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Click here to see all Rough GemstonesClick here to see all Facet Grade GemstonesClick here to see all Faceted GemstonesClick here to see all Handmade Jewelry100% real not man made but genuine from the earth gemstone.
100% Genuine and natural no treatment.
100% money back if not happy.
The gemstones in this ad are the gemstones you will receive
This is not a stock photo
Corundum (aluminum oxide)
Padparadshah – Strong yellow, orange-pink to hot pink.
Ruby – Red to dark pink. Usually has a hint of violet.
Sapphire – Natural corundum is commonly thought of as dark blue, but it occurs in many other colors such as yellow, green, pink, colorless and purple.
Mohs hardness 9
Refractive index 1.766-1.774
Critical angle 34.5°
Specific gravity 3.99-4.0
Cleavage None
Fracture Uneven, conchoidal, splintery.
Dispersion .Moderately high (018)
Heat sensitivity None
Pleochroism Dichroic. Darker colors usually show stronger dichroism. Natural blue distinct (dark blue to greenish-blue); Natural green weak (more or less yellow); Natural orange strong (orange to yellow-brown or colorless); Natural purple distinct (purple to pinkish); Natural ruby strong (deep red to yellowish-red); Natural yellow weak (yellow to light-yellow).
Birefringence (double refraction) Weak (.018)
Crystal structure Hexagonal (trigonal), dipyramidal
Cutting Corundum cuts and polishes at varying rates on different facets. Dont cut with a bonded lap at any finer grit than 600, otherwise an orange peel effect will make polishing a nightmare. Pre-polish with 8,000 grit on ceramic, zinc or copper lap helps speed up final polishing immensely.
Polishing Ceramic with 100,000 or 200,000 diamond spray, or zinc lap with 50,000 or 100,000 diamond. BATT can be used as a polish lap, but is a little soft for corundum.
Comments Orient for best color and yield. Corundum cuts and polishes differently on different facets.
1/2 Pound Specimen Blue Sapphire Natural 20 to 50 MM 875F The stones shown in the photo are the very...
1/2 Pound Specimen Blue Sapphire Natural 10 to 60 MM 1353F The stones shown in the photo are the very...
1/2 Pound Specimen Blue Sapphire Natural 10 to 40 MM 1212F The stones shown in the photo are the very...


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April 28, 2013
Box Score I Box Score in PDF Format
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 9 Florida State (35-9, 16-8 ACC) completed the sweep of Wake Forest (24-23, 7-17 ACC) on Sunday afternoon with an 11-2 victory on Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium. Scott Sitz was sensational in the win working 7.0 shutout innings to improve to 8-1 on the year.
The win kept the Seminoles in first place in the ACC Atlantic Division standings with a half a game lead on NC State, who plays North Carolina Sunday at 7 pm, and a full game lead on Clemson.
"I think what impressed me the most about our guys was that there was no let up today," said head coach Mike Martin. "It was a good win for our ball club, one that we needed. There is a lot of baseball left."
The Seminoles also remained perfect on the year at home on Sunday's improving to 7-0. Florida State has now won 19 in a row when wearing the gold uniforms.
Sitz scattered just four hits on Sunday and at one point retired 14 straight Wake Forest batters. The junior right hander allowed just two runners past first base and both game in the top of the seventh when Charlie Morgan singled and advanced to third on a double to left by Jack Carey. Sitz left both runners stranded as he got Kevin Jordan swinging on strikes to retire the side.
"I honestly don't know when I have seen him pitch better," said Martin on Sitz' performance. "I mean that was beautiful stuff; both sides of the plate with the fastball, just a well-pitched baseball game."
"He had a good outing," said catcher Stephen McGee. "His fastball had a lot to do with it and then his slider was very consistent today; he had a good feel for both pitches. He was just getting ahead of the hitters, making his pitches when he needed to and throwing that pitch to each individual hitter (when he needed outs)."
The Jacksonville Beach, Fla., native has now gone six starts this year in which he has not allowed an earned run. In the process, the Seminole senior lowered his ERA to a team best 1.42.
"It was one of the better outings I have had all year," said Sitz. "I felt like I had control of most of my pitches. My change-up was on and off throughout the game but my slider and fastball I felt like I had great command over all day. I just felt good out there."
Marcus Davis paced the Seminole offense with three hits and a career-high four RBI, while Jose Brizuela finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Brett Knief and John Nogowski also picked up two hits apiece in the win.
Stephen McGee scored a game-high three runs while legging out his first career triple in the bottom of the fifth. DJ Stewart finished with two runs scored after going 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.
Wake Forest's Austin Stadler suffered the loss (5-3) leaving after 5.0 innings. He was charged with five runs, three earned, on six hits as he walked three and struck out six.
"A lot of it was our approach," added McGee. "You could see early in the game we were getting a little frustrated swinging at some pitches we probably shouldn't have. We all adjusted and turned the game around."
After Stadler faced the minimum with five strikeouts through the first three innings on Sunday, Florida State broke the scoreless tie with three runs to take the lead for good. Knief led off the inning with a double to the gap in the left center and moved to third on a sac-bunt by Stewart. The Deacs then intentionally walked McGee to bring up a lefty on lefty match-up. Davis won the battle with an RBI single up the middle to plate Knief for the first run of the game. After Nogowski walked to load the bases, Brizuela took a 2-2 pitch from Stadler back up the middle to plate a pair and give the Seminoles a 3-0 advantage.
"Wake's lefty had us chasing some pitches early," added Martin. "We kept our poise, got the big base hit from Brizuela in the fourth. Then of course things just seemed to go our way after that. We got some good hitting; Marcus had a big day for us today."
A fielding error by Wake Forest with two outs in the fifth opened the door for a pair of runs as Florida State increased its lead to 5-0. Stewart reached on the error and scored on McGee's first career triple. The Seminole catcher would score one batter later on Davis' RBI double down the line in right.
Florida State added to its lead with a five-run seventh to increase its margin to 10-0. The Seminoles sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning highlighted by an RBI double by Stewart and Nogowski and an RBI single by Davis and Brizuela.
Wake Forest broke up the shutout bid with a run in the eighth off Bryant Holtmann, who walked four in the inning. Charlie Morgan drew a walk with the bases loaded to bring home Mark Rhine for the Deacs first run of the afternoon.
The Seminoles pushed their lead back to 10 with a run in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 11-1. Pinch hitter Casey Smit led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a single to center by Ladson Montgomery. Davis would bring home Smit on a sac-fly to center for his fourth RBI of the game.
The Demon Deacons plated an unearned run in the top of the ninth off Jameis Winston. Winston worked 1.1 innings as he gave up a hit and a walk while striking out one.
Florida State will take the next four days off for exams before returning to the diamond on Friday, May 3 for a three-game non-conference series against UCF. All three games will air on ESPN3. Fans can listen to the games on the Seminoles.com All-Access player and locally on 1270 AM (Friday) and 100.7 FM (Saturday & Sunday). As always, Seminole fans can follow the Noles on twitter @FSU_Baseball and remember to like the Seminoles on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FSUBaseball). Live stats will be available via gametracker.

subset: commoncrawl


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Desmond Tutu: "I Would Refuse To Go To A Homophobic Heaven"
Retired South African archbishop Desmond Tutu has taken an extremely strong stand in support of marriage equality!
The Washington Times reports that "if he had his pick, he'd go to hell before heading to a heaven that condemned homosexuality as sin.
'I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this,' he said, by way of denouncing religions that discriminate against gays, in Agence France-Presse..
He added, AFP reported: 'I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place.'
He made the remarks during the United Nations' launch of its gay-rights campaign in Cape Town.
Mr. Tutu also likened equal rights for gays to the fight for equal rights for blacks.
'I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid,' he said, AFP reported. 'For me, it is at the same level.'"
Exciting stance from an exceptional man!
Hopefully more religious individuals will follow his example.
Image Source


