text:
It's a "now familiar global ritual," as The Associated Press says: Apple fans are lining up today at stores "from Sydney to Paris to pick up the tech juggernaut's latest iPhone."
That would be the iPhone 5, which the company unveiled earlier this month.
According to The Wall Street Journal, some crooks in Japan got the jump on everyone:
"Osaka police said 191 of Apple's latest must-have smartphone were stolen in the wee hours leading up to the official launch. As of Friday at noon, three stores were hit across Japan's western metropolis in an unusual string of robberies targeting the hottest tech toy this fall."
Earlier today, Morning Edition checked in with a guy named Ian DeBorja. He was on line outside an Apple store in San Francisco — and was being paid $55 to hold that place for four hours. It's the first time "he's being paid for his patience," Morning Edition says.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Maryland State Department of Education is focused on educational excellence, workforce readiness, and child care delivery. The Department's webpage provides families with a wide array of information about Maryland's local school systems.
On this webpage you will find links to Maryland's 24 local school systems; security clearance information; and publications and materials that are topic specific or that provide a snapshot of Maryland's education excellence. In addition, you will find information related to Teacher Certification and transfer; STEM education; the Gifted and Talented program; Minority Achievement; Environmental programs; Autism; Child Care; and Career Technology Education. If you are looking for information specific to a Maryland public school system or school, please visit www.mdreportcard.org which offers assessment and demographic information accountability.
In Maryland we remain focused on making our education system the best in the country – and we're succeeding. You can find brochures detailing news about Maryland on this website under publications. I can assure you that MSDE will continue to work with all school systems to ensure our State remains at the top – especially as those affected by military transfers begin to call Maryland their home.
Thank You and Welcome to Maryland!
Maryland Public Schools: #1 in the Nation


text:
It's a fantastic site with lots of great information and ideas for businesses I would have not even thought about.
Dean Moss Cheshire, UK
I'm only 21 and buying a business is something I thought was only for an older crowd. But now that I have done it and have made it a success I'll do it again.
Bridger Cottle Texas, US


text:
Taking their love of riding drop bar bikes off-road to its logical conclusion, All-City presents you with the Gorilla Monsoon. A sweet beast whose only limits are your imagination and will power.
They've taken the capabilities of their famed cross bikes and built a Monster. All-City's most densely featured bike ever, fully hitting everything on their checklist for a steed that can take you far into the unknown in comfort, style, and elegance.
Want to do mixed pavement and single track rides? Put in long days off-road? Do some fire road touring? Camping? Ride across the continent? No problem.
Peep the features: Front and rear thru-axles, front and rear rack and fender mounts, compatibility with Surly-8 and 24-Pack racks, stealth dropper post routing, 27.5 x 2.4" tire clearance (650b x 48 with fenders), signature All-City dropouts, E.D. coating for rust prevention, and three water bottle mounts.
The Gorilla is made from All-City's 612 Select tubing and features a lovely bi-plane crown steel fork. They believe that nothing soaks up bumps or is as durable as a high quality steel fork. For on and off-road touring duties, it is the jam.
Some of you will want to throw 650b x 47c's in it and that's cool. The resulting slightly lower BB gives the bike excellent manners when riding with a load and is fully endorsed by us. If you want to run a 700c tire the max is a 42mm tire which will raise your BB by 8mm. 700c x 38 keeps the BB about the same.
As for building it up, there are three cable mounts on the downtube, giving you the option of adding a front derailleur or a dropper post. Here's the max ring sizes for each setup: 1X = 38T, 2X = 28/42, 3X = 26/36/48.
Contact us for parts packages
WARNING: Cycling can be dangerous. Bicycles and bicycle products should be assembled and serviced by a professional mechanic. Never modify your bicycle or accessories. Read and follow all product instructions and warnings including information on the manufacturer's website. Inspect your bicycle before every use. Always wear a helmet.
Frame | 612 Select CroMoly steel. Double butted down, top, and seat tubes. Externally tapered, ovalized, and dimpled chain stays, tapered seat stays, replaceable derailleur hanger. |
Fork | 4130 CroMoly tapered fork blades, mountain lugged crown, straight steertube, IS disc brake tabs |
Axles |
Front: 15mm x 100mm Rear: 12mm x 142mm |
Bottom Bracket | 73mm English |
Brakes | Accepts disc only, 160mm front & rear minimum rotor size |
Seat Post | Accepts 27.2 mm |
Accessories & Extras | Rack & fender mounts, E.D. coated for durability & rust prevention |
* Subject to change without notice.


