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Tears, hugs, shucking at Drakes Bay Oyster Co.'s final day open to public
Drakes Bay Oyster Co. closes doors after years of legal maneuverings
The tears flowed like a cool Pacific current Thursday in West Marin as hundreds gathered to bid a final shuck to a century-old oyster farm on Drakes Estero.
After years of unsuccessful wrangling with the federal government, Drakes Bay Oyster Co. closed its doors to the public Thursday afternoon after an emotional oyster toast, a lone bagpiper's rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" and plenty of hugs.
"We wrote letters, we called people, we did what we could. But it wasn't enough to save this place," said Hugo Phillips, a retired engineer from San Rafael who's been buying Drakes Bay oysters for 40 years. "It's a very sad day. They're good people. I just wanted to see them off."
The National Park Service did not renew Drakes Bay's lease, saying it wants to incorporate the 1,100-acre property into a marine sanctuary. After years of appeals, legal maneuverings and political interventions that stretched from Point Reyes to Washington, D.C., Drakes Bay's options appeared to run out Thursday when the lease expired.
Business winding down
The wholesale operation will continue for at least a month, but the popular retail shop is closed forever, and the business is slowly winding down. The outbuildings will be bulldozed, about a million oysters will be thrown into a landfill, and 30 employees will lose their jobs and homes because they live on-site.
In addition, California food lovers will lose a major source of shellfish. Drakes Bay provides about 80 percent of the Bay Area's oysters and about 35 percent statewide. On a busy day, Drakes Bay sold up to 100,000 of the briny treats.
Kevin Lunny, the owner, was tearful but resigned Thursday as he hugged countless well-wishers and tried to make sense of the political dealings that forced him to close his successful business.
"This is not environmentalists versus ranchers," he said. "This is 90 percent of the Bay Area versus a few extreme hands-off preservationists who found an agency willing to listen to them."
Lunny, a native of West Marin, bought the company in 2005. The operation, for decades called Johnson's Oyster Farm, dates from the early 20th century. But the Miwok Indians collected oysters from the muddy estero for millennia.
Gathering for final feast
Hundreds of people lined up at the retail shop Thursday with coolers, lemons, hot sauce and cold beer for a final feast. White pelicans swooped along the bay, and a salty breeze swept over the hillsides.
Jane Kennedy, a farmer from Penngrove, came down with her family to pay her respects.
"I've been getting oysters here since I was 16," she said. "It's sad to watch a small agriculture operation just get taken away like this. They work hard. They're part of the community. They were doing well. It's just sad for everyone."
Michael Zwerling, owner of Santa Cruz radio station KCSO, called the Drakes Bay saga "the most important local issue of the last couple years," noting it invoked a complex stew of property rights, sustainable agriculture, small businesses and environmental laws.
"I don't even like oysters, and I came for this," he said. "It's tragic what's happened. People are being deprived of their livelihoods, their homes. And many people are being deprived of oysters, if they like oysters."
Perhaps no one was more upset than Jorge Mata, who had worked and lived at Drakes Bay for 30 years. Lunny said Mata knows Drakes Estero like "the back of his hand" and has been integral to the firm's success.
Mata gave a brief toast in Spanish and then quietly mingled with his co-workers before going back to work. When asked how he felt, he looked away and said, "So sad."
His colleague Nellie Gamez, a 22-year Drakes Bay employee, said she, Mata and other employees have no idea where they're headed next.
"Our heart is here. Our kids grew up here," she said, wiping tears. "It's hard. It's really hard."
Carolyn Jones is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Papandreou has not ruled out forming a coalition with other parties to form a government [AFP] Polls opened nationwide at 7am (04:00 GMT) are set to close at 7pm (16:00 GMT). "People here are generally split between the two main parties but many here will vote for smaller parties because they are disappointed," said voter Dionysis Mitrogiannis, on his way to a polling station near the western town of Arta. Opinion polls published before a blackout on September 1 showed Karamanlis's New Democracy leading the opposition PASOK party of George Papandreou by between one and two percentage points. But both parties seem unlikely to be able to secure enough votes to form a government. Papandreou has not ruled out forming a coalition with other parties but Karamanlis has suggested that Greece would be heading for another election if he did not win a strong mandate. The far-right Popular Orthodox Rally could enter parliament for the first time and end up acting as a powerbroker.Political atmosphere Youth perspective Harris Tsitsopoulous talks about student concerns "When the prime minister called for these early elections just one month ago, he and all of his supporters were very confident of victory," Barnaby Phillips, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Athens, said. "But the fires have changed the political atmosphere in Greece and now the outcome is very uncertain." The two main parties have pledged to create jobs, improve standards of living and shore up an ailing pension system in the country which is the second poorest in the euro zone. Karamanlis has been praised by the European Union for cutting deficits and turning around Greece's economy and he has vowed to push on with the reforms the country needs to catch up with its euro zone partners.Despite this, Greek per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is the lowest in the zone next to Portugal's and 20 per cent of the population live below the poverty line. Election apathyBut for villagers in the Peloponesse archipelago, one of the areas worst-hit by the blazes that torched homes, farms, olive groves and vineyards, it matters little who wins on Sunday. "We have been burnt here, we can't even think of elections," Dimos Vlachos said in Makistos village, where his wife was among seven people who died. "We have been burnt here, we can't even think of elections" Dimos Vlachos, Pelponnese villager"We don't see or feel the elections. We are in limbo here." The government handed out immediate compensation of about $4,000 for each victim but locals say there are many who are still too shocked to lodge their claims. The government also outlined a reconstruction programme for the regions affected by the fires. Some victims fear a change of government could mean these pledges are ignored. "I want the same government again because if things change again, with what we have already suffered, it will set us back even further," Asimo Bourouyanopoulou in the village of Artemida, told Reuters news agency. More than 9.8 million people are eligible to vote Sunday, out of a population of 11.4 million, in Greece's 12th parliamentary election since democracy was restored in 1974 following a military dictatorship. Nearly 500,000 are first-time voters. SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies

subset: commoncrawl


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Good food, delicious drinks, lively tunes and brilliant company plus a vast range of hand-picked antiques, children's clothing, funky t-shirts, Read more [...]
Longridge Wine Estate
Place Category: Routes and 2016 Green White Wine Award Winners Route
2016 Judges Best White: Longridge Chardonnay
Longridge leverages its elevated location on the slopes of the Helderberg, with the airy tasting room and restaurant maximising the views of Stellenbosch and a distant Table Mountain, while the craggy mountain peaks tower behind the winery.
2015 was the first year the winery was officially certified organic so cellarmaster and viticulturist Jasper Raats who patiently oversaw the three-year conversion process will be particularly pleased that the maiden organic Chardonnay performed so well for the judges.
In front of the winery there are raised beds of vegetables, all organically grown, mulched with compost from a heap that's not 20m away. Even the Nguni cattle which are allowed to graze on the cover crop between the vines in winter make a contribution to soil vitality, fertilisation and recycling here!
Weekdays and weekends sees cyclists pounding the pedals and testing their mettle on the trails through the Helderberg vineyards.
Strawberry picking is popular in season at Mooiberge farmstall. Just across the road the Root 44 market is held on Saturdays and Sundays between 10h00 and 16h00. A popular addition to the market is the Saturday morning 5km trail run attracting hundreds of runners and walkers every week.
Wine tastings & sales Mon – Sat 10h00 to 17h00.
Cellar tours by appt. Closed Good Fri, Dec 25 & Jan 1.


