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Hi everyone!
Recently, I have been having more free time than usually, so I found myself working on a project about the history of Japan.
The result are three coloured panels representing three different points in time during the Sengoku jidai period. On each of them, the most important (for the future development of history) warlords and their fiefs are drawn in. The evolution made from the first to the third map is what is most interesting, I think. It is to be noted, that the boards are drawn from the point of view of Oda Nobunaga. As such, the Mori, Chosokabe, Otomo for example only appear on the later maps, other clans do not appear. (the Date e.g.)
Also on the map are some important campaigns of the Oda, Uesugi, Takeda and of the major Oda generals (Toyotomi Hideyoshi or Shibata Katsuie). Furthermore, the most important battles are also marked in, showing the confrontation of some of the clans.
To all of this, I have also made the matching legend. The amount of information was too big to incorporate into the maps, so I wrote them down on paper separately. If anyone is interested in the first two ones, write to me, I will gladly upload them. I am currently working on the third.
I' will let you take a look, lest I say too much.
If you whish to see the sources the information is drawn from, write to me as well.
P.S.: You can gladly use the pictures, but I'd like you to ask me first for it!


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One of my favorite products and truly the best mask I've ever used is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay and I like to use it after a workout when my skin is open and ready for deep cleansing. There are different recipes to follow on the website, but I seem to get the best results using the raw apple cider method. Just like the label says, your face pulsates, your pores are extracted and an added bonus I've noticed is an all over firming effect. Heads up though- it's possible to experience some redness right after, so do it at least a couple of hours before you go out. Made from 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay, you can't beat it for clean, radiant skin and at $7.95, it's a score!
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subset: commoncrawl


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Drive times have increased for Riverside commuters who trail only New York, Chicago and Newark for time spent on the road, new census data shows.
Drive times have increased for Riverside commuters who trail only New York, Chicago and Newark for time spent on the road, new census data shows.
An annual U.S. Census Bureau survey, which questioned residents of the nation's largest cities, found that Riverside residents spent an average of 31.2 minutes getting to work each day during 2003, a one-minute increase from 2002 and a nearly six-minute jump from 2001.
The findings are based on responses from a sample of commuters interviewed in 2003. About 828,590 households participated in the study, which examined the one-way commuting time for workers 16 and older.
Ken Bryson, a program analyst for the American Community Survey, which compiled the information, said Riverside's public transportation is underused and its road systems are challenged by a booming population.
About 300,000 people have moved to the Inland area over the last three years, many lured by the area's affordable homes.
"A lot of people seem willing to sacrifice long commutes for cheaper homes," he said Monday. "But it's making for a heck of a long drive for some people."
The nation's average commute time is about 24 minutes, about two minutes more than in 1990.
Among states, New York led with an average commute time of 30 minutes, followed by Maryland, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Illinois and California.
Riverside County residents spend 30.8 minutes getting to work, ranking 18th among 233 counties nationwide with at least 250,000 people. San Bernardino County residents spend 28.1 minutes, ranking 49th on the list.
Inland transportation leaders are working to improve traffic flow with a variety of projects, including a $317 million upgrade to the Riverside interchange that links Highways 60 and 91 and Interstate 215. The job is expected to be finished within four years, doubling the interchange's capacity to 250,000 cars per day.
Officials also hope more commuters will use the Metrolink rail system when a new line opens in Perris by 2008. The project calls for the creation of six new stations along a 22-mile stretch between downtown Riverside and Perris. Once running, the new line is expected to eliminate 4,000 auto trips per day.
The average one-way travel time to work, in minutes, for the nation's large cities in 2003:
--New York City 38.3
--Chicago 33.2
--Newark 31.5
--Riverside 31.2
--Philadelphia 29.4
To see more of The Press-Enterprise, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.PE.com.
© 2004, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.


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Nice big swarm on a low branch. Came from a bee tree in a guys yard. Chittenango NY 13037 78 degrees sunny
Nice big swarm on a low branch. Came from a bee tree in a guys yard. Chittenango NY 13037 78 degrees sunny
Second swarm for me. About 2 lbs. 5-30-07 Chittenango NY 13037 Still no takers for the swarm traps I have out. Both swarms were clustered on limbs.
May 16, 14850
I got a call from someone who was referred by Cornell Entomology. The swarm was in a residential neighborhood, too far up a spruce tree for me to catch. They were gone by the next day.
My beekeeping blog: The Bee Yard
4 bait hives caught swarms this week. Also had a swarm come to another but left. The plywood top had warped and I think to much light was let in. First time that has happened to me.
Round Top, NY 12473
Swarm moved into an empty pile of hive bodies.
Friend called us with a swarm on Sunday, July 22. Near Plattsburgh, NY, northeastern corner of NY. It has alternated cold and wet with hot and steamy.
14885. First one this year, pics in the photo gallery.
"I reject your reality, and substitute my own." Adam Savage
A swarm showed up today and occupied a battered five-frame nuc I'd been using as a stool to watch my bees. They aren't from one of my colonies, so I guess there are some others around! (14850 zip code, Upstate New York) I'll post pictures in the photo gallery.
My beekeeping blog: The Bee Yard
A lady near Freeville,NY called and had a swarm on her pine tree yesterday morning (8/27/07) and before I could get out the door to leave another closer to McGraw, NY called to pick up a swarm. I used them to boost a couple of hives that could use the help as the golden rod gets into gear. More swarms lately than when they typically swarm (mid May) I am wondering if the snow (10 inches) in the middle of april set them back a bit ? ....Rick
Turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones
Got a call from the sheriffs dept that a guy had a swarm of bees in his tree and felt they might threaten someones life ? Being a wise guy I replied "and you would like me to take them in custody" ? When I got there they were hanging about 12 feet off the ground so I backed my truck under them hooked up the extrension cord to the beevac and took them home 20 minutes later. I added them to a neighbors hive who was also a late swarm and could use the help. I have been hearing of a lot of swarms this later. I suspect now that they have completed the brood nest turn over and are just adjusting the populations to the living spaces available...just my thoughts....Rick
Turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones
7 swarms since the 1st of Sept. Most were small 2-3 pounds, and most had virgin queens. Proably out of my mating nucs.
"I reject your reality, and substitute my own." Adam Savage
First swarm reports that I heard of among my friends here in SC was about 2 weeks ago. I've collected about 7 swarms this last week and waved at a couple more. They were too high to do anything else.
Mark Berninghausen
Collected a swarm yesterday at the Pepsi plant in Conway, SC. It was hanging on a low branch of a Magnolia tree, shoulder highth. I had quite an audience of about ten or more plant workers. They got a real kick out of seeing me pick up a handful of bees that had grouped together a ways away from the nuc box that I used.
While I waited for the bees to get into the box, one worker said that his girlfriend had just called him to report that she had driven through a swarm in flight. I didn't go after that one.
I like the ones I don't have to reach too high for.
Mark Berninghausen
Swarmed today 05/04 in southern NY State 15 north of NYC. Zip code 10976.
May 17, 2008. High swarm from a colony that I split 3 weeks ago.
May 24, 2008, hive that swarmed 7 days ago threw another one.
05/25/08 First Swarm in Cortland, NY 13045 . After a week of cold and rainy weather today was in the upper 70`s and clear skys. I expect swarm season to get more intense
First swarm this year. Clustered below a swarm trap. 5-26-08 Chittenango NY 13037
Huge swarm came flying in about 4:00 PM and settled into an empty hive about a 100 feet out in front of the small yard I have. I don't know where they came from but it wasn't my hives. May be ferel but I suspect they may have come from a small yard about a mile south of me. This is the first swarm I've seen or heard of in this area which is in the northern part of Oneida county, NY.
I'm a first year beek and just got a call from a friend of mine who works at our High School. They had a swarm land in one of their gardens.
So, with a medium, a couple pieces of plywood, my jacket, and some straps I headed over. It was very easy since it was hanging just above the ground. I was able to round up the majority of the bees (went back a second time to pick up a few hundred more). I took them home and setup a makeshift hive. Tomorrow I'll have more time to figure it all out and setup my third hive.
What a great hobby!


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Every season there is one pattern that breaks out from the pack. The thing that everyone wants to knit. And this season, the piece to knit is the Sunburst Shawl by Rachel Henry in Soft Linen (available in the booklet Meadow Melody or on Ravelry.)
The shawl is a two color lace sampler triangle worked from the bottom edge to the center point (so your rows get shorter and shorter as you go – which also means faster and faster!) It has a soft delicate vintage vibe that is so popular right now.
Soft Linen is a linen, wool and alpaca blend. The wool in the Soft Linen gives it a nice drape, while the alpaca gives it a touch of warmth and a halo that makes the shawl a great three season piece. Throw it on over your outfit on chilly spring mornings or to keep warm in the chilly A/C world that we live in during the summer months. And it's still appropriate for those fall days when you don't quite want to admit that winter is coming.
Rachel knit the sample in Winter Pear and Titian Blue. But what if you want to try something a little different? We put our creative minds together to come up with a few other color combos that you might want to try. Using the magic of Photoshop, and a talented Graphic Designer, we are able to preview them for you.
The first color combo is Linen and Celadon. It still has a similar antique feeling, but is a little less scary for those who aren't as comfortable mixing colors.
We also paired the Linen with Titian Blue, which is a beautiful colorway.
The Botticelli Pink with the Linen is a soft color combo with a hint of girlishness.
The blue/green color combo of the Deep Cornflower Blue and New Fern is reminiscent of the original shawl, but with a little kick.
Looking for some other combos? Maybe something a little bolder, or darker? Here are a few suggestions:
From Left to right: Blue Grotto and Inca Gold, Blue Grotto and Titian Blue, Blue Grotto and Kentucky Blue, Kentucky Blue and Tangerine, New Fern and Deep Twilight, Kentucky Blue and Turk Red, Turk Red and Deep Twilight, Loden Green and Smokey Rose, and Kentucky Blue and Loden Green.
The shawl would also be a classic wardrobe stable knit in one color, shown here in Titian Blue:


