text:
Two articles caught my eye this afternoon.
First, you'll recall that last week I warned that China's stock market was on course to repeat the pattern of 1929's Wall Street crash almost exactly. Well, CNBC agrees with me.
The Shanghai composite [index] rallied more than 60 percent from January to its mid-June high, then took a sharp turn lower, losing more than 23 percent of its value in the past 30 trading sessions. Since hitting a low of 3,507 last week, the index has bounced 13 percent. And while that volatility has some investors drawing parallels to the Nasdaq collapse in 2000, one top technician says the better analogy might be the Dow in 1929.
"We are seeing some similarities to what we had seen in the Dow where you had a very parabolic advance and then a sharp correction, followed by a relief rally and then ultimately there was a parabolic decline even further," technical analyst Craig Johnson said Friday on CNBC's "Trading Nation."
And while Johnson admits the outcome may not be exactly the same as 1929, the eerie similarities are enough to keep him away from China's stock market.
There's more at the link. The pattern is unmistakeable - and as I said this morning, although the Chinese stock exchanges are rallying right now, that's only because trading has been suspended in almost all the volatile shares. Furthermore, large investors have been prohibited from selling their shares at all. That's a rigged market if ever I saw one . . . and not a single one of its fundamental problems have yet been addressed. I don't see anything good coming out of this in the long term.
As for Greece, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard is vitriolic about the 'solution' being forced down that nation's throat. He points out that the country is being "treated like a hostile occupied state".
The cruel capitulation forced upon Greece after 31 hours on the diplomatic rack offers no conceivable way out the country's perpetual crisis. The terms are harsher by a full order of magnitude than those rejected by Greek voters in a landslide referendum a week ago, and therefore can never command democratic assent.
They must be carried through by a Greek parliament still dominated by MPs from Left and Right who loathe every line of the summit statement, the infamous SN 4070/15, and have only agreed – if they have agreed – with a knife to their throats.
EMU inspectors can veto legislation. The emasculation of the Greek parliament has been slipped into the text. All that is missing is a unit of EMU gendarmes.
Such terms are unenforceable. The creditors have sought to nail down the new memorandum by transferring €50bn of Greek assets to "an independent fund that will monetise the assets through privatisations and other means". It will be used in part to pay off debts.
This fund will be under EU "supervision". The cosmetic niceties of sovereignty will be preserved by letting the Greek authorities manage its day to day affairs. Nobody is fooled.
. . .
Nobel economist Paul Krugman says the EMU demands are "madness" on every level. "What we've learned these past couple of weeks is that being a member of the eurozone means that the creditors can destroy your economy if you step out of line. This has no bearing at all on the underlying economics of austerity," he said.
"This goes beyond harsh into pure vindictiveness, complete destruction of national sovereignty, and no hope of relief. It is, presumably, meant to be an offer Greece can't accept; but even so, it's a grotesque betrayal of everything the European project was supposed to stand for," he said.
. . .
Let there be no doubt, it was the decision by the European Central Bank to freeze ELA at €89bn two weeks ago that precipitated the final crisis and broke Syriza's will to resist. The lines of authority on this episode are blurred. Personally, I do not blame the ECB's Mario Draghi for this abuse of power. It was in essence a political decision by the Eurogroup.
But however you dress it up, the fact remains that the ECB is by its acts dictating a political settlement, and serving as the enforcement arm of the creditors rather than upholding EU treaty law.
It took a stand that further destabilised the financial system of an EMU member state that was already in grave trouble, and arguably did so in breach of its primary treaty duty to uphold financial stability. It is a watershed moment.
What we have all seen with great clarity is that the EMU creditor powers can subjugate an unruly state – provided it is small - by shutting down its banking system. We have seen too that a small country has no defences whatsoever. This is monetary power run amok.
. . .
The truth is that Greece was already bankrupt in 2010. EMU creditors refused to allow a normal debt restructuring to take place because it would have led to instant contagion to Portugal, Spain, and Italy at a time when the eurozone had no lender-of-last resort or defences.
Leaked documents from the IMF leave no doubt that the rescue was intended to save the euro and European banks, not Greece. More debt was shoveled onto the Greek taxpayers in order to buy time, both in 2010 and again in 2012, storing up the crisis that Europe faces today.
. . .
The crushed Syriza leader must sell a settlement that leaves Greece in a permanent debt trap, under neo-colonial control, and so economically fragile that it is almost guaranteed to crash into a fresh crisis in the next global downturn or European recession.
At that point, everybody will blame the Greeks again, unfairly, and we will go through yet another round of bitter negotiations, until something finally breaks this grim cycle of failure and recrimination.
The deal will leave Greece so economically fragile that it is almost guaranteed to crash into a fresh crisis in the next global downturn
For the eurozone this "deal" is the worst of all worlds. They have solved nothing.
Again, more at the link.
Economist Herbert Stein famously said, "If something cannot go on forever, it will stop." The situations in both China and Greece can't go on for even the short term, let alone 'forever'. The instability in both economies is almost out of control. I fear this is just the beginning.


text:
My father died this morning at Lutheran Medical Center at 7:30 a.m.
The new year is one week old and with the passing of Little Christmas on Saturday, he died right after the holidays officially ended.
He had been in failing health for a long time, slowly falling apart after my mother's death.
The last few months have been especially bad, as he had suffered a TIA--a kind of preliminary stroke--over the summer, followed by a real stroke in October, and then the terrible fall in his bedroom last month that caused a seizure.
He went into the hospital for the last time shortly before Christmas and never came out.
My sister and I went to see him on Saturday night. My aunt had come over to Brooklyn so we could have our annual Little Christmas celebration, but then Edith, my dad's aide, called from the hospital to say he had taken a turn for the worse.
We went down there and saw the tubes coming of his mouth, his shallow breathing. The doctors told us he was critical but stable and that the next 48 hours would be very important.
My sister called the hospital later that evening and was told he was "holding his own," whatever the hell that means. The next morning a doctor called her to say that our father was dead.
We were back there this morning to view his body. They had to unzip the plastic bag and I felt my knees buckle as I looked as his colorless face.
God, it feels like just a few weeks ago he was carrying me around on his shoulders, and now, here he is a body bag, old, withered, lifeless. What happened to the last 45 years?
"He fought for his country," I blurted," for some odd reason, "which is more than that cocksucker in the White House ever did!"
I actually gave him a salute then because I felt somebody had to. You say and do rather strange things when your grieving. I called Mary, my father's daytime aide, to tell her the news. She expressed her sympathies and tried to comfort me.
"He's with your mother now," she said. "I don't know how your mother feels about that..."
We both laughed at that one. My father could bring great joy and great pain to those he loved. It was a very strange relationship being close to him--like taking a walk through a mine field that's covered in beautiful flowers. It's really a great place to be, but tread carefully.
I'd like to think that the good parts of my father are with my mom and that the bad parts of him, the parts that caused him so much pain, have been taken away so that she'll be with the man she first fell in love with for all eternity.
My sister and I began the funeral preparations, like we did five years ago for my mother. It seems all so painfully familiar.
We start making and receiving phone calls as news of my father's death spread. My phone rang late Sunday afternoon and I thought it was a relative or friend calling to offer sympathy.
It turns out I just won 20 free tickers to some comedy club after apparently filling out some contest form. So on the day my father died, I finally win something.
After coming out of the funeral parlor, my sister got a call from some stupid sow at the Medical Examiner's Officer. It seems that since my father's death was apparently caused by a fall, they had taken his body and now we have to go to a morgue in a godawful section of Brooklyn and ID him, like an episode of Law and Order.
I'm having a hard time dealing with this since the fall happened on my watch, so to speak. My shrink, my friends and family all say it wasn't my fault, that my father was going to fall or hurt himself sooner or later. And the logical side of me knows this is true.
Still, there is this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I failed pretty seriously. And that call from the Medical Examiner only makes me feel worse.
Show Me The Way
I have this terrible emptiness inside me. It is not the same heartache and pain I felt when my mother died, but I am hurting nonetheless. With both of them gone now, I feel something very precious has been wiped away.
I was looking through the family photos tonight looking for a photo to run with this post and seeing all these happy memories from so long ago made me so sad.
So our parents bring us into this world, love us and nuture us, give us direction and comfort, and then we lose them? It doesn't seem right somehow.
Things were so complicated with my father. He was a very difficult man, to put it mildly. I wish we hadn't fought as much as we did, but there's no undoing any of that. Let's just say for now that he could have been a better father and I could have been a better son and leave it at that.
I think my father and I had our best time when I moved to Pennsylvania to work for the Pocono Record. I was so nervous, so convinced I would fail, that he would call me every morning to see how I was doing.
When I came home on the weekends, I was treated like an honored guest. And on Sunday mornings, when I had to return to Stroudsburg for the afternoon shift, my father would always guide me as I backed my car down the alleyway.
I like to think I had the driving skills to navigate down our alley by myself, but it felt good seeing him in the rearview mirror, guiding me to the street like he was bringing in jumbo jet and then pointing forward, as if to say "you're good to go."
I remember on time on Father's Day, I was driving back to Stroudsburg and I was feeling guilty--what else is new, right?
I was angry because I had this stupid job that required me to work on a Sunday. If I had been a normal person, I thought, I would be living in New York and working a normal schedule so I could spend Father's Day with my dad.
As I was crossing the Verrazano, I heard this song called "Put it There" by Paul McCartney:
Put It There If It Weighs A Ton,
That's What The Father Said To His Younger Son.
I Don't Care If It Weighs A Ton,
As Long As You And I Are Here, Put It There.
Oh, God, I just started weeping and wailing to beat the band. I guess that was the best way to love my father--from a distance, because living under the same roof could be very stressful.
So now I'm alone in the family house. I've said before that I feel like a ghost in this place and now that feeling has intensified. Tonight I threw out the Christmas tree--the one my father didn't live to see--and I was so proud of myself for taking care of this unpleasant task.
Then I turned around and saw this empty space in the living room, the heart of this house, and my blood ran cold. Another life had been snuffed out.
I know I can't live here forever. My siblings want to sell the house and it makes sense. But I'm frightened of change, I don't have the safety net that I had most of my life when I screwed up job after job, or when I became so ill with Epstein-Barr that I could barely move. I'm really on my own now. I'm an orphan.
This isn't a time for decisions. We have to take care of my father's funeral and then we'll get to the business side of death.
My advice to anyone reading this is to tell you loved ones just how much you love them as often as you can. Don't waste a minute on anger or resentment because people grow old and die faster than you ever thought possible.
And I want to say thanks to that man in the mirror for guiding me all these years. Even though you're gone, it's nice to think that you're behind me, still giving me directions, still pointing the way.
Put it there...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We hope you can join us for an afternoon of light dining and interactive learning as
Tips™ For Life Presents….
'There's A Reason For Everything'!!
An Inspirational Workshop and Book Launching Event on
Sunday, February 6, 2011
12.15 pm to 5.00 pm
Held at Le Parc Banquet & Convention Facility
(in Concord, Ontario)
If you are a believer that 'there are NO coincidences in life' … then you need to be there! Our workshop facilitator, Rita Benacquista-Stillo, (Author, Psychospiritual Counselor/Therapist), will put a tantalizing spin on why things happen to us!! Men and women are welcome, a light luncheon will be served, and the event supports the Mosaic Interfaith 'Out of the Cold' Charity---a central organization that coordinates the 'out-of-the-cold' shelters for the homeless people in York Region.
Tickets are currently selling for $35 +HST until February 2nd—regular price, after February 2nd, will be $53 +HST.
We welcome all men and women to come out, meet the author and have her personally sign a copy. The book is an amazing story of strength, courage, and disclosure of the life of a woman who has changed the world in so many ways by sharing her innermost secrets with us. Rita reveals all…and holds nothing back in the hope that the readers will listen to her story and learn how to deal with relationships before it is too late. She certainly takes and illustrates the Gifts of Responsibility that we all have and need to take ownership of. Feelings of awe, sadness, and awareness overpower the reader as she guides us through her personal journey and fills the pages with self-help advice, tips, and real-life examples. In this interactive workshop, the author will use her innate and professional Psychotherapist skills to educate us on 'how-to' deal with different personality types in order to avoid 'dis-ease' and achieve balance in life.
Remain abundantly blessed,


