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Jonny and I drink LaCroix the way college students drink beer. We were leaving the grocery store. I carried the customary box of Coconut-flavored sparkling water. A man walking in pointed at the box and yelled:
"Bold choice!"
Jonny and I looked at each other and busted out laughing.
Purchasing sparkling water isn't a very daring act – some would say it's lame.
But why "bold"? Is it because it's an exotic flavor? An acquired taste? Or because it tastes like a pina colada? Or suntan lotion?
The world may never know. But I go on, boldly sipping my fizzy water.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, June 24, 2007
NEW YORK - Day 1
I arrived in Syracuse, New York. It is a very pretty area, with lots of trees, lakes and rivers. Not much of happened today, just began the day at 4:30, arrived at the airport at 5:10 am and arrived in New York at 7:00 pm (est). It was a day of riding around on an airplane followed by waiting in line to catch the next one!
Tomorrow, I will attend an apple meeting where several states get together on the east coast and discuss their upcoming apple season. It will be fun to meet several of the east coast apple growers while getting an idea of what their crop looks like.
This picture is of the Syracuse airport. Inside the lobby area, there is a museum all about airplanes.
Until tomorrow...God Bless,
1 comment:
- ottster said...
Dear Daddy:
I had a good day today. At church we had a party. we made party hats. I was a princess. I hope you are having lots of fun there. Take lots of pictures and I hope you like New York.
God Bless
- June 24, 2007 at 7:48 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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4 reasons why playing with cars when you were a kid was a good thing
There's just something about a wheel that gets any toddler or kid transfixed for hours. Our parents are right about so much but if your mum or dad used to tell you to stop running around with your toy cars, call them up right now and tell them why they were wrong! Wait! Before that, you should probably read on and find out why.
Here, my friends, are the benefits of playing with toy cars:
1. Hand skills and fine motor skills
How cars helped with this: In the beginning, we probably didn't even know what a car was. So we would turn the wheels, maybe open and close the doors if they had those features. We would just throw them around or bang cars together. This helped with hand dexterity while making us practice the use of both hands! That's right, just like how we needed to be taught on how to use a spoon, we also needed to learn how to use both our hands… It's almost embarrassing except at least everyone else has to go through it too.
2. Gross motor skills or whole body skills
How cars helped with this: As we rolled the car around, we learned how much pressure to put on it and how fast or slow we could make it go with that pressure. Once we got the hang of that, we were making the car fly! Over couches and under tables, we ran with cars clutched in our tiny little hands, screaming vroooom! So here, we started to learn about our strength and how to coordinate our body. I guess this was where we learnt how hard to push our siblings when we wanted them out of the way – snap.
3. Cognitive skills
How cars helped with this: Today, we understand cause and effect because back then we learnt, "if I push it off the table, it'll fall to the ground". We also started to think "I wanna make it go faster, faster, faster!" and even though we didn't understand the physics behind it, we knew that applying more pressure or letting it go from a higher ramp will do just that – make it go faster #science. Basically, we were brilliant.
4. Language, speech and early concepts
How cars helped with this: We learned to copy and make sounds as we "drove" the cars around, honking and vrooming accordingly. Stop/go, fast/slow, on/off, left/right – these are all so basic so thank the stars (and your toy cars) that you know it all! Because this world would be total chaos if even a few didn't know – can you imagine?
There you have it. You are the smart, capable person who knows the difference between left and right thanks to your toy cars. I mean, I'm sure other toys helped too… But let's face it, as far as learning goes, this was definitely the best way! And hey, even Barbie has a car and if you didn't steal your brothers' toy cars then I'm pretty it was cause you had Barbie on cruise control. Now that's what I call hands on learning. Hmmm, now I just need to find a good enough reason to play with toy cars today…


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Summer Workshop 2019
Paradise Intermediate
August 5, 2019
See You at the Pole 2018
Paradise Intermediate Student Council would like to invite you to come to the Annual Day of Prayer.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 @ 7:35
Clip your Box Tops and bring them to school. We will use the money for supplies, equipment for the playground and much more!
On March 11, the Intermediate Student Council presented a $2,000 check to the Morris family. The money was raised during their Penny Blast event.


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Up to 50 new cars and, more than 20 world premieres are confirmed to be showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 14 to 17. Although always in the shadow of the prestigious Detroit Motor Show, the LA auto show no doubt continues to grow each year and this year is one of the best years it recorded having the 2017 Honda Civic Si, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, 2018 Jeep Compass and other surprises on its list.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio And Other SUVs
Although many new features will be presented in the Hall of Los Angeles 2016, there is no doubt that the Alfa Romeo Stelvio will shine. It is the first SUV model of the Italian brand and is base on the architecture of the new Giulia sedan, albeit with a modified and high version. It will have rear-wheel drive versions and an all wheel drive version, with theoretically a diesel engine of 180 hp 2.2-liter and 2.0-liter mechanical 200hp, 250hp, and 280 hp .
But the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio will not be the only SUV release at the LA auto show, according to . The SUV market is hugely growing in the US and it is just right that car manufacturers will take advantage of this.
Thus, the new Volkswagen Atlas, a seven-seater SUV, will also be showcased at the LA auto show. It becomes something like a Touareg but based on the more modest MQB platform, the same on which the Passat emerges. Although initially there was speculation that it will be called Terranmonth, at the end it was named Atlas. So far, only spy photos of the Atlas sporting a camouflaged has been out and no official photos or teasers has been revealed.
2018 Jeep Compass
The new Jeep Compass is another important SUV that will be seen in Los Angeles. Located in the range between the Jeep Renegade - which is the platform it was base on - and the Cherokee, this compact SUV is expected to reach distributors in 2017. It will measure 4.41 meters long and will feature up to 17 different versions result of combining their engines (which will have diesel 1.6 and 2.0 Multijet) with its 4x2 and 4x4 versions and different finishes. Trailhawk, Sport, Limited and Longitude
Other important SUV that will be showcase are the 2017 Nissan Rogue (equivalent to X-Trail in Europe) and one limited edition version of it with the Star Wars theme, the 2017 Land Rover Discovery that although already seen in Paris is new in America, the prototype Infiniti QX Inspiration Sport and the updated 2017 Honda CR-V.
2017 Honda Civic Si
The Japanese brand's main attraction for LA is the 2017 Honda Civic Si. This high performing car is located in the range just below the beastly Honda Civic Type R and the humble Honda Civic hatchback which can have the perfect blend of simplicity with the most striking aesthetic, There aren't many details on the new Si, though we know it will be launched on the market in 2017 but it could be equipped with new engine 1.5 turbo four-cylinder and around 220 hp power, according to .
Other high-performance cars that will be showed will be the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster, like the new generation of Porsche Panamera already known in Europe. And if there is a prototype that will shine in Los Angeles, it will be the Cadillac Scale Concept, a preview of a new and spectacular saloon representation of the mark so far only been seen in the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach and cause a sensation.
The Los Angeles Auto Show promises a lot of awesome cars, as well as the new LA Automobility to be launched. Are you excited? Watch the video below to rev up:
Check out all the details about the auto show here or watch the teaser trailer here:
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?


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Jeesh! I'm no fan of the Osteens but c'mon. One very lucky Continental Airlines stewardess, Sharon Brown, is suing Victoria Osteen for 10% of her net worth. The lucky stewardess claims that during a dispute over possibly sloppy airline service Osteen became angry, pushed the stewardess aside and elbowed her in the left breast ( a flag should have been thrown on that play! ).
Osteen has been fined $3,000 by the FAA, but the lucky stewardess is seeking further damages, as she claims that she now "suffers with anxiety and hemorrhoids because of the incident and said her faith was affected". ( I wonder if the expulsion of her faith aggravated the hemorrhoids?)
Give us a break Ms. Brown. Because of a scuffle, you've contracted hemorrhoids? And if this imbroglio caused you such anxiety, how could you possibly stand all those hair raising take-offs and landings without falling into hysterics? As far as the shakiness of your faith is concerned, that wasn't exactly Jesus Christ (or his wife) that got physical with you on the plane. (Of course if that was the case, how much could you sue them for?) Perhaps you're just confused.
Anyway, it was certainly your lucky day, Ms. Brown. The Osteens are absurdly wealthy and 10% of Victoria's assets can definitely keep you in plenty of Preparation H and St. John's Wort for a long, long time. Tough thing about your faith, though.


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With decades of experience in relocating machinery & equipment from factory to factory around the globe, you can be confident that your purchase will be handled safely, efficiently and cost effectively by our team of experts.
– Dismantling : proper care is taken to dismantle and mark-up equipment with a view to re-installation. Typically, the persons dismantling can be engaged by the client to re-assemble thus saving time and cost.
– Insurance : all aspects of the operation are fully insured, irrespective of location, inclusive dismantling on site, packing, loading, shipment and placement (subject to specific contract).
– Documentation : All aspects of the internal operations are covered by the relevant Method Statement, according internal, local or national requirements.
– Loading and Packing : We have the necessary equipment to handle very heavy equipment, and the appropriate experience to ensure it is correctly prepared and packed for sea-freight, inclusive the specific requirements for out of gauge loads in open-top containers or flat racks.
– Sea-Freight : working closely with shipping lines, we ensure that the correct type of equipment is provided and we then ensure that it is optimally loaded & packed to ensure the safety of equipment and minimise costs to the client
– Letters of Credit : We engage a highly qualified MIEX certificated specialist to arrange and negotiate our credits, and we are highly competent and creative in this area, extending to 3rd party finance, assignments, and credit risk insurance for complex transactions with clients politically difficult areas.
– Start-up & Commissioning : our engineers are able to re-assemble equipment, and indeed in most cases start-up and train clients staff in the operation of the purchased processing equipment – injection moulding, stretch blow moulding & ancillary processes.
But don't just take our word for it, here is what our clients have to say :
I have finally received the container with the items last weekend, I am really glad and pleased with the excellent job you did packing it!
F. Naranjo
"On behalf of Platinum Pro, I would like to give special thanks to the loading team. With high dedication to their job, the strong team has spent continuously 18 hours for loading 6 containers for shipping 2 Husky machines and all of their supporting equipment to Platinum Pro, Thailand.
In sum, although the containers have arrived 1 day later than planned, the team's overperformance can help us compensate the 1-day of lost time of waiting for the containers and eventually after 18 hours of working since the morning of 13 Mar, the loading job for the 6th container has finished around 1.00 am on Mar 14 and the last container truck has departed the factory."
S. Sirintawat
"Thank you, we very much appreciate you assistance in the removal of our equipment and with the disconnection work done professionally it has made our job a lot easier on this end putting our machinery back together for commissioning"
A. Nadeem


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Published at 7:20 AM EDT on Oct 1, 2016
Two men were arrested in Frederick, Maryland, and charged with human trafficking-related offenses, according to Frederick police.
Officers responded to the Super 8 Motel on Monocracy Boulevard for reports of a domestic dispute. When they arrived, a juvenile victim said she was reported missing out of Texas and brought to Maryland by one of the men.
Thomas Duane Jones, 35, of Houston, Texas, and Marvin Bernard Armstrong, 46, of High Point, North Carolina, were arrested. Police said the men were charged with rape, sex offense, human trafficking by force, human trafficking (take cause), false imprisonment and second-degree assault...