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UCLA football will likely be considered an underdog in every remaining Pac-12 Conference game on the schedule but there is hope tonight against Stanford.
Following a bye week and a short game week, the Bruins travel to Stanford for an unusual Thursday night matchup. With the Cardinal starting third-string quarterback Jack West, the Bruins' defense has an opportunity to capitalize on his inexperience and injury plagued offensive line.
A victory for the Bruins would snap an 11-game losing streak against the Cardinal, the longest streak for either team in the series.
Keys to the victory for the Bruins:
- Give Demetric Felton Jr. the football (862 total yards and five total yards this season)
- Don't fall behind early and try to play catch up. (Down 21-0 in the first quarter of 48-31 loss against Oregon State.)
- Pressure Stanford's inexperienced quarterback and injury plagued offensive line.
Need to know: How to watch | Preview | Prediction | Injury report |
Follow along below for updates before, during and after the game.
UCLA defense held Stanford to a field goal on the opening drive of the game. Kyle Philips had two receptions for touchdowns from Dorian Thompson-Robinson passes to take the 14-3 lead.
Stanford's Spencer Jorgensen (a walk-on) blocked the Bruins' punt late in the first quarter and recovered in the endzone by Brycen Tremayne (former walk-on) for the touchdown. All 10 points by Stanford were scored in the first quarter.
A 53-yard run by Josh Kelley put the Bruins on the one-yard line. Thompson-Robinson keeps the ball and scores a touchdown. His third touchdown tonight as the Bruins lead Stanford 21-10 with 5:31 left before halftime.
Keisean Lucier-South's sack in the second quarter was the fifth sack for the Bruins defense.
HALFTIME: UCLA 21, Stanford 10
Dorian Thompson-Robinson runs with the ball on back-to-back plays. The ankle doesn't seem to be an issue at all. He has rushed nine times for 83 yards and a touchdown tonight. Kicker JJ Molson has scored the only points of the third quarter with a 43-yard field goal. Stanford defense sack DTR for a loss of eight. Bruins eventually punt. Molson kicks a 49-yard field goal to give the Bruins a 27-10 with 3:12 left in the third quarter.
The Bruins start the fourth quarter with a 27-10 lead over Stanford. UCLA defense stop running back Cameron Scarlett on 4th & 2. Bruins take over on downs. UCLA with a 54-yard touchdown run for Kelley. Stanford did respond with a 6-yard touchdown from Scarlett but the Stanford two-point conversion fails. The Bruins lead Stanford 34-16 with 2:43.
FINAL: UCLA 34, Stanford 16
The Bruins snap a 11-game losing streak against Stanford. UCLA's defense finished the game with seven sacks.


text:
Table. Legs in lacquered oak, open pore. Rectangular top in tempered glass , 15 mm. thick. Metal parts for fixing the top in stainless steel.
Height: 75 cm
Length: 225 cm
Depth: 100 cm
Please note that all the bespoke items usually take 6-7 weeks to be delivered.
Love this brand? Want a particular product not yet featured? Don't worry, contact us directly and we can supply you with the product you are looking for.
Additional information
|Table base finish
Bleached Oak, Capuccino Oak, Wenge Oak, Grey Oak, Black Oak
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text:
Comviva's Messaging Firewall provides a multi-layered approach to combat grey route traffic and control the spike in SPAM through detecting, shielding and monetizing. It is a comprehensive network-based and content-based security solution. It enables the operator to protect their subscribers and enterprise customers against the growing threat of grey routes and foregone revenues on account of mobile spam.
Ring-fences the network to block grey routes and curb revenue losses
Supports signaling and content filtering capability to block spam
Adherence to customer communication contact policies
Offers business consulting services to identify and analyze various patterns of grey routes in the network
Unique Selling Proposition
Intelligent Filtering Solution
It is an Intelligent analytical solution with signaling and content filtering capability with ability to identify and control grey routes, SIM Farming, SIM Faking, SMS Flooding, SMS Spoofing, etc.
Enterprise Management
The solution helps with automatic enterprise onboarding, service creation and reconciliation.
Detect and Block spam in the Network
Comviva's SMS Firewall solution can identify and control different kinds of spam. Leveraging the capabilities of the SMS Firewall platform, such as user traffic analysis, content traffic analysis and pattern detection, operators can identify and take action against phishing and spam on the network and through features of the SMS Firewall.
Customers can avail of business consulting services from security experts with in-depth experience in the messaging domain.
Strong Today. Stronger Tomorrow.
MTN and Airtel groups


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I'm a licensed architect in my country of origin, Brazil. I've worked as an architect in Colorado since emigrating from Brazil in 1997.
In Brazil, crime makes precious metals and gems dangerous to own and wear. This led me to appreciate things that weren't meant to be jewels, but possess their own particular beauty.
In 2009, I began making jewelry out of abandoned and disregarded objects. My work seeks to connect function and form, utilizing things I find while hiking in the mountains of Colorado. My husband, a native of Colorado Springs, is a lover of the wild, a hiker, and my best supplier of metal, scraps, and aged objects.
My designs combine a variety of media, depending on the inspiration I find in the objects I start with. The results are always unique and no two pieces are ever exactly the same. This shop features only original works.
Thank you for visiting!
Marta Lacombe


