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Honey-less-honey-roasted nuts
Early in the method discovery process.
"I have to get just the right amount of pressure...oops! Too much!"
-Hanad, one of those rare few who can completely crush a walnut just by clenching it in his fist-
After all the commotion, we found that all we needed to do was position the nut near the hinge of the door and gently pull the door close. It's a wonder how we thought that Hanad crushing walnuts with his bare hands was a better idea to begin with.
Pretty soon, we had a little assembly line going - crack, peel, remove, crack, peel, remove, pop into mouth... As always, we couldn't just enjoy the nuts as they were and after much talk of honey-roasted walnuts, we decided to see what we could come up with, with what we could find in the kitchen. That's the thing about having gone to a college in the middle of nowhere and with limited resources, learning to make do becomes second nature.
Honey-less-honey-roasted nuts
Ingredients: Nuts (we used walnuts, naturally), sugar, salt, water
Heat the saucepan slightly before putting the nuts in. Once the nuts are in, add a pinch of salt, and a few teaspoons of sugar (depending on how sweet you want the nuts to be). Add a small amount of water (think just enough to melt the sugar and salt) and watch everything sizzle as the sugar and salt melt to coat the nuts. We repeated this until we got just the right balance of sweet and salty (all the while making sure we weren't taking too long - burnt was not a taste we were aiming for).
For a little extra something, add to the sugar and salt, a little Baileys Irish Cream (we had some special edition Irish Cream with a hint of Creme Caramel lying around that really complemented the nuts) or for that cinema-popcorn flavour, a bit of butter. Mix well so that every bit of nutty surface is well coated with everything. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to whip up a batch of very addictive nuts. After the first round, one should be able to get the proportions of everything just right.
A big bowl of nuts, four of us curled up in various positions on the couch, bad Italian variety shows and a map spread out on the floor with places of interest circled on it - that's how we spent our very first night in Malta.
The bunch of us busying ourselves in the kitchen at supper time. I guess being in a different country really doesn't change much sometimes.
Malta, sweet Malta
Strolling down the streets of Valletta on the first day, we couldn't resist stepping into one of the many patisseries.
Clockwise from left - apple strudel, almond filled pastry, chocolate and rum and lemon and vanilla. Trust me, we had an extremely difficult time trying to narrow it down to only four! They were all delicious but the almond filled pastry really took us by surprise as it looked most unassuming. The warm almond filling melted in our mouths and kept us coming back for more.
Needless to say, an excursion to a patisserie became a daily fixture and most of the time, we would be standing at the counter, staring at everything and going back and forth between choices, truly testing the patience of the unfortunate sales person stuck serving us. Often, we would just end up picking at random only to be pleasantly surprised.
And really, what's not to stare when the shelves are filled with little delights like these? They look almost too pretty to eat.
" Crumbly on the outside but chewy on the inside...in a foamy sort of way"
- Sapna and Anusha -
I'd never heard almond cookies described like this before but I must say, the description is spot on.
( Photo courtesy of Anusha)
I have a weakness for ice cream and I'm often not alone when it comes to this. Equally tempting were the gelaterias lining the streets and it really didn't matter what the weather was like - any time seemed like a good time for ice cream. As always, being the fickle-minded people we are especially when faced with such interesting choices (how does one choose between flavours like creme caramel, biscuit and orange-tinged chocolate?) we would drive the person behind the counter crazy by requesting free samples of almost everything on display before deciding.
On one of our visits to an ancient temple site, we were distracted by a little stall by the ruins with jars of jam on display. "Cactus jam!", we were told by the lady who was referring to the jars of prickly pears jam. Of course, our interest was peaked and we left the ruins not just with photographs but with some jam and syrup. I was eager to experiment with the carob syrup after being told that it would soothe a sore throat (The dip into the freezing pool the day before had not helped the cold that I had arrived in Malta with).
"Hot water and a teaspoonful of carob syrup" - she didn't lie.
Saying we were spoilt for choice is an understatement. There was something to tempt a sweet tooth at every corner and boy, did we give in to temptation!
Malta, Malta
We set off to Malta, knowing very little about our destination and really just wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. While the weather was a slight dampener (London was warmer!) the food more than made up for it. Seafood was abundant and surprisingly cheap, portions were hugely satisfying and we got a chance to take our stomachs on a bit of an adventure.
Ftira - Maltese bread topped with tuna, onions, olives and cheese. What really set this simple dish apart is the olives. We got our very first taste of Maltese olives at a little cafe we picked for lunch a couple of hours after we set foot in Malta. I'd never had olives quite like these before - larger, juicier and with just the right flavour.
We had been on the look out for some traditional Maltese dishes and thought that a little restaurant hidden in the corner of an apartment complex (because the best places always seem to be the ones tucked away in a little nook aren't they?) with a sign that said "Fried rabbit and other Maltese dishes" would be a good place to start. We went for the most interesting dishes on the menu - rabbit fried in garlic and white wine, fried octopus, red scorpion fish with tomatoes and olives and horse stew. We were first timers when it came to horse and we were assured that it would be tender - they didn't lie. How an animal so strong and muscular can be that tender is beyond me.
"Ooh..octopus tentacles!" - our semi-vegetarian taking a break from the red scorpion fish to give octopus a shot.
Rabbit was a popular feature in most of the restaurants so we just had to try the rabbit stew. Rabbit tastes very much like a slightly rougher version of chicken and this stew, with much of its flavour coming from the sweetness of the carrots and onions, really reminded me of the chicken stew mum makes at home.
Being so close to Sicily, it's no surprise that the Italian influence is strong when it comes to food. Pastas and pizzas were on most menus and on a particularly rainy day in Gozo, we ducked out of the gloom into the warmth of a little restaurant to tuck into a hearty Italian meal. Pictured here is the three cheese Ravioli in creamy mushroom sauce. We were slightly apprehensive at first as previous experience with three cheese dishes (especially when blue cheese is involved) have not been pleasant. However, the flavours were not overbearing this time and the cheeses, instead of dominating the dish, really complemented it.
And of course, there's nothing like a serving of hot chocolate to go with some comfort food to make even the rainiest of days seem a bit better.
The seafood lovers (that made three out of four of us) were in for a real treat when we discovered a little place overlooking the beautiful Blue Grotto where the sea was breathtaking shade of blue.
A tomato-based pasta and octopus dish. I really appreciated the subtle tomato flavour that only fresh tomatoes (and not the purees that come in cans) can lend to a dish.
Pasta marinara. Again, instead of the drowning in thick, creamy sauce it was almost like the seafood and pasta were just tossed together with some garlic and white wine which really brought out those wonderful seafood flavours.
The star of the meal - garlic octopus. It seems like such a waste to musk the delightful flavours of fresh seafood and that afternoon, as we sat out in the sun with the sound of the waves in the background, it was back to basics with the natural flavours really shining through.
On a budget
30-34, Queensborough Terrace,
London, W2 3ST
The Malaysian Students Department for the United Kingdom and Eire (MASDUKE) has a canteen hidden away in the basement of its headquarters. One would almost definitely walk right past the narrow steps leading down to it without even knowing it. It's almost like being a of student at Hogwarts and having to know exactly which part of the wall to push your trolley into to get to platform 9 and 3/4 at Kings Cross Station.
In fact, it's somewhat similar to the fictional platform in a sense that it transports you to a different place altogether. As soon as you step through the narrow entrance of the canteen, the familiarity of tables covered in plastic wrap, Malaysians tucking into nasi lemak and mee goreng, the mak cik and the abangs behind the counter displaying various nasi campur dishes and the handwritten menu pasted on the walls hits you.
Most people head to the canteen for a quick nasi lemak fix. It's particularly popular among students as it serves (by far) the cheapest nasi lemak in London.
Nasi lemak with fried chicken and an add-on of kuah masak merah. The best part about the canteen is that you can request add-ons of gravy and sambal at no extra charge - something pretty rare in a city where they charge you for ketchup at fast food restaurants. I personally like the nasi lemak here as it reminds me of the simple nasi lemak you can get from a stall back home. Nothing fancy, but more importantly, nothing pretentious.
One can get different types of kuih from the canteen as well. I was really quite delighted at the sight of a childhood favourite, kuih bakar on one of my visits. Seri muka, ondeh ondeh, lepah pisang, karipap - words that are like music to our ears.
The options for nasi campur. At times, you hear the canteen operator patiently trying to explain what "masak lemak" or "masak merah" is to a non-Malaysian. I'd say it's a pretty well stocked counter with most of the usual suspects in sight. On all of my visits there, the ayam masak merah has always been in high demand with customers (this foodie included) constantly throwing a hopeful "ada masak merah tak hari ni?" at the canteen operators.
Like the mamak stalls back home, the counter is also lined with various canned drinks. Soy bean, chrysanthemum, Milo - drinks you never think you'd miss.
To satisfy those cravings, be it nasi lemak, teh tarik, roti canai or ayam masak merah on a tight budget, the MSD canteen is good place to go. I can't think of a cheaper or more Malaysian (having mak ciks behind the counter is really tough to beat) place to get your fix.
For a tenner
La Tasca (Regent Street)300 Regent Street
The restaurant is pretty cosy with the lights turned down, candles lit at every table and fiesta-like Spanish music playing in the background - a nice setting to a casual dinner with some good friends.
We could order as much as we liked from a selection of tapas, a smaller selection than what is on the usual menu. Naturally, the first round entailed everything on the menu. The tapas came in much larger than typical servings at a time to accommodate our party of 16.
Berenjenas Gratinadas - fresh aubergine topped with tomates and cheese and one of the favourites. The melted cheese and tomatoes were excellent complements to the soft aubergine.
Paella de Verduras - a vegetarian paella with seasonal vegetables. The paella dishes were rather dry although the vegetarian paella was better than the seafood paella. So far, the seafood paella at the Brick Lane Sunday Market remains unbeaten.
Tortilla Espanola - Spanish-style potato and onion omelette.
After three rounds of tapas, we were so full we couldn't move. Some of the favourites of the night include the Dominic-dominated Albondigas a la Jardinera (meatballs in tomato sauce), the Champinones al Ajillo (mushrooms, lightly sauteed in garlic and olive oil ) that kept Qiu Jhin coming back for more, the Calamares Andaluza (seasoned squid rings served with garlic mayonaise and lemon) which was Ju Vern's personal favourite and the Pescado Blanco Frito (deep-fried white fish in San Miguel batter) which always seemed to disappear in a blink of an eye.
We had been at the table for a good two and a half hours - milking every minute of the promotion. We would probably have ordered more if not for the rather slow service - in typical student fashion of trying to make sure we ate every penny's worth. I have to say though, that most of us felt like we had eaten that and much more.
As always, dinner is never really complete without dessert.
This time, it came in the form of the adorable Harry the Hedgehog, a sinfully delicious moist chocolate cake from M&S. It looked almost to good to eat....almost.
La Tasca has pretty good tapas and for only 10 pounds, it's about as value-for-money as one can get. The "Tapas for a tenner" promotion is available 5-9pm, Sundays to Wednesdays.
To be manja-ed
Holiday Villa Hotel & Suites London
37, Leinster Gardens,
London W2 3AN,
United Kingdom
Tel : 00 44 (0) 20 7258 0269
Fax : 00 44 (0) 20 7723 7295
Email : email@example.com
I had heard much about the hotel and its Malaysian-Chinese restaurant, Lagenda but had never paid a visit until then. We had a room to ourselves - with the rest of London shut out and with the unmistakable smell of sambal belacan in the air, it really felt like we could have been back home. The sambal was a hit (for most of us) and by the time the main dishes were served, there really wasn't much left to go around. Like most of the Malaysian food in London, it was slightly milder in terms of spicyness but nevertheless had that taste that we all know and love.
The food was the typical fare of can-never-go-wrong dishes - vegetable soup, stir-fried mixed vegetables, fried chicken, fish curry, beef rendang, vegetable omelette and taufu sambal
The fish curry, before we cleaned every bit off, gravy included. I think that fish curries, like most curries are a matter of personal tastes. I tend to lean towards the slightly more sour ones with lots and lots of okra, all soft and bursting from the absorbed gravy. The colour of the gravy was commented upon at the table but we did agree that it tasted quite authentic and perhaps more like a gulai than a curry. The fish was not as fresh as I would have liked it to be but then again, growing up in a seaside town does spoil you when it comes to seafood.
The stir-fried mixed vegetables that seems to be a regular feature at any Malaysian meal. Also pictured here, air sirap - and it had never tasted this good.
The taufu sambal that was a last minute add-on for the vegetarian at our table and which we agreed was the best dish out of all. Yes, right up there with the sambal belacan. For once, it was not a watered down version of the one we get back home - flavours were strong and the colour the slightly scary red that only Malaysians would be used to. It did not take long for the non-vegetarians to start digging in, too.
It's funny how the things we take for granted back home are the ones that make our day here - simple pleasures like sambal belacan and air sirap. To think we used to complain endlessly about the air sirap back in college only to request for refill after refill over here.
I guess that's what they mean by "Let us manja U" - giving us a taste of home.
Kimchi, anyone?
020 7240 8256
I was sent in to enquire and was greeted by the delicious smell of Korean hotpot as soon as I opened the door. Needless to say, that sealed the deal. We were led down into the basement and given a room all to ourselves, with some added entertainment from what sounded like a very energetic karaoke session coming from the room next door.
Kimchi to start the ball rolling. I've always liked kimchi, something my dad got me started on. There's something about its spicy-sour flavour that really gets your appetite going. This came along with complimentary beansprout and seaweed side dishes.
Spicy stir-fried squid with rice.
Spicy stir-fried beef with rice
Spicy stir-fried seafood udong
It was very typical of us to pick out the spicy dishes on the menu. I guess you can never really take Malaysia out of a person. Despite similar sounding names, the stir-fried dishes were all different . I thoroughly enjoyed my spicy squid as the squid was not overcooked or rubbery and the seafood udong kept Anusha and Sapna very happy. I think there was a slight tangy flavour to everything that really complemented the spicyness. Nothing was too spicy but they all still had a nice kick to them.
Egg and vegetable hot pot
Hanad and his marinated beef ribs, oblivious to the world. He was still raving about them on the way home. There was something about the sweetness of the marinate that made the difference.
It would come as no surprise that we left the restaurant a happy, contented bunch. The prices were reasonable, as we had expected, with main meals starting from GBP 5.50.
I foresee many more visits to come.
Sapna's chickpea pancakes
When asked what I miss most when it comes to food, I always say, without hesitation – roti canai. Hot, crisp, roti canai with fish curry. What's not to love? How I miss those weekend tea sessions at the mamak stalls. One simply cannot find decent roti canai in London! What we can find, though, is some really good thosai just a tube-ride away in Eastham. Eastham seems to be a haven for Indian food and after a round of thosai and Indian desserts last weekend, Sapna, feeling particularly inspired, purchased a small bag of gram flour.
As always, it was time for a little experimentation and that night, we were treated to some delicious pancakes.
(Makes 8-10 pancakes)
125 g gram flour (chickpea flour)
2 eggs
1 quarter big onion, finely chopped
5 cherry tomatoes, (or 2 normal tomatoes), finely chopped
2 -3 broccoli tops, finely chopped
A handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 and a half tablespoons of plain yogurt
To taste:
Bengali five-spice
(fenugreek, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds)
Chilli powder
Give the spices a quick sauté then put all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Add water to the mixture bit by bit until the right consistency is achieved. We look for something that is not too thick or too runny. An easy way to check is to hold up some of the mixture over the bowl with the spatula or whisk and watch it drip – the mixture should be thick and smooth.
Now to test those flipping skills! With some oil heated in a pan, ladle some of the mixture into the pan and gently spread the mixture out. We like our pancakes crisp, so we tend to spread the mixture out quite a bit. Flip the pancake over once the bottom of the pancake comes detached from the pan. I use the spatula to gently flip it over but some of the more adventurous (and stronger) ones like Hanad flip it over with just one swift motion of the pan. We also like to spread a little butter on one side of the pancake just before we take it out of the pan to give it a slight buttery flavor. The pancake is good to go once both sides are crisp.
The trick is to dip the pan slightly downwards and to the front before whipping it up
- Hanad, our resident flipper
The pancakes are good just by themselves, especially hot off the pan but they also go great with some plain yogurt or dipped in Lingham's chilli sauce.
The mixture can be pre-made and refrigerated. It will take no more than 15 minutes to whip up a batch of pancakes – incredibly handy, especially for a bunch of students who always seem to crave a midnight snack!
Of early starts and conversations over milkshakes...
We found ourselves strolling along Trafalgar Square this morning, pastries in hand, enjoying the sunshine and the slight breeze.
For once, we were in no hurry to get to the shops on Oxford Street.
We capped off the day with a visit to our favourite milkshake parlour, Tinseltown, where I always take ages to decide on which of the 60 milkshake flavours I want. Every description sounds as sinful as the next and all equally yummy. Really, it's cruel to be forced to choose between flavours like Jaffa Cake and chocolate chip cookies.
I finally settled on the Aero Mint milkshake, made with dairy milk ice cream and chunks of the chocolate-mint Aero bar.
We sat comfortably in our booth by the corner, the milkshakes (one of which was the yummy Jammie Dodgers one) getting passed round the table as we talked about silly things.
And that's the best part about late-night milkshakes - we always, always share.


