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Most Kiwis are happy to have their sites in the .nz domain, rather than an international domain such as .com, according to a survey conducted for the Domain Name Commission.
Of a sample of 1014 users questioned by Colmar Brunton, only 20 percent would opt for a .com domain rather than a domain indicating a New Zealand origin.
Those who own or manage a personal or business domain name (half the sample) are only slightly more .com-minded, with 23 percent preferring an international domain name, as against 18 percent of non-domain-name owners.
However, there is significant support for a simple top-level .nz domain as an alternative to the likes of .co.nz and .org.nz. Asked to register a simple choice between "myname.nz" and "myname.co.nz", 52 percent opted for the former. As well as .com and domains ending in .nz, those surveyed were given an option that intrigued and worried some in the internet community — a hypothetical .kiwi domain.
Domain Name Commissioner Debbie Monahan calmed the fears of those who thought New Zealand might be about to spend a large sum applying to names authority ICANN for the right to use .kiwi.
Earlier this year, ICANN (International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) approved expanding a previously restricted range of top-level domains such as .com and .org to allow an application for any arbitrarily chosen generic top-level domain name (gTLD).
The .kiwi option was canvassed only because "it was considered a gap in what we knew about people's knowledge of the .nz options for second level domains, and what else was offered in the gTLD space," says Monahan.
"It wasn't undertaken with any specific actions or plans in place [to initiate such a domain]".
Eleven percent of domain-name owners or managers and 14 percent of those without their own domain name expressed a preference for .kiwi rather than .com or .nz for a website if they were given the choice.
Asked whether there are any other top-level domain names users would appreciate having available, those who own a domain name plump for .family, .school and .geek as top preferences, alongside .nz and .kiwi (.school.nz and .geek.nz are already supported).
Among non-owners of domain names, .home emerges as top preference. Also cited are .church, .jesus and .fish.
The survey – a repeat of one done a year ago, also tests recognition of domain names (the less-often encountered ones such as .mil.nz [armed services] and .cri.nz [Crown Research Institutes] score poorly).
Questions are also included to test knowledge of InternetNZ and the Domain Name Commission and the latter's dispute resolution service. Recognition was low – 33 percent of domain name owners and 6 percent of others knew of the DNC - but Monahan is not worried.
"Given .nz registrants deal directly with authorised .nz registrars, the Domain Name Commission wasn't expecting there to be high levels of knowledge of the office as it is generally only when there is an issue with their domain name that they are referred to us.
"We did want to check this though and also asked about knowledge of InternetNZ as DNCL is a fully owned subsidiary of InternetNZ," she says.


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We are indebted to those who have gone before us. It is tempting to imagine that our accomplishments are our own, but in fact they are not. We use tools, intellectual and physical, created and used by those who have gone before us. In fact is is as if we are standing "on the shoulder of giants"
The more we learn from those who gone before the higher we stand on mighty shoulders. We can think thoughts that they have made possible and we can take actions that would have been impossible for them thanks to them. History studied gives us and those we serve an edge because we can think thoughts we all need now and in the near future.
When we refuse to learn from history we are simply standing lower in the universe of ideas and have further to climb to get where we could have been. Not to know and give credit to those whose "conversations" we have shared with those who went before us means we will be forced to muddle through many of the same situations they have already conquered. George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
When preparing your communication, look back, hold a "conversation" with those who have gone before. Stand on their shoulders, the view is great. And you will be far better prepared to help those you serve everyday.

subset: commoncrawl


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Man accused of stealing more than $2,000 worth of VIP Brickyard 400 tickets
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.– Speedway police are searching for a man accused of stealing VIP tickets from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The incident occurred on July 21 between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Police say the man walked into the administration building, waited around in the lobby a bit and then went to the credential office in the back of the lobby. He kneeled down and allegedly took numerous Brickyard 400 VIP tickets before going to the bathroom.
He then left the building carrying a small backpack, according to police. IMS says the tickets were worth $2,149.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS. Tipsters can remain anonymous and receive a cash reward if the tip leads to a felony arrest.


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Share it Please
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that a few weeks ago, I was given a few freebies from my Mum after she received a goodie bag worth £24 after buying two or more No. 7 products at Boots. The original post is here. Obviously she picked out the bits that she wanted(!) and gave the rest to me to try.
Now I am a MASSIVE sucker for eye make-up. Also, my current lipstick is running low. (For some reason I only ever have one lipstick at a time) So when Mum gave me these, I was VERY excited!
No 7 Stay Perfect Metallic Eyes Pencil
It has been a long time since I used an eyeliner that came in a pencil format! In fact, I cannot pinpoint when I stopped using them...I just remember Mum presenting a jar of Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner and a brush to me and never looking back! Must be over five years ago, easily.
This eyeliner could actually change that for me though. It is a smoky grey colour, with a small amount of glitter in it. Perfect for the party season! It applies nicely too. Another thing that I love about this, is that it is retractable. I could just pop it into my handbag on a night out, if I wanted to reapply, without worrying about shapening it, or whether it will make a mess in my bag!
No 7 Stay Perfect Lipstick
I THINK this colour is Classic Rose? I can't quite remember because I gave it to my Grandma.
Yep, you read that correctly. I was really excited about this lipstick because I want to try brighter lipsticks, but it just didn't work. The colour looked odd on me, but also I just did not like the consistency. It almost felt too hard to be a lipstick?! It was very odd. However, I remembered my Grandma wearing this kind of colour when I was little, so she took it off my hands!
No 7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow
So it is also a mystery as to which colour this is too. The case isn't labelled and the Boots website doesn't really show the colours very well. Never mind. They can be forgiven because their shadows are still excellent.
This is a gorgeous dark grey, which has gold flecks of shimmer. When you look at it initially, you'd be forgiven for thinking it almost looks green. In regard to swatching, my gosh you don't need much product to produce a sexy, smouldering, smoky eye! I will most certainly be wearing it for my work Christmas party tomorrow!
A mascara was also included in the goodie bag. To recieve the goodie bag, just buy two or more No 7 products. The kit is basically a Christmas Party face! I will always recommend saving your No 7 purchases until they do these free bags because they are FANTASTIC value! The shadows are amazing...my favourite khaki No 7 shadow was a freebie from about 5 years ago and I am only just near finishing it.
What's your ultimate Christmas Party make up product? I expect lots of glitter from you girlies!
So, so what?
I am a rock star,
I am a rock star,
I got my rock moves,
and I don't want you tonight.


