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The following post is by Ryan Larson '14, a senior sociology major at Concordia College. He loves sports of all kinds, plays jazz sax, and will begin a graduate program in sociology in the fall.
With the NCAA's Men's Basketball Tournament starting today, the media are alight with predictions as to who will cut down the nets April 7th. The annual phenomenon of penciling in the winners in tens of millions of brackets has a new twist this year: a billion dollar prize. The grand prize is being offered by Quicken Loans, the Detroit mortgage lender, with the backing of Warren E. Buffett, to anyone who fills out a perfect 2014 tournament bracket. The prize money will be paid out in 40 annual payments of $25 million, or a one-time lump sum of $500 million. However, how likely is a perfect bracket to surface?
In all likelihood, it won't. No record of a perfect bracket has surfaced to date, and the advent of Internet-based bracket filling makes this much easier to track. For example, in the 16 years of the ESPN online bracket challenge, not one has been perfect (this also holds for the other Internet-based hosts). Jeff Berge, Professor of Mathematics at DePaul University says the odds of picking a perfect bracket randomly is 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (the probability of getting 63 out of 63 right is the product of the probability of getting each one right, which for a coin flip is 50 percent). If everyone on earth filled out 100 brackets, it would theoretically take 13 million years to get a perfect bracket. In sum, the prediction worth putting much credence in is the notion that Buffett won't have to part with his billion.
However, not all NCAA March Madness contests are a 50/50 coin flip. A no. 1 seed has never lost to a no. 16 seed, which makes these games easier to predict correctly than the Final Four contests. Incorporating just this one piece of information, University of Minnesota Professor of Biostatistics Brad Carlin put the odds at more like "1 in 128 billion." This estimate is based solely on the probabilities of correct predictions in each round: the probability of calling a first-round game correctly ranges from 51 percent for the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game to 100 percent for the No. 1 vs. No. 16; and that second-round games can be called with 65 percent accuracy. The figures are 60 percent for Sweet Sixteen games and 50 percent for every game from the Elite Eight through the final. To put this in perspective, your odds of being killed by a vending machine are higher than picking a perfect bracket at even with the incorporation of these conditions.
All hope is not lost (although it's pretty close to it). Implementing statistical modeling techniques on historical tournament data can help increase your chances of picking games correctly (however, at a very modest rate). Arguably the most popular model is that of former New York Times, now ESPN prognosticator Nate Silver. Silver, and his team at fivethirtyeight, are in their fourth year of building a model to correctly pick the winners of the March Madness contests. The model is primarily based (weighted at 5/7 of the model) of a composite of computer college basketball rankings. These computer based rankings are combined with two human based metrics (2/7 of the model): the NCAA selection committee's S-Curve and preseason rankings from the Associated Press and the coaches (used as an indicator for "underlying player and coaching talent"). Additionally, Silver and his team adjust for injuries and player suspensions (using a statistic called win shares) and travel distance. Silver then simulates the tournament thousands of times to obtain predicted probabilities of each team advancing in each round (interactive graphic with the final model can be found here).
What other factors influence a win probability? Other inquiry has backed up Silver's notion that rankings matter, and that season performance (wins (particularly away wins), offensive scoring) and historical team performance (final four appearances, championships) also can lend some predictive insight. Ken Pomeroy's predictive rankings are also very popular (and also incorporated into Silver's model), although details of his methods are hidden behind a paywall. His models highlight the importance of strength of schedule as an important factor in the equation. Additionally, ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI), created by Alok Pattani and Dean Oliver, accounts for the final score, pace of play, site, strength of opponent and absence of key players in every Division I men's game (a new addition to silver's model this year). However, the inclusion of these metrics into a regression equation rarely gets you more predictive prowess than a coin toss (R2=.5).
Although modeling could help you gain valuable insight into your office bracket pool, it will not lead to a perfect bracket without a large amount of luck coming your way. Although sports do have a large amount of systematic variation, the inclusion of a good amount of random variation is what makes both prediction difficult and athletic contests beloved. When filling out your brackets this year, data driven analysis should give you leg up wouldn't have had otherwise. Listen to what the fox has to say. (For further reading: predictive analytics are also used to predict which teams will be selected to the tournament on Selection Sunday, with surprising accuracy).


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September 18, 2014
By:DVT online
Comments Comments
- Authors
words // Lin Stone
SunRidge Poetry, a new imprint from WindRidge Books of Vermont, has just released Vermont poet and University of Vermont English professor Stephen Cramer's third collection of poems, From the Hip ~ A Concise History of Hip Hop (in sonnets). Students shout out online "Cramer's the Man!" and fellow poets and colleagues decant that his love for the musicality of words is palpable.
Cramer recounts a favorite story about former poet laureate Stanley Kunitz: "When he was a kid in Worcester, Mass. he would read the dictionary, find a word such as 'fantasmagoric' and go outside to the woods and shout it out just to hear the sound. I think if you're going to be a writer you have to love the material you're using. Just as painters must love the smell of paint and sculptors love the wet clay in their hands, a writer has to love the way words sound. For thousands of years before words were written they were spoken – the air is their natural medium. In fact, Kunitz once said, 'The page is a cold, cold bed.' These words want to be spoken."
Hip Hop and Sonnets?
"My first two books, Shiva's Drum and Tongue & Groove, revolve around jazz. Hip hop is a new vein. I wanted to give this music, the music I grew up with, a literary presence. I hope the sonnets appeal to one crowd, hip hop appeals to another, and that the two traditions bleed into each other and [the book] offers introductions.
"The sonnet is an 800-year-old form that fits the English language so well. Right? Just like the minimalist haiku fits the eastern culture and mentality well. Sonnets fit the English. But every art needs the avant guard to keep it supple; just as Jack Kerouac wrote American haikus, some refer to these poems as 'American sonnets' because I played with the traditional form a bit. They are blank verse sonnets – fourteen lines and seven sets of rhymes – but I play with the lines, and the rhyme schemes vary."
"This book is not the greatest hits of hip hop; the poems are just the ones I found an entrance to when I came to write a sonnet. I started with Run DMC and the Beastie Boys and eventually, I discovered I had a relatively complete history. It proved to be an interesting narrative arc; for example, the Beastie Boys have seven pages in the book. It's not that they are my favorite, it's that they lasted three decades and have a specific and incredibly unique arc. When they began, all of their songs were about sex, guns, booze, and drugs. Later MCA, the lead singer, became a Buddhist and wrote songs about the environment, Free Tibet, Bush, and Middle East policies. There was a growing spiritual, global, and political consciousness. It shows how they and their music evolved through the decades from their more base animal nature and the lowest of chakras to see the world through a spiritual nature and the higher, more enlightened chakras."
Stephen Cramer would likely define his book as most successful if readers took their copy out-of-doors and sang poems to the trees until leaves are swept from the limbs. Don't be shy; it's the way words are meant to be.

subset: commoncrawl


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In this course, Scott Hargis offers pointers on how to take the all-important master bathroom shot by demonstrating the lighting, composition, and styling techniques behind capturing this space at its best. Learn how to take a portfolio-worthy shot, as well as a glamour shot.
(cheerful music) - On a real estate shoot, we don't always photograph every single room in the house, and very often, it's the bathrooms, especially the smaller ones, that get left off. But the master bathroom is always on the shot list. Think about if you're going to buy a house, this is one room that you definitely want to preview to decide if it's something you're interested in. Hi, I'm Scott Hargis, and even though I've been ambitious and worked hard, eh, my career's led me here, in the bathroom.
But we're going to get back out of it, and it's actually going to be pretty interesting. We're going to shoot this master bathroom up here in the Oakland Hills. At a glance, it looked really nice. When you look at it a little closer, it's Home Depot nice, so we're going to find a way to make some three different photographs in here. One of them is going to be a quick and dirty way of getting an acceptable photo in a very short period of time, but then we're going to come back and spend a few extra minutes, and find a way to make a much more appealing, maybe even portfolio worthy photo in here. I think we're going to find a way to make one little Four Seasons nice picture before we're done.
Again, at a glance, it's a big pretty room. But our first step is to put a photographer's eyes on it, and see it deeply, see it for what it really is the way the camera's going to see it. Let's get started with that.
- Styling a master bathroom
- Using three different approaches to capture the same space
- Finding your base exposure
- Shooting with one light
- Shooting with two lights
- Finalizing a shot
- Editing the final images


