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Posted Tuesday, May 9th, 2017
A Magical Day for Families — Bring the Kids (important: Pre-registration Required. $30 fee)
On Sunday, June 25, at 1 p.m., the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township hosts its annual Fairy Day for fairy believers to design and build their own fairy houses to welcome these wee folks into the garden. After all, these tiny spirits need shelter during their stay!
Upon arrival, you are escorted by a winged helper to a reserved site along the garden paths where you can craft a unique and personalized mini-fairy home. While you are expressing your creativity building a unique fairy-home, take a break and enjoy a free lemonade and a tasty snack, or make a fairy-themed craft to take home.
You can also decorate your own tiny fairy boat to float on the water, play games on the lawn, and hunt for hidden fairy doors in the gardens to win a prize. Join in the fun as traditional maypole dancers lead you through this age-old ritual.
All building supplies, including bark, branches, lichens, mosses, feathers, stones, and leaves are provided. If you prefer, bring your own building supplies, as long as they are all natural. Fairies shun manmade materials.
At 3 p.m., when all the houses are completed, join in a colorful, musical procession around the gardens to marvel at the finished projects. Wear your own fairy finery, if you like!
Fairy Day is a day for fairies, magic, and wishes to come true. On this magical day, the young and young-at-heart embrace the possibilities of the unknown, and believe in fairies. For centuries, fairies have been an important part of culture and legend, and in all of the ancient legends, these mythological creatures are described as intelligent, mischievous, and magical.
Mortals don't often see fairies because of the division between our world and their world, but it is believed that by creating special fairies houses, we can draw them into our world. But we'll bet your kids will see them!!
If you would like to see the finished creations, but are unable to attend Fairy Day, don't worry! All the houses will be on display for the month of July for you to enjoy. Visit the Haggerty Education Center for a map of the sites.
A limited number of fairy house sites are available for Fairy Day, and there is a fee of $30 per fairy house, which includes all materials, activities, and refreshments. Preregistration is required. To see photos of previous fairy houses or to get ideas for your own house, or for more information or register, visit www.arboretumfriends.org.


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Vets Help Wounded Warriors, Families Relax
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 12, 2008 - Two former Marines have set out to provide wounded veterans with a week's worth of rest and relaxation in luxury homes.
"Our mission is to pair up recently wounded veterans who are the recipients of the Purple Heart Medal with vacation homeowners who are eager to donate a week of free lodging in their vacation homes," said Peggy Carr, who founded the Vacations for Veterans with her husband, Christopher.
The Washington-based organization's focus is to get veterans wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan and their families on a "much-needed and much-deserved respite," she said. "A vacation serves as a time for these veterans to rejuvenate and to reconnect with families after spending time in hospitals and [rehabilitation] facilities," Carr added.
The idea for Vacations for Veterans originated when Peggy began debating which charity she would support with a portion of the proceeds from her business, "Exclusive Exchanges." The company helps to connect homeowners who would like to swap homes while they vacation, and she noticed that some of her luxury vacation homes were vacant for several weeks each year.
The enthusiastic response she received after explaining the idea to some of the home's owners sealed the deal, and Vacations for Veterans was born.
"What we have found to be pretty unique about our organization is that we set it up to help the wounded veterans, of course," Carr said. "We have found, though, that we have helped some of our home donors as well. Many have contacted us to thank us for allowing them to give back in some small way to our troops who have sacrificed so much."
Homeowners who would like to participate can sign up through the Vacations for Veterans Web site, which also is where eligible veterans can express interest. Veterans must provide a copy of their Purple Heart documentation to establish eligibility.
Vacations for Veterans is a new supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Carr said she hopes the affiliation will help with exposure and networking, among other things.
"We especially need help with fundraising, as we have found that most of the veterans do not have the money to pay for travel costs to get to a lot of our vacations homes that are available to them," she said.
*Related Sites:*
Vacations for Veterans [ http://www.vacationsforveterans.org ]
Vets Help Wounded Warriors, Families Relax [ http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49845 ]

subset: commoncrawl


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Exciting Diwali offers for travelers!!! Jet Airways are providing special fare on Air tickets starting from Rs 921. People who have a dream to travel in the flight can fulfill it now. Many people will avoid flight journey due to high cost, by considering this issue, organization is providing air tickets at very low rate.
Their main concept is every person should experience the happiness of flight journey. So they introduced this offers for a common man.
We are all familiar about Jet Airways organization. It is one of the airlines in the India, and it has recorded as the second largest airlines in country. Its headquarters are located at Andheri, Mumbai. Its parent company is Tailwinds Private Limited.
Maharajah Air India Diwali Offers: Buy One Get One Free Offer
Now they are announcing special fares on the ticket which are starting from Rs 921. This offer is applicable from October 25th to October 30th, 2016. In this mean time, people can book their tickets. Journey dates will commence from November 9th, 2016. For travelling on that dates, people have to book the tickets between 25th and 30th 2016.
So, travelling lovers book your tickets now. Diwali is the last date for registration but travelling date will commence from November 9th 2016. Travelling lovers hurry up and pack your bags to reach your favorite destination. This offer is only applicable for limited flights and destinations. Ticket registration will book on the basis of first in first out.
Vistara Launches Ticket Discount for Business, Economy Travelers
Jet Airways Chief Commercial Officer JayaRaj Shanmugam said "We are providing these special fares as Diwali gift to the people. So everyone must use this opportunity."
All terms and conditions are applicable on this ticket. So read all conditions before purchasing.
Terms and conditions:
- This offer is only applicable on one-way journey in economy class flights on selected flights
- It is applicable on direct flights but not on connected flights
- Tickets must be purchased between October 25th and 30th 2016
- Travelling will commence from November 9th, 2016
- The money paid for this ticket is non-refundable
- Tickets should be booked 15 days before travelling
- This offer is applicable on selecting booking class W
Check available flights for this offer on official Jetairways website.


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Dry Skin and Hair? Ask Your Plumber About a Water Softener!
Monday, August, 29th, 2016 at 2:05 pm by larrysons-seequs
Categories: Plumbing Tags: dry hair, dry skin, hard water, soft water, water softener
Dry skin and hair? Believe it or not, a call to your plumber could be the solution! Hard water wreaks havoc on your skin, hair and even your home's plumbing fixtures and appliances, but with a water softener, all these problems are a thing of the past. How Hard Water Causes Dry Skin and Hair Hard water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that interact with the chemicals in bath products, preventing them from dissolving [Read More...]


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View of DevOps Inside Microsoft
In Edge Show 145 on Ch9 Live at Ignite 2015 we get a practical view of DevOps people, process, and products from real world experiences inside of Microsoft with Brian Harry, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Developer Division and Donovan Brown, Senior Program Manager at Microsoft. More specifically we cover:
- [01:25] Tell me some success stories of how Dev and Ops working together has produced great business results?
- [04:30] Is it really possible to have more change and more stability?
- [07:47] How have you seen the TFS / VSO product team culture change when going through a DevOps transformation?
- [13:25] How does technical debt impact teams?
- [16:33] What are some of the higher value add things the Ops team did in the DevOps world?
- [17:55] What are some practical tips you can do to reduce your technical debt?
- [20:54] What are some ways to measure DevOps?
- [23:17] What are some Microsoft tools and products you can use to track these metrics?
- [25:35] How has shared metrics changed the way in which teams function?
- [27:34] The 5 Whys
- [28:36] What is coming from Microsoft in the future related to DevOps products and tools?
Check out the Microsoft DevOps news highlights from the past ~month at: https://aka.ms/DevOpsNews
Connect with the Edge Team:
Follow @tnedge
Follow @MattMcSpirit
Follow @dtzar
Follow @Simonster
Follow @RicksterCDN
More episodes in this series
Edge Show 146: Meet the guys behind the Enterprise Mobility Suite Book
Related episodes
Rio2016 Olympics Games Website - DevOps Overview
Windows Containers FAQ
Chef Provisioning to Azure Demo
Docker Machine to Azure Demo
App Insights Performance Monitoring
Release Management Service
Edge Show 127 - Breaking down barriers between Dev and Ops
Edge Show 118 - Gene Kim DevOps Interview
Edge Show 116 - Docker on Azure
Edge Show 113 - New Azure Portal DevOps UX
The Discussion
Interesting chat. Consider providing more detailed transcript for these talks that includes responses and ideas from guests, e.g. https://blogs.msdn.com/b/aaronse/archive/2015/05/18/channel9-edge-chat-quot-view-of-devops-inside-microsoft-quot.aspx
Interesting chat thanks Dave and others. Agree with aar0nse the link with summary/takeaways is really helpful for the tldr people.
@aar0nse - thanks for creating a "key takeaway" transcript! @Gloery - We will definitely consider this for future interviews. The reality is there is a TON of takeaways in the interview and really depending on your perspective you might get something different. At a certain point, you'd be providing an entire transcript...
Glad you both found the chat useful/interesting. :)


