text:
I haven't posted much in the way of non-foodie stuff on this blog since I discovered the silliness that is Twitter. That is pretty much where all the non-food stuff goes. So a once in a year post that has little to do with food is not that tall an order. And I can't fit all this into 140 characters anyway.
Warning if you're on dial-up (yes, I still have a handful of readers on dial-up - I checked with Google Analytics): there are a few YouTube videos in here so the load time may be a little longer than normal.
Favorite things about Baltimore - A few: 1) We now have recycling pick-up every week; 2) The Bawlmer Book Festival; 3) The Waverly and I-83 Farmers' Markets, among others; 4) The availability of important services such as Our Daily Bread, Moveable Feast and the Maryland Food Bank, which are even more important now than ever.
Favorite Baltimore museum - Gotta be the Walters.
Favorite movies of '09 - Again, saw few of them this year. Julie & Julia was probably the one I am second most likely to go out and actually buy on DVD. The likeliest? Zombieland. Food, Inc. and Star Trek are also up there. And yes, I actually did like Paranormal Activity. Freaked me out for a few days, true.
Favorite YouTube videos of the year - Oh, the YouTube has been bringing on better and better videos every year. This is a toughie, made even tougher by one of my new favorite shows, G4's Web Soup with Chris Hardwick. Next time I'm out in LA I have to get into the studio audience. This is, what, the third Soup knock-off on the air now? My Top 6 - I would have just done a Top 5, but Sandra Lee had to make an appearance in here somewhere:
6. A video to remind us why Aunt Sandy does not belong on any television show, much less her own (even more Sandra Lee silliness here):
5. The Muppets Take Bohemia!
4. Probably the standard for literal videos set by DA Scott Jr - "Total Eclipse of the Heart - the Literal Version"
3. Is the episode on Designing Women where Julia loses her mind, or the one where she was possessed by demons? It's the Dixie Carter Exorcise Video, dug up from the 90's and thrown onto the net!
Attack of the Show's reaction was priceless.
2. From Australian YouTubist Pogo: delicious-sounding trippy electronic remixes of movies into song form. My favorite is his Mary Poppins-based "Expialidocious" (it's a damn shame he made the video private - YTF? - but a link from last.fm is here). The Willy Wonka-ish "Scrumdiddlyumptious" is clearly more appropriate for a food blog:
1. Finally, Carl Sagan comes back from the grave to sing a song I could not stop listening to all year, "A Glorious Dawn," the first in the Symphony of Science series. It's probably one of my favorite songs of the past year overall.
Also worth noting: that beautiful slow motion SprintCam v3 video showing cheerleaders, a men's field hockey team, Jell-O and, um, half-naked rugby players (strange) in very slo-mo; Kelly's late awakening at Marshall's; and the catchiest insight into what Americans sound like to people who only speak Italian (been floating around the internets since '07 but only went "viral" this year).
Favorite TV shows - I love me some Doctor Who - how 'bout that new Doctor? Also up there now: I've recently discovered The Big Bang Theory, as well as Web Soup (noted above), RuPaul's Drag Race and the series based on the History Channel's Life After People. Still waiting for Project Runway on Lifetime to impress. Season 6 was more unintentionally funny than anything else.
Favorite TV show episode - The one on 30 Rock where Jenna instructs Liz Lemon that "Drama is gay man Gatorade. It replenishes their electrolytes."
Favorite radio shows - Still Marketplace on NPR. But The Splendid Table has now rocketed into second place now that it's much easier to hear it in the Baltimore area.
Favorite books - Alison Bechdel's Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, a memoir in graphic novel format about her relationship with her father, who (like her) was gay, but who (unlike her) was married with three kids and in the closet (this was the 70's after all). Pride and Prejudice and Zombies also ranks up there. I've already mentioned In Defense of Food and The Fortune Cookie Chronicles in a previous Best of '09 post.
Favorite song - Too many of them, but almost all are not the usual or even the not-so-usual hits. They are more of the created-for-YouTube variety. But some notable favorites of the past year include:
Coldplay's "Strawberry Swing" (I love this video, much groovier than the official one)
and Marina and the Diamonds' "I Am Not A Robot".
But I've been wearing out "Poker Face" on my MP3 player - less so the original, more so the all-male college a capella version, and this one:
Favorite gadget of '09 - Certainly not my cell phone, currently held together with duct tape. Just four more months until I can replace the damn thing for free. Did have some fun for a few weeks with the sister's Wii though. Still want to play the majestic and sweeping Okami on it.
One thing I'm looking forward to in '10 - Hopefully finding a full time job, which has still eluded me. Not happy about this at all.
And lastly: Did I keep last year's New Year's Resolution? It was to "eat more of the stuff in your own pantry, and less of what you can find in the restaurants! Also, go grocery shopping less often." Yes, I did that, and I have saved a bundle. So no new resolutions this year, except to keep this trend up.
That's it for my mammoth '09 recap. Stay tuned in hopefully just another 11 and 1/2 months for the recap of all the fun in 2010! I am planning ahead here.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Best of 2009 Part IV: Some Non-Food Faves at the End of the Aughts
I haven't posted much in the way of non-foodie stuff on this blog since I discovered the silliness that is Twitter. That is pretty much where all the non-food stuff goes. So a once in a year post that has little to do with food is not that tall an order. And I can't fit all this into 140 characters anyway.
at 5:29 PM
Labels: Best Of, non-food topics, videos


text:
As a powerful storm takes shape over the northern Plains late this week, severe thunderstorms may bring a tornado outbreak and high winds from parts of the southern Plains to a portion of the Midwest.
Tranquil weather over the Central states to start the week will take a turn for the worse by the week's end.
Thunderstorms late in the week will do more than mark an end to the buildup of warmth.
The pattern has the potential to bring the first widespread severe weather outbreak of the autumn season and could be the most significant threat to lives and property over the Central states since May.
The collision of chilly air arriving from the West with warm, developing strong winds aloft and warm, moist air in place over the central United States may come together Friday into Saturday.
The first severe weather incidents are likely to develop Friday just east and south of the center of a large the storm system.
According to AccuWeather.com's Severe Weather Expert Henry Margusity, "The setup could yield storms with tornadoes centered over Iowa Friday afternoon and expand to parts of southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin late in the day and during the evening."
The storms could hit some communities as students are heading home from school or partaking in Friday evening sporting activities, such as high school football.
Additional severe storms are likely to continue to ignite and expand southwestward Friday night.
Storms over parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, north-central Texas and northwestern Missouri late Friday into Friday night have the potential to bring damaging wind gusts, hail and perhaps a few tornadoes Margusity stated.
Cities that are at risk for dangerous weather conditions Friday and/or Friday night include Rochester, Minn.; Kansas City, Mo.; Wichita, Kan.; Oklahoma City; Des Moines, Iowa; and Madison, Wis.
The storms could catch people off guard with rapidly changing weather conditions.
According to AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions' Expert Senior Meteorologist Scott Breit, "Storms over the central and southern Plains are likely to become fast-movers with an elevated risk of high winds."
A strong flow of air around the the storm system would continue the potential for strong wind gusts in the wake of the thunderstorms over the Plains Friday night and Saturday.
Gusts in many areas may range between 40 and 60 mph, which are strong enough to cause sporadic power outages and difficult crosswinds for lightweight and high-profile vehicles.
Severe weather may then focus from eastern Wisconsin and the western Lower Peninsula of Michigan to northwestern Indiana, Illinois, southeastern Missouri and Arkansas during Saturday, perhaps impacting additional high school games as well as some college football games.
Severe weather could affect the cities of Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee during part of Saturday.
Since the severe weather is several days away, the timing of the storms will be fine-tuned as the week progresses.
People from the Midwest to the southern Plains should monitor the situation carefully, especially on Friday, when the first violent storms are forecast to ignite.
On the storm's colder side, heavy snow can fall from parts of the northern Rockies to the northern Plains and northern Minnesota spanning Thursday into Saturday.
Meanwhile, high winds will also buffet Southern California Friday into Saturday, raising concerns for wildfires.
The storm forecast to bring severe weather and snow to the Central states late this week hammered the Northwest with heavy rain and high winds this past weekend.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I've joined McDonald's and National Fitness Expert Andrea Riggs on a Wholesome Choices Challenge! Over the last several weeks, I have been sharing my own tips and ideas for making more wholesome choices in my every day life. Through the McDonald's "Made For You" cooking system, you can special order various menu items to help meet your nutritional needs. A range of serving sizes make it easy to create meal combinations that work for you and your family.
Andrea stays committed to living a Wholesome lifestyle and I'm on a mission to join her! Here are her tips to getting back into good health:
- Andrea Tip # 1 – Strength Training – commit to 3-basic strength exercises to tone your upper body, lower body and abdominals and boost your metabolism and target belly fat. See 30 day exercise program on the website.
- Andrea Tip # 2 – Alternate Cardio – to increase calorie burning and speed recovery after total body exercises, perform 30 to 45 minutes of cardio activity (walking, jogging, biking).
- Andrea # 3 – Eat Right Foods- add green tea, nuts, avocados and yogurt between healthy balanced meals.
Socketball II- Joshua Marable
Joshua also advises people to stay positive while working out. "Thought is energy. We often waste this precious energy on needless thinking. Do not chase the mind when it runs rampant, for you will become easily fatigued. It is important to focus and steady the mind with conscious clarity when training. You will get much more out of the exercise. Time in the presence is time well spent. "
3 Treadmills & The Xerball- Joshua Marable
Follow McDonald's Atlanta on Twitter @McDonaldsATL and check out their website for real-time promos, meal ideas and how to make the most of your McDonald's experience:http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/nutrition_choices.html
Joshua Marable is the creator of the innovative athletic program Ra Magna, Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and a Laughter Yoga Group Leader. He is also a freelance and sculpture model.
Disclosure: McDonald's partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its "Wholesome Choices" Blogger Program. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. McDonald's policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.