text:
Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch . The term is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch. While common in the United States and Canada, according to Punch magazine, the term was introduced in Britain around 1896 by Hunter's Weekly, then becoming student slang. Other sources claim that the term was invented by New York Morning Sun reporter Frank Ward O'Malley based on the typical mid-day eating habits of a newspaper reporter.
A meal is not usually considered brunch if it is started before 10 am; such meals would still be considered breakfast. Typically brunch is had at between 11 am and 1 pm, close to lunch time but still before. Brunch is usually eaten in the late morning. Some colleges and hostels serve brunch, especially on Sundays and holidays. Such brunches are often serve-yourself buffets, but menu-ordered meals may be available instead of, or with, the buffet. The meal usually involves standard breakfast foods such as eggs, sausages,bacon, ham, fruits, pastries, pancakes, and the like. However, it can include almost any other type of food served throughout the day. Buffets may have quiche, large roasts of meat or poultry, cold seafood like shrimp and smoked fish, salads, soups, vegetable dishes, many types of breadstuffs, and desserts of all sorts. Mimosas, Ramos gin fizzes, brandy milk punches, Bellinis, and Bloody Marys are popular brunch cocktails. Often, however, the term brunch is headed more towards breakfast than lunch.
The dim sum brunch is a popular meal in Chinese restaurants worldwide. It consists of a wide variety of stuffed bao (buns), dumplings, and other savory or sweet food items which have been steamed, deep-fried, or baked. Customers select small portions from passing carts, as the kitchen continuously produces and sends out more freshly prepared dishes. Dim sum is usually eaten as a mid-morning, midday, or mid-afternoon teatime.
READ ALSO : Chinese Table Manners


text:
Made of bamboo.
Keep product dry, dampness will result in mould. Keep in well ventilated area. Clean with a soft, dry cloth.
© WEYLANDTS. All rights reserved.
Please confirm retail prices in store; prices are subject to change without prior notice. Products subject to availability. Weylandts products are handcrafted and actual product weights and look may vary. Shipping costs are not included in the product price displayed and will be calculated separately according to weight and volume of the product. Prices provided on this website are for Australian stores only.


text:
Motorola is expected to enable full 1080p HD video recording on the its upcoming Atrix 4G Android smartphone for AT&T's HSPA+ network. The phone will launch with 720p HD video encoding capabilities, but will get upgraded to 1080p video encoding via a software update sometime in the future. Exact timing of when that software update will be released was not revealed.
In contrast, LG will be launching its Optimus 2X with the same NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset that is utilized by Motorola in the Atrix 4G with 1080p video encoding capabilities fully enabled out of the box.
Motorola's smartphone pricing for the Atrix 4G is expected to cost around $150 at select retailers through pricing leaks. AT&T so far still has not revealed pricing and specific availability for the phone.


text:
At noon in the desert a panting lizard waited for history, its elbows tense, watching the curve of a particular road as if something might happen. William Safford
During my sojourns to Arizona for the February rock and gem shows, I usually try to camp at, and explore, the numerous state and county parks that dot landscape in the metro Phoenix and Tucson areas. I have posted on several of these sites including Picacho Peak, the Superstition Mountains, the Santa Catalina Mountains and recently the travertine north of Cave Creek and Carefree.
Cave Creek is one of my favorite small towns, and by the number of motorcycles and horses on weekends, the favored town of bikers and rodeo fans. It has some great small watering holes and a plethora of interesting eating joints catering to a wide variety of tastes. I mean who could pass up a craft brew and a juicy burger at Big Earl's Greasy Eats. Cave Creek is trying to hold on to their western style and attitude while keeping down careless zoning and macmansions. Unfortunately there seems to be a big battle between wantabe developers on Black Mountain and conservationists trying to hold the line on desecration of a beautiful piece of property. Cave Creek is also home to one of my favorite magazines, True West.
Next door is Carefree, home to massive golf courses and majestic houses and merging into trendy Scottsdale on the south. The two small towns (C & C) are a contrast in development and preservation. What they both share, however, is a need to manage urban sprawl, including water resources, extending north from Phoenix and its suburbs. Cave Creek and Carefree are really the northern boundary of metro Phoenix until one migrates west toward Interstate 17 and the Anthem-New River area.
Valley of the Basin and Range south of Cave Creek/Carefree. Notice development.
The Basin and Range area from the communities south is characterized by wide valleys with intervening north-south trending fault-bounded (usually) mountain ranges--see photo. This far south in the Province the ranges are highly eroded and have contributed a huge amount of sediment to the fault-bounded (usually) valleys. In some localities the mountains have been almost completely buried by the shed sediments. The rocks in the mountains range in age from Precambrian to Cenozoic. Many of the valleys contained, at one time or another in the Cenozoic, fresh water lakes and numerous volcanoes and vents spewed out various extrusive igneous rocks (Leighty and others, 1997).
When sitting in an outdoor café in Cave Creek one cannot but help notice the massive high hill blocking the south view from town---Black Mountain. Unfortunately it seems that "money" can buy property and roads are slowly snaking up the mountain and "spoiling" the views for thousands of others. But, such is life I suppose!
· Black Mountain (from the south) with dark colored meta argillite and phyllite on the left intruded by granite exposed on the right.
The name of Black Mountain comes from the western side where very dark gray to black phyllite and meta-argillite crop out---not basalt as some people in town will tell you. The protolith, that is the original rocks, were sedimentary mudstones, siltstones and shale that were subjected to metamorphic processes like heat and pressure during their long burial and subsequent intrusion by the granitic batholith. These rocks are Early Proterozoic in age and mapped as Precambrian X (Leighty and others, 1997); however, in the current stratigraphic terminology X refers to rocks of the Paleoproterozoic with ages ranging from about 2.5 Ga to 1.6 Ga. Again, the Ga refers to billions of years before present. They dip steeply to the west (probably due to sliding off the granite) and are nicely exposed in outcrops along Cave Creek Road heading into town.
West dipping metasedimentary rocks near Black Mountain.
The east side of the Mountain exposes coarse-grained granite of Middle Proterozoic age, mapped as Precambrian Y. Today these rocks would be termed Mesoproterozoic with an age range of approximately 1.6 Ga to 1.0 Ga. The granite is actually part of a large batholith that extends in the subsurface to the south but reappears in other localities such as the famous Phoenix landmark, Camelback Mountain.
Coarse grained Mesoproterozoic granite.
There is a large granite pediment to the east of the Mountain where the rock is easily erodible into grus, that is pebble and pea size hunks of eroded granite. (Leighty and others, 1997). But, there are some really great hills of rounded granite boulders sticking up through the eroded pediment.
Boulder inselbergs, Mesoproterozoic granite.
I have tromped through the area around Cave Creek and noticed numerous mining "holes," pits, and tailing piles; however, the early prospectors were not overly successful. Apparently they were looking for gold or copper (some green coatings on rocks) and some areas did give up minerals. The Phoenix and Maricopa mines directly north of Cave Creek produced about 17,000 ounces of gold, and actually supported a 100 stamp mill and cyanide leaching operation (Wilson, 1934). On Black Mountain itself the Mormon Girl Mine was a lode gold mine and out near the Cave Creek Campground the Go John Mine was an active lode operation. I even tried panning for placer gold in some of the stream beds where I could locate a little water after a rain; however, bending over a pan is tough on the ole back when the flakes are absent! The only evidence of mineralization that I have observed were some outcrops where the Precambrian X rocks are composed of specular hematite. I don't believe that area rocks were ever mined for iron.
Entrance to Clay Mine at Cave Creek Regional Park.
I suppose the most successful mine in the area is located west of town in the Cave Creek Regional Park operated by Maricopa County. A hundred yards or so from the campground is the remnant of the Clay Mine. As with most early prospectors, the guy (I presume guy) was searching for gold along a clay/talc zone in the dipping Precambrian X rocks. My initial examination and statement (to myself) was something like "why in the world would he dig here, I see absolutely no indication of mineralization." I guess that was a correct assumption in that the mine did not produce gold. But, it did produce wealth for a later owner by the name of Leila P. Irish. Ms. Irish decided to mine the clay, mix it with water and then sell the concoction as a miracle elixir, something that would cure any and all ailments. According to the local historians, Ms. Irish became quite wealthy, an innovative snake oil saleswomen. I tried it out with my own mixture and just about upchucked! Whatever, it takes to make money, I guess.
Leighty, R.S., S.J. Shotnicki and P.A.Pearthree, 1997, Geologic Map of the Cave Creek Quadrangle, Maricopa County, Arizona: Arizona Geological Survey OFR-97-01.
Wilson, E,D., J.B. Cunningham and G.M. Butler, 1934, Arizona Lode Gold Mines and Gold Mining: Arizona Bureau of Mines Bulletin 137.


