan. Whenever I hear of a good sweepstakes promotion online, I would always go check it out. However, there are so many so called 'sweepstakes' going on everyday online, it's hard to know which are the real ones and which are the fakes. Many of this 'sweepstakes' are actually scams, where you have to provide them with your credit card details, cell phone numbers (so that they can bill you) or some even go as far as trying to get your social security number! Therefore, I have always been very cautious when it comes to entering sweepstakes online. I came across a new sweepstakes site today called EZWinGame and it's totally awesome. Hence, I have decided to share it with you guys. EZWinGame offers free sweepstakes with cool prize giveaways like the Apple iPad, HP Netbook, Kodak Easyshare digital camera, Apple iPads, Apple iTouch, Ninetendo Wii and various gift cards. It's really easy to enter, no long forms to fill in and no surveys to answer. All you need to do is fill in your email address. Yup, that's it! Also, you will never be asked for a credit card or a cell phone number to bill. Everything is free. Sounds too easy? Worried that it's a scam? Well, it's not! You can check out testimonials from real winners from their website. Want to increase your chances of winning?Just invite friends and family with a referral code. Then, if your friend or family member wins the grand prize (Apple iPad), you win too! Not only that, you can also check out Ezopinion and share your opinion in at least 5 topics to increase your chances of winning. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to EZWINGAME.com before June 30th and try your luck at the sweepstakes today! Remember, June 30th is the day they will be giving out a smorgsboard of prizes, including the Apple iPad and Ninitendo Wii! Friday, June 18, 2010 We had a great time hanging out with Chai Yuet and Kheng Leng at The Frying Pan. So, the next time you are visiting Manhattan or if you are looking to get away from the crazy city life for a couple of hours, head over to The Frying Pan and get yourself a bucket of Corona. Hey, you might even see us there! :P The Frying Pan Bar & Grill Pier 66 Maritime, W.26th Street and Hudson River Park, New York, NY 10001 Tel: (212) 989-6363
OLB Greeting Bad River Ojibwe To Milwaukee, 1/8/13 Walker Killed Emerging WI Train Jobs, Industry Worsening a stalled economy...click the photo. Why, thank you, righty commenters: "Jimbo, I'll give you credit; you are like the mosquitoes in Alaska, you never go away." And on my Purple WI blog: "I can't believe I am saying this, but I actually have to agree with Jimmy on the [proposed, new $200 million] DOT building. If the current place is functional, why do we need a new one? PS: As usual, the rest of his article is complete liberal garbage." Wisconsin's environment imperiled by Scott Walker. Click the photo for more information. James Rowen's Biography James Rowen, a writer and consultant, worked for newspapers, and as the senior Mayoral staffer, in Madison and Milwaukee, WI. This blog began on 2/2/ 2007. In more than five years, and more than 9,600 posts, this item about Scott Walker's penchant for false statements remains the most-read posting here. His updated score at PolitiFact: 27 of 43 statements have the word "false" in the ratings. Only 16 "true" at some level.
Today’s Pop is Rebecca. She takes Christmas shopping so seriously she’s almost pulled a hamstring. Croatian born, German raised, Paris based uber talented menswear designer Damir Doma euro stared to London for a few hours last week and I had the pleasure to exchange a few words with him about his new line “silent”. A very organic and effortless collection (for ladies and gents) of fine jersey oversized t shirts, oh so cosy sweatshirts, super soft leather sac bags all of which designed as origami pleats and some naturally distracted shoes in beautiful nude shades. The collection is meant to be combined with existing “fashion pieces” in a nonchalant kinda way. “I want to create best basics possible” said the soft spoken designer. Damir’s ethics of design is to keep things as raw and natural as possible, if it’s the choice of materials or the shape of the garment, “the less steps you have from the design to the finished product the more organic the result” he explains. After six seasons of successful Menswear shows in Paris, a huge international demand and the opening of his first boutique, his expanding team (including his pattern cutter mum!) are working on their first Womenswear collection, challenge and excitement are in the air for Damir, the collection will be presented in Paris in March so ladies watch out for that one. Please come back to visit us soon again Damir! In the meantime we’ll be checking out your beautifully crafted website for recent updates. - POP 029/ Monday, 29 June 2009 - POP 776 Monday 12 December 2011 - POP 473 Saturday 11 December 2010 - POP 179 Wednesday, 9 December 2009 - POP 189 Saturday, 19 December 2009
She may have missed out on an Oscar nomination, but Beyonce Knowles is the No. 1 fantasy girlfriend, according to AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2007.SOURCE: Fox News The 25-year-old singer-actress tops the Web site's list ranking the "most alluring" female celebrities as determined by its readers and staff. Voters were asked to consider qualities beyond sex appeal and beauty, such as "intelligence, humor, charisma and ambition," according to the site. More than 8.5 million votes were cast, the Web site says. Knowles, currently co-starring in "Dreamgirls," was followed by screen sirens Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Alba, supermodel Adriana Lima and actress Jessica Biel. Rounding out the top 10 were model Alessandra Ambrosio, singer Shakira, TV host Maria Menounos and actresses Angelina Jolie and Elisha Cuthbert.
Personal Cinema: Matt Peterson 15 June 2012 - 8PM Millennium Film Workshop 66 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003 A program of film and video by Matt Peterson, often made in collaboration. Produced along with the collective Red Channels (2009-2011), Dan Meyerson, and others, these works include actualities, assemblages, cinema engage, city portraits, direct cinema, documentaries, essays, screen tests, etc. This will be a multi-media presentation/live cinema event, with musical accompaniment and narration for select works, followed by an open discussion. --San Francisco Earthquake and Fire - Made with Red Channels, 1906/2009, Film/Video, 17 minutes [with live music] --Late Autumn - Made with Dan Meyerson, 2009, DV, 20 minutes [premiere screening] --As a Crowd Gathers [excerpt] - Made with Red Channels, 2011, Video, 7 minutes [with live narration]
We aren’t sure if you are aware of this, but The Qu’s VERY OWN Tony Soto is a current semi-finalist for this contest. Isn’t that fun? You too could be in the running to becoming The International Queer of the Year, hit the link below to find out more! ABOUT QUEER OF THE YEAR There’s only one contest fabulous enough to find the brightest star under the rainbow. That’s right, Queer of the Year is back! Hosted annually by Tourisme Montreal, this 3rd edition runs from August 11-19, 2012 during Montreal PRIDE week. The contest is open to LGBT folks and everyone in between, from all over the world. We’re looking for participants with personality, talent, a healthy lifestyle, community spirit and sex appeal. Five finalists will be chosen but only one will earn enough public votes to be crowned Queer of the Year! Tourisme Montreal, in collaboration with Air Canada and Hotel Le Germain, will fly the finalists to Montreal for an all-expenses-paid trip of challenges, adventure and high-performance fun worth C$15,000. There they’ll duke it out for a grand cash prize of C$5,000 and a 2nd return trip to Montreal. Runners-up will even receive C$1000 just for participating!
Date: 06/07/2007 03:59 PM Title: Club What is it about public sex that is so bloody hot? You wrote it very well! I enjoyed this a lot. Author's Response: Thanks! And in answer to your question, I've no idea but the characters seem to enjoy it quite a lot. :) Date: 03/04/2007 10:55 PM Title: Club An oldie but goodie just before bed! I've read this one many times over since you first wrote it and posted it, but didn't realize until now that I'd never reviewed... at least not here. I love the ease in their dialogue and the hot, steamy public sex that you KNOW they had to go home and detail to Hermione with many visuals... and re-enactments, of course. :) Hot! Hot! Hot baybee! Author's Response: Aw, thanks!
