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Blog Archives
The Elmo Combo @ Brantford Casino – April 11
A whirlwind of Homegrown, Roots Rock, Funky jams, and Reggae grooves,
the Elmo Combo always put on an excellent show.
From Brantford (and the Norfolk area), the Elmo Combo
(who have recently made another TV appearance,
this time on CHCH morning live),
are back in town to play for us hometown folks.
from elmocombo.com by Jamz M.H. Maher:
Fronted by singer/songwriter Steven Elmo Murphy (guitar, vocals), and backed by eDDie mAx (drums, vocals) with Jon Edwards (keys, vocals) and Gabe Atkinson (bass) The Elmo Combo have become a notable force on the indie music front and are riding the cusp of their break out year.
For years "The Elmo Combo" have been entertaining audiences of all sizes from coast to coast! With an appearance on Breakfast Television Calgary, Three Western Canada Tours and 10 years of consistent shows in Ontario, it's no wonder that the group received an invitation to play La Tour De Norfolk 2014. They have also landed such high profile gigs as The Festival of Friends, in Hamilton On. also sharing some bills along side large Canadian acts such as Blue Rodeo, Matthew Good and The 24th Street Wailers!
The Elmo Combo has developed a well rounded following as a result of their unwavering commitment to their art, their passion and dedication to provide quality entertainment. The group has also collected a vast and diverse musical catalogue that can cater to any crowd at any time. With 4 albums worth of originals written by Steve (one of which being nominated for a Hamilton Music Award) there is no shortage of material!
'Odds and Ends' by Steven Elmo Murphy and Friends
video courtesy of Hamilton Blues Lovers
|The Elmo Combo
|the Elmo Combo
|OLG Casino Brantford
|Saturday, April 11th
|8pm – 12am
|Age limit?
#brantfordrocks #supportlocalmusic #folkrock #brantfordbands
Hit the Spot: Intervals at The Station
An awesome new series debuted at The Station Coffee House & Gallery on Saturday, March 7th.
The first "Intervals a Songwriters' Showcase" featured local acoustic singer songwriters performing (primarily) original material in a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded by fans and fellow artists. Organized by local music aficionado and performer Chris Strei, Intervals is a wonderful monthly series that encapsulates the thriving creative spirit of Brantford.
Down at the train station might not be one of the first places you think of when you want to check out some great live music, but it should be. Since 2008, The Station (it's the building on the far left, not the main train station building) has been allowing travelers and locals a place to enjoy various cultural arts. Beautiful art adorns every wall inside, most of which is available for purchase. Monthly updates bring a fresh collection of photographs, paintings and various other art forms to dazzle the eyes. March brought us the wonderful madness of Dean F. Ellis and his eccentric paintings, pen and ink, photos and sculptures.
The space is not vast, but there is a plethora of seating available. The building allows an unique sonic connection to each artist, as the entire space fills with lucious sound, allowing you to experience subtle nuances of the music you may have missed at a larger venue. The occasional passing train really adds to the mood, as though we were riding in the back of a boxcar with a menagerie of songwriters free to openly express their craft. Fortunately this train ride had a well stocked bar area, with libations and coffee served up by the friendly co-founder / bartender Jeff Sauble.
The first performer of the night was Andrew Bradbury. Andrew has a strong vocal presence and great skill on the guitar. He played along with a backing track which may not have been necessary, as his songwriting talent shone acoustically. His original songs spoke from a place of passion, and his love of music was displayed quite proficiently. We were able to make a recording of Bradbury performing his original song No Regrets (the video is embedded at the bottom of this post), which sounded even better live. Andrew is an artist to keep an eye on, and we can't wait to see how his talent continues to evolve.
Intervals was set to feature hour long sets by each artist. Due to a last minute change in performers, there was also a 'free jam' which allowed everyone a chance to perform a few additional songs.
The 'free jam' brought us some great songs performed by Chris Strei, a solo performance by Jason Inberg, and an extra Innersha performance. Trevor Cobb performed a fun little freestyle acoustic performance before being joined by Mick Montgomery and jumping into a great Mctease performance.
Mctease had not expected to perform tonight, but it was a happy little accident that allowed BrantfordBands to witness their unique and thoroughly entertaining set. Trevor Cobb is a welcoming and charismatic guy and this comes through brilliantly in his music. His husky voice, energetic strumming and humourous nature make him seem like the long lost third member of Tenacious D. That same vibrant energy and love of music are apparent when Mick Montgomery starts walloping his conga drum. During softer moments Mick played the tambourine in a building credsendo which would inevitably lead back into the massive conga rhythms. Mctease played a blend of rock, country and generally upbeat tunes. Whatever genre they flowed through, Mick and Trevor made each song seem completely theirs, even when they jammed a few covers. Their original songs are wonderfully frivolous, with lyrics that cause bursts of joyous laughter and a rousing cadence that makes it impossible not to stomp along to the beat. While we can't share too much of the lyrical content from songs like 'Pig' and 'Pu**y', it's safe to say that McTease pushed the all-ages content to the limit (and beyond).
Check out No Cash (Trevor's now-defunct country band) on soundcloud for a taste of the unique flavour inherent in Trevor and Mick's music. Viewer discretion is advised.
Sporting a slightly disheveled dedicated artist look, Chris Strei's smooth and vibrantly melodic voice lends itself beautifully to his pop-tinged folk rock originals. Chris eats, sleeps and breathes music and it certainly shows. His commitment to the craft comes through in each composition, musical expressions of the vast tapestry of emotion and life experiences. His driving song 'QEW' cruises down the highway of life on a bright sunny day, with breezy traffic full of happy commuters waving and smiling as you pass them by. Each song has a similar spirit, of triumphantly overcoming adversity, staying positive even in the bleakest moments.
For a brief look into the artistry of Chris Strei check out his profile on ReverbNation.
The final set, Innersha's acoustic set, was the cherry on a guilt-free sundae. Huge sultry vocals and soaring guitar lift the listener to new heights. Jason Inberg and Kristen Bezemer are both passionate singer/songwriters. After hearing Kristen's soft speaking voice it's a shock when she starts singing. She has a true country diva sound, filled with authentic emotion and charm. Her voice embraces like a warm hug on a cold day, with a range that lends itself to any genre but really shines on boot-stomping country tunes. Jason is no slouch himself, as not only does he play a mean guitar but also has a wonderful voice. Deep, rough and contradictorily gentle, bringing to mind a soulful Matthew Good.
Innersha's original songs are buoyant and uplifting, and catchy in a way that has you singing along the first time you hear them. It's impossible not to clap and stomp along to the infectious rhythms. Their newest release, 'Know Where Your Heart Is' makes the crowd eager to answer, "Our heart is in your hands!". 'Chills run down your spine' indeed, as this is a song that calls you out to the dance floor to embrace your sweetie, thanking the heavens for the chance to experience life connected with another person. Any cover songs they perform are transformed, creating brand new Innersha songs. When Jason and K-Bez join together for duets there's a definitive unity and shared passion for music that carries the songs to new levels of greatness.
For a preview of the driving tempo and stimulating nature of Innersha head over to their youtube channel.
from Chris Strei:
I want to thank everyone who came out for #Intervals last night. Trevor Cobb & Mick Montgomery of Mctease, Andrew Bradbury, and Jason Inberg & Kristen Bezemer of Innersha did a great job on stage. Jeff Sauble at the bar always makes the night complete. Our audience made all our efforts worth the time we put into our music. Last night also gave me some good ideas for next month's instalment of the #intervalsSeries.
Stay tuned!
We can't wait to see what next month's Intervals brings to the Station, and we'll be sure to keep you posted when more details are released!
We've created a gallery of photos from the event on 500px.
Please note that the original red lighting has somewhat distorted all of the images. We attempted to colour-correct the photos, but as a result everybody looks like they had sever sunburns in early March.
We sincerely hope that we've not offended any performers by posting these photos,
contact us and we will remove any unwelcome photos immediately.
As promised, here's the video we recorded of Andrew Bradbury performing
his original song No Regrets:


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MOPPs Update
October 24, 2013
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) and Ryerson University have decided to terminate their participation in the reciprocal transfer agreement with major Ontario pension plans (MOPPs). Here's what you need to know:
- CAAT – termination effective Oct. 1, 2013. If we did not receive your application to transfer prior to Oct. 1, 2013, you may still be eligible to buy back your CAAT pension credit in our plan.
- Ryerson – termination effective Dec. 31, 2013. Any reciprocal transfer requests made on or before Dec. 31, 2013 will be completed under the terms of the MOPPs Agreement. After this date, you will not be eligible to transfer the commuted value of your accrued benefits/contributions but may be eligible to buy back your Ryerson Plan pension credit.
If you have credit in the Ryerson Plan that you would like to transfer to Teachers', or buy back your CAAT pension credit, please call our Member Hotline (1-800-668-0105) to discuss your options.

subset: commoncrawl


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Company Hire Purchase
Company Hire Purchase is the option for those who want to own the vehicle on completion of the agreement.
In this case, the customer retains the final resale value risk and benefit. Residual values can be included in the agreement for light commercial vehicles.
The agreement is a fixed monthly payment with periods ranging from 24 to 60 months. There is no VAT on payments and for accounts purposes the vehicle is on balance sheet.


