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1. Enter The Void (2009)
French provocateur Gaspar Noé is an aggressive stylist who likes to use titles to unsettle an audience, weakening their defenses before going in for the kill. His first feature, 1998's I Stand Alone, pauses before the climatic sequence for a title-card "warning" that gives sensitive viewers 30 seconds to vacate the theaters, and his 2002 follow-up, Irréversible, a rape-revenge story told in reverse, opens with the closing credits scrolling backwards and sideways in a nauseating swirl. For Enter The Void, a vapid yet mesmerizing headtrip about a dead American drug dealer floating around Tokyo, Noé offers credits that anticipate the dreamlike, neon-soaked environs of the city at night. To that end, Noé enlisted title designer Tom Kan to create a thrilling fusillade of pulsating typefaces, all set to thumping techno rhythms. The credits appear in wild fonts and flourishes, many done in Kanji and Japanese calligraphy, and the overall effect is as inviting as a great nightclub while simultaneously disturbing in its aggression. Hype Williams would rip it off wholesale pay homage to it in his video for Kanye West's "All Of The Lights."
2. Watchmen (2009)
Zack Snyder's adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' classic graphic novel contains more than a few on-the-nose song cues, none more egregious than a laughably rapturous sex scene set to Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." The use of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" over the opening credits isn't much less obvious, setting familiar historical scenes from the second half of the 20th century to a song that's become a cliché signifier of post-war social upheaval. But the way Snyder slows down the action to a crawl, letting viewers' eyes dwell on the way characters from the Watchmen universe have nudged the course of history into unfamiliar byways subverts that cliché enough to make it feel fresh. The rest of the film struggles to offer as distinctive a take on the material.
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Only a serious curmudgeon would call the 1962 perennial To Kill A Mockingbird a bad film. It has that great Gregory Peck performance, for one, and it does a solid job translating the novel's sense of children grappling with moral issues they can't yet understand. But the film's opening credits sequence does an even better job of situating the audience in the point of view of a child. The wordless sequence, in which a child's hand digs through a box of weird treasures that obviously have personal meaning (marbles, a watch, dolls), gives viewers a perfect sense of who young heroine Scout is before the film has even begun. (The film is much more Atticus Finch's story than that of his children.) Giving the sequence added resonance, the objects in the box will play major roles in the film to come, subtly suggesting this whole story is one long flashback—just as the book is told from the point of view of a narrator looking back on her childhood.
4. Lord Of War (2005)
"There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every 12 people on the planet. The only question is: How do we arm the other 11?" So begins Nicolas Cage's narration in The Lord Of War, Andrew Niccol's underappreciated dark comedy about a rogue international arms dealer (Cage) who flees from Interpol as he partners with a genocidal African warlord. From there, the credits follow the life of a single bullet: Down the line at a spark-filled foundry, where it's created, inspected, and crated, and then to some unnamed, war-torn African nation, where it arrives on a freight ship, gets transported to the middle of a street battle, and is placed inside the chamber of a semi-automatic. And as the director's credit is about to appear, the bullet leaves the barrel and sails right into the skull of a child soldier. It's not a particularly subtle plight—Niccol's decision to stage the sequence to Buffalo Springfield's go-to Vietnam programmer "For What It's Worth" makes it all the more blunt—but it establishes a network of human destruction with appropriate efficiency.
5. Cape Fear (1991)
Martin Scorsese's remake of an excellent 1962 thriller with Robert Mitchum makes a few key changes, most notably updating the family dynamic from a stable and supportive one to a more modern clan made vulnerable by betrayal and dysfunction. But Scorsese looks to the past, too, taking the opportunity to reuse Bernard Herrmann's dramatic score and tap the legendary Saul Bass for the credits sequence—a pairing that proved memorable on Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and Psycho, and gives the new Cape Fear one of its most indelible sequences. With the strings and horns from Hermann's score booming, Bass conjures shadows on the rippling water, suggesting the danger that lurks under the placid surface. He starts with a bird of prey reflected on the water before revealing pieces of a menacing figure: a restless eye darting around, an open mouth and teeth, and finally a full, featureless face and a stalker's body, which the audience only sees in shimmering silhouette. Then there's the director credit: One drop of blood turns the water from blue to red, and now it's Scorsese's turn to do the conjuring.
6. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
The flirty opening titles to My Best Friend's Wedding are a charming throwback to the colorful, musical opening credits of romantic classics like Pillow Talk. Four innocent-looking women in pastel bridal garb and white gloves twirl around to Ani Difranco's sweet cover of Dusty Springfield's "Wishin' And Hopin'" in a retro sequence that suggests just the tiniest hint of irony, giving the impression that the movie to follow might be a clever parody of the idyllic rom-com, a cutting commentary on love, marriage, and male-female relationships. While the movie—in which Julia Roberts conveniently decides that she is in love with her best friend Dermot Mulroney the second he becomes unavailable—is indeed a twist on the traditional rom-com in that the heroine is also the villain, it's also shrieky, broad, and occasionally unpleasant, unlike its first few minutes.
7. Super (2010)
The lonely, possibly deranged protagonist of James Gunn's black comedy Super is inspired as much by outsider artists as the works of Stan Lee and company. Before taking on the guise of the wrench-baring vigilante Crimson Bolt, down-on-his-luck Rainn Wilson immortalizes the two "good" memories in his life (his wedding and the foiling of a purse-snatching) in childlike crayon renderings. Those drawings expand into the film's gory title sequence, a jittery animated piece by Minneapolis-based design firm PUNY. Scored to Tsar's chant-along pop-punk anthem "Calling All Destroyers," the cartoon adventures of the Crimson Bolt and his teenaged sidekick, Boltie, provide ironic counterpoint to the grim-and-gritty film that follows—but they also express a level of giddy, Troma-esque mayhem that the rest of Super struggles to balance with its deeper psychological concerns. (Also, the credits set expectations for a giant, fire-breathing Michael Rooker that Super just can't meet.)
8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Casting Liev Schreiber as the hulking, feral Sabretooth (previously played by wrestler Tyler Mane) seemed like a strange choice, but it's one of the few artistic decisions in director Gavin Hood's X-Men Origins: Wolverine that pays off. Schreiber's brooding, offbeat intensity gives the previously one-note character unexpected depth, and his chemistry with Hugh Jackman hints at the more complicated, exciting movie that Wolverine might have been. The only time those hints ever pay off, though, is in the opening credits, a montage of Jackman and Schreiber fighting in various armed conflicts through history. Because both characters are functionally immortal, shrugging off injuries that would kill a normal human, the two take part in the American Civil War, World Wars I and II, and finally the Vietnam War, where Schreiber's infatuation with violence finally crosses a line. The sequence is visually kinetic, imaginative, and conveys in just a few minutes decades of a relationship in which one man gives in to savagery, while another starts to doubt his way. Pity about the rest of the movie, which wastes its strong lead performances with a lot of convoluted plotting, unnecessary cameos, and turgid moping.
9. Hostage (2005)
Put simply, the opening credits to Hostage have no business looking as good as they do. Much care and time has obviously been put into them, but the Bruce Willis-starring hostage-negotiator drama that follows is strictly by the numbers. The red-and-black animated opening pans through a city, and then a specific building being staked out by a SWAT team, with the cast and crew names growing out of power lines, guns, and the like, all to the accompaniment of a terrific score by Alexandre Desplat (who was just on the cusp of becoming the prestige composer he is today). The sequence is full of atmospheric visual panache, raising a high bar that the next hour and 50 minutes can't come close to reaching.
10. The Pink Panther (1963)
When hearing the words "Pink Panther," what immediately comes to mind? Those of a certain age probably think of the classic Blake Edwards-directed series of movies starring the brilliant Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau. A few may think of the modern movie series starring Steve Martin (though please don't). But the majority probably remember the cartoon panther who's currently the spokes-toon for Owens Corning and has hawked the company's pink insulation for decades. That impression stems the credits of the original 1963 movie, which introduced adults and impressionable kids to a mischievous, animated Pink Panther (created by David DePatie and the great Friz Freleng). The next year, the panther started appearing in animated theatrical shorts, and by 1969, Pink and the Inspector were both featured in an animated series on NBC. The character has endured for five decades, causing many to forget the "Pink Panther" of the original movie was a prized bauble David Niven's jewel-thief character was after, not a trouble-prone pink jungle cat.
11. Panic Room (2002)
Panic Room is director David Fincher's most straightforward genre effort, but its opening credits, with the titles in huge, shimmering, three-dimensional letters projected across Manhattan buildings, are wonderfully portentous. Howard Shore's score does its best to suck in the audience, but after the credits are over, the film can't quite live up to its skyscraper-high expectations.
12. Flash Gordon (1980)
Mike Hodges' version of Flash Gordon never hides that it's shooting for high camp. Inspired by the comics and film serials from the '30s, but also by the Adam West Batman, the credits intercut shots of Ming the Merciless (Max Von Sydow) wreaking havoc on Earth with a screeching Queen soundtrack and flashing images of the old comic strip, plus generally bonkers flashing-light effects that promise the wildest, silliest film imaginable. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of its crazy cast (which includes Timothy Dalton and Topol), the film can't quite nail the same manic energy.
13. Infamous (2006)
Of the two Truman Capote biopics released in 2006, Infamous is both the less notable and the less impressive—with one crucial exception. Its
opening credits appear over a live performance of "What Is This Thing
Called Love?" by Gwyneth Paltrow, who appears only in this one sequence. Since Paltrow has only a mildly pleasant singing voice, this choice seems bewildering—until she suddenly falters for no apparent reason. The band grinds to a halt, and she sings the next verse a cappella, in a mournful whisper, as if each syllable is causing her tremendous pain. Then she takes a breath, snaps her fingers, and the band launches back into the song at the original jazzy pace, as if nothing ever happened. This credit sequence is essentially the entire movie in miniature, as it's not clear whether the audience just witnessed a genuine breakdown—the singer unexpectedly overcome by the emotion of the song—or merely the canny simulation of a breakdown, à la one of James Brown's famous fake walk-offs (complete with cape). There's no way to know whether this woman is feeling something or simply manipulating her audience into feeling something, which speaks more to the queasy relationship between Capote and Perry Smith than anything in the film proper.


