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Look at Your Hands
This simple tip can be really helpful for your technique.
By looking at your hands you help create a balance point and find that sweet spot.
If your head tucks in you will end up falling forwards. If it sticks out too much you won't be able to get vertical.
Try looking down in between your thumbs, your ears should be next to your shoulders.

subset: commoncrawl


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Angry Young Men and Heart Disease
When it comes to anger, the heart-brain connection is strong. We know from studies that men who are quick to anger are more likely to develop premature heart disease and five times more likely to have an early heart attack. This was discovered in a 36-year study at John's Hopkins of more than 1,300 medical … Read More


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Team Profile
For the past 16 years we have been working in youth development and education programs. Currently We have over 200 youth taking part in our activities such as football training ,residential and day trips , both in the winter and summer. Where we take the kids out from the concrete jungle to experience the country side. We also run workshops and talks throughout the year so that the youth can benefit from it.
2017/2018 is our first ever season in a league so should be interesting to see how it unfolds.
Age Group and Division: Under 16 Development
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Category Archives: Haiku
A Glimpse
Peace Haiku
Okay, this one turned out a bit weird. 🙂
I wrote another haiku and decided to use Manga Studio to illustrate it. I have to say, I enjoyed the process even if the results weren't quite what I had in mind at the start.
Whale Haiku WIP
Yesterday there was some good news regarding whale conservation. It inspired me to write a whale haiku to follow on from the dolphin haiku that I did recently. Here's the work in progress (WIP):
There are reference sketches of Internet whales* on the left. The unfinished doodle is on the right. You can click on the picture to enlarge it. If you still can't read the words, they say:
We may look grumpy
But we are smiling inside
Thank you I.C.J.
We should probably have thanked a lot of other people too but the International Court of Justice initials fit nicely into the haiku format.
* All kinds of animals live on the Internet it seems.
Dolphin Haiku
To all the haiku aficionados reading this post, I apologise profusely. It's my first haiku so I hope you will forgive me. I haven't followed all the rules, and it's about as subtle as a sledgehammer. (Click to enlarge, if you dare.)
I wrote this because I can't get the Taiji Cove massacres out of my head. Dolphins are complicated creatures. They have much in common with humans, including a darker side. However, their childlike curiosity and joyful play makes man's cruel treachery at places like Taiji Cove seem positively evil. It makes me ashamed to be human.


