text:
Silly girls your heads full of boys
There is a last sample of talk on the outer side
Your stand at last lifts to dumb evening
It is reflected in the steep blue sides of the crater
So much water shall wash over these our breaths
Yet shall remain unwashed at the end. The fine
Branches of the fir tree catch at it, ebbing.
Not on our planet is the destiny
That can make you one.
Suggested Reading
On Wonder
By Srikanth Reddy"Maybe wonder, like the moon, has a dark side."
The Daily
The Art of Screenwriting No. 2
By John Gregory Dunne
The fifth of six children, John Gregory Dunne, the son of a prominent surgeon, was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1932. He went to school at Portsmouth Priory (now Abbey) and on graduation moved on to Princeton, graduating from there in 1954. To please his mother he applied to the Stanford Business School, but changed his mind (if not hers) and instead volunteered for the draft. He served for two years in the army as an enlisted man, his overseas service spent with a gun battery in Germany. He speaks of his years at the Priory (where the monks were "very worldly") and in the army as being far more valuable than his time at Princeton. "In the army I was exposed to people I would not otherwise have known. I learned something about life."
Back in the States after his service, Dunne worked briefly in an ad agency (he was fired), then with the magazine Industrial Design. In 1959 he went to Time magazine and worked there until 1964, the year he married the author Joan Didion. Since devoting himself to his own work, Dunne has written a number of novels, including The Red White and Blue, True Confessions, Dutch Shea, Jr., Vegas and Playland and two nonfiction books, Harp and The Studio. He and Didion together have written over twenty screenplays, seven of which have reached the screen: The Panic in Needle Park, Play It As It Lays, A Star Is Born, True Confessions, Hills Like White Elephants, Broken Trust, and most recently Up Close and Personal.
At present the couple lives in a large sunny apartment on New York's Upper East Side. One is struck by how neat and ordered everything is—no sense of confusion, files in neat piles. The floors throughout the apartment are bare, polished. The considerable library is in order: the fiction titles only fill the shelves of the master bedroom.
Both have workrooms. When the pair works on a screenplay, each does a separate draft and then the two meet, sitting opposite each other at the desk in John's workplace where they thrash out successive drafts. Here too are mementos of their work together. Photographs taken on the sets of various movies. A large police map of the streets of Los Angeles covers one wall. Authentic, it was used on the set of True Confessions—little black dots across its surface mark where crime-scene pins once stuck. On the opposite wall, a more serene scene: a blown-up photograph of Joan Didion standing in the shallows of a quiet sea holding a pair of sandals. Many photographs are of their daughter, Quintana Roo (named after a state in Mexico), now the photo editor at Elle Decor magazine. A recent addition in the workroom is a photograph of Quintana and Robert Redford, who costars with Michelle Pfeiffer in the newly released Up Close and Personal.
The interview that follows is a composite—partly conducted at the YMHA before a packed audience, partly at Dunne's home on the East Side, with a written portion about the novel Playland added by the author himself.
Your work is populated with the most extraordinary grotesqueries—nutty nuns, midgets, whores of the most breathtaking abilities and appetites. Do you know all these characters?
Certainly I knew the nuns. You couldn't go to a parochial school in the 1940s and not know them. They were like concentration-camp guards. They all seemed to have rulers and they hit you across the knuckles with them. The joke at St. Joseph's Cathedral School in Hartford, Connecticut, where I grew up, was that the nuns would hit you until you bled and then hit you for bleeding. Having said that, I should also say they were great teachers. As a matter of fact, the best of my formal education came from the nuns at St. Joseph's and from the monks at Portsmouth Priory, a Benedictine boarding school in Rhode Island where I spent my junior and senior years of high school. The nuns taught me basic reading, writing, and arithmetic; the monks taught me how to think, how to question, even to question Catholicism in order to better understand it. The nuns and the monks were far more valuable to me than my four years at Princeton. I'm not a practicing Catholic, but one thing you never lose from a Catholic education is a sense of sin and the conviction that the taint on the human condition is the natural order.
What about the whores and midgets?
I suppose for that I would have to go to my informal education. I spent two years as an enlisted man in the army in Germany after the Korean War, and those two years were the most important learning experience I really ever had. I was just a tight-assed upper-middle-class kid, the son of a surgeon, and I had this sense of Ivy League entitlement, and all that was knocked out of me in the army. Princeton boys didn't meet the white and black underclass that you meet as an enlisted draftee. It was a constituency of the dispossessed—high-school dropouts, petty criminals, rednecks, racists, gamblers, you name it—and I fit right in. I grew to hate the officer class that was my natural constituency. A Princeton classmate was an officer on my post and he told me I was to salute him and call him sir, as if I had to be reminded, and also that he would discourage any outward signs that we knew each other. I hate that son of a bitch to this day. I took care of him in Harp. Those two years in Germany gave me a subject I suppose I've been mining for the past God-knows-how-many years. It fit nicely with that Catholic sense of sin, the taint on the human condition. And it was in the army that I learned to appreciate whores. You didn't meet many Vassar girls when you were serving in a gun battery on the Czech border and were in a constant state of alert in case the Red Army came rolling across the frontier. As for midgets, they're part of that constituency of the dispossessed.
You once said you only had one character. Is that true?
I've always thought a novelist only has one character and that is himself or herself. In my case, me. So at the risk of being glib, I am the priest in True Confessions and the criminal lawyer in Dutch Shea, Jr. I've certainly never been a cop or a priest or a pimp lawyer, but these protagonists are in a sense my mouthpieces. I like to learn about their professions, which is why I like doing nonfiction so much. I'm a great believer in the novelist being "on the scene," reporting, traveling, meeting all sorts of people. You do nonfiction, you get to meet people you would not normally meet. I'm not a bad mimic and I can pick up speech cadences that I would not pick up if I didn't hit the road.
Do you think novels have a life of their own?
Before I began writing fiction I thought that was nonsense. Then I learned otherwise. Let me give you an example. In The Red White and Blue, I started off thinking the protagonist would be the Benedictine priest, Bro Broderick. I realized rather quickly that he could not be but that I was stuck with him as a character. He never really came to life until I finished the book and went back and inserted his diary, which he had left in his will to the Widener Library at Harvard. Then for three hundred pages or so I thought the leading character was the radical lawyer Leah Kaye, because whenever she appeared on the scene the book took off. Then when I got to page five hundred of this seven-hundred-fifty page manuscript I realized she couldn't be the leading character because she had not appeared in over two hundred pages. It was only then that I realized that the narrator, who was the only survivor of the three major protagonists, would have to be the leading character. So novels do take charge of the writer, and the writer is basically a kind of sheepdog just trying to keep things on track.
Can you say something about the germination of a book?
I think any time a writer tells you where a book starts, he is lying, because I don't think he knows. You don't start off saying, "I'm going to write this grand saga about the human condition." It's a form of accretion. When my wife and I were in Indonesia in 1980 or 1981, we ran into this man who had been a University of Maryland extension teacher during the Vietnam War. He was stationed at Cam Ranh Bay. These GIs would go off in the morning in their choppers and when they'd come back at night—if they were lucky—he would teach them remedial English. I made a note of it in my notebook, putting it away because I knew this was a really great way to look at the Vietnam War, and it turned up in The Red White and Blue. When I am between books I am an inveterate note taker. I jot things down mainly because they give me a buzz. I like to go to the library and take a month's newspaper, say August of 1962, and read through it. You can find great stuff in those little filler sections at the bottom of a page. Then when it comes time to start writing a book, I sort of look through the stuff and see if any of it works. I also write down names. If you have a name it can set someone in place. I have a great friend in California, the Irish novelist Brian Moore. We were having dinner one night and Brian said that when he was a newspaperman in Montreal a local character there was named Shake-Hands McCarthy. I said, Stop! Are you ever going to use that name? He said, No, let me tell you about him. I said, No, I don't want to know anything about him. I just want to use that name. So the name turned up in True Confessions. When I heard the name I had no idea when I was going to use it if, indeed, ever. But it was a name that absolutely set a character in cement. We had dinner with Joyce Carol Oates at Princeton once; she was saying that she does the same thing, that she collects those little fillers. She never knows when she's going to use them; she just throws them in a file and oddly enough they do stick.
To get back to your question, Vegas is the one book for which I can actually pinpoint the moment when it started. I was trying to think of an idea, doodling at my desk while I was talking to my wife, and I drew a heart, then a square around the heart. I found I had written five letters: V-E-G-A-S. So I not only had a subject; I had a title.
Why is the title of Vegas reinforced by the description "a fiction"?
Because I had a contract for a nonfiction book. I always thought of Vegas as a novel, but Random House said, It doesn't read like a novel, and I said, A novel is anything the writer says the book is, and since I made most of it up, it can't be nonfiction. So we ended up calling it a fiction. A lot of it is true. The prostitute did write poetry, although the poetry I used in Vegas is not hers. It was actually written by my wife, who as a child had memorized a lot of Sara Teasdale poems. I can write you bad poetry, she said. So there are two little poems in there that Joan actually wrote.
What is your state of mind when you are writing?
Essentially, writing is a sort of manual labor of the mind. It is a hard job, but there comes a moment in every book, I suppose, when you know you're going to finish and then it becomes a kind of bliss, almost a sexual bliss. I once read something Graham Greene said about this feeling. The metaphor he used was a plane going down a runway and then, ultimately, leaving the ground. Occasionally he had books that he felt never did leave the runway; one of them was The Honorary Consul, though in retrospect he realized that it was one of his better books.
How much do you know about the end of a book?
When I did Dutch Shea, Jr., I knew the last line was going to be, "I believe in God."
Why did you pick that line?
Because that's the line the man would say as he kills himself. I wanted that most despairing of acts to end with the simple declarative sentence, "I believe in God." In The Red White and Blue I knew the last line was going to be either yes or no, in dialogue, and the penultimate line was going to be yes or no not in dialogue. The first line of Vegas is, "In the summer of my nervous breakdown, I went to live in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada." I knew that the last line of that book would be, "And in the fall, I went home." I don't think it's necessary to have a last line; I just like to know where in general I'm going. I have a terrible time plotting. I only plot about thirty pages in front of where I am. I once had dinner with Ross MacDonald, who did the Lew Archer novels about a California private detective. He said he spent eighteen months actually plotting out a book—every single nuance. Then he sat down and wrote the book in one shot from beginning to end—six months to write the book and eighteen to plot it out. If you've ever read one of those books, it's so intricately plotted it's like a watch, a very expensive watch.
You have said that you have a lot of trouble with plotting a book. What makes it move forward?
I have no grand plan of what I'm going to do. I had no idea who killed the girl in True Confessions until the day I wrote it. I knew it would be someone who was not relevant to the story. I had always planned that. But who the actual killer was, I simply had no idea. Years before, I had clipped something from the Los Angeles Times in the small death notices. It was the death of a barber. I had put that up on my bulletin board. I was figuring out "now who . . ."—getting to the moment when I had to reveal who killed this girl, with not the foggiest idea who did it, and my eyes glommed onto this death notice of a barber. I said, Oops, you're it. One must have enormous confidence to wait to figure these things out until the time comes.
Do you have great affection for your characters?
You have to have affection for them because you can't live with them for two years or three years without liking them. But I have no trouble killing them off.
Is there a considerable shifting of gears in moving between nonfiction and fiction?
There's a technical difference. I find that the sentences are more ornate and elaborate in nonfiction because you don't have dialogue to get you on your way. Nonfiction has its ruffles and flourishes, clauses and semicolons. I never use a semicolon in fiction.
From the Archive, Issue 138
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text:
Venomous Creatures Online Coloring Pages
Color pictures, email pictures, and more with these Venomous Creatures coloring pages. Click on any of the pictures of Venomous Creatures above to start coloring. When the online coloring page has loaded, select a color and start clicking on the picture to color it in.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1m-Spiegelteleskop: S03071 -- +15° 208, Komet 1922c --
Norden = oben, Osten = links, falls nicht auf der Fotoplatte anders beschriftet
Zum Datum gehörender Logbucheintrag
Zum Datum gehörende Seiten des Beobachtungsbuches
Photographic plates of Hamburg Observatory were obtained using various telescopes operating from 1911 to the end of the 20th century. The plates were digitized using professional flatbed scanners of type EPSON Expression 10000XL and were processed to the present digital form. The plate digitization project (D.Groote) was funded by DFG grant GR969/4-1.
Investigators using these scans are kindly requested to include the above acknowledgements in any publications.
The material in this archive can be used for scientific purposes free of charge. Any other usage requires the written permission of the director of Hamburger Sternwarte.
Copyright ©2010-2017 Hamburger Sternwarte, Fachbereich Physik, MIN-Fakultät, Universität Hamburg. All rights reserved.
yscan-Datei = S03071.fits,
(Norden = links, Osten = oben)


