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All eyes are on minimal Tropical Storm Tammy today for the chance to bring us some drought-breaking rain. But first, let's clear up the October Urban Legend. It may be because perfect warm, dry days like today are so memorable that it seems as if October is usually a dry month. In fact, October is a transition month between the normally wetter summer and the normally drier winter. The record shows that October has only the 7th driest long-term average rainfall of all the months of the year in Washington DC weather history. That's right, at 3.22", October is (just barely) wetter than January's 3.21". The driest month is February, with 2.63". Of course, February also has only 28.25 days on average, but even accounting for that, October is nearly 12% wetter than February. The months which have less total precipitation than October are: January, February, April, June, November, December.
Currently, temperatures are near or even a little above 80 in the metro area under sunny skies.
Tonight and Tomorrow
Tonight should see lows in the low 60s with increasing cloudiness toward morning. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with highs in the upper 70s.
Tropical Beat
Tropical Storm Tammy developed just off the Florida coast this morning. This is only the 4th time there has been a 19th "named" storm in a single year, and it is the earliest one by almost 3 weeks. The others formed on 12/07/1887, 10/25/33, and 10/27/95 ("Tanya").
At 2pm, Tammy was centered only 20 miles northeast of Daytona Beach, moving north-northwest at 14 mph. By the 5pm advisory, it was 15 miles north-northeast of St. Augustine. Maximum winds had increased slightly to 50 mph, but tropical storm winds extended as much as 260 miles from the center. The strongest winds and heaviest rains were mainly to the north and east.
On the forecast track, the storm should be a depression in central Georgia by tomorrow evening. That's when things start to get interesting for us. There is a lot of moisture associated with this storm, and indications are that it will be moving northeastward as the high pressure ridge now over us moves slowly eastward off the coast. The global forecast model ("GFS") from this morning's data has some light rain reaching the area as early as tomorrow afternoon, but the heavier amounts don't arrive until Friday morning. The latest model ("NAM") output from this afternoon's data delays the arrival of precpitation until midday Friday and keeps the heaviest amounts in eastern North Carolina and central Virginia. The official NWS precipitation forecast ("QPF") made early this afternoon has 2" to 3+" of rain in the local region for the 24 hours from tomorrow evening through Friday evening.
At this point, I don't have a lot of confidence in either the exact timing or the amount of rain, but this is the best chance we've had in at least about 6 weeks to get some serious precipitation in the Washington area. Stay tuned tonight and tomorrow for updates as the situation develops.
Climate Data Links
Washington, DC climate data
Maryland/DC/Delaware Drought Watch
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Average and Record Weather by City
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Email CapitalClimate here.
Washington, DC climate data
Maryland/DC/Delaware Drought Watch
Virginia Drought Watch
Presidential Inauguration weather
Daily to Seasonal Temperatures
Average and Record Weather by City
Drought Monitor
U.S. Streamflow Data
Precipitation Analysis
Current Year Summary
Email CapitalClimate here.
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Tammy Tell Me True
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Seasonal Outlook
Latest seasonal forecast: Click here.
Latest 3-month temperature outlook from Climate Prediction Center/NWS/NOAA.
Latest 3-month temperature outlook from Climate Prediction Center/NWS/NOAA.


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This news may raise eyebrows.
The government of Nova Scotia, Canada has been ordered to subsidize the costs of growing marijuana for the medical needs of a woman who is suffering from pain arising from a vehicular accident.
The province was told by the Income Assistance Appeals Board to pay the one-time start-up cost of $2,500 plus $100 every three months for Tanya and her husband Sam, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) said.
Health Canada awarded the Amherst couple to grow 25 marijuana plants but they do not have the money to pay for the lighting.
Both in their 40s, Tanya and Sam are disabled and are in welfare. They both useCannabis to alleviate their pain, in a report by UPI.
Sam has blood dyscrasia and an eye disorder called glaucoma.
The Board attested the legitimacy of her need and decided that the government should sponsor her growing the medical pot.
Tanya told CBC, "When I don't smoke marijuana I have so much pain that I don't want to get out of bed. I have no energy. I don't want to do nothing."
A Nova Scotia official is anxious this may open the flood gate that the provincial government may have to shoulder for other medications that are currently not included in the list.
In April 2010, a woman from Halifax was awarded financial support from the province to sponsor her use of medical marijuana, in another report by CBC.
Details of this report here.

subset: commoncrawl


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LOVE them – or HATE them? They are the iconic symbol of Milton Keynes. But now the city's famous 'Concrete Cows' sculptures are to spread their hooves.
Visitors to MK are drawn to the Cows the split second their eyes fall on the MK landscape. Now the cows have another new home as they have taken up residence on MONOPOLY's most controversial location Old Kent Road in the new official MONOPOLY: Milton Keynes Edition, which is out now!
Other key MK landmarks and organisations featured on the board include; MK College, Xscape, Bletchley Park, thecentre:mk, MK News, MK Citizen, Snozone, four MK rail stations, MK-based charities and others.
You can buy the MK edition online from us priced £24.99 (+ £4.99 post & packaging).
We are a not-for-profit organisation and any money we make on the sale of the board game goes straight back into promoting Milton Keynes on a local, regional and national platform.
You can purchase via PayPal below - simply click the BUY NOW button.
Thanks for your support.


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In Gables Cherry Creek Apartment, you will get to experience a lot of benefits and advantages like having your own outdoor kitchen and so much more! One thing why most people choose to live at Gables Cherry Creek Apartment is because they can truly feel at home with the place and they have become a part of a loving community.
Below are the a few more of the great reasons why you should stay at Gables Cherry Creek Apartment!
* Convenient Location
When it comes with real estate, location is definitely king. At Gables Cherry Creek Apartment, you will get easy access to schools and establishments. The highways are also just a few minutes drive and you can then visit a lot of your favorite haunts! The location of Gables Cherry Creek Apartment is definitely convenient. With this, you will realize that your apartment is a real treasure.
* Great Neighborhood
The qualities of Gables Cherry Creek Apartment's neighborhood is definitely enough reason for you to stay in the place for a long time - even for a lifetime! Just consider the walkability, diversity plus the "cool factor" you get when you live at a Gables Cherry Creek Apartment. It would be really amazing to enjoy a lovely environment with a loving neighborhood.
* Amazing Amenities
The amenities of Gables Cherry Creek Apartment will surely be a reason for you to stay. You get to have access to the pool, an outdoor place for barbecue or play, a concierge, a gym, laundry services and dog runs! You can take advantage with all this if you stay at Gables Cherry Creek Apartment. Your life would surely become easier and more luxurious.
* The People
You can cultivate good relationships at Gables Cherry Creek Apartment which is usually a strong factor for people when they are looking for a good place to live in because what you surround yourself with is what identifies you as a person. If you will be living with your family at Gables Cherry Creek, your kids will be able to find themselves in an environment that is friendly and fun.
Your relationship with the staff can also be considered as well. The attentive and personable staff of Gables Cherry Creek Apartment can be made available at your beck and call and if you have maintenance issues, they will quickly attend to it - all to make your stay more comfortable.
If you want to know more about other great things that Gables Cherry Creek could offer you and your family or if you have any questions, visit their site at gables.com/cherrycreek
Gables Cherry Creek is the best place to be when it comes to homes and apartments
Here are my Personal Links:
My Blogs:


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Courtesy of Aikido Journal Online
Koichi Tohei Sensei passes at age 91
By Editor | Contributed
Koichi Tohei Sensei (1920-2011)
We received this message from David Shaner Sensei about the passing this morning of Koichi Tohei Sensei at the age of 91.
"Dear Aikido Friends, it is with great sadness that I share the passing of Koichi Tohei Sensei at 9:14 this morning in Japan. He was 91 years old. A closed family funeral will occur soon and in some weeks time a formal funeral will be planned in Tokyo where members and friends my be present. With deep gratitude for all his teaching helping many throughout the world to realize their true potential."
This just received from Ki Society Headquarters in slightly edited form:
"Dear Chief Instructors,
We regret to inform you that Koichi Tohei Sensei passed away at 9:14 this morning. He was 91 years old.
Two weeks ago, he had sense of discomfort on his chest and it was found that he had inflammation of the lungs, so he had been receiving treatment. He went to intensive-care unit (ICU) twice and came back to general ward each time with his strength of Ki, however, his heart got weak little by little this morning and he passed away.
After discussion in his family and it was decided that the closed funeral will be held within his family including Shinichi Tohei Sensei and the formal funeral for all members will be held in Tokyo some weeks later for those who would like to be present.
The date and place of the formal funeral will be announced to all of you after a decision has been reached.
We are very sorry for the inconvenience but would appreciate your kind understanding for the above.
Wataru Hatakeyama
(sent on behalf of Shinichi Tohei Sensei)
Overseas Division
Ki Society H.Q."


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My Favorite Flirts is a feature that lets you reach your favorite Flirts easily from My Account or on 1-800-TO-FLIRT.Manage My Favorites
(1 Reviews)
Why do you need me?
Because your wife/girlfriend won't give you what you need and desire . . . . I CAN !!! I AM your WILDEST & WICKEDEST DREAM Come True!! So lock the door, take out your pathetic little cock and get on your knees!I'm your wet dream come true...


