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John's post on social issues, "Where Do Republicans Go From Here? The Social Issues" appears to be receiving plenty of attention, and deservedly so. Here is the prescription with which John concludes the post:
1) Don't emphasize abortion, but don't walk away from the issue, either, when issues legitimately arise, as with respect to public funding. When pressed on the subject, don't be defensive, but respond by pointing out the Democrats' extremism. 2) Take a big-tent approach to gay marriage that emphasizes the need to resolve the issue democratically, not by judicial decree, and that makes it clear that there is room in the party for both those who favor and those who oppose gay marriage. 3) Bring welfare back as a political issue, by pointing out the extraordinary amount of money that we currently spend on means-tested programs, the waste and fraud that is endemic to those programs, and the social damage that is done by them.
It's a good prescription, I think, and I certainly agree that Republicans must provide room for those on both sides of the gay marriage debate.
But a friend points out that John's prescription doesn't differ materially from the approach Mitt Romney took during his unsuccessful campaign. Romney didn't emphasize abortion or gay marriage; he never tried to read those who favor gay marriage out of the Republican Party; and he talked about the explosion of welfare in the form of food stamps.
Yet, Team Obama still successfully pushed its "war on women" theme. And Romney still lost big among young voters in part because he is not as socially liberal as President Obama.
In a way, the problem Republicans face with these voters — unmarried women and millenials — is similar to the problem they face with Hispanics. Republicans can re-calibrate their positions on immigration, birth control/abortion, and gay marriage. But they will never match the Democrats, who will always be able to find some cutting edge goody or grievance (not to mention some ill-advised statement by some Republican somewhere) about which to posture.
To be sure, re-calibration can marginally improve Republican standing with Hispanics, unmarried women, and milenials. But in the case of social issues, at least, that marginal improvement would come at a big cost — the erosion of support among evangelicals.
Abortion and gay marriage did not replace welfare and crime as the "social issues" component of the "three-legged stool" just to provide symmetry. These issues rose to prominence because, to millions of conservative voters, they are more important than any other set of issues.
Mitt Romney appears to have done pretty well with evangelicals without emphasizing the issues most important to them (we'll see whether in-depth analyses confirm this). But a presidential candidate who re-calibrates much more than Romney did on social issues runs a serious risk of sustaining a serious loss of support among evangelicals in exchange for minimal gains among those who were turned off by the relatively innocuous Mitt Romney.
JOHN adds: I agree that Romney wasn't far off from my prescriptions. The problem was that the party as a whole wasn't on the same page. In particular, Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock did grievous harm, I think, to Romney and many other Republican candidates. Nor was the problem limited to a couple of flakes. Here in Minnesota, to take one instance, by far the most energy in this election cycle was generated by opponents of a ballot initiative to bar gay marriage. Turnout was, I believe, a record high, and as a result the Democrats recaptured both houses of the legislature from the GOP.
I also agree that on issues like abortion and gay marriage, the Democrats will always be able to appeal more strongly to those with liberal views. But my point is not that Republicans should adopt liberal views on the social issues and thereby compete for the votes of radical feminists, etc., but rather that by approaching the issues in a more modulated way, they can keep the votes of social conservatives while not alienating those in the middle. This is, to be sure, something of a balancing act, but I think it has become clear that the current perception, that Republicans as a party are on the rightward fringe of the social issues, is hurting the party with moderates. And hitting hard on the welfare issue potentially can help the GOP with both conservative and moderate voters; really, just about everyone except the hard left.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Department of Biochemistry presents senior research talks by the 2010/2011 Biochemistry Honor and BS/MS Candidates on Friday, April 29, 11:30-1:30pm in Gerstenzang 121.
Benjamin D. Hornstein – BS/MS
Seq A: construction and analysis of mutants
Advisor: Sue Lovett
Marcus R. Kelly- BS/MS
Replacement Matrices for Transmembrane Proteins
Advisor: Douglas Theobald
Yuliya Y. Mints – BS/MS
Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase and Transcription: a mechanism for retinitis pigmentosa?
Advisor: Liz Hedstrom
Sarah Naomi Olsen – BS/MS
Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of (+)-4R-limonene synthase
Advisor: Dan Oprian
Benjamin M. Whitlock – BS/MS
PABPN1 and SKIIP: A putative mechanism for the onset of Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy
Advisor: Dagmar Ringe
Philip D. Lessans – BS
Developing a Method of Extracting Native U snRNPs from eukaryotic cells using Snurportin 1 constructs
Advisor: Daniel Pomeranz Krummel
Jessica P. Liken – BS
Deletion Library Screen for Enhancers and Suppressors of ALS-associated FUS/TLS Toxicity in Yeast
Advisor: Greg Petsko
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come. Pizza will be provided.


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Wednesday and the SXSW Music festival had started good and proper. A quick glance over the balcony revealed the freshly installed road blocks attended by a beady-eyed cop who loves his job, rendering downtown Austin a pedestrianised gigging precinct. The ...Read More
Tag Archives.
foo fighters
SXSW 2010 – Wednesday
- Written by TGTB.
- Posted on March 17, 2010.
- Also tagged as austin, billy bragg, chris shiflett, jail guitar doors, mc5, rage against the machine, sxsw 2010, the good the bad, third man records, tom morello, wayne kramer.
- Comments (758).


