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We live in an age of unprecedented wealth, knowledge, scientific discovery, and technological advancements. Our world is often one of rationalism and reason, where the mysteries of the universe are simply there for us to unravel. We observe the seasons and the weather, and do our best to predict the patterns of nature. It's not only possible to circumvent the globe in less than 36 hours, we've even landed on the moon! The people at the Tower of Babel would envy us – we've actually made it to the heavens and we've learned how to translate almost any language in the world.
The fact is, we live in a world that can be broken down into countless ologies. If we want to understand the earth, we dig into geology. If we are interested in how our bodies function, we slice into biology. If we have trouble understanding why people behave the way they do, we define their actions through sociology. And people who are obsessed with the future, sadly, sometimes gaze into astrology. But in all of our studies, if we aren't careful, we might ignore the ultimate source behind all that we witness in our world. To answer the truly important – the really big questions in life – we need to wade into the waters of theology. In other words, we need to engage in the study of God.
Sometimes, when people begin to recount the numerous ways that God has been active in their lives, I get just a little uneasy. If someone is convinced that God led them to the perfect parking space at the store, I begin to question if they really understand God's overarching purposes for the universe. But I must be careful not to become too cynical or jaded when people genuinely notice God's hand at work in their lives. I need to make sure that I don't become so accustomed to the rational world in which we live, that I wind up leaving very little room for the divine presence to be seen and felt. God is at work in our world, just as he has been at work in the history of humankind from the beginning of creation. I need my eyes to be open to what God is doing all around me.
It was obvious that God was at work in the lives of the people of Israel in the book of Exodus. But though his signs and wonders were so very clear, Pharaoh consistently hardened his heart to what YHWH was doing in the plagues and through the ministries of Moses and Aaron. In fact, it was this hardness to God's presence that eventually led Pharaoh and his army to a premature death in the waters of chaos.
It's interesting to look at this story in retrospect. If you move from the earlier parts of Exodus to the middle, you come to a transitional passage in the 18th chapter of the book. Here, the people are finally camped at the Mountain of God, Sinai, and Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, has journeyed to this spot because he has heard about what God has done for Moses and Israel. Though Pharaoh was blind to the maneuvers of YHWH, Jethro is not. He sees that something special is at work, and who else could it be, but God?
"Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had beset them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the Egyptians. Jethro said, 'Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them.' And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God." (Exodus 18:8-12, NRSV).
Scripture doesn't tell us very much about exactly who Moses' father-in-law is, or when he becomes a believer in YHWH. What we do know is that he is a priest in Midian. Recent discoveries have shown that shepherds who lived in Midian around the time of the Exodus worshipped a God they called YHWH. So, it could be that Jethro is already familiar with the God of Israel. At any rate, Jethro sees that Israel's deliverance from Egypt and their safe passage through the wilderness could not be accounted for by anything but God's grace and providence. Who else, but God!
Who else but God could lead Israel to Egypt in the first place? It was God's divine providence that saved the sons of Jacob so many years before. Who else but God could save the life of the baby Moses through a reed basket and eventually lead him into the wilderness of Midian where he met his destiny at the burning bush? Who else but God could deal plague after plague on the false gods of Egypt and Pharaoh, while still protecting his own people? Who else but God could strike the first-born sons? Who else but God could save the people through the chaos waters of the sea? Who else but God could provide the people with something to drink when they were thirsty, not once, but twice? And when they were hungry and longing for the pots of meat back in Egypt, who else but God could provide manna to eat? When the Amalekites came out to battle Israel in the desert, who else but God could deliver them to victory? If not God, then who else?
Jethro has heard of all that God has done for Moses and for Israel. He has seen the Almighty at work. He cannot help but proclaim that God is both sovereign and gracious!
Jethro doesn't seek a naturalistic explanation for the miracle of the sea. And according to Jethro, it's not just by coincidence that YHWH has led his people to the Mountain of God. There is a deeper, far reaching, theological purpose for God's actions on behalf Israel. (This is another step in God's eventual reclamation of the entire universe.) God's wonders are plain to see, and Jethro is willing to gaze in astonishment upon them. And with his mouth, and with his life, he offers up praises to this God! His God!
God's wonders in our world are also plain to see, but are we willing to see them? If we're not careful, we might find ourselves more in tune with the surrounding culture, than with what God is doing around us. Through the good and the bad, God is at work, and yet, we might sometimes fail to give him thanks for what he is doing. When we narrowly escape an accident on the highway, do we think, "Weren't we lucky!"? Or, when God uses one of our friends to encourage us and to give us advice, we might be quick to thank our friend, but slow to remember the God who gave that friend to us. When we pray to God to deliver us from some difficult circumstance, and he does deliver us, do we chalk it up to our faithfulness in prayer, or do we give glory to the God who faithfully answers our prayers? God is working wonders all around us, but we must have eyes that are open to see all that God is doing.
A Scottish man named Billy Wilson penned a song in 2000 which really resonates in our age of human self-sufficiency. The song is titled, Father I Believe and the words make a powerful point.
Who says miracles don't happen anymore?
And who says God can only do what we afford?
Why so many spend so long trying to ignore,
Every sign of life, every sign of hope, everything before.
Such a sad affair when living to deny.
Where every work of wonderful is written off in time.
The God of old responds to faith, but now he doesn't try.
Isn't that absurd? Isn't that a joke? Isn't that a crime?
Father, I believe! Help my unbelief!
And if you tell me mountains will move, then I will walk as I believe.
A Syro-Phoenician lady, wasn't due a thing.
She came for the crumbs from the table, but she left with everything.
Lowered into Jesus' presence, lifted out of sin.
The hearts around him needed proof, so he left with everything.
Father, I believe! Help my unbelief!
And if you tell me mountains will move, then I will walk as I believe.
I will walk as I believe.
Wilson's words especially hit home with the line, "Father, I believe, help my unbelief!" Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? You have a little bit of faith, but you long to believe more. We see God's work all around us and we want to be like Jethro and let everyone know what God is doing in our lives and in the church, but we sometimes falter in our boldness. Or, sometimes, when things don't go as we would like them to go, we may find it hard to believe that God is still active and working. But we need to trust that he is still working – even when we don't see it, or when we don't understand what he's up to. In these moments, we would do well to pray, "Father, I believe, help my unbelief!"
And there are some things by God's grace that we can do to more clearly see God's work in our lives. We must acknowledge that God is both sovereign and gracious. First, by acknowledging God's sovereignty we will be more open to let his kingdom reign into every facet of our existence. There should be no areas of our lives that are not touched by God's presence. From the moment we rise in the morning, until the moment we drop our heads on our pillows, Christ's presence should be evident in all that we say and in all that we do. Secondly, by acknowledging God's graciousness through our thankfulness to him and in our worship of him, we become more aware of what God is doing around us. We should not relegate these times of thanksgiving and praise only to prayers before meals, devotionals, Bible classes, or church services. They should be a part of every daily activity in which we participate. Through this and the encouragement we receive from one another, we will be better able to see God and his actions in our lives and in this world. Someone is at work in us – someone is at work in you – someone is at work in me. And who else could that be, but God?!!! - Shay


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Friday the 13th (2009)
(**1/2 out of ****)
(Originally written for The Boston College Heights on 2/16/2009)
Little has changed at Camp Crystal Lake in the past 30 years since the original Friday the 13th hacked its way into theaters across America. College kids still like smoking weed, having pre-marital sex at the worst possible moment, possessing an undeserved sense of youthful invincibility, and annoying a certain hockey-masked townie with anger issues.
Friday the 13th, the 12th entry in the franchise, attempts to return the series to its roots by placing a group of dumb, attractive characters at a house in the woods, at the mercy of a deformed killer. This means no more jaunts into New York City, outer space, or Elm Street, which is a wise decision. Remakes may be a plague on the movie industry, but sometimes they help to undo the desperate sequel gimmicks introduced along the way.
For those unfamiliar with the back story of the Friday the 13th series, antagonist Jason Voorhees drowned back when he was a camper at Crystal Lake. To exact revenge on the negligent counselors, his mother went on a violent killing spree that ended with her decapitation. While it seemed like the trouble was over, it turns out young Jason inexplicably was not dead and witnessed his mother's death. Thus, the cycle of revenge continued.
The film opens with a group of twenty-somethings traveling to Crystal Lake in search of a large crop of pot rumored to grow nearby in the woods. Within the first 10 minutes, they are dispatched by Jason. That's right my friends; no subtle buildup or tension is going to be found here. Whereas the old films waited a good half hour for the initial bloodshed, this one slices at the jugular before we can even blink.
Shortly after the demise of the first set of nondescript characters, we are introduced to a new batch of soon-to-be corpses who are partying at a house on the lake. This cast of reject Abercrombie models contains a nice grocery list of horror movie character cliches: you've got Trent (Travis Van Winkle), the un-faithful, confrontational frat boy, Bree (Julianna Guill), the nubile ditz, and Clay (Jared Padalecki), the brooding motorcycle rider investigating his sister's disappearance, just to name a few. Additionally, former "I Wanna Be Bad" pop star Willa Ford plays blonde bimbo #2. One by one, characters are killed off gruesomely through the use of machetes, axes, and bear traps. The plot really doesn't go too much more in depth than that if you had not yet guessed.
Friday the 13th excels at promoting exploitative entertainment that one has come to expect from the series. Blood, nudity, and inane dialogue abound, which, dependingon your definition of a good time, will influence your amusement quotient. Let it be said: This is not an objectively good movie…at all. However, the people making this movie appear to acknowledge that they are not creating a profound piece of art. They succeed at giving fans of the genre a gritty, unrelenting piece of celluloid. Additionally, there is enough humor (both intentional and unintentional) to counterbalance the otherwise disturbing tone.
Pinpointing everything that is wrong with this film would be excessive and completely obvious. Without seeing the movie, one could easily predict each of the plot twists, stereotypically impractical decisions, and when a jump scare is about to occur. Though it may sound like a lazy excuse, the Friday the 13th series was never about intelligence or innovation. According to the screenwriter of the original film, the only real motivation behind the production of the movie was to mimic the success that Halloween had achieved. Therefore, when assessing the quality of a movie like this, it seems necessary to compare it to other films of its own ilk rather than attempt to explain why it is not Oscar-worthy material.
The major question raised by Friday the 13th is whether or not these kinds of simple slasher flicks can elicit a substantial reaction from an audience anymore. While the movie certainly delivers the gory violence it promises, the effect of the grisly on-screen murders does not shock viewers in quite the same way that it would have back in when the original premiered. The pervasiveness of violence in movies as well as our growing sense of familiarity with Hollywood special effects renders the shock value, the only notable feature most of these films have going for them, unsuccessful. While the Friday the 13th franchise was the touchtone for disturbing horror in the 1980's, it now feels just a tad tamer with the existence of movies like Hostel, which belongs to a genre ever-so-creatively titled "torture porn" by film critics.
One's enjoyment of Friday the 13th hinges on one's attitude going into the theater. If you loathe horror films and are aggravated by nonsensical character reactions, then just stay away. However, if you are seeking a carefree, brainless thrill ride then you might just want to give Jason a visit this weekend.