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I love an Advanced Reader Copy - and so tore into this early release of Steven Kelliher's debut work - "Valley of Embers"
Kole Reyna is an Ember, he has realised the same latent ability that his mother had – the power to endure, control and wield fire. It makes him a formidable foe, a creature of aggression and attack. He is not the only Ember, there are others like him (a few handfuls) in his town and through the Valley where his people the Emberfolk live. To them the Embers are the knights in shining armour (or at least armour incandescent with their own heat) who protect them from the Dark Kind.
Kole has many friends and allies who stick with him or for him through thick and (sometimes) decidedly thin. Kelliher captures the relationships well such as when two of Kole's supporters end a discussion that in some way disappointed them both. "They parted in the soft gravel of the fishing village, sharing nothing else but the bowed heads that come from long understanding and slow regret."
One impediment to the reader getting a grip on characters are the occasions where Kelliher introduces a large number of characters in fairly quick order – there are two or three council style meetings where that happens, including the opening scene. In such a forum it is difficult for the author to give each character a distinctive voice and that was a little off putting at the start. Having finished the book – I did go back and re-read the opening scene again and was naturally enough able to invest far more understanding of place and person into what had been brief initial glimpses of some of the key players in the story. I say some, for Kelliher directs a diverse cast list, men and women taking up arms in whatever means they can.
The action scenes are frequent and vibrantly described – including one extended siege to rival that of the Hornburg or Minas Tirith. Of many minor and major characters in orbit around Kole Reyna, Captain Talmir was one I found particularly engaging. This may be partly for his determination to be leader and protector of his people despite not having the gift of being an Ember, but partly it was because seeing his town of Hearth always through his eyes gave that element of the story a continuity of perspective and coherence that was easier to read through.
The fights are a mix of conventional and fantastic, as magic and steel seek to cut down creatures of mundane and infernal natures. Some enemies prove as irritatingly resilient as the serial-killers from teen slasher movies (Michael Myers in Halloween for example) which lends a tension to keep the reader always on the edge of their seat.
Kelliher has crafted an imaginative magic system and – in Kole - an intriguing hero, driven as much by a desire to focus the blurred recollections of what happened to his mother as by the need to protect his people. The Valley of Embers and the land beyond it is a complex world, with a history that twists and turns even as the reader (and the protagonists) try to chase down what is going on.
I did not find too many of the feared info-dumps (the kind that often masquerade as bardic retellings of past history) and that is a good thing. However, in a story that twists sinuously and doubles back on itself as much as the passage of the river F'Rust in its subterranean caverns, it took a little while for me to become familiar with some fundamentals of the world Kelliher was describing.
An author knows their own world - all its heroes and its denizens - in such intimate detail that sometimes they can forget that each reader comes to it completely afresh knowing only as much as is presented on the page. Morsels of information that the author strews in the reader's path may each gleam in their own perspective as brightly as the Arkenstone in a seam of coal, yet – to the untuned eye of the reader – the information is subtle or overshadowed by other events. All this is by way of saying that the story confused me a little at times. I let myself be swept along, buffeted by fragments of an epic backstory, swirling past outcrops of world building, and trying to keep hold as the story rode the raging torrent of Kole's quest for answers and for a kind of resolution.
About a quarter of the way in, the main story lines had settled enough for me to get my bearings and to follow the entwined threads of the story within which Kole fought to evade entanglement. Like a student in an advanced maths class I was content to soak it all up – the transparent and the cryptic – in the expectation that in time all would make sense. And on the whole it did, though I must admit there is the point in the book where one character asks "Who was that, and what was he on about?" and my kindle note simply says amen to that question.
I suppose, in part to prove I was paying attention, I feel obliged to share the understandings I have (hopefully correctly) gleaned about the world of the Valley, the rest of the world and the World Apart. In so doing, ironically, I may find myself writing exactly the kind of info-dump that Kelliher has studiously avoided.
The Emberfolk - with their gifted Embers as principal guardians - did not always live in the Valley. They were led there from their desert home in a great diaspora after their Ember King fell before one of the six sages in the world. It is a past they have not forgotten, as one character remarks, "My father used to say that we never knew how full the desert was until we left it."
The sages appear to have been wizards of almost godlike power and incessant warfare. Amongst them the Eastern Dark was the enemy of the emberfolk while his brother sage the White Crest was their friend and saviour who brought them into the protection of this remote valley at the southern edge of the world.
However, the Valley was already inhabited and the assimilation of the refugee Emberfolk was not a bloodless affair. Nonetheless, the different peoples in the valley (Rivermen, Emberfolk, Rockbled and Faey) have settled into relatively easy co-existence and intermingling with the Emberfolk in their major towns of Hearth and the Lake. One factor in this rapprochement may have been the rising of the Dark Kind, creatures of evil, bleeding into the world of the Emberfolk from the World Apart. The World Apart is a place of demons and darkness whose boundaries with the world of the Valley weaken in the dark months allowing threats to seep in that need an Ember's flames to destroy them (or failing that a sharp sword and a few true arrows).
The sage known as the Eastern Dark was known to court the Dark Kind – those creatures of the World Apart – and as the story opens, concerns about a feared increase in the attacks of the Dark Kind has brought Kole and others to a council of the great and the good of the town of Lake.
There are other wielders of different kinds of magic. The Faey appear to be a kind of rarely glimpsed elven race within the Valley who bestow through training a power of healing on the Faeykin. There are Seers, and Faeymothers, and the Rockbled. I cannot say that I totally got the interrelationships between the different peoples and the intricacies of the magic system. Even though the book is the first in the Landkist series I never was quite sure what it meant to be Landkist. I guessed it might mean that one of the gifts of the land (perhaps an Ember nature) had been awakened in the person. And that, I guess, is the for me the book's slight weakness. A cryptic nature to its magic, its peoples and their history that did not readily unfold for me in the character action and interaction.Nonetheless, the story rollicks along at a good pace and it is of course, the best tradition of epic fantasy, that nothing is entirely as it seems and answers are hard to come


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The Lover's Path
Orphaned as an infant, Filamena Ziani grows up as the protected, much younger sister of Tullia Ziani, the most famous courtesan in sixteenth-century Venice, until a mysterious stranger offers her a gift (a single ripe plum) and an invitation to walk along the lover's path that will transform her life forever.
The Other Family
After Richie Rossiter, a pianist and songwriter, dies suddenly, his companion, Chrissie, with whom he had three daughters, and the wife he left behind, with whom he had a son, are left to deal with each other and the unexpected terms of his will.
The tale of the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter, who enters the home of her mysterious and enigmatic new husband and learns the story of the house's first mistress, to whom the sinister housekeeper is unnaturally devoted, is accompanied by selections from "The Rebecca Notebook and Other Memories"
A Zombie's Lament
Andy Warner, a recently deceased everyman and newly minted zombie resented by his parents, abandoned by his friends, and reviled by society, is having trouble adjusting to his new existance, until he meets Rita, an impossibly sexy recent suicide who teaches him the joys of human flesh. Original.
South Beach
Left suddenly penniless and alone, twenty-nine-year-old trust fund child Gabriel Tucker discovers his only asset is an old Miami Beach apartment building named the Venus De Milo Arms and heads for Florida to rebuild his life, only to become caught up in the outrageous and decadent world of South Beach, surrounded by a colorful assortment of offbeat characters. Original.
Sweet Savage Love
When Ginny Brandon is kidnapped by mercenary Steve Morgan during a period of political upheaval, she finds herself unwittingly falling in love with her handsome captor, but war and betrayal threatens to shatter their newfound happiness. Reprint.
Bel Canto
A Novel
When terrorists seize hostages at an embassy party, an unlikely assortment of people is thrown together, including American opera star Roxane Coss, and Mr. Hosokawa, a Japanese CEO and her biggest fan.
South Beach Chicas Catch Their Man
Unsure about the zany life she shares with her three best friends, reporter Sylvia Amenabar fights off her growing attraction to handsome police officer Carlos Ramirez but finds herself questioning her agenda when her latest assignment threatens to smear his reputation. Original. 35,000 first printing.
The Host
A member of a species that takes over the minds of human bodies, Wanderer is unable to disregard his host's love for a man in hiding, a situation that forces both possessor and host to become unwilling allies. A first adult novel by the author of Eclipse.
Having left a man who has failed to meet her intimate needs, a woman considers the morally challenging notion of pursuing relationships with more than one person and gives into fantasies in her subsequent affairs with a married man and an unmarried stranger. 200,000 first printing.


