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On the second night of the Democratic National Convention, Delaware Governor Jack Markell gave a speech that was focused on small businesses. It was as compelling a speech as has been typical for the DNC so far — stiff and cookie-cutter. But there was one comment he made at the beginning of his speech that was very curious.
Markell, being the governor of Delaware, made a remark about Vice President Joe Biden, also from that state:
Joe has never forgotten his middle-class roots or the lessons he learned. And you know what? Mitt Romney hasn't forgotten his roots or the lessons he's learned either. And that's what worries me about Mitt Romney.
Markell believes Biden has kept in touch with his roots, which he calls middle-class, and it is for this fact — or let's call it a belief — that Markell sang his praises.
Then Markell said Romney also has not forgotten his own roots. This, Markell said, is something to worry about.
And what are Mr. Romney's roots? It has been one of the top priorities of the Democrats to remind us daily that Romney's roots are wealthy ones. His parents were rich, you see. That Mitt Romney donated his inheritance to charity is, according to these same Democrats, no matter.
Democrats insist that in their playbook there can be found no pages concerning class warfare. Well, at the DNC on Wednesday night, Gov. Jack Markell evidently had taken those pages out and read from them at his podium.
For what are the implications of Markell's disparagement of Romney's roots if not the disparagement of his wealth? Markell, with the full support of the audience at the DNC, made it explicit: Romney should not remember his roots, because his roots grew from the independent successes of Romney's parents. Romney grew up rich, and for this, Jack Markell, a governor in one of these United States, tells his fellow Americans that Romney should feel a deep, burdensome shame.
This is the fundamental, undeniable truth about the Democratic Party, as admitted at the Democratic convention in casual, almost imperceptible passing in a speech: they believe that those on the lower rungs of economic status should be proud of their lack of money, and that those on the upper rungs of economic status should turn their backs on their successes.
If I could, I'd ask the undecided voters and the Independents if the Democratic Party is in touch with their beliefs. If so, then this is no longer America, and should Obama win re-election, we will reap what we sow.
[The Democrats should be reminded that they are the party of the Kennedys and John Kerry. What about their economic roots? And one more thing from the Delaware Department of State Division of Corporations
"Close to a million business entities have made Delaware their legal home. Furthermore, while the sheer number of corporations organized in Delaware is significant, more significant still is the fact that so many large and important corporations are incorporated in Delaware. Of the corporations that make up the Fortune 500, more than one-half are incorporated in Delaware. It is no wonder that Delaware has become almost a brand name for the "business" of serving as the official home for corporations."
I wonder what Gov. Markell has to say about the inherited wealth of one of his state's favorite sons — Pierre "Peter" du Pont IV? Apparently there's a lot of shame to go around. GD]


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Please go to skype.com and click "Download Skype".
You will be redirected to another page where you can select the needed Skype version. You can choose Skype for Windows or Skype for Mac. Then, click on "Get Skype for Windows" button.
Once the program is downloaded, please click on it in order to open it.
You will be asked if you allow Skype to make changes to the Device and you will need to click "Yes" .
Enter your credentials and you are good to go!

subset: commoncrawl


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Lady Chaos
This next lady on our roll call is quite the feisty one! Watch out for her guys – if looks could kill, this gal's style is murderous! Founding member and featured designer at our Fashion Masquerade – Lady Chaos of Pin Up One!
Lady Chaos is a simple, Texas-raised dame with a huge passion for art, fashion, music, and toys! She is the sole owner and custom designer for Pin Up One. She's also the awesome single mother of a very handsome 6-year-old boy. She spends most of her time sewing and thrifting. Her happiness is found in all things vintage and all things horror. Aside from being one of the founding members of the Benefit Betties, she also does hair and make-up, model/muse, and sketch graffiti.


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Nestled in an emerald valley in the Maya Mountains. This small and welcoming boutique resort is perfectly placed for exploration of Mayan ruins and natural attractions. Ride a horse to the Xunantunich archaeological site. Similarly go zip-lining and cave tubing or book a day trip to the incredible ruins in Tikal. In Addition there is a farmhouse-style restaurant, infinity pool, spa and a choice of charming hacienda-style suites and luxurious pool villas.
An upscale outpost for exploring, you'll find that every adventure is a curated experience that is authentically Belize, while uniquely and intimately Ka'ana. A true intersection of style, culture and adventure, we're proud to bring a layer of bespoke luxury to the culturally rich heritage and pristine jungles that surround us, so that your stay in Belize is truly unlike any other.
Modern, clean design is incorporated into rooms housed in hacienda-style buildings and casitas at Kaana Resort. Similarly all have a private outdoor terrace or balcony overlooking the pool or tropical gardens. Likewise the rooms have high ceilings and local works of art on the walls.
The 2-bedroom villa offers the ultimate in luxury accommodations in Belize. With a considered design style and 2500 sq ft of private space, this villa helps to redefine travel to inland Belize and provides unparalleled personal service and a very intimate travel experience.
The Master bedroom is equipped with a King bed and the guest bedroom with choice of 2 twin beds or 1 King. Additionally enjoy a private living area, outdoor shower, plunge pool and personal butler service. The Villa is equipped with personal pre-stocked outdoor wet bar and private outdoor living and dining spaces.
General Information about Mystic River Resort Mystic River Resort offers…Select view on map
General Information about Gaïa River Lodge Located in the scenic…Select view on map
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE WINDY HILL RESORT Windy Hill Resort…Select view on map
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE LODGE AT CHAA CREEK The Lodge…Select view on map


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Delicious dessert for children and grown-up!
The "salame al cioccolato" (literally, the chocolate salami) is one of the most famous Italian desserts. It is super yummy and really easy to make, also by kids!
You only need chocolate (200g), biscuits (300g), 2 eggs, sugar (100g) and butter (150g). To create it, you just have to follow the steps here below:
- crumble the biscuits in a large bowl, then melt the chocolate in a double boiler and knead it with a wooden spoon, until it becomes creamy and without lumps. Let it cool.
- When the butter is soft enough, knead it to the cream with a spatula, adding sugar, eggs and the melted chocolate.
- Put everything in the biscuits bowl, put the dough into a sheet of baking paper and then roll it!
- Then wrap the chocolate salami in an aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator, at least for two or three hours.
And now cut it in slices and taste it!


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Sustainability Re-examined
Most people believe that sustaining the planet is a good idea, given the impacts that human civilization is having. Business has played a big role in creating those impacts, and has been playing a big role in trying to address them. The problem is that sustainability only looks at half of what needs to be taken into account when thinking about whole living systems. Sustainability primarily addresses reducing impacts and increasing efficiencies. Corporate sustainability programs are wrapped almost entirely around these goals.
But every experienced businessperson knows you can't make a healthy business by only reducing inefficiencies. The experience of running a successful business teaches that it's the ability of a business to generate value that is the real source of its vitality and viability. You can only make a healthy business by figuring out what you want to grow, how to grow it effectively, and More


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Nothing works as a natural stress reliever as much as working in my garden does! I love digging through fresh soil and watching my little plants sprout up to greet me. But I also enjoy a good but simple craft project and these DIY Garden Markers are just that. You can pick up some wooden spoons at a yard sale, second hand store, or I have linked to an inexpensive set in the supply list below.
DIY Garden Markers
Supplies needed:
Craft paint
Paint brushes
Optional: clear sealant
1. Clean your wooden utensils well with warm, soapy water. This will help remove any dirt and debris so the paint adheres well. If you opt for new wooden spoons you can skip this step.
2. Use craft paint to paint on the vegetables of your choice. Simple shapes such as circles and ovals are just about all you need. Apply the paint generously and in two to three coats so it stays.
3. You can then use green paint to add accents such as stems and foliage. Just dab it on and allow it to dry.
4. Once the paint is dry you can use a clear sealant to protect the paint from the elements. This isn't required it just offers another layer of protection.
Your hand painted spoon garden markers are now ready to be used. Just press the end into the ground by the plant it corresponds with.
Check out these other vegetable gardening posts while you are here visiting!


