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Get your ads noticed with advertising options on the Go COMO bus system.
Advertising on Go COMO buses is like advertising on a moving billboard that runs 12 hours a day and is seen by thousands! Even better, bus advertising is one of the most affordable and effective advertising tools for local businesses and organizations.
Contact Transit Advertising, Inc to kick off your advertising campaign. Visit transitadvertisinginc.com, email email@example.com or call (918)810-3929.


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The government's chief information officer has claimed progress in the three key areas of change set out in the 2005 Transformational Government strategy.
John Suffolk said there was "progress across the three core strands of putting the citizen at the heart of what we do; shared services; and professionalising IT-enabled business change", in a year when the government spent £13.7 billion on IT.
He added that there was more change ahead, with the Greening Government strategy, "a significant rewrite and expansion of our approach to open source, open standards and re-use", and more extensive use of social networking.
The recession meant there would be "even more focus on driving value out of the [IT] investments we make", he said.
Suffolk's comments come in the foreword to the Cabinet Office's third annual Transformational Government report, which is the government's assessment of its own expenditure. As expected, the report heaped praise on government IT-led changes, even on the highly troubled £12.7 billion National Programme for IT.
Services across government were more centred on the public, the report said. It highlighted initiatives including the "Tell Us Once" programme, led by the Department for Work and Pensions, which aims to allow people to tell the government once about births and deaths, and even address changes, and for a range of department's records to be updated.
Most public sector workers are now served by shared human resources and finance systems, it said, with work continuing to join other front and back office services. The DWP's shared services scheme had delivered £50 million in savings by April last year, and the Front Office Shared Services Programme is focusing on opportunities for local councils to share front line services.
The report also underlined the importance of the use of systems with "open, common standards" in the public sector.
In the coming years, there will be more focus on public influence on services, improving service professionalism and providing more central leadership on services.

subset: commoncrawl


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Being unemployed gives a person a lot of time to do anything they can think of, which many of us can be the use to figure out our future. By analyzing the steps that we need to take it helps us see what we need to do. For those who are serious about pursuing their dreams planning gets us on that path.
With the economy being the way that it is and the stiff competition for any available job I've really had to buckle down on going after my writing career. Right now anyone is lucky to get a job that pertains to their interest, but many people are having to apply and accept any job that they can get. While I may have to settle for any job that I can get now I don't want that to effect my career.
Having all this time everyday to do anything can get annoying if I'm not doing anything, but staying busy and developing strategies has helped me see what work I need to be doing. When I was working I would come home and spend my evenings cooking, cleaning, and getting ready for the next day. I didn't have time to sit down and plan out how I was going to get closer to my goals.
Now I can focus on securing them by researching what sites, companies, and people I need to contact and the opening that I can get going. Seizing the chance to determine the future is something that few have time to do, so I'm choosing to use it to my advantage and grab onto my goals.


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Birthday Card - Old Git
Make it an amusing birthday
Product Description
Cover Message:
- It's official, you are an old git! - It's a scientific fact that the two signs of being an official old git are: 1, getting easily confused 2, failing eyesight
Inside Message:
- ...oh dear! - Happy Birthday!
Envelope Colour:
- Yellow
- H19 x W13.5cm
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews


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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Those lights are really green – even the white ones, and the red, blue and yellow ones too. They're those new LED holiday lights that are everywhere these days and they're considered 'green,' or good for the environment, for lots of reasons.
First, they take up to 90% less energy, which reduces power use and saves you a lot on your electric bill. The lights themselves last a lot longer, which means you won't be tossing so many cheap broken light sets into the trash, saving you greenbacks and keeping tons of junk out of landfills – lightsets aren't only plastic, they also have a lot of lead in them, that's why it says on the box to wash your hands after touching them.
Plus, LED lights are very cool – they don't get hot the way old-fashioned Christmas lights used to. That means that while these lights won't glow and melt through inches of snow in the same adorable way the old lights did, LED's won't burn or brown your garlands or trees either – instead, they'll stay green.
Reported By Phran Novelli, KYW Newsradio


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City of TorranceHome Menu
Applicants for paid and volunteer positions at the City of Torrance must go to the Human Resources building to obtain an application for Live Scan Fingerprint processing. Human Resources is located at 3231 Torrance Blvd. The City has a contract with a provider and no appointment is necessary. Human Resources staff will provide a map and contact information along with the Live Scan application. For more information, you may call (310) 618-2967.
The exception to this policy would involve applicants seeking paid or volunteer positions at the Torrance Police Department. Police Department applicants should contact the Personnel Division at the Torrance Police Department, located at 3300 Civic Center Drive. For more information, you may call (310) 618-5707.
The City of Torrance and Torrance Police Department no longer process private requests for Live Scan Fingerprinting. Private citizens may search the internet for Live Scan Fingerprinting locations approved by the Department of Justice. click here for a link of DOJ approved locations.


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November 13, 2013
YouthAction Updates: Fall 2013
With the start of the Fall 2013 YouthAction Community Leadership Course (YCLC) on September 21st, all three YouthAction programs are back in full swing. Through their participation in the YCLC, 26 high school students from across New York City will learn the skills to become effective advocates. They will research issues that affect community health and wellness, develop recommendations for change, and deliver those recommendations to public officials and community leaders.
YouthAction Members (YAMs), high school students who have already completed the YCLC, have been busy looking into a variety of issues currently effecting young people in NYC. They have heard from local experts about school food, the controversy around "Stop and Frisk", youth tobacco use and secondhand smoke, bike safety on city streets, and teen sexual health. In November and December, YAMs will work on a project to raise awareness about obesity and the importance of access to affordable healthy food.
Three new Peer Trainers have begun developing the skills they need to design and facilitate workshops for other youth groups interested in learning about advocacy and youth leadership. Peer Trainers are dedicated YouthAction participants who have shown the commitment, public speaking skills, and deep understanding of advocacy needed to pass on their knowledge to peers. Currently, Peer Trainers are have workshops scheduled for YouthBridge NYC, Save Our Streets and multiple cohorts of participants in the Big Brother Big Sister program.
To keep up with all of the exciting things YouthAction is doing throughout the year, follow YouthAction on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr!


