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Are you a productive person? Do you get a lot done when you set out to accomplish a task or does it seem to take you forever to finish the task? Productivity can be a difficult topic as many of us have varying opinions of what is deemed as productive. But what I do believe we all can agree on is that the definition of being productive is checking tasks (big or small) off a to do list in a reasonable time. However, this can be difficult! There are so many things that call for our attention that seem like them have to be done immediately. But in order to move to the next level you must do one key thing: PRIORITIZE!!!
Prioritizing what's most important to accomplish can be done in a few ways but I have two apps to suggest that can make things a lot easier for you:
This is by far one of my favorite apps! It allows you to make multiple to-do list and set reminders for every task on each list. This is important because as we decide what is most important to accomplish that day we can separate the task by type with each list and set reminders to make sure we don't forget to do them. For example, within this app I have a "home' list, "nonprofit" list, and a "personal" to name a few :). Each list has to do items listed and reminders set. It's so helpful as I go through my day as it allows me to accomplish task from multiple list if I choose to prioritize the reminders accordingly!
This app is so simple it genius! If you are a person that would love to go to bed and say "I accomplished ____ today!" then this app is for you! It allows you to set today's and tomorrow's "wins" and reminds you to do so each morning. It's just that simple!!
Don't leave the challenge of prioritizing to chance. When we don't prioritize we procrastinate by nature and this becomes is a never ending cycle. Use these apps to help make you more productive in prioritizing your life!


text: Saturday Searchers meets once a month, usually on the first Saturday with the session starting at 10am and finishing at 12 noon. An invitation goes out to all the local schools for children between the ages of 5 and 11 to come together to have fun and learn about a story from the Bible. The activities are all linked with the Bible story but give us chance to get to know each other, get messy with our art and craft work, make a lot of noise with some of our games, have fun dressing up and doing learning the story through drama and generally realise that Church doesn't have to mean dull. 1 2 3 At the moment we get about 35 each time and have at least 4 leaders each time; all of the leaders are members of Harrowby Lane Church and have undertaken a CRB safety check; we are ever mindful of taking care of the young people entrusted to us. Some of the members of our Junior Church also come along so there is always the chance to make new friends.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beware Of The Six Negative Impacts of Using Smartphones | AIB
Are you always hunched over your phone, what do you look for after waking up? Is it a smartphone? If yes, you could be addicted to the smartphone. Spend too much time on your smartphone will have negative impacts on your health. Here are some of the health risks caused by your smartphone.
Phantom Pocket Vibration Syndrome!
Most of us would often keep a smartphone in a pants pocket for more convenient and practical reasons. But it turns out this can have an adverse impact on our health. Health experts call it as Phantom Pocket Vibration Syndrome. For those who do not know, this syndrome is caused by vibration on the phone itself. Patients will continue to feel the vibration of the phone even though the phone is in a state of not vibrating or not ringing.
According to researchers gadget addiction leads to insomnia as a problem of your brain being unable to stop being awake, even when a person has the chance to do so. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience one or more. If you're among the people we mean, we suggest you better manage your smartphone's usage time. Therefore, reduce the time spent at night.
Social Effects!
Rather of making us more connected, our smartphones could be making us more lonely. Not only are we more distracted and less 'present' in social scenarios thanks to our cell phones, but we're also becoming less connected to our peers on a deeper level.Smartphone use is also likely to make us more self-centered, and less liable to engage in 'prosocial' behavior.
Germs and Infection!
Do you know if the phone can also turn into a source of disease? Because of its frequently necessary function many people who use the phone in all its activities such as eating, drinking, bathing and so forth. Impact, many germs, and bacteria that stick to your phone. So, do you belong to that class? If so, immediately change your bad habits before the disease attacks. Get used to clean the phone before use.
Using the phone with a position too bent for a long time can cause serious neck pain. This disease is called Spondylitis. Symptoms of inflammatory disease in the vertebrae, generally caused by tuberculosis germs. So, From now on try to use the phone with a relaxed body position and do not use it more than two hours.
It is still a matter of debate in the world of health. But many agree that putting a phone in a pants pocket can make you infertile. Yes, cell phone radiation can decrease sperm count. The fix, do not too often pocket the phone in your pants pocket or use a casing to protect from radiation.


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Spain: Pedro Sánchez and the independence crisis
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On Sunday, February 10, thousands of Spaniards went out to the streets to demand that the president call elections. What is happening?
Around 45,000 people, sympathizers of different political parties such as the PP (Popular Party), C's (Citizens) and Vox, went to the streets of Madrid to demand "immediate and hard-line elections with those who want to break Spain with the Catalan independence movement", as stated by La Voz de Galicia.
Leer en español: España: Pedro Sánchez y la crisis independentista
The traditional parties of the right-wing demand that Pedro Sánchez, president of Spain, break relations with any type of independence forces.
Sánchez had a series of dialogues with the independence parties and struggles of Catalonia, in which two spaces were proposed, the first being institutional (Bilateral State-Generalitat Commission) and the second a dialogue table. This tried that within the conformation of the table of parties a representation in Catalonia existed, "two by party, but specifying that they must have the capacity of decision in the two territorial scopes (state and Catalan)", according to ABC Spain.
However, the Spanish government decided to stop the dialogues by stating that the Generalitat is to blame since they did not accept the proposed framework. It should be noted that one of the main problems between Spain and Catalonia is the interest of the second in carrying out independence movements. From the beginning, Sanchez excluded the possibility of a referendum of self-determination within the framework of the dialogues.
Este Gobierno no aceptará nunca un referéndum de autodeterminación.— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) 8 de febrero de 2019
Trabajamos por tender todos los puentes posibles desde la política. Esta es la propuesta del Gobierno de España para Cataluña: convivencia, dialogo y ley. Constitución https://t.co/1iXBt7oqEB
In spite of the above, the Spanish government indicated that the possibility of resuming the dialogues is possible as long as the negotiators belonging to the Generalitat accept the framework of what is proposed.
Maybe you're interested in reading: Ireland: in the eye of the storm because of the Brexit
More fuel to the fire
With the march, last Sunday, not only the Spanish right puts in check the Sanchez socialist government, but the "pause" in the dialogues, comes at a key moment for the Spanish president, since on Wednesday, February 13, they will take carried out the votes of the General Budgets of the State. In these votes, the budget of Spain is approved, and there, the Catalan support is essential for the government of Sánchez.
If the necessary support is not obtained, the Spanish vice-president, Carmen Calvo, already affirmed that "they will continue to govern by a decree of law to comply with their agenda", according to 20 minutes. In addition, at the end of the meeting of the Council of Minister and according to the same media argued that "this government has done with laws and royal decrees negotiated and validated with all the political groups of the Chamber". This Government has come to stay. fraud to topple a government and call elections".
Without a necessary vote, the Spanish government will not back down or yield to pressures to call early elections, it will simply re-evaluate how it can carry out political proposals, since in the words of Calvo, "the time of the legislature is shortened".
Sanchez's response
Faced with the above, Pedro Sanchez said that his government works for Spanish unity which means "unite the Spanish and not face them, as did the right in the marches." He also said that the crisis is a product of the government led by the government of Mariano Rajoy (belonging to the PP), "what I do as president of the government is to solve a state crisis that the Popular Party aggravated when it was in power," it is affirmed by La Jornada.
Thus, Sánchez tries to balance between the opposition of the right-wing, which opposes the current government with every situation that involves the pro-independence movement; and a left that reminds him that thanks to them Sanchez could reach power, after unseating Mariano Rajoy. An unfavorable situation, that added to the marches of last Sunday, will not let Sanchez leave unharmed.
LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz
Translated from "España: Pedro Sánchez y la crisis independentista"


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Don't-Shah Wish You Partied Like The Shahs? Relive Their Wildest Moments!
Watch the Shahs' funniest, wildest (and most drunken) moments through the years.
The only thing the Shahs love more than gold is a good party. And when the drinks start flowing, this crew gets down, dirty, and wild. Enjoy some of the craziest Shahs of Sunset moments to date.
1. MJ in Need of A Cold Shower
At Reza's birthday bash in Vegas, our girl "Mercedes had a tad too much to drink. To sober her up, Reza threw her in a cold shower... It didn't really work.
2. Cabo: 1, Mike: 0
"Mike Shouhed posessed by patron" -Reza
3. Reza's Bachelor Party
But wait! It gets SO much better...
4. Reza and MJ truly have a special friendship
It would probably be easier for MJ to run without those heels on.
5. Skinny dipping is a vacation must
Cake by the ocean!
You May Also Like...Recommended by Zergnet


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New Frontier
Curtis Arts and Humanities Center
2349 E. Orchard Rd.
Littleton, CO 80121
Curtis Arts and Humanities Center
2349 E. Orchard Rd.
Littleton, CO 80121
The old West gets a modern makeover at this show by contemporary artists seeking new interpretations of classic Western themes and icons. Black silhouettes of ranchers, cowboys, Native Americans, and other figures are the focus of Denver painter Maura Allen's pop art pieces. Brad Rude's bronze animal sculptures and Tracy Stuckey's hyperrealistic oil paintings of fashionable figures in developed Western landscapes further illuminate the numerous ways one can document a landscape both timeless and everchanging. Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; weekend hours vary.
- Category:
- Arts and Exhibits
- Date:
- Jan 09, 2017 to Feb 24, 2017
- Cost:
- Free.