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Our full, free October 26, 2019 online catalog. (You can also Leave Bids right through this page!)
Our faxable absentee bid form. (Remember that you can also leave absentee bids directly through our online catalog, or by calling 410-472-2016.)
Our faxable phone bid form. (You can also give us a call at 410-472-2016.)
Our LIVE Internet Bidding page. (Sends you to LiveAuctioneers.com; ONLY to be used to watch the auction live and/or bid live over the internet on October 26, 2019; you would also use this link ahead of time to sign up to do so.) -- PLEASE NOTE: Serious bidders who want to bid live on October 26 should consider phone bidding over live internet bidding. (See disclaimer under "Internet Bidding (LIVE!, During the Auction)" below.)
Before bidding, please browse through our various bidding methods below, and click on the appropriate links to read about them in detail:
Crocker Farm, Inc. is not a faceless internet company. We are real people who run a real, live auction that you can attend. For those unable to attend, we offer many different bidding methods that enable you to participate in our auction from all over the United States--as many, many people do each sale.
One of our number one priorities is to make our auction as accessible to as many bidders, in as many different places, as possible. We think we have essentially all of the bases covered in this regard, but if we can ever do anything to make your participation in our auctions easier, please do not hesitate to contact us.
This section explains all of our bidding methods in detail. If you have any questions, again, please give us a call or email us.
Our auctions are held live, on-site at our historic auction gallery in Sparks, Maryland. Click here for directions. All are welcome to attend the auction in person.
Click here for more information on live bidding!
With absentee bidding, you give us your maximum bids and we execute them for you competitively as if you were present in the auction room.
If you want to bid from home, but aren't concerned with bidding live over the phone or internet, then this is our default remote bidding method. We take great care in executing your bids.
(Remember that you can also conveniently leave absentee bids through our website. Click here for more info.)
Click here for more information on absentee bidding!
With phone bidding, you can bid live on the telephone as your lots are selling in the auction room.
If you want to bid from home, but would like to bid live as the auction is taking place, then we recommend Phone Bidding. This, along with Live Internet Bidding, are the only ways you can bid remotely in real time. (Keep in mind that by signing up for phone bidding, you agree to bid either (a) half of the lot's low estimate or (b) $200, whichever is greater. For items in lower price ranges, please consider one of our other remote bidding methods.)
Please Note: If you are particularly serious about bidding on one or more lots, we highly suggest Phone Bidding over its counterpart, Live Internet Bidding. Live Internet Bidding better suits casual bidders or people who want to watch the auction transpire, and bid here and there--but who aren't concerned about the drawbacks of sending important bids live over the internet.
Click here for more information on phone bidding!
You can leave your bids quickly and easily right through our website!!
With a free crockerfarm.com account, you can leave your absentee bids directly through our website, and we will execute them competitively for you on auction day.
Click here for more absentee internet bidding info!
Powered by LiveAuctioneers, you can bid live during the auction.
With Live Internet Bidding, you can watch the progress of the auction online and bid along.
Please Note: If you are particularly serious about bidding on one or more lots, we highly suggest you sign up for Phone Bidding instead of Live Internet Bidding. Live Internet Bidding works well, and is a great tool for following the auction and bidding on lots as you go. But submitting important bids in real time over the internet is not foolproof, especially in a fast-paced environment like the auction room. With Phone Bidding, we will call you a few lots before your item comes up for sale, and make sure that your bids are executed as if you were standing right there.
Click here for more information on live internet bidding!
If you are a successful absentee or phone bidder, we offer full-service packing and shipping to deliver your items to you.
Please familiarize yourself with our terms and conditions before bidding.
Click here to read them.


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Most amaryllis have petals that are pointed, some even create a star form. Samba is just the opposite, with brightly colored petals that are rounded and ruffled like a full Spanish dancing skirt. Very pretty!
Tip: all amaryllis bulbs are not the same. Larger bulbs produce more flower stalks and more blooms per stalk. Get big, healthy, carefully held bulbs - optimum temperature, humidity and light conditions - here and enjoy truly stunning flowering amaryllis.
Planted amaryllis are top dressed with natural moss and sent with easy growing instructions. Feel free to add a gift message as you check out. Then just tell us where to deliver your selection!
|Botanical Name:
|Hippeastrum Samba
|Common Name:
|Amaryllis Samba
|Growing Zones:
|Anywhere indoors, Zones 8-10 outdoors
|Full sun outdoors or in a sunny window
|Typically flowers in 8 to 12 weeks indoors, and in spring outdoors
|Flower Color:
|Super full red and white
|Grows 18-22" tall
|Plant/Bulb Size:
|30/32 cm in circumference - big!
|Product info, photos and tips:
|Amaryllis Planting Guide
Copyright © 2020 Leafari.com | Design by 2C Development Group


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Toyota and Honda have new hybrid cars hitting the market any day now, and they can't come a moment too soon. The Department of Transportation has just announced the first of several planned increases for U.S. fuel economy standards, according to CNNMoney.com. New vehicles sold in the 2011 model year will now have to average 27.3 miles per gallon, an increase of 2 mpg over the current standard. That breaks down as follows: new cars must average 30.2 mpg, while pickups and SUVs need to hit a 24.1 mpg average target.
Congress passed new laws in 2007 that will require the nation's fleet of new vehicles to average 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020. The rules for 2011 mark the first step toward that new target. "These standards are important steps in the nation's quest to achieve
energy independence and bring more fuel efficient vehicles to American
families," said transportation secretary Ray LaHood in a statement.