text:
Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned from her position on Wednesday. The move comes one day after POLITICO reported Fitzgerald's purchase of tobacco stock after she assumed the position of the nation's public health agency. Such an investment is an obvious conflict with the mission of the CDC.
Source: CNN


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You can breathe the very air of the Oakland flatlands in the exhaust fumes of its taco trucks: fusty, delicious, galvanizing, jacked up. The mobile lunch wagons — loncheras or loncherias — crystallize the city's id and serve up its needs and desires on a foam plate at a buck and a quarter a pop. It's possible to read the aspirations of their owners and operators — the taqueros — etched in the scarred metal quilting of the loncheras in the barrio of East Oakland, a multi-neighborhood swath that straddles Fruitvale and San Antonio.
Citywide, Oakland's loncheras number more than a hundred, says Aracely Garza, director of the Asociacion de Comerciantes Mobiles, a local taquero organization. Reckoned by density alone, the core of Oakland's lonchera culture exists within a roughly one-mile by two-mile stretch bound by the roughly parallel corridors of International and Foothill boulevards. More than half of Oakland's trucks do business here. And it's here where I undertook a month-long taco-eating odyssey between New Year's Day and January 30th, burrowing deep into the city's taco core to find its salsa-drenched essence. The 21 trucks I describe below are among Fruitvale and San Antonio's most visible, drawing laborers in paint-flecked coveralls, hipster tacotarians, and neighborhood vatos for LDL cholesterol–packed bliss.
Collectively, they're a city treasure, a living, wheezing, grease-fume-emitting bit of authentic street culture. Not to mention a hella cheap source of lunch.
Like the automat and the drive-through espresso bar, taco trucks are an American invention. Robb Walsh of the Houston Press traced the lonchera to mobile Texas chile and tamale stands of the 1890s. By the 1930s, they were hitched to automobiles, and by the late 20th century, through some alchemy, the tamale had morphed into the taco, and the Tex-Mex roving genre had moved into modified panel catering trucks.
Oakland Tribune writer Angela Woodall reckons that the Oakland scene began in the early 1980s, when Primitivo Guzman, inspired by the trucks of LA, fired up a lonchera — El Zamorano — at what is now the corner of High Street and International Boulevard. Guzman went on to open a couple of El Taco Zamorano restaurants, and later Guadalajara. Members of his extended family run a number of loncheras, including Tacos Alonzo on Foothill, Tacos el Novillo on Fruitvale, and the Zamorano truck on International at 48th Avenue.
These are zones unconcerned with novelty. Sorry, but you won't find some Top Chef–like compulsion to mix it up, add scallops or exotic chiles to the mix — a single, unvarying palette rules. A good taquero is much like any other taquero; variations express themselves as differences in the taco-maker's home region (a salsa, a way of cooking carnitas), not driven by the urgency for self-expression. Remember, cabrón: These are businesses that stay viable by offering a basic, onion-flecked amenity. Of course, cooks being human, they sometimes yield to slackardly impulses that result in watery, fatty meats and bland salsas.
There is consolation in conformity — namely, a basic level of quality reigns. In my latest exploration of the trucks, I've spit out bites of a taco, and not just once. More often I've struggled to differentiate how this clump of cabeza differs substantially from that one. However, when something subtly but noticeably better did present itself, it stood out like a traffic cone abandoned in a fenced-off parking lot.
My rating system was roughly systematic. In order to make meaningful comparisons, I generally stuck to the same taco order: lengua (tongue), cabeza (head — beef cheeks and surrounding parts, like the muzzle), and al pastor ("shepherd-style"). If a truck had an obvious specialty — a shrimp tostada, or a taco de tripa (not stomach, but the lower intestine of a pig, also known as chitlins), I ordered it.
Why that particular trifecta? Well, in my opinion, they're the fillings best suited to realities of a taco truck kitchen, where the flattop griddle (plancha) and steam table reign supreme. Much as I love the tacos al carbon (filled with meats grilled over mesquite charcoal, casually) of the Mexican streets, that ain't happenin' in a mobile loncheria. And chicken? Well, although these are done cazuela-style traditionally (stewed, the meat pulled form the bones), and could potentially work in a lonchera, the reality is almost always flavorless and disappointing.
A few things to keep in mind:
Lengua, or tongue, is never peeled (which kinda sucks), but taqueros worth their salt will trim away the fat and gristle at the base.
Cabeza, or head, should be tender and gelatinous, with a rich beefy taste that indicates it hasn't just had the crap boiled out of it.
In Mexico, pork al pastor is usually sliced off a vertical spit (along with a peeled pineapple roasting at the top of the spindle), exactly like gyros. Its origins are unknown, although many believe it was born in Merida in the Yucatan, where Lebanese immigrants adapted traditional shawerma. It should have a rich, round spicing that includes achiote, or annatto, a Yucatecan favorite.
If you're a truck novice, keep in mind that ordering "everything" usually means a flurry of chopped onion and cilantro, and sometimes salsa (in some places you add the salsa yourself, from a squirt bottle). Tacos almost always come with sliced radishes, occasionally a raw scallion or griddle-softened spring onion, and vegetables and chiles en escabeche — pickled carrots, jalapeños, and occasionally onions. At some places you can ask for frijoles de la olla — pot beans — on the side.
International Boulevard corridor
Tacos Sinaloa #3. Parking lot at 2138 International Blvd. (at 22nd Ave.)
Scene: With its seafood sibling (see next entry), bright-orange Sinaloa inhabits a virtual strip mall of taco goodness and spiritual devotion — apt gateway to International Boulevard's sweeping streetscape of taquero culture. Along with the mirror image Mi Grullense trucks further south, the Sinaloas are the best known (and arguably the most accessible) taco trucks, either in or out of the barrio. Here, twin loncheras bracket a swath of real estate that, besides parked cars, sports a party room and commissary kitchen, patio tables under a broad overhang, and a shrine (painted Slushee blue, adorned with plastic flowers) to the Virgin of Guadalupe. This may be the only place in town you'll see spindly art students in painfully ultra-skinny-leg jeans eating in proximity to saggy-pants vatos with neck ink and swagger. Miracle? You decide.
Comida: The taco de lengua ain't bad — a judicious spurt of tomatillo salsa mixing it up with onion and cilantro. But the tongue itself? Weak flavor, like it was stored in water after cooking. On the other hand, the cabeza is full bore: soft and stewy, with a lush beefy taste and zero clots of fat.
Extra cookie: Chorizo tacos aren't everyday fare, but when you crave one, this is it: grizzled and grainy, greaseless as a chorizo taco can be, with a thrilling burnt-spice shadow and slow sear from the chipotle-laced salsa.
The takeaway: Perfect start to any truck odyssey — pray to the Virgin for luck and a minimum of churning stomach acids.
Mariscos Sinaloa #1. See previous entry.
Comida: You're in fish taco territory, but banish all thought of those Mrs.-Paul's-Fish-Stick-and-mayo stomach bombs you get in Cabo and Mission Beach. Here, a taco de pescado means a scattered mosaic of crisp, griddle-fried diced fish, red onion, tomato, and jalapeño. Fantastic. Tiny bay shrimp blanket a double layer of tortillas for taco de camaron, all discretely slicked up with smoky, lip-burning chipotle salsa.
Extra cookie: The taco maker toasts the tortillas on the plancha, yielding a crisp-chewy aureole around the rim.
The takeaway: Tastes so vivid you swear you can hear the breeze rustling the palapa fronds.
Tacos el Grullo. Parking lot in front of C&H Sound, 2610 International Blvd. (near 27th Ave.)
Scene: A single stand-up table, where kids nurse Mexican bottle Cokes after school; the truck's backside mural depicts a sweeping panorama (the landscape around El Grullo, Jalisco?) done up in an arid, tawny palette.
Comida: Doused in green salsa, the heap of pale lengua is swampy. So is the cabeza, and fatty as hell. An oily, strong-tasting taco al pastor is essentially indigestible, if not technically inedible.
Oh, hell no: That green salsa — beneath the tang, it tastes beery, like it's begun to ferment.
The takeaway: Trust the kids — stick to Cokes.


