text:
Change homepage in Microsoft Edge
Change homepage in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge Browser
- Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
- Click the More icon in the upper right-hand corner.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu that appears.
- Under the Open with a section, select A specific page or pages.
- Click the down arrow in the box that appears and selects Custom.
- Enter the web address you'd like for your homepage and click the + sign to add it.
- Click on the X to the right of about: start to remove the default start page.
Change homepage in Microsoft Edge Browser :
Call toll-free:1-855-785-2511
- Open Microsoft Edge
- Select the "…" more menu in the top right corner.
- Select Settings from the menu
- Under Open With, select a specific page or pages.
- Choose Custom
- Enter a URL of your choice to open when Microsoft Edge is started.
- Select the save icon, on the right.
- Close Microsoft Edge
Scan Windows 10 for Adware and Clean Microsoft Edge Browser
Windows 10 – Adware Removal Instruction – Quick Menu
Step 1 – Remove Adware from Windows 10 with AdwCleaner
Step 2 – Remove malicious files from Windows 10 with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Step 3 – Remove Browser Extensions with Avast Browser Cleanup
Remove Adware from Windows 10 with AdwCleaner: Call toll free: 1-855-785-2511
AdwCleaner will scan for malicious files causing the Adware pop-up in your computer and browser.
The AdwCleaner tool will scan for malicious Services, Folders, Files, Shortcuts, Registry keys and Browser Extensions for Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Firefox. After the scan, you can remove the found malicious items using AdwCleaner and clean your computer and browser(s).
Download AdwCleaner: Call toll free: 1-855-785-2511
Notice: if you have problems downloading AdwCleaner, because of popups that keep opening when clicking a link because of adware
- Before running AdwCleaner, close all open programs and browsers.
- Select the executable for AdwCleaner you just downloaded from the link above.
- Accept their terms by clicking the "I Agree" button
- Select the Scan button to start scanning your computer and browser for malicious files.
- to remove the malicious items found by AdwCleaner using the detection Scan, select the Cleaning button.
- Make sure to close all open programs and browser(s) to continue removing the detected items from your computer.
- Click OK to continue.
- Your computer is rebooted after the removal process.
Remove malicious files on Windows 10 with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware: Call toll free: 1-855-785-2511
Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free's industry-leading scanner detects and removes malware like worms, Trojans, rootkits, rogues, spyware, and more. All you have to do is launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free and run a scan. It's that simple.
Or if you want even better protection, consider Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium and its instant real-time scanner that automatically prevents malware and websites from infecting your PC.
Either way, you're crushing malware and foiling hackers.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware works great alongside Antivirus software, both Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Antivirus software go along and provide the best protection for your computer.
Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware using its installation wizard.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware needs no configs or specific settings, just install and you are ready to scan your computer for malware and free removal.
- Select Scan Now to perform an anti-malware scan.
- Malwarebytes computer is scanning for malicious items, this might take a while, please wait for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to finish.
- When the detection scan is finished, a window appears with the malware found by Malwarebytes.
To remove the found malware from your computer, select the Remove Selected button.
- All found items will be put in quarantine, if Malwarebytes Anti-Malware requires a reboot to do so, please allow Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to reboot Windows.
Remove Browser Extensions from Windows 10 with AVAST Browser Cleanup
Download AVAST Browser Cleanup
- Open Avast Browser Cleanup
- Review the browser extensions with a poor reputation, found by Avast Browser Cleanup. You can remove them separately or select the Remove all add-ons button in the top right corner (recommended).
- Select your default Search Provider, either Yahoo or Bing, choose one.
- All extensions are now successfully removed from your browser(s). If you would like to reset or remove other extensions from your browser, use the Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome button on the left menu in Avast Browser Cleanup.
- To Reset your browser, select Reset Settings
- Select Exclude add-ons with a good rating to review possible other extensions that might cause ads.
- Select Remove to remove an extension
- Repeat this step for either Firefox and Google Chrome using the left menu.


text:
Sunday, 14 October 2012
7 comments:
- Anonymous14 October 2012 at 14:24
Aww so cuteReplyDelete
Cute as! I would love some long haired rabbits for the farm here.ReplyDeleteReplies
They are lovely, I'm sure your visitors would love them xxDelete
Aaaw so cute xxxReplyDelete
what beautiful colours! xReplyDelete
Looks like a proper chill out time :)ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Paramount Elite Gymnastics traveled to the US Olympic Training Center for the 4th of July weekend. While the girls were not able to enjoy the fireworks, they were able to enjoy the results of all their hard work.
Caitlin Smith qualified as an International Elite. At the Elite qualifier Caitlin posted personal bests on Beam, Floor, Vault and All Around. She also placed 2nd on the same events. The following day she competed in the prestigious American Classic. There she posted a new personal best all around. She will compete next at the Secret Classic in Hoffman Estates, IL.
Katelyn Searle obtained her HOPEs optional score after already receiving her compulsory score. She waiting to find out if she will be able to compete at the US Challenge, also in Hoffman Estates. Katelyn posted personal bests on Vault, Beam, Floor and All Around. She placed 3rd on Vault, 7th on Beam, 5th on Floor.
Sophia McClelland is also patiently waiting to hear if she will be traveling to Illinois! It's been an exciting start to the Elite Season, here's to a strong finish!


text:
|Palm Cockatoo
|At Melaka Zoo, Malaysia
|Scientific classification
Kuhl, 1820
P. aterrimus
|Binomial name
|Probosciger aterrimus
Gmelin, 1788
P. a. aterrimus
|Australian Palm Cockatoo range (in red)
The Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), also known as the Goliath Cockatoo, is a large smoky-grey or black parrot of the cockatoo family. It is the only member in subfamily Microglossinae and the only member of the monotypic genus, Probosciger. Its unique position within the cockatoo family has been confirmed by molecular studies.
The Palm Cockatoo is distributed in rainforests and woodlands of New Guinea and northern Queensland, Australia. A majority of all captive-bred Palm Cockatoos are currently owned by Natalie Copp, David Roberts, Mike Tyson, Thomas Woodward and Ina Zuncke. The collective breeding program has been deemed a success by the Palm Cockatoo Conservation in Papua New Guinea.[1]
విషయ సూచిక
The Palm Cockatoo was originally described by German naturalist Gmelin in 1788. Its specific name aterrimus is the Latin superlative adjective for ater "black", hence "very black" or "blackest". It is the earliest offshoot from the ancestors of what have become the cockatoo family.[2]
The Palm Cockatoo is 55–60 cm (22–24 in) in length and weighs 910–1,200 g.[3] It is a distinctive bird with a large crest and has one of the largest bills of any parrots (only the Hyacinth Macaw's is larger). This powerful bill enables Palm Cockatoos to eat very hard nuts and seeds that other species have difficulty accessing. The bill is unusual as the lower and upper mandibles do not meet for much of its length, allowing the tongue to hold a nut against the top mandible while the lower mandible works to open it. The Palm Cockatoo also has a distinctive red cheek patch that changes colour when the bird is alarmed or excited.
The Palm Cockatoo makes over 20 different kinds of vocalisations, including a "hellow" call that is surprisingly human-like. Christina Zdenek, graduate research student at The Australian National University, is using their calls to develop a non-invasive technique (called vocal individuality) to identify and 'mark' individual wild palm cockatoos to track over time [1]. There are distinct dialects throughout the species' range. It has a unique territorial display where the bird (typically the male) drums with a large (i.e. up to 1" diameter, 15 cm long) stick or seed-pod against a dead bough or tree, creating a loud noise that can be heard up to 100 m away. [2] It is possible that females can assess the durability of the nesting hollow by the resonance of this drumming display.[ఉల్లేఖన అవసరం] The male then strips the stick into small pecies to line the nest.[ఉల్లేఖన అవసరం]
Palm Cockatoos only lay one egg every second year and have one of the lowest breeding success rates reported for any species of parrot.[4] Off-setting this is their very long life-span. A male commenced breeding at age 29 in Taronga Zoo in Sydney, and a female at the London Zoo was 40 when she laid he first egg in 1966. There is anecdotal evidence of a Palm Cockatoo reaching 80 or 90 years of age in an Australian zoo,[4] although the oldest confirmed individual was aged 56 in London Zoo in 2000.[5] Breeding takes place inside tree hollows, which are typically like standing pipes. Fires play an important role in the destruction and creation of nest hollows. Fires allow the colonisation of microorganisms and termites, which enter the tree and start hollowing out the inside. Cyclones are important in the final stage of nest hollow development.
The Palm Cockatoo is still relatively common in Cape York, but is threatened there by habitat loss, particularly bauxite mining around Weipa and altered fire regimes elsewhere. Palm Cockatoos are hunted in New Guinea. This species is in high demand for the pet trade due to its unusual appearance. The Palm Cockatoo is currently evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
- ↑ http://www.parrots.org/pdfs/our_publications/psittascene/excerpts/palm_cockatoo/Pages%20from%2002May51.pdf
- ↑ Brown DM, Toft CA (1999). "Molecular systematics and biogeography of the cockatoos (Psittaciformes: Cacatuidae)". Auk. 116 (1): 141–57. ISSN 0004-8038.
- ↑ Forshaw (2006). plate 1.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Murphy S, Legge S, Heinsohn R (2003). "The breeding biology of palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus): a case of a slow life history". Journal of Zoology. 261: 327–39. doi:10.1017/S0952836903004175.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ↑ Brouwer K, Jones M, King C, Schifter H (2000). "Longevity records for Psittaciformes in captivity". International Zoo Yearbook. 37: 299–316. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.2000.tb00735.x.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- BirdLife International (2008). Probosciger aterrimus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- Murphy S.A., Double M.C. and Legge S.M. (2007) The phylogeography of palm cockatoos, Probosciger aterrimus, in the dynamic Australo-Papuan region. Journal of Biogeography 34: 1534–1545.
- Murphy S.A. and Legge S.M. (2007) The gradual loss and episodic creation of Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) nest-trees in a fire- and cyclone-prone habitat. Emu 107: 1–6.
Cited texts[మార్చు]
- Forshaw, Joseph M. (2006). Parrots of the World; an Identification Guide. Illustrated by Frank Knight. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691092516.
బయటి లింకులు[మార్చు]
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- మూస:IUCNlink
- The Palm Cockatoo Research Project.
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) website – Threats to wild bird populations
- CITES website search page
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Probosciger aterrimus.
- CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Articles with 'species' microformats
- Taxobox articles missing a taxonbar
- All articles with unsourced statements
- Articles with unsourced statements from April 2010
- Cacatuidae
- పక్షులు ఉప కుటుంబాలు
- పక్షులు ప్రక్రియలు
- ఆస్ట్రేలియా పక్షులు
- Birds of Southeast Asia
- ఇండోనేషియా పక్షులు
- పాపువా న్యూ గినియా పక్షులు
- పెంపుడు పక్షులు
- మాట్లాడు పక్షులు
- కనీసం ఆందోళనకర జాతులు ఎర్ర జాబితా