text:
You Will Subscribe To, Not Buy Software
Especially in a BYOD environment, software subscriptions have a lot going for them, but many just don't like the idea of paying for software and not owning it. The recent revelation that Office 2013, at least in some cases, will come locked to a specific computer, much as OEM Windows does, shows how the subscription model is coming whether we like it or not. Here's what we think.
Especially in a BYOD environment, software subscriptions have a lot going for them, but many just don't like the idea of paying for software and not owning it. The recent revelation that Office 2013, at least in some cases, will come locked to a specific computer, much as OEM Windows does, shows how the subscription model, a.k.a.SaaS or Software as a Service, is coming whether we like it or not.
Here's what a few of us at BYTE think:
Max Cherney
Subscription pricing lowers the barriers to entry for small businesses. For example, software companies like Adobe offer substantial discounts for subscriptions — in fact at current pricing it would take 33 years to justify buying the Adobe Creative Suite 6 Master Collection ($2,599) up front. Subscription pricing is an obvious attempt to nudge organizations but, what might some of the disadvantages be for small business?
Vendor lock-in is a potential problem, especially considering the Adobe example. Projects and files will no longer be accessible if a customer jumps ship &%151; the software that opens the files will have disappeared. It's true a company could re-activate a subscription for a limited time if those files are needed. But, there may be other unforeseen consequences that diminish the flexibility a subscription seems to offer.
More frequent contact with a software sales team to provide feedback and support may well turn out to be a sales opportunity. I'm sure subscriptions will offer more opportunities to up-sell and cross-sell existing clients on other products and services. On the flip side, monthly subscriptions would force sales teams to consider long-term customer needs, and be less inclined to do hit-and-run sales.
David Chernicoff
If the various licensing issues can be worked out, I think that the elephant in the room of subscription services are the cable companies. Customers are already familiar with the cable subscription model, and while many voice complaints, the overwhelming majority of customers just go with the flow.
Look at the example of Comcast: they already bundle the Norton Security Suite with their XFINITY cable subscriptions. They offer free dedicated apps for mobile devices, both iOS and Android. Customers are constantly being offered new packages of services, so how big a reach would it be for them to start to include application software subscriptions?
Log into your cable account, and while you are selecting your premium movie package you also have the opportunity to add basic Office 365 or Google Drive or some private brand combination of basic knowledge worker applications. From there, it's not much of a reach to add additional up-sells; subscriptions to higher value applications such as Adobe Photoshop, or targeted packages such as bundles for students or upscale business services.
The cable companies are already in your home and quite possibly your business. If they offer the software as part of the monthly subscription fee we are already conditioned to pay, there's a good chance that a majority of their customers would start using those services. And if you were to combine that with starter versions of the applications already being installed on new computers that could be activated via these subscription services, it would become the de facto methodology for application delivery.
Larry Seltzer
It started with enterprises, but software companies are trying to move everything to a subscription model. As a customer, either enterprise, SMB or consumer, it's easy to focus on the downsides, which are basically a commitment to buy things you don't necessarily want and some loss of control over the software you run.
It's very good for the software companies because it makes their financials much simpler, but it also has advantages for customers. If you're concerned with licensing compliance, subscriptions make it much simpler. It makes your own financials simpler by giving you a clearer projection of software costs.
We're already used to some software delivered as subscription services: web hosting is really just a software subscription, and always has been. Security software has moved thoroughly from conventional deliver to a subscription model because it makes sense for everyone, and in fact it's untenable any other way now. The subscription is the real product and the software just a delivery method. If the vendors model the subscriptions to cover all your devices — i.e. if I were to get antivirus or office on my PCs and tablets and Macs, etc., I can see liking it a lot.
Chris Spera
Many consumers never read a EULA (End User License Agreement). Ever. In many cases, even software users were required to activate has been installed on more than one PC, regardless of whether additional installs violate the licensing agreement, simply because the software was considered too expensive. These are the issues that consumer software subscriptions are supposed to target.
The key is how the licensing is written. Many people have more than one computing device and will want to use the software wherever and with whatever they're using. As long as licensing allows them to install it where they need it, and the subscription costs aren't too high, particularly if they don't exceed what a consumer would pay for the software at retail, then all they're really doing is paying for the software and its upgrades over time, and I don't see why a user wouldn't go for it.
Subscriptions for some software may require an online connection to a subscription validation server in order for the software to work. If I have to be online every time I want to use the software, then I could have a problem with the deal. There are ways around this, particularly if the software company is willing not to check *every time*.
I also want the software installed locally and don't want to HAVE to use an online version like Google Drive or Office 365 online. Please don't tie me to the cloud. Not yet. If I have to be online to validate my subscription or to actually run the software, then the subscription model is broken. Once mobile broadband is everywhere, this may be less of an issue.
Serdar Yegulalp
My biggest complaint about software subscription models is not that they exist, but that they're often lacking in the granularity needed in the real world. They make all that's bad and arbitrary about software licensing even worse.
I speak from experience. If I want to buy the subscription edition of Microsoft Office 2013, I have to buy the full-blown Small Office edition, not the Home edition, since the latter cannot be used for "revenue-generating activity." That means a jump in cost for me, and not because I need more copies of the program, but because of some idiotic delineation on the part of Microsoft about what I can and can't do with the software.
Buying boxed copies would be even worse, since I'd have to get one copy for each computer, and Office 2013's new EULA ties a boxed copy of the product to a single PC for the lifetime of that PC.
By contrast, Adobe's subscription model lets you rent by the month or year, by the individual application or by the suite, doesn't have any restrictions about the mode of use (except for the educational edition of the suite), and doesn't tie you to a single machine.
I suspect the next iteration of Office's subscription services will be a little more attentive to these realities. After all, they did do it with Office 2010: they introduced the Home and Office SKU, a nice compromise between the non-commercial Home and Student version and the full-blown professional-level SKUs. And since Office 2010 suits me just fine for now, I'm in no hurry. Ball's in your court, Microsoft.
About the Author(s)
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text:
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Coconut Cloud Pudding - Pink Saturday
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are folks who won't admit to birthdays, but like, nonetheless, to be remembered on their special day. I have such a friend. She has eclectic tastes and loves coconut, so I decided to make an uncommon and homely pudding to mark the importance of the day to those of us who love her. This is not the coconut pudding that is so popular across Asia. It's made from cornstarch rather than gelatin and beaten egg white. It does, however, use coconut milk for most of its flavor. I supplement that with a variable amount of coconut extract and use flaked coconut for garnish. This is really easy to do and the six ingredients required to make it can be found in any major grocery store. It can be assembled in about 15 minutes, though it requires 4 to 6 hours to set. Here's the recipe.
Coconut Cloud Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk, divided use
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Optional garnish: shredded coconut
1) Whisk cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup milk and stir until smooth.
2) Add reserved 1 cup milk, coconut milk and sugar to a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until mixture is very thick, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add coconut extract to taste and stir for another minute. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes longer.
3) Spoon custard into 6 3/4-cup containers. Refrigerate until chilled and set, about 4 to 6 hours. Garnish, if desired, with shredded coconut. Yield: 6 servings.
Cook's Note: If you enjoy a really light pudding, let the pudding cook to room temperature and fold in 2 cups of whipped cream or non-dairy topping. Then refrigerate to chill.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding
Double Chocolate Pudding
Pumpkin Panna Cotta
This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound
41 comments :
- Alessandra said...
How delicate! Lovely!
- February 6, 2010 at 12:02 AM
- Patricia @ ButterYum said...
Mmmmm - I love coconut! How very thoughtful of you to develop this recipe for your friend.
ButterYum - February 6, 2010 at 12:13 AM
- Coleens Recipes said...
How girly!! My granddaughters would love this.
- February 6, 2010 at 12:22 AM
- CC said...
Mary,this is a beautiful pudding. And coconut..my favorite.Yayyyy.
Happy Pinks and have a great weekend.. - February 6, 2010 at 12:50 AM
- Country Wings in Phoenix said...
Happy Pink Saturday Mary...
Sweetie you have touched my taste buds today. I love coconut so this will be one for me to try for sure. Ooh I can't wait. Making out the grocery list, so will be adding the ingredients needed. Thank you so much for sharing today.
Have a beautiful Saturday. Country hugs sweetie...Sherry - February 6, 2010 at 1:26 AM
- ♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...
Very valentiney dear...
HAve a pinky dreamy saturday..... - February 6, 2010 at 4:17 AM
- Deb in Hawaii said...
I don't think it is homely at all--it looks wonderful!
- February 6, 2010 at 5:17 AM
- My Little Space said...
Oooo....such beautiful pudding! Gorgeous colour.
- February 6, 2010 at 5:18 AM
- Allie and Pattie said...
Mary, I have a client who LOVES coconut with a special day coming up-you just gave me the treat I'll be making her! Thank you!!
xoxo Pattie - February 6, 2010 at 5:39 AM
- Martha said...
This is so pretty and looks so like Valentine's -- what a lovely pudding.
- February 6, 2010 at 6:12 AM
- Katy ~ said...
Pretty and delicious in pink! Love the look of this.
- February 6, 2010 at 6:50 AM
- Elisa said...
Looks so pretty in pink!
thanks for the recipe.
Happy Pinkey (as my daughter says) - February 6, 2010 at 7:38 AM
- Regina said...
Another delicious one!
Thanks for sharing.
Happy weekend. - February 6, 2010 at 7:43 AM
- dana said...
Mary, You've done it again! What a wonderful looking dessert...I LOVE coconut, so that's double tempting to me.
Hope your friend loved this gift you created for her...I know I do!
Have a great Pink Sat!! Dana - February 6, 2010 at 9:57 AM
- Zurin said...
Mary, this is a sweet and pretty pudding! a very pretty dash of pink ..perfect for a valentine dessert!
- February 6, 2010 at 11:05 AM
- Unknown said...
this sounds yummy. i like that it takes cornstarch-my celiac husband will be able to eat it. thank you for including the recipe. Happy Pink Saturday. Don't forget to visit me. It is your only chance to enter my giveaway.
Nancy - February 6, 2010 at 12:27 PM
- Deborah said...
I think this sounds wonderful, and I'd be happy with it for my birthday!!
- February 6, 2010 at 12:42 PM
- Rattlebridge Farm said...
Oh, Mary, the pudding is heavenly. So soft and delicate, like an angel's wing.
XX00 - February 6, 2010 at 1:03 PM
- chefany said...
ooo this looks so yummy! I will make it in class since we are in the custards section... well not exactly a custard but close enough :) Thank you so much!
- February 6, 2010 at 1:04 PM
- black eyed susans kitchen said...
This is the most perfectly girlie girl dessert ever!!
♥, Susan - February 6, 2010 at 1:54 PM
- The Quintessential Magpie said...
Now that truly is a beautiful dessert, Mary! Love it!
Happy Pink Saturday...
Sheila :-) - February 6, 2010 at 2:11 PM
- Debbie said...
I love the simplicity of that recipe and it looks delicious. Love coconut!
- February 6, 2010 at 4:23 PM
- Lori said...
I love coconut anything. Now I have to find out about coconut pudding.
- February 6, 2010 at 4:37 PM
- Chef Aimee said...
Pink, pretty, and yummy! I love coconut and would be in heaven on a cloud eating this!
- February 6, 2010 at 5:08 PM
- Foodiewife said...
I'm on a coconut kick-- I've made coconut ice cream and today I made a soup with coconut milk (haven't blogged either yet). Now, I see this! I've been looking for a good coconut pudding, and I think this it it. Great recipe!
- February 6, 2010 at 6:02 PM
- Gwendolen Elaine said...
What a beautiful presentation.I'm sure it was just as tasty as it is beautiful!
Happy Pink Saturday! - February 6, 2010 at 6:35 PM
- Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...
Mary this looks heavenly! I like coconut so I'm sure I'd enjoy this delicious pudding. Thank you!
- February 6, 2010 at 7:10 PM
- caren said...
Sounds and looks yummy! Happy PS!
- February 6, 2010 at 7:59 PM
- Unknown said...
Happy Pink Saturday, Mary! I so love pudding and coconuts and of course, pinks! I am so going to make this! Thanks for the recipe!
My pink post is late today; that dang post scheduler! I'll get it right one day ha!
Hope you can still stop by for a visit!
Have a lovely Pink weekend!
Tina - February 6, 2010 at 8:36 PM
- Tom said...
That looks good. Bill Cosby's pudding in a cloud couldn't hold a candle to that.
- February 6, 2010 at 9:01 PM
- noble pig said...
I am a coconut nut so I know I would love it. Happy Birthday to your friend.
- February 6, 2010 at 9:19 PM
- Patricia said...
Happy Pink Saturday. I have enjoyed visiting your lovely blog. I hope you have a wonderful new week.
- February 6, 2010 at 11:18 PM
- Sook said...
Oh wow the pudding looks great! I like the pink background too. :)
- February 7, 2010 at 12:33 AM
- Deborah said...
Sounds delicious. i love anything with coconut in it too, like your friend and I juts may have to try this.
- February 7, 2010 at 1:20 AM
- JJ said...
More coconut - there is never enough.
JJ - February 7, 2010 at 3:44 AM
Hello Mary,
The recipe reminds me of maja blanca but it is more gelatinous :-) YUmmy all the same.
Speaking of birthdays, I think I can understand the feeling of your friend when it comes to one's own birthday :-)I don't know about not admitting it but you know, having the attention to yourself on the "day" makes me feel awkward LOL
Happy Pink Saturday!
Li - February 7, 2010 at 5:28 AM
- Barbara said...
Your photo made me smile. There's something about pink that I love. Couldn't wait to read what your flavor would be and LOVED that it was coconut!
- February 7, 2010 at 10:12 AM
- The Chef In My Head said...
Hi Mary! This looks so wonderful! My birthday was this week too, I need a friend like you to deliver sweet confections to me! How thoughtful and sweet of you. I'll be making this one for myself and hiding it ;) ~LeslieMichele
- February 7, 2010 at 10:30 AM
- NKP said...
Coconut cloud - I love it!
I am all for that extra whipped cream folded in too - you can never have too much of a good thing.. ;-) - February 7, 2010 at 12:50 PM
- Tricia said...
Oh, this pudding looks so yummy! I love coconut too, and it sounds delicious to make it with coconut milk. Your friend is one lucky girl! Happy belated Pink Sat.
Tricia - February 7, 2010 at 4:38 PM
- Jessica said...
The pudding looks so yummy! I'll bet your friend really appreciated this simple, but elegant treat!
firstname.lastname@example.com - April 24, 2010 at 12:14 AM