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Brooks & How They Are Redefining Running
The running landscape is constantly evolving, as well as the runner traversing it. One brand that's making a point to stay current and bridge the gap between the two is Brooks Sports. For runners looking to change the way they run, check out these shoes from Brooks and find out why you might need to go a different route.
This is the 12th time Brooks has gone back to the drawing board to revamp the Adrenaline GTS 12, but it's still the fit and feel you've come to expect. This time they've added more mesh to the upper and a crash pad in the heel for increased ventilation and shock absorption, respectively. For them to continue to make this shoe, they've got to be doing something right.
For those with a more neutral and natural running gait, there's the Pure Flow 2.0. With superior arch support, and a center strike pod to promote a more natural landing, the added technology has made for a bulky shoe. If you're hitting the trails, you might need a little extra for what Mother Nature has up her sleeve.
Catering to a wider range of neutral runners is the Ghost 5. What makes this shoe so good is Brooks took the opportunity to incorporate the best of the Ghost 3 and 4, and adding a few more innovations. Incredibly smooth, well-balanced and adaptive, it's the perfect shoe for the you and your imperfections.
The beauty of the Brooks line is in their variety, and being available for men and women, there's an option for every runner.


text: Sonnet to ship PodFreq Black for iPod U2 updated 09:05 am EDT, Thu May 12, 2005 by MacNN Staff PodFreq iPod U2 Sonnet in June will ship , designed specifically for the iPod U2 Special Edition. This new PodFreq features a unique mix of black and clear materials to match iPod U2. PodFreq is an FM transmitter that fully encloses iPod, adding a channel selection display and antenna. It features an integrated dock with mini-USB 2.0 and FireWire ports for syncing and charging. It utilizes iPod's line-out signal for the best possible sound quality. PodFreq draws power from the iPod, rather than using batteries. The digital tuner broadcasts to any frequency between 88.3 and 107.7MHz. A car charger is included to replenish the iPod's built-in battery. The limited edition PodFreq Black will sell for $100. PodFreq continues to be offered in white to match the standard iPod. TAGS iPod TOTAL_COMMENTS Comments


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15 Feminist Valentine's Day Cards To Give To Your Empowered Loved Ones
I'm a self-professed paper goods addict. Whether it's journals, sticky notes, stationery, thank you notes, or occasion specific cards, I've probably got an option tucked away in my stash for whatever your heart desires. That includes and is definitely not limited to, a slew of feminist Valentine's Day cards. But you know what? I don't have nearly enough. I'm a big fan of snail mail, and this Valentine's Day, I plan on sending each of my nearest and dearest their own feminist-inspired card for the holiday. (If you think I'm joking, you don't know me well enough.) Valentine's Day might be seen as a commercial holiday, but I plan on using it to spread my feminist agenda to everyone in my life.
Whether you have a boyfriend who needs a reminder of how awesome gender equality is, or a sister who could use a little feminist pick-me-up, there's a Valentine's Day card out there for you. And if you plan on celebrating Galentine's Day on Feb. 13, both Leslie Knope and I salute you, sister. So read on, click away, and get to sending that feminist snail mail. Nothing brightens someone's day like a little bit of feminist agenda in their mailbox.
1. I Love Your...
The only thing better than a sex-positive Valentine's Day? A sex-positive Valentine's card ($4).
2. Uteruses Before Duderuses Card
Who better to gallop into this year's Valentine's extravaganza, then with your favorite gal pal? Take a note from one of my favorite feminists, and give this Leslie Knope inspired card ($4) to your favorite lady.
3. Girl Gang
Grab a handful of these and send this Girl Gang card ($4) to your whole squad.
4. Yass Queen
This Broad City card ($4) is the stuff of dreams. Send one to your favorite queen and let the hearteyes commence.
5. Be My Galentine
Dole out this Be My Galentine card ($4) to all of your best gals.
6. You're Getting Laid Tonight
This getting laid greeting card ($5) is not only funny, but it reminds your partner who's in charge.
7. Single On Valentine's Day
Everybody knows that being single on Valentine's Day can really, really suck, so don't forget to give your favorite single gals a card that celebrates being single ($5).
8. I Want You Inside Me
What's better than a sexy and straightforward valentine ($3)?
9. You Look So Good From Behind
The perfect valentine for bookworms ($5) , with a funny little innuendo attached.
10. Notorious RBG
With an inside that reads, "You Rule!" — this Ruth Bader Ginsburg card ($5) is perfect for anyone in need of a valentine this year.
11. Obligatory Greeting
Because not every girl gets in a tizzy over Valentine's Day, this obligatory mushy card ($5) is perfect for anyone who doesn't buy into the hype, but still wants to celebrate in their own way.
12. Grateful For The Orgasm
A little cheeky, a little hint? This o-face oriented naughty valentine ($4) is sure to to give anyone a good laugh.
13. You're So Fabulous
What better way to tell someone how much you care about them than with a comparison to some of the greatest women in history? This Galentine's card ($8) is sure to woo your favorite gal.
14. Best Friends Before Boyfriends
What better way to remind your bestie that she trumps any dude in your life than by giving her this best friends over boyfriends card ($4)?
15. Don't Believe In Valentine's
For your favorite friend who doesn't believe in the commercial agenda, roses, or candy hearts, a card for non believers ($5).