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Cleaning dies for aluminium extrusion
During aluminum extrusion, the dies are polluted with aluminum. It is important to clean the dies in a safe and ergonomic way. It is very important that sufficient amounts of air are extracted to avoid risk of explosion.
In addition, the cleaning is carried out using NaOH. It is therefore important that the operator comes into contact with this alkaline as little as possible.
These risks are well under control in the system that was developed by PCA.
The advantages of the PCA system are:
- The operator never comes in contact with the caustic soda. The process tanks, where the dies are put in, are empty when he takes the dies out or when he puts them in the tank.
- As the process tanks are empty when opened and as there is a negative pressure, there are no fumes entering the working zone of the operators.
- Thanks to the design of the system, the dies will be cleaned much faster than in a simple heated tank.
- The system is flexible. It is suitable for different types of dies (large and small presses).
- The installation is built, respecting of the ATEX safety precautions.
We can help you with this technology, both in design and construction of the installation.


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Waste & Recycling Management
We recognise the importance of reducing landfilled waste and we work closely with clients to adopt, as far as possible, ecologically sound and environmentally sympathetic methods of waste management.
Our commitment to the environment is showcased through Andron winning numerous prestigious industry awards including the Green Apple for the past 5 years and the International CSR Excellence and CSR World Leader award.
We continually strive to improve the environmental performance of our clients and partner with them to achieve award winning results.


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30 of January 2012
Hello everyone and Happy Monday!
Today I am extremely happy to share with you that I am a part of Critter Sketch Blog Hop. This is my first blog hop and I am very much exited about it.
Don't forget to visit each blog and leave a comment on every blog in the hop , complete a project using a sketch and upload it to the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog


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Alexandra's Advice: London Instragammers to follow
There's nothing like seeing London through Instagram's square lens. We might be a bit biased but we reckon London is one of the most photogenic cities there is. If you're coming over here soon, or you're living here now, why not follow these amazing Instragammers and get inspired!
1) @mrwhisper
mrwhisper beautifully captures the London transport system as well as London parks. He has some lovely photographs of south west London also.
If you're a lover of graffiti, londongraffiti is the best account for you to follow for the most colourful of London's walls.
3) @josephowen
Follow this account for beautiful pictures of London life (and trips to other parts of the UK!)
4) @tschang
Dreamy pictures of classic London locations.
5) @burberry
If you love London style and the English look, you should definitely follow Burberry.
For fans of the London Underground, these deserted pictures of London tube stations are so impressive!
Check out amberrrjones for your fix of red buses and telephone boxes!
8) @alanisko
London has never looked so good in super bright and beautiful colours.
If you love eating out and pretty pictures of food, clerkwellboyec1 is a must follow!
Finally, if you want to know what's going on at school and in Wimbledon, follow our account!


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How Lawn Sprinkler Repair Long Island Companies Can Keep The Lawn Green And Water Usage Low
Owning a backyard or front lawn can be ideal during the summer months, but it does present with many responsibilities including lawn care. Contrary to popular belief, lawn care involves much more than merely watering the lawn. While watering the lawn is important, removing weeds, placing seeds in patches, and trimming the lawn are significantRead More →


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New materials and new techniques gave us the wings to further approach reality as the absolute reference in the Kharma Exquisite Collection. Even more now the Exquisite Collection is complemented with the Exquisite preamplifiers and the mono power amplifiers. These new products have the same far-reaching attention to detail as the entire Exquisite Collection in both technological aspects and in the astonishing design. This Exquisite mono power amplifier is a result of our unique reputation and style, which is realized by a team of highly dedicated and committed specialists. This all makes the Exquisite collection a class of its own. The Exquisite MP1000 amplifiers are state of the art solid-state amplifiers with a zero compromise approach. Moreover the cabinet is a piece of art in itself, which is illustrated by the beautifully aluminium casing and the special designed front panel with Kharma patterns. The Exquisite MP1000 Series consists of the Exquisite Reference Mono Power Amplifier and the Exquisite Signature Mono Power Amplifier. The difference between both can be discovered in the option page.
The Exquisite Mono Power Amplifiers from the MP1000 Series all have unique class A / AB Kharma proprietary circuitry.That the Exquisite MP1000 is designed with an incredible attention to detail, is amongst others stressed by the ultra high grade power supply, double transformers and silver/gold internal wiring. The internal wiring of this power amplifier, which has the same high quality as used in the entire Exquisite Collection, combined with external cabling to the Exquisite loudspeakers results for this reason in a sonic match throughout the whole ultra high-end audio set. The Exquisite MP1000 is equipped with double special audio transformers designed by Kharma to purify the sound of this amplifier. Moreover the amplifier has a copper case attached to the solid body. The copper case leads to shielding against residual radiation that can originate from the end of the external power cable. As a result the interference between the external power cable and the amplifier is minimized. Hence the amplifiers in the MP1000 Series are equipped with an elaborated protection. Besides the amplifiers have a software controlled softstart
These specs are preliminary technical specifications of the Exquisite MP1000 amplifiers. However, these give a good indication of this amplifier till further notice.
Advised pre-amplifier The Exquisite MP1000 mono power amplifiers match perfectly with the Exquisite P1000 Series preamplifiers. The combination realizes botch a sonically and visually astonishing match, which has to be heard and experienced to be believed. Advised external cable The Exquisite MP1000 amplifiers have an uncompromised design to the finest detail. For this reason there can only be put justice to the quality of the MP1000 amplifiers, when the used external cable is also uncompromised to the highest level. Therefore the Enigma Signature cable series is advised to complement the ultra high-end sound of the Exquisite MP1000 amplifiers. First of all we use in our external cables the same quality conductors and isolators as internal. So you get a sonic match. Furthermore an important reason for using these cables is that you will get exactly the sound that the Kharma team had in mind during the development of both the loudspeaker and the cables. For the true connoisseurs of musical art, Kharma offers the possibility to even go one step further by complementing their Exquisite MP1000 amplifiers with the Enigma Extreme Signature cable series.
The Exquisite MP1000 Series consist of different versions of the Exquisite Mono Power Amplifier:
Moreover there is also the possibility, as for all products in the Exquisite Collection, to adjust the product totally to your style by entering the Privileges Program. Exquisite Reference Mono Power Amplifier MP1000This version of the MP1000 series is marking the reference in the MP1000 Series, where all features have to be heard to be believed and are summarized as follows:
Besides, this model has standard a beautiful frontpanel with Kharma trapeziums and a black anodized aluminium cabinet.
Exquisite Signature Mono Power Amplifier MP1000The Signature MP1000 Amplifier is a special version of the MP1000 Reference, where both technical as visual the Mono Power Amplifier is upgraded. The MP1000 Signature amplifier does not only has all the nice features the MP1000 Reference has, but also has additional very special features:
Besides, there is the option to execute the MP1000 Signature in blank anodized aluminium instead of black anodized aluminium. Moreover some different frontpanels will be available, where the MP1000 Signature standard already has a very special wood-inlay Kharma design frontpanel.
As for all products from the Exquisite Collection there is the possibility to enter the Privileges Program for the amplifiers of the MP1000 Series.
The Privileges program gives access to the most exclusive treatment Kharma has to offer, which only can be accessed by the happy few who purchase a product from the Exquisite Collection. The Privileges program is both an extension of service Kharma has to offer and an opportunity to customize your product without any limitations. Any desired finish of the product is possible: any cabinet paint colour, panel finishes can be of leather, carbon or lasercutted wooden inlays. Moreover technical customization is also possible, comprising the enhancement of the sound quality. Additional benefits:


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1) Nikki's 'Can't Stop Thinking About You' has a video now. It looks a bit like Ida Maria's 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked'.
2) The studio version of 'I Am' by Tom Helsen presents Barbara Dex is up on YouTube.
3) The video for Monrose's 'Like A Lady' is online. The album cover is as brilliant as the single cover, by the way.
See also: Charley says SONG! Nikki – Can't Stop Thinking About You
See also: Charley says SONG! Tom Helsen presents Barbara Dex – I Am
See also: Charley says COVER ART! Monrose – Like A Lady
Tags: Bahar, Bahar Kizil, Barbara Dex, Can't Stop Thinking About You, Charley says LIST!, Charley says POP!, I Am, I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked, Ida Maria, Idols, Idols 2008, Ladylike, Like A Lady, Mandy, Mandy Capristo, Monrose, Nikki, Nikki Kerkhof, Senna, Senna Guemmour, Tom Helsen


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I've had my nutrition practice for 29 years this month! Despite all the new ideas revolving around the best way to eat a healthy diet, some American food patterns haven't changed in nearly 30 years-namely not eating enough fruits and vegetables. I often ask myself what is going on, because so many clients are adamant that they love fruits and vegetables. Reviewing their food records, however, tells another story. While they may indeed "love" fruits and vegetables, they are not eating enough of them. So, here are some very easy ways to continue tackling this very-longstanding dietary problem sans becoming a vegan:
Apples. Prepare another way! Fall is the time many families pick apples. All those apples do not need to be eaten raw, turned into calorie laden pie, or smeared with peanut butter. Instead, cut up an apple, zap it in the microwave for about 1.5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and garnish with dab of whipped cream or ice cream (dab is the operative word here). Now you have a tasty apple disguised as dessert. This is a great way to get a toddler interested in and able to start eating apples even before all the teeth are in. And, for the older crowd, the calories are a lot less than apple pie.
Pumpkin. Eat crust-less pumpkin pie for breakfast! My three kids loved this breakfast food when growing up. And, I still enjoy it myself.
15 oz. Can pumpkin pie 1 can evaporated skim milk 2 large eggs 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. ground cloves ½ tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup Bisquick mix
Spray Pam or vegetable spray on a glass pie plate. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pie pan and bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Note: the texture of the crust-free pie is souffle like. The Bisquick mix adds enough texture to the pie to allow it to be cut into pie shaped wedges. Serve plain or top with dab of whipped cream or ice cream.
Berries. While lots of people think of smoothies as a way to boost your fruit and vegetable intake, most people make it too complicated. I like to include one banana to thicken the smoothie, add a cup of berries, and 3/4 cup skim milk, soy milk, or orange juice. If you want to make it taste like cheesecake, add a small amount of cottage cheese. Straws are necessary. This is great for kids and adults on the run.
Spinach. Add it to lasagna, soups, omelets, or one skillet meals. This evening, my husband made an impressive vegan pasta dish with lots of tomatoes and spinach. It was a "keeper recipe" and used a lot of spinach. One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes.
Getting 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet has a huge impact on the overall nutritional quality of your diet.
What tips do you have for this age old eating problem?


