text:
Round of applause for that half kneel thing and also that bear hug thing Jake Johnson does when he kisses
AMEN! Can we just talk about these…
(gifs are not mine)
I love them all but the QHC dip is my absolute favorite. Why is he so sexy?
where is anne hathaway and the flag of genovia
(via itsharrypotterbitch)
57,323 notes
- london: hey i just met you
- london: and this is crazy
- london: but for our olympic opening ceremony we honored the internet and built a 40 foot voldemort

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Adam Ostrow
- New York, NY
- United States
Executive Editor, Mashable
This conversation is closed.
LIVE CHAT With Adam Ostrow: What should happen to your digital identity after you die?
The average social media user will create hundreds of thousands of pieces of content in their lifetime. Already, this is changing the way we remember our loved ones and creating a legacy that is much different than that of any previous generation.
At the same time, technology's ability to understand vast amounts of data is expanding exponentially, and in the long run, enabling the possibility of leveraging our social media footprint to create a version of us that can live on long after we're gone.
What do you want to have happen to your digital identity after you die? Would you give an AI permission to post content and interact online after your death? Why or why not?
ADMIN UPDATE: This LIVE CHAT will open on August 9, 2011 at 2PM EST/ 5PM PST.
Closing Statement from Adam Ostrow
A few thoughts in closing:
(1) There's a large interest in people assigning an executor for their digital assets after they die. A number of startups already serve this need. One issue with this though -- what happens when the services noted in the will change, close, get acquired, etc? That will create similar issues to the ambiguous wills of today.
(2) Lots of questions about whether or not the complete recreation of ones self, which I forecast towards the end of my talk, could make it more challenging to find closure. Outside of that, however, it at the very least seems like an intriguing opportunity for future generations to get to know their ancestors.
(3) In thinking about this topic, it's important to remember that the social media tools of today are incredibly primitive compared to what we'll be using in the future. The type of data we'll be capturing 5, 10 or 50 years from now is what's needed to make an AI-powered scenario realistic.
(4) Thanks to those that shared their personal stories of already dealing with these issues. It's a huge help in thinking about the topic going forward.
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Aug 9 2011: Well, i'm 24 years old and... It's hard to say what i would like in this exact moment. I am one of those who has constant use of internet for social activities like facebook. And exists many, many, many, many other sources of socialization. This is a kind of question: how would you like your relatives to react to your death? Pay their tributes and respects or move with their lives and let me rest?
I don't really know. I don't like the idea of thousands of people that i've never known in my life, giving their laments. And i say this because, although internet is a social utility, i don't have a real bond with those people. For those who really loved me in life, i think that they'll want their time alone not being bothered.
But, on the other hand, most people don't do things on bad purpose. I don't blame them on making people live through internet. It's nice in its way. I understand.
What i make in life and waht i do in life is what my loved ones will retain of me. That is what counts. I won't be here to see the rest. Can i let my personality flow through the internet?
I don't know.
I'm 24.
Do i want a life made by memories and thoughts of others?
Or do i want peace?
I think it's a real good topic and i wrote this in a rush but...yeah, i'll live on and i'll see what pops in my head.
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.


text:
ATLANTA (Oct. 8, 2012) – More than 10,000 alumni, parents, students, community leaders and friends of Clark Atlanta University (CAU) will gather on campus for an explosive homecoming celebration that combines the new with long-held traditions Oct. 10-14.<<Read More<<Read More for List of Events
Web Design
352Media Group.
Copyright © 2008 Clark Atlanta University.
All rights reserved
Clark Atlanta University
223 James P. Brawley Drive, SW Atlanta, GA 30314


text:
Joshua Shaw is an intimidating figure at cornerback and he uses his physical skills to play aggressively on the football field. So far, in practice with the Florida Gators, Shaw has been impressive getting after it.
Here is a few minutes Shaw spent with the media following practice on Friday.
Looking for a Starter at Corner
In 2009 picking a starting defense for the Florida Gators was easy. All 11 starters returned from…


text:
Emil Kotomin
Profile: Marketeer, workaholic, cineaste, writer, alien. Never tired, never sad, never guilty.
Posts by Emil Kotomin:
- When Life Gives You Tear Gas…
- In Love With a Robot: the Dawn of Machine-To-Machine Marketing
- Working together for personal gain
- The world in April
- Rory Sutherland: Perspective is everything
- The world in February
- Ayah Bdeir: Building blocks that blink, beep and teach
- Rob Reid: The $8 billion iPod
- The world in January


text:
The first liquidation report reveals the sum owed to creditors.
"They have run a lot of good campaigns over the years. Very sad to see them go under."
Sign up for NBR subscriber content or email alerts
The easiest way for subscribers to stay logged in is to click the "Remember Me" option on the Member Log In box on the top right of this page.


text:
Knife Skills: How to Hold Your Knife
When it comes right down to it, the best way to hold your chef's knife is the way that feels the most comfortable to you.
But if you're looking for a little more control and speed in your cutting, here's how!
With your thumb and first finger, pinch the blade of your knife where it runs into the handle.
Wrap your other three fingers around the handle, leaving your thumb and first finger gripping the heel of the blade.
Alternatively, you can wrap all four fingers around the handle with your thumb touching the heel of the blade.
Either of these grips will give you stability and control when you're cutting, particularly with finer cuts like mincing or julienning. Once you're comfortable with it, picking up speed is just a matter of practice.
Holding your knife this way can feel awkward and even a bit scary at first. Next time you're cutting vegetables, try switching back and forth between your old grip and one of these grips to see the difference.
Give it a few practice runs and this new grip will feel natural in no time at all!
Related: How to Dice an Onion
(Image Credit: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)
8 Comments
If people were looking for more info on knife skills (as part of the Kitchn Cure or just because), I ran across this book, Knife Skills Illustrated, that perhaps some people might like. I haven't read it or used it, but it triggered a bell that folks here might be interested.
Thanks, kls987! Another book I refer to a lot is "The Professional Chef's Knife Kit" by the Culinary Institute of America.
"Alternatively, you can wrap all four fingers around the handle with your thumb touching the heel of the blade."
What's the heel of the blade?
Good question! The heel is right where the blade runs into (or becomes) the handle of the knife.
I finally bought a decent chefs knife thanks to one of the posts here. I am so glad that I did, it's made a huge difference in my knife skills. I wonder what other personal failings I could be amended with a bit of spending. ;)
Thank you! I never would have figured that you actually hold part of the blade like that! This could make chopping a LOT easier.
Any tips for mincing tiny things - like garlic and other small veggies?
My tip for mincing things is.... use an ulu. Best thing ever for mincing imho!
Good advice - there are a few ways to hold a knife correctly, depending on what feels most comfortable for you. Just don't EVER use that grip where you put your index finger along the top of the blade "for control". So very wrong.


text:
3 In-depth Views of Flight Delays and Cancellations
Have you ever rushed to the airport only to find that your flight was delayed or canceled?
In the most recent Data Expo at the annual Joint Statistical Meetings, data heads explored 120 million departures and arrivals in the United States, with the goal of finding "important features" such as:
- When is the best time of day/day of week/time of year to fly to minimise delays?
- Do older planes suffer more delays?
- How does the number of people flying between different locations change over time?
- How well does weather predict plane delays?
While there were several interesting entries, here are the first, second, and third place winners.
First Place. Congestion in the Sky by Rick Wicklin and Robert Allison
This was a comprehensive view of flight delays, but here's the part I found most interesting. This is a view of flight cancellations. The more red a rectangle is, the higher the percentage of cancellations:
So following 9/11 there were actually fewer cancellations (and delays). My best bet is that this was because there were so few people flying after that event. Conversely, the longest delays occur during the summer and winter holidays.
Second Place. Delayed, Cancelled, On-Time, Boarding ... Flying in the USA
This poster is from the Iowa State crew - one of my favorite stat groups - led by Heike Hofmann and Di Cook.
Here are delays over time by carrier. Delays are increasing for small carriers except for Aloha, and Delta and US Airways are improving, surprisingly I might add.
And here's where all the carriers fly. Can you guess the carrier that each map belongs to without looking at the key above?
Third Place. A Tale of Two Airports by Charlotte Wickham
Instead of looking at it all, Charlotte explored flight traffic at Oakland International and San Francisco International.
Here are the flights per week from SFO (top) and OAK (bottom):
What's with the jump for OAK in 1994? Southwest started flying outta there and now makes up the majority of outgoing Oakland flights.
Want to see more?
Visit the data expo page to see the above posters and all other entries in their full PDF glory. Very interesting work all around.
10 Comments
Interesting post. I really like the data set. I've spent my share of time circling Atlanta.
On the view of flight cancellations in the first place graph: Fewer people flying would likely lead to more cancellations, wouldn't it? Airlines would cancel because they can't fill the plane. If they don't have a target number of fliers, they aren't making money on the flight.
One other possible reason for the shift could be that there were fewer flight to cancel. My wife travels for work and I remember many airlines cutting back on flights at certain times of the day after 9/11. Specifically their evening flights. So rather than catching a Thursday night flight home, she had to wait until Friday morning.
ah, right, that's what i meant, fewer people = fewer flights, but i guess that's not always true.
I wonder why is the quality of graphic images embedded on your posts always so poor?
they're usually screenshots, so you should visit the actual sites to see the high-res versions
Is there a place where we can download this data?
Sean, you can get all the data here:
or you can get the most up-to-date data direct from RITA:
thanks Nathan. I really appreciate the link.