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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear an appeal from Wal-Mart Stores in a sex discrimination suit with major implications for employers with large workforces.
At issue isn't whether Wal-Mart Stores WMT, -0.97% discriminated against women but whether the claims of a small number of employees can be combined into a class action.
The suit, Wal-Mart Stores vs. Dukes, argues whether the complaints of six women should represent between 500,000 and 1.5 million Wal-Mart female employees. See external link to Supreme Court page on lawsuit.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, by a six-to-five vote, had ruled that the class action could go forward. See external link to Ninth Court ruling.
Wal-Mart has argued that the proposed class would represent employees in 3,400 stores, 170 different roles and both male and female supervisors, making the class too disparate to lump together.
Altria MO, -0.39% , Bank of America BAC, -2.65% , General Electric GE, -2.69% , Intel INTC, -3.89%, Microsoft MSFT, -3.19% , PepsiCo PEP, -1.80% and the United Parcel Service UPS, -3.42% are among several companies who have written to the Supreme Court in support of Wal-Mart.
All but Intel signed a letter saying the Ninth Circuit's "decision threatens to expand the class-action device far beyond its traditional bounds — indeed, beyond any bounds supported by law or common sense."
Intel's own brief made a similar point and said the ruling exacerbates the problem of "coerced settlements."
The women suing Wal-Mart noted that the district court found that 65% of hourly employees were women but only 33% of management.
Wal-Mart's representation of women in management had a statistically significant shortfall compared to rivals in nearly 80% of its stores, they said, and women's pay was "significantly" lower than men even seniority, turnover, store, job performance, job position, part-time and full-time status factors were taken into account.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Equinix Inc. saw its shares plunge 30% to $73.62 on Wednesday morning after the company lowered its revenue outlook for the third quarter. Equinix EQIX, +0.71%, which provides data center services to corporate clients, said it now expects revenue to come in between $328 million and $330 million - the midpoint of which is 2.2% lower than the company's previous outlook. The company blamed "underestimated churn assumptions in Equinix's forecast models in North America, greater than expected discounting to secure longer term contract renewals and lower than expected revenues attributable to the Switch and Data business acquired in April 2010."
Equinix shares plunge on revenue warning
Quote References
+3.92 +0.71%


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15% Off Bespoke Party Setting Hire
If you are looking for something unique for your little ones birthday party, then this is the party hire package for you! save your self time and stress, we have done all the hard work so you don't have to. We also deliver and collect, so what could be easier!
Our unicorn hire party package is a dreamy magical delight, glitter tipped feathers, wooden unicorn bunting, tutu rainbow stools and to top it all off a beautiful bespoke 47cm unicorn in the middle of the table. This is certainly the hot new thing in the party world and one of our most popular packages to date. So why not give us a call so we can turn unicorn dreaming into a party reality. This party package is designed for 10 little unicorns, for more please give us a call. For more photos on the package please check out our website or contact us on 089295 5717
Terms and Conditions –
- We require 50% deposit to secure the booking, final payment is to be made 2 weeks before the event
- Our party hire packages are designed for 3 years plus
- The Number of children attending must be given at time of booking. If you require more than the package of 10 please email us or give us a call. we can cater up to 14 children with this package set-up at a cost of $5 extra per child.
- A rental agreement and bond is required for our packages. For your convenience the rental agreement can be signed when the package is delivered. We can accept $100 or credit card details to which you are happy for a deduction to be made in the unforeseen event of any damage or loss to the package. the bond will be returned to your nominated bank account up to 5 working days after the event.
- free delivery within 30 km from Midland 6056. Anything over will incur a small petrol surcharge.


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Wurrly Team Member and Music Producer Tal Meltzer Writes hit record "Enchanté" for Fergie's Latest Album "Double Dutchess"!
The Deets on Tal Meltzer
Born and raised in Southern California, Tal Meltzer studied Music Business at USC. While in his senior year, he founded a DJ/Production group called FIXYN which would go on to tour the US and remix songs for acclaimed artists, gathering millions of plays worldwide. Shortly after graduating from USC, he signed with Mike Caren's prestigious publishing company: Artist Publishing Group. He has since worked with acclaimed artists such as Train, Kiesza, Beck, Cash Cash, and more as well as receiving a Gold Record in recognition of his work on "Moon Trance" by Lindsey Stirling. He continues to write and produce with top artists and writers in the industry under the name Nineteen90 as well running SuperX Studios in Hollywood, California.
Interview Time!
Tell me a little bit about how you started getting involved with music.
"I started playing the guitar at 11 and I have been writing songs since I was a kid. I have an older sister and a younger sister, so my first album was the Spice Girls Album *laughs*. For me, to get to write for a boy band would be the coolest thing in the world. I was listening to Fergie with my sister when I was in High School! At the same time I have also been very into punk- rock….two completely different genres. I am a huge Blink-182 and GreenDay fan. I learned how to write my songs from pop/punk. I learned structure, all the kids I grew up with were listening to classic rock, just trying to learn solos, but I was more interested in learning as many chords as possible and how to write a song."
How did you get involved with producing a song for Fergie's album?
"The way this song happened began with an email from my manager at the time who gave me an accapella from Fergie and I was asked to make a beat around that. I worked with my usual collaborators. First we focused on getting the verse to sound cool. She wanted it to sound modern and electronic. Actually, I originally did a drop that I thought was really cool but then she told me to make it sound more tropical so I went in that direction."
Did you get the chance to meet Fergie?
"We went back and forth on email, I never actually met her. It's 2017, she's traveling all the time. But I like working like that...don't get me wrong I love to write a song from scratch but sometimes it's more fun to get an accapella and do your own thing with it."
When did you start working on this record and when did it release?
"We started writing it about a year ago. I got the "Ok" that it was going to happen around Thanksgiving of last year. The album was supposed to come out soon after. She had been working on this album for 11 years but there had been all these hiccups so it had never gotten released...
I didn't hear anything from anyone for months so at that point it was just a waiting game. I then found out she got dropped from Interscope Records so I assumed the song was never coming out. About a month ago I read on twitter that album was coming out. I just remember thinking I hope they didn't cut my song!
Then the album leaked and I saw that my song was on there. When the album leaked that was the first time I heard their mix of Enchanté, which was a little different than mine so it took some getting used. On top of that she had her son sing on it which I had no idea about and I thought that sounded really cool."
Any Inspiration behind your creation of the track?
"The verse was very Mura Masa inspired which was all I was listening to at the time."
Where were you when you first heard Enchanté?
"Well, the first time I heard it was from the leak, and I was at my studio but I was curious if it was the final version. Her whole album is a visual album where every song has a music video. She was premiering the visuals at iPic Theatres across the US. I got tickets for the one premiering near me in Westwood, Los Angeles but then I realized that week was the Jewish New Year. I didn't want to start the Jewish new year off with upsetting my mom of course, so I ended up giving my collaborator the tickets. He ended up sitting right in front of Josh Duhamel and their son! I was super jealous."
Did you know Kendall Jenner was going to star in the video before it came out?
"I knew Kendall Jenner was in the video because she had teased a small clip of it on her social media the day before but I couldn't see the full video yet. This was on a Wednesday and Fergie's album was out on that Friday. Between that time I hadn't seen the full video and I hadn't heard the official version of the song. Friday Morning I woke up and went straight to Target to go buy the album, the coolest feeling in the world. They were advertising it there and had three rows of the album and I got the last one. I thought that was a good sign. I opened up the album and found my name in it which is always a humbling and gratifying experience. You know, these little things were my dreams growing up...
The music video came out that day as well and because Kendall Jenner was the star it got huge. It received around one million plays in 24 hours. It had one million plays on Youtube already but when Kendall posted it on Instagram it received over 5 million in 12 hours which definitely helped."
How do you feel about this accomplishment?
"It's definitely very humbling. To get to play a small part in something that has such a large global presence is a bit surreal. Obviously, you always hope it becomes a single and takes off- that's the goal. But I've learned that you have to take a step back and look at the things you've accomplished and appreciate it, even if there's more you want to accomplish...
At the same time, she's doing a bunch of press on various morning shows for the album. It's number one in pop in the US and the album was also number one in New Zealand which feels great in itself."
Have you ever experienced this before?
"I have worked with a lot of big artists but as a producer and songwriter you work with a lot of artists and the songs never come out. I have a song I worked on with Beck, it has his vocals on it, that no one is ever going to hear which can be frustrating...
You definitely want to find a balance. When I first started, I was a remixer/DJ. I was constantly putting music out which helps your ego. You put a song out and it goes #1 on all the blogs and you feel like the man! But then I went into pop and sort of stopped doing the artist thing. All of a sudden it's a few years later and I haven't put a single song out yet I've written over 300. That is where this career can start to become frustrating and depressing. You start to feel like you aren't as good anymore because none of your music is coming out...
It is very important to keep that balance if you can. I like to go back to making remixes and releasing songs because it generates more calls from pop artist because they see my name. Your name needs to be out there on the internet."
Do you have any projects you're currently working on?
"I got really close to doing a full album last year but had some personal issues get in the way. Now I've been working on a couple of different projects. I love the songs but I am not sure who could pull them off or who would take them but I still want them to come out. Now we're talking about doing some kind of artist project with that."
Wurrly Inspiration
After speaking with Tal, I enjoyed his down to earth nature and the knowledge and experiences he shared that i'm sure many songwriters and producers can relate to. His success is inspirational! If you work hard at what you love a victory is bound to come your way. The Wurrly Team is excited to see Tal's successful journey in the music industry!
As we always say, make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to get even more updates on music inside and outside of Wurrly ;)


