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|Caramelized Onion & Cheddar Pumpernickel Bread
While I wait, I'm lucky enough that the people who make their living off of the land, do not. This is the time of year, where across the country, farmers' markets who may have closed for the winter, begin to wipe off the dust, and open to bring you the freshest of what your region has to offer. It's a beautiful time of year, and a perfect time of year for a change.
|Hakuri Turnips
|garlic greens
I do not, in any way, profess to be an expert on this topic. We will all learn on this little journey together. I started focusing on local and regional eating a couple of years ago, and haven't looked back since. It's a slow, progressive, but rewarding task. I'm not going to lie to you. My home and kitchen still have plenty of products and foods from all over the world, including some from large, mass producers. Beginning to source food locally is not an all-or-nothing affair. It shouldn't be. Like most endeavors, easing into it will create a long-term pattern, not a local "binge", if you will. I hope to be able to help you figure out what works best for you, what foods and products make sense to buy local wherever you are.
If you've been a reader of my blog over the past year, you know one thing you will not find in this series is a truck-load of food politics. If you really want my take, you can feel free to ask me, but I don't believe in the rhetoric behind becoming a "localvore" is the right place to start for most people. You should first be interested in fresh, amazing, unbelievable food. You should also be a fan of supporting the people in your community, their businesses and their livelihoods (because it will only help your community in the long run). We can tackle the rest over time, but let's start with a love of amazing food and where you live.
|Arugula and various other spring greens
So, we've talked about the reasons I want to do this, let's talk details. The plan is that every Sunday afternoon/evening or Monday morning here on Lighter and Local, you'll find a blog post about what I'm picking up that week from my market, and what I'm doing with it. We'll tackle what to use up that week, and what to store (and the methods to do so) that week. For those who enjoy the recipes I post, fear not, nearly every single post will come with a recipe (or two) for things we're picking up that week. I'll try to arm you with information, with insight, with whatever I know that might help us all out along the way.
This is not a one-sided discussion, however. Learning to love the "Lighter Side of Local" (yes, that's what we will call it), is a two-way street. I want your questions, your ideas, your insight into what you're doing wherever you are, and the amazing information and food you've uncovered or created. I'm looking for great questions, ideas, guest posts, whatever. I want you to feel like you're part of this process. I found bloggers to be the ultimate resource as I began to be much more aware of where my food was coming from, and I'm hoping to add to that discussion.
So join me, ask me what you'd like to know, and I'll try to unearth the answers. We have a tasty food journey ahead of us, are you on board?
This week, let's just start off with your local farmers' market. You can always find ones near you by either calling your local chamber of commerce or checking out http://www.localharvest.org/ . That website is an amazing resource for local eaters. Personally, my market, the Newburyport Farmers' Market opened up May 1st. Here's what you want to do:
- Set a budget. I only go with a $20 bill and I need to get whatever I can with that amount. Set your own limit.
- You need to be flexible with what you're going to find. Just because you need onions or tomatoes, doesn't mean your market will have them.
- Do a walk around first. Scout of out the prices of what you need at every booth. You might get a better deal from one farm versus another based on what they have available.
- It's not just produce. Look for farm-made cheeses, meats, prepared products. They're going to be pricier than normal, so budget that in if there's an artisan that interests you.
- Make friends. Talk to the people working at the booths/farms/artisans you buy from. Ask questions about how they manage pests, what they use to grow their food. Make relationships, they'll pay off down the line.
|beautiful spring radishes
What I picked up this week:
3 yellow onions
1 lb shallots
1 bunch rapini (or early spring raab)
1 bunch garlic greens (mild garlic flavor, not yet scapes, but refreshing)
1 bag arugula
1 bag spinach (spring spinach is amazing)
1 bunch radishes
Total Cost: $19.50
Other things to look out for this week:
ramps (they're kind of a cross between a leek and garlic)
leeks (all out by the time I got there)
pretty much any kind of lettuce you'd like, it thrives in this cooler weather
micro-greens - young greens, peppery and beautiful
asparagus (not common for the Northeast, other regions may find it however)
shelling peas - we're not quite there in Northeast on these
-Note: I can only really speak to what I have here in the Northeast right now, I'd love if some of you would like to email me or comment below on what you're finding in your region, then I can include it!
Things I'm going to be preserving/freezing this week:
Nothing, too early this spring to really make it worthwhile to buy a lot of something and preserve. Everything bought this week will be used.
Loving local onions
One of the most underrated of local produce is the onion. Seriously, you use it in so many different ways, but you probably overlook its true beauty. I picked up a few end-of-winter onions at market today. They're the ones from the previous month's store. However, I did this to point out that although many markets still are offering onions from their store right now, they're still far superior to anything you'd find anywhere else. They're sweet and fresh. If you see some green sprouting, no fear, as long as the bulb isn't soft, you're OK to move forward and use them. If you're lucky enough to have early spring onions (small, tender white bulbs with a whole lot of green sticking out from them), please use those for this bread. They're amazing.
This recipe is actually for this month's Kitchen Play Progressive Party Sponsored by the National Onion Association. The original idea for this bread came from Cookistry, who made a Caramelized Onion and Swiss Rye Bread. I love rye, but am in love with its heftier cousin pumpernickel. I hope you enjoy my take on this month's recipe!
Caramelized Onion & Cheddar Pumpernickel Bread
Makes: 1 loaf
Base pumpernickel recipe adapted from: Stonewall Kitchen, adapted from Techniques of Bread Baking 1 at the ICE , also adapted from Cookistry.
1 cup warm tap water, about 100 degrees
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (250 grams)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (60 grams)
1/2 cup whole grain rye flour (51 grams, I used dark rye)
1 tablespoon non-alkalized cocoa powder (example, Hershey's unsweetened cocoa)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup caramelized onions (technique here)
3/4 cup extra-sharp cheddar
cornmeal for bottom of loaf
Pour warm water into a stand mixer bowl or a general mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast on surface and whisk, letting it stand for five minutes. Now, add your molasses and stir in flours and remaining ingredients, saving the cornmeal for later. At this point, you can knead by hand or knead using the dough hook attachment for your stand mixer. Either way, knead until you have a smooth, elastic, soft dough.
Now transfer your dough to an oiled bowl and turn dough over so top is oiled as well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or a kitchen towel) and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled (I usually put the bowl on top of a preheating oven because my kitchen is drafty).
You can interrupt the process if you don't have time for a second rise right now or will bake it later on by punching the dough down once doubled, covering it tightly and refrigerating. To continue on, bring the dough back to room temperature until it starts to double again.
Otherwise, once that dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface (I suggest having a scraper handy, less of a mess). Press dough with palms of hands to deflate. Gently knead, shaping the dough into a sphere by tucking edges under and in toward the center all around the bottom. Take a round basket or bowl and line it with a heavily floured napkin or tea towel, making sure the ends of the napkin or towel are sticking out. Now invert your dough into the basket or bowl (see picture below). Cover with plastic wrap or towel and allow to rise until doubled.
When that loaf is almost doubled, preheat your oven to 500 degrees and set the rack at the middle level. Take a heavy duty baking sheet (what I used) or baking stone and set it on the rack.
While the oven/baking sheet it preheating. Sprinkle cornmeal on top of your loaf (technically the bottom) and invert it onto a cardboard round or peel (I used a large dinner plate, worked fine). Using a razor blade or knife held at a 30-degree angle, score an "X" at the top of the loaf. Slide the risen loaf from the plate onto the preheated pan in the oven (carefully, it's hot in there!). Immediately lower oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake the loaf about 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees.
Cool the loaf on a rack and do not cut until completely cooled.
Herbed Egg in a Nest
Inspired by: Poor Girl Gourmet
Now you have this beautiful bread, what can you do with it? I suggest a beautiful herbed egg in a nest. The sweetness of the caramelized onions make this amazing. Simply cut a hole out in the middle of a slice of bread with whatever cutter you'd like. Now, in a medium skillet, melt a pat of butter, and start toasting the slice of bread. Now, take an egg and crack it right into that little hole. Sprinkle with whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. I went for chives and parsley. Wait until egg is cooked and slide onto a beautiful plate of your choosing! Thank you Tendercrop Farm in Newbury for fabulous fresh eggs this morning!
I hope you'll continue to join me on this journey of a fresher, more community-based way of living and eating. Please, I'd love any questions or suggestions you have throughout this process. Tell me about your local markets and farms, and what changes you've made when it comes to eating.


