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For Molly Best Tinsley, in response to reading her memoir, Entering the Blue Stone:
I read your fine, intimate recollection with feelings of recognition and empathy. My mother's final week of life and her death in April 2010, were in some ways quite similar to your mother's transition.
My sister and I were ill prepared for the sadness and drama of Mom's departure at age 93, nor for the difficulty of encouraging her to let go, although it was time. Hospice workers told us she would leave soon, and we believed them. She hadn't spoken in days, nor opened her eyes. And so we watched her waxen face, hoping she'd hear us and know we meant to be of comfort. If we could ease her passing it might answer our own near desperate need to DO SOMETHING—before it was too late. We hovered by her bed, loving, determined to surmount our inadequacy. She had never voiced thoughts about her own death, which informed us that the subject was not to be broached. But we thought she seemed anxious, although she'd had end-of-life doses of morphine and was assuredly not in pain.
We come from a family of talkers and sensed that Mom, always garrulous herself, would not have wanted us to just sit there as silent observers. Instead of risking emotional talk, we reminded her we were there by singing her old favorite songs—in shaky harmony no less. Like standup performers who've run out of joke material, we chatted, groped for subject matter, recalling family adventures and funny incidents. We talked to her of times past and of the future, of grandchildren who were with us in spirit and would miss her sorely. Of her great granddaughter, born the day Mom turned 90. Her only response was feeble—the semblance of a frown. She was not sleeping. This was not restful repose.
Then something clicked as I observed Mom's subtle reaction to bird song playing softly on a nature CD she had always loved. Next to family, her greatest joy was The Great Outdoors. I suddenly knew how to reach her: I would construct and urge her to follow me on a guided visualization. I squeezed Mom's hand and told her to hear my words and to come with me to a peaceful place where surprises awaited her. This brought the first response from her in days! Had she just been totally bored and put off by the whole hovering-dying scenario? Perhaps she was just waiting for someone to take charge of her final adventure. Boldly I invited my sister to come with us as I counseled Mom to follow my voice–follow ME—and not to lag behind. Surprise! She nodded as I told her to listen closely to my words, as we began a "walk" to a secret, wonderful place.
It was a day perfect for wearing soft cotton summer dresses and for going barefoot, and we were perfectly comfortable, as we descended a staircase made of smooth worn stones and passed through a vine-covered gate. We discovered a fragrant apple orchard, where, seated on blankets, with picnic baskets (to my own growing surprise as the story weaver / fellow traveler) were all of Mom's family of origin, young and healthy and radiantly smiling their welcome. Evelyn, Dorothy, Clifford, Rose, Fred, Bob (the beloved six siblings who all pre-deceased her) and of course Cliff and Elma, her parents. John her husband (my dad–looking so youthful, so strong ) leapt up with a grin and arms outstretched. The kid brothers called her name and welcomed their sister. How was it that her childhood boyfriend Frank was there as well, jostling in a friendly manner with John, for her attention? The gathering seemed complete, with Helen the last to arrive. I stood aside, unnoticed, and positively amazed at the gathering I had convened. The characters will often run away with an author's story, it seems, but even knowing this, I was amazed and brought to tears by the direction this plot had taken.
As I saw and described the scene, never for a moment stopping, Mom's eyes darted back and forth under closed lids, as though she were watching a film. She seemed relaxed but attentive. After several days where Haldol and morphine had left her face and her body slack, both my sister and I now felt her weakly squeeze our hands. I told her we would come back later, to visit with her "after the picnic". To our astonishment, she tried to wet her lips, then said faintly but clearly, "Thanks for everything. Love." This, from a woman who although a proud and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, had never, ever used the "L-Word" aloud, was a surprise. We didn't know until she died the next day that she would never speak again. Perhaps going to that picnic was the stimulus she needed to find to voice those words. I needed to find that place too.
Jeannie Green
July 2012
More details about "Entering the Blue Stone."


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Tips for Organizing and Saving Money on Spices
January 27, 2010 at 8:00 am Natanya Anderson 9 comments
Herbs and spices have always presented a challenge for me for two reasons:
- They are expensive. It's hard at times to justify spending five or even 8 dollars on a small bottle of any ingredient.
- They are difficult to store and organize. Lots of little bottles don't lend themselves to any sort of reasonable organizing scheme that doesn't also take up a lot of space in my cabinets or pantry.
And, if these two issues aren't enough, to a person, every chef I've ever talked to or taken a cooking class from has said that spices go bad quickly because oxygen degrades their flavor. In the last couple of years though I've solved my herb and spice challenges using two tactics:
- I buy my spices in bulk.
- I store my spices in small square tins.
These two approaches combined help me spend less on herbs and spices, keep them fresh, and store them in a reasonably sized space. My hope is that my trial and error in developing this system might be helpful to anyone still trying to overcome the same challenges I've face. If you have a great system for storing herbs and spices, I'd love to hear about it in the comments – I'm always looking for new ideas.
Buying Spices in Bulk
I buy spices in bulk for three reasons:
- I can buy as much (or as little) as I need. If I only need a few teaspoons of a spice I don't regularly use, I can buy just that much and not let the rest go to waste in my pantry. I can also buy seasonal spices like pumpkin pie spice or poultry seasoning only at the time of year I need them. I'm also more likely to experiment with a new spice if I don't have to spend a ton of money to try it.
- Like other bulk foods, spices tend to be less expensive because there is less packaging involved. Ounce-for-ounce, bulk spices are less expensive than their pre-packaged spice aisle equivalents.
- I can completely replenish my entire spice collection every three months for less than $25 so I always have fresh spices on hand. Because I paid so little for my spices in the first place, it doesn't bother me to toss ¼ of a 89 cent bag of chili powder.
My local Central Market has an extensive bulk spice department with Whole Foods coming in a close second. If you don't have access to a good bulk spice collection, there are several online spice retailers including:
I buy many of my spices whole and grind them when I need them. Whole spices last longer because their outer shell protects them from oxygen, and an inexpensive coffee grinder makes grinding them easy. If you've never had freshly ground nutmeg you're really missing out on the true nutmeg flavor. The same is true for freshly ground pepper.
Spice Storage Made Easy
I struggled for years with the best way to store spices. I've looked at every spice storage system imaginable, but the problem is I like to keep a healthy collection of spices on hand – typically between 30 and 40 different varieties. Many spice bottle organizers are great for 12 or even 20 bottles, but once you get past a couple of dozen spices, they simply take up too much space. Also, because I buy in bulk, my spices come in little plastic bags instead of bottles which makes them even more difficult to corral. After some experimentation I landed on square food safe tin containers in two sizes: 4 oz. and 8 oz. I like these for a few reasons:
- Square containers make the most of available storage space. Round containers always create unused empty space when you set them side-by-side.
- The clear lid makes it easy to see how much of any spice I have left.
- The lids fit tightly to keep as much air out as possible.
- They are inexpensive. A 4 oz. container is $.72 and an 8 oz. container is $.91. It cost me less than $30 to set up my entire system, even with my rather large collection.
A collection of tins will fit nicely in a drawer or even in a small basket on a shelf. My tins will even fit in an existing spice rack that's already installed in a pantry. I was a little short on storage space, so I recycled a wide and shallow plastic storage box I purchased a few years ago. It's translucent to help filter out the light – another enemy of spices right there with oxygen and heat – and it fits neatly in a cabinet within easy reach.
I do organize my spices alphabetically to make them easier to find.
I use a two-tiered approach that utilizes mostly 4 oz. tins with a few 8 oz. tins for the spices I use most regularly.
Finally, I use my Brother P-touch to make labels for the tins so anyone in the family can easily find a tin. If I decide I don't need to store a particular spice any longer, I remove the label, wash the tin, and set it aside for future use.
Finding Your System
My approach to spice storage is based on the number of spices I regularly keep on hand, easy access to bulk spices, and my kitchen's storage space. As you think about how best to store your spices, you'll need to consider similar issues. If you can only get spices in bottles, then dark, air-tight bottles that block the light may be your highest priority. If you only keep a dozen or so spices on hand, a pretty counter-top storage rack may be just right for you. No one system is right for everyone, but hopefully the ideas I've shared here will jump start your spice organizing fun.
Entry filed under: Food Costs and Budgeting, Get Organized.
9 Comments Add your own
I'm officially jealous. 🙂 My spices must be relegate to a cupboard due to lack of drawer space. I'm in the process of trying to convince my husband I need step-shelving so I can see them. 🙂
Where did you find your square tins?
I think I found them at SpecialtyBottle: http://www.specialtybottle.com/cleartopsquaretincontainersmi.aspx
[…] found this nifty article on spice organization from In the Bag, and was instantly captivated by the neat and colorful rows of matching jars. I figured that I have […]
Hello my loved one! I want to say that this post is amazing,
nice written and come with almost all important infos.
I'd like to look extra posts like this .
Thank you so much for showing us your beautifully organized spices. This is exactly what I want to do! I was already looking into ordering from the same company you purchased from. What a coincidence! Can you tell me what the measurements are on the clear area of both the 4oz and 8oz tins? I'm designing labels and wanted to cover that area. Thank you again!
Hi! Are you still happy with your spice storage? I have made some research and find yours best so far! Is the jars air tight?
Best regards
I've recently come across your article and realize it's four years old but wondering what you thought of these square tins after longer periods of use? Did they stay tightly sealed?
Thank you in advance
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As the proponents of a new theory, it is the responsibility of those pressing the theory to prove it. They have not done so, IMO. Their calculations are concealed, their models are hidden, their predictions have failed to happen, and their political agenda is clear. When Einstein introduced Relativity, it was not up to everyone else to re-prove Newton; it was up to those who believed the theory to prove it, which they finally did.
You are willfully ignoring all links disproving your claim.
AGW is the accepted theory on the rise in the overall temperature of the Earth, therefor it is up to those that decry it to prove why it is incorrect.
The models and calculations are not hidden, their predictions have not failed to happen, they are happening and at a rate faster than predicted.
Einsteins Theory of Relativity was proven correct less than a year ago
Eight committees investigated the allegations and published reports, finding no evidence of fraud or scientific misconduct.[15] However, the reports called on the scientists to avoid any such allegations in the future by taking steps to regain public confidence in their work, for example by opening up access to their supporting data, processing methods and software, and by promptly honouring freedom of information requests.[16] The scientific consensus that global warming is occurring as a result of human activity remained unchanged at the end of the investigations.[17]
Your condescending citing of Einsteins Theory as proven? I didn't see that you had specified his Special Theory of Relativity. I was referring to his General Theory.
The posters attacking The Redneck for dismissing their links are the same ones dismissing numerous other links in here and on this site that say global warming ended 16 years ago and that the Antarctic sheet is in fact growing! So it's hypocritical to call The Redneck out on that and flippantly complain about his condescension, when those posters display the same traits.
Originally posted by kozmo
This is a pile of muck! Please keep this pointless drivel off the boards - unless you want to discuss the conspiracy of WHY IPCC is lying through its teeth to create a crisis that does NOT exist in reality!
This council represents the highest religious authorities of the Holy Land: the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs (Waqf), the Palestinian Court of Sharia law and all leaders of Christian Churches in Jerusalem. The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land in Jerusalem brings together the leaders of the three religions to jointly promote coexistence, to deal with extremism and find solutions to social problems.Holy Land Declaration On Climate Change
A high-ranking member of the U.N.'s Panel on Climate Change admits the group's primary goal is the redistribution of wealth and not environmental protection or saving the Earth The Climate Cash Cow
A Joint Declaration by Christians, Jews and Muslims is to be presented in Jerusalem on 25 July, in which religious leaders will be asked to get involved in the fight against climate change
On page 75 you can find the quote:
"In searching for a new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. All these dangers are caused by human intervention, and it is only through changed attitudes and behavior that they can be overcome. The real enemy then, is humanity itself."
Originally posted by Kali74
Personally I don't like the implication that I'm a moron because I believe what certain scientists say is correct, I was offended and reacted thusly. I never once implied that anyone else is a moron for believing different scientists. I disagreed with claims of hidden models and that the peer review process hadn't been engaged and I proved my disagreement was correct but the ante kept being upped and I don't think it was wrong or hypocritical or condescending to point that out.
Originally posted by TheRedneck
reply to post by Summerian
You are willfully ignoring all links disproving your claim.
I prefer the term "dismissing"... I'm not ignoring anything.
I proceed based on certain tenets, one of which is that belief does not equal reality. So the fact that someone believes something, scientist or no, does not automatically equate to that something being true. It only indicates that perhaps the theory should be examined.
So it follows that if the theory is not backed by transparent, reproducible data, it is difficult at best to examine the theory and therefore the theory is not reproducible and cannot be examined. All that is left as a fact is that so-and-so said such-and-such.
I dismiss such facts.
I get reports of ocean acidification - this not happening?
I get reports of arctic ice melting and rupturing. All reporters in on a conspiracy here?
And also - Big oil fund the scientists who think global warming ain't happening!
You a wikipedia fan?
What else can be said? Global consensus among the brainiacs and some rich people who don't like the findings.
Sea levels rising far faster than we thought, warns latest study to raise the alarm over runaway global warming
At the current rate, as a result of subsequently inadequate provisions of Kyoto, global average temperatures could rise by three to five degrees Celsius (5.4 to 9.0 degrees Fahrenheit) this century -- far greater than the two degrees Celsius originally targeted, said the UN.
What happens when one industry has too much power? Politicians become pawns. Laws are created and prevented. Regulations are bypassed. Information is controlled. Dissent is stifled. Our climate changes. And people die.
The documentary shows how fossil fuel corporations have kept the global warming debate alive long after most scientists believed that global warming was real and had potentially catastrophic consequences.
Originally posted by Ericthedoubter
Carbon Dioxide...You have to laugh
Sorry,did I read that right?
Four hundredths of one percent?
I have an idea....all the people who think that allegedly global warming has anything to do with humans should hold their breath.Forever.
According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event"
"Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said.


