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Friday, June 19, 2009
Fiber Friday
The last two fibers are Sweetgeorgia's Fiber Club April and May. I'm looking forward to spinning that up as well. June Fiber is already on its way. Oh, and by the way. I've not renewed my Sock Clubs ( I never want to knit the patterns anyway), but/because I got into HelloYarn Fiber Club!!! Yeah! Thanks to somebody who did not renew there was an open spot for meeeeee!
I'm also going to show you my WIP's. Here's the never ending twisted stitch sock(s). Twisting stitches all the time sure is slow going. The pattern was written for knee highs, but I didn't have enough yarn in my stash for knee highs, so I decided I really wanted to knit this pair, but only for socks. I'm further along than this picture. I finished the big motif you can see here, and the little bell underneath. There should be three or four bells, but for socks it's only got place for one bell. Good enough for me.
Knitting, crocheting or sewing some shopping bags is an ongoing thing right now. Since they started to charge for plastic bags in stores, I've used these bags. We used to use the plastic grocery bags for dog poop removal, but we bought a bunch of biodegradable ones for that now. It's fun to have so many different and colorful reusable bags to go shopping with. I hope I have enough of this yarn left to finish the bag. It's Noro Sakura, left over from my Sakura shawl. I really would not know what else to do with this yarn. Here you see it bottom up.
Believe it or not, here's my Oatmeal Garter Yoke Cardi, as far as I've gotten. I'm mighty proud of myself for starting it, and getting so far, because I had to make modifications to the pattern. I need a larger size as given. I did some mods at the underarm (will explain more in a later post). I had to do some bust shaping, which I had to figure out for myself. I haven't found a link to exactly what I was looking for, but I got some ideas here. You can actually SEE the bust shaping, don't you? :o) I'm using Patons Classic Wool Merino in Oatmeal. It's a nice enough yarn. I'm looking forward to this being finished and fingers crossed, it will fit too! I'm working on this instead of a new blanket for the time being. It should be ready for fall weather, well at least that's my goal. I do get sore shoulders working on this, or maybe I'll get used to it and it will go faster. Maybe.
Meanwhile I'm waiting for Bea's English version of her new sock pattern. I've chosen the yarn, needles are ready, but I don't have to be idle until she's done, as you can see.
Biko is fine according to the Vet. The bloodwork is fine, and she's in excellent shape. We all agreed, that the seizure was a one time event. She's enjoying her car rides, they can never be long enough.
21 comments:
- hannah said...
That fiber stash looks so yummy!! I love the colours. The sock looks very promising.
The bag will be lovely too, nice colours are in this yarn.
The cardigan looks fine to me. Once you know were to use the bust shaping it isn't that difficult isn't it?
I am happy to read that Biko is fine again.
- June 19, 2009 5:36 a.m.
- Alexandra said...
Wow that's gorgeous fiber! I'm so jealous, I want to learn how to spin too! Can't wait to see how you spin it!
The socks look great - what a pretty pattern! The cardigan looks very nice too! I'm sure your modifications will be perfect!
Wishing you and Biko a nice weekend! :)
- June 19, 2009 6:01 a.m.
- Renata S. P. said...
Oh, I loved the second and the last fiber!! They are so gorgeous!!
I also liked the crochet bag you are doing, by the way, I like everything with many colors =D
I'm glad to see that Biko is fine =))
Have a nice weekend!
- June 19, 2009 7:24 a.m.
- Dave said...
Lovely new fibre -- I'm looking forward to seeing the humbugs spun up!
- June 19, 2009 7:53 a.m.
- lexa said...
Glad that Biko got a clean bill of health. :)
- June 19, 2009 8:22 a.m.
- GoldenTracks said...
Your fiber stash makes me think of a summer flower garden.
What a great thing to make your own tote bags. I feel the charge for bags or the total outlaw of them is coming soon here in the US....We buy doggie bags by the roll but what will people with house cats do?
Glad to hear Biko is fine and enjoying the car rides. May the stress of the loss of Samson was the trigger.
Gonna have to check out that cardi pattern..
Enjoy your weekend!
- June 19, 2009 9:04 a.m.
- Agnes said...
The sock pattern is looking very interesting to me ... though I don't really enjoy twisted stitch all the time!
Good to know Biko is doing well.
Nice weekend to you.
- June 19, 2009 9:54 a.m.
- Frieda said...
The fiber stas looks luscious . you're going to be busy !
Love the socks and the cardigan too! I keep seeing all these wonderful market bags popping up all over the place . Gotta get myself better organized , my knitting queue is overun with ideas !
Glad to hear that Biko's fine . I wish Bingo was better in the car . He's so hyper , even a short trip is an ordeal .
- June 19, 2009 9:58 a.m.
what pattern is the socks? I LOVE it! The fiber flashing is super pretty! :)
- June 19, 2009 11:00 a.m.
- Sharon V said...
I'm so glad you made the comment you did about Jacob fiber. With hand painted fiber and online shopping, I always get sucked in by the colors. And your color choices are wonderful.
I giving a sigh of relief that Biko is well.
Have a happy weekend.
- June 19, 2009 11:04 a.m.
- knottygnome said...
wow, that is a lot of really pretty fiber! can't wait to see it all spun up.
nice short-rows. :-) not being blessed in the chest department i've never needed them but i've always wanted to try the technique.
- June 19, 2009 12:14 p.m.