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A Letter to the Daughter I Hope I Never Have
I write this to you because I am scared. I am terrified of the world you will be born into. In my few years, I have learned that life is hard for everyone but more so for women. Why women? Well we have asked that question for so many years. I doubt there will ever be a satisfying answer.
I write this to you because I am mad. I am fierce. We are viewed as Man's lesser counterpart. Weaker. Slower. Dumber. This angers me because it means we have to suffer. I have seen your grandmother shed so many tears. I am certain that her heart is broken from all the tears that have flooded her eyes. I am well on my way to a broken heart with all the disappointments, failures and betrayals I have dealt with. So many tears have fallen from my face that it hurts, Daughter.
I write this to you because the World will force you to see what I have seen, go through what I have gone through. Sure, those things eventually force you to be strong. I believe they have made me strong to a degree but I want for someone else's daughter to be roughened by those things. Not you, Daughter. Maybe I am a coward but I know that a greater portion of your life will consist of suffering, and I do not wish that upon you. Maybe I am selfish but I know that I don't want to experience any further anguish from seeing you suffer.
I want to protect you. The only way I can do that is by never having you.
With Love,
A Daughter

subset: commoncrawl


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I adore the big scarf that he is wearing. It looks so warm and cozy! =)
The image that I used is called Snowball Sam and he is printed on Papertrey Ink's Stamper's Select White cardstock, colored with Copic markers then trimmed to size. I added some Diamond Stickles to the snow on the ground.
The patterned paper is from Wonderland 6x6 Paper Pad by Studio Calico. I took the advantage of the design of the patterned paper to help me with the design of my card. The sentiment is from Merry Everything set included in Simon Says Stamp's December Card Kit of the Month.
That's all from me. Please go and see what the other design team members created using the images from this release here. You can find all the newly released images here! =)
cardstock: (white, kraft) Papertrey Ink
digital stamp: A Day For Daisies
clear stamp: Simon Says Stamp
patterned paper: Studio Calico
dye ink: (Smokey Shadow) Papertrey Ink
accents: (Diamond Stickles) Ranger Industries, (pearl) Recollections
dies: (pinking border, holly leaves) Papertrey Ink
tool: (die-cut machine) Provo Craft
other: (foam squares) Recollections
Copics used:
Mr. Sam: E41, E40, 0, YR18, E57
scarf: R89, R59, R37, R27, R24
hat: BG49, BG45, BG53, C1, C00, 0
snow: B000, B0000, 0
card size: 4" x 5 1/2"


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Please forgive the length of this post, then. Please also note that content following is rated PG-13 for unabashed, indeed unapologetic and celebratory, glorification of forces and personality traits contradictory to human goodness, and for admission of having succumbed to the natural forces of magnetism.
The lonely widow in a little village is confident in opening her house to two strange and creepy-looking men. It's hardly without purpose. Not only is she unapologetic in pitting Babban (Arshad Warsi) against his Khaalu (Naseeruddin Shah; Khaalu is Urdu for mother's sister's husband), she effortlessly weilds the power of womanhood to only further illustrate that guys such as Babban are simply incapable of thinking with their heads. Therein lies her biggest strength. She has some fun at their expense, that was bound to happen. She might even be a thief on a greater mission, of course. Most importantly, she's tremendously melodious, and can sing as gently and as enchantingly as a bird one moment, and hurl insults left and right another. Add 'sulfate' to pop culture vocabulary, now!
She's got an almost similar tendency as Krishna of foul-mouthing her way through a lot. She's beautiful and insatiable, and what gets her to this list is how shamelessly she controls those around her. A woman out to quench her desire can be lethal, and this Paro is no different. Such wanton display of power is a universally agreed-upon bad. She might not get that feminism is about choice, and not about doing things one way or another, but she doesn't need to. Besides, Devdas is still the egomaniac we've known him to be, and as bad as it might be to fall for this bad Paro , it's worse to feel sorry for him.
Paro kicks butt. She isn't afraid to say what's on her mind, and the end to her interactions with Dev at his mess of an abode only illustrates this further. I was worried Paro would still have the hots for him, but liked how the film resolved that dilemma. Turns out it's not all about lust, which means some part of it is. Lust is bad. And bad is good for the purposes of this post.
The film, as nonchalant as it is in its portrayals of everything from adulterous relationships in respectable households, to life in the red light district, is simply marvelously directed. The little things count for something. Crows crowing in the morning silence lead to reflection on activity preceding. The wailing police siren in the distance is a precursor to something bad. The call to prayer heard at a brothel symbolizes lost purity, and desire (there's the D-word again) to return to the initial pure state. Lots more of the kind in this bad film, which is really very good.
Abhay Deol as Dev is excellent. Kalki Koechlin as Chanda (inspired by Chandramukkhi of Devdas (2002)) is a sheer joy to watch. The phenomenal soundtrack is my favorite bit about the film. Its integration is near-flawless, and its relevance ridiculously scary. Said after Aamir (2008) that Amit Trivedi would be one to look out for. He is certainly here to stay. The soundtrack takes a life of its own in and after the film. For that alone, it's easily the best of 2009. Have to give a shout-out to my favorite current vocalist, Shilpa Rao (more on her below), for Dhol Yaara Dhol. Love, love, love it!
Movie rating: 3.75 (Very good!)
Apni East India Company is witness to my fondness of Shayana, from the moment she appeared in the 'Wanted'. Perhaps my post on the movie is, as well. The following from last September:
"A very special shout-out to Mahek Chhal, a bad gal named Shayana in the film, who is a sheer joy to watch in her Lara Croft avatar, and in a song in which she really should have been the singular point of focus."
I'm not even sure I remember whether Bips was more bad than Katrina Kaif in this. Both must've been with varying degrees at different points in time in the film, too. We trust Abbas-Mustan with that brand of 'bad'. But cars, babes (let's not forget the uber-hot Sameera Reddy!), and horses, in a Hindi film can hardly ever be bad. Bips makes this list for her fitness level as illustrated while running for dear life (in slow motion, but we can forgive that) from a speeding vehicle in a garage.
Few mainstream Bollywood actresses are truly fit. Not Katrina. Not Kareena. Bips rocks, and she knows it. (Besides, when was the last time we heard of a big-budget film with Malaika Arora-Khan, Negar Khan, or Sophie Choudhary in the lead?)
The film is hardly a keeper, but it's not entirely hopeless. It's fairly well cast, at least. Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna, can act :)
Movie rating: 2.75/5 (Above average)
Music rating: Unrated (Should approach zero, really)
Well-known by now that music Director Pritam Chakrobarty has plagiarized at will in this. The background score by Salim-Sulaiman is rather good.
My classification: R, for theme and content.
Official website: http://www.race.tips.in/
If I were to pick one, and only one, bad gal, Roma would be it. Hands down. Vishal (Emraan Hashmi) is involved in an extramarital affair with Roma because the tumultuous relationship with his wife Anjali (another hottie Sayali Bhagat, but she's good, so we must overlook her) is seemingly headed for divorce, and Roma offers hope and and a whole lot more, in more ways than one. Sure, that's bad, but it's not bad enough.
Roma is a femme fatale in the true sense of the term. The following from a related Wikipedia article (rated M for Mature):
A femme fatale is an alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype or stock character of literature and art. Her ability to entrance and hypnotize her male victim was in the earliest stories seen as being literally supernatural, hence the most prosaic femme fatale today is still described as having a power akin to an enchantress, vampire, female monster or demon.
On the other hand, what makes Bad Gal Roma slightly less bad is that she is eventually not as ruthless as she could be when it comes to a matter of life and death for the protagonist (because there might be death involved somehow -- turns out some storylines leave no other option). Now, let's not take away the title of femme fatale just yet. This is how we like 'em. Besides, how can a guy not have a thing for women who can talk numbers? ;)
I almost want to say this film makes for better viewing for us guys. But before you blame me for that, please remember what was said at the outset of this post: the vast, vast majority of filmic villains are still guys, and there might be one of them bad guys hidden in here too. :)
So there you have it. Who are your favorites? Please be sure to share your thoughts on the films, and/or your top five (gals and/or guys). Your T5T comments are always welcome on Twitter (and tag #T5T) as well.


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Hair: 100% Human Hair
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Heat Friendly: Yes
Color Shown: R25
4 pc - 1 ½" wide
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1 pc - 8" wide
2 pc - 1" wide to be used for testing perm and color
1 detailed styling, care & maintenance guide
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Some rolling bearings, such as angular contact ball bearings, tapered roller bearings and spherical roller thrust bearings, as well as gears, create a pumping action by virtue of their design. This means that the sealing lip can either be starved of lubricant, or subjected to excessive quantities of lubricant. In either case, steps must be taken during the design stage to make sure that the proper amount of lubricant reaches the sealing lip, as too much or too little can affect seal performance.
To prevent lubricant starvation, lubrication ducts can be provided. If the seal is subjected to excessive amounts of lubricant, a flinger can be installed between the bearing and seal.
In applications where the sealing lip is not exposed to a lubricant, for example when two seals are installed in tandem, grease or oil must be supplied separately to provide lip lubrication. In some cases, it may be sufficient to provide an initial grease fill between the two lips.


