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Snapback sanctions? Everyone knows that once the international sanctions are lifted, they are never coming back. Moreover, consider the illogic of President Obama's argument. The theme of his American University speech Wednesday was that the only alternative to what he brought back from Vienna is war because sanctions — even the more severe sanctions that Congress has been demanding — will never deter the Iranians. But if sanctions don't work, how can you argue that the Iranians will now be deterred from cheating by the threat of . . . sanctions? Snapback sanctions, mind you, that will inevitably be weaker and more loophole-ridden than the existing ones.
And of course, extending the problem with the president's logic, the president said that force can't work to stop Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions--which is why this deal is the only proper thing to do--but if Iran cheats, after 10 years we'll be in a better position to use force (notwithstanding Iran's ability to rebuild their military because of the deal).
In a related subject, Iran is so weak militarily right now because of 35 years of sanctions of one sort of another that have allowed Iran's once-modern arsenal to rot away. But somehow the military balance will be better after Iran can rearm.
Hey, here's another: President Obama said that under the deal, after ten years we'll know more about Iran's nuclear infrastructure in case we have to attack it. But Kerry said we didn't need Iran to confess to their past nuclear weapons programs because our intelligence already knows everything about it. So why do we need a deal to know more about a "frozen" nuclear weapons path?
How did our president become so wise in the ways of diplomacy?
The president talked a lot. But it made no sense.
The amazing thing is, the president really does believe his own bullsh*t, even when it contradicts earlier bullsh*t he just said.
UPDATE: Not on point to this post, but Strategypage has more on the deal as does Walter Russell Mead.


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Given the bearish outlook for US economic growth, the Fed can be expected to engage in another round of quantitative easing. But the Fed also faces political constraints, and will do too little, and move too late, to help the economy significantly.
Moreover, a vocal minority on the Fed's rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee is against further easing. In any case, monetary policy cannot address only liquidity problems – and banks are flush with excess reserves. - in Project Syndicate
Related, Bank Of America (BAC), JP Morgan (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC), Citigroup (C)
Nouriel Roubini is an American economist. He teaches at New York University's Stern School of Business and is the chairman of Roubini Global Economics.

subset: commoncrawl


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Andy Beta has a great interview with Stephen Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, up on his blog. I just got the new Lotus album Cosmogramma yesterday and have only managed to listen to it once, but on first impression it's one of a handful of amazing things I've heard so far in 2010*. The impression that I'd gotten from various reviews was that the album was overstuffed, dense, wearying--but I found it to be more spacey (Ellison has called it a "space opera") and airy than his previous album, Los Angeles. There's a '70s spiritual jazz quality to it that distinguishes it from the Dilla-esque beat density of Los Angeles (which is a great album too; I'm just surprised at the critical angle on Cosmogramma); it's more contemplative and introspective, and the Alice Coltrane connection that Beta delves into is abundantly evident.
I don't want to overstate the album's breezy qualities: the music is still heavily layered with lots of synth and cascades of processed beats; at times it reminded me a little of Aphex Twin's post-ambient stuff, though searching where Aphex is ironic. I wasn't surprised to read Ellison's response to a question about what Warp Records stuff he liked before they signed him: "I'd always loved the Broadcast stuff and obviously Aphex Twin, Squarepusher." The whole interview is good, especially if you're an Alice Coltrane fan.
*I've got a post listing everything I've liked so far this year (not necessarily from 2010) languishing in my drafts; it was originally called Quarterly Report, so maybe I'll end up doing a first half of 2010 list in June instead.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Flying Lotus
Posted by Rob at Tuesday, May 11, 2010 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Flying Lotus
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thibault et l'arbre d'or
One for Megan, who will no longer qualify for a long-distance dedication soon. This is from Emmanuelle Parrenin's 1977 album Maison Rose, which might show up in the favorite albums series at some point.
Posted by Rob at Sunday, May 09, 2010 2 comments: Links to this post
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Dilettante Perfume Blenders
"We are, in short . . . increasingly un-centred, un-moored, living day to day, engaged in an ongoing attempt to cobble together a credible, or at least workable, set of values, ready to shed it and work out another when the situation demands. I find myself enjoying this more, watching us all become dilettante perfume blenders, poking inquisitive fingers through a great library of ingredients and seeing which combinations make some sense for us--gathering experience--the possibility of making better guesses--without demanding certainty."--Brian Eno, quoted in David Toop's Ocean of Sound
Posted by Rob at Wednesday, May 05, 2010 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Books, Brian Eno, Notes For A Manifesto
Monday, May 3, 2010
One Year Later
Elephant Rock began one year ago today. I'd be embarrassed to make too big a deal out of that, but I will say that a year ago I definitely did not expect this to last very long. Thank you all for reading and enjoy our theme song!
Posted by Rob at Monday, May 03, 2010 5 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Elephants, Navel-Gazing, Reggae
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Back in the 'olden days' before I was married and had kids, I used to work like a maniac. 12 hours days in the office were quite the norm, and I as I neared my house, I would call the takeaway at the top of my street and pre-order the same thing every time. Short soup and steamed dim sims. Every.single.time.
When this part of my life was played before me by Miranda on Sex and the City it felt eerie. The lady who took my order would hear my voice and rattle off my order. Funnily enough I didn't find it irritating or embarrassing.... I kinda liked it!
This one is a great if you're serving it up to many at a time, it doesn't really take long to prepare and my Eloise asked for more 'MORE MUM!!!'.
300g pork, minced or diced
10 green prawns, peeled
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp minced or finely chopped ginger
2 tb oyster sauce
1 packet wonton wrappers
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tb soy sauce
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 litres chicken stock
2 baby bok choy
Prepare your wontons first by placing pork, prawns, garlic, oyster sauce in your food processor and process until well combined.
Like this! If you don't have a food processor, don't worry - make sure you use minced pork and chop your garlic, ginger, and prawns very finely, and combine.
Wonton wrappers can be found in the refrigerated section of your supermarket - usually near the fresh pasta. If you have no luck there try an asian grocer.
Peel a wrapper of the stack (be sure it's one at a time, they are quite think) and scoop a teaspoon of mixture into the centre.
Bring the corners together and press with your fingers to make little 'purses' like this:
Next fry off your garlic, ginger and spring onion in say 1/4 cup of your stock until it softens. Then add the remainder of the stock, soy sauce (to taste, if you want to add more, go for your life!) and then bring to a simmer and add the baby bok choy.
Drop your dumplings/wontons in one at a time and stir around in between each placement. Leave to simmer for about 10-15 minutes...
This will make plenty of wantons where no-one is saying 'hey, I got ripped off!' (as I have said about a good many short soups in my time!
So there you go! Fast food you can make yourself! Willing to give it a try?
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Your guide to being 26 weeks pregnant
Your guide to being 26 weeks pregnant:
How are you feeling in week 26 of your pregnancy?
Your baby's nostrils are opening up, so she'll be able to practise breathing through her nose as well as her mouth. Her eyes are developing the ability to focus, although she'll only be able to see objects 15-20cm away at birth. Her lungs are maturing and she'd have an 80 per cent chance of survival if she was born now.
Lengthwise, your baby's growth has slowed down now, but she's still gaining lots of fat. Her movements are likely to be strong enough to be seen from the outside, and you may be able to make out the rough shape of a protruding foot, elbow or bottom. The network of nerves to her ears are now fully developed, and she'll noticeably react to external noises. She's also likely to have a burst of activity just after you've eaten.
What's happening to you
At the end of the second trimester, the top of your uterus should measure 26cm above your pubic bone. If yours measures significantly bigger or smaller than this, your midwife may advise a growth scan to establish whether there are any underlying problems with your baby's size.
You're carrying a litre more blood than you were pre-pregnancy, and your blood pressure will rise slightly throughout the third trimester to allow for this. However, sharp rises may be a sign of pre-eclampsia, so your midwife will check it at every antenatal appointment. You may be feeling hotter than usual, and your breasts might have started leaking drops of colostrum (pre-milk).
Normal niggle
Water retention is common in late pregnancy and you may notice your ankles swelling, in particular. Keeping your feet elevated slightly when you're sitting may help. And make sure you're drinking around eight glasses of water a day – if you're dehydrated, your body will try even harder to retain water.
When to check it out
Sudden swelling, particularly of the face, fingers or legs, can be a sign of pre-eclampsia, so make sure you see your midwife or GP urgently, or contact the maternity unit for advice.
'To do' this week
If you haven't managed a pre-baby holiday yet, grab a last-minute break around now. Your travel options are restricted, as most airlines won't routinely carry pregnant women after 27 weeks, but there are plenty of bump-friendly destinations nearer home, from city breaks to relaxing country hideaways.
Wow! Did you know…
Your baby will be born with over 70 reflexes that develop in the womb. One of the strongest is sucking – some babies are even born with sucking blisters on their thumbs or fingers, because the urge to latch on is so strong.