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By Sheila Buck
The winter months are cold and, although many parents don't like being out in the brisk weather, their children usually do. During the colder months it may seem harder to keep your children entertained than it was during the warmer months. Here are some good ideas for keeping your children busy this winter.
- Sledding is a fun activity that children enjoy. Have them get their friends together to have a fun filled day of sledding at a nearby hill. If no hill is available, children can take turns pulling each other around. You or another parent may offer to take the children sledding someplace where there is a hill if time allows.
- Ice skating is a fun winter activity that children will enjoy as well. Look for a local ice skating rink that the children will be able to go to. There may also be a pond nearby that they are allowed to use. Always make sure the ice is safe for your son or daughter to skate on. If neither of these options is available, have the children level out an area in your yard and let them use the hose to fill it with water. The water will freeze and you will have a rink in your own yard. Ice skates are good to have, but not a necessity. Children have just as much fun skating in their boots.
- One of my favorite winter activities is making snow forts. You make them by using the snow and your hands, or plastic brick molds that can be bought at the store. Old bread pans also make good molds. Place bricks of snow in a row on the ground then repeat, stacking until your child likes the height. Children can make however many walls they want. Holes can even be left for windows and doors.
- Homemade hot chocolate is a great treat for the children when they come inside from a day of playing in the cold. You can have it ready for them when they come in, but it would be a lot more fun for them if you let them help you make it. Most, if not all, of the ingredients can probably be found in your home.
- The school has different sports for each season. If your child is athletic, he or she may want to join a winter sports team.
Even though the winter months are cold, children still need ways to keep busy. With a little help from their parents, they can stay busy all winter long. Sledding, skating and making snow forts are fun activities for kids, but can also be fun for if they give it a try.
Cooks.com: Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipes
Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes.