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I started this blog because i thought it would be a fun thing to fill some spare time with, i happened to really love it. I do not blog for financial gain or publicity.
I am a relatively small blog at the moment with aspirations to grow and share what i think of products / really awesome shit i find with the world.
I do accept PR samples and items from other interested parties but will always mark these products with a '*' should they appear in my blog.
Should such a product appear in my blog this does not guarantee a positive review. I will always give my honest opinion of everything in my blog and will not 'bump up' a product for anyone or anything except myself should i like it said product.
I do not take money for reviewing/featuring products but should i ever decide to this will be clearly stated and still not effect my review as i value all my subscribers/followers/readers and would not mislead them in anyway. That would look bad on me FOOL!
If you would like to contact me regarding PR Samples/releases or to review anything please contact me on one of the following.
Email: email@example.com
Twitter: @beautyandkitten
See y'all Laters


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Morning Report: Crosstown Rivalry Renewedby Staff Writer / Anaheim Ducks
|"It's going to be fun playing out there. I remember the rookie games being pretty crowded. That was a lot fun and I can imagine how it's going to be tonight." -- Hampus Lindholm
Though the Ducks and Kings have yet to meet in the postseason, you can guarantee there will be a playoff-type atmosphere inside Honda Center tonight for the first of five meetings between the crosstown rivals.
Tonight will be game No. 113 all-time against the Kings and the 56th at home. In addition, the Ducks (18-7-4, .690 win/points percentage) and Kings (17-7-4, .679 win/points percentage) currently have a combined record of 35-14-8 (.684 winning/points percentage), which marks the best combined record the two clubs have had when facing each other all-time.
Ben Lovejoy experienced the rivalry for the first time last season, and today he compared it to the legendary battles between the Penguins and Flyers. Lovejoy started his career with Pittsburgh and played in five games against the Flyers as a member of the Pens.
"I think it's very similar," he said. "They've been doing it a little longer, but these are two bitter rivals. These are the games on our calendar we circle and know are coming. We were a little better this morning during the pregame skate just because we're playing the Kings tonight."
Adds Lovejoy, "It's just two really good teams playing against each other. This is one of those games where, no matter how you're feeling, you're excited for it. You know the crowd is going to be into it, you know your teammates are going to be into it, and you know [the Kings] are going to be into it. Hockey in Southern California has grown so much that this is really the crown jewel of hockey in this area. Tonight will be a normal battle against these guys and a good preparation for the game at Dodger Stadium.
"I'm sure eventually we'll meet in the playoffs, but for right now, this is as bitter as it comes," he said. "We've got Dustin Penner on our side this year. That will be a big momentum shift for us."
Rookie defenseman Hampus Lindholm got a taste of the rivalry earlier this year in the form of two SoCal Hockey Futures Games against Kings prospects in September. The teams played twice, once in front of a raucous Honda Center crowd and again two days later at the Kings' practice facility in El Segundo.
"It's going to be fun playing out there," he said. "I remember the rookie games being pretty crowded. That was a lot of fun and I can just imagine how it's going to be tonight. I'm excited."
Lindholm, 19, also played in the second of two preseason games against the Kings, scoring the Ducks' lone goal (on the power play) in their 2-1 loss at Staples Center on September 24.
"We really want the first one, so it's going to be a good one tonight," he said. "It's going to be a lot of fun. A rivalry like this will almost make it feel like a playoff game. There will be a lot of emotions out there, so we're going to work hard for this one. We just need to get out there and get the win."
Bryan Allen wasn't on the ice, but head coach Bruce Boudreau said his game status wasn't contingent on whether he skated this morning or not.
"He'll be a game-time decision," he said. "He'll take [pregame] warmup and we'll see. We wanted to give him until the last minute. We didn't want him to push it out there. He'll push it in warmup and he'll give us an indication."
Francois Beauchemin also wasn't on the ice, and Boudreau said he can't give a timeline on his approximate return until he starts skating.
"It's a great rivalry," said Boudreau. "I don't know if it's dislike, hatred, or the Kings wanting to be the number one team in Southern California. But, it brings the best and worst out of the fans and best and worst out of the players. It should be an interesting game."
Tonight will be the second of back-to-backs for the Kings, who handed the Blues just their fifth regulation loss of the season last night in L.A.
"We watched the San Jose game and thought they should've won that game," Boudreau said. "They definitely deserved to win last night's game. There's a reason why they've only lost one game in their last 12 or 13. They call those things a trap game, and I see where that would be. It was Calgary's second game in back-to-backs and [the Kings] were looking forward to playing San Jose and St. Louis. I'd venture to guess they're allowed a mulligan on that one.
"They're just a very good team that won the Stanley Cup. Last year, if they didn't get so beat up in the previous two series, they would've beat Chicago and won the Stanley Cup again last year."
The Ducks and Kings will play five times this season, highlighted by the 2014 Stadium Series game on Jan. 25 at Dodger Stadium. Anaheim is 49-41-22 all-time against Los Angeles, including a 29-13-13 home record. The Ducks have outscored the Kings in the all-time series, 319-311 (shootout goals excluded). Teemu Selanne leads the Ducks in career scoring vs. the Kings, earning 118 points (52g/66a) in 102 games. Captain Ryan Getzlaf enters tonight's game on a four-game scoring streak vs. Los Angeles, earning four points (2g/2a) since Mar. 16, 2012.


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Farrah Abraham is penning a series of erotic novels based on her own life. Can that really be sexy?
Not content to rest on her laurels as both a reality and porn star, Farrah Abraham is adding a new entry to her LinkedIn profile: erotic author.
The Backdoor Teen Mom star is penning a trio of erotic novels, according to publisher Ellora's Cave — and it sounds like art will very much be imitating life.
The first book, to be titled In The Making, explores a young woman's journey from budding reality star to tabloid favorite, all due to her sexuality.
The official book synopsis states:
"In The Making introduces readers to budding celebrity Fallon Opal. When rumors begin circulating that Fallon has a sex tape, scandal erupts and the world's top media outlets are on the hunt for a story. Millions of people want to know the juicy details, and the whirlwind sweeps Fallon into a struggle between living her own life and delivering what 'they' expect from the young star. But Fallon isn't all she appears to be. Her lonely lifestyle has led to a dirty mind and she aches for a human touch, time and time again. There is something under the surface — something deeper — to Fallon Opal than just palpable sexuality and erotic fantasies."
Farrah Abraham: My sex tape ruined my life! >>
"In The Making reveals the truth about being in the limelight as a young celebrity," Abraham told RadarOnline. "Writing this series was like therapy for me. Fallon's story follows what I've gone through recently, much of it witnessed and misunderstood by the public."
This isn't the Couples Therapy star's first foray into the publishing world: Her memoir My Teenage Dream Ended was widely panned as a poorly written money grab.
Read more Farrah Abraham
Farrah Abraham debuts her new "Blowin'" music video
Farrah Abraham slams "degrading" Bethenny Frankel


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Wundercover: tattoo & skin shields
Painful pumps?
Heinous heels?
Inappropriate body art?
thesolution is Wundercover: tattoo covers & blister shields
Whether it's a tattoo that needs to be covered in front of grandma or feet that need to be protected from blister abuse by your newest pair of shoes, everything is covered by Wundercover. Using medical-grade adhesive, Wundercover adds an extra layer between your skin and your so-cute-but-so-painful shoes, preventing blisters on feet while breaking in shoes. If you want to use it as a tattoo cover, simply use two layers. Wundercover's chameleon fabric sticks directly to the skin and blends with most skin tones to camouflage areas that needs protection instead of looking like a never-stylish band aid. For convenience, Wundercover comes on a perforated sheet for easy selection of the appropriate customizable size.
Contains: 4 sheets, 12 pieces to a sheet (it's hard to see the perforations, but they're there)
Color: Beige
Material: Medical grade adhesive with nonwoven
- Larger pieces 6.4 x 2.4 x .01 cm
- Smaller pieces 3.2 x 2.4 x .01 cm
Made in the USA
We take extra good care of your product before we ship!


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|Green and red dogwood decorating the rustic fence and made into a wreath with some willow.
|The wildlife area. The tree supports a huge mass of ivy which is a perfect nesting site.
|Bundles of dogwood cuttings for the children to play with on the left, cuttings that I later planted on the right.
|Red dogwood and willow stems.
|Bundles of sticks to attract insects.
|A willow arch that I pruned and tidied up and the primroses and daffodils planted by the children.
Previously when I've worked here I've had small groups of children come out to help. Then at play time and lunch time I had kids swarming round me desperate to do something and I would try and find jobs for as many as possible without creating total chaos. Their enthusiasm should be encouraged. This time I wanted to work alone so that I could get a number of jobs finished quickly. Ideally the children would have complete control of the garden by training up some to oversee regular maintenance jobs. Unfortunately there is still an attitude that the garden is a special out of bounds place. My son told me "we're not allowed in there". I hope the attitude of staff changes but it may take some time and gentle encouragement.
My first job was cutting back a red-barked, leggy, neglected dogwood bush: Cornus alba 'Sibirica'. They should be pruned just before they bud in March/April. I pruned the dogwood to about 4" from the ground and saved as much of the bright red stems as I could. The new shoots are needed for the beautiful burning colour.
Why do I love dogwood so much? I love to use natural, sustainable materials in craft projects and dogwood is just perfect for this. You can make fences, wreaths, baskets, stars, picture frames. The stems are incredibly soft with an almost rubber quality to them which will bend and wrap easily. A perfect shrub for school grounds, if there are enough of them you can be harvesting big bundles of stems to use as part of the outdoor learning experience. Along with the green-barked variety (Cornus stolonifera 'Flaviramea') and willow plantings you will have a variety of stems that can be used cut and also rooted in the ground for living structures and sculptures. Soak the cut stems in water for a while if they become too stiff to use. Dogwoods are often planted by councils in parks and next to roadsides (they are incredibly tough) so you can harvest your craft materials for free. As long as you use sharp secateurs and don't take too much. Always cut just above a bud.
They are also easy to propagate to create more plants. Cut stems that are about a pencil thick just below the nodes (where the leaves grow from the stem) at the bottom and just above the nodes at the top. Cut the top on a slant so you know this is the top when planting. Stems should be roughly 10-12" long. Plant the cuttings up to 2/3 deep in some moist, well drained soil. They need to go in this deep to stop wind damage. Plant about a foot and a half apart. I was very lucky to get a bundle of cuttings all ready prepared for me (like on a TV show) by the lovely Tony, head gardener at Fairlight Hall.
When working at a community garden or school garden It really helps to befriend people who are working on large gardens and estates because it's amazing the amount of re-usable vegetation they will create or spare plants and seedlings they will have and will often be happy to donate. Ideally there would a connection between the council, schools, community gardens and estates. A number of jobs could be created and it would save lots of money.
I planted the cuttings in a circle in the field while flecks of snow were falling like little white feathers. Then covered them with the bark chippings I persuaded the council to deliver. It is a water-logged area of the field. I plan to buy some willow whips to add to the circle. This extended winter weather has bought me some extra planting time which is great.
I have also finished the grant application which will be sent in this week to the Big Lottery. Please keep your fingers crossed for us. It would enable the school to renovate woodland that at the moment is closed off by a large fence and has rubbish thrown into it and has been used for drug taking. When I was at school I remember looking through the playground fence to a marshy wooded area that had little wooden paths through it. I don't ever remember being allowed to go there and I longed to be able to play there. Thirty years later not much has changed with most school playgrounds. I was lucky that I was taken to the woods and countryside regularly by my parents and when I was older was able to play unsupervised in woods near my house. Very few children have this experience now.
At playtime a boy asked what I was doing. I showed him the wreath I was making then showed him how to do it. I left a bundle of cuttings for the children to come and find on their own and told the boy to show his friends how to make the wreaths. When I visited a few days later I noticed the stems had been disturbed and there were a few new wreaths. Evidence that the children are feeling more at home in the wildlife area too.
For further information on creating a wildlife garden visit the RSPB's page here: wildlife friendly gardens.
Here is another great resource with lots of advice for encouraging wildlife: wildlife gardening pack.


