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About Us
Immune Builder
Our immune systems are important to our health because they are what guard us against illness and disease. When the immune system is weak or compromised from stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, etc it is difficult to remain healthy and energetic. Immune Builder is our formula to help your body fight off the bad stuff. It starts with Echinacea, a beautiful purple flower you probably have seen that is known for its immune building properties. Astragalus is an herb used in Chinese cultures for 2000 years to promote comfort, well being, energy, and to support the immune system.
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Office Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm
Mountain Time
Herb Appeal
PO Box 644
Bountiful UT 84011
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult your physician before taking. Cascara Sagrada and Senna can be habit forming if taken for long periods of time. © 2016 HerbAppeal


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PHP error log issue chmod 777
So I am trying to get PHP save error logs automatically to the directory where the script containing error is. But the problem is that error logs are not written unless I set permission 777 to all directories manually. And that is something I wouldn't want to do due to security issues.
So I tried this
chgrp www-data /var/www
chmod g+w /var/www
But, unfortunately, it didn't help. Any other advice?
Thank you!
ryanpq MOD July 30, 2015
Without a bit more information it's difficult to know the exact problem but I do have a thought on how you might resolve this. Assuming that 1.) You are on Ubuntu and 2.) That this script is running via Apache or nginx you can set the ownership of the directory to www-data which is the user that the web server process is running as. Doing this should allow your script to write properly without setting 777 permissions.
chown -Rf www-data:www-data /var/www/html
This will set the permissions for the entire default Apache web root.
thank you very much !
I had to change it to:
chown -Rf www-data:www-data /var/www
And then it worked.

subset: commoncrawl


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Product photography post production is the key to showing your customers just how great your product is. Follow us as we make a client's watch sing!
Here's a quick little post about how we created micro product photography for manufacturing to help a client's tiny products stand out from the crowd and "sing" for their potential buyers.
Secrets to great lab photography that will make your next web site update sing to your potential clients and customers. Here's what you need to know.
My most famous photo: A Love Note. Its the one that no one seems pay for. And, how I plan to avoid future theft of my intellectual property.
Conceptual theatrical portraits, inspired by romantic religious paintings, to help promote Fiddlehead Theatre Company's production at Boston's Strand.
My name is Rebekah Segar and I am currently a student at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts. I plan to graduate in 2015 with a BFA concentration in Photography. I have recently [...]
Get the best Christmas Cookie recipe, along with how other cultures celebrate the season, in this post for McKeePhoto's Holiday Season Card!
A promotional poster is designed to create a very specific and measurable response in its audience. It is crafted to sell a product, generate curiousity, drive traffic, or otherwise help the [...]


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Here are the rest of the Television X photos for you!
A big thanks to TVX for them. You are getting the first sneak peek of these pictures as they arn't even up on the TVX website!
I also have another shoot booked for Sunday 21st. Its for JimSlip and will be with JimSlip!
I am looking forward to it as I get to dress really porno for it and it will be with a much older guy than I am used to working with! I think that will make it soo much more fun!
I have been busy doing my Christmas shopping today and I have nearly finished it all. I am now addicted to Wensleydale cheese with Cranberry. It is amazing!
I am off to wrap all these pressies!


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DALLAS - Usually when a police car is involved in a high speed chase its bad news but this weekend the need for speed will be for a good cause.
This is the "Back the Blue" edition of the #83 car that will honor the Dallas Police Department and every fallen officer within the department since its founding.
The names of all 84 officers are displayed on the hood behind the Dallas PD badge. It's in collaboration with Dallas-based car products company ZAK.
The vehicle is the first ever sponsored NASCAR supporting a police department. ZAK founder & CEO Vic Keller was proud to be able to provide a helping hand in getting the car cruiser ready, "I've joked a lot about possibly putting a light rack on the car so we can get some of the guys in front of us out of the way and hopefully get the car in victory lane."
That may be wishful thinking but the tribute is a dream come true for Interim Chief David Pughes and the men and women in blue. "What an incredible tribute to everybody who has made the ultimate sacrifice for this city and I can`t say enough about what that means to not only me but the entire Dallas Police Department," Pughes said.
So don't be surprised when you see this cruiser on the racetrack trading paint instead of pulling speedsters over. You'll get your chance to cheer on this fast moving tribute Sunday at 1pm when it races in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.


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Hi guys! With Retro still in development and more updates being talked about, I had a thought last night. One of those thoughts when you're trying to sleep but your brain is like "nope". It was why the Future was so great in the first place?
In early-2011, FusionFall finally received its first and only long-awaited expansion. It was hardly an expansion really and more of a replacement with a few small updates such as Nanos but shush. This update replaced with the Future with the shorter, still kinda cool Academy. The Academy took place in the Null Void for basic training, Providence HQ's Petting Zoo for advanced training and Mt. Neverest for the graduation.
It was still nice in a way. It showed Cartoon Network was still capable of making new things ater Grigon left the scene sometime in 2009 and brought back a lot of NPCs previously only seen during the 2010 Birthday Bash such as Fred Fredburger and Major Glory. However, it was still met with… unfavourable views, from myself and many other veterans of the game because, as I said, it removed the Future.
AND here is where we get to the point. Why was it loved so much compared to the Academy? Why are we happy the Retro and Legacy teams are bringing back the Future? There are a variety of reasons actually, so let's go through them, shall we? In no particular order…
The Story
(Ugh WordPress just gets worse and worse sometimes…) Long ago in a distant land time, there were cutscenes. Yeah… that's not all by the way. As some of you may know from Retro, the game started with you, the hero, participating in Dexter's recent time machine experiment. The experiment is going well, until Dex's hapless sister Dee Dee sneaks in and screws it up, flinging you further into the future than intended. The future being apocalyptic. You suddenly went from a nice, sunny day, to utter destruction. The skies as green as the aliens invading. Yes; aliens. Planet Fusion had arrived in your absence, raining green, glowing egg-sacs known as terrafusers.
These things do more than spew out Fusion Spawns; they ooze out acidic, poisonous Fusion Matter, tearing the Earth apart bit-by-bit. You arrive in Tech Square, confused, bewildered as to what's going on. Ben Tennyson and Numbuh 5 find you and take you up to speed. Numbuh 2 then needs your help retrieving a transmitter and soon, you find yourself saving Dexter from a Fusion, thus giving you your first Nano, Buttercup. Not long after, Tech Square falls to Fuse. This all seems like too much to take in but you get your chance to get your bearings as Numbuh 2 sends you to Sector V. Your mission; rebuild the time machine that brought you here. With Dexter gone, it's up to Mandark and Numbuh 2, with help from Eddy, Eduardo and more.
On your journey through the ruins of the suburbs, you learn more about what is at stake here and how urgent it is to go back to the past. As you eventually step into the newly-rebuilt time machine, you get to say good-bye to all who have helped you. You feel a slight worry about them. You're going to the past to save them from all this but you can't help but think what might happen to them while you're gone. Time is a strange concept.
The Academy on the other hand… is more simple. Fuse has already been defeated so many times that this apocalyptic future no longer exists. You are now but a simple soldier, training through the Academy to learn how to beat Fuse, defeating a few Fusions along the way.
The Length and Features
The Academy. This usually took around an hour to beat, maybe half that. This might not seem so bad, but the Academy had so little to actually do. Do a number of missions, beat a few Fusions, ride Lady Rainicorn to Sector V. The Future took as long as a whole weekend, and that's if you had no life like me anyway.
It's true; longer doesn't always mean better. You might be watching a movie but wishing it would just end because it's 3 hours long or something, but the Future was so long because there were so many things to do. It had a lot of things you would find in the Past such as Monkey Skyway Agents, S.C.A.M.P.E.R.s, Croc Pot, etc. These were all there to introduce you to the features in the Past and to get you used to them. Not to mention there were so many missions.
The main story of recreating the time machine, which acted as the first Guide quests, being handed out by Computress, the introduction to the Ben 10 Adventure quests, which saw you helping Vilgax (which would later be important to the Adventure in the Past), Numbuh 2's, Eddy's and Eduardo's Nano missions, and more. You could explore parts of the Suburbs which you would later revisit; Sector V, Pokey Oaks, Peach Creek, Goat's Junk Yard, Candy Cove, Genius Grove and of course, Tech Square, albeit only in the Future. You might even uncover some things such as how the wormholes in the Past actually grew in size over time (the one in Genius Grove being the largest), the fountain in Genius Grove that only ever was in the Future and some people even managed to glitch through the invisible wall at Candy Cove and enter what was the Sweet Revenge Infected Zone… or what was left of it, anyway. All this was enough to keep you occupied and have fun!
The Golden Age…
And the final reason many people held the Future in so high regard… because it was considered the golden age of the game, especially the first year of release; 2009. Updates were just about every month, or at least they felt like it. Whether it was an actual in-game update like new missions or a simple contest like that one time the FF team had an art competition.
The events were immense fun. Unfortunately I was not able to participate in many of them in the Past. All events were in both time periods, but there were usually a lot more to do in the Past. For instance, the Easter event of 2009 had the players go through newly-opened Fusion portals. These portals sent you to Fusion lairs, only instead of enemies, there were Coco's eggs. Most of them were bad but some had cool, rare items. However only one was in the Future, many more in the Past. But was it still fun? Heck yeah!
And probably the main thing in this section, for me at least, were the Nanos. The 2011 expansion changed how gaining Nanos worked. Instead of being given a Nano mission each time you leveled up, there would be a number of Nano missions available to you at different levels that you may receive from the respective NPCs. The level cap was still 36 however and some Nanos were only available through codes. Even the Ice King was originally a code Nano but was given a mission of his own. I… did not like this much.
It made the whole Nano system seem more of a novelty than giving the feeling you're actually getting stronger. The code Nanos were all right (save for Gumball and Darwin, who had only one emotion and were terrifying) but nothing beat the feeling of victory when you get a new Nano after defeating a Fusion and levelling up. It would have made a much better expansion if the game raised the level cap a little and added new missions to suit it. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. But the point is, all the good stuff was pre-2011. Sure, we had new Nanos and the Unstable Nano (which was stuck at Van Kleiss because CN lost interest again), but… the Future era was just so amazing.
So… tl;dr: the Future was loved because it made the game bigger, longer, gave it an actual story and it was more fun.
*Whew* I don't know if that was longer or shorter than I expected, but there's my thoughts. Do you agree? Disagree? Did I forget something? I mean no one comes here anymore but ya know. 😛
Anyway, cya!
~Oliver Zombieweasel


