text:
- Phase 1: Get a Blogspot account.
- Phase 2: ?
- Phase 3: One million visitors!
The perceptive blog consumer will notice that posts here don't have all those little thingies (Digg, etc.) the way some other blogs do. This is not because I disdain such methods of traffic enhancement, but because I'm such a primitive Unfrozen Caveman Blogger I can't figure that stuff out. It's the same reason I'm still on a Blogspot platform, rather than switching to a custom-designed Wordpress format. Blogspot is so simple that even I can figure it out, and if they'd just offer a few more templates -- hey, guys, how about a template with variable-width sidebars on both sides? -- I might be able to fake that custom-designed elegance, too. I understand basic HTML, but Javascript no can do, and I'm too cheap to shell out the bucks for geek services.
Lacking advanced, sophisticated technological gee-whizzery, I have been forced to employ astonishingly crude Web 0.1 methods of traffic-enhancement, namely:
- Write stuff people might want to read; and
- Compulsively e-mail my posts to bloggers who might possibly consider linking me.
- 1. Shameless Blogwhoring.
However, the smart newcomer to the 'sphere doesn't just suck up to big-traffic bloggers who can throw him major traffic (although he does that with a single-minded fanaticism), he also sucks up sideways and downward, to bloggers who might not be able to throw 10,000 hits a day, but who are nonetheless valued contributors to the blogging community.
Little Miss Attila is my favorite example of the "valued contributors" category. Her best recent month was 24K visits in October, but she's been around the 'sphere a long time, is much beloved, and it is bad kharma not to link her. Every so often, while on the hunt for good stuff to blog about, I'll go over to LMA, find something good she's blogging about and link it. Why? Because, among various non-kharmic reasons, she has done the same for me, which brings me to Rule 2:
- 2. The Full Metal Jacket Reach-Around
Reciprocal linkage is the essential lubricant that makes the blogosphere purr with contentment. If somebody's throwing you traffic, you should either (a) give them a link-back update, or at a minimum (b) keep them in mind for future linkage. Because you don't want to end up on the wrong end of a kharmic unbalance in the 'sphere, where you're always taking and never giving.
Every beginning blogger confronts the Zero Hour. You've been blogging steadily for a week or two, sending around e-mails, trackbacking where you can, trying to develop some kind of regular traffic. And then, late one night, you think you might have finally composed your first Instalanche-worthy post and you e-mail it to Glenn Reynolds. You go to bed like a 7-year-old kid on Christmas Eve, then wake up at 4 a.m. and check your Site Meter to discover that your latest hourly traffic is . . . ZERO.
At which point, you want to swallow a handful of sedatives, wash it down with a quart of bleach, slit your wrists and stick your head in the oven. You are a complete and utter failure.
I've never forgotten the Zero Hour, and if I've become slightly less conscientious about reciprocal linkage since then, God forgive me, but I do try. In the midst of a traffic upswing, not all linkage is noticeable on Site Meter, so I check Technorati, which shows linkage regardless of traffic level. And thank you Dad29, thank you Joe Kristan, thank you, Andrea Shea King, thank you Jimmie Bise, thank you William Teach. Damn my lazy thoughtlessness, but please don't doubt my gratitude.
Now that we've scratched the surface of technique, let's address the tricky little subject of content with Rule 3:
- 3. Memeorandum
I especially like their "Featured Posts," sort of a random grab-bag of stuff that will occasionally feature some lefty shooting off his mouth in pure idiotic moonbat mode. Grab that sucker by the neck and give him the Mother Of All Fiskings, with enough vitriolic ad hominem to make sure he never forgets it. Because buddy, the lefties will turn right around and do it to you if you ever rate "Featured Post" status, and there's nothing like a vicious flame war to earn your spurs in the 'sphere. Which brings me to Rule 4:
- 4. Make Some Enemies
At the same time, however, don't confuse cyber-venom with real-world hate. Maybe Ace of Spades really would like to go upside Andrew Sullivan's head with a baseball bat, I don't know. But at some point you understand it's just blogging about politics, and you start wondering if maybe it shares a certain spectator-friendly quality with pro wrestling. For all we know, Ace is spending weekends at Sully's beach shack in Provincetown. (Next on Blogging Heads TV: Can "Bears" and Ewoks Be "Just Friends"?)
Some readers might remember when I first kicked Conor Friedersdorf in the knee for "insufficient cynicism." Conor is, in real life, a nice guy. But he's also (a) young, and (b) as earnest as John Boy Walton. So I got into a habit, when he was at Culture11, of kicking him in the knee with some regularity. It's the Fraternity Initiation Principle: Pledges must be abused by their elders, and learn to be properly respectful, or else one day the ambitious little monsters will strangle us in our sleep. (Cf., my suggestion that George Freaking Will should be air-dropped on Jalalabad from a C-130.)
A couple days ago, hunting around for a reason to link my friend Russ Smith's SpliceToday, I happened upon a column by Russ's young minion, Andrew Sargus Klein, offering a particularly insipid argument for federal arts funding. Now, having been born and raised a Democrat, and arguably having never outgrown my obnoxious youthful arrogance, I can actually relate to Klein's insipid argument. Stupid is as stupid does, and when I was 25, I might well have written something equally stupid. But the boy will never outgrow his stupidity unless he gets whomped on the head some.
Easy as it would have been to ignore Klein, I hit upon the delightfully fun idea of laying into him in Arkansas knife-fight mode: If you're going to cut a man, eviscerate him. So I quickly composed a hyperbolic ad hominem rant, with the thoughtfully civil title, "Andrew Sargus Klein is an arrogant elitist douchebag." I forward-dated the post for Friday morning, and sent Russ an e-mail to the effect of, "Hey, hope you don't mind me abusing your office help a little bit. Nothing like a flame-war to build traffic. Don't let on to Klein that I'm just funnin' around with him."
I'd hoped to bait Klein himself into a response. However, before that could happen -- as if intent on illustrating how to make a fool out of yourself by taking this stuff too seriously -- one of Klein's friends offered up a comment:
Andrew Klein may be arrogant and elitist but he could craft logical arguments around your bumbling hypocrisy all day and night.Of course I never bother "craft[ing] logical arguments," sweetheart. It's a freaking blog. If you want logic, subscribe to a magazine or buy a book. Pardon my double-entendre, Lola Wakefield, but people come here for the cheesecake. Logical arguments are a dime a dozen on the Internet, but sexy hotness . . . well, that reminds me of Rule 5:
- 5. Christina Hendricks
- A. Everybody loves a pretty girl -- It's not just guys who enjoy staring at pictures of hotties. If you've ever picked up Cosmo or Glamour, you realize that chicks enjoy looking at pretty girls, too. (NTTAWWT.) Maybe it's the vicious catty she-thinks-she's-all-that factor, or the schadenfreude of watching a human trainwreck like Britney Spears, but no one can argue that celebrity babes generate traffic. Over at Conservative Grapevine, the most popular links are always the bikini pictures. And try as I might to make "logical arguments" for tax cuts, wouldn't you rather watch Michelle Lee Muccio make those arguments?
- B. Mind the MEGO factor -- All politics all the time gets boring after a while. Observant readers will notice that the headlines at Hot Air often feature silly celebrity tabloid stuff and News Of The Weird. Even a stone political junkie cannot subsist on a 24/7 diet of politics. The occasional joke, the occasional hot babe, the occasional joke about a hot babe -- it's a safety valve to make sure we don't become humorless right-wing clones of those Democratic Underground moonbats.
- C. Sex sells -- Back when I was blogging to promote Donkey Cons (BUY TWO!), I accidentally discovered something via SiteMeter: Because the subtitle of the book is "Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Democratic Party," we were getting traffic from people Googling "donkey+sex." You'd be surprised at the keyword combinations that bring traffic to a political blogger who understands this. Human nature being what it is, the lowest common denominator is always there, even if it's sublimated or reverse-projected as puritanical indignation, which brings us to . . .
- D. Feminism sucks -- You can never go wrong in the blogosphere by having a laugh at the expense of feminists. All sane people hate feminism, and no one hates feminism more than smart, successful, independent women who've made it on their own without all that idiotic "Sisterhood Is Powerful" groupthink crap. And if you are one of those fanatical weirdos who takes that Women's Studies stuff so seriously that you're offended by Stephen Green's sexist objectification of Christina Hendricks and her mighty bosom -- well, sweetheart, to paraphrase Rhett Butler: "You should be offended, and often, and by someone who knows how."
UPDATE: Probably special mention should be made of Kathy "Five Feet of Fury" Shaidle, who never heard of a fair fight. She's one of those people you don't want angry at you. A ninja blackbelt in Rule 4, when she goes at an antagonist, it's a knee in your groin and an elbow in your eye. However, she also keeps the customers satisfied with some naughty pinup hotness. (Rule 5!) That rare creature: A Canadian we like.
UPDATE II: Linked at Conservative Grapevine.


text: Search new + high quality used Antares Grip 20 tires online, starting at: $58.05. Items in stock: 3. Various sizes: 3. Selling all used tires at discount costs. All used tires go through 2 layers of inspection on specialized equipment. One year warranty + free shipping on all inventory ;) Happy shopping!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wave Style 4 - Coastal Design Series - Etched Decal
Size: 8" tall x 27" wide
Custom Sizes Available Based Upon Request
Our Etched vinyl gives the appearance of etched glass without damaging your surface. They are perfect on shower doors, sliding glass doors and windows. On glass doors they increase safety and increase visibility, reducing how often people accidentally walk through them.
They are waterproof.
Can I get a custom size?
Yes, we can customize your design to perfectly fit your space. Contact us prior to purchase, because some size changes can affect the price.
Do you have different color options?
Absolutely. Many of our designs come in multiple color variations. To choose your colors, simply select the ones you need from our color chart on the product listing. If you are interested in a color change to a design that doesn't offer color variations, please contact us prior to purchase.
Can I flip a design?
No problem. Leave us a note at checkout, "Please flip design," and we'll take care of it.
Can I get a rush order?
If you need a rush order (shipped in less than 3 days), please contact us prior to purchase to discuss the options available. Please note that rush orders typically result in an extra charge (Min. $25.00) and a higher shipping rate.
Is it hard to apply your decals?
No, our decals are very easy to apply and remove. To make it even easier, we include a simple instruction sheet in every order. Our decals adhere to any clean, smooth, dry surface: walls, windows, doors, glass, metal, plastic, appliances, and finished wood.
Can I use your decals outdoors?
Yes, our decals are suitable for outdoor use as well as indoor. Customers have put our decals on cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles and other outdoor surfaces. The inks, vinyl, and adhesive are all waterproof and last for three years in full sunlight, and even longer in shaded areas. For best results, the surface must be smooth, clean, and dry when the decals are applied. Also, the temperature needs to be above 70 degrees (Fahrenheit) at the time they are applied.
Will the decals damage my walls?
No. As long as your wall is smooth, clean, and undamaged the decals will not harm the surface when they are removed.
What about applying decals to painted surfaces?
Wait 7-10 days before applying any wall decals to freshly painted surfaces.
What if I'm not happy with my order?
We're committed to meeting or exceeding your expectations. If a problem arises we will promptly respond and do our best to solve it.
Since 2001 we've sold over 50,000 decals worldwide. Our decals have been used in everything from large custom commercial projects to decorating a child's room. Our goal is for each job to lead to another, either from re-orders or word-of-mouth referrals. We keep this goal in mind for every job we do, no matter how large or small. We want to make you a satisfied customer, so you'll keep us in mind anytime you need decals, and you'll tell others about our beautiful products and amazing customer service!


