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Thursday, February 19, 2009
Beauty Salon Hussy
Last year, Janet convinced me to try a product called Coppola Keratin Complex. It turns out, that Coppola works miracles - it leaves your hair smooth and shiny and healthy. It is supposed to be nontoxic (although the fact that it makes my eyes tear up makes me a bit skeptical). Most importantly, it makes hair incredibly easy to blow dry. A job that used to take me nearly an hour now takes 15 minutes. This is a product that has literally changed my life!
Problem is Coppola doesn't really straighten my hair, it just works really well on the hair that's already relaxed. When I first had the treatment done, which was expensive, I was annoyed with the results because Janet had touted it as a replacement for Anticurl, but after paying a lot of money I still had curly roots. I called the salon to complain (perhaps I should have spoken directly to Janet) and they told me to come in. I saw Janet who told me that the product wasn't a hair straigtener. (Thanks for letting me know a couple of hundred dollars later). I asked her to apply Anticurl on the roots and she had a hell of an attitude while doing it, all the time complaining in some Eastern European language to her cohorts. I was frankly quite hurt that she reacted this way after I'd been patronizing her for the better part of a decade. To add insult to injury, I still had to pay for the additional treatment when it was done! Fine, I graciously tipped her anyway, gave her a kiss and said my goodbyes all the time thinking that it was the last time I'd see her.
So, around the end of the year my hair is needing to be touched up. I do my research and find a salon that does Anticurl called Dueto Salon. I should've been forewarned when every other client was an octogenarian, and the owner made me wait for my appointment while he gossiped with one of them. We do the Anticurl and I notice a lot more breakage then usual after it's done - you know, those embarassing little short strands that stick up from your head like you've been electrocuted (I felt a little better after noticing it wasn't as bad as the case of shorties Caroline Kennedy had). Being too obtuse to have learned my lesson, I asked the owner if they did the Coppola treatment, which I thought might help since it improves damaged hair. I stressed that I meant the Keratin product that did not contain formaldehyde. He said they did, and I come back a week later for the treatment. After he's done he leaves the bottle out and I notice that the label says Brazilian Keratin - a different product. I pick up the bottle and read the ingredients and sure enough it has formaldehyde (i.e., poison) in it. I'm livid. Also, for months afterward, my hair was limp and lifeless. Perhaps because my hair is naturally fine, but the process does not work well for my hair.
Eventually, I discover that my favorite salon for hair cutting, Arrojo Cutler (different salons serve different purposes), carries the actual Coppola treatment and I am thrilled. I have it done and my hair gets back that silky texture. Problem is Arrojo doesn't carry Anticurl and my roots (and every other secret I'm trying to hide) are starting to show. Do I go crawling back to Janet? NO! I decide I'll go in on her day off and ask for someone else to do my hair. Turns out they schedule me with Serge! Serge is Janet's professed nemesis. While doing the job, Serge is the consummate professional (and a flaming queen - not that there's anything wrong with that). He adds some protective cream to all of the hair strand except the inch of new growth that he's going to treat so as not to use the product on previously relaxed hair. All the time, Janet's Eastern European mafia posse is eyeing me and I feel as if I'm having an illicit affair. The discomfort. Serge meanwhile has no qualms about shamelessly offering me a discount for his services the next time I come in even though he knows that I'm "Janet's client". Anyway, when my hair is done, I'm quite pleased with the results. I feel so guilty and underhanded, but Serge was great. Can I keep seeing him behind Janet's back? Can I even go back to Janet now and snub Serge? Perhaps I should have tried to work things out with her, but at some point I must get on with my life. Yes, I know that I at least could look for someone who doesn't work in the same salon and not rub it in her face, but I've tried, I've really tried . . . and finding someone you trust to do your hair is very difficult. What exactly do I owe Janet anyway?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Outliers by Macolm Gladwell
I just finished reading "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point and Blink, neither of which I have read). Mr. Gladwell argues that to understand the reason for why some people have incredible success we must look at a variety of factors such as culture, family background, birthplace and even birth date in addition to the personal qualities of the successful "outlier". Although some of these ideas may not be new, his hodgepodge of anecdotes contain the most fascinating tidbits of information. For example, out of the 75 richest people in history going back to the Byzantine empire, no fewer than 14 are Americans born in the 1830s (OK, three of these were born in the year 1840 if you want to be picky); the most successful hockey players are born in January, February and March (no, it has nothing to do with those being icy months); the most successful New York lawyers were Jews born in the 1830s to parents who worked in the garment industry; Colin Powell's family is from Jamaica; and traditional wet rice farmers in Asia fertilize their rice paddies with a combination of burned compost, river mud, hemp and human manure (this factoid is not especially relevant to his central argument, but I thought it interesting as well as gross). At any rate, I was, frankly, enthralled. I'm sure Gladwell will have his detractors - those who will argue that his ideas are recycled, that the rigor of his research is suspect, that he chooses his anecdotes selectively to support his arguments or that he does not give enough credit to the qualities of grit and perseverance over the element of social determination, but I thought the book was a fascinating and provocative read.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The Curse of the Black Cardigan
Anyway, having been on vacation the last two weeks, I decided that I was going to take advantage of all the current sales and try to update my wardrobe. (Plus, I have almost no tops to wear under my black jackets and/or cardigans.) Inspired by an older gentleman who shops as a sport (and is not gay!) and buys only when he finds the absolutely best deals, I was determined to do my research. I spent hours browsing retailers' internet sites and then set upon expeditions to the stores to see the actual pieces and try them on.
I started at my fallback, the DKNY store in SoHo. I had seen a pair of trousers on their website that looked great, but that did not fit quite right when I tried them on in the store. I was able, however, to find another nice pair for under $80 and a cool boxy jacket for under $140. I also found a pair of shoes at the nearby Anne Klein store for $20 bucks that looked just like a $300 Taryn Rose pair I had been eyeing! Score! So all in all, I had bought a suit and pair of shoes for under $250. Problem is everything I bought was black. That's OK, we were just starting out.
Next stop, JCrew. JCrew is so ubiquitous and the go to place for so many teeny boppers that it is really best for only basics because otherwise everyone will know you got your clothes there. I did make an exception for a black and gold print silk blouse that was only $35. It was the wrong size, but when I tried it on it fit! I also bought a wool and cashmere WHITE turtleneck sweater from their website that they didn't have in the store for $50 (although it was almost $60 with shipping). OK, so I was regressing a bit.
Next, Bloomingdales. I spent three hours here and came home with a black cardigan to show for it. (I may be mentally challenged.) However, this was a cool silk Marc Jacobs cardigan striped with this metallic threading that was $240 on the website but only $90 at the store. Can anyone really have too many black cardigans anyway?
The true payoff to all my hard work however was this beautiful silk blouse by Milly that I tried on in the store. I knew from my research that it was $96 dollars on the website (but it was not marked down from its almost $300 price tag in the store!). Of course, I ordered it as soon as I got home. See, isn't it pretty?
Anyway, I love it and it will go well with my new trousers.
I also ordered this short raglan sleeve turtleneck to go with my new boxy jacket:
So besides a fuller closet, a somewhat diminished bank account and a blister on my foot, I came away with the following lessons from my shopping extravaganza:
1. At least for me, black is still beautiful. I can keep it simple with black pants and jackets and mix it up with the tops I wear.
2. It pays to look for sales both on a retailer's website and at the store. I found certain items marked down on the website but not in the store and vice versa. Also, especially if you're buying final sale items, you need to be able to try them on to make sure they fit.
3. Make sure you factor in shipping and handling when you order online and that you still consider it a deal after adding in that cost.
4. Shopping, if done with the object of getting the best price, is hard work. Note that I was on vacation during this time and I still only visited one store per day when I actually went out to shop. Some days, I spent a significant amount of time on the internet. For me, I think it paid off. For about $600, I was able to get a blazer, pair of trousers, pair of shoes, a turtleneck sweater, a cardigan and three blouses. (OK, I probably could have done without an additional black cardigan).
5. Know when to stop. Like with investing, you don't want to put your money into the market all at once. There is always another sale around the corner.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Last Year's Resolution
Sunday, December 28, 2008
The Year We Were Excused From Christmas
At any rate, for the last five years or so, I have spent Christmas with my boyfriend's family during which time I exchanged gifts with his Dad, three siblings, and a varying number of their significant others. I then typically visited my family where I exchanged gifts with my sister, her husband and my parents. In the last few years, I have gained two nephews and my boyfriend has gained one. While buying presents for this number of people was not exactly an economic hardship for me and I derive (as I assume many people do) a certain pleasure from gift-giving, the task had become daunting. Also, I have to say that I was troubled by what seemed to me to be excessive waste in terms of time, effort and money spent in buying all of these material objects. I was often left with an uneasy feeling after all the presents were unwrapped and we were left with all this STUFF, most of which we didn't need and was frankly a drag to have to figure out how to carry home.
This year, something in the air made my boyfriend's family decide to do a "secret santa" instead of the traditional exchange of gifts. Inspired by this development, I informed my family that I was liberating myself from the tyranny of the Holidays this year and that they should not buy or expect to receive gifts from me (except in the case of my nephews). I ended up buying a few extra gifts anyway, but these were more in the nature of tokens made with no sense of obligation or expectation of receiving anything in return. The result: I didn't spend the days leading up to Xmas in crowded stores stressing out about getting the right gifts for everyone and running myself ragged. I stressed out about other things instead. My boyfriend spent more time with his siblings. I had only a small bag of stocking stuffers to carry home and enough room in my closet to put them all. I spent time with my family and it felt nice just to visit. (Although I still wish my that my older nephew had been more excited over the spectacular pop-up book I gave him (Winter's Tale by Robert Sabuda)!).
Anyway, I don't know what will happen next year, but this year, it felt more like Christmas to me than ever. We went back to the basics - spending time with family, relaxing and making the little ones happy. I was even able to maintain my anxiety in check as I sat back and watched the nephews open their presents, play with their toys and begin accumulating all this stuff that they don't really need.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
New Clothes, Woo hoo!
I love to wear this wool v-neck dress over a black turtle neck tee and tights with knee-high boots. Nice and cozy for $175.
And, finally, cool, comfortable shoes for under $100.
Now, I just need to stop myself from shopping anymore for a while . . . .
Monday, September 15, 2008
Kill, Baby, Kill
Source: BBC News
According to this BBC News report, the International Fund for Animal Welfare is reporting that the level of noise in the world's oceans are causing serious problems for whales, dolphins and other marine mammals, blocking their communication and disrupting their feeding. Apparently, the noise generated by ships' engines and propellers, seismic airguns used in oil and gas exploration and military sonars have been implicated.
Whales and dolphins are cool, and this makes me sad. . . .
Friday, September 12, 2008
First Job - $$$
Thanks for helping to rake the leaves, Bobby.
You must share with your little brother, Bobby!
When I grow up, I'm going to be a Republican!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Let Her Take It Like A Man
By the way, does anyone remember McCain's off-color joke of not too long ago about Chelsea Clinton who isn't even running for anything (at least not yet):
"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?
Because her father is Janet Reno."
Yup, he said it. Funny? Maybe. But the point is that hypocrisy is everywhere, so let's start calling it when we see it. Anyway, let's assume Obama did mean his remarks as a dig against Palin. Why does she need so much protection anyway? I must take issue with the strategy because it is so transparent that it offends my intelligence - paint her to be the victim (ooooh, they're talking about her children, that's off limits; oooooh, they're questioning whether she can do the job b/c she has 5 children - that's sexist; ooooh, they're looking into her background and questioning whether she's qualified) so that when she comes out swinging she looks like a big vigilante hero. She's a victim when the PR people are handling things but a "barracuda" when she steps into the limelight.