text:
does not include shipping and tax
List Price $12.00 Save $2.05 (17%)
Want it delivered 10-03-2014?
Order it in the next 7 hr and 35 min and choose Next Day Air Morning at checkout. Details
Average Customer Review4.5 (200 reviews)
Create an online reviewand share your thoughts with other customers
Things I liked:All good.
Things I would have changed:Nothing.
What others should know:Heavier, so may need to re-sight in.
Things I liked:500ct tin with a screw on lid. Accuracy and hard hitting. Currently the best shooting pellet out of my Hatsan 135 w/Vortex Piston. Shape and Design of the Pellet. Reasonable price for the quantity.
Things I would have changed:Would love to see a HP version in the same weight and overall design.
What others should know:The one pellet everyone shooting magnum class air rifles should try. Best suited to Magnum class air rifles due to the heavier weight. Very tight fit in the breech of Hatsan 135 rifles. Recommend using a pellet pen or you'll suffer a sore and raw thumb like I did.
Duplicate review of this pellet is due to receiving "ERROR 404" messages while trying to post my reviews of multiple products. Had to retype several reviews more than once.
Things I liked:500 ct tin with a screw on lid. An affordable pellet that performs very well. Shoots accurately and hits hard. Shot a 1.5" 15 shot group @ 25yds with a new, un-broke-in, Hatsan 135 w/ Vortex Piston.
Things I would have changed:Would like to see a HP version in this weight.
What others should know:These pellets are best used in magnum powered air rifles due to their heavier weight. This pellet was the most accurate in my Hatsan 135 Vortex version. In fact both my .22 cal and .177 cal Hatsan air rifles prefer Crosman Premier pellets over any other.
Show Other ReviewsCreate an online review and share your thoughts with other customers
Compatible with Crosman Premier Ultra Magnum .177 Cal, 10.5 Grains, Round Nose, 500ct


text:
Tubal reversal surgery can be expensive.
If you also consider that most health insurance plans will not cover the cost of tubal ligation reversal and reversal surgery can cost in excess of $5,000 then it is easy to understand why someone would ask if the surgery can be financed with a tubal reversal loan.
Tubal reversal surgery can be 'financed' in several ways.
How Much Does Tubal Reversal Cost?
Tubal ligation reversal can cost in excess of $30,000 if performed as an inpatient procedure in some US hospitals.
At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, we specialize in tubal surgery and charge an affordable tubal reversal price of $5,400 to $5,900 for tubal reversal surgery. Reversal of Essure and Adiana costs between $6,400 to $6,900.
There are several ways to pay the cost for tubal reversal at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center.
Paying For Tubal Reversal Surgery?
All patients pay for tubal reversal surgery in full when they schedule their ligation reversal. Patients can pay by credit card, money order, bank wire transfer, or certified cashier's check. Personal checks and Western Union transfers are not accepted as forms of payment. At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Surgery, a surgery date can be scheduled and held but payment in full must be received within 24 hours.
Financing Tubal Reversal Surgery: Tubal Reversal Loans
Our center does not accept financing as a means of payment for tubal reversal surgery. Why?
Tubal reversal financing companies can be predatory lenders with lending practices that take advantage of patients who are schedule tubal ligation reversals.
Tubal reversal loans are considered higher risk loans by the financing industry and, as a result, these reversal loans can have interest rates as high as 25%. After all loan payments are made the real cost of the tubal reversal surgery may be double or triple the original amount!
If a patient defaults on a loan then they can endure painful and long lasting financial consequences. This is one reason we do not participate in financing for tubal reversal surgery.
Financing Tubal Reversals With Tubal Reversal Loan: Costly
Companies financing tubal reversals also charge the tubal reversal doctor a fee for participating in their tubal reversal financing loan program.
These means we either have to charge all of our patients more or charge the patient who uses tubal reversal financing a higher cost for their ligation reversal surgery. We do not feel it is fair to charge all patients a higher cost because of the business practices of medical lending companies, and we feel it unwise to penalize those with the most financial need with an additional financial burden.
We do have and recommend two good, financially sound, options to pay for tubal reversal.
Payment Plan For Tubal Reversal
A prepayment plan for tubal reversal exists at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. Using this plan patients can make contributions towards their tubal reversal surgery over time. When they have the full amount available then they can schedule tubal reversal surgery. This allows tubal reversal patients to have a 'tubal reversal savings' account and provides the comfort of knowing they are making contributions towards a major personal goal.
More information about this plan can be found here: Tubal Reversal Prepayment Plan.
Flexible Spending For Tubal Reversal
Flexible spending accounts can be established through your employer. These are accounts where money is deducted from your salary over a defined period of time. When this time period is up, you can use the money for any health care related treatment. A flexible spending account may also offer you certain tax advantages.
Financing Ligation Reversal Surgery
We believe that financing tubal reversal surgery is not a good idea for the reasons outlined above.
We choose not to take part in predatory lending which takes advantage of those in need and those who are the least able to afford the high interest rates charged for an elective surgery.
Instead we have kept our ligation reversal surgeries affordable, created a tubal reversal prepayment plan, and participate in flexible spending accounts for patients interested in tubal ligation reversal surgery.
For more information about tubal ligation reversal
visit the website of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center
or call (919) 968-4656 for a free tubal reversal consultation.
Submitted by Dr. Charles Monteith


text:
Google Play :: Through Tuesday, it's free for US musicians to build a Google Play store page using the Google Play artist hub! You (or a talented indie musician you know) can upload your music to Google Play for millions of new fans to discover and purchase, without paying the registration fee (normally $25), thanks in part to FanBridge.
[Matt Cutts:] ... The only cost is a one-time $25 set-up fee. Except that the fee is waved until Tuesday, so it's totally free for any US musician to set up a store page for the next few days.
Hat tip: Matt Cutts, Google
Continue to read play.google.com


text:
Nike Air Force 1 '07 Low – White – Team Red
May 17th, 2009 by Aaron Hope | 6 comments
You can never have too many white sneakers come summertime and the same can be true of Air Force 1s. The Nike Air Force 1 '07 Low appears above in a simple mix of white and team red. The official color says there's also some black on this pair, but we don't see it. Let us know if you find the black, especially since we hooked you up by letting you know that you can cop these a whole week early from Vault.
Style: 315122-165
Color: White/Team Red-Black
PREV: Nike Hypermax McFly Edition »


text:
Piracy Accommodation and the Optimal Timing of Royalty Payments
AbstractThis paper generalizes the two-period model of Watt (2000) who demonstrates the possibility of optimal accommodation of a pirate when the royalty rate applying to a creation is uniform and second-period Cournot competition applies. Admitting nonlinear contracts with period-specific royalty rates that leave total payments unchanged, simulation analysis shows that a producer of originals does better to increase the royalty rate in period 1 and decrease the rate to a negative level in period 2, thereby more than offsetting the usual cost advantage available to a pirate. Watt's illustrative examples regarding piracy accommodation (but not piracy exclusion) are overturned when a nonlinear contract is chosen optimally, although accommodation remains optimal in some other cases. Further, where exclusion is impossible under uniform royalties, cases exist where exclusion is feasible under nonlinear royalties. Even so, accommodation may be a preferable strategy.
Download InfoIf you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Bibliographic InfoPaper provided by University of Canterbury, Department of Economics and Finance in its series Working Papers in Economics with number 06/01.
Length: 31 pages
Date of creation: 01 Feb 2006
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:cbt:econwp:06/01
Contact details of provider:
Postal: Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Phone: 64 3 369 3123 (Administrator)
Fax: 64 3 364 2635
Web page: http://www.econ.canterbury.ac.nz
More information through EDIRC
Related researchKeywords: accommodating copyright piracy; nonlinear royalty contracts;
Find related papers by JEL classification:
- D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure and Pricing - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
- K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
- L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2006-09-30 (All new papers)
- NEP-COM-2006-09-30 (Industrial Competition)
- NEP-CUL-2006-09-30 (Cultural Economics)
- NEP-LAW-2006-09-30 (Law & Economics)
- NEP-MKT-2006-09-30 (Marketing)
- NEP-REG-2006-09-30 (Regulation)
ReferencesReferences listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Fernando Nascimento & Wilfried R. Vanhonacker, 1988. "Optimal Strategic Pricing of Reproducible Consumer Products," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(8), pages 921-937, August.
- Michele Boldrin & David Levine, 2002.
"The Case Against Intellectual Property,"
American Economic Review,
American Economic Association, vol. 92(2), pages 209-212, May.
- Michele Boldrin & David K Levine, 2002. "The Case Against Intellectual Property," Levine's Working Paper Archive 618897000000000003, David K. Levine.
- Boldrin, Michele & Levine, David, 2002. "The Case Against Intellectual Property," CEPR Discussion Papers 3273, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- Michele Boldrin & David K Levine, 2008.
"Against Intellectual Monopoly,"
Levine's Bibliography
122247000000002371, UCLA Department of Economics.
- Boldrin,Michele & Levine,David K., 2008. "Against Intellectual Monopoly," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521879286, April.
- Stan Liebowitz, 2005. "Economists' Topsy-Turvy View of Piracy," Law and Economics 0505002, EconWPA.
- Benjamin Klein & Andres V. Lerner & Kevin M. Murphy, 2002. "The Economics of Copyright "Fair Use" in a Networked World," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(2), pages 205-208, May.
- Johnson, William R, 1985. "The Economics of Copying," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(1), pages 158-74, February.
- Dixit, Avinash, 1979.
"The Role of Investment in Entry-Deterrence,"
The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS)
140, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
- Dixit, Avinash, 1980. "The Role of Investment in Entry-Deterrence," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 90(357), pages 95-106, March.
- Takeyama, Lisa N, 1997. "The Intertemporal Consequences of Unauthorized Reproduction of Intellectual Property," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(2), pages 511-22, October.
- Besen, Stanley M & Kirby, Sheila Nataraj, 1989. "Private Copying, Appropriability, and Optimal Copying Royalties," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 32(2), pages 255-80, October.
- Bakos, Yannis & Brynjolfsson, Erik & Lichtman, Douglas, 1999. "Shared Information Goods," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 42(1), pages 117-55, April.
- Novos, Ian E & Waldman, Michael, 1984. "The Effects of Increased Copyright Protection: An Analytic Approach," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 92(2), pages 236-46, April.
- Liebowitz, S J, 1985. "Copying and Indirect Appropriability: Photocopying of Journals," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(5), pages 945-57, October.
ListsThis item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
StatisticsAccess and download statistics
CorrectionsWhen requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cbt:econwp:06/01. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Albert Yee).
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
Fighting in houses...or fighting in your house can take on many forms depending on your mission. Having clarity of mission is essential so you know how to comport yourself in each event. Sadly, most training out there is limited to the police application which has little in common with what you may need if you are not in that line of work.
Basing our focus on the armed CCW operator we can identify several missions for fighting in houses.
1). Holding Ground. This is the most common home defense type scenario. The good guy has no pressing need to enter the fight or go in search of the threat so he takes up a position of advantage, using cover and concealment. He points his muzzle at the chanelized approach of the bad guy and wait in ambush. A "warning" may or may not be given depending on the tactical situation.
2). Taking Ground. This involves attacking the attackers. An example may be the rescue of family members about to be victimized. The police parallel is a hostage rescue. This involves moving rapidly and stealthily to close on the bad guys and suppress them with surgical close range gunfire. The urgency of the situation proscribes any negotiation or attempt to descalate or warn. They are located, closed upon, and shot in order to save innocents.
3). Traversing Through. Traversing involves traveling through a contested or conflict area where there may be hostiles. The mission is not to engage, but rather to escape. The operator (s) and their protectees move rapidly through and out, free of the threat area. There is no time to clear or search. Danger areas will be covered with muzzles on the approach and egress, and the abandoned as new threat areas appear. The goal is to escape...but in a strong and controlled manner.
4). Search and Clear. This is an area of study that is often the basis of many "shoothouse" events. It involves moving cautiously and deliberately through an area in search for an adversary that is presumably hidden or unaware of the good guy's presence. It is basically a hunt.
All of these require a thorough understanding of the nature of architectural features and how to negotiate them at various speeds, the ability to identify danger areas and potential threats, and the ability to mold one's fighting platform to the environment at hand. Alot of the tactics will depend on how much information you have. This is not the time to be thinking about liability and stuff like that. If you do, you'll lose.
Consider these scenarios
1). You wake up at 0300 HRS becuase you heard something. You are not certain enough to go back to sleep but not certain enough to call 911
2). The noise that wakes you up is much more pronounced than in #1. Still not confirmed "human" but definitely something is not right.
3). You wake up to the sound of glass breaking and swearing. You live alone.
4). You wake up at 0300 HRS because you heard your kid scream accross the house. His or her scream was followed by a male voice telling them to shut up.
5). You are at church and your kids are across the on the other side of the church at youth ministry. You hear gun shots coming from tyat direction, people screaming and running away from the sound.
6). You and your protectees are inside a building where bad things are happening. Your current location is untenable and you must leave but expect to encounter resistance as part of the escape.
What "skill set", or combination thereof, among those described would be needed in each event??
Gabe Suarez
Suarez International USA, Inc.
One Source Tactical
Office 928-776-4492
Spaniard by Heritage
Cuban by Birth
Christian by Grace
American by Choice