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Kirsty Breaks the Silence .... again
This article in the Daily Mail 'Femail', reports Kirst Allsopp's recent comments in Stylist Magazine's Life Lessons Talk, on the perils of delaying pregnancy into our late 30's and 40's. Kirsty has been getting a lot of criticism for her comments but she actually has a very important point to make. There is a conspiracy of silence around the issue of delaying motherhood and we can only help ourselves by being aware of the actual situation. She says
At the Natural Fertility Centre we regularly see couples and women who are trying to conceive in their 40's and are unaware of the difficulties involved. There is an attitude of "it's ok, we'll just have IVF later", which is not perpetuated by the IVF clinics but somehow seems to be prevalent. When the truth hits them it is incredibly painful for the older couple, often but not always accompanied by huge regrets, and also painful to observe.
This delay is often put down to the woman 'wanting to concentrate on her career'. Many if not most women, unsurprisingly, want a fulfilling career early in life but would also like to meet a partner and have children. Men also want to concentrate on their career and put off 'settling down' until they are in the their late 30's. This is not just a female issue.
There is around a 2-5% chance of IVF being successful in your 40's with an increased risk of miscarriage and chromosomal disorders. For egg donation, the success rate is much higher (around 60%) due to the young age of the eggs involved but this is a route not all couples want to go down.
The most positive thing you can do if you're in your 40's and trying to conceive is to win back some time by cutting down on stress, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine, seriously pursuing a nutrient and protein-rich diet (with a nutritionist), make sure your cycle is regular (through acupuncture) and that you are ovulating and aware of your fertile time (with fertility coaching). That way you, as a couple, are optimising your chances and conceiving naturally and can pursue IVF as a further option if you choose.


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03/07/2015: Site Closure for Building Works
Due to asbestos removal work, Unley High School will only be open on 7, 8, 14, 15 July, and from 11:00am on 16 July. The school will be closed at all other times during the holidays. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Please check directly with Gym management if you have queries about the operation of that facility.
Thank you.
Brenda Harris, Principal


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I don't consider myself a lazy person. I work two jobs plus feed the homeless and do other volunteer work in the area. I go out of my way to make sure nobody has to work extra because I don't finish my job.
It really bothers me when I see others who are constantly asking others to do things for them that they are fully capable of doing but are just too lazy to do it for themselves. I work with a few people like that. Rather than look for something themselves they had rather ask someone else to do it for them. Nobody is as busy as they are.
Today it just seems easier to ask somebody to do the little things than to take time to do it yourself. My dad always taught me that if you start a job you should see it to the end and that's what I try to do in anything I attempt to do.
As school starts and after-school activities increase, it's harder to eat as healthy as we would like. I don't have kids in school but I do have two grandsons that I try to help out with and attend activities they are involved in.
And of course just around the corner is Georgia football and I just happen to be a season ticket holder. I've found some great recipes in salads and other dishes lately that I can make ahead to use during the week that are good and healthy.
Chicken Salad
2 large chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
3 medium or 2 large avocados
1 cup corn (from 1 cooked cob)
6 oz. bacon cooked and chopped
1/4 cup chives or green onion, chopped
2 Tbsps. chopped dill
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut in halves or quarters, optional
Lemon Dressing:
3 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Dice or shred the 2 large cooked chicken breasts and place into a large mixing bowl. Peel 2 large avocados, sliced into bite size pieces, and add to the mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of cooked corn (freshly cooked corn is best), toss in 1/4 cup chopped green onion, chopped bacon. Add 2 Tbsps. fresh dill. Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle over your salad and toss to combine. Serve with slices of hard-boiled egg if desired.
**If making ahead do not add dressing until you are ready to eat or salad will become soggy after sitting in refrigerator.
Many of us are trying to avoid eating bread but that means not having some of our favorite foods such as tacos. I have found a great way to make them without the bread.
Taco Tomatoes
4 tomatoes
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 cup shredded Iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup sour cream
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and taco seasoning, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat and set aside.
Flip tomatoes so they are stem side down. Cut the tomatoes into six wedges being careful to not cut completely through the tomato. Carefully spread open the wedges. Divide the taco meat evenly among the tomatoes then top with cheese, lettuce and sour cream.
One of my favorite vegetables has to be broccoli. From eating it raw to simply steaming it, or anyway it's cooked is fine with me. Tried this recipe on my friend recently and he loved it.
Roasted Broccoli
6 to 7 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 to 4 Tbsps. olive oil
1/4 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray. Combine the broccoli and olive oil in a large zip-close bag and shake to coat.
Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the bag and shake to coat. Use your hands to rub the bag and help the coating to stick to the broccoli. Spread the broccoli in an even layer on the baking sheet, picking up any coating that's on the bottom and dispensing it over the broccoli as needed. Bake for 12 minutes, then stir and flip the broccoli, bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp and tender.
Salmon was not something I ate growing up. In fact I never ate it until just a couple of years ago and now I love fresh salmon if it's cooked right. I buy it fresh locally all the time and try out new recipes that many of you share with me. This latest one was really good last weekend.
Pan Seared Salmon with Avocado
2 large avocados, cut and peeled
3 Tbsps. freshly squeezed lime juice (can substitute lemon)
3-4 Tbsps. light olive oil (light refers to flavor and color, not calories)
1 Tbsp. shallots or 1 Tbsp. green onions, minced
1 Tbsp. parsley, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillet
Grape seed oil or canola oil
Put avocado pieces and lime (lemon) juice into a food processor or blender and pulse until blended. Slowly add olive oil, pulsing until you reach desired consistency of sauce. Add minced shallots (or green onions) and parsley. Pulse just until combined. remove to a bowl. Add mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Coat the bottom of a sauté pan with oil. Heat on medium-high until almost smoking. Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, carefully lay the salmon into the pan, skin side down. Cook the salmon until about medium oneness, about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve salmon with avocado remoulade sauce made above.
Joyce Jacks is a cooking columnist for the Barrow News-Journal. Send comments to email@example.com.
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text: HAL Archives Ouvertes Cooperation Vineyard landscape agent-based modeling modelisation slope viticulture wine cooperative Effects of the Wine Cooperative System on Socio-economic Factors and Landscapes in Mountain Areas http://rga.revues.org/2733 10.4000/rga.2733 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01225874 In an economy of increased globalization and trade, wine holds a privileged place. The wine cooperative system in vineyards in mountain regions, such as in Banyuls-sur-Mer, France and the Val di Cembra, Italy, offers a privileged context for studying the opportunities for individual action that affect precarious socio-economic balances. To understand, and sometimes predict, changes in the socio-economics and landscapes of a region due to cooperatives, we have used a multi-agent system (MAS) to model the behavior of the actors involved in wine production in a cooperative. This model analyses cooperative systems' impact on socio-economic factors (income inequality and the rate of business failure) and landscapes (percentage of total land as vineyards, particularly in steep areas) of the regions considered. The findings show that cooperatives play a role of socio-economic and landscape stabilizer in these regions. mai 2015 Journal of Alpine Research/Revue de Géographie Alpine EtienneDelay Marius Chevallier ÉricRouvellac FabioZottele


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Autumn in Champaign
Lily and I went to the Urbana arboretum to go photo exploring and just generally enjoy the weather. It's been unseasonably warm this past week so this was our last hurrah.
Lily had a great time playing in the leaves and basically running around. We only lasted an hour, but it was a good one.
Technorati Tags: photography, color, champaign, il, illinois, autumn, fall


