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Take in the lake's stunning floating gardens and see the ingenious one-legged rowing technique used by local fishermen.
Relax with a cool drink as you watch the sun sink behind the world's oldest and longest teak-wood bridge, U Bein Bridge.
Discover Bagan's famous golden-topped temples, stopping to appreciate the region's oldest monument, Shwezigon Pagoda.
Designed Exclusively for APT guests
These once-in-a-lifetime moments allow you to experience an unforgettable world of exclusive moments, incredible cultures and charming surprises
Personalise your holiday with a choice of included sightseeing options sure to leave you with lifelong memories
On arrival at the airport, transfer to your luxury river ship, the RV Samatha. Enjoy a Welcome Reception tonight.
Stay: 14 Nights: aboard APT's boutique river ship, the RV SamathaDaily :
This evening, with a refreshing drink in hand enjoy a sunset sampan cruise alongside the U-Bein Bridge.
Set out on a full-day tour of Mandalay, including Mahamuni Buddha Temple and the Kuthodaw Pagoda. Later, take in a tour of the Shwenandaw Monastery.Daily :
Depart the ship by coach to visit Sagaing, here you will visit the Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda. Enjoy the view over the Irrawaddy River and also visit a Silversmith workshop for an insight into this craft. Later continue on to Inwa by horse-drawn cart, taking in Maha Aung Mye Bon Zan Monastery and the teak-wood Bagaya Monastery.Daily :
This evening observe a stunning sunset over Bagan, one of the world's truly awe-inspiring archaeological sites. Enjoy free flowing drinks, delicious canapes, and fantastic hospitality with your fellow guests.
In Yandabo, enjoy a pottery-making demonstration by talented local artisans.
Perhaps opt to ascend the winding covered staircases encircling Myanmar's nats (spirits) at Mount Popa or stay local and further explore Bagan's revered pagodas and temples.
This afternoon, visit a family-run lacquerware workshop and a nearby village.Daily :
After breakfast, climb Tantkyi Hill to visit Tantkyitaung Pagoda. Then cruise to the small village of Salay, to visit Yoke Sone Kyaung, the region's oldest surviving wooden monastery. Afterwards, continue on to Shinbin Maha Laba Man Paya, home to the country's largest lacquer Buddha image.Daily :
Cruise onwards to Magwe, where you will visit the Mya Tha Lun Pagoda, located atop a hill overlooking the Irrawaddy River.Daily :
Stop in the town of Minhla and visit the famous fort, then continue on to Thayetmyo and enjoy a fascinating tour of the historic British colonial-era post office before taking a swing at Myanmar's first golf course.Daily :
On a walking tour see a selection of pagodas. Later, take an excursion to the ancient ruins at the old Pyu kingdom capital, Sri Ksetra.Daily :
See the Akauk Mountains and their cliff carvings as you cruise to Myanaung. Walk past a range of well-preserved colonial houses and on to the local market.Daily :
Today, set out on a local village tour of Shewkyin. Interact with the locals and catch a glimpse of unspoiled country life.Daily :
Today explore the township of Danuphyu, and visit a local cheroot workshop.Daily :
This morning enjoy a guided walk around the university town of Maubin. This afternoon in Yangon visit the impressive 99-metre high gilded stupa of Shwedagon Pagoda.Daily :
After breakfast, select your Freedom of Choice activity. Perhaps travel by train to discover some of the city's best kept secrets, including a shattered glass factory and leafy oasis. Join a walking tour of Yangon and stroll through the historic streets of Chinatown, the Indian Quarter and downtown Yangon.
Disembark the RV Samatha for the final time today in Yangon and transfer to the airport for your flight to Heho, gateway to Inle Lake. Be met by your guide on arrival and set off to explore a local family-run Shan paper workshop. Afterwards, drive to the small town of Nyaung Shwe to check into your hotel.
Stay: Three Nights: Inle Lake, Sanctum Resort or similarDaily :
Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, whose shrines have since been covered with that many gold leaves that it is impossible to see its original structure, and the famous Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery. This afternoon, set off on a tour of a silk and lotus weaving factory.Daily :
Explore the southern section of Inle Lake by boat. Take in the floating gardens and see the iconic one-legged rowing technique used by local fishermen. Visit Indein, to see the Shwe Indein Pagoda. Below the stupa are a cluster of hundreds of ancient stupas, most overgrown with bushes. In the afternoon, see how the local wooden fishing boats are made and visit a blacksmith workshop, before meeting with Padaung Tribes.Daily :
After breakfast, transfer to Heho Airport for your included flight to Yangon. On arrival, board your onward flight.Daily :
Relax aboard the APT custom designed RV Samatha and enjoy expansive riverside views of Myanmar's Irrawaddy River.View our fleet
Make yourself at home, staying in luxury and tranquility within close proximity to Inle Lake
Explore the thousands of temples on the plains of Bagan at your own pace on a horse cart ride
As a family-owned company with origins that date back to 1927, we know how to make a great holiday extraordinary


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In the interest of full disclosure, DOC is paying for this post.
But seriously, what could be better than giving someone a meal at 53 restaurants (including most of my personal favorites) for the holidays? Better yet, you don't even have to leave your computer.
Even better, buy them in bulk for your clients and employees (great discount bulk pricing is available, click here for more details).
I recommend buying numerous DOC gift certificates in smaller increments, so that your recipient can try out as many restaurants as they'd like! For example, four $25 certificates could buy a great brunch at Skillet and then dinner at G. Michael's! Or Basi, the Refectory, Rigsby's, Alana's, Luce, etc. If your recipient eats out at lunch a lot, give them in $10 so that they can enjoy Tasi, Katzinger's, Spinelli's Deli, and the Wildflower Cafe.
To learn more about Dine Originals Dollars, to see a list of restaurants, and more importantly, to buy some gifts, please click on over to their website!

subset: commoncrawl


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"We decided to use South Park Design Build for the renovation of our main and third floor after our designer shared their work with us. From the very beginning to the very end we were so impressed. Eric provided a detailed budget for us right from the beginning when the other companies we contacted provided figures that either had no details behind the numbers or numbers I knew were much too low so they could get the job. And the first budget he gave was quite accurate … Whenever a change order came up Eric always identified it immediately and we discussed options. The tradespeople he hired were top notch and he has worked with them all for a long time so he trusts them. They were always so respectful of our home and cleaned up every day." - Kelly Weaver
"The South Park Design Build team were wonderful through every step of the project, from the first visit to completion. The budget was reasonable and realistic – no surprise or hidden costs. They were clear about the work plan, and once the trades were in Matt came by nearly daily – sometimes twice a day – to make sure everything on was on track, and it was. I'm delighted with the finished work, and I will happily go back to them for our next project."– Jessica Monk
"We decided to use South Park Design Build for the renovation of our main and third floor after our designer shared their work with us. From the very beginning to the very end we were so impressed. Eric provided a detailed budget for us right from the beginning when the other companies we contacted provided figures that either had no details behind the numbers or numbers I knew were much too low so they could get the job. And the first budget he gave was quite accurate … Whenever a change order came up Eric always identified it immediately and we discussed options. The tradespeople he hired were top notch and he has worked with them all for a long time so he trusts them. They were always so respectful of our home and cleaned up every day." - Kelly Weaver
"South Park is a first class operation. Their trades are reliable and coordinate their work extremely well. They made sure my home was built to my preferences."– Dr. Dana Colson
"South Park builds at a very high level of finish and the workmanship is outstanding. We couldn't be happier with the building process and the finished product. Everyone who sees our home has nothing but praise and we are proud to recommend Eric Adelman, Matthew Brooks and the entire team at South Park Design Build." - Mark & Virginia Wells
"Thank you South Park for all of your work on our home. We have particularly appreciated the quality of workmanship, the respectfulness and responsiveness of your team, and the exceptional communications and management skills of Matt Brooks. Your team has been punctual, reliable and tidy and we have been impressed with their problem-solving ability on the fly. You have consistently set expectations well with regard to timelines and budget and Lois has done a great job of keeping us routinely informed and on top of all invoices. Altogether a great experience and we would recommend you to anyone who will listen."– Laura & Tom
"We were very please with the results of our South Park renovation. Eric and his crew were professional at every stage of the process, were open and completely honest about costs and timing and provided a consistently high level o service. There was excellent coordination between south park and our architect and designer, and our project was completed in a timely manner. As an added bonus, our neighbours found the south park drew tidy and polite. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend south park or use the company again ourselves." - Deb & David Potter
"Eric and his company did an extensive renovation at our home on May Square in the spring and summer of 2004. Although the project was a difficult one, Eric and his crew made it seem straightforward and simple. Eric was always on time for meetings, was always available to hear out questions and concerns and he did exactly what he promised to do. We had heard many horror stories from friends about contractors not showing up, not doing the work that they said they would do and about unexpected, escalating costs after the initial construction contract was signed. This was not our experience with Eric. Both my wife and I recommend Eric and South Park to anyone for a renovation / reconstruction project." - James E. Dunn
"Eric has a wonderful eye for design. His co-ordination with our architect was extraordinary; the design concept was conceived with extreme efficiency and no fuss. We could easily have been required to engage in consideration of a thousand decisions in a project of this magnitude; he is so good, we were probably only involved in a couple of hundred. On top of everything else, Eric is a very fine and refined person. he exhibited a superb manner in dealing with us as clients and his crews as colleagues. We could give Eric and South Park the highest imaginable recommendation for a sophisticated design and construction in this market segment." - Geoffrey and Susan Dyer
"We have had several renovations done over the years and have run the gamut of workmanship and professionalism along the way. Eric and his team are at the very top. His attention to detail from the beginning to the end of our project was really remarkable. He would, many times, see little omissions of flaws that we didn't see and attend to them immediately. Nothing was too trivial and everything was done quickly and efficiently. He is great at solving problems big and small, as are his key workers, especially Rob, who was the foreman of our job. Both Eric and Roy seem to have an unending supply of patience as far as the client is concerned. We are extremely pleased with the results. This team has turned a dowdy old 100 year old semi into a pretty cool looking place. We love it!" - Mary and Jim Fisher
I have worked with South Park on a few projects over the last few years. They are always a great team to work with. Eric has a good focus on people, money and ideas and often has great suggestions to help stay on budget without compromising quality and looks. They are also great with timing and completed our recent project exactly when promised. I would highly recommend this team and look forward to working with them again!– Nicole Zarry
"It would difficult to find a more honest, transparent, hard-working, courteous and pleasant project manager than Matt Brooks of South Park Design and Build. Renovations are stressful and unpleasant. Matt and Eric navigated the project in a way that made us feel we were in good hands the whole way through. Extra costs or unforeseen problems were broken down thoroughly. Any time there was a concern Matt would have it taken care of ASAP, even on weekends or after hours. In fact, there was one issue that had to be addressed that would clearly cost them time and money to complete. He didn't flinch, and in fact encouraged the change even though it put his schedule back a week. Top notch service. We'd come back." - Robert Carli
South Park did a fantastic job on our renovation. They understood our budget restrictions and our appetite for the nicer things...a tough balance, but they did it! The staff, contractors and designers were real people, very easy to get along with.– Phil Stephens
"We renovated a challenging ravine house from the 1950's. It had had several additions and renovations over time. Together with Southpark we converted it into a lovely family home which we are just thrilled with today. We had wonderful trades and have been really happy with all the follow up that Matt Brooks and team have provided. It was not an easy project, and we worked until we achieved our vision in the end." - felesky
"I hired South Park Design to renovate my kitchen in my own loft and some of my rental properties. They were absolutely amazing, professional and on point. I loved the design that they chose for my space and I was able to get exactly what I wanted within budget. The staff at South Park were extremely efficient and friendly. I own many properties in the city and will from now on only work with South Park for my renovations. Their high quality work is quite admirable. I highly suggest this company to other home owners." - josenieves
House & Home Special Issue – July 2017
House and Home Magazine showcased South Park Design Build in their July 2017 Special issue.
Cover + Pg 80-83
Modern Builder & Design – February 2016
Modern Builder & Design Magazine www.mbd-magazine.com showcased South Park Design Build in their February/March 2016 issue.
"Guiding Clients" Pg. 42-47
"South Park takes full ownership of being at all times the client's caretaker of ideas, finances and people."
Read the full article online here: Guiding Clients
Embark Magazine, August & September 2014
Embark Magazine featured South Park Design Build in their Summer/Fall Publication 2014. This article features one of our new build projects "Lawrence Park"
North American Builders Magazine, Summer 2014
North American Builders Magazine showcased South Park Design Build on the cover of their summer 2014 issue.
"South Park Design Build is designed for success with its dynamic approach to the building process."
How to create a built in home Bar – Houzz.com feature
Hire residential landscape architects to help with all aspects of landscape design, from selecting or designing outside patio furniture, to siting a detached garage or pergola.
With the help of a bath designer, revamp your bland bathroom with a walk-in shower, multiple bathroom sinks and a new bathroom vanity.
Construction Today, May/June 2013
Construction Today featured South Park Design Build in their May/June 2013 publication. The article "Building Excellence" features our Farnham Ave. Project.
This residential project IS THE FIRST to achieve a LEED CANADA PLATINUM CERTIFICATION in Toronto and the surrounding GTA.
Read the digital version here: Construction Today – South Park Design Build
Click an image below to zoom in:
Green Building & Sustainable Strategies, May 2012
Green Building & Sustainable Strategies Magazine featured a South Park Design Build project in their article entitled "Let Mother Nature In". This residential project IS THE FIRST to achieve a LEED CANADA PLATINUM CERTIFICATION in Toronto and the surrounding GTA.
Click an image below to zoom in:


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If you love chocolate and coffee, then you will absolutely love these mocha chocolate chip protein blondies. They are moist, dense, and have the perfect combination of chocolate and coffee. Also, they are packed full of fiber and protein thanks to the garbanzo beans and mocha protein powder.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 blondies
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup MPeanut Butter & Co. Original Peanut Powder
1 scoop Sunwarrior mocha protein powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey/agave)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp. almond milk (or regular milk)
2 eggs (for vegan, sub two flax eggs)
3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1. Add all ingredients except for chocolate chips to a food processor. Blend until a smooth batter forms.
2. Add 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse a few times to incorporate.
3. Line a 6×8 inch glass baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Spoon batter into dish. Sprinkle with top with remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let completely cool then slice into 8 bars. Enjoy!
Tags: blondies, Chocolate, Dessert, Peanut butter, Peanut Butter & Co., peanut powder, powdered peanut butter, Vegan, Vegetarian


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At Huntergraphic we can provide your business with a premium service for all your graphic requirements. Whether it is your company's property signage, graphics to a fleet of vehicles or single vehicle or a company logo design, we can deliver a fast, professional, cost effective solution by liasing closely with you, our customer, in order to put your business at the forefront of the mind of your customer.
With all our work, whether it's vehicle graphics, shop front signage or logo design, We will always give you our best advice about how to advertise & promote your business in the correct way whilst also taking on board your own ideas to create a high level of branding that will be benificial to your company.
Use this website to take a look at the kind of work we can offer and when you are ready, just contact us via the Contact page or call Gareth Hunter on 07917 218668.
Below are is just a small selection of work we have done for our customers, use the navigation above to see more examples under "What We Do".


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We now manufacture school canopies to required sizes. Our canopies come with 35mm polycarbonate opal sheets as standard and all post connections are reinforced with welded joints and we add gallows brackets to add even more strength. The school canopy has strong 4mm thick white coated aluminium posts. This is a very high spec canopy designed with schools in mind. This school canopy has been designed with safety in mind.