text:
Category Archives: Bill Zedler
Texas Lawmaker Wants Strippers to Wear Licenses
Texas State Rep. Bill Zedler has an idea to discourage strippers. He wants them to apply for a license — and wear it. Zedler's goal is fewer strippers. "They won't want to get a license as a stripper from the … Continue reading
Posted in Bill Zedler, Texas Leave a comment


text:
I can hear the bells jingling, feel the crisp cool air, and smell the holiday cookies baking in the oven. The countdown until Christmas Day is here! Thank goodness that I had an award-winning Thanksgiving Dinner because the family has requested a repeat performance.
I have learned in the last few months to TRY NOT to procrastinate on anything! You never know what tomorrow will bring your way. Mother had to have a pacemaker on October 5, which meant that in order for me to stay at the hospital for a week, Daddy had to have someone with him at home. God sent just what I needed, PAT and OLLIE! What blessings these two ladies have been to our family. Mother is home and is doing GREAT due to the super caregivers that they have. Some days I feel like I meet myself coming and going! I am grateful that I have both of my parents during another Holiday season. A word to the wise, just start cooking and freezing now just in case something unexpected happens!
OK are you ready for holiday recipes from my home? Cranberry congealed salad, dressing, brown rice, key lime pie with fresh whipped cream – and of course sweet tea to drink!
Phil has a new outdoor kitchen, which is a whole new blog. He cooked the turkey on the rotisserie and it was out of this world! Washed the bird and seasoned with salt and pepper. He basted the bird with melted butter and honey during the cooking process. He has a new meat thermometer that timed the cooking just to the perfect temp.
This is a favorite of Paula's. One recipe will make a lot. Double and you can share with your neighbors!
1 pound raw cranberries (ground)
1 cup sugar
1 chopped apple
1 cup chopped pecans
2 oranges seeded and ground (peeling and all)
2 boxes raspberry gelatin
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 cup celery, chopped
Grind cranberries, apple and oranges. Make gelatin with half of the recommended water. Cool and add fruit, celery and nuts. Mold or pour into a baking dish. Congeal overnight. Serve with mayo!
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
¼ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. I make my corn bread the day before.
7 slices of white bread (dried in warm oven)
Corn Bread
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion chopped
1 stick butter
7 cups stock or broth (chicken)
1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper
5 eggs beaten
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble dried white bread slices, cornbread, and saltines. Mix together. Sautee' chopped celery and onion in butter until tender. Pour over bread mixture. Add stock, mix and taste. Add seasonings and taste. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Pour into a greased pan and bake about 45 minutes or until dressing is done. Serves at least 8-10
I throw out the diet when I make this. I tell myself that I will only eat a tiny bit of the crust – HA! It is addictive. Actually, I like the crust better than the filling! Uncle Bubba serves this at his restaurant and sells them like HOT CAKES!
1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
½ cup (plus) slivered almonds
¼ cup melted butter
Grease a 9 inch pie pan. In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar and almonds. Add the melted butter and mix well. Press evenly into the prepared pan.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup Key Lime Juice
Grated zest and juice of 1 Key lime
3 egg yolks
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.In a medium bowl, combine the vanilla, condensed milk, Key lime juice, lime zest and juice and egg yolks, and mix well. Pour into the pie crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 20-30- minutes and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Garnish with whipped cream!
BROWN RICE (this has become a staple at my house)
2 cups raw rice
2 cans French Onion Soup
2 cans Beef Consomme'
Mushrooms (optional)
1 stick butter
Melt butter in a pyrex dish (9x13) add rice, soup, and mushrooms. Put in preheated 350 degree oven and bake until all of the liquid is absorbed.
Needless to say your meal will be fabulous if you follow the above menu.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love and Hugs,


text:
sudo rm -rf /Volumes/$DRIVENAME/\.Trashes/501
F: (use whatever drive letter Windows assigns when you plug in the drive)
cd \.Trashes\501
del *.*
rm * into a Unix shell causes the shell itself to expand the *, then insert the resulting filenames into the command line passed to the rm command. And since the filename contains NUL characters, and since NUL characters are used as string terminators in C programs, and since command line parameters get passed as C strings, rm will never see the whole file name.
cd "\.Trashes\501\Recovered files"
del *.*
rm /Volumes/ITUNES/.Trashes/501/Recovered files/XXXXXXXX.XXX but that's probably riskier than the OP would countenance.
ls -il to get the file's inode number, then
find /Volumes/ITUNES/.Trashes -inum inode_number -exec rm -i {} \;
ls -li to get the inode of the bad file. Then type
df to get the name in /dev of the volume it's on (e.g. my HD is /dev/disk0s2).
to unmount the volume, then
umount /dev/whatever
to zero out the inode, and then
clri /dev/whatever inode-number
to repair the filesystem and reclaim the inode. Then, just reboot normally.
fsck /dev/whatever