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Couples counseling is my specialty. As I have been married for 41 years, I have a solid set of experiences related to what works in marriage and what does not.
I believe in marriage and my marriage is successful. These are two primary ingredients that a successful marriage counselor needs to possess. In fact, I haven't seen a divorce in my office in a long time. That is related to the fact that I am not recommending it. Even if men and women believe they don't need marriage, children do. So, if people have children, they need to learn how to be successfully married because divorce hurts the children. I am not suggesting staying together in misery, but learning how to do marriage successfully.
If people don't have children, they can certainly leave and declare a mistake or a "fender bender", but without some marriage training to learn what went wrong–not the symptoms but the real problem, the fender benders tend to happen repeatedly.
I have developed a four-step model that teaches people how to get and stay connected. Marriage is a skill set and when people learn the skills the feelings follow.
I work with people who, in many cases, have been unfaithful. They call me believing that they cannot recover from the infidelity or infidelities. However, with the right help and guidance, people do recover and marriages survive.
I prefer to see couples who call me together initially. That way people tend to start off feeling that each was able to explain their understanding of the situation to me equally.
Couples therapy needs to be conducted so that no one feels that the therapist is taking sides. This means it must be balanced. Many therapists say that they do couples therapy and yet, they miss the importance of "balance" as we'll as an understanding of focused problem-solving.
Focused problem-solving refers to understanding what has gone wrong in the marriage. That is, people tend to come in with the symptoms of the problem but not the problem. So I work with my clients to discover the real problem. Then we can decide what to do about it.
I start off seeing people together so that we start off with balance. I also see them individually as well as we go along.
As marriage requires certain ingredients to be successful, in an initial evaluation, I can determine fairly quickly, which ingredients are present and which are missing. Determining which are missing gives direction as to what to teach.
People like this approach because it is concrete and clear. Couples learn what needs to change and what to do to change it. They learn what to do with what they feel.
Unless people come from families where marriages were successful, they tend to not know how to make their own marriages work. They need a "class" or a group of "classes" to learn the skills that they need. It could therefore be said that the skills of marriage are taught in an experience called "couples therapy"–really classes about marriage, and the "therapy" is about understanding and removing the emotional blocks that keep people from doing what the information they are receiving is suggesting they do.
Please call me before you call anywhere else in the Atlanta area, so that we can talk about what you should expect from your therapist and from therapy (404) 698-3699. I look forward to speaking to you.
I am a member of the National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapists. It is an advanced practitioner network for therapists especially trained in couples work related to preserving marriages. There are some interesting articles on their web site that you may find informative regarding the dangers of turning your relationship over to therapists not specifically trained or experienced in the intricacies of working with couples.
Many practitioners use an individual approach when working with couples which misses the point that the relationship is the patient, not the individuals. Couples therapy done effectively, focuses on what each partner needs to do to make the relationship work. It is not about individual well-being. Most relationships that get into trouble have too much individual focus to begin with.
Relationship therapy is the most popular form of psychotherapy. It is the most requested. Therefore, many therapists will tell prospective clients that they do couples therapy when, in fact, they have not been specifically trained in this area. For this reason, it is important that you, when looking for someone in whom to entrust your relationship, ask specific questions as to training, experience, and outcomes, as well as about the personal experience of anyone you might see. This includes the life of anyone you might consider as to history and personal successes with marriage. When you want to be good at something, it is important to find someone who is already successful at that endeavor to teach you.
Please call me before you call anywhere else in the Atlanta area, so that we can talk about what you should expect from your therapist and from therapy (404) 698-3699. I look forward to speaking to you.
Atlanta marriage counseling can be tricky because to be effective, the therapy MUST be balanced. That means that the therapist needs to help couples to solve problems without taking sides.
Married for 36 years, I have my own live laboratory as to what works and what is less likely to work in marriage. I also have had it proven to me that marriage is a set of skills and not about being "in love" or "not in love".
Our feelings get created by what we do–not the other way around, as many people believe. There are 4 effective habits of marriage and when they are enacted, the feelings of connection and "love" arise. This is true for arranged marriage as well. These 4 habits work quite well to promote lasting relationships and a fertile home in which children can grow up to become effective, successful, and optimistic adults.
When couples come to see me, I first evaluate with them about what they are doing that works and what is not working. This evaluation is based on the 4 known ingredients for healthy marriage. Once this step is completed, we begin to work on what skills are missing so that better couples connections can be made.
Because of the clarity of this approach, couples can see improvement quickly–once they begin to change how they relate to each other.
Most people do not seek out help until things have gotten into a pretty bad spot. For this reason, people who come in are often angry and without much hope. I believe it is important to help people get onto the right road as quickly as they can. This restores optimism and breeds more success. People need to know that things can get better. I help them to do this by giving them specific things to do to practice new skills. It works well and my clients love the results!
I am Susan Adams, licensed Marriage and Family therapist and licensed Professional Counselor, in private practice for over 35 years. My best credential is that I have been married for 41 years and have raised one daughter, numerous cousins, and am currently owned by two wonderful Boston Terriers.
Please call me before you call anywhere else in the Atlanta area, so that we can talk about what you should expect from your therapist and from therapy (404) 698-3699.
I look forward to speaking to you.
I am delighted that you have found my website!
Did you know that only HEALTHY people have the courage to question their situations and problems and look for solutions?
That means that already we know that if you are reading this, you are healthy.
Being "healthy" means that you can learn new information and apply it to problem-solving.
My approach provides clients with a clear understanding of the problem. Once the problem, in the marriage or in other kinds of relationships is identified,
I work with people through practical, behavioral, and value-based solutions that help to make their relationships work.
Please call me before you call anywhere else in the Atlanta area, so that we can talk about what you should expect from your therapist and from therapy (404) 698-3699. I look forward to speaking to you.
Family members don't have to be a part of the problem when someone is having difficulty, but they are often part of the solution.
The work I do is solution-focused. No one ever leaves my office, even the first time, without some ideas as to how to begin to solve whatever problem brought them to see me.
Married for thirty-six years, I have my own live laboratory as to what works and what is less likely to work in marriage.
I also have had it proven to me that marriage is a set of skills and not about being "in love" or "not in love".
Some People Self-medicate!
Many people know about anti-depressants. However, did you know that there are some non-medical ways to treat this problem that work quite well.
People who don't know when they do wrong, can't learn to do anything right.
Behavior is purposeful. Think about the purpose behind what you see.
People often come to see me with problems with saying "no", wanting to please others to an extreme, not liking themselves, and being unhappy with who they are or what they are doing in life.
I believe the first issue is to understand when these feeling began, for how long, and what has already been done about it.
Everybody feels anger. The question becomes to what intensity and what you can do about it.
It is useful to learn to separate what we feel from what we do. This is part of being an adult.
Sometimes people arrive in therapy too late to save the marriage.
What is important is that people learn the skills to stay together-not to live in misery, but to live lives that contain joy and commitment that make good models for children to follow.
I was the advisor to the Step-family Association of Atlanta while it was here. This lasted several years.
I live in a step-family so I know how hard it can be and have been very effective at helping people in step-families to straighten things out.
It can be painful and
heartbreaking to watch a loved one decline.
The alternatives of sudden loss may, in some ways, be easier on the survivors but the shock waves of sudden loss are equally tragic.
Children need team parenting and consistency. In our hectic world, these skills are often hard to do.
So, what makes the difference between normal and abnormal anxiety?
Some anxiety is good for us. It motivates us to do things that need doing.
Coupling and parenting become irresponsible.
Drugs and alcohol interfere with everyone's relationships when either or both are present in families–alcohol in excess and drugs at all.
Many people believe that there is no return from infidelity but I do not find this to be the case.
Unlike a broken egg, things can be put back together. Most people are surprised and pleased with the outcome.
I think this word gets over-used without explicit understanding of "how" to say "what" to "whom".
I am teaching people who see me the "foreign language" of how to speak to each other in ways that promote conversation instead of shutting it down.
A company can save money if they know how to read people!
Did you know that the configuration of relationships in a family is very much like the configuration of relationships in a company. They are both "systems".
I have been married for 41 years (that means I was two when I started). I have a live laboratory in my home for knowing what works and what doesn't. I am always thinking about how to pass along effective means of interacting. The best marriage counseling teaches couples how to talk to each other constructively . The couples therapist is the model for this. The therapy must be what I call "clean". That means the therapy needs to demonstrate the skills the therapist is teaching. For example listening with respect means that the therapist does so as well. Hearing what is asked needs to be part of the couples therapy as well. Continue reading


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Mariana Slip-Ons by Soft Style®
Additional Information
Item Number:
Please Select Color & Size
These simple yet sophisticated slip-on sandals slide right on for an easy fit. The chic tassel detail on the front adds a playful touch to these everyday comfort sandals.
- Synthetic patent leaather, cork or denim upper
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- Soft Delight™ Comfort System ensures a cushioned, supportive fit
- 1" stacked heel
Comfortable slip-on sandals available in full and half sizes 7-10, 11, 12 M; 7-10, 11, 12 W


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The Official School to the Phoenix Ballet
In 2007, my wife Irena, and our two sons Michael and Slawomir Jr moved from Poland to the United States and we started our ballet school – Master Ballet Academy. Miss Irena had just retired from dancing and I recently graduated from the University of Music in Warsaw. It was a natural transition from being a Principal Dancer of Poland, and already recognized choreographer to become a teacher, and to be able to transfer our experience, knowledge and passion onto younger generations of ballet dancers.
Of course, my entire dream will come true when we will be able to run our own company based on the dancers we raised, and have them perform around the World in full ballet repertoire, but it takes time, but we are striving to make it happen. And just as we started dancing as children, because we felt it was our desire, passion and destiny – we wanted to continue our "mission" as teachers to fulfill our love to ballet. Probably that's why our sons' without any input from us, became ballet dancers as natural order, as they saw how much we love what we do and decided to follow that path.
Ballet was all our life and it will be as long as we will be able to be involved. As we believe dance is the most wonderful form of art, we would like to make sure that people who don't know it, will fall in love with it by seeing our great quality performances. We also would like to provide dance education for our students at a level that they will be an important part of the dance world and they will be able to become a part its history by creating the future.


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As the month of May ends, and the days are becoming longer and longer, I find myself getting excited for the summer months. I look forward to when time seems to stop ( or at the very least, turn in to a perpetual pause), and my kids are free from the shackles of a school schedule. I look forward to true "Wandering" never being too far past our thoughts. Adventure and spontaneity pump through veins alongside blood. While there are always pleasure and fun checklists I make ( i.e eat affogatos for dinner as much as possible, drink beer in shower with the windows open( please don't tell me I'm the only one who dreams of this) I also make photo….ideas, dreams, bucket lists. Once I have vacation plans in place, I usually make photo plans. What things would I like to photograph ? Where do I want my camera to lead me? Some I plan. Others I lay a loose foundation. Some are are as free and non conforming as my wide leg linen gaucho pants ( also a summer fave) .
Last summer I vacationed in a place that I had been before many times. I chose to do a bike ride one morning with myself and have some fun. Just me and my camera. I also brought my lensbaby so that I could get a new perspective. I also chose to be on the lookout for light in different ways and found myself seeing rainbows.
This summer I am planning some vacations and day trips. My camera will likely lead me to new things. I love how it all seems breezier and easier in the summer. Life doesn't take itself so seriously which makes more space for the fun stuff. How about you? Do you have summer plans? Are you making any bucket lists ? Do any involve what you are hoping to photograph?