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The Volvo V70, launched in 2007, is the third model in Volvo's successful V70 concept. The model strengthens Volvo's position in the premium estate segment. An expressive design - with a characteristic Scandinavian touch - has been combined with a highly flexible and versatile interior with excellent loading possibilities. In addition, a sporty appearance, as well as sporty driving characteristics completes the model - and the model's overall exclusive impression.
Business project manager: Tomas Ahlborg
New features, Volvo V70, model year 2009 - brief summary
Please note that some systems and functions are optional.
Five-door estate car.
The Volvo V70 has somewhat of a "dual personality", meaning a harmonious balance between spacious, versatile loading functions and sporty characteristics. In addition, the car has been given a higher level of luxury, to reinforce its premium qualities. The "soft nose" front, including an egg-crate grille with chromed vertical bars, creates a sporty yet luxurious "face". The tailgate's upper section has a sportier forward-leaning stance. The tailgate overlaps the tail lamps, providing an even wider opening. The glass goes further down at the sides, enhancing rear view. The loading space is increased by 55 litres (compared with the previous V70 model). The interior, with a Scandinavian touch, is a perfect combination of design and function.
Exterior colours:
* Metallic Silver (426)
* Electric Silver Metallic (477)
* Seashell Metallic (484)
* Oyster Grey Pearl (472)
* Titanium Grey Pearl (455)
* Ice White (614)
* Glacier Blue Metallic (485)
* Willow Green Metallic (471)
* Passion Red Solid (612)
* Ruby Red Metallic (454)
* Barents Blue Metallic (466)
* Magic Blue Metallic (467)
* Solid Black (019)
* Black Sapphire Metallic (452)
* New colour: Savile Grey Pearl (492)
* New colour: Caper Green Pearl (493)
The rear seat integrated child seats are adjustable in two steps. The top-class comfort level is characterised by increased passenger space - distance from front to rear passengers is increased by 21 millimetres, rear legroom by 48 millimetres and knee clearance by 21 millimetres. Width at shoulder height - in the front seats - is 30 millimetres wider than before. The ventilated front seats with perforated leather (option) are equipped with fans, lowering the seat cushion temperature. This contributes to an even greater seating comfort - especially on hot summer days.
As of model year 2009, new front head restraints will be introduced due to legal demands. The new front head restraints have reduced width and 25 mm increased height. Buttons with the "Auto Closing" function now have side ridges in order to prevent window/sunroof buttons from being activated by mistake (e.g., by a child or a dog) - something that can easily happen.
A new modernised claret walnut wood inlay will be introduced as an option. The new inlay will give the interior a more elegant and dynamic design. A total of nine different surfaces will be offered.
The Volvo V70 offers a number of loading solutions. The rear seat is split into three parts - 40/20/40, providing two very comfortable rear seats with a convenient armrest in between. The luggage compartment has aluminium rails and movable anchorage points. The anchorage points can be tucked down into the rails when not in use. The built-in anchorage eyelets in the side panels keep luggage securely in place. In addition, the side panels can be equipped with multifunctional rails, making it possible to attach hooks, load-anchoring nets and cargo space dividers among other loading accessories. The power-operated tailgate (option) can be opened with a push on the remote control. This facilitates loading when the owner has his or her hands full.
The Volvo V70 comes with a number of safety solutions - aimed to help avoiding accidents as well as reducing the consequences of a collision. The height-adjustable integrated child booster cushion provides children of different sizes with a good view through the windows, while at the same time contributing to a high level of protection. The booster cushion, providing optimum seat belt geometry, is even more effective in combination with the specially adjusted force limiters.
The Inflatable Curtain has been extended by 60 mm. In combination with the booster cushion and a strong body side, it helps increasing the side impact protection - for children of different sizes. In addition, the side structure has been combined with two-chamber side impact airbags. The Volvo V70 features Volvo's patented front structure as well. The structure is divided into zones with different steel grades. All engines are mounted transversely, including the six-cylinders, and help reducing the risk of penetration into the passenger compartment.
Volvo's Whiplash Protection System provides a gentle damping motion and contact between the head and head restraint throughout the impact sequence. The front has energy-absorption properties, including a soft structure (in front of the bumper) that helps reducing the risk of leg injuries to pedestrians.
The reinforced, lower spoiler edge is moved forward and almost on level with the bumper. This solution helps distributing the contact area of a pedestrian's or a cyclist's leg, helping to further reduce the risk of injury. The raised bonnet's underside has a honeycomb structure which helps absorbing the energy and reducing the risk of injury.
Collision Warning with brake support and emergency brake lamps helps avoiding rear-end impacts or minimise the consequences of a collision.
Adaptive Cruise Control helps keeping a safe distance to vehicles ahead.
The model has a number of advanced and interacting braking functions, such as Hydraulic Brake Assist, Optimized Hydraulic Brakes and Fading Brake Support. Volvo's Personal Car Communicator, an advanced pocket-sized control centre for increased personal security, is available for the Volvo V70. The Personal Car Communicator provides information about the car's lock and alarm status if the owner is up to 100 metres away from the car. It's even possible to detect if there's someone in the car.
Laminated glass all around, including the tailgate and rear side windows, is an option. The storage system under the luggage compartment floor has a loading capacity of 46 litres (without a spare wheel). The storage space locks automatically when closing and locking the tailgate.
The Volvo V70 can be equipped with the HomeLink system. The system makes it possible to operate up to three remote controlled home devices (e.g., garage door, home alarm system, etc.) via a module integrated into the sun visor. HomeLink contributes to easy and safe access to your home.
Driveline and chassis
The Volvo V70 is either front-wheel driven or equipped with AWD - All Wheel Drive. And - for the first time ever - the V70 model is offered with two six-cylinder engines - a powerful turbo engine and a highly comfortable, normally aspirated engine. As in all modern Volvo cars, the in-line six-cylinder units are mounted transversely. These engines are extremely compact and perfectly integrated with the front structure. The 3,0 litre turbo engine (T6) features a turbocharger technique, taking in exhaust gases in two stages. This enables a more compact turbocharger that provides extremely swift response, fully comparable with a twin-turbocharger solution.
The model will also be available with a 2.5 l five-cylinder, light-pressure turbo engine. The turbocharger is integrated into the manifold, contributing to the engine's compact format. The turbocharger withstands high exhaust temperatures and contributes to an efficient combustion and low exhaust emissions. This engine has been further developed and is now available in a Flexifuel model, delivering the same performance. It is compatible with both manual and automatic gearboxes. The Flexifuel engine meets the European emission standard Euro 4.
The five-cylinder turbo diesel provides smooth and powerful driving. This powerful and modern diesel engine features a service-free particle filter, making it a highly eco-efficient engine. The diesel engine is available in two versions.
The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Flexifuel engine (2.0F) runs on bioethanol or petrol. This is a renewable fuel, lowering fossil carbon dioxide up to 80 %. Petrol and bioethanol can be mixed in the fuel tank.
The engine programme for the Volvo V70 is as follows:
Power, bhp
Torque, Nm
Power, bhp
Torque, Nm
*All diesel engines have a turbo function.
Power, bhp
Torque, Nm
The five- and six-cylinder engines can be combined with Geartronic - an automatic six-speed gearbox with a manual gear changing function. In combination with the T6 engine, the Geartronic gearbox has a Sport mode, providing slightly faster gear change.
The chassis has been further developed, in comparison with the previous V70 model. In addition, the Volvo V70 can be equipped with Volvo's advanced chassis system - Active chassis with Four-C.
The T6 model is equipped with AWD - All Wheel Drive, distributing power between the rear and front wheels. The speed-dependent power steering (option) can be completed with a three-step adjustment function, making it possible to adjust the servo assistance and optimize road feedback. The Power Parking Brake is applied automatically, simplifying starting on uphill gradients for example. The DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) system helps reducing the risk of skidding.
The Volvo V70 can be equipped with Self Supporting Tyres. A Self Supporting Tyre is constructed with stiffer sidewalls in order to carry the intended weight even if a puncture occurs. It is possible to drive at a maximum of 80 km/h for 80 km (fully loaded car) with Self Supporting Tyres. Driveability with a punctured tyre is almost equivalent to an optimally inflated tyre.
The Volvo V70 can be equipped with the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System - a control system that warns of low pressure in the tyres. The system has a pressure sensor integrated into the inflation valve in each wheel. The sensors are activated by an accelerometer at speeds over approximately 40 km/h.
Two new aluminium wheels are available: Atla 16" and Cassini 17".
Environment and air quality
The Volvo V70 is built and produced with the ambition of minimising the environmental impact. The efficient engines - diesels, petrols and Flexifuel - contribute to reduce the emission levels.
Volvo's Interior Air Quality System reduces particles, pollen, gases and unpleasant odours in the passenger compartment. In addition, all textiles and leather are certified under ÖKO-TEX 100. This is an international standard, which ensures that fabrics and hides have been thoroughly tested to check for certain allergy-inducing substances and emissions.
The Clean Zone Interior Package provides an improved in-car climate. The system ventilates the passenger compartment automatically (in temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius).
A convenient menu system makes it possible for the driver to adjust different systems - such as climate and rear-view mirrors. This system helps increasing the driver's focus on the road and contributes to a high level of comfort.
For information on how Volvo Cars process your personal data in relation to Volvo Cars Global Newsroom click here.
Volvo Cars Newsroom makes use of cookies in order to optimize your user experience on this website. The cookies on the website do not store personal information. For more information, read our Cookies Policy page.Accept