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Set the password policy
You can set the web login password and mobile app passcode requirements for a company using the Password Policy page. The setting on this page determine the rules each user in a company must follow when creating a login password or passcode. The password policy for each company must be set independently.
To set the web login password policy:
- Click the Admin tab.
- On the Administration menu, click Password Policy.
- xMatters displays the current web login password policy settings:
- Enter the following information into the form:
Unique History
Specifies how many passwords xMatters stores for each user. Users cannot reuse a password until they have consecutively created as many unique new passwords as indicated in the field.
Minimum Length
Minimum number of characters required for each password. (Passwords in xMatters cannot exceed 30 characters.)
Required Complexity
Specifies how complex users' passwords must be; select one of the following options:
Maximum Age
How long (in days) each password will remain valid before the User must create a new password. If a user's password has expired, they will be prompted to create a new one the next time they log into the web user interface.
Minimum Age
How long (in days) a user is required to use their password before they can change it again.
Lockout Threshold
Specifies the maximum number of consecutive invalid logins a user can attempt before their account is 'locked out', preventing them from accessing the xMatters web user interface. To disable this feature and grant Users an unlimited number of invalid login attempts, enter zero (0). The maximum value for this field is 50.
Lockout Duration
Specifies how long (in minutes) a user is prevented from accessing xMatters after they exceed the number of invalid login attempts specified by the Lockout Threshold.
Lockout Reset Period
Specifies how many minutes must elapse after a User attempts an invalid login before the failed login attempt count is reset to zero. This value must be equal to or less than the Lockout Duration.
- Click Save to apply your changes.
The password policy settings apply to user web logins only; they are not enforced for web services users, or users added via the Data Synchronization and Import Data features. Super Administrators cannot be locked out. Additionally, you can force the expiry of a user's password; for details, see Control a user's access.
To set the mobile app passcode policy:
- Click the Admin tab.
- On the Administration menu, click Password Policy.
- xMatters displays the current mobile app passcode policy settings:
- Enter the following information into the form:
Enable Passcodes on Mobile Apps
When selected, requires mobile app users to enter a passcode before they can access their xMatters account.
Maximum Inactivity
The maximum time that a mobile app user can be inactive before being required to re-enter the passcode (1-60 minutes).
- Click Save to apply your changes.
Changes to mobile passcode policy settings to take up to 3 minutes to take effect on mobile devices.
If users have more than one account configured on the xMatters mobile app, the most restrictive passcode settings will be applied to all accounts. For example, if only one configured account requires a passcode, a user will be required to enter the passcode to access all of their accounts. If there are multiple accounts with different timeout periods configured, the most restrictive timeout period will be observed for all accounts.


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Australian mid-market private equity firm RMB Capital Partners, which manages funds belonging to South African bank FirstRand, has led an investment in Melbourne-based producer of secure transaction cards Placard.
Founded in 1987, Placard annually produces more than 90 million cards associated with transactions across financial services, identification and licenses, healthcare and transport.
The company is involved in frequent flyer programs for Australia's largest airlines including Virgin Australia, loyalty cards for the likes of Wesfarmers supermarket chain Coles and credit and debit cards for Westpac Banking Corp. subsidiary St George Bank as well as Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. It also produces drivers licenses for Australia's Queensland state, gift cards for the likes of Westfield Group and membership cards for the Australian government-funded medical expenses scheme Medicare and state-owned NSW Lotteries.


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Clarkson Evans named as Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer
January 27, 2016
Clarkson Evans has been recognised for their outstanding contribution to apprenticeships at the National Apprenticeship Awards 2015.
The highly commended employer stood out from more than 1,200 entrants to be named a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer at London's Grosvenor House.
After a tough selection process the most exceptional apprenticeship employers from all the National Apprenticeship Awards employer categories went forward to feature in the list, which showcases the breadth of employers who now offer apprenticeships.
Lindsey Young, HR & Training Director at Clarkson Evans said: "We are thrilled to be named as a Top 100 apprenticeship employer. We are passionate about playing our part in training the next generation of electricians, especially with the well-documented shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry. It is wonderful that our longstanding commitment to apprenticeship training is being recognised nationally.
"I hope that our success will encourage more businesses in Gloucestershire to follow our example and find out how apprenticeships can help grow a skilled and highly qualified workforce," added Lindsey.
Skills Minister Nick Boles said:
"Congratulations to Clarkson Evans for your success at the National Apprenticeships Awards. Apprenticeships are set to be one of the great success stories of the decade, and Clarkson Evans is a worthy ambassador.
"We are committed to 3 million apprenticeships by 2020 so that even more businesses can follow Clarkson Evans' lead and reap the benefits of apprenticeships."
Clarkson Evans specialises in wiring new homes for the UK's leading housing developers, wiring around 1 in 10 of all new properties built in England and Wales last year. In total Clarkson Evans employs around 700 staff and operates across much of southern England, the Midlands and south Wales.
The company is expanding rapidly and has launched an extensive recruitment drive for more apprentices throughout the country, including Gloucester, Oxford, Trowbridge, Exeter, Crawley and Bracknell. Current vacancies can be viewed at www.clarksonevans.co.uk.
For more information about the National Apprenticeship Awards or to view the full City & Guilds Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list, search on Gov.uk.
Contact us
Clarkson Evans
Meteor Business Park
Cheltenham Road East
Head Office
01452 530336
Telephone01452 858999
Our customer care team are available8am - 5pm, Monday to Friday
Telephone0845 900 3600
Clarkson Evans Training
Meteor Business Park
Cheltenham Road East


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About Vicki
Event Planning Services
Gallery of Events
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Kids Halloween-Themed Cupcake Decorating Class
Click here to watch this fantastic video that was prepared for a recent Bar Mitzvah by Reel Sports Productions in association with Plan-it Vicki. Thank you to the wonderful ESPN talent who participated. Mazel Tov Zac and good luck in the recruiting process. Share This:
Zac's Surprise Basketball Recruiting Bar Mitzvah Video
The bride's favorite movie is "When Harry Met Sally" so she asked us if we could produce a video for her wedding reception that captures the spirit of that 1989 classic. Here is the result. […]
"When Harry Met Sally" Themed Wedding Video
Vicki Ross is back teaching cooking classes to kids and adults! Class: Family Meals #1 Turkey Entrees People often ask me for recipes that are easy to make on a busy school night and that the whole family will enjoy. In this, the first of a series, we will focus […]
Fall Cooking Classes with Vicki Ross
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Ahhhh, isn't it cute, the minitature beanbag for your phone, so when your not stroking it with your grubby mitts your little iPhone can sit down and relax. I suppose it could even lie down if you fancied watching a movie together.
The beanbag cellphone chair is available for $9.99, what are you buying your cellphone for Christmas.


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Captain Eulalio Arzaga
January 10, 1917 - December 12, 2012
Eulalio "Ely" Arzaga, Sr. passed away on
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 surrounded by his loving family. Eulalio
was born on January 10, 1917 in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
Eulalio was raised in Ilocos Norte and educated at the Ilocos Norte
Trade School. While living in Manila, he attended the Philippine School
of Arts and Trade, earning an Associate Degree in Mechanical
After graduating College, Eulalio joined the Philippine Scouts of
US Army and was assigned to HQ and Service Troop, 26 CAV Regiment, Ft.
Stotsenburg, Pampanga, PI. During his Military career, Arzaga served in
both WW II – surviving the Bataan Death March - and the Korean War.
After WW II, he was assigned to the 1st AD, the 4th AD, the 2nd AD and
ASCOM Depot, Supply HQs in Taegu, Korea.
CPT (Ret.) Eulalio Arzaga's Military awards and decorations include
Bronze Star, the Meritorious Services Medal, the Army Commendation
Medal (3rd Award), the Good Conduct Medal w/5 Silver Clasps, the
President Unit Emblem, the American Defense Service Medal , the
American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the
National Defense Medal, the WW II Medal, the WW II Occupation Medal,
the Korean Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Prisoner
of War Medal, the Philippines Defense Medal, the Philippines Liberation
Medal, the Philippine Independence Medal, the Presidential Unit
Citation, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, and the United
Nations Service Medal.
He was a founding member of the EX-POW Centex Chapter #1 and of the
Fil-American Association of Central Texas. He was a member of the
Knights of Columbus #1532 and #4724, DAV #147, VFW #3892, American
Legion Post #223, American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor,
Philippine Heritage Society, The Bob Gilmore Center, American Red
Cross, Assn. of United States Army, EX-POW National HQ-Arlington and
EX-POW State of Texas.
He was a faithful, life-time member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
served as a Eucharistic Minister for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents Lorenzo Arzaga and Severa
Arzaga, 3 brothers, 2 sisters, his son USAF Cpt. Eulalio Arzaga Jr.,
his daughter Evelyn Sergent and his first wife of 58 years, Constancia
Leonardo Arzaga.
Eulalio is survived by his wife of 12 years, Anna Valdez Arzaga of Killeen TX, six daughters ; Tessie Crosby of Corpus Christi TX, Victoria Chapman of Rancho Cucamonga CA, Dorothy Saccullo of Port Charlotte FL, Constance Lilly Kittredge of Killeen TX, Shirley Riddle of Killeen TX and Carol Milloy of Sierra Vista AZ, and by 20 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren. He will also be missed by 5 Step-children, 8 Step-grandchildren and 1 Step-great-grandson.
(Source: http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Eulalio-Arzaga&lc=1795&pid=161686306&mid=5341139)
Previous: Colonel Edwin P. Ramsey
Next: Colonel John E. Olson
Last modified: 07-Apr-2013


