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This is my retraction. Well... maybe more of a reaction.
I draw Badly Drawn Kitties, and I just read what Patrick had to say about what I had to say about his fanart. In response, I apologize for implying that the fanart was meant as an insult. As I told him, my first reaction was kind of a double-take, as was the reaction of the people I showed it to in advance. But I'm easy-going, and have a sense of humor about myself, and didn't really think so much effort would have been put into an insult.
The insult is erased by the exceedingly kind words that follow:
Quoting from Ted Rall again, there's many great cartoonists that can't draw worth shit, but can write very good. But there aren't many great cartoonists that can draw good, but can't write worth shit. Fortunately for Mat, his cartoon is an example of a great cartoonist's work..
I don't deserve to be praised so highly. But hell, I'll take it. And I reciprocate: I do love the way Lydia was drawn in that fanart, and like I told Patrick, Lucy looks like a Radiohead bear, which makes anything good.
"I'm a reasonable man, get off my case."

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Soil Health relates to the fitness of a specific kind of soil to function within its surroundings, support plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and support human health and habitation. Soil health, or quality, is the capacity of a soil to function. How well is your soil functioning? Does it infiltrate water and cycle nutrients to water and feed growing plants? Soil is a living factory of macroscopic and microscopic workers who need food to eat and places to live to do their work. There are more individual organisms in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth; thus, the soil is controlled by these organisms.
A series of ten videos that focus on soil health and some of the conservation practices (e.g., cover crops, residue management, crop rotation) that improve soil health and some of the activities (e.g., nutrient and pest management) that benefit from improved soil health. Precision agriculture is also highlighted as well. Healthy Soils, Healthy Crops Video Series
The project was a collaboration between USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service in South Carolina and the Earth Sciences and Resources Institute-University of South Carolina (USC-ESRI).
The Soil Biology Primer is an introduction to the living component of soil and how that component contributes to agricultural productivity and to air and water quality. The Primer includes information describing the soil food web and how the food web relates to soil health. There are chapters about bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and earthworms.
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Dress: Matsuo Wedding
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Bulls in fields
On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 22:14:12 +0100, Pief [email protected] wrote:
ayeMeHarties: |[ peter hall's ]| ahoy...
Hi I've been a lurker for some time now and feel for the first time that I
may have something to add to the thread.
Having worked with cattle for over 30 years I must agree with previous
writers that Bulls must at all times be treated with caution. They can turn
remarkably, almost on a sixpence (2.5p for you young 'uns) and can easily
out-run a human. However I have never been hurt or even had a close shave
with a Bull (possibly because of my caution) whereas I have suffered broken
ribs and more bruises than I could count from cows and more again from young
heifers. To heifers play is fun, and a friendly crowd of heifers gently
knocking you about can be the most painful of all. Carry a stick and don't
be afraid to use it if challenged, the brief pain you inflict on the animal
is nothing to what they are capable of doing to you, and they will forget it
in no time.
You mean I can wack'em with a stick?
Now I know what to do, I thought that would just p,ss them off more
No ... Its good advice. Handled cattle soon learn about sticks and
respect them. No 2 item in my anti bull armoury when I used to work
with them. (1 was of course a bucket of oats). Yet to have had trouble
with heifers, but they are intimidating if they get you running.
Richard Webb
Bulls in fields
One I knew years ago would tolerate children riding on its back!
Don't do this at home, children :-)
No, go outside and do it!
Sounds like a Hereford.
Richard Webb
Bulls in fields
On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 15:50:47 +0100, Hywel & Ros wrote
I'd be very suprised if there are 3 bulls in a field together. Bull calves,
or bullocks maybe, but not adult bulls. Without wanting to be patronising,
are you sure they were bulls and do you appreciate the difference ?
Prepare to be surprised. Big willies. No udders. Bulls. Three of them. Not
bullocks (though six ******** in total). One field.
Bulls in fields
The message t
from Irish Murdoch contains these words:
No udders. Bulls.
Hate to be pedantic but bulls *DO* have udders. They have the four tits
but they never develop into more than small nipples. Can be confusing
when trying to determine the sex of a very young calf.
Two or more bulls in the same field wil intially fight for dominance but
when the pecking order is properly sorted out they co-exist - after a
Bulls in fields
The message
from (RJ Webb) contains these words:
For real violence - stick some tups that are strangers together at
this time of year. Results can often be fatal.
Richard Webb
Saw this in Orkney. My neighbour put a Suffolk tup and a Shetland tup
together. The tiny Shetland badly injured the huge Suffolk - it also
managed to break the shepherd's leg!
Bulls in fields
You can get helmets for tups which act the opposite to blinkers on
horses; ie They stop them seeing straight ahead and getting a long
run up for the charge and collision.
The message
from (RJ Webb) contains these words:
For real violence - stick some tups that are strangers together at
this time of year. Results can often be fatal.
Richard Webb
Saw this in Orkney. My neighbour put a Suffolk tup and a Shetland tup
together. The tiny Shetland badly injured the huge Suffolk - it also
managed to break the shepherd's leg!
Bulls in fields
On 13/07/2003 17:34, Five Cats wrote:
In article , Gordon
Five Cats wrote
It is also far from unknown for them to put rings in the nose of a cow
or two, just to scare the punters!
Seen that too in the Dales. The thing was staring at us, and held us up
for a few minutes until my companion said "It's got tits"!
M***** again? ;-)
But seriously, cows with calves can be *very* dangerous especially if
there is a dog about.
I had a less than pleasant encounter with a herd of cows on a guided
walk. We were crossing a field and there were about 20 cows in the
corner of the field. Sods law dictated that this was the corner where
the footpath led to exit the field. Initially the cows just looked at
us, but then became increasingly agitated. They had calves, and one of
the group had a dog, so I'm guessing that set them off charging towards
us. Half of us ran back the way we had come, half of us headed in a
perpendicular direction (thankfully downhill), the cows did likewise. We
just got to a gate in time and into the next field before the cows
reached the gate and could go not further. They were making a right
noise. After someone managed to contact the group leader and found out
where everyone else was, I worked out where we were on my OS map, where
the rest of the group were, and led us off-piste through a woodland
alongside a stream which brought us onto a country lane where the rest
of the group were.
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Though it lacks a pithy catchall like Cash for Clunkers, the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program — or Cash for Appliances as I like to call it — is close to being approved for the state of Minnesota.
Administered by the state Department of Energy Security, the program likely will offer one rebate per household while supplies last of $100-$200 for the purchase of a qualifying appliance beginning around March 2010 (or later; it was first expected to begin this fall!)
Qualifying appliances mean Energy Star-rated models of refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers and dishwashers. So waiting until March to replace your stove, microwave or dryer is NOT smart. Though, neither is waiting in general.
You're thinking, "I bought my kitchen only 12 (or something) years ago. It can't be that bad!"
Consider this: A refrigerator, washer and dishwasher bought in the 1990s cost an average $207 more per year in utility costs than current, energy-efficient models.
So in the months waiting, you're actually spending more money, not saving it.
Brands like Frigidaire are offering up to $150 in Energy Star rebates, which end in November. And many utility companies already offer incentives to replace your appliances with Energy Star models. For example, Shakopee Public Utilities offers $60 to replace a dishwasher and $65 for refrigerators, freezers and washers.
$150 + $60 + ($65 x 3) = $405 in rebates.
See DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency) for a full list of residential incentives.
The state was granted about $5 million from the federal government for the program, and about $400,000 of that will be used towards administration, such as rebate processing. So only an estimated 25,000 rebates will be available.
Warners' Stellian and other retailers were asked to commit our own in-kind funds for serivices like consumer education, which is exactly what you see going on here.
If you'd like to receive news alerts related to the Cash for Appliances program, e-mail email@example.com with the subject SUBSCRIBE.