text: Hi there, My questions are: How long does it take an Americana to begin to lay. When does its egg get its color? I have two Americanas. One is 2.5 years old and her egg is pinkish. A younger one about 8 months old I thought was giving me a med brown egg. Then all of a sudden, a mostly green but with some brown egg begins to show up Did she change color or just begin to lay? Mysteries of chickens! Thanks for the answers ahead.


text:
Jeff Lindsay is an author of Conquering Innovation Fatigue. See InnovationFatigue.com for more info.
Also follow me on Twitter.
Appleton Resources
- Appleton, Wisconsin
- Restaurant Reviews
- Appleton.org
- FoxCities.org
- Fox Cities Blog
- Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
- Lawrence News and Events
- Appleton Area Newcomer's Club
- The Hmong People
- Consumer's Guide to Appleton
- City Parks
- The Post-Crescent
- Post-Crescent Blog
- The Valley Scene
- Performing Arts Center
- Appleton Downtown
- AppletonDigital.com
- Religion in the Fox Cities
- Appleton Fun
- Photographs of Appleton
Other Suggested Links
- Travel Wisconsin
- Clark Howard - Consumer Tips
- JeffLindsay.com
- Innovation Fatigue
- Sanity Defense
- Daily Sudoku
Other Blogs from Fox Cities Folks
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Free Choral Performance at Lawrence University Last Night:: One More Reason I Love This Town
Last night my wife and I caught a stunning performance of the combined choral groups and orchestra of Lawrence University. All 20th-century music, selected and conducted by mind who love great music. Deeply touching, powerful, inspiring . . . what an evening. The performance was in beautiful Lawrence Chapel. And it was free. Parking was free, too. We have so many terrific, low-cost performances in this area. Experiencing something similar in a large town would eat through your wallet in a hurry and require a lot more time, traffic, and hassle. Appleton has such a nice mix. Broadway comes to the PAC, but there's always something almost as good for a lot less nearby.
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Thanks, Jeff - I was also at this concert and thought it was fabulous!Post a Comment
You might considering adding:
to your sidebar of links to local events - many Lawrence Universty concerts, lectures and art showings are open to the public - and most are free.
You might considering adding:
to your sidebar of links to local events - many Lawrence Universty concerts, lectures and art showings are open to the public - and most are free.
<< Home


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(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
Morning Girl is a brief novel, and seemingly simply told, but in fact it is lyrical and moving and suggests more than it says outright.
Although the novel is named for the female protagonist, Morning Girl shares equal footing with her brother Star Boy.
There are nine brief chapters, five focused on Morning Girl and four on her brother.
Although the final chapter is from Morning Girl's point of view, each of her family members gets nearly equal attention in the chapter, providing an integration of family to suggest the integration of child and adult in the children, and to suggest ironically the coming disintegration of Native culture as the Europeans arrive.
Each chapter is told in the first person, and both Morning Girl and Star Boy have distinct voices. Morning Girl is older, and therefore slightly more articulate about her feelings, and she also thinks...
This section contains 1,041 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)


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OPEC Seen Reaching Deal, Yet Without Targets to Make It Stick
EghtesadOnline: OPEC will complete an accord to cut production this month, while stopping short of setting the individual country limits needed to make the deal work, according to a Bloomberg survey.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will finalize a pledge to reduce total output -- its first cut in eight years -- when the group meets on Nov. 30, according to 14 of 20 analysts polled this week. Yet only seven of the 20 said the group will specify how much each member should cut, an essential part of OPEC's actions in the past, according to Bloomberg.
As a two-year slump in oil prices batters the finances of OPEC nations, observers from Bank of America Merrill Lynch to hedge fund trader Pierre Andurand are confident the group will act. Yet the oil market remains "pessimistic," according to BP Plc, as key producers Iran and Iraq seek to revive output lost to years of conflict and sanctions, complicating OPEC's efforts to allocate targets to its members.
"It looks like there will be a deal, but not the deal that's really needed," said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt.
OPEC members will try to resolve the differences at impromptu talks in Doha this week, and will hold discussions there with Russia, the biggest exporter outside the group, which has signaled it's prepared to at least freeze production.
New Direction
Indeed, there are powerful incentives for ministers to agree their individual share of the collective range adopted in Algiers on Sept. 28, at 32.5 million to 33 million barrels a day. The range implies they'll need to distribute cuts of between 600,000 and 1.1 million barrels a day, the group's data show.
As the global oil surplus enters a fourth year, it's time for OPEC to concede that its attempt to clear the glut by pressing rivals with low prices has been a "failed experiment" and try something different, according to Michael Tran, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets LLC.
Prices are languishing below $50 a barrel, less than most producers need to cover their domestic spending, which leaves even richer nations like Saudi Arabia in a "tight spot," Francisco Blanch, head of commodity markets research at Bank of America, said in a Bloomberg television interview.
"OPEC wants a $50-$60 price and they want to basically accelerate the re-balancing by cutting production modestly," said Gary Ross, executive chairman at PIRA Energy Group, which is now a part of S&P Global Platts. "They're all trying to do what's in their self-interest, which is trying to cooperate to go ahead and see that OPEC is successful."
Repairing Rifts
Still, there are plenty of barriers. Bilateral meetings over the weekend failed to resolve the rifts, according to a delegate familiar with the discussions who asked not to be identified.
Saudi Arabia, the group's biggest and most powerful member, is seeking full cooperation from both its OPEC counterparts and major producers outside the group, Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said in London on Oct. 19.
Yet from the outset of the deal, Iraq -- still recovering from decades of war and sanctions and now battling an Islamist insurgency -- refused to lower output and rejected OPEC's estimates of its production as too low.
Iran, which is also restoring exports after three years of nuclear-related sanctions ended in January, aims to raise production to more than 4 million barrels a day from about 3.9 million, officials from the Oil Ministry and state-run oil company signaled last month.
Main Obstacle
Besides disputes over how to share the burden, the main obstacle to an OPEC cut may be the same one that originally drove its policy in 2014 to keep pumping: that boosting prices and ceding market share would only stimulate supplies from competitors, such as U.S. shale drillers, to fill the gap.
Shale oil, which can respond more quickly to prices than traditional crude projects, would "pour" into the market if the organization manages to lift prices, Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said on Nov. 16.
The consequences of failing to reach a deal could mean another price slump toward $40 a barrel, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Societe Generale SA predict.
With no accord to hold them back, OPEC members may revert to the competition and price-cutting that sent prices spiraling two years ago, according to Daniel Yergin, vice-chairman of consultants IHS Inc. and author of Pulitzer Price-winning history of the oil industry, "The Prize."
"If there isn't an agreement, it's back to battle for market share," Yergin said.