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Hogs drop sixth straight contest on Friday.
IceHogs drop both contests in Week 13.
Rockford, Ill. – Despite outshooting their opponent 42-30 the Rockford IceHogs dropped a 4-2 decision at the BMO Harris Bank Center to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday.
Des Moines, Iowa- A few mistakes were too much for the Rockford IceHogs to overcome on Thursday night as they fell 5-2 to the Iowa Wild in Des Moines.
Rockford earned a point during a brief two-game Week 12.
IceHogs recall forwards Pat Mullane and Maxim Shalunov from Toledo.
Rockford, Ill.- A late second period goal changed the game as Rockford falls 3-1 to Milwaukee.
Grand Rapids, Mich.-Rockford can't cool the hot Griffins, but gain a point in the overtime loss.
Chicago, Ill,- Goalies Jason LaBarbera and Kent Simpson swap spots.
Coach Ted Dent, Brad Winchester, and Adam Clendening talk about the teams recent success and moving forward into Grand Rapids on Friday.
Rockford, Ill.- Before a brief Christmas break the Rockford IceHogs take on their Midwest division rivals, the Milwaukee Admirals with a 7 p.m. puck drop on Saturday, Dec 21 at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
The IceHogs finished up the weekend with 4 out of 6 points. Check out all the highlights from Week 11 and Hog Talk here.
Rockford, Ill.- The IceHogs are out in the community this week handing out teddy bears, spending time with children, and celebrating birthdays.
The Blackhawks have reassigned forward Jeremy Morin to Rockford.
Rockford wins first two games of three-game weekend
Des Moines, Iowa - Despite a gritty effort in their third game in three days, the Rockford IceHogs dropped a 3-1 contest to the Iowa Wild on Sunday.
Hogs knock off Barons for a second straight night
Rockford, Ill.- The Rockford IceHogs scored the first two goals on Friday night and topped the Oklahoma City Barons 4-3 at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Rockford, Ill.- Friday kicks off a back-to-back set for the Rockford IceHogs against the Oklahoma City Barons at the BMO Harris Bank Center.
Rockford, Ill. - Jared Nightingale, Pat Mullane, and Bobby Shea paid a visit to Rockford Memorial Hospital Tuesday and kicked off the Teddy Bear Toss deliveries
The IceHogs address the media Tuesday about recent roster moves before their three game weekend
Check out the IceHogs "12 Deals of Christmas" merchandise sale.
Rockford, Ill.- The American Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs have announced today that they have signed goaltender Allen York to a PTO.
Plays of the Week and Hog Talk Highlights from the IceHogs Week 10
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have recalled goaltender Kent Simpson from the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.
IceHogs go 1-0-1-0 in two-game road set
Charlotte, N.C.-Rockford tops Charlotte 5-3 to earn weekend split.
Chicago, Ill.-The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have reassigned forward Joakim Nordstrom to the Rockford IceHogs
Rockford can't hold up early two goal lead in overtime loss
Rockford, Ill. – The Rockford IceHogs are getting into the holiday spirit throughout the month of December with three premium giveaways.
Kyle Beach talks about his recent Hat Trick and Kent Simpson touches on his recent play in net
Rockford, Ill.- Get the perfect gift this holiday season for the Rockford IceHogs fan on your holiday shopping list with the Holiday Hat Trick package.
IceHogs snag two divisional wins


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Monoblock Cast
PCD: 5x100 | 5x114.3
Sizing: 18x9.5+22 | 18x10.5+22
Finish: Classic Silver
Custom Options: PCD, Finishing
The HOKKAIDO-DIR-C Monoblock Cast offers an affordable entry level introduction to the Heritage Wheel brand. Available in 18x9.5+22 and 18x10.5+22 in both 5x100 and 5x114.3 to suit most modern vehicles
While our Monoblock Cast wheels do not offer a full suite of custom options like our forged multi-piece options do, custom PCD and custom finishing are available at an extra charge.
Note: Wheels are NOT true directional. All 4 wheels will face to the right. True Directional available on 2pc/3pc forged only at this time