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As a blogger, I made a promise to myself when I began this little adventure December 29, 2011, that I would always blog with integrity and be honest with my readers — even if my parents were it! While I have not always been as up-front with you as I would have liked, I have always been honest. Today, I'm gonna be both.
This weekend was a
nightmare little rough. It all started on Friday evening when Ian arrived. Bless his heart, he bears the brunt of… well, me. We had planned to see his cousin Bryce play in a Labor Day soccer tournament in Richmond Saturday afternoon. We had also planned to tailgate and attend the University of Richmond vs. VMI football game with my parents. After some careful consideration on his own, Ian determined that our best course of action would be to see Bryce play in the 9:00 game on Saturday instead of the 2:00 game; we needed to leave for UR by 3:30 to allow ourselves ample time for set-up and tailgating. He announced this shortly after arriving at my house for dinner, unbeknownst to both of us that hanger was setting in and that it would effectively pit my parents against me. I know that my family would never intentionally gang up on me, but the combination of low blood sugar, fatigue, OCD, and the sudden change in plans threw me for a loop — causing me to act like a completely immature, whiny bitch for the rest of the night. All of a sudden, I did not want to get up at 8:00 on a Saturday morning, I did not want to sit in the heat to watch a soccer game, and I did not want my parents to agree with Ian that the change in schedule would be best for everyone.
[Please believe me when I say that unlike when I was 14, I do not enjoy arguing with Ian or feeling resentful toward my family.]
Essentially, I punished him for the rest of the evening. I made snide comments under my breath throughout dinner. (There went "zero negativity" for August 30.) I declared that the movie du jour was my choice: Paranormal Activity 4. I set up my own bribe, determining that Ian "owed" me Starbuck's in the morning and a four-pack of Fox Barrel for the tailgate; he agreed to both. Thus, I went to bed earlier than I would have liked, in a foul mood and with a lot of regret.
I woke up before my alarm on Saturday, so I utilized my extra time to my advantage. I showered and got ready for the day, still in a stormy mood. Before she hastily cleared out of the kitchen, my mom asked, "Are you going to punish him all day?"
I didn't have much to say as we ate breakfast and headed out the door, Ian dutifully plugging the address of the nearest Starbuck's into his Garmin. I brought my purse in because I wasn't entirely sure he was going to pay for my drink, but he whipped out his debit card before my foggy brain had a chance to register the barista saying, "That'll be two dollars."
After more than 12 hours of bitterness, I finally felt bad enough to apologize for my frostiness, as my family refers to it, and my behavior. He excused it as no big deal, and he apologized for changing the plans without notice. Even though the switch had been difficult to wrap my brain around, the 9:00 game was a good decision: it was much cooler at 9:00 than it was at 2:00, Ian's uncle Wayne treated us to lunch after the game so we could have more time to visit, and I even had time for a nap once we got home.
…or so I thought.
Different people traipsed up and down the stairs of the basement, where "we" were watching "the game," so I didn't get much of a nap. Ergo, the bitch emerged again, this time fueled by the heat, irritability over the nap, and being rushed to get out the door on time. The bitch went away after a beer or two and some tailgate munchies, but in truth she was just lying in wait. The first half of the game was unbearably hot, and I had chosen to wear a silky top and dark jeans like an idiot.
Just as halftime ended and the players returned to the field, the referees announced a 30-minute delay due to lightning sighted in the area. The delay ended up lasting more than an hour, with kickoff finally scheduled for 9:15. When we returned to our seats, they were wet from the lightning-ensuing drizzle. The Bitch was not a happy camper, but she clutched her purse, sipped her Diet Coke, and sucked it up.
We finally had to move at the start of the fourth quarter when the little sprinkle became full-blown rain. Richmond was up 34-0, and they were maintaining the shutout. We called it a night with about 8 minutes left in the game. Bitch was giddy with relief about getting out of the rain and out of wet jeans, but that didn't last long. Ian wanted to watch the tail end and the highlights from some other game, while I thought he was on his way in to watch Safety Not Guaranteed with me. I eventually fell asleep with the lights on waiting for him, which only sparked a snappy argument when he came in to say goodnight and turn the lights off. I flatly refused to let him go to sleep until we "talked it out" — which accomplished absolutely nothing.
When I awoke on Sunday, I lounged for about 90 minutes before he woke up. If you can believe it, Bitch was still at it, and she didn't want much to do with Ian. As we ate breakfast and I sipped my coffee, we slowly unwound the weekend and analyzed what had gone wrong. Ian kept apologizing for things he thought he had done, when in reality, I was the one who owed him a gigantic "I'M SORRY!" We were able to part company on good terms, he headed downtown and I headed here.
I had a two-hour drive to think over the weekend and why it had been so sour. It finally occurred to me that Ian had mentioned in passing that about once a month, this theme of irreconcilable differences emerges. Know what else happens once a month?
Yeahhhhhhh. That.
We discussed it last night and determined jointly that my hormones and the BC I'm on may be out of whack. It's possible that I suffer from some serious PMS (i.e. Prepare to Meet Satan) or possibly PMDD. Either way, it's something to discuss with my OB/GYN before I require an exorcism.
I am in no way excusing my behavior, my poor attitude, my bitterness, or my seeming inability to perk up. I am merely wondering aloud whether there is a medical explanation behind this repeated event. I'll keep ya posted, and in the meantime, say a little prayer for Ian's sanity! 😉


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It wasn't until this morning that I realized I would be putting up Christmas decorations this weekend. Mr. TK is the resident holiday elf. Case in point: Last year Little TK & I were held hostage in the car for eight hours while we had "holiday fun." I'm pretty sure we are now banned from one specific light display because of an incident that we won't discuss. Mr. TK then spilled hot, sticky apple cider into the car window control panel. Undaunted, he forced the back window to roll down because "we need the full holiday light experience and that window is going to roll down, dammit!" and the window would not roll up again. Did I mention that it was snowing? And sleeting? And we were two hours from home? Good times. [JJ's note - OMG! I think I remember you bitching about this last year!!] [TK's note - Yes, the e-mail was entitled "I need a shovel, a tarp and some lye."]
I refuse to help decorate the tree. I tried one year and couldn't sleep because I could sense the red ornaments were not evenly distributed. Naturally, I stayed up all night redecorating. Stupid CDO. Now Mr. TK decorates and I gulp Grey Goose while screaming helpful things like, "There's too much red on the main side! No, the other main side!"
It should also be noted that any type of animatronic Santa, Christmas tree, reindeer, snowman, etc sends me into a Manchurian Candidate-like killing spree. I. Hate. Them. They must be eradicated. Spread the word. Tell a friend. The change begins here.
I'll be doing all my holiday shopping online, just like every other year. I really don't need to tell my kid Santa couldn't come this year because Mommy cut a bitch in Nordstrom and needed bail money. I will be venturing out to the "old money" mall for voyeuristic purposes only. That is where the shit goes down. I've seen women of, er, an advanced age kicking the shizz out of double-parked Jaguars with their Monolos and taking their Berkin bags to the windshield. Cadillacs are used as battering rams to create an "extra" parking space. The inside could double as Marine combat training, with canes being used as night sticks, Hermes scarves being used as lassos.
Did I mention I love the holidays? Like, as much as I love getting a root canal without novocaine while Godzilla is blowing flames up my ass?
How do you cope with the holidays? Is this your favorite time of year, or do you just hunker down and hope you survive another round? Does anyone have their fingers crossed for a special gift?


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"Speaking of an antipope is simply stupid,
and also irresponsible.
That goes in the direction of theological arson."
My friend Diane sent me an email with an interview attached. Gänswein was interviewed by Christ & Welt, a weekly supplement to Die Zeit in Germany. It is a great read. I'll offer just a couple of excerpts below.
With the Synods on the pastoral care for families this past and the coming autumn, Francis created a focal point. Especially the question of allowing divorced and remarried faithful access to the sacraments causes much disagreement. Some also have the impression that Francis is more concerned with pastoral care than with doctrine…
I do not share that impression. It creates an artificial opposition which does not exist. The Pope is the first guarantor and keeper of the doctrine of the Church and at the same the first shepherd, the first pastor. Doctrine and pastoral care are not in opposition, they are like twins.
Do the current and the retired Pope take opposite views in the debate about divorced and remarried Catholics?
I know of no doctrinal statements from Pope Francis which are contrary to the statements of his predecessor. That would be absurd too. It is one thing to emphasise the pastoral efforts more clearly because the situation requires it. It is something else entirely to make a change in teaching. I can only act pastorally sensitive, consistent and conscientious when I do so on the basis of full Catholic teaching. The substance of the sacraments is not left to the discretion of pastors, but has been given to the Church by the Lord. That is also and especially true for the sacrament of marriage.
Was there a visit of some cardinals to Benedict during the Synod, with the request that he intervene to rescue the dogma?
There has not been such a visit to Pope Benedict. A supposed intervention by the Pope emeritus is pure invention. - In Caelo et in Terra


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Thursday, February 11, 2010
Ask Amber
Some of my online buddies have been making these Formspring accounts where it keeps a running list of questions that people ask and they answer. I'm fascinated by other people and love reading their replies. If any of you want to ask me any questions, ask HERE!
Posted by Amber Events at 7:00 AM
Labels: WEDDING ADVICE
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Thank you for visiting our past auction result archives. If you have an item identical (or similar) to this auction lot, please call, write or contact us to discuss. We will be able to help you.
Lot # 7 (of 1525) < Previous Lot | Next Lot >
1909-1911 T206 Walter Johnson Portrait PSA MINT 9 (Harris Collection)
Starting Bid - $10,000.00, Sold For - $37,700.00
Graded MINT 9 by PSA. Presented is the finest example in the world of one of collecting's most classic cards, the T206 portrait of Walter Johnson. This card is from the legendary Harris Collection. The Harris Collection provenance has special significance to advanced collectors, as this set of T206 cards was universally recognized to be the finest ever assembled. Many of the best T206 examples in the entire collecting world originate from the Harris Collection. The Johnson portrait card was one of the highlights of the collection, and to this day is widely recognized as the "signature" card of the Harris Collection, used as one of the primary illustrations in all articles on the Harris set. The Harris Collection was originally auctioned in August 2000. At that time this card sold for a record price of $38,358. It has been consigned to this sale directly from the original purchaser. The T206 Walter Johnson portrait is one of the most famous of all vintage baseball cards. This card is widely recognized to be Walter Johnson's most attractive and classic card. In fact, the majestic portrait of Johnson on this card is considered by many to be the single most striking image of any player from any set to ever appear on a baseball card. This is a simply stunning card in all respects. It is the finest example in the world of one of card collecting's greatest classics. All four corners are perfect and razor-sharp. The colors are unbelievably bright, crisp, and absolutely flawless. The card is perfectly clean, both front and back, with snow-white borders. The registration is flawless. The centering on front is virtually perfect (47/53 left to right). The back of the card is centered slightly toward the bottom and left. To our eye, the centering on the reverse appears to be the only factor keeping this card from grading a perfect Gem Mint 10. This card would be a worthy centerpiece to even the most advanced world class vintage card collection. SMR value is $37,500. Reserve $10,000. Estimate $20,000/$40,000. SOLD FOR $37,700.00
(Click the smaller thumbnails to the left and right (if any) to cycle through each photo in the gallery of images for this lot.)