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Friday, March 5, 2010
Aloha Friday & Friday Follow
An Island Life hosts this meme. Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Therefore, I'll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
My Question: Do you wake up using an alarm clock or do you just wake up on your own? And if you have kids - do they have their own alarm clocks?
My Answer: I totally need an alarm clock to wake up! And even then it doesn't always work. The other day, I totally overslept and my son missed the bus. Let's just say when that happens it is a pain in the neck. So I decided it is time my 13 year old son has his own alarm clock. Now in case I hit the snooze - he can be the back up!
Here from Friday Follow? I hope you will follow me and I will be sure to return the favor as soon as possible. Click button below to join:
Posted by Susan Cook at 6:46 AM
Labels: Aloha Friday, Friday Follow
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Monday, December 12, 2011
Bringin' back the 70's
73 comments:
I love the hat! And your outfit is totally 70's :)ReplyDelete
I love your hat, the colour is so pretty, and you have such lovely hair too! I also really like the pattern of your shirt! xoReplyDelete
You can totes rock the 70s look, my dear. I love the hat on you!ReplyDelete
Twitter: @GlamKitten88
Such a cute outfit...you do look like you hopped out "that 70's show".....Love the hat!ReplyDelete
cute 70s outfit!! :D XxReplyDelete
you look adorable! i love the hat on you! and those jeans are amazing. and your shoes...ok, i love your whole outfit!ReplyDelete
thanks for your visit on my blog and for your sweet comment, also I like your blog, Now I am happy to be your follower , I hope you will want to follow me.ReplyDelete
I like your style and your outfit, I love floreal blouse and hat
have a good day ... keep in touch ....
I LOVE your hat! i have a tan one i stole from my mother and wore this summer but i love the deep color with yours and how your rock it even in december.ReplyDelete
your newest follower,
oh and ps. i love your hair in these pictures :) gorgeous
This post is really nice, I enjoied it so much! Wonderful photos!ReplyDelete
Take a look and maybe follow?: Cosa mi metto???
I LOVE that floppy hat! The last 2 times we were in Hawaii I bought... 2... because I love them so much :-) You look fantastic!ReplyDelete
I want that hat! It's so cute!!ReplyDelete
Your beautiful :)
you are looking lovely :) happy to have found your blog! I am loving it!ReplyDelete
Oh my gosh! You're gorgeous and I love your outfit! What a nice present- an adorable hat!!!ReplyDelete
that hat is great - I wish I could et away with wearing hats like that! xReplyDelete
you look SOOOO cute girlie! I love this outfit and the hat looks great!ReplyDelete
You are SO pretty! & love that outfit. <33ReplyDelete
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Love the whole look, from the hat to the wide legged denim! And your hair looks great.ReplyDelete
Red Soles and Red Wine
- AnonymousDecember 13, 2011 at 12:13 AM
What a lovely hat! ;)ReplyDelete
your hat is awesome :DReplyDelete
it really fit with your outfits too
sweet !
i'm following
mind to visit or follow me back ? <3
you look amazing! Love your hat, is amazing! :)ReplyDelete
You look gorgeous in these photos, your hair is amazing and I love that hat!ReplyDelete
Oh why I don't have a sister like yours?? This hat is super gorgeous, I'm so in love with its color!:) U look very pretty!ReplyDelete
Jelena (glamfabchameleon.blogspot.com)
p.s. Participate in a TeenyB Bikini Couture giveaway on my blog!
ooo i love the whole vibe of this outfit. you look fabulous. totally obsessed with the hat. great post, hun. if you get a sec, I'd love to hear what you think of my latest trend report. thanks, love. xoReplyDelete
aww you looks so beautiful dear ♥ really nice outfit , and anyway i love your header :)ReplyDelete
Girlfriend! I love your hat and your look. I wish I had hair like yours!ReplyDelete
x. jill
those ghosts
Amazing outfit dear!ReplyDelete
Your hat is gorgeous! I love the color and how floppy it is :) Your entire outfit is great, I like it a lot!ReplyDelete
you look so Taylor Swift (somehow)ReplyDelete
and that burgundy hat is pretty :)
really nice look!ReplyDelete
Check out my new outfit post!
MY BLOG: Dress up for armageddon
Love the outfit! It is so cute! espeically the hat.ReplyDelete
Omg!Your hat is fab!I absolutely love:)ReplyDelete
You forgot to send me your address for the Christmas swap,dear!
Can I have your address via email so I can send you your Christmas package?
cute cute cute!! that hat looks so great on you.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 16, 2011 at 2:00 PM
That hat is super cute on you! And I absolutely LOVE your pants :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 16, 2011 at 3:00 PM
This hat is so funny, i really like it, just like the outfit. Very 70s. (: ♥ReplyDelete
Beautiful outfit - take a look at my blog if you want!ReplyDelete
thanks for visiting my blog! I love meeting fellow bloggers :) THis outfit is certainly the 70's in it's best form, I love it! that hat is really great on you, what a great present! cute top tooReplyDelete
new post! The House of Shoes
You look fantastic! The hat really suits you (:ReplyDelete
lovely look!ReplyDelete
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thanks for your visit I hope you will want to follow me also on facebookReplyDelete
loved loveeeed! your 70s look like hat!! pls visit my blog im new in this! let me know what u think...i would like u to follow me back thanks!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 21, 2011 at 7:21 AM
I like your hat!!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for your sweet comment!!
Come back soon to visit my blog, I'll be waiting for you!!
Hi, you look so pretty! the outfit very nice, very seventies, and I love the hat tooReplyDelete
Hope you're having a nice week
you look awesome :) really like the outfit :)ReplyDelete
love this post and also your blog! It's so nice!!! I follow you!ReplyDelete
Pass to my blog and if it likes you follow me too, I will be so glad :D
absolutely adore your style!!! I have a hat just like that!ReplyDelete
Loooooooooove the hat!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas and happy holidays sweetie, all the best from my heart!!! kissesReplyDelete
Jelena (glamfabchameleon.blogspot.com)
love your shirt & hat! xxReplyDelete
enter my giveaway to win a jewelmint/stylemint piece of your choice!
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
you are soooooooo cute krissy!ReplyDelete
You look stunning in your 70's get up! It suits you sooo well! Happy belated birthdayReplyDelete
Love your curls!! Happy new year. x hivennnReplyDelete
These photos are gorgeous! Really nice post, I like it!ReplyDelete
Take a look and if you want we can follow each others: Cosa mi metto???
Win an amazing dress by entering the Free People giveaway on my blog!
Hi lovely,ReplyDelete
I'm finally back!
I wish a fabulous New Year:)
Received you my gifts for the Christmas swap?I hope you liked them!
See you soon
Lovely outfit!ReplyDelete
Especially your hat is amazing!
Christina xxx
LOVE your hat!!! You look great!ReplyDelete
adorable outfit!!!!ReplyDelete
this is a perfect outfit! love the hat with that top :)ReplyDelete
The whole ensemble is great! very 70's chicReplyDelete
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I Looooove the 70's! Is my favourite decade!ReplyDelete
cute look ^^ReplyDelete
Great post!ReplyDelete
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غلا الروح
شات صوتي
شات الغلا
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فعاليات الصوتي
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شات غلاReplyDelete
سعودي كام الصوتي
شات تمنيتك
شات غلاتي
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دلع ون
حبي كول
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وه الغربيهReplyDelete
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بنت ابوي
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Thanks for taking your time to read my blog! I love reading your comments-each and every one! I'll be sure to visit your blog and follow you back!


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2 week trip end of july or 1st week aug. Will ramadan affect?
2 week trip end of july or 1st week aug. Will ramadan affect?
Hi all,
I've spent a few days researching Indonesia for our annual holiday. My husband and I were planning to go to Indonesia for the first time by the end of July or 1st week Aug. While we are still confused about what to see in the limited time, I came across the fact that Ramadan this year is Jul 20 - Aug 18. From what I read, across Indonesia, life will be affected requiring us to book in advance. And it looks like finding food will become a problem with restaurants shutting in the day and me being a vegetarian. We want to experience Indonesia at its best, so are these concerns valid or being in a place like Bali or Java, ramadan will not affect us? Alternatively, should we postpone the trip to September or reconsider our destination?
If you think it's not a big deal, then some advice will be appreciated about what to cover to get an essence of the country - a mix of commercial and offbeat would do. We want to experience culture, be able to relax, go for one good trek and experience a beach (not very big fans of water sports).
Thank you in advance,
#1 redurn has been a member since 16/6/2012. Posts: 1
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As a fan of Thomas Sowell, I always get excited when I learn about a new book he's written. Of course to me most of his works are new because most were published before I even knew what economics meant.
Intellectuals and Society is Sowell's look at politics and the way that intellectuals have shaped it. In a way, his work is about how we have a blind faith in the "experts" whom we believe can take care of all of our societal ills.
My own view is that this is largely true. Before the age of FDR's Brain Trust things seemed to work pretty well in the country. We had tremendous rates of growth both in national wealth and in population. Sure, we had problems with racism and the business cycle, but these in their own way were the result of government policies (Jim Crow and state banks respectively). FDR tried changing things with his policy of an economy run by experts. Of course it failed miserably, but we still live with the system. A return to the old system of voluntarism and free markets is the best way to get back to the rapidly-growing economy that this country used to have.


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George Fuller held his Mayoral Campaign Kick-off event Tuesday night at the Sanctuary Event center in McKinney, Texas. Fuller is a longtime resident and business owner in McKinney and most notably known in recent years for his leadership role in the revitalization of Adriatica, a 46 acre, complex, European themed, mixed-use development in the heart of McKinney. Now thriving, Adriatica had fallen prey to the economic woes of 2008. Fuller is marries to philanthropist and singer, Maylee Thomas-Fuller (recipient of the 2014 McKinney Citizen Of The Year Award) and father of 4 children, ages 16 to 27. Fuller is the founder and owner of The Guitar Sanctuary, The Sanctuary Event Center, George C. Fuller Contracting Company and co-founder of the Love Life Foundation, a non-profit organization started in 1992 that supports at-risk women and children throughout the community and beyond.
Fuller's city involvement includes 5 years on the McKinney Community Development Corporation, serving as Chairman his last three years, current member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, President of the Stonebridge Ranch Commercial Association and member of the Meals on Wheels Board of Trustees. Fuller is largely credited with the recruitment and placement of the PSA McKinney Youth Sports Complex and bringing the long-delayed McKinney Aquatic and Fitness Facility to fruition. The even was well attended with an energized crown of approximately 250 people. John Baublis ("Johnny B" of KLAK fame), Ray Eckenrode and former City Council members Geralyn Kever and David Brooks (CEO of Independent Bank) all spoke on Fuller's behalf. The common theme centered around Fuller's vast accomplishments, vision, experience and revered character. All praised his leadership skills. McKinneyRising.com is the campaign website.


