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The Daily Life
We ARE interesting. We promise.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Banana Me!
James said "Banana" tonight!
At the grocery store.
Pointing to the Bananas.
Just one more step!
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Monday, March 30, 2009
some fun tidbits
From the violets in bloom in my yard with a wonderful smell and the sun and the warm to...
The cake tramp. Thats right. 6 inches of snow piled on that trampoline. I saw it this morning and told Drue it looked like a frosted wedding cake. All it needs is a little bride and groom on top.
The bench- where I sat 2 weeks ago in the warm and sun- maybe even got a little sunburnt in the 70 degree weather...Now, sniff. Buried in the snow for another 2 weeks.
And you thought digging out YOUR car was a chore! Poor James will not be able to see the inside of his car for a while yet.
So, we play inside instead. I just happened to get a shot of this pretty common sight in my home. But its still funny. He climbs into his toy box to look for something and then gets all involved playing in there that he doesn't come out for some minutes. Its really cute to see him play IN his toy box.
And now for something completely different.
This next part of my post happened this morning- BEFORE I was out of my bed- because laying in bed where my back, hips, muscles, legs, and head DON'T hurt is preferable to what happens when I get out of bed. I hear Drue call from down stairs "Ashley, you'd better get up and see this for yourself!"
Up? Okay.
So, I'm thinking something bad has happened and he's trying to not get mad. This is what I saw:
The butter.
The door with butter "painted" onto it.
My proud little boy with butter all over his fingers.
Apparently what happened is that James got downstairs- like we told him to, good boy!- and found the step stool which he then used to push up to the counter looking for the "cookies" (which are just little sugar free animal crackers we usually have on hand). Instead, he found the butter, all nice and mushy- the perfect consistency for painting!
The closest thing he could find to paint on was the laundry "room" doors, so when Drue found him, he had the butter in one hand- kinda crushed- and the other hand busily employed in finger-painting my doors.
When I got down stairs and saw what he had done, I laughed out loud! He was so proud of himself and smiling from ear to ear! And of course, this kind of thing you MUST document, so I grabbed the camera which just happened to be close by- thank heavens!- and took pictures!
What a funny start to an otherwise winter-y depressing day!
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Ashley and Drue
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
Decision time
After having done a TON of research on links between overall general health, specific health concerns, specific physiological problems, specific behavioral issues, and developmental delays, my family and I have made a decision about how we're planning on addressing these issues in James.
This new diet is fail-safe. It has the backing of the best doctors in the world and shows results quickly. It emphasizes eating Whole grains (including but not limited to: Oats, Barley, Spelt, Quinoa -pronounced KEEN-wa -whole red wheat, and a host of others that I just can't think of), lots of vegetables and fruit as organic as possible making sure to eat VARIETY!!!, very little refined sugar if any at all, red and white meats sparingly but legumes in abundance. This diet we have all known about for years but for whatever reason, most people do not live it.
I am, of course, referring to the Word of Wisdom.
After doing research about the Gluten-free, Casein-free diet and learning about the food encouraged to be eaten and the foods that are "off limits", I realized some things.
1. We buy bread at the store. This bread- even if its "whole grain"- does not have incredibly important ingredients found in homemade bread. By homemade I mean grind-the-wheat-to-make-my-bread kind. The extra ingredients found in store bought bread are there to preserve freshness for extended periods of time (baking, shipping, clerical, storage, put on shelves, purchased, home for 1 week and its STILL not bad yet?) and are not great for your body. If your body happens to be a little autoimmune deficient, it is worse.
Solution: Make my own bread!
2. Vegetable and Fruit just aren't what they used to be! How sad. Veg and fruit are two of my favorite things to eat! But studies suggest that the pesticides and other growth chemicals sprayed onto earth foods, as well as leached into the soil, are SUPER toxic. Especially in potatoes, apples and bananas, and lettuces.
Solution: grow some of my own fruit and veg. Buy the rest organic!
3. Meats don't have to be the only place to get protein. Beans and Legumes are the BEST source of fiber, protein and vitamins. They store for years and never loose their "punch!". They are plentiful and CHEAP! to both purchase and grow. Besides, who doesn't love beans and rice?
Solution: beans, beans, the magical fruit. NO, really.
4. Dairy? Who needs it?
This was a heads up to me. Lord knows I LOVE cheese and a cold glass of milk after a brownie... But the body doesn't need to collect calcium from cow's milk or cheeses, yogurts or creams. These things are for FLAVOR- not necessarily for nutritional value.
Your body will MAKE calcium from the vitamins, proteins and amino acids it already has at its disposal. You want good calcium? Eat collard greens. They'll also give you folic acid in SPADES.
Solution: we are cutting dairy out of our daily intake. The only exception is butter -when I want to bake. No cow milk- rice perhaps- cheeses, yogurts (unless they are pro-biotic) and creams.
I'm still in the process of putting up reminders to myself about this "new" diet. We expect a miracle from the Lord so we'll do things His way. I am only trying to be obedient here but I have a strong faith that if I do what the Lord asks me to, I can ask him for miracles. James talking will be my miracle and it may only come one step at a time (like so many others) but it WILL come- especially if I am obedient.
oh, I also intend to lose weight.:)
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Ashley and Drue
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Friday, March 20, 2009
Things I love about spring and misc...
okay, since I apparently don't get to start my blog today with the pics I wanted to, here's a nice random thing I saw a couple of days ago. If you're thinking to your self: Gee, self, that car looks somewhat familiar but what it is from?- I will now answer that for you. Behold the modern re-creation of the Ecto-1, better known as the Ghostbusters Wagon! I was pulling into a parking lot and saw this car with all the lights and horns and STUFF on the top and there were 3 guys standing around it by the back. As I drove by the trunk, they had pulled out (and I'm not even kidding) an ectoplasm set for each of them set on a tray that pulled out-each guy wearing the ghostbuster's sign on their shirt. No joke.
I did a REAL double take. I've never done one of those in my life! But I did it for them. It was almost too ludicrous to be true and yet, there they were. As they closed up the trunk I saw the license plate: ECTO-1. Click on the pic and take a close look! I almost laughed out loud! But in the interest of self-preservation (I wasn't going to be a mocker) I didn't and opted for a camera instead! Good thing I had put my camera in my purse that day!
This is my boy pointing to his blanket as if to say "look what I did!". And it's true- he did that. I have NO idea HOW he got that blanket up there and so nicely centered, but it was there and I had to get a picture of my proud little boy and his "blanket art".
Boy in my car. He loves it in there. Before he will get into his seat, he has to ride in MY seat and pretend to drive.
Boy in HIS car. Not as cool as mommy's, but at least this one will GO somewhere. Also, it only has 1 seat. I guess I won't be getting a ride from him anytime soon!
My spring time boy. He's such an angel-face! And a ham. I love it. Anytime I want to take a picture of him, he always obliges!
I love seeing the new green grass poking through the old brown stuff. Somehow, this small gesture always reminds me that things are starting to get better!
I LOVE that I can wash my car and keep it clean for more than 2 days in a row. It always seems like the day after you wash your car, it rains, snows, birds, ices etc.. thereby leaving it dirty again!
I love my little dirt boy! He's so happy there- and I just let him do it. Its not like its going to hurt...
The next-door dog- Casey. He's cute. But he bays. A Lot.
Blue skies, nothing but blue skies do I see! This makes me happier than almost anything in the spring!
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Wednesday, March 18, 2009
why oh why?
HELP! I cannot understand why my images are uploading to the text portion of my blogspot in
1. html code instead of the actual pics so I can comment on them AS I ad them?
2. NOT the order i uploaded them in?
3. I cannot move pics around?
if someone has any idea about these perplexing (to me) developments, I would LOVE to hear how to remedy them! Honestly, its getting really irritating not being able to post all the pics I have to share! Grr!
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Sunday, March 15, 2009
Mmm, Mozart!
Drue and I had a FABULOUS date night on saturday! We went to see The Marriage of Figaro and it was fantastic!!!
First of all, a little information.
This is an opera done in grand comic style. Or in other words, its FUNNY- a specialty of Mozarts! He was (in)famous for his sense of humor.
It is also written and sung in Italian which made listening both a delight and little difficult. Fortunately, there were supertitles being shown above the action so folks knew (approximately) what was being sung...
But on to the show.
First of all, when going to the opera, its a good idea to get Box seats whenever you can. We got a SLAMMIN' deal on our seats since we're students and have the student season pass to the Symphony and Opera. You can't beat $8 per ticket! Our seats were RIGHT close to the stage, so we could read the text, see the action CLEARLY, hear the singers CLEARLY (and by clearly I mean we could hear them breathe, pronounce, facial expressions, etc... even the makeup jobs! It was magical!- seeing as the last time I saw a Mozart Opera was at the San Francisco Opera house and I had NOSEBLEED seats -like, if I stood up and extended my arm upwards, I could touch the ceiling!
Now about the singers.
I REALLY wish I could find pictures of all the singers! They were EXCELLENT. But Figaro was by far my favorite! He had this smooth, rich, creamy voice like Dark Chocolate- he was a bass baritone- and tall, handsome, and had this great smile when his two dimples would show up. And comic timing? This guy was perfect! Hilarious! We were laughing OUT LOUD at most times when he was on stage. Almost like he was born to play the role. I believe in people being born to perform some particular work or another- and this applies across the board from engineering to painting, music to cooking. This Figaro was beautiful in the role!
Susanna was a little weak for my taste- but Drue thought she was very good. I will admit, when it was just her, she really shone- especially when she is singing of her love for Figaro. That was spot on! But when there were more than 2 singers, she kinda got lost. But she was engaging and played her part well.
The Countess was my favorite of the two sopranos. She sang with intensity and wonderful expression and had a firm command on her tone quality which is always desirable in a soprano! (haha!) And she really had her part of the depraved and spurned wife down pat!
The Count had a commanding presence! He was also a bass-baritone but not quite so silky as Figaro. More edge to his voice but so powerful! Commanding and regal! He WAS "THE COUNT". And I loved watching him get his come-uppance! Vangance is sweet. Especially when its not happening to me!
The story of the Opera is a situational comedy. Here it is in a nutshell:
the count has abolished the feudal right of the "lord" to sleep with a maid on her wedding night, before her fiance.
Every one thinks this is great.
Until the servant Susanna- who the count thinks is hot- is engaged to Figaro- the count's personal valet.
Figaro and Susanna are very happy to get married, especially now that the count can't usurp on the wedding night.
But, count still tries to woo Susanna.
Meanwhile, Countess knows about count getting flirty with all the maids. She's sad about it because she really does love him.
Page boy- Cherubino- is drowning in testosterone. The Count catches Cherubino hitting on Countess and dismisses him.
Cherubino goes to Susanna for comfort and tries to get her to get the Countess to give him his job back.
Susanna tries to help.
Count surprises Susanna- who hides Cherubino- and tries to woo her. Cherubino hears. Thinks something is going on.
Figaro suspects the count of trying to woo his lady but can do nothing.
Susanna goes to Countess to help Cherubino (who has subsequently been assigned to seville but cannot go because his orders lack a seal).
Countess mourns her hubby for his philandering ways.
Figaro, Countess, Cherubino and Susanna plot to play a trick of identity on the count so he'll leave Susanna alone...
I'm going to leave the story there. If you want to know how this all plays out- go to the opera! You'll NOT regret it!
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Friday, March 13, 2009
Set Back
James had a Dr. appointment today and now I have some news to share. We previously thought that James' speech development was the only thing he was struggling with in relation to his peers. This is no longer the case. He has been referred to a couple of specialists in Autism- his doctor and his therapists have all noticed some unusual behavioral patterns and they are of the opinion that he registers on the Austistic Spectrum, somewhere. To be fair, we're not sure EXACTLY where he hits on the scale, but I can see the difference between him and other 2 year-olds. Its amazing how marked the difference is.
I'm not too upset about this new development in a possible diagnosis. I know he is not severely Autistic, so thats a huge relief! But he still will have to do MORE therapy, more school, more everything. I am concerned about my ability to care for him and make sure I am doing EVERYTHING I can to help him succeed, AND have another baby to care for and nurture and raise that may or may not be just like James.
My sister-in-law, Jennifer, has 4 children, 2 of which have severe mental and physical handicaps. I have only 1 child who has light to moderate social and communication handicaps and yet I already feel overwhelmed. How do you do it, Jen?! This new baby will certainly be an education! I'll need all the help I can get.
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Ashley and Drue
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Thursday, March 12, 2009
"The word Triumph begins with 'try' and ends with... UMPH! a GREAT BIG UMPH!"- Memphis, Happy Feet
James said the word "Daddy" tonight! And he made the sign with it too. He's SO proud of himself and we couldn't be happier! These words are small, but NECESSARY for vocabulary development, identification skills and basic mouth manipulation! Every time he even tried to say a new word I am thrilled beyond belief! Still waiting for "mama" but I have faith it will come- and when I least expect it. He's also reading to himself- this is funny to watch and so sweet to listen to. And when I read a book and then say "okay, your turn" he'll point at himself. This is a new development too but one that is CRUCIAL- the identification of ones self. I am so proud of my little funny boy.
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Scare alert!
Apparently, last night our car got broken into. Not the actual cabin part- thank heavens! Just the gas tank part. For some odd reason, someone decided it would be a great idea to try to siphon off some of our gas. What?! Then, I guess it didn't work out because when I got into the car today, there was the same amount of gas in it I left there the previous night. I didn't even know we had this problem until coming home from Costco today and Drue noticed a Gas cap on the lawn by the driveway. Odd. So, he asked me to pop the gas cover and sure enough- we're missing our gas cap. And look!- there's where the pain has been chipped off where someone pried open the cover.
The only things i can think about this are:
1. Thank heavens they didn't see anything worth breaking into my actual car for. There's nothing there anyways. A car seat. woo.
2. Thank heavens they (apparently) failed to get what they wanted and were content to just leave instead of inflicting real damage.
3. I do not feel like my car is safe anymore. We have an off-street parking pad behind our home. This means someone would have had to approach my home from the alleyway drive in the back OR walk right by my bedroom window to get to my car. This is not a good feeling. I'm not usually the paranoid one about safety because I have the strange thought that people are inherently good- but after discovering this small infarction today- I must admit to being VERY paranoid.
Does this helpless feeling ever go away?
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Money Money Money
After hearing some very sobering news about the current state of the fiscal policy of most americans, I thought I might share some of the ideas that my family has been using to conserve our cash flow with the prayer that it might be beneficial to some of you- the all of 2 people who read my blog.
I was listening to NPR and heard some interesting statistics: American savings was at -1% last year and is now at 5%. The beginning of the recession was precipitated by the sub-prime mortgage debacle. The current period of recession is "consumer driven". The average credit card debt carried by an american household is just over $8,000.00 and NO state is immune to that number.
Some of these statistics are old, and some are new. But the important thing is that they are there.
Here are some things my family does to ensure our financial viability through this tough time.
1. Every week for the start of the lesson portion of family home evening, we read one section from the pamphlet "One for the Money" distributed by the church, written by Elder Marvin J Ashton. We are able to review one section, week by week, and evaluate how we are doing as money managers, where our money is being spent and how often. This is a great little book and I highly recommend it. It also prompts discussion about how to appropriately involve our children in the family finances and gives us ideas about how to teach our kids good fiscal policy.
2. We run a "stress test" every few months to see how we are holding up to our budget. A stress test is essentially a worst-case scenario exercise involving your current budget, how long you can survive on what your savings is RIGHT NOW, and what you might be able to streamline. I was pleasantly surprised last night to find that our budget as it stands will give us financial security for 8 months- just like Suze Orman recommends. If you run a stress test and find that some things can be streamlined NOW, then do so and start saving even that little bit for later.
3. At the beginning of each 6 months, I do a re-budgeting. The first month of every 6, I will keep each and every receipt I can for ANY purchase made. At the end of the month, I compare how, where, and when I spent money, and on what- this gives me an updated idea of the family needs every 6 months and lets me adjust my budget where it needs it most.
4. The first of each month is "BILL PAY DAY". This means that I take about 1 hour and pay all bills by check or online and get them ALL DONE at once. Utility companies are glad to adjust your pay date earlier or later depending on when you want to make your "Pay Day"! Paying all of them at once, again, SHOWS you where and how much you spend for your home, gas, electricity, phone, internet etc... I also take BPD to transfer ALL the money we will need for the month (barring unforseen emergencies) into my checking account and THATS WHAT I CAN USE.
5. All discretionary spending is done on a CASH ONLY BASIS. That means when the cash runs out, so does my spending power.
6. ALL OTHER FUNDS ARE DEPOSITED DIRECTLY INTO SAVINGS!!! If you never put it into your checking account, then you are less tempted to spend it.
7. When you look to save, you will save all you can. When you look to spend, you will spend MORE than you can. We always look to save.
8. My family's motto this year (and I think from now on) is from President David O. MacKay:
"Fix it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without."
I think this is the most basic idea involved in Provident Living. We have been counseled time and time and time and time again to "live within our means". I hope that maybe some of the things we do to keep our family solvent (unlike the banking system) may help you or give you an idea of what to change, streamline or just boost your self esteem about your money management. We've enjoyed prosperity because of this. I hope you do to!
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Monday, March 9, 2009
Odds and ends
src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_749O6SNNIDg/SbXfVDxpqKI/AAAAAAAAAPw/WdyJKiDiAnY/s200/sick.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311396888437172386" />
I am a delinquent photographer in that I take pics and then forget to post them. So, here are some pictures I found on my camera. Jacob came to visit one weekend and it was a PLEASANT surprise! Maybe he'll do it again sometime soon (hint hint)...
James decided a color bin would make a great hat- and we thought it was too cute to pass up. Of course, now he thinks its always cute to dump out whatever toys I have just finished picking up and put the bin on his head... not sure about that yet.
Also in this collection, my boys were sick together and they just looked so miserable I had to take a picture of them together- somehow its such a tender moment when they are snuggled up together in a blanket, even if they do feel ka-put.
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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Friday, March 6, 2009
The doctor says...
I had ANOTHER doctor appointment yesterday- the Glucola test appointment. For those of you who are unaware of this blessing, let me explain. This test is designed to help the doctors know if you have gestational diabetes. You are required to drink 10 oz. of liquid sugar within a 5 minute time limit. This WONDERFUL drink must be consumed EXACTLY one hour before you have your blood drawn by your local vampire. The medical intention is to find out how your body responds to an OVERLOAD of sugar- if it is digesting and breaking down the enzymes fast enough, then you are clear. If you are NOT doing this fast enough, then you have to do another test this time involving fasting and drawing blood 3 times over a 4 hour period. Luckily, I did not have to do that part- I just had to drink this stuff that looked like acid kool-aid and BURNED going down my throat. I drank the orange stuff- my doc didn't have the lemon-lime flavor this time.
So, I drank the draught, went to the doc, got my blood drawn and then the fun begins. I honestly don't want to know how much weight I've gained over the last month, but the nurse is insistent on saying it out loud. Okay, fine. So, I'm roughly the size of a small house. My Doc says "well, you're a little high, but its better than last month." Thanks for that. How much do I owe you for that one? Listen to the heartbeat. I really do enjoy this part- its nice to hear a strong, healthy beating heart. Then we get measured from pelvis to the top of the fundus (aka uterus)- 28. I'm supposedly in week 27, but the height of your fundus and your progress through the 40 wonderful weeks of pregnancy are supposed to be equivalent. Verily, I'm technically in week 28. This means I've only got 12 more weeks to go! This makes me VERY happy. I'm hoping that after I give birth to this little boy- who we have decided to name Oliver Dean Daily- I'll be able to walk around without throwing out my back. Keep your fingers crossed.
Posted by
Ashley and Drue
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History ComicBook / AmericanFlagg
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[[caption-width-right:350:"Justice... my way." -- Reuben M. Flagg]]
''American Flagg!'' is a comic book created by Creator/HowardChaykin for Creator/FirstComics. The series ran from 1983 to 1989.
A little backstory... 1993 (the Year of the Domino), after a series of world-wide crises, the U.S. government (and the corporations that ran it) relocate to Hammarskjold center on Mars ("[[BlatantLies Temporarily, of course]]") while the corporatist Brazilian Union and Communist Pan African League become the world's super powers.
Flash forward to the year 2031, and the U.S. government is now "The Plex," whose Tricentennial Recovery Commitee is supposed to get America "Back on track for '76" but is in fact a plot to sell off the country, composed of arcologies dubbed Plexmalls with a police force dubbed Plexus Rangers to keep law and order (such as it is). Enter Reuben Flagg, former vid star assigned to the Chicago Plexmall. Reuben has a somewhat idealistic view of America, but upon arrival, finds himself mired in violence and corruption.
''American Flagg'' is legendary among fans of '80s independent comics for its revolutionary panel design, which has made it a heavy influence on the generations of creators that came along afterward.
!!''American Flagg!'' provides examples of:
* AllWomenAreLustful: It is pretty much a universal attribute.
* TheBackwardsR: Faux Cyrillic is a common graphic element, especially when the series moves to Russia/the Plex-USSR in the second series. Even the series logo was changed, with the word "AMERICAN" now written in Faux Cyrillic as "ДMЗЯIKДИ".
* BreadAndCircuses: How the Plex maintains control.
* BuccaneerBroadcaster: Q-USA, the pirate video station inherited by Flagg.
* ButIPlayOneOnTV: Subverted. Flagg, famous for playing a Plexus Ranger on TV, actually becomes a real one (though not by choice).
* CorruptPolitician: Chicago mayor C.K. Blitz. And Raul the Cat, when ''he'' is elected mayor. And pretty much every other politician we encounter.
* CrapsackWorld
* CrazySurvivalist: The fascist American Survivalist Labor Committee (A.S.L.C.), which teams up with the Gotterdammercrats, the more "respectable" party of Illinois Nazis, to take over Chicago.
* CreepyCrossdresser: [[spoiler:Ivor Overholt]], who makes himself into a doppelganger for the presumed-dead [[spoiler:Peg Krieger]] in order to seduce and blackmail a character who was obsessed with her. Possibly a borderline example of EasySexChange as well, though the character still had his original genitalia and still appeared as a man in public.
* DeadlyGame: The poli-clubs of downtown Chicago engage in these, televised on ''Firefight All Night Live''.
* DrunkWithPower: When Raul the Cat is elected mayor of Chicago, he quickly becomes this, while also becoming ''literally'' drunk, on [[HighOnCatnip Gato Blotto]] provided by a real estate developer.
* DumbMuscle: The robotic Luther Ironheart. Also Russian Plexus Ranger Yuri Kholyakov.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Titania Weis, a devoted fascist and member of an explicitly Nazi-inspired political party, objects to plans by the even worse American Survivalist Labor Committee to kill the entire population of Chicago with poison gas.
* FallenStatesOfAmerica: Basically the series premise. America is falling apart from a variety of internal and external enemies (including a neo-Nazi revolution), natural and unnatural disasters, and simultaneously powerful and neglectful rule by [[MegaCorp The Plex]].
* FantasticDrug: So numerous that the ''Comic Book Drug Reference'' has [[http://politedissent.com/cbdr_d.html a separate appendix]] dedicated to fictional drugs appearing in the series.
* FictionalPoliticalParty: A bewildering number of them. The "poli-clubs" of downtown Chicago literally fight each other every week for the televised RealityShow ''Firefight All Night Live''.
* GoodBadGirl: Quite common, as is the Bad Bad Girl. Actually, it's the Good Girl that's a rarity in this series.
* GratuitousGerman: Ranger Scheiskopf's name is German for "shithead".[[note]]Well, sort of. The word "scheiss" does mean "shit," and the word "kopf" does mean "head," but the compound isn't a real German word. It's actually a longstanding pseudo-German ''English'' slang word.[[/note]]
* TheGreatPoliticsMessup: ''Flagg'' dances on the verge, but still manages to fall into this pit, albeit very gracefully. The USSR survives well into the 21st century, but the ultra-capitalist Soviets of the Plex-USSR and "Stalinland" theme parks seem ''almost'' like a foreshadowing.
* HighOnCatnip: While serving as mayor of Chicago, Raul becomes addicted to Gato Blotto, a super-potent variety of catnip.
* HuskyRusskie: Russian Plexus Ranger Yuri Kholyakov.
* InkSuitActor: This trope, taken UpToEleven, essentially kicked off the series. Reuben Flagg was an actor living on Mars and starring in the hit TV series ''Mark Thrust, Sexus Ranger''. But a CGI technology called Tromplography perfectly duplicated Flagg's character, making Flagg himself superfluous. Flagg was fired, then drafted into the ''actual'' Plexus Rangers.
* InterspeciesRomance: One of Raul the Cat's favorite video programs is ''Interspecies Romances'' ("Tonight -- a man, a woman... and a duck.")
* IstanbulNotConstantinople: Often used in throwaway gags that highlight the intriguing ways in which the world has changed without going into great detail about it - e.g. "the People's Republic of Great Britain."
* JobStealingRobot:
** Flagg's Tromplographic InkSuitActor.
** Ranger Scheiskopf alludes to this trope when he asks (while deactivating Luther Ironheart) "Do we really want an America policed by robots?"
* KnockoutGas: Somnabutol, in low doses, is a recreational drug. In higher doses, it's "the Official Riot Control Device of the 1996 East Coast Meltdown." Also described as "like a wet dream without the hot parts."
* TheMall: The Chicago [=PlexMall=] is a Mall-turned-[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcology Arcology]].
* MeaningfulName: Pretty common, most obviously with the newly-installed Chief Ranger John [[ForeignCussWord Scheiskopf]].
* MegaCorp: The Plex, which runs the former United States and Soviet Union from its new "temporary" headquarters on Mars. Another Mega Corp, Four World Industries, appears to essentially control the government of one of Earth's two superpowers, the Brazilian Union of the Americas.
* MiniMecha: The deactivated body of robot deputy Luther Ironheart serves as this for talking housecat Raul, who "pilots" the body from where Luther's holographic head would ordinarily be.
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The American Survivalist Labor Committee (ASLC) puts its own American spin on fascism. The Gotterdammercrat party is more of a direct descendant of the National Socialist party, complete with swastikas and PuttingOnTheReich uniforms.
* OneHourWorkWeek: Nearly literal for Mandy Krieger. She has a legitimate job as the air traffic controller for O'Hare Chicago Plexport... which only has two flights per week.
* UsefulNotes/ThePope: In the second series, black-market BloodSport basketball player Jules "Deathwish" Folquet becomes the Pope after a series of improbable events.
* ProjectedMan: Luther Ironheart is something of a hybrid. He has a large human-shaped but clearly robotic body, and a hologram for a head. While his head usually appears as a friendly and obviously non-human cartoon image, he can also use it to impersonate other characters. He successfully impersonates Flagg at one point, and the image is apparently flawless, at least on a video screen.
* RobotBuddy: Luther Ironheart.
* SapientPet: Raul.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork: [[invoked]] Flagg, who loses his job to his own CGI Tromplographic duplicate.
* ShowWithinAShow: A couple examples:
** ''Bob Violence'', a popular InUniverse animated show, ran as a backup feature for several issues.
** We also see some episodes of Reuben Flagg's old series ''Mark Thrust, Sexus Ranger''.
* SpaceFillingEmpire: The Plex represents the former governments of the USA and USSR, but (particularly since the Plex seems to be largely abandoning Earth for its Mars-based "temporary" headquarters), the world's true superpowers are now the Brazilian Union of the Americas and the communist Pan-African League, which has also conquered most of Europe.
* SubliminalAdvertising: Subliminal messages in the popular animated show ''Bob Violence'' were responsible for driving Chicago's "go-gangs" crazy and leading to armed attacks on the [=PlexMall=] once a week.
* TalkingAnimal: Raul the Cat, whose ability to talk is never really explained.
* ThoseWackyNazis: The Gotterdammercrats, Illinois Nazis who most people seem to treat as tame and mostly harmless, but then ally with the also fascist, but violent and genuinely revolutionary, American Survivalist Labor Committee (A.S.L.C.) to take over Chicago.
* TradeSnark: Omnipresent (not to be confused with [=OmniPresent=], on sale for a limited at Jerry Rigg Firearms, with a free packet of Mananacillin if you act now!)
* TrickedOutGloves: Mandy makes Raul a pair of cybernetic gloves. Their only real feature is opposable thumbs, but when you're a housecat, that's enough.
* {{Troperiffic}}: It's a TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture CyberPunk CrapsackWorld full of sex, violence, drugs, and references to just about anything and everything.
* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture
* UnexpectedSuccessor: Flagg's friend Bill Windsor-Jones is the rightful King of England (most of the royal family having been killed by a German nuclear strike on London at some unspecified point in the past, and Britain subsequently becoming a communist puppet state of the Pan-African League.)
* WeatherControlMachine: Sprite, a forgotten UsefulNotes/ColdWar Soviet satellite programmed to disrupt voting patterns in the 1996 U.S. presidential election, is accidentally activated by a meteorite collision. This causes extraordinary blizzard conditions in 2031 Chicago.
* ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld: "Zeps" are now the travel mode of choice. Crystal Gayle Marakova is a zeppelin pilot for Four World Industries.
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text: The Daily Health Policy Report is released for Kaisernetwork.org, a free provider of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Copyright 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.. A return to the doctor's house call may aid healthcare reform Dr. Peter Boling provides house calls for a few of Richmond's oldest and sickest individuals as a geriatrician and mind of general medication at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. The idea is not cost-savings just, but to provide a financial incentive to persuade more doctors to return to the type or sort of work.The technique created at VTT facilitates the simultaneous use of both brief and long-axis images. Accurate perseverance of interfaces between atria and ventricles, for example, from the frequently used short-axis images is challenging, while they are visible in long-axis images. The developed picture segmentation technique makes it possible to use the info obtained from both images simultaneously. The advancement of the automated technique is continuing within an ongoing project. The new method may become available for scientific use in hospitals currently in 2005. New strategies are being produced by VTT in co-operation with the Helsinki University of Technology and a healthcare facility District of Helsinki and Uusimaa . The continuing business community was represented by GE Medical Systems, Elekta-Neuromag Oy, Nexstim Oy and CSC.