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Used Chrysler Pacifica Touring STOCK NO. NA52863
Vehicle Details
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Condition: Used
Mileage: 6,353
Exterior Color: Black
Interior Color: Black/Gray
Interior Material: Fabric
Doors: 4
Model #: RUCM53
Engine: 3.6L V6 24V VVT
Transmission: 9-Speed Automatic
Drive Train: Front Wheel Drive
Notes on This Vehicle:
**One Owner**Clean History**Power Doors**Power Tailgate**U connect 3C with 8.4 Display**All Aluminum Wheels**Blind Spot and Cross Path Detection**Parksense Rr Park Assist w/Stop**Integrated Voice Command w/Bluetooth** Immediate savings of $10,601 off market price! 2017 Pacifica, 2,353 miles, options include: Keyless Entry, Steering Wheel Audio Controls, Alloy Wheels, Power Windows, Rear Heat / AC, Multi-zone Climate Control, a Premium Sound System, Electronic Stability Control, Heated Mirrors, Color Matched Bumpers, Satellite Radio, a Power Drivers Seat, Power Mirrors, Cloth Seats, a Compass, an Overhead Console, Brake Assist, Traction Control, an Outside Temperature Gauge, Bucket Seats, Disc Brakes, Anti-Lock Brakes, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Knee Air Bag, an MP3 Compatible Radio, Dual Air Bags, Air Conditioning, Overhead airbag, Rear Reading Lamps, Cruise Control, a Passenger Air Bag Sensor, a Side Head Air Bag, a Rear Window Wiper, an Auto Headlamp, Intermittent Wipers, Courtesy Lights, Vanity Mirrors, a Spoiler / Ground Effects, a Trip Computer, Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers, a Rear Window Defroster, Power Steering, a Split Folding Rear Seat, a Tachometer, and a Reading Light(s).
Buy With Confidence, Free AutoCheck Vehicle History Report. This 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring, Stock number NA52863 features a Brilliant Black Crystal Pear exterior. Factory equipped with an impressive 3.6l v6 24v vvt engine, 9-speed automatic transmission and front wheel drive, this Chrysler Pacifica is ready to conquer the roads!
This 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring also comes equipped with: a Split Folding Rear Seat, a Tachometer, Power Steering, Courtesy Lights, a Rear Window Defroster, Vanity Mirrors, a Trip Computer, a Reading Light(s), a Spoiler / Ground Effects, and Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers. As well as: a Passenger Air Bag Sensor, Intermittent Wipers, a Side Head Air Bag, a Rear Window Wiper, and an Auto Headlamp
Ewald specializes in locating and reconditioning used cars Milwaukee car buyers want to own. Of all the used cars Milwaukee car dealers offer for sale this 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring represents your best value.
Contact us today to schedule a test drive of this 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring! Or stop in at 6319 S 108th St Franklin, WI to check it out in person!
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I think that I have a very different definition of date night makeup than most people do, but I usually think of it from a guy's perspective. I feel like guys are constantly complaining that girls are wearing too much makeup and they wish that they wouldn't, blah blah blah. Nine out of ten time, I would say that they can shove it and I'll wear what I want on my own face, but sometimes it's nice (I suppose...) to give in to what they want. That to me is what date makeup is, something simple that still looks great. So, if you're looking for vampy eyes and sexy red lips, that isn't this look. This look is very simple, very easy to achieve, and takes very few products. Keep reading to find out how to get it!
So here is what I used for this look (beyond foundation routine, primer, and my mascara - these are all the same as they usually are)
1) Silver Birch eyeshadow by MAC - part of the Après Chic collection
2) Laura Mercier Caviar stick in Orchid - this is the first time I had used this, I like it A LOT
3) Urban Decay Afterglow Cheek Tint in Quickie (e.l.f. studio blush in Pink Passion is a great dupe)
4) MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Redhead
5) Revlon Lip Butter in Crème Brulée
6) L'Oréal Colour Caresse in Blushing Sequin
Foundation routine and eye primer applied! (Ignore the scab beneath my nose; it's super irritated and bright red ::sad face::)
First things first, I applied Silver Birch all over the lid. I really like colors that can stand alone and look awesome and that's what Silver Birch is. Everyone should have colors like this in their arsenal; you can make them look awesome by adding more shadows and colors, but they are also multi-dimensional on their own.
I then went in and winged it out a tiny amount.
I then added the caviar stick in Orchid under my eye in a pretty solid line and winged it out a bit right under the shadow. I love this shade because it's a shimmery lavender, but it doesn't add any color from under eye circles. It's extremely creamy and just glides on like butter.
I wanted to keep the eyes light and fresh, so I skipped eye liner completely... which is like skipping a meal for me; I just feel empty. I added a generous coating of mascara and added just a touch to my bottom lashes.I typically don't apply mascara to my bottom lashes because they are extremely long and it just looks stupid on me, but if you have shorter lashes, GO FOR IT. Adding mascara the your bottom lashes can really make your eyes pop and look extraordinary.
I added Quickie, which is a cool pink blush, to my cheeks with my fingers. I also added some highlighter to help bring my sad winter skin to life.
I wanted a nude-ish, light pink lip, but didn't have anything that I really wanted to use, so I decide to blend two colors. On my top lip is Blushing Sequin by L'Oréal and on the bottom is Crème Brulée by Revlon.
I just rubbed my lips together and then blended a bit with my fingers.
So, the thing about this look is that it's incredibly easy and it's fairly light. Like I was saying at the very beginning, I don't typically give in to what a guy wants because I feel like it's giving up your personal style. At the same time, I understand that a lot of guys (and ladies too! no discrimination here) want their partner to feel comfortable and not spend 3 hours getting ready to go out and then fuss over their makeup all night. If I'm going out with my ladies, I vamp it up and do crazy makeup, but for the boy, I keep it simple and light.
What do you guys wear for your date night makeup?