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From fruity to bitter, rich to spicy, liqueurs come in a wide range of flavors, textures and styles. While popular as components of other cocktails, many people shy away from drinking them on their own due to the sweetness many possess.
By pairing a rich cream liqueur with a black coffee ice ball, you'll find the bitterness of the black coffee helps balance the sweetness and makes for a beautiful and dramatic presentation. Cold brew or regular brewed coffee can be used to make the ice ball, but be sure to use black-unsweetened coffee to balance the drink.
2 ½ ounces cream liqueur (like Baileys®, Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream®, etc.)
1 black coffee ice ball (see recipe below)
Rocks glass, Whiskey Ice Co. Spherical Ice Ball Maker, 1/2 oz. 1 1/2 oz. Professional Stainless Jigger
To Make Black Coffee Ice Ball:
Take strong black coffee and chill before filling your Whiskey Ice Co. Ice Mold to the top of the logo. Freeze until solid and form an ice ball using your Whiskey Ice Co. Spherical Ice Ball Maker.
Place your black coffee ice ball in your rocks glass and slowly pour your room temperature cream liqueur over top. Swirl to chill and always enjoy responsibly.


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The extreme market volatility this week, at least partially fueled by the algorithm-based high frequency traders, reminded me to reprise a very cool 15 minute TED Talk that is stashed in the HomaFiles archives.
Tech entrepreneur Kevin Slavin tells how algorithms have reached across industries and into every day life.
A couple of lines caught my attention:
- There are more than 2,000 physicists working on Wall Street developing operational algorithms
- Massive scale speed trading is dependent on millisecond read & respond rates …
- So, firms are physically literally locating right next to internet routing hubs to cut transmission times
- And, of course, there isn't time for human intervention and control
- "We may be building whole worlds we don't really understand, and can't control."
Obviously, Slavin comes down on the side of the quants.
Worth listening to this pitch … a very engaging geek who may be onto something big.
* * * * *
Follow on Twitter @KenHoma >> Latest Posts


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Denim Prism
Denim-blue. This bead has a semi transparente quality that makes light reflect even more on its surface. And if you really look, it still has a touch of transparency hidden within.
Trollbeads glass beadMade by Trollbeads
Round Malachite
Cupid's Love
Maple Lovers Leaf
Collectors Case
Cherub Dreams
Peacock pearl
Fantasy Necklace with Peacock Pearl
Sea Shore
Savoy knot ring
Tree Goblin
Sterling Silver Necklace, without lock, 68 cm. (70 cm)
Forest Secrets Kit
Free shipping and NO CC fees applies


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Nostalgia can bring you back to a time when quality wasn't compromised and long-term relationships ruled the world of business. When it comes to the realm of Microsoft solutions, the NuSoft brand created a trifecta of those nostalgic feelings with past customers, previous employees and those Microsoft folks that had worked with NuSoft. NuSoft was known as one of the leading premier Microsoft consulting firms in the world and boasted a list of prestigious accolades, including the distinction of being recognized by Microsoft as one of the top six custom developers in the world.
From its inception in 1994, Dale Mansour lead NuSoft and its team of top consultants until he sold the highly profitable and respected company to RCM Technologies in 2008. Now, 10 years after NuSoft was sold, Atrio Systems purchased the rights to RCM's Microsoft practice and the NuSoft brand. Dale has joined the Atrio's ownership group, so he could once again share his talent and passion to lead the nation's best Microsoft-certified consultants. Many of his old team members have joined him and the Microsoft offices are buzzing with excitement at the return of NuSoft.
NuSoft is back and better than ever. Combined with Atrio Systems, a leading Dynamics 365 practice founded in 2001, NuSoft is now able to deliver true Digital Transformation consulting services across Microsoft cloud offerings, namely: Office 365, Azure and Dynamics365.
NuSoft has the proven leadership of Dale Mansour, the technical talent, and the Microsoft support and experience to create and implement high-quality Microsoft-based solutions that will provide your company with a total transformation on how you sell, what you sell, how you work together, and how you operate.
We take the time to fully understand your business and its needs before we begin any implementation. Our consultants bridge the gap between business and IT. Both groups work well with NuSoft and appreciate our ability to translate requirements issues between the groups.
NuSoft HQ – Bloomfield Hills, MI
NuSoft Office – Nashville, TN


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Learn More About Our HOSP101 Program
HOSP101 is a unique 8 week program focused on preparing individuals for a rewarding career in the hospitality industry.
In partnership with industry partners, participants will be provided a 4 week classroom session covering: customer service skills, positive communication methods, workplace conflict management, and self-awareness workshops. In addition to strengthening their employability skills, as well as their classroom experience, participants will achieve First Aid, Food Safety, Non-violent Crisis Intervention certifications, barista training, and field exposure at local community businesses.
The participant's 4 week classroom training will be followed by a job-placement service directed toward their interest within the broad scope of hospitality with the ultimate goal of securing sustainable employment.
Click here to visit the HOSP101 program page for more information.


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Fun family crafting for the holidays! Make an array of 6 beautiful
crystal beaded ornaments to decorate your family tree. Use them to
decorate your holiday packages or give these handmade gifts to someone
Set Includes:
A 27 year old specialty toy store located in the greater Baltimore, Washington D.C. & Virgina areas with the best brand name toys including Lego, Playmobil, and more, all at an affordable price.


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This post moved to:
Filed under: Competing with Big Retail Chains, Marketplace Dominance |
This post moved to:
Filed under: Competing with Big Retail Chains, Marketplace Dominance |
I love this customer service spotlight you do on Zappos. It's funny because that's what I love about Zappos. I've never had a problem with them and they're so accommodating.
I would have to say that many times I choose restaurants to go to and stores to purchase from based on their customer service. I recently went to a restaurant that had delicious food, but the customer service was so bad that I doubt I'll ever go back. See how bad customer service can make or break your business? Thanks for the great post Doug!
Having good customer service is only a small part of what this post is about. The "BIg Idea" in this post is that committing to doing something above average or doing something bold and beyond what everyone else does "matters."
In Zappos case, they chose customer service as their vehicle for going above and beyond. Steve Jobs and Apple commit to making "insanely great" products. Commit to something bold. Go beyond what everyone else is doing. It will create "buzz." It will differentiate you from the big box retailers.


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Norman on Rory's Augusta destiny: "Time will tell"
Greg Norman will forever be associated with his Masters tragedy of 1996 when he led by six strokes from Nick Faldo with a round to play and was intimidated into a 78 by the relentless Englishman and eventually finished five behind. It was an implosion that was to be echoed by Rory McIlroy, albeit in different circumstances, in 2011 and a reminder that nothing is ever certain in the game.
Norman never claimed the green jacket he once appeared destined to win and while McIlroy is also considered a certainty to become the first Irishman to win the Masters, the Australian knows that nothing is set in stone.
The Great White Shark also had chances to win the Masters in 1981, 1986 and 1987 but walked away empty handed each time. He had nine top six finishes — including three runner-ups— and yet he insists he loses no time crying over what happened.
Do the good bad days pop into his head from time to time?
"Absolutely. But only when you guys ask me questions about it," he joked. "I don't wake up in the morning and go, oh shit, 1996.
"Believe or not, I don't have any pain. I had disappointment with myself for 1996 but the one that people really don't talk about is '81.
"I was leading the golf tournament after 36 holes and I was so naive, such a rookie that if I had had the right one or two people around me that Saturday morning or Sunday morning, it might have been different.
"I finished fourth behind Tom Watson in the end but I needed advice because I was so naive, so raw. My golf skill I didn't doubt one bit. I had the confidence oozing out of my body.
"It's easy to see now what you should done in those situations — just keeping yourself in a very balanced position, keep away and have your caddie make sure that nobody comes in to your space.
"Chats with media would never happen until the end of the day. But it wouldn't happen before. You'd get into your car in the morning and be purely focussed and free and your mind would be be free about what you need to do. That's having a good team around you. It is a little bit different now."
McIlroy appears to have taken a leaf out of Norman's book and is now a far more focussed and slightly more inaccessible figure than the 21-year old boy who led by four shots going into the final round in 2011 but shot the worst final round by a leader in the history of the event — an 80 — to end up 10 shots behind winner Charl Schwartzel.
It appears to be only a matter of time before be finally puts four rounds together at the Cathedral of Pines but as Norman knows, there are no guarantees.
"Well, Rory has got time on his side. You could easily make the statement that he will win the Masters. But that has been said about Ernie Els and myself and Tom Weiskopf. You can go down the list a long ways. Johnny Miller. So everybody said, those guys will win. Those guys will win. Time will tell."
McIlroy recovered brilliantly from his Masters disappointment of 2011 by winning the US Open by eight strokes just a few weeks later. Norman had phoned him a few days after his 80 at Augusta to offer words of encouragement and advice.
"He knew more than anyone else how I was feeling at that point. And he said a couple of things to me that I found very useful and sort of put into practice, especially weeks like this where there is so much hype," McIlroy said at the time.
"Like to create this little bubble around yourself and just try and get into that and don't let any of the outside interference come into that."
Norman is impressed by the way McIlroy came back that time and again this year following the Holywood star's much-publicised 2013 troubles.
"It's going to happen again," Norman said. "It's happened to Nicklaus, Palmer, it's happened to every player who plays the game in the upper echelon. It will always happen. Not everything is going to go your way. It depends on how you react to whatever that situation was.
"It's not about the negative but about how you are going to go forward. Look at Adam Scott - from Lytham to Augusta. In a matter of 10 months, he just turned it all around."
While much has been written about Norman's 1996 Masters reverse, few remember that he had a chance to win the 1986 Masters, famously captured by Jack Nicklaus with that closing 65.
"When I look back at '86, Jack turned things around [in his business] career by winning that golf tournament. People were counting me out with four or five holes to go. But I came back and put myself into position. People were saying, Nicklaus is going to win because Nicklaus is Nicklaus.
"I remember walking down 14 when he made that putt on 17. I remember because there is a gallery there now but there was never a gallery there before. I saw him pick up that putter and I said, oh shit. There was a roar and then you knew, you knew he was going to do something and take it home from there.
"I was playing with Nick Price in the final group. He's Zimbabwean and I am an Australian so there are not going to be a whole lot of people following us. We walked to the 14th tee and there were maybe 30 people and a racoon and a possum sitting in a tree. And I turned to Nick and I said, 'Let's show these people that we are still in this tournament.' So I birdied 14 and I think Nick may have birdied 14. I birdied 14, 15, 16, 17. All of a sudden I have come from four back to being tied for the lead."
Needing a birdie to win, Norman fanned his approach to the 18th into the crowd and the rest is history. Nicklaus had shot 30 on the back nine to win his 6th Masters title and became the oldest Masters champion at age 46.
Amazingly.Norman is still inextricably linked with the Masters much more so than the Open, gave him his twos major victories.
"Tom Watson always felt that Oakmont was always his friend, even though he never won around there. I always thought Augusta was my lover because I do love everything about Augusta. I love the establishment, I love the membership, they've got so many great members up there. I go playing with friends up there in January or February. I feel like I'm going to a country club that I am a member at. I love the staff there. I walk in there and the guys remember in the 80s and 90s and the guy is still there. I don't know why it is so great but it is."
** Greg Norman was speaking at a Cobra-Puma Golf event


