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For Breeana Mulligan, communications director of the Queens County Young Democrats, now is the perfect time for young people to join their local political clubs.
Mulligan first got into politics when she volunteered for Councilman Paul Vallone's 2009 campaign. Though he lost that race, Mulligan remained involved. After Vallone was elected to the City Council in 2013, she joined his staff.
The Queens resident later worked for Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito until the end of her term. Now, Mulligan is on the communications team for Speaker Corey Johnson.
"I have worked my way up, all because I just went outside and ran into Paul Vallone one day," she said. "All it takes is to just walk out your door and take a chance. You never know who you're going to meet."
Mulligan wanted to meet more staffers and fellow Democrats, so in 2015, she joined the Queens County Young Democrats. A year later, she ran for and won her current position as communications director.
"I think it's cool how you have access to local elected officials, and you're able to do so many big-scale projects because we have the support of those elected officials," she said.
Her message to those who want to get involved in politics, now that more young people want to get engaged, is to get to know local elected officials and representatives. Attend a press conference, write a letter to them or, better yet, join a political club.
"If you're upset about what's happening, the best you can do is get involved like President Obama said in his farewell address," Mulligan said. "To sum it up, all politics is local."


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Obama's BFF compares Israel to Naziscompared Israel to Nazis.
In November 1998, the Institute for Jewish Policy Research released its annual report on current trends in anti-Semitism across the world. In the section for Turkey, the journal quoted the then-mayor of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in June 1997, at a meeting organized by the municipality to celebrate the city's conquest by the Ottoman Turks, remarking: "The Jews have begun to crush the Muslims of Palestine, in the name of Zionism," the mayor said, "Today, the image of the Jews is no different from that of the Nazis."
Erdogan later became, and still is, the Prime Minister of Turkey, a man whom President Obama describes as a personal friend, in a country that is a member of NATO, and head of a government that is regarded as moderate, and, as the London Times recently reflected, an example of how Islamism and democracy do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Birikim, a Turkish socialist culture magazine, also attributes the quote to Erdogan. A search through Western newspaper records, however, shows no mention at all of these comments.
That remark is not the only example of Erdogan's hostility in this regard. Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak has reported Erdogan commenting that the media does not fully report Israel's "murder of innocent children" because the "world's media is under the control of Israel, and this needs to be emphasised."It took more than two weeks for the mainstream media to report Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy's anti-Semitic comments. How long will it take to report Erdogan's?
Labels: anti-Semitism, Barack Hussein Obama, Nazis, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

subset: commoncrawl


text:
$39.99 $79.98
*To add multiple monograms with different names add one monogram to the cart and then go back, change name and add second one to cart. Repeat for as many as you need.
Round Anchor with Name and Est Date Monogram Metal Art Wall Decor
Preview Tool:
Facebook users: if the option to add the name does not appear please enter it in the notes section


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I was a victim of check fraud. I was told I'm entitled to seven years of free fraud alerts as long as I have a police report. Is this true? The bad checks are rolling in now, and I am concerned that they might have opened up credit in our names as well.
Dear GID,
Your situation is precisely why the system of security alerts and fraud victim statements exists. The role of the alerts is to help people who are identity theft victims stop credit fraud resulting from that identity theft.
Your case is a perfect example. Because check fraud does not involve accessing a credit report, neither a temporary security alert nor a fraud victim statement will stop the check fraud. But the alerts may help protect you from new credit fraud resulting from the theft of your identity if the identity thief attempts to open new credit accounts using your identifying information.
These services are available to everyone who is a victim at no charge.
Your first step is to add a temporary, initial security alert to your credit report. You can do so at Experian's Fraud Center. The alert is free and lasts for twelve months. That gives you time to get a copy of your credit report, which is also free, and ensure there is no credit fraud appearing on your report.
The alert is sent every time a lender or other business requests a copy of your credit report. It says:
Fraudulent applications may be submitted in my name or my identity may have been used without my consent to fraudulently obtain goods or services. Do not extend credit without first verifying the identity of the applicant. I can be reached at XXX-XXX-XXXX. This Security Alert will be maintained for 1 year beginning MM-DD-YY.
Initial security alerts are intended for people who know or have reason to believe they are at increased risk of credit fraud. For example, they may have lost their wallet or purse, or they may have received a notice that their identifying information was compromised as the result of a computer data breach.
For those individuals a temporary security alert may be all that is needed. If they find their wallet or purse, or the data is recovered and has not been accessed, they have no need to continue the alert because the threat no longer exists.
Because you know you are an identity theft victim and have a police report, you can take the next step and add a seven year fraud victim statement to your credit report. A fraud victim statement says:
Fraudulent applications may be submitted in my name or my identity may have been used without my consent to fraudulently obtain goods or services. Do not extend credit without first contacting me personally and verifying all application information at DAY XXX-XXX-XXXXEXTXXXXX or EVENING XXX-XXX-XXXXEXTXXXXX . This victim alert will be maintained for seven years beginning MM-DD-YY.
In order to add a victim statement you must first file a police report or valid identity theft report.
A victim statement lasts seven years, and like an initial security alert, is provided to every business that requests your credit report.
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) greatly strengthened the alerts by requiring that businesses respond to them in a reasonable manner. Ignoring the alerts is now a violation of federal law.
Experian and the other national credit reporting companies share initial security alerts and fraud victim statements when you request them. All you have to do is contact one of the credit reporting companies and the alert will be added automatically by the others.
The credit reporting companies implemented the one-call process a number of years ago. They recognized the importance of making it as easy as possible for people at high risk of identity theft or who already were victimized to add the alerts so that they could begin the recovery process.
Thanks for asking.
The "Ask Experian" team


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| Overview | Programs | Resources |
Autism 101
This four-week class addresses questions of parents who are raising a child diagnosed with autism. The class covers everything from theories and myths to successful intervention strategies and cutting-edge curriculum. Parents have the opportunity to compare notes with others who are raising children with autism, and have their questions answered by an expert panel of educational professionals. This class is offered during the fall and spring.
Information Library
The Information Library, located in the Willow Lane Interagency Office, includes books and videos on a variety of topics. Each item has a library card. Please complete the card and slip it into the gray metal box located on the bookshelf.
Other resources
- Minnesota Department of Education
- Division for Early Childhood
- Autism Society of MN
- Exceptional Parent Magazine
- Osseo Area Schools Preschool Programs


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Learn More
Thermo Scientific™ CL-XPosure™ Film (X-Ray Film)
Capture results of ECL-based Western blots and other chemiluminescent protein or nucleic acid assays using this economically priced, clear-blue X-ray film.
Brand: Thermo Scientific™ 34099
Additional Details : Weight : 0.10000kg
CL-XPosure Film is an excellent phototgraphic film for use with enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) substrates for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP). Convenient sizes are offered for protein Western blotting, standard film cassettes and film developing equipment. The autoradiography film also works well for chemiluminescent or isotopic DNA and RNA methods, including Southern and Northern blotting and gel-shift assays (EMSA). The quality and price of this film make it the smart choice for life science research applications.
High performance – just as sensitive as other commercially available autoradiography films
Affordable – costs up to 75% less than other brands of comparable quality X-ray film
Convenient – available in five sheet sizes in packages containing 50 or 100 non-interleaved sheets
Perfect match – validated for use with Thermo Scientific SuperSignal Chemiluminescent Substrates and Thermo Scientific Pierce ECL Chemiluminescent Substrate
Ordering Information:
Available in 5 × 7in., 7 × 9.5in. , 9.5 × 11in., or 14 × 17in. sheets
|CL-XPosure Film, 14 x 17in. (35 x 40cm)
|100 Sheets