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I have reasons not be joyous for this year's Christmas, but I've got more reasons to be jolly and be grateful for this year.
My family celebrated the Christmas at home with so much fun. I know, I miss that little gathering every year at home with neighborhoods and relatives.
My year has been a total roller coaster ride and am glad how those lessons taught me how to appreciate life and enjoy every bit of it. These lessons are the main reason I am brewing my 2014 happiness project.
When I started this new blog name in August, I knew it'll be the start of something new. Although the same contents as what probably most of my readers have seen in my previous blogs, katacheme is showing more of what I have and what I can be without fear and remorse. And I hope to keep this positive trons in my body until it ages.
People know that the so-called "love life" is not my top issue in this world. But heaven knows how many prayers I have sent to look at someone's eyes as it also looks at mine. hahaha! But no kidding. Despite of my happy-living as a single lady, my 22 years has been filled with "Dear Santa, I'll be good this year! Just puhlease let me meet the man of my dreams!" :))
Two years has been a timeline, and in two years I have developed a habit that even out of nothing I've got to see a familiar face, smell a familiar scent and hear a familiar voice that despite of the distance, it feels and it looks… and it seems like the man is just behind me. Okay, I've got to be kidding my self! Change topic.
If asked what would be the biggest decision I've made this year that made me proud of, I say it'll be this decision to re-locate my self (like literally :D) here in Cebu.
I miss my Manila friends, my after work life, the LArcMNL events and the IT guy (hahaha! okay remove him from here. Fine, let him stay there. :D). And I thought moving to Cebu will make me a sobber. And voila! I've met new friends, liked my job for the first time and about to love it. I've realized my happiness items, brewed my own happiness project, learned a new language including their gay-lang, and all these insane pardon the next word- damn good things that happened to me in 7 months of staying here. And I can't wait to see what's in for me in 2014, though my planner is already filled with reserved trips and dates. Viva Cebu!
There's one last wish I have for December and the up coming year, may God warmed the hearts of the people who needs it, especially the victims of typhoon Yolanda. Christmas used to be so festive in Tacloban, but this year the city turned suddenly from colorful to plain black. And I hope that the survivors, despite of loosing some of their loved ones may find a reason to thank God for another life.
My prayers are also with the people who despite of race and differences shared their love and blessings to the Filipino people. Damo nga salamat (Thank you) once again in behalf of the waray-warays!
And I have nothing more to wish for my family aside from the continues good health and blessings that we are receiving. And I thank God for giving me this loving and supportive family who proved me that despite of the misunderstandings that happened in a year, we are still a one big and I must say, a happy family!
Merry Christmas everyone!
God Bless us all in the coming year and beyond! (May I borrow your words, TM Mikko! :D)
This is already a verrrry late post. And I know it's a lame excuse, but yes, wifi connection at our place is not yet fixed. Am already looking for some alternatives and is planning to get a pocket wifi or a broadband though. And in case you are wondering, as I post this I am in an internet cafe. 🙂
So if I may add, HAPPY NEW YEAR wordpress!