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Income-Based Repayment (IBR) for Federal Student Loans
The federal government's income-based repayment program (IBR) for student loans allows qualified borrowers to tie their monthly federal student loan payments to their discretionary income. A new version of the IBR program called "Pay As You Earn" took effect on December 21, 2012 (it was originally scheduled to be phased in during 2014, but the Obama administration took regulatory measures to make it available sooner). The potential for IBR to change the landscape for college borrowers is enormous. According to the U.S. Department of Education, as of last October, about two million borrowers had applied for IBR.
What exactly is IBR?
Under the Pay As You Earn program, monthly federal student loan payments are based on income and family size (your payment is readjusted each year based on changes to these criteria). Payments are equal to 10% of your discretionary income, and payments are made over a period of 20 years, with all remaining debt generally forgiven after 20 years of on-time payments (loans are forgiven after 10 years for those in qualified public service if all payments are made on time and other requirements are met).
Note:An earlier version of IBR capped monthly payments at 15% of discretionary income and offered loan forgiveness after 25 years.
How do I qualify for IBR?
Not everyone is eligible for IBR. To qualify, you must meet several requirements:
1. You must have an eligible federal student loan. Loans eligible for IBR include federal Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized), Direct Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized), PLUS Loans made to graduate or professional students, and consolidation loans (that don't include underlying PLUS Loans made to parents). Loans not eligible for IBR include PLUS Loans made to parents, consolidation loans that include underlying PLUS Loans made to parents, and private education loans from banks or other lenders.
2. You must be a new borrower as of October 1, 2007, and you must have received a disbursement of a qualifying federal student loan on or after October 1, 2011.
3. You must have a "partial financial hardship." You are considered to have a partial financial hardship when the monthly amount you would be required to pay on your federal student loans under the 10-year standard repayment plan (i.e., fixed monthly payments over 10 years) is higher than the monthly amount you would be required to pay under IBR.
The Department of Education has an IBR calculator on its website that you can use to determine whether you are likely to qualify for IBR and to estimate what your IBR monthly payment would be (www.studentaid.ed.gov/ibr). The calculator considers your federal student loan balance, adjusted gross income (AGI), federal income tax filing status, family size, and state of residence. However, for an official determination of your eligibility for IBR, or to apply for IBR, you'll need to contact your loan servicer. If you are unsure who holds your loans or who your loan servicer is, you can find out more at the National Student Loan Data System website (www.nslds.ed.gov). You'll need your Federal Student Aid PIN to sign in to the database.
A word of caution
IBR sounds like a gold mine, right? Well, there are some things to be aware of. First, with IBR, you may pay substantially more interest over the life of the loan than you would under a standard 10-year repayment plan because you are paying your loan over a longer period of time. Second, you must submit annual documentation to your loan servicer so your monthly payment amount can be reset (if necessary) each year. Third, and perhaps most significant, you may owe federal income taxes (and possibly state income taxes) on the amount of the loan that is forgiven after 20 years. For more information on IBR, visit www.studentaid.ed.gov/ibr.
Understanding the New Medicare Tax on Unearned Income
Health-care reform legislation enacted in 2010 included a new 3.8% Medicare tax on the unearned income of certain high-income individuals. The new tax, known as the unearned income Medicare contribution tax, or the net investment income tax (NIIT), took effect on January 1, 2013.
Who must pay the new tax?
The NIIT applies to individuals who have "net investment income," and who have modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) that exceeds certain levels (see the chart below). (Estates and trusts are also subject to the new law, although slightly different rules apply). In general, nonresident aliens are not subject to the new tax.
|Filing Status
|MAGI over …
|Single/Head of household
|Married filing jointly/ Qualifying widow(er)
|Married filing separately
What is MAGI?
For most taxpayers, MAGI is simply adjusted gross income (AGI), increased by the amount of any foreign earned income exclusion.
AGI is your gross income (e.g., wages, salaries, tips, interest, dividends, business income or loss, capital gains or losses, IRA and retirement plan distributions, rental and royalty income, farm income and loss, unemployment compensation, alimony, taxable Social Security benefits), reduced by certain "above-the-line" deductions (see page one of IRS Form 1040 for a complete list of adjustments).
Note that AGI (and therefore MAGI) is determined before taking into account any standard or itemized deductions or personal exemptions. Note also that deductible contributions to IRAs and pretax contributions to employer retirement plans will lower your MAGI.
What is investment income?
In general, investment income includes interest, dividends, rental and royalty income, taxable nonqualified annuity income, certain passive business income, and capital gains–for example, gains (to the extent not otherwise offset by losses) from the sale of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds; capital gains distributions from mutual funds; gains from the sale of interests in partnerships and S corporations (to the extent you were a passive owner), and gains from the sale of investment real estate (including gains from the sale of a second home that's not a primary residence).
Gains from the sale of a primary residence may also be subject to the tax, but only to the extent the gain exceeds the amount you can exclude from gross income for regular income tax purposes. For example, the first $250,000 ($500,000 in the case of a married couple) of gain recognized on the sale of a principal residence is generally excluded for regular income tax purposes, and is therefore also excluded from the NIIT.
Investment income does not include wages, unemployment compensation, operating income from a nonpassive business, interest on tax exempt bonds, veterans benefits, or distributions from IRAs and most retirement plans (e.g., 401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, defined benefit plans, ESOPs, 403(b) plans, SIMPLE plans, SEPs, and 457(b) plans).
Net investment income is your investment income reduced by certain expenses properly allocable to the income–for example, investment advisory and brokerage fees, investment interest expenses, expenses related to rental and royalty income, and state and local income taxes.
How is the tax calculated?
The tax is equal to 3.8% of the lesser of (a) your net investment income, or (b) your MAGI in excess of the statutory dollar amount that applies to you based on your tax filing status.
So, effectively, you'll be subject to the additional 3.8% tax only if your MAGI exceeds the dollar thresholds listed in the chart above.
Example: Sybil, who is single, has wages of $180,000 and $15,000 of dividends and capital gains. Sybil's MAGI is $195,000, which is less than the $200,000 statutory threshold. Sybil is not subject to the NIIT.
Example: Mary and Matthew have $180,000 of wages. They also received $90,000 from a passive partnership interest, which is considered net investment income. Their MAGI is $270,000, which exceeds the threshold for married taxpayers filing jointly by $20,000. The NIIT is based on the lesser of $20,000 (the amount by which their MAGI exceeds the $250,000 threshold) or $90,000 (their net investment income). Mary and Matthew owe NIIT of $760 ($20,000 x 3.8%).
Note: The NIIT is subject to the estimated tax rules. You may need to adjust your income tax withholding or estimated payments to avoid underpayment penalties.
Four Retirement Saving Myths
No matter how many years you are from retirement, it's essential to have some kind of game plan in place for financing it. With today's longer life expectancies, retirement can last 25 years or more, and counting on Social Security or a company pension to cover all your retirement income needs isn't a strategy you really want to rely on. As you put a plan together, watch out for these common myths.
Myth No. 1: I can postpone saving now and make it up later
Reality: This is very hard to do. If you wait until–fill in the blank–you buy a new car, the kids are in college, you've paid off your own student loans, your business is off the ground, or you've remodeled your kitchen, you might never have the money to save for retirement. Bottom line–at every stage of your life, there will be competing financial needs. Don't make the mistake of thinking it will be easier to save for retirement in just a few years. It won't.
Consider this: A 25 year old who saves $400 per month for retirement until age 65 in a tax-deferred account earning 4% a year would have $472,785 by age 65. By comparison, a 35 year old would have $277,620 by age 65, a 45 year old would have $146,710, and a 55 year old would have $58,900.
Note: This is a hypothetical example and is not intended to reflect the actual performance of any specific investment.
Why such a difference? Compounding. Compounding is the process by which earnings are reinvested back into a portfolio, and those earnings may themselves earn returns, then those returns may earn returns, and so on. The key is to allow enough time for compounding to go to work–thus the importance of starting to save early.
Now, is it likely that a 25 year old will be able to save for retirement month after month for 40 straight years? Probably not. There are times when saving for retirement will likely need to take a back seat–for example, if you're between jobs, at home caring for children, or amassing funds for a down payment on a home. However, by starting to save for retirement early, not only do you put yourself in the best possible position to take advantage of compounding, but you get into the retirement mindset, which hopefully makes you more likely to resume contributions as soon as you can.
Myth No. 2: A retirement target date fund puts me on investment autopilot
Reality: Not necessarily. Retirement target date mutual funds–funds that automatically adjust to a more conservative asset mix as you approach retirement and the fund's target date–are appealing to retirement investors because the fund assumes the job of reallocating the asset mix over time. But these funds can vary quite a bit. Even funds with the same target date can vary in their exposure to stocks.
If you decide to invest in a retirement target date fund, make sure you understand the fund's "glide path," which refers to how the asset allocation will change over time, including when it turns the most conservative. You should also compare fees among similar target date funds.
Myth No. 3: I should invest primarily in bonds rather than stocks as I get older
Reality: Not necessarily. A common guideline is to subtract your age from 100 to determine the percentage of stocks you should have in your portfolio, with the remainder in bonds and cash alternatives. But this strategy may need some updating for two reasons. One, with more retirements lasting 25 years or longer, your savings could be threatened by years of inflation. Though inflation is relatively low right now, it's possible that it may get worse in coming years, and historically, stocks have had a better chance than bonds of beating inflation over the long term (though keep in mind that past performance is no guarantee of future results). And two, because interest rates are bound to rise eventually, bond prices could be threatened since they tend to move in the opposite direction from interest rates.
Myth No. 4: I will need much less income in retirement
Reality: Maybe, but it might be a mistake to count on it. In fact, in the early years of retirement, you may find that you spend just as much money, or maybe more, than when you were working, especially if you are still paying a mortgage and possibly other loans like auto or college-related loans.
Even if you pay off your mortgage and other loans, you'll still be on the hook for utilities, property maintenance and insurance, property taxes, federal (and maybe state) income taxes, and other insurance costs, along with food, transportation, and miscellaneous personal items. Wild card expenses during retirement–meaning they can vary dramatically from person to person–include travel/leisure costs, health-care costs, financial help for adult children, and expenses related to grandchildren. Because spending habits in retirement can vary widely, it's a good idea as you approach retirement to analyze what expenses you expect to have when you retire.
What are health Exchanges and do I have to buy health insurance through them?
A health insurance Exchange is essentially a one-stop health insurance marketplace. Exchanges are not issuers of health insurance. Rather, they contract with insurance companies who then make their insurance coverage available for examination and purchase through the Exchange. In essence, Exchanges are designed to bring buyers and sellers of health insurance together, with the goal of increasing access to affordable coverage.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act does not require that anyone buy coverage through an Exchange. However, beginning in 2014, each state will have one Exchange for individuals and one for small businesses (or they may combine them). States have the option of running their own state-based Exchange or partnering with the federal government to operate a federally facilitated Exchange. States not making a choice default to a federally run Exchange.
Through an Exchange, you can compare private health plans based on coverage options, deductibles, and cost; get direct answers to questions about coverage options and eligibility for tax credits, cost-sharing reductions, or subsidies; and obtain information on a provider's claims payment policies and practices, denied claims history, and payment policy for out-of-network benefits.
Policies sold through an Exchange must meet certain requirements. Exchange policies can't impose lifetime limits on the dollar value of coverage, nor may plans place annual limits on the dollar value of coverage. Insurance must also be "guaranteed renewable" and can only be cancelled in cases of fraud. And Exchanges can only offer qualified health plans that cover essential benefits.
In order to be eligible to participate in an individual Exchange:
• You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or noncitizen lawfully present in the United States
• You cannot be incarcerated
• You must meet applicable state residency standards
I already have health insurance. Will I have to change my plan because of the new health-care reform law?
For the most part, no. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) does not require you to change insurance plans, as long as your plan, whether issued privately or through your employer, meets certain minimum requirements. In fact, the ACA may add benefits to your existing plan that you have not had before.
Your present insurance plan may be considered a grandfathered plan under the ACA if your plan has been continually in existence since March 23, 2010 (the date of enactment of the ACA), and has not significantly cut or reduced benefits, raised co-insurance charges, significantly raised co-payments or deductibles, and your employer contribution toward the cost of the plan hasn't significantly decreased. However, if a grandfathered plan significantly reduces your benefits, decreases the annual dollar limit of coverage, or increases your out-of-pocket spending above what it was on March 23, 2010, then the plan will lose its grandfathered status.
Some provisions of the ACA apply to all plans, including grandfathered plans. These provisions include:
• No lifetime limits on the dollar cost of coverage provided by the plan
• Coverage can't be rescinded or cancelled due to illness or medical condition
• Coverage must be extended to adult dependents up to age 26
The ACA doesn't apply to all types of insurance. For example, the law doesn't apply to property and casualty insurance such as automobile insurance, homeowners insurance, and umbrella liability coverage. The ACA also doesn't affect life, accident, disability, and workers' compensation insurance. Nor does the law apply to long-term care insurance, nursing home insurance, and home health-care plans, as long as they're sold as stand-alone plans and are not part of a health plan. Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) is generally not covered by the ACA if it's sold as a separate plan and not as part of a health insurance policy.
" DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a complete description of our investment advisory services or performance. This newsletter is neither a solicitation nor an offer to sell securities or investment advisory services except, where applicable, in states where we are registered or where an exemption or exclusion from such registration exists. Any information contained in this newsletter, whether stock quotes, charts, articles, or any other statement or statements regarding market or other financial information, is obtained from sources which we and our suppliers believe to be reliable. However, we do not warrant or guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of this information. Nothing in this newsletter should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are any indication of future performance. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR RESULTS OBTAINED FROM ANY INFORMATION WRITTEN IN THIS OR ANY 'LINKED' ARTICLE