text:
All this summer, All Things Consideredis digging into listeners' parents' record collections to hear about one song introduced by a parent that has stayed with you — for better or for worse.
When she was a kid, NPR listener Christina Pappas hated her dad's taste in music. (Still does, she says.) But her hatred was centered on one particular song: "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon.
"I'd hear it on the radio, or my dad would play it on the CD player, and I'd go on these very long, elaborate rants about this song, and it's what's wrong with the world today," Pappas says. "You know, if our parents are listening to songs with this kind of nonsensical lyrics, then how can we ever hope to inherit a better world for them — very melodramatic rants."
Pappas says she's since come to appreciate Zevon's other songs, but at the time, her hatred for "Werewolves" was more something to "goad [her] dad with," a running joke that's been going on for more than 20 years. Then her father got a cell phone.
"My dad's a truck driver now, and whenever he's on the road and hears this song, he will call me, no matter what time of day, usually not too far into the night," Pappas says. "And he will blast the song into the phone and I will begin one of my rants, and then we'll have a good laugh together. And then we'll just chat and catch up, so it's also a good way to make sure that we talk to each other at least once or twice a week."
Her family now calls it "wolfing," and in college, her roommates didn't understand. At one point, a voicemail message containing nothing but the chorus to "Werewolves in London" almost resulted in a call to the police in case it was a stalker.
"I had to say, 'No, no. This is not a stalker. This is my father,'" Pappas says, laughing.
Even before Christina Pappas got engaged, the next running joke was that "Werewolves of London" would play at her wedding.
"I told my father when I called his home — when I was engaged — the first thing I said to him was, 'Just so we're clear, I am not dancing to 'Werewolves of London' at my wedding,'" she says. "He kind of laughed and said, 'Oh, come on.' I said, 'No, it's not happening.' My stepmother reminded him that it was my day and not his, and he agreed that whatever song I chose — that's what we would dance to."
Embracing The Inevitable
As the wedding drew nearer, Pappas says she just couldn't see herself dancing to "What a Wonderful World" as planned. On her wedding day, she could no longer avoid the inevitable.
"Once that opening bass line started playing to that song, my dad froze," Pappas says. "And he looked at me and I just smiled and said, 'This is the only song we could ever dance to.' And he started crying and I started crying. I can honestly say that's probably the second time in my life I've seen my father tear up. We danced to 'Werewolves of London' — we danced and sang along to 'Werewolves of London.'"
And howled?
"And howled for all it was worth."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Kristin Armstrong has successfully defended her gold medal in the Olympic time trial, winning the race held in Surrey, England. Armstrong finished the 18-mile course in 37:34.82, nearly 16 seconds ahead of Judith Arndt of Germany, who won the silver.
Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won bronze, seven seconds behind Arndt. American Amber Neben came in sixth, at 38:45.17. Britain's Elizabeth Armitstead, the silver medal winner in the road race, was tenth.
Armstrong was the subject of an Olympic profile by NPR — and she was asked about the difference between riding in the desert of her native Idaho and racing in London, which can be wet.
"If I go in with a mindset that it's going to be a wet, rain day, it's OK," she answered. "I'm from Boise, Idaho. I train here. I have weather, but it always helps me to be strong in my mind, and to know what I'm up against. And then I just move forward."
Armstrong's win came after she retired, started a family, and then returned to racing for this year's Summer Games.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Wherein a surgeon tells some stories, shares some thoughts, and occasionally shoots off his mouth. Like a surgeon.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
There's No Hope. Seriously. None.
[Yeah, it's another weekend rant. Don't know why I bother anymore.]
Maybe it's just me. Maybe things aren't as bad as I think they are. Perhaps a nine-trillion dollar debt isn't a threat to our country; maybe the rising cost and self-limited supply of oil doesn't bode ill. It could be that environmental degradation and global warming are just a bunch of hype; and, I suppose, our country is not facing the possibility of governmental gridlock and economic meltdown. Nor, it could be, is the war in Iraq leading us to self-destruction. I hope so. Because from where I sit, it's now or never.
I really thought people would get it. To me, it seemed tautological: eighty-plus percent of the people think the US is on the wrong track. Therefore, whatever direction they think it ought to take, the one thing everyone might agree on is that the politics of the last several decades isn't working. QED. If there's one kind of change behind which everyone could get, it's the way we elect people. Attack. Destroy. Make shit up. Focus on irrelevancies; distract from the important issues. Fear the impossible, ignore the actual. But no, it's clear I was wrong. Whomever we elect as our next president -- and likely the same is true for most of our congressional folk -- the decision will not turn on energy policy, the war, the unsustainability of our deficit spending. It will be about convincing the electorate (easily, it turns out) that one candidate is a closet terrorist; and/or that realigning our military priorities will amount to "waving the white flag" to al Queda, that someone wants to raise taxes (as opposed to what? Moneh from heaven?)
Barack Obama began his campaign by saying, among other important things, that he'd tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. And, to a certain extent at least, he did. For a while. But he's finding out, big time, that that's not a winning strategy. People want to hear what they believe. Which, of course, fits perfectly with the fact that more than any other developed country, we are a nation of believers.
In comments on my rantings, people tell me to cool it. Why, they ask, do I get so upset about religion? Well, it seems pretty clear: the instinct for religious belief has slopped over into politics to the extent that it's made it impossible for us to face facts without magical thinking. Honestly, if people could keep their religious beliefs and their attendant make-believe separate from their ability to confront earthly truths, I'd have no problem with it. But to me, it's of a piece: magical thinking in the face of overwhelmingly difficult problems is the easy way out. It's the equivalent of the brain going into "tilt" mode. Fear of death, meaning of life? Sure. Do what it takes. Energy policy, economics, Iraq? Sorry. We need to look at them clear-eyed. If the magnitude of these problems isn't enough for people to stand up to the muck-meisters and say, NO, not now, not ever again, then it's over. Really. It's over. It's become apparent that the only way people might wise up and say it's time to elect people willing actually to confront problems is when those problems are so unignorable there's no longer any hope of fixing them.
The reason I've been so enamored of Barack Obama is that he seemed to be getting people to understand: what needs changing is not any particular policy (although they all need changing). What needs changing is the way we do politics. Young and old, left and right, people of all colors: if they could agree on anything, they ought to agree on that. Solutions, he seemed to be saying, will come from a gathering together of people of good intent from all points of view. The answers that we find will not be the verbatim policies of any candidate; those will only be a starting point, a set of priorities. It matters less what a candidate outlines in policy papers, than it does how he or she proposes to get there. But after the last few primaries, it's clear that voters haven't bought it. It's too complicated an idea; it doesn't fit on a bumper sticker. Even when the problems are so scary, old politics still works. The middle majority of voters really don't want to hear reality. They want politicians who give permission to look away. Scare and distract. Bait and switch. And if there's one thing we know about successful politicians -- McCain, Clinton, Gingrich, and their enablers, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, et al -- they're master baiters.
I'm convinced it ain't gonna happen. For this election, and so many more that it'll become impossible to reverse course, enough people will be influenced by the usual crap that they'll take us all down with them. Of that, I'm now sure. You see it in the polls, in what people say is important, the filthy ads and the reaction to them. The only thing I can't figure out is this: those purveyors of political porn; do they believe the shit they say and do, or are they the ultimate cynics? Tell people what they want to hear, because it still works. Take what they can get; rake it in while the getting's good; protect the status quo to make their pile and screw 'em all. And if that's who they are, could it be because they're convinced they'll still get raptured up, or is their religiosity just another gimmick, too: the megachurch of manipulation.
31 comments:
- Patrick Bageant said...
This is a very clever post, and I like it. It's one of the better weekend rants.
I hope the "purveyors of political porn" (POPP's?) are the ultimate cynics. It would mean there is a rational creature deep inside after all, and it might still be possible to talk to them. But my humble suspicion is that they probably DO believe what they say and do. Just like a door-to-door insurance salesman honestly believes he sells "peace of mind" (to quote from Barton Fink).
We don't live in a world of geniuses. That much is clear. So why should we carve out an exception to that rule for the POPP's? There is no need to attribute cunning wisdom where ignorance and idiocy will suffice. - 4/26/2008 10:26 AM
- X said...
Sure there's hope: you outlined it in the third paragraph, "...he'd tell people what they need to hear". Now imagine, if you can, either of the other bobbleheads being able, let alone willing, to tell people what they need to hear.
I'll wait for you to imagine.
Yeah, thought you couldn't. Not in '93 and not now.
Take those early statments (characterized as gaffes in what passes for mainstream journalixm these days) as a nudge and a wink.
It may turn out that in classic political form, he runs to the center to get elected. Afterwards....
Sure, disappointment may well follow, but the alternative interpretation is equally disappointing, no?
NB: I have an "acronym parser" running in my consciousness at all times. Part of my sub-clinical OCD no doubt, and a darn useful tic for a programmer. These past few years, my acronym parser has incorporated URL-making into its uncontrollable routine. During reading, conversation -- pretty much any activity when certain words go by, I mentally check them for URL-worthiness. The one that popped up just as I was going to click "publish" was this little gem: spitbitter.com. I haven't looked to see if it's available and can't afford any more silly URLs anyhow. Enjoy. Holler if you need webhosting on the cheap. ;)
NB2: If this somehow is offensive or insulting, well, it isn't intended to be. Imagine having such stuff playing on the backside of *your* eyelids all the time. Occasionally I like to share my wacky slice o'life with others. - 4/26/2008 12:32 PM
- Gary M. Levin said...
spitbitter.com is available (just a commentary to punctuate another of Sid's rants....
- Sid Schwab said...
Well now, see, there IS good news.
"The middle majority of voters really don't want to hear reality. They want politicians who give permission to look away."
Wow, your attitude towards your fellow man is pretty disturbing. The statement in quotes assumes that you know what is best for the voters. The average american voter may be as dumb as a brick, but your condescending attitude is quite frightening.
If you give into your desire to "make" the voters see your reality you will have created a tyranny.
I live in a part of the United States that is very conservative. In discussions with folks here I have many disagreements, but they have never shown me the condescending attutude you show in this post.
The more time I spend living around these "conservative" folks, I see things like courtesy, a genuine desire to help people around them, and strong motivation to have honest government.
Above all they don't whine about how bad things are, they work on fixing the problem. - 4/26/2008 2:36 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
faded: perhaps it's condescending, even whining. But isn't it true? Don't attack ads and negative campaigning work? Aren't people -- enough to swing elections -- distracted into voting based on such things as flag pins; is it not true that lots of voters think Obama is a Muslim? Doesn't Fox "news" still say he went to a madrassa? And isn't pointing out the problem a way of "working on fixing" it? Tyranny??!!! Did you even read what I said? I said we need to come together to solve our problems. That solutions would be distilled from the best ideas from all sides. If you see that as tyranny -- or worse, if these people whom you so admire do, too -- then it's even worse than I thought.
I would also note that if you read slate.com, they quite regularly point out how much more often Obama talks about saying things people don't want to hear versus actually saying them.
McCain actually went to Iowa and straight up told them that farm subsidies are BS and ethanol is BS. Unsurprisingly he got crushed in the Iowa primary. I challenge you to find one stance Obama has taken that is even remotely close to saying something so unpopular (yet true) to people's faces.
I don't think McCain would be a very good president just because he is temperamentally ill-suited for the job. But from a campaigning perspective, I will always take his actual willingness to take a hit over Obama's constant vague references to that one time back then when he told someone something that wasn't popular. - 4/26/2008 3:41 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
I don't disagree, except to the extent that McCain has backtracked on all the actually courageous stands he's taken: against torture, against cutting taxes in wartime, against hateful religious talk. And now, against campaigning on distortions and character attacks. I think some of his stuff is less "courageous" than it is having a loose tongue. But he indeed has stood out and up sometimes.
- Sid Schwab said...
faded, here's a fuller answer: In an interview in the New Yorker your "hard truths" question is addressed. In part, it says: "On the increasingly perilous subject of illegal immigration, Obama favors issuing state driver's licenses to undocumented workers, and tells voters, "We are not going to send twelve million people back home." When discussing his energy plan, Obama says, "You can't deal with global warming without, at least, on the front end, initially, seeing probably some spike in electricity prices," and on Social Security he proposes what is, in effect, a large tax hike. These issues all have one thing in common: Hillary Clinton's positions are artfully vague—aimed at surviving the general election—while Obama insists that it is more important to be forthcoming.
Obama proposes raising the ceiling on income that is subject to the payroll tax. As a political strategy, this appears to be a terrible idea. A potential crisis in the Social Security system is a long way off. Why, then, would a new President spend political capital on yet another tax hike when he will almost certainly seek to undo the Bush tax cuts for more immediate demands, like universal health care? When I asked Obama about this, he smiled and leaned forward, as if eager to explain that my premise was precisely the politically calibrated approach that he wanted to challenge. "What I think you're asserting is that it makes sense for us to continue hiding the ball," Obama said, "and not tell the American people the truth—"I interrupted: "Politically it makes sense—"
He finished the sentence: "—to not tell people what we really think?" - 4/26/2008 4:56 PM
If Hillary wins, there is no choice. She wants to "totally obliterate" Iran if they threaten any of our allies. And McCain wants to "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran", I guess just for the heck of it.
With a heavy heart, I believe them. - 4/26/2008 5:04 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
depressed: far be it from me to defend Hillary; but I believe her obliteration comment was for more than just threat. She said it in the context of a response to a nuclear attack by them. Still, it's a little sad that she thinks she needs to out right the right to get elected.
Are those really the best examples of Obama's willingness to tell people what they don't want to hear? A tax raise (that was already proposed by John Edwards before Obama) and expanding rights for illegal immigrants? In a Democratic primary? Next he'll be boldly telling us he supports unions and affirmative action or some other heresy. Granted, they may not go over well in a theoretical general election but they are red meat to the Democratic base.
Obama's campaign has gotten a great deal of mileage out of inspiring optimism in people. That's perfectly fine, but I get annoyed when he also tries to grab the mantle of contrarian guy willing to offend people if necessary by saying what they don't want to hear. There's just no evidence for it. - 4/26/2008 8:18 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
Well, there you have it. It's my opinion that it's self-evident that our politics is broken and unable to make the sort of decisions required to solve really serious problems. In my view there's only one politician saying that, and who might make an effort to govern inclusively, unwedded to the divisiveness that's gotten us to where we are. I'm pretty sure, it's our last chance to get it right, beyond which it'll be too late. And still, people are unwilling to take that chance. Vituperation, as usual, wins the day. Partisanship prevails. And so it goes. Whether he'd accomplish what he promises is far from certain. That people argue we don't need to reach for that sort of change means it may not be possible. Tubes, here we come.
- adventures in disaster said...
If America wants to survive it has to stop looking outside itself for a "leader" to solve it's problems.
Every problem that exists right now has a solution within every community. But if everyone keeps wandering around waiting for some mythical creature to rise up and show them the way it's doomed.
America doesn't need a great leader. America needs a good accountant with an ability to use logic. A guy who has mastered the english language and passed basic geography and history. Everything else can be hired out to a team of real experts. America needs a guy that can listen quietly and be able to move his or her position if change occurs. Yes..a dreaded flip flopper. A person who has the maturity to know when they are wrong and accept their mistakes and correct them quickly.
A person who has NO entrenched positions on anything ready to listen to experts and the electorate to make sound, logical choices.
But America doesn't want what it needs. It wants it's President to believe unwaveringly in what they believe despite all evidence that the belief is insane and disastrous.
Obama will be forced to find some entrenchment before the electorate will feel comfortable. Obama refuses to do this and worse he becomes petulant and arrogant when it is demanded. He isn't playing the game and he is paying for not playing. It is grotesque to watch you are right but Obama is not a babe in the woods here. He chose his persona and now he has to either sell it with everything he has or he can back down and recreate himself in the image the electorate finds palatable.
What is more important to you..that Obama loses the election because he wont bend or he plays let's pretend with the media and builds a fake Obama and gets elected?
I say do what you need to get the job. Once you are in you can remind everybody about who you are.
It's all a means to an end. Unpalatable to you? sure, but it may taste mighty good for the majority and it's the results that count here.
The global community doesn't have enough time left to fight these fights.
The US needs that accountant quickly before this shit gets any further out of hand and if some bsing is required who cares? - 4/26/2008 11:17 PM
- JP said...
I spent the day cooped up with a lobbyist. I learned a thing or two about a thing or two I thought I knew. Voters don't want direct honesty from their politicians, not like Obama delivers it -- that would lead to us doing the real work of democracy and getting this country back on track (who has time for that?).
Dr. Schwab hit it square. We need nothing short of a sea change. But I do believe there is always hope, which can surprise. - 4/26/2008 11:41 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
disaster: I agree that intellect and intellectual approach is far more important in a president than any political starting point. I was with you until the last third. We have a president who said he was one thing to get elected... uniter, compassionate. I think it's up to the voters. Obama is saying what his goal is: to change how politics is done, and why, and how. If the voters reject it, well then, so be it. Our kids will grow up (if they have a chance) weighted down in debt, polluted, and dumb.
- Ros said...
Your faith in Obama's intentions is the last bit of grip you hold on hope. Let it go and come all the way to the dark side. (You have to hear that in a Vader voice)
See, I pretend to celebrate the growth of cynicism because otherwise the spread of crushing hopelessness would just be another way for the poliical machine to control us. And if disbelief in the process actually helps sustain the process... then we've plumbed the depths of futility.
You have to take a step back, though, and see this as our place in the pattern of human civilization. Apex nations before us have gone this route too, we're just the latest to push the envelope of wealth and ignorance. It would be pleasant to believe that American the Great(!) could break the cycle, but it would also be staggeringly arrogant.
Trying to boil down my thoughts on old government comes to something like this:
The further a people are from the work that actually sustains their existence the less competent they become to judge their individual or collective good.
We are so very isolated from the things that allow us to live that we let the waging of an unimaginably expensive and distant war become a convincing 'need.' The same applies to 'single payer' health care, and the cheapest gas in the western world being 'too expensive,' and, well, all the claims we're sold as political goals.
Ugh, I think I've written enough. Your political rants have a way of stirring the same old bad feelings that had me writing a blog so long ago. ;) - 4/27/2008 9:44 AM
- Sid Schwab said...
Ros: very well said and provocative.
This is an important essay. I don't find much wanting in the logic and argument. One feature that hasn't much been bandied about in political discussions is how the vulnerable have been criminalized and so made impotent to help affect change. Over 50% of all inpatient psychiatric care is delivered in prisons. Over 1/2 of the prison population has one or more diagnoses of mental illness, and when diagnoses of substance abuse and addictions are added, I think the percentage goes up to around 75%.
We shifted over the past thirty years to a regulated free market to a Dickens regulatory free free market, and the robber barons glitter as never before, while people literally starve to death or die preventable deaths. The homeless are regulated out of existence until by virtue of their homeless state, end up charged with crimes and punished for being without shelter.
The candidate to spoke most closely to this, I think, may have been John Edwards. But his populist approach didn't garner him the financial underwriting he needed in order to compete with the leading candidates.
And one think which strikes me is that the Democratic party has no mission and vision statements. I gather it tries to imply that it represents everyone and everything, but in reality, it doesn't do enough to impart the core raison d'etre to rally people around and to garner loyalty and action.
So there are the unaffiliated and independents who outnumber the members of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Those are the people who are seeking someone with a compelling message, with integrity and with the resources to be able to affect change to meet their needs.
Instead, the two parties continue to undercut each other and play games while real people suffer the consequences. Ergo, cynicism rules.
My own small foray into politics has been to learn how the parties truly spurn policy wonks in favor of how messages are spun relative to their fundraising ability. I can write about substantive policy and issues til the cows come home, and no one reads, no one comments - no one acts.
But those sound bites that stab at the candidates garner the eyeballs, the discussion and the dollars. Who can compete with entertainment? It tastes so good - just like junk food.
Two excellent opiners on this subject are Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com and Scott Horton at Harpers.com (he's not blogging as frequently, but he also guests on the Balkinization blog, and he makes frequent media appearances). - 4/29/2008 11:04 AM
- Sid Schwab said...
annie: I think your analysis is right on; and there's depressingly little difference between the parties, in terms of dealing in distraction and diversion. It's beyond amazing, how little ink is used on real issues, and how much on the media-created trivia. That there is a wide unaffiliated middle ought to be encouraging; but it seems that even in that zone, such things as lapel pins and pastors paranoia take deeper root than reality does. Which is why I see no hope. As a nation we've been fed and have eaten shit for so long that it tastes like chicken.
It truly doesn't taste like chicken. ;^}
Sorry for all the typos - fingers, eyes and brain all on different channels today.
Any whales frolicking out and about your way? - 4/29/2008 3:20 PM
It may be a little late to comment, but I feel very similarly about there being little hope. I found this blog by typing "There's no hope" into google. I barely realized I was doing it, but I'm glad I did. I remember the night Obama was elected. After the speeches my friend and I walked outside. It was very foggy in the street, and I distinctly remember feeling hopeful, like there had been a dark cloud over my view of the future for the past eight years. But now that's over. The weird thing is that I didn't really realize how bad it wast till it was gone.
It seems that GB3 will go down as the worst president ever. But make no mistake, there will be another horrible president, or terrorist act, or collapse of resources. That's the way history has always gone. It's always been about to collapse. The people that guarantee it doesn't are all those unremarkable people who go about their regular jobs everyday, doing their work and being fair and kind.
The world has scraped by disaster again and again, and sometimes even hit it head first. The earth has survived, and humans have adapted to many trying circumstances. Sure, the modern times hold scary prospects, but ultimately people move on, hoping things get better. And we continue everyday. - 12/19/2008 9:59 PM
- Hans Pcguy said...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
If there is a God, shouldn't we trust in him? - 8/25/2009 5:48 AM
- Hans Pcguy said...
In reply to Sids comment:
I think that there is an important difference between not believing that there is a God and being bitter with the one responsible for life.
I am reminded of the Sargent in the movie Forest Gump. When he was in the hurricane, in the crow's nest of the ship, shaking his fist at God and ranting against him for the sufferings he had to endure. - 8/25/2009 7:04 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
I didn't mean for this post to promote a religious discussion. But I will add this: I don't blame anyone but ourselves for our failures. It's not possible to be bitter with someone who doesn't exist.
- Sky Minor said...
Sid, I'm curious as to your take on Gov't bailouts.
Also, now that we are 1+ year into Obama's tenure and most of your predictions ended up being spot on, how do you think we can save ourselves? I don't mean collectively, as a nation we're finished but I mean as individuals. - 12/29/2009 10:15 AM
- Sid Schwab said...
Sky, I'm no economist, as I've said here. I'm convinced, mainly because economists I respect like Krugman and Stiglitz think it was necessary. Especially the stimulus money. It's interesting that much of the bank bailout money is being repaid, putting the lie to the right-wing nonsense that it was a government takeover. (And, of course, the TARP was begun under Bush.) I find it amazing that the banks have, evidently, not got much of a message and that those that received gov't funds gave out such huge bonuses. But I'm persuaded the essential idea was necessary.
As to saving ourselves as individuals: I suppose one can look at it all as great theater and that we are uniquely able to witness the collapse of an empire and ponder it. I console myself with the idea that when it gets bad enough all it'll take is a hose from my tailpipe into my car, a bottle of good gin, and a nice playlist on my iPod. Alternatively, I think about spending my money on fun stuff until it's gone (or down to some minimum amount to leave behind for those left behind) before I take the hose cure.
I suppose I'm not really that morbid. But I am convinced that we are now an ungovernable nation and that by the time people might get around to electing representatives that are both intelligent and willing to work toward solutions, it'll be too late. In fact, by definition, if they do, it'll be because it's already too late. - 12/29/2009 8:50 PM
- gigi said...
Regarding religion and your comment on magical beliefs....I understand that a person that has not accepted faith can view beliefs as "magical" or a blind eye to what is really happening. But to understand religion and faith is freeing.
How is your worrying about everythinig helping anything. Not every situation is for you to figure out. There are lessons and paths that others are on that are growing their souls and you are losing your soul in taking on too much.
I would suggest that you find faith and believe that the universe has a plan, of course we do not understnd it and that is frightening but it is the right plan.
Things are frightening when you feel you can't control them but who says it is you who has to control them.
Maybe you should not listen to the news for a while and just look at what is good in your own life on a small scale. Marvel at how birds fly, how our bodies work, how everything is just vibrating energy and when a negative thought comes in your head, kick it out and believe that it will all work out. Just believe that it always does.
Start looking at the positives and be grateful for them rather than letting your ego run wild trying to control everything....
Or, continue to think like you do and drive yourself crazy. - 11/07/2010 8:55 AM
- Sid Schwab said...
Right. Just believe in magic and forget about reality. It'd be fine if I could do it. I prefer to live in the world as it is; I marvel at the beauty, too. I love thinking about how birds evolved, how the universe works. I get much more thrill out of that than I would if I believed in some sort of magic guy in the sky, for which there's no evidence.
It's a gift to be alive, and I love everything about it; except the extent to which deluded people keep screwing it up, mostly in the name of their religious beliefs. - 11/07/2010 10:10 AM
- Hans Pcguy said...
Robert Browning
Pippa's Song
THE year 's at the spring,
And day 's at the morn;
Morning 's at seven;
The hill-side 's dew-pearl'd;
The lark 's on the wing;
The snail 's on the thorn;
God 's in His heaven—
All 's right with the world! - 11/07/2010 1:07 PM
- Sid Schwab said...
To me, the poem is lovely, and makes as much (if not more) sense without the penultimate line.
Moving this post to the head of the list, I present a recently expanded sampling of what this blog has been about. Occasional rant aside, i...
In no way is it false modesty to say that physicians are not healers. At best, what we do is to grease the way, to make conditions as favora...
Finally I'm getting around to writing about the gallbladder. Don't know what took me so long, seeing as how, next to hernias it'...
I finished the previous post with the sad story of my patient, illustrating diagnostic difficulties at the fringes of biliary disease. An...