text:
Music Played14 items
Fleetwood Mac Second Hand News
Buddy Greco The Lady Is A Tramp
At His Best, Acrotbat
Bee Gees I Started A Joke
Bee Gees - Their Greatest Hits, Polydor
Josephine Portrait
(CD Single), Ruby Works
Stacy Lattisaw Jump To The Beat
25 Years Of Rock'n'Roll: 1980 (Va), Connoisseur Collection, 6
ABBA Waterloo
Abba Gold (40th Anniversary Edition), Polar, 019
Emeli Sandé Clown
(CD Single), Virgin, 5
Toto Africa
The All Time Greatest Rock Songs ..., Columbia
Pause For Thought
Joss Stone Right To Be Wrong
Joss Stone - Mind Body & Soul, Relentless
Lawson Learn To Love Again
(CD Single), Global Talent Records
Big Country In A Big Country
Without The Aid Of A Safety Net, EMI
Bellowhead Roll The Woodpile Down
Broadside, Navigator Records, 003
Eddie Fisher Oh Mein Papa
Housewives Choice (Various Artists), Music & Memories
Toploader Turn It Around
(CD Single), Underdogs Management, 1
Feltz Friday Phililogical Challenge
These were the four words Vanessa challenged you to make a sentence out of this week - how did you fare?
Pause For Thought with Rabbi Shoshanna Boyd Gelfand
Growing up in America, my family used to take summer holidays that included long cross-country car rides. My sisters and I would sit in the back of the car, and as the hours wore on, we would inevitably start bickering about something or other. My father would yell into the back seat, "Can't you all just get along back there - you're arguing is driving me crazy!"
If only my father had known about the Jewish tradition of makhloket, he might have been less annoyed by our back seat squabbles. Makhloket is the Jewish concept of arguing "for the sake of heaven." It's a method that was developed by the rabbis two thousand years ago, as a way to seek out different viewpoints in order to get closer to God. Instead of attacking and destroying your opponent's position, makhloket requires you to recognize it as a sincere attempt to encounter the divine. In fact, the rabbis said that anytime two people engage in this kind of debate, God's Presence comes and rests between them.
The rabbis were so intent that people use makhloket to respect their opponent's position, that they insisted that minority opinions be recorded and quoted, even when they were ultimately rejected. They recognized that opposition is an essential element of truth-seeking. By recording minority voices, the rabbis were saying that winning the argument is not the ultimate goal. Rather, considering different perspectives and having a multiplicity of voices is a value in and of itself. So the Jewish notion of makhloket goes far beyond the usual definition of co-existence as simply trying to get along; it requires us to actively seek out those whose opinions differ from our own.
I wish I could claim that the arguments in the back seat of our car were for the sake of heaven. I'm not convinced that my sisters and I had such noble purposes in mind. But I love fantasizing about how parents - or even nation-states - might use the Jewish concept of makhloket to ask us not just to get along, but to use our disagreements to bring God's presence into our midst.
BBC Radio 2 Fri 8 Feb 2013 05:00 BBC Radio 2


text:
Wilson County News 1012 C St Floresville TX 78114 Ph: 830-216-4519 Fax: 830-393-3219 Email:
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014
Not a subscriber? Click here.
Are you a WCN subscriber?
Set up your password.
Remember me
Forgot password?
Weekly News Stories
Weekly News Stories
• Section A: General News
• Eagle Ford News
• Obituaries
• South Texas Living
• Occasions
• Sports
• Agriculture Today
• The 411: Youth
• Special Section
• Wilson's AUTO Chooser
• Wilson's List/Classifieds
BURN BAN: In Effect
BURN BAN: In Effect
• Burn Ban Status
Special Features
Special Features
• Community Calendar
• Daily Updates via E-Mail
• Make Us Your Home Page
• Military Subscriptions
• Newspapers In Education
• Trial Subscription
• Links
• Weekly Headlines in Print
• Consumer Updates
• Funeral Notices
• National News
• Meeting Agendas
• Breaking News
• Election Coverage
• Scam Central
Living Blogs
Living Blogs
• A Gift of Self
• A Salute to Our Military
• Community Calendar
• Church Directory
• Everyday Journeys
• Gardening Q&A
• Keeping the Faith
• On The Road To Forever
• Reunions
• Rose Petals
• Savvy Senior
• Tips from the Coupon Queen
• Wilson County Garden Day
• Wilson County History
Fun Stuff
Fun Stuff
• Facebook
• Movie Reviews
• Twitter
• Video Vault
• YouTube
Opinion Blogs
Opinion Blogs
• Commentaries
• Headlines & Between the Lines
• One Opinion
• Political Soaps
• Time Warp
Sports & Outdoors
Sports & Outdoors
• Fishing Report
• NASCAR News
• Reb's Race Report
• Sports Scores, Playoffs, Updates
• Wilson's List/Classifieds
• Wilson's AUTO Chooser
• COUPONS: Print & Save!
• Showcase of Homes
• Yellow Pages
Photo Galleries
Photo Galleries
• -Weekly Photos
• Floresville Opry-May 2014
• Gallery-Severe Weather 2012
• Photo Contest�Deer Blinds
• Photo Contest�Facebook
• Photo Contest-Springtime
Special Publications
Special Publications
• Eagle Ford Directory
• Floresville Visitors Guide
• La Vernia Chamber Directory
• La Vernia News
• Medical Directory Guide
• Real Estate Guide
• Ad Rates, Classified
• Ad Rates, Display
• Ad Rates, Internet
• Business Review Submission
• Classified Ad Submission
• Community Calendar Submission
• Distribution, Coverage Area
• Engagement Announcement
• FREE Yellow Page Submission
• Gift of Self Submission
• Letters to the Editor Submission
• Obituary Submission
• Peanut Festival Court Submission
• Photo Reprint Pricing
• Reunion Submission
• Showcase of Homes-Rates
• Take a Closer Look at WCN
• Terms of Use
• Upcoming Promotions
• Wedding Announcement
• Your Eagle Ford Source
Contact Us
Contact Us
• Contact Us
• Email Alerts
• Newsstands
• News Tip Line
• Staff/History
• Subscribe Today!
Preview the Paper
Report Comment
Please complete the form below in order to alert us to the following comment. If you have questions about our policy regarding comments please
reference our Terms of Use page
Rock'n chair Rambler
Over Taxed, TX
November 17, 2011 8:20am
Last time I checked, the only actual qualification for President was....... dare I say it?.... natural born CITIZENSHIP.
But, let's not even go there. Who cares, right? That's just all water under the bridge. Too late now anyway.
No, let's all sit there glued to the TV waiting for the next sexy grandma accuser to come forward on the arm of Gloria Alred. Who cares that the debt clock has now clicked over on that $15 TRILLION mark?
Nah, too boring. Besides, our "real genius" President believes we can spend and borrow our way out of debt. And tax the rich!
Who cares if that worthless, impotent Congress is pretending to haggle over a pathetic, totally symbolic pittance of a cut to be spread out over a decade, during which time the debt will climb to such a level that it will make Greece look solvent by comparison?
If you want to know what incompetence looks like in a President, just take a look at what Obama just announced. He's sending 2500 troops to Australia to put the fear of God and Uncle Sam into the Chinese. I'm sure they are quaking in their jack boot flip-flops. This is starting to look like those WWII news clips of MacArthur's "I shall return" moment. But not a word about Iran's nuke program as he withdraws troops from Iraq. Yeah, no problems there....
Meanwhile, his brilliant Secretary of State is busy promising aid to Bangkok flood victims. Ah yes, Thailand.... that vacation destination hot-spot for Pen State coach pedophiles. And just where is that aid money going to come from, Mrs. Clinton? Are you going to borrow it from the Chinese?
Or, maybe we'll just dip into the Social Security trust fund.....Yeah, just cash in one of those IOUs.
Your Full Name:
We will not publish your name or e-mail address as a result of reporting this comment. We request this information in the event that we need to contact you with follow-up questions. You will not receive any unsolicited e-mail by using this form.
Your E–Mail:
< Select One >
Invasion of Privacy
Personal Attack
Your Comments:
Copyright © 2014 Wilson County News. All rights reserved.
Web development by Drewa Designs


text:
Lemon Maringue Pie, with mothers recipe. I knew how to make it but it had been quite a while since I made a recipe that included meringue, I found this recipe easy and tasty. Always following the clean untensil rule.
This recipe goes with Uptown Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
More From Southern Living
Recipe Time
Prep Time:
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- Beat egg whites and salt at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form and sugar dissolves (about 1 to 2 minutes).
My Notes
Only you will be able to view, print, and edit this note.Add Note
Meringue Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Desserts
- PUBLICATION: Southern Living
More Recipes Like This
Chocolate and Berry-Covered MeringueCooking Light
Triple-Berry Crisps with Meringue StreuselCooking Light
Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss MeringueSouthern Living
Indulge your cravings!
Free Daily Indulgence Newsletter: You'll get our most indulgent sweets and savory treats.
We Respect Your Privacy. Privacy Policy


text:
Gemma Massey Gallery Updates Archive
Browse the entries provided below to view the archived listings of all of the Gemma Massey galleries, pics and videos, contained within this site. As we add more galleries, they will be added to this page.
Note: ONLY the galleries not already listed on the main page will be listed here. The most recently listed galleries can be found on the main page.
Gemma Massey Galleries Archive
Gemma Massey Early Morning Tease
Sexy Gemma Massey finds time for frisky fun any time. She strolls to the window and begins to strip, maybe hoping for some voyeuristic fun! And who wouldn't stare at her tantalizin...
» click here for the gallery
Gemma Massey Strips from a Dress
Gemma Massey gets home to quickly remove her dress and gets frisky along the way. She opens up her buttons revealing her body in sexy pink lingerie. She pops out her lovely breasts...
» click here for the gallery
Gemma Massey Pink Lingerie Tease
Delightful brunette Gemma Massey is set to make you desire her. Her sexy pink babydoll lingerie is sure to set you aflame. She lifts it off and slips her panties down for a dazzlin...
» click here for the gallery
Gemma Massey Barnyard Babe
Gemma Massey fancies a roll in the hay, dont you? We have a feeling that once you see this vixen slipping her plaid lingerie off, you will want even more than that! This little far...
» click here for the gallery
Gemma Massey Zebra Print Delight
Gorgeous vixen Gemma Massey makes sure you see her goods in her sheer print bikini. But this treat wants to have a lot more fun as she confidently struts by the pool, dropping clot...
» click here for the gallery


text:
PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) - A school on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is opening an art installation project that examines a congressional apology to Native Americans.
The Red Cloud Indian School's Heritage Center will feature the project by Oglala Lakota artist Layli Long Soldier beginning Tuesday. The interactive piece looks at the 2009 apology issued to Native Americans from Congress. The resolution apologizes to Native Americans for "ill-conceived policies" and acts of violence.
People will be invited to write or draw their own response to the apology as part of the installation piece. It will remain at The Heritage Center through December.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


text:
10 posts tagged with npr and youtube. (View popular tags)
Displaying 1 through 10 of 10. Subscribe:
On July 19, 1957, five Air Force officers and one photographer stood together on a patch of ground about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. They'd marked the spot 'Ground Zero. Population 5' on a hand-lettered sign hammered into the soft ground right next to them.