subset: commoncrawl


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SENIORS..... I still have a few openings left if you want to get in a last minute photo session before graduation!! You can still get your edited pictures before graduation, but you need to hurry and schedule an appointment ASAP!!!!
This girl could seriously not be more gorgeous! Oh my goodness I was in heaven shooting her. This is my beautiful niece. Too bad she is on my husband's side and I don't share the same gene pool, haha! We had a blast taking these and I was so excited that I was finally able to shoot at a location I have been eyeing for like a year (the first set of pictures with all of the reeds and the river) and I am so glad I shot some there because I am pretty much in love with it! Here are some of my favorites from the session.


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I just dug out of my wallet a crumpled and bedraggled but historically significant piece of paper: a list of ingredients in green ink on the back of a Port Townsend bed-and-breakfast receipt, being the toppings of a particularly extraordinary pizza that I once consumed in Great Barrington, MA. I'm excited to have found this, not only because now Amelia and I can try to reproduce it next time we make pizza crust, but also because I can now send this scrap to its long home after its five years of following me on my travels, and thereby lighten my wallet by a fractional but nonetheless meaningful amount. Here's the list:
tomato sauce
wilted spinach
mozzarella cheese
Gorgonzola cheese
sprinkled with rosemary-infused olive oil and Parmesan cheese
I'll post some pictures if/when we get around to making this...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
More lost and found
Posted by Julie at 12:15 PM
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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Puts The Blame On Galaxy S8
There's good news and bad – the good news is that Samsung will be selling the Galaxy Note 7 again as refurbished models; the bad news is they won't be sold in the US. The paranoid among us would probably be glad, while the rest of the crowd would just have to deal with it.
It seems that the device's battery is not the reason why it's not making a comeback stateside. The real reason here is money. Because the US is one of the markets with fertile ground for Samsung's flagships to thrive, the company can't afford to have the Note 7 cannibalizing Galaxy S8 sales.
The Korean electronics giant is however okay with refurbished models of the S Pen phablet being sold in regions where its mid-range and budget products make up most of its sales. Such markets would be keen on the bargain aspect of Samsung's efforts.
Besides, it's an opportunity to milk more cash from the device, in spite of company's pretext of being more environmental by recycling leftover phones from the device's final recall. Would you pick the Galaxy Note 7 over the Galaxy S8 if it were to be made available in the US?


text: Andrew, for street use try Hawk HPS Blue, part number is on one of my previous posts, or I will dig it up for you. I have used them on several cars and find them both fade resistant with very minimal dust. Be very careful about using Metal Masters/Repco pads as they are more suited for the track. Made that mistake on one of my Alfas and it could hardly be stopped at all when cold. Martin Dapot 83 UrQ


text: Completed couch to 5k a little over a year ago :). I am still going out every other day, but boy me and my running are definitely going through a tricky patch lol. After getting down to 5k in around 25mins at Xmas the past couple of weeks I have been horrendous with my times creeping up and my old enthusiasm staying in bed under the duvet lol. Don't know what's going on I have been running on a dodgy ankle (not painful but my foot is turning in when I run) so maybe that's it. But I am thinking maybe I need a new challenge have tried different trail runs and road runs to no avail. Anyone else hit a rough patch a little while in?


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How far along?: 29 weeks
•Total weight gain: Over 20 lbs now!! Haha you know it's bad when your doctor walks in and the first thing he says to you is, "I see you packed on a few pounds over the holidays" haha
•How big is baby?: Big enough to pack a great punch!!
•Maternity clothes?: Every moment of every day!!
•Stretch marks?: A few on my thighs and booty!!
•Sleep?: Some!! I have to wake up and turn over every hour or so, and still lots of peeing going on!! But it's managable!
•Best moment this week?: Noticing that my little ray of sunshine is really getting stronger!
•Movement?: Painfully yes!! haahaa
•Food cravings?: I have really been wanting some donuts!!Unfortunately, I promised myself that after my apparent gorging over the holidays at home I was going to cut back on the sweets!!
•Labor signs?: Nopers!!
•Belly button in or out?: half in half out.
•What I miss: My ability to clean without taking a break. Vacuuming wears me out so much that I have to sit down in between most rooms! And by the time I have the energy to get back up, I don't want to clean anymore!
•Milestone: We go Little Lena's bedroom painted and furniture ordered!!! Hopefully she comes out a girl, or a little boy that really enjoys the color pink!!!
Lane Frosty Day #15
3 years ago


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Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Hot Air Balloons
This is an image from a first grade bulletin board that I hung. We made hot air balloon drawings. I gave students a blue paper with four different sized circles on them. We looked at images of hot air balloons and discussed what shapes we needed to complete our drawings. Students used different designs, lines and shapes to decorate their balloons.
Labels: 1st grade, drawing, line design, Seasons: spring, shapes
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21 December 2009
Advent Day 21
"Address and send all Christmas Cards"
I included this in the advent, thinking if it was drawn earlier in the month it would be a real kick in the pants to get the cards done. Every year I make some terrible card (I don't know why I don't buy them friends, I really can't say, except for the principles of re-using and creativity I guess) and send them out late - but I am happy to report that all the glitter-fied cards are in the mail, if not at their destination. So today was a Pass, I Did It Already, Thanks Advent.
Except I had one last package to send to a friend in Vancouver - took it down to the post office and for one of those small Amazon boxes which had two childrens clothing items, a book and a small jar of jam in it - $26 was the cheapest Slow Boat to China rate I could get out of UPS. Like, 3 times the price of any item in the package. Is it just me or do package rates seem a billion dollars higher than they used to be?All told, it was almost $200 to send packages of homemade goodies to friends and family this year - dang, no wonder people send gift cards, which is just depressing.
Speaking of depressing, perhaps it is the shortest day of the year or the womanly hormones talking, but I've been less than jolly this week as the 3rd consecutive Christmas without family or friends looms. We had plans for a cabin and that was pulling me through - a mountain-top cabin owned by an acquaintance, lots of snowy walks and a fireplace - but it looks like it won't happen. The big old snowstorm really hammered Western North Carolina and they lost power and the roads are still all snowed in. This is somewhat crushing, as we have 5 days off together and doing the same old routine in the same old place ALONE - well. I'm trying to pull myself out of the doldrums.
Do you see that stamp up there? Canada Post put it out, it's a reproduction of a Mary Pratt painting that I covet so completely it's hardly bearable. The light! The canning jars! I'm having a minor obsession at the moment.
3 comments:
- librarianista said...
We got your Christmas card yesterday and LOVED it. You can't buy a card that awesome, and the baby propaganda hit home--that is one cute kid you have there. I consider that we completely flaked this year by just doing the photo card and not even writing anything on it, but sometimes the best you can do is the best you can do.
I'm sorry about the cabin. That really sucks.
- December 22, 2009 at 12:46 PM
- Maija said...
oh my! how is that a painting?? so amazing. consider me obsessed now, too.
- December 22, 2009 at 2:57 PM
- arajane said...
Ok, perfect timing for this post, because I just got your package in the mail. You are seriously the best. Will you be freaked out if I tell you that I cried a few tiny tears of joy upon opening the package and reading your note? I am so very excited about the book and I adore your homemade card (not to mention the super adorable photo of Simone). So thank you thank you thank you! I love getting little surprises in the mail and this one absolutely made my day.
- December 22, 2009 at 8:59 PM


