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Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Billy Joel - You May Be Right
Posted by Simply Iowa at 9:37 PM
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The Rabbit Hole... {simply iowa... } is Located on Highway 151, Fairfax, Iowa. {101 Williams Blvd. Fairfax, Iowa 52228 } is located 5 minutes S.W. of Cedar Rapids.
{Look for the '49 Ford Panel Truck! }
Call 319-241-1348 with any questions...or e-mail... I am also on Facebook ! Barbara Conner and Simply Iowa email@example.com
September 26, 27, 28 and 29!
9-6 Daily!!!
Sept. 26, and 27...are Full Price.
28th, is 25% off,
29th, is 1/2 Off!!!
This Home, is Very Clean, and has some Lovely modern 'Household', as well as a Beautiful, Large...Collection of Vintage Carnival Glass. I'll be posting many images.
{This is the First, of Three...that will be held, over the next Month. Stay Tuned!!! They are all near Fairfax, Iowa.
We'll be posting the addresses, the Sunday Prior, to each Sale.}


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World Cup competition comes to South Africa in June. Start the celebration of soccer's ultimate event a little early with South African wines. In so doing, experience the country's past, present and future.
Winemaking in South Africa dates back 350 years to the time Dutch settlers first occupied land around the Cape of Good Hope near the southern tip of the African continent. Before the abolition of the racial segregation policy known as apartheid, South African wines were the pariahs of the world's wine market, subject to the same global economic boycott as the rest of the country's goods.
With the dismantling of apartheid and democratic elections in 1994, South Africa was welcomed back to the community of nations. Sales of South African wines began to grow around the world as wineries adopted a more international style of winemaking.
Why buy South African wines?
"Value for the money is the No. 1 reason," said South African ex-pat Peter Clinton, president of Vinnovative Imports. His company, based in Denver, N.C., was created in 1995 to reintroduce South African wines to U.S. consumers.
"You get much more bang for the buck," Clinton added. "The wines are real wines, they're not over-extracted, over-manipulated wines that you find in California, or have to pay through the nose for in France."
White grape varieties make up 56 percent of the country's wine plantings, according to industry statistics. Chenin blanc, called "steen" in South Africa, is the top white wine grape.
Cabernet sauvignon is the most widely planted red wine grape, followed by syrah and merlot. In fourth place, according to the annual report South African Wine Industry Statistics, is planting of South Africa's own pinotage, a cross of pinot noir and cinsault (called hermitage there) invented in the 1920s.
Most of South Africa's wine production is centered in the southwestern sections of the country around the city of Cape Town. South Africans follow an appellation or regional system for classifying its wines called "Wine of Origin." On the label, you'll find the appellation name followed by the initials "WO."
Under this system, the smallest regional area is an "estate"; followed in increasing size by "ward," of which there are 64; 21 "districts"; and four major wine "regions," according to Rory Callahan, a spokesman for Wines of South Africa, a trade group.
The country's wide array of wines can be "a blessing and a curse," Callahan said, but the range did lead to a catchy wine slogan: "Variety is in our nature."
"There's so much diversity in South Africa; that goes for wine too," agreed Clinton. "You can drink chenin blanc from six different appellations and drink six different wines."
Clinton believes the future holds much opportunity for South African winemakers.
"Good, little producers are putting good stuff in the bottle at a good price. You will like it."
By the numbers
251,941: Acres used to grow wine grapes in South Africa
1659: First year grapes grown in South Africa were pressed into wine.
9: South Africa's rank globally in terms of wine production
Source: Wines of South Africa
A few to try
2009 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc:
Bright, fresh, fruity, this refreshing bottle from the Western Cape wine region epitomizes the charm of chenin blanc. Look for a citrusy nose and crisp fruit flavor. Could be the sippin' wine of the summer season. $15
2007 Bon Cap Cabernet Sauvignon:
Colored a dark, plummy red, this wine made from organic grapes has a rich sweet-tart flavor highlighted by notes of plush black cherry fruit and a hint of smoke. Lovely cherry and oak nose. Produced in the Robertson wine district, about 110 miles east of Cape Town. $16
2006 Fairview Shiraz:
This wine offers a sweet cherry nose layered with touches of earth and mushroom. Soft, rounded fruit flavor spiked with black pepper. Astringent finish. The winery, based in the Paarl wine district, has its roots in a farm established in 1693. $15
2004 Fleur du Cap Pinotage:
Pinotage is South Africa's own grape. Look for a certain earthy quality on the nose and mushroom, eucalyptus and herbs on the tongue. This wine comes from the Stellenbosch wine district. $16
You want that wine. But your store or area distributor may not carry it. State law may prohibit you from ordering a wine online. What to do? Ask your wine retailer for a wine similar in flavor and style. Remember, too, prices vary.

subset: commoncrawl


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Psychological Risks Loom in Tokyo Water Warning
By PAUL VOOSEN of Greenwire
Published: March 24, 2011
More News From Greenwire
- EPA Watchdog Sinks Teeth Into Nuclear Crisis, Hill Budget Brawl
- Bush's Rulemaking Czar Blasts EPA's Use of 'Guidance'
- Ocean Dumpers Sail Home Leaving EPA Agents in Their Wake
- Appeals Court Hints Lawsuit Over Yucca Nuclear Waste Repository May Be Premature
- EPA, NYC Brace for Grueling Cleanups of 2 Industrial Waterways
Overnight, Tokyo transformed into the world's largest psychological laboratory.
Japan's now-rescinded warning yesterday that radioactive iodine in the city's drinking water exceeded standards set for infants' chronic radiation exposure was, above all, a public health threat. But it is likely that the warning's psychological effects on Tokyo could cause lasting stress to a group particularly at risk during nuclear crisis: young mothers.
The mental health legacies of nuclear power accidents like Chernobyl and Three Mile Island are not open-and-shut cases. Parts of the population exposed to the accidents appear to bounce back quickly. There is resilience. But several groups have proved to be especially vulnerable to the stress caused by the accidents, said Evelyn Bromet, a psychiatric epidemiologist at New York's Stony Brook University.
"[And] one of highest risk groups," she said, "are women with little kids."
A bustling metropolis of 13 million people, Tokyo is home to some 80,000 infants, according to state estimates. Until yesterday, the city's dense population had remained relatively unaffected by the ongoing health concerns from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Radiation levels remained low, and milk and spinach produced from the regions around the plant could be avoided.
But after the government detected at one treatment plant radioactive iodine at levels double the accepted rate for chronic infant exposure -- but below limits for adults -- bottled water began flying off the shelves. The government promised to distribute 240,000 bottles of water to households with infants in the area, adding to the city's -- and presumable mothers' -- anxiety.
Japanese officials today rescinded their warning about the city's water and infants, citing a drop in iodine-131 levels. Readings showed the water testing at 79 becquerels per kilogram -- becquerels measure the amount of radioactive decay -- well below the chronic exposure standards for children and adults. Iodine monitoring is ongoing, the officials said, while also reportedly thanking Tokyo's population for "staying cool" during the warning.
While Tokyo's drinking-water warnings could pass as a 24-hour blip in the news cycle for many in the United States, it is very possible -- but by no means confirmed -- that for young mothers in Tokyo, the warning could spur lasting distrust and emotional distress, scientists say.
Certainly, lasting scars of emotional distress -- which, at its worst, can manifest itself as serious depression or post-traumatic stress, among other symptoms -- are what researchers found in young mothers and others directly affected by past nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island in 1979 and seven years later at the much more serious Chernobyl meltdown in Ukraine.
"What's most striking," Bromet said, "both about Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, which are obviously completely different events with different environmental consequences, is that the emotional consequences just never end."
The Fukushima crisis is, of course, an incredibly difficult situation for Japan's authorities and residents. Caution is more than justifiable when it comes to radiation, and the fear and stress that could stem from radiation risk warnings would be difficult to prioritize over immediate health concerns, said Johan Havenaar, a Dutch psychiatrist who has worked with Chernobyl evacuees.
"It is an understandably frightening situation for [the Japanese]," he said, "even if the risk is small and the measure predominantly precautionary. ... It would be unfair to suggest that the psychological effects -- i.e. their fears -- are unjustified."
What authorities should do, and often fail to do, is treat mental and physical health problems with equal respect, understanding that the two go hand in hand, Bromet said. They must respect the persistent fears that will form about radiation exposure in Japan, no matter how low the exposure and how this can take a permanent toll on people's lives, she said.
'Distress and distrust'
Bromet is the most prominent scientist studying the mental health consequences of past nuclear accidents.
After Three Mile Island, which saw a negligible release of radiation to the public, she followed a group of young mothers for 10 years. And since Chernobyl, she has studied, with European colleagues, residents from the Chernobyl area who were subsequently evacuated to Kiev.
While it is difficult to make generalizations across the two events, the women in both studies felt continued health-related anxiety about their exposure, even if nonexistent, to radiation. Such fears are natural. Radiation, complex, mysterious and carcinogenic, is perhaps the ultimate source of dread in modern society, hitting all of humanity's primal buttons when we attempt assessments of risk (Greenwire, March 18).
At Three Mile Island, the distress felt by the population living in the plant's shadow was transient. As local researchers began questioning residents weeks after the crisis, they found very high levels of distress, nearing and times exceeding what might be found in patients treated in mental health centers, said Bruce Dohrenwend, the psychiatrist at Columbia University who ran the presidential commission investigating Three Mile Island's mental health effects.
"The stress varied with socially defined risk factors defined by the authorities," Dohrenwend said -- much like risk factors cited in Tokyo. "[They] were especially high for those living within five miles. Especially high in mothers with young children, because they were singled out in advisories."
For many living around Three Mile Island, stress fell back to normal levels soon after the partial meltdown. But Bromet, expecting such a result, instead focused her surveys on mothers with young children, expecting them, following previously established trends, to have persistent problems.
During the first few years, Bromet's team found that rates of depression and anxiety in the mothers were double the rate of comparable groups. Then, 10 years later, they found depression and anxiety to be as high as it was shortly after the accident -- higher than would be expected in a typical community. Three-fourths of the mothers remained worried about the accident's health effects.
Dohrenwend is impressed by Bromet's work on Three Mile Island and finds it convincing. And while his surveys, which ultimately ranged over 2,500 people, did not identify persistent problems of distress in the general population, they did find a continued distrust of authority following the accident. Residents were baffled by the conflicting advice and warnings, he said, and began to disregard and distrust realities given by the government, like the limited scope of radiation.
"Distress and distrust, these are not small matters," he said. "Distrust can have tremendous ramifications. We have distrust issues in this nation in serious policy and human matters."
Preoccupation with 'physical symptoms'
After Three Mile Island, the government also gave short shrift to mental health, Dohrenwend added. In 1979, post-traumatic stress disorder had not been recognized as a clinical diagnosis in the medical community, and it was not until June that year -- nearly three months after the accident -- that the commission added a mental health component. The commissioners were engineers and physicists, not psychiatrists. Only thanks to the work of local academics did surveys begin early enough to document the stress peaks, Dohrenwend said.
Compared to Three Mile Island, the mental health consequences of Chernobyl are far more dire -- but also far more difficult to easily assess. Much like the Japanese crisis -- the earthquake and tsunami will also carry heavy mental health tolls -- Chernobyl can be seen as a series of disasters. There was a meltdown and explosion, but also traumatic evacuation and subsequent stigmatization, combined with the poverty and alcoholism pervasive in the region.
Bromet surveyed some 300 mothers in Kiev, Ukraine, 11 and 19 years after the disaster. Authorities had evacuated the mothers and their young children from the Chernobyl area, and in addition to possible radiation exposure, the families faced harsh treatment. Many pregnant women were encouraged to have abortions during the evacuation, Bromet said, and once in Kiev, doctors were hesitant to treat the women and often gave diagnoses that, in retrospect, had little grounding in reality.
Bromet found that these mothers, at 11 years after the meltdown, were more likely to face depression and chronic health worries than their similar peers in Kiev. Nearly 20 years after Chernobyl, nearly 20 percent of the women had post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the disaster, compared to 7.5 percent of the control group. Nearly a third had faced major depression in the past year.
Many of these women remained fixated on Chernobyl, and for good reason. Several thousand children developed thyroid cancer from the radioactive iodine released by the disaster, and while nearly all of these children have survived this health problem, cancer is cancer. These worries are not limited to women, either, added Havenaar, the Dutch psychologist.
"People were preoccupied with physical symptoms," he said. "They worry a lot about what they might mean."
Studying Chernobyl cleanup workers
A particularly challenging group to study has been the "liquidators," the Soviet workers summoned from across the USSR to clean up after the disaster.
Bromet and Havenaar studied a group of 295 workers for a 2008 report, and they found slight but not statistically significant increases in depression and post-traumatic stress disorder compared to their peers. This is a troubled population, Bromet said, but their issues stem from many problems.
"Nutrition is bad, alcoholism is high and medical care is almost nonexistent," she said. Still, she added, anecdotally some of these men were truly disturbed. "We met liquidators who were almost nonfunctional," she said. "Expressionless. No energy. We met a lot of people like that in Ukraine and Latvia."
The problems plaguing the Chernobyl region led the World Health Organization to declare earlier this decade that mental health was the largest -- but not necessarily the most acute -- public health problem caused by the accident. The meltdown unleashed a cascade of disasters that resulted in "an increased sense of anomie and diminished sense of physical and emotional balance," it said.
Still, while the mental health challenges stemming from Chernobyl and Three Mile Island are real, they also require perspective. Most of these problems, especially in the latter, are considered subclinical issues, not rising to the level of post-traumatic stress disorder, let alone psychosis or phobia. But even such subclinical effects exact a price -- for example, persistent distrust can lead to disregard of safety guidelines.
It is far too early to know the ramifications of the Japanese crisis. Radiation threats could re-emerge, and the culture is different from that in the United States or Ukraine. Given only a day of panic, mothers in Tokyo could be wholly unaffected. It is unknown whether anyone is studying the response of the Japanese people. But Havenaar, the Dutch psychologist, hopes so.
"We could learn from that how Japanese mothers -- and fathers -- could react," he said.
Bromet held town hall-style meetings while she was in Kiev with her study subjects. Their questions were not just those of radiation victims, she said. They worried about their families' health, about asthma and their kids' behavior problems. Some had chronic fears, but they worked to overcome them.
"If you asked somebody [at that meeting] if they're worried about their health because of Chernobyl," she said, "they'd tell you, 'Yes. But life is bigger than just that.'"
Copyright 2011 E&E Publishing. All Rights Reserved.


