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Laser Cataract Surgery in Garden Grove
If you have cataracts, and want to have them corrected, you should visit our ophthalmology practice, Orange Coast Eye Center. At our practice, you can be treated by one of our top-notch ophthalmologist, Dr. Lincoln L. Manzi, Jr. or Dr. Jared R. Younger. When you have cataracts, our ophthalmologist can perform Garden Grove eye surgery which will correct your cataract problem and have you seen clearly once again. Orange Coast Eye center is pleased to announce the introduction of the
Tecnis Symfony Intraocular 'Extended Range of Vision' lens
When you have a cataract, it means that you have a clouding of the natural lens of the eye. Today this can be easily corrected by Garden Grove eye surgery during which time the damaged lens is removed and a new man-made lens is inserted into the eye. Symfony is the first lens of its kind in the US, to be implanted during cataract surgery, that can provide a full range of high quality vision similar to the zoom lens of a camera. The Symfony lens is approved in more than 50 countries around the world, and has been widely studied with data from numerous clinical studies. Dr. Younger is the first surgeon in Orange County to use the Symfony lens and has been using the Symfony's predecessor lens, called the Tecnis Multifocal, in Orange County since 2010. In clinical studies, the Symfony lens provides many benefits, including: allowing patients to see objects sharply and clearly at near, intermediate and far away distances, and points in between, high quality vision and a low incidence of halo and glare, which may be perceived as rings or blurring around bright lights.
If you would like to meet with our ophthalmologist to learn more about Symfony lens and getting Garden Grove eye surgery to correct your cataracts, contact us today for an appointment.


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I've outlined what the New York Jets need to do on the defensive side of the ball to keep the Houston Texans offense in check when the two teams match up on Monday night.
First and foremost they need to stop the Texans' potent rushing attack, and they'll need cornerback Antonio Cromartie to bring his A game when he's matched up with superstar wideout Andre Johnson.
Of course, none of that will really matter if the Jets score as many points as they did last week. Which, if you recall, was just as many as you or I scored.
It's not exactly a secret around the NFL that Mark Sanchez has struggled mightily over the last few weeks, and his banged up receiving corps is now as bad as it's ever been.
With Santonio Holmes out for the season, and rookie receiver Stephen Hill and starting tight end Dustin Keller both doubtful for Monday's game, Sanchez will have a tough time finding someone to throw to again this week.
Jeremy Kerley, who was supposed to be the Jets' third receiver, is now the top available target. Veteran Jason Hill, just signed this week, will probably see time alongside Chaz Schilens on the outside.
Regardless of the personnel on the field, nobody is going to feel sorry for the Jets. Defenders will smell blood, and they will try to attack that weakness week in and week out.
Enter Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. The reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Month is the early frontrunner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and that means trouble for Sanchez and company.
Watt has been as dominant as anybody in the game, and while he's far from the only elite defender the Jets will have to deal with, he's the most likely to cause absolute chaos in the Jets' offensive backfield.
Right tackle Austin Howard has struggled this season, and he's going to need a ton of help against Watt. Otherwise it won't matter who's taking the snap, because Watt will pile-drive whoever's back there.
How do the Jets slow down Watt without compromising another spot on the field? It's a heck of a lot easier said than done.
But if the Jets want to steal a game from one of the NFL's best teams, they might need a little bit of luck.
And maybe some pass protection.
Related Articles:
Jets vs. Texans: NFL Week 5 Preview
New York Jets Superstar CB Darrelle Revis Out for the Season with a Torn ACL
New York Jets Trying to Do Damage Control After Losing Darrelle Revis, Santonio Holmes for the Year
Keys to the Game: The New York Jets Must Stop the Houston Texans Rushing Attack
Keys to the Game: Antonio Cromartie Will Have to Do His Best Darrelle Revis Impersonation
Jon Presser is RantSports.com's New York Jets Lead Columnist
Follow him on Twitter @metsjetsnets88
Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Hawai'i: sketches and chronicles 2.
My favourite stopping corner was here at the koi pond. Its tranquility and the elegance of the kois in their ballets seduced me into seating myself on the rock by the edge early every morning, staring at them endlessly, sipping my kona coffee.. the world was still quiet when I softly spoke to them, telling them my schedule for the day. Joking about their pouting lips searching for a delicacy. And then I'd sketch them. Snap them. Photo's galore. They enjoyed posing and pirouetted spontaneously only for me.
Voila some stops on my walks. Colourful canoes on the lagoon. Elegant flamingoes. Impressive statues. I could probably have stopped more often to sketch, but a big part of the allure of Hawai'i is in the reflecting and quiet time, staring into distance. Quiet and still. Watching waves break. Listening to the wind rustling through the palms. Being entranced by the play of light on the shallow waters by the shore. Waiting along with the surfers for that next big one. Feeling that drop of sweat trickling down your back, telling you it's time to move on. People who don't do that, miss out.
In this quiet time in still corners of the island, away from people, in solitude with only the wind and the ocean as company, I have succeeded in solving issues, finding peace in who I am and how I am. It gave me acceptance with roads I will be following from now on. It gave me breathing space and freedom to come to terms with bridges that were burnt. I imagine I gave it all up to the waves and the ocean, while the soft touch of the breezes swept me clean from disappointments and sadness and just maybe the whisper of the palms filled me with optimism and a strong spirit. I look forward to tomorrow.
Because I enjoyed the koi fish so much, and because I have these millions of photos of them(almost), I thought to share them with you, offering them(like with the sunflowers) to those who so desire, to download and paint, paint paint them! Throw the photo's together and compose a watercolour or pastel, or oil or drawing. Make marks…they are wonderful to paint and play around with. Look at the water as well…lovely shapes and colour. Great movement. Here are some close ups as well as general shots. So. I invite you to enjoy!
…koi fish for painting…
click on image to print larger version
For more photo's on the trip see Myfrenchkitchen: travel
To be continued…
18 responses
Wonderful post and beautiful sketches Ronell. Solving issues and finding peace is one of life's treasured moments.
October 5, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Oh, Ronell! Gorgeous…and my husband would love your flamingos…
October 5, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Ronell, I'm loving your stories of Hawaii. I've never been there and it's wonderful to read about your experiences. Having time for inner reflection and finding peace is so important. You were so lucky to be in such a beautiful place to do this.
Your sketches are vivid and lively and absolutely stunning – as always!!! I could look at your work forever 🙂
Thank you for generously sharing your koi photos with us to use. I have actually saved some of them to use as references at some point.
Have a wonderful evening!
October 5, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I so agree with you and all who have commented– time to drink in the world around us, time to unwind from tensions and the bee buzz in our minds, and as you so eloquently put it, listening to the wind in the palms and giving it up to the waves and the ocean… I feel rest and peace just listening to you. We don't find enough time for ourselves for reflection and it is just so important.
Your sketches are so lively and free. And I have saved some of your generous koi photos for reference. That one of their dance in that spiral of water is probably my favorite and will take me some happy time, learning to paint.
Thank you.
October 6, 2009 at 1:31 am
Oh, as usual, marvelous interpretations of what you saw, Ronell! and your photos of the koi are beautiful, too. Hope you had a wonderful time. I love the watercolors.
October 6, 2009 at 4:02 am
Ronell, your koi pond sketch absolutely rocks!
October 6, 2009 at 4:10 am
You have really captured the beauty of those koi (I also took so many photos of them) and love the flamingos.
You got my attention immediately when you said Kona coffee..it is the best I have ever tasted. We went to tour a Kona coffee grower and I drank so much coffee, sampling them all, that I was a nervous nellie when we left.
Thanks again for the memories and I look forward to the next installment.
October 6, 2009 at 6:17 am
Beautiful sketches of koi, canoes, flamingoes – the koi and canoes look as if they're doing the same dance! It's vital to take those time-outs – thanks for the reminder (and for the great photos).
October 7, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hi Ronell, thank you for your post. It was a mini vacation for me today during my break from the un-art-word work day. I was wisked away to calmer times and restful views. Welcome back.
October 9, 2009 at 12:05 am
I love the flamingos! The canoes have lovely color but I felt my pulse quicken as I admired the sketch….moving on…. I just love Hawaii!
October 10, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Love the sketches and I always enjoy your commentary too!
October 12, 2009 at 4:26 am
It is so true! All you say! Polynesia had the same effect on me.
October 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm
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Saturday, November 12, 2011
Church photo, processed
Posted by Eolake Stobblehouse at Saturday, November 12, 2011
3 comments:
- Will Duquette said...
Interesting. The church looks like a hand-engraved illustration from an old book. The tree, on the other hand, looks alien next to it. It doesn't look like a real tree, and it doesn't look like an engraved tree. It looks like an evil, possessed tree-shaped shadow that's about to go into the sanctuary and start devouring people.
- 12 Nov 2011, 23:54:00
- Will Duquette said...
Well, OK, no it doesn't. But it looks odd next to the church.
- 13 Nov 2011, 00:02:00
- Eolake Stobblehouse said...
Ya. It's a young red beech. I always loved those dark-red leaves. They seem so out of place.
I embossed the picture, and punched through the middle tones to the orig pic on a layer under it, to expose the darkness of the tree.
- 13 Nov 2011, 00:52:00
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Akin to you will discover re-decorating task, getting some home-owner will need to most important select method to only use identify re-decorating. Lots of people choose during this unit while in all around asset while increased go with think re-decorating watching not very many spaces, for instance asset and living room area. Due to the fact in the past is fashioned people this for instance usefulness and also name, quite a few home-owners will incorporate the us decorating unit nationally asset. Vicinity re-decorating combines colorings which have been as well as amazing in addition to vicinity bedroom furniture as well as tool. By using finding and choosing colorings pertaining to think re-decorating, light-weight to support preference colorings impinging on lumination, results in being discolored, lilac, eco-friendly and also brown lightly leafy are almost always fine styles.
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By Chris Ingram
The Tampa Tribune
Published Saturday, December 22, 2012
If the 1960s are most remembered for the Kennedy and King assassinations and the fight for racial equality, and the '70s for Watergate, Vietnam protests and the gas crisis, the '80s for the fall of the Berlin Wall and Ronald Reagan's optimism, the '90s for the tech boom and Bill Clinton's intern, the 2000s for the September 11th tragedy and the election of the first black president, the decade of 2010 will be defined by the bankruptcy of America.
You could write tomes explaining how this happened and who is to blame, but that won't solve the problem. The fact is, America is broke, and it's only a matter of time before we face the upheaval seen in Greece (in 2011, only Greece, Italy and Japan had higher debt as a percentage of GDP than the United States). The only reason we aren't there yet is due to our politicians' proclivity for punting.
They're getting ready to punt again, with President Obama and Speaker Boehner working on a compromise that would include tax increases, spending cuts and an extension of the debt ceiling. Although the tax increases and spending cuts are a good start, they're a mere drop in the bucket. A $400 billion unspecified cut in entitlement spending here and a $440 billion tax increase there (both over a period of 10 years), won't do anything other than symbolize the need to do something. Those mediocre attempts to rectify an $86 trillion debt would be like throwing a gallon of water on a five-alarm fire of a completely engulfed building that stretches for several city blocks.
The extension of the debt ceiling is just another punt — remember it has been raised four times in just the last four years alone. The question of, "Why does this keep happening?" is simple: because… (click here to read the rest of the column in The Tampa Tribune)
"Like" it on Facebook and share your thougts on TBO.com.
Chris Ingram is the president and founder of 411 Communications a corporate and political communications firm, and publisher of Irreverent View. Ingram is a frequent pundit on Fox News and CNN, and has written opinion columns for the Washington Times, UPI, and National Review online. He is the Republican political analyst for Bay News 9, the only 24 hour all news channel in Florida's largest media market. The opinions expressed here are those of author and do not represent the views of Bay News 9. E-mail him at: email@example.com.
Please feel free to submit a comment on our blogs. By posting a comment you acknowledge reading and following the terms and conditions of posting found here. You may also submit a comment by e-mail. If you e-mail a comment you consent to your comment and name being posted on the Irreverent View website. If you wish to remain completely anonymous, please state so in your e-mail.