text:
Hellooo scrappers, it's my turn today to share with you a piece of LO that I whipped using the last bits of my January DT kit. Can't wait to share with you what I created with my February kit :0
Notice the little fingers and the little chick? This cute photo was taken during our last holiday trip to Avillion. The resort comes complete with a petting zoo. How cool is that ! My kids went goo goo gaa gaa over it and they were just so funny! That's how city folks react to a whole lot of pets to cuddle and love at one time. LOL
OMG just realised ..the chick looks like its about to popped out from the LO..love that.
My first layer of the layout is my favourite pp by Webster's Pages that is the Yacht Club - Sandy Shore. Then the burlap and an envelope pocket by Amy Tangerine. Hues of earth tones are used to pickup the gorgeous colour of the chick. Not forgetting the peacock feather ( I must clarify that I didn't pluck right from the peacock at the petting zoo okay). I just found out that, like my 2 year old niece..I'm scared of peacocks! They were just always snobbish and angry all the time :( Whylah??
Till next week peeps..Have a blessed week ahead..owh don't forget to pop by my Memory Vintage Workshop this Saturday at 10:30. Let's have fun and learn how to make a "book box". For those who wish to swap ATCs , please..bring them ..lotsa !! Just contact Papier to enroll okay , see ya :) XOX
Materials List
Craft Paper
Papers by Webster's Pages - Sandy Shore
Envelopes by Amy Tangerine
Prima Flowers
Pebbles and caboochons from my stash


text:
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
For Iron Benny.....and anyone else that cares:D
First I have to tell you that I am in no way, shape or form an expert on food, food preparation or taste. I only know what works for me and my busy schedule and that's what I'm going to share with you. Here are 10 tips to start you out on a quick journey to dinner.
1) Lean meat. No-brainer really. Turkey, chicken, pork tenderloin and the elk you just bought (score!). They tend to be bland on thier own, but please refer to #3 below for further instruction:)
2) Salt. Salt is your friend. It enhances the natural flavors of food and makes everything taste better. I use kosher salt, have it in a little remekin next to the stove for easy access to sprinkle over whatever I'm cooking. Since you're an endurance athlete, a little extra salt is not going to kill you anyway. You're working your electrolytes daily, so replenishing is a good idea:)
3) Marinate. When I come home from the grocery store, I immediately marinate whatever I have bought to cook for the week. Usually a pork tenderloin and some chicken breasts. The greatest marinades (IMO) consist of soy sauce, citrus, citrus zest, honey and spicy chile sauce. I have a recipe on my site that works wonders for meat and poultry.
4) Pound. In order to speed up the cooking process you must pound your meat thin....(not that meat you sicko!) Do this by layering, say, a chicken breast in between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a heavy pan to flatten it out to about 1/4-1/2 inch. Then you marinate it:) Thicker cuts of meat like a roast or pork tenderloin get seared quickly in the pan on high heat and finished off in the oven. I like the brown crust it gives and it also keeps it moist this way since you've basically made a juice barrier by searing it.
5) Roast. I roast everything. All of my veggies get showered in a bit of olive oil, salted and then thrown in the oven at high heat (400 degrees) for 15-20 mins. They are nice and carmelized, sweet and still crunchy. I like to actually taste my food.
6) Grill. While the veggies are roasting, I'm grilling the pre-marinated protein. And since I've pounded it flat, it takes very little time to cook on each side.
7) NO CROCKPOTTING! For feck's sake man, I can't believe that Nytro actually wants to join the ranks of folks that cook like this. It's an abominiation to food to throw it all together and make every mushy thing taste like the previous bite. Gross. And crockpotters...no need to be hatin'..it's my blog and I can say what I want! I can only think of one good thing to make in a crockpot and that's chili. Everything else....you're just being lazy. Good food doesn't take that long to make. Get fresh!
8) Starch. It's really just an afterthought at dinner for us. I don't like eating pasta or potatoes at dinner because we eat late and it just sits in my belly all night. But when I do, it's usually brown rice (I take a shortcut here and choose instant - you don't lose any of the good nutrients, but you do lose the time it takes to cook it!) seasoned with LOTS of fresh garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and olive oil.
9) Stir Fry. Ingenius really....veggies and meat cut small and cooked on very high heat so it all cooks at the same time. Yes! Make your own sauce or throw some bottled sauce on it for flavor...or just salt it:)
10) Magazines. Fine Cooking and Cooking Light magazines offer up very well-written recipes that are full of flavor and don't take very long to make. You usually have all ingredients on hand you just have to make the effort to follow a recipe.
When it comes time for me to make dinner, I usually just open the fridge and let my imagination take over. I rarely plan my meals out, but here are examples of what we have for dinner:
*Pork tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted veggies
*Chicken enchiladas (soooo easy! ask me for the recipe if you want it) with whole wheat tortillas and roasted veggies
*Boboli pizza with ham, pineapple, veggies and low-fat cheese
*Grilled chicken breasts, creamy polenta and spinach salad
*Turkey burgers with oven-roasted fries and salad
*Chile Verde (bite sized pork cooked in a bottled salsa verde) with whole wheat tortillas, vegetarian refried beans and spanish rice
*Stuffed pork chops, green beans and brown rice
*Wasabi Pea Tuna, cucumber and tomato salad
*Broiled salmon, stuffed portobello mushrooms and spinach salad
*Whole wheat spaghetti with turkey meatballs and ceasar salad
*Turkey sloppy joes with whole wheat buns and salad
*Potato and Leek soup with grilled cheese sandwiches.
Those are all I can think of right now. It's all a sad reminder that I've got to go shopping.
Stay to the outside of the grocery store aisles unless you're shopping for bread and pasta. You'll find everything you need on the outside. Although I have been guilty of caving in and buying a box of Kraft Mac'N Cheese...it's not a steady diet of it. I stay away from most things processed and dehydrated and opt for fresh always.
I hope that helps....if not...you can always fall back on the crockpot!
8 comments:
- Iron Benny said...
Thanks for the tips. That enchilada idea sounds good. I'll have to find whole wheat tortillas. I bet some shredded or ground elk would be good in that. What do you put on your broiled salmon? Thanks for all the info. I knew I could count on you for some sweet recipes.
- it's only fuel said...
Since I don't really like salmon (only eat it because I know it's one of the healthiest fish), I have to flavor blast it. If you score the flesh side with a knife and stuff it with fresh basil and any other herb you like then squeeze some lemon juice over it, it makes it taste really amazing.
I'm sure elk would be great in enchiladas. My only trick to pass on to you is that you've got to soak the enchiladas in enchilada sauce while you're cooking the elk. It softens them up for rolling your filling into and allows an even baking time. After you roll them up, pour any remaining sauce on them and then put some cheese and onions and olives on top too. Cover it with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 mins of baking so the cheese will get nice and bubbly:)
- Sheri said...
I disagree with you about crockpotting. And you know what a food snob I am. It's excellent for tough cuts of meat.
Don't forget Epicurious.com as an excellent source of recipes. Their advanced search can be used to look for stuff that's quick to make or can be made in advance, and the reviews make it a pretty reliable source.
Salmon: we use a marinade of soy, garlic, scallions and a bit of honey.
- it's only fuel said...
I will make only one more exception to include tough cuts of meat as an acceptable use for the crockpot....but when you start throwing nice, innocent and fresh veggies into the mush-mash hell, that's where I draw the line. And you know I'm only making this exception because you are my friend and training partner:P
I don't really care for epicurious...I've yet to find a recipe that I like and it's search results are a bit spazzy and disorganized. I much prefer cooks.com over epicurious. Word.
- Amy said...
Pasta and potatoes are some of the quickest digesting starches out there, so I'm not sure why they'd sit in your tummy all night?
There are two "Quick & Delicious" magazines on the Fine Cooking website that I always recommend to people trying to figure out where to start.
- it's only fuel said...
Perhaps it's because I eat too much of them at night Amy! I love them...so I eat until I'm stuffed. So, I avoid that problem altogether by keeping them off of my plate:D
Thanks for adding some advice to the post:)
- Shannon said...
I'm sure not disagreeing with what you're saying mainly about crockpots but there are some other things that do taste much much better slow-cooked for hours: stews and, believe it or not, some risotto dishes. I found a slow-cooked wild mushroom risotto dish that is to die for and without my slow cooker, it would surely burn to the bottom of the pot if left on the stove for hours!
I've actually never pounded my meat thin before and wondered why it was done. Is it just for faster cooking or is there some other reason as well?
- it's only fuel said...
Hi Shannon,
I'm sure there are other good uses for Crockpots and I don't mean to sound like a total snob about it...I'm glad you've found yummy dishes that worked out for you while using it.
Pounding meat tenderizes it as well as preps it for shorter cooking time. Those are the only things that I know about the method for sure. Faster cooking times are very important to me as I don't have time to wait for dinner. I want it waiting for me.
Thanks for visiting:)