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When it comes to parenting, there's always a new buzzword on the block – if it's not Tiger Moms or Upper East Side Moms, there's always Helicopter Parenting or even Drone Parenting these days.
With such an intense barrage of messages urging parents to be shining beacons of perfection who can "do it all," it's easy to feel overwhelmed and be pressured into being a hamster in the proverbial parenting wheel.
However, even as I balance my work and family, the one thing I don't have time for as a working mom is guilt.
I love my children and I love my job and I know I can do both, just not both all the time.
My kids are still young and as with most things in parenting, once life seems slightly under control, you can guarantee it is time for things to change. So when an important meeting is scheduled for an early morning or the kids need a chaperone for the field trip, I try to remember "It's not everyday, its just one day – today," and might as well make it a good one.
With only 24 hours in the day, to maximize my time as a working mom, I focus on:
- Quality Time: There have been reams of studies that show that it's not the quantity of time you spend with your kids, but rather the quality of it. In fact, a recent report published in The Washington Post highlighted a large-scale longitudinal study of the time parents spent with their kids. The study found that the "the sheer amount of time parents spend with their kids between the ages of 3 and 11 has virtually no relationship to how children turn out, and a minimal effect on adolescents…" So, while I don't rush to attend every single field trip or bake up a storm for the bake sale, I do make it a point to read a book to my sons' class when I can or help with a special snack – little things that add to special time with my kids. I know my sons appreciate me making the effort and are able to enjoy those moments with me because they see the whole effort is not making me bananas with stress, guilt or anxiety.
- Alone Time: One of the first casualties for working parents is alone time for yourself – that could mean waking up early to read the paper in silence or scheduling that class that you have ALWAYS wanted to take. You need to make time to do something you want to do and not just things you need to do. Take some time out – even if it's just fifteen minutes a day- that is not focused on your kids' needs or job demands. This simple act of alone time is restorative and helps maintain perspective and clarity in life.
- Surprise Time: Leave work early and go out to dinner, grab a forbidden donut in the morning if everyone can get out of the house on time, take a walk around the block at work or 5 minutes to checkout the roof deck. The kids will love the change in routine and the special time with mom and dad, and the break at work will help you refocus and engage.
- Being Present: And finally, be present. Between demanding jobs, long commutes and the everyday stresses of life, it's easy to get behind and overwhelmed. When you are at work make the most of it, when you are with your family, do the same. There is no point in trying to be in two places at once, both suffer and so do you!
So, do it all, just not all the time.
How do you maximize your day as a working mom/dad? Share your tips for the other readers here.


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At Corporate Furniture and Interiors, we pride ourselves on the quality of our craftsmanship and our professional service. We manufacture unique and original furniture at our own premises using our own fully skilled craftsmen and the best quality materials for both corporate and private clients.
Creating an interior space is a matter of personal taste and preference. Corporate Furniture is able to offer advice on turning your ideas into reality by providing advice, or if necessary consulting with specialist designers to ensure the end result is exactly what you require.
Throughout this site you will find a small sample of the projects that our clients have commissioned us to produce over the last few years. Please contact us for more details about our furniture or to discuss your exact requirements.
We accept commissions for Boardroom Furniture from leading design houses in the UK for customers who are drawn from leading blue chip companies and financial institutions based in the UK for reception areas, boardroom furniture, including boardroom tables, wall panelling and corporate executive meeting areas, specialist joinery, bespoke custom made office furniture, work stations, panelling etc. In addition to manufacturing high quality boardroom tables and boardroom furniture we are fully equipped to carry out luxury yacht interiors, being situated on the south coast of England, UK. Our boardroom furniture, including boardroom tables utilise the finest quality veneers from a wide variety of tree species from around the world. So we are certain we can match the most exacting designs and specifications, tailored to our customers superlative requirements. For further information, samples, or if you wish to discuss your requirements of boardroom furniture and boardroom tables or visit our workshops and showroom, then please do not hesitate to contact us either by email or other conventional means, details of which are given on our 'Contact Page' by clicking the appropriate button at the top of your screen. We trust that you will find our UK web site of interest and look forward to being of service to you for your Boardroom Furniture requirements.


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Email: firstname.lastname@example.com: http://pacificaconsultants.wordpress.com
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to open study centres in six European countries
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to open study centres in six European countries
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the largest in the world, will open study centres in six European nations, including Germany and France, to offer personalized courses, its Vice Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai...
Source: [ www.2classnotes.com ]
Indira Gandhi National Open University, Open Study Centres, European Nations, Germany, France, Personalized Courses, Vice Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Paris, London, Distance Education Council, Netherlands, Austria, Indian Languages, Sanskrit, New Study Centres in Europe, African Universities
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Stage 1: Gingivitis
In this stage, the gums may be puffy and red. Bleeding during brushing, flossing, and gentle probing is encountered. The gums may or may not be sore.
Stage 2: Periodontitis (periodontal disease)
The plaque below the gumline has been left for a period of time. Unchecked, the bacteria in the plaque have produced toxic by-products. These toxins have damaged the gums, the surrounding bone, and the fibers that hold the tooth in the bone. This is an infection. Proper care at this point is necessary in order to stop the further irreversible damage.
Stage 3: Advanced Periodontitis
The fibers and bone that hold the tooth in place have been irreversibly damaged and the teeth may be loose. At this point, the long-term prognosis for the tooth may be poor because there is little left to support the tooth in the socket.
As stated above, Periodontal disease is an infection. Due to the abundant blood supply in gum tissue, any infection present will be circulated throughout the body. Periodontal disease has recently been linked to systemic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and problems with pregnancy. Fortunately, unless the disease is very advanced, we can often halt it in its tracks with timely treatment.


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The German translation for Taunt is Spott and Verspotten .
Other possible / similar German translations may be Fahren , Kabeljau and Reiten .
|Translations in other languages:
|Bulgarian: надсмивам се
|Chinese: 嘲弄
|Dutch: hekelen and schimpscheut
|Finnish: pilkata and pilkka
|French: sarcasme
|Greek: χλευασμός and λοιδορώ
|Hebrew: סנט
|Italian: deridere and scherno
|Japanese: 嘲笑
|Korean: 조롱 and 조롱하다
|Portuguese: zombar and zombaria
|Russian: колкость and насмехаться
|Spanish: incitar and provocación
|Swedish: gliring and häckla
|Turkish: alay and alay etmek
Search Translations


