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Markham councillors have deferred a site-plan report for an NHL-sized arena over concerns that they need more time to understand the impact of the $325 million project.
If Markham City Council had supported the report — which city staff recommended they endorse — it would have allowed the project's private partner to begin planning the transportation, parking and road infrastructure around the 20,000-seat arena planned for the city's downtown. Final site approval would still be contingent on several conditions, including council approval of the financial framework for the project.
Instead, council sent the report to the development committee to consider at its Nov. 6 meeting.
"If we are going to engage the public, we have to do it in the right way, "said Ward 4 Councillor Carolina Moretti.
A public meeting on Wednesday evening will give residents details on the infrastructure around the arena.
The project has not been without controversy for this city of 300,000. In April, council voted to take on $325 million in debt to finance the project. Through a complicated formula of development levies, ticket surcharges and parking fees, the city will pay for half the costs. The other half — $162.5 million — is being backed by billionaire developer Rudy Bratty of Remington Group, who has formed a partnership with arena promoter Graeme Roustan.
But some residents and councillors worry that the project is moving forward too quickly, and that details have been slow to come out.
On Tuesday, councillors appeared concerned that moving too fast would leave them vulnerable to legal action if, down the road, they rejected the final plan. Several councillors pressed staff about the order of process and ramifications of a future vote that against approval.
Approving the site plan would allow Remington Group to begin conducting more detailed studies on the land, involving a sizable investment.
"What happens if the good applicant here goes through this process here, and spends all kinds of money, and the city decides against this project? Where do we stand as to having to compensate them for this. Do we have some sort of indemnification … or can they come back on us?" asked Councillor Don Hamilton.
The city's legal counsel quelled few fears when she answered: "Anyone can be sued for anything," and that the developers could find recourse at the Ontario Municipal Board, if they chose to do so.
A spokesman from Remington said he "took exception" to the comments that it would litigate or take the city to the OMB.
Council was given a sneak preview of the presentation residents will see Wednesday evening, including details on the road network, public transit options and sustainable elements of the facility. There was lengthy discussion on parking options around the arena. Councillors disputed with Genivar traffic consultant Sharon Sterling on the practicality of pushing a transit-focused approach in an area where public transit options are few and far between.
"I don't want to dissuade people from coming to the building," said Deputy Mayor Jack Heath.
The plan calls for 4,400 parking spots, but both city staff and Mayor Frank Scarpitti say there will probably be thousands of parking spots nearby.
Wednesday's meeting will be the fourth public meeting in recent months on the arena. Scarpitti issued a statement this week clarifying his position and the process going forward.
"The City of Markham has NOT entered into any binding contracts committing to the proposed arena," wrote Scarpitti, adding that council would proceed to the next step only after there is more disclosure and debate.
Scarpitti said the Memorandum of Understanding will be finalized and released in coming months and will be subject to a third party review.
He also said he is "on the record" as wanting to release consultants' reports the city commissioned as part of its due diligence on the financial framework and arena promoter Roustan, and said he "has instructed staff to release them."
But on Tuesday, council went behind closed doors to discuss a motion by regional councillor Jim Jones to make the due-diligence reports public. Councillors received presentations on the reports in April, but have been denied access to the reports themselves by staff, despite numerous requests.
Later on Tuesday, councillors supported Jones's motion to make the reports public. That will be considered at the next council meeting.


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Be the first AL.com user to add photos or videos of Lakewood Estates Inc
A great place to live. Quiet location, on site manager, country atmosphere. 3 ponds for fishing, pool, playground, community store. GREAT LOCATION
This is a beautiful mobile home park, they have 3 ponds, beautiful landscaping. It really is like living in the country, but in the city limits. Only minutes from shopping in Prattville, and only minutes from historic downtown Montgomery.
Lakewood Estates Inc can be found at Birmingham Hwy 3945. The following is offered: Mobile Home Parks. The entry is present with us since Sep 10, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Montgomery there are 10 other Mobile Home Parks. An overview can be found here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Learning how to create recipes with a very limited grocery store while living in the great Far West Texas Mountains.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Review of Van Horn Cattle Company
2 comments:
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family-friendly care for babies, kids, and teens. an approach you and your child will love
Just like our pregnancy care, pediatrics at Baby+Company is built on evidence, and delivered with love. Our care is built on a relationship you will develop with your pediatric provider and our team of lactation consultants, educators, and assistants. Whether you need us for a well-child check-up or because your child is sick, we partner with you around a plan that is personalized for your unique child.
We welcome you to Baby+Company Pediatrics, whether or not you had pregnancy care with us.
We offer:
- Well child visits – We focus on how your child is growing and how your whole family is functioning. We follow evidence-based guidelines for tests and vaccines, and also personalize your care to get it just right for you and your family. We take a wellness-based approach and give you the tools and support you need to help your child stay healthy and help you stay prepared for each stage of their development. We are also happy to help with forms for school, camps, and sports.
- Sick visits – Our team is available 24/7 if your child is sick, so we can answer your questions and get your child the care they need. Same-day appointments are available.
- Lactation visits at home or in the office – We want you to meet your breastfeeding goals and offer expert lactation services in your home or in the office. We spend plenty of time with you to help you with latch and positioning, troubleshoot common challenges, and seamlessly coordinate your care if you have breastfeeding problems that need medical attention.
- Classes, support groups, and social events for expectant and new parents – We know it takes a village and we are focused on helping you connect with other parents while learning about each stage of pregnancy, infant care, and parenting. Check out our current class offerings.


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Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes Crockpot Recipe
Ingredients needed:
* 4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
* 6 bone-in pork loin chops (7 oz. each)
* 1 tablespoon of canola oil
* 2 large onions, sliced and separated into rings
* 2 teaspoons of butter
* 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
* 1 can of reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1 cup of fat-free milk
Preparation steps:
* Place potatoes into crockpot coated with cooking spray. In a large nonstick skillet, brown pork chops in oil in batches.
* Place chops over potatoes. Saute onions in drippings until tender; place over chops. Melt butter in skillet. Combine the flour, salt, pepper and broth until smooth. Stir into pan. Add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
* Pour sauce over onions. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until pork is tender. Skim fat and thicken cooking juices if desired.
(Serves 6)
Since I probably use my crockpot more than I use my oven, I thought a blog for tasty and easy crockpot recipes would be great. I simply love my crockpot and am known as the queen of the crockpot. When you work 40 hours a week and have children with a lot of after school activities, the crockpot really simplifies life. So much healthier than fast food too :-). Feel free to share your own favorite crockpot recipes as well. Enjoy!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Pork Chops with Scalloped Potatoes Crockpot Recipe
Posted by Michelle B at 7:24 AM
2 comments:
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Geekvape Medusa RDTA
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Product Introduction
Geekvape Medusa RDTA is a new generation RDTA with simplified inner structure, making assemble and refill extremely simple. This elegant RDTA looks simple and compact, but hold a juice capacity of 3ml.
Drip tip height: 10mm
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Outside diameter: 25mm
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4. Steps and Refill options
3 Months for Battery/ Mod. Atomizer & Accessories are DOA (Dead On Arrival), please contact us within 72 hours of delivery.
Simple paper box. Customary Packing from the factory, the packing is subject to change without notice.


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Istanbul (AP) — The trial of a Turkish journalist accused of insulting President Tayyip Recep Erdogan has opened and been immediately adjourned in Istanbul.
Cengiz Candar, a veteran columnist of newspapers Radikal and Hurriyet, faces up to four years in prison on charges of insulting the president in seven articles that appeared in Radikal. His next appearance in court was set for May 31.
Ahead of Thursday's trial, Candar published a column in Radikal announcing his retirement from journalism after 40 years. His column appeared in the liberal-leaning online newspaper's final edition on Wednesday before its shutdown for economic reasons.
As many as 1,845 cases have been opened against people accused of insulting Erdogan since he came to office in 2014.


text: Hello. I deployed an LDAP system and a set of applications around it that is highly sensitive to the order of values, e.g first telephoneNumber must be the main contact method, first value of companyRepresentative must be the DN of the main contact person. The value of the data is almost rely on the order of the values, and I used referential integrity overlay without first checking if it preserve the order of values my discovery: referential integrity overlay always puts the last modified value at the bottom. e.g. companyRepresentative: cn=David Jone,ou=sales,o=example.com companyRepresentative: cn=John Carmack,ou=development,o=example.com Now if David Jone is renamed to "David Jones" because people find his name is misspelled, then after modrdn operation, the result is: companyRepresentative: cn=John Carmack,ou=development,o=example.com companyRepresentative: cn=David Jones,ou=sales,o=example.com So people begin to contact John Carmack for all affairs. What's the best way to solve this problem? I can only think of 1) try to modify source code of slapo-refint to make it maintain order (big problem, never worked on C source code before, or 2) try to use several attributes like "FirstCompanyRepresentative", "SecondCompanyRepresentative", "ThirdCompanyRepresentative" -- éäèæïååäåï http://www.realss.cn Real SoftService http://www.realss.com éååè(Sales Department): 0086 592 20 99987 (Chinese, German, English) åéäå(International Sales): 0086 10 8460 6011 (German and English) èçïåéååçæåïååäåæ6æ éæïåéåå2312åäçïéç361005ï


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2595.My last diary girl came out pretty well. I wanted to push my envelope a little, and found a picture that really spoke to me.
In a Time magazine article from a couple weeks back about the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, there was this big beautiful face-shot that, despite being in black and white, captured her facial beauty very well I thought. The famous eyes, darkly outlined, kind of looked right into you. Also, the overall theme was rather simple and involved a monochrome palette, perfect for graphite, which, due to its eternal friendliness, has always been a co-favorite with pen and ink.
So, out came the diary, and this is the result:
Here's a closeup of the drawing itself:
So, I'll be honest about this one … I'm not 100% pleased with it. I didn't get the physical appearance as close as I'd hoped, and for some reason, at this resolution, it's plain to see why. The eyes are too big. The mouth is too narrow. The vertical proportions are off. I tried for Liz Taylor, but what I got more resembles a blend of Audrey Hepburn and Carrie Fisher … which are/were not unbeautious actresses, but when you're trying for Liz, a bit wide of the mark.
However! It would be a mistake to assume that because I didn't get exactly the result I wanted that I consider this a failure. I'm unstiffening my visual and drawing muscles after a too-long hiatus; I would have been overjoyed to hit the mark but that's not really a practical thing to want. Things rarely go that well when one is tentative. But I did use shading to indicate volumes; I did use tone, rather than line, to define objects, which is what happens in real life; I did, at least, get the damned woodless graphite sticks … the second greatest art supply after pen'n'ink … out and used them. And when you've been creatively disabled, as I have for a while, just the feel of these things getting used is redemption.
I have the basic muscles. They're still there! The thing is, to flex them. I'm going to try to draw a bunch of lovely women, and then after that whatever strikes my fancy, or maybe during, and keep putting them in my diary and putting it up here for all the world to see.
This is hard work. Creating art always is. But there's good hard work, and it doesn't scare me much anymore.