Top Hamptons broker Harald Grant joined the Southampton office of Sotheby’s International Realty in 1987. Since then, Grant has sold more than $1 billion in real estate, working with cultural and business titans such as Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and Blackstone Group cofounder Peter Peterson. Last year, Grant was the No. 1 Hamptons broker and the No. 4 broker in the country, according to a Wall Street Journal and Real Trends ranking based on closed transaction volume. He currently has almost $338 million in sales listings, including a $32 million oceanfront beach house in Southampton. What is your full name? Harald Grant, no middle name. What’s your date of birth? April 13, 1951. Where did you grow up? I’m from Norway. I moved here when I was seven. To Bay Ridge. Why did your parents move to the U.S.? My father fought in World War II — he joined the [U.S.] Merchant Marines when he was 10 years old as a mess boy. Because he was a Norwegian citizen but fought in the American army, he was given U.S. citizenship. After attending the University of Vermont, you worked as a model with Ford Models. What was that like? I did a lot of work with Cybill Shepherd, with Susan Dey, [and did] magazine covers for Seventeen, Glamour, GQ, Simplicity — all that stuff. I lived in Paris, modeling for a year. Then you sold computers for IBM. What did you do next? From 1980 to 1985, I worked in New York in construction. Then at a black tie party, I met a young lady, Wendy Norris, who came from an upper-crust family. She had a horse farm in the Hamptons that needed someone [to help run it], so I retired from the construction business and married her. How did you get into real estate? Wendy’s mother, Pat Patterson, was working for Sotheby’s. And she got me an interview. Is it difficult to work with ultra-wealthy clients? It’s very easy to work with them — because they want to cut to the chase. They don’t have time to play games. These guys that are making this money, they’re trading currencies in Europe at 5 o’clock in the morning. … They’ll call me at 6, 6:30: “Hey, Harald, I’m on the computer, am I waking you?” And I say, “No.” Meanwhile, I gotta wake up. You’re divorced now. Are you dating? Oh, I’d love to find someone. My problem is, I don’t have the time to look. … Girls your age [late 20s] want to go out with me. I’m 60 years old. That’s not age-appropriate. Not that I’m not attracted to girls 28, or 30, or 32. Don’t get me wrong — there’s a youthfulness, there’s a vitality, and there’s an innocence. … Women who are 45 or 50, there’s an anger-management deal. For my purposes, in order to go to these cocktail parties and socialize and have a significant other, she’s gotta be age-appropriate. Because all these guys have wives. And I’m not going to walk in with some hot-looking girl like you who’s 28. The guys are going to go, “That’s great,” but the wives are going, “I’m not going to sell my house [with him].” Do you have any hobbies? Sailing. I have a Hinckley 52 sailboat I keep here and in the Bahamas. My getaway is, I go up to Sag Harbor, I sit in my cockpit, I put on Jimmy Buffett and I have a Corona. And I’m in Never Never Land. What was your biggest professional gaffe? My biggest screw-up? I have a number of them. In 1988, [I was with] this very sophisticated French lady. … We’re in this house, we’re walking around and I say, “C’mon, you don’t want to buy this house, it’s got a small kitchen.” And she looks at me and goes, “Don’t ever assume something from somebody. Because I happen to like small kitchens.” I turn red as an apple. And she says, “Learn to listen.” What was the first deal that put you in the big leagues? David Koch [the billionaire co-owner of Koch Industries]. 1990. I sold him the most expensive home in the Hamptons at that time, for $7.2 million. How did you meet him? He came to me through my mother-in-law. He’s a 6-foot-6 guy, and I took him down to the basement of this house. Crawling around in the basement. He says, “Harald, I don’t have time for this.” He’s got his G5 [Gulfstream V private jet] sitting at the airport. I’m crawling around to show him how the pilings weren’t only put in loose sand — they were in cement blocks — to show him the strength of the home because it’s on the beach. He’s going, “Harald, you’re right. Nobody’s ever taken me down here.” He liked the way I went into the nuts and bolts of the house. You dress casually, often in shorts. How do clients react to that? You have to be smart about it. I have a lot of repeat customers, and when you have repeat customers, you usually end up being friends. You can be somewhat more casual. Does that mean shorts and a polo shirt? Sure. When you’re going on a presentation to acquire a listing, that’s a special event, so you get dressed accordingly. That’s when I wear appropriate attire for that moment. I wear a summer suit or a sport jacket. Would you ever leave the Hamptons? There’s life beyond the Hamptons, but no. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.
The Real News needs your support. Make a $10 donation by texting realnews to 85944 from your mobile phone. Works in US only Understanding info is a powerful thing. Thank you to all of your reporters for making a significant difference. - Nancy SmithEaken Log in and tell us why you support TRNN Amid anti-austerity protests throughout Spain, the government announced more than 50 billion dollars in cuts to public spending. In response to the police violence throughout last week and in reaction to the 2013 budget cuts, thousands converged outside the Spanish parliament on Saturday. As expected, the protest was eventually dispersed as riot police plowed into crowds of protesters and journalists, beating and detaining many along the Our automatic spam filter blocks comments with multiple links and multiple users using the same IP address. Please make thoughtful comments with minimal links using only one user name. If you think your comment has been mistakenly removed please email us at email@example.com
Boston is moving to fire the anti-crime advocate who prosecutors say was handling an illegal high-capacity firearm moments before his girlfriend was shot in the head. City street worker Jeremy Harrison, 28, pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of possessing a large-capacity firearm, a firearm with a defaced serial number, a firearm without a federal identification card, and ammunition without a federal identification card, and improper storage of a firearm in the presence of a minor. People will be in possession of guns regardless of the law. Period. No regulation will change that. This situation proves that. No additional law will keep guns out of the hands of people like Jeremy Harrison. The only logical option to eliminate gun crime is to, somehow, eliminate all the guns. That will require the repeal of the 2nd Amendment and the confiscation of every gun in America. If that is the approach gun control advocates want to take, they should say so. No law that simply prohibits possession of firearms will ever prevent the Jeremy Harrisons of the world from possessing guns. Only confiscation and elimination will prevent it. Any gun control advocate calling for less than this is simply ignoring reality. They should have the courage of their convictions and advocate the only viable “solution”: repeal, confiscation, elimination.Share
This memorial website was created in memory of a remarkable woman, Theresa Marie Schindler. Terri was born in Pennsylvania on December 03, 1963 to Robert and Mary Schindler and passed away in Pinellas Park, Florida on March 31, 2005 at the age of 41. Terri is the sister of Suzanne Vitadamo and Bobby Schindler,who together with their parents,fought day and night for 15 years to help save their sister Terri's life. Terri,hidden away from the world for 5 years by her estranged husband Michael Schiavo, touched more lives in her 41 years than many do in an entire lifetime. Michael denied Terri therapy, preventing her progress after her brain injury. Even though he denied her therapy, Terri still found her own natural skills to smile and communicate with her family. From March 18,2005 until March 31,2005,Michael Schiavo inflicted the worse kind of inhumane death on Terri that we, as a civilized society, could possibly imagine. Michael deprived Terri of any food or water. Despite Terri not given any water or food, Terri fought hard for 14 days to show her family how much she had wanted to live. However, on March 31, 2005, at 9:05 AM ET, Terri's deprived and weakened body could no longer fight. Terri is free from harm now and is in the hands of God. Forever, Terri will remain in our hearts. In summary, words from Mary Schindler: 4/22/2005 3:00 PM ET "My heart aches over the loss of my daughter. She was a part of my daily life for the last 41 years. She would have been residing in our home with us for the last fifteen years had she been allowed. She was, and will always be my baby. I will never forget her. I miss her terribly. The pain and distress she was in during her final days because of what they did to her will never leave my mind. Bob has a difficult time sleeping at night. The last we were told was that Michael cremated Terri. This week, our attorneys told us she is still here in Florida. Michael will not tell us where, or what he will do with her and this breaks my heart. As her Mother, I want my daughter to be buried where our family may visit her gravesite. Our only relief right now comes in knowing they can bring no more harm to her. We know that she is safe and in the protected hands of God." Terri's Memorial Website will remain on line forever. Please share Terri's Memorial website with others and remember to light a candle for her. Terri's Memorial Website is dedicated to Terri and her family by Cheryl Ford RN at www.Fight4Terri.org and the