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Next deals update in00:00:00
Keep your number with your new OnePlus 5 128GB Black …
A contract upgrade is the term used when you keep your mobile number and stay with your existing network.
If you have finished your contract and are ready to upgrade, we always recommend a quick call to your network first to get a starting price for upgrading to your chosen phone …
Please make sure you are sitting down! 😲
Then, you can head back to our website to compare the cheapest 5 128GB Black upgrade deals on your network from all of the retailers.
You'll notice that although the upgrade deals offered by the retailers are far cheaper than the price quoted directly by your network, they are still not as great value as the deals they offer to new customers …
This is why most people keep their number and switch networks every time their contract finishes (just like car insurance, broadband, gas etc) to take advantage of the cheapest new customer deals.
Ofcom recognised that people were paying far too much to stay with their existing network and made 'porting' your number really easy…
Just like you switch your TV service, broadband, electricity & gas supplier etc, you can simply keep and switch your mobile number to another network to make maximum savings.
The cheapest deals are offered to 'new customers', so why not be one? 👍
Grab the best contract offer for your new OnePlus 5 128GB Black on a different network and save a bundle!
These are the 3 easy steps to 'porting' your number …
1) Order your new phone on a different network and after next day delivery make sure you are happy with it.
2) Call your existing network and ask for your PAC code ('Port Authorisation Code')
3) Give your PAC code to your new network who'll transfer your number across to your new phone for you within 24 hours.
On the day of your 'port', your mobile number will transfer at around 11am and usually takes around 15 minutes (it can take up to 2 hours).
Once your mobile number has transferred across to your new phone and SIM card, your old contract will automatically be cancelled.
It's a bit fiddly, but some people do this if their network is the only one that works in their area and they do not want to pay the higher upgrade prices for existing customers.
Bag 'new customer' deals on your existing network!
They 'port' their number (using the instructions above, twice!) to a Pay As You Go SIM card on a different network and then straight back again to their original network to take advantage of the cheapest 'new customer' deals! 😎
We get asked this A LOT!
If you've always purchased your phone contracts direct from a network like EE, Vodafone, O2 etc. then these prices may seem surprisingly low!
Although we have all deals offered directly by the networks in our database, we only show you the cheapest UK price for each monthly plan.
The retailers work to far smaller profit margins than the networks, buy the phones in bulk, unlocked and without any extra network branding.
Nothing actually changes, all of your customer service for billing, signal & payments is still supplied directly by your chosen network …
You are simply opting to buy and connect your new phone far cheaper than directly with a network.
You could compare it to having a BT landline, you probably don't buy your home phone directly from a BT Shop, but you use their service.
Some of the retailers we feature you may have heard of like Carphone Warehouse whilst other 'online only' suppliers you may not have.
All have been trading for many years, offer secure online ordering, have good customer reviews and are tried and tested by us.
The majority of the deals are for brand new phones, however we also help you compare even cheaper offers for refurbished handsets.
If a deal includes a refurb phone then you'll see 'Refurbished Handset' in purple text next to the offer.
If your chosen deal doesn't state this then it is for a brand new phone.
You can use our filters to see deals including just New or Refurbished handsets under 'Condition'
All new phones are supplied with a full UK manufacturers warranty should anything go wrong with your handset.
The manufacturers have hundreds of service centres up and down the country.
The retailers usually offer their same protection for refurbished phones which covers free repairs and technical issues for 12 months.
Refurbished handsets are phones that have simply been returned with 14 days and then offered for resale at vastly reduced prices.
Accessories such as earphones are not always included for hygiene reasons and phones are sent in unbranded packaging.
You may find that some OnePlus 5 128GB Black deals come with cashback as an incentive and to hold against your monthly cost.
Some retailers show a discounted cost for your monthly payments when you click through to their website, we always show you exactly what you'll pay (inclusive of VAT) before any cashback is claimed.
The retailers we feature on our price comparison website offer two types of cashback:
1) Automatic Cashback
2) Redeemable Cashback
Automatic cashback is paid directly into your bank account or via a cheque from the retailer after a set period of connection.
You'll find full details of any cashback when you click through to the retailers website to place your order.
Redeemable cashback is great for those that are organised. It is usually a higher amount than 'automatic' but has to be claimed at different intervals throughout your contract period.
All of the retailers we feature have their own terms and conditions for claiming your cashback.
Typically it will be split equally into 5 or 6 payments and you'll need to send a copy of your monthly bill within a set window to claim each amount.
The retailer will send you full details of how to claim with your new phone.
The majority of retailers offer next working day delivery with a cut off at 6pm, although some go right through until 8pm.
You can find your exact delivery date when you place your order and in a confirmation email from the retailer shortly afterwards.
If you change your mind and wish to return your phone, you can inform the retailer within 14 calendar days.
Our price comparison service is free to use, we fund our service by being compensated by our retail partners for successful purchases. Data for our comparison service is supplied by our retail partners and updated regularly, please always check the deal information on the retailers website before placing your order.
The UK networks (excluding Tesco Mobile, SKY Mobile & GiffGaff) will adjust your monthly payments once per year (up or down) in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI)/Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rates published by the Office for National Statistics.


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Man and Van for Moving services Whitefield
If you want to hire any moving services which can easily take complete responsibility for your house or office removals then contact Man and Van for moving services Whitefield and our most reliable services. We are expert in our work and offer different moving services for you. Our rates are lowest rates in market and are easily affordable by everyone. You can also hire our most prestigious moving services at anytime when you need it.
We deal with the following services in Whitefield:
- House Moving Services
- Office Moving Services
- Flat Moving Services
- Apartment Moving Services
Our main objective is to satisfy you completely from our best services. Our well trained workers will make it easier for you. Once you will hire us for the next you will always prefer us for our best services.
We are experts in:
- Packing the goods in boxes and cartons
- Unpacking the goods without loss
- Load the goods safely
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- Assembling and dissembling the goods if necessary
If you are not expert in packing the goods then it is impossible for you to deliver the goods at right place safely. The chance of loss increases if goods are not packed well. Our well trained staff will pack the goods safely and then deliver it at right place with no damage and loss. It is very hard to find such a reliable service provider who takes complete responsibility on its shoulder. We are one of them and take all worries of our customer on our shoulders. For more detail you can visit our website. There you will find detail information. Our rates are very cheap with no hidden cost. You can call anytime. Our staff will be there after your first call. Call Man and Van for moving services Whitefield, M45 and enjoy your moving journey with us.
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With Whitefield Man and Van, you can relax on your moving day as our men will take care of all your moving needs from start to finish. Give us a call and see for your self how cheap and professional Whitefield Man and Van can be on the date and time of your move.
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For further information about removal service please call us on 07886 071 206 or email us at email@example.com
There is a 2 hour minimum on all jobs. After 2 hours, rates are charged in half hour increments.
Parking must be arranged and is the responsibility of the customer. Any parking fines incurred will be added to the cost of the final bill. Job arrival times are estimated. Although we do our best to be on time, circumstances out of our control may cause delays, we do not offer discounts for lateness. Extra payment of £10 required if travelling through the congestion charge.
Man With Van Hire covers can help you move to the following areas of the County of Greater Manchester without any problems:
Bury, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Whitefield
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Wigan, Abram, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Aspull, Astley, Atherton, Bryn, Golborne, Higher End, Hindley, Ince-in-Makerfield, Leigh, Orrell, Shevington, Standish, Tyldesley, Winstanley
You Local Whitefield Man and Van is the right service to choose whether your moving locally or long distance.
Quotes: 07886 071 206
Man with van - House Moves, deliveries, No matter how small or your job is!
You have landed at this page then you much be looking for either man and van hire or want to hire a moving company for to move your household goods, or it could be you're the employee or business owner and you want to move your office, if so you need to look no further because the Man with van company has now expanded to provide its services to anyone in theUK, with a local head office and branches in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Peterborough, Bradford, Leicester, Whitefield and Coventry we are now known to be one of the biggest moving company that can do all from single item move to office removals, and this is due to the man power and the facilities we have for the moving.
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The good thing about our moving company is that we don't only focus on just man and a van hire service, we indeed do more than just small removals, we have recently upgraded or company to enable us move big house and offices as well as small moves such as eBay delivery, moving to storages and student relocations.
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Our Code of Conduct represents a reaffirmation of our long standing commitment to compliance and quality of services to our patients and to the communities we serve. The Code of Conduct was developed to communicate our responsibility for keeping Commonwealth Health Corporation and its subsidiaries like The Medical Center at Scottsville in full compliance with all laws, regulations and policies governing our business practices and to provide guidelines for carrying out our duties in the workplace or in association with CHC.
The Code of Conduct applies to all employees, board members, contract personnel, volunteers, affiliated students and physicians, each of whom has an affirmative duty to report a problem and a right to do so without the threat of retaliation. In addition, we expect anyone conducting business at or on behalf of CHC to adhere to standards set forth in the Code.
Our Code of Conduct is available in PDF format for viewing and printing. The link will open in a new window. To get back to this page, simply close the window.


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Jason Bay has a bruised left quad muscle from his collision last night with Indians first baseman Andy Marte.
Bay stayed in the game but was eventually removed when the bruise "knotted up,'' as he put it and replaced by Jesus Feliciano.
The Mets list him as day-to-day.
It is Jerry Manuel's policy to normally sit a player the game after he removes him because of an injury so don't be surprised to see Feliciano start tonight against Cleveland's Jake Westbrook.