text:
Besan Laddu - Step by step Images
Add Ghee and besan into a pan. The consistency will be thick, but keep stirring. Within 10 minutes, mixture will become thin in consistency....
Within 10 minutes, mixture will become thin in consistency. Keep stirring over medium low heat.
After 40 minutes, besan will get cook well. You will sense nice aroma. Color of mixture will change slightly to reddish. Consistency will be more thin.
After 40-45 minutes,turn off the heat. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp milk.
Stir 2-3 times. Mixture will become little fussy, you will see lot of bubbles.
Within few seconds mixture will become thick.
After mixture become lukewarm, add sugar and cardamom powder. You can add nuts along with sugar and cardamom.
Mix and make laddus. Happy Diwali
Back to Besan Ladu Recipe in Marathi / English
Click here for Diwali Festival Faral | दिवाळी फराळाच्या इतर पाककृतींसाठी इथे क्लिक करा


text:
I saw a Raven this morning. He was definitely a Raven, not a large and saucy Crow. He flew down from the roof of the Robin's Donut shop, landed about 3 or 4 metres away from me as we crossed the parking lot and barked loudly. (Raven barked, not me.) I greeted him warmly. Raven took exception when I moved beyond the boundaries he had set and flew away. The encounter lasted no more than a minute, but it made my day.
Raven is trickster, holder of knowledge and wisdom, respected (and sometimes feared) by many peoples. Here is a brief excerpt from Spirits of the West Coast Art Gallery about Raven: (Click here for more information on Raven from this site.)
After that meeting, I continued on with my day. As I wandered about, exploring this and that store, I came across a treasure, Barbara Walker's The Crone. If you're a knitter, you'll know that name: Ms. Walker wrote the bibles of knitting stitch patterns. Her Treasuries, along with her many other works on knitting, are considered the go-to resources for generations of knitters. What's not so well known about Ms. Walker is that, when she believed she had completed her work on knitting, she moved on to exploring many other subjects, such as Tarot and mythology. Most notably, she wrote about women, feminism, mythology, aging and power. The Crone, which was written in 1985, explores the power of the aging female. I've never seen a copy (although it's still available to order), so when I found it today, especially after I had seen Raven, it seemed like a sign. I bought it-the poor woman in the store got an earful about the importance and history of the book and Ms. Walker, whether she wanted it or not. Ms. Walker speaks of seven types of Crone, from the Lost Crone, through to the Wise Crone and finally, the Future Crone. There is much food for thought here and the words seem timely, not simply because I am in the Crone stage of my life, but also because one chapter of my life is coming to a close and I am seeking more new beginnings.
The RavenThe Native Symbol or Totem Raven: Mischievous and curious the Raven is the cultural focus of the Native Northwest Coast People. He symbolizes creation, knowledge, prestige as well as the complexity of nature and the subtlety of truth. He also symbolizes the unknown and is there to show that every person sees the world in a different way as another. The Raven was often called upon to clarify truths in visions, as the wise elders knew that what the eye sees is not always the truth. Many of the original peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast refer to him as a god, and it is believed by some that messages from the creator or the cosmos are buried in the wings of the Raven only to be released to the families most deserving of his knowledge. The Raven is a long distance healer and is known as the "keeper of secrets," he helps us in our lives by exposing the truth of kept secrets that could potentially harm us, in doing so he helps us back to good health. The Raven was only ever feared if misused. Besides being a member of many different clans, every descendant from the Northwest Coast First Nations belongs to either a Raven or Eagle Clan. The membership was always defined by which clans the mother belonged to.
Ms. Walker, still alive and by all reports still going strong, auctioned off many of her knitting samples last year. I was fortunate to purchase one of her pieces. It's a simple, seed stitch vest in black wool. Unlike Ms. Walker's flashier work, it didn't attract much attention, but it called to me. The vest seems just as it was described: plain, black, short and wide, with a bit of waist shaping. It came with a Certificate of Authenticity and a tag signed by Ms. Walker. Like Raven, this black vest is deceptively simple, yet potentially powerful. Her power doesn't lie in her existence or her maker. Her power, like Raven's, emanates from the symbolism we attach to her. For me, this vest is about possibilities, about the creative mind and the open heart required to move from one life to another. For me, this vest is the equivalent of Leonard Nimoy's used napkin that Penny gave to Sheldon as a Christmas gift several seasons ago on The Big Bang Theory. I don't think I'll clone Ms. Walker, though. In fact, I don't think the vest will live at my house for long. She will stay only until the time comes for her to move on and then she'll find a new perch.
I don't know what Raven came to tell me today. I don't know why I had to acquire Ms. Walker's vest or her book on crones. I only know that these things happen and will continue to happen and that, if I practise allowing my mind to settle and my heart to open, I will learn those lessons I am given to learn.


text:
Somehow, I think what follows is also relevant to understanding our offendedness in an age without much of a sacralized social order, i.e. an age of relatively free job, residential, and status markets where people fear no one knows his place, or where ordinary human respect for (un)acknowledged differences is lacking. And so instead of the formal offensiveness of past eras where signs of disrespect of rank and status were clear, along with the penalties for such offenses, we witness a not uncommon unwillingness to live in freedom, and hence a confused, hysterical offendedness, sign of an age that is perhaps clamoring for some way back to some kind of resacralized order (via Diana West):
As Paul Belien writes, in response to the monetary crisis racking Europe, and to Obama's snub of the latest EUtopia leaders' festival:
Messrs. Van Rompuy, Barroso and Zapatero all want to be the first to shake Mr. Obama's hand and receive the deep bow which the American President is in the habit of making to foreign leaders. Because of the embarrassing intra-European squabble about who should have the honor, Obama has declined the invitation until the Europeans have figured out which of them is the most important.In an age of "multiculti" bureaucratic empires, one is ultimately offended by a lack of self-rule, even if one no longer wants the responsibilities and hardships of self-rule and just wishes a safe sinecure and pension be granted from on high, as befits one's offended status. Alas, I fear most will continue to be offended by imperial reality.
Obama's decision has come as an unexpected blow to the European leadership. It has upset them so much that they are considering postponing the summit to the autumn. Meanwhile, they have begun quarreling about who is to blame for the present debacle. The Europeans generally agree that the vainglorious Zapatero is mostly to blame, but others are damaged more. "The Spanish have made a mess of the summit but Van Rompuy and the post-Lisbon EU institutions will carry the can in the long term. The squabbling has damaged the EU in the eyes of the most powerful nation in the world," a senior EU official said.
Although Obama's snub hurts Europe's pride, the euro's monetary problems are far more serious. They not only affect Europe's finances and economy, but may also tear down the political EU framework. When the European Commission placed Athens under EU supervision last week, Greece was almost bankrupt. Brussels has forced the Greek government to present a plan to drastically reduce its budget deficit from 13% to 3% by the end of 2012. The plan will cost the Greeks blood, sweat and tears. It includes a freeze on civil service wages and the postponement of the retirement age. Brussels has invoked new EU powers under Article 121 of the Lisbon Treaty, which allow it to reshape the structure of Greece's pensions, healthcare, labor market and private commerce.
"The envisaged correction of the deficit is feasible but subject to risks," says EU Commission President Barroso – an understatement. The Commission fears a backlash from the Greek unions, who might organize strikes and bring down the Greek government. Trade unions in other countries are nervous, too. They warn that it is unacceptable that the European Commission intervenes in setting national wages.
The EU's Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia declared that the Greek targets will be enforced strongly and that, if necessary, even more draconian measures will be taken. "Every time we see or perceive slippages, we will ask for additional measures to correct these slippages. Never before have we established so detailed and tough a system of surveillance," Almunia said. He has demanded quarterly updates on progress towards reduction targets, as well as a first report on 16 March. "This is the first time," he said, "we have established such an intense and quasi-permanent system of monitoring."
As Belien has been writing, we will soon have the chance to learn whether it is possible to bind people politically by first binding them to a common monetary policy. The EU project aims to force further political integration by first making the member nations conform to the demands of a common currency and monetary policy whose pricing of currency/debt serves some nations and regions better than others. But where there is not the common political will, can a common currency and policy detached from national self-rule succeed? There is some reason to doubt it. Anthropologically, the political unit, and not the economic one, comes first: a political binding must be prior to any reasonably peaceful economic distribution; the latter depends for its ethical license on the former. But this is not to forget that maybe the Greeks, Spanish, Portuguese, etc. have largely given up on the values of national self-rule and will be dragged, with only a little kicking and screaming, into a new imperial political order by their EU "brothers and sisters". The little ones' acceptance of harsh economic terms will be the sign of their political surrender to Brussels. And that will offend me. Tough!


text:
Tips to help your child learn math:
Be positive about math!
- Let your child know that everyone can learn math.
- Let your child know that you think math is important and fun.
- Point out the ways in which different family members use math in their jobs.
- Be positive about your own math abilities. Try to avoid saying "I was never good at math" or "I never liked math".
- Encourage your child to be persistent if a problem seems difficult.
- Praise your child when he or she makes an effort, and share in the excitement when he or she solves a problem or understands something for the first time.
To try at home:
We find patterns in nature, art, music, and literature. We also find them in numbers. Patterns are at the very heart of math. The ability to recognize patterns helps us to make predictions based on our observations. Understanding patterns helps prepare children for the study of algebra in later grades.
- Look for patterns in storybooks and songs. Many children's books and songs repeat lines or passages in predictable ways, allowing children to recognize and predict the patterns.


