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A heart attack, also called an acute myocardial infarct (AMI), is caused by a blockage in the heart's arteries that completely cuts off the blood supply to a portion of the heart. Without prompt medical treatment, this blockage can damage or destroy heart tissue and can kill. According to the American Heart Association, about 735,000 people in the U.S. have heart attacks each year and about 120,000 of those affected die.
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a group of signs and symptoms that are associated with insufficient blood flow to the heart. A heart attack differs from other forms of ACS in that the decreased blood flow persists, causing death of heart muscle cells. When someone is rushed to the emergency room, testing must be performed to determine whether or not a person's signs and symptoms (ACS) are due to a heart attack or to another cause.
The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body via a system of veins and arteries. Blood flows from the lungs, where it picks up oxygen, through the pulmonary veins into the heart, and then gets pumped out to the body, delivering oxygen to the tissues. The blood returns to the heart via the veins and gets pumped back to the lungs once again. In order to perform these tasks, the heart requires large amounts of oxygen that it obtains from its own dedicated network of veins and arteries.
The persistent blockage causing a heart attack is usually caused by a blood clot that becomes lodged in an artery that supplies blood to the heart (termed a coronary artery). This most frequently occurs in arteries that have narrowed, thickened walls. The thickening is caused by a gradual build-up of plaque in a process called atherosclerosis. The acute blockage of blood flow caused by a clot in a coronary artery, if present for more than an hour, can cause death of the heart muscle cells (infarct) and lead to scarring of the affected area of the heart.


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There's a lot of hype around health care. For example, there's been tons of recent chatter around fad dieting and the potential for trendy yo-yo diets to have negative health impacts. Recent news stories have also frightened many about the potential for cell phones to cause cancer. Obesity is at an all time high, with over 34% of Americans now considered to be obese, according to the CDC. Not to take away from any of these issues or the hype around them, but what happened to the basics? What happened to focusing on living healthy, happy lives and taking proactive steps to make this a reality? All too often, it seems, we get caught up in health hype and forget to prioritize healthy living. With that said, below you'll find some of the easiest ways you can prioritize your health and wellness.
- Breathe Deeply
- Nap
- Drink More Water
- Think Visually When it Comes to Your Plate
- Laugh & Smile…Genuinely
Breathing is the only bodily function that we do both on a voluntary and involuntary basis. It is also the key to lots of immediate health benefits. Abdominal, or diaphragmatic breathing can have a tremendous impact on stress levels, and according to the AMSA1, can also help prevent infection of the lung and other tissues and improve the venous return of blood back to the heart.
As a culture, Americans are becoming more and more sleep deprived. There are countless negative side effects of sleep deprivation, but an easy remedy for most of them– napping! Alertness and physical performance can be improved by napping, and so too can our psychological well being. Remember, no matter how busy you are, sleep is not a luxury, it is a priority.
We recently did a blog post on hydration and benefits one can realize via sufficient hydration. Weight loss, younger and fresher looking skin, increased mental and physical energy, and disease prevention are just a few of the many benefits of staying hydrated. Learn more on hydration and its benefits and the harms of dehydration.
As was mentioned above, it's easy to get caught up in health hype. One easy way to prioritize health from a nutritional standpoint is to focus on color. In general, the more colors on your plate (not via food coloring), the better. Did you know that white produce, such as garlic, parsnips and brown pairs have respiratory, heart & health benefits? Or how about that red produce, like tomatoes, watermelon, and beets can help lower risk for prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease? For a boost to your health, think in color! Additionally, the dreaded food pyramid, which most of us never used and certainly couldn't remember, has been updated! Now, you can simply visualize your plate to help you determine how much protein, dairy, produce, and grains you need in your daily diet!
When you were in school, a friend or parent may have advised you to smile while walking into a test to improve your performance. It is true that smiling releases endorphins and can boost your mood, but according to more recent evidence, the smile must be a genuine one. This is good news for you! It means that just by surrounding yourself with people, places, and things that make you happy, your health could be improved. According to recent studies, smiling boosts positive emotions, and "those who experienced high levels of positive emotion were able to recover from a heart attack more quickly." Furthermore, research conducted in Australia demonstrated that "those who genuinely smiled for a group photo had greater well-being and were healthier, even 30 years later."2 So smile, it does a body good. And as for laughter? Laughter can improve blood flow, increase infection fighting antibodies, and even burn calories. I don't know about you, but if happiness can be used to improve my health, I'm by all means going to prioritize smiling and laughing more regularly.
These are just a few of the simple ways we can improve our health. What else? What do you do to decrease stress and improve your emotional and physical well-being? Share your ideas with me in the comments below!
Tags: health, health care, nutrition, prevention, produce, recipes for wellness

subset: commoncrawl


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Well, it looks like the rumors and speculation had merit: Panasonic has made a formal offer to purchase Sanyo. Not surprisingly, the WSJ doesn't mention either company's security divisions, as they are small pieces of a very large puzzle, but I found this paragraph particularly interesting: For Panasonic, the deal comes down to Sanyo's green technology products. Sanyo, the world's largest producer of rechargeable batteries for laptop computers, digital cameras and mobile phones, is poised to capitalize on the auto industry's shift to hybrid and electric cars. Maybe people remember Sanyo's solar-powered "green" cameras at IFSEC 2007? I'd of course love to see Panasonic embrace green practices in the security industry as part of this greening of the company in general. Still, this deal isn't exactly done yet: Panasonic said it will commence by the end of February a tender offer for Sanyo shares at ¥131 ($1.50) each, a 4% discount to Sanyo's Friday closing price of ¥136. Panasonic plans to issue up to ¥400 billion in debt from next year to finance part of the acquisition. A lot of things can happen between now and February.
Panasonic to buy Sanyo
This blog, by Paul Ragusa, the editor of Security Systems News, offers thoughts, news, and a forum for discussion for those who work in and around the physical security industry, integrating and installing security systems in North America.


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There are some interesting figures on this website and some graphs to compare other states.
Death statistics by state for last name COMPSTON Read more: http://www.faqs.org/people-search/compston-ohio/#ixzz1gSH58Ub0
Last name popularity statistics for persons named COMPSTON per ten thousand residents in every state Read more: http://www.faqs.org/people-search/compston-ohio/#ixzz1gSH
Death statistics by year for last name COMPSTON Read more: http://www.faqs.org/people-search/compston-ohio/#ixzz1gSHe5byH
Average age at death for last name COMPSTON
Read more: http://www.faqs.org/people-search/compston-ohio/#ixzz1gSHe5byHre: http://www.faqs.org/people-search/compston-ohio/#ixzz1gSHJtbgEBaOid
Social Security Numbers of deceased individuals are released publicly to prevent identity theft. This allows banks and other businesses to deny the use of these inactive SSNs and prevents a living person from assuming the identity of a deceased person.
Related articles
- Joseph COMPSTON of Oxford Ohio (cumpstonresearch.wordpress.com)
- Dennis COMPSTON Ohio Wesleyan University (cumpstonresearch.wordpress.com)


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An increasing number of DBAs are learning PowerShell. If you're one of them, you might want to check out Don Jones' PowerShell FAQs page. In this page, you can find answers to questions commonly asked by PowerShell novices, such as "What's the difference between single and double quotes?" and "What are parentheses used for in PowerShell?"
If you don't find the answer to your question, you can ask it using the FAQ submittal form. You can access this form by clicking the FAQ to Contribute? link on the PowerShell FAQs page. Don will try to answer as many questions as possible—and he's well qualified to do so. Not only did he co-author the book Windows PowerShell 2.0 but he also writes the "PowerShell With A Purpose" blog.


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LOS ANGELES — The only ticket with five numbers, but missing the Mega number, for tonight's drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery was sold at an am/pm convenience store in Whittier and is worth $910,781.
There were no tickets sold with all six numbers and the estimated jackpot for Friday's drawing will grow to $107 million, the Multi-State Lottery Association, which conducts the game, announced.
The numbers drawn tonight were 25, 44, 49, 60, 73 and the Mega number was 9. The estimated jackpot was $94 million.
The drawing was the ninth since the last time a ticket with all six numbers was sold.
The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number is 1 in 258,890,850, according to the Mega Millions website. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 14.71.
The Mega Millions game is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands.


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You know that feeling when you are having a really special time with really special people and you wish it could last a really long time? That's exactly what was in store for us this particular eve in October. Friends that share a lot of common interests sent out an invitation to their ranch in the hills of Cayucos. Everything about their surroundings and living area was fantastic! I was able to take a handful of photos, though not too many so I could enjoy the evening and not miss out. With their permission, here is a peek into an amazing adventure of theirs.
One of the outdoor areas--a collection of bowling ball art.
An amazing cactus garden throughout the ranch. The large round table was repurposed from a lid to an old farm water tank.
The chicken coop was made from salvage and because of all the coyote in the area, a custom wired run was made for them.
This was soo clever--anticipating school aged kids, typewriters and paper were set out for their entertainment.
There are two airstreams on the property and a canned ham set up for company.....
The walls inside were patched in perfectly--the left wall was patched with license plates and vintage postcards!
An outdoor shower with a million dollar view...
As you can see, this could be a resort. They could have served us PB & J's and it would have been great...although homemade lasagna and fix-ins and pie was what was whipped up...
...and the sunset was ordered special!