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Previous post on this case can be found HERE.
Defense attorney Charles Lindner was removed from the case on September 9, 2015 when the Marsden motion was granted. Defense attorney Dale Rubin is counsel of record. Next pretrial hearing is November 5. Note: I have jury duty the week of Nov 2-6 at the Van Nuys Courthouse and may not be able to attend this hearing. Sprocket
September 18, 2015
T&T has just learned that at the last Gargiulo hearing on September 14, defendant Gargiulo raised another Marsden motion. From that Marsden hearing, defense attorney Charles Lindner is off the case. Gargiulo finally got what he wanted, and that was a new attorney.
Defense attorney Dale Rubin, who was to handle the penalty phase is still assigned. It will take some time for a new counsel to get up to speed with over 30,000 pages of discovery.
It should be noted there is no limit as to the number of Marsden hearings a defendant can raise.
The next pretrial hearing is November 5, 2015. As I hear more information, I will update T&T readers.
November 5, pretrial hearing notes can be found HERE.


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A Messiah in Our Midst?
By Jonah Goldberg
Before we answer that question, let me vent for a moment. In 2000 I was cruelly denied the Pulitzer despite being the only columnist in America to ask the pressing question: Is Al Gore an alien? The evidence was there for all to see. He was born nine months after the mysterious alien sighting at Roswell, N.M. His weird syntax and verbal rhythms are otherworldly. He often refers to "earth" or "this planet" as if he's just passing through, and he once angrily complained to the Washington Post that it had printed a picture of the earth from outer space "upside down."
There is no "upside down" in space - unless Gore had his childhood view in mind.
At least I'm not in the wilderness this time. Lots of people have pondered the possibility that Barack is our Divine Redeemer. There are Web sites dedicated to the question "Is Barack Obama the Messiah?" Google that question and you'll get more than 35,000 hits. (Enter just the words "Messiah" and "Obama" and you'll get nearly 10 times that.)
But there's more concrete evidence. Since Obama declared his candidacy, there have been remarkably few biblical plagues. And lions and lambs seem open to bilateral negotiations.


text: John J. Johnson The Ky. Commission on Human Rights Wants a Slavery Provision Removed from the State Constitution By John Null • Aug 21, 2015 kchr.ky.gov The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights' governing board wants to see a change to a section of the state constitution that allows slavery as criminal punishment. Ky. Human Rights Commission Director Reflects, Looks Ahead on MLK Day By Rob Canning & Kate Lochte • Jan 19, 2015 http://kchr.ky.gov/ The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights' director says protecting against sexual orientation discrimination is the next step in the civil rights campaign. John J. Johnson says the commission has been focused in recent years on extending fairness ordinances in local communities throughout the commonwealth. 50th Anniversary Civil Rights March on Frankfort By Kate Lochte • Jan 20, 2014 kchr.ky.gov As a young man, shortly out of high school, John J. Johnson was the president of the local NAACP in his hometown of Franklin, Kentucky, and was a member of the executive committee for the March on Frankfort 50 years ago, which is being commemorated this year. That first march touched the nation and ultimately helped lead to the passage of the U.S. Civil Rights Act on July 2 of the same year. Today, John J. Johnson is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, and speaks with Kate Lochte.


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ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLYJanuary 07, 2011
ARE you comfy? I am, well the dependents are, on my new hand-printed sofa cushions made by Miss S - aka child No.1, "the eldest", Miss Inde...
ARE you comfy? I am, well the dependents are, on my new hand-printed sofa cushions made by Miss S - aka child No.1, "the eldest", Miss Independent (as opposed to the two Miss Dependents and one Master Dependent).
Miss S and her fella Mr S (handy that they both have the same first initial) gave me these cushions for Christmas. Miss S scoured my blog for this design, created a block print of it and, wallah, printed up four of these cushions to replace our woefully old sofa cushions.
Spoiled? I'd say so. But that's not all. The dependents splashed out and gifted me rag rugs for the front and back doors, ceramic planters and a book voucher, which I promptly spent on Dreaming of Dior, a book I have coveted for some time.
So, the silly season is done and dusted. Tree down, decorations stored, everyone back home and rough plans mapped out for 2011. Bring it, I say.
9 comments
I'd be very interested to know what you thought of 'Dreaming of Dior' - I treated myself too... so I'll wait to hear before commenting. Love those cushions though!ReplyDelete
hand made presents are the best!ReplyDelete
This is beautiful..it's so lovely to have things made for you. I like you'e storage solution for remotes too....ReplyDelete
What lovely gifts ... the cushions look wonderful (I bet they're super comfy too).ReplyDelete
I want to know what you think of 'Dreaming of Dior' too ... it's been one book I've had my eye on for a while.
2011 is going to be fantastic! :)
Oh those cushions are stunning, lucky you!! Great children you have there with fabulous ideas. Love PosieReplyDelete
Spoiled - no, just deserving! Yes, the silly season is done, but I'm still resisting getting back to the bench... I look at it occasionally which I guess is a start!ReplyDelete
Dreaming of Dior is beautiful. Why can't we all have a godmother with Dior in the wardrobe? Another "treat" book is Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret & Extraordinary Lives by Helen O'Neill. I was given this for my 40th birthday. Love it!ReplyDelete
oh I like this very much:)ReplyDelete
Miss S should consider making more of these cushions and selling them!ReplyDelete
Charlotte Smith's now got "Dreaming Of Chanel" out. x


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Saturday, February 28, 2009
Cookie Club Recipe #4~ Ranger Krispies
16 comments:
Mmmmmmm, this sounds yummy!ReplyDelete
Thanks for visiting my site the other day when I was featured on SITS!
ohhh this recipe sounds so interesting! I can't wait to try it!ReplyDelete
sounds great...I think I make ones very similar to this...I just call them choc chip and rice krispies...they are my father in laws favorites.ReplyDelete
These are totally different than any cookie I've made before. Monsoon will love them - making and eating them, of course! I love kid-friendly recipes.ReplyDelete
Sounds yummy! I'll have to give them a try.ReplyDelete
ok well My kids are all grown up. I'm the cookie lover in the family. All mine.ReplyDelete
The boys and I will have to make the Ranger Krispies tomorrow when I get home from soccer.ReplyDelete
I made chicks out of the lemon/lime ones. They were a bit chewy, not firm like regular sugar cookies....is this normal or should I add more flour?
Thanks for sharing, sounds tasty! Cute blog!ReplyDelete
hi :) I found you thru Ryan Ashley Scott's blog...I just LOVE baking and eating cookies, so I'm pretty sure I'll be stopping here a lot!ReplyDelete
Made the Krispy Rangers. The taste is great, kids and hubby LOVE them, but another flat (super flat) cookie for me. What do you think?ReplyDelete
Suzi- I'm happy the Famiily loved the cookies. Yep...they are gonna be thin. You did it right.ReplyDelete
The Lime Sugar cookies are suppose to be really thin too. Mine were a little chewy as well. I can't remember if I told you that already so I may have just repeated myself. ;) You are on the ball with this cookie making...way to go!
That sounds delicious!ReplyDelete
Hey, I'm over from SITS and thought I'd say hello. This recipe sounds sooooo yummy. Too bad I don't have any rice crispies around and we're snowed in. Where's Snap, Crackle and Pop when you need them?!ReplyDelete
I would do home work for trade when rice krispie candy was on the school menu! LOLReplyDelete
I keep printing out the recipes, but have yet to try any of them....so much fun to have... so little time!ReplyDelete
Maybe this weekend it will be a bakefest at my house...we shall see!
Good to see that I am doing them right! Thanks for the support. Yes, would love to know what is on the menu for next week. Waiting patiently!ReplyDelete


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Go ahead, ask me. I dare you.
Raleigh, NC
1 son (2)
I love my husband.
I love my little boy. He turned 2 in January. He is a joy.
But ohhhh...
Some days I want to come home and not have anything or anybody need something from me. The dog needs me to take him outside, the baby needs his diaper changed and he needs a cup of juice and he needs a snack and he wants to watch the Wiggles and dinner needs to be cooked, dishes need to be washed and put away, the kitchen floor needs to be swept and the laundry needs finishing, the bed sheets need changing, the bathrooms need cleaning, my husband needs me to proofread his website or give him advice on his business, his mother needs us to help her move to her new house, my dad needs me to call him at least once a week, my emotionally needy friends need me to listen to their potential life mistakes but not offer any contrary advice. The first time I sit down is at dinner while I eat. Nobody even thinks to ask what I NEED or WANT…..
I need to pee when I first get home.
But sometimes I feel like screaming.