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Mitt Romney's protestations that he was a "severely conservative" governor don't seem to have changed Jay Leno's mind, at least, about just who is the real right-winger in the GOP primary.
That, he said on "The Tonight Show" Thursday, would be Rick Santorum.
"Rick Santorum said this week he wants to restore religious values to government — you know, like they do in Iran," Leno joked, and he began rattling off a series of jokes describing the former Pennsylvania senator's politics.
"He is so conservative, he only flies Virgin Airlines — that's how conservative. He is so conservative, he thinks you need to be 18 or older to look at the Washington Monument — that's how conservative. Let me tell you how conservative Rick Santorum is: He wants 'Glee' renamed 'The Morally Confused Dance Club' — that's how conservative."
And his coup de grace?
"He's so conservative, he won't even order a bone-in rib-eye. That's how conservative he is."
(As for the race's other big social conservative? Leno got in a dig at him, too, saying his guest Amanda Seyfried was there to promote her new movie "Gone" — "a film about any chance Newt Gingrich ever had of being president.")

subset: commoncrawl


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*Please note: we update our inventory daily. Please check with dealer to confirm vehicle availability.
Back-Up Camera, Bed Liner, Tow Hitch, Satellite Radio, WiFi Hotspot, Onboard Communications System, CD Player, TRAILERING PACKAGE. SUMMIT WHITE exterior and COCOA / DUNE interior, LT trim. FUEL EFFICIENT 23 MPG Hwy/16 MPG City! READ MORE!======KEY FEATURES INCLUDE: Back-Up Camera, Satellite Radio, CD Player, Onboard Communications System, WiFi Hotspot Keyless Entry, Privacy Glass, Steering Wheel Controls, Heated Mirrors, Electronic Stability Control. ======OPTION PACKAGES: ALL STAR EDITION for Crew Cab and Double Cab, includes (AG1) driver 10-way power seat adjuster with (AZ3) bench seat only, (CJ2) dual-zone climate control, (BTV) Remote Vehicle Starter system, (C49) rear-window defogger and (KI4) 110-volt power outlet (Includes (Z82) Trailering Package, (G80) locking differential and (T3U) LED front fog lamps. (N37) manual tilt and telescopic steering column included with (L83) 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine. WHEELS, 20 X 9 (50.8 CM X 22.9 CM) POLISHED-ALUMINUM, ENGINE, 5.3L ECOTEC3 V8 WITH ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT, DIRECT INJECTION AND VARIABLE VALVE TIMING includes aluminum block construction (355 hp [265 kW] @ 5600 rpm, 383 lb-ft of torque [518 Nm] @ 4100 rpm; more than 300 lb-ft of torque from 2000 to 5600 rpm), SEATS, FRONT CLOTH BUCKET WITH (KA1) HEATED SEAT CUSHIONS AND SEAT BACKS includes 10-way power driver and 6-way power front passenger seat adjusters, including driver/front passenger power recline and driver/front passenger power lumbar. Also includes adjustable head restraints, (D07) floor console, storage pockets and (K4C) Wireless charging. TRAILERING PACKAGE includes trailer hitch, 7-pin and 4-pin connectors Includes (G80) locking rear differential. BED LINER, SPRAY-ON, PICKUP BOX BED LINER with bowtie logo. Liner is permanently bonded to the truck bed providing a water tight seal. The textured ======EXPERTS REPORT: In Edmunds testing We Stock Infiniti, Audi, Volkswagen, Nissan, Mazda, Hyundai, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Kia, Ford, Chevy, Mini, BMW, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, and Lincoln. We have the ability to ship your vehicle anywhere in the Southeast or Nationwide.
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A ciambella is a simple ring-shaped bread made of egg, shortening and sugar — basically, an Italian bundt cake. Ciambelle are often served as an afternoon snack at a bar or cafe. They can be dressed with glazes, syrups or berry compote.
This decadent winter version is inspired by Emilia-Romagna. The fresh chestnuts and chestnut flour bring a smoky flavor and smell that reeks of the Apennines outside of Bologna.
For a decidedly Italian flavor, I soak the currants in grappa, a traditional peasant liqueur. Made from the scraps of what's used to make wine — the skins, seeds, and stems — grappa is fermented and distilled. Now thought by many to be an elegant after-dinner drink, grappa comes from humble beginnings.
This moist and delicious cake has an almost pudding-meets-a-cloud-in-heaven texture, thanks to the chestnut flour and the shredded raw apple. The cloves add a holiday flavor that makes this a logical addition to any winter feast.
Mario Batali is the owner of Babbo, Lupa, Otto and other renowned restaurants. His latest book is "Molto Batali," published by Ecco.