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David Ruth
Amy Hodges
Study reveals 17 percent of atheists with children are involved in religious institutions for social and personal reasons
Some atheist scientists with children embrace religious traditions for social and personal reasons, according to research from Rice University and the University at Buffalo — The State University of New York (SUNY).
The study also found that some atheist scientists want their children to know about different religions so their children can make informed decisions about their own religious preferences.
"Our research shows just how tightly linked religion and family are in U.S. society — so much so that even some of society's least religious people find religion to be important in their private lives," said Rice sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund, the study's principal investigator and co-author of a paper in the December issue of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
The researchers found that 17 percent of atheists with children attended a religious service more than once in the past year.
The research was conducted through interviews with a scientifically selected sample of 275 participants pulled from a survey of 2,198 tenured and tenure-track faculty in the natural and social sciences at 21 elite U.S. research universities. Approximately half of the original survey population expressed some form of religious identity, whereas the other half did not.
The individuals surveyed cited personal and social reasons for integrating religion into their lives, including:
- Scientific identity – Study participants wish to expose their children to all sources of knowledge (including religion) and allow them to make their own choices about a religious identity.
- Spousal influence – Study participants are involved in a religious institution because of influence from their spouse or partner.
- Desire for community – Study participants want a sense of moral community and behavior, even if they don't agree with the religious reasoning.
Ecklund said one of the most interesting findings was discovering that not only do some atheist scientists wish to expose their children to religious institutions, but they also cite their scientific identity as reason for doing so.
"We thought that these individuals might be less inclined to introduce their children to religious traditions, but we found the exact opposite to be true," Ecklund said. "They want their children to have choices, and it is more consistent with their science identity to expose their children to all sources of knowledge."
One study participant raised in a strongly Catholic home said he came to believe later that science and religion were not compatible. He said what he wants to pass on to his daughter – more than the belief that science and religion are not compatible – is the ability to make her own decisions in a thoughtful, intellectual way.
"I … don't indoctrinate her that she should believe in God," the study participant said. "I don't indoctrinate her into not believing in God." He said he sees himself as accomplishing this by exposing her to a variety of religious choices, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and others.
Ecklund said the study's findings will help the public better understand the role that religious institutions play in society.
"I think that understanding how nonreligious scientists utilize religion in family life demonstrates the important function they have in the U.S.," she said.
Ecklund is the author of "Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think," published by Oxford University Press last year.
The paper was co-authored by University at Buffalo SUNY sociologist Kristen Schultz Lee. A grant from the John Templeton Foundation and funding from Rice supported the research.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Ecklund, contact David Ruth, director of national media relations at Rice, at 713-348-6327 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Related materials:
Video: Atheists embracing religious traditions:
Religion and science do mix:
More than 20 percent of atheist scientists are spiritual: http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=15739&SnID=1558900405
Scientists want more children: http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=16024&SnID=1558900405
Related links:
Study: Atheists and Agnostics Negotiate Religion and Family: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01604.x/abstract
Rice University Department of Sociology: http://sociology.rice.edu/
Elaine Howard Ecklund bio: http://sociology.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=117
Elaine Howard Ecklund photo: http://www.media.rice.edu/images/media/NEWSRELS/0920-Elaine_Ecklund.jpg
Credit: Rice University


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- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- Donate Now
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 3, 2008) - The ETSU volleyball team had its share of ups and downs in the 2008 season, but came on late to finish the season strong making it to the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Tournament.
The Bucs (12-20, 7-13 A-Sun) finished the season winning three of their last four matches, including an upset of fourth-seeded Mercer, 3-2, in the A-Sun Championships. The win was the first ever A-Sun Tournament victory, and the first postseason win for the Bucs under head coach Lindsey Devine. Freshman McKayla Barber (Columbus, Ind.) earned All-Tournament Team honors for her performance against the Bears as she led the team with 15 kills.
Amanda Youell (Middleburg, Fla.) had the ETSU offense going late in the season as she had a stellar performance in the last week of the regular season totaling 99 assists in the wins over USC Upstate and Campbell. The junior led the team with a triple-double and four double-doubles on the season.
ETSU faced some tough competition during the season facing three NCAA tournament participants and two conference champions. With a young squad, the Bucs rallied back at Campbell down 13-10 in the final set to pull off five straight points and win the match.
Other highlights included a sweep over the conference front-runner North Florida on Sept. 20, and the placement of Barber to the A-Sun All-Freshman Team. The future looks bright for the Bucs as all 13 players will be back in 2009 to make a run at their second conference title in the last four seasons.
Please visit www.ETSUBucs.com for more information on ETSU volleyball and all other Buccaneer athletic news.


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Dune Categories
The newest Sigma Designs 8642 media processor
Blu-ray and DVD player
HDD player
Network player
MKV player
HD audio
3 USB ports
HDD rack with hot swap function
SD card slot
A rich set of standard A/V connectors
Extended support for Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio
Video output flexibility
File browser
The new top-of-the-range model. Universal all-in-one solution to play video up to Full HD (1080p), combines in one case: universal HD media player and the up-to-date Blu-ray player.
Dune HD Max features the powerful modern Sigma Designs SMP8642 video processor, and a built-in silent optical drive that allows the Dune HD Max to play anything from CDDA to DVD and Blu-ray disks. The player also has a 3.5" SATA HDD rack with hot-swap support, an SD card slot, and 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports to connect external storage and extension modules.
One of the main features that distinguishes this media player from its competitors is its special compartment for extension boards. The compartment is located behind a panel at the rear of the media player. Up to 2 boards can be installed simultaneously.
The new device justifiably promises to be as successful as its predecessors in the 3.0 series, which won all possible industry awards, and came out top in all the comparative tests conducted by different high-profile technology publications around the world. The Dune HD Max supports practically all audio and standard and high-definition video formats. It is compatible with all types of "high-definition" sound formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD Master Audio etc.), and plays DVD and Blu-ray discs and images with ease. Special notice should be taken of the extremely fast networking speed, the IPTV and Internet Radio functions, as well as the built-in torrent client and Internet browser, not to mention the constant product development with firmware upgrade possibility.
MyMediaStreamer.com Product of the year 2010
HDTV.ru (Russia) Best Buy
HD Land (France) Award
HDfever.fr (France) Award
1e2.it (Italy) Best Buy 2010-2011
Lesnumeriques.com (France)
Mundobip.com (Spain) Recomendato
Real World Labs Editor's Choice Award
HDplayerThailand.com (Thailand) Best of the Best HD Player Award 2010-2011
Satvision (Germany) Test winner
HDCLUB (Ukraine) Editor's Choice 2010
Stereoplay (Germany) Test winner
Benchmark.pl (Poland) Super Product
in4.pl(Poland) Recommended
The newest Sigma Designs 8642 media processor: enjoy excellent playback and performance of interactive features.
Blu-ray and DVD player: play Blu-rays and DVDs (plus Audio CD and data discs with video/music/photo files).
HDD player: connect an HDD to the player and play content directly from the HDD.
Network player: connect the player to a local network and play content directly from PC or NAS (UPnP, SMB, NFS).
MKV player: play HD and SD video in a popular MKV format and other modern video file formats, including top quality HD video with very high bitrate.
RealD: watch 3D video in this ultra modern format used in cinema for the latest movies.
HD audio: enjoy top-quality audio tracks (Dolby True HD, DTS HD Master Audio, LPCM, FLAC).
3 USB ports: conveniently connect HDDs, USB flash drives, USB card readers and other USB storage devices.
HDD rack with hot swap function: easily and quickly insert and exchange internal 3.5" SATA HDD.
SD card slot: easily play media files on SD memory cards from your camera or other devices, or use an SD memory card as a local or system storage (required for BD Live function).
HDMI 1.3: ensure the best possible quality of HD video and HD audio.
A rich set of standard A/V connectors: use S/PDIF optical audio, stereo audio, component video, composite video outputs to easily connect any A/V equipment.
Extended support for Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio: output bitstream (up to 7.1 channels) or decode to LPCM (up to 7.1 channels) for maximum flexibility when connecting audio equipment, and for extended support of advanced playback features (such as Picture-in-Picture).
Video output flexibility: output video in any resolution and format (from SD to 1080p, 24p/PAL/NTSC).
Upscaling: high quality upscaling of DVD and any other SD video content to Full HD (1080p) or other HD resolution.
File browser: convenient file browser with powerful file management (copy, move, delete, rename, organize, sort).
High-quality music playback: play very high-quality (up to 192 Khz / 24-bit) music files in various formats (FLAC, Monkey's Audio APE, WAV/PCM, DTS, etc).
Playlists: build playlists from your folders, use your own playlists, use repeat and shuffle functions.
NAS function: access files on storage devices (HDD, optical drive, etc) attached to the player from the local network (using SMB or FTP).
BitTorrent: use built-in BitTorrent client to download files from P2P networks.
Customizable user interface: work with media collections using cover art and icon browsing (with Full HD graphics).
Flash applications: extend the player functionality with FlashLite applications.
Internet radio: playback and record various Internet radio stations (HTTP/MP3).
IPTV: playback and record IPTV streams (multicast UDP/RTP) from your Internet provider (check availability of multicast UDP/RTP streams with your Internet provider).
Digital TV option: playback and record Digital TV channels using an optional Digital TV USB dongle (Digital TV USB dongle is not included; this option can be purchased separately).
Internet browsing: view Internet Web sites on your TV using the built-in Web browser (built-in Web browser has limitations and may not allow to view some Internet Web sites).
Dune HD Max media player
Remote control (batteries may not be included)
Power supply cord
AV cable
HDMI cable
Quick start guide
Additional items (optional) may be included into the package, depending on player configuration, region, and distributor
Player itself without legs: 429 mm (width) x 299 mm (depth) x 56 mm (height)
Player itself with legs: 429 mm (width) x 299 mm (depth) x 65 mm (height)
Gift box: 140 mm x 360 mm x 500 mm
Net weight: 4.25 kg
Gross weight: 5.75 kg
Two-year warranty.
EU, with VAT: 469 EUR
You can vote for the features which have the biggest priority for adding to Dune players according to your opinion. We promise to take into account the result of this voting in our work on the new firmware releases.
Sigma Designs 8642
Flash memory
256 MB, expandable with a HDD partition, USB flash drive, or SD card (2GB recommended)
Media sources
Internal HDD (SATA 3.5"), built-in Blu-ray drive, external HDD (USB), external optical drive (USB), USB devices (USB flash drive, USB card reader, etc), built-in SD card reader (SD/SDHC), PC and NAS in local network (SMB, NFS, UPnP, HTTP), other Internet and local network media sources (HTTP, multicast UDP/RTP)
Video codecs
MPEG2, MPEG4, XVID, WMV9, VC1, H.264; support for very high bitrate video (up to 50 MBit/s and higher)
Video file formats
MKV, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, M2TS, VOB, AVI, MOV, MP4, QT, ASF, WMV, Blu-ray-ISO, BDMV, DVD-ISO, VIDEO_TS
Optical disc formats
Data discs (CD/DVD/BD) (MP3, JPEG, etc), Audio CD (PCM/DTS), DVD-Video (retail and user-authored discs), Blu-ray (retail and user-authored discs)
Blu-ray playback
Blu-ray menu, BD-J, BonusView, BD-Live – for both Blu-ray discs (retail and user-authored) and full Blu-ray structures (Blu-ray-ISO, BDMV) played from HDD and network
Video output modes
Wide range of supported output resolutions (up to 1080p) and framerates (including 23.976p, 24p, PAL, NTSC)
Video output framerate
Automatic (according to the played content) and manual
Audio codecs
AC3 (Dolby Digital), DTS, MPEG, AAC, LPCM, WMA, WMAPro, EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), Dolby True HD, DTS HD High Resolution Audio, DTS HD Master Audio, FLAC, multichannel FLAC, Ogg/Vorbis; support for very high quality audio (up to 192 kHz / 24-bit)
Audio file formats
MP3, MPA, M4A, WMA, FLAC, APE (Monkey's Audio), Ogg/Vorbis, WAV, DTS-WAV, DTS, AC3, AAC
HD audio support
Pass-through (up to 7.1 channels) and decoding (up to 7.1 channels) of Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD MA audiotracks (Blu-ray, TS, MKV), pass-through (up to 7.1 channels) of multichannel LPCM audiotracks (Blu-ray, TS, MKV), decoding (up to 7.1 channels) of FLAC audiotracks (MKV, external)
Subtitle formats
SRT (external), SUB (MicroDVD) (external), text (MKV), SSA/ASS (MKV, external), VobSub (MP4, MKV, external SUB/IDX), PGS (Blu-ray, TS, MKV)
Picture file formats
Playlist file formats
Photo viewer functions
Slideshow, transition effects, picture rotation, zoom, browse playlist, repeat, shuffle
Audio playback functions
Browse playlist, repeat, shuffle, ID3 tags, plasma TV burn-in prevention
FAT16/FAT32 (read-write), EXT2/EXT3 (read-write), NTFS (read-write)
10/100 Mbit (with 1000 Mbit/s experimental support) *
Optional 802.11n WiFi (via an external USB WiFi stick, not included, Dune HD Air recommended)
Dune Network Playback Accelerator
Special optimizations ensuring best-in-class network playback performance for the Sigma Designs 864x platform and enabling smooth playback of any supported kind of media content via any network protocol (including NFS and SMB) even in 100 Mbit/s Ethernet networks.