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As a direct descendent of St George, Sir Aurelious Jones has been hot footing it around the country to present the Epico the Dragon show. This weekend has seen them enjoying the first warm day of Spring with the good people of Tamworth at their Medieval Fair, and a very wet event in Liverpool, where crowds stood in the rain to watch them play. Tomorrow they head for Broadgate, Coventry to once again imbue the streets with patriotic cheer, do join us if you are free times are 11:40, 13:05 & 14:30.
After three days on the road, Aurelious will be soaking in a bath tub heated by dragon fire, having his bunions scrubbed by a wench and dreaming of his own beatification!


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Event planning is difficult. Anyone who has ventured into events understands all the issues related to them including managing the general cost, gaging the actual interest, and putting in the effort to successfully run the event.
Everything we've done at Rochester Rising is entrepreneurial; each thing we try is one small experiment. Over the past two years, we've certainly run a fair share of tests and had several failures, and successes, in the event running department, from hosting demo nights, to throwing one-year birthday celebrations, to holding business breakfasts.
Throughout this process, we discovered a clear need for open (and cost-effective) events for entrepreneurs- particularly female innovators- for people to connect with other like-minded individuals in a low-key, minimal pressure setting. There's a need for a space where entrepreneurs do not need to receive an invitation to attend and do not need to pay any dues to be included. Because as entrepreneurs, let's face it. We're on a pretty shoestring budget.
During Global Entrepreneurship Week this November ourselves, along with Rochester Home Infusion, held a Women's Entrepreneurial Happy Hour to gather together female innovators and small business owners with no agenda other than to connect and learn more about the community. The response to this event was large, hitting on a true need in the city.
Last week we held another happy hour event at Bleu Duck Kitchen. Over thirty local female entrepreneurs attended, and more than 130 people expressed an interest in the event. The women who joined in spanned a range of industry from biotech, to real estate and travel, to food entrepreneurs. But one thing was the same. All of these women had started, or were starting, a business in the greater Rochester area and were seeking out others walking along that same path.
While I'm all for women taking charge and leveling the playing field in a male dominated business world, I believe that these types of women-focused events have clear value and purpose. The overall goal is to provide a safe and non-intimidating environment to share ideas and, ideally, help one another get to that next level in business through connections and community.
We hope this is the first of many of these types of gatherings to help build up and fuel this sector of our entrepreneurial community.
Foremost, these events must be driven by the needs of the community. If you attended the event, and even if you did not make it out, we're interested in hearing what types of events you are seeking for female entrepreneurs in the Rochester area.
Please take a few moments to fill out the following survey and let us know what you think. Let's build some community.
And if you are a business in Rochester that would be interested in the happy hour coming to your location, please send us an email.


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Jackson commenced at Victoria University Polytechnic in 2016 and has over 20 years' experience in an array of leadership positions in complex organisations globally.
As the Director for Business Growth and Werribee Campus, Jackson oversees all commercial and marketing activity, including short courses and international enrolments, on behalf of the Polytechnic.
Jackson has extensive experience in operational and strategic planning gained during his career as an officer in the British Army. Leadership skills developed in this career formed the cornerstone of his own business in Victoria where he facilitated training for corporate clients.
Founder of the inaugural Geelong Innovation Expo in 2012, he delivered the Victorian Government's first Industry Innovation program that enhanced collaboration between industry and academia.
Jackson's broad professional history and extensive experience in the fields of leadership, planning and innovation, will be pivotal in contributing to Victoria University Polytechnic's ongoing operations and future plans.
Areas of expertise
- Business Development
- Industry engagement
- Management
- strategic planning


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Posted on April 5, 2019
by Nada Taufik
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My hobby is retouching the picture I take, so love it when sit around in front of the computer and just doing sing and editing picture's. Love it so much, try to learning some of editing online and photography online. For me, my life…
Category: Nada TaufikTags: face, people, portrait, portraits, potrait, potraits
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Horizon Healthcare Services Inc., a health insurance company
doing business as Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey that
insures more than 3.7 million New Jersey residents, recently
entered into a consent judgment under which it agreed to pay
a $1.1 million settlement to the state to resolve a data breach
that affected 690,000 policyholders.
A February 14 complaint filed in Superior Court by the state Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs alleged that Horizon had failed to protect its members' electronic protected health information (ePHI), in violation of HIPAA rules, and accused Horizon of "unconscionable business practices." Although HIPAA rules are typically enforced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, state attorneys general are empowered to enforce them on behalf of states. The complaint also alleged violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The breach arose out of the theft of two laptop computers from Horizon's offices in November 2013. The Division of Consumer Affairs' investigation revealed that workmen renovating Horizon's headquarters had had unsupervised access to the area from which the laptops were stolen. The complaint alleged that the policyholder data in the laptops was password-protected but not encrypted, and that Horizon's failure to encrypt the data violated is own corporate policy applicable to company-issued laptops. Furthermore, the complaint pointed out that Horizon publicly claimed to have encrypted all of its mobile devices after a previous laptop theft in 2008, but the Division's investigation found that more than 100 of Horizon's employees' laptops were not encrypted.
As part of the settlement, Horizon agreed to implement a corrective action plan, including hiring a third party to conduct a risk assessment, and improve its data security practices.
For more articles and regular updates on legislative changes, regulatory developments and other news of interest to businesses, professionals and investors in the healthcare industry, please subscribe to Day Pitney's mailing lists.
Click here for more Healthcare Blogs from Day Pitney
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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Women's Bible Study
CCF Office
You are warmly invited to a powerful 6-week study led by Pastor Christine with 2 options for attendance. Wednesday evenings beginning February 3rd, the study will be open to Young Moms and those preparing in their hearts for marriage and motherhood and will start at 8:00 pm at Pastor Christine's home. Thursday mornings, beginning February 4th, will be open to all women and will run from 9:30 - 11:30 am. The Thursday study will be at the home of Shelly Banai, please come early for coffee (after 9:00).
Sign up with Andrea at reception by January 31st. Addresses will be provided at time of signup. 604-574-1725 or email firstname.lastname@example.com


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Julian C. Dalzell
Areas of expertise include:
Management & Leadership Development
Talent Management, Development, & Succession Planning
Previous Relevant Employment
Lecturer and Executive in Residence, Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina
Vice President for Human Resources Operations, Shell Oil Company
Total of 43 years with the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies in US, UK, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.
Degrees, Certifications
MSc. Educational Human Resource Development, Texas A&M University
BA International Business, Eckerd College


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A Journey From Pup To Guide – How Your Support Is Gifting The Blind, One Dog At A Time: Part 2
We're back! Today we get to dive into what all actually goes into training a pup to be a guide dog with Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TRAIN A DOG? Training a guide dog is a lengthy and time-consuming process involving direct interaction between trainer and dog. Unfortunately, there are no short cuts to producing guide dogs, thus it takes almost two years from the birth of a puppy before it can be considered to be a fully trained guide dog.
ARE THERE PREFERRED SPECIFIC BREEDS? The most common breeds used are Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers due to their established intelligence and normally passive nature. Although the above breeds are the most common you can see other breeds of dogs also guiding their handlers around.
SO, HOW DOES IT WORK EXACTLY? The process of training begins with the pups being taken from their litter box at 7 weeks of age and lodged with foster
families until they are approximately 14-18 months of age. During this period, they are treated as family pets but are exposed to shopping centres,
libraries, stores, city streets, buses, cars and people. The aim is to completely socialize the pup in the environment where it will probably live
with its future master. The next stage of its training lasts for six to eight months during which professional instructors teach the dog to walk
in harness and to avoid obstacles as well as to indicate to its future master how to navigate a safe route to destinations. The final stage of
training lasts one month when the trained dog is introduced to its new partner and they eat, sleep and work together, building trust and confidence
in each other. The visually-impaired person and new guide dog live and work together for 25 days visiting almost every kind of environment they
might encounter in the years ahead.
When the team graduates from the training program, the client pays $1.00 to Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind for the use of his/her guide dog over what is generally a period of nine years. Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind maintains an
aftercare service, which entails visits by their training staff to the client's home to ensure the dog is performing to an acceptable standard.
Stay tuned for our final post of this three part series, where we delve into the amazing details of how they work one on one with their handlers.


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THE SETUP: The manager for the Oakland Athletics (Brad Pitt) is stuck with little money and an interest in non-competitiveness from the team's owner. Looking to try something different, he hires an economics graduate (Jonah Hill) to implement a very unpopular computerized method of drafting players called "moneyball".
THE THOUGHTS: I'm not a fan of baseball. I've never played. My hometown doesn't have a professional team. No one I know plays. But, there's something about the mythology of baseball. There's a reason movies like The Natural, Field of Dreams, and Eight Men Out are great…they make the game about more than hitting a ball. Moneyball is no exception. Brad Pitt's Billy Beane wants to change the way the game works and he's great at showing the excitement and frustration of challenging the status quo. You really root for him as you learn his story and his relationship with his daughter. Jonah Hill was great as the analyst, dialing down his usual frat boy personality to really add something to the film. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright Penn share supporting roles but it's really Pitt and Hill's movie. If you're not a baseball fan will you still get the technical aspects of the story? Yes. It's pretty straight forward and pretty damn interesting. If you're looking for scenes of playing ball, you'll be disappointed as all the action happens in the offices and in the locker room. The focus here is about the people, not the sport…which is funny to say when they're using a computer to pick players.
MONEYBALL Rating:
4 stars – you'd recommend this. I may never have watched the 2002 season that this movie, and the book before it, was based on but, as Brad Pitt says in the movie: "It's hard not to romanticize baseball." And it was hard not to really like this movie.
Random Recommendations
Eight Men Out (1988) – In 1919, eight players from the Chicago White Sox took money to throw the World Series. This is that story and yes, that is Charlie Sheen…but still give it a chance.
Hoosiers (1986) – Considered one of the best sports movies of all time and I'd have a hard time disagreeing. The true story of a coach with baggage (Gene Hackman) and his drunk assistant (Dennis Hopper) who take a high school to the championships. You've heard of movies with heart? This wrote the book.