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Freaked (1995)
WRITERS: Tim Burns & Tom Stern & Alex Winter
DIRECTORS: Tom Stern & Alex Winter
Alex Winter as Ricky Coogan
Michael Stoyanov as Ernie
William Sadler as Dick Brian
Megan Ward as Julie
Mr. T as the Bearded Lady
Brooke Shields as Skye Daley
Alex Zuckerman as Stuey Gluck
John Hawkes as Cowboy
Derek McGrath as The Worm
Keanu Reeves as Ortiz
Randy Quaid as Elijah C. Skuggs
SYNOPSIS: A dickish Hollywood star signs on to promote a possibly hazardous chemical, and runs afoul of a freakshow in South America. While there, he discovers the chemical has properties beyond those he could have ever imagined, as his best asset is turned against him. Along the way, he learns an important lesson about life and friendship.
Ooogh, I already feel icky. The movie starts off with a nausea inducing credits sequence that can only be described as post modern, psychadelic, pop art that falls somewhere between really cool looking, and rather nauseating. The backgrounds flicker as distorted, stylised models of the actors, and other people. It is not easily described. It does get points for being incredibly unique, though.
It does sum up what the viewer is in for though; pure, uncut crazy.
I do note that there's a number of makeup effects in the credits, which makes sense, what with the nature of the film. We get a lot of freaky critters running around.
After the bad acid trip known as the credits ends, the movie just doesn't let up on the crazy and wants us to know via a news report that the flying gimp has died. Any relation to Balloon Boy?
Then it's time for the Brooke Shields...er, Skye Daley Show, which is pretty much a clone of any other daytime talk show. You know the type if you've ever turned on a tv. Today's guest is former child star Ricky Coogan, who is giving his first interview since being horribly disfigured, and shall at last reveal himself to the world.
Every shot of Ricky on Skye's show is in complete darkness, to hide his eventual transformation, which we'll eventually see in flashback. Actually, the entire bulk of the movie is flashback, save for the Skye Daley Show.
Skye gives us some of Ricky's history as a child star, and how he grew up and retained his popularity through movies, but now the mere mention of his name sends children to scream in terror. Which they illustrate by having children scream off camera the next time she says Ricky's name. It's a wincer of a gag, but funny.
Finally, the real movie begins with the flashback to Ricky meeting with the board of Everything Except Shoes, or EES. He's about to close a deal to promote the use of a controversial fertilizer, Zygrot-24. Ricky is naturally concerned by rumours he has heard of the chemical's lethality, and banning on more than one continent. Any actor would be hesitant to promote such a thing.
The head of EES brings out the top man in their research division down in South America where the chemical has yet to be banned, and he shows no ill effects from working on it. Ricky pokes fun at the name of his village, Santa Flan, and it sends the man into a fit, which somehow causes him to become smaller and smaller as he freaks out and his voice raises like it was on helium. So, no adverse effects, huh?
Before Ricky can point out that something is amiss, CEO Death offers him two million dollars for the job. That doesn't quite silence him, but the five million offer that follows is tempting. The best part is the ready made signs for each offer that one of the EES flunkies flips over with each new negotiation.
Ricky consults with his entourage, which to a man tells him not to do it. He ignores the advice like any good Hollywood star, and accepts the deal with the biggest shit eating grin I've ever seen.
As we watch Rick's plane flying into Santa Flan, Skye asks if there was an in-flight movie. Ricky tells her they showed Return to the Blue Lagoon, which Skye heard was kinda sucky. Bonus points to anyone who gets the joke.
So we get introduced to Ricky's closest friend Ernie, in one of the most sexist ways possible as the entire crew of stewardesses run away from him with a fake hand sticking out of his pants' zipper.
As if that introduction wasn't enough, we then get treated to meeting Ricky's most annoying, most devoted, and most ugly fan; Stuey Gluck. He somehow stowed away aboard the plane, in the overhead bins. This movie was filmed before 2001, yes. The kid has stalked Ricky onto the flight to get an autograph, which by the way everyone knows each other, I would expect him to have plenty of those by now.
Stuey tries to be the voice of reason and talk Ricky out of sponsoring Zygrot-24 (Wouldn't that be like sponsoring one of the chemicals in soda?) but just as it seems he's getting throguh, the kid gets nailed by a drinks cart. As he stumbles to his feet, he accidentally opens an airplane hatch, gets sucked out along with a man in the wheelchair, and sadly lands in a haystack and walks away unharmed.
The signs that this was filmed before 9/11 continue as a flight attendant takes a bomb away from a passanger to be stored overhead, and as Ricky and Ernie watch once they're on the ground, another plane blows up just for cheap laughs and to fake us out that they had died. Oh, if only. And I don't have a problem with exploding planes for cheap laughs, it just makes me cringe a little these days.
Ricky and Ernie are met by the site of a protest against EES, Ricky, and Zygrot, led by the other star of the movie, Megan Ward. Remember her name, folks. I know her filmography, and she's got quite a few movies on my queue to get to. You will be hearing from her again.
Being a male, and a bit of a pig, Ricky concocts an insane scheme to hook up with Julie, by wrapping himself up in bandages so he can not be recognised, but still try and get the girl. Considering she wants to fling cowshit at Ricky, they hit it off pretty well. I'd argue some logic in his plan of covering himself from head to toe to try and boff the girl, but this movie goes where logic fears to tread.
Speaking of hitting, Julie takes quite the liking to Ernie as well, or at least hitting Ernie, as she smacks him around twice in about as many minutes. And that's not the last abuse she'll throw at him.
Ricky's disguise is short lived as they drive along, and the conversation eventually turns to slagging on Ricky. Once Julie mocks his acting, he gets pissed and tears off the bandages around his face. So much for that plan.
As they continue onward, because what else are they going to do? the trio stumbles upon a local freakshow and decide to check it out because it might be a hoot. Do hoots ever turn out well in movies?
Ricky wants to bail on the lameness, but the proprietor of the freakshow, one Elijah C. Skuggs arrives to give them the tour. The freakshow speaks to the activist in Julie though, and she thinks it's some monument to individuality. Yeah, Skuggs can't believe it either, as he breaks the fourth wall and shoots the audience a knowing glance.
We also meet our first freak, Mister Toad. He has a habit of swiping things with his tongue, which pisses Ernie off to the point where he threatens to blow him up like he used to do as a kid. Moments later, Toad spies...spies a rabbit and...aww hell no.
What is it with freaks and killing bunnies?? WHY? I hope Ernie blows you up good, Toad.
The trio are somehow instantly subdued and strapped down between cuts, and Skuggs reveals he makes freaks as well as show them off.
He pulls off the curtain on his freak making machine, and guess what it uses. If you said something that rhymes with Whygot-20bore, you're correct. Ernie continues to show how gentlemanly he is and offers up Julie as the first test subject.
The not so good doctor fiddles around on his computer, while we get treated to extreme closeups of Randy Quaid's face. Thanks so much, movie. The menus in his freak program has a ton of little jokes buried in them, and are worth a look. The entire machine is totally jank, with pieces everywhere, a real animal mouse in place of a computer mouse, and even mispelled keys on the keyboard. How do you get professionally made keyboard keys, with engraved lettering, that's mispelled? Gah.
Skuggs concocts his oozy goo and smears it on Julie and Ernie, after shoving their operating tables together. Rather than the mutagen creating Heroes in a Half Shell, we get a bizarre claymation showcase which looks really out of place next to live action. Made all the worse by the random shit that pops out of it like a dinosaur, and Gumby. This is definitely one of the scenes that appeals to the absurdist crowd that love this movie.
Once the smoke clears, it's revealed that the two of them have been merged into a single person with two heads, and an extra wide body. Ernie's thrilled at having instant access to boobs. Julie, not so much with the thrilled. As Toad carries them off, that can only mean it's Ricky's turn.
Afterwards, Ricky wakes up groggily, hearing Skuggs on the phone with someone only identified as the Laughing Man. Ricky's transformation is only half completed, and Skuggs needs more Zygrot to complete his change into a full bodied freak.
Oh, the reason he's called the Laughing Man? He laughs. A lot. At everything. I suspect Skuggs may be talking to the Joker. Which makes way too much sense with the chemicals, now that I say it.
Finally we get to see the new Ricky, and he is indeed quite hideous. It's pretty disgusting, and a damned fine makeup job, all things told. Its blended very well, and doesn't look any where near as bad as Tom Baker's half horrible face in Freakmaker. Although I do wonder if the half good, half disgusting design is a nod to that movie.
Skuggs takes Rick to his new home, a teeny outhouse that is actually bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. I made enough Doctor Who jokes with the last freak infested film, so I'll give them a pass this time. Skuggs credits Bob Vila with the inspiration, and an impersonator shows up to give him more ideas, but he quickly gets tossed aside. And hit with a hammer. Twice.
And so Ricky, and us, meet the rest of the freaks, starting with their leader, Ortiz the dog boy. Whom I always forget is Keanu Reeves buried under that makeup.
We meet the gang via a tired riff on Hollywood Squares, as Ortiz puts the two/three newbies into a game, and shows off the freaks in each square, replacing the usual celebs. There's the Worm, Nosey a giant nose-faced guy, a literal cow boy, the usual bearded lady but this time played by Mister T, a man with a sock for a head voiced by Bobcat Goldthwaite, a man who is forever farting fire, and the hideous frogman (Who is just some guy in a scuba suit acting crazy. Nice swerve) as well as a few other randoms.
They drag this joke out for far too long, but at least there's more smacking with Ernie and Julie as they argue over who to pick.
Ricky pulls a Lynch, wanting nothing to do with the freaks, and how he's not like them, and goes off to sulk. And spew pus out of his open sores.
A number of freaks come over to console Ricky and let him know he's not alone, while sharing their sob stories. Or try to, anyways. Some of them are particularly lame, like Sockhead's. He can't tell a story to save his life, and it pretty much amounts to him walking in and getting changed.
Missus T's story is just weird. And that's saying something. She was a he who stumbled upon the freakshow, and Skuggs just blatantly asks him if he'd wouldn't be better off without his ah...male genetalia. Which seems fine by T.
The camera then pans to a hammer laying on the ground, and we see its flashback. Seriously. The hammer used to be a wrench, until Skuggs dipped it into his ooze. The entire assemblage is in tears at the harrowing tale of the former wrench.
Every flashback ends with the transformation, not being shown, but cut to outside Skuggs' lab, and punctuated with a crash of thunder and shot of lightning. Including the wrench's. It just builds in absurd hilarity up to that moment, that they give such dramatic import to a wrench becoming a hammer. Probably one of my favourite moments.
Later, in his cubicle, Ricky has a freaky vision of Stuey, and we learn that many freaks possess psychic abilties of some kind. However, ones like Ricky's are rare gifts, and only a bond between soulmates. I'd return that gift, personally.
The movie diverts to Stuey's attempts to get the word out on the missing star after their mental communications. No one believes him until he takes his story to the Weekly World News, who will publish anything. Of course, once he's published, Laughing Men and his considerably less jovial goons grab the kid, and send us back to the actual movie.
Oh hey, it looks like Skuggs does actually run a real freakshow in his spare time, and doesn't just deform people for shits and giggles. People start crowding into the tent, and the freaks are backstage getting ready, which is a familiar scene to any actor. Ricky though, is avoiding his prep and instead waiting for people from EES to come rushing in to his rescue.
The freaks go through their schticks, and while the makeup in this movie is downright amazing, the actual freaks from Freakmaker had better gimmicks and performances. Possibly helped by those guys being real freaks who did this for a living and had worked out their performances over an entire lifetime, so I can't fault Freaked too much. But it is very annoying that every damned sign in this movie, at least any sign made by Skuggs, is horribly mispelled. The joke got old thirty minutes ago.
Also, I don't understand why Nosey, a guy with a gigantic nose, goes on stage in a gorilla costume. And with a monkey mask that in no way could fit over his schnoz, since it's just a regular gorilla mask for any old guy. Most likely they realised the nose makeup was crazilly unweildy and unusable in a performance like setup so improvised, but to me it is just annoyingly odd.
The best performance has to be Sockhead's, and not because of his actual show. In the middle of his thing, he slips and catches himself on the microphone, accidentally pulling the sock off his face...which is actually a hand manipulating the sock! There's something so brilliantly bizarre about him not being a man with a sock for a head, but instead with a third hand, manipulating a sock puppet. I don't know what it is, but I love it. The audience is less amused and thinks his gimmick is all a fake. Poor hand headed guy.
Finally it is time for Ricky's performance, and Worm inspires him with a speech about how Ricky is a true actor, and this should be nothing for him. Instead of playing the part of a Beast Boy, he instead does a Shakespearean speech, which confuses Skuggs as being off script. But the audience eats it up, and that's all that matters to the mad scientist.
At long last, someone from EES shows up, but once he sees Coogan, he decides the guy is just too damned ugly, and he and the audience mock him. Ricky doesn't take it well and tears off the suit's head. The crowd goes wild, and not in the good way, exiting the tent in a panicked stampede.
Later, probably the next day, and with no one really acting like any murder had taken place, Ricky is trying to get out through the outhouse's fire exit which Skuggs has blocked off, local ordinances be damned. Hope is not lost though, as he lures a milkman over to unlock the door and into the outhouse.
Ricky slips out of the outhouse wearing the milkman's uniform, which is a surprisingly good fit on the deformed little troll. Sadly, he forgot to grab the keys to the delivery truck, so he moves on to a nearby car that is also locked. Then he finds a bike, but that's locked up as well. Next he finds a boat which wouldn't get him anywhere anyways, but even if it could, it has been secured by the Club.
All the while, this giant mechanical head of Skuggs at the center of the carnival is spinning around and freaking Ricky out as the eyes seem to keep watching him. After the boat, he sees the eyes have disappeared and... You know what, this needs an image. Activating security feed.
See? This movie is cracked, plain and simple. Or on crack. Possibly both. Oh, and the pupils are their mouths, and move when they speak.
The...the rasta eye guards take Ricky to Skuggs who would love to just kill the troll, but his act is a hit, and it's more worthwhile to keep him around. He reveals his plans to finish mutating Ricky at the next performance into a horrible, evil freak that will then destroy the other freaks, and become the biggest hit of the show.
Um, and the only hit, you loon. Not to mention the difficulty in repeat performances. It's kind of a one off plan, isn't it? But hey, logic left this station a long time ago and ain't coming back.
Since the movie's just about halfway done, we slip back to Skye's show to remind us this is all a flashback being told by Ricky, who is still buried in shadow, despite being revealed as a troll monster.
Anyways, Ricky heads back to the outhouse after swiping an important note from Skuggs, and he runs into the other freaks. All dressed as milkmen. Including the former wrench. Ortiz says that while a dozen milkmen is within the realm of possibility, thirteen milkmen is just plain unbelievable and silly.
Nooo, that's not what makes this silly.
Ricky is about to let them go about their crazy plan and got shot up by the equally crazy existence of talking eyeballs with guns, but then he sees Julie and knows he has to try and save his friends fom the armed Jamaican eyes.
And that is not getting any less absurd the more I write it. I thought I'd get used to it over time.
Ortiz gets in a huff and he fights Ricky for the right to lead the pack. Rick is spared getting cut up when the dogboy spies a squirrel and runs after it, which draws the attention of giant eyeballs carrying weapons.
Ricky assumes his new role as leader, and comes up with a plan. Well, actually everyone but Ricky comes up with the plan, and gives him the credit for his brilliance. They plot to dig a tunnel into Skuggs' lab and create their own freak formula to transform Ricky into a good troll that will destroy their captor and not themselves.
They break into the lab and Mrs. T goes back to tell the other freaks that they succeeded, and we learn that the frog man is actually French. Cute. I have never, ever heard that joke before.
Sockhead finally realises how insane their plan is and freaks out, drawing the attention of armed rasta eyeballs, which shoot him up good. Oh, and one of them is smoking a joint. Because they just weren't fucked up enough yet.
Meanwhile back in the lab shed, they're doing their best to keep quiet, but the sound of a falling paper cup draws Skuggs attention. The walls of Worm's tunnel are collapsing and everyone gets out of there, but Ricky loses the can with their ooze in his haste to escape. But he did get out with macaroons for everyone.
EES shows up the next day with a giant shipment of Zygrot-24, and Rick finally figures out they've been in on this since the beginning, as well as learning that Laughing Man is really the head of the company. Oh, and they also hand over Stuey to Skuggs.
The mad scientist reveals his master plan, that once he has created his superfreak (He's superfreaky!) that will somehow enable him to create his masterpiece, Super Mega Freak World. The model of which is just a larger scale model of the one he has for Freak Land.
While Skuggs and friends laugh evilly over their plans for global domination, or something, Stuey escapes and gets out with the can of ooze that will make Ricky a good freak.
And so the performance comes, and Skuggs is ready to create his monsterpiece. Stuey is in the audience but can't be seen by Ricky through the bright stage lights. He tries to get his idol's attention but only pisses off the audience. This gets the can of ooze poured over his head. Sigh. Why does the annoying troll child have to save the day?
Skuggs calls in his eyes to deal with the troublesome troll, but Stuey is impervious to their bullets. All he does to take care of the eyes is through dirt in their uh...eyes. Faces? Moving on. Either way, I have to wonder why someone didn't do that 45 minutes ago. Or lemon juice. Lemon juice woulda been awesome.
Quaid has a great line as they run off though, and he shouts out, "Damn my eyes!"
Toad tries to interfere on behalf of his boss, and Ernie save the day by fulfilling his threat from early in the movie and gets him to accidentally eat an explosive. Which makes me wonder where it came from. Or why they didn't use that 45 minutes earlier. Or to blow open the cage they're all in. But such logic is not welcome here.
Skuggs sees things are not going well, so finally transforms Ricky into his ultimate killing machine, and promptly sends him to beat the crap out of Stuey. I shouldn't be rooting for the evil troll, should I?
The men from Everything Except Shoes try to claim the freak machine for themselves, but Skuggs pulls out an oozezooka and sprays them down, as the rest of the audience again stampedes out in a panic.
As Rick gets ready to kill his fan, the ooze mutates the suits into a puddle that then merges into a giant, fleshy shoe made up of human bits. Oh, the irony.
And just as Ricky is about to tell Skye how he murdered Stuey, she tells him that he's been talking for almost 90 minutes, and they simply must go to commercial. No real show would have let him talk for that amount of time without a commercial. This movie is totally unrealistic with no basis in reality.
Instead of killing Stuey though, Ricky finally realises how much he cares for his fan, his soulmate, and true love conquers all. I have zero clue what to make of that.
Skuggs attacks his wayward creation, but gets his ass handed to him fairly quick. Ricky's about to squash the madman, but Skuggs tells them about a time released antidote that he slipped into a batch of cookies they already ate. So with their humanity already on the way to returning, Ricky punts the scientist into the stratosphere, and he lands right in the vat of Zygrot-24.
The FBI makes a timely arrival far too late, led there by Stuey's article, and as the happy ending is about to roll, Skuggs pops out of the vat, transformed into a clone of Skye Daley. Fortunately, he's quickly gunned down by the FBI.
At last, Ricky's tale of terror is over, and it is back to the studio for the movie's bookend. Skye is busy yawning at Ricky's fascinating tale, and her audience is asleep.
Finally they call out that Coogan's light has been fixed, and they turn it on, revealing that Ricky is back to normal. Which doesn't jibe with comments that Ricky would be revealing his transformation on air. And the weirdness we saw in the shadows that made him still look like a troll was just a cactus behind him. It's a massive cheat, but why argue about that, of all things?
The freaks get called out on stage, all of them returned to their original forms, except for the Worm, who doesn't like macaroons, so never ate the antidote. And Ortiz, who was too busy chasing a squirrel, but does finally catch it on stage.
Skye is amazed that Skuggs was transformed to look just like her. Or almost was, as Ricky says he had gigantic, ugly feet. The camera pans down and reveals that Skye's feet are horrible mutations, and we know she's been Skuggs all along. Before he can kill everyone, Julie shows up and puts a few more bullets into him. Her. Uh...
Ricky says it's finally over, and oh how I wish that were true. The movie refuses to end, as a still freaked Stuey arrives, and Skuggs returns from the dead. Again. And is quickly returned there with even more bullets from Ernie this time.
Is it over NOW, dad? Huh huh, is it?
Well, the movie would be over, if Rick didn't feel like giving us a moral about tampering with nature. And Ernie shares a moral about men and women being equal and how much he's learned. At least Julie cuts him short by giving him one last punch.
And at long, long, overdue last the credits are finally allowed to roll, with the classic move of a song about the movie, as Brooke Skuggs jumps up one last time before...
Video: For a little known cult film that had zero budget when it was made, and probably more of a budget for the DVD production, the video looks surprisingly good. Crisp images, good colour. It helps being made in the mid 90s surely, but the quality is way better than you usually get with this level of title.
Audio: A nice sound mix, with good surround use, and a strong center. Could have been a little louder, but no complaints. Except when Stuey talks or yells. Nails on chalkboards, people. Nails on a chalkboard.
Special Features: Since this movie literally came in yesterday, and I am rushing through this to get it out in the last few moments of April Fool's Day, I've only had time to watch the movie and write about it. I'll fill this in later, but the two-disc set is pretty packed, with commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes, and even a full length rehearsal of the film. I can say that's some added value, even without watching them.
Best Line: "With a script that bad, he deserves an Oscar for coming off as good as he did!" says Ernie about Ricky, and kinda sums up the movie, doesn't it?
First Kill/Best Kill: Since this isn't truly a horror movie, there's no real body count to speak of. The only deaths are the EES guy Ricky tears the head off of (And then continues to speak for some time), and Sockhead getting gunned down by a pair of ganga smoking Jamaican eyeballs. Take a guess which one I like.
Freak Type: There's no gore to speak of, but the mutations are pretty horrific, and that shoe thing is sure nightmare fuel.
Freak Appeal: It's a PG-13 film, so it's pretty clean.
Movie Rating: Gnngh. This movie is too bizarre, too absurd, and too damned random to be good. It's a plotless comedy that makes jokes at the expense of common sense and good writing, but it's hard to fault a comedy for that since a lot of them do. But this one in particular pushes that boundary way too far. This could have been a really good little comedy with a little more editing, but they pushed things too far. It's clearly a vanity piece, with the writers and directors (Same people) doing what they want, for the most part, with the studio's money. That said, there is something of a story, and something to say somewhere beneath all the eyeballs and absurdist logic, so three out of five cans of Zygrot-24.
Entertainment Rating: Yet...I find myself liking this movie. Not for any quality, but I do appreciate a bit of the absurd from time to time. And come on. GIANT EYEBALLS WITH GUNS. That takes balls to put on screen and be expected to be taken on any level of seriouness. For that alone I love this movie. It's great fun recognising all the familiar faces. Morgan Fairchild of all people shows up. Mister T in a dress! And bonus points to anyone who recognises the Eternal Flame without hitting IMDB. There actually is some good humour here, but some bad stuff as well, so be warned. Watching this with a group on a boring Saturday night is great fun. Four out of five gun-toting, pot smoking, rainbow hat wearing eyeballs.
Have a happy April Fool's day and beyond!