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Cut-blocking is legal, but is it ethical?
Recommended Video:
The Jacksonville Jaguars won't be the last team to complain about the Texans playing dirty.
If you watch the Texans play, every few plays you will see one of their offensive linemen - perhaps 6-4, 310-pound Wade Smith, 6-7, 302-pound Eric Winston or perhaps 6-5, 300-pound Mike Brisiel - prepare to take on a defender in hand-to-hand, chest-to-chest football combat.
May the strongest man win? Not exactly.
Instead, the Texans on occasion choose to go low, attempting to knock the defender off his feet by throwing a block at his knees. That is a cut block.
By NFL rules, as long as it is done in the "close line" zone (between the tackles and within 3 yards of each side of the line of scrimmage) it is legal. Defensive players have always questioned whether legal is ethical.
With player safety at the forefront of a number of rules changes in the past couple of years, there is talk that more restrictions on cut-blocking are coming. Mike Pereira, the recently retired vice president of NFL officiating, said the league is "heading in that direction."
If you're not sure just how dangerous the block is, consider that the Texans and other teams who employ a high percentage of cut blocks do not allow their linemen to cut block in practice.
Broken ankles and legs and torn knee ligaments suffered on cut blocks that didn't draw penalties or fines are not uncommon, making the cut block perhaps the dirtiest legal play in what is arguably the most violent team sport.
"You're not going to trick me into that debate, but when a guy cuts me I want to DDT (him)," a Texans defensive player said with a snarl.
The DDT is a professional wrestling move in which a wrestler puts an opponent into a headlock and pile-drives his head into the mat. That is how angry cut-blocking makes defensive linemen.
Injury, integrity at risk
The blocking technique is so controversial that some offensive line coaches refuse to teach it.
Legendary Washington Redskins coach Joe Bugel, whose Hogs were among the most renowned offensive lines in league history, still gets riled up when the topic of cut-blocking comes up.
"We weren't going to jeopardize a man's career by cut-blocking," Bugel said in a phone interview. "The guys I coached, guys like (Hall of Fame guard) Russ Grimm, wouldn't do that. And I wouldn't ask them to."
Bugel's aversion to cut blocks boil down to injuries and integrity.
"There is no way a guy can protect his knees against cut-blocking," Bugel said. "Keep getting cut; sooner or later you're going to be in a hospital having surgery. ...
"I think there is some integrity involved. In those days there was integrity."
Almost every team now does a little cut-blocking. Some more than others.
The run-and-shoot Oilers were notorious for cut-blocking, as defenders are more apt to keep their hands down to protect their knees, opening up passing lanes for a quick-passing offense.
The San Francisco 49ers are credited with bringing cut-blocking into vogue as a team scheme in the 1980s under offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick. They went from 2-14 the year before Bill Walsh took over to perennial, cut-blocking Super Bowl contenders.
Cut-blocking ancestry
There is a pretty direct line of the technique from those 49ers to the Texans.
Mike Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the 49ers from 1992-94. When he became the head coach of the Broncos in 1995, he hired Alex Gibbs as his offensive line coach and they rode McKittrick's cut-blocking approach to two Super Bowl victories.
Gary Kubiak, who coached in Denver from 1995-2005, hired Gibbs to work with the Texans' offensive line in 2008. Current Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison worked with Denver's offensive line under Shanahan from 2001-05 and as its offensive coordinator for three years after Kubiak left.
Before Kubiak came to Houston, Texans defensive players complained about the Broncos' cut-blocking.
Kubiak has said on multiple occasions that cut-blocking is "important" to the Texans' success running the football and he has no plans on curtailing it.
"Cut-blocking is within the rules," said tackle Duane Brown, who is considered to be the Texans' best offensive lineman. "We're not the only team that does it."
No they aren't. But does that make it right?
"I believe if you're an offensive lineman," Bugel said, "you show what you're made of by blocking a guy in his numbers, above the waist. Like men."


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RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, is a convenient way to keep up with the County of Albemarle Board meetings and Press Room. Once you subscribe to either feed, information will be delivered to your computer's desktop automatically. You will be able to download an audio file (in .mp3 format) to your hard drive or audio device for listening at your convenience.
Getting an RSS feed is simple. But first, you need to get an RSS "news reader" (sometimes referred to as a "news aggregator"). There are several different types, some Web-based and some installed directly on your computer. There are many out there, mostly free, and a web search should show many.
After getting your news reader, it is time to get some news to read. Most sites that offer RSS feeds should display a button similar to these:
These buttons are your link to subscribe to the feed. The news reader that you choose should give you detailed information on how to proceed from here.
There are a couple of ways to add a news feed to your news reader. However, in general, these are the steps to follow:
1. Copy the following Web address (using Edit>Copy or Ctrl+C):
2. Open your news reader and select Add Feed, New Channel, Subscribe, etc. The specific terminology will vary according to which news reader program you use.
3. Paste the Web address into the dialog box that asks for the address of the feed (using Edit>Paste or Ctrl+V).
4. Follow the program's prompts as directed.
Once subscribed to a feed, you should immediately begin getting news. When we add a new item, your news reader program will automatically update to reflect it.
Alternatively, you may visit the Board of Supervisors Meetings Podcast Center and download the file(s) of your choice and play in any MP3 compatible player; or visit the Press Room to view all Albemarle County news and event information.
ADA Compliance Request
Resident Service Request


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The ongoing (and somewhat tragic) battle between tech giants (and sometimes partners) Apple and Samsung over the look and feel of their premiere phones wil hit a crescendo next week in court.
And in that court room Apple is expected to use Samsungs own documents against it, showing that Samsung knew well and good they were iterating on the already existing (and patented) iPhone.
Even Google warned Samsung that there was not enough differentiation in the models, according to AllThingsD.com.
U.S. & World
One lift from the documents that John Paczkowski has really stood out:
The designers (edit: who were reviewing the product) explained that the appearance of the Galaxy S "[c]losely resembles the iPhone shape so as to have no distinguishable elements," and "[a]ll you have to do is cover up the Samsung logo and it's difficult to find anything different from the iPhone."
The push/pull doesn't end there, however. Samsung purportedly can show that the iPhone was iterative of existing Sony designs and patents.
The legal strategies play out next week in court.


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4x4 RGB click carries a matrix of 16 WS2812 RGB LEDs and a MCP1826 low dropout regulator. Each of these LEDs actually consists of three single-colored LEDs (Red, Green and Blue), plus a control chip in a single package; various colors can be reproduced by mixing the intensity of each LED.
The brightness of each color can be adjusted using pulse-width modulation to one of 256 different levels. That means there are 16,777,216 (256³) possible combinations of colors. You can produce any color from white to black (off), or salmon to sienna.
The LED matrix is connected to your target board's microcontroller through the mikroBUS RST pin. The board uses either a 3.3V or 5V power supply, selectable via solder jumper (set to 3.3V by default).
The data are sent in a sequence containing 24 of those bits 8 bits for each color followed by a low Reset pulse of at least 50µs. The channels are in the order Green, Red, Blue with high bit first, i.e. G7, G6, G5, ..., G0, R7, ..., R0, B7, ..., B0.
The larger the value of a specific color is, the brighter it will be. If every color is set to 0, the LED will be off. If every color is set to max (255) the LED will be brightest white.
Because the interface is so time-specific, you will need a real-time processor like an Arduino or Propeller to run the LEDs. Microprocessors like those on the original Raspberry Pi or pcDuino can't give you a reliably-timed pulse; even if one bit is less than a microsecond off, that could mean the difference between purple and maroon.
Warning: Do not drive the LEDs to maximum brightness because it will generate excessive heat and draw more current than advisable (up to 0.7A) which could potentially damage the mainboard. Also, don't touch the board when it's in use. Even at 20 percent brightness, you should not look at the LEDs directly.
Note: The picture shows the board with through-hole headers. The board now comes populated with male pin headers already soldered for your convenience. The board's user manual has yet to be updated to remove the soldering instructions.
You also can connect Click boards to many other popular platforms via these adapters:
In addition, it is royalty-free to add mikroBUS to your own designs. Visit the mikroBUS Category to see the full line of Click boards.