text:
Outfit details
Shirt- Sears
Shorts- Altered vintage pants
Cardigan- Old Navy
Necklace- Vintage
Shoes- Route 66 via Savers
I visited my old elementary school with my mom to help update the paint colors inside. Going there and walking the halls, seeing my elementary teachers brought back so many memories. I remember thinking that the cafeteria was so big but since I am taller and older it does not seem as big as in my memory and the bathroom counters seem so short. My kindergarten year was spent in another building on the opposite side of town. Once I moved up into 1st grade the school had changed locations and changed their name. In the paper a couple of weeks ago, the school had over 100 graduates. Over the years I have watched the school change, they now have a new gym built ( When I was young they had a big white temporary dome building for the gym ) , there were covered walkways, the plants were more mature, etc. Even though I have not been to a traditional school since third grace ( I am homeschooled ) , I have had so many opportunities to do other things that I would not be able to do if I was still in traditional school. Such as really being able to focuse on my music ( Piano, Dulcimer ) , and having the time to do creative art, and sewing for a local ballet studio. People ask me if I miss not being in school, I can honestly say " No " because I can do lots of things and gain more life skills than I would have been able to if I was in a school setting.
I am linking to


text:
"I would prefer to live in a society where police normally work unarmed," said Johannes Knutsson, a professor of police research at the Norwegian Police University College. "It is a very forceful and symbolic sign to the citizens that this is a peaceful society." - NY Times, 7/25/2011
Le Sigh.
I'd prefer to live in a society where chocolate cake didn't have calories, where every cute young thing found me irresistibly attractive, where disease/accident/age did not impinge upon our lives....
BUT WAIT...those things aren't possible! (Or at least pretty darned unlikely, and should they occur, likely to come with all kinds of interesting consequences).
An unarmed police force has consequences, with the only real variables being the speed and frequency with which those variables pop up.
A society sends police officers, whether as enforcers of societal norms or as officers of the peace, into tense situations where they must deal with persons of varying rationality and ethical considerations that are frequently untroubled by the niceties of legal concerns...i.e., the criminals and the crazy.
They deal with the general public as well, but just as firemen spend most of their time training for and responding to fire and rescue activities, police officers spend most of their time interacting with the naughty among us. And the naughty are not known for their religious adherence to the rules of engagement.
A well-screened and well-trained officer, equipped with a reliable firearm, is able to deal with a far broader range of issues and adventures than an officer equipped with merely a smile and a good line of patter.
It's 5-6lbs of "what if" carried around on a daily basis that, like a fire extinguisher, make the difference between a bad situation and a horrible situation. Between a dead/injured officer or innocent member of the public, and a live/uninjured one.
So when I see an allegedly educated sort wandering about prating the wonders of an unarmed society with an unarmed police department, it makes my head hurt - for verily, the nimrod celebrates the joys of humans as wolves hypnotized into sheephood in a world with no shortage of wolves - with the occasional "didn't take", and emasculated sheep dogs incapable of swift defense.
In such a society, with such a police department, all that is left for the citizens is to wait while the bodies pile up as the rare "designated users of force" are contacted and eventually show up. Conversely, an armed police department and armed citizenry severely inhibits the ability of an armed crazy to take out large numbers of individuals through the use of firearms - as every law-abiding armed citizen and police officer carries with them the ability to communicate "stop that" with great authority.
"But facing a man carrying multiple guns and ample ammunition, there was little he could do. " says the NY Times of the single police officer present at the site of the Norwegian tragedy, regarding the suggestion that if that police officer had been armed he could have intervened, and brought the horror to a screeching halt.
That, my friends, is fatuous bullshit indicative of vast media ignorance. A single person, armed with a single-shot derringer *might* have brought such horror to a halt. A police officer with brains, a wee bit of luck, training and a standard service pistol...would have rather better odds, particularly if not wearing some sort of "shoot me first" indicator (say, a uniform).
It's not the number of firearms or the quantity of ammunition in most cases. It's the skillset, the equipment, and the courage of the officer that can save the day.
A boojum with 4 rifles and 6 pistols and 250 rounds for each just has more crap to haul around - s/he can only fire one at a time effectively, will need to reload, and weight is not the friend of your average boojum...hauling all that mass about slows a person down and makes them more vulnerable, not less.
The NY Times, apparently, needs to send it's reportorial staff to some kind of "how not to appear a biased and blithering idiot while reporting on firearms" (or "reality 101") course. Grrr.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
4 comments:
- MadRocketScientist said...
On the flip side, a cop without a gun on his hip is a lot less likely to shoot first and establish guilt later.
- July 26, 2011 at 12:14 PM
I'd much rather have all the citizens armed than all the cops.
- July 26, 2011 at 1:11 PM
- Old NFO said...
Professor=lack of reality...
- July 26, 2011 at 4:02 PM
- Mike W. said...
A society like that is at the mercy of those who first decide to commit predatory violence. It puts everyone at the mercy of society's most ruthless thugs.
Funny how the ivory tower elites fail to grasp such basic human concepts. Their utopia will never exist because evil people will always exist and prey upon others.
I too would love to live somewhere where no man violently attacks another. Wanting that to be so doesn't change the fact that no such place exists.
- July 27, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
|Where are all the customer's cars? Probably at McDonalds. By the time this pic was taken eateries like McDonalds were heavy competition for Mels and similar restaurants. Circa early-1970s.
Welcome back to Kip Pullman's American Graffiti Blog where we get the truth on all things Graffiti related. Contributing writer, Charlie Lecach recently sent me a newly acquired newspaper picture of the first Mel's drive-in right before it was demolished. This inspired me to make another attempt to put to rest an often printed historical inaccuracy. This one in particular is, of course, about The Mels Drive-in featured in the 1973 classic, American Graffiti. Let's discuss the lie first, then we'll clarify with the truth afterwords. The popular fabrication goes something like this: The Mels drive-in featured in the film had been closed down for some time and was about to be demolished in 1972 but was reopened briefly just for the production of the film and then razed by the time the movie hit the theaters. Pardon my language but, BULLSHIT! This folklore has been repeated so many times as though it were a well-established fact. I believe Michael Karl Witzel's popular 1994 book, The American Drive-in is partly to blame and may possibly be the original source from which this rumor is based. In it, he says,
"As colorful marquees were scheduled for removal, it appeared to many local enthusiasts that Mel's success story was about to end. [sic] The original Mels burger spot came to [Director, George Lucas's] attention and was leased prior to its demolition. Crews descended on the site and soon it was lights...camera...action...all over again. Mels was back in business, immortalized in 35mm."
In the author's defense, he may have been speaking metaphorically about the ending of an era, blah, blah, blah. The whole thing has a nice poetic ring to it. The problem is however, that many have taken these words literally and rephrased them and turned them into "fact." Do a quick Google or BING web engine search and you'll find similar statements all over the web. Even the Mels Drive-in website has quoted Witzel's book in their history section. Oy Vey! However, recently I've been working with Steven Weiss the owner of Mels Drive-in to correct these errors as they revise their website.Then Witzel erroneously states,
"As the bulldozers razed the last remnants of the historic drive-in and trucks carted off the debris, American Graffiti opened in theaters."
|The restaurant shines beautifully at night in American Graffiti.
|Donna Wehr c. 1972
|Mackenzie Phillips on-location in the Mels' parking lot c. July 1972
The, now legendary, eatery first opened it's doors for business on December 23, 1947 and remained open and standing for almost 29 years before it was finally demolished sometime in the Fall of 1976. In other words, The Mels drive-in featured in Graffiti was not razed until four years after filming was complete and three years after the film was first released in theaters. It was not demolished right after filming took place. Ya know, it's amazing the way historical trivialities such as these can get distorted. If historians can't even get small details like these right, it kind of makes you wonder about the reporting accuracy of big things like the United States astronauts going to the moon. Who knows, maybe the Apollo missions were really just weekend benders in Las Vegas and the pictures of the landing were manufactured by Stanley Kubrick.
Oh, I almost forgot, I mentioned the photo of Mels that Mr. Lecach shared with me at the beginning of the post which inspired me to write this...well, here it is:
|And here, 10 years later (1986) is the Milner coupe in the former Mels Drive-in parking lot
|Matchbook cover c. 1972
The buggy design on this book of matches also appeared on the drive-in's menus and can be spotted on the talk boxes in American Graffiti.
- American Graffiti Filming Locations (June - August, 1972). Petaluma California's Salute to American Graffiti. http://www.americangraffiti.net/movie_locations.html
- Old, Traditional Drive-in Yields to Fast-Food Site. Lawrence Journal World. Nov 17, 1976. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=slcyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KuYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5701%2C2649580
- Witzel, Michael Karl. The American Drive-In: History and Folklore of the Drive-in Restaurant in American Car Culture. Motorbooks International; 1st Edition September 1994.


text:
|The outdoor urns have been transformed with bronze branches, poinsettias and pussy willows. The wreath is made from glass bronze ornaments, birds and butterflies.
|I created this Christmas tablescape using reds, greens and silver tones to coordinate the centerpiece. Add a large ribbon for an extra hit of colour.
|I replaced a few framed pictures with a simple wreath and added a Christmas arrangement.
|I created another arrangement for the coffee table. A mirrored picture frame adds sparkle power to candles. Inexpensive Christmas balls are another simple and easy way to decorate.
|This is also a great Christmas card idea. I drew a tree and filled it in with words that came to mind when I thought about Christmas and what it meant to me. You can do the same with any shape.