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My name is Katie, I live in a condo far, far away, and I have an addiction. An addiction to a habit that's tough–nay, impossible–to break. An addiction to that cold, refreshing drink. You know what I'm talking about. Iced coffee.
Oh, how I long all winter for a day above 70 degrees, when I can march shamelessly into the Starbucks around the corner and demand a tall cup of my summer crutch. It cools me down. It perks me up. It sweats more profusely than I do in my slacks, hose, and suit jackets, which makes my perspiration just that much less embarrassing.
Is it weird to talk about sweat here?
Anways, I think you get my point. But for years, iced coffee was relegated to work–I only ever made the hot stuff at home, no matter the weather. That is, until last weekend, when I was asked to bring my coffee pot to a party. Instead, I offered to bring a pitcher of the iced stuff, not knowing the wonderful discovery that was about to unfold.
I was about to brew a pot of hot coffee and pop it in the fridge, when I thought, I wonder what Google has to say about this? Well, apparently a lot. There are all sorts of ways to brew a pitcher of cold gold, but the most discussed on the foodie sites I frequent was a cold-brew method first shared in the New York Times. All you have to do is combine 1/3 of a cup of medium-coarse coffee grinds with 1 and 1/2 cups of room temp water in a pitcher (for two cups of iced coffee). Let it sit on your counter for 8-12 hours, then strain it twice with a fine sieve. Then, like magic, you have coffee that practically begs to be poured over ice in a pretty glass.
Why is this method better than cooling a hot-brewed cup of Joe, you ask? Here's the deal: cooled hot coffee has a bitterness that, when its hot, you don't notice. Pour it over ice and you'll need ten packets of sugar to cut that sharp, burnt taste. Cold brew your coffee, and you're left with a mellow, delicious cuppa that will help you start every day off on the right, jittery foot.


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Little and Daddy went on a short litle backpacking trip up Skyline-to-the-Sea trail yesterday with A-Ron and Olivander. We camped at twin redwoods trail camp for the night. A radicool old dude hiked in with us and told us everything there is to know about the plants we saw. A gorgeous San Francisco garter snake slithered right between Little's feet. Great-horned owls called all night from across Waddell creek. We heard Pacific tree fogs along the creek. We interrupted a swarm of flying ants out looking for a queen. A bunch of deer and some raccoons raided us throughout the night. And we pretty much chilled and enjoyed the pleasantness.
MAndrew and Kason and Maleb rode in on bikes and visited us at dusk, paying special attention to wearing Olivander right out.
Little yesterday with a big-leaf maple leaf:
Strangely similar to January 2009 in Costa Rica:
A madrone stick became the coolest toy/weapon.
A-Ron spent much of the trip being a superhero/monster. It's what he does:
Olivander likes the leaf too:
Next time: Daddy, A-Ron, Lizard and Littler!


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‡ In these countries please contact our distributor
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The 15 degree, 14mm VERSAJET II Exact handpiece (66800040) and all of the VERSAJET II Plus handpieces (66800043, 66800044 and 66800045) should not be used outside the operating room due to the potential of excessive misting or spraying.
If the VERSAJET II Exact 45 degree handpieces are used outside the operating room, ensure the floor immediately surrounding the treatment area is covered and any splashes cleaned after treatment is complete.
< Back to VERSAJET II Product Page
#Registered Trademark
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**Trademark Licensed to Smith & Nephew - This information is intended for New Zealand healthcare professionals only.