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Constantinople (kŏn´stăn´tĬnō´pəl), former capital of the Byzantine Empire and of the Ottoman Empire, since 1930 officially called İstanbul (for location and description, see İstanbul). It was founded (AD 330) at ancient Byzantium (settled in the 7th cent. BC by the Greeks) as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine I, after whom it was named. The largest and most splendid European city of the Middle Ages (it had a cosmopolitan population of about 1 million in the 10th cent.), Constantinople shared the glories and vicissitudes of the Byzantine Empire, which in the end was reduced to the city and its environs.
Although besieged innumerable times by various peoples, it was taken only three times—in 1204 by the army of the Fourth Crusade (see Crusades), in 1261 by Michael VIII, and in 1453 by the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad II. Defended by Greek fire, it was also well fortified. An early inner wall was erected by Constantine I, and the enlarged Constantinople was surrounded by a triple wall of fortifications, begun (5th cent.) by Theodosius II. Built on seven hills, the city on the Bosporus presented the appearance of an impregnable fortress enclosing a sea of magnificent palaces and gilded domes and towers. The Church of Hagia Sophia, the sacred palace of the emperors (a city in itself); the huge hippodrome, center of the popular life; and the Golden Gate, the chief entrance into the city; were among the largest of the scores of churches, public edifices, and monuments that lined the broad arcaded avenues and squares. Constantinople had a great wealth of artistic and literary treasures before it was sacked in 1204 and 1453.
Virtually depopulated when it fell to the Ottoman Turks, the city recovered rapidly. The Ottoman sultans, whose court was called the Sublime Porte, embellished Constantinople with many beautiful mosques, palaces, monuments, fountains, baths, aqueducts, and other public buildings. After World War I the city was occupied (1918–23) by the Allies. In 1922 the last Ottoman sultan was deposed, and Ankara became (1923) the capital of new Turkish republic.
See P. Mansel, Constantinople: City of the World's Desire, 1453–1924 (1996).


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Wordless (nearly) Wednesday
"The Home Place!" - from whence came the name of my novel!
This Blog focuses on Ancestor Stories, both the stories themselves about my family's ancestors and discussions of where they come from and how to prepare and share them. These stories may be non-fiction or fiction – we will always tell which is which, of course. Also see my KINNICK blog and The HOMEPLACE Series Blog, left sidebar, scroll down.
Who is the child in the picture? I have a notation that this picture was taken in 1942.ReplyDelete
Looks to me like a little girl, about 1. Judi, perhaps? Or Joan...?ReplyDelete
Dr. Bill,
Trying to catch up on reading posts. 400 more to go, but what a great way to spend the next few evenings. The photo of the Home Place is more impressive than what I imagined when reading the book. Actually, it looks like a great farm house.
The novel is fiction, of course. This was the "home place" of my father, in real life. The concept started here, though, as I noted. ;-)ReplyDelete


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Read More...
This is the fourth annual edition of "100 Things About Me". It's a blogger tradition to do this once, but I'm an overachiever plus I direct potential partners from online dating to this post. It works to intrigue the right ladies and more importantly to avoid a whole lot of one time coffee dates.
There has been about an 17.6% update this year, mostly because I got bored by the old me.
There has been about an 17.6% update this year, mostly because I got bored by the old me.
1. This blog [Keeping Your Head in (All) the Game(s)] will soon total more than 400 posts since 2007. I have disclosed more to the void of the world wide web than I have to my closest friends.
2. For 15 months in 2009-10, I was undomiciled (not homeless) while traveling in my Cube to see family and friends around the country.
3. As of March '10, I have a semi-permanent address in Berkeley, CA.
4. I got my first passport to study in Germany in '68. I used my second to go to Antarctica in '80. The third one took me to Singapore & Bali in '97. I was traveling on my fourth passport in Australia in '07, when I wrote the first draft of this list.
5. That fourth passport is currently awaiting a visa stamp for a long romantic trip with my soon to be once and future lover.
6. I grew up in a rural village in Michigan near Ann Arbor.
7. I am the middle child of five; I am typical of a middle child. Also an Aquarius, double Capricorn, Emperor-Fool, INFP.
8. I have lived with four women in my life; this total does not include lesbian housemates, my mother or sister.
9. Only one relationship ever mutually got anywhere near the conversation that begins: "4½ yellow gold with…." There were several others that got that close for her but not for me or so I was later informed.
10. I got my undergraduate degree in political science from Kalamazoo College in 1969.
11. I received a Ph.D. in East-West Psychology in 1999 from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco.
12. I was Jane Fonda's bodyguard for a day (1973).
13. I once grew my hair for two years, it never reached my collar. These days I shave erratically, unless a current paramour prefers a smooth cheek.
14. My first book was published in May of 2009, it has sold about 25,000 copies; the screenplay languishes in Hollywood.
15. The title of my great American novel is: "All My Friends are Nearly Normal", that has been the title for sixteen years.
16. The title of the book I am actively writing is: "Pay Attention!" I'm not sure about the exclamation point.
17. I went to a Catholic grade school. The school, church, rectory, convent, playground and the big field were on the same block as our house.
18. I skipped from the 4th to the 5th grade mid-year.
19. I do not have a tattoo or any piercings and only three major scars; broken baby bottle, clothesline, scalpel.
20. I don't wear jewelry, cologne, boxers, pelts or chartreuse.
21. 99.3% of my clothes are cotton.
22. A Google search of me will find a lot of papers presented to the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness.
23. The most important feature of a car is head room; come to think of it, that may be the most important feature of life.
24. I have been told I have really great hands. I have not been told that often enough.
25. I was mesmerized twice during an Easter weekend in Paris in 1968.
26. There were seventeen academic awards for boys given out my senior year in high school. I received seventeen.
27. I have written under several pseudonyms.
28. The first live poker tournament I ever played was raided by the Ohio State Police.
29. I worked as a media writer at the World Series of Poker for four years: '06-'09; I was not there in '10 and will not be there in the future.
30. I once received a job evaluation that read: "Not completely sure what Tim does; prefer not to ask. Overall rating: Excellent, perhaps."
31. I ran several political campaigns in the 70's; none of my candidates won but none of them served time in prison either.
32. I have voted in every presidential election. I have never voted for a winning presidential candidate. I have voted for one democrat and no republicans -- George McGovern.
33. The 1972 election was the last time I drank the kool-aid.
34. I have a lengthy rant/tirade on third party voting, which no one is required to hear more than once. I would add that several friends have come back years, even decades later and asked me to repeat my argument.
35. The last presidential speech I heard was Richard Nixon's resignation. I enjoyed it much too much.
36. I don't believe in the Cartesian mind/body split.
37. I do believe in Karma and Reincarnation, well at least this time.
38. From the age of ten to twenty-six, I had the key to a pharmacy in my pocket. I refer to those as my "chemically formative years."
39. My father was a naval officer, small business owner, pharmacist, village councilman and volunteer fire chief.
40. I have a not so deeply repressed attraction to redheads.
41. I have about six dozen favorite quotes. Among them: "True wisdom needs decades to ripen."
42. I think that The Simpsons once was "a brilliant commentary on American culture" and so is the woman who first said that to me.
43. When anyone says their family is dysfunctional, I ask if they have ever seen The Osbournes; available on DVD.
44. There always seems to be one current reality show that I am addicted to. The previous list includes: Intervention, The Osbournes, The Girls Next Door, and currently Family Jewels.
45. A country needs jesters; we have John Stewart and Steven Colbert.
46. I have many qualities that resemble a hibernating bear.
47. There is a sign on my front door that reads: "Arouse only as necessary."
48. I have had several "families" over the years; the one in L.A. will always be the most memorable, we lost our center and drifted apart.
49. I have never been arrested. I have put up bail several times.
50. I have only three addictions: chocolate, oxygen and that other one.
51. Apocalypse Now is my favorite movie but not the director's cut. I have a blog post: Movies of My Life that may interest movie buffs.
52. Catch-22 was once my favorite book. These days my favorite changes often.
53. Annie Lennox is my favorite female singer.
54. I adore cats of all sizes and I am fond of manatees.
55. In the last three years I have discovered the answer to several of life's questions. However, I have also realized that an equal number of previously 'known' answers, no longer seem to be true.
56. Three of the most remarkable women I have ever met all live in Texas.
57. The other three I met in San Francisco. I am open to expanding this list.
58. I have lived in Michigan, Massachusetts, Germany, several L.A. South Bay suburbs, San Francisco, Las Vegas and now Berkeley.
59. In the past twelve months I have spent more than five consecutive nights in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Weed, Sonoma, Windsor, Fort Wayne, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Hinckley, Atlantic City, Satellite Beach, Biloxi, Austin, Phoenix, Palm Springs, Oakland and Berkeley.
60. I have a new website.
61. I have many more conservative friends than I used to, but most of them tend to not know about my previous incarnations.
62. I read Tarot. Those new friends tend to ignore this bit of information.
63. I have some limited shamanic abilities. Ditto.
64. The best vacation of my life was in Bali. The second was Key West. The third she still hasn't shown up for.
65. I would like to see New Zealand and much more of Canada; plus there are many parts of the U.S. I want to visit again.
66. Favorite Band: I am rethinking this one, again.
67. Favorite Music: Nessun Dorma from Turandot.
68. Tiger, Clarence, Sam, Gisele, Geniver, Samson,Truman, Wally, Armistead, Honey, Rascal, Smokey, Midnight.
69. I discovered I was buddhist in Singapore.
70. I am likely not to be here next year.
71. "Here" is not an easy term to define, particularly in the context I use it here.
71. "Here" is not an easy term to define, particularly in the context I use it here.
72. The most important part of a movie is the dialogue.
73. After the writing comes the music, except Koyaanisqatsi.
74. I am fascinated by images from the Hubble Space Telescope.
75. "It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all" is empirically, if painfully, true.
76. I do not watch nor follow team sports. I do watch the Super Bowl commercials.
77. I don't play any musical instruments and can't carry a tune. Prose is my vehicle.
78. I eat the M&Ms by color, dark to light.
79. Omnivore with predilections for turkey, avocado, asparagus, barbeque, crusty loaves and the aforementioned cocoa in all dark forms.
80. I have never participated in sports where your legs randomly go in opposite directions.
81. I was employed for several years as a benevolent demi-god in a virtual reality world. It was typecasting. I never smote anyone.
82. I believe that U.S. America post-1492 can genetically be a country of origin. I have officially declared myself an albus americanus.
83. As my friends approach retirement, I offer each of them this advice: "Fix up your guest room."
84. Is my favorite number but not my lucky number.
85. Grey is my favorite color; followed closely by gray.
86. I have made love in hell.
87. Until I was 35 everyone thought I was older than I was.
88. After I was 35 everyone thinks I am younger than I am, even now.
89. I lived in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach but I never, ever lay on a sunny beach.
90. 1984 was the first book I ever stayed up all night to read.
91. About the only pastime that keeps me from writing is reading.
92. My favorite job is the one I have now; teaching is a close second and working with my dad in the pharmacy made both of those possible.
93. I lived with a woman named Faith. I got hit by a car driven by Hope. Was asked to have coffee by a hooker named Charity, she really did want to have coffee (some years later she asked me to be her daughter's godfather.)
94. I will eat a hot dog, sausage or link no matter how many snouts and lips are in it. Prefer the links be barbeque, the sausage in an omelette and only the occasional weenie.
95. I will eat almost anything chocolate and will ford any stream to locate and devour it.
96. I once camped for a weekend with seven gay men, six lesbians, and four newborn kittens.
97. I currently have three goals: Not just a woman, not just book, just a synchronous life.
98. I have two lingering regrets in my life. Both involve relationships I screwed up. One when I was too young, the other I couldn't break through the shimmering walls of her past.
99. I have one prejudice; I abhor voluntary stupidity.
100. I will listen to almost any thoughtful position, unless it violates the limits referenced in 33 and 99.