text:
Chamber Membership Overview
Why join the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce?
Many businesses and individuals join to gain access to the various chamber events which help them build their businesses and network with fellow members. Others join for public relations and marketing opportunities to increase their visibility in the community, and to ensure their local business has an advocate.
What is the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce?
The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit business organization 501(c)(6) which represents the business community of El Dorado Hills and surrounding areas and provides benefits and services to the membership. Note: The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce is not a government agency.
The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce's goal is to further the business interests of the community and to advocate on behalf of the business community.
The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce operates under the following core competencies:
- Strengthening the local economy
- Representing members with government
- Promoting our community
- Providing our members business connections
- Influencing political action
When does the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce meet?
The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce has a full calendar including informative seminars, networking events, keynote speaker programs and special annual events. See a full list of upcoming events ›
Mission Statement
To drive positive change for the El Dorado Hill's business environment and to improve our member business by providing leadership, advocacy, connectivity and support.
What does it cost to join?
The membership investment starts at $290 annually (+ a onetime administrative fee of $50) for the Business Connector level. Please contact us to talk about other levels of membership (Business Investor, Business Marketer, Premier Partner and Premier Partner Plus). Online Application ›
How do I get involved?
- Attend a Chamber New Member Orientation and learn more about the Chamber
- Attend a Business Builder Buffet, the first Wednesday of every month
- Attend a Business Builder Blender, the second Wednesday of the month
- Attend a Handshakes and Eggs Breakfast mixer, the fourth Wednesday of the month
- Join the Ambassador Committee
How do I join the Chamber?
Please fill out the membership application online or call a chamber representative at (916) 933-1335.
"Tutoring Rocks joined The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce with a major purpose in mind: to become more active in the community and to find ways to give back. Little did we know at the time that we would never be capable of giving back to El Dorado Hills nearly in the same way that the Chamber has eagerly poured out on us. We know from first-hand experience that the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce is laser focused when it comes to helping businesses with their individual needs. From offering creative ideas and help with tough business obstacles to getting you deeply rooted in the fabric of this beautiful community, the Commerce has demonstrated that it cares about local business and it's here to help. Much love to the team from the Tutoring Rocks family."
Chris Koch, Tutoring Rocks Owner


text:
Line of higher volume acoustically lined square speaker enclosures for use in high quality distributed sound installations
Sometimes Called A Q-Box These Enclosures Have Extra Volume For High Spl Or High Ceiling Applications
Please fill out the information below to have one of our representatives contact you.
Please fill out the information below to download Sound Masking Done Right.
Complete this form to continue to downloads.
Please fill out the information below to have one of our experts contact you.
Complete this form to download Fohhn Audio Soft software.
Please fill out the contact information below.
Please fill out the form below to request a live SHS demonstration.
Request Access to Use AtlasIED.com to Place Purchase Orders.
Please complete this form and we will have one of our audio experts get in touch with you.


text:
So, my last blog post talks about how chafing occurs on the skin, and what the 2Toms family of products can do to heal that fast. Several weeks ago, I wrote about the cause of blisters and 2Toms' role in curing that as well.
But… have I ever told you about one of my very own nasty blisters? And how I could only dream at the time that blister-prevention products such as those manufactured by 2Toms even existed to help me?
I was young tween, if I recall correctly. Probably 10 or 11 years old. It was winter and I was out on the slopes. Well, the bunny slope, anyway. Taking lessons and learning how to ski! I was so excited! And learning well…
After some time, I was finally on my way down a slightly more challenging, and lengthy, course. Sure, I fell at times. But my instructor was right there with me, helping me up, encouraging my progress, and ready with inspiring words. And I was having a blast!
Soon enough, it was time to come in to eat. But I was having so much fun! Well, no bother. After some quick food in my belly I'd be able to go back out there and swoosh and ski with the best of 'em! This was just a minor inconvenience.
But, while inside gaining back some energy with some tasty foods, I also relaxed my tootsies by taking off my rented ski boots. And that's when I and my parents saw it. A nasty, already broken blister – red and angry – right there on my foot. I had been having way too much fun to even notice it was there. But now, boy did it hurt!
And, with that, I was instantly banished to the ski lodge for the rest of the day. No more runs down the slopes. No more lessons. No more nothing. I was done. And I was mad!
If only 2Toms BlisterShield existed back then! I would have powered up my socks like nobody's business, before I even started my first ski lesson of the day. Yep, I am certain that, with BisterShield on my side, (and in my ski boots), I'd be blister-free all day long without even the beginnings of a chafed raw area. 2Toms would have saved the day.
And now? I actually never did go back for my ski lessons. That little adventure was my one and only time ever on the snow covered slopes. I do not know how to ski.
Hmmm…. I guess I could always give it another go, couldn't I?! Now that I have 2Toms on my side? Hmmm….
Maybe I will. Yes… I just might.
I'm done with the lazy, hazy days of summer! Bring on the snow! I've got some learnin' to do!


text:
Regular price £29.99
Please note product may have scuffing or dents.
Star Wars The Black Series 40th Anniversary Vintage 6-Inch Action Figures bring back the legends that started it all. The original 12 Kenner characters are back, but the legendary collectable action figure line has been modernised and enlarged on vintage-style action figure packaging with incredible sculpts and accessories from Hasbro and Gentle Giant Studios!
The Class of 1978 never looked better. You'll find the greatest characters from the original Star Wars action figure line updated with over 20 points of articulation per humanoid, plus bigger and better blasters, lightsabers, and data link accessories than you've ever seen on a vintage Kenner-style cardback! It would be unwise to skip this assortment, and the early bird catches the worm for this awesome collection.


text:
Texas Countryman. (Bellville, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 1, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 6, 1865
Description: Weekly newspaper from Bellville, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.
Date: September 6, 1865
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History


text:
About The Budapest Grand Segway Tour:
This Segway tour of Budapest city centre offers comprehensive insights into the capital's key landmarks while retaining a strong sense of personality and interactivity. Groups tend to be small (often no more than 6 people) and are led by a friendly guide who'll be happy to chat away and answer any questions you might have.
It begins in front of the State Opera House twice daily (see below). After a short orientation session to get used to your Segway it's onto the sightseeing proper. Drift along the green boulevards of City Park with Vajdahunyad Castle looming in the background, marvel at the famous chain suspension bridge, and get up close to St. Stephen's Basilica.
today Season:
- All Year Round, Daily.
headset Commentary:
- English-Speaking Guide.
schedule Departure Times:
- 09:30 and 15:00.
place Departure Point:
- Hungarian State Opera House (Budapest, Andrássy út 22, H-1061). Your guide will be waiting by the stairs of the Opera House.
hourglass_empty Duration:
- 2 Hours.
error Important Information:
- No infants are allowed on the tour even if accompanied by an adult.
- Children cannot join the tour if they are under 10 years of age or weigh less than 40kg.
- Parents must sign liability and wavier forms for participants under 18 years of age (done before the start of the tour).
- Riders are expected to be able to ascend and descend stairs in a controlled manner without assistance.
- The Segways used on this tour are not suitable for people weighing over 130kg (280 lbs).
- Pregnant women and alcohol are not permitted on any excursion. Refunds cannot be given to anyone ejected from a tour under the suspicion that they are intoxicated.


text:
Since 2010, Green Buffalo Runner has been helping local runners, running clubs and race organizers keep sustainability top of mind. Promoting your race as a green certified running event is as simple as agreeing to the principals outlined below.
The Shamrock Run has Partnered with Green Buffalo Runner to make the 41st annual run, the most sustainable in its history.
Green Buffalo Runner Certification
We pledge to promote and accept reservations to our event online. If absolutely required, paper needed for marketing and or registration purposes will be kept to a minimum.
The contents of any race-related goodie bags will contain items/giveaways keeping sustainability in mind. Consider obtaining paper bags as opposed to plastic.
Attendees will be encouraged to walk, bike ride or carpool to the starting line.
All water stations will be equipped with paper (NOT PLASTIC) cups.
Attendees will be encouraged to bring their own water bottle.
Post-Race Party (Think green)
Post-race trash will be collected and disposed of in a responsible manner.
By simply agreeing to the principals outlined above, your race will receive our official Green Buffalo Runner certification.
Become eligible for our 2019 Green Race of the Year award.


text:
Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.
Bufo Rana (Bufo) is a homeopathic remedy for sadness. WORSE in warm room, on awakening. BETTER from bathing or cold air; from putting feet in hot water. Source: Boericke Materia Medica
You can find Bufo Rana (Bufo) Liquid and Bufo Rana (Bufo) Pills at Remedy Source.


text:
The comments to the rule change are as follows:
"The purpose of C.A.R. 5(e) is to establish a procedure similar to that set forth in Colorado Rule of Civil Procedure 121 Section 1-1(5). This procedure provides assurance that an attorney who makes a limited appearance for a pro se party in a specified appellate case proceeding(s), at the request of and with the consent of the pro se party, can withdraw from the case upon filing a notice of completion of the limited appearance, without leave of court. The purpose of C.A.R. 5(f) is to make clear that when an attorney appears for a party, whom he or she has not previously represented, in an appellate court and the proceedings in that court have concluded, the attorney is not obligated to represent the party in any other proceeding on remand or in any review of the appellate court's decision by any other court. Nothing in this provision would prevent the attorney from entering a limited or general appearance on behalf of the party in another court (for example, on a writ of certiorari to the supreme court), if agreed to by the attorney and the party."
(Credit to CBA-CLE Legal Connection for pointing out this change).