text: News Wednesday, May 25, 2016 Minister of Energy and Industry presents ExxonMobil Qatar with prominent Qatarization award DOHA, Qatar – On Monday, May 16, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, presented ExxonMobil Qatar with the 2015 Qatarization Certificate for the most improved organization in the category of supporting student sponsorship. Mr. Alistair Routledge, President and General Manager for ExxonMobil Qatar, accepted the distinguished award on behalf of the company. "We are honored to receive this award that recognizes our continuous efforts to promote Qatarization nationally and in our business," said Routledge. "For more than 20 years, ExxonMobil Qatar has proudly worked in partnership with the Qatari government to tailor local content to the specific needs in Qatar, and we remain dedicated to improving on these efforts in the years to come." "We want to help ensure that Qatari students and young professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Human potential is a cornerstone to building a prosperous future for the country, and these individuals hold the key to realizing such a future," he added. The Qatarization rate at ExxonMobil Qatar is among the highest in the energy sector, currently standing at 60 percent. As part of its ongoing Qatarization efforts, the company launched a fully funded student sponsorship program in 2006, the first of its kind in the industry. The sponsorship opportunities are offered to qualified Qatari students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in engineering, geosciences, finance, marketing, information technology, accounting, business administration, environmental science, mass communication, international affairs and other related fields. Sponsorships are offered without the obligation of employment and provide students with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience under professional supervision. Additionally, ExxonMobil Qatar is involved in the recruiting, hiring, training and development of Qatari nationals for roles within the company. Once recruited, employees receive on-the-job training throughout ExxonMobil's global operations. ExxonMobil Qatar supports a range of sustainable education and training initiatives for students and professionals to help build a stream of skilled individuals who can tackle the challenges of tomorrow. These efforts are made in pursuit of developing Qatar's knowledge-based economy, a vision put forth by Qatari leadership. ExxonMobil Qatar is committed to providing the energy needed to fuel human potential; to support research, safety, health and the environment; and to nurture Qatar's thriving society, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. ### About ExxonMobil ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is the largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. ExxonMobil Qatar Inc. is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation and is the interface point within Qatar for all ExxonMobil affiliated activities. To learn more, visit exxonmobil.com.qa or wwwإكسون-موبيل-قطر..com.


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While my parents were asking what building we would like to visit next, I suggested to visit the CNN Headquarters, as they were based within the city and they offered hourly tours. Visiting the main building for CNN was a huge deal for me-- their news show for students, which was posted online, was a huge part of my middle school life, and there was not one week when it wasn't broadcast onto the SmartBoard each class had.
Our tour was super informative, giving insight to why stations end up doing certain things they did, even though walking up eight to nine flights of stairs was tiring! There's a reason why some stations do not allow their newscasters to wear blue or green. Ever wondered why, while doing the weather, they always do a sweeping motion? There's a reason for that, too. The tour guide even allowed us to peek within the central hub of the entire station, watching people look and write reports on the latest news that would suddenly pop up.
Several blocks away from the CNN Headquarters was Centennial Olympic Park, one of the main areas of interest during the 1996 Olympic Games. So much of the area was influenced by the Olympics; one of the tour guides during the Georgia Tech tour said, "And here, we have our swimming pools. Other colleges may say that they have Olympic-sized pools, but here, we have THE Olympic pool." You have no idea the immense amount of giddiness that rushed over me. Watching the Summer Olympic Games is on my bucket list, and to this that I would be standing in a place where many world-class athletes once gathered is completely unbelievable!
On our last day of visiting the city, we decided to go to a local mall and explore, since a lot of the shops that were offered within the state of Georgia were not available in my state. In the food court, my family had a game plan: the four of us would each choose a food chain they've never heard of before, buy some of their food, and then share it with the rest of my family. My parents both got Asian food from two different chains. My brother got Chick-Fil-A, while I went to this Italian based food chain.
One shop that we discovered in the mall that was available in our state was Teavana, a nationwide tea store. They had the right amount of platters in there, and my family gushed over the tea samples and the extensive amount of knowledge the clerk had about each kind. If it weren't for the store, I wouldn't have found a tea that helps with falling asleep, a huge problem I have due to my active imagination (and possibly insomnia).
Oh yes, did I mention that my mom allowed for my brother and I to actually choose a slice from The Cheesecake Factory, another place that is not available in my state? I decided to get Mango Key Lime, which has the strangest flavor ever, although this is not highlighted in the bad sense.


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Sometimes, a girl just doesn't want to turn the oven on so you have to do without. Crust. You have to do without crust and suffer through vanilla flecked custard, fresh berries, creamy bananas and dark, dark chocolate sauce that lies on the plate without pedestal, without solid ground save the inedible plate. It's hard. I know. But it's hot and humid here and a BTU spewing oven won't improve the situation.
Vaguely flag-like in it's colors, with a smatter of green mint to echo the season. It's kind of fancy and really simple. The sauce is like Hershey's in the can only better (you knew I was going to say that). Nice served cold—almost tastes like a banana split.


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A very cosy and unique blanket/throw featuring fluffy rabbits. Perfect for snuggling up on the sofa with your little one.
Easy to knit in stocking stitch and a coloured intarsia chart to follow for the bunnies. There is a twisted rib border around the blanket which you knit as you go along and this avoids the edges curling.
Measurements 70 cm wide x 90 cm long (28 in wide x 36 in long)
Materials – All Worsted/Aran (10 ply yarn)
1 - 400 grams pink (640 meters, 698 yards)
1 - 50 gram ball King Cole Cuddles Chunky or 2 – 25 gram balls of Sirdar Snowflake Chunky (125 meters, 137 yards)
1 - 100 gram ball Black (196 meters, 214 yards)
I used:
Background - James C. Brett with Wool Aran in colour 67
Sheep - 1 - 50 gram ball King Cole Cuddles Chunky in colour 350 White Sheep – 1 – 100 gram ball Stylecraft Special Aran in colour Black 102
Yarn can be purchased from LoveKnitting by clicking on the following link:
Other suggested yarns:
Berroco Vintage
Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
James C. Brett with Wool Aran
King Cole Big Value Aran
King Cole Merino Blend Aran
Rico Design Essentials Soft Merino Aran
Sirdar Supersoft Aran
Knitting Needles – 1 circular 5 mm (UK6 – US8) 100 cm long
Tension - 18 sts and 24 rows to 10 cm (4 inches) over stocking stitch
The blanket is knitting backwards and forwards on the circular needle
Pattern Language - English