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The Organ
The Guilbault-Thérien Organ of St. Andrew's Church, Ottawa
(47 stops, 63 ranks, three manuals and pedals, Opus 27, 1987)
Great (II) 56 notes, C-g'''
Quintaton 16' (1-12: EP)
Principal 8' (1-12: EP)
Rohrflöte 8' (*1894)
Octave 4'
Spitzflöte 4'
Quinte 2 2/3' *1894
Octave 2'
Cornet V (mounted, c-d''')
Mixture V (1 1/3')
Trompette 8'
Clairon 4'
Swell (III) enclosed, 56 notes, C-g'''
Lieblich Bourdon 16' (1-30: EP) *1894
Principal 8' (1-8: EP) *1894
Viole de gambe 8' (1-8: EP) *1911
Voix céleste 8' (TC) *1938
Bourdon 8' *1874
Spitz Principal 4'
Nason 4'
Waldflöte 2'
Plein jeu V (2')
Fagott 16' (1-30: EP)
Trompette 8' *1911
Hautbois 8'
Clairon 4' *1938
Positiv (I) 56 notes, C-g'''
Gedeckt 8' (*1874)
Quintadena 8'
Principal 4'
Spillflöte 4'
Nazard 2 2/3'
Gemshorn 2'
Tierce 1 3/5'
Quintflöte 1 1/3'
Cymbal III-IV (1')
Cromorne 8'
Pedal 30 notes, C-f'
Principal Bass 16' *1874 & 1911
Subbass 16' *1874
Lieblich Bourdon 16' (Swell, EP) *1894
Octave Bass 8' *1911
Bourdon 8' *
Choralbass 4' *1911
Nachthorn 2' *1938
Mixture IV (2 2/3') *1938
Contrafagotto 32' * (1st octave new; 1874,1911)
Posaune 16' * 1911
Fagott 16' (Swell, EP)
Trompete 8'
Clairon 4' *1911
* Pipes or resonators retained from previous instruments. (*): only 1st octave retained.
Couplers: Swell to Great; Positiv to Great; Swell to Positiv; Swell to Pedal; Great to Pedal; Positiv to Pedal
Action: Mechanical (tracker) key action, with electro-pneumatics where indicated (EP) Electric stop action on slider chests; Crescendo pedal
Combination system: Solid State Logic, including 8 memory levels, 8 general combination pistons (duplicated by toe studs), 5 divisional thumb pistons under each manual. Plein Jeu and Tutti toe studs (programmable)
Tuning: Equal temperament, A440 at 23°C
Wind pressure: ~50 mm
Brief History
The first instrument installed in the organ loft of St. Andrew's Church was inaugurated with the opening of this building on January 25, 1874. A hand-pumped tracker organ of 21 ranks with two manuals and pedals by Samuel R. Warren & Co. of Montréal, it was built at a cost of $3200 and was "pronounced to be the finest organ of its size ever turned out by this builder" (Ottawa Citizen, January 27, 1874). The specifications were as follows:
Great 56 notes, C-g'''
16′ Double Open Diapason [TC], metal
8′ Open Diapason, metal
8′ Dulciana [TC], metal
8′ Melodia [Treble] [TC?], wood
8′ Stopped Diapason Bass [C-B?], wood
4′ Harmonic Flute, metal
4′ Principal, metal
2′ Fifteenth, metal
III Mixture, metal
8′ Posaune, metal
Pedal 30 notes, C-f'
16′ Double Open Diapason, wood
16′ Bourdon, wood
Swell 56 notes, C-g'''
8′ Open Diapason (lower 8ve grooved into
Stopped Diapason), metal
8′ Viol de Gamba [TC], metal
8′ Stopped Diapason Treble [TC?], wood
8′ Stopped Diapason Bass [C-B?]
4′ Violina, metal
2′ Flautina (Harmonic), metal
II Mixture [metal]
8′ Cornopean, metal
3 Great and 2 Swell Composition Pedals
Mechanical Registers: Sw/Gt, Gt/Ped, Sw/Ped; Tremolo to Swell; Bellows signal
Mechanical action, hand pumped. Console built into main case.
A Record of the Organists and Choir Directors
In the several published histories of St. Andrew's Church there has never been a list of the many musicians who have served as Organists and Choir Directors, and only a small handful have been referred to by name. This record serves as a tribute to their time and energies devoted to the worship of St. Andrew's Church, Ottawa.
James Lawrence Orme 1867-1874
The first organist of St. Andrew's Church was James Lawrence Orme who was born about 1812 in Dumbarton, Scotland. He was a businessman in Lanarkshire until 1859 when he came to Upper Canada and settled in Belleville in 1861. It was there that he set up his first music shop, selling pianos, melodeons, parlour organs and sheet music. In 1866 he moved his business to Sparks Street, Ottawa and joined the congregation of St. Andrew's Church just as it was about to introduce an organ into its worship. In January 1867 Orme became the first paid Organist and Choir Director, although he was never listed as such in the Annual Reports. The organ that he played in the old kirk was probably a large reed organ from his store. When the present church was dedicated in January 1874 it was graced with a pipe organ of two manuals and pedals by Samuel Warren of Montreal. Orme's delight at having a wonderful new instrument to play was short-lived, however: just three days after the opening service, a letter appeared in the Ottawa Free Press questioning Orme's competence at the new organ and signed by "A Member". Orme was vigourously defended in the following day's edition by his minister, Rev. D.M. Gordon, but he tendered his resignation a month later. In his mid-sixties by that time, Orme must have realized that it was probably too late to acquire the pedal technique necessary to bring out the full potential of this instrument, and we must remember that there were no organs in the Church of Scotland at the time when he would have been acquiring his musical skills. After the death of his wife in 1882, James L. Orme retired with his daughters to Langside, Scotland where he passed away on May 17, 1893. His music store, J.L. Orme and Son, continued on under the guidance of George L. and Matthew Orme and remains today as Orme's Furniture.
Richard Watson Baxter 1874-1879
Richard Watson Baxter took over the organ loft from J.L. Orme in March 1874. Baxter was born in 1836 in Ontario to a Weslyan Methodist family from England, and prior to his appointment at St. Andrew's had been the Choir Director of Metcalfe Street Methodist Church (later Dominion Methodist). A career civil servant, Baxter was an accountant in the Finance Department. He remained at St. Andrew's for 5 years, and after his resignation in 1879 does not appear to have held another church post in Ottawa. He died in Ottawa on May 7, 1904 and is buried in Beechwood Cemetery.
James Arthur Seybold 1879-1890
At a time when most organists in Canada were imported from England, St. Andrew's Church hired another native son, the 20 year-old James Arthur Seybold, in September 1879. Seybold was born in Montreal in 1859 and was the organist of Erskine Church in that city at the age of sixteen. He followed his brother Edward to Ottawa in 1878 and led a very successful career as a hardware merchant, becoming director of Starke Seybold Hardware. His name is also found in the list of team members of the Ottawa Football Club, the precursors to the Ottawa Rough Riders. During his time at St. Andrew's, the first Choir Soloists were engaged (the Elwood sisters, Mary and Margaret) and the 1880 Hymnal was adopted for use by the congregation.. Seybold served as organist for just over 10 years, then joined the Choir after his resignation and sang under two of his successors, also serving as interim organist at Christ Church in 1891. He was a son-in-law of lumber baron and St. Andrew's member J.R. Booth through his marriage to Lila Booth and lived at the magnificent Booth House on 232 Metcalfe Street until his death (which occurred at Lansdowne Park where he was attending a Rough Riders game) on October 27, 1928.
Frederick Charles Smythe 1890; 1891-1895
After Seybold's resignation in February 1890, Frederick Charles Smythe took up his duties at the organ console in the following month. Forty-three years old and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Smythe had been organist at St. George's and St. James' Churches in Belfast before being lured away to become Director of the Canadian College of Music in Ottawa. The vacancy at St. Andrew's appeared shortly after his arrival and the elders of the church must have been pleased to have acquired their first trained musician to the position, but three months later Smythe left to become Organist and Choir Master of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal.
A.S. Houghton 1890
After a summer of music led by church member and music teacher Mabel Ingall the church then engaged A.S. Houghton, another graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. In an unfortuante reprise of events, Houghton resigned after three months! Smythe was contacted, agreed to return to St. Andrew's (the commute between the two cities to fulfill both his academic and church positions must have been rather wearing in those days) and was back in the organ loft in March 1891. Smythe oversaw the rebuilding of the organ in 1894 by Charles Warren. He was a well-loved figure on the burgeoning musical scene of Ottawa in the 1890's, and so it was with great sadness that the city bade him farewell in April 1895 as he and his wife – who was suffering from chronic asthma – returned to Belfast for the sake of her health.
Frank M.S. Jenkins 1895-1909
The next organist of St. Andrew's was one of its most locally renowned musicians, although he always considered himself an amateur practitioner. Frank Maurice Stinson (F.M.S.) Jenkins was born in Kingston in 1859 and came to Ottawa with his family around 1870. He worked as a clerk in the Post Office Department from 1883 until 1928, but his achievements in the realm of community music associations were impressive: Founder and Condutor of the Ottawa Choral Society and the Ottawa Amateur Orchestral Society, and Conductor of the Schubert Club. He had studied the organ with Christ Church organist J.W.F. Harrison, and was organist of Knox Church (1886-1887) and Dominion Methodist (1887-1895). At both of these churches he was in charge of brand new Warren organs, and so the pull of St. Andrew's, with its new three-manual organ, seems completely understandable. He was married to Annie Lampman, a superb pianist, music teacher, Organist of St. George's Anglican Church and sister of the great poet (and Post Office employee) Archibald Lampman. Jenkins instigated an annual presentation of Staner's Crucifixion on Good Friday, organized a church orchestra and performed challenging repertoire on the organ. His tenure was 14 years, and might have been longer but for the criticisms of some vocal members of the congregation which prompted his abrupt resignation in March 1909. He served the congregation of Glebe Presbyterian Church briefly before taking up the post of Organist of St. John's Anglican in 1910, his last known position as organist. After many years of ill health he died in Ottawa on December 5, 1930. His daughter Dorothy Jenkins McCurry was a noted vocal soloist and teacher in Ottawa.
Dr. Edward E. Harper 1909-1910
After F.M.S. Jenkins' departure in 1909, St. Andrew's again looked abroad for a professional musician, and in September 1910 Dr. Edward E. Harper arrived in Ottawa from Southport, Lancashire, England. Born in 1863 in Staffordshire, Harper had a successful career as a teacher and organist and had married in 1895, but prior to his departure for Canada his wife Elizabeth died suddenly, leaving three children aged 6 to 12 in the sole care of their father travelling to a new country. Dr. Harper assuaged his grief by busying himself with music, giving the dedicatory recital on the new organ of Glebe Presbyterian in January 1910, and in the same month travelling to Toronto for the inaugural meeting of the Canadian Guild of Organists (now the Royal Canadian College of Organists) of which he was an Executive. Life at St. Andrew's Church, however, was becoming difficult: the choir – still smarting from the Jenkins affair – had registered their unhappiness, and in March Dr. Harper was asked to resign. Claiming that he had a two year contract, he sued the church for his second year of salary which he received along with a certificate conveying "best wishes" for his "future prosperity" (Moir, p. 140). In September 1910 he moved his little family to Vancouver where he re-married and remained until his death in 1939 at the age of 75.
J. Edgar Birch 1910-1931
After the turmoil of the last two years, St. Andrew's desperately needed a period of peace and stability in the choir, and in John Edgar Birch they found that and much more. Born on August 25th, 1862 (not 1854 as has been reported elsewhere) in Cavesham, Oxfordshire, the son of an Oxford professor of music, Birch had come to Canada about 1891, first to teach at Trinity College, Port Hope, then in 1894 to Montreal where he was Organist of Christ Church Cathedral and a professor at the Dominion College of Music. Birch moved to Ottawa in 1895, succeeding Frederick Smythe as Principal of the Canadian College of Music, and also briefly taking up the organist's duties at St. George's Anglican. His other church appointments in Ottawa included Knox Presbyterian (1896-1903) and the then-newly completed All Saint's Anglican, Sandy Hill (1904-1910). Birch assumed his duties at St. Andrew's in September 1910 and quickly set to work on plans for the enlargement of the organ to four manuals by Casavant Freres, which was completed exactly one year later. Birch was a thoroughly competent composer and several of his choral works were published during his years at St. Andrew's, including Saviour, now the day is ending (1916), Christ is risen, Hallelujah (1919) and O little town of Bethlehem (1922), this last being his finest work. Birch conducted the Ottawa Choral Society, and was highly regarded for his performances of the Messiah and other choral standards. His taste in music was firmly rooted in the English Victorian era in which he had been raised, and he was one of the most respected and well-liked musicians in Ottawa. He served St. Andrew's for over twenty-one years until his death on October 23, 1931. A plaque was erected in his memory in the organ loft by the members of the Choir.
Kenneth R. Cunningham; Stafford Salmon 1931-1932 (interim)
After J. Edgar Birch's death there followed a long interim period, during which Kenneth R. Cunningham, a young music teacher in the congregation, played the organ and was assisted by Stafford Salmon, the bass soloist at the time.
Leonard Tanner 1932-1936
The call for an organist was sent out across Canada and England, and a young English musician from Surrey, Leonard Tanner, was appointed in September 1932. The local centre of the Canadian College of Organists delayed his appointment, however, displeased that yet another Englishman was stepping into a position that could have been filled by the growing number of Canadian organists. Once those obstacles were overcome, Tanner proved to be an energetic promoter of music in the capital, leading performances of Messiah, Elijah and St. Matthew Passion by the "St. Andrew's Choral Society" and giving half-hour organ recitals over the radio. His time in Canada was brief: four years later he returned to England, but he retained a link to Ottawa in Miss Muriel Butler (daughter of Ottawa organist Horace Butler) whom he married at his Congregationalist parish in Lewisham in 1937.
Dr. Arthur H. Egerton 1936-1937
Perhaps hoping to avoid another confrontation with the College of Organists, St. Andrew's Church appointed Montreal-born Dr. Arthur H. Egerton (né Egg) in December 1936. At 45 years of age, he had recently received a Doctorate from the University of Toronto, and had held positions at the Cathedral in Montreal and in Winnipeg, Duluth and Aurora NY. His tenure at St. Andrew's was one of the shortest, though: just ten months after arriving he resigned in September 1937 and returned to Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal. One of his last positions was as Organist of Dominion United Church, Ottawa in the 1950's. A published composer, he died in Hemmingford, Quebec in 1957.
Carman H. Milligan 1937-1984
Anthony E. King 1984-1992
Karen Holmes; David P. Dawson 1992 (interim)
Thomas Annand 1992 – present


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Welcome to Hingham Community Center's new website!
We've updated our website to make it easier for you to know what's happening at HCC. If you need information on our classes, want to learn more about a HCC event, or are interested in renting the HCC for your next event, you have come to the right place.
Our new website is simple to navigate, includes beautiful images of HCC happenings, and provides a glimpse of all you can do and enjoy at HCC.
It is our mission to enrich the South Shore, and we do so by offering services and programs that bring the community together and make the South Shore a great place to live and visit.
We hope you will visit our website often—and the next time you are in Hingham Square, stop in and see all that HCC has to offer!
Thank you for your interest in Hingham Community Center,
Jim DeMaggioPresident, Board of Directors