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Kids playing in the snow last night
Posted by Kayode Okeyode on February 7, 2009 in Camera, London, Panasonic Lumix DMC LX3, photoblog, Shepherds Bush, Snow
Tags: "White City", DMC-LX3, Flickr, London, Lumix, Lumix DMC-LX3, Lumix LX3, LX3, Panasonic DMC-LX3, Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3, photography, photos, Shepherds Bush, Snow
I am Kayode Okeyode and this is my photography blog.
London is my favourite city to photograph and my focus has been on photographing its interesting landmarks in all weather. However, I have also been encouraged to introduce human elements into these landmarks as well.
Thanks for visiting and please leave a feedback.


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I had the chance to visit beautiful Boulder last week. (Much to Andrew's dismay as he was stuck in Provo going to school)Angela, a friend from school, and I started our vacation last Friday by driving through the Rockies. On the drive we learned a few things- We learned that no matter where you are between Utah and Colorado you can always get the Christian and Country radio stations. In fact, there were normally two or three Christian stations that we could get at any given moment. We had ourselves a pretty good laugh when we heard that one of the christian stations was raising money so that they could start a station in Ireland. Pretty soon we will have Christian station reception from here all the way to Timbuktu. We thought it very appropriate that the theme song for the trip be "Our God is an Awesome God". 2.) We learned that sometimes you have to be careful who you talk to at gas stations. Some middle aged man started talking to us as we were gassing up the car. He was really nice to us until he found out that we were Mormons going to school in Utah. He then proceeded to yell "Stick to the Word!!!!" at us probably until we reached the freeway. That's okay, Our God is an Awesome God. :0) When we finally arrived in Boulder we decided that Mexican food sounded good. I have an odd obsession with cheese enchiladas, and so I ordered three of them. I probably should have guessed that I was ordering too much food when the waiters eyes got really big. As a result I got the biggest plate of cheesy enchiladas I've ever seen. (I was eating them for the rest of the week.)
The next morning we thought Angela needed to see the flatirons and Pearl Street. We started out having brunch at the tea house. It was amazing as always! I think our favorite dish was the granola pancakes. I think I'll have to try making those at home!
We then ventured up Flagstaff and then to Chitaqua. We snapped some really great pictures!
We finished off the day hanging out with Kelly on Pearl Street. We had a good time laughing at the "Boulder Culture" and enjoying all of the street performers. We also had some fun enjoying all of the artisan products that you can find on pearl street. Who actually buys some of that stuff? I don't know!
We spent Sunday relaxing and just enjoying the beautiful weather. We went out and flew a kite. It was great! I haven't done that since I was a little girl. We had a great time, but our fun was cut short when the kite got stuck in a tree. Oh well, fun memories.
We spent the next two days at the shooting range and up at the cabin. Angela had never been shooting before and as it turned out she was a really great shot! I think that Angela should wear her safety glasses all the time! Doesn't she look cute?!


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When film-maker Dan Boyington saw pictures of Snowdon 's summit cafe completely covered in snow he decided to lace up his hiking boots and take a look for himself.
Dan, 24, from Dolfor near Newtown in Powys, had never climbed the mountain before and chose to go in challenging weather conditions.
With freezing temperatures, snow and ice he reached the summit with the help of a group of climbers.
And his seven-hour journey resulted in some awe-inspiring footage.
"I set off on my own but about half way up I came across a bunch of climbers from the Isle of Wight and as it was all getting a bit risky I joined them and we hiked the rest of the way together," he said.
"We went up the Miners' Track and it was quite shielded going up.
Read more: 28 gorgeous pictures that'll leave you marvelling at the natural beauty of Snowdonia
"But then as we got closer to the summit a big cloud came over and visibility was more or less zero.
"For the last half hour we were in the wind and my camera was covered in snow.
"The snow was being carried by horizontal wind and one side of me was just completely white.
"When we got to the summit we went behind the cafe and the wind was getting worse and worse and for about half an hour all of my fingers were totally numb.
"So we picked up our bags and went down past the ridge to be out of the wind."
Dan and the group of friends that he joined have already arranged to meet in Snowdonia in April for another hike around the mountain range and hope for a beautiful spring day with scenery to compete with their winter walk.
You can see a fuller version of Dan's film on his Vimeo page, which you'll find here .


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Presently on the off chance that you are as of now utilizing Yahoo SiteBuilder to fabricate your site then you will most likely need to put a YouTube video on your site sooner or later. This why and how you can do it without anyone else's help. Video makes up just about 60% of the movement found on there web and is viewed by 200 million Americans every month. This is colossal! Why is video so mainstream? Video changes over. Individuals would rather watch a video then to peruse content. Pour some espresso, sit before your PC and watch and tune in. That is the reason your site ought to have video on it. This article will demonstrate to you proper methodologies to implant a YouTube video or some other video that gives you the alternative onto your new site in Yahoo Site Builder.
Step 1: Go to YouTube and discover the video you need to install. In the event that its your own video ensure you transfer it to YouTube first by making a free record. On the page your video is showing you will discover a crate that says "implant," just underneath the recordings portrayal. Beside the word implant you will see the HTML code for that video. It would seem that question width="560" height="340".... Snap and duplicate the HTML code.
Step 2: Open up Yahoo SiteBuilder and embed a new HTML Box. You can go to embed in the top bar or right snap and snap embed HTML. When you have embedded a HTML box double tap on it and glue in your code. You ought to see the numbers in the code that gives you the width and tallness of your video. Record the length and width if necessary.
Step 3: Stretch the HTML box to be only somewhat greater then the tallness and width of your video. Move the video to the place you need it on the page. Spare, distribute, and your done.
In the event that the video isn't appearing after you distribute it might be a couple of things. It might be that you didn't extend the HTML box enough with your mouse or that you didn't duplicate all the code from YouTube itself. I trust this article is useful to you.
Here by, Kursus Website Jakarta for your enrichment of YouTube Video


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How Social Business platforms extend the reach and value of document-centric knowledge
Knowledge is not just approved and categorized documents, but it's also the 'little knowledge' that flows about us during the workday. I call this "knowledge in motion," the kinetic information that flows by and nearly always disappears. Online collaboration persists this kind of knowledge. It's really 'wisdom:' knowledge enhanced with context (value, when, who) . Via links and tags, all knowledge can be more findable — exploitable — across the boundaries of time, team and culture.
Allow me illustrate via a story in Prezi. I introduce Thomas, now a senior scientist, who has a legacy of documented knowledge and profitable accomplishment for his company. Younger scientists from other countries find his documents and they release this content-centric knowledge into the company's social business environment. Furthermore, they augment it with what they know, what they find outside and even things Thomas doesn't know. Thus his 'legacy' grows. Eventually, Thomas is drawn into the emergent social network. I also show how Thomas attempts to collaborate with himself over time, and fails because he can't find his own 'little knowledge.'
Growing The Legacy of Knowledge on Prezi Use MORE to get a full screen view.
Happy zooming! I hope you don't need a Dramamine.


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Sea lions can't sing along to music, but they might just dance to the beat. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have trained Ronan the California sea lion to bob along to a variety of musical genres, making her the first mammal (besides humans) to respond to rhythm.
The findings, described in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, may help shed light on the origins of the brain's ability to sync sound and movement.
Other animals have been shown to get their boogie on, but they're typically birds like cockatoos and parrots, well versed in vocal mimicry. Snowball the cockatoo would kick like a can-can dancer when listening to the Backstreet Boys' 1997 pop hit "Everybody."
The researchers wondered whether an animal without such vocal abilities could also pull off the same trick. Ronan, a rescued wild sea lion, seemed bright enough to give it a try.
The team taught the sea lion to bob along to 1969's "Down on the Corner" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, the 1979 single "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind & Fire – and yes, the Backstreet Boys' "Everybody," apparently quite popular in the animal kingdom.


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Tucked away in the back hills of Dromara is the ancient Dolmen at Legananny (I love that name!)
The views from it to the Mournes in the south are spectacular - Northern Ireland at its best in my opinion.
|View towards the Mournes
|Looking north towards the Dromara Hills
At the end of the lane, the farm has had a specially made gate featuring the Dolmen, a nice touch.
Linking today with Tex's Good Fences below
And Skywatch Friday HERE


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4 September 2010, Kuala Lumpur – Here is a snapshot of the current top 20 players of the on-going 7th IGB Dato' Arthur Tan Malaysian Chess Open after the round 4. GM Wen Yang leads with 4.0 pts from four rounds of play. The top seed, GM Gupta Abhijeet of India is lying in fourth spot with 3.5 points.
Today two rounds will be played and Sunday is a rest day for the players of the 7th IGB DAT Malaysian Open. Age-group competition will be held on Sunday.