text:
Trade-Ideas: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Is Today's Strong On High Relative Volume Stock
- CMG has an average dollar-volume (as measured by average daily share volume multiplied by share price) of $176.2 million.
- CMG has traded 593,048 shares today.
- CMG is trading at 14.57 times the normal volume for the stock at this time of day.
- CMG is trading at a new high 7.05% above yesterday's close.
'Strong on High Relative Volume' stocks are worth watching because major volume moves tend to indicate underlying activity such as M&A events, material stock news, analyst upgrades, insider buying, buying from 'superinvestors,' or that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. Regardless of the impetus behind the price and volume action, when a stock moves with strength and volume it can indicate the start of a new trend on which early investors can capitalize. In the event of a well-timed trading opportunity, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends and a disciplined trading methodology should help you take the first steps towards investment success. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get the inside scoop on opportunities in CMG with the Ticky from Trade-Ideas. See the FREE profile for CMG NOW at Trade-Ideas More details on CMG: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. develops and operates fast casual and fresh Mexican food restaurants. Its restaurants primarily offer burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. As of June 3, 2013, the company operated 1,450 restaurants. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. CMG has a PE ratio of 40.7. Currently there are 10 analysts that rate Chipotle Mexican Grill a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 13 rate it a hold. The average volume for Chipotle Mexican Grill has been 399,700 shares per day over the past 30 days. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a market cap of $11.6 billion and is part of the services sector and leisure industry. The stock has a beta of 0.54 and a short float of 11.6% with 6.32 days to cover. Shares are up 26.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12-months. Learn more. TheStreetRatings.com Analysis: TheStreet Quant Ratings rates Chipotle Mexican Grill as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company is trading at a premium valuation based on our review of its current price compared to such things as earnings and book value. Highlights from the ratings report include:
- The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 2.6%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 13.4%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
- CMG has no debt to speak of therefore resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of zero, which we consider to be a relatively favorable sign. Along with this, the company maintains a quick ratio of 2.87, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term cash needs.
- CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC has improved earnings per share by 24.4% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC increased its bottom line by earning $8.75 versus $6.76 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($10.63 versus $8.75).
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the S&P 500 and greatly outperformed compared to the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry average. The net income increased by 22.2% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $62.66 million to $76.58 million.
- Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 326.36% to $125.25 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of 8.13%.
- You can view the full Chipotle Mexican Grill Ratings Report.
STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12-months. Learn more.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc Stock Price
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc Analyst Ratings
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc Key Stats & Profile
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc Earnings
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc Ratio Comparison
Select the service that is right for you!COMPARE ALL SERVICES
Action Alerts PLUSTry it NOW
Jim Cramer and Stephanie Link actively manage a real portfolio and reveal their money management tactics while giving advanced notice before every trade.
Product Features:
- $2.5+ million portfolio
- Large-cap and dividend focus
- Intraday trade alerts from Cramer
- Weekly roundups
TheStreet Quant RatingsTry it NOW
Only $49.95/yr
Access the tool that DOMINATES the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500.
Product Features:
- Buy, hold, or sell recommendations for over 4,300 stocks
- Unlimited research reports on your favorite stocks
- A custom stock screener
- Upgrade/downgrade alerts
Stocks Under $10Try it NOW
David Peltier, uncovers low dollar stocks with extraordinary upside potential that are flying under Wall Street's radar.
Product Features:
- Model portfolio
- Stocks trading below $10
- Intraday trade alerts
- Weekly roundups
Dividend Stock AdvisorTry it NOW
Jim Cramer's protege, David Peltier, identifies the best of breed dividend stocks that will pay a reliable AND significant income stream.
Product Features:
- Diversified model portfolio of dividend stocks
- Alerts when market news affect the portfolio
- Bi-weekly updates with exact steps to take - BUY, HOLD, SELL
Real Money ProTry it NOW
All of Real Money, plus 15 more of Wall Street's sharpest minds delivering actionable trading ideas, a comprehensive look at the market, and fundamental and technical analysis.
Product Features:
- Real Money + Doug Kass Plus 15 more Wall Street Pros
- Intraday commentary & news
- Ultra-actionable trading ideas
Options ProfitsTry it NOW
Our options trading pros provide daily market commentary and over 100 monthly option trading ideas and strategies to help you become a well-seasoned trader.
Product Features:
- 100+ monthly options trading ideas
- Actionable options commentary & news
- Real-time trading community
- Options TV


text:
If you're thinking about transferring or just looking to explore your options, consider attending some of the college information sessions, usually held in the cafeteria of Berks Hall. During these sessions, representatives from four-year colleges visit campus to meet with interested students. You can stop by the information table anytime during the scheduled visit to pick up catalogs, applications or other materials. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions on an individual basis.
Periodically, we will also provide information to off-campus transfer events that may be of interest, so please check this page often.
Dual Admissions Info Sessions
Students interested in Dual Admissions are invited to attend one of these drop-in information sessions which will be held in Berks Hall Room 209 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the date indicated.
- Sept. 24 - Alvernia University
- Oct. 1 - Temple University
- Oct. 2 - Millersville University
- Oct. 8 - Kutztown University
- Oct. 9 - Albright College
Please contact Jane Dietrich for more information.
On-Campus Information Sessions (held in Berks Hall cafeteria)
|October 15
|West Chester University
|October 28
|10:30am - 1:30pm
|Penn State/Harrisburg


text:
VAN BUREN COUNTY – Welcoming Michigan has unveiled a billboard just west of Bangor on M-43 West in Van Buren County to send the message, "When Michigan welcomes immigrants, Michigan thrives." The billboard is part of a positive media campaign organized by Welcoming Michigan, a group working to create a welcoming atmosphere for immigrants across the state.
"So far the feedback has been really positive," said Welcoming Michigan's West Michigan Communities Coordinator, Lillie Wolff. "Local residents are excited to see messages that showcase their communities as welcoming to people of all backgrounds," says Wolff.
The media campaign highlights the important contributions immigrants make to the local culture and economy. "We believe it is in Michigan's best interest to welcome immigrants," said Wolff. "Foreign-born residents contribute to the economy as business owners, consumers, students, and are an important part of the workforce, especially in our agricultural region. Working together we can create a more prosperous future."
Van Buren County is one of four communities where Welcoming Michigan works directly with immigrants and U.S.-born residents to promote mutual respect and understanding. The other communities are Hamtramck, Sterling Heights, and the Chadsey Condon neighborhood of southwest Detroit. "Immigrants are and have long been at the core of what makes Van Buren County a great place to live. The Welcoming Michigan initiative is crucial to help support that tradition and help immigrants feel more welcome here, now and always," said Larry Nielsen, Paw Paw Villager Manager and Welcoming Michigan Advisory Board member.
The billboard in Van Buren County will run through September. During the week of September 15th, Welcoming Michigan and its partners across the country will host National Welcoming Week, a series events that will bring together immigrants and U.S.-born community members in a spirit of unity through community building activities. During this special week a billboard will go up on I-96 near Lansing in an effort to spread a welcoming message and raise awareness about Welcoming Michigan in and around our state's Capitol.
Welcoming Michigan is one of 22 Welcoming America affiliates around the country that is using positive messaging campaigns to highlight the shared values and contributions of immigrants in local communities. Welcoming Michigan also works with local leaders who help plan and direct activities that bring long-time and new residents together to learn about each other's values and cultures. This includes things like film screenings, faith encounters, potlucks, and public dialogues to help build connections among community members.


text:
Toby Thomas Knight
Position: Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right
Height: 6-9 ▪ Weight: 210 lbs.
Born: May 3, 1955 in Bronx, New York
High School: Port Jefferson in Port Jefferson, New York
College: University of Notre Dame
Draft: New York Knicks, 2nd round (10th pick, 32nd overall), 1977 NBA Draft
NBA Debut: October 18, 1977
Other SR Links: College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Our primary support comes from users like you. Sponsor this page for $5. Your message will replace this ad.


