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The Coming of the Shopocalypse
Published on - November 9th, 2010 (by April Dykman)
This post is from staff writer April Dykman.
Brace yourselves — the Christmas-shopping season is upon us. In fact, it's been upon us since October at least, when I saw an early-bird Christmas shopper guide for the "it" gifts in 2010. Is it just me, or does the chaos seem to start earlier each year?
Last night I was browsing the list of Netflix "watch instantly" movies, and I saw one produced by Morgan Spurlock of Super Size Me fame called What Would Jesus Buy? Here's the official trailer:
The film follows Reverend Billy (real name Bill Talen), a performance artist with a shock of bleach-blond hair and a knack for getting the attention of shoppers and security guards alike. The documentary takes place in 2005 as he and his Church of Stop Shopping choir tour the U.S. to fight the "shopocalypse," a term he uses to describe the insanity that's become the American holiday-shopping experience.
Along the way, Reverend Billy gives passionate and comical speeches about consumerism and globalization, while the choir sings the "stop-shopping" version of popular Christmas carols. These performances take place in locations like Disneyland (Mickey Mouse is Reverend Billy's personal anti-Christ), Wal-Mart, and the Mall of America, and they typically end with security guards or police officers escorting the group from the premises. Talen's wife has lost count of the number of times he has been arrested, and he's no longer allowed in Starbucks. Any Starbucks.
Dreading the season
According to the film, three out of four people dread the holiday season. It's not really so surprising. Overspending is stressful, and in an Associated Press-GfK poll, 46 percent of Americans surveyed are experiencing a "great deal" or "quite a bit" of debt-related stress.
One mother featured in the movie said she had multiple credit cards she would max out at Christmas, but her husband only knew about one, and he paid the balance in full each month. It was so important to her that her kids have the best toys to impress their friends that she was willing jeopardize the family finances and keep secrets from her spouse.
Addiction to consumerism
It's easy to look down on someone who seems so out of touch with reality, but as the film points out, many Americans are clinically addicted to shopping. We're conditioned to associate material gifts with love at a young age, and family togetherness during the holidays now centers around gifts.
How else can one explain the 1996 insanity over the Tickle Me Elmo doll, when scarcity compelled some consumers to pay as much as $1,500 for a $30 toy? Or the 2008 incident when Wal-Mart employee Jdimytai Damour, 34, was trampled by a stampede of Black Friday shoppers and died by asphyxiation?
"It doesn't matter where it's made, as long as the price is low."
Another message that the Church of Stop Shopping works to get out is of globalization. The documentary focuses a bit on Disney, arguing that Disney sells a fantasy — an image of a child and a dream — but in reality, the company is "ruthless." One example from the film was a children's book about a Disney princess that didn't tell the story of the crushed fingers of the Chinese women who worked in the factory that produced it.
Buying most any item on the shelves of big box stores means American consumers are cooperating in this slavery, but those interviewed either felt that it didn't matter where an item was made or that there was nothing the average consumer could do about it. After all, they said, where do you shop if everything is made in China?
Advice from the film
Even the members of the Church of Stop Shopping realize it would be nearly impossible for the average American to just stop shopping altogether, but there were several bits of advice that anyone can apply who wants to keep the mania to a minimum and be mindful of how an item reached the store shelves, such as the following:
- Spend half as much money as you did last year, and give twice as much to others in time and love.
- When you buy, buy local. When local isn't possible, try to buy American-made items (or fair-trade items). The Responsible Shopper is another resource for the back story on a product.
- If you think you have a shopping addiction, try a trick interviewee Dr. April Benson uses with her shopping addict patients: Put a card in your wallet with the following questions: "Why am I here (in this store, on this website, etc.)?" "Do I need this?" "How will I pay for it?" "What will happen if I wait?" "Where will I put it?"
My thoughts
Talen puts himself out there as a reverend, but his message supersedes religious preaching and Christmas caroling (He actually doesn't refer to himself as a Christian.). I found the documentary to be both funny and depressing, and perhaps that's why Talen's theatrics weren't as annoying as I thought they'd be — I needed the comic relief.
While based in comedy, his message is quite serious. Most of us are conditioned to believe that it's just not the holidays without tons of wrapping paper piled up in the living room. We think a gift is a display of love, so the gift then quantifies love. I'm guilty of it. I've bought my husband a new shirt just because I was thinking about him and wanted to get him something.
I don't think Talen's point is that all buying is bad; it's more that we should be mindful of what we're buying and why, especially as the shopocalypse approaches and we're bombarded by the advertisers, deals, and hot items for the season of "giving."
Talen said it best during one of his sermons: "We think we are being consumers at Christmas, but instead we're being consumed." Here's to hoping we can all maintain our mindfulness through the hectic holiday season.
(And if you need some pointers, GRS has featured articles in the past on celebrating a frugal Christmas, keeping the season anti-Stuff, and making homemade gifts.)
This article is about Consumerism, Shopping
Honestly, I don't know how the issue of parents spoiling their children can be blamed on anyone but the parents themselves. If you don't have the strength of character to tell your child "no", then I have to wonder if you're fit to be a parent at all! The Disneyland thing is particularly weird – your child is enjoying an amazing holiday, why on earth do they need *stuff* as well?
The sweat shop issue is completely separate. I'm ashamed to think how often I block the issue out of my mind.
My sister and I are both in our thirties and we live in Michigan. Neither of us has children. Our parents live in Boston and fly out to Michigan every Christmas to be with us, so each year they are already spending a few hundred dollars in plane tickets. For the last five years or so, my family has had an agreement to not get each other any Christmas presents, and it has been AMAZINGLY RELAXING. I don't have to set foot inside a packed mall, there is no pressure to find "the perfect gift," and it's easy on the wallet. I only see my parents twice a year, so having my Mom around for a whole week is really the best present. People look at me funny when I tell them that we don't give presents anymore, like we're "anti-Christmas" or something, but nothing could be further from the truth. We decorate the house, we make Christmas cookies, etc. We're not missing anything. Except for jammed shopping malls, maxed out credit cards, more Stuff….
I don't think we'll be buying *anything* for our kid this year except candy for the stocking. Last year the relatives filled our house with presents for our kid. This year might be different because the other grandkid is no longer living in their basement so there's less of a need to be "fair" but even if they give half as much stuff it's still too much.
3 out of 4 people dread the holiday season? That's terrible. I, for one, still love the holiday season and love giving gifts to friends, family, and the less fortunate.
Thanks to a little creativity, my wife and I have learned how to make a little extra money this year.
Great article, but prepare for the backlash. As Becca mentions above, a lot of people block out the negatives that come along with these anti-consumerist ideas and confronting those people about it can cause sidestepping and justification. I think the greatest thing to take from this article would be to buy American (if you live in America, that is; otherwise buy local from where you live) or buy fair trade goods. Frugality is about conscious spending, not scoring the cheapest piece of crap from Walmart. This is especially important around this time of year when so much money is spent. You want to support American jobs? Vote with your dollars.
While I've always enjoyed giving and receiving gifts, that hasn't been the focus of Christmas for me since I was little. Now it's a rare chance to get together with friends & family, enjoy a good meal and good company.
My wife and I have our little tree we put up in the living room. I put on Christmas music. There is usually a lot of eating and spending time with the people we care about.
THAT is what Christmas should be about. The people, not the stuff under the tree. I don't understand people who get so worked up about shopping etc. Methinks they have their priorities a bit backwards.
Some of it is also trying to change "traditions" that a family has. When the kids were young they would have more gifts under the tree at the grandparents than was sane and would open them up like an assembly line. Several times in the past we have suggested not buying ANY gifts for the extended family and instead "adopting" a family in need and giving them a better holiday than they were looking forward to. There was resistance all around. Our kids have more than enough and then some. Our family is very generous, but it just contributes to more Stuff.
That's why I prefer Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday and the one we host. I know we probably overdo it on the turkey and pies, but the focus is on the meal, the conversation, the laughter, etc., not on what is under the tree!
When I clicked the trailer, I was hoping it would be a worthy successor to Affluenza (1997), which has grown a bit dated over the past 13 years. Alas, this film looks like it will fall short.
I would love having a Christmas focusing on the meaning of the holiday, the food, communing with family and friends, and more food. I do like exchanging gifts, and in my dream world we each receive one 'perfect' gift that brings much joy to giver and recipient.
Problem is – I usually feel like the gifts are not quite perfect, and I am tempted to compensate in quantity for the supposed lack. One way to counter this consumerist mentality is to volunteer rather than shop. Some of the best holiday experiences I have had involved wrapping and organizing and communing for the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program. Volunteering for a worthy organization reminds you of the true meaning of the holiday – and it feels good, too.
Luckily, I'm immune to this foolishness, so is my wife. We don't give gifts to anyone, and we request that family and friends don't give us gifts either– in spite of all best intentions it's usually stuff we don't want/ can't use.
Christmas shopping is supposed to be "good for the economy" (of China, that is), but I see no benefit to my family's economy in giving and receiving useless junk. We all lose time and money in the process.
Getting together with family and friends does not require outlandish exchanges of ridiculous purchases– especially for adults. There's no Santa, get over it; it's all hard-earned money you're throwing away.
Most people reading this site probably have a handle on the holidays. Most of us don't wander out willy-nilly and just shop til we've bought something for everyone. We generally have a list, budget and a good idea of what we will purchase. I for one completely avoid Black Friday and any weekend shopping in November & December. I choose to go out Mon-Thursday either mornings or evenings – in fact went out last night and I had the entire city to myself it seemed.
I have 2 families (mine & my husbands). We buy gifts for our parents and siblings (no other generations at this point). But we don't generally extend gift giving beyond the immediate. We get together with my mother's family, my father's family and my mother-in-laws family. The only family that exchanges gift beyond the immediate family is my mother's family. The irony of that is most of them are relatively poor or grew up poor and are now moderate middle class. In fact that's my experience observing a lot of shopping and gift giving – it seems the poorest ones are giving most of the gifts and giving in to consumerism. It's my opinion that the poor place more emphasis on material objects. My mother's family grew up very poor (like 3 kids to a bed poor) and they are all very consumerist driven despite having achieved moderate middle class. I'm in management and many of my employees who barely make minimum wage and have dependents are the ones who spend the most on their kids, family, friends and even co-workers. I think it's just a really big deal for them and something they look forward to each year. I'm not sure I can change their consumerist ways, not sure I want too, either.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about the holidays.
I love getting together with family, enjoying a ridiculously gratuitous meal, and sitting around the fireplace with people I only get to see a couple of times per year.
On the other hand, I dread the inevitable guilt associated with trying to balance our time between my family and my wife's.
I could also do without the gift buying. ANY gift buying. I dislike the stress of trying to come up with the "perfect gift" for 20 different friends and relatives, when I've already been doing it for every birthday and Christmas for a couple decades now. It also hurts the budget.
I'd be perfectly happy completely skipping the gift giving part of the holidays. I certainly don't need any more stuff, and I can't imagine people shopping for me find it any easier than I find shopping for them. Once you get to a certain age, you already have everything you need. Why can't we just be happy with a nice meal and warm company?
It's almost as if this discussion should be separated into people WITH kids and those WITHOUT. It's a whole different scene, man. The anti-consumerist movement at Christmas doesn't tend to give real help or solutions, though I do embrace the message. There's a balance between creating happy memories for a child, as you only get ONE chance, eek! to create Christmas-defining memories they'll carry for a lifetime, and sticking to the ideals you want to get across to them. We want most of those memories to be the intangible joys of food, family, traditions, but think back to your own childhood. Surely that bike or atari ( or "Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time" ) or whatever is in those fond memories somewhere. It's HARD. I admit I dread that part of Christmas every year, because there's no way to know if I'm really striking that balance like I should. Perhaps when I see things like this I want public ackowledgement that it's harder work than people who can just "enjoy time with friends and family" and "good meal and good company" without the pressures of putting on a convincing and magical Santa Production AND create those wholesome nonconsumerist memories of cookies given to neighbors, homemade decorations, etc can understand. Christmas is a compounded joy with children, to be sure, but I admit it's a hard, hard task to figure this all out, to balance expectations and educate them about what we know is really important. I admit I'd welcome a guide to help navigate my children safely through it.
Thanks for the morning laugh! I enjoyed watching the trailer, but unfortunately, I think the message will be lost on most folks. They'll be too busy laughing at the antics of 'the reverend' and putting him in the same metal category as cultists, too far from the normal parameters of society. And then forget about him, and his message just as quickly. Although I wholeheartedly agree that consumers should spend their dollars to boost their own economies, there are so many 'things' that aren't made locally anymore that most families feel they require. I think most of us are just trying to achieve some balance between gift giving and our own values.
Working my way through college in retail certainly dimmed my view of Christmas for many years. This was the time of the first coming of the Cabbage Patch dolls and the idiocy that reigned for those seeking them. My store manager held back many for "special" customers and left us to issue rain checks to regular folks, not knowing if they would ever be fulfilled.
It took a lot of years before I ever got the Christmas spirit back. I do dread the holidays somewhat, but not as much as I could. We have imposed gift limits of $30 for all of us for the last few years and the season has been a lot more enjoyable. Just getting to see everyone is more important than a material item that will just become more clutter.
There are lots of people who derive great joy from overspending on gifts for others. I'm lucky to not be one of those people. I like to do nice things for people, but I don't necessarily think it needs to happen at Christmas time.
I do know people who overspend at Christmas, and it's sad because they are trying to do something great but they are really just hurting themselves.
Interesting. I enjoy all of the holiday season, Including the gift gifing for about seventeen people in family and some out. that said, we re all very laid back about gifts and we know what each other wants nd would use so I never feelpressure per se.
I'm in the blue Christmas club. I could do without all the crap that goes with it.
I have shifted gears: I now do all my Christmas shopping at once: Gift cards at the big box store.
Oh, I usually get a small gift with it too, like a book or something, but that's about it now.
The secret: Assign an amount you are going to spend on each well in advance.
Then stick to it.
Does JD even write on this blog anymore?
Ha! I love finding like-minded company here. I dislike shopping and wouldn't be caught dead near a mall on Black Friday. That doesn't mean we don't buy gifts for our son, but we are more modest with what we give than other people.
A couple of years ago, a friend at church mentioned that her son was getting a TV for his bedroom for Christmas and asked me what my son was getting. The expression on her face was priceless when I said, "Well, he's gonna be really excited about the marbles we're putting in his stocking!"
The most important thing is to show love and caring for your friends and family all year round; that way you won't feel guilt or obligation to make it all up by buying an expensive gifts for Christmas.
Other than gifts for our children, we are really going the way of cash or gift cards, supplemented with fun or thoughtful or food gifts in addition for the extended family. It is a gift for them that is just (if not more) appreciated than the endless search for the perfect gift, and it is a gift for me, that I spend less time shopping and have more time for decorating, baking, and visiting.
My wife and I watched this after Christmas last year. We really enjoyed this movie and laughed along. There is a lot of truth in this movie. Our view of "the holidays" aligns well with WWJB.
I think one can find a balance between frenzied over-consumption and the real joys of giving.