subset: commoncrawl


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Loved all your emails!!!! AWW I love you all too much. Okay so the library people are being slightly difficult and time may be in short supply so I am going to just dive in here and give you a little 411.
Things are really good here. I'm sorry I realize my last email was entirely dramatic and I don't want you to think I'm singing the blues over here. I was just trying to paint a picture of how things are going over here... I'm sorry. I'm dramatic and entirely too emotional-some things never change. BUT I LOVE being a missionary. I love it so much. I'm happy, healthy and wealthy. (It's all about money because Hong Kong's New Year starts this week... more about that in a second)
On Friday I went on exchanges--this time with Sister Choi. She is basically exactly a year behind me in the mission. It truly is incredible and nauseating how fast time goes. I wish it wasn't so. Anyways- love Sister Choi and we went to Tuen Mun. Right at the beginning of the day we were out finding, and we met this Chinese mainlander man. He is a doctor here and doesn't speak Cantonese, and I don't speak Mandarin (in fact that's all I can say in Mandarin-- that and "Jesus Christ") anyways we taught him right then and there in English. He went from not believing in God to at the end praying for his daughter and saying he'd like to meet our friends--that speak Mandarin. How cute and tender is that? Also teaching the gospel in English was hard. It was definitely the Spirit in the lesson because I had to keep translating everything in my head... I'm a mess!
After that lesson we ran over to their investigator Brother Cheung's house to teach him about Tithing and Fasting. He is the most cute and tender man. He is in all actuality a hobbit. A Chinese hobbit. Is Wade drooling on his computer/iTouch right now? Aww he is the greatest. Not to mention his house is an Oasis and I took several not-stalkerish slightly photos after we were leaving... But he is so humble and accepts everything that is being taught. Such a great lesson.
Some other highlights-
-After another finding session on Saturday we were getting ready to go to the church and this crazy lady comes up to Sister Aldana and I and starts singing "total eclipse of the heart"... haven't heard that jam in a while.
-The sweet Au Family had us over for a delicious traditional New Years feast yesterday.. pictures attached. EVERYTHING WAS SOOOO GOOD. I'm still full.
-We are working with some great investigators. One of them is named Vanessa. She is a dream come true. She shows up a good 15 minutes early for everything (THIS IS NOT NORMAL IN CHINESE CULTURE) and I just want to give her a hug every time we see her. I sent a picture of her a month or so ago. I'll take another to refresh your memory. -We have lots of great people we're working with. Isis is still doing great! And so is Erica.
-We had to turn over Lau "Jack Smiley" Hingdaih's wife, Sister Lau to the Mandarin sisters. I was selfishly sad but they will still becoming to our ward so I just get to love her and tell her "hey yes God is there and there is a reason you didn't die." She loves sharing that story. Love her. She's great.
-I found out that Sister Morgan has seen "The Walton's". Our companions hate it because all we do is talk about our favorite episodes and every night we reenact the night scenes before we go to bed. "Oh John-Boy"....
-New year's is coming.. starting this friday. Saddle up everyone because it's the year of the Horse. Everyone asks if I'm excited.. I say yes but I'm lying. Everyone will be unavailable.. so for missionaries it's kind of the worst. We'll be finding lots and we will be enjoying deep clean this Saturday. From sun up to sun down we will clean our home until it "shines like the top of the Chrysler building." (ten points to whoever gets that reference.)
I have so much more I want to tell but I have to hurry. I'm really sorry. Things are so good. Thank you for your prayers, I know they are working!!!! I love being a missionary here. It really has changed my life. I"m beginning to understand how much the little things matter and how much God wants to bless us... if we will only turn ourselves to him and say a prayer. I love President Monson's talk from Relief Society session of conference. I share it at least 4 times a week and get misty eyed every time! God's love is always there, and it never changes.
I love you all. I pray for you everyday and I hope my prayers are being answered that God is sending my love all the way to you in the 84062! Thanks for all your prayers and love. YOU'RE THE BEST.
Thank you for everything. LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
Love, Paak Jimuih


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November 15, 2013
Contact: DEA Public Affairs
(202) 307-7977
NOV 15 (WASHINGTON) – Effective today, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the synthetic phenethylamines 25I-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe, and 25B-NBOMe Schedule I, illegal drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) for the next two years. These drugs are marketed online and through illicit channels as illicit hallucinogens such as LSD. They have been encountered as powders; liquid solutions; soaked onto blotter paper; and laced on edible items.
The actual chemical names of today's controlled synthetic drugs are:
There is no approved medical use for these particular synthetic drugs, nor has the Food and Drug Administration approved them for human consumption. No published studies exist on their safety for human use. The NBOMe compounds are substantially more potent than other hallucinogenic compounds, and the data suggest that extremely small amounts of these drugs can cause seizures, cardiac and respiratory arrest, and death. Indeed, these compounds have been linked to the deaths of at least 19 Americans aged 15 to 29 between March of 2012 and August of 2013. In addition, synthetic drugs like these have no consistent manufacturing and packaging processes and may contain drastically differing dosage amounts, a mix of several drugs, and unknown adulterants. Users are playing Russian roulette when they abuse them.
This action is based on a finding by DEA Deputy Administrator Thomas Harrigan that the placement of these synthetic drugs into Schedule I of the CSA is necessary to avoid an imminent hazard to public safety. The DEA published a Notice of Intent to do this on October 10, giving makers, sellers, and other possessors of these drugs a month to rid themselves of their current stocks and to cease making or buying more. During the next two years, DEA will work with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to determine if these drugs should be made permanently illegal.


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Monday, June 28, 2010
Hummus and Ruffled Flowers
As I sat here last evening with my sick kiddos, I decided to make some ruffled flowers. I love making these flowers and they are so easy!
This morning I decided to make some hummus. I made a batch for my family. They usually devour it! They devour everything though!
I love the Barefoot Contessa and have always used her hummus recipe.
Having my food processor makes everything easier!
I made a special batch for one of my boys best buddies Jake. Jake broke his leg this weekend. I hope he likes the hummus. He is such a sweet boy and is now stuck on the couch for the rest of the summer:(
11 comments:
I just left you a LONG comment on your sampler post! Adorable! Hope everyone is feeling better & no more Popcorn for your house! Nothing worse than pukie kids... well wait yes there is! Pukie Parents!!!! Love your flowers! Not so much the hummus. I just can't do that texture. So double the flowers & hold the hummus. I'm so glad you had a good vacation. HUGS! CharleneReplyDelete
I love those flowers, your version is very pretty. I've tried those myself and found them to be fun but time-consuming. Your hummus looks awfully good too! I want to thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. Now I can drink my coffee and spend some time here reading your older posts. Fun!ReplyDelete
Pretty flowers!!! I love that style - its so unique! I wish I could get my boys to eat hummus. Heck I wish I could get them to eat most of what I make - or at least eat it willingly. Not a night goes by does one of them (husband included) say they don't think they want to eat the dinner I am making. Sigh.......can't please all of them. ;)ReplyDelete
I love hummus and I don't know why I don't make it from scratch...thanks for the inspiration!!ReplyDelete
Shelley, Your flowers are adorable!You are such a busy girl. Hope your family is better. Love ya, SylviaReplyDelete
I love Ina Garten too! (but don't you wonder why her parents would name her that???:))ReplyDelete
Can't say I'm wild about hummus tho...and poor Jake. I had to spend the summer inside once when I was a teenager and it was tough!
You've made me very hungry...FOR HUMMUS!!! Can't stop eating it once we have it in the house! (Hope your son feels much better soon...no fun being on the sofa in the summer!!!)ReplyDelete
Gorg flowers---and what a night! I can't even imagine---puke fest! :o)ReplyDelete
I LOVE hummus, and Ina!!! How beautiful are your flowers??!! I need to learn to make them! I hope your family is feeling better. I would rather be sick than have my kids be ill.ReplyDelete
I love chickpeas, no matter what you do to them! Especially in Indian food.ReplyDelete
Hey summer is coming....and hummus is a great treat to serve now.
Happy to have found your blog via the Inspire Co.ReplyDelete
I happened to enjoy some hummus today too with my boys for lunch! :-) Will have to try Ina's recipe some time...