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NEW YORK (AP) — Another Starbucks may soon pop up around the corner, with the world's biggest coffee company planning to add at least 1,500 cafes in the U.S. over the next five years.
Starbucks said Wednesday that it plans to boost the number of locations in its biggest market by about 13 percent by 2017. In the broader Americas region, the company plans to add a total of 3,000 new cafes by that time.
Starbucks also is planning to expand overseas, particularly in China, which is expected to surpass Canada as Starbucks' second-biggest market in the next two years. By that time, Starbucks says it will have 20,000 stores globally, up from about 18,000.
The upbeat expansion plans mark a turnaround from Starbucks' struggles during the recession. After hitting a rough patch, the company brought back founder Howard Schultz as CEO in 2008 and embarked on a massive restructuring effort that included closing 10 percent of its U.S. stores.
Cliff Burrows, who heads Starbucks' domestic business, said the problem wasn't that Starbucks was oversaturated, but that the company hadn't been careful about its store openings. In the years leading up to the downturn, the company was opening well over 1,000 stores a year. That led to cafes in locations where signs or traffic might not be optimal, he said.
Burrows said Starbucks has gotten more sophisticated, and noted that the cafes opened in recent years are among the company's best performers. Sales at new cafes are averaging about $1 million a year, for example, above the company's target of $900,000. It costs about $450,000 to build a new cafe.
Since Starbucks already has a broad footprint, the company's expansion is intended to "deepen" its presence with additional stores in markets across the U.S., said Troy Alstead, Starbucks' chief financial officer. That means establishing stores — including drive-thrus and smaller cafes — in more convenient locations for customers. And even as it expands, Starbucks said it expects to maintain growth at cafes open at least a year. The figure, a key metric of health, has ranged between 7 percent and 8 percent globally in the past three years.
The continued U.S. sales growth will be fueled by the new products, such as Evolution premium juices and Via single-serve coffee packets. Looking forward, Starbucks is also looking to improve its food menu and is testing a new menu of baked goods from La Boulange, a small San Francisco-based chain it acquired earlier this year. The new croissants, loaf cakes and other items will spread to about 2,500 cafes next year and go national sometime in 2014, Burrows said. The company says only about a third of customers currently buy food with their drinks.
In a test aimed at building sales in the evening hours, the company also started serving beer and wine at about a dozen locations earlier this year, with food such as chicken skewers and dates wrapped in bacon.
And most recently, Starbucks announced plans to acquire Teavana, a chain that has 300 locations in shopping malls. When the announcement was made last month, Schultz said the company would "do for tea what it did for coffee."
That includes plans to expand Teavana's presence beyond the shopping mall with stand-alone shops that have "tea bars" that serve specialty drinks. The company declined to say when Starbucks cafes would begin serving Teavana drinks — and it hasn't decided on whether it will continue to sell Tazo in cafes.
After a string of acquisitions in recent years to build on its core business, Schultz indicated Wednesday that the company would hold off on any additional purchases in the near future, noting that the company has "enough to handle."
To build its packaged-goods business, Starbucks plans to let customers earn points on their My Starbucks loyalty card starting next year when they purchase Starbucks bagged coffees in supermarkets and other outlets. Customers currently earn points only when they make purchases in Starbucks stores.
The picture isn't rosy around the globe, however. Europe remains a sore spot for Starbucks, with a key sales figure falling in the region 1 percent during the latest quarter. In an effort to boost results, the company has been closing underperforming stores and licensing of some of its cafes in the region.
In the United Kingdom, Starbucks is also embroiled in a row over its taxes. The company has been doing business in Britain for 15 years and has 700 outlets but it has yet to record a profit — and therefore pay any taxes.
Starbucks says this is due to a complex process where its taxable profits in the U.K. are calculated after royalties paid to its European headquarters in the Netherlands have been deducted.
Following criticism in the U.K. parliament and a campaign by protest group U.K. Uncut, Starbucks said this week that it was reviewing its tax approach.