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Posts Tagged 'Postbellum American history'
American Historian: George Bancroft
I'm back from Christmas break and trying to recuperate from a few too many cinnamon rolls. Reading assignments and preparation of a research proposal due Sunday are top of mind.
The class is Historiography so the research isn't to be about the development and proof of a thesis. It's more about research into the history of how history was written.
For my research paper, I plan to explore the influence of historian George Bancroft (right) on Antebellum, Civil War, and Postbellum American history. I may need to shave this down a bit depending on how much material I find.
Bancroft was one of the best known American historians of the 19thcentury. While Harvard educated (he entered at 13 and graduated at 17!), he is considered a "literary historian," who wrote in a style popular with the public. His primary work was the multi-volume History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, which he began writing in 1830. [Picture left of remaining vHe published the first three volumes over that decade. The final set would be ten volumes. A first revision was completed and published as six volumes in 1876 as part of the national centennial.
Perhaps less known is that Bancroft, while Secretary of the Navy, created the Naval Academy. He was also chosen by Congress to eulogize Abraham Lincoln. The New York Times reprinted that Eulogy on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the event in 1915. It, along with drawings of the event, can be seen in their entirety here.
I have located the index to his papers housed on microfiche at Cornell University and two biographies which leverage that material. The first, a two volume set 1971 reprint of M.A. DeWolfe Howe's 1908 work The Life and Letters of George Bancroft, I was able to find on the Amazon Marketplace in almost pristine shape. The second, George Bancroft: Brahmin Rebel, was written by Russel B. Nye and published in 1945. It's on order. There are other large collections of Bancroft materials in holdings by the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library. I'm beginning in earnest a search for articles that deal with his contributions to American history as well.
As a follow-up at some later point, I think it would be very interesting to contrast the style and impact of George Bancroft with Charles and Mary Beard. As a historian friend of mine said, "you'd be hard pressed to find two more different expositors on the American experience than Bancroft and Beard. Bancroft was an unabashed patriot and advocate of democracy, to a degree that would be considered embarrassing in most academic settings today. Still, he was indeed the most articulate and widely-read of our early historians, and his writings both reflected and helped to create the sense of American exceptionalism that has prevailed for most of our history as a nation."
You might recall that Charles and Mary Beard were the first to suggest that the Civil War was the second American revolution as was mentioned in my previous post here.
The exceptional oil on canvas portrait above of Bancroft in later life was painted by Gustav Richter, a German painter (1823 – 1884). It is a part of the Harvard University Portrait Collection and is on display at Memorial Hall.
More as I get into my research.
Photo credits:
Photo of George Bancroft in middle age taken by Mathew Brady, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Photo of painting above: The President and Fellows of Harvard College.


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Use of personal or William Woods' computers, cell phones, or other electronic devices during class will not typically be tolerated during class so students might fully concentrate and participate as interactive members in all class discussions. Time may be designated during class periods in which the facilitator will ask/require such technology. Use of electronic devices during class can negatively impact participation points, at the discretion of the facilitator.
Revised: 9/28/2010


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'easy and comfortable viewing'
'I really enjoy holding it for long periods of time and have reverted back to reading books on my phone, something I haven't done since using my diddy-screened iPhone 4 two years ago.'
'The new look and feel brings with it a crisper and thinner font, a greater use of colour, and a layering system that gives everything added depth. '
'The iPhone 5S fully supports 2G and 3G (DC-HSPA and HSPA+) bands just as before but this time Apple has added in a host of additional 4G bands. '
'Some might see the plastic as regressive rather than progressive - it depends how much a lick of colour does for you - but any fears that you may have that C in 5C stands for "cheap" will disappear the moment you pick up the phone.'
'With the camera app, you have a new Automatic HDR mode, which applies HDR filters to objects and scenes before image capture. .'
Bright and cheerful new colors, Solid value
It's a cheaper iPhone, not a cheap iPhone
'There's no mistaking the Acer Liquid Z3 for a premium device.'
'The camera, as with the phone's screen, suffers from poor colour management, weak image definition and sharpness concerns. '
'The display of our test model is quite bright: up to 355 cd/m².'
Good camera, Vibrant Display, Ergonomic build
Clear call quality, a decent 5-megapixel shooter
Exceptional call quality, Good fit and finish
Inexpensive given its feature set, Excellent battery life
Large and bright screen, Affordable, Lightweight and comfortable design
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Heavy, crude design, Weak processor
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Snappy performance of the quad-core MediaTek chip at a low price
Near-vanilla Android software
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Fast browsing speeds, Loud speakers
Sturdy build, DLNA streaming and NFC
Cheap, solid, works as you'd hope and expect
Large IPS display, Good camera performance
Unpleasant, bloated Huawei software
Good design, 4G connectivity, Excellent value for money
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LTE module, high contrast, good images
High pixel densitiy screen, over 250ppi
Lack of apps, Slow, dated interface, Small display
Outdated OS, Unattractive design, Overpriced
Good-old QWERTY keypad, Offers both touchscreen and trackpad
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews. We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews covering over 29,474 products.