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I became involved with South County Outreach (SCO) several years ago.
The Bible clearly states to love our neighbor and to help the poor, not only to feed, but to give them a "hand-up" to independence. SCO is a nonprofit and non-sectarian organization based in Lake Forest that fulfills this mission by reaching out to low-income people and providing them with a variety of services.
The founder, Ray Havert, said more than 24 years ago, "We provide emergency assistance, but more importantly, we teach people how to help themselves."
Gabrielle Comfort, who handles special events and marketing for SCO, said she is very enthusiastic about the goals SCO has reached.
"We helped at-risk south Orange County residents in 2012 through 55,345 services including the distribution of almost 900,000 pounds of donated food and $78,000 in rental and utility assistance," Comfort said.
SCO provides a food pantry that is open from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and on the first Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to noon. The exciting news is that clients can now pick out their own groceries accompanied by a volunteer.
We can all do our part to fill the shelves at the pantry.
Comfort mentioned that rising gas and food prices have put a bit of a damper on collections, especially in the summer when donations tend to wane.
"Let's get a spirit of Christmas in July," Comfort said, and place an abundance of food in the barrels that are dispersed around town, like the one at the Mission Viejo Library.
Comfort told me about an upcoming fundraising dinner that features an interesting concept by Empty Bowls Project, a nonprofit organization that raises money for the needy. The way it works is that local craftsmen and schools in the area create beautiful pottery bowls that are given to the dinner guests as gifts in exchange for a donation and a meal.
"We want to drive home that there is a need and that everyone can make a difference in the lives of those in crisis in the local community," Comfort said. The event date will be revealed soon, she said.
Other services that SCO provide include a Computer Learning Lab offering over 90 classes monthly, Homeless Prevention Program, Transitional Housing Program, seasonal programs that distribute school supplies to children, and for the holidays, food and toys are given out.
Now, more than ever, we can make an impact in our city by offering a hand of support to organizations like SCO that have been a pillar in our neighborhood.
Their office is located at 26776 Vista Terrace in Lake Forest. For more information, visit sco-oc.org or call 949-380-8144.


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TALLAHASSEE (AP) - Gov. Rick Scott leaves Sunday on a five-day trip to Colombia to promote Florida and its products to one of its biggest trading partners.
It's the third time since May that Scott will lead a trade delegation outside the United States. Former Gov. Bob Martinez and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn are among the 190 people in the traveling delegation.
Colombia is the fifth largest economy in Latin America with a population of 47.1 million and ranks among the top five destinations for Florida products with some $3 billion in trade annually.
Scott, who turns 60 Saturday, visited Spain in May and then traveled in July to United Kingdom to attend the Farnborough Air Show.
Enterprise Florida is paying the travel expenses incurred by Scott and his wife during the trip.


text:
Warren L. Kurfman, 69, of Hannibal, Mo., died Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, at his home.
Warren L. Kurfman, 69, of Hannibal, Mo., died Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, at his home.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal, Mo. Pastor Warren Brosi will officiate. Arrangements for cremation will follow services.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, at the funeral home.
Warren was born on Oct. 28, 1943, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Owen L. and Lola M. Turner Kurfman.
Mr. Kurfman retired from the Hannibal School District, where he was employed as a custodian. Warren enjoyed attending Hannibal Cavemen baseball games and watching the St. Louis Cardinals. He also liked to hunt and fish, but most of all he loved to spend time with family and friends. Mr. Kurfman was a Baptist by faith.
Mr. Kurfman is survived by three children, Charles Kurfman (Amy) of Rochester, Ill., Alisa Patrick (Jerome) of Hannibal, Mo., and Justin Wade Kurfman (Stephanie) of Auburn, Ill.; his twin brother, Wendell Kurfman (Connie) of Norco, Calif.; three sisters, Doris Olson of Goldfield, Iowa, Leah Knight (Delbert "Joe") of Palmyra, Mo., and Carolyn Roseberry of Soudertown, Pa.; seven grandchildren, Lily, Hope, Emma, and Liam Kurfman; Devin Crockett, and Calin and Lorin Kurfman; and two sisters-in-law, Bertha Kurfman of Eagle Grove, Iowa, and Sharon Kurfman of Collinsville, Texas. Other survivors include several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.
Warren was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Richard and Roger Kurfman; and one brother-in-law, Duane K. "Bill" Olson.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, New Salem United Methodist Church in New Berlin, Ill., or to the Durham Baptist Church, in care of the James O'Donnell Funeral Home of Hannibal, Mo.
Online condolences may be made and video tribute may be viewed at www.jamesodonnellfuneralhome.com.


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Depth 25mm
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Help The Men Dilemmas Web Series Become Reality! #Kickstarter
Men Dilemmas: Custard Sisters Production
A Web Series on how men cope with life experiences. See how men handle issues ranging from relationships to finance.
What is Men Dilemmas?
Genre: Action/Comedy
Men Dilemmas is web series that explores the experiences of various men and their unique stories.
As a writer with a large network of friends and colleagues, Lauren Renee decides to launch a successful magazine with her best friend, Tony Banks. As an Attorney, Tony has quite the exciting social life. They decide to create a magazine called "Men Dilemmas" to reveal the true intricacies of men. Each magazine feature story comes to life through our web series, where viewers can enjoy an entertaining collection of stories, humorous encounters and lots of action. These episodes explore everything from dating, workplace challenges, competitiveness among men and other topics.
Why Men Dilemmas was created?
We're creating Men Dilemmas in response to the question: "Why do women tend to live longer than men?" We answer that query with a combination of humor, action packed drama, insight and conversation.
The concept for the series has its roots in an event involving Alicia Custard, the co-producer of Men Dilemmas, and her infant nephew: she pampers the boy, admiring his cute and beautiful face, while some stranger suddenly yells, "Stop babying him! He will be a man one day!" The comment stuns Alicia, making her think about the differences between men and women.
The hyper competitive nature of men – a world filled with machismo, stress, fear and anxiety – can be extremely unhealthy. Alicia and her sister Vicki, who is also a co-producer of the series, know that men should have an outlet for their emotions — a chance to share their stories, express their feelings and give viewers a snapshot of daily life.
Why are the funds needed?
The funds are needed to cover the cost of production and post-production of the web series.
How much money do you need?
We want to raise a minimum of $10,000.
How can I help?
By donating to this project for an exchange of valuable rewards.
For rewards that require travel, are they included in the packages?
Unfortunately, travel, hotel accommodations and transportation are not included in any of the packages.
Comments are closed.


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Duane Burleson/Associated Press
Most receiving yards - Calvin Johnson
Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson finished with 1,964 receiving yards. He shattered Jerry Rice's old mark of 1,848, set in 1995. Johnson also tied Michael Irvin's record of 11 games with at least 100 receiving yards. Megatron is the only player in NFL history to record at least 1,600 receiving yards in consecutive seasons. Over the past two years, Johnson has 3,645 receiving yards, the most in any two-year stretch in NFL history.
Michael Conroy/Associated Press
Most passing yards, attempts, rookie - Andrew Luck
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck passed for 4,374 yards this season, topping Cam Newton's rookie mark (4,053) that was established only a year ago. Luck set another record, too: most pass attempts for a rookie with 627, passing Sam Bradford's old record of 590. Luck finished one completion short of Bradford's NFL rookie record of 354.
Genevieve Ross/Associated Press
Most 50-yard field goals - Blair Walsh
Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, whose 24-yard field goal pushed Minnesota into the playoffs on Sunday, also hit a 54-yarder in the game, giving him an NFL-record 10 field goals from at least 50 yards this season. The previous mark was held by Morten Andersen and Jason Hanson, who each had eight field goals in a single season of 50 yards or more.
Associated Press
Most punts inside the 20 - Dustin Colquitt and Dave Zastudil
The Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs have top-10 picks in the upcoming draft, but they won't be using them (or any of their picks, for that matter) on a punter. That's because each team had punters this season with at least 45 kicks landing inside the opponents' 20-yard line. The Cardinals' Dave Zastudil finished with 46, a new NFL record; the Chiefs' Dustin Colquitt finished just one behind with 45. The old record was 42, tied by three punters (Ben Graham, Andy Leeand Steve Weatherford) who all established their marks within the last five years.
G. Newman Lowrance/Associated Press
Most INT return touchdowns, rookie - Janoris Jenkins
Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins finished with three interception returns for touchdowns, tying Lem Barney and Ronnie Lott for the most ever by a rookie. Jenkins finished one shy of the all-time record of four INT return TDs.
Rick Osentoski/Associated Press
Most pass attempts - Matthew Stafford
Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford finished with 727 pass attempts this season, shattering Drew Bledsoe's single-season record. Bledsoe had 691 pass attempts for New England in 1994. Stafford finished 33 yards shy of a second consecutive 5,000-yard season.
Nick Wass/Associated Press
Highest passer rating, rookie - Robert Griffin III
Redskins QB Robert Griffin III finished the season Sunday night with a passer rating of 102.4, the best rating for a rookie in NFL history. The old mark was owned by Russell Wilson, who held the mark for about 3.5 hours. Earlier in the day, Wilson had finished the season with a 100.0 rating, topping Ben Roethlisberger's record of 98.1, set in 2004. RG3's rating was low because he had thrown just five INTs in 393 attempts, which gave him another rookie record: lowest percentage of passes intercepted (1.27). Charlie Batch (1.98) held the previous mark.
Jon Ferrey/Associated Press
Most touchdown passes, rookie - Russell Wilson
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson tossed 26 touchdowns, which tied Peyton Manning (1998) for the most thrown by a rookie in NFL history. Wilson also rushed for four touchdowns. Manning didn't rush for his fourth career touchdown until his fourth season.
Bill Feig/Associated Press
Most consecutive games with a touchdown pass - Drew Brees
Johnny Unitas' record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass stood unchallenged for more than a half century. The amazing mark of 47 games with a scoring strike was finally usurped by the New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees in a game against the San Diego Chargers. Brees broke the record with a 40-yard TD pass to Devery Henderson. Brees' run ultimately came to an end in the 2012 season, as the Atlanta Falcons halted the streak at 54 games.
More Photo Essays:
- Mind-Boggling Stats: Andrew Luck's career timeline, highlights
- Mind-Boggling Stats: How Daniel Jones' preseason stacks up vs. Manning, Mayfield
- 2019 NFL Preseason Week 3: Best photos
- 2019 NFL Preseason Week 2: Best photos
- NFL UK Flag champions
- 2019 NFL Preseason Week 1: Best photos
- 2019 Hall of Fame Portraits
- Hall of Famers and Legends in the community
- 2019 Hall of Fame week