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In an effort to prevent foreclosures and help stabilize communities, Fannie Mae introduced its HomePath for Short Sales tool to help assist common short sale challenges.
The escalation tool is available to any real estate professional working on a short sale that involves a Fannie Mae-owned loan. Once the short sale case is escalated, Fannie Mae will directly work with the agent or mortgage servicer to assist challenges such as valuation disputes, delays by servicers or uncooperative subordinate lien holders.
"By giving agents a straightforward, transparent way to escalate short sale issues to Fannie Mae, we will close more sales, prevent foreclosures and help neighborhoods continue to recover," said Jay Ryan, vice president for real estate sales at Fannie Mae "Getting short sales done benefits everyone involved and we're committed to doing our part."
Many real estate professionals are already using HomePath for Short Sales throughout the country and are pleased with the quick response time by Fannie Mae.
"I heard back very quickly and within two days the sale was approved. My clients will now be able to avoid foreclosure," said Kelby Teer, a Phoenix HomeSmart real estate professional.
"Recently I escalated a file to work out a difference in valuation and in less than 24 hours it was resolved. I appreciated that I could send comps directly to Fannie Mae and let them know what we were seeing on our side of the short sale," added Maryann Little, vice president for short sale mitigation with AA Premier Properties and Short Sale Mitigation.
In the past, Fannie Mae has worked to reduce short sale timelines, expand eligibility for short sales and prohibit servicers from reducing an agent's commission.
Throughout the first nine months of 2012, Fannie Mae completed 58,376 short sales.


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EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Despite being down almost the entire first half, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team never trailed in the second half and defeated UW-La Crosse 63-55 on Ken Anderson Court in Zorn Arena tonight.
The Blugolds got down early as the Eagles jumped out to a 12-0 lead. It took the Blugolds nearly six minutes to hit a basket. After five straight misses to start the game, Shannon Riley (Fr.-Muskego, Wis.) recorded the Blugolds' first basket of the night, which started an 8-0 Eau Claire run to cut La Crosse's lead to four (12-8).
The Eagles then used a run of their own to get back up by 10 but the Blugolds began to chip away at the lead. Over the final 9:19 of the first half, the Blugolds outscored the Eagles 21-8 and Nicole Slovensky (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) capped off the half with a three-pointer in the closing seconds, giving the Blugolds their first lead of the night at 31-28.
Following the intermission, Sarah Bingea (Sr.-Delano, Minn.) scored on a layup to give the Blugolds a five-point lead and the closest the Eagles got the rest of the way was one point on two occasions.
With Eau Claire up 48-40 with eight minutes left, La Crosse got to within three and the game remained close for the next few minutes. But over the final minute and a half, the Blugolds outscored the Eagles 9-4, reaching their largest lead of the night (nine points) with less than 20 seconds to play. The Eagles hit a three-pointer near the end but Bingea nailed two free throws to give the Blugolds the eight-point win.
Bingea finished with her second straight double-double as she led Eau Claire with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Casteele Miller (Sr.-Stanley, Wis./Eau Claire Regis) finished with 14 points and Cady Roedl (Fr.-Beaver Dam, Wis.) had six assists to lead Eau Claire. With 11 different Blugolds scoring, 39 of the points came off the bench.
Shooting 34.5 percent from the field in the first half, the Blugolds improved to 45.5 percent in the second half to finish the game shooting 39.2 percent (20-for-51). La Crosse shot 32.3 percent (20-for-62).
A major difference in tonight's game came from points off turnovers. Both teams finished with 21 turnovers but Eau Claire converted them into 23 points while La Crosse scored just 11.
Eau Claire is now 3-3 overall and 1-0 in the WIAC while La Crosse drops to 3-3 on the season and 0-1 in the conference.
Wednesday, the Blugolds will be home again for their final game in Zorn Arena before the new year. Eau Claire will host UW-Platteville at 7 p.m. for Student Appreciation Night.


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Following a winter filled with ocean-related fatalities and rescues, emergency responders in the Bay Area are urging the public to be more extra careful around the water.
"Each year is actually very dangerous in the wintertime," said Alexandra Picavet of the National Park Service. "But this year has really had some tragic moments."
The list of tragedies is extensive: A teenager and his parents drowned trying to save the family dog in Humboldt County; a father and son swept to their deaths in Marin County by a rogue wave; a husband died trying to save his wife who swept to sea while walking her dog in Marin.
"These are people who live in the Bay Area," Picavet said, "who've been caught by rogue waves -- they've been knocked over by six-inch waves."
Rogue waves, sometimes called sneaker waves, are disproportionately large costal waves that sometimes "sneak" up without warning. They often catch swimmers unaware, washing them out to sea.
Safety experts offered several key safety points people should observe when visiting shorelines.
- Keep children within arm's reach.
- Always use the buddy system when swimming, fishing or surfing
- Learn CPR
- Don't try to rescue people or animals from the surf, instead call 9-1-1.
"If your dog goes in the water, do not go in the water after it," advised Jeff Wadkins, a lifeguard with California State Parks. "The dogs are great swimmers, they are going to find their way back to the beach."
On Wednesday, a Coast Guard helicopter crew staged a surf rescue drill off of Half Moon Bay, site of the popular Maverick's surf contest. As a trained swimmer bobbed in the surf, a rescuer lowered down from a winch aboard the chopper. The Coast Guard stages similar drills every month.
"The best advice we give to people is to not turn their back on the water," said Pamela Boehland of the U.S. Coast Guard. "When it's a beautiful day out, people underestimate how powerful the water can be."
But even though officials intended the drill as a reminder of the dangers along the coast, they also wanted to send a message that the professionals won't always be on hand in the event of an emergency.
"You can't count on a professional or trained person to be your safety net," Picavet said.
Picavet urged people to check for surf advisories before visiting beaches and coastline.
She also advised changing plans to avoid getting close to the water if it at all seems risky.


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BALTIMORE, March 27 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman's ground-based, multi-role radar being developed for the U.S. Marines was demonstrated during company-funded testing in Virginia.
The system -- AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar – with multiple sensor capabilities, can detect and track threats from missiles, artillery, mortars and aircraft.
Northrop said that in the tests G/ATOR successfully detected multiple rocket launches of different types of rockets. Data collected will be used to verify potential future theater ballistic missile algorithms and ballistic missile defense capabilities.
"Today's missile detection testing is yet another example of the expanded capability that is possible with an Active Electronically Scanned Array multi-mission radar," said Steve McCoy, vice president of tactical sensor solutions at Northrop Grumman.
"This demonstration required only minimal software modifications to the G/ATOR system and no hardware changes at all."
G/ATOR technology, he said, could be used to enhance the capabilities of other radar systems, including the U.S. Air Force's Three Dimensional Expeditionary Long Range Radar, the U.S. Army's Patriot Fire Control Radar and the U.S. Navy's Air and Missile Defense Radar.


