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Randy Wolf (2-1, 2.77) vs. Tim Redding, RHP (0-0, -.--).
COMMENTS: Fresh off a 4-2 NL East road trip, the Dodgers return home to greet the NL East-leading Mets. Luckily, the Dodgers won't see Johan Santana over the three-game series (we drew Redding, John Maine, and Livan Hernandez; the latter of which always seems to kill us, though it's still a darn sight better than Santana). Also lucky is that we're rolling back into town with the majors' best record and a whopping six-game lead over the Giants, who salvaged the last of four games with the Mets last night. Wolf, who got the win in Philly last week with his third straight quality start, has given up only one ER or fewer in his last four outings.
Unfortunately, however, we get Mario "Saved By The Bell" Lopez throwing out the first pitch, continuing a recent and concerning Dodgers trend to invite questionable "celebrities" to games (I suppose it's because the Dodgers rock at home, and fans need someone to boo, right?). With those biceps, Lopez should be able to throw the ball through the walls of the Dugout Club, right? Especially if the catcher gets lost in his dreamy eyes? Unless someone tests Lopez for PEDs prior to the game, that is.


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OURAY - Driving across Colorado and the West, I see historic buildings or structures that compel me to get out of my truck and take a walk. For years, I've driven between Silverton and Ouray and noticed the large stone garage just east of Crystal Lake in Ironton Park. I've always wondered what it was, but in my most vivid imagination I could never have created the story I'm about to tell.
No fiction. Just fact. Including: a ski area, a religion, loudspeakers sounding heavenly music, a couple's spiritual beliefs tested all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a tragic fire, a yellow Cadillac, and the colors of the rainbow.
The story begins simply enough. A couple of friends decided to build a ski area.
Ouray businessman Joseph Condotti and Ralph Kullerstrand, president of Citizen's State Bank, acquired patented mining claims on the north end of Ironton Park, and using lumber and bricks recycled from the Saratoga Smelter, built a two-story lodge with a full basement and attic. Ouray historian Don Paulson writes, "They built a ski lift with seven towers, the remnants of which can still be found, and cleared a run of approximately 1,800 feet."
Across U.S. Highway 550, the partners created today's Crystal Lake and stocked it with trout, which Colorado Gov. Ralph Carr ate while he attended the lodge's opening ceremonies in 1940. But the lodge never succeeded. The business partnership failed.
Paulson writes, "Some believe that avalanche hazard was the cause of the disagreement. The Guadalupe slide runs just north of the lodge building and would have threatened the ski run."
As the ski area sat vacant, a burgeoning religious movement, borne out of the desperation of the Great Depression, lost one of its founders. The religion's practitioners sought solace in the San Juan Mountains. They bought the lodge and ski area.
In many cultures around the world, mountains are seen as sacred places. Ouray bills itself as "the Switzerland of America," so maybe that's why in the 1940s the Saint Germain Foundation bought the unused ski lodge for a religious retreat. A decade earlier in 1930, Guy W. Ballard, hiking on Mount Shasta in northern California, had encountered the Ascended Master Saint Germain. That experience was the origin of the "I AM" religious teachings.
According to the Saint Germain Foundation, Jesus Christ was an Ascended Master, and Joan of Arc and Benjamin Franklin were earlier embodiments of Mrs. Guy Ballard. In the 1930s, Saint Germain inspired Guy Ballard to write books titled Unveiled Mysteries and The Magic Presence. The books communicate theosophy, and volume No. 3 is The 'I AM' Discourses, which are sacred scriptures and part of the Ascended Master Teachings religion. In 1939, Guy Ballard became an Ascended Master.
The "I AM" movement grew spectacularly during the dark days of the Depression. In 1942, the federal government indicted his wife, Edna Ballard, their son Donald Ballard and other affiliates on 12 counts including mail fraud. They were convicted of organizing a moneymaking scheme, and the same year the foundation bought the lodge and members moved to Ouray seeking privacy. The Ballard family appealed the convictions, and two years later the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in one of the most important decisions about religious freedom in the 20th century.
The Ballards won. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned their conviction in United States v. Ballard 322 U.S. 78 (1944). In a victory for the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, the high court ruled that the tenets of one's religious faith could not be legally challenged.
Now comes her yellow Cadillac, Mrs. Edna Ballard, and members of the "I AM" religion. They preferred the colors of the rainbow, including purple and yellow, and her inner staff wore formal clothes. One story is that a local Ouray teacher involved in the "I AM" religious group would not tolerate red and black crayons in her schoolroom. The lodge held a sanctuary on the main floor for regular services. Sounds of violins, carillon bells - at the time the highest in the world - and harp music wafted down the canyon. Nearby were plans for a music healing temple.
Lifelong member Bud Thayer knew Mrs. Ballard and he told me, "She was guided by Saint Germain in what she did in purchasing the property. We were very near a concentration of spiritual energy in that whole area for a number of miles around. We regard that property as very sacred."
Followers of the religious group produced radio broadcasts "that went all over the world" through wire connections from the property. Normally five to 10 people lived on site, but when Mrs. Ballard arrived there could be as many as 25 assistants.
"She came three to four times a year. She absolutely loved it. She was at her happiest at the lodge in Ouray," Thayer says.
On the site, a root cellar still has traces of purple and yellow paint. A careful hiker can find little patios under pine trees, short hand-stacked stone walls, and other rock masonry architectural features.
To this day the Chicago-based Saint Germain Foundation exists worldwide with over 300 "I AM" sanctuaries and centers, including one in Santa Fe. But not in Ouray.
After buying the ski area in 1942, the religious group purchased mining claims until they owned an 800-acre site.
According to Paulson, "In 1947 they announced plans to open a large summer camp able to house over 500 people but that never materialized. Unfortunately, in January of 1952, the lodge caretaker accidentally set the building on fire using a blowtorch" while melting snow and icicles on the roof. Because of prevailing canyon winds the old mining timbers burned instantly. Terraces show where summer cabins would have been built.
Today, only the concrete foundation of the lodge remains and I like to hike around it. I think about the ski area and summer camp that could have been but never was. The stone garage built in the fall of 1952 is locked. Plans included rebuilding the lodge one or two stories atop the garage, but instead it became a truck and storage area.
The foundation held on to the property for a few more decades and members of the organization camped on site. On Feb. 10, 1971, Edna Ballard died in Chicago and took her ascension as the Ascended Lady Master Lotus.
Assisted by federal funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Red Mountain Project and the Trust for Public Land purchased the 800 acres and transferred it back to the U.S. Forest Service. What was private is now public land.
Leigh Ann Hunt, forest archaeologist for the Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison National Forest, has written a cultural resource inventory of the site. A stout metal and wood picnic table remains, and I love the stone walls and terraces that look like elves built them.
I agree with the Saint Germain Foundation. Mountains are sacred places. The foundation established more permanent quarters at Mount Shasta, and their former Colorado religious retreat is once again public domain. For me, the silvery San Juans meet my spiritual needs, and though I like rainbow colors, I prefer blue - sky blue - the color you see at 12,000 feet.
Andrew Gulliford is a professor of history and environmental studies at Fort Lewis College. He can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Injuries In Competitive Athletes
Many professional and competitive athletes already know the value of regular chiropractic care. Increased flexibility, increased energy, increased speed, and increased performance as well as a decrease in injuries are all benefits of chiropractic care.
In fact, it's becoming rare to find a professional or amateur sports team that does not have a "team" chiropractor. Take for instance the bay area in Northern California. The San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants and the San Jose Sharks have their own team chiropractor.