text:
Men's Navigator Fleece Button Up Shirt
Men's Navigator Fleece Button Up Shirt is rated out of 5 by 436.
- bvseo_sdk, dw_cartridge, 17.1.0, p_sdk_3.2.0
- CLOUD, getAggregateRating, 6ms
- reviews, product
Product Features
Classic plaid flannel design
Two Buttoned chest pockets
Signature Buck embroidery
Pencil Slot for secure storage
Warm, Heavyweight Fleece
Fewer fabrics are softer to the touch than the fleece of our Navigator. We made it thicker to trap heat better, too. Even if you were raised on cotton, once you give this polyester fleece a try, you'll never go back!
Button Closure Cuffs
Our Navigator Fleece offers incomparable comfort in all the right places. Adjustable, button-close cuffs allow you to roll up or button up to meet any occasion.
Product Description & Details
A shirt like no other! The look of a rugged plaid flannel with the warmth and comfort of heavyweight fleece. Features corduroy collar accents, button down chest pockets (with pencil slot) and Legendary® label finished with Signature Buck lower placket patch.
- Heavyweight Fleece
- Button Down Chest Pocket
- Signature Buck Embroidery
- Regular fit
- Imported
Material100% Polyester
WashMachine Wash Cold with like colors, Non-Chlorine Bleach Only, Tumble Dry Low, Remove Promptly, Low Iron
Rated 4 out of 5 by Specialnut from Great shirt! I would have given 5 stars but the size fluctuates so much. I don't know how some could have made it through quality assurance. The shirt itself is comfee warm and holds up well.
Date published: 2020-04-25
Rated 2 out of 5 by Johnn Boy from Shrinkage I wanted my shirts according to the washing instructions and they shrunk. They all fit very well prewash. I can not say the same now. Save your money and buy quality. Because what we have here is anything but.
Date published: 2020-02-27
Rated 1 out of 5 by lgnd02 from It's like that cheap thin blanket you don't want for Christmas Shirt is cheaply made, fit isn't true & material doesn't hold up. Save your money & go with a different brand.
Date published: 2019-12-04
- bvseo_sdk, dw_cartridge, 17.1.0, p_sdk_3.2.0
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- reviews, product
What's the length of the shirt in a small and a large?
Size small is 30 1/2" Size large is 31 1/2"
Date published: 2019-03-26
Will this shirt shrink after washing?
This shirt is 100% polyester so it should not shrink as much as if made with cotton but I would wash in cold water and tumble dry low and remove promptly
Date published: 2018-11-17
What is the shirt length 2XL vs. 2XLT?
The length on a 2XL is 33" and on a 2XL-Tall it is 35"
Date published: 2018-10-19
Are the sleeves nylon lined for easy on/off??? Thanks.
The sleeves are not nylon based. They are a mixture of fleece and polyester
Date published: 2019-11-14
What is the length of this shirt in an XL vs a Large?
The back length on the Large is 31 1/2 inches and the X-Large is 32 1/4 inches.
Date published: 2018-10-13
what is the weight of the flannel
The Navigator Fleece's fleece fabric weighs in at 250gsm, which is about 8.8oz.
Date published: 2018-01-10
I need to order an XL and its not available ? When will XL be available ?
We don't have any dated information on when our next shipment is expected at this time, but the Navigator Fleece Button Down Shirt is considered one of our Fall items, so I would expect to see it in late Summer/early Fall. Keep an eye on our website though, as that will be the first place updated as soon as we get more stock!
Date published: 2018-01-05
Do you make this shirt in Boy's sizes?
I'm sorry, but we do not have this shirt available in boy's sizes.
Date published: 2017-12-10
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text:
SEATTLE - Police say a Seattle Pacific University student on Thursday disarmed a lone gunman who entered a building and shot four people.
A hospital spokeswoman says one man has died and three other people are injured, one critically.
Police say the student building monitor disarmed the gunman as he was reloading. Several students held the gunman until police arrived.
Police say the gunman is under arrest. The Otto Miller building where the afternoon shooting took place has been secured.
Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg says a man in his 20s has died and a critically injured 20-year-old woman has been taken to surgery. Gregg says a 24-year-old man and a 22-year-old man are in satisfactory condition.
Gregg says the hospital is not expecting any more injured people from the shooting.
About 4,270 students attend the private Christian university, located in a residential neighborhood about 10 minutes from downtown Seattle.


text:
Unions are not the cause of the sad shape of the economy.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Do We Really Want To Do Away With Unions?
Unions are not the cause of the sad shape of the economy.
5 comments:
- Anonymous said...
solidarity forever, Solidarity forever, SOLIDARITY FOREVER FOR THE UNION MAKES US STRONG!
- 4:58 PM, February 18, 2011
- Unknown said...
I wish we had stronger "associations" here in Texas, we are going to get a royal "screwing" by Rick Perry and David Dewhurst and the business community this session....and then they'll be bitching down the road about the quality of student/worker getting turned out....Hell, Mr. Businessman, you got to pay for quality.
- 1:39 PM, February 19, 2011
- Anonymous said...
You have got to be kidding. There are people in this country that do dangerous jobs without union protection, but teachers think they need union protection. If the truth be told, it's all about the money. Unions are bankrupting this country. When it comes to our schools we are not getting our money's worth.
- 9:16 PM, August 10, 2011
- Pissedoffteacher said...
Everyone needs union protection. If you think differently, you must be one of those people abusing others.
- 11:40 AM, August 11, 2011
- Anonymous said...
Let the socialist minded be union drones if they wish. But let those who are proud of their country and don't need union suckling, work for whom they see fit - with ties to no one.
- 11:56 PM, September 19, 2011


text:
I just started off in this kind of stuff, so I'm practically nowhere yet. I have several questions in mind, e.g.:
a)if I need to export an object with events, does it necessarily have to be a control? Can't "plain" classes have events in C++?
b)does my DLL have to be an automation server in order for it to export my classes?
c)I'm very confused by the "MFC" stuff. Do I need it? I mean, in Visual Basic it was very easy to make a DLL that exposed classes (regular classes, not control classes). That is, no "visual" part. In VC++ I can't seem to get rid of MFC "base classes", so I end up with a control.
Sorry for/if mixing up things, I shall soon split my problem into more clear parts, but at the moment I need to start somewhere.
Thank you.


text:
Robert M. Eichler Gay and Lesbian Studies Endowed Library Fund
The purpose of the Endowment is to create a documentary collection and record of the gay and lesbian community in the United States, and, in particular, in the Pacific Northwest; purchase, collect and preserve materials including but not limited to books, journals, manuscripts, papers, reference works and audio-visual materials; underwrite the costs of guest presentations and speeches, lectures, educational forums, professional groups, exhibits, publications and other related educational activities that support and promote gay and lesbian studies.
Bob Eichler believes it is important to make materials available to students for specialized study. Education on all levels is the key to the understanding of gays and lesbians, and the importance of every individual's civil rights. Bob ('64) was inspired by a member of the Friends of the Libraries Board to create this endowment.


text:
Integral: three years of insight into the violent cosmos
Observing the cosmos, full of violent phenomena and extreme energy, has been the task of ESA's Integral gamma-ray observatory since its launch on 17 October 2002. Three years later, the mission is going very well and has recorded a wealth of important discoveries.
Integral is surveying the sky continuously using four instruments – two main gamma-ray instruments dedicated to imaging (IBIS) and spectroscopy (SPI), an X-ray instrument (JEM-X) and an optical monitor (OMC).
These instruments are Integral's 'eyes' – providing for the first time simultaneous, single-satellite observations in different wavelengths of the most energetic objects and phenomena in the Universe.
Its observations have already enormously contributed to scientific subjects such as the births and deaths of stars in our galaxy, massive black holes, ultra-compact objects like neutron stars and elusive but powerful gamma-ray bursts, to name only a few.
Integral has been looking at gamma-ray sources within our own galaxy, the 'Milky Way', and outside it. The galactic centre of our galaxy is one of Integral's prime targets. It hosts a super-massive black hole equivalent to three million solar masses.
Integral made the first detection of the persistent but low emission of highly energetic X-rays coming from the direction of the galactic centre. Integral's observations, combined with simultaneous observations from ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, suggested that we are seeing for the first time particular X-ray emission directly from the immediate vicinity of the super massive black hole. This is giving new insights on the nature of such massive 'monsters'.
Integral is also keeping its promise to dig into the behaviour of 'antimatter'. When electrons meet their antimatter counterparts ('positrons'), they annihilate each other and produce a distinctive gamma-ray emission. Integral provided the first galactic map ever of such emission.
This sky distribution appears very smooth and almost symmetrical, centred on the galactic centre itself with only a very weak component in the galactic disk.
This suggests that, besides the annihilation of matter with the antimatter produced, for instance by winds from massive stars or regions around black holes and neutron stars, the annihilation with antimatter could also be produced by an exotic form of 'dark matter'.
With its ability to see faint and fine details, Integral has identified 91 individual sources that count almost completely towards the diffuse galactic background of soft (low-energy) gamma rays observed by previous observatories.
The mission is also a gamma-ray burst detector, and has been spotting one burst per month in its field of view. Integral recorded the closest and faintest gamma-ray burst to date, suggesting the existence of an entire population of sub-energetic gamma-ray bursts which have so far been unnoticed in the Universe.
Other examples of Integral's discoveries relate to the study of 'compact sources' in our galaxy. For instance, it discovered a new class of X-ray binary stars, not seen by previous missions.
They are characterised by high masses, strong stellar winds, and accreting material from the companion star leading to a 'cocoon' around the compact source. Most of theses objects are located, as far as we could see so far, in the 'Scutum' and 'Norma' spiral arms of our galaxy.
Also, extra-galactic observations of so-called 'active galactic nuclei', combined with results from XMM-Newton, revealed that the super-massive black hole housed in their internal regions is surrounded by a doughnut-shaped gas cloud.
This is only a limited overview of Integral's achievements to date. So, with such a brilliant performance so far, what new surprises will come next from Integral?
Note to editors:
Initially planned to operate for 26 months after launch, INTEGRAL is now in an extended mission phase. A further two years extension until 2008 has recently been recommended by ESA's scientific advisory committees to be approved by ESA's Science Programme Committee next month.
For more information:
Chris Winkler, ESA Integral Project Scientist
E-mail: christoph.winkler @ esa.int