text:
In the midst of Alexandrias projected $10.5 million shortfall for the current fiscal year and the single largest enrollment increase in the state, the budget that Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Morton Sherman and his staff presented to the school board on January 8 represents a marked break from the past.
The final tally of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2010 $197.24 million is $1.76 million (0.9 percent) less than the schools budget for FY 2009.
In very difficult [economic] times we dont have anything except good things to say about what we tried to do for kids, Sherman said during his presentation to the Board. It is a good budget for our children and at the same time we believe its a fair budget for our staff.
The difficult times to which Sherman refers are clear, as are the consequences for Alexandrias schools. The economy is noticeably more difficult now than it was in late summer when Sherman took over as superintendent and the budget process began in earnest.
Along with the citys expected $10.5 million shortfall, Governor Tim Kaines recommended budget includes cutting direct K-12 spending by more than $360 million, which is expected to mean a $3.03 million drop in funds for ACPS, according to the budget document.
While Alexandria is being asked to appropriate $165.48 million (83.9 percent) of the budget, this too is a decrease from FY 2009 to the tune of $2.47 million (1.5 percent). This is yet another break from the recent past, during which the citys appropriation grew at a rate of about 4.5 percent each year, according to the budget document.
That figure of $3.03 million, projected within the budget by ACPS staff, is a more substantial drop than the state has forecasted. The state projected that it will be able to provide just over $1.7 million more than ACPS has budgeted for, said Margaret Byess, ACPS executive director of Financial Services, during the January 13 budget work session.
The philosophy we took with the budget was the most conservative approach we could possibly take, so that were not overestimating on any of these accounts, Sherman said at a work session. Were taking such a conservative approach that it might lead to better news Id rather be in a position where we have to come back to you and say, You know, we have an extra 10 cents we can invest somewhere.
Keeping with this conservative approach, ACPS budget officials cut $20.96 million, just over 10 percent of the FY 2009 budget, and reallocated it to fund increases of $19.21 million.
When you talk about reprogramming $20.9 million, that is a huge level of change, Byess said.
The net loss of staff under these circumstances is a little more than 79 full-time positions of this number, 61 full-time employees come from contracting out the custodial services for all secondary schools and the night custodial services for all elementary schools. Staff salaries and benefits make up nearly 85 percent of the budget.
The custodial contract that were considering provides a guarantee of employment for custodians who are leaving ACPS because of the transition, Byess said during the Jan. 8 budget presentation.
In addition to a net reduction in staffing, savings budget officials realized savings by foregoing a market rate pay increase for all employees and proposing a step increase (pay raises based upon increases in professional development and length of employment) halfway into the contract year, rather than for the entire year, according to Shermans budget message.
Instead, the school system saves $14 million by not maintaining the standard adjustments for salary and enrollment increases, Sherman said.
All employees every single one, including me are affected here; there is an impact upon each of us, Sherman said. Going into this, we are suggesting that every employee refrains from getting any raise starting July 1, and every single one of us would give of our own salaries and further, there would be an impact on nearly all of us in terms of benefits.
Other large savings came through reducing contract lengths for certain positions (roughly $0.5 million), increasing co-payments for health care services ($0.37 million) and reducing certain technology service costs ($0.5 million), according to the budget.
While the surge in enrollment lowers the average cost per student in the school system, more instructors are required to maintain the desired class sizes. To accommodate for the 10 percent growth in the student population during the last two years and the expected growth in the next year, the budget increases accordingly by $5.1 million and 70 new positions, Byess said.
During the question and answer period following his presentation, Sherman provided a visual model that expanded upon how the guiding principles keeping students and student-teacher relationship at the core they adopted to prepare the budget affect people system-wide.
There are different levels of impact, but its also the guiding principle that the core of a school division is about teachers and kids in the classroom, Sherman said. The rest of us, concentric circles going out from that core, are affected differently or more severely.
We tried hard in this budget to protect that core principle: its about teachers and children.