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How to Initiate a mBank (Poland) Chargeback in 2021
Although the chargeback process appears simple and straightforward, it is important to fully understand the steps, requirements and various stakeholders involved. Incorrect information can result in a denied mBank (Poland) chargeback. Remember that you have one chance at submitting a chargeback and all your information needs to be 100% accurate.
Who are the Participants in the Chargeback Process?
- Cardholder / Customer
The cardholder is the owner of the bank card that was used in the transaction which is under dispute. The customer is the individual who was directly involved in the transaction. Generally, the cardholder and customer are the same person, but this is not always the case.
- The Merchant
The merchant is the individual or company who sold the product or service to the customer. When the mBank (Poland) chargeback dispute is raised, the merchant is notified and either accepts the claim or chooses whether to dispute it.
- The Issuing Bank
The issuing bank is the bank or financial institution that issued the card to the cardholder.
- The Acquiring Bank
The acquiring bank is the bank that holds the merchant's account that accepts credit and debit card transactions and payments.
- The Credit Card Company
The credit card company is the organization that owns and supplies the credit card. It is the credit card company that determines the terms and conditions relating to credit card transactions that are carried out by the issuing bank. Major credit card companies include VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.
How to File a Chargeback | mBank (Poland)
The chargeback process may seem like a simple enough task, the problem is ensuring that all the information presented in your case is accurate, factual, and follows mBank (Poland)'s rules and regulations. The list of steps below illustrate how to initiate a mBank (Poland) chargeback.
Step 1 – The customer initiates a chargeback dispute request over a transaction.
Step 2 – The issuing bank reviews the chargeback dispute charge and electronically sends the transaction to the acquiring bank
Step 3 – The acquiring bank receives the chargeback request, resolves the issue automatically or forwards it to the merchant
Step 4 – The merchant either accepts the chargeback request or rejects it by sending evidence to the acquiring bank
Step 5 The acquiring bank reviews the evidence received from the merchant, ensures it meets all requirements before sending it to the issuing bank
Step 6 – The issuing bank reviews the evidence received from the merchant and makes a decision on the chargeback request
Step 7 – The cardholder and merchant are notified of the decision where either party can initiate arbitration in the event that they disagree with the decision
mBank (Poland) Chargeback Time limit in 2021
How Long Do I Have to File a Chargeback?
mBank (Poland)'s chargeback time limit typically depends on the card company's terms and conditions. Generally, cardholders should advise mBank (Poland) within 120 days from the date of the transaction, however, cases can extend up to 540 days and even beyond that with certain card companies. The key for a successful chargeback, however, is to file the request with mBank (Poland) as soon as possible.
What is mBank (Poland)'s Chargeback Fee?
Many people online ask "what is a chargeback fee?" The simple answer is, there should be no fee associated with raising a chargeback dispute as this service is included in the terms and conditions of the contract between the cardholder and the credit card companies.
As the chargeback process is highly complicated and technical, many people contract fund recovery companies that have the necessary skills and experience to present the correct evidence to the banks and credit card companies.
How Long Does the mBank (Poland) Chargeback take?
The entire chargeback process can take anywhere from three to six months. This primarily depends on the chargeback codes related to the dispute. Card companies and merchants, however, have varying time limits.
How to Raise the mBank (Poland) Chargeback Successfully
There are a number of steps that can be followed to increase your chances of success.
ADVISE mBank (Poland)
As previously mentioned, filing a chargeback as quickly as possible will increase your chances of success. If your request meets the criteria for a chargeback and you have your evidence properly documented, it should be done as soon after the transaction is made and within 120 days of the transaction for the best chances of success.
The chargeback process is governed by precise guidelines; documentation requirements, deadlines, and chargeback codes. Before you submit your request, ensure you have a proper understanding of the requirements set forth by mBank (Poland) and the credit card company.
Confirm what the exact documentation guidelines are with your credit card company in terms of providing evidence. If your evidence does not conform with these requirements, then your chances of success are very low.
There are a number of chargeback request codes that need to be submitted with each chargeback request. It is very important to ensure you have the correct code associated with your chargeback otherwise the request will be denied. Remember that you generally have one chance to issue a chargeback so you need to make sure your documentation and chargeback codes are 100% accurate.
Each chargeback dispute requires a letter explaining and detailing the request. Familiarise yourself with the language and tone used in these letters and investigate which letters provide the best chances of success.
Documentation requirements can vary from one organization to the other as the industry is not standardized. If your documentation and evidence do not comply with mBank (Poland) or credit card company requirements, your chargeback request could be denied before it is even reviewed.
The chargeback process outlined above is a simplistic model of how the entire process works. There are many variables that apply to each individual case and it is of utmost importance to understand what needs to be presented to mBank (Poland) and the rules and regulations that go with it.
If you are dealing with a relatively large sum of money and want to improve your chance of success, it would be a good idea to consider hiring a professional firm that understands the chargeback process and has a proven track record of success.
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Top Ten Things I Am Not Going To Do During This 'Les Miserables' Screening
It's just about that time when members of the press begin to attend screenings of Les Miserables. I hereby vow to engage in none of the following conduct.
1. Throw crusts of bread at the screen and yell, "HEY, JEAN VALJEAN, ARE YOU HUNGRY?"
2. Do my imitation of Amanda Seyfried singing "There are so many questions and ah-nswers that somehow seem wrong," even though it's really funny and quite terrifying.
3. Refer to the short-haired Anne Hathaway as "Ruth Buzz-y."
4. Sing "I am the monarch of the sea" whenever Russell Crowe appears in uniform.
5. Wear my Pepe Le Pew shirt and keep pointing to it going, "Huh? Right?"
6. The Time Warp.
7. Covertly record the movie on my phone and upload it to a Hugh Jackman facial hair fan site.
8. Yell "You would never make it on the legitimate stage!" whenever anyone starts singing.
9. Sing "Airball! Airball!" when anyone is shot at and not hit.
10. Be miserables.


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Valentine's Day
Nothing says "I Love You" more clearly than sending roses on Valentines Day. Whether it's a first date, first anniversary or the fiftieth, POSIES 'N PRESENTS can help you find the perfect gift for your sweetheart on this Day of Love. Don't forget to show your friends and family some love too with a special delivery from POSIES 'N PRESENTS. Browse our Valentines Day flowers online or call us for custom creation. No matter where you need to send roses, POSIES 'N PRESENTS in Sutton can help!