Hi There, love the bottom of the crochet bag , is there a pattern? , looks like its a nice big size, Judy ~~~
- June 19, 2009 4:34 p.m.
- Carrie K said...
Glad to hear Biko's okay.
The cardigan looks cute and not nearly as if it caused you that much trouble! Which is good.
All that gorgeous fiber!
I like how twisting the stitches makes the pattern & even the rib pop.
- June 19, 2009 5:30 p.m.
That's a lot of fiber! You'll have fun spinning it all up. That's good about Biko getting a clean bill of health. It was probably just stress.
- June 19, 2009 9:29 p.m.
- eClaire said...
It's good to know that Biko is well and that a good car ride is still a good car ride. The sweater looks great too! Can't wait to see the finished product.
- June 19, 2009 10:16 p.m.
I like that Sakura - I'm tempted to buy some to make a bag, but I'm on a yarn diet, so I'll just admire.....
Margie in Maryland
- June 20, 2009 2:44 p.m.
- Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...
Wonderful news about Biko :)
So much going on in this post! First, I love HelloYarn and am jealous of your getting into her fiber club - personally I have my heart set on her Fiddlehead mitten kits so if you ever see those available let me know!!!
They don't charge for plastic bags down here but that is coming. Like you I use them for doggie droppings :) Your's is a lovely bag and I need to get hopping making one too!
Good luck on the cardi!
- June 21, 2009 4:13 p.m.
- Kris said...
Wow, nice variety of fiber. I really like the colors of all of them. I agree twisted stitches are a pain but boy does it make the stitches pop out at you, very pretty.
I really dislike making modifications to patterns. It makes me keep second guessing myself. I hope the mods work out for you and you get a good fit.
I'm so glad to hear that Biko is doing good.
- June 22, 2009 8:02 a.m.
- lu said...
Que lindo teu trabalho!!
Parabéns pelas mãos abençoadas que tens!O colorido de tuas lãs me encanta
Aqui em minha região temos muitas ovelhas, mas só temos á venda lãs sintéticas, o que é lastimável.
Um grande abraço
- June 23, 2009 9:39 p.m.
- 2paw said...
I am so please to hear Biko is well and she looks very regai sitting there in the car: about to wave to the masses!!!
- June 25, 2009 9:46 p.m.
- Monica aka Gloria Patre said...
Monika - we have a real problem here - I am in serious danger of running away from home and taking up residence in your fiber cupboard!!! Those braids all look good enough to eat - or just roll in for hours!! WoW!
- June 30, 2009 12:37 p.m.


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2.16 p.m.
Lord McNair: My Lords, I too am grateful to the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury for initiating the debate and for the way in which he did so. Clearly, all is not right with the world and particularly not with our part of it, and by that I mean the country in which we live. In fact the moral and spiritual wellbeing of our society has been so undermined in several parts of the country that the kind of society that does exist is not one that assists the survival of its members, but one which engenders fear, insecurity and despair.
Agreements about what is important and how to behave towards other people are the things that hold a society together. I could go further and suggest that a society is simply a group of people bound together by certain agreements, a certain liking and respect for each other and a common voice. I perceive that these are disintegrating. There is a temptation for some to regard matters such as we are discussing today as grist to the mill. For a journalist, social decay may provide material for so many column inches per week; for a politician, a platform; and for a drug company, a lucrative new market. This militates against progress in resolving them.
I have intervened in today's debate because I have what I know is a constructive suggestion to make, one which is promoting moral and spiritual well-being wherever it is introduced. First, however, I would like to pick up the point which was made by the most reverend Primate, by my noble friend Lady Seear and also, I think, by the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, about moral relativity. I can shed light on possibly the main source of this doctrine by quoting some brief extracts from some speeches that were made at a gathering in Ottawa in 1944. The first is:
"The reinterpretation and eventually eradication of the concept of right and wrong which has been the basis of child training, the substitution of intelligent and rational thinking for faith in the certainties of the old people, these are the belated objectives of practically all effective psychotherapy".The speaker continued:
"If the race is to be freed from its crippling burden of good and evil it must be psychiatrists that take this original responsibility".He then unwittingly foreshadowed our present predicament when he said:
"The pretence is made ... that to do away with right and wrong would produce uncivilized people, immorality, lawlessness and social chaos".No comment. So how were this supposedly omniscient psychiatrist and his colleagues proposing to establish their new social order? One of them told the same gathering:
"We must aim to make [our point of view] permeate every educational activity in our national life: primary, secondary, university and technical education are all concerned with varying stages in the development of the child and the adolescent".He continued:
"... we have made a useful attack on a number of professions. The two easiest of them naturally are the teaching profession and the church: the two most difficult are the law and medicine... If we are to infiltrate the professional and social activities of other people I think we must imitate the Totalitarians and organise some kind of fifth column activity!"That is what they did.
All these statements were made by the two founders of the World Federation of Mental Health, Dr. R.J. Rees and Dr. Brock Chishoim, at its inaugural meeting in Ottawa in 1944. There was much more in the same vein. We have only to look around us to see how far these gentlemen have succeeded in their endeavours.
Leaving the brave new world envisioned by Dr. Rees and Dr. Chisholm in 1944, we now journey back in time to the fourth quarter of the 19th century. The year 1879 saw the start of the career of Wilhelm Wundt, the father of psychology. Moved by a strong conviction that man was an animal, a biochemical machine, Wundt presented his view to the world as scientific doctrine. His students later boasted "that psychology had at last become a science without a soul",
As a historical footnote, that theory had immense attractions for Bismarck: if man had no soul, then it mattered not what you did to him nor what you made him do to others. Moral considerations were a thing of the past. Subsequent events in Germany may well be seen in that light.