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We're big proponents of a multi-step, multi-product skincare routine. But plenty of times—say, rushing out the door to catch a train—you simply want one single product that can do it all. This fast-penetrating powerhouse from Kiehl's is one part moisturizer, one part wrinkle-buster, so it can handle all your daily hydration and anti-aging needs in a single application. The rich cream is specifically formulated for men and is clinically proven to lift, smooth, and firm your skin.
This is actually a pretty nice moisturizer. Very light and does not appear to clog the skin / cause unnecessary breakouts. However, for someone with very dry skin, this goes on the face feeling like heaven only to very quickly become soaked into the skin and requiring another application (or 2 sometimes). Is there something else from the Kiehl line that would be a better fit?3


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Discover a world-class riding ranch, quickly gaining worldwide recognition for our outstanding riding trails, our scenery, our back country and adventures. To ride at the ranch is to ride at one of the best riding ranches anywhere in the world. Indeed, those who know riding, and have been to the ranch, continue to return, year after year, having fallen in love with riding at the ranch. It is safe to say that no other ranch in Arizona, Mexico or the Southwest offers the scenery, pristineness, vastness, landscapes and freedom experienced at our ranch.
At the ranch, besides our many scenic nature trails, you can also ride to numerous historical attractions. Our guests visit a 17th century abandoned Jesuit gold mine [at 6,000 feet of elevation with views that go for miles], by the name of San Jose, where many Native American slaves perished. Deep inside a scrub oak, canopy-filled canyon at the foot of 7,500 ft El Pinito Mountain, guests also visit the remains of a 19th century bandit hiding camp where both American and Mexican outlaws went to lay low. After all, the Wild West did not end at the border.
You can also ride to 2,000 year old pre-Colombian dwellings full of pictographs, deep inside El Cajon Canyon, or visit a 20 mile long lake, and its dam, built during the Great Depression by the architects and engineers that also built Hoover Dam [the dam is a smaller replica of Hoover]. Guests also visit the ruins of an early 20th century homestead, with a genuine Model T Ford skeleton gathering rust.
At Cat Claw Cliffs, you will ride up to the top, with spectacular 360 degree views. These cliffs and its canyons, the story goes, hold the lost gold of an outlaw on the run, stashing his treasure after robbing a stagecoach. If that is not enough, you can ride to magnificent views of famous El Tigre, a nearby Sierra Madre mountain that acted as Geronimo's [famous Apache chief] Last Stronghold. Indeed, to ride at the ranch is to ride in what was once prime Apache country, where the fierce warriors once rode, camped and lived. At the ranch, after all, you are riding, breathing and living through history.
Besides riding through history, you will also ride through a diversity seldom seen at a guest ranch. You will explore pristine wilderness and diverse habitats and have chance encounters with our wildlife, including mountain lion. Guests ride to our high country, passing through vertical sierras, to locations such as Los Toros, 'The Bulls,' a mountainous region so remote and secluded few humans have ever seen. Indeed, so remote is this region, that ferrel cattle roam its mountains, seldom, if ever, having seen a single human being.
You will also ride to 'El Sordo,' 'The Deaf Man,' high country so named for the incredible, omnipresent silence and quietness one encounters when there. Down in our Canyonlands, you will ride through stunning, wet, box canyons full of life, with cliff walls hundreds of feet high. You will ride through rock formations, formed over eons, that are beautiful manifestations of nature as it artistically carves its way through time.
Throughout the ranch, you will explore habitats that are varied, diverse and exotic. You will see regions full of desert palm trees, organ pipe cacti, ocotillo forests, sycamore canopies and much more. You will ride through hills covered in knee-high, golden-colored grass, and see a vast collection of high country vegetation. With a riding elevation between 3,200 to 6,000 feet, your entire conception of what a desert is will be radically altered.
With no signs of civilization, you will immerse yourself in our high desert environments, whether riding inside box canyons, river beds, vertical and rocky sierras, high elevation terrains, ravines, cliffs, mesas and/or rolling foothills dressed in golden grass. With elevation range between 3,200 and 6,000 feet above sea level, you can select our high country or canyonlands riding trails. With our old and new school genuine Mexican cowboys as your guides, along with our European cowgirls, riding at Rancho Los Ba�os will become an unforgettable experience, whether you are an experienced rider or an eager beginner.
We are a scenic nature travel destination and pristine wilderness area enveloped by some of the most unique, inspiring, diverse and spectacular desert landscapes anywhere. At the ranch, guests stay inside 30,000 acres of exclusive, serene, remote, quiet and protected wilderness. Active guests with a love both of the outdoors and of nature have a wonderful stay with us.
While we are located in spectacular northeast Sonora, Mexico, we are so close to Arizona that we would like you to consider our ranch for a possible stay. If you love riding, there is no comparision in the Southwest. We offer a land, a vastness, seclusion and scenery that is incomparable, a level above any guest/working ranch in Arizona, and more scenic, unique, exotic, pristine and spectacular as well.
Offering high desert diversity and vistas not seen in the US Southwest, with 30,000 pristine acres of back country riding, the ranch offers a great holiday stay, with trail rides that thrill, challenge, educate and inspire. If you seek an active adventure travel destination, our ranch might be the place for you. Our diverse, high desert landscapes offer scenery, diversity and vegetation simply not seen in the US Southwest, with combination of terrain and vegetation that make our ranch truly unique.
Our offices are based in Tucson. Through our shuttle service, we personally pick you up in Tucson, the airport or central hotel, and drive you to the ranch and back, leaving the driving to us and the sightseeing to you.
We are a new generation guest ranch catering to new generation adventure travelers, offering world-class back country, high desert horseback riding and high desert, box canyon hiking, among many other adventures such as lake kayaking and fishing. We remain, however, a genuine, old-school Mexican cattle ranch.
We are best known for our world-class horseback riding and trail rides along with our hiking, walking and trekking wilderness and box canyon adventures. Quickly gaining a reputation for the best and most scenic back country riding anywhere, come discover what many past guests refer to the best riding they have ever done. It is not a coincidence that many of our returning guests are experienced horse lovers and riders, with them finding at the ranch a truly remarkable riding adventure.
With security a non-issue, as our past guests quickly discover, enjoy a stay surrounded by a wilderness that is majestic, spectacular and completely unspoiled, in a part of the world that is as safe as any other ranch in North America. With an elevation range between 3,200-7,500 feet above sea level, riding at the ranch offers dozens of diverse habitats and great thrills and challenges on our trails. A guest can also ride two weeks straight without seeing the same trail twice.
Our ranch is a great escape, a chance to surround yourself with pristine wilderness, scenic landscapes and a quietness that is often sought but hard to find. Offering a freedom seldom experienced in traditional guest ranches, you will ride as it has always been meant to, surrounded by complete beauty, with little restraints, few rules, no fences, with great horses, in amazing diversity, and in sheer vastness that is breathtaking. At Los Banos, our riding program offers quality over quantity, putting people over profit.
Combined with great B&B-style accommodations and service, all inclusive packages, unbeatable rates, Mexican hospitality and food that is second to none, close proximity to the United States, staying in pristine and isolated land, and a natural scenery that is spectacular to see, together with world-class horseback riding and hiking, Rancho Los Ba�os is sure to make your stay an exciting, fun-filled, relaxing and memorable one.
We offer great 4-7 night specials and packages, and offer accommodations in a B&B style lodge, cabins and cabin tents. All packages are all-inclusive [meals, beverages, snacks, guided adventures] and also include roundtrip transportation from Tucson to the ranch.
Visit our website for further information on rates and accommodation.
The Valenzuela family, cattle ranching pioneers from the northeast of Sonora dating back to the early 20th century, has owned and operated the ranch continuously since the early 1950's, now three generations strong, as always protecting its wildlife and preserving its natural beauty. Having emigrated originally from Andalucia, southern Spain, in the mid 1600's, settling in northeast Sonora, the Valenzuelas' have a great understanding of this part of the world.
The new generation is American raised and educated, at one time having called Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, Phoenix and Barcelona, Spain home. They are both bilingual and bicultural, having previously worked as marketing executives, business managers, in human resources, education and the law. Over the years, the Valenzuelas' have successfully managed the ranch through thick and thin, drought and abundance, helping make the ranch one of the most successful ranching enterprises in Sonora. The family's deep seated belief in living with nature and not at its expense has helped preserve this enchanting land much the same way as it has been for thousands of years.
Our Team consists of a collection of family, old and new school vaqueros, and European [Germany, UK, France] wranglers, guides/hosts and personnel that, together, help make your stay with us a memorable, relaxing and thrilling experience. We are a tight-knit group that strives to provide great hospitality and top-notch service.
|Map Legend
|Rancho Los Banos Adventure Guest Ranch
Rancho Los Banos, Los Banos, Mexico