Of course, she wouldn't come out herself and cry "stop picking on me!" while she's trying to prove that she can play with the big boys. But stop doing it for her already and let her speak for herself. All we've heard from her so far is her speech from the Republican convention, which she repeats verbatim wherever she goes. Enough, with introducing me to your kids, woman, come out and tell me where you stand on the issues! And please reassure me that the books in my public library will be safe if McCain ever gets elected and then croaks.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I digress
I will declare that I am left of center. I am a registered democrat and cautiously liberal. I am a Hispanic female. I am 38, unmarried with no children (I live with my boyfriend of 7 years who sometimes demands almost as much attention). I am an attorney in the financial services industry, where I assume that most people would not share my views if I expressed them. I never saw the point in alienating half of one's audience anyway. But I also have some intellectual appreciation for why some people feel that small government is best or the philosophy that people cannot be made to feel responsible for the welfare of their compatriots against their will (perhaps because I myself do not care to part with my money so freely). I AM a strong believer in individual liberties. Show me a right and I will probably be supportive - the right to privacy, the right to die, the right to fornicate (responsibly if with multiple partners), the right to generally be indifferent to other people's misfortunes.
Anyway, the foregoing is a long prelude to what I originally wanted to say, which is that I watched Senator Obama's speech when he accepted the Democratic party's nomination the other night and found to my chagrin that I was being moved. I'd watched him in debates but (although I had read his speech on race and was quite impressed with his skill or that of his speechwriters) had never actually heard him make a speech. I had been a Hillary supporter (there I go alienating at least three quarters of my audience) and although I was resigned to support the party's nominee had started out a bit deflated. His speech impressed me for what I was shocked to find it made me feel - I felt like he had held up a mirror and showed to me my cynicism - it made me wish I was a better person. When he said words to the effect that we are better than a country that says to people that "you are on your own" I felt guilt. As I've aged, I have progressively (or regressively depending on whom you ask) embraced the attitude that it's me or the other guy and rejected any suggestion that I bear any social responsibility other than to do no harm, which I still contend is not a terrible place to start. I also resent it when people tell me that I must "give back to my community" (whatever that means) or words to that effect. Having been born to poor parents, my attitude when choosing a career was that serving society should best be left to the rich kids who could afford the luxury of self-righteousness. My primary goal should be to "get ahead" and any success itself would represent progress. Of course, that thinking goes against much that was instilled in me growing up and I never fully freed myself from guilt for doing well while leaving others behind (not to exaggerate my financial well-being since I am far from financially secure and almost every other person I meet has a lot more money than I do). A few days after listening to Obama's speech, my views are not dramatically altered, but the fact remains that I was moved and challenged by a political speech. While listening, I kept asking myself - "could this seemingly right-thinking individual be for real or is he just a smooth operator?" - and I found myself hoping that . . . . Well, that's just it - I found myself HOPING. How embarrassing.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Amtrak Sucks!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bought Them: Fit Flops
Recently, I've heard a lot in the media about the dangers of wearing flip flops. Regular flip flops reportedly accentuate pronation (the rolling in of your feet), which causes fatigue and stress in your feet and lower legs and can lead to overuse injuries. They can also accelerate bunion formation by increasing the stress on the great toe joint (eek, I have bunions!). The fit flop, on the other hand, is supposed to increase muscle activation and make the muscles that stabilize the foot work harder and over a period of time can actually strengthen your feet. Fit flops are touted as helping to tone your calves, thighs and butt. I don't know if that's true, but they actually make your legs look good while wearing them, and after wearing them all day, it felt wrong to wear my regular flip flops at home in the evening.
I also think they're pretty cute. I bought the Walkstar II model in patent bronze shown above. I had the hardest time finding this particular model in my size on the internet. Finally, I walked into Macy's and bought the last pair they had in my size (I generally wear U.S. size 7, but these run large so I bought a 6) for $59.99. Score!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Bedbug Nightmare
This is the crap we had to deal with last week after discovering a bedbug in our apartment (once again). We had to have every item of of clothing and fabric in our apartment laundered or drycleaned, vacuum virtually every possession we own and then pack everything in plastic bags so that the exterminator could come in and douse everything with chemicals. It was as grueling as having to move, but much more aggravating because it was certainly not by choice. Coincidentally, around this time last year, I also found a bed bug. I informed the so-called "resident manager" who only asked me if I'd been travelling but basically shrugged it off. I hired a pest control company which charged me a large sum to come and spread chemicals in my apartment three times. I threw out a bunch of my possessions, including a semi-antique couch that I purchased on Ebay because I thought that maybe it could be the source, and had to dry clean almost every article of clothing that I own. A huge expense and ordeal as you can imagine. A few weeks after that nightmare, I found out from one of the other employees of this venerable, luxury building that another apartment on my floor had had a major infestation. I only ever found two bedbugs back then and the pest control company confirmed when they were done that there appeared to be no infestation in my apartment – the logical conclusion being that they came from outside the apartment. Now, almost a year later, I've found another one! There is no reason I should have bedbugs – I haven't been travelling or staying in hotels, I've brought no new or old furniture into my apartment and I vacuum religiously because I have terrible allergies. This time, I wrote an angry e-mail to the management company, and they at least got an exterminator in here; he came and sprayed everything last week and we're now in the process of unpacking and putting everything back. He'll have to come back and spray again in a couple of weeks but we won't have to repackage everything for the second treatment. I've sent my drycleaning receipts to the management company asking for reimbursement and also asked what they've done to ensure this never happens again. They have not responded. As far as I know, they have not inspected any other apartments on this or adjoining floors or even bothered to alert people so that they can be vigilant. I've at least alerted my neighbors on my floor and actually stuck underneath their doors copies of the correspondence between myself and the management company, including the management company's feeble attempts to cover their asses at my expenses (such as by suggesting that I was taking my sweet time preparing the apartment for extermination, even though the exterminator told me right in front of the "resident manager" that he was booked for a week). Anyway, this is a video of the preparations we made for the exterminator to come in, which is admittedly goofy, but now, that (hopefully) the worst is over, I can talk about it . . . and let the healing begin.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Brand New Skin?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Celebrating Artistic Achievement
Monday, April 21, 2008
Required Reading: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I'm Still Alive
Anyway, today I had some soundproofing folks from City Soundproofing over to evaluate the situation. They were very professional and made me feel better because they totally validated my belief that the elevator noise is excessive (yes, I realize I'm paying them and it's in their interest to make me feel that way). They're going to go back and formulate a proposal but they tell me that although we may be able to treat the ceiling, there's not much I can do about the elevator noise on my end. So tomorrow I'll go back to the management company and start this dance again. It's really draining.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Avery Bombe Chest from Crate and Barrel
Rarely do I see something at C&B that I feel I MUST have, but I am loving their Avery Bombe chest for $799. The dimensions (41 x 17 x 34) make me think that I can get two and use them as nightstands. I think they'd go well with my high bed and I need a little extra storage for clothes and the like. I also love that the drawers are lined with this silk screened black and white paper with a vine pattern. Don't know that I'll actually get it, but I think it's cute, cute, cute!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Stop Those Pesky Unsolicited Catalogs Today!
Catalog Choice is a sponsored project of the Ecology Center. It is endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council, and funded by the Overbrook Foundation, the Merck Family Fund, and the Kendeda Fund.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Signature Scalloped Percale Bedding by Garnet Hill
Monday, February 18, 2008
True Love? Hans Olsen Compact Dining Set
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Around the House and In the Garden - A Memoir of Heartbreak, Healing and Home Improvement
I cannot say my home healed my heart. But I can say that, as my heart healed, my home reflected it. Perhaps my house forced my hand, at times, with its unrelenting demands. And perhaps at times my heart, gladdened, let me turn my attention homeward. Whatever the strange, looping path I took out of sadness, it wound its way from room to room, like a recurring dream I had as a child, in which I kept lo looking for something in a cavernous, empty old house, never finding it, but never being able to stop the ceaseless searching, either. Maybe my subject is yearning; maybe that's the case for most of us. We yearn to live in houses full of love, happiness, passion, and peace, too. We yearn for domestic bliss. Even when we have found it, we are restless about wanting things to be better. As soon as we get what we want, we want more. That's the nature of being alive, of persevering, of striving. And that is the nature of redecorating.
Cath Kidston Stationery
Friday, February 8, 2008
Silly Fridays: A Thief in Paris
A thief in Paris planned to steal some paintings from the Louvre. After careful planning, he craftily got past security, stole the paintings and made it safely to his van. However, he was captured only two blocks away when his van ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied, "Monsieur that is the reason I stole the paintings: I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh
Sorry, I know this is pretty bad, but I figured I had nothing Toulouse!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Dream Team?
Who would've thunk that turquoise jewelry and a burgundy suit would go well together? But Hillary managed to pull it off nicely at last night's debate. I have to hand it to her hair, makeup and wardrobe people - she's been looking FANtastic!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Fuerza Bruta
Saturday, January 12, 2008
In Search of a Great Facial
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
It's Not About the Packaging: Infusium 23 Works!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Movies To See: La Vie En Rose
I'm Back
I suffered from a bout of ennui after returning from Culebra. The beaches there were so beautiful, the views breathtaking and the weather - sunny and hot. It seemed senseless to return to the cold, to my job, to my dark little apartment. Needless to say, I had a bit of the post-vacation blahs. I received a small bonus from work and, interestingly, could think of nothing special to do with the money. I'm past thinking that any material purchases can make a lasting difference in my life or happiness. On the other hand, continuing to save for the future while getting insufficient enjoyment in the present makes little sense. So what, then, could add some zest? At first, I resolved that we would try a different restaurant and sample new fine cuisine each week. The food, I then realize, is more symbolic - I want to focus more on experiential pursuits in general. If I have to articulate a New Year's resolution, it's that I want to be constantly forming new "tracks." Alas, I think I have a goal and, for now, the cloud above my head has lifted.
Vacation Pics
(1) aerial view of Culebra (transl. "snake") upon arrival after a 25 minute flight from San Juan; (2) beautiful Flamenco beach where we stayed at a small villa; (3) the road to Carlos Rosario - a 15 minute hike on a trail at the end of Flamenco beach leads to a small lovely beach; (4) views on the way to Carlos Rosario; (5) the pristine waters of Carlos Rosario beach have some of the best snorkeling on the island; (6) me at Carlos Rosario; (7) we took a boat ride to an even smaller island called Culebrita (transl. "little snake"); (8) we were dropped off at this jaw dropping beach in Culebrita - there, I saw a stingray while snorkeling as well as tons of colorful fishies; (9) more of the beach on Culebrita; (10) the view on one of our hikes on Culebrita; (11) another view on that same hike; (12) the end of our pilgrimmage - a lighthouse built by the Spanish Crown in the 1880s.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Home Decor Dilemma: Coffee Table vs. Ottoman
The Devin Ottoman from Crate & Barrel (52"x20"x19") -$899 I'll just show because I think it has all of the advantages of an ottoman and some of the benefits of a coffee table and is reasonably priced. Unfortunately, the style just doesn't do it for me.
One intriguing option that I stumbled upon on 1st Dibs was this Louis XV style bench and coffee table, but what is more shocking than the $3,000+ price tag is that someone has already bought it!