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Securities Regulation is responsible for the registration of certain securities, the licensing and regulation of broker dealers, sales representatives, certain investment advisers and certain investment adviser representatives.
The division is also responsible for enforcing compliance with the state's Franchise Investment Act, the registration of charitable and fund-raising groups and the states' Real Estate Time-Share Act. The division has annually processed approximately 60,584 licenses and 7,412 registrations, conducted on-site examinations of broker-dealers and investment advisers, and initiated investigations and enforcement actions pursuant to applicable state and federal laws and regulations.
Enforce compliance with the applicable provisions of state laws and regulations related to the securities industry, franchises, charities, fund-raisers and time-shares.
The division is charged with the administration and enforcement of the Rhode Island Uniform Securities Act ("RIUSA"), R.I. Gen. Laws 7-11; the Franchise Investment Act, R.I. Gen. Laws 19-28.1; the Charitable Solicitation Act, R.I. Gen. Laws 5-53.1; and the Real Estate Time-Share Act, R.I. Gen. Laws 34-41.


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Zeus in Therapy by Prof. Douglass Stott Parker 8/16 - 8/25
Adapted for the stage by Tutto Theatre Co.
Fri, August 16, 2013 | The Long Center for the Performing Arts
Zeus in Therapy by Douglass Stott Parker
Douglass Stott Parker, Sr.(May 27, 1927 – February 8, 2011) was a classicist, academic, educator, jazz musician, and renowned translator. Following his passing in 2011, the journal Didaskalia dedicated their new endeavors to "Douglass Parker, who embodied the interplay between scholarship and practice, between an acute understanding of the ancient world and a keen sense of modern audience."
Parker was Professor of Classics at the University of Texas at Austin for forty years. Before that, he was an instructor at Yale University (1952-55) and a full professor at the University of California, Riverside (1955-68). He taught classes in Greek and Latin languages and literature and offered seminars on pastoralism, serendipity, improvisation, fragments, creativity, and the way the world ends. He was known at the University of Texas for his breadth of knowledge and teaching and won graduate and undergraduate teaching awards.
In 1979, he began writing Zeus in Therapy, a cycle of 52 poems which imagines Zeus on the therapist's couch. Parker did not 'finish' it, though he stopped writing in about 1993, and left it unpublished during his lifetime. Parker's poetry is whimsical and profound, cosmic and quotidian, thoughtful and irreverent, but always heartfelt and true. This translation of Zeus in Therapy into a theatrical experience will bring the power of his words to an even larger audience.
More information can be found here:


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Verizon - 12/11/2006
Lynne Bradley, Carrie Lowe, John Windhausen and Mark Bard met with C. Lincoln 'Link' Hoewing, Assistant VP (Internet Technology & Issues Managment), Michael W. McKeehan, Executive Director (Internet & Technology Policy), and Emilio Gonzlez, Executive Director (Public Affairs, Policy & Communications) at Verizon to introduce our study.
John's Notes
Here are a few notes from our meeting:
We asked Link for Verizon's recommendations for changes to broadband policies to spur broadband deployment to libraries. he said they are working on the issue internally and will have more to say in a couple of weeks. But he offered these possibilities:
1. Expensing of broadband equipment for tax purposes would help. He said the House passed a bill but the Senate did not, because of concerns over definitions (what type of equipment would get the tax break and which would not. wireless? for instance).
2. The Rural Utility Service broadband program is working well. Jeff Eisenach has done an internal report for Verizon discussing the significant benefits of this program for Virginia, and he thinks the Connect Kentucky program is particularly successful and may prove to be a model Verizon wants to support for other states.
3. Wi-Max for rural areas. He said the big impediment until now has been the lack of standards - now that the standard has been set he predicts much greater usage. Not sure what policy change is needed. he seemed to think there was spectrum available at 2.5 and 2.3 GHz.
4. Not a fan of expanding USF. Rural telcos already can use USF funding for broadband today. Verizon doesn't receive any money out of the fund.
5. Franchise reform is still high on the agenda; he mentioned New York and Pennsylvania as two target states of theirs.
Link said he would send me contact info for the comparable people in BellSouth and AT&T. (he doesn't know the Qwest people). He is open to a broader meeting of all telco reps to brainstorm. perhaps cable should have their separate meeting.
Lynne, Carrie and Mark, anthing I missed?
Lynne's Notes
I think that John got all the highlights. Just a couple of people observations: a) I thought that Michael was probably new to these relationships and some of our issues. His assumptions about some things implied that he thought all libraries were still in the 3rd or 4th world.....which is true in some cases. However, he was the one that brought up Verizon Foundation resources, technical volunteers, etc. for opportunities to work together.
b) The materials that Carrie and Mark will send Link should help, but he seemed to not have received recent info. about e-rate. This is a reminder that as we do some e-rate interim reports, we should forward them to Verizon et al (picking such recipients strategically, of course.)
c) Some of the group discussion, and more discussion with Emilio afterwards, suggests that we could work with them if we want to do parental training/content controls education activities - though not part of this broadband discussion. Lynne


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Google AdWords For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Read an ExcerptDownload Acrobat
Table of Contents
Author Information
Related Websites
Part I: Becoming a Google Advertiser.
Chapter 1: Profi ting from the Pay-Per-Click Revolution.
Chapter 2: Setting Up Your AdWords Account.
Chapter 3: Managing Your AdWords Account.
Part II: Launching Your AdWords Campaign.
Chapter 4: Discovering Your Online Market.
Chapter 5: Choosing the Right Keywords.
Chapter 6: Writing Magnetic Ads.
Part III: Managing Your AdWords Campaigns.
Chapter 7: Deciding Where and When to Show Your Ads.
Chapter 8: Improving Your Campaigns through Keyword Management.
Chapter 9: Getting It Done with AdWords Tools.
Part IV: Converting Clicks to Clink.
Chapter 10: Giving Your Customer a Soft Landing on Your Web Site.
Chapter 11: Following Up with Your Prospects.
Chapter 12: Building a "Climb the Ladder" Web Site.
Part V: Testing Your Strategies and Tracking Your Results.
Chapter 13: How You Can't Help Becoming an Advertising Genius.
Chapter 14: Making More Sales with Website Optimizer.
Chapter 15: Slashing Your Costs with Conversion Tracking.
Chapter 16: Making More Sales with Google Analytics.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 17: The Ten (Or So) Most Serious AdWords Beginner's Mistakes.
Chapter 18: Ten (Or So) AdWords Case Studies.