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The Executive Level was a level of the first Death Star.
It contained exercise suites with Heavy Gravity Rooms. Conan Antonio Motti worked out in one Heavy Gravity Room where he would set it at 3Gs. Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's quarters were located on the Executive Level where he boasted hot water showers versus conventional sonic showers.
- Death Star (First appearance)


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The following pictures ARE IN RANDOM ORDER!
What a fun few weeks we have had in our home. We got to spend time with Aunt LaLa from North Carolina over Thanksgiving and she will be back soon for Christmas. Speaking of Thanksgiving...we played minute to win it games with the family. It was a blast! We didn't take pictures but for those of you who know the Brewer clan, you can imagine the chaos of fun that was had! Especially, by Uncle Bill. He doubted every game, and was proven wrong every time. Yes Bill, it can be done! Berkley even joined in a few times. She was a hoot as usual.
We got to spend time with friends at a few Xmas parties, Berk even got to see Santa two times! She freaked out both times, and I laughed, hard, both times. Oops! At one party that was for the kids, Berk found a nativity scene and she proceeded to hang out with Baby Jesus most of the time. She took him in and out of the manger, put his blanket on him, and even took him at one point over to a baby seat and strapped him in. She loves babies!
Oh and.... please excuse all my horrid iphone shots, she was moving to quickly for me.... but you get the point. Baby Jesus was her friend, she looks cute in any dress, we love the holidays, etc.
Did you see the one where she is STUCK in her crib rails? I think she was still half asleep, trying to crawl out like it was my bed or something. She just kept saying mamadadddy, mamadaddy, and yes its all one word.
Oh we also had the Brewer Family/Work party. Berkley has gone every year (2) that she has been here. Ha. Everyone loves seeing her and its fun to dance and play and show her off. One of the partners and our good friends the Ogles are always so sweet and love playing with her. Ms. Karen taught her naughty things though this year. She was throwing sugar packets on the ground and laughing like a crazy woman. Karen would laugh too, and so the GAME continued. It was a mess. Did I mention she would also tear open those sugar packets with her teeth, like a sugar crazed animal? Such a sweet, well behaved child. WHO ARE HER PARENTS!?
We did a lil Xmas party with our friends and their kids. We played, tried to read Xmas stories, and made Santa Hat bites. SO YUMMY! Brownie bites, whip cream and strawberries! Berk loved them.
We are so blessed and thankful for another wonderful year here in the Brewer house. We love this time of year with family, and we pray that no matter what is going on we can all remember how blessed we are! I know I can lose sight of how wonderful I have it...so feel free to gently remind when I have to go up another pant size after all the food, that I am lucky to have that much food, and when I pick up another broken ornament, that some children don't get to have a tree, and when I am exhausted from my crazy lil blessing, that she is a blessing and there are people in the world who would give anything to be up all night with their child. God is good. Thank you Lord for loving me, and thank you Lord for blessing me!
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! - the Brew Crew


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Monday, July 09, 2007
Update on the stolen purse and my current state, which is of such an anxiety, mon Dieu!
And guess what? It turns out that he wasn't running the program, but he happens to be in Paris this week, and he's agreed to help.
So right now, he and I are busy emailing back and forth. I've sent him scans of the letter from my new French boyfriend, Chief Inspector Dreyfus of the Recovered Handbags Department, and a scan of my passport, and a letter from me, telling the French police--in French--to pretty please hand my purse over to my former professor. (Which my former professor had to write for me, because as everyone who reads this blog already knows, I speak some French, but I am not tres fluent.)
So at the moment, I am COMPLETELY mental with a combination of excitement and suspense. Strangely enough, I'm also retroactively loving my vacation more and more. My daughter feels the same way. Like all of a sudden our vacation has morphed from this horrible ordeal where cruel French thieves conspire to make clodhopping Americans miserable to a warm and whimsical scene from a Jacques Tati movie. Can you hear the accordions playing, mes amis? Because I can.
8 comments:
One has this image of Peter Sellers holding a handbag from the strap hanging on one finger, his other hand clenched and behind his back.ReplyDelete
Then he says, "Zo, yew are looKING for ze BAHG?"
I'm so glad that you are coming to see your vacation for the 1960's french demi-farce en flic that it will be when we resurrect Truffaut to direct the movie version:-)ReplyDelete
You know, the more I think about this, the more it seems like a covert operation....recalled back to France? For a purse?ReplyDelete
Aha! Madame, I have discovered your secret identity! (twirling my moustache)
Does your blog bite?ReplyDelete
I don't know... I really think perhaps you should have a do-over trip to Paris. Retrieve the bag and also create more happy memories to make up for the pain and suffering from the last trip.ReplyDelete
Forget Paris -ReplyDelete
I'm tagging you for the eight things meme...
What, again?ReplyDelete
I'll have to read my old answers to make sure I don't repeat myself.
I hope everything turns out OK and you get your stuff back.ReplyDelete
I will be missing France this year. I was planning a vacation on Corsica, but something else came up, so I am not going.
Gentle Readers:
For the time being, I've turned off comment moderation. Please don't spam; it's not nice.
xxx, Poppy.


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The scientific literature and my 35 years experience as a psychologist have convinced me that Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is the most effective treatment for children with Autism or other Neuropsychological Disorders. My "Clinic Notes" will document current clinical and scientific developments
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Clinic Notes: The "Autos" in Autism
In 1943, American psychiatrist Leo Kanner published the first paper on autism. The word "autism" comes from the Greek word "autos" or "self" and was first used by Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, in 1912. Bleuler described "autistic thinking" as not involving outside reality, but only the individual's inner thoughts or feelings. He thought schizophrenics were locked into this way of thinking. Kanner used the term autism to describe the extreme social disinterest he observed in eleven young children, and thought the disorder was congenital. The stereotype of the child with autism being aloof locked in his or her own little world is still with us. However, I think that I have seen a change in this stereotype during my 37 years of clinical experience. Many of the kids who come to my clinic now with an autism diagnosis are very social or at least interested in being very social. Unfortunately, their verbal communication holds them back so they do not do well socially. Social stories and modeling social interactions can help, but unfortunately many kids do not solve their communication problems earlier enough to develop socially.
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Hotels in Lomonosov, Russia
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Best hotels in Lomonosov
Lomonosov overviewLomonosov is known for its historical sites. Spend a relaxing day at Peterhof Palace and Garden when the weather is nice. Make some memories at Kammenoe Pavilion and The Benois Family Museum at Peterhof State Museum Preserve. Whatever you're into, Lomonosov has something for you.
Where to stay in LomonosovWhether you're planning to stay for a night or for the week, the area around Lomonosov has accommodations to fit every need. Search for hotels in Lomonosov with Hotels.com by checking our online map. Our maps display the areas and neighborhoods around all Lomonosov hotels so you can see how close you are from landmarks and attractions, and then refine your search within the larger area. The best Lomonosov hotel deals are here with our lowest price guarantee.
How to get to LomonosovFly in to St. Petersburg (LED-Pulkovo), 19.3 mi (31.1 km) from downtown Lomonosov.
What to see around LomonosovDistinguished for its historical sites, here are some top landmarks to visit:
- • Kammenoe Pavilion
- • The Benois Family Museum at Peterhof State Museum Preserve
- • Monplaisir Palace
- • Saint Ioann Kronshtadtsky's Memorial Museum Apartment
- • Cottage Palace
- • Kronstadt Lighthouse
- • Petrodvorets
- • Petrovsky Park
- • Baltic Fleet Drama Theater
- • Kronstadt History Museum
When to visit LomonosovWondering when's the best time to visit? Here are seasonal norms to help you plan your trip:
Seasonal temperature averages
- January-March: 38°F day, 7°F night
- April-June: 69°F day, 24°F night
- July-September: 69°F day, 41°F night
- October-December: 52°F day, 14°F night
- January-March: 0.12 inches
- April-June: 0.16 inches
- July-September: 0.28 inches
- October-December: 0.20 inches


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I'm a little late in posting this, I know. The last few weeks have been very busy, & my focus has been far from cooking. I've started Swedish school, which I attend 5 days a week. At the end of March, I went on a mini-tour to Germany with the band. We have another gig coming up in Norway, so a lot of my time has been spent drumming & studying, plus finding some activities that give me a chance to relax between those times (like Sims Medieval!). Amongst all that, I haven't really felt like cooking either.
With Easter approaching, & all the chocolate & sugar indulgences that I couldn't partake in, I started to consider what I was going to make for myself. I didn't really feel like anything sweet, beyond what I've been having regularly (like sugar-free jelly. Oh, I forgot just how easy that is to make!). H's mum came over for his birthday & bought him a cake that he & I could have - a smörgåstårta. 'What the hell..?' I hear all non-Swedes ask. A smörgåstårta is a 'sandwich cake', a savoury cake made from bread & layered with mayonnaise, cream, & various savoury toppings. While they ate it whole, I pulled it apart, wiping away the bread to consume the creamy fillings & yummy toppings. Once I'd had it, I knew what my next attempt was going to be!
First I compiled my list of ingredients, then made the bread. The cake is made a day ahead so that the flavours from the filling immerse into the bread, making the flavour fuller & more enjoyable. There are all kinds of recipes for these cakes; anything goes, really. It's all up to personal taste & preference. I based my bread recipe off one I found here, omitting the honey with stevia, & adding some milk to make up for the missing liquid.
H's mum graciously bought me a scale too, so I was able to weigh the ingredients. I can see what the big deal about them is now. 1 tablespoon of coconut flour does not equal 15 grams of coconut flour. It's furthered my ability to know how much ingredients I'm actually using, & has been easier at keeping track of nutritional values & such. I recommend anyone who cooks & bakes regularly to get one of those.
The first part of the recipe (the bread), is measured. The following part (filling & toppings) is really left up to you; I didn't really measure anything, just threw stuff together. I'll share with you what I used, but I really think it's left up to personal taste.
This serving is rather small; it's meant for 1-2 people, 2-3 servings all up. It's quite filling, very delicious & oh-so-indulgent.
(grain-free, sugar-free)
Coconut Bread
(based off Nourished Kitchen's coconut flour bread recipe found here)
80 grams butter (room temperature)
63 grams/ 130mls coconut flour
4 eggs
45mls milk (I use light milk - 1.5% fat)
10mls vinegar
1 gram stevia
1 gram baking soda
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
2. Sift flour & add the dry ingredients together.
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Add milk, butter & vinegar & mix together (I used an electric beater on low). Add the dry ingredients.
4. Place batter into a loaf tin & bake for 35-40 mins, or until it starts to brown slightly on top.
5. Leave it out to cool.
Once cooled, I sliced the loaf in half, then again sliced through the length of the loaf to make more layers. It was actually more than I needed, so I kept one of the slices for something to snack on. Feel free to have a four-layered cake - it's up to you!
Now this is where it gets experimental, but I'll begin with what I used. I had the following:
Sour cream
Cream cheese
1/2 cup small shrimp
1. In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons (30mls) of the mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese. Mix together. Add more ingredients depending on how you want this to taste (I added more mayonnaise & a little more sour cream).
2. Add the shrimp & about 1 teaspoon (5mls) caviar. Mix together, adding more caviar if desired.
3. Sprinkle dill & paprika, starting with 1/2 teaspoon (2.5mls) of each, adding more if you desire.
4. Spread the filling inbetween the layers of the bread.
5. Once it's filled, cover the cake & place it in the fridge, leaving it overnight. If you want to eat it the same day, give it at least 3 hours to sit in the fridge so the bread absorbs some of the flavours from the filling.
Again, this is really up to you. I wanted a seafood smörgåstårta, so I went with some shrimp, salmon, cucumber, cheese, tomato, caviar & a hard-boiled egg, which I cut into quarters. The beauty of the smörgåstårta is you can make it with anything: chicken, ham, even omitting all the meat & seafood & making it vegetarian. Some versions have liverpaste spread through the layers. It's all up to what you feel like having.
Submitted to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday & Cybelle's Allergy Friendly Friday