text:
Cartoon by Roald Als in the Danish newspaper Politiken. It reads: "You're free to play…" I just don't get this Vanity Myth. No matter how hard real bicycle advocates work at getting people onto bicycles there is always a little group of people - let's call them The Fear Minority - who claim that the primary reason for people not to wear bike helmets is… vanity. That's it. Period. People who ride bicycles without a plastic hat are vain. They do so merely because of their hairdo or image. They are egocentric and arrogant and, as this little group of fear merchants will have you believe, they are shitting on the rest of society by acting so selfishly.
Seriously... is that all they got? Is that the best they can dream up?
The Vanity Myth is the singlemost telling clue that The Fear Minority are quite desperate. They are acutely aware that they don't have any conclusive scientific evidence to show, so they start a personal attack and attempt to wage a guilt-trip campaign against the rest of us. Declaring advocacy bankruptcy in the process. All around the world we're in a race against time to get people onto bicycles. For the public health, for the common good, for rebuilding liveable cities. If wearing a helmet keeps someone on a bicycle, that's great. If not wearing a helmet keeps someone on a bicycle, that's great, too. Unfortunately the latter group is subject to not only bullying on the streets from drafted 'disciples' but also from this Fear Minority themselves who, unfortunately, often have access to funding for campaigns. Not to promote cycling but to perpetuate the car-centric myth that cycling is somehow dangerous and that a plastic hat designed to protect the head against non-life threatening injuries in solo accidents under 20 km/h will magically protect you from certain death.I've noticed that more often than not it is one individual who starts the neo-religious, ideological chanting. Spreading fear on a personal emotional crusade. For example, British Columbia's helmet law was started by one worried mother. The helmet law in Victoria, Australia was the work of one man. All around the world a few individuals are exhibiting enormous power and, in the process, reversing over a century of bicycle culture.
Even here in Denmark. A couple of people, here and there, fueled by personal emotions, are working hard at deconstructing the fact that cycling is safe, healthy and good for society. Like everywhere else, they sell their fear cheap to a couple of others and a bonfire is lit, on which the effigy of vanity is burned. A handful of journalists here. A couple of politicians there. You probably know your local versions.
It's never a good thing when facts and The Big Picture are overlooked in favour of the frail emotions of a handful of individuals. The Vanity Myth is an excellent, if not frightening, example. I don't doubt that these people sincerely 'believe' they are doing a good thing but it doesn't take long before their belief is cemented and they are no longer capable of rational judgement. Especially if they succeed in recruiting followers. Then they are content to immerse themselves in the group and experience a declining need to explore and learn. Imagine if our ancestors subscribed to this. Imagine a tribe - several families - of hunter-gatherers at their camp. The men are preparing for a hunt and sharpening spears and flint axes. The smaller children are helping, learning this vital skill. Nearby the women are sewing hides together into clothes for the coming winter.Then imagine some schmuck walking around the camp tsk-tsking and shaking his or her head. "You could put your eye out on those sharp sticks..." Or "Sheesh, those needles could go right through your fingers and you could get an infection and DIE!"
Fortunately, Homo sapiens didn't listen to this minority. We wouldn't have evolved very far if we had. The primary wish of The Fear Minority is, in my opinion, that everyone else become just like them. That we all happily subscribe to their worrying and adopt stern, disapproving looks and furrowed brows. That we share their unfounded fears. They seek a flock to which they can belong and, unfortunately, fear clubs attract members in our modern society. Intuitive messages, no matter how ridiculous, sell.Frank Furedi's excellent book The Culture of Fear is an instruction manual for understanding how these people think and is an important tome for reversing western societies slide towards fear. Here on Copenhagenize, sociologist Dave Horton discussed Constructing a Fear of Cycling.
Not surprisingly, The Fear Minority's personal fears are often way off target. ABC has this article called Do We Worry About The Right Things? Why we fear what we fear.
This is the closing line of the article, perfectly summing it up:"Less knowledge, more anxiety," says Grafman. "More knowledge, less anxiety."
The New York Times had an article last Friday called Keeping Kids Safe From the Wrong Dangers. It's about how parents are incredibly bad at assessing risk.
The five things they worry about the most? "Kidnapping, school snipers, terrorists, dangerous strangers and drugs."The five things most likely to cause injury to children up to age 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are: "car accidents, homicide (usually at the hands of someone they know), child abuse, suicide or drowning."
Do the fear minority cast their angst over motoring helmets or traffic calming? Mandatory all-age lifevest laws? Nah. That just may be logical.
Perhaps these people could band together and move to some remote camp together, somewhere in the mountains. (Nah... danger of falling rocks...) Or maybe the Amazon. (Nah, sure death by piranha fish...) Okay... some massive building with padded walls, sanitized for all bacteria. Then could live happily every after... and slowly 'safe' themselves into oblivion.The Fear Minority invades your home, too. PUT YOUR MONEY ON THE TABLE... And here's a bet from Copenhagenize. There will never be a city that promotes (or legislates) bicycle helmets that will ever reach double digit modal share for bicycles.
Any takers?


text:
We have a serious problem with science journalism. A big one, in fact, and today that problem takes the form of a giant, prehistoric squid with tentacles so formidable that it has sucked the brains right out of staff writers' heads.
While making the rounds among a few California museums late last month, I kept hearing rumors of a bombastic, super-hyped presentation due to be presented at this year's Geological Society of America meeting in Minneapolis. The scuttlebutt was that someone was going to give a talk about a super-intelligent, predatory squid which fed on huge ichthyosaurs during the Triassic. Fascinating, if true, but the reason that all the paleontologists I met were chuckling was because there was not a shred of actual evidence to back up the claims. Apparently, whoever was set to give the talk had apparently stayed up late watching It Came From Beneath the Sea too many times.
Now the talk has officially been given and the scant details of the proposition have been oozed out into the newswires by way of a press release. Let me be clear — there is no paper yet or anything specific for those not in attendance at GSA to look at. This fact will be key to the media nonsense which has been swirling around the web today.
You can find the skinny through ScienceDaily and the official GSA abstract, but the basic story is as follows. In central Nevada — among the roughly 215 million-year-old, Late Triassic rocks of what has come to be known as Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park — paleontologists have previously found the remains of numerous marine reptiles called Shonisaurus popularis. These were some of the largest ichthyosaurs to have ever swum the ancient seas, and this particular site has been of interest to paleontologists because multiple individuals have been found together at some localities. Why these individuals were found together in a mass death assemblage is unknown — explanations have ranged from stranding to poisoning by a prehistoric red tide — but now Mark McMenamin and wife Dianna Schulte-McMenamin of Mount Holyoke College have suggested that the graveyard is actually a cache of bones collected and arranged by a squid the likes of which has never been seen.
There is no direct evidence for the existence of the animal the McMenamins call "the kraken." No exceptionally preserved body, no fossilized tentacle hooks, no beak — nothing. The McMenamins' entire case is based on peculiar inferences about the site. It is a case of reading the scattered bones as if they were tea leaves able to tell someone's fortune. Rather than being distributed through the bonebed by natural processes related to decay and preservation, the McMenamins argue that the Shonisaurus bones were intentionally arrayed in a "midden" by a huge cephalopod nearly 100 feet long. (How the length of the imaginary animal was estimated is anyone's guess.) But that's not all — the McMenamins speculate that his "kraken" played with its food:
The proposed Triassic kraken, which could have been the most intelligent invertebrate ever, arranged the vertebral discs in biserial patterns, with individual pieces nesting in a fitted fashion as if they were part of a puzzle. The arranged vertebrae resemble the pattern of sucker discs on a cephalopod tentacle, with each amphicoelous vertebra strongly resembling a coleoid sucker. Thus the tessellated vertebral disc pavement may represent the earliest known self?portrait.
I guess a giant, ichthyosaur-eating "kraken" wasn't enough. A squid with a stroke of artistic genius was clearly the simplest explanation for the formation of the bonebeds. *facepalm*
Of course, the McMenamins were not the first people to ponder how the ichthyosaurs came to rest at the site. Paleontologist David Bottjer wrote a summary of the bonebed — largely based on the work of colleague Jennifer Hogler – for the book Exceptional Fossil Preservation. As a whole, the fossil deposits indicate that different Shonisaurus specimens died and became preserved in different ways. Some skeletons were scattered by currents and scavengers, and other, more-complete individuals — such as those at the Fossil House Quarry — were well preserved and found in multi-individual groups. In this latter case, a lack of encrusting invertebrates would seem to indicate that the skeletons came to be preserved in deep water environments with low levels of dissolved oxygen. The initial cause of death for the marine reptiles is unknown, but there is no good evidence that the exceptional sites were, to borrow from Ringo Starr, giant killer octopus gardens.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Esteemed scientist and science communicator Carl Sagan reminded us of that throughout his career, but the message didn't sink in at some newdesks. All you have to do is track the news of the "kraken" to see that recycling press releases often counts for "science news" right now. Jeanna Bryner of LiveScience swallowed the big squid story whole and had her version regurgitated at FOX and CBS News. Dean Praetorius of the Huffington Post, Houston Chronicle's "Sci Guy" Eric Berger, and TG Daily's Kate Taylor also took the bait. Who could resist a sensational, super-sized squid? Only Cyriaque Lamar of io9 sounded a minor note of skepticism — "But the possibility of finding that which is essentially a gargantuan mollusk's macaroni illustration?", Lamar wrote, "That's the kind of glorious crazy you hope is reality." Leave it to science bloggers like PZ Myers to point out how ridiculous this media feeding frenzy is.
But what really kills me about this story is the fact that no reporter went to get a second opinion. Each and every story appears to be based directly off the press release and uses quotes directly from that document. No outside expert was contacted for another opinion in any of the stories — standard practice in science journalism — and, frankly, all the stories reek of churnalism. What does it say about the general quality of science reporting when major news sources are content to repackage sensationalist, evidence-lite speculations and print them without further thought or comment? Whether you think the "kraken" story should have been reported or ignored due to lack of evidence, the fact remains that journalists should have actually done their jobs rather than act as facilitators of hype. You don't have to be a paleontologist to realize that there's something fishy about claims that there was a giant, ichthyosaur-crunching squid when there is no body to be seen.
Top Image: Shonisaurus vertebrae from Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park. These bones are said by the McMenamins to be arranged in a pattern matching the tentacle pattern of a giant cephalopod, but I think that's just pareidolia. From the GSA press release.
Further reading: I wrote an article for Smithsonian a few months back about how the giant squid — or kraken, if you like — was transformed from a mythical creature to a scientific reality. Check it out here: The Giant Squid: Dragon of the Deep
Bottjer, D. "Berlin-Ichthyosaur: Preserving Some of the Earth's Largest Marine Vertebrates" in Bottjer, D.; Etter, W.; Hagadorn, J.; and Tang, C. 2002. Exceptional Fossil Preservation: A Unique View on the Evolution of Marine Life. Columbia University Press: New York.
Hogler, J. 1992. Taphonomy and paleoecology of Shonisaurus popularis (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria). PALAIOS, Vol. 7 (1): 108-117