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The U.S. Postal Service encourages those mailing packages to not wait around, otherwise you'll be risking late delivery for the Christmas holiday season.
Tad Kelley, spokesman for the USPS, urges those delivering packages of any form, whether to military servicemen and women, domestic shipments, or even simple delivery of Christmas cards, to get their packages sent out before it's too late. Kelley says that while the deadline for the most economical shipments overseas has passed, priority mail is still available.
"What you have available to you now is priority mail," Kelley says, "priority mail is economical and it still goes for the same domestic rates here in America as it would to an APO or FPO address overseas."
This year, the USPS is providing a two dollar discount for any package addressed to any APO or FPO overseas.
"They are marked with special markings this year to show that you're sending this to a military personnel," Kelley says. "It says 'America Supports You,' and we're going to take two dollars off the price of that box."
According to Kelley, for domestic package shipping, the parcel post deadline is nearing. It is best to ship packages before the 10th of December and for any package shipped after the 10th priority mail becomes the better option. For all other non-package mail, including Christmas cards and other light mail, it's best to send it by mid-December in order to have it delivered in time for Christmas.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Earlier You Ship, The Better Says USPS
Posted by wduqnews at 8:59 AM
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It started innocently enough, like many encounters with obscenity on the internet. I was just surfin' away, minding my own business, looking for something I don't even remember now on Google… when up popped something utterly profane.
It was a search result with this intriguing line:
Help me build a library of lefty kids books – Do you know any good left wing propoganda for toddlers?(I know, I know. This individual should master English before he hits the "propaganda" too hard… his spelling and punctuation skills leave a bit to be desired.)
ANYWAY. Allow me to drag you over here to my computer screen so you can share my horror:
I have a 3 year old daughter, we read a lot of books together. Her mom and I are committed to progressive political action and would like to introduce some cool, fun, lefty books to the collection… I am thinking about books that discuss race, class, struggle, civil rights, gender issues, environmentalism, etc. We are well to the left of the American mainstream, but we'll take liberalish stuff too.This was not a Left wing site, but a "community weblog." Can you even IMAGINE what would happen if a conservative parent posted the polar opposite question? I shudder to think of the cyber-blood that would be shed as the guy got ripped limb from limb. But, because conservatives are more polite than leftists, nobody really took this guy to task for his stated goal of brainwashing his child (one exception to be noted later).
That is not to say, however, that he did not get plenty of responses. Not at all! He was inundated with suggestions, which gives me plenty of fodder for this most timely list. Timely, because aren't you all out there shopping for gifts? And books make excellent presents for little kids.
Well, there you go! Get Santa to help you brainwash your favorite 2- or 3-year old!
10. I Am a Real Red!
Who knew? But it turns out that many children's authors, even some who are beloved by conservative parents and kids, were secretly harboring Marxist tendencies. Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature blows the whistle on a few of these, as well as providing a nifty anthology of stories involving revolutionary chickens seeking liberation from the "egg state," ostriches fighting fascism, and a baby who grows up without a gender.
Yup, we're in Leftist fantasyland! And although the editors of this anthology rightly peg a number of well-known children's authors with leftist tendencies, the true believers can hijack almost any book for the Cause.
Case in point: Swimmy, by Leo Lionni. This is a charming picture book about a misfit little fish who cleverly finds a way to get a bunch of other fish to work together. It's visually appealing and the storyline is not at all offensive. However, Leftists say this book illustrates the appeal of Socialism (they work together) and the evils of racism (Swimmy's a different color).
Quite frankly, that's a stretch. But what do you expect from the fevered imagination of the leftist mind!
9. My First Book of Collective Bargaining
No, that's not really what it's called. But that would have been an appropriate subtitle for Si, Se Puede!, which is of course "Yes, We Can! in Espanol. The real subtitle is even catchier: Janitor Strike in L.A.
Wow! Won't the kiddies be lining up to read this gem in the crown of children's literature!
Chronicling the Justice for Janitors campaign in 2000, this is propaganda pure and simple (in English AND in Spanish). Poor Mama doesn't get paid much. What else to do but go on strike? Added bonus: according to a first grade teacher (first grade!) who reviewed the book online, it really clarifies the message of Cesar Chavez to the little tykes. Estupendo!
If you really must introduce collective bargaining issues to your kids, I recommend the vastly more entertaining Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type, in which bovine organizers go on strike against oppressive Farmer Brown. Or The Wild Washerwomen, who are oppressed by one Mr. Balthazar Tight. Labor humor – ha ha ha!
8. Workers of the World Unite
Farmer Brown in Click Clack Moo is a comical character, but the farmer in the sweetly-illustrated Farmer Duck is just your garden variety evil human. So lazy he eats bon bons in bed while the poor duck does all the work, he's eventually run out on a rail by the critters when they collectivize. As one of the Leftist book recommendations noted:
Barnyard revolt leads to Workers' Paradise.This book is no shameless piece of propaganda, and so it's definitely more subversive than an unsuspecting reader might believe. Frankly, it's Animal Farm for toddlers, if Animal Farm stopped halfway through the story before everything goes awry.
I guess animals are a great vehicle for leftist labor themes, because we get more of it in Martha Blah Blah by Susan Meddaugh, in which slurping alphabet soup bestows remarkable vocabulary skills on a smart doggy. But alas – the granny (a GRANNY!) who runs the alphabet soup company has fired half the pasta letter makers in a greedy grab for more profits.
Don't worry—thanks to the dog who's clearly a superior moral being, it all turns out right in the end. I mean Left.
Side note on all these animal stories: they might be bad. Not because they depict humans as greedy worthless lazy slime. No, no, no. Because… well, hear it in the Leftist's own words:
I have mixed feelings about the anthropomorphization that is so prevalent in children's books. Does it devalue animals by making them seem human?Think that one through. She wants to know if it devalues ANIMALS to make them seem HUMAN?
Good grief.
A new one out now is called The Very Silly Mayor and – get this – the mayor has a lot of bad ideas. Like putting out fires with peanut butter. And – get this – nobody (like, for instance, the mainstream media) wants to question him, because they're afraid of being laughed at if they disagree with him.
This is a Leftist book? I think not!
However, the Left does push lots of books about any culture that isn't ours, because of course those cultures are all more pure or more good or more peaceful than we are. That is the implied message of Zen Shorts, which introduces the very young to a Zen approach to the world via a number of Buddhist tales. (Didn't see Islam Shorts on the library shelf, but I'm guessing that one might make for a few nightmares.)
It's Just a Plant, a Children's Story of Marijuana. Dude! The kid in this book catches her parents smokin' weed. After the munchies and a nice long nap, the stoners ride their bikes to visit the marijuana farmer (now there's a cool field trip). They see some black dudes sharing a bowl, and, strangely, the dudes have, like, an encyclopedic knowledge of pot, which they're happy to share with the young gal– before a policeman shows up.
Uh-oh! Well, not to worry. He doesn't arrest the black dudes, but just explains to the little gal how people are trying to change the laws.
This response, from a reviewer on a book website, is dead on target:
This book is the perfect example of using a children's book to push forward a political agenda. Tobacco too is "just a plant" that many people enjoy, many people grow to make money, and the government regulates its use. That doesn't mean I want a children's book telling my kids that it isn't that big a deal to smoke a cigarette.Honorable mention in this category: Who Needs Doughnuts by Mark Stamaty. A harmless enough tale, but as one Lefty parent put it, "it's like 'My First Acid Trip' in the plot and illustrations department, (so) it's as far from right wing as kids' books get."
Well, I don't know about THAT- I found a few more that are actually even farther away.
The man wrote the Grinch, so it's almost sacrilegious to badmouth him at this time of the year… but he also wrote this clunker, The Butter Battle Book. Yeah, it's got the trademark Seussian lilting verse and the humorous illustrations. Other than that, though, this is a big thumbs down.
The Zooks and the Yooks are supposed to represent the U.S. and the Soviets during the Cold War, see, and just like the U.S. and the Soviets, the main difference between them is that one side eats its bread with the butter side down. Naturally, they go to war. The first weapons are just Snick-Berry Switches and Jigger-Rock Snatchems, but you know how it goes. Eventually, both sides are armed to the teeth with Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroos, and mutually assured destruction is the only possible outcome. Yes, this is really how Dr. Seuss ends this book. Talk about nightmare-inducing propaganda! Sweet dreams, kiddies!
As I did for the collective bargaining issue, allow me to offer a superior alternative for the "liberalish" reader who feels it is really important to introduce weenie-ish pacifism to the kids. (Heaven forbid they're boys.)
Munro Leaf's The Story of Ferdinand is the classic tale of the lazy little bull who would rather loll about the meadow smelling flowers than do a day's work in the bullring. He's Quaker, or something. There. You can't say I didn't recommend any peace-loving books.
Hate to pick on ol' Dr. Seuss but he really stepped in it again with The Sneetches. At least this one won't leave the kids sobbing and terrified like Butter Battle. But still, any book that's reviewed as a "fantastic lesson in tolerance and diversity" can't be all good, now can it?
The Star-Bellied Sneetches consider themselves superior to the Plain-Bellied Sneetches, and snobbishness ensues, till the Plain Bellies figure out how to get stars on their bellies, so the Star Bellies want theirs taken off. It's funny and it's entertaining, and yes – it is a great lesson for kids in the stupidity of categorizing people based on some random physical characteristic. It is not, however, a compelling argument against any social categories at all, and it certainly does not argue in favor of gay marriage, as one reviewer torturously extrapolated.
From mythical Sneetches we turn once again to our favorite anthropomorphic talking dog, Martha. This time it's Martha Calling, in which our chatty canine wins a trip to an exclusive inn – only to find out that it's SO exclusive that it doesn't let in "her kind" – that is to say, dogs. Come to think of it, this may not be a commentary on racism, but on animal rights. They hit that whole "you should be able to vacation with your pet" thing pretty hard.
Hmmm… where to start? With men who like other men? Nah… let's start with women who want to be men. Feminazis in kiddie lit!
Mama Went to Jail for the Vote. You don't even have to open this. You can write it yourself. Dad is a patronizing jerk. Mom is a hero. No discussion of issues is necessary, because everything is black and white. Badly-written propaganda.
Again, the well-written is more subversive. Feminists have been trumpeting The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes for seventy years. That's right, this feminist tale came out of 1940 (so much for the idea that nobody "thought that way" back then).
The single mom bunny goes to work and the baby bunnies can take care of the house (and presumably themselves) even better than the mommy would have anyway. Uh, okay. It's great that she gets to be an Easter Bunny and all, but it looks like she sacrificed her little bunnies for that goal. Many real life Easter Bunnies are finding that sacrifice not worth it. Another charmingly-illustrated book with a dysfunctional message.
Another feminist fave is a lot more to my liking. The Paper Bag Princess weaves the tale of the beautiful Elizabeth whose castle is smashed by a fire-breathing dragon. Her lovely gown is scorched as the dragon makes off with her Prince, so she dons a paper bag, goes after the dastardly dragon, and rescues the Prince. And how does he repay her? By telling her she smells like ashes. So she wisely decides that's not a recipe for happily ever after, and the happy ending is all about independence. Now if the feminists had their way, ALL fairy tales would unfold this way. But since they don't, this one is uniquely enjoyable.
A step further in smashing the gender stereotypes is William's Doll, which was apparently written to make boys like Keith Olbermann feel better about themselves. The plot's pretty simple. William's a delicate little thing who wants to play with dolls. This makes his dad uneasy, and with good reason. Feminists argue that William is just learning to be a good dad. But see, boys don't learn how to be good dads by acting like women. Or gay men.
And speaking of gay, let us turn now to the gayest propaganda of them all, the poorly-written and poorly-illustrated Heather Has Two Mommies and its companion piece, Daddy's Roommate. This was revolutionary when it came out (ha ha, I said "came out" – get it?) 20 years ago, but now there's a boatload of books like this (Daddy, Papa and Me and Mommy, Mama and Me being two excellent examples of the tedious genre).
2. Color My Brainwash Green
Hate to kick him when he's down (or rather, dead), but Dr. Seuss is popping up here, too, thanks to his bleeding heart ode to "ecology" known as The Lorax. Rather than bore you with the plot, I refer you to the film "Avatar." Same idea.
Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish again sends humans out of the picture so the wise members of the animal kingdom, in this case dinosaurs, can heal the earth. Yawn.
Oh no! Not another evil Farmer book! Do Leftists have some kind of farm-envy or something? Anyway. Hubert Pudge is a critter who has the misfortune to live on Farmer Jake's Processing Farm, where the primary concern is churning out "greasy food products."
Yummy! At least his escape from this epitome of evil is entertaining, involving his joining a health club, marrying his trainer, and (naturally) converting Farmer Jake to a new way of thinking about his life. Yeah, that one's kinda fun. This one, not so much.
We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers is the grammatically-challenged title. Does this sound like something your kids just can't wait to curl up by the fire to read? Didn't think so. Plot, if you can call it that, involves some type of recycling contest. A real page-turner! You won't be able to put it down till you reach the thrilling climax. Or, not.
1. www.littledemocrats.net
You kind of need a strong stomach for this one. Remember how creepy and disturbing that video was that showed the kids singing Obama's praises? Well, that's how this site will make you feel. It features three remarkably lame books that every young community organizer should have in his/her collection.
Mama Voted for Obama. This requires a little show and tell:
You gotta love McCain's "NO WE CAN'T" flag.
And then there's Why Mommy is a Democrat and Why Daddy is a Democrat. (If you're Heather, you can skip the latter and just get two of the former.) These include such nuggets of wisdom as:
Democrats make sure we all share our toys, just like Mommy does.Yeah, the difference being that Democrats raid the neighbor's house for THEIR toys, too.
Sometimes the Earth feels a little sick. Democrats make it feel better again.All of a sudden I feel a little sick, too.
By the way, some bogus outfit at San Diego State University called the National Center for the Study of Children's Literature "highly recommended" this series. That says a whole lot about the National Center for the Study of Children's Literature, does it not?
Of course, the most horrifying thing of all is not any of these books. It's how they're used. This is one of the most chilling quotes I found in the many book recommendations through which I sifted:
I got my 2-year-old niece an Obama coloring book, and she has it read to her before bed every night, even though it has a total of about 50 words. She knows everyone in the (Obama) family by name now!She HAS IT READ TO HER… EVERY NIGHT.
Now I feel a lot sick.
Although all of these books weren't listed on the original website where the Lefty asked for propaganda, there were pages and pages of responses. And as I mentioned, only one person who seemed to have a problem with it:
Click Clack Moo is good, as is The Emperor's New Clothes, to teach kids to question authority, including parents who try to instill them with their own ideology way earlier than is appropriate.Point well made.