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Cilan Takes Flight!!
As Ash and his friends are headed towards Mistralton City, they see and airplane flying and circling over their heads as they are very excited about it. They follow the airplane, as they come to a city that has an airport. Cilan confirms that it is indeed Mistralton city, as Ash says that he will get his sixth badge. As they arrive at the Mistralton Gym, they notice that it says that it is a Cargo Service. Ash says that the Gym battle is more important, as he runs up to the entrance. A young trainer shows Ash the line to sign up for Gym matches, as he explains that Ash missed the deadline for the morning session registration but can sign up for the afternoon session. Ash doesn't understand what he means by morning session. Cilan says that they should find out. Ash walks up to the guy in charge of registration, as the man explains that they must register in order to have a Gym match. He asks Ash if he wants to join the afternoon batch, and Ash says yes, as he hands him his Pokédex. The man scans the Pokédex to register Ash, and hands him a registration card to bring back later.
The airplane from before lands on the runway, and Skyla jumps out of the airplane onto the ground. Skyla takes off her helmet, as her hair sparkles and shines while Ash and Iris are surprised that she is a girl. Skyla introduces herself as the high-flying Gym Leader. She explains that each batch has a fixed number of fifteen people in it. Ash wonders if she can handle battling fifteen people. First she brings out Swoobat and calls it the black-courting heart. Ash scans Swoobat with his Pokédex. Next she brings out her male Unfezant and calls it the heaven-racing meteor. Ash scans Unfezant with his Pokédex. Iris explains to Ash that the red head-crest on the male is its trademark. Skyla brings out her last Pokémon Swanna, and calls it the pure white wings of elegance. Ash scans Swanna with his Pokédex. Cilan points out that in the Mistralton Gym, they show what Pokémon they have on hand first. The young trainer who spoke with Ash earlier is the first one to challenge Skyla.
The young trainer brings out Zebstrika, Boldore, and Emolga, as Ash notices that the challenger shows his Pokémon as well. Skyla says for the air battles to begin now. Ash wonders what air battles are, as Cilan says that he has never heard of them. Skyla imagines how the battle between her and the challenger would turn out, as the thought bubble displays what she is thinking. The first battle she imagines is Swoobat vs Emolga, and that Emolga would win by using an Electric attack. The second battle she imagines is Unfezant vs Boldore, and that Boldore would win by using Stone Edge. The last battle she imagines is Swanna vs Zebstrika, and that Zebstrika would win with an Electric attack. She predicts that the challenger would win the battle. Ash, Iris, and Cilan are confused about what just happened. Skyla hands the challenger the Jet Badge without even having an actual Gym battle. The young boy leaves, and a female trainer approaches to have her battle next. Ash asks the trainer who just won the badge if that was a Gym battle.
The female trainer brings out Leavanny, Sewaddle, and Pansear for the next air battle. Skyla tells her that she will win the battle, and that she wouldn't have a chance if she brings Bug or Fire types to the Mistralton Gym. Skyla tells her that she doesn't receive a badge. Ash is mad that they didn't even battle. The young boy explains that they did battle, inside Skyla's head. Three more trainers bring out their Pokémon to challenge, a Blitzle, Watchog, Woobat, Gothitelle, and Sandile. She tells them that she wins the battles. She tells the next trainer that they win. She tells a female trainer with a Minccino, Herdier, and Watchog that she would win and to come back next time. The young boy explains that if you are as strong as Skyla, then you can do a simulation of what the battle will be like by seeing the Pokémon. Iris thinks that it is true that fifteen people can be judged by air battles, as Cilan has an angry look on his face. Ash is at a loss as to how they can be considered Gym matches.
The final trainer of the morning batch is shown, with a Munna, Foongus, and Cottonee. Skyla says that she wins the battle, and that no matter how she thinks about it, that she is stronger. Cilan says that he won't accept it, and storms towards Skyla, while Ash agrees and does the same thing. Skyla asks her assistants whether the rest of the trainers are in the afternoon, as he says yes and that the airplane is refueled and the airframe has been adjusted. Skyla decides that she will take another flight in her airplane. Ash and Cilan storm angrily up to Skyla and ask her if those were really Gym matches. Cilan demands to know why they are like that, in detail. Skyla asks if they are in the afternoon batch, and says that she is really busy. Skyla gets inside of her airplane and takes off. Ash says that he doesn't want a Gym match to be like that. Cilan exclaims that he won't accept that way of doing Gym matches no matter what, as an erupting volcano is shown behind him. Mile walks up behind them, and introduces himself as Skyla's grandfather.
Mile explains that he used to be the Mistralton Gym Leader before he retired and started the cargo service that he always dreamed of. Ash asks him if he approves of Skyla's way of battling, Mile explains that she used to battle properly before, that she used to be a great battler as well, and because of that trainers from all over Unova came to challenge her. As he was explaining it, a flashback of a battle between Skyla's Unfezant, and the challenger's Darumaka was being shown. Mile explains that she became so busy that she couldn't fly her beloved airplanes anymore, and because of that she came up with the air battles. She saves time for herself by efficiently judging the challengers but they also understand. Cilan angrily says that he doesn't understand it. Skyla is shown in a flashback that since everyone is happy with it, if she keeps predicting correctly that she doesn't have to work hard. Skyla says that great battles are of the past. Mile says that they are better off going to a different Gym, while Ash says he wants to battle Skyla, especially since he hears that she is a good battler. As fire is pictured to be surrounding Cilan and fire is shown in his eyes, he exclaims that he cannot accept that way of battling either.
In the afternoon, Skyla lands on the runway and jumps out of her airplane. Cilan walks up to Skyla and introduces himself as one of the Striaton Gym Leaders. Skyla tells him that she has never met another Gym Leader before, as they shake hands and Cilan asks her to battle him. Skyla accepts the Gym battle after saying that he has come all of this way. Skyla informs the other challengers that they will have to wait, as the challengers are excited about the battle between the two Gym Leaders. Cilan brings out his three Pokémon Pansage, Stunfisk, and Crustle. Skyla imagines how the battle will turn out, as a thought bubble shows what she is imagining. The first battle she imagines is between Pansage and Unfezant, and that Unfezant's Peck attack would be too much for it. The second battle she imagines is between Swanna and Crustle, and that Swanna's Bubblebeam would be too much for it. The final battle she imagines is between Swoobat and Stunfisk, and that Swoobat's attacks would be too much for it. Skyla says that she would win the battle. Cilan tells her that she doesn't know anything about a battle until they do it. Skyla tells Cilan that she is strong, and that the outcome is clear to her without wasting time battling him. Cilan asks her that since he agreed to let her do the air battle, if she would battle his way next. Skyla says that she has to prove to him that her predictions were right, while Cilan says that a battle must be done before they know anything.
Mile announces that it will be a 3-on-3 battle. Cilan brings out Pansage, while Skyla brings out Swoobat. Pansage uses Bullet Seed, while Swoobat dodges and hits Pansage with Air Cutter. Pansage uses Bite, while Swoobat dodges and laughs at Pansage while it hits the ground. Skyla comments that if a move doesn't hit, that it is pointless. Swoobat uses Gust to knock out Pansage. Iris comments that Skyla was correct, while Ash looks mad. Cilan tells Skyla that she is good at battles. Cilan brings out his Crustle, while Skyla comments that since it is part Bug-Type, it is weak against Flying Types, but is protected from Super Effective attacks with its Rock Typing. Crustle uses Rock Wrecker, which knocks Swoobat out with one hit. Skyla says that since it was a Rock-Type move, that the knock out was a given. Cilan asks her if her predictions had changed, while she says that they are going as expected.
Skyla brings out Unfezant to battle next. Crustle uses Rock Wrecker which lands a hit, while Unfezant uses Air Slash. Crustle guards itself against the Air Slash. Cilan begins to do his tasting time ritual, which makes Iris very annoyed. Cilan comments that as a Gym Leader, Skyla hasn't brought out the good side of her Flying-types. Skyla is confused about why he is looking down on her. Cilan explains that the gaze that Swoobat and Unfezant give, shows the strong bond between Skyla and her Pokémon, and that strong Pokémon can only do so much. He explains that Gym battles are not only about moves against each other, but about the Gym Leader testing the challenger's strength and the bond with their Pokémon. He says that Skyla and her Pokémon are not showing that to him. Skyla asks him if he gets tired of those types of battles, while he says no and that the feeling when the battle is over and the badge is given, that it should fill the challenger with pride for receiving it. Skyla says that a badge is a badge, while Cilan says that it would make the badges upset to say that.
Crustle uses Shell Smash and then X-Scissor to knock out Unfezant. Cilan says to Skyla that by using Shell Smash to raise the Attack and Speed, the power of the disadvantageous X-Scissor has been increased. Skyla says that it was a nice combo done by a Gym Leader. Cilan says that a defeat is regrettable, but the joy of high-leveled battles is what makes being a Gym Leader a lot of fun. Cilan adds that battles with trainers who come up with unexpected twists are even more enjoyable. Skyla brings out Swanna to battle next. Crustle uses Rock Wrecker, while Swanna dodges it. Swanna uses Bubblebeam, while Crustle tries to guard itself against the attack. Swanna uses Brave Bird, while Crustle dodges by coming out of its home and using Shell Smash. Crustle uses X-Scissor, while Swanna uses Brave Bird as both attacks collide. Swanna flies away, as Crustle is shown to be knocked out. Crustle looks sad, as Cilan returns it to its Poké ball. Skyla says that Crustle isn't bad, but a loss is a loss. She says that he thinks that you can't know things before doing them, but there are things you do know before doing them which is why she thinks air battles are possible. While being very angry, Cilan says that what she said should never be said by a Gym Leader, and that he will win in the end.
Cilan brings out his third Pokémon Stunfisk to battle next. Stunfisk uses Thundershock, which lands a hit on Swanna. Iris comments that an Electric-type move like Thundershock should deal a lot of damage to Swanna who is a Water/Flying type. Swanna shakes it off, as Ash notices that it endured the attack. Skyla tells Cilan that if he wants to defeat her Flying types, then his Pokémon must at least know Thunderbolt. Cilan comments that Skyla is strong. Swanna uses Hurricane, which hits Stunfisk as Skyla asks if his Pokémon can move while being in that state. Cilan says that she shouldn't underestimate his Stunfisk. Stunfisk spins around and uses Scald, which hits Swanna and burns it very badly. Swanna is bright red, as Cilan explains that it is the secondary effect of Scald. Skyla is worried since it will drain Swanna's energy. Swanna looks back at Skyla and smiles. Ash and Cilan are surprised about that. Swanna uses Aqua Ring to recover its strength, and to heal its burn, as Ash and Iris realize that. Skyla says that everything is going as expected. Stunfisk uses Mud Bomb, while Swanna dodges and Skyla says that she won't let them make Swanna's wings dirty. Swanna uses Brave Bird and then flies away, as Stunfisk is shown to be knocked out. Cilan loses the battle to Skyla. Mile is very upset to be saying that Skyla won.
Skyla brags that she knew all along that she would be right about winning. With a completely shocked and cold look on his face, Cilan drops to the ground and says that he tried what he could to show what it means to be a Gym Leader. Skyla says that she is bored, as she tells the other challengers that the remaining afternoon battles are cancelled, as she walks away. Ash walks up to Skyla to say that he finds air battles boring, and asks her to battle him this time. Mile backs up Ash's statement, but Skyla says that the air battles have been proven accurate, so the outcome will be the same no matter how much they try. Ash says that there are as many Trainers and Pokémon as there are battles, and that deciding battles with air battles will always be most certainly be boring. Mile asks her about what she said earlier about making Swanna's wings dirty, and says that he thinks they are already dirty. Skyla says that the outcomes are obvious, and because she is strong that it will be a waste of her time.
Ash tells her that he believes that they have to battle to know for sure. He brings out his three Pokémon that he will use in the battle, as the Pokémon are not shown on-screen. Skyla comments that the team is well-balanced, but she still thinks that she will win the battle. Ash tells her that he will be the one to win.Special Thanks to Gaylen50 for writing these for us
Special/Other Trainers:


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Roxanne Maranger an ecologist at the University of Montreal and other have a neat paper in Nature Geoscience Nitrogen transfer from sea to land via commercial fisheries that shows that commercial fishing removed substantial amounts of nitrogen from coastal oceans. They show that while fertilizer run-off into the ocean and fishery removal of nitrogen have increased over the past forty years, the increase in nitrogen inputs has been faster. Consequently the proportion of nitrogen removed from coastal zone has dropped from a global average of about 60% in 1960 to about 20% in 2000. This trend as well as the spatial pattern of nitrogen withdrawal are shown in figure 1 of their paper:
Figure 1. a, Total amount of N in fertilizer run-off (Tg N yr-1=1012 g N yr-1) delivered to the global ocean (left axis, blue line) and N returned as fish biomass (left axis, red line) per year over time. The orange line (right axis) is the proportion of fish N removed relative to fertilizer N exported (ratio fish N:fertilizer N) reported as a percentage. b, The ratio of fish N removed to fertilizer N entering 58 different large marine ecosystems (LMEs) for the year 1995.
The paper shows that fishing can help reduce the impacts of nitrogen pollution. But that nitrogen pollution that destroys fisheries, through the creation of anoxic "dead zones", can make nitrogen pollution even worse by removing a major source of nitrogen withdrawals. Similarly, overfishing the reduces the amount of fish biomass that can be removed from a system will make the system more vulnerable to eutrophication.


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What is die bonding?
Die bonding (often referred to as die attach) is the process of attaching a die/chip to a substrate or package. Die attach is accomplished by using one of the following processes:
For our purposes and that of Hybond products we will focus on Eutectic, Adhesive and Silver-Glass.


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The classic travel narrative of a Don Quixote-of-the-seas – the first man to circumnavigate the world singlehandedly.
Joshua Slocum's autobiographical account of his solo trip around the world is one of the most remarkable – and entertaining – travel narratives of all time. Setting off alone from Boston aboard the thirty-six-foot wooden sloop Spray in April 1895, Captain Slocum went on to join the ranks of the world's great circumnavigators – Magellan, Drake, and Cook. But by circling the globe without crew or consorts, Slocum would outdo them all: his three-year solo voyage of more than 46,000 miles remains unmatched in maritime history for its courage, skill, and determination.
Sailing Alone around the World recounts Slocum's wonderful adventures: hair-raising encounters with pirates off Gibraltar and savage Indians in Tierra del Fuego; raging tempests and treacherous coral reefs; flying fish for breakfast in the Pacific; and a hilarious visit with fellow explorer Henry Stanley in South Africa. A century later, Slocum's incomparable book endures as one of the greatest narratives of adventure ever written.


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Green up that roof
Having a garden on your roof isn't just nice for a garden party; it can make your city more environmentally friendly. Planting a rooftop garden can offset heat, increase city biodiversity and decrease stormwater runoff, which is why many cities around the world are creating laws to encourage the use of greenroofs. In Berlin, Germany, for example, any new building that can have a greenroof must have one, or the building doesn't get approved.
Water runoff can be problematic in cities where rainwater is funneled by streets and parking lots directly into streams, carrying with it chemicals and debris and increasing the risk of flash floods. But the plants on greenroofs can absorb some of this water – "like a sponge being saturated," says Olyssa Starry, a graduate student at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County.
Starry's poster today at the ESA Annual Meeting, in a poster session on urban ecosystems, compared a greenroof atop a Baltimore building in comparison to a similar building without a greenroof. These comparisons helped Starry determine how well the roof would absorb water from frequent storms. By measuring water flowing out of building downspouts, she found that the greenroof retained from 30 to 75 percent of water from storms, compared to a negligible amount retained by the building with no greenroof.
Although her results are preliminary, Starry thinks that cities can reap benefits from making greenroofs a part of their building requirements, as cities like Toronto and Berlin have recently done. Using GIS satellite imagery, she estimated the number and area of buildings that could hold greenroofs within one watershed in the Baltimore area. If all these roofs were greened, she says, the city could save the watershed 8 million gallons of water per year, or about 10 percent of its yearly water loss.
"We need to understand what implementing these greenroofs at the whole watershed scale can do," she says. "Getting people to learn about this technology and providing incentives is the first step."
For more about greenroofs and what kinds of plants work best on them, check out this Nature blog post on another ESA greenroofs talk.


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According to reports, the issue is likely to be in the region of €500million with the bonds coming to maturity in five years. Vestas has said the money will go towards general financing and corporate purposes.
Speaking about the decision Henrik Nørremark, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Vestas , said: "For a large European corporation like Vestas, it is natural to investigate opportunities in various capital markets.
We consider the euro bond market an attractive source of financing as it offers longer term visibility and attractive pricing, which is why we have decided to proceed with the launching of a corporate bond."
In Vestas' annual results for 2009, the company said it expected to achieve a pre-tax margin of 10-11% and revenue of €7bn for 2010. Previously it expected 10-12% pre-tax margin and €7-8billion in revenue.
There have also been questions recently over whether Vestas is in danger of losing its position as the world's number one wind turbine manufacturer after it was revealed its share had dropped to 13%.
For more see the upcoming April issue of Windpower Monthly


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Since joining Twitter last week, Kanye West has already racked up almost half a million followers and had some of his Tweets mashed up with "New Yorker" cartoons, often to hilarious effect. Given how other celebrities, musicians and power players use the microblogging service to share information and keep up with each other, it stood to reason that West would do the same.
But in keeping with his unpredictable nature, the rapper/producer decided to follow only one person, a 19-year-old Englishman named Steve Holmes, seemingly picked at random.
"I just commented on something on Kanye West's account and next thing I know he's following me," he told the Coventry Telegraph.
A lot of people would have been thrilled to be followed by one of the biggest celebrities on the planet, but it's turned into something of a nightmare for Holmes.
"I was like, 'Oh my God!,' but about 20 seconds later I had 20 messages from people I didn't even know and my phone wouldn't stop bleeping."
He deleted the Twitter application from his iPhone, in light of of both the volume of new followers - he went from 60 to over 6,000 - and the odd requests he received.
"A guy wanted me to look at his film trailer and people have been sending me links to their music demos - as if I have some sort of influence over Kanye West," he said.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
In a world where everyone seems to want a moment in the spotlight, Holmes seems content to stand quietly in the shadows.
"I think there's an obsession with celebrity culture," he said. "The thing is I don't buy into that, but judging from the comments and messages I've had over the last couple of days, a lot of people do."
In fact, Holmes denied interview requests from the BBC, CNN and New York Magazine before deciding to speak to his local paper about the story.
"Before this weekend I thought it would be cool to have a celebrity following me on Twitter but now I think it's really not worth it," he said.