text:
Phone directory of Slobodziya (Moldova), sorted by lastnames
Phone directory, sorted by last names — is a phone directory where listed lastnames in current city. If you select one lastname, you can see list of people with this lastname in current city. This phone directory will be useful for you, if you want to find some person and you know only his/her lastname. It is through with this phone directory Terminator T-800 found John Connor, a future leader of Resistance movement and helped him to win in the war of people with machines. Also, it is through with this phone directory Marty McFly found Dr. Emmett Brown in the 1955, who helped him restore historical course of events and come back to the future.
Dir: Moldova → Slobodziya
Step 1. Select first letter of lastname:
Other phone directories of Slobodziya (Moldova):
- Phone directory of Slobodziya (by custom parameters)
- Phone directory of Slobodziya, sorted by phone numbers (view by phone numbers)
- Phone directory of Slobodziya, sorted by streets names (view by streets and buildings)
Same phone directories of another cities Moldova:


text:
Season 8
Season 9
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
and all such related things, © Mutant Enemy and many other people with big scary lawyers.
We're borrowing them without permission, but you said you were done with 'em, so we're hoping you won't mind so much.
Stories, images, characters you don't recognize, those are all by 4Paws. Yes, we'll take the blame.


text:
EQ is a little different, because there is already a template called {{EQ}}, so this one is {{everquest}} instead. Other than that, the documentation below is correct.
Usage: {{eq|options|option2|option3|cat=|catdesc=|nolink=|nowiki=|nobanner=|thumbs=|checks=}}
NOTE: This template should appear somewhere on EVERY Wikibase page that falls within the EverQuest game wiki and does not contain some other template that already places it in Category:EverQuest.
if options is:
option2 and option3 are not used by all GameTags. See the specific docs, below, for information.
if nolink= is not blank, display the tag but add no category links.
if nowiki= is not blank, this game does not support the wiki but we do have a game site for it (Lineage II is a good example). In this case we still want a game tag to flag articles in the ZAM wiki that refer to the game, but it cannot link to a Wiki Main Page for the game, since there isn't one.
On games that use the www.zam.com skin (Runes of Magic, Vanguard, The Agency, DC Universe Online, etc.), nobanner= will suppress the game banner on the Page Title line.
thumbs= and checks= are NEW options that must be specifically enabled for the games where they will be used. They enable a link under the gametag to show the category page as thumbnails or as a checklist and should be used ONLY on category pages! Talk to Bludwyng if this confuses you. :)
The graphic displayed in the tag should be located at EverQuest (Game Icon), a page that should have the image uploaded to it, and contain the following code:
NOTE: This template calls GameTag to perform the actual display. The documentation you are viewing now can be viewed/edited at GameTag Docs.
Need help understanding Bludwyng's documentation style? See Bludwyng's Guide to Using Templates!
The Relentless Fae Wizard Lucan D'Lere EverQuest II | This template was created or is maintained by Bludwyng |
All the power in the universe in a small, flaming fairy package. |


text:
The State Of The Union In 10 Headlines
Since what's said and written about a State of the Union address on the morning after can determine what's most remembered about such speeches, let's look at Wednesday's headlines:
-- NPR's It's All Politics: "Obama To Congress: With Or Without You."
-- The New York Times: "Obama Pledges Push to Lift Economy for Middle Class."
-- CNN: "State Of The Union Brings Out More Of The 'Same Old, Same Old.' "
-- Politico: "Obama Calls For 'Common Sense' Solutions."
-- The Wall Street Journal: "Obama Urges Action On Expansive Agenda."
-- Fox News: "Obama Presses For New Spending, Says Gun Control Bills 'Deserve A Vote.' "
-- Bloomberg News: "Obama Paints Wider Role For Government In Middle Class."
-- BBC News: "Obama Pledges To Reignite Economy."
-- The Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes (conservative): "There He Goes Again."
-- Firedoglake's Kevin Gosztola (liberal): "Afghanistan Drawdown & the Covert Drone War."
We welcome headline suggestions. Add them in the comments thread.


text:
The best thing about having an media center is that you're in control and can watch whatever you want. Unfortunately, you also get the pleasure of troubleshooting when plug-ins break, files won't play, and nothing works right. Here's how to take an HTPC that's driving you crazy and whip it back into shape so you can enjoy the show.
I love my home theater PC (HTPC), but it's not exactly perfect. For a long time, XBMC wouldn't download art, plot data, or cast information. The interface is difficult for my friends, who are used to cable TV. Using a keyboard and mouse on the couch sucks sometimes. We're willing to bet you've noticed this with your HTPCs and just deal with it, or you've held off building one because of similar annoyances. You don't have to settle for a second-rate experience. In this post we'll show you how to make your HTPC work the way you want it to.
My HTPC Won't Play Some of My Files
Nothing's worse than sitting down to watch a new episode of your favorite show only to find out that the file is in a format your chosen media center can't play. You have two options on how to fix this:
Get a media center application that transcodes video on the fly. A few apps, most notably Plex, Subsonic, and PS3 Media Server all do this seamlessly. Transcoding makes sure you can watch any type of media on any device you happen to be using, including smartphones and tablets. You can either transcode on the source machine (if the files are stored on a home server or other computer) or your HTPC itself. Pick whichever computer has a faster processor to do the decoding.
Convert all of your media to a single file format that's compatible with everything. This method requires a bit more work up front, but has a potential for less problems when you're actually trying to watch your videos. Basically, you just need to go through your entire library and convert all of your media to a common format. You can then set up a system that converts it as soon as you download or rip it, so you don't have to do the extra legwork yourself. If you use uTorrent, we've shown you how to roll video conversion into your download process easily. Alternatively, you can use previously mentioned DropFolders with Handbrake, which will watch a download folder and convert whatever comes through it automatically, without you lifting a finger.
Whichever route you choose, the end result should be the same—all of your media should play seamlessly with whatever tool you prefer to watch it. The transcoding method tends to lock you into a specific app, but if you're okay with that, or you know that app is available for all of your devices and set-top boxes, then it's a bit more futureproof. Converting your music and movies on your own takes a lot more work up front, but leaves one fewer link in the chain that could cause problems when you're trying to watch your movies.
My HTPC Won't Add My Music/Movies/TV Shows To Its Library
This is the issue that actually inspired this post. For months, my movies and TV shows were playable in XBMC, but it wouldn't download posters, DVD cover art, or background information for any of my files. The fix turned out to be somewhat simple: my filenames and directory structure made sense to me, but they made no sense at all to XBMC. We've talked about how to organize your media for XBMC before, and while normally the process is automatic, it didn't work for me. In my case, adding a whole drive with a bunch of unorganized folders and mixed media just caused XBMC to give up. All it required was a bit of organization.
The main change I had to make was to use a supported naming convention for my TV shows and movies so XBMC (or Plex, or anything else) could recognize what they were. Organizing movies and TV shows into separate folders helped a lot too. If you have a lot of files to rename (like I did,) grab an app like The Renamer (Windows) or NameChanger (OS X) to help speed up the process.
Home Theater PCs Are Too Expensive
Building an HTPC doesn't have to be an expensive proposition. We've shown you how to build one for less than $500, and another for around $200, but you can go even lower than that if you wish.
Your cheapest option is probably to grab a $99 Apple TV (less if you get a refurb!). It's a great set-top box to begin with, but you can take it up a notch by jailbreaking it and installing XBMC or Plex (although the current gen isn't jailbreakable, the 1G and 2G models are.) XBMC will let you play any video type, stream from other computers, and more that the Apple TV won't do on its own. Need more choices? Check out our guide to finding the best set-top box for you for even more affordable, feature-packed options.
Where Do I Store My Movies?
You've probably heard us talk about streaming from a home server, from another computer, and even from smartphones, but where should you actually store your media? The best place to store your movies depends on how you plan to watch them. Here are a few scenarios:
Store and watch movies on your HTPC. This is obviously the easiest method: if you have a big enough hard drive in your HTPC, you can just put the movies there. However, if you need more than one hard drive, need to transcode videos, or want your HTPC to download stuff in the background, you'll need a pretty powerful HTPC, or you'll lose some performance while all that is going on. It's probably cheapest, but it's also a single point of failure, and it too needs to be on all the time. Also, if you have something like a jailbroken Apple TV, this isn't an option because it doesn't have internal storage.
Store and transcode movies on your main PC, watch them on your HTPC. If you need a place to store, transcode, and download media, you can always do this from your main computer. Your powerful computer can handle things like converting files and automatically downloading movies and TV shows as soon as they air, then you can stream them to your HTPC for watching. It's a power-hungry setup, and your desktop PC will have to be turned on pretty much all the time, but it's an option that doesn't require another computer.
Store movies on a NAS, watch them on your HTPC. This is our suggestion, mostly because your NAS, whether you buy one or roll your own, is designed for low power consumption. This is good, since you'll need to keep it on all day, which you probably don't want to do with your desktop computer. A NAS gives you multiple hard drives for massive storage, RAID for redundancy, and enough power to do all that renaming, transcoding, and even downloading for you—without such a harsh strain on your energy bill. Photo by Craig Morey.
It Feels Like I'm Using a Computer, Not a Set-Top Box
We've tackled this topic before, so it's not terribly difficult to get your HTPC in order so anyone can flop down on your couch and use it. Your first step is to get and set up a remote for your HTPC to put people at ease—after all, you may be comfortable with just a keyboard and mouse, but many people aren't, so keep it stashed away unless you need it. Even better, grab your tablet or an old smartphone and use these iOS or Android apps to control your HTPC from anywhere in the house.
That takes care of the remote problem, but your HTPC's interface could probably use some work too, right? You can tweak a few settings in XBMC to make it more friendly to non-geeks right out of the box, though a new skin can also be helpful. If XBMC is too much trouble, give the more friendly Plex a shot, or try XBMC plugins like PseudoTV, which aim to make the interface more like a traditional channel guide—full of virtual "channels" loaded with TV shows and movies that you've downloaded.
I Can't Find Anything I Want to Watch
Cutting the cord does mean giving up some programming. Whether you've had that cliffhanger spoiled before you got a chance to watch the episode or you just miss your live sports, there's a tradeoff. That doesn't mean you're out of options. There's always Hulu and Netflix, or you could drop a TV Tuner into your DVR and attach an HD over-the-air antenna to it to watch and record live television. Add the Blucop XBMC repository to unlock the Free Cable plug-in, which offers streaming video from just about any channel that puts its TV shows on the web, including ABC, CBS, Food Network, SyFy, and more. If your favorite network puts an episode on its site the day after it airs, you'll be able to see it right away.
Check out all of the official and unofficial repositories to see what's available, and our picks for the best XBMC add-ons too—you'll be surprised what you can stream directly to your HTPC without limiting yourself to the things you've downloaded or ripped. With all of the streaming options, you'll never run out of new material to watch. Then, once you've identified what you can't stream, you can turn to the internet for everything else.
Most HTPCs and set-top boxes go out of their way to be easy to use—after all, using them is supposed to be fun and get you right to your music, TV shows, and movies—they're supposed to enhance the experience, not detract from it. That said, if you're running into issues with your home theater setup, hopefully these suggestions will make it a little easier to manage. Once you have your library in good order and a system for where your files land and how they're accessed set up, and once you have the interface tweaked just the way you like, you'll never be comfortable going back to some proprietary cable provider's interface.
Title image by Tina Mailhot-Roberge.