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A sub-3h marathon. When you cross that line, you can call yourself fast, and feel good about it. We got in touch with running coach Aki Nummela to get some useful tips. Combine them with Movescount's new training insights to help reach your goals,.
Helsinki, Finland, based running coach Aki Nummela is no stranger to transforming weekend warriors to competitive runners. His company, Runner's High, coaches hundreds of runners through clinics and private coaching every year.
"There are no quick wins in marathon running," he says. "Many marathon runners only focus on mileage and actually train to be slow. And there's no point in doing so. It is impossible to run a sub-3h marathon if you can't keep up that pace for 10 kilometers. Versatility in training is very important for long distance runners."
Running a marathon in under three hours is a serious challenge: Some talented runners can make it with very little training. For many it is simply impossible. Movescount database actually reveals that 10% of 30–40-year-old men run a marathon in 3 hours, and the top 10% of women clock in about 15 minutes slower.
For reference, let's take a look at what movescount numbers tell us. The top 10% of men 30–34 run a marathon in 3.00.08 and top 10% of men 35–39 run in 3.00.31. The top 10% of women 30–34 run a marathon in 3.16.34 and top 10% of women 35–39 run in 3.13.59. The times are based on over 25,000 marathons.
"A sub-3h marathon is a serious goal," Nummela continues. "Most who set out to reach it are already established runners who know their level and have experience in running marathons. Random goals simply don't work. You need to start with your current form and progress step by step within your own abilities. There are no short cuts."
Reaching the goal depends a lot on the past, too. If you already have trained well your progress will be slower than for someone who hasn't put too much effort in structured training yet.
"When the base is strong, there's no need to cover maximum amount of miles. Trying to add more miles in our busy lives may just wear us down before the week's key workouts," Nummela says.
"For some of my athletes it has come as a surprise that there may be less weekly training hours in their plan than before. But cutting mileage by half does not automatically drop performance."
To reach your goal, take a look at the Community Training Insights in Suunto Movescount. The data is based on thousands of moves – so it should give you a good idea of what should be on your training plan.
In Suunto Movescount's Community Training Insights you can choose a sport and a target and see actual data on people who have reached that goal. In this case you will see precisely how fast sub-3h marathoners run on shorter distances.
"Many marathoners are afraid of running fast. But you need to start fast to have a fast time. Picking up the pace during the run is very difficult."
A sub-3 hour marathon equals a pace of 4min17sec per kilometer,"but don't get stuck running with the 4'20 pace in training," Nummela reminds you. "You need to build the speed capacity and once you've got this, you can add more marathon specific workouts in your plan. "
Nummela says that taking a good look at the times 3-hour marathoners have ran in shorter distances will give you a good idea where you are at. "If you can run 10 kilometers in 37 minutes, the pace needed to run a marathon in under three hours will feel easy."
To get a good idea of where you are at, choose 'Me' > 'Personal bests' in Movescount's top navigation. There you can find your best results in several sports, based on several metrics. For marathon runners, the most useful ones are your best results in different distances and their comparison with your peer group.
Another great way to follow your training is to use Movescount's Progress chart. Choose 'Me' > 'Yearly summary' in the top navigation and scroll down to 'Progress and metrics'. There you can see how your performance has changed on different distances over the months.
A classic workout for marathon is a progressively paced 30–35 km long run. "This workout should be finished off with your actual marathon pace," Nummela says. "But keep in mind that this is a hard one, like a race, and proper time for recovery is needed."
He also suggests running half marathons. They are not only great workouts – they'll also teach you a thing or two about racing.
In addition to long runs, Nummela always makes his athletes run shorter intervals, too. Something like 6 times 1000 meters (at 5.000–10.000m race pace) and 4 times 2–3 kilometers (at 10.000m–half marathon pace) are great practice for fast, efficient marathon running.
At the end, he always stresses changing it up: "Versatility is the key. After a long hard one I suggest running something different, like the 6x1km mentioned earlier, so that the stimulus is different every time. Otherwise your progress will slow down."
Coach Nummela thinks that both pace and heart rate are valuable info to runners. In training HR will prevent you from going too hard.
"But feeling is also very important. One should not look at the data on the sport watch too much either. You will need to learn to listen to your body and its signals, too.
Movescount's Feeling graph gives you a great overview on your training and can help prevent over-training. You can mark the feeling for each move in Movescount or on the Spartan Ultra and Sport watches when saving the exercise.
Goals are important – but you should be prepared to adjust your goals if needed.
"Running a sub-3h marathon depends a lot on the day's form and conditions as well. If for example the race day is extremely hot, it is only wise to back off a bit. It may be smarter to run a 3:10 marathon than to end up on a drip. Be agile in your running and your thinking and you will eventually reach your goal."
"And once you have trained right, and are in great form, all you have to do is go out and do it. Then reaching your goal is easy."


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Obama budget: Don't rock the boat
President Barack Obama's second-term vision, rolled out in a Wednesday budget proposal, turns out to be little more than a call for a do-over on deficit reduction — a cautious approach as he courts Congress on other issues, including guns and immigration reform.
The centerpiece of the thousands of pages of text and tables is a carbon copy of a deal he offered Republicans in December, before the two sides signed off on a smaller fiscal cliff deal.
Story Continued Below
It's unclear why Obama thinks offering Republicans a deal they have already turned down will get them to agree to a grand bargain.
Sure enough, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan called it a proposal that "ratifies the status quo."
But maybe that's the point.
( PHOTOS: What's in Obama's 2014 budget)
The president's been pursuing a charm offensive on Capitol Hill that continued Wednesday night at a dinner with a dozen Senate Republicans led by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). Obama's got big items on the agenda right now, so he can ill afford the kind of partisan brawl that typically accompanies the annual release of the White House budget.
Obama made clear in his budget proposal that he still wants to slash government payments to drug companies, invest tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure, education and research and raise taxes — on oil, gas and coal companies, rich folks with smart accountants and tobacco. In exchange, he's offering Republicans a $230 billion change in the way Social Security benefits are calculated and a variety of smaller olive branches, including a "mark to market" financial derivatives proposal championed by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.).
( Also on POLITICO: Obama budget targets smokers, wealthy)
"I don't believe all those ideas are optimal, but I'm willing to accept them" as part of a larger deal, Obama said in a speech delivered in the Rose Garden of the White House on Wednesday morning.
Washington's collective reaction: meh.
( WATCH: Obama budget proposal 2014: Boehner, Cantor not impressed)
"Democrats and Republicans in Congress have put forward their budget proposals, and today, President Obama has presented his plan to boost job growth and reduce the long-term deficit in a balanced way," Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said in a statement. "While I have concerns with aspects of this budget, it is clearly an effort to meet the GOP halfway in order to end the budget gridlock."
Even the budget writers acknowledged the cut-and-paste job.
"The president stands by the compromise offer he made to Speaker Boehner in December 2012," the text reads.


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Finding the latest Men's Fashion is always a hassle, Whether you are one of those men who loves to shop as much as women and likes to look good and look presentable at all times, we provide a wide range of men's fashion items whatever your style and taste. Do your shopping without leaving the comfort of your home by the click of a mouse button. Let Jumia Kenya help you find the perfect look whether sporty, casual or smart with our wide selection of quality men's clothes from t-shirts and shoes to all the other accessories such as ties & cufflinks, watches, caps and much more.
Most guys probably absolutely hate shopping, the parking issues and the queues most of all while thinking of at least a hundred places they would rather be. We help take the hassle out of shopping; making your life that much easier, letting you shop from the comfort of your favorite couch whilst watching the big game! With trusted men's clothing brands such as nico men, Yves Enzo, saga shop, dazawa shop and so much more getting the latest men's fashion items in Kenya has never been easier. With the best prices on men's latest fashion products and M-Pesa payment availability, we make your online shopping experience a dream come true.


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The Legend of Tarzan is an entirely different take on the story of Tarzan. Aptly named as the song that spoke of his feral legends sung by tribals, it is an above average flick that has been beautifully helmed by David Yates. Even though the style of frame depiction is sheer amazeballs, The Legend of Tarzan isn't exactly all goodies either.
I have a mixed feeling about Yates direction. Bits where he chooses different angles to depict a grim situation, cashing in on the intensity makes every frame powerful. He aces such frames with badass music in the backdrop. However there are moments where his frames tumble into the shoddy territory. Like when he starts rotating the camera around a character who is delivering generic dialogues, it is hard to take him seriously.
Action scenes in Legend of Tarzan are very unsteady, and it is almost impossible to focus on what's really happening until it's all over. Either the characters are too zoomed in or not properly shown. There are plenty of areas where this is evident.
Music is brilliantly chosen and imparts quite a darker comportment to the movie. Screenplay is kind of okay. There are two to three memorable one liners that will definitely wiggle your ears. The other moments, however, your ears will stay parched in need of some intelligent literary lines.
Another area where Tarzan scores profusely is the plot. It comes with a good one, beating the clichés of the jungle tale. The only sad thing is that revisiting the old story is like a constant to and fro motion. It is done at awkward junctures, without choosing a proper way to deliver the complete storyline. Visuals are average. Sometimes you see the CGI dwindle too much taking things towards the animated crossroads.
Alexander Skarsgard works magnificently in the shoes of the legendary Tarzan. He creates a more silent and darker aired hero who let his grim nature do the talking for him.
You will also find humour at weird junctures in The Legend of Tarzan, mostly coming from Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington Williams and his shenanigans but most of it is bland.
Conversations between Leon Rom and Jane Clayton are the worst. There is something wrong with their timing, and the fact that Yates is okay with it, will leave you scratching your head. Also, you cannot overlook the constant disconnect there is to the tale. Just when you begin to think that something is going to happen, the frame changes to a different timeline entirely. It is a constant wrestle between the frames that takes out the tangibility from the movie.
The Legend of Tarzan is gorgeously blended with moments that resuscitate elements from his past. The first one being the cubs he grew up with. There is a moment where he bows down to grown up versions of lions and lionesses, who recognize him and rub their heads against him in mute affection.
Also, the fight between Akut and Tarzan is definitely one of the most theatrical bits of the tale. The mere fact that he fights with someone whom he can't defeat is ballsy per se. When he tries to save Jane by covering her with his body is both romantic and brave. Another one where he beats a box of soldiers to pulp with his bare hands is one helluva eye-candy.
The Legend of Tarzan has its ups and downs that constantly keep playing with your head. There are flaws galore at the same time beautiful moments to be cherished. I would say go for it, so you don't regret not watching it, if there are future sequels planned.
Check out the trailer of The Legend of Tarzan here:
The Legend of Tarzan
- Alexander Skarsgard makes Tarzan badass
- There are plenty of moments to remember
- David Yates gives the movie a darker mould
- A better and different take on the Tarzan story
- Uncalled for irregular frame changes
- Too much camera motion takes away the action
- Sometimes screenplay has nothing to offer
- Awkward timing issues with Jane and Leon dialogues