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Zanzibar: it makes me want to break into song and scroll endlessly through google images of perfect white sand beaches disappearing into an aqua blue ocean. It also makes me want to buy a plane ticket, which I did, and fly to a sleepy island of reggae loving Muslims and spicy food. This is what a week in Zanzibar looks like.
Get vaccinated, sleep at the airport
We flew from Nairobi, Kenya after going on safari in the Masaai Mara. Our flight landed shortly after midnight and was greeted by boarder patrol asking for yellow fever documentation. My choice to get vaccinated, despite the slightly confusing information on embassy websites, was a good call. A vaccination clinic at the airport looms in the distance threatening anybody without a little yellow book.
Sleeping at the airport wasn't a problem, in fact it was enjoyable. Exit the airport, wave on taxi drivers, act like your going to a 5-star hotel, head up towards the parking lot and turn right. There are a couple open areas covered by tin-roofs. The rain hitting this at night will put you right to sleep. We weren't alone, there was another local man and maybe another solo traveler. A man sweeping and singing Bob Marley awoke us. He smiled, almost saying I hope you enjoyed your sleep.
Get lost in Stonetown and smile at people
We took a local dala dala from the airport into Stonetown. It's a 15 minute ride and should cost about 300 TZS per person ($0.17). I forget which number it is, but just walk off the main zone of the airport and look for others gathering at something that resembles a bus station. Yes, it's that easy. No, you really don't need to pay a taxi $10 or $20 to take you around the block.
We got dropped at the main dala dala station on Creek road and proceeded to twist through the narrow streets and scope out the hotel scene. There are fancy hotels in Stonetown that were beyond our budget, but nice if you want to drop some cash. Hotel staff are friendly and if you ask them to recommend something more in your price range they will have someone walk you there. The hotel receiving you will usually pay a small commission for your business, but it should not hurt the price you negotiate. For $15 per person we got a nice double room, breakfast included.
People are friendly in Zanzibar. The women wear colorful dresses, children are playful and people really do hum Bob Marley a lot.
If there's a line for food, get in it
Street food is where it's at in Zanzibar. It's called spice island for a reason. A man down a small alley grilling chicken was gathering quite a crew. Combined with the smell of lemon grass and an array of random boiling pots, we obliged. Patiently waiting at the edge of the grill, we nudged our way to the coveted spots as turners of the skewers. It made us feel special. The product of our wait was this incredible creation called urojo. Spicy broth over grilled chicken, with lemon grass, kachori (spicy potato) and badias (falafel-esque balls).
Take a spice tour and eat off the trees
Unsure if going on a spice tour was just a cheesy touristy stunt, we hesitated to add this to our itinerary. When we were able to arrange this through our hotel for a good price ($12 per person including transportation, guide and lunch) we decided to go for it, and we're happy we did. A short drive north of Stonetown on the eastern side of the island we toured Kizimbani Spice Farm. Our guide pulled a number of spices and roots from the forrest and I demonstrated how terrible my sense of smell is. Cinnamon bark, cocoa bean, vanilla bean, curry, ginger, peppers. The forrest is overflowing with tastes.
Go north to Kendwa, but only pay 2,000 TZS
The island is small and easy enough to get around on by dala dala. The only scam to watch out for is when a whole group of people convince you that the price of the dala dala is more than it really is. This happened to us once on our first longer distance trip from Stonetown to Kendwa – and because I travel with a feisty Czech man who doesn't tolerate being ripped off, even for dollar – this little incident landed us at the police station. The night ended with us 6,000 TZS short and the bus conductor without his cell phone (if you must know, my crazy Czech ripped the conductor's phone from his hands when he refused to give us change and created a stand off until both parties agreed to go to the police station, at which point the ENTIRE bus off loaded to be part of a sing-song jury right out of a movie). All of this was followed by a long (silent) walk back to Kendwa village (they took us to Nungwi instead). After a few miles of walking we passed the same police station and asked the officer if we could use a phone. After all, we were now at least an hour late meeting our couchsurfing host.
Convinced he lived on a very dangerous island, the chief officer refused to let us walk the rest of the way even though we were 3/4 of the way there. His insistance in "protecting the foreigners" led us to jump in the back of his truck and get a ride to the top of the road. Perhaps the funniest part of walking along the road in the pure darkness of night was the reaction from locals when they realized we were foreigners.
Lesson learned? Don't pay more than 2,000 TZS for a dala dala ride from Stonetown to anywhere, pay at the END OF YOUR RIDE ONLY (never in advance), and don't rip off a Czech. They will make you pay. Even if that payment isn't in the form of cash.
Couchsurf in Zanzibar if you can
At the top of the road, surrounded by curious locals awaited Antje, our amazing couchsurfing host. She and her boyfriend Philipp have an awesome project that has taken them across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and now Africa connecting local artists with buyers online. Their apartment was a short walk down a dirt road without house numbers. They opened their home to us without hesitation and we swapped adventures over joints and conyagi (local gin).
Philipp really believes in the value of a good breakfast and never let us leave the house without a feast. It's these people I meet while traveling who invigorate my believe that the world will sustain itself on random acts of kindness.
Go for a boat ride and spy on Bill Gates
OK, so Bill probably wasn't home, but we took a day-trip boat ride out to his private island. We checked up on his coral reef and ate coconut fish on the beach. For an all inclusive day we paid $17.50 per person. I think this is only the price for Czechs though, so come prepared. For every 5 feet of sand between Kendwa and Nungwi you will be asked by a local beach boy if you want to buy something. So think about what you want and have a price in your mind that you will be happy to pay. Negotiate everything. The Norwegians on our boat paid $40 per person and the Algerian paid $25.
Stare at the ocean and dream about dreams
There's enough sand on Zanzibar to house all the sand crabs and give me infinite ways to build a sand castle. The lapping waves are therapy for all ailments and the color itself will make you believe mermaids.
Become friends with the wind and get time warped in Paje
I love Paje. This is perhaps my favorite place on the island. Stormy, mysterious, quite yet active, Paje is the place to go if you want to the ocean and the island to become a part of you. The wind kicks up in the afternoon creating ideal conditions for kitesurfers seeking the perfect gust. We strolled along the beach checking accommodation prices and settled on Ufukwe Bungalow ($15 per person/night). Clean room, nobody else there, breakfast included, friendly host and a cute cat named Jolly. What's not to love?
Farm for seaweed and pray for Octopus
Seaweed farming in Paje was created through a micro finance system as a way to create jobs for the local women. The ocean currents and relentless tide create ideal conditions for seaweed farming. Two wooden stakes set opposite each other, about 10 feet, connected with rope act as the frame for the underwater gardens. Women tend to their patches and bring their collection in for bulk export sale.
Ondra got a little bit creepy out there with his binoculars, but it sure was spectacular.
Eat french fries covered in sweet sauce and hope for octopus
At the recommendation of Philip and Antje we stopped by Life Steppers, a community center in Paje created by a French expat named Remi. He brings a much needed sense of purpose to the children of the village and uses football, education, language, entertainment and work opportunities to create a community. The lovely octopus was cooked up by Captain Kitete.
Leave on the night ferry with a bag full of shells
So, I went a bit shell crazy in Paje. The shores are so plentiful it's hard to stop yourself. Set a limit. If the shell is not different and perfect, leave it be.
We left Zanzibar for Dar es Salaam via the night ferry. The foreigners fee is set by the government at $20 per person. You have no other options and must buy the VIP ticket. This is a good option if you want to maximize your days (travel by night), save on the cost of accommodation (VIP room has long, comfy couches) and pay a lower fare (day ferry is $35, but only takes 90 minutes).
If there's one thing I learned from Zanzibar, it's that everything is going to be OK.


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I can't remember the last time I have been as happy as today about an outfit I have put together. I don't think it has anything to do with the actual outfit being particularly good, but it is more about having had a certain feeling (mixed) this morning, then throwing some clothes on, and feeling like I have managed to channel through the sentiment I had. A big part of me has been looking at myself from any reflective surface I have been able to find today, and thinking "who the hell is this person?". The other part of me has been telling myself "you are moving on, you are going places you have not seen before." The place in question today was geometrical prints.
I am in love with this parka I found at the Indiska sale. It is so practical, and looks cool and effortless (which it is, as well).
I got these shoes at an awful store called Mekka that sells the cheapest (and cheapest-looking) plastic shoes. I actually went in because I saw bright orange converse-look-a-likes from the window as I passed by. The orange shoes turned out to look awful, but then I saw these golden ones, -50%. I changed the laces (the ones they came with were golden satin), and thought that they looked fab: a strange mix of oxfords and sporty shoes.


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Myrtle is a Delta Dog!
If I could take a moment to brag about my own Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Myrtle. Myrtle is now a certified Therapy Assistance Animal with The Delta Society! She and I are "Team Myrtle" and we hope to start visiting schools and nursing homes as soon as all the paperwork is filed and approved.
If you live in Minnesota are interested in the therapy dog program, head over to the MN Humane Society website for more information. All other states, check out the official Delta website.


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Speed Limit Laws in Maine
Defense Attorney Representing Drivers in Bangor, Biddeford, Portland, Augusta and Saco
There are strict laws that drivers must obey when it comes speed limits. Under Maine Criminal Code Title 29-A section 2074:
An operator shall operate a vehicle at a careful and prudent speed not greater than is reasonable and proper having due regard to the traffic, surface and width of the way and of other conditions then existing.
Most roads and streets have posted speed limit markers. If a driver fails to obey the speed limit laws, they may be subject to a traffic infraction. In some circumstances, however, a driver can go over the speed limit restrictions so badly, that they will face criminal charges. This is referred to as Criminal Speeding.
Criminal Speeding in Maine
According to Criminal Code Title 29-A section 2074.3, a person who operates a vehicle more than 30 miles per hour (mph) over the speed limit can be charged with criminal speeding.
In order for a criminal speeding charge to be placed, police must document three facts:
- The stated speed limit of the road
- The actual speed that the driver was operating at
- That the actual speed was 30 mph or more over the legal speed limit
Maine law Title 29-A section 2075.4 lists the ways that a driver's speed can be measured. They include:
A. Radar;
B. An electronic device that measures speed by radiomicrowaves, laser or otherwise; or
C. A device that measures, in any sequence, a selected distance traversed by a motor vehicle operated by the law enforcement officer and the time required by another motor vehicle to traverse that same distance, and computes therefrom the average speed of the other vehicle.
Penalties for Maine Criminal Speeding
Criminal speeding in Maine is a Class E offense. The recommended sentencing for a Class E conviction is as follows:
- A maximum of 6 months of incarceration and/or
- A maximum fine of $1,000 and/or
- A maximum length of one year of probation
- An administrative license suspension of at least 30 days
It will be up to a judge to decide exactly what a person's sentence is, and their decision will be influenced by factors like the driver's criminal history, the circumstances of the offense and the prosecution's recommendation. In addition, a criminal speeding conviction counts towards habitual violator status which can lead to license revocation.
Criminal Speeding and OUI
If a driver is convicted of operating under the influence (OUI) in Maine and they were also speeding 30 mph or more over the limit, they will face additional penalties. For example, a first-time OUI offender faces no minimum jail sentence if convicted, but will face a minimum of 48 hours of jail time if they were also "exceeding the speed limit by 30 miles per hour or more".
Maine Criminal Speeding Defense Lawyer
If you have been arrested for criminal speeding in Maine, call our office right away. Criminal defense attorney William T Bly can assist you in fighting the charges that you face. Every case has defense options and an experienced attorney is the best way to make sure you have the strongest defense.