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President Barack Obama sent Congress a $3.8 trillion spending blueprint on Wednesday that strives to achieve a "grand bargain" to tame runaway deficits, raising taxes on the wealthy and trimming popular benefit programs including Social Security and Medicare.
The president's budget projects deficit reductions of $1.8 trillion over the next decade, achieved with higher taxes, reductions in payments to Medicare providers and cutbacks in the cost-of-living adjustments paid to millions of recipients in Social Security and other government programs.
The budget would also nearly double the federal tax on cigarettes to $1.95 per pack. That money would fund a new pre-school program for 4-year-olds.
The president's proposed spending for the 2014 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, would rise 2.5 percent from this year.
The budget projects a deficit for the current year of $973 billion, falling to $744 billion in 2014. Those would be the first deficits below $1 trillion since 2008. Even with the president's deficit reductions, the budget projects the red ink would total $5.3 trillion over the next 10 years.
The plan includes a compromise proposal that Obama offered to House Speaker John Boehner during "fiscal cliff" negotiations last December. Boehner walked away from those talks because of his objections to raising taxes on the wealthy.
By including proposals to trim Social Security and Medicare, the government's two biggest benefit programs, Obama is hoping to entice Republicans to consider tax increases.
"I have already met Republicans more than halfway, so in the coming days and weeks I hope that Republicans will come forward and demonstrate that they're really as serious about the deficit and debt as they claim to be," Obama said in the White House Rose Garden.
But instead of moving Congress nearer a grand bargain, Obama's proposals so far have managed to anger both the Republicans, who are upset by higher taxes, and Democrats unhappy about cuts to Social Security benefits.
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., rejected the administration's argument that the refusal of Republicans to consider further tax increases represents inflexibility.
"We Republicans have already done things to move to the middle, to find common ground," Ryan said on MSNBC. "We really believe if we set the stage right, we can get fundamental tax reform."
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed Obama's budget as "not a serious plan. For the most part, just another left-wing wish list."
The president's spending and tax plan is two months late. The administration blames the delay on the lengthy negotiations at the end of December and then fights over the resulting March 1 automatic spending cuts.
The Obama budget proposal will join competing outlines already approved by the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-run Senate.
Obama's plan is not all about budget cuts. It also includes an additional $50 billion in spending to fund infrastructure investments, including $40 billion in a "Fix It First" effort to provide immediate money to repair highways, bridges, transit systems and airports nationwide.
Obama's budget would also provide $1 billion to launch a network of 15 manufacturing innovation institutes across the country, and it earmarks funding to support high-speed rail projects.
The president's plan to establish a program to offer preschool to all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families would be financed by the higher tax on tobacco, which the administration said would raise $78 billion over a decade.
The administration said its proposals to increase spending would not increase the deficit but rather would be paid for either by increasing taxes or making deeper cuts to other programs.
Among the proposed cuts, the administration wants to trim defense spending by an additional $100 billion and domestic programs by an extra $100 billion over the next decade.
The budget proposes cutting $400 billion from Medicare and other health care programs over a decade. The cuts would come in a variety of ways, including negotiating better prescription drug prices and asking wealthy seniors to pay more.
It would obtain an additional $200 billion in savings by scaling back farm subsidies and trimming federal retiree programs.
The most sweeping proposal in Obama's budget is a switch in the way the government calculates the annual cost-of-living adjustments for the millions of recipients of Social Security and other benefits. The new method would take into account changes that occur when people substitute goods rising in price with less expensive products. It results in a slightly lower annual reading for inflation.
The switch in the inflation formula would cut spending on government benefit programs by $130 billion over 10 years, although the administration said it planned to protect the most vulnerable, including the very elderly. The change would also raise about $100 billion in higher taxes because the current CPI formula is used to adjust tax brackets each year. A lower inflation measure would mean more money taxed at higher rates.
In the tax area, Obama would raise an additional $580 billion by restricting deductions for the top 2 percent of family incomes. The budget would also implement the "Buffett Rule" requiring that households with incomes of more than $1 million pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes. Charitable giving would be excluded.
Congress and the administration have already secured $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction over the next 10 years through budget reductions and with the end-of-year tax increase on the rich. Obama's plan would bring that total to $4.3 trillion over 10 years.
It is unlikely that Congress will get down to serious budget negotiations until this summer, when the government once again will be confronted with the need to raise the government's borrowing limit or face the prospect of a first-ever default on U.S. debt.
As part of the administration's effort to win over Republicans, Obama will have a private dinner at the White House with about a dozen GOP senators Wednesday night. The budget is expected to be a primary topic, along with proposed legislation dealing with gun control and immigration.
Early indications are that the budget negotiations will be intense. Republicans have been adamant in their rejection of higher taxes, arguing that the $660 billion increase on top earners that was part of the late December agreement to prevent the government from going over the "fiscal cliff" is all the new revenue they will tolerate.
The administration maintains that Obama's proposal is balanced with the proper mix of spending cuts and tax increases.
Obama has presided over four straight years of annual deficits totaling more than $1 trillion, reflecting in part the lost revenue during a deep recession and the government's efforts to get the economy going again and stabilize the financial system.
The Obama budget's $1.8 trillion in new deficit cuts would take the place of the automatic $1.2 trillion in reductions required by a 2011 budget deal. That provision triggered $85 billion in automatic cuts for the current budget year, and those reductions, known as a "sequester," would not be affected by Obama's new budget.
The budget plan already passed by the GOP-controlled House would cut deficits by a total $4.6 trillion over 10 years on top of the $1.2 trillion called for in the 2011 deal. The budget outline approved by the Democratic-controlled Senate tracks more closely to the Obama proposal, although it does not include changes to the cost-of-living formula for Social Security.


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Secondly, I thought it might be a good time to have a sort of progress report on my Vogue's New Book for Better Sewing (aka VoNBBS) project. (If you're new, you can read about the conception of the project here.)
There are 14 core projects in the book, which you can see scans of here. I have completed six of them (click the links to see the finished projects!): the chemise dress, the full skirt, the portrait neckline blouse, the sheath dress, the bolero, and the slim skirt. Some of the projects have what I'm calling "bonus projects," or extra variations of the patterns. For example, there was also a bonus halter dress variation of the full, gathered skirt.
I'm making it in a plum-colored gabardine with a matching skirt (Vogue #8603 from the current collection) for a smart suit look. I'm almost finished with the skirt (and it is to DIE for - I can't wait to show it to you!). Here's a swatch of the fabric:
And then next up is the bow-tie blouse! This has been one of my favorites from the start.
But I have questions, so many questions . . . First of all, VoNBBS strongly suggests making this blouse in a wool jersey, as it "will teach you how to handle knitted fabric" and is "so wearable." Isn't that interesting? I don't associate knit fabrics with the 50's. But then, it's helpful to remember that Coco Chanel popularized the use of wool jersey in 1916, so wool jersey would have been old news by 1952.
But what's really interesting is that there are no special instructions for sewing with knits other than how to cut open fabric that had been knit in a tube. In fact, it's sewn with regular techniques just like any other project in the book, and it even includes bound buttonholes, which I would not have thought to do on a knit either. And my 1952 Singer certainly doesn't have any zigzag or stretch stitches, so I'll just be using a regular straight stitch.
I picked out two wool jerseys (I got indecisive) and I made sure they were both relatively stable so they would be easier to sew. Here are swatches!
The one on the left is a pale blue wool jersey, and the one on the right is a teal wool/angora blend. Doesn't angora just scream 50's somehow?
So. What do you all think? Do you have a jersey preference? And what do you make of sewing this blouse in a knit? I guess I'd always pictured it in a sumptuous 4-ply silk . . . but I suppose that can come after I've perfected the pattern! In fact, there is a darling variation with a Peter Pan collar . . .