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En el caso de Eddie Vedder solo participo en una cancion la cual fue hunger strike
Hunger Strike
I don't mind stealing bread
from the mouth of decadence
but i can't feed on the powerless
when my cup's already over-filled
but it's on the table.
the fire's cooking.
and they're farming babies
while the slaves are all working.
blood is on the table.
the mouths are choking
and i'm going hungry...
i'm going hungry...
i'm going hungry...
i'm going hungry...
Temple Of The Dog (A&M, 1991).
- Say Hello 2 Heaven
- Reach Down
- Hunger Strike
- Pushin Forward Back
- Call Me a Dog
- Times of Trouble
- Wooden Jesus
- Your Saviour
- Four Walled World
- All Night Thing


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Friday, October 12, 2012
Happy weekend! Hope it's a lovely one. We'll be hanging out with family and enjoying the beautiful autumn weather — how about you?
(photo from the portfolio of stylist susanna vento. via designspiration)
Labels: atelier , living room , loft style , studio , susanna vento , weekend , white
1 comment :
- Maria Maria Maria said...
Sounds like a lovely weekend! This is the first weekend in months that I hav nothing planned-- I'm so excited. I think I'll paint and cook :) Enjoy your weekend!
- 3:25 pm
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November 06, 2012
You're All Clear Kid, Now Let's Blow This Thing and Go Home!
It's time. Get out there and vote.
We've got this thing, but don't get complacent. It's going to be close, but if you get out there and vote, bring your friends, relatives, and neighbors, then it's in the bag.
Stop waiting around: get out there and vote!


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Nature is strong, beautiful, delicate, and complicated. It can be calm and soothing like the gentle patter of rain drops on the earth. Quenching the parched grounds and giving life to the yellowed grass. It can calm your soul and create a feeling of peace. Then she can come back around and knock you on your butt. Huge storms, strong winds, lightening crashing to the trees and rooftops. She is definitely a force of change.
Change is scary. It is hard. The unknown can be very uncomfortable. The stress of doing something different, living somewhere different. The thought that the future is uncertain. It doesn't mean that what has yet to come is bad. It is just different. And what do we do with that knowledge? Do we run and hide or do we go out to face it with the sun shining in our face? Do we face the storms of rolling uncertainty or do we jump ship and abandon all notions of waiting to find out?
There are stories for each and every one of us. Dreams and hopes, pain and strength. Every one of us has overcome adversity or struggles. Each one of us has had good times and bad times. We all have beliefs and opinions. We are all books that have yet to be finished. We write our own lives on our own pages.
When we encounter change we decide how it plays out. How we deal or don't deal with it. We are all so different and yet so very alike.
I have often wondered what life is like for the normal person. What is their struggle? What do they do when they go home at the end of a very long hard day? Do they sit in their favorite chair and put their feet up? Do they watch t.v. or snuggle down with a good book?
I am guilty of believing that my issues are harder than theirs. I am guilty of thinking that their lives are somehow easier than mine. On reflection, I realize I have no right to believe that. Everyone has their own hurdles. Their own vices. I am not any better or any worse. My life is not harder just different issues to deal with. And as I come to understand this I realize that I have done a disservice to both them and myself. I get so wrapped up in my own suffering that I have failed to see that they may be suffering as well. I have failed to see that everyone has something that has caused them pain. Everyone has a story and their story is equally important.
I want to educate the public. I want to reach out to the masses and show them that mental illness is not scary or dangerous. In that I have to realize that I also have to show them that we all share the same pain. A normal person isn't having a better life. They are having a different one. I am not having more pain than a normal person, my pain just is more evident because I can not hide it the way a normal person does.
Maybe if I can reach out to them I can get them to see that we are not so different. That we feel the same pain when we experience loss or anger. That we feel the same despair when something is totally going wrong. The only difference is that we are not able to turn off the emotional faucet. It just continues to run until it overflows everything in our lives.
We may hear voices, we may have anxiety, we may have depression, we may be manic or hyper. All of these things do not only belong to us. They are human emotions and therefore we as humans all suffer from them. We are not so different, we are just honest about it. If you took the time to really search yourself you might find that you have had these experiences too. You might find that you are a little less scared of us. That you are a little more understanding of what our daily lives are alike. You might find new words to write on your pages. Instead of crazy write illness. Instead of fear write acceptance. Instead of discrimination write love. Instead of weakness write strength. Write beautiful. Write same. Because we are all different but yet very much the same.
Neurotic Nelly


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Great layout with many recent upgrades. Recent price reduction, great value!
Shalom is a very nice and well built Ted Hood design. She performs very well in all wind ranges and features a keel/centerboard design that allows getting into some shallow waters. This popular boat has had many upgrades over the years allowing you to cruise in comfort. The boat is also equipped for short-handed sailing with it's Hood Stowaway mast, electric furling and a bow thruster.
The comfortable interior features beautifully varnished teak bulkheads, louvered cabinet doors and a teak and holly cabin floor. The great feature of a center cockpit is that you are using the whole interior for living space. Forward is a private stateroom that has a large berth with a filler cushion and numerous storage lockers. Moving aft on the portside is the forward head that has private access to the forward cabin. Across from the head are numerous storage lockers. The roomy main salon has an L-shaped settee on the portside and a straight settee on the starboard side. There is a bi-fold table that offers plenty of room for the whole crew to dine. All the boat cushions were replaced in 2013. The U-shaped galley is located aft of the salon on the starboard side with great access to the cockpit. Across from the galley is a very complete navigation station with a seat, chart table and access to the electrical service panels. Moving aft there is a large private stateroom with it's own private head with separate shower and ample storage.
If your in the market for a very capable, well built boat that has had many recent upgrades don't miss that opportunity.
The galley is a cooks dream, it is U-shaped, out of the traffic pattern and has all the right gear and ample storage. The refrigeration system is a top-of-the-line Grunart holding plate set. The refrigeration unit is located in the galley and has two access doors the separate freezer unit is located on the portside just forward of the navigation station.
Shalom had a major refit in 2005. Both engine and generator were replaced as well as the water, fuel and holding tanks.
The engine is a Westerbeke 82hp diesel which is located with easy access from the aft companionway as well as the aft stateroom. The engine compartment is lined with lead/foam insulation for quiet operation. There are two engine control panels, one at the helm and one at the navigation station (2005). There are 1701 hours on the engine. The generator is also a Westerbeke and was replaced in 2005 and it has 1261 hours.
Several other significant features include MarineAir air conditioning (two units - 16k and a 12k), for the off-shore sailor a Sea Recovery Ultra Whisper 600 27gph watermaker that will need to be serviced (2005).
Shalom had her hull Awlgriped in 2011 and the bottom was completely stripped and barrier coated in 2014. For getting into those shallower places the boat features a modern shoal draft keel/centerboard arrangement with a skeg mounted rudder. The centerboard cable was replaced in 2007. The aft deck area has two hatches that access a below deck storage area, plus there is a large custom deck storage box over the aft cabin area. This box also has removable stainless steel dinghy chocks. The large cockpit has ample room for the crew and features a dodger with a bimini and a connector panel. There are also full enclosures (canvas was new in 2010). All the deck hatch glass was replaced in 2013 along with a complete replacement of the forward hatch.
Shalom features a very manageable sail plan for short-handed sailing. To help make sail handling easy the boat features a Hood Stowaway mast with electric furling and a mechanical override. The sails include a 2005 mainsail, working jib, storm jib, storm trysail and a cruising spinnaker with a dowsing sock.
2223 South Shore Drive
Macatawa, MI 49434
United States


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July 3, 2016
The Leimert Park Village Book Fair is held in the well preserved and nationally known Los Angeles Black artistic and cultural neighborhood Leimert Park, home to legendary filmmaker and owner of the Kaos Network Ben Caldwell and the Black bookstore Eso Won Books. Cynthia Exum and her crew have been organizing the Leimert Park Village Book Fair for a decade, which is no small feat. So I sat down with her to discuss this monumental accomplishment.
June 15, 2013
Marcus Book Store, at 1712 Fillmore St., San Francisco, is packed with knowledge it has purveyed since 1960, for 53 years. Now the oldest Black book store in the country has been ordered out. But the community is REFUSING to let Marcus Books close. The Sweises, who bought the property, want the judge to evict Marcus Books. Everyone is urged to BOYCOTT their businesses, Big Dog City Cab and Royal Cab companies. On Tuesday, July 2, 3 p.m., the community will caravan to the Sweis home in South City for a PROTEST RALLY at 4 p.m.
March 21, 2013
Robert Chrisman and the internationally acclaimed The Black Scholar journal (TBS) are principle beacons of achievement and hope within the movement to create Black Studies departments and ultimately Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies departments. Chrisman and The Black Scholar occupied the vanguard of the struggle for recognition of Black Studies as a serious academic endeavor.
February 12, 2011
Jazz Hudson is one of the new up and coming poets out of the Bay who has been making a name for herself at poetry readings – one of the most loquacious and passionate young sistas to come out of the concrete jungle of Oakland in a long time.
January 14, 2011
Kaira Espinoza is a poet from the Mission district of San Francisco who recently completed her debut book of poetry called "Poems About This Roller-Coaster Ride Called Life."
October 24, 2010
In my opinion, passionate writers are the best writers because of their ability to convey emotion from their mind to yours. They're memorable because of the feelings that they stir up inside of you simply with their wordplay. Talaam Acey is a master spokenword artist and a national artistic treasure in Black communities around the nation.
December 10, 2008
Rwanda and Uganda invaded the Congo twice, first in 1996 and again in 1998. These invasions unleashed the mass deaths and suffering that we see in the Congo today. It is estimated that nearly 6 million people have died as a result of the invasions of Congo. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women have […]