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LowCards.com Weekly Credit Card Update–January 24, 2014
Hackers Took Sneaky Path Into Target Customers' Wallets
It was, in essence, a cybercriminal's dream. For months, an amorphous group of Eastern European hackers had been poking around the networks of major U.S. retailers, searching for loose portals that would take them deep into corporate systems. In early November, before the holiday shopping season began, the hackers found what they had been looking for: a wide path into Target and beyond. Entering through a digital gateway, the criminals discovered that Target's systems were astonishingly open, lacking the virtual walls and motion detectors found in secure networks like many banks'. Story by Elizabeth A. Harris, Nicole Perlroth, Nathaniel Popper and Hilary Stout for The New York Times.
Your Debit Card Is Much More Dangerous Than You Think
Citibank this week announced that it was replacing the debit cards of customers whose accounts were compromised in the great Target Christmas hack. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of more than 100 million Target customers got hacked but Citi delayed replacing them because it didn't want to unnecessarily disrupt Christmas shopping. But replacing these cards with the same magnetic stripe technology is like replacing a padlock that's securing a lockbox with another padlock after someone just used a bolt cutter on it. Look at it another way: the credit card industry is still on dial-up while the thieves are using high-speed broadband. It's a losing battle and one the reasons why the U.S. retail industry is going to remain a target until it catches up with the rest of the world. Story by Bill Saporito for Time.
Credit Card Data Theft Rocks South Korea
The largest credit card data theft in South Korean history is now affecting nearly 20 million cardholders or 40% of the country's population. A contractor with the Korea Credit Bureau, reportedly hired to improve the protection system on client data, loaded details of over 100 million credit card accounts onto a hard drive over the course of 2013, and sold the data. The information included names, identification numbers and card data, including those of President Park Guen-hye and U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon. Story by Bill Hardekopf for LowCards.com.
U.S. Slow to Adopt High-Tech Credit Cards
Under pressure from credit card companies, major banks and retailers have begun to roll out the cards, which carry a computer chip and advanced security software that keeps the customer's account number and other details invisible, even if crooks manage to steal records from a store or bank. But the conversion could take years to reach critical mass amid a squabble over who will foot the estimated $8 billion bill, and despite fears that scammers have been targeting the United States because of its outdated technology. U.S. credit card fraud rates, once the lowest in the world, have doubled in the 10 years since chip cards spread through Europe. Story by Howard Schneider and Hayley Tsukayama for the Washington Post.
Costs Rising on Target Breach
The massive data breach at Target has already cost credit unions as much as $30 million, according to the Credit Union National Association. And the bill is going up. The preliminary estimate doesn't include fraud losses that are expected to rise in coming weeks as financial institutions report their costs. The trade group estimated that, on average, the Target breach has cost credit unions about $5.10 per card affected by the security lapse. The costs include having to reissue debit or credit cards to their members and increasing staffing to handle customer inquiries. Story by the Associated Press.
Most Complained-About Credit Card Companies
Thousands of Americans are lodging complaints with the government's financial watchdog about their credit cards, and some issuers are being griped about a lot more than others. Of the more than 25,000 credit card complaints the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has processed, Capital One received the biggest share, according to new analysis from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. Based on the ratio of complaints to card purchase volume, however, GE Capital Retail garnered the highest number of grievances through September–with 88 complaints for every $1 billion in purchase volume. Story by Blake Ellis for CNN Money.
Target Tried Antitheft Cards
Target Chief Executive Gregg Steinhafel is calling on retailers and banks to adopt chip-based credit card technology to better protect shoppers. But the debate was different a decade ago, when the executive was on the other side of the issue as Target pulled the plug on a $40 million, three-year program that did just that. Target's decision 10 years ago to end the program disappointed chip advocates who had hoped it would demonstrate the viability of chip-based cards and set the stage for their widespread use in the U.S. Since then, retailers and banks have been caught in a chicken-and-egg dilemma with retailers reluctant to invest billions of dollars on the needed infrastructure unless banks commit to spending the billions of dollars needed to issue the new cards. Story by Paul Ziobro and Robin Sidel for The Wall Street Journal.
LowCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report
Based on the 1,000+ cards in the LowCards.com Complete Credit Card Index, the average advertised APR for credit cards is 14.46 percent, slightly lower than last week's average of 14.47 percent. Six months ago, the average was 14.32 percent. One year ago, the average was 14.32 percent.


text:
Aiming at Port and Harbour Technology Mild to Human Beings and the Earthby Isamu Tamura, Ministry of Transport, Japan,
Hisao Ouchi, Ministry of Transport, Japan,
Document Type: Proceeding Paper
Part of: Coastlines of Japan II
The ports and harbors bureau of the ministry of transport formulated and announced a long-term port and harbor development policy, ports and harbors toward the twenty-first century aiming affluent waterfront, in 1985, and coastal area development policy, coastal area toward twenty-first century for creation of affluent coast area, in 1990. It is contemplated to provide a comprehensive port and harbor space and to improve the quality of such space with good balance maintained among the functions of physical distribution,industries and lives of people with emphasis placed on enhancement of the quality of convenience or beautiful environment. For development of the coast area, it is intended to preponderantly develop the facilities of good quality with consideration given to the fact of utilization along with early implementation of safety and conservation of national land. And, these two long-term policies equally stress the importance of the technological development required for realization of the objectives.
Subject Headings: Ports and harbors | Sea water | Human factors | Freight transportation | Distribution functions | Freight terminals | Safety | Land use | Japan | Asia
Services: Buy this book/Buy this article
Return to search


text:
Does having lived in Wales for over 10 years make someone Welsh? (Welsh views)
Question details
"In general, which, if any, of the following do you think makes a person "Welsh"?Having lived in Wales for over 10 years"
Survey years
27 September 2016:
survey for Self-Funded or Unknown
with 1005 respondents,
18 and older.
Further info
Welsh sample
End Date Sep 2016 Does 30% Does not 70% End Date Sep 2016 Does 27% Does not 64% Don't know 9%


text:
Kokomo's Bar & Grille, 417 S. Clinton St. in Syracuse's Armory Square, has turned in its liquor license and closed.
(Don Cazentre | email@example.com)
Update: State Liquor Authority has confirmed that the license was surrendered on Nov. 12.
Syracuse, NY -- Kokomo's Bar & Grille in Armory Square, the scene of a triple stabbing Nov. 10, has turned in its liquor license and is closed.
A man moving equipment into the space Monday morning said the place will become a pizzeria after some renovation. That man did not give his name or provide any other details.
The owner and licensee at Kokomo's was Michael Tardibone. He turned in the liquor license voluntarily, according to the man at the bar today. The State Liquor Authority lists the license at Kokomo's as "inactive," although its official expiration date was Dec. 31 of this year.
Kokomo's, a tropical themed bar popular as a late night spot in Armory Square, "has been the scene of other fights and stabbings over the past several months," Syracuse police Sgt. Tom Connellan said after the Nov. 10 stabbing. He said then that police would the refer bar's status to the state liquor authority.
Kokomo's, located at 417 S. Clinton St. between the rear of the Landmark Theatre building and La Taqueria restaurant, opened in January 2012. The owners aimed to provide a place with less expensive beer than in some other Armory Square bars, along with tiki drinks and food.


text: After a successful US tour, Hartford dancer/choreographer, Arien Wilkerson of Tnmot Aztro, bring his Equators performance/installation home for two final 2018 shows. A powerful and thought-provoking expose through dance and art of how marginalized populations experience the adversity associated with climate change. For more information visit the event Facebook page.