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On Saturday I hosted a beautiful princess birthday tea party for a sweet little girl and several of her friends. Her mother requested a princess theme for the party and said she liked pink. Boy did I have fun with that!
I used lovely pastel shades and did a shabby chic princess theme with lots of pink and some gold accents as well. I really love how the gold looked with the pinks and blues.
I dressed my mannequin in a pretty pink formal gown and gave her a beautiful princess crown. The little girls loved it!
The table is so beautiful and fit for a princess!
I love the beautiful princess carriage here! I filled it with an ivory flower ball and wrapped it with a sweet shabby chic fabric strip I pulled from a remenant I found at a local craft store.
I made some "happy birthday" floral picks using cute shabby chic paper and gold glitter.
I also made some gold crowns from beautiful lace that I stiffened with mod podge, then painted gold and added sparkly gold glitter.
Isn't the little birthday cake cute? I made it from empty ribbon spools, scrapbook paper, tinsel and tissue garland, ribbon, paper flowers, and glitter. I really love these!
This is a beautiful gold lace crown perfect for a princess!
I set up the buffet with all of the food for the tea party. I added decorations that coordinated with the tablescape. I really love how it all turned out!
I dressed my mannequin in a pink formal gown and added a pretty tiara to the top. The girls really loved her!
I served the girls assorted tea sandwiches, fresh fruit, sugar cookies, and pink princess tea!
This was princess Charlee's special birthday cupcake. She got a special birthday pick and a candle on her cupcake.
This is another cute cake I hand-made for the party. I made a small present from clay and a tiny party horn and glued them to the top of this cake. I love the little banner over the top of the cake too!
Charlee made a wish and blew out her candle after we sang Happy Birthday to her!
All of the sweet little princesses had lots of fun at the birthday party!
Happy 5th birthday princess Charlee! We hope you had a special birthday celebration at Southard House that you will remember for your lifetime!
If you are interested in booking a party of your own at Southard House, please visit our website at www.southardhouse.com for more information or email me at email@example.com with questions.


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we dance to this song in zumba( well, the original, not my lyrics). it is a cool down song, and has really fun moves. i have not been able to go to zumba in a while due to a shoulder injury( it has also affected my computer time), but i will be able to return next week i am hoping. i have really missed the exercise- it is such a mood enhancer. not to mention it keeps me toned and the best part- i get to eat a little more! one session of zumba can burn up to 700 or so calories. that is good for a brownie or two, i figure.
summer time is pretty great for people with thyroid problems. i am always cold, and i am so happy for the warmer weather. of course, at work, the powers that be keep our thermostat set on about 40 degrees, not that i am complaining about being cool at work. i just have to wear a sweater everyday. i get the oddest looks- i go into, and out of, work all bundled up, while the people outside are wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts.
another important consideration, and i have talked about this before, but it bears repeating, is our thyroid medication. keep it cool, guys! hot thyroid medication does not work very well. i always recommend that people who take the naturally derived thyroid products keep them in the refrigerator( it keeps the " smell" down, also. if you take one of these products, you will know what i am talking about). if you mail order your medications, heaven forbid- sorry, but i am a pharmacist after all, do not let them sit in your mailbox all day! and if you are going on a trip, do not pack them away in your suitcase where they will get hot. also, if you purchase your medication,and are planning on being out all day on errands,etc, keep the medication in your purse, not in your car.
i personally know of one person who mail ordered her thyroid supplement and it sat in her mailbox all day. her TSH shot up to 40! strange, but true. it could have been a bad batch of generic medication, but it was most likely the heat that basically inactivated her levothyroxine. i am not sure what would be the best thing to do if you do mail order, but either plan the delivery date for sometime that you are home, or have a neighbor retrieve your medication and hold if for you until you get home, perhaps.
my sympathies to the people out there who are hyperthyroid. you must be miserable in the summer time , as you feel hot instead of cold. amazing what all those darn little thyroids control! so enjoy the heat, my fellow hypos, and try to stay cool, all you hypers out there. i hope that everyone is having a great summer time!
I'm writing about my journey through thyroid cancer and beyond. I'm going to try to incorporate humor and positive self-reflection in an attempt to help myself heal and perhaps help others deal with this situation.Disclaimer: this site is for informational purposes only. this is not a substitute for seeing your health care provider. I am not responsible for any injury,loss or damage that allegedly arises from any information i publish in my blog.
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- About BMCC
- Admissions
- Academics
- Offices & Services
IMPORTANT: Any emergency should be reported immediately to Public Security at 212-220-8080.
The BMCC Behavioral Assessment and Response Team (BART) serves as a centralized, coordinated body for discussion, assessment, and action regarding students exhibiting or expressing suicidal, self-injurious, disruptive and other behaviors which might pose a threat to students and/or others in the College community. The BMCC BART is a system of support and empowerment for members of the BMCC community to identify and report student behavior that is contrary to our educational environment.
As members of the BMCC community, it is the responsibility of all to uphold the values of respect, dignity and concern for self and others. All members of the BMCC community play a vital role in ensuring the safety of our campus. Faculty, staff, and friends are often among the first to notice when another member of the BMCC community is exhibiting dangerous or disruptive manner. The BMCC BART is designed to support and assist in upholding this responsibility. The goal of BART is to minimize the likelihood of personal and community crisis situations. The BART is designed to support and empower members of the BMCC community to identify and report student behavior that is contrary to our educational environment. Please know the success of this process relies on community commitment to reporting concerns.
Please report any behaviors you notice that causes you concern (i.e. erratic or distributive behavior, drug and/or alcohol abuse, disturbing writings, etc.). However, some behaviors need to be reported immediately to Public Safety. The attached list should be used as a guide. If you are unsure, feel free to contact a member of the BART to discuss the best course of action if you are not sure what to do or if a report to the BART is warranted.
To report a concern to the BART, please complete the on-line form. The form will require a narrative of the behavior of concern you have witnessed. You may also contact a member of the BART personally if you wish to discuss your concern prior to submitting a report.
If something occurs afterhours or on the weekend, submit your concern via the online form.
Not all concerns necessarily require assistance from the Counseling Center. The BART includes a staff member from the Counseling Center. Reporting your concerns to the BART ensures that your concern will be immediately directed to a qualified person, who will be able to determine the next best course of action to help a student in need of assistance, whether that means Counseling or another campus resource.
Once a concern is received, the team will discuss the reported concern. The BART will then assess and create the necessary plan of action for this particular case. In many cases, the BART may contact the student you are concerned about to arrange a meeting. The BART¿s role is to determine how urgent the situation is and then to recommend or require that the student involved get the proper assistance.
Based on the type of incident or concern, the BART may contact you in order to get additional information and/or other crucial details.
If you prefer, your name will be kept confidential. However, the information you provide will only be known to you and so the student you are concerned about may know its source. The team will always discuss this matter with you before taking any action that would make your identity known.
Yes, but it is much more helpful if you identify yourself in order to expedite the assessment. This might occur if the team is in need of additional details or requires critical information that would allow them to help a student in need. We would like to have your contact information in case we need additional information.
The primary purpose of the team is to provide help to students who are in a state of crisis. When you report a student that you are concerned about, you are ensuring that they will receive the best possible assistance from qualified staff members.
IMPORTANT: Any emergency should be reported immediately to Public Security at 212-220-8080.