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Thursday, December 17, 2009
Hungry, Hungry Hippo
1.5 fried eggs (and barely got them down. I seriously dislike eggs)
2 lite string cheese
1 banana
16 reduced fat wheat thins
2 light laughing cow wedges
170 calories worth of creamer (I tried the FF stuff and it was too sweet, so I went back to regular. And I actually drank 2 mugs today, so I have to count all the calories.)
1 Hershey Kiss. Yep, I was able to eat just one. =)
1.5 cups of dinner, which was "chicken enchilada casserole"... chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and cheese.
All that adds up to just over 1,000 calories! NOW I see how people can blow through calories. I feel like I haven't eaten that much all day, I'm still hungry, and yet I've already eaten ONE THOUSAND calories!
Now, according to TheDailyPlate.com, I can have 1587 calories a day. So, I'll probably have another 2 bananas after my workout. Speaking of which, I plan to finish up my Christmas shopping tonight and hit the gym on the way home. I'm going to just burn 500 calories. I think. Unless I want to just get home, in which case I'll do HIIT for as long as I can.
I'm also going to try to drink a TON of water tonight, since I'm weighing again in the morning.
My goal weight is anywhere between 125-130. Pre husband and kids my body maintained at 130ish without me having to do a thing diet or exercise wise. I'd like to get back down to that. I'm 5'3" with a small frame/bone structure. So 170 is ENTIRELY too heavy for me. I can feel it; it weighs me down.
I'm so looking forward to getting rid of this weight. I will do it.
2 comments:
Don't waste calories on food you hate! There's protein in other things besides eggs! How about a high protein cereal - like Kashi or Vector? I feel awful that you're eating food that you have to gag down!ReplyDelete
Oh man, eggs are the worst to gag down, too! One thing I wanted to remind you about (DH is eating alot of this) is vegetarian protein like legumes especially. This is kind of long but here are some examples of vegetarian foods with high sources of plant protein:ReplyDelete
PROTEIN IN LEGUMES: Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Navy beans, Soybeans, Split peas
PROTEIN IN GRAINS: Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Oatmeal, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat germ, Wheat, hard red, Wild rice
VEGETABLE PROTEIN: Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peas, Green pepper, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard green, Onions, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini
PROTEIN IN FRUITS: Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Honeydew melon, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Tangerine, Watermelon
PROTEIN IN NUTS AND SEEDS: Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Hemp Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts (black)
"One excellent ingredient to look for is hemp seed protein. Hemp seed is an nutritious dietary source of easily digestible gluten-free protein. It provides a well-balanced array of all the amino acids, including 34.6 grams of protein for each 100 grams. The fatty acid profile of the hemp seed is extremely beneficial, containing omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a virtually ideal ratio. Other beneficial aspects of hemp seed include a strongly favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio; a high content of antioxidants; and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals."
Hope that helps a little! =)