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Panko-Crusted Pacific Cod with Roasted Mushrooms + Sauteed Spinach [and a slow start to the year]
We ended 2017 with a 15 hour drive from New Jersey to Illinois. We had spent Christmas with extended family on the East Coast, then on December 31st drove the long trek home along Route 80. (It's supposed to take just over 12 hours, but with two toddlers, and infant, and snow along the way, 15 hours was pretty decent time.)
We didn't get home with just our kids. We brought with us a bout of pinkeye and the flu. Despite my efforts at cleaning, hand washing, and doling out anything known for boosting the immune system, sickness was inevitable.
January 1 arrived, and I already felt like I started on the wrong foot. I cleaned up snot, held exhausted children, and made doctor's appointments. It was simultaneously tiring and boring, wearying and quiet. Three sick kiddos made for long nights, but our days were more calm than normal. All my kids wanted to do was sit together in the big white chair wrapped in the fuzzy red blanket.
We were forced to rest.
Initially, I felt frustrated by our slow start to the year. I didn't get much checked off my to-do list. For a while, I didn't even get around to making the to-do list or resolutions or picking my word for the year. But our bodies have a way of making us stop, and nursing little ones back to health meant I had to slow down and simply be with them. I had to sit still, a practice I don't often do.
Our culture tells us that January 1 is the time to get started. To do all the things. To exercise and read and work and hustle. But at least in the Northern Hemisphere, January 1 falls in the middle of winter, and winter is a time to slow down.
Nature knows how to do this. Plants are dormant, animals hibernate, and even the sun hides for most of the day. Evidences of life and productivity seem few, but they're there - they're just doing what they're supposed to be doing. Sitting still. Being quiet. Silently preparing for spring. Resting.
How do you find rest when there are diapers to change, toys to pick up, laundry to throw in, mouths to feed, and deadlines to meet? I don't always know what rest looks like at this stage in life, but it doesn't look like worry, agitation, or frenzy. There's a difference between a life that's full and a life that's frenetic, a mind that can be still when needed and one that races even during stillness.
It's nearly February, and I finally feel like our family is coming out of the fog of holidays, travel, and sickness. I want to be careful I don't forget the slow, silent growth that happened during these weeks. I wish we hadn't been sick, but I don't want to label this month as unproductive.
Our minds quieted and our bodies slowed down. And that's not a bad way to start the year.
Speaking of a slow start to the year, I intended to post this recipe weeks ago but never got around to it until now. I still absolutely love this dish, though, because it's simple enough for a weeknight meal but makes a great date-night-in dinner, too - especially paired with a decent bottle of wine (I recommend Sauvignon Blanc or a buttery Chardonnay in this case).
Many of my favorite seafood recipes tend to be light and summery, but I'm always wanting something a bit more hearty during cold weather months. For this recipe, I roasted cremini mushrooms, which give the entire dish a rich, deep, earthy flavor. Pacific Cod gets a crunchy panko crust and then bakes alongside the mushrooms. Spinach sauteed with a few cloves of garlic rounds out the plate perfectly for a warm, filling, healthy, and flavorful meal.
Panko-Crusted Pacific Cod with Roasted Mushrooms + Sauteed Spinach
Yields 2 servings
Panko-Crusted Pacific Cod with Roasted Mushrooms
1 pound cremini mushrooms
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
⅓ cup panko crumbs
1 lemon
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 (8 ounce) cod fillets*
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the mushrooms in half, large ones in quarters. Add the mushrooms to a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with ¼ cup olive oil, the white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
While the mushrooms roast, add the panko crumbs to a small bowl. Zest the lemon and add the zest to the panko, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the parsley, a scant ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
After the mushrooms have roasted for 10 minutes, remove them from the oven. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the baking sheet to make room for the fish. Add the cod fillets to the baking sheet, and brush each with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Top evenly with the panko mixture. Return the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for another 10 minutes.
While the fish and mushrooms cook, cut the zested lemon into wedges, and reserve the wedges for serving. Make the sautéed spinach (recipe below).
When the fish and mushrooms are done (the fish should easily flake apart and the mushrooms should be tender), remove from the oven, and transfer to plates. Serve with the sautéed spinach. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish, and serve with extra lemon wedges if desired.
Sauteed Spinach
2 Tablespoons olive oil (take this to the next level by substituting white truffle oil)
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces fresh spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Add the spinach, one handful at a time.(This will look like a lot of spinach but it shrinks down quite a bit.)
Cook the spinach until it's wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the panko-crusted cod and roasted mushrooms.
*Especially for those of you living in the Midwest, I highly suggest checking out Sitka Salmon Shares! I have purchased their fish for a couple years now, and I absolutely love their mission and their product. This is not at all a sponsored post - I just love recommending good companies!


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Chiefly Music is a small team of songwriters, composers, producers and dreamers based out of New York City. We compose high quality, original compositions for you. Any medium, any style - commercials, film projects, radio spots, video games, web sites - you name it.
As an actor, Ben has performed on Broadway and all across the country. As a singer and musician he has played in venues as varied as San Francisco's Plush Room to New York's Bowery Ballroom and from The Boston Opera House to The Pantages in Los Angeles. He is also a graduate of The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.
Brooklyn-based music producer, mix engineer, and sound designer, Erik Schmall started his career in his bedroom when his first release, Woody Whatever's Roar, was named a "Best of 2001" by Indieville.com. Erik spends his days at audio-post house Sonic Union.
Multi-instrumentalist Tyler Schmall has an arsenal of music savvy that spans across the entire genre spectrum and has been composing since he was ten years old. Tyler currently lives in New York City where he writes humor for Mashable.