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Dear Colleague,
Our laboratory has uncovered a phase of water not previously recognized. I am writing to call your attention to the book I've written about this discovery.
You've learned about solid, liquid, and vapor, but fresh evidence reveals a fourth phase. This surprisingly ubiquitous phase resembles liquid water superficially, but it differs; in fact, its ordered molecular structure strays from ordinary H2O. This video describes the basics.
The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor outlines the evidence for this discovery and its significance for almost everything that water touches. A Cambridge University colleague opines that the book resembles "an illustrated children's book with paradigm shifting content."
Early reviews have been gratifying:
To celebrate the publication of this book, my publisher is offering the hardcover edition for the price of softcover, until May 17. If you choose to order, or merely peruse several free chapters, please visit www.ebnerandsons.com."The most interesting scientific book I've ever read," "The most significant scientific discovery of this century," and "Unputdownable." Nobel laureate Brian Josephson suggests that these discoveries "can be expected to have important implications."
Thank you for reading, and best wishes,
Gerald H. Pollack, PhD
Editor-in-chief, WATER
Professor, University of Washington
Founding Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering
Fellow, American Heart Association, Biomedical Engineering Society
Honorary Doctorate, Ural State University, Ekaterinburg Russia
Honorary Professor, Russian Academy of Sciences
Foreign Member, Srpska Academy
NIH Director's Transformative R01 Research Award, 2009
Prigogine Medal, 2012


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White Chicken Chili
(I cannot believe I haven't posted this recipe yet, so sorry!
This is one of our favorite meals and I make it often!)
Thanks goes to my friend Emily, whose recipe this is - I just slightly adapted it!
1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB oil
3-4 cups great northern beans, cooked and drained
10 ounces chicken broth
7 ounces green chilies, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin (half this to make less spicy!)
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream (I sometimes use whole milk or half and half if I don't have cream on hand)
Saute chicken, onion and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove form heat and stir in sour cream and cream. Serve topped with avocado and fresh cilantro if you have it around!
This refrigerates well for lunches but I haven't tried freezing it.


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Thursday, August 21, 2008
Send in the Tooth Fairy
"Shake my hand, rip my teeth out," I said.
The oral surgeon had the grace to look disconcerted as we shook hands.
The certificates on his wall proclaimed that he is a medical doctor and also a dentist. It crossed my mind that he might be an undertaker too, but there was no documentation to that effect.
It seems that at my ripe old age I need to have my wisdom teeth, which I had thought to keep forever, removed. They are doomed. I should hang a sign that this property is condemned.
There is a lesson in impermanence here which never occurred to me.
While waiting for the doctor I studied two before-and-after photographs of patients who had maxillofacial surgery. The man in the top picture had no chin while the woman below him on the wall had a pugnacious prize fighter chin. In the after pictures, he was bulked up while she was minimized. I wondered if they took some of her excess equipment and gave it to him.
I was read a laundry list of Things That Could Go Wrong, although I was assured that most were unlikely, then asked to sign a release which felt like promising my firstborn child to Rumpelstiltskin. I admit to what could be an unhealthy attachment to my own body parts as we have all been very happy together for a very long time. And now some of us have reached the end of the road.
I told the doctor's scheduler that I needed a few weeks to get used to the idea and she suggested the second week of September. I opted for September 11th since that day is already living in infamy. How better to commemorate the destruction of the World Trade Center than to host a search and destroy mission right in my own mouth?
The doctor gave me a choice of Vicodin or Darvocet and I chose the latter because the name reminded me of Darvon, which I was given after my third child was born by emergency C-Section. It was a very nice drug and under its influence I dreamed of flying across the Atlantic on a Milk Bone dog biscuit.
I will have to eat soft foods for a week and have already arranged with Flip to make his killer mashed potatoes. Every day. I am going to be the Star Patient and in return he has graciously offered to take any leftover drugs off my hands. Flip is helpful that way. It would please us both if he could take all my drugs for me.
"Will you be able to talk?" he asked.
"I might not for a day or two," I said.
A flash of pleasure crossed his face which he quickly controlled. Flip is a married man. He knows better.
"I won't be able to cook either," I said.
His smirk disappeared instantly.
The oral surgeon seems like a lovely person but I wonder how he sleeps at night, divesting people of their personal parts, as he does, by day. It also doesn't seem right that this will cost so much when I am providing all the materials.
Posted by heartinsanfrancisco at 5:51 PM 62 comments Links to this post
Friday, August 15, 2008
Call me Lady Godiva
As we headed home from the chocolate shop I asked Flip, "Do you want me to carry the rest of your truffles in my purse?"
I licked my fingers on which a little dark chocolate dipped candied orange peel had melted.
"Can I trust you?"
"You married me. There is an assumption of trust."
He paused, then handed over the aromatic little gold Godiva bag, which I stuffed in with my wallet, keys and his other glasses.
Men only get married so they can use purses without carrying them.
"Are you sure you won't eat my chocolate?"
I shrugged. "If you died, I would eat your chocolate in a minute, no question. But you're still living. That changes everything."
"It warms my heart," he said.
He reminded me for the 5th or 6th time today that he is a good-looking guy. He claims that I never tell him so, which is not true, while he tells me "all the time" how good I look, also not true.
I finally put it to him. "Overweening ego and Alzheimer's is too much on the same plate. I can't deal with both, so take your pick."
He's thinking about it.
I softened the blow. "You are a good-looking guy," I said. "I'm lucky to be seen with you."
He got all misty.
"Of course, they don't know you're balmy."
As soon as we got home he turned on the television. Flip is on intimate terms with every "Law and Order" episode ever aired.
"Alzheimer's is in all the ads," he remarked.
"Oh, good. I'll take three."
I watched, too, for a minute. "It's becoming epidemic. It will be much more common in a few years as the boomers age. You're a pioneer, a trailblazer."
He studied the actor in the Aricept ad, who was much older than he is. "He's pretty good."
"You'll have to work hard to top that," I said.
Some of the commercials are really sneaky. They cut to them seamlessly and mimic the lighting in the shows, sucking you in before you can put the remote on mute. (And I do mean sucking.)
There is a test to let you know if you've been watching "Law & Order" too long:
If you see a woman's face with closed eyes and assume it's a cadaver but when you look more closely you realize it's an ad for face cream, you might have a problem. It makes me uneasy that I've grown so used to seeing dead bodies that I automatically process corpses over cosmetics.
There is also the matter of the very flowery commercial which shows a sweet-looking older woman getting married in a lovely gown and -- Depends. I think this scares me even more than becoming one of the corpses because if someone kills you, you're dead. It's over. But Depends is forever.
Posted by heartinsanfrancisco at 6:11 PM 34 comments Links to this post
Labels: Alzheimer's, Godiva chocolate, Lady Godiva
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
How do you say "Milli Vanilli" in Chinese?
China dazzled the world with its $100-million Olympics opening ceremony which sought to present the image of a Utopian China replete with the perfect baby teeth of a little girl who sang a powerful ode to her country. Except the exquisite voice was not hers. It was the recorded voice of another little girl deemed less pretty than the one lip-synching on center stage.
The charming image of Lin Miaoke, nine-years old, "singing" her heart out in a red dress, appeared around the world while the unseen real singer, seven-year old Yang Peiyi, was replaced at the last minute because a senior Communist Party official thought it more important to feature a prettier child.
"The national interest requires that the girl should have good looks and a good grasp of the song and look good on screen," he said. "Lin Miaoke was the best in this. And Yang Peiyi's voice was the most outstanding."
You would think the Olympics would be about authenticity, competitors from every country doing their personal best. How is it possible, then, to justify choosing a "prettier" child over a genuinely talented one to represent her country?
In 1964, when Warner Brothers made a film of the Broadway hit show, "My Fair Lady," Julie Andrews, who had originated the role and garnered multiple awards in the US and Europe, was not cast as Eliza Doolittle because studio executives didn't consider her gorgeous enough. The role went to Audrey Hepburn, whose immense charm and beauty could never be disputed, but she was also tone-deaf. Her musical numbers were sung by Marni Nixon, for decades the movie voice of every actress who couldn't sing.
I had hoped we were past such superficial lunacy, but extreme reverence for physical perfection seems to be a worldwide phenomenon which won't quit. It is particularly disheartening when it trumps ability and sends young people the unhealthy message that no matter how hard they work to develop their talents, they will never be as good as those who were accidentally born beautiful.
In the words of Confucius, that other Chinese dude, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."
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Monday, March 09, 2015
Another day, another US sanction against Venezuelan apparatchicks
Still, that was enough to make chavismo hyperventilate, reaching paroxysms such at Telesur which has totally forgotten what international media is supposed to be all about. I translate for you the tile of an article there: Threatening Venezuela, Obama declares war on the continent.
Just like that.
Of course, as usual, the regime reaction is anything but. But being to stop the shipments of oil to the US. Do not worry about searching for that, you will not find it but you will find plenty of hot air, envoys recalled and what not. When all is said Venezuela will never take any serious action against the only client left that pays in cash and in had currency. Revolutions do not last much on empty stomachs.
This being said why is suddenly Obama toughening up?
There is GOP pressure and that bone will do for the time being. But somehow that is not enough to explain it.
There is the blunder by Maduro of reducing US embassy staff. But the US should be delighted to reciprocate and send back Venezuelans home and close the consulates.
Or simply put the US has decided to assume its role in the continent, to demand that the other countries decide between the US and Venezuela. Enough of looking the other way. Even being quiet the US is being aggressed non stop by Venezuela (and friends elsewhere). Time to demand the cowardly establishment to do its job and at least silence the roquet.
Note: never mind that it sends a message to the Castros stalling the negotiations with the US and on the FARC. Also, did Colombia and Brazil knew about that before visiting Caracas last Friday?
15 comments:
- Boludo Tejano11:20 PM
This being said why is suddenly Obama toughening up? There is GOP pressure and that bone will do for the time being. But somehow that is not enough to explain it.ReplyDelete
Not likely that Obama is responding to GOP pressure, given how he has been more conciliatory to Iran than to the GOP. When Obama said "Punish your enemies," he wasn't referring to ISIS. Al Queda, or the Taliban, but to his domestic political opponents.
Re sending a message to Cuba- perhaps, as the Castro bros have responded to Obama's opening by demanding ransom money for the years of embargo [When Russia has written off nearly all of Cuba's debt from the Soviet sugar daddy days.]. IOW, the Castro bros want the US to become Cuba's sugar daddy to maintain the Castro bros in power now that Venezuela is bankrupt. But it would have been easier for Obama to simply have the Republican-controlled Congress turn down Raul's demand for ransom money.
Denying visas to human rights violators- this has already been done. The only change as I see it is to label Venezuela a "threat." A potential failed state can be considered a threat to the safety of the region, so the wording may not be as strong as it initially appears.
Nonetheless, this still comes as a surprise.
- Anonymous12:06 AM
GOP pandering is not a reason. Obama has his legacy to worry about. The situation is such that we are finally seeing action on a different front. Don't pay too much attention to the boilerplate language. But the stage is set. If Maduro wants us to cut him off, we will oblige.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous12:11 AM
The point of no return has been crossed. What Obama did paves the way for weaning U.S. off Venezuelan petroleum. When the WH spokesman said they have "tools" he was not kidding. I hope that President Obama sees this through meaning oil cut-off and unsealing of narcotics indictments.ReplyDelete
- Charly7:52 AM
There are a couple of reasons "to make chavismo hyperventilate". First, even if the sanctioned ones do not have assets in the USA, any transaction involving dollars on the international scene is risky because the US Government has quite a long arm in this respect. Assets overseas, they likely have since this is just a vulgar kleptocracy.ReplyDelete
The second reason is that it is been assumed so far that sanctions would be imposed on the upper echelons of the regime. Not so, the fact that one of the selected few is a judge not even on the permanent payroll speaks volume and they heard the message very well: nobody is immune.
Very nicely designed sanctions. Obama stirs the hornets' nest with little chance of getting stung back. He just got everyone attention, not only Maduro but the Castros, Evo, Rafael, Dilma, etc. etc. The reaction will tell if it is still their backyard or not. Personally I think it still is. So many of these countries have so much at stake commercially with the USA.
Obama is clearly exagerating, probably on purpose, to distract the public about REAL threats going on : Iran and ISIS.ReplyDelete
Now that oil is cheap, with US Fracking, Vzla means close to nothing to the USA. Certainly less than say Brazil, Chile or Chile, or even Mexico and Colombia.
It's just a political flare. That's all. I love it, though, because now the circus is back in town.. and hopefully, this will further deteriorate the economic relations with the USA, thus aggravate the Venezuelan economic crisis.
Unfortunately, that's the only way to get rid of Chavismo: more escasez, more inflation, more inseguridad, menos real en la calle, so that people get finally pissed off and hit the streets. So Bravo, Obama. Hit us with a Cuban style, full-fledged freaking economic embargo, see if we finally wake up.
- Anonymous9:38 AM
This is more like the carrot and the stick. These sanctions against a second row thugs are a reminder to the upper military echelons of what could happen to them if they don't help to get rid of this regime. Help us and we leave you in peace to enjoy your looting. Or else.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous10:14 AM
By declaring Venezuela a threat, Obama can abuse his executive powers in the same manner that Maduro abuses his. Without Venezuela being a "threat", Obama would need Congress to pass a law.ReplyDelete
Why bother with elected representatives and constitutional limitations. Its better to govern through enabling laws.
The US can have its own caudillo!!
Latin American governance comes to the US.
Obama is just showing Congress he does not need them around anymore.
Obama has finally realized the superior style of governance that Venezuela affords.
Imitation is greatest form of flattery.
- Anonymous12:27 PM
Don't forget the recent defection to the US of Venezuelan bodyguards to high ranking Venezuelan officials. Those that quietly stand by while the business of corruption and drug trafficking is conducted have much to tell about what they know and who they know it about. Maybe that was the catalyst that triggered this because now the US has the evidence they were seeking about the depth of the corruption and the drug trafficking of the Cartel of the Sun and Cabello.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous3:43 PM
@10:14 Obama's E.O. implements the law passed by Congress in Dec. 14...this law directs the President to impose sanctions against any person responsible for directing violence or human rights abuses against persons associated with the Feb. 2014 protests in Venezuela.ReplyDelete
Don't let the facts get in your way!Replies
- Anonymous12:43 PM
My point is that not that the President used his executive authority to impose sanctions but that he did not do so unilaterally as 10:14 suggested - he was directed to do so by Congress.10:14 is asserting that the President acted on his own without consulting Congress - the opposite is true.Delete
Comments policy:
1) Comments are moderated after the fourth day of publication. It may take up to a day or two for your note to appear then.
2) Your post will appear if you follow the basic rules. I will be ruthless in erasing, as well as those who replied to any off rule comment.
Do not be repetitive.
Do not bring grudges and fights from other blogs here (this is the strictest rule).
This is an anti Chavez/chavismo blog, Readers have made up their minds long ago. Trying to prove us wrong is considered a troll. Still, you are welcome as a chavista to post if you want to explain us coherently as to why chavismo does this or that. We are still waiting for that to happen.
Insults and put downs are frowned upon and I will be sole judge on whether to publish them.