text:
6 items from 2011
11 November 2011 11:53 AM, PST | ifc.com | See recent IFC news »
Hollywood is shifting its focus to The King. After many years of the film industry trying to put together a biopic about Elvis Presley, it seems like the time has final come for the famous rock'n'roll musician to get his time on the big screen.
The Hollywood Reporter is running a story about the many projects about Presley currently in development in Tinseltown. Most notable is the flick "Elvis & Nixon," which centers on an encounter between the singer and president in 1970. The film marks Cary Elwes' directorial debut, and currently has Eric Bana lined up to star as Elvis while Danny Huston will star as Nixon.
But that is just one of four projects centered around The King currently at play. Steve Bing has long been trying to make a biopic about Presley with "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller. His flick, "Last Train to Memphis" (based on the biography »
- Terri Schwartz
7 September 2011 5:28 AM, PDT | Dark Horizons | See recent Dark Horizons news »
John Scheinfeld ("The U.S. vs. John Lennon") will direct Rlf Victor Productions' "Fame & Fortune", an adaptation of the 2007 biography "Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business" penned by former Presley bodyguard Sonny West and biographer Marshall Terrill says The Hollywood Reporter.
Though he starred in 27 movies, his life story has never been the subject of a theatrical biopic, though his life has been portrayed in documentaries and telefilms. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Kurt Russell previously played Presley in two such small screen projects.
Cindy Friedlander, Michael Schlau and West penned the script. Casting begins late fall with a 2012 theatrical release planned to coincide with the 35th anniversary of Presley's death. »
- Garth Franklin
6 September 2011 11:20 PM, PDT | SneakPeek | See recent SneakPeek news »
Rlf Victor Productions report they are producing a feature adaptation of the 2007 best-seller "Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business", that was co-written by Elvis' close friend and bodyguard Sonny West, with biographer Marshall Terrill.
John Scheinfeld ("The U.S. vs. John Lennon") will direct.
With his brother 'Red', Sonny West was a member of Elvis' core group of friends and associates.
"John Scheinfeld is the premier director of popular culture bios on music icons," said Ricki Landers Friedlander, Chairman and CEO of Rlf Victor Productions. "Elvis Presley and Sonny West's story, which requires great sensitivity and understanding, couldn't be in more capable hands."
Producers are planning for a 2012 release.
Click the images to enlarge...
- Michael Stevens
6 September 2011 9:20 PM, PDT | The Film Stage | See recent The Film Stage news »
Despite being one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, Elvis Presley hasn't had a lot of films made about his life. The example that immediately springs to mind is Elvis, which starred Kurt Russell and was directed by John Carpenter — but even that was a made-for-tv movie. True Romance is another example, but that's also minor; he appears out of focus, and is onscreen for only about a minute. But this anomaly will come to an end soon, with THR learning that John Scheinfeld will direct a biopic of the singer, titled Fame & Fortune.
The most important announcement — that is, who will be playing the icon — hasn't been made yet, but that should come soon; casting will start in the fall, and it's being lined up for a release in 2012 by Rlf Victor Productions. There's a significance to the year: It coincides with »
- firstname.lastname@example.com (thefilmstage.com)
6 September 2011 7:48 PM, PDT | Hitfix | See recent Hitfix news »
Though rock legend Elvis Presley has been the subject of two major made-for-tv biopics previously (a 1979 version starring Kurt Russell and a 2005 miniseries starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Rlf Victor Productions now has a big-screen treatment in the works, and they've tapped documentary filmmaker John Scheinfeld to direct. Scheinfeld is perhaps best known as the director of the 2006 documentary "The U.S. vs. John Lennon", which premiered at that year's Venice Film Festival. The prolific filmmaker is no stranger to chronicling famous musicians, having previously directed docs on such subjects as Bette Midler, Andy Williams, and Ricky Nelson. The film will be based »
- Chris Eggertsen
6 September 2011 11:29 AM, PDT | cinemablend.com | See recent Cinema Blend news »
Less than a month after the 34th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley comes the announcement that The King will finally get his big screen biopic. The Hollywood Reporter published a story naming John Scheinfeld as director for Fame & Fortune, based on the 2007 biography Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business by former Elvis bodyguard Sonny West and biographer Marshall Terrill. The film is aiming for a 2012 release, effectively then the 35th anniversary of the singer.s death. Scheinfeld has previously written and directed The U.S. vs. John Lennon and Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin. About Him?). It is confounding as to why it has taken this long for a biopic about Elvis to make it to theaters. I.ve seen a slew of the TV movies, including John Carpenter.s Elvis, but I.m looking forward to The King.s life getting the same »
6 items from 2011
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.See our NewsDesk partners


text:
You don't have to leave the City limits to buy farm-fresh vegetables. Visit conveniently located Farmers' Markets throughout the summer and fall to find a wide variety of perennial favorites and seasonal specialties.
All markets sell farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese and baked goods, while several locations also sell flowers, small gifts and gardening items.
Sponsored by Union Real Estate.
* Location now accepts food stamps (SNAP), credit and debit cards. For more information on how to use your card at the market, click here.
Monday, September 15, 2014
3:30 – 6 p.m.
East Liberty Farmers' Market
Expect heated competition when Pittsburgh Firefighters from Engine 8 compete against chefs from Giant Eagle Market District. Sample a variety of chili recipes including the firefighters' famous "Dragonslayer." All money raised benefits a local charity.