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In keeping with the spirit of teamwork, Breeze Block Gallery has partnered once again with curator Sven Davis to present "Buddy System" on September 5th. Davis invited 22 international artists to participate in the exhibition and in turn, each of the participants invited a fellow artist to bring along for the ride. With each artist working in an 8 x 8 and 16 x 20 format, the result will be a diverse display of engaging work from some extremely talented individuals. Take a peek at a few preview images courtesy of the gallery. To receive the full line-up of artists, visit their website and be sure to stop by to view the works in person.
Thursday, September 5th 6-10pm Breeze Block Gallery 323 NW 6th Ave. Portland, OR 97209 www.breezeblockgallery.com


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If you're guilty of these feeding mistakes, here are some alternative solutions to instil healthier eating habits in your child.
Finding it tough to cultivate healthy eating habits? Don't make these mistakes!
Using Food as a Reward
Bribing children with their favourite foods to get them to eat their fruits and vegetables is a time-honoured tradition in the parenting world.
While offering your child a reward might seem worth it if it gets him to eat
healthier foods, this can create unhealthy eating habits in your child.
Using certain foods, such as desserts, as a reward teaches your child to associate these foods with specific emotions – your child feels forced and unhappy when eating his greens but feels happy when it comes to sweet foods. This can lead to an emotional eating habit that can last all the way through adulthood.
Furthermore, using sweet snacks as a reward sends your child the message that healthy foods are naturally less desirable and enjoyable. Eventually, your child will develop a preference for sweet snacks over healthier alternatives.
The solution
Instead of offering rewards, involve your child in his food choices. "Encourage your kid's creativity by letting them experiment using different ingredients to create yummy concoctions, such as fruit salad, sandwiches and smoothies. You might be surprised that kids are more likely to finish what they have cooked, even if the food isn't something they usually like. Research has shown that involving children in food preparation could help them to develop healthy eating habits and increase vegetable consumption," explains by Lee Sze Mien, dietitian at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
Short-Order Cooking
You've cooked dinner for the whole family, but you know your child might not enjoy the food, so you prepare a separate meal for him. This is known as short-order cooking.
This may seem harmless – the important thing is your child eats, right? – but short-order cooking can make your child become fussier with what he's eating. If he doesn't want to eat what the rest of the family is eating, he knows he can ask you to make him something else.
The solution
You can involve your child here too, such as bringing him to shop for groceries. "Involving your kids in grocery shopping can help to spark an interest in what they are eating. Show them some fresh ingredients and discuss with them about different tastes and textures. That should get kids excited about trying something new!" says Lee.
"A simple shopping trip gives your child the opportunity to explore and learn about the fascinating world of food together," she adds.
Fussing Over Cleanliness
It's impossible to expect your child to keep everything as clean as possible while he's eating, and you shouldn't keep trying to keep it clean either. During the early years of a child's life, everything is an opportunity for exploration, even food.
Allow your child to touch his food, smear it all over his highchair table,
squish it, whatever it may be. You might think this promotes messy eating,
but this is exactly what your child's development can benefit from.
The solution
While it's hard to keep mealtimes absolutely clean, there are ways to lessen the mess. You can have your child wear a silicone bib with a deep pocket to catch spilt food. To minimise spillage, serve your child's food in plates or bowls with a suction base so they will stick to the tabletop.