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Sam's Clubs features some of the most trusted and popular drawing and art supplies in the market. You will find a great collection of drafting tools, easels and pads, portfolios, and art and colored paper. To ensure that you find what you are looking for you can go through the product descriptions and specifications. Sam's Club also features objective customer reviews that give you a quick peek at what other customers are saying about products that they have purchased. You can browse through all the products, shortlist products that you like, compare them and then proceed to purchase the ones that suit your budget and requirement.
With Sam's Club you can be assured that you are getting great offers on premium quality art supplies and drawing materials.


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|GLOW Elixir Koh Yao Yai is an ideal island resort situated on a peaceful and private beach on Koh Yao Yai in Phang Nga. The 30 midscale all-villa property sits on a 300-meter stretch of beach just steps away from the glistening Andaman Sea. The GLOW Elixir Koh Yao Yai is the first resort location and the third property in Thailand under the popular GLOW by Zinc brand from hotel management experts Zinc | InVision Hospitality.
|The resort features 30 suites/villas, consisting of 6 Beach Front Pool Villas, 6 Deluxe Villas and 18 Superior Villas. All private villas have a contemporary tropical design with a rustic island style set amongst lush tropical gardens. The unique island layout provides each of the villas with a stunning sea view and direct access to the enticing beach of the Andaman Sea.
Superior Villa
Deluxe Villa
Beach Front Pool Villa
|Lalin Restaurant
This seaside restaurant offers a relaxed and refreshing setting with a spectacular panoramic view of the Andaman Sea. The dining room offers both indoor and outdoor beach terraces where sun-kissed guests can dine on a wide range of delicious offerings including exotic Thai specialties, freshly barbecued seafood and European favorites. Guests can also enjoy a romantic dinner on the terrace outside of their private villa with sumptuous dishes delivered by our discrete and professional staff.
Capacity : 80 seats
Open Daily : 07.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m.
Elixir Bar
The beachside Elixir Bar offers a place to unwind with pre-dinner cocktails or keep the party going with unique after-dinner drinks and a few games of pool or darts with other guests. The crashing waves and starry night sky create the ultimate ambiance & romantic backdrop.
Capacity 15 seats
Open Daily 10:00 a.m. - 01.00 a.m.
Pool Bar
The Pool Bar allows guests to enjoy refreshing cocktails or exotic fresh juice concoctions while sharing a spectacular view of the Andaman Sea and the stunning sunset. There is no better way to experience our unique "island way" of relaxation than chatting with friends in nature while sipping a delicious tropical refreshment.
Capacity 20 seats
Open Daily 11:00 a.m. - 06:00 p.m.
|Fitness/Pool Facilities:
Feel fresh every day while maintaining an inner GLOW. A spacious outdoor pool faces directly to the beach and rolling waves. Here guest can enjoy a drink from the pool bar or order a light meal while lounging in a sun bed.
For those who would rather maintain their exercise routines in cooler comfort, they can enjoy the air-conditioned gym for walking, jogging and strength training on world-class equipment. Scheduled yoga and free-movement exercise classes are also available.
Fitness Center: 07:00 a.m. - 07:00 p.m.
Swimming Pool: 07:00 a.m. - 07:00 p.m.
Weddings & Special Occasions:
The resort's romantic environment is an ideal setting for memorable wedding ceremonies, special occasions and unforgettable receptions. Festivities can be organized for up to 80 people and our wedding specialists are available to assist in the planning of every detail of the event.
GLOW Elixir Koh Yao Yai assures that every type of aquatic recreation is available. Guests can choose to explore many nearby islands such as Koh Khai Nok and Koh Kai Nai, sail further north to Koh Hong and Phang Nga Bay, go scuba diving or kayaking, or join us on an island discovery. Guests can also arrange to play golf on one of Phuket's 5 championship golf courses.
Massage and Spa:
A variety of therapeutic massage and soothing spa treatments are available at the poolside sala or in a guest's private villa. Services range from traditional Thai Massage to refreshing body scrubs, luxurious body wraps and therapeutic foot massage.
Our professional dive center "ELIXIR DIVERS" offers day trips by speedboat for certified divers to Koh Phi Phi, the King Cruiser wreck, Anemone Reef, Shark Point, Koh Dok Mai, Hin Daeng/Muang and many more. Guests can learn to scuba dive by signing up for Open Water instruction with our certified PADI diving instructors.
|GLOW Elixir Koh Yao Yai provides convenient land and sea transfers between Phuket and Krabi
Airport or from any hotel in Phuket, Krabi or Phang Nga provinces. Guests will be picked up
upon arrival at Phuket International Airport or their hotel by private car and transported to the
Jian Vanich Pier or Bang Rong Pier, depending on the choice of boat transfer. Guests can
choose from private or public speedboat, and public ferry.


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After 18 months of campaigning and 50,000+ petition signatures, MPs have agreed that concerns over cuts to funding to support for deaf children are so serious that Parliament should debate them.
Deafness is invariably described as the invisible disability. The needs of deaf children too often get overlooked. Well, not on Thursday. This isn't going to be a debate in some poky committee room – it will be on the floor of the House of Commons. The needs of deaf children will take centre-stage and the Government will be forced to explain what exactly they are doing to make sure deaf children get the help they need. And the whole world can judge whether this is good enough. This is a big deal, ladies and gentlemen.
The debate is going to be an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the fact that help for deaf children is being cut across the country. The Government say they have protected funding for vulnerable learners yet this protection isn't being carried through at a local level. 29% of local authorities are cutting services and another 25% are at risk, according to analysis from the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS).
You might take the Government's point that this is a matter for local communities. But there's only so much fire-fighting that parents can do without getting exhausted or neglecting their core job – being Mums and Dads to their deaf child. It's time for the Government to take action to stop the fires starting in the first place.
There are different ways the Government can do this. It could intervene directly in some of the worse cases and name and shame council bosses that don't protect funding for vulnerable learners. The Government seems quite happy to tell councils what to do about rubbish collections and council magazines after all.
It could also introduce stronger checks over councils. It could make Ofsted inspect specialist services for deaf children. It's easy for councils to cut services if they don't think there are going to be any serious consequences.
The debate is also going to be an opportunity to say that, well actually, before even all of these cuts, in many places the support deaf children were getting wasn't good enough. Over two thirds of deaf children fail to get 5 good GCSEs. It's an opportunity to debate openly the fact that:
- Too many families aren't getting enough support after their deaf child is born. Where they want to learn sign language, families sometimes have to pay thousands of pounds just to learn to communicate with their own child.
- Too many deaf children don't get the specialist support they need in the classroom. They have to learn in poky noisy classrooms without extra help and support.
- Too many deaf young people don't get the help they need to prepare for adulthood and independence.
My biggest fear is that the Government will, come Thursday's debate, do as they've done before and just bat away concerns. They'll point to tiny pots of money given for small projects – not unappreciated but not enough. They'll point to new laws on special educational needs even though this doesn't address the fundamental issues deaf children face.
This is why a big turnout from MPs is needed. The more MPs that turn up and say something must be done, the more likely the Government will actually do something substantial. So MPs need to know this debate is important. MPs need to hear from families and deaf people of the individual stories and challenges that deaf children face. MPs need to challenge the Government to do more, much more.
And hopefully then Thursday's debate will be the start of a lasting change that makes a big difference to deaf children.
To ask your MP to come along on Thursday, you can email him / her via the NDCS website. For more information about the debate, you can also check out NDCS's Stolen Futures campaign pages. You can email your MP via the