many wonderful friends who fought for Terri's life. Update: August 29, 2009 : It is with great sadness that we learn on August 29, 2009, Terri's Dad, Robert S. Schindler Jr. passed away of heart failure at the age of 71 years old. Dearest Bob.. you will never be forgotten. Many join hands in prayers for you and Terri as you embrace in heaven as father and daughter. Our Fight4Terri by Cheryl Ford, RN and Dr. J.E. Craddock is 400 pages of the very first expose and sourcebook on the Terri Schindler-Schiavo case! Discover the true facts behind the most significant legal battle over constitutional rights of the disabled in history. Read the actual documents. Discover the dangers all Americans face with Terri's death! Order your copy at ~ ~ ~ Click on "Audio" tab above to hear songs on Terri's "LIFE" CD. Songs were written for Terri by musician and songwriter Wayne Galley. Purchase of LIFE CD helps to support Terri's foundation and can be purchased for only $15 plus shipping and handling at: ~ ~ ~ First Formal Memorial and Mass for Terri was Held: Tuesday April 5, 2005 at 7:00 PM ET Most Holy Name Of Jesus Church 5800 15th Avenue South Gulfport, Florida 33707 Approximately 1100 people attended Terri's Mass. Many had to sit outside of the church on folding chairs. Bobby spoke about his sister and how she had received the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart was sent to Terri by a Vietnam Veteran who said that Terri was a true hero. "Where there is life, there is hope" ~Theresa Marie Schindler ~
House (Brad Dickson) Warm, Head winds We woke up this morning on our "pillow" mattress, and it was hard to get up. The bed was just so comfortable! But duty was calling, and we had a lot to get done this morning. We went back to the main building/barn, and Nathan started making breakfast. Using the eggs Jeff brought in from the chicken house last night, and some potatoes from the community pantry, he made some delicious hash browns and eggs! I don't think I've ever had a really fresh egg before - they have so much flavor! Jeff walked in to the kitchen just before we started eating, and set down a big plate of fresh, cut fruit. While we munched on the fruit, Jeff and I got into an interesting conversation about politics and money. Ultimately, we agreed to disagree, but it was a good mental work-out. My mind has certainly been getting a work-out in learning to be tough and disciplined while we bike, but it's been lacking any kind of academic challenge, so I appreciated that Jeff challenged me. We decided to stay until lunch so we could do laundry and work a little on our web site. Our clothes were pretty rank, so it was a relief to get them cleaned! While the laundry was running, Nathan hooked up to the free wi-fi and started working on some stuff on our web site. While he was working, I met a couple from France. They're driving all over the USA just touring. They were really nice and friendly. After we were done talking, I sat at the table with Nathan and reflected on our time at Orange Acres. It was a thought-provoking place. I think this is mostly because Jeff is trying to do something most people don't do - go really far out of his way to make his whole life and home a place that caters to others' needs, and to give everything freely as a gift. Just thinking over his passion for helping people gave me a lot to ponder, but what I was really struck by was the physical ways that his charity manifested itself. Most things were made out of rough-cut wood and had an unfinished look to them. There were a few large piles of cut logs and discarded wooden pallets around the yard that were used for building materials or to make walkways through the wet, marshy parts of the grass. All kinds of old cars that belonged to the Orange Acres car business were parked around the property. The place Nathan and I had been given to stay in last night was a trailer out near the car lot. It had been walled off inside to make two separate living spaces with lots of windows but no curtains. The whole place was very much a work in progress. And the people were equally as interesting. There were only about 10 people there (a slow day, from what we heard), and they were from all walks of life. There was the young, French couple who were travelling. There was a mother and her grown son who had just come back from the mountains after living in a tent for a month or so picking and selling Huckleberries (a rather famous and expensive fruit in the Northwest). There was another single mother with a young boy (maybe age 12), who were homeless and taking advantage of the 20-day stay limit at Orange Acres to have a bed and look for work. There was a man who lived there and tended the goats and the garden. He appeared to have no family was thankful to God and Jeff that he had "some animals to love and some dirt to play in". There was Nathan and I who were just stopping over for the night on our cross-country bicycle trip. Then there was Jeff who ran the place with a generous heart and a hearty dose of authority. We first met him when he got back from a night of cards and gambling. He told us he loved to play cards, but if he ever won anything, he said "I just have to give it to charity". It made me think about how much good is in people, and equally how difficult it is to live out that good because there are so many opposing forces at work in the world. It made me want to think and dream bigger - to take on a massive and inspiring project with my whole life like Jeff was doing. It made me think hard about families and the responsibility parents have to their children not only to love them, but to teach them how to live responsibly, how to take charge of their life, and how to respond to all the things they see around them in the world. It made me want to jump in and help all the people who needed help, but then thinking of how many people that was nearly overwhelmed me and made me wonder how I could do it. I was somewhere lost in thought when Nathan decided we should eat lunch and head out. It was almost 2pm! So I switched gears, made peanut butter sandwiches, opened a can of applesauce, and go out some cheese sticks. Before we left, Nathan decorated a board to put on their guest wall. Then we loaded up the clean laundry, got on our bikes, and headed south towards Missoula. Surprisingly, even after our extra-long rest that morning, we felt worn-out and tired almost immediately after we left. We didn't have much energy and ever pedal seemed to be a lot of work. We weren't sure what was going on, but we certainly weren't going to be able to make it the 60-ish miles we had planned! We decided to stop in Missoula - only about 20 miles away - because we already had a place to stay and we could visit the Adventure Cycling Association Monday morning. We were excited at the thought of a short ride and a nice, long, relaxing evening in Missoula, so we pushed a little harder and got there quickly. We pedaled right to Carla's house - the lady we had stayed with in Missoula about a week ago. She had said we could stay again when we biked back through, but since we weren't planning to stop there today originally, I had never called her to set up sleeping arrangements again. When we got to her house, she was not home, so we sat on her patio swing and passed the time making phone calls and writing cards. About an hour and a half later, she still was not home and had not returned our phone call. Hmm... We were starting to get a little concerned about where we were going to stay that night. Fortunately for us, Missoula has TONS of warmshowers.org houses, so we got online and started calling. Unfortunately, none of the 6 or 7 houses we called answered their phone except for one person who was currently in Tennessee for a conference. We weren't sure what to do... We decided to eat dinner and see if anyone called back. Nathan had been craving a firehouse sub from Subway for a few days now, so we went there. While we were eating, a man named Brad Dickson returned our phone call. At first he said he could not house us, but then he called back a few minutes later and said he could - yay! It turns out he's in his last year of law school and was very busy tonight, so he would not be home until very late. But he decided to call his roommate, Bill, to see if Bill would mind taking care of us, and Bill said "sure". This is certainly another example of people's stunning generosity and willingness to go out of their way - amazing. By the time we got to Brad and Bill's home, it was late and getting dark. So much for our restful and relaxing evening - boo. We met Bill, and he's in his last year of law school too. Bill is a hiker and a runner. He is currently training for his 11th marathon and had run 17 miles earlier today. Woah! Brad is a huge biker, and has taken several long trips. He's never gone all the way across the country, but he's made it almost all the way. Interesting guys! We set up our tent in their backyard, and then I went in to change out of my bike clothes. In the bathroom I found a scale and decided to weigh myself. The last time I weighed myself was a few weeks ago, and I discovered that I had lost 7 lbs! I was a little nervous, because I knew I couldn't keep up that kind of weight loss. So I had been eating a lot lately. When I stepped on the scale tonight, I found that I had gained all 7 lbs back! Eek! I can't keep up that kind of weight gain either! So..umm..apparently, I need to find a happy medium somewhere in the middle. It's chilly outside tonight, but that's good for sleeping. Our sleeping bags are pretty warm, so cold weather is much more comfortable to sleep in that warmer weather, otherwise we'll start sweating a wake up in the night because we're too hot. **This picture was taken the next morning behind Brad and Bill's house where we camped. That's why it's light outside.