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Similar Armenian mythology, Germanic mythology, Baltic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. Among Celts in close contact with Ancient Rome, such as the Gauls and Celtiberians, their mythology did not survive the Roman Empire, their subsequent conversion to Christianity, and the loss of their Celtic languages. It is mostly through contemporary Roman and Christian sources that their mythology has been preserved. The Celtic peoples who maintained either their political or linguistic identities (such as the Gaels in Ireland and Scotland, and the Celtic Britons of southern Great Britain and Brittany) left vestigial remnants of their ancestral mythologies, put into written form during the Middle Ages.
Although the Celtic world at its height covered much of western and central Europe, it was not politically unified nor was there any substantial central source of cultural influence or homogeneity; as a result, there was a great deal of variation in local practices of Celtic religion (although certain motifs, for example the god Lugh, appear to have diffused throughout the Celtic world). Inscriptions of more than three hundred deities, often equated with their Roman counterparts, have survived, but of these most appear to have been genii locorum, local or tribal gods, and few were widely worshipped. However, from what has survived of Celtic mythology, it is possible to discern commonalities which hint at a more unified pantheon than is often given credit.
The nature and functions of these ancient gods can be deduced from their names, the location of their inscriptions, their iconography, the Roman gods they are equated with, and similar figures from later bodies of Celtic mythology.
Celtic mythology is found in a number of distinct, if related, subgroups, largely corresponding to the branches of the Celtic languages:
Irish mythology
The oldest body of myths stemming from the Heroic Age is found only from the early medieval period of Ireland. As Christianity began to take over, the gods and goddesses were slowly eliminated as such from the culture. What has survived includes material dealing with the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians, which forms the basis for the text Cath Maige Tuired "The Battle of Mag Tuireadh", as well as portions of the history-focused Lebor Gabála Érenn ("The Book of Invasions"). The Tuatha Dé represent the functions of human society such as kingship, crafts and war, while the Fomorians represent chaos and wild nature.
The Dagda
The leader of the gods for the Irish pantheon appears to have been the Dagda. The Dagda was the figure on which male humans and other gods were based because he embodied ideal Irish traits. Celtic gods were also considered to be a clan due to their lack of specialization and unknown origins. The particular character of the Dagda was as a figure of burlesque lampoonery in Irish mythology, and some authors even conclude that he was trusted to be benevolent enough to tolerate jokes at his own expense.
Irish tales depict the Dagda as a figure of power, armed with a club. In Dorset there is a famous outline of an ithyphallic giant known as the Cerne Abbas Giant with a club cut into the chalky soil. While this was probably produced in relatively modern times (English Civil War era), it was long thought to be a representation of the Dagda. This has been called into question by recent studies which show that there may have been a representation of what looks like a large drapery hanging from the horizontal arm of the figure, leading to suspicion that this figure actually represents Hercules (Heracles), with the skin of the Nemean lion over his arm and carrying the club he used to kill it. In Gaul, it is speculated that the Dagda is associated with Sucellus, the striker, equipped with a hammer and cup.
The Morrígan
The Morrígan was a tripartite battle goddess of the Celts of Ancient Ireland. She was known as the Morrígan, but the different sections she was divided into were also referred to as Nemain, Macha, and Badb (among other, less common names), with each representing different aspects of combat. She is most commonly known for her involvement in the Táin Bó Cúailnge.
The god appearing most frequently in the tales is Lugh. He is evidently a residual of the earlier, more widespread god Lugus, whose diffusion in Celtic religion is apparent from the number of place names in which his name appears, occurring across the Celtic world. The most famous of these are the cities of Lugdunum (the modern French city of Lyon), Lugdunum Batavorum (Brittenburg, 10 kilometers west of Leiden in the Netherlands) and Lucus Augusti (Greek: Λοuκος Λuγούστον, the modern Galician city of Lugo). Lug is described in the Celtic myths as the last to be added to the list of deities. In Ireland a festival called the Lughnasadh (Irish: Lúnasa "August") was held in his honour.
Other important goddesses include Brigid (or Brigit), the Dagda's daughter; Aibell, Áine, Macha, and the sovereign goddess, Ériu. Notable is Epona, the horse goddess, celebrated with horse races at the summer festival. Significant Irish gods include Nuada Airgetlám, the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann; Goibniu, the smith and brewer; Dian Cecht, the patron of healing; and the sea god Manannán mac Lir.
Welsh mythology
Less is known about the pre-Christian mythologies of Britain than those of Ireland. Important reflexes of British mythology appear in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, especially in the names of several characters, such as Rhiannon, Teyrnon, and Brân the Blessed (Bendigeidfran, "Bran [Crow] the Blessed"). Other characters, in all likelihood, derive from mythological sources, and various episodes, such as the appearance of Arawn, a king of the Otherworld seeking the aid of a mortal in his own feuds, and the tale of the hero who cannot be killed except under seemingly contradictory circumstances, can be traced throughout Indo-European myth and legend. The children of Llŷr ("Sea" = Irish Ler) in the Second and Third Branches, and the children of Dôn (Danu in Irish and earlier Indo-European tradition) in the Fourth Branch are major figures, but the tales themselves are not primary mythology.
While further mythological names and references appear elsewhere in Welsh narrative and tradition, especially in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, where we find, for example, Mabon ap Modron ("Divine Son of the Divine Mother"), and in the collected Welsh Triads, not enough is known of the British mythological background to reconstruct either a narrative of creation or a coherent pantheon of British deities. Indeed, though there is much in common with Irish myth, there may have been no unified British mythological tradition per se. Whatever its ultimate origins, the surviving material has been put to good use in the service of literary masterpieces that address the cultural concerns of Wales in the early and later Middle Ages.
Remnants of Gaulish and other mythology
The Celts also worshipped a number of deities of which little more is known than their names. Classical writers preserve a few fragments of legends or myths that may possibly be Celtic.
According to the Syrian rhetorician Lucian, Ogmios was supposed to lead a band of men chained by their ears to his tongue as a symbol of the strength of his eloquence.
The first-century Roman poet Lucan mentions the gods Taranis, Teutates and Esus, but there is little Celtic evidence that these were important deities.
A number of objets d'art, coins, and altars may depict scenes from lost myths, such as the representations of Tarvos Trigaranus or of an equestrian 'Jupiter' surmounting the Anguiped (a snake-legged human-like figure). The Gundestrup cauldron has been also interpreted mythically.
Along with dedications giving us god names, there are also deity representations to which no name has yet been attached. Among these are images of a three-headed or three-faced god, a squatting god, a god with a snake, a god with a wheel, and a horseman with a kneeling giant. Some of these images can be found in Late Bronze Age peat bogs in Britain, indicating the symbols were both pre-Roman and widely spread across Celtic culture. The distribution of some of the images has been mapped and shows a pattern of central concentration of an image along with a wide scatter indicating these images were most likely attached to specific tribes and were distributed from some central point of tribal concentration outward along lines of trade. The image of the three headed god has a central concentration among the Belgae, between the Oise, Marne and Moselle rivers. The horseman with kneeling giant is centered on either side of the Rhine. These examples seem to indicate regional preferences of a common image stock.
Julius Caesar on Celtic religion and their significance
The classic entry about the Celtic gods of Gaul is the section in Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico (52–51 BC; The Gallic War). In this he names the five principal gods worshipped in Gaul (according to the practice of his time, he gives the names of the closest equivalent Roman gods) and describes their roles. Mercury was the most venerated of all the deities and numerous representations of him were to be discovered. Mercury was seen as the originator of all the arts (and is often taken to refer to Lugus for this reason), the supporter of adventurers and of traders, and the mightiest power concerning trade and profit. Next the Gauls revered Apollo, Mars, Jupiter, and Minerva. Among these divinities the Celts are described as holding roughly equal views as did other populations: Apollo dispels sickness, Minerva encourages skills, Jupiter governs the skies, and Mars influences warfare. In addition to these five, he mentions that the Gauls traced their ancestry to Dīs Pater. MacBain argues that Apollo corresponds to Irish Lugh, Mercury to Manannan mac Lir, Jupiter to Dagda, Mars to Net, and Minerva to Brigit.


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Worship Times | Directions | Calendar | Contact
Amy Scott & her volunteers will be having a blast with the kids for PHOTOGRAPHY CAMP! Meet in Rm. 230 & hang out, shoot some great pics and help!
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With open hearts and minds, we WELCOME people for Christ, GROW people in Christ and SERVE people with Christ.
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Product Description
A wide-angle prime that's as compact as it is versatile, the NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8, from Nikon, offers a comfortably broad field of view that suits a variety of applications, ranging from architecture to landscape to street subjects. The f/2.8 maximum aperture benefits working in available lighting and controlling depth of field and also contributes to a sleek and portable form factor.
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The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Suicide:
2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. .. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.
2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.
2282 Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.
2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.