text:
In a decision with implications for his own re-election this fall, the next presidential campaign and the GOP in Washington, New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday called for a special election to be held this year to choose the successor to the late Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg.
Christie announced at a press conference that he had opted against appointing a successor to Lautenberg to serve until the 2014 election, and scheduled a general election on Oct. 16. The primary will be held in August. Christie also said he would appoint an interim senator to serve between now and November, though he explained that he had not decided on that temporary appointee yet.
With this decision, Christie is potentially helping create the conditions for a big win in his re-election contest against Democrat Barbara Buono this November. Without a contested Senate campaign happening at the same time as his own re-election, turnout among Democrats is likely to be far lower, allowing Christie to run up the margin of victory in a race he is already a big favorite to win.
That, in turn, could make him look like a more formidable presidential candidate in 2016 should he choose to run.
Julio Cortez / AP
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talks to the press after casting his primary election vote, Tuesday, June 4, 2013, in Mendham Township, N.J.
The governor argued that a special election is the fairest choice to quickly fill the open seat.
"This is about guaranteeing the people of New Jersey both a choice and a voice in the process," Christie said. "The right thing to do is to let the people decide, and let them decide as soon as possible."
The primary will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 13 – a decision Christie stressed would take the choice away from party bosses.
"I will not permit the insiders and a few party elites to determine who the nominee of the Republican Party and the Democratic party will be," Christie said.
The governor was openly defiant that such a strategy was the reason for his decision, saying he followed the letter of the law to let the people pick, and political calculations played no role in his timetable.
But Christie's decision to hold a special election in October could also be a gamble, leaving the governor open to criticisms of making a self-serving decision and causing a hefty financial cost to the state that could run as high as $24 million for the special election.
Christie said he wasn't aware of what the cost would be – but in typical Christie fashion, said it didn't matter.
"I don't know what the cost is, and quite frankly I don't care," he said. "The cost cannot be measured against the value of having an elected representative in the United States Senate when so many important issues are being debated this year."
While many Democrats accused Christie of needlessly inviting an extra cost upon New Jersey taxpayers – all while avoiding a special Senate election on the same day that voters decide on Christie's own re-election – the governor's decision won the praise of the Senate's top Democrat.
"I think it's the right thing to do," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters on Capitol Hill.
Senate Democrats seemed pleased by Christie's decision, while gleefully pointing out the governor likely frustrated his own party with his timetable.
"Republicans have not won a Senate race in New Jersey in more than 40 years. Their only shot was an appointee who had a year and a half to establish themselves before an election in 2014," said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Matt Canter. "With this news I assume operatives at the NRSC are busy planning Christie's defeat in Iowa and New Hampshire right now."
The option was the least preferable for Senate Republicans, who were not only looking forward to having an extra vote in the Senate for an extended period but also hoped they could make this contest competitive.
The choice of an October special is likely to placate no one on either side of the aisle, and enrage conservatives even more than Democrats – causing him headaches in a potential 2016 GOP primary.
Republicans made no secret they preferred a 2014 special election, allowing a Republican to take the Democrat-held seat for over a year and a half, and allowing a strong GOP candidate, preferably one appointed by Christie, to build up a moderate voting record and robust campaign.
A NewsNation panel shares their thoughts on the special election and who may fill the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg's Senate seat.
With Christie on the ballot this November, Republicans at the state level especially hoped for down-ballot help in state legislative races. GOP strategists also feared that a special election would help Democratic turnout, especially among African Americans, if popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who was already running for Lautenberg's seat, is the nominee.
Democrats, however, hoped for a November 2013 contest for exactly the opposite reason. Buono hasn't been able to raise money and mount a serious challenge to the governor, but if a competitive special election drove up turnout among Democrats, they could at least cut the margin and minimize Christie's coattails on other races.
Possibly the biggest risk Christie faces though – tarnishing his fiscally conservative brand and saddling the state with two elections that could cost upwards of $24 million. According to an advisory opinion from the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, obtained by NBC News, the cost for both a primary and a general is approximately $11.9 million each, instead of holding them concurrent with the November 5, 2013, general election.
Democrats will be all too eager to make that point in his re-election contest, where Christie has campaigned on cutting spending as governor. An NBC News/Marist poll from last month showed the incumbent with a more than two-to-one lead over Buono, with 58 percent approving of his handling of the state's budget.
Despite being close to Booker, Christie may have done inadvertent harm to the Democrat's bid. Booker's now all but certain to face a primary, likely from Rep. Frank Pallone and maybe even Rep. Rush Holt. And because of the timing of the election, neither would have to give up their safe House seats to run. Booker is still the favorite going into a Democratic primary, but he'll have a competitive race that might have been avoided otherwise. A later race would have given Booker a bigger financial edge, and could make it harder for him to distance himself from his advance Senate announcement and the lashing the late Lautenberg gave him. And, Booker too could answer in a Democratic primary for his cozy relationship with Christie.
The October decision could save Christie legal wrangling and a court battle over the date, particularly if he had tried to wait until 2014. Democrats could still wage legal action, wanting a November contest, and while Republicans haven't publicly raised the specter of suing, legal action against one of their most prominent Republicans isn't exactly the press Christie, or the GOP, would want.
This story was originally published on Tue Jun 4, 2013 1:43 PM EDT