It's absolutely amazing how Raeanna has developed and grown over the last year! We went to the adoption clinic for our 1 year checkup last week. The doctor just looked and smiled and said, "It's amazing what love will do for you!" They measured her and weighed her, and like us, marveled at her. This doctor really thought she was 2 years old one year ago. The bone scan even said she was. Now, the doctor is convinced she is at least 4 or 4 and a half, maybe even a little older. We' ve decided to move her birthdate back 1 year, which will make her 4 and a half. At the rate she is developing physically and mentally, I believe she will be ready for kindergarten next year. I think often of her birth mother and father on the other side of the world. I pray that they will know the Lord and be saved, so that one day, they will meet their little girl in Heaven, and know that she was loved, well-taken care of, and happy on this earth. I know this sounds absurd, but I feel certain that they abandoned her because they loved her, and it was the only way they could save her life. You see, Raeanna was a very, very sick baby girl when she was found. She had an intestinal obstruction due to her special need, and she was severely malnourished. She wasn't a newborn, so it's likely that they tried to keep her. It's my theory that she was a second child or third, and because of China's One Child Policy, she would've had no health insurance, because children born after the first one don't have the rights of citizens. In order for her to get the help she needed to live, her parents would have to abandon her so that she would be found and brought to a hospital. I can't imagine the pain they felt then when they left her, and now, not knowing where she is and if she survived. I pray they somehow know that she is safe and healthy in America with her family who loves her so very much, and that they have peace. When I hear the song, "Amazing Grace," and the verse that says, "Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. But grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home," I think that it describes Raeanna's life so well. The Lord was definately with her. She suffered, not only in sickness, but in living in an orphanage for so long, but He brought her through and brought us together, and now she has a home with us, and ultimately, her home will be with Him. He has plans for her. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I am so happy to be a part of the Lord's plans for her, and I feel extremely blessed to be the one He chose to be her Mommy and to get to teach her about Him. I feel very grateful for the blessing of this child, who blesses everyone she meets, and I feel grateful to her birthparents for giving her life and that beautiful smile! \|Wearing Baba's (Daddy's) Shirt\|
Craig Stammen has surgery; Foli to be called up Nationals right-hander Craig Stammen had arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow Sunday morning. Dr. Wiemi Douoguih, the team’s medical director, took bone chips out of the elbow. Stammen is expected to be ready for Spring Training. In other news, Triple-A Syracuse manager Tim Foli will be called up to the big leagues after the Minor League season ends on Monday. Entering Sunday’s action, the Chiefs are 75-66 under Foli.
Review: Angostura Single Barrel Rum Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 10, 2012 The Angostura Single Barrel Rum is aged in selected American oak (bourbon) barrels for a minimum of 5 years. According to the Angostura website, it is a blend of medium and heavy bodied rums hand drawn from their state-of the-art continuous five-column still. The blend is an authentic pure Trinidadian rum which is limited each year to only a certain number of batches. I found my bottle for review while shopping at one of the Duty-Free liquor shops at the Trinidad International Airport. I was intrigued enough to pass over many more well-known brands of rum and whisky, and I have decided to give the rum a review here on my website. Here is an excerpt from my review: “… I begin to notice a rich caramel building, and a strong indication of oak imparting fresh scents of honeycomb, vanilla, cedar and toffee into the breezes above the glass. As the glass breathes, the oak becomes firmer and a light smokiness of dried fruit aroma develops. Marmalade, oak, dried apricots and spicy toffee are all apparent in the fully decanted glass …” You may read my full review here: Enjoy my reviews, but more importantly enjoy the spirits which have inspired them. Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Canadian Club 20 Yr Old Whisky Review: Canadian Club 20 Year Old Whisky 89.5/100 a Review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf) Published March 27, 2011 Canadian Club Whisky (C.C. Whisky) is blended before it is aged, and this process, which has been called ‘Blended at Birth’, is the foundation for the entire portfolio of Canadian Club Whiskies. The particular whisky which is examined in this review is the Canadian Club 20 Year Old Whisky. It is a blend of rye, rye malt, corn, and barley malt spirits which were set down to age together 20 years ago. I believe that the actual blend of base spirits for the 20-year-old C.C. Whisky is the same as the blend used for the Canadian Club Premium, which is the 6 year Old Canadian Whisky which anchors the entire Canadian Club brand. Although it was originally intended to be a specialty bottling, the 20 Year Old became a standard bottling when Beam Global acquired the Canadian Club brand. In the Bottle 4/5 As we move up the ladder in the Canadian Club line-up my standards for the presentation of the whisky become more stringent. It is my belief that a more expensive premium spirit should reflect its price and its higher quality in the bottle presentation. The C.C. 20 is pictured to the right in a tall clear bottle. The bottle is topped with a cork topper, and the new black label employed for the brand looks professional. But… it is rather disappointing that more effort was not made to set this bottle apart from its siblings in the brand line-up. When I take the bottle off of my shelf, I do not get any ‘wow’ factor. Except for the cork, it looks like a bottle designed for a mixer. In the Glass 9/10 On my first day of sampling, the temperature outside my house was minus 30 degrees Celsius and my furnace was struggling to keep up. My tasting room was a little cooler than normal, and I was afraid I would not be able to fairly judge the whisky. The cooler temperature in my tasting room, (16 degrees instead of the normal 21 degrees), might inhibit the nose and cause me problems in assessing the whisky. Imagine my surprise when I poured my glass and was greeted with the full aroma of an assertive, wonderful spirit. Toffee and caramel poured out of the nose with deep oaky accents of baking spices. Rye scents followed as did that full dank corn aroma which is so typical of the Canadian Club line-up. The cooler temperature was certainly not inhibiting this whisky. (Of course, I also did a few sampling sessions when it was warmer.) It is when the glass is fully decanted that the aroma becomes sublime. Deep, dark brown sugars and a hint of charred marshmallow become evident as well as mildly sour citrus fruit. Although that final bit of description may not sound lovely, you will have to trust me that it is. In The Mouth 54/60 The initial entry into the mouth gives me a strong combination of dank Canadian Club corn flavour, heavy oak tannins, and rich baking spices. These are the main flavours, and they seem to be battling for supremacy with that typically dank and punky Canadian Club corn flavour edging out the others in a well fought battle royal. The oak has not quite melted into the other flavours, and as a result a few mildly bitter tannins are evident beside the sweet baking spice and caramel. The whisky has a nice smoky quality at mid palate with some fruity flavours of half-dried raisins and moist prunes evolving which hold the whisky together beautifully. A peppery rye note bobs up to the surface and somewhere in the mix, and I taste dabs of cinnamon and a dash of Apricot Brandy. Like the previously reviewed C.C. Classic I taste a little nibble of sourness kind of like baked apples wandering around the edges of the flavour. Reading over this description I realize that my writing is just a little disjointed, but this is also the character of this whisky which is just slightly out of balance leading to a minor discombobulation of flavour impressions in the mouth. In the Throat 13.5/15 The C.C. 20 Year Old finishes with a nice peppery swat at the tonsils as it goes down. I would not call the exit harsh as the heated finish is welcome, but the finish is not smooth and easy either. Things sit somewhere in between. The smokiness I noticed on the palate finds a home in the finish. As well I sense a few ghostly trails of dry fruit, cocoa, and tea leaves following the peppery heat. The finale includes fading flavours of oak spices and toasted brown sugars which leave my glass smelling wonderful and my throat sated. The Afterburn 9/10 For me this is a huge step up from the C.C. Premium (6-year-old), and much richer and fuller than the C.C. Classic (12 year Old). But it does not have the suave character or balance of the Anniversary Edition (30 Year Old). I enjoyed the Canadian Club 20-year-old immensely, and if you need a special gift for the Canadian Club aficionado then this whisky certainly fits the bill. You may read some of my other Whisky Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews. As always you may interpret the scores I provide as follows. 0-25 A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you. 26-49 Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this. 50 -59 You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t. 60-69 Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again. 70-74 Now we have a fair mixing rum or whisky. Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail. 75-79 You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory. 80-84 We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails) 85-89 Excellent for sipping or for mixing! 90-94 Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself. 95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop 98+ I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to. Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be more familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scale as follows: 70 – 79.5 Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer) 80 – 89.5 Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer) 90 – 95 Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.) 95.5+ Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)
Re: Club GappingIf you are replacing all your clubs, including your irons, you will have to see what the loft of your new PW will be... many modern PW are 45 or 46˚ where as older PW were between 48 and 50˚. This will affect the gaps in your wedges. You don't want a have a 45/46˚ PW then your next club be 56˚. From what you've described a 45/46 PW, 52/58 combo might work well in your situation. Just some food for thought. I prefer my irons with a more traditional loft, so I have a 48˚ PW. I only carry two other wedges, a 54, and a 60. The 6˚ gap between my wedges is fine with me as I don't have much problem feeling my yardages. It's not that I think Pelz is full of it, I just don't want to have to think that much on the golf course
Expect to see a few random thoughts as I clear out the brain and my notebook for 2009. Some I may bundle together, but I think most will deem their own post. Archeology, Anthropology, and Breast Implants One of the things I have always wondered is what happens to breast implants when the implantee dies. Do breast implants follow a person into the crematorium? According to this website, implants do get cremated. But there might be environmental consequences. That's not good. But can breast implants be kept by the surviving as a memento? I hate to sound too materialistic, but there are women who are best known for their breasts. Dolly Pardon, Pamela Anderson, and a wide array of artificially enhanced porn stars comes to mind. What if a husband wants to keep them as a way to remember his wife? Or what if a museum is willing to pay an exorbitant amount to display them? Depending on the amount, that money could help pay for burial services or help the inheritance of future generations. Can breast implants be buried with the person? Something about burying people with artificially enhanced body parts just seems weird to me. Not that someone shouldn't be buried with a fake leg or an artificial arm; those are essential body parts. But I would think cosmetic pieces such as fake teeth, fake breasts, or hair extensions should be removed. Imagine a time 10,000 years from now, a time when the human race has died off due to any one of many catastrophes (war, famine, etc). Imagine a race of aliens comes to Earth and discovers there was at one point a dominant species on our planet. Imagine they start alien archaeological digs to find out who this species was and what their culture was like. Along the way, a few of the graves they open have two silicone orbs among the bones of the deceased. How are they to ever imagine that these orbs were attached to the breast area? What conclusions will they come to on the orbs' place in human culture? This is the type of stuff that worries me. Not because I have a fascination with death or boobs, but because I care about humankind's image 10,000 years from now. Even after we are all gone, I still think we should put our best foot forward. I wouldn't want an alien race thinking those with breast implants were some sort of royal elite ruling class. That would be weird.
