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New Year's Eve brought a miracle for us! We were watching the Hobbit with a bunch of YSAs at the YSA Center, and this one guy, Khan, walks in with a friend - who wants a tour! His name was Mike. Sister Ackerman and I were summoned, and we started showing him around. We started with the chapel and explained a simple church service. Guys. Mike has been through the discussions with the 7th-Day Adventists, and J-Dubs, and a few others. But he always quit because something wasn't right. We got in the elevator to go look at some classrooms, and Khan said, ''I'm sure you have noticed there are no crosses in our church. This is because we celebrate the resurrected Lord, not the dead one.'' Sister Ackerman and I just looked at each other with excited smiles - Khan was such an awesome little missionary! But wait! It gets better. At the opening of the next floor is a picture of Jesus in the Americas, so I pointed to it and also added my testimony to that of Khan. Then I asked Khan if he had talked to Mike about the Book of Mormon before. That was when I noticed that Khan had a Book of Mormon in his hand, ready to give to his friend!! So ready, in fact, that he had written his testimony in it! He handed it to Mike, and we explained what the Book of Mormon was. Mike was very curious and very excited. We shared Moroni's promise. Then Mike asked us how we had learned if theses things were true. So we went in a circle and shared our stories. Mike has investigated a lot. So he already knew what to do. He knew that by reading, praying, and studying, one DOES receive answers that way. So when we all testified that that is what we had done, he said he knew we knew. We seriously talked for about an hour. Mike told us that he was new to the city, that he had no friends outside of work friend, Khan. He had asked Khan what he was doing for New Year's. Mike said, ''I'm going to my church! Do you want to come?'' Mike explained that he was wary - he had had a lot of bad experiences. Khan told him, ''You don't need to worry. My church is warm and welcoming, like a home. And the people there are like a family.'' Mike said, ''I can see what Khan is talking about.'' We taught the tripod lesson - that you have to read, pray, and come to church in order to find answers to questions and keep a firm foundation on Jesus Christ. I asked Mike if he would come to church on Sunday with Khan. Mike said he would absolutely come. Khan said he didn't know if he could come; he had to work. Mike lit into Khan for about five minutes about how he needed to reorganize his priorities, that Sunday is the Lord's day, and he should, therefore, go to church. He told Khan to talk to his boss and do what was necessary to get Sundays off. After this, we decided it was time to head back down. Sister Ackerman asked if we could pray before we went back down. Mike confessed that it had been a long time since he had prayed. I asked Khan to pray. Khan thanked God for the wonderful day, for Mike, for the spirit, and other wonderful bold things. After Khan said, ''Amen,'' Sister Ackerman and I thanked Khan for his beautiful prayer. It had not been five seconds after the amen, and Mike started praying!! He said, ''Heavenly Father, It has been a long time since I have spoken to you. I am so sorry. But, I hope you can tell me what to do. I need to know. Is this church thy church? Should I join?'' He closed in the name of Jesus Christ. We went back downstairs to finish the Hobbit. Mike read his Book of Mormon for the last hour of the movie. Can you believe that miracle? Khan just invited his friend from work to a get-together at the church, and it turns out his friend is this golden investigator who had been searching for so long, he had almost given up hope.
We went to Theresienwiese (where Oktoberfest is held) at midnight, and it was like a war zone! Sister Ackerman got hit in the back by a firework, and it cinged her coat! But it was so loud and so cool! These people take their holidays very seriously. And Mike clutched his Book of Mormon the entire time:]
Yesterday in church, half of the kids in primary were investigators/kids of investigators. It was so crazy and so good at church! I couldn't believe how blessed we were.
A few weeks ago, we sat in a bus. We were en route an appointment, and a little boy sat across from us. We asked him: ''What do you want for Christmas?'' He was hardly ten years old, but he nevertheless said, ''I want my family to stay together.'' That was it. Above all else, he wanted his family to stay together. We asked him if he liked to read. ''Absolutely!'' he said. ''We have a book about Jesus Christ. It's priceless. Would you like it?'' ''I love books about God! Yes, of course!'' We showed him 3 Nephi 11, where Jesus Christ comes. ''I will start reading there tonight! Thank you so much!'' Then he got out of the bus.
I have been thinking about desires. I thought about a less active in Neumarkt, and how her heart's desire was that her family all to church come, and eventually in the temple go. In Mosiah 18:8-11, we read about the desires of the people of Alma on the Waters of Mormon, and how they clapped in the hands because of their joy. I made a lot of thoughts about that, about desires and motivation and the biggest desire of mankind is. At the end, I came to happiness. We do what we do, because we believe that it will bring happiness. The only true happiness is only to be found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when one lives by and applies the principles and doctrines from the Master. We were at the Arnold's home this week. It was a bit of a girl's night (sorry, Brother Arnold), but he said something very wonderful. He said, ''You can't have a good relationship with anyone until you have a good relationship with God.'' So how do we develop this relationship?
President Thomas S. Monson said the following: ''To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellowman. Service to others is akin to duty - the fulfillment of which brings true joy.''
He also said: ''You can never love the Lord until you serve Him by serving His people.''
Everyone is searching for happiness in one way or another.
''[But] this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.'' -John 17:3
When one does that, one will be happy everyday.
''We are all searching for happiness; we hope for it, we think we live for it, it is our aim in this life. But do we live so as to enjoy the happiness we so much desire?'' -Brigham Young
''We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world.'' -D&C 134:12
''After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel.'' -Joseph Smith
My mission didn't go anything like I planned. But as I served the Lord, and learned to trust in His plan and His timing, I found the greatest happiness.
Bis bald!
Sister Stephanie Reid


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Thank you everyone who commented on my Swallowtail cards on this weeks Happy Stampers blog hop. The winner is #1 - Elisha! Congratulations Elisha, please email me at: email@example.com with your mailing address and I'll get your blog candy in the mail to you.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Happy Stampers New Catalog Blog Hop and Blog Candy Too!
I chose to use the Swallowtail stamp set two different ways. The card below has been masked off with just the square in the middle to be stamped and colored. I've cased this card from the Stampin Schach. I've changed it up a bit with different colors and a different sentiment. My coloring was done with a blender pen and ink pads - the pads were squished in the middle to leave ink on the inside of the lid and picked up with a blender pen. The sentiment is from the Six-Sided Sampler stamp set.
The next card also uses the Swallowtail. I was inspired by this card on Pinterest. The Swallowtail was embossed with VersaMark and black embossing powder. This time I colored it with our new Blendabilities, Can you tell that the colors are more vibrant in this version? I then fussy cut him out and placed him on my whisper white card using dimensionals. I've wrapped him around to the back side of the card as well. A little bit of his wing was trimmed off to fit on the card where I wanted him. The sentiment is from one of my favorite new stamp sets in this catalog - Choose Happiness - I have the clear mount version and was able to curve it ever so slightly to follow the curve of the swallowtail's wing. Popping him up on dimensionals really makes him stand out. I love how it turned out and hope you do too.
Please note, anyone is welcome to leave me a comment but I am only able to ship the blog candy items to addresses within the United States. Thanks for your understanding.
You may have arrived here from "Stamp With Amy K" If not you can visit her blog by clicking on the "back" arrow below.
Sandi MacIver
Amy Koenders
Denise Melia - You are here!
Heather Van Looy
Trude Thoman
Marian Anderson
Thanks for visiting today. And don't forget to leave me a comment. Enjoy the hop.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
This wall art is stunning and high-impact. Take a look at how this amazing piece was created at The Cre8tive Outlet.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Awesome Wall Art
Posted by Dawn Newsome at 9:01 AM
Labels: airplane art, children's art, decorating, diy, planes, wall art
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text: I just ordered a helmet for the motorcycle. (Early Mother's Day present to me.) I'm hoping it will fit (fingers crossed) as I'm right between as x-small & a small. The design has been discontinued & all I've been able to find is extra small. So I ordered one before they were all gone. I figured the worse that could happen is that it's too small & I have to send it back. But it is really cool. I saved a pic of it:


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Yes, I know there is only one more week of school, but I can't help reflecting on my favorite revelation this year.
Seriously, all kidding aside, stickers are a huge reason I went into teaching. I mean, who doesn't remember getting stickers when they were in school? They were so beautiful. Some were shiny, some were bright, but the best were the smelly stickers. They have since renamed them stinky stickers, but that name doesn't do them justice. Anyway, you can tell I love stickers. Parents love donating stickers too, so I think many feel the same way I do. The other day, someone brought me Hello Kitty stickers and I swear when I saw them I forgot what I was doing and had to sit down to absorb their beauty.
So I couldn't just become a teacher who gave stickers once in a while. I became a teacher whose whole classroom management centers around praise and stickers. Do not underestimate the power of a sticker.
First, I do have the "Clip Up/Down" clothespins. But really, it is just there for backup. The first time I meet parents, I explain to them that my goal each day is to get students to the top. Really. I don't feel like I have been successful in recognizing the wonderful things that go on each day if most of my class is not at the top. Once they get past the top, they get a sticker each time I say "clip up" and they say "I'm already at the top."
"Well go put your sticker page on my desk!"
Beaming, the student quickly gets out his/her sticker page and puts it on my desk.
When students get 5 stickers, they get to go to the treasure box or they can choose to have a 5 minute sharing time on Friday. First graders love to share!
I especially love to pick 4 or 5 kids everyday during "Book Box" time-- who were reading the whole time-- to receive stickers.
But it gets better.
At some point around mid-year, one of the students said something so clever, brilliant, or profound that I couldn't help but skip the behavior chart and squealed, "Brilliant! Bring me your sticker page." Audible gasps around the room came from children who couldn't believe I went straight to stickers!
I took that moment to explain the amazing thoughts that came from this student, and how they sat and thought about something I had said and then used what they knew to figure something out. I would tell you what that was but I honestly don't remember because since that day, so many students come up to me and start with, "I noticed....." or "I figured out......" to try to impress me enough with their thought processes so that I will call them amazing, brilliant, clever, etc., and give them a sticker. And most of the time I do. Because they seriously sit and contemplate what they could possibly say that could get them a sticker and praise. And it is crazy how fast they have learned to extend their thinking about whatever it is we are discussing.
It happens a lot in math, like when several students noticed that you could subtract to get a missing addend. I didn't even lead anyone to it. They just stare at things looking for things to say to me.
Or in reading, kids will come up and say things about how characters from different books are the same and proceed to give me some amazing character analysis.
But the other day was the best day ever. A struggling student drew out her whole thought process on this math word problem and explained it to me step by step how she figured it out. It was difficult and it was a multi-step story problem. And I swear her life changed that day. The light in her eyes and the excitement in her voice told me that she will love figuring out story problems the rest of her life.
It has gotten so bad (good) that I had to start putting boundaries on when kids could come up to me and tell me their revelations. Like, lining up for lunch is not a good time.
Critical thinking and creativity are two huge goals of the 21st century learner and I witness kids showing off these skills all day. So if anyone asks me how I am teaching kids to be 21st century learners, I reply, "I give stickers."
Happy Last Week of School!
p.s. If you want this simple sticker page you can grab it here:
Sticker Awards Page
I put the sticker in/over the box and write what it was given for on the line.


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- June 4, 1933 - March 18, 2017
- Carthage, North Carolina
of William's Passing
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William E. "Bill" Moore, 83, of West End, went peacefully into the arms of Jesus in the early morning of Saturday, March 18, 2017.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Vivian Graham Moore; his four children, Karen Moore Lewis (husband Steve), Linda Moore Lerch (husband George), Michael Moore and Charles Moore. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; and three sisters.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, John Thomas Moore and Mary Lee Moore; one brother; and three sisters.
There will be a memorial service, Sunday, March 19, at 2 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church, West End.
In lieu of flowers, Bill requested donations be made to Faith Baptist Church Building Fund.


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"Your biggest challenge isn't someone else. Its the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells 'CAN'T', but you don't listen. You just push harder. And then you hear the voice whisper, 'can'. And you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one you really are." ~unknown~
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Thursday, 05/27/10 Mt. Evans
Mt. Evans Road from Echo Lake gate/NE Face Route
Partners: Tony (his version), Brandon (his version)
~19 miles/3,700 vertical
2:11 up/26 on top/1:24 down
Evans Summit #26
14er Summit #218
We were all itching to get up high for some good altitude training and after throwing around ideas earlier in the week, Tony suggested Mt. Evans to avoid the snow that is still blanketing many of the usual high country trails in order to get in some actual running instead of post-holing. This sounded great to me, as the road is still closed (opens tomorrow) and I could use it as good practice for my upcoming race there on June 19th.
We met at Neptune in Boulder at 6am and Brandon was gracious enough to drive. We took our time at the "trailhead" (or roadhead?) and eventually got going a few minutes before 7:30. We jogged together at the start, trying our best to re-adjust to running at such an altitude and generally went conversational pace (albeit a bit labored at times). Just before the 2 mile marker, Tony pulled off to take care of some business in the woods and I just kept trotting along, knowing that he would catch up eventually.
Trying to keep my road running to a minimum, I jumped off the road just before the "bristlecone" switchback near tree-line and cut up the steep hillside. Running this road can be a bit monotonous, but it was an excellent altitude workout. At around the 4-5 mile mark, the wind started to pick up in earnest and was mostly a headwind to Summit Lake. I was very glad to have packed the extra shirt, hooded wind breaker and hat/gloves and soon pulled over to put it all on. Some gusts were strong enough to nearly stop me in my tracks and many threw me well off my intended line. I called upon my years of cycling experience and tried my best to get aero. Though it helped a bit, it really just resulted in a sore lower back.
Tony was planning to stick to the road and I was going to take my chances with the snow on the NE face. Tony was quickly catching up at this point and I paused a bit before heading up-slope to talk about maybe meeting on top depending (vague "plans"). I started up the snow and was glad to find that it held my weight, yet was soft enough for kicking perfect steps and I was completely sheltered from the wind. I was planning to piece together patches of bare ground the best I could, but the snow ended up being more efficient and preferable. This section only took 27 minutes to the parking lot going at a steady, but not too intense pace, then four more minutes to the true summit (2:11:29 @ 159 avg HR). It was now 9:38 and the wind was cranking, so I dropped off the true summit and found shelter from the wind in one of the old/roofless summit buildings.
Tony arrived ~18 minutes later (sticking to the road is MUCH longer and windier), where he tagged the top quickly (new 14er for him) and I then talked him into descending the snow with me. The snow descent went quick, 9 minutes to the road, then we fought wind for a few miles down the road until it finally subsided (1:24 descent time @ 157 bpm average….. you actually have to push a bit to get down this road).
Brandon was not planning to run to the summit, but opted to run to Summit Lake and back, so he was long finished and changed by the time we returned to the car. We hung out for a while recounting the day, re-fueling and having a good time, in no hurry to get back down to the heat.
An awesome day out with great company.
5 comments:
It was awesome to meet Brandon, Tony and you today at Echo Lake. You guys rock!ReplyDelete
JV, thanks for the trip.ReplyDelete
All, let me be clear...there was no "roadhead" as JV stated. I think he needs to consult the urban dictionary before throwing out terms like that. Are we clear?
Bret, thanks for saying hi. Funny how incestuous(?) the Colorado running blogosphere is.
- AnonymousMay 28, 2010 at 9:10 AM
Hi Jeff,ReplyDelete
Just and FYI for you:
Running this morning I SAW A BROWN BEAR on the Mesa trail just south of Fern cut-off, 35 yds away from me. I had just come off the single track onto the wider trail when I saw it standing in the middle of the trail on all four legs looking at me. We stared at each other, I turned (pretending to leave) and looked back after taking a couple steps, he turned to leave but also stopped and we looked at each other again, after 30 seconds he scampered up into the woods. I waited a minute and then ran down the trail past the spot where he was standing. I looked up into the woods but couldn't see him anymore. That's the first time I've seen a bear on those trails.
JV - you are famous ... http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/antonkrupicka/2010/05/28/a-return-to-the-high-mountains/ReplyDelete
Kraig - that is a great story. It makes it seem like the bear went home and told the story of I SAW A HUMAN!
- AnonymousMay 28, 2010 at 3:03 PM
Looks like technically it's a black bear even though the fur was brown.ReplyDelete


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LAKE COUNTY — A former Grayslake police sergeant who pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lake County Circuit Court to charges that he stole from his union and gave away department equipment could get up to 5 years in prison when he is sentenced next month.
David Williams, 35, of Pell Lake, Wis., pleaded guilty to theft and official misconduct. He stole money from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 99 and gave away a Breathalyzer, authorities said. Charges of harassment of a witness, harassment through electronic communication and obstruction of justice were dismissed in a plea deal.


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The new Opel and Vauxhall urban - 2011 version micro car of Corsa
The small car will be a smaller version of the Opel Corsa and is very similar in aesthetics to a micro car. The future General Motors Group model is based on the Opel Trixx concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2004 and serves to illustrate this post. The new city will be built at GM's plant in Eisenach (Germany). Weekend post
The production of this new model will involve an investment of 90 million euros (76.5 million pounds) in the plant currently produces the Corsa three-door body. This plant will take over the exclusive production, while the next generation Corsa will be built at the Opel plant is in Zaragoza (Spain).
Reilly gave a press conference yesterday in the city of Eisenach and said: "This is a step in the expansion strategy of the firm." The investment of 90 million euros in the Eisenach plant will significantly strengthen its role within the European manufacturing network brand and offer customers a completely new model with innovative technology and attractive design.
The new car will make its debut in 2013 with a conventional engine family, but will be designed from the start to support other more environmentally friendly engines, including a fully electric version.