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Fairwolf trotted across the forest floor, the scent of blood rich in his nostrils. He stopped and listened. The winds tickled the tree leaves. The air smelled wet. It would rain soon. Detecting no threats, he crouched under a steady tree and devoured the young rabbit he held in his jaws.
Finished with his prize, he padded toward the stream. His ears twisted at each new sound. Trips to the stream were dangerous. For him. Fairwolf bore dog's blood in his veins and the true wolves didn't like dogs.
Fairwolf's ears picked up the soft stepping of several paws. More than one wolf approached. Sometimes they waited for him here. He hid. Without the cover of snow his brilliant coat would betray him if he wasn't careful. He'd learned to hide deep in the brush. Graypaws and the others slipped out from the trees. They nosed the bank. They weren't here for a drink. They were here to kill. Fairwolf could sense it. He stiffened, holding perfectly still, but Graypaws' yellow eyes met his through the brush.
Growls unleashed from the other wolves' throats as they sprung forward. Fairwolf dashed out of his hiding spot, the thick branches entangling him. Graypaws caught him. The other wolves circled in. They would smell his fear. The snarls echoed in his ears and Fairwolf felt teeth in his shoulder. Teeth in his side. He bit at anything he could, but they continued spilling his dog blood on the ground. Fairwolf could think of only one way out. Slinking backward he felt cool water on his paws. He let the stream swallow him.
Graypaws huffed and the other wolves fell back. The stream separated them from men. The other wolves could cross the river, but they wouldn't. Fear kept them from the dogs. From the men. Fear had kept Fairwolf from crossing too, but the safer woods were no longer home to him.
Graypaws and his posse howled triumphantly as Fairwolf's dog blood stained the river and he let himself be swept to the other bank. Graypaws gave one last departing glare, and Fairwolf recognized the threat. He could never go back. He pulled himself onto the bank and dashed into unknown territory.
Fairwolf finally stopped running. His coat was near dry; his wounds no longer bleeding. They weren't deep. He would survive. He had escaped. His worst cut was from the stream. His forepaw had slipped on something deep in the river, something with a bite. He would have to be careful so it would heal. Each step cracked it open.
He rose and tested the air; it was sweet. He nosed the ground, it was traveled mainly by smaller animals, foxes, rabbits and mice. He listened. The babble of a creek drew him closer. The water smelled clean; strong with fish. This would be a good home.
A new sound touched his ears. Fairwolf ventured out toward it cautiously. He peered through the brush and into a strange clearing. A meadow. It smelled of something strong and heavy, something he could not identify. His paws carried him out into the open. He felt his body slink closer to the earth when the cover left him. He stopped startled when the earth changed. The hard substance under his paws was like rock, only flat. He backed up slowly, but the sound brushed his ears again. A soft humming. It drew closer. It sounded fast. Angry. The hair on his back rose and his tail tucked between his legs. The forest was within reach, but Fairwolf had tasted curiosity, and wanted another bite.
The beast approached. It was faster than he'd expected. And larger. Fairwolf dove back into his cover frightened. But the beast flew by. The same heavy scent trailed it. A screeching sound cut through the air. Was the beast hurt? He peered ahead and saw the great creature had stopped. It was coming again! It had seen him. He knew he couldn't outrun it, so he remained frozen in the brush. The creature stalked him. Its drone was still loud, but not unkind. It stopped. It lingered in front of where Fairwolf sat. He was afraid to move. Slowly the creature regained its speed and ran away.
He ventured again toward the hard meadow. The beast had spotted him and gone. The hard meadow began to quake and a soft hum approached again. Fairwolf darted into the woods.
*** *** ***
"Bill! Stop!" The car came to a screeching halt.
"What in the name of—"
"Did you see it?"
Bill looked back at his deputy's stark face. He put the car in reverse.
"A little farther." Drew wouldn't take his eyes off the road. Bill didn't hesitate. Didn't ask questions. When his deputy looked that scared, something was wrong.
"There!" The word came out in a harsh whisper.
Drew pointed into the roadside woods. Bill saw it too. Huge. White. Most assuredly a wolf. His heart all but melted.
"You don't believe—"
"Shh!" Drew hissed. He watched the creature a few seconds. "Drive."
Of course he believed. Rock Falls hadn't seen a white wolf in hundreds of years, since back when it was Angel Falls. Bill swallowed.
Drew turned to him, some color in his cheeks finally. "What do you suppose it's here for?"
"It's a wild animal." Bill shrugged trying not to let superstition grip him. "Drew. Listen. Until we can say for sure what we saw, don't go—"
"Bill! They show themselves to people to warn them! You know that! I know that! Honestly Bill the whole town knows it!"
"Legends, Drew." Bill reminded.
"Legends you can't get away from! White Wolf Inn. Ghost Wolf Tavern. Blood Brothers Hardware. And the—" Drew broke off.
"The cemetery?" Bill's bravery was returning. It didn't matter what all the legends said. The town wasn't haunted. There were no white wolves guarding the place; protecting the innocent.
"You don't believe? That's just great. Now it'll come after me."
"Come after? Andrew, you are a good man, you help people."
"That's right. That's why it sought us out. There's something wrong in the town. Some heinous crime or else it wouldn't have warned us. Some crime I don't want to be the last to find out about."
Bill pulled the car into the gravel parking lot outside the station. Drew gave him one last look before he hefted himself out of the car and slammed the door.
"Drew." He called out glumly. But the other man didn't turn.
Bill rubbed his fingers across the day-long stubble on his chin. Drew had gut feelings about things often. And he was never wrong. Bill believed in following your instinct. It's what made him a good sheriff, a good protector. It made he and Drew a good team.
He knew what Drew would do. He'd look into the new family that had purchased the little cottage on the creek.
For different reasons Bill had wanted to do a background check on the man who'd bought that place. Well, different but the same; his instinct had nothing to do with a white wolf sighting. It had everything to do with the man's son; Johnny. Absently Bill fingered his scarred left forearm.
*** *** ***
Fairwolf had stayed near the hard meadow for a time. More of the heavy-scented beasts passed by. None but the first had looked his way. When the rain came the heavy scent grew stronger, as if the meadow itself was a part of the beasts. Yes. They had marked it. It was their domain. As long as he stayed clear of them they would leave him be. They reminded him of the Elder wolf. The Elder wolf had spared his life, but his gaze had warned Fairwolf to run.
He wondered if the other beast had been trying to give him the same warning. But he didn't feel compelled to run. Not yet anyway.
He wandered back to his new home. The fish creek was near. He followed it for a time, and as the mist settled, new smells enveloped him, calling to his curiosity once more. The scents were new. All but one. Blood.
Across the creek, he pinpointed a splashing sound. On the shore, not far from him, stood a curious creature. Fairwolf smelled. The blood scent came from it. It crouched near the stream. Not an animal Fairwolf could identify. Curious, he stepped closer. The animal stood and looked at him.
Fairwolf froze. Fear encompassed him. The creature stood on two legs. Before it had been hunched on all four, but now it was unmistakable. This was a man. It looked at him and cocked its head in a birdlike manner. Then it got down again. Its front paws didn't touch the ground though. It stared at him. It cooed. A soft sound. Fairwolf wanted to flee. He also wanted to stay.
He stepped closer and the man reached out. Its paw was bloody. Fairwolf stiffened as the creature reached toward him. He looked into its eyes. Something about this man reminded him of a pup. Fairwolf bristled as it drew closer to him, but waited. The man pup touched him. A strong emotion filled him, something like belonging. He hadn't expected the man pup's touch to be soft. He looked into the man pup's eyes. He smelled scared too.
*** *** ***
Johnny gingerly leaned toward the white dog. It looked lost and dirty and thin. And it was hurt. Like him. He reached for it. It watched him with those careful yellow eyes. So wolf-like. It had been limping.
"You're hurt?" He said softly. Then he reached in slowly. "It's okay, we can be friends." Johnny explained. He held out his hand. The dog sniffed it curiously. Johnny smiled. "Fishing line cuts deep if you aren't careful." He said.
The dog tilted his head and then tentatively placed his wounded paw in Johnny's hand. Holding the dog's paw in the cup of his hand, he met the dog's eyes. He was no ordinary dog. He was a smart dog. A caring dog. Then he felt it. The dog lifted his paw and backed away snarling. Johnny looked at his hand. The dog's blood was sinking into his cut. He could feel it. It pulsed through his veins. It changed him somehow.
"Johnny, quick! Your father is almost home!" He heard his mother's warning and a cold shiver spread through his skin.
*** *** ***
Fairwolf felt the change. It scared him. The man pup had infiltrated him somehow. Through his blood.
"Keep hidden." The man pup said. Fairwolf bristled. The words made sense to him. "My father doesn't like dogs."
"I'm a wolf." Fairwolf was startled at the strange thoughts he uttered. The man pup was too for he turned and stared like a frightened deer.
"What is your name? My name is Johnny." He crept closer. Fairwolf heard one of the beasts from the hard meadow. He backed closer to the woods. "It's my father." Johnny said softly. Fairwolf smelled fear.
*** *** ***
Johnny crept out of bed quietly. He dressed in the dark before the dawn. It was Saturday and his father was home, so he had to leave earlier. He took some cheese and bread and lunchmeat and went out back. Fairwolf would meet him there. He had all week. Johnny would go off and play with him in the woods. His father had been suspicious at first of Johnny's daily excursions, but when he came home with scrapes from climbing trees and bruises from falling on the slick rocks of the creek, Johnny's father had smiled.
Johnny wished his mother had a friend like Fairwolf to keep her from the dangers of his father. Fairwolf seemed to understand. His pack had abandoned him. Hurt him. He was Johnny's best friend. But no one could ever know about him, or his father would take him away. Johnny opened the screen door and breathed in the damp morning air. Everything was perfect.
"Where are you going Johnny?"
Johnny dropped the food. "T—to the woods, S—sir."
"Do you know who stopped by here just the other day?" Johnny's father leaned casually against the side of the house and Johnny let the screen door slam shut behind him. He wanted to run back in. But he'd learned that running was never a good idea.
"No sir." Johnny looked at the ground.
"A police officer."
Johnny's eyes snapped to his father's and he wished they hadn't. Johnny hadn't done anything suspicious. Nothing. He avoided the police. They brought nothing but trouble…from his father.
"Why do you think the police visited Johnny?"
"I don't—" A bruising grip tightened around Johnny's arms and he felt himself being lifted off the ground. He willed himself to look into his father's eyes. He couldn't though. The terror ran through him.
"You did something Johnny. I am your father, and if you disobey me, I will punish you." He didn't shout. He never shouted. Johnny opened one eye to look at his father's face. "Tell me what it was."
"I didn't do anything!" Johnny pleaded.
"He wanted to talk to you." His father was almost whispering. Johnny swallowed. "So it seems you're lying."
Johnny tried to recall anything he'd done. He couldn't even think of any stranger he'd talked to other than the man at the ice cream shop that he'd bumped into and made drop his cone. All he'd said was sorry. Other than that Johnny had stayed clear of everyone!
"He mentioned meeting you at the ice cream shop." His father taunted. Johnny closed his eyes. "I knew you were lying!" His father shook him.
Johnny's eyes opened. Growling pierced the morning. No! Johnny turned. "No Fairwolf! Run! Run!"
*** *** ***
Fairwolf didn't run. He understood. This man was to be feared. He was evil. Fairwolf would not leave Johnny.
He crouched low and let the growl fill his throat. The man stared back at him and Fairwolf tasted his fear in the air. The man slowly lowered the boy and Johnny raced toward Fairwolf. He put his body between the man and the pup. He exposed his teeth.
The man stepped back. Fairwolf could feel Johnny's shaking fingers in his fur.
"Run." He urged again.
"No." Fairwolf replied. The man did not seem to hear him, only Johnny. The man grew braver. His gaze held anger. He turned and grabbed something near the house.
"No Father!"
"It's a wolf!" The man yelled.
"He's my friend!" Johnny sobbed. "Please, don't hurt him!"
The man raised the object. It was long, like a tree limb, but the end was flat, its tip pointed. Fairwolf recognized the scent of attack. The man advanced and Johnny ran out in front to stop the blow, but Fairwolf wouldn't let him.
"John!" The woman came out and ran toward the man to stop him. She shielded the blow. She crumpled to the ground. Fairwolf faced the man again, but Johnny had gone to the woman.
"Look what you've made me do!" The man grabbed Johnny and pointed the object at his throat.
Fairwolf had seen enough, it was time to fight. He launched forward, the man buckled under his weight. He sunk his fangs into soft flesh and shook his head. Men were not as formidable as they seemed. The pointed limb smacked his head. Fairwolf released his grip and staggered backward. Then he heard the beast. The beast from Hard Meadow. It was here. Fairwolf snarled again, keeping the man from Johnny and the woman. Maybe this new beast would help him.
*** *** ***
"Bill, there's a call from the Hunter's house. Shouting and screaming, it sounds like the boy—"
"I'm on it." Bill snapped angrily.
He'd known the boy was being abused by that man he called father. Drew flew out the door with him barely making it into the passenger's seat. Bill sped to the cottage and pulled into the drive. He could hear it. Snarls, shrieks and screams. It sounded like a wild animal! Bill and Drew quietly exited the car. Weapons in hand they stalked around the side of the house.
"Don't hurt him! Please!" The boy flung his arms around the white wolf and Bill froze. Next to him Drew cursed.
"What's going on here?" Bill asked.
"That wolf attacked me and my wife!" John Hunter said holding his bloodied arm.
"No! My father was going to kill him!" Johnny said. Bill looked back at the boy. There would be no way to save the wolf, not if it attacked a man. Bill looked into the animal's eyes, regret filled his own. The way the boy clutched his neck he knew that it had tried to save him. Then the wolf looked back at Bill; it nodded once and departed.
"Shoot it!" John Hunter yelled and leapt for Drew's gun. Drew pointed it at him and he fell back.
"I need to know what happened here." Bill raced over to Mrs. Hunter and checked her pulse. "She'll be all right." He whispered to the sobbing boy and dialed for an ambulance. Johnny had sunk to his knees on the dew covered grass.
"You hit her with the shovel?" Drew said angrily grabbing John Hunter's collar.
"She got in the way! The wolf was trying to kill me! I was using it to ward off the wolf."
Johnny remained silent.
*** *** ***
Fairwolf hid in the brush. The man that smelled like the beast from Hard Meadow had warned him. His stare had been the same as the Elder wolf. Fairwolf waited. He would make sure Johnny was safe, always safe.
*** *** ***
When Mrs. Hunter came to, she didn't talk. Johnny wouldn't talk. Only Mr. Hunter would talk, and he came off sounding like a valiant man protecting his family from a rabid, white wolf.
"Do I have your permission to kill the wolf on sight?" John Hunter asked as Bill was leaving.
"No!" Johnny opened his mouth. His mother cringed. Bill knew the truth, but he couldn't reveal it.
"What's the matter with you Boy? It tried to kill me!" John Hunter's eyes were cold.
"He was protecting me!" Johnny stood. Bill stared at the shaking boy. He caught the horror in Mrs. Hunter's eyes. He remembered the day his own courage had come. It was the day he nearly died by his father's hand. He wouldn't let that happen to Johnny.
"Son," Bill started. "I know you love the wolf, but he's a wild animal. Call us if you see him Mr. Hunter. We'll take care of it." He headed out of the house after tipping his hat at Mrs. Hunter.
Outside Drew stared at him.
"There was nothing we could do." Bill said to his deputy once they entered the car. "But I'm going to circle right back." Drew breathed a sigh of relief and didn't bother buckling his seatbelt. They were going to catch this man. Bill hoped it would be in time.
*** *** ***
Fairwolf watched the creature go. He waited in the brush until he heard the woman scream. His muscles propelled him from hiding and in bounds he was across the yard. He heard the loud noise, heard Johnny cry, heard the woman pleading.
He howled.
The man met him outside, threat on his face. He carried long narrow object. Fairwolf showed his teeth. Johnny and the woman raced out after him. Johnny's face was covered in blood. Fairwolf lunged. The object cracked into his side and sent him to the ground with a whimper. Johnny screamed. Fairwolf rose; it hurt to shake himself off. But he had to save Johnny. He leaned back again, ready to spring.
"No Father!" Johnny cried.
The man turned and swung the object at Johnny.
The scent of the beast of Hard Meadow filled the air.
Fairwolf launched himself at the man's arm.
"He's going to kill him! Help me! My husband is going to kill my son!" The woman screamed.
*** *** ***
Bill licked his ice cream before it could melt all over the squad car. He watched the children playing on the baseball diamond as Drew drove passed them. Then he caught Johnny Hunter walking home, dirt on his shirt, water residue on his jeans, fishing pole in hand, and that amazing white wolf at his side sporting a new collar.
"You were right about the Guardians returning." Bill admitted.
Drew just smiled. "If anyone deserves a Guardian Angel, it's that boy."