text:
I couldn't think of a better day for my first poolside post of the summer season.
Before I continue, I want to sincerely thank those servicemen and women who have fought for our freedom, forsaking their own lives. And while we're here, a big thank to those who continue to fight for freedom.
We live in the greatest country in the world, but it doesn't come cheap.
Today, the LaVida family is enjoying a day of R & R. We are sitting by the pool, reading, and generally enjoying a day without to-do lists and agendas. Later we are going to enjoy things that always feel like a holiday to us: meat cooked over flame, potato chips, and quite possibly ice cream sundaes.
We are also eating copious amounts of Skittles and Cowtales candies, because tomorrow is the day when my little "brace face" will be getting serious in her orthodontia journey. After today, there will be at least 24 months without chewy, sticky, and hard foods.
(My kids of course think they have hit the mother-load because the only time we ever have free-for-all candy feasts is Easter and Christmas.)
I plan to enjoy this R&R day to its fullest. This week will be full as I tie up loose ends, and prepare for next year. I have one more week of personal/homeschool organization, several meetings, and a few embroidery orders to fulfill, and then I will be able to officially call it summer!!!!!
Well, it looks like a storm may be brewing. I better get some pool time before they kick us out for storms! I hope you have a fun and restful holiday!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Poolside Post: Memorial Day
I couldn't think of a better day for my first poolside post of the summer season.
Posted by Unknown at 12:27 PM 9 comments Links to this post
Friday, May 28, 2010
It's come.
The day I have been waiting for since late February: Fruit.
(Or veggies.)
Of course hard work is still required, but seeing the fruit makes ease of toil.
One of the things that was hard for me as a gardener this week was pruning.
The tomato branches had grown too heavy for their stakes and were slumping under their own weight.
My tomatoes and zucchini had grown so full and thick that the sun wasn't able to shine through, causing the under-leaves and young fruit to wither and rot.
This was especially true for the zucchini.
You see, growth is a good thing, but pruning makes the plant healthier-- more fruitful.
It was painful for me to cut out the limbs and leaves, and yet, I know that the benefits of such discipline will yield a greater crop.
I'm learning so much from my time in the garden. The fruit I gather this summer will not be limited to what I can pick and put on a plate.
I am harvesting fruit that no one will see, but will sustain me through the year. It will carry me through those cold, wintery months when the smell of the earth and the warm humid air will be a memory...and a longing.
I will remember to prune the branches of my days and weeks, so the Sun will shine clear down to the dirt and keep my roots from rotting.
I will remember that it's OK to cut out branches that look and seem life-giving, but are really weighing things down, causing the whole plant to bend with the weight...
Yes, the fruit of the garden has come...But my crop is far greater than the eye can see.
"So neither he who plants
nor he who waters is anything,
but only God who gives the growth."
1 Cor. 3:7 - ESV
Posted by Unknown at 8:23 AM 11 comments Links to this post
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sit Right Back and Hear a Tale
I am back from my first camping trip with the Girl Scouts.
There was rain, and thunder, and out-houses, and wet clothes, and all the things that make a great camp-out.
There were many adventures.
Take, for instance, this picture:
This would be me, in the Bogue Sound off of Emerald Isle, in murky water where real-live creatures live.
As in creatures of the scary kind: shrimp, pipe fish, and crabs as big as my face. Oh, I forgot to mention sting rays, and sometimes sharks...but only "little" sharks that don't eat suburban soccer moms who drive white mini-vans.
I made that last one up. Sharks actually can eat suburban soccer moms, but only when provoked by a big green net hungry.
Anyway, this picture was taken as I was fretting about what would happen if I fell in the water, rendering myself fish food, or worse, getting completely soaked. Seconds before, my eyebrows were furrowed in consternation. When I realized my photo was being taken I quickly gave my best I'm-not-worried-at-all-about-falling-in-crab-invested-waters smile.
But you know what?
I would do it all again. In a heart beat because....
The kids had a blast...
Playing in the surf...
And catching wildlife....
We all loved learning about marine life and the coast of this great state we have the privilege to call home.
It was a great way to start our summer vacation.
The only way this trip could be better is if I had a way to make the large mound of sea-smelling laundry disappear. Maybe next time.
***In the interest of due credit, all photos in this post were taken by our troop leader, M. Lewis.
Posted by Unknown at 9:24 AM 9 comments Links to this post
Labels: Adventures, Girl Scouts, Silly Things I Do
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Island Adventure
I'm about to set out on a beach-camping trip (as in sleeping-in-tent camping) with the Girl Scouts.
It's raining as I type.
It's supposed to rain on and off for the next 48 hours.
I'm not worried about that though.
What I was worried about was how I was going to get my coffee fix in the mornings.
As luck would have it, I am not the only one who needs a java jolt to function each day, and rumor is that we will have electricity at our camp site.
So I'm bringing my Keurig.
Yup, I am.
I mentioned to another mom that I could bring it and her eyes lit up like a Christmas morning. I don't know her too well yet, but I am pretty sure we're gonna get along. You know what Girl Scouts and coffee have in common? They both are a catalyst to "make new friends!"
So when you see on the news that the coast is full of stormy weather, don't fret. We've coffee! We'll be OK!
It's all about survival my friends.
If you were going camping on an island with 10 preteen girls, what would you take to survive?
Posted by Unknown at 8:48 AM 11 comments Links to this post
Friday, May 21, 2010
Bloggy Business
I'm trying to set my new computer up so that I can blog from anywhere...my office, the deck, or poolside.
Don't let that last one fool you. My life is not glamourous. Its just that swimming season started this week and I know I will be by the pool. A lot.
This post will be my first official post with my new BlogPress app. Which means I can draft to the blog without copy/pasting from the notepad, which proved to be very difficult in the last two posts.
While we are talking of boring topics such as my typing skills, or lack thereof, let's also talk about blog readers - the ones that help organize the blogs you read such a Google Reader or Bloglines, not you the actual reader.
I had recently been convinced to switch my blog settings so that if you read posts in a reader, or on Facebook (hello Facebook friends!) you wouldn't have to click over to read the full post; you could just read it in its entirety right on your reader.
Although I was skeptical, I tried it for two weeks.
If you were happy about my switch, I have bad news, I'm switching back.
I'm doing this for two reasons, one is that I have a Sitemeter that tells me who is visiting, and second, I like to "hear" from those who read (in the comments section.)
I was hesitant to switch because what I had predicted would happen, happened: my visitors and comments went down exponentially.
When readers read from feed-readers (say that ten times fast) I don't get a record of who is really visiting my blog. If you talk to bloggers they will tell you that the numbers aren't important, but lets be honest, bloggers write so people will read.
I don't put faith in numbers, but when the comments are low, it helps to know people still visited.
Do I hear an amen?
I will confess that if you have a blog that can be fully read in the reader, I am less apt to click over to your site, and consequently les apt to comment. Or sometimes it's because I get sidetracked by a bright shiny object. However if I am forced to go to your site to read the full post, I'm probably going to comment, since I am already there.
On a side note, and since we are talking about commenting, it's not that I don't want to comment on your blog, it's just that sometimes, if I don't feel that my comment will add anything of value, or if your are reviewing a product, I probably won't leave a comment.
Not that I mind if you review products, its just that you can find a blogger reviewing product under every URL, so its hard to come up with something original to put in the comment box. I'm just sayin'.
On to the next thing on the agenda....
You may be asking yourself why I don't advertise, or do product reviews? (I have an email box full of companies that want to send me everything from jewelry to luggage to review on my blog)
It's actually a matter of personal conviction. I don't often do reviews, or have advertisements in my side bar, or solicit sponsors. I have always chosen to keep my blog free of these kinds of things.
I can see the value of blogger product reviews (not to mention the great swag that I could gain), but I have always kept an arms distance because when I have opportunities to write to about things that are important to me and to ministry, for example TrueCampaign, you know that I am sharing my heart.
These opportunities may never come (again), and I'm OK with that, I would rather have a very few opportunities when I my voice can be distinct, than to speak in a time when I have to shout to be heard.
On the flip side, you may not care one iota why I don't review, blah, blah, blah...but now you know.
In the meantime, I blog because I enjoy it, and I've met some amazing people along the way.
So that is the bloggy business. Meeting adjourned.
But before you go, tell me: do your prefer reading blogs in the reader, or going to the blog? What makes you comment more? What makes you want to run screaming, taking your comments with you?
I know this post may have hit below the bloggy belt, and you might unsubscribe. Before you do, at least say goodbye!
Happy weekend!
Posted by Unknown at 8:42 PM 14 comments Links to this post
Labels: blog business, True Campaign
Thursday, May 20, 2010
People Who Need People
My heart has been full over the past few weeks and its been hard to put words to the feelings...but I'm going to try.
I have been keenly aware of the impact of "people" in my life. People that I feel so grateful to know.
Many of them would never even know the impact they have, or have had, upon my heart. They would have no clue as to the profound ways they have encouraged me to persevere, to think differently, or to try new things. They don't know how they have been a catalyst in the molding and shaping of the woman I am, and the woman I am becoming.
I spent time tonight going back through the archives of the blog, and I realized that many of the posts I've written have been influenced by those who walk(ed) through life beside me.
Then I read some of the comments you and others have written in response to these posts. Those comments have encouraged me, enabled me, and gave me something to laugh about when I needed it. You have shared your struggles and your joy. You have commiserated and cheered, and I am just so glad to know you through this crazy community we call the "net".
I am not certain why I felt like I needed to write this except that often times we don't get the opportunity to say thank you to people who influence us.
It's been said that it takes a village to raise a child. I am so grateful that while I was growing up, and now as I raise children of my own, I have had my fair share of strong, brave, smart and beautiful women who have, and still do, influence my life (both in this community and in my "real-life" community), and I am exceedingly grateful.
Posted by Unknown at 10:13 PM 7 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
I had no intention to take a week off from blogging.
But I did.
Last week was so tightly packed with all things wonderful that I really didn't
have time to think.
First I took in a show with The Carpoolqueen and The Girl. We went to see Wicked: The Musical and I've been singing the music ever since (humming it in my head as I type.) It was truly amazing- as good as anyone said it would be.
Then I celebrated 15 years of marriage to that wonderful man whom I am privileged to share life with - the good, the bad, and all things in between. We celebrated with an Italian dinner. A far cry from that Italian meal I made for him 17 years ago that involved take-out lasagna from Olive Garden and a bottle of Boone's Farm I "borrowed" from my Dad's bar. (The wine had been a gag gift to my dad for his birthday. I didn't know it was cheap wine. Apparently The Mister didn't either, we drank it with ease. Young love is tasteless.)
On Friday I hopped on what was to be a "quick" flight to Tucson for the weekend. A dear friend was to be married at sunset on Sunday. I wasn't going to miss it! But a gully washer that passed over Dallas threatened my journey, which included a four hour trip to Houston and a slumber party in Dallas.
I am grateful for that impromptu night.
I have a friend who has a history of bailing me out of tough spots. Becky, the "Ant Ranchers Wife" (as she has been known around here) has seen me through many tight-spots, so she was the natural one to call in a moment of need. When I realized I was stuck for the night in Dallas I called her and said, "I'm getting a hotel near the airport, do you feel like a slumber party?"
She didn't take time to say "yes!"
She through essentials in the car, stopped at my favorite store for tortillas and chocolate cookies, and made it to the airport in 53 minutes, although she lives over an hour away.
She then proceeded to treat me to a night in Dallas as if I were the Queen of England. She got a room at the Gaylord (i had planned to stay at Comfort Inn) and then paid for room-service dinner while I sat on the bed in a jet-lagged stupor.
It was such a fun evening and I am so grateful to the Ant Rancher and his Wife for giving up their Friday night so I didn't have to spend a night alone.
Becky, you are dear to me and I love you much. Thank you for everything. For loving my lavishly, and being a friend through thick and thin. Next time dinner (and chocolate!) is on me.
It goes without saying that my arrival to the desert was one of gratitude. I don't think I have ever been so grateful to see the mountains, to feel the dry air on my skin.
I had less than 48 hours to visit my parents, my brothers, and their families. I also had to go shopping with my mom, eat Mexican food, drink a Piña Colada eegee, shop for a dress with my sister-in-love, celebrate my Dad's birthday, and drop-by a graduation party.
All before the big event: The Wedding - more on that tomorrow.
It was truly a whirlwind weekend. So fun, but too fast.
Meanwhile, back at the La Vida house, The Mister was able to get his hands on my combined Mother's Day/Anniversary gift (which had been on back order). I am typing on it right now, which is why this post has taken approximately way-to-long to type. I am almost embarrassed to tell you that he got me an iPad. Which is why there are typos all over the place. Well, at least I can blame them on the computer now.
To say I am spoiled rotten would be an understatement.
So I just won't say it.
Posted by Unknown at 8:08 AM 15 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Happy Tuesday after Mothers Day!
I know I am two days late, but Happy Mothers Day!
This week is chock-full o'activity and I have 15 minutes to type at you....here I go!
My mother's day was wonderful.
I got up, had coffee, watered my plants and generally enjoyed quiet all morning.
I'm not ashamed to tell you that I do not go to church on Mom's Day.
Well, I get up at a very early hour every single morning. Even on Saturdays because there is always a game, or project, or something going on.
Plus, I'm no spring-chick, so sleeping-in tends to be elusive.
Anyway, I am ALWAYS going, going, going.
For the most part I don't mind, but on Mother's Day, I take a day of rest. I don't have to be preened over or served or coddled. I just don't want to have to rush.
The kids slept in till after nine, so I enjoyed three solid hours on the deck in the chilly morning. I read and then I painted my toenails pink. The Mister offered to make me breakfast, but not being ready for anything more solid than my pot of french roast, I declined.
My generous and fun neighbor, Helen, was puttering in her exquisite flower garden so I meandered over (still in my pajama's) to give her a Mother's Day hug. As we chatted she was cutting blooms from the bush that were bigger than life, making a bouquet.
I didn't realize it was for me.
Sometime later that handsome groom of mine left to teach his Sunday school class. Eventually I made myself an egg with a side of toast and blackberry jam. Oh, and hot coffee. There must always be fresh hot coffee.
I enjoyed breaking my fast with the sounds of a North Carolinian morning, under the shadow of my rose and peony bouquet.
Later I opened my gifts.
We ate leftover pizza for lunch, and headed to the strawberry patch to pick 12 pounds of strawberries.
I specifically picked the patch that was close to a Sonic (we don't have one near our home) and we all had cream-slushes.
Then I came home, put my pj's back on, and sat myself down in my deck chair and called my mom. We talked at length about everything and nothing. We planned what we will do together next weekend. (I'll be in Tucson for 48 hours for a wedding.)
Then I crocheted while watching The Wedding Planner, my iPod propped up on my knees.
The kids played in the yard, while The Mister finished the treehouse.
Everybody made themselves their own dinner. We call it a FFY night : Fend For Yourself.
I rested, felt loved, and kept my family close.
It was a magnificent day.
Posted by Unknown at 7:56 AM 13 comments Links to this post
Friday, May 07, 2010
Hooker of the Crochet Kind
As a side note, the red and white roses I made on accident last weekend. The Mister and I were watching TV and I was just practicing, you know - single crochet here, double crochet, there - when all of a sudden I looked down and it was a rose!
Posted by Unknown at 12:33 PM 16 comments Links to this post
Labels: crochet, Silly Things I Do, yarn
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Garden Tour for Garden Friends
By the end of this summer you are going to be so sick of hearing about this garden.
If you live close enough I would bribe console reward you with fresh veggies, but the rest of you just have to persevere, you just have to listen in the name of La Vida love, and know that you are a friend of the garden.
Before we walk in the garden I did want to update on yesterdays post .
First, I did not get an iPad. They are REALLY cool, and I would love one, but they are pricey.
Just like most of you, we are in the middle of paying for orthodontics, new curriculum for next year, summer camps, and swim team (I won't mention that I am a little bitter that I bought the "new design" team-suits last year, in a slightly larger size, so as to use them two years in a row--- and they changed them again this year.) so I'm not sure if I see an iPad in my future....someday.
Second, apparently Fuddruckers declared bankruptcy , and all the corporate-owned franchises were closed. Which means we may still stumble across an independant FR franchise here and there, but the picking may be slim.
Third, and please don't unsubscribe if this offends, but I've had the Five Guys Burger and Fries. I was unimpressed. I just thought that the hamburger wasn't any different than say a Wendy's. It was maybe a step up from Burger King (although, in the interest of full disclosure I haven't eaten at either of those establishments, or any other fast food burger, for a very long time. So what do I know?)
And can I just say, that if all establishments would serve french fries like the Chick-fil-A waffle fries, or the crinkle-cut they serve at eegee's in Tucson, then I would be content.
The truth of the matter is this: I am not a burger aficionado, but I haven't met a potato I didn't like.
Ok, how in the world did we get on this topic? Let's move on....
This is my garden this morning:
Beefsteak tomatoes in the back, cucumbers in the middle, bell peppers in the front, Marigold along the side to attract good bugs and repel the bad.
Speaking of bugs....last weekend I was feeding my plants when I was confronted by a big bug that looked like this:
I bravely screamed in horror, and made The Boy come collect it and take it elsewhere.
The next day, there was another one. I sprayed it with Cayenne spray and it went away.
Turns out my fear overzealousness should have been glee, because apparently this monster beetle eats the bugs that eat gardens.
Unfortunately, he took his peppery self and went and told all his little Black Caterpillar Hunter friends, and they've blacklisted my garden as a safe place to dine.
(I'm really resisting the urge to go into a diatribe on how the worst part of gardening are the critters and creatures that crawl, so let's look at another picture.)
Those big ol'e leaves are zucchini. Here is a look at the underside:
Never in my life did I think I would be writing about the underside of zucchini.
Early this morning I finally got my watermelon and cantaloupe bed finished, filled, and planted. That white thing in the middle is my ant killer concoction: equal parts sugar and borax.
If you are a friend to the ants, I'm sorry. Ants are not friends of the garden.
There are other pictures of my herbs, sweet peas, broccoli, lettuce and jalepenos, but this post is beginning to feel a lot like a slide show shown by an old aunt that nobody really wants to see.
So my friends, I hope you enjoyed your tour today.
Posted by Unknown at 12:31 PM 18 comments Links to this post
Labels: gardening, Silly Things I Do
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Where's the Beef?
We had a "tragic" event in the La Vida house last night.
It wasn't so tragic for me, but I'm not sure my husband will get over it.
You see, my Mister is a loyal man. Not just in marriage, but in friendship, at work, at play.
He knows what he likes, and he sticks with it.
This is true with restaurants as well.
And his favorite place to get a burger?
Now, let me tell you that his love for Fuddruckers runs deep. He has loved a 1/2 pound burger-medium well- with-lettuce-tomato on toasted bun for more years than he's loved me.
However, his love grew to even greater heights one Saturday afternoon thirteen years ago. We lived in San Antonio. I was five months pregnant with my first-born, The Boy.
Back then I wasn't a meat eater. As a matter of fact I hadn't eaten meat for over a decade (with exception of that one time I was at a Sunday afternoon BBQ with my church choir friends. That's the infamous day I had three sips of a margarita and FORGOT I was a vegetarian... but that's a story for another time)
Anyway, The Mister will tell you that living with a new bride that refused to put meat in spaghetti sauce or cook tacos with ground beef, was a little trying for a meat and potatoes man.
The things you put up with for love.
He was long-suffering (for 18 months at least), until that wonderful moment when I thought I had the stomach flu, but was actually pregnant. Oops.
One morning, after months of morning all-day sickness, I woke up hungry.
Very hungry.
I was certain that the only thing that would satisfy my hunger was beef. So at 6am in the morning I rolled my burgeoning belly over, looked at The Mister and said with a seriousness I'd never known, "I need beef. Today."
And we sat and watched the clock until it read 11:00a.m.... cuz he knew that the Fuddruckers down the road would be open for business.
That day he heard the angel's singing, and I've been carnivorous ever since.
As a result, we have dined in Fuddrucker's establishments across the country: Los Angeles, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Tucson, Washington D.C., and a several places in between.
When we moved to North Carolina in 2005, he was happy to find that we were within 10 miles of the only Fuddruckers in the three large cities that make up this neck of the woods.
Last night he came home from work with his mind set on a burger. So we all piled in the car and headed out.
You can imagine, given this history, how he felt when we pulled into the parking lot and found it empty.
Well, actually, there was another family parked in the lot, looking at the plywood that was covering the doors. They sat in a stupor, shaking thier heads, with tears in their eyes.
The Mister was speechless.
I thought I might have to drive.
I quickly decided on another restaurant, and through the course of the evening I realized he might be going through the stages of grief :
Maybe they're renovating.
I've had meals here almost once a month for two years! I've had meetings here, and date nights with you, and shared burger's with family and friends... I guess it wasn't enough....
This is ridiculous! That wasn't just a favorite restaurant! It was the only place I could count on a decent burger!
And then, as we sat down at the new, unfamiliar, restaurant, he went into the next phase -
Reflection, loneliness and silence:
I was asking him questions about his day to start conversation.
He would only give one word answers.
Soon we were sipping lemonade and he entered the final phase:
The Upward Turn and Acceptance.
This is when I made my swoop.
"Hey, since we're out, how do you feel about going to the Apple store and checking out the iPad? Mother's Day is just around the corner!
{Insert cheesy grin}
Cuz nothing say's let-me-console-your-grieving-heart more than let's-look-at-$500-gadgets i don't really need.
I know, now you can see that he married me for my sweet and compassionate ways. I've tried so long to hide it.
Posted by Unknown at 8:02 AM 19 comments Links to this post
Labels: Silly Things I Do, The Mister
Monday, May 03, 2010
My sweet friend Gretchen of the West usually posts her Gladitudes at some point in the middle of week.
Since I am having a severe lack of things to say (or at least things to say in a well written manner) I am going to (for once) be ahead of the game and post a top ten list of things that make me happy in this month of May.
1. So glad for new friends, and fresh produce. My neighbor and I went to the farmers market this weekend. I got a dozen beautiful brown eggs, mixed salad greens, Bibb lettuce and fresh baked bread from the Empty Nest Baker . They all taste amazing. My goal for this summer is to buy all my eggs and produce (that I can't pick from my garden) from local farmers.
2. So glad to reconnect with an old and dear friend. Meg and I were friends in college and she has recently moved into the area. She was in my wedding, but when I moved away we lost contact. I can't even believe that she lives so close, but I am so grateful. I just love her and its fun to spend time with her.
3. So glad that this month I will get to celebrate 15 years of marriage. As well as...
4. ...Celebrate the wedding of a girl who I have watched grow up. As a matter of fact, we've watched each other grow up!
The little girl in the floral dress on the far left, will be the bride. I've loved this girl and her family for well over 20 years...before she was walking....before I had a drivers license.
She (and her sister, also in a floral dress) participated in my wedding, and fifteen years and three days later I will be watching with great joy as she and her fiance exchange vows at sunset.
So very grateful.
5. So glad that I got tickets to Wicked the Musical six months ago. The show has been sold out for weeks. The Girl doesn't know it, but I am going to take her next week to see it. She will be so. very. excited!
6. Exceedingly grateful for good books: I am reading several books right now (I can never read just one at a time) but I am finishing up a book written in the late 1800's called Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. I've read it several times, but it is a book all women should read. I'm also finishing up a book called Bruchko by Bruce Olson about a missionary to the Motilone Indians. Lest you think that I am all business in my book reading, I finished Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? last week. It's fluff, but its a good story. I recommend it, but I'll warn you that Kinsella has a tendency to use a foul and famous "f" word (in all her books) when it isn't always necessary.
7. I'm glad that school is nearly over. Only three weeks left!
8. I'm glad that The Mister has made great strides on the tree-house. He's doing a great job and I can't wait to see the kids playing in it!
9. So VERY glad that Clinton the Embroidery Machine in still on warranty and will go to the doctor on Wednesday, free of charge. He hasn't been behaving in several months and I have done all I know how to do. The only bad thing is that I'll have to drive him all the way to Raleigh and leave him there for a two-week stay. But hopefully we can get him running at his full potential again.
10. (Looking to the future....) if you are local (and not an axe murderer) and want to meet in the capitol city on Wednesday for lunch, email me and I will be glad to tell you where I will be!
Happy Monday!
Posted by Unknown at 8:39 AM 16 comments Links to this post
Labels: Gladitude