text:
He's a 'Super Size' hero
Professional athletes are all overpaid. Movie stars have egos the size of Alaska. And politicians? Well, they're all either too liberal or too conservative to be too good.
So I've been holding out for a hero. And today I have a new one.
Don Gorske is the guy. After all, he's The Man With the Sesame Seed Buns.
Gorske, perhaps you have heard, was poised to eat his 25,000th Big Mac Tuesday afternoon at McDonald's in Fond du Lac, Wis.
Impressive as devouring (and living to tell about it) that many concoctions of all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame-seed bun might be to some folks, it is not the only reason to be astounded by Gorske.
Gorske, a fairly thin fellow, is a 57-year-old correctional facility employee in the Land of Cheeseheads.
Yet after 25,000 Big Macs -- which carry more than their weight in calories (540 each) and grams of fat (29 per sandwich) -- his cholesterol is surprisingly low and he says he's in good health.
That's despite ingesting what I have computed to be13.5 million calories and 725,000 grams of fat just from Big Macs alone the past 39 years.
But perhaps my favorite part of the story is that -- not unlike yours truly -- he is married to a nurse.
The story goes that his Big Mac love affair began when Gorske ate nine -- count 'em, nine -- on that fateful first day, May 17, 1972. He has eaten two Big Macs a day virtually every day since for 39 years, keeping the boxes and the receipts as proof of his addiction.
"A person like me, I just don't change too much," he told the Fond du Lac Reporter newspaper. "It's pretty much two Big Macs a day. When I can travel to sporting events, I like to take my Big Mac along."
To assure the latter, he keeps two Big Macs in his luggage in case he can't find his favorite restaurant while traveling. Yum, I'll bet that suitcase smells good!
Gorske says he has eaten a Big Mac in almost every U.S. state. He was even featured in the Morgan Spurlock documentary "Super Size Me."
How Gorske can consume 25,000 Big Macs without gagging is amazing since Spurlock couldn't do 30 days of McDonald's without barfing in the drive-through (that, by the way, is when I turned the film off). Must be the sesame-seed buns is all I can say ...
Back when I worked in a suburban Chicago deli that featured hot corned beef sandwiches, I devoured those daily for an after-school snack. Until the day came that I couldn't look at another one, couldn't stand to smell another one, and certainly couldn't stomach one more.
And when that time comes for Don Gorske, he'll certainly deserve a break that day.
Posting a comment requires free registration:
- If you already have an account, follow this link to login
- Otherwise, follow this link to register


text:
Product Description
Buy this soft and cozy green baby fleece blanket which can be used for different purposes like swaddling, receiving, sleeping, cuddling, car seat or stroller cover. Taking advantage of double layers of Polar Fleece fabric, it keeps your baby extra warm in cold weather. Being extremely lightweight, however, it is perfect for all seasons.
- 101 x 76 x 2 cm
- 40 x 30 inches
- Brand Name: Wobbly Walk
- Recommended Age: 0 Months+
- No. of Pieces: 1 Blanket
- Material: Polar Fleece
- Color: Green
- Type: Multi-purpose Baby Blanket
- Filling: Bacteria Free Siliconized Polyfill
Washing Instructions:
- Hand/Machine wash cold water with like colors
- Use only chlorine-free bleach when needed
- Tumble dry low
- Do not Iron


text:
August Faves
I feel like despite this month being the end of summer, I've jumped the gun and entered into full autumn mode already. This is obvious from my August favourites which consists of all the components for a cosy night in….in high summer. So first up is the series that gripped me and Amy from episode one, we thought we were…View Post


text:
Consumers not likely to spend tax rebates
Congress is plowing ahead with a plan to stimulate consumer spending by issuing tax rebates, even though most Americans say they would save them or use them to pay off debt.
I looked at five formal or informal surveys that asked consumers whether they would save, spend or apply rebates toward debt.
Only 15 to 38 percent said they would spend them.
The biggest group - 27 to 51 percent - said they would use them to pay debt or bills; 18 to 36 percent said they would save or invest them (See box on Page C4).
In a sixth survey, which didn't give debt-payment as an option - 51 percent of respondents said they would spend the money, 36 percent said they'd save it and 10 percent said they'd spend some and save some.
MBA BY THE BAY: See how an MBA could change your life with SFGATE's interactive directory of Bay Area programs.
Granted, some of the surveys were not scientific. The Turbo Tax and Wall Street Journal polls were based solely on people who responded to online polls.
Still, the results are hard to ignore, especially because they correspond fairly closely to the results of an academic survey that asked people what they did with tax rebates they received in 2001.
But what consumers say they will do and what they really do are two different things. A lot of us vow to get in shape in January. By June, we haven't lost a pound. A separate academic study suggests that consumers who paid down credit card cards with their 2001 refund had put it back on their credit card within nine months.
Although saving or repaying debt would certainly benefit many households, it wouldn't have the desired economic impact - preventing a recession by stimulating consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of gross domestic product.
A plan passed by the House would provide rebates of up to $600 for singles and $1,200 for married couples, with an additional $300 per child. The tax rebates would begin phasing out for individuals earning more than $75,000 and married couples making more than $150,000.
A Senate version would provide up to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples, plus $300 per kid. The rebates would start phasing out at roughly twice the income limits in the House plan. The Senate bill would extend rebates to seniors living on Social Security and disabled veterans.
Both houses would have to agree on a compromise bill before it could go to President Bush's desk. This being tax-filing season, the Internal Revenue Service probably would not begin issuing checks until mid-May.
Economic studies show that before 2001, rebates didn't work because by the time Congress got around to approving them, the economy had already recovered.
The 2001 rebates were different because they were sent out quickly - while the economy was still in a recession. But there's still debate as to their effectiveness.
University of Michigan economists Matthew Shapiro and Joel Slemrod asked households in the fall of 2001 what they planned to do with their rebates. They found that only 21.8 percent planned to spend most of their refund, 32 percent said they would save most of it and almost 46.3 percent said they would use it mostly to pay off debt. A follow-up survey in 2002 yielded similar results. They found "no indication that low-income households were more likely to spend the rebate - in fact, higher-income households were more likely to say that the tax rebate led them to mostly increase spending."
A separate team of researchers attempted to see what consumers actually did with their rebates - not what they said they would do. David Johnson, Jonathan Parker and Nicholas Souleles gauged the impact of the tax rebates by looking at changes in the government's Consumer Expenditure Survey. They concluded that Americans spent 20 to 40 percent of their rebates in the first three months, and had spent two-thirds of it within nine months of receiving it.
They found that lower-income people spent more of their rebates than middle-income people. Higher-income people spent more than middle-income people, but this difference was not statistically significant. The study estimated that the rebates raised total personal consumption by 0.8 percent in the third quarter of 2001 and 0.6 percent in the fourth.
In a follow-up study, Souleles, an associate professor at the Wharton School, looked at the impact of the rebates by focusing strictly on credit card data.
The study showed that households' credit card debt immediately dropped upon receipt of the 2001 rebate, but rose over the next nine months, suggesting that the rebate that was originally used to pay off debt was later spent.
Souleles divided credit card customers into those whose balances were at or near their credit limit and those whose balances were farthest from their limit. He called these people liquidity constrained and unconstrained, respectively.
He found that "the unconstrained guys used the rebate to pay down debt and their debt stayed down for the period we were observing - nine months."
The constrained people also paid off their debt initially, but their balances started rising in the second month after they received the rebate and continued rising through the eight months.
"Insofar as your goal is to stimulate the economy, the result is you want to target to constrained households," Souleles says.
Whether the 2008 rebates, if they get passed, would have the same impact is an open question.
The 2001 rebate "was really unique based on previous experience in that the timing was very good and it was the first installment of a longer-term tax cut. That gave people an added reason to spend it," says Stanford University economist John Taylor.
The 2001 rebate was an advance refund of a tax cut that lowered the lowest marginal tax rate to 10 percent from 15 percent. That tax cut is still in effect through 2010.
The tax cut Congress is contemplating now would come from lowering the lowest marginal rate - which applies to the first $6,000 in income for singles and $12,000 for couples - from 10 percent to zero, but only for one year - 2008.
"You really can't expect too much from a package like this," Taylor says. "My own feeling is that, if it's possible to add to this some more permanence to the program, it would help a lot."
On a related note, in response to my Jan. 29 column - which answered questions about the House-approved tax rebates - quite a few readers asked if they would get a rebate if they owed the IRS back taxes.
IRS spokesman Jesse Weller says he cannot answer that question, because the rebates are not approved. But he says the 2001 rebates, which he calls an advance payment, were applied first to any federal income tax owed. "If the advance payment amount for a taxpayer was larger than the debt owed, the taxpayer got a check for the difference. If the full amount of the advance payment was applied to the back taxes owed, they did not receive a check."
-- What will you do with your rebate? To vote, go to sfgate.com/polls/.
Not in a spending mood
Most people say that if they receive a tax rebate, they will save it or use it to pay off debts, according to scientific and unscientific polls.
|Pay debt/bills
Not sure/other
ABC News/Washington Post
|Lightspeed Research
|TransUnion/ Zogby International
|Wall Street Journal online
|Fox News/ Opinion Dynamics*
*An additional 10 percent said they would save some and spend some of their rebate. Paying debt was not a survey option.
Source: Chronicle research