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Happy Friday! I'm super excited to (finally) introduce a new bridal series on City Tonic! Over the next few months, I'll be posting some wedding-related features as I plan my big day (and sharing any tips I learn in the process). Hopefully the series will be fun to read – whether you're planning your own wedding, or just occasionally indulging in some wedding daydreaming via Pinterest (we've all been there).
Okay, to kick things off, today's post is all about calligraphy! As soon as we decided on our wedding date (and knew we'd be fast-tracking the planning), I started designing our Save the Date cards since we're inviting lots of out-of-town/international guests. I'm a bit of a DIY addict, so I thought I'd attempt to address my envelopes rather than hire a pro calligrapher. I've always admired beautiful hand-lettering and "modern" style calligraphy, but the task of actually learning how to do it felt pretty daunting. Then I found out about the insanely talented Ashley Lurcott and The Lettered Bride. The Lettered Bride offers a DIY calligraphy kit that sets you up to learn the technique without any of the guesswork. The calligraphy kits available at big art stores teach the old-fashioned, more traditional calligraphy style — but Ashley's DIY kit comes with instructions for the playful and trendy calligraphy style you've probably seen all over Pinterest. The Lettered Bride's guide booklet introduces the art of calligraphy in steps that are clear and digestible; the hand-drawn examples help you visualize how the direction and pressure of your strokes will end up forming those pretty little letters and swashes. Plus, the kit comes with the best pens and inks to get you started and tons of practice sheets on which you can perfect your lettering skills.
I actually ended up becoming obsessed with calligraphy, once I got past the first few unsuccessful (and hideous) attempts. It's extremely relaxing and can deliver some really impressive results. Plus, the ink options are endless. Obviously I had to buy all the neons immediately. It was a little bittersweet dropping my Save the Dates at the post office after all the quality time I'd spent with them, but now I'm super excited to start designing my invitations and addressing the envelopes all over again. (I'm a crazy person.)
Feeling inspired? Ashley has generously offered to gift a DIY kit to one lucky reader! Even if you aren't planning to address a massive amount of envelopes, calligraphy is an awesome skill to learn. So, enter now and cross your fingers!
The contest winner is Caryn Just – congrats!


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Issue 19.2, May 2004
Essay Excerpt
This article examines institutions of community policing and their relationship to changing conceptions of order in New York City in the 1990s. The sites of my research were: a special meeting of the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Asso- ciation; the Midtown North Precinct Community Council; and the Citizens' Police Academy run by the New York Police Department (NYPD). These staged dialogues with the police made up part of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's program of order-maintenance policing, which was, in turn, one aspect of his administration's attempt to make New York City a more civil and livable city (Blumenthal 1994; Flynn 2000; Krauss 1994). The question posed by Gi- uliani's critics was, and still is, of course, "livable for whom?" (Harcourt 1998 and 2001; McArdle and Erzen 2001; Smith 1998).
"'Visible Signs of a City Out of Control': Community Policing in New York City" by Benjamin Chesluk


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Isabel: I can't wait to see the new Charlie on stage! It was so funny getting to know Adetomiwa, who played Charlie the last time the show was in theaters, because the character was my alter ego growing up. Now I'll get to see Martins (the new lead) interpret the part and I'll be face-to-face with another another version of me--confusing! Also, Complicite is such a brilliant company for inventiveness and ideas, so I'm sure more time in the rehearsal room will have yielded some exciting new theatrical wizardry.
The Lionboy story crosses continents and involves everything from a floating circus to a shady global corporation. Where do you get your ideas from?
Isabel: I think it was basically my nutty imagination growing up. We wrote the books when I was very young, seven-years-old, and I was an only child so I made up a lot of friends and adventures for us to share. In the bedtime stories that came before (and inspired) the book, there were leprechauns and monsters too. And Charlie could speak to all animals. It was chaos!
Louisa: Yup, I nicked them off Isabel. And she nicked them off me. Then I organised them, and she told me where I was going wrong.
Isabel, what was it like becoming an author at such a young age?
Louisa: She loved it! Didn't you?
Isabel: It was very exciting, suddenly we were travelling to all the countries we'd been published in, and signing books, even going on TV. I remember when we signed the publishing deal they sent a guy dressed as a lion to our house with a whole hamper of Lion candy bars. That was pretty cool.
Did you learn anything about each other from writing the books together?
Isabel: It was my first time getting to know mum's professional side I guess--although she wasn't calling me for meetings in the living room or anything! I'd never read her previous books as they were a bit beyond me, so it was wonderful to see how she created stories. We had one of our first and only disagreements over a character in the book, too. But mostly all that time writing and promoting never felt like work--it was just an adventure!
Louisa: Everything I know, almost, I learnt from Isabel.
Lionboy is set in the near future. Ten years on from writing the first book, does the future look any different to you now?
Isabel: A lot of the more world-conscious stuff came from mum of course: I was a bright kid but not that well-informed! I'm learning a lot more about politics and global issues, and I think Lionboy shines a light on a lot of things. If anything, the urgency of the climate issues has grown more than we might have expected, and big Pharma is growing more powerful. I hope the kids that loved and love Lionboy will be motivated to help save our lovely planet.
Photo via Babelio


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It's more than just Jordans. eBay's strongest tie to basketball is not documented footwear, but an infinite inventory of NBA junk, official and otherwise, wearable or not. If it's old and NBA, it's worth watching. Keep checking back for the best in vintage NBA memorabilia around. This week, we have a random Bob Sura card and unidentified Houston Rockets Air Force Ones.
Live Auction: BOB SURA '05-'06 Topps Chrome Card # 88 (Rockets)
Buy It Now: $1
It's easy to forget the frightening talent it takes to reach the NBA. Obvious entries — physical wonders like Allen Iverson or David Robinson, born scorers like Carmelo Anthony, or really tall guys like Chuck Nevitt — are gaugeable. But the men they practice against or replace are similarly world class. A good example is Bob Sura, onetime Cavaliers starter and 1997 Dunk Contest entrant.
Never an All-Star or important NBA player, he was a first-round pick who didn't flame out, starting off and on and sticking around the League for a decade. An incredibly well-rounded player at Florida State — 18.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game as a senior, not to mention the school's all-time scoring mark — both his gross and rate stats dropped once he reached the NBA. Why wouldn't they? But he was deceptively well-rounded, putting up two (nearly three) triple-doubles in a row, and useful until injury. He was never a stud, but was good, and was only forced into retirement thanks to injury.
For someone who didn't have a hell of a career, he had a hell of a career. The Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metroplex, where he is from, has never seen a better basketball player. That's not a small city. They have a Triple-A team. They're the home of HBO. About half a million people live there, and in the nearly 20 years since he left to go to college, there has been none better. For some, he's a once-in-a-generation talent.
Of course, this talent had limits. His two amateur jerseys are retired, and he earned about $45 million in a not-distinct career. But there are even worse limits outside the game. Bob Sura, legend of Northeast Pennsylvania, is but a figment on eBay, having not seen his jersey for sale on the secondary market in more than a year. His name does not flatter unrelated auctions. Nothing which bears his likeness sells for more than $8. He is but a card-level player.
If you want to pay tribute to the man who is the greatest at a very legitimate something from a very real somewhere, the best you can do is a piece of paper. Some might say a jersey of the man traded for both Pepe Sanchez and Rasheed Wallace can never be appreciated with a straight face. They might be right. But he was better than I, or almost anyone else, will ever be, and no matter the ceiling, injury history or decision to Ricky Davis a triple-double, a once-in-a-generation talent deserves better.
Dead Auction: NIKE AIR NEW BASKETBALL SHOES 15.5 HOUSTON ROCKETS 1990
Ended: $30.99
Like eight-hole Dr. Martens, Club sandwiches and Tangerine Dream full-length records, Air Force 1s are not what they used to be. Bad leather and bulky toeboxes has led to a sad state of affairs and a devaluation of a once-proud and subtly tasteful shoe.
Things have gotten so bad that these size 15 Air Forces, owned by an indiscriminate Rockets player — the seller does not divulge who, or even give any hints — so hideous in the way that large, large sneakers are, look positively radiant compared to what's on the shelf.
There's a little too much white here, but it's a pretty shoe. They're from 1990, if you believe the auction title, and Rockets colors, a.k.a. Indiana colors, a.k.a. Canada colors — not exactly distinct, but believable and hue-perfect. They look pretty good, and I don't remember too many guys playing in lows — even Rasheed Wallace stuck to the highs on the court — so it's enough to knock game-worn out of the realm of possibility.
The listing notes that the shoes, of which further photos have since become transitory, are the final player pair which he is selling. A quick feedback search shows it's been over a year since his previous pair sold — also Air Forces — though that is all the info that's available. The seller, who is from the Sugarland area, outside Houston, has been selling mostly trains and old Budweiser signs between then, and it's safe to assume that the earlier pairs were more of what's here.
Now, as much as we'd like to assume the shoes belonged to Adrian Caldwell, we can't, though we can speculate on the seller. How'd he end up with the (limited) sneaker collection of an NBA forward? Did the retired player stay in the area? How and why did they meet, and how'd this arrangement come up? Is the player selling the shoes? If so, what's with all the trains? We can ask where he got them — I've tried — but sourcing is a secretive affair. I don't expect an answer.
While this isn't as outrageous as a 2002 auction of used (and beat) Air Jordan XIIs allegedly belonging to CC Sabathia, it's still pretty weird. There's a big dichotomy between playing basketball for millions of dollars and selling used sneakers for $30. One can wonder whether the mystery player was the best to come from his town or if his association would have helped the auction, but why isn't he named? I'm sure he was still pretty good, and some players have fans who want more than mere playing cards.
Follow Sam on Twitter at @sachforsach.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.