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Idiots look at [Brenna 2003]: Quantization and Background
Journal of Chromatography A, 2003
The purpose of this brief review is to assess another of the papers that Dr Brenna co-authored, in order to determine whether anything of relevance to the Landis case is present. It is in the GDC exhibits, at the end of GDC1151 and filling GDC 1161
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of quantization noise on the measured o/oo value for IRMS. Both the traditional summation method for integration and the curve fitting method are explored to see which performed better in the presence of quantization noise. Curve fitting is not really relevant to the Landis case because it was not employed, so we'll cut to the chase on this subject and say that curve fitting generally performed better than the traditional summation method. LNDD doesn't do that.
However, our interest in the article is tweaked by a highlighted paragraph on page 274, GDC 1155:
The reproducibility of the summation background correction depends in part on the two points that anchor the background line under the peak; imprecision in the measurement of either point multiplies through the entire length of the background segment connecting the points. In the presence of a simple linear background, a background line is easily drawn between any two points on either side of the peak, as shown in Figure 2a. Chemical noise due to column bleed or contaminant peaks may cause inaccuracy in defining the background, but such noise is usually correlated in all three traces.
We're not sure which party introduced the exhibit, or marked the paragraph. It could have been Landis, talking about the effect of inaccurate background subtraction, or USADA, saying the three traces (presumably 44, 45 and 46) can usually correlate background noise from contaminant peaks.
Reading the paper as it was intended, rather than how it might apply to Landis, we first get an explanation of quantization noise For those not familiar with it, quantization noise occurs when an analogue, continuous parameter is converted into a digital, discrete parameter by the process of analogue to digital conversion (ADC). This process effectively converts the signal present at the detector into an n-bit binary number, where n equals the number of bits in your converter. For example, if you have a 5-bit converter, you would have 32 possible values that your signal could take, ranging from 0 to 31 (in binary, 00000 to 11111). If the value of the analogue input to this converter happens to fall between two of your possible 32 binary values when it is sampled, it will be converted to either one or the other, so you will have lost its true value (e.g. an input of 2.5 will be converted to either 2 or 3). This process of constraining a parameter to take discrete values is called quantization and because it distorts the true signal, it is called noise.
Experiomentally, the authors injected CO2 samples of known composition into a GC/C/IRMS system at varying injection sizes. The results were recorded using a custom 24-bit ADC running at a sample rate of 0.1 seconds. This 24-bit measurement was reprocessed to simulate the results one would obtain with 12-bit, 14-bit and 16-bit ADCs.
(TBV caption)
As the figures are introduced, we're given some examples, pointed out in the case-cited paragraph:
(caption in original)
The investigation is concerned with the critical process of accurate background removal, here the effect of the subtle errors caused by quantization noise on identifying the true value of the background to be removed. The measured o/oo values are found to be a function of both the number of bits in the ADC and the CO2 injection size. CO2 injection sizes ranged from a minimum of 0.1 nmol to a maximum of approx 11 nmol. Results are expressed as the standard deviation (SD) of the observed measurements:
- The SD of the 12-bit ADC measurement error ranged from >> 10 o/oo at the minimum CO2 injection level to ~2 o/oo at the maximum CO2 injection level.
- The SD of the 14-bit ADC measurement error ranged from > 10 o/oo at the minimum CO2 injection level to <>
- The SD of the 16-bit ADC measurement error ranged from ~ 6 o/oo at the minimum CO2 injection level to <>
- The SD of the 24-bit ADC measurement error ranged from ~ 4 o/oo at the minimum CO2 injection level to <>
The paper then develops equations for estimating the potential error based on the CO2 injection level and the number of bits in the ADC. The conclusions were that at the lowest (12-bit) resolution, an error as low as 1 o/oo was unachievable, even with the maximum CO2 injection level.
Unfortunately, we idiots tried, but failed to find out how many bits the IsoPrime has in its ADC, so we can't draw a direct comparison. However, it is clear from Dr Brenna that significant errors are possible due to this effect. Perhaps he should also have addressed to impact of quantization error in determining the peak maxima and how that would effect any correction to the m45, m44 time lag.
So where does that leave us? The effect of quantization noise appears to be significant, but we may assume that it forms part of LNDD's claimed accuracy of +/- 0.8 o/oo. We think this is generous by assuming that their system achieves a high CO2 level and that their ADC is definitely greater than 12-bits. If either of these were not the case, then all bets are off.
It's important to recognise that this +/- 0.8 o/oo is a characteristic of the system. It includes contributions from the chromatographic efficiency of the system, the sensitivity of the detectors, chemical and electrical noise, the effects of digitizing the detector signals (quantization noise) and the subsequent impact of that when it comes to removing background and calculating peak areas. Unless you go out and change part of the system for something better, you can't improve on this. So, the true value for the peak will be +/- 0.8 o/oo away from the measured value (if our assumptions about LNDD CO2 levels and ADC bit size hold true).
That's the basic accuracy of the system. You've got your raw digitized data and the best you can hope to do with it is +/- 0.8 o/oo. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
LNDD close the book here and apply this tolerance to all their results.
Are there situations that may further reduce the accuracy? We idiots are left scratching our heads. Wasn't it USADA expert witness Dr Brenna who published papers confirming that many such situations exist and could result in significant additional error? Didn't team Landis expert Dr Meier-Augenstein also testify to that?
But LNND appears to be saying that even if they have a situation with overlapping peaks, it will have no impact on the accuracy of their measurement.
They don't stroke their chin and say "Hmmm ... maybe +/- 1.2 o/oo for this case ..." or "Ouch !, big overlap, that's got to hurt ... maybe +/- 3 o/oo for this one".
No, they claim that they're always within +/- 0.8 o/oo of the true value. It doesn't matter if they're 10%, 20%, 30% overlapping, they'll just drop a perpendicular down to background and ... +/- 0.8 o/oo.
On one side of the fence, we have Dr Brenna, Dr Meier-Augenstein and the Idiots, who have all both claimed and demonstrated that significant additional error is possible when you do not have good clean baseline separated peaks. On the other side of the fence, we have LNDD who take no cognizance of this irrefutable fact. And we're the idiots? You decide!
In comments below there's some discussion of errors observed in the paper, with reference to the figure above,


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'Linguistics' tag.
About every six months or so, I write myself into a corner. And I don't mean that I get caught up in plot or dialog, or while formulating a concise argument; yes, I sometimes have those problems, but that's not what I am referring to. What I'm talking about is an unreasonable trap in the English language, the lack of a singular, androgynous pronoun for an individual.
"What?" you ask? I don't blame you. Let me demonstrate.
"The problem with formulating simple-yet-sound education policy is that we're trying to write a single, universal plan to address every student's needs, but any given individual student is not the average, or median, or norm. ???? (insert third person, singular pronoun) is just that, an individual, containing thoughts, emotions, experience, and a frame of reference entirely specific to ???? (insert third person grammatical object)."
In the above example, there is no accurate, androgynous, and grammatically correct pronoun to replace the question marks, and that drives me insane!
Think I've got options? Let's look at them: Read the rest of this entry »


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Impatient gold-seekers favored the Brother Jonathan because it was the fastest steamer on the Pacific Coast at that time. Its owners, the California Steam Navigation Company, made huge profits from the vessel, and kept it busy. The Oregonian item also said, "Sails To Day. – The steamer Brother Jonathan sails for San Francisco via Victoria this afternoon at four o'clock."
|Steamship Brother Jonathan, ca 1862.
Captain Samuel J. De Wolf was one of the most experienced commanders on the coast. Tragically, two year later, a violent storm drove the steamship onto a reef near Crescent City California. De Wolf and over two hundred passengers went down with the ship.
Reference: Alfred L. Lomax, Brother Jonathan: Pioneer Steamship of the Pacific Coast, University of Oregon (1959).


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So last night Izzy is tootling around on the floor, you know, doing baby things, when I see a little black fuzzy something on her face. It looked like mascara goop, only Izzy doesn't wear mascara because it's not age appropriate. I go to pick up what I think is a lint ball when I notice that it has legs...eight of them.
It was a SPIDER! On my BABY! ON HER FACE!
Needless to say I killed it. Crushed it with my bare thumb and forefinger, because it was too small to use my whole hand.
I picked her up and have been eying the floor with suspicion ever since.
Driven to Greatness
2 months ago


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Yesturday, I noticed about interesting problem - how to make download gadget. Seemed stupid? No. Try to upload your gadget to any web server (it might be even apache). While you'll try to download it you'll get following in IE and FF. What's the hell? Why it's ZIP??? I uploaded .Gadget!
You see .ZIP extention just because .Gadget is really .ZIP, so "smart" IE knows to "translate" extention in order to prevent fraud. Very nice, but I want do download and install gadget. As like as I can do in in http://gallery.live.com
How to configure my server to do it. Simple answer is right MIME type. It's application and it's zipped, so we can use application/octet-stream, application/x-compressed or even application/x-msdownload. Let's try. Just register .gadget type with one of those. In first case you'll get octet stream :) Obviously. And this looks like that
Bad one. The next x-compressed will return us to previouse state with .ZIP renaming. Let's see what will be with x-msdownload.
You able to download gadget as requested, but you can not install it (Open->Run) from the web (like in Live.Gallery)
So such thing is not suitable for us. After some digs of my friends from Redmond (from Live team - they are only 3 :) ) I found it. The right MIME type for Vista SideBar Gadget is application/x-windows-gadget. Register .gadget extention with application/x-windows-gadget MIME type and you'll able to provide your visitors Live.Gallery like installation option for gadgets
Yossi, do it here for us as well :)
Have a nice gadget :)


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Accept - This One's for You!. (Black Gold-Records)
Recorded Live at Unknown Venue, Winterthur, Switzerland - xx xx, 1993.
Excellent Audience Recording -> Bootleg Silver CD :: CBR 320 kbps.
01. Starlight
02. Living For Tonight
03. Screaming For A Love Bite
04. London Leather Boys
05. I Don't Wanna Be Like You
06. Breaker
07. Slave To Metal
08. Princess Of The Dawn
09. Neon Nights
10. Restless & Wild
11. Son Of A Bitch
12. This One's For You
13. Bulletproof
14. Too High To Get It Right
15. Up To The Limit
16. Burning
:: Objection Overruled Tour ::
Personnel: Udo Dirkschneider: Vocals; Wolf Hoffmann: Guitars; Peter Baltes: Bass Guitar; Stefan Kaufmann - Drums .
Notes: Track 1 fades in just before the vocals begin. There is a fade-in/fade-out between tracks 8 and 9. Track 16 fades out before it's fully completed. All stage banter is in German. It would be absolutely pathetic if Accept didn't play "Balls to the Wall" and "Fast As A Shark" at every live show...I'm assuming the bootlegger left them off (possibly due to time constraints, as the CD is 80+ min., but is still no excuse), which is absolutely criminal. (Taken from geocities.com/heavymetalbootleg).