my dear husband and I don't expect gifts from others (many on our list have fewer resources than we do) but we enjoy the opportunity to show friends and relatives in a concrete way that we've been thinking of them and appreciate them. So, every year we pick a theme and put together gift packages (of various sizes, depending on size of the family, or how close we feel to the recipient) which we joyfully give. It is a lot of fun to choose the theme, find the components, and match up the wrapping and the cards. We choose our theme early in the year (this year I think it was June or July) and start acquiring items as soon as we think of them, so there's no huge shopping binge to do in November/December.
Two examples: one year we did "water" gifts: umbrellas, blue water cologne for the women, books about the ocean for the kids and for adults, "Water Music" CDs, and so on. Another year, we did potatoes: everything from antique potato post cards that we framed to funny potato peelers and potato chip gift collections.
24Our consumer culture would collapse completely if we couldn't depend on outsourcing production to places like China with cheap labor and little government regulation.
Imagine you were paying American salaries to all the people building the things you buy, and the companies producing them were paying American tax rates, American real estate prices, and following American environmental regulations. People would have no choice but to buy a *lot* less stuff, and it would still cost more than they spend on more stuff now.
If you look back at the supposed golden age when America manufactured things, here are some prices from 1946:
Baby carriage, $27.00-35.00/each
Blanket, North Star, wool, $14.95/each
Women's dress, Huxley, $17.97/each
I got these prices here: http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/prices/index.html
There are plenty more you can look at, and also the link to the inflation calculator that gets me the values below.
Corrected for inflation to today's dollars these come to:
Baby Carriage: $296-384
Wool blanket: $164
Women's Dress: $197
But if I look at Walmart's website I can find these things listed for:
Stroller: $35-189
Blanket (couldn't find wool): $6-30
Women's Dress: $8-$30
Back when Americans were building all this stuff, it cost 2-10x more than it does now. How many of our frugal GRS readers would *really* pay $200 for a regular dress (this is not fancy evening wear, just regular clothing) today? Especially if it was on a rack next to a nearly identical one for $30, with the only difference being the lack of a "Made in the USA" sticker? Not many, as can be evidenced by today's marketplace.
I remember reading about the Schwinn Stingray, the bicycle to have as an American kid in the 1960s. It was made in Chicago, and everyone wanted one. The retail price for it in today's dollars worked out to around $500, which is about 5x what people pay for children's bicycles imported from China today.
I grew up watching the Andy Williams/Bing Crosby Christmas specials on tv, wondering why my family didn't look like them and why couldn't we look like them ? My stress comes from trying to recreate these 'memories' for my kids, who for years couldn't have cared less about singing carols, trimming the tree etc. Not to mention all the guilt about how NON Martha Stewart my house looks!! Luckily my boyfriend is really good with the kids and he has taken over the tree trimming and they seem to be enjoying it more. I stay in the kitchen, drink a glass of wine and mind my own business. They get gifts of clothes, usually something shiny/pretty since they wear 'boring' uniforms to school.
We solve the Christmas crunch by doing the following:
(1) We have a short term savings account for holiday spending, we contribute to it during the year and our holiday budget is limited to what is in that fund. Includes gifts, holiday cards, decorations, tips for service providers, etc.
(2) We have reached agreements with almost all the adults in our family, no gifts for adults at Christmas. Now I love to buy gifts so I still do but I don't go out of my way to buy them at the holidays, rather I buy when I travel or if I find something perfect during the year and then I send it right away. The only adult that demands a gift is my MIL, so we buy her a gift so we avoid the strife.
(3) We give gifts to the kids only, but mostly we give cash to college funds and send along a small gift. We also sponsor a child through a charity, and buy that child clothes and gifts, which in my mind is what Christmas is all about.
(4) We buy each other fun stuff to go in the stocking and no big gifts to each other. The money we would spend on gift giving to each other goes to our travel/vacation fund.
(5) Everyone else, we send out cards to everyone, once in a while we send wreathes to far flung family (school fundraiser for my secretary's child), we make cookies and bread and give that out to neighbors and sit and visit with them.
This will be our 4th year of holiday sanity and I love it.
@Shannon – I believe JD is in Africa Shannon on an extended month long vacation, practicing what he preaches!
My husband and I don't exchange gifts. We are in our 50′s, are not into electronic toys and have everything we need. We go on one really nice vacation every year and that's our gift to each other. I have two kids and I help them both out financially during the year, so they get a couple of small gifts just to have something to open. It's been hard for me to adjust to no presents because my mom used to shower us with gifts at holiday time (she had to declare bankruptcy at one point), but we show our love in so many other ways.
Is it just me, or do the people saying 'is it just me, or does the chaos seem to start earlier each year?' start earlier each year
Sorry April – couldn't resist! Interesting article…
I love Christmas. Gift giving is a natural (the Three Kings each gave a gift to Christ) but I do think that the sales are starting earlier and Black Friday starts at 4 am here!! It has gone very over the top. We do not buy alot of presents at all and each child of ours gets one gift (my aunt asked why and asked if there was something wrong with me). Truth be told, we try not to focus on material things since it's not really all that important. We have flown home for the holidays before but do it on rare occassions now. Home with our immediate family is our tradition.
Seconding everything Tyler says. There's an awful lot of economic illiteracy in this post and in the comments.
The free flow of trade benefits everyone involved. As morally atrocious as a lot of sweatshops are, they represent a pretty significant step up from the pre-sweatshop norm. On the other end, everyone gets cheaper goods. No one loses.
Of course, if everyone were to start "Buying American" and ignoring comparative advantage, we'd go back to paying $200 for every piece of clothing we own, and folks in China and Vietnam would return to a standard of living akin to the stone age.
Actually, even a "Made in America" label doesn't ensure that the product was not made in a sweatshop. American Samoa and the Northern Mariana islands, for example, are both allowed to use the label, but are either exempt or extremely underregulated in their labor practices: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/sweatshops.html
My family just started copying my in-laws' tradition, which is to draw names out of a hat and choose a theme (such as "green" or "liquid"). Presents stay at around $20-$30 and it's really fun to see how everyone interpreted the theme.
I went to a relative's house recently and found the house had been completely taken over by toys. Each room had piles of toys such that walking through without tripping was a challenge. All of this for one child. To make matters worse plans are already in the works to add more toys to the mix. It is crazy. I asked my wife if we might consider doing what we can not to add to the pile. Shock was the response I got. This is why I dread Christmas. This year we have a cash envelope for all the gifts. The best gift I could get would be sticking to what is in that envelope.
We've never done Xmas. Never had a tree etc …. I'm quite sure it would be different if we'd had kids.
For us, Xmas is a spectator sport. Let the games begin !!!
Great article! Another thing that comes to mind is the gift exchanges for work. I can't think of how many $ 10.00 limit gifts that end up sitting in the closet, back into the exchange for next year, or in the trash. I remember when I was in a staff position and all this effort was put into finding "little" gifts for each other. While they can at times be fun, but at times very wasteful and stressful. I'm now working as a manager and changed the perspective on Christmas a bit. I requested that we no longer do gift exchanges and spend a day together with a buffet style lunch, close early and go home to be with our families. We just spend a day to enjoy the holiday together. There was a little concern with the change at first, but once the first year was under our belt we have never looked back. When the holidays roll around, I have the talk with the newer employees about gift exchanges and explain to them that while they are welcome to make any personal choices to exchange with co-workers that they choose, we typically don't do any exchanges here. Including the dreaded feeling of should you or should you not get the boss a gift. In the 7 years we have been doing this I have not had one employee complain, and matter of fact have always received positive responses as to how nice it is to take the pressure off and how glad that they can now just enjoy the holidays with their co-workers. My sister has even taken this idea to her group at work and they now do the same as well. It makes the Holiday work environment so much less stressful for those who are living on limited budgets, and reducing unnecessary spending as well.
My family immigrated here from Israel when I was 10 years old. We never got into the holiday shopping spirit and I'm quite happy to stay that way. My friends and girlfriend understand this and none of them have an issue with it. I think anyone could get out of this ridiculous tradition (the overspending, not the gift giving) if they wanted to, as long as they were willing to invest a little time in telling their friends and families why they were doing it.
The one purchase I would very much like to make this Christmas is a time teleporter. I'd like to transport my family back to a time where Christmas meant home-baked food, cosy nights in, open fires and spending time with your loved ones. I won't be doing any frantic shopping. I do have to exchange gifts as not everyone shares my anti consumerism opinion – but it'll be gift vouchers (so they can do the shopping) some consumable stocking fillers (so as not to clutter up their homes) and some home baked cake. Merry Christmas Everyone!
Regarding the workplace gift exchange: we used to do a traditional gift exchange (complete with a "gag" gift that got regifted each year), but for the last 3 years we switched it up a bit. We still draw names, but we buy that person a toy that reminds you of that person,or something you think they would've liked as a child. We wrap them, exchange them, have riotous laughter and then donate them all to Toys for Tots. We still get the fun of picking something out for someone we know, seeing their reaction, helping a worthy cause and nobody has to wonder what on earth they'll do with yet another scented candle or live in dread of the "gag" gift. Good times
@11. I don't celebrate the holidays but I like your point about the poorest spending A LOT. I joined my husband on a business trip in oct. An admin joined all the execs. We all went to dinner one night. The admin had a several hundred dollar pair of glasses purchased on the trip. I feel she was trying to fit in, show she had money. Obviously she didn't. No one else had any clothing or accessories out of the ordinary. She stood out its sad!
I'm really into giving gifts that don't cost much but that pamper the recipient just the same. Gifts that the recipient wouldn't buy for themselves. For example, my husband loves burritos from this little burrito place in town. They're totally huge and you'd have to be a glutton to go there regularly. Anyway, I got him one recently (went there during rush hour, etc. etc. so it was a real treat) as one of the gifts I gave him for our anniversary. He loved it.
Ahhh, it's nice to not watch TV. I didn't even notice the Christmas madness had already started.
My wife and I have finally decided that we are not giving consumer items for gifts this year. We are giving things we have made ourselves, but still very much in the spirit of the holiday (cookies and rumtopf). I have hated gift giving for a while, I have never been incredibly perceptive about this stuff (figuring out what to give people), but I hate giving gifts which are not going to be used.
I figure nothing is more "Made in America" than something from our kitchen.
On the other hand, I do like all the sales going on this time of year, but not for gift giving. We buy ourselves things, and often wait months to buy something because it is usually something that goes on sale this time of year (tools, etc.).
A personal pet peeve of mine is how you cant even tell that there is a Thanksgiving anymore. I remember when Christmas stuff started showing up a week before Thanksgiving, now it shows up in October. Christmas ate Thanksgiving, and its got Halloween in its sights.
"What Would Jesus Buy" is one of my favorite documentaries. Thanks for profiling it.
My husband and I don't give gifts to each other–we have everything we need and want. But it's hard to convince other family members that a ton of gifts doesn't equal a ton of love. My step-kids are used to receiving a lot of gifts and to them, not having a holiday with lots of presents just isn't a holiday. to them, presents are what makes it Christmas.
Joe #42 – you are spot-on! Thanksgiving has become a mere speedbump on the holiday superhighway. We slow down enough to stuff our faces, then head full throttle into Christmas. There's something to be said for slowing down!
@38 Fantastic idea! I think I'm going to suggest that to my family for this year!!!
I don't have any children so I don't have parental pressures of the newest toy or gadget. I give my brother's 2 little ones money in an account that I set up after seeing the ridiculous number of birthday/Xmas/You Name It gifts that never got enjoyed. Everyone knows I do not give them gifts but rather put a regular amount in this account so that when they choose, they have the money to take a FAMILY vacation that will be remembered rather than having 1000 plastic things around the house. The kids don't seem to care since everyone else buys them "stuff" and I'm hoping when it's trip time they get a smile knowing that it was my gift to them.
My boyfriend and I don't do gifts either, we put the money we would have spent into a vacation fund for us. 4 trips a year says we're doing something right!!
As for the co-workers, friends, etc. I have either told them no gift exchange (and stick to it), or a select few get some of my homemade vanilla extract.
Close family and important people get a Xmas card with a note saying a donation has been made in their name to St. Jude Children's Hospital. Who wouldn't like to know that they helped a child live to see another Christmas!
Giving a gift is an awesome feeling. Coupled with the expectation of a holiday like Christmas it becomes something mechanical and the obligation makes it not so fun. It's hard with kids, obviously we will give them a new toy or book, but at the same time try to teach them what really matters is spending time with family, eating, drinking and having fun.
My wife's family decided instead of exchanging gifts, we'd go out to eat together with no kids. On my side, we only buy gifts for the kids in the family. After all do (adult) American consumers really NEED anything else? If I truly need something for myself, I'll buy it then, not wait for a holiday.
Tyler K said "Our consumer culture would collapse completely if we couldn't depend on outsourcing production to places like China with cheap labor and little government regulation."
Would that be so terrible? Instead of buying a crappy stroller for $35 and throwing it away when your kid outgrows it, that $300 stroller would be purchased with careful consideration and handed down to future generations.
Thanks, Tyler & Corey, for the reminder that global trade has many benefits that are so pervasive that many folks don't even see them anymore. As has been discussed in comments on this blog before, "buy local" may provide some benefits, but it's always not the clear win that it's billed as.
Also, I'll out myself as one of the people – apparently rare as unicorns, at least on the GRS blog – who likes buying and giving gifts. I LIKE shopping for gifts, wrapping them up, and giving them away.
We don't need to get entrenched in this either/or thinking. It's not either you're an mindless, greedy consumer OR you're a holy anti-materialist. It's not either you are bankrupt, surrounded by your meaningless stuff but dying on the inside, OR you're happy at home, gently singing songs while eating bread you lovingly handmade out of grains you milled yourself.
I think it's good that there's a culture-wide time when we stop and express appreciation for and interest in others. If you don't want to do that by giving gifts, then don't. You can do it by spending time together, by writing letters, by helping others out, or whatever. You can do any combination of these.
I disagree with the attitude that giving a purchased gift is somehow morally questionable. I disagree that a gift is morally inferior to vacationing together or donating money to a charity in "honor" of someone else (who may or may not suppport that charity's mission).
I agree with #13 Mrs. Claus. Believe it or not, sometimes the kindest thing you can do for your child is to keep him up with the Joneses (within reason). If you don't think there's a good chance other kids will isolate or bully a child who is so different that he comes back to school saying, "my family only celebrates the real meaning of Christmas," then you're living in a dream world.
I'm not saying every item on a kid's Christmas list needs to be purchased. Happy memories can certainly be created on a tight budget. But if you've got this notion of it's ok for your kids not to get gifts during the holidays, I hope you're homeschooling those kids and can expose them to some other like minded families, because for sure the kids at the local school didn't get the memo.
There are plenty of other opportunities in life to teach your kid it's not only ok, sometimes it's the preferable to swim against the tide. But thrusting that difference upon a child during the holidays? That's hardcore.
@48 Mom of five. Don't worry, if the grandparents are a little more sane this year then Santa will step in for our little one. We will adjust to fit the needs of the situation. Seeing how they got him a Wii this summer "just because," I somehow don't think Santa will be necessary. They do get him some great stuff but man, there's so much of it.
Last year was probably my family's best Christmas. We did exchange gifts, but they were primarily functional items like pajamas, hygiene products, gas cards, and so forth. What made last Christmas so wonderful is that we all spent the day together, eating, drinking, and having a very good time.
I'm the youngest of three siblings all in our 20s and 30s. We are all still able to gather at our parent's house for Christmas. When we were younger, our parents would stuff the tree with presents for us, but as we grew up, it was tacitly decided that spending time with one another was more valuable than anything we could possibly buy for one another.
I'm really thankful that we were able to make the transition from gift giving to quality time. I don't begrudge anyone who thinks that buying the latest gifts for their children creates the best holiday memories, but my family discovered that time is the best present you can give to someone you love.