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I've been watching SPOT (Smart Personal Objects Technology) for a few years now and I've never been blown away. However, this weather station seems to get a few things right—it uses a dedicated data stream to pick up excellent weather info, it never needs setting, and it does what it's supposed to do without lots of frou-frou bells and whistles. SpotStop says this thing is a bit 'spensive but it's very cool. This station comes with free Direct MSN service until 2010 and provides just about every weather function known to man.
Oregon Scientific Complete Regional Weather Station Review [SpotStop]
Specs and pricing for Oregon Scientific weather stations [Shopping.com]


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Press release
THE 6th LEBANESE NATIONAL TABBOULEH DAY (First Saturday of the month of July) An annual national day, which is the first Saturday of the month of July, is dedicated to TABBOULEH where all the Lebanese people celebrate this link between each other and their home country. TABBOULEH is known as one of the famous and traditional Lebanese dish that every Lebanese loves. In this day, Lebanese and friends around the world gather in private or in public to celebrate and enjoy the taste of TABBOULLEH. This gathering demonstrates and strengthens their love and integrity with Lebanon and carries a lot of meanings to the Lebanese community wherever they are in this world. This unique social gathering and experience that we will share all together wherever we are, will strengthen our communication, coherence and cooperation in the name of the Free and Independent LEBANON. So let us all participate in the upcoming LEBANESE NATIONAL TABBOULEH DAY which will be on Saturday, July 01, 2006. Alf sa7tayn w hana


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"It tastes like fall."
That is what my uber
Caramel Apple Cake was Melissa from the Lulu the Baker's pick for this week's Club: Baked baking assignment. And the timing couldn't be better coming right around Halloween. Who doesn't love a caramel apple? The recipe as written from Baked Explorations is a massive 3 layer cake that can be presented in a few impressive ways. Below is a picture of how the cake appears in the book.
I also came across this amazing presentation from the Great Cake Company. Jaime made the cake look like a giant caramel apple, stick included! You have to pop over to her site to see her gorgeous cake. It's really stunning.
If you have a party to go to this fall, this cake would surely be a crowd pleaser. It would also make a nice addition to a Thanksgiving dessert round up.
This monster cake was too big for just Hubby and me so I halved the recipe and ended up 12 standard size cupcakes and 12 mini cupcakes...still way more than enough for the 2 of us! I ended up giving some to my neighbor who has 4 year old twin girls and a friend helped take a few more off our hands. For the twins I decorated the tops of the cupcakes with caramel circles and made them look like spider webs (much like the photo above from the book). I placed a spider ring in the middle of each cupcake. Now I'm regretting that I didn't take any photos...laziness does not pay off! Anyway, when I brought the cupcakes over the girls were immediately excited about the spider rings and licked the frosting off and put the rings on. I chatted for a bit with my neighbor and her girls. I had a conversation with one of the twins that went something like this,
Where do you live?
I live 2 doors down.
What's your name?
Do you have any daughters?
No, sweetie, sorry I don't
Can you make some?
Um...I can make cupcakes
Kids are hilarious.
Now, on to the cupcakes. Three components make up this tasty dessert. Apple spice cake. Caramel buttercream. Caramel sauce.
The apple spice cake is soft, light and moist and really delicious. It could stand all on it's own. With a simple apple glaze or even a dusting of powdered sugar and this would be a great cake (you could do 1/3 of the recipe to get an 8 inch cake). I do have one minor comment about the cake..the apple flavor seemed to fade a little bit the day after I baked it. The apple flavor was very pronounced, no mistaking, this is apple cake on day one. On day two, it was more like this is a really good spice cake...is there a hint of apple in there? I used store bought apple sauce, instead of making my own. I also substituted 1/2 cup (of the 2 cups) of the apple sauce, for homemade apple butter I had made the same day. I wonder if the spices in the apple butter were too much? I would have thought the apple butter would give it a more "apple-y" flavor. Next time I might use the applesauce recipe posted on the Great Cake Company blog as she mentions the use of boiled cider in her applesauce and that it gives an intense fresh apple flavor. There is also a recipe for homemade applesauce in Baked Explorations.
The caramel sauce was pretty dreamy. I made the full recipe for this component figuring I might use the left overs to top ice cream. A few the other bakers in the group seemed to have issues with the sauce being a little on the thin side. I found it to be somewhat thin, but after sitting on the counter for an hour or so it thickened slightly and was just right. The only issue I had with the caramel sauce was one of my own doing. I tend to read through recipes quickly and that's what I did here. They recommend cooking the caramel until it is a rich amber color or you can wait until the mixture reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. I just saw 300 degrees, so I took the sauce off the heat once it reached 300 and added the butter and cream. Then I realized that my caramel was very pale in color. I hadn't waited for it to take on the right color. So I threw it back on the flame and cooked for another 5 minutes or so and it gained a small amount of color. I didn't want to risk overcooking it, so I ended up with a pale caramel. Though pale, it's still super yummy. I think you could get away with reducing the butter by half in this recipe and still get a good result. Note, I'm saying that without actually having tried it. But I might try that next time.
Lastly, there was caramel buttercream....this was like no frosting recipe I've ever made. It started with boiling a mixture of sugar, FLOUR, milk and cream until thickened. I would never imagine flour to be in frosting, but that's what I love about Club: Baked...learning new things. And this was a great thing to learn, because this frosting was awesome. It was smooth and silky with just the right amount of sweetness. I generally don't care for buttercreams because I find them to be overly sweet and buttery tasting. I'm all about butter, but I don't want my frosting to taste like butter.
The trick to this frosting is patience. I had read in the P&Q that some bakers had trouble with the frosting and others suggested continuing to beat the frosting until it reached the desired consistency. So I took that into account when I made it. The boiled sugar, flour, milk cream mixture goes from the stove top to your stand mixer where you mix on high until the frosting cools. This took maybe 8 minutes or so....I kept feeling the outside of the bottom of the mixing bowl and when there was no more warmth, I moved on to adding the butter and caramel sauce. Then I let it beat for probably another 6-7 minutes. At first it seemed thin but, slowly, it became more and more fluffy and eventually resembled frosting! Really delicious frosting.
I'm not going to lie, this cake is not a let's throw this together in a hour kind of cake. It's quite a bit of work and a lot dishes. But the result was absolutely worth the effort. You could make it a little more palatable by breaking up the work and making the caramel sauce the day before (as well as the applesauce, if you are doing homemade). This recipe is moving into the keeper file for certain.
To get the recipe, head over to Lulu the Baker. Thanks for choosing such a fabulous recipe! To see how other Club: Baked bakers did with their cakes, click here.