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I ran errands at lunch on Monday, taking advantage of my temp handicapped parking space, which allows me to leave at lunch without worrying about finding another space when I get back. That has been a joy and something I've never been able to do in the 15 years I've been at UNL. Being able to run errands at lunch means I can leave for home right after work. It's so convenient that it's actually making me think about paying the $90 a month for an assigned spot right across the street. But I digress…
I've been parking at a spot that used to be assigned to a specific person but she quit last summer so it's been sitting empty. Parking gave me permission to park there because the service order to change the sign to undesignated had already been submitted but it hadn't been changed yet. Well, I got an email from my boss on Wednesday morning asking me not to "abuse" parking privileges by parking there. When I told her I had permission from Parking, she said there was the perception that I was doing something wrong so I had to stop. Someone had mentioned it to her and she didn't want it escalating.
So, that's the world I work in, where perception is more important than reality. When I called Parking to tell them I couldn't park there, they acknowledged that since I worked in Canfield, I had to "be careful." She was the 3rd person who'd said that. Nuts! What I want to know is why the busy body who reported this "problem" isn't considered the problem. Does the person have so little to do that they can monitor the back parking lot? That's what it's like to work in academia sometimes. It's still a wonderful place to work but this kind of crap goes on all the time. And the kicker is, I'm parking in the lot on the other side of the building in an undesignated handicapped spot. Big woop. I hope the meddler is happy. I had to talk myself out of stewing on this but had to share here. Thanks for listening.
Otherwise it was a wonderful week. The cool weather was holding, which was a boon because I hadn't gotten gardening done on the weekend because of rain. I knitted at the library on Monday after work and then went home to plant one veg bed before it got dark. I prepped one bed (I'd picked up manure on the way home) and had my tomatoes, peppers and basil planted by dusk. I took a shower and watched TV for an hour before heading to bed. It had been a long but satisfying day.
Tuesday was my first day back in the pool in 6+ weeks. It felt great and my knee held up. Afterwards we were going out to dinner as a farewell for Wendy, a grad student who has been swimming with us for years and was moving to LA. We were doing Mexican (never my first choice) so I wasn't too jazzed about that but it was fun and the food was actually good. I'll miss Wendy so it was good to have a fun time wishing her luck. I didn't get home until after 9:00.
Wednesday was a free evening for me so I headed home to plant another bed. This bed was cukes, melon and dried bush beans. When I was done, I took a shower and then sat down for a marathon of TV and knitting. I watched 2 hours of Master Chef (I love the summer cooking shows) and then popped in the DVD I'd gotten that day of season 5 of Breaking Bad. I watched 2 episodes that night and got up early Thursday to watch the 3rd so I could mail it back that day and get the 2nd DVD on Saturday. If the USPS drops Saturday delivery, I won't be able to 2 discs a week. Did that pass?
Thursday was going to be another long day. I was going to the movies with Darla after work – Star Trek. It started at 6:10 so we were going to hit our thrift shop beforehand and then have popcorn and call it dinner. Mary ended up coming with us too. It was a fun movie and then I walked back to campus at dusk, which is nice. I love campus when it's deserted and I even found my two favorite kitties to love on for awhile before heading out. I didn't get home until 9:30. Good thing the next day was Friday.
Friday went quickly enough and then it was home to plant the last 2 veg beds. It was going to be a rainy Saturday so I wanted to be done with the beds so they'd be watered in. I prepped one full bed and half of the last, leaving the swiss chard from last year that's going to seed so I can save some to plant next year. I planted squash, green and wax beans, more chard, parsnips and potatoes. Done! Despite it being cool out, I was dripping with sweat so showered and began my weekend knitting. Nice. All that was left was the containers, which I hoped to get done Sunday.
Saturday was our World Wide Knit in Public event at the library. A cat fight woke me up at 5:00 a.m. so I got up and baked this coffee cake to take. It dirtied every mixing bowl in the house but was absolutely delicious so worth it. Unfortunately it was pouring rain all morning so very few people were at the library but we had fun knitting in the front lobby anyway. We knitted from 9:30-1:00 and then headed to Chips for lunch. When I got home, I picked up the kitchen and did a bunch of pots and pans. It continued to pour rain on and off so it was a good day to be productive inside. I'd need to be productive again on Sunday to get through my to do list. I ended Saturday by cleaning my bathroom, which I hadn't done in years but since I'm between cleaning ladies… Damn!
Well, it was supposed to be sunny on Sunday but the day was dreary with light rain on and off. I started laundry and continued to neatize in the house. It didn't look like the I'd be doing my containers after all. When the phone rang, I was happy to hear Helen's voice. She was going to do an Omaha run for craft supplies and wanted company so I happily agreed. We went out to lunch (Mimi's Café) and then hit Joann's. I didn't buy any yarn! Can you believe it? I did get a clip on OttLite, which I'd tried in Ireland, which was 50% off so only $10. Such a deal! After running a few more errands, we got Starbuck's and headed back. It was still dreary so I wouldn't have been planting anyway so it was a wonderful way to spend my Sunday. I didn't get my laundry finished but did make a nice dinner. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.


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Well we started well, but then started to individually target the fish. We found a spot on the lake to where the carp and tench were sunning themselves and threw in a few biscuits.
Tony then disappeared around to another edge of the lake and with in 5 minutes was into a decent fish. Once landed he had a lovely looking Tench of about 1.75-2lbs in weight (not weighed so we are guessing here).
Tony with Tench
This was promptly put back after a few snaps and we moved around the lake pursuing the Carp. Tony moved around the next corner and with in about 10 minutes had a rod bender on. It was heading to the bottom of the lake with a lot of effort. After about 3-4 minutes of holding his ground he turned the Common Carp to the surface and we landed the carp that just fitted into the trout net.
Tony with Carp
We will have to take the proper size net next time as anything bigger... This one was weighed and came in just shy of 9lb and was in lovely condition. Tony looked like the Cheshire cat with the grin he had and well deserved.
Things calmed down and the fish started to move out to the middle of the lake and so I headed to the starting position with a bit more casting room. Tony headed off around the lake chatting to the other fisher folk. After a while he changed flies to a tiny size 18 hook and caught the smallest roach in the world me thinks. There is no picture, it was just too small.
I threw a few biscuits and the carp started feeding and they got startled every time they touch my best dog biscuit fly I had tied. There was some very big carp having a test on the fly including what must have been an easy double mirror carp.
After a while I changed to a red and green berry imitation I had tied and started to get some interest on that too.
I cast about 12ft from the bank and a tench came round and manoeuvre directly under the fly. It nudged it and jumped away. And just as I thought that was it, it came back and gave it a few more taps. Then on the fourth investigation, it took the fly and, after about 2 seconds, I struck and he was on! With the help of Tony I landed it and it another Tench of about 1.75-2lb, although it was definitely bigger than Tony's... This was new species #1 of the night.
Tony's skills with the camera and my handling made a poor picture, but I have proof, WHOOP
The light dimmed down and after no action or interest for a while I switched to a green damsel fly with a tinsel top and had a crack at Perch. On my third cast I hit in to the whopper you see below. This was new species #2 of the night.
Not long after we packed up and headed home feeling quite happy with ourselves. Not bad for a first day out at new water, and a club one at that.


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Saturday, March 28, 2009
Attitude of Gratitude Award!
4 comments:
- Ginger said...
Why Miss Ashley (in my best southern accent) I am so tickled to be recognized and re-awarded this award. I am delighted to be able to share anything I have learned and to support you in any way I can in this large virtual world we have learned to love (our blogs).
It is such an adventure when blogging. It is an even greater blessing to meet ladies such as yourself and to watch as God leads us around the blogosphere. I could have never imagined such wonderful new friends or experiences even a year ago.
Thanks again for your work, dedication and efforts. Please take care of yourself. It IS OKAY to take a day off.
Big hugs to you!
- March 28, 2009 at 5:59 PM
- justusseven said...
Thank you so very much for your kind words of encouragement - you've made my day =) Lori
- March 28, 2009 at 8:06 PM
- Autumn B. Thomson said...
Ashley, you have made my day! I really appreciate you so much since your skills really DO help people! Thank you for all you do!
- March 28, 2009 at 8:14 PM
- Stephanie said...
You're too sweet to nominate me back. :) Two nominations in 1 week, I'm so honored! I'd like to thank the little people... jk
- March 29, 2009 at 10:35 PM