text:
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Islam's Big Lie
Should those strong feelings result in burning Korans? No. I don't think that is a proper response. While it is an exercise of freedom and an expression of outrage in general, it is not the right thing to do. A child's tantrum gets a lot of attention, but rarely gets the desired results.
However, appeasement is also not the appropriate response. Early America learned that lesson from the Barbary Wars and the action we finally took is referenced in the Marine Corps Hymn which begins with the verse, "From the Halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli."
There is a long history of Muslims building mosques as something other than merely a place to worship. There is also theological justification for lying to "infidels" while they do it.
America's first national encounter with Islam was when hostile Muslim-Arab pirates from the Barbary Coast of North Africa, without provocation, attacked and ransomed ships from Europe and the United States. Sidi Haji Abdrahaman used quotes from the Koran as he explained the actions to Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in the meeting in France. ("Jefferson, American Minister In France", p. 413, The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 30, Issue 180, October 1872)
The US was paying up to $1 million annually to ensure safe passage until 1801 when Jefferson refused to continue payments. The Barbary Wars followed, which culminated in the US naval attack of Algiers.
Before this encounter and since, history records the ultimate goals of Islam as being conversion through outreach, force and subjugation, and death and destruction when necessary.
Muslim warriors have laid waste the monuments and sacred places of non-Islamic cultures, often using as building materials the rubble of temples, churches, synagogues and cemeteries they destroyed. The magnitude of destruction they inflicted on the Hindu population of India affected the Indian culture for generations. In fact the first mosque they built in India was likely built on the site of the ancient Jain temple.
Muslims converted churches to mosques as they overran Europe, long before the Crusades. They built mosques over Jewish holy sites including Rachel's tomb, the Cave of Machpelah and most significantly, the standing remains of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Dome of The Rock, as they call their temple site mosque, was not built there because of any special significance in Islamic tradition. The Koran doesn't even mention the holy city Jerusalem.
The mosque was built there to show the Jewish people as subjects in their own land.
The same compelling reason caused Islam to rebuild the Church of St. John in Damascus as a mosque in 705 and prompted the Taliban to destroy ancient Buddhist shrines in Afghanistan in 2001.
Perhaps the most compelling evidence of Muslim triumphalism is found in the current situation in Nazareth.
The city, the largest Christian city in Israel, although it has a Muslim majority, is dominated by the black domed Basilica of the Annunciation---the largest Christian church in the Middle East. On December 21, 1997, Muslims erected a fence at the foot of the Basilica and declared it "waqf" (Muslim holy endowment). They constructed a large tent as a provisional mosque and demanded permits for the construction of a permanent mosque with a 86 meter tall minaret, which would dwarf the Basilica. It was reported that once the tent mosque was established, the Muslims proclaimed from loud speakers that anyone who wants to be certain in his life after death must convert to Muslim and if you don't get on the Islam train you're "done for."
Will the "Cordoba House"/mosque/whatever, become what the tent in Nazareth has become? A way to intimidate American infidels and serve as the symbol of Islamic supremacy and triumphalism? Does this same motivation now compel them to build a "Cordoba House" at Ground Zero?
And exactly who is going to be funding the "Cordoba House"?
Does common sense, given the history of Islam, suggest that this Muslim Center, whatever it is called, would be tantamount to planting an enemy's flag at a military cemetery where the battle dead are buried?
Evidently Mayor Bloomberg, Nancy Pelosi, President Obama and others who support the building of the mosque at Ground Zero are ignoring the Muslim practice of taqiyya, as well as history itself.
Taqiyya and kitman are Muslim practices, taught in the Koran, to conceal the real intentions of Muslims while they are living in an "infidel" land. We call it telling a lie.
Christians and Jews are guided by ethical principles---Judeo-Christian principles, that consider lying to be a sin. Muslim theology teaches that lying against unbelievers or infidels, is a virtue.
Americans familiar with history, understand that the significance of the initial choice to call the mosque "Cordoba House" relates directly to the great mosque built in Spain following the Muslim conquest that was called "Cordoba House".
Cordoba House was built on the foundations of a Christian cathedral.
Mayor Bloomberg said recently, in defending the building of the mosque, "Of course, it is fair to ask the organizers of the mosque to show some special sensitivity to the situation, in fact their plan envisions reaching beyond their walls and building an interfaith community. By doing so, it is my hope that the mosque will help bring our city even closer together, and help repudiate the false and repugnant idea that the attacks of 9/11 were in any way consistent with Islam."
Joseph Puder, in his column, "Deadly Deceit," describing taqiyya says, "Mayor Bloomberg of New York and President Obama have either opted to ignore the Islamic practice of taqiyya ...or are simply blissfully ignorant of them."
Mayor Bloomberg's statement is equivalent to a European leader who once met with Hitler at a train station, returned home, and told his countrymen, "everything is under control."
Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful.
Gary Randall
Faith and Freedom
Click here to add these blogs to your email inbox.
23 comments:
- Anonymous10:38 AM, September 09, 2010
Thank you again for this excellent 2 part series. This muslim practice of outright LYING is culturally inconsistent with our Christian-based ideals. Thus it is hard for many of us to recognize the fact that nothing can be taken at face value with these folks. As the saying goes, their lips are moving - it must be a lie.ReplyDelete
Actions speak louder than words, and as we have seen in the case of Iran, Truthfulness is rare, and unraveling the truth is difficult if not impossible. This - on the day of discovering a "new" Iranian uranium enrichment facility buried in the mountains 80 miles from Baghdad. hmmm - they call the place 311 - I just wonder if that is a DATE!
If you believe, as Bloomburg does, that these guys are a benign, peaceful people, then go and live in Iran for a few years.
- Anonymous11:31 AM, September 09, 2010
OK, we get that you don't like the Muslims and you think their motives are bad, but you still haven't demonstrated any harm to to anyone. People will be offended, sure, but not harmed. I prefer to stand by the Constitution on this one.ReplyDelete
Also, just as Christianity has different sects with different beliefs, so do Muslims. This particular sect is to Al Queda as the Unitarians are to your followers. These are not the people to be afraid of. Their Imam has helped the FBI with counter terrorism. They are not friendly with Al Queda.
We live in a wimpish culture and unless we regain our collective backbone, we will lose to the Muslim and they will finally overrun the West. Europeans, Brits, and us Americans were at one time very tough people and pushed back the Muslims. Spain expelled the Muslims allowing for Christopher Comlumbus to travel west. Dracula (yes, he was real and a Romanian haro) was a prince that kept the Muslims at bay. Austria almost fell to the Muslims and the Austrian fought back. What happened to us?ReplyDelete
- Anonymous12:21 PM, September 09, 2010
You did not post my longer response this morning. But I hope you will post this shorter version:ReplyDelete
As expected, you failed to live up to your own religious freedom test from yesterday. Yesterday, you said it is religious PRACTICE that can be curtailed, while religious BELIEF cannot. You brought up the example of the church where members believe in divine healing. Members who kept medical assistance from their children were prosecuted, but not all of the church members who held the same BELIEFS. Because only when specific individuals perform a specific PRACTICE do they encounter the boundary of religious freedom, but we do not restrict individuals for simply holding a BELIEF.
Regarding the community center in NYC, you reject Muslim BELIEFS as you describe them, but you have not pointed out any specific PRACTICE performed by any of these leaders of the community center that would warrant a restriction of their religious freedom, including their right to build a community center in NYC. You may suppose all you want what they BELIEVE – they hate America, want to kill us, etc. – but until they perform a PRACTICE that crosses the line, why must we intervene?
As I challenged you yesterday: If you know something about the PRACTICE of these specific Muslims that warrants our intervention, please tell.
- Anonymous5:35 PM, September 09, 2010
Let's suppose I was a principality or power, some kind of invisible one, and I was by relation (if not close relationship) through name, connected to burning your house down and I decided to buy property right next door to your property in order to build a tall several story house which overlooks your property, and while knowing that we have not in the past been getting along real well, (because your family and mine are different) I decided to impose on your life some more by this building project, and to properly educate you, I decided to name my house something like..."The New Neighborly &ReplyDelete
Kindness Education Facility."
Now suppose you did not feel welcomed by me if I proposed to build as close to your property line as I could get away with by law, should the world at large perceive you as one who hates it's neighbors and is also contrary to kindness should you legaly protest against my actions?
Maybe such an endeavor should be rather labled, "Hypocrisy Convention Center." or something similar....or is this simply hate speech on my part?
Is it hate speech or do I simply want to try to wake people up to what is going on right under their noses?
I don't like to see a government lay it's hands on hypocrisy and pronounce any kind of blessing upon it. Anyone who would do such a thing would begin to look to me like they should be wearing some kind of tall cone shaped hat with stars and planets on it and even on their robe.
This nation is in need of Christians occupying offices throughout our government, men and women of discernment with some knowledge of the scripture. Those who are willing to do the best they can to protect our constitution, for our constitution was not written to support hypocrisy, nonsense,
stupidity, or foolishness. Such things are contrary to this nation's constitution.
I wish there would have been a building permit authority who would have said to himself, "Hmmm! a Mosque right next to ground zero...constitutional or not?... Should I deny them the permit on constitutional grounds, explaining my reasoning to them?...Should I suggest to them that if they their intentions are just and good, that they would include a large and clearly visible sign that reads something like, THIS BUILDING WAS BUIT HERE FOR (state such and such purposes)VERY CLOSE TO THE LOCATION OF A TERRIBLE ACT OF SENSELESS VIOLENCE WHICH COST AMERICA ABOUT 3000 LIVES. THIS ORGAINIZATION DELARES PUBLICLY THAT THE MURDEROUS ACT WHICH CAUSE THE DEATHS AT GROUND ZERO AND THE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, THUS DISRUPTING MANY THOUSANDS OF LIVES DIRECTLY, AND CAUSING GRIEF TO ALL OF AMERICA, WAS INDEED ACTS OF TERRORISM AND OF EVIL ITSELF. WE CALL SUCH ACTS DONE AGAINST ALL HUMANITY, DEEDS DONE OUT OF DARKNESS, BY THOSE WHO DID NOT KNOW GOD, OR HAVING ONCE KNOWN HIM, TURNED TO THE WAYS OF EVIL, EVEN SATAN HIMSELF. HAVING ENDED THEIR LIVES DOING NO GOOD, WE DENOUNCE SUCH DEEDS AND CALL THEM WHAT THEY ARE, JUST PLAIN EVIL AND OF THE DEVIl, WITHOUT QUESTION, CONTRARY TO ALMIGHTY GOD WHO HAS BLESSED AND PROTECTED THIS NATION.etc.
May his blessing be on this nation still.
Should they make something like that public, and convince the public, I suppose they should be given a permit right where they like to build. At least, where would the argument be that would be the answer of "NO", on constitutional grounds?
I suppose it could only still be a "NO" if they were not yet able to convince the public that their sincerity is real, and truly for the good of all people.
- Anonymous9:36 PM, September 09, 2010
I think the letter before last missed the point. If aReplyDelete
scorpion lands on your lap: Do you (1) Wait for it to
sting you or (2) Knock it off your lap. The U.S. Constitution
is not a SUICIDE pact. I have no problem with Muslims building
a mosque per se, but let's have some sensitivity here, move it
a couple miles down the road. It does not HAVE to be built
at ground zero, that's all I'm saying. C,Lacey
- Anonymous10:45 PM, September 09, 2010
Ken Burres, Sequim, WAReplyDelete
You should be more careful about your assertions of fact. The Qur'an does speak of Jerusalem, and the site of the Dome of the Rock does have a great significance for Islam. Although Jerusalem is not mentioned by name, 17:1 speaks of the famous "Night Journey" of Muhammad to Jerusalem: ". . . a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, which is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Hadith adds great detail about this journey. In the outcropping of rock which is sheltered by the Dome of the Rock, a depression in the rock is believed by Muslims to be the footprint of Muhammad at the spot where he ascended into heaven.
At 17:5, the words "We sent against you Our servants given to terrible warfare: They entered the very inmost parts your homes, and it was a warning (completely) fulfilled" is interpreted by Muslim scholars as a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 B.C In 17:7 the saying "When the second of the warnings came to pass, (We permitted your enemies to disfigure your faces, and to enter your Temple as they had entered it before, and to visit with destruction all that fell into their power" is clearly a reference to the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in A.D. 70.
In addition, we should not forget that during the Meccan phase of his mission, Muhammad instructed his followers to pray facing Jerusalem. It was only after his warfare against the Jews in Medina that he instructed his followers to pray facing the Ka'aba in Mecca.
You are right, however, in this respect: the building of the Dome of the Rock on the site of the Temple was indeed an expression of triumphalism. What I am pointing out is that is much more than that.
- Anonymous12:58 PM, September 10, 2010
@9:36 PM, C, Lacey:ReplyDelete
If you truly believe that all Muslims are like attacking bugs, and that we should knock them off our laps (arrest them? restrict their freedoms? banish them?) before they actually do anything resembling a crime, then I don't think we'll get anywhere in this conversation.
With unrelenting tears and eternal grief I join tomorrow in commemorating the senseless and barbarous slaughter of our fellow human beings. In addition to NYC, perhaps Imam Rauf would consider another mosque at Boston's Logan Airport. Hey, why not? For the Religion of Peace, I'm sure there is also available land in PA. Might have a tough time securing space at the Pentagon, though.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous5:17 PM, September 10, 2010
They already have prayer space in the Pentagon. Just feet from the actual crash site. It's a prayer room - very similar to the one that would be in cultural center in MY. That's right, Muslims are praying in a prayer room in the Pentagon daily.
Of course, it's a non-denominational prayer room so people of many faiths (including Christians) use it regularly. Apparently the Pentagon understands that the Muslims that work there aren't part of Al Queda. They aren't a threat any more than any of the thousands Muslims currently serving you and me in the military.
You can't broad brush Islam any more than you can Christianity.
Mark in Tigard
- Anonymous6:50 PM, September 10, 2010
12:58,9/10/10, AnonymousReplyDelete
I'm talking about the people who follow the Korans teaching that lying is a virtue to further the conquest of a nation or people. As Gary has shown to be a pattern. The building of a mosque very near Ground Zero smacks of triumphalism. Did
America erect a statue of MacArthur in Tokyo or Patton in Berlin? Again, I have no problem with anyone building a mosque,but lets have some sensitivity and common sense here.
Don't stick your finger in my eye! Move the complex down the road. If the builders are truly peaceloving, don't they understand the symbolism. Don't they understand why people are upset about this. Don't you? C, Lacey
- Anonymous7:28 PM, September 10, 2010
There already is a "mosque" at the Pentagon! There has been a Muslim prayer room, which is what people like Gary have been using to justify terming the community center @Park 51 a "mosque" for years now. This is why I cannot join in the opposition to Park 51, it seems the majority of it's opponents are either misinformed or simply uninformed and proud of the fact.
- Anonymous9:13 PM, September 10, 2010
This evening on the TV news I heard the pastor from Florida called a hatemonger and I looked up the word in a dictionary.ReplyDelete
In my dictionary a hatemonger is defined as a propagandist who seeks to provoke...etc.
I wonder, are they calling the gospel propagana? Is that what it is in their eyes?
I wonder what would happen if a man announced publicly that counterfeiting money is of the Devil and that he intends to burn any counterfeit money that people might bring in.
Who but a conterfeiter would call him a hatemonger and what would be the propagana, that real money is better than fake money?
Something the pastor said was "before it's too late.", as if he could see the threat of loosing our constituional right to protest against what we believe to be wrong, harmful, misrepresentative of the truth, deceptive, or wrong.
It's been said that if we don't use our rights we could loose them. I wonder how heavily that weighed on his mind. I would like to hear him speak freely about all that is upon his heart in this matter.
We seem to live in a time when outlandish ways one done seem to become the norm, as if people say to themselves, "Well, if it's done, I guess it must be OK, or acceptable, or even right."
If we live in a time when people do not hear through discussions, dialog, or reasoning, because of the hardness of heart, grace be unto us if God should speak in other ways.
I wonder if his zeal carried the man to purpose to do what he had planned. I wonder if it was zeal of his own house or that of another man's.
I do believe in a new Jerusalem don't you?
- Anonymous10:10 PM, September 11, 2010
Ok, I've spent a bunch of time trying to find out where the Quran says it's ok to lie. I can't find it.ReplyDelete
You folks all seem to know that it does say so, and I trust that you wouldn't just blindly repeat something you hadn't seen for yourself. So could one you please refer me to the section of the Quran that says its ok to lie to infidels?
Otherwise, I'll have to assume that this is just more made up propaganda not based on anything real.
btw - I have an open mind here. I really have done research, but it's possible I just missed it.
- Anonymous8:10 AM, September 12, 2010
C, Lacey(although anyone sharing that position feel free to respond)ReplyDelete
The Park 51 site is "down the road", it's kitty-corner from the NW corner of the ground zero site, two blocks up, turn right and then in the middle of the block. If that isn't sufficient distance to appease your indignation, just what is? Exactly how distant must it be? Is South Ferry distant enough for you? What about TriBeCa? So Ho? the Village? Chelsea? the Flatiron District? Gramercy Park? Mid-town? Since you are outraged at the insensitivity of current proposed location, just what location do you propose?
This "I'm fine with them building a mosque, just not there!" line of argument is sounding an awful lot like "jam tomorrow, jam yesterday, but never ever jam today" to me.
- Anonymous9:25 PM, September 12, 2010
8:20AM 9/12/10ReplyDelete
Didn't I say a couple miles? The proposed site isn't. The only
thing I know about jam is that it goes on toast=). "Just not
there" means yesterday, today or tomorrow. Still haven't answered my question about statues in Tokyo or Berlin? Do you understand why they weren't built? Precisely because they smack of triumphalism, whether or not that was the stated purpose for erecting them. Can you see a parallel? C, Lacey
- Anonymous11:58 PM, September 13, 2010
C, Lacey,ReplyDelete
So what are are we talking 2 miles? three miles? Again you are the one saying it isn't distant enough, you have the obligation to define the acceptable distance. I notice you didn't pick any of the areas I mentioned, could it be because you have no idea of the layout of Manhattan?
As for your questions about statues in Tokyo or Berlin, I didn't answer them because they are irrelevant. This is not a statue of Bin Laden or any other Al Queda member. It is a cultural center, and yes the US had built numerous culteral centers in Germany and Japan, even in Tokyo and Berlin! As for whether any of these have prayer rooms I don't know or care. There are certainly no shortage of American Evangelical missionary churches in both nations though.
Your analogy also fails in that, unlike Japan and Germany, we are not a conquered people. Despite the hysteria of some, we are in no danger of being under sharia law.
So no, C, I don't see the paralell, what I see is someone strechting to the point of absurdity to try and justify an indefensible position.
Oh, and BTW, there was a prayer room (read Mosque) located on the 17th floor of the south tower of the WTC! Seems to me having a prayer room not just a few blocks away but in any new tower built at the sight is proper and right.
- Anonymous10:30 PM, September 14, 2010
Last time I checked A couple was 2 and no I don't know the lay-ReplyDelete
out of manhattan nor do I care. They couldn't put a statue of
Bin Laden anywhere in the U.S., Who would try? Subterfuge is a more benign road. There were evangelical churches in both countries before the American Revolution, so that proves
nothing. We are not a conquered nation precisely because we are diligent about meeting any threat with overwhelming force
and by being discerning about people's intentions. I pray we will remain so. Oh! The Byzantines and the Spanish and the Cossacks and the Afghans and the Indonesians, etc. saw no threat of sharia law either. How'd that work out for them?
C. Lacey
- Anonymous9:36 AM, September 15, 2010
The US will be converted to Sharia law right after gay marriage brings and end to straight marriage and procreation.ReplyDelete
- RALPHINEVERET4:25 PM, September 16, 2010
So what is the big deal. If they build this building and it turns out that it is aReplyDelete
recruitment center for terrorists then close it down and prosecute those involved. If it actually is what they say it is an information and education center for moderate Islam then
chalk one up for religious freedom , tolerance and
Democracy that this country was founded on.
If the building is stopped for fear of what it might be , then it can not be said that the United States is free for people to come here and have the freedom to practice their religion without fear of harassment.
- Anonymous5:40 PM, September 16, 2010
The way things are going, that may not be far off!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous3:39 AM, September 17, 2010
C, Lacey.ReplyDelete
So let's see, we've now established that:
1. This isn't at all comparable to a statue of the leader of opposition forces, like a Patton or MacArthur statue in Tokyo or Berlin.
2. That this is a cultural exchange/understanding center of which Americans built numerous in Japan and Germany after the war.
3. That US Evangelical missionary presence in Japan in Germany after the war was A-OK because there was a presence prior to the war. Much as there was a Muslim presence in the US (even at the WTC itsself) prior to 9/11.
So, it seems that your analogy is without any parallels what so ever and completely fails.
- Anonymous12:01 AM, September 18, 2010
It's a mosque with a cultural center in it, it is highly insensitive to build it there and imflammatory. Just moveReplyDelete
it and everybody's happy. The US Evangelical Missions never
pretended to be anything else. That they were present before
or after the war means nothing pertinent to the issue at hand.
Again, NO ONE could erect a statue of a terrorist anywhere in the US,do you understand the long range planning and outlook
of jihad? Look, I don't hold all muslims responsible for Bin
Laden anymore than I hold all Germans responsible for Hitler,
or Japanese for Tojo, or Russians for Stalin, etc., etc.,. Our
country was attacked by people claiming to be killing in the name of God, it was no more right, now, than it was in times past. I'm asking for a little compassion for the relatives of those lost, who are really upset by this. Does no one care how they feel? C,Lacey
Faith and Freedom welcomes your comment posts. Remember, keep it short, keep it on message and relevant, and identify your town.