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Baked Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
Prep Time 10 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
Cook Time 20 Minutes
Serves 6
Average Rating: 5 | Rated By: 1 users
There is so much more to making sweet potato fries than just coating them with oil and baking. Experiment with different spice mixture to find the flavour that's just right for you. These low-fat sweet potato fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside
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"Views of the world: There is no such thing as an objective map," Economist, September 1, 2012
AROUND 150 AD an astronomer named Claudius Ptolemy wrote a book about how to make a proper map of the world. Penned in Greek on a papyrus scroll, the work, known as the "Geography", is one of the most famous ancient texts on the science of mapmaking. It placed the job firmly in the domain of the geographer, who could use astronomy and mathematics to calculate from the stars what the world looked like below.>>>
Richard J. Evans, "Merchant, Soldier, Sage: A New History of Power by David Priestland – review," Guardian, August 23, 2012
In this concise but extremely ambitious book, the Oxford historian David Priestland sets himself the task of taking the long view of the financial crisis that afflicts the world today. His argument is that the year 2008, when the credit crunch began, is as important as 1917, the year of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, or 1945, when the second world war came to an end. Four years on, the crisis shows no sign of coming to an end, and political systems, economies and societies seem in a state of disarray – even looming collapse.>>>
Dan Olson, "Historical accounts of U.S.-Dakota War change through years," Minnesota Public Radio, August 17, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Historians agree that the U. S. - Dakota War of 1862 was one of Minnesota's most momentous events.
The war's history has been documented and shared by people who have a range of perspective and accounts of it have changed over time.
Historian William Lass has reviewed 13 histories of the war, and he recommends reading, "The Dakota War of 1862," for several reasons.>>>
Pat Padua, "Book Review: Atomic Comics: Cartoonists Confront the Nuclear World by Ferenc Morton Szasz," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 15, 2012
The year's biggest summer blockbuster, The Dark Night Rises, may be forever marred by a tragic footnote, but the fear that the movie itself plays on is time-honored and even old-fashioned: nuclear anxiety.
Pop culture has a long history of dealing with nuclear promise and danger, and the late historian Ferenc Morton Szasz argues in Atomic Comics: Cartoonists Confront the Nuclear World that the pluses and minuses of splitting the atom were most efficiently conveyed to the general populace in comic books.>>>
Sameer Rahim, "From the Ruins of Empire by Pankaj Mishra: review," Telegraph, August 6, 2012
Reviewing Niall Ferguson's Civilisation in the London Review of Books last year, the Indian writer Pankaj Mishra was fearsomely critical of the historian's account of the West's rise. Ferguson had identified the six "killer apps" that enabled European domination: property rights, competition, science, medicine, consumer society and the work ethic. Emphasising these qualities, Mishra pointed out, underplayed the role of slavery, colonialism and indentured labour in the West's triumph. Seen in this light, Ferguson's "killer apps" looked less benign.>>>
Friday, August 31, 2012
History Book Reviews Roundup
Labels: Book Reviews, Cartoons, Historians, Maps, Native American, Roundup, World Civilization
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A person does not simply become friends with a teenage boy.
I am finding this fact out the hard way.
It is harder, still, to rebuild a relationship that was previously crushed and broken when that same boy was just a small, powerless child.
I have struggled for 3 years now, to try to rebuild a sort of friendship, at least, with the CG's son.
I have tried to be a friend to him, be involved, lavish him with gifts, take him places, remind his father to do things for and with him, reach out to his mother when he needed her, ask for his help, love him… mainly love him. But, non of it has worked thus far.
I realize that I seem as useful, to him, as… a throw pillow. I take up space on his couch, I am just as noticeable and important, which is nada… and if I were to just disappear one day, I would never be missed. He might look around for a second, noticing there is something different about the room… but never really know what it was…
Yup, I am a throw pillow.
I wonder if someday he will ever understand that I never stopped loving him, the entire time CG and I were apart, I never stopped thinking of him as my son. I never stopped thinking of him, crying over the loss of him… I even got in touch with the CG, initially, that first time… because I really missed his son?!?! Little did I know….
No, he probably wont ever realize these things, because he will never care to hear them… and if he does decide to be friends with me, I am sure his mother will be waiting in the shadows, ready to strike down any good thoughts he ever has towards me.
I still blame her.
I still blame her for those damaging lies she told him, no matter how small, they were still malignant in their damage.
And, I still blame the CG.
I blame him for not standing up for me, for not setting his son straight on how I feel about him, on not defending me to his ex-wife, for not teaching his son manners and respect towards me.
I blame him for not knowing me well enough to know without a doubt I could never say those things about a boy I have loved as much as my own children!
And, I blame myself.
I blame myself for being so completely scared of a child, a teenager… that I have to secretly write all these feelings on a blog he will never see.
I blame myself for missing those crucial 5 years with him, no matter it was not my actions that kept us apart.
I blame my mental instability for forcing me into silence, rather than sitting him down and baring my true self to him.
I am as useful as a throw pillow, to him.
That sums me up perfectly.
Archive for the 'kids' Category
I am a Throw Pillow
Posted in Cable Guy, depression, kids, love, past, relationships, stress, Writing on May 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »
A person does not simply become friends with a teenage boy.
Mother of the year
Posted in AHS, Aspergers, daughter, depression, grief, kids, mother, past on January 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Being a Mom is difficult, even in the BEST of situations!
I see my friends struggle with motherhood all the time.
Sometimes I can laugh and agree with them. Sometimes I empathize and feel their pain. Sometimes I bite my tongue and don't let my opinion or disagreement be know, and sometimes I actually learn something.
Sometimes I learn from myself.
I became a mom at the tender age of 20. Still merely a baby myself, I had so much to learn. I tried my hardest to be a good mom, I never neglected her or abused her. I actually OVER doted on her and spoiled her in my effort to have her love me more than her (mostly absent) father. I do look back and see glaring mistakes I made with her along the way…. mistakes that I wish I could undo or make right, but that's all part of growing up, right?
My daughter was showing signs of mental illness and gender identity problems even at age 6 and 7, long before it was "cool" to be gay or "accepted" to be Bipolar. I worked hard to get her help and counseling, but there was little know then about these issues. Abandonment by her dad at age 12 did little to help the state of her mind.
I myself struggled with panic disorder and depression, anxiety and PTSD, making it difficult to function normally when I even did function.
Add to this already simmering pot of potential disaster, a screaming, broken, sick all the time, baby boy… and you have a house full of exploding emotions.
I remember one night when Owen was about 2 months old, he had been crying for hours (again), nothing could calm him, he was in a terrible state. I finally put him in his bouncy seat, in his crib and went to the bathroom to weep. Marissa came in the bathroom and placed her hand on my shoulder, tears in her big brown eyes, and with all the courage a 10 year-old can muster, she simply said "Mom, I think it's time to send him back… I think he's broken". It is funny now, but at the time… I wondered if she was right?!?! What had I done to our little family? I had no business being a single mom, AGAIN. I saw the future, and it terrified me!
Of course, you can see I didn't return him to the hospital, abandon him or give up… no, I actually started working harder to "fix" him. Only to run into wall after wall of phoo phooing doctors, old fashioned parents, strange advice from anyone on the street that was brave enough to approach us, and more simply… isolation.
It's funny how fast friends will run away from a screaming baby. They run even faster from a screaming, violent, still breastfeeding 3 year old! Nobody would babysit, nobody offered to play with him so I could sleep, or study, or even take a shower. Owen was kicked out of 8, EIGHT, Amarillo daycares by the time he was 4 because of his behavior. He cried spontaneously, was very anti-social, smart but bored, couldn't talk, had daily meltdowns, and was sick all the time. I became very dependent on Marissa, even at her only being 12, so I could do some things alone. She learned how to pacify him, she put aside her own problems and tried her best to be a grown up, poor baby, she did a wonderful job. But Owen was still broken.
I almost got kicked out of school due to Owen being ill all the time, I don't know how many times I was written up at work for missing due to my sick child, or my being late because of his morning rages. I was falling apart in every area of life, so was Marissa… we were a complete and total mess.
I never saw the seizures. I never knew what to look for, I hate so bad to admit that now, but I was unaware, untrained. I want to blame the many doctors I took him to, I feel that they should have seen these gelastic seizures, his missed milestones, something that surly pointed to his seizures. However, they didn't… and neither did I. I just continued doing all the things I knew to do… hide us all away like a dirty little secret. He would become raging and violent in the grocery store, people would stare, so I would spank him… proving to these strangers that I was NOT going to let this spoiled little boy get his way! At home when he would rage I would spank him, shut him into his room, hold him down, throw him in a cold shower… all done in hopes he would stop screaming. He was violent towards me at these times, coming at me with toys, hitting, biting.. such rage in those eyes! I felt surly he was possessed or mentally deranged, I knew I was raising the next mall shooter…I knew I was the worlds worst mom! I just knew he hated me! He never hated me, though, for any of these things, it was like he never remembered… now I see that he really didn't. He was seizing, not tantruming, Thank God he doesn't remember… cause I sure do.. and my heart cracks in two every time I remember how I treated him.
One day, Owen was about 3 1/2, he had just gotten kicked out of his 8th daycare… I was at a complete loss, crying and screaming at him, completely frustrated… so I drove straight to Dr. Habersangs office, plopped Owen right on the counter and started screaming a the receptionist "Please!!! Help us!! I don't know what to do with him! Something is WRONG with him and I want you to FIX HIM!! PLEASE!!!" This was the day Pia Habersang diagnosed him with Aspergers High Spectrum and a complete over growth of yeast in his digestive tract, ears, throat and urinary tract.
I finally had something to work with, to research… and ultimately blame. Aspergers.
It all seemed to fit, mostly. The allergies, the tantrums, the cognitive development delays, his being so smart, but yet so different form the other children around his same age. This HAD to be the answer!
The rages became fewer and further between with the addition of the new Gluten Free diet. He still had trouble in school and with large groups of children, but he was starting to become a little boy, rather than the monster he was for his first 3 years. Ages 4-7 he did fairly well, only raging about once a week, usually right before he started getting sick, or if he had an over stimulating day at school. One of the things I started to notice by this time was that weather and time of day affected him. Like an Alzheimer's patient, he experienced "Sun Downers" almost daily. I would research this, and it always said this was a characteristic of Neurological problems, not mental disorders like Autism or Aspergers. So I dismissed that idea, Yup, never dreamed I saw a sign as far back as then, until last week. (Kick, Kick, Kick)
Meanwhile, as Owen seemed to improve… Marissa started her decline. Moody, violent, down right MEAN at times…. I suffered through the verbal abuse, hurtful glares and violent attacks just as I had with Owen all those years.. by hiding them away from everyone. I would nonchalantly roll my eyes when asked about Marissa… usually playing it off as "you know teenage girls"… but I was screaming out for help in my head. She would make up stories about me and tell people at school that I was abusing her or Owen. She accused me of playing favorites with Owen, she would get jealous of Owen and my time together. Owen and I started taking weekend road trips to just "get away" from the drama and the seething anger. This only made matters worse. She became suicidal and regressed daily, crawling into herself… abandoned once again.
During her second trip to the Pavillion, I was crying to my mom on the telephone, I remember saying "I should never have been a mother! My son is broken, my daughter is a mess… I should just leave them now, before anymore damage can be done!" I remember those words like they were yesterday. The moment I said those words I realized I was at a precipice. I had the power to change things, to change things for the better… or for the worse and just run away. I was exhausted, frustrated, depressed and broken. I could either start standing up for my children and get busy fixing them, or I might as well leave, because life could not go on like this any longer. I could no longer be selfish and lazy and expect them to get well all on their own.
The very moment I decided to accept my silly little daughter for what she is, a mixed up, deep, beautiful introvert… I feel back in love with her. The medicine helped, but she was my baby again, warts and all. I may not agree with everything she says, does or believes… but I love her, and I will ALWAYS accept her for who she is.
As for my little son, I was prepared to live a life of mental problems with him. I was prepared to be battered and broken at an old age, in hopes that he takes his rages out on me rather than a girlfriend, wife or friend. I was prepared to not work outside the home for a very long time, live off of welfare in order to keep my son safe and hide him away from the cruel world outside. I would joke that he would be a 40 year-old United grocery store sacker living in Momma's basement. But it hurt to think that was all we had for a future.
Now the future is here. A possible new diagnosis, a possible new way of living. I am terrified but also excited for this future. I see both the good and the bad side of this possible new diagnosis. I worry that me concentrating so much on Owen again, will cause my daughter to slide back into old fears and feelings. I worry that if Owen does ultimately have to have brain surgery to fix him, there might be complications.. he could be permanently blinded, a quadriplegic, suffer severe memory loss….
Yes, I still suffer from my own mental illnesses, anxiety and depression being the main ones at this time. The loss of my mom weighs on me daily. She had become my biggest advocate, my biggest supporter, my favorite cheerleader in the crusade to "fix Owen"… and even though I believe 100% that she is the one making all this happen.. I still would give my left leg and right arm for her to be here holding my hand and stroking my hair as I worry and wait.
I have made many, many mistakes as a mother over the past 19 years. I have also done some very unusual, amazing and beautiful things for my children. I admit.. I am jealous of my friends and their "normal" children, and their normal, everyday, problems… but God chose to give me Marissa and Owen… and I cant imagine a life with anyone else. I will continue to work hard, to learn, grow and become a better mother. I will advocate for their health and I will champion for their happiness. Who knows, maybe someday I WILL be a real Mother of the Year!
Weak Minded…
Posted in depression, grief, kids, stress, Writing on December 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »
My dad, who was born in 1935, just stated:
"Why is everyone nowadays having to run to a counselor for every little thing? Why does everybody think they need to run tell all their problems to a complete stranger? I just don't understand what good all this talking about stuff and dwelling on stuff really does! I mean, I am surrounded by all you weak-minded people! If anyone needed to talk, if anyone needed to blab to a stranger, it should be me!"
Thanks dad…
Thanks for that.
Run Away
Posted in Aspergers, daughter, depression, dreams, grief, kids, mother, mother, past, stress, Writing, tagged Co-dependant Survivor, depression, Grief, Healing, Mother, Pain, special needs, stress, Wishing on December 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »
I knew it was sitting there.
I could feel its weight pressing down on my brain. I could feel it as if it were fire. I was not touching it, but I could still sense the weight of it in my purse. There was a little over $4 thousand dollars, right there in my purse. Blood money, free money, will money, payment for 39 years of being moms "perfect child", her "sweet baby".
The stress is getting worse. The kids are compounding everything I feel. Just like a crushed tomato tied back together with string, I still ooz and bleed with every touch, jab, word. Ready to fall apart, easier than before.
The weight of depression, hopelessness, growing faster than a storm cloud in my mind. "Why can't we just have one day of peace? Why can't I have just a moment to think? Why can't we just spend a day together without the fighting, the anger, the competition for my affections and favoritism?"
I am exhausted. Just thinking of a simple task like cleaning house or making the bed seem to weigh 500 pounds on my bruised brain. I want to hide. I want to run away and hide.
The money, it's right there. It's ready to burn my hand the moment I touch it. I'm supposed to use it for bills, Christmas.. the kids, not me… not for myself, the kids. Don't touch it.
I slowly pull myself up in the bed. I glance at the alarm clock, 2:30p.m. I had fallen here just moments ago. My bed a rescue raft, floating in my room for me to grab onto and wail into my pillows until the hopelessness and suicidal thoughts pass on by. My raft is still shaking, threatening to sink. I'm screaming inside, "It's not going to get better! It is NEVER going to get any better!" The kids will never get "well". Neither one has any illness that can be cured. I will just be stuck in this life for the remainder of mine. The same violence, the same temper tantrums, the same emotional drainage of mom day after day. It. Will. Never. Get. Better….
I slowly drag my aching heavy limbs out of the bed and start pulling on clothes. The argument that had just occurred between my children and I still ravaging my brain like it's on repeat. The same depressing mantra on repeat: "Its happened before, it will happen again, again, again, it will happen again."
I look around the house. It's a disaster. You would think that my teenage daughter, seeing her mother is drowning, would at least help with the housework. I start pulling together dirty clothes, I make separate piles of colors and observe how they look like piles of dead leaves. I will do the laundry, I can at least do that.
I quickly start to come out of the fog, suddenly I'm on fast forward. Laundry, sweeping, dishes, clutter… each task tackled in a mindless rush. I can at least get these things done. I can at least leave a clean house.
The kids are in the background, sighing, stomping, slamming, sniffling… each, in their own passive aggressive way, are driving the nails into my back. "You deserted me!" "You took her side", "you took his side", "It's not my fault!" "It's all his fault/Her fault/YOUR fault!!" Each silent accusation a dart going into my skin. I ignore each dart with a disinterest, a tear slipping out silently instead. "Don't treat me like that", I cry inside. "I'm the one that loves you more than life!" "I'm the only one that understands you, but I'm tired!! Don't yell at me, don't hurt me! It hurts to be used like an emotional punching bag" "it hurts, It hurts, I HURT!!!"
Instead, I just keep cleaning, tears running down my face. I want to run and hide, back onto my raft, back into my cave, I want to cling to the safety of the bed and hide. I keep doing the dishes. I look out the window into the backyard. Birds, a dog, a squirrel… things that usually make me smile instead make me feel the exhaustion of my own inner darkness. There is such an anger in being depressed, like, how dare the sun shine when I feel such pain? Does it not care that I can only feel, can only see darkness?
Dishes, concentrate on the dishes. Concentrate on the work. Feed the bird, feed the dog, mop the floor, change out the laundry, feel the weight of the money in my mind, count it.. weigh it… smell it.. finish the dishes. Finish the Dishes.
Freedom is in the weight of that money. Freedom from everything weighing me down in this house, in this life. It will never get better, so why stick around? Why should I stay here and watch it all fall apart? Why should I be the one to always have to fix, mend, tape, glue, wipe, heal… Why should I be the abused one? I can't think, I can't heal, I am supposed to be "momma's STRONG girl" but my strength was obviously buried along with my mother. It's holding her hand in the cold darkness, it is certainly not holding my hand as I struggle to stay afloat.
I finish the dishes, I continue to stand at the sink, the moment has come. The moment that entered my thoughts as soon as the money hit my hands. Turn around, walk out the door, fill up the car and just go… just GO…. Walk out the door… WALK OUT THE DOOR…
I can't seem to move. Whats the problem?!?! Why am I not doing what I should, what I want, What I know will keep my children safe. I am the problem, I am the reason their life is so chaotic and horrible.. I should leave, let them move on, let someone more stable and healthy deal with their needs.. I Should Just Leave.
I slowly turn around, away from the sink, away from my old life, away from the accusations and the pain. I turn, I turn away and find myself looking at the alarm clock, the alarm clock beside my bed… 2:35 p.m.
Living Life "On The Edge"…..
Posted in Aspergers, depression, grief, kids, love, stress, Writing, tagged Aspergers, Aspie, chaios, Melt down, parenting, rage, special needs on November 27, 2013| Leave a Comment »
There is a character on the cartoon Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, that has ALWAYS made me think of my son.
The Scribbles.(try putting clothes on that!!!)
This morning was no different.
How in the world did I come to allow this tiny army sargent, that is my 9-year-old son, into my home and continually allow him to run amuck in my life?
I am constantly aware of his Autism. CONSTANTLY. I am hypervigilint to his ever waking need for reassurance, peace and stability. I am always policing his food intake (gluten-free diet, folks) and his video game, You Tube and Television consumption. His homework takes several hours each night due to his inability to stay on task. He rages if it's bedtime and he is in the middle of a 45 minute You Tube video. He yells if I tell him to "stop talking and eat", he is sensitive to every look, word, sound, texture and smell that you can think of… I am always the calm, passive, rug. Just someone for him to roll all over when he needs a soft place to fall. I take the punches, the yelling, the rage and I don't react. I AM a punching bag…. on the outside.
I sometimes think about what I would LIKE to do. Yell back, scream in his face, shake him, smack his mouth for talking to me that way. Spank him. Leave him alone to rage in his room without my audience. But those things can't be done, not to someone with Aspergers.
If you have never witnessed a true Aspie "melt down", well then… Bless Your Face.. You are lucky!
It is not unusual for him to scream and rage like a wild animal, slapping and punching himself in the face and stomach, face contorting into something that resembles the Incredible Hulk, suicidal threats rolling off his slobbery lips. Snot, tears, anger, pain, frustration all pouring out of him like a river. It's terrifying, and once you have seen one a parent will do what ever they can to never see another one.
So, we become passive. We become defenseless. We allow this other human being to do things to us that we would be running to the shelter to avoid if it was a grown man doing them.
I never thought I would allow another person to speak to me the way my ex-husband used to. But yet, that's exactly what I did this morning. I sat there silently in the car while my son ranted and raved about how bad he feels, and screamed at me for his nose being stuffed up, and berated me for ever taking him to school. Just last night he informed me I was the "best mom ever, and his very best friend" this morning I was his worst enemy, disgusting and stupid.
All in a days work, son… All in a days work.
I guess I hang on for those days that things are good, really good. I hang on to the memories of the calm, happy, precious boy who was making me laugh just an hour ago. The boy who has such a wicked sense of humor I sometimes forget he is only 9.
The boy that loves his Mom more than life. The boy who cuddles and hugs better than any human on earth. I have to hold on to that. I have to belive and trust that, no matter how big he grows to be, he will never lash out and hurt me. Not physically, anyways. I hope.
I just figure it's my own fault for allowing him to hurt me emotionally and mentally right now. I know he doesn't even recall half of the actions and words he spews forth during one of his rages. So I just have to live off of the sweet precious moments, and pray his rage never bends me further back than I can ever bend… I pray I never snap in half… I pray my back just keeps bending and never breaks. I have to hold on to that… I have to hang on.
Long Time, No Post!!
Posted in Aspergers, depression, kids, love on July 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Well, it really has been a very long time since I have posted very much here, and I am short on time to say too much about the tremendous ways my life has turned on it's head, inside out, upside down… however you care to say it… life has changed. Mostly for the better, but defiantly for the poorer!
I am no longer able to even THINK about planning a Seattle road trip for a long while, I am not able to count down my Fortieth Birthday with a Bucket list of "things to do"… And I certainly am not excited about much these days.
But I truly did do the right thing by quitting my job and staying home with my Autistic son, I do know that and it is confirmed everyday. I just wish I knew where I was going from here!
Aspergers High Spectrum…. SUCKS!
Posted in AHS, depression, kids, tagged Aspergers, Pain, parenting, special needs on August 31, 2012| 1 Comment »
Meltdowns, rages, anxiety, depression, diet restrictions, sleep disorders, social phobias, misunderstanding, OCD, fear….. and all this goes on my little 8 year-old sons shoulders. 😦
I am emotionally exhausted this morning after a full blown rage that lasted over 30 minutes, last night. It finally subsided when he pulled himself into a fetal position and covered his head, then proceeded to bash himself mentally. Crying that he wants to die, wishes he were normal, and wants to sleep for years so he doesn't hurt anyone else. 😦 I am so sad, I am so sad for him, me, our pets…. our future.
God please grant me the wisdom and strength to get him though this. And please send the right people into his life to help us get answers and help.