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One thing any woman's wardrobe must have is scarves - lots of them. Scarves are a great fashion accessory any season and can be worn in many different ways. I found this nifty little guide on Pinterest on how to tie a scarf.
Here are some beautiful scarves I found on Etsy.
And for those that like to do it themselves...
For directions on how to knit this very easy scarf, check out my tutorial on TwoCreativeWomen
That wraps up another Fashion Friday.
Thanks for stopping by...
Until next week,


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Is the Cardinal "educating" pro-abortion politicians?
An article in The Tidings's issue of May 14, 2004 (click on this post's title), "Cardinal: Education on abortion is more effective than sanctions," quotes Cardinal Roger Mahony's faulty line, "And, in fact, with respect to the Eucharist, it really is not possible for a priest or bishop to deny someone Communion unless that person is known to have been a public sinner, in the sense of having been interdicted or excommunicated or formally sanctioned in some way."
You would think any Prince of the Church could immediately recognize that being actively, publicly and proudly complicit in the DISMEMBERMENTS of MILLIONS of BABIES easily makes a politician a public sinner. But in Cardinal Mahony's case, you would be wrong.
The same article also runs this astounding statement from the Cardinal: "The politicians themselves are not going in for abortions; it's women themselves, so that's the group we need to influence." Only when Teddy Kennedy goes in for an abortion will Mahony talk to him!
Our Archbishop then committed this non-sequitur: "The positive efforts to educate people about the reality of abortion and to offer women alternatives are dealt a very negative blow if all of a sudden the [C]hurch starts sanctioning people."
The Tidings article adds, "Cardinal Mahony said Catholic leaders, including lay leaders, must have a regular dialogue with Catholic politicians, discussing political issues from the point of view of Catholic moral and social teaching. 'That's our responsibility,' he said. 'We have not been doing that effectively.'"
That last sentence is quite an admission from the Cardinal: "We have not been doing that [presenting Catholic moral and social teaching to politicians]effectively." Some 36 YEARS after aborting babies became legal in California, "we have not been doing that effectively."
Your Eminence, it is now two years since you said you had not been effective in teaching Catholic politicians. Is it not time for you to update us? Have you told all, or any, of the pro-abortion Catholic politicians in your Archdiocese that they may not keep backing abortions? And if they have defied you, have you kept after them, or have you let them off the hook? So many lives and souls are at stake here in L.A., every day; will you please tell us?


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The People Counting Experts
Call: +44 (0)1463 790 400 | email:email@example.com
Key Features
The GSM datalogger utilizes GSM communication protocols to automatically store and transmit data from the counter. Information is sent from the counter to a secure server where it is then processed and displayed on a personal web portal. The data is displayed graphically and in tables with accurate date and time stamps for each event. Prior to installation, both the frequency in which the client wishes to log data (ranging from 10 minutes to 12 hours) and the upload period in which information is sent to the server is specified. Webpage features allow the user to download data for use in alternative software such as Excel. Both the GSM modem and Counter have individual cases which are housed in a single recycled plastic post or protective housing, providing a system highly waterproof and vandal resistant.
The system consists of the following:


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Baker of Wrecks, Destroyer of Childhoods
Hang on to your inner child, kids; things are about to get ugly.
What the...?
[wince] OUCH.
Huh, I've never heard of Iron Man's "exploding crotch" feature before. Must be an upgrade.
Thanks to Sandy E., Me O., Clau, Alyssa C., & Missy S. for keeping it Stark raving nuts around here.
Thank you for using our Amazon links to shop! USA, UK, Canada.


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Much has been made lately by the liberal blogs about Karl Rove's acknowledgment that Senator John McCain's campaign has been stretching the truth.
What Mr. Rove, the former political strategist for President Bush, actually said was that both Mr. McCain and Senator Barack Obama have "gone one step too far" in their assertions about each other. He gave an example involving Mr. Obama, then was asked about Mr. McCain.
This is the part of his quote that gets repeated:
"McCain has gone, in some of his ads, similarly gone one step too far in sort of attributing to Obama things that are, you know, beyond the 100-percent truth test," Mr. Rove said Sunday on "Fox News Sunday."
For the architect of the two successful Bush presidential campaigns to call out his fellow Republican, that was surprising enough.
But just as revealing was the next part of Mr. Rove's conversation, when he was asked whether he paid attention to fact-checking organizations, those groups that analyze the ads, speeches and statements and rate them for their quotient of truth-telling.Continue reading the main story
Mr. Rove dismissed them.
"No, you can't trust the fact check organizations," Mr. Rove replied. "They're human beings. They're individuals. They've got their own biases built in there."
Some fact-check organizations could be forgiven if they get disheartened about the value of their work — but not just because Mr. Rove has little use for them.
It seems that despite all the exposure of lies, the campaigns just go right on repeating them, as if those whoppers had never been debunked in the first place.
Just look at the roster of statements debunked — and still repeated — by Mr. McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, his running mate: Mr. Obama will raise taxes on the middle class; Mr. Obama wants to teach sex education to children; Ms. Palin did not seek earmarks as governor; Ms. Palin told Congress "thanks but no thanks" for the Bridge to nowhere.
Mr. Obama has also misstated facts and twisted words — saying Mr. McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years, for example — but examples from him are fewer and farther between.
Asked for comment about why the McCain campaign would repeat assertions that have been debunked, Tucker Bounds, a spokesman, suggested that these assertions were not inaccurate but were "legitimate and factual criticisms" that the Obama campaign was simply labeling as lies.
There are plenty of systematic efforts these days at fact checking, notably by FactCheck.org, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, PolitiFact.com at the St. Petersburg Times, and The Fact Checker at The Washington Post, along with assessments from other news organizations, including The New York Times.
"In the past, we let candidates get away with exaggerations and falsehoods, but not any more," said Bill Adair, the Washington bureau chief of the St. Petersburg Times and editor of PolitiFact.com. "And we're not shy about making a call. When they say something wrong, we say it's false or even pants-on-fire wrong."
But why, with all this fact checking, and with traditional news organizations increasingly emboldened to call out the candidates, do candidates repeat inaccuracies?
The answer is partly campaign strategy — the McCain campaign has made much of the "us versus them" war with the media, and throwing sand in the Obama engine is a great distraction — but it also reflects an understanding of the psychology of how people absorb information.
If candidates feel free to assert falsehoods and repeat them, it is generally because voters will believe them and the candidates can get away with it.
"They're taking advantage of how our brains work," said Drew Westen, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Emory University and author of "The Political Brain," which became immensely popular among Democrats seeking ways to counter Republican myth-making.
The Republicans, he said, know how to create a "well-branded narrative," while Democrats fight back with the pebbles of isolated facts. "The brain fends off contradictory information," he said. "Democrats have been so afraid of challenging Republicans on character, and McCain has no fear."
George Lakoff, a professor of cognitive sciences at the University of California at Berkeley, and also an Obama supporter, said that trying to negate an image or a lie often only reinforces the lie.
"In order to say someone is a liar, you have to say what the lie is," he said, advising against this approach. If the Obama campaign wants to dispute Mr. McCain's assertions that he is a maverick, for instance, he said, it should not say "McCain is not a maverick,' but that 'McCain is a yes-man 90 percent of the time.'"
Both Mr. Lakoff and Mr. Westen agree with the McCain campaign manager, Rick Davis, who said recently that this election will not be decided on issues. Mr. Lakoff and Mr. Westen said that voters are persuaded more by narratives, and that facts by themselves rarely lead people to change their minds. Mr. Lakoff identifies five "character" factors that determine how people vote: values; authenticity; communication and connection; trust, and identity.
Roderick Hart, dean of the College of Communication at the University of Texas in Austin, said that voters like their facts delivered in narratives that they already agree with.
"You can continue to misrepresent the 'Bridge to nowhere' because characterizations are more powerful than facts," he said.
This sounds like discouraging news for the fact-checkers. A recent article in Slate noted that Mr. Obama seemed to curb some misstatements when called out by fact checkers but wondered why he paid attention to them.
"So far, McCain has seen little blowback from lying," wrote Farhad Manjoo. "Polls show that he's perceived as more 'honest and trustworthy' than Obama and that the public believes his claim that Obama would raise taxes on the middle class."
Despite the wisdom-of-the-crowd ethos of the Web, Mr. Manjoo argued that the truth is disserved by media fragmentation — "the disintegration of the mass media into the many niches of the Web, cable news, and talk radio," which, he said, "lets us consume news that we like and avoid news that we don't, leading people to perceive reality in a way that conforms to their long-held beliefs."
He added: "Not everyone agrees with me that our new infosphere will open the floodgates to fiction, but it's clear that the McCain camp is benefiting from some of the forces I described."
Studies over the last few years have documented the hazards of trying to counter misinformation (see this article and this article), which prompted Joe Miller of FactCheck.org to ruminate last year about his organization's mission.
"Could we, by exposing political malarkey, just be cementing it in voters' minds?" Mr. Miller asked. "Are we contributing to the problem we hope to solve?"
Because of tricks the brain plays, Mr. Miller wrote, "we're likely to believe anything we hear repeated frequently enough. At FactCheck.org we've noted how political spin-masters exploit this tendency ruthlessly, repeating dubious or false claims endlessly until, in the minds of many voters, they become true. Making matters worse, a study by Hebrew University's [Ruth] Mayo shows that people often forget 'denial tags.' Thus many people who hear the phrase 'Iraq does not possess WMDs' will remember 'Iraq' and 'possess WMDs' while forgetting the 'does not' part."
But Mr. Miller also believes in the power of trying to short-circuit this process.
"Humans are not helpless automatons in the face of massive propaganda," he writes. "We may initially believe whatever we hear, but we are fully capable of evaluating and rejecting beliefs that turn out not to be accurate. Our brains don't do this naturally; maintaining a healthy skeptical attitude requires some conscious effort on our part. It also requires a basic understanding of logic and it requires accurate information. That's where this Web site comes in."
And Mr. Adair of PolitiFact said that he was not discouraged because the purpose of fact-checking was to give voters information, not to make decisions for them.
"I look at our job like we're the umpire," he said. "If one team keeps trying to steal home, we call them out. Our goal isn't to get them to stop stealing home. Our goal is to make the call. We're just trying to inform people about when they're right or wrong."Continue reading the main story