text:
A co-worker who is an intelligent electrical engineer said an ungrounded microwave is dangerous because microwaves can then escape through the holes in the door. Aside from the electrical dangers, I disagreed because I think it is just the size of the holes vs. the wavelength of the microwaves. Does lack of a ground allow some microwaves to escape through the holes in the microwave door? — LG, Maine
You're right. Whether the microwave oven is grounded or not makes no difference on its screen's ability to prevent microwave leakage. In fact, the whole idea of grounding something is nearly meaningless at such high frequencies. Since electrical influences can't travel faster than the speed of light and light only travels 12.4 cm during one cycle of the oven's microwaves, the oven can't tell if it's grounded at microwave frequencies; its power cord is just too long and there just isn't time for charge to flow all the way through that cord during a microwave cycle.
When you ground an appliance, you're are making it possible for electric charge to equilibrate between that appliance and the earth. The earth is approximately neutral, so a grounded appliance can't retain large amounts of either positive or negative charge. That's a nice safety feature because it means that you won't get a shock when you touch the appliance, even if one of its power wires comes loose and touches the case. Any charge that the power wire tries to deposit on the case will quickly flow to the earth as the appliance and earth equilibrate.
But charge can't escape from the appliance through the grounding wire instantly. Light takes about 1 nanosecond to travel 1 foot and electricity takes a little longer than that. For charge to leave your appliance for the earth might well require 50 nanoseconds or more. That's not a problem for ordinary power distribution, so grounding is generally a great idea. Each cycle of the 60-Hz AC power in the U.S. takes 18 milliseconds to complete, so the appliance and earth have plenty of time to equilibrate with one another. But a cycle of the microwave power in the oven takes less about 0.4 nanoseconds to complete and there's just no time for the appliance and earth to equilibrate. At microwave frequencies, the electric current flowing through a long wire is wavelike, meaning that at one instant in time the wire has both positive and negative patches, spaced half a wavelength apart along its length. It's carrying an electromagnetic ripple.
The metal screen on the oven's door has to reflect the microwaves all by itself. It does this without a problem because the holes are so much smaller than 12.4 centimeters that currents easily flow around them during a cycle of the microwaves. Those currents are able to compensate for the holes in the screens and cause the microwaves to reflect perfectly.