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Actor Robin Williams Is Dead At Age 63
Robin Williams, the Academy Award winner and comic supernova whose explosions of pop culture riffs and impressions dazzled audiences for decades and made him a gleamy-eyed laureate for the Information Age, died Monday in an apparent suicide. He was 63.
Williams was pronounced dead at his home in California on Monday, according to the sheriff's office in Marin County, north of San Francisco. The sheriff's office said a preliminary investigation shows the cause of death to be a suicide due to asphyxia.
"This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken," said Williams' wife, Susan Schneider. "On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions,"
Williams had been battling severe depression recently, said Mara Buxbaum, his press representative.
From his breakthrough in the late 1970s as the alien in the hit TV show "Mork and Mindy," through his standup act and such films as "Good Morning, Vietnam," the short, barrel-chested Williams ranted and shouted as if just sprung from solitary confinement. Loud, fast, manic, he parodied everyone from John Wayne to Keith Richards, impersonating a Russian immigrant as easily as a pack of Nazi attack dogs.
He was a riot in drag in "Mrs. Doubtfire," or as a cartoon genie in "Aladdin." He won his Academy Award in a rare, but equally intense dramatic role, as a teacher in the 1997 film "Good Will Hunting."
He was no less on fire in interviews. During a 1989 chat with The Associated Press, he could barely stay seated in his hotel room, or even mention the film he was supposed to promote, as he free-associated about comedy and the cosmos.
"There's an Ice Age coming," he said. "But the good news is there'll be daiquiris for everyone and the Ice Capades will be everywhere. The lobster will keep for at least 100 years, that's the good news. The Swanson dinners will last a whole millennium. The bad news is the house will basically be in Arkansas."
Following Williams on stage, Billy Crystal once observed, was like trying to top the Civil War. In a 1993 interview with the AP, Williams recalled an appearance early in his career on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Bob Hope was also there.
"It was interesting," Williams said. "He was supposed to go on before me and I was supposed to follow him, and I had to go on before him because he was late. I don't think that made him happy. I don't think he was angry, but I don't think he was pleased.
"I had been on the road and I came out, you know, gassed, and I killed and had a great time. Hope comes out and Johnny leans over and says, `Robin Williams, isn't he funny?' Hope says, `Yeah, he's wild. But you know, Johnny, it's great to be back here with you."'
In 1992, Carson chose Williams and Bette Midler as his final guests.
Like so many funnymen, he had serious ambitions, winning his Oscar for his portrayal of an empathetic therapist in "Good Will Hunting." He also played for tears in "Awakenings," "Dead Poets Society" and "What Dreams May Come," something that led New York Times critic Stephen Holden to once say he dreaded seeing the actor's "Humpty Dumpty grin and crinkly moist eyes."
Williams also won three Golden Globes, for "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Fisher King."
His other film credits included Robert Altman's "Popeye" (a box office bomb), Paul Mazursky's "Moscow on the Hudson," Steven Spielberg's "Hook" and Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry." On stage, Williams joined fellow comedian Steve Martin in a 1988 Broadway revival of "Waiting for Godot."
"I dread the word `art,"' Williams told the AP in 1989. "That's what we used to do every night before we'd go on with `Waiting for Godot.' We'd go, `No art. Art dies tonight.' We'd try to give it a life, instead of making "Godot" so serious. It's cosmic vaudeville staged by the Marquis de Sade."
His personal life was often short on laughter. He had acknowledged drug and alcohol problems in the 1970s and `80s and was among the last to see John Belushi before the "Saturday Night Live" star died of a drug overdose in 1982.
Williams announced in recent years that he was again drinking but rebounded well enough to joke about it during his recent tour. "I went to rehab in wine country," he said, "to keep my options open."
Born in Chicago in 1951, Williams would remember himself as a shy kid who got some early laughs from his mother - by mimicking his grandmother. He opened up more in high school when he joined the drama club and he was accepted into the Julliard Academy, where he had several classes in which he and Christopher Reeve were the only students and John Houseman was the teacher.
Encouraged by Houseman to pursue comedy, Williams identified with the wildest and angriest of performers: Jonathan Winters, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, George Carlin. Their acts were not warm and lovable. They were just being themselves.
"You look at the world and see how scary it can be sometimes and still try to deal with the fear," he told the AP in 1989. "Comedy can deal with the fear and still not paralyze you or tell you that it's going away. You say, OK, you got certain choices here, you can laugh at them and then once you've laughed at them and you have expunged the demon, now you can deal with them. That's what I do when I do my act."
He unveiled Mork, the alien from the planet Ork, in an appearance on "Happy Days," and was granted his own series, which ran from 1978-82.
In subsequent years, Williams often returned to television - for appearances on "Saturday Night Live," for "Friends," for comedy specials, for "American Idol," where in 2008 he pretended to be a "Russian idol" who belts out a tuneless, indecipherable "My Way."
Williams also could handle a script, when he felt like it, and also think on his feet. He ad-libbed in many of his films and was just as quick in person. During a media tour for "Awakenings," when director Penny Marshall mistakenly described the film as being set in a "menstrual hospital," instead of "mental hospital," Williams quickly stepped in and joked, "It's a period piece."
Winner of a Grammy in 2003 for best spoken comedy album, "Robin Williams - Live 2002," he once likened his act to the daily jogs he took across the Golden Gate Bridge. There were times he would look over the edge, one side of him pulling back in fear, the other insisting he could fly.
"You have an internal critic, an internal drive that says, `OK, you can do more.' Maybe that's what keeps you going," Williams said. "Maybe that's a demon. ... Some people say, `It's a muse.' No, it's not a muse! It's a demon! DO IT YOU BASTARD!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! THE LITTLE DEMON!!"
Italie reported from New York.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The new $100 bill, with an array of high-tech features designed to thwart counterfeiters, will get its coming out party today, partial government shutdown or not.
The Federal Reserve, which has not been affected by the shutdown, will have armored trucks rolling from its regional banks around the country headed to banks, savings and loans and other financial institutions with the new C-notes.
The bills took more than a decade to develop and the introduction was plagued by production problems that set back the rollout by 2½ years. But officials say the problems have now been fixed.
Some bank customers could start seeing the new bills by Tuesday afternoon depending on how close their bank is to a regional Fed facility.
"We have 3.5 billion of these notes which we think will be more than ample to meet domestic and international demands," said Sonja Danburg, program manager for U.S. currency education at the Fed.
The bill redesign, the first for the $100 bill since March 1996, will still have Benjamin Franklin on the front and Philadelphia's Independence Hall on the back. It will also have a number of new features that will definitely turn heads.
There is a disappearing Liberty Bell in an ink well and a bright blue three-dimensional security ribbon with images that move in the opposite direction from the way the bill is being tilted.
"The 3-D security ribbon is magic. It is made up of hundreds of thousands of micro-lenses in each note," said Larry Felix, the director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. "This is the most complex note the United States has ever produced."
The $100 bill is the last bill to get a make-over in a process that began in 2003 with the $20 bill. The government redesigned the greenbacks with subtle colors and other security features to make it harder for counterfeiters. The $100 bill, which is the most commonly counterfeited note outside of the United States, was redesigned with even more complex security features.
But the government ran into troubles when 1 billion of the first bills were found in 2010 to have unwanted creases. There was later a problem with ink smearing that further delayed introduction of the new notes, which were initially scheduled to be introduced in February 2011. Felix said the bureau is now confident it has resolved the various production issues.
Officials stressed that the $900 billion worth of $100 bills currently in circulation will remain good and will only be gradually phased out as worn-out bills are returned to Fed facilities. The $100 bill is the largest U.S. denomination in circulation and has the longest life at 15 years. The $1 bill lasts 5.9 years.
The new $100 bills will have one old feature. The signature on the bills will be that of former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The signature of current Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who has been teased by President Barack Obama for his loopy handwriting, will start appearing once the current supply of new bills has been put into circulation.
The Fed has a website at www.newmoney.gov with information in 23 languages on the new bills.


text:
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Monday's post on what men think of vintage style garnered so many interesting comments! I was especially pleased to see the conversation take a turn toward sexism and expectations of modesty. I won't quote anyone in particular (so as not to put any one person on the spot), but some were disturbed by the idea of men treating women more respectfully if we're more covered up. Because, after all, what's the flip side of that? Men feeling they have permission to disrespect - or even outright assault - a woman if she's not dressed modestly. It's a common problem in many cultures to believe that a woman is "asking for it" if she's wearing something provocative, is it not?
Let me start by saying that I didn't mean to imply that I commend men on the street for being more respectful towards me if I'm dressed in a vintage style. I really don't think it's such a great thing for cat callers to be slightly more polite to me; I would prefer if men did not cat call to begin with. Also, though I suppose I tend to dress fairly modestly by some New York standards, it's not because I feel that to do so makes me more worthy of respect from men. It's just a personal style choice - and I don't believe it makes me morally superior in any way.
That out of the way, I've been wanting to write about the troublesome notion of modest fashion for some time now, but I admit I've shied away from it. The idea of modest dress is inextricably linked to religion and culture, and the last thing I want to do is offend anyone based on their beliefs in that area. Additionally, standards of modesty vary greatly from culture to culture - for some it means being covered from head to foot. For others, it's covering the upper arms and cleavage. It's impossible to dilute the idea of modest dress into a simple set of rules.
But it must be said that the expectation of female modesty in many cultures is an inherently sexist one. The idea is often that men must be saved from their own thoughts of temptation and it's a woman's responsibility to dress modestly to prevent men from having these thoughts. (There's an interesting survey on what modest dress means to young Christian men here if you want to take a look. I'll warn you that I couldn't look long as I found some of the basic ideas so disturbing.)
There's not much that enrages my cold femi-nazi heart like this idea of protecting men from temptation by dressing modestly. Why?
- Standards of modesty for women put the onus on women themselves to prevent unwelcome advances and sexual assault. See, men just can't control themselves! If ever an idea were insulting to both genders, it's this one. Why don't we try everyone being responsible for their actions?
- These double standards create hurtful divisions among women. For example, many feel it's okay to "slut-shame" a woman who shows more skin than she does. How often do we call each other sluts, skanks, whores, or worse?
- At worst, it's a form of rape apology. The belief that women are sending sexual invitations by the way they dress is a prevalent one, sadly.
So, to bring this back to dressing vintage: yes, vintage styles can be more modest than current fashion. No, that doesn't give any of us the right to demean other women for choosing to show more skin. And, above all, we deserve respectful treatment from men no matter how we're dressed.