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Charles Leaf, a former reporter with Fox 5 in New York, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl in his home in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Leaf was also found guilty of possession of child pornography, despite the testimony of his father-in-law that the photos found on Leaf's computer were his, not Leaf's.
Leaf's sister, Susan Gaudet, 56, said her brother has been surrounded by allegations of sexual abuse for decades and that he should be "fried" for being a "sick sociopath pedophile."
Emmy-winning former Fox reporter guilty of assaulting four year old after his own sister calls him a 'sick pedophile', from Mail Online
Ex-Fox 5 reporter Charles Leaf convicted of sexually assaulting 4-year-old girl, possessing child porn, from New York Daily News


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Geetha and Brian were married in May at the beautiful Blue Bell Country Club in Blue Bell, PA. Their ceremony took place by the outdoor gazebo and their reception was held in the Grand Ballroom. The ceremony arbor and reception space were decorated with beautiful daisies and sunflowers. Their reception was lite and fun and started off with a cute slideshow of the happy couple. Their wedding was very elegant and we really enjoyed photographing it.
Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Fender. Enjoy married life! 🙂
Your wedding day will fly by, so let A Little Bird Photography By Jamie Lynn capture the spirit and beauty of your Philadelphia wedding day with photos you will cherish for years to come. View our online wedding portfolio and contact us at 215-206-4455 to set up an appointment today!


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Phone number: 041301....
Mobile number: 041301....
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Nearby Businesses within 5 km
- A 0.7 km Belgravia Leisure
- B 0.7 km Adairs: Northlakes
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The Joint Action on HIV and Co-infection Prevention and Harm Reduction (HA-REACT) addresses existing gaps in the prevention of HIV and other co-infections, especially tuberculosis (TB) and viral hepatitis, among people who inject drugs (PWID). This three-year project was launched in late 2015 with core funding from the European Union (EU), and is being implemented by 23 partners in 18 EU Member States. Twelve collaborating partners are contributing additional expertise, among them the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). More information about the project HAREACT you can find on this side: www.hareact.eu
This project is a continuation of the previous project - CARE. There were two new open and self-paced courses: "Prison needle and syringe programmes" and "Condom distribution program in prison". We also launched the knowledge hub: HarmReduction.EU
The Knowledge Hub is:
- the knowledge center and capacity building instrument for policy-makers and service providers
- the way to collect (new) examples of good practice on the related health interventions
- the source to disseminate the project findings, result and deliverables of the overall project
The website contains the following content categories:
- Information on the project itself
- Products from the project like documents/reports
- Collected examples of best practices
- Tailor-made introductions describing the various content items and lessons learned from the best practices
- Resource center with a wide variety of "recommended reading"
In this project we use social learning and Knowledge Pills (via Twitter and Facebook). The knowledge hub HarmReduction.eu will be continued.


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In Pursuit of Silvia, an ART WOW/Bare Bones Theatre productionBookmark this
In Pursuit of Silvia, an ART WOW/Bare Bones Theatre productionBookmark this
The play reveals its power in the way it is presented, bare bones. Without set decoration, costumes and props. There is a closeness that you cannot feel in a movie or in front of a big screen TV, being at arm's length from each actor. There is a discussion right after the play where you can talk about your experience with the performers. It reminds you that art is all about humanity and its imperfections which makes this play fresh. Seeing it in Sandra Jones Campbell's painting studio, an attraction on its own, only enhances the intimacy of this experience.
Why you want to see this play? For playwright Lojo Simon's witty script, the sing-along music of Jason Feddy and the cast's odd, funny scenes that are being performed as a table-read. You want to see this play because it makes you feel good. It is little rehearsed and screw-ups get the biggest laughs. If you prefer theatre to be Playhouse perfection, the grammy level music of Jason Feddy and the exceptional comedic performance of Rachel Rosenfeld makes the show worth your time.
My only gripe, I find Bare Bones limits itself by defining the play high school and college focused, with an educational slant being Shakespearean. Classifying it as such defeats its purpose. Kids over 10 don't like things made for kids and adults might judge it as too banal for their taste. Never did such limiting description enter my mind during the play. In my opinion there is only art that works or does not. This play works, and it works well in all it supposed to deliver.
Now in its third year, Bare Bones Theatre has carved out its niche where actors and audience experience plays in their raw infancy. It demonstrates why the arts are important. If you want to have an uplifting experience that Netflix can not offer yet, enjoy this live performance and support this Laguna grassroot art movement. Expect more Bare Bones in the fall of 2018.
Multimedia artist Michaell Magrutsche has written three art books and facilitates the SelfAwareArt.com/workshop


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Portfolio Management is the discipline of professionally managing a client's assets in coordination with the other components of their Financial Profile in order to generate a consolidated plan.
Investment Management
At CD Wealth Management, we believe that investing is both an art and a science that needs a proper balance in order to meet the individual needs of each client. All of our portfolios are built on the foundation of an asset allocation* methodology in order to create a responsible, well-diversified portfolio. Our portfolios add an overlay process to help uncover any investment opportunities that purely analytical assumptions could overlook. We believe only through this lens can our professionals truly help implement a strategy that aids in meeting the ultimate needs of each of our clients.
Comprehensive Portfolio Summaries
On a daily basis, our investment team downloads every single client transaction for our 400+ clients into our internal accounting database. With this information, our advisors are able to provide detailed summaries of portfolio activity and performance statistics instantly.
The reports are purposefully designed to provide each client with detailed insights into their overall portfolio:
- Graphical Performance Summary shows the overall asset allocation of the entire portfolio;
- Graphical Performance Review provides the statistical returns of the overall portfolio as well as a summary of returns compared to their appropriate benchmarks;
- Performance Summary by Asset Class details the returns of each individual asset class; and
- Holdings Report breaks down the individual investments that comprise the portfolio.
Portfolio Rebalancing
Client's lives are ever changing, so it is important to make sure the portfolio continues to meet the client's goals and objectives. Additionally, our portfolios are always shifting due to fluctuations in the markets. In order to maintain our disciplined investment approach, rebalancing** is a necessity for our long-term investment success, which we break down into four distinct components:
- Target Allocations: Components of our portfolios are designed to rebalance based on the weightings of the underlying securities and the drift parameters of their target allocations;
- Systematic Rebalances: The portfolio is comprised of investment vehicles, which rebalance during specific time intervals, such as semi-annually based on the anniversary;
- Special Circumstances: Through our ongoing due diligence process, we are constantly monitoring our portfolios during changing situations, such as a when a manager retires or an investment is closing , and utilize that opportunity to determine the current market cycle; and
- Review Cycle: Our Review Meeting is an integral component of the wealth management process as it provides us with a standardized opportunity to maintain our rebalancing structure.
*Using asset allocation as part of your investment strategy neither assures nor guarantees better performance and cannot protect against loss of principal due to changing market conditions.
**Rebalancing assets can have tax consequences. If you sell assets in a taxable account you may have to pay tax on any gain resulting from the sale. Please consult your tax advisor.


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The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently uploaded Guidelines for Firewalls and Firewall Policy in the Knowledge Network.
Network firewalls have long been considered a necessary component of a network security strategy. They are most commonly implemented at the network gateway to prevent unauthorized traffic from the public Internet from entering the private intranet. However, they can also be implemented between network segments to enforce varying levels of trust. You might, for example, choose to filter traffic coming into the sales department's portion of the network to ensure that users from other departments are not accessing sales-related resources.
Firewalls are vulnerable themselves to misconfigurations and failures to apply needed patches or other security enhancements. Accordingly, firewall configuration and administration must be performed carefully and organizations should also stay current on new vulnerabilities and incidents. While a firewall is an organization's first line of defense, organizations should practice a defense in depth strategy, in which layers of firewalls and other security systems are used throughout the network. Most importantly, organizations should strive to maintain all systems in a secure manner and not depend solely on the firewall to stop security threats. Organizations need backup plans in case the firewall fails, this research concludes.
The NIST also has uploaded several other security guides to the Knowledge Network.


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New American Airlines Takes Off, and More
What's News: American Airlines Group is born after AMR and US Airways officially complete merger. Eight U.S. tech giants band together for NSA government surveillance reform. Sysco buys US Foods for $3.5 billion. Joanne Po reports. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the world's largest airline finally takes off this is what's news I'm WS J lifetime Thailand Co ... American Airlines Group is foreign After Amour officially steps out of bankruptcy and merges with US Airways Group ... the merged airline will have a global network with nearly sixty seven hundred daily flights to more than three hundred and thirty destinations ... and have more than a hundred thousand employees worldwide airlines separate websites reservation systems and loyalty programs ... will continue to operate separately until ... the integration process is complete ... but customers of the new American should be good to see changes but the frequent flier program starting in January the new company will begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker eight ... eight al ... eight U S tech giants are banding together to appeal for reform of government surveillance activities by the National Security Agency ... Google ... Facebook ... Apple Micra soft with your gal who linked in in in wealth are issuing an open letter to President Obama and members of Congress ... calling for a set of Perform principles ... and how to better safeguard Internet users information ... the company said created a joint website called reform government surveillance dot com the companies did not disclose how the group came about or how much they're spending on the effort Sysco corp is buying its rival us for this for three and a half billion dollars in stock and cash ... the deal will create a food distribution giant with about sixty five billion dollars in annual revenue ... the company say they're merger's expected to generate millions of dollars in synergies over the next couple of years ... the combined company will have increased leverage ... selling and distributing food heads to restaurants manufacturers hospitals hotels schools and other institutions ... Cisco CEO said the company might need to sell parts of its business ... to satisfy antitrust regulators ... that the process will take several months for review ... looking keep us in all the latest is about as rapid and what's news I'm WS J last I'm Joann Co ...