text:
Monday, October 13, 2008
Like THIS, Not Like THAT
Monday, October 13, 2008
You all know my stance on cupcake-cakes, and it's a stance that I thought nothing, no matter how delightfully sugar-encrusted, could change.
Then, Wreckporter Iliea S. sent me this photo:
And I have to admit, my friends, I am torn. Torn, like an old sweater! You see, yes, this is a cupcake cake. Yes, it is that crime-against-nature shade of blue, destined to stain, well, everything. By all rights I should treat this "cake" with contempt and move on.
And yet... and yet... I LIKE IT! I really do! I think the googly eyes are adorable! I even caught myself fantasizing about making this for John's birthday in a few weeks! ACK!
There, I said it. [shifty eyes] Now I feel like I need to go to cake confession or something.
Ah, but this post wouldn't be a complete without a Wreck, would it? So if I can't bring myself to label the above CCC a Wreck, I'll just have to go with...
This one!
Woohoo! Now, here the world has returned to its natural order, 'cuz this sucker is as Wrecktastic as CCCs come. Are those side wings supposed to be jowls, or arms? Huh. [head tilt] Well, considering there are cookies impaled in them, I'm going to have to guess 'arms'.
Now, those cookies in the middle - are those supposed to be lips, or is Cookie Monster just choking to death? I mean, overall he does kind of have that death-throes look about him, doesn't he? Still, I wouldn't even want to guess what the white icing in the middle is supposed to be - teeth? Foam? (Ewww.)
And while I'm at it, I really should throw these guys in:
It's a whole host of choking cookie monsters! And Kate S., I DO see the difference, I really do.
And look at this: apparently there are lots of decorators out there who have bad childhood memories of Mr. Monster:
Not only do these guys have a pleading look of terror on their faces, they also have their mouths stitched...open? Wait, that can't be right. What is that, then, a mustache? Oh, and would you please get a load of the icing to cupcake ratio? I mean, daaaang.
Sonya G., did you put them out of their misery?
89 comments | Post a Comment
- The Courteous Chihuahua said...
Looks like Cookie Monster has the same plastic surgeon as Melanie Griffith & Meg Ryan!
- October 13, 2008 at 9:14 AM
- Thistledew Farm said...
I was hoping you liked the first ccc - I thought it was cute but was to embarrassed to admit it....the other's though - need a blow torch...stand back cause there will be a sugar explosion!
- October 13, 2008 at 9:21 AM
- Quinn said...
I think the second cake began life as a teapot cake.
Then, something happened. - October 13, 2008 at 9:24 AM
- Liz said...
Please, please, please tell me that the price on the 3rd picture is for a different cake...If any one paid more than $1 for these 'montrosities' they need to be reconsidering their personal expenditure during the current economical state.
Love the blog...gonna have to find some english cake wrecks for you soon! - October 13, 2008 at 9:29 AM
The last one makes me think "If Tim Burton created Cookie Monster"
- October 13, 2008 at 9:30 AM
- hollywog said...
I have to admit, I like the "choking Cookie Monster" sno-ball-esque cupcakes. I think they're adorable. And I think the Elmo ones next to them are even MORE adorable. Sorry, Jen. :)
The first CCC is very cute. Well-executed and the "random" placement of the half-broken cookies is uber-sweet.
Okay, that's enough hyphens for one morning. - October 13, 2008 at 9:32 AM
- Reverend Ramona said...
I didn't think the tray of Cookie Monster cupcakes looked that bad (although I wouldn't want to eat one), but maybe I was quickly brainwashed by the subliminal advertising on the sign behind the cookie cupcake cult: "You Will See the Difference," and all those google eyes staring at me...
- October 13, 2008 at 9:34 AM
- loisgroat said...
I made my son a Cookie Monster cake for his second birthday. When the cake was revealed he began sobbing uncontrollably and shrieking "No eat Cookie, NO EAT COOKIE!!" The poor child thought I had murdered Cookie Monster and served his head up on a platter. I thought I had scarred him for life. Fortunately, he is now a reasonably well-adusted college freshman.
- October 13, 2008 at 9:35 AM
You had convinced me that cupcake cakes are a hideous ton of frosting weighing down small fluffed up cakes but the Cookie Monster is gorgeous!! Kudos to the baker!! :D Love your writing style... ur little puns & jokes make me giggle...
- October 13, 2008 at 9:36 AM
- Suzyhomemaker said...
Thank you for my morning chuckle in a computer lab :)
- October 13, 2008 at 9:39 AM
- Amber said...
Oh, I do like that first one as well. It's sloppy enough to be like the "real" cookie monster!
I just hope that cookie that has the "bite" out of it was a fake bite! - October 13, 2008 at 9:54 AM
- HorribleLicensePlates said...
It's amazing how 3 of these cookie monsters have the "terror eyes". I always felt a little sad for cookie monster though because I knew those cookies never reached his puppet stomach. Just crumbs everywhere.
- October 13, 2008 at 9:57 AM
- Wolf Woman said...
I find the Elmo ones (visible to the right in the penultimate photo) to be freaking adorable, however.
- October 13, 2008 at 10:19 AM
- Brianna said...
i LOVE the first one! But the rest are just dreadful! The first one is just so-cookie-monster-ishly cute that it makes up for it being a CCC!
- October 13, 2008 at 10:19 AM
- October 13, 2008 at 10:37 AM
- Kopperhead said...
The first one's okay, I'm not in love with so much blue-ness, but CM must be blue.
The second one kinda makes me seasick because of the angle the photo was taken, so I can't really look at it too much.
I would totally eat those CC's in the third picture, and run from those in the last pic. They're kinda scary. - October 13, 2008 at 10:52 AM
I almost choked on my own cookie reading the comment from courteous chihuahua! And this whole choking theme is most unsettling. I just couldn't get my mind's eye to stop envisioning the complete scenario...giving the heimlich to that cookie guzzling cake! I was wearing my favorite white cardigan at the time. Oh the humanity!
- October 13, 2008 at 10:55 AM
I like the third picture (and the Elmo ones). *slinks away in shame*
- October 13, 2008 at 11:07 AM
- Unknown said...
I *heart* the first cake! I actually made some cookie monster cupcakes of my own for my son's first birthday. They're not professional, but I think they're better than the ones you posted! :) Check it out:
http://scrampinmama.blogspot.com/2007/06/cookie-monster-cupcakes.html - October 13, 2008 at 11:10 AM
- Jennifer said...
I'm not a fan of the choking cookie monsters, but I have to admint, their elmo neighbors are pretty adorable. I may have to make some of those.
- October 13, 2008 at 11:14 AM
- CoyoteLaughing said...
Hm, I do like the first one, despite the blue-poo inducing frosting. But you are right, the last ones look disturbing. Isn't there some kind of quality control that checks whether or not the baked goods will traumatize the children they're intended for?
And that sign behind the tray of cupcakes - "You Will See the Difference" - does it seem kind of ominous to you? I feel like I'm about to be hypnotized, or something. - October 13, 2008 at 11:32 AM
i like that the first one has the cookie crumbs on his face like when he eats them.
It seems that with the individual CM cupcakes, the stores just wanted to find an excuse to add a cookie to the cupcake to charge extra!
i also agree - the elmo cupcakes are cute (though would we know they were elmo without the CM next to them?) - October 13, 2008 at 11:39 AM
- Mostly Jessica said...
What did Meatloaf sing? "1 out of 3 ain't bad."?
Still I think this is a lesson for you to be able to see that even though all mOnstrosities are CCC's, not all CCC's are monstrosities. - October 13, 2008 at 11:43 AM
- RaisinCookies said...
I love Cookie Monster, but the icing to cake ratio of any of those cakes makes my teeth ache. I couldn't bring myself to eat any of them.
And the blue mouth for years afterwards? Ew! - October 13, 2008 at 11:48 AM
That first Cookie Monster CCC is adorable! (Don't feel bad Jen, there are exceptions to every rule). But I about peed myself laughing at the others! They should be titled Death By Cookie.
- October 13, 2008 at 12:13 PM
I say this with love, but the furrier of the muppets have a tendency to be a little matted and look rough around the edges.
Cupcake cakes look rough around the edges, so it's a good match. - October 13, 2008 at 12:50 PM
- Aaron of Minneapolis said...
I like the first one too (the word "COOOO-KIEEE!!" definitely comes to mind :-) ), but yah, the rest are definitely Cookiesaurus wrecks. As for the third pic: Ouch. I hope the $9.99 refers to something else in that display case!
- October 13, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Hee! I agree, that first cookie monster is absolutely adorable. And you know, all the really best rules have exceptions. So you could just say this is an exception that proves the rule.
- October 13, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I just literally laughed out loud--at work no less! Totally busted.
Anyway, this was an awesome post, thank you for the laughs.
I especially liked the wording of "a whole host of cookie monsters..."
Keep up the awesome work! - October 13, 2008 at 12:57 PM
- Amy Ellen said...
Okay I love the top one. He is way too cute!!!
Amy - October 13, 2008 at 1:06 PM
poor crucified cookie monster!
- October 13, 2008 at 1:18 PM
- Mechelle said...
I love your blog! I come here to have my daily dose of laughter. Thanks, and keep it comin' :)
- October 13, 2008 at 1:24 PM
Well, the first one is okay, I guess... but as with the Van Gogh one, I can't help thinking it would be even better made from a normal cake.
One thing all the Cookie Monsters have going for them: Cake AND cookie. That has to be at least a partial win. - October 13, 2008 at 1:31 PM
- Boozy Tooth said...
So I wake up a little depressed this morning and shuffle over to my computer - coffee in hand - to survey all that is wrecktastic this blue Monday. Little did I know how blue it was...
Nothing cheers like Cookie Monster cupcake cakes gone wrong (and right - I agree the first example is adorable). Suddenly, all is right with the world. Thank you Doctor Jen. You are so much cheaper than Prozac. - October 13, 2008 at 1:53 PM
- S. said...
I like how the picture of the individual cupcakes with cookies shoved in them *the first one from Kate S.* has a sign that says "PIE 9.99" above it. whaaaa????
- October 13, 2008 at 2:19 PM
- Ronnica said...
Those last ones? Yum, yum, yum! Too bad the cookies are chocolate chip as they ought to be, or that would be pretty much the perfect cupcake. (Can you tell I like frosting?)
- October 13, 2008 at 2:24 PM
- evil cake lady said...
that first one is well done, considering it is a cupcake cake. which is my way of saying that i am still morally opposed to them.
- October 13, 2008 at 2:32 PM
"C" is for "CakeWreck" and that's good enough for me!
- October 13, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Wow, I think the frosting-to-cupcake ratio on those last ones has to be around 50-50....
- October 13, 2008 at 3:22 PM
I have to say, I think the first one is cute too but the rest.........please SAVE ME from the cookie monster nightmare that I fell into!!!!!
- October 13, 2008 at 3:53 PM
I am in love with the first CCC... and the third picture! Adorable!
- October 13, 2008 at 4:31 PM
- Candice Black said...
That first one is cute as a button! I'm going to force it on some child I know who has grown up in the age of Dora the Explorer and the Wonder Pets and hasn't the faintest idea what Cookie Monster is.
- October 13, 2008 at 4:47 PM
- Hotch Potchery said...
Almost every post someone comments that they laughed out loud at a picture...and while I think you are VERY clever and I love this site, it had never happened to me, and I kind of thought they were blowing smoke up your ass.
Until today.
Oh, and katie...that song is now stuck in my head. Thanks! - October 13, 2008 at 4:53 PM
- Cindy said...
The last ones look like they have their poor little eyeballs smashed up against the fluorescent tube. Eeeep!
- October 13, 2008 at 4:56 PM
- Melanie said...
well its still a ccc, but its a cute one. I agree with one poster that it really would have looked better as real cake. the other ones horrify me.
- October 13, 2008 at 5:22 PM
- Sonya said...
I ran screaaaaaming from the display when I saw the Cookie-Monster-has-a-porn-'stach ones. Then I realized that I had a duty to document and share with Cake Wrecks.
The idea of buying them to release them from their unfortunate situation never occurred to me - if it was just ugly, I could force myself to eat it - but these had too much frosting for me. - October 13, 2008 at 5:46 PM
- D.B. Echo said...
NEWS FLASH: Cookie Monster Dies When Game of "Chubby Bunny" Goes Horribly Wrong
- October 13, 2008 at 7:39 PM
- Andrea Frederick said...
WOW...I might have nightmares of lots of cookie monsters staring at me!
- October 13, 2008 at 7:52 PM
- Unknown said...
My mommy used to make me Cookie Monster cakes (and I got to put the eyes on!), but one year she didn't have any blue food coloring and he wound up being an albino. I still hold it against her. (Not seriously. Okay, a little seriously.)
That second cake there looks more like a Yip alien...I know because I have a homemade Yip costume and the ping-pong balls sit right on top of my head. - October 13, 2008 at 8:05 PM
- Mad Izatie said...
Hm....... the last one looks like it has enough icing to put you in a diabetic coma.
- October 13, 2008 at 8:56 PM
- ksaldria said...
I think this is probably the only time when a CCC is permissible. Cookie Monster is kind of a blob like shape to begin with so a cupcake cake actually works for him! As for the second, not so nicely done version, I actually like the way they textured the "fur" but that's the only thing I like about it.
And now I really, reeeeally want a cookie. - October 13, 2008 at 8:56 PM
- noranoranoranoranora said...
i saw a cupcake cake at the grocery store, shaped like a rainbow. it looked really good and i wish i had my camera!
- October 13, 2008 at 10:00 PM
- Willow said...
No matter how you look at it, a lot of people are going to have green poo for about a week.
(Cookie Monster cake - my 7th birthday. It was teh awesum.) - October 13, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Hi! You guys have been featured in the list of interesting blogs here: http://heydothis.blogspot.com/
Thought you'd like to know. :) - October 13, 2008 at 10:43 PM
I'll admit that first CCC is good.
~Amy B - October 13, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Given Cookie's rather amorphous shape, the first ccc actually does work reasonably well.
The others, however, make me want to force feed the decorators rice cakes until they turn green and apologize. - October 13, 2008 at 11:06 PM
- Stephanie McGee said...
I absolutely enjoy your blog! I wanted to e-mail in some photos I found on the internet for your viewing pleasure but it wouldn't work. So I'll have to be content to comment on the ones you post. I just recently discovered this blog and I cannot get enough. As for the Cookie Monster cupcake cakes and cupcakes, the only one that I would want to eat is that first one. So well done as opposed to all the others.
- October 13, 2008 at 11:11 PM
- E.A.D. said...
The decapitated Cookie Monsters made the pleasant surprise from the first image go KERSPLAT! While I have no doubt Cookie Monster would love to swim in an ocean made entirely of sweet treats, drowning while choking on a cookie must be his worst nightmare.
- October 13, 2008 at 11:43 PM
- Kelly said...
oh, my day is complete. Upon viewing the first CCC I thought to myself surely she can't find anything wrong with this...they did a good job. And then the torturing of cookie monster began...wah-hah-hah...
I'll tell you later Betty - October 13, 2008 at 11:49 PM
- Jennifer said...
i like the first cake.. not so bad after seeing the other stuff!
- October 14, 2008 at 12:17 AM
- Rhonda said...
This is the FUNNIEST blog I have ever read!!! I have laughed out loud for the past twenty minutes!! It is great!!
- October 14, 2008 at 12:19 AM
- Bliss said...
nom nom nom ME like COOKIES!!!!
I think Cookie Monster would LOVE to be made out of all cookies...NOT cupcakes...even if he does look totally adorable in the first one...it just does not make up for the total shame the decorators put him through with the following ones - October 14, 2008 at 12:19 AM
The second Cookie Monster looks like something straight out of a South Park spoof!
- October 14, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Speaking of cookie monster....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/kosmiclav/0227081804.jpg - October 14, 2008 at 1:09 AM
- Kisa 'Yuki' J. said...
I really like the first cake! even with all the blueness! and the CM cupcakes that use the sprinkles are fairly adorable.. The Elmo ones are cute!
and they both have plus sides.. Blue Sprinkles are less likely to give you green poo o.O - October 14, 2008 at 1:10 AM
- Eric said...
Don't go over to the Dark side, no matter how cute it may appear.
goinggreenaccidently.blogspot.com - October 14, 2008 at 1:35 AM
- Kisa 'Yuki' J. said...
Oh lily!
that looks like something from a Fred Meyer bakery.. well with all those other cakes around.. or Kroger... I think it's the same company different name depending on local?? ... no ide.a. LOL!
I swear I've seen that cheeseburger cake at Freddies tho! - October 14, 2008 at 1:53 AM
- Nancy B said...
The second cake is creepy because its amoebic. Once it makes the first split, it WILL take over the world. This is not a conspiracy theory, folks. When encountered and not immediately destroyed, it will reproduce uncontrollably (as evidenced by the whole case of mini creepy cookie monsters). Feel warm and fuzzy for these cakes at your own risk!
- October 14, 2008 at 2:20 AM
- sues2u2 said...
Oh so cute! I'm so glad that you liked the first one 'cause it was AdOrAbLe! As for the rest? Well lets just say that I too, can agree w/ some of the other commenters on the individual cupcakes. Too sweet!
- October 14, 2008 at 2:21 AM
Clutter-bug, I can confirm that Fred Meyer is owned by the Kroger company, along with about 15 other grocery chains, and two jewelry stores. If you'rre talking about the "choking" cupcakes, though, it looks like they're from a store whose name starts with "Marrazz-", and I'm pretty sure none of the versions of Kroger have a name like that. I'm also pretty sure that the "Pie $9.99 each" sign is referring to something on the shelf above it, as that seems to be the standard sign setup I've seen. That sign you can just barely see at the bottom of the picture is probably the one with the cupcake prices on it.
And for the record, I think those cupcakes are cute, and I would get them. The other ones are just scary, though, and I wouldn't want to eat something with that cake-to-frosting ratio even if it was the most delicious-looking cupcake in the world. - October 14, 2008 at 2:39 AM
- Unknown said...
I heard somewhere that the Cookie Monster has been remade into the Veggie Monster (or something similar) for the sake of PC-ness (and to help combat obesity in children). *Sigh* The poor guy.
- October 14, 2008 at 10:51 AM
- nrosetulip said...
Is the second picture upside down? The perspective looks like someone leaned way over and took the pic upside down. It makes me dizzy.
The cookiemonster ccc is a nice case in point on how dangerous it is to generalize. You can never ever generalize, it's ALWAYS bad. - October 14, 2008 at 11:31 AM
- Amanda-The Family News! said...
Oh my gosh...this has to be THE funniest thing I have ever read!!!!
- October 14, 2008 at 12:37 PM
- Unknown said...
OK, CCC number one does look nice. But it doesn't look appetizing: who needs so much frosting anyway? Ughhh... And I personally have a problem with neon blue food. With neon whatever-color food, actually.
- October 14, 2008 at 3:13 PM
I've always wanted to make a Cookie Monster cake, but was afraid it would end up looking as dreadful as those last few cupcake monsters in your photos.
If I thought I could pull it off, I'd make this cake: http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/cookie-monster.html#c11 - October 14, 2008 at 3:37 PM
- Unknown said...
It must be a pandemic! http://www.flickr.com/photos/batwrangler/2927541168/
- October 14, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Don't fret over liking the first cupcake cake! It simply proves that there is an exception to every rule--except the rule about not combining leopard print, red stretch velvet, and gold lamé in one "outfit."
- October 14, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Damn you and your hilarious cake wrecks and accompanying verbage! You owe me a dry pair of pants! lol
- October 15, 2008 at 12:58 AM
I don't really understand why you'd make a CCC, why not just a cake then if you're going through all of that effort?!??!!
But the first one is terribly cute.. COOKIE COOKIE COOKIE! - October 15, 2008 at 7:34 AM
- Ell said...
It's the cookies that does it in the first cake. They're the perfect detail.
But I thought the cupcake army was a cute idea. The first one that is. Or I'm just really into cupcakes...
Btw, love your blog, should really comment more often!s - October 15, 2008 at 9:47 AM
i thought the little red and blue Chokie Monsters looked more like McDonald's Fry Guys!
- October 15, 2008 at 10:05 AM
- Rin K.C. said...
oh yeah... that just happened! - October 15, 2008 at 5:10 PM
- KogeLiz said...
I love all of these!!!!!
I think they're awesome!! - October 15, 2008 at 7:11 PM
I'm 30 and when I was a kid in the early 1980s, the (now closed) Kroger grocery store in Ambridge, PA sold Cookie Monster cupcakes with Nilla Wafers as the mouths. I remember because my grandpa always bought us them when we visited.
- October 16, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Thank You
- October 18, 2008 at 4:17 AM
- Bardea said...
I haven't been to cake wrecks in a while, and the Cookie Monster CCC choking Wreck brought many laughing tears to my eyes. THANK YOU JEN!
- November 19, 2008 at 12:58 PM
- Unknown said...
I like the 1st one and the 3rd one! they look so cute. I think the icing would be too much for me though, I don't have a huge sweet tooth.
- March 3, 2009 at 2:19 AM
- The Whiz Kid Forte said...
With Sesame Street celebrating its big 4-0 today, I couldn't stop laughing!
- November 4, 2009 at 4:06 PM
OMG The first "choking" cupcake Cookie Monsters are SOOOO cute! They look like little kids guiltily stealing from the cookie jar, not choking on them!
- April 7, 2010 at 8:28 PM
Search This Blog
Wreck the Halls
NEW! Pre-Order Today!
Barnes & Noble
Borders |
Buy the Book
Buy the NYT Bestseller
What's a Wreck?
What's a Wreck?
A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.
Now, don't you have a photo you want to send me? ;)
- Fan Faves
- The Classics
The Classics
Praise for the Book
- "Will have you laughing so hard you'll forget to eat!"— Washington Post
- "a hilarious winner" — The Oregonian
- "a fantastically gut-busting book"— NPR
- "It's all here, each wreck a disaster of hilarity." — BookPage.com
- "Hysterically funny!"— Epinions.com
- "laugh-out-loud funny"— The Times
- "Yates' sharp humor makes the funny even funnier." — The Dallas Morning News
- "an amazing laugh-out-loud book"— The Book Triblog
What the fans are saying
- "I was laughing so hard, I couldn't catch my breath."
- "As funny as the blog that started it."
- "WAY better than I expected!"
- "Cake Wreckery at its best!"
- "Wrecktastic!"
- American Mensa:Top 50 Websites of 2010
- Amazon: Top 10 gift books of 2009
- The Orlando Sentinal "Orbbies": Winner Humor
- 2009 BlogLuxe Awards: Funniest Blog
- 2009 Bloggies: Best Writing of a Weblog, Best New Weblog, Best Food Blog
- The 2008 Weblog Awards: Best Food Blog
- Blogger's Choice 2008 Awards: Best Humor Blog
Where's the book?
We don't have any copies of Cake Wrecks for sale here, autographed or otherwise. We decided the shipping and handling costs would be too high to make it worth your while. So instead, buy your copies locally or online and then order personalized bookplates: it's cheaper, easier, and I think even looks a bit nicer.
Ordering Info
Payments must be made through Paypal, which accepts all major credit cards. Sorry, but that means no checks or MOs or barter-based chickens.
We ship everything first class USPS, and will do our best to have your package in the mail within 2 days of your order.
Popular This Month
Popular This Month
- Mum's the Word
- Andrew Zimmern Interview
- And Now the Conclusion of The Spider Wreck Chronicles
- The Spider Wreck Chronicles
- Ghosts with the Most, Continued
- Ghosts with the Most
- Sunday Sweets: Autumn Awesomeness in Atlanta
- Great White Snark's Top 5 Awful Dalek Cakes
- Wreckplicas
- Wrecktastic Pumpkin Parade
- Dirty-Minded Decorators
- Save the Ts AND the Vs
- It's a Wreck Off!
- Sunday Sweets: Spooktacular Wedding Cakes
- Cheap Interview
- If That's Your "Real" Name
- This Post is Brought to you by the Number 809
- DAA-Dum
- The Wrecky Infamy is Spreading
- Marcus and the New Job
- Confessions of a Cake Wrecker
- Shameless Begging
- E.T. is back...
- Like THIS, Not Like THAT
- Sunday Sweets: Leaping Lego Lizards, Batman!
- Sorry, You Can't Have Any
- Cake Writing 201: "Congratulations"
- What's Better Than a Hockey Wreck?
- A Barry Booty-full Cake
- Game Show Results
- Cake Wrecks the Game Show?
- Sunday Sweets: Super Mario Wedding Cake
- Sadness Takes on Cake Form
- Optimus Wrecks
- THAT...Doesn't Look Like Dirt
- Stop the Insanity!!
- When Decorators Need to Practice Their Roses