text:
Derby County veteran Robbie Savage is ready to face former club Birmingham City in today's FA Cup.
Savage expects barracking from Brum's away fans - and admits regret over the manner of his departure from St Andrews.
He told The Sun: "Birmingham was brilliant for me. The stick? I can't wait. I know they won't be nice to me but I fancy us. I really do.
"My best times were at Birmingham. I was idolised. I wish it had ended better. It might be the last time I play against Birmingham. And Saturday's goal might be my last goal ever!
"I thought I was finished. There were times it looked like my legs had gone.
"But Nigel Clough has shown faith in me. He has been brilliant."


text:
Wow! Three weeks have gone by and I have not posted one thing on this blog. That's hard to believe. As I have opportunity, I'm sharing with you some of the things that I am learning as I teach a class in God's Pattern for Christian Manhood. The last post on this topic dealt with the idea that work is good. We are so used to the cultural tendency to think that free time is best and we do all we can to carve out as much as we can. But God's ideal is that we keep busy with God-honoring, profitable work.
It used to be that rather than use the word "career" for a person's job track, the word "vocation" was used. Vocation means "calling". Work was thought of as a calling of God in a man's life. Even if it wasn't "full time Christian service", it was still seen as a ministry of God's hands in the world to accomplish good on the earth. But the question often arises as to how a man is to know God's will. I would like to offer several components that need to be considered when determining God's will.
First, it's important to plan. So many men bounce around like the pinball in a pinball machine. They just react to each circumstance that comes up. Obviously there are many areas of life that are outside our control and therefore reacting is about all we can do, but there are also many areas where we can plan and the vocational decision is one of them. It is seldom God's will to sit by and wait for something to happen.
Look at the following passages from the book of Proverbs: 16:3; 16:9; 20:18; and 21:5. All of these passages stress the importance of planning. God directs our steps when a man has planned his way.
It's important to realize that God does not speak to us with a voice or emotional feelings. He speaks through His Word, through the working of His Spirit in our lives and through providence. We must plan according to the principles of Scripture and we must take hold of the opportunities that God providentially provides.
More on determining God's will next time.
Faithful Men is a blog to encourage Christian men to be faithful to their commitments to Christ, His church and their families. Welcome to any who share that goal. "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2:2
Monday, November 16, 2009
Christian Manhood - God's Calling
1 comment:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Camille Grammer Reaches Out To Kelsey In A Bid To Keep Their Kids TOGETHER!
Her superstar ex wants to split their family in two by taking custody of just one of their kids — but the Real Housewife of Beverly Hills is still trying to make peace for the sake of their young children!
Camille Grammer is convinced she can reach a custody agreement with the Frasier star that will keep son Jude and daughter Mason together. Is it too late? The couple's bitter split took a nasty twist last week when Kelsey Grammer, 56, filed for sole custody of JUST Jude, 6, proposing Mason, 9, live with her mother in Los Angeles.
Camille, 42, fired back in court with her own primary custody bid, accusing her ex of trying to "create a false impression to the media and to wrongfully disparage" her.
But she used an appearance on Ryan Seacrest's radio show on June 6 to reach out to her ex-husband. She said, "It's been a tough couple weeks. I'm really trying to reach out to him and I think it's very important for us to be cordial to one another to raise our children properly."
"For me it's all about our kids and what's good for them and stability, to know that they're loved. Hopefully we'll work toward some kind of agreement on this."
Is it too late to salvage this situation HollyMoms? Or can this mom & dad do the best thing by their kids?
— Ian Garland
More On Custody Battles!
- Charlie Loses Custody Battle Over Twins!
- Charlie And Brooke Mueller Custody Case Involves 'Questions Of Abuse'!
- Halle Berry 'Happy' About Custody Agreement Reached With Gabriel Aubry!


text:
It does mean Quilt Club is cancelled though, and I don't like that. I did finally finish Sunbonnet Sue and her adventures, so, am disappointed not to be sharing that with my fellow quilter peeps. The only photo I have isn't very good, so I will wait til I get a better one to share it.
Stay safe and warm out there everyone! Hot tea and cookies, that's the ticket!


text:
The wise old man was napping on our side porch when we got home from church Sunday. "Happy Resurrection Day," he said, standing to greet us. My wife had prepared ham, potato salad and barbecue beans and the three of us feasted. After lunch, he said, "Well, Dan, I got a little nap before lunch, so I am ready for a walk. Let's go look at the magnolia tree." That huge tree, planted in 1839, fascinated him. He walked all around under it, looking up. When he was satisfied, he said, "Would you like to sit on the Royston log house back porch and visit awhile?" Of course, I said yes.
Half reclining with his back against the log wall, he cut a tiny piece from a tobacco plug and placed it in his cheek. "Did y'all have a good church meeting this morning, Dan?" I told him all about it and he listened intently. "You know, Dan, I have been thinking about Easter. You know that passage in Micah 6 that says the Lord requires justice, mercy and humility?" I told him I did remember. "Well, Jesus exemplified each one of those qualities."
He went on to explain that justice was a reciprocal concept in scripture. He said we should be fair to others if we want fair treatment ourselves. He further said that God's sense of justice was much different from man's. As evidence, he cited the crucifixion—satisfying God's just requirements through an event that seems so unjust to us. "By his death," he said, "we get life. How is that fair by human standards? Judging someone else guarantees that we will get the same kind of judgment from God."
The wise old man leaned forward to spit through a crack in the floor and continued. He explained that mercy was reciprocal as well. Jesus said merciful people get mercy in return. He also explained that the scriptures are clear about forgiveness. He said we should forgive others to receive forgiveness ourselves. "Jesus said that just after he taught the Lord's prayer."
Finally, he explained that humility gains elevation. I do not remember all the examples he gave, but the one that stuck with me was that the ultimate humility was coming from heavenly mansions to lowly life on this planet to be betrayed, denied and unjustly tortured to death. But, for the joy set before him, he endured it. Seems like he said his joy was in ransoming the likes of us to be with him forever."
"That will preach," I said. "Well, Dan, I did not mean to get preachy. I just wanted to let you know I have been thinking about the reciprocal nature of our faith. Open rewards come from secret deeds."
"Sir," I said, "where have you been and where are you going. "I do not have much of a plan for my journey from here. I have a girlfriend in Doyline and I may go stay at her lake house for a spell. I have been to Quito and Havana. When I came back up here, I lived under the bridge in Texarkana until this morning. I caught a ride with an Episcopal priest who looked like Vincent Price."


text:
Friday, February 29, 2008
Starting this Day with socks
Sock it to me, Twice
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Start of a Triloom Shawl
< beginning stage, fringe is added on this one as I worked
almost done> has to be taken off the loom ....fulled.....blocked....and ready to be worn and admired.....
Monthly Guild Meeting
Friday, February 22, 2008
Finding Old Things
Virtual Country Breakfast with Jilly :o)
Today in NC the weather is dreary , cold with overcast skies.....that's better than snow and cold in the Northeast where I'm happy not to be ! It's the kind of day to stay in my P'J's knit and fall asleep in the chair ....but first Breakfast with my friend Jilly who has learned to eat grits :o) with much prompting!
This morning the grits were perfect also the cured ham was soaked for a couple of hours to delete a lot of salt content.. a nice fried double yolk egg ( you can't get everywhere, we do in a small country store :o) I just love living in NC....I planted two pear trees three years ago and I make my own pear preserves from them....now don't that sound like Country :o) I wish I were young enough to have that farm, ( until I think about snakes, I change my mind real quick :o( Put a couple of nice buttermilk biscuits on the side ( I buy the frozen Mrs B's , 20/pk. they taste as good as any I would make (almost) unless I feel like making my "Angel Biscuits" I could sell that recipe. Jilly you can have a glass of cold milk and I'll have that Diet Pepsi :o) and DH will do the dishes :o)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Today is Spaghetti Day
have been first....it all went into the pot with spices you didn't see.....
Oregano, nutmeg,Canjun spices, Italian seasoning, ETC. :o) couple of secrets :o)
tomato's added to pot of saulte onions etc.....
Parmesan cheese , mild chedder,and american cheese added
I'm happy to have frozen tomato's from the garden going into this pot of spaghetti....last years crop of tomato's of ours was poor , but a friend had them abundantly and shared....
All Done
Mohair and Wool dyed with Prickly Pear
Here is some Wool and Mohair Blend , dyed with the Prickly Pear , I didn't have to use a mordant with it....and I can't remember if I added some just for good measure......I have some still "brewing" in a container on the Patio ( which is slowly becoming a mini Dye studio :o) The color is like a Strawberry Parfait :o) and looks just as delicious< I don't know what it will become , but I'm sure it will make a nice project happy!
Natural Dyeing with Cactus Prickly Pears
Natural Dyeing with Black Walnut Hulls
Monday, February 18, 2008
Another Loaf of Bread
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Oh Happy Day! Good News Flash
All dressed in Snow, she has seen worst days :o)


text:
So today was the first day back to school. Kylie said that she had a really good day and that she really likes her new teacher.
FYI the cute little head band with the flower on it is one of the things that I won on Give Away Today. She just had to wear it on her first day to school.
It was also Zach's first day in Daycare now that daddy is working.
Tammy said that he did really good, and he never even cried.
One of the funny things is, is that Kelly forgot to take him with a binky too, so that shows what a big little boy I have.
Here is Kylie standing in front of her new classroom, and the picture at the bottom is with her new teacher Mrs. Mills.


text:
In effect, Geithner saluted policy-makers for avoiding a replay of the 1930s, settling instead for a prolonged period of stagnation, á la Japan's Lost Decade; what PIMCO dubs the "new normal". What a salutary result! Implicit was a rebuke of those worrying about the possibility of a double-dip: after all, the economy grew at a rate of
Of course not. The economy is clearing slowing. The inventory bounce is fading. Fiscal stimulus is waning. Republican obstructionism eliminates any hope of further spending. Cuts at the state and local levels will actually bring about fiscal contraction over the coming months. The Fed frets that further action could spike inflation. At best, Bernanke & Co. won't withdraw the little monetary stimulus they have provided, at least in the short term. In short, the second derivative is slumping. It's conceivable that the first derivative could reverse itself over the next few quarters. But even that is largely irrelevant. Whether the economy grows at a rate of minus or positive one-percent, there still will not be enough growth to add enough jobs to alleviate our now persistently high unemployment. We have simply arrested the freefall and called it a recovery.
And there are still, of course, rather massive tail risks to our fragile "recovery". Housing in the U.S. is on a downward trend again. Europe's banking/sovereign debt problems (they are one and the same) still hover like a specter over the continent. And China's housing bubble could pop to devastating effect.
Welcome to the recovery, indeed.