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14 Day Tour from Amsterdam to Paris
You're welcome to sample beer at a local café in Heidelberg, take a romantic Rhine cruise past castle-crested cliffs and terraced vineyards, learn about woodcarving from a local woodcarver in Germany's Black Forest and taste the traditional Black Forest Cake, enjoy a special dinner to try out local specialties in Venice, and a highlight of this European tour is an overnight stay in Monte Carlo. Also included is an overnight stay in Lyon – France's second-largest city where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the old town from Fourvière Hill.
You'll have VIP access in this guided tour of Europe to eliminate waiting in long lines at places such as the Vatican Museums in Rome. Instead, you'll be inside the attractions and enjoying this amazing vacation. It's just one more way this European guided tour is sure to delight!
Destinations & Sightseeing
Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing and a canal cruise; visit a major diamond center
Take pictures of the castle; enjoy a beer at the Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg
Woodcarving demonstration; enjoy Kaffee und Schwarzwaldkuchen (coffee and Black Forest Cake)
Walking tour including the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge
Visit the capital of Liechtenstein
Walk through the Old Town to the Golden Roof
Private boat ride; visit St. Mark's Square; glassblower demonstration; a special dinner at Rossopomodoro restaurant
Guided sightseeing, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Square and Basilica
Guided walking tour, visit Michelangelo's David and Signoria Square
Marvel at the legendary Leaning Tower
Drive along the Promenade des Anglais
Panoramic view from Fourvière Hill
Guided sightseeing, enjoy a Seine cruise
Full buffet breakfast daily; 5 three-course dinners with wine, including a welcome dinner in Amsterdam and a special dinner in Venice
Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description.
Day 1 ARRIVE IN AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
Welcome to Amsterdam! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.
Day 2 AMSTERDAM
During a leisurely CANAL CRUISE your Local Guide will tell you about the fascinating history of the 700-year-old capital. Admire the patrician mansions and the gabled façades, the "Golden Bend", the most prestigious part of the Herengracht and a monument to the Golden Age, the Stopera, Amsterdam's proud concert hall, the Hermitage, a branch museum of the Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg, and much more. Also visit a major DIAMOND CENTER. For those who wish to experience Dutch life in the countryside, an optional excursion is available to picture-book Volendam, a fishing village at the former Zuiderzee, including visits to a working windmill, a clogmaker, and a cheese farm.
Day 3 AMSTERDAM–HEIDELBERG, GERMANY–RHINELAND
On the way to Germany, pass the Dutch region best known as the locale of A Bridge Too Far. Highlight of the day is a romantic RHINE CRUISE past castle-crested cliffs, terraced vineyards, and half-timbered towns. Stop in Heidelberg and take pictures of the famous red-walled castle ruins. Then, enjoy a beer at the famous Kulturbrauerei Heidelberg.
Day 4 RHINELAND–BLACK FOREST–RHINE FALLS, SWITZERLAND–LUCERNE
Enter the lush valleys and pine-clad hills of the BLACK FOREST, famous for cuckoo clocks, where another highlight awaits you: be welcomed by a local woodcarver, Adolf Herr, watch a WOODCARVING DEMONSTRATION, and see samples of his work. Then, enjoy Kaffee und Schwarzwaldkuchen (coffee and the traditional homemade Black Forest Cake). On the Swiss border, stop at thundering RHINE FALLS before continuing to picturesque Lucerne. Tonight is your chance to enjoy an optional Swiss folklore party.
Day 5 LUCERNE–VADUZ, LIECHTENSTEIN–INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA
Admire Thorwaldsen's LION MONUMENT, walk through the Old Town, and cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit Church. Time to shop for Swiss watches or climb lofty Mount Pilatus. On your way to Austria, stop in the Principality of Liechtenstein, then, drive through Austria's most famous ski area and enter Tyrol. In Innsbruck, walk through the Old Town and take pictures of Emperor Maximilian's GOLDEN ROOF.
Day 6 INNSBRUCK–VENICE, ITALY
Cross spectacular Brenner Pass to Italy. Enter Venice in style by PRIVATE BOAT to ST. MARK'S SQUARE and admire the byzantine basilica, lavish Doges' Palace with its Bridge of Sighs, and watch skilled GLASSBLOWERS fashion their delicate objects. You may wish to join an optional gondola ride, and later, a special dinner awaits you at Rossopomodoro restaurant.
Day 7 VENICE–ROME
A scenic drive across the Apennine Hills and through vine- and olive-clad Tuscany brings you to the "Eternal City."
Day 8 ROME
Guided sightseeing includes inside visits to the VATICAN MUSEUMS and SISTINE CHAPEL with Michelangelo's ceiling paintings and The Last Judgment, and monumental ST. PETER'S SQUARE and BASILICA to admire Michelangelo's Pietà. Then, drive to the Roman Forum and marvel at the amazing Colosseum, where gladiators once fought. For those who wish to see it all, an optional walking tour with a Local Guide is available to further explore famous sites, like the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and more.
Day 9 ROME–FLORENCE
Arrive in Florence, where your guided walking tour features a visit to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS with Michelangelo's celebrated David. Admire the magnificent cathedral, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistry's heavy bronze "Gate of Paradise," and visit sculpture-studded SIGNORIA SQUARE. End in PIAZZA SANTA CROCE with time to shop for gold and leather.
Day 10 FLORENCE–PISA–MONTE CARLO, MONACO
In Pisa, marvel at the amazing Leaning Tower, 180 feet high and 12 feet out of the perpendicular. Then, follow the Italian Riviera and arrive in Monte Carlo for your overnight stay. Tonight, you may wish to join an exciting optional excursion to see the palace and the church that houses the tombs of the rulers of Monaco, have dinner, and visit the casino.
Day 11 MONTE CARLO–NICE, FRANCE–LYON
Join the panoramic Moyenne Corniche, with spectacular views to Nice as you drive along the famous Promenade des Anglais. Then, turn north along the scenic Route du Soleil on your way to Lyon, former capital of the Gauls. Enjoy a panoramic view of the Old Town, beautifully located between the Rhône and the Saône Rivers, from FOURVIèRE HILL.
Day 12 LYON–PARIS
A smooth drive through Burgundy, with its vineyards, impressive castles, and views of Fontainebleau Forest, brings you to Paris, "City of Light." An optional excursion is available to the magnificent Louvre Museum to see the Mona Lisa; tonight, you may wish to join an exciting optional evening at one of Paris' lively cabarets!
Day 13 PARIS
Guided sightseeing features Paris' main highlights, such as the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Champs-Elysées, and a SEINE CRUISE with spectacular views of Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. An optional excursion to the lavish baroque Palace and Gardens of Versailles is available. Later, an optional outing to the artists' area of Montmartre with dinner at one of its lively restaurants is the perfect way to say au revoir, Paris.
Day 14 PARIS
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Monte Carlo
Volendam, its Windmill and Cheese Farm
Enjoy a visit to the quaint fishing village of Volendam, where many inhabitants still wear traditional costumes.
Price Range: $$
Keukenhof Flower Exhibition
Historical Keukenhof with over 7 million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and all the other spring bulbs, is a must. The floral displays in the park and the flower shows in the various pavilions are a glorious visual feast.
Price Range: $
Swiss Folklore Party and Dinner
Toast your Swiss evening while experiencing a traditional show with alphorns and yodeling.
Price Range: $$
Mount Pilatus Ascent with Lucerne Discovery
Grab your camera and prepare for indescribable panoramic views on this thrilling full-day excursion that climbs soaring Mount Pilatus by cable car and descends via the world¿s steepest cogwheel railway for free time in dazzling lakeside Lucerne.
Price Range: $$
When in Rome, do as the Romans-and when in Venice, head right for the gondolas! Hop aboard a traditional gondola for a ride through the magical Venetian canals
Price Range: $
Evening Drive & Roman Dinner
Enjoy an unforgettable drive through the "Eternal City" followed by a delicious dinner at a popular Roman restaurant.
Price Range: $$
Roman Highlights
Join your Local Guide for a tailor-made itinerary featuring some of the citys authentic jewels. A life-time experience!
Price Range: $
Tuscan Dinner
Enjoy a wonderful dinner with regional dishes prepared using the finest local ingredients.
Price Range: $$
Monte Carlo
Unforgettable Monte Carlo by Night and Dinner
Enjoy a delicious French dinner, with wine in Monte Carlo followed by a walking tour of the Old Town.
Price Range: $$
Mona Lisa's Smile and the Louvre Museum
Once a royal palace and now a museum housing one of the most famous art collections in the world, the Louvre is yours on a guided tour.
Price Range: $$
An Evening at the Moulin Rouge
Enter the exhilarating Belle Époque world of champagne, fine French cuisine, music, lights, thousands of glittering costumes, and an evening of Moulin Rouge cabaret you will never forget!
Price Range: $$$$
The Palace of Versailles
Spend some hours like a French aristocrat, strolling through the halls and gardens of Louis XIV's opulent Palace of Versailles.
Price Range: $$
Excursion to Montmartre
Experience Montmatre, one the of most artistic and picturesque district in Paris.
Price Range: $$


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Camaiore pork mortadella
Camaiore's mortadella, called "sbriciolona" because it's very fresh, it's a typical cured meat in this area. The accurate processing of pork meat has made it rather well-known. It is sold in this area as well as within the country. With a sweet, delicate taste and fragrant aroma, it has the typical shape of a salami, dark colour and soft texture. It is made of a selection of pork meats such as the pork's loin, shoulder and belly and spiced with salt, pepper, fennel, cinnamon and cloves.
The meat is grounded with dices of good quality firm fat, handpacked into casing and tied tightly. The sausage is left to ripen for about a week in an aired room and then it is dried in a cellar for a certain period of time, depending upon the weight of the mortadella. Today's production is intended for local and regional consumption.
Area of Production: Versilia
Availability: all year
Producers: Bonuccelli Salumi, Camaiore; Artisan sausage and salami factory Triglia, Gombitelli.
Contact Camaiore Tourist Information Office


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Those who want to do well in business often join forums to make contacts and to promote what they do. Those who want to succeed in any field will often say that the way to do it is to 'network'. It's not what you know, it's who you know. All of this can sound a bit calculated but only too often we see how connections can lead to benefits. it is easy to have low opinions of such hob-nobbing but try to think again, perhaps there could be a way of doing good by joining in with a supportive group. It doesn't need to be money orientated and it doesn't need to be financial gain that we seek, we can come from a place of wanting to help others.
When I had my baby boy I went to a baby group at the local health centre. Noah was only two weeks old on the day of the first session. I remember lying in bed feeding him and there were 15 minutes before the session started and I still could not decide whether to go. I'm not sure what was putting me off. Maybe I thought I had enough friends, maybe I thought my mum and my sister could answer all my baby care questions so I didn't need a group. Something was making me resistant to going. Looking back I was only thinking about what I could get out of it.
Luckily something did make me go and thank goodness it did. I met a group of lovely new mums, we are all still friends and it has been great getting to know each other as our babies have grown into toddlers. I expect we will stay friends for a long time. Being in the group was amazing. Great friends for a start, who really understood everything Noah and I were going through from feeding, to nappy dramas, sleepless nights, the lot! A good excuse to sit and chat and to remember that we were not alone in facing the challenges of motherhood. There is a real sense of support amongst us even nearly 3 years later when life is almost back to normal! Even a friendly message can make a difference if you are having a difficult day.
I don't think it matters what sort of group you join as long as it suits your circumstances at the time. It needs to be something you have a real interest in so that you are there to offer something as well as to benefit. It might be for weight loss, fitness, business success, addition recovery, to learn something new, anything. One of my favourites is my local Friday Night Red Wine Club! This has helped me to decide that Shiraz really is for me! It might be that you try a couple of sessions and discover that it is not right for you. Well, nothing lost, at least you tried.
It might be that an online community suits you better than going to a meeting, more and more of us find the convenience and security of this attractive and it opens up possibilities of meeting people who share your thoughts or circumstance but who live all over the world. We are so lucky that the internet is all sorted and there for us to tap into when ever we need it.
As humans we have survived through joining forces. Survival of the fittest should perhaps really be called survival of the groupies. Being part of a group may not be something you are naturally drawn to but through mindfulness and meditation you can come to think more clearly about how stepping out of your comfort zone may improve your life.
Becoming part of a group promotes strength. We build in confidence as part of a group that we feel comfortable in. We can become more compassionate and this really can be the key to happiness. We encourage each other and give each other with new enthusiasm. When you start to look out for others you focus less on your own troubles. When you help others with their problems or aims you feel good about yourself. All of these changes allow us to thrive, we go on and achieve great things.
Come on a Revitalise Day, learn how to broaden you mind and meet other like minded people. You will learn how to free yourself from restrictive thoughts. Learn the skills of better communication, see for yourself how joining up with like minded people can be an amazing experience. As you go through life your interests will change but an appreciation for the benefits of joint thinking will last you a lifetime.