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The ingredients for a relaxing evening in front of the zombie box.
There comes a time when curling up on the couch with some handstitching at the end of the night is just the right thing.
I often feel guilty just sitting and vegging out because it isn't productive. But it's OK to prioritize down time. If my brain needs just a little bit more stimulation then keeping a pad and pen for doodling or a little bit of light sewing next to me does the trick.
So cheers everyone, I'm turning the sound down on the baby monitor and cracking open a Blue Moon while I sew some fur onto some ears and watch Law & Order.


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Tagged: Puerto Rico
Game Three Live Blog: USA 16 Puerto Rico 1 (FINAL)
6th INNING: Zapata draws the leadoff walk. Tago strikes out three straight Puerto Rican batters to end the top of the sixth. Lopes flies out to center to begin the bottom of the sixth. Allen knocks a double down the left field line. Delmonico reached on an error by the second baseman, Allen scored on the play. Lipka hits a bloop single to right, advancing Delmonico to second. Delmonico advanced to third, Lipka to second on passed ball. Tago doubles to right field, scoring Delmonico. Wolters walks to load the bases before Littlewood hits a double to deep center, scoring Delmonico and Lipka. Harper hits single to center, scoring Wolters and Littlewood. Rodriguez singles to left, advancing Harper to second. Lopes draws the walk to load the bases once again for Team USA. Allen singles to left, scoring Harper. Delmonico reach on an error, Rodriguez scored from third base and Lopes scored on the error. The game is called due to the 15 run rule, Team USA defeats Puerto Rico 16-1 and moves to 3-0 at the COPABE "AA" Youth Pan American Championships.
5th INNING: Tago strikes out Pena to begin the fifth inning. Rivera singles to left. Gomez grounds into fielder's choice, Rivera out at second. Diaz strikes out to end the top of the fifth. Lipka flies out to center to begin the bottom of the 5th. Tago draws the walk and advances to second on a wild pitch. Wolters singles, scoring Tago to make it 7-1. Wolters steals second base. Littlewood draws a walk. New PR pitcher Sanchez comes onto the mound in relief. Harper strikes out and Wolters is tagged out on the base path after a Rodriguez grounder to third to end the inning.
4th INNING: Zapata walks to begin the inning. Cintron grounds into fielder's choice, Zapata out a second. Rivera grounds into fielder's choice, Cintron out at second. Ramos draws a walk. Cotto grounds out to Wolters to end the top of the 4th. Littlewood pops out to the shortstop to begin the inning. Harper and Rodriguez hit back to back base hits. Lopes singles to left, scoring Harper. Lopes and Rodriguez advance to 2nd and 3rd on error by left fielder. New PR pitcher Ray Cintron comes onto the mound. Allen strikes out for the second out of in the bottom of the fourth. Delmonico pops out to the shortstop to end the inning. 6-1 USA after four.
3rd INNING: Tago walks Cotto to begin the inning. Cotto steals second. Tago strikes out Pena to for the first out of the inning. Rivera fouls out to USA catcher Allen for the second out. Gomez hits a single to left field, Cotto scores on error by Lopes. Diaz ground out to Wolters at second to end the inning. Allen flied out to center and Delmonico single to center to begin the home half of the third. Lipka draws a walk. Tago singles to right, loading the bases for Wolters.
2nd INNING: PR's Kenny Diaz pops out to Delmonico to begin the inning. Emanuel Zapata reaches first base on a throwing error by Littlewood. Tago walks Micael Cintron. Tago strikes out opposing pitcher Addiel Rios for his third K of the game. Henry Ramos grounds out to Tago to end the inning and the Puerto Rican threat. Lopes leads off the bottom half of the second with a double to deep right field. Allen grounds out to the shortstop, advancing Lopes to third. Delmonico walks to put runners on the corners with one out. Lipka draws the walk to load the bases for starting pitcher Tago. Tago hits a double to deep center, scoring all three baserunners. Tago advances to third on the throw and scores on a throwing error by the second baseman. 4-0 USA. Wolters reaches on the second error of the inning by the second baseman. Wolters then steals second before Littlewood is walked. Harper knocks a double down the right field line, scoring Wolters and advancing Littlewood to third.New pitcher Luis Rivera come on in relief of Rios.Rodriguez strikes out for the second out of the bottom of the second. Lopes flies out to center to end the inning, but Team USA puts 5 on the board as we head into the third inning.
1st INNING: Puerto Rico's Omar Cotto drew a leadoff walk and stole second after Roberto Pena lined out to Littlewood at shortstop. Tago struckout Gabriel Rivera for the second out. Tago recorded his second K of the inning to end the top half of the first inning. Wolters walks to begin the bottom of the 1st.Littlewood reaches on a fielders choice to the shortstop, Wolters out a second. Harper flies out to right for the second USA out. Littlewood steals second base. Rodriguez flies out to right to end the inning.
PREGAME: Buenas Dias and welcome to live coverage of USA vs. Puerto Rico at Estadio Beto Avila in Veracruz, Mexico. This afternoon Team USA looks to improve upon thier 2-0 record at the COPABE "AA" Youth Pan American Championships after a thrilling victory in extra innings last night against Cuba.
Starting Lineup:
1. Tony Wolters, 2B
2. Marcus Littlewood, SS
3. Bryce Harper, CF
4. Jake Rodriguez, 3B
5. Christian Lopes, LF
6. Will Allen, C
7. Nicky Delmonico, 1B
8. Matt Lipka, RF
9. Peter Tago, P


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This week media reports started trickling in from several Asian papers saying that the Vietnamese had engaged in a little realpolitik with Taiwan over the Spratlys. The China Post reported:
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday confirmed that Vietnamese patrol vessels twice intruded into Taiwan-controlled waters in the South China Sea last month and were forced to leave the country's territory by coast guard forces.The CNA reported on it a couple of days ago. Just imagine if the Chinese started backing up Nationalist forces in a confrontation.....
The Vietnamese vessels were found in restricted waters near Taiping Island, (太平島) the largest island in the Spratlys archipelago, on March 22 and 26, the CGA said.
On March 22, two of the Coast Guard's M8 speedboats were dispatched to intercept two patrol vessels at near Taiping. The Vietnamese vessels left after the CGA speedboats arrived. On the March 26 incident, two Vietnamese ships also entered waters near the island, according to the CGA.
The two ships later left the restricted waters shortly after discovering they were being monitored by the Coast Guard's radar, the CGA said.
No weapons were fired during both incidents, according to the CGA, refuting media speculation that both sides exchanged warning shots during the March 22 confrontation, which has escalated the already heated sovereignty dispute in the region.
This story appears as providential justification for Taiwan's purchase of four Perry-class warships from the US.....
REF: Wiki on the Spratly dispute
[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! Delenda est, baby.


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Southwoods Animal Hospital
3005 Randleman Rd, Greensboro, NC 27406
(336) 275-7266
3005 Randleman Rd, Greensboro, NC 27406
(336) 275-7266
Regular Hours
Parking: Lot
No coupons available
One of the best vets I've ever been to! Dr. Clark and Dr. McGregor are fantastic and my pups loved coming here! I definitely recommend
I wouldn't even rate them a zero! They do not care for their staff and or their patients! I worked there for over a year and they cared for 3 of my animals, when my dog of 14 yrs passed away Dr. McGregor who had been taking care of him didn't even give her condolences to me after his loss. I guess he was just one more off her list of patients to not have to deal with anymore!!
This place is amazing! They are so friendly and nice to my family and my pets...Dr.Clark is a amazing doctor...I would recommend him to anybody...Dr.Joe is a great doctor to...They are a little pricey but so is every animal hospitial....The take care of all my animals needs...When you go out of town and need somewhere to leave your animal leave it here they even spend quality time with the animals while your gone they let them out and feed them! They take care of any animal that you can name....rabbits ,dogs, cats, hamsters, anything! I would love to have another one of these maybe in archdale where I live...Even though Southwoods is in Greensboro and I live in archdale I go all the way to Greensboro just because that's how good they are! you should definitely go there!
Dr Joe is the most compassionate and skilled veterinarian in Greensboro. He has helped my dogs immensely. I had an old golden retriever he treated for cancer then arthritis and using acupuncture he helped my dog live a long and minimized the pain in his life. He has laser equipment that is state of the art and is using it to minimize pain in my other dogs. I have been extremely satisfied with his care and the staff at Southwoods and would not go anywhere else!
These guys are kind of expensive, but aren't they all.
They were pretty nice and experienced.
Great service with a team that works together and advanced equiptment able to deal with almost anything. Orthopedics, acupuncture, exotics at very competitive products.