text:
After a day's worth of heavy news from Egypt, let's take a quick break with something completely different.
Wednesday in Toledo, a sinkhole opened up under driver Pamela Knox's Chevy Malibu, and the aftermath of the vehicle's drop beneath the ground produced some impressive videos.
Fortunately, the 60-year-old Knox wasn't injured. Firefighters were able to get a ladder down to her and with their help she climbed out. Knox tells Toledo's WTVG-TV that:
"It was just hard to believe that this was actually happening to me. ... As the car was falling, I just kept calling on the name of Jesus. I just kept saying 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.' "
She calls the firefighters, "my guardian angels."
Her story thankfully ends much better than that of the Florida man we posted about back in March: " Florida Sinkhole So Dangerous Rescuers Can't Search For Missing Man."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
NFL Wild Card Weekend: I'm going to do a stand-alone post so we can talk specifically about the four Wild Card games, but it's nice to get back to the NFL Playoffs, because it felt like the last few weeks of the regular season dragged a little bit. But it's here. Settle in.
NFL Coaching Mania!
The Good Tale: Cowher resigns from Steelers. He was defined by his longevity first, then his Super Bowl title last season that vaulted him from merely "stable" to "champ."
Cowher's career trajectory is easy to project: A year off, working on TV, making bank and enhancing his mystique. Then, before the 2008 season, he'll get a huge offer from Dan Snyder to replace the retiring Joe Gibbs.
(Question: Why does Cowher's exodus from Pittsburgh get spun as "retirement" and not the more accurate "resignation?" Does anyone actually think he's really retiring from coaching for good? Compare that to Art Shell below -- "resigning" or Nick Saban below -- "quitting." Both could have generously been described as "retiring" from NFL coaching. Of course, the media wasn't in the mood to be generous with either, but apparently, Cowher gets that treatment.)
And what about the Steelers? This is coaching upheaval they haven't experienced in two decades. Team Rooney seems stodgy and cootish enough to simply elevate longtime assistant Ken Wisenhunt (who will apply not-so-subtle pressure by expressing interest in a few of the other coaching jobs, including the newly open Dolphins job).
The Bad Tale: Shell resigns from Raiders. You have to figure his coaching career is over. More pressing for
And then there's the Horrifying Tale, at least if you listen to the media's ongoing campaign to destroy Nick Saban. Ooh: Haven't you heard? He's EVIL! He's a LIAR! He's a QUITTER! Dan LeBatard said so! Don Shula said so! As I said yesterday: I just can't dredge up the outrage on this one. You'd think these esteemed critics had never dealt with coaches before. I'd always classify him more accurately as a college coach who had skills to coach in the NFL, rather than an NFL coach who had the skills to coaching in college. It's not like he left for another NFL job.
LaDainian Tomlinson is NFL MVP: This was a no-brainer. The only question is whether it will go down as the greatest season of all time. He'll need a Super Bowl title – with a gaudy performance – to seal it.
Jason Taylor is NFL Defensive P.O.Y.: Everyone knows that Shawne Merriman is the best defensive player in the NFL. The only reason he didn't win is that stodgy and cootish AP voters discounted his play because of the pesky 4-game suspension for steroids.
(These are undoubtedly some of the same fools who regularly picked someone other than Michael Jordan as NBA MVP. And, yes, that's two references to "stodgy and cootish.")
BCS Title Game: Have you (a) admired, (b) appreciated or (c) regretted my restraint in not maniacally analyzing the upcoming BCS Title Game? I'm sort of freaking out about it, because I'm convinced you're going to see the upset of the year, but I don't actually want to say that out loud (or write it down).
I'm going to create a separate post so we can break the game down. But aside from that, if anything, the wait between Jan. 1's bowl mania and this Jan. 8 title game seems WAAAAAAY too long – even endless. And not because I'm a fan of one of the teams, but because it just doesn't fit the rhythm of the CFB season.
Meanwhile, where do you stand in our College Bowl Mania pick 'em group? (I'm tied for 93rd. Why didn't I put all my "confidence" points on LSU whupping ND?! D'oh!)
NBA: Mavs win 12th straight. But I'm far more concerned about Gilbert Arenas' 25th birthday party, happening tomorrow night. NBA social event of the season! (Well, aside from the parties at the Vegas ASG.)
College Hoops Parity Watch: The non-conference season's parity trend should be magnified during conference season. Examples:
MLB Hot Stove: Randy Johnson to Arizona is a done deal, which should make Roger Clemens to the Yankees a done-deal, too. Meanwhile, the Yankees signed Doug Mientkiewicz, which begs the question of which player will get booed most when the Yankees visit
LeBron needs a theme song: At least, for his Sprite TV commercials. But I think it's much more fun to hear your suggestions of what real-life songs might best define LeBron. (Extra points for cleverness and/or Top 40 references. Now, open up that iTunes Top 100 songs list.)
The Bloggie Awards, Cont'd. Only a few days left. Have you joined the grassroots campaign of the year to nominate this blog for "Best Sports Blog?" (You have? Great! Nominate early and often.) Here's the link to the Bloggie Awards page, and here's a link to the original post about it.