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£499.99 £599.99
(This product is suitable for casual campers, frequent campers, glamp site owners, events and organisers).
Our Premium Luxury Cotton Canvas 5m Bell Tent is all you need this summer to rouse holiday spirits. Crafted to the highest standard and available in an array of sizes from- 3m, 4m, 5m, 6m, 7m. Our premium Luxury Cotton Canvas 5m Bell Tent will help you feel at home whilst away. Crafted from premium, thick, natural, lightly dyed cotton to help keep your Bell Tent looking cleaner for longer.
Smart natural waterproofing solutions help keep your 5m Bell Tent waterproof inside whilst regulating the temperature efficiently leaving inside feeling cosy, warm and tranquil.
UV, Mould and Water repellent treated to insure that all our Premium Luxury Cotton Canvas Bell Tent can withstand harsh UK weather conditions.
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Based on an average sized adult.
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80th Queen's Cup® Race Challenged Boats and Crews
The 80th running of the South Shore Yacht Club Queen's Cup® Race across Lake Michigan tested boats and crews. Winds at the start were out of the northeast at over 15 knots with waves running three to five feet. These conditions forced many skippers to make some tough decisions prior to the race.
One hundred fifty-three boats entered this year. As registration started on Thursday, it was clear that weather would be a concern.
By the time the race was underway, the number of boats crossing the start line had dropped to 137. Some boats ultimately turned back after battling the lake, while others pressed on.
Crews arriving in Grand Haven commented that, although conditions were challenging, the ride was exhilarating -- far better than drifting in light air.
The 2018 Queen's Cup Race was won by the Section 4 boat Sociable from Milwaukee Yacht Club, narrowly beating SSYC's Matt Mergener sailing Instigator by 4 minutes 33 seconds. Instigator placed 2nd overall and won the Fons America Trophy as the SSYC monohull boat with the best corrected time. The Silvie Trophy, awarded to the first boat to finish, was won by Heartbreaker, a TP52 from Macatawa Bay Yacht Club piloted by Robert Hughes, with an elapsed time of 7:44:03.
Rick Trisco's Tango in Blue, from SSYC, took home the Silver Jubilee Trophy as the overall winner of the ORR fleet. Team Tango also placed first in Section 2 and third overall in the PHRF fleet.
This year 27 SSYC boats entered the Queen's Cup Race with eight boats taking home trophies and flags. In addition to Instigator and Tango in Blue, the following SSYC boats won or placed in their divisions: Adventurous, Passport, Madcap, Bounder, Hobgoblin, and Triumvirate. Full race results can be found online at www.ssyc.org/queens-cup.
Grand River Sailing Club was a great finish host. Thanks to Mark Erickson, my counterpart at GRSC, the coordination with the City of Grand Haven was outstanding. Marina staff and volunteers helped guide finishing boats to their slips. Grand Haven even completed the renovation of their Waterfront Stadium in time for the 80th Queen's Cup Race awards ceremony, which was the first public event at the new facility.
A special thanks to all of our sponsors: North Sails (and to North Sails' Tom Pease for arranging the weather briefing), Harken, Harken Derm, Mount Gay Rum, Wisconsin Brewing, Pirates Lair, West Marine, and B&G.
Next year's Queen's Cup Race will be sailed on June 28, 2019, with the finish in St. Joseph, hosted by the St. Joseph River Yacht Club. Make sure to mark your calendar and watch for the registration announcement in February to enter. Who knows, yours could be the next name added to one of the oldest trophies in yacht racing.
The Event
Open to all boats with valid LMPHRF handicap certificates and ORR certificates.
Open to all one-design classes if enough entries are received.
The multihull fleet will race if at least five entries are received.
The short-handed fleet is for monohulls with a crew limit of two.
The cruising fleet is for non-spinnaker monohulls.
The Course in 2019:
2019 SSYC Queen's Cup Race … June 28-29 … Save the Date!!!
- Milwaukee, WI to St Joseph, MI and St. Joseph River Yacht Club.
- Registration Thursday, June 27 at SSYC: 11 a.m. 5:30 p.m.
- Queen's Cup Party: Thursday June 27, 6 p.m. - ?? Enjoy the party and shuttle bus to Milwaukee attractions … including Summerfest
- Friday, June 28 Registration: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Starts staggered from mid-afternoon through early evening.
- Saturday, June 29 the fleet arrives in St Joe's for post-race festivities hosted by St Joseph Yacht Club.
Small-Boat-Friendly Fee Structure – Fee entry system is based on LOA. This helps to make the fee schedule more equitable and increase participation in small-boat sections.
Take the Queen's Cup Cruise – Cruisers, join our increasingly popular jib-and-main fleet. Take advantage of an afternoon head start for added daylight sailing time. You must be entered; comply with all safety and insurance regulations; and have a PHRF certificate.
One-Design Racers
We're always open to fleet starts. All you need for a scoring division is 6 boats. Talk to our race chair Scott Burke


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The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad was rapidly pushing its tracks from eastern Colorado, over the mountains, and through the Black Canyon on its way to Salt Lake City. The line reached Cimarron at a natural break in the cliffs of the canyon, and the engineers had a decision to make. One choice was to continue the tracks down the canyon and the town of Delta . The other was to take them over Cerro Hill and into Montrose. A bad choice could cost the company a great deal of money and time. Needing more information, they called upon Byron Bryant to conduct a survey to see if the line could be constructed through the middle and lower portions of the canyon and what it might cost.
Byron Bryant
Bryant was in charge of the "Uncompahgre Extension" of the railroad in 1881 and '82, which means they were surveying a 150 mile extension of the line. He received a telegram in December to explore the "Grand Canyon of the Gunnison," as it was known then, from Cimarron to Delta. He immediately began preparations, hiring a full compliment of men to accomplish the canyon survey and a pack train led by Charles Hall.
Braving the Canyon
They left on December 12th working their way along the north rim. Bryant rode the train to Cimarron and made his way downstream to meet the surveyors in the canyon. They ran a survey line down the canyon from Cimarron, expecting to be done in 20 days. Every morning they would climb down into the canyon a distance of 2,000 to 2,500 feet (when camped on the Crystal River they scrambled 2,800 feet). This scramble in the snow would take two to three hours each way, leaving perhaps 6 hours of work at the river in the shortened days of winter. The arduous work, hopping from ice flow to ice flow, risking wounds and injury, was enough to deter most of the laborers. When the party took a break to move the camp to the south rim of the canyon, all but three of the original surveyors and Hall, quit.
Seeing a Different Gorge
As the days dragged into weeks, the small crew drew closer to each other and to the canyon. Yet the canyon drew an effect on each of them, as well. One of the crew, transitman Harvey Wright, talked in his sleep, dreaming out the situations that impressed his imagination. Yet it was Wright who, later, wrote a most lyrical letter sharing his impressions of the beauties of the canyon.
"For some distance... we had noticed almost a perfect reproduction of the 'Goddess of Liberty,' and depicted on the silver dollars caused by feldspar seams in the darker rocks. The figure was colossal and was seated on her throne about two thousand feet above the river," he wrote of an upstream scene.
Or later on he wrote, "Hereto was unfolded view after view of the most wonderful, the most thrilling of rock exposures, one vanishing from view only to be replaced by another still more imposing. A view which could easily be made into a Scottish Feudal Castle would be followed by another suggesting the wildest parts of... imposing height and majestic proportions."
The party observed the standing needle on what would later be called "The Giant's Stairway." During an enforced break they went out to it. "While standing on the solid rock of the canyon wall absorbed by the overpowering majesty and solemnity of the scene some one suggested stepping across that empty space... to the top of the needle and did so. It appeared incredible that this sliver of rock should have stood so long, or that it could be so exactly balanced as to stand at all; and the experience of seeing it in such a situation and surroundings aroused the wondering and reverent amazement of one's being."