text:
When I was growing up, the long braggy letter was the in holiday greeting. Families would try to make each other feel like crap sharing how great their year had been. I guess now people do that on Facebook.
For a while the popular approach for holiday cards has been the photo card. We started sending photo cards when Rose was born. When Walsh was born we started sending collage photo cards because we could never get one great photo of both kids.
Then that transformed into showing folks on the card what we had been up to or what the kids like. Now that we've moved out West our goal is to show people what we're seeing out here because it is so different from the East Coast.
We have friends who I think are the masters of the holiday card (see above). Ted Anthony and Melissa Rayworth are both journalists we have known for many years, and every year they have a new and creative approach to their holiday cards – even if they are late. I asked Ted to send me a few of their last cards to share with you guys and here they are. It's probably too late for this year but they may give you inspiration for next year.
What are your favorite types of holiday cards to give and receive? Do you have a Ted in your life who always comes up with the best cards? What have been your favorites?
December 20th, 2011
3:46 am
Haven's sent cards in years. Money is too tight. Happy that these people can.
December 20th, 2011
4:10 am
[...] What is your approach on the holiday card? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) Families would try to make each other feel like crap sharing how great their year had been. I guess now people do that on Facebook. For a while the popular approach for holiday cards has been the photo card. We started sending photo cards when … Yahoo! News Dec 20, 2011 8:12am [...]
December 20th, 2011
5:56 am
[...] What is your approach on the holiday card? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) Families would try to make each other feel like crap sharing how great their year had been. I guess now people do that on Facebook. For a while the popular approach for holiday cards has been the photo card. We started sending photo cards when … Dec 19, 2011 11:29pm [...]
December 20th, 2011
7:03 am
Nope. Don't do cards. It's a tedious task that I used to hate, so now I don't do it.
December 20th, 2011
7:05 am
I just hit myself on a hammer as my wife has me "help" her decide which pic of the kids to put on the card.
December 20th, 2011
7:11 am
We do the $15 for 50 cards at Costco. Just upload one of your own digital pictures, and they have them ready the next day. It's not free, but it's cheaper than getting everyone a gift card like teachers, your mail carrier, etc. That's what's adding up this year!
December 20th, 2011
7:14 am
I don't do them. It's just another chore that costs unnecessary money and takes a little of the joy out of the season.
December 20th, 2011
7:20 am
Yes, sending Christmas cards is time consuming, but I do it every year. It is a small way to send a little joy each year to those I care about. I also love to receive them….much more than a virtual greeting.
December 20th, 2011
7:31 am
i haven't sent out Christmas cards in years. since everyone i know has an email address, i pick out a favorite card every year on the internet and send it to them via email. it may seem impersonal to some, but i can personalize each card in a matter of minutes at very little cost to me. plus, it's better for the environment, saving paper and all.
December 20th, 2011
7:34 am
These people don't have time to spend a few minutes staying in touch with friends? Well, you're not really friends worth having anyway.
We get a picture with Santa, go on Snapfish (or Shutterfly), make the cards, order them, a week later get them and mail them out.
December 20th, 2011
7:37 am
I hate to admit it because it falls under the category "isn't anything sacred anymore" – but I went almost totally online with my Christmas cards this year. I send over 200 and have email addresses on all but a handful. And frankly, the job just got a little too much because even with a letter summarizing our family activities and growth for the year, I couldn't get away with just signing the photo card I used to send. I always had to write a sentence (or two or three) unique to the receivers. So I bit the bullet and incorporated the message and a photo on a Blue Mountain Christmas card – apologizing profusely in the note for doing so. No ugly replies so far. But I still feel guilty.
December 20th, 2011
7:39 am
I don't send cards. Never have. It's one of the benefits of being a single man, no one really expects it of you. It's like going to a party and bringing something. If you bring crap, there's not really any criticism. If you bring something amazing, people wonder whether you're gay or someone helped you. :). Just havin a little fun with it.
December 20th, 2011
7:52 am
I still send a few. Mostly to old family friends we no longer see. I'm over 60 and still in touch with a few people who were my parents' friends and knew me as a child. It's fun to remember them and keep them up to date with our children and grandchildren. it just feel right to do it. I write peronal notes in each one. Our other friends all get e-cards or other on line things.
December 20th, 2011
7:54 am
I love sending and receiving cards. Like the family in the post, I am sometimes late, but I get them out. The expense is not that great if you shop around. This year I went with a photo card from Shutterfly which was not the cheapest but had the fastest turn time around in my price range. It does take some time, but if receiving my card brightens someone's day it is worth it. I keep all the cards I receive every year. It is fun to look back at them and see how families have grown and changed.
I really like the ideas in the post – I will keep them in mind for next year.
I know many who have stopped doing cards because of time or money. The money reasons I can completely understand.
December 20th, 2011
8:02 am
Mine will be late this year, but I'm OK with that. I want to get a picture to put in with the cards and we've just been so busy this year with moving and settling in at the new place. Hopefully I can get the picture taken next week and start on the cards. I think those awkward cards are great!
December 20th, 2011
8:04 am
I think you are full of yourself if you send cards that are silly photos of yourself.
December 20th, 2011
8:21 am
I ditched hard copy cards years ago. Now I opt for sending ours electronically. We do an "A to Z 2011 ________ Family" edition. It's one page that includes a couple of family photos taken during the year and highlights from our year that start w/ each letter of the alphabet. For example, "N" might be New York City – We spent thanksgiving in NYC and toured Lady Liberty on _____'s birthday. Friends & family LOVE it!
It's a great way to be creative and include lots of information on the happenings of our family over the last year in a little bit of space.
December 20th, 2011
8:22 am
Cutes cards and fun topic TWG!
Just back in from Montreal….C'est Magnifique! We watched fireworks with hats, gloves and scarves on ( a first for us) and shivered in the 15 degree temps. We saw the beautiful Notre Dame Basillica and also heard a Christmas Concert in French and English. I just mailed my cards with letters ( a one page poem I composed about our family) inside on Friday, to about 30 people whom I know will send me a card. Others, will get an e-mail version. This year, I used the cards that were sent along with the charities I support. They were not the best cards but the charities will get a check from me. I laughed when I opened a card, last night, from former neighbors: "We look forward to your letter every year!" I enjoy the letters I have received from others so far. Chacun son gout.
December 20th, 2011
8:33 am
@ Ski8ing…love it! I want to read one!
I am trying to remember this when I read the blog: two sides here …creative/clever comments or complaints. Alliteration.
December 20th, 2011
8:39 am
Some traditions are worth it … this is one of them. Our list has grown to well over 100 photo cards sent, we probably receive 60 in return. I write a smal person note on each card. I can get all of them done in two evenings, no more than 6 hourse total spend. Honestly, it will put you in a better mood to send nice greetings (which it sounds like alot you you desperately need). When you don't send anything, it really says you don't care. This a huge part of what is wrong with modern society … decaying manners and graciousness.
I save all the photo cards that I get, it is fun seeing how our friends & family have aged and their children have grown. Some of the better paper cards have been made into ornaments. Environmental scrooges need to take note that anything you don't wish to keep can be RECYCLED.
Merry CHRISTmas! :)
December 20th, 2011
8:39 am
We never did cards, until last year. We got a picture of the kids and sent it out (for the new year). I think people like to see pictures of others. I really do love getting the pictures from friends to see what the kids look like, to know that I'm being thought of, etc. These past few weeks have been completely hectic, so we haven't even gotten a picture of the kids at all, but I'm thinking of taking an 'older' one, i.e., not specifically for this time of year, and sending it out. I know people enjoy getting the cards, so I think I want to do it…
December 20th, 2011
8:43 am
I send cards every year. This year I bought mine at the Dollar General…20 cards for $2.00. Started addressing them the day after Thanksgiving. We only send them local and we DON'T put a lengthy letter with it. Just a card. We keep in touch all year long with phone calls, Facebook, etc, so no need for a letter, just the card.
December 20th, 2011
8:52 am
I love getting news so I send news. Sometimes I get news back. It's costly and time-consuming to send cards but I love doing it. And I've had people request that I not stop. I love the creative cards we get from others, too. Some send a note with pictures, one draws their own original card every year, and others sometimes send joke letters (we got one where a family described the superpowers and high-fashion modeling experiences they had had over the year). Cards and letters can be such a blast when you put your heart into it. However, it used to be disappointing when I sent every year to far-away relatives who sent me nothing, ever, and then they complained to my parents that they never heard from me. I have since realized that they complain about everything, and, if my Christmas cards can teach me who the negative people are so that I may avoid them, then it becomes a plus!
December 20th, 2011
8:53 am
This year I enclosed a printed letter–never have done that before but my hands hurt so much it seems better to do it one time, and make copies. Of course, I have added personal messages, too, so not sure if it did much good for the ole' hands. I send out about 25 each year, and I enjoy getting the cards.
Anyone have a "family rule" like my folks did that the kid (s) could open any cards that had their name included on the front? I try to include the kid's names now just in case they follow that rule. Even as an adult, I opened my parents' cards that had my name on them (and a few did!) I loved reading the messages from my dad's Army friends and from family I did not know, especially. I almost felt like I knew them, too. I miss that.
Another family tradition: My mom made pecan pies and delivered them to people who had been kind to her over the years. Eventually, she was making about 30 pies! I loved delivering them and visiting with their friends. Some folks she took pies to for over 30 years!
She also knit Christmas stockings with their names on them for people who had been good to her, and their families. When she died, she was making one for her doctor's wife! (I did not figure out who it was for for a long time!
December 20th, 2011
8:54 am
I'm with Augusta, I send a card and that's it..The only difference is that I buy my cards at yard sales and the thfrift stores..Have never paid over .50 for a box of cards..
December 20th, 2011
8:56 am
Thanks for the reminder Marley! I just opened another card from a HS friend who lives in TX. I have received a photo of her boys ( whom I have never met but they are adorable) since they were small. The oldest is now in college and they are standing in front of the football field. Another milestone for her family. It's fun. I do not send cards to local folks. Typically sent only to those I will not see all year or maybe once or twice, as they are former neighbors and we sometimes meet for dinner. Some friends are older and watched us, as a young family, trying to survive. They even pitched in to help. We appreciate them so much and thus want to stay in touch and let them keep up with our family. They do not communicate with Facebook or e-mails. A card is a nice way to say we remember you.
December 20th, 2011
8:59 am
I do hard copy Christmas cards every year. I buy mine at the Dollar Tree, a box of 20 for $1. Most of them just get signed "Merry Christmas" from (then I put our names on it). I think sending & receiving cards lets someone know you are thinking of them. It gives them something to look forward to in their mailbox besides a bunch of bills. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
December 20th, 2011
9:21 am
I don't do cards but I love receiving the ones with my friends and their kids' pictures. Keeps me up to date on how the kids are growing, especially the ones I don't see often or at all. I think it's great. A friend of mine at work sends a Christmas letter on what her family did over the year. Love that too. I don't have much to report nor do I have kids to report on so I don't bother. None of my single friends send cards so I don't feel bad but I honestly look forward to the photo cards.
December 20th, 2011
9:32 am
@Jeff – Too funny!
Christmas cards may be old-fashioned, but I love to get them, photo or otherwise. I've whittled down my list to just close family and friends, plus some family we just never get to see. We've done photo cards in the past, but this year I just sent regular cards with hand-written messages.
I love the cards that TWG's friends made. They are really clever. Maybe next year we can try something like that.
One tradition we have is each year Hubs takes a picture of DD (originally she was sleeping under the tree, but she's a little big for that now) and has a glass ornament made with the picture, her name, and the year. Each of the grandparents/great-parents gets one, and there's one for my gift as well. They are a great way to look back on Christmases past. Although we will need a 'DD Tree' at some point :o)
Counting down to vacation tomorrow! Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!
December 20th, 2011
9:50 am
Good for you, Jeff. :P
December 20th, 2011
10:08 am
I send cards. My mom of course made the comment that I didn't write anything on our cards this year (they were printed photo cards). I told her I didn't have time and since I was going to see her on Christmas she should be thankful I used a stamp and didn't hand deliver. Haha! I do like seeing our friends & extended family and their families. I did not send a letter this year. You want to keep up with us – get on Facebook!!
December 20th, 2011
10:58 am
A good friend of mine is a single guy. He sends out a card every year of himself and an inflatable doll.
The scenes are pretty funny. Last year they were at the mall shopping together. It's the only card I look forward to getting every year.
December 20th, 2011
11:02 am
Tough love here….don't send letters about your family. It's fodder for people making fun of you.
December 20th, 2011
11:16 am
@ jarvis…folks make fun of me on this blog quite often and I am still here, after 5 years. So, I will hang in there with my Christmas letters. The folks who perhaps would make fun of me are thousands of miles away, so it would be too hard to hear them laugh at or about me. Thanks for the advice. I look forward to all cards, because it means someone thought of me enough to send one. That may be just me!
December 20th, 2011
11:16 am
We send cards to mainly family and a few "old" friends – this will be the first year in about 27 years that we do not include a picture of the kids – they are both out of college and we decided it was time that we stop that "tradition" – my spouse wanted to send cards with pictures of just "us" – that was quickly squelched!
We always received comments from the "old" aunts that they so looked forward to receiving those cards – that is one of the difficult things about getting older, in that two of those aunts who were most appreciative of the cards passed away this year (ages 96 and 88!). Our list of recipeints has decreased to less than 25 now!
So, Merry Christmas to all who contribute to this blog, and all others, too.
December 20th, 2011
11:27 am
I hate the picture cards. They are not Christmas cards. Christmas cards are supposed to have nativity scenes, cardinals, pine trees, glittler, etc. They're supposed to be shiny and pretty, not a picture of you and your kids dressed alike in khakis and white shirts on your beach vacation. I also hate the family news letter.
December 20th, 2011
11:30 am
[...] What is your approach on the holiday card? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) Families would try to make each other feel like crap sharing how great their year had been. I guess now people do that on Facebook. For a while the popular approach for holiday cards has been the photo card. We started sending photo cards when … Dec 20, 2011 2:31pm [...]
December 20th, 2011
11:31 am
@Scooby, that is factually inaccurate.
December 20th, 2011
11:33 am
@jarvis, whatever, still don't like them.
December 20th, 2011
11:34 am
@MJG, my mom's cousin used to send out a family-letter card. We have not received one in well over a decade, and we still make fun of her letters.
My mom's cousin's note always sent out an air of self-importance. No one cared that Paul took up golf that year, and for her to think that anyone did care revealed how unaware she was of her place in our lives.
December 20th, 2011
11:35 am
Scooby, I was just ball busting.
December 20th, 2011
11:49 am
Don't think friends and family want to hear of all our misadventures this year with our problem teen. Why ruin their Christmas with my families problems?
December 20th, 2011
11:52 am
@Jarvis – you are right about not really caring about the grown folks' hobbies! I want to hear about the rugrats! I will probably hear about the grown folks during the year if they are that good of friends, right?
December 20th, 2011
12:11 pm
@Enemas for Easter, who said: "I think you are full of yourself if you send cards that are silly photos of yourself." — If, as your words suggest, you equate having fun with being arrogant, how sad. I am happy to be considered full of myself if I can make the people I care about smile a bit along the way.
December 20th, 2011
12:12 pm
We just received a letter that included the fact that the adults ( HS and college friends) went Dave Ramsey and have paid everything off, including downsizing on their house. I looked at my husband and said, " Good for them!" I am a newsy sort of person and love to hear about all sorts of things. Other friends have a daughter who went into the service and the Mom took a road trip to CA with her…they rode with the windows down the entire way. I loved it. I simply discard the things that are not interesting. That's just me. A friend on Facebook is keeping others up to speed on their family cruise right now…cute pictures and good for them. I guess I just like to know people are enjoying their families!
December 20th, 2011
12:12 pm
[...] What is your approach on the holiday card? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) Families would try to make each other feel like crap sharing how great their year had been. I guess now people do that on Facebook. For a while the popular approach for holiday cards has been the photo card. We started sending photo cards when … Dec 19, 2011 8:22pm [...]
December 20th, 2011
12:16 pm
These are the kind of letters I like to get:http://peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-greetings.html
December 20th, 2011
12:18 pm
Last year was the first time we send a Christmas card with a family picture. We had some made in conjunction with my son's senior pictures. I love to send Christmas cards because it takes me down memory lane of all the wonderful people who have touched our lifes over the years. I send cards to three countries, and I think 5 states. Time consuming what so worth it.
December 20th, 2011
12:20 pm
That's very positive of you MJG. I would have said, who gives a shchlitz about them and Dave Ramsey and car rides with the windows down.
If it was "news", I'd have already have known about it.
December 20th, 2011
12:22 pm
I still try to send cards every year, especially to older relatives and friends of my parents. They enjoy seeing the kids as they grow up and like hearing what's going on.
When the kids were younger (babies), I wrote our Christmas letter from their perspective. It went really well and made it less braggy. As they've gotten older, I've tried a couple of other approaches (last year was a poem) but this year we're just doing a regular letter. My plan is to sit down tonight and knock out the 'must sends' (mainly those relatives without FB).
I still love getting Christmas cards. It is fun to see how the kids have grown and to find out more details about what it going on. Even though a lot of my friends are on FB they do not all post what is happening in their family so a Christmas letter is a nice yearly update.