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Ohio couple accused in terror plot plead not guilty
- Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man and his girlfriend who are accused of obtaining guns and explosives for a foiled domestic terror attack have pleaded not guilty.
Vincent Armstrong, and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Lecron, both 23, entered their pleas Thursday to multiple charges, including conspiracy to transport or receive an explosive with intent to kill or injure.
Prosecutors say the Toledo pair had talked about taking part in violent attacks on public places and had bomb-making materials and weapons inside their home.
Investigators also say the couple traveled to see the site of the Columbine High School massacre.
They were arrested in early December following a six-month investigation.
The pair has been in custody since their arrests. Armstrong has requested a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 7.


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The last time I was at The Barrowlands was when I was just a kid. I remember I was only 11 or 14 years old and I was there to see P.O.D with Il Nino supporting – It sucked.
Go back a year or two before and my very first experience with the Deftones was at the largest stadium venue in Glasgow, The S.E.C.C. Back then I remember the ambience and magic created simply by Abe Cunningham's slick, intricate snare and hi-hat beats from the intro to 'Digital Bath'. They were truly magical moments in my youth.
Fast-forward more than 10 years to a more tired, semi-health ridden (though still young, mind!) guy who is now reviewing shows, I was going into this show at The Barrowlands really not knowing what to expect from a band that I consider to be one of the most major influences in my life, at least in my youth.
The hall was absolutely packed, swathes of young teenage and 30-something die-hardcore fans packed in their thousands (2000+ to be exact) in one large ballroom. As the lights dimmed (Not that there was much light to begin with in the venue), the band came out and opened to 'Diamond Eyes' from the 2010 album of the same name.
What immediately hit me was that Deftones' front man Chino Moreno hasn't slowed down at all - he still performs like he did 10 years ago and his vocals still were raw as ever.
Stephen Carpenter's crushing guitar riffs absolutely kicked mine and the whole audience's collective asses as the bass of Sergio Vega and Abe Cunningham's bass drum beats created a synchronized tribal thunk of heaviness that I haven't witnessed since I was a kid.
As the band played on, playing from the newly released Koi No Yokan and a load of familiar oldies and trademark tunes, it really hit me that this band has never aged at all, still entertaining as ever but more importantly still sounding bigger and more ferocious than most young bands to date.
Back when I was younger (christ, I thought I'd never have to write that phrase for awhile yet!), Deftones' music and a lot of "nu-metal" or metal in general was pretty popular. Of course, them being "downgraded" from a stadium like the S.E.C.C to The Barrowlands was a pretty obvious signs of the times in what has become of the musical shift in popularity.
In saying that, I loved seeing the Deftones haven't changed and perform with an almost endless amount of energy. A part of me wishes the days of my youth were somewhat back with great bands like this being heralded to stadium heights again - but it doesn't matter when you hear the roar of the crowd and the electricity in the air of the excitement and elation the audience exuberates at just the presence of such a great band.


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Listen to this article
Last year Volvo took European orders for 42,000 heavy trucks in the third quarter. This year, the figure was just 115. Results from the truckmaker on Friday capped a week in which not just automotive sales forecasts, but worst case scenarios, had to be torn up and started once again.
Volvo was hit by order cancellations as Eastern European resilience was sent hurtling into the dustbin of bull market ideas. At the same time purchases of cars are collapsing in Spain and the UK in the wake of housing markets doing the same. US car sales next year are likely to be at the lowest level since 1992, almost a third below their recent peak.
On Friday the smallest US assembler, Chrysler, announced further, radical, cost cutting. Fully a quarter of its white-collar workers are to go – volunteers are sought now, with forced redundancies to follow by Christmas. All discretionary spending and non-essential capital spending is under the knife, with overheads to be slashed, as the tough new reality bites.
Management of Daimler will no doubt be breathing a sigh of relief. The German group's purchase of Chrysler in 1998 is a case study in hubris. Yet selling 80 per cent of the group to private equity group Cerberus Capital last year for $7.4bn, now looks like a masterstroke. It may also have allowed Cerberus to install more ruthless management, hence wielding the knife so dramatically while also pursing talks with General Motors for a potential merger.
The rest of the industry should take note. An excess of car production means that manufacturing levels must be adjusted materially downwards. Toyota, for instance, still has about 4,000 US workers in training while its pick-up truck assembly lines lie idle. Making deep cuts before they are forced is the only chance left for making profits in an industry that is driving headlong into a wall.
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August 25, 2019
Jacob M. Schlesinger is Senior Asia Economics Correspondent and Central Banks Editors, Asia. He's based in Tokyo, where he has lived, on and off, for nearly 10 years. He was previously Tokyo bureau chief. A graduate of Harvard with a degree in economics, Jake joined the journal from the St. Petersburg Times in 1986. Since then, he has written about cars in Detroit, and the Fed, the economy, and presidential politics in Washington, where he was deputy bureau chief. He is the author of "Shadow Shoguns: The Rise and Fall of Japan's Postwar Political Machine," and was a member of the Journal team winning the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. Follow him @JMSchles.


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Beyonce plays at Shawty Lo's hometown as she plays his song 'Dey Know'
Beyonce paid tribute to late rapper Shawty Lo by dancing to one of his songs at her show in his hometown last night (September 26).
Shawty Lo, real name Carlos Walker, was killed in a car crash when his car went through a guard rail in Georgia last Wednesday (September 21). The 40-year-old founded D4L Records, a subsiduary of 50 Cent's G-Unit label, and had hits including 'Dey Know' and 'Foolish'.
Beyonce was performing at Georgia Dome in Lo's hometown of Atlanta when 'Dey Know' was played. She danced to the track, before resuming her own show.
Following Lo's death, D4L Records has released a posthumous video of his song 'Put Some Respek On It'. Lo had previously worked with Lil Wayne, The-Dream, Ludacris, Gucci Mane, Young Scooter and Wale.
Beyonce is now two weeks into the second leg of her 'Formation' tour for her 'Lemonade' album. The tour resumes on Thursday at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, with the final date due on October 7 at New Jersey Metlife Stadium.
Her show in Atlanta saw many of the city's musicians in attendance, with her support act DJ Khaled taking selfies with Young Thug, TI, Ludacris, The-Dream and Migos. Ironically, TI had a long-running feud with Shawty Lo sparked by Lo's diss track 'Dunn Dunn'. The beef ended when the pair appeared together at TI's gig in Atlanta in 2009, and the pair later said their rows had been exaggerated by the media.