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8 Aging NFL Veterans You Can Count on in 2013 Fantasy FootballJune 27, 2013
8 Aging NFL Veterans You Can Count on in 2013 Fantasy Football
The NFL is a cutthroat business with youth at the forefront of success. However, to win in this league, you also need that savvy veteran to push you toward greatness.
Every year we see countless veterans being pushed out the door. Whether it is for salary cap reasons or because of their diminishing skills, several veterans are being squeezed from their jobs. In fantasy football, we sometimes tend to have an age bias too, but the following players in this slideshow should be exempt from such discrimination.
The eight players listed here (ranked in order of impact) still have plenty of gas left in their tank, so give these guys a good, hard look before draft day, as they can be impact performers in 2013.
8. Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers
During the Ravens' Super Bowl run, Boldin showed exactly why he is still a dangerous weapon in the passing game. Boldin proved to be Joe Flacco's most trusted target in the playoffs, as he compiled 22 receptions for 380 yards and four touchdowns in four postseason games while leading the Ravens to their second NFL title.
Boldin was then traded in the offseason to the 49ers, and with Michael Crabtree going down with a (likely) season-ending Achilles injury, Boldin's value to San Francisco gets more significant by the day.
With a young, electrifying quarterback in Colin Kaepernick in the infancy stages of his career, he'll need the services of a veteran receiver to rely on. Boldin provides that for him in spades.
Even though he'll turn 33 this year, Boldin will not go quietly into the night, and he remains a very productive wide receiver (think high-end No. 3 WR) for fantasy purposes.
7. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
A lot of people have already written Gates' fantasy obituary. After turning 33 a little more than a week ago, not many people are giving him a chance to rebound this coming season.
Sure, Gates' production has taken a nosedive of late, but between nagging injuries and the Chargers' offense going into a funk, he has not been properly used in the past couple of years.
With a change in coaching philosophy and the Chargers hiring Mike McCoy, perhaps Gates and his quarterback Philip Rivers can recapture the old magic that made Gates such a lethal weapon for the better part of the past decade.
While he is no spring chicken, Gates still has amazing athletic ability, and he has enough left in him to be a productive, reliable fantasy starter at tight end in 10-12-team leagues.
6. Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers
With Cam Newton struggling early in sophomore campaign, it affected the fantasy value of Smith last season. Some people argue that Smith, who just turned 34, is just getting a little worn down because of Father Time catching up to him.
While he won't be the speedy receiver he was in the early and mid-2000s, Smith has enough know-how, moxie and experience to help fantasy players for a few more years. As Newton continues to morph into a complete quarterback, he will still rely on Smith to get him there. After all, 73 receptions for 1,174 receiving yards and four touchdowns (which he recorded in 2012) isn't too shabby.
Smith still makes for a low-end No. 2 wide receiver and excellent flex play.
5. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons
Coming off of a season in which he registered 93 receptions (second among tight ends), 930 receiving yards (second among tight ends) and eight touchdowns (tied for fourth among tight ends) and appeared in the NFC Championship game, Gonzalez couldn't resist coming back in 2013 while putting off retirement. Hey, a two-year, $14 million extension doesn't hurt either.
In any case, the ageless wonder—for the record, Gonzalez is 37—was begged to come back, as he still showed he can still play with the kids at a high level. Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan loves targeting Gonzalez as his safety valve and is still a preferred target in the red zone.
Considering the stats he's still putting up, treat Gonzalez as top-five tight end for fantasy purposes.
4. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
Witten, who turned 32 last month, just keeps going about his business as usual.
Witten is a pass-catching machine, as his receptions (110) and receiving yards (1,039) were tops among tight ends in 2012. In PPR leagues, Witten has exponentially more value, as he still—for some odd reason—has trouble finding pay dirt (only scoring a total of eight touchdowns in the last two years).
Witten is a gutsy, dependable and durable (playing in all 16 games since his second year in the league, which stretches nine seasons) of a tight end as you'll ever find.
With that sort of consistency, Witten is a no-brainer tight end to target on draft day.
3. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts
Under the tutelage of Bruce Arians and with a young, hotshot quarterback in Andrew Luck coming in, Wayne had a fantastic rebound season in 2013.
In 2013, Wayne placed sixth in the NFL in receptions (106) and seventh in receiving yards (1,355) while also chipping in with five touchdowns.
While Arians is in Arizona, Wayne should be fine considering that he still has a stabilizing quarterback getting him the ball. While he is creeping up there in age (34), Wayne has the experience, poise and wisdom to continue to shine in this league for a few more years.
2. Steven Jackson, Atlanta Falcons
A change of scenery is exactly what Jackson needed to rejuvenate his career, and going from a ho-hum offense in St. Louis to being part of the explosive offense in Atlanta should help make Jackson a safe selection in fantasy drafts this summer.
With 2,395 carries in nine seasons, Jackson looked like he was heading toward breaking down, but now that he is part of an offense that will still air it out while managing his carries effectively in the process, Jackson should feel refreshed in Atlanta this year. Simply put, Jackson should not feel the burden to carry the offense like he had to in St. Louis.
Jackson, who will turn 30 next month, has some productive seasons left in his body, and he makes for a high-end No. 2 running back.
1. Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons
I think we can all agree that the Falcons are likely to feature Julio Jones more in the passing game this year, but it will not come at the expense of White being pushed out the door.
At 32, White is still in tip-top shape and will unquestionably be a big part of the Falcons' plans. This is a guy who is consistency personified. White is coming off of six straight years of producing at least 1,100-plus receiving yards while also averaging 102 receptions and 8.3 touchdowns in the past three years.
There may be some wear on the tires, but White is still a productive piece of the Falcons' explosive offense and will remain an integral part of fantasy lineups for the foreseeable future.