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We went to our annual salmon fishing in Pulaski of upstate NY last weekend and caught one salmon each.
The date of our trip was actually postponed twice after reading the fishing report that fishing was slow.
Upon arrival, we saw many dead salmons in shallow water. It looks like this year's salmon season soon over without reaching a real peak of the salmon run.
Last weekend was tough for fishermen. It rained whole day on Saturday and on top of that there were not many salmons seen in the water. However, some fishermen were able to catch the few salmons while others caught steelheads.
There is always next year we can experience the excitement of catching salmon again.


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Went biking in the mountains this weekend, going up from Taroko Gorge. While I took two days off, the world went on at its usual furious pace. But I got some lovely pictures....I'll stick a few in here -- more later. [UPDATED: corrected broken Global Views survey link and broken Sponge Bear link]
Biking through Taroko Gorge, the best way to see it.
What's out there on the blogs?
- Ma: KMT is Taiwan
- Ben Goren on Christians in Taiwan who want to shut down the gay pride parade. Hundreds of gay blogs reported on the anti-gay march here.
- Ten years to tackle the Taiwan question.
- David on Formosa Betrayed 2010 release.
- Judicial independence in Taiwan and Singapore.
- An educator visits Taiwan and observes that boys lag girls in reading, and observes some differences between US and Taiwan education.
More blog stuff.....
- The future of the Taiwanese language.
- Sponge Bear rips Tom Plate, who seems to be East Asia's answer to Tom Friedman.
- Is China North Korea's hip elder brother?
- Ma Ying-jeou: not responsible for the gondola debacle.
- DPP statement from the party congress.
MEDIA: Global Views survey last week shows widespread mistrust of Ma Ying-jeou, rising support for outright independence and near-majority support for long-term independence (corrected link). WSJ on China-India problems in the Himal, one of the world's great unknown flashpoints. It will be interesting to see how India will tolerate China's damming of the rivers of the Himalayan plateau. Brookings Fellow Liu Shih-chung points to the possibility of Ma-Hu meeting in 2011. Chinese general visits Washington, from the China Daily. Taiwan's defense ministry says China military can deter other militaries from helping Taiwan in the event of war. China expands cyberspying in US, says Congressional report.
Staggering mountain vistas along the road. Here is the turn at Shibao, 915 meters up.
MEDIA: Export orders hit 11 month high in September. Openings for jobs are also up. Recovery may arrive in time for December elections. Mark Beeson at Japan Focus on the decline in US influence in East Asia? Richard Fontaine in WSJ argues that the US should monitor things more closely and boost ties out here to ensure China doesn't make cross strait agreements a zero-sum game. ECFA is not a free trade agreement, folks -- using that term in association with ECFA, I've come to understand, is merely an attempt to harness laudable support for freer trade in the service of a bilateral agreement on finance and certain sectors of the economy, which at least one of the governments is treating as a domestic agreement. If that's free trade, bald is a hair color. Also, if the WSJ wants the US to pay more attention to Asia, it should stop agitating in support of every war that comes down the pike. Believe it or not, resources are finite.
Looking down on some of the steepest mountains in the world.
MEDIA: Disturbingly, the anti-gay group Exodus was one of the Christian groups involved in the march of the anti-gay bigots the other day. I think it is sad that the West has exported its worst out here. BBC actually put the word threat in quotes in Taiwan warns of China 'threat'. Heavyweight businessmen from China to arrive to discuss 'bridge building' between Taiwan and China. Lawmakers blast opening market to US beef, because of safety. Yes, because everything else in Taiwan is so safe, there remained only this problem of mad cow to solve. At least it will end the US obsession with selling beef here, and enable the Taiwan-US trade talks to continue. Allegations of vote buying in the election for the KMT's Central Standing Committee. Imagine that! China trumps Taiwan's democracy. Recalling Taiwan's days of dance.
Yes, even after climbing 1900 meters, some of us could still smile.
AFP WATCH: AFP, an inexhaustible resource of media follies, had a great one in a report on press freedom here in Taiwan. Check out these three paragraphs and note the second two:
Some observers and journalists say the RSF index is a warning of how far Taiwan is prepared to go to appease its giant neighbor.Yes, immediately after noting that the head of the Association of Taiwan Journalists says that media types focus on negative angles here, AFP then in the very next paragraph regurgitates two negative pro-China claims about the Dalai Lama and Rebiya Kadeer, with no balancing positive information whatsoever. No irony there, eh?
"More media outlets are self-censoring on sensitive issues such as the Dalai Lama or Rebiya Kadeer by downplaying their coverage or focusing on negative angles," said Leon Chuang (莊豐嘉), head of the Association of Taiwan Journalists.
Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of trying to separate Tibet from China and blames Kadeer for bloody ethnic unrest in her home region Xinjiang in July.
On the second day the air was chill and clear.
SPECIAL: Just as the CCP and the KMT are making out like teenagers in the back of a '57 Chevy, comes a "reassessment" of Chiang Kai-shek in several different spheres. What a coincidence! Jay Taylor, who wrote what I thought was a highly sympathetic biography of Chiang Kai-shek's son, junior dictator Chiang Ching-kuo, has recently come out with a work on Chiang Kai-shek himself. Two reviews by noted thinkers out already: Jonathon Spence's review of the new biobook on the elder Chiang. Arthur Waldron has a review of the same text at the Jamestown China Brief. Gerrit van der Wees will also review the book at the Taiwan Communique later. Spence and Waldron come from different Cold War analytical backgrounds and thus come to differing conclusions about the book. I think Waldron is just plain wrong to lay the blame for the negative assessment of Chiang largely on Stilwell -- the incompetence, venality, and greed of the Chiang regime is a theme in much reporting on Taiwan from the post-1945 period. Can't wait to read this book, though.
Ever wonder how farmers get up and down those terraces?
ANNOUNCEMENTS: The movie Formosa Betrayed will be out in the US in Feb of 2010.
The resort and farming town of Lishan. That tiny blot of clouds in the distance is I-lan.
[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!


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My birthday is approaching so fast! Me and some fellow Virgo friends are planning a huge birthday weekend! I'll be sure to tell you all the details as soon as there completed! But at least I've completed one thing and that's cleaning out my closet! I have a huge issue with buying things that I end up never wearing. I think you gals know what I'm speaking of? So I ended up selling almost my whole wardrobe online,that now my closet is empty and I need a new wardrobe. So for my 25th birthday I'm purchasing some new fashions for my closet! Why not? I think I deserve it! Right? Celebration! One place I'll be shopping at is One Stop Plus. It's like an online mall for the plus size world! You can find so many different brands …..It's crazy good! They have a lot of fashionable and comfortable clothing at an affordable price. They carry a lot of items that can definitely give you a little extra burst of fun for your wardrobe! I received this awesome color blocked top from One Stop the other day. I paired it with my skinny jeans and Gold Accessories! This top is so cute that I might just have to get the other color way! Well its back to finishing all the plans for my 25th Birthday Party! I will tell you all the details as soon as I can get my Virgos together and complete it!
I hope everyone has an amazing week!
Top: c/o OneStopPlus Jeans: Forever21 Purse: c/o Urban Expressions Jewelry: Personal Collection


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🎶 Rudoph, the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And, if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows 🎶
Hello, and welcome to the second project we made at my "Christmas In July" class. I used the Foxy Friends stamp set to create this card:
I just love this stamp set! It lets you create so many cute critters, including Rudolph.
|Foxy Friends Stamp Set
#141549 $27.00
I bet you are wondering where I got the red rhinestone for his nose. Here is a hint:
Did you know that you can color our fabulous rhinestones and pearls with Sharpie markers? Yep -- And, that is how Rudolph got his red nose on this card. I colored the rhinestone right on the sheet that it is packaged on, let it dry, then added it to Rudolph.
It was so easy to stamp Rudolph because the stamps in Foxy Friends are photopolymer, so you can see right through them. First, I stamped him in Sahara Sand ink, then added his legs, face, and antlers with Early Espresso ink. I added his cute, red nose right over top of the stamped nose that is part of the face stamp.
Here is the inside of the card:
I used the Oh, What Fun stamp set for the inside of this card.
|Oh, What Fun
#140386 $21.00
Here are the supplies I used to make this card:
Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com


text: there are certain times in our lives where you just need reassurance. whether it be an old friend or a family member or even writing them into a blog to put on your web site so that your thoughts are out there in the great unknown. just words on page really. I'll be the first one to admit that i was not the nicest of all the girls in high school. some would even say i was a huge bitch. and i know that is not too far from the truth. i don't think that high school is a useful tool for judging one's character. with all the hormones and confusion, i completely understand now what i was feeling then. not to say that i can relate to any of the kids that are in high school, because i honestly think that in five years a lot can change. but thats an entirely separate entry. although i wasn't the nicest person back then, i think that i have changed a lot over the past five years. not to say that it has been all that easy...i mean every once in a while that sixteen year old girl comes out and starts throwing temper tantrums about how she has to be able to return the pair of shoes. but i never apologized to people that i may have hurt. and thinking about it now, i still wont apologize for my actions. not to say that they were justified. but i think that instead of apologizing and saying the words that people have come to take for granted, i put my apologies into actions. and i became a nicer person. my patience is another step that i have to work on. i think that because i have become a nicer person, i feel more of a need for this reassurance from others. and i have to say that i hate that about myself now. i mean, i kind of feel like i have regressed. i feel like i was once this strong-take-no-shit-from-anyone(and I MEAN ANYONE) girl into this young woman who is searching for acceptance into the places that she once thumbed her nose at. aim not talking about trendy bars or up-tight restaurants, but i mean the people that surround me in my life. and even the ones who just pass in and out. i think that right now is one of those times where my words have to go into the great unknown so that i can feel the reassurance that i am so searching for right now. i need to know that at the end of the day that everything will be okay. sometimes i just wish that i was stupid so that i never had the capability to analyze things a billion times over.