text:
My twin sister and I LOVE anything Disney. We love to help plan or answer any questions about Disney.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Le Cellier is a Must Do!
Last October was the first time we ate at Le Cellier and it was wonderful!! We made our reservations 180 days out for our late lunch, and I am so glad we did. As we waited to be seated we watched several people try to get a table without a reservation with no luck. As we walked back to our table we noticed it was rather warm in the dining room. Our waiter quickly brought over waters and explained that the air conditioner went out and they were working on fixing it immediately. Within 15 minutes it was on and cooling perfectly! For starters we ordered a Magical Star Cocktail and some Cheddar Cheese Soup. Yum! For our entrees it was steak all around! I had the Mushroom Filet Mignon everyone else got the New York Strip. I can honestly say I think it was the best steak I have ever eaten! So stuffed we still had to order dessert! I had my heart set on the Maple creme brulee, but once we got the menu I quickly changed my mine to the Chocolate Pecan Pie "On the Rocks". Our waiter told me that if I finished the Pecan Pie he would get me something special! Needless to say it was so rich and wonderful there was no way I was going to eat the entire small glass full of goodness! All in all Le Cellier is wonderful and we will be dining there again!
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text:
Tagged: Mariners
5/14/2016 Safeco Field
For the better part of the afternoon, I watched the security guards fumble with the table at the gate…
….priorities, I tell ya. Today turned out to be a gloomy, raining, wet day at the ballpark. I bought the cheapest tickets possible ($26.00) which put my seats up in the 300 level of the stadium. I wanted to spend the majority of my time in The 'Pen. Today's goals seemed simple enough: snag a bunch of baseballs, get a picture with Dave Valle, get Jose Mota's autograph and snag a home run ball during the game.
Being that it was Kyle Seager bobblehead night, I figured it would be a sold out game. It came close. 42,687 showed up and I'm assuming 3-5 thousand probably left after they got their bobbles because while I walked around the stadium, it didn't feel like a capacity crowd. During batting practice, it wasn't that bad. I snagged my bobblehead and glove tricked my first ball out of the bullpen. My second ball came by just leaning over the railing and picking it out of the bullpen after it was hit into there and rolled around for a little bit. I made my way across the seating bowl securing my third ball that I picked out of a cup holder (put there by an usher) and my fourth and fifth balls came bouncing into the stands; one on the third base side and one on the first base side.
After BP I set up near the Root Sports broadcast table and I waited and I waited and I waited some more for Dave Valle to show up. I checked his Twitter and found out that a new ice cream machine was placed up in the broadcast booth and I suspected that's where Valle was at. Getting ice cream:
By then it was too late to run down to the Angels dugout to get Jose Mota's autograph. My night was slowly falling apart. If you've never been to Safeco Field and have never experienced The 'Pen (on College night or any other night for that matter) you aren't missing much. It usually gets overly crowded full of drunk people and the music is so loud you can barely hear the person next to you. So after about the 2nd inning, I made my way up to my seat to watch the game from there…
…of course when I bought my ticket, I forgot to buy the one without the "obstructed view" warning.
I watched the game from my seat for a few innings and then I wandered the stadium. I actually got up close and personal with the new timer that was installed last year in all of the stadiums…
…and the premise behind this new addition is to attempt to speed the game up. Ever since Manfred took over from Selig as baseballs Commissioner, he's been doing everything in his power to speed the game up. He's told the players that they have to keep one foot in the batters box at all times and if they don't they could receive a fine. Then they installed the timer which gives pitchers two minutes between innings to get ready. Now I've been hearing that intentional walks will be changing. The batter simply takes his base. Along with that, the umpires are enforcing shorter mound visits.
I understand that games can be long and lack action and excitement. The game I attended yesterday lasted over three hours. And I didn't stay for the whole game, either. I don't agree with changing these little things about the game. I don't agree with the Manfred era of baseball. I don't agree with the netting in front of the dugouts and down the first and third base lines in an attempt to "keep fans safe". These rules where the catcher can't block the plate and late slides into second base have become illegal take away so much from the game. I think there needs to be some level of fan accountability where the fans who attend games should have some reasonable expectation of a game that might last longer than anticipated. I also think that fans need to be more alert and provide safety measures for themselves instead of relying on Major League Baseball to keep 35,000 people safe. If you can't stay alert during play or can't stay off your cellphone for two minutes during a game, maybe the outfield seating is best for you.
Going into the ninth inning, the Mariners were holding on to the lead 7-6. Steve Cishek came in to close out the game and left a pitch over the plate for Albert Pujols. He hammered a 3-run home run and the Angels went on to win the game 9-7. Final.
Cishek later posted this one Twitter…
…he receieved plenty of support, there were still many nay-sayers. The Mariners have never really had a successful closer since I've been a fan. And I've been a fan since 1989.
Total Lifetime Games Attended: 121
Total Baseballs Snagged This Season: 9
Total Lifetime Baseballs Snagged: 343
Total Lifetime Foul Balls Snagged: 1
Total Lifetime Home Run Balls Snagged: 0
5/13/2016 Safeco Field
Willie Bloomquist is one of my favorite players and when he announced his retirement it made me sort of sad. I was never able to get any memorabilia signed by him or meet him at any of the games while he was active on the field. But I'm happy he's retired and doing the things he wants to do. He recently accepted a job with the front office with the Diamondbacks so there's still a chance I can catch him at the ballpark to get something signed.
I recently connected with him on Twitter and asked him how retirement was going…
…seems like everything is going well at the moment.
The Angels were in town this weekend and I always try to make it out to the stadium to see them. Mainly I like heckling Albert Pujols because he seems to make it a point to ignore the fans. So whenever he takes his at-bats, I like to obnoxiously yell "Puuuujjjjoooolllls!". On a positive note, I like to wave and cheer on Mike Trout because he always responds to his fans, and I like seeing that from him.
My girlfriend, Alexandra accompanied me for the game and we stopped at the Pyramid Ale House prior to game time. I ordered the beer battered fish, which by the way, was awesome but the service wasn't so great…
…we've been here before and our last visit the service was sub-par as well. We both decided this would be our last visit here.
When I entered the stadium, I spotted my first baseball of the day on the ground near the Root Sports set up. Once the rest of the stadium opened up, I managed to find three more baseballs in the right and center field bleachers and one was hit my way and I was able to snag it on the carom.
Alexandra and I headed down to the Angels dugout and once at our seats, we found this stuck to the front of my seat:
Here's a closer look at what it says:
This was the view from our seats during the game:
By the bottom of the fourth, the game was tied 1-1 until Nelson Cruz hit a high drive out of the park in the bottom half of the fifth. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Angels pitcher, Joe Smith walked Norichika Aoki and then literally tried to pick him off at first base several times. The crowd became extremely restless and then on about the sixth or seventh attempt, Mike Scioscia challenged the play:
It was the first time I'd ever witnessed a live challenge and so it was interesting to watch the umpires put on the headsets and watch the video over and over again. The call stood; Aoki was safe at first. It was still pretty cool to see.
The game had lasted well beyond three hours so we left after Robinson Cano belted a double into the gap. The Mariners had the lead at this point by one run. Steve Chisek would be in to close the game out and by the time I got home and checked the score, I learned he blew the save. The one thing I was happy about was the fact that Robinson Cano had extended my Beat The Streak game streak to 16 with his double to the gap. The Mariners losing in the 9th? Not so happy about that but it's baseball.
Total Lifetime Games Attended: 120
Total Baseballs Snagged This Season: 4
Total Lifetime Baseballs Snagged: 339
Total Lifetime Foul Balls Snagged: 1
Total Lifetime Home Run Balls Snagged: 0
Seattle Mariners Fanfest 2016
The main goal was to attend this fan fest and get Jay Buhner's autograph on a baseball bat. I had purchased a nice wooden bat from a sports retailer the night before, packed up the camera and headed into Seattle.
The last time I attended a fan fest was a few years ago and I really had a good experience. I wasn't trying to mirror this experience to last times but I was imagining some quality time with Buhner. After all, it's fan fest!
When I got to Safeco, the lines were already wrapped around the stadium:
The rules for autographs were pretty simple: the first 200 people in line that claimed vouchers upon entry would get that players autograph of their choice and so on and so forth until there were no more vouchers for that player. The players were staggered at various times so all you had to do was enter the ballpark, walk to the banner with the players name on it that you wanted, grab the voucher from the staff member and beat feet up to wherever the autograph session was taking place. Make senses? Okay, good.
Jay Buhner was signing autographs right at 10:30am so as soon as I got inside, I grabbed the voucher with his name on it and I just followed the signs that led me up to this hallway:
There were all kinds of cool things to look at waiting in line but all I really wanted to do was meet Jay Buhner.
I have been a Mariners fan since 1989 when my Mom took me to my very first Mariners game in the Kingdome. We sat up in the 300 level near the 3rd base side and the Mariners played the Baltimore Orioles. That was the first game I witnessed Cal Ripken Jr. play and all of my Mariner favorites. Since then, I've attended handfuls of games growing up with my Dad and we always sat where we could see Ken Griffey Jr.
Over the last few years, I've met a lot of players and I wanted to start meeting my childhood favorites like Jay Buhner and Dan Wilson. I met Edgar Martinez a few seasons ago by being in the right place at the right time.
Anyway. When Buhner finally arrived I had a question in mind that I wanted to ask him. And when I got up to the table to have my memorabilia signed, the staff member who was with Buhner was handing him so much stuff so fast for him to sign, I think Buhner was a little flustered. He even made a comment to the guy, something along the lines of "you're handing me stuff and I don't even have time to sign it!" Something like that.
When I handed my bat to the staff member, I stood in front of Buhner…
… and asked him, "Jay, when do you think Ichiro will hit his 3,000th hit?" He immediately replied with. "How many hits does he got?" I think at the time Ichiro had 2,919 or something like that. I was soon cut-off by more fans walking in front of me to get their picture taken with Buhner and the staff member kept piling on the memorabilia for him to sign. So I just picked up my bat and sort of walked away. I turned back once or twice more to watch but I was soon greeted with, "Have a nice day!" from another staff member which sort of meant, "please exit this way".
Wow. I stood outside of the doors and just watched Buhner scurrying to sign balls and bobble heads and cards and all sorts of stuff. He had his head down and was just signing away.
Occasionally he would look up and laugh or whatever and shake a hand or two, but it was all business getting everything signed in front of him. I felt bad for him and I felt bad for the fans. Buhner had 200 autographs to sign in an hour and a half and I guess the point of the whole thing was to just get something signed and move on. But I wanted to at least talk to him for a minute or two like I got to talk to Edgar Martinez. I got to tell Edgar how I went to games as a little kid, and cheered for him and chanted, "Ed-GAR! Ed-GAR!" with my Dad and we drove home that night smiling after a M's win. I shook hands with Martinez and took a picture and all was right in the world.
All wasn't right in the world on this day. Buhner was a mad man signing autographs. I don't blame him, though. It's all about making the fans happy, I suppose. And if it's just spending two quick seconds getting something signed from a baseball player and not having much interaction, then I guess that's what makes people happy.
I feel fortunate as a baseball fan, though. I have a decent sized collection of signed baseball memorabilia from some of the greatest baseball players who've ever played the game. I've met and took pictures with many of my favorite players, I've traveled to 14 different MLB stadiums, I've seen MLB games in both Japan and Australia, I've caught a foul ball and I've shook hands with Nelson Cruz in Macy's in down town Seattle. So over the years it's been fun.
I walked away from Safeco today feeling happy that I got Buhner's autograph on a baseball bat that'll forever be in my collection but at the same time, I felt a little frustrated. I sort of put myself in Buhner's shoes for a moment, too. He gives a lot of his own time to the fans. He raised the 12th man flag at the Seahawks game and he seems to be pretty involved in the community around the area, plus he goes to these fan fests just about every year. My only wish is during these autograph sessions, the process could just go a little slower.
4/20/2015 Safeco Field
If you haven't heard the Bryan Price rant, I suggest you click this link and have a listen. Although, entertaining, it's really off-track and kind of appalling that he'd take a stance on this kind of issue with the media. Price has been coaching for about 15 years and started his coaching stint with the Seattle Mariners in 2000 so it's hard to understand just where he's coming from. He issued an apology for the excessive profanity but says he stands by "the message". What message is he standing by, exactly? The media has a job to do and their job is to report things. Not only did Price drop 77 f-bombs but he continuously said "I don't get it" as well as "you don't have to be a fan of the Reds". Yet, he asked the media on hand many times how does reporting certain things benefit the Reds? It's not their job to be fans of the Cincinnati Reds, Mr. Price. And you said so yourself that they don't have to be.
Honestly, it seemed like Price was trying to play the ignorant card. He's been around long enough that he should understand all aspects of the media. He should understand if someone within the Reds organization leaks some information to the media concerning the whereabouts of players, their condition or if they are going to play or not, the media will report it. It's their job to report things like that. If Price wants to keep things hush hush then maybe he ought to try doing his job better.