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I have ordered a Polycrystal rack last year and although I've been promised a 1 month delivery it took them 6(!) months to send it out. Apparently Polycrystal is a one-man operation with very unstable delivery schedule. What makes it even worse they weren't very honest about delivery date. It's been a "they promised to send it next week" for last 4 month. I've just been too busy with other problems, otherwise I would just canceled this order. The rack itself is OK though and if you don't mind to deal with the way they doing business … Otherwise look somewhere else.
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Today's CNN propaganda page is hilarious. I particularly like the howl: 'Determination to keep campaign promises verges on obsession…' part. How dare he work hard to keep his promises! Doesn't he know that is verboten? Watching the media giants go insane is worth the price of admission. Eventually, Democrats will figure this out, too. They had to rely on media worshipping a President.
Amid a torrent of action, disruption and protest, the new President's moves on trade, immigration and foreign policy have honored his campaign promises — and dramatically reshaped Washington's role in national and global affairs.
And this is why he ran for President. This feels very odd to the Fake News business. Hitherto, people ran for office in order to collect bribes ever since Reagan legalized this by collecting $2 million for one speech in Japan.
Some things are clear at the end of this jarring week. Trump won't have an epiphany and suddenly embrace Beltway conventions. As president, he will keep conjuring his own reality and is happy to use the backdrop of the White House to advance his many rhetorical wars.
He is at war with the Fake News media giants, not his supporters. People are so used to being betrayed by their 'leaders' to have someone who does what he promised is very unusual. Hillary openly planned to stiff her own voters, this was proven when the conversation she had with her foreign and rich supporters leaked out.
'I say one thing to the voters but trust me, I will be working for YOU,' is how she assured nervous super rich supporters. How so many young women are fooled by Hillary baffles me. Don't they know she was planning to do horrible things to them?
For example, 'equal rights at work': women now dominate universities and colleges as staff. When they are hired as 'professors' the vast majority of them are forced to be 'adjunct professors' which means 'cheap labor with no benefits.'
Few men want to take that sort of ugly job with no prospects so they are going to college less and less whereas women are still being fooled and take more and more, mainly 'liberal arts' classes hoping to become 'professors' only they never will.
Time to revolt, no? Nope, they wanted the person engineering this to be President. Very foolish indeed. The 'sexual freedom' part may be alluring only the downside is obvious and we see this with black women: no more marriages and no more stable home lives. Which often leads to poverty.
Donald Trump personally ordered National Park Service to find photo proof for crowd claims…whines the Boston Herald News. This story goes on to whine, 'Why?' and pretends to be all innocent after the Fake News people went nuts over this issue after they did their usual propaganda lying stuff, showing the Mall before Trump arrived to give the oath of office.
On top of that, they openly refused even after Trump told them all to include this vital information, that anti-Trump demonstrators were blocking many entrances to the Mall and were attacking attendees openly.
I am amazed anyone showed up! The DC police have been ordered to 'stand down' as much as possible and not protect anyone but this stupid 'stand down' order led to rioters setting the city on fire and smashing businesses, etc. This alarmed the people running that run down joint and the police then began arresting rioters.
Naturally, the Fake News blames that on our President and not on the left wing rioters and their leaders one of whom is…Hillary Clinton.
Sanctuary Suites: Defiant mayor vows to harbor illegals at Boston City Hall…I hope he pays for this and moves them into his own home, all of them. This is the end result of Democrats using illegal alien votes to take over places. He has to pander to them now.
The election map shows clearly all the 'sanctuary cities' and one 'sanctuary state', California. That is, uniformly, all of the US voted Republican this last election and the ONLY places to vote for Hillary were 'sanctuary cities' in various states. Take that away and the GOP victory is overwhelming.
"If people want to live here, they'll live here," Walsh said yesterday. "They can use my office. They can use any office in this building. Any place they want to use. They'll be able to use this building as a safe space."
At one point, he chastised a reporter who used the term "illegal immigrant" in a question.
"Undocumented immigrants," Walsh said. "I'm not sure what an illegal immigrant is." Boston is technically not a sanctuary city, but did pass the Trust Act, which limits law enforcement's ability to detain illegal immigrants for ICE.
I have noticed this scam: the DNC people conspire with our Fake News people to lie about illegal aliens. One way of doing this is to forbid anyone to use the term, 'illegal alien'. I use it deliberately all the time.
But Bay State Democrats quickly bashed Trump's new policies, often using emotional and dramatic rhetoric to make their point.
"Today, Lady Liberty weeps at Donald Trump's executive actions that fly in the face of our nation's history as a beacon to those seeking a better life in America," Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey said in a statement.
Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone of Somerville — a sanctuary city — stood in front of a poster with a heart-shaped American flag that read "Hate has no home here" and referenced Trump aides who have touted his "big heart."
"I ask him to open that heart and his mind and to look at these people … as human beings, seeking a better life, like my family did and many of our families did, for themselves and their children," Curtatone said.
He added that his city would go without certain federal funds, rather than bow to Trump.
All of that state has serious problems and is going to pander to illegal aliens by hyper-taxing other people: Property owners in Massachusetts call the place 'Taxachusettes' because of high taxes.
A new report by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation found that Massachusetts has the 11th highest tax burden in the country, with residents paying an average of 10.3 percent of their income in state and local taxes.
In most states, this information would spark some dialogue about current tax policy. The reaction on Beacon Hill? Silence.
Given the make-up of the state's leadership, it's not surprising. When one party is in control, the healthy tension between competing viewpoints on raising taxes versus spending cuts (and almost every other issue) doesn't exist. The lack of balance on Beacon Hill has paved the way for more spending, reduced transparency and efficiency, and, yes, increased taxes.
The most recent tax increase passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Deval Patrick is a perfect example of how this works. The conversation started with Mr. Patrick calling for a massive $2 billion increase in taxes. The Senate responded with a call for an $800 million increase, to which the House, in the position of the defender of the taxpayer, put a $500 million increase on the table.
Not once did the conversation explore finding spending cuts to offset increases in spending. Nor did anyone on Beacon Hill seriously consider the adverse impact increasing taxes could have on the state's economic recovery.
In short, the debate wasn't about whether to raise taxes, it was about how big to make the increase.
In addition, the final package included two terrible pieces of tax policy — a tech tax, and a gas tax that will never stop growing. Thankfully, Beacon Hill figured out — albeit after the fact — that the tech tax would have put a stake through the heart of our fast-growing start-up community, and repealed it.
Field Poll: California voters think income taxes are too high yet voters there went nearly entirely (except for all the farming parts of California) for Hillary. Millions of illegal aliens voted there.
Four out of five Republicans believe they pay too much income tax
Fifty-two percent of Democrats are OK with current tax rates
People who earn less than $40,000 were least likely to complain about high taxes
I will note that all the top super rich liberals in California are building huge estates far, far away from California and will then claim these are their main residences. All Trump is asking is, any illegal alien in jail must be deported permanently. They won't do it and so Fed funds won't flow to them because they will be breaking Federal laws!
Now, the 'open borders' game played by the Bilderberg gang is crashing down here and in Europe. Getting rid of these pests (the Bilderberg conspirators in government) is hard work and when the media giants side with the gangsters, it is very hard indeed but the pain being caused by the gang's operations is now so great, whole populations are now rising up in great rage and are increasingly determined to get rid of the Bilderberg gang rule.
HAHAHA, love the NYT: Trump should stop doing stuff for Americans and obey Mexico like Hillary wanted to do! HAHAHA. I grew up on the Mexican border and this is where I learned first how to fight hand to hand combat with criminals of every sort on nearly a daily basis.
TARIFFS PROTECT JOBS! Duh, again. This is infuriating! Note how unions died, how worker wages collapsed under DNC rule and the GOP cheerfully going along with this. The GOP loves 'free trade' because it makes their buddies very, very rich. The DNC loves 'free trade' and 'endless cheap labor' because the newcomers vote illegally for them and they get more power, too.
NO ONE supported 'US working stiffs' until Trump came along and is now doing the obvious. I don't agree with 50% of his agenda. Far from it. But I agree on this one life and death issue: trade. We run gigantic and perpetual trade deficits and I know how this ends very badly and want to stop this madness.
Yes, illegal aliens of all sorts came to Mexico to cross illegally into the US. Anyone who thinks these Haitians were coming here to work is insane. I lived next to a huge NYC Haitian community and guess what? The women don't get married and have lots of children out of wedlock and are on welfare (while the males do often 'work' especially in street crimes).


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BREAKING: Pimp C Found Dead In Hotel Room
December 4th, 2007 | Author: Andreas Hale
Another tragic loss has hit the Hip Hop community today as Pimp C, one half of UGK, was found dead in his hotel room this morning. He was reportedly 35 years old at the time of his death.
Pimp C was an acclaimed producer and rapper from Port Arthur, Texas. With Bun B, as UGK the duo found underground anthems in "I Left It Wet For You," "Feel Like I'm The One Who's Doing Dope," and more recently with Outkast in "International Player's Anthem." Earlier this year, UGK's Underground Kingz achieved chart status previously unseen from the group. As a solo artist, Pimp C also released two albums with Rap-A-Lot Records.
The artist spent the early part of the decade incarcerated for complications due to an assault charge. His "Free Pimp C" campaign, spearheaded by Bun B, is remembered for upholding the rapper's visibility despite a three-year prison sentence.
According to TMZ, a 911 call was answered by LA County Fire which led them to the Mondrian Hotel in California. When police arrived they found the Houston rapper dead in his bed.
No word yet as to the cause of his death as this story is still developing.
HipHopDX would like to send condolences to the family and friends of Pimp C during this trying time.
UPDATE: Representatives from Jive Records, UGK's longtime label have confirmed the death to be true.
We will keep you updated as information continues to come in.
Additional Reporting by Jake Paine.
This is extremely sad. He was one of my favorite lyricists. He had gotten out of jail and I thought things were going well for him. What a horrible loss to the Rap/Hip-hop community and my prayers are with his family and friends. RIP Pimp C.


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Shadowcon Reviews: Transformers Prime season 1, episode 20: "Partners"
We close out our look at Arcee with this, the last episode to feature Starscream for Season One, and a pretty kick-ass way of closing out Arcee's character arc for the season as well. The episode deals with Starscream's supposed defection to the Autobots, and Arcee mourning both Cliffjumper, who I'll talk about in the accompanying post, and Tailgate, whom we saw Airachnid kill back in "Predatory". It's a nice way to wrap things up for Arcee, Airachnid, and Starscream. So without further ado, let's jump into "Partners".