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The past 12 months have been economically hard on everybody. On a personal level, my bonus down at the mortgage finance company where I work was only $4 million this year so, jeesh, having to sell the Ferrari to pay for the Lambo, not being able to buy that ranch on Maui that I had planned on, and only being able to vacation 3 months out of the year instead of 4, it's been almost unbearable. And yet, human kind's great March of Progress continues on, to what destination, we'll never know.
With budgets strapped and wallets full of lint or "postcards" from the bank, many folks are struggling to get the biggest BANG for the buck when it comes to supermoto these days. For others, like the permanent Mr. Cheap-o, it's a buyer's haven. With that in mind, here's some comments about getting into Supermoto on the cheap.
For starters, there's currently a glut of both new and used bikes on the market with folks needing to sell their used moto inventory to help pay other bills or for things like, breakfast. Some bikes are fully equipped professional rigs and others stripped to the bone skeletons or botched up Frankenbikes with two heads and a twitch. If the hurdle of affording a bike has been in your way before, it's a great time to find a bike on the cheap.
If you've got the cash, circle around your prey like a giant patient vulture. Craigslist and Ebay are obvious places for the Great Bike Hunt, but discriminating buyers will peruse the dark allies of the Classifieds on Supermotojunkie and other boards for that lonely post for the used bike and a garage full of parts that may go with it. Heck, you may even find a second hand wife in there! At the right time, crouch down and move in on your wounded prey like a Puma pouncing on a limping baby deer. Drag your near-dead catch back to camp and spend the rest of the night telling the tale of your hunt to your fellow tribesmen.
And there's tons of used parts out there. When buying used parts, make sure you're really getting a good deal will ya? I hate seeing guys buying used stuff for the same or more than new. If you're going to do that, just by the new stuff! Compare retail and sale prices from vendors like Motostranoand others. Otherwise it's just no fun. Used parts should sell for at least half the new price as a rule and if you're not saving big bucks by buying used, you may as well buy new to take advantage of warranties, fresh parts and the security you get from knowing all your virgin parts are there ready for their first love.
Baby stepping into Supermoto is just fine and nothing to be ashamed of. "Sportsman" supermoto racers are the true grunts, the first responders, of the track and the street. Often with little more than some less knobbyish tires, these guys are a terror and in it for the thrill alone. They're not pretty and don't usually dress much for the part either. You don't want to mess with these guys.
Going Sportsman at the caveman level can mean running some Avon Distanzias or Gripsters and forget the rest. For a few hundred bucks you're on the street or track with some DOTs. Done. Finito. Now let's go have pasta.
Dip your other toe in the water and upgrade your brake disc to the big 320mm. That's right, the big TREE, TWO, OHHHHH. EBC's Supermoto Brake "kit" is an easy gamble and even gifts you some sharp looking bling with the fancy red anodized rotor buttons free of charge. Free is good right? It's a full floater and even shakes a little. They should have called it the EBC Fancy Supermoto Rotor Kit. And since you're doing this on the cheap, make sure to shave less and run this rotor till there's no metal left at all. Use it till you can put a finger through the worn out holes carved from miles of use. For Sportsman riders, the more raggedy looking, the better.
For Sprortsman, that's really all you need. And why go further? Your're doing this supermoto thing just to hang out more with your buddies who are all supermoto red-eyed addicts, unlike you. You, you have control. You know when to say to NO, even if all your bad demons are telling you "YES, MORE".
And when you give in to those voices, you'll need to get wheels. Seventeens. The "streetbike wheels". Yes, Mr. Freebie, you won't be able to stretch 17 inch tires on your MX wheels to do supermoto. Fortunately for you though, various aftermarket companies knew you were coming and have paved a path of savings that let you "go all the way" with supermoto by, for instance, simply spending less time at your favorite strip joint.
One way to do it is to simply cut your MX spokes off with a heavy duty wire cutter and throw the scraps over in the neighbors yard. There, you've just done what the tree hugging Californians have been begging you to do for years. Next, get shorter spokes and wider rims that measure 17 inches and weave them on to those now naked hubs. It's almost like knitting.
But if the thought of doing that sends a chill down your spine as you look up with sad eyes and fantasize about more days ahead in the dirt, ripping away at the earth's thin crust, there are complete bolt-on-ready wheelsets you can now get for something around eight hundred bucks. Keep your dirt wheels handy. Baby them even. Tighten a spoke or two for once, fondle a nipple, and then spin on some brand new wheels from DNA, Warp 9 or Gleiss, all of which you can get at Motostrano. These wheels work, are typically as good or better than OEM type wheels and keep you rolling on the cheap.
And that's it! Welcome to the Hotel Supermoto. You're in room 669. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.


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Would an engineer expect to be handed a job designing a structure for the boss's cousin's wife's personal house? Or as I once asked our bookkeeper, does this guy throw his teenagers' checkbooks on your desk and tell you to balance them? For some reason this kind of crap seems to happen disproportionately to designers. (And unskilled workers expected to help move furniture and the like. Seen that before.)
That's all. Maybe I should join the Wobblies or something.
Billium what city do you work in? Do you have a portfolio or link you can send out?
Thanks, but I'd rather not mix real and online life. I've posted drunk too many times.


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|Lawn Fawn
|Hero Arts and Lawn Fawn
The owl ornament I modeled after a tag we made in a Copics coloring class I took in November with Sandy Allnock. The stamps on that ornament are from Lawn Fawn. One of my favorite stamp companies. I just adore all those critters.
The second one is the reindeer from Hero Arts and the trees are from Lawn Fawn also. I used my white and black gel pens to add a little detail and the Lawn Fawn stitches hills for the snow banks.
Thanks for stopping by,


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Be the first AL.com user to add photos or videos of Ace Truck Body & Van Repair
Ace Truck Body & Van Repair is located at 3708 8th Ave N, Birmingham, AL. This location is in the East Birmingham neighborhood..


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LIVESTRONG.COM Health: How to Shave Without Bumps & Ingrown Hairs
Razor shaving comes with a package deal: razor bumps and ingrown hairs. Men get bumps and ingrown hairs on their face and neck, says esthetician Jeannie Bush, the American Electrology Association's Council on Education director. But "it seems that anywhere women shave, they are prone to razor bumps and ingrown hairs," she says. "One opinion is that using a multiple blade razor makes this worse by nicking the skin and causing "micro scars," making it hard for the next hairs to come through," Bush notes. Other causes of bumps and ingrown hairs have been attributed to single-blade shaving and disposable razors use, she says, making it difficult for consumers to get consistent information.
Video of the Day
Step 1
Wash. Use a hypoallergenic cleanser that's not too harsh. "The skin must always be clean," Bush cautions. "Micro cuts from shaving could introduce germs into the lower layers of the skin."
Step 2
Exfoliate. Bush explains that a layer of dead cells on your skin may prevent new hair from growing back through the follicle shaft. She advises using a washcloth as a form of mechanical exfoliation when washing your face or body (the Mayo Clinic advises exfoliating twice daily, once right before you shave). Make sure to use a new, clean cloth every time you exfoliate, Bush adds.
Step 3
Make sure that your razor is new and sharp. "This prevents drag on the skin, thereby reducing nicks and cuts and micro-scars," Bush says. Use your own razor, not someone else's. "Each person's skin flora is unique and safe for them, but transferring to another person is not safe," Bush explains.
Step 4
Lubricate. Apply a mild, non-irritating emollient to the skin. Bush and skincare expert, Paula Begoun, author of "The Original Beauty Bible" and numerous books about cosmetics and skincare, recommend using hair conditioner. Mentholated shaving creams can be drying, Bush cautions. Moreover, women may not appreciate the "manly" scent.
Step 5
Shave. The Mayo Clinic advises shaving in the direction of hair growth to avoid razor bumps and ingrown hairs; Paula Begoun, on the other hand, points out that to get the closest shave, you should shave against the direction of the hair. Whichever technique you choose, Bush states that you should not apply excessive pressure to the razor. Remember to rinse your razor frequently while shaving.
Step 6
Calm and soothe. Apply a gentle lotion, Bush advises. Some consumer products contain stabilized aspirin (such as Tend Skin and Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment) which purportedly helps prevent bumps and ingrown hairs when applied to just-shaved skin. "Some of my clients feel this has helped, others say no," Bush reports. If you use these products, check the label to make sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients.


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Every Spring, I hold my breath and wait for our peony bushes to bloom. They run basically the whole length of our sidewalk and they are so beautiful. Unfortunately, this year it seems they're literally all blooming at once which means that in a week or so, they'll all be gone. But for now, I'll enjoy every square inch of them.
We also have these terrible weeds that grow up, in between the peony bushes every year. They're sticky and pretty much the worst to try to remove. I wish I knew how to prevent them from ever coming back.
|"Ma, this picture would look cute and all, but I need to get up and run towards the swingset..."
Seriously, my most favorite flowers. Wish you could smell them! ;) Also: Peyton calls peonies, "panties" and it. Is. Hilarious.
Rhett and the Peonies from Sara on Vimeo.


text: So we saw the new GI. While in the patient room for the Dr to come in the song "God of Angel Armies" played over the radio in his office. I knew at that very moment that we were exactly where we were supposed to be. Then he came in and I got to thank him for his wisdom at the beginning of this journey which was something I had always wanted to do but was somewhat afraid and didn't know how. He was kind and humble about it. The GI gave us a few suggestions about medication timing but otherwise said his recommendations would depend on the findings of a Pulmonologist. He referred her to one that he said he works together with a lot. I had no idea what that really meant but went with his suggestion since I didn't know anyone else and since this GI had gained my trust and respect. I got her an appointment with the Pulmonologist for a few weeks after the GI. He was thorough. He was thinking maybe the problem originated with a sinus infection that wasn't clearing up. He sent Anna for sinus X-rays in the middle of the visit. They came back clear. So then the craziest thing happened- the pulm called the GI. This is unheard of among any specialists we have met with up to this point. It is always left for me to relay information and messages and although I am an RN I am also a mom and also not a Dr. This should not be left up to me. So the new Drs decided the best thing would be to do a bronchoscopy and EGD, get this, at the same time. They said they wanted to minimize anesthesia and cost. Crazy town. So last Friday she had the procedures.