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text:
Greetings, and Dear Cynthia,
Here is the current state of my my "boring tan sock yarn" that matches yours:
I'm thinking about what sort of sock I'm going to make with it -- probably an original pattern. It was soooo great to visit with you, even if only for a couple of hours, while I was in Fort Wayne a couple of weeks ago! Next time we'll have to make sure we have some time to knit...
I've had a whirlwind week at school, and let's just say that I survived, even having to leave early yesterday to care for my sick seven year old. 41% of my ortho grade was determined within a span of 24 hours (and included three different, though all high-stress, assessments). I also had to give a 20 minute presentation for a different class on Tuesday, but now I am virtually done with that class for the rest of the year. Big sigh of relief, so today I'm here to tell you about actual knitting progress.
I finished the pair of Tofutsies socks on our way home from Fort Wayne:
I used the "Diagonal Lace" pattern from the Wendy Knits book "Socks from the Toe Up." It's the first time I've used the "heel flap" style on a toe-up sock:
It will be interesting to wear these socks which contain fiber from shrimp and crab shells...
I also finished a cute little hat ornament, shown here with a can of soda for scale:
I *LOVE* the beads! It is from a Blackberry Ridge kit, "Mini Hat and Mitten Ornaments," and there should be enough materials for me to make all of the ornaments shown on the front of the pattern. I'm not sure if I'll keep them or give them away as gifts... Nice to tackle something which I can finish in a reasonable amount of time given my schedule these days.
I am contemplating making sweatshirt/hoodies for DH and the boys for Christmas. Recall that I did this last year, and though I finished them at the final hour, it was not without a certain amount of stress. I get done with classes/exams on December 22nd, I think, so not sure if such an idea would be wise with the rest of my obligations... Well, actually, I'm quite certain that such an idea is *unwise* and *unrealistic*...but isn't that how we knitters/sewers are? Anyway, stay tuned to see if sanity reigns or not...
I hope this finds you all well! I'm going to go make another knitted ornament :-)
Warm regards,
Laura (YarnThrower)


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Earlier today we looked at Citi's survey of 115 institutional clients that showed growing bullishness around the U.S. economy and U.S. equities.
These investors expect S&P500 EPS to grow over 7 percent year-over-year (weighted average) and expect the index to close at 1,422.
While investors are most bullish on U.S. equities they have a strong preference for IT stocks, followed by financials. They however show "disdain" for utilities and telecom services - two areas that Citi analyst Tobias Levkovich recommends being overweight.


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In tomorrow's new comics, the God of Fear rises to wage war on the entire Marvel universe, Hellboy travels back to the 1970s, Batman faces two of the DC universe's heaviest hitters, and a classic John Constantine story returns.
First Issues
Marvel kicks off its latest big crossover event with Matt Fraction's Fear Itself, as the God of Fear shows up to wreak havoc and force Marvel's superheroes to face their worst nightmares. This week also sees the debut of the supporting book Fear Itself: Home Front, which goes back to Stamford, Connecticut to find a fear-stricken populace still struggling with the tragedy that started the Civil War. Away from the main event, Marvel's mixing a little mythology in with its crime-fighter with Herc, which follows Hercules as he declares war on all criminals, armed to the teeth with Ares' finest weapons.
DC doesn't have much by way of new releases, but they are putting out the First Wave Special, the latest book combining pulp heroes like Doc Savage with old-school takes on iconic DC heroes, such as the Bat Man.
On the Vertigo side of things, DC's biggest first issue is actually a reprint of 2000's Hellblazer Special: Bad Blood, now going under the kinda awesomely clunky full title Vertigo Resurrected: Hellblazer - Bad Blood. Penned by original Hellblazer writer Jamie Delano, the four issue series follows a wizened John Constantine in the year 2025 as he has to decide whether to save the British monarchy.
Elsewhere, Mike Mignola begins the latest Hellboy miniseries with B.P.R.D.: The Dead Remembered, which goes back to 1976 to explore the teenager years of the pyrokinetic Liz Sherman. Image Comics is kicking off Green Wake, as Intrepids writer Kurtis J Wiebe explores grisly murders in a small town. And, for those who want to follow the continuing adventures of Seth Rogen's Green Hornet - well, it's possible someone might - can check out D.E.'s Green Hornet Aftermath, in which Britt and Kato fight everything from LA drug lords to Homeland Security.
Other Releases
There are some interesting annuals this week. Marvel kicks off its "Identity Wars" arc in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38, in which Spidey, Deadpool, and Hulk are thrown into an alternate universe where Spider-Man is the richest and most beloved superhero in the world.
With James Robinson's Superman/Batman Annual #5, DC continues its "Reign of Doomsday" arc with Batman and Supergirl fighting Cyborg Superman and Doomsday on the Justice League satellite. There better be some good old-fashioned Batman badassery in this.
There's also the second and final issue of Dan Abnett's Infestation, the big crossover event linking up their Transformers, Ghostbusters, G.I. Joe, and Star Trek universes, complete with a zombie apocalypse thrown in for good measure.
Graphic Novels
DC collects last year's one-shots honoring their military characters like Sergeant Rock, the Losers, and the Haunted Tank in Our Army at War. For those who want still more Marvel Zombies ridiculousness, there's some Howard the Duck goodness in Marvel Zombies 5, while Marvel offers some choice classics from the 1960s and 1980s in X-Men: Fall Of Mutants.
There's also a bunch of movie tie-in books. Geoff Johns's Green Lantern: Secret Origin gets a reissue, complete with an introduction from Hal Jordan's movie alter ego Ryan Reynolds. And Marvel offers some choice reprints of Thor's favorite fighting buddies in Thor: Warriors Three Unleashed, just in time for their big screen debut.
As always, here's the list of everything being released to comic stores tomorrow, and you can find your nearest comic retailer here. Happy reading, everyone!
Top image from Fear Itself #1.