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Hi Beauties...
Sorry that I have not been blogging for about 3 months... I had a lot of things going on in the past few months: camera wasn't working, family from all over the world were here, the holiday season was crazy but enjoyable and my dad was sick. But thanks to the lord my father is doing great, my camera is back in action and my family have ALL returned to there perspective homes safe and sound..
I want to wish you all a Happy & Prosperous New Year ( even though I am a month late).
I have lots of cool things to blog about so please stay tune..

subset: commoncrawl


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Mai Sliem - Saktalo / مى سليم - ساكتالواHere is a confession, I never cared for Mai Sliem, I thought she was a faker who lacks her own style. That's not true anymore, she has one me over about three months ago with new songs that makes you want to listen to them over and over without making you sick of them. Mai is back and she just released a single from her upcoming single with the Arab music powerhouse Rotana....I cannot wait to get my hand on this album, I am sure it will be a treat.
Mai did not stop there, she is also staring in an Egyptian blockbuster movie "The Dealer" along side Ahmad Saqa, Egypt's most popular respectable young actor turned into hit maker.
Back to the song Saktalo is an awesome song with a beautiful music video that delivers first rate entertainment while showcasing Mai's acting chops. I must say that I bless the marriage of Mai Sleim and Rotana where the first brings her own style and voice...and the second brings all possible resources production and marketing.
See Mai tease her loved one and share his jealousy and thoughts about his past relationships without coming across as a whiner. she does it in grace, elegance and confidence of a spiky girl.


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Course DatesTo be verified
Achieving Quick Changeovers –(SMED) 2 Day Course
Course Content
The heart of Lean Manufacturing – reducing changeover/set-up times.
Using practical hands-on machine examples, this workshop will give you all the information and skills you need to start your own Quick Changeover teams and make a dramatic reduction in your Set-Up times.
€795 including course manual, lunch, and refreshments.
What You Will Learn
Introduction to Lean, 7 wastes, 5 lean principles, and Lean Game
Introduction to SMED, process mapping the changeover process, identifying VA, & NVA and times attributed to activities.
Brainstorming internal setup and external setup
SMED Implementation of an injection moulding setup
List of actions of current implementation and future.
Production and maintenance managers and engineers, fitters, technicians and set-up personnel.
7 Centre Court, Blyry Business and Commercial Park, Athlone.
The course begins at 9.15 am and ends at 5.00 pm both days.
The successful completion of this programme by the learner does not lead to an award, but a certificate of attendance is issued to each participant.
Safety Shoes – Not Required on this course