text:
We've got a fabulous new sponsor, Fat Quarter Shop. As if you haven't heard of them, they're so great! It's one of my go-to places, especially if I am wanting something specific, because they have everything!! They have so many designers and fabric lines, it really is a destination place for fabric!!
They also have a fabulous blog, the Jolly Jabber where they have a lot of quilting tips, latest fabric deals, contests and giveaways.
Today they've got a giveaway just for us!! Check it:
- comment on what you would use the fabric for should you win
- become a follower, or tell us you already are :)
- "like" Fat Quarter Shop on facebook
- "like" QuiltStory on facebook


text:
The Artist of Disappearance
Chatto & Windus
Anita Desai needs no introduction. As one of contemporary literature's pre-eminent figures and with three of her books having been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Desai's latest collection comes as a welcome addition to her oeuvre.
The Artist of Disappearance is a triptych of novellas. Set in modern India, the three novellas refer to shadows of the past, drawing on India's recent history as a backdrop. The first story, The Museum of Final Journeys, sees an aloof and unnamed government official called in to inspect a faded mansion; he finds it holds many surprises. The second novella, Translator, Translated, sees the lives of two old friends merge, as the lines between writer and translator are blurred. The third story, The Artist of Disappearance, sees Ravi living hermit-like in the Himalayan Mountains. When his solitude is interrupted by a film crew from Delhi, he withdraws even further.
Desai creates distinct characters, and her intricate style makes work that is not only fascinating for its context, but also captivating through its use of language.
Shirley Stevenson


text:
TV Picture & Screen FAQ
For assistance with the picture and screen settings and troubleshooting, please select a topic from the list below:
IMPORTANT: For any model-specific information regarding any of the steps in these solutions, refer to the supplied operations manual. Manuals are posted on your model support page.
Color and Distortion
Lines on Screen
- My TV has lines on the screen, blurred picture, double images, or odd colors
- Black bars appear on the top, bottom, and sides of the picture
No Picture
- My TV has no picture, no power, or the LED light blinks/flashes red
- No picture when I use an HDMI connection
- Unable to display a picture from a computer that is connected to the HDMI input of the TV
- There is no picture on the television from the Audio/Video stereo system.


text:
We need a single set of accounting standard for the public sector too to restore public trust, says ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) welcomes the recent European Commission's report and staff working document on the suitability of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) for the Member States, but calls on further governance steps to be undertaken
The crisis has demonstrated the urgent need for governments to be more open, accountable and transparent regarding their financial stability. As a matter of urgency, member states should be seeking to publish financial reports which are accruals based, reliable, consistent and timely.
ACCA supports the view that the long-term financial sustainability of public finances, based on the right long-term growth model, will play a critical role both economic recovery and preventing future crises. This improved economic governance goal should therefore be tackled more effectively.
A concrete way of achieving this could be to require member states to produce government financial statements that consistently comply with international accounting standards, such as IPSASs, and which would complement current national accounts in setting out their economic and fiscal positions based on statistical measures and forecasts.
Gillian Fawcett, head of public sector at ACCA, says: 'The continuing sovereign debt crisis further fuels the need for harmonizing accounting standards for member states.'
Gillian Fawcett explains: 'The current diversity in financial reporting practice in the public sector is unhelpful. It is thus critical that all member states are capable of publishing a balance-sheet based on a consistent set of accounting standards to re-establish public trust, which has been seriously damaged. In that spirit, we strongly welcome the European Commission's report on implementing across the EU a harmonised set of accounting standards using current international public sector accounting standards as a reference point. Accruals accounting is essential for promoting transparency, accountability and openness, as well as providing complementary information to existing statistically based national accounts.'
Gillian Fawcett stresses: 'ACCA is disappointed at the low response rate from key bodies to DG EUROSTAT's initial consultation aiming to assess the suitability of the IPSAS for EU Member States. We however fully endorse the newly published report's recommendation that further project and governance steps should be undertaken before any final decision is made to progress the development of a potential harmonised European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS) framework .'
'As a global accountancy body, we also think that it is important that any future work is closely co-ordinated with IPSASB (the International Public Sector Accounting Board), so as not to re-invent the wheel in setting up structures that are already in place and well recognised. We look forward to contributing to the debate,' Gillian Fawcett concludes.
- Download The suitability of IPSAS for the Member States - Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament; and The suitability of IPSAS for the Member States - Commission Staff Working Document via the 'Related Links' section to the left of this article.
- Eurostat is hosting a conference on implementing European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS) in EU Member States on the 29/30 May 2013 in Brussels.