Wundt's ideas have had an immense effect on our subsequent social history and particularly on education, though through two separate but not so different paths: psychology and psychiatry. Both those approaches can easily be demonstrated to have had a malign effect on both education and morals. One of the effects obviously was the World Federation of Mental Health.
Education has traditionally embraced the teaching of both moral and spiritual values. That principle was specifically targeted by the pioneers of "educational psychology" as inappropriate and "unscientific". The introduction into schools of "social training" was based on the psychological idea that it is stressful and unfair to educate or discipline children away from violence, sexual promiscuity and drug taking. That has led to an erosion of the values taught in schools. Self-discipline is regarded as producing stress and therefore it should not be taught.
One operation based on the strategy of the World Federation of Mental Health was to persuade religious organisations to take up the idea of psychological counselling and thereby to undermine the idea of personal responsibility. One psychologist .by the name of Coulson - I regret that I do not know the church or denomination with which he was involved - pursued that endeavour for about 25 years and then came clean when he realised how destructive his work had been. Noble Lords may have noticed how, every time there is. some natural or man-made disaster, the psychologists are on hand with their stress counselling. How much better it would be to provide practical, down-to-earth help and pastoral counselling which emphasises the spiritual aspects of life.
There is a particular approach which anyone who cares about the teaching of morals should fight to the death. It is called outcome-based education. What has happened is that psychologists have wrested control of the purpose of education from educators. That is definitely something which any politicians who try to rescue education from academic disaster will have to tackle, otherwise their efforts will founder.
Reflecting on the increasingly multi-faith nature of British society, it is clear to me, at least, that the conflicting, competing but often overlapping philosophies and theologies cannot all be true in an absolute sense. Apart from a few of the adherents of each with completely closed minds, most people would allow that there are many paths to developing one's spirituality or understanding of oneself in relation to life and the infinite. But today unfortunately many people have fallen away from any understanding of themselves as spiritual beings at all. I have friends who are members of the Baha'i faith. I have been taken with their view and definition of spirituality, which is that it is found in those thoughts and actions which express the higher aspects of our humanity, such as being worthy of trust, respecting oneself and others, caring for others and one's environment, loving and helping children and so on. If we think about it, it should be obvious that all those expressions of humanity are in fact expressions of human spirituality and are in fact pro-survival. That is the connection between the moral and the spiritual well-being of society. Making those precepts part of one's operating basis not only enables one to survive but increases the survival of others.
So how do we promote the moral and spiritual well-being of society? I have one suggestion, which is offered to the House with a sense of humility. I am acutely aware that there are many noble Lords in this Chamber and many speaking in this debate who have devoted their lives to exploring and understanding the matters that we are discussing today. I have here a small booklet which is a commonsense guide to living a better life. It is the subject of an essay-writing and practical project competition involving 300,000 children from about 4,000 schools in the United States. It was officially credited with helping to prevent violence during South Africa's first multi-racial elections.
In one town in Alabama the recidivism rate among young offenders has been reduced from 80 per cent. to around 10 per cent. by using the booklet as part of a programme of basic education. It is also used most effectively in around 450 prisons in the United States as a tool for rehabilitating criminals. Over 52 million copies have been distributed in one form or another around the world and always it has a calming effect on whatever dangerous situation obtains.
The problem with moral codes is twofold. First, they tend to be religion specific. Secondly, they tend to be presented as simple imperatives. What is needed is a code that can elicit the agreement and activate the participation of the increasingly large majority of our people who do not consider themselves actively religious. Some do not even understand that they are spiritual beings. It must appeal to the head as much as to the heart and be widely accepted as the basis for relations with others as well as with the physical environment and other life forms.
The guide is written in plain modern English and has been translated, so far, into 20 other languages. It is not prescriptive, but rather engages the mind of the reader to reflect on the consequences of being in proximity with others who do not practise the 21 moral precepts that it contains. That enables the reader to make inferences about his own behaviour. It proved exceedingly successful in all the contexts I mentioned earlier.
By approaching the teaching of morals in this way it is possible to build a shared sense of what is ethical and right behaviour. That shared sense is, by definition, the regrowth of the agreements, the mutual respect and the feeling of being in communication with one's fellows to which I referred at the beginning of my remarks. It also forms part of the programme used by the World Literacy Crusade. That movement started in south central Los Angeles, the epicentre of the 1992 riots, and is now spreading to other towns and cities in the USA as a result of its success in persuading children to leave the gangs and continue with their education.
The World Literacy Crusade has the active support of several famous people, including Isaac Hayes, the Black American composer and singer. I would like to see programmes based on that commonsense guide to better living piloted in the kinds of situations I mentioned. I would welcome approaches from anyone who is really looking for a way to improve the moral basis of society. Since the booklet is completely secular it could be used, for example, by a youth club that was specifically Christian, specifically Islamic, specifically Hindu or any other kind to excellent effect in teaching moral values to its members.
The guide, called simply The Way to Happiness distills the essence of the moral teaching of the world's major religions into secular form and provides a common basis of understanding and communication among people of all ages and of different cultures. Using it, people fmd that their shared humanity. transcends the apparency of cultural or racial differences. At a school where it is used as the basis for teaching morals, children can be heard telling their peers disapprovingly, 'That's not the way to happiness".