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The coolest bar ever! In downtown LA, it still has the original generators. Beautiful design! Hot sexy jazz and blues on and Fridays. Silent movies play in the background. This one's from Metropolis. Check it out!
The coolest bar ever! In downtown LA, it still has the original generators. Beautiful design! Hot sexy jazz and blues on and Fridays. Silent movies play in the background. This one's from Metropolis. Check it out!
Happy Thanksgiving from Caddy Bumble.
She always embraces the lingering morning
Like a child surrounded by a vast naked picture.
The wild air throbs.
Brilliant breath.
By: Kimberly Perette
Check out this interactive site. You can see how you are affected by the economy. The site is also fun to play around with.
If you want a clear non-partisan and factual idea of what's gone wrong with our economy you MUST see this film. If you look
carefully you'll see someone you may know in the credits. Ha!ha!ha😜😎
Look closely at the list where he thanks "1 and 99%".
Ahh…It's listed with the "P's"
Wait for it…..wait for it…
BAMM! There it is:
Kimberly P. 😜😄
It's only there for a micro-second, but it sure feels good to have made a little contribution along with so many others!
Thanks, Robert R.
Muah! 😘
Cutest commercial ever!
Remember the ads for the United Colors of Benetton? I loved seeing all the different shades of beauty in those wonderful ads. Take a look at this Old Navy ad from 2008. This girl has my life. Ahh, the Beauty of Colors.
She young
grass & May flowers.
Soft breath;
wild hearts;
icy sky;
eternity marbled
with smoke.
By: Kimberly Perette
This is pure awesomeness!
Charlie Chaplin made one of the most moving speeches that I've ever heard in his film "The Great Dictator" circa 1940. In the film he played the duel role of The Dictator of Tomainia and a Jewish Barber in a ghetto. At the time of its first release, the United States was still formally at peace with Nazi Germany. Chaplin's film advanced a stirring, controversial condemnation of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini's fascism, antisemitism, and the Nazis, whom he mocks in the film as "machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts".
A great film. Truly a must see.
My wild tree
never fly away.
Good girl
needs soul,
home and
By: Kimberly Perette


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One quote from Daniel Kraus stood out to me during his presentation at this week's SugarCRM conference: "It's not honesty, it's marketing."
The Magnificent Seven
Naturally, the whole room chuckled. Putting my consumer shoes on, sure, it's an uncomfortable reality, but one that's being realized in all sorts of ways. Unfortunately, they're not always the right ones. As the president of a smaller company called Leading Results, Kraus had advice on building a supportive strategy for online marketing in seven steps:
It starts with defining your ideal customer. Note that this does not mean your target customer. An ideal customer is someone that is profitable, values what you do, refers you, etc.
A marketing message can be built around what these ideal customers think and feel. Kraus suggests contacting 8-10 of them and asking why they chose you. What did you do that they valued most? What is unique about your company?
Content That Educates
Next, put together a marketing overview. Like a case study, it should address FAQ from customers and prospects, talk about unique benefits, and subliminally communicate that the ideal customer is not just anybody with money. "Make it tell a story about your business," he said.
Lead Generation
This one might sound familiar. Lead generation leaves nothing out--nurture marketing, current customers, referral marketing, new prospects, PR and community all have potential to bring in new leads.
Lead Conversion
Kraus says there's a lot of missed opportunity in trials. Creating an environment for something as informative, predictable and non-threatening should lead to deeper levels of conversion.
Customer Delight
Enter the quotes and testimonials, referrals, additional product sales, additional services, etc. These perks are especially important today given the number of highly influential venues for people to talk about how unhappy they are (Twitter, Facebook, Yelp).
Kraus suggests considering newsletters. "They aren't just for prospects," he said.
Harness the Internet and Amplify
Ah, the social media bit.
"There are 530 million people on Facebook," Kraus stated. "If it was a country, it would be the third largest in the world." Whoa.
Those numbers certainly make social media marketing important, but Kraus urges us not to think of it as a strategy unto itself.
"It must be overlaid by an entire marketing system, he continued. "If you have defined your ideal customer, then you know where to engage them on the social web. Use it as a listening post. What's being said about you? Optimize your brand assets, local profiles, online PR engines, etc."
Live by a Calendar
Monthly themes are important, as are weekly actions and deadlines. It's not just about being organized, but systematic as well.
Pants On Fire
Back to the not-honest part. Kraus says marketing has fundamentally changed in the last 5 years, and on this front we agree. We've moved from things like print ads and radio ads--outbound stuff--to blogs, white papers, and podcasts. This is because rather than companies going out to look for customers, customers are coming in to look for the companies. Why not make them feel like you're giving them your undivided attention?
It is for this reason, perhaps, that Derek Grant of Pardot deemed pre-sales engagement the most critical step in automated nurturing in Tuesday's marketing discussion. If a prospect finds you, these days it's often because they wanted to, and they want to want your service. It's not exactly lying, but it's automatically tweaking your responsiveness to match--not overwhelm--that want as it changes over the course of a business relationship.
Much like logging onto Facebook and seeing ads that specifically cater to people in your age bracket, automated marketing feels personal, almost intimate. Can you think of any better trust-gaining marketing tactics?


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Not content with seducing us with their fine collections of lingerie Agent Provocateur have launched a 'boudoir range' of sumptuous bed lined, silk sheets and plush cushions. They have unleashed a sensual and evocative collection to perfectly complement your own night attire. So go on, slip between these delicate sheets and slip into something more comfortable.
Blau x


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Safety Tip Tuesday | June 2014 Recap
Your belongings aren't worth your life. This may be your only opportunity to get away if you're being targeted. Traveling is stressful enough- don't make things more difficult for yourself. If your hands aren't free, you can't protect yourself or your family. Make sure no …
Safety Tip Tuesday | May 2014 Recap
Coach your children on who to call and which neighbors to go to should an unsafe situation arise. Play out a few scenarios and teach them what to do. Did you know that your default privacy/location settings on social media may be showing much more …
Safety Tip Tuesday | April 2014 Recap
Opening up your sliding glass doors is a great way to welcome spring, but keep these tips in mind when you're away or sleeping. Install a bar, a secondary lock, and an alarm system to better protect yourself and your home. When you're not home, …
Safety Tip Tuesday | March 2014 Recap
Look around and inside your car before you get inside. If anything looks off to you, just keep walking and alert authorities. Once inside your car, LOCK the doors- even if you are just going for a short ride. Be aware that crafty criminals have …
Safety Tip Tuesday | February 2014 Recap
Most criminals won't want to stick around if your car alarm is blaring in the middle of the night. Valentine's week is upon us, and with that comes lovely flowers at our doorstep. Crafty criminals have been known to pose as flower delivery men, so …
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Implantable mouse BP transmitters (TA11PA-C20, Data Sciences International, St. Paul, MN) will be used to directly measure arterial pressure in individual, conscious and freely moving mice (20, 21). Details of the methods used are included on the protocol page for this segment.
All mice are allowed 10 days of recovery from transmitter implantation surgery before any measurements are made. This time interval is necessary for the mice to regain their circadian blood pressure and heart rate rhythm. Thereafter, BP and HR were telemetrically recorded and stored with the Dataquest ART data acquisition system (Data Sciences International). The baseline measures will be averaged for a period of 1-7 days before subjecting the animal to the desired physiologic maneuver (e.g. high salt diet, L-NAME treatment). Blood pressure and heart rate data will be collected over a period of days to weeks.
Publications for BP telemetry (1)
Kramer K, Kinter L, Brockway BP, Voss HP, Remie R, Van Zutphen BL. The use of radiotelemetry in small laboratory animals: recent advances. Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci (2001) 40:8-16
View abstract View in PubMed
Radiotelemetry provides an alternative means of obtaining physiological measurements from awake and freely moving laboratory animals, without introducing stress artifacts. For researchers, especially those in the fields of pharmacology and toxicology, the technique may provide a valuable tool for predicting the effectiveness and safety of new compounds in humans. In light of studies described in the literature, it is concluded that there is ample evidence that the use of radiotelemetry for measuring blood pressure, cardiac activity, heart rate, body temperature, and locomotor activity in rodents has been validated sufficiently. Today, this technology is an important tool for the stress-free collection of these physiologic data in small rodents, including mice.
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The First Lady was in Omaha, Nebraska yesterday for an event at Girls Inc., an organization that inspires girls to be "strong, smart and bold." On the style front, Mrs. O wore a Resort 2010 Balenciaga sheath dress, a first lady favorite that has been seen before here and here.
One of the young women in attendance had the opportunity to ask Mrs. Obama if she embodied the Girls Inc. values:
Q: My name is Aviera Pittman, I am 12 years old. Do you believe you are strong, smart and bold, and why?
MRS. OBAMA: Oh. (Laughter.) Yes, absolutely, right? I'm strong, smart and bold. (Applause.) You know, I shared that story -- I think I believed in it because others believed in it. I had a mom and dad who had high expectations that were accompanied with a lot of unconditional love and support.
And when you've got people in your ear telling you that you're wonderful, you start believing it. And that's why what you have here at Girls Inc. is so important. Believe what people are saying about you. Believe that. Take in that good energy. Own it. Hug it. Accept it. All the good things you hear, the positive messages -- take those. Put the negative things aside, because that's always going to be there. There's always going to be -- what do we call it, girls? There's always going to be haters out there? (Laughter.) Don't focus on that.
Focus on the people in your life who give you positive reinforcement. And it doesn't have to be a parent. It can be anybody. I was lucky enough to have parents, but I also had some great teachers and mentors and people in my life that I would pull them in if I got some good energy, I'd just keep pulling on it. So gravitate to the positive. Stay away from the haters, okay?