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During my most recent visit with Rotowire's Chris Liss and Jeff Erickson on Sirius XM Fantasy Radio, the duo asked me if all the injury information packed away in my brain effects my drafting decisions. My answer is an emphatic yes. When I hear a player's name my first thought isn't the number of home runs they have hit or what their WHIP was last season, I visualize their number of recent rips to the disabled list or how many times they have visited Dr. James Andrews. It's a blessing and a curse. For example, I missed out on Josh Hamilton's MVP season because his injury-riddle 2009 scared me off. However I haven't touched Grady Sizemore since 2009 and haven't had to deal with that headache.
This year is no different as numerous All-Stars and top-tier players have injury questions surrounding them, dictating my draft strategy. Here's a look inside my head and how I view some individuals.
Guys I'm Avoiding Like the Plague
Josh Johnson: Johnson's had a stellar spring. He's pitched 11.2 innings, striking out 11 and surrendering just three earned runs. Yet I just can't look past his last two seasons. His 2010 season was impressive but he abandoned fantasy owners just when they needed him most as back and shoulder injuries ended his season in September. He lasted nine starts last year before shoulder inflammation once again derailed his season. Details were never released and it doesn't appear the Marlins ever pinpointed the exact cause of the problems. His offseason was spent rehabbing the area and strengthening the surrounding musculature but I'm not convinced.
Grady Sizemore: This is a no-brainer. Since 2008, Sizemore has suffered through multiple knee injuries, including one that required microfracture surgery, two sports hernias, left elbow surgery, and is now recovering from back surgery. Too many problems and too many healthy outfielders to consider in his place.
Justin Morneau MIN OF: Not a big surprise here but Morneau's average draft position remains too high for my liking. According to Mock Draft Central his ADP is 159 and he's the 14th first basemen off the board. Remember this guy's list of injuries may trump Sizemore's. He suffered a back injury in 2009, a season-ending concussion in 2010, and then came last season where he suffered a second concussion and needed surgeries on his wrist, knee, and foot. I'd rather wait a round or two and select Gaby Sanchez than draft this former MVP.
Ryan Howard: I was bullish on Howard before an infection in his surgically-repaired Achilles tendon set him back several weeks. The initial injury occurred in his final at-bat during the 2011 postseason and could be linked to the multiple cortisone injections he needed for his chronic ankle issues. Howard's size scares me and the Philadelphia medical staff is notoriously conservative with their players. I'd consider taking him off this list if he played in the American League and was able to DH but for now I'm letting someone else take the gamble here.
Chase Utley: Utley's knee problems are degenerative, meaning as time progresses the cartilage within the knee will continue to break down. He rehabbed enough last year to make it through the second half and even stole 14 bases. However the knee is once again inflamed and he's visiting a specialist to determine the next step in recovery. He's already expected to start the year on the DL and on paper he seems like a decent candidate for microfracture surgery.
Chris Carpenter: I actually considered drafting Carpenter over the weekend after reports suggested the bulging disk in his neck was improving. However his symptoms returned after a recent throwing sessions and he has left the team. The former Cy Young winner is experiencing weakness in his upper extremity, indicating the problem is nerve-related. Nerves take an extremely long time to heal and Carpenter has a history of nerve problems. That's a dangerous combination.
Guys I'm Drafting But Only at a Discounted Rate
Shin-Soo Choo: Choo was an injury risk early in his career but strong performances in 2009 and 2010 made him a sought-after fantasy option. He hit 42 homers during that stretch while batting an even .300. An oblique strain and a thumb injury that required surgery limited him to 85 games last year but I think he's in line for a bounce back year. The thumb injury was fluky after he was hit by a pitch and his arrest for drunk driving clearly weighed on him emotionally. There's a ton of talented outfielders out there but Choo could be a solid addition if you miss out on the elite options.
Corey Hart: Hart is just two weeks removed from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee but is progressing nicely. He hasn't been active on the base path in three years so the surgery shouldn't affect him there and his batting average and OPS remain more than respectable. He missed most of Spring Training last season with an oblique injury so he's familiar with the process needed to return ready and able. He has an outside shot of playing on Opening Day and if he slips past his ADP of 91, I would take the risk.
Tommy Hanson: Hanson is the guy that may come back to get me this year. Everything about him screams don't draft me. He's a young pitcher who's been forced to alter his mechanics due to a torn rotator cuff. History suggests he could be in for another eventful year and that doesn't even factor in the concussion he suffered early in spring training. Yet I'm intrigued by his 2.89 ERA in his rookie campaign and his stellar start last year that included a 4-0 record and a 2.62 ERA during June. If he can remain effective and quickly adjust to his new pitching style, Hanson could be a mid-to-late round steal.
Jason Heyward: Another Braves youngster that showed such promise before an injury derailed his sophomore campaign. The shoulder injury remains clouded in mystery but I've yet to hear it's been an issue this spring. His power seems to have returned as he has hit two home runs in spring training, one off of Stephen Strasburg, the other a grand slam off Wandy Rodriguez. His struggles against lefties remain problematic but that's not injury-related.
Guys I Like and Am Drafting With Confidence
Buster Posey: The collision at the plate that left Posey with torn ligaments in his ankle and a broken fibula was a gruesome injury. Yet the timing of the injury and the subsequent surgery is key in this case. Posey suffered his injury in May, giving him nearly 10 months to focus on rehab and recovery before returning to action. The San Francisco medical staff has handled his recovery almost flawlessly, progressively bringing him along at a comfortable pace. He caught his first game of the spring without problems and his first hit was a home run. He'll get the occasional time off and spend some time at first base but Posey remains an elite option at catcher.
Josh Hamilton: In more ways than one Hamilton is his own worst enemy. Besides the personal demons that will always haunt him, his aggressive style of play is the primary reason for the multiple injuries that have hounded him throughout his career. The Rangers plan on protecting him by once again shifting him from center field to left field for the majority of games. Hamilton is entering the final year of his contract and appears motivated to return to his 2010 MVP form. Hamilton is in for a big year if he can minimize the risky plays he attempts.
Adam Wainwright and Stephen Strasburg: The reasoning here is simple. Tommy John surgery just isn't the career killer it once was. Both Wainwright and Strasburg are hoping to put in a full season of work after each undergoing the procedure needed to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Wainwright is just one year removed from the surgery while Strasburg was able to make five appearances last season after undergoing the operation in September of 2010. Strasburg has struggled so far this spring but his arm has held up and he will get the first Opening Day start of his career. Wainwright has yet to surrender an earned run in three spring appearances and is slated to pitch in St Louis' home opener. Draft both players with confidence.


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If Demi Moore Really Had Threesomes, They Destroyed Her Marriage, Experts Say
Even though Demi Moore allegedly agreed to letting other women in the bedroom with her and Ashton, experts told Hollywoodlife.com exclusively threesomes are NOT a good idea! Do you agree?
Whether or not Demi Moore, 49, actually insisted on including other women in her and Ashton Kutcher's sex life remains unclear, but one thing is for sure: threesomes can be destructive to a marriage or relationship. Hollywoodlife.com spoke exclusively to top relationship experts who unanimously advised us to stay away from threesomes if you want your marriage or relationship to last.
"In my experience I have never seen a situation where it has helped a marriage and to make matters more horrible, I have experienced couples who have been terribly hurt by it [threesomes] and have broken up it because of it," says psychotherapist Dr. Gilda Carle of Dr.Gilda.com, and author of Don't Bet on the Prince!.
Chelsea Handler recently reiterated rumors that Demi was in fact into threesomes with her 33-year-old ex-hubby on the the Nov. 17 episode of Piers Morgan Tonight, saying, "I think they had a lot of good times with some other women. Clearly they probably had a lot of threesomes that led to twosomes without Demi, and that leads to divorce."
And even IF Demi was down with threesomes, it's very likely her jealousy became a problem in the twisted trios.
"When there is a possibility of jealousy cropping up then what can occur after the fact is difficult to handle for most people," Dr. Gilda says.
So why would Demi — a beautiful, successful and worldly woman — agree to sharing her man?
"If it is true that Demi and Ashton participated in threesomes, it is only because this was Demi's desperate attempt to hold onto him," says Dr. Carole Lieberman, psychiatrist and author of Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets. "When there is a large age gap, Cougars like Demi, live in fear of losing their man to a younger woman. So they make concessions, such as having threesomes, and pretend that they are okay with it because they believe losing the man is worse."
But this — not surprisingly — makes matters worse. And her compromises to fill her insecurities of their age gap could have been the demise of their marriage.
"When you bend your own rules to keep yourself in a relationship that you already feel insecure in, all your left is with resentment," says Cooper Lawrence, relationship expert and cohost of the Scott & Todd Show on PLJ.
And it sounds like this is exactly what happened with Demi and Ashton. "It's not like we heard about her and Bruce Willis having threesomes," Lawrence says.
But whatever her reasoning may be, bringing someone else into the bedroom is a risk to the relationship — and probably not a good idea.
"Threesomes are destructive to most relationships, because they loosen the bonds of commitment and trust and build resentment and fear," Dr. Lieberman explains. "Threesomes would have made it easier for Ashton to step over the line and go from having a threesome to having sex with another woman without Demi there."
Relationship expert Lawrence says it does depend on the couple, but it usually doesn't end with a positive outcome.
"I know of couples who do that regularly and they're perfectly happy, but I know more couples who end up feeling jealous and resentment," Lawrence says.
What do you think, Hollywoodlifers? Do you think threesomes are a good idea when you're in a committed relationship? Vote and weigh in below!