I was pleased that the most reverend Primate was encouraging about the wide consultation being undertaken by Dr. Nick Tate at the School Curriculum Assessment Authority. In fact, earlier this year I met Dr. Tate to discuss the contribution that this moral guide might make to his initiative to bring the teaching of morals back into sharper focus in our schools. It may be that some aspect of that approach will find its way into the national curriculum. I rather hope so. One point I should like to stress is that, although it is written in secular language, it should not be regarded as representing a lowest common denominator of moral teaching; but it is a most valuable starting point.
The booklet's author, L. Ron Hubbard, wrote in an essay on the subject of ethics and morals:
"The origin of a moral code comes about when it is discovered that some act is more nonsurvival than prosurvival.This introduces the idea of survival into ethics and morals. If you think about it, it is clear that the agreements that keep a society together are what enables it to persist into the future and overcome threats to its survival in the present.
The prohibition of this act then enters into the customs of the people and may eventually become law".
Last updated 15 May 1997
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subset: commoncrawl


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Lee Lofland, who organizes WPA with Guilford Technical Community College and High Point Library, watched the new recruits come in after planning all year. He wrote his mother hen account of Thursday night as Day One, "All My Children."
My fourth year working behind the scenes shifted into gear Friday morning. Between directing recruits to firearms training and peddling souvenirs, I caught part of Detective Sluder's session on Human Trafficking. He taught us the difference between trafficking (crime against a person, involuntary) and smuggling (crime against the state, voluntary), and told us about the NHTRC resources and hotline.
|Katherine Ramsland
|Dave Pauly
Katherine got to help verify the body of Jesse James. "It's great fun to dig up old people," she said.
Dave warned that a lot of murders show no signs of forced entry — the victims let intruders schmooze their way inside. (As I was writing this, I talked to a power company rep through my locked, glass door and told him to leave the paperwork outside.)
In a crowded afternoon session, Katherine (Dr. Ramsland) explained the difference between serial killers, mass murderers and killing sprees. The definitions have changed over the years, but basically, serial killers have a down time between killings, and they plan to go on killing without getting caught. Spree killers are on the move, in sort of a suicidal car-jacking supply-stealing escape, and don't stop until someone stops them (I'm thinking Bonnie and Clyde). Mass murderers have been building up some sort of grudge or anger for years, and retaliate in an explosion of killing — not necessarily the person or people who started the grudge.
Dr. Dan Krane gave an entertaining and technical presentation on DNA forensics. As a novice DNA genealogist (who solved a 137-year-old missing person case last year), I was fascinated.
He told us what tiny amounts are needed for a DNA sample, and the importance of how the results are presented in court. In one case, a man was convicted on a partial DNA profile, when that same profile could have applied to at least three other people at the scene.
And you only need about $50-60,000 to start your own crime lab.
WPA throws in a few surprises every year. Instead of a speaker for the Night Owl session, we left the hotel to watch felony traffic stop procedures.
Traffic stop with an unknown number of suspects in the car.
"Keep your hands in the air and walk backwards."
Don't mind Lee. He's just taking pictures for The Graveyard Shift. ;-)
Here are Lee's Friday photos.


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Release date:October 27, 2006
Three couples dedicate plaques for endowed scholarships
PLAINVIEW – Three area couples celebrated the dedication of their endowed scholarship plaques at Wayland Baptist University during the Board of Trustees dinner on Oct. 26.
Leon and Dorothy Foote of Seminole dedicated a scholarship in their name to assist students at Wayland, recognizing the value of college education and in appreciation for their own knowledge gained over the years. The couple said they had been impressed by recent Wayland graduates who have joined their church and taken leadership roles and wanted to support similar students earning a Christian education.
The Footes have deep roots in Wayland and have several family members who have attended the university. One of those was an uncle, Herman Coe, who hitchhiked to Plainview from Loop in order to attend Wayland around 1923.
Lee and Nita Parks of Midland endowed the Juanita Clepper Parks Women's Athletic Scholarship Fund. Mrs. Parks played for the Flying Queens from 1949-51 and was named All American in 1951. She worked as a substitute teacher for many years.
Mr. Parks worked for Henry Engineering and with Fasken Oil and Ranch for 25 years before retiring. The couple has four sons and 12 grandchildren, and they count it a privilege "to be a part of Wayland's excellent stewardship in Christian education."
Clinton and Gerry Kennedy endowed a scholarship in memory of his brother, Edwin Lee Kennedy, who was severely mentally and physically handicapped and died at the age of 15. The scholarship is designated with concern and compassion to support students with physical or mental challenges to enable them to further their education and lead more productive lives.
Mr. Kennedy, a native of Lamesa and 40-year employee of the Farmers Home Administration, and Mrs. Kennedy, a native of Crosbyton, were faithful members of First Baptist Church in Muleshoe, then First Baptist Church in Plainview and sang in the choir at both churches. He served as a deacon and coordinated the nursing home and homebound ministries in Plainview for many years and was active in Faith in Sharing House community food bank. The Kennedys have two married daughters and four grandchildren.
Scholarships are created with gifts from donors and reach endowment stage once the fund totals $25,000. Funds are invested with the Baptist Foundation of Texas and interest is used annually to provide scholarships for students in need. Scholarship funds have no limit to how large the corpus can be and donors may continue contributing to the fund once endowment is reached.
For more information on endowed scholarships, contact the office of advancement at (806) 291-3425.