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7 U.S. Code § 2327 - Plant Variety Protection Board
(a) Appointment
The Secretary shall appoint a Plant Variety Protection Board. The Board shall consist of individuals who are experts in various areas of varietal development covered by this chapter. Membership of the Board shall include farmer representation and shall be drawn approximately equally from the private or seed industry sector and from the sector of government or the public. The Secretary or the designee of the Secretary shall act as chairperson of the Board without voting rights except in the case of ties.
(b) Functions of Board
The functions of the Plant Variety Protection Board shall include:
(1) Advising the Secretary concerning the adoption of Rules and Regulations to facilitate the proper administration of this chapter;
(2) Making advisory decisions on all appeals from the examiner. The Board shall determine whether to act as a full Board or by panels it selects; and whether to review advisory decisions made by a panel. For service on such appeals, the Board may select, as temporary members, experts in the area to which the particular appeal relates; and
(3) Advising the Secretary on all questions under section 2404 of this title.
Source(Pub. L. 91–577, title I, § 7,Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1543; Pub. L. 103–349, § 13(a),Oct. 6, 1994, 108 Stat. 3142.)
1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–349substituted "the designee of the Secretary shall act as chairperson" for "his designee shall act as chairman" in last sentence.
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103–349effective 180 days after Oct. 6, 1994, see section 15 ofPub. L. 103–349, set out as a note under section 2401 of this title.
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 3, 2012, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Tuesday, August 13, 2013
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text:
Battlefield 3: Close Quarters - Tips for fun & winning
[Continued] Page 2
Move With Your Squad, Clear Rooms as You Go
You know how in movies SWAT teams run around sweeping rooms, watching each other's backs, and yelling "Clear!" before they move on? Yeah, do that. Well, maybe not so dramatic, but moving with your squad is the key to success in Close Quarters' objective game mode Conquest Domination.
The maps are so tightly packed, and the objectives change hands so quickly that it's really important to claim some kind of substantial foothold on at least two out of the three objectives. Yeah, you can get lucky and go on lone-wolf killing sprees, but you're much more likely to push back an enemy squad with a group of your own.
Think of it this way: if you stick together then everyone is in the same fight. If one player dies, they can spawn off of a squadmate and get their bearings more quickly when they're sticking with the squad. Plus, all it takes is one clever medic to make your squad a nightmare for any competition.
Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Shotgun
This tip might get me in trouble, but I think it's time for the whiners to get over it. Don't be afraid to use a shotgun! The Close Quarters maps are some of the best maps for shotguns in the game. In most vanilla BF3 maps, shotguns are extremely specialized and barely practical. In Close Quarters the chances that they are the advantageous weapon is much more likely.
That said, DICE has some seriously smart map designers, and there are still plenty of times where standard rifles are going to win out against a shotgun. Long hallways are your enemy in that case, and you'll want to learn to dance through these tight environments.
Keep moving and flanking. These four maps are all full of escape routes and back entrances. They may be small maps, but in true Battlefield form, they are enormous in their complexity. Use this to your advantage and don't be afraid to duck into a random hallway if you miss your first shot. Make them come to you or sneak around for a surprise kill.
If you want the best of both worlds, try an Assault class soldier with an assault rifle like the M416 and underslung rail attachment. This allows you quick access to the M26 shotgun attachment so you can easily swap between short and long range weapons.
Mix it Up, Play the Old Maps Too
Consider this the review portion of this article. For as intricate and robust as the Close Quarters maps are, they are ultimately a distraction from the large-scale action that is Battlefield's bread and butter. After all, it's fun to turn your brain off for some Metro Rush, but you wouldn't want to do that all the time. Similarly, these maps can wear out their welcome if you overplay them.
DICE has been careful to lure in the crowds from other shooters while retaining Battlefield's identity, and nowhere is that more clear than with Close Quarters. The dense, complex level designs are full of twists and turns while remaining completely logical. They feel like real places, not over-designed playgrounds for death match.
The destruction only ups the ante. Even if these played like typical shooter maps, the fact that you can blow apart half the walls is a pretty big deal. If you were worried that this was DICE simply appealing to the Call of Duty crowd, you're dead wrong.
That said, just remember to switch it up sometimes. There's so much variety to be had in BF3 that it would be a shame to limit yourself no matter how much fun Gun Master may be.
Follow @JoeDonuts on Twitter and ask him about the good old days of Sega Saturn.