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Imprisoning parents is inevitably traumatic for their children, and striking a balance between child welfare and appropriate punishment of criminals is a dilemma confronted by judges every day. However, a Court of Appeal ruling has emphasised that parenthood is not a trump card that can be played to avoid jail.
The case concerned a prison officer who had admitted smuggling large quantities of contraband, including cannabis and mobile phones, to inmates at the institution where she worked. She was spared jail and given a suspended two-year sentence, largely due to her responsibilities to her two young children.
The sentence was challenged by the Solicitor General on the basis that it was unduly lenient. The Court acknowledged that the welfare of the woman's children was a primary consideration. However, the seriousness of her economically motivated crimes had to be marked by an appropriate sentence.
The woman was guilty of grave breaches of trust and the prevalence of contraband items in prison is a serious problem, helping to promote criminal economies and power structures. Her crimes demanded a fitting punishment and the Court imposed an immediate prison sentence of two years and eight months.


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Tim Sweet, our HMI Solution Manager, was a featured writer in a recent Appliance Design publication about switches and encoders and how they apply to the Internet of Things' technology leap.
"The man/machine interface evolution continues to morph and adapt to the technology around it and the expectations of the user. The humble but ubiquitous switch continues to rise to the challenges that appliances and devices face in an ever increasingly connected world. What are the trends and how can the changes be used to provide advantages in cost, performance and reliability?"
Click through to read about which redesign issues you should avoid to optimize technology.


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Sample Addresses
Mr./Madame Chair, candidates for the Order, and their guests and friends.
The Order of the Engineer, to which you will soon belong, is an independent organization. Its purpose is to foster a feeling of pride in, and dedication to, that profession which binds them together.
The Order is symbolized by the acceptance of an "Obligation" and the wearing of a stainless steel ring on the little finger of the working hand. There are no meetings other than this ceremony, and there are no dues.
The "obligation" to which you will soon subscribe is a composite of several creeds. It emphasizes the fact that we, as engineers, have certain obligations. It promotes honesty and integrity and recognizes that today's engineers are dependent upon their predecessors to gain their skills.
The significance of what you are about to say and do might be expressed this way—You are about ready to say to yourself and to the public:
I am an engineer
I have an obligation
My obligation has become my desire
My desire is to apply the Golden Rule, our code of ethics, to the technical knowledge of the world by persuasion
My desire becomes the yardstick of my professionalism, and lastly that
My professionalism means to me that I will never again ask myself the question, "How much do I get out of it?" But rather that I will ask myself the question, "How much can I give?"
The symbol of the desire to be a giver is the Engineer's Ring you will wear for all to see. The ring will say to all who see it, "Here is an engineer, possessed of a publicly avowed dedication to his profession and the public it serves."
I appreciate this opportunity to speak before you, and I extend to you my heartiest congratulations.
Occasionally, the Order of the Engineer Ring Ceremony is conducted when nonengineering graduates are present.
Following is an example of a speech given when some of those present do not receive Order of the Engineer rings.
Thank you Dean ______.
Dr. ______, Trustee ______, guests, and especially graduates; we now begin the Order of the Engineer Ring Ceremony.
The purpose of the Order of the Engineer is to call attention to the obligation of all engineers to use our technical education ethically in shaping the world around us. Ethical practice of engineering and the allied professions occasionally requires great courage, and always requires that we maintain the highest standards of personal integrity.
The dictionary definition of a profession is: "an occupation or vocation requiring training in the liberal arts or sciences and advanced study in a specialized field."
By this definition, engineering, computer science, and atmospheric science are clearly professions. But I think we would agree that professionalism is more than this. Indeed, professionalism in its purest form calls for a dedication which transcends monetary or other private considerations. It requires integrity – a dedication to the ethical standards of your profession. In the case of scientists and engineers, this concept translates into the obligation to use our technical education ethically in shaping the world around us, and surely these days engineers and our colleagues in the applied sciences are largely responsible for the products, processes and structures that shape our society.
Last week, I visited with ______ a structural engineer from ______ and award winning author. In the current issue of Structural Engineer magazine, he writes, "charged with protecting the public's health, welfare, and safety, professional engineers play an extremely crucial part. The enormity of our responsibility requires that we be accurate and technically competent, but technical expertise alone is not everything. Being well-rounded citizens of the world requires engineers to develop a deep appreciation of history, travel and arts…. It also requires that engineers maintain high ethics and never lose the desire to learn."
The Order of the Engineer was begun in 1926, when our engineering counterparts in Canada recognized the special obligation of engineers to one another, to the profession, and to the public they served. They decided to recognize those willing to subscribe to the code of ethics for engineers by inviting them to join the Order of the Engineer.
Based on the model of our Canadian counterparts, the Order of the Engineer was established in the United States in 1970. As you are accepted into the Order, you will receive a steel ring to be work on the little finger of the working hand.
The history of the Ring Ceremony has to do with the construction of a bridge across the St. Lawrence River in Quebec in the early 1900's. It required several years to complete construction of the bridge, and on the morning of August 29, 1907 it collapsed, becoming an ugly tangle of structural steel enclosing the bodies of 75 workmen. After an investigation, construction was started again and on Sept. 11, 1916 as the center span was being raised, it fell killing 13 men. The bridge was built a third time, this time without incident, was finished in 1917 and is still in use today.
Legend has it that one of the twisted iron pipes from the first bridge failure was sliced into rings and worn by engineers to remind them of their solemn responsibilities. After accepting the obligation, you will be presented with your steel ring. You are to wear the engineer's ring on the small finger of the working hand so that it will remind you every time you sign a set of plans, contract documents, or design specifications of your obligation as an engineer – you must check and recheck your calculations before signing your name. The success of the engineering project and the lives of people may depend on your engineering work. The ring you receive is a symbol of the strength and continuity of our profession. The engineer's ring says to all who see it — "Here is an engineer, a person with special technical knowledge and a publicly avowed dedication to his profession and the public it serves."
Clearly the same concerns for the public safety, health and welfare apply equally for our colleagues in computer science and atmospheric science. Lives and property depend critically on the models and forecasts associated with extreme weather. Environmental stewardship is critical to mankind's future and is the responsibility of scientists as well as engineers. Public safety depends on the software that controls medical systems or the flight of aircraft, just as much as on the electronic and structural components designed by engineers.
Each of you who possess an engineering education and are willing to subscribe to the engineering code of ethics are now invited to join the Order of the engineer and accept the engineer's ring. In the same vein, each of you educated in computer science or atmospheric science is invited to join us in accepting the obligation of your profession. You must accept the obligation seriously and with pride in yourself and your profession. Please consider the words carefully and remember always that our special knowledge carries with it the obligation to serve humanity with complete sincerity, honesty and integrity. We can never anticipate all the challenges we shall face as we work on our designs, but we are honor bound to foresee all that we can and keep the public welfare uppermost in our minds.
As chairman of the Board of Governors of the Order of the Engineer and on behalf of the faculty of the College of Engineering, I welcome you to your profession and wish you well in the exciting technical challenges before you in the coming years. Let this ceremony always remind you that professional ethics with its associated commitment to public safety and welfare comes before all else.