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. . . . What I did not realize is that I've been doing it for over six years! The traditional way to go about this would be to sit down and write a proposal, with the goal to write a book, which eventually would be published. Instead, I blogged—for six years non-stop, covering many stories, thoughts, memories and almost always sharing a recipe's creation.
When San Francisco-based Hyperink approached me with the proposal to collect some of my memorable stories and recipes from the blog and compile them into an ebook, initially I was not convinced. However, as I got discussing the idea with their incredible team, it all began to make sense. It's rather ingenious, and very innovative.
Bloggers pour hours and hours of time into writing hundreds of posts for their blogs. Carefully researched, written and, in cases of photographers, beautifully photographed posts are all easily accessible on the Internet. However, the biggest disadvantage—and much to the dismay of the bloggers—is that blog posts have a very short shelf life. Within a fleeting moment much of the content disappears into the black hole of the web, often never to be found again. Some of these posts are extraordinary, emotional and extremely informative; it does not matter, the Internet demands to be fed with fresh new content. Hyperink is changing all this with their "Blog to Book" series, partnering with blog authors and carefully putting together a series of books that cover a variety of topics in ebook format—and are doing this very successfully.
Together with my lovely editor Michaela (she was a gift sent from the book-writing heavens!), I've been working on this book since last year. Both of us had the same visions for the book: I labeled it a "storybook that thinks it's a cookbook" or a "cookbook that tells a story"—you decide what it is when you read it. It brings many of my stories, passionate childhood memories and thoughts together in a way that reads like a seamless book. It is peppered with several recipes and vivid images from the blog and also includes a few new recipes never before published on the Internet. Integrated between the stories and the recipes are many of my valuable tips, tricks and personal notes about the dishes, methods of cooking or the history. One of the best parts however, is that we have incorporated reader comments from the blog for many of the recipes. Yes a few of you make an appearance in my book!
I think it has turned out quite nicely. It was great to see it come together like a big jigsaw puzzle and I was amazed to realize that, yes, I have indeed written a book. This might not be the book, but it is a true pleasure to see over 300 pages of my work edited into a beautiful read and the photographs set in a different scene than the blog, ready to touch a wider audience. I am stoked to say the least.
The title of the book? What's for lunch, Honey?—what else?
The book will be available on Hyperink's online store, of course, but also on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, for just $4.95.
Hope you enjoy it!
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2011 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


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Special Feature
"Obviously I want to fight for the belt one day and hold that belt, but I've got a lot of work to do. I lost my last two fights, so I've got to win fights and finish fights. I definitely want to stay busy and I've got a lot of catching up to do."
When it comes to the topic of 2009, don't expect UFC light heavyweight prospect Steve Cantwell to be holding it up as a banner year in his life and career, but as he approaches his long-awaited return to the Octagon Saturday night against Stanislav Nedkov, he can safely say that 2010 has been a lot better for him.
"The anticipation's definitely been growing, and so far it's been better than last year," said the 24-year old Las Vegan. "Last year I lost two fights, got one cancelled, and had a lot of drama, so I'm hoping to come back strong and finish out the year strong with a nice big win."
For those just arriving, Steve Cantwell's 2009 campaign involved back-to-back losses to Luiz Cane and Brian Stann and a scrapped UFC 108 bout against Vladimir Matyushenko that hit the skids after he wasn't medically cleared by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. It would have been enough to test the spirit of anyone, but Cantwell – who was cleared and licensed by the NSAC in May – saw his proverbial glass as half-full, not half-empty, and he remained a gym rat during his time off from competition.
"A lot of people talk about ring rust, but I think a lot of that has to do with gym rust and I actually had a lot of commitments as far as training partners," he said. "I had to help Stephan (Bonnar) get ready for both his Krzysztof (Soszynski) fights, a couple of my buddies in the gym had fights coming up, and I played a major role in a lot of training camps. You have to be in good shape just to participate in those training camps and that kept me motivated to stay in the gym. And in the time off, I actually got my Kru instructor certification in Muay Thai and my black belt in jiu-jitsu. It wasn't wasted time."
The busy schedule also allowed Cantwell to distract himself from the real pain of 2009 – the loss to his buddy Stann in their September rubber match. And it wasn't just that he lost, because he was able to at least accept that his UFC 97 defeat against Luiz Cane came after a punishing three round battle, but the way he lost to the man he had traded knockouts with when they were in the WEC.
"It was disappointing," said Cantwell of the three round unanimous decision defeat. "There were fans booing that night, and he (Stann) continued to run. Call it his gameplan or whatever it was, but I'm sorry, our job is to put on a good fight for the fans, and if you can't do that, then you don't belong in the UFC. That whole backpedalling and running gameplan, that's not fighting; it's bad. I prepared for a war and I'm extremely disappointed that he fought like that, considering all the talk that we were gonna go out there and bang it out. I trained for a three round war; he trained for a track meet."
Time has apparently not healed this wound, and though Stann fought a disciplined 15 minutes that saw him baffle Cantwell with an effective stick and move game, 'The Robot' wasn't impressed – then or now.
"If it wasn't for the cage, I would have walked away," he said. "I've never been a bully, so for me to sit there and beat a dude up who's running from me, it wasn't easy to do."
What the fight did provide though was a blueprint to frustrate Cantwell, who at one point stopped, dropped his hands and called for Stann to trade with him. So if Cantwell did take something from the fight, it was to tighten up his ability to cut off his opponents.
"It's not that I don't know what to do when guys circle and backpedal like that; it's that I really did not expect that from Brian Stann," said Cantwell. "But I obviously went back to my coach and he taught me how to cut people off a little bit better. We actually got a cage in the gym, and a lot of the work I had done before was in a ring, so I was a lot better at cutting people off in a square than I was in the Octagon. In the Octagon, you can't corner them as easy because there is no corner, so them circling is a pain in the butt. But you've got to know what to throw and when to throw it and how to control where the fight goes. A lot of cage work actually helped that, and it wasn't too hard, but it's still a work in progress."
So while that aspect of his game has improved, along with his striking and groundwork, Cantwell's fight philosophy, one that has carried him to a 7-3 record with seven finishes, remains unchanged.
"Never in the back of my head am I saying 'oh, I'm gonna win a close decision,'" he said. "I go into every fight trying to end it."
This weekend, the object of his finishing intentions will be Bulgarian debutant Stanislav Nedkov, a fighter bringing a perfect 11-0 record and wins over Kevin Randleman and Travis Wiuff to the O2 Arena in London.
"I've seen some tape on him but I haven't studied it extensively," said Cantwell of his foe. "He's pretty much the same every fight, but he's no one to look past and I'm definitely not taking him for granted, but I'm training to go through him. He's a tough, extremely strong, explosive dude, so as long as I fight an intelligent fight, it should go my way. But if I do the wrong things, it will definitely be a tough fight."
A tough fight has never scared Cantwell away, but with two straight losses, a year-long layoff, and the necessity to acclimate to Europe on fight week, it could get kind of rough for him. Not that you'll hear that from him, especially since he has traveled overseas to fight once before, to beat Leonardo Pecanha in a 2006 bout in Slovenia.
"Basically what I learned the last time I fought there (in Europe) was that I ate when I was hungry, I slept when I was tired and I fought when it was time to fight. That's basically what I'm gonna do this time."
As for the other stuff, he doesn't worry about it. His outlook is realistic, yet optimistic, and while there's time to be made up, he's ready to do what it takes to climb the light heavyweight ladder.
"I'm still one of the younger fighters in the division and I just want to fight," he said. "I want to bring my stock back up, I want to fight some good, tough guys, quality opponents who want to fight, and just see where it goes. Obviously I want to fight for the belt one day and hold that belt, but I've got a lot of work to do. I lost my last two fights, so I've got to win fights and finish fights. I definitely want to stay busy and I've got a lot of catching up to do. There are a lot of good guys in the division who have been killing it and I'm way behind."
Power Slap


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Fireside Soy Candle Tin
Fireside Soy Candle Tin
An inviting reminder of warm embers in the fireplace, sweetened with woods, spices and fresh eucalyptus with a wooden wick that gives off a crackle sound like a real open fire!
This candle tin has approximately 4 fluid ounces of soy wax and weighs about 5 ounces. Tins are 2" tall and 2 1/2" in diameter. Each candle is carefully hand-poured in small batches in Philadelphia, PA.
Each Firewood/Fireside candle tin has a burn time of up to 32 hours and is comprised of 100% soy wax with a wooden wick, making each one clean burning! My soy candles are eco-friendly and made with GMO free soy beans. Soy candles burn cleaner with less soot and burn longer than traditional paraffin candles. Soy candles are also very easy to clean up with soap and water if spilled. The fragrance oils that I use in my candles are also all phthalate free! The candle tins may be cleaned out and either recycled or reused after the candle has completely burned out.
To maximize the life of your candles, keep wicks trimmed to 1/4 inch. Burn 3-4 hours per use. The fragrance of the candle is released when the wax is melted and pools across the surface of the candle. Please keep away from children and pets.
Each floor plan for each home produces different results. Most get GREAT results with 1 candle (in medium 15 x 15 ft. to smaller rooms), while others need 2 candles. Understand that it is more difficult to fill open floor plan homes since the scent has to continue to travel and as the scent spreads over large areas it will get less intense. An average room with walls will keep the scent inside and of course create a more intense, strong scent.
I always wrap items nicely in pretty colored tissue paper so whether your order is for personal use or a gift, it will always be packaged with love and care. If you would like a personal note left for your giftee, please leave the text in the "note to seller" section of the checkout screen.