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Helping to create educational opportunities for some of the most vulnerable children in West Africa and Asia
When Street Child's work began in Sierra Leone in 2008, it was the poorest nation in the world and had been devastated by a decade of civil war. Children were suffering from the war's legacy of poverty and destruction, and thousands of the poorest children were trying to survive on the streets. Our work began with a small handful of street children, connecting them to families and supporting them to go to school. We quickly expanded our work to include all children who were unable to access education because of poverty, a lack of schools, losing their parents or simply being a girl. In 2014 the Ebola virus epidemic threw Sierra Leone into crisis again. Thousands of children were orphaned and families torn apart. Street Child led the Ebola orphan response, helping over 12,000 children impacted by the epidemic and we continue to support children who are still struggling. Today we work to give the country's poorest children better futures through education, helping to lift whole communities out of poverty.
Street Child started working in Liberia in 2013, helping street children in the capital of Monrovia. When Liberia was hit with the Ebola crisis, we expanded our work to support the thousands of children impacted by Ebola to go to school. We believe in supporting children in every aspect of their school life: school environment, teachers, parents, the wider community and the barriers to education they face. Our three main areas of focus are: education, child protection and livelihoods. To date, we have helped over 8,500 children to go to school in Liberia, including helping 1,500 Ebola-impacted children following the crisis. With your support, we can help thousands more.
In April 2015, Nepal suffered a catastrophic earthquake which damaged or destroyed more than 50,000 classrooms and left over a million children out of school. Street Child launched in Nepal in 2015 in partnership with UNICEF to help rebuild schools in the communities worst-affected by the earthquake. We are now working to ensure that no child is forgotten and has access to the learning opportunities that they deserve. We believe every child deserves the chance to go to school. With your support, we can give more of some of the poorest and most vulnerable children that chance.
In addition, Street Child is supporting thousands of conflict-impacted children in North East Nigeria that are deprived of the chance to go to school. Education and emergency support is the key to helping these children to rebuild their lives. In partnership with the Nigerian NGO Intercommunity Development Social Organization (IDS) we are supporting children of the New Kuchingoro IDP camp in Abuja and providing vulnerable mothers with vocational skills training - including baking and soap making - and business grants so they can setup sustainable businesses; and along side with the Nigerian Gender, Equality, Peace and Development Centre, Street Child is establishing a temporary learning centre in Maiduguri to give children the chance to go to school.
In June 2017, after conversations with Government departments, international agencies and local charities, Street Child opened a small office in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, exploring the possibility of expanding our Asian operations in a country that faces educational challenges that we feel we can make a positive contribution to.
You requested a page that doesn't exist on this site any more. This could be caused by a link you followed that was out of date, by a typing in the wrong address in the address bar, or simply because the post has been deleted.