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Dutch right-wing politician's party fragmenting
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Members of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders' Freedom Party are continuing to quit after he led supporters in chanting that they wanted "Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!" Moroccans in the Netherlands.
The incident Wednesday caused a major outcry and prosecutors — who are weighing whether to charge Wilders with inciting hatred — say they have given up trying to count all the discrimination complaints they have received.
In all, six Freedom party elected officials have resigned since Wednesday, including the head of its delegation in European parliament and two members of its Dutch parliamentary faction. The position of an additional 10 officials in European, national, regional and local posts is uncertain.
The defections present a serious problem for Wilders, who had been leading in national polls before Wednesday's apparent blunder.
Despite his personal popularity, Wilders has had trouble attracting enough qualified candidates to fill the seats his party wins.
A poll by Dutch broadcaster AVRO found that while 64 percent of Dutch people thought his comments were unacceptable, 30 percent agreed with them.
At a news conference in The Hague on Saturday, Wilders repeated his position and said he wouldn't take a word back.
"I told the truth, and I said nothing wrong," he said.
He elaborated on his reasons for wanting "fewer Moroccans," arguing that Moroccan immigrants are more likely than other groups to be convicted of crimes. He said his method for reducing their number would be to revoke passports for dual-nationality Moroccans who are found guilty of violent crimes.
There are around 350,000 Moroccans in the Netherlands, a country of 17 million.
In Amsterdam, around 3,000 people gathered on Museum Square for an anti-discrimination protest.
Protester Mustafa Boras said after Wilders' remarks he no longer feels welcome here.
Many non-Moroccans carried signs saying "we are all Moroccans now."
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text: First-Year Students Take A Lead From Literature News Home 09.10.13 By: Mark Tarnacki Every year, all incoming students are required to read a common text over the summer as part of the Liberal Studies Curriculum, in preparation for some of the first intellectual discussions of the new semester. Fair bet: Most 18-year-olds know what it means to have one of those days… or maybe one of those really awful weeks, or months. Anyone heading off to college has been around long enough to see good, innocent people suffer, to get outraged, to question God, and to wonder what it all means. In launching a lifelong process of sorting it out, students starting college at Saint Michael's this year at least can count on humane guides of mind-and-soul for the next four years - faculty and staff who waste no time tackling life's "Big Questions" with energizing freshness rooted in classic literature and spiritual traditions: This year's Common Text for Saint Michael's College first-year students is a beautiful and accessible translation of The Book of Job - yes, that book of Job, from the Hebrew/Christian Bible, though in this translation, Job emerges as something provokingly distinct from the goody-goody "patient" Job of vague or unschooled popular legend and aphorism. "God damn the day I was born!" yells the suffering and exasperated innocent Job in one passage of the translation, a raw and gutty verse that was a favorite of Biology Professor Mac Lippert - one of three faculty invited to write essays that might pump vim into first-year seminar discussions about the book. In another essay, Religious Studies/Peace and Justice Professor Laurie Gagne quotes the Tao te Ching of Eastern Traditions - "The stiff and unbending is the disciple of death; the gentle and yielding is the disciple of life" - to get at deeper meanings. She recalls a personal conversation she once had with Elie Wiesel, the concentration camp survivor, when she asked him, "Are You always angry at God?" and he answered, "Yes, except when my anger gives way to exaltation." Gagne concludes, "Surrender combines the willingness to let go with the hope for new life. In the new life that is granted him, Job's innocence, we can see, will be beside the point." Job as a first-year text is right in the wheelhouse of the college's Academic Dean Jeffrey Trumbower, a Religious Studies professor and specialist in early Hebrew and Christian texts. His essay to first-years lends context: "One of the great advantages of a liberal arts education is that you will gradually come to understand how much you don't know. Keen awareness of the specific gaps in your knowledge and the contingency of the knowledge you do possess, along with a mastery of the tools needed to ask better questions, are the hallmarks of the liberally educated person." The dean then reveals his favorite passage of Job, when God from the whirlwind describes to Job the ostrich. Trumbower speculates: "I tend to think it is because the ostrich is such an absurd animal from a human point of view… God seems to be saying, 'If I want to create something as absurd as the ostrich, I can, and who are you to question me?' It's a lesson to Job that the universe isn't as rational and tidy as he and his friends assumed." Nick Clary, an eminent Shakespeare scholar and veteran English professor who'll be teaching a first-year seminar section for Honors Students, boiled it down in his pre-term letter to students about the book, its challenges and rewards, noting "the Book of Job is really pretty simple: it's about the suffering of an innocent man." And, "you may not come to the Bible believing that it must be understood as Truth with a capital 'T.' if you do, that's fine – but it's also fine if you don't. What matters to me is your willingness to engage with the text and the issues, whatever your religious (or non-religious) position may be. I hope we'll be able to have frank, open-minded discussions, with full respect for various points of view." English instructor Will Marquess has overseen first-year text selection since 2006 when a committee's program-inaugurating choice was Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Each year since, Marquess has asked two faculty who teach first-year seminars to join him as a book-selection committee, putting out a late-fall call to the college community urging suggestions for the next year. Bill Grover from political science and Liz Inness-Brown from English joined him picking this year's book. "Our principles are very general. We're looking for something challenging and provocative, always keeping in mind that students will be reading it on their own," he says. "This year we didn't go out looking for anything in particular, but were conscious that for three years in a row we've used books focused on hot topical issues – climate change, food choices/politics, the internet - so to some extent we were thinking, 'can we find something that's not like that?'" "We were looking for something that doesn't present easy answers," Marquess says, admitting the committee was "a little wary" when Job came up. "We thought some students would think, 'here's this terribly old text from Bible,' but I hope when they read it, they'll see it's not hard to read but it's very complex and doesn't present easy answers." Each of about 25 seminar instructors has assigned an essay topic before students arrive "to engage students into thinking hard about issues," Marquess says, "so it needs to be something they can wrestle with on their own. I hope it's something that doesn't just give itself away. We don't want it to be just a book report or historical account." Since the common text idea launched at St. Mike's, choices have been: Life of Pi, (two years); then The Kite Runner (both coming-of-age tales about encountering evil or faith in extreme circumstances, the latter in modern Afghanistan); The Sunflower, nonfiction by Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal about extreme forgiveness; Babette's Feast by Isak Dinesen, about a young woman who uses the art of cooking to bring grace to a remote town and cold family – a sacramental experience through food, showing how an outsider might touch a community through art and faith; Kafka's Metamorphosis - "you could say it's about the strangeness of being alive; we thought all students would be going through a metamorphosis coming to college and find themselves strange at least once and a while" says Marquess - and then the issue-centered titles, Field Notes from a Catastrophe about climate change, Jonathan Foer's Eating Animals about the industrial system of food production., and last year, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brain. "With Job, finally, I think we do want to perplex students with these questions of faith, whatever their own religious or nonreligious position may be," Marquess says. "It's stronger if they challenge it, if they question it, and don't just take things for granted, and it's hard to take things for granted in the Book of Job."


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Spring is only 21 days away here on the East Coast, which can mean only one thing: wedding season approaches!
To get into the spirit, we thought we would browse some of our amazing Webs user sites and feature a few services that are devoted to making your wedding occasion a special one.
But first, let us remind you what makes any website a great website:
We surveyed the inside experts here at Webs – from the people who make our tools to those who help users make the most of them – and found that 64% of respondents have not purchased something from a website due to its design or its content.


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Hawaiian food is a prime example of culinary fusion, a place where North American and Asian foods meet on a heap of rice. LA's South Bay is where you'll find great renditions of Hawaii's classics: loco moco, Spam musubi, poke, shave ice, and more. Here's where Chowhounds go for comfy island dishes oozing aloha spirit:
• According to flylice2x, Bob's Hawaiian is the place to go for lau lau: pork wrapped in taro leaf, paired with trimmings like lomi salmon, rice, and poke. Things get crowded on Sundays, when there's live Hawaiian music.
• Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods in Gardena has great kalua pork, moist and smoky and served with cabbage. Bruddah's has the kind of patina that comes from generations of locals showing up to have a good time.
• At the coffee shop inside Gardena Bowl, the loco moco comes with Portuguese sausage rather than a hamburger patty, two scoops of rice, two fried eggs, grilled onions, and plenty of gravy.
• Rutt's Café is known for its huge royales, a Hawaiian take on fried rice. What gets thrown into the mix is up to you, be it char siu, Spam, or teriyaki beef. Spam musubi and Hawaiian-bread French toast are good, too.
• Brian's Shave Ice has tons of flavors and toppings, bulavinaka notes, and says the ice isn't too slushy. Find out what's the flavor of the week.
Bob's Hawaiian Style Restaurant [South Bay]
15926 Western Avenue, Gardena
Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods [South Bay]
1033 W. Gardena Boulevard, Gardena
Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop [South Bay]
15707 S. Vermont Avenue, Gardena
Rutt's Café [Westside – Inland]
12114 Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles
Brian's Shave Ice [Sawtelle Corridor]
11301 W. Olympic Boulevard, Suite 103, Los Angeles
Discuss: Roy's or other Hawaiian food in the L.A. area?
Photo of Bob's by Flickr member LWY under Creative Commons


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Howard Johnson Southampton hotels are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Howard Johnson hotel rates in Southampton, NY for your upcoming individual or group travel. We list the best Howard Johnson Southampton hotels so you can review the Southampton Howard Johnson hotel list below to find the perfect place.
This site will list Southampton, NY properties that have a comparable rating of a Howard Johnson.Booking a group or meeting? Set up a group hotel block in Southampton NY
How should we direct your call?