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Brass and Bronze Chandeliers
Brass chandelier
Brass chandelier with delfts blue vase and scales.
Number of light points: 5
Diameter: 70 cm
Height: 68 cm
Age: Old / Antique
If you have any questions about this chandelier / lamp or would you like free advice on the dimensions you require, please call 0031 - 6 53 77 74 66.
his is one of the many models of Chandelier Atelier De Rode Hoeve. Not all chandeliers are mentioned on this website, in total the collection includes almost 1000 chandeliers, wall lights, ceiling fans etc. You are welcome to come and see them in one of our locations!
Delivery time
The ancient and antique chandeliers can be delivered or picked up immediately.
The delivery times of new chandeliers are determined by mutual agreement. Contact us to make an appointment.
Additional info
• The chandelier height is measured without the corresponding chain and ceiling plate (if applicable). The chain and cord are made to measure for you.
• The chandeliers of Kroonluchteratelier De Rode Hoeve are dimmable and suitable for light bulbs as led lamps.
• The order is only final after you have received a confirmation from us.
Tips for finding the right lamp:
We would be happy to assist you in finding the right lamp and would like to advise you on the correct dimensions. The following information is important for this:
• What are the dimensions of the room where the chandelier or lamp should come? Consider the width, height, but also the height of the ceiling.
• Does the chandelier hang over the dining table or coffee table? Therefore measure the length and width of the table.
• If necessary, it may help to mail or take some pictures of the location with you when you visit us.
Call us for a suitable advice, 0031 – 6 53777466.


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I challenge all theists and all their accommodationist friends to post their very best 21st century, sophisticated (or not), arguments for the existence of God. They can put them in the comments section of this posting, or on any of the other atheist blogs, or on their own blogs and websites. Just send me the link.
Try and make it concise and to the point. It would be nice if it's less than 100 years old. Keep in mind that there are over 1000 different gods so it would be helpful to explain just which gods the argument applies to.
Thing is, we've been asking this same question for many years on our show. We always rush callers to the front when the screeners tell us they claim to have proof that God exists. So far, we've been disappointed.
Pretty much everyone says he or she has proof that God exists winds up landing in one of the following categories, roughly in descending order of frequency:
- They wish to make a first cause argument.
- Before the call ends they will admit to being an atheist in disguise; they either thought it would be funny to offer a fake proof, or they (correctly) believed that they wouldn't get on the show unless they lied. Hot tip for people fitting this category: You almost certainly aren't funny and didn't impress any of the viewers. Try keeping the lines clear for actual theists instead.
- They offer some poorly drawn refutation of a particular scientific principle, and then assume that the only alternative to the science is their god.
- [Inserted after reading the comments] They cite a personal encounter with the supernatural which cannot possibly be verified, investigated, or duplicated.
- They have some pseudo-scientific argument that is based on some kind of misapplication of a science they barely understand, such as quantum mechanics.
- They have some kind of even worse pseudo-scientific argument that involves making up "laws" that don't actually exist.
- They have some kind of linguistic argument that relies on proving that "God" exists based on purely semantic properties rather than observed evidence.
When these various tactics fail, about half will resort to threatening us with some form of Pascal's Wager, most likely without knowing who Pascal is.
That about covers the supposedly sophisticated arguments that theology has had to offer in the last 200 years. Seriously. If there are many more then few theists are aware of them.