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CANDLE SPOTLIGHT: Lemon Verbena
Product: candle
Area used in: living room
Time Period: March -
Description: The luscious lemon scent of the plant that grows on country roads in Provence inspired a sunny blend of verbena blossoms and lily if the valley leaves
So first of all I have some news. I made this announcement on Facebook but haven't talked about it here on my blog. So recently, a couple of days ago to be exact, my bf and I moved from my hometown of New Orleans to Newark New Jersey. Quite a jump to say the very least but both of us needed a change and an adventure and there are more opportunities up here for both of us than down there. We're only about 20-30 minutes away from NYC by train/subway and , what has me even more giddy with excitement, we're about 30-40 minutes away from Garden State Plaza in Paramus which means.... *fanfare
So get ready for all kinds of fun posts and reviews in the nearby future!
Now to back to your regularly scheduled program...
So let's be real, the Provence (not Providence) candles are a B..U..S..T BUST! This candle and French Lavender are the ONLY worthwhile candles in this entire line. And much like with FL, I was beyond thrilled that there was a straight up verbena candle as verbena is one of my all time favorite scents. And as soon as I sniffed it in the store, I had to have it!
Performance wise, this has been one of the best burning candles I've had in awhile - PERFECTION in every way. The flames have been dancing their little asses off! And the wax pool, so far, has been consistently deep and even. And the throw...man, the throw is beast. It's pretty damn strong; it's not strong enough to give anyone a headache but it will certainly fill room with lemony goodness!
Now let's rap a taste about the scent... *sigh
To the average untrained nose, this just smells lemony. Some have compared LV to Limoncello and Lemon Drops, even goin so far by sayin that not only does LV smell similar to both scents and could be a repackage of either scent...
I'll admit because they're all lemony, on first sniff one could be tricked into thinking that they smell similar. But that's like comparing Apple Crumble or Autumn to Leaves cuz they all have appley notes. I'm here to tell you that LV is NOT a repackage of nor smells exactly like Limoncello or Lemon Drops. First of all, LV isn't nearly as tart or acrid or mouth puckering as Limoncello or especially Lemon Drops because unlike those two LV doesn't have a lemon note but rather a lemon-like note i.e. verbena. Also LV has different kind of sweetness to it; it doesn't have the candy-like sugariness of Limoncello or LD. It has lily, which is a very subdued, fresh slightly powdery note. It sorta calms LV down and keeps it from bein a bam in-your-face lemony scent and makes more fresh, slightly floral and springy.
Now there is one lemony scent that I think LV smells slightly similar to and unfortunately most folks didn't get to smell it cuz it didn't go wide. It's Lemon Cucumber from this spring's Fresh Picked (I'll be doin a review on that bad boy soon) While LC is way more tart and fresh than LV, the lemony aspect to me is a little similar. And both, as well as Fleur de Provence, smell like yellow/green Fruity Pebbles..not that I'm complainin cuz I love me some Fruity Pebbles!
Now as y'all know, lemony scents fall into two categories - candy or cleaner. LV is definitely cleaner. I could see a dish soap or floor cleaner or detergent or air freshener smelling like LV. With that said, lately I've been burning it while I cleaned or packed/boxed stuff; I don't think it's a candle that I would burn all the time but on days that I need a little pick me up i.e. when I'm cleaning. It's just so fresh and sunny and happy smelling, if that makes any sense.
In conclusion, LV is pretty nice! Is it a scent fabulous enough to throw a parade for? Eh, not really but it's still very nice. And I stand by my opinion that LV, along with FL, is one of the best candles in the Provence line. For all of yall lemony lovers, this bud's for you! It's a nice candle to burn on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and it's perfect for a day of spring cleaning. Just try it, I promise you won't regret it!


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The Great Ponzi
I have maintained for years that the ongoing U.S. federal deficit is being actively funded by the Fed, through their primary dealers. More evidence has emerged today due to some great reporting by Bloomberg.
It's quite simple, actually. The U.S. government has a spending problem. Again this year, it will spend about $1,500,000,000,000 more than it takes in in tax revenue. OK, so where do we get that $1.5T? By borrowing, of course. The problem is: Folks aren't exactly lining up to loan the U.S. billions and billions of dollars at 1-2% interest. In a free and fair market, rates would rise to the point where buyers would emerge and a new equilibrium would be reached. However, rates cannot be allowed to rise so, what to do?
Since 2008, the primary dealer banks have had virtually unlimited access to the Fed's "discount window". Through this lending facility, banks are able to borrow nearly infinite amounts of money from the Fed. What do they do with this money? They buy treasury bonds and notes! What a deal! Instead of creating the obvious problems associated with overt money printing to fund the U.S. deficit, the Fed funds the deficit covertly by having their PDs borrow funds at 0% and "re-invest" the money into treasuries. All the while, the big banks book the risk-free spread as profit, report healthy earnings on CNBS and pay their executives and traders fat and lavish bonuses. Pretty slick, huh? You don't believe me? OK, read this:
Another classic Fed/TBTF/Congressional shell game. Watch the right hand while the left does all the real damage.
While the country bickered over $700B in TARP, the Fed was secretly doling out $7.7T through the discount window. Let's actually lay out the numbers, just in case you don't catch the gravity of this:
$700,000,000,000 in TARP
$7,700,000,000,000 in actual Fed lending
Well, by now, you know. The ultimate question is: Does it matter? Is there anything you can do, anyway? You can rally with the "tea partiers" but the spending and the corruption continues. You can march with the "occupiers" but the power base and the bonuses continue unabated.
I'm sorry to say that all you can do is protect yourself. By visiting this site and others such as ZeroHedge, you've educated yourself. You now see what's really going on. Continue to prepare. The day is coming when the music will finally stop and the entire ponzi will collapse. Continue buying and stacking. Continue warning others and counseling them to do the same.
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94 Comments
Thanks alot for the insite Turd, it is greatly appreciated
I am my own central bank.....
....in a continuing path towards personal liberty...
I pity the fools who tell me to save USD in a "high yield" CD.
I just keep telling people:
- water
- food
- precious metal
- guns
- non-grid heat/power alternative
first??? Thanks Turd
I try to make sense of this to my family, who is educated, ( 6+ each) and they do not see it the way we do. What hope is there for the masses who simply watch American Idol, and thinking of BLack Friday as a highlight of the year, and all that is good in America.
The amrkets are up 290 on the (reported false) rumors,
amazing. what is one to do???? yeah keep stacking, which I do,..... it really is no wonder that things continue the way they are.
TO watch congress and senate with their cronyism (?) make a person ill, and they make the laws, good grief
no wonder the rest of the world looks at us with contempt
B&B Found Guilty For War Crimes
The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal found former British prime minister Tony Blair and his American counterpart George W. Bush guilty and will lobby for them to be charged internationally for war crimes. Good luck with that. Nevertheless it's a noble decision and deserves attention. Hopefully these criminals and many alike will get their fair verdict in the future.
Barney Frank not running again according to CNBS
Also here: http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/politics/barney-frank-not-running-for-re-election-20111128
when does 7T$ get reconzied
when will it get reconized by the street, the masses...think about it --this amount of $s should have us at santa's 10000$ gold already
Even Kiyosaki is prepping
I know many of you are not fans of Robert Kiyosaki... But I recently heard him speak about the 5 Gs on a free podcast
- Gold
- Guns
- Grub
- Ground
- Gas
He will certainly still accept your money to train you how to get rich in business or Real estate, but this was a twist that surprised me. I like the Alliteration--helps me remember what to tell people on how to prepare.
Gold Behaves as Currency
This article asks which currency correlates best to gold, and the answer is both the Japanese Yen and the Swiss Franc. The analysis is that these are valued as reserve currencies, and that therefore gold should also be viewed as a reserve currency, rather than as a commodity. In fact, they support the view that gold is a safer reserve currency than the others.
I like him. I saw him over 5 years ago. And he was talking gold, silver and oil.. That was where he was recommending people put their money. That's where he said the rich where putting the money. I have respect for him..don't know him, but he was on the gold silver ban waggon even in the 90s
Spent the past week on
Spent the past week on vacation with my wife and kids. My younger brother tagged along. He's a good guy, 7 years younger than me. He has a successful business that he can do from anywhere at any time. This allows him a good income (over $400k last year) and time to travel and play. He isn't married and has no children.
I spoke to him on vacation, yet again, about what he should be doing with his money and also what he shouldn't be doing. He is dead-set on purchasing a million $ home in a neighborhood that he fancies. He is planning on paying cash for the whole thing. No financing whatsoever. I told him that was a stupid decision. Nevermind that fact that a future spouse may not want to live in the home he has picked out, nevermind that real-estate prices are probably going to fall further.
What I focused on was low interest rates. He could get a 30 year fixed for 4%. I wouldn't pay the entire amount in cash. I'd pay some in cash, a nice down payment to lower the monthly payments, and then I'd make extra payments throughout the life of the mortage. Heck, probably pay it off in 10 years or so.
With the cash saved, I'd buy gold and silver and other prepping items. My brother laughed at me and said he would "do what his accountant tells him". Which led me to piont out that it is HIS money, not the accountant's.
We left it at that.
jeez......looks like another gap this morning
to haunt us to get filled.
i'm thinking in late january right before QE3.
On Drudge now
Not that this isn't offensive but....
Turd said:
"$700,000,000,000 in TARP
$7,700,000,000,000 in actual Fed lending
That is only 10 times larger (well 11 if you want to be picky) than was debated.
"I'm sorry to say that all you can do is protect yourself"
No truer words were ever spoken.
as ricky ricardo would ask "can some one escplain how dis can be possible...7$t and gold 1715?"
Re: Oops
Turd need more coffee.
A mug o' joe with a turd floating in it.
The mind boggles.
The stomach lurches.
The bowels quake.
The bladder empties.
hold on folks
lite up a smoke. here we go!
Corzine Podcast
I'm looking forward to the time when Turd interviews Corzine from prison.
I do mean that it is Corzine who is locked up, in case you misunderstand me ;)
Every man for himself
"The ultimate question is: Does it matter? Is there anything you can do, anyway? You can rally with the "tea partiers" but the spending and the corruption continues. You can march with the "occupiers" but the power base and the bonuses continue unabated."
I generally appreciate the Turd. I visit the site often for the charts, for the comments and for the entertainment. However, I sense a pervasive attitude that there's nothing to be done other than get a gun and barricade yourself and your family in a bunker or something and that is really dangerous (assuming it is said in seriousness). Only through concerted action with numbers will disaster be avoided. For example, during WWII, while Hitler and the Nazis were on their murderous rampage, there were places where people refused to cooperate, where they worked together and looked out for eachother, where they didn't give up their fellow citizens to the then "inevitable" (for ex, Denmark and Bulgaria). This is not to say that I don't think the US and the world in in a shitload of trouble, but it is disconcerting when there are more and more people saying, "There's nothing to be done." Being prepared should not mean every man for himself, but should be a cry for political change that will peacefully bring about some sort of more economic justice. Maybe Ron Paul, maybe a third party. This is serious stuff, as the Turd keeps reminding everyone. And scary, too. Get involved. Isolation and being a bystander is not the answer. It can start with as little as helping a homeless family out through your church this Christmas season. A lot of little steps adds up. Keep calm and carry on.
Houston, we have a problem!
Join the re inhabited Republic
It's good against evil, right vs wrong, Republic vs the US Corporation. I have joined the re inhabited Republic and those of you in the US can too. http://freestateofmissouri.org/index.htm
Wow Dr.G. That story really
Wow Dr.G.
That story really sucks! I'm sure your brother is probably another bright one in the family, yet it never ceases to amaze me how tight one's blinders can be. Your brother however is one of the few that might be able to weather storm, he just won't weather it as well as you....too bad really.
Let's hope it's not you TF
If you get sent to the hole we would, of course, rally in your support- but I hope we don't confuse people with our "Free Turd" T-shirts.
amazing NEW on YAHOO
The markets are up today because, "the IMF may propose new methods to fix the situation.
So now, markets move because something MAY happen, SOMETIME.
seriously, WOW
@ Dr G
I'm with your brother on this one.
Perhaps not exactly "a million $ home in a neighborhood" but certainly a million $ property with home on productive land, paid in full would be excellent.
Located where the land won't blow away, wash away, "burn up", or be confiscated.
Just another that should be in jail........at the very least. Nobody in jail......after 2008......sad.
Our system will work like all great ponzi schemes.....it wil work...until it won't
What happened to PSLV?
On Yahoo finance, it shows 777,100 shares sold above $16. Short squeeze?