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Added Under ACTION | NA, EU | Closed Beta: TBA
GameTags: robot entertainment, gameforge, lobby-based, fantasy, third-person action, tower defense
Info: Orcs Must Die! Unchained is a free-to-play online action game with tower defense elements. In the game, teams of heroes battle head-to-head to attack and defend ancient strongholds. For the first time in Orcs Must Die!, teams of players are responsible for both sides of the battle — building traps to stop the enemy assault AND summoning their own armies to lead against the enemy defense.
Key Features:
• Attack and Defend – White-knuckle Fortress Siege action puts you into the thick of competitive siege warfare. Unleash your minions and charge into the heart of the enemy stronghold and build an impenetrable gauntlet of traps to hack, grind, flatten, gibletize and incinerate your foes. Your team must master both tactics to triumph.
• Choose Your Hero – Dozens of unique and powerful heroes offer deep gameplay options at all skill levels. Old friends the War Mage and Sorceress return to face new enemy heroes like Blackpaw, Midnight, Stinkeye, and Bloodspike. Whether players prefer might and majesty or scum and villainy, there's a hero for everyone.
• Collect & Customize – Collect and upgrade powerful heroes, over-the-top weapons, devious traps and fiendish minions. Build an arsenal from an enormous variety of options, and customize a strategy for every match. New heroes, weapons, traps, and minions are continuously added, and your collection will never stop evolving!
Model: F2P
Status: Closed Beta [ TBA ]
Subgenre: Third-Person Action, Tower Defense
Estimated Download: n/a
[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]