text:
Thursday, August 04, 2016
A Negro Man Who Admitted to Four Rapes and Sexual Assaults Faces 40 Years in Prison When He's Sentenced in September, According to a Statement from Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's Office
At WBAL.
7 comments:
I didn't know too much about David Horowitz until C-span had him on at 100am Friday morning,promoting his new book,"Progressive Racism".First I'll summarize what he had to say and then I'll ask you what you think of him.
He started out by talking about slavery,saying"Slavery abounded in Africa for 2000 years.It wasn't racial,it was what people do when they conquer someone else.They make them slaves".
He then talked about the 1960s when he said,because he was raised a communist (progressive),he started raising money for the Black Panthers.He said he was wrong about them being revolutionists (no kidding),they were gang members.His eyes were opened.
Now he thinks the Democrats are to blame for the ghettos in cities like Baltimore,Chicago etc.,that liberals are bigots--"who only care about drugs,sex and spending other people's money",,which,I've heard before,concerning Europe.
He then moved to BLM--"a roving lynch mob.Punishment before a trial.Killing police-an example of that.They are supported by Obama-who is racist".Obama's most influential advisor is Al Sharpton,"a racial arsonist-involved in the burning of Freddie's Mart years ago,by inciting it on his radio show.Seven dead in that incident".
He feels blacks think they're innocent of ANY crime,no matter what and that whites are thought of as guilty by blacks--no matter what.This is a belief of BLM and they are endorsed by the Democratic Party.He finished by saying liberals (or progressives or neo-communists)hate the United States and that's why they are trying to destroy it.(is it because that faction hates capitalism or white people?Why would you hate your own race?Or does politics trump race in their view?)
Saul Allinsky was brought up in the Q and A and linked as an influence to Obama (and of course Clinton).
I've never understood why this obvious plot to destroy the US was happening and it finally clicked in my head:These people,like Obama and Clinton hate the US.They hate white people and want to destroy it from within--as leaders of a NeoCommunist faction.I still don't understand the upside of turning this country into a wasteland of ghetto and slum,though,although I'm guessing,it's to CONTINUE the 1% domination by people like Soros and wannabe Soros's (Clintons)-which contradict their stated goals.
To me,Horowitz seems like a Jekyll/Hyde from his early life to late.Do you think he's sincere in his beliefs now? (By the way--he loves Trump).
--GR Anonymous
- Friday, August 5, 2016 at 2:29:00 AM EDT
Well,get ready for some classic Lester Holt tonight as Chicago Police released bodycam and dashcam video of black thug Paul Oneal trying to elude police in a stolen car.The Chicago Tribune has the video on its website--and all I can say--that with all these incidents--the blacks will not give up.They steal cars,they run,some have guns,some try to steal policemens guns,but they NEVER stop and go quietly.
Lawsuits already filed in this one,but no video exists of the actual shooting.One thing I DO know--I wouldn't want the job of policing these cities for $200,000 a year.Anyways,I'll bet an imaginary $20,Holt leads with this tonight.
-GR Anonymous
- Friday, August 5, 2016 at 3:28:00 PM EDT
jerry pdx
Notice in his mugshot he's tilting his head back to appear to be looking down on his "oppressors" with contempt. Any moment he will break into a "rap" about how 400 years oppression brought him to this point, not his own personal choices. After all if those white bitches would just give it up to him then he wouldn't have to rape them, or have to settle for raping black bitches, if those were his victims. jerry pdx
- Friday, August 5, 2016 at 6:04:00 PM EDT
Not counting the Olympic Promo,it WAS the first story...with video I didn't see on the Trib website.Lesta never disappoints.Lots of convo from ONeals sister...who said,"He had GOALS",lol.
The family attorney declared the cops guilty.
No comment from police allowed.
--GR Anonymous.
- Friday, August 5, 2016 at 6:50:00 PM EDT
I love that we're reclaiming the word "negro." If people as devoid of moral authority and essential legitimacy as Barack Obama and his acolytes are determined to live in the 60s (minus the great music and the general sense of hope that permeated society at the time), then we certainly can too.
Negro, negro, negro, negro. I like it.
- Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 3:46:00 PM EDT
Your comments are great, but your deliberate avoidance of recognized conventions of punctuation makes it painful to read them. It's like listening to an accomplished musician playing a cheap guitar from Wal-Mart with a couple broken strings.
- Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 3:52:00 PM EDT
- Get a grip people! said...
Brock Turner for $400 Alex...or should I say privileged white teenage sexual deviant with only a six month sentence...oh I forgot the important word....white...or should I say hunky.... hunky, hunky, hunky. I like it. Welcome back Caucasian meatheads. I like it a lot! It's so fetch!
- Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 1:24:00 AM EDT


text:
We have still have a few spots available in our VPK full time program.
We offer three different VPK programs, free VPK which is a part time three day a week program, VPK Plus which is a part time 5 day a week program and VPK Full Time. The five day a week programs include both Music and Spanish classes.


text:
I remembered that we had a huge bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer and opted to make a blueberry zucchini (yellow squash) bread. We are huge fans of quick breads, so this would be something that the family would enjoy. I took this to my in-laws' house when we visited them earlier this month.
This bread was eaten very quickly, and I only ate a single slice before everybody else got to it. My husband exclaimed that he liked this bread because you couldn't tell that there were vegetables in it. I added extra blueberries in my bread to give some extra pops of color and flavor, so that is something that you can try too.
If you have an abundance of zucchini or squash this summer, give this bread a try. It will disappear in no time.
Blueberry zucchini bread
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (can substitute with all-purpose)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 to 2 cups shredded zucchini or yellow squash
- 1 to 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I sprinkled extra blueberries on the top before baking)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a standard 9"x5" loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, white and brown sugars. Mix until everything is well incorporated.
Gently whisk in the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Do not overmix or else your bread will be tough.
Slowly and gently fold in the zucchini and blueberries. Save a few blueberries to add to the top.
Bake in your preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool down before slicing and serving.
Bread should be stored in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil) at room temperature or in the refrigerator and will keep for several days. It can also be frozen and thawed.
Yield: One 9"x5" loaf pan (about 12-16 slices)
Source: Adapted from My Baking Addiction


text:
Lost Numbers Win Real-Life Lottery: Another Sign of the Apocalypse?
Maybe everyone in Movieline HQ's luxury apocalypse bunker is just paranoid, but there have been an awful lot of bizarre signs that could mean that the end of time is near. Like the 2,000 dead birds falling from thy sky in Arkansas, or the hundreds of thousands of dead fish that washed onshore just miles away, or the Australian flooding. And now, in another eerie coincidence that seems to have been designed by God -- or Jacob -- Himself, Hurley's winning numbers on Lost have gone on to win an actual mega millions lottery.
OK, to be fair, it wasn't a perfect match. The winning numbers of Tuesday's near-record Mega Millions lottery drawing were 4, 8, 15, 25, 47 and 42, the first three of which match Hurley's winning digits 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, meaning that any Lost fanatics who played Hurley's numbers would have won $150 on the ticket; the two jackpot-level winning tickets that were sold in Idaho and Washington and are worth approximately $177.5 million (before taxes) each. Those winners have yet to come forward, maybe because they are deciding whether that cash is worth a string of bad luck and a six-season sentence of providing comic relief on a desert island.
· Mega Millions Numbers Have Eerie "Lost" Tie-In [CBS]


text:
Scary moment tonight when the car slid backwards down the driveway and almost went over the hill and into the orchard. It was a white knuckle ride and I had to stop and regroup when I finally came to a rest. My car is parked at the bottom of the hill now and I'm not sure how I'm going to get it up without calling the plow guy to sand it.
These are things you don't think about when you're shopping for a house in June.


text:
Friday, October 10, 2014
Oh, I have been having too much fun with Halloween cards this year! Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but I am sure loving making cards. Fortunately one of my co-workers gives all of her grandchildren cards for Halloween and she bought 12 from me! Yea! This card features a very fun mummy from The Cat's Pajamas new release!
2 comments:
Haha, this makes me laugh!! What a fun card!!ReplyDelete
A Mermaid's Crafts
Super well done - great combination of embellishments and pattern paper!!ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
|Ron Paul
As we enter the fall political season, we will hear a great deal of rhetoric from both major political parties and their many candidates for office. It's important for us to remember, however, that words can be made meaningless by misuse or overuse. And when we as citizens allow politicians to obscure the truth by distorting words, we diminish ourselves and our nation.
For example, we've all heard politicians use the words "democracy" and "freedom" countless times. They are used interchangeably in modern political discourse, yet their true meanings are very different. They have become what George Orwell termed "meaningless words". Words like "freedom," "democracy," and "justice," Orwell explained, have been abused for so long that their original meanings have been eviscerated. In Orwell's view, such words were "often used in a consciously dishonest way."
Without precise meanings behind words, politicians and elites can obscure reality and condition people to reflexively associate certain words with positive or negative perceptions. In other words, unpleasant facts can be hidden behind purposely meaningless language. As just one example, Americans have been conditioned to accept the word "democracy" as a synonym for freedom. Thus we are conditioned to believe that democracy is always and everywhere benevolent.
The problem is that democracy is not freedom. Democracy is simply majoritarianism, which is inherently incompatible with freedom. While our Constitution certainly features certain democratic mechanisms, it also features inherently undemocratic mechanisms like the First Amendment and the Electoral College. American is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. Yet we've been bombarded with the meaningless word "democracy" for so long that few Americans understand the difference.
If we intend to use the word freedom in an honest way, we should have the simple integrity to give it real meaning: Freedom is living without government coercion. So when a politician talks about freedom or liberty–regardless of the issue being discussed– ask yourself whether he is advocating more government force or less.