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"The Book of Beautiful Questions is a veritable gold mine. In its pages, you will find fresh (and often brilliant) ways to use the power of the interrogative to sharpen your decision-making, boost your creativity, and deepen your connections to others. Berger's insights are so potent and his advice so practical that only one question remains: What's stopping you from picking up this extraordinary book?"
—Daniel Pink, New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and A Whole New Mind
"Why don't we ask enough questions? Why do we ask so many bad questions? And how can we ask the kinds of great questions that make us better at leading, deciding, connecting and creating? The Book of Beautiful Questions isn't just a thought-provoking book on questions—it's also full of instantly useful answers."
—Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals, Give and Take, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg
"In The Book of Beautiful Questions Warren Berger shows us the incredible power that inquiry has to approach problems differently and to unearth powerful, innovative solutions. In an increasingly complicated world, knowing how to ask provocative questions is a must-have skill for success."
—Lisa Bodell, bestselling author of Why Simple Wins, and CEO of FutureThink
"Use Warren Berger and his latest book as a guide for asking not only more beautiful questions but also more important ones. It may well make the difference between a busy life and a life that really matters."
—Greg McKeown, New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
"Warren Berger raises questioning to an art form. The Book of Beautiful Questions is a vital read for anyone who wants to excel at creativity, leadership, decision-making and interpersonal skills. Berger offers a symphony of questions that will inspire you to become your own maestro of inquiry."
—Frank Sesno, former CNN anchor and author ofAsk More
"Being an effective leader is not so much about having all the answers as asking the right questions. In The Book of Beautiful Questions, Warren Berger shows why questioning is critical to success—and provides hundreds of questions that can help you be a better thinker, partner, problem-solver, and leader."
—Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times bestselling author of Triggers and What Got You Here Won't Get You There
"The Book of Beautiful Questions gives us the power to re-imagine our lives. For those who seek to make better decisions and lead more effectively, it's a transformational resource you'll go back to again and again."
—Dorie Clark, author of Entrepreneurial You and Stand Out
"In this wise book, Warren Berger shows us how crucial it is to question every aspect of our lives, from business to school to our choice of toothpaste. My question: Why wouldn't you read this book?"
—A.J. Jacobs, New York Times best-selling author and Esquire columnist
"In the old economy, it was all about having the answers. But in today's dynamic, lean economy, it's more about asking the right questions. A More Beautiful Question is about figuring out how to ask, and answer, the questions that can lead to new opportunities and growth."
—Eric Ries, New York Times best-selling author of The Lean Startup
"The genesis of many great startups is the simple question, 'Wouldn't it be cool if…?' Berger helps you understand the power of questions to change the world. Real men ask questions, they don't spout out answers."
—Guy Kawasaki, author of APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur, and former chief evangelist at Apple
When you're a questionologist, you can't help spotting beautiful questions in your reading. Below are a few I found by chance in the news.
My recent article on questioning as a quiet person's superpower struck a chord with author Susan Cain who called it "The Best Networking Advice I've Seen Yet."
You might be hesitant to ask questions of your bosses. But it's important to do so because it enables you to be better at your job.
Why do questions motivate us more than resolutions?
The questions we ask ourselves about creativity also can undermine creative confidence or cause us to misdirect our efforts. Here are five questions that kill creativity…
Enter your email address below to receive occasional AMBQ updates via email newsletter.
People in the news using beautiful questions
The Best Networking Advice
How asking questions at work can help you
Questolutions: The Power of Questions to Get Things Done
These 5 questions are "creativity killers." If you find you're asking yourself any of them, just stop.
It's Back to School as Usual, But in Many Questioning Classrooms It's Not School as Usual
The curiosity and engagement unleashed by a questioning environment is undeniably powerful and lasting.
36 Questions
The 36 questions used in Arthur Aron's experiment are wonderful examples of open-ended, deep questions. A discussion of the power of good questions to form lasting connections—even between strangers.


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AVM: An AVM (arteriovenous malformation) is a congenital disorder (one present at birth) of blood vessels in the brain, brainstem, or spinal cord that is characterized by a complex, tangled web of abnormal arteries and veins connected by one or more fistulas (abnormal communications).
The AVM has no capillary bed of its own and the fistulas in the AVM permit high-speed, high-flow shunting of blood from the arterial to the venous side of the circulation. This shunting causes low blood pressure (hypotension) in the arterial vessels feeding the AVM and neighboring areas of the brain that they normally supply with blood.
AVMs typically cause problems before the age of 40. The most common symptoms of AVM include hemorrhaging (bleeding), seizures, headaches, and neurological problems such as paralysis or loss of speech, memory, or vision. The frequency of hemorrhage in various series ranges from 30-82%. AVM rupture accounts for 2% of all strokes.
There are three general forms of treatment for AVM:
Most people (perhaps 80% or more) with AVMs never experience problems due to them. However, AVMs that hemorrhage can lead to serious neurological problems, and sometimes death.