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Tuesday, September 8
Chocolate Zucchini Brownie Cake
Monday, August 10
Cast Iron Convert
A couple of times Matt tried to convince me of using cast iron cookware, by bringing out his rusty old pan from his boy scouting days. I wasn't too thrilled by it and pretty much refused to use it. Then last year we moved in with the in laws and I was forced to use cast iron, all of our stuff was in storage. My mother in law had only recently started to use cast iron again…so I went with it.
It was heavy. It was huge. I was scared to death to drop it on my foot or in the sink or on the counter tops {they have granite}. It just scared me. I was afraid of not washing it right, not cooking with it right. You name a potential reason to not like it and that was my excuse.
Then Matt requested a dutch oven for his birthday {he's so sneaky about how he goes about converting me on things!} and he wanted to try making our own tortillas, so we needed a comal. Then it was a large sauté pan that we needed to do veggies in the oven. Before I knew it we had 4 different cast iron pieces. And here I am…reluctant to admit I love our cast iron cookware!
That's right. I'm not afraid of it anymore, because it's pretty much indestructible! Although, I do get nervous with it around my countertops and sink {it is HEAVY}. The only time I pull out one of my Calphalon pans is when I'm making crepes, because the cast iron really is too heavy for all that wrist work, or large batches of liquid.
It's a worthwhile investment that seriously doesn't cost much and will last forever. I recently saw a post on facebook from someone who had just inherited her grandmother's cast iron….it was over a 100 years old! I'm pretty sure no stainless steel cookware will last that long!
Why do I like it now?
I like that it's indestructible, that if I burn something I don't have to spend HOURS AND HOURS scrubbing something clean, because chances are it's not all cooked into it.
It's easy to clean…seriously…I just wipe it out with some hot water and I'm done.
It's convenient! I can take things from the stove to the oven and back without thinking or worrying about ruining a pan. It makes it so much easier when I want to sauté things and then brown them in the oven or roast it in the oven and then make a gravy on the stop top.
Here is some other great information about using and caring for cast iron:
How to Season Cast Iron
12 White-Hot Ways to Use Cast Iron Everyday
Cooking with Cast Iron –How and Why to Get Started
5 Reasons to Get Cooking with Cast Iron
What do you use to cook with?
*This post may contain affiliate links, you can read my disclosure policy here.
Wednesday, April 29
What's for breakfast?
"I never knew so many Americans cook their breakfasts. I feel a bit guilty that we all just have cereal and toast here."
Which got me thinking what do most people have for breakfast in the US or elsewhere?
I've never been a big breakfast food person: Pancakes made me sick. I hated eggs, bacon, or sausage. Oatmeal was out, unless it was instant Maple Sugar. My parents couldn't afford to keep us in cereal constantly. I honestly don't remember much of what I had when I was a kid, at least on a regular basis. I remember my parents making pancakes, eggs, French toast, waffles, or crepes, but they weren't an every day occurrence.
Even once I had married and moved out breakfast was most likely cinnamon raisin toast with peanut butter. It really wasn't until Ave was actually eating that I ventured into breakfast food, particularly eggs. I had no idea even how to cook them for her, but I learned pretty quickly. We graduated from soft boiled eggs, which I could tolerate with toast, to over easy and scrambled.
5 years later I actually like breakfast foods, enough to have them for dinner…yea.
Pancakes don't make me sick if they're gluten free {we love these!} I can eat over-easy eggs if they're served with a veggie stir-fry or sausage {to mask the whites}. I can eat scrambled if they're served over avocado, with pepper jack on toast. I'll eat sausage gravy or eggs benedict {here's my recipe} for breakfast! I even look forward to the weekends when Matt is home, when we make a big breakfast with eggs, toast, sausage and veggies!
There's a very simple reason why we cook breakfast every day…whether it's baked oatmeal muffins, yogurt, eggs or pancakes: CEREAL IS EXPENSIVE! A box of cereal {the kind I'll actually buy and eat…yes, I'm picky about that too} is $4.50 a box or more. The kids will eat an entire box in about 10 minutes, and be looking for more. We just can't afford that. Of course, there are all those other reasons about breakfast being the most important meal of the day and such, but for us…it's money.
What do you eat for breakfast, whether every day or only on the weekends?
Friday, March 20
Sugar Snow
The kids are just chompin' at the bit to get outside! Normally I would just bundle them up and throw them off the back deck, but with the yard not really fenced in all the way and the mountain of snow in the front yard…I'm not trusting them to stay in the back yard where it's safe. Which means mommy has to go outside too, all the time, and frankly all the ice makes me nervous. I do not want to fall.
One of the sweet perks of the warmer weather means that the sap is starting to flow! We have several maple trees on our little strip of land, but have never had the time to invest in tapping them. This year a neighbor asked if he could…By all means! Go for it! Of course, we did demand some small reparations for the use of our trees.
This is an entirely new experience for me. I hated maple syrup growing up; the smell reminded me of sticky, dirty kids. No idea why. It's another food that I've acquired a taste for only in the past few years, and now I love it {particularly rich, thick, grade B}. Of course the first thing I did once the buckets were up was check them out. On the first sunny afternoon I ran out to see if the sap was flowing. It was, although it was more of a slow drip.
Now, I've accidentally licked pitch or sap off my hand before while out in the woods, thinking it would taste sweet and it tasted horrible. I tentatively reached under that little tin roof and caught a drip on my finger: Lightly sweetened sugar water. That's what it tastes like. Nothing like maple syrup and nothing like what I thought.
The buckets have been out a few weeks, getting dumped and boiled as they start to fill. Then one sunny, if cold, morning, someone was traipsing around the front yard and banged on the front door. A glass bottle brimming with golden liquid in hand. Our rewards for having maple trees on our property: Maple Syrup. The kids and I each anxiously dipped our fingers in the narrow bottleneck, excited to taste OUR maple syrup. It did not disappoint.
**If you want to check out a fun book about a sugar snow, this one is Avie and
my favorite {My First Little House Book "Sugar Snow"}!
Thursday, January 29
My Favorite Must Have Kitchen Tools
Friday, January 9
The Best of Life in the White House 2014
Presenting….in no particular order….the posts of 2014!
How to Pursue Your Husband
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Why I'm Kissing Social Media Good-Bye
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Are you an HSP? {and what you can do about it}
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How to Make Your Own Freezer Pizza
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Holiday Sauce | a Christmas Tradition
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Taking the Stress Out of Christmas
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Who is the Creator of Life
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White House Renovations | The Before
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White House Renovations | The Destruction
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The Big Kitchen Reveal
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While this next post wasn't from 2014, it was the most popular post of all time on my blog from this year. I recently re-did the entire post, due to its popularity, with better graphics.
My Oma's Spaetzle and Goulash {a Family Favorite} Recipe
Pin it for later!
Thursday, December 18
"Holiday Sauce": a Christmas Breakfast Tradition
Monday, October 20
Kombucha Revolution {a Review}
by Stephen Lee with Ken Koopman
Matthew's been making kombucha for the past few years, mostly for my parents and himself. I suppose it's the natural progression of a homebrewer to be interested in all things fermented.
I was looking through the books available for review from BloggingForBooks and asked him if he would be interested in checking this book out.
Now, before you think Kombucha Revolution is just a book full of different flavored Kombucha recipes, let me just tell you…it's not. There's all kinds of recipes in this book, with one common ingredient Kombucha!
The book starts out with an introduction of Kombucha, what it is, it's history, and explaining all the parts and things needed to make Kombucha {it's a lot easier than you think…Matthew makes it in 1/2 gallon Mason Jars}.
It follows closely with several recipes for making your own flavored Kombuchas and then quickly moves into smoothies, "spirited" cocktails, and a variety of salad dressings, cold soups, and other yumminess!
I'm looking forward to delving further into all the recipes in this book. I may have to try a few myself and not let Matthew have all the fun of fermenting!
The book is well written, with great recipes and instructions, and awesome photographs, that catch the eye. Definitely worth checking out!
**I received this book for free through the BloggingForBooks program, in exchange for my honest review. You can read my disclosure policy here.
**Other Resources: If you want to find out more about the benefits of fermented foods, be sure to check out these other sites:
God Centered Mom Podcast
Passionate Homemaking
Wellness Mama
Friday, September 12
Your Real Food Journey {a Review}
*This post does contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission on your purchase, at no additional cost to you. Read here for my disclosure policy.
Between projects and the fair Matt and I have spent next to no time with any sort of focus on cooking. It has been whatever can be slapped together when it's thought of, even if that meant hot dogs twice in a row.
I read Trina's new book, Your Real Food Journey: A Gentle Guide to Steady Progress, during nap time. That's right. The whole book took me a total of 1 hour and 50 minutes to read. It was enjoyable. It was informative. And it gave me what I needed to get us back on the path to eating better, right at the time when I had absolutely no motivation to do so.
Where as Trina's first book was all about the what of eating Real Food, this book, is all about the why. Why you should; Why you can. Without making it some complicated science project that blows up in your face.
We eat pretty healthy, but Matt is very much into eating healthier and eating more fermented foods {he is a home-brewer after all}. He's been pouring over this book and the recipes in it, fortunately not with a list of things I need to do. Right now, as I'm typing this, he's working on making sauerkraut {Trina's recipe for German Kraut}.
So, just how easy are the recipes in this book?
Tonight was another night that I had no idea what to make for dinner. I knew I had a plethora of ground beef in the house, but had no desire to make tacos, chili, burgers, meatballs or meatloaf {my usual ground beef fair}. I then decided to scroll Trina's book for a ground beef recipe, and came upon Cheeseburger Soup {page 81}.
Honestly, the idea of ground beef in soup is not my cup of tea, but I figured I'd give it a shot. In the pot went my meat, potatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Tossed in the salt, pepper, {lots of} garlic, and some other spices {we kind of do our own thing around here with spices and herbs}. Mixed in some roux, milk, plain whole milk yogurt {I didn't have sour cream}, and cheese.
A little while later, dinner was ready! Think of cheesy cream of potato soup with ground beef and carrots: YUM! Even Avie was excited to have soup for Friday's leftovers.
Where can you get this little gem for yourself? You can get it through Trina directly at TrinaHolden.com. And when you do, enjoy the ease in which you'll be cooking better and more healthful meals for you family, without feeling like you're going to fail or be overwhelmed.
Tuesday, September 9
Bumble Berry Pie
I'm always looking for new ways to remake old favorites. One of my favorite desserts was Krusteaz Raspberry Bars, so good, but then I figured out how to make them myself, which was so much cheaper AND so much yummier. Then another time I got a crazy-hair and decided that instead of just using raspberry jam, I would throw in a bunch of mixed berries…oh my…Bumble Berry Pie was born!
Here it is:
1 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of chopped nuts {pecans are divine in it; I've use walnuts in it too}
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup of Raspberry Jam
2-3 cups of fresh or thawed, mixed berries {the skies the limit so use your imagination!}
Mix all of that together. Press about half of the dough in the bottom of a 9" pie dish {or a 9" square}. Spread with a little more than half of the jam, sprinkle with the mixed berries {even throw thin slices of apples in!}. Warm up the rest of the jam, so that it can be drizzled, and drizzle the rest of it over the berries.
Take the remainder of your dough and crumble it over the top of the pie. This doesn't have to be beautiful.
Bake at 350* for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown on top and fruit is fork tender.
Allow to cool slightly before serving {otherwise it's just going to run everywhere.
Serve warm with a heaping dollop of cream or vanilla ice cream. You can just scoop this out, or cut actual pie slices…we kind of do both, with a mix of keeping a fork in the plate to help ourselves.
*Unfortunately I did not get a straight out of the oven shot, since it was night and Matt and I wanted to eat it.
Friday, March 14
How to Make Your Own Freezer Pizza
And sometimes I would just throw a store bought freezer pizza in the oven, because I just didn't feel like doing it {or I forgot to make the dough the day before}. And I said to myself, "Self. There has GOT to be a better way." So I started experimenting.
The first time worked great! I did everything at once: Sauce, Cheese, etc, but instead of throwing it in the oven I threw it in the freezer. Let it firm up, then wrapped it in foil. One night I wasn't home, Matt threw 2 pizzas in the preheated oven, and he had perfect pizzas in 12 minutes. The next time we tried freezing just the formed dough…that didn't turn out so good. The dough cracked when we tried to remove it from the pan in the freezer.
Here's what we do:
This is our go-to pizza crust recipe: Absolutely wonderful! It's from Cook's Illustrated and it's perfection in a pie crust! I should know, I'm kind of a pizza afficionado ;-) A single batch of the recipe will make 2 good size {15"} pizzas. Now, when I'm doing this, I usually make a double or a triple batch of dough. It takes a bit more work, since I can't fit it all in my food processor at once, but it's worth it.
Follow the instructions for the pizza crust, just as you would if you were making fresh pizza.
Once your dough is ready to spread out, start spreading it out on a well greased {I use olive oil} freezer safe pan. If you want to do it on parchment paper or foil, that works too. You don't want the finished, frozen pie to stick to your pan and break when you try to remove it {if you're like me you don't have cookie sheets that you can just leave in limbo in the freezer}.
Put on your sauce {about a cup of sauce per pie}, your pepperoni, your cheese, your granulated garlic and anything else you enjoy…even anchovies or sardines, although they don't grace the pies in our home. If you're going to throw things like eggplant and other high water foods on, I would hold off and throw them on just before baking them.
Pop the pies in the freezer! Let them get good and hard…a couple of hours usually does it. Once they're done, let them sit on the counter for a few minutes {letting that grease warm up, because it's probably hard too}. If you can safely remove the pies from the pans then wrap them up in foil, or plastic wrap, or whatever else you use, and throw them right back in the freezer.
Once you're ready to cook them. Turn your oven to 500* an hour before hand, have your stone in the oven all ready. Let the pies sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes {you want them slightly thawed, but not so thawed that the dough isn't hard}. Pop'em in the oven for about 12 minutes, checking that they're getting golden, but not burnt. Pull'em out. Let'em cool. And eat'em up!
There are a couple of ways that this saves you dough {$$$}: One, you're not ordering from a highly marked up pizzeria. Did you know that it costs less than $2 to make a pie (12.5C on the flour, 50C on sauce, and a $1 or so on the cheese)?! How much are you paying for a pizza? Even freezer pizza {if you can find it for less than $10} isn't that cheap.
You're saving money on the ingredients if you buy bulk; buy a 5lb block of mozzarella and shred it yourself: Which is what we do. You have completely control over the ingredients. You know what is in your pizza. For us, knowing what exactly we're eating is a big deal.
There you have it! Now, that's pretty easy isn't?
Tuesday, December 24
Cookies & Memories
Monday, September 16
Perfect Pancakes
I would constantly burn my pancakes when I would make them, or they would be raw, or too thick or too thin. Then Matt's parents asked me to do pancakes at the fair one year…I laughed. Me, do pancakes. I forewarned them of my less than stellar history with the flap-jacks. It was all me.
Want to know the secret?
Thin. Hot. Fast.
Your batter needs to be about the consistency of shampoo, runny, thin, but not watery. Watery won't turn out anything good, and too thick and they won't cook.
Your pan/griddle needs to be hot. I usually have my flame a little less than middle of the road. It needs to be hot enough to cook, but cool enough not to scorch your pan. I put a pat of butter in the pan before the first batch, then never again.
Pay attention. You cannot be doing a bazillion other things while making your pancakes, because just like that, they'll burn. They won't take more than 30 seconds a side, if the pan is the right temp. Once the edges start to round up and bubble, they're done, flip them over.
And since I obviously can't stand over your shoulder and tell you whether you're doing it right or not. Here's a video, but I'm always open to skyping or facetiming in the name of science. You're welcome.
Tuesday, September 10
Then I realized that it was only some apples, specifically grocery store apples. This was back in the day, when organic farming wasn't as big as it is now. I braved it a few years ago, and was pleasantly surprised that organic apples didn't bother me: Yay!
When we bought our house, we knew there were two big trees in our backyard, but it wasn't until the spring that we realized that they were APPLE trees! Huge apple trees! Nearly 3 times the height of normal, pruned apple trees. That fall we waited, and waited, and waited…finally we got a few apples. It was rather anticlimactic.
Over the years I've just enjoyed it for what they where, beautiful trees that shaded our yard. The perfect spot to sit on the stone bench beneath, and breath, listening to the wind chimes hung by a previous owner, high up in the branches, gazing up at the blue sky and the hills rolling on the other side. It is my favorite spot in our yard.
We're still only picking drops off the ground, but they're getting to be as big as my fist! The apples on the trees are almost ready. Just a bit longer and we'll start picking the apples from the trees. I'm sure we'll be apple-ed out before too long. Fortunately these guys and gal aren't.
Matt got home early enough this past Friday that he was able to press 2 bushels of apples: We got about 4 gallons of cider, which has been so good. Some of it will be for drinking fresh, the rest will be for hard cider…yum! We're planning on doing another AppleFest this year, so Matt's been packing the refrigerated truck full of bushels of apples.
On Sunday we went around and picked more of the drops off the ground, sifting through the good and the bad. We still managed to come up with 2 full crates of good apples. The bad apples *hehe* are getting put in the freezer to feed the deer during the winter. They don't seem to mind brown spots, rot, or bugs.
We've had to get a bit creative as to how to best preserve the deliciousness our trees have given: We've done apple cider, applesauce, apple butter, apple pies, apple crisps, apple slices with caramel or peanut butter, and pretty much anything else that you can think of with apples. I'm beginning to run out of ideas and stamina…and we STILL HAVE TO PICK APPLES from the trees! Oy!
If you're enjoying the bounty of the apple harvest this year I'd love to hear your favorite apple-iciousness! If you're looking for some ideas of your own, be sure to sign up for my newsletter, which will go out next week, with a few of our favorite recipes.
Happy Picking!
Friday, August 2
Dry it out!
Last week I posted on Instagram about how I was attempting to make dried fruit. I've been wanting to try to do this for quite some time, but always felt a bit unprepared. I googled instructions again and found that most of them had you turn your oven down to 200* or so. There's no time like the present!
The kids and I were heading out for that road trip and I knew I needed some relatively clean snacks for in the car, so dried fruit it was. I had both apples and strawberries on hand and decided to give it a while. Of course I didn't have an apple corer to make those fancy round slices that you can find in stores, so I just cut the apples into wedges the way you normally would, just made them thinner. I did the same with the strawberries.
I laid all of the fruit out on cooling rocks over cookie sheets lined with foil, I had no idea how messy this would get and didn't want to be scrubbing baked on dried fruit juice.
I sprinkled the apples with a touch of cinnamon and in the oven it all went. I kept checking the oven, opening the door and making sure the temperature wasn't too high {we keep a thermometer IN the oven, because I do not trust the little dial on the stove}. After about 3 hours, everything looked dry and slightly leathery, the way dried fruit usually looks.
I let everything sit for a few minutes, then gingerly peeled all of them off the cooling racks and in a container.
They were so good. What I did learn though is that my fruit didn't have to be sliced so thin, and would've been a bit better if it hadn't. I think a good 1/3" thick slices for the apples and just halving the berries would have been sufficient.
As for the kids, they loved the strawberries, but weren't so crazy about the apples. The strawberries were super sweet, but the apples were a little tough to chew, because they were so thin they got a bit over-done, and I hadn't peeled them. I have since ordered an apple corer from amazon.com and hopefully I'll be able to dry some of the abundance of apples we have on our trees.
Easy peasy! The kids were able to have fruit without making a huge mess in the car and I was a happy Mama!
Monday, April 8
Thoughts on Creativity
Monday, March 18
Going GF
I did finally find a flour that I liked for cookies, that didn't involve me becoming a rocket scientist to figure out what mix of different things I needed {it's Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix}. We are also loving Bob's Red Mill's Gluten Free Pancake Mix {which was our first foray into being GF}. Interestingly enough I no longer feel sick a few hours after eating pancakes. Coincidence? I think not.
One of the things that I think makes Gluten Free so difficult for people to embrace, is the idea of it being complicated and giving up foods that you have loved all along. I get that, really I do, which is why we're sloowwwlllyyyy going that way, because I need to be able to find a really good flour to use in my pie crusts, because I am not going to give those up {I am currently questing for this} as well as my breads. We more or less just limit how much we consume of those things, since I haven't found a satisfactory replacement yet.
Knowing how overwhelming and challenging the change can be I came across something that I really wanted to share…..
Going grain-free can be overwhelming for families dealing with gluten-intolerance or Celiac disease, and this week's bundle includes more than 275 gluten-free and grain-free recipes plus a wealth of information and tips from the authors' own experiences. This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 80%)!
*Against the Grain by Kate Tietje Grain-free doesn't have to be boring. In fact, it can include all kinds of interesting flavors, spices, and even sauces. Against the Grain is a cookbook full of delicious, fun to eat, whole food recipes that are grain-free -- and mostly dairy-free and GAPS-friendly. You'll even find a few bread and dessert recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!
*Beyond Grain & Dairy by Starlene Stewart In Beyond Grain & Dairy, Starlene shares 113 grain-free recipes that contain no grains, no gluten, no dairy, no soy, no corn, no gums and no processed sugars. With full-color photos and a handy ingredients index to help you find recipes by ingredient, Starlene has put together a cookbook to show you that there's no reason to feel deprived!
* The Grain-Free Snacker by Carol Lovett Going grain-free doesn't mean you have to give up tasty snacks, and in this brand new ebook, Carol offers more than 45+ homemade, grain-free recipes -- everything from gluten-free dorito chips, crackers and cookies to ice cream, frozen treats and mini pizzas.
*Best of the Grain Free Meal Plans by Cara Faus Cara has helped people from all over the world enjoy their grain-free transition with her meal plans, and she's now packaged the best of her menu planning service in a helpful, full-color cookbook. With more than 70 child-friendly, easy-to-follow recipes for busy households, this ebook makes going gluten-free fun and exciting rather than stressful and overwhelming.
*Gluten Free and Good for You by Kimberlee Tandy & Laura Coppinger Filled with tips and information to help you to eat gluten-free or serve gluten-free meals and snacks to family members and friends who have special dietary needs, Gluten Free and Good for You is both a handbook and a cookbook that uses basic, everyday ingredients that you're likely to have on hand in your kitchen. Laura and Kim make gluten-free cooking accessible for every family! The Gluten-Free and Grain-Free bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 3/25.
Get yours today:
Kate Beckmann, Nutrition Practitioner
*This post does contain affiliate links.
Monday, January 21
Pint-sized Yummy Goodness
For the trio's birthday party I made cupcakes. I've always loved the miniature fanciness that is cupcakes and have tried to replicate it, with less than stellar results. Finally I found a tutorial, on pinterest of course, that gave away all the secrets of how to decorate cupcakes that look professional: A bigger tip. Seriously, that's it.
I hit up Michael's the last time we were in Bing-ton and picked me up a Wilton Cupcake Decorating Kit, which has the 1M tip for cupcakes.
I was all set, I had everything I needed to make fantastically professional looking cupcakes. I even picked out some highly recommended recipes for Chocolate and Vanilla cupcakes.
Then tragedy struck.
I was pretty sure this was not how they should look. The chocolate came out way to airy and collapsed if you touched them and I forgot to add leavening agents to the vanilla. Back to the drawing board.
I redid the vanilla, remembering to use the baking soda and powder and they turned out wonderful. I then used Ina Garten's recipe for Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes, even made my own chocolate syrup for it. OH MY GOODNESS! That is my new favorite recipe for chocolate cupcakes; so absolutely rich and delicious, without being too sweet.
This time things turned out a bit better.
I used the American Buttercream recipe, swapping out some of the butter for cream cheese {which I've never thought do until reading that post}. The frosting was delicious. I like frosting, but I'm not a big fan of super sweet sugary grittiness. The cream cheese cut that down so that you could sit there and just eat a bowl of it.
The chocolate cupcakes I frosted with my favorite Chocolate frosting recipe.
I broke out my new Wilton 1M tip and away I went. So easy! So fantastic looking! I seriously was in love! I find myself looking for excuses to make cupcakes now….not good!
For my tastes it was the perfect amount of frosting, but for aesthetics I think I could have piped on a bit more. Next time I plan on playing with the other tips and testing out what works best.
I found this while I was looking around pinterest and thought it was quite good as well :-)
I've never watched The Office, which I think is where it is from.
What are you favorite cupcake tips or recipes?
Wednesday, August 29
Teething Biscuits You Can Feel Good About
I really want to avoid giving them anything with gluten in it. Matt, Ave and I still eat gluten (what can I say, we love our bread and cookies…it's not even pasta so much), but that's not to say that someday we won't. Perhaps when mommy has more time to figure out recipes.
But for now, the babies are gluten free.
I looked at the organic teething biscuits and barley biscuits and a plethora of different things, but there was always something I couldn't feel good about giving them. I finally resorted to the internet where I searched for recipes of how to make your own. I found a few, but most of them still called for ingredients that were prepackaged baby food (not to mention, expensive). I googled some more. Talked to my sister about different food substitutions and came up with my own.
Gluten/Dairy/Soy/Crap Free Teething Biscuits
1 cup of Oat Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oat Flour*)
1 cup Organic Rolled Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Organic Rolled Oats*)
1 really ripe banana, mashed
2 T Coconut Oil (I used Vitacost Extra Virgin Certified Organic Coconut Oil*)
In a food processor pulverize rolled oats until they are a course flour. Mix all ingredients together. You want it to be very thick and not at all tacky, if it's too wet add some more flour, if it's too dry add a bit more coconut oil.
Roll out to about a 1/4" thick and cut into rectangles. Place on a cookie sheet. Stab tops of biscuits with fork.
Bake at 325* for 30-40 minutes or until biscuits are very hard. The harder they are the less you have to worry about chunks breaking off and your little one choking.
You might have to flip them halfway through to avoid their getting burnt on one side (mine got a little more done than I would like).
I think they're a score :-) Even the dogs like them.
They were super easy to make!
I keep them in the freezer so that they don't go bad, plus they have the added benefit of being chilly.
* This post contains affiliate links.
Monday, August 27
Stop the world - I want to get off!
It's been a bit crazy, still, around here. The kids all struggled with Hand, Foot and Mouth, this past week. I had a couple of nights of not getting to bed until 5am, then being up for the day at 7am. Fortunately, my mother in law came and spent Friday night so that I could get some sleep.
Last night the kids seemed to be back on schedule. This afternoon I got home from a baby shower and Matt was on the couch, sore throat and a fever. Now I have a sore throat. I'm just praying I don't get sick and that Matt gets over it REALLY fast.
I have about 5 or 6 posts, some already written, that I keep meaning to finish and get up here, but I just haven't had time. I had a whole bunch of stuff I was going to say in this post, but now I seriously can't remember them.
I did declare google-reader bankruptcy and cleared it out. I had over 250 unread posts. No way was I going to get to them and I didn't really think that brow-beating myself was going to be productive. SO….tell me what's been up with you, especially if I've missed something major (i.e. I didn't comment on a post).
Also, since I can't seem to remember what all I had planned on saying, what are your questions for me? Anything goes. Even if it's something like what kind of PJs do I wear. What are some things you would like to see me do around here: Vlogging? Recipes? Tutorials? House or sewing projects? If you don't want to leave a comment then feel free to email me jess.white05 at gmail dot come
Let me know :-)
Oh, and I'm not going to be doing the Creating Community through Comments Blog Hop in September. Just too many other things making demands on my time. BUT I do still, encourage you to seek out new blogs and leave'em some comment love. Feel free to take down the graphic on your blogs.