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Model: ADS-T36
Input voltage: DC12V
Lamp power: 7.7W
Chip: SM16703/1934A
LED chip: SMD 5050 black or white LED
LEDs quantity: 36pcs
Color: RGB programmable
IP rating: IP66
Connector: Normal or waterproof connectors
Beam angle: ≥140°
Lifespan: ≥50000h
1. This product is made up of PCB. plastic cover and base, a couple of 3-pins male and female connectors. As well as a series of gluing process to ensure good water and UV resistance.
2. It is a RGB programmable product, can achieve many different light effects by using a LED controller such as K-1000c.
3. The features of this product are high brightness, low power dissipation, long lifespan, low voltage decline and excellent thermal management and lumen maintenance.
4. Customized requests are available, for example: logo, waterproof connectors, transparent or milky cover, and length of cables.
5. This product has CE and RoHS certifications.
Effect Pictures
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Castles, Robot, Mini carousels, Car, Mini train etc.
Packing & Weight
1. Male connector (with pins) is signal input port, female connector (without pins) is signal output port.
2. We suggest that every 5pcs lights connect to the power supply in parallel to avoid voltage decline.
3. One controller can only support up to 2000 pixels, more than 2000 pixels, you need to cascade with multiple controllers.
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Plumberpro – is clean Plumber, Electrician, Repair, Barber, Carpenter business WordPress Theme and retina ready. It is great, professional and easy to use template. You can use it for, business, construction, renovation, electricy, isolation etc.
The theme comes pre-packed with a drag and drop page builder (Elementor) to ensure you can easily design your website just how you like it.
The layout looks beautiful at any size, be it a laptop screen, iPad, iPhone, Android Mobile or tablets. Plus, Construction includes plenty of customization options that allows you to change the visual style of any elements without touching to single line of codes.
Some Of The Splendid Features Of – PlumberPro WordPress Theme
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18/07/2019 – Version 1.0.7
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* First release


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Electric girl
My sweet daughter after jumping on the trampoline
Growing up in the forest
Studying an oak nut
Discovering the nature, playing with green oak nuts... what else to do on a lazy hot summer evening?
Lost in the forest
Eating apples
Eating fresh apples
Harvesting apples
The joy of apple harvest in autumn
Harvesting apples first time in life
Irina in her Romanian traditional blouse
Looking for mushrooms in the orchard
A monk under the temple
Another temple, a wooden one. I've seen others more shiny. A monk makes me a sign to come. I follow him with my bare feet. He shows me a stone house, open the lock of the door and he enters. I follow him. Inside there was a skeleton. A real one, with teaching purpose. He then shows me another locked room from another cottage, no windows and just a chimney with a fan on top, going outside. The room is painted with Buddhist scenes making you feel that everything was real. We go out, he shows me the space under the temple. A big place where you can lose yourself. There is my hospitable monk.
Jasmine boy
Beeing tired afer a day of walking I took a path that was less populated. A boy was playing alone and suddenly saw me. He was there with his parents selling chains of flowers for people visiting the temple. While I was looking at him, he brought me a chain of jasmine and put it around my neck. I felt like receiveng a dimond neckless. The flowers were smelling incredibly and I brought them home as a precious souvenir.
Little pink beggar
From all the children I've seen in Myanmar, this little one was by far the dirtiest. I met her in front of a temple gate with her mother, who was as dirty as her daughter. I offered her some sweets and she immediately took them and went back to her sit. I left the place with a sad feeling.
However, when I was back home I had a chat with my 6yo daughter about this photo:
Me: : What do you think about this little girl? Is she poor or rich?
She: She is rich !
Me: How did you reach to this conclusion?
She: Look mommy, she has money!
To such an direct and blunt answer I was speechless.
Long-neck ladies
Long-neck women or girafe women are part of Padaung tribe in Myanmar.
Begging on the streets of Mandalay
After the monks line up for lunch, the tourists spread all over the city. Few locals continue their daily routine. Exactly like this mom begging to feed her child.
Lotus girl
I was photographing people around when an English woman stopped me and told to go and visit a wooden house and look for a lovely little girl there. It was a bit weird why she was giving me this info, but I felt I had to follow her advice. The moment I entered in a big room where some women were sewing in a very traditional way, a little girl almost jumped on my way with a happy smile. It was like she was waiting for me for a long time. It was like the sun rising in the morning. Her mother, a worker in this lotus and silk traditional factory, put her on a big table on the side, that was looking more as a theater scene. She danced for me almost for 15 minutes, radiating a happiness that you could rarely find. Photographing her it was not anymore my thing. I was just looking at her joy and let myself enter into her world. When it was the time for me to leave, she felt and she stopped, I grabbed the camera and make her some photos. That joy or that innocence from her eyes is difficult to be forgotten.
Poverty and technology
This little guy was the boy of a man who was selling all sort of touristic things. You could have easily notice that they were struggling with their daily life. However, this little boy was playing on a smartphone. Probably they had one for the entire family, but nevertheless you couldn't pass without seeing the discrepancy.
Old lady from Myanmar
We have found this old lady almost waiting for us. She lead us to an ancient place and took a sit. Although she was wearing a broken shirt on the back and her wrinkles were showing her age, she revealed an incredible beautiful smile with no retention. A smile coming from the heart. She was feeling like a star and she was actually one. Her happy mood was contagious. What an incredible lady!
Long neck lady
Colors is something that you'll find everywhere in Myanmar. No matter how rich or poor, everybody wears colors. Long neck tribe makes no exception.
Yangon monk
You could have read on the face of almost all monks I saw in Myanmar the feeling of peace and tranquility except for one who was different.
A kind of selfie
Looking for the sunrise in UK
My princess
My beautiful princess.
Brother and sister love
Pure love between siblings
Pipe riding
Theo on his favorite pipe in the forest.
My elderflower girl
When grass is bigger than you
When grass is bigger than you, you raise your hands
Wood walk
Walking in the wood to find new paths is a favorite activity
The teller story bear
Dubi-Dubi bear, the story teller


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Handbag designer and Ellicott City native Danielle DiFerdinando will make appearances at Macy's locations in White Marsh and Towson Town Center on Saturday to introduce her Danielle Nicole Summer 2013 collection. The visit will also mark the launch of her line at both locations.
"I can't wait to meet with all the customers," she said. "It will be more of a meet-and-greet. It will be fun."
DiFerdinando's Danielle Nicole bags have been stocked in stores like Bergdorf Goodman and carried by celebrities including Rachel Zoe and Anna Dello Russo. Oprah Winfrey purchased 5,500 of her bags in 2011.
DiFerdinando appeared on the Home Shopping Network in April and was in London in June, where she appeared on QVC. That month, she also went to China to work on her spring 2014 collection. She's also been working to maintain her growing social media presence.
"It allows me to get feedback that I can take back to the design board," she said of her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram presence. "My customer is loving modern, contemporary handbags for less than $100. It's a lifestyle. She feels that she is part of the brand. I want her to feel that way."
DiFerdinando plans to visit fashion shows in Paris this September. She's also scheduled to make another appearance on the Home Shopping Network on Aug. 28 at 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Meet Danielle DiFerdinando at Macy's at White Marsh Mall from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday and at Towson Town Center Mall from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.


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Android coming to wearables — watches first
March 22, 2014
Google has announced Android Wear, a project that extends Android to wearables, starting with two watches, both due out this Summer: Motorola's Moto 360 and LG's G Watch.
Android Wear will show you info from the wide variety of Android apps, such as messages, social apps, chats, notifications, health and fitness, music playlists, and videos.
It will also enable Google Now functions — say "OK, Google" for flight times, sending a text, weather, view email, get directions, travel time, making a reservation, etc..
Google says it's working with several other consumer-electronics manufacturers, including Asus, HTC, and Samsung; chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm; and fashion brands like the Fossil Group to offer watches powered by Android Wear later this year.
If you're a developer, there's a new section on developer.android.com/wear focused on wearables. Starting today, you can download a Developer Preview so you can tailor your existing app notifications for watches powered by Android Wear.