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An Australian film from the 00s, He Died With A Felafel In His Hand (from now on known as Felafel) is very familiar if you know your Aussie dramadies (drama comedy – I can't take the credit for that one). In the ilk of Dogs in Space, Two Hands, Candy etc (if you haven't seen them – do it already!)… These films make you laugh one minute and gasp the next.
They all depict an underbelly of Australia – the young and lovely but drugged up and breaking the rules.
(At this point I would like to point out, for the non-Aussies that the 'felafel' of the title is in fact a flat bread roll filled with salad (tabouli baby), assorted delicious sauces and felafels. I would usually call it a felafel roll, felafel wrap or felafel yiros but its usage in the title is acceptable to Aussies.)
Felafel continues the student underbelly theme (also well represented in American films) with the heavy smoking, walls of empty beer bottles in the rentals and the usual crowd of misfit housemates ranging from wiccans to neo-Nazis.
We find main character Danny (Noah Taylor – you may know him from such roles as the hand remover from Game of Thrones) living in his 48th consecutive rental trying to write stories and be a writer but stuck on the first line.
Danny and his mates spend time killing cane toads (if you are not Australian this sounds awful but they are introduced pests and they are killing the local fauna – so it's not quite as bad as it sounds… quite), drinking beer, smoking pot and philosophising/whinging. Eventually Danny walks away and we meet up with him in house number 49 in Melbourne where his housemates slowly turn up on his doorstep and the drama ensues. Next stop Sydney and number 50.
There are so many funny bits in this film that the serious becomes all the more shocking. It is very cleverly a picture of someones crappy year and the parts of life that stay with you well after your student rental days are over.
I think this is a very Australian film in that there is humour to be found in even the darkest moments, as well indicated by the title. Us Aussies like to try and find the positive where we can and often its found in humour. Look to the current protests over our Federal Government and the best bits are the signs people make to get their point across, pure comedy gold. These are the slogans that make their presence known through sharing on social media. We all know its bad but at least we can have a laugh. I don't think this is always the best attitude but it sure makes for some interesting movies.
Felafel introduced me to the concept of moonths (made up words FTW). There are 13 full moons in a year, therefore, 13 moonths. Simples. Also, albino moon bathing (leaving it there).
I liked Felafal and, while I fail to see how you can continue to hold a falafel roll up when you die, I appreciate that 'He Died' is not as catchy a title. Plus it has an awesome Aussie classics of the 90s/00s sound track.


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A breathtaking shot by my Flickr friend Greymouser. The famous chariot of victory on the top of the Vittoriano monument at Rome's Piazza Venezia makes for a great image, but set off in black and white silhouette against this marmor-like skyline is simply magnificent.
All rights retained by the photographer.


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Easy Apple Cake
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups diced apples
1 cup chopped dates rolled in flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
* In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and cinnamon with a wire whisk and set aside.
* Combine sugar and oil using a mixer until blended.
* Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined.
* Add flour mixture and mix well.
* Stir in nuts, dates and apples. The batter will be very thick.
* Pour into a greased and floured 9 X 13 pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until done.
* Cool cake and using a skewer, poke holes in cake.
* Cook topping ingredients on stove until mixture bubbles.
* Pour topping over cake letting some (ha… more if you like) seep into the cake.


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Help needed regarding accommodation ..!!! (Singapore)
Hi everyone,
This is Sougata here, an expat Indian. I am 33 years old. I am moving to Singapore from South Africa taking up a job position. I am eager to know how to look for a suitable accomodation like sharing apartments with other cool working expats. My budget is upto max Protected content . As i have extensively lived in Europe so i am very much accustomed to live in sharing a place. Any suggestions will be highly appreciated. I am a very open minded fellow, loves hanging out, in one simple word an ideal flatmate if you want a cool working guy.


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I feel like I have to respond to the bigillion emails I received over the weekend with regard to my prior post. I am assuming that I owe most of the traffic to Matt Asay quoting me in his InfoWorld blog. Matt is one of that rare breed of people who bring delight with every word they write. If you're not reading him, you should be.
First, to make this blatantly, unequivocally and unmistakably clear--I do not hate neither Mark Shuttleworth nor Ubuntu. We should all be jealous. Mark is a stand up guy. After all, how many people do you know that have invested $10 Million in a true Linux company? I am also very appreciative of all the great work he has done with Canonical/Ubuntu, penetrating into markets which would have otherwise never heard the word Linux. I also have interminable admiration for his awesome humanitarianism. After all, is that not what we fight for day in and day out? To create a culture which values both physical and intellectual freedom and transparency so that future generations can have a freer existence?
Second, with regards to what I said last time, I meant every word of it, although I will admit it was said, somewhat, in the heat of the moment. I will however further explain the context within which I wrote it. I couldn't believe what I read because I believe that what they are doing is such a bad idea. Ubuntu is choosing to act pre-emptively, by providing users a means to access software, which although they might know they want, they don't understand why it is so bad for them to have. The fact that they want it so badly proves the point exactly; it's like an illegal drug.
Now I'm not saying that the users are idiots, which they are clearly not, but what I am saying is that if you are going to target the mainstream desktop and the whole wide world user base which comes along with it, odds are that people are going to be none-the-wiser. The same thing happened to us with fossil fuels and look at the sorry state we are in now, trying with all our wonderous ability to break its suffocating grip.
I believe that education about these social issues (and yes they are as much social issues as anything else), prior to opening these potentially hazardous channels is the only way to solve this problem. Like Matt Asay said in his blog, pragmatism needs to be balanced with advocacy. If we don't educate people then we are opening doors for the same travesties we suffer with to occur over and over and in other parts of the world as well. That being said, I view this as one whole big marketing mess, and while I do believe that the letter of the announcement was written in good faith, (providing value to the user base) it certainly violated the spirit of the values of the Open Source community.
On a final note, Linspire claims that they are going to unify packaging in the Linux world. They also claim the Click-N-Run source is open and available. I spent about two hour earlier today looking through various Linspire sites, wikis, and software repositories and was unable to find the code. Also, I think I sort of figured out they were saying was that the Click-N-Run plugin is Open Source but that the web service backend is not. I am dying for a member of the Linspire community to prove me wrong on this and point me the place where they offer the CNR code. And as for their claims that they will be the end all and be all of Linux package management, well, as they say in Missouri
P.S. I am in no way affiliated with the state of Missouri, either officially, unofficially or clandestinely. I had a friend who was a reporter there once, but he's moved on. In fact the St. Louis Cardinals of Missouri defeated my Mets in the NLDS this year. Boy did that suck. ;)