text:
David Chase Taylor
September 22, 2014
SWITZERLAND, Basel — Based on breaking news and events, it appears that the CIA is planning to execute a terror attack and/or staged assassination of U.S. President Barack Obama during Climate Week NYC which is scheduled to take place in New York City from September 22-28, 2014.
Although climate change-related events will transpire all week, the highlight of Climate Week NYC is the UN Climate Summit 2014 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on September 23, 2014. Obama is expected to attend the event along with other world leaders (puppets).
What type of attack is planned for the United Nations Headquarters is not known, but the building has been slated for demolition for a number of years (see below). Therefore, a future terror scenario in which a plane (possibly by Flight MH370 which was hijacked by the CIA explicitly for a WMD strike) is used to attack the UN Climate Summit 2014 is now a real possibility.
The UN Climate Summit 2014 was evidently scheduled in NYC on the heels of the slated Freedom Tower Nuclear Terror Plot which was set to commence during the passing 9/11 anniversary. Since that nuclear terror attack was thwarted, another New York City-related terror attack has evidently been planned.
The notion of a high-profile politician's speech in New York being "crashed" was just witnessed on September 16, 2014, when immigration activists reportedly crashed Hillary Clinton's speech in New York. The event was evidently fabricated by the CIA in order to set the precedent for a similar scenario at the UN Climate Summit 2014 on September 23, 2014, where an attack on Obama and/or the UN is expected to take place.
The notion of a United Nations-related terror attack was recently witnessed on September 19, 2014, when roadside bombs reportedly killed 5 UN peacekeepers in Mali. Although impossible to know, it's highly likely that the soldiers were executed as part of a sadistic blood sacrifice ahead of a full-scale terror attack on the United Nations Headquarters.
In order to bring unprecedented media attention to Al Gore, the godfather of Global Warming, prior to a climate-change-related terror attack, Al Jazeera America is now suing the former Vice President over a TV-related case. The law suit was likely fabricated so that in the aftermath of a climate change-related terror attack, the masses will be further terrorized by a made-for-TV trial.
Lastly, any climate change or global warming event that does not address the issue of chemtrails (see: "What in the World are they Spraying") and geoengineering is not sincere and therefore has being orchestrated for political purposes. Since global temperatures are cooling due to said chemtrails, a climate change-related terror attack would do wonders to boost the ailing global warming propaganda campaign.
Obama Attack Trending
Breaking news in respect to security breaches at the Obama White House suggest that a state-sponsored attack on the American President is imminent. This particular narrative was first identified on September 11, 2014, when the Secret Service reportedly apprehended a White House fence jumper. Roughly a week later on September 19, 2014, another fence-jumper allegedly made it into the White House, causing an evacuation of the premises. Sine Obama had just left for Camp David four minutes prior, it appears that the incident was staged. Shortly thereafter, it was reported that the White House intruder had a knife and was an Iraqi War veteran. Two days later on September 21, 2014, a third White House incident occurred when the Secret Service arrested a man who refused to leave White House gate. In response to the three security breaches, the Secret Service has reportedly beefing up security and is now considering public White House checkpoints. Needless to say, these incidents were evidently staged in order to set the precedent for an impending attack on Obama's person, possibly at the UN Climate Summit 2014 in New York City on September 23, 2014.
The UN "Remodel"
A timely and never-ending construction projects at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City suggest that the building has been rigged for demolition. According to a report by Press Core, "Like the World Trade Center Towers, the presence of asbestos has made the renovations of the U.N. headquarters too expensive and impractical. The cost to safely remove the asbestos from the ceilings of the building doubled the initial projected cost of $1.2 billion. That is the official revised cost. The actual cost is much higher. Some estimates put it as much as 10 times more expensive. Now that they have discovered that the U.N. pipes are also lined with asbestos the cost to remove and replace all of the piping in the building makes the UN building a perfect site for another CIA false flag attack". This report was corroborated by Fox News on November 3, 2012, when it was revealed that the U.N. has already used $2 billion and is asking for $3 billion more to finish the remodel, ultimately keeping the U.N. building an open construction site. Whether this open-ended UN construction project has provided the necessary cover for the installation of demolition explosives and/or bio-weapons inside the building is not known, but it's highly likely. Said explosives and weapons could be detonated at a later date via remote control in order to give the appearance of a coordinated terror attack.
WMD Drill at UN
Back on April 5, 2011, the U.N. building in New York City served as a staging ground for a massive terror drill with the main focus being on nuclear terrorism. The drill began at the U.N. and then moved to other locations throughout New York City. The week-long series of terror drills involved dozens of agencies and first responders and focused on one of the great concerns of the post-9/11 era: nuclear terrorism. According to report, the NYPD and 70 other law enforcement agencies tested their ability to detect radiological materials and prevent an attack orchestrated by four fictional terror cells intent on targeting New York City with a "dirty bomb".
UN Filming of "House of Cards"
In order to raise the profile of the United Nations Headquarters just prior to an unprecedented ISIS terror attack, it was reported on July 3, 2014, that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that the 15-nation Security Council allow the Netflix show "House of Cards" to film during off-hours to raise public awareness about the UN. The filming is planned for mid-August when most of the top UN ambassadors are away on vacation. Whether the filming is a publicity stunt or will provide the necessary cover for the installation of demolition explosives and/or bio-weapons inside the UN is not known, but it's highly likely. Said explosives and weapons could be detonated at a later date via remote control in order to give the appearance of a coordinated terror attack.
About the Author
David Chase Taylor is an American journalist and the editor-in-chief of Truther.org. Taylor currently lives in Basel, Switzerland where he has applied for political asylum after the release of The Nuclear Bible, a book credited with foiling a state-sponsored nuclear terror attack upon Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, Texas on February 6, 2011. Taylor has also authored The Bio-Terror Bible, a book and website exposing the global bio-terror pandemic planned for 2014. To date, David Chase Taylor has blown the whistle on over 100 state-sponsored terror plots, including the 2012 Democratic National Convention Terror Plot, the man-made asteroid attack planned for 2014, and the drone strike which killed "Fast and Furious" star Paul Walker. Taylor was also the first to expose Alex Jones' treacherous links to STRATFOR.
Truther.org Legal Disclaimer
Truther.org's stated purpose is to stop terrorism by drawing unwanted global attention to terror plots prior to their fruition. Terror alerts and warnings made by Truther.org DO NOT necessarily imply that these terror events will transpire in reality but rather that there is a distinct possibility that they may occur based on breaking terror-related news, events and data. Historically speaking, once a false-flag terror plot is exposed (e.g., 2011 Super Bowl Nuclear Terror Plot), it is immediately canceled or postponed (e.g., 2014 Super Bowl Nuclear Terror Plot). State-sponsored acts of terror must have a prior paper trail in order to set-up patsies, prime scapegoats, create plausible deniability, as well as mislead the public from the usual suspects of terror. Please support real citizen journalism and help make terrorism a thing of the past. Blessed are the Peacemakers. Namaste


text:
Energy Pack Link
I want to minimize your work . So that, For Your mafia help I have Figured Out Some Important Link.
Which will helpful to your Mafia.
You do not need ask your friend to send energy pack.
just click below link . Before clicking mind it u will get one energy pack in every 23 hours and read the energy pack strategy .
Enjoy Yourself.


text:
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Amazing Life SC418
7 comments:
- Marisa said...
I don't think I would ever be able to do a 15 minute card. Heck it takes me that long to decide which papers or sketch to use LOL! well done - love the hexagons.
- January 10, 2013 at 10:20 a.m.
- Danni said...
I'm with Marisa, don't know that I could do a 15 minute card! This is fabulous!!! Awesome job!
- January 10, 2013 at 2:39 p.m.
- jbuffan said...
Super cute ! I can't pick out ribbon in 15 minutes, let alone complete an entire card that is worth giving away :)
Great job .
- January 10, 2013 at 3:46 p.m.
LOL! I agree with everyone else...I am a sloooow stamper. My cards take a looong time to create!
I so love those hexagons and the soft colors! Beautiful, Dawn!!
- January 10, 2013 at 7:28 p.m.
- Jennifer said...
Wow, Dawn! Even your 15 minute card is a masterpiece!!! ;)
Thanks for taking the time to share!
Crafty hugs,
partridgelu at yahoo dot com
- January 11, 2013 at 12:23 a.m.
- Beate said...
Awesome card. I LOVE the little extra horizontal strip. It finishes off the card so nicely.
Hugs and smiles
- January 11, 2013 at 6:03 a.m.
- Denise Marzec said...
Very pretty! Love the sewn pieces of paper on the tag. Adds so much...I really have to remember to do that sometime.
- January 13, 2013 at 6:58 a.m.