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As part of the 10 Ideas: Generating a Green Future series, a call for policies that level the playing field for wind power, which would in turn create jobs and revenues for the states.
North Carolina has 140 gigawatts (GW) of potential offshore wind energy capacity — the largest resource of any state on the East Coast — in part because its shallow-water coastline is ideally suited for offshore wind development. But while North Carolina may be number one in potential offshore wind energy, it's hardly alone. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates that the U.S. has 4,150 GW of total potential wind turbine nameplate capacity from resources around the country. (For some perspective, the nation's total electric generating capacity from all energy sources was 1,010 GW in 2008). The U.S. Department of Energy reports that North Carolina alone could conceivably install 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.
Offshore wind farms have existed in Europe for more than 20 years. States like Massachusetts and Rhode Island are advancing offshore wind energy projects, and Maryland's state legislature is currently considering a bill that would create wind industry incentives. But despite all the benefits, there are still no installed offshore wind projects in the U.S. And there are none currently even planned here in North Carolina.
Yet the economic and environmental benefits of turning to this cleaner energy source are substantial. Building just one GW of offshore wind energy in North Carolina would create an economic ripple effect over the next two decades that could pump an estimated $1.1 billion into the state's economy. The more than 8,000 component parts of offshore wind turbines are often too large to transport long distances, so development in North Carolina would mean new manufacturing facilities and thousands of manufacturing jobs in the state. That same DOE study showed that installing one GW of offshore wind power would create 1,628 new jobs and bring $188.5 million into local economies in the construction phase alone. This is not surprising; investing in clean energy projects typically creates three times more jobs than the same level of spending on fossil fuels.
Developing that one GW of wind power in North Carolina would also deliver tangible environmental gains: 2.9 million tons in annual carbon dioxide reductions and 1,558 million gallons in annual water savings. The environmental, climate, and public health benefits of shifting from coal to cleaner forms of energy like wind are well documented. A recent Harvard study found that "the life cycle effects of coal… are costing the U.S. public a third to over one-half of a trillion dollars annually." These externalized costs add roughly 17 cents per kWh of electricity generated from coal. And as one of the most coal-dependent states in the country, North Carolina is spending almost $2.2 billion every year to import coal from other states. That's money that could be invested in developing energy and creating jobs in North Carolina.
Join the conversation about the Roosevelt Institute's new initiative, Rediscovering Government, led by Senior Fellow Jeff Madrick.
In an event co-sponsored by the Roosevelt Institute | Campus Network at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill this past fall discussing the opportunities and obstacles for offshore wind development in North Carolina, we brought together state leaders from government, industry, coastal law, and scientific research. The consensus among the speakers was clear: what's missing in North Carolina is a policy framework for getting turbines installed. Investors and utilities need regulatory certainty to commit to trying something new. As Congress squabbles over what to do about extending the critically important federal production tax credit for wind energy, there's also no state legislation pertaining to offshore wind on the books in North Carolina.
So what can we do? A bill in North Carolina might have an answer. North Carolina's Senate Bill 747, the Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Act, proposed a state-managed competitive request for proposals (RFP) process to develop 2.5 GW of offshore wind energy starting in 2017. If the state determines that a bid has a positive net economic impact, then investor-owned utilities would be required to sign 20-year contracts to purchase power. Incremental costs or savings for ratepayers would appear on customers' utility bills, with limits on the impact of rate increases to large consumers. If the state fails to determine that 2.5 GW of offshore wind energy would result in a net economic benefit, then there would be no obligation to grant a contract.
In an effort to enhance industry support, SB 747 also gives utility companies the option to co-invest or purchase an ownership interest of up to 50 percent in the projects. While the bill does not require any direct government spending, it also extends an existing manufacturing tax credit for wind through 2020 to help attract manufacturing jobs. State agencies (in this case, the Department of Commerce) would review RFPs under a wide variety of criteria, including, but not limited to, the impacts on ratepayers, jobs and economic activity, tax revenue, system reliability, climate change, public health, export opportunities, system reliability, and existing industries.
This policy could create a practical path forward for offshore wind energy. The emphasis on ensuring that any offshore wind project would have a net positive economic impact on the state should make the policy more politically attractive to state legislators concerned about consumer groups opposed to rate hikes, electric utilities eager to avoid anything resembling regulation, and coastal industries that may conflict with proposed turbine locations. This kind of bill also levels the playing field for clean energy in a way that prioritizes economic considerations. Adopting this policy will effectively eliminate cost disadvantages for offshore wind by requiring the government agencies reviewing industry proposals to fully account for the massive and externalized environmental and public health costs associated with continuing to rely on coal and other artificially cheap fossil fuels for electricity.
On a national level, the public strongly supports developing clean energy technologies like wind. A recent nationwide survey conducted by the Civil Society Institute showed that roughly 71 percent of Americans support shifting federal "support for energy away from nuclear and towards clean renewable energy such as wind and solar." The sooner we start implementing policies that lead to more wind development, the better.
Stewart Boss is the co-director of the Roosevelt Institute| Campus Network's center on energy and environmental policy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.


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Big K.R.I.T.: The Story So Far
'Dreamin'' by Big K.R.I.T. (Advisory: Explicit Language)
Monday's Pick
Song: "Dreamin'"
Artist: Big K.R.I.T.
CD: Returnof4eva
Genre: Hip-Hop
With the Internet giving underground MCs a louder voice, struggling in the rap industry seems like a song worth singing. Mississippi's Big K.R.I.T. has touched on the topic before, but the idea of making it big consumes him more than ever on his latest mixtape, Returnof4eva (available for free download on his website). After all, K.R.I.T. recently signed with Def Jam Recordings, which puts him in an interesting spot in "Dreamin'." The song isn't looking at life at the bottom — instead, it takes a sentimental look at the story so far.
Set to a self-produced beat, K.R.I.T. raps about A&R representatives and family members. The voices of naysayers are encapsulated in a grainy vocal sample from the Brothers of Soul track "Dream," which is stretched out to haunting effect, while the words look back on K.R.I.T.'s formative years, when he listened to fellow Southerners like Scarface and UGK. He even loses his passion for high-school sports as the desire to rap takes over.
It's hard to fit every detail between then and now into one song, but "Dreamin'" will be the first to admit that long-lasting success doesn't happen overnight; everything here has been fine-tuned with years of practice. It's not a boast so much as an inspirational tale of victory.


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It's an E-Reader Price War! Amazon Trumps Barnes & Noble With $189 Kindle.
That didn't take long. This morning, Barnes & Noble (BKS) dropped its low-end Nook e-reader to $149 and its 3G model to $199, giving it an edge (pricewise, at least) over Amazon's Kindle.
Not any more–Amazon (AMZN) just cut the price of its 3G Kindle model from $259 to $189.
The 27 percent price drop was no surprise–everyone who follows the market assumed the Kindle would drop below $200 soon. There is still a belief that Amazon will add more bells and whistles soon as well to help the device compete with the iPad from Apple (AAPL). But I have a feeling that Jeff Bezos and company will resist the urge to pile on features for features' sake.
The choice for consumers now is clearer than ever: Get a single-purpose reading device for less than $200 or pay much more for a computer that also has e-reading software.


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raevol wrote: Hey guys, a question that came up on the bethsoft forums, will we be able to implement culling with Ogre3d? Is it already implemented simply by using it as a renderer?
http://forums.bethsoft.com/index.php?/t ... ry17425389
Zini wrote: We have backface culling and culling against the Frustrum. Also the terrain will probably implement culling. Currently we have no further plans.
It is possible, that we will implement more culling once OpenMW 1.0.0 is reached, but I wouldn't consider it a priority. Culling beyond these special cases is still complex and computing-intensive. Indiscreet culling in a scene as general as MW outdoors can easily lead to a slowdown instead of a speedup.
gus wrote: As far as I understand, Ogre OctreeSceneManager do some culling, and i think it's the same for the new terrain SceneManager. But of course, batching kills culling
Tes96 wrote: Culling is where the computer game doesn't render things you can't see in your field of view? You're saying that OpenMW will be able to do some of that but not completely and that the more you try to implement it, the more it will slow down the game?
gus wrote: You have to find the right balance between culling and batching. Batching mean sending several object together to the graphic card. Having a high number of batches ( = a call to the graphic card) kills performances.
If you do extreme batching, you can send the whole send in one call to the graphic card (basically you see the scene as only one big object). But in this case , no culling is possible, as this object will always be in you field of view.
So more batching means less culling (as when several objects are in a batch, even if only one object is in the field of view, all object will be rendered).
The whole thing is about finding at which point batching starts to reduce performances.
Tes96 wrote: So how are games like Crysis Warhead able to render so much data and graphics without killing fps like how TESIII does? Does Crysis Warhead use very little batching and mostly culling?
Chris wrote: Games like Crysis are able to make use of many GPU features that simply weren't available at the time Morrowind was released. To Morrowind, a Geforce 4 was high-end, while to Crysis, a Geforce 4 is a baby's toy. Graphics cards have added a lot of features that help take the load off the CPU and help streamline calls to the GPU. Morrowind works inefficiently simply because there was no better way to do it.
gus wrote: I am by far not an expert, but if I remember well Crysis use a complex d very efficient culling algorithm that also cull objects hidden by the terrain and such.
It also use (I think) technologies equivalent to the PagedGeometry addon of Ogre, which render objects that are far away as a plan. This really improves performances, and as far as I remember, it's possible to do some batching there.
But it's almost sure there are some batching as having more than 500 batches (ie 500 objects) kills performances. But it must batch (ie group objects together) taking geographic location into account, thus allowing culling.
In OpenMW this could be implemented by grouping together all the objects of the same Cell. This way, each cell is seen as one big object, and it is possible to cull Cells that are not in you field of view. That is what I am currently working on.
In Morrowind, I am fairly sure there were some batching, but complex culling algorithm were too much for the CPU I think, and things like PagedGeometry could not be implemented because it require directX 9 I think.
Chris wrote: There's also instancing, which allows the GPU to draw something multiple times from one call. I also don't think Morrowind made use of hardware skinning, which is what allows the GPU to do the vertex transformations for skeletal animation... meaning for every animated mesh, Morrowind would have to transform all its vertices' positions, normals, binormals, and tangents on the CPU and reupload them to the card, on each frame.
sir_herrbatka wrote:I guess that It works with opengl as well since supported platforms are windows AND linux and OS X.things like PagedGeometry could not be implemented because it require directX 9 I think
Zini wrote: I think he meant DX9 class hardware/API (DirectX 9 or equivalent OpenGL version).
Greendogo wrote: So, after all is said and done, will OpenMW have better performance than vanilla MW? I mean, that's the goal right?
sir_herrbatka wrote: for now it would be fine to get morrowind-like performance on with all morrowind things to render. But after this stuff we should get better performance at least on more modern hardware.
gus wrote: I don't think so. That's the downside of using libraries like Ogre: that's a way faster to implement, but performances cannot be as good as with raw DirectX. And Morrowind was designed for older hardwares.
But we might implement pagedGeometry which would allow modders to add forests. And performances *shouldn't* drop too much even if we add high res textures or even shaders on modern hardwares (as it seems that much of the time spend in graphic rendering is spend sending data's to the graphic card, not in "real" graphic processing itself).
PS: i reinstalled Oblivion. In fact, there are less objects than in Morrowind. The big differences is tree and grass. As i said before, PagedGeometry can help us with this.
Chris wrote:I dunno. I think the same argument could be made as with C over assembly. Sure, if you're really really good with assembly (DirectX/OpenGL), you could probably write code that's faster than C (Ogre3D), but most people aren't that good, and the compiler (Ogre lib) will probably do a better job than you, especially if you want to take advantge of modern features (both for graphical effects and processor efficiency). You'd end up having to rewrite a bunch of Ogre yourself, just so you can try to tweak a few things to your specific needs.gus wrote:I don't think so. That's the downside of using libraries like Ogre: that's a way faster to implement, but performances cannot be as good as with raw DirectX.
Performance, I think, will largely depend on how good Ogre actually is, and how well OpenMW can properly utilize it. Don't forget, too, that Morrowind used a middleware renderer.
That said, it's likely performance won't be as good as vanilla Morrowind on the hardware Morrowind was designed for.. mainly because Ogre is more modern, thus more optimized for modern hardware, so code paths for older hardware may not be so well optimized.