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Adapted from: Food & Wine
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
8 bay leaves
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 onions, cut into thick wedges
4 22oz bottles Night Shift Taza Stout or Slumbrew Porter Square Porter
1 12-14 pound Turkey
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
To Prepare:
1. In a very large pot, combine the mustard seeds, peppercorns and bay leaves and toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and salt and remove from the heat. Add 4 cups of water and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved; let cool completely.
2. Add the onions, beer and 16 cups of cold water to the pot. Add the turkey to the brine, breast side down, and top with a heavy lid to keep it submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350° and position a rack on the bottom shelf. Lift the turkey from the brine, pick off any peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay leaves and pat dry. Transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan, breast side up. Scatter the onion wedges in the pan and add 1 cup of water. Roast the turkey for about 2 hours, turning the pan occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted deep into the turkey thighs registers 150°. Remove the bacon and return the turkey to the oven. Roast for about 1 hour longer, until the breast is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 170°. Transfer the turkey to a carving board.
4. Pour the pan juices and onion wedges into a saucepan and boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mash the butter to a paste with the flour. Whisk the paste into the gravy and boil until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
5. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.


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Our new house has a terrarium window in the kitchen so I stole some herbs from my lovely neighbor Nichole's garden, so far my seedling basil, chives from my backyard and sweet basil from her yard are looking good but the lemon thyme may not make it. I have harvested and am drying some lemon thyme, the slow way!
Monthly Archives: May 2012
Sweet Circus
Our move is fast approaching only 2.5 weeks!! So, naturally opt to go to the circus! I have never been to a circus, here are my sweet babies at the circus!!!
Although this weekend we did some stuff done, like a garage sale, started my herb garden, donated a ton of stuff to goodwill and finished sanding the wardrobe (to be painted tomorrow!). I am so not ready do move but so excited! I will be posting a step by step trellis how to tomorrow!!
My All To Emotional Week
As a mother I know my job is to give my children Roots and Wings, if ever a thing my mother taught that would be it. I am just amazed at how quickly my mind flits from roots, being sweet babies and elementary school to high school graduations. So much so that I demanded yesterday from this year on he take the first day of school morning off, he asked why and fighting back tears I explained as calmly as I could that first days of school are the things you remember when they are graduating from college. I love my kids I want them to go to college just not so soon, regardless of how far it is it seems too close.
I still don't like the first day of school, I am no good at it but this week the last day of school is breaking my heart.
Beauty Comes in Many Forms
And this week it's a $35 wardrobe!
That is going from zero to hero!
Who ever thought to take a gorgeous oak wardrobe and spray paint it maroon is crazy!! We are going white with buttermilk cream trellis! I am so excited! I will teach you the step by step of how to rock this makeover for under 50 (including the 35 for the furniture!!!)
So until tomorrow!!!
I Promised…
As you may be able to tell by the name of this blog I have been through a foreclosure, it was our forever home, the place our children were born and the bad choice we made as kids that has followed us up until now. Corey turned 30 last month and we are still dealing with this choice that he made when he was 22. It sucks, we have worked so hard to get away from it, to dig ourselves out of this monumental financial hole, and it hasn't been easy.
I talked to a second lien holder yesterday to learn that they want to garnish wages, ignore a 1099 c and would like me to give them permission to enter and assess a property I don't own. I can not legally allow them to do that. We are now researching and looking into the concept and prospect of bankruptcy and with that we will be able to qualify (after A LOT OF WORK) for an FHA loan, which would be awesome we have a lot of work to do anyway. To be quite frank I can't decide if I am more scared of bankruptcy (although how much worse can it get?!) or getting ourselves into trouble with a mortgage again. I hate paying for my truck but I figure I pay rent anyway and we could very possibly buy the house we are going to be renting with 20% down in two years and that is SO exciting and SO TERRIFYING! I am notorious from being too stubborn to learn from my mistakes…I don't want to get into trouble again and what if we try soooo hard and can't fix Coreys credit what ifs and been there and done thats are racing through my mind like no ones business….
Bad financial choices suck. I hate being in a place where I am paying for someones bad choices and being screwed because we were dumb…
How to Remove Spray Paint From Your Car
Of course I caught a cross wind and spray painted my black truck white…I tried soap and water, advantage, magic eraser… Everything! Well WD 40 takes it right off but leaves the car paint and finish intact!!
Spray Paint is Taking Me Over!
And I love it! With the need for fun, easy ways to make my old stuff new again my lovely friend Becky suggested in her oh so Becky-ness spray paint!! And why wouldn't she? Between krylon and rust oleum they have just about every color ever! These projects are just the beginning, things I can do at home with what I have at home. Once we move I will painting new goodies!
So, have you ever wondered how to spray paint? Dumb as it may sound there is an art to this art form!
Use 150 grit sandpaper and sand your goodies down
Use primer (I like kilz) and spray a coat on your project
Let the kilz dry
Spray paint
Let dry
Apply second coat
* always make sure your intended surface is clean and dry!*
Here are a couple of our projects over the last three days the aqua frames and heirloom white mirror are rust oleom and the bright white frames are krylon- I like the rust oleum better personally.
The aqua frames used to be black and the mirror was gold and black and now they are fab!!!
I would love to see your spray paint love so link it up!
Free Ladders…
Happy Mothers Day
This is a new and different type of Mothers Day for me. I am not angry with my husband for not following through with whatever idea he had for Mothers Day (although he appears to be angry with himself!) I am not depressed for lack of a card. I am nothing short of happy for my family, my dorky husband and my great kids (I do wish they would get dressed!)
The Mothers Day I have my mind in bigger and better places! Like decorating our new Home, a place we will live for a very long time! I have some secretly awesome plans to surprise CJ for fathers day/our anniversary…which I can share here because he doesn't read my blog!! I am hoping to get him a flat screen TV, I told him that I was going to help him set up a shop, which I will but he will be OVER THE MOON!!!!
Now on to real decorating!!