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Dec 7
Discover the beauty of Lake Taupō, the home of IRONMAN in New Zealand.
100 Qualifying slots plus 25 Women For Tri SlotsRegister ▻
We had a near perfect 2018 race day in Taupo, setting the stage for a stellar 2019 event, with the venue set to host the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships. Check out what's new for 2019.
Athletes love Taupō… Out of 105 global races the event was voted:
About Taupō, New Zealand
Great Lake Taupō, home to the 2018 IRONMAN 70.3 Taupō, is a popular tourist destination, boasting the largest freshwater lake in Australasia and mountains made internationally famous after being featured in the Lord of The Rings trilogy.
Come for the race but enjoy so much more! World-class trout fishing, mountain biking, hiking, adrenaline pumping adventure activities, or just enjoy a relaxing stroll along the lake front. There are restaurants and accommodation options abound; a dynamic boutique retail area; numerous arts and craft galleries and plenty of natural hot pools for soothing your muscles after the big race.
Come and TRI in Nature's Ultimate Playground!'
Fast Track your way to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupō 2020 by entering 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 Taupō. Qualification slots have been more than DOUBLED to 100!
Plus, IRONMAN 70.3 Taupō has been selected as one of 20 races around the world awarding additional 25 slots to female athletes as part of the Women for Tri Program.
Over 5,000 athletes will descend on Great Lake Taupō on November 28 – 29, 2020 and you will want to one of them. Demand for every race will be high, so make enter early before the race sells out.
There are qualifying slots to the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship right here in Taupo!
Event Experience
The event has been well established in Taupō for 11 years, with 2015 introducing the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Taupō, that has become a course to rave about. We're back in Taupo in 2019 for another fantastic event experience.
The 1.9km swim is located in the pristine fresh water Lake Taupō, the 90km bike rolls through New Zealand's renowned rural landscape and the 21.1km run takes in the picturesque lake lined with spectator and local support.
8 December 2018
Taupo turned on a stunner of a day and winners Mike Phillips and Radka Kahlefeldt turned on the style with commanding post to post victories at IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo. Read More >
6 December 2018
Radka Kahlefeldt (nee Vodickova) arrives as the clear race favourite in a strong international and local field at IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo this weekend. Read More >
5 December 2018
IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo has attracted a strong contingent of Australians with 2016 World Champion Tim Reed and multiple 2018 winner Sam Appleton leading a green and gold challenge to defending champion Mike Phillips. Read More >
4 December 2018
Hawera's Brad Kempton knew something had to change, if not for him, then for his kids. Six years ago, the then 31-year-old was a hefty 134kg and realized he could not continue to live this way, but more importantly and more urgently, this was no way to show love for his kids. Read More >
3 December 2018
Laura Dennis has fond memories of Taupo and will line up at the IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo on Saturday with her third-place finish in the shortened 2017 race top of mind, but she has some more recent memories that she is looking to bury with a steady performance that brings her safely to the finish line. Read More >
12 October 2018
IRONMAN announced today that the right to host the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship has been awarded to Taupõ, New Zealand. Read More >


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This article first appeared in Aviation Week & Space Technology.
On the heels of a North Korean nuclear weapon test, U.S. President Barack Obama is preparing to move forward with a new approach to the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
The changes have been a long time coming. Obama outlined a vision for a world without nuclear weapons in a 2009 speech. After securing initial reductions in a New Start treaty with Russia, administration officials discussed deeper cuts, but progress was stalled during the 2012 presidential campaign.
With a new four years in office, greater reductions are coming. Yet basic philosophical differences about the future role of nuclear weapons could fuel a backlash among Republicans.
Obama gave the issue a brief mention in his State of the Union address last week: "We will engage Russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals, and continue leading the global effort to secure nuclear materials that could fall into the wrong hands because our ability to influence others depends on our willingness to lead," Obama said.
Obama is preparing to endorse a plan that calls for revisions to the nation's nuclear strategy and discusses the possibility of a one-third reduction to the arsenal, according to the Center for Public Integrity. The document does not call for immediate changes to the nuclear force; rather, officials are seeking to negotiate further reductions in nuclear weapons with Russia.
USMC Gen. (ret.) James Cartwright, a former vice chief of staff, participated in administration talks about reducing the nuclear force and is an outspoken advocate of the need to revamp it. The difficulty that the U.S. has with Iran and North Korea is symptomatic of a larger problem facing the globe -- that even though nuclear weapons are expensive, nations that truly want the weapons can obtain them, Cartwright said over the summer. The relationship between the U.S. and Russia on nuclear weapons is governed by a sense of responsibility. But now a nation would export its nuclear capability to a third party that operates outside the bounds of global governance. "The response to that is not a nuclear response," Cartwright said.
Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, agrees. "We can reduce the size of our nuclear arsenal, potentially saving billions of dollars and strengthening national security, while at the same time maintaining a strong deterrent and the ability to destroy any entity that threatens our nation with nuclear weapons," he said.
Other arms control think tanks are also promoting the change on economic terms. Reducing the arsenal to 1,000 strategic weapons could save more than $113 billion over 10 years, according to the National Security Network.
Republicans are pre-emptively balking at any consideration of reductions, dismissing the savings that could be achieved through nuclear weapons cuts as negligible and cautioning against unilateral action. Republicans also say that reductions to the numbers of U.S. nuclear weapons would only embolden North Korea, Iran and other nations to pursue new nuclear weapons.
"It is even more disturbing to learn that while North Korea is expanding its weapons programs, the president is contemplating unilateral disarmament," said Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio), who last year led the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee. "This is the wrong time to say to the North Koreans: 'we'll lay down our weapons, while you raise yours.' It is no coincidence that this test has occurred hours before the president's State of the Union Address."
Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.) leads Republicans on the corresponding panel of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He says that while the U.S. could continue to reduce the arsenal to a figure of about 1,500 nuclear weapons, reductions beyond that would be "outside the mainstream." Sessions warned Obama against using illustrations outlined by Global Zero, which included reductions down to 800 nuclear weapons, including ending the intercontinental ballistic missile leg of the nuclear triad.
"Congress will need to be engaged to see exactly what his plans are, and we need to be sure that they're not destabilizing," Sessions says. "The president needs to be careful about what he says."
When Obama made his 2009 speech in Prague, he laid out three themes: using an agreement with Russia to set an arms control example, countering the threat of proliferation from North Korea and Iran, and policing loose nuclear materials, says a Republican aide on the Senate Armed Services Committee. If Obama keeps stressing the first goal at the expense of the other two, he will squander valuable time and will not be able to work on other aspects of his nuclear agenda, the aide says.
Republicans will also be closely watching the administration's support for nuclear modernization promises that were made to secure passage of the New Start treaty with Russia. If they sense the administration is backing off from those commitments, Obama will face strong GOP opposition. "We can do a lot to gum up the works," the aide says.


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What is Twitter?
is a social networking and micro blogging platform which allows users to send text
updates via web, SMS, instant messaging. Users have their
own profile page that displays their latest updates. In addition, users can
become "friends" with one another, or simply be a "follower." Other than reading
another person's profile page, a user can also receive others' updates through SMS, RSS,
IM or 3rd party applications.
Micro Blogging is a growing area in the social networking and mobile blogging industry and Jaiku which is similar to Twitter has been recently purchased by Google
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Mar 05, 2015


text: The Hurricane Kitchen is a chef-driven food truck and catering service with a farm-to-table focus. They use only locally sourced, sustainable ingredients to create bold flavors and unique food experiences. All menu items are prepared fresh daily by Chef Richard Verhagen. Come on out and try their amazing food with some of BHBC's best beer! It is a sure crowd pleaser!


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Keith Haring Double Retrospect 32000 Piece Puzzle: The World's Largest Puzzle! Includes Hand truck. If you're really up for a challenge and have got plenty of room, then this could be the puzzle for you! The 32,000 pieces build into a retrospective of artwork (32 different images). The limited but vibrant color palette used in these illustrations will make this puzzle an incredible challenge. The 32,256 pieces (supplied in 8 separate bags) build into a truly massive puzzle measuring 17' 10" x 6' 3.5". For ages 12-99. Copyright ©Keith Haring Foundation www.haring.com Licensed by Artestar, New York


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Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki sauce, a yogurt-based Mediterranean specialty, has a thick consistency and is intensely garlicky. Don't make your tzatziki sauce fat-free because it will get watery after standing for a few minutes.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 cup plain yogurt
1 small cucumber
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon fresh dill weed
1 tablespoon fresh mint
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Peel and coarsely chop the cucumber.
Place the yogurt, cucumber, salt, and garlic in your blender.
Blend the mixture to a puree.
Coarsely chop the dill and mint.
If you want emerald green-colored sauce, add the dill and mint to the blender and blend again until the herbs are finely minced and tint the sauce.
If you want your sauce to remain white with flecks of green, finely mince the dill and mint, and stir them into the sauce.
Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl.
Add the olive oil, vinegar, and pepper. Stir well.
Tip: Substitute 1/2 cup sour cream for half the yogurt if you want a thicker and richer tzatziki sauce. You can also stir in 1 cup of ricotta or cottage cheese; then add a handful of diced radishes and serve the dish as a refreshing brunch entree.
Per serving: Calories 75 (From fat 40); Fat 4g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 4mg; Sodium 190mg; Carbohydrate 6g (Dietary fiber 0g); Protein 4g.