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Where Does Tom Thibodeau Fit Among the Top 5 Chicago Bulls Coaches of All Time?September 10, 2012
Where Does Tom Thibodeau Fit Among the Top 5 Chicago Bulls Coaches of All Time?
Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has only coached Derrick Rose and the Bulls for two seasons. However in that span, he has already led the NBA in wins two seasons in a row, made two playoff appearances, made an Eastern Conference Finals, won Coach of the Year and tied the record for most wins by a rookie coach with 62 wins. On top of that, there is absolutely an argument that he should have won Coach of the Year again last year.
With all of these accomplishments, we can begin to look at Thibodeau in the context of Chicago Bulls history. This run he has with the Bulls is already one of the top stretches in Bulls history, so where does Thibs stand among the top five coaches in Bulls history?
Honorable Mention: Johnny "Red" Kerr
1966-1968, First Chicago Bulls Head Coach, 1967 Coach of the Year, 62-101 Record, 1-7 Playoff Record
Red Kerr was the first coach in Chicago Bulls history, coaching them during their expansion season of 1966-67. In that season, the Bulls went 33-48 and became the first expansion team ever to qualify for the playoffs. Kerr was recognized as Coach of the Year that season.
The next season, Kerr was fired after the team's record was even worse than it was in his first year.
In the end, Kerr didn't really have that much success with the Bulls, but he is of course known as a legendary color commentator during the Bulls' title runs, and so I wanted to give him some credit.
5. Doug Collins
1986-1989, 137-109 Record, 13-17 Playoff Record
One of the great unanswered Chicago Bulls questions is whether the Chicago Bulls would have won six titles if Doug Collins coached the team. Collins was coach of the Chicago Bulls during the late 1980s, during the rise of Jordan.
The Bulls went from a first-round out to an Eastern Conference Finals team under Collins. Could they have made the jump to a championship team under Collins? You have to imagine that Jordan could have gotten it done.
Ultimately, Collins only coached three seasons in Chicago before being replaced by Phil Jackson. Of course, the Bulls ultimately won six titles under Jackson, who is now considered the greatest coach ever. However we must remember that Collins helped Jordan and his teammates turn in the right direction.
It is telling that Michael Jordan hired Collins to coach his Wizards during his seasons there; he was obviously a fan of Collins.
4. Scott Skiles
2003-2007, 165-172 Record, 10-12 Playoff Record
Scott Skiles entered the fray in 2003, during the worst stretch in the history of the Chicago Bulls by far. In the six seasons after Michael Jordan retired, the Bulls went 119-341. That's a 25.9 percent winning percentage which pro-rates out to a paltry 21 wins a season in an 82-game season.
In Skiles' first full season as head coach, the Bulls more than doubled their win total from the previous season, going from 23 wins to 47 wins. In addition, they made it to their first playoffs since the 1998 season with Michael Jordan.
Under Skiles, the Bulls made the playoffs for three straight seasons and even made a second round in 2007 after sweeping defending champion Miami in the first round. Unfortunately during the 2007-08 season, the Bulls regressed greatly, and Skiles was fired. However he will be remembered for turning around the ship.
3. Dick Motta
1968-1976, 1971 Coach of the Year, 356-300 Record, 18-29 Playoff Record
Dick Motta was the second coach in Chicago Bulls history, after Red Kerr. The 1970s Chicago Bulls were an interesting team under Motta. After missing the playoffs in his first season, the Bulls made the playoffs six straight times and made two Western Conference Finals.
The Motta Bulls were characterized by hard-nosed defense from the fearsome defensive backcourt of Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier. They also had a pair of 20-point per game scorers in Bob Love and Chet Walker.
The Motta Bulls never won a title and never felt particularly close, but they were the first taste of success in Bulls history, and many say that if this era never happened, the Bulls would have left Chicago.
2. Tom Thibodeau
2010-Present, 2011 Coach of the Year, 112-36 Record, 11-11 Playoff Record
In only two NBA seasons, Tom Thibodeau has already become one of the top coaches in the NBA. In those two seasons, he finished with the top record in the NBA both times. He made the Eastern Conference Finals in his second season and undoubtedly would have led the Bulls down that path again if star point guard Derrick Rose didn't tear his ACL in the first game of the playoffs.
The Chicago Bulls under Thibodeau have consisted of one superstar, Derrick Rose, and players who effectively could have been called rejects. The team was assembled in the offseason of 2010, and the Bulls did not sign a single one of their top targets. Instead, they settled for a decent bench.
However Thibodeau managed to turn that group into a 62-win team. In Thibs' second season, he managed to turn that team into the top seed in the East despite Derrick Rose missing extended time due to injury. Even though he coached only two seasons, he is already the second best coach in franchise history.
The Bulls better sign him to an extension soon or he WILL be gone.
1. Phil Jackson
1989-1998, 1996 Coach of the Year, 545-193 Record, 111-41 Playoff Record, Six NBA Championships
I will keep this brief.
Jackson was coach for nine years. In that span, he made six NBA Finals. He won six titles. He coached the 72-win Chicago Bulls, the greatest team in NBA history. His Bulls PLAYOFF record pro-rates out to 60 wins a year.
And after the Bulls? He went to Los Angeles and won five more titles.
Jackson isn't just the greatest coach in Bulls history, but is also the greatest coach in NBA history. The fact that he won only one Coach of the Year award is a travesty. Tom Thibodeau has his work cut out for him if he wants to reach this guy.


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Funny Pics Memes Biography
Source:- Google.com.pk
Welcome to PakEarn.com (Facebook Photo Posting Jobs)
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and Happy Totally-Regular-Day to those who don't! I just stumbled across a very funny video, made by the funny staffers at Mashable. This video contains all of your favorite memes, so don't miss it.
Watch it here. Since I can't embed videos on this site (#$&@!), here's my favorite still:
Mashable 12 Memes of Christmas
PS) Does this make anyone else want to go work for Mashable?!
PS) Is Gangnam Style the new Rick-Roll?
If you've looked at Tumblr lately, you might have noticed a little more Patrick Starfish. Or a LOT more Patrick Starfish. Spongebob's best friend has been shocked by EVERYTHING lately in funny photoshops, pics, and animated gifs. I don't know why Patrick picked the last couple weeks to arrive, since the surprised facial expression first showed up in the 2004 animated Spongebob Squarepants movie, but we're just glad it's here. Check out some of the funniest pictures of the Surprised Spongebob Meme!
Fredrick "Fred" Rechid is a greenish-brown fish (sometimes blue or purple) who was the first of the regular generic character models to appear in the series. He is married to Sadie and they have one child, Baby Rechid, together. His ex-wives are Nancy Suzy Fish, and Mabel Jenkins who he had Debbie Rechid, Monroe Timmy and Tommy.
He was first seen in the episode Reef Blower. However, he is barely seen in the episode, as he was in a car as SpongeBob zoomed past him. He's most often seen at the Krusty Krab.
His name was revealed in the episode Patty Hype, where he was advertising the Shell Shack's talking and singing dog.
He is voiced by Doug Lawrence. He is famous for the running gag in which he screams "MY LEG!" when something such as an explosion takes place. This quotation first appeared in the episode Boating School.
He is seen screaming this phrase out loud in Arrgh! when Mr. Krabs throws him out of the Krusty Krab by his legs.He is seen in Something Smells as a blue fish. He is also famous for his fantastic quote, "DEUUEAUGH!"
He is also seen in The Sponge Bob Square Pants Movie, saying, "MY EYEEEEES!"
In "A Pal for Gary," Fred is seen buying a Puffy Fluffy with his son, Monroe Timmy.
Fred appeared in "Face Freeze!" as the main character of Krabs' story. He has been seen in many episodes at the movie theater. There is one episode where he does get hurt, but he says "my leg" in a dull tone, implying that he has sustained enough injuries to not feel the pain.
Why would the internet stick to cats that seem like humans when it could spawn cats that seem like gods as well? Supernatural Cat can comes in many forms – like Ceiling Cat, Basement Cat, Laser Beam Cat, and many, many others – but he always comes attached to perceived unnatural powers of one kind or another. You love Supernatural Cat for his completely random nature. Your boyfriend just… doesn't get what you did there or understand why it's funny.
Nothing on earth is funnier than the expression on the face of a cat that's not only been made to look ridiculous, but is completely aware of it. Think Melon Cat, Bath Time Cat, or Stuck-in-Blinds Cat! The internet can't get enough of the way Perturbed Cat can clearly be angry or upset, but still be so darned cute at the same time. Your boyfriend, on the other hand, is over here hoping you don't get any bright ideas.
"Hey, Tom!"
"Rev up those fryers, 'cause I'm sure hungry for one.....
"Thanks for the lies, Mr. Fairy Tale!"
"Monster Krabby Patty?!"
"But let's not forget about the real composer, Squidward!"
"Hey, all you people!"
"I've got to tell someone about this!"
"To my tail fin."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Ow, my leg!"
"My Leg!!!"


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Yes, I intend changing dimensions now and then. Dimensions ? Oh well, I am talking of crochet applique 😉
For those in between times when I need instant gratification, I discovered applique is simply thrilling. Most of them do not take more than half an hour. And these days I find reading visual patterns faster than written instructions. This is especially helpful when the patterns are in Russian , Japanese, Spanish, or whatever !!
Since I had very little time for myself today (quality time I mean :)), I just managed to complete this mousie applique in the last half an hour.
Somehow the day does not seem complete without a dose of crochet !!!
Squeeaaaakkk, sqeaaakkk ……..