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Find Your Perfect Cover! Get 20% Off + Free Shipping! CODE: FRESH20 Details
Important Delivery Information
Due to current COVID-19 virus situation customers living in regions severely impacted by the coronavirus may experience delays in deliveries. UPS is continuing to deliver packages. Countries which have declared a state of public health emergency may see potential delays in services. Customers can visit www.ups.com to check the status of the shipments. This does not affect production. Stay safe and take care of your loved ones!
Cover for KLIPPAN Two-seat sofa
Gaja Grey Wool designed by Gabriel A/S
About the product
Cover for IKEA KLIPPAN two-seat sofa - Gaja Grey. Neutrals (black, grey, white, and brown) are basic to the decorator's tool kit. All-neutral schemes fall in and out of fashion, but their virtue lies in their flexibility: add color to liven things up; subtract it to calm things down. Neutral colours such as grey will blend with any décor, complement a more prominent color, and are easy to use.
Please note this custom cover is tailored by CoverCouch to fit the IKEA KLIPPAN two-seat sofa model. Sofa is not included and is available at IKEA.
Please note this custom cover is tailored by CoverCouch to fit the IKEA KLIPPAN two-seat sofa model. Sofa is not included and is available at IKEA.
Fabric key facts
- 100% Pure New Wool from New Zealand
- A modern classic
- Anti-slip
- Crepe without stripes
- Wide range of colours
- Environmentally friendly
- Oeko-Tex 100 certified
- Labeled with the Ecolabel Flower
- CoverCouch
About the fabric
Gaja Grey belongs to the Gaja family - a modern classic for interior design and has been our most popular upholstery fabric in pure wool. Gaja is available in an immense colour range. Wool is naturally resistant to dirt and fire. It is anti-static and it does not burst into flames if you drop an ember, a cigarette or a match. Stains can be removed from wool fabric by lightly brushing. This material is extremely durable and resistant to piling, rubbing and light.
A sample of this fabric was added to your shopping cart
Fabric details
|100% Pure New Wool
|Width, cm
|Weight, g/m2
|Colour fastness to light
|Colour fastness to rubbing
|4-5/4-5 (EN ISO 105x12, wet/dry)
|Abrasion resistance
|50 000 cycles (Martindale EN ISO 12947-2)
|Cigarette and match tests (EN 1021 1&2)
|Dorte Bo Bojesen
|Production / Supplier
|Gabriel A/S
Care instructions
Don't wash. Don't use chlorine bleach. Dry clean. Don't iron.
Facebook comments:
cover for EKTORP three seat sofa- velvet blue
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Fabric sample
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text:
When you visit Devon, and travel into the very heart of it, you will discover a magical, ancient landscape of stunning views, awe inspiring granite tors, deep wooded valleys with fast flowing rivers, and rugged, wide open spaces. This is Dartmoor, where you can truly escape to find peace, quiet and extreme beauty.
Dartmoor Ponies are an iconic sight, living as semi-wild herds all over the moor. Where else can you see the wonderful sight of wild pony foals playing together against a backdrop of one of the most stunningly beautiful areas in the UK?
Dartmoor has a very gentle side. Safe, quiet areas where you can picnic with the family, easy to follow trails for strolling, walking and cycling, many lovely open spaces where the children can run to their heart's content and a huge number of child friendly and dog friendly places to stay, to eat and attractions to visit.
Finding your perfect Dartmoor accommodation is easy. We have the best Dartmoor Hotels listed on this website, or at the other extreme perhaps you fancy Camping on Dartmoor.
Whether you are looking for a Luxury Hotel or you prefer to be independent by staying on one of the Dartmoor Self Catering Cottages you will enjoy choosing the perfect place.
Dartmoor Bed and Breakfast accommodation offers a perfect opportunity to start the day with a hearty home cooked breakfast. If your holiday is all about walking on Dartmoor, then any of our wonderful, welcoming Dartmoor Guesthouses will fit the bill.
You can also enjoy just the basics at a Dartmoor Bunkhouse for your walking or cycling mini-break!
Don't forget to use our 'My Planner' tool to plan your itinerary, Dartmoor Food and Drink is some of the best in the world, and you won't want to miss taking the family to have fun at several of the Dartmoor Attractions.
Dartmoor has it all, on this website you will also find information and advice to help you enjoy your stay and get the most out of your time in this amazing, beautiful, inspiring place. Try the thrill of exploring Dartmoor on Horseback, a never to be forgotten experience.
There is so much to discover, fascinating history, ancient stone circles and stone rows, hut circles, bronze age archaeological remains, a huge diversity of wildlife, flora and fauna.
Dartmoor Legends abound, so you may find it useful and great fun to book a walk with one of our qualified Dartmoor Guides, or take it slightly easier with electric bikes!
Whatever you choose to do, you will fall in love with Dartmoor, just as we did, so we look forward to seeing you soon.


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American McGee's Spicy Horse has revealed that it's working on a re-telling of the Oz story called OZombie. Dorothy, Toto, the lion and the tin woodsman are the games protagonists while the scarecrow is now a villain still seeking brains! Dorothy abandons her basket and now wields a repeater.
Described as an "Oz not of our remembering", OZombie mixes the undead with the perfect setting of the beloved Oz that has captured our hearts and minds for many years.
OZombie will possibly be the first of two new projects Spicy Horse has on tap. The other being, Alice: Otherlands. The studio is hoping to gain the Alice rights from EA and if an agreement is met, they may go ahead with the familiar Alice setting next and perhaps try a Kickstarter campaign for OZombie. Fan response to OZombie is strong, and American McGee has even stated he's possibly leaning towards Oz first.


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Select An Industry:
February 11, 2013 Lehigh Valley, Pa.
Air Products (NYSE:APD) will highlight advances in its proprietary electron attachment (EA) technology for soldering applications at the IPC APEX Expo in San Diego, Calif., from February 19-21. IPC APEX attendees can stop by Air Products Booth #2708 to learn about the advantages of EA activated hydrogen over plasma-based and flux-based processes for cleaning soldering surfaces during electronics assembly and packaging. These advantages include improved solder wetting, lower reflow temperature, decreased overall voiding tendency, and no flux residue-related problems.
In addition, Dr. Christine Dong, lead research scientist for merchant gases technology at Air Products, will present the results of a study on EA technology titled "Fluxless Die Attach by Activated Forming Gas." The study demonstrates that it is possible to achieve a high-quality die attach with zero or near-zero voids by using EA. Dr. Dong's presentation is part of the Novel Attachment Technologies and Processes (S34) conference paper session to be held on Thursday, February 21, from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM. IPC APEX attendees can register to learn how EA-activated forming gas can effectively clean soldering surfaces during fluxless die attach, bringing numerous advantages compared with conventional flux-based processes.
Air Products representatives will be available at the booth to speak with IPC APEX attendees about the company's complete range of application technologies and solutions that can help electronics packaging and assembly customers improve productivity and optimize their total cost of ownership. Among these solutions are the use of nitrogen reflow for Head-in-Pillow defect reduction and Air Products Inert Wave Soldering technology, which has helped an electronics contract assembly company reduce wave solder defects by 90%, enabling them to achieve improved production efficiencies and cost savings.
Air Products is a leading supplier of specialty gases and chemicals, bulk gases, and delivery equipment and services to the global electronics industry. For more than 25 years, the company has been providing the electronics packaging, assembly and test industry with technology, gases, and know-how for wave, reflow, and selective soldering. In addition to printed circuit assembly processes, Air Products' global technology team can support several areas of integrated circuit packaging assembly. With a complete portfolio of reliable gas supply options―from liquid/bulk gases to a host of on-site production technologies―Air Products can meet the purity requirement, volume, or usage pattern of any customer, anywhere around the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com/electronics_assembly.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 20,000 employees in over 50 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2012, Air Products had sales approaching $10 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.
NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2012.
Air Products will unveil additional information about the company's electron attachment technology at www.airproducts.com/noflux on February 19th in conjunction with the IPC APEX Expo.
If you would prefer to contact us by phone, you can call any of our Air Products locations worldwide by visiting Worldwide Locations & Phone Numbers.
This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some are essential to make our site work; others help us to better understand our users. By using the site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Read our Legal Notice to learn more.