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Festive Holiday Party Drink Recipes
Jerry Thomas' Champagne Punch
Dating to the 1800s, this recipe is easy, breezy, pink and fruity—and still completely sophisticated. It comes from Cincinnati mixologist Molly Wellman.
Sage Woodstock
This festive gin cocktail gets its sweet-tart flavor from maple syrup and Meyer lemon juice. The recipe comes from the Chowgirls Killer Catering cookbook. Feeling fancy? Garnish each glass with a sage leaf or, at the holidays, sugared cranberries.
Caramel-Hazelnut Café Mocha
Melted Nutella. Need we say more? Our updated version of hot chocolate is made in a slow cooker, just for kicks, and after cooking, can be kept on the warm setting for one hour.
Darling Clementine Mocktail
No offense to the classic mimosa, but not everyone wants to booze with their brunch. Enter the Darling Clementine, a tart, fizzy, deliciously pink, nonalcoholic alternative to classic morning cocktails.
Old Blue Eyes Martini
We converted shot measures used by P.J. Barrera at Jake's Old City Grill to standard kitchen measures (a shot equals 1.25 ounces) in this lovely purple-blue holiday martini. It's as smooth as Frank Sinatra's voice.
Colorful cocktail
Rub the rims of cocktail glasses with orange wedges and dip in a mix of coarse red and gold sugars for added flair.
Cool cocktail: In a large pitcher, mix 2 cups ruby red grapefruit juice and 1 cup chilled tangerine- or clementine-flavor vodka. Slowly stir in a 750-ml bottle of chilled rose Prosecco.
Admiral Russell's Punch
Cinicnnati mixologist Molly Wellman shares the legend behind this drink: A British admiral stranded in Spain over Christmas 1694 ordered his crew to assemble a massive punch in a courtyard fountain. Bacchanalia ensued. Consider yourself warned: This splurge of a drink is strong. But it's also nutmeggy, citrusy and wonderfully spirited in every sense.
Cranberry Margarita
Stir up a pitcher of these rosy margaritas for your next holiday bash. The Simple Syrup recipe makes enough syrup for 30 margaritas but is easily halved or quartered.
At The Rieger in Kansas City, bartenders prepare this dead-simple, gingery cocktail with J. Rieger & Co. KC Whiskey—but any rye or blended whiskey will work!
Rosemary-Grapefruit Gin Cocktail
Pretty in pink, yes, but this sweet drink has bite, too, thanks to grapefruit's subtle bitterness and the woodsy notes of gin and rosemary. This recipe makes enough rosemary-infused syrup for several cocktails.
Egg Nog Martini
Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman of the blog A Beautiful Mess share one of their favorite holiday sippers, eggnog spiked with vanilla vodka and amaretto.
Poinsettia Mimosas
The bubbly refresher is our version of a popular sipper at Marshall Field's Oak Grill in Minneapolis.
Jolly Gin Fizz
Part punch, part cocktail, this effervescent pink drink is perfect for holiday parties. If you don't have ginger beer or prefer a milder ginger flavor, substitute ginger ale.
Blue Blue Christmas Cocktail
Cheer the holidays with bold Blue Blue Christmas Cocktail -- a combination of vodka or rum, white cranberry juice, blue Curacao and lime juice.
Oatmeal Cream Pie
Brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, butter, vanilla, egg—it's like a rich, drinkable cookie. Our slow cooker twist on classic eggnog can be kept on the warm setting for one hour.
Sweet sips
Transform bubbly into a dessert drink by swapping traditional swizzle sticks for jewel-like rock candy.
Cranberry-Raspberry Spritz
Big party coming up? Offer guests Cranberry-Raspberry Spritz, which includes a make-ahead syrup base (enough for 80 servings!) and either champagne, carbonated water or lemon-lime carbonated beverage.
Mulled Cranberry Punch
This blend of cranberry juice, juice concentrate, spices, orange juice and water simmers in your slow cooker.
Red Apple Crisp
Spiced rum, red apple liqueur and cranberry juice add spicy fruit flavor to this crimson drink from Blue Plate Catering of Chicago.
Deluxe eggnogs
Chocolate, coffee, orange juice, ice cream and strawberries bring fresh flavors and colors to our eggnog recipes. The recipe for Chocolate Eggnog Deluxe (top right and lower left) also includes ideas for Double Chocolate and Nonalcoholic Chocolate versions; Holiday Orange-Eggnog Punch can be made with strawberries or strawberry ice cream for Strawberry Eggnog.
Chai-Maple Cider
Breathe deeply. This spiced cider tea from the slow cooker doubles as aromatherapy. After cooking, the cider can be kept on the warm setting for one hour.
Seduction Martini
Berry vodka, pomegranate liqueur and cranberry juice bring a blush to this drink from Jake's Old City Grill, Saginaw City, Michigan.
Indian Summer Cocktail
Liqueurs and fruit juice balance nicely in this beautiful green drink from a Schaumburg, Illinois, restaurant.
Chocolate Milk Shake Cocktail
Peppermint and chocolate give this splashy, nonalcoholic drink a festive, flavorful edge.
Pomegranate Martini
This martini features a combination of pomegranate juice, orange liqueur, lime juice and vodka. Decorate glasses by rubbing the rims with a lime, then dipping in red and white sugar.
Simple garnish
Skip mixing cocktails, and instead dress up a simple flute of sparkling wine with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a few pomegranate arils. (Guests can even garnish their own drinks.)
Hot Buttered Rum and Spiced Pear Tea
Freeze a base of ice cream, butter, sugar and spices, then combine with rum and boiling water when you're ready to serve our Hot Buttered Rum.
Pear nectar, honey, an orange and spices flavor easy-to-make Spiced Pear Tea.
Stained-Glass Kaleidoscope
For a pretty party presentation: Press thin slices of fruit (such as kiwi fruit, strawberries, oranges, seedless grapes and/or maraschino cherries) against the sides of 6- to 10-ounce rocks glasses. Cover and place in freezer. Check after 20 to 30 minutes and replace any fruit that has fallen off the sides of the glasses. Freeze for 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve add a little ice and your favorite clear carbonated beverage. If you want to add a little color, drizzle some grenadine over the top.
Twinkling Ginger Champagne Punch
This sparkling drink is perfect to serve before or after dinner. For a nonalcoholic version, use the gingered syrup (without the vodka) in sparkling water or sparking cider.
Spiced Apple-Cranberry Cider
This quick and easy drink combines cranberry-juice cocktail with apple cider or apple juice, cloves, and cinnamon. Garnish with a skewer of cranberries, if you like.
Punch with a Punch
This ruby-red beverage gets its kick from tequila. If you'd prefer a nonalcoholic option, use lemon-lime carbonated beverage instead of the tequila.
Spirited Cranberry-Rum Punch
This crimson, two-ingredient beverage is equally at home at a brunch or evening get-together. Use a less expensive rum for this no-fuss cocktail.
Gluhwein (Hot Mulled Wine)
Udo Heinz from the Baum Wine Group in Bensenville, Illinois, says he fixes this German/Austrian specialty in the traditional Nuremberg way: hot, a bit sweet and spiced. We created both an adult and a nonalcoholic "kinder" (kids') version using directions from Udo.


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Freezing fruits and vegetables to extend your harvest
There is a fine line in a productive summer garden where the harvest goes from plentiful to growing "out your ears." Of course, you can give extra produce away or donate it to a local soup kitchen, but another option is to freeze the abundant harvest. I grew up on a rural farm where food preservation was a way of life. From snapping green beans for canning to washing blackberries for freezing, we learned to help from a young age. Here are tips to help you get started with freezing produce at home.
Companion planting is the idea that certain plants attract beneficial insects and fix soil nutrients in the edible garden. It's not a dog-eat-dog world out there; it's a bug-eat-bug world that forms the food chain that feeds us.
Fresh fruit picked off your own trees is a hot horticultural pursuit these days. Homeowners envision delectable apples, pears, peaches, plums and cherries dripping from their trees. Well, truth be told, there's a lot of work that goes into those beautiful fruits. Bumps and blemishes from an army of fruit tree pests are the reality of the orchardist.
When I want to get a room full of gardeners engaged in a lively debate, I bring up the topic of tomatoes. A question that transforms shy, reserved types into outspoken, opinionated verbal wranglers is this one: "Is the tomato a fruit or a vegetable?">> read "Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable?" #Fruit #Misc #Unusual #Vegetables
Anyone who has ever grown a backyard tomato knows that there is no comparison to the flavor and quality of a freshly grown tomato compared to one purchased at the supermarket. While tomatoes are arguably the king of the vegetable garden, they can be challenging at times because this tropical fruit can be finicky. By far, tomato problems exceed those of any other vegetable. Whether that is because they just have more problems or because of how popular they are, they are definitely not easy to grow. Here I will outline what I see as the top 10 issues that can lead to tomato failure in the garden.>> read "The Top 10 Reasons Your Tomatoes Fail" #Advice #Edibles #Fruit #Vegetables
While on a food and native plant pilgrimage to Austin, Texas, I was offered a small plate of charred, wrinkly green peppers sprinkled with sea salt. The waiter said that the peppers were called shishitos and that they were native to Japan. Within a few minutes, I had devoured the entire plateful and was clamoring for more. These odd looking little peppers were seriously addictive.>> read "Shishito Peppers" #Edibles #Fruit #Vegetables
Growing some out-of-the-ordinary seasonings
If, like many of us, you have been trying to eat more locally produced food lately, no doubt you have already learned how to keep the produce bin stocked with beans, tomatoes, lettuce and corn by growing them at home or visiting the local farmers' market. Nothing beats local produce for flavor and nutrition, and eating close to home helps conserve the fuel that would have been used to transport the food across the country. But what about those wonderful, exotic flavors like ginger? They will always have to come from far away, right?>> read "Exotic Flavors" #Edibles #Fruit #Herbs #Unusual
Vaccinium corymbosum
Gardening in 2016 should be inspirational and eclectic and fun! What better plant to add to your garden than one that exhibits four seasons of interest and produces fruit for your cereal bowl! No more boring gardens stuffed with static plants that are not earning their keep – plant a new blueberry to spice it up.>> read "Perpetua Blueberry" #Blue #Edibles #Fruit #Hot Plants
Eriobotrya japonica
Kerry Heafner profiles the loquat (Eriobotrya japonica). Watch as he tells us all about this underused fruit tree that makes an excellent (and delicious) addition to the landscape.>> read "Loquat" #Fruit #Plant Profile #Video
Cudrania tricuspidata
Grape-size red fruits catch the eye starting in late August on this uncommon but commendable fruit tree known as Chinese che. At first it is slow to grow, a few inches at best. Just be patient – as with many plants three years seems to be the charm ...>> read "Chinese Che Tree" #Edibles #Fruit #Trees #Unusual
The cinnamon scent, exotic leaves and exceptional fruit color of Musa velutina (pink velvet banana or hairy banana) will add a tropical flair to any garden and are hard to resist once you have seen them. With adequate winter mulch, its cold hardiness makes it possible to be grown outside tropical zones.>> read "Pink Velvet Banana" #Edibles #Fruit #Unusual
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of shady overhanging trees can keep these five fantastic edible landscape plants from becoming standards in the Southeastern garden: crabapple, yucca, sunflower, native rose and pawpaw.>> read "Plant The Yard For Beauty and Food" #Edibles #Fruit #Vegetables
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Peonies..A Mother's Day Gift
I love my Peonies..
Buds and Blooms.
Try these in your garden.
Spring Slowy Awakens
A few early signs of spring are now here
Featured Books for Kentucky
Pamela Crawford
$ 19.95
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A complete guide to simple container gardening designed for anyone who has ever killed a plant. It includes illustrated instructions to create gorgeous, fool-proof container gardens that even you can't kill!
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Dorie Byers
$ 16.95
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Enhance your health naturally with herbs from your own garden. Even if you've never gardened before, you can care for yourself and your family using time-tested herbal remedies harvested from your own medicinal herb garden. Master Gardener Dorie Byers offers simple growing instructions for more than 20 versatile medicinal herbs such as garlic, chamomile, and echinacea. You'll also find recipes and tips for using the herbs for first-aid and preventive health care.
>> more information