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Because we consider ourselves capable and yet far, FAR worse clever, we'll bore holes into this flying rock of ours until there's nowhere else to drill. We'll look up as well and quite knowingly, create a hole in a protective layer of atmosphere we've just recently discovered. All for the sake of convenience to our species in a variety of ways critical to our needs. Say from personal hygiene, to travel.
What makes this ironic for me is, these clever ones were brought up through an education system that preached nothing but the brilliance of Newton.
"To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction."
Yet the drive for money driven by greed is cleverly disguised, as a quest for knowledge and necessity. Claimed to be for man kinds very survival on this earth. Perhaps they are very clever? They do seem to have the vast majority of idiots doing what they can to hold the dirt down to the ground, fooled into a common state of blase faire. Very clever indeed!
In just twelve short hours around these parts we've experienced;
An Earthquake.
A Tornado.
A Thunderstorm, that happened to drop 4 1/2 inches of rain in less than half an hour.
None of which for the record, is remotely natural to Bedrock.
Nostradamus effect my ass!
Unless of course, Nostradamus just happened to also be one of those clever people.
"Save the animals" indeed!
What I want to know is, who the hell is going to save humanity from all of the clever people?
My sincerest thanks for dropping by....


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Herman Yee comes by the center to recycle every couple of months. He has curbside at his apartment but prefers to collect his own stuff and bring it in on his bike. We asked him one day what he thinks about the place. Watch this interview as he talks through some of the issues we face trying to keep this community space open every day.
Do you think recycling should be in recreational areas? How about native plants and vegetable gardening? Where is the best space for a center that offers these experiences to to a community?
Personally, I think it's fine just where it is. What does Herman think?


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Part Three of a special presentation featuring Ronald A. Lindsay, Tom Flynn, Steven K. Green, EllenBeth Wachs, and David Silverman.
On March 2, 2012, the Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry presented the opening session of their conference, titled "Moving Secularism Forward," at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida. The first session was titled "Face-Off in Florida." It focused on church-state controversies in Florida, the state where the conference was held. This includes a pioneering church-state lawsuit – the first ever with the Council for Secular Humanism as plaintiff – that has religious conservatives so nervous, they are now on their third attempt to amend the Florida constitution to make the suit go away.
In this segment David Silverman, president of American Atheists and founder of the Reason Rally, puts Florida's church-state conflicts in the larger context of national developments in church-state law and activism. He is followed by questions from the audience.


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No poem was good enough for Julio, so here is a love story. It lasted not more than a week, but what seems like a lifetime. That is the magic of love, I suppose: it allows you to live several lifetimes in one.
It was a severely cold January when I met him first: the third day of the new year. A handful of students, who had stayed back on campus during the vacation, flocked at the market, probably trying to hold on to the elusive festive spirit the way I was. The queue at the golgappa stall meant I had to wait. There he was, sitting still like a stone, not trying to avoid but ignore the trampling of the crowd engrossed with their savoury delights: a wet, cold and terrified ball of fur.
Why doesn't anyone bother to move him away from there? I realized I could just as well be that anyone. Picking him up was no trouble, but putting him down proved to be a challenge; he would meow his way back into my arms, and soon enough, into my heart. There was no way the authorities would allow scholars to keep pets at the hostel, but it took me not more than ten minutes to decide on gifting the poor dear a home. How strange is it for someone who never identified as a cat-person for thirty-two years? I suppose it does not matter, for I did no adopt a sick, shivering, frightened little kitten that day; he adopted me.
What does one name a white-and-brown kitten, with whiskers only on his right side? 'PoMo' was an instant hit with my friends and associates (yes, you are allowed to snigger at the myopic vision of the architecture academia), while 'Baburam' came to me naturally. For a while, I also contemplated on names with an initial R, thinking of christening my new-found love in memory of the love lost. In the end, I decided it was all unfit, as it had to be about him and not about me. Julio, a sad pun on hulo,was an epiphany, possibly somewhat catalyzed by Paul Simon's music.
Two days after we met, returning from my morning class, I found myself in my room with no trace of Julio; not even a suspended Cheshire smile. The only way out of the locked room could have been my second floor balcony, but all I could see form there was a completely different cat sun-bathing on an assortment of rubbish piled below. I do not remember what it felt like (or I am too embarrassed to admit it), but I reached out for a pack ominously imprinted with 'smoking kills', and in spite of having no hope, slowly trudged down the stairs to inspect the site of the possible accident. The gentleman was sitting there all huddled up and frightened just the way I had found him not too long back; thanks to his patchy coat, I had been unable to make out his divine presence from the upper floor. How is it that I felt lighter on my way back, even though I was carrying him then?
Julio seemed to have learnt his lesson: after that day, he didn't venture too far off the room unless I was in visible proximity. I started to leave the doors ajar, and even if he bolted out with his natural sense of responsibility to enquire the cause of strange sounds and smells, I knew it would not take him farther than the stair-landing, and he would scamper back the moment I went up to him and walked him back to the room.
I collected several pieces of common knowledge: tom-cats do not make the best of pets, and do not recognize anything beyond momentary self-interest. I kept preparing myself for the day he was old enough to run away and fend for himself, and regularly mentioned the immediate possibility of such an occurrence in my casual conversations with friends, possibly trying to convince myself I was comfortable with the idea. However, I wished for it to be a distant reality, and, may be subconsciously, hoped for it to never happen.
A kitten made a father out of a silly love-lorn bachelor, and almost mended his erratic, whimsical lifestyle. There is no way you can stay up all night, aimlessly surfing the internet, if your bundle of joy creeps up on your lap, and demands to be caressed to sleep. A few times I had tried quietly lifting him off my chest, and putting him down on the blanket, thinking he was fast asleep, but he would just open those drowsy eyes, and without much ado, crawl back onto me. He made me choose between an exciting flux of virtual socializing and a singular but living, breathing, meowing love; reality won.
Gone with the nights of insomnia, were the days of waking up at noon and lunch for breakfast. He would be up early, but strangely, never made me get up until I was ready to; though, with my first foot down on the floor, his reprimanding ensued. I could never be quick enough to stir up his platter of morning milk without feeling guilty of making him wait for it too long… far too long; Julio sure knew how to sound plaintive. His thirst quenched, he would make an amusing display of the proverbial feline curiosity: running after bits of paper, fallen leaves and bugs, pulling at shoe-strings, pajama draw-strings and belt straps, hunting slippers and shampoo bottles, inspecting laptop keyboards, and exploring the dark worlds hidden behind doors, suitcases and cupboard shutters. It did not go on for long though, for my kitten was even more capricious than me. My attempts at starting the day's work had to be punctuated to personally entertain him with kill-the-ball combat trainings, come-bite-my-finger drills, and okay-I-shall-brush-you-to-make-you-purr routines.
All of a sudden, I was left with no time to even consider how laid-back and easy-going my life was a week ago. I had to keep running to and from the shops, buying pail, jar, fish and milk to arrange for his meals, bucket, mops and disinfectants to clean his shit, a ball to keep him entertained, a pair of slippers to replace the ones he had ripped apart, and of course the injections I had to take because he had scratched, and made me bleed. Add to that the hurried bicycle rides back to the hostel room, flung between classes and café-symposiums, to replenish his pail, clean up after him, and check if he is lonely. Surprisingly, now that I had to be busy for him, I suddenly found all the time I needed to complete the work I had piled up over months, thanks to my erstwhile, incurable procrastination. Winter too was kind; the chill gave way to days of sunshine and I was full of energy. A friend rightly remarked: was I a blessing for him, or was he one for me? Life works in strange ways; one of the strangest of them is love.
My friends also supplied a continuous string of complaints: I was smothering him, bothering him, restraining his freedom, and making him incapable of fending for himself. Sometimes I wondered if I had done worse with my lost love, and backed away, but never for more than a few hours. Julio accepted my continual attentions with only occasional and feeble objections. He would meow now and then when I cycled with him haltered in a scarf, and protest by pushing off my hands when I cleaned his ears with cotton-buds or pick out fleas. Other than the bathing, which happened just once, there was nothing that he wouldn't agree to, once I managed to catch him by the collar.
It had been an exhausting day at the university, and gulping down my black coffee I rushed back home to see my feline son. Taking him up in my arms gave me the usual sense of eternal bliss. Julio had had an extra pail of milk with his fish lunch, but I decided to give him another extra pre-dinner serving; he did seem hungry. Leaving behind half of the warm milk, Julio suddenly bolted out of the door. I went after him after a while, and was alarmed to see him not on the corridor anymore. But a flight of steps down, he was loitering around: I would like to believe, waiting for me to join him. Each time I went to collect him, he went down another flight. Finally, I quit following him and just let him go on. I was simultaneously annoyed at his new-found audacity, expecting and hoping he would return looking for me any minute, scared of being all alone and away from his father, reasoning and defending his action against my own emotions (after all, my room was too small to keep him entertained), questioning the adequacy of his diet, and disoriented by the idea of spending the night alone, with Julio somewhere out there being preyed on by the many tom-cat thugs.
I went out for a cup of coffee and promised myself I shall not look for him… after all he is sure to come back at night looking for the warm milk, the warm blanket, and the warmth of my caress. A pragmatic and rather mean alter ego reminded me that it was equally likely that I may never see him. On my way back, convincing myself I am not looking for him, I went down to the courtyard while trying to figure out an alternative reason for going there. Julio was amongst the other cats, and did not run away when I caught him by the collar; I was relieved to take him up in my arms.
As I walked back up the stairs, I realized he didn't really like it. Even if I was doing what I thought was best for him, who was I to decide that anyway? Wasn't I just being selfish in love? As he struggled to get off, I gently put him down on the steps and watched him run away, without a valedictory meow.
At night I went around looking for him one last time, but all the cats of the world seemed to have gone to their hidden world. I console myself: Julio must have found his place amongst his kind. Winter has suddenly decided to come back with all severity, and I just hope he finds a warm spot for himself.
I expect to spot him sometime amongst the other cats down at the courtyard, surreptitiously waiting below the concrete benches, and running after morsels of food carelessly dropped by the university scholars. At night, I keep my door unbolted and a platter of warm milk ready.
In the end, like all love, it is about learning to let go.