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The image of the 17-year-old caused distress to her family, who branded the photo an invasion of their privacy.
It also led to further criticism of the service and the need for Google to introduce stronger safeguards.
Although the teenager's face was blurred, the image was still recognisable as Ashleigh, standing outside her home in Warwick Square in Darlington.
The photograph is believed to have been taken by a Google street camera car in August last year, just weeks before the teenager was killed by convicted sex offender Peter Chapman on social networking site Facebook.
It was displayed on the Google site earlier this month as part of an update to the service.
A short time after Google was notified, the image was removed, with the company apologising.
Ashleigh's grandfather, Mike Hall, said it was still an "an invasion of our privacy".
"I am pleased they took the picture off. The last thing we want to see is Ashleigh standing in the doorway after all we have just been through," he said.
"Google should stick to maps, not spying on people."
Google was last week forced to apologise after visitors to Street View spotted an image showing a frontal view of a naked child on a family day out in a London park.
A recent survey found that more than half of the people polled thought the mapping service was intrusive, while 24 per cent said they believed it would be used by burglars.
A Google spokeswoman said: "We understand this will be a deeply distressing time for Ashleigh's family. There was no intention to cause any distress whatsoever."
The image of Ashleigh was removed shortly after the firm was notified, she added.


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Sunday, 31 January 2016
Decision Time
I have been doing a lot of thinking---mainly about my name--- and I have finally come to a major decision. I shall remain Squeak, but shall put on my Intrepid name like a cloak when I am going out in dreadful weather.
I think that is a very good solution and I shall explain how I reached it. When I was a brand new puss and looked after by the lovely Cat Protection ladies, one of them called me Florence, but then I came here to my forever home with my humans and they decided to give me a new name, but they didn't know what, so they waited for a while till we all got to know one another better. They watched me and listened as I explored my new home and they noticed that every time I jumped up or down, I made a squeaking type noise and so they called me Squeak and it suits me brilliantly. I am Squeak.
But. I am Intrepid too. I am brave and fearless and will not be beaten by the weather, so when the weather is awful like it was recently, I shall be Intrepid-Squeak as I venture out to explore in the awful conditions. OK?
Today has been much better and I have been much happier 'cos I have been able to get out and play without being blowed about or rained upon which I like. But I'm afraid I am the only happy one in my house 'cos my MH was sad when Andy lost his tennis match and my DH was disgusted when his football team got beaten, so maybe outside is the safest place for me to be. Hee hee
My little weather man friend told me that another storm is on its way so my DH might not get to the Cat Shop tomorrow but my MH already has lots of jobs lined up for him to do, so his fingers are crossed that the boat will come, and he has asked me to cross my adorable little paws too.
I have told him I will do it for a price, so we'll see what he comes up with!!
Posted by Irene at 19:29 1 comment:
Saturday, 30 January 2016
Intrepid Times Three
Well, Gusty Gertie is still hanging about my little island and my weather man friend has just told me that Gertie's friend Henry is coming on Monday so it looks as though we are not going to get any good weather for a long time and my DH will probably not be able to get to the Cat Shop on Monday.
Gertie shouted at us all night and rattled bits of my house that shouldn't be rattled, but as far as we can make out, we don't have any damage. I say 'as far as we can make out' 'cos my humans haven't wanted to go out in this storm and I think that is probably wise---for humans!
BUT! Did I let this spoil my routine? No, indeed I did not. I followed my usual routine last night and had a few very short trips outside. I feel I need to be outside before I go to bed, but as I have told you before, these trips are getting shorter 'cos it is cold and VERY windy!
We all had quite a good sleep except my poor old MH was wakened a few times by Gertie shouting at her and she didn't like that, but I just cuddled in beside her again and she was fine.
I slept a lot on the back of my couch today and sometimes I watched the hail and the rain and the snow battering against my window and sometimes I played with my MH, but just before dinner time, I decided that I needed to go out and talk to this naughty wind, so I gathered up every bit of my intrepidness and shot into my garden.
I didn't really mean to 'shoot' into the garden, but Gertie had other ideas and as I am just a little puss, I just had to go where she tooked me, but fortunately she didn't take me away too far and I was able to get back inside again.
And I did this three times before I had my dinner. I am having to rest now, but I shall endeavour to hit the outside again later on without being blowed away 'cos I am rather enjoying being intrepid.
I hope if Gertie is anywhere near you, then you are safe.
Friday, 29 January 2016
I don't think I need to tell you who I am talking about, do I? Nope! I had heard so much about Gusty Gertie that I decided to go out and see her for myself. I shall let that sink in for a minute or two.
The wind was howling at us all day and I must admit that I spent a while on my bed but by diner time Gertie was getting a bit tired so I stood at the door until my MH asked if I wanted to go out and I was off! It was a tad blowy as you will see from today's pictures but I was brave little puss and am thinking of changing my name to 'Intrepid' I shall ask Mr. Google how to do it.
Don't be worried when you look at the pictures 'cos we don't have flying saucers on my little island. It is just my living room light reflected in the window, but I could pretend, couldn't I?
I am snoozing now and the wind isn't blowing too hard so if it stays like this, I shall put on my intrepidness and venture out into the wild, dark night.
Oh, I am such a brave little Squeak/Intrepid
Posted by Irene at 19:28 No comments:
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Gusty Gertie
I have been listening to my little weather man friend as he has been telling us all about the storm called Gertrude which is coming to my little island and I have not been liking what he has been saying. Not one little bit!
I took to my bed to decide what I should do and I am thinking that hibernation until Sunday might be the bestest thing. It has been a wee bit windy today so I have nipped in and out lots of times, but I'm afraid that my times in the open air are getting shorter with each trip, but I still have this urge for the fresh air and need to be out. However, if Gertie is as bad as everyone is saying, I might be better cuddled up beside my MH. I need to think!
I have had a good day and followed my MH around as she did her housework. I even got a little bit of stew when she was cooking the dinner and I gulped that down which made her smile. When she stopped for a rest, I asked her to play with me and she did and we had great fun.
My DH is happy too 'cos his wheel is nearly finished and I made a big discovery. He was telling my MH all about it and I learned that it works by solar, but I don't know what that means. My MH sort of explained that if the sun ever shines again, then his wheel will go round and round and that made me very excited and I am going to ask my little weather man friend to please let me have some sun to see if it makes the wheel go round.
I shall let you know and I will also tell you how we get on with storm Gertrude. I hope if she comes to you, that you will be safe too.
Posted by Irene at 19:40 1 comment:
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Lazy Squeak
That's me and that has been my day. My get up and go definitely got up and went! I have been a bit tired so decided to have a very lazy day and spent most of it on a few of my beds which made me very happy.
The weather has been awful and my little weather man friend told me that there is going to be a storm force wind on my little island on Friday, so if I do decide to go outside, he told me to put lots of lead in my little boots so that I don't blow away. Can you imagine it? 'Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Squeak!!' Mind you,the thought of being able to fly has always appealed to me, but would I know how to stop? Hmm, I think that's what I need to work out when I am having my next rest. Maybe I will Google that when my MH isn't looking. Hee hee
Talking of MH, she was quite lazy too and did little bits of work, but she had a big rest and I had a seat on her knee during the afternoon and snoozed as she stroked my adorable little lugs.
So,that's about all I can tell you as I haven't done anything at all exciting but I am hoping to go out later on although the wind is starting to howl already, so I think it might be a very quick trip.
Posted by Irene at 19:17 No comments:
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
A Much Better Day
I have been much happier today and you all know why, don't you? Yes, it is because both my humans have been with me all day and that's when I am at my happiest.
I didn't even mind that my MH had to do all the housework she didn't get done yesterday 'cos every now and then she would stop, come and find me and just stroke me and talk to me and I liked that MILLIONS!
I helped my DH work with his meccano set and it is nearly finished and he is very happy with it so we are all looking forward to seeing it working. The weather on my little island has been awful but I have still managed to nip out a couple of times. My little weather man friend says that it is going to be a bit worser before it gets better so I have decided that I need to get out as often as possible before that bit comes.
That's all my news 'cos it is a bit quiet on my little island just now, but I did manage to persuade my MH to play with me when she had finished on her Wii and we had good fun. She helped me play with my favourite toy mouses as you can see from today's pictures and I had really good fun.
I hope you like the photos, 'cos I liked posing for them. Hee hee
Posted by Irene at 19:32 No comments:
Monday, 25 January 2016
Oh Dear!
In fact, a lot of oh dears 'cos I have not had the bestest of days. As I told you yesterday, my MH had to go to the hospital with her hip to have a check up and because it was a hit windy and cold and wet, my windows had to be closed, so I couldn't get out. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I would have gone out anyway, but that's not the point, is it?
I just stayed in my little bed and had a snooze till I heard the door opening and there were my humans. I thought the rest of the night would be mine, but ten minutes later three childrens came into my house complete with guitars and I knew exactly what was going to happen. Oh dear!
Now, I have been brought up to be a polite pussy cat, so I welcomed our guests by letting each one of the childrens stroke my adorable little body, but as soon as those guitars came out of their cases, I was off under my couch with my little paws jammed into my little lugs!
Actually, I did have a wee listen and it wasn't too bad. Not too bad at all, so well done childrens and well done MH. Oh, by the way, my MH's hip passed its test with flying colours so we are all very happy.
Posted by Irene at 19:41 2 comments:
Sunday, 24 January 2016
I don't have very much news for you today but I can tell you that I have had a very good day with a big surprise this afternoon when I got two visitors.
We had our usual quiet morning and although it was a bit wet, I still wandered outside to see what was happening on my little island, but there wasn't very much so I just wandered back again and sat with my MH.
I was resting on my bed when I heard my door opening and in came my friends M. and S. 'cos they were coming to see a film on my television with me and my MH. I didn't watch the film too much, but I spent some of the time on the back of my couch, some of the time on my MH's knee and the rest of the time beside my friend S. and that made us all happy.
I have to be left on my own again tomorrow 'cos my DH will be at the Cat Shop as usual and my MH has to take her new hip to the hospital for a check up, but she told me it is fine so I have not to worry.
She will tell me all about it when she comes home and I will spend lots of time on her knee to make up for being abandoned for hours and hours! Hee hee
Posted by Irene at 19:41 No comments:
Saturday, 23 January 2016
A Wee Secret
I am beginning to like this not so nice weather. I am still an outside puss cat and I still try to get out to play as much as possible, but if the weather isn't very good and I am stuck indoors, then my MH feels sorry for me and plays with me even more than usual. And you can imagine what a happy puss that makes me.
That's what happened today. We didn't get up too early 'cos we all have a very lazy weekend with no housework if possible, but when I ran to the window, I noticed it was raining so I didn't go out right away, but sat with my MH instead.