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Diddy Spotted Rockin' Air Jordan 7 "Raptors"
The Air Jordan 7 Dark Charcoal aka "Raptors" made a comeback this year with the black upper similar to the original version. There was even a recent restock for the AJ 7 Raptors for those who missed out in August. A well-known celebrity was recently spotted rocking these AJ 7 "Raptors" while his stay in Los Angeles.
It's Diddy who was seen rocking these Air Jordan retros in his velour suit. Did you happen to cop a pair during the November restock?
Images: FameFlynet
About the Author (Author Profile)Senior Editor for TheShoeGame.com Twitter: @FootSole_ja & Instagram: @alexthagr8_tsg
Comments (15)
No hate but this dude still rocking big ass shiny medallions wait is this Throwback Thursday edition?
A Mercedes medallion -_- really Diddy??? And nice valor sweat suit…. no… not really…
Ol $600 million dollar velour jumpsuit wearin a ss n igga (redman voice) Get em! (method man voice)
Velour & AJ7 not a good look!!
the chain ….dope!!!
diddy doesnt care…hes RICH lol.
still rocking velour suits from 2001
LMMFAO @ Executive… Ol' Jimmidy Cricket lookin a$$..
And he chocking the hell out of the laces. He is one person that never look right with j's on.
First off I thought these guys fly G6 & better for all of you that don't know 'Gulf Stream 6′ is a private jet this guy looks like he's flying commercial airliners but anyway, who does he think he is 'Rakim' with that MB chain? Don't sweat the technique diddy bop. Like PushaT said swag is something you are born with this cat tries way to hard & always comes out looking like a bum. Jordan's are a dead issue. Especially 7′s 8′s 9′s & 10′s
This guy is filthy f*ck*ng rich still wearing his own b*llsh*t clothing line Sean John give me a f*ck*ng break take a hike loser
Well, I can't really say much that hasn't already been said. So, let's recap:
Velour sweatsuit? CHECK
Gold Benz Medallion? CHECK
Virgin tight laces? CHECK
Skytel pager
Iced out grill
Cross Colours
And f*ck it PUFFY (yeah I said it Sean) why not just bring back the shiny suit.
Apparently you were taking a day off from your "Style King on NY" persona.
so what?
Damn Sean you could have at least put on the Bordeux…
@emoney. So I gues u don't like diddy. Did I get it rite? Lol. Yeah this j-off is seen werin 7s. He was also spttd pttn a death blow to new edition's career!.yes I'm beefn ovr that
how ironic. a dinosaur rockin raptors.
lolz @ rockin a velour suit….man, we back in 2001?
I remeber wearing velour suit back in late 80′s and early 90′s….I'm old school so its dope to me…lol Its the skinny jeans i can't get with..