text: Why Do People Need Braces? Braces are a common and almost expected part of growing up (and many adults get braces, too). To better understand why braces and other orthodontic devices are needed, it helps to talk a bit about the teeth first. As you made your way through childhood, your "baby" teeth fell out one by one, to be replaced by permanent, adult teeth. Although some people's adult teeth grow in at the right angle and with the right spacing, many people's teeth don't. Some teeth may grow in crooked or overlapping. In other people, some teeth may grow in rotated or twisted. Some people's mouths are too small, and this crowds the teeth and causes them to shift into crooked positions. And in some cases, a person's upper jaw and lower jaw aren't the same size. When the lower half of the jaw is too small, it makes the upper jaw hang over when the jaw is shut, resulting in a condition called an overbite. When the opposite happens (the lower half of the jaw is larger than the upper half), it's called an underbite. All of these different types of disorders go by one medical name: malocclusion. This word comes from Latin and means "bad bite." In most cases, a "bad bite" isn't anyone's fault; crooked teeth, overbites, and underbites are often inherited traits, just like brown eyes or big feet are inherited traits. In some cases, things like dental disease, early loss of baby or adult teeth, some types of medical problems, an accident, or a habit like prolonged thumb sucking can cause the disorders. Malocclusion can be a problem because it interferes with proper chewing — crooked teeth that aren't aligned properly don't work as well as straight ones. Because chewing is the first part of eating and digestion, it's important that teeth can do the job. Teeth that aren't aligned correctly can also be harder to brush and keep clean, which can lead to tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. And finally, many people who have crooked teeth may feel self-conscious about how they look; braces can help them feel better about their smile and entire appearance. If a dentist suspects that someone needs braces or other corrective devices, he or she will refer the patient to an orthodontist. Orthodontists are dentists who have special training in the diagnosis and treatment of misaligned teeth and jaws. Most regular dentists can tell if teeth will be misaligned once a patient's adult teeth begin to come in — sometimes as early as age 6 or 7 — and the orthodontist may recommend interceptive treatment therapy. (Interceptive treatment therapy involves the wearing of appliances to influence facial growth and help teeth grow in better, and helps prevent more serious problems from developing.) In many cases, the patient won't be referred to an orthodontist until closer to the teen years. Diagnosis Before giving someone braces, the orthodontist needs to diagnose what the problem is. This means making use of several different methods, including X-rays, photographs, impressions, models, and computers. The X-rays give the orthodontist a good idea of where the teeth are positioned and if any more teeth have yet to come through the gums. Special X-rays that are taken from 360 degrees around the head may also be ordered; this type of X-ray shows the relationships of the teeth to the jaws and the jaws to the head. The orthodontist may also take regular photographs of the patient's face to better understand these relationships. And finally, the orthodontist may need an impression made of the patient's teeth. This is done by having the patient bite down on a soft material that is used later to form an exact model of the teeth. Treatment Once a diagnosis is made, the orthodontist can then decide on the right kind of treatment. In some cases, a removable retainer will be all that's necessary. In other rare cases (especially when there is an extreme overbite or underbite), an operation will be necessary. But in most cases, the answer is braces. Braces straighten teeth because they do two very important things: stay in place for an extended amount of time, and exert steady pressure. It's this combination that allows braces to successfully change the position of teeth in a patient's mouth, through periodic adjustments by the orthodontist. Different Types of Braces An orthodontist can outfit patients with a few different kinds of braces. Some are made of lightweight metal and go around each tooth, while other metal ones are attached to the outside surfaces of the teeth with special glue. Clear braces can be attached to the outside surfaces of the teeth, as can ceramic ones that are the same color as teeth. Some patients can get newer "mini-braces," which are much smaller, or "invisible braces," which are affixed to the inside surfaces of the teeth. In many cases, patients can choose which kind they want. A recent addition to treatment options, braceless orthodontics, uses a series of clear removable appliances that are custom made and worn for specified amounts of time. These appliances exert pressure on the malpositioned teeth and move them gradually into their correct position. How long each appliance in the series must be worn depends on the individual treatment plan the dentist or orthodontist creates. These appliances and the treatment plan are computer generated from the models of the teeth taken. Your dentist or orthodontist must decide if you are a candidate for this type of treatment since it is not right for everyone. Correcting the position of the teeth often takes anywhere from 6 months to 2 or 3 years with any of the methods. With braces, after the amount of time needed for correction has been established for the patient, the orthodontist must work on the other part of the treatment: making sure the braces exert steady pressure. To achieve this, the patient must come for regular visits, usually once a month or so. During the visits, the orthodontist attaches wires, springs, or rubber bands to the braces in order to create more tension and pressure on the teeth. Sometimes the rubber bands will connect certain teeth to one another to create a kind of opposing tension. With some teens, the orthodontist may decide that extra tension is needed outside the mouth if braces alone aren't enough to straighten the teeth or shift the jaw. In such cases, a patient may need to wear head or neck gear with wires that attach inside the mouth and elastic that attaches the gear to the head. Many times, someone will only need to wear this type of gear while sleeping or in the evening, while at home. It may take a while, but with the right combination and timing of wires, springs, rubber bands, and sometimes head gear, the teeth will slowly but surely move into their correct positions. Some of the adjustments can make your mouth feel a bit sore or uncomfortable because the tension tends to make itself felt in more places than your teeth. Most of the time, taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help relieve the pain. If you always have a lot of pain after your braces are adjusted, talk to your orthodontist about it; he or she may able to make the adjustments a bit differently. Caring for Teeth With Braces Your orthodontist will make sure that you know how to take special care of your teeth while your braces are on. Braces, wires, springs, rubber bands, and other appliances can act like magnets for food and plaque, which can leave permanent stains on the teeth if not brushed away. Most orthodontists recommend brushing after meals with fluoride toothpaste and taking special care to remove food stuck in braces. Some orthodontists will also prescribe or recommend a fluoride mouthwash, which can get into places in a mouth with braces that a toothbrush can't. Some people with braces find that they are more prone to canker sores (from the braces hitting the inside surface of the mouth). If this happens, an orthodontist may recommend an over-the-counter medicine that can be placed directly on the canker sore to help heal it. Wax can sometimes be applied to wires or braces that are causing irritation. Faces After Braces After what can seem like a long time to someone who has braces, the magic day finally comes: the orthodontist takes the braces off! After your teeth are cleaned thoroughly, the orthodontist may actually want to repeat the process of taking X-rays and impressions of the teeth. This allows the orthodontist to really check the work, and in the case of X-rays, see if wisdom teeth are now visible. In some cases, an orthodontist may recommend that a patient have wisdom teeth removed if they do not appear to be coming in correctly after the braces have been removed. The reason? The wisdom teeth may cause the newly straightened teeth to shift and move in the mouth. Wisdom teeth that are not coming in correctly can also become painful, infected, or cause damage to nearby teeth. And speaking of teeth shifting and moving, a very important part of orthodontic treatment is retention, or keeping the teeth in their new place. The truth is that most teens, after wearing braces and going for adjustments for up to 2 years or longer, don't want anything to do with the orthodontist or having appliances in their mouths. But even though the teeth have been successfully moved, they are still not completely stable — they need to settle in their corrected positions until the bones, gums, and muscles adapt to the change. This is usually accomplished with the use of retainers, which work by retaining the straight position of the teeth. Some retainers are made of clear plastic and metal wires that cover the outside surface of the teeth, whereas others are made of rubber. Most retainers need to be worn all the time for the first 6 months, then usually only during sleeping. How long a retainer must be worn depends on the patient — one person might wear it for a few months, while another might have to wear it for several years. Whatever the timeframe, retainers are very important; without them, the teeth could shift back into their old, crooked positions, making all the orthodontist's work and your years of patience useless! The most important things to remember when you're feeling frustrated about having a face full of braces? That during every school photo where you can't be persuaded to open your mouth because of your braces, there are millions of other people experiencing the same thing. And that no matter what, your braces will come off eventually — and you'll be left with a wonderful, straight smile. Back to Articles Related Articles Taking Care of Your Teeth There's a lot more to taking care of your teeth than breath mints and mouth sprays. Read this article to learn the facts on flossing, how to give plaque the brush-off, and much more. Read More Gum Disease Gum disease doesn't just happen to people your grandparents' age - it can happen to teens too. Get the details here. Read More What Causes Bad Breath? Bad breath, or halitosis, can be a major problem, especially when you're about to snuggle with your sweetie or whisper a joke to your friend. The good news is that bad breath often can be easily prevented. Read More Mouth and Teeth Did you know that your mouth is the first step in the body's digestive process? Or that the mouth and teeth are essential for speech? Learn about the many roles your mouth and teeth play. Read More What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth? Find out what the experts have to say. Read More Canker Sores Canker sores are fairly common, and they usually go away on their own without treatment. Read this article for teens to find out more, including tips on what to do about the pain. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.


text:
Pack Your Lunch
Posted by:Caution: Please do not share your lunch or snack food. Another student may have a food allergy .
Most schools are trying hard to upgrade their lunch programs and offer the best food they can. But not every school cafeteria provides appealing, healthy lunch choices. Educate yourself when it comes to what your cafeteria has to offer. For example, did you know chicken nuggets have more fat and calories than a plain burger?
Even if your school provides healthy options, it can be too easy to give in to temptation and pick a less healthy choice when you're feeling really hungry. How do you take control? Take a packed lunch to school!
Here are the top 5 reasons to pack your lunch — and snacks — at least twice a week: A word of caution: please don't share your food from home with your friends-they may have an allergy and you don't want to cause them harm. In this case it's ok to say no.
1. Control. Do you ever wait in the lunch line only to find when you get to the front that you don't like what they're serving? So you reach for pizza again. A healthy packed lunch lets you avoid the lunch line (and any temptations). Bringing your own lunch also lets you control exactly what goes into the food you eat.
2. Variety. It doesn't hurt to cave in and enjoy the occasional serving of pizza and hot dogs. But if you're eating these foods all the time, your body probably feels ready for a change. A packed lunch a couple of times a week means you can enjoy some favorites that you might not find at every school — like a piping hot thermos of your mom's chicken soup; hummus and pita bread; or some crisp, farm-stand apples.
3. Energy. If you have a big game or activity after school, plan a lunch and snacks that combine lean proteins with carbohydrates to give you lasting energy and keep you going through the late afternoon. Some ideas: your own "trail" mix of dried fruit and nuts or sunflower seeds, whole-grain pretzels and low-fat cheese, or a bagful of baby carrots and yogurt dip.
4. Cold hard cash. Pack healthy snacks so you don't feel tempted to step off campus for a fast-food lunch, or hit the vending machine or corner store for chocolate and a soda! Put the money you save on such snacks aside.
5. That warm and fuzzy feeling. Remember when your mom or dad used to pack your lunch?
Pack yourself a retro lunch featuring healthy versions of your old faves — such as PB&J on whole-wheat bread.
Whether you pack or eat in the cafeteria, what's important is that you make healthy choices. If you're concerned that your cafeteria doesn't offer enough healthy choices, get involved in trying to make changes. Ask a teacher or someone in food service for advice on how to get started.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD


text:
Mardi Gras is next week already and while I may not be attending it is a great excuse to enjoy some Southern cooking! That being said it was the perfect time to pull out this recipe for blackened shrimp mashed sweet potatoes with andouille cream that I came across on Our Life in Food a not too long ago and was saving for a special occasion. Andouille sausage is an amazing ingredient in Southern cuisine and I have been into it ever since I came across it! The andouille cream or gravy in this recipe sounded absolutely delightful and combine that with the tasty blackened shrimp and you have a complete winner! Normally I would think that the andouille cream and blackened shrimp would be served on grits but I liked the idea of serving them on the creamy mashed sweet potatoes like this. The only thing that was missing was some vegetables and I went for some winter greens in the form of blanched kale for a complete tasty meal in one bowl.
Blackened Shrimp on Kale and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Andouille Cream
Spicy blackened shrimp served on blanched kale and mashed sweet potatoes all smothered in a tasty andouille cream.
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 andouille sausage, diced
- 2 tablespoons onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons bell pepper, diced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup white wine or broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deviened
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- Bake the sweet potatoes in a preheated 400F/200C oven until tender, about an hour.
- Scoop out the inside and mash in the butter and cinnamon and set aside.
- About a half an hour in, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about half a minute.
- Add the wine and deglaze the pan.
- Add the cream and creole seasoning and simmer to reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
- Mix in the butter, remove from heat and set aside.
- Toss the shrimp in the oil and the creole seasoning to coat.
- Melt the butter in another pan over medium heat-high heat.
- Add the shrimp and saute until cooked, about 1-3 minutes per side and set aside.
- Blanch the kale in boiling water until tender, about 2-3 minutes and drain.
- Divide the sweet mashed potatoes across four plates and top with the kale, shrimp and andouille cream and garnish with parsley.
Shrimp and Andouille Grits
Fresh Pea Risotto with Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Shrimp and Okra Gumbo
Fried Green Tomato and Shrimp Remoulade Po Boy
Fried Green Tomato BLT with Shrimp Remoulade
Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Blackened Salmon with Avocado Salsa
Blackened Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Bites
Seared Scallops in a Cajun Mustard Cream Sauce
Cajun Shrimp and Andouille Cheese Dip
Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Easy Mashed Potatoes
Horseradish Mashed Parsnips and Celery Root
Salt and Vinegar Mashed Potatoes