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Interview with my 20 year old & 8 year old self
February 17, 2013 § Leave a comment
I don't know if it's being 30 or the fact that I feel like I've lost 2 years to being sick but I just feel like I am behind with all the things I want to do in my life. So instead of actually taking action I came up with a much more realistic plan. That's right, I built a time machine and I am going to interview my two younger selves. I'm going to see what my 20 year old & 8 year old self thinks about where I'm at in life. Perhaps this will give me the much needed perspective.
My 20 year old self.
"Well hello 20 year old Michelle." Oh my gosh is that really what my hair is going to look like in 10 years. "Well yeah." And we have glasses, ever thought about contacts?
What are you wearing? "I didn't really have any idea what to wear, time traveling and all so I thought my PJ's would be most comfortable."
So what is our life like, are we famous yet? "Um, not quite. We work at a school and freelance on the side."
I guess that's cool. What about our boyfriend is he hot? Is he covered in tattoo's & has a faux hawk? "Actually he's a Republican who wears brown loafers and all different kinds of argile."
"Is he at least in a band? " He played the trombone in marching band."
Why are you sweating? "Oh, it's the hot flashes"
Wait how far in the future are you? "Oh, yeah you should probably know. We are going to go through menopause before 30." Stunned Silence.
"Let's change the subject. What are you going to do tonight?" I have no idea. Hopefully some friends will stop by and we'll probably go out later. It's way to early to tell.
"It's almost 7:00pm on a Tuesday and you have school tomorrow. Maybe if you studied more we wouldn't be working at a crappy job. Sorry, it's the hormones."
"Well it's getting late. But I want to leave you with some advice: Don't spend all your money on VHS tapes they are going to useless in a few years, don't bother buying pregnancy tests, your infertile, go nuts, don't eat anything in a mall food court and wear nice underwear everyday because we are going to get hit by a drunk driver & will be seen by the entire medical staff in our granny panties."
It was nice meeting you, I guess. Hey, can you buy me alcohol before you leave?
So a case of Mikes Hard Lemonade later, I was on my way to visit my 8 year old self.
"Hello 8 year old Michelle." "Hi, hey your wearing glasses and they are pretty and sparkly"
" Thanks. What are you doing?" Finger painting!!! I love drawing so much.
"Well in the future that will be part of your job." Wait, we get to draw all day and get money for it. That's so cool. "I guess it is cool."
What's being grown up like? "It's pretty much the same, we live a little town with a pretty great guy." Ewwwww. Boys are gross. "Yeah most of the time. Plus we have two cats." Kitties!!!
Do you want some of Lip Smackers chap stick? It's Dr. Pepper flavored. "I think I will thanks." I would invite you into my blanket fort but it's almost time for dinner. We are having grilled cheese & dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets.Want some?
"No. You actually become a vegetarian." Your silly!!
"Anything you want to ask me before I go?" Do we ever get to meet Minnie Mouse? "Yep. We have been to Disney World, Italy, New York City, Maine all over really."
I get to live by myself with kitties, draw all day and stay up as long as I want.Plus you get to wear your PJ's when it's not bed time. I can't wait to grow up, it's going to be so cool!!
5 more reasons I may be the stupidest person I have ever met
January 25, 2013 § 2 Comments
After my last post about me being an idiot I was flooded with emails from friends very happy to remind me of all of my other "stupid" moments. Ben was especially "helpful" in reminding me of all of my lapses in intelligence. So back by popular demand here are 5 more of the reasons I may be the stupidest person I have ever met.
1) What the Frack?
Ben & I were watching TV and the new Matt Damon movie trailer for "Promised Land" was playing. Ben was telling me what an important movie it was and how he wanted to see it. He was trying to explain fracking to me and marcellus shale. He was horrified when I asked "Who is Marcellus Shale? Is that who Matt Damon is playing?"
2) What I learned from David Hasselhoff
On an episode of "I love the 80's" they were recapping the tearing down of the Berlin wall & how David Hasselhoff was singing at it. The announcer said how big he is in Germany & that's why he was there. I was instantly confused and asked Ben why it mattered if he was big in Germany. Apparently the Berlin wall was not in Russia like I thought. Thanks Hoff.
3) I'm a MAC
As a designer I love all things MAC and apple & considered myself well versed in the history of the company. But when I was reading the Steve Jobs biography I had a A-HA moment or should I say an A-DUH moment. The author was recalling the making of the first Macintosh computer and then it dawned on me-Oh crap Macintosh is a type of apple, hence the name. Seriously I never put two & two together.
4) Oh Brother Where Art Thou
Did you know the mini-series Band of Brothers was not about the civil rights movement. Seriously I have no sense of history, if you haven't noticed.
5) The Beatles
I was named after the song "Michelle" by the Beatles. I loved this song as long as I can remember I especially loved the part "Some day monkey won't play piano on gum. Play piano on gum" What you don't remember that part? That's because apparently it doesn't say that all it's just the song in French. (Listen to the song you will never hear it the same way)
Fuck you recommended reading lists
January 19, 2013 § 2 Comments
Awhile back in an effort to improve myself (why does this statement always led to a dark, disappointing road) I had the idea that I needed more culture in my life. My plan was to read all the books on the "100 books you should read before you die"list. These are the classics, these are the books people talk about at dinner parties (now I don't go to dinner parties but maybe it's because I haven't read these books) My plan was perfect, this is exactly what I need to be the more intelligent, more sophisticated Michelle.
I started off with Wuthering Heights. Seriously I have never read a more depressing book in my life. This is supposed to be a romance but instead the guy verbally abuses his wife while lusting after a friggin' ghost. However, I was not going to be discouraged so I moved on to the Grapes of Wrath, which I have to confess I could not get past the drought.I was hoping it was about wine(you know like Sideways) Then on to starving & TB in Les'Miserables and pedophilia in Lolita. What the hell? I thought these were supposed to be good, uplifting books. I'm now just depressed and kind of grossed out. Ok, American Psycho that's on the list. Holy Shit, this book is disgusting and scary as hell. It should have been titled hookers & chainsaws to warn people. Seriously, I still have nightmares about this damn book. At this point I am starting to question my project but me being stubborn I am determined to stick with it.
After going through 40 or more books (that I could not bring myself to finish) I was subjected to a man who made perfume out of his murder victims, women having affairs in Russia, a lot of women who need to earn there place in society by having long walks & lots of talks about hourses, poverty in Brooklyn, poverty in London, poverty in France and a lot of references to Hemingway's penis. These are what people should be reading? Really? If anything this encouraged me to never want to read (or leave my house for fear of being attacked by a murderous impoverished orphan) So I have happily accepted to be not a "literary intellect" and instead I'm going to grab my copy of Tina Fey's new book, a glass of wine and enjoy the potential conversations with my cats about this classic.
6 questions about a hysterectomy that you are too embarrassed to ask
January 18, 2013 § 2 Comments
A hysterectomy for most women is a personal & overwhelming life style change. More often than not women find it very embarrassing. Especially young women. Luckily I have no shame so I am going to answer questions that maybe you are too uncomfortable to ask.
1) Will I gain weight?
Yes. I wish this wasn't true but it is. Ignore all that business about "well if you just eat right" I ate all organic vegetarian food and I still gained 20 pounds. It's normal, it sucks but it's normal. The up side: This should NOT be reason to rule this out. It eventually evens out & you will go back to your normal self. Plus in the mean time enjoy it ( I know am I crazy) Take advantage of the fact no one will say anything because you've had surgery for god's sake and really your the only one who will notice-Promise.
2) Will I loose bladder control?
Yes and No. Some women (usually older) will have problems with bladder control, but with younger women you should not have a problem. But I will fill you in on a little known secret, (doctors didn't not warn me of this possibility) So we are friends so I have no problem telling you my pee story. Two days after my surgery I stood up and just peed, oh yeah no warning just pee. Luckily no one was home (except the cat who found it hilarious) and luckily it only happened once. The up side: You just got to hear a story about me peeing myself what more of an up side do you need?
3) Will I loose interest in sex?
No. In fact you might be a bit more frisky. Without the pain that caused you to get a hysterectomy and without the worry about getting knocked up you will be back to your vixen self in no time. The up side: This is more for your life partner but with this added bonus he won't care so much when you are a emotional wreck.
4) How bad are hot flashes?
Fuckin horrible. Don't let any quack tell you that it's just a matter of being warm. It feels like you are in a sauna. You will feel like you have a fever and are on fire from the inside. And don't let the name fool you it's never a flash. It can last for a minute or and half an hour. Be aware of the night sweats as well they are the worst. The up side: I haven't had to buy a winter coat for two years and our heat bills in the winter have been drastically lowered.
5) Do I still need to see my gynecologist?
Yes. Don't be ashamed of this question my mom (who is a nurse asked me this) You still have lady parts so yes you still have to see your gynecologist. The up side: Have fun with it. Tell them you think your pregnant. Trust me it's hilarious.
6) How bad are the mood swings?
Perhaps I should let Ben to answer this question because he has been on the receiving end of my ,um shall we say "outbursts". They are pretty bad I remember crying because I only had one Oreo cookie left (in retrospect this may been my reaction before menopause). The worst was Ben came home and asked me how my day was and I almost killed him with a shoe. Understand that this is normal and they are uncontrollable(despite what any one else tells you) The up side: You now have a perfect excuse to get out of any situation. Start crying people will just walk away.
So do you have a question? Seriously nothing is off limits. I would love to answer it for you. Leave your questions in the comments below.
You can buy a gun at WalMart but it takes me 20 minutes to buy Sudafed
January 17, 2013 § 2 Comments
One of the side effects of surgical menopause is that you have absolutely no immunity. None. If you see a sick person on TV you will be sick in two days. So it being flu season it is no surprise that I have a bitch of a sinus infection. However it is surprising that's it's easier to buy a gun at WalMart than it is to get Sudafed. This is not an anti or pro gun post. I think everyone can agree that we are more safe with me not having a gun. I once thought my neighbor was the Zodiac killer so it's better that I remain unarmed.
Right now I could go into WalMart get a gun, I can buy 20 cartons of cigarettes, I can buy 32 bottles of vodka and I can even buy all the porn I want. But this is what happened at my local drug store. So let me set the scene for you: I look like death warmed over. I have on penguin pajama's, and kleenex stuffed into my shirt sleeves. For those of you who don't know me I am also 5'0 and have a huge mess of red hair. Basically I look like a unsexy, untalented version of Adele. Obviously I am running a meth lab( I can't figure out how to make brownies let alone meth). I go to the pharmacist and take him the little card of what I want and he looks at me like he has just spotted one of "America's Most Wanted". He asks to see my license and literally looks at me, back at the license, looks at me, back at the license and must do this 5 more times (I am lucky this guy was never at the door of the bars I used to get into in college) He then takes my license and tells me to take a seat. So there I am sitting in my penguin pajama's and blowing my nose. I look like a homeless woman who has wandered in to escape the cold.
After 20 minutes (this is not an exaggeration) he calls me up to the counter and asks me these series of questions "Are you buying these for you?","Have you purchased these in the past 6 months", "Do you go to any other pharmacies?", "Do you ever watch "Breaking Bad"?(Ok he didn't ask me that but he might as well have) So after looking very suspiciously at me he turns his back to me, takes a key from around his neck and unlocks and huge metal box. Again I can pick up a gun and carry it through the store while I buy Kathy Ireland underwear but cold medicine is kept in Fort Knox. I am finally allowed to have my pack of Sudafed . The price tage $2.19. Seriously all that for something that costs less than a Milky Way. So I leave the store with my medicine clutched under my arm like Gollum & the ring( to be fair I think the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy was shorter than my ordeal. I secretly think that was what the whole journey was for. Frodo had a cold and he had to find a pharmacy that would give him a decongestant ).
I have my medicine but every once in a while I look down at them and mutter "My precious"
Why it can be awesome to be home sick!
January 17, 2013 § 1 Comment
We all know it sucks to be sick but in an effort to look on the more positive side of things I am listing some reasons it's sometime awesome to be sick.
1) People are obligated to take care of you. This right here is a reason to get married. No matter how much of an ugly troll you are, they have to tell you are beautiful & make you dinner. (I must say though if they are not used to making you dinner you may get an assortment of frozen pizza, ramen noodles and old crackers)
2) You don't have to be depressed or unemployed to sleep all day.
3) It's perfectly acceptable to watch Judge Judy all day. Any other day I hate daytime television but when I'm sick I can't get enough.
4) You can wear a mismatch of clothes and wear pajamas everywhere. My outfit today: polka dot tights, oversized sweater, a huge yellow scarf and plaid boots. You feel like hell so you could care less what people think of you. You may be mistaken for a bag lady but heck your sick take the risk.
5) There's no point in eating healthy. Your sick you have little or no appetite so what's the point in eating health food? So eat that whole pie-tell everyone it will make you feel better.
and my favorite
6) You have an excuse not to go to work. If you work with people like I do, no one wants a sick person interacting with the public. Now you can't do all the things you would like to do on a day off but it's awesome to feel like your secretly doing something bad.
4 of my weirdest theories
January 12, 2013 § Leave a comment
Anyone who knows me knows that over the years I have had my fair share of weird (some would say idiotic) theories. Now before you stop reading, these are not goverment conspiracy theories and have no real value what so ever. However I think I'm on to something with these (however my friends may tend to disagree with me & are probably embarrassed that I'm still holding on to them & that they are now in writing). These are the 4 ones I hold most dear.
1) Celebrity Impostors
I have believed for many years that the following two celebrities are the same people. I haven't figured out why they would want to dress in drag and pose as the other person but I can't have all the answers can I? How more people have not uncovered this is beyond me. Howard Stern and Annie Leibovitz are really the same person as are Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman. Don't believe me look at these pictures.
2) Keanu Reeves is the greatest actor of our time
Maybe you could say this is more of an opinion but I say no, this is a fact. What other actor has traveled through time, been a doctor, coached an inner city baseball team, was the son of the devil but defeated his plans for armageddon, fought demons, was an alien who saved the entire human race, defeated the grim reaper in Twister, has a time traveling mailbox with Sandra frickin' Bullock on the other end, was a cop surfer, stopped a speeding bus and of course he delivered us from The Matrix. He has been robbed of his Oscar long enough.
3) George Bush's speech writers tried to help him out but failed
I know I said nothing political but this really has nothing to do with his politics. This is something that can bring both right & left together (see I'm single handily solving the division in Washington) Do you remember when George Bush would give a speech and he would tell you the definition of the words while he was saying them? And these were common words I mean no one was wondering what they meant. Example "We must never surrender, that means we will never give in to the enemy" and "We need to unify, that means work together" Well my theory is that the speech writers wrote the definition's in his teleprompter so he would know what he was saying but never intended for him to read them. Seriously can't you see this as a SNL sketch?
and my favorite 4) Independence Day is the sequel to ET
Think about it. I believe ET was a spy sent here to gather all of our secrets & weaknesses. They dressed him up in a baby alien suit because they knew Earthlings would take pity on him & think he was harmless. You can't convince me that they have the technology to fly across galaxies and can convert a speak n spell to a friggin iphone but some how he got lost. We let him get back on the ship and 10 years later Independence Day happened. How did they know where all our major landmarks were and where to hit us? That little bastard Elliot thats how.