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Monday, August 20, 2012
The Forgotten Faces
It's been an emotional day as reality is beginning to sink in on what is to come with this horrible disease. I am fighting back the tears even now, as I write.
Today, I went over to my mom's house-partly to observe her (I'll write more about this another day), and partly to help her organize some of the clutter that is overtaking her house. Mom has been asking me to help her organize her photos. She has most of them organized in boxes, which she started long before she was "sick". She wanted me to help her find my old school pictures and duplicates of baby photos so I could take them home.
As I brought out a large storage tub of family pictures, and began rummaging through them, my mom sat on the couch, watching me sort. She picked up a large envelope of pictures and pulled out a large photo of a baby boy and girl, sitting side by side, and said, "I wish I could remember who all these people are."
It took me a minute to catch my breath. I stared at her for a few seconds and replied, matter-of-factly, "Mom, it's me and Joe." I felt very confused, how could she forget the faces of her twin babies??
I thought maybe it was a fluke. Maybe she wasn't paying enough attention or she got confused. Or maybe I knew, but I just wasn't ready to accept it. As we continued sorting, I occassionally quizzed her on who different people were in the pictures we came across. It broke my heart to watch her struggle to remember the faces of the people she loves so dearly.
"Looks familiar...it's not Joe, is it?" she asked, as I showed her a picture of her firstborn grandbaby.
Jeremy was her pride and joy. She doted on him like any proud grandma you've ever seen.
She always loved this picture, in his little vest and adorable coordinating hat (she even helped picked it out, if I remember correctly). This picture hung on her filing cabinet at work for years as she was filled with great pride to show off her grandson.
We finally found some of my school pictures. This was my Kindergarten class picture? Can you pick me out in the crowd?
"That's not you, is it?"
"Mom, this picture was taken in 1986. I was only 5 years old," I said back.
"Oh...I'm confused, I don't see you in this picture." She ran her finger over each and every kid in the class 3 times before her finger finally rested on the girl in the front row donning a red, velvet, jumper dress.
"That one is me, mom," I said, reassuring her that she found the right girl.
It seemed that almost every picture of the past that I presented to her brought on confusion. If the person looked vastly different than they do today, she did not recognize them. Obviously we look very different now than we did as babies. Her memory of how we looked at that time seems to have disappeared. I even showed her a picture of herself, in her younger years, that she could not recognize.
"Is this you?" she asked, as she glanced at me, then back at the picture.
"No," she answered her own question. "But it's reddish hair too but I don't remember who that is."
When I told her that it was her, she answered with,
"I don't recall ever looking like that."
I thought for sure she would recognize this picture: the love of her life, my dad. I showed her one of the favorites of dad, taken when he was 15 years old, sporting a wooden bead necklace which he later gave to her. We used to love this picture when we were kids, chuckling that dad had long hair and was wearing a necklace! I was sure this picture would do the trick.
"Hmmm...I don't know. Kind of reddish hair too...I don't know who this is..."
When I told her it was dad, she said,
"No. That's not him. I don't remember him looking like that."
That was the point that reality smacked me square in the face. My mom's memory is being erased. She is forgetting the ones she's loved the most. Sure, it's just faces of the past that she can't recall. But what is to come in the future?
My heart aches that my mom cannot recognize my face in the past. I can't imagine the pain that will come when the day is here that she does not recognize me in the present.
6 comments:
Oh, Cassandra. This is heartwrenching. I am so sorry that your family has to go through this, and endure this cruel disease, and what it is doing to your sweet mother. If I were there, I would give you the biggest hug, and we would cry on each other's shoulder. I don't know why these things have to happen to us, why we have to suffer so. All I do know is, we are here for a reason and to be tested, and that applies to every single one of us. Unfortunately, that means we have to suffer and endure the hardships of this life. I have had my share of trials in this life, and I think every single one of us does, at one time or another. Anyway, please know I love you and your family so much, and my heart breaks with you.ReplyDelete
All My Love,
Oh my sweet cousin, how I wish you lived closer! I don't cry very often but when I do, it's a flood! Poor Jeff, lol. I do hear what you are saying...we all have hardships and trials in our lives. How we respond to those circumstances help define us. I am trying to be strong and make something positive out of a very negative situation. It's hard to talk about, but I feel like if I can help someone else going through the same thing (and help my family along the way), then it brings a little bit of positivity, ya know? Love you lots!!Delete
I know. I so wish we lived closer to each other. :(ReplyDelete
You said, " I am trying to be strong and make something positive out of a very negative situation."
Sweetie, that's all we can do, or our trials in life will bring us down, and keep us down. I know that lesson all too well.
I am with you when you say that if you talk about it, you hope it will help someone else. I do the same about my own situation, and you'd be surprised how many people it does help. You may not know it, but it does.
Keep your chin up, and keep on trying to stay positive. You are wonderful with your mother at this time in her life, and I know she will know this when she is of sound mind again. She can't process all that you do for her now, but she will one day.
Love you, sweet cousin. My heart breaks and is heavy for you and your family.
I admit I almost cried when I read your post. Dementia is a familiar word to me but this is the first time I've actually read a real story. For us who love our mothers oh so dearly, I know how painful it is for you to see your mom slowly lost hold of her reality. You are a strong woman and your mom needs you as she goes through this difficult time of her life. My sympathy goes for you and your family.ReplyDelete
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The most amazing conversation I ever had was with a woman at a bus stop in Barcelona in October of 2007. I was waiting for either the #43 or the #44 when she showed up. We started chatting as people do while they're stuck together late at night, and when I turned back to her from a glance down the street, she asked me to repeat myself because she was deaf and hadn't been able to read my lips.
I was a little surprised because I hadn't noticed anything in her voice to indicate deafness, but didn't think much of it. After about 15 minutes, she asked me where I was from and then I was very surprised. I quickly realized something and got so excited that my skin started to tingle because I had unknowingly been looking for this exact woman for two years. In case you missed the Life Changing Moment, it was this: a woman who could only read lips knew I wasn't raised in Spain, even though she couldn't hear my voice.
Prior to this, people hadn't been able to put a finger or a name to what about me was de fuera [from outside; foreign], but there was definitely something and this lady was going to have The Answer.
At this point, she and I are finally on the bus and I ask her how she knew I wasn't from around there. Sadly, she went with the obvious answer first: "You don't look like you're from here." This statement is patently untrue, as she was looking at my face which is genetically 100% Made in Spain and I was wearing glasses that were "totally Euro" according to a friend of mine.
I asked again, saying that couldn't be right for the reasons I just cited, and she said that while my diction was perfect (she had no problem reading my lips), my face was somehow 'other.' Pressed further, she said that maybe it was something about my cheeks but she couldn't say what.
And then I knew. I realized that my English-speaking facial muscles were too pronounced and that my face wasn't making smooth enough movements when connecting different Spanish sounds. This may sound crazy to you, but imagine how English speakers imitate the French, by pursing their lips and stretching the cheeks down and out. This isn't just a stereotype, it's the shape your face needs to be to make lots of French sounds. English requires a lot of upper-cheek work (feel your own face when making a long "e" sound like "cheese").
Deaf thoughts
→ JEOPARDY! knowledge: The football huddle was invented by the Galludet team to prevent their opponent from reading their hand signs. Galludet is the world's first all-deaf university.
→ ASL (American Sign Language) is not signed English — it has its own grammar and is only called that because it was developed in the States.
→ SWITCHED AT BIRTH, a show with a main character who's deaf and attends a deaf school, is pretty damn good. I first heard about it in The New Yorker, and am glad I checked it out. The premise is that two girls were switched at the hospital and grew up rich/poor, white/Hispanic, nuclear family/single-mom, hearing/deaf and how they come to grips with what their lives should have been. Last year, they did an episode that was almost entirely devoid of spoken dialogue which was mesmerizing and fascinating.
→ While on the bus with that lady, I told her about an interesting study I'd read about in the Times. Scientists determined that babies were able to distinguish between spoken languages on videos without sound.
→ A Standford student, deaf since birth, describes the process and pitfalls of lip-reading.