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Rheumatology Specialty Clinic PLLC has bought the 4,728-square-foot building at 7660 Poplar Pike in Germantown for slightly less than $1 million.
The company acquired the mixed-use office building Nov. 14, from Dale C. Bregenzer, who took ownership of the property earlier this year via quitclaim from his company, Bregenzer Properties LLC.
Built in 2008, the Class A building sits on 0.38 acres along the north side of Poplar Pike across from Germantown High School.
The Shelby County Assessor of Property's 2012 appraisal is $803,900.
Bregenzer Properties bought the office building in September 2008 from Nancy S. Waddell, who acquired it the previous March from the builder, The Salvaggio Group LLC.
The two-story, 5,000-square-foot building resembles a 1920s, Midtown-style residence, as do two neighboring buildings that Salvaggio built at the same time.
In conjunction with the purchase, Rheumatology Specialty Clinic filed two loans – one for $807,800 through Trustmark National Bank and one for $150,996 through the seller.
Sudha N. Ganguli signed the trust deeds as chief manager of Rheumatology Specialty Clinic.
Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports
– Daily News staff
Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell to fresh record lows last week, a trend that is boosting home sales and aiding the housing recovery.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday, Nov. 21, that the average rate on the 30-year loan dipped to 3.31 percent, the lowest on records dating back to 1971.
That's down from 3.34 percent the previous week, which was the previous record low.
The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage also dropped to 2.63 percent. That's down from 2.65 percent the previous week and also a new record.
The average rate on the 30-year loan has been below 4 percent all year. It has fallen further since the Federal Reserve started buying mortgage bonds in September to encourage more borrowing and spending.
Home sales and construction are rising, providing a much-needed boost to the economy.
Home prices are also increasing, which makes consumers feel wealthier and more likely to spend.
Lower rates have also persuaded more people to refinance. That usually leads to lower monthly mortgage payments and more spending. Consumer spending drives nearly 70 percent of economic activity.
Still, the housing market has a long way to a full recovery. And many people are unable to take advantage of the low rates, either because they can't qualify for stricter lending rules or they can't afford the larger down payments that many banks require.
To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average doesn't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.
The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.7 point, unchanged from the previous week. The fee for 15-year loans also remained at 0.7 point.
The average rate on a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage ticked up to 2.56 percent from 2.55 percent. The fee for one-year adjustable-rate loans rose two-tenths to 0.5 point.
The average rate on a five-year adjustable-rate mortgage was 2.74 percent, the same as the previous week. The fee was unchanged at 0.6 point.
– The Associated Press
Malco's Ridgeway 4 Cinema is hosting a winter wine tasting soon to celebrate the release of the Focus Features film "Anna Karenina."
The event will take place Friday, Nov. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the theater, 5853 Ridgeway Center Parkway. Participants will have a selection of reds, whites and sparkling wines to sample, as well as the chance to get door giveaways and win prizes.
Admission is $10 per person. Malco also will be accepting additional donations for Literacy Mid-South.
Film admissions and concessions are separate from the wine event.
– Andy Meek
Tennessee State Parks is offering special winter rates for 360 villas and cabins.
The discount, which also includes six state park inns, lasts through March 15, 2013.
The special rate allows park visitors to stay at one of Tennessee's six state park inns for $54.95 a night, excluding tax.
The inn discount can be used seven days a week and applies to both individuals and groups.
A 50 percent discount also is being offered for villas and cabins with a two-night minimum stay.
For more information about the special promotion, call the Tennessee State Parks information line at 615-532-0001 or toll free at 1-888-867-2757. To make online reservations, visit the Tennessee State Parks website at www.tnstateparks.com.
A measure of the U.S. economy intended to signal future activity rose only slightly last month, suggesting growth could stay weak.
The Conference Board said Wednesday that its index of leading indicators increased 0.2 percent in October after a 0.5 percent gain in September. The index is intended to anticipate economic conditions three to six months out.
The strength in October came from lower interest rates, a drop in applications for unemployment benefits, and an increase in demand for large manufactured goods.
Applications for unemployment aid have spiked this month because Superstorm Sandy closed businesses and cut off power to 8 million homes in 10 states. People can claim unemployment benefits if their workplaces are forced to close and they aren't paid.
In all, only four of the 10 indicators that make up the index improved. The major areas of weakness were a decline in building permits, a drop in consumer confidence, a decline in the Institute for Supply Management's new orders index and lower stock prices.
Many analysts predict growth at an annual rate of roughly 3 percent in the July-September quarter, up from the initial estimate of 2 percent reported last month. The government releases its second estimate for third-quarter growth on Nov. 29.
But many economists expect growth to slow in the current October-December quarter to an annual rate below 2 percent. Part of the slowdown is likely to occur because of Superstorm Sandy, which disrupted businesses and cut off power throughout the Northeast.
Many companies may also hold off on hiring and new investment until the White House and Congress resolve the "fiscal cliff," the package of tax cuts and spending increases scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.
If the cliff is avoided, many analysts think growth could accelerate next year.
Copyright 1995 -
by The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved


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5 Ingredients: Chili Cheese Dip
You don't need to be a football fan to love this crowd-pleasing dip. No light or nonfat ingredients in this recipe -- indulging is all about sensible portions.
It may seem like an odd combination, but tangy and smooth cream cheese is what makes this dip so special. Take it out of the refrigerator a few minutes before preparing the dip to allow it to soften a bit.
I always make an extra large batch of chili – leftovers are welcomed and it freezes beautifully. Set aside a pint (2-cup) container for this recipe. Chili is oft considered a heavy dish, but can easily be lightened up. A fabulously easy recipe made our list of cozy winter foods.
Pass on the pre-shredded pouches and get a block of good quality cheddar. Shredding on a box grater is a breeze and when you use a full-flavored cheese, you can go lighter on the portions and still get big flavor.
Fresh green chives give a hint of onion flavor and a sprinkle of green. When they hit the bubbling dip the aroma is intoxicating!
On average, a 1-ounce portion (about 9 chips) has 130 calories. Check the label on your favorite brand.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Spread cream cheese in an even layer on the bottom of a baking dish, top with chili and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chives and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving with tortilla chips.
Nutrition Info Per Serving (5 chips each topped with a heaping tablespoon of dip)
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »


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Oof! I swear the sewing blogger gods did not want me to get this post up! They were just throwing me one curve ball after another. However, I'm trying to do less whining in this space so I won't really go into detail...
witchy woman
Oof! I swear the sewing blogger gods did not want me to get this post up! They were just throwing me one curve ball after another. However, I'm trying to do less whining in this space so I won't really go into detail...
56 comments:
- sewinsteadySeptember 26, 2012 at 6:43 PM
hahaha, I love the image of you posing in someone's random front yard! I'm not quite brave enough for that, yet. I'm strictly an indoor-posing-camera girl. :)ReplyDelete
- poppykettleSeptember 26, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Gorgeous dress Sallie - I too absolutely adored all of Victory Patterns' most recent offering. Shame its generally too cold for me to gal avant about in such garb, but then I get to admire you doing it instead! hehe... I totally take all my pictures in my street and in front of other peeps houses... although I'm still in the 'quick, somebodies coming!' phase. :PReplyDelete
Uhhhgggg sooooo pretttyy! Stop it! Just stop it right now! ...no just kidding. You're my sewing/trespassing-photography-delinquent inspiration ;)ReplyDelete
Hee hee, love it that you can go pose anywhere you like :)) I seriously can't do it. So respect!ReplyDelete
Cute dress and I love your shoes!ReplyDelete
You are too funny! I had to chuckle at the image of you squatting in someone's driveway. This dress is perfect for you, you seem to know instinctively what type of clothing suits you and go with it. I'm still trying to figure it out for myself :)ReplyDelete
stunning as usual! very sleek in black. and as a fellow texan I feel you on the fall-but-not-really-fall fashion dilemma. also, i admire your bravery for taking pics alone, in public, in front of random houses. i have a hard enough time taking pics in front of my own house. people honk at me :(ReplyDelete
You and your dress are lovely, and you always crack me up! How was sewing those shoulder cut outs in the silk?ReplyDelete
- Cirque Du BebeSeptember 26, 2012 at 8:53 PM
Bahaha! I laugh because I can relate. Its good when you can go about being photographed posing in public places like that is exactly the most appropriate thing you could be doing at the time. You gotta give people something to talk about. And for the most part they were probably thinking...smokin! Lovely lovely dress, any thoughts on the sizing?ReplyDelete
First off, I just don't know how your husband deals with this level of babiness 24/7. As for your dress.... it's funny, I was totally meh about this particular pattern (though I loved the other ones) but your version is totally changing my mind. It's so sleek and minimal and TOTALLY perfect for autumn in a hot climate. I'm really feeling black this season - normally I'm all, "ALL OF THE COLOURS" but sometimes you can't beat the NYC vibe of black silk. Regarding the awkwardness of photos - I hear you sister. I once had my new neighbor and his gf sit on their balcony and watch my photoshoot in the alley like it was TV. She yelled "Do you have a blog?!" I murmered assent. She demanded the title, and I mumbled it. She promised to check it out. I muttered, please don't. I do this for YOU guys, not those guys. The idea of non-sewing people/best friends seeing my blog kinda gives me the deep heebs. But the photoshoot weirdness is totally worth it for these witchy magic vibes dude.ReplyDelete
- AgoodwardrobeSeptember 26, 2012 at 8:56 PM
1. I'm sorry to hear about your bike! Bike theft has been terrible around here and we've been victim at least three times in the past two years. It's such a bummer!ReplyDelete
2. You are stunning! Beautiful girl, beautiful dress. I love seeing this pattern made up.
3. The story of the home owner is too funny. That's basically my worse fear - being caught by the owner while I'm posing in their yard. So embarrassing!
Stunning dress, it looks like the pattern was made for you!ReplyDelete
I often make most mistakes with easy garments, I guess it's because I lower my guard and get distracted more easily when things are supposed to be simple.
The stink eye story is hilarious. You should be proud of yourself to have the cheekiness to take photos in public, I'm still way too shy for that. Once, my neighbor passed by in the woods while I was taking photos in full makeup and heels, and he usually sees me in sweat pants and super messy hair. I was tomato red in my face for the next fifty photos or so...
- elisalexSeptember 27, 2012 at 1:54 AM
Hilarious about the dude's driveway!! I've recently taken to posing in front of a temporary board my neighbours' builders have put up front of their house...! The builders seem to find my "shoots" pretty entertaining, but what am I going to do when they finish their work and take the board down??ReplyDelete
Secondly, blaming everything on that time of the month is the way to go - because we are quite clearly perfect creatures the rest of the time...
Finally, what a beautiful dress! I am salivating over that delicious silk and exposed shoulders... Simple, sexy and stunning!
- asewingodyssey.blogspot.co.ukSeptember 27, 2012 at 2:09 AM
Oh Sallie, your storytelling skills are ace! You had me giggling like a chimp at my work desk with your driveway story...highlight of my day! That aside, you looking stunning as ever, this dress is so simple, yet so perfect on you! Your fabric choice certainly is 'moody' but in the best way possible...love it! Oh and sorry to hear about your bike :o(ReplyDelete
This is so awesome! I really love it. And its perfect in a simple black.ReplyDelete
god i wish we could go on a guerilla photo shoot together.ReplyDelete
i LOVE your version. now i'm kicking myself for not buying a pack of 3 (i bought one, then another, and now i must haz this gem...). i truly admire your style so much!
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 6:36 AM
Oh! Excellent question! I made this up in the smallest size - even though I am not the smallest size. I just felt like the finished measurements for this size would be enough for me and would work with the style.ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 6:37 AM
Thanks Abigail! They weren't as bad as I thought they'd be, actually. I wish I had mitered the bias binding, however, because it does that weird thing where it kind of sticks out a bit instead of laying totally flat.ReplyDelete
A beautiful slinky dress just right for a hot fall Sallie. Sorry to hear about your bike though - filthy thieving pigs! Frightened at the thought of you looking furtive in OTHER PEOPLE'S driveways - there are guns in Texas ferchrissakes - don't you get scared of angry homeowners?!ReplyDelete
I'm so sorry your bike was stolen!! People who steal transportation are my least favorite kinds of thieves... like, cool NOW I CAN'T GO TO WORK OR EVEN GET HOME THANKS A LOT. Arghhhh that makes me so angry on your behalf!ReplyDelete
But... at least you have a totally gorgeous dress. I love how floaty & dreamy &, yes, witchy it looks. Love!! I know what you mean about the weird in-between season feeling... I am drawn to snuggly autumn looks, but it's still pretty warm here in Tennessee. Not as warm as it is in Texas, I'd assume - but it's 85 degrees today. And all my pretty fall/winter clothes are wool, and I dunno... I just feel wrong wearing bright summery colors/patterns when it's practically October. Black is a good compromise.
Also, I love that you shot those pictures in your neighbor's driveway. Haha! I need to grow some balls and start shooting in different locales too... I just feel so AWKWARD. Me & my tripod and my cheap point-and-shoot haha. But you're right, those trees are totally gorgeous.
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:34 AM
I know! So not only did you steal my belonging - which I spent money on - but you freaking stole my ability to go about my daily business! Transportation thieves ARE the worst kind of thieves! Its like a double whammy.ReplyDelete
I feel like I'm always adjusting to this whole "living in the south" thing - yeah, wool seems pretty out of the question for these early fall temps - so it seemed like the only thing I could change up was the color palette.
And shooting photos of yourself - by yourself - will never NOT be awkward. End of story!
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:39 AM
Oh Joanne! You sweet, sweet Brit! Here in the States we laugh in the face of gun-totin' Texans! After all, they wouldn't need an entire armory to protect their land if there weren't snot nosed liberal brats like me that think they can trespass wherever they damn please! See - its just all part of the system... I'm just upholding our good, American values!ReplyDelete
Just kidding... this guy looked like more of a burnt-out beach stoner than a Yosemite Sam. I think he was very, very confused...
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Thank Oona!! The admiration is mutual, I can assure you! I think I'm going to be in the same boat as you - this feels like the first of many Victory makes...ReplyDelete
And you just say the words and I'll be trespassing ALL OVER with you!
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:43 AM
Hehe!! Thanks! So glad I could make for some awkward work giggling!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:50 AM
Ha! Excellent point about "that time of the month" - yeah, I only make mistakes every 28 days... obviously...ReplyDelete
Maybe you can sweetly ask the builders to donate the board to your blogging cause - I bet that would really befuddle them!
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:53 AM
Oh man! I totally feel your pain - trust me, if I had some beautiful woods to take photos in - relatively undisturbed - like you do I'd be ALL over that! Its the worst when you see someone you know - I'd prefer that no one in my "real life" know about my blog!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 8:55 AM
Thank you Lizz!! Getting your bike stolen is a major bummer - it feels so darn personal!ReplyDelete
I can't even imagine what I looked like to this guy - he just seemed so confused and I was so SO embarrassed!
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:02 AM
DUDE!! We are SO sympatico! I'm also weirdly feeling all black this season! Also, I think one of my favorite things about sewing blogs is seeing people make up the patterns that I totally passed over and seeing how awesome it CAN be. I mean, its not good for my wallet...but whatever...ReplyDelete
And yes - totally get you about the non-sewing/"real life" people seeing my blog really skeevs me out. Usually people are really nice when they find out about it - but its still not something I'm very comfortable talking about - especially not YOU, strange person creeping on my photoshoot!
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:03 AM
Ohhh god! Some dude in a pickup honked at me yesterday! Yeah... this whole taking pictures of yourself thing never really gets any easier!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:05 AM
Wow! Thanks Jillian! Yeah, I'm starting to wonder if I'm stuck in a rut though? I think I might need to work on some more tailored elements to keep things interesting...ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:05 AM