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Pretty quiet here lately....... Anyone know if Buffalo is still doing trials? How about Kuwait? Dr. Haake?
Dr. Dake? I understand one of the trials in Albany was stopped, but how about Dr. Siskin?
Welcome to the world's leading forum on Multiple Sclerosis research, support, and knowledge. For over 10 years, This is MS has provided an unbiased community dedicated to Multiple Sclerosis patients, caregivers, and affected loved ones.
Really small sample but the independent blinded neurological assessment sounds good, as done having a treatment group and a control group.Accordingly the investigators propose to use a repeated measures design on an experimental (receiving venoplasty) and control (not receiving venoplasty) MS groups (6 patients in each group) to determine the effect of the treatment on muscular function, mobility and fatigue. This would be combined with independent blinded neurological assessment of the two groups of patients.
Cece wrote:and the Hubbard Foundation has decided to not pursue further research
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The mechanical engineering department of the Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad (GCEA) will organise 'Prometheus-2013', a national-level competition from March 15.
College principal Dr P S Advani will inaugurate the competition at 10 am in the presence of Dr R K Shrivastav and Dr A S Bhalchandra. The two-day event will have interesting competitions such as robot war, robot race, water rocket, pick and place, line follower, paper presentation, general quiz and metlab megpace, said S D Ambekar, professor and staff co-ordinator of GCEA.
On March 15, qualifying round will be held. Teachers Ambekar, P H Bhagat, event co-ordinator Chetan Jhawar, Ninad Nikam, Vishal Waduje and Suraj Chamle have appealed to all the students to participate in the competition.
Water rocket workshop on Mar 13
Meanwhile, the GCEA will organise a water-rocket workshop on March 13. This will be a free of cost (IIT Mumbai) workshop. Students interested for registration can contact 9922531019.
Dr Pole to present research paper
The Interve-ntional Radiol-ogist from MGM Hospital Dr Shivaji Pole's research thesis 'Successful Endovascular Treatment for Celiac Artillery Aneurysm Coil Embolization' will be presented at an International Conference to be held at Hong Kong between March 17 and 20.
The research is based on the studies of the patients of ceiliac artillery at MGM Hospital. MGM vice-president Dr P M Jadhav, dean Dr Ajeet Shroff, CEO Dr Pravin Suryawanshi, Dr Girish Gadekar and others have congratulated Dr Pole.


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« Quotation Friday. |
| Wednesday Book Club. »
I was honored to make this announcement for baby Madeline, having also worked with her mom on big sister Emily's announcement, holiday cards, and wedding stationery (was it really six years ago?). I just love when I get to stay in touch with my customers through so many wonderful milestones!
Posted at 08:06 AM in Babies | Permalink
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At DICK'S Sporting Goods, each member of our winning team is connected through a common belief and passion for our Core Values:
At DICK'S, we believe in a better world through sports. This belief has been at the heart of our winning culture since the very beginning.
Dick Stack, founder of DICK'S Sporting Goods, believed that sports play a vital role in teaching our children fundamental values like a strong work ethic, teamwork and good sportsmanship. And, he understood that supporting the organizations that make youth sports possible is the best way to promote those values.
Today, that legacy continues, with DICK'S Sporting Goods strongly supporting youth sports in the communities where we live, work and play.
This year through its Community Youth Sports Program, DICK'S Sporting Goods will donate thousands of coach's equipment kits to youth sports organizations – reaching over a million young athletes.


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PSD | 7677 x 7677 | 300 dpi | 268 MB
Author: Lantana
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Set of Valentine's Cards - Stock Vectors
Abstract Valentine's Day Illustrations - Stock Vectors
Saint Valentine's Day Flying Hearts - Stock Photos
Bright Flamy Hearts - Stock Photos
Stylized Alphabet 2 - Stock Vectors
Glowing Abstract Background 3 - Stock Vectors
Colorful Shiny Background 2 - Stock Vectors
Color Abstract Lines - Stock Vectors
Puzzle Design 2 - Stock Vectors
Handsome Sporty Man - Stock Photos
Stairway to the Heaven 2 - Stock Photos


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Tango Zulu Imports
Bringing Fair Trade Artisan Products to Historic Port Gamble, Washington. www.tangozuluimports.com
Saturday, April 9, 2011
African Basket Update
We continue to expand our inventory of
African baskets
. In addition to
Bolga baskets
from Ghana and
Zulu baskets
from South Africa, we also have Tanzanian baskets like the one pictured here. We already carry
handwoven trivets
from Darfur, and within the week will also have some gorgeous Darfur baskets. Look for us to add new styles of Bolga baskets this summer. These Ghana baskets are ideal farmer's market baskets and Easter baskets.
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TWO NIGHTS OF RACING MAKE UP MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAYGrandview PR
BECHTELSVILLE, PA?~ Two nights of auto racing will
fill the Memorial Day weekend with action and excitement at NASCAR sanctioned
Grandview Speedway kicking off with Saturday night stock car
Current point
leaders Jeff Strunk (NASCAR 358 Modifieds), Randy Stoudt (BRC Late Models) and
Jared Umbenhauer (Sportsman) will lead the action in the Whelen Engineering
sponsored night of racing starting at 7:30 p.m on Saturday night. At least 12
events of racing will make up the night?s excitement. WEEU-830 AM radio will be
doing a live broadcast from the track. Brad Arnold, a Modified racer, sponsored
by the Reading radio station will have his race car on display and will
participate in autograph and interview sessions in the WEEU broadcast
racer Ray Swinehart, Late Model racer Bill Henning and Sportsman racer Craig
Whitmoyer will participate in the Low Down & Dirty Meet and Greet when the
main gate opens at 5:30 p.m.
The first 150
adult fans through the gate will receive a free ticket for the June
7th ARCA race at Pocono Raceway and there will be a couple of lucky
fans walking off with tickets to the Pocono 400 Sprint Cup
admission is just $15 while youngsters 12 and under are admitted
Then on
Sunday, 7:30 p.m. a huge seven feature program will make up the first Thunder on
the Hill Series event of the season. Included in the night of variety racing
will be two URC Sprint features, two 358 Modified features plus single features
for Sportsman, ARDC Midgets and Legends. There will be no qualifying heat races.
The Memorial Day eve special event will give fans a chance to see five different
types of auto racing all for the price of one
Fans showing
up early for the Sunday show, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., are invited to take part in the
Fanfest with the first 500 fans getting a free hot dog, chips and a soda. There
will be a DJ, games with prizes, pit tours and pre-race autograph
Admission is
just $20 while youngsters 6 through 11 pay $10. Children under 6 are admitted
There is a
Monday, May 26th rain date in place.
Speedway is located on Passmore Road just off Route 100 in Bechtelsville, PA, 10
miles north of Pottstown. For information telephone 610.754.7688 or check in at


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Thursday, March 18, 2010 Legendary singer, song writer producer and multiple Grammy Award Winner James Ingram will return to the world's largest religious network and America's most watched faith channel, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) for an encore performance on the "Praise The Lord Show" at 7pm PST.Featuring music from his latest CD, STAND (In The Light). Check your local listings for show times.
Visit JamesIngramStore.com today and receive a 10% discount, BUY NOW! Type in coupon code: JEB10 at checkout.


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Down by the river
A few days ago I did a write up on all the sports arenas in Pittsburgh, both past and present. Well, maybe not all of them, but all of the significant ones. Yesterday there was some pretty big news in Pittsburgh around perhaps the most iconic one, Mellon Arena. As we know, the Penguins moved out of the Igloo this season and across the street into the new CONSOL Energy Center. The decision was made last October to have the old Civic Arena torn down, and a new development put in, with shops, apartments, etc. It was going to be designed to help reconnect the city to the Hill District, as the home of Penguins had separated the two for nearly fifty years. The demolition was scheduled for early 2011.
But here we are early March 2011 and the arena is still standing, as we saw in my upload from a few days back. That's because right after the decision to implode the arena was made, historical organizations began fighting for the preservation of the building, claiming that it was a cultural landmark and should be saved. My two cents on the whole issue is this. It is an old building. Inside? Pretty ugly. Cool, but ugly. It's small, cramped, and not a whole lot to use it for. Besides, even if they did want to use it for concerts, shows and the like, why would anyone want to perform in a fifty year old building when they can perform at a less than one year old building across the street? I'm not even taking into consideration what it would take to keep the Civic Arena operational and safe for patrons, but I have to imagine it would be astronomical.
My opinions aside, the historical societies were dealt a blow yesterday, when the Pittsburgh Historic Review panel denied the Civic Arena's status as a city historic structure. Although the preservations will eventually take the battle to the city council, which will have the final say, it is not looking too good for the world's first retractable domed stadium.
On to today's shots. Well, technically I only have one shot to post to flickr, but I was up on Mt. Washington shooting and killing time yesterday, and got a pretty cool tilt shift with Canon S95 that I wanted to share first. I haven't processed a tilt shift in Photoshop for a while, but I may see what I can dig up. For now though, I am pretty happy with the effect provided by the S95.
Today's official shot it another one from a few Saturdays ago. After I made my way across the Ft. Duquesne Bridge, the moon was still just above the horizon. All the tones seemed to blend together so nicely, even the reds and the blues. There was a perfect gradient in the sky that matched the color of the building, and the blue right along top of the sky even seemed to match the water. I set up the tripod, took the bracket of seven shots, and made my way towards PNC Park.
Processed this one pretty similar to the other ones in the set. The bracketed shots were put through HDR Efex using the HDR Method "Soft". I masked in the -3 exposure, to make sure that I got that rich color gradient fading from red to blue. I added a blue curves layer to enhance the upper park of the sky and also masked in the light post you see on the right as it was just a little blown out. Added a Tonal Contrast filter from Color Efex and High Pass Sharpening, as usual. Finally, adjusted the overall curves of the scene to give it a bit more contrast, saved and uploaded.
Ahhh, can you smell that? Friday is in the air. Enjoy your day guys.