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Kevin12 needed a new other design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 14 designs submitted by 4 freelance designers.
True Wealth Design
We are an investment advisory and financial planning firm in Fairlawn, Ohio that assists individuals and businesses with their overall wealth management, including financial planning, retirement planning, investment management, and tax planning needs.
Our existing clients are in their mid-50's close to retirement age or already retired generally with $500k plus in assets under management.
We are looking at purchasing Presentation Folders through the Vistaprint website. We would like the finished version of our design in PDF format. Design specs can be found by clicking on the following link: http://www.vistaprint.com/presentat…ng=1982665. We are Certified Financial Planner professionals and would like this to be indicated on the design as well as the CFP logo. Our firm logo and CFP logo files are attached. Please incorporate these in the design. Additionally we do not want our address on the folders but do want our web address and possibly our mission statement shown on our homepage. We would like to use these folders for a long time, therefore they need to be somewhat general and presented at the firm level, not just for Kevin Kroskey, the President. Please let us know if you have any questions.


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Congressional efforts to trim the federal budget deficit in recent days are a reminder of the need for continued vigilance on the part of farm groups, the National Cotton Council's chairman says.
During the debate over H.R. 1, the continuing resolution needed to fund the federal government on March 4, Charles Parker says a number of amendments were offered that were what farm groups considered to be "direct attacks" on agricultural programs.
"One of those was (Wisconsin) Rep. Ron Kind's amendment to prevent funding of the annual payment to Brazil – which was one of the terms of our government's agreement with that country to avoid trade sanctions," Parker told farmers attending the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis.
"In addition, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., offered a payment limitation amendment that would establish an overall limit of $250,000 per person for the sum of all payments. Thankfully, both Kind and Blumenauer's amendments were soundly defeated."
Parker, a ginner and farmer from Senath, Mo., who became chairman of the NCC at its annual meeting in San Antonio, said the Council was appreciative of the support from Cotton Belt members of Congress during the debate on H.R. 1.
"These events should serve as a sobering reminder of the difficulties facing agriculture and cotton," he said. "There will be numerous other budget-related battles ahead when Congress debates the budget and debt-ceiling limit."
Parker said the Council worked throughout 2010 to maintain constant contact with Congress and with administration officials on a host of legislative and regulatory issues, including farm bill implementation, the Administration's budget proposal, the WTO Brazil trade dispute, new farm legislation, and a number of key regulatory issues.
"In the area of farm bill implementation, the Council has continued to work for the provisions to be implemented in a manner that is consistent with the statute and Congressional intent," he said. "The Council has made it clear that USDA should not compound the uncertainty and economic stress by changing and undermining the farm safety net of the 2008 farm bill."
In preparation for the 2012 farm bill, the Council's Farm Policy Task Force has been re-appointed and has been meeting regularly. "The task force has directed Council staff to prepare an assessment of alternatives so that during the next farm bill debate, our industry will be prepared for every possibility," he noted.
The Council also joined with other organizations in a letter to Senate leadership to convey its support for permanently raising the estate tax exemption to no less than $5 million per person and reducing the top rate to no more than 35 percent.
Other issues have included:
- Working with other agricultural organizations to promote Congressional approval for Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski's resolution to repeal EPA's greenhouse gas endangerment finding;
- Filing extensive comments to EPA's draft general permit proposal for pesticide applications, while strongly supporting legislation to amend FIFRA to exclude applications from permitting requirements if used according to label requirements; and
- Conveying the industry's concerns on a broad array of environmental issues during a special meeting with USDA Secretary Vilsack and EPA Administrator Jackson.
Parker also commented on the current situation in the cotton markets, although he said he would not talk about cotton prices, leaving that area to Allenberg Cotton's Joe Nicosia, another speaker at the Gin Show.
"In 2010, one of the most encouraging developments was the upturn in cotton's global demand and the fact that the world needs more cotton – particularly – particularly in rapidly developing economies like China and India. I am very pleased to note that the Council's export promotion arm, Cotton Council International, is well positioned and committed to capitalize on this opportunity.
Parker led a CCI team to China last September to meet with representatives of "our largest customer" last September.
"In one area, we toured an experimental farm that had about 40 acres of cotton," he said. "You know, they don't use Pix in China. But, in one of those fields, they had cut the top out of every plant with scissors.
"We also learned they like our cotton in China," he said. "They want to buy U.S. cotton."


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Ughhh!!! I feel your pain.Miista Cullen wrote:I think it's a gross mix, Laugh.Out.Loud.
I think I might delete my bebo then just make a better one, because I have so many friends I don't even know and that are from England and Portugal and Tukey and all. And it's stupid how people add you, yet they don't comment you. And when you comment them, they say "Who is this" when they're the ones who added you. And then you deny it and say that they added you. Then they deny and say that you added them. And it's too much of a hassle. And at the moment, I'm getting all these private messages and comment from these girls I don't know saying, "Do you wanna see me on webcam??" or "I'm on webcam now and there's something I need o show you" and it's just all stupid and crap now.
Thats why I wanna' delete it and mak a new one ^_^
I had all these h*rny turks add me begging me to go on cam. I was like "Who are you?" *delete*
Nothing against turks, I just had about 7 of them add me! lol.
But I don't have that problem. I have 18 friends on myspace. LOL.
Anyone that doesn't talk, or is not an immidiate friend, I delete.
My friends joke around saying I have ODD. Obsessive Deletion Disorder.