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The Lomé-based African Biofuel and Renewable Energy Company has extended the closing date for a tender to supply a 20MWc solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at Bissau and two 1MWc plants at Gabu and Canchungo. Bids are now due by 8 May. Lot 1 comprises construction of a 20MWc solar plant at Gardete, 8km from Bissau, as well as a 30kV connection to the Bôr substation. Bidders are invited to offer proposals for energy storage options.
- Browse our subscription options.


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This latest nail lacquer collection from Crabtree & Evelyn is really cementing the brand to be a big player in the nail polish world. When most people think of C&E I would not say nail polish is the first thing that pops to mind but things will change after they see these delicious, bright spring colours. The shades mirror spring blooms and these lacquers are perfect to match the spring scene and who wouldn't want that ?!?
The great thing about nail lacquer from Crabtree and Evelyn is they are lovingly created with no toxic chemicals that you usually find in other brands and they still last as long with a luscious creamy texture. YEY.
Almond: I do love a good muted beige shade and this one is a little darker adding more definition than the others in my collection. The darker hues make the colour really pop.
Lilac: You don't usually see this deeper shade of lilac, it is usually more muted tones so this is perfect for something a bit different and perfect with an all white or black outfit.
Peaches & Cream: I think this is one of my favourites for an all day look. The opalescent peachy shimmer is going to be a hot shade this Spring.
Azalea: You always need a brand new bright pink shade for the season and Azalea is just perfect.
Mint: This colour is perfect for when you want to liven up your nails from the usual shades and too add a stylish tone.
Poppy: With red and orange hues mixing a tinge of pink this shades really mirrors the stunning flower it is named after.
These shades will launch in Spring 2016 but you can get them online now. RRP £6.00.


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Dublin on a roll means life could be tougher for Barney Rock
Ballymun Kickhams have turned to Barney Rock to finally drag them over the winning line in the county championship this year.
A former Ballymun player, Rock will guide the north Dublin club with Brendan Hackett, the former Westmeath manager who has more recently enjoyed success with Kildare's minors.
Frustration is growing that with such star talent — Philly McMahon, James McCarthy, Dean Rock, the Small brothers and Evan Comerford are all part of the Dublin panel — Ballymun have not won a county title in six years.
Rock would not admit it but a poor performance by Dublin in this year's championship would surely do his chances of success with Ballymun no harm at all.
With so many Ballymun players only released to the club


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Re-visiting the Park: Reviving the "Cultural Park for Children" in Sayyeda Zeinab in the shadows of Social Sustainability
Main Article Content
This paper aims to question the level of success of one of Egypt's contemporary architectural milestones which is the Aga-Khan Award winning project of the Child Park in Sayyeda Zeinab - designed by the Egyptian architect Abdel-Halim Ibrahim; from a community participation perspective. Stemming from the fact that the level of successful community participation in architecture and urban design projects affects the sustainability of the added value, this paper tackles the current process of operation of the Park and the adjacent pedestrain street, as complimentary aspects of a community paraticpatory process, and evaluates the socail sustaianbility of the project as well. The study sheds light on the operation of the park after twenty eight years of the initiation of the project, it explores its functional and social role in the district of Sayyeda, located at the center of Cairo city.
The park primarily targetted the local community in Sayyeda Zainab, aiming to address the social challenges that confronted the community, as well as paying tribute to its different layers of historicity. Initially, the process of building the park was utilized by the architect as a vibrant community participatory ceremonial event. The project of the park was awarded the Aga Khan award based on its announced aspiration to contribute in a long-term community participatory approach.
However, the project has to be revized and analyzed from a critical perspective to evaluate the degree of its success in affecting the local community, and the level to which it contributes to the approach of local community participation. In order to achieve this end, the paper adopts a two-fold methodology. The first is a literature review of the intial ceremonial particpatory process of building the Park and the intial role intended by the architect whether related to the park itself or to the adjacent Abu-ElDahab Street. The second methodology is a qualitative analysis of the current state of the park and adjacent street, based on site investigations, behavioral mapping of the current status, analysis of the roles of the beneficiaries, interviews conducted with different stakeholders about the present challenges of the role of the park in the district. Based on those two main research approaches, the paper concludes with a framework and several guidelines to enhance the social sustenance of the place through rephrasing the park's role in relation to the changing needs of the community.
Article Details
Abdel Wahab, M. (2009). Reading Place: The Cultural Park for Children. FORUM Ejournal, 9, 1-12. https://research.ncl.ac.uk/forum/v9i1/Papers/Abdelwahab%20(2009)%20Reading%20Place.pdf
Arnstein, S. (2007). A Ladder of Citizen Participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216-224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225
Bamberger, M. (1991). The importance of community participation. Public Administration and Development, 11(3),281–284. https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230110317
Bens, C. (1994). Effective citizen involvement: How to make it happen. National Civic Review , 83(1), 32-39. https://doi.org/10.1002/ncr.4100830107
Chougill, M. (1996). A Ladder of Community Participation for Underdeveloped Countries. Habitat International, Elsevier Science Ltd, 20(3), 431-444. https://doi.org/10.1016/0197-3975(96)00020-3
Enyedi, G. (2004). Public Participation In Socially Sustainable Urban Development. PCCS, Hungary: UNESCO/MOST Program and Centre for Regional Studies (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) with the co-operation of MTANITA Foundation (Budapest, Hungary) and the Hungarian MOST Liason Committee. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001355/135555eo.pdf
Kaufman, S. and Poulin, J. (1996). Coherency among Substance Abuse Models, Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 13 (3), 163-179. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com.eg/&httpsredir=1&article=2358&context=jssw
Marsden, D. and Oakley, P. (1991). Future issues and perspectives in the evaluation of social development, Community Development Journal, 26 (4), 315-328. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/26.4.315
Moser, C. (1987). Approaches to community participation in urban development programs in third world countries, In Bamberger, (Ed). (1987). Readings in Community Participation. Washington, D.C. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-9006(89)90010-X
Nour, A. (2011). Challenges and Advantages of Community Participation as an Approach for Sustainable Urban Development in Egypt.Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(1), 79-91. http://www.cpas-egypt.com/pdf/Ayman_Afify/9th%20Paper.pdf
Rashed, A., and ElAttar, M. (2002). Dialog between sustainability and archaeology: A case study of the Ottoman Quseir fort. Retrieved April 1st, 2018, from http://www.cpas-egypt.com/pdf/Ahmed_Rashed/010-%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Quseir%20paper.pdf
Rashed, A., and ElAttar, M. (1999). Local Community Options for Sustaining Heritage: Case Study Quseir City. Retrieved April 1st, 2018, from http://www.cpas-egypt.com/pdf/Ahmed_Rashed/011-%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Attar%20Qusier%20paper.pdf