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Sunday, December 24, 2006
WHy????? that's always the question I get.
I say why not! I love to challenge myself that's why I always do a birthday challenge http://www.birthdaychallenge.com
I'm not normal so i like the hours with the age thing.
The morning was cold, and wet. it was raining a bit. I met my friend Julia at 5am. Joe and Mylinh would meet us on Mission peak later.
The run on the first day was uneventful.
Julia turned around 20 miles into it.
It was getting very cold in the Del Valle area on the way back. I had to leave Mylinh & joe because I needed to run fast to keep warm. My pants were at my resupply in Sunol mile 52, At that point I would have aid every 10 miles.
at 9:30pm I met up with Jerry who came out to meet me. At 12:30am I would meet up with Padma & Krin(sp?) Padma wanted to do a night run she's training for Rocky Raccoon 100. We took off from Jerry's after hot soup at around 1am. I needed to be back to the MP parking lot at 8am for a group of Bay Area runners that are called barfies.
I hooked up with a group of 12 and my friend Michele. We headed up the peak and soon the group took off. Michele stayed with me, we had fun chatting and me showing her my trails.
Michele had to turn around at mile 6. I headed to Sunol alone.
I met up with EB regional Parks police. Last year they harassed me for being out there, even though it was ok'd by the parks.
This year the officer was so friendly saying he was looking for me, and wanted to know that I was ok through the night and how I was feeling.
I was happy to know they we're looking out for my safety, and he even said he was proud of me.
I headed back to Fremont to hook up with my friend Ben at 3pm. He was with me the last three days of my Sierra 511 miler this past Summer.
He loves to talk so i knew he would be perfect for that section.
We met up and headed out the weather was looking ugly, like a storm was brewing.
Ben had to take off to Sunol by 6;30 so he had to leave my slow, sorry ass out alone.
I headed slowly down to Sunol. Heading back the weather was looking scarry.
My friend Dominic text me he couldn't come out to meet me. I was at a low point and that just intensefied my feelings. Sad, lonely and scarred. it was dusk and I was seeing things. I saw a huge flash in the sky. I thought it was a UFO coming to take me away to a far away Planet to become the Queen.....Back to reality..
The flash was trippy. I thought it was my handheld LED light that made the flash.
I heard thunder and then I panicked. Where the hell is Jerry. he said he's come back tonight...Call Jerry..Panic Jerry where are you!!!! No answer. I ran, and ran. I called again, I was getting really delerious. DUDE WHERE the hell are you!!!
I'm heading towards the peak I see a LED light coming at me. Jerry is that you??? DUH, who else would be out there. Of course it's Jerry.
I told him about the flash in the sky...We see weird clouds forming above. We both see the flash. I really wasn't delerious, well maybe just a wee bit!
Two more times we see the flash, we head quickly off the Peak. I'm so happy I will not be climbing Mission peak again. I have less than 5 hours to go.
I decide to go the back way to Ohlone college on the trail than wander the streets of Fremont and check out the Million dollar homes the last couple hours.
At one point I climbed into a little cave and just wanted to stay there and go to sleep.
We headed down into Fremont and made our way to Starbucks for a Tazo tea, Om was the one we had. We took ours to go. Well they sorta kicked us out since they were closing when we got there.
I told the guy working what I was doing, running/hiking for 42 hours. i don't think he got it!
It was so cold out, withen 10 min. the tea was cold.
We wondered the streets the last couple hours. Made it back with a couple min. to spare so wandered the parking lot a couple min.
I was happy I did it once again. I set a goal and reached it.
Thanks to everyone who send me vibes and emailed , called, and text me during my 42 hour journey.
Can't wait to do it all over again next year! 43 hours.
I said i would never do it again, run hours for my age. The next day I was already planning it in my head.
Oh, this was also my 50th 100 mile run. In the end I ran, hiked , crawled and moved forward 122 mile.
Happy Holidays
13 comments:
- Jamil said...
Amazing report! Such an inspiration. I wish I could have met you out at Javelina Jundred in November! I was out there pacing Michael Hayden through the night and I saw you a couple of times. Congrats again on the successful birthday challenge!
- Olga said...
Cat, I think with these hours you should apply for HR, girl! Good run, solid! Way to go for hours on end!
- Catra said...
Hey Jamil-
Thanks! Hey next time you see me you better come say hi and introduce yourself.
- Catra said...
Hey Olga-
Merry X-mas!
Thanks! I do want to run HR. I know I could finish it that's not the problem. I have been in the races twice but never got to start. 2002 it was cancelled and 2003 I broke my ulna on El Cap and couldn't run it!
And well every year I'm on The JMT during HR. 2007 PCT. Maybe 2008 Hardrock & Badwater.
Love you girl.
- Gregg Lynn said...
Great report and fantastic job reaching your goal. I'm always impressed by your achievements!
Merry Christmas.
- Catra said...
Hey Gregg-
Thanks so much!
Have a Merry X-Mas too.
- Shari Baby said...
Thanks for the report. You did great!!!About that little cave ....weren't you scared at all ?
- Catra said...
I'm usually not afraid. I'm more afraid of running the roads at 10pm than running the trails alone at 10pm.
You learn to understand and listen to sounds of nature and know you are safe. I say the animals are my Angels on the trail and they watch my back.
- Chihping Fu 傅治平 (超馬阿爸) said...
Catra, sorry for not joining you. I had to work on other commitments. I looked afar at MP, explained your Birthday Challenge, and told my family that you are over there. Congrats to your finish!
Btw, I'm exited to see you and Jerry on Hurt. Looking forward to your another great year!
- JeffO said...
I'm hoping to get in HR08. Maybe we'll meet?
I think I should apply this year, 'cuz I probably won't get in and next year will bump me up to higher priority on the list.
But if I somehow made it this year - SURPRISE! I guess I'd go for it.
Your 42-hour BDay run was awesome.
I'll be 48 in 2008, so maybe HR will be my 48-hour run? but 5 months after my BDay.
Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.
- Ted said...
CONGRATS on your bday challenge. That's how I found your journal, BTW, being a friend of Steve who started the challenge idea. He's a great guy, maybe you've met him?
Any way, great to see you keeping it up. I need to do another challenge next year. I did one a few years back, but have been a lazy bum since the kids came along!
Funny story, I think the BDC sort of morphed out of 4 or 5 of us hanging around talking about movies one day at college. I bring up Cool Hand Luke. We get to talking about the 50 eggs scene. Somehow it becomes a challenge to Steve by another friend Neal to eat a bunch of eggs. But how many? I don't know how they came upon the idea, but Steve was challenged to eat 32, or 33 I think, the number of his age (he wasn't a student, he ran a store in the college town of Isla Vista). Sure enough, Steve ate all them eggs, in a single hour! One of the greatest eating feats I know of.
Just got caught up on your blog. You continue to inspire. Your 100s, multi-day trail runs, total milage, and positive attitude. I am pacing a friend at Western States 100 this year and hope to meet you if you're there. My Dad was running his Bday age in miles every year until he turned 68. Now he runs 100 minus his age (22 miles this year he turned 78). He has always inspired me. I'm hoping the weather is better tomorrow for the Western Washington Fat Ass.
Happy belated bday and healthy running.
- Steve Edwards said...
Amazing, as usual. You make it sound so casual I doubt most people have any idea just how friggin' HARD it is to run for that long. It's hard just to stay awake that long, much less standing, not to mention running. Faaaaaantastic!
So how many 100s did you do this year?
Hey, Ted. How'ya doin', man? I think your birthday challenge report is down. Re-post it in blogger and I'll re-link to it.


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"These followers are real followers but are not active." So much for instant fame from non-active Twitter followers. Buying X number of followers for Y dollars apparently makes some people feel better about themselves.
I had someone approach me on Twitter today with a website link. I do check these sites out but I make sure my virus filter is updated .. hehe.
Today was a great find … a source to purchase followers for Twitter, and purchase likes on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. Wow this is amazing, for only $180 you can purchase 100,000 Twitter Followers .. instant fame!
There is a catch though .. These followers are as phony as a 3 Dollar Bill .. They are "In-actives"
Many so called gurus and celebrities are faking their accounts by this extremely cheap method of "Follower Fortification".
Warning .. you can easily get caught ..


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United is using other planes to cover some flights that had been scheduled with its 14 Max jets. However, the airline said that because of the Max's grounding it will cancel about 1,120 flights in June and about 1,290 in July.
Chicago police are investigating a shooting on a popular walking and biking trail on the city's Northwest Side that left one man dead and two other people injured.
Watch the May 28, 2019 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."
At 82.5 inches, Java is not only the tallest corpse flower to bloom at the Chicago Botanic Garden, but the quickest among its type at the garden to re-bloom.
After two years of construction, a highly anticipated change to Chicago's Lakefront Trail is now a reality: separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians. But it may take some getting used to.
The family of an 84-year-old woman killed in a crash involving Chicago police has sent a letter to the mayor and police chief saying police vehicles caused the weekend accident, which injured more than a dozen people.
It's been a busy first term for U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville). The congresswoman joins us to discuss her freshman year goals and recent headlines.
Children have a better chance at reaching their full potential now than at any other time in history, according to a new report released by Save the Children. But there's more work ahead – particularly in the U.S.
The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering will become the university's first new school in three decades, thanks to a $100 million commitment from the Pritzker Foundation.
Two years after Massachusetts voters approved recreational marijuana, the first pot shops have opened. As part of our series on legalization, WGBH reporter Arun Rath gives us a look at what it takes to cash in on cannabis.
In spite of heavy rainfall that kept many indoors and 1,200 additional police officers on the streets of Chicago, 43 people were shot, seven fatally, over the Memorial Day weekend.
As other states, including neighboring Missouri, have passed laws that are tantamount to abortion bans, Illinois is moving in the opposite direction.


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Žádné produkty
Ceny jsou bez DPH
PCRBIO HS VeriFi™ Polymerase - is a versatile and robust proofreading enzyme with AptaLock™ hot start technology for highly precise PCR. Improved DNA binding and increased processivity give significant improvements in speed, yield and sensitivity while also increasing PCR success rates of long and challenging templates.
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Khammouane, LaosKirsty Turner
This very pretty Lao province is surrounded by amazing limestone formations, caves, rivers and dense jungle. The population of the province is around 260,000, with people coming from several different tribes such as Phuan, Tahoy, Kri and Katang. Most of the settlements in Khammouane province are small villages with collections of houses built from wood in the traditional Lao style. Everywhere you turn in Khammouane you are surrounded by intense natural beauty. Rich dark soil is covered with colourful plantations of rice, cabbage, sugar cane and bananas, while the Annamite mountain range is to the east and sparkling rivers, forests and caves are just waiting to be explored.
Khammouane province is easy to reach by bus from Vientiane in just five or six hours. There are plenty for visitors to do here such as kayaking, rafting, and caving. There are a large number of caves to explore and some of the highlights include the Buddha cave and Tham Nang Aen cave, while the Tham Xieng Lap caves are so pretty that they are worthy of a day trip by themselves.
Another great day trip destination is That Skihotabang, which is a large and interesting stupa commissioned by King Nanthasen in the 10th century. The stupa was carefully restored in the 1950s and is an impressive sight.
The province's capital is Tha Kek and this is a good place to stay for a night or two while you explore this lush and leafy area of Laos. While in Tha Khek take the time to explore the striking French colonial architecture in the city and sample the delicious range of Lao dishes, which is slightly different to those found in the rest of the country.
Nature lovers will want to explore the Nakai-Nam Theun Biodiversity Conservation Area, where you can spot a wonderful range of animals such as elephant, tigers, lemur and turtles. For excellent views over the jungle climb the Khammouane Limestone, which is a maze of limestone karst peaks.