We had our usual morning chat and she told me she was going to change the sheets and the duvet covers, so I decided to help her 'cos when she is doing this, we play one of my favourite games of 'hide and Squeak'. And today was no exception and I had great fun. It was brilliant and we both had fun.
The rest of my afternoon was spent nipping in and out of my garden for very short trips 'cos it was cold, but I needed to get the fresh air and one time when I went home the old dear was playing with her Wii so I waited very patiently until she was finished and then I asked her to play with me which she did ---for a long time and it was just magic.
I love playing with my MH, but you knew that, didn't you?
Posted by Irene at 19:38 No comments:
Friday, 22 January 2016
Another Good Day
I haven't done very much at all today but what I have done has been very good. It was very dull when we all wakened up and it was wet too so I knew that all my energy would need to be used up inside. I mentioned this to my MH and she was OK with that 'cos she didn't have very much to do so all her time was mine!
We played for a while on top of my bed and she covered me up in my blanket and tickled me which I loved and then we had a wee rest but I went outside to see what it was like. I played for a while although the ground was very wet and I wasn't really enjoying myself, but then I saw my DH coming home and I remembered it was Friday and string day, so I went inside with him and waited very patiently till he had taken the string off the boxes and tied it in a big knot for me and then he threw it along my kitchen floor while I chased after it and I ran so fast that I nearly skidded into the wall which made them laugh. I managed to stop just in time. Phew!
I needed another rest and then I asked my MH if she would play with me and my toys and she did so we had more good fun. Today's picture is me rubbing my adorable little chin on the mousey that my friend J. sended me as a wee present and I just love it ---loads! I have been in and out lots of times but just for a minute or two at a time and I think my poor old MH is getting a wee bit tired having to keep getting up to open the window and let me out and then in again. Sorry MH!
The wind is a gale now tonight so I will be having a snooze on my couch until it goes away again and then I shall have another two or three little trips outside.
I have had a good Friday and even the rotten weather hasn't spoiled my fun.
Posted by Irene at 19:39 1 comment:
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Good Fun
Well, the old dear kept her promise and after she had finished all her work, she devoted the rest of the day to me---and that made me so very, very happy.
The weather wasn't as good today as it has been and it was quite wet so my journeys outside were even shorter, but that meant lots more cuddles when I came home again and you all know how happy that makes me, sure you do?
I watched and waited very patiently until all the dusters and polishes were put back in the cupboard and the vacuum cleaner was finally switched off and then as soon as my MH was sitting on my couch, I was sitting on her! See?
We had a long chat together and then she told me she was going to play on her Wii but as soon as she had finished, then she would play with me, so again, I just sat and watched and I think I must have dozed off 'cos I was wakened by my MH asking me did I want to play and I said 'no thank you'!! I fibbed! I was wide awake in a trice and we played on the floor with all my toys and had great fun and that's what today's pictures are and if you look very carefully at one of them, you will see how sharp my little claws are.
I have to be very carefully when I am playing with my humans that these claws are kept under control 'cos I don't want to hurt them 'cos I love them like they love me---MILLIONS!!
Posted by Irene at 19:44 No comments:
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
What a shock I got this morning. And not a pleasant one at that. I shall explain.
It was a glorious morning and as soon as we all got up, I flew out of the window to be in the fresh air and to run in the crispy frozen grass again. I was enjoying myself so much that I kind of lost track of time and when I finally decided to go home, my house was empty! My humans had gone and I was left all alone.
I was a bit annoyed but it was my own fault for not waiting till my MH told me what we were going to do with our day 'cos she would have explained---as she always does. But I was too excited so I didn't know where she had gone. I knew the old boy was at the Cat Shop and if I knew how to use the phone I would have asked him where the Boss was.
However, the weather stayed brilliant and I spent my day nipping in and out of the window having a play outside and then coming inside for a heat and a feed. Everything was there for me except my MH's cuddles and you all know that those are the most important things for me.
Then just about half past four in this afternoon, I saw the little kangaroo come bouncing up the road and I ran to the gate to say hello to my humans who had comed back to me to make me all happy. And what was the first thing I got? Yes! A ginormous cuddle and I was happy, happy, happy!
My MH had been out with her friend and she had had a good day but she promised that she would be at home all day tomorrow to do whatever I wanted.
Posted by Irene at 19:33 No comments:
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Just Normal
That's what today has been. Just a normal Tuesday, but a good one. There was no frost but there was no wind either so it was good. It was very cold so my outside trips were even shorter than before but the cuddles when I came home again were brilliant!!
I wandered round my house following my humans to see that they were fine and I helped my MH to tidy up. My DH is still playing with his meccano set and he told me his wheel might be finished this week, so I will let you see it then.
In the afternoon, my MH played on her Wii and when she was finished she played with ME! Well, I did rather demand a bit of her time and of course, I got it. And what made it even better was that she didn't put the coffee table back when she finished her Wii so there was lots and lots of room for an adorable little puss to let off steam and use up all the energy.
We had the bestest of times and I loved every minute of it. My MH was down on the floor right beside me and I ran over the furniture and under the table until I was a wee bit exhausted and had to lie down for a nap.
I think the old dear was feeling the same, but she didn't have time to snooze. Shame, isn't it?
Posted by Irene at 19:39 No comments:
Monday, 18 January 2016
Still No Snow....
..... but lots of frost making my little island all white which is lovely especially when the grass is all crispy and crinkly when I run on it AND you can see my adorable little paw prints so you know where I have been.
My DH went away to the Cat Shop and me and my MH sat on my couch for a while working out what we were going to do with our day. I knew, and you all probably know too, that it involved the vacuum cleaner and some dusters for her and lots of plays and sleeps for me.
I started my day with a garden explore and I liked being out in the frost although it was a tad cold on this adorable little body, so I didn't stay out too long. The weather was good enough for my MH to leave the window open for me so I could come and go as I pleased which is just how I like it. That was the pattern of my morning while the old dear wandered round my house hoovering and dusting everything that didn't move!
I got a surprise in the afternoon when my MH called for me as I was having a snooze on one of my beds and she asked me if I wanted to go out with her. WHOOSH! I was at the door before she finished asking! We went and fed the birdies and then went into the gym 'cos she is starting something called a new years revolution and she wants to get fitter so we started today. I don't need to get fitter, you understand. I am just there for moral support and to make sure the revolution doesn't get out of hand!
When she was finished it was my time and we played together in my garden and that's what today's pictures are, although one of them shows the end of the rainbow sitting right on my fence. I think that means something good so we are all happy.
I will tell you if anything more special happens.
Posted by Irene at 19:59 2 comments:
Sunday, 17 January 2016
Sunday Fun-Day
I shot to my window as soon as I wakened up and my little island was still white so I was happy. Even though it wasn't snow, it was frosty and I like that too. I run so fast that my adorable little feets don't get too cold. My friend B. told us that there is lots of snow where she lives and I would love to see what really deep snow is like, but I think I might disappear in it if I lived there. So maybe I am safer on my little island.
I have spent my day nipping in and out of the window. I love being outside but it is very cold so I don't stay out too long. I was a wee bit disappointed this afternoon 'cos my MH put on her shoes and tooked out her camera and I thought she was going to take me out to play. I got all excited and ran to the door only to be told that she was going to the graveyard and I couldn't go with her. I was disappointed but she promised to play with me when she comed back again.
I waited patiently and in a wee while I heard her calling for me and we went into my garden and we played for a long, long time until we were both a wee bit cold and had to go inside, but it was worth it.
I asked her to show you some pictures of the other side of my little island where the graveyard is and that's what you see today and I hope you like them. I like the picture of me 'cos I think I look very alert as well as unbelievably cute---and modest!!
I am still keeping my paws crossed every night that we might get some real snow, but my little weather man friend says he doesn't think we will.
I am not too sad 'cos he has been wrong before!
Posted by Irene at 19:37 2 comments:
Saturday, 16 January 2016
More Great Fun
I got a nice surprise when I opened my little eyes this morning 'cos my island was all white but the sun was shining and it looked lovely. It was frosty and there had been a wee drop of snow so I was desperate to get out to play.
I liked the feel of the grass on my little paws and it was all kind of crispy and the water in my jug in the garden was all froze into ice. I stayed out a long time and did lots of exploring and by the time I decided to go home I was a very cold little Squeak, but my MH soon fixed that with one of her cuddles.
I was having a snooze on the back of my couch when I heard my friend S. coming into my house so I ran to see her and she gave me a cuddle too. She talked to my MH for a while and then I asked her to play with me and she did and we all liked it.
When she was going away home again, me and my MH went outside with her and I ran all over my garden and had great fun. I made my MH laugh 'cos every time I started one of my runs I made my now famous 'squeak' noise and I did it lots and lots of times. I ran all around my garden and even nipped outside my fence for a while. The old dear had to give in and go inside as she was cold, but I stayed out for a long time and just loved it.
I will go out later after I have had my evening snooze and I just hope that maybe soon we can have a wee bit more snow. That would make me a very happy little Squeak.
Posted by Irene at 20:10 No comments:
Friday, 15 January 2016
A wee puzzle
If you look at today's picture can you guess what Santa brought for my MH? Yes! New slippers. He didn't leave them in my house for her, but he left them with my friend M. and she had to bring them to my MH and now her little feets are nice and cosy.
She needs them just now 'cos it is very cold on my little island but it still hasn't snowed yet and to tell the truth I am a wee bit annoyed 'cos I do like the snow. I have been out lots and lots of times but not for long 'cos I do get very cold and one time when I came home we both sat on my couch and she told me a story about a man called Jack Frost that she knew when she was a wee girl, and I liked all the stories. This man used to make beautiful patterns on the windows and sometimes when her mummy hanged out some clothes in the garden, Jack Frost froze them stiff. That made me giggle, but then it made me think. If Jack Frost is still around, could he freeze adorable puss cats? I don't want to be freezed. I don't mind being cold, but just cold enough to be warm again with one of my HH's cuddles, so I think I need to be a wee bit more careful when I go out in the cold.
I stayed out very late last night and my DH was a tad annoyed with me 'cos I didn't come when he whistled and the poor old boy was tired, but I was having good fun and decided to stay outside until about two o'clock in this morning before I sauntered home for a wee biscuit and then a great big snuggle up beside my MH.
I will probably do the same tonight, but I shall keep my adorable little eyes open for Jack Frost 'cos I think my MH might be a big bit annoyed with me if I snuggle up to her while I am froze stiff.
I know I wouldn't be able to tell you what she said! Hee hee
Posted by Irene at 19:27 No comments:
Thursday, 14 January 2016
More of the Same