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For today, we're starting with some background, a little bit about who we are, credential wise, and our marriage. I feel like the majority of marriage is about who you pick to start with and someday will do a series about setting yourself up for success in marriage... but this is more geared toward people who have already said, "I do" and are looking to strengthen that marriage.
The title of this series comes from a Brooke Fraser song that I absolutely love. It's entirely about marriage and the rough patches couples ultimately go through, saying that they are knotted together in a big tangle that's bruising them, but in the end is a tangle that can't be undone and what appears to be knotty mess is actual a beautiful tangle that holds them together.
|My grandparents on their wedding day
|My grandparents at my brothers wedding, 2005
Most people who meet John and I are really struck by our marriage (to quote Pam from The Office, "does that sound braggy? I didn't mean for it to sound braggy..."). Few people realize that our relationship had some serious issues towards the beginning, and we worked our butts off (before we got married) to fix them (ps- it's easier to fix problems before you're married... sooo you should probably do that. They don't go away or get better after you say "I do"). Also, we're both trained in marriage counseling for our degrees, and we put that knowledge to work.
Tomorrow I'll talk more about all of that goodness, but tonight let me tell you our story.
Yes, it's super cheesy to compare a relationship to a movie but for the sake of speed let's just say that our relationship most channeled 'When Harry Met Sally'. There was some *major* love/hate going on toward the beginning. My boss first met John courtesy of our profession. My boss was on a board that reviewed applicants to upgrade their credentials and just loved John. He wrapped his arm around John's shoulder and said, "I've got a girl for you..." ... which John was not interested in hearing at all. He had a girl that he was into already. As soon as my boss returned to the office, he came down to my office and told me that he met the guy for me, too.
I also was very uninterested, as I was seeing someone else (total waste of time, btw). My poor boss. He really loves match making. I can't imagine how disappointed he was that we both were so against the idea of being together. But let's just get it out there... I totally stalked him on myspace (um... it was a long time ago) to check him out. Because, come on, we all know that we can get a good idea of what people think of us by who they offer to set us up with. Am I right? I'm right. First impression? Not interested. He had reddish hair and green eyes. If you hadn't heard yet, I was marrying tall, dark and handsome like my daddy, yo! Because clearly that is SOOOOOOO important (sigh).
As fate would have it, my boss mentioned that he needed John's number to talk some business and asked me if I could use my internet savvy to track him down (which... I had already done previously, you'll recall). I didn't want to contact him through myspace for about a zillion reasons that you'll devise on your own, so I called a friend that went to college with him and asked if he had John's number. He did. But apparently John had changed it in the last month since he moved to Michigan. Cool.
So I bit the bullet an sent him a super professional myspace message saying that I was asked to contact him for my boss, etc, without the slightest hint of "Oh hey, I'm the girl he wants to set you up with, and you would *be* so lucky".
And I didn't hear a word back.
|This picture will apparently NOT land you a man. No matter how cute the BFF + puppy are.
Within an hour he responded. And his reply was over-the-top sugary sweet and, let's just be honest, super flirtatious.
Did not improve my opinion.
|This is the grainy, mid 2000's cell phone pic that won his heart. Easy target, apparently.
Meanwhile, I was getting more and more frustrated with John. I wasn't interested in dating him (remember, I was with someone else, though that someone else was a total jerk). Eventually John realized what the other girl was doing and decided I'd be a much better choice for love. Because, hey, we got along really stinking well. Crazy well. We were solid friends. But by that point, I wasn't having it. He had established a pattern of coming and going, which didn't speak to my worrisome, overly cautious heart.
And then one day he wore me down and I agreed to date him. But guess what? The problems established with his coming and going... they didn't go away. I always harbored a lack of trust and kept a wall between us. I did it in my heart, but also pushed him away with my words and to others. I was extremely guarded. Our relationship was a little screwy because of that. My family wasn't sure he was the best choice, they loved him and they were sure he loved me, but they were under the impression that I definitely didn't love him. I certainly didn't act as though I did.
Time wore on and John experienced some success in the musical world (I hesitate to say this because, "everybody's a rock star" and I don't want to elaborate on this sentence at all). And with that success came an extremely big head. And lots of attention from girls. Girls dig musicians.
So he got a 'cool' hair cut (from that other girl, and which in actuality was super lame... rage.) and some new clothes and dumped me for greener pastures.
|Now *this* is a cool haircut... which, obviously, I gave him...
You cannot imagine.
My best friend found me out in the parking lot at work sobbing and *clutching* his slipper in the front seat of my car. She told me I had two minutes before she was going to get my boss. When I look back now, it's hilarious. At the time? Pathetic. Note: thanks, Steph... I would not have survived that breakup without you.
|Silvio and I, just hanging out in London. Wish I had a pic with Larissa , too :(
I came back from that trip with a whole lot of clarity. And while I was gone, he has decided to take a girl on a date. Let's just say it was a nice, shining reminder of what he had lost. Ha! I'd love to elaborate, but won't. In the end, he begged me to meet with him and during a nice long walk along the Grand Haven boardwalk (which I've mentioned as sentimental to us) we got back together. And also, I may or may not have caused an injury to both of us that resulted in a scar on my ankle.
Long post. No more words. All the best and as always. thanks for reading!
(part two here)
(part three here)


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Dear Abby, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012
DEAR ABBY: I want to share my experience with being a distracted driver. One gorgeous, sunny day a few months ago, I happened to glance down at my iPad and the next thing I knew, I had hit the car in front of me. The airbags engaged and hit me and my golden retriever, who was in the front seat with me. He was so freaked out he jumped out the window into oncoming traffic. I chased him, but lost him as he darted through traffic on the busy streets.
Fortunately, a couple found him and brought him to a vet who scanned his chip. I got him back, and it is a gift from heaven -- but he was severely injured. With time, he will make a full recovery, but my stupid mistake hurt my most cherished companion. I can't forgive myself. From now on, those devices go in the trunk. -- REFORMED
DEAR REFORMED: That's a start. And in the future, your cherished companion should ride in the BACK seat -- with the windows closed and wearing a restraint so that in the event of another traffic problem he won't be reinjured.
DEAR ABBY: I am a mature, adult woman in my 40s who has never had a good relationship with my mother. Candidly, she is a mean person who has left a lot of hurt feelings in her wake. It makes being close to her impossible. Our entire family feels the way I do about her, including her only sister.
I will be remarrying soon. Although I feel that inviting my mother to my wedding is the right thing to do, it could mean potentially inviting disaster -- literally. I'm having trouble coming to terms with this decision and would love your input. -- NEEDS GUIDANCE
DEAR NEEDS GUIDANCE: Your mother appears to be a bitter, possibly disturbed woman. If she isn't invited, the hurt and angry feelings could reverberate for years. Because the rest of your family knows the way she is, consider inviting her on the condition that she will be on her best behavior -- AND with the understanding that if she "lapses," some family members will escort her out.
DEAR ABBY: My husband has met my co-workers and their spouses at various company-related events. He recently mentioned that he has seen "Wally," who is married to one of my co-workers, "Anna," with another woman on more than one occasion. Should I "casually" mention to Anna that my husband saw her husband and where, and let her figure it out for herself? My husband said it's up to me to decide whether to tell her or not. If it were me, I'd want to know. -- OLDER BUT NOT WISER
DEAR O.B.N.W.: I suppose you could casually mention it to Anna, but don't be surprised if she casually responds that the woman is his sister, his cousin or a daughter by a former marriage. It may be perfectly innocent.
DEAR ABBY: My friend left a plant for me to take care of while she was out of town. The plant died. Do I replace the plant? -- NO GREEN THUMB IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS
DEAR NO GREEN THUMB: If the plant was thriving when your friend asked you to care for it, and it died because of lack of sun or water while in your care, then the answer is yes -- you should at least offer to replace it. For your sake, I hope it wasn't a rare orchid.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.


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Started by Ruth Anthony-Gardner Aug 16, 2012. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Joe. Last reply by Brian Barrish Oct 4, 2008. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Margaret Downey of the Philadelpha Freethought Society will be presenting an Anti-Superstition party on Friday the 13th.
See the website, Friggatriskaidekaphobia.com:
The Freethought Society's (FS) next Anti-Superstition Bash will be held on Friday, May 13, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM in the beautiful Corinthian Yacht Club. The Club is located at 300 West 2nd Street, Essington, PA 19029. FS will host a "Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center," which will be equipped to assist party attendees in getting over all their superstitions and start the process of ending magical thinking. The general admission (includes light fare) is $10 with $5 discounts available for students and seniors. Cash bar only. No BYOB. There is no charge for children under the age of 13.
Special Guests:
PZ Myers will be in attendance. See his announement, "Friggatriskaidekaphobia time" on Pharyngula
Tom Flynn, Executive Director for the Council for Secular Humanism. See announcement on Center for Inquiry website.
David Silverman, President of American Atheists
© 2020 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


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Neither Hank Corbett nor I will change our minds, so let�s agree to disagree. Indeed, I agree with Corbett that we do have a ��powerful Constitution that guarantees the pessimists and cynics the right to make any argument they desire� � if and when the facts are properly applied!
To the editor:
Neither Hank Corbett nor I will change our minds, so let�s agree to disagree.
Indeed, I agree with Corbett that we do have a ��powerful Constitution that guarantees the pessimists and cynics the right to make any argument they desire� � if and when the facts are properly applied!
No one disputes that Pearl Harbor and 9/11 were horrible tragedies or that similar events would be less tragic; however, Pearl Harbor (1941) was pre-NSA (NSA established Nov. 4, 1952). The NSA may be great with after-action reports, but with all its capabilities did not prevent 9/11.
Without presenting proof, the NSA claims to have prevented up to 50 terrorist plots. James R. Clapper, director of National Intelligence, deceived Congress. I also follow the news, but without rose-tinted glasses.
Corbett states, �Except for the Boston Marathon event, the government has pre-empted terrorist attacks in this country for about 12 years�. Much of our success can be attributed to the NSA�.�
Apparently, the Ft Hood massacre, 13 dead and 30 wounded by Army Major Nidal Hasan; and the Times Square Bomber, Faisal Shahzad attack that failed because two street venders discovered the bomb and reported it to police, don�t count.
American embassies, consulates and U.S. ships are sovereign U.S. territory, thus attacking them is attacking the United States. Just one �Google� turned up 14 attacks against the United States within the past 12 years � total dead, 50.
My friend Jesse Nieto lost his son, one of the 17 murdered, in the Yemen USS Cole bombing. The United States lost four, one of which was our ambassador, in Benghazi, Libya.
It was passengers, not the NSA, that prevented the shoe-bomber, Richard Reid, from destroying an American airliner. It was passengers and crew that prevented the so-called underwear bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, from blowing up another American airliner. The NSA probably contributed to the after-action report, but I doubt the families and friends of those killed or wounded in Yemen, Benghazi or Fort Hood, or those aboard the American airliners, would agree with Corbett�s cavalier 12-year assessment.
Again: Just because two presidents authorized violations of the U.S. Constitution does not make it legal or right. Corbett implies that all of Congress knew about the NSA programs � they did not. Eric Holder, allegedly our premier law enforcement officer, is guilty of lies, deception and withholding information from Congress. Fact: Pre-Snowden exposure of NSA spying, terrorists feared our electronic monitoring. This fear of our monitoring ultimately resulted in a messenger being followed to Osama and Osama�s death!
The German people felt Hitler was protecting their interests, but he abused his power. The German people ignored the warning signs � the world, including Germany, paid dearly. To dismiss the possibility of it happening here is to ignore reality.
Paranoid? No. Realistic? Yes.
Many believe it is already happening, much like a frog being boiled alive � a little at a time. Corbett says, �I, and others, who have fought our nation�s wars� � I�m sorry but Corbett and those holding his point of view do not have exclusivity to having served in a war zone.
Reagan was correct when he followed the Russian proverb: �Doveryai no Proveryai (Trust but Verify).�
Eddie C. Quinn