Xcite Energy announces a placing via their seda agreement today and it comes with director participation which sends a clear message to shareholders. Xcite has been the horror story of 2011 if you look at the sp’s progress from 395p highs to lows of 104p. Quite astonishing really when you take into account that the company is sitting on 115mmstb ‘minimum’ which is independently valued at circa $1.35bln. As many will know by now – ‘valuation’ is a funny old game in the stock market. Share prices often become detached from the companies assets and relate more to the ‘trading activity’ that is occurring at that time. The recent draw down was down at 118p which looks like a ‘mates rates’ placing in the grande scheme of things. It’s not clear at this time whether further equity draw downs will be required to meet the FSP costs and investors will be keen to understand whether the remainder of estimated funding will be sorted via bank loan facility. The Directors have been under fire due to the sp’s collapse which has been largely attributed to their mis-management of the RR release which require a ‘revised’ version to be issued a week after the first one – as the original was incoherent with a written style that might baffle most North sea oil specialists – never mind the standard pi. Late in 2010, the directors sold 1mln+ stock at 380p range. Today, they have bought 1mln+ in stock at 118p. That clearly doesn’t wash too well with investors but the directors positions are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. It’s a tricky one to evaluate the merit on. It’s good to see them take the placing as it shows commitment – if they hadn’t participated, then it would have raised more questions than answers. There is still some way to go before the DECC is given but most sources believe this will be before the end of August. It could come as soon as July – but most would expect an August confirmation. It’s conceivable that XEL’s sp could be back to where it started ‘pre RR’ announcement circa 290p once the DECC approval arrives. That would represent a full 186p drop to 104p and a 186p rise to 290p in the space of just 3 months. When investors had eyes on XEL being a multibagger this year, I don’t think they pictured it quite like this. 29 June 2011, Xcite Energy Limited (announced after close on TSX canadian exchange) Drawdown on Equity Line and Directors’ Share Purchases Xcite Energy announces that it has drawn down on its Standby Equity Distribution Agreement (“SEDA”) with YA Global Master SPV Ltd (“Yorkville”) in the amount of £12.5 million (CAD$19.5 million). This draw down has been undertaken at a price of £1.18 (CAD$1.84) per share and will result in the issue of 10,593,220 ordinary shares of no par value in the capital of the Company (the “SEDA Ordinary Shares”) to Yorkville. This funding will be used as future working capital for the Company and to progress towards the first stage production of the Bentley field. Subject to the terms of the SEDA and except in accordance with Canadian securities laws and with prior written approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, the SEDA Ordinary Shares may not be sold or otherwise traded on or through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange or otherwise in Canada or to or for the benefit of a Canadian resident until the date that is four months and one day from the date of issue. Application will be made for the admission to AIM (“Admission”) of the SEDA Ordinary Shares upon approval of the share issue by the TSX Venture Exchange. The SEDA Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the Company’s existing issued ordinary shares (each, an “Ordinary Share”). The Company has engaged Arbuthnot Securities Limited (“Arbuthnot”) to assist in the placing of the stock acquired by Yorkville pursuant to the SEDA, for which it will be paid a fee of £82,800 (CAD$129,000). Arbuthnot, as agent for the purchasers, has agreed to acquire 5,508,475 shares acquired by Yorkville pursuant to the SEDA, including stock to be acquired by directors of the Company. The Company has received communication that two of its directors, Rupert E. Cole and Stephen A. Kew intend to purchase, using entities controlled directly by them, through Arbuthnot, respectively, 1,000,000 and 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares of the Company at a purchase price of £1.18 (CAD$1.84) per share from Yorkville on the date of closing of the issuance of the SEDA Ordinary Shares to Yorkville. Following the purchase of the 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares, Mr. Cole will hold an aggregate of 6,198,334 Ordinary Shares. Following the purchase of the 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares, Mr. Kew will hold an aggregate of 6,212,619 Ordinary Shares. Subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange, following the issue of the 10,593,220 Ordinary Shares the total Ordinary Shares in the Company in issue will be 175,591,947
Thanksgiving as “System Justification” Posted by Jon Hanson on November 23, 2011 This post was first published on November 21, 2007. Thanksgiving has many associations — struggling Pilgrims, crowded airports, autumn leaves, heaping plates, drunken uncles, blowout sales, and so on. At its best, though, Thanksgiving is associated with, well, thanks giving. The holiday provides a moment when many otherwise harried individuals leading hectic lives decelerate just long enough to muster some gratitude for their harvest. Giving thanks — acknowledging that we, as individuals, are not the sole determinants of our own fortunes seems an admirable, humble, and even situationist practice, worthy of its own holiday. But I’m interested here in the potential downside to the particular way in which many people go about giving thanks. Situationist contributor John Jost and his collaborators have studied a process that they call “system justification” — loosely the motive to defend and bolster existing arrangements even when doing so seems to conflict with individual and group interests. Jost, together with Situationist contributor Aaron Kay and several other co-authors, recently summarized the basic tendency to justify the status quo this way (pdf): Whether because of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, social class, gender, or sexual orientation, or because of policies and programs that privilege some at the expense of others, or even because of historical accidents, genetic disparities, or the fickleness of fate, certain social systems serve the interests of some stakeholders better than others. Yet historical and social scientific evidence shows that most of the time the majority of people—regardless of their own social class or position—accept and even defend the legitimacy of their social and economic systems and manage to maintain a “belief in a just world” . . . . As Kinder and Sears (1985) put it, “the deepest puzzle here is not occasional protest but pervasive tranquility.” Knowing how easy it is for people