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I'm trying to create polish font replacement, and I can't figure how to get polish fonts working. https://zapodaj.net/...e798f4.jpg.html -this is screen from Sovngarde - Mist's Font Replacer, but my results are exactly the same. I follow this guide: https://www.youtube....h?v=pdc5NmaA_J0
I know polish fonts use different coding, but I really don't know what I do wrong. I've tried like hundreds combinations - still nothing.
Anyone can help me? Any ideas how to make it work?


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Happy February 14th! Whatever you do today take some time to tell those you love how much they mean to you. Whether it's a phone call, a text, an old-fashioned Valentine or a fabulous meal, find a way to show you care. And make sure to have some yummy Valentine's Day candy along the way. I love conversation hearts, mostly because of the cute messages and fun colors. They remind of elementary school when you wrote fun Valentine's to the whole class and got to eat candy and treats at school.
Stay tuned this week posts on some of the tasty treats I'm making today for the boy. Have a great day!


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Welcome and thanks for stopping by!
In 2013, Ben and I went on a Euro trip for six weeks, but the real year of adventure was 2015 when we left Ottawa for an entire year. We got to go to some cool places!
We visited Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Iceland and also travelled through Canada and the west coast of the US.
This is the home for my travel photos only and I'll be posting periodically by city we've visited.
If you're looking for wedding, engagement, family or pet photography please visit Jane R Photography.
If you have any questions feel free to ask! 🙂


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It's been my goal to share a recipe for each ingredient or food I feature on the blog, but not being home kind of limits recipe experimentation. When I am home, I get to eat frozen leftovers and lots of smoothies. Even though I eat fairly healthy on the road, after eating at one too many hotels, airports, and convention centers, all I crave when I get home is super nutrient-dense healthy foods. This smoothie came about as a result of one of those post-late night return trips in an attempt to mix all my favorite superfoods in one glass. And it's high in my current favorite protein source, which is a bonus.
Superfood Smoothie
Serves 2.
- 1 T hemp seeds
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 T goji berries
- 1 T hemp seed oil
- 1 scoop Vega One berry-flavored protein
- 1 T Navitas Naturals superfood blend (or 1/2 tsp each hemp, maca, cocoa powders)
- 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 c coconut water
- 1 handful spinach
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/2 c frozen strawberries
- 1/2 c frozen raspberries
- 1/4 c frozen blueberries
- 1 c ice
- Add ingredients to high-speed blender, in order. You want the liquid on the bottom and the frozen fruit in the top to allow for optimal blending.
- Blend, pour into a glass and enjoy!
This will make 1 large or 2 small smoothies. Leftovers will keep for up to one day in the refrigerator. Just shake well before drinking.
Nutrition Facts:
Per serving: 318 kcal, 40 g carbs, 13 g fat, 14 g protein, 151 mg sodium, 20 g sugar


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I'm actually starting this travelogue with the second part the trip, since the pictures from the first part are on Cabana Boy's laptop.
What's a trip to Chicago without an elevator ride to the top of Sears Tower?
What a view! We were very fascinated by the spider outside the window of the observation deck. What the heck was he doing way up there?
It's much better to be safe and sound inside like Blondie.
Our future DIL, Dream Girl, is a humanities major and enjoyed going to the museums. Soccer Guy did a great job acting as though he really loved going too. We made a quick stop at the Chicago Institute of Art and then Blondie and I hit the Magnificent Mile for a little window shopping (no one can actually afford that stuff, can they?) while Cabana Boy and the Ballerina hit the beach of Lake Michigan. College Girl was at the Field Museum.
Gotta love the Hershey's store! The smell is heavenly!!! I think I got some pictures of their amazing looking cupcakes that I'll share next time.
Here we are in front of the Chicago LDS temple.
Dream Girl and Soccer Guy on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.
This is the Ballerina ten minutes into the game. Yep. Sound asleep.Here she is later with me and Cabana Boy. You can see that she woke up after a home run was hit three row above us. Boy, that sure gets the blood flowing!!! I was afraid it was coming right to me and the only thing I could think of is that a ball flying that fast would certainly ruin my nails. So ya know what I did? Crouched down and covered my head. That's what I did. Good thing it didn't hit me! lol! Another home run was hit three rows below us.
Blondie and College Girl contemplate the finer points of baseball. Or they're thinking about boys. You decide.
On Saturday we took a walk down to Bleeding Heart Bakery. Now I see why they get so much love from Cupcakes Take the Cake blog! I think it took us nearly 20 minutes to decide what we were going to order. Dream Girl and Blondie are "modeling" the Chocolate Slut cupcake and Raspberry Lemon tart. College Girl, Blondie, Dream Girl and I split them both four ways and took a HUGE lemon bar back for the other three to share. BTW, it was a mile each way to and from the bakery, so I'm pretty certain that we walked off all of those calories. Don't ya think? Yes, I think so, too.
We had a great time at the Museum of Science and Industry. The Ballerina and Blondie both made personalized toys that they brought home with them.
On our final night we stumbled across a fabulous Italian restaurant called Mario's. I ordered my favorite Margherita pizza and was not disappointed! The Ballerina ordered angel hair pasta with Alfredo sauce. It, without a doubt, was the best Alfredo sauce that I have EVER tasted. I think I'd go back to Chicago for no other reason that to eat at Mario's!
This is the end of our stay in Chicago. Cabana Boy got held up in security screening and the Ballerina and Blondie found these pint sized animal chairs where they sat and waited.


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Saturday, October 30, 2010
Harvest day in the garden
But we did get some lovely grape tomatoes, which were kind enough to seed themselves around the compost pile. The compost pile is always a source of surprise plants. :)
Now that it's Fall and the beetles are gone, the roses are blooming again. And there's always the hope of next year, and hopefully a glorious garden. And now, the glorious colors of Autumn.
Thanks for dropping by, wishing you a blessed week!
5 comments:
- PoetessWug said...
Looks to me like a beautiful, fragrant, and colorful yield! Wishing you more of the same for next year!! :-)
- October 30, 2010 at 1:58 PM
- DalkullanJewelry said...
Thanks so much PoetessWug, the harvest was tiny, but appreciated, that's for sure.
- October 31, 2010 at 5:59 AM
- Holly said...
The photos alone were worth your effort. They're gorgeous! Happy gardening to you. ;-)
- November 3, 2010 at 6:15 PM
- Kellie Collis said...
What a gorgeous harvest! The tomatoes look amazing! Enjoy the weekend, Kellie xx
- November 6, 2010 at 5:11 AM
- DalkullanJewelry said...
Thanks so much Holly and Kelly! Hope you both have a marvelous week. :)
- November 8, 2010 at 9:31 AM
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It was exciting to come across a new service Vet-Stem just launched, StemInsure.
When one of my friends gave birth to a baby girl, she has banked the umbilical cord. With a bit of luck, they might never need it, but it's there if they did.
Vet-Stem is now offering a similar service for dogs. Vet-Stem technology involves the use of adult stem cells from fat tissue. That's the kind that was used for Jasmine's therapy. After her initial treatments, more stem cells were cultured for her from a retaining sample.
StemInsure is a similar idea.
Small (grape size) sample of fat can be harvested while your dog is young, processed and banked.
This can be done during a surgical procedure such as a spay, neuter or other anesthesia requiring procedure. This small sample can be cultured to supply a lifetime of stem cell therapy.
In the future, when your dog needs stem cells, your veterinarian can simply order cell culturing for the treatment.
What is the difference between doing it this way rather than harvesting the cells when needed? For one thing, the fat tissue retrieval requires anesthesia. At the time your dog might need the therapy, there could be other health issues making anesthesia a bad idea. While for some types of treatment, such as treatment of an ACL injury your dog does need to be anesthetized for precision injections into the joint, stem cells can be also applied intravenously. For such treatment, anesthesia is not required.
What can be treated with stem cells?
Current uses include arthritis and soft tissue injuries (tendon and ligament). Future uses may include treatment of kidney, liver, heart, and immune-mediated diseases.
I don't expect you all to run out and do this. But I do believe it's something worth knowing about.
Jasmine already has her lifetime supply. Am I going to do this for JD? Not right now, we're still broke from Jasmine's vet bills. But should JD go in for teeth cleaning or other procedure requiring anesthesia, I am going to ask how much it would cost to grab a bit of fat in the process.
It's your dog's health,
Related articles:
In The Beginning, There Was Fat: From Vanity To Revolutionary Therapy
Digging Deeper: The Science Behind Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Therapy
Stem Cells for Dogs? Oh yeah, baby!
Interview with Dr. Robert J. Harman, D.V.M., M.P.V.M. - CEO and founder of Vet-Stem
Jasmine is Vet-Stem's poster child!
Zeus Gets Stem Cell Treatment
Jasmine Is Headed For Her Next Stem Cell Treatment
Jasmine's Stem Cells Are In
Running With The Wind: Trago's Elbow Dysplasia Surgery And Stem Cell Treatment
Dog Owners' Feedback On Stem Cell Therapy


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For You
Every February my son's school has a silent auction in order to raise money for the school. Last year I made up a basket of hand stamped cards and items to be raffled off. This year I was asked to do the same. I have a ton of scraps of Designer Series paper that have retired, so I have made it a mission to put them to use. This is one of my favorite patterns from the Wintergreen designer series paper that retired at the end of December. I paired it up with Soft Sky, Always Artichoke and Certainly Celery cardstock. I kept the layout fairly simple so that I can mass produce a few of each design.
I really like how this turned out. I like the clean lines and the way the white flower just pops off of the page.
Have a great Saturday! We have a few errands to run and a birthday party to go to, so I'll be in and out today. I hopefully will get some stamping done along the way.
Stamps: One of a Kind
Paper: Soft Sky, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Wintergreen dsp, Whisper White
Ink: Always Artichoke, Soft Sky
Accessories: Soft Sky double stitched ribbon, vintage brad, 1/4" and 3/4" circle punches, 1/16" hole punch


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Raymond Howell Jr., 14, was found dead of an apparent suicide near a culvert beside busy Eldorado Parkway in McKinney on Thursday, April 2. The McKinney Boyd High School freshman is believed to have committed suicide after being bullied by older students.
According to CBS 11, Howell had recently asked for a transfer to a different school to escape the bullying.
School districts throughout Texas have anti-bullying policies as a result of a series of suicides in the fall of 2012, including several in Texas and Oklahoma. It was during that period that Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns rose to national attention with his story of being bullied as a teen.
The McKinney police public information officer didn't return a call today to confirm whether the bullying that led to Howell's death was LGBT-related.
The Trevor Project hotline is a toll-free 24 hour LGBTQ suicide prevention line at 1-866-488-7386.