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A Bircotes woman who shone a 'powerful' laser pen that she bought off eBay at a police helicopter has avoided jail.
Leanne Martin, 20, of Whitehouse Drive, admitted the offence at Worksop Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 14th August.
At the previous hearing the court heard that on 28th January 2014, the pilot of a police helicopter heard his tactical officer shout 'laser' at around 9.23pm.
The pilot then saw a bright green light coming from the north side of Bircotes but managed to reposition the aircraft so that it did not 'dazzle' him.
He spotted the laser on two more occasions and then reported the incident to warn other aircrafts as this was on the main flight path to the Robin Hood Airport.
Police officers were then sent around to the address and Martin was in the property where officers found the pen and packaging.
Prosecuting, Rod Chapman, said: "The pilot said that the laser did not directly shine in his eyes which was lucky because a great amount of concentration was required at the time."
The court also heard that Martin had been using the pen to 'wind her dog up' in the house. When she heard a noise in the area she opened the blinds in her bedroom and saw a light.
Martin then opened the window and decided to 'point her pen at the helicopter' even though her boyfriend told her not to.
After a short time she realised it was a police aircraft and stopped.
In mitigation, David Verity, said: "Miss Martin is full of remorse. She knows it was stupid."
"She did not realise how powerful the laser was and had not seen the warning sticker which says to 'avoid eye contact.'"
"As soon as she realised it was a police helicopter she stopped because she knew she should not do it."
"She cannot believe how daft she was. This was a complete one off. She has no previous convictions."
"When police asked her if she understood how serious it was, she said 'I do now.'"
The magistrates said: "This was a careless and wreckless behaviour and could have been catastrophic."
Martin was sentenced to a 12-month community order and 120 hours unpaid work. She must also pay £85 court costs and £60 victim surcharge.


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A SNP file (.snp) is a tab-delimited text file that contains SNP array data. The SNP file format is described on the GenePattern web site: http://www.broadinstitute.org/cancer/software/genepattern/gp_guides/file-formats/sections/snp.
Zero-based index: Physical positions are identified using a zero-based index.
Display settings: To modify IGV's default display settings for the SNP data, include a track line in the file.


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San Jose Earthquakes 1, Chivas USA 0 | MLS Match Recap
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – In a matchup of sides desperate to get on track this season, the San Jose Earthquakes earned their first win of the season on Saturday at Buck Shaw Stadium in a 1-0 decision over Chivas USA thanks to a second-half goal by substitute Yannick Djalo.
San Jose (1-2-3) were off to their worst start in franchise history through five games. After winning their season opener, Chivas (1-4-3) USA are now winless in their last seven matches.
It was also the first goal for Djalo, who came on at the start of the second half to replace Atiba Harris. The Portuguese winger ran onto a lofted cross and hit it first time to the far post for the 66th-minute goal. The long corss by Shea Salinas was his fourth assist of the season, tying him for the league lead.
The first half was a bit ragged, with four yellow cards handed out in the opening 30 minutes. Chivas USA enjoyed most of the possession but struggled to create scoring opportunities.
San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch easily blocked Carlos Alvarez's shot from a tight angle, and Erick Torres later missed wide right from close range.
The closest San Jose came to looking dangerous early on was off a set piece, when Salinas curled a pass into the penalty area, forcing Chivas 'keeper Dan Kennedy to come off his line to knock it away from an onrushing Chris Wondolowski.
In the second period, after Djalo scored for San Jose, Chivas USA, looked for some offensive spark of their own, bringing on Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista for Mauro Rosales, but they were unable to find an equalizer.
The Goats' struggle was made even more difficult in the 77th minute when Kennedy was shown red for an intentional handball outside of the box as he attempted to stop an Alan Gordon breakaway.
Ten-men Chivas USA looked for a late spark with Luke Moore for Alvarez. San Jose countered by switching Cordell Cato for Salinas. Neither substitution made a crucial difference as the Earthquakes closed out the game in front of a grateful sold out crowd.
Chivas USA return to action on May 3 at StubHub Center to host Houston, while San Jose travel to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps the same day.
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
|What We Saw
|Yannick Djalo
|The young winger not only got the game-winner but changed the game after coming on at halftime
|Victor Bernardez
|San Jose's backline stalwart put in a typically solid shift
|Carlos Alvarez
|Was Chivas USA's most dangerous player creating a number of chances from center of park


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Struggling at the Plate? Get back to the basics
If you�re in a slump at the plate, get back to the basics. Grab a bag of whiffle balls and a tee and start hacking. Most likely you�ll notice the ball heading up or down off the barrel of the bat. The idea is to hit the whiffle ball square with a level swing, as soon as you do this it will look like your hitting a knuckle ball off of your bat.


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Since Naya Rivera has been out, we've never saw the Puerto Rican beauty go public with a relationship. She's admitted it's been hard to find "the one," until now. She stepped out with rapper Big Sean last night at the premiere of 42 in Los Angeles.
Do you think the two make a cute couple?
Want more from Ariel? Follow her on Twitter.


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I have been slack'n on the blog posts this week, not that I haven't cooked every day :P
I made a really yummy red kidney bean balls with spaghetti, and chili with cornbread,( the kid helped with the cornbread ) I wish I posted it all, but sometimes you are so hungry by the end of the cooking process that you just can't be bothered to take a picture, and there are no leftovers ( because it was so good :)
For dinner tonight I made miso soup, and toasted sushi rice cooked with a vegetable broth, teriyaki vegetables with baked tofu, and for dessert a warm banana loaf!
I have to admit I am not the best at cooking rice, its really a hit and miss for me, does anyone else have this problem?
I have dabbled with Mexican rice a few times and the recipe always says to dry toast it until golden, and the results are always spectacular!
I decided to toast the sushi rice and add a half a vegetable bouillon cube to the water. It turned out great. I think the best advice when cooking rice, is that it needs to sit off the heat for at least 10 minutes ( if you are cooking pot method). Then I mixed 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar with 1 tbsp of maple syrup together and poured it over when I fluffed the rice. I had no brown rice vinegar :(
For the veggies I mixed together about 4 tbsp of tamari with 2 tbsp of maple syrup, mince 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 3 tbsp of water, and 2 tsp of cane sugar. Heated the wok, added the oil, sauteed the veggies, added a little water and then poured the mixture over top. It took seconds to thicken up, I pulled it off the heat right away.
Toasted sesame seeds are essential!


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What exactly is homebrew? I have deliberately left the field wide open for this. In my many years of gaming, I have come across many different games...I daresay not a single one has had any resemblance to the next, even when running the same adventures!
THIS is what makes our game so unique. As such, I want to hear about what you do differently from the "established" canon or fluff. Tell me about your gameworld. Tell me about your unique BBEG. Tell me about your characters, classes, or even spells. Doesn't matter. I just want to hear about what you do that makes the game yours. I challenge all participants to bring your weirdest, craziest, most "only in your world" stuff they got.
To start, I want to share a story (and some fluff) about the first game I ever played in. It was an existing homebrew world called Paetheon. It was the most ludicrously high magic game I have ever seen, then or since. In fact, I will specifically tell you about the high magic part.
In Paetheon, the gods are intimately involved in many aspects of day to day life. As such, their "closeness" gives their worshipers special "power words" that can be used by ANY class that chooses to tithe 10% of their earned xp to them. Here is an example of a typical worshipper of Abyssia, goddess of murder and betrayal (think Cyric meets Takhisis minus the dragons)
Power words: NOTE - These powers are all available at first level! They gain power as you you.
- Damn - Essentially a doom spell before it existed. -1 to all rolls per level of the user.
- Wither - As the withering effect from the staff of withering - doing CON damage.
- Rot - Instantly destroys all non-sentient organic matter in a 10'/level radius. Damages sentients based on relative level/hit dice. Survivors are diseased.
- Die - renders unconscious or kills ALL creatures (friend or foe) within a 10'/level radius.
- Pact - The source of power for most evil characters. Summons an infernal being that witnesses a blood pact between the summoner and another willing participant. Excellent role-playing element!
- Raise - Raises undead in the local area, level dependent as to type and number.
- Smite - self explanatory
These are most of them, and they were shared by a couple of other gods in that part of the pantheon (Death, Disease, etc.). The oddballs were the dragon gods that allowed ascension to dragon form, and the opposed olidmarra clones (light and dark side of thievery) that had a bazillion powers related to daggers in specific. Note that these powers ALL scale with level. I remember the GM saying several times that a deathmaster of Hageth (god of death) could climb atop a mountain and whisper die - killing every living thing as far as the eye could see! Needless to say, my "red folder" has about 15 or so PC's that died quick deaths in that world.
So here we have an example of a most definitely NOT typical fantasy gameworld. Wood elves were close to 9 feet tall, and fired bows as big as they were (for x4 dmg at close range!). It was an incredible experience, and I feel richer for being involved in it. Sadly, I haven't seen or heard from those folks in over a decade, but the memories remain.
How about the rest of you? Have a completely (or not so completely) homebrew schtick that you'd like to share? bring it on....no, wait wait wait...This ain't sparta!