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Busó Festival : On a Sunday of the Carnival
The Busós are a people of Sokatz origin, Slav people, who lived in Hungary during the period of Turkish invasion had decided one night to reoccupy their town of Mohács. They dressed up in their traditional costumes of animal skin and masques and appeared from the swamps where they were hiding. Making a lot of noise they entered the town...According to the legend, the Turks were so much terrified by these creatures that they immediately left the town
The Sunday of the carneval Busójárás, our national heritage, part of the 'UNESCO heritage this year takes place 02th March. We invite you to experience this tradition!
Apply right todayt! | more


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Window to my World..
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Sunrise.. It blew us down!
Since we couldnt enjoy the sunset to the max, we decided to go watch the sunrise instead. Me and Rakesh were up by 5.15 am, and we were roaming around like nomads to ward off the cold. Vijay was up too, but he laid down. We were trying to wake others up so that we wouldnt miss the sunrise. As usual, Vivek was hindering us. :P
We got up, tired and cold. We started towards the summit once again. But the cold weather had worsened Vijay's leg pain. He decided to stay back. All the others went. I was expecting a calm, chilly breeze over at the hilltop. But I was wrong. It was chilly, but definitely not calm. It was powerful enough to blow us down if someone gave us a push. Now, it was time to wait for the sunrise. And so we did. Meanwhile, Vivek went roaming around the hill and found a nice new spot for us to relax and enjoy the Sunrise.
Thats Vivek gobbling up the Sun and Abhishek's hand filtering the rays around it.
Monday, March 7, 2011
By the Campfire..
At last, nightfall! We were huffing and puffing on our way down to the campsite. And we were irritated to the maximum extent when we found out that some other group had brought urbanization amidst nature! All that loud music and drinks made us think about why we had to go there of all the places. But the million sparking dots in the clear night sky masked that feeling.
There we were, tired and sitting around the campfire in the chilly weather, munching on snacks at random. These were clicked when we were feeding the fire. It was then that we had to decide the agenda for the next day. We hadnt planned our whereabouts prior to the trip. No one wanted to plan for the coming days . We just wanted to lay our heads down and rest. We got the tent setup and crawled into it. Each of us went to sleep gradually as the loud discussion receeded. But the story doesnt end there!
Venu, Vivek and Abhishek slept like babies. Rakesh, on the other hand was half asleep. Vijay and Me had ~1 hour of sleep throughout the night. He was suffering from leg pain and I was sleepless. The population density made us a bit uncomfortable. To make things worse, another batch of tourists came around midnight. At around 2 am, they started singing, reciting, dancing and all sorts of sleep-stealing stuff. That night was the worst part of the trip. Other than that, everything went on smoothly, as hoped.
Friday, February 4, 2011
ಓತಿಕೇತ !!
Photography and Caption by Vivek.
Nice Job Viv!
We partially missed the sunset. Just then, we remembered that we had hidden our backpacks in some ditch nearby and we had to rush to get it. Abhishek, Vijay, Venu and Me left in a hurry to make sure they were safe. Meanwhile, Rakesh wanted to get some snaps and I had given the camera to him. Somehow, Vivek managed to get this wonderful shot with Rakesh sitting on a rock like a lizard basking in the sun.
Later when we were sitting around the campfire and seeing the images shot by those two, I became a die-hard of the caption-as-well-as-the-image. "ಓತಿಕೇತ" - What an Imagination! Bravo!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Nature's Masterpiece - "Cloud Painting"
Lets say you are giving a shot at water painting. Somehow, you manage to mess things up and spill gray-turned-water all over your canvas. Then you make horizontal brush strokes over the canvas to patch things up. Add a little bit of yellow, a little bit of orange, some this and that and what have you got? This!
But what makes this image interesting is that its not a painiting, this is the real deal at the summit of Kodachadri! The feeling cant be explained, it must be experienced. This image was shot at 5:50 in the evening.
Posted by Vijesh at 10:52:00 PM No comments:
Monday, January 31, 2011
As anyone who went trekking to Kodachadri would say, we were half-exhausted, half-excited. Vivek, Rakesh and Venu had went ahead with the trek. Abhishek, Vijay and me stood there clicking pics. Thats not the only reason that we stayed behind, we were too damn tired to continue ;) . This is Abhishek's silhouette by the way. He was looking down at the cliff below. There's lots more to come from this set... Stay tuned!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Standing Tall and Alone
We were exhausted to the core! I was too tired of clicking pics, we were all too tired of walking and it was already 5:30. We had to make up time. We were all insane enough to dump our bags in a nearby pit and hope that it'll still be present there when we return. Exhaustion! *sigh*
While walking up, we found this beautiful spot. I had to take images. Rakesh, Venu and Vivek went ahead while Abhishek, Vijay and Me were left behind clicking pics. We caught up with them after quite some time. This was clicked sometime during the up-trek.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Aahh.. Water at last
We thought we had reached the summit of Kodachadri. We were so desperate for water. But when we found out that there were 3 more kilometers to cover, all we could say was *sigh*. It was already 5 in the evening. We had to freshen up as quick as possible and pursue again. It was around this spot where we spotted the puppy. As usual, I delayed the start, by clicking here and there.
By the way, thats Vijay's hand you see there.
By the way, thats Vijay's hand you see there.
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// i started writing this post in the middle of our two-week wait (end of july-beginning of august) and didn't come back to my blog since. it's hard to look back and feel just like i did when i started typing this unfinished entry //
we are currently in the middle of our two week wait to see if our ivf treatment is a success. even writing the word success makes me feel like i am desperately trying to hold on to every shred of hope my mind and heart can muster. you see, our ivf journey was a positive one from the start. it felt like everything had somehow lined up to make it a one-hit success. the entire process came with a huge learning curve that i somehow managed to understand and now feel pretty well versed in, although there is still a lot to learn. what i have realized with every passing day, is that i want this to work out with every part of my being- more and more with each passing minute of each and every day. not that i didn't at first; but in the beginning, i kept a realistic view of the grand reality that more often than not, the first shot at ivf isn't a success- fertility clinics sell double and triple packages because it's a guessing game with soo many factors- but now, now all i do is pray. i pray hard. i light candles. i ask for help and guidance. i have fallen apart in the last week multiple times, for the first time throughout this process that has been a year in the making. and i am writing to center myself. to be honest with myself. because feeling the devastation i have felt recently, is something i don't want to feel again. so instead, i am hoping that by writing our journey, i will find peace with however the results of this end. and to be honest, i am pretty sure one of our babies implanted. we decided originally not to test at home, but we haaave to. right? ahhhhh, the hope of this!!this has to be it!! in the meantime...
i meant to write a complete IVF FAQ section and document all our pictures because I was sure that despite everything we were going to beat the odds and bring another little miracle into this world. We did pee on a stick and got a light positive- which confirmed what we knew. oliver's intuition further confirmed this and when we finally received our bloodwork, an early miscarriage was confirmed. i guess we were an ivf success- just not completely. and since then, my prayers have become so specific, so so so specific.
and today, well today i find us on the edge of our seats as we are days away from ivf 2. which wouldn't be possible without the help, support, and motivation from our amazing support system.
my anxiety has been through the roof this week. i have been so cool, calm and collected as we embark on ivf 2 and now that the time is here, i feel like i can't even breathe. i'm hoping that by writing it all out, i'll feel better. i have some pretty huge fears considering not only what we have been through, but what girlfriends have recently been through. it seems that too many i know (or read about) have recently lost their itty bitty babies. how is that possible? i can't ever find a reason that makes sense to my simple mind.
after being so open and sharing everything about it through social media, i am unsure now, whether i will or not. my main reason for doing so was to create awareness and do a tiny part in helping break the shame that comes with infertility. i found dozens of instagram accounts that were separate from personal accounts- the majority were void of who the person was because they didn't want to share with their friends/family. i didn't get it. why wouldn't you want their support, and let them in? why would you feel ashamed?
and yet, now, i am getting it. it's not that i feel shame. because i absolutely do not. it's that sometimes, your mind is so consumed by your ivf thoughts that you are viewing the world through ivf lenses. and no one else is. i have had a beyond amazing support system. i can never ever ever repay them. and yet recently, i find myself careful about what i say about it. situations in our lives that entice pain are relative. you can hurt for someone else, but in reality, life goes on. we get tired of hearing the same sob story over and over. you get ready to move on. i feel confident in my relationships and know my support system is strong and willing to lift me- but do i want to burden them with that? i don't know. i have no idea. i get glimpses of doubt and such. everyone has their own crosses to carry and to dump this addition to their already heavy plates seems insensitive.
and like i said, i'm sensitive as it is. i will probably never forget miscarrying and the pain that came with it. ivf round 1 was great until it wasn't. and when it wasn't, it was so much pain. my heart goes to the mamas that lose children later. i could never survive that pain. no way. and yet, it doesn't make my loss and pain any easier. yet i'm so blessed with a loving husband (even if he does get on my nerves a lot and i drive him crazy) and a beautiful, wild son who is going through his terrible twos. not a day goes by that i don't thank God for the miracle of their lives. in the midst of frustration, i often stop myself and regroup, thinking how blessed i am to even get to go through that moment. and yet, i have been told soo many times that "at least i have oliver." i know this is coming from a loving place. i do. our situations could always be worse and we tend to find comfort in lessening them.
but really, my son doesn't compare to anyone else, just as another baby of mine wouldn't compare. do moms of multiple babies only hurt for one? it just doesn't make sense. and my son is my everything. our blessing, our miracle. i don't even need to explain more because to think that someone may imply we are not simply satisfied with him....well, that's beyond me. why do parents grow their family? and wouldn't each set of parents be sad if they wanted to but couldn't? it's a completely different situation when you don't have a choice. completely different.
i have so many doubts and fears as we are about to go through with this. i'm silently crying inside and the fact that we have to do this again because i feel weak. but gosh, above all i have hope. i really do. so so so much hope.