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IT'S ALMOST 2013 — which means it's time to take a look back at the sartorial standouts (Gwyneth Paltrow on the Oscars red carpet) and fashion faux pas (Paul Ryan on the campaign trail) of the previous 12 months.
Though the world didn't end, as a flurry of Internet chatter had predicted, some in the fashion industry might have thought it had when Neiman Marcus teamed with Target on a holiday collection or when Nicolas Ghesquière announced he was leaving Balenciaga, the French fashion house he helped rebuild.
We've recapped those moments and many more that shaped the year in fashion — as it intersected with the world of celebrity (Lady Gaga's perfume launch), in the media (Helen Gurley Brown's death), in stores (Marni for H&M;), on the runway (Raf Simons' ready-to-wear debut at Dior), on the world stage (the London Olympics). And we're not forgetting what we actually wore (neon and prints).
All told, it was a very good year. Au revoir, 2012!
Shopping: hanges in store in 2012
Runway news: Such eye-catchers
Fashion teams up with pop culture
Sizzling hot looks: Fashion fads of 2012
2012 fashion and style around the globe


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Eager to recreate the commercial and critical success of her 2006 effort, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna has retooled "The Devil Wears Prada," this time calling it "Morning Glory" and swapping out the world of fashion for network TV news, an Anna Wintour-esque monster/mentor for a Grizzled Anchor composite and Adrien Grenier for Patrick Wilson. It doesn't work.
For the first hour or so, "Morning Glory" is an almost pleasantly harmless story about a plucky young woman eager to make a go of it in the big city. It's about as broad, faux wacky and arch as you would expect, while still offering the occasional laugh.
If Rachel McAdams weren't so damn cute this film would be abject torture, a totally irredeemable slog through overly trod ground. McAdams' charm is such that she manages to outshine the dopey, unbelievable character she's saddled with, one that's too dense to know when she's being asked out and keeps fumbling her cell phone despite it being her de facto umbilical cord.
Watching Han Solo as the grumpy old news vet who wears striped socks (See!?!?!? He's got a whimsical side!) is amusing at first, but it wears thin quickly, though Diane Keaton is pitch perfect as the former beauty queen who now hosts a network morning show. Jeff Goldblum just looks tired—like deeply, in his soul.
What Patrick Wilson is doing in this film is not exactly clear. Super dreamy and a totally capable actor, his career has been plagued by missteps and near-misses, interrupted by occasional successes, like "Little Children." Here he's tasked with playing the perfunctory love interest, the handsome colleague who shows her kindness from the very beginning. It's the sort of two-dimensional role that women usually get to play: stand there, look pretty, we'll get back to you at the end.
It's when Brosh and director Roger Michell ("Notting Hill") decide they want to teach us some valuable life lessons that the film just falls apart. There's suddenly this mad scramble to get all the players in place to perform their preordained roles. But it doesn't seem to take they first, so they do it al over again, only this time they drive their points home with a serving of frittata (it's true). The characters don't grow and develop; they hit their marks and flip switches.
And then there's the soundtrack, which is a litany of easy-listening self-help mantras: "Any minute now my ship is coming in, I'll keep checking the horizon"; "Hey, I put on some news shoes and suddenly everything's all right"; "Don't tell me I won't, I can, Don't tell me that I'm not, I am"… Got it? Just keep your eyes on the prize, change your shoes and stay positive!
By the end of "Morning Glory," McAdams is just a girl, standing in front of an old man, asking him to make her a frittata, and you've been eying the exits for 20 minutes.


text:
Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D.
Naveen Pereira, M.D.
Iftikhar J. Kullo, M.D.
As a provider accredited by ACCME, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development) must ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in its educational activities. Course director(s), planning committee, faculty, and all others who are in a position to control the content of this educational activity are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest related to the subject matter of the educational activity. Safeguards against commercial bias have been put in place. Faculty also will disclose any off-label and/or investigational use of pharmaceuticals or instruments discussed in their presentation. Disclosure of this information will be published in the course materials so those participants in the activity may formulate their own judgments regarding the presentation.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science complies with the requirements of the National Physician Payment Transparency Program OPEN PAYMENTS (Physician Payments Sunshine Act).


text:
India Real Time Long Reads in 2012
In 2012, India Real Time experimented with a new form of online journalism inspired by the serializations published in Victorian-era British newspapers by Charles Dickens, among others. The idea was to see whether readers would follow one long story, divided into chapters published daily.
The format, we hoped, would engage readers' interest so they would return to the site for a new chapter each day for one week. Journalistically, it gave us the opportunity to write plot-driven long-form stories that went beyond the restrictions inevitably imposed by print.
Each of these stories, for instance, totaled more than 15,000 words, roughly the equivalent of seven front-page stories in the U.S. print edition of The Wall Street Journal. We also explored the use of multimedia graphics, video and slideshows to tell the stories as vibrantly as we were able.
We focused on stories that, we believed, had compelling plot lines, worthy of the best fiction only better because they were based on fact. We tried to bring the individuals involved to life, and to portray them with the nuance that long-form journalism permits. That allowed us to take stories that already had attracted the attention of the daily press and delve into what lay beneath.
We traveled thousands of miles across India, conducted hundreds of interviews, and reviewed reams of court documents, police files and medical records to bring the stories to India Real Time readers in a way, we hope, that was distinctive, informative and engrossing. It is up to our readers, of course, to judge whether we succeeded. We are grateful to all for their feedback and their interest in our experiment. And we were delighted to see that they were among the most-read stories on our site in 2012.
The first serialization, published from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, was an investigation into the life and death of a Christian nun who worked among the tribal people in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.
The second was a serialized reconstruction of the story of Sania -- a two-year-old girl that India came to know as "Baby Falak" --who was admitted to New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences in a battered condition in January. The series was published in six chapters from June 4 to June 9.
The third, which involved more than five months of research and reporting, was the epic legal and religious dispute over the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, a town in northern India that is sacred for Hindus. This six-part series was published from Dec.3 to Dec.8.
A brief introduction and links for each story are below:
1. The Murder of Sister Valsa: a WSJ Investigation—The serialization examines the life and death of Sister Valsa John Malamel, a Christian nun and activist working in rural India. It uncovered a tale of greed, lust, friendship, betrayal, faith and brutality set against the conflict between two major forces shaping India's future: Industrialization and the preservation of traditional ways of life.
For the first chapter of the series click here and to read the complete story in pdf format click here.
2. Falak: The True Story of 'India's Baby'—The story exposes the underbelly of Indian society: prostitution, human trafficking, bride selling, and domestic violence.
It also is the tale of a small group of ordinary people – a young mother, a rebellious teenager, a taxi driver, a tire repairman, a lonely graduate — trying to escape the tribulations of their daily lives, and of the people who exploited them, the institutions that failed them, and the people who helped them.
For the first chapter of the series click here and to read the complete story in pdf format click here.
3. Ayodhya: The Battle for India's Soul—This story, starting in 1949, traces the legal and political drama surrounding a religious site in the Hindu pilgrimage town of Ayodhya that continues to shape India today. The dispute has made and broken political careers, exposed the limits of the law in grappling with matters of faith, and led to violence that killed thousands. On a spiritual level, it's a tale of efforts to define the divine in human terms.
To read all the chapters of the series click here and to read the series in pdf format click here.
Follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.