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A report recently released by the AMA provides a timely look at physician practice arrangements in the United States and concludes that, despite some media reports to the contrary, private practice remains a strong business model for U.S. physicians.
Researchers did report, however, statistical "shifts" toward hospital employment.
The report, titled "New Data on Physician Practice Arrangements: Private Practice Remains Strong Despite Shifts Toward Hospital Employment,"(www.ama-assn.org) is based on data drawn from the AMA's 2012 Physician Practice Benchmark Survey (PPBS).
Among the report's major findings are that 53.2 percent of all physicians surveyed were self-employed, and 60 percent of physicians worked in practices wholly owned by physicians. Twenty-three percent of all survey respondents worked in practices at least partly owned by a hospital, and 5.6 of respondents said they were hospital employees.
Story highlights
- A recently released AMA report based on 2012 physician survey data offers statistical evidence that should ease concerns about hospital buy-outs of private medical practices in the United States.
- The survey found that more than 53 percent of physicians surveyed were self-employed, and 60 percent of physicians worked in practices wholly owned by physicians.
- Researchers detected shifts toward hospital employment and suggested that hospital interest in multispecialty practices was driven by the need for strong ties with primary care physicians.
Specific to family medicine, researchers found that of family physicians who responded to the survey,
- 39.8 percent owned their practices,
- 57.7 percent were employed,
- 41.1 percent belong to a single specialty group,
- 28.3 were part of a multispecialty group,
- 18.8 percent were in solo practice,
- 1.1 percent were hospital employees,
- 2.5 percent were independent contractors and
- 10.7 percent said they were in other types of practice arrangements.
"The 2012 PPBS offers an update on the status of physician practice arrangements and allows for a nationally representative response to the numerous (media) articles of the past several years that have highlighted a surge in the employment of physicians by hospitals and the 'death' of private practice," wrote the researchers.
Study authors noted that changes in the 2012 survey structure allowed them to "differentiate between physicians directly employed by a hospital and those working (as an owner or employee) in a practice owned by a hospital, something not possible in earlier physician surveys."
Report Methodology and Highlights
The 2012 PPBS was based on a nationally representative random sample of postresidency physicians who provided at least 20 hours of patient care per week and were not employed by the federal government at the time of the survey. More than 14,700 physicians received e-mailed invitations to participate, and a total of 3,466 physicians completed the survey, for a response rate of 28 percent.
The report offers tables with 2012 data on the distribution of physicians by ownership status and specialty level, distribution of physicians by practice type and specialty level, and the practice ownership structure of physicians in single specialty groups.
Researchers pointed out that practice ownership varied by physician specialty and ranged from a low of about 37 percent among pediatricians to a high of nearly 72 percent among surgical subspecialties. Family physicians (39.8 percent) and internal medicine physicians (46 percent) fell below the mean in terms of practice ownership.
More than 45 percent of survey respondents said they worked in single specialty practices, making that the most common type of practice arrangement in 2012; however, primary care physicians were less likely than nonprimary care physicians to practice in single specialty groups.
Regarding practice size, researchers noted that data show that 30 years ago, 40.5 percent of physicians of all specialties self-reported as solo physicians. The percentage fell to 29.3 percent in 1994, 23.2 percent in 2001 and 24.6 percent in 2007-08. "We estimate that 18.4 percent of physicians were in solo practice in 2012," said the researchers.
Researchers also found that single specialty and multispecialty groups had different ownership structures. For instance, nearly 72 percent of physicians in single specialty groups said their practices were wholly owned by practice physicians. Another 22 percent said a hospital had an ownership stake.
On the other hand, physicians in multispecialty groups were more likely to report that their practice was at least in part hospital-owned (43.6 percent) than wholly owned by physicians (39.6 percent). In fact, 25.5 percent of physicians in multispecialty practices reported that their practice was wholly owned by a hospital.
Among physicians in single specialty practices, hospital ownership was most often reported by internal medicine physicians (45.1 percent) and family physicians (37 percent).
Report authors were unable to ascertain whether hospital ownership of primary care practices was occurring at a faster rate than in other specialties because of a lack of comparable data from previous physician surveys.
Notably, for every practice size category, physicians in multispecialty practices were more likely to report hospital ownership than physicians in similarly sized single specialty practices.
Researchers concluded that the "wider scope of practice in multispecialty groups, not practice size, drives hospital ownership," and that "hospital interest in multispecialty practice is also driven by the need to have strong ties with primary care physicians."
Looking Forward
Researchers said the data suggested "that trends toward hospital employment observed in certain areas of the country are part of a national trend," but they were not able to estimate the percentage of change due to a lack of comparable information collected in earlier physician surveys.
Furthermore, "market level research suggests that hospitals focus on employing primary care physicians in order to maintain a strong referral base for high-margin specialty service lines," said the researchers. They added that the trend likely would continue because of increases in the demand for primary care services expected with full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014.
Researchers concluded that implementation of the Affordable Care Act coupled with reforms in payment and delivery methodologies would provide opportunities and challenges for U.S. physicians. Some physicians, they noted, would easily adapt to new payment and delivery models such as those provided by accountable care organizations. Health delivery structures that emphasize greater integration and care coordination, however, could prove challenging for other physicians.
Related ANN Coverage
Newly Minted FPs Agree With Survey That Shows Growing Trend Toward Salaried Positions
More From AAFP
Family Practice Management: Making Sense of the Trend Toward Hospital Employment
(July/August 2013)
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Canucks' Bo knows prospects tourney only the start of NHL journey
Marquee first-round pick Horvat will forever be linked to Cory Schneider deal
Centre and 2013 first-round draft choice Bo Horvat works out with other Vancouver Canucks prospects at the South Okanagan Event Centre in Penticton on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, where the NHL franchise's top prospects are getting prepared to play in the Young Stars Classic tournament against the best young prospects of the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and San Jose Sharks.
Photograph by: Ward Perrin , PNG
PENTICTON — Bo Horvat knows he can never be just Bo Horvat, first-round pick.
Bo — full name Bowie — knows he will always be Bo Horvat, first-round pick obtained for Cory Schneider. It's the way it was on draft day and it's the way it was Wednesday when the Canucks prospects skated together for the first time in preparation for their opening game Thursday at the Young Stars rookie tournament.
It's also the way it will be forever.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS HERE, or if you're using a mobile app, tap the story image and swipe.
"Oh, definitely, I know it's always going to be there," said Horvat. "It's always going to be mentioned here and there. You try to forget about it, but it's always going to be in the back of your mind, of course. I've been asked about it quite a few times. It's the way it is, the way of the hockey world."
Horvat isn't a goalie, of course. He plays centre and one day he might be the Canucks' No. 1 centre. He was drafted ninth overall in a very strong draft class. He was an elite prospect and was going to be a high pick no matter which team he joined. He just never figured, nor did anybody else, that he would go for Schneider.
"I look at it as a positive," Horvat said. "They traded up to get me and that means they really wanted me, right? It means they really wanted me and that they have a lot of faith in me. Now I just have to prove to them that they made the right choice. It's going to be motivating."
Still 18, Horvat seems mature beyond his years. His media scrum Wednesday in Pentiction was large and only figures to become larger once he advances to main camp next camp. He handled it with ease. Hopefully for the Canucks, he will handle opposing defencemen in similar fashion.
There wasn't a question that had him flustered.
"I have had lots of experience dealing with the media and lots of help along the way," he said. "I hear it's quite a whirlwind in Vancouver when everyone comes in there and everyone is kind of on top of you. But I know it's part of the game and I've wanted this ever since I was a little kid. So, definitely, it's going to be overwhelming. I'm going to have to deal with it and I'm kind of looking forward to it, actually."
Horvat, who signed with the Canucks a month ago, will skate Thursday night against San Jose on a line with fellow 2013 first-rounder Hunter Shinkaruk. It will be his first outing as a pro. Horvat still has two years of junior eligibility remaining, however. If he does go back, he is guaranteed to play in the 2014 Memorial Cup with his London Knights serving as host team.
"Whatever happens happens," said Horvat, 6-0 and 206 pounds. "You have the best of the best prospects here and everyone is fighting for a spot and trying to prove themselves. It's really exciting and a little nerve-wracking, of course."
There is really only one gaping hole on the Canucks roster this season and it happens to be at the third-line centre position, unless career fourth-liner Brad Richardson rises above his station to claim it. Otherwise, Horvat, fellow prospect Brendan Gaunce (a first-rounder at 26th overall in 2012) and free-agent signee Mike Santorelli will be competing for the spot.
Horvat understands a good showing in Penticton will be a baby step toward that goal.
"You try not to think about it too much but it's always in the back of your mind," he said.
Utica Comets coach Travis Green, who is running the prospects camp, knows a bit about Bo. He coached against him in last spring's Memorial Cup, won by Halifax, and then kept a watchful on eye on him during Wednesday's practice.
"I think everyone knows he's a good, young player," Green commented. "He brings a little bit of everything to the table. He's strong on his skates and he's a smart hockey player. You know you're going to be able to rely on him to play at both ends of the rink. He'll be a power-play guy and a penalty-kill guy. He's still young but I see him being a real good NHLer down the road."
(All games at South Okanagan Events Centre)
Thursday: Oilers vs Flames, 4 p.m.; Canucks vs Sharks, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: Jets vs Sharks, 4 p.m.; Canucks vs Flames, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Canuck practice, noon; Canuck alumni game, 5 p.m.; Oilers vs Jets, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Canucks vs Oilers, 2 p.m.; Sharks vs Flames, 5:30 p.m.
Monday: Canucks vs Jets, noon.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS HERE, or if you're using a mobile app, tap the story image and swipe.


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Liberty successfully tests tornado sirens
City checks to make sure system working properly
After concerns about the reliability of its tornado sirens, leaders in Liberty conducted a special test of the system Wednesday and said it worked fine.
The city has 12 sirens spaced out over 30 square miles. All 12 sirens worked properly during the test at 11 a.m.
"We were having intermittent radio issues and with those, our sirens are activated via radio frequency and that's what gave us that level of concern," said Liberty Fire Chief Mike Snyder.
Snyder said there was enough concern about the sirens that his department sent out messages to residents on Sunday warning them not to rely solely on sirens for weather warnings. He said he was simply being proactive.
The city only sounds sirens during tornado warnings and there were none in Liberty on Sunday.