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Senators proud of accomplishment, but not satisfiedby Staff Writer / Ottawa Senators
|Ottawa Senators head coach Bryan Murray is proud of his team for making it to Round 3, but he's focused on going all the way. Photo: A. Ringuette/Freestyle Photography/OSHC
by Todd Anderson
The Ottawa Senators have reached the Eastern Conference final for the second time in club history. Ottawa will meet the Buffalo Sabres in Round 3, and coach Bryan Murray is excited about the opportunity.
"To get past the second round is a great accomplishment. I said to the players they should be real proud with themselves," Murray says. "They should be proud they worked this hard, sacrificed as much as they have and now have a chance to be in the final four and take a run at something real meaningful.
"It's a nice achievement for myself, too. It's exactly what I came home (to Shawville, Que.) for. I wanted to be in a market like Ottawa where it really mattered. It's a sense of pride for the community, not only the city of Ottawa, but the whole area."
The Senators' other trip to the Eastern Conference final resulted in a 4-3 series loss to the New Jersey Devils in 2003. After beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1 and the Devils in Round 2 this year, Ottawa will be looking for revenge against Buffalo, the team that knocked them out of last year's playoffs in the second round.
"It's an opportunity for us to get back at them for putting us out last year," forward Chris Neil says. "I think it's going to be a good series. We have to be ready to go and continue playing the way we've been playing.
"We're the two highest-scoring teams in the league (from the regular season), so I think it makes for a very interesting series."
Including last year's playoffs, the Senators and Sabres have played 21 times. Ottawa centre Jason Spezza has a pretty good idea of what to expect in Round 3.
"We know what they're going to bring, and they know what we're going to bring," Spezza says. "They've got a guy on every line that can beat you one-on-one. They have some pretty good puck-moving defencemen and (goaltender Ryan) Miller is pretty solid. You have to be focused all game because they always have those late comebacks."
Murray says his team is ready to move on after last year's disappointment.
"History doesn't mean an awful lot other than you have to learn from it. It is a different team on our part this year. We match up pretty well. We understand that you have to attack them a little different, and they're a little deeper in skilled players than any team we've faced so far."