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The Console software and interconnection platform provides a secure, simple and high-speed way for companies across the globe to directly connect to business-critical cloud providers, SaaS providers and partners. By combining direct access from within a Console-enabled data center with Console's network automation technology, customers can connect to a global ecosystem without configuration complexity.
"We are extremely excited to add Console to our growing list of connectivity partners," said Eli D. Scher, CEO, New Continuum. "We know our existing and future customers will benefit from this partnership. The fiber density and diversity we are currently building ultimately serves our customers and makes our facility a more integral part of the IT infrastructure landscape."
"We're pleased to welcome New Continuum as our latest data center partner," said Al Burgio, CEO and founder, Console Inc. "This partnership will provide businesses in West Chicago with access to a global ecosystem of partners via the innovative Console platform."
About New Continuum
New Continuum Data Centers ("NCDC") is a multi-tenant data center operator in the western Chicago suburbs. NCDC operates an 80,000 square foot, purpose-built, concurrently maintainable facility in West Chicago, IL. NCDC offers highly flexible wholesale and retail colocation services to enterprises and small businesses. New Continuum's products range from basic colocation to private cages, private suites and secured data halls. Additionally, NCDC offers unique connectivity and peering solutions through its partnership with United IX (www.unitedix.net). New Continuum's 2N power design can accommodate some of the highest density cabinet footprints, and with its efficient technologies and robust cooling infrastructure it can deliver leading edge PUEs. To learn more, please visit www.newcontinuum.net, or call 877-432-2656.
About Console
Console was founded in 2011 to change the way enterprises connect to their customers, vendors and partners. Console's next generation interconnection platform enables any-to-any collaboration globally, for clouds, networks and enterprises. The Console platform provides enhanced network security, improved performance and faster business-to-business direct connections. For more information, visit www.console.to.
Console (formerly IIX Inc.) is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. The company has expanded its global interconnection footprint into more than 160 Points of Presence (PoPs) across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Console is privately held and investors include New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Formation 8, DOT Capital, AME Cloud Ventures and Drew Perkins.
Console is a trademark and IIX is a registered trademark of Console Connect Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
New Continuum
Aiste Buinauskaite
877.432.2656 x200
Alex Jafarzadeh
March Communications for Console
(617) 960-9900


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african 2010 villa in cape town
african 2010 villa in cape town
The space
African themed self catering cottage,has 1 double,2 single beds,full cable tv,alarmed,has safe,linen/towels included,microwave,fridge/freezer,pots/pans/cutlery/crockery,iron/ironing board,private pool/bbq area/courtyard with mountain views,clock radio,big walk in closet,telephone local/long distance,linen/towels /breakfast provided/washing of all your laundry,tourist brouchers on site,also look at (Website hidden by Airbnb) secure open bay parkings included,no tax,stay 7 days get 1 free,minimum stay 3 days,deposit of 50 percent required.,situated in a middle class suburb walking distance to supermarkets and bank atm machines. The price is for the whole cottage not per person and sleeps 4 people at the max
also available in the main house is a double room so if you wish to book the cottage and the room we will give a special rate for both. During world cup time which is June - July the rate will be for the whole cottage $160.
Free parking on premises
Cable TV
Unavailable: Smoke detector
Unavailable: Carbon monoxide detector


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Since 2004, every purchase from TBolt USA includes access to technical support from our staff of experts and our online Pit Bike Technical Info Database!
We have all necessary support parts on hand.
Most orders ship same, or next business day, unless otherwise noted above.
*Piranha 140cc Engine
fits Pit Bikes and other Minis
TBParts - Race Petcock for Z50 79-99
TBParts - 12 Way Rotating spacer 26mm
ATC 70 Pegmount with Pegs
Piranha - Shifter for ATC70
TRC CRF50/XR50 Tank Spacer kit
.FMF - PC4 Full Exhaust System for XR/CRF50 BIG BORE
TBParts - Honda Z50R 80-99 Rim in White
Our engines use the Honda bolt pattern, and bolt into Z50, XR50, CRF50, CT70, CL70, SL70, XL70, ATC70, TRX70, DAX70, TRX90, Extreme, SDG, Sikk, Pitster Pro, Coolster, Orion, Thumpstar, OGM, Pit Pro, G2Moto, Braaap and SSR pit bikes.
Our tech database has info about most common pit bike repairs, upgrades and troubleshooting. If you have a tip, drop us a line!
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Our main warehouse, shop & offices are in Pennsylvania, but we often ship from other warehouses around the country.
©2019 TBolt USA, LLC - Website by Pale.IO


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One of my Facebook friends, and I apologize for not remembering his name but at the time I didn't realize I would need it, commented that his wife doesn't read science fiction or fantasy but does occasionally ask if "the Leaf Guy" has done anything recently. By whom she means me.
The Leaf Guy is a title I am proud to assume. Autumn is my season, Halloween is my holiday (just ask the neighborhood kids!), and fallen leaves are a medium I take a particular pleasure to dabble in.
This year, the summer was dry, autumn came late, the nights were warm, and for a while it looked like I wasn't going to have the bright leaves needed to write a Halloween story on.
But at the last moment they came through.
So the other day Marianne and I wandered through nature preserves and cemeteries, writing on leaves and photographing the results. Beforehand, I had written a four-sentence Halloween story called "Lord Autumn's Game." It came out well, I think.
You can read the story here.


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Underserviced Communities
One World Clean Energy strives to meet the needs of the underserviced communities where energy is either not available or not affordable. Our mission is to bring affordable, sustainable, renewable energy to underserviced communities throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Sub Saharan Africa.
According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development, three quarters of the world's more than one billion extremely poor people live in rural areas of developing countries. Fighting poverty today means first and foremost transforming rural lives and livelihoods.
The majority of the rural poor depend on agriculture and agriculture-related small industries and services for their livelihoods. It is in the areas where the incidence of poverty is highest that agricultural development can have the greatest impact on inclusive growth and overall poverty reduction.
In fact, during the past twenty years there has been a striking correlation between regional patterns of agricultural growth and the patterns of poverty reduction.
Communities with high energy costs, unstable energy distribution and/or underutilized agricultural crops/land
- Communities and businesses with high waste and water treatment costs and/or land constraints
- Communities lacking energy and transportation fuel distribution infrastructure
We are actively researching innovative technologies in our ongoing quest to provide sustainable renewable energy