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"We both face challenges of domestic protectionism and questions about the merits of trade and globalization. There is a growing skepticism in each country about the others' intentions. Unfortunately, in America this is manifesting itself as anti-China sentiment as China becomes a symbol of the real and imagined downside of global competition. That argument is fueled by the evidence of persistent trade and financial imbalances. China has its own opposition, with its own set of arguments. The purpose of this on-going dialogue is to have candid discussions and find ways to ease, rather than increase, these tensions.
A look back demonstrates, of course, that increasing our ties has benefited both our people. China's presence in the global economy has raised living standards in China and fueled growth around the world. Ten years ago, China was an outsider in the global marketplace; other countries set the rules and China was expected to abide by them. Now, China is a member of the WTO, a dynamic economic force and a model for other developing countries. China is able to help lead and define the rules. Neither America nor China can shrink from the role we have carved for ourselves in the world. We both must exercise leadership, in positive and productive ways. I have no doubt that our proud, strong countries can fulfill this responsibility.
The United States is supportive of a stable and prosperous China. We are not afraid of the competition. We welcome it, because competition makes us stronger. It is therefore in our interest to support China's continuing efforts to open its economy. As I have said before, our policy disagreements are not about the direction of change, but about the pace of change. Americans have many virtues ---we are a hard-working, innovative people---but we are also impatient. Even the notion of a "dialogue" may seem too passive for America's action-oriented ethic. It is up to us, over these two days and in the work that follows, to show that words are precursors to action".
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, 22nd May A. D. 2007, Opening Remarks at the 2nd Round of the Sino-American 'Strategic Economic Dialogue'. In www.treasury.gov.
"I believe that we are going to achieve results that we would not have achieved without this dialogue....I believe that we have greater co-operation than we had before we established the strategic economic dialogue".
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in Financial Times, 22nd May 2007, p. 2.
As it will be readily apparent from the title of our entry today, we are extremely skeptical, that the aforementioned 'strategic economic dialogue', between the United States and Peking, will 'achieve' anything. Anything that is, other than some additional hot air. Perhaps, it might, just might, achieve what Secretary Paulson, and people of his ilk, id est, the top tier of the Financial Services industry want from the PRC at the moment: liberalizing and opening up, China's Financial Services industry. Aside from that, as well as some noises about the PRC allowing its currency to float a bit higher vis-`a-vis the dollar, and other currencies, there is nothing in these talks which will have any concrete impact on the massive trade deficit that the United States runs with the PRC. Last year to the tune of over Two Hundred & Thirty Billion dollars (see: www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance). An increase of two and half times in less than five years. In the same time frame, China has grown a massive current account surplus, of upwards of 1.3 Trillion Dollars, the greatest in the world. Judging from the expenditure of mere talk, correlated to the Sino-American trade deficit, it would appear that the more American officialdom 'talks' about the problem, the greater the problem becomes...Or at least that is what the available statistics say.
In essence, the whole purpose of the 'dialogue', is to give the appearance the Bush regime, like its predecessors, is 'doing something' or better yet, appearing to be doing something about the problem. When in fact, a 'do nothing'policy is in fact, the real, bipartisan, Republican and Democratic, position on dealing with the PRC, as a trading partner. Why? Simply put, the interests which support open access to American markets by the PRC (or other countries for that matter), are for good or for ill, are, have been and will be in ascendancy in the American polity: urbanized, post-enlightenment, liberal bourgeois cosmopolitan elites. Of which Secretary Paulson, the ex-President of Goldman Sachs, is the exemplar, par excellence. For such individuals, there are no 'downsides' to the ongoing Chinese trade penetration of the American (and other) markets. The time is no doubt well past, when a severe clampdown on the flood of cheap, Chinese goods to the American market was possible. In any case, for a better look at the Sino-American economic talks going on in Washington, we urge that you take a look at the following excerpts from an article by the American online journal, Stratfor.com (www.stratfor.com). As per the above, the article quite clearly shows that the Bush administration, like the Clinton Administration before it, is in fact not at all inclined to push any coercive levers vis`-a-vis Peking, in order to obtain concessions on the trade front. With essentially any noises being made for the purpose of attempting to show the American Congress, that 'something' positive is being done to resolve the problem. When in fact, no such thing ever occurs....As for the other key aspect of the article, one which we find to be a dangerous idea and notion indeed. That the United States should align itself with the PRC in order to 'balance off' a resurgent Russia. We find this to be nonsensical. By definition, the United States and Russia, both repositories (albeit in quite differing fashions) of Western and indeed European civilization and culture, should be naturally much more aligned than either with the Asiatic PRC. Unfortunately, our neo-conservative ideologues, in or out of power, see Russia's (relative) resurgence as a cause for concern, rather than one for hope. On that note, we encourage you to peruse Mr. Baker's article for its undoubted insights into the ongoing, charade of the Sino-American 'economic dialogue':
China, U.S.: The Strategic Economic Dialogue as a Tool for Managing Relations
By Rodger Baker
"Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi is in Washington to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson for the second of the planned biannual Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) sessions between the two countries. The dialogue brings together representatives of numerous ministries on both sides of the Pacific, covering finance, labor, trade, agriculture and the environment, among others. As the talks get under way, business and media attention is focused almost exclusively on two main issues: the Chinese-U.S. trade imbalance and China's undervaluing of the yuan.
The dialogue, however, is designed to integrate a much broader array of issues between Beijing and Washington, moving beyond trade to the larger matter of how the world's only remaining superpower deals with the rapid emergence of China on the international economic and political scene. For Washington, the dialogue is a tool to manage China's international relations as much as China's economic development. And for Beijing, the dialogue represents an attempt to shape relations with the United States in terms of economic cooperation, rather than strategic competition.
The economic framework for discussions seems to appeal to both Washington and Beijing, and the current dialogue, then, serves as a convenient tool for managing relations that sit on a much broader geopolitical framework. Still in its early stages, the SED reflects a changing dynamic in the management of U.S.-Chinese relations. From Beijing's perspective, the SED is a way to focus on the potential positive elements of U.S.-Chinese ties -- business and trade -- and reduce attention on questions of the "China threat" and the emergence of China as a military competitor to the United States.
The SED serves, in Beijing's mind, as one way of using the U.S. administration as a balance to the U.S. Congress. If the administration is looking at the broader strategic issues posed by China's global emergence, then it will be less likely to accede to congressional politicking on the China issue -- or so Beijing hopes. China sees the U.S. Congress as "unsophisticated" on China issues, and Capitol Hill as a place where short-term political interests, based to a large degree on electioneering and campaign contributions, drive periodic spurts of anti-Chinese rhetoric. However, during the past two decades, Beijing itself has grown a little more sophisticated in its understanding of U.S. politics, and has moved past dealing primarily with image management at the presidential and ministerial level to trying to shape U.S. political views from the ground up.
With the rapid rise of the Chinese economy in the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis and Beijing's entry into the World Trade Organization, China looked to both protect its growing economic connections and expand its international influence in the post-Cold War environment. With the Soviet Union gone and Europe failing to rise as a counterbalance to the United States, China set its sights on Washington as the biggest challenge to Chinese power -- and yet the best economic path to Chinese growth. Washington was headed for a presidential change, Beijing was dealing with increasing U.S. warnings of the China threat and the Chinese government was looking at its own upcoming leadership transition and the internal battle over best economic policies and security posture. For each of these issues, managing relations with the United States became the critical common factor....
And Beijing is seeing a payoff, at least on the surface. When the current administration took power, relations with Washington were contentious to say the least. U.S. President George W. Bush came into office with a Cabinet that viewed China as the next strategic threat now that the Soviet Union was relegated to history. China's economic rise, and its military expansion that focused on new missiles and naval technology, was seen as a challenge to U.S. dominance of the seas, and thus to U.S. core national security. Now, the administration is pursuing strategic dialogue and cooperation with China, even if this is just a stopgap measure until Washington can free itself from Iraq.
In 2001, after the 9/11 attacks, Washington and Beijing came to a working arrangement. The United States would essentially leave China alone, and China would not present any direct challenge to the United States as Washington dealt with what it saw as a new strategic threat: al Qaeda and international Islamist militancy. Beijing welcomed the reprieve from the more contentious relations with Washington, which had declined precipitously following the collision that left a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft on a military runway in southern China.
At the time, Beijing was neither militarily nor politically prepared to square off against the United States. In fact, China was facing a major generational shift in leadership and needed the external buffer to allow Beijing to focus on internal issues. With the political transition completed, Beijing then shifted focus to economic and social stability -- and again used the minimal external pressure from Washington to give it breathing room while these issues took priority....
By 2005, Washington was looking at longer-term involvement in Iraq than it had planned, and then-U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick made an indirect offer to Beijing for closer potential cooperation -- offering to treat China as a global player if Beijing proved a "responsible stakeholder." The offer appealed to Beijing, and China, cautiously at first but with increasing boldness, launched into a more open dialogue with Washington, making token trades on currency issues and offering its services in "rogue" nations such as North Korea and, more recently, Sudan in order to demonstrate its "responsibility" and keep real pressure from the United states to a minimum.
While the U.S. administration, particularly the Pentagon, was not all that reassured by China's behavioral change (as seen in early 2006 with a series of reports labeling China a strategic threat and culminating in a several-minute-long tirade by a Falun Gong activist at the White House reception for Chinese President Hu Jintao), Washington, with the exception of Congress, has taken a relatively relaxed approach to China. Trade issues dominate the headlines, as does the yuan valuation, but the administration pushes for more cooperative dialogue with Beijing rather than punitive sanctions or tariffs.
On Beijing's side, shortly after the first SED meeting in December 2006, China's Foreign Ministry launched the Center for China-U.S. Relations Studies at its research institute, the China Institute for International Studies. The center is designed to bring together top Chinese scholars on U.S. issues from across a broad spectrum of China (economic, international relations, security and others) and encourage increased exchanges with counterparts in the United States -- thus managing the perception campaign from a unified center. Earlier this year, China also appointed Yang Jiechi as foreign minister, calling on Yang's years of experience in the Chinese Embassy in Washington, his work with both sides of Congress and his long-standing ties with the Bush family.
The SED, then, provides both Washington and Beijing with a more centralized (and less random) point of contact for managing bilateral relations. But management and fundamental alterations are very different things. China's trade and economic policies will not be set with Washington's concerns as the top priority. Beijing's first concern is the maintenance of Communist Party rule, followed closely by the maintenance of social stability (which allows the party to remain in power). Economics are a tool, one that must balance domestic social pressures with international concerns. Furthermore, while dialogue can provide a channel for managing relations with the United States, China is not abandoning other tools for preserving its increasing economic vulnerabilities as its trade and energy requirements are internationalized.
China's anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) test in January was a clear reminder that China still sees the United States as the top challenge to Chinese economic security. China is a land power, not a maritime power. But China's economics have grown increasingly linked to longer and longer supply lines, particularly with energy imports. As such, Beijing sees a major vulnerability in its supply routes, as a large portion of its energy must pass through waters that, for all intents and purposes, are controlled by the United States. The ASAT test was intended to notify Washington that Beijing has ways to deal with the U.S. strategic dominance of the seas by threatening critical U.S. communications and guidance infrastructure.
China's vulnerabilities as a land power increasingly dependent on sea routes makes Beijing always extremely nervous about the United States, regardless of whether Washington intends to interdict Chinese trade and energy supplies. At the same time, China's expanding trade and political links around the globe are starting to rub up against U.S. strategic interests, particularly where China taps into energy resources Washington wants, or where Beijing's relations in places like Africa and Latin America challenge U.S. access to raw materials. But economic competition notwithstanding, Washington is loath to directly confront China, as attacking a land power in Asia is never wise or easy....
There is something beyond the SED, however, that could start bringing Washington and Beijing closer together: the re-emergence of Moscow....
This could provide the impetus for a Beijing move closer to Washington -- to keep the United States focused on Russian threats rather than Chinese concerns. Beijing already has experience working with the United States to counter Russian influence, and keeping the current and former superpowers eyeing each other leaves China a less visible threat, and thus capable of continuing to deal with its own internal issues while facing minimal pressure from outside. As Beijing sees it, if a true multipolar world cannot be established any time soon, the hints of a return to a bipolar world order -- with Russia facing off against the United States -- could keep China out of the crosshairs and constrain U.S. actions. With the SED already in place, China has another pathway through which to shape its own image as cooperative, and perhaps drop a few hints of its concerns about Russia".