Remember this from a couple of days ago when I came to Safeco Field?
I ran into him again and this time I introduced myself and got a picture with Mr. Divish:
I'm not entirely sure he was too thrilled to get a picture taken with me but it was fun nonetheless.
The Astros were in Seattle for a three game set and I'd get to attend the first game of the series. I've been hoping for an opportunity to catch some home run baseballs and I figured since the Astros have a track record of sucking so much no one would attend this game. I was right. The attendance was roughly 15, 100 people. The last few games I've been sitting in the outfield and nothing has came remotely close to me. So when I got a text message from one of my buddies that he was coming out and wanted to shag BP home runs with me, I was stoked! The unfortunate part about it was he had prime real-estate seating down the first base side. Foul ball heaven. I figured, hey, nothing has been coming to me as of late, why not.
I bought a cheap bleacher seat for $14 then I upgraded to the lower seating bowl so I could sit with him. Batting practice was a blast. I caught an over-throw while standing in the 'Pen from a toss-up that glanced off a glove. The ball bounced around and finally rolled to my feet where I easily scooped it up. My second ball came from a deep fly that I easily caught near the Mariners bullpen. Once the entire stadium opened up, I ran down to the lower third base seating bowl and picked up my third baseball that was sitting between the seats.
Jose Altuve lofted a soft fly ball into the third base seats and I made an easy catch and handed the ball to my buddy:
Before that Luis Valbuena pointed at us several times while taking some infield practice grounders. I was thinking he was going to hook us up with a baseball and when I turned my head to look out into the outfield, all I saw was a baseball trickle passed me along the wall. I scooped it up thinking it had been hit our way. But Valbuena had thrown it to the couple that was standing next (who had missed it) to us so we passed it down to them.
Here's a picture of us all sitting in our awesome seats:
The kids seen in the picture above were extremely annoying. Later, after the game started, four more kids showed up and all six of them literally yelled and screamed and squirmed around in their seats. They did everything BUT pay attention to the game. I eventually moved down a row to an open seat next to my friends and watched the game in peace.
Luis Valbuena literally led off the game with a towering home run into the right field seats. Coincidently, the seats I was planning on buying before I ended up getting a cheap ticket. Then in the 8th inning, he hit another one nearly in the same spot. I felt really good about being able to catch both IF I had been out there. Take a look at these monster shots:
The one game I decide not to sit in the outfield…
The Astros went on to win it 7-5. Colby Rasmus went deep too but it was hit into the center field family section.
We had a few foul balls hit our way but they were hit a few sections over so I didn't have much of a chance.
While on the way home from the game, I tuned into the post-game show with Shannon Drayer (@ShannonDrayer) and she mentioned Evan Gattis had a very unique story about him. I decided to look it up and read about it.
You can read the Evan Gattis story here.
4/19/2015 Safeco Field
Sunday games at Safeco Field (or any ballpark for that matter) are always a challenge when it comes to attempting to snag baseballs. There's no batting practice for one, and it's usually family day so that means lots and lots of kids are coming out.
If it's one thing I've learned over the years of "ballhawking" at Major League stadiums, 1) players like to throw baseballs to kids and 2) without batting practice, it makes things extremely tough. On the plus side, the Mariners were doing a little infield practice and I already saw an opportunity to snag a few baseballs.
When I ran over to the first base side I found a ball sitting in between the seats which was probably an over throw from one of the players while fielding fungos from one of the coaches. It wasn't long before I scored another over throw:
After that, I ran over to where Fernando Rodney was throwing and when he was done throwing, I was able to get his autograph on my ticket stub:
On the other side of the stadium, the Rangers were slowly trickling out of the dugout to warm up down the third base side. It wasn't long before I scored a third over throw that hit the padding of the wall. I quickly scooped it up and tossed it back onto the field.
See the guy with his leg up in this panoramic picture I took?
That's one of the translators for one of the players and he was missing a lot of baseballs while playing long toss with Tanner Scheppers. And yup, you guessed it. Yet another over throw right into my glove. Of course I had to give it back because they only came out with one ball to play catch with.
My haul after all the players went inside:
(two pictured here because I gave two back)
And now the infamous 'Pen dog that I've been waiting all year to eat…
…cream cheese smeared on the bun, a 100% all beef frank with caramelized onions and peppers…yum.
The Mariners quickly got two runs on the board with an Austin Jackson home run and a Nelson Cruz home run (Jason Phillips caught it in his hat. It was quite impressive and you should watch the replay).
The Rangers answered back in the 3rd with a single from Prince Fielder that scored Martin and moved Andrus to 2nd. And then the wheels literally fell off. Paxton was chased from the mound after giving up seven runs in the 3rd inning.
The Mariners continued their offensive battle with another Nelson Cruz 3-run home run into the Rangers bullpen. 7-5 Texas.
The Rangers made the score 10-5 in their top half of the sixth and the Mariners quickly rallied back in the bottom of the seventh and the eighth scoring three runs.
In the bottom of the ninth, it was time to put on the rally caps! The M's came screaming back scoring one run to tie after Jackson ripped one to right field scoring Brad Miller. Seth Smith moved over to third base and all it took was a Nelson Cruz base walk-off base hit! He was mobbed at first base and the Mariners won in walk-off fashion!
Nelson Cruz went 3-6 with two home runs and five RBI's! Wow! It feels really good to have such a power hitter in the line up. It's been a long time since Seattle has had one.
4/18/2015 Safeco Field
Thanks to my lovely girlfriend for showing me how to do panoramic pictures using just my iPhone, I took this picture of outside Safeco Field on Felix Hernandez bobble head night:
From where I was standing was the start of the line to get into the 'Pen and the line, as you can see, literally went along the stadium, underneath the overpass and back around the adjacent building and down the street. We showed up about an hour and forty minutes before the gates opened and there were about 15 people ahead of us in line. This is the latest I've ever showed up to a game for a bobble head and this was the end result…
…score!! King Felix Bobble heads! The crowd was enormous and there wasn't many opportunities to snag so I headed out to the 'Pen and hoped for something. It wasn't long before I was able to squeeze into the front row and catch a ground rule double that bounced into the crowd and was bobbled by about four people before I finally got my glove on it. The next one came in on my right (I ended up giving up my spot) and again was bobbled by about five people before I ended up with it. Not sure who hit both. Honestly, I couldn't wait for the game to get started so I could sit down. Waiting in line for hours on end takes a tremendous toll on me and quite frankly I'm sick of it. There's a good chance I'm done collecting these bobble heads.
My seat was up in section 187 which sucked because I'm trying to catch a home run baseball this season. Safeco Field is huge and has lots of good areas to snag one but it's tricky. Paying close attention to the line ups and who's pitching generally gives good insight on where to sit. The bullpen area takes up a lot of home run territory and getting an opportunity to catch one out of there is next to impossible. A broad stroke of luck is definitely in order. The right field seating is probably the best place and obviously odds increase with low attendance. With Nelson Cruz hitting so many bombs, it was hard pressed not to just stay in the 'Pen for the game.
I made my way over to the dugouts and took another panoramic picture:
Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre had to put on a show by mashing a barrage of home runs into the right field seats. It was quite impressive and reminded me of the games I went to at Coors Field where I watched Matt Holiday and Albert Pujols do the same thing.
With Felix Hernandez on the mound for the game, it would more than likely end in a Mariners victory.
Quick game recap: Robinson Cano scores on a sac fly from Seth Smith in the fourth. The Rangers get one back in their top half of the fifth on a ground out to Brad Miller. Mike Zunino crushed one to center field (upper deck, mind you) in the bottom of the fifth to answer back and then in the sixth inning, Miller triples in Kyle Seager and King Felix goes 8 innings, strikeouts 12 and Fernando Rodney comes in and slams the door in the Rangers faces. Boom. The game lasted three hours on the nose.
So how's that new shot clock to speed the game up working out for everyone? The games are still going three hours plus. I asked a bunch of people on Twitter what their opinions were on the whole issue and this is what I received:
Lots and lots of good opinions that I truly respect and understand. If people have "other things to do" then maybe seeing a baseball game in the evening time isn't going to work out. The game of baseball is a mental battle that generally takes place between the pitcher and the batter. It's not supposed to be action packed. This isn't football or soccer. It's a game of wits. It takes time. Furthermore, if people have "things to do" then why do I see a vast majority of fans double fisting beer cups and getting sloppy drunk at game? I pay anywhere from $18-40 dollars for a ticket to see a game of baseball. With the rising cost of tickets, food and other concessions, I don't want the game to be cut short because people have "things to do" or they're bored or there isn't enough action to entertain their feeble minds. The game will be played the way it's played and people like Robert Manfred who try to shorten the game and change things around are a disgrace to baseball. If you don't want to sit in a stadium for three hours watching baseball then don't. Leave in the seventh inning or leave in the sixth. Fans who love the game shouldn't be cheated out of their experience because bandwagon fans who show up only when the team is successful want a faster-paced game.
This movement created by pseudo-fans will soon die out when they realize they can't speed up perfection.
4/17/2015 Safeco Field
The Mariners returned home after being swept out of Los Angeles by the Dodgers. It was frustrating and difficult to have any hope for this team. BUT. That's kind of how it is as a Seattle Mariners fan. A lot of people were upset with Fernando Rodney because he blew two save opportunities; one game in which he should've won.
Anyway. The good ol' Texas Rangers were in town for a three game series and tonight was College night on top of Bearded Hat night. The stadium would be a close sell-out. Because of those two reasons, I decided to come out to the ballpark a few hours earlier than normal. When I got to the stadium, Kyle Seager was being interviewed in Edgar's Cantina on the Danny, Dave, and Moore show. Once he finished, I suppose that would've been a great opportunity to grab an autograph or a picture with the Gold Glove awardee but we just waved at each other and he was then carted off and out of my life:
Before all of that, I stood near Ryan Divish (A beat writer for the Seattle Times) out in front of Safeco Field:
He's the one in front with the black back pack on. I tweeted at him and this is what he tweeted back:
Next time we shall, Ryan. Next time we shall.
Once inside the stadium, I hustled to the 'Pen as usual and immediately got a toss-up from Willie Bloomquist. He's one of my all-time favorite players. I gave that ball away to a friend of mine who has never really attempted to catch baseballs during BP before. During the process of getting the ball from Bloomquist, he asked me if I wanted a Selig ball or a Manfred ball. I told him it really didn't matter; I wasn't the picky type when getting anything from a player but good ol' Willie B. insisted that he throw me a Manfred in decent condition.
Ackley stepped into the cage and absolutely raked home runs. Two moonshots were sent directly to me; one in which I caught on a nasty bounce near the Root Sports area and the second one I caught on an extremely lucky bounce off the garage door near the batters eye:
About half way up the door is where the ball hit and then bounced directly to me. Luckiest. Bounce. Ever.
After being allowed to roam the rest of the stadium, I went over to the third base seating bowl where I found one baseball, caught a foul ball on a bounce and got Shawn Tolleson to hook me up with my sixth ball of the day. My main objective was to get an autograph or a picture with a Rangers player. I'm trying to get a picture with one player from each team. So far I have pictures with the Marlins, Reds, Orioles, Rays, Angels, Mariners, Athletics, Indians, Tigers, Astros and Royals.
Adam Rosales ignored me, Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre signed at the dugout, Carlos Peguero said no and Roman Mendez ran right passed me. Blah.
Here's my haul for the day, though:
And here's a glorious picture of my $7 dollar wiener:
I sat in right field in section 106 about three rows up from the field in hopes to catch a home run ball. That's where I'll be sitting the majority of the games I attend just for that reason. I've caught so many BP baseballs and one foul ball during a game plus a handful of "3rd out" baseballs from various players. I think it would be awesome to catch a home run gamer and get that little 10 seconds of fame.
The game was ridiculous. I actually anticipated a blow out with J.A. Happ on the mound. He reminds me so much of "Safeco" Joe Saunders. The Rangers posted the first run of the game on a sharply hit double down the left field line that Ackley had trouble cutting off. Leonys Martin turned on the gas and scored easily from first base. Then in the fifth inning, Happ gave up a solo shot to deep centerfield to Robinson Chirinos. The ball bounced off a few hands and ended up down in the gap behind the center field wall and some fan jumped down there to get it. I was kind of jealous because I think at this point (and as packed as the stadium was) I would've risked jumping down there too for a home run ball. I'm not sure if security ever caught up with him or what. It's totally worth the ejection if ever caught, though.
The Mariners grounded into three double play balls that literally killed their momentum to score each time. It was brutal to watch. They did finally tack on a run in the bottom of the eight off of a Seth Smith sac fly that scored Miller from third base but the Rangers came back and extended the lead again with an Adam Rosales single. The ball literally hit the third base bag which allowed Chirinos to score.
Final score: Rangers 3 Mariners 1.
Tomorrow is Felix Hernandez bobble head day.