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The northern shore of Bhola.?This area in the south of Bangladesh has been called ground zero of climate-change due to heavy river and ocean erosion. The lowlying area is also hugely affected by cyclones and rising sea-levels...By the Mouth of Ganges, at the Bay of Bengal is the Island of Bhola. This home of about two million people is considered to be ground zero of climate change. Half the island has disappeared in the past 40 years, and according to scientists the pace is not going to slow down. People pack up and leave as the water get closer. Some to a nearby embankment, while those with enough money move further inland, but for most life move on until the inevitable. It's always about survival for the people in one of the worlds poorest countries...Photo by: Eivind H. Natvig/MOMENT
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What the heck do I do with £359.92 worth of Lego?!
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The Master Zombie
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:10 pm
Post subject: What the heck do I do with £359.92 worth of Lego?!
Blimey, where do I begin?
Today, a close family friend who we have known for many years jetted off to work in Japan. He's made a business deal that will see him working in the country for a good three years. Cutting to the chase - he left me (and the rest of my family) a load of gifts worth hundreds of pounds. None of us wanted to accept them but he just said "Count them as your birthday & Christmas gifts for the next few years - seeing as I'm not coming back for a while".
My gifts were in two large cardboard boxes that were sealed with tape. I took them home and got to work on opening them about 20mins later. Now, I thought I could hear
Lego rolling around but nothing could prepare me for what I was about to find.
Box 1
Republic Attack Gunship
Republic Attack Gunship
V-19 Torrent
V-19 Torrent
Box 2
AT-TE Walker
AT-TE Walker
Magnaguard Starfighter
Magnaguard Starfighter
Stuck to box 1 was an envelope and inside was a letter. It said "
According to what I've read on the internet, you lot like to buy multiples and make armies?! Well, it's far gone from my days with Airfix models but what the heck - this'll give you a kick start to your Clone Wars collection seeing as you don't have anything. Enjoy!
P.S. If there's anything extra you want, use the £30 worth of gift vouchers included with this letter to bulk up your Clone Army. Equally, if you want to return anything then just use the receipts (also included with this letter). Just remember to return the gift vouchers with the products.
So, what on earth do I do with this?
As you know, back in October I said I was very lucky (considering the financial crisis) to be able to afford £17.98 worth of Lego in the Woolworths 3 for 2 offer when it was on (I bought two IJ sets and a Rebel Scout Speeder). To suddenly get all this is.....well, just crazy. I missed the original Republic Gunship & the original AT-TE when they first came out during Episode II and to suddenly have the new ones now with such ease doesn't feel right. My chase is for them is over yet I did nothing to earn them.
I've got a couple of questions in my mind:
1. Shall I take any of these back? Like, I don't need all this do I?
2. I suppose there's no better time to learn how to modify a Lego set than now. Has anyone modified their Gunship or AT-TE?
I'm seriously considering taking it all back, getting a full refund and sending the money back somehow. There are times in life when you just can't accept such gifts. That money could be given to charity or donated to aid the people of Africa.
I'm sure you understand what I'm saying here. This is about
and my morals. This is my good-side. The side of me that says no to greed.
I'd hate to be rich. Imagine getting everything you wanted with a click of your fingers. I myself would get bored with not feeling the rewards of hard work and effort.
The Receipts
All items were bought in Argos during a Lego Star Wars sale.
Receipt 1
Republic Attack Gunship - £59.99
AT-TE Walker - £52.49
Free £10 gift voucher issued (due to store promotion).
Receipt 2
Republic Attack Gunship - £59.99
AT-TE Walker - £52.49
Free £10 Gift Voucher issued (due to store promotion).
Receipt 3
V-19 Torrent - £37.49
V-19 Torrent - £37.49
Free £5 Gift Voucher Issued (due to store promotion).
Receipt 4
Magnaguard Starfighter - £29.99
Magnaguard Starfighter - £29.99
Free £5 Gift Voucher Issued (due to store promotion).
FBTB: The Final Chapter
See it come to an end, starting Monday 2nd February 2009.
Last edited by The Master Zombie on Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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... eats you all. [zMOD]
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:17 pm
Post subject:
Well... let me be the first to say:
Pics or it didn't happen
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Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:22 pm
Post subject:
If dude gave 'em to you as a gift, and you like LEGO, then ya keep 'em. Sending 'em back or reselling would be tacky and kinda rude, imo.
Maybe keep one of each for yourself and give one of each to that perfect girlfriend of yours who loves LEGO, too.
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Zombie Jones
Joined: 11 Sep 2005
Location: Vacaville, California
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:36 pm
Post subject:
If you don't want them, I take donations.
Will litigate (or tactically consult) for food.
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Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 9:02 pm
Post subject:
From the apparent guilt you feel accepting these as a present, it seems to me like you're an awful good and kind person who would rather see $20 spent on someone who needs it more than on a nice dinner for yourself.
To those who do the most good come the greatest rewards. I don't think that you in any way don't deserve these. Now, whether you need two of everything is up to you, but i don't think its greedy if you do keep them all. They were a gift. Enjoy them.
I collect, but i never play with mine or build armies or anything, so i have no reason to buy two of anything for myself. But thats just me and thats why. I still buy the occasional set for my son as well (oh he's still quite spoiled i think). What you prefer is totally different tho.
It's all up to you in the end, but you sounds like you highly deserve it. I spent $331 on all the new CW sets (didn't buy the AT-TE again.), and i don't feel any guilt...
In fact i think i did some good bargain shopping.
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Brick Fett
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 9:34 pm
Post subject:
These where a gift to you. Enjoy them and always remember that someone did something this nice for you.
I know to me knowing that the person I gave a gift like this to enjoyed it would be the greatest thank you I could recieve.
Brick Fett
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Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Location: Victorville, California
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:34 am
Post subject:
The phrase, Never look a gift horse in the mouth comes to mind.
Little Angel go away. Come again some other day. The Devil has my ear today, I'll never hear a word you'll say.
Sim sala bim bamba sala do saladim _(l-)
The Department of Redundancy Department
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Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:21 am
Post subject:
Dude, nice.
First off, they were all bought cheap, so it'd be silly to return them, you'd never get top dollar with just the receits. Total rewtail value there is £480, not including the £30 in vouchers.
Second, if you really have no idea what to do with them, I'd love an AT-TE free of charge.
Third, and in all seriousness, keep them all. You've got some fantastic sets and a bunch of vouchers to spend on whatever or whoever you wish. Keep that in mind as there's less than 2 months until Christmas.
I don't recomend you open all the sets, perhaps one of each, or maybe just the ones you really want. The rest you can spend more time to decide on. Do you want to be a parts monkey, would you like to give a set to a close, younger relative for Xmas or Bday, how about just keeping them boxed up until the value is spiked so high it's stupid and then sell one of them, possibly even sell one or two of them and turn in the cash to Children in Need.
These were a gift to you, and a very generous one at that, whether you deserved it or not, considering the value of it all it does seem just a bit rude to find an excuse to chuck them. Keep them, cherish them, remeber who gave them to you and you'll think of something eventually.
Lucky you, but still, to echo Donald Q.
He wrote:
Pics or it didn't happen!
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Joined: 24 Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:05 am
Post subject:
Keep them and make a donation to charity yourself.
The person that has done this for you has made the effort to know what you like and create a special gift for you. If I was them and found out they'd all been returned ... even if the money went to charity ... I'd be slightly offended.
I used to post here as "Big Pete" but my account got screwed ...
My Current Lego Collection (thanks Brickset!)
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Joined: 08 Feb 2005
Location: near my laptop
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:38 am
Post subject:
And then be happy that you have such a great friend.
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Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Oxford, UK
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:48 am
Post subject:
Keep them - your friend gave them to you. You didn't ask for them, nor steal them - your friend's generosity is what gave you them, and in a way, spurning it isn't nice either.
Open one of each set, and maybe sell/return the second to buy other sets? Or of the sets you like open both. Personally, I'd open both Gunships & AT-TEs and return one of the V-19s and Magnaguards. You'll then have just under £70 + £30 in vouchers to get some other stuff.
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Max Rebo
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:25 am
Post subject:
You could sell a few sets and use the money to send your family friend a Christmas hamper.
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Joined: 08 Aug 2008
Location: TK forever! FBTB forever!
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:42 am
Post subject:
I would keep them. As people have already said, it's not like you stole them or pressured your friend to get them.
Although if you feel guilty, I accept donations of Clone Wars sets.
Am I the only one who sometimes comes here, logs in, and fools around?
Life finds a way. ~Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park
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Joined: 23 Sep 2006
Location: City of Evil, Canada
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:20 am
Post subject:
I would keep them as well.
I would keep one of each fully bult, and the multiples use for just building for fun.
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Dalek Zombie
Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Location: UK
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:26 am
Post subject:
I suggest you combine each multiple to make an "uber-set". So, for example, cobine the RGS conships and make a LAAT/E. use the extra panels so you can have both stickers. Build an AT TE and use the other set to fix gaps in the panels, make the legs longer, etc...
Or give it to a fellow Doctor Who fan who needs help constructing a certain super-laser.... Er, you didn't hear that, right?
But don't throw it away!
My site
which can only be described as terrible. I also haz Flickr and BrickShelf.
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Sandtrooper Platoon
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Location: Mos Eisley, Tatooine
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:35 pm
Post subject:
Dude! Get over the guilt, build them and have fun. With what you got there, you can make two awesome dioramas: "Clones on the warpath" and "V-19 Squadron take on the P-38's"
You could do something like this.
Imagine the possibilities. Enjoy the windfall!
"Wow! Did you see that Jawa's head come apart man?!?
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Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: The beige part of town.
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:21 pm
Post subject:
If you really want to help people that need the money then don't get rid of them yet. Hold on to them for a few years and sell that stuff on ebay. You'll earn way more money to give away.
And since the money goes to charity you'll feel better about scalping.
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99% Evil ® [MOD]
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Location: Arkansas!
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 2:46 am
Post subject:
Yeah, they were gifts, and should be enjoyed as such. He obviously put some thought into giving you multiples for a specific reason, which means that there's something there. You shouldn't jab at a nice gesture like that by selling them of.