Thanks, girl!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:06 AM
Thank you, Lena! Sometimes you just have to own the fact that you're going to get weird looks...ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:07 AM
Aw! Thank you, Rochelle! I wish I had some sweet Vermont-y woods to hike around in to get some pictures like you and Lucille!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:10 AM
Thanks Melanie! I always think that one of the nice things about all these blogs is that we get to live vicariously through each other's makes! I had to give myself a little *slap slap* after seeing your coat because I was dreaming of making my own... but really...it never really gets cold enough for one! So I'll just admire yours, thanks ;)ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:11 AM
Oh its always so awkward!!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:11 AM
Thank you Kelli!!ReplyDelete
- Maddie964September 27, 2012 at 9:29 AM
I had the opposite problem as you. When I moved to the northeast from Florida, I didn't know how to dress for fall let alone winter! But I think you're figuring out a new mode of dress for your new location and I like the way it's going. The black of the dress makes it feel fall and holiday-ish but the lightweight silk doesn't have you sweating balls. Also, this dress will last you year round.ReplyDelete
And lots of mistakes on a rather easy project? Yeh, I've been there and done that!
I'm surprised that you still feel awkward taking photos, but really it's good to know since yours look awesome! And I love how you find new locations. I have to get out the camera and tripod here, I'll probably stick to my yard/my parents' yard, but you're inspiring me to find somewhere more interesting . . .ReplyDelete
Sorry about your bike, that is the worst! One time someone stole a bike that was part of a free bike rental program from in front of the apartment we were renting in Madison - people, honestly!
Fantastic dress. I love every single Victory Patterns. Of course from the latest release I bought a pack of 3 which didn't include this one. Leave it to you to tempt me with the one I didn't get. Where I live in Central California we have the same weather issues as you. Its going to be mid to high 90's for another entire week before we get ANY 80s tempts for christsakes! So I am still sewing up some of my summer projects that will totally be fine through October.ReplyDelete
- Miss Crayola CreepySeptember 27, 2012 at 10:43 AM
I bet the guy was checking out your cute new dress! :)ReplyDelete
Oh my goah, this is BEAUTIFUL! I love it so much!! Oh, Victory Patterns... you make my heart race!ReplyDelete
- emily marieSeptember 27, 2012 at 2:52 PM
AHHH silk cdc is DELICIOUS. My absolute favorite. And this dress is freaking chic. I totally admire the fact that you take photos in people's driveways, by the way.ReplyDelete
This dress is awesome. And the photo shoot especially! I don't think people give enough credit for self-portraits, as a general rule...ReplyDelete
- Robin DenningSeptember 28, 2012 at 4:14 AM
As usual, you hit it out of the park. Lovely photos. Sorry about the bike! I wish someone would invent a bike that senses its true owner and gives electrical shock to nefarious strangers. your photo shoot is just gorgeous. well done!ReplyDelete
- SamanthaSeptember 28, 2012 at 1:08 PM
I was just taking pix for last post and remembering when I was a photography student back in the 90's and self portraits was my thing. Now I just feel awkward and try not to look too stupid while showing off the garment. But I certainly don't have the cojones to do this in public. Loved your story. Love the dress. Love your blog. Oh yeah, and I always screw up the easiest patterns. As someone else said, I think it's because you think you don't have to pay as much attention to an easy pattern. But sewing is sewing, easy or hard, it needs to be paid attention to...ReplyDelete
This garment is just oozing drama. You look brilliant! Bravo!ReplyDelete
- StephanieSeptember 30, 2012 at 7:04 AM
Omg, this dress is insanely beautiful. I'm kind of obsessed with it.ReplyDelete
That dress is absolutely gorgeous. I must admit I was very amused by your blogger adventures while taking photographs, but I guess they are worth it (as long as you don't get into any trouble!) because I love the backgrounds on your photos, you always pick beautiful spots.ReplyDelete
- Amanda RussellOctober 1, 2012 at 1:33 PM
As usual, struttin' your stuff looking like a supermodel! I love this dress... and i LOVE silk crepe... what a glorious combination! You've done it again!! ^__^ I bet that person who's yard you were standing on was wondering if he was gonna see his house front in the next issue of Vogue! ^__^ReplyDelete
Sorry to hear about your bike!! Karma will prevail.... maybe the chain will break and they'll go flying into the nearest mukky ditch ^__^
I can totally relate! Although here in NYC everyone is shooting something or the other, so they leave you alone pretty much. I love this dress, btw.ReplyDelete
How fun! Easy drama. I didn't notice all their new amazing patterns. I love your backstage stories. It's getting easier to slink around and find good photo spots but I admit I still end up trying to pass off what I'm doing as "oh I'm just taking pictures of your building".ReplyDelete
So sorry to hear about the bike. Here in the Bike Theft Capital, we have lost a total of 8 bikes in five years right out of our garage and it really really stinks and sends me crying every time. It's a serious problem in Texas in general, and most of the bikes leave the country. Our smarter neighbors bring their bikes in the house and one built a superhero-proof bike rack on his porch.
- Katie DiStefanoOctober 4, 2012 at 7:24 AM
HA! This made me laugh and laugh... 'I'm a sleuth.... yes. I. am..... " slink away! Love the dress sis. Its gorgeous.ReplyDelete
- Katie DiStefanoOctober 4, 2012 at 7:26 AM
Also, how do I get MY picture to show, so that I'm not the shadow man?!?!ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerOctober 4, 2012 at 8:29 AM
I think you might have to make a Disqus profile (you could also switch over to using Disqus as your commenting platform on YOUR blog so I don't have to type in the evil unreadable text and blurry photo number thing that is recaptcha.... just a suggestion... you know I'll always leave you a comment no matter what - because I LOVE YOU!)ReplyDelete
- sallieforrerOctober 4, 2012 at 8:31 AM
that was EXACTLY what I was doing - I even made "the eyes" !!ReplyDelete
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text:
Earlier this month, the guardian of the Internet's domain name system, ICANN, played straight into the hands of the ICM Registry. ICANN trumpeted the news that a sexy new top-level domain has been approved for rollout later this year. ICM Registry hopes to get what is coyly called the adult entertainment industry to register domains with the suffix .xxx.
What's in it for the skin merchants? Not much–just a chance to market what they are currently selling quite successfully from .com domains. By raising public awareness of this announcement, ICANN and the news media have given publicity to something that is, in essence, an unwanted product.
It's a truth universally acknowledged that sex sells. It's a truth acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records that sex.com sells for the highest sum ever recorded–$13 million in November.
But almost nobody except for ICM Registry and ICANN seems to believe that .xxx is necessary or necessarily valuable. It's not particularly attractive to purveyors of this kind of content, because it doesn't make their product any easier to purvey–in fact, it makes it easier to block.
It took ICM more than six years to get ICANN to approve the .xxx domain, and it took six days for the first reports that an entire country plans to block it. India's the first to make the announcement. We're betting that thousands of companies and another country or two will follow suit.
This is hardly the first time that a new top-level domain has been introduced for no apparent reason. When the domain naming system was first introduced, top level domains were easy to understand. There were country-level domains such as .uk and .us. Then there were domains that reflected the business of the domain owner, such as .gov for government, .edu for education, and .com for commercial enterprises.
But the rush for domain registration dollars soon muddied the waters. The steady stream of revenue that comes to the domain registry (Network Solutions for the .com space) and domain sellers such as GoDaddy andand 1and1.com have fueled a huge speculative industry. Everyone wanted .com after their name, so all the good names were snapped up. Desperate domain seekers snapped up .net and .org domains instead, even though they were intended for network providers and nonprofits. Pretty soon all the good domain names were gone-and more top level domains were required to fill the need.
This new wave of domains was based not on the location or business of the domain owner but the content of their sites. This introduced such essentially redundant domains as .info, .museum, .biz, and .mobi. At a stretch, these all make sense (and New York's mta.info is a brilliant example of how well a nouveau top-level-domain can fit its content), but at their root, they're all about domain registrars making a buck or two from selling people something that by definition is their second or third choice.
The same applies to .xxx, but more so. For its part, the ICM Registry pushed some very noble-sounding goals for the .xxx domain: To safeguard children from exposure to marketing of adult material, to combat the use of spoofing and other malicious technologies that are currently associated with pornographic sites, and to oppose fraudulent and unsolicited spam for adult-oriented material.
Will this new top-level domain bring about any of these benefits? Of course not. Can ICANN or anyone else prevent this from happening? Likewise, of course not.
ICM has spent six years addressing ICANN's initial objections, that ICANN's Sponsorship Panel "did not believe that the .xxx application represented a clearly defined community" and "did not agree that the application added new value to the Internet name space."
In the intervening time, ICM Registry has gleaned enough pre-sales and other tokens of industry interest to convince ICANN that they have something to bring to the table. ICANN's advisory panel on matters of public policy, the GAC, raised twelve objections to the new domain, which were systematically knocked down, and the issue became a done deal. Three sunrise registration periods are slated for the summer, and the whole thing should go live shortly afterwards.
What does this mean for the rest of us? Not much, really. This is a story of one company trying to spin straw into gold, and an Internet domain regulatory body that doesn't intend to get in its way. Unless you're shooting for a slot on the domain reseller charts by making a few speculative purchases of .xxx domains, move along to the next story. There's nothing to see here.
Matt Lake is an author, award-winning technology journalist and technical services coordinator in the field of education.