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White Diamond Fancy Circle Fashion Pendant In 14k Gold 0.25 Ct Tdw Necklace
Listed by Marco B
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White Diamond Fancy Circle Fashion Pendant In 14k Gold 0.25 Ct Tdw Necklace
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Diamond fashion pendant crafted in 14K white gold bearing natural conflict free diamonds.Hold it in your hands for her and secretly slip it on her neckline.Just see the wonders.Avail it with free 16 inch 14K white gold chain.April birthstone. 19315
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There are so many unique and fun favors that are available now which is really wonderful for the wedding industry and for guests! Would you rather have one of these lovely gifts or a piece of fruit cake? Definitely one of these!!
How adorable are these mini apothecary jars!! Your favourite flower tied with your guests seating arrangements!! I found these pretty items from ETSY
How cute is this favor for a destination wedding!! I would personally LOVE to get this if I was attending a destination wedding, it is just so cute! Found this lovely on ETSY
Another travel inspired wedding favor which is just too much fun! This would be great for me because I LOVE coffee! But if you are like me and your husband hates it consider doing tea as well! Such a fun and personal touch to your wedding favors! Found this parcel on ETSY
I have a sweet spot for macaroons! They are so delicious and look amazing, plus you can customize them to match your wedding colours! I found this clear box on ETSY and you can buy the macaroons locally at Duchess Bake Shop or from Style Cakes
Very cute heart shaped ring holder! Again another item that I would love to receive and would totally use! Have it created in your wedding colours and tied with a bow and a thank you note. Another lovely found on ETSY
Custom Lollipop wedding favors, picture these tied with a ribbon and bow! It may be a little extra work to do the ribbon and bow but it will make such a difference! Also when you click this ETSY link to view the lollipops they have several different sizes and even heart shapes! And if you like glitter there is a glitter pink one!!