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Sunday, August 9, 2009
How can i earn Money on Internet?
This is a common question on internet that how can i earn money on internet? Every person who have information about internet and have a short time to spend with some I.T or any professional skills, want to earn from internet. but its very difficult to find the best solution, and now you can say that you are at the right place to get the maximum from internet in minimum time, because im and my network fellows are highly skilled in this field and we are working for internet earning programms from last 2 and half year and we earn a lot but still we are in the process of learning, now you can explore our site to earn money and you can use the best links from it. We just having the origional links, not the fake ones and we have origional contents on our site.
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Garage Door Headers
The QB garage door header is an economical product designed to meet the load requirements for garage door and common header applications. Using select grade Douglas fir laminates along with structural clear glue lines results in superior performance and a better appearance.
- Full sized beams 3½" and 5½" so no fillers are required.
- Product is dried to KD 16 to minimize shrinkage.
- Available in balanced lay-ups to allow for either side up installation.
- Available in precut and custom lengths.
- Custom packaging is available upon request.
- Available depths: 9", 10½", 12", 13½", 15", 16½", and 18"


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Thursday, May 7, 2009
Agency: Deutsch NY
Client: IKEA
This guerilla campaign extended al over Brooklyn to announce the grand opening of IKEA in the area. I think this is a really good campaign because IKEA highlight the way they deliver their products in a huge visual way. People were able to walk inside the big box which was set up as a room inside. It was open to the public when IKEA opened as well. Before then, it was a big brown box. Clever idea.
Posted by Diana at 5/07/2009 10:30:00 PM
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Today's Pinteresting Post of the day comes courtesy of the Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's Pinterest board entitled Book Stuff. What is wonderful about the Keeping up with the Rheinlander's website and facebook page is that they review tons of book all the time. So if you have a book coming out, or just want to know what kind of books are out there, click on over there and see what's up.
This fascinating bookshelf, shaped into the word READ can be found at the upscale NK department store in Stockholm, Sweden according to What the Cool.
This is a fabulous idea for a bookshelf, if you have the room. It doubles both as art and a holder for your books. And it would make even the most shameful collection of Twilight Novels and Fifty Shades of Grey look like something to behold.
While, I'm pretty certain this was made specifically for them, there isn't any reason some of you handy people out there can't go out and make a similar bookshelf yourself. So head on down to Lowes or Home Depot and get started.
If you like this Pinteresting Post feel free to .
And don't forget to to see more awesome things before they are posted here.
Additionally, if you have a book, or Pinterest account that you would like featured as the Pinterest of the Day, or a book you'd like me to review just drop me a line either here in the Contact Me section, on Facebook, or on Pinterest, additionally you can leave a message down in the comments section as well.


text: Home > Sports Belingon moves closer to ONE FC title shot ABS-CBN News Posted at Jan 14 2014 10:30 PM | Updated as of Jan 15 2014 06:51 AM Share Save Facebook Twitter GPlus LinkedIn Kevin Belingon (left) was impressive against Spanish figher David Santacana. Photo by Mark Cristino for ABS-CBNnews.com MANILA, Philippines – A victory against the highly touted Kim Dae-hwan this March will bring Filipino fighter Kevin Belingon closer to a world mixed martial arts (MMA) title shot at ONE FC. The Singapore-based promotion has promised "The Silencer" that he will be strongly considered for a title challenge against ONE FC bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernades if he convincingly defeats Kim. "A win against such a highly touted opponent will move him closer to a shot at the ONE FC Bantamweight World Championship currently held by Bibiano Fernandes," ONE FC said in a statement. Belingon will fight Kim at the co-main event of ONE FC: War of Nations, which will be held in Malaysia on March 14. The Silencer came close to securing a mandatory title shot when he fought Masakatsu Ueda in the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix Final. Belingon, however, lost a narrow decision to Ueda. He, however, put on an astounding show at the "ONE FC: Moment of Truth" last December when he knocked the lights out of erstwhile unbeaten David Santacana. The victory was one of the highlights of the Manila card that took place at the Mall of Asia Arena. After the victory, he was asked if he will be demanding a title shot against Fernandes. "It is up to ONE FC if they want to give me a title shot," was his reply. Belingon, however, will have to beat Kim first. The South Korean made a successful debut at ONE FC last December by defeating Australian grappler Thanh Vu via submission. He remains unbeaten in 9 professional MMA fights. Share Save Facebook Share on Twitter GPlus LinkedIn Read More: mma ONE FC Kevin Belingon Kim Dae Hwan /news/06/20/18/eu-legislator-tells-de-lima-your-case-personally-touched-me/video/news/06/20/18/pekeng-towing-service-bistado/news/06/20/18/ilegal-na-droga-nananatiling-problema-sa-mga-paaralan-pdea/news/06/20/18/grade-7-student-kabilang-sa-mga-arestado-sa-drug-session/video/news/06/20/18/watch-lawyer-says-will-fire-erring-officials-if-appointed-ombudsman


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West Park Asylum is in Surrey.
This asylum, along with several others ("The Epsom Cluster"), was built in the early 1900s on the outskirts of London. The asylum could hold about 2000 patients with a wide range of mental-health issues. The main part of the asylum closed in the 1990s and has slowly deteriorated over the last few years. Mother nature has reclaimed some parts, while vandals and arsonists have destroyed other parts.
Towards the end of 2009 news of its impending demolition meant the asylum became a tourist hotspot. Nearly every day hundreds of photos appeared on the forums and flickr. Your mum probably looked around before I did. I decided to go along and check it out for myself before it was too late… Baa.
Unlike previous reports, I'm not going to write much else. It's an asylum. With corridors, wards, a main hall, doors, an engineering area, patient belongings and all sorts of stuff like that.
Oh and a padded cell – quite possibly the only one in a derelict asylum in the country.


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Undoubtedly when you pigeonhole an actor to play characters villains in films, they do up in real life. That's what has happened to actor Jamie Waylett who has been arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for the riots occurred in London taking to the streets of a neighborhood in London on August 8.
Actor Jamie Waylett is currently 22 years and played bully Vincent Crabbe in the "Harry Potter".
Waylett has been convicted of being part of a gang of at least four people who took to the streets of a neighborhood in London on August 8. Besides, has been accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a private estate in the area of Chalk Farm, located in London.
Earlier, the actor was already under house arrest since September 29 and was found guilty of having stolen during the riots a bottle of champagne from a supermarket. The prosecutor, Rebekah Hummerstone, also said that the young actor had been drinking from the same bottle.
Like any proud bad boy, Jamie insisted he was "fascinated" with the riots that crossed the entire capital from side to side but denied having taken part in violence.
As expected, for these reasons Jaime Waylett has fallen a sentence of two years in prison for what is going to have to leave for a time to re-do a movie, whether angel or thug, so you can exercise of real "bad boy" of the prison. Maybe that will serve to interpret more bad guys in other films.
The boy, to give more boast that their role wrong with "Harry Potter" left him for something, appeared in court with a shaved head and goatee.
Still, Waylett was acquitted of the attempted destruction of private property with a Molotov cocktail with which he saw during the incidents.
Not the first time the actor is arrested for committing a crime. 2 years ago, when I was 20, was arrested for having planted a real garden of marijuana at his mother. We do not believe that his mother would think that what he had in his house were planted daisies. For that offense, the actor was sentenced to 120 hours of community work.
An example not to follow by the fans of the series if they could end up like him out into the prison. The judgment of the disturbance in the English capital continue but he already has his punishment.


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While scouting the trail for this Saturday's New Haven I got a bit lost. Okay, maybe a lot lost. I'd scouted what I thought was the basic plan for this hash a few weeks before so a simple retracing of steps was in order, but I was sadly, sadly mistaken (said the guy who wears GPS tech on trail).
Where once there was the most delightful of evil-intent Beer Checks there was nothing. But further on I stumbled upon an even more scintillating Check site where the Hashers would be able to enjoy cold beers on trail and then enjoy the thrills of shimmying under another chain-link fence (please refer to the Choked Chicken Hash several weeks ago). Much maniacal laughter ensued. Mwahahahaha!
So what changed in the weeks that separated the two scouting expeditions? I thought long and hard about this for at least three or four minutes when it occurred to me. My iPod! Hadn't worn it on the first foray, but had it blasting an odd array of music into my cranium since leaving the house yesterday morning. And that's when the genius of the next Hash jelled. It would be a Dance Off Hash based upon the effed-up selection shitty music on my iPod! So here's the game plan:
Where: On-Out in the vacant space behind Koffee on Audobon Street in New Haven. Easiest access is from approximately 37 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, We'll be meeting in the lot next to the abandoned canal.
Trail: A to A-ish, but only because I like to keep you short-cutters guessing. Maybe about 4.5 miles, unless you get lost, too.
When: Hash Time is 3:00 PM! On Out will likely follow by 3:15. Don't cum late.
Hash Cash: $5.00 Cheap. At least one OTF add a BQ25 for the Beer Check.
What to Bring: ID and extra cash. And, of course, New Shoes.
Strollerable: If you insist.
Dogable: Yep! But no yappy dogs.
Park: East of State Street or in a lot – New haven allows only 2 hours on street.
The Dance Party Dance Off: I've selected a few of the songs from my current wacko playlist and when you reach Checks featuring one of these songs you'll need to act it out (not to worry, Hashers, Nicki Minaj's Anaconda is not included). Songs you may or may not dance to are:
Study these and be ready to get your groove On-On!