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Phoenix is a "boutiquing" dream, though not often thought of that way. Lots of pockets here and there around town of stores with the latest refurbished, new or truly antique goods. Most of them still look like stores. But The French Bee, to me, feels like home. I just want to say, "I'll take it all!" and transpose that same comfortable but bright-and-fresh feeling into my casually nuanced home. The problem is that I really do want it all but have a hard time figuring out what it is that gives The French Bee it's feeling. About my fifth visit there (in a month) I figured it out – it's the florals. Besides the great furniture, accessories, garden furnishings, etc., they have a separate warehouse a few blocks away where they make one-of-a-kind floral arrangements and sell them in the store. But they also put the flowers in containers that are wonderful by themselves. Topiaries, flower boxes, and (dare I say at the risk of sounding like my mom) the wreaths! They're not cheesy and "old" – they're MODERN. And beautiful. And I'm still deciding which one to buy so just give me a few days before you go. Anyway, my husband even loves the store so no need to be scared.
No more raving, I'll let you see all it has to offer yourself. It's on about 24th & Indian School in Phoenix. (Tip: sign up for their mailing list – they are always having GREAT sales!)


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On 18th November, two of my friends, Anuraag Chowdhury, Sreeja Ray and myself went to a debating competition, namely" Indian Schools Debating Society". It continued for three days. On the first day, that is, on 18th November, there was a workshop for all the debaters who took part in the competition and on the second day, the competition took place. On the third day, there was another workshop for top speakers.
So, on 19th November, we attended the workshop. Our English teacher had also arrived there. It took place in the school, in Salt Lake, named Kanoria Gangabux Bhavan's Vidyamandir. An ex-debater, who represented Team India in the "World Schools Debating Championship", taught us about the rules and regulations about this debate competition and it was so different from those which we had in schools. We asked several questions to him and clarified our doubts. It was a whole new experience for us. We got to interact with other students coming from different schools coming around Kolkata. These included Apeejay Salt Lake, Apeejay Park Street, Kendriya Vidyalaya Ballyganj, St. James, Army Public School and many more. We got to know about them and also learnt from them several things. The host school also provided with a food packet every day. Then after a discussion, we did a bit of debate practice with other schools to enhance our skills. We also got to know about our topics and motion and also about our opposition school.
On the next day, that is, on 19nd November, the competition took place. We all were prepared with our topics and so were the other participants. We also were quite tensed. I had a talk with the head girl of the host school. She encouraged me and wished me good luck. We arrived at the school and discussed about the topics within ourselves. Our English teacher also helped a quite lot in this. Then, we had our competition. In the first round, our topic was "This house would institute quotas for women in national parliaments" and our team was in proposition. There were two judges and every participant has to speak for five minutes. We tried our level best. Then came the second round and the topic was "This house believes that developing countries should place limits on rural to urban migration". We were in opposition. The second round was much better as compared to the first one. We got to know more about this debate and learned from our mistakes from the first round. We were quite satisfied with our performance in the second round. The topic given to us for the third round was "This house would forcibly remove obese children from the custody of their parents and place them in fat camps." We discussed within ourselves about the topic and started our preparation. It was a different feeling for us as we had never done this kind of debating before. The third round was mainly based on cooperation, teamwork and knowledge. It gave us a new sense of debating. Then after our preparation time was over, which consisted of one hour, the third round began. This round was better than the second one. With each round we got better. Then after the third round the competition came to an end. We were told that the results would be intimated through email. From this competition, we learnt a great deal about the actual debating procedure. We learnt about new ways and got new experiences. This competition also inculcated the values of teamwork and cooperation and more importantly it enhanced our knowledge in various topics. I consider myself to be very lucky to have been able to participate in such a debating tournament.