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Any thoughts on where to eat in Bethel/Sunday River? Am headed there in a couple of weeks as the faculty chaperone of a college ski trip. I'm taking my 8 year old, so I'm not terribly interested in find dining, but I would like someplace with a good bar and good food. I'm not much of a Budweiser and burger guy, unless the burger is amazing. I hear the local Chinese/ Korean place is good. Anyplace with a good beer selection?
Also, is there anyplace that has reliable cheap eats for my students? I suspect most are under 21.


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Are you one of the few people who still like to sit down and hand write a note instead of sending someone a quick email? I know it is one thing I love to do. Writing notes to someone has pretty much become a lost art. Not many people want to take the time now a days and sit down with a pen and a note card and write a heart felt note to someone. Today most people like to write an email and send it instantly to someone they know.
I personally love to write notes to people, also I like being on the receiving end and get hand written notes. Once you receive a note in the mail it is a wonderful feeling to know that person took the extra time out in their life to sit down, think of you and write you a little note.
Technology has become an easy way out of doing so many things. If my kids want to write to someone they send a letter. Of course they are not old enough yet to have their own email but when they are I will still have them send hand written letters.
So this all brings me to my review...
Sandy Feet makes unique and beautiful note cards that you can send to your friends and family on a special occasion or just a little note just because.
A little about Sandy Feet...
Sandy Feet Cards is a division of Sandmade Photos and is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We take messages written in the sand and turn them into one of a kind note cards. Our Christmas Cards are sure to impress your friends and family this year and our Thank You Cards are perfect for anyone who loves the beach. We also have a large selection of cards that can work for a variety of occasions. We hope that you will find something you can't live without, but just in case you do not, we can create a custom message written in the sand just for you.
Below are some of the cards that I received to review...
As you can see there are many different ones to choose from. The cards I received were 3.5x5 inch in size. A pack of 10 (with the envelopes included) on the website costs $7.50.
I am getting ready to sit down and send a note to someone very soon. Actually my husband will probably take it for me because the lady that works with him is like a mother to me. She and I always send little notes back and forth. This card is the one I have chosen to send to her...
So now for some fun. You get to win some of these beautiful and unique note cards.
I will be giving away 4 packs of Sandy Feet Valentine Cards to one lucky person.
Here is what you have to do...
Leave me a comment with your email (I will not accept any comment without an email.) or do one of the following things below for more chances to win....
Follow me on Twitter 1 entry (if you are a new follower)
Follow my blog 1 entry (if you are a new follower)
Add me on Google+ 1 entry (if you are new to adding me)
Like Mom's Point of View on Facebook 1 entry (if you are a new follower)
Like Sandy Feet Cards on Facebook 1 entry
*If you do any of these please leave it in a comment below. The contest will end Wednesday January 25th at Midnight.
*Open to US and Canada
*Note I did not get paid for this review. It is my honest opinion of the above product.