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It's hard to master a good smokey eye. It just can't be the same for everyone. Some people look good with a heavily smoked out eye, others look best with a subtle smokey look...it's just not a "one size fits all" deal. I love sharing when I find products that seem like they could work for everyone, and that's what I'm sharing here today on the blog. One stop smoke...for cheap!
Ok so the cheap element of this is definitely the palette. Urban Decay has a limited edition palette out called "Smoked". It's $20!!!! Yes I said TWENTY DOLLARS. It's an amazing palette and you know it's high quality by the brand. Everything you need to achieve a great smokey eye INCLUDING a full sized awesome liner that is perfect for smudging AND a "how to" book that takes you step by step through how to achieve various smokey looks using just this palette. Good deal girls... GREAT deal! It's not going to last long so buy this up like...YESTERDAY. Seriously, get it now or you'll be kicking yourself!
I saved so much on the palette that I got an Anastasia brow wiz pencil to see how it compared to the other brow kit I have. I find the wiz to be easy to use and create a more natural look with. Worth the purchase. And less for me to carry around which is fantastic, so "win" there.
Then I also tried the Tarte Clay Paint Liner to see if I could create a more perfect cat eye. Meow. YES! It's great. A more distinct line in general. Perfect for a good clean cat wing (it comes with the brush needed to achieve this look) and it's also great for lining after applying lashes. It's my new bestie, seriously.
I got the gift of this Urban Decay eyeshadow primer with my palette (pretty cool of them to throw this in) and I will say it definitely helps keep your shadow on your lids. Wore it all night and didn't notice any fading of the color, which I feel sometimes can happen with a smokey eye. The Hourglass primer is what I use on my face when I wear foundation, but that can work great as well over the eyelids.
So that's your smokey look in a nut shell. If you do nothing else, order this palette. It'll be gone before you know it and it's ONLY TWENTY BUCKS! Astonishing! You can order off my Instagram. And these days you can just screenshot my pics if you have the LIKEtoKNOW.it app! Or you can just like my pics and get shopping links to your email as usual. Ok go shopping, bye! 💋


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Still Getting Economic Policy 180 Degrees Wrong/
In economic policy, there is one big question, which is, to improve the economy, should the government spend more or should it spend less? Obviously these two things are the opposite of each other, and both can't be right. If one is right, the other is wrong, and indeed destructive.
To decide the right answer, we can look out into the real world for evidence of what works. And there we find the absolute champion of fiscal discipline, where government spending is well less than 20% of GDP, namely Singapore. Singapore has averaged 5.28% annual growth of GDP since 2007 (a period that includes the financial crisis) and has unemployment of around 2%. There is an abundance of jobs for young people.
At the other end of the scale, where government controls absolutely everything, we have Cuba and North Korea. The people starve. And of course there's the blow-out spending champion, claiming to "help" its people with every kind of handout and the most massive government housing program ever attempted -- Venezuela! How's that going? Well, it seems that Venezuela has $5,3 billion of bond payments due in October, and it can't pay both those and also for its imports of food and consumer goods. So as it saves up money to pay the bondholders, everything is disappearing from the stores. There is a "massive default on the country's import chain." From Bloomberg News on September 8:
With foreign reserves at an 11-year low and arrears to importers growing, Venezuelans are struggling to find everything from basic medicines to toilet paper. And prices are surging on the goods that they can buy, saddling the country with the world's highest inflation rate. The nation's bonds are sinking as President Nicolas Maduro fails to stem the crisis, extending declines today.
And in Europe, where government spending hovers around or even above 50% of GDP for almost all countries, the economies languish. OK, Switzerland does very well; but its government spending is well below that of all its neighbors, at about 34% of GDP. Really, this is not all that complicated.
Enter the UN, OECD and World Bank. These are the grand know-it-alls purporting to tell the governments of the world what to do. The three have just come out with a big joint Report prepared for something called the "G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting" that took place in Melbourne, Australia on September 10-11. And what solution do these grand know-it-alls propose for the world's economic woes? You guessed it -- higher government spending.
OK, their recommendations are couched in nearly impenetrable doublespeak. Try this:
In conclusion, the current situation calls for strong and well-designed employment, labour and social protection policies to address both cyclical and structural challenges, applied in conjunction with supportive macroeconomic policy mixes. The effectiveness of such policies would greatly increase if actions are taken collectively at the G20 level in a coordinated manner.
The "supportive macroeconomic policy mix" thing is their code for more government spending. And then, pay particular attention to that last phrase, which demands that "actions [be] taken collectively at the G20 level in a coordinated manner." Translation: none of you are allowed to cut spending and prove us wrong by outperforming the rest of us.
The New York Times jumped right in on September 20 to parrot the line of the international organizations.
The report is clear that when consumption and investment wane, government is supposed to make up the shortfall to revitalize the economy.
Well again, the options are increasing government spending and cutting government spending. Both can't be right. In one direction lies Singapore and Switzerland, and in the other Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea. Turns out that all of the UN, OECD, World Bank and New York Times favor the direction of Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea. No surprises there. But how could such seemingly authoritative people be so completely and utterly wrong on something so important and so obvious? Got me.


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parties for the kiddos || teaching little ones to paint/
One of my favorite parts of working with paint, is teaching others how to work with paint. Even better, teaching little girls. They are always so excited, well behaved (the class typically runs just over one hour) and they are just plain cute!
Sometimes Addilyn gets to help….which she loves!
If you are interested in having a painting party for your kiddos, here is some more information!
Happy Painting little ones!!


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Classic Mug - White
Classic Mug - White
Our signature Classic Mug is our most popular item. I love making them. The Beady glaze feels great in the hand. The handle is generous and strong, and the bellybutton indent always raises a smile. Start your morning with one - I promise it will be your favorite mug.
Your mug may not be exactly as pictured, as each one is unique.
Dishwasher, microwave and food safe.


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Ask for a U.S. Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region
Recently, wanted war criminal and M23 rebel leader Bosco ("The Terminator") Ntaganda turned himself in to the U.S. Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda. And Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was appointed the UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region.
Now, the U.S. government must take advantage of this opportunity and make Congo a higher priority. The U.S. must engage more significantly in the UN peace negotiations between the Congolese government, M23, and regional governments (including Rwanda and Uganda) to coordinate a regional response to the ongoing conflict.
The U.S. government should appoint a Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region to lead a coordinated response to the crisis in eastern Congo.
Sign your name to this petition asking President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry to appoint a high-level Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region.
Thank you for the attention you have given to addressing the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. The UN mediated peace process between the Government of Congo, M23, and regional governments is a chance to deliver lasting peace to this war-torn region.
Recently, significant developments including the appointment of Mary Robinson as a UN Special Envoy, and the surrender of Bosco Ntaganda to the U.S. Embassy in Kigali, highlight an opportunity for U.S. involvement. Now is the time for the U.S. government to demonstrate its commitment to peace in eastern Congo.
I am asking you to work together now to appoint a U.S. Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region to lead a coordinated U.S. response to this crisis. The Envoy should be a high-level individual with experience and relationships in the region. He or she would be responsible for working with UN Special Envoy Mary Robinson and coordinating the U.S. government's response to this regional crisis.
The U.S. government has an important role to play in working with international partners to ensure that there is a transparent, credible peace initiative that is also inclusive of Congolese voices, including civil society, women, youth, and religious leaders.
Thank you for your urgent and immediate action in response to this crisis.


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Ford Celebrates 10 Years in Teen Safe Driving Program
Ford just celebrated the 10th anniversary of its "Driving Skills for Life" education program to help teens become safe drivers. In May 2003, the Ford Motor Co. Fund partnered in Michigan with the Governors Highway Safety Association to curb teen fatalities on highways. Since then, the program has expanded from one or two programs with high school students a year to about 200 high schools across the US this year.


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North's Justice and Advocacy team is hosting a viewing of the movie 13th followed by a discussion of faith & social justice. The documentary 13th gets its name from the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery except as a punishment for crime. The documentary analyzes the depth of that exception and the problems & injustices of the United States' criminal justice system.
Join us on January 25 beginning at 7:00pm. Call (317) 924-2612 or contact firstname.lastname@example.com to register for this free event.