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The Fine Bedding Company Anti Allergy Pillow Pair
- Low stock, selling fast
1 reviewLuxurious anti-allergy pillow pair which have a supersoft peachskin cover. Filled with unique polyester clusters which are blended with Amicor, an anti-allergy treatment which offers protection against the the house dust mites and its harmful allergens. can be easily re-plumped into shape. Machine washable.
- Delivery


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Save $50 on Freeman Combo Kit
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Save $13 and go mobile with this Mobile Base Hardware Kit.
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I turn segmented bowls. This saline bloodwood was recommended as a red wood that holds its color. I will use it as a decorative pattern in bowls.
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I was disappointed when I opened up the packaging and saw this wood. It is a nice looking wood with a rich deep reddish/purplish colour but it was twisted and warped beyond use in the intended project but I can still use it in other small projects and as trims and bindings on my guitars I build. Well, hey, it is a wood and woods warp every now and again. It's a luck of the draw really, and being subjected to pressure changes on the airplane during transit may have warped it.
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Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, is Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, and Director of the Friedman Brain Institute. Dr. Nestler is President-elect of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Read More
The Fishberg Department of Neuroscience
The Fishberg Department of Neuroscience is dedicated to performing groundbreaking research and mentoring tomorrow's investigators. Our nationally and internationally recognized laboratories investigate the nervous system at the molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels. The main objective of our research is to increase knowledge of diseases of the nervous system, and drive new innovations for treatment, through fundamental research.
The lab is interested in molecular mechanisms of how neurons are born, how they extend axons, and how they regenerate or fail to regenerate after mammalian CNS injury. Read more
Our research focuses on the function of potassium ion channels, which generate one of the inhibitory signals in the brain. Read more.
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Mentoring event serves up career advice in a flash
Feds looking for career guidance and motivation are increasingly going outside of their agencies to find it. Employees from 20 agencies attended a recent "flash mentoring" session hosted by the Office of Personnel Management's HR University. More seasoned human resources professionals served as mentors.
Tags: workforce , CHCO Council , OPM , Kathryn Medina , mentoring , HR University , Gail Lovelace , GSA , John Berry , NASA , training , Emily Kopp
Developing HR professionals
Listen 9/25 - Fed Talk hosts Diana Veilleux & Lisa Bernstein will be joined by Neil Reichenberg, Executive Director, and Stephanie Diamond, Chair of the Federal Advisory Committee, to provide and overview of IPMA-HR.


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Health physics training
Training and educating a highly skilled workforce that can meet operational commitments in the areas of radiation and health physics is an essential part of protecting your workers, the public and the environment.
Oak Ridge Associated Universities, the managing contractor of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), offers hands-on, laboratory-based training courses in a variety of health physics areas. Training includes the noteworthy five-week Applied Health Physics course, and multiple one-week offerings, including:
- Introduction to Radiation Safety
- Site Characterization in Support of Decommissioning
- Gamma Spectroscopy
- Environmental Monitoring
- Air Sampling for Radioactive Materials
- Radiation Safety Officer Training
To read the full descriptions, schedules, and to register for upcoming courses, visit the ORAU website.


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The Bolton Landlord Accreditation Scheme supports and assists those private landlords who are offering safe quality homes and delivering good property standards and tenancy management practices.
The Scheme works with private landlord members and a range of partners and services linked to the private rented sector (PRS).
The Greater Manchester Landlord Accreditation Scheme (GM LAS) Code of Standards and Management Practices that we now use was introduced mid 2011 and offers a standardised Code facilitating consistency across the region.
Accredited properties are more attractive to responsible tenants who value quality, affordable and well-managed properties.
By signing up, landlords are showing their commitment to meet and maintain good property standards and tenancy management practices.
A range of Membership Benefits & Services are offered including improved access to information, advice and support provided by a number of PRS housing service specialists, Accreditation status for landlords and their properties, free advertising of accredited properties on the Choice Based Lettings "Homes for Bolton" website as well as Pinpoint, Tenancy Documents, Tenancy Management Toolkits and Information packs, periodic landlord forum, training & events.
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Landlord Members can receive private rented sector news, details of grants, free products and local services by email or text message. To receive information relevant to landlords operating in Bolton, Contact the scheme.
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A pet goldfish is off-the-hook and alive after a micro-surgery removes a tumor from his brain.
Maumee Mayor Rich Carr says he wants to raise the pay rate for his city's volunteer fire fighters.
Right now, volunteers get paid $30 to $40 per run, depending on their rank. Mayor Carr wants to raise that by five percent.
"We want to make sure they're being treated fairly," said Mayor Carr. "This Thanksgiving, if the fire whistle goes off while they're sitting at the dinner table, they don't even think, they just take off and go."
Mayor Carr gave a pay raise recommendation to the Maumee City Council last Monday. He says there will be reductions in the 2014 budget, but this pay bump is necessary.
It's been five years since the last pay raise for Maumee's volunteer fire fighters. Maumee Fire Chief Rick Monto says he's looking forward to this recommendation passing.
"I'm sure they will appreciate it," he said. "Sometimes they don't feel like they're appreciated and with what city council is going to do its going to help them feel better."
The Maumee City Council will vote on the pay raise next month. If approved, it would go into effect immediately.
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U.S. military power will suffer if Scotland votes to separate from the United Kingdom on Thursday, says Michael Barone, . . .
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Poor old Democrats; shaking in their boots over the midterm elections. Just...
The only way to end this is to kill every last one of these Muslims. They will...
And still Catholics vote for Democrats. Dem imposed taxes pay for abortions....
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JanSport Youth Marshall Thundering Herd Football Black T-ShirtItem Number: 21927116
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Products A to Z - IC Design
ADiT is a fast-SPICE simulation tool that delivers the ability to obtain accurate and reliable simulation results 10X – 100X faster than traditional SPICE tools. ADiT
Analog FastSPICE (AFS) Platform
Mentor Graphics Analog FastSPICE Platform is the world's fastest nanometer circuit verification platform for analog, RF, mixed-signal, and custom digital circuits. Analog FastSPICE (AFS) Platform
Calibre Automatic Waivers
Calibre Automatic Waiver provides automated recognition and removal of waived design rule violations during DRC. Calibre Automatic Waivers eliminates costly time and effort from the verification process, and ensures accurate processing of all waiver information on every DRC run. Calibre Automatic Waivers
Calibre CMPAnalyzer
Calibre CMPAnalyzer enhances systematic and parametric yield at smaller process nodes by simulating the changes in thickness and resistance variability, and by using automated fill capabilities to reduce resistance variability while minimizing capacitance. Calibre CMPAnalyzer
Calibre DESIGNrev
The Calibre DESIGNrev layout viewer speeds full-chip design completions and tape-outs by rapidly loading, displaying and saving large GDSII and OASIS® files. Calibre DESIGNrev
Calibre Interactive
The Calibre Interactive™ invocation GUI provides users with fast and easy access to the Calibre® tool suite, enabling designers to perform physical verification and parasitic extraction from within their familiar IC design environment. Calibre Interactive
Calibre LFD™
Calibre LFD is the first production-proven EDA tool to address the urgent issue of how to manage lithographic process variability in the early stages of design creation. Calibre LFD™
Calibre nmLVS
Calibre nmLVS™, the industry-leading physical verification tool for layout vs. schematic comparison combines accurate circuit verification with fast runtimes and interactive debugging. Calibre nmLVS
Calibre Pattern Matching
Calibre Pattern Matching replaces text-based design rule checks with a visual geometry that ensures a precise and accurate implementation of the design specification. Calibre Pattern Matching
Calibre RealTime
Calibre RealTime enables on-demand Calibre sign-off design rule checking (DRC) for custom and analog/mixed-signal design flows, improving both design speed and the quality of results by providing immediate feedback on design rule violations and recommended rule compliance. Calibre RealTime
Calibre RVE
Calibre RVE™ provides a graphical results viewing environment that can be used with all Calibre tools and popular design layout tools to reduce debug time by visually identifying design errors instantly in the user's own design environment. Calibre RVE
Calibre xL
Full-chip, fast, and accurate extraction of frequency dependent loop inductance and loop resistance and automatically accounts for return path change with frequency. Fully integrated with Calibre nmLVS and xRC. Calibre xL
Calibre xRC
Calibre xRC™ offers a robust parasitic extraction tool that delivers accurate parasitic data for comprehensive and accurate post-layout analysis and simulation. Calibre xRC
Calibre YieldAnalyzer
Calibre YieldAnalyzer integrates random (critical area) and systematic (critical feature) process variability analysis using model-based algorithms that automatically plug layout measurements into yield-related equations to help you identify areas of your physical design that have higher sensitivity to variations across the manufacturing process window. Calibre YieldAnalyzer
Calibre YieldEnhancer
Calibre® YieldEnhancer offers an automated approach to layout enhancements that will improve yield. Calibre YieldEnhancer
DFM Analysis Service
The DFM Analysis Service allows designers to identify and fix litho hotspots before they commit to tape-out. It is an attractive option for startups taping out relatively few advanced node devices per year, giving them a "capital lite" way to meet TSMC's sign-off requirements without investing in costly design data center. DFM Analysis Service
Eldo Premier
Mentor's new Faster-SPICE product, addresses the primary concerns of analog and mixed-signal designers, providing increased performance and capacity, especially for very large circuits, without sacrificing accuracy. Eldo Premier
Eldo RF
The analysis and measurement capabilities of Eldo RF help designers verify complex RF IC designs more quickly and accurately. From simple compression or intermodulation analysis to complex digital modulation, Eldo RF powerful algorithms make genuine verification a reality. Eldo RF
ICanalyst is an advanced analog, RF and mixed-signal verification environment for custom IC design. ICanalyst manages the validation of custom analog ICs though process-variation, using specification-driven methodology to fully characterize design figure of merits and let you optimize design to improve yield. ICanalyst
Kronos Analyzer
Kronos Analyzer is a comprehensive library analysis and validation solution. Kronos Analyzer
The Olympus-SoC™ physical implementation platform meets the highest demands of IC designs at advanced nodes. Olympus-SoC
Pyxis Implement
Pyxis Implement, part of Mentor's Pyxis Custom IC Design Platform, provides a highly productive environment for correct-by-construction layout by rapidly loading, displaying, and saving large GDSII and OASIS® files. Pyxis Implement
Pyxis Schematic
Pyxis Schematic, part of Mentor's Pyxis Custom IC Design Platform, provides a powerful and easy-to-use design entry environment with advanced capabilities that boost designer productivity. Pyxis Schematic
Questa ADMS
Language-neutral, mixed-signal simulator that enables top-down design and bottom-up verification of multi-million gate analog/mixed-signal System-on-Chip designs. Questa ADMS