text:
For whatever reason the thought of attending a class reunion can turn even the most sensible woman into a bundle of nerves. Will an old flame turn up? How can I lose 10 pounds in two weeks? What will I wear? And should I book a hair and Botox appointment on the same day?
Mercifully none of these options are considered by "The Dixie Swim Club," whose reunion is an all-girl affair in this rollicking bit of sitcom fun from Port City Playhouse.
Faithfully returning to a modest cottage on North Carolina's Outer Banks, five former swim team members make an annual pilgrimage to recapture their glory days. And though one of the ladies prefers to vamp for men at the fruit stand, swapping tattoo views for blueberries, the women are mostly there to rekindle their friendships.
Sheree Hollinger (Tina Anderson) is the group's ex officio life coach, a no-nonsense drill sergeant cum cheerleader with a knack for organizing and a penchant for bizarre health food munchies. Her diet is much to the horror of cohort Lexie Richards (Barbara Hayes), an endearing mantrap dripping with Southern charm and sass. She calls Sheree's seaweed rolls with bean paste, goji berries and heron oil "regurgitated ferret food." A self-acknowledged proponent of three-year marriages and facelifts, she cycles through spouses like a knife through butter.
"The trouble with husbands," she admonishes, "is they always say they'll die for you … but they never do!"
Her counterpoint, Dinah Grayson (Kacie Greenwood), a spine-straight Atlanta corporate lawyer, prefers the boardroom to the bedroom and martinis to men.
Jeri Neal McFeeley (Laura Champe Mitchell), who "genuflects at the sight of Miracle Whip," is a nun reaching out for a second chance at life outside the convent. Her polar opposite is the wisecracking Vernadette Simms (Gayle Nichols-Grimes), the accident-prone, perpetually unemployed housewife. "Vern" can be counted on to update the ladies with annual reports on her children's incarcerations and sermons on the joys of biscuit baking.
The humorous yet sweetly sentimental play — by the veteran comedy writing team of Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten (you'll love the comic slugfest if you're a fan of Wooten's long-running series "The Golden Girls" — covers three decades of the women's personal triumphs and failures, marking time with cocktail-fueled weekends of swill-and-tell.
The entire cast is up for the snappy repartee. Nichols-Grimes steals the show with her deadpan delivery, and director Eddie Page, a self-confessed veteran of "guys" weekends at Nags Head, taps into the zeitgeist handily to deliver an evening as smooth and intoxicating as a well-chilled martini served straight up.
"The Dixie Swim Club" runs at Port City Playhouse through March 10 at The Lab Studio Theatre at Convergence, 1819 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria. For tickets and information, visit www.portcityplayhouse.com


text:
1. Frozen Grapes (I used to eat these in college all the time- they are amazing)
2. String Cheese
3. Banana
4. Frozen Banana (peel it first, stick in the freezer overnight- it's like a yummy popsicle)
5. Low-fat Yogurt
6. Sugar-free or fat-free pudding
7. Apple dipped in Peanut Butter (or spread peanut butter on top of apple slice and top with pecans . . . so good!)
8. 100-calorie bag of popcorn
9. Applesauce
10. Raw veggies with hummus (my new favorite!)
11. Almonds
12. Apple
13. Skinny S'more (two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate)
14. Smoked Beef Jerky (about 1 oz- look for low-sodium!)
15. Chocolate Milk
16. Hard Boiled Egg
17. Sunflower Seeds
18. Cottage Cheese
19. Sliced Cantelope
20. Raisins
21. Pita Bread and Hummus
22. Rice Cakes
23. Sugar-free Jello
24. Dried Fruits
25. Frozen Yoplait Whips Yogurt (these seriously taste like ice cream when they are frozen!)
26. Air-Popped Popcorn
27. Pistachios
28. Clementines (we call them Cuties or Clemmies)
29. Fruit Smoothie (or Kristen's Green Smoothie- it's actually delicious!)
30. Handful of olives
31. Pickles
32. Handful of blueberries with 2 tablespoons fat-free Cool-Whip
33. Ants on a Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)
34. 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.
35. Peanut Butter and Bananas on whole wheat bread
36. Trail Mix (make your own! Throw in dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, low-sugar cereals, and even the occasional piece of candy for something sweet.)
37. Orange Slices
38. Cherry Tomatoes
39. Graham Crackers
40. Small Green Salad with light dressing
41. Mango smoothie (frozen mango, mango Greek Yogurt, and a small amount of orange juice)
42. Kabobs (thread low-fat meat, low-fat cheese, pineapple and cherry tomatoes onto a stick- my kids love anything on a stick!)
43. Half of a Cinnamon-Raisin topped with peanut butter and banana slices
44. Grilled Pineapple (throw them on the grill or a skillet on med. heat for two minutes or until golden)
45. Baked Apples (one tennis ball-sized apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and cinnamon, and baked until tender)
46. Animal Crackers
47. Strawberries dipped in fat-free Cool Whip
48. Low-fat tortilla topped with egg salad, shredded carrots and cucumber slices
49. Parfait (build your own with Greek yogurt or plain yogurt, fruit, and granola)
50. Bowl of bran flakes with 1/2 cup skim milk and berries
51. Guacamole with veggies
52. Triscuit's Thin Crisps dipped in cottage cheese or hummus
53. Cashews
54. Pretzels
55. Sun Chips (portion control! Read the serving amount on the side!)
56. Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes: Two roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
57. Sugar Snap Peas
58. Steamed Veggies (steam non-starchy vegetables in a microwave safe bag and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup pasta sauce)
59. Apricots
60. Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges
61. Any 100 calorie pack
62. Snack/Granola bar (around 150 calories or less, like Kellogg's All-Bran, Kashi TLC Trail Mix, or Fiber one Bar)
63. Baked chips (about 7-10) with salsa
64. Soy Chips
65. Protein Bar
66. Sweet Potato Fries (one light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes)
67. Wrap (I like a slice of turkey, swiss cheese, baby spinach leaves, and cranberry relish wrapped up in a tortilla)
68. Pumpkin Seeds (2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) and baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt on top)
69. Bean Salad
70. Broccoli Florets
71. Peaches and Cottage Cheese
72. Chopped Red Peppers (dipped in fat free ranch)
73. V8 Vegetable Juice
74. Tuna with Triscuit crackers
75. Cooked and Cubed Chicken Breast
76. Homemade Popsicles (puree watermelon, strawberries, mango, banana, etc and freeze in popsicle molds)
77. Dates with almond butter or rolled in coconut
78. Quesadilla (whole wheat (or corn) tortillas w/cheese (or not) melted in microwave – adding on tomatoes, beans, corn, olives, avocado or guacamole or whatever sounds good)
79. Watermelon
80. Cubed Apples and Cubed Cheese (this was my husband's favorite after-school snack when he was little)
81. Craisins (I love to eat these with almonds- it's a good combo)
82. Goldfish Crackers (whole wheat)
83. Edamame
84. Cheesy Roasted Asparagus (four spears (spritzed with olive-oil spray) and topped with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°)
85. Turkey Roll-Ups (Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard)
86. Strawberry Salad (1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic)
87. Oatmeal
88. Banana Smoothie (½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth)
89. Lime Sherbet (1/2 cup serving) with sliced kiwi
90. Apple Chips (dehydrated apples- they are so good!)
91. Black Beans (mix 1/4 cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt for an added twist!)
92. Lettuce wrap (try two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf)
93. Pecans (try five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
94. Chocolate Covered Strawberries (dip 5 strawberries in 2 squares of dark chocolate- that is still good for you, right?!)
95. Honeyed Yogurt (½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey)
96. Blackberries (so good mixed with plain yogurt)
97. Frozen Mangos
98. Tropical Juice Smoothie (¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice)
99. Healthier Banana Bread
100. Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip with fresh fruit
watch how to make another favorite healthy snack recipe, here:
Did you know we have a Youtube Channel? We have hundreds of simple and delicious recipes, your family is going to love. We take you through each recipe, step by step, and show you exactly how to make them.
These Skinny Banana Cookies make the perfect healthy snack, your family is sure to love. Watch how to make them, here:
never miss our recipes again:
Follow Six Sisters' Stuff on Instagram |Facebook |Pinterest | YouTube
check out our new cookbook
Have you heard about our newest cookbook, Copycat Cooking? We took over 100 of our favorite restaurant recipes and simplified them so that you can make them right at home!
Every recipe has a beautiful mouth-watering photo and has been picky-eater approved. The directions are simple, easy to follow, and do not require any strange ingredients.
This cookbook includes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more. We have you covered from drinks, to dessert and everything in-between.
We are so excited to share these recipes with you. Order your copy today!
Six Sisters' Stuff COPYCAT COOKING <—– Click here to order!


text:
In a survey of over 2,000 women conducted by Cosmopolitan magazine, one in five women would rather give up sex for a week than giving up all the time spent on Facebook checking up on the lives of friends. Adding to that figure, about 57 percent of the female respondents would rather hang onto their computer than give it up for a week just to have sex and 50 percent would do the same with their mobile smartphone. However, 80 percent of the group would easily give up their favorite television shows for a week and 70 percent would stop texting over a mobile phone for a week to continue having sex.
A recent Telenav study in August 2011 found that one-third of Americans wouldn't give up their smartphones for a week to continue having sex. Combine that with the Cosmopolitan survey and that percentage is likely skewed upwards due to more females over men ditching sex to hang onto their smartphone. Over vices and activities that ranked over 50 percent in that Telenav study included exercise, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol; all of which would easily be halted for a week to continue using a mobile phone. Another study from the presentation creating SlideRocket found that nearly one out of four people would give up sexual relations if that meant being able to avoid another boring PowerPoint presentation while in an office meeting.
Even more extreme, a Kelton Research study conducted during June 2011 found that 25 percent of college students would give up dating and sex for an entire year if they could ditch purchasing and lugging around heavy textbooks. The alternative would be in the form of digital textbooks through devices like the Kindle. Seventy percent of the group preferred the idea of digital textbooks over the paper alternative and over half of the group claimed that it would make studying more efficient.