text:
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
No MTB race, Briar's first road ride, T-30, and a Slowwwww Run
Ok, well, I didn't make it to the mtb race Sunday. First of all, my legs were toast after the trail run. I guess it's been so long since I've made them race they forgot how to handle it. Plus, the front of my ankles and shins were complaining about the steep climbs...not injury, though, just soreness. But I was going to go on anyways, until I accidently woke Bo up while getting up and around and he begged me to stay home. How could I say no? So I decided 2nd place AG in the trail run was enough excitement for the weekend anyways. We all got up and went to church and enjoyed the beautiful day. And to make it all worth staying home, I finally got Briar out on his road bike. We rode to Green's Market, where he went in and bought a bag full of Snickers and a bottle of water...we ate a few, then stuffed the rest in his Camelbak, and headed home. Briar even climbed the hill behind Cracker Barrell!!! I could not believe it. First of all, he still can't get clipped in his pedals. I just don't know what the deal is there, but he can't figure it out. He's wearing mtb shoes, though, and they had enough tread to allow to ride without being clipped in. Without being clipped in, though, I figured there was no way he'd make it up the hill, and I told him to just get off and push if it got too hard on him.
Note: It's not like me to say something like that to him...but I have recently come to the conclusion that I have pushed the little fellow too hard in the past. I'm always pushing him to get stronger, run faster, hit the ball farther, throw the ball harder, etc. As a result, I think he sometimes gets discouraged and would just rather not run/ride/practice ball with me if he has to return home with his tongue hanging out in exhaustion. I haven't done this intentionally, but I think perhaps I might have, a time or two, crossed the fine line between instilling a good, healthy work ethic into a child and just plum pushing the child too hard. That's a little tough to admit, but I can take the flack for it...it's a fine line, butI intend to stay on the right side of it from now on.
So I tell him I'll see him at the top of hill. I get to the top and turn around, and he's still coming - he made it all the way to the top! Case in point - I backed off of him a little, and he stepped up and climbed the hill. And for the right reason, too - because he wanted to accomplish that, not because Mom wanted him to. ~sigh~ Parenting...it's hard, but I'm learning. Anyways, we rode 12 miles in about an hour and he really enjoyed it.
Monday Michele and I went to swim class and we did our T-30. After a 400 warmup, we swam for 30 minutes solid trying to get as many laps as we could. I did 30 and a quarter, which is basically 1500 yards. That was my goal, so I am pleased. One thing I'm going to have to do is to push myself a little harder in the pool. I am always afraid I can't make the distance, and I think I start out too easy. The guy counting my laps said I sped up a lot the last 500 yards. Michele did awesome as usual and got 1650 yards.
This morning I got up at 5:30 and set out for 1 hour run, in which I only got 6.01 miles. My legs are still sore, but I think the run worked some of it out. Hopefully a lunchtime bike ride will get the rest out.
We've got T-ball practice this afternoon, and the week just continues to get busier. Opening day is Saturday, and have GOT to squeeze in some shopping this weekend, as I have nothing left to wear for spring/summer that doesn't look pathetic. Gotta quit buying so many triathlon/training clothes and get something I can wear in my other life.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Chickasaw Trace 15k Trail Run
"Okay big girl – you just passed them back – you better kick it up these hills and not be holding them up."
And I think I was so worried that they'd catch back up with me I pretty much sprinted up the hill and continued to run strong for as long as I possibly could. Then when I could no longer see them, I tried to get back to a reasonable pace and get my HR under control. I knew I had another steep climb coming up, and went up it fairly strong, but I had forgotten that once you made it to the top, you had to continue to climb for probably another 300 yards. I think I was getting pretty tired by then, and stumbled across a root in the trail and took a spill. It didn't hurt, though, just skinned my knee a little and got me all dusty. I jumped back up and took off, and then walked through the next water stop catching my breath. The volunteers at the water stops were great. They were all so nice. This one guy said "Carry the cup as far as you need to – I'll come pick it up!!"
So I made my way back to the starting point, and then did another little loop at the start of the trail as instructed. We then had to cross the road, and run up the grassy hill to see the finish line. At this point I thought I was closer to done than I really was, and I was running out of gas fast. I continued on, though, and crossed the finish line in (official time). My Garmin must have lost signal several times on the trails, because it registered a little less than 9 miles – but I am pretty sure the distance was correct. My pace ended up being according to my Garmin, but when you calculate it with the correct distance, it is . I am VERY, VERY pleased with this. I have to admit, when I signed up for this race, not being trained for it, I just wanted to it in less than 2 hours. The last time I ran on the trails at the base my pace was 2min/mile slower than my road pace. This trail wasn't as twisty as the base though, and definitely cleaner…so it was easier to keep a good stride. I felt good the entire race, though, and even felt stronger in the later miles. The garmin says my average HR was just 152, but when I looked at the lap totals and saw that it was 119 and 122 for miles 6 and 7, I tend to think there was a malfunction there. About halfway through the race the strap kept falling down, so I'd say it didn't work so well during that time. Anyways, all this was good enough to get me 2nd place in the 30-39 yr age group. First place was Leslie – who ran it in and change. There haven't been any pictures or official results posted on their website yet, but I'll share them when they are. Here is the data from Garmin:
Heart Rate and Elevation
Immediately after the awards ceremony, I was going to a charity benefit for one of my best friend's sister who is battling cancer. There was no shower facility here, so I had to crawl into the woods with 3 water bottles and a bar of soap. As I was "showering" I washed a tick off my leg! It's amazing how far I've come – if you had asked me 4 years ago if I'd ever be trying to take a shower in the woods with water bottles and soap, and washing ticks off my legs, I would've said you were crazy. And actually, I just thought I had gotten rid of the ticks…I was sitting down at the charity benefit and felt something crawling on my arm…and it was another tick!! I must not have good tastin' blood for them, though, as none of them ever bit me. Come to think of it, I've never been bitten by a tick in my life.
So, I got home around , and we grilled out and practiced baseball until dark. I'll go ahead tell you that I didn't do the MTB race the next day, but more on that later…
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Two Chicks and a Chickasaw Trace
Let me back track a few days first. Bo and I were sick this past weekend. I think we caught some form of the flu from Briar, or something. Briar had the flu last week, and we thought we had escaped, but Bo started getting sick last Tuesday. I didn't feel too awfully bad over the weekend, other than a really bad sore throat, but it turned Saturday's "what should have been easy 5 mile run" into an "OMG I'm going to die before I get home and I have only been running 30 minutes" type of deal. Whew...gotta hate those days. With the lack of motivation I've been suffering from lately, I don't need too many more of those. I need the "Wow, what a beautiful sunrise. I've run 10 miles and feel like I could run 10 more with no problem. It's good to be alive!" type of runs. But anyways, I guess you play the hand your dealt as best you can and hope for a better one the next time.
So I changed the game on Sunday. H, K, and I traveled 2 hours to Chickasaw Trace MTB Park to check out the 9 miles of trails. K is an experienced rider here, he has even won his class at the race before, so H and I were happy to have his expert help. While K was still getting his bike ready, I rode a little loop of the very beginning of the trail, and got nervous right off the bat. So I went back and got H and took her to ride it, and she got nervous too. But we got over it before we took off with K! We had a blast riding the 9 miles of trails at Chickasaw Trace. Check out the pics:
But did we dismount?
No! Here is K showing us how it's done
And H coming on down
Note: I came down , too, we just didn't get a picture of it ;)
I tried this hill 3 times and never made it to the top.
H climbing
...and we both went down
Grinding it out...
Up a hill and over a rock!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Excellence can be attained if you Care more than others think is wise, Risk more than others think is safe, Dream more than others think is practical, and Expect more than others think is possible. "- Author Unknown
My mother sent me that this morning. I love it.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
There are some things in life you just can't have...
I am blogging for therapy right now, so bear with me. Or just don't read this post.
Problem: I had a Hardee's Hand Scooped Strawberry milkshake for lunch yesterday. I've been wanting to try one since they came out forever ago, but have always resisted the urge. It sounded good, but it just didn't compare with Sonic's Oreo Blast. So when I treated myself, I always chose the Blast. But for some reason yesterday, I decided I'd try that shake for lunch. One sip, and I swear there was a vaccum strong enough to drain Lake Michigan created in that straw. Oh.Dear. I knew this was trouble at the time, but I enjoyed that dang shake so much I didn't care. I won't tell you about the massive mound of whip cream on top.
Anyways...guess what I want today? Yep, you got it. A Hardee's Hand Scooped Strawberry milkshake. But I've already had lunch. So I can't use the "well, I am substituting this for a meal" excuse. Everything I look at turns pink. I finally decided to look up the Hardee's nutrition info online. I thought, 'if it's not too bad, maybe I'll just get another one today and eat a very light dinner.' Result of research: 700 calories, 33 fat grams, 68 carbs. No such luck. Little did I know yesterday that I should have substituted that thing for lunch AND breakfast. I pondered on it. 700 calories. I looked down at my belly....'perhaps I could run a few extra miles'...then came back to my senses. That would be like 8 extra miles. Not gonna happen. Shake and bigger belly or no shake and same belly. Which one? I went back and forth, and then I remembered my saving grace. My Athleta, Title 9, and Terry catalogs that I carry in my purse. I put them in there for a reason a couple days ago. I want some new clothes, but I want to look good in them. So I promised myself that when I wanted to indulge in terrible food choices, that I would look at the magazines, and that should take care of it. And you know what, it worked! I still want that milkshake, but not bad enough to go up a size. I hope this works the next time too.
The Necessary Evil
: Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! (Alarm)
SMACK!!!(My handing smacking the snooze button)
: Repeat…
: Repeat…
: J.T.: "Lana, get on up, and go swim. You know you'll feel better afterwards." (My husband's politically correct way of saying 'Please go swim – if you don't you're going to be an old grouch all day')
Lana: "You're right, I'm going."
…15 minutes later, sitting on the side of the pool
Lana: "Yeah, whatever. Are you gonna be nice to me like you were Monday or what?"
Water: "I'm the same every day. It's you that has the problem. Don't be blaming it on me."
Lana: "Touche! Simmer down now. I'm here, ya know. Not in bed where I want to be. I'd just like to go away feeling somewhere between okay and good. Not discouraged."
Water: "Well, sitting there staring at me isn't doing you any good."
I get in and start swimming. I don't feel that great, and near then end of my 500 yd warmup Michele reminds me that my head is down too much. I fix it, and it feels much easier. Then I do 500 yds with fins, slowly, focusing on gliding and breathing every third stroke. Then 5 x 200s freestyle.
The first one – 3:50.
Lana: "Hmmm, that's not bad. I probably can't do it again, but not bad."
Second one – 3:50.
"I'll take it."
Third one – 3:50 again.
Fourth one – 3:50.
Fifth one – 3:45.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout," getting out of the pool with no outward expression but jumping up and down on the inside.
Water: "Yeah, well, come and see me more often and maybe we can get a long a little better, huh?"
Lana: "Alright, maybe…but don't even think we're friends. Just because I had two pretty good days in a row doesn't mean I feel any friend-like affection to you, dude. You are necessary to get me to the bike; therefore, I have to put up with you. Now…you start getting me to my bike in a position where I'm not chasing the rest of the pack the entire race, and we'll talk about friendship."
Water: "Like I said, come back and see me more often. Relationships take work, ya know."
I won't even go into why I was swimming this morning instead of swim class last night. I'm sure Michele will explain, so check her blog to find out. I'm supposed to do a 40 minute run today w/ a 30 minute time trial. Now I'm not so sure I have my heart monitor with me.
Briar got a 2 RBI single last night! He plays (scrimmages) again tonight. No T-Ball practice for Bo until Friday.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
H is on the road
I got my bike ride in today, for the first time ever, with my sister. She did great! We rode, during my lunch break, down Hwy 130 on most of the Staggerwing Duathlon course. I plan to do the Staggerwing Du this year, and I'm sure she will too.
Now, if I can just convince her to get in the pool...ofcourse the way I've been whining about it myself, that won't be easy. Tonight is swim class again. I think we're supposed to do some kind of time trial or something to get our "T-30" pace???? I don't know what "T-30" pace is.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Keeping my head above water...
Barely. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted here. The last couple of weeks I've barely had enough time to get the essentials done, and I just couldn't justify blogging with so much else to do. Let me explain.
First of all(drum roll, please), sing it with me, now:
Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!
We're born again, there's new grass on the field.
A-roundin' third, and headed for home, it's a brown-eyed handsome man;
Anyone can understand the way I feel.
Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be Centerfield.
I love it. So much so that I signed up to be the manager of Bo's T-Ball team because he looked up at me with those big blue eyes and said "Momma, I want YOU to coach my T-Ball team." So, being the manager of a T-Ball team, the biggest fan of Briar's Little League team, and being somewhat OCD about practicing and winning – things just got very busy at my house.
And, as Murphy's Law would have it, I got completely covered up at work about the same time. Making time for my husband, kids, my teams, and my job required me to scale back my workouts a little, and to obviously rule out a Half Ironman during this time. But that's okay.
Right now, I'm following an Olympic Distance plan by Mike Ricci that I got from BeginnerTriathlete.com. I have set the conclusion of the plan to the date of the
Speaking of "keeping my head above water", my swim is a whole 'nuther topic for discussion. I have been awfully discouraged with it. I had followed the 8 week swim focused plan back in January and February, and started going to a triathlete swim class as well. This was exciting, but the fact that I was struggling to keep up in the class was discouraging. I was doing mostly drills (the "catch up" or "touch & pull" drill) to correct my bad swimming technique, and I felt like I was losing all my endurance. I could barely do 200 yards without having to stop and catch my breath. About 3 weeks ago, though, Coach Ashley, found that I needed to correct my head position(it was way down under water), keep my head still(I was turning it with every stroke, barreling through the water), keep my arm extended while I glide (I tend to drop them), and try breathing every third stroke(unheard of for me). I have been working on those things by swimming with fins only. I must confess, though, I haven't exactly been gung-ho about it all. Trying to swim the way she has shown me had made me feel like I'm starting all over in the pool; like I felt the first time I got in the pool after deciding I was interested in triathlon. I've been having an ever so subtle pity party about it, too:
~sigh~ I can't swim. I'm never going to be good in the water….
~sigh~ I don't know if I can do any triathlons this summer since I can't swim…
~sigh~ I don't want to go to the pool today. It's just going to discourage me.
Pretty pathetic, I know. Not exactly the kind of attitude that "Competitive Lana" likes to see. So this morning I was supposed to do a 1000 yd time trial after a 500 yd warmup, according to the plan, which actually had to be modified because I couldn't get into the pool until (I waited for 20 minutes at that time of morning!). I did the warm up with fins, but never really felt comfortable breathing every third stroke. I decided to do the time trial, breathing every other stoke instead, because I was really concerned about just being able to complete 1000 yards without stopping.
I started my watch and took off, focusing on my head position, arms, and my glide. 10 laps, and I felt fine. Cool, just 10 more. The next 10 I almost felt like I was getting into some kind of foreign-feeling groove, and finished with no problem, in . I was very, very pleased with this time. No, it's not "TriSaraTops fast". And no, it's not going to keep up with Michele, but it's improvement. I looked back at my log and found that the last time I did this, which was in early January, my time was . And I really think I might could have done that just a little faster, too, if I had been more confident from the beginning. So – cheers for improvement and some confidence regained...and ofcourse, to doing away with the pity party – it will eat you alive, man.