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Northwest Georgia legislators received gifts in the past year valued at the following amounts:
Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga -- $4,225
Sen. Charlie Bethel, R-Dalton -- $100.75
Rep. John Meadows, R-Calhoun -- $5,162
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Dalton -- $4,045
Rep. Tom Weldon, R-Ringgold -- $1,445
Rep. Tom Dickson, R-Cohutta -- $1,358
Rep. Jay Neal, R-LaFayette -- $1,003
Rep. Rick Jasperse, R-Jasper -- $992
Rep. Barbara Reece, D-Menlo -- $45
Rep. Martin Scott, R-Rossville -- zero
Source: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission
Northwest Georgia lawmakers received tickets to football games, rounds of golf and hundreds of dollars in dinners and trips from area lobbyists this year.
In all, the 10 lawmakers who represent the area from Rossville to Jasper, Ga., received $18,375 in lobbyist gifts from a host of groups including insurance, wholesale alcohol and power company representatives. Overall, lawmakers across the state accepted $1.2 million in gifts.
At a time when a majority of Georgians polled favored capping lobbyist gifts at $100, ethics watchdog leaders say lawmakers need to consider how the public perceives the perks legislators receive.
"I believe people that say, 'A steak dinner didn't buy my vote,'" said William Perry, executive director for Common Cause Georgia. "But the problem is, is it appropriate, gift after gift?"
In July, answering a poll question on the ballot, 87 percent of Republican voters said lobbyist gifts needed to be capped at $100, and 72 percent of Democrats indicated that unlimited gifts from lobbyists should end.
Controversy mounted after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that since 2010, lawmakers have been receiving luxury box tickets to football, pro wrestling and monster truck events in the Georgia Dome. The Georgia World Congress Center, which manages the dome, gave away the tickets to legislators on the state authority committee, which passed key legislation to smooth the way for a new $1 billion stadium proposed for the Atlanta Falcons football team.
Some local lawmakers agree the gifts should be reined in, while others say they don't believe any gift would influence their vote and don't see a problem with the current system.
Rep. Jay Neal, R-LaFayette, who received $640 in tickets to watch the University of Tennessee football team play North Carolina State at the dome, said he wasn't influenced by the gift.
"I asked for those with no expectations in return," said Neal. "I personally don't see any problem with that."
The top recipient in North Georgia was Rep. John Meadows, R-Calhoun, who is chairman of the House Rules Committee. Meadows was given a total of $5,162 to attend conferences and other activities including a $259 golf outing from the University System of Georgia and a $327 dinner from the Georgia Forestry Association.
Meadows said he has been targeted by lobbyists since he began to chair the committee that hears every bill in the House. But in the end, he said, it doesn't mean anything.
"I try to make decisions based on facts in front of me. I don't make anybody happy," he said with a laugh.
Sen. Charlie Bethel, R-Dalton, who received just two dinners this year valued at $100, said he understands the public's perception that human nature is susceptible to improper influence. He said he believes the core of the issue is: "Do people fear that votes are being purchased?"
If people believe that, Bethel said he is open to limiting gifts to $100 or, even better, to eliminating them altogether. Other lawmakers, including Meadows, agree that if the public is worried about lobbyist gifts, why stop at $100?
"I really don't care," Meadows said. "I've got a lot more things to worry about than $100 gifts to legislators."
Others question the practice of companies paying for legislators' trips to conferences where they learn in depth about an issue they may later vote on.
Neal said when he attended a conference more than two years ago, he began to realize the state criminal justice system needed to be revamped. In 2011, he sponsored a bill that formed the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform, paving the way for changes in how nonviolent offenders are sentenced.
Trips to conferences were the costliest items that lobbyists gave Northwest Georgia lawmakers. In June, the Georgia Industrial Loan Association spent $938 for Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, to attend its convention and for meals for three nights in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The Georgia Food Industry Association paid $1,019 for retiring Rep. Roger Williams, R-Dalton, to attend its annual conference. The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Georgia spent $600 for Williams to attend and speak at its annual meeting, while the Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association paid $657 for him to speak and attend its conference.
Meanwhile, Perry said he believes there will be multiple bills from the state house next year that will address how to limit gifts from lobbyists.


text:
We can notify you when this product is back in stock by sending you an email.
What email should we reach you at?
Sorry, we no longer carry this product for now. To see our other in stock products, view Man Cave Gifts and Decor
Display this attractive Personalized Barrel Head Sign - Moonshine Distillery Warehouse in a man cave, bar area, bar, restaurant establishment or other desired room. This authentic barrel head is handcrafted from an actual used and repurposed American oak whiskey barrel. Personalize with a full name, a title, a distillery or company name and a location. On the lower half of the barrel, you can even add a batch number and a barrel number in one's own writing.
Char retained for authenticity, this barrel head sign measures 21" round by 1 1/2 inches thick. The back of the barrel head has a keyhole slot for easy hanging. Each barrel head may vary slightly due to the natural wood grain. To be used as decoration only. Made in the USA. A Man Cave Gifts Exclusive!
PERSONALIZATION: FREE. Spelling & punctuation will appear exactly as you entered it on your order, so if you want an apostrophe "s" added to a name, you must add it. Please note, the more characters you request, the smaller the text will be.
PROCESSING/SHIPPING: Approximately 7-10 business days for processing and 2-4 business days for shipping. NEED IMMEDIATELY? See IN A RUSH? See Holiday and Father's Day Shipping Schedule in May, June, November & December.
* Please note that this product is purchased from and shipped by our company, Man Cave Gifts (mancavegifts.com), not from another company that we refer you to via our Referral Network.


text:
Around the Web: Useless Realty-Related Infographics
Maybe by 2014 everyone will be sick of these ubiquitous infographics, but for now they're everywhere. And not everyone is improved by the addition of spurious graphics. Realtards aren't the only ones out there giving out self-serving information while suggesting they're helping you. Homebuilders also play many of the same games we know and love. Here's a fun infographic, if by "fun" we really mean "see how much fun you can have spotting all the misleading information in one image."
Not only is "Myth One" a real hoot in the Bay Area (let alone the Real Bay Area), it isn't even true without all the special pleading for tax exemptions and future streams of payments and other sneaky accounting tricks. Remember, Richard Florida pointed out that in Opposite of the Real Bay Area, it's actually cheaper to buy than rent, as in monthly payments there are lower than monthly rents. Why? Because everyone who wants a house has bought one, so there are few potential customers. In the RBA, lots of people want to buy but can't afford to, so prices stay high as they save up until they can.
We don't even want to mention that unlike the Bay Area, there are many places in the US where it's very difficult to rent a typical single family house, so comparative rent vs buy is almost impossible. Perhaps more people would rent if they could get a house instead of an apartment.
What's your situation? Do you live in a SFH, a townhouse, or an apartment? Do you own or rent? What do you think if this silly poster?
Oh yes, NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY! NOW! NOW! NOW!


text:
Detailed Zipper Slim Jogger
Our clothing's sizes specified are the only sizes available
Check the measurements before placing an order
Shipping and Returns
We ship all orders via DHL/FEDEX/UPS which takes between 1-3 business days in the U.S and 3-5 business days outside the U.S to deliver. Some orders are processed faster. You may expect your package to arrive within 3 business days after you have received a tracking number.


text:
ANAHEIM – Freedom Communications, parent company of the Orange County Register, is negotiating an exclusive contract with the city that would allow Freedom to seek out a corporate sponsor for a transportation hub under construction near Angel Stadium, the company's owner said Thursday.
If an agreement is reached, Freedom would not be paid unless it finds a sponsor that suited city officials for the new Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, said Aaron Kushner, CEO of Freedom Communications and publisher of the Register.
Kushner declined to discuss the potential value of such a deal, nor how much Freedom would be paid if a sponsor is found.
"The basic logic is that we are the only significant media business in Orange County, and we want to use that to bring a sponsor to pay for a project that would otherwise be paid by taxpayers," Kushner said.
A sponsorship deal would likely help the city pay off the 13.5-acre property it purchased last year from the Orange County Transportation Authority to build the hub, a 67,000-square-foot terminal that will provide access to Amtrak, Metrolink, buses, taxis and perhaps a high-speed railway. Anaheim agreed to purchase the land from the OCTA for $32.5 million.
Construction began last September on a $184.2 million facility on the land, which is expected to open in late 2014. That complex will be paid for by county, state and federal funds.
"If it makes financial sense, then I don't have a problem talking to Freedom or anyone else," Councilwoman Lucille Kring said. "As long as it's not a tobacco or alcohol company and we have the ability to determine what the sign looks like and we get a good deal, then it would be good to have this type of revenue coming to the city."
Mayor Tom Tait questioned the ethics related to the proposal. He also said any contract for a firm that would find a sponsor should be opened up for competitive bids.
"Not only do I question the need for this agreement, I have serious concerns about creating a financial partnership with our local newspaper, which also serves as a watchdog for the citizens over matters at City Hall," the mayor said. "Independent journalism is important for democracy."
Kushner said that Freedom's negotiations, or any deal, with Anaheim would not affect the Register's news coverage of Orange County's most populous city.
"Just because someone has a business relationship with the Register, it does not affect how the news side operates," Kushner said. "If you can't have a business relationship with someone you report on, then we wouldn't have any advertisers in the paper."
Contact the writer: 714-704-3769 or email@example.com


text:
by Patsy R. Brumfield/NEMS Daily Journal
James M. Davis, former chief financial officer for the failed Stanford Financial Group Co., will be sentenced Jan. 22 in Houston, Texas, for his admissions in the $7.2 billion scandal.
Davis once lived in Union County and worked out of Stanford offices in Tupelo and Memphis.
In September 2009, he admitted to his part in helping his boss, R. Allen Stanford, carry out a years-long Ponzi scheme on some 20,000 investors worldwide.
Scores of Mississippians were among the victims and have yet to receive any compensation for their losses of life savings and retirement funds invested in certificates of deposit through his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank Ltd.
Many of the investors say they were assured by local financial advisers that their investments were federally insured. They were not, and debates continue in court and on Capitol Hill about who should assist victims.
Before Davis' sentencing, victims may send written statements or ask to speak to the court.
A court-appointed receiver seized all Stanford and other defendants' assets to liquidate for a victims fund.
Davis faces up to 30 years in prison but said he hopes for leniency as the government's key witness against Stanford.
Last March, a jury found Stanford guilty of masterminding the scheme in Houston, where he built his financial empire more than two decades ago.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced him to 110 years in prison. Hittner also will sentence Davis in Houston.
Laura Pendergest-Holt, a Baldwyn native, was Stanford's chief investment officer. She admitted to obstructing a federal investigation of her employer and is serving a three-year term in prison.
Last week, another jury found guilty two other former Stanford executives. They have not been sentenced. Davis was a key witness at their trial.