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is like getting to peek into their personality.
for me, i read as much non-fiction as i do fiction.
most of my books are mystery, business, organizational,
and self-improvement books.
and i also re-read books over the course of years.
if it's highly unlikely i'll read a book again,
i'll donate it to goodwill.
otherwise, i consider part of my "personal library".
i always loved the idea of having my own
little bookplate for my books.
you know, the ones that say...
this book belongs to...
or ex libris or
from the library of...
so, i created bookplates with the always-stunning
marilyn monroe and audrey hepburn on there.
i simply googled for photos of them reading books.
(of course, being a graphic designer helped with this project.)
there were lots more pics of marilyn than audrey.
but, i love the way they turned out!
(i'm sure these photos are copyrighted,
so i'm not distributing this file for duplication.
sorry, loves, i hope i don't get in hot water either.)
just wanted to do a little show-and-tell...
but, not to leave you empty handed,
i created some bookplates for you too!
here is the pdf file to print your own.
(there are 15 different lovely colors and 30-up on one sheet)
i simply printed them onto avery adhesive paper
(which you can get at staples or any other office supply store)
and trimmed them down. easy peasy.
i'll be using these for hubby + babygirl's books.
this is also make a great gift for a teacher.
most of the teachers i know are avid readers, dontcha think?
hope you enjoy. :)
lata, dolls!


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An ongoing process throughout this project has been to create a world in which our character will explore and exist in. From early stages in development we decided that there will be one large hub filled with a town, various points of interest and treasure. Also, within this hub there will be entrances spread around the map which will teleport our protagonist into randomly generated caverns or dungeons. These entrances are depicted as cave entrances in mountain sides or holes in the ground which our character can climb down. Other types of entrances might be implemented later depending on how the map develops.
So this task was given to me, and ever since we started on this project, I have worked on this every now and then when inspiration strikes. Luckily I am given this freedom on this portion of the project because it isn't as strongly tied to what everyone else is doing, unlike my other major task, creating our player character. This is due to the fact that everyone has their own test scene. So the majority of the logic based testing and game balance is done in the developers test scene, rather than in the main world where the game will primarily take place.
So how is our world created? I'm glad you asked!
We took some time deciding how this world would be created. Our first attempt at getting started was to use a program called Tiled Map Editor. This is a program designed specifically for making 2D maps for games. To import the maps into Unity we were going to use a plugin called Tiled 2 Unity, which imports maps made in Tiled Map Editor, to Unity. As the name suggests.
Tiled Map Editor: http://www.mapeditor.org/
Tiled 2 Unity: http://www.seanba.com/tiled2unity
At first this method worked great. Tiled Map Editor is an amazing tool and makes map editing very easy and the maps you create look great with minimal effort. Importing to Unity using the plugin was also easy and painless. The problems started when we tried to share our maps with each other over git. When another group member tried viewing the map which was created and imported to Unity and then sent over git, pieces of the map and textures were missing and it just looked terrible. After researching the problem and finding no solution, or solutions which didn't fix the issue for us. We decided that we may in fact have to use the standard map editing tools in Unity.
The map editing tools in Unity are in fact quite powerful, if you are working with 3D games, which we are not. Unity is known for being quite terrible for working with 2D maps and it feels like all the tools available were implemented by the Unity team as an afterthought. This may be directly linked to the fact that Unity is in fact called "Unity 3D". But I powered through and eventually got used to using it, and when I got used to it, it wasn't so painful to work with.
Moving on to how I actually created a map, or world, if you will.
So we first got lots of sprite sheets from the Open Game Art website. These sprite sheets are free for everyone to use, as long as we give the correct recognition. We decided to try and stick to the sprites created for The Liberated Pixel Cup (LPC) since they all had the same art style and worked well together.
Most of the sprite sheets were created so you could slice them up into 32 by 32 pixel squares. Once that was done it was simply a matter of placing the squares which matched next to each other to create what you wanted. If you look at the picture below you can see that it has been cut into squares (32×32 pixels). This sheet is the sheet I used to create some of the paths in our game. The sheet is set up nicely so you have everything you require to make whatever size dirt path or area you wish.
The sprite editor shown above is the Unity tool for cutting up sprite sheets, and is quick and painless to use. The painful part starts when you have to start positioning them and lining them up besides each other. Unity has a pivot for the sprites, as you can see on the picture above, the pivot is set to the center on this sprite. The pivot is used when you want to snap the sprites together (line up the sprites pixel perfect). This makes it much easier to align sprites and make everything pixel perfect. This sounds amazing in theory, but in practice it wasn't as easy to use. Each individual sprites needs to be given its own pivot position, and even when clicking apply, the pivot position didn't always apply. A lot of the time I just relied on zooming in really far and manually placing the sprites so they aligned.
When I have created a collection of sprites which depict something, which I hope looks reasonable. I save it as a prefab in our project. A prefab is basically a finished product which we want to use in our game. A good example of a prefab would be a tree. The idea is that, if we have one hundred trees in this world I have want to create, instead of me making one hundred separate trees, with an ordering layer, and its own box collider. I can instead make one tree, save it as a prefab, and then I can basically click and drag it into our world to add it. Every tree of this type will then have its own ordering layer and box collider so I don't have to set it one hundred times. Instead, just to add some variation, I can change the scale of each tree, so each tree looks independent from each other and creates a more dynamic world.
So coming back to creating a world as a whole. The main idea with the world is to give the player a playground to explore in. We decided early on that our world will have a main town where the player can interact with other non-player controlled characters (NPCs), to learn about the world and perhaps buy and sell items. From the town there would be paths leading north, east, south and west which the player can follow to be guided to various points of interest. Out in the world the player will encounter entrances which will teleport the player into randomly generated dungeons filled to the brim with enemies and wonderful loot (If we have time to implement items). This is where the main gameplay will take place and the player will be forced to fight for their lives.
As of right now while I'm writing this, our world has a basic layout. There is a town in the middle, a mountainous area off to the west, a river and lake down to the south and a farm area to east. And of course there is The Dark Forest to the north, which I have named such for ominous and adventurous reasons. We still haven't decided on any name for the world yet, but I'm almost positive that we will come up with something colourful and original like Wondershire, or Fantopia.
Before I am happy with the world I am creating I still have a bit more work to do. I want to have more dungeon entrances spread all around the map. I would also like to fill the map up enough so that you never have your character in a screen which only shows grass. As this gives you little sense of where you are on the map and is just plain boring to look at. I also need to enclose the map so our player doesn't just wonder off into the abyss that is a world with no textures.
Otherwise the world creation is an ongoing process which can always be worked and improved upon, as well as just generally adding more things to it. Atleast until the final build of the project.


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Wedding Weekend
We had such a wonderful time celebrating the marriage of our dear friends this weekend in Greenwich, CT. My best friend from high school and I made the road trip Friday am and arrived just in time for the Rehearsal Dinner! It was a gorgeous event held outside on the water at
Of course Leah and I sported Designs By Kara Kihm! She wore The Annapolis and I wore The Priscilla! I'm getting very good use out of the Priscilla this summer.
The outdoor seating area was just precious and we enjoyed cocktails outside before the dinner began. The scene was soooooo Amanda and her dress even matched the pillows on the couches.
Here's the Bride to be and Matron of Honor-Sister of the Bride.
The beautiful bride with her beautiful mother.
The couple looked happy as ever and were ready for the big day!
After the Rehearsal we enjoyed cocktails and some very funny stories were told! I love you girls and we always have such a Ball Together!
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During the week we don't get out much. Cory is working very long days and doesn't get home until around 7 each night. This will be his schedule for the next few months while the project is in it's early planning stages. We try to do all of our exploring on the weekends.
This weekend we went down to Calvert county. Counties are a big deal in this part of the country. People don't usually ask which town you live in, but rather which county you are from or reside. We are trying to catch on..LOL Calvert county is south of us and the tip is where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic ocean. The cliffs are pretty and are close to the site where in 1608 John Smith landed when he arrived at the America's. The walk was 2 miles out and the cliffs are 30 miles long, but the beach is only about a 1/4 of a mile.
The draw for this beach is the fossils. They are everywhere. Shark teeth can easily be found daily. I found a small white one. Isabella had fun playing in a small stream that feeds into the bay with other kids her age.
The walk is beautiful, the beach peaceful and the air is so clean and fresh. Calvert county is filled with rolling hills and lots of enormous homes, many plantation styles and cap code in appearance.
We also checked out a mall in Annapolis. It was a very welcomed outing. We are out in Anne Arundel county and it is often times referred to as "redneckville' by others. Don't get me wrong, this town is nice but very rural and about 30 minutes from DC. Annapolis is part of a triangle of cities...the other two points would be Baltimore and DC. The mall was great with all of the usual stores: Build a Bear, Hot Topic and Game Stop. This made the kids happy. Oh, it had a Border's that was not going out of business and a Japanese food court restaurant that was really good. So, YES, we were all happy for a few hours of shopping and walking amongst the city-ites. (Yes, I just made that word up)
We went to a small town called Cape St. Claire that we all loved and checked out the housing and surrounding areas. The problem here is that everyone loves where they live and when ever I ask people their opinion of specific towns or counties, they are all different. But, we do like this area and when we get ready to move into a home will try to find a place in this area. Our goal is to try and be in the area within the triangle of the three cities.
Here are a few pictures of Cory, Isabella and I on the walk out to the cliffs. The big kids wanted to stay home and have some alone time.
|We thought this was cool to see, they must have beavers or nutria living in the area.
|We made it to the Atlantic ocean...love this picture
|So cute....love this picture too! Two of the most important men in my life!
|Our 2 mile hike in took a while, there was so much to see. Isabella is at the age of wonderful discovery. Everything is amazing, new and inspiring. If we only all had this outlook in life as became adults.
|This is how you come back when you are 4 and hike in 2 miles...poor daddy...poor back.
|My first attempt at creating this popular look with some of the flowers along the walk.
|Not sure what she was doing, but though it was a cute picture.
|The trees are so tall and very large around. We tried counting the rings on some, but they are so close together it's hard to keep track and with old eyes it all started blurring together and we gave up.
|Mid jump...we found some water!
|Looking away from the beach.
|Add caption
|She just keeps getting cuter and cuter every day!
|Looking for fossils...the photo has a texture on it.
|This is the broken bridge. I thought it looked cool.
|The beach to the right...
|....the beach to the left. So you can see how tiny it is.
|They have installed these plank style walk ways through the park. It's very wet and muddy in some parts.