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Things aren't going well at home - although you and your spouse live under the same roof, you haven't spoken in weeks, your sex life is nonexistent and you've had about all you can take of the cold shoulders, icy stares and years of unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
You've already looked online for ways to help save your marriage - but none of the self-help routines seem to work. Maybe you've looked at divorce lawyers' websites online to get a sense of the landscape - but now it's time to take that next step and actually talk to a lawyer about your options regarding legal separation or divorce.
Although talking to a lawyer about divorce can be a scary proposition - you're not only admitting your marriage might be over, but you're seeking professional guidance from someone with years of experience who you hope won't judge you - it is a critical step in moving your life forward in a positive, confident and comfortable manner.
We previously discussed five of the top reasons to talk to a divorce lawyer and thought now would be a good time to examine five more good reasons to talk to a divorce lawyer - after all, with the holiday season fast approaching, things that are already tough at home are bound to get tougher.
1. System familiarity
Unless you are a trained healthcare professional, you probably wouldn't try to perform an appendectomy. And unless you're a trained lawyer, it is generally not a good idea to represent yourself in a divorce proceeding. After all, judges hold self-represented individuals to the same standards as they hold lawyers - that is, they are expected to know the law and follow the proper procedures.
Family law and divorce lawyers are well-versed in the laws regarding divorce, alimony and child custody and support - and, just as importantly, they know the rules, the processes and the people who run the system. A divorce lawyer will know how to adequately prepare your case - and how to properly present your case to the court - to get you the best resolution possible.
2. Objective advice
If you've mentioned your marital troubles to someone, they have probably given you their advice on what you should do. And although this advice from your mother, sister or best friend is often well-intentioned, it is likely misleading or, at worst, incorrect.
Divorce is a highly emotional journey - and although the friendly advice you receive no doubt has your best interests at heart, it is likely biased and may skew your judgment. And if you are thinking of handling your divorce yourself, your emotions may make it hard for you to make the best decisions about your future.
An experienced divorce lawyer, however, can be objective, maintain a clear focus and separate themselves from the deep-seeded emotions underlying the case. In this manner, they can focus on getting you the best settlement possible. Their objective advice acts as a buffer between you and your spouse - and it can help prevent you from letting your emotions, or the misguided advice of friends, get the best of you.
3. New options
An experienced family law attorney can evaluate your case and tell you the likely outcome. And based on their experience with divorce cases and their familiarity with the judge, they can usually offer a wide variety of options to help resolve your case. Many of these options are ones you may not have thought of on your own - and these options could greatly benefit you in both the present and the future.
4. Paperwork grind
Legal work entails a lot of paperwork. And divorce is no exception. In a typical divorce, there is a great deal of paperwork that needs to be filled out (properly) and filed (correctly) with the (appropriate) court. Knowing what paperwork and forms need to be filled out - and how to fill the forms out properly once you have the correct ones - can be a daunting task that can divert your attention from the more important issues at hand.
Nevertheless, providing complete paperwork is critical in a divorce case. The judge will rely on it in making decisions, and your financial future depends greatly on what is in the documents. If incorrect information is entered, or important information omitted, the results can be disastrous.
A divorce lawyer can make sure that all the necessary paperwork is filled out correctly, completely and persuasively. This, in turn, will keep your case moving smoothly through the system and increase your chances of having the judge view your position favorably.
5. Big picture focus
When you are confronting the end of a marriage and dealing with complex emotions, it is easy - and completely understandable - to get bogged down in the details, to focus on perceived slights or red herrings thrown out by the other side. It is also easy to become short-sighted and look only at the immediate consequences of a situation.
An experienced divorce lawyer, however, is practiced at creating the best deal possible for both the short and long term. They can also advise you not to spend a lot of time - or money - fighting over each and every issue. Although "winning" is important, winning at all costs is not, and sometimes compromise is required to ensure a happy ending - one that hopefully leaves you on the road to a better future.


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- Page 1 Samsung Note Review
- Page 2 Screen and Interface Review
Key Specifications
- 5.3in, 1,280 x 800 OLED screen
- Android operating system
- 1.4GHz dual core processor
- Inbuilt stylus
This is a preview. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note review here.
Admit it, you didn't realise we needed a new category of portable touchscreen device, did you? No, nor did we. But apparently we were wrong. Samsung has just introduced the Samsung Note, a 5.5in smartphone with pen input. Unsurprisingly Samsung thinks this new category should be called the note. Either way, we got hands on to see how it performs.
Like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, this is an impressively slim and stylish device. In fact, it actually sits quite well in the hand despite its large footprint, though it is certainly too big to be a primary phone – just look at it compared to a Galaxy S II in our shots below.
Like the Samsung Galaxy S II it has a checkered texture to the plastic back while the front is almost all glass screen, with a surprisingly slim bezel. Moreover, when the screen is locked it disappears satisfyingly into the blackness of the front glass panel. It even uses touch Menu and Back buttons that only illuminate when activated, just to keep everything as clean and black as possible. Only the Home button is a real button.
Looking round the edges, there's a volume rocker, power button, headphone jack, microUSB socket and… a stylus. This can be used in place of a finger to doodle, take notes, or input text using inbuilt handwriting recognition software. Unlike that on the HTC Flyer it interacts with the whole phone so you're not left having to constantly switch between finger and pointer. However, it isn't technically as good as that of the Flyer with it offering even less pressure sensitivity – it feels like there are about three levels. Accuracy also seemed a bit off though this is quite possibly down to how it was calibrated – we couldn't find a caibration tool. Most importantly, though, is the fact the stylus can be stored in the device, making it a convenient tool when needed but never an annoying burden.
Accompanying the stylus is a dedicated app for note taking for which there's a shortcut on the homepage. It has comprehensive tools for changing the ink size and colour and is optimised for quick and easy note taking. Indeed Samsung are marketing this as a device to replace your conventional notepad. However we simply didn't feel it was quite up to the task, feeling just a bit laggy and inaccurate. Enough for the most basic of note taking and doodling but not as a serious tool.
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We'll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor.


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HANOI (Reuters) - The United States and Vietnam on Thursday began cleaning up the toxic chemical defoliant Agent Orange on part of Danang International Airport, marking the first time Washington has been involved in cleaning up Agent Orange in Vietnam.
The U.S. military sprayed up to 12 million gallons of the defoliant onto Vietnam's jungles over a 10-year period during the Vietnam War, and the question of compensation for the subsequent health problems is a major post-war issue.
Respiratory cancer and birth defects amongst both Vietnamese and U.S. veterans have been linked to exposure to Agent Orange.
The U.S. government is providing $41 million to the project which will reduce the contamination level in 73,000 cubic meters of soil by late 2016, the ruling Vietnam Communist Party's mouthpiece Nhan Dan daily said.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has awarded contracts to two U.S. companies to work on the project along with Vietnam defense ministry officials, the U.S. embassy said.
Danang in Vietnam's central region is a popular tourist destination. During the Vietnam War, that ended in 1975, the beach city was used as a recreational spot for U.S. soldiers.
Agent Orange was stored at Danang airbase and sprayed from U.S. warplanes to expose northern communist troops and destroy their supplies in jungles along the border with Laos.
(Reporting by Ho Binh Minh; Editing by Michael Perry)


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Illinois Passes 66% Tax Hike
Newly-inaugurated Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has publicly defended the move to raise taxes, citing the state's dismal financial picture and budgetary shortfalls, which are expected to expand as stimulus spending comes to an end this year. The new legislation will increase the current 3% rate to 5% for the next four years and includes an increase in income taxes assessed on corporations.
With a budget deficit hovering at nearly $15 billion, there's no question that Illinois has its back against the wall and needs to make meaningful changes to its fiscal policy. While tax increases are seldom popular politically, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Illinois would utilize tax changes along with budget cuts to start making a dent in the current deficit and rein in future spending. It came down to yesterday morning, when the lame-duck legislature finalized the deal before new lawmakers were scheduled to be sworn in mid-day.Past lawmakers in Illinois have routinely used debt to finance budget shortfalls and new spending, but the time to make tough choices appears to have been put off as long as possible. Thompson Reuters now rates Illinois state bonds as the riskiest in the country in terms of perceived risk of default.
Recently interviewed by 60 Minutes about the severe economic issues facing Illinois, state Comptroller Dan Hynes said, "The state of Illinois is known as a deadbeat state." Hynes added that Illinois earned its reputation over many years and seemed genuinely upset by the fact that he frequently can do little more than apologize when the state's creditors come calling.
While the increase is huge in terms of percentages, the new tax rate of 5% is still lower than most other states. States such as California and Hawaii have top tax rates that exceed 10%, and only about a dozen states continue to enjoy rates under 5%. Under the terms of the bill, the 5% rate is set to expire after four years and return to a rate of 3.75%.
Unfortunately for Illinois lawmakers both in support and opposed to the new legislation, the tax rate hike is only the first of many difficult decisions that must be made on the journey back to sound fiscal responsibility. Illinois politicians will have to devote considerable time to reviewing the budget for redundancies and waste as well as to determining where cuts can be made to state sponsored programs. Some options originally proposed but cut from the final tax bill included an additional $1 tax on packs of cigarettes and a plan to borrow an additional $8 billion to help pay at least some of the overdue bills to businesses and agencies engaged with the state.


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Editorial by Anthony Woollard
from Signs of the Times No. 45 - Apr 2012
The main event in Modern Church's life over the past few weeks has been the residential Council meeting at Hinsley Hall in Leeds.
The Council draws together the Trustees with our distinguished President and Vice-Presidents and the rest of the 'electoral college' from which the Trustees are drawn. Thus, it assists the Trustees in taking into account the wisdom of a wide range of our members.
It is a tribute to this relative innovation of an annual residential meeting that the overwhelming majority of Council members, including the President and three Vice-Presidents, gave up 24 hours of their time to discuss the issues facing Modern Church. Two themes dominated. First, how to improve the quality and circulation of our learned journal Modern Believing; and, second, how to make our conferences, the other flagship of our activities, even more attractive.
A concern which emerged under both headings was the need to involve ordinands and other theological students more fully; and it appears likely that, in future, more free places at conferences will be offered to these (probably with older conference-goers being invited to contribute to bursaries) and also that some prizes might be offered for student essays published in Modern Believing. All this in order to build bridges with the academic world, not least the world of ordination training, and especially its younger representatives, who must be an important part of the future of Modern Church.
Alongside all of this, we continue to try to respond to events in a changing Church. Jean Mayland's article below reminds us that the Anglican Covenant, and the questions it raises, remains one of our preoccupations and will continue to be so until General Synod votes in the summer. We wrestle too alongside all those who struggle to believe authentically, and the little debate below on Creeds, and the article by Jonathan, are examples of that.