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This is an ethno track with a hang drum, some ethnic percussion (djembe, shakers, bells, etc), smooth female voice and some ethnic instruments (kora and something like a plucked piano).
At the zip archive you can find a intro version (2:05), which sounds at 5:47 in the preview.
This item also can be found in the "Ethnic Music Pack"... [click here]
For Videohive & ActiveDen authors:
- Please, post back link of your work with my audio and I'll promote and add it into my profile page. Thanks.


text:
By Sally Cohen
Chestnut Hill's Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia's premier institution for interpreting the art and culture of the Philadelphia region, opened five new exhibitions earlier this month along with a full calendar of engaging programs, including children's activities and lectures. The museum has also introduced new visiting hours including extended evening and weekend hours.
Woodmere is currently presenting two exhibitions in conjunction with the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. The first is "Charles Demuth in the City of Lights," second is "Violet Oakley and the Women Artists of Paris," which offers an intimate look at the Mt. Airy illustrator, muralist and stained glass artist. Both exhibits will continue through June 26.
Visitors to the Woodmere will also gain a fresh perspective on the museum through three new exhibitions showcasing objects from the permanent collection, including an exhibition of Impressionist and landscape paintings of Pennsylvania, a second exhibition exploring the murals of Violet Oakley (on view for the first time since receiving conservation work) and an exhibition of objects from the personal collection of museum founder Charles Knox Smith.
In addition to these exhibitions, the Woodmere is offering family programming, lectures and gallery talks, specialty tours, instructional art classes and workshops, and other special events. William R. Valerio, who was appointed as the Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO of Woodmere in September, 2010, has placed more of the Woodmere's permanent collection on public view than ever before. Valerio came to the Woodmere from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where he served as Assistant Director for Administration.
Woodmere recently renovated the grand Kuch Gallery, the rotunda-like space which houses major exhibitions, as well as the Founders Gallery and Parlor Gallery. In the coming year, Woodmere will continue to improve the museum interior and outdoor landscape.
The American modernist painter Charles H. Demuth (1883–1935), whose works are in the Antonelli 1 Gallery, is one of America's greatest artists of the 20th century. Primarily a watercolorist, Demuth also painted with oils during his career and later became a prominent Precisionist painter, a style of painting which combines realism and geometric planes. The exhibition "Charles Demuth in the City of Lights," presented in collaboration with The Demuth Museum in Lancaster, traces Demuth's adventures in Paris, showing how this great American artist of Pennsylvania came to find his unique voice.
• Charles Demuth was born and raised in Lancaster and lived much of his life in southeastern Pennsylvania. After finishing his studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Demuth embarked on the first of several trips to Paris in 1907. This was a fortuitous year for Demuth as he would see a retrospective of the work of Paul Cézanne, an exhibit that influenced many major figures of the burgeoning modernist movement, including Demuth.
"His mind … was greatly broadened by travel," wrote Philadelphia Inquirer art critic Helen Henderson in 1947. "He discovered in himself a kinship with the original thinkers, the exotics, if you will, of his day in France — Baudelaire, Huysmans, Gautier, Toulouse Lautrec, Henry James, and later Proust. He was abundantly curious in the French sense of the word and investigated and followed up every clue that led to the revelation of the spirit of his time." (An audio tour of the exhibit is available, accessible by a cell phone call-in system.)
• Violet Oakley (1874–1961), whose works are exhibited in the Antonelli II Gallery, was born to an artistic family in Bergen Heights, New Jersey, relocated to Philadelphia in 1895 and later settled in Mt. Airy. During her lifetime, Oakley became one of the great citizen artists of Philadelphia, a supporter of the city's artists, a popular and well-spoken civic leader and internationally known pacifist. She was also a driving force in the life of the Woodmere Art Museum and constant support to her partner, Edith Emerson, who was Woodmere's director from 1940 through 1978.
In 1893, Oakley's journey of professional education in the arts began when she enrolled as a student at the Art Students League in Manhattan. A year later, Oakley, who was only 20 years old, decided to travel to Paris, the art capital of the world. In the company of some of the finest artists of the time in Paris' schools, museums and exhibition spaces, she would encounter and be influenced by Impressionism, a revolutionary movement in 19th-century painting. She would most certainly see the work of two of its leading practitioners, Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt (also a former Philadelphian).
The exhibition features the works created by Oakley during this time, and a sample of works by artists she encountered in Paris including: Mary Cassatt's "The Pink Sash" (c. 1898), in which the artist's virtuosity with pastel is abundantly evident; Cecilia Beaux's society painting, "Portrait of Hannah Rose Hoffman Lee" (1893); and Berthe Morisot's "The Drawing Lesson" (1888), a self-portrait with the artist's daughter, Julie Manet.
There will also be a lecture, "After Paris: Demuth and His Circle in America," on Sunday, May 1, 2 to 3 p.m. ($15, $12 for members), with Mark D. Mitchell, Associate Curator of American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art. New museum hours are: Tuesday through Thursday 10 to 5; Friday, 10 to 8:45; Saturday 10 to 6, and Sunday, 10 to 5. Woodmere is located at 9201 Germantown Ave. For visitor information, call 215-247-0476 or visit www.woodmereartmuseum.org.


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|Mill Creek, Wash.
|High School:
|Henry Jackson
|Operations Management & Info Systems & Spanish
AS A JUNIOR (2013-2014): (XC) Placed 24th at the USF Invitational with a time of 26:52.923 in the 8k … ran a 25:17.5 in the 8k Bronco Invitational … finished fourth in the 6k dual meet against Saint Mary's with a time of 19:00.2 … placed 58th at the WCC Championships in the 8k at 26:35.
AS A SOPHOMORE (2012-2013): (XC) Earned a personal best time in the Hornet Jamboree 4 mile in 20:51.5 … Competed in the WCC Preview 7,770 meter race in 25:15.90. (TRACK) Ran the 5000m race in 15:51.42 at the Kim Dyust Invite … Competed in the Aggie Open 3000m race with a time of 9:00.30 … Ran 15:31.66 in the SF Distance Carnival 5k … Earned 15:33.99 in the Chico Distance Carnival 1500m … Competed in the Woody Wilson Invite 1500m run in 4:07.11 … Raced in the 1500m run in 4:02.60 at the Brutus Hamilton Invite … Ran in the Sac State Open 1500m in 4:06.32 ... Earned 4:04.50 in the 1500m at the West Coast Invite.
AS A FRESHMAN (2011-2012): (XC) Competed in the
USF Invite 8k in 26:53 … Earned 37th place in the
Hornet Jamboree 4 mi race with a season best time of 20:53 …
Finished the Stanford Invitational 8k with a seasonal-best-time of
26:12 … Raced the Gator Invite 8k in 26:54 … Competed
in the Bronco Invite 8k with a time of 26:19.5 … Finished
the season in the Doc Adams Invite 8k in 26:40.
(TRACK) Started off the season with 4:06.75 in the
Aggie Open … Competed in the 5k at the SF State Distance
Carnival with a time of 15:34.22 … Earned 4:08.64 in the
1500m at the Woody Wilson Invite … Ran 15:51.81 in the 5k at
Brutus Hamilton Invite … Finished his first season at the
Sac State Open in the 1500m in 4:11.12.
Cross Country: 20:51.5 in the 4mile (2012 - Hornet Jamboree); 25:15.9 in the 7,770m (2012 - WCC Preview); 26:12 in the 8k (2012 - Stanford Invite)
Track: 4:02.60 in the 1500m (2013 - Brutus Hamilton Invite); 9:00.30 in the 3k (2013 - Aggie Open); 15:31.66 in the 5k (2013 - SF Distance Carnival) 15:34.22 in the 8k (2012 - SF State Distance)
HIGH SCHOOL: High School Coach was Eric Hruschka ... Best Marks XC: Lakewood HS 3miles-16:03, Sun Willows 5k-15:50 ... Best Marks Track: 800m 1:59.70 1600m 4:19.63 3200m 9:23.28 ... Top Finishes: 12th Place Washington 4A State XC Championships 2009.
PERSONAL: Majoring in Operation Management Information Systems.