text:
most recently occupied by a "Five Guys" burger and fries joint on Court Street
A new sign taped to the window at 266 Court Street indicates that "Pure Barre", a Denver-based exercise franchise, will be opening soon.
According to its web site, "Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective way to change the shape of your body. Using small isometric movements at the ballet barre set to motivating music, Pure Barre lifts your seat, tones your thighs, abs and arms and burns fat in record breaking time."
No worries, though. For those less inclined to exercising, there are still quite a few burger options in the neighborhood.
Thursday, September 05, 2013
"Pure Barre" Exercise Franchise To Take Over Space Once Occupied By "Five Guys" On Court Street
Posted by Katia at 12:08 PM
Labels: 11231, 266 Court Street, Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens, Pure Barre
1 comment:
Love this. HOWEVER Pure Barre in Union Square is insanely expensive and given the way Cobble Hill is/has become I'm sure the price tag won't be far off from $33 PER CLASS.
- September 05, 2013 3:57 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
When I open the door at 4 am in February to go out for my ten kilometre run, I have only the mildest feeling of reluctance. When I open the door in July at 4 am to a blast of heat and humidity, I have the same absence of reluctance. No, I'm not making that up. Would I rather be curled up under warm blankets? No; that's where I was for over six hours, and that time has passed. I'm dressed properly, loosened up, and I know that I'll get through it, and I know that I'll feel pumped and ready for breakfast before facing the rest of the day.
I don't prevaricate endlessly about the little aches and pains that inevitably arise and are often used as excuses for not running. (I'm not talking about ignoring significant injuries here, just to clarify). I just do it because I can and because there are both immediate and long term rewards for doing it. Rewards such as heightened energy, better health, the experience of the run itself (which is never to be underestimated), etc.
A lot of people give up too easily. They don't see the rewards that come from persistently engaging in those activities. That approach carries through to everything; their work life becomes a stressful slugfest of whining and balking; their approach to everything from housework to pretty much anything that isn't spectacularly exciting in their view is weak. Their lives become a waste of time.
I'm not suggesting hyperactivity; I'm suggesting that quality of effort is required to reap the rewards. You don't need lotteries if you get up off your ass and do something that actually challenges you once in a while.


text:
If you knew you only had a limited time left, how would you spend it? I've had a bit of a contemplative week, following the death of a neighbor and the serious illness of another friend. None of us know what's round the next corner yet I'm conscious that I, for one, can drift through life in a rather blasé and unthinking assumption that "some day" or "one day" I'll get round to something.
To quote the inspirational picture I've seen on the internet, there are 7 days in a week and "some day" and "one day" are not among them!
So what gets in the way? Not television in my case, as I don't have one (long story). But even allowing for internet time, I can spend a lot of time "pottering", which is pleasant in its own way but not exactly going to help me learn another language, write a book or find a place on a PhD programme. I have found changing my surroundings can help, going to the university library to work or study, or down to a Costa Coffee, just for some thinking time without the distractions of the house.
Journaling has helped me process my thoughts and come up with ideas. The act of writing down or telling someone else what's on your mind really does seem to help in finding my own solutions, I guess that's why the Samaritans have helped so many people find their answers to far more significant problems in their lives using that approach.
In other news, here is a picture of the snow leopard cubs at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, out and enjoying the good weather last weekend!


text:
Finally! The mocking has ended. I no longer have to turn my Kindle on and see this series laughing at me because I haven't had time to start it yet. It took me a bit to get into it but once I got started I enjoyed it. I was expecting the story to be more mythology based but I enjoyed it none the less. I am over half way thru the second book in this series and it is completely different from the first one. Stay tuned for that review.
Heart of a Dragon by Gena Showalter
Grace Carlyle's world was about to change . . .
Deep in the jungle on the trail of her missing brother, Grace never expected to find a secret world populated by mythological monsters -- nor guarded by a sword-wielding being whose beauty put mortal men to shame.
Darius en Kragin belongs to a race of shape-shifting warriors sworn to guard Atlantis and kill all travelers who stray within its boundaries. Yet when Grace stumbles into his realm, he finds himself tempted to betray his centuries-old vow.
Now their forbidden love will either bring their worlds together -- or tear them both apart.
I give this book 3 chocolate dipped strawberries this piece of advice that I got from this book.... never take advice from someone who wears leopard print spandex and socializes with mailmen and strippers.


text:
I am gratified to have received so many messages of support for me in my new position (mostly upright) at American History High in Newark, and so many inquiries about my first week. These Interwebs can really reinforce one's sense of community. (Or, for some people, their illusion of community, but this is not the time or the place.)
So a few scattered observations about Week One, partly to satisfy the curiosity of friends, but mostly to amuse myself when I reread it at the end of the year.
First, the students have been enthusiastic and welcoming, and judging from the comments reported by my principal and colleagues, hopeful for and supportive of me. They in turn seem to be ready and willing to do what is required for success and to effect change in their lives and perhaps the lives of their families. When I talk about ramping up the workload, where I would have received loud protests in my old suburban district, here I get a few murmurs and demurrals, with a general understanding that the expectations must be high in order for them to reach their goals. The students seem to know and accept that the results they want can only come from hard work, even if they have the natural resistance of the young to the prospect of hard work (although usually not the work itself).
The faculty is definitely on-board as well. The school is only five years old, and yet has already had a change of principals and some upheavals in faculty, some caused by the madness of our politics around school funding. [If you ask me, and you didn't, school funding should be in a lockbox as untouchable as that for Social Security, buffeted from changing political winds. It is part of the sacred compact between us and the Americans who preceded us and between us and those who will follow. To suggest crippling changes is to recommend treason to the very idea of America. Sure, we can argue about how to spend the money, and see if we can't do it more efficiently, but savings should be plowed BACK INTO OUR CHILDREN, not any other little projects people have up their sleeves. End of hysterical screed.]
As anyone who knows me would expect, I have far more doubts about myself than about my students, who are still young and flexible. Will I be able to maintain the pace and the standards? Will I find the words to say and things to do to coax and coach my students to performing at a collegiate level? Virtually all of my classes are with seniors (I have a handful of juniors in Creative Writing), and as far as we at AHHS are concerned, they are all college bound; therefore, the biggest part of my job is to make sure that freshman English contains few, if any, shocks or surprises.
So the question is, can I get my assessments out of the trap of worksheet-type short answers on the one hand, but steer clear of assignments that aim so high they become vague and poorly defined? Can I tune the tone of my students' written voices so that they have the detachment of the academic voice without losing passion and personality. (I always think of E.B. White as the perfect essayist - calm, rational and observational while also being warm, human and SPECIFIC.) Will I get these courses to hang together and make sense in the brain as we move from project to project, from one literary work to another? Will I properly differentiate among students and among classes? Will I figure out a bright-line distinction between CP English and Honors English? Will I challenge my AP class without wearing them (and me) out? Will Creative Writing get its focus and not devolve into throwing things against the wall to see what will stick?
I've volunteered to advise National Honor Society, which is a first for me, but seems appropriate for a teacher of seniors. I have only a slight idea of what and how much that entails, so that is terra incognito. I will not even discuss my other extracurricular plans, insofar as they are only in the proposal stage now, but suffice it to say that should they move forward, a huge amount of trenchwork will be required, as there is no pre-existing infrastructure to support such activities, as there was in my last school.
All this to say, I really hope I am up to this. That said, my supervisors are investing a lot of confidence in me, and if I succeed, it will be done more to justify their faith in me than because of my innate belief in my abilities. I know I have taste, energy, seven years of classroom experience and an ability to communicate. I feel the lack of formal training in teaching, especially in literature. This is where I feel most acutely that we should change our titles from teacher to coach. I know how to coach -- that's how we teach music and drama. It's an apprenticeship, trial and error method. There is no map, and that is what I am used to. But real literature teachers have maps, and I will learn to make and use them. And being a mere child of 55, I am just as resistant to doing something new as my 17- and 18-year-old students.
We all know that we have to stop thinking about schools like factories. But are we ready to think of them as laboratories, as loci for, in FDR's words, "bold, persistent experimentation?" To do so is to accept that some experiments will fail. This doesn't trouble me. The default position for young brains is to learn. They will learn, willy nilly, like it or not. Often, the best thing you can do as a teacher is not to impede the education that is going on, with or without your own agency. The question is exactly what and how students will learn. Stephen Sondheim got it right (as he so often does) about our responsibility as parents and teachers.
Guide them but step away,Also, I really need to get more sleep.
Children will glisten.
Tamper with what is true
And children will turn,
If just to be free.
Careful before you say,
"Listen to me."
Children will listen...


text:
For Gene Kelly's 100th Birthday
Because this would have been Gene Kelly's 100th birthday, I've been thinking about him a lot today. Here are three of my favorite movies starring this dynamic entertainer:
The Pirate. Although Kelly's character is a circus clown and not really the dreaded "Mack the Black of the Caribbean," he pretends to be this notorious pirate in order to win over spunky Judy Garland -- and it's a dazzling performance. Kelly's athletic dancing here wowed everyone.
Anchors Aweigh. Kelly was simply delightful dancing with Jerry the Mouse and even received an Oscar nomination for this role.
Singin' in the Rain. Kelly co-directed my all-time favorite movie as well as performed the most wonderful dances ever filmed.
And I have to mention that my husband and I were so impressed with this "unforgettable" actor, we named our son "Kelly" after him. Gene Kelly is a true screen legend indeed!
Labels: 100th Birthday, Anchors Aweigh, Gene Kelly, Singin' in the Rain, The Pirate


text:
If you know me at all then you are already aware of my love of easy recipes. Look, I like cooking as much as the next person, maybe more than most people, but occasionally I have nights where I revert back to my old self. That girl hates cooking. She doesn't know how to do it, she doesn't want to learn anything about it, and she loves Easy Mac and ramen.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I am not that 20 year old girl anymore, so I no longer count Easy Mac as a food group.
Since I can't live on Easy Mac and ramen noodles like I used to, I have to find alternatives. Recipes that don't take that much time, but aren't 90% sodium either. (That may be a slight exaggeration, but holy cow, have y'all had ramen lately?)
Anyway, this was an easy and delicious weeknight meal. It was a nice alternative to tacos and it was definitely husband approved.
Taco Squares
1 lb ground turkey or soy crumbles
1 packet taco seasoning (you can also make your own)
2 (8 oz) cans crescent rolls
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 diced tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
salsa (optional)
sour cream (optional)
guacamole (optional)
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2) Cook your turkey or meat substitute and drain. Stir in taco mix (or your own seasonings) and reserve for later.
3) Unroll crescent rolls and place in a rectangle on a(n ungreased) cookie sheet. We had to mess with the dough a little to get it all to fit, that's perfectly okay.
4) Bake dough for approximately 15 minutes, or until a golden brown.
5) Top with your turkey/meat mixture and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, just until cheese is melted.
6) Sprinkle cheese and diced tomato on top, serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from What's Cooking, Chicago?, my new favorite blog.
The only changes I made were leaving off some olives (I hate olives) and I didn't cool the dough once it was baked.I have to admit that I didn't read the directions closely enough to realize I was supposed to cool the dough in between steps. Oops.
Regardless, these are delicious and you should definitely make them. And check out that blog, the author is incredibly talented.