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What inspired you to write YA?
--I've always written YA, even when I thought I was writing books for grown ups full of teh seriousness. They were, um, not at all full of seriousness, teh or otherwise, and despite me thinking they were aimed at adults, they were always about teenagers and had YA voice to them. So basically YA is just what comes out—even if it took me a while to realize it.
But boy do I love YA! When I was a teen, I went straight from MG to adult books and totally missed out on the teen books. But now that I'm an adult (I have a shower curtain that matches my hand towels to prove it) I can't get enough of books for teens. YA and MG are great ages to both read and write for—they incorporate a lot of genres and you can have a lot of fun with them, and the audience is great. Teen book bloggers have been super supportive of me and my book, and I've enjoyed getting to talk to and meet with them. The YA section at the store or the library is the section with the most books I'm going to actually want to read, that have fun voices and aren't trying to prove anything.
And even if I missed out on the YA section when I was a teen, I did a lot of writing back then. It's really cool now to be able to talk to aspiring teen writers and tell them it's important and that they can succeed. I guess it's a pet peeve of mine to hear someone talk about how they're "going" to write a novel someday, after college or after they backpack across Europe or whatever. And there's nothing wrong with those things, but people make excuses or think there's some stereotypical time to start writing novels. There's not, but writing does take a LOT of practice, and it's good to start building those butt in chair, fingers on keyboard discipline skills as soon as possible. Seeing the world might give you more experiences, which is good, but it's not going to magically turn you into a good writer. So my point is basically, if you want to write, do it now, even though it's scary. It will never not be scary to get started, but it will get easier with practice.
Thanks Chelsea!
So now that you have read my review, and heard from Chelsea how would you like to win a copy of The Rise of Renegade X?


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Here's kinda like a little holiday special for you, cranky Dungeon style!
This one's for The Z! Since it's kind of superfluous to talk about films that are turkeys on a day like this, instead you can feast on what I think was the worst film I have seen over the last couple of years since we started this blog! No trimmings! It's not a turkey per se, because even turkeys have redeeming qualities of some moronic bad taste! Not this film, it's just a real piece of crap, and a waste of time, so much, that I had actually chosen not to write about it at all, but I changed my mind so you could enjoy the best one minute and 13 seconds of the whole movie right HERE, and even that is pushing it!
Tomorrow night we're going to go back to 1956 when they really knew how to make movies that were gobblers! Until then..........
Thursday, November 26, 2009
LA CASA SPERDUTA NEL PARCO - Riz Ortolani "House On The Edge Of The Park" (1980)
Posted by Eegah!! and Tabonga! at 12:13 PM
4 comments:
- November 26, 2009 at 1:37 PM
- zillagord said...
This for which I am thankful:
Bad horror flicks.
Good horror flicks.
This wonderful blog.
Thanks bro. Happy T-day!
- November 27, 2009 at 7:52 AM
If you think House on the Edge of the Park is Crap, you don't understand exploitation films. Instead of taking a moronic and facile "It's cool, it sucked" approach, you might want to consider saying something thoughtful about the films you cover.
- February 18, 2010 at 7:57 PM
- Eegah!! and Tabonga! said...
I think if you took the time to read any of the other 900+ posts, you would find that 99.9% of them are positive!
- February 18, 2010 at 8:14 PM
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Close Your Eyes by Amanda Eyre Ward
When Lauren Mahdian was a child, her father, Izaan, was imprisoned for murdering her mother. Lauren stopped speaking to him, but her brother, Alex, always believed that Izaan was innocent. As an adult, Lauren is unable to move forward from this family tragedy. When Alex goes missing in Iraq, she realizes that she must delve into the past in order to have a future. In Colorado, meanwhile, Sylvia Hall, forty and pregnant, decides to leave her boyfriend and go back to New York City. In Close Your Eyes, the lives of Lauren and Sylvia intersect in an unsuspected way that allows both women to find some closure. A book that explores the bonds of family relationships and friendship that is similar to Caroline Leavitt's novels.


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P.S I'm selling clothes, shoes & bags on my depop account. All of it must go! Search ashllyd for my account.
11 comments
you look lovely. I LOVE that dress! I wish MinkPink wasn't so expensive as all their prints are so nice xReplyDelete
Love the dress! Got my eye on one similar in the Asos sale, I just wish it was a bit cheaper! xoReplyDelete
I love it - the colours are beautiful and it really suits your shape!ReplyDelete
Rosie x | Every Word Handwritten
I love the pattern on your dress :) xReplyDelete
Love the dress, so summery and the print is really niceReplyDelete
Such a sweet dress, love the photos on the beach too xxReplyDelete
such a beautiful dress, I love it! and you look gorgeous!ReplyDelete
It is really a beautiful dress :)ReplyDelete
Style | Reader (INT giveaway on the blog)
Thanks so much for your comment! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I'll answer them!


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BC: It's the little things that make life beautiful.
FC: Steps to The Dream Life
1: For my careear I want to become a pediatric nurse which means me going to college and studying hard for a while
2: Dream Car:)
3: To own this car means WROKING HARD | To own this car im going to have to work hard and save $ and not spend it on unnecessary things
4: Friends are Flowers that Never Fade
5: I have always wanted a log cabin house and in order to get one I know I am going to have to wait a while until I am done with college and have a good sturdy(good paying) job, but I am determined to do it!!!
6: I want to go on a cruise to the Bahmas because I love cruises so to do this I am going to save up an go on little vacations until I retire so i can go on one grand vacation


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Every girl dreams of her wedding dress. Wedding is one of the biggest occasions in any girl's life. Every girl wants this day to go perfectly to cherish in the years coming ahead. The bride would be the center of attraction and one cannot compromise on the outfit which should define her style statement. With wide range of choices you are sure to be clueless on which attire would make you look gorgeous. The best thing about Indian apparel is that you have plethora of trendiest collection. Sarees are timeless and give bride to be demure, poise look. Bride to be can replicate her favorite celebrity by donning designer Bollywood sarees, which is sure to create a sensation or can embellish yourself into the in vogue lehenga saree.
While choosing saree for your big day it is very important to choose smartly. Certainly we would want you to look gleaming on your wedding and we would love to help you with our word of advice-
– To have less stress and for hassle free experience it would be perfect to start your shopping for well-designed saree months before the wedding.
– Being in the era of technology you can look for the latest fashion online. The next important factor is your budget. Plan your budget and choose wisely.
– You don't want to shell out loads of money over heavy saree because its brand. After it's entirely not the brand, it's the style which you create.
– Indian wedding are known for its vibrant colors, so pick your wedding saree suiting your body tone. Fair complexion bride can go for vivid colors whereas wheatish bride can choose anything from muted colors to bright colors; dusky bride can opt for darker shade.
– Do you have dilemma with the fabrics and designs. Choose fabrics which are comfortable such as satin, silk, crepe each of which will definitely look outstanding.
– Opt for designs which aren't very heavy if you planning to wear the saree for longer period of time.
– The royalty of a bridal saree is the blouse. You can wear a contrasting blouse or the famous heavily designed work blouse; any look would be eye catching. Searching a good tailor for a fitting blouse is equally important.
So girls research well before buying your masterpiece. Here are some unique saree which you can pick for your wedding-
1. Gauri Khan Velvet Border & Zari Work Maroon Bollywood Designer Saree – Check this impressive velvet Bollywood designer saree. The velvet fabric will definitely give flamboyant look to bride to be. The ethereal zari work makes it admirable and worthy of the price. The golden border over the velvet material gives classy finish to the sari. Picking this saree, you are adding oodles of style in your closet.
2. Aishwarya Rai Net Machine Work Red Bollywood Style Saree – Red is the color of bride and this net machine Bollywood saree is going to appeal your taste. The machine work on the saree gives matchless quality and durability. The golden thread flower work on red saree is cherry on the cake giving traditional yet classy look. Any bride would stun in this beautiful saree because of the charming color and fabric. What else are you looking for, grab this alluring saree and look celestial.
3. Georgette Zari Work Orange & Pink Semi Stitched Lehenga Style Saree – In vogue is the half saree which has created craze amongst the women. This unique vibrant georgette zari work lehenga style saree would make every bride look adorable. This saree has its own charm because of its royal intricate work on choli and the ebullient colors which would definitely make you the star of your big day. The border work on the saree gives a posh look making the bride delightful to the eyes. Pamper yourself with this attire; it's your big day beautiful.
Hope you liked these gorgeous sarees, you can checkout more trendy sarees for your big-day by clicking "here" .