text: California Umbrella has been known for producing high-end, quality patio umbrellas and frames for over 60 years. The California Umbrella Trademark is immediately recognized for its standards in engineering and innovation among all brands in the United States. As a leader in the industry, we strive to provide you with products and service that will satisfy even the most demanding consumers. Our umbrellas are constructed to give the consumer many years of pleasure and our canopy designs are limited only by the imagination. We are dedicated to providing artistic, innovative, fashion conscious and high quality products for all your umbrella needs.


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For Tunisia's ruling Islamist party, Ennahda, what happened this summer in Egypt is a cautionary tale and a constant reminder of the risks it faces as it navigates through its own political crisis.
In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood easily dominated all post-revolutionary elections, only to be ousted by the military in July. Brotherhood supporters now carry yellow placards, a reminder of the military crackdown, and that same placard now hangs on Ennahda's headquarters in the Tunisian capital, Tunis.
Tunisia's Islamists have been facing mass protests against their rule since the assassination of Mohamed Brahmi, the leader of a rival secular party just over a month ago. It was the second assassination of an opposition figure in just six months. And many Tunisians blame Islamists for these murders.
Thousands of protesters turned out last weekend in Tunis calling for the immediate resignation of the Islamist-led government.
Similar protests took place in Cairo in the days before the Egyptian military overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood-led government of then-President Mohammed Morsi.
Noureddine Arbaoui, a member of Ennahda's executive bureau, says the party has learned from the Egyptian experience. He says the Muslim Brotherhood tried to rule alone. But in Tunisia, Ennahda is allied with two non-Islamist parties.
Arbaoui says that what happened in Egypt was a conspiracy by the old regime. A government that fails should be tested through elections, he says, not tossed out in a military coup.
Twin Engines Of Discontent
As in Egypt, the discontent in Tunisia is largely driven by two factors: the economy and security. People's lives just aren't getting better. And the political stalemate in Tunisia is only making things worse.
At the central market in downtown Tunis, the stalls burst with the colors of fresh figs, bananas and grapes.
But when asked about his business, one fruit vendor named Sufian just shakes his head. He says Tunisians are living month to month, hand to mouth.
When asked about politics, he grimaces.
"I don't smoke," he says, "but these politicians make me want to smoke two packs a day."
Nearby on a main drag in downtown Tunis, others echo that sentiment.
Fahima is a housewife, dressed in a flowing abaya with her head covered in a stylish orange and black scarf. She voted for Ennahda in the 2011 elections, but now she regrets it.
She says her family can't pay their bills and are worried about security. She says she fights with her husband more because of these tensions, and she doesn't let her daughters go out alone.
Critics of the government are seizing on this discontent to build a base against Ennahda. The opposition is uniting around a party called Nidaa Tounes, led by 86-year-old Beji Caid el Sebsi, a former minister in the old government. He was briefly prime minister after the 2011 revolution.
Sebsi says the opposition has made its demands: Dissolve the government immediately, put a deadline on the work of the constitutional assembly, or dissolve it and set a date for new elections.
Now, he says, it's up to Ennahda.
Could Tunisia become Egypt, with the Islamists forced from power and persecuted by a military-backed regime?
"Now, no. Not now. We have not similar situation," Sebsi says. "But in any case, if we don't go forward — maybe yes."
What Tunisia Has Done Differently
Egypt and Tunisia followed different paths after the 2011 uprisings. Egypt elected a parliament and president, Tunisians elected representatives to write a new constitution and form a temporary government.
But just weeks before the assembly was due to complete its work, almost a third of its members withdrew in protest. It was another major blow to Ennahda's leaders.
"There's a lot of fear in Tunisia about the ultimate goals of Ennahda and more radical elements in Tunisian society," says Bill Lawrence, a North Africa expert. "A lot of Tunisians are concerned about that drift. And I think an even bigger issue is the economic crisis, in that increasingly Ennahda is viewed as an incompetent steward of the economy."
The growing opposition is a sign of a wider backlash against the Arab Spring because the revolutionary promises of freedom, work and dignity have not been realized, Lawrence adds.
"It was inevitable," he said. "Revolutions always spawn counterrevolutions and instability."
Ennahda has made some concessions to the opposition. It has agreed in theory to step aside in favor of a caretaker government — but not immediately.
It's also distanced itself from ultraconservative Islamist groups, and designated one of them, Ansar al-Sharia, as a terrorist organization.
Ali al-Lafi is a political adviser to the religious affairs minister.
He says the anti-Islamist fervor in Egypt has strengthened Ennahda's opponents.
But Ennahda members are confident that they remain the most organized political force in Tunisia. When elections do come, they say, they will beat out their political opponents again. Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Egypt made that same prediction before they were removed from power.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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THE HAGUE, Netherlands – INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble today officially opened the organization's liaison office at the Europol headquarters to strengthen ongoing collaboration between the two police organizations.
The liaison office will provide additional support in communications for ongoing projects and analysis of crime and criminal data between the INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon, France and Europol's base in The Hague.
During Mr Noble's visit to The Hague, he met with Europol Director Max-Peter Ratzel to discuss the 'roadmap' to enhanced co-operation between the two organizations. Launched in 2005, the roadmap identifies common areas where INTERPOL and Europol can work together, such as human trafficking, terrorism and child abuse.
Mr Noble and Mr Ratzel also signed a revised joint initiative recognising the important role of Europol in the protection of the Euro and of INTERPOL in relation to other currencies.
Mr Ratzel also used the visit to express his appreciation of INTERPOL's input to the Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA) 2007.
'There are many areas where INTERPOL and Europol can work effectively together for the benefit of law enforcement in our member countries and INTERPOL will continue to develop links and share information to ensure this is done as efficiently as possible,' said Mr Noble.
'Bilateral meetings between officers from our two organizations are of the highest importance and it is also essential that those in charge of the organizations meet in order to ensure that we complement each other's work and that we have a common agreement on our strategies in the fight against international organized crime and terrorism,' said Mr. Ratzel.
To further develop awareness and benefit from each other's expertise, an exchange programme is being implemented with five officers from each organization spending a two-week period with the partner organization each year. The first INTERPOL officer participated in the programme in June, with the first Europol officer arriving at the General Secretariat in Lyon today, Monday.