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A new survey from CBOS pollsters finds that 59 percent of Poles are to spend New Year's Eve at home.
Only 16 percent of respondents stated that they would attend house parties with friends to see in 2015, while a mere 7 percent said that they plan on going to a ball, restaurant or bar to celebrate New Year's Eve.
Only 2 percent of Poles said they would leave their town of residence for 31 December, and only 1 percent said they will attend a mass gathering, such as New Year's Eve celebrations put on by a number of cities across Poland.
An unfortunate 1 percent will spend New Year's at work.
However, 11 percent of respondents said that they still do not have any plans for New Year's Eve.
The poll was conducted among 936 adult Poles between 4-11 December.


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Allen, Peter M. and Evans, Bruce J.W. and Wilkins, Arnold J. (2009) Vision and reading difficulties part 1: specific learning difficulties and vision. Optometry Today. ISSN 0268-5485
Available under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
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This article is the first in a series of five about vision and reading difficulties, and provides an introduction and an overview of learning disabilities and specific learning difficulties. It outlines the role of the optometrist in helping people with such problems; it describes the symptoms that optometrists should look for and it provides an introduction of the evidence-based approach. The second article in this series will cover the optometric and orthoptic correlates of reading difficulties. Articles three and four will describe the use of coloured filters, including background, techniques, evidence, and mechanism. The final article will draw together the themes in the series of articles and discuss the clinical protocol and the role of the eye care practitioner in managing visual factors associated with reading difficulties.
|Item Type:
|Journal Article
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|Citation: Allen, P.M., Evans, B.J.W. and Wilkins, A.J., 2009. Vision and reading difficulties part 1: specific learning difficulties and vision. Optometry Today [online], Available at: <http://www.optometry.co.uk/clinical/details?aid=584> [Accessed 25 June 2013]..
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|25 Jun 2013 12:48
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Ma'aden Gold & Base Metals Co, Saudi Arabia
Ma'aden Gold & Base Metals Co. is the largest subsidiary company of Maaden, active in gold, silver and base metals mining. Ma'aden was originally a department under Petromin operating Mahd Al-Dahab Gold Mine, and another company called Saudi Precious Metals Company. A merger in 1997 between Saudi Precious Metals Company and Petromin Gold's mining department,
- CLIENT Ma'aden Gold & Base Metals Co.
- WE DID Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- CATEGORY Middle East , Natural Resources & Mining
Exxaro Mines, South Africa
Exxaro Captive Region is comprised of three coal mines which are based in the Mpumalanga Region. Collectively these three mines have historically produced over 20 million tonnes of thermal coal per annum which is supplied directly to local power stations. These operations combine open cast and underground continuous mining techniques which includes two 'Shortwalls'.
- CLIENT Exxaro Captive Region
- WE DID Seamlessly reversing a downward trend
- CATEGORY Natural Resources & Mining , South Africa
Asia Timber Products, China
Asia Timber Products is a leading, foreign owned, wooden flooring and panel manufacturer with manufacturing sites in Guangdong, Sichuan and Hubei. They cover all of China through direct sales and distributors, from their Shanghai headquarters.
- CLIENT Asia Timber Products
- WE DID Less means more in sales
- CATEGORY China , Natural Resources & Mining
Straits Mining, Australia
Straits is a mining and exploration company focussed on copper and gold in Australia and Asia. Straits controls and operates the Tritton Copper Mine in NSW and the Mt Muro Gold mine in Indonesia and has an exciting exploration portfolio focussing on projects in NSW and South Australia. Tritton Copper Mine is a 1.4 million
- CLIENT Straits Resources Ltd -Tritton Copper Mine
- WE DID Mining for improved performance
- CATEGORY Natural Resources & Mining
Santa Barbara Mines, Australia
Santa Barbara is an Australian gold producer and mineral explorer whose key assets include its Leonora and Southern Cross Operations, both of which are located in Western Australia. It has significant mineral resources including Ore Reserves as well as an extensive landholding comprising granted tenements and tenement applications of approximately 4,800 square kilometres.
- CLIENT Santa Barbara Mines
- WE DID Framework for consistent and sustainable improvement
- CATEGORY Natural Resources & Mining


text:
European energy cos are looking to Israel for innovation and ground breaking solutions
Last July, Italian Energy Giant, Enel Group, launched their Innovation Hub at SOSA in Tel Aviv. Headed by Eran Levy, Enel Innovation Hub offers select mature startups an up-to-six-month commercialization program, support and funding throughout the phases of Proof of Concept, integration and launch as well as global distribution within Enel's channels.
The company recently jumpstarted the program at the Enel Cyber Security Hackathon, a startup competition designed to drive innovative ideas in diverse fields of interest. Israeli startup Aperio Systems emerged as winner, thanks to their groundbreaking recognition technology of counterfeit data which provides non-intrusive protection via operative and detection alarms, and were named the first company to participate in the Innovation Hub. Following the win, Eran Levy expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating that, "We are looking forward to working closely with Aperio to further develop their product in line with Enel's broader objectives."
For Yevgeni Nogin, CEO of Aperio Systems, the win marks an important milestone for the company and an opportunity to adapt their technology to meet the demands of the energy industry. "Aperio Systems provides the last line of defense against cyber-attacks [on] critical infrastructure control systems. Enel is looking for the most forward thinking technologies within the space and, since it is Europe's largest energy provider, we are truly honored that it recognizes the innovation behind Aperio Systems' unique Data Forgery Protection technology," Nogin says.
"All critical infrastructure systems are immensely complex and the vast number of end points and subsystems in SCADA systems creates a huge attack surface for cyber attackers. As the first startup chosen to participate in Enel's Innovation Hub, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of Enel's particular needs and provide our engineers with an opportunity to customize our technology to the specific needs of the energy sector."
Enel Innovation Hub is continuing to screen for mature Israeli startups in fields such as cyber security, industrial IOT, Big Data & analytics, and smart home, and recently began accepting submissions from outstanding AgriTech companies to apply to the program.


text:
Watch Out for the Pergola
The weather news on www.weatherzone.com.au is so much more entertaining than my old standby back in the U.S., weather.com. I have made other references to this web site before, but I found a story today that forced me to do a little research to understand its full meaning. The story itself was about a severe thunderstorm that hit Alice Springs yesterday. Alice Springs is a small town nearly in the dead centre of Australia, hundreds of miles from nowhere. We went there on our honeymoon in 2003, and loved it. It's hot and dry for most of the year, although I noticed that it can be much colder there at night than in Brisbane during the winter. Anyway, this freak thunderstorm yesterday caused some damage and widespread power outages in Alice Springs. Although all of the "Todd river causeways are open," there was this warning:
Motorists are being asked to avoid Larapinta Drive between the Stuart Highway and Millner Road, where a pergola has blown onto the westbound lane.
Now, I'm growing used to the strangeness of the animals and plants here, so I assumed that a pergola was yet another strange living thing that I knew nothing about. Those more cultured readers out there, however, are probably laughing at me now because you know that a pergola is just a structure commonly found in gardens. I guess it must have caused quite a traffic jam there in Alice.
And now I know.


text:
I am a quilter and I have used the following a lot with good results. First of all, I use musln fabric (the tighter the weave the better), then I cut the muslin to fit the size of your paper. I use regular wax paper,ironing it to the waxed side. Then I use my copier with my picture to make my copy. If you have a color copier, it works very well also. After I'm satisified with the results, I cover the copy with a piece of fabric or paper and iron at as high a temperture as you can get without causing any damage to the picture. Just have to play with this until you are happy. I usually get good results but it's only as good as your copier. Good Luck. There are some good quilting books online or in fabric (quilting) stores that are written just on this subject. A good place to see these books are under" quilting' on Amazon.
How to keep injet fabric printing permanent? Answered
Does anyone have the answer to how you can treat the fabric that you have printed from an injet printer so it won't fade?
To be honest your best bet is not wash it. I've played with some of the treatment methods out there that are supposed to lock it in... but nothing really helps. Inkjet ink just wasn't meant for fabric. Store-bought iron-on transfer paper for inkjets is best left for temporary projects. There are lots of instructables on transfer printing or screen printing which may help.
There is a fabric fixer designed for ink directly on cotton - binds the two, but you need a printer capable of printing DIRECTLY on the fabric.