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It's the difficult second album and One Direction are going to have their critics.
Most of them will be fans of The Wanted while the rest are simply fed up of hearing Live While We're Young and want some more whining Jake Bugg on the radio.
But with tracks written by the genius Ed Sheeran and McFly's Tom Fletcher, this was never going to be a predictable pop album.
There are some obvious rhymes and repetitive tones but the five-piece have smashed it with Take Me home.
It's fun, infectious and they've found the balance between poptastic fun for the pre-teens and lyrics with meaning for embarrassed twenty-somethings who secretly listen to Up All Night on their iPods.
Justin Bieber sensationally revealed that his songs include lyrics for both the young and older audiences. With references to Buzz Lightyear and fondue in his hit single Boyfriend to cater for all his fans.
So, in honour of Biebs - here's a track-by-track review with the Buzz and Fondue moments of each song.
Live while we're Young
We all know the intro sounds a bit like The Clash and have heard it on the radio a thousand times already. Not that we're complaining but we'll spare you the analysis and get straight into it.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "And if we get together, yeah, get together / Don't let the pictures leave your phone"
We guess it's a new age world and these are modern day problems. The lesson learned would be not to take any nakey photos.
Fondue moment: "I know we only met but let's pretend it's love"
This can be applied to most university freshers and professionals trying to find 'the one'.
Kiss You
This tune is upbeat, we love it. It also has clapping, TO-whooooo's You-whoooo's and Do-whooo's for some good old fashioned singing at your desk fun.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "I want to show you off to all of my friends / Make them drool down their chinny chin chins"
We're loving the lyric that originated from nursery rhyme Thee Little Pigs. You know, the big bald wolf will huff and puff and blow their house down?
Fondue moment: "If you don't want to take it slow / And you just want to Take Me Home say / Yeah, Yeah, Yeah"
Boys, what would your mothers say? Well, as long as you're 'safe', that's OK.
Little Things
It's a sweet melodic tune that couldn't sound any more like Ed Sheeran unless he was chatting the words down the microphone himself. Harry's probably got the best lines in this one.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "I'm joining up the dots with the freckles on your cheek"
This takes us back to the pressures of colouring in within the lines. Who knew a bit of crayon drawing could be so stressful?
Fondue moment: "You never want to know how much you weigh"
Story of everyone's life, isn't it?
C'mon, C'mon
There's a lot of thumping bass in this one and it's a bit too repetitive for consecutive listens. It would be a nice surprise if you've got your recently played on shuffle.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "Come on, Come on / I've been watching you all night"
If anyone over the age of 16 said this it would probably result in said person being charged for harassment.
Fondue moment: "Yeah! The music is so loud"
Probably interpreted differently to how the boys meant it but yeah, turn it down a little. It is a little bit loud.
Last First Kiss
Buzz Lightyear moment: "I wanna be the first to take it ALL the way like THIS!"
We're not sure what 'THIS' actually means but if we're going to consider the worst… then it's going to be a struggle finding an adult who fits the bill.
Fondue moment: "I'm afraid you'll run away / If I tell you / What I wanted to tell you"
All of the hidden truths and bad habits that you keep secret until the other-half is settled enough that when you reveal you're a stamp collector it's too much bother to dump you.
Heart Attack
This is American preppy-pop music at it's very best. Exactly what the 1D boys are all about and it's one of the best songs on the album.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "OWWWW!"
It's a Michael Jackson style scream but that's not why it's in this section. Honest. It's only because we would normally do a swear straight after such a high-pitched howl.
Fondue moment: "You're giving me a heart attack / Looking like you do"
Whether it's an illness or your mate dressing like a hipster's procreated with a Topman manikin, it's serious.
Rock Me
The chorus is a bit lame but if you're a fan of learning the words of songs after only listening to it once - this track will make your life complete.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "I want you to hit the pedal / Heavy metal"
This is aimed at any fans trying to be a bit more rock'n'roll OR find the motivation to cycle home from school.
Fondue moment: "Do you remember Summer '09 / Wanna go back there every night / Not gonna lie that was the best time of my life"
Has someone forgotten about the Summer of 1969, Harry? Obviously, we weren't there but we've been told it was amazing.
Change My Mind
Reminds us of More Than This just not as catchy. The first verse sounds a lot like the slow bit ('being the way that you are is en-uh-uh-ough') in What Makes You Beautiful.
Buzz Lightyear moment: We imagine younger types will probably just skip this one because it's a bit soppy, a bit serious and the next song is an absolute tune.
Fondue moment: "Never felt like this before / Are we friends or are we more?"
It's the storyline of films you wished you had never seen. Friends With Benefits (good only for the fact Mila Kunis plays lead role), When Harry Met Sally, Friends With Kids, Just Friends etc.
I Would
There's a lot of funky guitar going on in this one. It's extremely catchy and feels a bit like Na Na Na. The lyrics are quite funny and you can imagine it's the story of Niall's high school experience. The McFly boys were back in action here, too.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "In my heard we were kissing / I thought things were going alright / With a sign on my back saying kick me / Reality ruined my life"
Do they still do this in school? We bet they flushed their heads down the toilet as well, yeah?
Fondue moment: "Would he say he's in L-O-V-E?"
Ah, the over commitment with the L-bomb is one of life's biggest mysteries. Do you say it back? Do you just say you're going to a wee and climb out of a ground floor window to escape?
Over Again
Another masterpiece from Edward Sheeran. That man's a songwriting guru and there's so much wordplay and double meaning in this song that it might get lost with the younger fans.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "Since she went solo / Whole in the middle of my heart like a Polo"
There was a time when swapping the Polo was the only time it was ever mentioned in the playground.
Fondue moment: "I can lend you broken parts / That might fit"
After years of shopping in Ikea, there's probably an allen key somewhere that can mend the broken heart the boys are singing about here.
Back For You
Bit plain compared to some of the other songs of the album but Louis' verse is definitely the highlight.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "I'm looking down at the crowd / You're everywhere / I'm watching you from the stage"
This will boost ticket sales no end. It was probably written about the time we went and paid £6 for a giant foam hand off a bloke outside only for security to take it off us as we got in.
Fondue moment: "When you wake up / You're hearing me say 'Goodbye'"
This songs all about One Direction's one night stand, it seems. Dirty boys!
They Don't Know About Us
The intro and chorus sounds loads like Kelly Rowland ft Nelly – Dilemma. Louis gets another belting solo.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "They don't know about the Up All Night / They don't know I've waited all my life"
A nice little reference for fans who bought their first album and made it to the penultimate song without getting distracted by pictures of Harry's hair.
Fondue moment: "They don't know what we do best / It's between me and you / Our little secret"
This usually includes watching a boxset with lots of wine and telling your mates you actually went somewhere fancy and don't live your life like a hermit. No? Just us, then.
Summer Love
Niall's vocals stand out the most and it's a slow pop number to close a brilliant album. It's hard to spot any filler which is an amazing accomplishment considering they have to sing these songs about a million times during their world tour.
Buzz Lightyear moment: "Wish that we could be alone now / If we could find some place to hide"
Count to ten, don't peek and get off with someone behind the giant oak tree at the back of the field.
Fondue moment: "You will always be my summer love"
For any Grease fans who need a bit of Summer Lovin' back in their lives. It's not quite the karaoke classic but you can definitely belt it out in your shower or somewhere equally as private.
Want more One Direction gossip? Click here for interviews, pictures, videos and the latest in their feud with The Wanted!


text:
NGC's Culver Theatre exterior
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Ive seen so many films at the culver, including: Oaklahoma 1955, Legend of the lost, John Wayne, Sophia Loren, Also A Woman like Satin, Brigette Bardot, and many more.
John, Morehead,KY
The Culver was a favorite neighborhood theater. I saw Hellfighters and In Enemy Country there…I could have been inside when that photo was shot. I'm pretty sure I saw the first mass release 35mm version of the 1959 Ben-Hur there…kinda cool since it was produced across the street. The Culver was built pre-Scope, so the widescreen was an add-on sitting in front of the original proscenium. 1.85 looked like about 1.9:1, and Scope looked like about 2.1:1. The Culver also had the classic blue-illuminated clock next to the screen.


text:
Spend the afternoon putting my cameras back out. Put two back out in a couple of my favorite locations and I'm trying two in new locations. Hopefully we'll have some new pics next Sunday. In the mean time here's a few from last hunting season.
The first is from our fall fishing trip. This year we went out on the
Couldn't resist getting a pic of the sign at the pier we used.
Capt. Blaise.
Fish on. We had a great day and caught our limit.
The next two shots is a small snow we had during hunting season. This is prett much the biggest snow we had this winter.


text: It looks like we may be a few steps closer to a custom ROM for the Droid X2. Ericerk at RootzWiki was able to get the Droid X2 to boot into a custom recovery. He and a developer are now working to make it happen for the general public. There aren't instructions yet, but you can follow the conversation at the RootzWiki source link below. During the convo Ericerk indicates he is also working on a custom ROM for the device, which is exciting news for Droid X2 owners. Source: MyDroidWorld and RootzWiki


text:
If you have PDF conversion and/or submission problems contact me. I can help. I had lots of problems and bought the proper software and advice to solve all the issues. Formatting, Images DPI, grayscales, MSWord conversions to PDF, reformatting and such. All my uploaded files were approved by CS the same day. The proofs looked stunning. I am sure I can help.
Take a look at Build Your Book, 54 pages, PDF, free:
It goes from manuscript to book. Although I prefer to write in Word, OpenOffice is almost identical to Word, it is free, and it does a good job converting documents from word processor to PDF. http://www.openoffice.org
I'd like some of your wisdom for my problem. I wrote the book in Word and set it up in the format AI wanted for the final printing. I then converted each page of the document in Word to a PDF and saved each PDF in a folder on my desktop. How to I upload this folder, or it's contents, to the interior file? I've tried to do the folder but nothing happens, and if I do one PDF I get an error message saying it's not enough pages and can't be done.
Some PDF converters/programs will permit you to combine PDF files into one, new, PDF file. As Seal said, you cannot upload a bunch of PDFs in a folder.
i submitted my first proof using pdf 995 ( which has no options except black and white vs color and graphics dpi)
and it was accepted without a glich.... i have numerous tiffs illustrations that are 300 dpi
now...... when i got back the proof.. i "improved my manuscript by putting text boxes around about thirty quotes of text and about ten of the tiff illustrations....... when i submitted it was rejected because...... check for embedded fonts and make sure to collapse layering .....
did the text boxes mess up, it that a layering process?
pdf edit...995 has other functions..... do i need something that will ensure embedded fonts, compression of layering etc..... the only thing i changed was added text boxes out of word with a shadowing effect ... thanks in advance jm
I use Adobe Illustrator for my book-
Lots of photos, lots of graphics, lots of layering.
You will need to flatten every page, then save as PDF-
(flattening can be tricky sometimes, I use "create Outlines" setting and preserve transparency)
then I use Adobe acrobat to combine the multiple pages into one PDF file.
Then Optimize (under advance)-
It's a lot of steps....but it is worth it to get the look you want.
Hope this helps!
I think the best way to resize your book is to work in Word, where your manuscript is. Work with a duplicate file. Change the page size and margins on File>Page Setup. Then go through it page by page. Make sure it reformatted the way you want.
Then, when you get it right, make a new PDF, with a new name.
Thought I had everything under control, sent the PDFs for the interior and cover on Sunday, but on Monday morning the review said that the cover was fine but the interior had reversed page numbering (page 340, the last page, was shown as page 1), so I must re-submit. Since this morning I've tried to create an appropriate PDF, but every time was unsuccessful. A couple of times the PDF had only 3 or 4 pages. Another few times the pages were still reversed. And a third iteration omitted all the graphics. Yoicks!
I tried changing the order of pages in two ways: first I re-set the page ordering to "reverse;" then I unchecked "collate."
Okay, I may have forgotten the basics of PDF conversion, but here's my situation:
I work on an iMac with OS 10.5.8. Used Word for Mac 2008 throughout, and it worked well until it crashed a few times, so a MS tech suggested I save the file in the previous form of Word (97-04), which worked fine. Carefully inserted quite a few small black and white drawings throughout, in jpeg at 300 dpi and low quality. Apparently o problem with the images.
Bought Adobe Acrobat at full price and installed it. On a trial run with another file, it told me it was fine.
Please help me if you can! I'm willing to try a few more times. If that doesn't work, I'm willing to pay somebody to create the PDF. I'm driving to a biggish city on Wed. where there is an Office Depot -- is that a good choice? Thanks!!
Hello again. I wrote a long rambling post about my problem yesterday, but have solved some of my issues. Now I can focus on the two remaining issues, namely:
--Reversed page numbering in the PDF (page 1 is named page 340, and vice versa), and
--Two PDFs created, the second overriding the first (337 in the first, 3 in the second) (and still reversed page numbering)
Can anyone help me? Thanks!
(MS Word for Mac, Adobe Acrobat, pretty standard setup)
Dear Helper,
I have a 128 page black and white graphic novel. I have a friend working on this for me. The interior files are so large that they won't shrink down to 300 dpi. My friend has tried to compress and bitmap the project and on our end it says 300dpi. When I submit the files createspace claim that the file are only 155 dpi. I don't think that bit mapping is the answer however, They say that they print using gray scale. When I go to color how the heck am I going to do this if my black and white pages don't even fit. I don't have a lot of money however I would be willing to pay you something of a pitance for the worth of a favor you would be doing me.
If you wish to contact me I would be greatful.
Kindest Regards,
Message was edited by: sparky1