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I followed the instructions exactly. Pineapple skins were boiled and then strained. That stock was added to a jar with hot Thai and habanero chiles, garlic, oregano, and peppercorns. It was topped with a barrier of olive oil and was left to ferment for one week at room temperature with a cheesecloth covering. Bubbles should have formed and then subsided after a week. No bubbles formed in my pique. It sat, did nothing, smelled like garlic, and the chiles started looking less than appetizing. I decided to play it safe and dump the pique. So, I still don't really know anything more about this condiment. I had hoped to use it as suggested in the crab salad with chilled gazpacho sauce, but rather than risk a nice bout of food poisoning, I made a substitution instead. Maybe I'll find a source to purchase pique one of these days, or I might just have to hop on a plane to learn more about it.
In the book, this dish is a lovely, light-colored, delicate-looking thing. What I created is far more garish with a vivid, red sauce, and the darkest green avocados I've seen for a while. The topping on the crab salad was supposed to have been finely diced, peeled, green tomatoes. Unfortunately, I arrived a little late at the farmers' market last weekend, and not only did I miss any chance at finding green tomatoes I almost didn't get tomatoes at all. One farmer was kind enough to offer me his over-ripe ones that no one else wanted. They were red, juicy, and perfect for pureeing into gazpacho, so I took them. For the topping, I finely diced some seeded, yellow cherry tomatoes and combined them with finely diced, seeded cucumber. It might not have been exactly the flavor that was intended, but the color contrast and the taste of cucumber worked nicely with the dish. Those vegetables were added to finely chopped, preserved lemon, lemon oil, a spicy vinaigrette which I used instead of pique, and salt and pepper. For the sauce, chopped, very ripe in my case, tomatoes were pulsed in the blender. Ripert suggested pulsing so as not to incorporate too much air. The puree was passed through a strainer, and it was seasoned with sherry vinegar and salt and pepper, and that was the sauce.
For the crab salad, mayonnaise was whisked with some vinaigrette, chopped chives were added, and lump crabmeat was gently stirred into the mix. To match the presentation in the book, a ring mold was needed, but I used a biscuit cutter. The crab salad was molded on the plate inside the biscuit cutter with the yellow tomato-cucumber mixture on top, gazpacho sauce was poured all around, the biscuit cutter mold was removed, and sliced avocado was added. Despite how fussy it sounds and how pretty it looked in the book, it was actually very easy to prepare. Because each part was chilled before being plated, it made a refreshing first course for a summer night's meal.


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Giving Back with Photography
By dcarpenito at July 15, 2013 | 11:44 am | 1 Comments
Meet Tatiana of Art photography from non-profit "Human Advocacy" in Central Ohio. Tatiana has found a way to use her talent to make a difference in peoples lives and support an amazing cause! Her earnings from photography go to the non-profit "Human Advocacy" fund. Thank you Tatiana, for making a positive difference in giving back with photography! Find out more
Blog , For Brides , Photographer News & Updates , Photographer Showcase
Florida Wedding Photographer Overcomes Career Threatening Injury
By dcarpenito at June 5, 2013 | 12:07 pm | 0 Comment
When Member Jim Brandano, Florida Wedding Photographer of JP Brandano Photography decided to go out one day for a bike ride, he never thought he'd end up with a career threatening injury. But that's just what happened! He fractured his elbow in six places, making any future in Wedding Photography unlikely! Even though his road to recovery was difficult and the odds were
Blog , For Brides , Photographer News & Updates , Photographer Showcase


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I'm glad you asked!
A bitch should clarify that I am concerned about workers being abused, their human rights being denied and greedy unethical corporations gorging themselves on profits as a result. But that concern is not limited to the topic of illegal immigration in the United States…is it?
I am not concerned about a threat to American jobs. Sorry, but that dawg don't hunt. We need to address the wage issue for all Americans but that concern is not limited to the topic of illegal immigration in the United States...is it? And a bitch sure as shit isn't concerned about any so-called threat to American culture. Fucking spare me that "I'm native born" with a my people came here less that 150 years ago immigrant pedigree bullshit.
My ass will confess to taking a certain pleasure in listening to border residents freaking out because of the "flood" of "illegals" across the border who are "about to drop a baby" and who will then "rake in the benefits" of citizenship all the while "destroying traditional American culture".
A huge part of me wishes that shit were true…because turn about is fair play and it's not as if hordes of disease carrying explorers didn't flood across existing borders back in the day…killing and destroying as they went…all the while "dropping babies" which they then used to justify a need to expand by the will of a selectively quoted God…only to resent the very people they took all that territory from…and sign and then not honor followed by sign and then not honor followed by sign and then not honor treaty after motherfucking treaty they had no fucking intention of ever honoring…only to finally settle comfortably in the land of plenty their illegal immigrant asses ceased back in the day and live in blissful disregard of the people their Manifest Destiny displaced and thus sentenced to a life of poverty and want.
Not having an immigrant past...the African Diaspora not being immigrant narrative...and being a few generations removed from my Native American heritage, I see this shit from different angles.
Our nation was founded on the rather curious idea that a certain group's needs trump the needs of others and the immigration debate is falling into that rancid vat of entitlement. That same idea justified initial conquest…continued conquest and all those treaties…the enslavement of human beings…the banking of profit and growth of industry on the backs of those slaves and later (gasp) immigrant workers…and the continued resentment of The Man towards anyone who dare covet the cake he now sees as his by divine right.
I am not threatened by a people wanting more…who will pay taxes when rich Americans do anything they can not to…who will pass a citizenship test most Americans can't…who will be bi-lingual when most Americans struggle with English…who will know the words to the National Anthem when fucking Senators and Congresspeople don't…and who only spark fear because of where they come from, how they sound and what they look like.
We need to find a way to make this shit right and we sure as shit need to cease sounding like a nation of ethnocentric bigots and start sounding like a people who understand the history of this nation and the role of immigration in that history.
I don't fear the illegal immigrant.
I fear The Man acting in fear of the illegal immigrant.


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Getting your rugs cleaned just got a little easier with the best carpet rug cleaner Greystanes has to offer. Sydney Rug Wash is the professional carpet rug cleaning Greystanes service you have been looking for to clean every rug in your home or office. We specialise in delicate rugs as well as commercial rug cleaning Greystanes.
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Intermec CN3e Mobile Computer Features
- Enlarged keys and extensive communication options fit the needs of the in-field mobile worker
- Shares architecture and accessories with popular CN3
- Rugged design and integrated antenna to withstand in-field usage
- Color camera option provides powerful tool for applications requiring high resolution documentation
Product Overview
The Intermec CN3e, part of the CN3 mobile computer series, is a mid-sized mobile computer that features extensive communication options with an enlarged keypad to support key based data intensive in-field applications. In fact, the rugged CN3e is the first mid-sized handheld to offer a fully integrated, independent GPS option, as well as Wi-Fi, WWAN and Bluetooth in a single package, with an extended accessories line to support numerous application requirements.
As part of the CN3 series, the CN3e and CN3 product share a common architecture with identical operating systems, radio options and shared accessories, providing customers a single hardware platform that supports multiple work environments and end-user requirements. This common platform approach not only minimizes disruption through faster time to deployment, but also simplifies maintenance and support for mobile deployments that extend across the enterprise, all of which reduce TCO.
The CN3e offers a fully integrated, independent GPS option, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and WWAN voice and data services (including 3G EV-DO or EDGE), allowing mobile workers to maximize their efficiency on the road. This is further enhanced by CN3e support for seamless voice and data communications, connections to peripheral devices, easy integration into company networks, and satellite-based navigation services that maximize fleet efficiency. The CN3e also features large, hard key caps, a touch screen display, a 6-foot drop specification, and tolerance for a wide range of temperatures.
Because the CN3e provides access to information at the point of work, it is ideally suited for direct store delivery, pick up & delivery, in-transit visibility and in-cab mobile applications. With intelligence at their fingertips, mobile workers can tap into the information they need to work most effectively and efficiently.
The CN3e gives customers mobile RFID read/write functionality through the optional snap-on RFID handle (available 2008), enabling them to meet their current and future application requirements. The CN3e runs Windows Mobile supporting direct push wireless email for real-time connectivity with corporate networks. For in-premise use, the CN3e's support for Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) ensures seamless interoperability in Cisco infrastructures.
The CN3e supports Intermec's SmartSystems™, a comprehensive system for complete device management that enables installation, application software maintenance or updates, security adjustments and device settings to be performed automatically and managed remotely, reducing field downtime.


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"The philosophy is this. Make-up is great. It is a powerful tool, a way to express yourself, your mood and interior life. But, when you can't go without something, it loses it's spark.A study online claims that 8 out of 10 women prefer their female colleagues to wear makeup and the same number of women said they would rather employ a woman who wore makeup than one who didn't. Because of these expectations, I think it's hard for any woman to have a good relationship to make-up."
Alice + Olivia dress worn as skirt, Hide boots.
Pros: They're comfy, remind me of the Greek god Hermes and of dinosaurs, and I of course love absurdity. They're also easy to clean, like dirt from bike riding.
Cons: So far no problems, but we'll see how they hold up as time goes on.
Are there any other components of a product you guys would like to hear about for when I try this freebie review format in the future?
Pros: Uh, it's adorable? I mean, button eyes! I carried my giant ass, calculator-containing pencil case around in it all day, if that tells you anything about the practicality. It's incredibly well-made with impeccable stitches. And there are some details that most people probably won't see but make it a bag that is a luxury bag, like silk lining and patches of fabric on the inside of the ears (as in this beautiful clipart.)
Cons: The length of the handle, because I feel like bunny bags should swing easily over the shoulder and not be carried daintily by the hand. The chain heightens the irony of a black leather bunny bag, but takes it a bit too far and makes the bag less versatile (the leather can't just be black leather, it has to be "punk" black leather) and more trendy (specifically, the one of Spring 2009 when everyone on Tumblr was posting photos of studs from Jak & Jil.) I wouldn't really care if the chain was detachable and there was space to add your own handle, but I struggled to tie my own gray string on there and had to adjust it all day.