text:
Adventure Blog
Almost There (Pacific Crossing Blog#8)
|Posted by victorycat on April 22, 2009 at 11:23 PM
|comments (3)
Tuesday-Wednesday, 21-21 APR 2009:
(Ruth) Today is Wednesday April 22, 2009 and according to Ray (Raymarine Navigation system) we have 95.00NM to go!!!! How wild is it that we have been traveling at sea for over 22 days.. So today begins the food celebrations. I made by hand corn tortillas. And what was left of the red onion and romaine lettuce, we had awesome beef tacos. Tomorrow after we anchor and check in we are having T-bone steaks, southern mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.. and of course an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. Looking back we had quite the adventure and did not kill each other, (however there were 2 close calls). There were (so far) only 2-3 boat problems that either were fixed or can be. The cribbage tournament continues, but because Tim is ahead in games won and points I have not been reporting that information. (yes we all know I am a sore looser).
Many many thanks to our wonderful son, Don, for keeping this Blog updated on our website (www.VictoryCat.webs.com) while underway and to Tim's father, Don, for his support in dealing with all our mail. One other shout goes out to the Pacific Seafarer Net, who kept track of us and especially to Mr. Tom (WA6TLL)who made several HF phone patches for us and helped us keep in touch with our loving family. Tomorrow we see land for the first time in 20 days, it's like Pepto Bismo ahaaa what a relief! (Don: I was tempted to edit that last part out....(sigh)..... but I didn't)
(Tim) Two days ago we set the main sail at the third reef (1/2 the full sail area) since we have been sailing on a steady broad reach (wind right off the port beam) and the wind has been 16-22 kts with 25 kts gusts. We have been averaging nearly 7 kts (6-8 kts) in heavy seas (8 ft), which are just aft of the beam. Bit splashy at times, but a nice roller coaster ride for the last couple of days as well as making good time. Having the main at the 3rd reef significantly reduces capsize risk to near zero and much more comfortable of a ride even if the wind gusts up.
Position (4/22/09 at 6 PM): 08-49S / 137-37W (approx. 90 NM to LAND HO!)
Distance traveled since last blog: Day 21: 144 NM, Day 22: 157 NM (new Victory Cat record)
Heading: 229T at 6.5 kts (reefed main sail) on 16-22 kts of wind
Tim and Ruth Henning
Victory Cat
The night the main sail came crashing down (Blog#7)
|Posted by victorycat on April 21, 2009 at 2:04 AM
|comments (0)
(Ruth) Today (Sunday) has been mostly boring except when Tim went out in a little rain storm to re-rig our main sail from the 2nd reef position to the first position. I was suppose to write this blog last night, but during my shift a cloud cluster was forming and I needed to keep my attention on the radar screen while cleaning the galley. We did have some excitement the other day. Friday night about 11:30 PM, or 2330, I was sitting in the salon and heard a noise. I thought it was the jib traveler moving from one side to the other, however, it was actually the main sail crashing DOWN.. ohhhhh shit.. woke Tim up, and he saw that it was fixable. I just stood there in total awe and he rigged up a new position on the main sail to hoist it back up.
(Tim) Our main sail luff (front edge of sail) has always been too long and in order to not have an 'S' curve in the sail battens (impacts sail shape), we must really tighten up on the main halyard. Over weeks of sailing, the 2-1 block got jammed into the top of the mast and without halyard flex, it worked the retaining pin through the metal backing plate on the top end of the main sail. I now believe that the main sail luffs were possibly sized without taking into account the 2-1 block length (therefore, the luff is too long) or the sail was just cut too long. We are now using the pole up line (Aussie speak for topping lift) as a halyard, but we are using it only to the first or third reef points. Thus, avoiding going up the mast in the open ocean. We must be careful when lowering the main due to no pole up (topping lift) since nothing is holding up the boom when the main sail is lowered. At one point I adjusted one of the reef lines from the 2nd to the 1st reef points and used a tightened 3rd reef line to hold up the boom. In the Marquesas, I plan to go up the mast and retrieve the main halyard and remove the 2-1 block.
(Ruth) Because of the storm we have had almost NO wind in the last 3 days, so I made an awesome dinner Saturday. I defrosted some Mahi-Mahi, spread a thin layer of diced green chilies on top and wrapped each piece in cedar paper that Tim cooked on the grill. Last week my fresh basil was on its last leg so I made fresh pesto and tossed it in the frig and forgot about it until yesterday. I made fresh pesto pasta with sundried tomatoes olives and the extra green chilies and a sprinkle of green onions. Ta Da!!!!! Ok back to studying French.. Merci beaucoup. (Tim: the dinner was awesome - good to have a gourmet cook onboard as well as one who stands watch)
(Tim) The wind conditions drastically changed today (Monday, 20 APR) increasing to 15-20 kts with 25 kts gusts and on the beam making for fast sail conditions (6-8 kts). The sea swell also increased to 8 ft just aft of the beam making for a rolling fast sail. Just before night fall, we put in the 3rd reef due to darkness reducing our ability to judge passing rain squall wind strength. We track storms at night by using radar for 20 scans every 10 minutes to conserve power. The radar is left on when conditions warrant. Squalls (moving concentration of rain clouds) have been typically moving at 15 kts with a WNW direction. In the center of these squalls we have found up to 30 kts winds and torrential rain (see ITCZ blog).
Position (4/20/09 at 9 PM): 05-45S / 133-57W (approx. 370 NM to LAND HO!)
Distance traveled since last blog: Day 17: 115 NM, Day 18: 118 NM, Day 19: 124 NM, Day 20: 119 NM
Heading: 229T at 6.5 kts (reefed main sail) on 16-22 kts of wind
Tim and Ruth Henning
Victory Cat
Crossing the Equator !!!!
|Posted by victorycat on April 18, 2009 at 1:49 PM
|comments (1)
(Ruth) April 16th 2009 The Day I will remember the rest of my life. The day we sailed Victory Cat across the Equator! I do not know how many days we have been sailing. (A LOT) We had quite the event today. As a part of Naval and ocean crossing vessel history, crossing the equator is a ceremonial event. I am well aware of this time honored ritual and started planning for it at the beginning of this passage. (note: a voyage is a round trip event and a passage is one way). Costumes are optional, but the jest of it is that until you have crossed you are considered a lowly (Tim: lower than pond scum) pollywog, and any and all Shellbacks reign over you. As part of the ritual the pollywog gives King Neptune (pours into the ocean} a drink of the boats finest grog (we used a shell as his glass) and ask for permission to join the ranks of the mighty Shellbacks. Tim is a shellback of course so he assumed the roll of Neptune with a fork taped to the boat hook as a trident(forked spear) and I wore my clothes on upside down.. you have to see the pictures to get the full effect.. After the toast, I was baptized with sea water (Tim sprayed me with the seawater hose) and I was officially a Shellback (Tim: unfortunately the hose got stuck open and she got a good seawater shower)(Ruth:yea, Unfortunately}. Then we sat down to an awesome meal of barbecued New York strip steaks (marinated overnight with Jack Daniel's mesquite blend), brown gravy over mashed red potatoes with garlic and Parmesan, mixed veggies and a glass of special red wine. The rest of the day was routine with the sun shinning and a nice downwind breeze with following seas.
Position (4/17/09 at 8 aM): 01-03S / 129-19W
Distance traveled since last blog: Day 16: 125 NM
Heading: 229T at 5.5 kts (Wing-on-Wing) on 10-11 kts of wind
Tim and Ruth Henning
Victory Cat
The dreaded ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) and Doldrums
|Posted by victorycat on April 18, 2009 at 1:46 PM
|comments (0)
Sunday April 12 - Tuesday Apr 14 , 2009
(Ruth)Today is April 15th (tax day) and I can catch up on the blog. According to our log book a lot of shit went down in the last few days.. Yesterday was a day of rest and recovery. It started about 3 days ago when we reached the ITCZ. I think Tim explained what the ITCZ was in a previous blog. I call it the International Terrible Cloud Zone. Basically a gigantic storm wall hundreds of miles wide and thousands long. Pounding high pressure rain and raging winds. ( not much sleep ). According to my log book on the 12th, it was 2am and I was sitting here and heard something tapping on the roof, so I got up and looked around and saw that the safety (jack) line was making that noise. As I looked up I noticed that the wind had suddenly picked up. I ran to the wind speed indicator and the reading was 17, 18, 19 knots of wind.. with full sails up 25 knots of wind can tip the boat over. YAH. So I quickly turned the boat out of the wind, got it on a safe course and calmly went to wake Tim to help me reef the main sail, which reduces the amount of sail. (calm on the outside so not to scare Tim, but wigging out on the inside). Then while we were well into the zone the wind died and we started a motor and played the game of sail only or motor-sail to get out of the zone as quickly and safely as possible. Humid as hell, is noted at 6pm and then by 3 am on the 13th I have it noted that while sailing in a comfortable slow speed, the storm creep up behind me so I "fired up both engines and punch through it, Boo Ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Tim: this storm cell appeared to form right in front and on top of us.)
(Tim) We passed thru too many storm cells to count. They were moving at 15 kts east to west and with being 5-10 miles wide, it was difficult to dodge them. Our course was nearly due south since we were trying to quickly pass thru the ITCZ. We did dodge a few storm cells, but we were usually immediately hit with the next one in line. It was better to pass thru the tail end (east side) rather than the front end (west side) of the cells. We saw the wind speed go from 5 kts to over 30 kts in less than a half minute with near horizontal torrential rain. The seas built up to 8-12 feet from many different directions (referred to as confused seas). We had been preparing the boat and ourselves (mentally) for the ITCZ. It is an area of unsettled weather surrounding the earth just north of the equator (normally between 2N to 10N) where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge and where the sea surface temperatures reach their maximum values. The ITCZ migrates north and south following the sun with about a two month lag.