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Street Law, Inc. and The Supreme Court Historical Society present
Street Law /
A search warrant is an order signed by a judge that allows the police to look in a specific place for a specific item at a specific time. In order to get a search warrant, the police must persuade a judge that they have "probable cause" to believe they will find evidence of criminal activity in the place to be searched. Police officers do this through an affidavit, which is an oral or written statement made under oath. In the affidavit, they identify the place to be searched, the reason it is to be searched, and the items that are to be seized. If a judge believes that a police officer has demonstrated "probable cause" that he will find the items, the judge will issue the search warrant. If the judge does not believe that "probable cause" exists he will not issue the warrant.
In the activity that follows, you will walk through the process of obtaining a search warrant.
In which scenarios did the police officers request a search warrant?
In which scenarios did the judge issue a search warrant?
Why were warrants issued in some cases but not in others?
In situations where warrants were not issued, how did the police obtain evidence?
Residents in Las Vegas, Nevada are complaining about one of their neighbors. They believe that the adults living in the corner house of Caroline Way are involved in something illegal. The neighbors notice cars coming and going at all hours. Most of the time single men drive the cars. These men spend very little time in the house before leaving, often carrying a package with them when they leave. Additionally, the children living in the house appear sad and malnourished. They are frequently playing in the back yard during school hours and walk around the neighborhood wearing little more than their underwear. When interacting with each other, the children use very mature language, often peppering their comments with profanity. At school, the children's teachers notice that they have trouble sitting still and often complain about not feeling well. Witnesses to this suspicious activity include the next-door neighbor and the nurse at the children's elementary school.
In a quiet neighborhood outside of Chicago, Illinois a middle-class family has begun to spend money as if they were rich. The wife, a stay-at-home mother of two, traded her Ford station wagon for a BMW SUV. She purchased three platinum and diamond rings for her right hand and a huge emerald and diamond ring for her engagement finger. Furthermore, as the weather has gotten colder, a fur has replaced her wool coat. The father, a manager at the local Bank of America branch, recently bought a snowmobile and a mint condition 1957 Corvette. At school, the kids have been bragging to their friends about skiing in Switzerland. Witnesses to this suspicious activity include the next-door neighbor and the mother of the children's best friend.
A wealthy businessman in San Francisco, California has a family with three beautiful children. He and his wife are well known for their philanthropic contributions to society. Recently, an article in a San Francisco newspaper featured the family and mentioned that they were worth about 500 million dollars. The weekend after the article appeared in the newspaper, the youngest daughter was at soccer practice in a city park. Mrs. Smith, who usually watches her daughter's practice, left for about 20 minutes to run some errands. When she came back, her daughter was nowhere to be found. Frantic, she asked the team coaches and parents at the practice if they knew where her daughter was. No one did, but one father, Mr. Cruz, mentioned that he had seen an unknown woman lingering near the water fountain at the far side of the field. Mrs. Smith called her husband in tears, wondering how she was going to explain the situation. However, when she reached her husband she did not need to explain. He told her that a letter was mailed to him that afternoon. It says, "We have your daughter. To get her back, you must contribute the following fee to the "HELP ME" organization: $25 million dollars. Collect the money, DO NOT call the police, and await further instructions." A witness to this suspicious activity includes Mr. Cruz, the soccer father.
A high-school senior at a New York prep school comes to class wearing brand new sneakers, an expensive shirt and very pricey jeans. A talented artist, he is known to take beautiful, dramatic photographs of people. Because he usually wears neat, but not new clothes to school, his classmates comment on his new look. He is pleased and tells them to wait and see what he has on tomorrow. The following day, he again comes to school in new clothes. In addition to the clothes, however, he also has on a new gold necklace and is seen in the cafeteria treating three of the most popular girls to lunch. When questioned about his new wealth, he says that he has gotten a job. At the end of the week, he drives to school in a new Jeep Cherokee. That weekend, he is spotted at several parties he has never before been invited to. At the parties, he is often seen in quiet conversation with other students where money exchanges hands. Witnesses to this activity include the high-school student's art teacher, the captain of the cheerleading squad, and the manager at the store where the boy claims to work.
When visiting downtown Kansas City, Missouri you and your friend come across a woman on the street corner selling stereo equipment out of the back of her SUV. The equipment that she is selling is very high quality but she is selling it for less than half the price it would cost in a specialty store. When you ask how she is able to sell the equipment at such a low price, she tells you that the merchandise was previously owned, but assures you that it has been checked and is in excellent condition. Not wanting to commit to a purchase, you ask if she will be back next weekend. She says she will, but might not be in the exact location. During the week, you talk to your uncle who lives in Kansas City, Kansas. He asks if your community is having the same crime wave that his is suffering. You tell him no, and you ask for details. He says that homes in one of the more affluent neighborhoods are being burglarized. When you ask what is being stolen, he tells you jewelry and electronic goods. Although you think nothing of it at the time, when the weekend comes you again see the woman selling stereos and think twice. Witnesses to this activity include your friend and your uncle.
Bored one Saturday evening, you are sitting in your family room watching MTV and wishing your parents would stop arguing over whose turn it is to do the dinner dishes. As the VJ introduces the latest smash hit, you hear a screeching noise in your driveway, followed by the sound of wood splintering. Rushing outside, you come across two friends in a gorgeous bright red BMW with a personalized license plate that reads "Doc." Surprised, you ask, "What's up?" "The sky," the driver replies and tells you to get in the car "NOW." Ignoring the yelling of your parents, you hop in the car, figuring you are about to embark on a fantastic adventure. Once in the car, you ask your friend in the passenger seat where you are going. He looks scared, but answers bravely, "Anywhere our chauffer wants to take us." Careening around corners and running red lights, you get to the center of town before you notice the flashing lights of a police car behind you. Your friend ignores the police until you and the other passenger convince him to pull over. Witnesses to this activity are the two passengers; Doctor Rodriquez, whose red BMW is missing from the restaurant parking lot where he had parked it; the driver of another car that was almost run over by both the BMW; and the police car pursuing the BMW.
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Review: Forbidden Kingdom
Plot: A bullied South Boston teenager, Jason (Michael Angarano)-who's obsessed with kung fu films, finds himself transported back to ancient China when he comes into contact with a mysterious golden staff. According to legend, the staff belonged to the mythical Monkey King, who was imprisioned by an evil warlord (Colin Chou) and can only be freed by reuniting with the golden staff. Accompanied by a drunken immortal (Jackie Chan), a warrior monk (Jet Li), and a vengeful teenaged warrior (newcomer Liu Yi Fei), Jason sets off on a quest to reunite the Monkey King with his magical staff.
Review: I never thought I'd see the day- Jackie Chan & Jet Li together onscreen. Kung-fu film fanatics like myself have been dreaming about this pairing for a long time. One would think that any film putting these two legends together would be a sure fire smash. Alas, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is a major disappointment.
To be fair, Jackie Chan & Jet Li are both past their physical prime. Jet Li is 45, and Chan is almost a decade older- so this pairing comes pretty late in their respective careers. While both actors are in excellent shape for their age- one can't help but wonder what a Chan/ Li pairing would have been like 15 years ago.
The big problem with THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is that it's just too minor a vehicle to be featuring such an iconic pair. Loosely based on the classic Chinese tale, "Journey to the West", the film is obviously geared towards a young, western audience- hence the young Western lead actor, Michael Angarano, who gets the lion's share of screen time. Chan & Li are really just supporting players, and the film really rests on Angarano's (weak) shoulders.
Angarano's not a bad actor- he was terrific in SNOW ANGELS. Alas, this is no SNOW ANGELS. Basically he plays the annoying young sidekick- but instead of being a supporting role he's the star. Imagine INDIANA JONES & THE TEMPLE OF DOOM if Short Round had been the main character instead of Indy. Over the course of the film, Angarano's character is trained by Li & Chan, and at the end of the film he's supposed to be a badass. This is pretty hard to swallow as Angarano's is actually fairly inept in the action scenes, and he comes off looking like Ralph Macchio in THE KARATE KID.
Chan & Li have both gone on record stating that this film is not for their hard core adult fans, and that this film is strictly intended for kids. That's all well and good- but as we've been waiting ages to see these two masters team up, it would have been nice if the resulting film was worth the wait. It's as if Arnold Schwarzenegger & Sylvester Stallone decided to team up, but instead of making a bad ass action film they decide to do a Disney flick.
As a result- instead of getting Li & Chan making a hardcore old school Hong Kong action film, we get them in this lightweight kiddie flick. While they both engage in plenty of fights throughout the film, all of the battles are totally toned down and really pale in comparison to the recent work of other martial arts megastars like Donnie Yen (who's managed to completely reinvent himself with the recent SPL- known here as KILL ZONE, and the recent FLASHPOINT) and Tony Jaa. The two titans do face off in one extended duel choreographed by master Yuen Woo Ping- but the fight is really nothing special.
Another problem with the movie is that as an American kids film, Chan & Li have to speak English throughout. This isn't a problem for Chan, as his English has gotten pretty good over the years- but Li's another story. While he can acquit himself nicely if he doesn't have to handle too much dialogue, his English comes off rather weak and some of his line readings are painful.
I really hope that one day these icons re-team in a vehicle worthy of their talents. They actually have pretty good chemistry onscreen and they play off each other well. I'd love to see them team up in a really cool Chinese action film where they can take center stage and prove that despite their age, they're still two of the greatest action heroes of all time.
Grade: 5/10


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Would you like to win a Jenni Bowlin kit? Pop over to the Crate Paper blog for your chance to win! They are featuring a few of our projects that we made with the Oct. kit, which had some gorgeous Crate Paper - Restoration in it. I am so in love with this line!!
I am working with the next JB kit right now, and made 3 layouts with it last night. I know I say this every month, but this next kit is gorgeous too!! I will give you a little peek....it's raining here today, so it's not the best picture, but you get the idea at how beautiful the kit(s) are!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Crate + JB = love!
Posted by Danielle Flanders at 10/29/2010 09:04:00 AM
5 comments:
- Colibri scrapero said...
Hola, que bello recuerdo y los colores están justos, corazónes y nostalgia... muy lindo lo que cuentas... que tengas un muy buen fin de semana, bye....
- October 29, 2010 at 10:04 AM
- clouds shadler said...
This scrap page looks great! :) I'm totally in for the Nov kit! Thanks for the tip on the CP giveaway! Can't wait to see the rest of your layout!
- October 29, 2010 at 8:01 PM
- Kay said...
Wonderful! I like what I see!! :) ♥♥ Kay
- October 29, 2010 at 8:58 PM
- Jocelyn said...
Love what I see!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great one!!!
- October 30, 2010 at 7:49 AM
- Jenniwren32 said...
All of these layouts are just lovely, Dani!!! What a great color combination too! :)
- November 1, 2010 at 4:25 PM
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Get Well Flowers
Nothing says "Get Well Soon" like a vibrant bouquet of fresh flowers! Look no further for get well gifts than The Flower Garden. We deliver get well flowers to Saugerties, NY or nationwide to brighten their day! You can even send a plant or a modern bouquet, either way, they'll be sure to get well soon!


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If you are looking for one book to answer all your money questions, "Managing God's Money," by Randy Alcorn is the book you must add to your library. When I say this book answers all your money questions I am not exaggerating. Rightly so, he starts off with what the Bible actually says about money and stewardship then jumps into everyone's first misconception about money, "Does the Bible say money is evil?"
This book contains a lot of information. I will admit when I first received it and flipped through the pages I thought it was too much information in one book. But the format of the book is what makes it easier to approach. The book is broke down by sections, each section is broke down by chapters then each chapter is written as if it were the FAQ section of a pamphlet. Some of the questions included in the book are: Is it possible to follow God and money? Why does God prosper us sometimes? What does it mean to store up treasures in Heaven? Should reward be our only motivation? Isn't tithing legalism? Should we tithe on our gross or net? Are we to blame for people's poverty? Is gambling okay? The list goes on and on.
This would be an excellent resource for recent college graduates that are potentially going to be at their first full-time job making their own money decisions or a newlywed couple that will be making those decisions together. If this book would have been given to me for either of those occasions I probably wouldn't read it straight through but instead I would read the Table of Contents and look up the questions I had first and get those answered and keep the book around when I approach different phases of life and need a refresher.
Thanks to Tyndale Publishing for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.


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I love to visit Larry and Connie's garden in Redmond, WA. Apart from the guaranteed hugs (and a homemade cookie if I time it just right) I know I will be met by a wonderfully exuberant garden. It's a sort of English-garden-meets-Pacific-Northwest, which isn't surprising when I tell you that I was the one who designed it. Five years ago it was the proverbial blank slate – or at least a concrete slab surrounded by clay. I'll take you on a full guided tour another time with their permission, but today I'm just going to give you a peek at one of my favorite vignettes.
Garage doors are rarely a feature one wishes to emphasize yet they are a part of today's lifestyle and often quite literally 'front and center' when you approach the home. We were lucky that there was a pocket of soil on either side of the garage door and an attractive painted pergola framed the space. I suggested planting climbers in those spots and with their love of English gardens, roses were the obvious choice.
Larry chose the Westerland rose for its heady fragrance and gentle color palette which ranges from buff yellow to apricot/peach tones, perfectly blending with the stonework on the home's exterior. This climber scrambles easily to the top of each pillar, has good disease resistance and blooms all summer.
By why have just one climber when you can have two? I was happy to donate two of my Clematis 'Jackmanii superba' to plant at the base of each rose and there began the perfect partnership. Using the rose as a support the clematis easily climbs to the top of each pillar before meandering across the pergola. The rose and the clematis are perfect companions. Sort of garden friends whose lives have become intertwined, each one somehow at its best in the others company.
Larry and Connie have become very dear friends yet as much as I love to visit them I do enjoy the fact that they have given me 'garden privileges' so that I can stop by and take pictures of 'our garden' whenever I'd like to. And that's the best bit. This isn't my garden as much as I'm proud of the part I played in its creation. This is their garden and if I'm brutally honest their touches are some of the very best!