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The National Black Justice Coalition along with gay rights organizations Soulforce, COLAGE, and The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches are planning to engage some of the most powerful and influential ministers in America and their congregations in peaceful talk about their contempt for gays and lesbians.
An "American Family Outing" is planned for spring of 2008 at the churches of Bishop T.D. Jakes, Rev. Joel Olsteen, Bishop Eddie Long, Bishop Harry Jackson, Rev. Bill Hybels, and Dr. Rick Warren. Letters were sent to each pastor informing them that a delegation of families with two moms and two dads, as well as supportive heterosexual parents and single parents will be in attendance at each church between May 11th and June 15th to engage in dialogue about faith, family, and the harm done by religion-based discrimination to LGBT families.
"It is difficult for mega-churches to claim to be progressive in the area of Civil Rights and at the same time deny the equal dignity and value of LGBT persons," said Rev. Dr. Ken Samuel, pastor of the 5,000 plus, LGBT-friendly,Victory Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Homophobia and heterosexism directly contradict the principles of equality and justice for all God's children, and I think that the younger generation of evangelicals are beginning more and more to see this contradiction."
I think these "talks" are much needed because a lot of the depression and internalized homophobia many LGBT people face are a direct result of the church's treatment of gays and lesbians. However, the obvious resistance by many of these pastors to embrace LGBT people openly cannot be overlooked. Bishop Harry Jackson's reputation for being virulently anti-gay and opposing any legislation that would give LGBT people equal rights and protection under the law should make for a very interesting talk.
I hope this initiative is successful but I have my doubts. What do you think?


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Here are another set from lesson 9. This time the focus is on fluid poses.
Towards the end I was experimenting by holding the pencil in a different way to not go into pressing down so hard at first. It was working for me, things felt more fluid that way.
I also got a kneaded eraser. I never really liked kneaded erasers but at least there are no crumbs to clean up. Also with it I can wipe the whole drawing and retain some faint lines to build back up on after. Preston Blair mentions doing that it in his book.
Also, I was looking at some other people's blogs who John has referenced on his site. They are great:
Geneva : http://unlearningartschool.blogspot.ca/
Rex: http://www.rex-h.blogspot.ca/
Mitch: http://mitchoo.blogspot.ca/
Here is John's lesson link:
Here are my drawings for this lesson:


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Table of Contents
The most common running injury is not what you think it is.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome — otherwise known as anterior knee pain and runner's knee — is the most common running injury, accounting for roughly 20 percent of all running injuries.
The main symptom is pain below the kneecap that is generally mild at first and experienced only during running but becomes progressively more intense during running and also increasingly felt at rest if training continues.
Many theories about the nature of the damage underlying the pain have come and gone. The reason behind this revolving door of proposed etiologies is that, unlike other injuries such as knee meniscus damage, there is no obvious structural abnormality associated with PFPS, whether the joined is examined by x-ray, MRI or surgical arthroscope. Recently this reality has lead orthopedists to a new view of PFPS in which pain itself — or, more specifically, chronic stimulation of pain nerves in the knee — is understood as the essence of the injury. Any of a number of varieties of relatively minor tissue degradation, such as inflammation of the synovium, a pouch that contains the knee's lubricating fluid, may underlie this pain nerve stimulation. But because these breakdowns are relatively minor and hard to identify, they need not be targeted. It's the pain itself that must be targeted.
RELATED: Running Knee Injuries 101


text:
HBO aired the documentary "Hot Coffee" last night, which takes aim at the myths of tort reform, 'frivolous lawsuits', mandatory arbitration clauses and the multi-million dollar battles to manipulates courts and voters.
Filmmaker Susan Saladoff was formerly an attorney and this is her first film and she makes sure it packs a powerful punch. She starts with the myths surrounding the "hot coffee" case where a 79-year-old woman's effort to be compensated for horrendous physical damages from a spilled cup of McDonald's coffee. She has been touted as the poster child of a frivolous lawsuit - but the facts of her near-crippling wounds demolish the myths most Americans believe to be the facts of the case.
Also featured is the brutal attack on a KBR employee in Iraq, Jamie Leigh Jones, whose savage rape by fellow employees was deemed safe from prosecution due to a mandatory arbitration clause in her employment contract - the case led to a change in federal laws, but she is still attempting to find justice as her case finally hit the courts on June 12th of this year.
I've written previously about Jones' tragic attack and the dubious constitutional legalities of 'mandatory arbitration'.
Money and the rising primacy of corporations above individuals are detailed in 'Hot Coffee' in ways likely to make a viewer's head explode.
Of course, those whose tactics are under attack from the film cry and moan that it is soooo unfair.
They are furious - because having a 'fair review' of your complaint is considered a fundamental American right.
So perhaps the question which should be best considered is simple - how can it be legal for a company to demand that as part of your employment, or as part of your decision to buy a product, you must waive your right to due process in court?
The movie also highlights the state-by-state attack on laws to protect consumers and hold companies accountable, and when those laws were upheld, a state-by-state attack to install judges who would favor business above the rights of the individual. And of course, this maze of mirrors has been sold to the general public as 'reform'.


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Friday, August 11, 2017
the sun warms a traveler
His advice reminds me of one of Aesop's fables. In that story, the cold North wind and the Sun have a conversation. They decide to see who can divest this one man traveling down the road of his cloak. The Wind blows and howls for all he's worth, but the traveler only pulls his cloak around him more tightly. After hours of this, he finally gives up and says to the Sun, "Let's see if you can do any better!"
The Sun, of course, warms the traveler and makes him comfortable. Then he warms him a little more, and the traveler takes off his cloak in order to cool off. It's a simple story, but a profound one when it comes to our lives as Christians.
Think of the cloak as our faith. When our ancient enemy assails us from outside, through pain and sadness and even depression, we pull our cloak of faith tighter around us and we grow. But when that tempest is past, and we grow comfortable, and then the culture around us heats up just a little more, we're tempted to cast our faith aside.
What can we do then? Well, if we share our cloak with those who are still battling their external foes (because in our case, it's not so much the wind and persecutions as it is disease and sadness and depression, which those right next to us can still be experiencing even when we're warm and happy), they are warmed, and we no longer experience the oppressive heat inside the cloak alone, but the sharing breathes fresh air into our cloaks.
St Gregory warns his readers to hold fast to their faith through persecution and through temptation. If we focus on loving others, it makes both of those things simpler, because our thoughts are not on ourselves, but on those we love.
God, thanks for giving us the cloaks of our faith. Please help us to share them, and in the sharing, for them to grow larger.
Posted by Jeff Reedy at 8:03 PM
1 comment:
- julie reedy said...
- August 11, 2017 at 8:09 PM
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text:
Here are two new trailers for your Sunday. First up, we have a teaser trailer from the upcoming Anomaly Korea, the sequel to the very popular Anomaly: Warzone Earth. The new game will have more of the old one, including new units, new powerups, and more. The trailer looks great -- I think that's CG, though it des have an excellent handpainted look. The game should be out in late October or early November, according to 11bit Studios.
And second, Marvel has been teasing a big mobile game announcement ever since Comic-Con, and it has now released a teaser trailer for that same project. It seems a little weird to me to be posting a full teaser video for what's supposed to be an "unannounced" game, but there you go. I'm sure we'll see more on this soon -- a little Black Widow tells me that by next Thursday we'll know more. If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably something related to Marvel's very popular Avengers Alliance social game on Facebook. Meanwhile, enjoy the video below.