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OPM and industry officials discuss keys to improving SES.
Mobility might not be the only key to improving the Senior Executive Service, as a recent study suggests.
Speaking Monday at a panel discussion hosted by Government Executive Media Group, Senior Executives Association General Counsel Bill Bransford suggested new initiatives that would require SES members to serve at more than one government agency as part of their service make more sense at some agencies than at others.
For example, requiring mobility at an agency with a targeted, unique mission, such as the Housing and Urban Development Department or the Securities and Exchange Commission, would be less beneficial to those agencies than requiring mobility at the Defense or Homeland Security departments, he said.
A recent report by the Partnership for Public Service and consulting firm McKinsey & Co. on mobility within the SES found that 48 percent of senior executives have never changed positions and only 8 percent have switched agencies during their careers.
Another recent survey of GS-14 and GS-15 employees showed that employees who are qualified to move into career SES positions are dissuaded from applying due to an unfavorable risk-to-reward ratio, concerns about mobility and a lack of work-life balance. In some cases, a GS-15 employee could earn the same salary in the SES.
Legislation proposed by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, would reduce the percentage of noncareer SES appointees as part of an effort to make the SES more attractive to career employees. Akaka's bill also would require all Cabinet-level agencies to have at least one career SES at the principal deputy assistant secretary level for every assistant secretary or comparable position. Currently, noncareer SES membership is capped at 25 percent of allocated positions -- including those that remain empty. The bill would lower that ceiling to 15 percent of filled positions.
Both Bransford and Angela Bailey, associate director of employee services at the Office of Personnel Management, agreed the reward-to-risk ratio has become skewed for federal employees considering joining the SES, but debated whether or not mandating incentives would improve the "cadre of senior professionals" created in 1978.
When a GS-15 employee does not want to join the SES, it "is sort of like an Army colonel not wanting to be a general," Bransford said. "That's what we have in the SES today." Offering performance rewards, such as a high-three annuity calculation for career SES employees -- a provision included in the Akaka bill -- might motivate more qualified candidates to apply, he said, adding he has heard that promotion panels "are less and less satisfied with applicants for SES."
Bailey emphasized that the Senior Executive Service should be made up of candidates who want to be part of the service for reasons beyond monetary awards. "I'm not sure everyone is in [SES] for the money," she said.
Regarding mobility, Bailey said agencies can benefit from a mix of institutional knowledge and leadership with experience in "other types of cultures," adding that blend had "created tension" at OPM that has enabled the agency to deliver on initiatives such as improving USAJobs.gov and hiring reform.


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McCain says a compromise is not coming soon.
The chances for bipartisan agreement on sweeping cybersecurity legislation appeared slim on Tuesday, as top Republicans in the Senate said that fundamental differences remain.
The Cybersecurity Act of 2012, which is backed by the White House and Senate Democratic leaders, has been stalled by opposition from a group of Republican committee leaders who say that the bill gives Homeland Security officials too much authority over certain private networks.
"There's a fundamental philosophical difference here," said Armed Services Committee ranking member John McCain, R-Ariz., who has led the group of GOP dissenters in proposing their own, more industry-friendly Secure IT Act.
When asked by National Journal whether he is any closer to striking a compromise with the sponsors of the Cybersecurity Act, McCain said no.
Instead of giving DHS authority to help develop and enforce standards for critical domestic networks, government cybersecurity efforts should rely more on offensive capabilities like those of the National Security Agency's Cyber Command, he said.
Despite White House calls for Congress to act quickly to address cyberthreats, McCain said it's not worth compromising if the legislation won't be effective. "Why pass something that won't work?" he asked.
The Republican sponsors of the Secure IT Act are in discussions with Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and the other sponsors of the Cybersecurity Act, said Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
The Senate has pursued a plan to pass one comprehensive cybersecurity bill, as opposed to the House, which moved ahead with a series of smaller bills that gathered bipartisan support.
Despite the stalemate in the Senate, Hutchison said she still wants to try for one broad bill. "If we could get an agreement on a comprehensive bill, that would be better," she said.
Lieberman said that Senate leaders can spur compromise by being more vocal about setting a deadline for the Cybersecurity Act to be considered during the next work period.
Lieberman has been trying to corral support for his bill, but on Monday the Cybersecurity Act took friendly fire from Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who echoed concerns from civil-liberties groups that complain all the major cybersecurity bills before Congress would undermine privacy.
"Both the House and Senate bills subordinate all existing privacy rules and constitutional principles to the poorly defined interest of cybersecurity," Wyden said in a speech on the Senate floor on Monday.
Rules designed to help companies and government agencies share information on cyberthreats could allow personal information to be used for a range of other purposes, Wyden said.
That, Lieberman told reporters on Tuesday, is "totally unfair." He continued: "I have a lot of respect for Ron Wyden, but there's no basis for that."
In comments to reporters on Tuesday, Wyden compared cybersecurity bills to controversial antipiracy legislation, but he said it is "premature" to say whether he will take steps to block the bills.
Congress is considering ways to increase cybersecurity among federal agencies and private businesses. Republicans have favored voluntary and incentive-based ways to prod businesses to better protect their networks, but Democrats, led by the White House, say that any meaningful legislation must give federal officials more authority to protect critical networks.


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WPWriter has been discontinued
WPWriter is a simple HTML editor that is designed to assist WordPress users to write blog articles easily. WordPress has a built-in visual HTML editor, whose editing area is quite small and cannot be changed. WPWriter gives you flexibility in this respect, and users can expand the editing area up to 2,000 x 1,150 pixels. WPWriter also supports contextual menus and shortcut keys for most built-in functions so that users can minimize their time in writing WordPress articles.
What's New in WPWriter
Version 1.0.5:
- Improvement: WPWriter now supports Better Undo/Redo functions.
- Improvement: A new tab is installed under Preferences so that the user can easily locate the system folder.
Requirements for WPWriter
- Mac OS X 10.3 or later
- G5 or Intel Mac
*Previously available here
Similar Software
Suggest other similar software