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News, commentary, and insights on adventures, and adventurers, from around the globe.
Wednesday, August 09, 2017
Want to Buy a Colorado 14er?
According to this story, the Cielo Vista Ranch, located near Colorado's border with New Mexico, is up for sale. The parcel of land covers an impressive 83,000 acres, and comes with some impressive wilderness views. It also encompasses a 14er by the name of Culebra Peak, which is 14,049 feet (4282 m) in height with a prominence of 4806 feet (1464 m). In other words, the next owner of the ranch will also own a fairly impressive mountain.
The approach to the summit of Culebra Peak requires a 5 to 7 mile hike and includes bout 3000 feet (914 meters) of vertical gain, with a bit of variation depending on where hikers start. It is said to be a moderate hike to the top, with few technical challenges other than the altitude. But, according to the article linked to above, there is no established trail along the northwest ridge, providing a unique challenge for trekkers.
Culebra isn't the only mountain on the ranch property either. There are also 18 "13ers" on the property as well, providing plenty of alpine real estate to explore. The owners of the property can dictate access to this backcountry paradise, with the current owner charging $150 for permits to summit Culebra in groups of as many as 25 people.
As you can probably imagine, this land won't come cheap. Cielo Vista has been on the market for nearly a year and a half, and so far there haven't been any takers. Recently however, there has been some interest as commercial developers begin eyeing the land. So what is the asking price? This Colorado mountain paradise can be yours for a cool $105 million.
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Tasty discovery: Fish Tacos
Price: $8.95
Destination: Longboards Tiki Bar and Grill. 621 Stoney Creek Lane, Newport News. 757-399-4010. http://www.longboardslounge.com.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily
My brother-in-law lives on the island of Kauai so over the years I've had the chance to sample Hawaiian cuisine. What a nice surprise to find a restaurant in Newport News devoted to the island flavors.


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If GPUs are so amazing new stuff, why is everybody not developing software for this architecture? There are some reasons, for example, not all applications should be offloaded into a GPU. The first question to think about is the possibility of parallelizing the code. If the answer is affirmative it could be a good starting point. However, some problems arise in this first step. Transferring data between GPU and CPU is quite slow so depending on how heavy the computations are against the transfers you are going to speed up your code or not.
However, the main difficulty that remains is the complexity of GPU developing. During the first years, when this technology was immature, the GPU works as a black box for the programmer. Data was transferred, the kernel was executed and the developer had to take a look to the output to try to figure out what was happening in the GPU. When the output was wrong he had to start a very unpleasant work of debugging.
Cuda-gdb was almost the only tool for helping in such tasks but had a high learning curve. Nowadays tools are more helpful and with an intuitive GUI like Allinea DDT's.
Correctness is the first challenge that a GPU developer has to face but the application could be slower than the CPU version. In that moment, efficiency is the key of the future work. We should know which parts of the code are more time consuming, how much time is spent in transfers and computing… And that is profiling.
First approach
Nvidia provides two simple ways of measuring time in our applications: timers and events. They are quite similar and easy to understand as shows the following example:
cudaEvent_t start, stop; float time; cudaEventCreate(&start); cudaEventCreate(&stop); cudaMalloc((void **) &a_d, size); // Allocate array on device cudaMemcpy(a_d, a_h, size, cudaMemcpyHostToDevice); cudaEventRecord(start, 0); // Do calculation on device: square_array <<< n_blocks, block_size >>> (a_d, N); cudaEventRecord(stop, 0); cudaEventSynchronize(stop); // Retrieve result from device and store it in host array cudaMemcpy(a_h, a_d, sizeof(float)*N, cudaMemcpyDeviceToHost); cudaFree(a_d); cudaEventElapsedTime(&time, start, stop); printf ("Time for the kernel: %f ms\n", time);
The ouput:
$ ./cuda_app Time for the kernel: 0.041632 ms
The main pro about using this approach is its simplicity. You don't need any other tool. In the other hand you have to create graphs by your own to show the results. This task is time consuming and, being frank, quite boring.
Second approach
The Barcelona Supercomputing Centre has developed some profiling tools: Extrae and Paraver. The first one lets you measure time in different points of the application and the second one is focused in data presentation. The following lines give an example of Extrae's callings:
for (i = 1; i <= MAX_ITERS; i++) { Extrae_event (1000, i); [original loop code] } Extrae_event (1000, 0);
You have a lot of different calls for creating event types, start and stop the profiling, network and task monitoring (MPI)… You could use a XML configuration file with different types of measurements. Extrae's output file can be used as the Paraver's input as you can see in the following figure:
Using the information shown in the picture you could understand better how the application performance is in a given hardware.
In conclusion, this approach is better than the first one but you still need to modify your code and learn how to use both tools. And I could say that it isn't a trivial task.
Third approach
The last tool revised in this post is Allinea Map. This tool tries to ease profiling avoiding all the cons shown in the first two approaches.
Using it is as simple as you can see in the following line:
$ map ./cuda_app datafile.in
Map application has a very intuitive GUI that displays a lot of useful information:
Using this tool you could truly understand your application performance. It is important to highlight that, frequently, developers are not always specialised people but scientifics from a wide range of fields: physics, chemistry, biology… For this kind of people Allinea shows its main feature, the mixture of a powerful and an easy-to-learn tool. The next figure could be seen as an illustrative example of the previous words:
In the main panel you could find the source code and it's annotated with performance percentages for both computation and communication time. Developers could focus in just such functions that are more time consuming.
Another important Allinea Map panel is the one that shows CPU versus GPU computation. Opportunities have arisen to perform future computations in the CPU instead leaving it idle while the GPU is working.
Charts are not static ones, a developer can zoom in on any part of the chart to view a shorter period of time. He could verify if the application is properly using the hardware. For example, he could look for signs of a cache-related bottleneck.
Summing up, here are the key features of Allinea Map:
- No need to instrument your code
- A little runtime overhead (around 5%)
- An intuitive GUI with low learning curve
- Easy way to find opportunities to improve your application speed up
As you could see in the previous paragraphs, Allinea Map could become the programmer's best friend for profiling and tuning GPU applications.


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Elena had the great joy of traveling to NEW YORK CITY with her Nana and PaPa. (Thank you again and again and then a whole lot more for taking her on this amazing trip Mom and Dad.)
Elena was able to enjoy all the things that New York brings including trying her first latte and riding in a plane for the second time...but first that she can remember.
Radio City Music Hall and a tour WITH a Rockette!
Amazing trip for an amazing young lady.


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I've seen so many Solar light jars that I wanted to make one myself, but instead of using jars and glass bottles that has a glass lid, I am simply going to use the light part as the lid! This is seriously one of the easiest DIYs I've done, and the results will surely impress!
What you will need:
Solar Garden Light - I got mine at Target for $2 WooHoo!!
Glass Bottle - I had this on hand, It was a bottle from my diffuser, similar to THIS.
Nail Polish - preferably a sheer pearly polish and a matte top coat. (optional)
E600 Glue
E600 Glue
1. If your glass container has been used for something else, clean it thoroughly and let it dry completely.
2. Take the top of solar garden light off. If your lucky enough to find the exact same one at Target this step is easy, all you have to do is twist it off. The light that I got was designed with an on and off switch so it was meant for you to take the light off so you can turn it on and off. This is great because I am able to turn off the light when I don't want it to be on! If you have other kind of garden solar light, you might have to use a screw to take the top off.
Once you take it off, you want to test that the top will fit your container right. The mouth of my bottle is small enough where I still have access to the on and off switch. YAY!
3. Test out your colors! I used a clear glass lid that I didn't need anymore and swatched all the nail polish colors that I felt might work. Then, I turned off the light and took out my garden light to see which color I liked the best. I decided on a combination of 3 colors + matte top coat mixed together. I actually put a little bit of my chosen colors in a small glass container that I had just to make sure that it's the color i wanted.
4. Pour your nail polish into your bottle. How much polish to use depends on the size of your bottle. Mine was pretty small so I used about 30-40 drops of polish total. (of course if you prefer a clear glass you can certainly skip the polish part.)
5. Shake your bottle like crazy and make sure there's an even coat of polish inside the bottle. Turn it upside down and let the extra polish drip out. Now, you have to wait till the polish is completely dry.
6. Now all you have to do is use your E600 glue and glue the top on your bottle! Let it dry, put it under the sun, and VIOLA!
Hope you enjoyed my first tutorial!