(oh, and like Don said... pics or we'll just chalk this one up to empty boasting, like so much else we see in any "gifts" threads)
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.
- Albert Einstein
Last edited by dWhisper on Sun Nov 16, 2008 2:54 am; edited 1 time in total
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Dalek Zombie
Joined: 02 Jul 2008
Location: UK
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 2:48 am
Post subject:
Do you mean he shouldn't? You wrote should.
My site
which can only be described as terrible. I also haz Flickr and BrickShelf.
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The Master Zombie
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:26 am
Post subject:
Right, I've taken a couple of pics and have asked Andi to post them for me later on (because I'm a noob with photo sharing websites at the moment
). Yesterday, I sold the two Magnaguard Starfighters to a friend because he is hoping to build a large Separatist MOC in the next month or so and doesn't live near an Argos to take advantage of the offers. If I change my mind and decide to have one of them back, then he'll happily swap. I'm more of a Republic fan than a Separatist anyway.
FBTB: The Final Chapter
See it come to an end, starting Monday 2nd February 2009.
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Joined: 08 Feb 2005
Location: near my laptop
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:34 am
Post subject:
I uploaded the two photos from Master to my Brickshelf account.
You can see them here:
(click for bigger pic)
Master, enjoy your Lego, and if one day you want to upload a picture by yourself, don't hesitate to ask me for instruction.
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The Master Zombie
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:48 am
Post subject:
Thanks Andi!
DonSolo wrote:
Well... let me be the first to say:
Pics or it didn't happen
I wouldn't type all that stuff in the first post for nothing! That would be a waste of my time.
I assume then (from what dWhisper said) that you've had people post stories in the past which turned out to be false? What's the point in doing that? To big themselves up?
FBTB: The Final Chapter
See it come to an end, starting Monday 2nd February 2009.
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Joined: 23 Sep 2006
Location: City of Evil, Canada
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:12 am
Post subject:
I really like what dW said. It was a gift, and seems kinda rude to just sell off half of it. I would keep them cause of that reason. What you do with them, that's up to you, but I wouldn't sell them.
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Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:16 pm
Post subject:
At its best, gift-giving is as much about the person giving as it is the person receiving.
This gift is an act by an individual (your friend) to give another you something you wouldn't normally be able to buy.
He went through time and thought to decide how this would please you. He derives pleasure from the his imagined result of your pleasure of owning these sets.
Generosity is not something to be frowned upon. There is the rare case that someone wants to manipulate another by bestowing gifts or favors. If your friend is like that then you can refuse. This does not sound like this is the case.
It would actually be very selfish of you to refuse the gift. Think about it from your friend's perspective. He can't use these items anymore and he probably was very excited to give you such a magnanimous gift. If you went through the trouble to think about someone else and go through the trouble of giving them something that would blow them away, you'd probably be very upset that the other person would refuse.
You might think it's greedy to keep them, but it's actually greedy to refuse. You're hoarding your conception of "earning". That kind of grasping attachment to the idea of "earning" distorts the idea (your friend's) of "true giving".
Your friend really
you to have this stuff. Be amazed. Be grateful. But by all means don't let guilt ruin a beautiful gesture.
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Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:04 pm
Post subject:
The Master wrote:
I assume then (from what dWhisper said) that you've had people post stories in the past which turned out to be false?
I don't think any have ever turned out exactly like that, and there have been similar threads on a completely different level.
Anyone remember conan and his £600?
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Maple Leaf Defender
Joined: 08 Aug 2005
Location: Vault 106
Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:17 pm
Post subject:
The Master wrote:
What's the point in doing that? To big themselves up?
Wait, what's this thread about then?
You can't honestly have me believe you posted this because you wanted us to tell you which ones you want to keep. That would be absurd, you know yourself better than us....I assume. I'm sure you didn't need us to suggest building a clone army, considering your "family friend" already suggested that.
So yeah, all this thread is doing is having you tell the world how much free stuff you got, and how you are such a good person for considering donating it to charity. Do whatever you want, that seems pretty obvious.
)2eady? "A Royale with cheese"
Chew them out and spit them up. It's the way of the Nooblet.
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99% Evil ® [MOD]
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Location: Arkansas!
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:00 am
Post subject:
In just about every "hey, check out what I found" thread, there are typically 2-3 more latch-ons that talk about something amazing and fantastic that they found. You can look almost all over the place here and find it, sadly.
It's not really a reflection on you, truth be told, but just on the history we've had as a forum. Lots of kids. Less truth.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.
- Albert Einstein
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Joined: 20 Oct 2006
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:18 am
Post subject:
There's a lot of good advice in this thread. You have options ranging from "keep it all and enjoy" to "give it all to me!"
I think there's something to be said about receiving a gift (or compliment) graciously. While it's never good to be so full of yourself that you feel entitled to any gifts and praise you receive, being so humble that you refuse any compliments or gifts that others choose to give you shows a lack of social grace or a lack of self-consideration.
I think it's great that you recognize the gap between your present "gifted" situation and the extreme poverty that others suffer. However, you need to recognize the spirit and character of your family friend's gift to you. He saw your love for Lego and (probably) your struggle to acquire. He went far beyond what you dreamed of, didn't he?
While I don't know exactly what I'd do if I were in your situation, I hope that you will think through your options carefully. I imagine that I would be inspired to pass on my good fortune, either by selling one of the sets and donating the proceeds or giving the set itself to a charity (Salvation Army or some organization that gives out Christmas toys to children in need) or seeking out a child in need who would enjoy it (around here we have "Angel Tree" programs that give gifts to children of prison inmates on behalf of the parents).
Rejoice in your good fortune- don't wallow in it- and remember to pass on a blessing to someone else.
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The Master Zombie
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:56 pm
Post subject:
ThePlasticJedi wrote:
The Master wrote:
What's the point in doing that? To big themselves up?
Wait, what's this thread about then?
Well, the first post was me telling you all how shocked I was that someone would give such huge load of Lego to me as a gift. I wasn't bragging.
I've never seen anyone else on here get so many sets for free before so surely this is a story worth posting?
Sorry if you're jealous but it's not my fault I got all that at no expense.
MingoDave wrote:
I imagine that I would be inspired to pass on my good fortune, either by
selling one of the sets and donating the proceeds
or giving the set itself to a charity.......
Rejoice in your good fortune- don't wallow in it- and
remember to pass on a blessing to someone else.
Dave, you must be telepathic!
Today, I looked into Christmas charities and found one that I had donated to in the past (as a school kid). Back then, I grabbed a box and filled it with gifts, special treats and items that you use on a daily basis (e.g. toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap). I've now made plans to donate the money from the two Magnaguard Starfighters I sold to that charity. It's called
Operation Christmas Child
. It's a brilliant organisation and they work so hard to bring happiness to kids who have very little.
FBTB: The Final Chapter
See it come to an end, starting Monday 2nd February 2009.
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Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Location: New York
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:07 pm
Post subject:
The Master wrote:
I wasn't bragging. I've never seen anyone else on here get so many sets for free before so surely this is a story worth posting? Sorry if you're jealous but it's not my fault I got all that at no expense.
Allow me to rephrase this quote, is this what you're saying?
"I don't think anyone has ever received this many sets for free, I have a feeling you're jealous."
The Master
, it sounds a lot like all you're really doing here is bragging.
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text:
Life on Mars? New Doubts Emerge
NASA scientists say they cannot find any traces of methane in the thin Martian air, dimming hopes that microbes might lurk under the protective blanket of soil on the cold arid world. Robert Lee Hotz reports on the News Hub. Photo: NASA.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... welcome ... new sub at the yes J live I'm slowing Constable ... you doubts emerge from the evidence collected by the MAS curiosity robot about the existence of life on the red planet's hit explain that it's a was a pleasant when he says will Street tunnel ... saying if ... but only of its thank you Brian much for bring us up so it's a pleasure ... now ... you know for more than a century science is science fiction buff says longingly gazed on Mars is possibly ... a place in our solar system other than Earth itself could harbor some form of life well ... NASA scientists will operate Mars carry us the Rover today ... Dell those hopes a serious blow by reporting ... that they have tried and failed ... to find any trace of the gas ... methane ... in the atmosphere marking the reason we care about this this disease is common methane is a key biomarker ... Ford a forum for biological activity in the ninety five percent of the ... methane in the air on earth comes from ... some form of biological activity ... microbes that ... that that ensued methane or organic decay ... and especially in the last decade in the number of ... observatories on Earth using infrared telescopes and ... even an orbiter on European space Agency from its orbiting Mars ... have purported to detect traces ... clues indeed of methane coming from Mars ... and this is really feel lot of speculation ... that there are microbes there you know in the soil this very cold and have in place ... and what NASA saying today is like ... part Block fellows ... know they've looked on systematically ... on six separate ... test with a ... special leave euro cents today have on board the router ... since landing last August ... and they have not even been able to find a single part per billion ... in the fire ... but with going one up on and and really what does a great Ben Franklin use rates as the Apostle here this is aam Astra biologist Michael numerous masses of space flight Center in Maryland that he ... says you know ... we seen this with the info and stuff and subway sticking with it and its economy the ban on biking down in Iraq well you know nobody is backing down and I don't question their sincerity been ... even before Tuesday's meeting was reported ... there was a lot of doubt about these meetings he's out today is the better team defended now ... and actually tend to contradict each other a little bit ... it says it is though a real puzzle and ... you know the people who are worried most I think today Simon are the ... people who are running the Indian Mars program ... the news is scheduled to launch its first interplanetary probes to Mars ... in part to detect methane ... in a couple of months and thus would be followed closely by half ... a billion dollar mission by the European space Agency and Russians Ross Kosmos ... to also send a probe to Mars ... to find that thing ... so I think is the scientific paper back ... this inability to find a guest or to circulate ... these people are gonna start to sweat ... for interesting out of onshore I will will control the sea of of this until my could price some ... great discussions always a pleasure thank you ...