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If you are like me and my daughter you go thru shampoo twice as quick as you do conditioner. Another way to use it up and save you some money is to use it as shaving cream! Instead of buying shave cream or gel just slather conditioner on your legs and shave as normal! You will have soft, smooth, and hair free legs in no time! Not to mention the conditioner will soften the hair and make it easier to get rid of while making your legs soft without even touching lotion to them!
A Hairy Use for Hair Conditioner


text: A video allegedly portraying military caskets being returned from foreign battlefields, shown earlier this month on a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Web site, has prompted U.S. Rep. Chris Chocola, R-Bristol, to attack Democratic rival Joe Donnelly. Meanwhile, the DCCC is airing a new radio ad attacking the incumbent 2nd District congressman. "I find it reprehensible that the DCCC would raise campaign money by exploiting the ultimate sacrifices of our brave men and women," Chocola said in a statement. "Unlike Joe Donnelly, Democrat candidates across the country have distanced themselves from the ad," he said. Earlier this week, the National Republican Congressional Committee put out a release chastising Donnelly for not denouncing the video. Donnelly subsequently issued a statement in which he said that, "As far as I know, this ad is no longer on the committee's Web site, and I would not have supported it. I have always supported and stood with our troops and I always will." On Tuesday, Chocola sent out a follow-up statement criticizing the DCCC and quoting an article in a Washington, D.C., newspaper, The Hill, which said in a Tuesday story that Donnelly defended the ad before it was removed, saying it was "appropriate and important." The story used those words but did not have them in quotation marks. Donnelly spokeswoman Katie Nee said the paper talked to her, not Donnelly, and that she made the remarks without consulting him. "Joe has been consistent all along in saying that neither party should use that imagery in political ads," she said. Nee was quoted in the story as saying, "Joe's not in favor of cutting and running, but he feels it is appropriate to see what sacrifices we have made." Nee said Wednesday the quote was accurate, but that she erred by talking to the paper without consulting Donnelly. The Chocola attack is the latest in a series of GOP allegations here and elsewhere that Democrats are using images of caskets containing the bodies of U.S. soldiers for fundraising purposes. The NRCC issued a statement Monday reiterating the allegation and asking why Donnelly hasn't spoken up "about this deplorable video." The video is no longer on the committee's Web site, according to DCCC spokesman Bill Burton. He said the GOP claim that the video was being used for fundraising is not true. According to Burton, the video was being used to communicate with supporters of Democrats and to lay out a case for what a bad job the Republican-led Congress has been doing in a variety of areas, including the response to Hurricane Katrina, gas prices and the war in Iraq. Burton said the coffins were on screen for "two seconds" during the two-minute video, and said it was taken down to move on to "the next thing in our strategy," and not because of GOP criticism. Meanwhile, the DCCC on Wednesday announced a new radio ad, which it said has President Bush thanking Chocola for approving tax breaks for big oil and gas. Staff writer James Wensits: email@example.com (574) 235-6353


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After 6 seasons and 1 movie of style domination the girls are at it again, bringing out all the stops to pop up trends around the world for the next fashion season. I was happy as I left the theatre, I won't give any spoilers but I will say, although not as good as the series this movie was better than last and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. That said, there was one thing that bothered me, everyone watches these girls now for fashion and the creators have come to the point where the try to hard.
Although the movie was full of great outfits that I just loved, for every 1 outfit I adored there were 2 that I hated. I think Patricia Field is a genius costume designer who has always brought a great sense of style to the series but a good part of the movie was borderline cheesy, each girl had to flaunt a constant array of designers and was consistently out of place. Even in the desert of the United Arab Emirates they managed to somehow find it practical to be in evening dresses and heels? Don't get me wrong I am a stiletto addict, but I know they have an appropriate time and place, and marching through sand is when you choose your new gladiotor sandals, not your Manolo's. In addition, there were several moments where I questioned the age appropriateness of the outfit choices. Each of the women are at the least in their forties and they are wearing flaunty outfits of the twenty year olds. Giving credit, this was briefly addressed in one scene, but it still felt a tad out of place. But enough about that, here are the pieces I loved (and could scrounge up an image for you):
*thanks elle.com*
I have been rocking my own turban look this Spring, and am loving the Middle Eastern flair!
*thanks screencrave.com*
*merci weheartit*
From tiara headbands to stilettos, I still love all that glitters!
*thanks baltimoresun.com*
My all time favorite thing about the middle east is the abundance of mouth watering color. Their fabrics are stunning, and the best inspiration for any seasons wardrobe!
*merci brisbanetimes.com*
As appropriate with our lovely warm weather, it was fun to see a little skin. The cute belly shirt with capris was a nice nod to the olden days, and I might just give it a shot myself. Although, I must admit, I've always felt uncomfortable wearing belly shirts, like I'm trying to put myself on display or something?
What was your favorite outfit in the film darlings?


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Cyclophosphamide is part of a class of drugs called immunosuppressants. It suppresses the body's immune response and reduces inflammation in your lungs. Because inflammation is the precursor to fibrosis (scarring), we hope cyclophosphamide will prevent the formation of lung fibrosis and allow the inflamed lung to return to normal.
Before taking cyclophosphamide:
Side effects from cyclophosphamide are common and include:
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
There are two ways of taking cyclophosphamide — by mouth and by intravenous injection. The route of delivery will determine how you are monitored. Your doctor will order regular lab tests to check your response to cyclophosphamide and monitor for toxicity. Your blood counts — white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets — will be checked regularly . Your liver enzymes and urine will be checked regularly as well. Your doctor may order additional tests depending on the results.
For additional information on cyclophosphamide, please visit MedlinePlus.gov.
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care provider. We encourage you to discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.
Interstitial Lung Disease Program
400 Parnassus Ave., Fifth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (415) 353-2577
Fax: (415) 353-8944


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Thursday, April 12, 2012
New Chairs
3 comments:
Ok this post answered my previous question.ReplyDelete
GREAT find! I have quite the chair obsession and these are fabulous. I have a set of 6 Brno chairs that I purchased from my work for $60.00 which makes them all the sweeter! I need to reupholster them, you are inspiring me to get on it!
I love the velvet option for your chairs and that green chair! Love the colour but teal is gorgeous too. Tough choices for you, I guess you will have to look at the different lushness of the velvet with the colour.
Oops. My iPad self corrected my name as chairsReplyDelete
We ended up buying teal velvet since none of the greens in stock had that creamy malachite quality.ReplyDelete
The rounded backs are proving super hard to recover without having a million hideous pleats...which only exaggerate with the flock of velvet. I've gone from confident to cautiously optimistic. Either way I'll post photos when they are complete. Thanks for all your encouragement!


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Malcolm X Shabazz High is located in Newark, New Jersey. Scholarships for students
attending Malcolm X Shabazz High can be found in our scholarship database. If you are searching for scholarships
for students attending a different high school in Newark, visit the
Newark directory.
80 Johnson Avenue
Newark, New Jersey