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Getting Along With Teachers
Article Translations: (Spanish)
The Benefits of Getting Along
Sure, it's good to get along with your teacher because it makes that time you spend in the classroom more pleasant.
And yes, it's good to get along with your teacher because, in general, it's smart to learn how to relate to the different types of people you'll meet throughout your life.
But really, there's one super-important reason why you should get along with your teacher. Kids who get along with their teachers not only learn more, but they're more comfortable asking questions and getting extra help. This makes it easier to understand new material and do your best on tests.
When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher, he or she can be someone to turn to with problems, such as problems with learning or school issues, such as bullying.
As a kid in elementary or middle school, you're at a wonderful stage in your life. You're like a sponge, able to soak up lots of new and exciting information. On top of that, you're able to think about all this information in new ways.
Your teacher knows that, and in most cases, is thrilled to be the person who's giving you all that material and helping you put it together. Remember, teachers are people, too, and they feel great if you're open to what they're teaching you. That's why they wanted to be teachers in the first place — to teach!
Some kids may be able to learn in any setting, whether they like the teacher or not. But most kids are sensitive to the way they get along with the teacher, and if things aren't going well, they won't learn as well and won't enjoy being in class.
What Does "Getting Along" Mean?
"Getting along" means you and your teacher have a way of communicating that works for both of you and you both are getting what you need from the relationship. From your teacher's perspective, he or she wants to make sure you are paying attention, being respectful and polite, and trying your best to learn.
From your perspective, you want a teacher who is respectful to you, answers your questions, and tries to help you learn.
In every school, kids will say certain teachers are mean or tough, but don't judge a teacher until you are in his or her class and can see for yourself. In the majority of cases, your teacher is on your side. And a teacher who's called tough may be someone who feels strongly about getting his or her job done — teaching you the subject you are supposed to learn.
It's also important to remember that making mistakes is a part of learning. By pointing out your errors and helping you correct them, a teacher is teaching you.
What If We Don't Get Along?
Teachers want to get along with you and enjoy seeing you learn. But teachers and students sometimes have personality clashes, which can happen between any two people.
If you show your teacher that you want to make the situation better, he or she will probably do everything possible to make that happen. By handling a problem like this, you learn something about how to get along with people who are different from you.
Take these steps if the problem seems tough to solve:
- Talk to an adult you trust, such as a parent, guidance counselor, or both.
- Give it time. You may not feel immediately comfortable with your teacher, but that may change as you get to know one another.
- If you've given it time, talk with your parents about what to do next. Lots of times, a meeting can be set up to discuss the problem. This may clear the air and make things better. Everyone's goal should be to create trust and kindness.
Your relationship with a teacher is often your first chance to develop a "business relationship." Just like your parents have business relationships with the people they work with or the people who deliver the mail to your house, kids also can have these kinds of relationships. They are different from your family relationships and friendships, which are built on affection and love.
In a business relationship, both parties get something out of the relationship, but don't necessarily need to be good friends or like each other a lot. They simply need to respect one another, be polite, and stay focused on the job at hand. In other words, they need to "get down to business."
When you act this way, and remember that you're not the only kid in the class, you are helping your teacher. Your teacher is likely to notice this and appreciate it.
Teachers also like it when students follow directions and when they learn and obey the rules of the classroom. For instance, there may be rules about listening when another student is talking, or about taking turns, or about raising your hand when you want to say something or ask a question.
What Are a Student's Responsibilities?
Even if a certain teacher isn't your favorite, you can still have a successful relationship, especially if you fulfill your basic responsibilities as a student.
Here are some of those responsibilities:
- Attend class ready to learn.
- Be prepared for class with the right pencils, books, and completed assignments.
- Listen when your teacher is talking.
- Do your best, whether it's a classroom assignment, homework, or a test.
We've talked about some of the difficult situations that come up with teachers. Now, let's talk about the good stuff.
Some teachers make such an impact that their students never forget them. Some former students may even go back to visit the teacher long after moving on to a higher grade or another school. Maybe you've seen these older students visit a teacher at your school. That's a real compliment to the teacher — that he or she was so special the student wants to keep in touch.
And there's an even higher compliment you can give a favorite teacher: Grow up to become a favorite teacher yourself!
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com


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Here's a tough one: which of these shoes is edible?
Or are we just messing with you?
Here's a hint:
Or maybe a head case?
Submitted by Lirpa F., made by The Sweetest Thing
Have a Sweet to nominate? Then send it to Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.


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Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde. This is the first post on my new blog. I'm just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
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Seeing as we are now approaching December and the temperature is averaging in the mid-30s with steady winds at 20mph, I considered myself lucky on this relatively mild photo shoot. Winds would have ruined the balloons and Lily has no tolerance for the cold. This might be one of my last outdoor shots....at least for a while.
I thought the jacket was so adorable I almost want to include it in the store so I can have one for myself.
It is made of warm red wool with a blue pinstripe lining that can be seen on the inside of the detachable hood which buttons on the back. I made the sleeves 3/4 length and cropped the top as well. The boatneck collar is tall and wide leaving lots of room for a nice warm scarf and the bottom half of the jacket is gathered. But my favorite part is the side button enclosure rather than the tradition front opening.
The pants are made from a dark washed denim. I added white buttons on a slant on either side giving it a 60s 'sailor' feel and cut the pants wider at the bottom adding to the retro look. I added elastic to the back of the waist so it can fit a wider range of ages. The black striped shirt is mine:) I bought it at Forever 21.
Lily was a perfect model for this photo shoot considering the cooler weather. I think the ten balloons has something to do with it. She loved pulling on the strings and watching the balloons bounce up and down. When we bought them at Party City she begged me to buy the SpongeBob mylar balloon when all of a sudden the cashier handed us our candy striped helium bouquet, Lily forgot all about her googly eyed, mustard colored mascot....to my relieved surprise.
In the end I considered trying to get a shot of Lily releasing the balloons. Ultimately, I chickened out. Aside from the ensuing tears and regret I feared a fine. Surely there are laws against wayward balloons in the city. I considered letting Lily take the fall if we got 'made'. It's almost all but certain that a 4-year-old would 'accidentally' let go of a balloon bundle. Right?
If the winning blog also leaves a comment I will include a new pair of the navy gloves that accompany the outfit in the photos.
Keeping in mind that the jacket is purposely cropped, I would say that this jacket and pant would fit a 2T-4T:)
Last day for posts is Tuesday 12/02/08. Winner will be announced Thursday morning!
As usual, if you would like a chance to win this jacket and pant just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.
As with my last two giveaways, I've decided to extend this giveaway one more week! From here on out, you can have an extra week to enter!
Create a Link!


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Twice Named One of the Best Places to Live in the U.S.
Longmont was founded in 1871 by members of a Chicago-based colony who settled in the valley. From the beginning, these founders wanted to make sure they had citizens who were focused on the town. Simply put, they wanted to create a great place to live…and they succeeded.
Longmont was named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in the United States in 2006 and again in 2008 as designated by Money Magazine, which searched for small, livable cities that had the best possible blend of good jobs, low crime, quality schools, plenty of open space, rational home prices, and lots to do.
Located in Boulder County, Longmont is a city with 22 square miles, more than 300 days of sunshine, and spectacular views of the majestic Rocky Mountains. With more than 1,500 acres of parks and open space, Longmont is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.
Longmont is home to several high-tech companies and a vibrant restaurant scene. It is conveniently located 37 miles from Denver, 16 miles from Boulder, and 30 miles from the scenic Trail Ridge Road.
Longmont has more than 122 designated historic structures located throughout the city, and two nationally registered historic districts. The purpose of the districts is to recognize areas of the city that have special character and interest, and exemplify outstanding elements of the city's heritage.
From the beginning, Longmont was a farming community and known for its "melting pot" of residents. Diversity was strong among its population, much as it is today.
Longmont's economic base has moved steadily toward technology. According to the Software and Information Industry Association, the Boulder/Longmont area has the highest concentration of software-related jobs in the industry. It also has the highest number of people who both live and work in the city, compared to other cities within Boulder County. Longmont was awarded the "All-American City" award in 2006.
Today, Longmont boasts a population of approximately 87,000 residents and it continues much along the lines of its founders in promoting a town that people don't just want to pass through, but one that makes them want to stay.


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Plastic Chain Collar
Lightweight, long-lasting poly chain collars in eight bright colors, each with a flexible connecting link. Sturdy and comfortable to handle. Colors let you "mark" goats for individual care: How much grain a doe should receive, which does are milking, who should be bred, etc. Chain is not strong enough for tethering but adequate for temporary tie-ups. Links tend to break if goat gets tangled -- a safety feature for goats grazing in brush. Not as big as cattle chain. 1-1/2" by 3/4" size link. Each collar is 20" long with connecting link. Plastic chain collars come in red, green, yellow, white, blue, black, magenta and purple.