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text:
The Gig: Slyde
Where: Hard Luck, Toronto, ON, Canada
When: 6 January 2012
In One Word: Windmills
How apt that Canadian metal veterans Anvil should be standing at the back of the room at Hard Luck Bar, while on stage a big-dreaming young metal band called Slyde were entertaining the crowd, playing a show that could be seen as the next step of their own Anvil-like journey towards that eternal quest of all musicians: To make it.
Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and Robb Reiner's lifetime struggle to pursue their own rockstar dreams was captured wonderfully in the documentary Anvil: The Story Of Anvil. The success of that film, that had metalheads more watery eyed than Metallica & Lou Reed's Lulu (but for altogether different reasons), has led to Anvil being forever immortalised in Canadian music folklore, while the band has toured extensively since and recorded their last album This Is Thirteen at Dave Grohl's Studio 606. A poster story for determination, if ever there was one.
Anvil's story drew lots of comparisons to the infamous metal mockumentary Spinal Tap, and the fun side to Anvil's character added to the charm. Slyde have a comparable charm factor; a burly, Pantera-mold of metal band, they are not. They play a metal show that is actually enjoyable to watch, and in the moment it's hard not to nudge the cute blonde nearby and inquire, "Are Slyde not the greatest band ever?!" With big hair windmills, deft keyboard arpeggios, a six-string bass, guitar tapping, face-twisting passion… it's all ridiculous. Frontman Nathan Da Silva's guitar case for his Flying V is even cut to the shape of the Flying V itself. Brilliant. Throw some socially and environmentally conscious lyrics into the mix, and you have an unusual – and more than just a tad geeky – metal band. Slyde are a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Yet while they are fun, none of what they do is a joke – being fun and resembling something of a caricature of a metal band is just part of what Slyde are about. With their presentation and performance, the band make a real effort to entertain their crowd. And with half the group already having moved recently to Toronto from Ottawa, they are serious with their ambitions. What really matters is the music…
At Hard Luck, the level of musicianship of this band was damn impressive. Slyde are so articulate. The classically trained Sarah Westbrook is frequently the extra dimension as she links and sets-up the guitar and bass players for all their fluctuations as the music goes from melodic metal to high-octane metal, with a distinctly European feel. The reception in Toronto was warm but if a little standoffish. If this was a rock club in Scandinavia it may easily have been a different story. The fun, cheesy factor of their driving upbeat metal has a distinct Euro tang to it that would export well… Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, are you reading?
Without getting too carried away with poetic license, there is a bit of a sad irony seeing a band pack up their gear to the stage backdrop emblazoned with the giant letters 'Hard Luck'. It's still early days for this group, with just one full-length recording under their belts. At the moment they lack the one or two A songs they need to really pull a following. Yet 48 hours after seeing this show, I was still enthusiastically regaling to friends about Slyde: With some bigger hooks, Slyde could have their fans singing their tunes after the show too.
© Brian Banks, Editor, Music Vice
Watch out for an interview with Slyde, coming soon to Music Vice.
Video footage of Slyde performing new song "Take Us Away" at Hard Luck Bar
Internet links: Slyde
Share and discuss using the links below. Follow Music Vice on Twitter at @MusicVice. Long Live Indie.


text:
Hi I'm Margaret and welcome to my world. OK so lets see well lemme just start with I hate writing about myself. I can talk about others all day but me, nah. But Imma give it a shot.
I'm a 40-something in my Act 2. What's my Act 2? Well, I'm a Mom but my kid is a 20-something so now I'm trying to re-figure out my life without thinking of myself as a Mom first. Does that make sense? It's also hard. She was my priority for so long that once, she wasn't, I was kinda lost for a bit. I'm still trying to figure things out.
I'm also a grandmother, which is pretty cool! I call them Lil People and Lil People Jr and, as of this writing, they are 7 and 2. Besides having my daughter, there is nothing more special to me than my grand kids. But they also make you realize that your old LOL Whew!
- While I'm re-figuring out things in my life, I'm the Executive Assistant with Entertainment New Media Network, a collective of bloggers who specialize in writing about the entertainment and travel worlds and I'm also one of their contributing writers.
- I'm the owner of Destination-Honeymoon, my travel agency that specializes in destination weddings and honeymoons.
- I'm the co-manager of the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles chapters of Bloggin Mamas, a nationwide blogger network.
When I'm not all over the place, I have a tendency to actually relax and enjoy and good book (my Kindle is filled with them), a good laugh, a glass of wine, sleep and hanging out with my grand kids in the SF Bay Area.
If you would like to contact me, email email@example.com
And of course, I get social:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/margsworld
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/margswrld
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/margsworld
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/margsworldtheblog
Periscope: http://periscope.tv/margswrld
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Google+: http://plus.google.com/+margarets (personal)
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margsworld
Talk to you soon!
Latest posts by MargsWorld (see all)
- My New Hometown #StocktonTrue - October 19, 2017
- Star Wars…The Last Jedi #TheLastJedi - October 10, 2017
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text:
My friend Stacee tagged me for a meme a few days ago. You're supposed to Google your first name with the word "needs" next to it and then list the first 10 things that appear. So, here goes:
1. Cindy needs a tall, cold glass of STFU* (It actually took me a minute to work out that acronym. And then I was very indignant.)
2. Cindy Needs Our Help. (Not sure why each word needed to be capitalized. Am I that desperate for help? Oh wait. It was the title of the article. Never mind.)
3. Cindy needs to stay on that bus 'coz you know she ain't one of us she won't know a thing she won't know a thing from now until she wakes up. (Never heard this song before. Have you?)
4. Cindy needs a home. Pet classifieds for Dachshund For Adoption. (A surprisingly high number of people name their dogs Cindy. Should I be insulted?)
5. Cindy Needs A Fix Like You Wouldn't Believe. Thank you to reliable W——–e P——y operative for sending us this image. (This sounds shady at best, so I deleted any identifier that might bring shady characters in this direction.)
6. Life: Cindy Needs Craigslist Magic! (I probably do. But I can't think of a single thing to search for on Craigslist. Oh well.)
7. Cindy and the folks at Crawford need your help. We need the use of some type of van/camper/RV. (Hot diggity dog! I'm going on a road trip with the whole Crawford community. Hope it's a big van/camper/RV.)
8. Cindy needs to tell shrub to "bring it on"… doncha think? (I have no idea what this means. But the website had the word democrat in it. And I'm not well versed in politics.)
9. The lovely fairy Cindy needs you! (How sweet! Much better than the one I skipped between 8 and 9. Because I'm not going to rant about my own sense of direction on here. Thank you very much.)
10. Cindy needs to be accessorized, please. (This one made me giggle even though it technically wasn't next.)
And now I'm supposed to tag five people. Usually I skip this part, but I'm going to play by the rules this time. I'm tagging Amanda, Kristin, Darcie, Laura, and Ellen. However, even if I didn't tag you, feel free to consider yourself tagged and play along!
Filed under: memes | Leave a comment »


text:
This adorable set of 'Constructive Eating' utensils for kids turns the standard fork, knife and spoon into functional toys that can be used for play at the dinner table.
There's a bulldozer pusher, a forklift fork and a front loader spoon; each of the rugged kitchen utensils is dishwasher-safe and made with paint-free FDA-approved products. This kit could be just the ticket to make healthy eating fun for little ones.
Implications - Consumers are looking for some entertainment in their everyday products. Items that perform a practical function while being whimsical are appealing to those who want to forget their responsibilities for a moment. Companies could develop their products with this in mind to draw in a larger number of shoppers.
Construction Site Utensils
More Stats +/-
20 Unique Eating Utensils
Top 23 Cutting Edge Utensils
Fun Utensils
Finger Food Utensils
Two in One Utensils- The Pizza Pro
'Constructive Eating' Kit Includes Bulldozer, Forklift and Front Loader
- By: Marissa BrassfieldFeb 22, 2009 Updated: Jul 5 2011
References: flyingpeas & squeakystroller
References: flyingpeas & squeakystroller


text:
Hope you guys like giant monster movies, because coming hot on the heels of the Pacific Rim panel at Comic Con was the official announcement that Legendary Pictures' relaunch of Godzilla, directed by Monsters filmmaker Gareth Edwards, is in the pipeline and getting ready to invade theaters in the not-too-distant future.
Once the Pacific Rim panel ended in Hall H, the lights dimmed and the screen came alive with a teaser trailer for Godzilla. Here's how Cinema Blend describes the teaser:
It started with footage of a destroyed city, and voiceover talking about the Hindu proverb about Vishnu taking on his multi-armed form (you know, this guy). The voiceover specifically quotes Vishnu saying "'Now I have beccome death, the destroyer of worlds." From there we hear the iconic Godzilla scream, and it leads to a shot of Godzilla stomping through a cloud of dust. You see the spiked back, you hear the familiar thudding storms, and then the camera pans up the monster's face– where, of course, it screams again.
After the teaser was over, Edwards came out to greet the crowd, who was, by this point, roaring themselves. After admitting that he nearly cried about fan reaction to the teaser while backstage, Edwards talked about his vision for Godzilla, which, if it were to be summed up in one word, would be "realistic." Edwards said that he and the other artists involved are taking the Godzilla idea "very seriously," by asking themselves "If this really happened, what would it be like?"
Well I don't know about you Bastards, but I'm kind of dying to see this now myself. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for an online leak sooner rather than later.
Source: Cinema Blend
Category: Film