text:
Frankie Valli's Secret Recipe for Meatballs
A "whole-lotta" fresh breadcrumbs (about 1½ cups)About 1 cup milk (warm) 1 lb. ground beef½ lb. ground pork or veal½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley2 teaspoons kosher salt½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 teaspoons dried oreganoAbout 2 cloves of minced garlic1 extra-large egg, beaten
Step (1) Remove all jewelry, especially rings - wash hands
Step (2) Soak breadcrumbs in warm milk for a few minutes
Step (3) Add the remaining ingredients and combine with jewelry-free, clean hands
Step (4) Roll mixture into sizeable balls (about 2 inches in diameter)
Step (5) Brown meatballs well in frying pan with olive oil - finish cooking in a simmering pan of Italian gravy (i.e. tomato sauce)
Step (6) Serve meatballs (garnish with parsley, freshly grated parmesan) over pasta with a piece of crusty bread on the side
KTIV Television
2929 Signal Hill Drive Sioux City, IA 51108
Switchboard: 712-239-4100 or 800-234-KTIV(5848)
News: (712) 226-5480
Fax: (712) 239-3025
News Tips: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
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 SILive.com user to add photos or videos of Erich's Welding Service
Erichs Welding Service can be found at 4 Louise St . The following is offered: Machinery & Tools. The entry is present with us since Sep 8, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Garfield there are 14 other Machinery & Tools. An overview can be found here.


text:
The iPhone
Version 1.0: Jun. 29, 2007 Version 2.0: Jun. 9, 2008
Introducing the world's most high-tech cell - the Apple iPhone.
iPhone combines three products - a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching - into one small and lightweight handheld device. With its cutting-edge internet capabilities and widescreen iPod options, get yours now before they're sold out.
Where to buy an iPhone? You can get it at a store as well as online -
» Apple Store
» Amazon
» eBay
You may also take advantage of these offers -
» Get paid to browse new Apple iPhones on the Web
» Enter to win a free iPod, we are giving away one a day
» iPhone Coupons at CouponWeek.com for latest coupons and cell phone deals.


text:
Cindy was my partner I had to make something for and I used 2 or 3 charm packs from the Zaza line from Moda to make all these. I didn't make a pic of the back of the tablerunner, but there are the charms straight. I just love this line very much. I still have a jellyroll from this line and will be surely making a nice quilt out of it. Just need to think what it will be. Any ideas are welcome?
Yesterday I finished stitching my Lizzie Kate exchange, hope to do the finishing today or later this week.
Also I finished stitching a little birthdaygift, just have to make it into a fob and send it.
Now I am of to stitch a new christmas ornament from Carol as the first one is lost in the mail. Now just to decide what to stitch, don't want to stitch the same one a second time.


text:
(216) 481-1400
McPhillips Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning
111 years in business16115 Waterloo Rd
Cleveland, OH 44110-1665
Fax Numbers
- (216) 481-5481
Additional Phone Numbers
- (216) 481-1404
Additional Email Addresses
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Find a Location
BBB File Opened: 01/01/1951
Business Started: 01/01/1907
Business Incorporated: 02/16/1954 in OH
Type of EntityCorporation
Business Management
- Mr. Sean McPhillips, President
- Ms. Erika Pankevich, Vice President/Treasurer
Business Category
- Plumber
- Air Conditioning Contractor
- Heating Contractors
Service AreaWe service the following area(s): ASHTABULA County, OH, CUYAHOGA County, OH, GEAUGA County, OH, LAKE County, OH, LORAIN County, OH, MEDINA County, OH, SUMMIT County, OH
Industry Tips
Licensing, Bonding or RegistrationThis business is in an industry that may require professional licensing, bonding or registration. BBB encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met.
BBB records show a license number of HV - PL.21227 for this business, issued by Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
6606 Tussing Rd., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
Phone Number: (614) 6442223
Fax Number: (614) 6442618
BBB Reason for Ratings
Licensing information is provided in the BBB Business Profiles to inform the public about industries that may require professional licensing, bonding, or registration. Better Business Bureau encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met.
Advertising Review
BBB promotes truth in advertising by contacting advertisers whose claims conflict with the BBB Code of Advertising. These claims come to our attention from our internal review of advertising, consumer complaints and competitor challenges. BBB asks advertisers to substantiate their claims, change ads to make offers more clear to consumers, and remove misleading or deceptive statements.
Government Actions
BBB reports on known significant government actions involving the business's marketplace conduct.
Out of Business
BBB reports on a company that is out of business for one year from the date the company closes its doors or ceases to do business.
Misuse of Better Business Bureau Name/Logo
BBB reports on unauthorized use of the Better Business Bureau's name and/or logo for as long as the business continues to use it in any advertising, or for one year after the business ceases any repeated unauthorized uses.
BBB reports on a business's bankruptcy as long as the business remains in bankruptcy.
Mail Returned
BBB reports when mail sent to the business was returned by the Postal Service.