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We asked our readers two weeks ago who they thought the best 12U player is Puerto Rico. The race wasn't even close. Josue Velasquez won over 55% of the vote! Ivan Gandia came in second and Edwin Cancel came in third. We are going to wait for the National Teams to return from Argentina before we address this issue. Lets see how Josue performs under the bright lights in Argentina. We know Edwin shows up no matter where he plays. Ivan Gandia and Jhivvan Jackson are just as good as Edwin and Josue but were not able to carry their teams deep in the playoffs.
IPRB takes the position that all four of this kids are at another level and only time will tell who ends up being a top 50 kid in the USA. Development is a funny thing so a kid who is bigger, stronger and faster at 12 may not at the same level at 16. All four of these kids are big time players and could be suiting up for the PR Playmakers 12U team next spring and summer.


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This blog is dedicated to progressive and liberal thought. It also discusses new technology, how technology affects privacy and developments in Russia, China, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Rightardia fully supports the rights of workers to organize, the feminist movement, and all Americans regardless or ethnicity, sex or gender.It uses humor, satire and parody to expose conservative thought for what it truly is: BS! Rightardia contributes to the DNC, DCCC, DSCC and MoveOn.Org.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
China's next leader is visiting Washington
Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's meeting with President Barack Obama today represents a rite of passage for the man in line to become China's top leader next year and may shape U.S.-China relations for the next decade. Bloomberg's Margaret Conley reports.
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Posted by Eric Elder at 7:14 AM
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This was after we discovered the fish tank had been leaking down the drywall.
Everybody's on board for tearing up the carpet. It's the easiest part!
Shortly after removing the carpet, we realized we also had a plumbing leak, which had damaged the subflooring. So instead of just having the simple task of laying flooring, we also now have to figure out how to patch the drywall and call a plumber to fix and find the leak in the wall.
It was somewhere around this point that I went from "I can totally handle this" to "Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into? I just wanted a new bed!" Thankfully, we're in a place where we can afford the fixes (watching enough house-flipping shows on HGTV has taught me, if you don't have the budget for things that can go wrong, don't tackle the project in the first place), provided they're not too big. At this stage of the game, they're still manageable.
Yesterday, Hubby and I hit the ReStore shop, Walmart, Lowe's and Menards to pick up the things we need to make the repairs and do the changes we have taken on. Hauling the usual Walmart purchases (things like cat litter, shampoo & conditioner, and paper towels), four sets of mini-blinds, five boxes of flooring, three bags of drywall repair stuff, and lamenting about the bait-and-switch faucet we had to buy, everything finally made it in the house by 7pm. Thankfully, a friend of ours was here checking out the water damaged floor, so he helped carry everything in. He also stuck around and helped Nate disassemble our old bed and move it to the office so the new bed can be delivered tomorrow. I ran out of energy somewhere around 10pm. Sleep finally came around 3am after I set in motion an action plan for the rest of these fixes and updates.
Today, though I was tired and in some pain from all the running I did yesterday, I had a lot on my to-do list. Unfortunately, I had a few setbacks. the light bulbs I bought for my bathroom vanity were too big, the blinds for the living room were too narrow, the filters for the furnace were the wrong size, as were the sheets for the new bed. And, because I couldn't figure out this fancy ladder we borrowed from the neighbor, I couldn't reach the peak of the ceiling to scrub the trim. I finally gave up about 2:00, grabbed a Coke, and plopped my ass in front of the TV to watch Sex and the City reruns until my feelings of inferiority subsided.
Eventually, I got back up, put on my big girl panties, and sucked it up. I spent the afternoon patching all the nail and thumbtack holes in office and bedroom, then I got the new new plantation blinds hung in office (including one botched attempt at hanging a support piece that blew out my elbow early in the game). I finished that just in time for the plumbers to show up to give me estimates for the leak in the wall. I hired one and am looking forward to him fixing it on Sunday (without charging me overtime for it being a weekend - go me!).
After that, I took down the curtain rod in the bedroom, patched those holes and took the Roman shade down too so I can paint around it without dripping on the shade (which I have always loved more than any other window covering). Once that was done, I emptied our nightstands and cleaned them so I can sand them and stain them tomorrow (including removing all the metalwork to be spray-painted). Then I moved all the dressers out from the wall so I could get all the dust bunnies who've taken up residence since we moved in (the last time I cleaned the cobwebs from the corners of the ceiling). I also cleaned the ceiling fan before vacuuming. I was even feeling adventurous enough to wash windows and the trim around them (inside and out, including the gunk in the window tracks).
I hit a wall of pain and exhaustion about 10pm and rested for a while with some ice on my elbow. Hubby brought me some dinner home and I inhaled that, talked to the girls who were finally home and done with homework. When everybody went to bed, I tackled the bedroom again.
Almost all our furniture is hand-me-downs or second-hand things we've picked up along the way. This includes a 90's style black lacquer dresser with gold trim. It's functional and in good shape, but it's ugly. Ohhhhhhh, so very ugly. So tonight, I decided to take the outdated mirror off the top, remove all the gold trim, and take off the handles so I can paint those to match the nightstands. I'll leave the dresser black, but the other dresser (which was bought in 1983 by my parents) needs to be painted so it matches the first one. Oh, did I mention in all that I managed to wash and dry 3 loads of laundry?
There's still SO much to do before the bedroom is inhabitable again, today was a success in my book.
Tomorrow, I tackle the drywall repair in the office and master bath, I will sand the nightstands and dresser, and pick up the paint, a few supplies for that, and the lumber and hardware to make the new headboard. I have to stop at Walmart and exchange the stuff I bought in the wrong size, too. Oh...and I have a doctor's appointment at noon, I have to pick Bethany up from school at 1:45, come home and pick Shelby up after she gets out of school, drop her off downtown at 4:30 and be home by 6pm so I am here when they come to deliver the new bed. I was hoping I would get the bedroom painted tomorrow night, but I think it's gonna have to wait.
For those wondering what crawled up my ass with this Fixer-Upper-Home-Reno-What-the-Hell-do-I-think-I'm-doing thing --- it all started with a bed.
Did I take on too much? Yes.
Is this typical of me? Yes.
Will it all get done? Yes.
Will I spend a month bedridden when all is said and done? Yes.
So why am I doing it? Well, because if I'm going to spend a month in bed, I want it to be the prettiest little place of retreat I've ever seen. It's been the last thing in the house to get updated and it's long overdue. But hey...if you feel like sending me chocolate and hot apple cider, who am I to stop you? *hint hint*


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264 Manitoba St
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1S5
Be the first Weblocal.ca user to add photos or videos of Andrea's Steak & Sea Food House
Wanted to celebrate by daughters 18th birthday and of course it was on the Easter Monday, but not much was open so our options were limited. So we decided to go to Andres.
Got there around 6 pm and we were the only ones. Being that we already had prime rib and chicken for our easter dinner at home I... more
Great value, BEST Caesar salad and open faced roast beef sandwhich!!! Been there many times in past 30 years. Consistent, but the frozen veggies, really!!!
This is a great place for a special meal. Everyone agrees that they make the best caesar salad in the area. This is casual fine dining offering pretty good value for the $. Lunch is a great time to visit to have a fabulous meal at a lesser price than dinner.
Andrea's Steak & Sea Food House offers these services: restaurant.


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At the end of this month of recognition, I was shocked to learn that my former high school had instated a policy of searches and "see-through backpacks" for its students in response to "threats mixed up with racial intimidation (which) has created a very tense environment."
|Students line up outside Daniel Boone HS
Photo courtesy of Pottsmerc.com
I attended
Where did this hatred come from and did it grow to this magnitude in our very own community? But it's not just here in
, lately it seems as if sentiments of hate and disrespect are ever more prominent everywhere I look. Berks County
While last month was one marked for recognition of the fight for civil rights, March, Women's History month, is meant for recognizing those who fought for women's rights. Yet at the very start of the month, and one week before International Women's Day, a day meant to celebrate and show respect for all women in the world, Rush Limbaugh delivered a slap in the face to all us ladies. By proclaiming that Sandra Fluke, a third-year
law student who testified in front of Congress for the need of contraceptive coverage by student health insurance, is a "slut" and "prostitute" he sent an ignorant message of disrespect and hate to women everywhere. Georgetown University
And for what? Cause he thought might get a chuckle out of it? Since when is personally attacking and slandering someone's character and actions funny? I think it's safe to say that you have gone way too far when the President himself speaks out against comments you've made.
The most upsetting thing about incidents such as Limbaugh's blatant disrespect for all the women in this country and the up-cropping of racial tension at Daniel Boone is that they are certainly not uncommon.
Women have been referred to as "sluts" and "prostitutes" simply based on the way that they dress, their use of contraception (both women who do and do not use contraception), and other behaviors, since the very beginning (see: Mary Magdalene).
|No one is safe...
Racism and prejudice, in all forms, has been consistent in society throughout history (once again, see: The Bible). The most recent form seems to be discrimination and harassment of individuals of the LGBT community, an issue that is visible in the media every day.
But, again, my question is why? Why is it necessary to call a woman a "slut" or "fat", to use racial slurs, to make threats, or to bully and humiliate? In a time when acceptance, respect, and love for others should be growing and celebrated in our society, why do we continue to hate and discriminate against others based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.? What does any one person gain from spreading hate towards other human beings? The only thing that comes from that is more hate.
We should all demonstrate respect and love for everyone every single day. It's the only way we will be able to continue grow as a community, nation, and society.
|Let Love In.
Unless you want to go back to how everyone was treated in Biblical times...