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|System: DS
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Hudson Soft
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Nintendo
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Nov. 19, 2007
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-4
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Everyone
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Amanda Kondolojy
There was a time, probably around Mario Party 4, that I completely believed that there was nothing better then Mario Party. I thought I could play this franchise forever, and looked forward to each new itineration of the series with great anticipation.
But then something happened. As unbelievable as it was, the Mario Party formula started getting stale. The minigames became really uninspired and the different boards suffered from a chronic sameness. It seemed that the franchise which I had always counted on to bring me fun party-style fun was running out of steam. And Mario Party DS, much like most of the Mario Party games that have been coming down the pipe lately, continues this trend of underwhelming fun.
At its heart, Mario Party DS is your typical Mario Party game. There are a total of five boards and scores of mini-games to keep you diverted. However, because Mario Party DS is a handheld title, there's more of a focus on single-player based play then there has been in previous Mario Party games. In addition to party mode, Mario Party DS also features a mini-game mode, an all-new puzzle mode, battle mode, and story mode. The story mode is fairly thin, but it's nice to see real effort to make a solid single-player mode for the Mario Party franchise. The story mode starts off with Mario and the gang being suspiciously invited over to Bowser's place for a dinner party. And of course, in true Bowser fashion, it was all a trap. Bowser then proceeds to shrink everyone, and you'll have to play through several mini-themed boards to get back to Bowser's castle and reverse your current shrunken state. There are a total of five boards in the story mode, and after you conquer each board, you'll have a "boss" mini-game that you have to defeat before you can move on.
One very interesting thing about the story mode is the replay ability. Although you might think it's pretty obvious because of the mini-games for each mode, but there's also a different ending for each of the different characters that you can play as. So if you love Daisy but also have a passion for Peach, you can experience the Mario Party DS story through both perspectives.
But if you want a shorter and more structured Mario Party experience, there's also battle mode. What battle mode does is essentially let you design your own Mario Party. You get to pick five mini-games to play, and then you test you skill to see who can come out of your challenge on top. This mode is especially good if there are some mini-games that you feel especially good at or one that you really want to avoid.
In addition to the story mode and the battle mode, there's also a puzzle mode that features some more lengthy puzzle-type minigames. This mode is great if you enjoy the puzzle-type genre (as I do) and just want to play these types of games. There's also some vintage puzzle mini-games from past Mario Party games here as well, so that's some good news for puzzle-lovers as well. My personal favorite has to be bomb-omb breakers, which made its debut on one of the GameCube version all those years ago.


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I have a card to share with you today in celebration of my birthday this past weekend. It is also ice skating themed, which is probably because I REALLY wanted to go on Friday night...but the rink cancelled open skating that night. It made me sad, but we made up for it by playing a really fun game with all our friends. And we are definitely going to be planning a skating night with our friends when they DON'T cancel it! Tee hee! Here is what I created:
I have a card to share with you today in celebration of my birthday this past weekend. It is also ice skating themed, which is probably because I REALLY wanted to go on Friday night...but the rink cancelled open skating that night. It made me sad, but we made up for it by playing a really fun game with all our friends. And we are definitely going to be planning a skating night with our friends when they DON'T cancel it! Tee hee! Here is what I created:
27 comments
very cute card!ReplyDelete
Hi Lea,ReplyDelete
Wonderful card. I like the composition of embellishments and the graphic effect. Bravo !
Thanks for joining us at Charisma Cardz on our 3rd birthday this week.
Hugs from France.
WOW ... what a fabulous skating creation ... love all the details. Happy Belated Birthday and have fun when you finally get to go ice skating!ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for joining us at The Sisterhood 'Let It Snow' challenge and please come back again soon!
one of the 'Sistahs'
I wish I had just a fraction of your card making ability....this is incredibly beautiful!!!! I just love the skate :):)ReplyDelete
beautiful Lea!ReplyDelete
Beautiful card! So many pretty details! Thanks for joining in on the Tuesday Throwdown this week.ReplyDelete
1. your card is INSANELY gorje. has a chilly feel with a wonderful, warm sentiment!ReplyDelete
2. the coat is a STUNNER! i'm a little jealous!
3. your hubbin CROCHETS?! how awesome is that?! i'm impressed that he whipped that up so quickly - enjoy!
4. thanks a bunch for celebrating our birthday with us at Charisma! :D
wow this card is so amazing... I totally love it..ReplyDelete
Darling card!! Love all of the sweet elements and the scrumptious colors! (And that hat your husband crocheted is awesome and it looks so darlig on you, too. . did he crochet the flowers, too? what fun!!)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 17, 2012 at 4:26 AM
Your card is fabulous! Love all those beautiful layers and I hope you get to go skating really soon, Happy Birthday!ReplyDelete
Thanks for sharing with us at AnnaBelle Stamps this week!
Your card is lovely! Thank you for playing along with the Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light challenge.ReplyDelete
This is so so so pretty! That is one of my favorite PTI stamps and you used it so beautifully! I enjoy your blog so much! Have a great day. ♥ReplyDelete
What a beautiful birthday card!! I just love the skates and all your details!! Thanks for joining the ODBD Shining the Light challenge this week!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 18, 2012 at 1:35 AM
Im extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one these days..ReplyDelete
This is beyond adorable, Lea!! My favorite colors in your palette ... {swoon}!! Love it :) Thanks for sharing with us at TKJ!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous card, such a fab design and added detail! Thanks for joining in the fun with us at Cupcake this week...good luck :) Donna ♥ xReplyDelete
a lovely birthday creation! thanks for joining in with our 3rd Birthday celebrations this week at Charisma!! Gemma :)ReplyDelete
Absolutely gorgeous Lea, fab papers and detail.ReplyDelete
Thanks for sharing at Cupcake Craft Challenges this week.
Warm hugs
A most fabulous skating beauty =) I love those skates and the fabulous doilies. Awesome ribbonry, too. Thanks for playing along with The Sisterhood of Crafters in our Let It Snow Challenge. (I'm also loving your clothing picks. Your husband crochets?! AWESOME!)ReplyDelete
lovely cardReplyDelete
thanks for joining us at Charisma
Happy belated birthday! LOVE the sweet skates...what an awesome card! Thanks for joining us in the ODBD Shining the Light Challenge!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous card! Love the detail!ReplyDelete
TFS with us this week :)
Such a pretty card, love the pink houndstooth in the background...and I really like your coat, lol.ReplyDelete
Stunning card Lea,absolutely beautiful. Thanks for joining in the fun at AnnaBelle Stamps!!ReplyDelete
Lea, this is stunning!!! Thanks for joining us at The Kraft Journal!!ReplyDelete
Wow it's gorgeous. Love all the elements..... thanks so much for playing along with us in The Sisterhood of Crafters.ReplyDelete
YEAH! You're a WINNER! Be sure to pop back over to The Sisterhood to grab your badge! Congratulations!ReplyDelete