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According to the likes of the high-end fashion magazines like Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, the trends coming off the catwalk this Autumn/Winter are an eclectic mix of everything from feminine 40's glamour to androgynous boyish chic.
It appears that us fashionista's really will have the pick of an amazing array of exciting pieces to fill our autumn/winter wardrobes, depending what best suits your figure or style, I can certainly guarantee there will be something out there to satisfy your fashion cravings - below are a few of the best trends along with the catwalk examples to wet your appetite.
Enjoy keeping an eye out for these trends to hit the stores very soon.....we may as well embrace our intriguing and exciting A/W wardrobe now as it seems our summer wardrobe is destined for storage once again...
Enjoy xxx
First up is Fashionista's Going Potty for Prints.....
One thing for certain this A/W 2011 is that the globe will be going potty for prints. Whether it is t-shirts, skirts, jackets or shirts, every capsule A/W wardrobe will not be complete without an item of clothing fashioning one or more of the tapestry of decorative patterns available to us fashionistas.
The array of stunning, decorative patterns on offer to us this A/W are monochrome polka dots, opulent florals, earthy paisley's and elaborate motifs, all set in sophisticated shift dresses, relaxed tunics, elegant pencil skirts, tapered trousers and fierce shoes. The main rule with prints is, have fun with them and enjoy playing with them to create your own true identity and style. If you are feeling particularly brave, then clash the prints together to create a high impact, uber trendy fashionable look.
Forties Glamour
Autumn/Winter is the season for the lady as forties glamour is resurrected in retailers across the UK. If you ever wanted to play to your sophisticated side, this A/W is the time. Designers have brought to the catwalk tailored pencil skirts, trousers and jackets that must be paired with pearls, furs, gloves and shrugs to achieve the perfect 40's glamorous look. It will be like playing dress-up in your mum's clothes and adding as much of her jewellery as you possibly could...but this time the clothes will fit & you will be able to parade down the high street in them not just your hallway.
The 40's glamour is such a lady-like, feminine and sophisticated style that can flatter most shapes and sizes. The tailored nature of the clothes help women to accentuate and embrace their curves by nipping and tucking in all the right places. Pair with slim belts and opulent accessories to achieve a sophisticated and glamorous look that is both sexy and very smart. Heels are a must for this trend.
Frolicking with Fetish
The fetish look was very apparent on the catwalk for A/W with an abundance of leather, lace, frills, zips, straps and sheer silk – all in the classic black, of course. When this trend converts to the high streets there is no doubt it will be toned down but your A/W wardrobe would not be complete without a little lace-trimmed skirt, leather obi belt, or sheer blouse which can be paired with black sheer tights and black stilettos. Even if you don't go overboard, I am sure every fashionista will be tempted to sex up their wardrobe with a little sexy lace or leather, here or there! Just don't wear too many of these pieces together or the look may look a little too vampy and trampy!
Androgynous chic
The trend to encourage boys to dress like girls is back once again with the arrival of pinstripes, oversized shirts and jackets and cummerbunds. Despite an attempt to hide all our womanly curves underneath oversized, boyish clothes, the designers have gone to town to sex up the androgynous look with girlie sequins, heels and plunging necklines. The tapered trousers and wide cummerbund belts may work for most girls but mainly slim ones however the buttoned up shirt trend is a look that only works for girls with smaller breasts, for girls with larger breasts and pussybow shirt with a plunging neckline may work better.


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I recall a few months (years?) back, ABC announced they were going to begin doing a nightly series on the good that people were doing. This was so refreshing. I was so ready to hear that there were some good things going on in the world that I found myself looking forward to seeing this. I can't tell you now if they are continuing to do this or not. I can't bear watching the news.
A couple of nights ago, one of the stations covered the story about major drugs being in short supply. Someone mentioned 250+ drugs. No specific drug was mentioned. The reporter stated that it was possibly a particular heart drug or a drug for cancer related therapy. She simply said major drugs were in short supply and that people would likely die because of this shortage. She went on to say it was the government's responsibility to make sure that these pharmaceutical companies manufactured the drugs, and if that meant they needed to be encouraged NOT to make generics, then so be it. What? This sounded like a lobbying effort on the part of the news station. How can we help the pharmaceutical companies make more money. What?
I can't bear the news anymore. Perhaps that will change someday. I'm not the only person in my house, and the other person who lives here likes to watch. The words which the newscasters use smack of "disaster" and "chaos" and "worst case scenarios". I don't want to hear that everyday. I can't in fact stand to hear it everyday. The entire dramatic presentation of the newscasters has reached such a level that I feel as if I'm watching a completely choreographed show, which I suppose I am.
Is there any possibility of returning to a less dramatic and more balanced approach to the news? Do any of you have any suggestions?


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"The Red Sox don't deserve a player like me," Ramirez said. "During my years here, I've seen how they [the Red Sox] have mistreated other great players when they didn't want them to try to turn the fans against them.
"The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me. Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy," Ramirez added. "I love Boston fans, but the Red Sox don't deserve me. I'm not talking about money. Mental peace has no price, and I don't have peace here."
In Memory Of Eileen Tuuri Friend and Co-Blogger. Thank You Eileen...For Everything.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Manny Ramirez - Beantown's Brett Favre
Manny needs to bury his prima donna attitude, or else Beantown won't be sad to see him leave.
Posted by Mr. Brown at 12:11 AM
Labels: baseball
2 comments:
Except unlike fair haired Brett they will actually call out Manny.
I should point out that tonight I made a post on a Celtics blog called Red's Army so if any Boston sports fans come by...Welcome.
- July 31, 2008 at 12:20 AM
by they I mean the Media.
- July 31, 2008 at 12:20 AM
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Free domains help manage online presence
POSTED: Thursday, April 02, 2009
Hawaii-based Chi.mp threw its virtual doors open to the public yesterday, announcing its no-invitation-needed availability at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco.
";We ... are getting awesome feedback,"; said Rob Farrow, co-founder and vice president of marketing.
How awesome? The number of Chi.mp site owners shot up 40 percent in the first 12 hours, said Gib Bintliff, chief executive officer and king of the jungle.
Chi.mp is a Web domain and its name is an acronym for Content Hub (and) Identity Management Platform, as reported in this space before.
The .mp domain designates the North Mariana Islands, but that's not important right now.
Well, it is to Saipan DataCom Inc. and its partner, SDC Hawaii LLC, the Kapahulu-based startup that offers free your-name-here.mp domains to individuals. It also writes all the software for Chi.mp.
The online portal helps users manage their social networks and establish specific privacy settings for work, public and private access.
Not everybody is on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or myriad other social networking sites, but for one who is, managing so many online portals to one's life can lead to burnout and overload.
Online social media guide Mashable.com described such fatigue in suggesting that use of Chi.mp's social network aggregating abilities could provide some relief.
Chi.mp also can merge contact lists from various sources into one universal organism, which Chi.mp calls the Ultimate Black Book.
To provide some idea of what is possible, Chi.mp co-founder and Chief Operations Officer Mike Curtis invites anyone to take a look at his site at http://mike.mp/.
The company makes money in a few ways and has other avenues for revenue generation it will roll out over time.
Chi.mp currently places advertising on Chi.mp owners' sites. However, it does not place ads on the version of a Chi.mp owner's site that public, work or private contacts will see. ";We don't want to clutter up your identity and the way you represent yourself on the Web,"; Bintliff said.
It eventually will roll out affiliate widgets and will earn revenue through peer-to-peer recommendations.
The company also sells .mp domains to trademark holders for $20 a year and many strong brands register not just one brand name but variations, slogans and more, to prevent cybersquatting. Resolution of such infringement can cost $15,000 ";and it's not like the $20 (for registration) is included in the $15,000,"; Bintliff chuckled.
Monetization is a lower priority than providing a good experience for Chi.mp site owners.
";We want it to be so good that people can't not get their friends to use it,"; he said.


text:
We were in the car when Kieran said:
K: Mummy, a seesaw is a simple machine. The triangle thing, what is it called?
M: pivot
K: pivot. Correct!
K: and what is it called?
M: *I thought for a moment and thought that it is more rightly referred to as a fulcrum* so I said FULCRUM
K: yes! Fulcrum! Correct!
K: a wheel with a pencil inside is also a simple machine! You can roll it to move.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone


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Written by Chiryle's foster mom
I picked up Chiryle today - I am calling her "Cheryl". She appears to be friendly and inquisitive and already makes eye contact, as you can see in the photo.
Her tongue is hanging out because she only has one tooth! She is so cute and I look forward to fostering this little girl. She is the smallest cairn I've personally seen so far, 13 pounds.
Her hair has been shaved and I can't wait to see her as it grows out. I have her in the ex-pen in my dining room.
Chiryle is being fostered in Illinois and will be evaluated for two weeks before she is ready for adoption. You can learn more about her and the other cairns available for adoption by clicking here.
Monday, January 24, 2011
My new foster, Chiryle
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If you want to find rage-inspiring examples of government spending, there is no better place to look than the military budget. Here are some examples that should raise the blood pressure of any self-respecting Tea Partier:
The US has over 100 military bases in Germany alone. These bases may have made sense when we feared a Soviet attack on Western Europe, but the Cold War ended 20 years ago. Why is American taxpayers' money being spent on bases that stimulate the economy of Germany, while defending NATO against a threat that no longer exists? Gen. Roger Brady, who commands US air forces in Europe, says "we've got too many daggone bases," and we could save millions of dollars by closing some of them. We should listen to our commander in Europe.
Since 2001, the US has spent over $55 billion on Afghan reconstruction. Much of this money has been wasted and has fueled corruption in Afghanistan. For example, USAID earmarked $100 million of American taxpayers' money on the Khost-Ghardez Highway, but, due to a militant attack, opted to abandon the project halfway through until security improves. The Army spent $5.5 million to build seven police headquarters, five of which were not completed. And if you want a "bridge to nowhere," the Army built a million-dollar suspension bridge in Afghanistan, but it is useless since no road leads to it. Further, under the $2.2 billion Host Nation Trucking contract, the Pentagon pays protection money to corrupt Afghan security companies that, accordingto the New York Times, gives some of this money to the Taliban to assure safe passage of American supplies.
The Pentagon cannot account for $2.6 billion that it spent in Iraq. According to congressional investigators, Halliburton overbilled American taxpayers by as much as $1.4 billion for services in Iraq. This included $45 for cases of soda, and $1,000 for VCRs. According to Fox News, Halliburton overbilled the taxpayer $61 million for gasoline.
Then there are the "little" things (by Pentagon standards). For example, the American taxpayer is spending $4.4 million to move an Army band from Maryland to Alabama and to build them a new rehearsal room, music library, and practice rooms. Taxpayers are also paying $683,000 to renovate a café; $773,000 for a Taco Bell; and $60,000 for a batting cage at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
Where is Sam Damon?
A blog dedicated to debate and commentary on national security, foreign affairs, veterans' issues, and a whole host of other topics. If you are not familiar with who Sam Damon is, click here. Feel free to post comments or contact Onager via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
An open letter to the Tea Party
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No Sugar & Spice here...but I like it!!! I've had this stamp (from Inkadinkado) for years. I think they created a whole like of them a few years ago. And that whole thing - about kids saying the darnedest things?? So true, very, very true!
I don't really know what the mini-rubber band craze was (is) all about - Creepella is too old for this current craze - but I do like them and when they were 40% off at Joann's I picked up a couple of bags and figured I'd fiddle around with them and they'd make it to a card.....somehow!
And here they are - the colors are perfect with the B&T paper (CTMH) and the hardware (CTMH) is very fitting with the "theme" of this card.
The HARDEST part in making this card? It was crumpling up the CS panel after stamping it. Oh, it nearly killed me......yikes!! But after crumpling and then flattening it out, I swiped some chalk ink (VersaMagic) around to "grunge" it up......oh, and before crumpling I distressed the edges of the stamped panel too.
And I thought this sentiment (CTMH) would be oh-so fitting inside the card.......sigh.... Hope you all have a GOOD day!!
Inks - Memento
CB - Memory Box


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Apologies to those that have tried to download video by podcast link---For some reason this is not working on all files correctly. The techies are working on it.
Try google search for the video item, or search on top left box of Observer for the subject. Run the video right from the Observer post rather than podcast link.
Monday, July 26, 2010
High Podcast Download Demand on Evansville Observer; Patience requested: Techies in review
Posted by Richard Woulfe at 11:53 AM
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A city Girl Story Travel Dairy. I've made this trip to Cork to MN so many times I knew it was going to be a long and draining one so I decided to cut it down and stop in one of my favorite cities for 48 hours. London. I have been to London three times. My…Read More
All articles filed in england
Back to Bristol….
I didn't stay in a hostel when I returned to Bristol. I went with Airbnb and stayed with the nicest woman you could stay with on a single holiday. She was a traveler, too and enjoyed history. She told me not only on about the culture in Bristol but the history of the place I…Read More
A relaxing sunny day in Bath….
People kept telling me go to Bath, it's a great place. And they were right. I went for a day trip and spent the whole day there; it helped that the weather was lovely but even if the weather was crap I probably still find things to do unlike the other places.…Read More
Cardiff City and West Wales adventure
What can I say about Cardiff? I was there for the weekend and it rained, not much different from Ireland. It was a smaller city to Bristol and I could get around it in a half hour. It was quick for me to figure out where I was in the city centre, which just shows how small it is because I still…Read More
First impressions of Bristol
The first thing I thought of when I got to Bristol was these people talk funny. It is on a combination of proper English with a rugged twist depending on where they lived. And as I walked to my hostel that was in the Stokes Craft area of Bristol I noticed a lot of businesses…Read More


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my favorite flavor of drops yet!
I have tried many flavors out there and lex 12 has the best flavors by far. I have two more to try and honestly I have no doubt they will be good too. This is a sweet smooth apricot flavor! I recommend you give it a try. I am working on leaving the cigs behind and cutting out the nicotine and this is a good option bc the 0 nicotine is good too!


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Were now on the North Island of New Zealand. We left Auckland and drove up to Poor Knights Island in search of a few certain critters. Our first dive day was beautiful!! We saw pretty much all the Nudies we were after (See Below) but our second day of diving was cancelled due to 3-4 meter Swells. We were at least happy we got one day in!! We just drove down to Rotorua where were going to do some Rafting & Sledging tomorrow. It's Beautiful hear and you should all put it on your "To Do" list. Until Later...Enjoy!!!
Eric in the Kelp


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hi there
well, i haven't seen the debut film of someone or something called The Oogielovess. then again, it would appear that hardly anyone else has.
for all the great artistic statements made in cinema, let us never lose sight of the fact that it is a business, and thus the greatness of a film tends to be measured by money. in that measurement, then, a film called The Oogieloves In The Big Balloon Adventure is the worst film ever made.
the claim on the poster is a rather interesting one. in retrospect, the claim that it is from a "marketing visionary" reveals a most unusual interpretation of the word "visionary", for the film took all of an average of $47.00 (forty-seven) from cinemas showing this film. and it was not for want of cinemas showing it, for it was released at over 2,000 cinemas last Friday. 2,160 cinemas showed it, if you wish for precision.
ouch is the word that springs to mind. as i said, i have not seen it, but from what i have seen in regards of images this Oogieloves thing looks like it would be great as a children's TV show. why instead it was launched as a major motion picture is beyond me.
that is to assume that this marks the debut of the Oogieloves. if there's a TV show of them i have not seen or heard of it, which is most unusual considering we have youngsters that this would presumably be aimed at.
it's a bit strange that if the "marketing visionary" behind this was given enough money to make a film we don't have a Teletubbies or Thomas The Tank Engine film. both of those, it is fair to say, are established and indeed fondly thought of around the world already, making some visionary marketing a doddle.
needless to say, like perhaps quite a few others, i am rather keen to see this film, just to see if it as bad as the money suggests!
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!