text:
We don't need no stinkin' environmental regulations to save the earth – all we need are well functioning property rights for environmental resources and common law courts to protect that property against trespass. Pollution is simply a neighbor's garbage dumped in your backyard without permission. If we simply recognize and enforce property rights for nature, the need for most environmental regulation goes away.
That's the libertarian pitch anyway, and it goes by the moniker "Free Market Environmentalism," or "FME" to its acolytes. FME was given a firm theoretical foundation by Ronald Coase, embellished and blessed by libertarian economist Murray Rothbard, given academic life by the Political Economy Research Center and the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment, popularized in Washington by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and even pitched by yours truly to the Board of Trustees of the Natural Resources Defense Council about nine years ago.
Alas, there has never been much evidence to suggest that libertarians were making much headway with these arguments and I have come to believe that they have less promise than I had once imagined. But what do you know? FME is now all the rage amongst environmentalists who have discovered that suing polluters for tresspass is easier than passing satisfactory laws against the same.
Think I'm pulling your leg? Read this from Darren Samuelsohn in today's issue of Greenwire (subscription required):
Efforts to force a stronger U.S. global warming policy through the courtroom came under sharp scrutiny yesterday as eight states, New York City and conservation groups pressed for reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's five largest electric utilities.
A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals pressed plaintiffs over why their case was necessary when other avenues exist for addressing global warming – from Capitol Hill to state courts. "My basic question is should we be invoking this doctrine in this very unusual case when there are many other remedies available?" asked Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the lone Democratic appointee on the 2nd Circuit's panel.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) replied that the utilities' emissions violate federal common law by harming residents in multiple states. The utilities' emissions are creating a public nuisance and must be reduced to counteract a variety of global warming effects, including California's diminished snow pack and more intense heat waves.
Addressing Sotomayor's question, Blumenthal said his case is not unusual compared with other seminal common law challenges upheld by the Supreme Court, including suits over Illinois sewer water running into Lake Michigan and air pollution from two Tennessee smelters.
"We're dealing with a developing area of science where federal common law provides a remedy under the doctrines that exist," Blumenthal said.
Plaintiffs singled out the five companies and their subsidiaries for litigation almost two years ago because they are the largest emitters of carbon dioxide from the power sector in the United States.
… The electric utilities' defense covered some of the same ground offered successfully last summer before a federal district court, which dismissed the case on the grounds it raised political questions better left to the other two government branches. Both current and former sessions of Congress and presidents have not adopted such an aggressive climate change policy, argued Washington-based industry attorney Joseph Guerra.
Guerra also insisted federal common law has not been applied to an issue of such sweeping scale. Of the Supreme Court precedents Blumenthal cited, Guerra replied, "None of those cases could have possibly affected the entire U.S. economy."
Pushing another line of the industry's defense, Guerra cautioned the litigation would be a precursor to more global-warming nuisance claims – with no end in sight as plaintiffs tick through other sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
But Sotomayor, who asked the bulk of the questions during the hearing, took issue with the line of industry defense. "That's the nature of every tort action," she told the utility attorney.
Sotomayor also said she had a problem with dismissing the case just because potential remedies were so large.
OK, I'll grant that enviros are going the common law route less out of conviction than out of necessity. But so what? What was once a fringe argument has now migrated into the political and legal mainstream with a vengeance. Good news for libertarians, right?
Well, if libertarians and fellow-travelling conservatives are popping champagne bottles, it has escaped my attention. FME blogs are dead silent. Conservatives are taking the corporate line that common law is an inappropriate venue for all of this with no dissenters that I can tell. In short, FME'ers either aren't paying attention or aren't willing to back their doctrines when they are employed by the Left.
Sure, one can argue that the plaintiffs don't have proper standing, that there is really no nuisance here to begin with, that the tort system is so messed up that employing it in such cases is problematic, etc. But nonetheless, this is a growing trend and libertarians seem surprisingly ambivalent about it.


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Save Earth by Food Management
United Nation in the year 1972 institutd 5th June as Worlds Environment Day to stimulate world wide awareness of the environment and to encourage political attention and action. Its aim is to stimulate world wide awareness of the environment and to encourage political attention and action. Its aim isto involve people from all walks of life in sustainable and equitable development.
The theme for this year's World Environment Day is "think Eat And Save". Its an anti -food waste and food loss campaign that encourages reduction of one's "foodprint" which means the impact our food has on environment I(i.e. packaging,distance travelled, amount of resources used to process etc.)
How can we reduce our food print? Its not very difficult if we stick to our traditional eating habbits. Our culture had considered these things way back and was followed in olden days. A traditional kitchen does noot allow wastage of food, it starts with all raw materials (no leftovers) ,cooked in clean kitchen offering food first to God and cow then to senior member and other members of the family, which is followed by serving food to people who work for us and at last to animals especially dogs. The whole process does not leave space for wastage of food.our traditional cooking use ingrediants and spices produced in local area which makes it more ecofriendly.With the passage of time lifestyle got changesd and today we are no more confined to tradition food but have developed taste for international cusine. Change is law of nature and this change is inculcating fealing of brotherhood mixing of people from culturally different people etc . so this change should be welcomed but with little conscious efforts.
These little efforts can reduce our food print and feed people who are undernourished and sleep hungry at night. Data suggests that around 27-28% of children in developing countries are underweight and stunted, one billion children live in poverty that means every second child, approximately 790 million people in developing world are chronically undernourished. According to Food And Agriculture Organisation more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die of hunger every day and one in every seven people in the world go tombed hungry.All these data are self explanatory for the selected theme of " World Environment Day" as"Think Eat Save". This theme is against wastage of food or in other words one can say proper management of food. According to UNEP (United Nation Environment Programme) 25% of all habitable land in the world and 70% of fresh water is used for growing food crops. 80% of deforestation and and 30% of GHGs are emitted in the process of food production from cultivation to consumption stage of food supply chain. Food is lost and wasted in this whole chain due to improper storage, spilling, and untimely use. This can be prevented up to certain extend by home makers if they store cook and serve food in systematic and planned manner. "FIFO" should be remembered as mantra for it which means First In First Out i.e. brought (cooked) first should be consumed first. They should prefer locally available vegetables and other groceries over the one which comes by travelling long distance because more fossil fuel is used in this process which increase carbon foot print and food print. Instead of going for tinned food items we should go fresh seasonal food which is not only healthy and nutritious but also ecologically and economically more sound. Don't cook in large quantity with an intention to store for long time which is bad both for health and environment both. Don't waste food , share it with needy people. Dispose left overs properly, feed it to animals or make manure out of it.Whenever you visit a restaurant do not feel hesitant to ask for parcel of leftovers because food you leave in restaurants are generally thrown. Lots of food are wasted in parties where more than 60-70 dishes are served , it will be better if number of dishes can be reduced by selecting few good ones. Many NGOs have taken initiative to use this food ,they collect them from the spot and distribute it to the needy people.These small efforts can reduce the food wastage, food print and Save Earth.


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Various sources are reporting that a mega showdown between super bantamweight champions Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg is almost a done deal for February 27th. The fight will take place in the UK where both fighters are from.
The fight isn't a done deal yet but most of the terms have been agreed to according to a report from Boxingscene. The highly anticipated match up is one that boxing fans have her yearning for, especially in the UK. Should everything go well the deal could be announced next week.


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I thought this was a great way to say goodbye to Austin, TX. It really is a beautiful city. This was not my first visit there, rather my forth, but this was the longest time I've ever gotten to spend there (8 days.)
It was really fun. We rented a house with the family and really got to spend some time together. We ate good barbecue, went to parks, bowling, the children's museum, and walks around UT Austin.
I also had the pleasure of seeing my Austin and my cousin and her beautiful little boy. And, I got to meet and have coffee with the amazing romance author Chandra Ryan. She was so nice, interesting, smart, funny, incredible really.
All in all, it was a great way to end 2011 and I am really excited to see what 2012 brings both personally and in the writing-zone for me.
We said goodbye to my father-in-law this year and I will always miss him. I think when I look back at 2011, that will mostly be what I remember. But, I would really like to say 'thank you' to all of you for everything. I know I don't say it enough.


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The Quays
The Quays Bar is situated right in the heart of Youghal, beside the main town quay (hence the name). Enjoy an early morning coffee or a late evening glass of wine while soaking up the view Youghal Bay from our decking area.
There is a full carvery lunch serving freshly roasted meats from local butcher fresh seasonal vegetables and potatoes available from Monday to Friday between the hours of 12.00pm and 2.30pm.
Our Evening Bar Food Menu has something for all appetites ranging from open sandwiches to full main courses. We also have an extensive list of house and fine wines to suit every taste.
For private parties and special occasions we have a function room available. We welcome tour groups and large parties and will gladly create a menu to suit your needs, if required.
The Quays Night Club opens every weekend– there's always a great atmosphere here! The Quays Niteclub offers a regular and exciting schedule of live music and DJ's.
"The Quays is the biggest pub in Youghal, it has large TV's showing live sport by day, live music at night and has the only nightclub in town above it. But it also happens to be one of the friendliest pubs too, serves great bar food and is a place to be seen and meet up. " - Martin
024 91566
- The Quays, Youghal


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Senior menus
The Washington County Commission on Aging offers noon lunches to anyone over 60 years old at seven locations - Hancock, Smithsburg, Keedysville, Williamsport and three in Hagerstown.
A two-day reservation notice is required and a donation is asked per meal. For more information, call 301-790-0275.
Weekly menu Feb. 11- Feb. 17
Wednesday - Broccoli soup, hot ham and cheese sandwich, round roll, pineapple and milk.
Thursday - Roast turkey dinner and gravy, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, peas, cranberry sauce, stuffing, chocolate yogurt and milk.
Friday - Stuffed peppers, corn and green bean casserole, whole-grain bread, Valentine cookie, applesauce and milk.
Monday - closed, Presidents' Day
Tuesday - Beef sizzler, potato wedges, coleslaw, whole-grain brad, apricots and milk.
Weekly menu Feb. 18 - Feb. 24


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Archive: May 2012
Long weekend = moar time to catalog zeens! Although I did do some leisure reading and enjoyed a ridiculously delicious vegan brunch at the V Spot this weekend (for the love of a deity, get the Avocado BLT, and if your server suggests you order a side of plantains, do it!), mostly I read zines and described them in this reference librarian's best approximation of AACR format. The catalog records will be better once summer zine assistant Jackie Horowitz adds an abstract to each.
You can bet we'll be staying tuned to the Philly Feminist Zine Fest site for details about the late-August event!
For $10, you can have a table at a fun, mellow zine fest in a Williamsburg bar on Saturday, July 21st from 2-7. (In my experience the event has been all-ages, but drinking only for grown-ups.)