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DWTS Julianne Hough And Kenny Wormald Get Footloose For Elle Magazine September 2011
Leading up to the October 14th premiere of "Footloose", Julianne Hough (former professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars and sister to Derek Hough) and fellow cast member, Kenny Wormald, have done a fabulous new photo spread for the September issue of Elle Magazine. You can watch them work their "magic" in a behind the scenes video below from E Online. No wonder these two were picked for their roles. I love what Kenny says on Julianne's hard work ethic….
"She's like the hardest working person I know," says Kenny. "I was taking a nap one day, and our trailers were combined, and I was sleeping and I woke up because the thing was shaking. I was like what's going on in Julianne's trailer because she was working out with her personal trainer- getting fit during lunch while I'm taking a nap."
To see more of this shoot and read a cool article on the makings of Footloose, be sure to visit Elle.com.
Also, don't forget about the Footloose Video Contest!! Enter by September 16th, and if you win, you have a chance of winning a trip to the premiere. For more information on how you can do so, read some details in an earlier posting >>>>HERE.


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The Third Training Ground (第三演習場, Daisan Enshūjō) is a training ground where Konoha shinobi hone their skills. The Third Training Ground was the first place where Team Kakashi trained, using the bell training and previously used by the Team Hiruzen.
The third training ground is a portion of land located inside of Konoha. There is a view of mountains in the landscape and a large and deep river with forests in the both of its sides. There is a glade and in its centre there are three stumps lined side by side where Kakashi and Hiruzen used to tie their students, below there is the memorial stone, a polished kunai-shaped structure.
This ground was used by Kakashi to the survival training with bells, the same method used by the Third Hokage on his own students. Sakura and Sasuke tried to get the bells and failed, while Naruto was trying to skip the bell training and just go after the reward without getting the bell. Because of this, Naruto ended being tied up while forced to watch his comrades eat, after which they would be given a second chance for the bells. But Sasuke and Sakura, realising they would work better as a team if Naruto was not hungry, broke the rule and gave Naruto some of their food. Because of this, Kakashi, their jōnin sensei, passed them saying that "In the ninja world, those who break the rules and regulations are called trash, but those who don't care about their comrades are worse than trash."
Before the finals of the Chūnin Exams, Naruto came to the field nervous about his match with Neji. There he was surprised to find Hinata. He revealed his doubts about the match and his own abilities to her. Hinata told him he was wrong, and that in reality she viewed him as a proud failure who never gave up. This restored Naruto's confidence in himself and helped him win his match against Neji.
After about three years, Naruto and Sakura once again had the same bell training with Kakashi so he could see how they had improved. Kakashi is able to see the results of their training with Tsunade and Jiraiya, but they were still unable to beat him until Naruto threatens to tell Kakashi the conclusion of the new "Icha Icha" book, making the latter cover his ears so he can't hear them, then closing his eyes to prevent his Sharingan from reading their lips. They then took the bells, and Naruto revealed that he had only read the first ten pages, much to Kakashi's humiliation.