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These days after Christmas have been full of blessing and a quiet happiness. I don't know how much is attributable to the joy of being settled in our new condo, and how much is due to my depression really being gone, but I know that all is from the hand of God. I'll start, for the first time here, counting my one thousand gifts. This is inspired by Ann Voskamp.
1. making my mother-in-law's Christmas cookies, seeing Ricardo and Sarah enjoy them
2. finding that all the important family ornaments fit on the new little Christmas tree
3. having family dinners three nights in a row with Sarah and Sean
4. being able to relax completely today
5. having this new journal spark so many old memories, precious ones of past Christmases
6. forging an even closer connection with my sis-in-law through e-mail
7. seeing that Ricardo is back to being able to get into bed successfully
8. knowing that I have Ricardo's support in all I do
For these and so many other graces, I thank you, Lord.


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Birth of Peace
May you and your family find hope, peace, comfort, joy, and encouragement this Christmas season! Blessings to you! — Delana H. Stewart When Christmas is Cold Inside Wintertime Frost Found by the Joy Giver Advertisements
May you and your family find hope, peace, comfort, joy, and encouragement this Christmas season! Blessings to you! — Delana H. Stewart When Christmas is Cold Inside Wintertime Frost Found by the Joy Giver Advertisements
If I had to pick one song and one moving image to represent my book Three Days at Sea: Soul flotation when the waves are pulling you under I would pick the song Oceans by Hillsong United
Some days are just like that…difficult…challenging…heart-wrenching. Some nights we just need to go to bed early so that we can wake up refreshed with a new outlook. Need compassion?
Finding Joy and Strength and Peace.
Barren, lonely, cold, lost. The Christmas season, though usually a very joyous time of year, can often be an extremely difficult time of year for those who are facing grief and loss. Here are some encouraging words, pictures, and music.
Recently, I heard a sermon about suffering by David Platt. In the sermon, he reminds the listeners of repeated examples in Scripture where tragedy preceded triumph. These stories included: Ruth and Naomi, Joseph, David, and Job. During the sermon Platt said: "God ordains sorrowful tragedy to set the stage for triumph to come." Often as…
An excerpt from Three Days at Sea about stepping out of the boat in faith…even when the wind and waves of the trial you are facing is swirling about you.
Esther fasted and prayed and trusted that God had brought her to this place and position in her life for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). She believed in God's power to rescue her.
I have been there, in the chrysalis, that is. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting some more. Wondering if God had heard my prayers…
God rescues us from the deep places.
An excerpt from Three Days at Sea on anticipating new things on the horizon when going through trials.
How wonderful it is that we serve a God who does not give us more than we can handle! Even in the deep places His hand guides us. He does not leave us to drown in our times of sorrow or grief or fear. He pulls us up to the surface just in time.
Sometimes the circumstances we face in life hit us like a hurricane. No matter what precautions we take, a point in time comes when we have to sit tight and ride out the storm.
A poem about waiting for hope…
A poem about storms, trials, dark tunnels, waiting, sorrow, and being strengthened.
A life preserver tossed out to you where the flood waters rise and swirl about you is what I desire Three Days at Sea to be for you.
"You're no longer The little boy who sat upon my knee Who filled the halls with laughter…" A poem about a boy growing up and his trials being much more challenging for his parents.


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It has been several weeks since my last Lake Texoma fishing report. Our current lake level is at 614.40 with a water temperature of 44 degrees. I have had little success with lures this past month, an occasional decent day but nothing to really brag about. So back to bait fishing…. My preference this time of year is Gizzard Shad. although Threadfin Shad will work they seem to get weak after a couple of hours in the bait tank while the Gizzards are good and frisky.
I've been fishing west of Highport Marina on the ledges and creek channels. Although I have had some success in the deeper water, 50 – 60 feet range, I have had better results in the 30-40 feet water.
I have fished four of the last five days with good results. Alot of moving around to find the feeding stripers and longer days but the results are well worth it. The day before the cold front blew in I fished and had an exceptionally good morning. As always, sometimes it pays to be in the right place at the right time.
Spring break will be here soon. For a great get away with the family consider a Lake Texoma striper fishing adventure.
Catch fish like a PRO


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What is Real Time Information (RTI) and who does it affect?
In this short video, Neilson Watts (Associate Product Manager, Sage One Payroll) provides a handy summary of the new RTI legislation for PAYE which starts on 6th April 2013.
He also clears up some of the confusion surrounding HMRC's recent announcement that they would be relaxing the rules for some small businesses employing less than 50 employees.
We're sorry, this video is no longer available. To learn more about RTI, please download the Sage One RTI Whitepaper.
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It baffles me that I need to write this.
Let me start with some context. As we speak, I am nearing (what I hope to be) the end of a strenuous, 5-month stretch of work, work, work. Since the start of my first full-time job in July and fresh out of uni, I have not only been struggling to keep up with the daily 8 hours but also with an overwhelming (and honestly surprising) amount of freelance work that has taken up every other second of my time.
And, truth be told, I do think that the main reason I got all of this work is because I am a very nice person. Aside of a genuine desire to build up a portfolio and client base, I find it quite difficult to say no when it comes to helping other people out. So I found myself putting my own activities aside and accepting jobs even when the given timeframe was rather tight, when the clients had already proven to be demanding (to put it nicely), or when the only payment is the satisfaction of knowing you've contributed to a good cause.
This went on for a while – I was handling it, somehow.
Then, during September, I was working on a particular set of artworks for a job I consider to be quite high-profile and portfolio-worthy. The job was super short notice and the client/communication not the easiest. It all escalated to a point where I was getting hassled with 11PM phone calls and burdened with countless rounds of changes to the same product, not to mention the excessive delay in payment and unnecessary tax cuts.
Come October … a simple booklet design for a completely separate client culminated in long hours of phone calls and lists of changes that forced me to work well into the night, and consequently had harsh effects of different natures on my performance at my actual job. The task seemed never-ending; as soon as I'd think we'd reached the end, I would get yet another phone call demanding I send over materials within the hour.
Now, my point here is not simply to point out the daily stresses of freelance and design work. Those are pretty much a given. The reason for writing all of this is that it seems, at least to me, that we are living in a day and age where our jobs have become our lives. How else could I explain clients that call their freelance, non-contract designer (who they also know can only work on their job part-time) at midnight and expect amendments to be done momentarily?
Well, guess what? My job is not my life. Actually, I refuse to let my job be my life.
As much as I love being a designer, the joy is in the little tasks and things that I do for my own personal pleasure – not necessarily design-related, not for work, not (always) for money, and definitely not for clients, but for myself. It's also in that one hour break after a marathon of staring at my laptop screen when I can just sit down with an episode or two, a beer, and some great company.
Deadlines are great, and sometimes it takes that much pressure to get something creative and kickass out of you, but there has to be a limit – expecting your designer to drop everything and answer to your every beck and call is another thing altogether.
All this leaves me with a little call-to-action, for myself and for anyone else who may be in the same boat.
Chill out. No, really.
It's OK to miss out on a job – it's hard, I know, but it's OK. There will be other jobs. If you forget what it's like to relax and enjoy a little time with yourself and with things that don't stress you out, you might never get that back.
It took me close to 4 months (and a good cry) to sit down and write this 750-word rant, all because I'd reached a point where I'd forgotten how to do anything and everything that did not come with a client or a price tag. It sucks pretty hard.
So take a chill pill; pick up an instrument or call that friend that's been telling you YOU NEED A BREAK for ages; go on a holiday and please forget to pack your laptop; say no to the next job or client that isn't remotely worth your time and effort, and remember that the best thing you can invest time in is yourself.