text:
About Us
Our Mission
Sprague's philosophy is not tied to a clever slogan or cute play on words. It's based on a straightforward premise – deliver uncompromising, exceptional service through science-based IPM programs that use the latest product and application innovations to prevent and eliminate pests.
Family businesses are the backbone of business communities in the regions Sprague Pest Solutions serves and nationwide. As Sprague Pest Solutions approaches a century-long commitment to protecting businesses from pests it also marks its fourth generation of ownership under the Treleven family.
The values and guiding principles established by four generations are on display every day in our interactions with clients and team members. They set the benchmarks on which Sprague is measured and how we measure ourselves.
Our team takes immense pride in our steadfast commitment to innovation and fostering a culture of diversity, inclusivity and respect.
History Timeline
Why We Do What We Do
We passionately deliver uncompromising service. Pests pose a serious threat to public health and our world's food supply. Food-borne illnesses as result of bacteria transmitted by pests sicken millions of people annually. Sprague's highly trained and dedicated team is driven to do its part to provide the world with the safe food and healthy living and work it deserves.
Commitment to Science
Science guides everything Sprague does when it comes to identifying pest prevention and elimination solutions for your business. Since our founding, Sprague team members have used science to improve outcomes for our clients.
Our team includes 6 Board Certified Entomologists (BCE) and 34 Associate Certified Entomologists (ACE) who work every day to design and deliver pest management programs using the latest technology and products to safeguard people, property and food, and leave the smallest environmental footprint.
Let science and Sprague be your partner in the fight against pests.