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Tuesday, July 5, 2016
The Remote's Journey 37 and 38
4 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 5, 2016 at 2:54 PM
Love it! Just what the doctor ordered.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 5, 2016 at 5:04 PM
you are so good at F2F captions... I wish you would make them more oftenReplyDelete
Great story, I gree you do F/F/ ones veyr well. Very clever story stealing a poor star's bodytReplyDelete
Wow, that was pretty cool . . . and wicked.ReplyDelete
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Friday, February 12, 2016
Spring 2016 Studio: Story Maps vs Scrum Board
It's worth dwelling on that phenomenon itself for a moment. This is part of a three credit-hour course, which means--according to federal standards--that we should expect nine effort-hours per week from the student during the fifteen weeks of the semester. The team has scheduled meetings for six hours per week, which I set up in order to maximize face-to-face time for this multidisciplinary team. At least one student put in about nine hours on Tuesday alone to help us meet this deadline. He didn't have to do this, in the sense that there would be no punitive grade assigned, and the shame at not having met our goal would have been shared by the entire team. Worse, we would not have been able to conduct our playtesting session, which would mean we would still be grappling with fundamental uncertainties today. On one hand, we need to congratulate the students who put in significant extra effort to help the team meat its goals (and indeed we gave a round of applause on Wednesday); with the other hand, however, we need to admonish ourselves for putting us into a situation where so much work was required before an important deadline. How did we get to that point? It seems there are only two options: either it was unclear to team members that we were headed toward missing the goal, or they did not care that we were going to miss the goal. The behavior of this subset of students who put in extra hours leads me to conclude the former.
On Monday, many stories remained on the spine of the story map, all or nearly all with student names on them as responsible parties. On Wednesday--the day of the deadline--I wrote a note on the board in the morning to ensure that the story map was up to date for our review & retrospective meeting, and even then, the story map was untouched.
Every student team goes through some growing pains where they realize that they need to be more careful about communication and planning. The retrospective meeting on Wednesday confirmed that the students were aware of the need to coordinate more prudently and tactically. I am left wondering, however, how much of this is related to the story map? I could look at the story map and tell that we were not making progress, as notes were not moving, but I think they were blind to this. I suppose this iteration will demonstrate to us whether they will hold themselves more accountable to the practice or not. During the retrospective, a student contributed what I think will be a valuable action item: immediately after the stand-up meeting, gather around the story map to review where we are. Today was a planning meeting for the next iteration, and so it will take until Monday to get any sense of whether this helps or not.
Another item that gives me some unease is the tracking of stories (in a story map) vs tasks (with a conventional Scrum board). User stories are necessarily brief, but to address their need requires a decomposition of the story into discrete tasks. Using Scrum, this was done explicitly during the Sprint Planning meeting. For example, given a story like "As a player, I want to create my character" might break down into a design and an implement task, to make it clear that we should figure out a good user experience before programming it. However, in the last iteration, we saw several UI components that were thrown together by programmers--surely with good intention, but just as surely without any background knowledge in usability and game interface design principles! As above, there's too much ambiguity to drive a particular conclusion: did the students not know that they should step back and work with the team to design a good UI, or were they just working quick-and-dirty on a two-week prototype? The truth may be somewhere in the middle, and I suppose I can hope that if it is purely ignorance that this two-week prototype was a learning experience about the importance of critical design!
This leads me to one last point that I want to record here, so I don't forget. This two-week prototype was "slapped together" intentionally. The team agreed on several methodological rules governing source code, but they also agreed that these rules would not hold for the two-week prototype: this could be done "quick and dirty." Late in the iteration, I started looking more carefully at the code being committed to the repository, and I was struck by how one developer's "dirty" might be another developer's "abominable." When I said dirty, I meant we could be lax about things like having rigorous unit tests, or allowing several parameters to constructors rather than introducing a builder. Others clearly had a different idea! This strikes me as a fascinating study for software engineering research: how do different developers approach a project when told they can do it "dirty" vs. "clean", and what are the contributing factors in their decisions, and what are the inherent properties of the code they produce? Maybe someone has done this already, but if not, it sounds fascinating---and it clearly resonates with the kinds of discussions I have daily in CS222.
2 comments:
This post has made me wonder if there are pieces of this "Dirty Code" that you may find salvageable. On the flip-side, I am, perhaps morbidly, curious as to which pieces of the prototype you found to be the most disgusting. As "dirty" is still ambiguous, I might as well take this opportunity to learn from specific examples in the prototype.ReplyDelete
Jack McGinnisReplies
The final prototype code, overall, is not too bad; this is certainly related to the fact that it ended up looking a lot like my PlayN prototype implementation. There were a few spots in the JavaFX implementation where I was able to point toward improvements in pull requests. I think the worst things that came through are the lack of access control modifiers in classes like IntroductionSplashView, the lack of meaningful abstraction around regions & locations in MapView (falls into the old "stick a '2' on the name instead of using an appropriate abstraction" code smell), and much of PlayerCreationView. These are just artifacts, though---I think the team also recognized a dirtiness to the process, as evidenced by the lack of coordination.Delete


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|Everyone likes The Emperor's New Groove!
How many of you have seen Disney's hit movie The Emperor's New Groove? (**almost everyone's hands go up**) Excellent. Because that's one of my all-time favorites. (I do a mean Kronk impression. You'll have to ask me to do it for you sometime. But I digress...once again) As silly and ridiculous as that movie is, if you are looking, you can find applicable principles to govern your life.
Por exemplo:
One of the most oft-quoted scenes is where Kuzco and Pacha find themselves "tied to a log...careening out of control down a raging river of death!" (as little Tipo later puts it after having a comically-timed and strangely prophetic dream). Then he says... you know what? Just watch it.
Oh man. SO. Good.
The lesson? We all face huge waterfalls with sharp rocks at the bottom from time to time in our lives. That's life! If it were all smooth sailing, how would we learn? Of course, we don't try to get thrown around; but when we face insurmountable odds, we can have the steely-nerved chutzpah of Kuzco, knowing that whatever comes, God will make it all right.
Much Love,
Elder Spendlove
Video from YouTube...duh
Image from: http://digitalmediafx.com/Columns/JimHill/02getgroove.html


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Food cost control is the process whereby you as a business owner control the costs of everything you purchase in as an ingredient and you control the cost of everything that is sold. If you are not in control of any aspect of the food cost, then I guarantee you are leaving money on the table and quite frankly, easy money. There are 7 steps in the food cost control cycle and today were going to look at each one in depth. 1.Forecasting historical usage, like with like, upcoming events in house and locally, storage capabilities, room for error. 2.Ordering Create a purchase order, fax it, email it. Call with po number. Keep all the pos for the receiver 3.Receiving you set the times. Assign a receiving person, order by weight, order by qty, compare to po. Attach deliv 4.Storing You would think this is obvious, but refrigerate, store off the ground, fifo system, control access, key control 5.Cooking/Handling most loss, portion control, recipe card, kitchen bible, trimmings, clear garbage bags 6.Service only issued with docket for all courses, additional items, how do you know its all paid for 7.Receiving Payment at the end of the day, the pos system should match the qty issued from the kitchen Dont be afraid of the kitchen. Dont let the chef assure you everything is fine in his kitchen ,You need to know if its fine or not, and the only way is by controlling the costs.
Keywords: opening a bar, restaurant, managing a club, bar cost control, bar theft


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US-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. plans to design and manufacture civilian and military helicopters in India for the local and Asia-Pacific market in four years, the first time a foreign aircraft company will use the country's aerospace know-how to make choppers for the overseas market.
"We are looking at manufacturing an indigenous helicopter by 2015-16. We already have the helicopters that are suitable for the Indian climate," said Arvind Jeet Singh Walia, managing director (India and South Asia) at Sikorsky Aircraft. "We intend developing further technologies to cater to defence requirements for high-altitude and high-performance machines."
Sikorsky, a unit of American military contractor United Technologies Corp. and one of the world's largest helicopter makers, has an existing tie-up with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, a Tata group company, to make helicopter cabins for the global market.
A boom in India's civil aviation market, among the fastest growing in the world, and a military upgradation plan that may be worth $100 billion (Rs.4.5 trillion) in the next 10 years, is persuading global aircraft makers to form joint ventures with local companies to take advantage of the business opportunity. India has an offset clause for high-value defence purchases that requires overseas companies to base part of the manufacturing in the country.
At the same time, global aerospace firms, facing a shortage of skilled workers back home, are seeking to take advantage of local talent groomed by India's nascent aerospace industry, which is led by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the only company that has the capability of manufacturing helicopters in the country.
Roughly a quarter of the 637,000 aerospace workers in the US could be eligible for retirement this year, raising fears that the country may face a skills shortage in factories that make commercial and military aircraft, Aerospace Industries Association president and chief executive Marion Blakey was cited as saying by trade publication Airport Business on 12 January.
HAL's home-grown aerospace products include the Tejas light combat aircraft, the Dhruv advanced light helicopter and the intermediate jet trainer. Three new helicopters, including the light combat helicopter and the light utility helicopter, are being built for the Armed Forces.
HAL has orders for 1,500 helicopters, including 100 Dhruvs, 300 light utility helicopters and 400 Indian multi-role helicopters.
Besides this, HAL has orders for 159 Dhruvs from the army and the air force.
"Manufacturing indigenous helicopters is eventually possible for Sikorsky," said Dhiraj Mathur, India leader for aerospace and defence at audit and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd. "Essentially, it will be shifting some of its manufacturing facilities to India in a phased manner. It will be highly beneficial if Sikorsky can make India a hub for the Asia-Pacific region."
However, the 26% limit on stakes in military projects held by overseas companies is discouraging investment, he said.
Walia said his company would be keen to increase its holding in local firms as and when the government relaxes the limit.
He estimates India's market potential for the company at $21.4 billion in 2011-31. Out of this, $14.4 billion will be military-related and the rest for civil use.
Tata Advanced Systems has set up a unit in Hyderabad to make cabins for the Sikorsky S-92, following a June 2009 agreement.
"As of now, this partnership is restricted to component manufacturing," Walia said. "We will explore future possibilities based on certain milestones set by the joint venture company."
The Tata group's public relations company said the association with Sikorsky was restricted to component manufacturing and nothing had been finalized for the future.
Sikorsky, apart from Italy's AgustaWestland NV, is in the race to sell 123 helicopters for general use by different departments of the Indian military as well as other agencies. The deal is valued at $4 billion.
"We have already sold five Sikorsky VVIP helicopters in India. We just signed an agreement to sell one more to the government of Maharashtra and are in dialogue with police department of the state," Walia said.
The company also plans to set up a maintenance, overhaul and repair facility for helicopters in India. "India has a huge talent base and skills that can be exploited to achieve our objectives," he said.
Tata Advanced Systems, which focuses on aerospace, defence, homeland security and disaster management, signed an agreement in mid-February with Lockheed Martin Corp. to form a joint venture, Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures, to build components for the C-130 aircraft produced by the US company.
Tata Industries Ltd, another group company, formed a joint venture with Boeing Co. in 2008 to manufacture defence-related aerospace components in India for export to Boeing and its clients worldwide.
The deals have boosted the Tata group's chances of becoming the preferred local partner of US firms bidding to sell medium multi-role combat aircraft to India in the world's largest fighter jet deal.