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Home > Gift Baskets > Arts and Crafts Package with Bowling Pin
This arts and crafts package includes a wooden sled of the following dimensions: 8 1/2" x 4" x 3 1/2". The package also includes a 4" plain wooden bowling pin that can also be decorated, a set of 6 paint cups and a brush.
The arts and craft package also comes with a 10 pc set of bowling pin beads - each 1 1/4" tall. The beads can be used to make a necklace or a bracelet. This is the perfect gift package for that crafty person in your life!


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By Nikki, Pure Matters
It's that time of year ... coughing, sneezing, sore throats, fevers ... the list goes on and on.
It seems as though our children are always bringing something home, and before you know it the entire family is infected.
So how do we keep our kids healthy during this time of year? Here are a few healthy habits for the whole family to follow.
Scrub, Scrub, Scrub
Make sure your kids are consistently washing their hands (with warm water and soap for 20 seconds) or using hand sanitizer, especially before eating. All it takes is one child coughing on a toy, then your child picking it up and later eating without washing his or her hands.
Keep 'Em at Home
If your child is sick, keep them home. Yes, that means you have to skip work or the gym and your workout. It's not fair to other children and parents if you're putting your kid in daycare while he or she is sick.
Sorry, No Sharing
It's the opposite of the lesson we teach our kids, but at this time of year, forego sharing. Do not allow your child to share cups, silverware, water bottles, etc. with other children. This is the fastest way to catch germs.
Disinfectant Wipes Are Your BFF
Wipe any surfaces you believe harbor germs, especially shopping carts or trays on airplanes. Also, remember to keep those toys clean!
Cover Up!
Teach your child to keep their nose and mouth covered while coughing and sneezing. Remember to use the crook of the elbow and not the hand. This will keep germs from spreading to others.
Although these are great ways to prevent illness, you may follow all to a tee and your child could still get sick. It's just a part of growing up! If your little one is sick visit the doctor and take all the steps necessary to keep illness from spreading to the rest of the family. Administer their medication with lots of hugs and kisses and your child should feel better in no time!
Source: http://resources.purematters.com/blog/post/keeping-children-healthy-during-cold-flu-season


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Yep, you read that right. Almost two weeks ago, I bought a treadmill desk. It was my Christmas / New Year's gift to myself because this year I'm finally going to get serious about my health and weight. I am not so lazy that I can only exercise while being on the pc, but I am smart enough to realize that I don't go to the gym every day or stay longer than an hour when I do go because I am more interested in being online with my friends. So with my new purchase I can add to what I do at the gym by also walking while I'm doing dailies and talking in vent. It takes away the whole "I really need to spend 2 hours at the gym, but _____ will be online in 30 minutes and I haven't talked to them all day" dilemma. I know, it's a dilemma that I shouldn't have ever had, but seriously, I didn't get to be such a huge fatass by making the correct choices in life. So the treadmill desk is a fantastic option.
I first heard about these types of desks a few years ago when a saw a news special about treadmill desks being an option (a very expensive option) in some workplaces. I was immediately interested but the professional type were just too costly and too big to be something I could actually consider buying. But as things tend to do, now that it's a few years later prices have dropped and options have increased. I bought mine from Target.com and 2 weeks ago it was priced at $713 with free shipping and because I used my Target RedCard, I got an instant 5% discount so that I only ended up paying $706 after taxes to have it shipped to me. Currently, the same one I bought is listed at $663 but it doesn't say Free Shipping so I can't say for sure what the final price would be. Here's the link. It's just my luck it would go on sale after I bought it, but I am so happy to finally have one I really don't even care.
As far as a review of this particular model – I am very satisfied with it. It's much bigger than the picture online made it appear. In fact, the desk portion is so huge the cup holders that are on the front edge of the desk aren't even usable because there's no way you can reach them while you're on the treadmill. It's very thick and sturdy feeling, it doesn't feel like a cheap version at all. In fact, it came with a sticker on the control panel stating it's rated for people up to 400 pounds. I am nowhere near that weight, but it does make me feel like it's probably going to remain sturdy for quite a while since it's built to hold a weight much higher than mine. As far as how comfortable it is to use the pc while walking, I find it to be just fine. If you were using it to do a great deal of constant typing, you may want to add some sort of keyboard wrist support, but since I'm only typing to chat and mostly using my mouse with my right hand and my game-related keystrokes with my left hand, I'm perfectly comfortable resting my hands on the foam molded areas on the sides of the treadmill's control panel. It's when you are doing serious typing and have to move both arms off of the molded areas and basically hover over the control panel that it would likely get uncomfortable. However, like I mentioned, I imagine it would be pretty easy to just scoot the keyboard back a bit and use your own wrist support.
My only complaint (cup holder issue is not a legitimate complaint, I just set my cup elsewhere) is that the treadmill handles both have controls on them. The right one has buttons to increase / decrease speed and the left one to increase / decrease incline. You can adjust the speed and the incline both from the main control panel, so I have no idea why they are also included in the handles. I suppose they thought it was a convenience, but they are easy to accidentally bump. Obviously I don't hang on to the handles because I'm mousing and typing. And when your using the desk, that part of the handles is behind you anyway. But if you're using the treadmill simply as a treadmill, which I do for at least 30 minutes so that I am actually walking at an increased speed, then anytime you reach down to the handle for balance or whatever, the controls are easy to bump. Of course, I assembled the damn thing myself so I suppose I could have simply not connected the wiring to the handles.
Alright, this is getting boring. Let me wrap this up. Treadmill desks are awesome. The one I bought is awesome. If you have any interest in owning one and are able to spend the money, I highly recommend you do so. I am so fat and out of shape I'm not yet spending all my gaming time on the treadmill, but I've tried to average 2 hours a day so far. I walk at 1 mile an hour while gaming and I look forward to increasing both my time walking and the speed at which I'm walking. I have been really surprised at how easy it is to actually do questing while walking. I initially thought I would just do simple tasks like fishing. Nope, I'm leveling alts while burning calories. It's awesome. I'm hoping as I build up stamina and my balance gets more used to the whole event, I can actually run dungeons this way. However, I would never try raiding because raiding is way too serious to risk making mistakes.
And now, PICTURES! Since I live alone, my pc and desk are in my living room. I have no desire to spend all my time sitting in a bedroom facing a wall. I sit in the living room and talk to the cat while watching Netflix. I decided to place my treadmill desk next to my regular desk so I could simply move my keyboard, mouse and monitor back and forth instead of using my inferior quality laptop or moving my entire system daily.
Here's what you see as you enter my living room:
Here's the view from the other side:
My view of the TV for regular walking at 3mph:


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Read the Racer X Illustrated Digital Edition!
We're now on our third issue of the newly redesigned Racer X of 2010, and we hope you are liking the changes. The March issue is coming out just in time to read on your way to the 2010 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship rounds! The issue looks at Chad Reed's Australasian Super X Series and James Stewart's plan to defend his supercross title. We are also checking out Justin Brayton's European winter races. You can read about these features as well as others on Mat Rebeaud and Jean-Michel Bayle in the March issue of Racer X. And now, we are offering the digital issue for only $4.98! You will still see the same great columns by your favorite writers and riders, but with an all-new look. These and more can all be found in the March 2010 issue of Racer X Illustrated. Click here to go to Racer X Digital and read the new issue right away for only $4.98.
Note: There is currently no digital version of this issue.


text: sure, since I was using high mix-tilt% (100%) combined with still high TILT_RATE_D = 6000 . With this values It´s really hard to be perturbated by the wind gusts. It´s a pleasure to see fighting against the pushing wind in a PH. Also, doing a hand test it´s incredibly hard to get a rotation.