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Yesterday, I did a lot of trial-and-error-ing Mythbusters style trying to 'fix' my Notifications Center (Really? Apple's new iOS wasn't as annoyingly cumbersome and flawed as I initially thought? Huh. Who'da thunk it? ). All turned out well in the end. For the interested, read on!
|I love Mythbusters (the people and the show). So. Much. (Image from Mattson Creative)
The notifications center was probably the biggest thing that the iOS 5 boasted. People ranted and raved about it in the months preceding the software update. Last night though, I mostly ranted to myself. For some reason (actually, quite a few reasons...all of which will be addressed below), my notifications center wasn't working!
Let me explain.
This is how it was supposed to look.
See that? Updates about your phone, calendar, messages, reminders. All that was missing from my notifications center, and I was so sad! But, a few hours later and after much testing, I figured out what needed to be done to get the notifications center working. I'll explain below.
I'll address the following subjects as they pertain to the notifications center:
- Calendar
- Reminders
Key finding: The notification center only reflects mail for the mailbox linked to your iCloud account.
My problem: If you read my earlier post on how to create a separate Apple ID account for your iCloud information, you'll understand how I created a separate .me account just for my iCloud information. Obviously though, I didn't want notifications for this essentially unused .me email account--I wanted notifications for my personal email account! I explain how to do it below:
How to change the primary email account associated with your Apple ID
[1] Go to http://appleid.apple.com
[2] Go to Manage your account.
[3] Log in with the Apple ID that you used to register iCloud.
[4] Underneath Primary Email Address, you will see that the Apple ID email and the primary email address are identical. For some, this may be perfect; if that's the case, I don't think you need to read on. However, for others, this may be the root of your sad & empty notification screen problems.
|If you created a new @me.com account for iCloud,
you probably don't want email notifications for the almost zero emails you may get there.
[6] You should now see the new personal email listed.
[7] Choose Save Changes.
[8] We're now done with this step.
And with that, my friends, you should now be receiving notifications for the email you put under Primary Email Address. Simple solution!
So, what's the lesson here?
You only receive email notifications for the Primary email address associated with your Apple ID.
How it works: The Notifications Center only shows events on your iCloud calendar. I didn't have a problem with this part of the Notifications Center.
To learn how to move Google Calendars into iCloud, read my post on how to do it here.
The lesson about calendars?
Only events in your iCloud calendar will appear on your Notifications Screen.
|Sad, blurry image.
Key finding: Only reminders with Alerts set for tomorrow or later will appear on today's Notification Screen.
My problem: I like streamlined, centralized systems. Which means I wanted my daily events calendar and reminders (in addition to my unread email and messages) to appear on my Notifications screen. At first, when I made new reminders, they wouldn't appear on the Notifications screen. Quelle horreur! After much fiddling with reminders, I found a solution.
First, you should realize there are multiple ways of making reminders--on your Mac in iCal, on your iPad in the Reminders app, and on your iPhone in the Reminders app. I will talk mainly about making reminders in iCal.
How to make reminders in iCal that will show up on your notifications screen
[1] Open iCal. If you haven't done so already, you'll want to View > Reminders. Now, there should be a column on the far right of your iCal window labelled Reminders.
[2] Add a new reminder by either going to File > New Reminder, or if you prefer keyboard shortcuts Command + K. If you want to be really fly, after you press Command + K, type in Command + E so you can edit it easily (like adding an alert!) without doing that annoying right click move.
[3] Give it the title you would like, and if you are less concerned with the reminders appearing in the notifications center because you plan on opening the Reminders app to check on your To-do lists, then that's all you have to worry about.
However, if you want your reminders to appear on the Notifications Screen, you'll need to go a bit further. Basically, you need to add an Alert.
But then the question becomes, when do I set my alert to allow this reminder to appear on today's notification screen?
Say that today I wanted to Buy Cinnamon, Flour, and Sugar, and I wanted that reminder to stay on my screen all of today. I would actually have to set the alert for tomorrow if I wanted to have it on my notifications screen.
If you're interested in seeing how I figured that out, it involved a lot of methodical changes to my reminders using my computer, and seeing which ones appeared on my iPhone. When I first approached it, I for some reason took two factors into consideration instead of just one--due date and alert. So I made as many combinations as I felt were possible, and then I went to my iPhone Notification screen.
|Here are all the due date/alert permutations I thought possible.
I then went to my iPhone to make sure the Reminders from iCal synced to my Reminders app on my iPhone. Yup, they did!
|The reminders successfully appeared on the iPhone. Hooray for iCloud!
Then came the moment of truth. I pulled down my notification screen to see which reminders made the cut. As you'll see, the only one that survived had an alert for tomorrow. The ones with no alert didn't show, and the ones with an alert for today also didn't show up. Also, a notification appears on the day before the alert only. So, for example, if today were Monday, and I set an alert for Friday, it would not appear on my notification screen until Thursday.
But then, I just realized, that I was doing bad science. In my frantic attempt to rid myself of an 'uncooperative' Notifications / Reminders system, I was working with two factors instead of one. So, just to make sure that it was the alerts setting and not the due date setting that was responsible for my success, I added one more task on my iCal. I added, a reminder with no due date but an alert for tomorrow. And as you can see below, that one flies nicely onto the Notifications screen to.
So after all this madness, what's the conclusion?
To get a reminder to appear on today's Notifications Screen, the reminder must have an alert set for tomorrow.
Notifications appear on the day before the alert is set to appear.
Notifications appear on the day before the alert is set to appear.
This it the part where a sign saying BUSTED or CONFIRMED would clang to the ground in slow motion if this were a Mythbusters episode. Unfortunately, I'm not a real Mythbuster (only one in heart!), and I didn't really have a myth to bust.
I hope this post helps others who found themselves similarly banging their heads against the table after thinking the Notifications Center on iOS 5 doesn't work. It does work, it just has a couple of specifications that aren't too obvious at first. Once you do realize what requirements have to be met, then it becomes a piece of cake!
Hearts, stars, and horseshoes,


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So I'm going to jump on the Twitter bandwagon and see where it goes. Should be a nice way to make occasional updates around here without much of a time investment. We'll see. I've been pretty reluctant to start on this, but then I didn't think I'd like facebook either.
FWIW, my first two tweets were exactly 140 characters long. :)
As far as my inactivity recently, two things have happened. One, my dad and sister visited last weekend, which "interfered" with my friday night links. And two, it's exam season, which means there's one last big push before I have the summer to myself. Last final is given on Saturday, with grades due Wednesday. I'm pretty excited to have this first year in the bag!
Update: As Matty G so astutely pointed out, it would help if I provided my handle: jinazreds
Also, you can see all of my recent tweets in the upper-left corner of this blog's sidebar. :)


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I realize I did Alphabetical Advice recently, but I wanted to do another one specific to writing. So, without further ado:
Avoid redundancy.
Brilliant writing will not come every single day.
Characters must be real and unique.
Description can be overdone, but it is nonetheless necessary.
Emotion is king in stories.
Friends don't necessarily want to hear every single thing you write.
Giving up won't make you feel any better.
Help can come from unusual sources.
Inspiration is incredibly fickle.
Jump into something new every now and then.
Knock on the door of opportunity.
Listen for the truth in criticism.
Manage your time productively.
No idea is completely original.
One day at a time – that's the only way to make progress.
People other than yourself have valid opinions.
Quantity, in the form of practice, often leads to better quality.
Relish your successes, but don't let them swell your head.
Set goals.
Take the time to edit.
Understand the process in whatever sector you're writing in.
Variety can often cure writer's block.
Write consistently on many different topics.
X-periment with new techniques.
Your talent is a gift; appreciate it as such.
Zany as we may seem, writers have a very important job.
I'm not perfect at most of these, by any means. What aspects do you struggle with or do the best at?


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We were blown away by the bonkers pop of GEoRGiA's debut track "Be Ache," and she's not letting up with today's new track "Digits." The pounding percussion is still in full effect, this time joined by a squalling synth that would be totally anthemic if it didn't seem to be decaying a little. It's a an intimidating landscape, but GEoRGiA's vocals impose themselves over everything, as she reminds someone, "these digits are bridges, so ring it." Thoroughly modern concept, thoroughly awesome song.
GEoRGiA's debut EP Come In is out July 21 via Kaya Kaya Records.


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How should we direct your call?


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Tips on Warehouse Design
If your company is not reviewing every possible way to streamline operations, then you're one of the few. Most companies are looking to make their supply chain more efficient, and what better way to start than warehouse design?
The goal of warehouse layout design is to optimize your warehousing functions and achieve maximum efficiency and space utilization. There are four primary functions that a warehouse layout must accommodate.
Product storage: Start an analysis by looking at current average inventory levels and growth projections by SKU. Make sure this analysis leverages clearly defined units of measure in the facility.
Inbound operations: Gather the necessary data to determine receipt and returns profiles, including the average number of lines on a receipt/return, the quantities and cube of an average receipt/return, the number of trucks received per day, and the units of measure in which you are receiving (pallets, cases, etc.).
Outbound operations: When allocating space for picking and shipping areas, it is important to consider shipment order profiles and pick units of measure to analyze the flow of product to the dock.
Value-added Processes: Many warehouses incorporate some additional value beyond receiving, storing and shipping. Many processes can be included within the picking or receiving processes, but some may need to be performed in a separate area. Ensure that you incorporate the correct cube of the inventory and incorporate growth when sizing these areas.
It is important that companies analyze the labor in picking, replenishment, and shipping and receiving to ensure there is proper balance amongst all warehouse functions. Whether a company is redesigning an existing warehouse or developing a new distribution center, it is important to focus on balance to provide flexibility for future business requirements.
Related materials:
Leg Avenue Makes Great Strides with Logistics Upgrades
With the help of UPS, Hosiery and lingerie product manufacturer designs a new facility equipped with advanced logistics processes and technology tailored to the company's long-term business goals.
The Skinny on Space Utilization
Distribution centers must work to relieve congestion through cost-effectively optimizing the space within the four walls of the facility. This requires a two-pronged approach: minimizing space requirements and maximizing space utilization.
Working for Scale Modern
It is a long-held belief among warehousing professionals that highly automated distribution centers are more challenging to modify in response to changes in volume, merchandise mix, order profiles, and other factors than are less-automated centers.
What's in Storage
Optimistic demand must always be counterbalanced with sound inventory management principles. Here's what you can do to maintain a lean inventory and storage profile in your operation.