text: Greetings Brothers & Sisters, i was looking for some information while writing a paper, and came accross your site, gladly. So, i signed up cause i feel what you are doing is meaningful, and worthwhile to our people. As i know it, Africa and Alkebulan are both of Greek origin. The oldest indigenous name supposedly is Kemet. May i also recommend a good work that will help in this regard, by Chancellor Williams, "Destruction of Black Civilization", i could have used it now but i left it in Zimbabwe. Keep up the good work. Peace.


text:
Obama: Online news doesn't come for free
Want to pay to read your news online?
It's a solid bet that most of you don't – so accustomed are we to clicking freely from the site of one newspaper to the next. But over the past few months, the heads of many prominent outlets, including the New York Times, have signaled that they are interested in stowing away swaths of their content behind a series of pay-walls.
And now the pay-wallers have their own champion-in-chief.
In an interview with the editors of the
Journalistic integrity, you know, fact-based reporting, serious investigative reporting, how to retain those ethics in all these different new media and how to make sure that it's paid for, is really a challenge. But it's something that I think is absolutely critical to the health of our democracy. What I hope is that people start understanding if you're getting your newspaper over the Internet, that's not free and there's got to be a way to find a business model that supports that.
Obama also weighed in on the tone of digital journalism:
I am concerned that if the direction of the news is all blogosphere, all opinions, with no serious fact-checking, no serious attempts to put stories in context, that what you will end up getting is people shouting at each other across the void but not a lot of mutual understanding.
According to Dave Murray, special assignments editor at the Blade, Obama was equivocal on the subject of the
In a July survey, the New York Times asked subscribers whether they would be willing to pay a fee of $2.50 a for access to NYTimes.com. The survey stated that "The New York Times website, nytimes.com, is considering charging a monthly fee of $5.00 to access its content, including all its articles, blogs and multimedia."
Under that plan, current subscribers to the Times would pay a reduced rate of $2.50 a month for access.
The Kepler mission: A 60-second primer
Among the most frequently searched terms this morning was Kepler, a reference to the NASA telescope sent hurtling into space in March. But what exactly is the Kepler mission? Find out here.
Follow us on Twitter. We're @csmhorizonsblog


text:
Easter is soon to come and in our strategy hit Forge of Empires you can already see golden eggs hovering over your decorations. They were not placed randomly by the Easter bunny, but they are part of our new Easter event in Forge of Empires. Game Designer Peer shows you the event in our brand new walkthrough video:
The event will run until April 23rd, and you can trade Easter Eggs in the new Easter Egg Trade-In until April 27th. We wish you a lot of fun with the event and plenty of Eggs!


text:
Well, only a week and 2 days until we are on Thanksgiving break! Conferences this wek went really well, I was very excited to see some of your parents that I haven't met yet. it was also nice to see those that I have seen several times now.
You have all been working very hard and we need to keep that up, we only have a few more weeks before winter break and we have alot to do!! The technology is coming and we are moving into some very important units!
The dancce on Friday went well until the end. There were a bunch of people pushing one another with no where to go. People wound up being pushed to the ground and getting trampled. They did not stop even when I was shouting to stop while I tried to pick up the kids that were being squished. We need to start realizing what is going on around us or there are not going to be any more days like this. If people cannot control themselves we will not be allowed to have that many people in gym.
Let's have a great week, we should be getting our promethean board and clickers soon!!! Have a great weekend!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Know the important key drivers, key players and industry forecast to 2022
- Advertising -
The research report, Streaming Analytics Market provides important information and statistics about the global Streaming Analytics market. The growth drivers, limitations, and future prospects of this market have been discussed in the report, along with the prevalent trends this market is offering.
The top segmentations such as technology, applications, types, models are explained and important business aspects have been highlighted in this report. These segments are presented on their current market scenario and predicted state by the end of the forecast horizon.
- Advertising -
The impact analysis helps in gathering information on the future development of the market.
Report: goo.gl/2281p3
The report firstly introduced the Streaming Analytics basics: definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview; industry policies and plans; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate.
In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.
Report: goo.gl/vXEb6Z
On the basis of product pricing, production volume, data regarding demand and supply, and the revenue garnered by the product the global Streaming Analytics market is also analyzed thoroughly. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis have been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Streaming Analytics across the globe.
The key participants of the Streaming Analytics market have been profiled in this report in order to determine the existing hierarchy in the market and to understand the key strategies to help market players, consultants, and stakeholders to expand their businesses.
Table of Contents
1 Streaming Analytics Overview
2 Global Streaming Analytics Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application
3 Global Streaming Analytics Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data
4 Streaming Analytics Manufacturing Cost Analysis
5 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers
6 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders
7 Market Effect Factors Analysis
8 Global Streaming Analytics Market Forecast (2017-2022)
9 Research Findings and Conclusion
News From
Category: Market Research Publishers and RetailersCompany about: Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on ...
For more information:


text:
Baston vs. Baseball Bat
Check out the following video, featuring Master Shaun Porter of Lightning Scientific Arnis. Master Porter prefaces
his demo by stating how baseball bats have become the weapon of choice for street thugs in the UK.
His counters to the bat are:
1) Jam with live hand and thrust to body
2) Jam/block with stick
3) Hit the bat and merge with the swing while stepping back, then move in.
4) Hit the hand while stepping back and evading the weapon.
Note also the disarms at 3:25.
Master Porter makes a couple of points that remind me of GM Estalila's teachings. Hitting the hand is not the easy solution you think it is. In medium range momentum will carry the bat into your hand, or body, head. At long range if you hit the hand and the opponent loses his grip, you are facing a potential projectile in the form of a baseball bat.
I'm interested in your feedback on these techniques.
8 Responses to "Baston vs. Baseball Bat"
All valid lessons but not restricted to Escrima. Jamming on either the start or end of a swing is also used in unarmed defense. Also, no technique is done in any art without awareness of range and body movement.
It is good to practice defense against bats because they are so common.
I agree with James, jamming is the way to go to get inside the deadly arc of the bat. Having said that, most of those techniques would likely get you killed against someone who knew what he was doing with a bat. The "bad guy" in the video telegraphed his strikes by winding up for example. Using a bat/ big stick gives you a definite advantage if you fight "loaded" and ready to explode non-telegraphically. Also, it never ceases to amaze me how much people will over estimate the damage they'll inflict with a rattan chop-stick. I have seen others, and have myself taken, full speed, full power hits with rattan and keep coming forward. Look at the Dog Brothers if you doubt this. If you can jam a bat and get inside, then you had better clinch, knee, elbow, head-butt and grapple if that's your bag. If you train to use a bat then you should be well adept at in-fighting with the weapon in order to have game for close range encounters. We almost always train with disproportionate weapons (e.g. knife vs. bat, etc.) to test these very scenarios. Sometimes the knife wins, if able to get inside, but that is very difficult against someone who knows the game reasonably well. I'll take a baseball bat over a rattan toothpick any day of the week and I have plenty of legit stuff in my tool box to deal with a guy who wants to come inside. I spar/ stress test this often and I know what I can and cannot do with respect to in fighting. My advice would be for everyone to test their game in this manner. Find a largo mano specialist and acid test your game. Find a good knife guy and see if you can keep him off of you-the guy who gave me the most trouble was an ex-con who never studied any FMA whatsoever but would probably carve most of us up like Thanksgiving turkeys if he had to. Test It Out! Its the only way to be sure. No disrespect to the guru in the video, but that isn't going to get it done in the real world.
Tommy, to many in the FMA the rattan stick is sacred. To me it is just a training tool. After my new dowel sticks broke in a seminar I bought a set of rattan sticks from the instructor and I am still using the same set of sticks some 10+ years later. Rattan frays rather than breaks and is therefore safer for training. When my dowel stick (which was thicker than the avg rattan) broke it could have hurt someone with the long sharp point.
In Canada there are lots of bats, dowel sticks, broom handles, metal pipe, etc. and never any rattan unless it is imported. For sticks our native woods are maples, oaks, ash.
The problem with dowel is that it is made from a much large piece of wood so one tree can make several dowels. The best way to make your own stick is to find a tree the same dia as you want the stick to be and cure it properly. If you must cut t down to size you want to follow the growth rings and not ignore them like they do in mass produced dowel making.
Thank you for posting that. Definitely going to follow up this gentleman. I am, however, concerned that a street-fighter thug might follow up such closing-in movements with a head-butt. Perhaps speed and practice are key?
Need to watch the video, but my first thought is I've not heard of baseball bats being the UK weapon of choice (I don't read all the news so that's no concrete fact on my side). Also, I've never in 30 years living in the UK seen Simons walking around with an Escrima stick (maybe a cane / walking stick).
Good techs maybe but are the "tools" practical and realistic?
Interesting, I stand corrected on that bit ;0)