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Leo Rennert has written a wonderful piece in which he provides the historical background on Israel, on the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, Zionism, and a backdrop on today's news.
He begins by showing how totally out of touch our educated president is on such matters.
"The date was June 4, 2009. The place: Cairo, the venue for President Obama's historic speech to the Muslim world.
In pushing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the President gives equal weight to the national aspirations of both parties. Here's how he defines Israel's right to nationhood:
"The aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied. Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust."
Obama couldn't have been more wrong.
The roots of Jewish aspirations for a state — what we call Zionism — run much deeper in the cycle of history. The quest for Jewish statehood did not germinate in European persecution — not in the Holocaust, not in the Spanish Inquisition, not in the systematic slaughter of Jews during the Crusades.
To trace Zionist roots, one must rewind the historical tape to a non-European setting some 4,000 years ago. The genesis of Zionism starts with the Book of Genesis.
"Now the Lord said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the LAND that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great NATION, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and BE THOU A BLESSING.
"And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all the substance they had gathered, and the souls they had gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came. And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said: 'Unto thy seed will I give this land."
These few words already encompass the three main ingredients of Zionism — the quest for a specific, well-identified piece of land, the quest for nationhood in that special land and the quest to create an exemplary society — "Be thou a blessing" in other words, "a light unto the nations."
Abraham, the first Jew, was also the first Zionist."
Curiously, Abraham, according to the Koran, is one of the most revered people in Islam.
Uh, oh.
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Read the full piece.


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Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Cooking Thursday
Chicken Bundles
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter melted, reserve 1 tablespoon
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 -8 ounce cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
3/4 cups seasoned croutons, crushed
1 can cream of chicken soup, plus 1/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend cream cheese and 4 tablespoons butter until smooth. Stir in chicken, milk, salt, pepper and onion and mix well.
Separate rolls into 8 rectangles and firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken mix into center of each. Pull 4 corners of dough to top center of filling, twist firmly together and pinch side seams to seal. Place squares on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with crouton crumbs.
Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Heat soup and milk together and serve over hot chicken bundles.
14 comments:
- Dianna said...
Oh, wow...these look and sound so good! Reading over the recipe they sound rather easy to make. We shall be giving it a try.
- August 2, 2017 at 9:59 PM
- Arlene Grimm said...
I used to make this a lot Mari...will have to add it back to the rotation.
- August 2, 2017 at 10:01 PM
- Jean said...
I have never made anything like these! They sound so delicious. I think I can almost smell them baking!
- August 2, 2017 at 10:16 PM
- Terri D said...
These sound so good! A crowd pleaser for sure! Thanks...I copied it to my Pinterest!
- August 2, 2017 at 10:23 PM
- Joyful said...
So nice to get together with your church group and relax over a nice meal.
- August 3, 2017 at 2:59 AM
- Amy at love made my home said...
So good to share a meal with friends!
- August 3, 2017 at 3:21 AM
- Sandi said...
Mmm...this looks fabulous. I am starving, but it is 4:00 am and I don't want to wake everyone else up by making noise in the kitchen. Oh, well, I will just eat this photo!
- August 3, 2017 at 4:33 AM
- Simply Linda said...
Now, this looks good, thanks Mari. Have a great day all.
- August 3, 2017 at 6:43 AM
- BCAUSEHELIVES.blogspot.com said...
Sounds so good and easy and that is my kind of recipe. Thanks for sharing.
- August 3, 2017 at 6:46 AM
- Heather said...
These area amazing! I haven't had them in ages. Definitely going to have to make them for Andrew. I think he would love them too.
- August 3, 2017 at 9:43 AM
- Sally said...
Awesome! I'm going to save this recipe; wish I'd seen it before I went to the store. I've got ribs in the crock now though, the kids are coming over. :)
- August 3, 2017 at 11:08 AM
- Henny Penny said...
This looks like it would be tender and flaky and delicious!
- August 3, 2017 at 2:13 PM
- Carrie B. said...
They sound scrumptious! Thanks for sharing Mari. :) xo
- August 3, 2017 at 5:15 PM
- Cherdecor said...
I make something like these but I have copied your recipe too because I am addicted to your recipes. I know they are good.
- August 4, 2017 at 4:43 PM


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No sooner than Dr. Goodluck was sworn in as the President, people started telling him not to contest for Presidency because the Presidency was zoned to the North! Please let the guy settle down and serve Nigeria for the short time he has.
Politicians are swapping Parties, moving from their original Party to another. Simply put, the Politicians are making sure they are well aligned! Yet, others are doing last minute make over (as if the people are myopic or blind). Well, time will tell.
It is no longer news that Senator Gbemi Saraki wants to be the first female Governor of Kwara State. There is a website for that. However, the Supreme Council for Shariah in Kwara State recently issued a statement saying it is against Islamic Law for a female to be a leader!
Alhaji Tijani Edun, the state coordinator, said the legacy and Islamic culture will be destroyed if a female should rule the state come 2011. In an attempt to safe guard the Islamic culture, the Supreme Council for Shariah has called on all Muslims in the State to converge at the YIDI praying ground in Ilorin on the Sunday, 30 May 2010 for special prayers to ensure that a woman is not imposed as the next Governor.
As a Senator, representing a senatorial district, I believe she is a leader. As a leader, Gbemisola Saraki registered a foundation - the HAVE FOUNDATION to reach out to the poor in her constituency.
Through the foundation, she has been giving financial support to the needy. She has also purchased tractors with implements to assist rural farmers in land cultivation in her constituency. The empowerment programme has also benefited 33 people. One of them, Mallam Abdulrasaq Hossein Eja got a Mazda 626 for commercial purposes, while the remaining 32 got cash awards ranging from N450,000 to N15,000, hair dryers, grinding machines, sewing and pressing irons as well as motorcycles.If the Supreme Council for Shariah hold strongly to the Islamic beliefs, why was Gbemisola (a serving Senator) voted to the National House of Assembly in the first place?
My history teacher, taught me about a Muslim female leader and warrior, known and addressed as QUEEN AMINA of Zaria. Hello! Amina of Zaria was a notable female Muslim leader!
I wonder, is the fight/prayer against Gbemi as a woman or against Gbemi as a SARAKI?


text:
Create lyrics explanationSelect some words and click "Explain" button. Then type your knowledge, add image or YouTube video till "Good-o-meter" shows "Cool" or "Awesome!". Publish your explanation with "Explain" button. Get karma points!
Silverstein – The Wind Shifts lyrics
The wind shifts by itself
Reminding us where we've been
We kick and scream and raise hell
Til we're too tired to stand
We tear down all our sense
And we'll force our opinion
We'll make sure we're ahead
We'll hate ourselves in the end
I wanted to be loved by someone
I didn't want to be so scared
This wind changed me
(I used to care)
This wind changed me
Lyrics taken from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/silverstein/the_wind_shifts.html


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JEAN-MARIE Messier, the emblematic entrepreneur who created media group Vivendi out of a water firm through a spate of leveraged acquisitions that nearly choked the company, admitted in court yesterday he had made strategic errors.
The 53-year old Frenchman, ousted from Vivendi in 2002, is standing trial, accused of giving out misleading information, manipulating stock prices and misappropriated company funds between 2000 and 2002, when the group bought Universal Studios, USA Networks and other telecom assets.
If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to five years in jail and as much as a €375,000 (£313,330) fine.
On the first day of his trial, which is set to last three weeks, Messier said his idea to create a global group based on the expected convergence between communication channels and content had been good but premature.
"Did we make errors? Yes. As chairman I take responsibility for that, especially a lack in foresight," he said, but he also blamed financial analysts for the buzz around the merger activities under his stewardship as he turned the Generale des Eaux water and waste treatment conglomerate between 1996 and 2002 into a $51bn (£35bn) global media empire at its high point.
Vivendi shares traded at €138 in the first quarter of 2000 and fell to below €10 in the first half of 2002.
The man who once branded himself "J6M," for "Jean-Marie Messier me myself master of the world" in French, told the court he has a monthly income of €25,000 from his consulting company, where he employs 20 people.
The plaintiffs, small investors who are asking for combined €10m in compensation, called the court case a model trial.
City A.M. Reporter