text:
Celebrate this spring season full of festivities, color and joy with Alkaram Spring Summer Collection 2014. Spring is here and with it comes the finest collection of the spring/summer season. Alkaram brings you an assortment of unique designs full of life and blooming colors, each capturing the essence of spring season. from young and modern, to traditional and sophisticated, our verity of collections offers something for everyone. So start your season with Alkaram Spring Summer Dresses 2014 and Lets spread the joy of spring. Alkaram brings mesmerizing Chiffon charm with refreshing colors at its heart. This light weight luxurious chiffon fabric is assured to put a spring in your clothing trend. Alkaram Summer Collection 2014 is a mixture gush of color, complimented by intricate traditional embroidery that is rooted in our heritage of women clothing trend. Each dress is a great example of unique energy and local flavor with modern nourishment. Alkaram Studious brings delicate patterns in this lively collection of spring summer season. Alkaram The Joy Of Spring Collection 2014 carry attractive contrast of sophistication and youthfulness, perfectly capturing the spirit of colorful days of spring with captivating machine embroidery.
The Joy Of Spring Collection 2014 by Alkaram
Alkaram Chiffon Lawn Prints 2014Summer Digital Prints to edgy prints and traditional style. Alkaram Summer Collection 2014 has something for every age group. Alkaram Lawn Collection 2014-2015 has classic lawn embroidered dresses that will put a twist in the traditional spring summer dresses and gives you everything that you need ti be the ultimate fashion trendsetter in women. Alkaram Summer Lawn Collection 2014 contains scintillating chic, modern and subtle designs that look phenomenal with our Av-ant grade collection's black and white classic prints.
Al-karam Clothing Range 2014 for Spring Summer
2014 New Lawn Prints for Girls
Al Karam Summer Lawn Collection 2014
Alkaram The Joy Of Spring Lawn Dresses for Women
2014 Spring Lawn Prints Designs by Al-karam Studio
AlKaram Spring / Summer Catalogue 2014-15
Al karam Chiffon Lawn Collection 2014
Party Wear Lawn Designs for Summer by Al-Karam
Al-Karam Lawn Catalogue 2014 for Women
Al karam Casual Lawn Prnits 2014 for Summer
Blue and Black Lawn Dresses 2014-15 for Summer
Traditional Printed Lawn Suits 2014 by Alkaram Studio


text:
WikiFur:Comic of the Week/Week 13, 2006
Las Lindas is a webcomic created by Chalo in El Salvador, partially written and hosted by SoulKat in California, with assistance and additional writing by ID_Fox in Kentucky. This unlikely team has provided Las Lindas on a weekly update schedule with one full color page (recently upgraded to two) per week. Las Lindas began on 6 September 2004, and has continued through 85 comics.
Las Lindas is focused around a cow, Mora Linda, who has recently inherited her father's farm and homestead. In honor of her parent's passing, she decides that she must continue the family business of traditional farming on the now antiquated and dilapidated Las Lindas vegetable farm. Mora is strong-willed, blunt, and independent, but she is quickly overwhelmed by the work and is confronted with the challenge of building a team of workers to help her with the farm by non-traditional means. (more... - comic)


text:
A black-clad gunman has wreaked havoc in the beach community of Santa Monica, California, taking several lives. The gunman was shot dead by police in the library of a local college.
The gunman began his rampage on Friday by setting a house on fire, killing two people there before making his way to Santa Monica College, according to Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks.
The gunman then opened fire as he moved several blocks toward the college campus, killing two more people. Once on campus, he entered the library and opened fire again. Two people were shot dead at the college.
"The officers came in and directly engaged the suspect and he was shot and killed on the scene," Seabrooks said, identifying the man as 25 to 30 years old, wearing all black and what appeared to be a ballistic vest.
"We are not convinced 100 percent that the suspect who was killed operated in a solo or alone capacity," Seabrooks added.
Police combed the campus for another shooter and took a second suspect into custody. According to the Associated Press, the second suspect also wore all black and a sweatshirt with the words "Life is Gamble" written on the back of it.
slk/lw (AP, AFP)


text:
Alexei Brock Dawson
This boy is my world. I love him so much ♥♥♥
I give birth 2nd January 19:10 but been very busy time for us. He weight 8lb 1oz so is big boy :o) After I have sweep I keep having pains and cramps all day and night. Next day I begin contractions but it take long time for him to come. I wanted water birth but because it take so long they take me out and prepare me for c-section. Luckily he come out with forceps because I very scared for c-section!


text:
U.S. stocks fell, extending the worst weekly loss for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index since March, as Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair predicted the heads of some banks may be replaced and a drop in oil dragged down energy shares. Treasuries fell and the dollar gained.
Zions Bancorporation, Bank of America Corp. and Fifth Third Bancorp led declines in 23 of 24 companies in the KBW Bank Index after Bair said some chief executive officers may need to be fired in the next few months. Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp. retreated as oil slid from a six-month high of $60 a barrel. FirstEnergy Corp. fell 9.6 percent, leading utilities lower, after Barclays Plc cut its rating.
"If I had given billions of dollars to banks, I would probably want to have some say in how they're being run too," said John Carey, a Boston-based money manager at Pioneer Investment Management, which oversees about $200 billion. "On the other hand, having too much government intervention longer- term could be quite counterproductive to the efficient operation of the market system."
The S&P 500 slid 1.1 percent to 882.88 at 4:53 p.m. in New York, capping a weekly tumble of 5 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 62.68 points, or 0.8 percent, to 8,268.64.
The dollar gained against most major currencies. Almost three stocks fell for each that rose on the New York Stock Exchange.
'Contraction is Slowing'
Treasuries fell as reports showed a manufacturing gauge contracted the least since August and U.S. industrial production fell in April at the slowest pace in six months, easing speculation the economic recovery was weakening.
Ten-year notes, whose yields rose for the first time in three days, still posted the first weekly gain in two months, aided by a two-week hiatus in Treasury debt sales and three purchases of government debt by the Federal Reserve. Yields climbed to the highest level since November last week as reports suggested the worst of the global recession may be over.
"The data says contraction is slowing," said Andrew Richman, who oversees $10 billion in fixed-income assets as a strategist in West Palm Beach, Florida, for SunTrust Bank's personal-asset management division. "It's a sign of pre- recovery and it's negative for Treasuries."
Dollar Gains
The 10-year note yield rose five basis points, or 0.05 percentage point, to 3.14 percent, according to BGCantor Market Data. The 3.125 percent security maturing in May 2019 fell 14/32, or $4.38 per $1,000 face amount, to 99 27/32.
The dollar rose against the euro, gaining for the first week of the last four, as the economy of the 16-nation euro region contracted the most in at least 13 years, raising concern the pace of recovery will be slow. The greenback strengthened against 13 of the 16 most trading currencies, falling only against the Taiwanese dollar, South Korean won and Japanese yen.
The yen extended its weekly rally against counterparts including the South African rand and Norwegian krone as a drop in stocks discouraged investors from buying higher-yielding assets funded in Japan's currency.
The dollar gained 1.1 percent to $1.3492 per euro, and weakened 0.7 percent to 95.17 yen.
Crude oil fell the most in almost a month on concern the global economic recovery may falter, reducing demand for fuel.
"It's still about the economy," said Phil Flynn, senior trader at Alaron Trading Corp. in Chicago. "If the bulls are going to reignite their bullish passion, I think we're going to have to see the stock market carry the load."
Crude Oil
Crude futures may decline next week as the recession lowers consumption and bolsters U.S. supplies, a Bloomberg News survey of analysts showed. Industrial production in the U.S. fell for a sixth month in April as output at factories, mines and utilities decreased 0.5 percent, according to a report today from the Federal Reserve in Washington.
Crude oil for June delivery fell $2.19, or 3.7 percent, to $56.43 a barrel at the 2:30 p.m. close of floor trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil reached $60.08 on May 12, the highest intraday price since Nov. 11. Crude is heading for its first weekly decline in four weeks.
Gold prices rose, extending a rally to two weeks, as investment demand increased on rising consumer prices and signs that a rally in U.S. equities may be ending. Silver futures fell. Some investors buy gold as an alternative to shares.
"For gold and silver, we are going into a win-win situation," Ashraf Laidi, the chief market strategist at CMC Markets in London, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "When we will have a retreat in the financials and the rest of the stocks, we will have some rotation into metals."
Gold futures for June delivery advanced $2.90, or 0.3 percent, to $931.30 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price gained 1.8 percent this week, following a 3 percent increase last week.
Friday, May 15, 2009
U.S. Markets Wrap: Stocks, Treasuries Fall; Dollar Gains
U.S. stocks fell, extending the worst weekly loss for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index since March, as Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair predicted the heads of some banks may be replaced and a drop in oil dragged down energy shares. Treasuries fell and the dollar gained.
Labels: WORLD NEWS