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Broward County commissioners on Wednesday asked County Administrator Floyd Johnson to defend himself against a charge that he and some of his staff interfered with an investigation of cost overruns on county contracts.
And Commissioner Nikki Grossman called for a policy to protect employees against reprisals when they are subpoenaed by the State Attorney`s Office.
``I think it`s time for the commission to address the administrator and his staff and their relationship with the real world,`` she said.
Ed Pyers, head of the state attorney`s public corruption division, testified on Tuesday that top county officials ordered employees not to cooperate in an investigation without being subpoenaed. He also said Johnson violated an agreement not to retaliate against a county worker who was an informant in the probe.
Johnson, who has declined to comment while the investigation is in progress, also did not respond in person to requests from two commissioners for an explanation on Wednesday, although he has said in the past that there was no retaliation against the informant, then-Assistant Purchasing Director Bob Dattore.
Dattore said he was forced to leave his job because he worked with Pyers.
Finance Director Phil Allen spoke to the commissioners on Johnson`s behalf in private meetings on Wednesday and told them there had been no interference in the probe.
Allen oversees the department that includes the purchasing division, and he confirmed that he instructed his employees not to cooperate with investigators or to make documents available without first being served with a subpoena.
``When these people (county employees) are called away from their offices, I want them to be able to show me a subpoena,`` he said.


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|Go to Pooja's website to find out more about her.
One of the newer members of our Success Squad, Pooja Dang, has taken the leap to become a full time life coach and now she's offering these fabulous goal setting workshops in December to people in the Bay Area. Pooja and I first met because she hired me to do her headshots and immediately upon meeting her, I knew that she was something special. Her approach to life coaching is super refreshing and she's incredibly energetic. I highly recommend taking one of her goal setting workshops and then seeing if you could use her services for 2013 to help you make it the best year yet!
Email her at email@example.com for more information or go to her website - www.poojadang.com
PS - You can still attend the Makeshift Society Success Squad meeting happening tonight, Wednesday, December 5th at 6pm. Come and share your expertise with us!
Happy Wednesday!
Sarah & Lisa


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The dimpled, rippled and shadowy appearance of the skin in the mushy lower body problem zone of the female body is called cellulite. The fat of butts, hips, thighs, legs and belly fall into such category. So as now your honeymoon is approaching, and the peak of excitement is approaching.
You are extremely crazy about the day when you will be in the honeymoon with your husband and you want it to be perfect and most memorable. However, those ugly dimples on your thighs may completely drive you crazy! Obviously, you want to look perfect and would not want that annoying condition to ruin your honeymoon.
The beauty spas help in and profiting big-time by marketing "beauty" services and products to get rid of "cellulite".
And if you're like most women who've been challenged by this issue, then you probably already know all of those passive and superficial treatments do not get rid of the problems on your buns, legs, belly and thighs.
In order to get the lower-body skin to become smooth, tight, lifted and attractive – there are 5 critical steps to take:
5 Steps to End Cellulite
STEP 1: You cannot get rid of it by rubbing a phony lotion or "special" cream on your trouble zones and problem spots.
Actually, many people misinterpret this trouble as the skin problem. Actually it's not that. It's entirely underlying tissue problem. The structural issue that can only be corrected by reversing the hidden cause beneath your cellulite trouble spots. So stop wasting a large sum of money on these creams, despite the fact that a large number of them are available in the market.
Since the mushy dimples and saggy shadows are a superficial symptom of a problem below the surface; it's impossible for the creams, lotions or gels to have any physiological impact on the issue…
STEP # 2: Stop Risky and expensive 'medi-spa treatments'
These treatments can only reduce your bank account – not your cellulite problems. And there are many consumer reports about women being seriously scarred or injured as well by getting this medi spa.
So avoid these, no matter how much they are hyped-up or how hard they may be pushed on you.
Cellulite is not treated by these painful, dangerous and uncomfortable services. Infact, these have been proved to be mostly ineffective in these problems. the desperate women are clearly cheated and are at wits end with the unattractive dimples shadows on the lower body problem areas.
STEP # 3: cellulite is not genetic-(The unattractive dimples, shadows and saggy ripples known as cellulite) and you are NOT stuck with them forever.
If you see mother and the daughter with the lower body orange peel, it does not mean that cellulite is genetic. It simply means that both of them have not got the way to get rid of cellulite. So, do NOT believe this myth or it will block you from getting rid of your cellulite.
These credulous myths are actually product of sick mind or the one who are unable to find the right way to get rid of the cellulite.
It's extremely mandatory to treat the muscle layers under the dimpled, saggy skin layer on the surface.
"With the right plan, you can reduce cellulite and make your lower body smoother and firmer…
STEP # 4: Age does not matter and you can get rid of cellulite or when you began to notice it.
It really does not matter, whether you are pregnant or lactating or are at the menopause, as the structural issue results from the mushy, up toned muscles underneath the saggy, dimpled, shadowy skin. The more muscle tone you create, the less of a problem it becomes.
STEP # 5: targeted simple body movements are the only proven way to get rid of the dimples and shadows of cellulite.
This physical exercise of lower body movements properly stimulates the muscular layer of the legs. Buns, hips, belly and thighs.
These unique movements focus on lifting, shaping and toning the muscle layers so they gently push outward against the skin – to bring back the smooth, tight, lifted and sexy appearance.
That's the only way to reverse the cause of cellulite. All the excess fat is burned off and it works like wonder for your body.
These unique slow tempo movements cannot be learned in the gym or your local health club. Because,
1 – These bodily movements are neither done with the machines, nor done with the typical weights. Most regular instructors don't even know about this type of targeted cellulite-killing method.
2 – These gentle moves can be done right at home, in total privacy.
3 – The female lower-body has over 90 muscles:
Picture those 90 muscles BENEATH your skin's surface in your legs, butt, hips, and belly, midriff and thigh zones. That's where the magic happens in regards to true and visible improvements in the trouble-spots and problem-areas…