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Winners, winners, winners!
The winner of the pooping snowman, cards, and pen is Linda C. And because I'm in the giving spirit, I'm giving away another pooping snowman and it goes to Lucy. Then the winner of the book, cards, and pen is Pat L. Guys email me your snail mail addresses at christie (@) christie-craig.com
And please (for more prizes) everyone pop over to http://novelthoughts.wordpress.com/ and to read an epilogue of Divorced, Desperate and Dating, http://thewritersvineyard.com/
Where am I?
Wait. I don't mean, me physically, I know where I am. I'm at my desk, wearing my "Don't talk to me before my coffee" nightshirt and my Donald Duck house shoes. (Hey, I like my shoes.) Besides, I'm not so loony that I don't know where I'm at. I know I told you about the voices, but forget about the voices. My question doesn't have anything to do with my sanity--my question is about where my book, Divorced, Desperate and Dating is on the shelves.
Non-writers may not know this, but where you are (where your book is sold at) is important. Of course, we want to be in all the wonderful places. The more places the better. The airport is one prime place that comes to mind. (I'm still waiting to see someone reading my book on an airplane. I'll probably get so excited I'll kiss the person and be arrested for assault or something.) Of course, then there's Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Borders, Waldens, and a long list of grocery stores. Then there's the drugstores. Someone once told me that when you hit the Walgreens, you know you've made it.
Ahh, but let me tell you, the Neiman Marcus of book spots is not the upscale shopping stores. Nope, it's the super discount stores that offer one-stop shopping. Why? Well, the most apparent reason is because of sales. Statistics seem to prove that people who shop for cleaning supplies, paint, foot massagers, motor oil, and teeth whitener also buy books. And hey, I'll admit it, I do my share of one-stop shopping. Pop in, wave at the greeter, and go grab some extra-hold hairspray, a pack of band aids, a bit of Jenny Crusie, toilet paper (extra quilted), and some kitty litter, all the while wearing my duck house slippers. Okay, I haven't ever really worn my duck slippers shopping, but I have accidentally worn two different shoes. Ahh, life at the Craig house.
Which brings me to my less apparent reason for wanting to be in these retail stores. I guess you could say, I'm a one-stop shopping kind of gal. Well, let's say I shop them a lot more than Neiman Marcus. Don't get me wrong, at least once a year, I dress to the hilt and hit the Galleria for my Neiman fix. I've bought hats, French Perfume, and yes Gemma, I've even bought a pair of shoes on my annual up-town outing. However, for the everyday Craig merchandise, it's me taking a quick run, dressed in sweats, no make-up, hair brushed, but not sprayed or styled, to pick up a list of very basic items. Items we use at the Craig house and I use in my books. And for those times, I hit the one-stop-shops.
Seriously, think about the various things I use as weapons, humor devices, or plot enhancers in my books. We're talking: singing fish, toilet plungers, tampons, cast iron skillets, condoms, screwdrivers, cat food, and Vitamin C, and toilet tank lids. I'm using a toilet tank lid in the book I'm writing now. Seriously, can you imagine being in Neimans and walking up to a salesclerk and asking, "Excuse me, could you tell me what row I would find the singing fish on? How about the toilet plungers?"
Not so long ago I got an email from a fan telling me where she stumbbled across my book. Tina found a Craig novel for sale in an unusual spot. And because she wasn't sure I'd believe her, she took a picture. Nope, it wasn't the airport, or Neimans. She found Divorced, Desperate and Delicious at . . . Good Will.
Yup, Good Will. While I like the idea of being on everyone's keeper shelf, something about being in Good Will speaks to me. Hey, doesn't everyone say Good Will is the place to shop for real treasures? You might find a singing fish there and the money paid goes for a good cause. Plus, I figure I helped someone get a tax deduction. Now that just makes me feel all warm and cozy inside, sort of how those duck slippers make my feet feel.
Okay…so here's what I'm wanting from ya'll and here's what I'm offering as this week's prize. Remember the pooping Christmas Snowman I mentioned I'd be giving away? Yup, this is the week. I know all of you are jumping up and down. Don't worry, he's house trained. He's a candy dispenser, and the black jelly beans come out his backside. I've even taken a picture of his backside. (I'll bet this is the first time you've been mooned by a snowman, huh?) It's Hallmark, so don't tell me it's not an appropriate or sentimental gift. He's so high class, I'll bet you wouldn't find him at the super discount stores.
Everyone who comments and tells me where they've seen my book at will get your name in a drawing to win your very own pooping Snowman, a pack of "Christie Craig" Christmas Cards, and a "silly" pen. As a second prize, I'm also offering a pack of my Christmas cards, a copy of one of my previous published books, and a silly pen. So, let me know where you've seen my book on sale and you could be a winner.
Oh, the snowman will make a perfect white elephant gift.
P.S. Make sure you guys come back tomorrow morning to see who won.
Also pop over to http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?ID=2579 to check out a contest over there to win a $20 gift certificate from Amazon.
And if you didn't read my "Call Story/Stories" that was published here several months ago, pop over tohttp://www.writingplayground.blogspot.com/ and read about my embarrassing and funny call story. There are even prizes being given away over there, too.
Hey...want more? Okay...on Wednesday December 3rd, pop over to http://novelthoughts.wordpress.com/ and post to enter a book, a pack of Christmas Cards, and a silly pen. More you say? Okay how on Wednesday checking out http://thewritersvineyard.com/ to read an epilogue of Divorced, Desperate and Dating.
Crime Scene Christie
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Have you Seen Me?
Posted by Christie Craig at 5:51 AM
40 comments:
Hi Christie,
Finsihed Divorced, Deperate and Dating last night. Loved all three books, but this is my favorite so far. I have seen your books at, of course, Borders and Barnes and Noble. However, they have also appeared at my Kroger store, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and SAM'S club. Man you sure get around.
- December 2, 2008 at 7:12 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Linda C.
What can you say, "I'm just a get-around type of gal!"
Wow, thanks so much for posting. And thank you so much reading my zany stories. Who knows, maybe you will get rewarded with a pooping snowman. (smile)
- December 2, 2008 at 7:20 AM
- Maureen said...
I've seen your books at the Giant Supermarket and Walmart. Congratulations on your new book.
- December 2, 2008 at 8:50 AM
- Minna said...
Well, as I haven't visited any bookstores made out of brick and mortar for a while, but when it comes to Internet bookstores, I have seen Divorced, Desperate and Dating here:
- December 2, 2008 at 8:52 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks for letting me know.
Hope you have a great holiday.
- December 2, 2008 at 8:52 AM
- Christie Craig said...
It's good to know that my book is out in different places on the web.
Thanks so much for posting.
- December 2, 2008 at 8:53 AM
- Gemma Halliday said...
That is the coolest snowman ever. I must have one.
Will be on the lookout for your books!
- December 2, 2008 at 9:37 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks Gemma,
I personally think it makes the perfect gift for someone who has everything.
- December 2, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Hi Christie,
I've seen your books at Barnes & Noble, Borders, my local grocery store and drug store,and my local library of course. You're everywhere!
- December 2, 2008 at 9:48 AM
- Christie Craig said...
It's so good to know I get around!!
Thanks so much for posting.
- December 2, 2008 at 9:55 AM
- CrystalGB said...
I have seen your books at Books A Million and at Walmart.
- December 2, 2008 at 9:56 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks for surfing over!
I'm thrilled I'm getting spotted in different places.
Now if we can just get people to pick me up. Hey...I'll go home with just about anyone!!! (smile)
- December 2, 2008 at 10:09 AM
- Unknown said...
Well I bought my copy of Divorced, Deperate and Dating at the local borders. I usually buy all my books there. I am on a first name basis with the clerk!!!j My husband could not belive when we went in and she greeted me by my first name. I have seen your book on several places in town. Our grocery store started carring books and a copy was there. the other place is the used bookstore. I usually take my girls there every Saturday and I have seen you books there.
- December 2, 2008 at 10:33 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Hi Christina,
I know what you mean about being on first-name basis with the booksellers.
My local B & N see me coming in and they all run to their computers to see if they have copies of my books there. Because if they don't I always say..."Hey, you know, I could send my fans elsewhere to pick up my books!"
I've almost got them trained to keep them on the shelves.
Thanks for posting.
- December 2, 2008 at 10:37 AM
- traveler said...
Congratulations Christie! How wonderful.
I saw your book at K-Mart, Wal-Mart and my local grocery stores. You are really doing well.
- December 2, 2008 at 10:44 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks so much posting and letting me know you seen me.
I love knowing I'm getting around.
- December 2, 2008 at 10:51 AM
- Keri Ford said...
I saw it at Amazon! and hey, when I typed in Divorced, Amazon subbed in the rest of the title for me. how cool is that?
- December 2, 2008 at 11:15 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Owww. That is too cool. It's almost as good as having your name written on the walls of bathroom. (smile)
Thanks for stopping in.
- December 2, 2008 at 11:22 AM
- Unknown said...
Hi Christie, I have seen your books at Amazon, Borders, and Barnes and Noble all of the on line bookstores, which is where I order books from. I have also seen it at the Kroger store and Walmart. That is about the only place around here that sells books.
- December 2, 2008 at 1:54 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks so much for surfing by.
I'm thrilled that I'm being seen in all around town.
- December 2, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Christie, it was such a treat to receive my signed copy of Divorced, Desperate and Dating and all the fantastic things you added to the package! My cat thinks the pen is brilliant --- she kept pulling the top of it and then she insisted on sniffing the entire envelope. She wants to join your animal book club.
I haven't been out shopping but I wll definitely look for Divorced, Desperate and Dating and report back.
Mary M
- December 2, 2008 at 2:48 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Mary M.
LOL! Okay...you are the second person who has told me that their cats went after my pen.
I think it's the hair. It must made from chicken feathers or something.
Thanks for stopping in Mary.
- December 2, 2008 at 3:21 PM
- Estella said...
I got your book at my local grocery store.
- December 2, 2008 at 3:40 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks so much.
I love knowing my book can be bought along with a can of pork-n-beans and bottle of wine.
- December 2, 2008 at 3:56 PM
- ellie said...
Your book is displayed beautifully at the local grocery store. COngratulations and best.
- December 2, 2008 at 4:18 PM
- jenna said...
Congratulations Christie! Great news. I have seen your book around town in Borders and B & N.
- December 2, 2008 at 4:41 PM
- ruth said...
I have seen your books at all of the grocery stores as well as Wal-Mart. Congratulations.
- December 2, 2008 at 4:51 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks for letting me know. It feels good to know I'm being spotted.
- December 2, 2008 at 5:29 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks for dropping by.
Let's hope Borders and B & N keep it on the shelf.
- December 2, 2008 at 5:30 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks so much for posting. I love being seen at Wal-Mart.
- December 2, 2008 at 5:30 PM
- catslady said...
This is almost like Goodwill but we have a place called St. Vincent dePaul which is a charity. I drop off old clothes and can't resist checking out the books and yep, I did see your book there!!!!But someone beat me to it!!!
- December 2, 2008 at 5:50 PM
- Christie Craig said...
That is priceless!! Thank you so much for telling me.
The only thing better would have been if there had been a fight break out for the book. (smile)
- December 2, 2008 at 5:58 PM
- Lucy said...
I saw your book at amazon.com. Does that count? Even if I ordered it? Because I did! I'm not a big shopper so getting out in the Christmas rush isn't happening for me, which is why I can't tell you any other place I've seen it. But I have to say, I was looking at the pooping Santa thinking, "that would be perfect for my white elephant gift" - and I have the perfect Victoria's Secret bag that I'm going to put that white elephant gift in! (although it's - the pooping santa - really cute so I don't know that I would do that in the end - no pun intended the VS bag is definitely happening though).
Oh, and if none of that makes me win, since I have all your books already (or waiting for them to arrive), whatever book you wanted to send I could include in the white elephant gift exchange and go on and on about how much I love your books (there will be 50 - 60 people at this party).
Just think about it. ;)
- December 2, 2008 at 6:22 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Ahh Lucy,
You make me laugh. I think we think alike, putting the pooping Santa in the VS bag is perfect.
- December 2, 2008 at 6:52 PM
- kimmyl said...
I've seen your book at Barnes and Noble and Hastings. My fave store of course.
- December 2, 2008 at 8:30 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks for letting me and for visiting Killer Fiction.
- December 2, 2008 at 8:35 PM
I loved the first book in the series and look forward to the others.
Pat L.
- December 2, 2008 at 8:40 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks Pat!
- December 2, 2008 at 8:51 PM
- Refhater said...
Sorry, but I couldn't post last night due to a severe allergic reaction to a peanut that was hidden in some broccoli salad. It wasn't pretty! I still look like a reject Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon.
I first "saw" your books here on Killer Fiction. Now I look for them everywhere I go.
- December 3, 2008 at 4:32 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Okay...that sounds bad. Yikes. Dad-burn peanut!!!
Take care of yourself and keep an arms length from those little suckers.
- December 3, 2008 at 6:18 AM