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Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc
Sale Price: $13.00
Sale Price: $13.00
Wine Style: White Still Wine
Winemaker's Notes:
Grape Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
The Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp and refreshing wine. This wine has a high-tone citrus zest aroma with minerality reminiscent of a brisk ocean breeze. There's a hint of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and tropical Pina Colada. The palate is zippy and alive with Lemon grass spice, but balanced with a touch of creamy tapioca to round out the mid-palate. This is a perfect wine for sipping on lazy summer after- noons, and is equally prepared to stand up to a creamy pasta dish, spicy Thai soup, or a simple dinner of fruit, cheese, and a fresh baked sourdough loaf.


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Since I've been talking a lot about party planning this week, let's keep going with that. Mostly because I found this amazing idea that I think would really perk up the old punch bowl, for your upcoming party....
For step-by-step instructions to make the ice cube roses, check out Jonathan Fong Style!
Here's what you'll need to make the Witches Brew:
This recipe will take about 15 minutes to prepare and make, so be sure that your ice cubes are all set and ready for the punch bowl. This should be the last thing you put out (about 15 minutes) before your guests arrive.
20 cups water
1 lg. can frozen limeade
1 lg. can frozen lemonade
1 pkg. lemon-lime kool-aid
1 cup sugar (or 1 pkg. presweetened lemon-lime kool-aid)
1/2 lg. can pineapple juice
1 lg. bottle ginger ale
2 cups chilled vodka (optional)
Black food coloring
Add the first 8 ingredients into a large punch bowl. Mix well. Add a few drops at a time of the black food coloring, to get the desired color (darkness) that you want, mix well. Add ice cube roses. (I suggest that you make 2 dozen of these if you're going to use in a big punch bowl) It'll keep the punch cold enough, and look spooktacular when all the roses are floating in the Witches Brew!
This punch bowl would also make a fantastic centerpiece if you're hosting a Twilight movie marathon or a Vampire-ish themed dinner party..... love it! (More on that idea coming up tomorrow!!!)


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They do have a very diverse menu but the wait time for the food is very long and outside the norm for any local Greenville restaurant. When we got our food it was just ok. My kids burgers were burnt and my wife had to...More
1 - 10 of 13 reviews
They do have a very diverse menu but the wait time for the food is very long and outside the norm for any local Greenville restaurant. When we got our food it was just ok. My kids burgers were burnt and my wife had to...More
A Big fan of this quality place with its choices of sandwiches or meat and threes. The deserts are first rate.
I got to stop here for lunch. A nice quaint atmosphere and dining area. Their menu is really diverse and ignoring the bakery side is hard to do! I had their Club sandwich with fresh fruit as the side. The sandwich was perfectly toasted with...More
Most all they offer is excellent fare but the muffins are beyond delicious. There is one serious problem though----can't make a decision on the flavor to order as they are all yummy!
The restaurant is in a very unimposing storefront and is easily passed by. But don't pass it by! The food offerings are very good - love their quiche. Variety of offerings. Friendly staff. Clean and comfortable sitting
Like to contest the person with the negative comments on the Cuban sandwich. We have never had one returned including theirs. We have been in business for 16 years and have a great following. We know our customers, their children and their grandchildren. If a...More
The people were so slow and the food was horrible! I tried one of their Cubans and was so disappointed! Also the cake I ordered was dry! Will not be going back
Mug and Muffin may be a great place to have lunch, but steer clear if you are looking for a caterer. They make promises they cannot deliver upon. I attended a wedding where they were the caterer. The bride threw up during her reception. The...More
This is a family owned/operated restaurant with delicious food. They make you feel like family, very warm and friendly. There is also a bakery inside. I found this place to be exceptionally clean with updated decor. Will definately return!
I stopped here for a working lunch with my laptop. I asked the lady at the counter if they had wireless access when I walked in. She said that they did, so I waited in line to order. I first was going to order the...More
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Before you sign on the dotted line to buy a home, ask your mortgage broker these questions.
Signing a mortgage is a big deal — a BIG, big, big, big, deal that comes with a lot of paperwork. Even if you read the entire document, some information may still feel unclear. Before you sign on the dotted line to buy a home, ask your mortgage broker the following four questions:
What is the APR?
Notice that this question isn't "What's the interest rate?" — the question states, "What's the APR?" There's a crucial difference. The APR factors all of the ancillary costs of the loan — such as the interest rate, discount points and loan origination fees — while the interest rate only reflects one piece of the overall puzzle. Some lenders, recognizing that the average person might not understand the difference, will advertise a low interest rate for a mortgage that holds a higher APR due to the other associated costs. By law, lenders are required to disclose the loan APR, so search for that number to make sure you're comparing apples-to-apples when you're looking at different loans.
Does this Carry a Prepayment Penalty?
Let's imagine that your boss calls you into his office and announces that you're getting a sizable raise. Hooray! You decide that you'd love to put this money towards becoming mortgage-free, so you start making extra payments towards your home. But wait! Some mortgages carry a "prepayment penalty," which is a fee that gets assessed if you pay off your mortgage early (or refinance into another loan). These fees can typically cost between 2% to 4% of the overall loan, and are usually applied against borrowers who repay their mortgage in less than 5 years. Some are flat rates, while others are on a sliding-scale depending on how early you pay off the loan. Read the documents carefully to see if your mortgage has a "prepayment penalty" (sometimes called an "early payment penalty"), and talk to your broker to clarify the terms and conditions around this clause.
Can we Review the GFE and HUD-1 Together?
By law, you're required to receive a Good Faith Estimate, or GFE, within three days after your lender has accepted your loan application. As the name implies, this document is supposed to give you a reasonable estimate of the loan terms and the settlement charges. You'll receive the HUD-1 at the closing table. This document will offer an itemized list of every charge and credit, including escrow fees, title insurance, loan origination fees, attorney fees, rate lock fees and more. The HUD-1 can be overwhelming in its scope, but it's also quite comprehensive. Ask your real estate agent or mortgage broker if you can review the GFE and HUD-1 together, so that you can make sure that the HUD-1 (your final costs) are aligned with the expectations that the GFE established. Bear in mind that you may not receive the HUD-1 until you're at the closing table, so you'll need to make prior arrangements with your mortgage broker (or you'll have to ask your agent if you can receive the HUD-1 early).
How Long will my Rate Lock, and what's the Maximum Cap?
If you're taking out an adjustable-rate mortgage, your interest rate will remain "fixed" for a limited number of years (such as 3, 5 or 7). After that, your rate may change. However, each ARM will have a "cap" on that adjustment — meaning that the rate can only adjust a limited number of times, at a limited rate. For example, the ARM might lock in your current interest rate for 5 years. After that, the rate will adjust at a maximum of once every six months, with a maximum rate hike of 1% at each adjustment, and an overall lifetime cap of no more than 6% above your current rate. If you're taking out an ARM, clarify these limits and guidelines with your broker — and check your budget to make sure you can afford these higher rates.
Published by Paula Pant on Trulia Blog.


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Evening Light
I thought I would post some of my favorite images to start of with. This image is from outback NSW it's captured around 9:30pm, I used a 5 million candle power flashlight to illuminate the tree's.
10 responses
Awesome shot! Love it!
December 19, 2010 at 9:42 am