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Portageville Bulldogs on a roll
(High School Sports ~ 05/05/16)
Ian Torrey blasted a home run and drove in three runs as the Bulldogs edged the Eagles to get the win on the road. Bailey Cook pitched four innings to get the win for Portageville (13-9). He gave up no runs on four hits, struck out two and walked two batters...
Portageville softball team wins conference title
(High School Sports ~ 05/05/16)
Kelsi Miller blasted a grand slam as the top-seeded Bulldogs used a strong third-inning performance to down the third-seeded Green Wave in a vengeful victory to claim the championship of the Bootheel Conference Tournament. Senior standout Taylor Tiffany pitched a perfect game to help get the win for Portageville (14-1). She recorded 14 strikeouts and walked no batters in the circle...
8th dist. GOP goes to Trump
(Local News ~ 05/05/16)
Three delegates from the 8th Congressional District will cast votes for Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, July 18-21. The trio, along with three alternates, were selected Saturday during the district meeting held at the Tinnin Center on the Three Rivers College campus...
Tournament Champs
(High School Sports ~ 05/05/16)
The Portageville Lady Dawgs won First Place in the Bootheel Conference Tournament held in Malden last week. The Lady Dawgs proudly pose with their tournament trophy. They ended their season with a 14-1 record. -submitted photo
"Wake Up America" - Americans to Unite and Pray
(Editorial ~ 05/05/16)
I highly urge you to participate in this year's National Day of Prayer. Needless to say our country is at a critical juncture, and our elected leaders seem to be dumb-founded as to which direction to take. There are a few that do see the light and want to turn things around. However, there light has become slightly cloudy. Their vision has been has been blinded. Simply, they have hit a brick wall of a road block...
At the Feet of Jesus
(Column ~ 05/05/16)
Matthew 15:30 records that "great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them." At the feet of Jesus is the best place to be. Is your desire to be continually at the feet of Jesus? Down at the feet of Jesus is the place of healing. This verse tells us of the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others who were laid down in all their worthlessness and helplessness, and Jesus healed them...
(Local News ~ 05/05/16)
Saint Eustachius Parish in Portageville honored four faithful parishioners for their great testimony of Christian faith. From left are, Pauline "Polly" Fuller, Elsie Mae Hughey, Letha Eftink, June Huck, Lyman Huckeby, and Luella Huckeby. The parish Council president, Charlotte Coleman, presented them with a beautiful plaque that will remind them of the gratitude to each one of them. Four of these ladies have been converts to the Catholic faith for over 60 years...
Stories from Thursday, May 5, 2016
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A "minor" college class project intended to demonstrate how first-time users fared in doing basic tasks on different smartphones has triggered an Internet wave of mockery, condemnation and invective. In a 10-minute video, the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Focus running Windows Phone 7 are rated superior to the Android-based HTC Thunderbolt and a RIM BlackBerry Storm.
The video was originally posted on YouTube this week by the students who made it, as part of a project for a Harvard University summer course, "Human Factors in Information Systems Design." It was later made private, but then reposted on YouTube from cache by Surur at WMPoweruser.com. His accompanying post had almost no details on the video's background.
The class is taught by Dennis Galletta, who is a professor of business administration at University of Pittsburgh. His main research areas are, according to his biography page, "human-computer interaction, with specific attention to user attitudes, behavior, and performance," and his teaching interests include human-computer interaction and electronic commerce. He's been an adjunct professor for the Harvard summer program for several years.
The six-week summer course focused on human factors and corporate website design. Galletta gave the students a menu of related class projects, including a usability comparison of the four smartphone platforms. That's the one they chose.
The result, and intent, of the project was a "fun initiation into usability testing but NOT a definitive or reliable test of the platforms," Galletta says. His project requirements were to "compare the usability of the four platforms in an objective way, with points taken off for being subjective" and "squish it into 10 minutes or less [on video]."
The project was simplicity itself: All the students owned smartphones and they lent them to each other to test the three tasks. Each tester had no previous experience with that phone or its UI. The intent was to see whether and how users could figure out each task, without any familiarity with the phone or operating system and without any instruction or guidance.
Each user was videotaped performing each task in sequence and the resulting video was edited to keep it the 10-minute limit imposed by Galletta. The on-screen narrator is one of the students involved in the project.
In the video, the ratings for each task on each phone seem loosely correlated with the number of touches and taps and the length of time each task takes. But the actual criteria are not spelled out. The demonstration is organized by task, so we first see each user trying to make a phone call, then in the same order trying to add a contact, and finally sending a SMS message. Each separate test by the different users shows a close-up of the phone on a flat surface, and the hand or hands of the user.
Taken at face value, the video is most intriguing when one tries to follow the thought process of the novice user, as revealed by his or her touches and taps to the phone's screen. For example, the first test shown is making a phone call with a Samsung Focus, running Windows Phone 7. The user taps correctly on an icon, or "tile," with the image of a phone's handset. But what next appears is the "History" page of recent calls. The user apparently doesn't readily see how to make call from that page, and presses the home button to go back to the homescreen. After trying out a number of other actions, the user taps the phone tile again, finds another soft button at the bottom of the history page and is finally able to type in a phone number and make the call.
That experience won the Samsung device 3 out of 5 possible stars. The iPhone 4, the BlackBerry Storm and the HTC Thunderbolt were all much faster, with just one or two touches needed to bring up the dial pad.
Adding a contact was better for the Samsung device, which earned 4 stars; the iPhone earned 3. The users of the Storm and Thunderbolt struggled for much longer to decipher the interface and the BlackBerry user actually failed to add a contact.
The iPhone and Windows Phone Samsung handset tied with 4 stars in sending an SMS message, the Storm got a 3-star rating, and the Thunderbolt came in last.
What's striking about the video is the contrast in user actions: Often they're actively scrolling, apparently searching for something that signals clearly to them what the next step in each process should be; at other times, they're often almost completely inactive with their hands, apparently studying the screen to decipher or interpret, and sometimes trying out the various icons or soft buttons presented to them.
The unscientific conclusion for the project: Novice users found iPhone 4 and Windows Phone 7 on the Samsung Focus somewhat more intuitive to use in the three tasks tested.
But for a legion of bloggers and commenters the project is an example of what's wrong with higher education in America. The denunciations fell on both the video comparison -- lame, stupid, fake, horrible, poorly executed, a conspiracy -- and the phone testers -- moronic and stupid.
"I find it quite concerning that such a supposed high brow university would throw together such a poor and unbalanced experiment ..."wrote Jay Oakesey, at Time's Techland blog, which offered Harry McCracken's Technologizer.com account of the video.
At WMPoweruser, one commenter, Tablewriter, wrote, "the research is so flawed that the guy deserves to lose his job over it. It's what I'd expect from a fourth grader. There is NOTHING of value here."
"Clearly this was RIGGED," wrote jwd0808 at YouTube. "The HTC Thunderbolt's home screen was not the default -- they removed both the people and the text messaging icons. They guy using the Windows phone was just an idiot ..."
Plenty of others joined in attacking the testers. "I think some of those testers are freaking stupid :|," posted cPTcAPSLOCK, at WMPoweruser.com. "I never knew people could be so dumb," posted Bloodoathjg on YouTube. "[A]nyone with half a f***ing brain can navigate these phones," wrote a user with the handle dicksoper.
More than few assumed Galletta was the narrator: He was excoriated for calling the iPhone the "iPhone 4G," though some posters said he probably meant "fourth generation," and the Samsung device a "Windows 7 phone" instead of "Windows Phone 7."
There were more considered responses. "Of course, the experiences of a handful of clueless newbies aren't a definitive verdict on these operating systems," wrote Harry McCracken, in his Technologizer blog.
(McCracken also updated his original post to note that this was a class project by students, not a research initiative by Galletta. "Personally, I'm less interested in how well neophytes fare with a phone than how efficient and intuitive it is for a more experienced user over the long haul.")
Galletta told his students the video could be made more useful by using a larger number of tasks and users, and a more scientific measurement process, or at least a documented one.