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Why don't we have this right now? Do we? Have I just missed it? If you know how to make this work please tell us all!
Getting ready for the emotional roller coaster that will be Photokina.
Why don't we have this right now? Do we? Have I just missed it? If you know how to make this work please tell us all!
33 comments:
- davethevet said...
I hear you about the ipad as a video monitor, Id love to know if that can be done.
Im wishing someone would make a digital medium format rangefinder like my Bronica rf. Yeah, ok, thats not going to happen is it.
- September 4, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Kirk, you've written a long and insightful post about the upcoming camera market but I'm going to ignore all that and comment on the photo at the top of the post. Quite simply, I adore it. The pose, the lighting, and the post processing all tickle my fancy. This is a classic poster image if I've ever seen one.
- September 4, 2012 at 10:48 AM
- Keith I. said...
I sure hope you are correct on dynamic range becoming the next competitive point. I have always loved my A900 for its killer dynamic range in the low ISOs where I tend to shoot. I am hoping the A99 continues that trend of killer DR.
- September 4, 2012 at 11:30 AM
- Wolfgang Lonien said...
I agree with Anonymous - top poster photo in here. I'd buy a ticket if I were in Austin - and if they don't have them made yet, I'd stand in a queue at their printer's shop... plus I'd buy that promo poster as well of course ;-)
- September 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM
- Vu Le, DDS said...
Kirk, I think the EVF is like Saab's or Windows Phone 7: the people who have them love them, but the rest of the world just dismisses them. (I don't own either... either)
At my local photo club, I've showed lots of great shots from Olympus' superb 45mm that looked just like it came out of a full frame 85mm. The first reaction is "what a cool little camera!" Then they put their eye to the EVF, and I always get the same disappointed reaction: "oh. It's got an electronic viewfinder." Kind of like a thirsty person's face when they take a big gulp of cola/beer and realize..."oh, it's diet" or "oh, it's LIGHT beer." I don't have ESP, but I can swear I can hear their brains going "blech!!!" Some of them even verbalize their disdain. The feeling amongst 99% of the photographers I know is that EVF's are not the next generation of viewfinder, they are a poor substitute for the "real thing", a design compromise to make the camera smaller.
The casual photographers are willing to blissfully maintain their stinky-diaper shooting posture with the point and shoots or smartphones. The vast majority of pro photographers are unwilling to give up their optical viewfinders, no matter how good EVF's get, no matter how good the shots coming out the camera are, no matter how small the new systems get. They just want their optical viewfinders, and not even something ten times better than the NEX7/A77 finder is going to change that. I think even Steve Jobs would have a hard time selling EVF's.
The second objection is the very real hassle and expense of changing lens collections, or worse, maintaining multiple lens collections. It's an f/2.8 CaNikon world, and your contrarian praises of kit zooms do not resonate with people who have spent several times that much on 24-70's and 70-200's. Perhaps we would not like to admit that our high zoot optics are much more similar than we admit at f/8.
I appreciate the earnestness with which you push the craft and its tools. I only wish more photographers were as open minded.
- September 4, 2012 at 1:13 PM
- Frank Grygier said...
All the new Windows 8 tablets will have HDMI out. Just sayin.
- September 4, 2012 at 1:50 PM
- Libby said...
I'm definitely with you on the square format. I wouldn't care if it had nothing else. Just a nice juicy square sensor, optical or EVF would not matter, and minimum nonsense on the camera - no art filters, food mode, red eye reduction etc, And video? Wouldn't need it because if the cam was dedicated square, it would just be stupid. I could shoot with a square day after day. I have hated 3:2 almost forever. I'm a 4x5 and square kind of gal.
- September 4, 2012 at 1:51 PM
- Frank Grygier said...
I do have to say that Olympus gave the user a choice of factory designed grips that enhance the handling of the OMD. Although the extra $300.00 may put off some it is an elegant solution. I cannot use an OVF any longer. Seeing the exposure information in real time is the wave of the future. If I had not acquired an OMD and the prime lens triumvirate I can say I would looking forward to Photokina for the next best thing to pre-order but I have bonded with this M43 system and I plan to stay with it for a while.
- September 4, 2012 at 2:07 PM
- kirk tuck said...
I want them to have HDMI in.
- September 4, 2012 at 2:16 PM
- Frank Grygier said...
- September 4, 2012 at 3:28 PM
- kirk tuck said...
Thank you. I hope it gets used that way.
- September 4, 2012 at 3:31 PM
- Carlo Santin said...
I think you are right about EVF's, but Canon or Nikon don't seem very interested in them at the moment, and they are still going to sell tons of cameras.
That new Fuji may just be the camera that makes me part ways with my old Nikon D50. If they fix the focus issues of the xpro-1 and bring it to market at the sub $1000 level, they will do very well.
Alas, the pull of the D600 is strong in me too. That's going to be a very hard one for me to resist. I've already got nice lenses to get me going with FF.
I actually think that the micro 4/3 format is in for a rough ride in the next 12 months. Sony, Fuji, Canon and Nikon seem to be bringing some serious toys to the party, at prices that might be the same or less than the micro 4/3 offerings.
An interesting Photokina this year for sure.
- September 4, 2012 at 3:50 PM
- Ron Nabity said...
I am one of those DSLR users who cannot wait for a nice crisp EVF in a body that is directly compatible with my lenses. No adapter. Just get rid of the mirror and its associated mechanics and focusing issues!
Also, a square sensor could include a setting to shoot a rectangular mode in vertical format, without rotating the camera 90 degrees. How cool would that be?
- September 4, 2012 at 4:08 PM
- Frank Grygier said...
M4/3 is not standing still. Panasonic will have a DSLR replacement that should put pressure on Canon from the video side of things plus it will take a while for Sony, Fuji and Canon to match the lenses that are available for M4/3. Ultimately this will be good for those with GAS.
- September 4, 2012 at 4:49 PM
- ODL Designs said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- September 4, 2012 at 5:01 PM
- ODL Designs said...
Very entertaining post. Interesting market predictions and those are always entertaining.
I was just showing a friend how a good fast lens works, so I turned the light off and shot the picture, because there were white walls I had to dial in exposure comp quickly... Of course watching all happen and choosing an exposure I was happy with, was so simple.
EVFs definitely make seeing results a bit part of picture taking.
- September 4, 2012 at 5:02 PM
- kirk tuck said...
My take is that it's all cyclical for some people. We hop from small to big and back again. The thing that gives m4/3rds a lead is the great selection of glass available...especially now that they have something cool to hang it in front of....
- September 4, 2012 at 5:32 PM
- Wally Brooks said...
Where is Mirrorless with: EVF, an ISO hot shoe, and a flash trigger for iTTL from anyone like PocketWizzard, Pixelking, Phottix??!!??
- September 4, 2012 at 7:50 PM
- kirk tuck said...
I guess you could do most of that stuff with the Olympus OMD but iTTL is only Nikon, right? Olympus has its own very good flash control system. Lots of people use it. Would you actually buy something called, "PixelKing"?
- September 4, 2012 at 8:05 PM
- Mandomoose said...
Hi Kirk. I'm a long time reader and first time commenter. Re: tethering solutions for the iPad, there is a wireless workflow using an Eye-Fi Pro wi-fi enabled SD card along with an iOS app called Shuttersnitch that works quite well. It's not exactly what you're looking for, but it might be a temporary solution.
- September 4, 2012 at 8:31 PM
- Steve J said...
Photokina will certainly be interesting, but observing the crowds of tourist in London (and most of my friends) I don't see mirroless making much of an impression yet. Anyone who does not have a P&S camera has a low-mid range DSLR, usually Canon or Nikon.
I don't think there is any complex technical reason for this. Most low end DSLRs have pretty awful viewfinders anyway so most EVFs are an improvement. I think it's just a cost issue. Low end SLRs are just pretty good value and market inertia is a very hard thing to overcome. MILC cameras are either aimed at P&S upgraders or just pretty darned pricey. On the shelf, it's actually quite hard to sell an OMD when it is placed next to a D7000 whereas the NEX7 looks kind of radical. It's a very conservative market, at least in the western hemisphere.
For me the main interest points are the D600 and X-E1 from Fuji, plus the new Fuji lenses. Again, not cheap or mainstream but both will probably do well in the enthusiast market.
- September 4, 2012 at 9:48 PM
- Michael Ferron said...
I struggled to like my OMD but am starting to get along with it. The 45 1.8 is superb. It's a well built metal camera that really delivers the goods. Image quality, including dynamic range is much improved over the other Oly efforts. Downside is the buttons are fiddly. Too many buttons.
Having said that I love my A57. (This model should be Nikon and Canon's worst nightmare for the price range.) Promised myself I'd keep only one and will be damned if I can actually make a decision.
- September 4, 2012 at 10:35 PM
- Martin Duerr said...
Have to work, or better will be able to attend, the Photokina from day one to the last day in the specialized CGI area where I have to show and tell the people all about 3D and photography. So I will see only a portion of what is going on, but in a wide range from enthusiasts to professionals.
For me it is interesting to see that photography is entering more and more "areas" that not just belong to simply take images. And I agree with Kirk that there are a lot of different groups that want different equipment from small cameras to full frame sensors, internet connectivity and so on.
- September 5, 2012 at 3:50 AM
Since the Sony R1 I've been waiting for a clockworkless all electronic exchangeable lens camera from Sony. No mechanical flapping mirror and shutter curtains to make a noise and shake the camera.
For lots of reasons Sony should be the first to produce a really well engineered implementation of that kind of camera and able to stay well ahead of the competition. I agree that it's the future, and that really good EVFs as in the A77 enable a considerable step change in how photography is done. No, I haven't got one, but my A550's LCD with live view focus check has revolutionised my focusing. With the help of your comments on the NEX7/A77 EVF I can see that it's a much bigger change in how photography can be done than I imagined, even though I'm a natural enthusiast. I look forward to far fewer trial shots, far more keepers, and much faster learning of the possibilities.
With an APS-C size sensor and approx 40MP. APS-C for the smaller cheaper and lighter format and because it should be able to manage 40MP without requiring new lenses to justify the MP. 40MP because that's a reasonable sized resolution upgrade from 10MP -- a doubling of linear resolution. Enough to give what used to be MF film image quality.
Hm. Obviously not this year. But if I accept a 36MP approx to 40MP it looks like there should be both a NEX-8? and an A78? next year to choose from. And of course it has to have a completely swivellable LCD like the R1 (and the A77).
It's been a long wait, but it looks like the end is coming into credible view...
- September 5, 2012 at 10:07 AM
"...new cameras that we just have to have."
Speak for yourself Mr. Kirk guy. I just had to consider real hard before pulling the trigger on a $50 film order. And I'll guess there are a lot more of 'us' folks than 'them' folks that check out your blog daily.
John Robison
- September 5, 2012 at 11:21 AM
The OMD is actually slightly larger than the NEX-7. In view of how much you like the NEX-7, I don't think it makes sense for you to argue that the OMD is too small. Perhaps you should consider the possibility that the NEX-7 simply has better ergonomics.
- September 5, 2012 at 10:38 PM
- kirk tuck said...
Or that it's larger in the right places and smaller everywhere else....
- September 5, 2012 at 10:42 PM
- Daryl Davis said...
+1 for the square sensor. Ooh, how about a square Foveon?
- September 5, 2012 at 11:02 PM
- theaterculture said...
I could be misunderstanding the technology, but I think an HDMI out is inherently an HDMI in. Pretty sure the standard allows both devices to control each other across the link - so all you'd have to do is jig the software of the table to tell it "act like a monitor when you receive a video signal your way" and voila...if any manufacturer were interested in offering that feature.
- September 6, 2012 at 5:32 PM
- kirk tuck said...
Daryl, You read my mind...
- September 6, 2012 at 7:12 PM
- alohadave said...
Looks like Pentax is in the same frame of mind regarding the 645D. B&H has a price reduction on it:
$8799 now.
- September 6, 2012 at 8:39 PM
- Noons said...
$50? Beginner...
I spend three times that on each ebay film order.
And use it all!
- September 8, 2012 at 2:25 AM
- Noons said...
Mind you: the new Fuji to me is a contender. The only drawback is the lack of body IS. If it's anything like the Pro-1, then the IQ will be excellent. All it really needs is for Fuji to allow third party raw image processing programs to work well with their files. No, I am NOT going to let go of my preferred raw image processing workflow just because mrFuji wants to "sell software"...
- September 8, 2012 at 2:30 AM


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We've gotten in the habit of letting Payton try even the stuff we know he won't like. I had bought some coconut water and didn't like it, passed it to Bill, and Payton demanded to have some. He took a big gulp, swallowed and made the worst face ever. The best part was the look he gave us that said, "what are you doing to me?" Later on, he came back over to the counter and I asked him if he wanted more. He replied with "No me lie dat co-co-nut waler."
Earlier that day I was eating some cabbage with a dressing of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and parsley. Payton insisted on trying it, even though I knew it would be too strong for him. I gave him a little bit of cabbage and he didn't gag on it. (He usually runs to the garbage and spits it out.) He asked for more, I gave it to him. This continued until I ran out and he still wanted more. I made another bowl and didn't discriminate on the bites that I gave him. He had to have had some straight up garlic and ate it all.
Tasha's first salad dressing was balsamic vinegar. She continues to like this, but has branched out and is always asking for the salad at Costco for lunch. Aren't kids supposed to want the pizza?
When Kyra was just getting teeth she gnawed on a red onion quite contently during a lunch I had with my mom. (Yes, she was that baby that you could take to a restaurant.) She still had onion breath when her dad came home from work that evening.
I had a juice of apple, carrot, lemon, and ginger this morning... Payton said, "oh, too spicey, mommy!" I love that kid. I also think that lemon and ginger are my non-so-secret favorite ingredients to give juice a little zing.


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This week, we had a smoking HOT blonde for you that was an amateur star by the name Kayleigh Nichole. This 19-year-old showed up very confident. Jmac was waiting for her with a hard cock. She told him a friend had recommended the fiesta. Of course, he had to ask for the passwords. Kayleigh wasted no time, lifted up her shirt, and showed off her nice and perky teen tits. She followed that up by stripping down to her thong and shaking her perfect round ass around. Kayleigh was a phat ass white girl that was a freak.
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Jmac pulled out his cock, and she got right to work sucking away on it. She took that dick deep down her throat. It was a thing of beauty watching her suck on that dick. Then Jmac went to work on that HOT teen pussy. He pounded it deep and hard, as Kayleigh's big booty bounced and rebounded all over. He never let up and made her orgasm hard as hell. Then Jmac christened Kayleigh to the adult biz with a gooey facial. He blasted that nut all over her pretty face and hot tits and called it a day. Kayleigh was a smoking amateur we won't forget about anytime soon!