text:
Satire : Defined
The following is a wikipedia definition for SATIRE:
The following is a wikipedia definition for SATIRE:
Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement.[1] Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon.
A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant"[2]—but parody, burlesque, exaggeration,[3] juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. This "militant" irony or sarcasm often professes to approve of (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to attack.
Satire is nowadays found in many artistic forms of expression, including literature, plays, commentary, and media such as lyrics.
The word satire comes from the Latin word satur and the subsequent phrase lanx satura. Satur meant "full," but the juxtaposition with lanx shifted the meaning to "miscellany or medley": the expression lanx satura literally means "a full dish of various kinds of fruits."[4]
read more on wikipedia


text:
What does the world know about you?
As they always say "knowledge is power" and these days it can't be more true. Watch how this fruity clairvoyant finds out specific information on complete strangers and find out how to guard against it.
In this day and age information must be handled differently, you really need to watch what you put online and who you allow to access your information. What you post today or 10 years ago will still be floating around in future years.
Because the internet is not as forgiving of your crazy years and will never forget we have made a very basic guide on how to avoid any embarassment:
Social Media
- Restrict access to your profile, lock that shit down; nobody needs to see your private collection of duckface pictures or who said what mundane thing on your wall. Most of the time it will cause more trouble than it's worth and you will find yourself repeating this meme over and over.
- Use a different screen name than your real name; this way if you do mess up you have a moderate amount of damage control (this also counts with blogs/forums).
- Take a few (sober) seconds to think before posting that photo or status.
- For the love of god please do not release any sensitive information; bankaccounts, address, social security etc.
- Don't click that ad! Don't click that offer for "like this to get a free iPunani". Don't share your info for a promise of a cheap reward. Use your head.
- As with everything, don't believe everything you read.
- Post in haste, repent in leisure. Again anything written today will be visible far in the future long after you have forgotten it.
- Post anonymously. If you don't want the world to know what you post, make sure they can't. Don't put it online or post it anonymously.
- Register your domain name anonymously or if you must use a neutral address.
- Avoid linking to your personal details in posts and info.
Internet Browsers
- Delete your cookies and history often.
- If you are not already aware turn on your incognito mode/delete your history while watching the porn.
- Use an adblocker.
- Be vigilant of fake buttons.
- Don't use internet explorer! (not really relevant to leaking personal details but it just sucks balls)
- Use safe search in google when in public.


text:
Researchers in fields as diverse as optometry, astronomy, and photonics face a common challenge: how to accurately measure structural deformations in circular optical elements such as ocular lenses or corneas (in optometry), mirrors (in astronomy) or optical fibers (in photonics), or the aberrations in optical wavefronts caused by these deformations.
In optical systems, both the measurement devices, which are constructed using lenses, optical fibers, or other optical components, and the subjects being measured, such as a patient's eye or a telescope mirror, are often circular. As a result, measurement data is usually expressed over a circular domain. When researchers need to characterize the structure of measured deformations and aberrations using Fourier analysis they most often use Zernike functions because these form a complete, orthogonal basis over the unit circle.
Using pre- and post-operative corneal topography data from a LASIK surgery patient as an example, this article describes the modal analysis of optics data using Zernike functions implemented in MATLAB. The Zernike function M-files used in this article are available for download. Using these M-files, computing the spectrum of Zernike modal amplitudes can be performed with a few simple lines of MATLAB code.
Computing Modal Coefficients with Zernike Functions
The Zernike functions (Figure 1) are a product of the Zernike radial polynomials and sine- and cosine-functions,
\[\begin{equation}\left\{\begin{array}{l} Z_n^m(r,\theta) \\ Z_n^{-m}(r,\theta) \end{array}\right\} = R_n^m(r) \left\{\begin{array}{l}\sin(m\theta)\\ \cos(m\theta)\end{array}\right\}\\\end{equation}\tag{1}\]
The index n = 0,1,2,… is called the degree of the function or polynomial, while m = -n to +n, with (n-m) even, is called the order. The radial polynomials are usually defined using their series representation as a finite sum of powers of r2:
\[R_n^m(r) = \sum_{k=0}^{\frac{n-m}{2}}\frac{(-1)^k(n-k)!}{k!\left(\frac{n+m}{2} - k\right)!\left(\frac{n-m}{2} - k\right)!}r^{n-2k}\qquad n=0,1,2,\ldots\qquad (n-m) \quad \text{even}\]
Although this expression looks complicated, the \(R_n^m(r)\) are, in fact, simple polynomials (Table 1).
|\(2r^2 – 1\)
|\(3r^3 – 2r\)
Table 1. The first six Zernike radial polynomials
The first 10 Zernike functions, evaluated using equation 1, are listed in Table 2. The low mode number functions are used so frequently for analyzing optical data that many are given common names.
|\(r \cos \theta\)
|\(r \sin \theta\)
|\(r^2 \cos 2\theta\)
|\(2r^2 – 1\)
|\(r^2 \sin 2\theta\)
|\(r^3 \cos 3\theta\)
|\((3r^3 – 2r) \cos \theta\)
|\((3r^3 – 2r) \sin \theta\)
|\(r^3 \sin 3\theta\)
Table 2. The first ten Zernike radial functions and their common names.
These functions are useful as a basis for decomposing complex functions or data because they are orthogonal over the unit circle, meaning that they satisfy the following relation:
\[\iint\limits_{\text{circle}} Z_n^m(r,\theta) Z_{n'}^{m'}(r,\theta) r \mathrm{d}r \mathrm{d}\theta = \frac{1}{2n+1}\delta_{n,n'} \delta_{m,m'} \]
The factor \((2n+1)^{-1}\) on the right is usually used as a normalization constant for the functions. Using this orthogonality, any function \(f(r,\theta)\)defined on the circle can be expressed as a sum of Zernike modes, just as sine and cosine functions are used in familiar 1-D Fourier analysis
\[\begin{equation}f(r,\theta) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \sum_{m=-n}^{n} a_{nm} Z_n^m(r,\theta)\end{equation}\tag{2}\]
By representing data in this way we can summarize a complicated structural deformation or aberration in terms of a small number of coefficients associated with the dominant Zernike modes.
The coefficients in Equation 2 are evaluated by inverting the equation,
\[ a_{nm} = \iint\limits_{\text{circle}} f(r,\theta) Z_{n}^{m}(r,\theta) r \mathrm{d}r \mathrm{d}\theta \]
The \(a_{nm}\)can be determined directly from this expression if \(f(r,\theta)\) is a known function, or computed numerically if \(f\) is a set of measurement data. In the latter case, the formal approach to computing these integrals is to use a numerical quadrature routine.
In our example, we use a faster and simpler alternative: we analyze the LASIK surgery data by computing approximate coefficients, evaluated by truncating the original summation after a finite number of terms N, and compute the required Zernike functions at the data grid point locations \((r_i\theta_i)\).
\[f(r_i,\theta_i) = \sum_{p=1}^n a_p Z_p(r_i,\theta_i) \qquad \rightarrow \qquad f = Z \cdot a\]
This truncation produces an overdetermined system of linear equations in the unknown coefficients \(a_p\), which we can solve as a matrix equation using the MATLAB left matrix division operator,
This operator computes the numerical solution to this system in the least squares sense. Since this calculation is essentially a regression analysis, the computed coefficient values depend on the number and nature of the basis functions that we use. Therefore, after completing the analysis we must confirm whether we have used enough Zernike modes to accurately characterize the original data.
Analyzing Corneal Topography Data
The corneal topography data was collected before and after a patient underwent LASIK surgery to correct an astigmatism. The patient has a significant primary corneal astigmatism in each eye (Figure 2). Zernike analysis will enable us to quantify the size of the corneal deformation before surgery and to assess whether the surgery was successful.
Computing the Zernike Spectrum
We could use any number of Zernike modes to compute the Zernike spectrum. We will use the first 36 modes, which correspond to the full set of functions from n = 0 to n = 7, as this is the set most commonly used in practice.
The number of modes required to accurately characterize the data is dictated by features of the data itself, particularly the amount of fine-scale structure. Once we have decided how many modes to use in the analysis, we can easily assess the quality of the resulting data fit by using the computed Zernike spectrum to reconstruct the data and comparing the reconstruction to the original. However, since the coefficients will be computed using a least squares fitting procedure, we must use all the functions from (n,m) = (0,0) to (n,m) = (7,7) inclusive.
Preprocessing the Data
The scanned image data has been resampled onto a 301 x 301 grid to keep the size of the data manageable. The data has been cropped so that the center of the eye is at the center of the data matrix, and the edges of the matrix correspond to the boundary of the pupil.
Computing the Modal Coefficients
We begin by creating grid coordinate matrices expressed in polar coordinates.
L = size(eyedata,1); X = -1:2/(L-1):1; [x,y] = meshgrid(X); x = x(:); y = y(:); [theta,r] = cart2pol(x,y);
Next, we compute the required degree and order values from n = 0 to n = 7, inclusive.
N = []; M = []; for n = 0:7 N = [N n*ones(1,n+1)]; M = [M -n:2:n]; end
Finally, using the function
zernfun.m, we compute the required Zernike functions for all grid points within the unit circle using the MATLAB left divide operator "\".
is_in_circle = ( r <= 1 ); Z = zernfun(N,M,r(is_in_circle),theta(is_in_circle)); a = Z\eyedata(is_in_circle);
Figure 3 shows the computed coefficients.
In addition to the constant offset \(Z_0^0\), the dominant modes in the data include the astigmatism and defocus \((Z_2^{\pm 2})\) and defocus \((Z_2^0)\), the secondary astigmatism \((Z_4^{\pm 2})\), and the much higher-order \(Z_6^0\) mode.
Evaluating the Results
To quickly assess the quality of the results, we reconstruct the topology data from the computed Zernike coefficients and compare it to the original.
reconstructed = NaN(size(eyedata)); reconstructed(is_in_circle) = Z*a;
Qualitatively, the agreement between the original and the reconstructed data is very good (Figure 4).
Numerically, we can estimate the quality of the fit by calculating the absolute difference between the original and derived data sets and normalizing by the maximum difference value (Figure 5).
Comparing Pre- and Post-Surgery Data Analysis Results
The post-LASIK-surgery corneal topography data for the patient's left eye is shown in Figure 6.
Clearly, the surgery has removed most of the corneal deformation observed in the original data. To quantify the improvement, we compute the Zernike spectrum using exactly the same procedure that we used on the pre-surgery data.
Figure 7 shows that the large amplitudes associated with the primary and secondary astigmatisms have been eliminated.
Overall, the amplitudes in the post-operative data are smaller than those in the pre-operative data. Any remaining small modal amplitudes are caused by remnants of the original deformation around the perimeter of the affected area. Fortunately, these ridges are very small and are away from the central axis of the eye.
Optics Data Analysis and MATLAB
The example in this article demonstrates how practitioners, physicians, and medical researchers can use MATLAB to investigate the structure and important features of their measured aberration and deformation data. The numerical analysis techniques described in this article can be used in all fields of optics, from astronomy to photonics, to medical optics. For optical scientists and engineers who want greater control over the manipulation of their data or who need to perform custom analyses not provided by their measurement instruments, MATLAB is an ideal tool for developing an efficient, robust implementation of optics functionality like the Zernikes, and for using these tools to characterize their data.
The Zernike function M-files used in this article are available for download.
Frits Zernike (1888 – 1966)
Frederik (Frits) Zernike was born in Amsterdam on July 16, 1888. He graduated with a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Amsterdam in 1915. That same year, Zernike became a lecturer in physics at the University of Groningen, becoming a full professor in 1920.
For the next decade, Zernicke focused his research on statistical mechanics, turning to optics in the 1930s. He invented phase contrast microscopy, a technique that exploits the phase differences produced by different materials or tissues when diffracting light. These phase differences, which cause changes in intensity, can be used to image living tissue without using dyes or stains.
Zernike received a patent for this invention in 1936, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1953 He received numerous other awards and honors, including an honorary doctorate in Medicine from the University of Amsterdam, and the Rumford Medal from the Royal Society in 1952. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1956.
Glossary of Terms
Zernike functions, denoted \(Z_n^m (r,θ)\), are an infinite set of orthogonal functions defined on the unit circle \(r \in [0,1], \theta \in [0,2\pi]\). Because of their orthogonality, and because the set of Zernikes provides a function for every allowed (n,m)-pair, they are the most commonly used basis for performing modal analyses of optics data.
Astigmatism is an abnormal curvature in the shape of the cornea or lens, usually due to an ellipsoidal or egg-shaped distortion of the eye. This deformation blurs the vision because it prevents light rays entering the eye at different locations from meeting at the correct point.
LASIK surgery (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) corrects the shape of the eye by removing thin layers of tissue from the corneal stroma, the thick middle layer of the cornea.
Corneal topography measurements are used before surgery to identify the amount of corrective reshaping that must be performed.