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My weekend was full of real life commitments and my husband trying to cook me.
Saturday, we drove to my mother's and helped her move into her new house. Well, I didn't. I spent my day taking care of my adorable 9 month old nephew. I haven't spent any time with a child like that, on my own, since my sisters (24 and 22) were that age. So it was really exhausting for me. I got home at like 10pm and was asleep by 11, where I slept in until 10:30am.
Sunday, I got up, checked to see if Mog Madness results were up, ate breakfast and went into the backyard to start helping build a fence. I was outside until 4:30pm. And dear lord, I look like a lobster. (I live in Oregon, I'm not used to sunshine!)
We logged on for raid but didn't have the people, so we ran dungeons to get our weekly 7 and then people split up. Husband went to play tennis (at 7pm, because he's insane) and I stayed home, watched Scrubs and leveled my hunter to level 60! Goal 1 complete!
The results for Mog Madness popped up around raid time, and that was exciting to see. I got 5th place, but 5th out of 26(?) is pretty awesome! So yay me!
I then went to bed. Where my sunburned brain caused me to have dreams that my husband had impregnated his ex-girlfriend and didn't tell me. I may have yelled at him when I woke up this morning. I'm still a little mad. And I don't understand why!! I should be mad at me! Stupid brain.
So, to work. Away ..... !
Daftar Class Game World of Warcraft Beserta Perannya
3 months ago


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Inspired by the Dutch Stroopwafel, Honey Stinger's Organic Stinger Waffle will become your favorite ride food. They've sandwiched the great taste of honey between two thin waffles for a treat that's crunchy on the outside and thick and syrupy on the inside. Since good fuel equals good workouts, the Stinger Waffle uses honey as its main energy source. It's natural, easily digestible, and contains many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. - USDA certified organic - 160 calories
A thin layer of honey infused with natural flavors sandwiched between two thin gluten free waffles. The delicious taste will satisfy your taste buds, keep you going as an afternoon snack or during your favorite activity, and go great with your cup of coffee or tea.
The Hammer Bar is a great tasting, easily digested energy bar filled with wholesome organic ingredients. You'll find no added refined sugars, only the power-packed healthy stuff you need for during- and pre-workout meals, recovery and snacking. All bars are gluten-free, preservative-free, and dairy-free. And, they come in three delicious flavors.
Skratch Labs Anytime Energy Bar is made with real ingredients such as fruits, nuts and quinoa. It has enough fuel to power you through endurance workouts and is tasty enough to be used as a snack any time of day.
Keep going strong when you have Honey Stinger's Energy Bar. This bar is great as a snack or on the bike when you need something solid but not too heavy. It features a balance of protein, carbohydrates and a bit of fat so you get a clean, long-lasting energy burn. Since good fuel means good workouts, the Energy Bar uses honey as its main energy source. - 30% honey - Whole grains including rolled oats - 180-190 calories - 5 grams of non-GMO soy protein - 23 vitamins and minerals
Whether you adhere to a vegan diet or not, once you try Hammer's Vegan Recovery Bar you'll be hooked. Both flavors combine organic tapioca, a healthy carbohydrate source, two excellent protein sources—pea protein and organic brown rice protein—and other tasty, high-quality ingredients. The result? A super healthy, almost entirely organic, easy-to-chew, hunger-satisfying, and utterly delicious bar. What it doesn't have is gluten, GMOs, refined sugar or trans fats. And, its certified Kosher as well.
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Are you headed to EclipseCon 2011? It's not too late to make plans to head to Santa Clara, California in March.
EclipseCon is the conference for anyone involved in Eclipse. As a proud member of the Eclipse Foundation, Sonatype is looking forward to another year of great talks, tutorials and BOF's. We will be hosting a number of talks in the Cypress Room all day on Tuesday, March 22, 2011.
Sonatype founder Jason van Zyl will be giving a presentation on Building Eclipse plugins and RCP applications with Tycho, Nexus & Hudson.
Event details:
- Date: March 21-24, 2011
- Location: Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, CA
- Event website: http://www.eclipsecon.org/2011/
Stay tuned to the Sonatype blog for updates on Sonatype's talks and presentations at EclipseCon 2011. And for the latest news and updates from the Sonatype team, follow us on Twitter @SonatypeCM.


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Classy Crystal Ornaments and Christmas GiftsCelebrate the season with our collectible crystal ornaments. Crafted in stunning detail, our personalized Christmas ornaments are great as romantic Christmas gifts for men and women alike. These stunning ornaments also make for affordable teacher gifts. Our collection includes heart, star, diamond, apple, and cube ornaments! Impress this holiday season with a truly special crystal!
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Police ID employee stabbed to death at downtown hotel
Man's body found in stairwell at downtown hotel
Police are investigating the stabbing death of an employee at the Cincinnati Hilton Netherland Plaza.
Officers were called about 6 a.m. Friday to the downtown hotel after 58-year-old Richard Campbell was found dead in a stairwell.
Investigators said he had been stabbed to death.
Hotel officials said Campbell had worked at the Netherland Plaza as a security guard for eight years and was a Vietnam veteran.
Friday marked Campbell's birthday, sources said.
Neighbors said Campbell was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
"(He was) always geared up for the ball game on Sundays," the victim's friend, Lorenzo Wilson, said.
Police say they are reviewing surveillance tapes, but have no reason to believe any other hotel employees or guests are in any danger.
No arrests have been made in the case and police have not released any information on suspects or motive at this time.


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Better than Kevlar: Silk could stop jets
Q: What's the strongest material made by an animal a) turtle shell b) rhino horn c) oyster pearl d) spider silk? –Charlotte Webster
A: d. The story here begins in old Tombstone days of the Wild West, 1881, when physician George Emery Goodfellow noticed upon examining the body of a man gunned down that his silk handkerchief protruded from the wound, says Science News. When Goodfellow removed the handkerchief, tugging it through ripped-out flesh and broken ribs, there lay the bullet wrapped within the untorn cloth, he wrote in his Notes on the Impenetrability of Silk to Bullets.
Early on, silkworms spinning cocoons provided tough materials for parachutes, pantaloons, and the like. But recent research indicates spider silk is even superior for tasks such as warding off projectiles. "Dragline silk is the strongest animal-stuff there is," says University of Wyoming molecular biologist Randy Lewis. These are the threads spiders dangle from, and use in their outer-web framework. (The inner web is cushier, to snare prey.)
Dragline silk is at least three times stronger than Kevlar, which is used in bulletproof vests, says Lewis. A one-inch diameter "rope" of this silk, if it could be woven using millions and millions of strands, could stop a jet landing on an aircraft carrier. But since spiders are hard to farm (they tend to eat each other), it is not possible to collect enough of this silk for commercial use. "Through the marvels of genetic engineering, a company in Canada is now producing the dragline protein in goat's milk!"
Q: Don't try this, but it's said you could take a key and scratch a deep radial groove in a CD (compact disc) from center to perimeter and on playback you wouldn't notice the difference. Can this be true? M. Jagger
A: Yes, because the info is burned onto the disc in a spiral from the inside out, so the scratch would leave only small gaps that can be compensated by the error detection algorithms, says Iowa State University's Ben Graubard. Redundancy is the key, with the same information stored many times in many places on the CD. More difficult to fix would be curved scratches running along the recording direction.
For even more CD-defacement fun, try drilling 1/8-inch holes all around one and see if it still plays. It will, says Penn State physicist Julian Maynard, because the data is widely dispersed rather than placed sequentially. Two tests Maynard hasn't yet run: What happens when you run over a CD with your SUV or drop one from an airplane.
Q: Some blind people "see" again in their dreams. Do deaf people "hear" in their dreams? S. Wonder
A: Depends on when the hearing loss occurred, how profound it is, whether the person grew up with hearing or deaf parents, and a host of other factors, says Gallaudet University psychologist Robert Lee Williams. There is no "typical" deaf person. "Given that caveat, I can tell you some of my deaf students report hearing and talking in their dreams. Others use sign language. I might add that as a hearing person, I have had dreams in sign language, too. Apparently in dreams, all things are possible."
If a person is born deaf and never hears, there will be no sounds or voices stored in memory for conjuring in the dream world, paralleling the experience of the blind. But having once heard, David Wright, in his book Deafness describes how he continued to hear "phantasmal voices" for the first year or two, just as the adventitiously blind continue to dream in images for a time, until these start to fade in vividness.
Yet, quite marvelously, when a vital sensory input is cut off, says neurologist Oliver Sacks in The New York Review of Books, other parts of the brain may seem heightened in function, with enhancement of the visual cortex (or reallocation of auditory centers) in the deaf.
Send your strange questions to brothers Bill and Rich at their email address.