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I was quite impressed with this movie. I'm not a comic fangirl by any means, so I love it when I can walk into a movie that has it's roots in comics but makes an effort to include me. Also, the movie was kid-friendly (unless you're sensitive to drinking alcohol), which was an added benefit for me since I saw it with my parents, and then AGAIN with my neices and nephew.
(It's funny how that cross-relates, isn't it? I don't like watching heavy horror or heavy sexual content with my parents. Maybe I've gotten to that age where I'm starting to take a care-taker role. Or maybe it just makes me uncomfortable knowing that my parents can see how comfortable I actually am with gore and sex? Who knows...on with the review!)
The flow of the movie was very well-paced and the action sequences were fast; there were lots of things blowing up (yeah!). It rarely lagged, and then not for long, and moved in an easy-to-follow logical progression. Robert Downey Jr. did a wonderful job as Tony Stark, to the point that I can't imagine another actor fitting the role nearly so well. Evidently he worked out quite a bit in order to fit the image of a "superhero" and I applaude him for that. He did look good, and fit the character to a "T".
The other characters were also well done, although I did have minor issues with Terrence Howard's character, Col. Rhodes, and his apparent uber-authority over all things deemed "experimental technology." These all stem from my own military background though, and are not really significant. Although it also bothered me that he was conveniently always there... but that, too, is minor.
One military-related item of note that was well done, though: all the scenes of Afghanistan looked like Afghanistan! That made me happy. (The Qatar scenes from Transformers made me squicky, in comparison, seeing as to how I have family stationed there, and it is NOT that way, at all. My sisters, who are there, were so sidetracked by that they missed the first 30 mins of the movie complaining about it.)
Another peeve of mine from the movie is the apparent indestrictibility of Tony Stark himself. You'll note it at several points in the movie, no doubt, since I can't be the only one that it bothered.
All in all, though, I'm nominating it for Best Movie of the Spring of '08. I can't say it's the best movie of the year at present, but, since the spring is over, I'll give it that. There are, of course, going to be sequels, and I've heard and sincerely hope it is true, that the actors are signed up to remain the same. I'm completely down with watching them, and also the other spin-off movies that go with this, which I'm just not a fangirl enough to keep track of. I'll let the movie sites do their job, and just stick with my own personal musings here.
So, overall, I'd say 4.5/5. Great job, guys! Please don't screw up the sequels ... ahem ... Spiderman ... ahem.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Iron Man
I was quite impressed with this movie. I'm not a comic fangirl by any means, so I love it when I can walk into a movie that has it's roots in comics but makes an effort to include me. Also, the movie was kid-friendly (unless you're sensitive to drinking alcohol), which was an added benefit for me since I saw it with my parents, and then AGAIN with my neices and nephew.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Oh, this is too cool!
Check out this website...I'm thinking it could be good for some sort of practice or something, but really, I just like that I can win.
I wish you could choose your car, though.
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Midnight Breed Series, Lara Adrian
I'm going to write this review for the whole series, as of now, as opposed to doing it book by book. BUT FIRST! Here's the books, themselves, from Lara Adrian's website:
1. Kiss of Midnight: Lucan and Gabrielle (I had a friend by that name way back in Jr. High! We failed Geometry together.)
2. Kiss of Crimson: Dante and Tess (Tess is just a weak name to me, but hey! it could be worse...like Tehss)
3. Midnight Awakening: Tegan and Elise (Loved Elise's name, it just fit her so well.)
4. Midnight Rising: Rio and Dylan (Dylan's the girl, in case you were wondering.)
I read Kiss of Crimson first (I Paperspine, and it came in before the others, by some strange twist of US Mail fate) but had no problem jumping right into the world of these vampire ("Breed") men. The worldbuilding was great, the characterizations were believable, and I appreciated the "everydayness" of the writing. It flowed easily, and (I just can't help comparison's to JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series) there wasn't any needless name-dropping or ghetto-ing up of the language in order for the series to stand out on it's own.
Which was great! Reading this subsequent to reading Ward's books makes them feel almost like a shadow of the BDB world, but really (really) Adrian's world is just better. I can't say it plainer. The worldbuilding is tighter, the heroines are stronger, the men are (more) believable, and I fully enjoyed both the individual books romance plots and the overarcing series' story.
But I do have somewhat to say about the series, as a whole, that I was disappointed in. Perhaps I'm jaded, but I LIKE when a person's issues stay alive EVEN AFTER (gasp!) they've found Twue Luv. Addicts are still fighting addiction, cutters still find solace in cutting, anger issues don't evaporate like the mist after dawn...sorry, got poetic. But you get my meaning. If a character is dealing with an issue, it's just so unrealistic to have that issue be solved through the presence of a spouce/loved one/Twue Luv. And I know I'm dealing in an unrealistic venue as it is, being romance, with a pre-requisite HEA, but STILL. There's nothing wrong with a character being real, and reality is, while a Twue Luv makes life easier, it doesn't make life's problems go away. And I, for one, am ready for that kind of reality in my paranormal romance...
So that's my main problem. Also, while the women aren't the dhoormats of a certain other serhies, they still aren't as kick-ass as I wish (which leads to my up-coming series review: Kresley Cole!). However, they ARE getting there! So that give me enough hope to wait out the next two anticipated releases. For all that they stretch into next year...
All in all, I was quite happy with my decision to tackle this series. I'm giving each individual book scoring about a 3.5/5, but the series gets a solid 4/5, due to it's great worldbuilding, and the author's ability to take an (admittedly) used concept and doing it as well (if not better!).
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase
I read like lightening, so any book that takes me longer than one day to read has something going on with it...could be good, could be bad. On a quick side note, too, I read The Duke and I (Julia Quinn) concurrent with this, so I'm having to think hard to keep the two of them straight.
Anyway. This was a good read, but it took me a while because, while the writing was wonderful and the story entertaining, it just didn't suck me in like usual. Which is a con, I suppose. There was never any doubt that I wouldn't finish it, it just moved at a leisurely pace; a pace I am not used to reading at.
So it took me two days to read this one. I have high hopes for the next two in the series (I love love love series books, but only if the whole series is out, as I hate hate hate waiting for books), as they have commanded some high marks. So here's a quick rundown:
I loved the older heroine, Mirabel. She's great, and at no point does she not behave like what she is: a 31-year-old, well-established, thoroughly intelligent woman, who is held in high regard by her family and community. I love how old she is, and how the author used her age to develop her as a character.
The hero, Alistair, was also well-rounded, and made a great match for Mirabel. He came off as younger than her (hell, he could BE younger than her, for all I know...I never did catch his age) which is fabulous, because he had so little experience with responsibility and she's just had so much, it would look odd if it weren't that way. And so much of these characterizations were shown and not told, that I really did love Mz. Chase's writing.
The plot was well thought out, and provided the right amount of movement for the story. There were some "revelations" near the end that I thought could have been incorporated better into the beginning of the story, though, and would have provided some interesting development of both protagonists' parents. It seemed a little tacked-on, to me, although it sat well with the story as a whole, it's just that the reader was not a party to the happenings, so when it was introduced, it sort of blindsided me.
But the writing was wonderful, and the relationships and the hang-ups, and the characters' individual issues and quirks were so well realized, I DID love reading the book. In the end, though, I had to give it a 3.5, because it seemed my attention just lulled, or something, and that is rare. But I'm looking forward to the next two, secure in my knowledge that they will make up for this lapse. You can check out Loretta Chase here.
First Posting
Well, this is exciting. Everyone's doing it, and so now I am too!!
A quick rundown of what I hope to do with this:
1. I read massive amounts (mostly romance novels, some fantasy/sci-fi, some mystery), so I will be posting my opinion of the books I've read. I'm not a writer, not affiliated with any writer's organizations, nor so I have any experience in writing, publishing, or rejection (which I hear goes with the territory there...), nor will I be keeping tabs on the world of writing, publishing, etc, except in those instances where I am all aflutter to read a newly released book.
2. Who can resist social commentary!? Not me!! Although I must be upfront and admit that I am absolutely not interested in politics (except political humor), and most current events rate about a 2/5 on my interest-o-meter.
3. Family and work-place humor, because seriously, I have run in to some funny shit. The stories I could tell! WOW! I'm recently separated from the Air Force, and THAT, my friends, is fodder right there for a good season's-worth of comedy on any TV show. The government! Wow.
4. I love me some movies, so expect comments on new and up-coming movies. Not chick flicks, though...you'd think that would be my thing, reading romance novels and all, but no. I love the action movies. Guy flicks. That's where it's at. Exploshuns!! Blood! Gore! Squee!
Which leads me to my next numbered list:
1. I cuss. Yeah. A lot sometimes, even. But I'm grown, so I'm allowed. If you don't like it, please either ignore it or head on out. I'm really not doing it to piss you off.
2. I'm a mean person. Things I shouldn't find funny?? They are. I'm just wrong like that. But that's why this blog is so great! My cheerful, bubbly, happy personality won't screw with your perceptions! You won't have issues believing me when I say that, because you've never been taken in by my super-fabulously animated and easy-going nature!
3. Feedback is like gossip to me. If I feel like it applies, I'm down with listening. If I don't...see #2 above. Don't get me wrong, though. I LOVE gossip. It rocks.
I'm excited about this, though! This is going to be great! And if not? At least I've left my own piece of pink inter-garbage out there...


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Rabu, 10 Juni 2015
Grow Box Hydroponics Suggestion Guide
Purchasing a hydroponics grow box is much like purchasing a car. When you purchase a car you do your due diligence. You do everything you can to read and research everything about your new car before you buy. You should be all over the Internet looking for reviews and articles, blog posts, research on forums and find out everything you can about that car before you buy it. You should definitely visit the manufacturers website multiple times and really study that car from top to bottom. You should memorize all this specification and attribute that car has. You know how fast it car can accelerate from 0 mph to 60 mph.. You know how much gas that car use is on the highway and how much gas it uses on the road. And you definitely want to know how much horsepower that car has under the hood. Read more
Langganan: Posting Komentar (Atom)


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Wharton finance professor Alex Edmans and a group of colleagues propose linking an executive's compensation to the performance of the firm over a longer horizon. The model resembles the idea outlined in previous posts of this blog: Regulate executive pay in the financial sector by linking it to the long term performance of key employment and average pay indicators of the U.S. economy as a whole. This way bankers will be motivated to lend, invest and borrow so that somehow employment and average pay for everyone are increasing over time.
You can read the full blog post from the Knwoledge Wharton blog here


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Leadership Skills: How to Be a Successful Communicator
As a business leader, one of the most important leadership skills you'll ever demonstrate is knowing how to communicate. When you think about it, most business leadership consists of communication of one sort or another.
You hold meetings with staff or board members or suppliers, you interview potential managers, you meet customers and shareholders, you chat in the corridor or on the phone. All of these formal and informal moments offer you the chance to influence, to enthuse and to inspire.


text: Here's a haunting statistic that we cannot repeat too often: Of all the school districts in the U.S., Chicago Public Schools has one of the longest waiting lists for admission to a charter school. There are 19,000 students on the list this year. That number has been rising since 2008, when 13,500 Chicago students languished on the wait list.