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Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03), Governor John Hickenlooper, Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey, Mesa County Commissioner John Justman and Collbran Mayor Pro Tem Jolyn Dorman toured the Grand Mesa mudslide by air on Saturday. During Continue reading
Tag Archives: Clancy Nichols
Elected Officials Tour Mesa County Mudslide
Posted in News
Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, Clancy Nichols, Collbran, Collbran Mayor Pro Tem Jolyn Dorman, Colorado Geologic Survey, Congressman Scott Tipton, Danny Nichols, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Governor John Hickenlooper, Grand Mesa, Mesa County Commissioner John Justman, Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey, Mudslide, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geologic Survey, Wes Hawkins
Three Still Missing in Collbran Mudslide
Three men who disappeared after a massive mudslide near the town of Collbran are still missing. The Mesa County Sheriff's Department says they suspended their search operations Tuesday. The deputies are worried that Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Clancy Nichols, Collbran, Danny Nichols, deputies, Mesa County Sheriff's Department, missing, Mudslide, search operations, Stan Hilkey, Wes Hawkins
Men Who Went Missing After Mesa County Mudslide are Identified
The three people missing after a mudslide in Mesa County, have been identified as 51 year-old Mesa County road worker Clancy Nichols, his 24-year-old son Danny and 46-year-old Wes Hawkins. The slide is estimated to be four miles Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Clancy Nichols, collapsed, Collbran, Danny Nichols, Grand Mesa, Mesa County, Mesa County Sheriff, missing, Mudslide, road worker, Stan Hilkey, Vega Reservoir, Wes Hawkins


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"Pow Pow" for the Pow Pow
I am not a tough gal, however I married an adventurer, so I often find myself in harrowing situations where a certain amount of robustness is required. Needless to say the right gear can make a huge difference between me enjoying adventure rather and me just tolerating it.
My husband Cameron often says, "there is no bad weather, just poor clothing choices" and every girl knows that one of the best clothing choices you can make is picking a good shoe. I grew up in California and my tolerance for extreme cold is almost zero, so when I began to explore Colorado's winter wilderness, I knew a good shoe was in order. Luckily, I had Vasque's Women's Pow Pow Ultradry Winter boot and the perfect snowy adventure to give them a whirl. Little did I know how snowy our adventure to the Opus Hut in Southern CO would become.


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About Steam Wallet Code
Steam Wallet Code can be used to add balance to Steam Wallet. It is usable by all Valve Steam users globally.
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STEAM is one of the most popular gaming platforms to play your favourite games. Gamers can select from thousands of titles including bestsellers, indie hits, casual favourites, Dota 2 items, PUBG, CSGO, Team Fortress 2 items & more.
What is Steam Wallet Code?
Steam Wallet Code is STEAM's prepaid card used to deposit and reload the stated value into your Steam Account balance, which you can use to buy your favourite games. http://www.steampowered.com Choose from all the best titles from current blockbusters, greatest hits, to the best of the independents.
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Topic Overview
Knowing the stage and grade of a person's cancer helps doctors know what treatment to use. It also helps predict how long the person will survive or whether there is a good chance for a cure.
Staging is a process that doctors use to describe how far cancer has spread.
Grading is a process that helps predict how fast the cancer will grow and spread.
Cancer stages
In general, the stages of most cancers break down this way:
- Stage 0: Cancer hasn't spread.
- Stages I, II, and III: Cancer has grown or has spread into nearby tissues and perhaps lymph nodes. The higher the stage, the farther the cancer has spread.
- Stage IV: Cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes into other parts of the body (metastasized).
Although there are several methods of staging, most doctors now use the TNM method. The TNM method is based on the size of the tumour (T), the spread of the cancer into nearby lymph nodes (N), and the spread of the cancer to other body parts (M, for metastasis).
T (tumour)
N (lymph nodes)
M (metastasis)
Most cancers can be described using the TNM system. But certain cancers—for example, cancers of the blood, bone marrow, or brain—use other staging systems.
Tumour grades
A tumour's grade, from 1 to 4, describes how its cells look under a microscope. The more these cells look like normal cells, the lower the grade and the lower the likelihood that the cancer will spread quickly.
Tumour cells that look like normal cells are called grade 1 tumours. They usually grow slowly.
A grade 4 tumour, on the other hand, has cells that look very different from normal cells. Grade 4 tumours often grow quickly and spread rapidly.
For certain types of cancer, doctors use other grading methods. For example, in prostate cancer, the doctor gives the cancer a Gleason score. Prostate cancer cells that have a low Gleason score grow more slowly than cells that have a higher score.
Breast cancer and kidney cancer also use other grading methods.
What tests are used to find a cancer's stage and grade?
- Physical examinations.For some cancers, looking at or feeling the body part involved can give doctors information about how far a cancer has advanced.
- Imaging tests. Tests that help doctors look inside the body to find tumours include:
- X-ray.
- CT scan.
- PET scan.
- Ultrasound.
- Biopsy. This procedure—to collect tissue samples—can help doctors decide the stage or the grade of cancer. It can sometimes be done in the doctor's office.
- Surgery. Sometimes doctors use surgery to view the tumour as well as collect tissue samples.
Related Information
Other Works Consulted
- American Cancer Society (2010). Understanding your diagnosis: Staging. Available online: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/UnderstandingYourDiagnosis/staging.
- American Joint Committee on Cancer (2010). What Is Cancer Staging? Available online: http://www.cancerstaging.org/mission/whatis.html.
- National Cancer Institute (2004). Tumor grade. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet. Available online: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/tumor-grade.
- National Cancer Institute (2010). Cancer staging. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet. Available online: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/staging.
Current as ofDecember 19, 2018
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Joseph F. O'Donnell, MD - Hematology, Oncology
Brian O'Brien, MD, FRCPC - Internal Medicine
- Top of Page
Next Section:Related Information
Previous Section:Topic Overview
- Top of Page
Next Section:References
Previous Section:Related Information
- Top of Page
Next Section:Credits
Previous Section:References
- Top of Page
Current as of: December 19, 2018
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Joseph F. O'Donnell, MD - Hematology, Oncology & Brian O'Brien, MD, FRCPC - Internal Medicine


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Bodybuilding - You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means!
Something new is happening in the bodybuilding world, something completely unprecedented as far as I know. I am speaking of the huge new crop of self-proclaimed bodybuilding experts. Typically, these guys are 16 to 25 years old, skinny, have never competed in bodybuilding, and do not look at all like bodybuilders.
You might wonder: "Who would listen to these self-appointed bodybuilding gurus, who boast months of training experience, act as if they know everything there is to know about bodybuilding, but have not built there own bodies to any appreciable degree?"
At least, that is what I wonder. In the old days, the paradigm was different. If you were a successful bodybuilding competitor (usually someone who had done well at the national amateur level), and if you looked like a bodybuilder, folks would listen you your advice on bodybuilding. But now, suddenly, you don't need to have competed to know everything about bodybuilding. It is not even necessary to look the part! What a day we live in!
I first became aware of this phenomenon by watching this video debate between Dave Pulcinella (a very good and experienced bodybuilder) and the immensely popular but completely inexperienced Ian McCarthy. I was appalled at the know-it-all attitude that Ian exhibited toward Dave. Given Dave's incredible bodybuilding accomplishments, a bit of deference, a modicum of humility might have been expected. But no, not from Ian! He has Science on his side, and therefore knows far more than Dave about bodybuilding.
Here is Ian again, in a follow-up video. It is important to note that he has hordes of rabidly faithful followers. I don't understand why. It is some sort of rebellion against traditional (i.e., REAL) bodybuilding? Is it some sort of Radical Mediocrity movement? Check out this guy's amazing physique!
Ian's Follow-Up Video
But Ian is far from the only new expert! Check out this fellow with the incredibly inappropriate name "Big Zeus":
This fellow has so far learned about trap development, but not learned about deltoids. He also believes that giving up Coca-Cola is too big a sacrifice for most people to make in the pursuit of bodybuilding:
No comment necessary:
Why would anyone listen to someone who looks like the Pillsbury Dough Boy? But, yet, he feels compelled to share his expertise:
Important thoughts on not rushing into pre-workout forumula use!
It makes me nostalgic for the good old days, when accomplishment proceeded mentoring.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
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More new things in my Etsy shop this week: pretty butterfly mobiles.
Fans of my tutorials will recognise this design - you can learn how to make your own here. But if you've ever wanted to own one without having to do all that cutting and sewing, now's your chance!
There's one large mobile in rainbow colours, and a selection of mini mobiles with three butterflies each. They're all available here.


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The New York Times's Michael Cooper reported from the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, capturing the effusive reaction to President Obama's gun-control proposals. In his report, "Recalling Pain Of Guns' Toll, Mayors Urge Bills' Passage – Heartened After Years Of Pushing for Laws," Cooper came off less a hard-bitten reporter than an emotionally over-involved storyteller, pushing for someone to do something about gun violence. (No matter that none of the mayoral anecdotes he relayed included mass shootings like the one in Newtown).
The Mayors Conference is perhaps best known for its grossly exaggerated hunger in America reports, cynically timed for the holiday season when people are tucking into turkey. Times Watch examined the reports from 1987 to 2002 several years ago, and found the Mayors' group was claiming an implausible 1240% increase of hunger in America during that period, which sounds more like North Korea than the most prosperous and democratic nation on earth.
Some mayors spoke about the bad feeling they got with each call that there had been another shooting in their city. Others described the pain of burying police officers who had worked for them. Many recalled their attempts to console grieving families.
So as mayors from around the nation gathered here on Thursday for the 81st winter meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors, many said they were heartened by President Obama's call for new laws to curb gun violence, which included several measures that the conference had sought for decades. Many said they planned to urge Congress to enact them.
Many mayors said they were eager at the prospect that new gun laws might pass.
Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. of Charleston, S.C., who has been in office for more than three decades, said he hoped that the country would "seize this moment."
"I know that no police officer wants to be confronted with an assault weapon," he said. "They would be out-ammoed. And I think that it's time for our country to deal with this, it's time for Congress to deal with this."
But even here, at a meeting of a group that has advocated stricter gun laws for decades, there was not unanimity. Mayor Mick Cornett of Oklahoma City, a Republican, said he did not believe that the gun control proposals being discussed would "resolve the problem they're trying to resolve."