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Wenner Media anointed John Berg VP-group publisher. He was a biggie at BBDO.
Parade Editor Walter Anderson begins his millennium colloquies May 4 at the New School in Manhattan with Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel; coming up, Marian Wright-Edelman on May 11, and Bill Bradley June 8.
Will Lippincott says they're cooking at The New Republic with a redesign by Roger Black and a 50-page ad count in the largest issue in the mag's 85 years.
The great Fred Morton joins Vanity Fair as a contributing editor. Fred is a splendid writer (12 books) with a subtle appreciation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. And he's an habitue of Elaine's. Savvy rock music writer Lisa Robinson also goes on VF's masthead.
If Himmler could go deep, the NFL would have drafted him.
Parenting Group, a unit of Time Inc., named Jack Bamberger VP-marketing. He'd headed sales development for Sports Illustrated.
PR guy Andy Plesser now handling Manhattan media hangout Michael's on West 55th St.
The great Kenneth Paul Block, who did the most glorious fashion illustrations for Women's Wear Daily and W in the '60s, '70s and '80s has his first major New York show June 3-June 26 at the Museum of American Illustration, 128 East 63rd St. If you dig fashion, this is a must.
Prevention's April issue was their biggest ad revenue book ever.
Joe Marconi is out with "The Complete Guide to Publicity," $19.95 from NTC Business Books in Chicago.
Deft, if wicked, Michael M. Thomas line in The New York Observer: "Brown . . . the only Ivy League university to offer a Ph.D. in Gucci." Mr. Thomas is a Yale man.
Promoted to senior VP by SFM Media in NY is Jason Kanefsky. He buys TV and cable and used to be at Lintas and FCB.
Modest Tom Florio asks, "Is it something I've done?" re: my failure to notice the May issue of Conde Nast Traveler's 245 ad pages, "largest travel mag ever published."
Nifty pix in tribute to Hemingway in the new Men's Journal.
Judson Green appointed associate publisher of Metropolis, the design magazine. He was at Inside Media.
Working Mother turns 20. They celebrate May 5 at Bryant Park Grill in Manhattan.
Now defunct, Wells Rich Greene first sent its huge archive to Duke U.'s special collections library. Neat idea.
Is Travel Holiday on the comeback trail? Rate base up 50,000 and ad pages to


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Well, Im back and its already March! How the year flows by!
I had a wonderful time at my first show of the year - ConDFW - a Dallas area Scifi/Fantasy literary convention. I got to meet Jim Butcher and David Weber! Was fantastic!
I will be now coming back to Etsy and selling all the new and wonderful products, and new art, I created for that show!
What new art you say? Well there are THIRTEEN! new peices I will be sharing with you this week in tiny tidbits - more each day! But thats for tomorrow! *tease*!
There are many new products, and some great news! I purchased another printer so now I print and make everything in house (other than Stationary!) I also got a 2.25" button press so I make the Pocket Mirrors and now 2.25" Pinback buttons! They look WONDERFUL off of the new printer! All designs for the new pocket mirrors and buttons will be up on Etsy soon!
There are more new products, which I will also share with you this week with the new art! Stay tuned, more coming soon! <3
If you would like to keep more up to date with new art, new product, or just keep up with my silly self feel free to come follow and add me on:
Twitter! Im http://twitter.com/Starrydance there!
- and -
Flickr! All my new art, sketches, and product snapshots are placed here! Im, surprisingly, http://flickr.com/photos/starrydance/ there!
If you watch my Twitter I will announce special sales, coupons, and other things! So its a great way to keep track of specials, daily news, and other surprises!
Tomorrow I will share some new art, and some new products! See you then!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Im back! <3
Posted by Starrydance at 2:17 PM
1 comment:
- Jade Scarlett said...
Hi Gwynn, long time no see. Glad to have you back. Looooooove your new stuff, your art is so endearing.
- March 4, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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While most of the women were enjoying a birthday-inspired vacation to Hawaii on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" (Mon., 9 p.m. EST on Bravo), the uncomfortable clock ticking on Taylor Armstrong's marriage to her now-deceased husband Russell continued to move at glacial speed.
Everyone knows how the story ends -- with Russell committed suicide -- but in the strange reality of television, Taylor called Lisa Vanderpump with some big news. Kyle Richards was with Lisa, so she was there as well when Taylor said, "You know what? My marriage is over."
Kyle had to pull out of her the details, but Taylor revealed that Russell was moving out and she was changing the locks. No more fighting, no more drama. "my hand to God, I feel so at peace," she admitted.
Meanwhile, Kyle was fretting more and more about Kim's erratic behavior. By episode's end, she'd missed two flights and still hadn't made it to the islands. Much like the Armstrong marriage, many viewers already know that Kim's story ultimately leads her to rehab. These final five episodes of Season 2 look to be headed down a dark path with few happy endings.
Follow all the drama of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" every Monday night at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.
TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.


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Generally speaking, a vice president's best job perk is that he gets the inside track to run for president when the boss steps down. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren, Richard Nixon, Hubert Humphrey, George H.W. Bush, Al Gore…they all served as understudies before becoming presidential nominees.
But contemporary Republicans can breathe a collective sigh of relief that Dick Cheney has no interest in perpetuating that tradition in 2008.
His appearance last night on Larry King's CNN show was characteristically cringe-worthy. It's probably a given at this point that most Americans pay little attention to what he says, particularly when a doormat like Larry King is asking the questions, but I'll recount the interview anyway, if only to assess the fact-challenged mentality, and willful state of denial, that persists inside the Bush administration bunker.
But first, here's the abridged version: Cheney said we are making "significant progress" in Iraq, and called the war "a very significant achievement." He lauded attorney general Alberto Gonzales as "a good man, a good friend," and said repeatedly that he doesn't "recall" whether in 2004 he had dispatched then-White House lawyer Gonzales to John Ashcroft's hospital bed, in a bid to save the warrantless surveillance program that Justice had deemed illegal. And when asked whether he is pleased that the Iraqi parliament is taking August off, he replied, "It's better than taking two months off." (As for his claim of "significant progress" in Iraq, it should be noted that the largest Sunni Arab political bloc decided today to pull out of the "national unity" government. That translates into the imminent departure of six Cabinet ministers. Isn't the Surge supposed to be creating the conditions for political reconciliation?)
Now let's go to the videotape, with italicized annotations.
KING: "How do you deal with it when public opinion polls are stridently against the policy we have?"
CHENEY: "The polls are notoriously unreliable, in the sense that they change all the time, they bounce around all over the place."
Actually, the polls have been very reliable, as gauges of public sentiment; during the runup to the '06 congressional elections, they registered growing anti-GOP sentiment, and that sentiment was borne out in November, when Cheney's party was thrown out of power on Capitol Hill. And the polls don't "bounce around all over the place." Over the past three years, every poll, from Gallup to Fox News, has reported a consistent downward slide in the Bush regime's popularity.
KING: Regarding Iraq, "don't you ever say, 'maybe I'm wrong'?"
CHENEY: "No, I think what we do is…weigh the evidence. And there's a lot of debate and discussion. We went through the exercise at the beginning of the year. (Regarding the troop surge) we talked to a wide number of people with a variety of viewpoints, met with the Joint Chief of Staffs, talked to outside military experts…"
Actually, they limited the range of opinions by reshuffling the players. Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, was eased into an earlier retirement last winter after he expressed insufficient enthusiasm about the wisdom of a troop hike ("whether more U.S. troops for a sustained period will get us where we're going faster is an open question"). Nor did Cheney and his people listen to Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command, when he warned in testimony last November that " It is easy for the Iraqis to rely upon to us do this work. I believe that more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, from taking more responsibility for their own future." Two months after stating that view, Abizaid was no longer in his job. As for Cheney's reference to consulting "outside military experts," it's a matter of record that the Surge plans were drawn up by an "outside" experts housed at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
CHENEY: "There are always things in war that happen that nobody anticipated, surprises, things that don't go exactly as planned. That's the nature of warfare."
Actually, the disasters that have befallen us in Iraq were widely anticipated. The problem was, Cheney and his neoconservative war team at the Pentagon simply chose to ignore those who were waving red flags. Larry King, naturally, failed to point this out. He could have cited the easy examples: Gen. Eric Shinseki, the Army's Chief of Staff, warned that a successful occupation would require "something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers," a remark that effectively cost him his job; or Bush economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey, who said that the war and reconstruction could cost upwards of $200 billion, and lost his job shortly thereafter. (The price tag is already at $500 billion and climbing.) But this is perhaps the best example: In the runup to war, the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs spoke with Iraqi exiles and wrote thousands of pages about the potential problems in postwar Iraq, covering everything from electricity to sectarian violence – but Cheney and his people ignored it. As a disenchanted administration official told author George Packer in 2003, the war team's mindset "isn't pragmatism, it isn't Realpolitik, it isn't conservatism, it isn't liberalism. It's theology."
CHENEY: "The real test is whether nor not the (Surge) strategy that was put in place for this year will in fact produce the desired results."
KING: "Will those results be in place on that day in '09 when you leave?"
CHENEY: "I believe so. I think we're seeing already – from others, don't take it from me, look at the (New York Times) piece that appeared yesterday…by Mr. O'Hanlon and Mr. Pollack on the situation in Iraq. They're just back from visiting over there. They both have been strong critics of the war, both worked in the prior administration, but now saying that they think there's a possibility, indeed, that we could be successful."
Cheney was referring to Michael O'Hanlon and Ken Pollack, scholars at the Brookings Institution. But the description of those guys as "strong critics of this war" is accurate only in the fabulist recesses of Cheney's mind. I can't fathom where he came up with that one. O'Hanlon was writing pro-war commentaries in the conservative Washington Times even before Bush invaded Iraq ("Saddam Hussein may be poised to bring the battle to American cities via terrorism," he warned in December 2002; two months later, in the wake of a Bush speech, he wrote, "the president was still convincing on his central point that the time for war is near…It is now time for multilateralists to support the president"), and in October 2003 he even testified on Capitol Hill in support of Bush: "In my judgment the administration is basically correct that the overall effort in Iraq is succeeding." As for Pollack, he is well known in foreign policy circles as a stalwart supporter of the decision to invade Iraq; in fact, he called for an invasion one year before it happened. Larry King didn't mention these basic facts, either because he wasn't suitably briefed, or because he was inattentive.
KING: "A member of the Department of Defense sent Hillary Clinton a letter, saying she should not criticize, because it helps the enemy. Do you agree with that letter?"
CHENEY: "Didn't say she should not criticize. She was demanding the plans for withdrawal from Iraq."
KING: "Do you agree with that letter?"
CHENEY: "I agreed with the letter Eric Edelman wrote. I thought it was a good letter."
KING: "So (she) should not call for the plans for withdrawal?"
CHENEY: "No, there's an important principle here, Larry, and that is -- and a debate over what our policy ought to be is perfectly legitimate. What we don't do is we don't get into the business of sharing operational plans -- we never have -- with the Congress…to respond to the political charges, such as those that Senator Clinton made, I think would be unwise."
KING: "Two other things…"
Oops, Larry missed another great followup opportunity. He could have framed it this way: "How do you square your refusal to brief the Senate on war contingency plans with the fact that Defense Secretary Robert Gates considers it important to brief the Senate on war contingency plans? And isn't that a mixed message by this administration?" Just last week, Gates told Clinton in a letter that "I have long been and continue to be an advocate of congressional oversight…I would be pleased to work with you and the Senate Armed Services Committee to establish a process to keep you apprised of the conceptual thinking, factors, considerations, questions, and objectives associated with drawdown planning." But Larry had more pressing business, such as asking Cheney about his new heart deibrillator.
KING: "Does it pain you" that you are so often criticized?
CHENEY: "Not especially…When (Bush) is finished, I'm finished. We walk out of here on January 20th of '09, and I think we'll be able to hold our heads high…"
No annotation required.