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This one word sums up exactly how John and I have felt the last few days. Logic would say that's it's because we are leaving for China in 11 days. (Ahhhhh!!! Yes, we are leaving in 11 days!!) But no physcial circumstance can take credit for this flood in our hearts….only a God so merciful, so loving, so very, very good. At times there just aren't words to even speak. All HE is….all HIS Word is…all HE has done. For these reasons we are overwhelmed.
2 days ago on November 5th, I woke up and heard in my spirit "This will be a day you will never forget." Well that shook me awake and at first I wondered…good, or bad? lol. So I told the kids and John before work and school what I had heard. Then waited to see what God would do.
On Novemeber 3rd our Article 5 had been picked up and it's typcially 1-4wks before the TA (travel approval) and travel dates are given. With Elyana's adoption we waited a little over 3wks….and now see that wait as a gift that allowed us to be placed us in an AMAZING travel group with AMAZING friends we will have for life.
This time we prepared ourselves for the wait, but were sweetly surprised when only 2 DAYS LATER…on that day I heard those words that it would be a day we never forget.
I received a phone call at 10:30am, on Nov 5th, asking us if we could be ready to travel November 18th to China.
I said one big giant "Yes!" and wrote down the details of our travel. Then called John. Neither of us knew what to say….other than we felt this huge wave crash over us.
We are overwhelmed.
It wasn't just the blessing of leaving early, or the great big gifts of two precious boys waiting for us in China…..but it was like the ice cap on the top of one great BIG mountain in our lives where HE has lovingly showcased HIS mercy, power and answers to MANY cries for help in our weaknesses.
That mountain is made up of every promise fulfilled, every chain broken, every tear saved, every cry of the broken heard in heaven, every groan the Spirit has interpreted, ever provision met, every weakness scooped up in love, every drop of grace in our time of frailty. That majestic mountain, made up of so many minerals compacted by every time we've seen God move during this adoption, during this past year….during our lives.
Because He answered when we called. He held us when we cried. He gave faith when feelings were absent, and He has allowed us to be gifted two boys that will be lonely and broken NO MORE!! Because HE is who HE says HE is.
We are overwhelmed by a God that so many have misunderstood and misspoken about. He really, really is a good, good Father to His children. We never earned this love. He scooped us up in all our imperfections and weaknesses. He loved us in ALL our brokeness. And because of this great love planted in our hearts, we will travel the world around to share it with Hudson and Wesley SOON!!!!!
Yes, we are overwhelmed.
Not because of my "to do" list or because I still feel inadequate, or because our home is still not yet completed. No, not one physical thing should rock us off of the place where He desires to hold us still. At rest against His beating heart that makes the only rhythm that will soothe the soul.
This kind of good overwhelming makes all the physical junk find it's place in a heavenly perspective. So my "to do" list becomes shorter and my heart finds time to pray and soak Him in instead of freaking out!! Oh may I NEVER forget those words I've just written. To abide always in HIM, amidst everything moving all around.
I know I'll need those in the days to come. When we are deep in the trenches helping our boys to heal and allowing God's love through us to break chains….may this mountain of goodness be what helps John and I keep the perspective of a heavenly Father who also chose us in our brokeness.
On Nov 4th, the night before we would get the call to GO!! I heard the Spirit speak a verse out of Ps. 34. So that was what we read with the kids before bed. And as we read we claimed every promise for our family and our boys….
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
Just one day before my birthday, on November 22nd our lives will be forever changed when we meet in person for the first time our son Wesley AiJun.
And just one week later on November 29th, we will again be overwhelmed by the goodness of God when we first meet our son Hudson QinJin.
On a Saturday morning in the early stages of our adoption…before we ever knew or had any idea we would be gifted two sons, I heard these words "Come and get us Mom" That day I knew it was really time to start paperwork and push through it. Now I can say to our two sons….."We are coming to get you! You will be rejected no more, hungry no more, lonely no more, traumatized no more, broken no more! You are chosen, Beloved! We will love you with the love of a great big wonderful Father!"
"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3
And finally, these are the two songs playing in my heart this week…..
Oh, I've heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You're like
But I've heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You're pleased
And that I'm never alone
You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am...
Good, Good Father ~ Chris Tomlin
I see the work of Your Hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming
I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it's a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming
I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You
God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You
I know the power of Your Cross
Forgiven and free forever You'll be my God
And all that You've done is so overwhelming
Overwhelmed ~ Big Daddy Weave
Thank you. To each of you who have been here for us during this time of preperation and rejoicing. Thank you for covering us in the protection of prayer as we know our enemy hates what we are doing. For it will be God who has the glory in these lives redeemed.


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Reader Review: Gold Shadow – L.C. Perry
Gold Shadow [#1]:
I recently received a message on Goodreads from L.C. Penny enquiringly as to whether I would be interested in possibly reviewing her young adult dystopian novel. After reading through the premise and finding it to my personal liking, I asked if she could possibly send me a copy if her offer still stood. I soon found myself immersed in the novel and, to my initial surprise, it was very captivating.
This first book in the soon-to-continued series follows Ebony – an 18-year-old girl who's been living underground as a slave for as long as she can remember. She's been raised learning that her strength is the only thing that will protect her from the horrors of what lurks within the Root Cities, far beneath the surface. Though, when rebels from the world aboveground find themselves in her path, she's faced with the possibility of getting free and really making a life for herself. The issue is, the monarchy is only planning on getting stronger as the oblivious Princess Irene gets ready to be wed to a suitor, but Ebony thinks she knows a way to show the Princess the truth of her kingdom.
The book gets moving quickly, which I really liked, as that meant that my attention was caught and maintained from the start as I grew increasingly interested in the storyline that was unravelling. From the start, the novel has been written in a way that makes good use of descriptive imagery – the world and the scenarios are well developed and explored, and the small details that contribute to the scenes make it feel all the more three dimensional. The audience is thrown into the character, her personality, and her life off the bat – which means that we're able to get an idea of just how in-depth the characterisation really goes. Even though the reader is provided with enough context for the character to feel real and develop somewhat of a connection with her, there is still information withheld which makes the audience eager to explore her past and her present even further. There's obviously a lot more details to uncover about Ebony's backstory and what she's been through as a person (not just as a cliched book character) so this prompts the audience to continue reading. As the book progresses, this also can be seen to be the case for the story and the world itself overall. The world has obviously been developed very well and there are a lot of different elements to take into account, so the reader does indeed feel truly immersed.
One of my favourite things about the book is that, as the cast grows, there are a lot of various characters introduced that obviously have diverse and contrasting personalities, traits, and backstories of their own. This makes for a very fascinating mix of people which the audience wants to get to know and explore – and that offers further potential for more characters to be developed in the continuation of the series as well. It's nice to see the various types of mindsets that the characters have and, quite obviously, this allows the reader to feel involved as they're going to form their own outlook on these specific attributes of who plays a part in the overall story. The ways that the characters interact with each other and challenge their emotions are written incredibly well which means that I was able to pick up on the emotions that they were feeling in certain situations and put myself in their shoes. Not only does this directly pull the reader into the action of the story, but it also causes them to consider the future of the characters and the future of the plot a lot more as they're immersed in such a personal way as they're able to experience the characters developing alongside the story. The audience can relate to the feelings and, in turn, this means the story maintains attention a lot more easily.
Another aspect of the narrative that I enjoyed was truly the fact that it takes on and approaches such a dark premise in a raw way. There are sensitive yet important issues that are addressed throughout the narrative and the various characters, though I felt that this made the storyline all the more riveting and compelling as it also allows the readers to get closer to the characters individually. I like the openness and the vulnerability that certain elements of the plot line takes on and addresses. I also liked the parallel storylines as you're able to see how they become connected and you're able to see the truth behind the hugely diverse lifestyles that the characters lead.
Though, there were some aspects of the book that lacked, though this is a given with almost any novel out there. At the very beginning, before the introduction of the main character's name and identity, I found myself getting confused when trying to pinpoint who was doing what and who was speaking in the dialogue scenes. Even though this doesn't last for all that long, the few starting scenes are written in a way that poses puzzling for the reader, and this could cause them to lose interest in pursuing the story further. Throughout the development and continuation of the plot, there are some apparent cliches that make the situations and the premises feel familiar and, in turn, this means that some elements and plot points of the story are indeed easy to predict. For example, the way that Irene acts is rather predictable as it's stereotypical of her character trope. Though, again, this isn't always necessarily a bad thing as it does move the story along. During certain scenes, the dialogue does feel 'wooden' – I found that there were some points of certain chapters that ran off for a bit longer than was necessary and, once in a while, found my attention lacking as I wanted the scenes to move forward and for the plot to push through.
However, when it comes to the ending of the book, I think it was rounded off nicely. The ending is open which leaves the audience with questions and with a want to continue exploring the storyline of the characters and the details of the world that has been established, which is effective because the reader is more likely going to want to continue reading the second book.
To put it simply; I didn't think that this book would entrap me as much as it truly did and, continuously throughout reading, I found myself getting more involved in the story and paying more attention to the various characters and the roles they played in the overall plot. The world is well-established and the story is very well-developed in a premise with quite a bit of originality, so it makes for a very interesting read. Though there are some tropes and cliches that make points of the story predictable, I found my interest to be maintained to the end, and the continuation of the series has a lot of potential.
Thanks for reading this short review and I'll write you later.
If you're a fan of Pierce's Browns 'Red Rising' series or are generally interested in the thought of a dystopian planet, then I'd definitely recommend that you check out this book.
If you enjoy tough but vulnerable characters who work together to overcome adversity and kick ass whilst doing so, then give this a read.