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Video: Philly News Anchor & Meteorologist Throw Epic Shade At Each Other
Nigel Campbell | June 4, 2013
Apparently the weather forecast in Philly calls for all tea and all shade, at least that's what we're gathering based on the interaction between saucy news anchor Nicole Brewer and meteorologist Carol Erickson.
The promise of these passive aggressive exchanges, brought to us by Gawker, would be enough to perk us up in the morning! Who needs coffee?!
Take a look at what the ladies of Philadelphia's CBS 3 News are serving on a daily basis.
We CANNOT.
Team Nicole or Team Carol, Instincters?
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Chris Womersley
author of Bereft, which has been shortlisted for 2011 Miles Franklin Award,
and The Low Road
Ten Terrifying Questions
1. To begin with why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?
I was born in Melbourne in 1968, and have lived in that city for most of my life, aside from periods travelling overseas and living in Sydney and the UK. I went to a few schools, but ended up at Melbourne High School where I did my HSC.
2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?
At 12 I wanted to be an archaeologist because I liked the idea of hanging out in Egypt. At 18 I wanted to be a rock star because I liked the idea of hanging out in mansions in the south of France. At 30 I wanted to be a writer because there seemed there was little else I could actually do.
3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you do not have now?
When I was 18 I tended – as many of us do at that age – to view the world in rather black-and-white terms. Since then I have learnt that the world is actually more complex and harder to pin down, which is necessary for a novelist, because it helps me create more interesting characters and stories.
4. What were three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?
I vividly recall seeing the Sergio Leone film The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, which had a great effect on me as a 12-year-old or so.
Wuthering Heights was also a great influence, a story of intense love and violence.
I also loved The US band The Velvet Underground, who produced music that was by turns beautiful and terrifying. It's often said The Velvet Underground only sold 1000 copies of their first album in 1968, but every person who bought it was inspired to start their own band.
5. Considering the innumerable artistic avenues open to you, why did you choose to write a novel?
The novel still strikes me as the most involved art-form we have, the narrative form that can still go deeper and take people further than any other.
6. Please tell us about your latest novel…
Bereft is set in the immediate aftermath of World War One during the Spanish Influenza pandemic. A returned soldier named Quinn Walker returns to a country town in rural NSW where he meets a young girl he comes to believe is the ghost of his murdered sister. Bereft is about loss and longing, the way families and communities deal with grief. It is a ghost story and a love story.
(BBGuru: Here's the publisher's synopsis –
It is 1919. The Great War has ended, but the Spanish flu epidemic is raging through Australia. Schools are closed, state borders are guarded by armed men, and train travel is severely restricted. There are rumours it is the end of the world.
In the NSW town of Flint, Quinn Walker returns to the home he fled ten years earlier when he was accused of an unspeakable crime. Aware that his father and uncle would surely hang him, Quinn hides in the hills surrounding Flint. There, he meets a mysterious young girl called Sadie Fox, who encourages him to seek justice — and seems to know more about the crime than she should.
A searing gothic novel of love, longing, and revenge, Bereft is about the suffering endured by those who go to war and those who are forever left behind. Read the Prologue here)
7. What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?
I want readers to be compelled by the hook of the narrative, moved by the emotion of the story and intrigued by the possibilities of longing people back to life.
8. Whom do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?
That's very hard to narrow down. I admire Joyce Carol Oates' productivity and her ability to write in whatever genre the story needs to be told, without fear or favour.
(BBGuru: Click here for an incomplete list of Chris' favourite things.)
9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?
Each time I set out to write a novel, I try to write something that has never been written before. I usually try and write the novel that I would like to read but hasn't yet been written.
10. What advice do you give aspiring writers?
Read everything you can get your hands on, write a lot and persevere.
Chris, thank you for playing.
About the Contributor
John Purcell
While still in his twenties, John Purcell opened a second-hand bookshop in Mosman, Sydney, in which he sat for ten years reading, ranting and writing. Since then he has written, under a pseudonym, a series of very successful novels, interviewed hundreds of writers about their work, appeared at writers' festivals, on TV (most bizarrely in comedian Luke McGregor's documentary Luke Warm Sex) and has been featured in prominent newspapers and magazines. Now, as the Director of Books at booktopia.com.au, Australia's largest online bookseller, he supports Australian writing in all its forms. He lives in Sydney with his wife, two children, three dogs, five cats, unnumbered gold fish and his overlarge book collection. His novel, The Girl on the Page, will be published by HarperCollins Australia in October, 2018.


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To apply for WIC benefits, you must visit a WIC agency near you. For additional assistance finding a WIC agency, please contact TEL-LINK at 1-800-TEL-LINK or 1-800-835-5465.
The WIC program provides breastfeeding support, nutrition education, referrals to appropriate health agencies, and nutritious foods for eligible applicants.
WIC serves pregnant women, non-breastfeeding postpartum women (up to 6 months after delivery or termination of the pregnancy), breastfeeding women (up to 1 year after delivery as long as they are breastfeeding the baby), infants from birth up to 1 year of age, and children up to their 5th birthday.All applicants must meet income guidelines.
Individuals who meet income and category guidelines will be assessed for nutritional risk factors during the certification process.


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Mention Lemon Grass, Cymbopogon citratus, and it immediately conjures up the aromas and magic of the East. Here in the UK only the stems are available from supermarkets for use in the kitchen.