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Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
Our local library was having a book sale this week and as I leafed through the cookbook offerings I came across The Berry Bible by author Jane Hibler, with over 150 delectable recipes that use wild, cultivated, fresh and frozen berries. Well, this being our season for berries, I wasn't about to pass on this little book. The only disappointing part of the book is the lack of photos--not a one, but this book is very informative and interesting with an added bonus of some truly fantastic recipe ideas.
In my mind, few foods capture the sweetness of nature like fresh berries, whether eaten straight off the bush or baked to perfection beneath a flaky crust. We're nearing the end of our fresh strawberry season, but I was able to go earlier this week and pick just a few more quarts for the freezer. No pies or jellies tonite will be made--just a very simple pork dish. The balsamic vinaigrette enhances the flavor of the sweet berries, but manages to retain it's savory notes with the rosemary-garlic pork loin. I'm pretty certain I could eat this salad every day if given the option.
Pork Tenderloin Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
Adapted from The Berry Bible
1 TBLS chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBLS minced garlic
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 1/2 TBLS olive oil
Pinot Griogio
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 lb mixed fresh greens
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the rosemary, garlic, shallots, sea salt, and pepper. Pat the meat dry with paper towels then rub with the rosemary-garlic and shallot mixture. In a large, skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Transfer the tenderloin to a baking dish and drizzle a bit of the olive oil drippings from the pan over it and two TBLS Pinot Grigio wine and roast covered with foil for 30 minutes.
Put the skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the balsamic vinegar. Use a wood spoon to loosen the caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the vinegar by about half, then gently stir in the strawberries and the olive oil. Stir to combine and season lightly with just a pinch salt.
Carve the meat into 1/2-inch slices. Pour any collected juices into the strawberry sauce pan and stir to blend.
Spread your greens onto a plate. Arrange the pork slices on top of the greens. Drizzle with the warm strawberry dressing and serve immediately, garnished with fresh strawberries if desired. Enjoy!
Posted by YankeeSoaper at 7:34 AM 0 comments
Labels: pork tenderloin, strawberry balsamic sauce
Friday, June 24, 2011
Roasted cauliflower with Orzo
This started as a clean-out-the-fridge meal that turned into something amazing. Sometimes, happy accidents occur in the kitchen and this is one of them. The funny part is, I had to go out and re-buy the ingredients I was trying to use up in the first place in order to make this again for this post. But that's okay, as I'm a big fan of cauliflower prepared any way.
I loved all the components of this dish--the roasted cauliflower with red peppers, the almost creamy multicolored orzo and the astringency of the balsamic vinegar. Paired with roast chicken, it made an excellent side dish.
Roasted Cauliflower with Orzo
3 cups cauliflower florets
1 red pepper, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil,
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried summer savory
1/4 tsp dried oregano
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup orzo
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup frozen peas,thawed
2 TBLS grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tsps white balsamic vinegar
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, and sliced red peppers with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, stirring the vegetables a couple of times as they roast.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to the package directions, but sub in the chicken or vegetable stock for the water. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the thawed peas. Drain and return to the pot over low heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the Parmesan cheese and salt to taste.
Pour the orzo onto a plate and spoon the cauliflower mixture over it. Drizzle with the balsamic and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Posted by YankeeSoaper at 3:50 PM 0 comments
Labels: roasted cauliflower
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Berry Exciting Shortcake
Mid June has to be the sweetest time of the year. This is the time of year we take to the open strawberry fields and pick til our fingers are red and our backs are broken. So today I picked strawberries for tonite's dessert, tomorrow's cereal and afternoon smoothies.
Then I'll go back next week and pick more to make jams and to fill the freezer for a taste of spring in the height of winter. Strawberry picking has become my favorite season these last few years for me--though, I'm pretty keen on our blueberry season as well--but fresh, just picked strawberries are just that good! I just had my cast removed from my fall and still hobbling along in a half cast, but my good friend Marianne came along to give me a helping hand picking. Thanks so much my friend!
To me, the most important part of a strawberry shortcake, besides having beautiful strawberries is the shortcake. Wouldn't you want a moist, sweet flavor of a cake, mixed with the buttery, flakiness of a pastry. These biscuits are so moist on the inside they will almost seem like they are not cooked- but they are! The top is biscuity and has a nice sugary crust. Paired with a vanilla scented whipped cream and fresh strawberries, well it's just a delicious treat. Your friends and family will just love them!
Strawberry Shortcake
2 cups flour
3 TBLS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter, cut up into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed and halved
3 TBLS sugar
Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 TBLS white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
The Berries
Take two cups of the sliced strawberries and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle them with the 3 TBLS of sugar, and leave them to meld.
Shortcake Bisquit
In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Pulse to combine. Pulse in the cold butter and mix until the dough has a coarse crumb texture.
In a separate bowl, combine the cream and the vanilla. Add this to the wet ingredients and pulse to combine. The dough will be moist and crumbly. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough together with your hands until it forms a disc of dough. Cut it into 4 pieces, and gently form them into circles.
Place the shortcakes onto a silpat or parchment lined sheet pan. Gently brush the tops with a little leftover cream and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake the shortcakes for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool at least slightly before cutting them in half horizontally.
Now remove the top of the shortcake and spoon about a half cup of the strawberries and juices onto the bottom of the cake. Top those berries with a big dollop of whipped cream. Place the top on the shortcake, and add another half cup of sliced strawberries, another smaller dollop of whipped cream and garnish the top each with a strawberry, and serve. Enjoy!
Posted by YankeeSoaper at 4:15 AM 1 comments
Labels: Strawberry shortcake
Friday, June 17, 2011
Classic Maine Lobster Rolls
How can it be possible that I have not uttered the word "lobster roll" on this blog yet? Well that is about to change. The lobster roll is one of the true glories of Maine coastal dining and one of the most popular lunch items on the Maine coast, and plenty of places up and down our coastline to enjoy these delicious morsels. It seems every Maineiac and visitor has an opinion on this subject "where to get the best lobster roll". Now it is my turn to weigh in on the debate. Why even get them at all? They're just so simple to prepare on your own.
I'm guess I am just a traditionalist when it comes to lobster rolls and take a minimalist approach to preparing one– the star always being the lobster. Only large, chilled chunks of the freshest meat combined with a small amount of mayonnaise will do. And then there's the bun, yes the bun– it must be a top loader, buttered and grilled to a golden brown. The lobster meat should be piled high and generously with perhaps a few chunk spilling out onto the plate. Maybe just a squeeze of fresh lemon and utter perfection.
And then there's the lobster salad, which on a steamy hot day like yesterday--a perfect choice for dinner last night and even easier to prepare than the roll. Same formula basically--chilled and served over a bed of fresh greens and a splash of lemon juice along with an icy cold beer. Perfection, and.. Dad might just love this dish for Father's Day too!
Lobster Salad or Rolls
2-3 cups cooked and diced lobster meat
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 TBLS unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup finely diced celery * optional
white pepper
4 split top hot dog rolls
OR fresh greens from the garden
Toss the lobster with lemon juice in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and stir to combine. Add the celery if you like. Season with just a bit of white pepper--no salt necessary and refrigerate for a couple of hours if not using right away.
For Lobster Rolls:
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush the crustless sides of the rolls with the melted butter and place on the griddle. Cook, turning once until both sides are golden brown--about two minutes per side.
Spoon in the lobster salad into the grilled rolls, heaping it high ;-) and serve immediately.
**Note--You can buy cooked lobster meat in most grocers or just pick up three 1 1/4 pound lobsters and steam them yourself. Once cooled, crack and pick out the meat yourself.
For Lobster Salad:
Pick the freshest greens in your garden or pick some up at your local farmers market. Rinse, and pat dry the salad greens and generously mound the lobster salad over the fresh greens. Enjoy!
Posted by YankeeSoaper at 3:12 PM 3 comments
Labels: lobster roll, Lobster salad, Maine lobster
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jeremy scott fall 2011.
jeremy hair.
so tlc x 90s rave scene.
the spirit of jeremy is so great.
i don't necessarily wear his clothes, although i did have a phase in 2006-7. back then was when i was first exposed to a different world of crazy kids + music + night + "fashions". .. .. .but anyway, it just reminds me of good times in california. all of which has nothing to do with high school by the way.
i've been so busy lately.
but here is the first of the few things i might draw for this ny season..
there are just too many designers..
excess excess excess.
don't even remember the last night i had a real good relax rest.
i mean..i think i just need to rest my mind.
but many happy things are happening lately.
and it's basically spring.