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I like to think of Daylight Savings as the universe giving us a full reset before the craziness of the holiday season ensues. I woke up on Sunday morning feeling rested and ready for anything the week was going to throw my way. Come Monday morning, I was feeling anything but optimistic and energized. All week I've felt just a little bit… off. It's entirely possible that I'm just a little box of anxiety but for now I'm placing all blame on the time change. After all, statistically speaking there is proof that the twice-yearly time change, can lead to increased deadly accidents #JonHRyan.
I digress. I know you don't come to this blog to read my cheesy TV references. This week I'm sharing my favorite bedtime routine products that really and truly help me feel more calm and well-rested.
Shea Butter Moisturizer by SW Basics
I've been an S Dubber since I first read the book Skin Cleanse a couple years back. I bought this in the travel size back in the summertime but felt it was a little too heavy for me (that LA humidity keeps the skin plenty sweaty moisturized). Now that the weather has chilled to a cool 67 degrees, my skin is craving this stuff daily. Every night after I wash my face, I use just a small amount all over my face and I wake up looking as refreshed as I feel.
Slumber Serum by URB Apothecary
An aromatherapy sleep aid with a cool metal applicator that you just roll on (kind of like a roll on perfume bottle). When I'm "winding down" for the night, as we like to call it in our house, I apply it on my temples, neck, chest, and wrists (basically any pulse point). The applicator is really calming plus you'll smell like a walking cuppa chamomile tea.
1Hour Break Kava Spray
This. Stuff. Rocks. As I've mentioned, I'm generally anxious all the time. So when I find something that isn't a giant glass of Merlot or a bubble bath in a room full of fluffy kittens and still legitimately works, I get excited. It's a little hokey if you're not totally into the whole alternative medicine or supplement lifestyle but it works. Basically, you just spray it under your tongue, wait 10 seconds, then swallow and you are in an instant state of zen. I only use it on nights when I'm extra stressed out though you can use it as much as you want. You know, when wine and kittens aren't a viable option.
How do you chill before bed? Got any tips?