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250,000 Twitter accounts no longer secure
With the increasing popularity of social media services, it's not surprising that hackers are constantly testing the security a site and its users employ. From time-to-time the hackers are successful. For the most part, what the hackers do is either publish user passwords or bring the system down. The first big security breach of the year has just been reported.
It only took one month for the first major security breach of a social network, and this time it happened to Twitter. On the first of February, Twitter announced on their blog that slightly over 250,000 accounts had been compromised.
At this time, Twitter doesn't know who is responsible for the attack but according to the blog post they know that, "The attackers may have had access to limited user information – usernames, email addresses, session tokens and encrypted/salted versions of passwords."
Yes, the hackers did get access to passwords, although the company noted that they got the 'encrypted/salted' versions, this means they didn't actually get the passwords themselves. To get the account passwords they would have to decrypt the information first, something many hacker's don't bother with.
What does this mean for my company?
If you or your company has a Twitter account, you would have already have received an email if your account was breached. While 250,000 sounds like a high number, keep in mind that there are over 72 million active accounts (users who post more than once a week).
While this is a drop in the proverbial bucket, it's still a security threat that you should act upon. At the very least you should take steps to change your password. You can do this by logging into Twitter and pressing the cog in the top right of the tool bar. Select Settings followed by Password. Enter your current password, followed by a new password and verify it. Press Save changes and you are done.
It is a good idea to pick a completely new password, one with numbers, letters and if possible special characters like !, $ or ^. At the very least, it should be different from any other passwords you use.
Looking to learn more about the security breach or if Twitter is right for your business? Give us a shout, we'd be happy to talk social media with you.