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Ok, so I have gone from being no-bellied to everyone commenting on how huge I am. Both my mum and Tom's have said that I shouldn't trust the two ultrasound scans I've had and it's probably twins in there which I'm fully and definitely ignoring.
This is the textbook belly at 33 weeks:
And this is the Clare belly:
As you can see I'm currently far to tired to be bothered with such things as brushing my hair and tidying the bedroom. I'm thinking I look lots bigger than the illustration but maybe the drawing is based on someone who didn't eat chocolate for every meal for most of their pregnancy.
Thinking of food, with Lily my cravings were icey cold milk and cheeseburgers. With this baby I've gone crazy for vinegar drenched pizza, Braeburn (and only Braeburn) refrigerated apples and strawberry jam on toast. I've never eaten so much toast in my life, I won't be surprised if this baby comes out with a tan.
Lily went off to Cadbury World with her best friend today so Tom and I got the last few baby things. We got two nappy pails which we had to search high and low for, also some Nuk bottles which were the most expensive but I've heard good things about them - and they were the cutest! The only thing we have to buy now is a monitor and we're done! Toms Mum also gave us a gorgeous yellow hand knitted blanket and we're going over in the week to pick up Toms old baby clothes, I can't believe she has kept them for 38 years! They are lovely though and it's so nice to think of baby wearing her daddy's clothes. I've been buying vintage baby clothes from Ebay too, she now has an awesome wardrobe of clothes!
I'm home alone tonight with Lily and Tom both out and doing their thing so I'm going to eat the rest of the ice cream and watch old Seinfelds until I fall asleep, which will be approx 10 minutes after hitting the play button.
Saturday, 7 March 2009
What if Woody Allen had Directed Watchmen?
Tom and are will probably not find time over this weekend to see Watchmen which has zero impact on me but I imagine Tom might be quite upset. It's his own fault for going out tonight for non-drunken-responsible-father-to-be shannanigans with his brother and a priest and working tomorrow.
I'm sure he'd like this little funny that I found here swapping Zack Snyder for other directors. Here's what they say about Woody Allen's version:
Allen sets his romantic comedy on the Upper West Side, where wealthy dermatologist Dr. Herbert Manhattan (Allen) suffers a freak accident with his dermabrasion machine. How will his blue skin and omnipotence affect his relationship with beautiful but scatterbrained silk importer Laurie Juspeczyk (Scarlett Johansson)?
But the thing I most enjoy is the picture above, it made me lol.
You can see the rest on the Slate Website.
Posted by Clare at 11:10 No comments:
Thursday, 5 March 2009
33 Weeks
This pregnancy is making me tired, I think I've had enough now. And I nearly cry when I think that tiredness is going to still be a big feature in my life when the baby comes along - wahhh!
I'm as big as a house now, with seven weeks to go. I waddle around and it takes about five minutes of struggling like an upended beetle to get out of bed. My favourite thing to do is lie on my back, pull my top up and watch my belly moving and shaking with the tiny dancer inside. Sometimes, I have to admit, all the movement does feel unpleasant. I remember reading a John Fante book where he hated feeling his wife's pregnant belly because it felt like a 'writhing bundle of snakes' was in there, and that's a pretty accurate description of the feeling. Most of the time it's lovely and Tom & Lily enjoy being kicked by her too.
It's not often I post a wishlist with stock images and actually end up purchasing them. Firstly, we got the cot from Ikea along with a pink chest of drawers and the nursery is looking slightly unfinished but good. We also scored a Quinny Buzz from Ebay, complete with the Dreami carrycot and tonnes of accessories for £182. We had to collect it from Hull which we turned into a day out and a trip down memory street for Tom as he used to go to university there. We had lunch and I raided the Hull Gift Shop for tat and am now the proud owner of an 'It's never dull in Hull' badge. I'll have to take their word for it I guesse, didn't stay long enough to put it to the dull-ity test.
Posted by Clare at 09:41 1 comment:
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text: Someone over at tm.com LOOKS LIKE MODEL X WINDSHILD WILL EXTEND INTO ROOF rwwrealty | AUGUST 23, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Zp4L_S7vc at around 5 sec in the video above, it looks like the front windshield extends right into the roof with no visable headliner break. you can also see form the exterior in the video below at around 30 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dspmib2-3lc Edit: Without a cross membrane between the A pillars.


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West Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) January 23, 2014
Stephen J. LoGiudice, General Manager of Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm Beach, achieved the designation of "Certified Club Manager" (CCM) with the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA). LoGiudice was approved by the Certification Committee of CMAA and joins more than 1,500 club managers worldwide who have achieved this hallmark of professionalism.
LoGiudice qualified for the CCM examination as a result of fulfilling specific requirements in club management experience, education, and association activity. The CCM examination contains ten subject areas, including leadership, communication, club governance, accounting and financial management, human and professional resources, food and beverage operations, principles of management and marketing, external and governmental influences, facilities management, and sports and recreation management. The exam is prepared and administered under the direction of the Certification Committee at various college and university sites across the country.
Through the Certified Club Manager program, CMAA encourages the education and advancement of its members and assists club officers and members in securing the most efficient and successful club operations available.
Founded in 1927, the Club Managers Association of America is the professional association for managers of leading private country, city, yacht, athletic, military, and fraternal clubs in the U.S. and abroad.
Ibis Golf & Country Club is an exclusive West Palm Beach country club community of 33 distinctly different neighborhoods and 54 holes of golf on three renowned Nicklaus-family golf courses. Ibis is located on the quiet edge of northern West Palm Beach and just minutes from the heart of the city.


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Upon a visit to the Special Collections Department in the University of Iowa's Main Library, I was able to uncover a marvelous book of Civil War letters (Call #: MSC 541 Box #1 and #2) authored by Mr. Charles Thomas Ackley, a Union soldier from Iowa. Reading Ackley's letters gave me a very realistic look into the life of a typical Union soldier from the rural Midwest.
Ackley was born in Pittsfield, New York on July 23, 1833. In 1855 he moved to Iowa and started a farm near Marble Rock. He was married in 1863 to Elizabeth Thayer (The recipient of his Civil War letters). Later that year Ackley enlisted in Company B of the Seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army. The letters that he sent home to his family in Marble Rock date from January 17, 1864 to July 5, 1865. While he served, Ackley saw intense action and fought in many battles during the war. Although he was not injured, he did contract diseases that hindered him for the rest of his life. He was discharged in July 1865.
While reading Ackley's letters I found many things to be very interesting. One such aspect I found particularly stunning was his "quite comfortable" living conditions. Through his letters he explained he lived in makeshift barracks with 50 other men. They had a coal stove to keep them warm in the winter months. He slept on bunks with 3 beds on each, spanning about 4 feet wide that had "plenty of straw on them." I found these conditions to be a little appalling; however, during the time period Ackley seemed very impressed.
Ackley's personal relationship to his wife and children is another fascinating detail that can be observed. Times of love, distrust, guilt, and even undeserving feelings are scattered bountifully through his many letters. This was a very captivating trail to follow, in my opinion.


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I ran across this post in a Facebook conversation:
"Self defense is a God given right."
I agree, but the way we implement that right is critical - literally a matter of life or death.
Today's "stand your ground laws" seem to reflect a value that a person's pride is more important than a human life.
Through centuries of Anglo-American experience and development, we came to a collective, societal decision that two criteria are needed to prevent self-defense principles from becoming a killing field, a license for murder.
The first was requiring retreat before using lethal force - I believe based on the idea that human life is more important than pride.
The second was the development of use of an objective standard in deriding whether the 'defender' acted reasonably - whether the defender was truly acting in self-defense. With the objective standard we ask - "would the 'reasonable person' in the shoes of the defendant have felt his life was in danger?"
These "stand your ground" laws mostly use a subjective standard - "did this defendant feel his life was in danger?"
The trouble with the subjective standard is that, in the real world, it is no standard at all - all we have is whatever the defendant decides to say. In operation, that is no standard at all.
Yes, an objective standard is, in the real world, somewhat hazy and difficult to establish - but it is still better than a meaningless subjective standard at all, which factor is neglected by these "stand your ground" laws.
Again, today's "stand your ground laws" seem to reflect a value that a person's pride is more important than a human life.
And I think that is huge step back into lawlessness within our society.
= = = =
Note: These thoughts are based mainly on what I remember from my one crim law course in 1978. There are details I'm sure I have forgotten, and nuances I've passed over.
I believe, however, that these two issues are at, should be at, the center of the discussion.
If You Are Going To Pursue Truth, you have to be prepared to change your mind....
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Post Offices As Banks
Senator Elizabeth Warren* has proposed empowering post offices to do consumer banking and lending (as is done, I believe, in several other industrialized countries.)
How would that help people? Let's look at how consumers are treated by today's established banks.
Here's some history. Up until the 70s, at the larger commercial banks, consumer banking was considered a necessary nuisance, a backwater in the banking world. Consumer bankers were generally not held in high regard because the profits from consumer banking were low.
Then came the soaring interest rates of the 70s which resulted, in large part, from the OPEC oil price increases.
Interest rates soared on loans to all banking customers, corporate as well as consumer. Rates soared so high that the states had to repeal the previous "usury rate" limitations which had kept interest rates low.
As oil prices came down and as our economy adjusted to the new realities, wholesale and corporate interest rates dropped to levels near those from before the interest rate run-up.
But banks found that the consumer market didn't pressure them to lower consumer interest rates nearly as much as the corporate markets did - consumer interest rates stayed relatively high - well above the rates which had just a few years earlier been considered criminal usury. (I did legal work for a large US bank, so far as I am aware, there was no collusion among the banks on these rates.)
Because of the increases spreads between the rates banks borrowed at and the rate they charged consumers, profits from consumer lending soared and consumer bankers became the heros of the commercial banking world.
Incidentally, those rapacious rates were the reason banks were able to survive the huge losses they incurred from the LDC debt crisis - the loans to the lesser developed countries which had to be largely written off. For example, the large bank I represented in the restructurings sold off $7 billion in LDC loans for about $2 billion - a loss of roughly one sixth of its total assets.
That $5 billion dollar loss (for a bank of about $30 billion in assets) did not sink the bank only because of the massive profits they had begum making on consumer loans.
Are you upset that we the people had to bail out the banks in 2008? Bet you didn't know that we the consumers unknowingly bailed them out in the 1980s.
Banks still make huge profits on consumer banking. Credit unions offer one alternative, consider the value for consumers if our postal service could be expanded to provide another low cost alternative to the current banking system.
= = = =
I very much support Senator Warren (as well as Bernie Sanders, Sherrod Brown and Al Franken.)
I disagree, however, with the impression Senator Warren is creating about the so-called "$83 Billion Bank Subsidies." Those "subsidies" are the lower costs of borrowing banks have because of the core central bank function of "lender of last resort" of the Federal Reserve - which not only provides stability to the banking system, but which keeps interest rates lower for all elements of the economy.
See my last post at http://rjw-progressive.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-so-called-83b-bank-subsidy.html
Posted by RJW - Progressive at 6:08 PM No comments:
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About Costume KingdomCostume Kingdom gives you the opportunity to escape reality and step into a world of fantasy. The costumes available for men, women and children at costumekingdom.com let you become a new person. Pirate, princess and monster costumes are always a hit. TV show and movie character costumes will be easily recognizable. You can also check out the extensive selections of Disney character and Star Wars-themed costumes. Even adorable pet costumes can be ordered. Masks, wigs and makeup are the perfect accessories. Other clever accessories that are available include costume shoes, fake moustaches and wigs.
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text: Continuing my work as an Embedder, I share with you all this beautiful video, THE LIFE OF THE FLOWERS. Time Lapse photography in recent years has really become quite skilled and interesting. One can see a place change from early morning till the dead of night as the light grows either stronger or weaker. I think there is a "message" for us all in this. Because when we begin each day and we think about what we want to do, what God "might be urging us to do" we might do a bit of "time lapse" look at our own lives as they went from the darker moments of confusion, discouragement, selfishness etc etc to the "brighter moments" of love, compassion, generosity, joy, Hope etc etc.. Enjoy THE LIFE OF THE FLOWERS.