text:
How often have you felt,'if only I could get ___[fill it up with whatever you fancy] RIGHT NOW??Oh..I always do.I fancy eating cupcakes from Best Bakery,Pink Cake from Society bakery and very often,Chocolate sip-ups from Punchiris[a shop near my College in Ekm].sadly,most of the times,I satisfy my cravings by eating something closest to it.I don't have a choice,do I?
Few days back,while watching Rachel Allen's show on Travel and Living,I saw her making Tarts.I remembered the yummy Jam-filled and Chocolate filled tarts from Best bakery which my bro used to bring home for me.Even if he didn't *giggle*,I could just get out of my house,cross the road and get it myself,yup it was bang opposite our place.I had not had them for the longest time and I was literally craving for it.Maybe I should just stop watching those food shows on Tv.
I remembered Ria had posted them a while back.I didn't waste a moment and set out making it.The recipe is a winner,a simple one which even a beginner can make.I was one-it was the first time I was making tarts and I was a bit apprehensive.But the recipe worked like magic and I was satisfied only after I gobbled down 3 of those in one go..YES!!
Buttery Jam Tarts
Recipe source –Ria ,Original recipe from Thangam Philip book of Baking
Ingredients[Makes 12 tarts]
Butter-60g [chilled]
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Water-4-5 drops
Mix flour and baking powder together.
Add the butter and rub it with your fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs.
Now add water little by little and form a dough[do not knead,just mix slightly with your fingertips].
Divide the dough into 12 parts.Flatten each ball using a rolling pin and line the tart moulds.
Fill 2/3 of the tart with jam.
Bake at 180 degress for 15 mins or till done.