text:
After slaving a whole year over this:
I got my results within a very short period of time and found out that I could have actually still graduated this year. BUT by then my mom could not make it because she still had problems with her passport that would not have been sorted by that time. I also was gettign extremely busy at work and did not want to rush the changes that needed to be made. I'm handing in the final-final version today and then will graduate in June next year.
Also our fashion show came wand went - go to "we-are-awesome.com" to have a look at some of the pictures and some backstage shots. Otherwise try facebook.com/designacademy. The third years outdid any other year thus far. Graduation was also a great time to send them on their way and to say good-bye.
I then also had the privilege to attend a Wings and Wheels (airshow and car exhibit) across from my flat at Ysterplaat airfield. I must honestly say that last year was awesome watching from my window, but seeing the planes up close and in action from right there was more exhilarating than I thought. The cars were awesome too. I found the NSRI and fire demos the best and got in a few great shots
And then there were these beauties :)


text:
Ricky Tims
Alex Anderson
Libby Lehman
Libby Lehman, Ricky Tims, Alex Anderson
Ricky's Kaleidoscope technique sample (on screen)
Ricky Tims concert Friday evening--included music and storytelling
Exhibit of presenters' quilts as well as some made by others that are in Ricky's personal collection
Ricky Tims quilt made using Caveman technique
Libby Lehman "Windfall" quilt
"Windfall" detail
Ricky Tims' new quilt "Heartlines" (I think--didn't write down name of quilt when he mentioned it and couldn't get close enough to label in the show to see it)
"Heartlines" detail
Detail of another Ricky Tims quilt--I took this one because I liked the way the metallic thread (I think it's Razzle Dazzle) was used along edge of applique. Didn't take picture of whole quilt.
Ricky Tims--one of the Rhapsody quilts (quilt is bed-sized--hard to tell size from this picture)
My purchases. Ricky Tims hand-dyed fabrics: 1 yard of multi-colored on far left, half yards of all the others. Another multicolored in brights is on the far right--sorry it got cut off in this picture. Three variegated Superior threads, one water-soluble thread, Ricky Tims Stable Stuff stabilizer, Libby Lehman "A Day of Thread Play" DVD. (The Fat Quarter Shop label you may notice way at the top is the rest of the backing fabric I'd ordered to finish my baby quilt--so that gives you a peek at the backing!)


text:
Secrets to a Successful Job Interview: Why Me? & Interview Prep
Why Me?
After a job interview, I nearly always walk out of the building thinking, "Gee, I should teach a course on the secrets of a successful job interview." When I told my husband about my idea, he challenged my qualifications. I couldn't think of a better answer than, "Well, I almost always get a job offer after I've had the chance to interview." I need to admit though: I'm attempting to be modest and offer myself a bit of leeway when it comes to "almost always." I really can't think of a time when I haven't had a job offer after a round or two of job interviews. If I'm fortunate enough to get an offer to interview, I'm pretty much guaranteed a job offer eventually.
My interviewing experience has ranged from white collar jobs to service industry jobs. In the past 14 years, I've interviewed for a variety of job positions:
- Library clerk
- Waitress
- Call center specialist
- Mail sorter
- Salesperson
- Public relations intern (for a high-profile senator)
- Editor
- Editorial assistant
And that's just the tip of the glacial island.
Five years ago, I had the opportunity to interview for three different full-time positions and all three gave me offers. This time around, I interviewed for two different part-time positions and may very well get my pick of the one which meets my availability. It's a nice feeling to have several offers on the table and to decline rather than be declined.
Although I've never worked behind a Human Resources desk, I can walk into nearly any office and be the person they're looking for despite what my recent work experience says. I want to share my job interviewing tips—namely, what's worked for me—because the job interview stage, especially on a corporate level, is one of the most difficult and nerve-racking stages to endure. (I've been nervous on and off for a solid 8 days as I went through two rounds of interviews with two different organizations. Just because I'm good doesn't mean I'm always confident. But after the interview's over, I know I've nailed it. And you will too.) If God has gifted me with the ability to interview well as a potential employee, then there's no reason why I should withhold what I've learned and what's worked for me (since it's worked so well).
I'll provide general tips that you can find most anywhere but I'll also give you a bit more detail than many overview sites. Again, these are the strategies that have worked for me, and if implemented correctly, could work for you as well. Be forewarned, however, they're not all easy and you are required to do some work. But doing the right legwork pays off in the long run. (Job offer, anyone?)
Pre-Interview (Interview Prep)
So you've gotten past the dreaded cover letter and resume stage and landed yourself a job interview. Congratulations! What do you need to do before the big day?
1. Reread the job description.
What is the prospective employer looking for? Maybe you meet most of the qualifications but not all of them. Focus on the descriptions you don't meet. How can you put a positive spin on it so that you still seem like a worthwhile employee?
For example, you notice that the job description mentions proficiency with Microsoft Office including Microsoft Access but you've never touched Access before.
- Your first step would to be to investigate what MS Access is if you've never heard of it. What characteristics about it would be familiar to you?
- Then write down what your response would be if you were interviewing:
"While I've never used Microsoft Access, I am proficient with Microsoft Excel and other data programs, which I understand interact with Microsoft Access. I am adaptable and a quick learner when it comes to new things. At my last job, I had to become proficient with an in-house computer program in a very short amount of time so I know it won't take me any time at all to become familiar with Microsoft Access."
Do that for every qualification you are deficient in so that you are prepared to lobby your strengths against it.
2. Research the company.
Know a little about the company you're applying to work for. Go to the company website and read the History, About Us, and/or FAQ sections. What are its strengths and weaknesses? What's a fun fact about the company your interviewer may or may not know? Commit those things to memory and don't rely on Wikipedia for your facts unless it cites a reputable source. You don't need to know everything about the company but knowing a little could be key to bringing a job offer your way. It tells the interviewer that you've done your homework and you're invested in the company's goals and values.
3. Prepare your answers.
A question guaranteed to make a verbal appearance at every interview (unless you already work at the company): Why do you want to work for us?
There are a variety of answers to this depending on why you're applying. If you're interviewing for your dream job and/or you're passionate about the company and the position, say so. However, considering the United States is in the midst of an economic downturn, there are a lot of people who are applying for jobs they normally wouldn't go for (ie, the sales account manager laid off from a big investment firm finds herself interviewing to cashier at a local big discount department store) and that's what I want to address.
If you find yourself interviewing for a position which you normally wouldn't have applied for (we'll call it the "less desired" position), you need to remember three things:
- It's a job—a means to survive.
- It pays money.
- It doesn't have to be forever.
With those three things in mind, you must steel your mind and act like the less desired position the best job out there for you. (And if you really need a job, it is.) You must appear enthusiastic and adapt your qualifications to meet the company's needs.
So when asked why you want to work for the company, your honest answer is: "I desperately need a job and there's nothing else out there right now."
Don't ever say that. Please.
You need to spin your answer so that it presents you in the best light as a desirable potential employee. A better answer would be:
"Well, as you can see from my resume, I've been doing a lot of office work but I'd really like to work with customers and serve as a positive face for a company. Being in a job that is fast-paced and busy allows me the opportunity to shine in juggling several things at once," or "As a person who has a knack for performing well under pressure, I think this position would use the best of my skill sets and that I'd be a valuable asset to a company that is committed to success."
Determine your answer before you leave your home for the interview. Practice it and get it down so that it rolls off your tongue.
4. "Tell me about yourself."
When interviewers ask this, they are not looking to hear that you have a wife, three beautiful kids ("want to see a photo of my 6-month-old?"), and enjoy fishing, sailing, and spelunking. What these interviewers are looking for is a brief summary of your work history as it relates to the job you're interviewing for, why you would be a good employee, and why you're a good fit for the company. The candidate who answers this question with tailored work-related responses rather than generalities about family and hobbies has a significant edge.
5. Discover the questions interviewers are likely to ask then develop your responses before the interview.
You can do a search for "common interview questions" in any search engine and find a list of the most frequently asked questions. Print out the list and write out your answers if you need to. The goal is not to have prepared speeches for your interviewer but to familiarize yourself with your answers instead of sitting before the interviewer looking unprepared and uttering, "Uh…" leaving an awkwardly long silence in its wake. Familiarizing yourself with your answers and cutting down on thoughtful pauses will show that you are a person who prepares for important tasks.
6. Have a list of questions for the interviewer.
Too often, interviewees forget that the interview goes both ways. The hiring manager is attempting to discover whether you meet the company's needs but also, you are attempting to discover whether the company meets your needs as well. You can't possibly know everything there is to know about the company and the position, can you? Write your questions down and don't be afraid to ask. In fact, asking questions is better than having none: it shows you genuinely want to learn more about the company and what your job entails.
Next post: The Big Day
August 12, 2010 at 2:20 PM
Wow, this is really good, no wonder you get the "offers". I can't wait to read the next part. You need to get this to lots and lots of people. Who can we contact to get this info out!
August 19, 2010 at 12:58 AM
After reading this article i come to know the hard work you have kept in attending different interviews and getting jobs. Hope people read your article and work hard like you. thanks for sharing!
April 10, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Thank you for your ideas and advice, there are so many wishy washy pieces of information on the net. Thankfully yours is straight forward and to the point.
May 11, 2012 at 11:41 AM
You are so kind and passionate to share your life time experience and effort for free. God bless you. Ahmed
July 26, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and ideas. If it's okay with you can you contact me.
July 26, 2012 at 9:52 PM
Cinta :
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and ideas. If it's okay with you can you contact me.
January 5, 2015 at 10:06 PM
Hi, you post interesting content on your blog, you
can get much more visits, just type in google for – augo's
tube traffic
August 12, 2010 at 2:19 AM
August 12, 2010 at 2:19 AM
August 12, 2010 at 7:00 PM