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Boldly Going (and other adventures with writing and star trek)7:00 AM
Just in case I haven't flaunted my ultimate-sci-fi-geek status enough lately.
|also Data is the most flawless
14 comments
YES you nailed it with the diversity bit. Actually you nailed it with this whole post, but anyway I totally agree. I think most media right now tries too hard to be diverse and undermines its original objective by doing so.ReplyDelete
I get annoyed when something is considered "boring" just because it doesn't have constant explosions, romantic tension, and blood. Most of the best episodes of Doctor Who are the more slow paced, thoughtful ones.Replies
Exactly! I do love my deeper Doctor Who episodes, but maybe that's just me. Sigh. I'd like to see more diversity that's just...there, y'know? Which was what pleased me so much about this show. They don't make a big deal out of it.Delete
YES TO ALL OF THIS. Writing diversely is a scary topic, but I think we should all try to do that. I need to do more of that, in all honesty. It's just one of those things that need to happen.ReplyDelete
And, yes, sci-fi has SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT SOMETIMES, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH YOU *CAN* DO. Which is why my next novel is hardcore sci fi because I want to explore all of that and it needs to happen. x.xReplies
I'm planning a post totally for diversity because I've been shying away from the scary topic for a while now. xDDelete
Love Star Trek! Glad your enjoying it, and applying it to your writing.ReplyDeleteReplies
I'm a Trekkie foreverrrrr.Delete
Right now, I'm trying to lean in a bit more towards the fantasy aspect of my writing, because the largest influence is this book called, 'Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrel.' It's a really great read, and I recommend it. The book has that touch of darkness that I sometimes fall short on in my books, and I'm trying to pick up tips from it.ReplyDeleteReplies
That book is on my TBR -- I got it for Christmas and still haven't gotten around to it somehow, but my mom assures me it's awesome and she's usually right with things like that.Delete
You should totally keep doing posts like these! BECAUSE YOU LIKE IT. And because it's awesome. ;D Alsooooo I absolutely love and agree what you said about diversity. *nods* I want to write diverse people just being people. Like issue books are great and all that? But I 100% would rather pick up an adventure where people are just PEOPLE and what makes them different isn't the hugest deal. The adventure is the hugest deal.ReplyDelete
Deeper conflicts are good too. SO GOOD. Agh, all these things we writers must think about. It's hard BUT FABULOUS, TBH.
ahem. How come I always come to comment on blogs and end up shouting? Who can know. I loved this post anyway, just in case it was hard to tell. ;DReplies
Right, I just want people to be themselves, y'know? Because technically we're all diverse? *sigh*Delete
- Izzy S.March 9, 2016 at 3:07 PM
Yay to rants!ReplyDelete
What's been inspiring me, as usual, is animals. Don't ask why, but most my sci-fi and fantasy cultures are based off animal colonies. (e.g. parents never take care of their own young type thing.)
And, I just watched the LTOR movies, all the Jane Austin and the Matrix movie for the first time. Although I had to live through people freaking out and telling me to go watch them, I'm glad I didn't at a younger age, I feel like I wouldn't have understood the depth of them. Hoping those will influence my writing, but not too much.Replies
Ahhh The Matrix is such a great movie. Scared the crap out of me, but it's great. xDDelete
Yes! I love TNG. XD I think I kind of get the diversity thing, because yeah, it doesn't make a big deal about many kinds of people in different situations, but I also sort of feel like there are a lot of white people and not, like, LGBT+ people or always POC who are more than just African American. But I guess that happens on all of the TV and I should not complain. And I know that it varies from episode to episode. And I know that they do a decently good job in respecting various religions.ReplyDelete
I just have feelings and I have to deal with them. Sorry.
Your discussion on exciting things is yes! It's so fascinating about how much of the conflict stems from sticking to their ideals throughout the tough times (and sometimes breaking them and getting in trouble) and I love that. I want to do that, too.
Lovely thoughts on Star Trek, Aimee! :D
You know, I've never been much into Star Trek, although I think it's just because I was given a poor introduction to it, by the wrong people, in the wrong environments. But lately I've been thinking I want to give it another try. I've recently developed a strong love for planetary sci-fi, and I am deeply stirred by the concepts of exploration and discovery. On that basis alone, Star Trek sounds interesting now.ReplyDelete
Your post here has pushed me over the edge. I definitely want to try Star Trek again. But I know that it's a massive franchise, with lots of different TV series and movies. I don't really know where to start. O.O As a fan of the series, what would you recommend? Or is there no set way to start watching Star Trek? :)


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Pirates 2 Worse Than Walking the Plank
For some reason, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest broke a 3-day earning record. According to this WashingtonPost.com article and video clip, this sequel earned $55 million on Friday and $132 million over the Friday-Sunday opening weekend. Regrettably, I was roped into being one of the people who shelled out $10 and two hours of my life to see this film and contribute to its undeserved financial success.
This sequel lacks most of the light-hearted and humorous banter that made the first movie passably fun. The production team made the mistake of taking this film somewhat seriously and trying to subject us to a boring drawn-out story line that is more about setting up for a third money making movie than actually showing the audience a good time. The only positive in this experience for me was that I was able to watch it at a place that offered true digital projection, which made for crisp visual effects, especially during the opening stormy ocean scenes.
The novelty of the digital screening quickly wore off as the movie's unrelenting stream of
How can a bunch of people continuously fighting with swords never manage to cut anybody who wasn't made from CGI?!?! This movie's continuous action scenes did to swords what the A-Team did to automatic rifles: it made them boring, commonplace, and pointless.
Overall the film serves as an example of why I try to avoid modern era Disney movies. It fits the typical Disney model of using excessive marketing, pointless action and self-gratifying special effects to sell a film devoid of believable characters, realism and creativity. Dead Man's Chest actually has a lot of qualitative similarities to the recent Star Wars movies, so if you are still wincing at Vader's final "Noooooo!" in Revenge of the Sith then you probably should avoid this over hyped sequel.
Labels: Movies/Television, Reviews


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Annual event celebrates the cowhands that worked the famous 3 million-acre XIT Ranch. Includes nightly rodeo events, live music and dances, free chicken wing feed Thursday, free pork chops Friday, the World's Largest Free Barbecue on Saturday, a street parade, fiddler's contest, wild cow-milking contest, nickel scramble, arts and crafts show, the La Rita Theatre XIT Melodrama, queen's contest, 5K run and more.
August 4-6
F.M. 281 at Apache Drive.


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July 15, 2017 - A story circulating on Facebook claiming Alpha Natural Resources will shutdown all West Virginia mining operations is a hoax.
The story, which has been widely shared on social media, included only a few lines saying the company will close all West Virginia mining operations in an effort to preserve its operations in the Midwest.
The company put out the following statement Friday in reaction to numerous calls:
The Facebook posting that we are closing all our West Virginia mining operations is not true and we're disappointed someone would cause anxiety for our workers with this sort of activity. Over the last year, Alpha Natural Resources has divested some of our idle mining and gas assets. At that time, we reiterated our commitment to pursue sales of other non-strategic assets as part of our overall business plan. However, we also have plans to continue growing the operating areas of the company, as evidenced by the major capital projects underway at Road Fork and Marfork. Recent market improvements and sales have increased demand for our coals and we are on track to sell approximately 14 million tons of coal and have revenues in excess of $1 billion this year.
When there is news about the company, we will share that through official company news releases like we always have.


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JACKSONVILLE,N.C. — JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- When Harvey Gantt strode up for a reception at a local motel here the other day, the cluster of newsmen outside was nearly as large as the group of supporters waiting inside.
Reporters are being drawn to North Carolina by the most
irresistible story line of this election year:
the possibility that Jesse Helms, the most conservative member of the Senate, an old bull of the Old South who resisted the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, might be retired by Mr. Gantt, a product of the New South, a former two-term mayor of Charlotte who happens to be black.
For months, the candidates have remained locked in a dead heat, according to numerous polls. Those numbers have surprised and delighted Democrats. And even Republican campaign officials in Washington claim that Mr. Helms, unable to ride a popular Republican president's coattails as he did in his 1984 re-election, could well lose this time.