text: Hollywood's famous couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got engaged. Brad Pitt's manager Cynthia Pett-Dante confirmed at talk to People magazine that couple got engaged and their kids are really happy about it. They did not make a declaration about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's wedding date and plans. They have 6 kids, 3 adoption and 3 biological. This article ... Read More »


text: How to write a Harvard Reference We at RapidBI publish a lot of original and re-developed content relevant to students, managers and others interested in business. Often we get asked as to how to reference web content. This short article will help with the Harvard Referencing of content of our (and others) site. Electronic Information The key to referencing a CD-ROM or website is similar to a book or journal - you need to know the author, date and title. For web pages you must include the … [Read more...] about Citing a Web Reference for Academic or Professional Study


text:
Jenny Sadre-Orafai on "We Can Be Anything We Couldn't Be"
We Can Be Anything We Couldn't Be
Here is the sunset every painter has painted
once—the one right before movie credits.
Here is the largest love you'll ever feel
before you die. We can say it's a wave
and it comes in and takes us back out
to dying and death and endings and violins
and pianos flung in the middle of the ocean
on purpose by teenagers. We can say we played
songs in our sleep on that piano, sand fanning
around our toes, and there was no resistance
in the ocean, in our deaths. We can be anything
we couldn't be before. We're the percussion
section. We can never die since we are already
dead, since everyone knows we're prized ghosts.
On "We Can Be Anything We Couldn't Be"
I didn't think prank at first. I didn't really think anything beyond the image—a baby grand piano resting on a sandbar in Biscayne Bay. Sixteen-year-old Nicholas Harrington said it wasn't a prank. He said it was "more of a movement." I thought then, on January 25, 2011, youth. I thought of being fearless and reckless and so full of ideas. I found myself thinking about the abandoned piano while teaching The Odyssey. I made a cheese sandwich and there was the bay all around it. I wanted so badly for someone to go out and bang on its charred keys, to make something louder and bigger than an ocean. When I realized I had to stop carrying the piano around with me, I wrote "We Can Be Anything We Couldn't Be." I wrote it in one sitting. I pretended I was playing that baby grand.
In many ways Harrington's movement made me face a lot of my anxieties about getting older and eventually dying. I think I might have been angry about how and when death is shown in movies (at the end and with generic sunsets). The poem was a submission. It was my way of trying hard to let go of being so afraid. Maybe I thought that Harrington was being brave or maybe I'm remembering it wrong or even giving him too much credit. The poem is also a way of consoling myself I think—whatever I don't become in this life because of all of my anxieties, I will be that as a ghost. I will be the loudest ghost. I will be a parade.
It's the last poem in the book because I think it's honest and hopeful. It was really important to me that the collection both begin and end with some hope. And, there's something about the piano in that bay that makes me happy that we will always do things that we think are spectacular and stupid and jarring and so alive.


text:
SiteMap Generator in Web Hosting
The Hepsia Control Panel which we offer with our web hosting plans features a built-in sitemap generator tool which will permit you to generate a sitemap for each website hosted in the account with only a few clicks. The tool has a really intuitive point-and-click interface which comes with several options depending on how detailed you would like the sitemap to be. You will be able to choose the depth and the maximum number of links to be indexed. In case you offer various content on your Internet site, you could also add and remove specific file extensions, which allows certain file types to be included or excluded from the sitemap. A drop-down menu will enable you to pick each domain or subdomain hosted inside the account, so the sitemap file will be generated right where it's needed and you will not have to do anything manually.


text:
Show Me Your Miss Selfridge Campaign....
8 comments:
- Gemma Edwards said...
I am so glad to see something positive coming from Miss Selfridge. Since i moved to London i have heard all bad about this brand from the rest of the fashion girls. Personally i love their style. They have some unique pieces. Fair enough sometimes the quality isn't always good but after all, it is an affordable high street brand.
Gem xxx
- 21 May 2013 at 16:07
- Demmy said...
I love these pictures. xx
- 21 May 2013 at 19:53
- Stéphanie Crown said...
I love India and this theme is just perfect.
- 22 May 2013 at 03:11
- ShowMeYourWardrobe.com said...
Thanks guys xx
- 22 May 2013 at 18:52
- Irfan Khan said...
Hy guys, if you want fashion of your own dreams contact http://www.muse-valley.com and tell us what you need. We will create that for you.
see here hot trends: http://www.muse-valley.com/page/the-perfect-gift
How Muse-Valley works, watch a clip: http://youtu.be/Vn-hy_UCu0I
Jess shoe issue – a happy MuseValley client: http://youtu.be/MB-NVQM0pxE
- 4 December 2015 at 16:56
- Apryl said...
Request a custom-made product at: www.muse-valley.com from the world top designers and artists- Ideas for FREE! Bags, Jewelry, Home Decor, Art, Crafts - Our community will inspire you with ideas and implement exactly what you need.
See How It Works: http://youtu.be/Vn-hy_UCu0I
- 13 December 2015 at 10:44
- Jenna Catlin said...
India has some of the prettiest place to shoot at. They are all amazingly descriptive.
compare airport parking Manchester
compare parking prices at Manchester
- 18 April 2017 at 08:51
- Patricia Carter said...
I would love to wear these dresses. They are so cute.
new york yankees tickets
cheap new york yankees tickets
- 19 April 2017 at 11:48


text:
With just a couple of weeks left to go until school starts for the year, it's time to start thinking about making some of these Freezer Friendly Lunchbox Snacks for Kids!
Life is certainly going to get a bit more chaotic than normal when our eldest starts grade one and our middle son starts kindergarten in a few weeks. This means I will now be packing TWO lunchboxes on most days, and after learning just how hectic our mornings can get last year, having a freezer stocked with lunchbox snacks certainly helps to make my life that bit easier. I've put together a collection of 20 freezer friendly lunchbox snacks for kids, which all can be made conventionally or using a Thermomix – enjoy!
For more lunchbox ideas, check out our 'Snack Attack' ebook (also available in a Thermomix version) and also our PRINTED Healthy Lunchbox Snacks Book – which also includes a free ebook.
You can't go wrong with my freezer friendly Apricot and Coconut Slice.
These Carrot, Zucchini and Ham Muffins can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer for an easy lunchbox snack.
Pikelets are always a winner with my kids
And they love these Wholemeal Apple Pikelets too.
My Nan's Chocolate Cake recipe is a lunchbox favourite in our house.
We also love these 4 Ingredient Weetbix Banana Cinnamon Cookies from Kidgredients.
My 3 Ingredient Muesli Bliss Balls are super easy to make – just use a nut free muesli to make them school lunchbox friendly.
Sneak some veggies into the kids with these Pumpkin and Oat Muffins.
Or these Mini Zucchini and Cheese Muffins provide another great hit of veggies.
Anzac Slice is always a favourite with the kids.
Everyone needs a batch of these easy Vegemite and Cheese Scrolls in their freezer!
And these Hawaiian Pizza Scrolls too!
My Nan's Coconut Biscuits make another great lunchbox treat.
This Carrot Cake Muesli Slice combines two of my favourite recipes!
The kids won't be able to resist this Weet-Bix Slice!
Or these Milo Muffins!
My kids would eat muesli bars ALL DAY if I let them, lucky they are easy to make!
This classic Apple and Cinnamon Cake will last for up to two months in the freezer.
And you can also store these Zucchini and Cheese Fritters in the freezer for a couple of months too.
If your kids like Banana Bread, they will LOVE this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread!
You can also find more lunchbox snack recipes in this post plus 101 sandwich filling ideas here.
For more lunchbox ideas, check out our 'Snack Attack' ebook (also available in a Thermomix version) and also our PRINTED Healthy Lunchbox Snacks Book – which also includes a free ebook.