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Washington, June 19 - Talks on Iran's nuclear program ground to a halt Tuesday night in Moscow as no progress was made in resolving the issue.
"We came to make progress and respond to concrete actions by Iran," lead negotiator and European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said in a press briefing after talks concluded Tuesday night. "It remains clear that there are significant gaps between the substance of the two positions," she added, but insisted that the parties had "begun to tackle the critical issues."
A flurry of conflicting news reports added to the confusion over what was agreed on late Tuesday night, but by 2:00pm Eastern Standard Time, it was clear no major progress was achieved and that a lower level follow-up technical meeting was scheduled for early July in Istanbul.
Ashton said that the P5+1- Russia, China, France, Germany, the U.K. and U.S- demanded that Iran stop enriching uranium to a 20 percent level, a key step in the process of creating nuclear weaponry. The bloc also asked that Iran ship out existing stockpiles of enriched uranium and close the shadowy Fordo complex where much of the suspected nuclear work is thought to occur.
Iran said that the country's right to nuclear enrichment is a "red line" in talks and has demanded that looming oil sanctions by the European Union be cancelled.
Ashton said she would follow up about another high-level political meeting with Iran's top nuclear envoy Saeed Jalili, but that no such summit was scheduled. She said that Iran had a major choice to make in proceeding.
"The choice is Iran's," Ashton said. "We expect Iran to decide whether it is willing to make diplomacy work, to focus on reaching an agreement on concrete, confidence-building steps, and to address the concerns of the international community."
Iran continued its insistence that its right to enrich uranium be recognized and the sanctions lifted. A new round of sanctions that the EU has in place are planned to begin July 1.
The Moscow meeting came after the failures of three sessions of talks in Baghdad in May and an earlier round of negotiations in the Turkish city of Istanbul in mid-April.


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J. Cole's new artist Bas delivered the music video to "My Nigga Just made Bail". The track appears on his album Last Winter which is available on iTunes now.
Tags: bas, j. cole, Music, video
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text: A Sydney Psychic is also light and straightforward to consult. You can share your issues with one and get your self some accurate advice. A consult the true Medium helps to clear every jitters around the divine living that follows the God's will. A tarot card reading may help and guide you by way of troubled feelings and ideas that are full of suspicion by providing a mirrored image of your past, current and unpredictable future and helps you to clear cloudy ideas in order that you could take right resolution and guide your life. A Tarot Card Reading can help guide you via your afflicted feelings and clouded ideas, by offering a reflection of your past, existing and possible future and showing you a fresh angle on your life. A Tarot Card Reading is an exquisite way to gleam insights into your life and find resolutions to limitations you have got faced, are facing, and will face in the future. At last when I paid $30, she comes up with new offer like psyche studying, medicinal touch etc and ask to pay more. At least 6 paragraphs of valuable and empowering spiritual assistance at an remarkable blog-reader offer! At least one interview comes to doing a studying with a proven psychic. At least that implies specific stones imbued with particular energy which reads more like a Fire suit than Stones which reads like directly up Earth. At least Wests Tigers should prove a drawback in the Titan's quest to avoid the scary spoon. At least you get to grasp about the authenticity of the online page and the ability of the psychic with who you're making the contacts. At night, she would consistently hear unexplained noises coming from inside her house. As a results of a life lived this kind, there are also increasing feelings of guilt, shame, anger, unhappiness, defeat, despair, and remorse. As a result, don't be afraid to acknowledge what we see or hear, and try to enhance our power as much as feasible! As a result, he was forced into a temporary state of enlightenment. As a result, it also ensures that you simply receive custom designed services of first-class. As a result, it is advisable to do your personal tests and research since there are a large number of online psychic chat rooms offering their amenities at no cost. As a result, the relationship is likely to be both deep and instant. As a result, looking to guess who is looking when the phone is ringing or guess what clothes our colleagues will wear the following day can be an exhilarating idea to expand our potential. And I've been made to just accept that on occasion I'm right and sometimes I'm not. And I've had to learn that no one I've ever met does their job with 100% accuracy. nor should we humans be anticipated to; as a result of on top of everything else, we psychics are still people. And James gave a couple of more readings that night that came in as close seconds. All they see is their lover on a high plinth for the longest time. All this really pushed me to validate the protection that I had from my ancestors. All this calls for developing one's herbal intuitive talents, exercise one's mind's skill to tap into the sights, sounds, feelings, and typical energy around him or her. All this discuss con artists might seem discouraging, but there are official mediums accessible, and you could find one if you're cautious. All this time, try to center around your in-coming and out going breath. All this you may do with the lowest amount of pressure as a result of your money is not in touch here. g. – the extent of development you've made in THIS life) is terribly essential in making a choice on where you go, and how long you stay! Almost all of the psychic chat rooms that provide inner most readings do so in a text based format. Almost all people are accustomed to be living only during this modern age. Almost the complete psychics on our list offer this function. Almost everybody has the concern of being left alone and having to cope with life all by themselves. Almost immediately that grain of salt dissolved and we felt a deep connection. A medium doesn't need to use tarot cards or some other variety of divination because there's something inside him or her that they could naturally communicate with someone that is on a much better level. A medium commonly uses one of two how to convince the subject that suggestions is being passed to them. A medium has the skill to link with those who have omitted to the opposite side, they could also see ghosts. A medium hovering over a crystal ball could have once been the original way psychic readings were rendered, however the advent of the mobile phone and cyber web have yielded new methods of conversation for psychics to connect with consumers. A medium in lessons who has not had the means since birth will want to meditate after which unlock the clairvoyancy by way of a sequence of visual imagery in their mind which in fact takes time, whilst the experienced medium simply snaps to consideration immediately. A medium is a person who uses his or her psychic talents to communicate with people in the spirit world.


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We hope you all had a great weekend! We are on the home stretch for the 12 Days of Christmas. Enjoy Day 8 as much as we did! Watch the link below, and post today's exercise on the Bikini Boot Camp Facebook page to be entered to win fun prizes.
Bikini Boot Camp 12 Days of Christmas! Day 8
Monday, December 20. 2010
Bikini Boot Camp 12 Days of Christmas! Day 8
Posted by Bikini Boot Camp at 08:00 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
(Page 1 of 1, totaling 1 entries)


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This month was my birthday! I turned 24 on the 3d of August! I feel old already. Anyway, this year I thought it would be a good idea to make my own birthday cake, rather than buying a standard one from a pastry shop. I was so jealous seeing all the amazing layered cakes on pinterest. I wanted one for myself. And so I did!
|photo © P. Petrozelis
After hours of research on pinterest, the recipe that caught my eye was the Triple Chocolate Ombre Coffee Cake by The Moonblush Baker. I just felt for this cake since the first time I saw it. The result was delicious; perfect for both chocolate and coffee lovers! Read the full recipe at The Moonblush Baker blog. You should try it, too! It's just amazing!


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Life, and work, has been especially chaotic this past month, so apropos I am dedicating my first blog post in a month to my best friend, my savior...my in-home coffee bar.
When we were redoing the kitchen in our home last summer, I was baffled as to what to with this newly opened wall space. I turned to my architect, Greg Howe, from Searl Lamaster Howe Architects in Chicago. He mentioned that coffee stations or coffee bars were an interesting trend he's been seeing more of in kitchen design. Being that my husband and I are big coffee fans (two kids under 4, anyone?) I was very intrigued.
It wasn't until I stumbled on this image below, from the queen bee herself, Martha Stewart, that I convinced Greg that this idea was ingenius.
I loved this laid back vibe. The everything-in-its-right-and-cute place "displayed" concept like I'm behind the counter helping the baristas at the local coffee joint.
Greg agreed with the open shelving idea, being that we were already cabinet-heavy in most of the space, and that this would be light, accessible and a fun opportunity to show off my Missoni china.
Now not only is it an eye-catching area in the kitchen, but it's also so functional. Coffee makers and espresso machines are space hogs in the kitchen, now they have there own little home. Is it a coffee or tea morning? As the coffee machine warms up, you can get your cup and saucer down with ease with this newly dedicated corner in our kitchen.
We also decided to add a small sink with a built-in water filtration system that would be convenient in proximity to refill our machines. Below I do have some shallow cabinets to store additional tools, coffee pods and supplies.
Now instead of busting my tail to the nearest coffee spot when I'm in need for my morning (or afternoon coffee fix), all I have to do is head downstairs to this oasis instead. Highly recco.
p.s. The Nespresso Pixie Coffee Machine is a game changer. If you don't own one, you should.