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AKVIS NatureArt 5.5 in an Adobe Photoshop compatible plug-in that contains 9 nature-specific visual effects. It is the newest version of the AKVIS NatureArt 1.0 plug-in that we reviewed earlier. This plug-in allows you to add create natural phenomena on your pictures. You can also add effects directly on a blank background, such as converting a blank background into a sea view, lightning bolt, rain, sun, and snow. Finally, save your effects as presets for future use.
Read the Indezine review here.
Filed Under:
Tagged as: Akvis, Photoshop, Plug-in
Microsoft and the Office logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.


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COLLEGE NOW is an extra educational program that links high schools and CUNY colleges in joining forces to develop student's skills and enhance educational experiences by preparing students in high school for college. Students at Thomas Edison have the opportunity to sign up for the College Now Program, sponsored by Queensborough Community College. This program is an enrichment and skill building opportunity which affords students extra preparation to participate in the college level College Now classes during their junior and senior years of high school.
The College Now courses offered to 11th and 12th graders are given after the regular school day in the building and at no cost to the students. Course offerings include History, Computer Science, Health and Sociology. Preparation classes for Regents and SATs are also offered. Students are able to earn credits upon successful completion of the 11th and 12th grade courses.CUNY College Now Website
Prerequisite: A score of 480 on the SAT, or a 75% on the New York State English Regents, or a passing score on the CUNY/ACT Writing and Reading tests. Note: Credit will not be given to students who have successfully completed EN-103. Development of a process for producing intelligent essays that are clearly and effectively written; library work; 6,000 words of writing, both in formal Themes written for evaluation and in informal writing such as the keeping of a journal. During the recitation hour, students review grammar and syntax, sentence structure, paragraph development and organization, and the formulation of thesis statements.
This course will analyze the American immigration experience and examine various ethnic groups that came to America. We will explore their pre-immigration background and the historical causes of immigration. We will evaluate the impact of the immigrants on American history and of America upon the immigrants. Among the themes to be examined are illegal immigration, patterns of migration, racism, stereotypes and American reception of immigrants.
English Regents Grade must be 75+ or Verbal SAT 480+.
This course is an analysis of women in the history of American civilization. This course will examine the impact of changes in the economy, technology, law, culture, and society on the status of women and explores women's perceptions of themselves. Among topics considered are the work roles of women, the historical experience of women of differing classes and ethnic groups, women and reform in the nineteenth century, the political activity of women before and after the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution, and current feminist movements.
English Regents Grade must be 75+ or Verbal SAT 480+.
This course is an introduction to the study of human societies using the sociological perspective. We will explore the main concepts, theories and methods of the discipline to develop a sociological way of thinking. This perspective will help you cut through common sense explanations and allow you to think critically about current events, social issues and the social conditions that affect your everyday life. Topics include: culture, society, socialization and social interaction, social stratification and social class, race and ethnicity, gender and the family.
English Regents Grade must be 75+ or Verbal SAT 480+.


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Blues Legends Back To Back, Vol. 3
Two giants of electric Chicago blues, 12 crucial cuts: Otis's "I Can't Quit You Baby," "All Your Love," "Double Trouble," "My Love Will Never Die," "Three Times a Fool," Jimmy's "Big Boss Man," "Baby What You Want Me to Do," "Honest I Do," "Bright Lights, Big City," "You Don't Have to Go" and more! AAO Music.


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Hello everyone! So a capsule wardrobe has been on my mind for quite some time now and I have officially decided to implement one starting this month. Have you heard of a capsule wardrobe or tried one before? Basically, a capsule wardrobe is a thorough closet clean out in which only truly loved pieces are kept. Each season, only a very minimal amount of items are kept that pair well together and can easily be mixed and matched for effortless style. Think closet staples that can be kept for a very long time, do not tend to go out of style, and pieces that you love to wear!
wearing: chambray jacket/ similar | tee/ Madewell | bag/ Henri Bendel- similar | jeans/ Kancan | flats/ Aldo
Why did I decide to implement a capsule wardrobe? I have always been one who loves to shop for clothes. I feel that a lot of times I will buy items that are currently on trend and then I will get only a limited amount of wear out of the pieces before deciding to sell or donate them. I feel that a capsule wardrobe will save a ton of money since only a limited amount of clothes will be purchased prior to each upcoming season. I'll explain more about the number of pieces and when new clothes are purchased in another post. My closet is overwhelmingly full of clothes that I either don't wear or don't truly love. A capsule wardrobe allows for a minimalist approach and decreases the stress of not knowing what to wear when getting ready.
How will a capsule wardrobe work as far as my blog goes? Since I love fashion and love writing fashion posts, that will continue. The same pieces will be repeated often, but I will show how you can mix and match different pieces in order to get an entirely different look. I will still be sharing things that I love (even if they aren't in my closet) and sale alerts on different items as well.
What are your thoughts on a capsule wardrobe? Next week I will be sharing the steps that I took to eliminate clothes in my closet. I hope you have a great day and as always thank you so much for reading!


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A funeral is happening today. It's certain to attract a large crowd. In fact, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is in Ferguson, Missouri, today.
Michael Brown's funeral is today. The Brown family has asked for calm in the St. Louis region today. And it remains to be seen how long the calm will last, especially since Ferguson Police still refuse to answer questions on Officer Darren Wilson's slaying of Michael Brown. There was never even an incident report filed.
And not only that, but Ferguson Police still refuse to admit they have a serious problem on their hands. Sure, they're finally dialing back the violence now. However, they're still refusing to take any accountability for their actions against local civilians.
Before Darren Wilson joined the Ferguson Police Department, he worked at the Jennings Police Department. He was let go in 2011... Along with the entire rest of the police force. Jennings Police had developed such a horrifying record of police brutality that the city council decided to dissolve the whole police department and start anew.
Apparently, this didn't faze Ferguson Police at all. Sure, it's never good to simply assume the worse and presume guilt before proving innocence. However, it's always a good idea to perform background checks on prospective enployees and investigate Wilson's role in the Jennings debacle.
Why didn't Ferguson Police seriously investigate Darren Wilson's record in Jennings? Why has Ferguson Police instead taken to Fox "News" to villify the victim? And why are the usual G-O-TEA suspects once again trying to stifle serious discussion on the serious issues surrounding Ferguson?
Once again, the actions of a mostly white police force against a minority-majority community has become a media circus full of heat yet lacking light. Once again, we're hearing outrageous accusations to go along with nonsensical conspiracy theories. What we have yet to hear are answers from Ferguson Police. So many in the media are rushing to put Michael Brown on trial, even as Michael Brown's funeral is underway. Yet who's policing the police?


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~Junk In The Garden~January 31st, 2010 in member junk
OnEaglesWings, member
I love to incorporate 'the unexpected' in my garden.
Pattern or design used: My own design
posted in: member junk, cottage, outdoor spaces
Comments (15)
Stile writes: Spring just around the corner and I will be headed out to our yard. Appreciating the photos showing off your great ideas, you've given me some light bulb moments for ways to set off spots of interest in my yard. Posted: 3:13 pm on March 17th
suewhitney writes: Beautiful! That bee skep is to die for. LOVE!
Take care,
Sue Posted: 12:52 pm on February 2nd
Take care,
Sue Posted: 12:52 pm on February 2nd
junkermidge writes: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I love it all, but especially the bee skep and the scaffolding bench (always wanted to make one but can't ever get the scaffolding -- congrats).
Midge Posted: 9:02 pm on February 1st
Midge Posted: 9:02 pm on February 1st
junktiqueboutique writes: beautiful. I collect old mail boxes also. They hold birdseed and bread while the feeders are full. I like your rake head peeking through too. Posted: 6:45 pm on February 1st
fellowjunker writes: Wonderful weathered pieces.....they look fabulous in your garden!
xojanis Posted: 1:21 pm on February 1st
xojanis Posted: 1:21 pm on February 1st
RustyDiva writes: Love these pictures! Everything looks perfect mixed with all the greenery. Great ideas and cool "junk"! Posted: 10:42 am on February 1st
TinTinJunkFan writes: Your green thumb is evident in your posts! This is marvelous! Love your garden! Posted: 8:46 am on February 1st
artteachergirl writes: Just today while on a road trip I saw bee skeps sitting near the road in an overgrown area. We commented on them and the faded bird egg blue that was painted on them. Usually they are white. I told my husband I would love one of them for my porch, and here you are with one in your garden! How wonderful!! Posted: 7:24 pm on January 31st
itsnotjunk2me writes: Wow, you have a beautiful garden. The chippy painted bee skep is just perfect for herbs and flowers. Love all your garden pieces.
~judi ;) Posted: 4:24 pm on January 31st
~judi ;) Posted: 4:24 pm on January 31st
ninnarae writes: Beautiful...what a lovely garden...makes me long for spring! Thanks for sharing! Posted: 3:49 pm on January 31st
alicemom writes: How beautiful! I am so glad you found JMS and are posting these wonderful pictures!!!!!
smiles, alice Posted: 12:45 pm on January 31st
smiles, alice Posted: 12:45 pm on January 31st
LuAnn writes: Thanks for sharing. It sure help when we're right in the middle of winter. Your garden is beautiful--could sit there for hours.
LuAnn Posted: 12:21 pm on January 31st
LuAnn Posted: 12:21 pm on January 31st
MakinItHappen writes: Oh man, this makes me wish even harder for spring! I love your garden. Posted: 11:52 am on January 31st
oldnews writes: Wow, your garden is spectacular! I love everything you've done, it just looks like a place you'd never want to leave! Marie Posted: 11:32 am on January 31st
upyourattic writes: Love these pictueres, especially since we were bombarded with snow last night and it looks like spring will never get here!
The bee skep is to die for and I also love the scaffolding with that luscious plant!
Great job ~ thanks for sharing and brightening up my day!
Patti Posted: 9:39 am on January 31st
The bee skep is to die for and I also love the scaffolding with that luscious plant!
Great job ~ thanks for sharing and brightening up my day!
Patti Posted: 9:39 am on January 31st
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