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Maffeo-Sutton Park,
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Stars Kristen Bell and Mamie Gummer from "The Lifeguard" talk about the film and why it's not easy growing up when you have too many options to choose from.
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(AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)
BroncosResilient D protects Broncos' win over Chiefs
In a move that contradicted the point spread, if not the first half, the Broncos relied on their defense to secure a 24-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
(National Park Service)
Nation and WorldMystery solved of Death Valley's sailing rocks
For years, scientists have theorized about how large rocks — some weighing hundreds of pounds — zigzag across Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park, leaving long trails etched in the earth.
(Art Presson/AP)
Exhibition looks at genius of carousel inventor
NEW YORK (AP) — Coney Island's historic B&B Carousell is among several vintage attractions still thrilling visitors at the famous amusement park today. Full Story


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By Glendon Olson, Williston President, First International Bank & Trust, Member FDIC
As Williston grows and expands at an amazing pace, we're proud to open our third location: this one is at the intersection of 9th Avenue and West Dakota Parkway. We think it's also a perfect time to celebrate our 103rd year in business!
You're invited to celebrate our Grand Opening and 103rd Anniversary. Here are the details:
May 10
Open house: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Ribbon-cutting: 11 a.m.
1331 9th Ave. NW
We'll serve cookies, cake and coffee, and we'll have free gifts and tours available.
Sneak peek
Here's peek inside our new Williston bank location:
Six years in the making
The Grand Opening is almost exactly one year from our ground-breaking for the new Williston bank, but our expansion plans actually began in 2006. At that time, we considered remodeling our downtown location to accommodate our growth, but we opted to build this new bank. As it turns out, the timing was perfect. Some estimates say Williston's population may double in the next few years.
We're ready
Our office spaces and especially our staff members are perfectly positioned to handle all this new growth, both in terms of taking care of existing customers and serving new ones with all our banking, trust, insurance and investment services.
Of course, our other two locations will remain open. Existing customers will notice familiar faces at all our Williston banks, along with some new tellers, loan officers, investment and insurance representatives and support staff members. It's exciting to welcome new members to our teams.
Please join our Grand Opening on May 10 if you can. Or, stop in when you're nearby. We're excited to share our new space, and especially eager to serve you.
Glendon Olson is the Williston President and has worked for First International Bank & Trust since 1991. He graduated from North Dakota State University in Fargo. When he's away from work he enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his wife and two children.


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From classic sandwiches to Asian turkey burgers, find something for any day with this collection of lunchtime favorites.
Rolled, stacked, or grilled, these sandwiches, burgers, and wraps are great for any time of the day!
Meal planning got you down? Get a dinner idea for every day of October with these 31 super suggestions.
Pizza made in a pocket -- an inspiration!
A small treat that's huge in flavor.
A quick and healthy variation of an American favorite.
Let your kids make their very own pizza with this easy recipe.
A fancy grilled cheese that kids will love.
A vegetarian main dish that will even please meat eaters.
A veggie lover fave.
Salsa, grated onion, and chopped green peppers will make the meat more moist and interesting.
A great alternative to a boring beef patty.


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Barbie Stereo Headphones
- In Stock
1 review
- Delivery
- Next day delivery available
Your youngster can enjoy all of their favourite songs, while you get some well-deserved peace and quiet, thanks to these Trendy Stereo Barbie Headphones.
With soft ear cups they're comfortable enough to wear all day long and the adjustable headband ensures your child gets the perfect fit. They also have a great foldable design that means your youngster can easily pop these Barbie headphones in their bag when they're out and about.
The outer ear cups are bright pink, for an eye-catching style. They also show Barbie listening to her favourite music, so your child can be just like her!
Useful info:
- Adjustable headband
- Soft ear cups
- Folding design
- 10-24000Hz
- Acoustic resistance: 150ohm
- Power output: 100mW
- Age from 3 years
- Trendy Stereo Barbie Headphones
Replacement Guarantee available:
3 Year Protection £37.00
Barbie Portable DVD Player
- In Stock
2 reviews
- Delivery
- Next day delivery available
The Barbie Portable DVD Player is a fabulous way to keep your little one entertained, while you get a few jobs done around the house.
With a clear, 7 inch screen your youngster can watch all the Barbie adventures they love, wherever they are. It also plays CDs and MP3 files so they can dance around to their favourite songs with the 2 built-in speakers.
With an easy to use control panel, little hands can learn to play, pause and skip all by themselves. It's also compatible with JPEG files so you can store lots of photos for your child to enjoy.
This portable DVD player also comes with a headphone port (headphones sold separately), so you can get some peace and quiet when your little one is enjoying their cartoons.
The portable style means this child's DVD player is the perfect way to keep your youngster entertained on long car journeys, with an adorable Barbie flower motif and pretty pink colour to really catch their eye.
Useful info:
- Plays music and DVDs
- JPEG and MP3 compatible
- 7 inch LCD screen
- 2 one watt speakers
- Headphones and AV output
- AC/DC adaptor required (included)
- Age from 3 years
- Barbie Portable DVD Player
Warning. Not suitable for children under three years. To be used under the direct supervision of an adult0808 100 3015.
Barbie Walkie Talkies
- In Stock
8 reviews
- Delivery
- Next day delivery available
These great Barbie Walkie Talkies have a fun mobile phone look and let your child stay in touch with their best friend.
The Barbie pink colour is wonderfully girly, with a cute bow topped aerial that your youngster is sure to love. A mock QWERTY keyboard makes them look just like a real mobile, with adorable cartoon pets on the screens and fun app style icons.
To chat to their friend, your child can simply press the talk button and their pal can listen to all of the gossip.
Whether they want to use them around the house or in the park, these walkie talkies are the perfect way for your youngster to share their secrets and have hours of fun.
Useful info:
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- Press the talk button to speak
- Requires 2 x 6LR61 batteries (not included)
- Age from 3 years
- Barbie Walkie Talkies


text: "Torture chamber pop." "Darkwave jazz." "Siren rock." These are a few of the many attempts to describe the sound of Jaggery, an art-rock collective which weaves harp, viola, piano, contrabass, and drum kit into a universe of its own, setting the scene for "one of the most beautiful voices in modern music." Powerful enough to harness the fiery churnings beneath a volcano as well as the ethereal light of a dying star, frontwoman Singer Mali's voice regularly leaves listeners viscerally stunned and with goosebumps. She is flanked by a rotating lineup of musicians and instrumentation including Daniel Schubmehl's West African approach to the drum kit, with jazz influences, Tony Leva's funky upright bass, Rachel Jayson's avant-classical viola, and Petaluma Vale's glistening Celtic harp and backing vocals. This "exotic musical mobile" evokes a world of both dark, earth elements and celestial swirls ~ what Alice Coltrane's "Journey in Satchidananda" might sound like with Bjork singing over the top of it. The band's repertoire bridges the delicate and explosive ~ from haunting lullabies to furious, mixed-meter rants; tightly-woven compositions in odd time signatures to catharsis-inducing, barn-burning mini-epics (oft-times within the same song). Jaggery (the word comes from the dark brown, Indian sugar) has toured up and down the east coast, and has released three recordings: the 2004 in lethe ep, the 2006 full-length Polyhymnia, and 2010's recently-released 'Upon A Penumbra'. Jaggery's first music video ('O Scorpio) won their director "Most Promising New England Filmmaker 2009" at the Boston Underground Film Festival.