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Cooking For Engineers
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Recipe File: Okra Stew (Fast Gumbo)
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Cooking For Engineers
Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 16776765
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:52 pm
Post subject: Recipe File: Okra Stew (Fast Gumbo)
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Recipe File: Okra Stew (Fast Gumbo)
Article Digest:
Gumbo is an amazing thickened soup that has layers upon layers of flavor. Unfortunately, it also takes a long time (for me) to make, starting with homemade stock and stewing for hours as ingredients are prepared and added. For those times when I do not have the patience to prepare a true gumbo, I do this faster variant that lacks the complexity, but captures the bare essence of gumbo. Let's call it okra stew (to avoid confusion with gumbo). I tend to make this in fairly large quantities when I know that I'll be too busy to cook for the next several nights.
There's a variety of ingredients that can be used in this okra stew. The only essential one is probably okra (I use two pounds of the cut frozen variety in this recipe). In this example, I'll be preparing a chicken okra stew, but feel free to experiment with seafood (like oysters and crab or shrimp) or a vegetarian (stir-fried eggplant is fun to try) version. Start by preparing two pounds of chicken breast (about one whole breast) into rough 1/2 in. cubes. Also rough cut two green bell peppers and three ribs of celery, and finely chop one bunch of scallions (about 3/4 cup). Not show here, I also cut two medium onions into 1 in. pieces. (My eyes were watering, so I plastic wrapped the bowl and set it aside - forgetting to photograph it.)
Next, cut one pound smoked sausage such as andouille or kielbasa into bite size pieces. Make sure you use Cajun andouille, not French (which is made of tripe and usually is not smoked and is not spicy). Apply 1 Tbs. oil to a pan and heat. Over gentle heat, brown the sausage. The sausage should have enough oil so the pan doesn't dry up while cooking. (If not, add a little more oil.)
Meanwhile, pour 4 14 oz. cans of
low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
into a large pot. Then add eight cups of water, cover, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Once the sausages are done browning, remove to a bowl and saute the onions (in batches if necessary) in the sausage grease. If there's not enough fat left in the pan, add some more oil as needed. Once the onions have become lightly browned (about 5-6 minutes), remove from the pan. Generously salt and pepper the chicken breast pieces and saute in the same pan at medium heat. When the outside of the chicken pieces have changed color, you can remove the pan from the heat.
Hopefully, the broth is boiling at this point. (If not, use this opportunity to saute the okra until golden. Saute the celery as well if the broth isn't boiling yet.) Pour the chopped okra into the broth along with the sauteed onions, bell peppers, and celery. When the mixture begins to boil again, add the chicken and bring the heat down to maintain a simmer. Stirring occasionally, simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. (The sausage can be added at this point if you don't like salty sausage. The flavor will infuse into the soup. Adding the sausage later will maintain more of the flavor concentrated in the sausage and less spread out in the soup.)
After the soup has thickened (it should form strings when poured slowly from a ladle) and the chicken cooked, add the finely chopped scallions with the sausage. Salt and pepper to taste and simmer for five additional minutes.
The final okra stew is served great over rice, but (if seasoned with a light hand) is also an excellent soup for cold winter days. Adding hot sauce or ground chile to the broth is a great way to spice up this dish.
Okra Stew
(makes about six quarts or 5.5 L)
1 lb. (450 g) smoked sausage
simmer 5 min.
2 lb. (900 g) chicken breast
simmer 30 min.
2 medium onions
2 lb. okra
3 celery ribs
2 medium bell peppers
56 oz. to 64 oz. (1.9 L) chicken broth
8 cups (1.9 L) water
3/4 cup (75 g) scallions
finely chop
Copyright 2005 Michael Chu
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:54 pm
Post subject:
It's spelled 'kielbasa' not 'keilbasa'. Or 'kiełbasa' (that's 'l' with a slash) if you can use unicode or central european encoding.
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Michael Chu
Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 1654
Location: Austin, TX (USA)
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:54 pm
Post subject:
Whoops. Forgot to run a spell check on the article. Thanks for catching the error!
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:55 pm
Post subject:
This sounds wonderful--cozy and nourishing. I have to try it, but first I will run it through a recipe analyzer...obsessed as I am these days with calories, carbs, and the like. Which led me to the thought....are your recipes by any chance in a format easy to analyze? Or do you have access to something that could tell us stats? I don't want to create extra work for you, but it does seem sort of...engineer-y.
Actually, I will probably substitute those great chicken sausages that I get at Costco and engineer out some of the fat when I make it.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:56 pm
Post subject:
I'm a reader from Louisiana, and I'll let you in on a secret we use often -- instant roux. Adding some of this to your okra stew would indeed make a fast gumbo. Here's a link to an article that explains how to use instant roux:
Many Cajun grandmothers have switched over to instant roux because it is easier and quicker.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:56 pm
Post subject:
Adding a few drops of Trapper's MexiPep hot sauce will add that indifinable extra something to your gumbo. Great job, looks just like my gumbo, sans roux.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:57 pm
Post subject:
That's Trappey's. Also using canned okra will add an extra tang to your gumbo you might like.
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Dr. Biggles
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:57 pm
Post subject:
Ack, chicken sausage.
Do that fast roux, ya gotta have a roux in there. That'll change the dynamics of yer food right there. Deelightful. Here's my attempt:
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Paul W.
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:58 pm
Post subject:
Roux is very easy to make in the microwave - it makes no sense to ommit it or to use some store bought processed stuff.
Take the normal porportions you would use of butter and flour, Mix well in a large pyrex messuring cup and microwave in 30 second bursts until you get the desired color. I usually bring mine up to a brick-red to dark brown color. It takes about 4 minutes in my micro wave. I cannot tell the difference between this and something I made on the stove top.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:58 pm
Post subject:
I suppose you could make a roux in the microwave, and I guess that with practice you can learn how to do it properly. But it seems like a pretty dicey proposition to me. I mean, after all, the point of a roux for gumbo is the flavor as much as the thickening power. Maybe it's just me, but "brick red" doesn't cut it for flavor; more like mahogany. And it seems to me you wouldn't have enough control over the process in a microwave to prevent scorching and burning when you get to that point.
Maybe I'm just too skeptical, but microwaved roux? No thank you.
On topic: I like the recipe, despite my loathing of okra. And I'm glad I found this site.
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Michael Chu
Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 1654
Location: Austin, TX (USA)
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:59 pm
Post subject:
re: roux flavor or thickener?
In traditional gumbo, the roux is used more for flavor than for thickening power. The darker the roux (the longer you cook it), the more flavor it has, but by the time it's a deep mohagony, it doesn't have much in the way of thickening power. That role is given to the okra or the file powder.
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Dr. Biggles
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:59 pm
Post subject:
Eeek, arguing over to to make a proper roux is akin to arguing over which is better, a pc or mac.
It depends on what your taste is and/or what you're preparing.
I can offer a wonderful resource from somone born & raised in NOLA, if that helps anyone. I've done a handful of his recipes and read many more than that. His recipes are spot on, for the most part.
Chuck Taggart's Gumbo Pages
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Paul W.
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:00 pm
Post subject:
Another reference for Gumbo is a book called, "The Little Book of Gumbo". I picked up a copy while on my Honeymoon a few years ago. Its where I found the idea for Microwave Roux. There is also an interesting idea for toasting the flour in the oven. Then it is stored in the fridge (up to 2 months if I remember correctly). When the time comes for roux, you just melt some butter and add the toasted flour. The book contains a lot of history and lore and a nice variety of recipes - both quick and traditional. For more tradition, of course, nothing beats Chez P.
By the way, the microwave roux has the same depth and nutty flavor as anything I've made in the more traditional ways. Control is no problem: simply adjust the power level once you begin to reach the desired color.
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carla lynn hall
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:00 pm
Post subject:
I LOVE gumbo!! I'm looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!
carla lynne hall aka
mama soul
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:01 pm
Post subject:
Down here in Louisiana, there are two prevalent types of gumbo- Chicken and andouille sausage, or seafood (crab, and shrimp- sometimes scallops)
The local grocery stores carry 'gumbo crabs', split and ready to go in the pot. In my estimation, there is nothing better than a good seafood gumbo.
Everyone I talk to down here says 'ta make a good gumbo, ya gotta start with a good roux'. I use equal parts oil and flour, and simmer until mahogany, and smells nutty. Lightly scorched, actually.
Once the roux cools, add stock or water, and bring up to simmer- add in the gumbo craps, the trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery), and whatever-the-hell-else you want to put in there.
As for the Okra, common wisdom down here says, get fresh okra, and saute in a seperate pan before adding to the pot. that way, it won't get all slimy...
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CLEMSON, S.C. AND FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Feb. 13, 2010) - A day after a second-place finish in the 300m, junior Jasmine Ingram (Frederick, Md.) cruised her way to the 400m title on Saturday afternoon at the Tiger Paw Invitational inside the Clemson Indoor Track Complex.
Ingram has all ready claimed one 400m title last month at the Niswonger Invitational and on Saturday the Frederick, Md. native beat out Coast Carolina's Ikeiylah Brown for gold again. Ingram crossed the finish line in 55.99.
In the men's 3000m, senior Mike Deren (Blasdell, N.Y.) finished eighth after clocking in a season best time of 8:43.88.
At Arkansas, senior Duronal Monal (Belle Glade, Fla.) bounced back after a disappointing day in the 60m on Friday night at the Tyson Invitational. Monal won his heat in the 200m and finished 26th overall with a time of 21.47 - marking a season best for the Belle Glade, Fla. native.
"I am pleased with Duronal's run today," said associate track and field coach Michelle Byrne. "This race put him back on track after running faster than he did last weekend at Virginia Tech. This is an extremely banked track here at Arkansas and it took a while for him to get adjusted to the environment. Yesterday, we were disappointed for not advancing to the finals in the 60m. But coming off false starts both at Niswonger and Virginia Tech, put us behind the eight ball, since those were races he didn't get to run. However, with Duronal being here this weekend, I think it got him back on track and headed in the right direction for the conference championships."
Also, junior Mike James (Palm Bay, Fla.) battled through an illness to turn in a season best time of 22.40 in the 200m at Arkansas.
"Mike had a difficult weekend as he was battling an illness as soon as we arrived in Fayetteville," commented Byrne. "Still with that being said, he needs to be running right at his personal best in the hurdles in order to advance to the final on Friday. I was really proud of the way he sucked it up today and battled through in the 200m. He ran really hard and improved on his time from a week ago at Virginia Tech."
The Bucs will now have next weekend off to rest and prepare for the A-Sun Championships, which will be held Feb. 26-27 on the David E. Walker Track inside the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center.
For more information on Buccaneer track and field, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