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The Impossible Quiz! Screenshots
Its not the "difficult quiz". Its not the "really hard quiz". It's the IMPOSSIBLE QUIZ! The internet sensation with over 50 millions plays is now available in your pocket, anywhere!
inXile's Sparkworkz, creators of Line Rider and Fantastic Contraption, present the highly original internet brain buster, the IMPOSSIBLE QUIZ! Forget the imitations and play the original. Stump your friends with the wacky logic puzzles, then post your genius on Facebook.
The rules are simple. Try to complete the quiz by answering all of the "questions". It may sound easy, but will require quick reflexes, luck, and good old insane logic. While the majority of questions are multiple choice, there are plenty of surprises along the way. The main thing to remember is to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!
– Over one hundred questions, including classic originals and never before seen mind benders!
– Unique touch screen solutions!
– Facebook integration!
– A cat named Chris.
So how far can you get? Go ahead. Try it. We dare you.
Warning: May cause increase in blood pressure, involuntary outbursts, and fits of rage.
Follow us and keep up with the latest news!
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/sparkworkz !!
Twitter @ Sparkworkz
If you enjoy the Impossible Quiz, give it a 5 star rating !!!!!
Is Impossible Quiz not impossible enough for you? Check out the App store for Impossible Quiz 2!!
What's New in Version 1.50
Game Center Support!
New achievements! As if the game wasn't impossible enough already!
Fixed bugs that made the game not impossible enough!
Customer Reviews
Funny and Fun (5 stars)
If you actually think about most of the questions they're actually really funny. Let's say like number 18, it's not "Hammer O Clock" it's "Stop.." And the answer is Hammer Time which I find to be pretty funny along with most of the ridiculous other stuff and the hilarious drawings lol.
Plus it's like 100 times better than all the other "Impossible" games quizes and tests out there on the App Store as well as
Awesome game. Love addicting games version too (5 stars)
Ok number 95 is you have to hold down the cat till it jumps off after the think flies across the screen. Having trouble with 79 which is the horseshoe thing, 80 which is "to answer this question you have to know what poker means" and 96. All of them I have skipped. Also, if anyone knows what 107 is, the one that goes "how do you do?" it would be much appreciated if you could say what you do. Thanks
Remembering my childhood (5 stars)
On a whim, I decided to search the impossible quiz in the App Store as it was something I had enjoyed immensely throughout high school. Lucky for me is was right there, I have been enjoying it ever since. Thank goodness for this painful and time consuming test of patience and endurance! It'll keep you entertained and frustrated for hours on end!
More Apps by inXile Entertainment
Van Buren
Solitaire Frien..
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Before And After
Season 20 Episode 2 | 25m 9s
Stephanie Brockway uses second-hand wooden objects to carve one-of-a-kind works of art. Shu-Ju Wang's book arts, paintings and sculpture explore the profound transitions in our lives. Singer and songwriter Liz Vice overcame a serious illness to find her voice.
Aired: 10/18/18Video has closed captioning.
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Funding provided by James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation, Robert D. & Marcia H. Randall Fund for Lifelong Learning, The Kinsman Foundation, US Bank, Jackson Foundation and Roundhouse Foundation.


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Carbon sources for the production of PHAs
An attractive feature of the microbial PHAs is the ability to produce them using renewable carbon sources. The plastic materials widely in use today are synthesised from fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas. PHAs on the other hand can be produced using renewable carbon sources such as sugars and plant oils, which is an indirect way of utilizing the atmospheric CO2 as the carbon source. Various waste materials such as whey [14, 15], molasses [16, 17, 18]and starch [19, 20] are also being considered as potential carbon sources for PHA production. The carbon source available to a microorganism is one of the factors (others being the PHA synthase substrate specificity and the types of biochemical pathways available) that determine the type of PHAs produced. For industrial scale production, the carbon source significantly contributes to the final cost. This makes the carbon source one of the most important component in the production of PHA and is therefore a prime target for potential cost reduction.
From top left: Oil palm fruit bunch, Crude palm kernel
oil, A 10-L Infors bioreactor, Purified PHA Bottom: Facial
oil blotting films made from 100% PHA
A recombinant strain of R. eutropha PHB-4 (a PHA-negative mutant), harboring the PHA synthase gene from Aeromonas caviae, could produce a random copolymer of 3HB and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) from plant oils such as olive oil, palm oil and corn oil. The P[3HB-co-3HHx] content was approximately 80% of the dry cell weight and the 3HHx mole fraction was 4-5 mol% regardless of the structure of the triglycerides fed [21]. The results demonstrate that inexpensive renewable plant oils are excellent carbon sources for the efficient production of PHA.


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Los Angeles counsel Heather Abrigo and associate Ryan Tzeng wrote an article titled, "DOL Investigations: Shifting Focus on Fees," for 401(k) Advisor that was featured on the magazine's cover page. The article discussed how recent DOL investigations were unique to California in that they had unique characteristics that were not present in investigations in other areas of the country.
Source: 401(k) Advisor Article


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I'm currently in the UP. I don't wish to post the exact location on a public blog for who knows what whacko to see, not that it'd be that hard, because the UP only has so many places I could be.
Anyway, being here is hard. There are 2 people here who are constantly irritating me, one of whom was constantly irritating me during the LAST satellite group. I do love that person anyway, however.
Being in the UP is hard. It was hard as I crossed that bridge, knowing that I wouldn't cross it again, at least, not as soon as the others would.
And it's hard being here to minister to the yoopers. Those of you who know me extremely well will remember that I don't like yoopers. You've probably heard me rant and rave before about them, so I'll skip most of it.
Some of that prejudice has died down a bit, partly since I've REALLY been trying to love the Lord and part of it is probably just that I don't have to live with them anymore.
Even so, I no longer am constantly thinking about how much I hate these people, but I still don't feel much of a desire to save them from anything. Frankly, I think these people should be relocated to other territory and the entire UP abandoned to the wasteland it is, and maybe use the land for nothing but agriculture. Actually, I'm more of a fan of salting the entire UP and leaving it to be the wasteland of nothing that it is.
Yoopers, as a culture, are pretty close minded. They have their yooper culture, and any other culture just doesn't even cross their thought process. the others will not likely pick up on this, however, when one has lived up here for a few (non consecutive) years, one tends to pick up on these things. Yoopers also mostly eat meat. and maybe some potatoes. And then more meat. We are trying to sell health cookbooks to people who just don't eat healthy.
And there's another rather obvious obstacle that James either just doesn't know about or does know about and doesn't care when he was setting book goals: Poverty. There is a reason GLAA has what they call "the yooper discount." If you live in the UP, you get a good 3 grand off your tuition. The reason is that 99% of yoopers are poor. They work jobs like McDonalds, hotel maids, restaurant workers, etc. The only people up here who are well off are doctors, lawyers, and maybe police officers. People like my dad are the exception: he works in his basement for a company headquartered in Calamityfornia. Otherwise, he couldn't afford to live here either, unless he wanted to be POOR.
Those of you who are familiar with canvassing terms: the UP has 1-4 territory. Period. That's it. You might find a really nice house or two here and there, but for the most part, 1-4 territory. Exceptions would be the Marquette area, because that's the biggest city in the entire UP.
Because of this widespread poverty, it's really hard to sell books. People are either really nice about it, or really mean. And they're mean because they don't have any money, and these seemingly rich people from out of town come up and start trying to get money out of them.
People who visit think yoopers are so nice. And they can be –to strangers. But, and my family found this out the hard way, once you move in here and try actually belong, then they get mean, hostile. You see, small towns are like that: they don't like outsiders trying to come blend in.
And God wants me to minister to these….people?
I am burned out on canvassing. (I'm not sure if that's because of actual canvassing, or because they just lengthened the workday AGAIN by another hour. Even Sheena protested at that one: she argues for temperance in all things.) When Kamil comes, I am so very very tempted to ask if he is driving back through Munising, and if so, could he please PLEASE take me with him.
I am supposed to be working on testimonies. I should go do that.
Help Me


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English | Espańol
All Issues > Volume 21, Issue 2
Many Christians have accepted Jesus as Lord, been born again, and even have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Yet still the great harvest has few workers (Lk 10:2). Few make the transition from basic Christian commitment to ministry. What's our problem?
After Jesus summoned and sent forth the apostles with "authority over unclean spirits" (Mk 6:7), "He instructed them to take nothing on the journey" (Mk 6:8). He even enumerated "no food, no traveling bag, not a coin," no second tunic, and no accommodations (Mk 6:8-10). Few have ever trusted the Lord so as to go forth without any crutches, totally dependent on Him. However, this is basic training for Christian ministry.
This may be the cause of our problem, the great harvest with few workers. We don't need more training as much as more trusting. We don't need more crutches; instead we need to lean more on Jesus. In our weakness, His power will reach perfection (2 Cor 12:9). We are always saved by faith, not by works (Rm 4:16). We don't need more works but more faith.