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Narrow your search
GE's newly-launched FirstBuild microfactory is already hard-at-work. First up, an auto-fill Smart Pitcher for hands-free water filling.
Pricing not available
The 2015 Porsche Macan compact crossover makes a bow in LA with two turbocharged engine options and standard all-wheel drive.
Pricing not available
Grand Theft Auto V is an absolute triumph that fires on all cylinders. It's a relevant, witty, and satirical experience that's as smart as it is completely addicting.
With diesel fuel economy and its wagon format, the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI offers great utility, and adds a premium-car feel, but cabin electronics only cover the basics.
The Fujifilm XF1 is one of the nicest-looking point-and-shoots available and it performs well, too. But its photos and features might not please some enthusiasts.
Android Auto is Google's new system for integrating Android phones with car dashboards, unveiled at its I/O 2014 keynote.
Pricing not available
The Cowon Auto Capsule AC1 HD dashboard camera is so simple that it requires almost no interaction from the driver, but its MSRP is a bit high for its feature set.
PC gamers will need to wait even longer for the game -- they won't be able to get it till late January.
The German automotive supplier plucks Seval Oz from Google's self-driving car project to lead a new division focused on intelligent transportation systems.
A competition to create the Ultimate Urban Utility Bike inspires a sweet, high-tech ride that improves on the urban biking experience.


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Just as we ease ourselves through the transitions of weather, cars need to acclimate to changes in temperature, road condition and the elements.
Kenny "the Car Guy" Walters, owner of Mufflers and More in WAlled Lake, says these should be your top priorities if you want your car to serve you well come winter:
· Make sure your car battery is fully charged.
· Check all fluids and fill any that are low.
· Inspect your tires - you want good treads, not worn down, to prevent slipping when it gets icy.
· Check your alignment - if it's off, you'll find yourself bumping, knocking and steering oddly all winter. Plus, your tires will wear unevenly, and you may experience shaking and pulling.
· Keep the under-body clean - wash your car as often as possible, especially when there's salt on the roads


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New Site!
Please visit our new web site at www.ecu.edu/transit!
703 Copper Beech / University Manor / Pirates Cove
This route combines service to the Copper Beech, University Manor and Pirates Cove. It operates out of Christenbury on a 30 minute frequency Monday through Friday from 7:00am until 1:30pm. At this point, the route converts to a 40 minute frequency and combines with 701 Purple. The last round departs campus at 5:30pm.
Download Summer 2013 Schedules (PDF)
Interactive Map
You can use the map below to get a more detailed view of this route. Pan, zoom and even get satellite views! Each stop is labeled with its name and stop number from the table above.


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Welcome to Colchester Film Festival
Colchester Film Festival is an international film festival dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best filmmaking talent from around the world. This year's festival will be held from the 22nd – 26th of October 2014 at the Firstsite Visual Arts Gallery in Colchester.
Full details on this years films, guest speakers and judges and where you can buy your tickets for the event will be annoucned soon.
Submissions for the festival are now closed and will re-open in February 2015. You can still register for our 60 Hour Film Challenge for FREE and be in with a chance of winning over £5,000 worth of prizes.
Previous festival have featured an entertaining programme of films selected from thousands of entries, including world, European and UK premieres.
We also host a series of workshops and masterclasses to give audiences an insight into the creative process behind film production and to inspire the next generation of filmmakers. Previous guest speakers have included including Academy Award and BAFTA winning producers, directors, writers and actors.
The 2013 festival featured talks from 15 guest speakers and showcased 40 films selected from over 1500 films from over 60 countries.
Best Film:
'The Voorman Problem'
Best Regional Film:
Best 48 Hour Challenge Film:
Best Director:
'This Way Out' – Staten Cousins-Roe
Best Screenplay:
'Good Night' – Muriel D'Ansembourg
Best Cinematography:
'Voice Over' – Jose Martin Rosete
Best Editing:
'Good Night' – Una Gunjak
To learn more about the festival please explore the site and keep updated with us on
Facebook | Twitter | Contact
Sign up for our newsletter!


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Police are investigating an inmate death at the New Castle Correctional Facility Thursday.
37 year old Jeremiah K. Taylor was found at the bottom of a stairwell inside the prison.
Taylor was transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he succumbed to his injuries Friday morning.
Investigators believe that Taylor had been beaten shortly before being found in the stairwell.
Taylor was serving eight years for convictions on a child molest charge out of Noble County and had been in prison since July 2012.
The case is still under investigation.


text: The woman who lived in the trailer was not home at the time, and she lost all her belongings. Volunteers from the Mt. Baker chapter of the Red Cross were on hand after the fire to provide the woman with food, clothing, shoes and three nights stay at a local hotel.


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Discover Author
Anna Randol lives and writes in sunny Southern California. When she's not plotting sexy storylines, she's usually eating chocolate, having wild dance parties with her kids in the living room, or remodeling her house, one ill-planned project at a time.
Copyright © 2014 HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
Site Powered by Supadü


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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose says he's "far away" from returning from knee surgery.
Sidelined all season, Rose has been practicing and travelling with the team. But in an interview with USA Today posted on Tuesday, he says he has no specific timetable for a return.
Rose says he's not coming back until he's "110 per cent" and adds, "Who knows when that will be?" He says it could be any day, within a few weeks or even next year. Asked how close he is to 110 per cent, he responded "probably in the high 80s. Far away. Far away."
Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during last year's playoff-opening win over Philadelphia, and the top-seeded Bulls wound up losing to the 76ers.
It was Canada's night at the NBA Draft as four players from north of the border were selected.
1. Andrew Wiggins - Cavaliers
8. Nik Stauskas - Kings
18. Tyler Ennis - Suns
45. Dwight Powell - Hornets
2014 NBA Draft Tracker
Follow the Raptors and Raptor play-by-play man Matt Devlin on Twitter! Check out the latest Tweets!
After drubbing Finland; is Team USA too confident? Will & Duane examine this, the Raptors at FIBA World Cup, Durant's Nike deal, WNBA Playoffs & more
Love for Wiggins is official! Is the future bright for Minny? DeMar DeRozan makes USMNT, Tim Leiweke steps down from Raptors & what's next for Kobe?
Love-Wiggins done deal? KD: The Real Reasons, what's next for USA Basketball, Becky Hammon breaks barriers & Naismith 2014 Hall of Fame Inductees


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MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) Ersan Ilyvasova scored 22 points – 18 of them in the third quarter – to lead Milwaukee to a 108-91 exhibition game victory over the Detroit Pistons Saturday night.
Brandon Jennings tacked on 17 as six Bucks scored in double figures. Ilysova's scoring spree helped Milwaukee building the lead to 28 at one point.
The top draft picks for the Bucks and Pistons each scored 10 points and blocked two shots before intermission. Former Connecticut star Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 19 for the game. Former North Carolina star John Henson finished with a dozen points for Milwaukee.


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Easy now! You've found yourself on the all new Drum&BassArena blog. Expect to wave goodbye to your precious time as we fire you up with some of the best drum & bass content you'll read all week.
From fun to facts, tunes to teasers, we deliver unique stories from the heart of the scene. Please share, comment or drop us a line... This blog is for you!
Drum&BassArena Categories
Tag Archives: Kanji Kinetic
Ultimate Festival Bangers!
Festival vibes remain high this week at Drum&BassArena! Today we're hitting up as many big name DJs possible to convince them to share their ultimate sonic weapons. After A LOT of persuasion, we finally managed to get Logistics, Total Science, … Continue reading
Posted in Artists, Festival, Videos Tagged Adam F, Ant TC1, Camo & Krooked, Concord Dawn, Cutline, Cyantific, Drum&Bass, Drum&BassArena, Festival, Flux Pavilion, Kanji Kinetic, Kasra, Logistics, Mika, Optiv, Phace & Misanthrop, RacknRuin, Spectrasoul, Total Science, Vicious Circle, Zero T Comments Off