text:
Senator Daniel Inouye warned of Shadow Government
December 24, 2012
By now most have heard of the passing of Senator Inouye. All the big names came forward to pay homage to the oldest serving Senator. He of all people understood what happens when the government goes astray. A witness to the internment of thousands of Japanese-Americans during WW II. He warned us at a 1987 hearing. Unfortunately, he lost his way in his warning. Later, in several videos I watched when others at later hearings starting giving the same warnings and tried to inform, he warned them to be quiet that "it was classified material". Just for the record:
Recall Senator Daniel K. Inouye in 1987 Chaired the Senate Select Committee on Secret Military Assistance to Iran and the Nicaraguan Opposition, which held public hearings on the Iran-Contra affair.
Senator Inouye, summarizes here the coverup of the US Shadowy Government involvement; by saying:
"There exists a shadowy Government with its own Air Force, its own Navy, its own fundraising mechanism, and the ability to pursue its own ideas of the national interest, free from all checks and balances, and free from the law itself."
Obama spoke about Inouye during a memorial service at theWashington National Cathedral on Dec. 21, saying the Hawaii senator had been one of his "earliest political inspirations."The president said the late senator had served the country with"fundamental integrity."
Speaking at the service in Hawaii, Locklear said Inouye"was in every way a giant. We have lost an irreplaceable American."


text:
With Foo Fighters about to Do A Muse and rock Wembley for two consecutive nights – on June 6 and 7 – DiS is delving once more into our past, personal and professional (we did this with Björk, remember?), to dig around the roots of the band that made the stadium-filling megastars what they are today: Nirvana.
Nobody needs the whole Nirvana story telling again – there are more than enough books available on the subject – so we'll skip on all but the essential details, which are: band, at its core vocalist/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, forms before settling on the name Nirvana in 1988; band records debut album for very little money and releases it through influential label Sub Pop; band gets picked up by Geffen for commercial breakthrough sophomore, settling on permanent drummer Dave Grohl after toying with hired hands after the departure of founder Chad Channing; commercial breakthrough sophomore makes band one of the biggest bands in the world; singer freaks out, marries another vocalist with problems, has child, continues to have personal problems; band releases third album to great critical acclaim; third album addresses the conflict of new-found fame versus punk-rock integrity; singer commits suicide before band tours third album in UK, on April 5, 1994.
Dave Grohl formed Foo Fighters in 1995, and the band's self-titled debut album was released the same year. The drummer had begun to display his own songwriting skills while in Nirvana, but now fronting his own band his abilities reached a far wider audience. That audience is now big enough to fill Wembley for two nights. Good work, Grohl.
To celebrate this achievement, we're presenting our Top Ten Nirvana tracks, from across the band's limited, but hugely influential, back catalogue.
10. 'Aero Zeppelin', from Incesticide (1992, Geffen)
Drums that sound like they're fighting a losing battle against an earthquake, Cobain squealing like a little pig trapped under the wheels of a Hummer, and the sort of frenzied fret mangling that would later characterise In Utero's finest tracks. A great departure from the polish of Nevermind, released on the outtakes/sessions compilation that followed a year after the band's breakthrough.
9. 'Oh The Guilt', from split single with The Jesus Lizard (1993, Geffen/Touch & Go)
A scrappy, In Utero-era thrash-about recorded in 1992 by Barrett Jones, producer of Foo Fighters, and later polished by Adam Kasper (who also worked on Foo Fighters LPs) for release on 2004's With The Lights Out boxset. The single – a split with The Jesus Lizard's 'Puss', peaked at 12 on the UK singles chart.
Video: 'Oh The Guilt' (original mix)
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8. 'Lounge Act', from Nevermind (1991, Geffen)
A highlight of Nevermind even after so very many plays, sinister of tone when wedged between the breezy pop-infected offerings 'Drain You' and 'Stay Away' on its parent LP. The line "I still smell her on you" is both subtle of touch and graphic of delivery, and the song's atmosphere of paranoia, of distrust and anxiety, was the perfect full stop to Cobain's writing about ex-lover Tobi Vail (of Bikini Kill) before he fell for Hole's Courtney Love.
7. 'All Apologies', from In Utero (1993, Geffen) / Unplugged In New York (1994, Geffen)
A chink of light through the heavy storm clouds of In Utero, probably best remembered in its Unplugged guise (a posthumous collection was released in November 1994, seven months after Cobain's suicide), which can be seen below. Simple of lyric, it's a total sing-along (which entered the UK top 40 on release), exhibiting Cobain's pop sensibilities at a time when his world was, quite clearly, beginning to unravel about him.
Video: 'All Apologies' (MTV Unplugged version)
Video: 'Aneurysm' (Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!! version)
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6. 'Aneurysm', from Incesticide (1992, Geffen) / 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (1991, Geffen)
Available on Incesticide but initially released in the UK as a b-side to smash hit 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (although the two versions differ, the former a BBC session recording), 'Aneurysm' was a live favourite rightly voted amongst its makers' best-ever songs in a 2000 BBC poll. A live version was released as a promo CD, with an accompanying video, in 1996 to mark the release of live LP From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah_.
5. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', from Nevermind (1991, Geffen)
It was always going to feature in this top ten, somewhere. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is the band's most successful single, and catapulted them into the limelight. Its video dominated MTV, it sent Nevermind to the top of the Billboard chart in the US, and tuned millions of kids around the world into 'alternative' music like never before. The industry truly would never be the same again. It's one of the few Nirvana songs to be credited to all three members on a writing front.
Video: 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (official promo)
- -
4. 'Scentless Apprentice', from In Utero (1993, Geffen)
For those opening drums, for the crunching, grinding riffs, for Cobain croaking like a man absolutely on the edge; for Steve Albini's lack of spit and polish, for the wail of "Get Aaaaaway", for the line "I lie in the soil and fertilise mushrooms"; for every bit of brilliance bizarre or bombastically bedazzling in this song, DiS offers several thumbs up.
3. 'Lithium', from Nevermind (1991, Geffen)
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' might get a raw deal in rock clubs from those who've heard it a shade too many times (and can't bear the bouncing babies littering the dancefloor, punching the air to a song they weren't even born in time to see released), but The Other Hit from Nevermind (number 11 in the UK) is a wonderfully 'dumb' sing-along (lyrically it may be to do with bi-polar disorder) that received such a treatment at the 1992 Reading Festival. It's probably the most fun Nirvana song on this top ten, and certainly feels pretty light hearted even beside surrounding Nevermind album tracks.
Video: 'Lithium' (Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!! version)
- -
2. 'Serve The Servants', from In Utero (1993, Geffen)
In Utero's opening song, with the opening line: "Teenage angst has paid off well, now I'm bored and old". Never was there a more obvious indication that Nirvana's third albums was defiantly not another Nevermind. The verses hit harder than the song's chorus, reversing the band's usual style, and the lyrics tackle not only Cobain's disillusionment with fame but also his blossoming relationship with Love and the press treatment the pair were receiving, and his fractured communication with his father. It's perhaps the best opening song on a truly magnificent album, ever.
1. 'Heart Shaped Box', from In Utero (1993, Geffen)
Reaching number five on the UK singles chart, 'Heart Shaped Box' is the DiS office's preferred Nirvana standalone; it might have been tweaked after Albini's original production by REM collaborator Scott Lit, but this is still a raw affair with an iconic video from Control director Anton Corbijn. The clip won two awards at 1994's MTV Video bash, after Cobain's death; Grohl, Novoselic and Pat Smear (later of Foo Fighters), who'd played second guitar at late-period Nirvana live appearances. Fifteen years after its release, still the song strikes a chord.
Video: 'Heart Shaped Box' (official promo)
- -
DiScuss: Fill in the blanks, readers… what are your favourite-ever Nirvana songs? Did you ever think Foo Fighters would become the stadium-playing act they are today after hearing that 1995 self-titled LP? Are you off to Wembley? Will you buy me a souvenir?


text:
Product 336/427
☻ Due to the different monitor and lighting effect, the actual color of the item might be slightly different the color pointed to the pictures.
☻ If you have questions about this topic, please feel free to contact me. Please believe that effective communication can solve all problems.
☻ Very seductive and comfortable to wear, nice and lovely, a perfect gift for yourself.
Simple Style Fashion Berets Summer Mens Hat Cap Denim Hold Denim Berets Dark Special Style Blue 55 59Cm - B07JFSNSYP


text:
My latest article entitled "Getting the Most from Message Groups and Mailing Lists" has been posted at Archives.com. This is one of many articles you'll find as part of the Learn from Experts series at Archives.com – check it out and you will see some familiar faces among the genealogy blogging crowd!
The most recent article discusses how you can tap into the collaborative research power of mailing lists, message groups and even Facebook groups to assist you with finding your ancestors. Did you know that some genealogy mailing lists are over 20 years old and still going strong?
Visit the Articles page here at High-Definition Genealogy for my other recent and past articles on genealogy.
Disclaimer: this was an assignment for Archives.com in which I was paid to produce a an article on the subject of genealogy webinars. In addition to payment, I also received a complimentary membership to Archives.com. See the Disclosure Statements page for a list of all material connections I have with genealogy vendors.
©2013, copyright Thomas MacEntee