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Interview with Kieran O'Flaherty, Hero in Bright Scoundrel by Lily Silver. Bright Scoundrel is the second book in the Reluctant Heroes Series. First book is Dark Hero, A Gothic Romance. Book Three, Gallant Rogue, will be available in the summer of 2013.
Where do you dream of traveling to and why?
Kieran: I was taken away from my ancestral home in Ireland at an early age. I always wished to return there. Now I have, so I have fulfilled my dream in returning home. I have even had the good fortune to have recovered the deed to the O'Flaherty stronghold, and hope to return Roisin Dubh Castle to the glory of more prosperous times.
What do you think makes a good story?
Kieran: A story with plenty of magic, ghosts and spirits, romance, and a mystical, foreboding setting--like a haunted castle in rural Ireland.
Tell us about your family.
Kieran: I am the oldest child in our family. I was born in 1772, in Ireland. My father married an English woman. They were in love, but her father, an English Earl, would not approve of his daughter's choice in a husband. So my parents ran away and were wed in secret. Unfortunately, my grandfather Wentworth disowned my mother.
My father was an Irish Viscount. His two younger brothers ran a secret militia group in County Galway that was devoted to freeing Ireland from British rule. As you know, that could only end badly. My father was accused of treason along with his brothers, and hanged with his brothers when I was eight years old. My mother was stranded in Ireland, alone and without funds. An English soldier took pity on her, married her and we went to London to live. My mother's father forgave her for her youthful indiscretion in marrying an Irishman. As her oldest son, I was named the heir of Lord Wentworth.
All was not as it seemed, as my stepfather had married my mother because she was an heiress. We didn't know that Mother married him. My stepfather was cruel and conniving.
What was the scariest moment of your life?
Kieran: When I was nine my stepfather took me on an outing to see the London docks and the ships anchored there. My mother was expecting a child soon. Little did I realize that my stepfather was actually taking me to a ship and selling me as an indenture! I was terrified when he handed me over to the ship's captain and money was exchanged. I was tossed in the hold with a bunch of other boys, mostly beggars and street urchins. We were bound for the West Indies. I thought I wouldn't survive the voyage.
What are you passionate about these days?
What are you passionate about these days?
Kieran: That delightful little spinster, to be exact. Miss de Lacy is a fascinating creature. She's my estate manager. A bit prickly, like a hedgehog at times. She has some rather progressive and odd ideas about women and female rights and independence. She's attracted to me, I know it. She pretends not to be affected by my charms, but it's all an act. One day, hopefully, very soon, she'll stop all her frowning and scolding, and then . . . I'll kiss her. Really kiss her . . . make her forget that Wollstonecraft woman and that book she wrote about rights for women.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
Kieran: I don't know how to relax, to be honest. I spent eighteen years of my life as an indentured servant, and then I was thrust into English society as Lord Wentworth's heir. That didn't go so well. It's why I fled and to Ireland, to escape the scandal and the heavy expectations of my grandfather, the earl. I'm trying to learn the art of relaxation, and yet, how can I relax when I live in a haunted castle and have smugglers terrorizing and harming my tenants.
If you could apologize to someone in your past, who would it be?
My younger siblings. I have a sister and a half brother from my mother's second marriage. I regret every day that I did not go back to London to rescue them. I should have been there to protect them. If I had gone back to London as a young man, I might have been able to prevent much of their suffering at our cruel stepfather's hands. I feel I failed them as an older brother.
What would you consider to be the best book you have ever read?
Kieran: The O'Flaherty Book of Secrets. It contains the history of the O'Flaherty Clan dating back to the 13th century, as well as spells, healing knowledge, and ancient Druid wisdom handed down through the generations. It's a very special book and I'm honored to have the keeping of it as the hereditary high priest of our clan.
Who should play you in a film?
Kieran: That's easy; Jared Padalecki, who plays Sam Winchester on Supernatural. He'd play a fine Irish sorcerer, I believe.
What makes you happy?
Kieran: Being free, being my own man instead of someone else's servant, and living at my ancestral home, Roisin Dubh Castle. I feel free here, free for the first time in too many years. Oh, I realize we have a bit of an 'infestation' problem here at the moment, but I'm working on banishing all the spirits that have gathered. And I'm searching for a spell to exorcise that wretched elemental spirit that has taken up residence in the tower room. Once I fix those little problems, it will be heaven on earth, just like it was when I was a lad.
What one word best describes you?
Kieran: Wizard
Do you have any special routines or rituals?
Kieran: Yes, as a practicing druid, I cast magical circles daily, usually in the morning. I do a little magical work, some spiritual cleansing exercises and then get on with my day. I do this alone, in the secret room set aside for such purposes deep within the castle. I also like to connect with the earth spirits in nature. A druid is a child of nature. We cannot thrive without connecting regularly with the spirits of the earth, be they living beings or those that have passed into the Summerland. The ravens cloistering about the castle are my special familiars. They are the guardians of the O'Flaherty lord.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
Kieran: I'm a bit of a rake. At least, I have a reputation in London society as being a shameless rake. Yet, it's really not my fault. The women, you see, they come to me. I'm not certain what it is that draws them. My red hair? My Irish ancestry? I suspect it has something to do with my magical aura. I come from a long line of distinguished seers and sorcerers. Yes, that must be it. They are drawn to my metaphysical energy, it affects them on a purely instinctual level. And, (shrugs), what can I say? I am a man. They come, and I do my best to please them. . . .(ahem). Kieran grins with impish delight. It's a gift, and what single man wouldn't rise to the occasion when a lady is seeking his attentions?
Is there a piece of advice that you have received that has really stuck with you? If so, what was it?
Kieran: My grandmother taught me much in life, but I have learned the most from her example.
I learned through her folly. She taught me, through her ill-advised actions and the repercussions that affected our family, to never cast a spell in anger or great emotional distress. If you do so, you end up hurting people you didn't intend to, hurting loved ones. My grandmother fashioned a curse in anger, and it ended up harming my sister terribly, as she was affected by the curse my grandmother sent out. The concept is simple yet most people overlook the safeguard until its too late. We call it the Law of Three: Whatsoever you send out into the world, good or bad, comes back to you, times three.
Bright Scoundrel is the sequel to Dark Hero, and features Kieran O'Flaherty, (Baron Grey) as the Hero. After spending most of his life in indentured servitude and three years of maneuvering the treacherous maze of London Society as Lord Greystowe's heir, Kieran flees to Ireland to begin a new life. He wants to be his own man, but being in charge of his own destiny also brings challenges and responsibilities he didn't expect.
In rural Ireland, Kieran meets Rose de Lacy, a proud spinster who adheres to the teachings of a revolutionary feminist. Like Kieran, Rose wants only to be free to design her own life. She's an artist and a businesswoman.
For Rose, the joke is on the absentee English landlord, Baron Grey, as she is the steward in charge of his estates--a position traditionally held by men. Through correspondence to England, she's known only as The Honorable R. de Lacy. When Baron Grey suddenly arrives, Rose is certain she'll be sacked from her position because she's a woman.
Rose challenges Kieran in ways he never expected. Rose cherishes her freedom as a single woman and seems immune to his charms. Can he convince Rose that marriage is not indentured servitude?
Kieran struggles to win the acceptance of his clan, The Fierce O'Flahertys and to free Roisin Dubh Castle from a curse that has attracted a menacing evil. He encounters various magical creatures during his journey, including a Banshee, a member of the Fae hiding among his staff, a vicious elemental creature, and enchanted wild ponies.
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Excerpt from Bright Scoundrel by Lily Silver, Book Two in the Reluctant Heroes Series: Kieran O'Flaherty has just arrived at his ancestral home in Ireland after living in exile for over twenty years. He is troubled by the unseen residents that have accumulated there during its long vacancy.
Kieran walked slowly down the long hall toward his old room at the end, the room where the ghostly boys had emerged just moments ago. The echo of solitary footsteps followed, reminding him of his lonely state. The castle wasn't barren. There were spirits here and elementals. Some good and many that were not. It was a lonely place, devoid of human inhabitants, and yet it was full to the brim with unwanted guests that needed to be sent packing.
He spent over an hour perusing the opened rooms on the second floor, taking slow inventory of the place and getting a feeling for what needed to be accomplished to revive the old fortress. When at last Kieran reached the tower room, the master bedchamber, a sick feeling of revulsion came over him. He entered the room, and just as quickly backed out, holding his nose. The smell of sulfur was overpowering. He thought he might retch. As he backed away his eyes stung and watered.
"Lord Grey?" A young maid called from down the hall, near the stairs. "Are you ill, sir?"
"No." Kieran answered with difficulty, as he tried to not breathe through his nose. "No, I'm just a little tired."
"Where would you like your trunks set up? In the turret room, sir?"
"No." He said quickly, a moment of panic seizing him, and he was not one to panic. "No, I want this room closed up. Tell Aine to lock it and to give me the key."
The maid, a young woman of not more than eighteen years, gave him a curious look. She started down the hall toward him at a quick pace, a frown marring her brow. "Why, who is that with you, Lord Grey? Did you bring a child with you from England, sir?"
"No . . ." Kieran said sternly. He held up his hand, signaling for the woman to not advance further. "Go downstairs, now. Find Aine. Tell her to bring me the key to this room. Go--now!" He pushed her back with all of his willpower. He held out his hand and pushed mentally against her determination to come near, lest she, too, be put in danger.
The girl paused for a moment, as if sensing she'd reached an invisible barrier and could go no further. She tilted her head, still looking at him with concern. Her face suddenly changed from wonder to outright panic. She turned and ran down the long corridor to the stairs in the center of the castle. She hurried down them without giving him or the creature beside him a second glance.
The panic was real. He felt it, too, when he first encountered the elemental. Panic was the human's primal reaction to something so inherently evil.
"What do you want here?" He demanded now well past any panic as anger consumed him. This was his home. The being had no right to be here, but someone summoned it, or invited it in. And once an ancient fetch was allowed inside a place, it was not easy to get them to leave.
The thing had no eyes. There were dark holes where the eyes should be. The face of the creature was like rotting flesh, hence the awful stench. It was about three feet tall and covered with rangy, oily, putrid smelling hair. It merely stood there, looking up at him, silently brooding.
It may have been surprised that he could see it. Most people only noticed a dark shadow when they encountered a fetch, along with the horrid smell and the strong sense of panic the being evoked.
"I said who brought you here? Answer me? What is your purpose? I'll have none of your games. This is my house now, you must leave."
The creature attacked. Kieran was not surprised, yet he wasn't prepared for it either. Before he knew what was happening, he was on the floor, on his back, as a searing pain slammed him in the chest. It had jumped up and pushed him backwards. He heard the shuffling noise it made as it hurried back into its cavern, the master chamber, and the door slammed hard.
He lay gasping, holding his shoulder when the maid returned with Aine at her heels.
"My lord . . . what happened, sir?"
"I tripped." Kieran groaned as he sat up holding his left shoulder. It ached and burned, just as if he'd been shot again in the same place as he had years ago. "I tripped and fell, that's all."
"O'Neill, here, says you were acting peculiar, like ye was ill, sir. She said you asked for me."
"I'm fine." Kieran rubbed his collarbone. He could swear there was a bullet lodged there. It felt just as real as when Captain Fletcher shot him. He looked at the young woman who Aine had called O'Neill. "Surely, lass, you have a name besides O'Neill? A pretty girl should not go on being called by such a name?"
"Mary Grace, sir." The young woman blushed. She looked down at her apron, as if embarrassed to have caught the attention of the master. "O'Neill is my family name."
"A very pretty name, for a very pretty girl." Kieran forced a smile as he focused his attention on charming her. "I'm more relaxed than my English peers, Mary Grace. I don't hold with strict formality, nor do I refer to my household servants by their surnames. Call it a flaw of mine. I prefer your first name, if it does not offend you."
"Oh, no sir, not at all." The pink cheeks bloomed into a deeper rose hue, yet still, the girl did not look at him.
"Now then, Mary-Grace, I thank you for bringing Aine to me. Would you please leave us and attend to your duties. I must speak with our stalwart housekeeper alone."
The girl rose and hurried down the stone corridor again.
"Ach, and weren't you born with the gift of glamoury, my lord." Aine said, giving him a canny look.
"A little flirtation goes a long way to make a lass smile and forget ugliness."
Aine helped Kieran to his feet. He was still stinging from the crushing blow the thing had given him.
"And what was so ugly here that you fear O'Neill must forget seeing, Lord Grey?"
Kieran straightened. He was loath to confess the truth to her and yet, if she was half the woman he sensed she was when he hired her she would not run away shrieking. "Remember what I said when I hired you? I specified that someone with uncommon courage was needed at Roisin Dubh Castle to help me reclaim my ancestral home."
"Aye, sir. You implied t'was from ghosts and spirits when you said it. I remember it clearly. And I told you, I'm not one to be chased off by shadows and slamming doors. I hold to that, sir." Aine's honest face and those somber, deep set brown eyes looked up at him without flinching.
Kieran wasn't one to touch people if he could help it. Touching people made him see things he didn't like. This time he couldn't refrain from grasping Aine's arm. "We have more than ghosts here, Aine. Mark me, there are ghosts infesting the castle, but there's also something much more dangerous."
1st Book in the Reluctant Heroes Series
Kindle | Paperback
I grew up in Western Wisconsin, and currently reside in the Great North Woods along the shores of Green Bay. My husband and I live in a lovely old Victorian Home with our German Shepherd and our three charming cats.
I went to college as a journalism major, then switched to an art major, but found I kept getting distracted by all those wonderful classes offered by the history department at UW Green Bay. I switched majors, graduating with a B. A. in History and a B.A. in Humanistic Studies with an emphasis in Ancient and Medieval Research. All my art classes didn't go to waste, as I also possess a minor in Art History and in 2D art. Despite all the research assignments for my history classes, I still love reading historical romances most of all!
I joined Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America (WisRWA) in 2008. RWA & WisRWA have helped me to grow as a writer and have given me many wonderful writing companions.
Aside from writing and historical research, I love cats, art, and photography. I play around with watercolor painting, mixed media collage art and photography when not writing or researching. I also love to play with my adorable little grandson, Charles, who inherited Grandma Lily's red hair. Currently, I am working on the third installment of the Reluctant Heroes series, Gallant Rogue.
Website: http://lilysilver.webs.com/
Facebook author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LilySilverAuthor?ref=hl
And Check This Out!
Sequel Short Story to Dark Hero, Christmas Short Story, A Colonial Christmas Short story
It's 1798 in the Colonial West Indies. Far from her beloved England, a new bride struggles to bring Christmas joy and hope to her family in the wake of tragedy. Her grandfather forbids a celebration, believing they should be in mourning. Her husband wants turtle soup for Christmas dinner and there isn't a goose or a ham to be found anywhere to grace their table. It's too late to make Christmas pudding and her younger brother insists it's not Christmas without it. Can Elizabeth create a traditional English Christmas for her wounded brothers and dispel the lingering shadows at Ravencrest Plantation?
It's 1798 in the Colonial West Indies. Far from her beloved England, a new bride struggles to bring Christmas joy and hope to her family in the wake of tragedy. Her grandfather forbids a celebration, believing they should be in mourning. Her husband wants turtle soup for Christmas dinner and there isn't a goose or a ham to be found anywhere to grace their table. It's too late to make Christmas pudding and her younger brother insists it's not Christmas without it. Can Elizabeth create a traditional English Christmas for her wounded brothers and dispel the lingering shadows at Ravencrest Plantation?
Enter for a chance to win a Print or digital copy of Bright Scoundrel. Print option is available for shipping to US only. Digital copy is open internationally. Giveaway closes June 2nd.