text:
Red Sox chairman Tom Werner opens up
Red Sox rookie catcher Ryan Lavarnway was grabbing a snack in the clubhouse kitchen before Wednesday's game against the Angels when he was unexpectedly interrupted.
"Ryan? I'm Tom Werner,'' said the team's chairman, shaking Lavarnway's hand. "How is everything?''
Werner saw the Sox lose three games at Angel Stadium last week, part of a season that veered into a ditch right away and never recovered. This will be the third consecutive year the team has missed the playoffs.
Principal owner John Henry and Werner have spent $507 million in payroll in those three years, with little to show for it beyond increasingly pointed criticism from fans and media. Once a model franchise, the Red Sox faced up to their demise by trading star players Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez to the Dodgers Aug. 25. The approximately $264 million in payroll savings will allow the team to start over after years of fruitless, if not careless, spending.
Henry, whose public communication consists of carefully worded e-mails, has said little about the state of his team. But in an exclusive and unfettered interview, Werner opened up about this fractured season and his hopes for the future.
"I can talk about it as a fan and as an owner,'' said Werner. "We suffer as much, if not more, than anybody. It's very frustrating that we haven't been in the playoffs since 2009.
"We were hailed as having the best team in baseball in 2011 and went into the season with a lot of people predicting we would win 100-plus games. But it didn't happen.
"One of the beautiful things about baseball is that it's hard to predict. But we'll be back.
"Nothing is more important to us than winning and giving our fans the sense that we desperately want to win.''
Eric Roth, an Oscar-winning screenwriter and friend of Werner, sat in on the interview and joked early on that Werner needed to be asked tough questions about the foundering Red Sox.
So how does he evaluate Bobby Valentine's job as manager?
Werner's answer was perhaps telling about what ownership is thinking.
"I don't really want to get into that today,'' he said. "I don't want to talk too much about him. But he's had a challenging year. I think, as we've said before, he's doing a good job.''
Will Valentine return in 2013?
"I don't really want to go there,'' Werner said. "I think we all thought we'd bounce back more this year.''
But Werner was expansive in his praise for general manager Ben Cherington, who replaced Theo Epstein 10 months ago.
"I thought for example, that he was extremely impressive in his press conference [that announced the Dodgers trade],'' said Werner. "But it's not just that he's articulate. Ben is methodical, he's thoughtful. He's a good manager, he's a good leader.
"We give him high marks in how he's dealt with the challenges this season, and he's going to be with us for a long time.
"We just have to be more disciplined. One of the things we've talked to Ben about is supplementing his staff with a few more evaluators. I'm confident that we'll get back because now we have the resources and the talent with Ben, and under Ben, to do so.''
Those resources come from the vast savings realized in the landmark trade. Werner laughed out loud when asked how surprised he was that the Dodgers would take on so many cumbersome contracts.
"You'll have to ask them that,'' he said. "But we were very pleased with the trade. We felt it gave us a reset that we could start working on how to improve the club for next year. We were aware that these were three great All-Star players we traded. But we had a real challenge to improve things for next year, and this gives us a real opportunity.
"All I can say from our point of view, we were very pleased with the result. It was something we've been talking to the Dodgers about even in July. I feel like this gives us a real opportunity now.
"Somebody in baseball ops said it best: 'We're at halftime now.' Now we have to really go out and show we can take advantage of this opportunity.''
Core remains strong
Werner said several times that the money would be reinvested in the team. It is unlikely to happen all at once, given the lack of notable free agents expected to reach the market this winter.
Werner said the Sox want to sign outfielder Cody Ross to an extension and will at least try to sign center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to an extension before he becomes a free agent after the 2013 season.
During the Angels series, Werner made sure to speak with Ellsbury's agent, Scott Boras, before one of the games.
Retaining designated hitter David Ortiz is another priority.
"We'd like to see David come back,'' said Werner. "He's the inspirational leader, and one of the first tasks that we deal with is hopefully extending our relationship. We all have the same objective, which is to see his career end with the Red Sox, whenever that is.''
Ortiz has said he wants the security of a multiyear contract, accusing the owners of favoring free agents instead of recognizing his value.
"All I can say is that we want David back and that is something we should get done,'' Werner said. "He is important.''
The core of the team, Werner insisted, remains strong despite the recent missteps.
"We had a philosophy, and I think we veered away a little bit from that philosophy. I don't think that we're in a deep hole,'' he said, before mentioning second baseman Dustin Pedroia and third baseman Will Middlebrooks as players the team wants to build around. "We have a good pitching staff.
"I feel like we have the core there and we're going to add to it.''
Werner, in fact, expects the Red Sox to contend as soon as next season.
"Of course,'' he said. "We're going to spend the rest of this season and the offseason improving. I see no reason why we can't contend next year. For one thing, I'm looking forward to the return of John Lackey. I'm expecting that we're going to add to our starting pitching depth.
"We still have the nucleus with [Jon] Lester and [Clay] Buchholz. I think Rubby De La Rosa [one of the prospects obtained from the Dodgers as a player to be named later] can be a starter for us. I'm very encouraged.''
No soccer talk
A 62-year-old television executive, Werner got his start in baseball when he purchased a controlling interest in the San Diego Padres in 1990. With the Red Sox, he is part of a triumvirate with Henry and team president Larry Lucchino that has been in charge since December 2001.
The trio — or "JTL'' in e-mail shorthand used by team employees — became Boston celebrities after the curse-busting championship of 2004 and wire-to-wire domination of 2007. But the failures in recent seasons have bruised their reputations.
When Henry and Werner purchased an English soccer team, Liverpool, in 2010, it was seen as a distraction. That the Red Sox have gone steadily downhill since then only confirms that notion in some eyes.
"It's ridiculous to suggest that,'' Werner said. "George Steinbrenner built ships — did that distract him from the Yankees? We talk about the Red Sox 365 days a year, and usually several times a day. Being with the Red Sox is a huge part of my life.''
Lucchino, who has no involvement in the Liverpool team, prohibits soccer talk when the trio watches games at Fenway Park; offenders are fined, even if they happen to own the team.
"There's a wall between the two teams,'' Werner said. "There is nothing that distracts us from our mission with the Red Sox.''
Werner said he and Henry have tried to be around the team more often on the road this season to better gauge the problems.
"Part of it is the players have said to us that they like when we're present,'' he said. "They feel that we're on the job. We've never been micro-managers. But I'll have a chat with the manager about certain games.''
Team never quit
In July, news broke about a group of players who complained directly to Henry and Werner about Valentine. A meeting was held in New York before the start of a series against the Yankees.
Werner said players have dealt directly with the owners for years.
"I think the idea of having a healthy relationship with the players, where they feel comfortable talking to you, is generally a positive thing,'' he said. "That doesn't mean you should go around the chain of command.
"I do believe there should be a chain of command, and if there are issues, everybody should know about them. One of the things that we feel is there should be an openness and dialogue.
"I think the more important concern is, how do we get back on a winning track? No clubhouse is perfect. I like the fact that this team never quit. Even when things were going bad, they were giving everything they had.
"Those issues get magnified when you're not playing well. If our pitching had been a little stronger this year, those issues wouldn't have been so well-publicized.
"This is a really good group of guys. I'm not going to pretend there weren't issues in the clubhouse. But there have always been issues in clubhouses.''
The only goal remaining for the Red Sox this season is to finish above .500, and that seems unrealistic given the minor leaguers and backups who now play regularly. If they don't reach .500, it would be the first time since 1997 they will have had a losing record. The future is more uncertain than ever.
But that future, Werner said, will not include new ownership any time soon. There has been no talk of selling the team given the recent woes and public backlash.
"We have nothing that we're focused on except how to win again,'' Werner said. "We're going to be here for a long time.''


text:
No doubt, some housing markets were hit harder than others during the recession. As a result, the markets less banged up are poised to be the first to bounce back when the housing recovery takes off.
"You have some markets where so many things have gone wrong; it's very difficult for those markets to make a recovery," said Cameron Findlay, the chief economist at LendingTree. "Then, there are other markets, where only a couple things have gone wrong. For those markets, there's still hope of a recovery."
LendingTree crunched the numbers for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to find the healthiest and least healthy housing markets, based on five key criteria: debt-to-income ratio, unemployment, home ownership, negative equity and the average loan-to-value ratio.
It's worth noting that all of the top 10 have home prices that are below the national average of $298,000, most of them well below that mark.
Geographically speaking, more than half of the top 10 states came from the central time zone, while two came from New England and there were one each from the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. Still, the top 10 only make up a small part of the overall U.S. market – 8.15% to be exact. By comparison, the bottom 10 make up nearly 36%. California, alone, accounts for nearly 23%.
Here are the top 10 states with the healthiest housing markets.
By Cindy PermanPosted 12 Apr 2011