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The way time marches on after a loss is stunning at first. It's jarring—to log into Facebook, to watch the news, to go to the grocery store. Everything else carries on as it was before, except for you. You are changed.
The world doesn't stop and wait for you to get it together though, you know? Last week was such a blur. Edd passed away Tuesday, his body was removed from the house shortly after, the visitation was Thursday, and the funeral service Friday. It was all so fast. There were flowers, emails, cards, tears, and wonderful words from wonderful people. It was amazing to hear of the reach Edd has had in his lifetime. But it was all so fast. And now family has trickled back to their respective homes, and this week we carry on. Sometimes numb. Sometimes not.
It's Monday morning of a new week and here I am at my desk, sunlight streaming in through the window beside me and my trusty little laptop before me. I've had coffee and a bagel and half an apple, and now I'm sitting down to do something I've done a thousand times before (write a blog post), but it feels different now. More important. Because last week was game changing… Totally and completely game changing. But how do I make people understand that? What I saw? What I felt? What I'm still feeling?
Maybe it's too early for this. Maybe I'm not quite ready yet. But I feel this need to carry on—this urge to do things that would make Edd proud. To get moving on this life thing. Because it's precious, and it's fragile, and it ends.
Last Tuesday I watched a life end. Or perhaps I should say I saw a body die. Because what hit me like a ton of bricks that Tuesday at 11:35 AM is that we are not our body. We are something else. We are what lives inside our body as long as it's still breathing, but what makes you YOU is not your body. Your body is the shell of you, and it really is a fragile shell. I didn't grasp that until last week, and it was a real revelation for me. Seeing someone's shell, with the person missing from it, is the most surreal experience, but also an important one. We spend so much time fretting about what's on the outside, and not nearly enough time worrying about what's on the (proverbial) "inside." The part of you that doesn't die.
I have a feeling that last Tuesday and the week that followed will be the single most defining time in my life. It really put things into perspective for me, and I hope I can hold onto that perspective.
There's more I could say, but it can wait. I'll leave you with a piece my mom read at Edd's funeral…
When death comes for us,
may our lives be already safely stored away
in the minds and hearts and memories of those we have loved,
and in the happiness and well-being of all we have helped,
and may death find no life to take from us
but shuffle off defeated,
having relieved us only of our dying.
-- Robert Brault


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Google just released a new product - Google Analytics. It is not a new product per se - AdWords publishers had access to this tool earlier - but now it is released to the common public. This is a site that will analyze traffic to a site and display it to the user in a graphical and friendly way.
I have used many traffic logging sites in the past for my website Bin-Co. This softwares include StatCounter, eXtream Tracker, SiteMeter etc. But being free softwares, they had their restrictions - for example, StatCounter will log the details of only the last ten visitors. eXtream Tracker don't log nearly as much information about the visitors as StatCounter does. They all have their own benefits and their own disadvantages.
Now that Google have stepped into the field, things will start to change. The only restriction I have heard about their software is that they allow only sites will less than five million hits per month - and that is still a long way for my site.
You have to register an account with Google to use this service - any Google account will do - gmail, Google sitemaps, Google group etc. accounts will do fine. Next you have to define your site - it is a little tricky here - only top level domains will be accepted - I can't enter my site http://www.geocities.com/binnyva/ - but had no problems when entering my Blog at http://binnyva.blogspot.com. Next you will have to enter a few personal details like name, etc. Then you will be given a small javascript snippet that you will have to enter into your site. After this you can see your website stats at the Google site. I have just entered the code to my Blogger template - I can't wait to try this out. Hope you will feel the same.
But even now the best way to analyse your traffic is referral logs created by your server. Lets see if Google can beat that with its latest offering.
Related Links...
Google Analytics Features
News of release
Other's Perspective
Slashdot Discussion of this feature.
Categories : web development google
Technorati Tags: web development google


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Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Confessions of a Shopaholic Tickets
More than 1,000 movie tickets and screening passes will be given to customers who try on a pair of "Paigeaholic" jeans at Paige Premium Denim or Bloomingdales through Feb. 20, or until supplies last.
Thanks to Charlene for the tip!
3 comments:
- shanimer said...
If you are some one who does shopping daily. Or having dreams about luxury life on bed There for a good movie is about to coming soon on free movies called Confessions of a Shopaholic 2009 about a teen that lives on shopping world running out of cash and finally have no way to pay the bills. It was the destiny she faced. Look like a movie with interest.
- February 12, 2009 at 4:53 AM
The shopaholic book series is a good one.
I've read them all and can't wait for this movie to come out.
Isla Fisher is a hilarious actress.
- February 12, 2009 at 11:44 AM
I just saw this movie, and to be entirely honest, it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. There were several scenes that made me laugh out loud, and the actor who played Isla Fisher's love interest (Hugh Dancy) made me melt every time he appeared on the screen.
The trailer for this film doesn't do it any justice.
- February 18, 2009 at 12:52 AM


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Thanks for coming by to see littlesesame's Baby Trellis!
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Sar Kheng, Deputy-PM on 9 May went to Raing Kasey commune, Sangke district, Battambang province in state helicopter to meet people at the pagoda.
Talking about what? This is campaign season.
Using state resources?
Posted By KI Media to KI Media at 5/12/2013 07:35:00 AM
Posted By kiletters2 to KI-Media2 at 5/12/2013 07:35:00 AM


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Wednesday, October 8, 2008
New Thing #271--Can You See Me?
Most of the time the glasses aren't too inconvenient, and sometimes it's even an advantage to have them on all the time. Now that I need glasses for reading too, I never have to worry about misplacing the "readers", because I have lineless bifocals; reading glasses and distance glasses rolled into one.
However, the glasses can be a big problem at the gym. I sweat a lot whenever I'm doing any type of aerobic activity. I'm continually taking off my glasses to wipe the sweat off my face. Today I had a revelation and I took off my glasses while I was working out.
I was taking a cycling class, which is a roomful of people on stationary bikes riding along to music. The instructor tells everyone what to do--go faster, slow down, turn up the bike's resistance dial (to simulate riding up a hill), or decrease it to "race". I've been doing the class for about nine months; it was only today that I realized that I didn't have to see to do what the instructor was saying. I took my glasses off and laid them on a ledge behind me.
It was very surreal. Without my glasses I can see shapes but not much else. The spinning room is part of the larger gym complex in a strip mall, but it has a big window that looks out over Manchester Road. I like to use a bike that affords a view out the window, but I today I couldn't see anything with the glasses off.
When the class started, the music was pumping, and the instructor was shouting out commands. After about 10 minutes, the sweat started pouring off my face; it was even dripping off the tip of my nose. However, it was very easy to use my sleeve or my towel to wipe the sweat off, because there were no glasses in the way.
At the end of the class I put my glasses back on and everything came back into focus. As I left the building, I realized that this Thing was a winner; I'm DEFINITELY doing it again!
6 comments:
You should look to see if you would be a good candidate for Lasik. I did it and love it!! No more glasses, no more fogging up in the humidity, no more contacts, no more buying solution or getting frames to fit my head -- this is the life. You should look into it.ReplyDelete
Even though you couldn't read the E - you could have cheated...it's always an E @ the top!ReplyDelete
I wear my glasses all the time, but my newest pair have no pinchy bits in the middle [my nose is sensitive] - they just rest on my face...so if I'm sweating @ all or there is any humidity they slide right off my face...it's annoying...but they are amazing glasses.
Stuck, several optometrists have told me I'm not a good candidate for Lasik, so I'm stuck with the glasses.ReplyDelete
Sydney, I can't imagine glasses without any nose pieces.
I think sometimes in our gym being unable to see might be an advantage :-)ReplyDelete
My current glasses are infinitely more comfortable than any of my previous ones [I've been wearing them since I was 12 years old]. They just rest on the face and are superlight [plastic frames]. They rarely move and I wouldnt want any other type.ReplyDelete
I actually enjoy wearing my glasses, but made the recent switch to contacts because ... well, you know why... you read my blog entry. :-)ReplyDelete
I plan on wearing my glasses most of the time and saving the contacts for those occasions when I might encounter people who may bring up.. well, again... you know what I'm talking about.