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Here we go again...
Dear Golden Boy,
Now that you are in the middle school, I expect you to do several things yourself. FIRST, remember your &$@& homework! You are no longer in a building where your mother has a key to enter at all hours of the night to retrieve a stray paper here and there that you might have forgotten.
SECOND? I refuse to email your new teacher ONE MORE TIME. If you can't get your act together at the end of each day to bring home what you need, you're gonna have to pay that piper yourself. My piper coins are ALL USED UP.
Yeah, about that yelling match last night? If you EVER talk to me like that again, I will smack you so far into next week that you won't even know what DAY IT IS.
And when I say, "Please get out your backpack and do your homework." You better say "How high??"
I have a headache.
Love, mom
91 comments:
- Amy W said...
It is way too early in the school year for this level of frustration, isn't it? At this rate, I'd suggest buying stock in Stoli RIGHT now so you can at the very least benefit monetarily from the vodka consumption in your future.
- September 23, 2009 at 7:55 AM
- Amy W said...
Wait a second.... did I honestly just get the first comment in on this post??? I can't believe it! I'm doing a little happy dance over here in England just for YOU, Vodkamom!!
- September 23, 2009 at 7:56 AM
- Scope said...
Well, you wanted his older sisters to be role models fro the boy...
- September 23, 2009 at 8:04 AM
- Boozy Tooth said...
Oh no! Not a smidge of tarnish on GB! I want to cry for some reason.
"How High?" LOL Hilarious. - September 23, 2009 at 8:12 AM
- Meg said...
Is he too young to pour you a drink?
- September 23, 2009 at 8:21 AM
- Vodka Logic said...
Do you have cameras in my house?
- September 23, 2009 at 8:26 AM
- Unknown said...
awhhh, remembering THAT transition with fear and trembling! Middle school brings a whole lot of DIFFERENT circumstances.
and hormones!
I started talking about how the zipper worked and that it should stay UP! haha
except to pee! - September 23, 2009 at 8:29 AM
- Rick Daley said...
My kids are in kindergarten and second grade, so we are still spoon fed homework by the teachers. I know eventually this will change, and frankly, I can wait.
- September 23, 2009 at 8:32 AM
- FRANNIE said...
I remember yelling...'You have ONE folder, put EVERYTHING in the ONE folder!!'
8th Grade and he still can't find anything. GGAAHHHH!!!!
Where are the olives? It's five o'clock somewhere. - September 23, 2009 at 8:38 AM
- Keyona said...
Sassy: Where's golden boy?
Vodka Mom: I slapped him into next week, he'll be back on Tuesday!
LOL!! - September 23, 2009 at 8:40 AM
- Keyona said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- September 23, 2009 at 8:40 AM
- Lucia said...
Vodka mom...I'm right there with you...where's my clamato I could use a ceasar!
- September 23, 2009 at 8:40 AM
- Deb said...
-->Oh no, Golden Boy better get it together before he gets a new nickname too. Good luck!
www.websavymom.com - September 23, 2009 at 8:44 AM
- Wendy said...
OMG You where so at my house last night!
- September 23, 2009 at 8:48 AM
- Karen Harrington said...
I see what I have to look forward to in a few years. I love how my kids think the floor is the best place for a backpack. :)
- September 23, 2009 at 9:04 AM
- shrink on the couch said...
I feel your headache pain, VM. I, too, have a homework forgetter, a book misplacer, a leave-my-stuff-everywhere child. Since she takes after her scatter-brained mom, I'm not a lot of help where modeling desirable behavior is concerned. eep. make that, bleep.
- September 23, 2009 at 9:05 AM
- CSY said...
you know, I had this very same argument with my middle schooler...the difference? Mine is a GIRL! Oh I am SO not looking forward tot he rest of this year. Love you, VM!
- September 23, 2009 at 9:08 AM
- Kim said...
My middle schooler had the audacity to text me this morning telling me to bring him his book and he even gave me a deadline time. My response? "I can't."
We'll see how it goes when he gets home. - September 23, 2009 at 9:08 AM
- Ice Queen said...
Golden Boy was yelling? I refuse to believe it. The world must be ending.
- September 23, 2009 at 9:15 AM
- Unknown said...
Already? Usually I don't have that shouting match with "The Boy" until at least the 3rd month of school.
I say you smack him on a daily basis just for general purposes. When he asks what was that for.. you can simply reply "for being a male"
Good luck sista! - September 23, 2009 at 9:23 AM
- Craig Glenn said...
I donnot get it. I nevver lessoned to my parants and I nevver did anny of my home work and I turnned out just fin.
Craig - September 23, 2009 at 9:23 AM
- http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...
Let the games begin! Bwahaha!
- September 23, 2009 at 9:26 AM
- Mary Anne said...
Oh, it is WAY too early for this, and I'm having the same battle with The Girl. She BEGGED to keep up with her keyboard lessons, and then BEGGED to add violin at school (which hasn't even started yet) and PROMISED to practice without whining. I thought my head was going to explode last night after the fourth or fifth time I reminded her to practice and hearing "But I'm so tiiiiirrrreeed."
- September 23, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Tell him he's in middle school now and it's time to man up!
- September 23, 2009 at 9:35 AM
- Pretty Zesty said...
oh boy...
- September 23, 2009 at 9:44 AM
- Anne said...
My "Ruined" one... the youngest girl sounds like she could be related to GB. -A younger first grade version... loses $%!^ all the time... have to call her teacher... my girls are at my school too... except for the middle school one... she's graduated from me... but at least she is the responsible one. (so far)
- September 23, 2009 at 9:46 AM
- Ms. Witi said...
HUH...I never read "stuff about you" and assumed you just had the 2 girls...now, that I know you have a boy too...I see how we are so alike! (And what I have to look forward too...) HA!
- September 23, 2009 at 9:56 AM
- Kathy B! said...
I have one who just started middle school as well. It's a pretty big kick in the crotch!
- September 23, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- for a different kind of girl said...
It's like you're standing in my kitchen! This discussion happens in my house every morning before my son heads out to the middle school, and is repeated every afternoon/evening when we do the rundown of what he's forgotten, what he needed, how he had to be responsible, on and on and on. One month into the school year and I'm exhausted already!
- September 23, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- Brian Miller said...
lol. what week of school are you in? middle school is definitely a different animal all together. i definately dont look forward to this. how high, lol.
- September 23, 2009 at 10:34 AM
- TexasRed said...
Guh! sounds like the beginning of a long year. Hoping for the best.
- September 23, 2009 at 10:40 AM
- *Akilah Sakai* said...
Next week, eh?
So, is it a back-handed slap? How far do I have to lean back before swinging? - September 23, 2009 at 10:40 AM
- Adiba Nelson, Author/Blogger/Mom said...
i promise you - read it. thank me later. - September 23, 2009 at 10:41 AM
- Julie D said...
My baby started college today. Sigh.
- September 23, 2009 at 10:51 AM
- Yo said...
AAAARRRRGHHH!!! it KILLS me!! why don't they turn in their homework?? WHYYYYYY???? it's finished! it's complete!! TURN THE THING INNNNN!!!!
and signed forms? nice. you turned in the football form, but you didn't turn in any other form. how did THAT happen?
whew. thank you. i needed that. - September 23, 2009 at 10:53 AM
- Sue said...
Oh, how I so do "NOT" miss those days! Good luck with Golden Boys new school year! I remember the days of driving all over the neighborhood chasing my own Golden Boy down because he had an orthodonsist appointment he didn't want to go to. Of course, he if a bracket broke on his braces, he would just remove them with plyers! Again, I so do "NOT" miss those days! Take care.
- September 23, 2009 at 10:55 AM
- "Cookie" said...
And here I though preschool was rough! :)
- September 23, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Like you say, repetition is the only way to train the children. Eventually they will learn anything if it's put in fron of them enough times.
Secretia - September 23, 2009 at 11:12 AM
- The Good Cook said...
Why are you taping my conversations with my children?
- September 23, 2009 at 11:49 AM
- Gayle said...
Teachers hate me.
- September 23, 2009 at 11:55 AM
- Bernie said...
I haven'theard the phrase " hit you into next week" for so long. One of my friends used to say that all the time and maybe I did too. Sometimes it was to New York. Sounds like life goes on much as it did back in my century. I loved it.
- September 23, 2009 at 11:59 AM
- Kimberly said...
My eldest is in 8th grade this year and he doesn't care too much about homework and all that, more like he comes home and starts acting as though he's my hubs and telling me what to do. And then rolls his eyes when I remind him who the heck he's talking to. I smacked mine up the side of the head last night, and he got all big eyed and stared at me like "OH!!" I think I'm gonna do that more often, maybe once a day just to keep him on his toes and see how fast he can duck......lol
- September 23, 2009 at 12:12 PM
- Cora said...
Yup. Kids. Somehow I think they're all cut from the same cloth, don't you?
- September 23, 2009 at 12:18 PM
- Kathryn Magendie said...
Lawdy - those days are over for me - mine is 30 and married and expecting a first - yayyyy! yayyyy! *laughing*
Love this from below:
"Those obstacles and tragedies -- they don't make you who you are, they REVEAL who you are." - September 23, 2009 at 12:20 PM
- WeaselMomma said...
Parenting joy. I got tired of being called from the classroom "Mom, I forgot my _____, can you bring it to me.
I brought it to him, but wearing a bathrobe and pig tails and gave him a big smooch while waving to all of the 6th grade class. Problem solved. - September 23, 2009 at 12:24 PM
- Sprite's Keeper said...
Golden Boy, you better do what she says. I'm just reading it and I feel like I'M being lectured! She's that good!
- September 23, 2009 at 12:49 PM
- Michel said...
reason number 452 for me not to have kids. Thank you!
- September 23, 2009 at 12:51 PM
- Char said...
oooh, and black and blue does not look good with golden--even if its into next week. LOL
- September 23, 2009 at 12:52 PM
- The Peach Tart said...
Oh honey I remember those days. I feel for you but they will pass except then the spawn turn into teenagers which is worse. Perhaps you should buy some Vodka stock.
- September 23, 2009 at 1:01 PM
- mo.stoneskin said...
Take him out of school and put him to work in the fields?
- September 23, 2009 at 1:20 PM
- Lynn said...
Those days! - September 23, 2009 at 1:25 PM
- Captain Dumbass said...
I saw some foreshadowing of that last night. It wasn't pretty.
- September 23, 2009 at 2:25 PM
- Suzy said...
It is time to start packing a flask into their lunches.
- September 23, 2009 at 2:46 PM
- Maureen@IslandRoar said...
Wait a minute? Is MY son living at YOUR house?? I thought he was off at college, but clearly you are describing him to a T...
Wish I could say it gets better. He's almost 22. - September 23, 2009 at 3:08 PM
- Desert Songbird said...
*heavy sigh*
I feel your pain. Every bit of it. We could trade sons and not even notice a difference.
*heavy sigh* - September 23, 2009 at 3:19 PM
- Ambiance in the Attic said...
Me too, me too with a 6th grader. In fact we just had another teacher conference today about lost homework. He was also coming to class late and spending too much time away from class to use the bathroom. We found out he even told a couple of teachers he ad a medical problem and needed surgery. That's whay he was so long in the bathroom.
What next? - September 23, 2009 at 3:25 PM
- Expat mum said...
It seems to take them forever to adjust to middle school doesn't it? My middle schooler is still trying to convince himself and everyone else that school hasn't really started up again. Grr.
- September 23, 2009 at 3:36 PM
- Everyday Goddess said...
- September 23, 2009 at 4:02 PM
ha...arggg ;) how high;)
- September 23, 2009 at 4:12 PM
- Unknown said...
Sing out Sista!
Do I ever know this song...
I am also the world's most annoying cuckoo clock
Is your homework done? How 'bout that homework? Squawk!!
It's all about the time management with my kid.
Peace - Rene - September 23, 2009 at 4:23 PM
- Stacey J. Warner said...
Yeah, I've had days like that with a six year old...my main battle? -His Room! Thanks for making me laugh.
- September 23, 2009 at 4:33 PM
- lisahgolden said...
He lives at our house, too. I got a call from his language arts teacher today. Friday's paper wasn't turned in. I'm sure it's not done yet. I can hear the XBox live through the floor. Time to go do my mother duty, I guess.
- September 23, 2009 at 4:40 PM
oh my procrastination and forgetfulness. *sighs* too many kids have it and it is only the beginning of the school year!
- September 23, 2009 at 5:20 PM
- AiringMyLaundry said...
Oh man, he sounds like my son.
My son is started to get an attitude. If I tell him no, he's all, "I'm not your son anymore." - September 23, 2009 at 6:26 PM
- Susan said...
Um, how high does he usually have to get before doing his homework? This middle school thing is getting more intriguing all the time.
- September 23, 2009 at 8:24 PM
- Tuesday Taylor said...
This sounds way too familiar! My now 15 year old son knows that when I threaten a "Mama Beat Down", he better bust a move!
- September 23, 2009 at 8:28 PM
- Jeanne Estridge said...
Different kid, same conversation?
- September 23, 2009 at 8:42 PM
- Rosaria Williams said...
I would have loved having parents like you when I taught middle schoolers. Way to go!
- September 23, 2009 at 9:06 PM
- Lawyer Mom said...
Oh, how many "if you EVER"s I've issued in my time!
- September 23, 2009 at 9:21 PM
- Zen Mama said...
When my oldest son started middle school, the Principal called a meeting to tell those of us who were new to the middle school years, "get ready for your precious little golden children to fall off their collective pedestals."
Man, was she ever right.
She also said, let them fail - do not rescue or hound them to do their homework. Middle school doesn't count but the lessons learned in personal responsibility will carry them through when it does.
Hard to do but I'm sure with enough Vodka, you'll manage!
I'm a big fan! - September 23, 2009 at 10:16 PM
- Donna said...
Let me know how that works out for you, cuz it's not working for me and my Jr Hi boy. If you find the magic cure, TELL US!
- September 23, 2009 at 10:37 PM
- Joanie said...
I am SO glad I'm past all that crap!
And I have an empty nest!
Did that sound like gloating? um... yeah, maybe a little.
sorry. - September 23, 2009 at 10:58 PM
- Midlife Roadtripper said...
"so far into next week"
My mom used to say that. Just remembered when I read that. - September 23, 2009 at 11:43 PM
- Mainly a midwife said...
I'm trying to start that personal responsiblity stuff with my 1st grader (remember your water bottle at soccer, turn in your homework folder, where is your NEW coat, where is your lunchbox). Sometimes I feel like I'm being too hard on him.
- September 23, 2009 at 11:55 PM
- SSP said...
i had a kid show up to rehearsal today without script - we have been rehearsing 3 days.....his excuse? he forgot it!! Man I WISH i could have slapped him into next week but I need him here tomorrow and Saturday too.....and I bet since he isn't my own kid, he;d report me and get me fired...little pecker head.....
- September 24, 2009 at 12:01 AM
- ♥ Braja said...
Did you know, vodka is REALLY good for headaches? :)))
- September 24, 2009 at 1:59 AM
- flutter said...
wait, he has to be high to do home work?
- September 24, 2009 at 2:47 AM
- Mrs. E said...
On the teacher end, I hate waiting for some poor soul to dig through the backpack to find one sheet of paper, wadded beyond recognition, buried on the bottom and only half complete. I can't tell you how many detentions have been spent cleaning a backpack and getting all the class papers in the correct folder. *sigh*
Pass the vodka. - September 24, 2009 at 6:28 AM
- Hit 40 said...
My kids both love their homework. I just need to get my youngest in the shower more often!!!
- September 24, 2009 at 7:00 AM
- Melissa B. said...
I'm of the same mind, too. They need to learn to get their own acts together, don't they? I teach high school kids, and I still get apology e-mails from parents. What's going to happen when the kids go to college?
- September 24, 2009 at 7:00 AM
- Elizabeth D. said...
I guess this is what I have to look forward to at the moment - my munchkin is still a toddler, so my biggest gripes are that he thinks 5:30 is an acceptable hour to wake up (it's not!) and that he seems to be boycotting eating meat. Stopping by from SITS this morning, have a great day!
- September 24, 2009 at 7:02 AM
- kanishk said...
Not a smidge of tarnish on GB! I want to cry for some reason.
Domain registration india - September 24, 2009 at 7:03 AM
- Kate Coveny Hood said...
I dread this... Especially the homework part. I hated doing my own homework. Monitoring someone else's holds no appeal for me.
- September 24, 2009 at 7:51 AM
- Unknown said...
That's telling him!
- September 24, 2009 at 9:23 AM
- That Janie Girl said...
Oh, Golden Boy better rope up!
- September 24, 2009 at 2:12 PM
- Joanie said...
Have you been listening in on the convo I've been having with Little Dude? Seriously, the kid is driving me nuts with all the incomplete assignments and teachers calling, emailing me. And his dad hasn't helped much.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr! - September 24, 2009 at 8:37 PM
- Sultan said...
Your son is involved in a small power struggle with you. The only way to really win in the end is not to play. You explain to him that his school life is his own. Nothing will happen to you if he does badly, he will only be hurting himself. In the future you will not get his assignments, do his homework or cover for him. He is on his own there. If he really believes this he may in fact surprise you and do much better.
- September 25, 2009 at 4:04 AM
And lastly, don't stand in the middle of the living room with your eyes shut screaming at the top of your lungs that you can't find your back pack and are going to miss the buss. Open your @#$% eyes and LOOK for the @#$%ing thing, then haull @$$ to the busstop or you're walking across town, over the river, and thru the woods to school.
Flashbacks to being a nanny for my neice and nephew. Sorry. - September 25, 2009 at 1:07 PM
- Sparkless said...
LOL!! Oh I so know your pain. Here they have cut out the middle school so kids go straight from elementary to high school in grade 8. Can you imagine that!
The teachers are supposed to post homework online for parents and kids to check but seems most of the teachers don't get to it until a week or two later. Grrrr! - September 25, 2009 at 8:22 PM
- Lipstick Jungle said...
you, me? Parallel universe. OY!
- September 25, 2009 at 10:04 PM
so it gets worse? 4th grade is kicking my ass (with arguments and such coming from my snarky one)
- October 1, 2009 at 9:14 PM