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Niall Horan Clarifies Simon Cowell's One Direction Breakup Commentsby Michelle McGahan | PopCrush
Directioners around the world were left stunned when Simon Cowell recently revealed that One Direction may be done after their next two albums — but now Niall Horan is speaking out about the band's future on his own terms.
Here's how it all went down: Last week, Cowell spoke to British newspaper the Daily Star about the group's future, saying ominously, "Bands don't stay together forever. I think they will make at least two more albums together and they are in the middle of one right now." (Quote via CTV News.) Cowell went on to say that he was sure that "eventually" all of the guys would embark on their own solo careers.
But not so fast, says Niall Horan.
"He was clearly misquoted or something," the blonde cutie told the Irish Sun (quote via the Irish Mirror). "We're going to go as long as we can go, as long as people want us we will be here. None of that rumors business."
And as for embarking on a solo career, Horan says the thought isn't on his mind right now — he's just living in the moment, as part of 1D.
"I don't want to think about that at the minute. I'm still here, still with the band," he revealed. "I don't need to think about it at all — I'm having a great time here, touring and having the craic [fun] with the lads — we are all still having a great time."
Still, fans have been noticing that the guys may just be burnt out, even trending the hashtag #stopoverworkingourboys on Twitter today (Aug. 26). The band's upcoming album will be their fourth in four years, and they have been touring worldwide almost non-stop for years.
Directioners, would you like to see One Direction take it easy for a while? Do you think the band will break up soon?
What Happens When a Fan Crashes One Direction's Stage? See for Yourself


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Sweetwater isn't exactly known for its burgeoning food scene but it is the Fritanga capital of South Florida. Right on its border to Westchester near FIU, you can find A&G Burger Joint with its giant Burger menu and great Craft Beer selection. A&G Burger Joint opened up in late December of 2012 and I've probably been here a good ten to twelve times since.
The buns they were using has changed so for example, the Nacho Burger may not look exactly like this. The Nacho Burger should be described as an explosion of flavors.
They recently switched over to Martin's Big Marty Rolls which I love. There are almost 20 Burger creations on the menu that range from a Juicy Lucy (stuffed with Cheese) to the 5:0 Burger (donuts as buns). You can create your own (B.Y.O.B.) from all of the toppings and ingredients. There's even Bison, Turkey & Veggie as protein options. I'm a big Patty Melt fan and if I get the inkling that there's something similar on a menu I always go for it. Their Burger Melt with Parmesan Crusted Bread is a beauty. I added some Applewood Bacon to the equation. If you can't make up your mind on what to order, I suggest you start with this one.
Choosing your side is difficult with all the options available. I've tried all of them and lean towards the Truffle Fries or Onion Rings. They recently added Chili Cheese Fries which are another great choice in particular if you're sharing, it's a large portion.
Dipping sauces play a big part in the side world here at A&G Burger Joint. The Savory Creole Mustard is my hands down favorite. It is so good I dip my napkins in it, just kidding. The Honey Mustard is a close second for me. My wife Marcela loves the Kalamata Garlic Aioli sauce.
If you come here on an empty stomach I suggest starting off with either their Garlic Buffalo Tenders (double hand battered) or the Fire Buffalo Wings. The Wings have to be some of the best in the city. There's no skimping here as they're meaty and sauced up just right. The Fire Sauce has the right amount of heat so that means you won't be sweating as if you just ran a marathon.
My love for their tenders turned me onto their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. I opted out of the veggies but added a slab of Queso Frito (Nicaraguan style Fried Cheese). Hey, we're in Sweetwater and I do as the Nicaraguans do. You really must have this if you're into the whole Spicy, Sweet and Salty thing.
You can close out your meal with a Cafecito (which I always do) and a dessert. There are two options here, Brownie Explosion or Banana Split. I've withheld the picture of the Brownie Explosion because it's something that needs to be experienced, much like A&G Burger Joint.
Saving Sweetwater:
A & G Burger Joint is CLOSED
646 SW 109TH Avenue Sweetwater, Florida 33174


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Break out your Big Carl because it's time to pound some celebratory grape!
"Cougar Town" has been renewed for a fifth season by TBS, the network announced on Monday.
Courteney Cox's comedy about a group of friends who just like to drink wine and be awesome will return in 2014 for another 13 episodes. Now that's what TBS calls "a wine-wine situation!"
"So thrilled to say we're coming back for Season 5!!!" Cox tweeted after news of the show's renewal broke.
Since moving to TBS from ABC last season, "Cougar Town" has averaged 2.8 million viewers per episode and ranks as the network's top original primetime series ever with adults 18-49 and total viewers.
"'Cougar Town' has been everything we hoped it would be: a smart, big-hearted, laugh-out-loud comedy that shines a bright light on the TBS brand," Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies, said in a statement. "This season, the brilliant cast and immensely creative production team on 'Cougar Town' have crafted their best episodes yet, and we couldn't be happier inviting them back for more."
"Cougar Town" airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. on TBS.


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As if making a statement about Google's recent Waze social-mapping integration, Apple has acquired public transit navigation app maker Embark.
While it's unknown what Apple paid for the Silicon Valley startup, the cash is also seen as an "acqu-hire" of Embark's seven-person team, according to reporter Jessica Lessin. Embark joins Apple's other location-based apps, Locationary and Hopstop, that it bought last month.
Apple plans to integrate Embark's technology into Apple Maps as a way to enhance its product. Embark provides free mobile apps for navigating transit systems in major cities such as New York City, San Francisco and London. Apple confirmed the deal to Lessin but refused to comment on plans for the app or its staff.
Apple has been under pressure to improve its Apple Maps app since its failed launch last year and subsequent apology by Apple chief Tim Cook. Failure is likely not an option the second time around.
It appears as if Apple and Google are putting serious money into acquiring information for their map apps and battling each other, but who will win the war? So far, Google Maps has the edge, but Apple is attempting to garner more market share.


text:
Signs of an eye infection may include:
Your eyes may often water or tear. You may notice a small amount of
white or creamy drainage at times. If you have no pain or other symptoms, home
treatment is usually all that is needed. More serious infections affect the
entire eye area (periorbital cellulitis) or the lacrimal sacs (dacryocystitis). Any signs of infection along with a
change in your vision or other symptoms need to be evaluated by a doctor.
Infection can develop in the eye from irritation, such as getting a
small amount of a chemical in the eye. Infection can also occur after a minor
eye injury or a small scratch on the cornea. If untreated, some types of eye
infections can damage the eye very quickly.
Infections can be more severe in people who wear contact lenses. If
you think you may have an eye infection, remove your contacts and wear your
Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (shingles) affects the nerves of the eye and can
cause symptoms, such as swelling, pain, and drainage, similar to an eye
If the eye has been injured—scratched, cut, punctured, or burned—a
tetanus shot is recommended.
Last Revised:
January 25, 2013
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
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text:
Premier League: David Moyes slams Howard Webb's 'scandalous' decision
David Moyes slammed referee Howard Webb's decision not to award Manchester United a penalty at Old Trafford.
Last Updated: 02/01/14 12:57pm
United lost the game 2-1 and they were chasing an equaliser when Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris came racing out to meet Young, who was charging into the area.
Young got to the ball first, sending an effort towards goal, but was then sent tumbling to the turf by the on-rushing Frenchman.
The winger was knocked off his feet after clear contact as he attempted to avoid Lloris, yet Webb remained unimpressed, rejecting United's penalty claims - much to Moyes' disgust.
"It was scandalous, a scandal," said the United boss. "If you follow through on a player anywhere else on the pitch with your foot high, it would be a sending-off and a red card. You couldn't do that anywhere else.
"The goalkeeper comes out, Ashley Young gets the ball before him and he follows through.
"It's an incredible decision which didn't go our way, in fact probably the one of the worst I think I saw."
Moyes' mood was not improved by Adnan Januzaj's booking, seemingly for diving, for the third time this season. In mitigation, the challenge from Danny Rose which preceded the fall was a firm one.
"Have you seen that decision? That is a terrible decision," said Moyes. "Adnan has got bumped. The boy has tried to edge him off the ball.
"All I can tell you is that (Lloris' challenge on Young) is a stonewall penalty kick. If that isn't given a penalty kick, I don't think we will get any more in the league this season.
"It is reckless, it is late, it is in the penalty box. I don't know what else you can say.
"You'd hope the people who put the referees out there would have a look at it and see if they think the referees are doing as well as they can be."
The defeat was United's fourth at home in the Premier League this season, which leaves them 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.
"I am not frustrated," said Moyes. "I thought we played really well. Today was a defeat of course, but we deserved to win, or at worst draw."
The return of Wayne Rooney to the starting line-up was one piece of good news for Moyes, but he admits the striker may have to be used sparingly in the coming weeks because of his groin issues.
"If I could (rest him), I would," said Moyes. "But the games are coming thick and fast.
"He has missed a couple with his groin and may well miss some more in the games coming up."
Moyes said it was too soon to know if Robin van Persie, who has missed the last six games with a thigh injury, will be fit to return for Sunday's FA Cup tie against Swansea
"I'm not sure yet," noted Moyes.
Moyes insists though that the latest setback will not affect his January transfer window plans.
"The result today would never have any effect on what we do, whether in January or the summer," he said.
"It wasn't our day but it won't change the way we go about our business."


text: Buhler Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram is a premier dealership in Hazlet, New Jersey, carrying new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram vehicles. Our knowledgeable and experienced sales team can help you find the new car you've been searching for. Browse our new vehicle showroom to learn more about the available Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram models, or use our CarFinder tool to match your needs to existing models.


text:
Today was the second time the Herald rejected an online comment of mine. The common factor seems to be that both comments criticised the way the Herald was using headlines.
Today's article by Kate Devlin was the case in point.
Here is the comment I posted, so far unpublished.
Your headline Cameron: no change to Barnett and the first line of the report DAVID CAMERON has ruled out making changes to the controversial Barnett formula are partial and misleading. The truth lies in the line "The Coalition announced that there were no plans to review the formula before the next general election"
The YES Campaign assertion (and mine) is that whatever government is in power after a No vote in the 2014 referendum will cut the Barnett formula. The pressures to do this from English voters and organisations, including local authorities - not to mention senior politicians - will be irresistible.
But with the referendum vote in September 2014, it is clearly impossible for the Coalition to do this before a general election in 2015. Labour is unlikely to include this in their manifesto, relying still on the Scottish Labour vote, but the Tories have little to lose by offering this vote winner to their English supporters, since the party is dead in Scotland.
A No vote in 2014 will not lead to more devolution - it will inevitably lead to, at best, devo zero, and at worse, a clawback, devo minus.