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U.S.-European Monetary Relations
U.S.-European Monetary Relations
A widespread pessimism about the drift in international financial affairs prevailed in early 1977. There were two principal grounds for a growing uneasiness about monetary trends. First, efforts over the previous ten years by U.S. and European officials to agree on ways to introduce highly structured reforms into the international monetary system had ended in failure. Second, in 1976 the leading Western industrial countries were becoming economically polarized into two blocs: a group of "weak" countries with high domestic inflation, large balance-of- payments (BOP) deficits, and depreciating currencies; and a group of "strong" countries with much lower inflation, a tendency toward continuing BOP surpluses, and appreciating currencies.
The earlier efforts at world monetary reform had visualized sweeping changes in both global and European regional monetary arrangements. The negotiators of global reform had in mind a broad- based modernization of the original Bretton Woods system: greater exchange-rate flexibility than before through a regime of "stable but adjustable parities"; more symmetrical adjustment constraints than before both between surplus and deficit and between reserve and nonreserve currency countries; and international control over global liquidity through the creation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of special drawing rights (SDRs). Perhaps it was inevitable that major differences would arise between U.S. and European officials on key elements of proposals in each of these areas. In any case, there was a deadlock in the negotiations that was broken only when major disturbances in the world economy--especially the 1972-1974 global inflation and the abrupt rise in oil prices in late 1973--swept away the par-value exchange regime and forced reluctant national authorities to accept widespread floating among the major industrial currencies.
The goal of negotiations among European officials had been even more carefully formulated than the global monetary goals: to proceed step by step toward European monetary union on the basis of an agreed timetable, extending to 1980, which had been accepted in 1970 as part . . .


text: According to reports, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co and two other South Korean shipbuilders said they won orders for 10 LNG carriers from Qatar Gas Transport totaling $2.5b. The announcement comes a day after Qatargas ordered the tankers from Hyundai Heavy, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co and Samsung Heavy Industries Co to ship the fuel to markets in the US, Asia and Europe. South Korean shipyards' profit fell in the last two years because higher prices of steel plates used in vessels and the stronger won against the US dollar made the value of the orders secured smaller when converted to the local currency. Hyundai Heavy will build three ships, which can each carry 216,000cu m of LNG, for 713bn won, according to the Ulsan-based company in a statement to the Korea stock exchange. Daewoo Shipbuilding, the world's second-largest shipbuilder, will construct three vessels which can each move 210,100cu m of LNG, costing a total $690mn, it said in an e-mailed statement. Samsung Heavy will build three of the world's biggest ships, which can each carry 266,000cu m of LNG, and one 217,000cu m vessel valued at a combined 1.03tn won, it said in a separate statement to the Korea stock exchange. Qatar signed agreements with Hyundai Heavy, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Samsung Heavy early last year to secure enough space to build LNG ships. So far, the world's three biggest shipyards have received orders for a total 44 LNG ships from the Middle East country, of which half have been awarded to Daewoo Shipbuilding. Source: Gulftimes


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Jü is: Ádám Mészáros – guitar Ernő Hock – bass András Halmos – drums
"Jü plays the music of ecstasy. Psychedelic noise rock, power-jazz and folk all form an integral part of their compositions, evolving from seemingly rigorous, repetitive swirling patterns that deliver spectacular amounts of energy. Apart from obvious reminiscences of the golden age of fusion (late 60s, early 70s), Jü's main objective is far from evoking that era.
By pushing their instruments to new limits, entranced audiences are transported from the continuous present into the future, ideally, leaving behind past ways of thinking about music itself. Though seemingly restrained by their strict form of composition, disciplined by the common ground of tonality and dynamics, the creative members of the trio are allowed plenty of room for spirited improvisation." (translated from Hungarian, by Zoltán Barotányi / for weekly magazine Magyar Narancs)
Each member of Jü is an accomplished player on the Budapest scene. Beside dozens of Hungarian groups, the members have played with international musicians such as John Zorn, Eugene Chadbourne, Charles Gayle, Chris Potter, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Pamelia Kurstin and Mikolaj Trzaska. The band released their debut album in November 2014 at RareNoise Records, which they recorded with Norwegian saxophonist Kjetil Møster.


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» Download our Personal Pre-Planning Guide
Includes frequently asked questions and a worksheet to document your personal wishes. Viewing this document requires Adobe Reader. Download a free copy here.
(Photo: Mark Johnson
Pre-Need Counselor/Monument Sales/Family Care Counselor)
You've got to admit it; no one should have to make these decisions for you. Giving a pre-plan to those you love gives everyone greater peace-of-mind. You can then live your life to the fullest, knowing you've done the right thing.Read more
There's a lot to consider when beginning the pre-planning process. Our checklist will give you the satisfaction of checking off each of the related tasks, knowing you're getting closer to the goal of completing your pre-need plan.Read more
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Learn more about burial insurance options at Homesteaders.


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World of Warcraft Reaches a New Milestone
October 9, 2010
World of Warcraft still exhibits no signs of diminishing, not even the least bit amount of fatigue. Whether the large player base is the indirect result of unworthy competition in the MMORPG market or simply a testament demonstrating how solidly built the game is, Blizzard Entertainment is celebrating a new milestone; the subscriber base has surpassed 12 million players worldwide. For those seeking a job in the game industry, the press release goes on to mention that they will be hiring to compensate for the increase in activity.
The third World of Warcraft expansion pack, Cataclysm, is right around the corner and will be seen hitting store shelves on December 7th. New features in Cataclysm to name a few will consist of a couple new playable races, an increase on the level cap bringing it to 85, and some redesigned locations in the world as part of the progression in the backstory.
Source: [blizzard.com]
Jade and the Gang Are Back in Beyond Good & Evil HD
October 7, 2010
Ubisoft finally attempted to invigorate new life into the tragically ignored, Beyond Good & Evil. While over the years it has certainly garnered some attention from word of mouth by critics and gamers alike, Ubisoft has announced that they would put a remastered high definition version of the game up on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, equipped with updated graphical and audio game assets and supporting up to a 1080p resolution. This is good news to anyone with a modern operating system as they may no longer be able to play their original copy.
You play as an investigative reporter named Jade in this varied and imaginative platformer as you get to explore, solve puzzles, play mini games, and combat an invading extraterrestrial force all in a fully featured story campaign, and all while dealing with the existing problems and shady politics plaguing your home world.
Beyond Good & Evil, originally released in 2003, is slated for its re-debut in 2011. Unlockable trophies, achievements and leaderboards will also be included. The Beyond Good & Evil 2 sequel is still currently in development.
Source: [Ubisoft Press Release - 9/30/10]
10/4/2010 – Hardtoast Podcast #1
October 4, 2010
After quite a disaster, we get into it again and talk about H.A.W.X. 2, Halo: Reach, Move, Kinect and much, much more.
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Megaman Legends 3 Announced… 10 Years Later
October 1, 2010
It has been ten years since a new Mega Man Legends game has been released on a North American system, but this week Capcom announced they were working on Mega Man Legends 3 for the Nintendo 3DS. They haven't said or shown anything other than the logo you see here, but the game should look a lot better than the previous games considering the hardware of the handheld its being developed for is more powerful than the consoles the previous were released on. It should be exciting to get to play as Mega Man in another action/adventure RPG. New sequels for old games seem to be all the rage lately.
Source: [Press Release]
Pinball FX 2 Model and Pricing Information
September 29, 2010
It seems Zen Studios, the team behind Pinball FX, is doing something new for the sequel which will see the first wave of content slamming the Xbox Marketplace October 13th. Basically Pinball FX 2 will be a platform for purchasable tables. The base platform will be free, similar to the infamous Game Room on XBLA which allowed you to download playable classic arcade cabinets and store them in your personalized arcade.
The new tables arriving in a couple of weeks are Pasha, Rome, Biolab, and the newly revealed Secrets of the Deep and will be made available as a pack priced at 800 MS Points (Or $10 USD). Each additional table will cost 240 MS Points (About $3 USD). The classic pack will also be available for 800 MS Points which include Speed Machine, Extreme Agents, and Buccaneer. These tables will even be playable on a preview basis to ensure that's what you want to buy because they're cool like that.
The developers have also mentioned how they want to take care of those who purchased the original Pinball FX and its DLC. Those tables will be imported into Pinball FX 2 so you will not have to buy them twice, and will come with graphical enhancements, physics updates and new achievements.
Source: [Press Release]
Metroid: Other M Game Breaker, A Cautionary Tale
September 29, 2010
It's fortunate this hasn't been a major problem for Nintendo's big releases until now, which we can assume is all thanks to extensive play-testing, however what happened finally happened. A major game-breaking bug has been identified in Metroid: Other M that'll hinder the player's ability to progress through the campaign. Nintendo has posted the following information on their website to serve as a warning on how to avoid the bug, but if it happens to you, they'll also fix your game save. This however, is not a quick process; it's probably easier to just start over.
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