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GSY REVIEW | X360, PS3, PC Wednesday, January 22, 2014 | 9:37 PM
We reviewed AC Liberation HD
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- Assassin's Creed Liberation HD
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Racial and Ethnic Differences in Blood Pressure
Biology and Sociology
In the last few years, much attention has been given to racial and ethnic differences in health measures. Not surprisingly, much of the work in this area is being done in the United States. Not only does our unique racial and ethnic diversity offer opportunities for study, but the social and political issues related to this diversity have driven a need to understand the disparities in health related to these differences.
Article p 2780
These racial and ethnic differences in health measures are seen clearly in cardiovascular disease risk factors and outcomes for Americans of African descent, or African Americans (AAs), compared with those of European descent, or European Americans (EAs). Compared with EAs, AAs have higher mortality rates for most cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease and stroke. These differences are magnified at younger ages.1
Prevalence rates for key risk factors differ for AAs, with higher rates for hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, and lower rates for dyslipidemia. Additionally, the cardiovascular consequences imposed by various risk factors differ by race. Compared with hypertensive EA men and women and AA men, AA women with hypertension have a substantially greater relative risk for heart disease. Conversely, AA women have a substantially lower relative risk for diabetes mellitus than EA women.2
The disparities in cardiovascular outcome are large and significant, and the disparities in outcome have worsened in the last 2 decades.3 Appropriately, much attention is being given to understanding these differences.
For a number of years, this important area of study was hampered by a lack of interest and a lack of funding. Now that a commitment is being made in this area, other challenges of understanding the causes of these differences are becoming clearer. The science is complex.3
The challenges to understanding the science of racial differences and disparities in cardiovascular disease are substantial. Race and ethnicity are difficult to define and classify. The biology is driven by a complex set of gene/gene, environment/environment, and gene/environment interactions. Among the environmental influences are social issues that may induce stress and potentially influence multiple physiological functions. These are difficult to measure, and understanding the biological consequences is difficult. Other social issues such as access to care have less interaction with biology, but these issues drive some of the differences in outcome.
Research in this area is hampered by the small knowledge base. Most of what is known has been gained through observational studies. Moving from the knowledge gained in observations to experimental design has not been easy. This area of study does not lend itself easily to biological exploration through animal models. And, just as clinical trials exploring gender differences are challenged by design issues, trials exploring racial differences are difficult to design.
Most of what is known about racial differences in hypertension and cardiovascular disease comes from studies in adults. Understanding the root causes of vascular disease in adult patients is often complicated by the vascular changes brought on by the disease. This is especially true in studying hypertension because blood pressure patterns are often impacted by the vascular disease, which may occur as a consequence of the blood pressure abnormalities.
This has been particularly problematic in studying hypertension and vascular disease in AAs. In young adults, cardiovascular disease rates are substantially higher in AAs than in EAs. The onset of vascular changes occurs earlier, and risk factors also are seen earlier, especially obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.
The study by Wang et al4 in this issue of Circulation makes an important contribution to our understanding of racial differences in blood pressure. The authors report that the blunting of nocturnal blood pressure declines in AAs begins by age 10 years and that this blunted decline is exacerbated with age during the years of adolescence.
In addition to racial differences in prevalence rates of hypertension, differences in the blood pressure pattern demonstrated through 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring have been reported.5 Compared with EAs, AAs have higher nocturnal blood pressure and a smaller difference between daytime pressures. That is, compared with EAs, AAs have less "dip" in blood pressure at night.6 This "nondipping" status is strongly associated with higher rates of vascular disease.7
The finding that this lack of nighttime decline in blood pressure is seen in AAs at a very young age and accelerates during adolescent years is important. The authors appropriately suggest that this increased blood pressure burden may be an important cause of the excessive cardiovascular disease rates in AAs and may account for the frequent early onset of vascular disease.
Understanding this potential explanation for excessive vascular disease in AAs is important, and the opportunity to explore the causes of blood pressure differences among young AAs could be highly important in understanding how better to prevent premature onset of disease. The authors note that the lack of nocturnal dipping is not seen in groups of African descent outside the United States.8 This leads the authors to conclude that this blunting of nocturnal decline seen in AAs is not purely genetic in origin but is likely the result of a gene/environment interaction. Depending on the Guyton model of long-term blood pressure control through pressure natriuresis, they suggest that some environmental factor causes sodium retention, leading to a need for a higher nocturnal pressure to excrete the sodium load.9
The authors report some evaluation of potential causes through their analysis of environmental associations with the nondipping status. In their interpretation of the findings, the authors point to the possibility of social factors, including stress-induced sodium retention.
Among the social factors considered, the study used a tool to measure John Henryism. This scale measures active coping responses to stress. It may be surprising to some that this stress-related association with blood pressure abnormalities was present at a very young age. Importantly, the authors note that the impact of stress on blood pressure as measured by this John Henryism scale was seen in both AAs and EAs.
Understanding the relationship between stress, blood pressure, and vascular disease is complicated. The methodologies are complex and controversial. Most of the human data demonstrating a link are observational. Most experimental data that seem to support a cause-and-effect relationship are from animal models.10 In humans, it has been difficult to show long-term benefit on blood pressure with available therapies for management of stress. On the basis of the current evidence, major guidelines do not list stress as a risk factor for hypertension or cardiovascular disease, and the guidelines offer no specific recommendations for stress management as a tool for improving blood pressure.11
The other major association with nondipping status noted was that of adiposity, or body mass. The authors report a strong association with blood pressure status and body mass index (BMI), as have many other studies.
As explanations of the early blood pressure differences between AAs and EAs are explored, body weight and BMI deserve further exploration. Racial differences in BMI have been noted at an early age in other studies, and this difference is also seen in the study by Wang et al4. The mean BMI of 24.8 in AA females in the Wang et al study indicates that about half of this cohort, with an average age of 14.4 years, was overweight. Mean BMI for AAs was about 10% higher than for EAs at this early age in both males and females. This contrasts with almost identical scores for John Henryism across race.
Both BMI and blood pressure are continuous variables. The arbitrary cutoff points are necessary for clinical decision making, but they are artificial. The relationship between BMI and blood pressure is roughly linear and extends well into the lean range.12 Understanding that this relationship does not depend on adiposity, overweight, or obese status suggests that body weight may be an important cause of the early differences seen in blood pressure profiles across race. Also, the location of excess fat seems to be an important factor in determining the impact of adiposity on cardiovascular risk, with excess visceral adiposity conveying much greater risk that subcutaneous adiposity. However, the importance of these differences in contributing to racial and ethnic disparities in hypertension and cardiovascular disease is still poorly understood and should be explored further.
In the study by Wang et al,4 data on the intake and excretion of sodium and potassium were not available. Racial differences in intake and handling of sodium and potassium have been noted in other studies.13 This may be another area that might be helpful for understanding blood pressure differences at an early age.
Although there are substantial challenges in the area of racial disparities in hypertension and cardiovascular disease, there is some very good news. We have strong evidence that the treatment options available for managing hypertension have similar benefit in lowering blood pressure and in reducing cardiovascular events in EAs and AAs.14 There are subtle differences in response across race, most notably in degree of blood pressure decreases in response to individual drug classes. But, with hypertension therapy, there are very similar and impressive benefits to reduction of both heart disease and stroke in AAs and EAs.
Wang et al4 have made an important contribution to our understanding of an important and complex topic. As they note, further study of this area is warranted. Causes of early racial differences in blood pressure profile must be understood. Gene/environment interactions should be explored. Target environmental elements should include stress, body weight, and sodium and potassium intake and handling.
It is important to move forward to expand our knowledge base through further research, but it is equally important to assure appropriate treatment across race. We must take advantage of the good hypertension-management tools available to us now. Applying our current knowledge in the management of hypertension to all, regardless of race, will save many lives and go a long way toward eliminating the existing racial disparities.
The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the editors or of the American Heart Association.
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Thom T, Haase N, Rosamond W, Howard VJ, Rumsfeld J, Manolio T, Zheng ZJ, Flegal K, O'Donnell C, Kittner S, Lloyd-Jones D, Goff DC Jr, Hong Y, Adams R, Friday G, Furie K, Gorelick P, Kissela B, Marler J, Meigs J, Roger V, Sidney S, Sorlie P, Steinberger J, Wasserthiel-Smoller S, Wilson M, Wolf P, American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2006 update: a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2006; 113: e85–e151.
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Wang X, Poole JC, Treiber FA, Harshfield GA, Hanevold CD, Snieder H. Ethnic and gender differences in ambulatory blood pressure trajectories: results from a 15-year longitudinal study in youth and young adults. Circulation. 2006: 114: 2780–2787.
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Profant J, Dimsdale JE. Race and diurnal blood pressure patterns. A review and meta-analysis. Hypertension. 1999; 33: 1099–1104.
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Kikuya M, Ohkubo T, Asayama K, Metoki H, Obara T, Saito S, Hashimoto J, Totsune K, Hoshi H, Satoh H, Imai Y. Ambulatory blood pressure and 10-year risk of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular mortality: the Ohasama study. Hypertension. 2005; 45: 240–245.
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Harshfield GA, Treiber FA, Davis H, Kapuku GK. Impaired stress-induced pressure natriuresis is related to left ventricular structure in blacks. Hypertension. 2002; 39: 844–847.
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Lucini D, Di Dede G, Parati G, Pagani M. Impact of chronic psychosocial stress on autonomic cardiovascular regulation in otherwise healthy subjects. Hypertension. 2005; 46: 1201–1206.
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Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, Cushman WC, Green LA, Izzo JL Jr, Jones DW, Materson BJ, Oparil S, Wright JT Jr, Roccella EJ, Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; National High Blood Pressure Education Program Coordinating Committee. Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension. 2003; 42: 1206–1252.
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The ALLHAT Officers and Coordinators for the ALLHAT Collaborative Research Group. Major outcomes in high-risk hypertensive patients randomized to angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or calcium channel blocker vs diuretic: The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT). JAMA. 2002; 288: 2981–2997.
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Article Tools
- Racial and Ethnic Differences in Blood PressureDaniel W. Jones and John E. HallCirculation. 2006;114:2757-2759, originally published December 18, 2006https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.668731