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RT @travisbarker: NO JUSTICE NO PEACE https://t.co/j2j9V95p31
Blink-182 (formed 1992)
Blink-182 is a Californian pop punk band that rose to fame with hits such as 'All The Small Things.'
Formation: Blink-182's first demo tape was recorded in 1993, under the name Blink. Named 'Flyswatter', the tape was mainly distributed amongst family and friends, because of the poor sound quality of the recording. Later that year, they recorded 'Demo #2'. The latter recording featured a number of songs that would go on to form their debut album.
Buddha was released by Filter Records in 1993 and later re-issued in 1998.
The Breakthrough: The band signed to Cargo Music in 1994. Their debut album for Cargo, entitled Cheshire Cat, was reportedly recorded in just three days. Two singles were released from the album ('Wasting Time' and 'M&Ms') but neither track reached the charts.
The band changed their name to Blink-182 to avoid confusion with an Irish band by the name of Blink. In 1994, the band released a split EP with Iconoclasts entitled 'Short Bus'. They then released their own three-track EP the following year, with the name 'They Came To Conquer. Uranus'.
The album Dude Ranch was released in 1997. Originally intended for release under Cargo Records, the band later signed a deal with MCA in order to increase their distribution levels.
Drummer Scott Raynor left the band in 1998, half-way through their US tour. Hoppus and DeLonge invited Travis barker to join the band (they knew Barker as he drummed for their support band, The Aquabats).
1999 saw the release of Blink-182's Enema of the State, which saw the band soar to mainstream success, with the release of singles such as 'All the Small Things', 'Adam's Song' and 'What's My Age Again?'
Blink-182 released a 'behind the scenes' DVD in 2000, entitled The Urethra Chronicles. That year, they also released The Mark, Tom and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back), a live album featuring versions of their biggest hits to date.
The band continued their success in 2001 with the release of Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. The band released the album in three different versions. Each version contained a different coloured CD and two different bonus tracks. Their promotional tour for the album suffered a number of setbacks, including being delayed because of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the rescheduled dates being delayed because of DeLonge's back troubles.
In 2002, Blink-182 toured with Green Day, as documented on the Riding In Vans With Boys DVD. Following the tour, DeLonge and Barker spent some time working on their side project, Box Car Racer.
The next year, the band released their next album, which was untitled. The album spawned the singles 'I Miss You', 'Down' and 'Feeling This'.
The Break-up: Although it was not known at the time, Blink-182's gig at The Point Depot in Dublin, would turn out to be their last. In February 2005, the band's manager telephoned Hoppus and Barker to inform them that Tom DeLonge had left the band. Although it was initially marketed as a hiatus, the band has yet to reform and it is now widely considered to be a permanent break. In 2005, Geffen released a Greatest Hits collection.
Life After Blink: In November 2005, Tom DeLonge announced the arrival of his new band, Angels and Airwaves. The band has released two albums, We Don't Need To Whisper and I-Empire.
Hoppus and Barker's new band, +44 also emerged in 2005 and released the album When Your Heart Stops Beating.
Travis Barker was involved in a plane crash in South Carolina in September 2008. His personal assistant was killed in the crash, along with three others. Barker was released from hospital in mid-October and it has been reported that he is due to make a full recovery.
However, drummer Travis Barker has now been cleared by doctors to play with the group again.
The recent internet rumours concerning Blink 182's upcoming tour – namely, that lead singer Tom DeLonge might be about to come back in to the fold – are bogus, apparently.
The rumour mill began yesterday (Thursday October 18th) when drummer Travis Barker shared a picture of DeLonge's face with the caption "Where are youuuuu" – referencing a lyric from their 2004 hit 'I Miss You'.
DeLonge then responded "I am the voice inside your yeeeeaaaad", another lyric from the track.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge Will NOT Be Rejoining Blink 182
The band's drummer is still recovering from blood clots in his arms that prevent him from performing.
Blink-182 have been forced to cancel their upcoming autumn tour, as drummer Travis Barker has been unable to overcome his recent medical issues.
The group made the announcement to their fans via Twitter on Thursday night (September 6th), saying that Barker's recent medical issues, detected back in June when Blink-182 had to pull out of several of their Las Vegas residency dates because of blood clots in both of their drummer's arms.
As a result, the legendary prank-punk outfit have been forced to ditch their upcoming mini-tour of North America, including their headline appearance at Riot Fest in Chicago next weekend (September 14th-16th).
Continue reading: Blink-182 Cancel Autumn Tour Due To Travis Barker's Ongoing Medical Issues
Linkin Park have returned to America's Billboard Chart following the tragic suicide of their frontman Chester Bennington last week.
A host of Linkin Park albums are back in the charts following Chester Bennington's death.
The band's frontman took his own life last Thursday (20.07.17) aged 41 and fans have paid tribute to the singer in many ways, including purchasing a number of the rockers' records which has seen them surge up the Billboard Chart.
Linkin Park's latest album, 'One More Light', appeared at number 17 after selling 23,000 copies, 18,000 of which were physical, and the band's debut album 'Hybrid Theory' re-entered the chart at 27 following 15,000 sales.
Continue reading: Linkin Park Back In Charts After Chester Death
Mark Hoppus performing with his band Blink-182 at the Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre - West Palm Beach, Florida, United States - Saturday 6th August 2016
Take a look at the artists that could be the next ones to release a new album unexpectedly.
Surprise albums are all the rage, and it's easy to understand why. They make sense for both fans and artists, and there's hardly any downside to just throwing your highly anticipated album up for download on a random Saturday night with nothing else going on around the Internet. It practically sells itself at that point.
Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly saw an early release
Take a look at Kendrick Lamar: his new record, To Pimp A Butterfly, wasn't even technically a surprise, as it was just allegedly "accidentally" released early on iTunes before its release. It still yielded the same results as a complete surprise album would, and it smashed a ton of streaming records like the 9.6 million number that was achieved via Spotify listens. The record-holder before that was, of course, none other than Drake's surprise mixtape, If You're Reading This It's Too Late. You can see the trend here.
Continue reading: Four Artists Most Likely To Release A Surprise Album This Year
The American trio has replaced lead singer Tom DeLonge, and he spoke at length for the first time about it via his Facebook page.
More developments in the crisis currently surrounding Blink 182. After bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker made the announcement on Monday evening that lead singer Tom DeLonge had been ousted from the band, the erstwhile frontman gave his reaction, saying that he had "tried everything" but "hadn't talked in months" with his bandmates.
In an open letter to Blink fans on his official Facebook page, in which elaborated on his initial statement that he "never quit the band", DeLonge began: "The truth is always a good place. Let's go there."
Blink 182: DeLonge (R) has been ousted from the band
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge Speaks About Blink-182 Situation
It looks like Tom DeLonge has officially left Blink 182 and his departure doesn't appear to have been amicable.
It's been a tough few days for Blink 182 fans, as Tom DeLonge's status within the band has been at times confusing. But it appears the guitarist has indeed left the group and will be replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba at this year's Musicink festival in March.
Tom DeLonge is out of Blink-182
It all began on Monday (January 27th) when bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker released a statement saying DeLonge had quit and would be replaced by Skiba.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge's Blink-182 Departure Gets Ugly As Hoppus And Barker Label Him "Disrespectful And Ungrateful"
On Monday bandmates Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus released a statement to announce that the co-lead vocalist had left the band "indefinitely."
Despite earlier reports suggesting Tom DeLonge was no longer a member of Blink-182, the band's guitarist and co-lead vocalist has come forward to reassure their fans that he hasn't quit the punk-rock trio.
DeLonge tells fans "I never quit the band"
However, the mistake can't just be put down to the media publishing false reports as news of DeLonge's apparent exit from Blink-182 was first broke by his two bandmates, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus.
Continue reading: Tom DeLonge Claims He "Never Quit" Blink-182, Despite Reports
It came, It went, It conquered as per. Leeds Festival 2014 was a real pinnacle for this year's UK live music, cramming it's masses into the colossus fields of Bramham Park, this year's Leeds Festival was a true menace of a machine. From strolling the sights and stalls of the relatively tame arena, to hiking through the foothills of Red camp and afar, the beast of Leeds Festival was out in full glamour this year. Not only for the sheer size and scale of the glorified playground, nor for the big bad names it captured upon its stages, but purely the immense and sometimes overwhelming atmosphere of Leeds Festival is what attracts the crowds in their droves - (Each and EVERY year).
This year's line-up, though transparent in parts, boasted an array of big names and must sees. From Gerrard Way's premier solo show, right the way through to Macklemore's fur coat - teenage girl-screaming onstage antics. All considered, It is fair to say Leeds festival caters to the masses, though in doing so, often leaving the fringes of those masses at somewhat of a loose-end. Fear no-more, as this year with 10 arena stages and a dozen campsite venues, attendants waved farewell to mud-mooching moments of waiting around and embarked on the northern event of the year. With Oxfam blazers, slush puppy pleasantries and a number of near 24-hour rave spots all been thrown around, It was hard to find even a moment for the annual carbon monoxide poisoning - plastic bag burning ritual around the camp fire.
Without further ado, we present to you this year's top live sets and why they really made this year what it was.
Continue reading: Leeds Festival 2014 - Live Review
Blink-182 are officially recording their new album at the end of this year.
The wait for new Blink-182 music is almost finally over. After numerous delays and speculations and people just generally going crazy, bassist Mark Hoppus has confirmed that the band plans on recording a brand new album at the end of this year.
Is Blink-182's new album going to be their best yet? [Getty/Ethan Miller]
"We were going to start recording at the beginning of this year, but there were some things happening in some of our personal lives that prevented us from getting in the studio, so now we are getting in the studio at the end of this year instead," Hoppus told Rock Freaks. "We are really just excited to get into the studio and have an album out sooner rather than later." Given Blink-182's past history of the word "soon," hopefully it won't be too long of a wait. The band's comeback album, Neighborhoods, came almost three years after they initally reunited, but their follow-up, the Dogs Eating Dogs EP, was only released the following year. The release for this next album could go either way - but the most important thing is that they're heading back into the studio. Here are a couple of things we want to see from new Blink-182 music.
Continue reading: 4 Things We Want From Blink-182's New Album
Finally, it's confirmed
Blink 182's Tom DeLonge has alleviated fears that the long delay in news surrounding the band's new album means no new album at all. It's coming, pop-punk fans.
Blink 182 at the Honda Civic tour in 2011 - Getty/Mark Winter
The guitarist/vocalist posted a throwback picture of him and his 182 band mates – Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker – on Instagram with a telling caption: "Rehearsals start today...And yes there will be a new album #SorryForTheWait #Blink"
Continue reading: Blink 182 Confirm Long Awaited Album #7 And Apologise To Fans For The Wait
Blink 182 and Travis Barker Saturday 26th April 2008 Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker shopping with his kids Malibu, California
RT @travisbarker: NO JUSTICE NO PEACE https://t.co/j2j9V95p31
Our remix of @Powfu's "death bed" is out now. Listen here: https://t.co/TtYa6hMnSg https://t.co/cHrBfN8Nke
Independent venues need our help. These include clubs that blink-182 and many of our friends got our start in and w… https://t.co/9HxLjEcAK7
RT @travisbarker: I'm joining @Bose #MusicGivesBack initiative tomorrow LIVE at 1:30pm EST. Let's drum and hang out together while Bose don…
RT @markhoppus: TOYPAJ store display. https://t.co/BYhEULZ23X
A couple things. 1. We are discounting almost everything in our store up to 50% off. Some stuff from deep in the… https://t.co/sH9qrJ2d4j
RT @markhoppus: I was challenged by @smartpunk and here's how it played out. Let's Argue Online about it. https://t.co/vFEUedkFjm
RT @Vevo: A message from @blink182 and their fans: wash your hands, keep doing what makes you happy and #StayHome! The legendary rockers' m…
@xamyparkins0nx This is incredible! Thank you!
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The dinput8.dll is a Microsoft DirectInput.
This file is part of Microsoft® Windows® Operating System. Dinput8.dll is developed by Microsoft Corporation. It's a system and hidden file. Dinput8.dll is usually located in the %SYSTEM% sub-folder and its usual size is 181,760 bytes.
The dinput8.dll process is safe and disabling it can be dangerous, because programs on your computer need it to work correctly.
Author: Microsoft CorporationProcess: Microsoft DirectInputPart Of: Microsoft® Windows® Operating SystemCommon path(s): subfolder in %SYSTEM%
subfolder in %WINDOWS%Keywords(s): systemFilesize(s): 181,760 bytes, 145,408 bytes, 144,896 bytes, 159,232 bytes, 185,856 bytes
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Start-ups showcase how smart and sustainable cities can integrate blockchain technologies
How can blockchain technology help to capitalize on the opportunities of smart cities for sustainable development?
Aiming to harness this potential, start-ups from ten countries congregated in the Palais des Nations this week as part of the 25th Session of the UN/CEFACT Plenary, coinciding with UNECE's Day of Cities – which gathered over 50 Mayors from across the region – and the 68th Commission session of UNECE.
At a Start-ups side event on 8 April, 12 start-ups chosen by Slovenian Ecosystem, CryptoValley (CVVC) and European BlockTech Federation, presented their projects and ideas on how they could use blockchain to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in cities, which are leading hubs of innovation and connectivity. This highlighted the in-depth understanding by start-ups and blockchain experts of the legal and regulatory challenges linked to the use of this innovative technology. Moreover, the start-ups are proving to be very capable in managing the multi-party and pre-competitive collaboration needed to bring distributed and commonly shared blockchain applications to life.
Blockchain is the most talked-about technology for tomorrow, certainly with regard to security and trust in electronic exchanges. Countries like Slovenia, together with Baltic countries and inter-governmental bodies like UN/CEFACT, are very active in supporting projects that are aimed at delivering full trust and semantic interoperability in paperless trade systems. The growing maturity of the blockchain ecosystem will help viable start-ups to acquire capital for growth and gain credibility with decision makers. This being the case, it can be expected to see some significant blockchain application breakthroughs in the next few years.
It also became clear that there is strong alignment with most, if not all, of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By tapping into real needs (many of which are similar all over the world) blockchain projects are helping to provide self-sovereign identities, establishing good quality land titles, food traceability, peer to peer markets in energy, fair and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliant use of citizen data to create new value, seamless smart city services in public transport. Moreover, it was evident that many start up projects are vectored towards more common and balanced ownership by citizens and other stakeholders and enhancement of common decision-making processes pertaining to commonly owned assets.
The start-ups where also present among the exhibition on "Smart Sustainable Cities: Drivers for Sustainable Development" organized by UNECE on 8-9 April at the Palais des Nations. The exhibition gave the start-ups an opportunity to showcase their projects, featuring demos and prototypes, to the participants of the 68th Commission Session of UNECE.
The following start-ups were present in the events:
Caelum Labs: caelumlabs.com
City Pulse Protocole: www.arsla.org/protocole-pulse
Civis Blockchain: civis-blockchain.github.io
Communia: communia.io
DataFund, FairData: datafund.io
Dezentrum: www.dezentrum.ch
Fetch Blockchain: fetchblockchain.co.uk
HashNET: www.hashnest.com
Nomoko: nomoko.world
OriginTrail: origintrail.io
SunContract: suncontract.org
Urban mobility (AJV): vmc.ai