text:
We're joined this week by the entire cast of the Low Times podcast for their music recommendations. Daniel Ralston goes with Rock Bottom by King Krule, Maggie Serota suggests Your Side by Fear of Men, and Tom Scharpling recommends The Diaz Brothers by The Mountain Goats.
(Embed or share this segment with the Low Times)
Liam Lynch is a writer, director and musician who's made a career out of a certain kind of alternative musical and skit comedy -- the kind that is "funny the way your friends are funny with each other." That sensibility lent itself well to Lynch's directorial work in Sarah Silverman's Jesus is Magic and Tenacious D's The Pick of Destiny.
His sock puppet duo, Sifl & Olly, found a niche on late-night television on MTV. Joined by the occasional sidekick or home shopping network representative, Sifl and Olly ribbed each other, took calls from the public, and broke out into songs like Lynch's strange and catchy "United States of Whatever."
He's now revived the puppets, more than ten years after the last Sifl & Olly Show broadcast, to conduct fake video game reviews for the YouTube channel Machinima.
(Click here to listen and share more of our conversation with Liam Lynch that didn't make the radio cut!)
The Kasper Hauser news team is back with another update. If you're tired of telling fact from fiction in your news, we'll make it simple for you: this news is completely fake.
The members of Kasper Hauser are based in San Francisco and are the authors of Obama's Blackberry, Weddings of the Times, and the forthcoming Earn Your MBA On the Toilet.
(Embed or share The News with Kasper Hauser)
Geoff Nunberg is a professor at UC Berkeley, the resident linguist of Fresh Air, and the author of Ascent of the A-Word: Assholism, the First Sixty Years. He talks to us about his studies into the word "asshole," which began life as a bit of slang used by WWII servicemen and has come to envelop the concept of modern incivility.
(More of our conversation with Geoff Nunberg that didn't make the radio edit! Click to listen and share.)
Jesse shares his enjoyment of the analytical comedy of Bill Burr.
(Embed or share The Outshot: Bill Burr)
Who's your favorite standup? Jump over to the MaxFun forum and pick your own Outshot.


text:
MyDegrees is a web-based degree checklist program and academic advising tool designed to assist students and advisors in reviewing degree progress. It organizes a student's academic transcript chronologically and categorically, identifying courses they have completed and courses still needed to fulfill the degree requirements.
Major features of the system include:
- Degree Checklist—See a visual presentation of degree progress.
- 'What if' Scenarios—Determine how courses already taken apply to other majors.
- Student Educational Plans—Plan which courses to take and when to support degree progress
- Checklist Notes—Record important reminders and advice related to degree progress.
- GPA Calculator—Calculate GPA by term and overall.
- Data Collection to support course forecasting and course demand.
Access to MyDegrees: Log into MyOSU, click on Student tab, under My Student Stuff click "MyDegrees", then click the Submit MyDegrees box.
View the MyDegrees video tutorials


text:
I was browsing through the litterature, hoping to find sufficient and necessary conditions for a smooth manifold to have finite-dimensional de Rham cohomology, but I can't find any satisfactory answer. I wonder if anyone has ever encountered a paper, or a book, answering (possibly in part) the question. I am especially interested in real-coefficient cohomology, but I would appreciate answers related to cohomology with coefficients in any abelian group.
Obviously, I don't expect "compact manifold" as an answer; although this is a sufficient condition, it is far from answering the question.


text: Excellence starts with you. Join the team that embraces the same incredible work ethic you do. More than 375 people from California to Colorado to New York make up the USOC team. People in marketing and sports administration. Nutrition and sport science. These people are here because they want careers. They want to pursue excellence. And they want a little fun.


text:
Man injured in Friday night rollover crash
September 18, 2013
A man was injured when his truck rolled over late Friday.
Richard Riley, 25, crashed his vehicle in the 3500 block of 10th Street, near Safeway, around midnight Friday. The Greeley Fire Department had to extricate him from his vehicle, Greeley police Lt. Adam Turk said.
Riley suffered numerous broken bones. He is being treated at North Colorado Medical Center, Turk said.
Police do not believe alcohol was a factor. Riley was cited for careless driving, Turk said.


text:
UPDATE 4: February 26th Q&A with Scott Neitlich
Also, video measurement of Castle Grayskull prototype
UPDATE 3: February 5, 2013 Mattycollector: Teaser Close-Up Of Castle Grayskull!
UPDATE 2: October 26th Q&A with Scott Neitlich!
UPDATE: Price to be $250.
-----------------------------------Originally Posted by Toyguru
Castle Grayskull Pre-Order Commercial:
So, through the MOTU franchise of action figures, we've gotten two different Castle Grayskulls. While neither resembled their cartoon counterpart that much, both were worthy to serve as the base of operations for our Masters of the Universe.
Now I know that a MOTUC Castle Grayskull is far off, but i got to thinking about what I would want/expect it to be.
First, I expect that Mattel would be very hesitant to make a 3 or 4 wall Castle. And since 2 walls has never really done a good job of creating the illusion of a complete castle, I thought why not simply produce the front facade of the castle, perhaps with full towers? Although I would prefer a 4 wall castle, that dream doesn't seem realistic, and the 1 wall castle would at least have the advantage of taking up less display space.
So my first question is: would you be ok with a CG that was just the front wall and half or full towers?
My second and third question are basically around size and scale. What size would would you be content with for the MOTUC CG? Personally, I think a MOTUC CG should be at least as large as the 200X one (though larger would be better), since that castle set the bar for size.
Lastly, what size do you THINK the castle would have to be to really be in scale with the line? I know CG has been depicted as different sizes in a lot of mediums, but I'm gonna guess that it would have to be at least 5 ft X 5 ft X 5 ft.
Here are some pics to get your thoughts going:
3 differet store displays. I love the rocky base of the second one. The third one, while not the prettiest sculpt, is awesomely HUGE!
A picture of my FAVORITE MOTU custom (Joe Amaro's CG)


text:
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New Zealand Greenroom Productions Limited is an award winning TV film maker, specializing in extreme sports. Since its beginnings in 1997, the Company has grown to become an acknowledged leader in the surf and snow sports arenas around the world. The busi
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text:
The earliest known reference to the El Diablo cocktail is found in Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink published in 1946. In that book it is referred to as the "Mexican" El Diablo. Some more interesting history on the El Diablo Cocktail can be found at the Alcademics blog.
This cocktail combines the classic combination of tequila and lime, sweetens it with creme de cassis, and toughens it up with a spicy backbone of ginger beer.
Creme de Cassis is a sweet-tart liqueur flavored with blackcurrants. The better and more expensive versions are made by macerating the blackcurrants in alcohol, which extracts all of the nuanced flavors of the fruit. Other less expensive versions are made by adding flavoring and sugar to a neutral grain spirit.
El Diablo
1.5 oz 100% Reposado Tequila (Pueblo Viejo)
.75 oz Creme de Cassis (Mathilde)
.5 oz lime juice
Ginger Beer (Fever Tree)
Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice and strain into an ice filled highball glass. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with lime wheel and straw. Give a quick stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
The original calls for blanco tequila, but I like the added dimension that reposado brings to the table. The spicy agave notes pair well with the kick of the ginger beer. The creme de cassis adds a sweet fruity note that helps to bind all of the flavors together. If you enjoy margaritas, give this drink a try and let me know what you think.


text:
Husband/wife duo Gorjana Reidel and Jason Griffin Reidel are the creative minds behind Gorjana, a well-loved Californian label known for its whimsical, feminine and featherlight jewellery. Since its inception in 2004 the brand has become a favourite of cool girls around the world, showcasing a bohemian-chic aesthetic across stackable rings, simple chain necklaces and cute, crystal-scattered bangles. Gorjana rings are perfect for stacking, mixing and matching, or wearing alone for a delicate accent. You'll find boho peace signs, glittering crystals and quirky hand-harnesses, ideal teamed with a sundress for a summery look.
Showing 42 of 337