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Conan O'Brien brings "da mayor" out of Andy Samberg while in Chicago.
A day after O'Brien let Mayor Rahm Emanuel test his Chicago "citizenship" during Monday's taping, the talk-show host coaxed Samberg into testing his mayoral impersonation on the show.
U.S. & World
"The reason we love Rahm is because he's got so much pent up anger," Samberg said on the show. "You can tell that all of the things in society that drive us crazy are also gnawing away at him and he's just on the edge of exploding."
Samberg went on to portray Emanuel as a calm and concerned politician -- then exploded in rage as he threatened those who "cut him in line at the Wiener's Circle."
Check out the full clip below:


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Unfortunately I was sick the past few weeks and I am just now getting back into the swing of things. Similar to the demand pull that the warmer than usual spring has had on macroeconomic data, the warmer spring caused me to have an earlier than usual sinus infection as well as some horrific allergies. I suppose I am pushing it a bit far when I am comparing my health concerns to economic data, but alas I fly my nerd flag proudly.
Recently I have been advising members of my service to be cautious as the market appears to be at a major crossroads. The U.S. Dollar Index is on the verge of a major breakdown. If a breakdown occurs it will be clear that the Federal Reserve will have officially stopped any potential rise in the U.S. Dollar. Over the past few months the Dollar has been producing a series of higher highs and higher lows, however the current cycle may break the pattern as can be seen below.
If the U.S. Dollar pushes down below the recent lows and we get continuation to the downside, we will break the recent bullish pattern. Furthermore, if the Dollar starts to weaken it should benefit equities and other risk assets such as oil. Higher energy prices would not be long term bullish for equity markets so there is concern if the Dollar really starts to extend lower.
However, if the Dollar finds a bottom and rallies it clearly would create a headwind for equities. We should know whether we have a major breakdown on the daily chart in the next few weeks. Until then, the Dollar could go either way and obviously the price action in the Dollar will have a major impact on risk assets and stock market returns in the near future.
From a macroeconomic viewpoint, risk assets such as the S&P 500 Index could be in trouble in the months ahead. U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) came in lower than expected with revisions likely in the near future. Unemployment claims appear to have bottomed and are rising week after week even though the major media fails to report it appropriately as it would appear that the Bureau of Labor Statistics has stumped media pundits with data revisions.
Additionally, there are two other macroeconomic data points which need to be mentioned. The Citigroup Economic Surprise Index has moved below zero and is showing a negative reading. This index is generally a leading indicator regarding equity prices and the recent decline shown below is problematic for the bullish case.
Chart Courtesy of Morgan Stanley
As can be seen above, fundamental data is starting to skew towards the downside which is likely a result of the recession that is in the process of developing over in Europe and potentially in China. Time will tell if the index can reverse, but the bulls need to see a major reversal in the near future.
The chart below illustrates the relationship between metal prices and industrial productivity. Demand for metal increases when economies are expanding and prices generally contract when economies retract. The chart below demonstrates global metal demand. The chart speaks for itself.
Chart Courtesy of Morgan Stanley
Clearly if industrial production contracts (reduction in Global Manufacturing PMI) the impact on the global economy will be felt across multiple countries' economies. The chart below illustrates the MSCI World Index compared to global manufacturing PMI. Similarly to the chart above, this chart also tells a significant story about what investors and traders should expect if the PMI numbers come in light against expectations.
Chart Courtesy of Morgan Stanley
As quoted from the zerohedge.com article entitled What do Metal Prices Tell us About the Future of the Stock Market, "In other words, for those who still believe in logical, causal relationships (even in a time of ubiquitous central planning) unless something drastically changes to push fundamental demand of metals higher, one could say the the outlook for equities is not good."
Essentially, the data shown above is certainly not bullish in the intermediate to longer term. However, it generally takes time for macroeconomic data to permeate all the way through to equity markets. For right now, the story regarding global growth is at the very least questionable based on the data illustrated above.
In the short term anything is seemingly possible. The S&P 500 Index closed above the key 1,400 price level on Friday. I would not be shocked to see prices extend up to the recent highs near 1,420. Ultimately I think we are in a long term topping formation that might require another higher high up to around 1,440 before we see a deeper correction.
The past few weeks have produced a very mild correction compared to the monster rally we have seen since October of 2011. This is a bullish signal, but we need to see prices continue higher and climb a serious "wall of worry" that is coming out of a variety of places. The European situation continues to worsen overall and we have lower than expected GDP numbers in the US paired with concerns about growth in China.
The S&P 500 has some negative headlines to deal with, but so far it has been able to shrug off poor economic data and we could see an extension higher that would shake out the shorts and run stops above the recent highs. However a move lower remains possible. The daily chart of the S&P 500 illustrates the recent correction and the 1,420 highs.
I believe that the next few weeks are going to be critical and the S&P 500 may trade in a consolidation zone between recent lows and the 1,420 highs while traders await more economic data. Fundamental data is starting to indicate that a slow down may be beginning. In contrast, the topping pattern that we appear to be carving out may require higher prices to suck in more longs before moving into a deeper correction.
In the short run, the Dollar will likely hold clues regarding the immediate future for risk assets. However, the longer term picture for equities is quite murky based on the economic data points we are seeing paired with additional concerns stemming from the European sovereign debt crisis. Right now I am looking at time decay based strategies in the near term and will likely stay away from directional biased trades. I would urge readers to be cautious regardless of which direction they favor.
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This material should not be considered investment advice. J.W. Jones is not a registered investment advisor. Under no circumstances should any content from this article or the OptionsTradingSignals.com website be used or interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any type of security or commodity contract. This material is not a solicitation for a trading approach to financial markets. Any investment decisions must in all cases be made by the reader or by his or her registered investment advisor. This information is for educational purposes only.