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Knoxville Nationals 2k18
Last night *at the time this post was wrote* I had a blast with my family and some friends of my dad's attending the Nationals at Knoxville. I posted a lot of photos on my story (yes...I actually got back on Snapchat, just to have some sort of social media that can help me interact with people my age; my username is "sparklesbyablog"). I got a request to do a recap of the night, so I was thrilled to do that. And when I thought about this post, I thought back to my old racing blog post where I talked about what can be learned from sprint car racing about life. So I thought I would follow up on that post and add some more life lessons I'm learning, since after all, that post was written three years ago... Read the first part here!
With that being said, I wasn't sure at first if I actually had any new lessons to share. Our nights at the races were pretty much the same, though just as fun, so what more could I really have to say about it? Well, the more I thought about it, I thought I was only 12 when I wrote that first post, and now I'm 15, so there are definitely more things I pick up on than when I was 12. Yeah, it was like this one time when I was 12, I watched this horribly cheesy movie about high school, and I knew it had some dirty references at the time. Then one night a couple months ago I was bored and saw that it was prime on Amazon, so I thought well, I'll watch it again and see if my opinion had changed. Well, it didn't, but I was traumatized, because there were so many references that went way over my head when I was 12, and they are so bad I'm not even going into them...
Anyway! This post is not about that train-wreck of a movie. So, life lessons, beyond the fact that if you hated a movie when you were 12, you probably won't change your mind at 15. I definitely had a lot of fun at Knoxville as I always do, but this time there was something different about it. You know how I talked about you just pick up on more when you're older? That's basically what happened to me. I started seeing themes that I didn't like. It wasn't that the races necessarily promote those themes; it's just how people act and was evident at any event I've been to, like the Cyclones football game or hockey games.
I'll go more in depth on that, on just the culture of our society. I also learned some lessons on dealing with insecurity and comparison. And then some about being humble, too. These lessons may not be learned directly from sprint car racing so much as they are just being at the races, because when you go to events like these, you expect them to be all fun, right? Of course you do, and of course they usually are. But you'd be kidding yourself if you don't get moments of reality in there, too.
They're different for each person, but for me that might look like we're walking around, and all of a sudden I see this girl who I think is really pretty, and then I'm insecure and thinking of all the things she has that I don't. It's a fleeting moment, or a fleeting thought, but it just goes to show you that these events can't be an escape because eventually you have to deal with your inner insecurities. I'll talk about those. But I'll also show you what we did, too, so let's get into it.
We walked around for awhile to begin with, and it was insanely busy, but Nationals usually is. We went to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and then ate nearby. There is a lot to see as many people sell various things like clothing. I found this cute place and snagged a t-shirt I can't wait to wear.
I loved the bag ;)
I wasn't as hungry as I usually am because I wasn't feeling the best due to a wonderful girl thing, but I did get my favorite chicken and the cookies sent straight from heaven I'm pretty sure. ;)
I really enjoy the time spent with family. What I'm learning is just to enjoy and live in each moment instead of getting lost in my thoughts that lead me to want worldly things and not appreciate what God has put and blessed me with right in front of me. But stay tuned; I'll go more in depth on this in one of the lessons.
The night itself stretched out pretty long, but the final race was intense and awesome to watch. I love how they had fireworks going on at the beginning of the race.
Once it was done, we went into the pits as usual. I was dying to see this new puppy that a friend of my dad's had recently got, so when I heard that he was there I couldn't contain my excitement. He was adorable, and it was hilarious because he was chasing my brother around trying to bite his shoes!
Mom and I usually just follow the boys around the pits as Hunter got pictures with some drivers, and I got a picture with one of my favorites, too. Then on the way home, we had to stop and get gas, and Mom got a Dr. Pepper for my dad, but look at the bottle—one of the best I've seen:
On the way home, my phone was nearly dead, but there were some thoughts on my heart that were making me want to explode, and my mood was somewhat in a daze as I was contemplating different observations. So the good that came out of that was that I finally wrote on my novel in the notes section of my phone as it was on 1%, hahaha. It made it, though, while I finished! In fact I think it made it all the way home while I listened to Spotify, so phone of the year award. I had these thoughts that were perfect for the scenes in the middle of my book, but suddenly the inspiration just hit me, and I've learned from trial and error that when that happens, I need to write it down as soon as possible or it will be gone. So I'm really glad I got to do that, it really gave me the boost I needed in my writing. I typically write my novels in order, from chapter one to the end, but if I get a great idea for the climax and the inspiration is there, I won't NOT write it. In the past I used to be so OCD about going out of order, but then I realized if you don't write it then it's gone. I'll also talk about some of the thoughts I had as I get into the lessons learned from the night.
Lessons Learned from the Knoxville Nationals
Seeing all the people can inevitably lead to comparison.
In racing, just like in everything else, I can only imagine that it's really easy to compare your team to other people and how you're doing. I may not be able to relate to that, but I can to comparing because I compare myself to just about everything. At the Nationals, sometimes when we're walking around, as I mentioned above, I compare myself to how other girls look or dress. Or if they steal my look a-like. ;) Haha just kidding, although one of my look a-likes was with a girl when I spotted him. (By the way, if you don't know who my look a-likes are, read this post. Even though I call them MY look a-likes, they don't look like me, haha.) I didn't find any look a-likes at the Nationals unfortunately, but I usually don't because it's just too busy. But back to comparison. It's something I'm slowly learning to let go of. How am I doing that? At first I honestly didn't know if I even had any advice to offer on this one since sometimes I fall into the trap and don't know how to get out. But I am realizing there's a way out, and it's not the cliche advice you hear.
You know the kind I'm talking about probably. Like how you just have to STOP comparing and appreciate who you are or that comparison is pointless. That advice is true even if it is cliche, and if it works for you, that's great. But if you get cynical like me and hate cliches, haha, you might need to go deeper.
When I'm trying to think through something, first I have to vent. It's hard to let go of something if you can't even acknowledge something is there (more on that in this post). I try to always vent to God, but I'll be honest, sometimes I feel embarrassed doing that or just don't know how to put my thoughts into words to tell Him, so then what I'll do is just write it out in my notes and then pray over it. That helps a lot. Then I can continue writing about what to do with those thoughts because obviously I can't just let them sit there; I have to learn from them. So when I felt feelings of comparison coming in, I first just wrote those out. I'll spare you the whininess of that rant, but here's what I concluded from it: "I know I'm insatiable, that even if I had...[everything I wanted] I still wouldn't be complete. So I have to be conscious of that and keep turning to Jesus. And just enjoy the right now and tell Him these thoughts instead of obsessing over them."
I can't even begin to count the number of situations where the people who look like they have it all end up in tragic situations where they're in rehab, or they committed suicide, or they got into trouble with the law, or they did drugs, or they just can't make themselves happy. No amount of money or good looks or whatever it is you want can buy you happiness. If you're not happy without it, you won't be happy with it. That's why you learn to rely on Jesus alone to meet your needs. It's a really beautiful thing when you fully submit yourself to Him and don't feel that need of having to fill a void. Of course you still have wants, but they don't consume you. Anything you get is just an added blessing in life that pales in comparison to knowing Him. That's how I want to live. I've done that before, so I know it's possible. It really is all about what you focus on. That's why I wrote that out as soon as possible so it wouldn't be following me around all night. I have to learn to let go and trust God.
You have a choice on whether you want to follow a crowd or be a light.
I've noticed this at every event I attend, from hockey games to football games to the races, and definitely more so as I've gotten older. It's the fact that our culture glorifies things like drinking and partying, at every age, and I think that's really sad. You should've seen the line for the alcohol at the race; it was absolutely insane. But I often think that says a lot about us, like wow, here we're at some nice event which is in and of itself supposed to be fun and entertaining, and we STILL feel the need to drink? It just goes to show that no amount of things or "moments" (because now society is big on experiences and living with no regrets...) can satisfy us. If they did, it should be enough that you're even there and able to enjoy time with family or friends, but nope. People still feel the need to get drunk and party like they're 20. And yeah, you might say that drinking is part of the fun, but why does it have to be? Why isn't it enough just to enjoy the night for what it is?
There's no good reason or excuse to hide what's obvious, that people still feel the need to escape reality, because no amount of events or partying can heal a heart with pain. On the way home as I was writing some of those scenes for my book, a song came up on my Spotify country station called "Drunk Me." I have to admit, I did enjoy the song, the tune and all, but the lyrics basically reiterated everything I previously thought. The lyrics went really well with the story of my book though, so I added it to the playlist for my book, haha.
But the point of my scenes for my book, of any blog post I write, is truly just to encourage you to live for Jesus because He alone heals the brokenness of a heart. I've been thinking a lot lately about what overarching theme I'm most passionate about when it comes to my faith. There are so many messages I wish to share that it's hard to just focus on one, and I want to focus on more than one, but there are a lot of Christian pastors or leaders who focus on multiple messages, but then they sort of have their one message that defines them because that's the one they're most passionate about or knowledgable about, etc. For example, David Jeremiah, a pastor I really like, hits on many different topics of the Christian faith, but he's also known for his emphasis on Revelation and the end times.
When I think about what that may be for me, if I do have an area or topic that I keep coming back to, I think I've finally figured out what it is: the brokenness of people and our need for a Savior. Every time I go somewhere where I'm surrounded by masses of people, this melancholy feeling comes over me, and I'm left wondering about each of the people I see, what their stories may be, what their life is like, how they think and feel, if they know Jesus. I wonder what's on their heart late in the night. And I always think about the whole message of being a light and ministering to other people's brokenness, how one person can affect this person, and that person can affect this person, and there's this whole revival over a broken world. That's what keeps coming back to me, and all of my interests and goals seem to align with that central message. It's why I love writing so much. It's why psychology is so fascinating to me and gets me fired up, you get to study how people think and feel and why they behave why they do. It's the essence of being human. It's why I was so interested in prison ministry.
That's something I've finally been realizing, is this deep desire I have to minister to broken hearts. And you don't think you can find that at an event where it's supposed to be fun, fun, fun, but I've learned that's where you seem to find the most brokenness because that's where people go to escape. And it's NOT bad to go to fun events. It's just about your behavior and motives. It's unhealthy to want to escape from reality in the form of getting drunk or partying. Even something harmless like an event like this can be unhealthy if you have the wrong motives for going. I understand that sometimes you just need a break, but needing a break and needing an escape are two different things. And I think that's what people need to be more conscious of.
Lastly, when you are victorious in life, it's so important to remember who deserves the glory.
It also saddens me when people do really well, but you don't hear any mention of God. He's the One who ultimately gives us anything, our talents, skills, etc. So He deserves and will get the glory. One thing I do love about Knoxville is how they pray before every race. I have a lot of respect for that because it just goes to show that of course even as a Christian you can still have fun, but when you're having fun, you don't have to leave God out of it. It's so important to remember God in both the good and bad times. He's the One who gives to you and strengthens you. That's something I've known, but it was a good reminder for me not to become lazy in my relationship with Him. Like any relationship, the effort you put into it is what you will get out of it. And God is no different. James 4:8 says that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. I can tell when I'm being lazy and when I'm really pursuing Him, and it makes all the difference. Of course, He's with me no matter what, regardless of what I do, but being conscious of that is what I have to remember.
Like I mentioned earlier, these lessons are more learned by attending a race versus lessons actually learned from the sport. For lessons along those lines, read my first post here. I had a blast at the Nationals, though, and have enjoyed all the memories made from attending Knoxville races over the years and the lessons learned. Have you ever been to the Nationals? What was your experience like?


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The Collaboration Challenge
Improving organisational- and team performance
In our increasingly interdependent world, organisational performance can no longer be attributed to talented individual leaders. Diversity of thought and the quality of interaction are key to making effective decisions. The Collaboration Challenge brings together the Collaboration Game and AEM- / ACT-Cube to create a simulated environment in which behaviour and performance can be assessed and improved.
The Collaboration Game simulates the complex interdependencies of a typical organisation. Combined with the AEM- or ACT-Cube, the Collaboration Challenge allows participants to experience how greater diversity and better dialogue can lead to superior performance. As a result, participants identify specific behaviour changes for themselves, actions for their teams and changes for how they collaborate across their organisations.
Workshop elements
The workshop takes place over 1 day in two variants, one focused on team performance using the AEM Cube and the other on organisational performance using the ACT Cube.
The Collaboration Challenge is played with teams of 6 to 8 people and we facilitate groups up to 50 participants per session. The game can be tailored to suit organisational needs, combining useful personal insights with functional actions ready to be incorporated the next day.
Would you like to know more what the Collaboration Challenge can do for you, your team and your organisation? Please feel free to contact us, or let us call you back.