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If you've been reading this blog for a while, you're used to the smorgasbord of topics that you'll find here. No matter what, it always comes back to food, but I certainly don't stay in the food only niche. Try as I may.
Last weekend, I was on the treadmill for hours and watching PBS kept me from getting too bored. I watched Daniel Pink's program, Living on the Right Side of the Brain. It was a great special, that I highly recommend. I'd like to read the book too.
One of the things that Pink talks about is the art of storytelling. He used the example of Six-Word Memoirs. I've heard of them before. Read a few on blogs and heard a piece on NPR. I tried to write one, but there was nothing. Couldn't do it.
A few minutes into his special, I found my six-word memoir. "Tried, but could not stop myself."
I don't know if that's good or bad, but I find that with every big step that I've taken in my life, especially when I was really afraid, this was the impetus behind my getting over the fear. Tried, but could not stop myself.
That's why I quit a very good full-time job with great benefits {*sigh*} in order to go to law school. Tried, but could not stop myself.
It's why I started blogging. It's why I traveled alone on a vacation to Paris. Tried, but could not stop myself. It's why I wrote a fired-up blog post when Governor Patrick was running for election.
And it's why I'm writing this blog post right now. Tried, but could not stop myself.
I don't have children. From when I was a little girl, I always thought that I would. I figured I'd have a biological one and would adopt one. I've always thought about the children in the world that needed families and from a young age knew that I was blessed to grow up with my parents.
In the future I know that I could still adopt a child, but I can never have a biological one. Remember the surgery that I had a few months ago? After a decade long battle with fibroids, and already undergoing surgery to correct it, I decided to end the struggle and had a hysterectomy. My overall health was becoming an issue. So why after months of thinking about whether or not to write anything am I writing now?
Yesterday, I read a blog post called "Not A Woman" where a blogger most eloquently discusses her response to a statement in a video by a "mommy blogger." Below is an excerpt.
But then there was this bit that I found so irritating. So grating. So belittling towards people who have not had children because we will never understand anything ever in life until we have children. See also: Your life is unfulfilled until you have a child. You don't know what love is until you have a child. You don't know how to be self-less until you have a child. I also hear that chocolate tastes better, all brownies have pot in them and it rains whiskey. But ONLY if you have had children.
One of the moms - Mindy Roberts - said something that made everything inside of me sink because my God, why can't women just be women and stop comparing and trying to make other women feel small. Or at least that's how it felt to me when she said, "…what you were before you had a baby? You were a girl. And now you're a woman". And ooh, just suck me in the gut with another implication of how much more new and improved a female becomes once she has given birth. So screw you childless people whether it by choice, circumstance or general inability to get pregnant. Also you chicks who adopted because you felt it was the right thing to do? FAIL. NOT A WOMAN. But if by the grace of Mother Nature you are blessed with giving birth naturally then I hearby dub you an actual woman with super human powers.
She said so many of the things that I've felt, but was afraid to write. So much of popular culture makes us feel like failures as women, because we have not had the experience of childbirth. Why is that? I'll never have children, but I'm still a woman. Sojourner Truth put the silly notion to rest that only certain females are women.
Then some mothers break down motherhood even further by criticizing whether they work or not. Why do we do this to ourselves? Life is hard enough.
On this blog, I know that I might sometimes come off as all rainbows and cupcakes. Mostly, I do it to try and stay positive myself. Writing this blog uplifts me first, and hopefully it uplifts those of you who read it too. My legacy on this earth will not be children, so any lasting impact has to come from my actions. Maybe it will be something that I've written. I don't know. But let me try to end this post on a positive note.
I wrote a post about how I loved the book Eat, Pray, Love. The writer, Elizabeth Gilbert, doesn't have children and has spoken about the pressure on women to be mothers.
I like her terms, "the Auntie Brigade" and "sparent" for spare parent, when she talks about the consistent 10-20% of females in any human settlement who don't have children. Below is an excerpt.
"She says when you examine any human settlement in any culture, any time, you'll find a very consistent 10 to 20 percent of females who don't have children. It's so consistent, that she has concluded that it's a genetic necessity to have a cadre of adult, caring, compassionate women who do not have their own children. She calls it the "Auntie Brigade," and she likes to think of herself as a "sparent" — a spare parent."
So let's acknowledge the true and deep love given and received, value, and worth of all of us in the world, whether we are parents or not. And if this post was too long for you. I really wanted it to be shorter. Tried, but could not stop myself.
{Updated March 6, 2009} Mindy Roberts, the "mommy blogger" mentioned above, has apologized to the original blogger {Heather B} in an apology post of her own, to me in the comments section of this post here, and she has been making blog rounds apologizing to other bloggers who were offended by her statement. I accept her apology, but do feel that this issue is bigger than just her statement and still needs to be discussed, even though she has retracted it.
Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2009. All rights reserved.
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Welcome to my blog - just some of my thoughts, the thoughts of others and news about Gilberdyke, Howdenshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Why it is best that I resign as an East Riding of Yorkshire Councillor
3 comments:
Whilst fully understanding your decision I can only say the electors of Howdenshire are the victims of the irrational campaign by the "old guard" of ERYC councillors. Hopefully their behaviour will be noted and acted upon when reselection time comes round again.
- 2:02 pm
Well Paul, Firstly may I congratulate you on your new post as Deputy PCC, I'm sure you'll discharge your duties in that role in much the same professional way as you did whilst you were a Local Councillor.
Secondly I think it was right you resigned from the council as I do honestly think your new job and that of Councillor would raise conflicts of interest. Perhaps they aren't apparent at the moment but in time they will be I'm sure.
I think when you take time to digest it all and get 'your feet under the table' as it were, you will probably come to realise that Party politics and the Police service cannot be intermixed no matter how well intentioned you are. I do hope both yourself and Mr Grove don't attempt to politicise the role.
Where our Police service leads others can only hope to compete, let us not be guilty of tarnishing its history or ethics for the sake of scoring political 'brownie points'. The emergency services are not businesses and they cannot be run as businesses. They are Services set up to serve the people not political agendas. Whilst it is important in these cash strapped times that spending needs to be kept in check, priority should be given to allowing them to do their job without political shackles.
We have seen what problems arise when the Government of the day 'reformed' the Health service and set up Care Trusts. Vital funds are now being spent on high powered wages instead of treatment. Let us not go down that same road with the PCC.
Anyway once again, Congratulations and best wishes for the future let's see you make a positive difference and do what is right (which won't always tally with Governmental wishes) for the Police service and those it is sworn to protect and serve.
- 10:30 am
- John in Gilberdyke said...
It is most important that you remain as ward councillor until the matter of the tip is brought to a satisfactory conclusion. Therefore March may be far too soon. Disregard the siren voices and stay until this job is done.
Whatever the eventual outcome of ERYC or EA deliberations the Ombudsman will have something to say about the sadly lacking performance from both bodies.
- 4:24 pm


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Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Seek and Ye Shall Find .....
26 comments:
- kath said...
Fabulous card for the challenge Dawny - love that image it is so cute and great colour work and a card for your granddaughter to be very proud of..thank you for joining us this week at PBSC.
Love the pics - another Kirsty in the making.....heee.heee.
- 13 August 2008 at 14:21
- Jill said...
fab card, I love your stamp and Kyla is gorgeous great photo, she such a cutie hugs Jill xx
- 13 August 2008 at 15:15
- Kim said...
Oh Dawny this is really cute. Kimx
- 13 August 2008 at 15:40
- Emma said...
Dawn you are just like I imagined you! And as for Kyla...she is so beautiful!
The card is very cute as well. Hugs Em.x
- 13 August 2008 at 15:52
- Allison said...
lovely bright card- love the image
- 13 August 2008 at 16:11
- Mare said...
Wonderful photography!!!! Love the black and white and I love being able to see what you look like (I'm assuming that is you in the second picture :)) Cute card, too! How do you do those Penny Black designs so well. I just can't do the "cute" like you do; I guess it's just not my style....
- 13 August 2008 at 16:32
- Rach said...
Gorgeous card,
stunning pictures...Kyla is a stunner..hugs rachxx
- 13 August 2008 at 16:37
- Heather said...
Great card - love it. What a cutie - NO - not you, Kyla. It is good to put a face to the name though. I love the first photo - there's some real attitude there!
Hugs Heather xxx
- 13 August 2008 at 17:18
- De said...
Love the bright cheery card! Perfect for a child's birthday! And I do love the flowing hair pic! Beautiful! Your granddaugther is adorable!
SBS #21 Sistah
- 13 August 2008 at 17:46
- Tiets said...
wowwww so great your card! !
- 13 August 2008 at 18:08
- traciejane said...
Hi Dawny, oh wow another fabulous card hun. Love this image - gorgeous, I love it.
Oh Kyla is soo cute, bless her you look so very proud, good too see a picture of you too hun.
Thanks for joining us this week :)x
- 13 August 2008 at 19:03
- My Paper World said...
Such a cute card! and the pics are great! Kyla is a cutie!
- 13 August 2008 at 19:23
- Cheryl said...
What a sweet card Dawny.....love the selection of animals on the front....any child would be pleased to get it.....
Lovely photo of Kyla.....beautiful hair......the one of you with her is special....Did Richard take it???
- 13 August 2008 at 19:32
- Sue said...
Love this card Dawny and a great image.Piccies are fabby too:)
- 13 August 2008 at 21:31
- leann said...
Beautiful Photos Dawny! Card's not bad either... ;)
x x
- 13 August 2008 at 21:44
- Sharon Caudle said...
Awesome card Dawny! You're such an inspiration! I love your work! And those pics are awesome!
- 13 August 2008 at 22:14
- Bunny-Zoe's Blog said...
Fabulous card Dawny and I love the cute stamp, love the bright ribbons too, Hugs, Nikki x
- 13 August 2008 at 23:31
Wow Your photo`s are `Beauiful` Dawny `P` and done in Black and white makes it sooo classy...TFS111;0
hEY YOUR CARD IS GORGEOUS..i tried to get that stamp so I could do our Mason a card with it last year and coulldnt get it anywhere...I loves it:)x
- 14 August 2008 at 00:27
- Christine said...
Adorable card! It's so colorful! Great take on the 2S4Y sketch!
- 14 August 2008 at 06:46
- cats whiskers said...
Another great card love the colours, and the image. Thanks for joining us this week
lots of Hugs Jacqui x
- 14 August 2008 at 13:27
- Kim Piggott said...
Wonderful card, and personalised too. Just to cute.
kim x
what a little sweetie your granddaughter looks she is going to break hearts one day.
- 14 August 2008 at 13:44
- Katty Bell said...
Love the card.... soooo cute!
Lucky you, your grandaughter, Kyla is like you say, 'such a cute poppet!'
It's good to be back ;)Missed you all!
- 14 August 2008 at 18:28
- Angie C said...
Lovely bright funky card and great PB image too
- 15 August 2008 at 01:29
- Åshild Ruud said...
So cute! Love it! Thanks for sharing :)
- 15 August 2008 at 18:55
- ella bella said...
gorgeous card the image is fab and i love your take on the sketch
thanks for joining this weeks PBSC
Tracy x
- 15 August 2008 at 20:05
- Beth said...
She's a little cutie! Great card by the way, I love the fun stamp and funky papers! Thanks for joining in! Have a good weekend!
- 15 August 2008 at 23:20


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A Game of Balloon: the Precursor to Volleyball?
Giornale Nuovo blog posted 8 fantastic paintings (circa 1626) by Adriaen van de Venne [wiki], a Dutch Baroque painter. This particular one above is A Game of Balloon, apparently a volleyball-like game of the Renaissance period.
Link - via Scribal Terror
Newest 4 Comments
Look closer: there *is* a net - it's that slack line down the middle between the two teams.
Yeah, the hand-thing is pretty weird. it would be a good post-amputation game for convicted Arab thieves, though.
So, this game is a lot like volleyball, except that there is no net, and you have to amputate your right hand.
Volleyball was supposedly invented in Holyoke, Mass. USA in 1895. Basketball was also invented in Holyoke by Dr. Gabler, but he allowed his colleague Dr. Naismith to take the credit.