text:
Bees need our help!
Huge losses in bee populations began to happen in 2005 & 2006. The term 'Colony Collapse Disorder' was coined for this alarming situation. Worldwide researchers began to identify Neonicotinoids as the chief suspect. These are a relatively new class of nicotine based insecticides that affect the central nervous system of insects which result in paralysis and death. European countries banned their use in 2013. The United States has yet to do so. In October of this year, seven species of yellow-faced bees native to Hawaii, were placed on the endangered species list. The Rusty-Patched (or Rusty-Faced) bumblebee of the eastern United States was also named to be added to the list. It is a main pollinator of cranberries.
This list is only a part of the fruits and vegetables that bees pollinate; avocados, apples, mangos, peaches, plums, guavas, citrus, okra, strawberries, macadamia nuts, cashews, coconuts, starfruit, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, eggplants, tomatoes, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, bell peppers, watermelon, figs, and coffee. Without bees, 30% of the world's food crops would fail. Imagine your dinner plate without 30% of your favorite foods.
What can we do? We can help by planting for the bees. We have observed the bees for years here at SmartyPlants. Here are plants you can add to your garden that we know bees love; Jatrophas, Durantas, Florida Hydrangeas, Sweet Almonds, Shrimp plants, Jasmines, Flame Vines, Heathers, Buttercups, and annual plants like Salvia and Snapdragons. Our seed packets "Save the Bees" is also a popular addition.
Lastly we can avoid using systemic insecticides in our own gardens. Systemic insecticides enter all the parts of a plant from the roots, stems, leaves, and ultimately flowers where the nectar is found. Use bee friendly methods of insect deterrents like insecticidal soaps, blasts from water from your hose, or organic sprays like neem oil or Organicide. The bees will thank us and we most certainly will thank the bees.
Holiday Gift Ideas
As always at SmartyPlants, we have some unique gift items that can't be found elsewhere. Whether you need a present, an expression of appreciation, a hostess gift, or just an unusual gift we have something to fit the need. We have re-stocked our supply of creations by SmartyPlants. This includes saucers or bowls of cacti and succulents, driftwood adorned by tillandsias or bromeliads, numerous hanging baskets of assorted foliage plants, and unique containers like snail shells holding airplants and ferns. Each of these are custom made and eye-catching.
Our plants growing in mossed balls remain a favorite. Requiring only a good soaking once a week, these always get your attention. If you only need a poinsettia for the holidays, we have those, too.
Our Campo De Fiori line of pottery will also be on sale after Thanksgiving on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They will be 25% off!
We are closed Thanksgiving day.
Into Year Seven
Our anniversary was on November 2nd. We are now going into our seventh year at SmartyPlants! Many of you have been customers since 2010. Our customer base as well as our inventory has continued to grow proportionately each year. Paul, Marta, and the staff at SmartyPlants wish to give a big 'Thank you' to each of you. It says a lot when new first timers come in and say a friend told me to come here. 'Word-of-Mouth' is the best form of advertising. We are thankful to you all.


text:
When It Comes to The Godfather Movies, Which One Rises to the Top?
Good things come in threes — especially when Brando, Pacino, and DeNiro are involved — and The Godfather trilogy has set the standard for mafia movies for over three decades. Separately, each is legendary in its own right. Together, they incomparable. Or are they?
Which one is your favorite? Part I ("I'll give him an offer he can't refuse"), Part II (Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer") or even Part III ("Politics is knowing when to pull the trigger")? Vote for The Godfather film you think reigns supreme.
Tune in to The Godfather: Part I on AMC tonight, Wed., Feb. 29 at 8/7c.Read More


text: Pukka Cacao Maca Magic Latte 90g €5.49 Wait, don't go! Free Standard Delivery when you spend €20 Zoom Click image to zoom Close Click and hold image for a closer look Size: 90 g 20 rewards for life points SKU: 009742 €5.49 €0.61/10 g In Stock 90 g €0.61/10 g 009742 €5.49 20 rewards for life points In Stock Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Add to favourites Standard Delivery STANDARD DELIVERY €2.99 or Free on orders over €20 Order before 9pm to get your delivery within 4 working days between 8am - 9am €2.99 or FREE on spending €20. Delivery within 4 working days Express Delivery EXPRESS DELIVERY €3.99 or Free when you spend €60 Order before 6pm for express delivery, 7 days a week. Orders placed after 9pm will be delivered on the following day Free Express Delivery when you spend €60 - Order before 8pm Express Click & Collect Express CLICK & COLLECT Free on all orders Order online by 9pm today and we'll deliver to your chosen Holland & Barrett store in 1 working days FREE on all orders Delivery within 1 working day Description A luxuriously chocolatey blend with ashwagandha.No added sugar, just add milk, naturally delicious, an incredible organic herbal drink.Vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, soya free and gluten free.Let the magic of maca and the power of ashwagandha soothe your soul in a cup of chocolatey latte delight. Deliciously smooth, these herbal heroes will entice you into a swirl of organic goodness.Connecting you to the world's most incredible organic herbal creations. Made with love and herbal wisdom, this latte uses the finest grade herbs for the benefit of people, plants and planet. Ir's certified Fair for Life - the gold standard in ethical trade - with packaging from renewable sources. show more show less Additional Info Directions: 1. Warm 250ml of your favourite milk (we recommend unsweetened almond milk). 2. In your cup, mix 2 heaped teaspoons of latte blend with a dash of milk to make a paste. 3. Pour the rest of the milk in and stir well. Sweeten with organic honey if desired. Ingredients: Cocoa bean powder, agave inulin, shatavari powder, maca roasted root powder, ceylon cinnamon bark powder, cardamon pod powder, ashwagandha root powder, cinnamon bark wholistic extract (contains non-organic anti-caking agent silicon dioxide), cardamon pos CO2 extract powder. Advisory information: Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Remember to: We go to great efforts to ensure that the information on this page is accurate at the time that the page was last edited. As we are constantly reviewing and developing our products to meet our consumer needs, consumers, particularly those that suffer from allergies and intolerances, should always check product labelling, warnings, and directions provided with the product that is delivered, prior to use or consumption. show more show less bvseo_sdk, java_sdk, bvseo-4.0.0 CLOUD, getContent, 0ms REVIEWS, PRODUCT bvseo-msg: EXECUTION_TIMEOUT is set to 0 ms; JavaScript-only Display.


text:
What is it?
Chrysler's Sopranos-on-wheels take on the executive car market has just been given a mild facelift after nearly 3 years on UK roads.
When we say mild, we really mean it: there are no changes to the front of the car, and only subtle tweaks to the boot lid and rear light clusters. Not that the visuals needed much top and tailing, for it's mainly due to them that the 300C has found 6,000 homes in this country since it launch.
Inside, there's a more European feel, with black leather and dark plastics in the place of the previous typically light American interior. There's also the new SRT Design model tested here, which takes the blinged up features of the SRT-8 performance version, and applies them to the real-world charms of the 3.0-litre V6 CRD.
What's it like?
Much like a 300C actually, as you'd expect. Only the most committed of Chrysler devotees will be able to spot the aesthetic changes on the move.
Inside, however, there's a tangible improvement, with better wood or faux carbon fibre (on this SRT Design) trim on the centre console and softer touch materials. It's a matter of personal choice, but we imagine few will mourn the loss of pale grey plastic.


text:
Melloblocco 2012 instructions for use
Information and recommendations for all those taking part in Mellobllocco 2012, the great international bouldering meeting which will take place in Val Masino - Val di Mello (SO) from 3 - 6 May 2012.
Here it is, almost. Melloblocco 2012 kicks off in 6 days time and everything is stage is set. To date 2400 climbers have pre-registered for the world's largest bouldering meeting, but the game is still being played: all you need to do is click on www.melloblocco.it to be a part of it all. Anyone can be a part of this bouldering community, that of the Melloblockers which recites a single mantra: the joy of climbing together and the respect for nature in Val Masino and Val di Mello.
It's because of this that once again here are some simple words of advice for all those taking part, especially since there are some novelties regarding the logistics which simplify this respect even more:
1) new car parks have been created (see the map)
2) a new campsite has been established at the sports field at San Martino (see the map)
3) numerous toilets are located at the event areas (see the map)
3) the free shuttle bus service has been doubled to enable all registered Melloblockers to reach the climbing areas.
Please bear in mind.
- wild camping, in all areas which are not the campsites, is strictly forbidden
- the road into Val di Mello is closed to traffic
- remember that your are guests, not only of Nature but also of the land owners on which the boulders are located. Please respect this, do not walk across meadows used for cutting hay, always follow the marked paths at the edge of the fields.
- take away all rubbish, cigarette buts, wrappings of snacks and energy bar wrappings, cans, plastic bottles etc.
- if in need, use the toilets (marked on the map)
- we recommend you leave the cars in the car park and continue on foot (the most you'll need to walk is 20 minutes to reach the bouldering areas) or with the shuttle bus service. These will drop you off directly at the boulder areas and are free to all registered participants (the 2012 T-shirt acts as the bus ticket).
Another final word about the community: this year the invitation is, as always, to become protagonists of Val di Mello to discover the "old" problems and naturally explore the newest additions (which at present ar top secret of course). And the invitation is also to take part, document and share your individual Melloblocco via the various social networks:
Facebook page Melloblocco®
Facebook group Melloblocco®
Twitter Melloblocco®
Flickr Melloblocco®
Youtube Melloblocco®
>> Registration Melloblocco
>>Information about where to sleep and eat at Melloblocco