to adapt to and rationalize the way things are makes it easer to understand why the apartheid system in South Africa lasted for 46 years, the institution of slavery survived for more than 400 years in Europe and the Americas, and the Indian Caste system has been maintained for 3000 years and counting. Manifestations of the system-justification motive pervade many of our cognitions, ideologies, and institutions. This post reflects my worry that the Thanksgiving holiday might also manifest that powerful implicit motive. No doubt, expressing gratitude is generally a healthy and appropriate practice. Indeed, my sense is that Americans too rarely acknowledge the debt they owe to other people and other influences. There ought to be more thanks giving. Nonetheless, the norm of Thanksgiving seems to be to encourage a particular kind of gratitude — a generic thankfulness for the status quo. Indeed, when one looks at what many describe as the true meaning of the holiday, the message is generally one of announcing that current arrangements — good and bad — are precisely as they should be. Consider the message behind the first presidential Thanksgiving proclamation. In 1789, President George Washington wrote: “Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks—for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country . . . for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed . . . and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions . . . . To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.” More recently, President George W. Bush offered a similar message about the meaning of the holiday: “In the four centuries since the founders . . . first knelt on these grounds, our nation has changed in many ways. Our people have prospered, our nation has grown, our Thanksgiving traditions have evolved — after all, they didn’t have football back then. Yet the source of all our blessings remains the same: We give thanks to the Author of Life who granted our forefathers safe passage to this land, who gives every man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth the gift of freedom, and who watches over our nation every day.” The faith that we are being “watched over” and that our blessings and prosperity are the product of a gift-giving force is extraordinarily affirming. All that “is,” is as that “great and glorious Being” intended. Fom such a perspective, giving thanks begins to look like a means of assuring ourselves that our current situation was ordained by some higher, legitimating force. To doubt the legitimacy of existing arrangements is to be ungrateful. A cursory search of the internet for the “meaning of Thanksgiving” reveals many similar recent messages. For instance, one blogger writes, in a post entitled “Teaching Children the Meaning of Thanksgiving,” that: your goal should be to move the spirit of Thanksgiving from a one-day event to a basic life attitude. . . . This means being thankful no matter what our situation in life. Thankfulness means that we are aware of both our blessings and disappointments but that we focus on the blessings. . . . Are you thankful for your job even when you feel overworked and underpaid?” Another piece, entitled “The Real Meaning of Thanksgiving” includes this lesson regarding the main source of the Pilgrim’s success: “It was their devotion to God and His laws. And that’s what Thanksgiving is really all about. The Pilgrims recognized that everything we have is a gift from God – even our sorrows. Their Thanksgiving tradition was established to honor God and thank Him for His blessings and His grace.” If we are supposed to be thankful for our jobs even when we are “overworked and underpaid,” should we also be thankful for unfairness or injustice? And if we are to be grateful for our sorrows, should we then be indifferent toward their earthly causes? A third article, “The Productive Meaning of Thanksgiving” offers these “us”-affirming, guilt-reducing assurances: “The deeper meaning is that we have the capacity to produce such wealth and that we live in a country that affords us our right to exercise the virtue of productivity and to reap its rewards. So let’s celebrate wealth and the power in us to produce it; let’s welcome this most wonderful time of the year and partake without guilt of the bounty we each have earned.” That advice seems to mollify any sense of injustice by giving something to everyone. Those with bountiful harvests get to enjoy their riches guiltlessly. Those with meager harvests can be grateful for the fact that they live in a country where they might someday enjoy richer returns from their individual efforts. Yet another post, “The Meaning for Thanksgiving,” admonishes readers to be grateful, because they could, after all, be much worse off: [M]aybe you are unsatisfied with your home or job? Would you be willing to trade either with someone who has no hope of getting a job or is homeless? Could you consider going to Africa or the Middle East and trade places with someone that would desperately love to have even a meager home and a low wage paying job where they could send their children to school without the worry of being bombed, raped, kidnapped or killed on a daily basis? * * * No matter how bad you think you have it, there are people who would love to trade places with you in an instant. You can choose to be miserable and pine for something better. You could choose to trade places with someone else for all the money they could give you. You could waste your gift of life, but that would be the worst mistake to make. Or you can rethink about what makes your life great and at least be happy for what you have then be patient about what you want to come to you in the future. If your inclination on Thanksgiving is to give thanks, I do not mean to discourage you. My only suggestion is that you give thanks, not for the status quo, but for all of the ways in which your (our) own advantages and privileges are the consequence of situation, and not simply your individual (our national) disposition. Further, I’d encourage you to give thanks to all those who have gone before you who have doubted the status quo and who have identified injustice and impatiently fought against it. * * * Related Situationist posts: - A System-Justification Primer, - Rationalize or Rebel? - Barbara Ehrenreich on the Sources of and Problems with Dispositionism, - The Motivated Situation of Inequality and Discrimination, - John Jost on System Justification Theory, - John Jost’s “System Justification and the Law” – Video, - Independence Day: Celebrating Courage to Challenge the Situation, - Cheering for the Underdog, - Patriots Lose: Justice Restored! - Psychology of Inequality - Self-Fulfilling Doomsday Prophecies - The Cause of Rioting? That’s Easy: Rioters! - If It’s Evitable, I Don’t Like It! - Aaron Kay, “The Psychological Power of the Status Quo, and - System Justification Theory and Law. To review the full collection of Situationist posts related to system justification, click here.