It was not until I started growing Lemon Grass at the Herb Farm that I discovered how amazingly useful and flavoursome the leaves are both in the kitchen and for herbal remedies.
Lemon Grass is indigenous to Southeast Asia. Records show that the Persians were using it as a tea in the first century BC. The first time I drank it as a herbal tea was when I visited Malaysia, it was served cold, which was surprising, but once drunk, one realised that it was a truly refreshing drink that cleared the palate and helped one unwind after a long journey.
All of us at Jekka's Herb farm are extremely excited that we have joined forces with the Canton Tea Co to launch a range of Herb infusions, one of which is Lemon Grass.
Canton Tea are very resourceful at sourcing their teas and this is no exception. I was very pleased to receive from them the following photographs which depicts the Lemon Grass plantation at the Amba estate in Sri Lanka
and not only shows the immense care that is taken in growing it organically but also how carefully it is harvested.
Once harvested the grass is cut by hand, which takes time, but ensures a beautiful product. So you can be assured that this is the best Lemon Grass tea you will have ever drunk.
This herbal tea is immensely beneficial, it is a weak sedative and a stomach and gut relaxant, so it is ideal for drinking after a meal. It is also a good antidepressant and helps lift the spirits especially when one is in a bad mood. But whatever your mood I can guarantee it will tantalize your taste buds and lift your spirits.


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We've been writing about dry-brining turkeys for three Thanksgivings now and the response from readers has been overwhelming. Most say it's the best turkey they've ever made. But there are always some lingering questions. Here are answers to some of those most frequently asked. If you've got one that's not covered here, drop me a line at email@example.com and we'll add it to this list:
How did the turkey get its name?
The "Judy Bird" is named for famed chef Judy Rodgers of Zuni Café in San Francisco. It was inspired by her method for preparing roast chicken, which is legendary among food lovers.
How much salt should I use?
We tried various ratios, and 1 tablespoon per every 5 pounds of turkey turned out to be the best. Plus, it's easy to remember. Therefore, a 15-pound turkey will take 3 tablespoons, a 20-pound turkey will take a quarter cup, and so on. For weights in between, estimate and round down -- you'll be fine; this is not rocket science.
What kind of salt?
That's a very good question, because different salts have different flake sizes and so have different volume measurements. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Other coarse salts will be close, but if you're using finely ground salt, reduce the amount used to 2 teaspoons per every five pounds. I'm sorry, that's harder to remember.
How does brining work?
Without getting all Mr. Science-y: During cooking, the protein strands in muscles tighten, squeezing out liquid. The salt in a brine solution changes the chemistry of the protein in a way that allows it to retain more moisture during cooking.
How is dry-brining different than normal brining?
Normal brining requires soaking the bird in a salt-water solution. While it does keep the turkey flavorful and moist, the added liquid makes the meat a little spongy. With dry-brining, the salt pulls moisture from the bird, which is then reabsorbed, so you get the flavor and moistness without any added water, improving the texture.
Do I need to do the full 3 1/2 days of brining, or can I shorten it?
You can shorten it, though the brining won't be as effective. You'll need to watch the internal temperature more carefully. The final half day of drying is optional as well; if you're pressed for time, just pat the skin thoroughly dry with a paper towel.
Can I use a kosher turkey?
Yes. Though koshering does involve salting, it's only for a very brief time, just long enough to remove any traces of blood in order to comply with religious dictates. There is little to no appreciable effect on flavor.
Can I use a frozen turkey?
Yes, see this year's story. We experimented with this last year and found that salting a frozen turkey and letting it defrost and brine at the same time works just fine. Just rinse the bird in cool running water to start the defrosting (and to un-freeze the bag of giblets inside enough that you can pull them out). Pat the bird dry with a paper towel and you're ready to go.
Can I
use an already brined turkey?
No, that'll simply be too salty. If you've already bought it, save the recipe for next year.
Can I use just the turkey breast?
Yes, simply allow the appropriate amount of salt for the weight. Since most turkey breast halves weigh 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, you should use about 2 teaspoons of salt.
What kind of bag should I use?
Any sealable plastic bag will work. You'll need one that will hold about 2 1/2 gallons. Grocery stores usually start stocking these at the holidays and I've found Smart & Final to be a fairly reliable source. Note: This is also a perfect size for stowing clothes when you travel and for putting away your sweaters in the spring. Just remember to set one aside for Thanksgiving.
I've always used my mom's recipe for roast turkey; can I adapt that to use dry-brining?
Yes. Simply dry-brine the turkey as described above, and then eliminate any salt from any further seasoning and cook according to your mom's recipe. If you want a treat, incorporate some of her seasonings into the salt for the dry brining (measure the amount of salt, then grind it with the seasonings). You'll find the flavoring penetrates the meat this way.
It's only been a day, but there's some moisture in the bag, should I worry?
No. The salt pulls moisture from the turkey, but almost all of it will be reabsorbed. That's the way this thing works. If you're using a frozen turkey, there may even be a little moisture in the bag at the end of the brining.
Does dry-brined turkey taste salty?
No, it merely tastes well-seasoned. You only use a little more salt than you normally would, and because the salt is absorbed into the meat rather than sitting on the surface, the saltiness is mitigated.
Can I make gravy from the pan-drippings?
Yes. While the pan drippings from wet brining are usually too salty for gravy, that is not the case with dry brining.
Can I stuff a dry-brined turkey?