Here is the Graemsay weather report for Thursday. A wee bit of rain. A wee bit of sleet and lots and lots of cold. It wasn't bad enough to keep an intrepid little puss like me inside but it could have been a good bit better and I wish it was. Maybe tomorrow!
I have had lots of little trips outside but to be honest, I don't stay out too long because of the cold and when I nip in the window, I stand on the chair until my MH closes said window and then picks me up to cuddle me warm again and I purr as loud as loud can be. To be honest, dear friends, I think I only go out to come back in again for these cuddles :-))
The nice post man brought my MH a big box today and it was filled with my dinners and treats and some new biscuits which I love and gobbled up as quickly as I could which made my humans laugh.
Remember I told you yesterday about the naughty birdies on my MH's clean windows? Well, this morning, me and my DH went out and washed them again for her and we both got gold stars for that. I just hope that the birdies don't do it again 'cos we will not be happy at all.
So, that has been my day. It has been a good one and I have been a happy puss. I will go out later on but only for a wee while. I need to be out last thing at night, but I really don't like being so cold and as soon as I get home, I nip in beside my MH and get as cosy as a wee pie again.
Oh yes. More of the same!
Posted by Irene at 19:30 No comments:
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
..... the alarm went off and I springed out of bed to see what kind of day it was and guess what? It was windy and raining and not nearly as good as yesterday. What is my little weather man friend doing with my weather? It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't great so I was a tad disappointed. And then my poor old DH tried to talk to me and he had no voice 'cos he has the cold, so he didn't go away to the Cat Shop but went back to bed instead.
Me and my MH had a good day and I got a big surprise in the afternoon when two of my friends P. and M. came to see me and it was while my MH was talking to them that she got a wee bit angry. Not with them or me you know, but remember I told you that we washed all our windows yesterday? And do you remember that we have a bird feeder outside my living room? Well, can you put two and two together and get the answer to my question? Yep, the naughty little birdies did what they shouldn't have done on my MH's lovely clean windows and she wasn't best pleased. She will need to clean them again tomorrow if the weather is good enough.
When my friends went away, me and my MH played on the floor for a while and that made us happy. I nipped out a couple of times, but it was so cold I nipped back in again very quickly. There might be snow on my little island soon and I like the snow so that will be good fun.
My DH is feeling a wee bit better now but he has a rotten cold and we have all to feel sorry for him. I have given him some of my special purrs but from a wee distance.
Well, I don't want to be sneezing tomorrow! And how would my poor old MH feel if I lost my purrer? No, I definitely don't want to catch his cold :-)))
Tuesday, 12 January 2016
An Even Gooder Day
I didn't think it could get any better than yesterday, but oh my, how wrong I was! I have had a fandabydozy day, and now I am so tired that I am sitting dozing on my favourite chair on top of my MH's fleece while she is writing this for me.
When we waken up in the morning the first thing that me and my MH do is listen. We listen for the wind and if it is not blowing we are happy. Then we listen for the rain and if it is not pouring then we are very happy, and guess what we were this morning? We were deliriously happy 'cos not only was it not winding and not raining, but it was a lovely clear, frosty morning and it looked beautiful.
I gobbled up my breakfast and then shot out of the window like a streak of lightning and just sat in my garden for a long time listening to the birdies and enjoying being outside without getting blowed about or wet. A wee while later, my DH came out 'cos he had decided to do lots of wee jobs outside that he hasn't been able to do, so I had some company and I just followed him around and helped him with all his work.
My MH was doing some inside housework but then she decided to wash all the outsides of our windows 'cos she said they were so covered in muck and salt that she could nearly not see the boats as they were going passed. She also told my DH that there were nearly more hairs on MY window than there are on my adorable little body! I know there were lots of hairs on the glass, but I think she was exaggerating just a tad. Naughty MH! I forgave her though 'cos we had great fun playing outside and she talked to me and played with me all the time she was working and I just loved it squillions. Did you know that squillions is lots and lots of millions? My MH told me that, so it must be right.
I had another play all by myself after I had finished my dinner and now, as I told you, I am having a sleep until later when I will go back outside again and have another adventure before bedtime.
I hope we have another good day tomorrow and I hope you have been as happy as me and my humans have been today.
Posted by Irene at 19:47 1 comment:
Monday, 11 January 2016
A Good Day!
How long has it been since I have been able to say that? Oh, don't get me wrong. As long as my humans are here with me, then all my days are good ones, but it has been such a long time since I have been able to go outside without my raincoat on or having weights tied on to my adorable little feets to save me from blowing away that you will understand why I said that.
One day, it was so windy that my MH said if I went out to play I might end up beside my friend B. in Canada! Boy, she would have been surprised, but how would I have got blowed back home again!
However, today has been better. It has been cold, but my MH was able to leave the window open for me and I was able to nip in and out as often as I wanted, and I wanted often! I had lots of little trips round my garden and when I got cold I just nipped in the window for a heat and a cuddle, so now you know why my day has been so good.
My DH went away to the Cat Shop and my MH went visiting some of her friends on my little island so they have had a good day too and I hope you have had a good time as well. I have all my little paws crossed that this not too bad weather lasts for a while 'cos I have a lot of outside catching up to do.
Posted by Irene at 19:44 2 comments:
Sunday, 10 January 2016
If you listen carefully you will hear that the naughty wind has finally gone away and I for one am very, very happy 'cos I have managed to get out to play without getting blowed off my adorable little paws!
It took quite a while for it to go away and it was very windy all morning, but by the afternoon it had gone all lovely and quiet and my little weather man friend said it is not going to be too windy all this week. It will be cold, but I don't mind that 'cos I can run around and keep warm and then I get all cosied up with one of my MH's cuddles when I decide to go home again.
We have all had a good day. My humans were taking it easy 'cos my DH is going to the Cat Shop tomorrow and needs to rest and my MH was helping him. I had a snooze on my couch until I decided it was play time and then me and my MH played together on the floor. I just love doing that and I am very happy to say that my MH likes it too and I only have to ask and she is only too happy to oblige.
So, that has been my day and I must say it has been a very good one. I will probably have a wee play outside before bedtime but I shall go to sleep early so that I can play outside all day tomorrow.
I must take advantage of the not windy weather. One just never knows when it will change again, does one?
Posted by Irene at 19:56 No comments:
Saturday, 9 January 2016
Oh Dear
The weather is not getting any better on my little island and I for one am getting a tad peeved with all this rain. It has poured all day and I have just sat on my window sill looking out, but every time my MH opened the window, I jumped down just in case she decided to throw me out! I don't take any chances!
I finally managed to get out for quite a wee while after my dinner and I was quite glad to get some fresh air into my little lungs, but my adorable little feets didn't like being so wet. I guess we need to think about boots again? I tend to think that I might look rather fetching but my humans are not so sure.
However, I was able to use up lots of energy by asking my MH to play with me and as usual, the old dear obliged. And how did I ask, I hear you ask. Well, do you remember that I used to have chimes on one of my windows which I delicately clattered when I wanted attention? Well,(again) I sort of annoyed my humans a tad with all my clattering, so they shifted said chimes onto the other window and I don't normally sit at that one. BUT, when I am in desperate need of something, like out to play, or a feed or someone to play with me, I nip up on to that window, gently ring the little chimes and my MH leaps to attention and this is when I am very clever. If I am hungry I run into the kitchen but if I want someone to play with me, then I just run over to my toys and sit and wait for my humans to join me. Now is that clever, or not! Yep, clever.
So, that was my afternoon. Playing very happily with the old dear and playing on my rocking chair and then outside for a while and now I am having a snooze on my couch and I may venture out again later on. My little weather man friend has told me I probably won't be out playing tomorrow 'cos the big gale is coming back. Sigh!
To say I am a tad peeved is a bit of an understatement. I know I am being a wee bit selfish 'cos I am very well and me and my humans are safe and warm and dry, but we have been watching all the people who are being flooded and we are so very sorry for them and I know that my moaning sounds a wee bit not important, but then I am just a puss cat and it is important to me. See?
Posted by Irene at 19:12 No comments:
Friday, 8 January 2016
A Wee Bit Better
I peeped out of hibernation this morning when the postie man came to my door and I noticed it was just raining a wee bit and after I had shooked my adorable little head to make sure my lugs were working, I realised it wasn't winding, so I decided to have a wee holiday from my hibernating and after my wee drink of milk, I was off outside.
I quite enjoyed it, but to be honest, it was a bit too cold for me and everywhere I went I found puddles of water where there should have been dry grass. I don't like it when my little feets ---and other delicate parts of my anatomy!--- get wet when they shouldn't be getting wet.
Although I had a few short trips outside, I spent most of the day inside cuddled up beside my MH and I even sat very patiently on the couch while she played on her Wii, but as soon as she was finished and had put it all away, I asked her to please play with me and we both got down on the carpet and played with my toys for a long time which was brilliant.
I love playing with my toys. I love playing with my MH and playing with them both together at the same time is just the magicest thing ever. I hope we can do it lots and lots and lots.
Posted by Irene at 19:59 No comments:
Thursday, 7 January 2016
Oh Dear
The weather on my little island is simply awful. I discovered this when I stuck my adorable little nose out of hibernation and one little sniff told me it was still wet and windy, so I just slipped back into my little dream again where I was all warm and dry and very cosy. I like this hibernation.
My MH was doing some housework so the best place for me was definitely under my blanket, but every now and then she would come and give me a wee gentle pat and then she would tell me she loved me and I just purred.
In the afternoon she decided to play with her Wii and as I just appeared in the living room and the right time, I got weighed and my little Wii Mii said I was still the prefectest weight so me and my humans were pleased at that.
We haven't had any visitors today so I don't have any more news for you, but I have asked my MH to show you some pictures which she took while we were all playing together this afternoon and yesterday. I like playing and my MH says she likes playing with me. I need the exercise when the weather is so bad outside and my humans know that so they are happy to play with me.
I prefer being able to get outside, but I am really not too upset if I have to stay inside as long as I get played with. My needs are simple. I just need adoration by the bucketful!
Posted by Irene at 19:40 No comments:
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Dim kitchen picture but so be it. These actually turned really well. I feel like every time I want to make cupcakes, I'm looking for a new recipe. This time I think was a better success than last time so I'd like to be able to find these recipes again. Generally, I think I just prefer pie though. Cupcakes are just so sweet. And really The Boy just likes ice cream anyway. My kids keep wanting cupcakes for birthdays though. I think in their heads they really like them.
Chocolate Cupcakes are here.
Vanilla Cupcakes are here.
And I used this frosting.
It's so easy to make them from scratch. I really don't know why I keep thinking I want to use a box mix to simplify. It's really simple already - now that I don't have to keep hunting for a recipe.