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The end of July is rapidly approaching so it is now only just over two months from Hair for Hospices 2013 which will be from 1 -28 October. This blog now has readers in 64 countries, from Aizerbaijan to the USA and from the Maldives to Mongolia! Thanks to everyone reading this for your support and I'd like to think that in some way this will help local hospices around the world in October.
I am having some very interesting discussions with hospices and individuals who would like to be associated with this cause and I'm more than happy to give you as much time as I can to help local hospices benefit from Hair for Hospices.
Some organisations have already launched their publicity campaigns and sent me the posters they are using for this. Two posters for the event are shown below and I'd be more than happy to publish YOUR publicity material on my blog as I found last year that everyone takes a different approach and we can all learn from others and the effect is synergistic.
As you can see from the above, some interesting ideas have been launched. Please don't forget the logo at the top of this blog is available in a range of qualities and can be freely used in publicity material. I also have a good source of T-shirts and other materials using the logos – the larger the quantity we order collectively, the lower the unit cost. What about providing Hair for Hospices "kits" for participants with a T-shirt or some other publicity material?
Thanks for reading this and I look forward to hearing from you if you'd like to do something for your local hospice.


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Stetson Law accepting nominations for William Reece Smith Jr. award
Stetson University College of Law is accepting nominations for the prestigious William Reece Smith Jr. Public Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding service to the legal profession and community. This year's award will be presented at the Annual Inns of Court Banquet and William Reece Smith Jr. Distinguished Lecture on Jan. 28, 2014.
Nominations must be received by close of business on Monday, Dec. 23. Nomination forms may be downloaded here or by contacting Patricia Toups at firstname.lastname@example.com. Completed nominations may be emailed to email@example.com or mailed to Stetson University College of Law, Attention: Patricia Toups, 1401 61st St. S., Gulfport, Fla., 33707.
The annual award is named in honor of legendary Florida lawyer William Reece Smith Jr., who served for decades as a distinguished professorial lecturer at Stetson Law in Gulfport, Fla. Smith, who died earlier this year, dedicated more than 60 years of service to the legal profession. He worked tirelessly to provide legal services to the poor. Smith founded and served as the first president of Florida Legal Services, served as city attorney of Tampa, chair and trustee of numerous colleges and universities, interim president of the University of South Florida, and as board member of countless religious, charitable, civic and professional organizations.
Stetson established the William Reece Smith Jr. Award in 1990 to honor outstanding contributions to public service, the justice system and the community. William Reece Smith Jr., past president of the International, American, and Florida Bar Associations, was the award's first recipient and its namesake.
Previous William Reece Smith Jr. award winners include John T. Berry, John P. Cunningham, John R. Blue, Denis deVlaming, Gregory K. Showers and Edwin Boyer.
For additional information, please contact Stetson Law's Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 727-562-7818.
Post date: Dec. 13, 2013
Media contact: Brandi Palmer | firstname.lastname@example.com
727-562-7381 office | 727-430-1580 cell


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Category Archives: inspirations
Filed under inspirations
Pixel – extraits
LOTUS DOME hundreds of high-tech flowers by Studio Roosegaarde
Filed under inspirations, Uncategorized
Strange | Face-o-mat Travels the World – 2013
The interaction with machines made our daily life easier, faster and more efficient. Despite the rapid growth of technology, machines could not yet replace a simple smile, but now we have Face-o-mat.
(Also watch how it started: vimeo.com/61645611 )
Face-o-mat is Tobias Gutmann's portrait machine that happened to travel 40'514 km, from Stockholm to Milan, Dar es Salaam, Tokyo and London. The social portrait-booth, was originally made of cardboard found in the trash, but has been upgraded to MDF to better withstand traveling. Since December 2012 Face-o-mat has produced over 700 portraits.
Follow the ongoing journey of Face-o-mat on Facebook and Tumblr:
Thanks to:
All the Face-o-mat visitors. Without you this project would not be possible!
Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm
Rossana Orlandi, Milan
Art Market, Mwenge, Dar es Salaam
Brink, Graduate Design Talent & Tent London
Idée Garage, Tokyo
Video credits:
Camera: Tobias Gutmann, Hironori Tsukue (Milan), Bun (Tokyo)
Sounddesign: Markus Eriksson
VideoArt | Locomotive – Place des Arts – Espace culturel
"Locomotive", the most recent addition to the mosaic screen installation in the foyer of Place des Arts, is a fantastical portrayal of a human machine.
The context resembles an elaborate organic dominos game. It begins with a musical impulse and is accompanied by an inexorable advancement of light.
Human flesh makes up a patchwork of glittering metallic members – which have the luster of new pistons and bolts – engendering a hybrid mass.
Caught in awkward tension, the bodies quiver in suspension, the movement becoming increasingly intense until released by the passing impulse.
The carefully synchronized three-dimensional chain reaction of image, sound and light dehumanizes the body while simultaneously makes us smile. Uncomfortable yet intrigued, the eye of the passer cannot turn away from the machine. The complexity of the work lies in its ambiguity of being funny, monstrous, and sensual all at the same time.
The totality of this intriguing puzzle is best seen by taking a step back. However, in order to observe and appreciate the detail of the movement, it is equally engaging to advance forward. Each gear, wheel and suture plays its role to tie the whole piece together.
For this project, in lieu of creating a work that is intrinsically promotional, Place des Arts has taken the risk of acting as a sponsor and distributor of this purely artistic and cinematic endeavor.
Conceived with the intention of using the proposed space – its limitations and constraints – in the pursuit giving life to a custom made creation, "Locomotive" highlights the artistic potential of the mosaic screens in the foyer.
Director: Thibaut Duverneix
Creation: Thibaut Duverneix & Mathieu Léger
Choreographer: Ashlea Watkin
Production: Departement
Line production: Antler Films
Executive producers: Sach Baylin Stern – Thibaut Duverneix
Producer: Josh Usheroff
Cinematographer: Christophe Collette
Makeup: Anicko Bouchard
Art Direction: Mathieu Léger
Editing – Post Production – Grading: Thibaut Duverneix
Music composer: David Drury
Music producer: Christian Olsen & David Drury
Bass player: Sage Reynolds
Allison Blakley
Victoria Diamond
Jérémy Fiset
Milan Gervais
Emily Gualtiery
Lael Stellick
Andrew Tay
Ashlea Watkin
1st camera assistant: Mariane Laporte
Grip: Max Robert
Electro: Christian Mouzard
PA: Mathieu Lefrancois-Gauvreau
Intern: Hans Bobanovits
DIT: Alexis Vanier
Watchout Integration: Thibaut Duverneix & Philippe Larocque
Special thanks to:
Place des Arts
Sophie Labelle
Samuel Rigaux
Lucie Ladhui
Département Caméra
Scapin Staging