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My wife is currently away to attend the wedding of her nephew and to visit with her Florida relatives. Even though she has no formal role in the rituals, I can tell from her daily reports that she is ecstatic to be a part of the fanatic chaos evident in even the most well staged nuptials. Women and weddings are like cats and catnip; they can't resist getting right there in the middle of it, rolling around until they are saturated and drunk with it. Vera Wang is their patron saint and Modern Bride their bible.
The prospect of being a bride changes women. The most lovely, angelic and intelligent young women who would on any other day give Mother Teresa a run for the Peace prize, can transform Hyde-like into a tyrannical, controlling diva, determined that no force in nature or humanity will keep them from having "Their Day" precisely as they have envisioned since they were four years old and saw their first Bride Barbie. Equally as puzzling is that the other women involved in The Ritual not only allow this bizarre behavior, but condone it — nodding knowingly to each other while the men can only stare on in horror. I'm convinced that this is precisely the reason why it is considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride on the wedding day. Any man who saw the woman he was about to marry behaving like a raving lunatic would probably slip out a side door, buy a false identity and try to lose himself in the Amazon jungle, hoping she would never be able to track him down.
But, if you think about it, how can we blame brides for behaving badly? They have been conditioned since birth that someday it will be "Their Day" and the expectations that have been created almost assures that the least deviation from that plan would result in behavior worthy of exorcism. Even the mothers who would otherwise deny their daughters baby dolls and Easy-Bake Ovens™ with the intention that they'll grow up to become strong, independent young women unencumbered by female stereotypes, yet still have this blind spot called The Wedding, where her daughter will be ritualistically deified, if only for one day. And next to the Bride herself, there is none more terrifying than The Mother of the Bride denied her vision of The Wedding. Her daughter is entitled by right of sex to this moment of Goddesshood, and more so if the mother herself was denied her own moment in the sun.
Even before they even have an inkling of what marriage is all about, little girls are indoctrinated in The Ritual. They begin first as flower girls adorned in beautiful dresses and strewing rose petals in the path of the bride. They are first in the procession and for that moment the center of attention from a church full of people. Like the first snort of cocaine, they are hooked, forever after jonesing for more. As they get older they are promoted up the nuptial ladder where they serve their time as receptionists and junior bridesmaids, roles designed to ensure even more exposure and participation. Then finally comes the day when they are chosen to be a part of The Wedding Entourage as bridesmaids — the attendants and ladies-in-waiting of the royal Wedding Party. And if they are lucky they reach that holy of holies, the Maid of Honor, just one step short of the Bride herself. By this point, young women have been so conditioned, so indoctrinated, that given the choice between World Domination and The Wedding, they might choose Domination, but only because it means they could have The Wedding televised around the world by satellite in High Definition and Surround sound and covered by TMZ.
We should probably note at this point that in no way does the groom have anything to do with the wedding. Other that being the reason for the wedding, the groom is completely superfluous. In fact, it would probably be even better if there were no groom until the last moment, should he get the idea that his opinion means anything. More consideration is given to the selection of hors devours for the reception and arrangement of flowers in the sanctuary than is given for the selection of the groom. The groom can be chosen on the way to picking up the bridal bouquet, and the only requirements are that he cleans up well, can articulate his lines during the ritual, and fits into the tuxedo and accessories that were carefully assembled to match the bridal gown and wedding cake, right down to his underwear and shoe laces.
It should also be noted that it may be best to enlist the aid of the Best Man to ply the groom with liquor the night before The Wedding and afterwards, during the reception, until he is unable to walk without assistance. This will ensure that he is kept distracted from the fact that he is to become bound to this woman, legally obligated to provide her with sperm to produce her children and to feed, clothe, shelter and educate said children in perpetuity unless these children wander away from home and don't find their way back. Along with this, he has also promised to love, cherish (i.e., be subservient to) and be a beast of burden forever (i.e., always be available to carry in the groceries from the car and hold her handbag when she tries on clothes in the store, even when it doesn't match his shoes). In return, she has promised to give him sex when she feels he has earned it (see previous duties of the groom).
Why, you may logically ask, would a modern woman wish to engage in the archaic rituals of marriage when almost every aspect of it presents the bride to be property to be bartered and sold? In the giving of the bride her father passes ownership of his daughter to the husband. The wedding band binds the woman to her husband as a symbolic hackle and chain to prevent his property from escaping. The rice bestows fertility on the woman so that she can provide her husband with many sons. The bondage of the garter, the veil and even the marriage license itself. Why would a woman want to participate — much less celebrate — in her own sale?
The answer is that no one pays any attention to these symbols any more, as if they ever did. Most of these rituals are performed with tongue planted firmly in cheek, merely a part of the show, with the possible exception of the romantic aspects, as depicted in Harlequin Romances and Brides Magazine. For the bride, she is permitted to live the role of Princess Diana if only for a day; a day for which she has been programmed, has planned and expects to have cherished memories for all of her life — at least until she does it again. If the groom —normally clueless and totally bewildered by the pageantry — is even aware of the ancient meanings of these acts, he should realize it is all a sham. The Best Man and the groomsmen are only there for the booze and the groom for the wedding night, although even that ritual is moot considering that the bride and groom have probably been living together for the past year and a half, and the Wedding Night is nothing different, except that they are now legal, which if anything takes some of the fun out of it.
And if the groom is aware of the symbolism, he at least has that moment of faux ownership. The smartest women know that to keep a man in line, you have to let him occasionally think that he's in charge. Giving him a large portion of Preferred Stock in her company only lulls him into a false sense of ownership and entitlement, just enough to get him through the ceremony and maybe the honeymoon, where he finds that his shares do not constitute a controlling interest, but only enough to make him obligated to support the company until death – or divorce in a no-fault state – do they part.
For a man, marriage is a whole lot like buying an expensive car. You may think you own the car, you have the pleasure of driving it, and the envy of all the other guys, but in reality the car owns you. You have to keep up the maintenance, the insurance and constantly filling up the tank if you want to go anywhere. In the end, you have a Title of Ownership and an instruction manual. For me, I'd settle for an instruction manual. Then I might have a reference to give me some idea why I'm in trouble all the time.


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Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Becoming Vegetarian and other Vegetarian topics.
When you first start out as a vegetarian, you may notice an increase in gas. Your body´s reaction to your change in diet is a very common and perfectly natural one. The gas is likely caused by the high fibre content in the foods you are now eating - which, by the way are great for your health. Bean-O, unfortunately, will not likely be effective, as is not designed to eliminate this type of gas, but is targeted towards the sugar that cannot be digested in some beans. Therefore, it only works after eating beans and some vegetables. Your body will adjust to the changes in your diet with time and you will be much more healthy because of it. However, if the gas is too much of a problem for you, you can try eating very slowly, chewing your food carefully and avoid swallowing any air. Activated charcoal tablets (available without a prescription) can also provide relief for you when taken before a meal.
thank you SO MUCH for telling me i'm not alone.
Thank you sooooo much for this tip, i was getting worried and embarrassed. I have been vegetarian now for a month and the first two weeks were noxious! I think it has calmed finally. I was beginning to think I was intolerant of soy products. Using soy products in moderation helped me transition.
|Guru Spotlight
|Carma Spence-Pothitt


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I've notice we've no news thread - place where we can post a links to articles rather than photos, videos etc.
So here we go and what better way to start it than an upcoming Birthday of the engine with the greatest sound in the world and the reason we are all here in this club. I was shocked to find out that the Boxer engine is celebrating his 50th birthday:


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The Couch Slouch: TV hockey hasn't a remote chance without pair of intrepid changes
Q: What's the difference between the National Hockey League and the federal witness protection program?
A: NHL players drop out of sight without changing their names.
I watched some hockey the other night -- I love moving the Nielsen needle -- and by the end of a fabulous Stanley Cup playoff game, I realized the NHL on TV can only be saved by two radical measures:
(I understand that I've just lost contact with all hyper-serious NHL fans, so I'll just speak directly to the other 99 percent of the U.S. population for the remainder of this column.)
This north-south business was first suggested to Couch Slouch by Bob Reichblum, executive producer of the nascent ReelzChannel cable network. Granted, ReelzChannel covers movies, not sports, but Reichblum is one of those fellas who tapes ECHL games and watches them while working the cell phone on his StairMaster.
Hockey simply translates better if the action is coming at you. Ever wonder why, when someone scores, they show multiple replays from behind or in front of the net? BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO SEE THE GOAL, you knuckleheads.
(By the way, let's be honest here: To see if a goal is scored, many of us don't look into the net, we look for a team's celebration. My eyes can't follow a puck, even on a 52-inch screen.)
You would never, in tennis, sit a camera at the net. The match is shown from behind the baseline; it's a much better angle than midcourt. Heck, if they televised tennis east-west, John McEnroe would be out of our lives and Wimbledon would have Tucker Carlson-style ratings.
Frankly, almost every sport televises better north-south than east-west.
(Soccer, of course, is the exception. Whether you put a point-of-view cam on every player's head or just stick a telescope on the moon and point it toward an MLS pitch, nobody in Peoria or Poughkeepsie is going to be watching.)
OK, let's talk about intermissions -- thank goodness I ran off the NHL crazies earlier because they would forecheck me into my own shower door at this point -- and why there are too many of them.
It's a fast-moving, short-attention-span society out there. In the clicker culture, people switch from Leno to Letterman if they don't like a monologue joke, they jump from "Cold Case" to "The Closer" if the crime isn't unsolvable enough.
(The moment "Seinfeld" used to end, you think I stuck around for "Suddenly Susan"? I can operate a remote with my foot; within seconds, I was over to Nick At Nite.)
You cannot give people the chance to wander away, even for a moment. Heck, my first ex-wife left me between the seventh and eighth rounds of the Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns fight in 1989.
The NHL should not continue to give viewers two 15-minute opportunities to find a more violent TV option. Let's say you're grazing around during the second intermission of a Penguins-Rangers game and come upon "The Godfather." Are you going to reject Vito Corleone and return to Jaromir Jagr? I think not.
NHL games should have two 30-minute halves rather than three 20-minute periods. And don't tell me they need that extra intermission due to technological limitations in smoothing the ice -- I'm sure Toyota makes a Zamboni that can deliver twice the performance of its American counterparts.
So, in summary, we're talking about a single intermission, a north-south camera axis and -- pardon my French -- but que le diable est-il Versus?
There you have it. I've done my part to save the NHL.
P.S. If all else fails, replace the puck with a beach ball.
Ask The Slouch
Q. Isn't mid-May the best time for a true sports fan? You have the MLS in full swing, Arena Football teams battling for a playoff spot and the start of the WNBA season. How can it get any better? (Carlton Leslie; Owings, Md.)
A. And it's better than ever this year because you can just close your eyes and almost see David Beckham clearing customs.
Q. I'm interested in starting up a home game. How does one go about procuring your poker services as analyst, and are you free on Tuesdays? Thanks. (Patrick Larkin; Ashburn, Va.)
A. Get me anything approaching the Roger Clemens deal and you can shuffle up.
Q. How does Dale Earnhardt Jr. leave Dale Earnhardt Inc.? Shouldn't he seek family counseling first? (Bob Kessler; Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
A. James I of England had similar issues in the late 16th century with his mother Mary, Queen of Scots. I believe she was beheaded.
Q. Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s dad was in Oscar De La Hoya's corner for their fight. Did your parents sit with your ex-wives' lawyers during your divorces? (Chris Kirin; Chicago)
A. Pay the man, Shirley.


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Even though most markets around the world struggled with global economic downturns, global transaction banking business was proved again as the most sustainable and resilient business in banking landscape. Meanwhile the continuous innovation is the industry has never stopped along with the changing of global money movement trends. Asia is a region on the rise and it has succeeded to create a big interest of the world with its development and success in payment and transaction area. More recently the Chinese banking system has shown true leadership in the development of smart cards and online banking while the Chinese corporations seem to show an unlimited enthusiasm for these new products. Moreover, based on support of the Chinese government, China will soon be the largest mobile payments market in the world. Under this situation, it is a golden time for you to step into the Chinese market although there is strong competitors.
Asian Money Movement 2012 (May 15-17, Beijing) endorsered by International Payments Framework Association will gather around 500 market players including PBC, China UnionPay, China Telecom, China Mobile as well as leading banks (ICBC, ABC, CCB, BoC). The number of online merchants will be up to 50 such as Taobao, Dangdang, 360buy. Meanwhile, Online Group buy Merchants, B2B trading online merchants, online traveling booking merchants to discuss the topics cover the Regulatory & Strategies for Global Transaction Banking, Wholesale Payment Strategy, Cash Management/ Trade Service, Card and Prepaid Services, Pay-Tech & Data Transfer, Security & Identification e-Commerce, Transportation and Healthcare payment and Mobile Payment.
Some of our confirmed speakers:
- Haster Tang, CEO, Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited
- Executive Director, Payment and Settlement Department, People's Bank of China
- Arthur Cousins, CEO, International Payment Framework Association
- Kazushi Ishijima, Head of Payment Market Infrastructure of Transaction Services Division, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ.
- Pierre Veyres, Global Head of Global Transaction Banking, BNP Paribas
- Justin You, Head of treasury and trade solutions product, Citi Bank
- Andy Dyer, MD, Head of Transaction Banking, Asia Pacific, Europe and Americas, ANZ
- Wang Lijian, Chief Engineer, China Electronics Standardization Institute, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
- Frank Hamer, Head of Transaction Banking, RBS China
- Tian Haishan, Vice GM, China Payment and Settlement Research Center
- Jiang Hong, Director, Modern Bankers
- Lin Caiyi, Deputy GM, Chief Economist, GuoTaiJunAn Securities/ Previous Deputy GM, China UnionPay
- Song Xiaobo, GM, IT Department, Hua Xia Bank
- Zhao Fuli, GM, Credit Card Center, Guang Dong Development Bank
- Tarek EI Yafi, Global Head of Cross-Border Payments, Standard Chartered Bank


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Seasonal beer releases continue to inspire and delight me, but none so much as the flood of specialty ales that crowd the market between November and February. And hidden among the humongous influx of Christmas beers, a selection of innocent-looking barleywines sit quietly, humbly taking the back seat to the heavily-marketed holiday releases. Waiting patiently on the shelf as wide-eyed consumers race to get the last "2009 Limited Release Special Reserve Double Spiced Estate-Hop Organic Imperial Bourbon Barrel Aged Santa's Big Red Sac" or something to that effect, the seemingly innocuous barleywine rests, proudly holding out for the right customer to come along and respect its bold, unapologetic strength.
Despite its long history in the brewing world, barleywine is still a lesser-known beer style, surely not aided by the seeming dichotomy built right into its name. Confusion is often abound, with consumers wondering what wine has to do with this particular style of beer. In centuries past, unable to receive regular shipments of French wine during times of war, the English aristocracy looked to brewers to create a wine replacement of sorts, and so the barleywine was born. Though containing no grapes, its elevated alcohol level (often between 9-14% abv), longer fermentation times, affinity for pairing with rich foods, and great potential for aging made barleywine ales a popular drink among the upper crust of Britain.
While commercial English examples such as Thomas Hardy's Ale and J.W. Lees Harvest Ale were available in England, the style hadn't come across the pond until Anchor Brewing released Old Foghorn Barleywine Style Ale in 1975. Sierra Nevada Brewing began producing their Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale in 1983. Many others followed suit, and the recipe evolved a bit, with West coast brewers adding a touch of their own flair, and a liberal dosing of hops as they are so wont to do.
Strong, intense malt flavor with noticeable bitterness. Moderately low to moderately high malty sweetness on the palate, although the finish may be somewhat sweet to quite dry (depending on aging). Hop bitterness may range from moderately strong to aggressive. While strongly malty, the balance should always seem bitter. Moderate to high hop flavor (any variety). Low to moderate fruity esters. Noticeable alcohol presence, but sharp or solventy alcohol flavors are undesirable. Flavors will smooth out and decline over time, but any oxidized character should be muted (and generally be masked by the hop character). May have some bready or caramelly malt flavors, but these should not be high. Roasted or burnt malt flavors are inappropriate. — BJCP Style Guidelines, American Barleywine
Because of the heightened alcohol content and generous hopping, these bold beers stand up exceptionally well over the test of time, which is why many bottles now come with a vintage date just as a wine might. Consumed fresh, they are enormously bold, cloyingly sweet, and have an unfettering bitterness that can be overwhelming to even the most seasoned imbiber. But as the seasons change, so does the barleywine's profile — hops mellow, the alcohol calms from hot to warming, and it all marries together with the sweet malty backbone. Barleywines can be cellared for years, even decades, and the transformation over time is incredible to experience. After several years, flavors akin to fine spirits begin to form. Some ales often evoke notes of vanilla, tree nuts, and dried fruit, and a sherry-like oxidation sometimes finds its way into the mix as well.
While Anchor Old Foghorn is now available year-round, many barleywines are only available for a short season. Be sure to grab an extra bottle or two if you'd like to compare them side-by-side over the years. (One of my most memorable beer moments was drinking a 1987 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot right alongside its 2007 counterpart.) I've compiled a list of some of my favorite barleywines here. Alternately, if you are looking for an excuse to travel, The Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival will be taking place in January, and February 13th marks the beginning of San Francisco's legendary Toronado Barleywine Festival.


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"She has escaped and she's gonna vanquish your sorry ass!"
Charmed N Dangerous was born of a white witch and a demon over a century ago. After the leader of the demonic underworld discovered her forbidden birth, her demon father was immediately found and vanquished. Her mother, just before her horrific demise and knowing she and her daughter were next, left Baby Charmed with a secret coven. Her whole life, Charmed was kept hidden from the waking world for her own protection. But as she matured, she could feel her powers growing. She tried to behave but being half demon made her extremely hard to control — she loved flirting with danger.
The coven soon feared she was turning evil. They believed an animal sacrifice would expel the demon within. As Charmed watched the innocent animal die, anger overwhelmed her soul and she soon took out the entire coven. She knew she had to leave that place before the demons sensed the destruction. Today she is trying to adjust to this new world, to blend in with the humans so she will not be discovered. Charmed N Dangerous has found the perfect place to vent her anger–The Bleeding Heartland.


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welcome to my blog! my name is allie and i'm 27 years old. i'm married to my best friend, cody; and two littles {brayson, 2 yrs & sutton, 3 months} call me mama.
i love being creative, in any medium, but my motto should be "jack of all trades, master of none". the purpose of this blog is to have fun doing something i'm passionate about and improve on those skills. i'll be sharing my own little photography projects and {hopefully} posting pictures from those daily.
thanks for being here & check back often!