text:
We usually think of personal goals for new years resolutions, but resolutions can also apply to businesses. The New Year is a great way to reflect on your company's strengths and weaknesses. How can you improve? Whether it is more vacation time or revamping your company's social media strategy, there's always something that can be done. Here's a checklist of resolutions that may apply to your company:
Be SEO-savvy—Become more knowledgeable with search engine optimization strategies. Does your company have an SEO strategy? Learn more about the process behind SEO to keep up-to-date.
Revamp your social media—Ask yourself: what is your company's presence on social media? Which platforms do you need to be on? Make an effort to drive more traffic from social media to your company website and create more engagement.
Take time off—Vacation time is essential to staying fresh and creatively problem solve. Let your brain take a break by treating yourself to time off. Extend the gesture to your employees. Create a resolution to increase vacation time.
Update your technology—Whether it is updating computer monitors or buying more comfortable office chairs, assess where your company is lacking in resources. What do your employees need to get their jobs done?
Add a feature to products—Benefit your customers by making a resolution to add a new feature to your product this year. Make it a goal to enhance your customers' experience with your products and services.


text:
Resources A-Z
CRL gathers and provides information here about commercial and open access digital resources of interest to the CRL community. This information is intended to inform library decisions on investment in electronic resources and related services.
Wayback Machine
The Internet Archive Wayback Machine (WM), created and maintained by the Internet Archive, is an open access online archive of website content, derived from periodic crawls of the open web and data donations from Alexa Internet and others.
While CRL makes every effort to verify statements made herein, the opinions expressed and evaluative information provided here represent the considered viewpoints of individual librarians and specialists at CRL and in the CRL community. They do not necessarily reflect the views of CRL management, its board, and/or its officers.


text:
While I wait for Spring to fully arrive at the markets I am satisfying the deep sweet cravings with chocolate … and coffee. It's an intense but exquisite pairing that one can very easily get addicted to. Doesn't addiction come is so many forms?
I have to admit that there are times when I let myself get hooked onto a novel idea, element or feature and I will spend a good deal of time discovering and indulging into it. It keeps me constantly on my toes and I feel that some good comes out of the many addictions I have had in the past.
Photography would be one, food the other and putting it together I do not have to tell you where it led me. These past few weeks have been wonderfully busy for me in all sorts of ways. A few great photo jobs, features and articles in some German magazines and working on the contents of a few upcoming workshops and on other projects has kept me engaged. While this is all food for my photography addiction, I am missing my addiction of voyeurism!
I love browsing the internet going from blog to website, reading articles and getting caught up in beautiful images and leaving a comment here or there on things that move me. I love watching what material the Big Net produces.
One site I truly love is Pinterest: it feeds my addiction of ogling at all things gorgeous and I love collecting these beautiful things on my own boards. Shoes, stunning locations, exquisite kitchens, my schoolgirl crushes, words of inspiration - you name it - a pin and it is on my board! I love opening these boards for inspiration for whatever project I am working on. My fitness board motivates me to train sensibly, my color palettes board allows me to pair innovative color schemes while I style my food shot and my food photography board inspires me with new ideas. So, I use Pinterest as a style board, mood board or inspiration board. What makes Pinterest pretty neat is that like all social sharing sites you can share allowing you to collect more ideas and connect with like minded (or pinned) folk.
BUT …. and there is a big but … Pinterest has a very, at best described as, a grey area at how they address their terms and copyright issues. Currently there is a lot of blazing media coverage about Pinterest, causing many people to delete their Pinterest boards or accounts because the general thought is, it is illegal or plain wrong to be posting/pinning other people's stuff.
As a photographer, I was on the verge of deleting my boards too. I am against copyright infringement and plagiarism and my first reaction was not to have any part of it. But then, the more I read the more I began to think about how things are evolving in our world. We exchange news, thoughts, emotions, provocations through smart phones, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, many of us invite voyeurism into our own living rooms to be a part of what we do and be a part of who we are.
Pinterest is just another social sharing site that invites you to share your favorite things for the world to see. So far so good. How do I feel about my images being pinned all over Pinterest? I had mixed feelings about this (and to a certain extent still do). For starters, I have always marked my images with the URL of either my blog or portfolio - it is something I advise everyone to do. In the past I had to deal with copyright issues, where my watermark was literally cropped and added to websites or leading newspapers printing my images without permission. Both these cases were, in my opinion, copyright infringement with intent.
Don't get me wrong - Pinterest does have a copyright problem and they really have to correct the way they operate and they need to change the way users are using Pinterest. One of the biggest issues that Pinterest needs to address is the way that Pinterest makes copies of the images people pin without creating a link to the original source. What happens is that it actually makes a copy of the image and while the copy does link back to the source from which the image was pinned it is not always the original source of the respective image. As copyright obviously prohibits making copies, this creates a big issue for Pinterest.
Pinterest is new territory and I think it's hard to know how one should proceed. "Is Pinterest legal?" is the big question and after all the things I have read, I think the answer is - no one knows for sure. Fact is, Pinterest needs to hear what users are asking and make modifications to many aspects of their service - it is a great service, which can be made better if a lot of the issues on hand were addressed. I do know they are - they implemented a 500 character limit after a few mails sent by users, including myself, requesting this feature. Another feature I would love to see is creating private boards, where things I collect are reserved for me and I decide when and if I want to share.
I have made a few decisions about the way I plan to use Pinterest in the future. Until they make the required amendments I am throttling the use of Pinterest:
- I am not deleting my Pinterest account. At this point I would like to see how Pinterest reacts to all the media and how they change. So, I will stick around for now.
- I am going through a lot of my pins and will be deleting those photography based images of food, travel etc. and anything that does not come from the original source. In the past I have made the effort and many of the food images credit the photographer but I have not always been consistent. I will be going back to those and deleting them.
- If I do pin photographs it will be from sites that explicitly have the "Pin it" button. It seems reasonable to me that if someone has added this button on their posts or blogs they are OK with people pinning.
- I am discontinuing the usage of the "repin" function. I will check each pin and pin directly from the original source. The extra few clicks are worth it.
- Instead I am using the "Like" function more and more as an intermediate "storage space" and point of reference.
- The things I do pin I will add a nice teaser to encourage a click through to the original source where they will find a lot more details on the original post.
- I am saving items I really like on my Evernote account. Two different tools, I know, but Evernote allows me to collect content without the copyright issues.
- I also reserve the right to change my mind - as Pinterest is making an effort to change a few aspects and features I will be watching and will react accordingly. For now this is the status quo.
I won't be able to tackle these points immediately but have already started "cleaning up" my boards. It'll take some time but I'd like to continue to use Pinterest further, hopefully in the future not quite in the suppressed manner as I am planning to do, because let's be honest, who wants to indulge in an addiction half-heartedly?
There is certainly nothing half-hearted about my dessert for you today. After all the thinking and re-thinking about what is correct and what is not, I needed something to boost my spirits, something I knew would be perfect for my chocolate and coffee addiction. No holding back and no throttling, although maybe it should be marked as illegal - it's too darned good!
Printable version of recipe here
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes + cooling time
Serves: approx. 8
- 225g butter + more for pan, cubed
- 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), coarsely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 250g muscovado sugar
- 200g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 250ml boiling water
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 18cm square form with butter and line baking paper.
- Place 225g butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt over a low-medium heat. Do not stir as it this will overwork the dark chocolate.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and smooth. Fold in the chocolate mixture, then add the flour and baking powder and beat until smooth. Finally, beat in the coffee and 250ml boiling water. The batter should be thick and smooth Pour into the prepared form and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. If the pudding is still slightly sticky in the middle that is perfectly OK.
- Cool for about 20-30 minutes before serving with your favorite ice-cream and some fresh raspberries.
It's decadently sticky and moist on the inside and intensely chocolaty. The subtle flavors of coffee highlights the sponge pudding giving it a brilliant boost. We enjoyed the sponge pudding still warm with scoops of dulche de leche ice cream and fresh raspberries. It's quick and easy to make and great to make with kids.
Over on the Plate to Page website we've got a fantastic new example of the type of assignments participants work on during our 2.5 days workshop. A piece from Olivia Vasallo and Alexandra Asnaghi, two fabulously feisty Mediterranean ladies who attended our Tuscany 2011 Workshop. The assignment was to write and photograph for an article titled "Eating in Tuscany" in the style of a high-end foodie magazine such as Saveur. Hope you enjoy the read!
Maybe you would like to come join us for Plate to Page Somerset due to be held in the UK in May! Have a look at the programme, details about accommodation, and then can register here.
From the 3rd to 4th April I will be Nasimi Beach, Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai for a 2-day Workshop, focusing exclusively on food photography and styling. If you are in the area maybe you would like to join us there. You'll find more details on the Workshop Website.
More chocolate decadence from WFLH:
Morello Cherry Chocolate and Cognac Teacakes | Chocolate Pavlova with Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse, Honey Roasted Peaches and Fresh Raspberries | Light Mousse au Chocolat with Baileys Crème Caramel |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2012 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


text:
Welcome to Dragon Cave! Dragon Cave is an online adoptables game. Collect eggs, raise them to adulthood, and then breed them to create interesting lineages. New dragons are added regularly!
Royal Crimson Dragons are so named due to their massive size and confident, regal bearing. Most of the time they are laid back, ignoring non-prey creatures smaller than themselves, although they will occasionally take fresh kills from other dragons as a reminder of their place in the social order. Although there are few other dragons large enough to pose a threat to Royal Crimsons, they have little tolerance for potential rivals and will fiercely defend their territory from such intruders.
Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling's wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.