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My Monday Made-It this week is for all you bloggers out there! I am a planner, an organizer, a list-maker. I am obsessed with calendars. I like to have things written down. So I created my very own blog planner! I was inspired by The Eager Teacher to create this. Not all of her pages worked quite right for me, so I tweaked it to fit my needs. And, honestly, it's still not all the way right for me. But eventually I will get it right!
Here is the cover (which is just so darn pretty to look at!):
I have the monthly calendar first:
I use my fun flair pens to make everything prettier!
Next, I have a weekly calendar:
There are boxes for each day of the week.
As well as sections for to-dos, projects and collaborations (linky parties, giveaways, etc).
The third section is for blogging ideas.
I use it to write down topics I want to blog about. The checkboxes on the side are my favorite!
The last section is where I take notes about products that I want to create. It's hard to keep them all in my head!
Once I finished the planner, I had it bound at Staples!
Happy Monday!


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Last night, Major League Baseball's Midsummer Classic was held featuring the best players from the 2011 season squaring off in a battle between leagues. Sony ran the rosters through a simulation game in MLB 11 The Show before the event and predicted that the National League All-Stars would defeat the American League team by a score of 5-3 (See the video below for the highlights). Many people balked—woohoo baseball puns—at the prediction (thinking the American league team was stronger), but after watching the game unfold last night, the MLB 11 The Show simulation was eerily accurate. The National League did walk away the victors, but the score was 5-1. That prognostication was so close that we wouldn't be surprised if folks use the sim in the fall to place their bets on the World Series! [via PlayStation Blog]
Also Watch


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Threats to public interest journalism in Australia
One of the most pressing debates concerning the news media at present is whether newspapers are paying less attention to serious news than they used to, in the face of challenges from online media.
To test this, the Centre for Advancing Journalism is carrying out a comparison of coverage by Melbourne's two main daily newspapers, The Age and the Herald Sun, of two Victorian State elections - 1999 and 2010. It was in between these two elections, in 2006, that the online media began to have a large impact on the revenues of newspapers, as classified advertising migrated to online platforms in significant quantities.
Please note: This project has been reviewed and the original data set, while not sufficient to answer the original question in the form set out above, was nonetheless useful as a way of assessing trends in newspaper coverage of politics. The data have been supplied to a researcher in the Politics program, who is analysing them and will produce a report by the end of the year. At this stage we are calling it the Media Deficit project, but that might not be the name of the final report. We will make the report available as soon as it is finished.


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(Photo, left to right: California Fish and Game Commission President Eric Sklar, Fresno County Deputy District Attorney Sabrina Ashjian, CDFW Chief of Enforcement David Bess.)
The California Fish and Game Commission has honored Fresno County Deputy District Attorney (DDA) Sabrina Ashjian as the Commission's 2016 Wildlife Prosecutor of the Year. The selection process was based upon nominations from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Law Enforcement Division, whose wildlife officers regularly work with all 58 District Attorneys' offices.
The award was presented to DDA Ashjian amongst her peers last night at the California District Attorneys Association annual summer conference in South Lake Tahoe.
"We recognize prosecuting attorneys as an integral partner in the effort to conserve California's fish and wildlife resources for its intrinsic value and for future generations," said Fish and Game Commission President Eric Sklar. President Sklar was in South Lake Tahoe to present the award.
CDFW and the Commission recognize many prosecuting attorneys who go above and beyond to prosecute the state's poachers and polluters, but this year, DDA Ashjian stood out among the rest.
Ashjian was always willing to meet with wildlife officers in Fresno County on moment's notice, after hours, and on weekends to review details of investigations. During many investigations of the most egregious poaching cases, Ashjian remained available and supportive every step of the way. She even took the initiative to ride-along on patrol with wildlife officers to better understand the challenging investigations and unique nature of a wildlife officer's work.
Ashjian has gone out of her way to be a liaison between CDFW and the Fresno County District Attorney's Office. During her tenure, she has taken time to educate and share insight about CDFW and resource crimes to her co-workers and in turn has educated wildlife officers about the challenges of prosecutions and how to overcome them.
"As passionate as our wildlife officers are at bringing suspected poachers to justice, DDA Ashjian is at prosecuting them," said David Bess, Chief of the CDFW Law Enforcement Division. Chief Bess was also on hand to present the award last night.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Lt. Chris Stoots, CDFW Law Enforcement, (916) 651-9982
Cpt. Patrick Foy, CDFW Law Enforcement, (916) 651-6692


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Regarding the experimental online application process.
Paperless office management system is an important part of digitalization of Bangladesh envisioned by Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In continuation of the process of digitalization Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is going to start the online application system through HRIS. The trial version is kept open for next 07 (seven) working days for all officers and employees of DGHS to use the online application process intelligently. Therefore, all the officers/employees will be able to apply online on experimental basis using this process and the heads of the organizations will be able to forward, approve or decline the applications. Your valuable feedback is important to enrich the online application system. Click here to apply, use the email number given in your HRM as the username/email to sign in, use dghs123 as the password. Click here to give your valuable feedback. Click here to see the user manual. Click here to see the Authority's user manual for application settlement