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I'm not the L2P kind of Gnome.
Neither am I the "here's 10g see me in the morning" kind of Gnome.
I'm the "let me teach you tadpole" kind of Gnome… Generally…
I rolled a Gnome Dwarf Night Elf Human Draenei Shaman. I was inspired by Larisa's baby Druid and Ydraisa's comment about leveling in innocence.
Ultimately I want a healer, but don't want another Pally, Druid or Priest. So I rolled a Shaman. I tried every Alliance race combination, knowing full well there was no choice in the matter. I tried them twice, three times, then accepted my only "option" was Draenei.
Just for the record, I don't like the Draenei, particularly male Draenei. It's not the same feelings of unease I feel then following a human male about, but still I have to zoom right out so I can only see a spec on my screen.
Welcome to my group
I had barely made it paste the intro movie and zoned in when I received a group invite. Against my usually better judgment, I accepted. No real harm in a level 1 toon having company, and it should make the kill 10 rats quests go a bit quicker.
It didn't take long for me to realize that this guy had no idea… I mean none… Ziltch! To be fair, he did give me an Int buff about 5 minutes after we grouped.
I grabbed my kill 10 rats quests and started killing… While he watched. I was a little disturbed, but it wasn't like I couldn't do it myself.
Then he started to laugh at me, cause he could two-shot the level 1 mobs, whereas it would take me 3-4 lightning bolts… and I was meleeing, because I thought it might help if I could hit things.
WTB Mage Skills
He did demonstrate his awesome Magely Fire power, once or twice.
He offered me 50 silver, which is pretty generous, except I have a hotline to a wealthy Gnome, so I politely declined. However I did ask politely for some food and water (not that I needed it).
A few minutes later he responds:
Oh yeah, I can do that. Wait!
At this point I will note that all my chat has been occurring in /p. All his has been in /s. He is also constantly asking me to wait… Not sure why, but I have a suspicion.
Anyway, I run off to hand in my quests with him trotting alone behind. I mention how much I miss Blink on the shaman. His response:
Who is Blink? A mate of yours?
Mmm what's that noise in the back of my head… Alarm bells!
I ask him if he is new to WoW, but he assures me he isn't, mentions something about Burning Crusade. I begin to suspect he thinks he isn't new because he bought both Vanilla and TBC at the same time.
How can you know nothing, at all, about other classes? I can understand not understanding the arcane inner workings of a class, but that Mages have blink…
How can you NOT know that Mages can make FOOD AND WATER?!?
Then it happens…
The duel flag… Yep, I am barely level 2, haven't even trained yet and I have been challenged to a duel.
It's at this point that I check his toon out in more detail than identifying he is a Mage. Mmmm I'm level 2, he's level 6…
I decline… He asks, why? I point out the level difference… He says he will let me win. I ask why I would bother when I have more important things to do. He says there's an achievement.
I thank him for his company (not for the food or water, I never got that) and drop group.
Can you guess what happens then?
Yep he chases me around asking Why? Throwing up duel flags and of course tagging my mobs.
I finally got away from him and continued questing.
He caught up with me when I was doing my Totem quest. The one where you have to kill 4 rumblers. 4 of the 5 rumblers that spawn. 4 of the 3 rumblers left for me to kill because he ran off ahead of me and started slaughtering them.
I don't think I am the 1st shaman he has chased around doing this to…
Then while the rumblers start to respawn I get a series of duel invites.
Seriously, I started our "relationship" wanting to help the guy. It ended with me wanting to push him out of a boat with a concrete block tied to his ankles. For the record, I'm not talking about his toon… I'm talking about him, the player.
I should have dueled him. I should have dueled him at level 2, then T-bagged him. I should have reported him… I guess the moral of this story is I need to:
PS: Anyone point me at a good Shaman leveling guide… talents, skill use etc…?
PPS: I finally discovered how to get through all the podcasts I want to listen to. X2 speed. Sound is basically the same, but I can now listen to 2 podcasts a day.
Gnomer and Out!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
http://gnomeaggedon.net/2009/07/16/ you-can-teach-a-draenei-to-fish-or-push-him-out-of-the-boat /


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Blogging is a secret hobby of mine.
Although my family and friends do know that I bake. Only my mum and a few friends know that I actually write a baking blog. They don't know that I am also called Small Small Baker or SSB in the blogging world. So friends who have added me (as in my real name, not my Small Small Baker's page) in Facebook, please do not call me SSB. I will like to keep this blog a secret so that I can talk nonsense here without worrying that they might read it. :)
I do not want to miss another month of Aspiring Bakers again. We got plenty of mangoes at home because they are so cheap now. I made a mango chiffon cake and it turns out to be the worst chiffon cake. So in order to put out something for this month, I have to bake something that is easy and failproof.
This Orange Butter Cake is adapted from Lemon Butter Cake from Nasi Lemak Lover. It has been in my bookmark list quite a while. Nice time to pull it out to try. The result is great! I always prefer lighter cakes and seldom like butter cakes. But this is a light butter cake, not too heavy and greasy. The glaze topping is a must, never never omit it!
Orange Butter Cake
Ingredients (makes 1 loaf tin, I use 6 inch round tin)
125g butter (I use 100g butter and 25g margarine)
100g sugar (I use 80g)
2 large eggs (about 150g)
1/2 orange, finely grate the rind
175g self-raising flour (I use 175g cake flour + 1 tsp baking powder)
4 tbsp milk
Orange glaze
3 tbsp sugar (I use 2 tbsp)
1 orange, extract juice (about 4 tbsp)
1/2 orange, finely grate the rind
1. Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
2. Add in the eggs one by one, then add in orange rind, mixing well.
3. Fold in the flour, baking powder and milk, combine well.
4. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greaseproof paper.
5. Bake in pre-heated oven at 170C for 35-40mins.
6. Mix sugar and orange juice and cook over low heat till sugar dissolved, add in orange rind, set aside.
7. When cake done, remove cake from the oven and prick all over with a skewer.
8. Pour over the orange glaze over the hot cake.
9. Ideally to leave cake to set overnight, to have better flavour.
Recipe adapted from: Lemon Butter Cake from Nasi Lemak Lover and Jane's Corner
I am submitting this Orange Butter Cake to Aspiring Bakers #5: Fruity March (Mar 2011), hosted by Jess of Bakericious.


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for Sunday, April 5, 2015
We continue listening to these early followers of Christ. It is their
testimony that has been handed down to us. It is from them that we have
received the faith. The first testimony this morning is from Saint Peter
in the Acts of the Apostles, recounting his own experiences. He speaks
from his Jewish culture and speaks of the life and the death of Jesus and
then the Resurrection of Jesus. For sure, many of his friends thought he
was deluded but many believed him. And so the first Christian communities
began with these first followers of Christ evangelizing and saying: Christ
died and Christ is risen. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
The second reading, from the Letter to the Colossians, is the testimony of
Saint Paul, who at first persecuted these early followers of Jesus. Then
some experience changed him forever and he also began to proclaim the death
and resurrection of the Lord. He takes a further step today to remind us
that we also die in Christ and are raised in Him.
We return to the Gospel of John today where Peter and John run to the tomb.
John outruns Peter - a slightly unusual detail, but waits for Peter to enter
first - thus speaking about the importance of Peter in this first group of
followers. Peter is still not sure what has happened but John sees and
believes. Most important for this account is that they did not yet
understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.
These readings take us to the heart of our own faith in the Risen Lord. We
must continually seek to understand the Scriptures, both the Old and the
New Testaments. They are the written witnesses that we have to God working
among His people and sending a Redeemer - sending Jesus as Christ and
Today on the Easter Day we celebrate the witness of our ancestors in the
faith. They have handed down these Scriptures to us in the living
tradition of faith within the Church. Jesus died and was raised from the
dead. Jesus established a living community of witnesses, the Church, to
endure until the end of time in order to proclaim God's marvelous work.
With the saints and believers throughout the ages, we also proclaim today:
Christ is risen. He is truly risen. The stone rejected by the builders
has become the cornerstone. Let us rejoice and be glad in Him.
My sisters and brothers, we must continue giving witness to one another and
to those who do not yet believe. May our faith continue to transform us so
that we know Jesus personally and proclaim Him because of having met Him in
faith. Alleluia. Amen.
Reflections are available for the following Sundays:


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In which I finally chipped in my thoughts on some music videos/songs that were put up on YouTube ages ago...All hails from the country that is UK.
Siobhan Donaghy - So You Say
So Ex-Sugababe is all full-fledged and ready to flap her own wings now etc. This second single off her sophomore 'Ghosts' is really quite a cinematic, eeriely powerful pop ballad, right? I love how the verse and the chorus sound like two completely different songs. Easy to name the influences: Tori Amos, Kate Bush...It's a grower that needs a little patience to get used to. Though I still have to work on the album, this song has been in my head for weeks now, so I guarantee she should score another top 50 hit with this one. The music video, though made with a medium budget, did a good job of capturing the emotions in the lyrics, and there's the weird ending to balance the 'looking pretty' and the 'left-field artsiness'. I really can't say a bad word about this.
Siobhan Donaghy - So You Say
Siobhan's MySpace
Calvin Harris - The Girls (dir: Kim Gehrig)
Second electropoptastic single from the very-tall-producer/self-proclaimed-Kylie-production-team-bitch Calvin Harris. A bit better than 'Acceptable in the 80s'. I think he's a little overhyped, yes he's talented, but I hope one day he would realize he's not that good a singer, put his ego aside and leave the singing to the others. I won't be stomping out to the record store for his album, but I've got nothing against him. The music video, apparently, is a 'homage' to some French filmmaker. Good casting with 'the girls', and who knows, Britney would kill to have those wigs.
Calvin Harris - The Girls
Download the video (MP4)
Calvin's MySpace
Kate Nash - Foundations (dir: Kinga Burza)
Ooh I'm fashionably late to the party. But what a lovely video this is! Of course, comparisons to Lily Allen is unavoidable (the adorable cursing, the endearing accent, how she already got her own type of dress nailed down, and even the mention of 'trainers' in the lyrics!). But all of that is pretty obvious since she's signed to a major label now. I can be cynical and say that she won't be around by next summer and all, but for now I admit this is an amazing song. I totally fell in love with it from the first listen, so I really hope her album will be chocked full with songs as fine as this.
Too bad I can only find a radio edit of this song with parts of lyrics cut out, and no curses. But still, worth a listen.
Kate Nash - Foundations
Kate Nash's MySpace
And while we're at it...
Paul McCartney - Dance Tonight (dir: Michel Gondry)
I appreciate the fact that Paul McCartney's the only Beatle who're still making music. In fact, he's still so 'in the now' that this next album 'Memory Almost Full' will be released by Starbucks label, and have Michel Gondry direct this costly video for him. This is no groundbreaking work in Michel's standards, but it's a really fun, easy watch, plus Mackenzie Crook from The Office and Natalie Portman made cameos, too. And, uhm, well, the song's quite nice too, you see...
Oh so he has a MySpace too
In other words, Zeon has landed on YouTube! How trendy! I just made an account for the blog over there, and from now on, it will be served for the sole purpose of uploading cool music videos that have yet been uploaded or have been to little recognition. If I don't like it, I don't upload it. There has been a total of 8 videos so far, including some rare Feist live performance from the 'Let It Die' era. Click below and see for yourself!
Zeon's YouTube profile
Just a reminder, the Veronicas giveaway will end this Saturday and the Flight of the Conchords one will too this Sunday, so hurry up if you still want to enter.
Have a nice day, everyone! The Graduation mix coming up, then I'll be disappearing for a while.