text:
(Venice, Italy) Lino Tagliapietra thinks in glass; his thoughts are beautiful and complex, and we have the great privilege of seeing those thoughts solidified in a material sent down from the heavens by the gods themselves. There was not even room to stand at the opening of glass Maestro Lino Tagliapietra's retrospective on Saturday morning, February 19, 2011 at the prestigious Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti entitled Lino Tagliapietra. Da Murano allo Studio Glass. Opere 1954 - 2011. After witnessing myself the glass he has blown with breath from Paradise, it was easy to understand why so many people were drawn. It seems impossible for a human being to be able to create objects so intricate and full of wonder, but Tagliapietra is proof it can be done. Now in his late 70s, he is only becoming better with age.
Born on the glass-blowing island of Murano, little Lino did not want to go to school, he wanted to learn about the glass. So, when he was ten-years-old, over the protests of his parents, he quit going to regular school, and entered into a different, magical classroom. From the Maestro's website:
One of the world's most eminent living glass artists, Lino Tagliapietra was born in1934 on the island of the centuries-old center for Venetian glassmaking, Murano. At the age of eleven, he was apprenticed to the glass studio of the internationally known Muranese master, Archimede Seguso, and achieved the rank of maestro by age twenty-one. He later worked as master glassblower and designer at other glass studios, including Galliano Ferro, Venini, La Murrina, and Effetre International.
I gasped at the first piece on display, which was a cabinet filled with 98 small objects like a vase, pitcher, cup, etc. that seemed to be made from glittering gold. I thought, could this be avventurina? I looked at the description, and sure enough, it was! Years ago I had written about Murano and its fascinating glass for the International Herald Tribune - Italy Daily, and knew how difficult avventurina was to create. The name itself "avventurina" comes from the Venetian word "ventura" because you went on an adventure every time you set out to create the glass. The Maestro's avventurina work was just born this year, and since the year is not even two months old yet, it would appear Lino Taliapietra has been keeping himself busy.
Taliapietra lives on Murano, but creates his large pieces in the United States in his workshop in Seattle, where he works with an American team. His generosity in sharing his glass-blowing secrets with the outside world is renown, and he is credited with reviving the art.
One of my favorite pieces was called "Angel Tear," which is the image you see at the very top of the page. Here is what Lino Tagliapietra says about creating those pieces:
ANGEL TEARColored glass cane, twisted filigree, approaching from another angle - these are only technical terms that give me a way to describe working with glass. These terms don't capture the feeling that comes with creating a piece such as Angel Tear. The "lacrime d'angelo" were tears of joy. They were such a pleasure to blow, bringing me intimate satisfaction breath after breath. One might say that all works of art should have this spirit and the same energy. This is true. But this time, I became very attached to these Angel Tears. The name seemed to grow with me.
The exhibition starts in 1954 when the Maestro was only twenty-years-old; there is a perfect red goblet perched alone on a white wall. As the years progress, so does his work, the spirit of the times reflected in the glass. If that is true, it is very good news for planet Earth because Lino Taliapietra's latest works seem to have originated in Heaven itself.
Don't miss this exhibition.
Ciao from Venice,
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
From Murano to Studio Glass.
Works 1954 – 2011
19 February – 22 May 2011 Venice,
Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti.
Palazzo Cavalli Franchetti
Campo Santo Stefano 2842 -
30124 Venice
l. +39 041 5237819
Tuesday to Sunday 10 am – 7 pm (ticket office closes at 6 pm)
Closed Monday
Individual tickets: 7.00 euros
Reductions: 5.00 euros for students, groups of more than 15, residents of and those born in the
Comune di Venezia, holders of special concessions, over 70s.
Free children up to the age of 14, one leader for each group, disabled people, their carers, two
teachers per class, university lecturers.
Reservation fee 1.50 euro


text:
Dahl squints as he approaches the trapdoor. "Is that a handle? Or only a shadow?"
The curious if not always bright Dahl gets down on his hands and knees to listen at the door, nearly bumping heads with Memphisto as the magic-y man examines the oaken border between known and unknown.
If Memphisto or Lislgen should start to wander a bit to see what else there is to see, another entrance or such, Dahl will quickly catch up to them. Otherwise, he is content having found the trapdoor.


text:
Fresh Cut
Some questions in life are easy. Watch the game or tackle the household "honey-do list?" Go out for wings and beer or stay in for steamed veggies and rice? Other questions may require a little more thought. Get the much-needed new car or put money in the kids' college fund? And then there are the questions you can decide either way and be OK. For instance, you can choose a walk-behind greens mower or a riding triplex greens mower and still have a great golf course. Both categories have their advantages. So who's riding and who's walking the greens these days?
Some courses only use walk-behind greens mowers. Others solely use triplex mowers. And still others may use a combination of both depending on tournament schedules and weather conditions.
However, if budget is not an issue, most likely you are going to opt to walk mow the greens. "Walking vs. riding is determined mostly by the resources available," says Jeff Buchko, product manager, Jacobsen. "Walking the greens is perceived to provide a much higher quality of cut and to have fewer compaction issues," Buchko adds.
According to Pat Sneed, superintendent, Mississippi State University Golf Course, it's purely a monetary issue. "I'm not sure that there's anybody who would choose a triplex greens mower over a walk-behind if they had the budget. We use riding [greens mowers] almost exclusively because we're a public facility that's funded through revenue produced by our greens fees," says Sneed.
Both Helmut Ullrich, senior marketing manager, greens mowers, Toro, and Buchko note that sales of walk-behind vs. riding units tend to be cyclical and often relate directly to current economics. "Right now we're seeing a rise in sales of walk-behind greens mowers," says Buchko.
Tracy Lanier, product manager, John Deere Golf and Turf One Source, adds that in tight economic times a course may only buy five or six units vs. the 10 it would normally purchase. "Very seldom do you see a course budget increasing enough to be able to switch over from ride to walk. But sometimes you do."
Chauncey Nicholson, superintendent, Auburn University Club Golf Course, can attest to both accounts. When the Auburn University Club Golf Course opened in 1999, walk-behind greens mowers were used exclusively for the first two years. "To cut back costs we started using riding greens mowers. We're in better financial shape now and went back to walk-behind units for the 2004 growing season."
Guy Hollar, director of grounds at Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover, N.C., notes that back in the early 70s, when riding greens mowers were first introduced, the trend was to use riding mowers. "While some of the higher-end courses never switched, anyone with budget constraints went to riding units," he says.
"Manpower is the largest part of our budget," says Robert White, CGCS, Heritage Palms Golf Club in Indio, Calif. "We send out four people on four mowers to cut 20 greens. Each person mows five greens in about two and a half hours, needing both a transport vehicle and trailer. With a riding mower we can send out two operators and finish in much less time."
"There's probably twice the labor involved, but there are always trade-offs," White continues. "You have to decide how much your greens are worth to you and your clientele and how important it is to protect them."
Now ask a superintendent if you can tell the difference in cut quality, and the question is a little harder to answer. It all depends on who answers the question.
"I feel sure you can get a better quality cut with a walking greens mower," says Sneed. "With a walk-behind you've only got one reel set at one height, so there's not going to be any variation between one pass and the next. And also with a walking greens mower, you've got a large roller on the back which helps smooth the putting surface to a much greater degree than the smaller rollers on the triplex."
"Walking greens mowers just give a better quality cut and a nicer surface to play on," says White. "The other good part is that there are no hydraulics on a walking greens mower so it's safer for the greens."
But for Hollar there isn't a significant difference between walk-behind and triplex mower cut quality. Hollar, who is responsible for two 18-hole courses, primarily uses a walk-behind greens mower for one and uses a triplex mower for the other. "Today the higher-end clubs do tend to walk, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't have a fine-quality golf course with a riding mower."
"I think there are advantages to both [walk-behind and riding] mowers," Hollar continues. "From a maintenance standpoint, it's easier to maintain one riding mower than it is four or five walk-behind mowers. But the narrow stripe the walk mower produces tends to be more pleasing to the eye."
Ullrich agrees that the narrow stripe a walk-behind greens mower provides is generally perceived to have a better appearance. "Narrow stripes are what you normally see on TV. People like to imitate that; it adds to the prestige of the course," he says. "But more importantly, I think the absence of hydraulic leaks and tire marks left behind by riding units is what makes a big difference."
Ground compaction is also an issue for greens mowing. "A riding greens mower is obviously a heavier machine," says Lanier. "Even so, you typically only have 10 psi on the turf. A 200-pound person walking across the green is about 9 pounds per square inch."
"The majority of compaction when using a riding greens mower is from the wheels themselves," Lanier continues. "The most obvious place to see this is in the cleanup pass. Today's triplex mower with offset cutting unit design can help reduce that compaction."
With ever-increasing demands for tournament-quality greens, restrictions on sound levels and the effects of hydraulic leaks on turf, there's no doubt that greens mower technology continues to improve. Manufacturers such as John Deere and Jacobsen now offer hybrid and electric greens mowers and easy-to-maintain bedknife systems.
"Electric reel drive technology is definitely getting much better at being able to bring customers a machine they've been asking about for years," states Lanier. "The market has been moving this way for several years, but technology hasn't been there until recently." Lanier notes that the new John Deere 2500E Hybrid Tri-Plex mower, which is the industry's first hybrid greens mower, offers the power and performance superintendents require.
"The 2500E operates on a traditional gas or diesel-powered engine that drives an alternator, which powers electric reel motors to drive the cutting units. This consistent power from the alternator allows the 2500E to be used for verticutting and overseeding operations. It also means no batteries to charge — just a powerful system without the hydraulic leak points," says Lanier.
Buchko adds that Jacobsen's new MAGKnife technology reduces bedknife changing time to a few minutes and frees staff for other maintenance tasks. "With the MAGKnife, there is no reason why a superintendent can't send out his fleet of greens and fairway mowers with a sharp bedknife every day," he says. "Because the bedknives can be sharp every time, superintendents will be able to deliver a tournament-level quality of cut virtually every day."
Sneed agrees that triplex technology has gotten a lot better. "It's certainly closer than we've ever been with cut quality. We're mowing, as most courses are, at a much lower height because of the ultra bents and ultradwarf bermuda-grasses. Now we're able to move these triplexes down to ⅛ or
Catherine Williams is a freelance writer who resides in Hickory, N.C.
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