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September 23, 2013
On Sept. 20, CNN.com invited and published the following guest article by NAMI Executive Director Michael J. Fitzpatrick. NAMI also released statements on the Navy Yard tragedy on Sept. 17 and Sept. 19.
When tragedies occur, such as the one at the Navy Yard in Washington, all Americans are deeply affected.
They include the one in four American adults who experience mental health problems. That's approximately 60 million Americans. Their first reaction is much like that of anyone else: feelings of anger and anguish and wanting to know when such events will ever stop.
But there's another, secondary impact to this community if a history of mental illness is suspected. Tragically, in the case with the Navy Yard gunman, mental illness appears to be a factor. But in too many cases, people simply assume that it is, no matter how much we caution that it's best not to attempt to diagnose any medical condition speculatively through the news media.
Unfortunately, stigma surrounds mental illness. It's most associated with a violent stereotype. The result has always been fear, prejudice and discrimination toward anyone struggling with a mental health problem.
The stereotype endures despite the fact that the U.S. Surgeon General has found that the likelihood of violence from people with mental illness is low. In fact, "the overall contribution of mental disorders to the total level of violence in society is exceptionally small."
Despite the impact of the Navy Yard tragedy and those of Newtown, Aurora and Virginia Tech on perceptions, a much greater, different reality exists. Many thousands of veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Civilian employees of the military seek help for depression; teachers live with anxiety disorders. Students succeed academically while managing bipolar disorder.
People living with schizophrenia may be psychologists, professors, peer counselors or businesspersons. They are all members of their communities. Few are violent.
In the face of violence, people may simply be unable to fathom how an event could occur other than through mental illness, thought of often in non-medical terms such as "madness" or "insanity." Their perceptions also are conditioned by headlines that largely overshadow the greater reality.
Stigma perpetuated by the Navy Yard tragedy will be internalized by many people living with mental health problems, causing them to stay silent and withdraw from others. This will impede their recovery in many ways.
Stigma will remain a major barrier that keeps people reaching out for help when they need it.
In the wake of such tragedies, some will call for persons with mental health problem to be "screened out" by employers in the hiring process or to deny them security clearances. In the first case, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides some protection against discrimination, but it is not always followed or easily enforced.
With top secret security clearances, just ask any member of the military or government official or contractor about the anxiety they often feel if they need to see a psychiatrist and then need to disclose it as part of a security clearance application or review.
Many issues need to be addressed in the case of the Navy Yard tragedy and the tragedies before it. They include what happened — or didn't happen — in the military and veterans mental health care systems, particularly when the gunman allegedly sought help from the Veterans Health Administration. Was there effective engagement?
The response of law enforcement should also be addressed. In theory, had the police both arrested and charged the gunman in past incidents involving a gun or disorderly conduct, he would have been put into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) database and prohibited from buying a gun, regardless of his mental health status. It is also possible that his case might have been handled by a mental health court, leading to supervision and treatment.
Had Rhode Island police who responded to the gunman's 911 call for help in August been trained for crisis intervention and worked with a mobile crisis unit to have him medically evaluated, then perhaps this past week's horrors could have been averted.
Those are issues that must be pursued. But in the haste to respond, let's not stigmatize or discriminate against the millions of American who live productively with mental illness and who share the anguish and anger of other Americans in response to tragic horrors.
If stigma wins, things won't get better.
We're always accepting submissions to the NAMI Blog! We feature the latest research, stories of recovery, ways to end stigma and strategies for living well with mental illness. Most importantly: We feature your voices.
LEARN MORENAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text "helpline" to 62640, or chat online. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).


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Anatomy of the foot
The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body. It is made up of 26 bones connected by many joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The foot is susceptible to many stresses. Foot problems can cause pain, inflammation, or injury. These problems can result in limited movement and mobility.
What are the different types of foot problems?
Foot pain is often caused by improper foot function. Poorly fitting shoes can worsen and, in some cases, cause foot problems. Shoes that fit properly and give good support can prevent irritation to the foot joints and skin. There are many types of foot problems that affect the heels, toes, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the foot.
The symptoms of foot problems may look like other medical conditions and problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
What are heel spurs?
A heel spur is a bone growth on the heel bone. It is usually located on the underside of the heel bone where it attaches to the plantar fascia, a long band of connective tissue running from the heel to the ball of the foot. This connective tissue holds the arch together and acts as a shock absorber during activity. If the plantar fascia is overstretched from running, wearing poor-fitting shoes, or being overweight, pain can result from the stress and inflammation of the tissue pulling on the bone. Over time, the body builds extra bone in response to this stress resulting in heel spurs. Treatment options may include:
Cold packs
Anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen
Proper stretching before activity
Proper footwear or shoe inserts
Corticosteroid injections
Surgery (for more severe, prolonged conditions)
What is a corn?
Corns are yellowish, callus growths that develop on top of the toes. Corns develop because of abuse or stress. Often, a corn develops where a toe rubs against a shoe or another toe. Corns can cause extreme discomfort and pain. Treatment may include:
Trimming the corn by shaving the layers of dead skin
Applying pads around the corn area
Wearing larger shoes to comfortably fit your foot without rubbing
To avoid corn development, always buy shoes that fit properly.
What is a bunion?
A bunion is a protrusion of bone or tissue around a joint. Bunions may occur at the base of the great toe or at the base of the little toe, and often occur when the joint is stressed over a period of time. Women get bunions more often than men do because they may wear tight, pointed, and confining shoes. Bunions can also be a result of arthritis, which often affects the big toe joint.
Treatment of bunions may vary depending on the pain and deformity. Treatment may include:
Wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes (particularly shoes that conform to the shape of the foot and do not cause pressure areas)
Surgery (for pain, not for cosmetic purposes)
Applying pads to the affected area
Medications, such as ibuprofen
A bunion, also known as hallux valgus, develops on the big toe joint when the bones of the big toe become misaligned. It looks like a large bump on the side of the toe. The big toe angles in toward the second toe, and, in severe cases, may overlap or tuck beneath the second toe. Bunions are more common in women than in men.
What is Morton neuroma?
Morton neuroma is a buildup of benign (noncancerous) tissue in the nerves running between the long bones of the foot. Morton neuroma occurs when two bones rub together and squeeze the nerve between them. Most often, neuromas develop between the bones leading to the third and fourth toes. Morton neuroma often causes swelling, tenderness, and pain. If the pain becomes severe, it may cause tingling, numbness, and burning in the toes. It usually occurs after standing or walking for a long period of time. Treatment for this condition may involve rest or a change in footwear that does not restrict the foot. If the problem persists, cortisone injections or surgery may be considered.
This condition is a thickening of the nerve sheath that surrounds a nerve in the ball of the foot. It most commonly develops between the third and fourth toes. It also commonly occurs between the second and third toes.
What are hammertoes?
A hammertoe is a condition in which the toe buckles, causing the middle joint of the affected toe to poke out. Tight-fitting shoes that put pressure on the hammertoe often aggravate this condition. Often a corn develops at this site. Treatment for hammertoes may include:
Applying a toe pad specially positioned over the bony protrusion
Changing your footwear to accommodate the deformed toe
Surgical removal
This condition is a deformity in which a toe bends downward at the middle joint. The second toe is the one most likely to be affected, but this deformity can occur in other toes as well. Sometimes, more than one toe is affected.
What is an ankle sprain?
An ankle sprain is an injury to the foot's ligaments in the ankle. Ligaments are tough bands of elastic tissue that connect bones to each other. Ankle sprains may occur if the ankle rolls, turns, or twists beyond its normal range of motion. Ankle sprains may be caused by awkward foot placement, irregular surfaces, weak muscles, loose ligaments, or wearing shoes with spiked heels. The symptoms of a sprain will depend on how severely the ligaments are stretched or torn, but usually include swelling, pain, or bruising. Treatment will depend on the severity of the sprain, but may include:
Resting the ankle
Wrapping the ankle with elastic bandage or tape
Ice pack application (to reduce inflammation)
Elevating the ankle
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen to help reduce the pain and inflammation
Gradual return to walking and exercise
A walking cast (for moderate sprains)
Surgery (for severe sprains)
Physical therapy
Ligaments are fibrous, elastic bands of tissue that connect and stabilize the bones. An ankle sprain is a common, painful injury that occurs when one or more of the ankle ligaments is stretched beyond the normal range of motion. Sprains can occur as a result of sudden twisting, turning or rolling movements.
What is a foot fracture?
With 26 bones in a single foot, almost any of them can be broken. Many fractures do not require surgery, or even a cast, as they will heal on their own with some support. When a foot is fractured, the site of the fracture usually is painful and swollen. The site of the fracture will determine the course of treatment, if needed, including:
Ankle joint fractures. These fractures may be serious and require immediate medical attention. Ankle fractures usually require a cast, and some may require surgery if the bones are too separated or misaligned.
Metatarsal bone fractures. Fractures of the metatarsal bones, located in the middle of the foot, often do not require a cast. A stiff-soled shoe may be all that is needed for support as the foot heals. Sometimes, surgery is needed to correct misaligned bones or fractured segments.
Sesamoid bone fractures. The sesamoid bones are 2 small, round bones at the end of the metatarsal bone of the big toe. Usually, padded soles can help relieve pain. However, sometimes, the sesamoid bone may have to be surgically removed.
Toe fractures. Fractures of the toes normally can heal with or without a cast.
What is foot pain?
Foot pain can be debilitating to an active lifestyle. Foot pain can have many sources, from fractures and sprains to nerve damage. Listed below are 3 common areas of pain in the foot and their causes:
Pain in the ball of the foot. Pain in the ball of the foot, located on the bottom of the foot behind the toes, may be caused by nerve or joint damage in that area. In addition, a benign (noncancerous) growth, such as Morton's neuroma, may cause the pain. Corticosteroid injections and wearing supportive shoe inserts may help relieve the pain. Sometimes, surgery is needed.
Plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is characterized by severe pain in the heel of the foot, especially when standing up after resting. The condition is due to an overuse injury of the sole surface (plantar) of the foot and results in inflammation of the fascia, a tough, fibrous band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the base of the toes.
Plantar fasciitis is more common in women, people who are overweight, people with occupations that require a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces, people with flat feet, and people with high arches. Walking or running, especially with tight calf muscles, may also cause the condition.
Treatment may include:
Ice pack applications
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
Stretching exercises of the Achilles tendons and plantar fascia
Plantar fasciitis is an irritation of the plantar fascia. This thick band of connective tissue travels across the bottom of the foot between the toes and the heel. It supports the foot's natural arch. It stretches and becomes taut whenever the foot bears weight.
Achilles tendon injury. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body. It connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. However, this tendon is also the most common site of rupture or tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon due to overuse.
Achilles tendonitis is caused by overuse of the tendon and calf muscles. Symptoms may include mild pain after exercise that worsens gradually, stiffness that disappears after the tendon warms up, and swelling. Treatment may include
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
Supportive devices and/or bandages for the muscle and tendon
UltrasoundStrengthening exercises
Diabetes and vascular disease
Diabetes affects the nerves and blood vessels and blood flow throughout the whole body, including the legs and feet. People with diabetes need to check their feet regularly to identify sores or wounds on their feet before complications develop. In addition, they will need to see a podiatrist to help manage diabetes-related foot problems.