text:
Video streaming courses (VID) follow traditional class meeting schedules, while providing students the opportunity to attend class sessions at one of Walters State's four campuses (Greeneville, Sevierville, Claiborne, or the campus in Morristown). Video streaming courses are good choices for students who may be unable to travel to the one particular campus for a particular course. Instructors can deliver instruction from any of the four campuses to students at the other three campuses. Students at the distance locations can see and interact with the instructor and students at other sites via Internet-based video conferencing.
Video streaming courses are indicated by "VID" in the Timetable of Classes. For example, a video streaming English 1010 course will look like this in the Timetable:
ENGL 1010 V91 80190 VID Composition I
Some coursework for video streaming courses can be completed through eLEARN. Library services, tutoring services, and all other student support services are obtainable through eLEARN or other electronic means. Students should check the "WSCC Links" on the home page of eLEARN for many services and online assistance. If students have difficulty with eLEARN, help is provided through either the WSCC HelpDesk 423.318.2742 or Instructional Design in the Division of Distance Education.


text:
Collimated coaxial illumination
When rays of light in a beam are parallel, the light is collimated. Using light from a collimated light source is especially useful for detecting shallow flaws and dents on flat, reflective objects.
Here the light from a point light source passing through a lens that creates a parallel light beam. Wherever the surface is perfectly flat, the light is reflected back through the lens, these areas appear bright in the image. Any surface features such as depressions or bumps reflect the light out of the field of view of the lens, and appear as dark areas on the image.
More information:


text:
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Phils a bunch of Knuckleheads!
8 comments:
I'm going to miss Jerry if only because of how well you caricature him.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 26, 2010 at 9:32 AM
i was looking forward to seeing what u'd do with Dickey since he looks like a cartoon character already - & luv the more impressionist look!...I don't know how u can be so right-on with your sketches & so funny at he same time! A real talent! Glad your a Mets fan & started this blog! The humor helps so much when things look grim...like a Steve Somers intro but in color! Keep it up & THANKS! it's awesome!ReplyDelete
I believe you nailed it Jes. Joe's sketches provoke the same feelings as listening to a Steve Somers Opening Monologue.ReplyDelete
Well done u are really good look foward till the next great one thanks keep it upReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 26, 2010 at 11:55 AM
no love for valdes' 3 inning save? those are pretty rare these days. otherwise love the sketches!ReplyDelete
p.s will this be available as a book when your finished?
Take another look slimn25. Got you covered. ThanksReplyDelete
these should be in the newspaper everydayReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 27, 2010 at 2:35 AM
Haha..Pretty cool!ReplyDelete


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