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Call for Papers: KSLU's Symposium on Law and Business of Entertainment.
Full details are here.
The Entertainment Law Society, an initiative by the students of Karnataka State Law University, is delighted to invite papers for presentation, from students of law and legal professionals across the nation, in the First International Symposium on Law and Business of Entertainmentto be held on 06th and 07th December 2012, at Karnataka State Law University, Hubli.
The guidelines for the submission are replicated beneath and shall be strictly adhered to.
The Editorial Board of Entertainment Law Society shall scrutinize and select the best abstracts, which shall be presented in the symposium by the respective author(s) and the selected papers shall be qualified for publication in the Journal, to be released by the Entertainment Law Society.
- The focus of the submissions shall be restricted to Themes (specified in the attachment pertaining to Symposium ) incorporated in the symposium on 'Law and Business of Entertainment.'
- The abstract shall not exceed 350 words and shall be sent on or before 15th November, 2012 to [email protected]. Authors of the selected abstracts shall be intimated on 18thNovember, 2012.
- The selected authors shall send their complete papers, which shall not exceed 5000 words, to aforementioned email address in electronic format latest by 30th November, 2012
- The manuscript of the submission shall be in MS Word format, with the page size A4, font style Times New Roman and font size 12. The line spacing shall be 1.5.
- The mode of citation shall be as prescribed by the Blue Book System of Citation (19 Ed.).th
- The submissions shall include a cover page mentioning the title of the submission, name of the author, Year of study or designation, name of the institution, contact details of the author.
- A maximum of 2 authors can co-author a single manuscript.
Full details are here.


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Kid Rock has been criticized by bosses at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for posing for a photograph with a dead cougar.
The picture, which shows the singer holding up the animal's bloodied body, was uploaded to Facebook.com by controversial rocker Ted Nugent, who added in a caption, "Hail my MotorCity boy Kid Rock for saving all those muledeer elk and livestock by whacking this magnificent mountain lion. I can hear the braindead squawkers already with their obscene denial that killing lions is wrong. It's legal, it's necessary, it's good, it's beneficial, it's a damn riot!"
Rock has now come under fire from campaigners at PETA for apparently taking part a hunting expedition.
PETA's U.S. Senior International Media Director, Ben Williamson, says, "It's obvious that not everyone has evolved mentally and emotionally when you see someone grinning after gunning down another living being who was busy minding his or her own business and living life. These days, only the very smallest percentage of people find it acceptable in any way to support blood sports like trophy hunting."


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The Restless Age is a collaboration - a harmony of Will Bryant, Lee Falco and Brandon Morrison. Each player brings a unique song and voice to the bandstand, as the trio spans generations and genres.
The members of Restless Age have been a premier rhythm section throughout the Hudson Valley for the past half-decade. As the house band for Amy Helm's 'Oh to be Home Again' at Levon Helm Studios, they performed behind Donald Fagan, John Sebastian and Graham Nash. They toured as Kate Pierson's (The B-52's) backing band in support of her 2015 debut album 'Guitars & Microphones', and embarked on a six-week tour as Connor Kennedy & Minstrel, performing sets at The Fillmore and Austin City Limits.
Lee Falco, Brandon Morrison and Will Bryant rose to national attention backing Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, as "The Nightflyers" on his last national tour. Now, The Restless Age steps out as a unit of songwriters, singers and instrumentalists.


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10 Books About Love You Need This Valentine's Day
Are you a hopeless romantic who's single this Valentine's Day? Stop staring into that flickering rose-scented candle, and whatever you do, do not turn on the radio. One more Whitney, Celine, or Mariah song could be the straw that broke the love-enthusiast's back this holiday.
This Valentine's, you are not going to bed alone. Nope. You're going to be snuggled up with the ultimate love companion — one of these incredible self-love books. Prepare to put that "do not disturb" sign on your door knob and get up close and personal with some soul-satisfying, self-appointed you time.
Decide what your heart needs, and browse the menu of titles below. I guarantee you'll find the loving text you've been looking for.
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
Need affirmation? Repeat after me: I'm working on myself. For myself. By myself.
If you're looking for honest advice on self-love, consider this little gem your new bedside bible.
Regardless of what life might be throwing your way, this book has a story, a tale, or a light-hearted message that will resonate with you. It really is full of tiny, beautiful things for the soul…
Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life, by Glennon Doyle Melton
Need encouragement? This book is a perfect read for when you find yourself in one of life's messy situations.
Its encouraging messages will help you see the beauty in all of your experiences — even the tragic and unfortunate ones. It's the perfect text to help you get back on your feet and return to loving life.
You Can Create An Exceptional Life by Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson
Need healing? Licking a fresh wound? Holding onto a broken heart or a bruised ego? This book is an oldie but goodie that will help repair not only your heart but your whole being. Self-help gurus Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson coach you through an internal transformation in a loving, comforting tone.
It's been read by millions and the people have spoken: This is a must-read.
The Soul Searcher's Handbook: A Modern Girl's Guide to the New Age World by Emma Mildon
Need a guide? Everyone feels a tad lost from time to time, but this book will help you reconnect with your spiritual side, tap into some conscious self-love, and enter the world of soul-searching using yoga, meditation, numerology, astrology, and feng shui.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
Need some self-esteem? Admit it: You're a total badass.
This book will motivate you to embrace what you can't change and love yourself for who you really are. It'll give you a new lease on life and teach you to unleash your total self, regardless of who is watching. Your newfound sense of awesomeness will leave you feeling ready to kick some serious ass in life.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary D. Chapman
Need a love coach? Single, dating, engaged, married, divorced — whatever your status, this book will give you some serious insight into the reality of romance.
This text will show you all the different ways people love, and give you information on how you really approach romance. There is a reason why so many marriage counsellors around the world recommend this read.
A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles" by Marianne Williamson
Need a miracle? If you feel like it would take a miracle for you to fall in love again, this needs to be your next transformational read. Spiritual guru Marianne Williamson will set you on a quest for inner peace and show you how to practice the daily art of expressing love to yourself and those around you.
This book will remind you exactly how powerful and healing love can be.
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
Need a date? Most people have played the dating game at some point. Meet people. Date. Love. Break up. Meet people… Modern Romance is a hilarious read that sheds light on the cycles of new-age dating, millennial matching, and yes — even Tinder hookups.
Forget everything you thought you knew about love. You have more romantic options than any other single person in the history of time. So get ready for a laugh and a new outlook on the scary-yet-awesome dating world. #Single
Daily Love: Growing Into Grace by Mastin Kipp
Need a lover? We all know that you can't truly love someone until you love yourself. And this book will show you the spiritual and healing principles needed for unrelenting self-love.
Get insight from some of the leading spiritual and self-love gurus: Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, and even the self-love queen herself — Oprah!
You're sure to fall in love with this read…
The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan
Need a reality check? Marina Keegan was in love with life. The 22-year-old graduated from Yale in 2012, on track to make a career out of her passion for writing. She had a play slated to be produced at the New York Fringe Festival and a job waiting for her at The New Yorker. Tragically, five days after graduation, Marina died in a car accident.
This book is a collection of her award-winning essays and stories that will leave you with no room for despair, loneliness, or self-pity. Her powerful words will make you want to seize every day. They'll remind you that it's impossible to be lonely since you are never truly alone.
Looking for more books to snuggle up with this winter? We've got you covered:


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BeA 100 SERIES HEADLESS PINNERS - 18 GA
BeA fasteners including 18 gauge headless pinners for industrial or construction use. Pin nailers are available online.
|Product ID
|Product Name
S125-569 100 Series Headless Pins - Max 1 Inch Leg
BeA 100 series 18 gauge headless pinners for collated pins.
Price: $553.77
Important - You and others working around you can be seriously injured by fastener driving air tools if you do not follow the instructions provided on the tool and in the operations manual. Used properly, these tools provide easy, safe and efficient methods for driving nails, staples & rings. Contact Trip - best suited for high volume rapid fastening where exact placement of the fastener is not important. Sequential Trip - best suited when rapid fastening is not needed or when exact fastener placement is important. Trigger Operation - used when the work piece contact is not practical because of the specific operation performed by the fastener driving tool. Auto-Fire Trigger- can be used in applications where multiple fasteners need to be placed as quickly as possible. Evaluate your application to determine the best trigger. See Nail Gun Safety Information!


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Do not migrate to Dude 6!!!
After migration from Dude 4 to Dude 6 new dude starts to lose interfaces under DEVICE- SETTINGS - SNMP- INTERFACE.
If device supports RouterOS API - all interfaces presents under DEVICE- SETTINGS - RouterOS- INTERFACE
Link labels sometimes shows RX/TX ??
If i change Link - Mastering Type to RouterOS instead of SNMP - It shows Ether1. It doesn't work with non-mikrotik devices


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Matson on Music
Music news, concert reviews, analysis and opinion by music writer Andrew Matson.
Damien Jurado: neo-folk forerunner still inspiring
Photo of Damien Jurado by Sarah Jurado, from The Seattle Times' press room concert
Seattle's Damien Jurado is well into his singer-songwriter career — 12 albums in three decades — and still inspiring fans and other musicians. Evidence: "Jurado Covers," a collection of local acts doing his songs, which I've been blogging individually this week, gathered and made available to The Seattle Times by Damien's partner Sarah. Read my review of Mr. Jurado's zenlike "Maraqopa" album below, out Feb 21. And while you're clicking, consider downloading all the covers in one handy link. Jurado plays a big concert tonight at the Neptune.
Relevant links:
"Jurado Covers" four song bundle *
"Maraqopa" album review
* Includes:
Jeremy Enigk - "Last Rights"
Al James (Dolorean) - "Cloudy Shoes"
Pickwick - "I Am the Greatest Of All Liars"
Jon Russell (The Head and the Heart) - "Beacon Hill"
Damien Jurado: Seattle's folk-boom godfather
Dec 31 - 6:30 AM Premiere: 'Seattle Party' by Chastity Belt
Dec 31 - 6:00 AM 'Stop Biting' night at Lo-Fi now an album, mini doc
Dec 29 - 11:52 AM Were you there? 'The Rolling Stones' and Shabazz/THEESat
Dec 28 - 6:00 AM Top 40 of 2012, Seattle and beyond
Dec 27 - 6:00 AM Shabazz / THEESat: a history of high-concept Seattle shows