text:
The Cradle is searching for America's Best Baby Boutique! We want to find the best of the best, and honor those shops that go above and beyond baby basics!
The winning boutique will be featured on TheCradle.com and in Pregnancy magazine.
Boutique owners, employees, and customers, nominate your favorite boutique and you'll be entered for a chance to win a Celebrity BUMP Bag from Jewels and Pinstripes worth more than $3,000!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Cradle's Search for America's Best Baby Boutique
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 5:44 PM 0 comments
Labels: career, children's clothing manufacturing, FREE STUFF
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Eat this, not that
Unless you are dieting - you MUST give these a try! Jason and I are actually trying to eat healthy these days, but I could no resist these at the grocery yesterday. No bake Reese's Dessert Bars! Yummmmm.....
Stay tuned to the website and blog - I will be marking several items on sale in the next week or so!
Also - good news! Order tracking has been fixed and all orders placed after Sept. 25 will be tracked. That's all for tonight....might go snag one more dessert bar before bed! Yeah, that's healthy alright....
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 9:49 PM 0 comments
Labels: Fall, family, Sales, vendor shows
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Depths of Despair No More!
Without going into too much depressing detail, I have truly been in the dumps this past week. I don't know what got me there - could be a combination of things - but I know what got me out....
I think I had been so cooped up in my sewing room trying to crank out orders just as fast as I can.....without drowning.....that I had just gotten too overwhelmed. Last night I took a little break and had a quick dinner with the girls at Surin 280 -Thai....yummy. Anyway, I think it is just what I needed to get me back in gear.
Today, I finished my "to do" list by 3pm! I am officially on schedule to have all current orders out the door by the end of the week. Well most of them at least. I'm picking up from Judy tomorrow, so after some final touches, all of you that have outstanding orders will be fulfilled! A few exceptions...but I feel confident that by next week almost everyone will be happy!
On another note - PLEASE join me on Twitter! I really didn't get this site at first, but boy is it fantastic for networking and ADDICTIVE!
Ok, off to watch Lipstick Jungle! Back to work tomorrow! I am trying to learn to have a break once in a while so I dont go completely insane. :)
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 8:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: children's clothing manufacturing, Friends, life, starting a children's clothing line
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Originally uploaded by jasongarner
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 12:13 PM 0 comments
Labels: children's clothing manufacturing, Fall, Sales
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Hang 'em high! Another Room Revamp
I got new drapes back in July after visiting a friend's house which had been completely redecorated sparing no cost! We finally got them hung this weekend! I, on the other hand, must "spare cost", so though these curtains were not custom made and are not made of dupioni silk like I wish they were, I think they turned out nicely and really did wonders for the room.
I had to get out an issue of Traditional Home magazine to prove to my husband that you are supposed to hang your curtains this high these days! I have watched enough HGTV to know that! It really does make the room look bigger and taller and "grander".
Next step is to re-cover the chairs in the fabric pictured below. It is from the Amy Butler Nigella collection which is a home decor sateen.
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 9:52 PM 1 comments
Labels: bedroom revamp, life, neato fabrics
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Pettiskirt Halloween Costumes are Here!
Pettiskirt Halloween Costumes are now at Sweet Dreams Designs for a limited time! Much more reasonably priced than many competitor prices as well. Top is not included but can be added for a small additional charge! Get ready for Trick or Treating and please allow 2 weeks for delivery! These would make awesome photos!
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 3:33 PM 0 comments
Labels: Fall, new stuff, Photo Shoot
Friday, September 12, 2008
New Appliqued Birthday Dress
August 08 - 007
Originally uploaded by lesteal624
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 6:05 PM 0 comments
If you're scared, say you're scared!
Ok, I'm scared! Take a look at this monster of a machine that I got today! Wow - if I wasn't "for real" before, I am now. This 10 year old Yamata Serger came from a factory that closed down a while back. It is up and running like a charm and makes a BEAUtiful stitch! This baby's gonna cut my time in half for sure. No more stitching, then trimming, then coverstitching. This does it all in one step and at about a million stitches a minute! no......Not really, but it is super fast. In order to make room for it, please check out my pitiful computer work station:
Yes, that is a TV tray....seriously.
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 12:32 PM 0 comments
Labels: children's clothing manufacturing, sewing
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Spring Fabrics in and Sample Sale
This was one of those mornings I got up and said...."I need to blog". I think "vent" would be a more appropriate word, but before I get to that I have a few updates.
This Sunday, September 14th from 2pm - 5pm I will be holding Sweet Dreams Designs' first ever Sample Sale at my home. I'll be selling off the samples used at shows this season as well as seasons past. There will be fall items as well as items from last summer and a few items from seasons past. I will also have some items from Thirtyone gifts (more samples) that I will be selling - all at a discounted price.
If you are in the Birmingham metro area or just feel like making the drive - please send me an email requesting directions: email@example.com
Second update worth mentioning is, I JUST opened my huge box of brand new fabrics for the Spring 2009 line and they are so beautiful! I absolutely can't wait to get started on the new designs. Judy has already made a couple of pieces and I have one completed outfit here that I have finished. My goal is to have most everything (at least one sample of each) ready for a photoshoot in early-mid October. I have already contacted April at Once in Every Life and we are going to work together again on the Spring photoshoot - yea!
Now onto the venting:
Before I can get started on the Spring line I must finish up 20 online orders (6 of which must be finished before the 25th). In addition, I had three parties this past week - all with a very good turnout and large party totals. On top of that I still have two parties from early August that are not quite finished yet. Needless to say I am really covered up in orders!
Am I complaining? NO! Absolutely NOT! However, I am a little overwhelmed! The response to the Fall line has been out of this world - more than I ever expected. Also, my website is really making its name these days. I am getting more hits and more orders than ever before which is fantastic! I also have more wholesale applications than ever, which is something I just can't take on right now. I have had to turn down every new application that has come in lately due to the fact that I just don't have the resources to produce enough for the wholesale accounts. I will begin accepting wholesale accounts in the spring when the line is put together and I can breathe again! It is really too late in the season to continue pushing out fall at wholesale anyway.
So, all that being said I have really got to get busy. This week has already been a doozie and it is only Wednesday....with a March of Dimes committee meeting at my house this evening, my new industrial serger (yea!) being delivered tomorrow, preparation for the Sample Sale on Friday and Saturday and the actual sale on Sunday - it doesn't look like things are going to slow down anytime soon!
I have really begun to notice the work of God in this business. Though I don't thank him nearly enough I know all of the success that has been achieved this far is because I asked Him for it - and boy did he deliver!
Ok - I feel better now - off to the sewing machine!
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 7:27 AM 0 comments
Labels: career, Fall, life, Photo Shoot, starting a children's clothing line, Thirty-one, Trunk Show
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Handpainted Children's Clothing - Dresses & Jon Jons!
I've written about my mother in law before, and if you read it you know how talented she is! She came in town again this week to help and visit and while she was here we finally got around to doing something we have talked about forever! I had bought several knit cotton dresses and jon jons (in the hopes to monogram and applique them for Cottontails Village - more about that later). Anyway, we have been talking about doing some hand painting on them and decided to experiment this week. When I saw WE I mean SHE - I am NOT a painter!
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 10:30 AM 2 comments
Labels: Design Ideas, Fall, family, new stuff
In the Garden Again
One of my first posts featured pictures I had taken of our back yard on a pretty day - that was a little over a year ago if you can believe it! I had just quit my job at Boatright. (I failed to write a post on my one year anniversary of my new full time job! It would have been a good one!)
Anyway, yesterday the weather was so nice - brisk almost. So, I took my camera outside and took a few pictures of our roses that are blooming.
These are some Zinnias that I planted from seed I collected TWO years ago from dead flower heads! I was so impressed with how they turned out. I am going to plant a BUNCH more this year. I put the seeds in pots first and then transplanted them to the garden when they were hardy enough. I'm going to start a little earlier this year.
And, last but not least - I LOVE this picture of Bella! She always looks so regal, but I like the way this one turned out best - maybe its her backdrop. Actually, she looks kind of sad or mad in this pic! Gotta love that face.
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 9:11 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Jackson in his Auburn Jon Jon
Posted by SweetDreamsDesigns at 8:54 PM 1 comments
Labels: Auburn Football, Design Ideas, Fall, Friends


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(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.
Dominic Daley and James Halligan were two Irishmen from Boston who were tried and executed in 1806, in Northampton, Massachusetts, for a murder they did not commit. Francis Blake, one of the defense lawyers, focused on the anti-Catholic, Irish-hating atmosphere of the trial in his summation: "Pronounce then a verdict against them! Tell them that the name of an Irishman is, among us, but another name for a robber and an assassin: . . . that when a crime of unexampled atrocity is perpetrated amongst us, we look for an Irishman; . . . that the moment he is accused, he is presumed to be guilty until his innocence is proved." Northampton was not an isolated case. There were strong anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant sentiments in all of Massachusetts during the early part of the 19th century.
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"Irish Immigration" article from the Greenfield Gazette and Franklin Herald newspaper
"Proceedings on the Trial of the Dominic Daley and James Halligan"
"Paupers in Massachusetts" article from the Gazette and Courier newspaper
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text:
MeenGacro necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 37 diseños de 9 diseñadores freelance.
Zans Mountain
I am an indie game developer from Germany and i have published my first app on the AppStore two months ago. Sales numbers have been rather average so far and i want to push the sales curve by placing ad banners on iPhone game sites and forums.
Before i place an offer for the banner ads, i have decided to focus on the two main characters of the game and ask outsiders for improved design suggestions. Of course, the designers of Roland and Micks also have a good chance to get the project for the banner ads.
Roland is a knight of the realms and he is quite proud of it. He is a hands-on knight and he has successfully fought many battles against the foes of the Realms and returned from really dangerous quests. He has never really cared about women and because he is already in his thirties, his father decided to send him on a quest to rescue a beautiful princess and slay a mighty old dragon and some dungeon inhabitants along the way.
I have already a design for Knight Roland, but i am not really happy with it. The Knight Roland on the picture is too nice and stereotype for my game and i really want to have this altered. He should have a more pronounced lower jaw and a (almost ridiculous) self-confident face expression. I like the idea of a somewhat crusader-like design. I have attached the old design of Knight Roland to this overview.
Fans of fantasy and roleplaying games (computer and pen&paper) like HeroQuest, AD&D, Magic The Gathering, Munchkin, the Ultima series, Dragons Lair and others
The picture needs to be of size 100 x 100 and will be used as a picture for a trading-card-like widget in the computer game. You can use every style you want, although most other pictures of the ingame-trading-cards have the characteristics of paintings. The character on the picture might be included in the ad banners later.
The theme of the game itself is a "raid". The player should have the feeling of breaking into this neat dungeon, significantly depleting its inhabitants, taking all the gold, and still be considered one of the good guys. If you listen to the soundtrack "the rogue" by daryl banner on audiojungle.com you get the idea.
You may also download or check the free version of the game on the App Store: Zans Mountain Lite.
You may also be interested in my launched projects for the evil dragon Zan, Wizard Apprentice Micks and the trading card design for the game.


text:
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When Jesus preached a sermon, told a parable, or gave a discourse, He always used object lessons that were familiar to His hearers in order to illustrate His point...
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Scientists Prove it: Men and Women See Things Differently
A study of eye movements in the two sexes has spotted some sizable differences, especially involving images of people.
Both men and women preferred looking at the female when presented with images of heterosexual couples—but the preference was stronger for women, who were also more drawn to the female body in the image. Men focused mainly on the face. And men were more likely to make direct eye contact, while the women, perhaps more inclined to anticipate danger, were more likely to avert their gaze slightly.
Differences in eye movements between men and women were large enough that researchers could predict the sex of a study participant with 64 percent accuracy based on responses to a single image from an action or romantic film.