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Director: Martin Scorsese. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Kate Beckinsale. (170 min.)
Sterritt *** See review at right.
Director: Kevin Spacey. With Kevin Spacey, Brenda Blethyn, John Goodman, Kate Bosworth. (121 min.)
Sterritt ** The life and times of singer Bobby Darin, from his music-filled childhood to his untimely death, using the same kind of memoir storytelling as "De-Lovely," the Cole Porter biopic released slightly earlier. Spacey is almost as swinging as Darin was, but his filmmaking leans toward tried-and-true formulas.
Director: John Moore. With Dennis Quaid, Miranda Otto, Giovanni Ribisi, Tony Curran. (113 min.)
Sterritt *** Or rather, the crash and rebuilding of an oil-company plane that goes down in the Gobi Desert, where constant threats range from sandstorms to smugglers. Effective action, solid suspense, excellent Ribisi, plus enough clichés to equal the grains of Gobi sand that fill the screen.
Director: Dan Harris. With Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch, Jeff Daniels, Michelle Williams. (111 min.)
Sterritt **** Harris's debut drama shows rare promise as it tracks the engrossing emotional life of a suburban family, which goes through a string of crises after a tragic event that has a shattering impact on all concerned. While the ultimate message is hopeful, Harris's screenplay pulls no punches in its tragicomic portrait of two generations facing challenges they'd assumed their all-too-comfortable circumstances would shield them from. Superbly acted.
Director: Brad Silberling. With Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Billy Connolly, Jude Law. (108 min.)
Sterritt * See review, page 13.
Director: Clint Eastwood. With Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Margo Martindale. (129 min.)
Sterritt **** See review, page 13.
Directors: Till Schauder, Chris Valentien. With Till Terror, Kristy Jean Hulslander, Richard Glover. (85 min.)
Sterritt ** A sidewalk Santa finds romance with a Christmas angel he meets on the job. Forgettable fun.
Director: Alejandro Amenábar. With Javier Bardem, Belén Rueda, Tamar Novas, Lola Dueñas. (125 min.)
Sterritt *** Fact-based story of an articulate Spanish man who fights for the right to die after almost 30 years of lying paralyzed in bed while his family, and two women in his life, take care of him. Bardem is brilliant. In Spanish with subtitles.
Director: James L. Brooks. With Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, Téa Leoni, Cloris Leachman. (131 min.)
Sterritt ** See review, page 13.
Director: Ji-woon Kim. With Su-Jeong Lim, Geun-yeong Mun, Jung-ah Yum, Kap-su Kim. (115 min.)
Sterritt *** Mysteries abound in this gothic fairy tale about young Korean sisters who revisit their father and his wife, a wicked stepmother in the old tradition. Quite restrained for what's basically a horror movie, and very well acted. In Korean with subtitles.
Director: Oliver Stone. With Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Jared Leto. (172 min.)
Sterritt * The story of Alexander the Great, who wept when he realized there were no more realms for him to conquer. Stone may do the same when he realizes what a dull movie he's directed. It's astounding that the ingenious creator of "JFK" and "Wall Street" could make an epic on war and empire that's so utterly simplistic and unreflective.
Sex/Nudity: 8 instances. Violence: 21 Profanity: 3 mild expressions. Drugs: 10 scenes with drinking.
Director: David Goyer. With Wesley Snipes, Jessica Biel, Kris Kristofferson, Parker Posey. (113 min.)
Staff ** Snipes is back once again as the human-vampire hybrid crusading to save Earth from the more bloodthirsty side of his family, with assistance from his mentor's daughter (Biel), who delights in archery, and an ex-vampire (Reynolds), who specializes in wisecracks. Goyer, who wrote all three "Blade" movies, fills this one with the usual gore and mayhem, but at least it's funnier than the first two. By M. K. Terrell
Sex/Nudity: 4 instances of innuendo. Violence: 30 scenes, often gory Profanity: 77 harsh expressions. Drugs: 3 scenes with smoking.
Christmas With the Kranks (PG)
Director: Joe Roth. With Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd. (99 min.)
Sterritt * Facing their first Christmas without their daughter at home, a middle-aged couple decide not to celebrate the holiday, sending their neighborhood into shock. It's main message is that everyone should believe and behave in exactly the same way. Groupthink wins again!
Sex/Nudity: 3 instances of innuendo. Violence: 5 Profanity: 3 mild theological expressions. Drugs: 6 instances of drinking, 1 of smoking.
Director: Mike Nichols. With Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen. (101 min.)
Sterritt *** Four characters - a photographer, a writer, a stripper, a physician - go through various permutations of lust, love, and combinations thereof as Patrick Marber's screenplay shuffles and reshuffles their four-way relationship. Intense, engrossing, and extremely well acted.
Staff *** Complex, chamber play, highly sexual material.
Sex/Nudity: 15 scenes including frank talk and nudity. Violence: 4 scenes. Profanity: 68 harsh expressions. Drugs: 17 scenes of smoking and drinking.
Director: Marc Forster. With Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Dustin Hoffman, Julie Christie. (113 min.)
Sterritt *** Depp plays the Scottish playwright who dreamed up "Peter Pan" after befriending some real-life children. The story takes large liberties with Barrie's biography, and parents should know that the movie is surprisingly dark, dealing candidly with the death of a major character. The acting is excellent.
Sex/Nudity: 3 instances of innuendo. Violence: 1 Profanity: None. Drugs: 4 instances of drinking and smoking.
Director: Zhang Yimou. With Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Dandan Song. (119 min.)
Sterritt **** Love, treachery, and skulduggery zing like flashing blades through this thorny comedy-drama-romance, punctuated by some of the most inventive effects this side of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which it often resembles. China's finest filmmaker is in stunning form. In Mandarin with subtitles.
Sex/Nudity: 5 instances. Violence: 15 Profanity: None. Drugs: 3 scenes with drinking.
Director: Brad Bird. With voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell. (115 min.)
Sterritt *** What would happen if the public turned against superheroes, seeing them as menaces whose pursuit of truth and justice wreaks havoc on innocent bystanders? That question energizes this ambitious animationfrom Disney and Pixar, and the answers, decked out with slam-bang action and witty dialogue, are great fun to discover.
Sex/Nudity: None. Violence: 25 Profanity: 1 mild theological expression. Drugs: 2 instances of drinking.
Director: Wes Anderson. With Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston. (118 min.)
Sterritt **** A publicity oriented oceanographer (Murray) and his could-be illegitimate son (Wilson) begin a "Moby-Dick"-style hunt for a so-called jaguar shark, running into everything from a rival operation to a gang of murderous pirates before they're through. What might have a self-consciously quirky comedy is humanized by its performances, especially from Murray, who keeps getting better and better. The director of "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" scores his most funny-sad movie to date.
Director: Jon Turteltaub. With Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight. (131 min.)
Sterritt ** "The Da Vinci Code" meets "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in this slam-bang adventure about two teams, one good and one evil, scrutinizing patriotic artifacts for clues to a hidden Masonic treasure. Too bad the clever bits are swamped by no-brainer gunfights, rescues, and chases galore.
Sex/Nudity: 1 instance of innuendo. Violence: 11 Profanity: 5 mild theological expressions. Drugs: 1 instance of drinking.
Director: Steven Soderbergh. With George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta-Jones. (123 min.)
Sterritt *** Danny Ocean's gang expands to a dirty dozen when he decides to pull off three heists in three European cities - a twist on the "Ocean's Eleven" idea of robbing three casinos - so his associates can reimburse a nasty crook who's very angry about getting ripped off. The action is sparkling entertainment most of the way through. Too bad the film indulges in occasional clichés to fill out its too-long running time.
Staff **1/2 Playful, improbable, fresh sequel.
Sex/Nudity: 1 scene of innuendo. Violence: 1 explosion. Profanity: 2 harsh expressions. Drugs: 6 scenes with cigarettes; 7 scenes with alcohol.
Director: Robert Zemeckis. With voices of Tom Hanks, Nona Gaye, Eddie Deezen, Peter Scolari. (100 min.)
Sterritt ** On its way to the North Pole, a magical train pauses on Christmas Eve to pick up kids who need more Christmas cheer. The story is too implausible even for a fantasy.
Staff *** Charming, fantastic animation, spirited.
Sex/Nudity: None. Violence: None. Profanity: 1 mild expression. Drugs: None.
Directors: Sherm Cohen, Stephen Hillenburg, Mark Osborne. With voices of Tom Kenny, Alec Baldwin, Bill Fagerbakke, Jeffrey Tambor. (87 min.)
Sterritt **** Our absorbent hero and his starfish pal leave Bikini Bottom for sinister Shell City on a mission to retrieve King Neptune's stolen crown and save wrongly accused Mr. Krabs in the process. Imagine a Jerry Lewis movie designed by Salvador Dalí and you'll have some idea what this animation is like.
Sex/Nudity: 1 mild innuendo. Violence: 24 cartoonish scenes Profanity: None. Drugs: 2 scenes of drinking.


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Although we're not expecting too much more in terms of new Windows Phones for the next few months, Nokia is just getting the Lumia 610 into people's hands in various countries or unlocked for those who want it.
The Lumia 610 is Nokia's device for emerging markets and thus features lower specs than most users are accustomed to, in turn they are able to keep the price down, hovering below $300 contract-free.
We just had ours show up on our doorstep so we figured we would give you a quick tour. While plastic throughout the device comes in four colors including black, cyan, magenta and white, giving it quite a nice appeal. Truth be told, while it lacks the ClearBlack screen (but it does have Gorilla Glass), it's a nimble little guy and quite impressive for those who can spring for the higher-end Lumias.
Featuring a 3.7" screen, 256MB of RAM (ala "Tango"), a 5MP camera and 8GB of storage (5.59 GB available), the 610 is not particularly mind-blowing, especially with its Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 7227A 800MHz CPU, which just gets it by in terms of performance.
The bigger story of course is that this phone allows Nokia to push down into the rapidly expanding emerging markets of the world, someplace where Apple can't go but Android has with a vengeance (the quality also drops rapidly on the latter on such low-end hardware). Will the 610 be successful? All in all, it's so far not a bad experience and we imagine for many, this will be a solid Windows Phone introduction.
We'll have more over the next week on this device, so pay attention to Windows Phone Central.