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My countdown to my debut novel's release and a chronicle of my attempt to not go stir crazy while waiting. (I post here on Mondays and Fridays. See you then!)
Monday, March 21, 2011
Greetings. I'm from the Future.
45 comments:
Can I have some of your nice weather? It's snowing like a beast this morning. I'm not even sure I'm going to take my 4-yr-old to school in this.
Anyway, I like to plan my manuscripts from start to finish before I start writing, but I get a lot of surprises along the way. My characters are constantly changing things on me--even if only for a little while. I love when they do that. I feel like the story is really theirs then, and it keeps me on my toes.
- March 21, 2011 at 8:16 PM
- Kara said...
Pocket God? Hmm... I think it would be more of procrastinating device than any help for me - once I get started at games like that, I have a hard time stopping!
- March 21, 2011 at 8:20 PM
- Connie said...
We're having lovely weather here in Chattanooga too. Perfect spring days.
As for the middle, I try to make things as difficult and complicated as possible. The fun part is rescuing the characters.
- March 21, 2011 at 8:23 PM
- C.M. Villani said...
hahaha. I have to say sometimes I really feel guilty for what I do to my characters. And I think thank God these aren't real people. :) Sometimes authors are just eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil. Mwahahahahahaha! (Oops, sorry. Let my maniacal alter-ego get the better of me for a moment.) Carry on!
- March 21, 2011 at 8:23 PM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Kelly - Yikes! Sorry about the snow. Stay safe. And yes, I love it when characters spring surprises!
Kara - Haha! Yes. So true. Huge time-gobblers!
Connie - We don't have Spring over here. Sigh. I miss it! And I'm so with you about "rescuing" characters!
Christina - LOL! I know, right?? And it feels soooooo good ;-)
- March 21, 2011 at 8:29 PM
- Diane said...
First day of Spring here and it's snowing! I want the sun to come back. Can I take a ride with you in the time machine and find some??? :O)
- March 21, 2011 at 9:40 PM
- Serendipity's Library said...
Funny! Pocket God greatest app ever! For those days when you can't crush the person you really want to. We had some nice weather here in Pennsylvania over the weekend and then this morning I woke to hail beating against my window and ice on my car....boo!
- March 21, 2011 at 10:11 PM
- Meredith said...
Haha, Pocket God = best thing ever. It's hard throwing your characters into the worst situations, but sometimes that's where I find inspiration.
- March 21, 2011 at 10:12 PM
- MuMuGB said...
The weather is crazy in London and I would have some of yours please...If you see things in advance let me know if you see me writing a book!
Good luck with the second novel...What is it going to be about?
- March 21, 2011 at 11:23 PM
- Deborah Lawrenson said...
I'm with you pretty much all the way on this, Sam. I rather like the idea of pushing out into the story alongside my characters and seeing where we all get to.
I've written a full synopsis for my next novel. It feels strange. Very strange indeed.
- March 21, 2011 at 11:39 PM
- stacey said...
Awesome idea! Though at our house we're kind of stuck on the 'angry birds' app. Yes, I've emiled you about going 50-50 on the lotto. :-)
- March 22, 2011 at 1:42 AM
- Cathy K said...
As a beginner writer, I haven't yet got the hang of my characters manipulating *me*! Two months ago I wrote 2 characters into a cave near the waterfalls of Setti Fatma in Morocco and just this weekend I managed to finally get them out! Not my intention so I'm sure they were playing tricks on me. An experienced writer would never have let this happen, or so I've heard...
- March 22, 2011 at 2:32 AM
- Jennifer Hillier said...
Too many of my stories have sagged in the dreaded middle! For me, it's definitely the hardest part to write.
- March 22, 2011 at 2:53 AM
- Donea Lee said...
I've always wanted to cook an egg on the pavement, but NOT a fan of funny after-tastes. So, hood of a car is better? :)
I love the idea of the Pocket God. Too funny. But, it's definitely something you need to think about when finding a way to get your character from here to there. I'm good with my beginnings and endings, but struggle with the middle sometimes. Personally, however - if I'm going to torture a little, I prefer to give them happy endings. Fun post, thanks!
- March 22, 2011 at 2:56 AM
- Andrew Leon said...
So far, I haven't really run into any "middle" problems. Some of that, I think, is solved by really knowing whom your characters are. I mean, if you know them well enough to know what they would do, you don't really have to figure it out. I think the bigger trap there is introducing plot devices to move things along when you get stuck.
What time zone are you in? Because I'm curious.
- March 22, 2011 at 3:32 AM
- EQ said...
Even Ringgo Star had a unique problem...he couldn't end his song "Photograph."He went on and on. Had to ask the help of George.lol
- March 22, 2011 at 6:04 AM
- Elaine Cristina said...
Funny. Most of your readers seem to be writers.
Does that make you guys the piglets while I'm the big bad wolf?
- March 22, 2011 at 6:21 AM
- Valerie said...
"I heighten conflict, steal their hearts' desire, and raise the stakes. Then I make it rain and break their umbrella."
Love that description of the writer's job, Sam.
(Valerie Bonham from SheWrites, but the Wordpress ID is for another blog)
- March 22, 2011 at 8:09 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Diane - Boo on snow! *sends the time machine your way* :D
Serendipity - The guys who invented Pocket God must have really twisted minds. My kind of people ;-) (And hail at this time of year?? Yikes!)
Meredith - So true! It's a good thing our characters don't hold grudges (I hope!) :D
MuMuGB - *whips out crystal ball and peers through the mist* Yes! A book is definitely in your NEAR future! :D My second novel is set in Amsterdam (I used to live in Holland) and involves a ghost but with a twist :D
Deborah - Oh, wow! I cannot make a synopsis to save my life, but I certainly envy the people who can! That's AWESOME. :D
Stacey - LOL! My kids are the resident Angry Birds experts here. I'm terrible at it. I'm much better at flinging people into volcanoes. ;-) (p.s. I've emailed you back the lottery numbers. You can send me a check)
Cathy - "Beginner writer???" Um, sorry, but I really need to do this - *shakes your shoulders until you come to you senses* There. Much better. And Setti Fatma?? WOAH. How cool is that?? :D
Jennifer - I hear you, sister. (But I'm sure all your awesome research will make your middle just as amazing as the rest of your book!)
Donea - Yup, the hood of the car is the way to go! :D (and yes, I'm a sucker for happy endings too. But I'm not making any promises for Before Ever After ;-) )
Andrew - Lucky you! :D (Oh, and I'm currently based in Manila so that's GMT + 8 hrs)
EQ - Haha! I can relate :D
Elaine - LOL! YESSSSS! It's a good thing I "met" you AFTER you read and reviewed the book. (Otherwise, I'd be hiding inside my brick house and bolting the door. Haha!) :D
Valerie - Hi! Thanks! We writers are a twisted bunch ;-) Great to see you here! :D
- March 22, 2011 at 8:42 AM
- Laura said...
This was a great post! Pocket God--I love it! The same thing is true for me--I have to be kept guessing and deliberating in the middle of my stories. Otherwise, I feel like it comes off pretty cliche.
- March 22, 2011 at 8:54 AM
- Linda G. said...
Pocket God? Oh, I love that!
I guess all writers like to play God to a certain extent, huh?
- March 22, 2011 at 9:13 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Laura - Thanks! Wrestling with middles is definitely a challenge, but when you do manage to, victory sure does taste SWEET. :D
Linda - I think they made that game with mean writers in mind ;-) They should have called it Pocket AUTHOR. LOL :D
- March 22, 2011 at 9:38 AM
- Lydia K said...
I definitely have to know how my novel ends. I'm a planner, for sure. As for my middle--well. I try to keep it trim but it always sags!
Nice to meet you Samantha, and congrats on your upcoming book!
- March 22, 2011 at 10:32 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Thanks, Lydia! So great to meet you too! Looking forward to sharing and exchanging more thoughts with you :D
- March 22, 2011 at 10:41 AM
- WhisperingWriter said...
I agree, the middle is tough. I'm finishing up my second novel and it's the middle that's giving me issues. I'm done with it all, but I keep going back and saying, "The middle needs something more...but what IS it?!"
- March 22, 2011 at 12:12 PM
- Kate Evangelista said...
I'm totally there with you. I usually get the beginning and the end from my characters. As to the middle, I'm totally in the blind and have to go chapter by chapter or section by section. The characters do the talking, I just do the typing.
Oh! And they're opening a Payless in Paseo! Awhahahahaha. I'm a happy shoe-aholic.
- March 22, 2011 at 12:42 PM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Whispering Writer - I'm literally on the same page as you - RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE of my second book. If it were a jelly donut, I could at least eat my way out of it... ;-)
Kate - Hey, but at least Reaper is writing itself! I.Hate.You. ;-D (Isn't there Payless in Festival Mall? I haven't been there though. Time to update wedges for the summer!)
- March 22, 2011 at 1:00 PM
You're a certified looney, Sam....has anyone ever told you that? Hehehehe :D
Anyway, call me crazy but I don't like summer. Perhaps because I live here where it's sunny 80-90% of the time! I hate it when I perspire, other than when I (if ever) exercise.
I love it when it's "partially cloudy, with scattered rainshowers". :D
- March 22, 2011 at 4:08 PM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
LOL, Mia! Yes, I've been told that MANY, MANY times ;D I like the weather we are having right now, but like you, I can't stand it when the sun broils. What I like best about summer though, is that I don't have to wake up at 5AM to make sure everyone gets ready in time for school. Haha!
- March 22, 2011 at 5:25 PM
- M Kathy Brown said...
Sam ~
Crazy term - Pocket God - but the concept makes sense (although I would probably call the one you described, Pocket Devil)...AND, you can't really pull that off without knowing where you're going, i.e. the ending. BUT...
...the first thing I ever noticed about your writing...just in your blog...is your way of starting a sentence, and midway, it goes a different direction than the reader may have expected. You are *very* good at staying away from the predictable - hence: surprise!
In that one aspect, I would "expect" your book to do absolutely nothing less :~)
- March 22, 2011 at 10:04 PM
- KLZ said...
I can't stop laughing about dead pet turtles although I'm worried about what that says about me.
- March 22, 2011 at 11:53 PM
- ~Wendie said...
Hey Sam - just wanted to drop a line and say thanks for the kind words on my site. Also, thanks for a NEW distraction (because this blogging isn't enought) of pocket god!
- March 23, 2011 at 12:44 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Kathy - Haha! You're right - Pocket "Devil" does make sense! :D (And I hope my book does not disappoint in the twist and turns department. Pressure! ;-))
KLZ -LOL! Don't worry - there's no judgement here ;-)
Wendie - Apps + Blogging + Facebook/Twitter = Bermuda Triangle of Time ;-) (p.s. I hope Big Little is feeling better today)
- March 23, 2011 at 9:18 AM
- Leah said...
Uh oh....now that I know you're a kindred spirit to Angry Birds, I can feel the fingers slowly nudging the cursor towards the iTunes icon....I might be in trouble.
- March 23, 2011 at 10:52 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
LOL, Leah! Resistance is futile... ;-)
- March 23, 2011 at 1:31 PM
- Andrew Leon said...
Um... what happened to your egg burrito post?
- March 24, 2011 at 6:34 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
LOL, Andrew! I was hoping no one would notice that one. Wrong post, wrong blog. :D
- March 24, 2011 at 4:09 PM
- Andrew Leon said...
Wel, darn! Because, now, I really want to read it! :p
- March 25, 2011 at 3:58 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Andrew - Haha! I hope the Field Trip post made up for it :D
- March 25, 2011 at 9:38 AM
And just what were those lottery numbers again ?
- March 26, 2011 at 8:18 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
WynnieBee - It's in the mail ;-) Don't forget to chill the bubbly :D
- March 26, 2011 at 9:14 AM
- (Florida) Girl said...
I laughed out loud at the turtle line. I am happy to read this because as I put my characters through the paces, I find myself wondering, am I being too heavy handed?
- March 30, 2011 at 1:49 AM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
Cruelty is a job requirement for writers ;-)
- March 30, 2011 at 10:37 AM
- Carmen Esposito said...
I need to find Pocket God! I don't have the ability to put an Ap on my phone but I'll Google it and see if there is a desktop version. So I can kill, I mean, see what you were referring to in your post.
As for writing, I'm not a plotter at all. I'm more of a pantser - when it hits me it hits me and if I don't do anything about it, it's gone! So sad - though I'm still trying to flesh out that outline. Gotta keep it moving! Hopefully I'll finish my novel this year. :)
- April 3, 2011 at 12:11 PM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
I can't outline to save my life. High five, sister! :D Good luck with your novel. Keep us posted on your progress. You can do it!!!
- April 3, 2011 at 6:40 PM


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This one-hour session is intended for Penn State staff who support IT Services. The two primary topics are the Major Incident Process and the IT Alerts Process. Recent improvements to these processes have resulted in more streamlined steps and clear lines of responsibility and communication. You will walk away with visual reference materials describing those processes, including answers to questions such as:
This Training on Demand can be delivered in-person as a 1 hour demonstration session.