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2019 FALL MEETING DATES: October 3/4 in Salt Lake City
(See details and register in the events tab)
Elder Renlund's remarks at the 2016 Fall meeting reported in the Deseret News.
2017 Elder Rasband Speaks about the worth of Souls and the story he told in General Conference about his Grandson Paxton in 2012.
Welcome to Collegium Aesculapium.
Collegium Aesculapium Foundation is an Organization for LDS physicians and health professionals (physicians of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). An independent organization that is based upon medicine and service, from the local level to the international level. We hope that this new site meets the needs of its members. If members have any comments or suggestions, or requests that would better serve their local chapter, feel free to email us and let us know. Again, welcome to the new look.
***We update our website regularly. Keep up to date by returning often or by clicking on "Update Members Profile" above or "Join Here" if you are not an active member. If you are not ready to become a member, join our email list or Facebook & LinkedIn groups to receive news updates. Visit our Newsletters page to read the latest Collegium News. Also, archived journal articles are uploaded frequently.
Any comments or questions relative to the organization or the website can be directed to Collegium Aesculapium at 801-802-0449 or mailto: email@example.com.
Graduation fireside 2018
The 2018 Collegium Aesculapium sponsored Graduation Fireside for the University of Utah Medical school is planned for May 6. The final details of the meeting are nearly complete. We look forward to seeing you all again.
We are very excited that Elder Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has agreed to speak to the medical students, their families and Collegium members. He is looking forward to speaking to our group as well.
"When you lay aside the frantic schedules you are required to keep and the many demands of your profession to reach out..., you will discover a resurgence of your desire to help, and in each instance you will realize that you have returned with no diminuation of your ability but with a heart filled with gratitude, ... (Thomas S. Monson)


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Have a past due account but you're not quite ready to submit it for collections? Send the account to us and we'll arrange for a pre-collection letter to be sent to the debtor. The account won't be placed for collection until you make that decision.
Billing Services
Have a past due account account where you've made payment arrangements? We can help administer those payments. For an extremely reasonable fee, we'll process all payments and oversee the payment plan. If the payments aren't made on time, we'll contact the debtor and, if possible, recover the payment. If the debtor defaults on their payment obligations, we'll move the account into collections status.
Progress Reports
At your request, we'll provide a progress report on any or all accounts you've submitted to us for collection. If you're a debtor, you can always contact us to find out the status of your past due account.
Internet Skiptracing
We use state of the art software to locate debtors. By using a number of different methods and locators, we have excellent results in tracking down delinquent debtors.
High Collection Rate
ABC Collectors attention to detail means that we have some of the highest rates of return in the industry. We work hard on your accounts to ensure that we recover as much as possible on your past due accounts.
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National Credit Reporting
Accounts submitted to ABC Collectors are reported to a national credit reporting agency. The past due accounts are reflected on the debtor's credit report, and will often affect their credit score. Once paid, the account status is updated with the credit reporting agency.
Up to date Collection Software
Our powerful collection software helps us keep track of each past due account and ensures that your accounts are getting the attention that they need.


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Miami Dolphins
Parker vs. Howard battle has been a one-sided affair so far at Dolphins training camp
When DeVante Parker puts on his uniform before practice, Xavien Howard is not actually one of his pieces of equipment.
It has just seemed that way through five day of camp.
Because Howard, the Dolphins' third-year cornerback, has been attached to Parker's hip most every time they have matched up.
It happened again Monday, when Howard locked Parker down for much of practice, and two plays in particular.
One-on-one drills by their very nature favor the offensive player, but Howard was unbeatable in two deep passes.
The first was simply good defense and Parker could not make a play on the ball. (Howard ran by members of the media immediately afterward and used some colorful language to convey his satisfaction.)
But the second exchange was an even better play by the corner. Howard leaped and batted away the pass just before it reached Parker.
Depending on your point of view, all of this is either really good news, or not-so-good news.
The Dolphins need Howard, a second-round pick in 2016, to be their best cornerback. So far, he has been.
"I'm bringing my 'A' game this year," Howard said.
Added Dolphins coach Adam Gase: "You see his confidence is way up. He challenges everything. He's aggressive, he's pressing. Him going against those receivers pays off because those guys can be tough. He's not afraid to get physical with them."
As for the coin's flip-side?
Parker has been largely ineffective through five training camp practices, particularly in team drills. While Danny Amendola, Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Isaiah Ford have all flashed, Parker is still waiting for that signature play.
For their part, Dolphins coaches are not concerned (at least publicly).
"We're going to have some bad days in there, but we're just looking to keep stacking as many good ones in a row as possible," Dolphins receiver Ben Johnson said. "He's trending in the right direction right now. We've got to keep developing him and get him going; but we're really, really excited about him."
An important qualifier: It's still very early. The team's first preseason game is not for another week.
But Parker is under pressure like never before in Year 4. While the Dolphins picked up his fifth-year option, they are under no obligation (short of major injury) to honor it if he does not perform.
And for the first time in his career, Parker has competition behind him that could keep him off the field. Gase plans to play Wilson on the outside and not the slot, and it's hard to see Stills coming off the field.
The meaning: If Wilson plays better than Parker in practice and preseason games, it's reasonable to think the former will play more than the latter in games. Yes, Parker is a first-round pick, but Wilson is earning $8 million annually from the Dolphins, so they have incentive to play both.
For now, Parker remains the team's starter, alongside Stills.
But that also means he is guaranteed to see Howard in coverage on most every route.
"I think him and DeVante have some really good battles," Gase said. "It really gets physical between those two guys. His ability to track the ball, he keeps finding ways to get better in that area. He's in on a lot of plays."


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Evanston, located 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, is a major shopping destination for the north suburbs and North Side of Chicago. The city is well-known as the base for Northwestern University, as well as the home of several private schools. Evanston holds many nationally-recognized historic markers and is frequently used as a popular filming location. In 2009 Forbes' Magazine placed Evanston at the 18th spot as part of "America's Top 25 Towns to Live," and the city has grown exponentially since. Evanston features vintage homes including Victorians, Colonials, and Tudors, along with ranches, bungalows, and split-level homes in newly developed areas. Aztec Stone Design can work with you and the style of your home to create a custom walkway, driveway, or patio.
Brick Patio
Adding or replacing a brick patio to your home will add both monetary and intrinsic value. A patio is the center of summer cookouts and family gatherings. What better way to enjoy a warm summer evening in your favorite outdoor spot than on a patio in your own backyard.
Brick Driveway
You own a nice home and a nice car. Why not have an elegant, sturdy brick driveway to greet your car when you pull into the driveway. Nothing enhances curb appeal as much as a brick driveway with Unilock brick pavers. A paved brick driveway from Aztec Stone Design will be sturdy enough to bear the weight of your car, and will last longer and look better than asphalt.
Brick Walkways
Make your neighbors envious and set your home apart with a beautiful brick walkway. Nothing is quite as timeless as brick pavers — especially when set by Aztec Stone Design. Cement can end up cracked, discolored, or even subject to mold. Brick builds character as it ages, enhancing curb appeal and complementing your landscaping for years to come.
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Aside from driveway and walkway projects, Aztec Stone Design has experience with designing and building brick and stone landscaping for your yard or patio. We build stone retaining walls, custom-designed outdoor fireplaces, and pool patios. If it can be built with stone, we can design and build it for your outdoor space.
Hear what our customers have said about working with Aztec Stone Design.
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Tom L. on Yelp
We at Aztec Stone Design will work with you to design the patio of your dreams using high quality Unilock brick pavers. Our Unilock certified professional installation crews will work diligently and respectfully while installing your new patio.
Contact us or call now at (773) 478 – 7002 for a free estimate for your brick or natural stone project.


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Posted to Facebook yesterday: Today real Xi'an street food at Taste of Xi'an Wollongong, yesterday lamb chops at City Diggers, last Sat halal Lebanese at Samara's. Go Oz! Not all is bad here, eh! A friend, Matthew da Silva in Sydney responded: On Thursday had Egyptian for lunch in Enmore, yesterday had Korean for dinner in the CBD and today had Thai for lunch in Newtown.
Yums indeed! See also Taste of Xi'an Wollongong, and Munching against the fear of "the other"….
Xi'an roujiamo
Steamed lamb broth
My roujiamo and broth totalled just $14.50! Again, yum!


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Please click anywhere to continue browsing our site.
Here, at Art's Tire Warehouse, we want our customers to be in the know about how to properly care for your car or truck. We want you to understand why and how your tires wear; how to get the best gas mileage; and overall how to get the most out of your tires. Hopefully, with these helpful tips you will be able to improve gas mileage and reduce tire wear when driving in and around San Antonio, TX and Castle Hills, TX ; and understand when and why your car needs to be serviced by Art's Tire Warehouse or another San Antonio, Texas car service shop. Give Art's Tire Warehouse a call at (210) 736-4516 today to schedule your next maintenance appointment.
Car Maintenance and Care
Tire Maintenance and Care
Gas Mileage Tips
And most important of all……
Art's Tire Warehouse located at 3350 Fredericksburg Road - San Antonio, TX 78201 provides quality automotive products and services to customers in San Antonio, TX, Castle Hills, TX, and Balcones Heights, TX. Art's Tire Warehouse is the leading seller in San Antonio, TX for these tire brands MICHELIN®, BFGoodrich® and Uniroyal® and offer some great discounts on them. Art's Tire Warehouse also offers services in Tires, Wheels, Auto Repair for the communities of San Antonio, TX, Castle Hills, TX, and Balcones Heights, TX. Give Art's Tire Warehouse a call at (210) 736-4516 to schedule an appointment today!