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text:
Or was that on Epsilon Ceti B II?
Whichever, the point is that I can post old Valentine's cakes without fear of the "fact" police getting all up in my cakey "business."
[finger gun]
[licking fingers and smoothing eyebrows]
SO...are you a puddle of oozing desire yet?
Ok, time to break out the big guns:
(You know, whether you read that as a command or an adjective, it's equally romantic.)
Thanks to Meagan M., Greg M., Kimberly B., Amber T., Natsk, Amy I., Rebekah K., Michael D., & Kyra, who always talk smack when they're feeling peckish, but still refuse to give me any lip.


text:
You know what they say about the path to perdition. Well, I'd planned all week for a montage of the sky and ridgeline that I see from my kitchen windows. I thought about it and I thought about it, but never touched the camera and when I went to take the pictures the sky chose to bury itself beneath a haze of milky white and nap like Sleeping Beauty. I made myself a drink - I swear it was not the one you see here - and while sipping my tea had another thought that did lead to the photograph and recipe featured today. A few years ago I was asked to make a punch for a shower that had an all blue theme. Drinks are not my area of expertise, but with a little research I was able to find something called Blue Lemonade Punch. Now, unbeknownst to me, there was one small problem with the drink. It's made with strawberry Kool-Aid. God has yet to create a man or woman who can taste blue curacao and vodka when mixed with this strawberry witches brew. Some of the revelers, though warned the punch was spiked, had a very, very good time that was matched only by the very, very bad headaches they had the following day. This is not that drink, but it's pretty darn close to it, so proceed with caution. I do love the color. It's perfect for Blue Monday.
Blue Lemonade
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce Blue Curacao liqueur
4 - 5 ounces lemonade
Ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a shaker jar. Mix well. Serve in tall, thin glass over ice. Yield: 1 serving.
I'm sending this to Smiling Sally for her Blue Monday event.


text:
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The Met Around the World presents the Met's work via the global scope of its collections and as it extends across the nation and the world through a variety of domestic and international initiatives and programs, including exhibitions, excavations, fellowships, professional exchanges, conservation projects, and traveling works of art.
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The Met lends works of art to exhibitions and institutions worldwide to expose its collection to the broadest possible audience. See our current international loans program.
Conservation Projects
The preservation of works of art is a fundamental part of the Met's mission. Our work in this area includes treating works of art from other national and international collections. See our international conservation program from 2009 to the present.
The Met has conducted excavations for over 100 years in direct partnership with source countries at some of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Today we continue this tradition in order to gain greater understanding of our ancient collections. See our international excavation program from the Met's founding to the present.
The Met hosts international students, scholars, and museum professionals so that they can learn from our staff and pursue independent research in the context of the Met's exceptional resources and facilities. See the activities of our current national and international fellows.
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The Met's international work takes many forms, from participation in exchange programs at partnering institutions and worldwide symposia to advising on a range of museum issues. These activities contribute to our commitment to advancing the work of the larger, global community of art museums. See our international exchange program and other collaborations from 2009 to the present.
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