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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Help!! Please??
4 comments:
I do blog designs. I'm not doing them for a few more weeks though. I just moved and I am still getting settled in. I plan on starting once my HHGs get here and life resumes to as normal as possible. If interested and willing to wait, then let me know!ReplyDelete
Becca from "Lovely Yellow Ribbons" did mine. She does some really great stuff for military wives! Click on the peace sign on the top left of my blog and it will take you to hers!ReplyDelete
cutestblogontheblock.com has some really cute stuff to, they even have headers you can customize for yourself.
I went here and they taught me about custom blog headers:ReplyDelete
They have more than that too...The links are on the right :)
so easy. upper left hand corner of my blog. there is a link. her layouts are free, and she has lots of little extras. What else do you want? I'd suggest adding "gadgets" I've got lots of them. Blogrolls, sites and such. I can make you a button if you tell me what you want it to look like.ReplyDelete


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Sweetie is fast approaching her 3rd birthday. Well, more so in attitude than in time, actually. With 2 months to go until the official day, she is certainly getting in her "Terrible Three's" practice time nice and early, so that by the time she actually hits the date she'll be a certified "Drama Queen". (I like that title - let's go with that. It's much better than "brat" or "Hell on wheels". After all, she's already got the hot pink shirt emblazed with the Drama Queen title right across her chest.)
So, what exactly is Sweetie doing lately to practice for her year of drama? Well, besides from her strong will and independent nature, for over a month now she's been telling people (Grammy, her cousins, me, whoever...) "Don't talk to me." "Don't look at me." and "Don't tell me." Whether or not said offenders are actually talking, looking or telling her anything, it doesn't matter.
I find she's particularly grumpy in the morning and/or right after a nap. I've also considered that it may be a jealousy thing when it comes to her attitude toward her one cousin in particular. My niece is currently living with my parents while she's at college. So Sweetie may be jealous of someone else taking Nana's attention away from her. Not that my niece demands that much attention or anything, but she's someone "new" in the house sometimes where there's usually only Sweetie and Nana
These are not excuses for her behavior, mind you. I'm just trying to work it out for myself what would possess my sweet little girl to start regularly talking back to people and being so contrary. I suppose I maybe can't reason it out - it's simply her age and the stage she's going through.
(Funny side note: at one point when I was visiting with my mom and niece, Sweetie started being rude. My mom tried to reassure me that Sweetie will get over herself in time and that this was just a phase. So, what does Sweetie do, but put her hands on her hips, stuck out her chin and informed her cousin that "It's just a phase, Abby. It's just a phase." In spite of ourselves, we all of course laughed. It's so difficult to teach about manners and not being rude when you're laughing at your child's defiant attitude and posturing. Ugh!)
Anyway, it turns out she's not just talking back to people. No, my daughter finds it necessary to tell both the songs on the radio and the commercials on T.V. that she doesn't want to do whatever they're suggesting either. For example, the new version of "Listen To Your Heart" recently played on our car radio as we were heading off somewhere. There Sweetie was in the back seat saying, "No, I don't want to listen to my heart!". And not just once, but every time that line repeated throughout the whole song. As for T.V. commercials, I can't think of a specific example right now, but I know she's plainly announced to the set on at least a couple occasions that she didn't want to buy or do whatever it was that was being advertised at the moment. My husband and I constantly have to remind her that "It's just a song, Sweetie." or "It's just a commercial - you don't have to do anything." But this doesn't seem to appease her. Again - ugh!
Sweetie is also very much in the "mine, mine, mine." frame of mind. When visiting friends recently, she was happily playing with the ride-on toy that they have for their 1 year old son. Whenever this little boy came over to her, though, Sweetie was all about "no, baby, this is mine!". NOT so cool at all. (What was somewhat interesting, though, was when this same little boy was looking at my walking stick, trying to figure out what it was, Sweetie quickly piped in her 2 cents that "No, baby, that's my mommy's stick. Don't touch mommy's stick." Cute that she was "sticking up for me", not cute that she felt it her business to be so bossy.)
So, what can we do? We've talked to her about good manners and sternly told her when she's being rude that she needs to be nice to people. We've also tried to ignore it, thinking not giving her any added attention over this might make her attitude quickly revert back to the sweet demeanor she usually has. And I've been looking for Veggie Tales videos and/or other children's shows that might discuss the importance of good behavior and being nice to others. But when all is said and done, I'm afraid I might have to just admit that this is in fact a phase she's going through and that she'll work through it in time.
I just hope she works through it sooner rather than later. I don't know if I can deal with a whole year of this 'tude.