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This is my attempt at a personal retrospective.
One comment was made saying that testers really do not get involved in TDD. I consider myself a tester and when collaborating on building an open-source testing framework, I found TDD necessary, TDD is an excellent practice to prove that your ruby methods work. One person did comment saying that testers could certainly add value by reviewing the tests created through TDD. I agree with that statement. The conversation did not advance beyond a couple of comments. I guess I was not satisfied because I wanted more detail on how developers leveraging TDD create better code and increase tester confidence. After recently learning TDD, I found it extremely valuable as a tester. I guess I had expected more testers in the room to be developing automation code and that they would have an opinion on whether TDD was easy to do with automation code.
The conversation on BDD seemed to bounce around two themes: requirements and brittleness of automation. One person gave a couple of great working examples of BDD. One example where it appeared to work extremely well and a counter example where things did not go well. I did have to admit that the reason I considered BDD is because to many legacy requirements were in peoples heads.
I guess I was not satisfied because I wanted to talk details with respect to cucumber implementations and the processes surrounding the implementation. We never got into that level of detail that I desired.
- When in the process do Cucumbers get written?
- Who is responsible for writing them?
- Who is responsible for building the step definitions?
- How well do teams get reuse out of their step definitions?
- How do you avoid cucumbers being scripts and focus on specification?
There were also threads within the conversation about the cost of automation. Yes automation can be expensive, but I am of the opinion that automation is extremely necessary. I tend not to pull cost into the game, but rather focus on the value that automation can deliver. I concede that I probably should factor in cost a bit more, but I do not permit cost to be a deterrent.
So My conclusion as to why I walked away dissatisfied is because I did not get the value I had hoped out of this meeting.
I am now pondering what could I have done differently to get more value out of this meeting. There were 20 persons in the room and I knew 3 or 4. I think if I attend this meeting again, that I should arrive early and meet more of the attendees.
I think I may have to either speak out more or get my questions on the table early. I was a bit hesitant to chime in, which is unusual for me. Approximately 4 -5 of the 20 people tended to dominate the conversation. I ponder how can we facilitate more participation. I am wondering if I should have submitted in advance of the meetings the questions I was hoping to address.
Perhaps I should follow up with the user group with the questions posed above.
I think I will do that!


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By Arun Gopalakrishnan
A recent report by Russia Today titled, "GMO that kills: GM-cotton problems drive Indian farmers to suicide" has been making the rounds in various social media platforms. While it aims to showcase nothing less than complete devastation in India's cotton fields, the reality is completely different.
If ever there was a ready example of how technology directly translates into improved standards of living for farmers, it would be India's success story in cotton. Since the introduction of hybrid Bt cotton seeds in 2002 and farmers choosing to plant them widely since, farmers have turned India into the world's largest producer of cotton. Studies have also documented the effect of increased returns from hybrid Bt cotton seeds on the livelihood and status of farmers and landless labourers. The improving status of farmers and their contribution using farm technologies (seed, irrigation, mobile, or harvesting) are what every developing and developed nation wants.
While the benefits of biotechnology are undeniable, misconceptions not only thrive, but are actively propagated. This latest article by Russia Today is an example of how certain activists thrive in spreading incorrect information. These allegations are so far from the truth that they deserve to be refuted unequivocally.
Bt cotton is NOT responsible for Indian farmer suicides
Farmer suicides are a tragic result of socio-economic factors, not because of biotechnology. Suicides take place for a variety of complex social and economic reasons which long pre-date the introduction of insect-protected Bt cotton technologies in India.
Several reputed organisations including the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) have conducted comprehensive socio-economic investigations into the farmer suicide issue and most agreed that indebtedness is one of the main factors. Other causes include repeated crop failures due to climatic conditions like untimely rain and unusually either heavy rain or drought, social and family obligations, breakdown of formal credit structures, lack of irrigation, lack of alternative source of income from occupations allied to agriculture, and little value addition to agriculture produce.
A recent study titled 'Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Bt Cotton in India' by the Council for Social Development (CSD) analyzed the key reasons leading to farmer suicides as lack of irrigation facilities, unavailability of timely credit and fluctuating cotton prices over the years.
Increased irrigation needs are NOT the result of Bt seeds
Much has been alleged about how Bt seeds require more irrigation, and how the lack of irrigation facilities coupled with a shortfall in the monsoons has resulted in poor crop yields.
Bt is merely a trait that helps the cotton crop develop resistance against the Bollworm pest.
All hybrid seeds, irrespective of whether they utilise Bt crop protection technology or not, require increased irrigation assistance. This requirement for more irrigation has thus existed ever since farmers adopted hybrid seeds and pre-dates the use of Bt crop protection technologies.
There are a variety of reasons for the failure of crops, from unfavorable climatic conditions, to improper techniques of farming, and there has to be a concerted effort to educate the farmer to mitigate these causes.
Bt Cotton has NOT created increased crises for India's cotton farmers
From 54,000 farmers in India who grew officially approved Bt cotton hybrids on 50,000 hectares of land in 2002, currently over 7 million farmers grow Bt cotton on more than 12 million acres, about 95% of the total cotton growing acreage in the country. The continued use of Bt cotton is a testament to the benefits farmers have got from it and their faith in the technology.
Research among Bt cotton farmers indicated that 87 per cent are enjoying higher standards of living, 72 per cent invested in life insurance and 67 per cent repaid their long pending debts. Women from Bt cotton households have shown higher access to maternal care services, and children have higher level of immunisation and higher school enrolment. Moreover, female earners witnessed a 55 per cent gain in average income and an additional 42.4 crore (1 crore = 10 million) days of employment generated across the total cotton area sown with hybrid Bt cotton seeds. (CSD Study)
On average 85 per cent of farmers and landless labourers invested in better quality education for their children, 77 per cent reported increased intake of high-value and nutritious food, 70 per cent in recreation and social functions, 75 per cent in the health of their family members and 64 per cent in health of their livestock. (CSD Study)
The benefit of Bt cotton technology's built-in plant protection in high-yielding hybrid cotton seeds, along with improving farming inputs and favourable conditions, has helped create more than US$ 10 billion additional value for more than 6 million (60 lakh) cotton farmers by significantly reducing insecticide usage and increasing yield (ISAAA 2013)
According to The International Cotton Advisory Council, Indian farmers have experienced the greatest benefit from Bt cotton technologies compared with their peers anywhere in the world. The increased cotton production has had a positive cascading impact on the ginning and textile industry, exporters, and the domestic seed industry.
Bt cotton is NOT expensive
To share perspective, Monsanto develops and markets its own hybrid seeds with biotech traits as well as broadly licenses seed company competitors to use our biotech traits (for example, in-the-seed insect protection Bt cotton technology) in their competing cotton seed germplasm.
Broad Licensing accomplishes two things. Firstly, it makes the market more competitive because our competitors are able to offer biotech traits to their customers. Secondly, farmers get to choose from a wider variety of seed germplasm suited to their local agronomic conditions, but still have the option of using Monsanto biotech traits.
Farmers are intelligent and choose seeds that provide them with optimal yield, income and convenience in cultivation. Monsanto's Broad Licensing Model ensures Indian farmers have the choice of our cotton trait technologies in the hybrid cotton seeds of their choice.
As a Company, we want farmers to be successful, and have the widest choice. We welcome competition as it drives innovation and wider choice, to the long-term benefit of farmers, the industry and the economy. Farmers are our customers. When farmers succeed, we succeed. For perspective, Indian cotton farmers have the widest choice of seeds in the world – over 800+ hybrid seed varieties.
According to the International Cotton Advisory Council (ICAC), Washington "The technology fee charged in India is the lowest in the world and benefits are the highest"
Today, farm labour constitutes 52% of cotton farmers' cost of cultivation, i.e. picking is 28%; weeding is 21%; sowing is 3%. This is followed by nutrient/ fertilizers 19%, sprays for sucking pests 10% and seed costs are only 10-12% of the total cost of cultivation.
Most countries have NOT rejected GMOs
Crop biotechnology has been accepted by countries around the world. 55 countries globally have granted regulatory approvals for biotech crops for farmer planting and/or import of produce from biotech-enhanced seeds since 1996. These countries include USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Philippines, Mexico, Japan, Korea, the European Union, New Zealand, and others.
Farmers worldwide, including small scale farmers and large farmers, are rapidly adopting biotech crops due to the benefits of the technology. Adoption has increased year-on-year every year since biotech crops first were introduced in 1996, especially with resource poor farmers in the developing world. Biotech crops are being successfully cultivated globally for the past 18 years (ISAAA 2014).
According to the ISAAA 2014 report, the number of hectares of biotech crops increased by more than 100-fold from 1.7 million hectares in 1996, to over 181 million hectares in 2014. Of the 27 countries which planted biotech crops in 2013, 19 were developing and 8 were industrial countries. In 2014, a record 18 million farmers, up 0.7 million from 2012, grew biotech crops – remarkably over 90%, or over 16.5 million, were small resource-poor farmers in developing countries.
In sum, it is highly unfortunate and regrettable when a so-called media organisation, particularly one which relies heavily on the support of a government, deviates from depicting an objective picture of reality and prefers to promote one-sided journalism. Such action not only harms the industry, it also spreads misconceptions about biotechnology and prevents farmers and others from exercising a well informed choice when it comes to adopting the latest and best agricultural innovations. It also begs the question of the motivation behind the organisation promoting the misinformation.
India's experience with Bt cotton has shown that biotechnology can herald a paradigm change in agriculture. Whether it is seeds that need less water, or crops with inbuilt insect protection, to plants that utilize nutrients more efficiently, farmers need access to the latest technology.
Agriculture has moved on from being dependent on age-old inputs and erratic rainfall to as much a scientific occupation as any other. To feed and clothe a growing population, the need of the hour is consistency and predictability in farm output. A failed crop is no longer an option.