Soledad O'BrienLast night, CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien held a town hall-style show Beyond Trayvon: Race and Justice in America in which a wide-ranging group of people -- from professors to moms -- discussed the implications of the Trayvon Martin shooting and what it says about the state of racism in America. After the show, O'Brien talked to reporters about her on take on the Martin case. I actually get the sense that it's more like a Rosa Parks case [than other shootings have been]. There is this case that is so clearly defined in a lot of people's minds that it sets the bar for them ... people said, 'if this could happen to Rosa Parks, it could happen to anybody.' And she's right. Trayvon Martin did nothing wrong but walk down the street at night ... while black. George Zimmerman would like you to believe otherwise, but his claims of being in fear for his life and physically injured are become less credible by the second (that's if you ever believed him at all). Zimmerman has yet to be arrested and Martin's parents are still grieving their dead teenage son and hoping justice will be done. But even if Zimmerman is arrested and tried, we'll never be able to rectify what happened that night unless we get to the core of the problem. Racism still exists in America, and it's much more rampant than any of us want to believe. We've seen it rear its ugly head in the weeks since the shooting. Bloggers, the media, twitter-ers, have all been quick to jump on the "it's not racism" bandwagon. Spike Lee has been the recipient of oodles of racist tweets after his twitter snafu last week. Geraldo Rivera was lambasted for blaming Martin's hoodie. President Obama himself commented on the case. Here's the thing: George Zimmerman probably didn't see Trayvon Martin walking down the street at night and think to himself, "Ooh, there's a black kid. I hate black people. I'm going to kill him." If he did, we can all agree that's all kinds of messed up. But it's unlikely (so let's give him the benefit of the doubt). More likely: He was suspicious. And then he acted in a way that totally crossed the line -- and for which he should be held culpable. Let's get back to that suspicious part -- because it is very, very important. Why was he suspicious? By all accounts, Martin was doing absolutely nothing out of the ordinary (let's give him the benefit of the doubt too). So ask yourself this: If Trayvon Martin had been a white guy wearing a suit -- but otherwise behaving the same that evening -- would George Zimmerman still be walking around a free man? Even sadder, the 17-year-old would still be alive. Zimmerman was suspicious because Martin was black. And that's why he's now making up all these lies about what really happened. Because he realizes it. He had no good reason to shoot the teenager. But he didn't act alone. Movies tell him to be suspicious of black people, our country's history tells him to be suspicious of black people, institutional discrimination and prejudice tells him to be suspicious of black people. Racism is still very much a part of America's DNA. Rosa Parks was kicked out of her bus seat over 50 years ago and yes, America has made a lot of progress since then. But the Trayvon Martin case shows we've got a lot of work to do. Do you think the Trayvon Martin case is about race?
Join the Stringdusters membership base for exclusive content and special offers. Already a Member? Login inhere. Started by Mark K in Main Forum 1) I can't seem to get the e-mail function to work. Is there a sequence I should follow? What does the embed function do? 2) Is it possible to download a show from the hive so that I can listen to it on an […] To start connecting please log in first.
Free 20min Phone ConsultationPlease use contact form to enquire about a Free, no obligation 20 minute phone consultation. Call 1 300 788 031 (Local Call Rate) TopicsAnxiety anxiety treatment bipolar burnout CBT change choice christmas communication counselling couples counselling crucial conversations Depression divorce empowerment grief imbalance job loss loss marriage Mid Life Crisis new years resolutions overwhelmed relationship advice relationship counselling Relationships self esteem Stress stress relief toxic relationships Tag Archives: Stress Work-life balance has been on the agenda in the media, organisations and academia for a considerable time now. I have always seen the debate as limited because it is a myth that we have two lives – work and life. … Continue reading
Hi, I'm Rochelle. I'm nineteen and food is just really great. This blog is for images of food, recipes, pictures of what I bake/cook, and I'll be taking submissions also. If you want to see a specific food item, you can request it in the ask box. A Study in Food
My last working week was really busy and started at Sunday noon because I was in Nuremberg to hold a web-security workshop for my colleagues at Monday morning. Traveling at Sunday feels a bit strange, no business people, but much party people with hangovers. OOo Impress hung X completely by eating up all available resources. Nevertheless the live sessions worked better than expected and seem to be the salt in the stale slide soup. The "it-sa Sicherheitsmesse" (security trade show), OWASP conference, and the openSUSE conference were the overlapping highlights of this week. Unfortunately I missed the OWASP conference... :( This week is the last chance to do web-application penetration-testing of in-house products before I have to take over the incidents handling next Tuesday. I still need to find a good way to bring threat modeling and secure development to Web 2.0 without using bloated text documents and reusing text blocks all the time.