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The other day I "ghosted" an old forum that I used to frequent often, reading posts here and there and checking things out. After some time, I concluded that, for whatever reason, I preferred the "old" randomness of the forum to the "new" randomness. Why was that? Was it just that my memory had romanticized it?
I investigated further on various forums and social networks. Some of what I considered "old-style" randomness was still alive and well. But what was the difference? Why did I still enjoy one particular style of "randomness" and humor, while I found that I disliked the other style?
I began to find this division all over. Not only on the internet, but in real life as well. I dislike certain brands of internet humor, but I enjoy being ridiculous and making up insane monologues with friends. I found that I loved making inside jokes that made no sense but disliked popular memes that made no sense. Both could be considered "randomness", but what was the difference? Why did I like one but not the other?
I separated the two categories and analyzed them. Then I slapped some hasty labels on the twins: one, I call "Wholesome Ridiculousness", and the other I call "Empty Randomness". The two categories have some definite characteristics.
Let's take "Empty Randomness" first. This is primarily the sort of randomness I critiqued in my previous post: words which are used for no particular purpose. This is a category that contains imploding chocolate and turkeys and the like. It is random not for the sake of relief or the sake of sanity, but it is random for the sake of being random.
This sort of randomness, when used liberally, begins to give conversations and forums an empty feel; it has no particular direction and no specific meaning.
But what about "Wholesome Ridiculousness"? What's that all about?
In some respects, it looks similar to "randomness". It often contains arbitrary objects; I'm sure it often features turkeys and chocolate.
But in contrast, it has two tendencies: first, it is more creative; and second, it is more relational.
The creativity of ridiculousness is the main thing that makes it wholesome. Anyone can explode over chocolate; but what takes skill and creativity, what takes imagination, is ridiculousness. To tell a sweeping tale of the year 2020 in which my hindsight was 20-20 and my mate Firefly was flying by—that is ridiculousness. Randomness is akin to throwing up whatever comes to mind; ridiculousness is akin to art, the creative impulse to make something, to make anything, to make a thing that cannot be possible except in the imagination. It is randomness for the sake of creativity.
Chesterton called it "farce" and put it this way: "Of all the varied forms of the literature of joy, the form most truly worthy of moral reverence and artistic ambition is the form called 'farce'...To the quietest human being, seated in the quietest house, there will sometimes come a sudden and unmeaning hunger for the possibilities or impossibilities of things; he will abruptly wonder whether the teapot may not suddenly begin to pour out honey or sea-water, the clock point to all hours of the day at once, the candle to burn green or crimson, the door to open upon a lake or a potato-field instead of a London street."
This ridiculousness also tends to be more relational. Perhaps you may read randomness online in the form of memes and topics; but ridiculousness nearly always requires two or more. People bring with them a greater meaning. With other people, you realize that you are speaking to eternal beings; that if everything else in this earth passes away, the people you talk to will live on.
In that same way, when you are being ridiculous with friends, the ridiculousness becomes more than just a temporal distraction; it becomes something that will stick in your memory; it becomes the source of inside jokes, expanding like a spiderweb until the jokes are so long and complicated that you nearly forget it all and have to start all over again, like a secret handshake that continues to be amended as the years roll by.
It becomes a source of joy: some days when I feel down I remember the night that I went cow-tipping in the north pasture with my closest friends, and I feel again the exhilarating ridiculousness of wheeling through the pasture singing Vanilla Twilight atrociously off-key. We never did find the cows.
Where randomness is repetitive and without creativity, ridiculousness is imaginative; where randomness creates emptiness, ridiculousness creates memories.
Like I said, randomness as a whole has two sides. I dislike dry and meaningless randomness strongly; but I defend with equal strength the wholesome randomness that relies on creativity and relationships for meaning.
The trick for us is to distinguish between them. And how do we do that? We hold on to what creates meaning, and we reject what doesn't.
If we manage to do that, the internet—and all of life—will be better for it.


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Jokasai; Tanshin ?, with kao 常嘉斎 探信?(花押)
By 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911) NOTES: [1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.
Credit Line
William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Japanese, Edo period, Early 19th century
- Yamada School, Japanese
- Kano Tanshin Morimasa, Japanese, 1653–1718
Overall: 8.5 x 6.7 x 1.9 cm (3 3/8 x 2 5/8 x 3/4 in.)
Accession Number
Medium or Technique
Gold lacquer ground, decoration in black sumi-e togidashi-e; compartments and risers gold nashiji; shoulders and rims gold fundame


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We're only three-quarters of the way into October and it seems as if the month is gathering steam as it speeds on by – especially when it comes to passion and achievement.
Last week, I passed along some thoughts about the amazingly ambitious work and passion of Jack Andraka – a charismatic young man who in 16 brief years has managed to reveal, unfold, and embark on a life journey that radiates his passion in an exuberant yet humble way.
Still captivated by the allure of passion…yet pondering more of a longer-term achievement spin on a life filled with passion…my intrigue this week was sparked by the art, work and success of "the master (or rather mistress) of contemporary short story" – Alice Munro – recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. Besides receiving a $1.2 million dollar prize (yawza!!), Ms. Munro is now one of only 13 woman to have received the prize in Literature in the 112 year history of the Award – plus, her success is also a rare example of the awarding of an Award for short stories.
For those of us who love to write – especially short stories – Alice Munro offers a beacon of hope. In many ways, her life doesn't appear that unusual – and seems to align with the lives of many of us.
Ms. Munro came from humble beginnings. She was born in 1931 (yep – she's a young, vibrant 82) in Wingham, Canada (a small conservative town west of Toronto). Her father was a fox farmer; her mother a teacher. Her short story writing career started during her teen years. Her life's details suggest that she was a "literary person in a nonliterary town." Like many of us, she is said to have "concealed her ambition like a forbidden passion" and often "walked the streets like an exile or a spy." She attended the University of Western Ontario (under a scholarship). While still an undergraduate, she sold her first story to CBC radio in Ontario and began to be published in a variety of magazines. In a 2003 Associated Press (AP) interview, she confessed that life after the 1960's social revolution was "wonderful" as it "allowed even older women to wear miniskirts and prance around."
After dropping out of college to marry a fellow student, Ms. Munro became a stay-at-home mom tasked with raising three little ones. In a few short years, this lifestyle choice triggered a state of fear and depression – creating in her an inability to formulate complete sentences. Activities surrounding the opening and management of a bookstore with her then husband (James) helped her regain her focus and re-invigorate her desire to write again. At age 37, she published her first book.
The announcement of Ms. Munro's winning of the Nobel Prize in Literature was especially poignant for me. Four years ago – on the same day as the Award announcement – I had the rare privilege of visiting Munro's Books in Vancouver, B.C. For a writer – especially an aspiring short story writer – the ambiance, essence and feeling within this bookstore was dreamlike – offering a whimsical fairytale-like adventure for all who arrived and entered. At the time, images of Alice in Wonderland (hmmm…wonder if there was any meaning in that, Ms. Munro?), satiated my experience there. I also remember feeling as if I was being whisked away from my real-life existence in that magical bookstore to flying lessons with Peter Pan and
cozying up to The Aladdin as we traveled the world together on his magical carpet.
After winning the Trillium Book award in June of this year, Ms. Munro shared that "she was probably not going to write anymore." She continued to suggest that "maybe it's time to take it easy" and live a "normal life" – one she might find outside of writing – in retirement. While reading these comments, a favorite quote by Eugene Ionesco surfaced (more on Mr. Ionesco in my next blog):
"A writer never takes a vacation. For a writers life is about the places the mind visits but the soul has already touched."
The lives and successes of these people – Jack Andraka and Alice Munro (along with many other focused, passionate life adventurers) – offer us an awe-inspiring glimpse into the places genuine passion can transport us. For those of us immortal storytellers, Alice Munro's commitment to observing and capturing the lives of everyday people in written short story form – particularly during challenging cultural times…and her achievements…help us embrace a truly magical, yet achievable panorama – one that encourages us to believe that real life stories can help anchor one's dream.
Dreams can come true……
Until next time…
© 2013 EM Carlock
The Write Resources, LLC™
www.today.com – AP (Associated Press)
www.dailycamera.com – AP (Associated Press – by Hillel Italie and Malin Rising)
www.nationalpost.com (?) Canadian newspaper