text:
Field Report: Plaster Backdrop
A technique right out of a model railroad guide. Matt, over on The Imperial Fists, shares some thoughts on using plaster to create a display board for your army.
Got a great link you'd like to see put up? Send it to us at email@example.com. Just be sure it has something a bit more useful than a pretty picture! It's all about learning folks!
3 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
- Follow the rule "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down"
Using this method, we've reduced the number of times per day that we flush the toilet. Both of the toilets in our house are 1.6 gpf (gallons per flush), so we save approximately 6.4 gallons of water per day just by letting the yellow mellow.
- Save captured water from the dehumidifier.
I've done some research into safe use for water captured in this way, and there aren't a lot. Most sources I found say that water from this source in not potable and should not be used to water plants grown for food (I've read conflicting information on that last part, but we decided against taking the risk). One website suggested using captured water in the iron, but we had been capturing a full bucket every day or so (1.5 gallon capacity) and only refill the water in the iron about once a week. When we first got the dehumidifier we were dumping out the water because we didn't know what else to do with it. I finally came upon a solution. I turned off the water to the toilet in the bathroom that I use more and use the captured water to flush the toilet. This is easier than it sounds. When the water is turned off, the tank does not refill after flushing. Rather than keeping a bucket in the bathroom that the pets could get into, I've started pouring the captured water into the tank so that the toilet will flush normally. This move cuts in half our already-reduced waste water usage.
- Rain barrel to water plants.
We have not purchased our rain barrel yet, but this will be our next big purchase after we get paid. A rain barrel costs between $80-100, has a screen over the top to limit the debris in the barrel and a threaded spigot at the bottom for attaching a hose. This summer we hope to completely eliminate using water from the tap to water our plants.
- Shower water reclamation.
When Kat first told me about this idea I was skeptical but the idea has grown on me. Again, this is an idea which we've talked about but haven't yet begun. The idea is to put a bucket or other receptacle behind yourself in the shower. The bucket will catch water that would normally just run down the drain. Like the dehumidifier water, this is unsafe to drink or water plants, but it can be used to flush toilets as well.
- Toilet tank volume reduction.
Putting brick in the toilet tank reduces the volume of water used per flush. This effectively turns a normal toilet into a low-flow. I don't know the exact change in volume, but this is a way to reduce water consumption that is completely effortless.
With these changes, we hope to see a dramatic reduction in water usage in our household with a minimum of extra effort. These changes are all rather easy and only require a slight bit more work than doing nothing.
EDIT (by Kat)
After I read this post, I remembered something that we did when we were visiting my grandparents in Germany three years ago. The reason why I didn't remember it until now is...I hated doing it and swore that it was something I'd never do voluntarily. When visiting in Germany, my aunt informed me that they turned the water off in the middle of the shower: wet the body, turn water off, soap the body, turn water on--rinse, and finish. At the time, I rebelled against this simple rule as much as I could (after all, how could they tell me what to do)! Standing cold and soapy in the shower wasn't my idea of fun. However, especially with a rather warm spring upon us, I don't think that this will be too unpleasant to try. In fact, when I tried doing this today, I probably used a third of the water that I usually use during a shower!
Of course, reducing water consumption in these several ways has got me thinking about what else we could reduce use of or do without completely. We already don't use disposable facial tissues (and haven't for years), but could we do without paper towels? Napkins? All kinds of plastic bags?


text:
Shooting in Canyonlands Part 3
Here's a quick tip for you…turn around.
Several years ago I was shooting a landscape image with a nice sunset. I was fully fixated on the sunset because, as I've mentioned before, the light changes very fast at that time of day and you need to keep shooting until it's over because you can't predict what's going to happen moment-by-moment.
However, at some point I dropped something and when I turned around to pick it up I noticed that the scene behind me was much more impressive than the scene I had been shooting.
Ever since that day, I remember to tell myself, "turn around".
When I was shooting the Green River Overlook (see "Shooting in Canyonlands Part 2") I had my tripod set up and my lens and camera very carefully adjusted for the scene I was shooting. However, I did remember to look around and, although it was not behind me, I did notice that I could shoot this beautiful version of the overlook picture if I moved my tripod and turned my camera.
So I did, and I'm happy that I did, even though it was a pain to get the original shot set back up after I took this one. Although I don't personally think this image is quite as spectacular as the other one, I do think it has a beauty of it's own.
So once again, remember to turn around.
Click here to order a print of this image in my on-line store.


text: Musharraf Says Edict Protects Elections General reiterates refusal to lift emergency, jibes back at Bhutto By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff Posted Nov 13, 2007 1:51 PM CST 0 comments Comments Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf addresses the international media in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. Musharraf said that parliamentary elections should be held on schedule, but that... (Associated Press) View 3 more images (Newser) – Pervez Musharraf defended his 10-day-old emergency rule today, rejecting the US demand to lift it quickly and saying the edict is meant to protect elections. In a Times interview, Pakistan's president said, "I don't know, I don't know" when asked the duration of the suspension of the constitution and the Supreme Court, and the jailing of 2,500 opponents. Musharraf said Benazir Bhutto was "producing negative vibes" and is under house arrest to prevent incidents she could blame on the government. He said Western media overstates the importance of human rights advocates and, by extension, the level of Bhutto's support. Meanwhile, the State Department said veteran diplomat John Negroponte, a deputy secretary of state, will visit Islamabad this week to push for a resolution to the situation. View 3 more images


text:
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Review: The Blade Itself
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Epic in scope, with a massive cast and a set of actions taking in multiple corners of a fascinating and immensely complicated political world, this volume introduces Abercrombie's gritty and bloodstained 'realist' take on the fantasy genre, as well as characters who will come to dominate five further novels set in this fascinating world: Logan Ninefingers, known as 'The Bloody Nine'; Bayaz, First of the Magi; Black Dow; Bethod and his sons; The Dogman... they all make their entrances, and set themselves for and against each other to varying degrees.
And in essence, this is what is wrong with the novel: it isn't really a novel proper, merely the opening act of a longer work. Nothing resolved, nothing is completed, nothing ties together at all, and it finishes with the kind of overt 'To be Continued' endings I have grown to loathe over many years of reading fantasy novels.
I'm a big fan of Abercrombie, having read his 3 standalone books before starting this trilogy. I love his characters, his style, and the wry, cynical, bloody reality he portrays. This is the first book in a long tale, and not the best one. It's all foreplay and no action, and my frustration was the equal to my pleasure.
View all my reviews
Posted by Lee Battersby at 11:39 am
Labels: reviews
2 comments:
- Cursed Armada said...
I know a lot of Abercrombie fans would slit my throat for uttering such blasphemy, but I really think his first trilogy is way overrated. I'm yet to give any of his standalones a try though, so maybe he gets better. Almost done with Marching Dead btw! Really digging it thus far.
- 12:17 pm
- Lee Battersby said...
Glad to hear you're enjoying 'Marching Dead', Cursed Armada! As to Abercrombie, well, I read the last 3 books in reverse order, now I'm starting at the beginning and working my way back to the middle. It might *not* be the recommended way to read a series... :)
- 7:20 am
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Apple – Web apps
Apple launched a page similar to apple.com/downloads that lists all the "applications" available via online for the iPhone. These are mostly pages that have been reworked and optimized for the phone. The still rely on the internet and so still slow down with bad connectons. Nevertheless, having these all in one place is nice.
Trackbacks explained (finally)
Engel's blog addresses trackbacks in a simple, easy to understand way.
He starts out by telling us that "For a long time I had no idea what trackbacks were or how to use them. "
I felt the pretty much the same. Actually, I knew what the concept was, but had never got around to actually using them. Well, I start now!
(Via PostSecret.)<
Better Life Forum – 20 Procrastination Hacks
The better life forum has what seems like a great list of ways to stop procrastinating. I say it looks great, because I haven't actually gotten around to reading it yet.
One of my favorites from the title:
"Put public pressure on yourself. The power of the deadline is best when combined with public pressure. If your boss, or a group of people, want something in by a certain date or time, you are more likely to bust your butt getting it done. If there isn't any public pressure on a task, create it — email someone and promise to have it done by a certain time, and ask him or her to check on it at that time just to make sure you do it."
Anything To Avoid Posting
So, I finally decided to start posting again today, and ended up spending the last 6 hours tinkering with themes. I still can't find one I really like. I should really blog about why, but I've run out of time! I'm seriously considering dumping everything to a private blog so I don't have to worry about what I say and then selectively exporting posts to a public one (or two, or three). Most likely, though, I'll just lose interest again!
The New Look of the Web
I've been really getting into the "web 2.0" style lately. I never really got it until I started this blog and doing more random surfing. The new look, when done right, actually has a more current, or cutting edge feel to it.
A good example of this is the interland.com website from a year ago.
With a rebranding and a face lift, the site now has that distinctive web 2.0 look.
Which one do you find more appealing?


text:
Altrusans Diane Winger, Lorie Bollig, and Joyce Loss (center row) join teacher Robyn Unger (back row, far right) and her 4th grade class and people from Community Options by the new raised bed garden being built at a group home.
Thanks to funding from Altrusa, and lots of hard work by Northside Elementary students, Community Options staff and clients, a new raised bed garden has been created at a group home for developmentally disabled Montrose residents.
Robyn Unger's 4th grade class used their math skills to help design and build the garden's wooden structure. In addition to the raised bed, the students and adults associated with Community Options cleared old roots and debris for additional landscaping at the group home. Within the next several weeks, the gardens will really take shape as flowers are planted.