List Price: unavailable Sale Price: $47.49 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping This Pioneer DV-2012K is region free and has a built-in PAL/NTSC Video converter for use on any TV! This DVD Player can play any DVD from any country and region on any TV around the world and the seven seas. Pioneer DV-2012-K Multi Region System DVD Player, Microphone Input for Karaoke, CD to USB Recording, NTSC and PAL Compatible, CD Quality Playback of MP3s, Front Panel USB Port, Dolby Digital / DTS, Div - It's small footprint and glossy black finish means it will blend well with any entertainment space but you'll be equally impressed with its array of capabilities. With support for DVD DVD-R/W DVD+R/W Video CD and Super Video CD it can play back the movies in your collection with no problem. It also supports CD CD-R/W MP3 and WMA for your music collection with built-in upscaling of compressed music files for CD-quality playback. It also displays JPEG photo files so you can see your pictures displayed on your TV screen. - This premium disc player also supports high-resolution surround formats Dolby Digital and DTS so you can get high quality audio to accompany your favorite films and get the full experience. With choices of various listening modes you can tailor the sound to the music genre you are listening to. - The DV-2012-K features karaoke capabilities as well with an integrated 3.5mm input for a microphone. You can also record songs from CDs to USB storage devices that is then stored in MP3 format with the choice of bit rate being 128/192/320 kbps. Using the convenient front-panel USB port you can play back these music files as well as JPEG files and DivX videos from a camcorder without reaching around to the back of the unit. Component Video Output (DVD, Video CD) Virtual Dolby Digital with SRS TruSurround Twin Wave Laser Pickup New Advanced GUI with Set-up Navigator Zoom Function Front Panel Cursor Keys High Speed Loading - Faster by 30% High Speed Resume - Works with NTSC TV, PAL TV or Multi-System TV! - WMA (Windows Media Audio) / MP3 Compatible - 12-bit/108MHz DAC (for Progressive Scan Video Output) - DVD-RW (compatible w/CPRM), DVD-R Capability / DIVX - JPEG Photo Viewer (FUJI COLOR CD / KODAK CD Compatible) - New Pioneer DV – All Region Free Multi System / Multi Region 1080p DVD Player with HDMI Upconverting & USB 420K - Pioneer DV-610AV-K Black Multi Region Code Zone Free DVD Player with HDMI 1080p Output. Play all region 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 PAL or NTSC DVDs. - Philips All Region Multi Region Code Free Zone Free Hi-Def 1080p Up-Converting DVD Player with Divx, USB. Plays PAL/NTSC DVD’s (Free TAMZ HDMI Cable Exclusive From PVCS) – 110-220 Volts For Worldwide Use – (Free LiteFuze Europe Plug Adapter) - Philips All Region 1080p HDMI Upconverting DVD Player DVP3560 - Magnavox MDV3000/F7 Up Conversion DVD player, Black
THAT WAS FRICKEN WICKED IT ROX SHE CALLED CARLISLE AND HE TOLD HER TO GO AND THEN BAMB!!!!!!! SHE JUMPS ON JAMES AND RIPS HIS FRICKEN HEAD OFF WOW THAT ROCKED AND WHO SAID ALICE IS TO SMALL TO FIGHT THATS RIGHT//THAT SHOWS YOU A LESSON BELLA HAHAHA LOL LOL It was super cool to me. I was watching the movie with the commentary and the director thought it would be cool for Alice to rip the head off so thats what she did. Thats one thing the director did right to me.
In a move unfamiliar to almost any member of the GOP establishment, Senator Marc Rubio took both time and consideration to respond to readers over at RedState regarding his views on the immigration reform proposals currently being considered by members of Congress. This is the very thing Republican Insider said conservatives must do – get out in front of the message, and utilize the new media to do so. Whether or not you agree or disagree with Marco Rubio’s stance on immigration reform, you cannot deny how refreshing and inspiring it is to see a national politician willing to speak to the “little folks” throughout America. It is also interesting to note, that Senator Rand Paul has come out in support of the two primary considerations in Senator Rubio’s plan – border security and an exhaustive path to citizenship. Senator Paul insists Republican immigration hardliners must “evolve” on the immigration debate. (Both Senator Rand Paul and Senator Marco Rubio are among best and brightest of the new Republican Party) EXCERPT (via RedState) Applying Conservative Principles To Immigration I appreciate the opportunity to respond to Erick’s post last night regarding the principles for immigration reform I have recently developed. Before diving into the details of the plan, I want to take a moment to point out how the debate about immigration reflects positively on the conservative movement in general. Unlike the left, whose default tactic is to attack and destroy the personal character of those who disagree with their views, the conservative movement is capable of accommodating a vibrant internal debate on important issues solely on the merits. RedState has always been a welcoming forum for that sort of debate. First, let me identify the problem we face. We have a legal immigration system that doesn’t work, we don’t have an effective system to enforce our immigration laws, and we have by some estimates as many as 11 million human beings living in the United States without the proper immigration documents in a state of de facto amnesty. It’s a problem that has both political and economic ramifications on our nation. Read the entire commentary by Senator Rubio HERE
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These are my hubby’s new favorite, which rocks because they are sooooo easy to make. Woo-hoo! I am dying to try them with sweet potatoes, if I can cut them…hmmmm. Sweet potatoes are a bit tough to cut sometimes. Don’t you think? They’re called hasselback , and all you need is two wooden spoons, melted butter, a good knife and some seasoning… some people peel them-I’m a ‘tato skin kinda girl, so I don’t peel mine. If you peel yours, be sure and place it in a bowl of cold water while it’s waiting to be rubbed with butter, so it doesn’t discolor. This is how you cut them: align the potato between two handles of wooden spoons. This will stop your knife from going all the way through. Speaking of dirt…check out the size of that bag. Oh yeah! I had this old galvanized wash basin…and I decided to use it to plant some tomatoes, because the soil here is too sandy and lacking in organic compounds for tomatoes to thrive. So…. I now have a giant basin-tomato garden. It will look better when the plants start to grow more. It looks kinda lame with just dirt right now. Wanna see what else I have been up to? I’m back on my canning kick. I made some homemade spicy marinara, and jarred it up. Which, in turn made my hubby ask about pickles. So… I did those, too After I finish: the laundry, dishes, housework,bathroom, breakfasts, lunches, bills, errands, at-home-preschool, turtle feeding, lizard feedings, fish tank cleaning/feeding, bird cage cleaning/feeding, dog poopy-duty, grocery shopping, sending away assorted door to door church and sales people,produce shopping, and preschool art and stories at the library.All of this before 2 when it’s time to pick up the older one, help with homework, start dinner, and keep the peace between the siblings. Whew. I cannot believe that I used to be one of those people that though stay at home mamas had it easy. Fortunately, I have a schedule so that I am able to accomplish all this and still have time for the things that keep me sane, happy and something to post about here. Here’s a typical day: 5:16 dogs outside 5:19am littlest one up, helps daddy with coffee. 5:20: dogs in 5:21: wake up bird 5:30-5:40 Make hubby’s lunch, usually leftovers. 5:45-6:30: emails, daily list, posting here 6:35: Bigger “little one” is up, make breakfast for girls 7am: make lunch for girls, (yes, two lunches- the youngest likes to have one, too-but she’ll eat it in the car.) 7:15-7:45 to school, back to school 7:45-8:30 walk/bike ride/weed (one of the three) 8:30-9:30 chores, depending on day of week; 1)dust vac/mop (every other day) 2) laundry/bathroom (Tues & Fri) 3) fish tanks (M,W,F,S) 4) Outdoor chores: rake/weed/trim 5) errands/marketing Of course sometimes the chores take a bit longer or shorter…depending. 10-11am: at home preschool, or library time. *HERE’S My “fun” time! 12noon to 2pm during nap: I do one or two of the following: bake,cook,write,organize,craft,can, garden more, decorate,rearrange, hang out with bird and dogs, paint, draw,read, take pictures,chat on the phone, reply to emails, research things I want to know about, paint my toes, and/or relax. 2:20 pm, school pick up 2:40-3:20 homework help 3:30 hubby home!♥ 3:30-4pm littlest one washes daddy’s lunch container, big sis does her chores 4-5:30 goof off with girls and hubby 5:30-7:00: make dinner, take showers 7-8 dinner & dessert 8-9 hope littlest one goes to sleep early. That is my day. So… now you know how and when I do what I do. Oh yes, throw in the occasional tweet and facebook update. LOL!

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