text:
Boone County Housing & Redev is a County Government Offices business in Danville, WV.
Name: | Boone County Housing & Redev |
Business Address: | 824 Lick Creek Road, Danville, WV 25053 |
Phone Number: | (304) 369-3442 |
Contact Name: | Michele Mc Cormick, Executive Director |
Business Category: | County Government Offices |
NAICS Code: | 9211200 |
SIC Code: | 9121 |
Business Type: | B2B (Business to Business) |
Employee Count: | 1 to 4 |
Location Type: | Single Location |
Annual Revenue ($): | Unknown |
Share This Business: |
Boone County Housing & Redev started in the year and is categorized under County Government Offices. Michele Mc Cormick, Executive Director makes sure they only deliver high quality merchandise, superior than most of its competitors.
Manned by 1 to 4 and fast-growing equally competitive individuals, at a strategically located Single Location, Boone County Housing & Redev supplies full line of products that are carefully planned and manufactured before they reach its customers.
Their physical company can be found in 824 Lick Creek Road, Danville, WV 25053. You can also navigate using these coordinates - 38.084664,-81.858942. Annual sales are continuously strong at Unknown. Their service-oriented approach keeps them on top of their B2B market and sub-markets , and they remain up to date with current marketing trends.
Assigned SIC code is 9121, and NAICS code is 9211200. You can visit the site at to check their full listing, ask support or refunds.
You can create your own account for better communication. Reliable sales personnel and maintenance support will be there to assist you. Any queries will also be handled by contacting (304) 369-3442. Contact numbers are available during business hours.


text:
Energy-harvesting technology isn't new. A new method developed by researchers Tom Krupenkin and J. Ashley Taylor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison promises a practical way to power smartphones and other portable electronics simply by walking down the street.
The two engineering researchers point out in a recent nature communication article, their new energy-harvesting technology aims to provide for a market not being represented by current energy harvesting methods.
"What has been lacking is a mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion technology that would work well for this type of application [mobile electronic devices]," said Krupenkin.
The new method Krupenkin and Taylor have created is a process called reverse electrowetting which converts energy from moving liquid. Their device is made up of thousands of microscopic liquid droplets—they use a liquid metal alloy used in thermometers—which interacts with a nano structured substrate.
The researchers say that humans produce a lot of energy; we can produce as much as a kilowatt of power by sprinting, and only a fraction of that energy is needed to power devices . There have have been previous attempts to harvest power from human locomotion like the 2008 knee brace but they were impractical.
The Wisconsin-Madison Researchers believe that by inserting their device into a pair of shoes, a person could generate up to 20 watts of electrical energy. That energy could then be used to charge devices by plugging in to a small USB port into the shoes. Another method would be to create a tiny Wi-Fi hotspot in the shoe device which would take the load off a phone's battery. Krupenkin says that this could extend battery life to a month rather than just a day or two.
The device could be very practical in impoverished countries with poor access to electricity, or for military personnel. The product isn't available yet, but the two are looking to commercialize through their Instep Nanopower company.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) — A big government study has fingered leafy greens like lettuce and spinach as the leading source of food poisoning, a perhaps uncomfortable conclusion for health officials who want us to eat our vegetables.
"Most meals are safe," said Dr. Patricia Griffin, a government researcher and one of the study's authors who said the finding shouldn't discourage people from eating produce. Experts repeated often-heard advice: Be sure to wash those foods or cook them thoroughly.
While more people may have gotten sick from plants, more died from contaminated poultry, the study also found. The results were released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans — or 48 million people— gets sick from food poisoning. That includes 128,000 hospitalization and 3,000 deaths, according to previous CDC estimates.
The new report is the most comprehensive CDC has produced on the sources of food poisoning, covering the years 1998 through 2008. It reflects the agency's growing sophistication at monitoring illnesses and finding their source.
What jumped out at the researchers was the role fruits and vegetables played in food poisonings, said Griffin, who heads the CDC office that handles foodborne infection surveillance and analysis.
About 1 in 5 illnesses were linked to leafy green vegetables — more than any other type of food. And nearly half of all food poisonings were attributed to produce in general, when illnesses from other fruits and vegetables were added in.
It's been kind of a tough month for vegetables. A controversy erupted when Taco Bell started airing a TV ad for its variety 12-pack of tacos, with a voiceover saying that bringing a vegetable tray to a football party is "like punting on fourth-and-1." It said that people secretly hate guests who bring vegetables to parties.
The fast-food chain on Monday announced it was pulling the commercial after receiving complaints that it discouraged people from eating vegetables.
Without actually saying so, the CDC report suggests that the Food and Drug Administration should devote more staff time and other resources to inspection of fruits and vegetables, said Michael Doyle, director of the University of Georgia's Center for Food Safety.
Earlier this month, the FDA released a proposed new rule for produce safety that would set new hygiene standards for farm workers and for trying to reduce contact with animal waste and dirty water.
Meanwhile, CDC officials emphasized that their report should not be seen as discouraging people from eating vegetables.
Many of the vegetable-related illnesses come from norovirus, which is often spread by cooks and food handlers. So contamination sometimes has more to do with the kitchen or restaurant it came from then the food itself, Griffin noted.
Also, while vegetable-related illnesses were more common, they were not the most dangerous. The largest proportion of foodborne illness deaths — about 1 in 5 — were due to poultry. That was partly because three big outbreaks more than 10 years ago linked to turkey deli meat.
But it was close. CDC estimated 277 poultry-related deaths in 1998-2008, compared to 236 vegetable-related deaths.
Fruits and nuts were credited with 96 additional deaths, making 334 total deaths for produce of all types. The CDC estimated 417 deaths from all kinds of meat and poultry, another 140 from dairy and 71 from eggs.
Red meat was once seen as one of the leading sources of food poisoning, partly because of a deadly outbreak of E. coli associated with hamburger. But Griffin and Doyle said there have been significant safety improvements in beef handling. In the study, beef was the source of fewer than 4 percent of food-related deaths and fewer than 7 percent of illnesses.


text:
Large Lacy Heart - Free Crochet Pattern
Click the banners below for more of our most popular patterns, available via download!
Easy Skill
Size:About 4½" wide, 4½" tall.
Materials:Worsted Weight Yarn
Baby Pink - 12 yds
White - 5 yds
Crochet Hook:Size I-9 (5.50 mm)
ch - chain
dc - double crochet
hdc - half double crochet
lp - loop
rem - remaining
rep - repeat
rnd - round
sc - single crochet
sl st - slip stitch
sp - space
st - stitch
yo - yarn over
Rnd 1:(Right Side) Ch 4, join with sl st to first ch to form ring; ch 1, [3 htr in ring, ch 2] 4 times; join with sl st to first htr. (12 htr and 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 2:[9 tr in center htr of next 3-htr group, sl st in next ch-2 sp] twice, sc in next 3 htr, 3 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next 3 htr; join with sl st to first tr. Finish off and weave in ends.
Rnd 3:With right side facing, join White with sl st to 2nd sc of second 3-sc group (at bottom point), ch 3, sl st in same sc, [ch 3, skip next sc, sl st in next sc] twice, ch 3, [sl st in next tr, ch 3] 9 times, working over next sl st, sl st in ch-2 sp (on Rnd 1), [ch 3, sl st in next tr] 9 times, ch 3, sl st in next sl st, [ch 3, skip next sc, sl st in next sc] twice, ch 3; join with sl st to first sc. Finish off and weave in ends.


text:
eSpecial Sign-up
Please complete the following form to sign up to receive email specials from Tuffy Elkhart.
When you sign up to receive email offers from Tuffy Elkhart you will receive
a coupon for Oil Change & Filter $5 OFF and
email offers delivered straight to your inbox.
We only use your email address to send you our specials, and will not sell your email address to any third parties.


text:
Well oofus missed two lines of the chorus:
"It's having an affect on me...pulling and directing me...Don't know what I'm gonna do."
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don't have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It's super easy, we promise!


text: Newfleet Asset Management provides this communication as a matter of general information. The opinions stated herein are those of the author and not necessarily the opinions of Virtus, its affiliates, or its subadvisers. Portfolio managers at Virtus make investment decisions in accordance with specific client guidelines and restrictions. As a result, client accounts may differ in strategy and composition from the information presented herein. Any facts and statistics quoted are from sources believed to be reliable, but they may be incomplete or condensed and we do not guarantee their accuracy. This communication is not an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any security, and it is not a research report. Individuals should consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.


text:
Wing Pilot
All combat clothing, such as flight jackets, should have sewn down insignia. A typical method employed by the USAAF during WWII for representing 'wings' was to have them made in embossed leather. Prevalent use of them can be seen in the European Theatre of Operations. Using natural brown veg-tanned hide our embossed wings are made exactly like the originals, with beautiful fine detail in deep relief.
These can be ordered loose or sewn to your jacket order, Use the insignia builder tool on the jacket product page if you wish to have insignia sewn to your jacket.
There are 4 products.


text:
The roof is one of the most important parts of an establishment. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most neglected and forgotten as many building owners often overlook small cracks and leaks only to find greater damage in the long run. Here are reasons why you should hire a personal roof inspection and repair company to take care of one of the most important safety features of your property:
• A professional service can provide you with a great variety of services. These experts can and will do so much more than just discover and repair leaks on your roof. They can also offer a wide range of maintenance services, ranging from constructing roof flashing, repairing water damage, and replacing shingles. They can also fix other critical parts of your roofing, ranging from vent pipes and chimneys to skylights and drainage systems. They can also perform interior damage repair caused by leaky roofs to make sure that your property is in good condition from the inside out.
• Commercial roofing contractors also have an extensive supply of high quality materials that ensure reliable repair services. This means any damage repair they carry out are guaranteed to last long. Typical roofing materials available at your local hardware store are often inferior to what these companies are supplied. They often use specially designed roofing materials and finishes such as elastomeric coating, which enhance the durability and quality of roofs.
• Professional leak repair services are also cost-effective. Even when you have commercial-scale repair needs, professional services aren't as expensive as they may seem. As a matter of fact, you will end up saving a great deal of your hard earned money by seeking the help of professional repairmen in the first place, rather than trying to fix the damage on your own. A professional roofer will not only offer you short-term solutions to your leak problems but provide you with options that will help you prevent damage in the long term. Settling for unprofessional repair work can actually cost you more in the long run, especially when the temporary repair fails and causes more irreversible damage.
• Safety is another major advantage of hiring professional commercial roofing contractors. Trying to repair building leaks can be quite dangerous. Professionals have all the right equipment, tools, and skills to make sure that repairs go well, with the safety of their workers and their clients in mind. They also guarantee protection of your property throughout the duration of the repair project.


text:
- Item in stock.
Blazing Flame Slayer Anime Light Box
Blazing Flame Slayer Anime Light Box
Category: Anime Light Boxes, Anime Merch
Delivery Information
Delivery Information
We proudly offer international shipping, ensuring our amazing items reach you no matter where you are.
Expect an average delivery time of 10-24 days, and rest assured, we'll provide tracking details once your order is on its way. For international orders, be mindful of potential customs and import taxes.
If you require any more information about this item or encounter any issues with your order please reach out to us on our contact page.
Enjoy a Seamless Shopping Experience
Worldwide Delivery
No matter where you are on the globe, you can shop our incredible selection and have it delivered right to your doorstep.
Secure Checkout
We use the latest encryption technology to safeguard your information including a diverse range of payment methods.
Epic Selection
We strive to provide an enjoyable shopping experience for all our customers. Your trust and satisfaction in our products is what matters to us.