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Suborder: Haplorrhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cebidae
Subfamily: Callitrichinae
Genus: Callithrix
Subgenus: Callithrix
Species: C. jacchus
Other names: true marmoset or white-tufted-ear marmoset; ouistit (French);
penseelaapje (Dutch); sagui-comum or sagui-do-nordeste (Portuguese); marmosett,
silkesmarmosett, vit silkesapa, or vitörad silkesapa (Swedish)
Common marmosets are small-bodied New
World monkeys that are a mottled brown, grey, and yellow color with
white ear tufts and long, banded tails (Rowe 1996). They have pale skin
on their faces, which darkens with exposure to sun, and a blaze of white
on their foreheads (Groves 2001). Infants are born with a brown and
yellow coat and develop the white ear tufts and forehead blaze as they
age. Males and females are about the
same size, with males measuring, on average, 188 mm (7.40 in) and females having
an average height of 185 mm (7.28 in). Males have slightly higher average weights
than females at 256 g (9.03 oz) and 236 g (8.32 oz), respectively (Rowe 1996).
Members of the genus Callithrix, common marmosets have
a few adaptations unique to this group and necessary for their diet and
arboreal lifestyle. On all but the hallux (big toe), they have
claw-like nails called tegulae instead of the characteristic flat nails
(ungulae) of other primates, including humans (Garber et al. 1996). The
presence of claw-like nails instead of true nails helps common marmosets
in their squirrel-like locomotion patterns. They cling vertically to
trees, run quadrupedally across
branches, and move between trees by leaping (Rowe 1996; Kinzey 1997).
Other rare traits exhibited by callitrichines are their enlarged,
chisel-shaped incisors and specialized cecum (part of the large
intestine) which are adaptations for a very specialized diet (Rowe 1996;
Sussman 2000). Finally, members of this group have a tendency to give
birth to non-identical twins, which is unusual for primates (Sussman
The average lifespan of a wild common marmoset is 12 years (Rowe 1996).
Common marmosets are endemic to
Brazil. They range in the northeastern and central forests from the
Atlantic coast and inland as far west as the Rio Grande and are found in
the states of Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paríba, Rio Grande do Norte,
Ceará, and Piauí. Common marmosets have been introduced
to areas outside of their natural geographic range in Brazil and can be
found living within the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires,
Argentina (Rylands et al. 1993).
Captive common marmosets have been studied extensively in the lab since
the early 1960s (Rylands 1997). Because of their small body size and
the habitat in which they are found, marmosets can be difficult to study in the field. Despite these challenges, extensive studies on the behavior and ecology of wild common marmosets have been carried out at sites in Brazil: João Pessoa, Paraíba, Nísia Floresta, near Natal, and Tapcurá, Pernambuco (Rylands & de Faria 1993; Digby 1995; Albuquerque et al. 2001).
Common marmosets inhabit a variety of forest types including the extreme
northern Atlantic coastal forest, dry, seasonal,
semideciduous inland
forests, riverine forests
in dry thorn scrub habitat or caatinga, and
savanna forest or cerrado in central Brazil (Rylands & de Faria
1993; Rylands et al. 1996). These forests of the dry central region of
South America are markedly different from the humid rainforests of
Amazonia and are relatively more hostile environments with shorter
canopies (only 65 to 98 ft). They are also less species-dense and
species-rich and have more seasonal fluctuations in temperature and
rainfall than the rainforest of Brazil (Rylands et al. 1996). Members
of the genus Callithrix, including common marmosets, excel in dry secondary and disturbed forests or
edge habitats but they also show great elasticity in the type of
habitats in which they can live (Kinzey 1997; Sussman 2000).
In the caatinga region, the annual average temperature is 24 to 26°
C (75 to 79° F) and the yearly average rainfall is between 300 mm
(11.8 in) and 1000 mm (3.28 ft). The dry season is intense and lasts for 7 to 10 months.
Irregular rainfall during the rainy season supports semidesert
vegetation including spiny shrubs, low trees, and thorn forests (Eiten
1975). The cerrado region has a slightly less harsh dry season and
cooler annual temperatures. Cerrado habitat is characterized by
yearly average temperatures between 20 and 26° C (68 to 75° F)
and rainfall between 750 and 2000 mm (2.46 and 6.56 ft). The dry season only lasts about
five months (Eiten 1975). The Brazilian Atlantic forest region has
annual average temperatures between 19 and 25° C (66 and 77° F)
and rainfall between 1000 and 2000 mm (3.28 and 6.56 ft) per year (Eiten 1975).
The specialized morphological
adaptations of common marmosets can be best understood by reviewing
their specialized diet and arboreal lifestyle.
Common marmosets are exudativore-insectivores and their claw-like
nails, incisor morphology, and gut specialization reflect this
interesting diet. Though all callitrichines feed on plant exudates,
common marmosets utilize gum, sap, latex, and resin much more than other
species (Rylands & de Faria 1993; Kinzey 1997; Sussman 2000). With
lower incisors that are the same length as their canines, common
marmosets systematically gnaw the bark of plants to stimulate the flow
of edible exudates while vertically clinging with their claw-like nails
to the trunks of trees (Stevenson & Rylands 1988; Ferrari & Lopes
Ferrari 1989). Once a wound to a tree has been inflicted, the monkey
licks or scoops out the exudates with its teeth (Stevenson & Rylands
1988). Gum, sap, latex, and resin are good, non-seasonal food sources
in the most extremely seasonal parts of common marmosets' range and make
up a significant part of their total diet; anywhere from 20 to 70%
of the time spent foraging is devoted to exudativory (Ferrari & Lopes
Ferrari 1989; Power 1996; Rowe 1996). Exudate feeding is particularly
frequent from January to April, when fruits are scarce (Scanlon et al.
1989; Rylands & de Faria 1993). Marmosets often revisit previously
gouged holes and use holes made by other animals and natural injuries to
trees to harvest gum and resin. The potential for competition between
common marmosets and other frugivorous and exudativorous animals
exists and some of the prime potential competitors include birds
(parrots and toucans) and woolly opposums (Stevenson & Rylands 1988).
Because plant exudate is such an abundant resource, inter- and
intraspecies competition may not be important.
In fact, the exudativorous behavior exhibited by common marmosets makes it possible
for them to live at extremely high population densities, as high as
eight animals per hectare (Ferari & Lopes Ferrari 1989).
The other important food source for common marmosets is insect prey and
they spend between 24 and 30% of their time foraging for insects
(Digby & Barreto 1998). Because of their small body size, marmosets are
able to utilize insects to fulfill their protein and fat requirements,
unlike larger-bodied primates (Sussman 2000). In the understory and
middle layers of the forest, small-bodied marmosets can silently stalk
and then pounce on large mobile insects (especially orthopterans) (Rylands & de Faria
1993). Common marmosets also include in their diet fruits, seeds,
flowers, fungi, nectar, snails, lizards, tree frogs, bird eggs,
nestlings, and infant mammals (Stevenson & Rylands 1988; Digby & Barreto
Home range size varies from .005 to .065 km² (.002 to .03 mi²)
and is selected based on densities of gum trees. Common marmosets are found in home ranges with densities of gum trees no less than 50 trees per hectare (124/acre) (Scanlon et al. 1989). Average day range is only between .5 and 1.0 km (.30 and .62 mi) and common marmosets preferentially use areas of their home ranges centered around clusters of gum trees (Stevenson & Rylands 1988). Though they do not travel great distances during the day, common marmosets are active for 11 to 12 hours per day, usually from 30 minutes after sunrise to about 30 minutes before sunset (Stevenson & Rylands 1988; Kinzey 1997).
After leaving their sleep site, common marmosets feed intensively for
about an hour and then spend the rest of the day alternating between
feeding, resting, and socializing (Stevenson & Rylands 1988). They
spend about 35% of their time moving and foraging, 10% on
social activities, 12% feeding, and 53% of their time is spent
stationary (Kinzey 1997). When they rest, common marmosets adopt a
sprawling position and can spend long periods of time (over 30 minutes)
without moving (Stevenson & Rylands 1988). At the end of the day,
common marmosets enter sleeping trees about one hour before sunset;
these areas are usually in dense, vine-covered vegetation (Sussman
2000). The group sleeps together in a sleeping site presumably for
safety from predators.
Because of their small body size, common marmosets are vulnerable to
predation by mammals and birds. Some common predators include mustelids, felids, arboreal snakes, owls, and
raptors (Stafford & Ferreira 1995; Kinzey 1997; Sussman 2000). Common
marmosets are very vigilant and have specialized alarm calls which
elicit certain avoidance responses from other members of the group as
well as mobbing behaviors toward potential predators (Kinzey 1997;
Sussman 2000).
Content last modified: May 18, 2005
Written by Kristina Cawthon Lang. Reviewed by Toni Ziegler.
Cite this page as:Cawthon Lang KA. 2005 May 18. Primate Factsheets: Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Taxonomy, Morphology, & Ecology . <http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/common_marmoset>. Accessed 2020 July 6.
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As riders, we know there's a special connection between us and our horses that's hard to put into words, but this bond is so strong that even non-riders can sense it. In an effort to better understand this relationship, our staff Photographer, Kristi (one of the few non-riders at SmartPak), will be visiting a different SmartPaker's barn each month to watch them interact with their horses and learn more about their story as a pair. She will document her experiences in this monthly blog series along with some of her photography, because we all know that a connection so special is hard to describe simply in words.
Ellie emerges from the barn impeccably put together. She's beautiful, and the way she walks tells me she knows it. Melissa Hamlet takes her reins and tries to give her a kiss on the nose. Her horse of 9 years turns her head in the nick of time, narrowly missing the kiss. "She always does that!" Melissa tells me with a disappointed sigh. "She won't ever let me kiss her!" Despite this, I can tell she loves this horse.
Ellie finally gets used to the idea of posing
A beautiful day for a walk…Melissa and Ellie take a stroll down the path.
Melissa and I don't talk much during the shoot. The conversations that happen are mainly between her and Ellie. They are having a disagreement: Ellie would like to eat grass and Melissa would like her to pose for photos. The argument ends with a stroll down a dirt path. They stop at the end and I can see Melissa giving her a firm talking to. They walk back towards me and all seems well now. Ellie poses perfectly, and Melissa is even allowed to steal a quick kiss. "Did you get it?" she asks excitedly. I nod. She squeals. "I can't believe I got a kiss and you got a picture of it!" We could stop now and I think she would be perfectly content.
Quick, she's distracted! Melissa takes the opportunity to steal a kiss.
For as long as I have known Melissa (a little over 6 years now) she has been with Ellie. I can recall only a few conversations with her in which Ellie Rose has not come up at least once. Seeing them together makes me think that there cannot be two creatures more perfect for one another. There isn't just respect between the two of them, there is understanding and compassion. They have been through a lot together, and it shows. Melissa refers to Ellie as her "equine version of a soul mate" and I believe it. "I think she was put on this planet to keep me sane and I was put on this planet to be her cookie dispenser," she tells me. In her 33 years of riding, she has never had such a connection with another horse.
Melissa, a dedicated hunter/equitation rider, is getting ready for her very first Dressage show in 2 days. I ask her if she's nervous and she says she is. It will be the first time in 4 years that she and Ellie step into the show ring together. Her decision to try dressage is not a passing whim, it's a well thought-out plan. A few years ago, Ellie sustained an injury that required her to take a significant amount of time off. Melissa gave her that time to heal. "When she started back to work, she was so sound and so relaxed. As much as I wanted to have her be my partner in the ring, the right decision for was to find a career where she wouldn't have to jump anymore." I was amazed at the dedication and courage it must take to change direction and start something completely new, something so out of her comfort zone.
Melissa and Ellie prepare to enter the ring at their very first Dressage show!
The camera is heavy, but I hardly notice and I continue to snap frame after frame. Ellie puts her ears up and raises her head, looking behind me. I turn around and see Gateway (or, the "Spotted Wonder Pony," as Melissa likes to call him) approaching. He is a 13-year-old Oldenburg/Thoroughbred and totally adorable. He also happens to be Melissa's way of staying in the hunter/jumper world, while also dabbling in dressage. Gateway is Melissa's current lease this year to do the Adult Hunters and Adult Equitation. Our next plan is to get some photos of Melissa, Ellie AND Gateway—this could get interesting. Melissa stands in the middle, Ellie on her right, Gateway on her left. I can tell she's nervous. Ellie looks at Gateway, Gateway looks at Ellie. They both turn their heads in and touch noses, then look away, uninterested. The critical moment has passed and everything is fine. I'm able to snap a ton more photos of the three of them, making Melissa the happiest I have ever seen her.
Gateway (The Spotted Wonder Pony) takes a minute to snuggle with Melissa
Melissa and Gateway showing at Fieldstone Equestrian Center
When I ask her what she loves most about riding, she says that for her it's the sense of accomplishment. "I love the fact that I've been taking lessons for 33 years and still learn something every time I sit in the saddle. On those days when I haven't ridden my best, I try to learn something from that and apply it to my next ride. That is the thing about riding that always keeps it fresh."
Gateway shows off his modeling skills
Despite not being a rider, I spend a lot of my time at barns, around horses. Watching the way riders connect with their horses has become my favorite part of these trips. I put the camera down at last, more than 700 frames later. Melissa is sitting at the computer we set up in the barn office previewing the photos. She is so happy with them she's crying. This is why I love what I do, and on this bright, sunny, cloudless day, I can't think of any place I would rather be.
Ellie and Gateway were comfortable together right from the start (despite Melissa's fear)!