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Obama's pledge to--if elected President--rewrite the rules of trade set
out in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) caters to a
protectionist agenda set on protecting special interests, not promoting
America's prosperity. The argument that NAFTA has brought nothing but
woe to the U.S. economy and America's workers is based on anecdotes and
distorted data--and has gone far toward helping to misshape public
perceptions about NAFTA's real impact. Unfortunately for good
policymaking, the ongoing practice of bashing NAFTA on the campaign
trail may result in real changes made to an agreement that has done far
more good than harm to America's economy.
Populist rhetoric
aside, NAFTA and other free trade agreements (FTA) the U.S. has in
place have spurred competition and economic growth. In fact, without
the lower barriers to trade that these agreements and the more than six
decades of multilateral trade liberalization has brought to bear on the
world's markets, America's ability to weather the current economic
storm would be much less. While it is certainly the case that these
agreements can always be improved, that does not mean they are
broken--although reopening them may indeed bring about that result.
Instead, a new Administration and Congress keen on promoting America's
economic well-being should support the efforts already underway to
improve the implementation of the agreements.
The Positive Benefits of FTAs
of the beginning of 2008, the U.S. has 11 FTAs with 17 countries.
Congress has approved FTAs with the following nations: Israel; Canada
and Mexico (NAFTA); Jordan; Singapore; Chile; Australia; Morocco; the
Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and
Nicaragua (DR-CAFTA); Bahrain; Oman; and, most recently, Peru.[1]
agreements with Oman and Peru have not yet been fully implemented, the
U.S. has already seen impressive results from its bilateral trade
deals. For instance, in 2007, the FTAs currently in force accounted for
more than $1 trillion in two-way merchandise trade, which is about 35
percent of U.S. trade worldwide.[2] Along with the economic benefits of the agreements, the FTAs have also
strengthened political relationships between the U.S. and its strategic
allies around the globe.[3]
to popular opinion, since its inception NAFTA has generated significant
gains for the U.S. Together, Canada and Mexico constitute America's
largest trade partner, accounting for about 83 percent of all
merchandise trade between the U.S. and our FTA partners and 29 percent
of all U.S. merchandise trade in 2007. Each day NAFTA countries conduct
roughly $2.2 billion in trilateral trade. [4] This trade supports U.S. jobs, bolsters productivity, and promotes
investment. Since 1994, U.S. GDP grew more than 50 percent in the first
13 years of the agreement, and the economy created a net 26 million new
fact, economy-wide, the estimated net number of jobs displaced each
year by international trade is estimated to be no more than a
relatively small 3 percent of the workforce.[6] Far more important to the changing composition of America's workforce
have been improvements in technology and shifts in consumer
preferences. The combined impact of innovation and reduced barriers to
trade has served to help the economy, not harm it. Up until the current
economic slowdown, America experienced an average unemployment rate of
5.1 percent--2 percent less than the average unemployment rate
experienced over the decade preceding the implementation of NAFTA.[7]
Today, more than 57 million Americans are employed by firms that engage
in international trade--roughly 40 percent of all non-farm jobs.[8]
The Cost of Renegotiating Treaties
the data does not support the popular opinion that freer trade results
in a competitive environment that is unfair to U.S. workers and
companies, the call for renegotiating trade agreements has been taken
up by protectionists, most of Congress, and one presidential candidate.
While such tactics may make for good politics, they would result in
very bad policy. Should the U.S. demand to reopen NAFTA or other FTAs
as a means to pull back from previous market access commitments, then
it is fair to expect that America's trade partners will retaliate with
protectionist demands of their own.
Such actions would result in
a real contraction in the level of two-way trade at a time when the
U.S. and other countries are relying on trade to mitigate the cost of
the current economic slowdown. Firms that can no longer find a domestic
consumer can export instead--provided countries do not react to hard
economic times with protectionist policies. When all sales
opportunities dry up or are denied, companies go out of business, jobs
are lost, and the chance for economic recovery is postponed. Rather
than burden already struggling firms with extra barriers to trade,
governments need to keep the wheels of trade greased.
Free Trade Agreements Promote U.S. Interests
trade agreements do not need to be renegotiated to make them better.
Because it is clear that economies evolve over time, NAFTA and the
other FTAs have working groups and formal committees designed to
continuously ensure that the rules of trade defined in the agreements
work effectively for all parties. For instance, the newly established
"Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas" initiative is designed to
function as a regional forum for making trade free and fair.
the U.S. pursues freer trade through multilateral negotiations or via
bilateral agreements, the result is fair and beneficial for America.
Similar to the objectives sought after by U.S. negotiators in the WTO,
U.S. FTAs go beyond winning lower tariffs on American agriculture,
manufacturing, and services exports. FTAs include provisions that
safeguard investors from discrimination, increase regulatory
transparency, combat corruptive practices, and protect and enforce
intellectual property rights. The U.S. trade representative negotiates
agreements that include transparent dispute resolution and arbitration
mechanisms to guarantee that the agreements are upheld, along with the
rights of U.S. firms and consumers.
U.S. FTAs generally
strengthen the transparent and efficient flow of goods, services, and
investments between member countries. FTAs open markets, protect
investors, and increase economic opportunity and prosperity. In short,
FTAs serve to promote U.S. interests, not weaken them or place an
unfair burden on Americans.
[1] Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, "Bilateral Trade Agreements," at http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Section_Index.html (October 22, 2008).
[2] Based on calculations using data from the TradeStats Express National Trade database at http://tse.export.gov/ITAHome.aspx?UniqueURL= 02dxjrynb2mvcgerd5jd2k55-2008-4-9-3-22-49 (October 22, 2008).
[3] U.S. Trade Representative, The 2008 Trade Policy Agenda and 2007 Annual Report, March, 2008,at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Reports_Publications /2008/2008_Trade_Policy_Agenda/asset_upload_file649_14563.pdf (October 22, 2008).
[4] U.S. Trade Representative, "NAFTA: A Strong Record of Success," March 2006, at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Fact_S heets/2006/asset_upload_file242_9156.pdf (October 22, 2008).
[5] U.S. Trade Representative, "NAFTA--Myth vs. Facts," March 2008, at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Fact_ Sheets/2008/asset_upload_file71_14540.pdf (October 22, 2008).
[6] Daniel Griswold, "Trading Up: How Expanding Trade Has Delivered Better Jobs and Higher Living Standards for American Workers," Trade Policy Analysis No. 36, Cato Institute, October 25, 2007, at www.freetrade.org/node/782
(October 24, 2008). Similar results were derived on 2003 jobs
statistics in Erica L. Groshen, Bart Hobijn, and Margaret M. McConnell,
"U.S. Jobs Gained and Lost through Trade: A Net Measure," Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, August 2005, at www.ny.frb.org/research/current_issues/ci11-8/ci11-8.html (October 22, 2008).
[7] U.S. Trade Representative, "NAFTA--Myth vs. Facts."
[8] Council of Economic Advisors, "Economic Report of the President," February 2007, p. 169, at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/2007/2007_erp.pdf (October 24, 2008).


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Our Hand Made Ties and Bowties
Each of SEIGO's original ties and bowties is designed and colored for the best-dressed men all over the world. These ties are made of the finest 100% pure silk. They are preciously hand sewn by skilled workers for the maximum resistance and best draping. In short, they are THE BEST-MADE TIES from Japan.
Our fabrics are woven in small mills in Kyoto with our specific instructions, and our printed fabrics are hand-blocked silk-screen printed in To-ka Machi in Niigata. Both cities have been historically known as the major manufacturers of Kimono, Japanese traditional wardrobe.
In general, woven patterns give a little more formal, dressier look; thus they are better fitted for dressy suits.
Some of our designs are limited editions: only eight of the same ties exist in the world. Each one comes with a serial number in the back to ensure its authenticity. *serial numbers go for ties only.
All of our bowties are "bias-cut" to give just enough stretch to the fabric. The flexibility makes it easier for you to tie, and it offers you the most comfort around your neck. Our bowties are designed to fit up to 19" neck size. We can also tailor the tie down for your specific needs.
It is our goal to provide the most pleasant experience with our ties and bowties to each and every customer of our stores.
SEIGO NECKWEAR New York


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PLYMOUTH, Mich., July 31 (UPI) -- Bradley Fighting Vehicles of the U.S. Army are to receive mobility restoration upgrades from Loc Performance Products Inc.
The upgrades, to restore lost mobility, will include track kits, shock absorber kits, vehicle suspension support system kits and heavy weight torsion bar kits.
The contract for the work was issued by the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command and is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity award with a value of $161 million.
Loc Performance Products says it will need to hire 40 additional employees for the work, which will be conducted at Fort Riley in Kansas., Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Carson, Colo.
"This is a game-changer, and it's going to nearly double the size of our company," said Lou Burr, president of Loc Performance Products. "It positions Loc for additional growth in support of other ECP (Engineering Change Proposal) combat vehicle modifications such as those that would benefit from Loc's Final Drive technology currently under development through an Army Small Business Innovative Research Phase II contract."


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I received a call from one of my gamer buddies a few months back and was told to pick this game up. I was whollly surprised by this. First off, he's a miniatures gamer too, and so good that the Chicagoland area knows his name and considers him to be one of the 'cheeziest' 40k gamers around (he is quite good, to be honest). Just as miniatures are my second love and first passion, so too is he dedicated to the plastic/pewter/resin gods. But he told me about a card game and passionately suggested that I pick it up.
Why would I waste my time with a card game? I'm glad you asked. I wouldn't. You see, back in college I had gotten into Magic: the Gathering (this was '98, so it was 'beta', I think). I couldn't lose amongst the group and I knew immediately that this game was not for me. After all, losing is kinda my thing. Any game that I can pick up and not lose at is obviously not balanced, as my ability to win is wholly based on great tactics and the all-too-rare bout of good luck. So I dropped it. I then got into Jihad and Lunch Money and various other card games and found myself underwhelmed (only so much fun to be had after awhile, and college can certainly last awhile). So I dropped card games altogether.
I used to be into comic books, and have recently jumped back into them. I, being the consummate role-playing gamer of days long gone, have been interested into getting into the DC Universe RPG (adapted from Mutants and Masterminds). Unfortunately, the books are too expensive for my measly budget right now. So Heroclix certainly resolves my comic-and-gaming craving. Until that phone call, anyway.
Enter the DC Deck-building game. It's cheap (only $30 or 40, but I don't quite remember now), and it's very easy to learn. I walked into the LGS after a day of gaming and picked it up without a thought, and then got home and forced my buddy-in-tow to play with me. In the span of a couple of hours, we'd deciphered the poorly-written rulebook and played a game. There were many laughs to be had all night long. I ended up winning that game, but it was too much fun to care about that.
Here's the basic 'gist' of the game-
You start with a 'hand' of cards, which you play. Each card has a 'Power' rating or a special ability, and play them all to gain as much power as you can. You add up your total power, which you may then use to 'purchase' cards from the table (it's called a 'line-up', and it's really no different than the table having it's own 'hand'), or defeating the Super-villain at the top of that pile. You then discard your cards and any that you gained, and draw a new hand! Play continues in turns until all the Super-villains have been defeated. Each card in the game also has a 'victory points' total, and the end of the game sees each player adding up how many victory points they've gained. There are cards that reduce the victory points in your hand and other players can force you to gain those cards in the form of attacks, so be careful. At the end, whoever has the most victory points wins the game! It's that simple.
Here's some of the other things that I like about the game-
-It's comic book characters from the DC Universe. I like comics, so it's a nifty little tie-in.
Here's some of the other things that I like about the game-
-It's comic book characters from the DC Universe. I like comics, so it's a nifty little tie-in.
-It's based on the 'New 52' images, which means better artwork and certainly cooler outfits for everyone. I love the new stuff, so even better for me.
-It's easy to role-play. Despite not having any RPG element whatsoever, any player worth his salt can have fun playing his hand and narrating what's happening. My buddy and I love to characterize our combat actions as 'punch-kick combos' and 'ridiculousness'.
-Finally, it's a long game. I don't mean it's long to play a game, I mean that it takes about three games for two players to see every card in the box and see what they do. There's quite a few heroes, which each player chooses and gains some special ability from, so it's fun to see how each hero interacts with the game. Although it's easy to learn and master after only one game, it's still a few games before the players really understand everything that CAN happen.
Do I suggest this game? ABSOLUTELY! I've even done a great job in pimping this game out to a couple other buddies and they've ran out to buy it. And they've all raved about how much fun it has been. From one happy gamer to another- GET THIS GAME NOW! It's great for those nights when you have nothing else to do and you've got an hour to kill. Trust me. I'm Superman. :-)