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Monday, August 31, 2009
Explore Yourself to Enjoy the Life!
What is the most valuable knowledge of the world?
I say it is the knowledge about yourself. How much do you know about you? The journey inside you is worth as you get to know who you are in the real life. You will come across your negative points and limitations and find suitable ways to counter those limitations in order to emerge as the true winner of your life. So, why not to spend some time with yourself and asking your self about you?
Have you ever given a thought on why some people end up registering their names in the history and some people stood no where and they are lost with the pace of time? Well! People who call themselves 'successful' have better exposure of their inner powers and capabilities than people who fail to recognize who they are and what they can do during their lifetime.
Ways to Discover:
Approaching yourself is not easy. You need a flawless concentration, focus on your thoughts, observation on your emotional flow, a careful evaluation on your thinking pattern, thinking about your goals, ambition, desires and wants. Analyze why you shed tears, what makes you laugh, what you want to see and hearing what makes your heart jumps with happiness or what makes you sad.
Identify your habits and your reactions and make a note on everything to evaluate what you do make the sense or not. You can take inspirations from people who you think can justify their actions and thoughts. Interact with a network of people with varied interests; it will help you to revive your self-esteem, confidence, trust, gut feeling and whim.
Ask yourself are you comfortable with you? Once you realize your comfort level, you will be easily interact with others and share your mind freely. A defined comfort level helps you to interact with others more comfortably by giving their own comfort level. When people are comfortable with you, they tent to share their feelings and emotions more successfully. However, it is good to observe people before opening up all of a sudden. Try to understand their needs and opening level then decide what can make them happier; hence act accordingly.
Set your own challenges and work hard to perform to the best. Experience your life gradually and mature your understanding with every passing day.
Life is beautiful and you can make it more beautiful by enriching your knowledge about yourself first!
Posted by Rachana at 1:51 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Friday, August 21, 2009
Words: Simple Yet Complex, Easy Yet Difficult!
Words are the only power that you all possess. Whether you are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, child or adult, the power to use right words at the right time can definitely make you look different from the crowd. Words are the balm for anyone in pain, a tool to get instant relief for people suffering a grief, a medium to share happiness with your loved ones, a way to express your anger, sadness, dissatisfaction and eagerness, a quick method to help others when they need you, and a channel to let others know about your ideas, thoughts and opinions successfully. Hence, if you try to learn the correct usage of words, nothing is impossible for you.
How You Learn?
It is indeed a true fact that the initial teachers are family, teachers at school, people you meet and friends with whom you play and grow up. You take something from everyone and hence shape up your understanding and knowledge. This gained maturity and understanding helps you to inculcate proper words in your language to give a shape your thinking, feelings and ability to share things. Your words showcase a lot about you as a person. The usage of words reflect your aim & aspirations, thought process, creative ability, knack of innovation, and ability to present yourself as a better human being.
Isn't simple collection of words possesses magic which changes your whole state of being? A simple line "I care you," realizes you the care expressed by the speaker, "I understand you," gives the sense of affirmation that he/she is with you whatever you do at any point of time. "I love you" expresses the never ending love that you share with the speaker, and "I die for you" states your importance to the speaker for his/her survival.
So, realize and remember the effects of words. Get into the real meaning of words before uttering anything. Also, speak right words to right people, I am sure your life will definitely change forever.
Enjoy the power of words and put your best to strengthen it with each passing day!
Posted by Rachana at 4:52 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Utopia of Greed
More, more, more...the quest is endless! Many people just love collecting more; they live in the utopia of greed which has no end...
Posted by Rachana at 3:10 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Fear: Your New Life Guru
I love fear. Don't think I have lost my mind completely!
It is the best teacher you can have to understand and determine the course of entire life including the actions you take, the thoughts you develop, and the decisions you make.
Agreeing to the fact that fear is a dreadful beast that obstructs your doors of growth and prosperity; it guides you see through the darkness of your mind and soul. For instance, when I get on the top of some high-rise buildings where there is a real potential to fall or vertigo, I get to feel my nerves that challenge my fear level. I don't surrender to my fear but go forward to face it again and again.
It makes a perfect sense that if you jump into the loops of fear, you begin to explore yourself. You can overcome your dreadful feelings as fear has no involvement in your decision making process and it becomes your partner no longer an enemy.
Hence, the aim is to make a friendly relationship with your fear level and use it to lead a better life.
Posted by Rachana at 5:39 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Friday, August 14, 2009
Posted by Rachana at 4:49 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Take a Step to Growth and Freedom on This Independence Day
A View from 1947:
It was a regular day. Like everyday, the sun smiled in the East. Every leaf and flower knew something special had happened. The air was blowing differently with a touch of freshness, closeness and excitement. Birds were chirping as they wanted to share a joyous historic news which can change the future of the world. People were overwhelmed with their emotions as they sense freedom in the real sense. Some were nervous as they consider themselves responsible to shape up the future of a great nation and her people. Some were crying as they had lost all the hopes to witness such an unforgettable moment. Some were very excited and they run from lanes to lanes to tell everyone about the same. The morning came, the flag was hoisted, salutes exchanged, and India was officially recognized as an independent country.
A View from 2009:
It is a regular day. Offices, schools and other institutions are closed to commemorate the 63rd year of the country's independence. Most people are at home, lazing around, extending their sleep hours, watching televisions for no reason. "Are you excited today?" Ask anyone. They answer, "why excitement, it's just another holiday." School going children are excited as they got to wear funny dress to perform their acts in the school independence day celebration. Security personnels can be seen everyone, keeping a strict vigilance on the activities taking place on the day, as most of the cities of the country are under serious terrorist threats.
Are we enjoying our independence in the true sense? Is relaxing at home the whole day only way to mark your care for the nation?
Come out and join hands to fight ill-forces that are making the roots of the country weak. Stand up against injustice, discrimination, deteriorating moral value and killing of human rights. Then only, we can celebrate an Independence Day, the national festival of India in the real sense.
Posted by Rachana at 1:11 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: India
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Independence Day: Are We Truely Independent?
Yet another Independence Day or a day of holiday!
Most of us would be lazying around at home or enjoying watching tv to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the country's independence. But the question remains the same? Are we truly independent?
Inflation is increasing day-by-day. Even the famous daal-roti is beyond the reach of a common man. Today, the prime minister has given a hint that the burden of price rise is still out of control. So, get prepared to pay more as due to lack of rains, the prices of all essentials will be going up further.
The threat from diseases and illnesses is worse than terrorism and inflation that Indians have accepted in their life. So far, Swine Flu has claimed 2 lives and the number is expected to increase further. The terrorism activities have never reduced but have increased with the time. Now, terrorists are encouraged enough to threat to a major sports event. Isn't a shame?
Recession is taking jobs of many people. Youngsters are worried about their future and so are people who have jobs in hand. They don't know how long they will be able to serve.
Life is challenging but, we have to make adjustments to make it better.
Amidst so many problems, still smiling...Wish You a Very Happy Independence Day.
Posted by Rachana at 10:22 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: Economy, Health, Independence Day, India, Life
Friday, August 7, 2009
Swine Flu in India: Basic Information!
Like every 14-year old, she was a happy child. One day, she fell ill and got admitted to the local hospital. However, the lack of proper medical attention and inability to identify the true causes of her illness, Rida became the first victim of the deadly disease called 'the swine flu.'
Swine flu, officially known as H1N1 flue, is a kind of respiratory disease which is caused by Type A influenza viruses. The disease was initially broke out in Mexico and the United States in March and April in 2009.
The common symptoms of swine flu are very much similar to seasonal flu that include cough, fever, sore throat, body aches, runny nose, fatigue, headaches and chills. In advanced stage, patients may experience nausea, diarrhea and vomiting as well. So, far 429 deaths have been reported by swine flu. The total number of confirmed cases of H1N1 world wide is 94, 512. In India, Rida Sheikh of Pune is the first victim of this deadly disease. The total number of swine flu toll has reached to 574 of whom 470 have been discharged from hospitals. However, the number of patients has been increasing every day.
The Disease:
H1N1 is a contagious disease and usually spread from human to human through normal air contact such as sneezing and coughing of infected people. If you touch the flue infected things and then touch your mouth or nose, your chances of getting the virus are quite high.
To protect yourself from this disease, it is important to stay clean, avoid touching nose or mouth with bare hands, avoiding close contacts with infected people. Non-vegetarians are suggested to eat properly cooked meat only.
Posted by Rachana at 6:04 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: Health
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The scenario had to Dwarven Kings who wished to become the High King venture into Moria with he who returns with the most treasure given the crown. The two groups enter the Mines while the Goblins await.
My King enters Balin's Tomb.
The other King forms a line inside the tomb to fend off the attacking Goblins and the assault the Cave Troll. In the other room my Prince's group prepares to defend against another Cave Troll and Goblins.
We called the game because of time but decided that we would like to continue next week so Matt graciously said he would leave things set up and we will play again. The game was loads of fun. I hadn't played the rules in quite a few years and then only once or twice but really liked them. Dragon Rampant were the rules I was thinking of using for LOTR battles but I may have to rethink that.
Here's the link to Matt's blog with more pictures of his great terrain.


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CAMELLIA SASANQUA "YULETIDE"Camellias often bloom during the cool season, varying according to the species. Winter blooms are common, flowers appearing October-March. Blooms on camellias range from pure white to dark red, as well as yellow. Some cultivators have multi-colored or variegated flowers! Flowers can be saucer shaped single flowers or double blooms. Peony form camellias have ruffled double blossoms. Being shrub sized woody perennials, compact cultivators are suitable for ground cover, raised bed or container planting. The foliage is dark green and glossy adding evergreen interest to the garden. The shrubs are typically upright or slightly weeping in their growth habit. Camellias are native to eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia.
This camellia is planted in the back garden next to the house. This shrub has always been odd, it bloomed the first year that it was planted. Now three years later it has decided to bloom again, because I told it at the beginning of the season if it did not bloom it was gone! Yes, plants to listen........I love the red color of the flowers against the deep green leaves of the shrub. Across from it I have a double pink (tagged but I can not remember the name) that has always been a reliable bloomer since it was planted. This year it is covered in buds, it will be very pretty when it blooms out. They'll be perfect to take inside to enjoy.
USDA hardiness zone 7 to zone 9