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Adventure Land Day Care is a Child Care Services business in West Buxton, ME.
|Company Name:
|Adventure Land Day Care
|Company Classification:
|Child Care Services
|Company Location:
|34 Boyle Road, West Buxton, ME 04093
|Telephone Number:
|(207) 929-3507 Full Phone Report
|Company Representative:
|Stacey Emery, Owner Full Name Report
|NAICS Number:
|SIC Number:
|Market Factor:
|B2C (Business to Consumer)
|Begining Year:
|Employee Amount:
|1 to 4
|Location Category:
|Single Location
|Annual Earning (USD):
|$100.000 to $499.999
|Share This Business:
|Related Businesses:
All Aboard Day Care - York, ME
Rising Stars Family Daycare - York, ME
Roots Enrichment Center - York, ME
Mulberry Bush Day Care - York, ME
Toddlers Wonderland - York, ME
Krayola Kids Day Care - York, ME
Building Blocks Day Care - York, ME
Happy Hours Home Child Care - York, ME
Goodhue's Shilo Day Care - York, ME
Bright Beginnings Daycare - York, ME
Jerice - York, ME
Central Park Child Care - York, ME
Adventure Land Day Care is a company that has been operational since 1993, offering products or services in the industry of Child Care Services. For additional details of the nature of this business, it is registered under with the SIC code 8351 and under the NAICS code 6244100 ().
Adventure Land Day Care now supports a growing employee population of 1 to 4 and the business makes an estimated annual revenue of $100.000 to $499.999. The company can be reached for inquiries about B2C market variables and other concerns by contacting Stacey Emery, Owner Full Name Report by phone (207) 929-3507 Full Phone Report.
For added convenience and more information, Adventure Land Day Care also has a website at , and can be accessed and followed through the social media outlets Twitter and Facebook . Visit Adventure Land Day Care's physical single location at 34 Boyle Road, York, Maine or locate it via the coordinates 43.63371,-70.53135.


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The room she lived in with the fog outside the window was perched on the windowsill, asking for escape each and every day; where her doll hid under the bed and she lit matches and blew them out so she could smell the way they smelled when extinguished. She dreamed then of paper and poppies and when she woke up, the cool white blanket touching her cheek, she was always ashamed to have drooled and turned her pillow over quickly.
There was a boy who lived next door who wore a striped shirt and one roller skate. When she went outside he would ask her if she knew what snow tasted like. No she said, it doesn't snow here and he would stick out his tongue at her and run behind the garage making a farting noise with his mouth. She wanted him to stay and talk with her but her bathing suit was riding up her bum so she went inside to take it off and get a glass of orange juice. Inside she passed the man sleeping on the couch and she ran a little as she passed him as if he might jump up and grab her at any moment. She spilled a little orange juice on the floor and rubbed it in creating a dirty sticky smudge before she left the kitchen and went back to her room. They wouldn't want her drinking orange juice but she was rebellious today.
She stopped outside the door of her "mother" and looked in. Cool and damp inside, she made her way through to the bathroom that was through the room and shut the door once inside, trying not to allow the knob to click. Once the door was shut she turned on the light but a loud fan accompanied the light so she quickly turned it off and pulled aside the curtain to the window so light could shine in. Next to the sink, lipstick in a gold case. She touched it with anxious fingers feeling excited to explore again this world of color and truth. She opened the lipstick and twisted the bright red color up. Looking at herself in the mirror she saw parts of her face, eyes, lips chin but not all. Her lips soft and tender like a doe. She started to roll the lipstick over her lips, creating color and sex on her mouth. She wanted to eat it and put it inside herself all at the same time. She knew it was wrong. After the lipstick was applied she licked her lips tasting the perfumed creamy texture and she kissed her shoulder leaving a red mark. Then she closed the curtain and opened the door carefully, listening to see if there was any movement outside. Wait. No, nothing. She could go to her room now.
Project Journal July 2012


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I recently had to get a new phone. My phone wouldn't ring, speakerphone wouldn't work, and many other issues kept popping up. I'm pretty sure it's because it was subjected to abnormal amounts of "dust". I couldn't even hear anyone because the earpiece was so full of crud. My phone is never far from me … Continue reading
Category Archives: Blogs
A cake is a cake of course, of course!
No, I do not mean that all cakes are created equal. A Italian cream cake from a chain grocery store has nothing on my grannies scratch recipe that I use! NO WAY! What I mean by this, is that all of my pricing is the same. A 3 tier cake for a baby shower and … Continue reading


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Panos Panay was literally on the floor when I walked into Microsoft's Seattle store last night.
The vice president responsible for the company's Surface tablets was on his back, with a crowd of people around him, simulating a reclined position with a Surface 2 on his chest to make a point about the improved angles of the device's new dual-position kickstand.
These are the lengths to which Panay and his Microsoft team are going in an attempt to win people over to their tablets. For more than an hour last night, Panay and Windows hardware scientist Stevie Bathiche held court at the Microsoft Store in Seattle's University Village, offering a preview of the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 that were unveiled by the company last week.
The talk focused primarily on the previously announced details of the tablets, but toward the end Panay was asked if Microsoft is planning a smaller Surface tablet. Microsoft has been widely reported to be working on a "Surface Mini" but the company hasn't acknowledged the plans publicly. Panay paused before answering to consider his words carefully.
"We have a lot of great things that we are thinking about and working on, and there are multiple aspect ratios and sizes and awesome things to come from Surface," he said. "That's the best answer I have for you."
Apart from a smaller size, different aspect ratios would address one of the biggest challenges of the existing Surface devices — the landscape orientation that makes the tablets unwieldy to use in portrait mode. Microsoft is improving the hardware with the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, but that horizontal orientation remains the only choice for now.
Also last night, Panay reiterated that Microsoft will be coming out with an LTE-enabled version of the Surface 2 early next year, something he first mentioned in a Reddit Q&A last week. Panay said he expects the devices to be available initially on AT&T in the U.S. and Vodafone in Europe. However, he was clear that there won't be a version of the Surface Pro 2 with LTE.
Panay focused most of his remarks last night on the improved performance, apps, features and accessories of the Surface 2, the successor to the Surface RT, which has struggled to compete with Apple's iPad. Sales of the Surface RT fell short of expectations, forcing the company to take a $900 million charge against its earnings.
Microsoft is betting on the revamped Surface 2 to improve its chances in a highly competitive market, where it also faces competition from Amazon's new Kindle Fire HDX, Google's Nexus devices, the Samsung Galaxy Tabs and other Android-based tablets. Panay told the crowd that the second-generation of Microsoft's ARM-based Surface device represents a significant improvement over the first.
"I use the Surface 2 on a daily basis. It is lightning fast, and it comes with Office," he said. "Ultimately you have a product here that gives you the full promise of being the most productive thing you can buy."
Panay also talked about the improvements in the Intel-based Surface Pro 2, saying that the 75 percent increase in battery life translates into seven to 10 hours of total usage, depending on how it's being used. The current Surface Pro averages around four hours.
The crowd last night included several existing Surface owners. One of them told Panay, "I have a Surface Pro and I love it, and I feel like it's the best thing ever. I feel like the general populace of America doesn't agree. How are you trying to fix that?"
"Well, I'm here," Panay said, talking about his love for the team and the Surface products. "I'm a firm believer that if you make great products, and you love those products, and you believe in what you're making, people will learn to love them, as well."


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When the idea to shoot Alicia and Josh's wedding first came about last year, I was ecstatic because number one, I've known Alicia's family my whole life and number two, they know how to party. And I was completely right! The whole day was so much fun. Gen and I are still talking about it. From the second we got there to the second we left, we had a blast! So now, after so much agony over which pictures to share, I'm so excited to FINALLY share their wedding on the blog!
Venue: WEST END PRESBYTERIAN
Reception: KEYSTONE ANTIQUE TRUCK & TRACTOR MUSEUM
Florals: VOGUE FLOWERS
Catering: BROCK'S BBQ


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Dress with Floral Placement Print
Purple flared dress with botanical placement print on the side.
Fabric: Premium Rayon
Washcare Instruction: Machine wash. Low heat iron
Fit: Regular
The model is wearing size Small. The brand runs true to its standard size chart, please refer the sizing guide to determine your perfect fit.


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Eliana Cuevas
The best Toronto Jazz Festival concerts for 2018
The Toronto Jazz Festival is back, and from June 22 to July 1, the festival is once again taking over Yorkville with free concerts and also offering genre-stretching hot tickets all over town. Bettye LaVette, Snarky Puppy, Seal and much more. Read more