text:
Games for Lunch: Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Developer: Digital Mayhem
Publisher: Interplay
Release Date: Dec. 21, 2001
Systems: PS2 (reviewed), Windows, Mac
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site
0:00 I picked up a cheap, used copy of this game years ago after vaguely remembering it was pretty well-received, then I never even touched it. No time like the present to try it out, eh?
0:01 An alien with a beer stein is relaxing on a wooden recliner. He's crushed by a giant, roaring green alien. Then the title comes in. Uh... Word.
0:03 A spaceship flies over an ocean to an island chain. Soaring music. "Closer, okay?" says one Master Chief-looking space-guy "Right, see you around, Baz," says another. There's a miscommunication and one of the guys gets locked outside the ship's hatch without a jetpack. He falls onto the island with a cry of "YOU VICIOUS BASTARD!" Still, he plants a British flag on the soil while "Hail, Britannia" plays. A bird picks up the flag and flies off. I have no idea what's going on, but the voice acting is so emotive, I don't care.
0:04 My mission: "Find the helpless little SMARTIE BOY. Hurry! He's in danger! Go! Shoo!" I've never had a game tell me to "shoo!" before.
0:05 Already I'm controlling things. Gotta love a game that doesn't belabor the story. There are some nice majestic views of the ocean, but the ground itself is blocky and pixelated. I'll admit it: I've been spoiled by the graphics on the new generation of machines.
0:08 A few little spider things around some palm trees are my first enemies. It's a simple third-person, two-stick run-and-shoot. Take out the nests to stop the flow of spiders. Pretty generic. The auto-aim is extremely forgiving, which I like. One annoyance, though: I forgot to turn off the inverted Y-axis for the controls, and now I can't seem to change it from the options screen. Seems a big omission.
0:11 Five identical spider-nest battles later, I arrive at a beach and find a "health syringe." My mom always told me not to pick up syringes on the beach. Guess that doesn't apply here. The music swells. I must be getting somewhere.
0:12 The map is perhaps the most singularly unhelpful thing I've ever seen. It's a fuzzy, zoomed out picture of the entire island chain, with one small dot for me, and one that appears to be where I started. That's it. No zoom, no pan, no nothing.
0:13 After traipsing down the beach in what I'm sure is the wrong direction, I come to a peninsula with a huge clawed thing that launches blue energy balls at me. It looks like he should be tough to take out, but after roughly a dozen shots he explodes. Hmph.
0:16 I seem to have stumbled upon civilization, as characterized by some rudimentary stone houses. No people, though, just more enemies, including a fire-breathing version of the clawed thing. These guys would be a lot harder to kill if they didn't just stand still in one place as they attacked.
0:18 Ohhhh! I think I figured out the map. The red dot is my target, the green one is my location and heading. Consider the map upgraded from "worst map ever" to merely "awful."
0:20 "Oh... thanks, old man," says Akmed, the Smartie I rescued. "But you can call me Timmy." He gives me his jetpack and leads me through a mineshaft to a different part of the island, but not before I shoot the bird that took my flag. Heh. Meanwhile, there are other Smarties falling off cliffs for some reason. Timmy thought they were fake, the daft git. I have to rescue them. My mission: "Save 4 SMARTIES using your sexy new JETPACK."
0:23 I was just about to complain about the game's lack of a jump button, but that seems petty now that I have a sexy new jetpack that lets me float and hop between islands.
0:26 I've rescued my first Smartie, but I'm having trouble finding the "conveniently placed Smartie pad" referred to in the mission. Meanwhile the guy on my back calls me "one cool geezer." Oi! Don't make me regret saving you now!
0:28 This jetpack is not as sexy as it could be. It takes way too long to get off the ground, and the fuel runs out incredibly quickly. I fall in the water constantly and fall victim to the piranhas before I can get going. Ugh.
0:31 Still looking for that "conveniently placed smartie pad." You'd think this would be something clearly marked on my map, but no, there's just a bunch of red dots where the Smarties themselves are hanging out. Bleh.
0:34 Finally found the Smartie pad in a fenced-in pen on a nearby beach. OK, so it shouldn't have taken me this long, but still, why isn't it on the map?
0:36 Now that I found the pad, my problem is actually collecting the Smarties, who don't seem to want to jump on my back when I touch them for some reason. If it's not one thing...
0:42 Finally finished collecting the Smarties. Timmy tells me that my fellow spaceman is hanging from a cliff himself. You're just telling me NOW?!?! My spaceman companion screams in terror. "What a joker!" says Timmy. Heh. I love the British accents on these guys.
0:44 Whoo! The new rocket launcher Timmy gave me can blow up the clawed guys in one explosive shot, but it has limited ammo. That's OK, the game explicitly tells me to "blow stuff up and worry about ammo later." Amen!
0:47 The action's getting significantly heavier now, with a lot of big enemies between me and my target. They still don't move, though, making them easy pickings.
0:48 I rescue my mate. Apparently Timmy was the one that stole his gun and jetpack. He gets slapped, but maintains his sunny disposition as he recounts the tale of the reaper squadron that took over his village. His parents have vital info and are hiding in "the codpiece hills." To get them, I have to get by reaper snipers, reaper guards and a mine shaft in a reaper breeding ground. Er, no sweat?
0:50 Got my mate Tel by my side now. He fires at what I fire at. Groovy.
0:51 Despite the pixelated blocky-ness of the islands, there's a real sense of wide-open scale in the open-air vistas. It's a nice feeling after dozens of first-person games set in claustrophobic corridors.
0:52 The ground detection could use some work. With the help of the jetpack, I can climb 88-degree inclines with little problem.
0:55 The piranhas get me again as I try and fail to hop between two far-apart islands. You'd think I could take them out with my pistol, but now, they are unstoppable piranhas. That would be a good name for a rock band.
0:56 I'm getting more than a little annoyed with Timmy's constant cries of "Yeah, great!" and "Woohoo. Yeehaw! Ahahahay!" as he rides on my back.
0:57 So instead of navigating the craggy cliffs this time, I go through the valley SWARMING WITH MONSTERS. Believe it or not, this is the easier path.
0:59 Made it to the shaft in the breeding grounds and now we're in the realm of the snipers. We have to sneak past their guard posts. Metal Gear: Citizen Kabuto will have to wait 'til next time though, because our time's up!
Would I play this game for more than an hour? Yes.
Why? Despite a slow start, the action is picking up fast, and the irreverent British humor tickles my fancy.
This column was based on a used retail copy bought for, like, five bucks a couple of years ago.
Want to know more about Games for Lunch? Check out the FAQ here.
For more Games for Lunch, visit the official GfL blog.


text:
Jamaican Boy & Girl Names
Browse Baby Names By Category
Jamaican Names
You can find the most popular names in Jamaica on our Jamaican names list. If youve ever visited, you may be inspired to choose a name from this exotic locale (just like Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale did for their boys, Kingston and Zuma Nesta). Find out what kinds of names may be unique to this laid-back, island country and which ones are currently popular (like Jaden and Gabrielle). Each name detail page contains pronunciations, accurate origin and meanings information, and historical references to aid you in making your choice. Easy and breezy! Irie, mon!


text:
SHANGHAI (UPI) — Fragments of two ancient stone axes found in China bear what could be some of the world's earliest primitive writing, archaeologists say.
Discovered as part of a large find of artifacts unearthed south of Shanghai, the ax fragments have been dated at around 5,000 years old, the BBC reported Thursday.
Currently, evidence of the world's oldest writing is thought to be from Mesopotamia from 3,300 B.C.
There has been disagreement among Chinese experts whether the markings on the axes are actual writing or a less sophisticated grouping of symbols.
"The main thing is that there are six symbols arranged together and three of them are the same," lead archaeologist Xu Xinmin said. "This clearly is a sentence expressing some kind of meaning."
Cao Jinyan, a Chinese scholar who is an expert on ancient writing, agreed.
"Although we cannot yet accurately read the meaning of the 'words' carved on the stone axes, we can be certain that they belong to the category of words, even if they are somewhat primitive," he said.