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Photography Classes in Alief TX
Are you ready to take photography classes in Alief TX? No matter if you are a beginner, hobbyist, or professional, the best approach to improving your photography abilities is through hands-on training with skilled instructors.
Texas offers numerous accredited and recognized photography schools. Photography classes teach topics like lighting, exposure and composition, posing and unposing, portrait capture, and other photography fundamentals. Maturing into an expert photographer can lead to a lifelong hobby or successful professional career.
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Alief TX Photography Classes
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7.23 miles away


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Time Warner Cable Stock Surges on Charter Chatter
Time Warner Cable stock soared Friday – closing up nearly 10% ($12.06 each) to $132.92 per share on Friday – after a report in The Wall Street Journal said that Charter Communications was close to lining up bankers for a bid for the New York-based MSO.
Charter shares also rose – they were up as much as 6.3% ($8.02 each) to $134.98 per share in early trading Friday before closing at $134.66 per share, up 6.1% ($7.70 each)..
The news also helped lift other cable stocks – Cablevision Systems shares closed up 5.9% (88 cents each) to $15.80 per share and Comcast stock was up 4.4% ($2.07 each) to close at $49.52 per share.
According to the Journal, Charter was in talks with Bank of America, Deutsche Bank and Barclays PLC about lining up a multi-billion financing for a bid. The Journal added that Charter is also investigating alternate sources of funding for a bid, including sovereign wealth funds and wealthy individuals. The paper added that it was not clear which banks would participate or even if a formal bid would materialize.
Analysts have speculated that TWC could attract a price as high as $140 per share – which would mean the Stamford, Conn.-based cable operator would have to scare up at least $39 billion for a deal. Tack on TWC's $23 billion in debt and Charter could be on the hook for about $62 billion in a TWC bid.
According to the Journal, Charter was trying to gather up enough steam for a $90 per share cash offer ($25 billion), with the remainder of the deal value made up in Charter stock and equity investments from outside parties.
But news that Charter was at least advancing in talks with lenders was enough for investors, who have been waiting with baited breath for a Charter bid ever since one of its biggest shareholders – Liberty Media – broached the possibility of a Time Warner Cable combination in June. At an investment conference earlier this week in Barcelona, Spain, the chief financial officers of both companies downplayed a deal.
At the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom conference in Barcelona on Nov. 20, Time Warner Cable CFO Artie Minson stuck to the company line when it came to M&A rumors, again stressing that any deal would have to be accretive to shareholders.
"We want to really just make sure in any hypothetical transaction whether around buy side or whatever side that it makes sense for our shareholders," Minson said.
Charter CFO Chris Winfrey, speaking at the same conference, added that Charter has been very active and very disciplined in the deal market, meaning that it looks at every opportunity but acts on only a few of them.
"The other thing to consider is every time you go into an acquisition, there is an opportunity for distraction," Winfrey said. "You have to make sure that the opportunity and the accretion to shareholders is commensurate with the opportunity for distraction."
While a Charter/TWC deal would make sense for the smaller company – it would add 12 million customers in major metro areas like New York, Los Angeles and Dallas to Charter's mostly rural 4-million-subscriber footprint – the benefits for TWC are less evident. Critics of a deal have pointed out that it would have to be largely financed using Time Warner Cable's balance sheet.
But TWC, once one of the strongest operators in the cable space has stumbled of late – it reported the single largest quarterly video customer loss in its history in the third quarter (306,000 residential customers) and lost both high-speed data and video customers in the period. While the video losses were exacerbated by a month-long blackout by CBS in three of its top markets – Los Angeles, New York and Dallas – some investors have been critical of management, which they claim have concentrated on financial returns at the expense of operational results.
TWC has one of the highest dividend yields in the cable industry and is in the middle of an aggressive share repurchase program. Since inception of the buyback program, TWC has repurchased 86 million shares of its outstanding stock and in the first nine months of 2013 returned more than 130% of its free cash flow to shareholders.
Charter, in contrast, has strong management – CEO Tom Rutledge is considered to be one of the strongest operations executives in the industry – and with 34% video penetration of homes passed (the lowest in the industry) has runway for growth.


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When you have your marketing sorted out, the sales will simply follow, right?
Perhaps you've already implemented a marketing plan, and you're spending money on advertising, but for some reason, the sales are more a trickle, than a flood.
As you've probably already worked out, supercharging your sales takes more than just marketing.
Employing different strategies, keeping up with what's trending and ....
Lucky for you, I've curated an amazing set of resources to help you skyrocket your sales.
"Cash flow is the lifeblood of your retail store"
How To Optimise Your Ecommerce Site For More Sales
Kurt Elster is a Senior Ecommerce Consultant who helps Shopify merchants (like Jay Leno's Garage) uncover hidden profits in their websites. He very kindly took time away from his own show; The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, to chat to me about why "beautiful" design doesn't always mean profitable design, three strategies you can use in your own business to improve conversion rates and what features will help your e-commerce site stand out from your competition.
How To Use Dropshipping To Boost Sales
Being able to sell inventory that you don't have to purchase upfront, you don't have to store and you don't need to ship - dropshipping could just be the extra revenue stream your store needs to boost sales.
Angry Customer to High Paying Client – Mastering Positive Conflict
We all have our fair share of angry customers - but what if you knew the exact steps to turn them into your best customers. Wouldn't that be awesome? Uncover the secrets to dealing with negative conflict (not just with customers) and how you can turn around sour, bitter people into your biggest advocates
Insider Secrets From The Billion Dollar Man
From humble golf caddie to helping clients make BILLIONS of dollars - discover the insider secrets on just what it takes to hit that many zeros (it's probably not the advice you think)


text: How To Make Flower Beaded Wine Glass >> More DIY Ideas << These Flower Beaded Wine Glass are so pretty. They are great for wedding parties, anniversaries, baby showers, and more. They are also wonderful gift ideas. What you will need to make these gorgeous glass are Flower petals made of silk, ribbon, paper, etc Golden Satin string Beads Mod Podge Scissors Step by step instructions from Live Internet Watch the video tutorial for more. >> More DIY Ideas << >> Low Cost Craft Supplies << Get New Posts Right To Your Inbox!Get captivating new Tutorials, just like this one, delivered right to your inbox each day. Just sign up and we will send you the best new tutorials as they come in. Your email address will NEVER been spammed, sold, or shared. You are welcome to unsubscribe at any time with the link in the email. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Name * Email * Website © 2020 How To Instructions.org Tweet Buffer Share on Tumblr


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It turns out that humans aren't the only animals that occasionally need a little help in the bedroom. According to the New York Times, researchers have discovered wild chimpanzees spicing up their love lives by creating sex toys. That's right: sex toys.
When Jane Goodall originally discovered toolmaking in chimpanzees back in 1960, the finding rocked the human world. No longer could humans draw a firm line between themselves and other animals based upon their use of tools. Now with this new discovery, it looks as though toolmaking rocks the chimp world, too.
So what exactly is the tool? Are chimps using vines for bondage? Strap-on branches? Does it involve bananas?
Well, no. It's something more subtle than that. The tool, explains University of Cambridge primatologist William C. McGrew, is a leaf. "The male will pluck a leaf, or a set of leaves, and sit so the female can see him. He spreads his legs so the female sees the erection, and he tears the leaf bit by bit down the midvein of the leaf, dropping the pieces as he detaches them. Sometimes he'll do half a dozen leaves until she notices."
It may seem like a crude, creepy version of "she loves me, she loves me not," but according to McGrew, the sound of a raspy leaf is, for a chimpanzee, more like the equivalent of a Marvin Gaye song. Or at least, it's enough to grab her attention and advertise his advances.
"Presumably she sees the erection and puts two and two together, and if she's interested, she'll typically approach and present her back side, and then they'll mate," said McGrew.
So far, raspy leaf fetishes have only been witnessed among a single colony of chimps in Tanzania, so the unusual behavior is as much an indication of cultural evolution in chimpanzee society as it is an example of tool use.
Interestingly, the discovery may even help shed light on the long baffling, unexplained evolution of the human teenage phenomenon known as "cruising", or driving around town with car speakers blaring. Young human males may feel vindicated knowing that a similarly obnoxious tactic appears to actually work for chimpanzee males.
Also on MNN:


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ESEE - Izula Gear Navigation Card Set
A must-have for anyone using a GPS, map and compass. Contains 3 clear cards with 1:24,000, 1:25,000, 1:50,000, 1:100,000, and 1:250,000 map scales. Also includes two white cards with survival tips, signaling tips, instructions on how to read a topo map, how to adjust for declination, how to determine distance traveled, how to use UTM with your GPS and compass, and how to travel an azimuth. Printed on 30 Mil plastic credit card stock.


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Build a Boat
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Power Hand Drill & drills (1/8",3/16",1/4", 3/8", & 9/64" or 5/32"), Drill Drive Bits (for flooring screws), Ratchet Wrench (with 1/4" & 3/8" attachments and same size spanners), Pop Rivet Gun, 25' Measuring Tape, 50 ft. of string, pencil or fine point marker.
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