text:
In case you were not aware, my parents own a cookie bakery!! However, the cookies they bake are not low carb, low fat, or high protein...they are fabulously delicious though!!
Anywho...I came across a company called Stuffum Naturals and was very intrigued! They have treats that are healthier and "fitter" than most options out there. I just had to try some!
Cookies, donuts, brownies, and cookie dough made with grass fed whey protein isolate, almond meal, organic coconut oil, flaxseed, dark chocolate, pink Himalayan sea salt, and other quality ingredients.
Chocolate Chip Cookie was up first!
This cookie tasted fantastic! It was super soft which is the type of cookies I love! It was also much heartier than your average cookie. I felt very satisfied after this "no guilt" treat! There was the perfect amount of dark chocolate chunks and I think I detected a little cinnamon.
The only thing I was not a huge fan of was the packaging...It was wrapped in cellophane and then placed in a tupperware-like container.
It tasted very fresh, but I would have liked to see it in a sealed bag. I also would have liked to see a label on the bag with the ingredients and nutrition facts. They do have some of that information on their website, but not everything is listed.
I was very excited when I saw the Pumpkin Donut!!
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am addicted to everything pumpkin! I love baking with it and I especially love eating it!!
Again, I would have liked to see different packaging and labeling. Taste is the most important thing though!!
This was the softest donut I have ever eaten! I really love super soft baked goods so I was very pleased with the texture. It had a nice pumpkin/cinnamon taste and there were white chocolate chips all throughout. This donut didn't even need any frosting, filing, or sprinkles. It was a great post workout treat!
I also received three flavors of No Bake Cookie Dough.
I am told you can eat these as is and use them as toppings for pancakes, waffles, muffins, or other goodies. I did find the nutritional facts online, but would have liked to see them right on the container.
I am always a fan of anything Cake Batter flavored!!
It smelled fabulous! Since these contain organic coconut oil, it is somewhat of a solid. I decided to try microwaving it for a few seconds so I could use it as a spread.
If you like super sweet stuff than you will love this!!
I happen to be a big fan of sweets so I was quite happy.
It was pretty easy to spread after I warmed it up. I loved how the white chocolate chips got a little melty. I think this is a great alternative to boring butter or cream cheese. It would be fantastic on a bagel!
Hmm...what to do with the Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough...
I warmed it up again and tried this one as a dip.
The texture was a little grainy...I think probably from the flaxseed meal. The flavor was great though! White chocolate AND dark chocolate!
I bet it would be even better with some graham crackers or pretzels sticks!
Last but not least was Cookies n Creme.
I wanted to try this flavor as is, in true raw cookie dough form.
I rolled it into three little cookie dough bites.
Since these are made with whey protein, I had all three bites before my workout.
I usually just have a protein bar, but cookie dough sounds more fun!
Slightly grainy texture from the flaxseed and a little greasy feeling from the coconut oil. Once again, the taste was fantabulous! I love the sweetness and white chocolate chips! They are actually quite hearty and filling too. I think they are perfect as a post workout or pre workout snack. They are also a great way to satisfy that sweet tooth without the guilt!
If you want something sweet and healthy, then I suggest you give Stuffum Naturals a try!! You can get super creative with their cookie dough or try some of their other baked goods! Check out their website for ordering information!
Follow Stuffum Naturals everywhere!


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Rick Phillips relays some comments made by D.A. Carson about the 'Spirituality of the Church' at a recent Reformation conference...
During the Question and Answer session, this subject of the Church and social involvement came up. The question was asked, "Why is it that the churches are not leading the way in social good works in Sacramento?" D. A. Carson gave an answer that I think is very instructive and which guards us against false dichotomies in this matter. What I mean is that there is an important way in which Christians are to be deeply involved in works of mercy and justice, while at the same time there are indeed wrong ways for this to take place. So there is not a dichotomy on this issue, but a need for biblical balance.
Carson argued that the key is to maintain the distinction between churches and Christians. It is not the calling of the church to direct itself to fixing social maladies. Hence, the spirituality of the church and, as has been pointed out here, the fact that the ministry of the gospel -- or, to put it as Peter did in Acts 6, the ministry of prayer and the Word -- is so singularly important that the church as church must be devoted to it. But, on the other hand, Christians are to be salt and light in society. This is the lesson of Wilberforce -- not that the Church should take up social causes but that Christians called to secular vocations (and we all are in one way or another) should be agents of the grace and truth of God in those vocations. Paul does exhort us, "As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). Given the narcissism and social indifference displayed by evangelical Christians as a whole, it is no wonder that many are expressing concern about this. I, too, am concerned about it. But that concern needs to be biblically shaped.
So the issue is not whether or not the work of the gospel includes social implications. It does, as numerous examples from church history (Calvin's Geneva; Wilberforce, etc) show. The question is in what way this happens. I say this not because I think anyone here is opposed to acts of mercy and justice, but because these kinds of debates must always be guarded against false dichotomies. The record of history strongly argues that if the principle of the spirituality of the church is lost, we are in big trouble. But history also shows that true spirituality will always flow through Christians into the streets and institutions of society.
A great model of this was Tenth Presbyterian Church, under James Boice (and still today, under Phil Ryken). Numerous ministries of "mercy and justice" blossomed from Tenth. I think of Alpha Pregnancy Centers, HOPE (an AIDS mercy outreach), and the public service of C. Everett Koop as eminent examples. But none of them was started by Tenth. None of them resulted from a meeting of the Tenth session. Instead, they all came about as God's Spirit moved in the hearts of God's people through the church's devotion to the ministry of the Word. It was because the church was devoted to the ordinary means of grace -- Word, prayer, sacraments -- that it has had such a social impact. As the Spirit lead the people of God to launch various endeavors, the church encouraged, counseled, guided, and promoted them. But the church maintained its focus on the means of grace and because of this the Christians has had a huge social impact.
(To my huge gratification, while I was writing this post, a member of my church called to invite me and my wife to attend a fund-raiser for a crisis pregnancy center. Why? Because of the effect of God's Word, preached in our church, on her heart. Thank you, Lord.)
This is helpful when it comes to evaluating strengths and weakness of the PCA and OPC. The PCA loves to emphasize mercy ministries...but the problem is that too many confuse the calling of the 'church qua church' and the calling of individual Christians. The OPC on the other hand loves to emphasize 'the work of the church'....but the thought of individual Christians being 'in the world but not of the world' is often missed.
The example of Wilberforce is timely, given the recent movie that I need to go see with Vicky.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Carson on the Spirituality of the Church
Posted by Matt at 9:36 AM
Labels: D.A. Carson, Spirituality of the Church
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text:
When: 10/29/2010
Where: The YMCA - Louisville, KY
Who: Stupid loud old guy bothering me
How: My YMCA pass is transferable nation-wide, so while in Louisville this week I've been going to the gym. Unfortunately, today I forgot my headphones. At first I thought this wouldn't be so bad since I could use the free mental space to write and work on jokes in my head. That's how it would have happened if Cap't Listen-To-Me hadn't shown up. He was in his 50's or 60's, had a green tank top on and I'm pretty sure his nipples sagged to the floor. I never saw them but that's just how it goes in my head. He was using the bench next to me and whenever he'd raise his dumbbell he'd whisper "3...2....1". Damn dude you can't count in your head? I'm easily distracted enough as it is. Are you practicing the world's quietest shuttle lift off? You know I can hear you, right? How am I supposed to remember what count I'm on when it sounds like Peter Pan is whispering in my ear? Then he belched loudly. And then his cell phone went off (clipped on his belt as is the rule for all men over 50) and he answered it in the gym! I don't know what he said because I was too blind with fury but I'm pretty sure it was about Applebees and liking dumb things.
I realize that my pet-peeves make me mildly insane, so I'll try to put a positive spin on it. Maybe this guy was raised in a family of mimes and was never allowed to make a sound until the freedom of his 18th birthday when he could leave forever. So now he lives his life counting out loud and burping and being a douche as an act of rebellion against the tyranny of his imaginary box growing up. Boy, it's not often that the best-case scenario for something is mimery.


text:
Yesterday was a super nightdive. I finally found the shrimp I have been looking for a long time.
And we found many many other interesting things.
A small compilation:
Different shrimps, crabs and shells : during the day, you hardly ever see what is in the shell, but when it's dark these animals come to life.
Leander plumosus is the shrimp on the top left. I still don't know the english name.
And of course a lot of other fishes.
Top Left : ocellated dwarf lionfish
Bottom right: spotfin lionfish
Baby squid: this definitely caused also an underwater waaaauuuww!


text:
Inhaled delivery of antiarrhythmic drugs potentially present a unique opportunity in the ability to deliver the drug straight to the heart via the lungs as a fast acting patient-administered medicine that then could quickly resolve disabling symptoms associated with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (>11.5 million global prevalence).
InCarda's lead product candidate is InRhythm™, an inhaled version of a first line antiarrhythmic drug. InRhythm is designed to improve the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of the antiarrhythmic, with the aim of enhancing efficacy without compromising the known safety and tolerability profile. Initial studies have shown rapid conversion of AF to normal sinus rhythm.
1Kim H Michael, Circulation Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes, May 2011


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