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To read more of my bitching about "New Moon," head over to my review at SouthPhillyReview.com. CLICK HERE
Sunday, November 29, 2009
'New Moon' Review
To read more of my bitching about "New Moon," head over to my review at SouthPhillyReview.com. CLICK HERE
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving...
Sunday, November 22, 2009
An 'Antichrist' Video Game?
Cinema Italiano
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Documentary Shortlist
• The Beaches of Agnes, Agnès Varda, director
• Burma VJ, Anders Østergaard, director
• Facing Ali, Pete McCormack, director
• Food, Inc., Robert Kenner, director
• Garbage Dreams, Mai Iskander, director
• Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders, Mark N. Hopkins, director
• Mugabe and the White African, Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey, directors
• Sergio, Greg Barker, director
• Soundtrack for a Revolution, Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, directors
• Under Our Skin, Andy Abrahams Wilson, director
• Valentino: The Last Emperor, Matt Tyrnauer, director
• Which Way Home, Rebecca Cammisa, director
Now comes the part where I admit how depressing such announcements can be. No, I'm not crushed by the omission of Anvil! The Story of Anvil, We Live in Public and Capitalism: A Love Story (as many are), I'm reminded of how many 2009 movies I've yet to see, something I've complained about before.
Of the titles in this list, I've seen...well, let's just say I'm familiar with Robert Kenner's work. The ones that also appear on my must-see list -- aka my "God, give me some free time so I can actually watch these movies" list -- are The Beaches of Agnes, The Cove, Soundtrack to a Revolution and Valentino: The Last Emperor, which I hope will also find themselves on the short-shortlist.
I'll admit I'm a little peeved to see R.J. Cutler's The September Issue out of the running, having adored the film and chatted with the director back in...September. And I'm sure a certain editrix is none too pleased...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
'The Blind Side' Review
If not, wait for DVD so you can speed forward to scenes that show Sandra Bullock strutting her well-clothed (and well-toned) physique, and a few tender moments she shares with tight-lipped newcomer Quinton Aaron. In the meantime, CLICK HERE to mosey on over to my "Blind Side" review, now online at SouthPhillyReview.com.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
'Precious' Review
Catch my brief review HERE, and stay tuned for my feature on director Lee Daniels, arriving in December.
'Clash of the Titans'
PS: Does this mean Sam Worthington is officially Hollywood's new go-to action hero? He came out of nowhere and suddenly seems to be popping up everywhere, at least in the world of big-budget effects blockbusters.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
This Is It...
Monday, November 2, 2009
What's the Worst Movie of the Decade?
Along the way, we discuss other titles that have greatly offended us, as well as why bad movies admittedly have a certain appeal all their own. To read the full conversation (which should be the first of several), CLICK HERE.