After you pass the ITCZ, you are faced with the exact opposite conditions, near zero wind since the ITCZ sucks all of the wind on the equator side of the ITCZ between the northeast and southeast trade winds. This area is referred to as the "Doldrums". The best thing to do is to continue motor sailing since the ITCZ is totally unpredictable and can easily start drifting south. Our Doldrums experience was about 100 miles (nearly one day of running the engines). As we came out of the ITCZ, we did encounter two sail boats (Pilot and Ika ...). They were traveling together (father/mom on one boat and son/daughter-in-law on the other). They are also headed for the Marquesas. We talked on the radio with them several times and will probably meet up with them somewhere down the road. We had not seen another soul since leaving Mexico. You can only see to the horizon (about 8-12 miles depending on the height of eye). Seeing another boat in the middle of this part of the ocean was cool. We found out that we have several mutual friends (ex. Ralph and Helen on another Seawind - Moon Drifter). As sailors usually do, we separated during the next night and have lost radio contact.
We were initially caught off guard by the ITCZ since in the previous 12 hours the ITCZ moved 500 miles to the north right into us as well as intensifying. Again, there is no prediction model for ITCZ movement and NWS can only report where it has been. The ITCZ had been weak and broken up about 1 month after the equinox (last week) and even did a rare trip to the southern latitudes. That is why we diverted toward the equator taking a southerly course earlier than planned. I guess the ITCZ realized it was on the wrong side of the equator and moved back to the north with a vengeance. Going south early still worked out for us since the storms were of much higher intensity to the west of us around 130W per the NWS reports. We were near 120W. I talked to one boat at 130W (about 600 NM away) on the HF radio and they were getting hit much worse. Bottom line is that we had been talking about this portion of the passage and we were ready. Sorry it took us a few days to recover prior to writing this blog. It was impossible to write (or do most anything) while in the ITCZ. I am hoping Don can find one of the weather faxes that show the charting of the ITCZ and he can paste it here. The NWS does not provide a forecast for the ITCZ since it is completely unpredictable. They just show current location and higher intensity storm areas.
(Ruth) one of the nice things about going south is that the sea state is following which means that the waves or swells are behind you so you are not bashing into them when they are in front. However, when coming behind you it sometimes feels like you are on a roller coaster. This 10-12 ft swell comes up and you are lifted up and then slide down gently or not so gently.. It made me laugh when Tim called the seas confused around the storm cells, I told him " there not confused, they know exactly what they are doing, Trying to Kick our Ass". Great preparation and calm heads prevailed.
(Note to Don:
try to search the NWS website (http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/hawaii.shtml) for the "tropical surface forecast" chart which shows the ITZC. If you find it, paste it into this blog)
Position (4/16/09 at 6 PM): 00-22N / 126-53W
Distance traveled since last blog: Day 9: 120 NM, Day 10: 139 NM, Day 11: 132 NM, Day 12: 143 NM, Day 13: 154 NM, Day 14: 116 NM, Day 15: 129 NM
Heading: 225T at 6 kts (Wing-on-Wing) on 12-14 kts of wind
Tim and Ruth
Victory Cat
Exciting HF Phone patch and Heading for the equator - Pacific Crossing Blog#4
|Posted by victorycat on April 9, 2009 at 1:23 AM
|comments (1)
Wednesday April 8, 2009 (Ruth): As I sit here typing today's Blog, I can hear Captain Kirk's voice in my head, sounds something like, " Captain's Blog, Sea-date 20090408, submitted by Admiral Ruth. Today was an average day, but last night we had a spectacular event occur. While Tim was going though his usual routine at the single side band/ham HF radio, ( my turn to nap), he was asked by one of the ham operators if he would like a phone patch. Tim jumped at the chance and he called our daughter Crystal, who was at Don's house watching the D-backs together. The patch was loud and clear and Tim was able to speak to both of them. He was so excited he woke me up and almost lost his life.. jk.. Today the temperature is 84 degrees and the sea temp is 80. I just mixed up a batch of beer bread batter and it is in the oven, while we continue with the cribbage tournament
(Tim: Games won are all tied up and Ruth passed me in total points, but I have the only recorded skunk).
(Tim: We have not seen another ship since Friday. Only seen birds, who we now give a saltwater shower to hitch-hikers due to all their crap and to discourage them from staying)
Position (4/8/09 at 9 PM): 14-20N / 118-59W
Distance traveled since last blog: Day 6: 128 NM, Day 7: 122 NM, Day 8: 120 NM
Heading: 210T at 6 kts (Downwind combo using the screecher sail, reefed/prevented out main and winged jib (prevented to opposite side) on 12-14 kts of wind
Tim and Ruth
Victory Cat
Ruth is in Sushi Heaven
|Posted by victorycat on April 6, 2009 at 3:18 PM
|comments (1)
The main event of today was catching our first Blue Fin Tuna (25 lbs) on a lime green feather lure and a corked beer bottle teaser. Excellent eating and makes the best sushi. Ruth talks more about it in the Monday Blog. While catching the Blue Fin, I made a sacrifice to Neptune by losing my good cruising sun hat. Ruth woke me up when the Tuna hit and I forgot to clip the hat to my shirt. Small price to pay for catching a great fish for eating. I would like to thank our good friend Tim Moorhouse, who showed us the right way to fillet tuna.
Sunday April 7, 2009 (Tim): We have had excellent screecher wind (broad and 8-12 kts) and we have been flying 6-8 kts for almost two days. We are definitely in the trade winds and now making good time. We were averaging 3-6 kts the last two days and now making 6-8 kts. Water has turned a beautiful blue color with sunny skies. The moon is starting to get full, which helps with trimming sails at night.
Today is Monday April 6, 2009 (Ruth): I only know that because the bottom of my lap top told me so.. This is day 9 of our journey (Tim: Day 6). Tim counts actual days sailed but I count days from when we left the dock.. ( and we all know that I'm right!). Two days ago we caught Blue Fin Tuna. (said to be the best sushi grade). Had sushi, (roll and all - ya baby) seared tuna steak in a soy and wasabi sauce and salad.. last night had beef tostadas cause I was busy carving a pineapple and pealing apple slices to make a marinade for the next serving of tuna for tonight, which will be grilled and topped with a pineapple, apple, celery, green onion and ginger salsa, accompanied by a saffron rice pilaf and homemade parmesan dinner rolls. Yummmm!
Today we had a little ceremony with a shot of tequila and a fond farewell to Mexico as Tim brought down the Mexican courtesy flag that we have flown off and on for 3 years. We talked about the memories and especially about the life long friends we have made along the way. Adios Mexico, Nous Allons Marquesas!!!!
(Tim) We have not seen another ship since Friday.
Position (4/6/09 at 6 PM): 16-45N / 115-46W
Distance traveled since last blog: Day 4: 78.5 NM, Day 5: 86 NM, Day 6: 132 NM
Heading: 250T at 6-8 kts (using the screecher sail) on 10-12 kts of wind (broad reach)
Tim and Ruth
Victory Cat
San Benedicto island adventure (Blog#2) - (Part Two)
|Posted by victorycat on April 6, 2009 at 4:04 AM
|comments (0)
We both worked hard to suddenly get the boat ready for sea including all of the sails. Ruth quickly finished up washing clothes and cooking an assume hand made Pizza (wheat dough with Mexican pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, jalapeños, etc.). Best I ever had. She went down for a 4 hour nap and I got the boat settled and on our way for our longest sail trip ever. I also finished this blog and will send it to Donny for the website when I fire up the HF radio to report into the Pacific Seafarer Net (see www.PACSEA.org). The Pacific Seafarer is HAM radio net we use to keep track of us and other friends sailing across the Pacific. The net is ran by several HAM radio operators that dedicate their valuable time every night to talk to, track and support ocean vessels (like us). If someone is in trouble, these guys find a way to help. We really appreciate their support. Please check out their website.
Position (4/3/09 at 8 PM): 19-07N / 111-11W
Distance traveled last 48 hrs: 220 NM
Heading: 246T at 4-7 kts (variable wind speed)
Tim and Ruth
Victory Cat
San Benedicto island adventure (Blog#2) - (Part One)
|Posted by victorycat on April 5, 2009 at 9:49 PM
|comments (0)
Finally underway for the South Pacific
|Posted by victorycat on March 31, 2009 at 5:56 PM
|comments (0)
Tuesday March 31, 2009 and this is day 3 of our adventure. Sunday
morning March 29th, we put Lisa (our friend visiting us on vacation) in
a cab, finished up last minute storing, paid the bill and headed off to
Punta Mita (NW corner of Bandaras Bay). Arrived at Punta Mita just
before sundown, had a couple of sundowners and awesome carne asada
fajitas. We started the Victory Cat Pacific crossing cribbage
tournament, then went to bed. Monday morning had special breakfast
consisting of hash browns, eggs, bacon and orange juice. After diving
to check the hull, taking the water maker out of lay-up, staging jack
(safety) lines, and making some minor sail repairs, we raised anchor
and away we went… So happy that we were not leaving on April 1st.. We
traveled 120 nautical miles by noon today (Tuesday), but the winds
mid-afternoon have not been as favorable as yesterday, so I suspect
less miles traveled in this next 24 hours.. We are now at a point in
the journey where we see NO land only water, smog free and star filled
skies and little puffy clouds. The fishing pole has been out with
several Skipjack tunas returned to King Neptune. At this point, the
cribbage tournament score is 2-2, with Tim ahead in total points.
Position (3/31/09 at noon): 20-09N / 107-32W
Distance traveled last 24 hrs: 120 NM
Heading: 255T at 5 kts
Tim and Ruth,
Victory Cat
P.S. Our incredible son, Don, has agreed to upload these blogs onto the Victory Cat website
Pacific Crossing Blog Entry
|Posted by victorycat on March 29, 2009 at 8:02 AM
|comments (0)
My name is Don Henning. Soon my parents will be leaving the "grid" and following their dreams. During their voyage I get the astute duty of updating their website for all you happy people. They will be sending me updates and I will be posting them as I receive them.
Happy Reading!