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it's april and one of the good things that happened to me this year is meeting and seeing people i haven't seen for the longest time. every month, there are sets of people i have not seen. and it's like i have rekindled my friendship with them
january - angel/friends of race (last time i saw them is i think for more than a year already)
february - se34
march - highschool friends
april - racho family
but the sad part is in every month also (except january) i've been going to wakes. this has been the reason i saw these friends again.
i'm looking for ward to seeing more friends as the months go by but i pray i won't meet them in wakes this time.


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Pacific Street in Crown Heights has a light-industrial feel to it, but peeking through the car repair shops and MTA workshops is the fantastic sculpture above. Reminiscent of the classic 1930s-era skyscraper-construction photos, the piece sits atop the entrance to Piscopo Iron Works, formerly of Red Hook. The owner, Franco Nogara, is a Sicilian immigrant with over 50 years of experience in the ironworking business, whose work is remarkable enough to have earned him a NYTimes article 17 years ago.
As a final piece of ironworking history, the men depicted in the images and sculpture were most likely Mohawks, who made up the bulk of the high-rise workforce from the 1930s-1960s, temporarily settling in Boerum Hill.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Iron Men
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I finished my second night of the home buying class I'm taking. I learned so much and I'm excited to start researching things like brokers and agents and mortgages.
And my boss is a spazz. Luckily, she's going out of town to a conference next week so I get a little bit of a break. I like my boss... But I swear she has ADHD and she can be exhausting. It will be nice to have a quiet week at work.
I'm going to stop getting on the scale every week. Instead I'm only going to weigh the week of my period, since that is the only week I seem to have a loss. The other three weeks I fluctuate with the same 4lbs then I lose. So no weighing until next week.
So anyways, happy holiday weekend! Whatever you get up to, be safe!


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Cathe Olson, author of "Simply Natural Baby Food, "The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook," and "Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love" keeps you up to date on food politics, whole foods and nutrition, as well as sharing recipes and posting book reviews. Also see her web site at http://www.simplynaturalbooks.com
Monday, July 16, 2007
BOOK REVIEW: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
So when I heard Barbara Kingsolver (one of my favorite authors) had a new book out and it was about eating locally, I knew I had to read it. And it did not disappoint.
Kingsolver and her family left their Arizona home to move to a farm in southern Appalachia. They no longer wanted to live in a state where virtually all the food and water was trucked in from somewhere else. They chose Virginia because (among other reasons) they wanted to live in a place that could feed them. A place "where rain falls, crops grow, and drinking water bubbles right up out of the ground."
After nearly a year of settling in, fixing up the house, and planting their gardens, they embarked on their one-year mission to eat only food they grew themselves or what was raised in their own neighborhood. Kingsolver takes us through the work of raising a garden that would feed them throughout the year. We see the work involved in weeding and caring for the plants, harvesting, and preserving them. This book is a great lesson on when various foods are in season (hard to know if you shop at supermarkets).
The family also raises laying hens, as well as chickens and turkeys for meat. Kingsolver and her family have for many years eaten only non-factory farmed meat and felt good about raising their own animals. They would give their animals "freedom on an open pasture that's unknown to conventionally raised poultry." Kingsolver also responded to a Slow Food USA campaign to bring back heritage turkeys. Unlike the conventional Broad-Breasted White Turkey commonly raised in industrial settings, the heritage turkeys can actually support their own weight and reproduce naturally. In addition, these birds retain more of their wild ancestors' sense about foraging, predator avoidance, and are more disease resistant.
Kingsolver's husband Steven L. Hopp's short essays provide information throughout the book on subjects such as the fossil fuel used to produce and ship our food, world hunger, genetically modified foods, family farms vs. industrial farms, industrial animal food production, paying the price for cheap, industrial-grown foods, the effectiveness of using pesticides and herbicides, mad cow disease, and much more. He provides resources to get more information as well as ways to take action. Kingsolver's college-aged daughter, Camille provides recipes and anecdotes about the experience from a teenager's point of view.
This book was inspiring. I was encouraging to hear about people who care about what they eat and how it's produced. To find people who care about the environment and how our choices affect it and others. I don't know if I'm ready to spend my summers hoeing, weeding and canning on a full time basis, but I will certainly take the time to seek out local farmers and support stores who carry local products.
5 comments:
- stafex said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- AnandaDevika said...
I'm in the middle of this book right now and just loving it!
- Cathe Olson said...
Great - let me know how you liked it.
- Mrs.B said...
Going to order it in at my local library. Looking forward to reading it.
- Suasoria said...
I'm loving your blog, but I have to comment on this one! I know it's a petty argument, but raising and killing animals for food isn't "sustainable." The animal dies. It can't keep producing meat or even more animals once it's dead.
A fruit tree is sustainable. The tree doesn't die if you pick a plum to eat, it just keeps on making more. Arugula is sustainable, it will keep giving you seeds, so you keep getting more plants.
Meat is not sustainable. Maybe eggs and milk are, since the animal can keep producing more, but once it's dead, it no longer sustains.


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You know there is a perfectly good reason for me not writing anything for several weeks. Actually there is three reasons!
First of all I have to stop Dr. Wily (AGAIN!).
Secondly I have to search for my father who left me at the age of nineteen.
And finally I'm busy building a penis space rocket on a collision course with a giant toothed vagina which talkes.
Yes, this is probably the best time ever for all gamers out there waisting their lives in front of the computer or television. I've tried as best I can buying the least of games so that my social life doesn't go down the drain, but I failed.
I've lost count of how many games there are in total in the franchise, but that doesn't matter. The second game in the series is the only one I've truly enjoyed, and I've played it many times even in recent years. I even have the soundtrack on my iPod at all times for the sake of being geeky. The latter games actually stank. They updated the graphics, the music and the gameplay, but still they couldn't hold a candle to Mega Man 2.
When I first caught a glipse of Capcom's ninth installment in the main series I was blown away. They had gone gack to the glorious days of 8-bit orgasms which for me seemed the only way they could redeem the previous mistakes they've made.
I don't know what else to say. Mega Man 9 is probably one of the best games of all time. They've stripped away all unnecessary shit and boiled it down to a video games in it's purest form. It's ridicolously hard, the music is totally awesome and I just can't put in words how much I love it and recomend it.
Then came the unknown company Media Molecule out with one of the most inventive, cute and fun games of all time, LittleBigPlanet. When I first heard of it I did not know what to make of it. "So you make your own levels and share it with your friends? How can this possibly have any lasting appeal?"
Boy was I wrong! First of all you control this little stuffed toy, a sack boy. You can dress him anyway you want, and you run around levels collecting stickers and objects you can use to make levels of your own. The levels allready in the game are brilliant, and the tools you have at your disposal is the same tools Media Molecule used to design their levels. You can make anything, and it is easy once you get the hang of it. It sounds dull, I know, but I promise you it is the most entertaining game in years. It's fun alone, but it is ten times better playing it with a bunch of your friends.
Nintendo have Mario. Sega have Sonic. And Sony now finally got a mascot of their own, Sack Boy!
Finally Fallout 3 hit the shelves with the sound of fanboys gnashing of teeth in the distance. The first two Fallout were made by Black Isle Studios in the late ninetees. It never became properly known and is mostly overlooked on lists of the best games of all times. They were typical western rpg's set in a postapocalyptic America some years after the nuclear holocaust in 2077. The world on the other hand seemed stuck in the fifties era, full of cold war propaganda posters, Grease hairdo's and general fifties pop art.
I don't know the full story behind Black Isle but they sold the Fallout license to Bethesda Softworks which continued the series.
The first game never sold much, but the one's that got the game has turned in to ravishing fanboys that hated Fallout 3 from the day BI sold the license to Bethesda. I don't want to spoil anything of the story, but your born in Vault 101, a place where no one leaves and no one enters. When you're ninteen, your father escapes and the vault overseer goes crazy and starts killing people, you manage to escape and steps out in the scorching sun for the first time in your life. Now you're free to make your own destiny.
Suffice to say, I love the first two games and I had doubts about Bethesda taking over, but with Fallout 3 they have surely made one of the best rpg's to date.


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France says a deal could be reached soon with Libya on increased payment for victims of the 1989 bombing of a French airliner over Africa. The compensation issue is delaying a vote in the United Nations on lifting sanctions against Libya.
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin says representatives of the families of victims of the bombing of the French plane went to Libya to discuss compensation. He told French RTL radio that he thinks an agreement is possible, although it is up to Tripoli to find solutions with the families.
Libyan officials say it is possible to reach an accord through the Gaddafi foundation, which is run by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son.
Paris is trying to negotiate the new compensation deal for the bombing of a French UTA airliner over Niger, in 1989, that killed 170 people. Libya has already paid $33 million to families of the victims.
The news about a possible deal comes just one day after Britain and France announced an agreement to delay a United Nations Security Council vote on lifting sanctions imposed on Libya over its role in terrorist bombings.
The Security Council is considering a resolution to lift sanctions on Libya, which last week took responsibility for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and renounced terrorism. The explosion on board the Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, killed 270 people. Libya has agreed to pay $2.7 billion to families of the victims.
France had threatened to veto the UN resolution unless it could reach a its own deal in the UTA bombing. Libya said this week it is willing to find a compromise, but also warned France not to block the sanctions vote.