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The Bad Mommyblogger Purity Test
Greetings and salutations (first one to name the movie, the speaker of that line, and where I actually saw him in person – I'll send you a mix CD). I'm Julie, and you can usually find me at mothergoosemouse. (Mix CD has been won by Amy Jo!)
It's an honor to be here, trashing Her Bad Mother's pristine blog with all of my trashiness. Frankly, I'm intimidated to be kicking off this burlesque show, as I've never even been in a wet t-shirt contest, let alone paraded across the stage of the Moulin Rouge wearing nothing but feathers. Consider me the little trick dog that amuses you. Kristen and Liz and Joy will be here with the feathers soon enough.
I grew up in the Midwest, and when we weren't out tipping cows, we were busy raising our scores on the Purity Test (thereby lowering our Purity).
The Purity Test consisted of two tattered sheets of paper that had been copied and re-typed and copied again and folded up and shoved into the back pockets of innumerable pairs of jeans as it made its way around our high school several times over. The 100 questions on the test concerned sexual experimentation, drug and alcohol experimentation, and how much trouble you'd gotten into with both of those. Not only was it fun to assess just how far your own innocence had deteriorated, it was also pretty interesting to guess – based on your friends' scores – in what ways THEIR innocence had deteriorated. That is, which questions they'd answered yes and which ones they'd answered no.
It's been at least 15 years since I last took the Purity Test, and now that I'm over 21, with a husband and children, many of the questions seem…well, kind of boring.
But a Bad Mommyblogger Purity Test? Well, that's another story altogether.
The "submit" button is at the bottom.


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UFC Store
Michael DiSanto breaks down Wednesday's UFC on FUEL TV main event between Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman
The UFC returns to FUEL TV on Wednesday night with another fun fight card headlined by Mark Munoz versus Chris Weidman in a bout that will have far-reaching implications in the middleweight division.
Munoz is a middleweight mainstay whose name has been tossed around among the list of title contenders for nearly two years. His last wins came against marquee opponents in Demian Maia and Chris Leben, with the latter coming by TKO. Munoz will enter the Octagon on Wednesday night hoping to establish that he is, indeed, the number one contender to Anderson Silva's middleweight crown. An impressive victory could be just what the doctor ordered to secure his first UFC title fight.
Weidman, on the other hand, is still a relative newcomer to the UFC, with less than half of the Octagon appearances as his foe. He isn't on anyone's short list of title contenders, but he is on everyone's list of top middleweight prospects. Weidman's most recent win, a unanimous decision over Maia, proved that this guy is more than just hype. A win over Munoz likely won't be enough to secure a title shot, but it will definitely establish him as middleweight mainstay standing on the verge of title contention.
In other words, both men have a lot on the line on Wednesday night. What is going to happen once the action gets underway? My guess is a standup war.
Both Munoz and Weidman have deep amateur wrestling roots. Munoz was a two-time All-American and 2001 National Champion at Oklahoma State. Weidman was a two-time All-American at Hofstra and placed third in the national tournament during his senior year. When two highly accomplished wrestlers face off inside the Octagon, it is typical for their wrestling to cancel out, which means slugging it out for the duration of the fight.
I'm quite sure that neither man is has much trepidation over a standup-focused affair. Munoz has shown a tremendous propensity for banging it out with opponents. He carries show-stopping power in his right hand, though he wings both left and right hands with seriously bad intentions.
Munoz typically uses his standup as a means to a takedown so that he can unload his equally brutal ground-and-pound. But as he learned in his bout with Yushin Okami, takedowns against a strong wrestler aren't guaranteed, even for a guy with Munoz's wrestling chops. Thus, he has spent countless hours since that fight focusing on his standup so that he has other avenues to victory, aside from putting an opponent on his back.
Munoz showed his growth as a fighter when he fought Aaron Simpson and CB Dollaway, who are two of the better wrestlers in the division. Munoz displayed a varied game plan, without an exclusive focus on takedowns. He won both bouts. It is likely that he will approach Weidman the same way.
Weidman has shown a ton of confidence and comfort in his standup game. That makes a lot of sense, since he is trained by one of the best standup coaches in the game in Ray Longo. Weidman's standup, though, is very different from Munoz's.
The New Yorker isn't a slugger, like Munoz. He is much more of a tactician, fighting behind the jab and changing angles to both open throwing lanes and present a difficult target for return fire.
That is a great way to approach a guy like Munoz, who will regularly find himself off balance because he throws nearly every strike with such commitment and power. Weidman should try to take advantage of that by keeping his long jab in Munoz's face for most of the fight. His five-inch reach advantage will be a significant factor in the fight, if Weidman remains committed to the jab.
The hot-shot prospect should be careful not to circle out too often to his left after he jabs. Munoz's best weapon, as mentioned, is his right hand. Weidman should circle away from that weapon as often as possible.
If he starts to land the jab with regularity, Munoz will likely get impatient and throw with more and more aggressiveness, which will open the door for a takedown. Munoz, like most wrestlers who haven't adopted an addict-like commitment to mastering the guard, doesn't like fighting from his back. I don't think it is shocking to state that his guard is probably his weakest offensive position. If Weidman can put him there, he will score points without much risk in getting submitted during his ground attack.
Munoz will need to counter Weidman's length and movement advantages by using controlled bombs to close the distance. He needs to get into Weidman's chest and make this a slugfest, not a technical kickboxing bout, if he is going to win his fifth consecutive fight.
He can make it a slugfest by cutting off the cage with diagonal forward movement, rather than chasing his foe. Once Weidman is anywhere near the cage, Munoz should explode in for a double-leg. He probably won't be successful scoring a takedown in that scenario, particularly since the cage is a fighter's friend when defending doubles. But it will allow Munoz to move from the double to the clinch, which is a big key for him winning the fight.
On the inside, Munoz is probably the physically stronger man. I don't know that for certain, but it seems likely after watching the two compete in separate bouts. Plus, Munoz has great technique in the clinch, particularly when it comes to firing elbows, dirty boxing and transitioning to throws or a high crotch takedown.
Just like with Munoz, Weidman's weakest offensive position is undoubtedly his guard. I know he is a purple belt in jiu-jitsu under Matt Serra, who certainly doesn't progress students through the ranks haphazardly. But I guarantee that Weidman is more comfortable facing a guy with Munoz's vicious ground and pound from the top position or on the feet. I'm not suggesting that Weidman doesn't have the submission skills to pull off a stunning victory from his back. I'm arguing that should be a backup plan, if he doesn't find success on the feet or otherwise can't work to his feet following a takedown.
At the end of the day, I think this fight is much more evenly matched than most are suggesting. Munoz is the rightful favorite, but only by a slim margin. It would not surprise me in the least to see Weidman pull off an upset victory. In fact, I might even be leaning that way in my own mind.
Whatever happens, the winner of this bout will be well positioned to make a move in the division in the fall. For Munoz, that may mean a title shot. For Weidman, it likely means another marquee opponent on a significant fight card.
Mark Munoz
• 34 years old
• 6'0, 185 lbs
• 71-inch reach
• 12-2 professional record
• 4-1 in last 5 fights (currently on a four fight winning streak)
• 8-2 in last 10 fights
• 50.0% of wins by KO/TKO
• 41.7% of wins by submission
• 8.3% of wins by decision
• 1-1 in fights that have lasted the distance
• Has never been submitted
• Fight of the Night (TKO2 over Kendall Grove)
Chris Weidman
• 28 years old
• 6'2, 185 lbs
• 76-inch reach
• 8-0 professional record
• 25% of wins by KO/TKO
• 37.5% of wins by submission
• 37.5% of wins by decision
• Submission of the Night (SUB1 by standing guillotine over Jesse Bongfeldt)
Power Slap