Yes, though a warning is necessary: In order for stuffing to be safe, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it must be heated to a temperature of 160 degrees at the center. By the time the stuffing reaches that temperature, the breast meat will almost certainly be above 170 degrees. Even dry-brined birds will begin to dry out at that point. But if you have always stuffed your turkey, dry-brining won't affect it.
Speaking of food safety, I notice that you call for a final temperature for the turkey of 165 degrees, but some of my cookbooks and my meat thermometer call for 180 degrees.
Until last year, the USDA called for a final internal temperature of 180 degrees for turkey. But salmonella (the great health threat with poultry) is dead after 30 seconds at 160 degrees. When contacted about the change last year, no one at the agency was able to recall how the higher number had been reached in the first place.


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Polynesian Entertainment Near You
Light up the night and give your eyes a treat by booking some of these Polynesian Entertainers for your next luau or other island themed event! The ever eye-pleasing fire performers and poi artists are sure to have your guests mesmerized. Talented live Polynesian dancers are sure to give your party the island vibe you were going for! Make all of this complete with Polynesian musicians to give those dancers something to dance to and set the tone for your event. So spice up your summer outdoor party or other event by booking Polynesian Entertainment today!
Where do you need Polynesian Entertainment?
About booking Polynesian Entertainment
Find the best Polynesian Entertainment for your next themed party at GigSalad.com. If you're looking for live dancers, fire performers or Polynesian music for your party, GigSalad has the talent you need.
When booking Polynesian Entertainment, be sure to do is to listen to audio and watch video clips, if applicable. This will ensure that you truly do book the best for your next event! Next, you want to get references. Talk to people in the area about the group and get feedback. Finally, get a contract. Many professional Polynesian Entertainers require a deposit to secure them at your next event. Make sure to read through the contract carefully before contracting the group for your party.
Polynesian Entertainment around Ashburn, VA:
Hawaiian Luau Entertainment(9)
Hula Dancer / Polynesian Entertainment
Washington, DC
19 Verified Bookings
Recent review: The Hawaiian Luau was very entertaining. They got he audience to come up and dance. I normally…
Polynesian Entertainment for hire across the U.S. and Canada:
United States:
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Grana Forte necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 60 diseños de 16 diseñadores freelance.
We need a logo for our personal finance software. The logo will be used on the product's website and also on the Help-About screen of the software itself.
This program is used to track personal expenses and income. URL is:
Language is in portuguese. 'grana' is a slang for 'money' and 'forte' is 'strong' (so the name means something like 'strong money').
Please read the brief for other details.
Grana Forte
The existing logo has not been designed by a professional and we want to improve the way it looks.
We are an independent software vendor from Brazil and Grana Forte has been released about one month ago. If you want to have a look at a rough translation of the website, please use this link from google translator: http://translate.google.co.uk/trans…n&ie=UTF-8
- The logo should say 'Grana Forte' (it doesn't matter whether it's upper or lower case - whatever looks best);
- We would like it to be simple and clean, should pass the message of "strong" but without being too serious.
- Feel free to include a related picture/drawing/symbol if you want.
- We thought of green tones because it's related to money, but we are not strict about this;
- Please provide the final logo both in a vector format and PNG/JPG.
Red colors
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Got a couple of big music artists coming through this week for some good 'ol fan Q-and-A. Here's the lowdown on the events scheduled so far… hope you're a fan!
Rising young country starlet Whitney Duncan kicks it off on Monday, Nov. 10, at 1 pm EST /noon Central with the inaugural session of "Whit's Whit" . A finalist in the 2007 edition of Nashville Star, Whitney has been burning up the charts with her first hit single, "When I Said I Would".
Just a few ours later on Monday, Nov. 11, 6 pm Pacific, Wayne Coyne, legendary frontman of The Flaming Lips, graces us for another fan Q-and-A.
Fast forward to Thursday afternoon, Nov. 13, where we have two webchats lined up back-to-back superstar friends and collaborators Taylor Swift (5 pm PST) and Tyler Hilton (4 pm PST).
EDIT: The Tyler Hilton Webchat is rescheduled to Friday, Nov. 14, 7 pm PST / 4 pm PST. Seeya then!
Also, we've got some interesting projects brewing on the hip hop side of things, so keep an eye out for some surprise announcement with some of the biggest names in hip hop in the coming week.
Remember, email music


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Bring on the holidays! Hooray! I'm so excited for year two of Retrofabulous Christmas Craftabration at Studio Madge! These Yarn Wrapped Tabletop Christmas Trees are vintage inspired, with a clean modern twist, which is the heart of all things retrofabulous. The cones are available for a song at Michaels as is this lovely Dew Drops yarn. Aleene's adhesives make this project a breeze to create. You can make a whole forest of these trees very inexpensively and quickly yet, they look so rich and opulent. This technique works well with papier mache or cardboard Christmas balls too. You don't need to spend a fortune to make your home cozy and chic for the holidays. And yes, it's obvious that my obsession with pom poms (or pom pons if you will) has not faded. Ho ho ho!
1 large 13" tall cardboard papier mache cone
2 smaller 10.5" tall cardboard papier mache cones
3 skeins Dew Drops yarn in silver, taupe and electric blue
Aleene's glue sticks
Aleene's Fabric Fusion adhesive or Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue
Clover pom pom maker (medium sized 2" pom poms work best with these cones)
Aleene's glue gun
(Snip off yarn tail.)
Cut yarn wraps, tie pom pom center while still on tool with a knotted length of yarn, cut off tails.