text:
DriverGuide. com - Using DriverGuide's Installer. DriverGuide's installer software (Windows only) simplifies the driver installation process. It safely downloads and verifies your driver and then assists in the installation of it. You may notice that the file size of the installer software is much smaller than the file size of your actual driver. The reason is that first the installer setup file is downloaded, and then the installer software does the work of fetching your driver from our fastest download server. The installer setup file has been certified safe by leading-class virus and malware scanners.
Sometimes anti-virus software can report false positives. If this happens to you, we encourage you to submit the file you download to VirusTotal (a free, independent service which identifies malicious content) where you will see dozens of other anti-virus scanners report the file is perfectly safe.
The installer setup file may include a purely optional advertising offer which you are free to decline. We only work with trusted advertising partners. Note: Windows only. Mobile, Mac OS and Linux users can choose other download options by deselecting the installer checkbox below the download button.


text:
Tuesday 31 December 2024 (other days)
7th day within the octave of Christmas
(optional commemoration of Saint Silvester I, Pope)
(optional commemoration of Saint Silvester I, Pope)
Using calendar: Australia - Parramatta. You can change this.
Christ has been born for us: come, let us adore him.
Year: C(I). Liturgical Colour: White.
About the author of the Second Reading in today's Office of Readings:
Mid-morning reading (Terce) | Isaiah 45:13 © |
I roused him to victory, I levelled the way for him. He will rebuild my city, will bring my exiles back without ransom or indemnity, so says the Lord of Hosts.
Noon reading (Sext) | Isaiah 48:20 © |
Declare this with cries of joy and proclaim it, send it out to the ends of the earth. Say, 'The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob.'
Afternoon reading (None) | Isaiah 65:1 © |
I was ready to be approached by those who did not consult me, ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, 'I am here, I am here', to a nation that did not invoke my name.
Scripture readings taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. For on-line information about other Random House, Inc. books and authors, see the Internet web site at http://www.randomhouse.com.
This web site © Copyright 1996-2024 Universalis Publishing Ltd · Contact us · Cookies/privacy |
(top) |


text:
Are you looking for a 24 hour, pest control in Acton, London? Solace Pest Control offers prompt, professional and safe Pest Control in Acton, London . Whether it is residential or commercial Pest Control , we will solve your Pest problem in no time. Our trained and experienced Acton, London pest control technicians are qualified to handle a variety of pest situations and you can rest assure to restore your normal life, keep you, your children, or your employees safe and keep you in line with national and local animal laws
For over 20 years Solace Pest Control has been satisfying customers in Acton, London with our fast, effective & affordable Pigeons Pest Control. Whether you need our service for your home or for your business, our professional Pigeons Pest Control removal experts will eliminate your problem safely and promptly. At Solace, we use environmentally friendly pest control products that will safely remove your unwanted pests with effective and long lasting results.
At Solace Pest Control, we handle a wide variety of pest problems including but not limited to roaches, ants, beetles, foxes, birds, rodents, moths and more. No matter what type of pest has invaded your space in Acton, London, our professionals have the expertise required to quickly diagnose and solve the infestation issue you're having. Are you scared of the pests or distracted by their presence? Call the experts at Solace Pest Control, and put your mind at ease knowing the job will be done right, and right away!
Interestingly enough, many pests have become a problem as a result of direct action by people. Changing these habits or actions can often substantially reduce the pest problem. For example house flies tend to accumulate where there is human activity and is virtually a global phenomenon, especially where food or waste is exposed. Similarly, seagulls have become pests at many seaside resorts because tourists often feed birds with scraps of fish and chips, and before long, the birds would rely on this food source and began acting aggressively towards humans. Regardless of the cause, you can count on Solace Pest Control to promptly find the solution.
Solace Pest Control offers same-day emergency service in Acton, London for Pigeons Pest Control or any other pest control related issues. Please note we do not charge extra for out of hours service. Solving your pest problems and getting you back to your day to day routine without delay. We will also provide you with a free survey estimate so that you are well aware of the costs involved prior to the commencement of treatments.
Whether your household is infested with mice, ants, moths, roaches or some sort of other wildlife creatures, our experienced and reliable pest specialists will eradicate your infestation in Acton, London as soon as possible! Our pest technicians are specially trained to handle whatever your needs may require.
For more information about our animal and pest services, call Solace Pest Control today on 01923 961177
Email us today for more information.
Presently We Are Offering A 10% Discount To All Front Line Workers and Senior Citizen, For Pigeons Pest Control in Acton, London
Also, Please Note We Offer 24/7 Service in Acton, London
Contact Mike Today For Your Pest Control Needs. Fill In The Form Below


text:
Residents of Buena Vista, Colo., are in shock after a rock slide on Monday that authorities say killed five people — possibly all from the same family.
The Denver Post says "a deadly cascade of boulders poured over Chaffee County's popular Agnes Vaille Falls [at] midmorning." The rocks came down on a popular hiking trail.
According to Denver's ABC7, "a Chaffee County deputy says a 13-year-old girl who is the lone survivor ... told him her father shielded her with his body as the rocks roared down." Some of the boulders were the size of cars, NBC News says. The site was still too unstable Monday for searchers to reach the bodies. They'll make another attempt Tuesday. But the local coroner, authorities say, was able to get close enough to see the condition of the five victims' remains and is certain they did not survive, NBC adds.
At Buena Vista High School on Monday evening, writes the local Chaffee County Times, "students wept openly" during a gathering in support of the survivor, middle school student Gracie Johnson.
The Times reports that while Chaffee County Sheriff Pete Palmer did not release the names of the five people who were killed, he did say that Gracie told authorities she was hiking with her family. Her father is a football coach in the school district. Her mother is a track coach. Gracie has at least two siblings, the Times says.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Sedo Partner Program
Earn money with the world's largest
domain marketplace.
Join now: Free additional features and attractive benefits for website owners.
Benefit from promoting Sedo's products
Domain Sale
We will credit you with 15% of the Sedo sales commission for every successful domain sale.
Refer a domain sale and you will earn a commission for every purchased domain.
Join our Partner Program Learn more about selling domains
(Overview of the transaction fees)
Broker Service
Win customers for our Domain Brokerage Service and we will compensate you with a commission for every successfully closed domain acquisition. Here, too, you receive 15% of the Sedo sales commission.
Join our Partner Program Learn more about our Broker Service
(Overview of the transaction fees)
Request partner ID
You will receive your personal partner ID as soon as you have registered as a partner. This lets you see how much revenue you have generated.
Integrate Sedo advertisements
Now all you need to do is integrate our prepared website modules or ads and add your partner ID to every text link, banner or Sedo widget. Then you'll start earning money from every successful referral!
Earn a commission
Your till will ring every time you sell one of the aforementioned Sedo products. You can view your current sales statistics at any time on our partner dashboard.
Simply register to start earning money with us:
Prepared website modules and advertisements for Sedo partners
Domain search
Easy to integrate, easy to use: Your website visitors can use this widget to directly search our portfolio of more than 22 million domains.
- Easy to integrate
- Acquire customers and earn money with domains that are already registered
- Available in 5 languages
- Your earnings: 15% of the Sedo transaction fee for a successful domain sale
Banners ads
Multiple formats, various products:
With our banners ads, you can select the format and product suited to your website.
- Advertise new domain extensions or Top Domains
- Skyscraper, rectangle or leaderboard formats
- Your earnings: 15% of the Sedo transaction fee for a successful domain sale
Domain sales status
Access our database directly to check whether the domain name sought by your customer is for sale at Sedo.
- Quick and easy integration
- Acquire customers and also earn money with domains that are already registered
- Your earnings: 15% of the Sedo transaction fee for a successful domain sale
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Below you find the most frequently asked questions regarding our Partner Program:


text:
Home Health Care Providers in Nazareth, PA
HomeCare.com has the most experienced in home caregivers in the Mid-Atlantic,
with an average of more than 7 years of experience. Search our listings of
senior home health aides in Nazareth, PA who provide home care services.
Feel free to send a message or call any of the caregivers below.
Senior Caregivers in Nazareth, PA
Heather J.
Female, Philadelphia , PA
Adell A.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Miatta F.
Female, Bristol, PA
Channelle W.
Female, Philadelphia , PA
Female, EWING, NJ
Felicia B.
Female, Camden, NJ
Anthony M.
Male, Sayreville, NJ
Coritza C.
Female, Long Pond, PA
Jessica M.
Female, Trenton, NJ
Grace S.
Female, Orange, NJ
Rachel H.
Female, Emmaus, PA
Carlet J.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Monnie C.
Female, Camden, NJ
Kelechi A.
Female, Newark , NJ
Gladys C.
Female, Willingboro, NJ
Candy A.
Female, Reading , PA
Sheena L.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Phoebian D.
Female, Warminster, PA
Romene A.
Female, Trenton, NJ
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Shakera C.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Tatiyana L.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Svitlana Y.
Female, Bensalem , PA
Trisheena W.
Female, Allentown, PA
Liliana S.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Cynthia C.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Isabella S.
Female, Washington , NJ
Alvail H.
Female, Camden , NJ
Donna S.
Female, Minersville, PA
Donna J.
Female, Trenton, NJ
Nathaniel B.
Male, Trenton, NJ
Dona F.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Marvin F.
Male, Upper Darby, PA
Neneze M.
Female, East Orange, NJ
Marjea M.
Female, Newark, NJ
Yassah F.
Female, Philadelphia, PA
Lillian L.
Female, BETHLEHEM, PA
Haja B.
Female, Drexel Hill, PA
Home Health Aide Cost Per Hour
in Nazareth, PA
About Senior In Home Care
In Home Caregivers in Nazareth, PA provide senior care
services in three levels: companion care, personal care, and
advanced personal care.
Companion care is for seniors who need
some assistance around the home such as cooking, cleaning, and mental
Personal care is a home health care service that includes wound care,
toileting, medication reminders, and more. Those who provide personal
care must be more experienced and often have caregiving certifications.
personal care is provided by those caregivers who are equipped to deal
with late stage cancer, advanced stage dementia, incontinence or other
serious medical issues.
Additional Senior Care Resources
Let us Find the Best Caregiver for You.
Our Care Advisors Can Work with You Today.