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It's been awhile since I have reported on a bonafide Darwin Award candidate, but the drought is over. A 53 year-old Florida man died late Thursday after snorting what he thought was cocaine. He and his brother were out in the Florida Keys fishing when they picked up a package floating by their boat. They thought the mysterious package contained a kilo of cocaine so he started snorting it. About two hours later, the man threw overboard all their communications devices and damaged the engine before his brother waved a passing boat for help. I'll stick to 'runner's high' over 'fisherman's high' for now. Was it the weather or are peeps in the southern states simply bedwetting buttstains (and, therefore, future wine bloggers)? A Greene County, Missouri couple wetted their whistles for at least two hours at a local bar to escape the 100-degree heat. Not a problem, you say? Well, they left ten kids, ages infant to 11, IN the car outside. Even more facepalming (and sadder, too) is the death of a 10 year-old Arizona girl after her four older relatives locked her in a storage container as punishment for taking, of all things, a Popsicle without permission. Is the offer still on the table to sell Arizona to the Mexican drug lords for $3 trillion and free nachos for a year? Apparently some Mexican soldiers thought so but they entered the wrong state as more than two dozen of them in Humvees crossed into Texas after chasing a Texas resident that crossed into Mexico. So, just like our wines, count these as more reasons to be thankful we live in Washington and everyone else does not. Cheers to that! Hmm, good idea. Think I'll sit right down and write a letter to the Prez.
While watching yet another clown show that's called a Mariners baseball game, I decided to research one of the 'trivia quiz' answers. The question was about which players are still benefiting the Mariners from the 1989 trade of Mark Langston for the Montreal Expos' Randy Johnson. It's actually one of the more enduring legacies that the Mariners have given to baseball and if there's ever a "hall of fame" for player trades, this one would be a 'first ballot' winner. Answer at the end of this post.
Hey, so I forgot to mention one dish from my latest grillmaster session. It's easy, like all my recipes. Call it Walla WalLA grilled onions. Take a fat Walla Walla sweet onion ($1/lb at the market), cut the tips and pull the fibrous skin layers off, then cut latitudinally into four tree rings. Use that basting sauce in my previous post to prevent the onions from sticking to the grill (and to add some flavor). After a few minutes, when the skins appear more lucid, flip 'em over for a few more minutes then remove. Wait, not done yet. While still warm, make a foil pan with enough room to place all rounds flat on the foil. Top the onions with olive oil and a really decent steak sauce like Cornet Bay Louisiana Steak Sauce or something that has peppers, vinegar, salt, fruit concentrates and garlic. Yes, I am all about 'local'—the maker is located in Gig Harbor. Throw it back on the grill and let it all fuse. The longer it stays on the grill, the thicker the sauce gets but don't let it get too carmelized. A great accompaniment to grilled steak and wine. I thought about using the wine instead of steak sauce but (1) it's too thin and (2) I prefer a wider spectrum of flavors at the dinner table. Easy, weezy.
Willow Crest Winery is the 16 year-old love child of Dave Minick and his obsession with wine grapes. Dave started his wine odyssey in 1982, first planting wine grapes at his now sprawling 185 acre vineyard at elevation 1300 feet six miles north of Prosser. The first vines were riesling, gewürztraminer, and chardonnay. He added cabernet franc in 1996. His current portfolio also includes: two clones of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, pinot gris, mourvedre, viognier and grenache. Average yields are 3 tons for reds and 4-6 tons for whites.
Farmers come in two flavors—those who are pure, "I don't care what you do with the grapes, I just grow them," and those who ask "So, how do you make wine out of these things?" Dave kinda fell into the latter category after interacting with all the winemakers who purchased his fruit. I suspect early on, he dealt with a lot of Chateau Ste. Michelle bad boys in Mike Januik, Bob Betz, and Charlie Hoppes, maybe even Columbia Winery's David Lake passed through, so it makes perfect sense that, hell, if you want free advice on how to make wines and you've got Washington's best coming to your door, why wouldn't Mr. Minick be curious?
Among his buyers today are Dr. Busacca of Alma Terra Wines, the Naravanes of Rasa Vineyards, Brian Countryman of Celaeno Winery, Anna Schafer of àMaurice Cellars, Jamie Brown of Waters Winery, and Justin Wylie of Va Piano Vineyards to name a few. To no one's surprise, syrah appears to be the jewel from Minick Vineyard.
Think about this, it's 75 degrees and sunny. Not hot enough for a rosé and not cool enough for a white. Look for a wine that's not too decadent but not too wine-bloggerish (flabby, artificial, cheap) either. I'm looking for a wine with just enough grip and complexity to prime my palate for what I'm grilling without being too over-the-top that I lose focus on cooking. Price-wise, a player in the $10-15 category. Guess I am describing what this wine delivers.
This was my prelude wine to Gramercy Cellars' tempranillo. Food pairing was Marcona almonds, parmesan cheese, and Beechers Smoked Flagship cheese. Weather pairing was even better. I finished up the glass with the first cuts of my grilled ribeye and, while a good pairing there, the tempranillo, believe it or not, had more heft and complexity to stand up to one of my better slabs of steak.
These types of discoveries can only be found by taking the time to put the wine in play. No
quick swigs at some Rambo-type tasting event or room will EVER divulge a wine's true strengths at the table so do NOT EVER trust what you read from other wine bloggers who judge wines like they're passing a water table at a marathon. Same goes for those stupid wine awards.
Tasted at 59-67 degrees on the IR temp gun. Color: clear, black cherry. Nose: blackberry, black pepper. Mouthfeel: medium-bodied with a dark-spice tang. Tail trail: 7 seconds. Flavors: black fruits, black pepper, spent tobacco.
Alcohol: 13.9%. Looks like the winery website hasn't been updated for a couple years (grade: D-). Minick Vineyard (estate). Yakima Valley AVA. Rated: 88 Value: $12. Paid: $12. Music pairing: "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter" by Billy Williams. This is WAwineman…uncorked, uneducated but not uncouth.
Background: On Monday at 3:30pm, August 5, 1957, the first national broadcasting of 'American Bandstand' was aired on ABC with Dick Clark hosting from The City of Brotherly Love. His first musical guest was Billy Williams. I betcha 9 out of 10 winemakers here have seen at least one show when it was aired live.
Trivia answer:
(May 25, 1989) M's trade ace Mark Langston for Randy Johnson (and others).
(July 31, 1998) Johnson is traded to Houston Astros for Freddy Garcia (and others).
(June 27, 2004) Freddy Garcia is traded to Chicago White Sox for Miguel Olivo, Michael Morse and Jeremy Reed.
(July 31, 2005) Miguel Olivo traded to San Diego, but later returns to the Mariners in 2011 as a free agent.
(June 28, 2009) Michael Morse traded to Washington Nationals for Ryan Langerhans.
(July 29, 2011) Ryan Langerhans traded to Arizona Diamondbacks for cash.
(December 10, 2008) Jeremy Reed (and others) traded to New York Mets (and Cleveland Indians) for Jason Vargas, Franklin Gutierrez (and others).
As for the "others" who are still playing in the majors, they are: Ronny Cedeno (Pittsburgh), Endy Chavez (Texas), Freddy Garcia (Yankees), Carlos Guillen (Detroit), Aaron Heilman (Arizona), Garrett Olson (Pittsburgh), Ramon Santiago (Detroit). Jeremy Reed is in AAA with the Minnesota Twins.
…no more trivia for awhile. You guys are killing me!


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> Product Overview
> Information For Use
> System Specifications
> FAQ's
> Ordering Information
> Publications & References
> Customer Service
The Magellan is not your everyday centrifuge. Unlike the lab centifuges that have been repurposed, the Magellan® was specifically designed to fractionate blood at bed-side.
This fully automated system processes the blood without need for manual manipulation. At the end of its cycle the MagellanPRP™ is delivered into a collection syringe and is ready for immediate application.


text: Last weekend Macy and I drove up to Chicago for the New Kids on the Block concert. We had a blast!! It was so much fun singing all of the old songs. Everyone in the arena knew all of the words. They sounded good, and it was a really entertaining concert. Our seats were better than expected, so we got some really good pictures. Donnie was as nasty as ever. The girls behind us were Donnie fans. Macy and I kept laughing every time people screamed for him. We did a lot of screaming and singing along. We had so much FUN!!!!! Most of the songs from their new album are pretty good. Natasha Bedingfield opened for them and she was really good too. So, about half way through the concert this girl sitting next to me is not feeling well. She has her head down, covering her ears. I'm pretty sure she was drunk. I just kept thinking, Why don't you go out in the hall or the bathroom. Well, she started to look like she might get sick, so I move my purse and stuff and start moving away from her. At the end of the concert she puked. Nasty! It got on my shoe, purse and jeans. It wasn't a ton, but still.


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Helen Olivia's lovely floral designer, Andrea, has picked her favorite items in store this month. The snowy pine cone wreath is perfect for any front door and will last from season to season. The little birdie is especially sweet and they are "flying" out the door.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Harvest Party
Here is a sneak preview of an arrangement from the New Year's table display for the Harvest Party tomorrow night at Helen Olivia in Old Town. The party is from 7-9 p.m. and features china settings from Patrick's and wine from Grape and Bean. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
More of Michelle's favorites
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5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty and declares the national government to be in violation of the compact by which that state entered the Union.
In response to the obscene growth of federal power and to the absurdly totalitarian claimed powers of the Executive, upwards of 20 states are considering, have considered, or have passed courageous resolutions affirming states rights and sovereignty.
Those resolutions follow in the honored and revered footsteps of Jefferson and Madison in their Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, and likewise seek to enforce the Constitution by affirming the very same principles of our Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights that we Oath Keepers recognize and affirm.
Chief among those principles is that ours is a dual sovereignty system, with the people of each state retaining all powers not granted to the national government they created, and thus the people of each state reserved to themselves the right to judge when the national government they created has voided the compact between the states by asserting powers never granted.
Upon the declaration by a state that such a breach has occurred, we will not obey
orders to force that state to submit to the national government.
Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, would find this handy when he tries to secede.
The rest of the 10 orders are actually not unreasonable and indicative of a high level of patriotism, including disobeying orders to engage in warrantless searches of American citizens or to declare any American citizen an enemy combatant. These appear to have found their basis in the actions of the Bush administration.
But there are others, such as the rejection of any order to assist any foreign troops on American soil to "keep the peace" or "maintain control," which are clearly born in racism and xenophobia (the movement believes that Obama is a foreign-born non-citizen and the illegitimate president of this country).
A sample of their resolve:
After a combative Hardball interview in October—host Chris Matthews asked Rhodes whether Oath Keepers had the "firepower to stand up against the federal government"—the group says it gained 2,000 members in three days.Ballsy, huh? Or perhaps just a little over the line? It's clear that they are saying and doing things to provoke the administration from taking them on, only lending creedence to their claims. Obama would be wise to keep tabs on this domestic terrorist group, and perhaps to help those on active duty in the military see how twisted their logic is. They're being run by a former Ron Paul activist, for God's sake!


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Here are some useful remedies to keep your hair smooth and frizz free:
1. Almond oil and egg mixture:
Make a mixture of almond oil and raw egg to form a smooth paste. Apply this to your hair and scalp and wait for an hour before washing wild a nourishing shampoo and conditioner.
This is by far the best home remedy for frizzy hair and helps nourish your hair.
2. Avocado and Yogurt mix:
Mash a ripe avocado and blend it with curd to form a smooth paste. Apply this to your hair and wash after 30 minutes.
This is an inexpensive but still very effective remedy for controlling and taming frizzy hair. Regular use of this mixture once or twice a week will condition the hair and prevent further damage.
3. Coconut oil and Vitamin E mixture:
Make a mixture of coconut oil and Vitamin E (a ratio of 4 parts coconut oil and 1 part Vitamin E). Apply it to hair and wash after an hour. If your hair is very frizzy and dry, keep the mixture overnight for best results.
Coconut oil penetrates deep within the hair shaft and nourishes it. Warming the mixture before oil helps in better penetration and nourishment of the scalp.
4. Banana and olive oil Mixture:
Make a mixture of mashed banana with honey and coconut or olive oil. Apply this to your hair for half an hour to one hour before washing off the mash.
Bananas are a great way to pamper your hair and provide excellent hair conditioning. Apply this mask whenever you have very dry and frizzy hair.
5. Honey and water mixture:
Make a mixture of 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 liter water. Apply this mixture to your hair after shampooing and see results in few washes.
The major problem with frizzy hair is lack of moisture. So combining the properties of honey with water can do wonders for your hair.
6. Hibiscus, orange pulp mixture:
Make a fine paste of hibiscus flower and orange pulp along with orange peel powder. Apply this pack to your hair and scalp. Wash after 30 minutes with lukewarm water. Avoid oiling your hair before applying this pack.
This pack works wonders on frizzy hair. The properties of hibiscus and orange nourish the hair along with also getting rid of dandruff from scalp.
7. Apple cider vinegar:
Mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with half a cup of water and pour over washed damp hair. Let it stay for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.
The vinegar is acidic in nature and this property helps to seal the cuticles of your hair, making them lie flat and preventing frizz.
Frizzy hair can be controlled with care and patience. Regular use of the above mentioned packs would go a long way in protecting your hair from further damage.