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Some people also still like in-store performances, and Schoolkids has several coming up:
Rachael Sage
March 9, 3:30 p.m.
Invisible Hand
March 14, 1 p.m.
The Love Language
March 28, 3:00 p.m.
They've also got some exclusive new releases out this week, including stuff from Matt & Kim and the Black Lips. But really, you should see The Love Language before they get too cool for their hometown.
PS This video rulz:
The Love LanguageSchoolkids RecordsInvisible HandRachael Sage
Go see INVISIBLE HAND! They are also playing the night before at Slims with Wild Wild Geese!
this is awesome


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Thank you to LEGO for providing me with product in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own.
What is the greatest possible gift you could give your child for Valentine's Day? Second only to your own endless love and devotion, the answer is LEGOs! My six-year-old son is completely obsessed with LEGOs. He comes by his obsession honestly... his daddy also loves LEGOs. My husband still has all of his childhood LEGO sets, and B has built up a pretty impressive collection through the six years he has been alive. We started out with LEGO DUPLO, and worked our way up to LEGO Junior, and now we're at the big boy LEGOs. B loves all types of LEGOs- different characters, sets, themes, different skill levels, etc. The kid has never met a LEGO set he didn't totally love.
Speaking of love... LEGOs make awesome Valentine's Day gifts. B keeps a running list of LEGO sets he's like to have (so does my husband!), and I have been looking for cute sets to get him for Valentine's Day. LEGO has so many cool sets out there... I mean, there are so many to choose from! We were sent a cute little LEGO set to enjoy for Valentine's Day, and yes- it's Valentine's Day themed!
The LEGO Romantic Valentine Picnic is the perfect little Valentine's Day gift for your little brick builder!
Is this set not the cutest? B couldn't wait to open it up, and to start putting this set together. He recognized the Valentine's Day theme, and said, 'Mommy, I didn't know they made Valentine's Day LEGOs.' Well, neither did I! We were both pleasantly surprised!
Right after school, B settled in with a snack, and the LEGO Romantic Valentine Picnic set.
This LEGO set came with three small bags of LEGO pieces, and an instruction booklet. We have an entire file of LEGO instruction booklets. They are amazing... they help building challenged individuals like me be able to say, 'Sure honey, I can help you with that. No, we don't have to wait until daddy gets home.' The booklets contain easy to follow instructions, which include step by step pictures! This is perfect for kids, and perfect for this mom!
B doesn't generally need my help putting LEGOs together... he had no trouble with this little set.
Lot's of little LEGO pieces included with this fun set!
I did my part by helping to keep Baby S away from the LEGOs while B was building in the living room. Baby S is very interested in everything her big bro does, and was naturally interested in the brightly colored bricks. B spent about twenty minutes working to put this set together, There were a lot of little pieces, so it took a but of concentration on his part. I was surprised when he didn't ask to put the television on to watch a show after school. He just wanted to build his LEGO, and then play with it. Music to my ears!
The finished product... take a look!
This set is so cute! B was very proud of himself for completing it all alone, and couldn't wait to show it to me. He also enjoyed showing it to his daddy later in the day. The set features a few different mini base plates, which can be put together or moved around to create the picnic scence. B thought the LEGO tree and little flowers were really cool. He even liked the little LEGO fountain, teddy bear, flutes, sparkling juice bottle, and the little treats! The set also comes with two mini figures.
I'm sure it won't be long before LEGO Batman or the LEGO Ninjago guys show up to the picnic!
LEGO Set and instruction booklet.
This is a winning gift! You really can't go wrong with a LEGO set for a gift for Valentine's Day. B loves all things LEGO- from the sets to the books and other merchandise. A trip to the LEGO Store is a treat for him, and my husband, too! We're even planning a trip to LEGOLAND this summer, and hope to stay in the LEGOLAND Resort. Like I said- the boys in my house love those LEGOs. I love them, too, because it's something that keeps the wheels turning in B's head. He loves to play with LEGOs, rather than watch TV or play video games. This is something that he can bond over with my husband, and something that B will enjoy for many years into the future. If you have a LEGO lover in your life, check this set out & consider gifting it this Valentine's Day! You'll definitely want to add this to your LEGO collection.
Celebrate the season of love with this Romantic Valentine Picnic set, featuring 2 besotted minifigures enjoying sandwiches, cakes and beverages on a heart-shaped lawn beneath the shade of a blooming tree. Also includes a buildable picnic blanket, red balloon, bouquet of flowers and food and drink accessories—everything you need for a romantic picnic! Makes a great seasonal gift for LEGO® fans.
Includes 2 minifigures: a boy and a girl, plus a bird figure.
Features a blooming tree, heart-shaped lawn, bouquet of flowers, red balloon and various buildable accessories and elements, including a picnic blanket, 2 sandwiches, cakes, table, 2 glasses and a bottle.
Measures over 3" (9cm) high, 4" (12cm) wide and 4" (12cm) deep.
Want it? Get it!
Head on over to LEGO to shop even more LEGO sets! Be on the lookout for more awesome sets from LEGO! Connect with LEGO through Facebook and Twitter.
Special thanks to LEGO for allowing me to share about their fun Valentine's Day LEGO set! Look for it in our 2017 Valentine's Day Gift Guide!
What's your favorite LEGO set? Tell us in the comments!


text: always difficult sitting in on final crit days. watching students re reading notes in the lead up to presentations. The 1000 yard stare as they ask a reviewer to repeat a question relating to their work. It is amazing what can be accomplished in the weeks following the last tutorial though.


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Supplements: The Dietary Supplements that are "Better" for Your Health
I recently reviewed a liquid multivitamin that not only offered well above 100% of the daily needs for certain vitamins & minerals, but also offered a copious amount of added sugar. My eyes rolled instantly.
A supplement is a vitamin, mineral, amino acid, herb, and/or botanical taken alone or in combination with others (or with food) to help enhance your health.
Unfortunately, though, not all supplements may do this important job and others (like the aformentioned liquid multi or some products sold to you by your friend or supplement store) may actually detract from your health goals.
So which supplements are the ones that can help? I've got you covered with what makes a BETTER supplement.
"Better" supplements are:
B: Better Supplements are Built Around Food
Supplements should "supplement" (not replace) a healthy diet. If what you eat is based around quality ingredients, you should set the same standards for your supplements, too. I prefer supplements that offer nutrients sourced from whole foods (like Mega Food's multis!) so that the body can know, recognize, and utilize the nutrient at hand. I do not recommend supplements with artificial colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, or large amounts of added sugar.
E: Better Supplements are Effective
The supplement should be tested through science to be important, to participate in a known key function, and have confirmed health benefits. If not, why take? It may be surprising to learn that, while drugs on the market require studies evaluating their effectiveness, supplements do not. Turns out that not all supplements you pick up at your local health food store may do what you'd like them to do! Work with your healthcare practitioner who can help you determine which supplements may be appropriate for you.
T: Better Supplements Offer Top Absorption
Not all supplements are created equal, including those that may have a same or similar sounding name. Say, for example, you've learned that magnesium can help support a myriad of systems – from blood pressure to digestive health. (It can!) If you visit your local health food store to pick up some "magnesium," you'll be met with a variety of choices. It's important to note that different forms of magnesium, like many other vitamins/minerals, offer differing amounts of "bioavailability" (aka: the quantity of it that will actually be absorbed by the body). For example, studies have demonstrated that magnesium citrate (found in Natural Vitality's Natural Calm – one of my "honor roll" supplements) will be more readily absorbed than a supplement offering magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate.
T: Better Supplements are True and Tested for Purity
Does the supplement contain what it says it contains on the label? Unfortunately, some do not and instead contain fillers (including potential allergens) as shared in 2015 by the New York Times, or, may contain unwanted harmful ingredients (like microbes or heavy metals) as shared by this recent article in Consumer Reports. How can you know if what you're taking is legit? Look for the USP and NSF label, groups who do the job for you to ensure purity.
E: Better Supplements offer the Evidence-based dosage
Just as the supplement must be effective, you should also be taking the evidence-based dosage required to potentiate your desired health outcome. Dosing and the length of time you take a certain supplement should be dependent on whether you're an adult or a child, what health outcome you're looking to improve, and what has been supported for your age/desires in the literature. In addition, some supplements may offer a safe dose that's not effective or an effective dose that's not safe. "How much" of a supplement matters, which is why R (the last letter in Better) follows next.
R: Better Supplements are Right On in Terms of Quantity
Remember, the total amount of the nutrient is not simply the amount found within your supplement but also derived from how much is found in the food you eat. Just as it's concerning to not get enough of a certain nutrient, it can be equally concerning to get too much. Dietary supplements should not provide large overages of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for many vitamins and minerals, so that the vitamins and minerals that you also meet through food don't take you too far over your needs.
Remember, your supplement should "supplement" your healthy diet and should, at the very least, offer the same quality of the foods you're eating. Have supplement questions? Ask me by leaving a comment here or schedule an appointment to determine which supplements are most appropriate for YOU!