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This was my SSR book for the last few weeks, and I finished it just before the journalism class' story idea meeting.
8) NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
There's a common cliche that has always bugged me about parenting books and the people who read them: the readers share their knowledge with parents who are in the thick of raising kids, and the former attempt to school the latter on what they're doing wrong. And while I was reading this book, I didn't want to be that guy, especially considering more of my friends that I talk to on a regular basis have kids now than don't. Thankfully, this doesn't quite count as a parenting book but more of a child psychology book. Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, NurtureShock's authors, take many of society's normal preconceived notions about children -- from infants to teenagers -- and debunk the thinking surrounding them.
As someone who wants to have kids, this was a fascinating look at what is a surprisingly burgeoning field of research. Many studies have focused on the problem children in society: those with ADHD, ESL students, kids with mental health concerns, and so on. It's only been in the last few years that researchers have turned their attention to the well-adjusted, non-problem kids to figure out their state of mind. Merryman and Bronson reveal that many of the assumptions made about said children are rooted more in wishful thinking but fall apart when scrutinized. At the same time, any research, when picked apart enough, fails to hold up to scrutiny, including that of the authors.
Additionally, the findings that Merryman and Bronson report make sense. So often people, be they parents, teachers, or researchers, assume that what applies to adults also applies to children, but those same people tend to forget that they are, in fact, dealing with children. While that appears to be common sense, until recently it was never explored through research. One aspect that makes researching the standard, reasonable child difficult is funding: several times throughout the book, Bronson and Merryman note that people had their research funding cut off because their subjects started to test too far into normal parameters. Ironic to be sure, but the researchers found it frustrating to have their progress cut short just as they were arriving to an interesting or groundbreaking area.
Since I'm a prospective parent and current teacher, I'm definitely more invested in the subject matter, and the authors present it by using anecdotes taken from the research. That being said, I can see where someone else might view the whole of the text as very dry. But, seriously, this stuff is fascinating for any would-be or current parent and revelatory in a few specialized areas of interacting with children. I read this for pleasure but did so with a highlighter in hand, and I annotated the hell out of this book. In fact, I did my best to write the overall conclusion from each of the chapters as I finished them. This may count as spoilers for anyone looking to read NurtureShock, but I wanted some way to keep track of the major ideas that I took away from the reading.
- Praise effort instead of intelligence.
- Kids get less sleep, and, as a result, they perform worse academically and get fatter.
- Ignoring talking about race doesn't make kids colorblind, and can actually encourage them to segregate themselves socially.
- Lying at an early age shows intelligence, but it's cognitively difficult for kids to understand the impact of their lie.
- Testing kids at an early age makes "long-term structural decisions over kids' lives at a point when their brains haven't even begun the radical transformations that will determine their true intelligence" (113).
- Siblings fight not for their parent's affections but because they know that their brothers and/or sisters will always be there. Friendship interactions speak more to how siblings will eventually interact.
- Teen rebellion is not the norm: they view fighting with their parents as a productive way of articulating the arguments from both sides. It's parents who feel that arguing is destructive.
- Self-discipline is even more important than intelligence or "smarts;" fortunately, the latter can be taught at a young age and is not something determined beforehand.
- Educational television will help tone down physical aggressiveness but may make the the kid even more relationally aggressive. Also, it's important that children see their parents resolve their arguments.
- Language acquisition is not innate and videos like Baby Einstein actually stifle a child's vocabulary. The best way to get kids talking earlier is to respond to the sounds they make as they make them. This was probably one of the more fascinating chapters so far.
Finally, nearly a third of the book is comprised of notes, acknowledgments and an index. Aesthetically, I found this frustrating because, and this is incredibly petty on my part, I felt like I was getting the shaft when it comes to the pages read. This is listed as a 336 page book but the actual text only takes up 238 pages. It just felt misleading, is all.


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RAY ALLEN is looking for someone who is ready to work and eager to learn. You will be integral in developing new methodologies and tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and interpretation of various business metrics. Ideally, you will have a knack for problem-solving, are resourceful and not afraid of some data detective work, consider yourself a creative and an out-of-the-box thinker, are very logical and methodical, stay meticulously organized, are comfortable handling very large data sets primarily in Excel, and you are an effective and comfortable communicator.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
Skills & Qualifications


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SOURCE: IZEA, Inc.
October 09, 2014 10:00 ET
IZEA's 5th Annual "State of Sponsored Social" Report Surveyed Marketers on the Latest Marketing Trends, Attitudes and Best Practices
IZEA's 5th Annual "State of Sponsored Social" Report Surveyed Marketers on the Latest Marketing Trends, Attitudes and Best Practices
ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - Oct 9, 2014) - Sponsored Social is giving traditional media a run for its money based on data from IZEA Inc.'s (OTCQB: IZEA) fifth annual "State of Sponsored Social" report. Marketers who have recently utilized the medium rate Sponsored Social equally or more effective than any other marketing approach including experiential marketing, celebrity endorsements, online display, and traditional television, radio, and print advertising. The report, created in partnership with research firm Halverson Group, was released today and is available for free at http://izea.me/soss2014.
Results reveal that fifty-three percent (53%) of marketers have used Sponsored Social marketing within the past year, second only to display ads (58%). According to the qualitative leg of the study, marketers believe they need to be online and socially active to be where their audiences are. As one agency marketer explained, "It's time to get smart -- there's no more black and white when it comes to advertising...it's a hybrid and it's known as social marketing."
"It's not a big secret that today's consumers want to connect with brands in a genuine way through social content. That's the reason why Sponsored Social is so effective," said Ted Murphy, Chairman and CEO of IZEA. "Sponsored Social is a beautiful communications circle where every party involved -- brands, creators and consumers -- comes out on top and is natively a part of the discussion."
In developing the report, IZEA sought out the quantitative and qualitative opinions of both brand and agency professionals from a broad range of company sizes to reflect the diverse needs of the marketing industry.
These marketers revealed they prefer Sponsored Social because it is a powerful and innovative opportunity to make authentic brand-to-customer connections, specifically for:
Other key findings from IZEA's "State of Sponsored Social" report include:
"IZEA has reinforced its leadership role in the Sponsored Social industry through its underwriting of the 2014 'State of Sponsored Social' study," said Jana O'Brien, Managing Director at Halverson Group. "This objective, nationwide assessment of marketer and practitioner regard for and use of Sponsored Social will help the entire industry refine its best practices and continue to firmly establish Sponsored Social as a highly effective strategic marketing tool that benefits brands, content creators, and the consuming public that both serve."
While marketers are one half of the Sponsored Social puzzle, creators of Sponsored Social content are the other half. IZEA's "State of Sponsored Social" revealed that creators are more passionate about the brands they represent than ever before, value relevant and interesting content and cite Sponsored Social as a majority of their income.
Findings show:
The current report also reaffirms what past "State of Sponsored Social" reports revealed: more education about FTC guidelines on disclosure continues to be an industry need. 63% of creators are aware of and understand the FTC guidelines, as opposed to only 10% of marketers.
IZEA has advised the FTC in crafting the original disclosure guidelines. The IZEAx Marketplace has the highest disclosure standards in the industry, requiring that each piece of content produced within the platform meets disclosure guidelines.
About IZEA
Founded in 2006, IZEA is the pioneer of Social Sponsorship. The company builds cloud-based marketplaces that connect brands with creators who blog, tweet, pin, and post on their behalf. Brands receive influential consumer content and engaging, shareable stories that drive awareness. Creators are compensated for their participation and partnership. For more information about IZEA, visit http://corp.izea.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on IZEA's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond IZEA's control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, competitive conditions in the Sponsored Social segment in which IZEA operates, failure to popularize one or more of the marketplace platforms of IZEA, inability to obtain additional capital, and changing economic conditions that are less favorable than expected. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this release will in fact occur. Please read the full statement and disclosures here: http://corp.izea.com/safe-harbor-statement
1 Momentum is the degree to which the marketing community is feeling better, the same, or worse about a given medium or approach in the marketing mix vs. one year ago
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Why do the nations protest and the peoples grumble in vain?
Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the LORD and his anointed: "Let us break their shackles and cast off their chains!"
The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord derides them,
Then speaks to them in anger, terrifies them in wrath:
"I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD, who said to me,
"You are my son; today I am your father.
Only ask it of me, and I will make your inheritance the nations, your possession the ends of the earth. With an iron rod you shall shepherd them, like a clay pot you will shatter them."
And now, kings, give heed; take warning, rulers on earth.
Serve the LORD with fear; with trembling bow down in homage,
Lest God be angry and you perish from the way in a sudden blaze of anger.
Happy are all who take refuge in God!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
1 comment:
- Jimmy Lewis said...
PTL !!! Appreciate the comments on my site and just wanted to wish you and yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
May God Bless You!!!
Jimmy Lewis
- November 24, 2008 at 10:42 AM
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