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From Siem Reap to Battanbang by Boat – Siam Reap, Battambang, Cambodia
From Siem Reap to Battanbang by Boat
Siem Reap, Battambang, Cambodia
|House raised up on bamboo stilts, Sangker River
I went down stairs feeling the steps with my feet in the darkness and out into the courtyard. I put my backpack on the ground in the middle of the yard and waited. Only then I noticed that surrounding the hotel there was a wall about eight feet high. It was half hidden by bushes. It had double gates that were closed and locked by a chain and padlock. I guess I had been too preoccupied with my visits to Angkor to notice before. There were a couple of Khmer boys sitting on a concrete bench that they had slept the night on. It was still dark when a pickup truck emerged from a trail of dust about 10 minuets later. There was a sudden, brief conversation between the driver and one of the boys, a waving of arms and pointing at me to get on. They opened a small gate within the large gates to let me out and I jumped on the back of the truck ready to go. It meandered around the town collecting people who like me were leaving Siem Reap by boat.
We drove through the dawn breaking, the sun coming up over paddy fields and the smell of burning wood from fires lit to cook breakfast. It was all very beautiful in the morning light. In the back of the pick-up we had gone from being relatively stable to bouncing up and down and from side to side, all over the place really. The road had disappeared and we were driving on the rocky, bumpy dried-up bottom of Tonlé Sap Lake. It was the dry season and the lake had shrunk. The small floating village of Phnom Krom that hugs the edge of the lake where our boat docked would have been miles closer, the drive much shorter during the wetter months.
We followed a faint, rocky two-wheeled track worn in the bottom of the lake passing the occasional makeshift, shack, and the odd chicken clucking around. There were people living at the side of this trail, poor people with nearly nothing just dirty clothes and desperate faces. The nearer the boat and the lake the more shacks and the more people there were. When we finally arrived and before we had a chance to stop hungry kids swarmed us with arms stretched out, hands open. I've encountered begging before but not like this, this was real hunger, real poverty, real hardship. I folded a Riel note up and held it in my palm with my middle finger. I showed it to a little girl who was about three wearing a dirty smock with a dirty face and dirty feet. She grabbed my hand with both of her tiny hands and took the note without any others seeing. As soon as she had it and without a word she ran away and I lost sight of her. Some things you never forget.
Around the two boats, which were waiting for their passengers, there was organised chaos. People were selling water, food, anything, people begging, people directing travellers the noise of two stroke engines, the roar of diesel engines and of course the smells of it all vying with each other for a piece of traveller. One boat was going to Phnom Penh and looked almost half decent. The other one, the one I was getting to go to Battambang looked like it had definitely had it. We boarded by way of an old blackened, plank, one end on land the other on the boat. It kept us out of the filthy water below that surrounded everything and away form the now fading chaos.
The boat was old and rickety and made of wood. Most of the paint was worn away and replaced by the black of time and wear. It was single deck with a roof that was more a sunshade than a real roof and was held up by eight or ten thin bamboo poles with sides that were completely open. The seating facilities were benches made in the simplest of ways from tubular steel and wood screwed to the wooden deck some of them were bent and broken. Mid ships housed a roaring engine and the toilet, at least there was one I thought. When the door to this cabin was open the noise from the engine was overpowering and only slightly better when it was closed.
Gracefully passing us a little out from the shore and in cleaner water was a Khmer woman in a tiny canoe, known as a "tuk", it was not much longer than she was tall. She sat cross legged right on the bow with paddle in hand. Her thick black hair held back from her face with a gold band that shone in the bright sunlight. She was wearing pyjamas, which was not uncommon for women in this region of Cambodia to wear in all places and at all times. The ease with which she maneuvered that tiny boat was testament to a lifetime on the lake.
About 28 of us travellers chose to go to Battambang by this route. We were from all corners of the globe and a fair mix of ages, shapes and sizes. The boat cast-off, the engine growling, black smoke puffing out as it pulled away from the shore, we were on our way. I walked to the stern of the boat and looked back along its length. There was no passenger list, no life jackets, no life rafts, no radio, no telephone signal and no map. There was a captain or at least it was someone who was at the controls and two other Khmer men on board presumably crew. None of them spoke English. Not a single person who knew me knew where I was or what I was doing. My craving for adventure had reached a new high. My abandonment of common sense, prudence and self-preservation complete. My mother would surely have heart failure if she knew where I was.
We sailed the short distance to the lake passing many floating shacks that lined our rout. They were people's homes mostly but I could see shacks that had people on them who were processing fish and other people were working on engines and mechanical parts. As we got on to the lake I sat right at the front of the boat right on the bow away from the other passengers and the noise. You couldn't see the other shore. There was just me the lake and the sky and a warm breeze in my face. This is what it felt like to be alive I thought. I could see poles sticking up out of the muddy water with what looked like nets of sorts bundled over the top. Birds flew random paths and swooped low before taking off, darting and disappearing.
|Chinese cantilever fishing nets on the Sangker River
We reach the other side of Tonlé Sap Lake and some how the boat finds the mouth of the Sangker River hidden by lush greenery. We slowly chugged up the middle of the waterway flanked by wetlands rich in tropical vegetation. The water's clearer now. Cormorants and egrets perch on poles stuck in the riverbed that manage fishing nets just wait for lunch to swim by. Wild ducks paddle in and out of the riverside vegetation and bob up and down on the gentle wake from out boat oblivious to us. We passed the occasional fisherman standing on a dugout canoe watching us watching him. We pass remote floating homes that look cared for with washing hanging out to dry in the heat of the tropical sun, adorned with pot plants and flowers quite different from the many shacks on the other side of the lake. Some houses are built on tall bamboo stilts fully exposed by the low waters of the dry season. Occasional Chinese cantilever fishing nets look timeless in this natural setting and are primed ready for action. They demonstrate the trade links through out the region and the import of knowledge and ideas from other cultures. The mighty Mekong reaches over 4000 km through South East Asia providing food for over 50 million people – it's a major waterway that rivals the Amazon.
The Sangker becomes narrower and narrower and the boat eventually docks at a cluster of floating wooden shacks where we disembark. We are in the middle of the river where it divides into two, pretty much the middle of nowhere. In one of the shacks there is a small area with tables and chairs where there is the possibility of refreshments although I think our western constituency would not appreciate the fare. We wait a short while before being divided into two smaller groups and boarding on to two smaller boats or "kanut" that soon arrive.
From here on the river is now too narrow and too shallow for the larger boat to navigate. We cast off with 12 of us on what is quite a small boat with a fabric roof to shade us from the sun and again the engine is roaring. It's an outboard motor this time similar to the engines on longtails where the motor attaches to the stern of the boat and the propeller is some 2 to 3 meters away at the end of a metal shaft dipping into the water. The tiller man controls the depth of the propeller in the water by leaning on the throttle handle he can lift it up and down. The propeller keeps snagging on vegetation and branches in the water and breaking down. The crew have to jump into the river and un-snag the propeller time after time through out the whole journey.
I sit and watch the wake from our little boat hit the silk smooth silt of the banks of the river and like a miniature tsunami washes a part of it away. I wonder about the damage this is causing to this fragile environment. The traditional "tuks" are slower and in less of a hurry than the motorised tourist boats and cause no erosion. Ten years of this and there will be nothing left I think to my self. This is a finely balanced eco system that cannot be replaced easily. It seems to me to that it's being damaged so tourists can travel this way. It makes a few precious dollars for the boat owners at the start and end of the trip but not much for anyone in-between and that's where the damage is being done. I'm sure this is a part of a much bigger issue. Better to take the bus – it's only a couple of hours ride.
We can't really get off our seats, the boat's too small for people to move around, too small to stand upright, too small to have a good stretch and nowhere to stop. The torturous seats are made from four narrow wooden slats about an inch wide with gaps between them. They offer precious little support to your glutinous maximums. During the last three hours of the trip discomfort turns to pain and with the tropical sun belting down this is endurance.
|Floating homes – another way of living
What made the journey worthwhile were the unspoiled tropical wetlands and the people we saw gave a glimpse of another way of living. These were noble people who spent their lives in homes on stilts or floating on water in a landscape that was submerged for half the year. They lived in harmony with nature in tune with their environment and their seasons. Although this part of Cambodia was ravaged by the Khmer Rouge and closed to outsiders for some years those days were now gone. A new openness and a welcoming of foreigners is now prevalent.
The boat eventually stopped in a very narrow, shallow part of the river and was pulled tight to the riverbank by two Khmer men who were waiting for us. We were given a signal to collect our gear and to get off. We were at last at Battambang. We scrambled up the steep muddy embankment and were met by two luxury mini busses that took us the short distance to the Royal Hotel. Its' modest entrance and reception area gives no clue to its massive cavernous interior. Its' classic modernist architecture is a legacy of its communist origins and only $6.00 a night. I love my large double room – it's huge with two double beds, two fans and I can't wait to get into that shower.
Check out the author's picutres from Cambodia at his website. Copyright Gary Morga.