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The Absolute Easiest Way to Make Your Own Homemade Hooch
I am what one spirited wine blogger refers to as a "reverse wine snob." In other words, I drink cheap shit and I'm kind of proud of it. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't enjoy higher class wines—I drink them on special occasions, particularly at fancy pants restaurants where Franzia is not on the menu—but more that, for my day to day drinking, I like to go as inexpensive as possible. That's not to say I drink Mad Dog or Wild Irish Rose. My thing is getting the cheapest thing that meets a certain minimum of quality, a threshold none of the cheap booze classics like bottom shelf vodka and fortified wine can achieve.
Expensive wines are often a scam. Some of my biggest wine disappointments have come when drinking an expensive wine (and by expensive I mean $20 or more; I've probably never drank anything that would retail for more than about $50, at least not to my knowledge). Plus, there's ample evidence that even experienced wine enthusiasts can't tell the difference between the cheap and the expensive. For a long time, this pursuit of the cheapest acceptable booze has inevitably brought me to Franzia, that classic stalwart of the cheap boxed wine aficionado's kitchen "cellar." Now, make no mistake: Franzia is not good wine. But it's also not as bad most wine snobs would lead you to believe, and I have come to enjoy it. Better yet, it's one of the cheapest ways to get fucked up the world has ever known. In fact, on a price per milliliter of pure alcohol basis, it's often cheaper than malt liquor and handles of bottom shelf vodka, two other time-honored ways to get fucked up on the cheap.
The thing is, it's only one of the cheapest ways to get fucked up if you're one of those poor saps who buy their alcohol. No, I'm not talking about stealing. I'm talking about making. The cheapest way to get fucked up by far is to make your own booze. The problem, though—or at least I had always assumed—is that making wine, even bad wine, is difficult, time consuming, and requires all kinds of equipment. Turns out, that's not true at all. Sure, making good wine is difficult. However, making passable wine is actually really easy, quick and can be done with practically no equipment besides a bottle of store bought juice and a packet of yeast.
Best of all this wine isn't just cheap, it's crazy cheap. Like cheaper than bottled water cheap. In fact, it's cheaper than anything you could buy at a store. It's cheaper than the worst vodka. It's cheaper than Wild Irish Rose. Hell, it's even cheaper than drinking mouthwash (seriously, see the calculation below). And I'm not talking Listerine or any premium, name brand mouthwash, mind you. I'm talking the generic Wal-Mart shit. Yeah, think of the financial possibilities if you could get effed up for the price of Equate Antisepetic Mouth Rinse. You'll be doing almost as well moneywise as those smug straightedge assholes.
This knowledge was a revelation to me, so I am currently proselytizing with all the fervor of a recent convert. I am thoroughly convinced minimalist homemade wine concoctions have the potential to change the world for the drunker. In this spirit, I present to you the NFFHC guide to making what I lovingly refer to as "Bum Wine" something that is going to save you the maddest of stacks of Benjies. Put those savings in a low-cost index ETF and enjoy your Bum Wine knowing you're making a responsible financial decision.
Let's compare three cheap ass options:
Franzia boxes contain 5L of the good stuff and cost $16.99 at my local supermarket. How much alcohol is in it depends on which variety you get, but I'll use 13% ABV since that's around what most dry wines come in at. 5L = 5000 mL; 5000 mL x 13% = 650 mL pure ethanol (booze alcohol); $16.99/650mL = $0.0261 or 2.61 cents per mL of alcohol.
A Handle of Cheap Vodka
A handle of cheap vodka costs $19.99 at my local liquor store. You might be able to do better. I suspect my liquor store is overpriced, but where I live you can only buy booze under 21% in grocery stores, so I'm kind of stuck since this is the only liquor store in my area. This handle is 1.75L of 40% ABV booze. 1,750 mL x 40% = 700 mL; $0.0286 or 2.86 cents per mL. Even if you can find cheaper vodka, the fact that it's even competitive is remarkable considering that Franzia is somewhat drinkable wine and cheap vodka is absolutely disgusting. Talk about value!
Generic Mouthwash
1.5 L of 26.9% ABV Equate Mouthwash is $2.98 at Wal Mart. That's $0.00738 or 0.738 cents per mL. Damn cheap, but will it be cheap enough?
Bum Wine
A gallon of concord grape juice can be had for $2.99 at my local supermarket. The ABV you'll get depends a lot on your yeast and your technique, but using some wine yeast I bought on Amazon (Red Star Pasteur Red) and a little added sugar, it's entirely possible to get it to 15% ABV. However, by the half-assed method I use I would estimate more like 13%. I don't have a hydrometer, so I can't confirm this for sure. I'm just guesstimating based on how messed up I get from a glass of it. Adding in costs for wine yeast (50 cents a packet; you could lower this cost significantly if you wanted to by not using the whole packet since it's designed for a five gallon jug, but I'm lazy) and added sugar (10 cents; adds to ABV by giving the yeast something else to ferment; just be sure not to use too much or it will kill the yeast), our total price is $3.59. A gallon is 3.79 L or 3790 mL. That means we get 3790 x 13% = 493 mL pure ethanol for $3.59. That amounts to $0.00728/mL or 0.728 cents per mL. In other words, we're talking less than a freaking penny per mL and roughly 1/3 the cost of Franzia. Better yet, it's cheaper than the cheapest mouthwash money can buy at one of the cheapest stores in America.
1 Bottle o' Concord Grape Juice (I've tried grape juice, grapefruit juice, fruit punch, cranberry juice, and apple juice. Let's just say there's a reason almost all the wine you see at stores is made from grapes. Apple wine is okay, but grape is better. Any fruit juice can work, though, if you really don't care about taste.) Make sure it's preservative free (read the ingredients list). Pasteurization (which basically just means they boiled and quickly cooled it) and ascorbic acid (a form of Vitamin C) are okay. Anything else will probably inhibit your yeast. The effects different ingredients will have on your ability to make hooch varies, but a general rule of thumb is to avoid anything with an "-ate" after it.
1 Packet Yeast. Baker's Yeast from a grocery store will work. However, this type of yeast is weak and will die once your booze reaches an ABV of between 4-6%. If that's not a problem, go for it. However, if you want more kick, you need to get some sort of yeast meant for brewing and recreational drinking, not bread making. There are different varieties based on what you're making. It's not particularly important, though if you're making something light like apple wine you might want to use something like Champagne yeast instead of Pasteur Red, which is what I use. It'll work with any commercial yeast though.
Optional: sugar. Yeast makes alcohol as a byproduct of consuming sugar. The more sugar you have in your juice, the more potential alcohol you can have. There are two caveats to this, though. First, if you put too much sugar in your juice, it will kill the yeast. I've put as much as two cups in a gallon jug without incident, but I wouldn't go much higher than that, especially if you're using a weaker strain like bread yeast. Second, since the alcohol content of your wine will ultimately be limited by the heartiness of your yeast as the alcohol they produce will eventually kill them, adding sugar will only get you more alcohol content if there wasn't enough sugar in the juice itself to raise the alcohol content to a point that it kills the yeast. Also, if you do add sugar, it helps to dissolve it in boiling water before adding it to your juice. Just make sure the temperature of your juice concoction isn't too high when you add the yeast or the heat will kill them. Because of all these added issues, I generally don't bother adding more sugar. Store bought fruit juice is already pretty sugary and the wine I get from that is already plenty strong.
Optional: a balloon. Poke holes in the balloon and put it over the mouth of the bottle. Voila, you have a device that keeps air out but also lets gas vent from the bottle (a necessary step unless you want vinegar.) Loosely screwing on the lid of the juice bottle can accomplish the same thing, but this leaves more room for error since you might make it too loose and get vinegar or make it too tight and have the bottle explode. Some people claim that the balloon will allow chemicals to leech from it back into your wine when the must (your fermenting juice) foams up into the balloon and then comes back down. To combat this I don't take the lid off, but instead poke a small hole in it and then put the balloon over the lid itself. This helps prevent balloon stuff from falling back in the bottle, but has all the same advantages of a balloon. That said, a balloon is totally optional. Screwing the lid on and then unscrewing it about a quarter turn has always worked for me. If you're unsure how tight it should be check it frequently. If the bottle starts to get swollen looking, unscrew the lid until you hear the hiss of gas releasing.
Note that no sterilization of any of your equipment is needed because the juice container itself is sterile. If you put it into a new container, though, that container will need to be sterilized.
- Dump the yeast into the juice bottle, tighten the lid and then unscrew about a quarter turn. In other words, you don't want to fully tighten the cap. You want it just tight enough that air won't come in but if pressure is put on it from within, air will flow out. There is some room for error with this. I would err on the side of making it too loose, though, as I have made some that were quite loose and still make decent wine, but if it's too tight the bottle could burst.
- Wait three to 14 days. The juice will be pretty well fermented after about three days, but if you really want it to maximize your yield you need to wait about 10 to 14 days. Flavor improves with time.
- Siphon off all the Bum Wine except for the sludge at the bottom. The sludge at the bottom is dead yeast. It's harmless but will affect the flavor of your hooch. If you want to let the booze sit longer than a few weeks I would still recommend moving it to a new bottle to separate it from the dead yeast. Note that freshly fermented Bum Wine will be slightly carbonated. This is totally normal and not a cause for alarm. Personally, I like it to be totally flat before I drink it, but you can absolutely drink it this way. To speed up this process, put it in a new bottle in the fridge. Keep the cap loose just in case fermentation continues a little bit.
There you have it, my time honored, super affordable recipe for Bum Wine. Happy savings and happy drinking!