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Posts tagged Movies
Posts tagged Movies
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Movie posters sporting Amazon 1-star reviews… 😅😂
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An intriguing review of 'Maleficent'. Looks like Disney's really starting to get some things right in its depiction of women.
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Mother Jones' review of "Blended".
At frist I was like "Aw, look at him in his slightly silly looking hat…"
Love this guy.
(via theharrypotterhq)
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I don't know who Taken producer Luc Besson is or what he wants, but it so happens that I, and many other fans of the original Taken, come equipped with a particular set of skills—skills we've acquired over a lifetime of discerning between good and bad action movies, skills that make us a nightmare for people like him. If he stops churning out Taken sequels now, that will be the end of it. We will not look for him, we will not pursue him. But if hecomes out with Taken 3, we will look for him, we will find him, and we will kill him. Or at least kill his movie at the box office.
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"Silent Hill: Revelation" AKA the sequel to the movie that I cannot watch without some serious squirming. Not even in broad daylight, not even with ALL of the lights on.
A quick run-down should you ever find yourself trapped in a horror movie and would prefer to live to tell the tale.
1. Don't have sex.
- Seriously
- Abstinence is key.
2. Don't go out with people you've just met that day.
- I don't care how good he says his weed is
- he is cuckoo bananas
- and he wants you dead.
3. Don't go to camp. Especially one where someone was murdered.
- There are six words you should YouTube, should you get the chance
- "Kevin Bacon in Friday the 13th"
4. Find a good hiding place and… STAY. THERE.
- If the killer can't see you or hear you WHY WOULD YOU MOVE?
- Possibly the easiest rule to follow and, ironically enough, the easiest to break.
5. Always wear sensible shoes, 'cause you never know when you'll need to run through the woods.
- Someone will always be barefoot
- Or in heels
- Or just plain clumsy
- And will sprain their ankles
- And die.
6. If the town looks deserted, it's probably because everyone is dead.
- Don't walk around looking for people
- House of Wax, anyone?
7. Don't be a hero.
- Unless you're name is Harry Fucking Potter, you will die.
- Hell, maybe even then.
- I mean.
8. If you hear something creepy in the distance, like a dog's yelp cut off mid-bark, don't investigate.
- The killer is there.
- Also your dog is dead.
9. Always check the backseat before entering your vehicle.
- The last thing you need is to be killed while trying to merge on the expressway.
10. If your car breaks down in front of a dilapidated gas station, don't ask a sketchy-looking townie for help.
- Some part of your body will wind up in his pick-up truck
11. Don't go into the basement.
- They are creepy enough without you dying in one.
12. If you're trying to buy a house and the real estate agent won't answer any direct questions about either the history of the home or the previous tenants, DO NOT MOVE IN.
- At some point, someone in the house heard voices and cracked.
13. Turn off the television (and run away) if a girl crawls out of it.
- It is obviously your wisest choice.
- SEE ALSO: poltergeist, daughter trapped in tv because of.
14. If the walls of your house bleed, do not attempt an exorcism.
- Move very very far away
- Because there's blood on your walls.
- Blood.
- Your
- Walls
- Are
- Bleeding.
15. Don't act like a detective.
- Some crazy Japanese kid who meows like a cat will attack you in a closet.
- If you live, awesome story to tell your friend, right?
- But if you die, it is like the opposite of awesome.
16. Google the location you'll be vacationing at.
- If more than five reports for "Missing Persons" pops up, you know not to go there.
- Issue. Solved.
17. Don't get drunk. Or come under the influence of any mind-altering drug.
- Running away from a killer is that much harder when you're tipsy and giggling.
18. If you see someone in a mask, don't assume it's one of your friends playing a trick on you to scare you.
- It is the killer.
- ALSO: laughing while saying, "Tommy, is that you in that stupid mask? Oh, I'm so-o-o-o-o scared!" is not conducive to your surviving.
- Killers are very sensitive about their disguises.
19. Don't take a shower.
- It's past midnight at the campground you and your sorority sisters are staying at or
- The lock to the door doesn't work and you hear creepy piano music
20. If the call is coming from inside the house, get out.
- Clearly the killer is not outside, now is he
^ Full of win, this is.
(Source: nuggetsrus, via theharrypotterhq)
Here have some movies, just click on the one your want, load it and enjoy.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer`s Stone
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Lemony Snicket`s A Series of Unfortunate Events
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
(Source: darkspells, via theharrypotterhq)
Stanley Tucci in Easy A
Love this man in this movie.
(Source: trollifer, via theharrypotterhq)
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37 notes &
(Source: marachan16, via theharrypotterhq)
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Why is it that such a far-fetched story sounds almost plausible when Scientology is involved?
Scientology's first pick was Tehran-born actress Nazanin Boniadi (probably best known as Nora on How I Met Your Mother). After heavy preparations and auditing in October 2004, Boniadi met Cruise secretly in New York in November, going skating and spending the night together. But Cruise was almost immediately annoyed with Boniadi, complaining she didn't gush enough love to him. But her biggest infraction was being rude to Miscavige—she repeatedly asked him to repeat himself, a big no-no in communications-obsessed Scientology. Scientology officials told Boniadi her relationship with Cruise was over in January, and she was sent to the group's Celebrity Center in Florida, where after spilling details of the saga, she was punished by scrubbing toilets with a toothbrush and digging ditches in the middle of the night. Of course, Scientology denies the whole thing. (Note: Mark Rathbun, famous anti-Scientology crusader, says that the Vanity Fair piece was written without Boniadi's involvement, and the actress has made no comments on her Twitter page).
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And now I'm obsessed with movie gifs.
Here are three great ones from the "Wizard of Oz":
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"The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
One of my all-time favorite movies.
Edit: I found more!
I think "Vanishing Grand Central" is my fav.
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Filming has begun for The Wolverine:
The first shots of Hugh Jackman on the set of "The Wolverine," the sequel to 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (itself a spinoff of Fox's popular "X-Men" series) surfaced this week.
Filmed on a set made to look like a Japanese prisoner of war camp on a secluded beach of Kurnell, a suburb of Sydney, the scene officially kicked off production of the superhero blockbuster.
A shirtless Jackman was spotted running at full speed with a crowd of extras. Jackman told The News last year that he goes on a 6,000-calorie-a-day diet to pack on 30 pounds of muscle every time he returns to the role that made him a Hollywood star.
Two days later, Jackman appeared on the set in Picton with a long-haired wigg and fake beard, leading to speculation that Wolverine spends a whole lot of time inside that camp in the film's plot.
Between takes, the 43-year-old Aussie actor — fresh off wrapping his previous project, the movie musical "Les Miserables," was photographed chatting and smiling with members of the crew and even doling scratch-off lottery tickets.
Earlier this week, Jackman tweeted: "We're on day 1 of shooting. … wolverine is back … feel so pumped about this one. … never felt so ready!!!! will keep y'all posted!!!"
"The Wolverine" is set in Japan, and revolves around the claw-popping superhero's training with a samurai warrior. Directed by James Mangold, the movie co-stars Will Yun Lee and Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada.
Though the movie was originally scheduled to film in Japan last summer, the production was moved after being delayed by the earthquake that struck that country in March 2011 and the exit of original director Darren Aronofsky.
Jackman, though, helped campaign for a move to Australia once the production started looking for a new home.
"To be shooting a movie of this magnitude here at home to me is one of great privileges I've had in my career," Jackman told reporters last week during a visit by Prime Minister Julia Gillard to the soundstages where some of the movie will be shot.
"The Wolverine" will hit theaters on July 26, 2013.
Here's hoping they do a better job with the claws this time around.


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Come and hear me drone on about PR and blogs and stuff like that
I can't resist an invitation from Peter Kirwan of The Fullrunner, so on Monday 31st July I'll be giving a talk at a not-so-secret venue on, oh, the future of media, PR, blogs, RSS, where it's all going, and anything else you'd be interested in (if you're coming along). Leave something in the comments to this post if you're coming and have a topic you really want covered.
Ticket details: call Fullrunner's events hotline direct on 0870 4325880. Alternatively, visit http://www.fullrun.com/calendar.html.
- These posts might be related (the database thinks..):
- The three blogs you should read? Try three hundred (14 November 2007; score: 30.16%)
- We return to the Independent's blogs, unlike its bloggers; or its scanners (4 May 2007; score: 29.32%)
- At last, Dave Winer is famous in Illinois, and all because of blocked email (26 August 2004; score: 29.31%)
4 Responses to "Come and hear me drone on about PR and blogs and stuff like that"
Markus Says:
July 20th, 2006 at 10:56 am
Unfortunately I am sitting here in Munich, Germany, and won't be able to attend the event. But I wonder why you are not going to talk about podcasts. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have your speech or parts of it available as a podcast? I can't exactly remember how I found your blog - I think it was around the discussion of the future of press releases. By now I step by regularly to learn more from you on web 2.0 applications and what is even more important the use of it in your daily life. Thanks.
Markus Says:
July 20th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Sorry, I forgot to enter my mail and my website. But the systen accepted my response anyway.
Charles Says:
July 20th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
Markus, I think you'd have to drop a line to Peter at the Fullrunner on the podcast thing.
As for names and emails - none necessary here. I hate having to fill them in on other blogs - especially if you have to "register" there - and so there are no such rules here. Machines take care of filtering out all the spam, which is as it should be.
Barbara Cookson Says:
July 21st, 2006 at 9:48 am
Well as a new RSS feeder I thought I might learn something from attending a live event. I'm also interested in the use of PR by young entrepreneurial companies. How helpful is it get a lot of publicity before you have a product. If you need to set up relationships with other entities does your PR give you greater credibility?. One company that is still young, splashpower, spent a lot on PR in the early days. Was it wise?