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UK based design consultants Blue Nectar created, in collaboration with a local brewery Blue Nectar's Number 1. The creation is a unique ambery ale which as a beer and product embodies exactly what BN strive to deliver for their clients on every project. Creating compelling brands and fitting them into some beautiful packaging. This packaging sports some seriously custom features including embossing, waxed caps, and brushed aluminum medallion on the bottleneck to name a few.
(via Designspiration »)


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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Behavioral and Health Advice
Parenting is never an easy job, it takes a strong person -- mentally, physically, and spiritually -- to be a parent. In addition to all of the "small tasks" a parent must perform (i.e. feeding, clothing, keeping well, making sure homework is done, etc.), a parent must also be part physician -- noticing any changes in health, sleep patterns, eating habits, and other health factors.
Health issues and ailments can strike anybody at anytime -- children especially -- and as with all health issues, early detection is key to long term treatment and quality of life. So what should we as parents be looking out for on a daily basis? Well, it's not quite that simple... There are so many different issues that can arise, that it would take an entire medical anthology to explain just the basics. Thankfully, there are online resources that offer a wealth of information on addiction, health, and behavioral health topics. One of the best resources for keeping informed on health topics is Addiction Treatment Magazine.
Covering much more than simply addictions, Addiction Treatment Magazine's health articles cover everything from teen pregnancy, to risk factors for childhood obesity, to the development of codependency personality disorder. The topics and articles covered in Addiction Treatment Magazine are designed to be a one stop resource for parents, individuals, and children alike; offering unique insights and invaluable facts and information on anything related to health, Addiction Treatment magazine speaks directly to those that are searching for answers, and answers all of their questions in an online environment.
Many parents credit Addiction Treatment magazine as a source for understanding drug use and addiction, and for being able to prepare parents for a pre-emptive conversation about drugs and alcohol, or to speak with your kids about addiction and treatment.
Start Reading Addiction Treatment Magazine today to gain insights and ideas on how you can be better informed on health and behavioral topics before it is necessary to speak with your children about these issues.
Posted by Kay at 9:05 AM
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The covers have changed due to the length of time since they were published. Neither Samhain nor the artist had the original files, so other than Steel Beauty I had to change the covers.
The content, however, has not changed, so if you already own the series please don't purchase it again! Unless you want copies with the new cover, in which case feel free. Who am I to stop you?
I don't have purchase links on the excerpt pages (yet; that will take me a whole day, a day I'd rather be writing). In order to purchase you'll have to go to http://www.danamariebell.com/halle-pumas-shifters-poconos-pack and find the book you wish to buy from the series.
P.S.: Other than the Puma/Shifter/Poconos Pack world, each series has its own page.
Halle Pumas Book 1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella/Short Story
eBook ISBN: 978-1-946966-25-4
Print ISBN: N/A
Is Emma ready for a bite?
Emma Carter has been in love with Max Cannon since high school, but he barely knew she existed. Now she runs her own unique curio shop, and she's finally come out her shell and into her own.
When Max returns to his small home town to take up his duties as the Halle Pride's Alpha, he finds that shy little Emma has grown up. That small spark of something he'd always felt around the teenager has blossomed into something more—his mate!
Taking her "out for a bite" ensures that the luscious Emma will be permanently his.
But Max's ex has plans of her own. Plans that don't include Emma being around to interfere. To keep her Alpha, Emma must prove to the Pride that she has what it takes to be Max's mate.
Halle Pumas Book 2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella/Short Story
eBook ISBN: 978-1-946966-26-1
Print ISBN: N/A
Sweet dreams can easily become nightmares.
Rebecca Yaeger finds more at the masquerade ball than she bargained for. Getting attacked by some crazed she-devil, complete with claws and fangs, certainly wasn't on her agenda for the evening. In a few slashing moments, Becky learns things about her friends and the man she loves she never would have suspected.
When Simon rescues Becky from an unprovoked attack by one of his Pride, he finally confirms what he's long suspected: she's his mate. Carrying her off to his home and dressing her wounds gives him the chance he's been waiting for—to taste her and mark her has his. And she's far sweeter than anything, or anyone, he's ever had before.
Just as their happiness begins to take hold, a strange illness begins to haunt Becky, threatening to turn their sweet dreams into a nightmare.
Halle Pumas Book 3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella/Short Story
eBook ISBN: 978-1-946966-27-8
Print ISBN: N/A
He'll do whatever it takes to protect his mate.
Dr. Adrian Giordano is quite happy with the way his life is going. His two best friends are happily mated, and he's still sanely single. He has friends, a thriving business, and the occasional Saturday night date. Then Sheridan Montgomery comes to town. His inner Puma responds to the husky-voiced snow princess in a way that tells him his life is about to be turned upside down.
Sheri can't believe her luck could be this bad. Instinct tells her Adrian is her mate, but the last thing she wants to do is drag him into her messy life. She's on the run from a big bad wolf—an ex who won't take no for an answer. Worse, if he catches her, he's got the teeth (and the Pack!) to take what he wants.
She doesn't stand a chance alone, but with her friends—and the persistent Adrian—by her side, she might just survive.
If her ex doesn't eat the yummy Dr. Giordano for lunch, that is...
Halle Pumas Book 4
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella/Short Story
eBook ISBN: 978-1-946966-28-5
Print ISBN: N/A
She's everything a big bad wolf could want.
Coping with a devastating injury is hard enough for Belinda "Belle" Campbell. Forced separation from her destined mate while she heals is almost more than she can endure. Until she is strong enough to take up her duties as Luna of the Poconos Wolf Pack, however, the safest place for her is Halle. Now, after months of being alone, she is more than ready to be claimed. But is the pack ready for a Puma Luna?
Rick Lowell has waited long enough to bring Belle home where she belongs. He's aware of the danger, as well—and it isn't long before a bitch with an eye on Belle's position issues a challenge. The only way to put down the threat is for Belle to defeat the usurper in combat.
There's only one problem. Thanks to the pins in her broken hip, Belle can't shift. Without that tactical advantage, it won't be a fair fight. With his new mate's life on the line, Rick is forced to make a decision that will change everything.
That is, if Belle gives him the chance to make it.
Halle Pumas Book 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella/Short Story
eBook ISBN: 978-1-946966-29-2
Print ISBN: N/A
Delayed gratification has its place. This wouldn't be it.
Gabriel Anderson has accepted a unique position in the shifter world. He's about to become a Hunter, one of the few trained and sanctioned to hunt down the rare rogue shifter dangerous to humans and shifters alike. There's one catch: until his training is complete, he must hold off on marking his mate. No problem…after all, she probably couldn't handle the sexual demands he dreams of making on her.
Her mate's apparent desertion devastates Sarah. And his friendship with another woman threatens the bond they should be sharing and building. Maybe flirting with another man will make him sit up and take notice—and finally win Gabe's heart. It works. Almost too well.
One touch of another man's hand on Sarah's tempting body brings every ounce of Gabe's possessiveness roaring to the surface. He wastes no time making his erotic dreams of dominating her a reality—whether she's ready for it or not.
If she's not, the only place he'll ever have her is in his dreams…


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So long, Flare
19-hour car ride BRB
Keeping this post short because it's about time for this Al to drive her shift in our 19-HOUR CAR RIDE TO ELON. Ugh. No. Thank. You. Some peoples' Facebook statuses of "BOO HOO I have to drive 5 hours to school :(((" or "WAH WAHH I'm stuck in traffic right outside of Greensboro :/" gain NO sympathy from ME. And for those of you driving 20+ hours, you can hate me right now for being a drama queen.
Luckily, Mom and I packed plenty of fruit (and cookies, duh) to keep us fueled. And now, bathroom/Starbucks break. Until next time, friends.
Ask your grandma
I have a favor to ask of you all. I would really, really appreciate it if you could call your grandma, woo her with small chatter of the weather and the latest gossip of your crazy uncle, and then ask her, Can I have her hand-me-downs?
This skirt had me on a serious granny vibe yesterday when the nearest and dearest thrift store in KC, MO had nothing to offer but some outdated floral patterns. Yes, this print teeters on a vintage Hawaiian ensemble gone wrong, but I truly believe a midi-skirt and crop top has become my spirit ensemble and thus any combination of the two MUST be purchased and worn with pride.
In other news, in case you haven't noticed her wildly active presence on Facebook and Instagram, I decided to exploit Zoe's cuteness and put her on the blog today. But look at her. Seriously, LOOK AT HER. HOW HAS THIS PUP NOT BECOME THE NEXT FACE OF IAMS? Especially the picture below. My mom and I were rolling on the ground laughing at this one.
Sometimes, being a twin is annoying. Like when your adolescence was defined by, "now share, you two" and no one could quite distinguish the phonetic difference of "Alison" and "Alisa". Also, there's that never-ending argument of Is it Alison and Alisa? Or Alisa and Alison? (the former being correct, of course).
Then there are times (most of the time) when being a twin rocks. A go-to buddy in high school for class projects (team Ryncarz = team domination), a second closet to consult, and most recently, someone to endure the pain of a jellyfish when it decides to unleash its stinging wrath on your legs in the Atlantic Ocean (fortunately, it wasn't necessary to pee on each other – EVEN THOUGH I WOULD HAVE).
I'm thankful for this girl – she makes life funnier and happier and is a great adventure buddy when the kids team up against the adults on vacations.
Core skills
I made it back home to Kansas City this weekend and you know what that means…every life skill I had to put to use while fending for myself in New York has abruptly, completely, utterly, vanished. Even the simplest of tasks, from putting away my shoes to making breakfast, now seem to be lost from my mind, and tasks that were before a necessity to my survival (scavenging for food, paying for my shampoo) have now become me mooching off my parents for everything.
In other news, Alisa dragged me to her kickboxing class today, where I have never experienced such physical and mental strain IN MY LIFE. I couldn't help but add my commentary to ease the pain throughout the hour. For example:
Instructor: "Now lie on your back, hold your medicine ball in the air and drop it on your abs."
Me: "Wait ARE YOU KIDDING I'LL DIE."
Instructor: (laughs, looks directly at me) "Anddddd GO."
I think he got a kick out of this clear physical torture.
So long, for now
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