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When we walked into the office yesterday, they had their tree up.
All three of us said, "Oh Neat!"that looks like a Who tree from the Grinch." We all thought it was really fun and colorful and whimsical.
About 15 minutes later, another family walked in, looked at the tree and said "Ew that looks like a Who tree." with scrunched up faces and disgust in their voices!
|Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder!


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If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way;
For then despite of space I would be brought,
From limits far remote, where thou dost stay.
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the farthest earth remov'd from thee;
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land,
As soon as think the place where he would be.
But, ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,
But that so much of earth and water wrought,
I must attend time's leisure with my moan;
Receiving nought by elements so slow
But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.
Sonnet 44: Translation to modern English
If the dull substance of my flesh were thought instead of flesh, this destructive distance between us wouldn't be a barrier because then, no matter how far away they were, I would come from the most remote regions to where you are. It wouldn't matter, then, that my feet were planted on the furthest place on earth from you: nimble thought can jump over both land and sea as quickly as it can think of the place where it wants to be. But, ah, it's killing me that I'm not made of thought, to leap over the many miles when you are gone but, being made of so much earth and water, I must fill the long hours without you with my complaint. I get nothing from such slow elements, except heavy tears, the mark of both elements.


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The Office of the Insurance Commissioner is recruiting to fill a Functional Program Analyst 3 position in the Consumer Protection Division at our Tumwater headquarters. This position supports our mission by advocating on behalf of consumers to ensure fair treatment by insurance companies and by educating the public on insurance matters.
The position researches and resolves consumer complaints involving health, life, annuity & disability (L&D) insurance and licensed carriers and responds to consumer inquiries regarding L&D insurance issues, including questions involving federal health care reform. This position staffs our consumer hotline four hours per day and spends the remaining time researching and resolving consumer complaints and then following up with consumers. Our consumer protection staff work with consumers and insurance professionals and also work heavily in our database, with some website content responsibilities.
In 2013, we received more than 5,000 consumer complaints and recovered more than $8 million related to insurance billings, refunds and various claim-handling issues.
Read more about this position or apply. This job closes on April 6.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
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Drake Doremus' maturation as a filmmaker has come to pass, ironically with his first feature that focuses on people younger than he. "Like Crazy," starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones as a young couple kept apart by visa problems and ocean and other lovers, is a touching and heartfelt look at how incredibly difficult love can be.
"Like Crazy" traces the years-long struggle of Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and Anna (Felicity Jones) to be together. After meeting at college in LA, the pair is driven apart by the U.S. government after she overstays her visa. Their troubles snowball from there. The film has been cynically dismissed by some as "'Blue Valentine' light," but it's a very different film, with a very different story to tell, one that includes the glimmer of hope, albeit of "The Graduate" variety. Doremus' view of love is that it can be ugly and messy and dumb, but that the prize is worth the fighting, and his film makes a compelling case.
Yelchin and Jones both give stirring performances in demanding roles, the latter winning a Special Jury prize at Sundance for her work. Jacob and Anna are complexly drawn characters that don't allow an actor to throw him- or herself blindly into the breach, but rather call for a demanding level of control. The arc of their romance is such that we hardly ever see them secure in their relationship. They're either experiencing the anxiety of new love or of legal troubles or marriage proposals or outside attractions. But they, and Doremus, manage to keep they romance vital, even when the parties are separated by the Atlantic.
U.S. & World
Doremus deftly skips across the years using clever shorthand, like moving the calendar forward with a montage of the couple in bed. And he somehow manages to get a handheld camera to deliver that "in the room" feel that so many filmmakers try to capture, but usually leave you scrounging for Dramamine. At times one of them will be out of the frame, or their backs are to you, heightening the sense of voyeurism, while at the same time reflecting what's happening between them.
Doremus says he shot the film for about a quarter-million dollars on a $1,500 DSLR, which stands as a testament to the value of backstory, writing and rehearsal. And it should put the rest of Hollywood on notice that it's time to shut up about money and get to work making great films.
"Like Crazy" offers as sincere a portrait of the pain and joy of love as you're likely to find in an American film this year, thanks to a pair of incredibly honest performances from a pair of future movie stars.


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Today marks NIDA's fourth annual Drug Facts Chat Day! Beginning in 2007, NIDA scientists teamed up with a few high schools to create an online forum for teens to ask questions about drug abuse and the science behind addiction. This year, Chat Day is taking place during the first annual National Drug Facts Week, November 8–14—a whole week dedicated to shattering the myths about drugs and addiction. You can participate. Read on:
How to Get in on Chat Day
- Check to see if your school has preregistered for Chat Day. If your school has registered, you will be given an access code to log into the chat. Since Chat Day takes place completely online, anyone at a registered school can participate from any computer! The chat begins at 8 a.m. EST on November 9th and will stay open until 6 p.m. EST—there's plenty of time to join in!
- Think of what you'd like to ask. NIDA scientists will be ready and waiting to answer your questions. Type a question about drug abuse or addiction into the chat box and a NIDA expert will be on hand in real time to answer it. If your question isn't answered right then and there, it will be addressed after Chat Day is over and included as part of a transcript on our website. Here's the one from last year. We might even post your question and our answer here on the SBB.
- Spread the word! Tell your friends and teachers to get involved with Chat Day and National Drug Facts Week. The more people who participate, the more myths can be shattered!
Learn more about Drug Facts Chat Day and National Drug Facts Week.
Public awareness is our best defense, a lot of addicts and alcoholics do not understand that there are hundreds of thousands of people who have recovered from addiction one day at a time and have tons of fun.
If your schoolhouse has filed, you will be given an access to lumber into the chat. Since Chat Day takes place wholly on line, anyone at a registered schoolhouse can take part from any information processing system!
This is a great concept and I hope it continues to help teenagers get the information they need.
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Hi, this is a very nice blog to read. Thank you so much for the priceless information, with Chat Day About Drugs, would be very useful, especially young men and women who are the transitional period, which many outside influences that bad especially with drugs.
Drugs are bad. :O
Chat Day is a very good concept to make every individual aware of what might Drugs cause you as a person and to your health. Keep it up guys.
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BENEFITING: Feeding America
ORGANIZER: David
Christopher Williams
David Flanagan wrote -
Can the JavaScript community beat the celebrity fundraisers? Let's do it! #teamjs
Feeding America collects surplus food and distributes it to hungry Americans. Its a simple mission and an urgent need in tough economic times. And they're good at it. Each dollar donated buys 8 meals!


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Some Happy for Your Saturday
Has losing your living legend got you down?
Do you see Halos everywhere you look?
Tired of trying to compute just how many zeroes Number 5 left you for?
I'm so with ya. In fact, I've been so blue the last 10 days that the RSBS interns decided to dig up something special to make me smile.
I don't know about you, but I done fell outta my chair.
Happy Saturday!


text:
Home / PlushBeds® Green Sleep Blog
Calories Burned During Sleep
Posted by Amber Merton
You've probably seen countless ads for diet pill wonder products promising you can burn calories during sleep and even shed pounds while getting your zzz's. Wouldn't it be wonderful if it really was that simple? However, there is a fair amount of evidence to support the idea that it really is possible to do just that – given the right set of circumstances. The key is to set the stage to burn the maximum amount...
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Calories Burned During Sleep May 30, 2013


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Volleyball's Scott a finalist for Senior CLASS Award
Volleyball's Scott a finalist for Senior CLASS Award
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Senior Ariel Scott has been selected from a group of 30 candidates as a finalist for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award, as announced by the media committee Thursday (Oct. 31). Scott joins a group of nine other finalists, including two from the Big Ten conference. The annual award is presented to one athlete who exemplifies excellence both on and off the court.
A two-time AVCA All-American and 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year, Scott has established herself as one of the top attackers in the Nittany Lion lineup. The unanimous 2013 All-Big Ten Preseason honoree has tallied double-digit kills in 10 matches this season, while leading the team in the category nine times. Scott highlighted the season a 25- kill in a 3-2 win against Minnesota, which is just three shy of matching her career high mark set in 2011.
The 10 finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in August. To help Scott earn the award, fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website until December 9. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately at www.seniorCLASSaward.com. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2013 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character, and competition. More information on the award is listed on the Senior CLASS Award website.
Women's Volleyball Senior CLASS Award Finalists
Jennifer Cross, Michigan Ashley Potts, Western Kentucky
Natalie Hagglund, USC Ariel Scott, Penn State
Emily Hartong, Hawaii Bailey Webster, Texas
Caroline Jarmoc, Kansas Lauren Wicinski, Michigan State
Chloe Mann, Florida Carly Wopat, Stanford