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Micro Lesson 103: "A Minor" String Skipping Melody
This Micro Lesson helps players get much better at tracking across string sets by skipping strings.
When alternate picking is applied to any melodic pattern, the student must pay far more attention to how the pick needs to both be held, and how it attacks the string.
Many guitar students make the early playing mistake of thinking that if they just keep practicing the song, melody or lick it will naturally improve. While this doesn't hurt, the reality is that the musical idea can be developed much more quickly by paying very close attention to the pick and the way the picking hand is held to the guitar string.
It is also important to mention that not every guitarist will hold the pick and attack the string in the same manner. So, pay a lot of attention to the picking hand during the development of this melodic phrase. Perfecting right-hand technique will go a long way to helping you speed up the accuracy of string skipping technique. Enjoy!
Micro Lesson 103: "A Minor" String Skipping Melody


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little samurai necessitava di un nuovo design di logo e ha lanciato un contest su 99designs.
È stato scelto un vincitore tra 80 design presentati da 36 designer.
We're looking for a fresh logo for our new japanese sword company.
The logo need to include the name (Konron) and a good tagline. Basicly we're a company that are making Japanese swords (samurai swords-katana).
What is making us different is the fact that we are offering a custom service where customers can design their own sword without almost any limitations, something that is very unique and hard to find these days.
The logo might need an oriental touch..
Custimize , no limitations, Samurai Swords, Quality and Exclusivity might be some words to be used in the tag line.
- Company name
- tag line
- 2 -3 colors max
- 'standard' sword image (unless it's something abstract)
Maggiori informazioni su come funziona un contest di design o sui nostri servizi di design di logo.


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The Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Pennsylvania has a day spa. The Joseph Anthony Springfield Retreat Spa includes facials, body treatments, massage, medical spa services, and a hair and nail salon.Continue Reading
The spa's facials suite offers a selection of facials including an anti-aging vitamin C facial, one for sinus relief and one for men. The spa signature facial is available with and without microdermabrasion. Some of the body treatments are the Rasul Ceremony, the soft-pack float suite, an herbal energy treatment, and body exfoliation and self-tan. Massage options include Swedish massage, reflexology, prenatal massage and deep-tissue massage. Susan M. Hughes, M.D., a cosmetic surgeon, offers non-surgical medical spa services, as of 2015.Learn more about Fitness & Exercise


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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Marion: The First Thirty
It's too cold.
You're not prepared. You don't have the right clothing.
The snow is too deep.
It's too far to the summit.
These voices have the most power in the first thirty minutes of a hike. The voices will tell you it's not really giving up if you've only just started. And since you've only invested a small portion of your time and energy, turning around is easy to do.
Sometimes the voices may speak truth. Perhaps you are not fully prepared. Perhaps the way is too difficult.
Mostly the voices lie.
And it's important to note that in the first thirty minutes you are the most vulnerable. Once I've left my car far behind--and the valley is spread out in my view--I find I can talk back to the voices.
The summit is still too far.
Then I will go as far as I can.
The snow is getting deeper.
I've walked through worse.
You cannot do this.
Yes, I can.
If I make it past the first thirty minutes of a hike, I can usually make it to my goal. I see through the voices' lies, I've invested significant time and energy, and I plow my way to the top.
I've discovered a similar truth in writing. When you begin a new story, the voices are quick to speak up.
These characters are bland.
The plot is thin.
You'll never get to eighty thousand words.
Again, most of the time the voices lie. But it's easy to stop when you've just begun. It's easy to tell yourself that the story isn't as compelling as you first thought. You haven't invested the time, so it's easy to close the document and move on to something else.
Don't believe the voices.
Lower your shoulders, pick a good pace, and plunge ahead. Write the first thirty pages. Ignore the voices and just move forward. Perhaps on page thirty-one, you can start to respond to those nagging doubts.
The characters are weak.
I'm getting to know them.
You'll never reach eighty thousand words.
Maybe not, but tonight I'll reach three thousand.
The plot is thin.
I can do this.
Ignore the voices until you've written thirty pages. Invest the time and effort that your story both deserves and demands. You'll find the next hundred pages will very likely come.
One last thing. When hiking, I've found that at the base of the trail there are dozens of footsteps. The farther you go, the thinner the tracks. One by one, those who have gone before turn around and head back. Eventually, there is an exhilarating moment when you see the last set of tracks come to an end. You look to the trail ahead and see nothing but unbroken snow.
In writing, it's not good to compare yourself to others. There are far too many variables. But sometimes I like to compare what I'm doing now with what I've done in the past. Maybe first the goal is to just finish a short story. Then the goal is to write something longer. Maybe you want to place in a contest, and then come in first. Then the goal may be as lofty as finishing a novel, submitting it, and getting good feedback. Then that happy day comes when you sign a contract, and see one of your books on the shelf.
If you ignore the voices, sometimes you can go farther than you ever thought possible. All you have to do is tackle the first thirty.
11 comments:
I love this. So true!ReplyDelete
And now I want to both go for a hike AND work on my book. :)
Brilliantly said, Marion.ReplyDelete
I love what you said about committing too. Sometimes we have to get ourselves in deep before we really know what we are capable of.
Awesome post.. and exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks for this!ReplyDelete
I loved the way you pointed out that at the bottom of the trail there are a lot of footprints, but they thin out as you keep going. I've found that to be so true. Many people start to write and few finish. Every step forward is an accomplishment.ReplyDelete
Wonderful post, Marion! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who hears and battles those voices.ReplyDelete
I love this anology. I can no longer imagine what things might have been like if I had stopped writing when it first got tough. I'm a writer. This is my climb.ReplyDelete
Wonderful post. Thank you!ReplyDelete
Marion, what a powerful, powerful post. And SO true. The first thirty (and the last thirty!) are always the hardest for me.ReplyDelete
Excellent Post Marion. And the picture is beautiful as well. Isn't it funny how the very same voices that knock us down are the ones that feed us our art? I guess it's just knowing when to reign them in, and when to be quiet and listen.ReplyDelete
Great analogy - very visual too. Loved it.ReplyDelete
Banned complain !! Complaining only causes life and mind become more severe. Enjoy the rhythm of the problems faced. No matter ga life, not a problem not learn, so enjoy it :)ReplyDelete
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Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first AL.com user to add photos or videos of Southern Digital Products Incorporated
Southern Digital Products Inc was founded in 1993, and is located at 690a Discovery Dr Nw in Huntsville. It employs 9 employees and is generating approximately $3,737,030.00 in annual revenue.
Southern Digital Products Inc can be found at Meridian St N 2120. The following is offered: Electronics Retailers. The entry is present with us since Sep 8, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Huntsville there are 38 other Electronics Retailers. An overview can be found here.