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Saw this on my (really god damn useful) igoogle page.
Archive for the 'WTF?' Category
So I dug around in my old boxes.August 25, 2009
I found a bunch of my old PS 1 games.
Spiderman -one of the first games I completed. I could go on for ages about how cool that game was at the time.
Rayman – I remember liking it, but I'm fairly sure I never got far, or even to the second level.
Doom – One of the first games I ever played. Thank you uncle Liam. Although when your 4 you will always find it scary.
and Crash Bandicoot – Good times all round.
Then I unearthed Spyro the Dragon.
Chatting with the interwebs, why?April 27, 2009
Its been a long day. I am in the mood for a game of something graphically violent so I can vent that adolescent urge to just "make 'splodes lol" and enjoy myself. Within a few minutes of getting home I find myself not asking for buddies to join me as we kill multicolored sprites in the latest fashion*. Instead I fire up Steam and plonk myself into whichever of the communities I'm a part of that has the largest chat. I then talk utter, utter rubbish about absolute nothing where "thats what she said!" gags are the highest peak of sophistication I can possibly reach. I really wanted to figure out why.The immediate things that come to mind would be:
Joining it for the information. Nah, smallish chatrooms aren't really known for the sharing of unheard of news.
Oh bollocks, I just rambled for the last 150 odd words didn't I? No deleting it, no backwards steps, there is only typing onwards I'm afraid. Since I hate to see my words wasted I shall put the excerpt at the end of this in all its glory.
Back to the topic at hand.
Another possible reason for me spending my gaming time watching a grey box is for the possible chance to "meet", if thats the right choice for the situation, a famous person from "the biz" (oh how glitzy it sounds like, the games industry is now to only be referred to as "The Biz" from now on.). That might actually be closer to the truth as I am not alone in wanting to have a chat with the writers who, in a way, have shaped who we are as gamers. They've told us everything from what to play, to how to play. Occasionally they even shown us the reasons why we play by giving fantastic features on some aspects. I honestly doubt I would have experienced half of my gaming highlights without having read a PC Gamer magazine or browsed through the latest trailers collected on blogs. Wanting to meet them is a valid reason to enter the chatroom. But still … Nah. I know for some reason that thats not it, mostly becasue that odd little hope of having a nice chat with the journo's is obviously unrealistic and we all know that. The same way you know you enjoy rainbows for a different reason than thinking theres a pot of gold at the end, even though thats all magic of it.
I realised a while ago, while typing this, the reason I spend so much time pointlessly spamming mind numbing assortments of words for other people to untangle, instead of popping heads. The reason is, it's just more satisfying. I honestly get more pleasure out of saying something people find funny and knowing they'll remember it than I would from comming first in a round of tf2. But I've realised that and I'm still really fucking annoyed becuse that just leaves me with….."why?"
*This happens to manifest itself as a rather fun metaphor for life. Work with people to live longer and if your not killed by your peers the big bad monster shall ravage you endlessly untill your on your back shitting yourself while your body is picked clean until nothing of you is left…. A.K.A. Left 4 dead Survival Mode
The spawn of my lack of self discipline while writing .
If I found out that Blizzard finally had enough money to simply buy a country (Switzerland for example) and reshape it into a real life wow for the masses. Then I wouldn't go straight to Tim Tom and Terry to spread it in the chat room. I'd sell the info to the biggest games sites and tell them they must wait a week before posting about it. I'd then email it to the most insignificant and overlooked site in the world and tell them to spread it right away. That way when the info comes out on the major sites, absolutely no one would believe it because it seems like rumor that the tiny site made for attention. This is not me being mean or a douche . The truth would eventually be known, all the sites would get their credibility back and the tiny site gets launched up into the spotlight for having the biggest story a week before every other site in the world. I, on the other hand, would use the money to buy up all the tickets to the new WOW amusement park.


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Clemson's Watkins headlines deep class of WRs
Three promising but unproven quarterbacks and a tempting yet questionable defensive end from South Carolina highlight the hype of the 2014 NFL draft.
But 15 wide receivers - led by Clemson junior Sammy Watkins - have the potential to be drafted before the third round is complete, which best captures the weight of the deepest talent pool in more than a decade.
The 6-1, 211-pound Watkins has long been projected as a top-five pick. Texas A&M's Mike Evans is expected to be taken within the initial 10 picks, while LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin, Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, Southern California's Marqise Lee and Fresno State's Davante Adams could make seven wide receivers among the 32 names called during the first round.
Offensive tackles and defensive backs will fill in the spaces between stars such as Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney on May 8. But when the allure of trading up or the potential in trading down is connected to this year's draft, the possibilities often stem from one pipeline.
"It is a very deep draft at some positions," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. "Wide receiver is as deep as I can remember."
Only three wideouts were selected in the first round during 2013, with the Texans passing on Cordarrelle Patterson to take Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins at No. 27. Watkins easily outshines all three, possessing the speed (4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash), soft hands and innate athleticism to be viewed as an NFL game changer.
"Sammy Watkins is what you want," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "I'm not usually a big proponent of top-10 wide receivers. But this kid runs fast, he catches the football, he's explosive, and my favorite thing about him is he has a chip on his shoulder.
"He has more toughness than most wide receivers have. I think he's a franchise wide receiver."
Watkins' personal fire burned brighter following a drug arrest, which forced him to miss the first two games of Clemson's 2012 season. Some athletes' collegiate careers would never have recovered. Watkins surrounded himself with family, turned the life error into a learning experience, and moved on. He finished his Tigers tenure ranked first in school history in receptions (240) and receiving yards (3,391) while tying Hopkins' mark for touchdowns (27).
During Clemson's 40-35 victory over Ohio State in the 2014 Orange Bowl, Watkins collected 16 catches for 227 yards and totaled 268 all-purpose yards. In turn, the do-everything wide receiver - he can return punts and kickoffs and is a threat in occasional run plays - was named the game's most valuable player during his final game in purple and orange.
"What I love doing is dominating defenses. … When I come into the NFL, I think I can be that dominant receiver," said Watkins, who earned first-team All-America honors in 2011 as an all-purpose player, joining Herschel Walker, Marshall Faulk and Adrian Peterson as the only true freshmen to receive the selection.
More Information
Draft countdown
Fourth in a series of stories looking at the 2014 NFL draft, which is May 8-10:
Today: Wide receivers.
Thursday: Tight ends.
Evans could be the best long-term pick but is an NFL project. Beckham and Cooks are near first-round locks, yet both will likely take time to adjust to their new worlds. Watkins is the premier offensive weapon on the board, outside of three quarterbacks with highly debatable NFL projections.
The Rams, Browns and Raiders, all of whom pick in the top five, are in play for Watkins. Now, another name on the ever-growing list of potentially great NFL receivers must prove he can last as a pro.
"Fly route, home run, post - that's the kinda guy I am," Watkins said. "I feel like I can score on just about any play on any route when I get the ball, and that's the mentality you have to have as a receiver."


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This film is part of Free
Mass Radiography
TB or not TB – that is the question travelling x-ray screening programmes are out to answer on a large scale
Encouraging tens of thousands of people to strip to the waist and have their photo taken isn't easy. But the chest x-ray screening programme was a key part of the fight against tuberculosis, the cause of over 20,000 deaths in 1943. This film shows factory worker Mary overcoming her initial qualms, and ultimately sending a signed copy of her topless skeleton photo to her boyfriend.
Chest x-rays had helped diagnose TB since the 1900s, but the development of portable units in the late 1930s made mass screening schemes possible. The topsy-turvy life of the Home Front made the early diagnosis of infectious diseases like TB all the more important, leading to a big push of the programme from 1943 onwards. Despite the modesty chest covers for the women, you can imagine that this was a far happier scheme to run in the summer.


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The results are in ....
Following on from Jonathan, Grant, Marco, Andy & Louis, here are the results from the 40 returned evaluations of my "DBAs Behaving Badly" session at PASS 2009;
This was the first time I've spoken at PASS (hopefully not the last!), and the first time I've spoken in front of a large audience. I'm blown away by the result, and really enthusiastic about preparing my next presentation.
To everyone that came along, thanks for laughing at my jokes ... or laughing at me ... either way, thanks :-)


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Hello, everyone! Here is my third video assignment, the Your Dream as a Movie Trailer assignment:
I decided to make a 30 second trailer about my childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer. I used clips I found from Pixabay and Pexels and edited them together in the video editing app on my computer; the music I used to score the trailer was also a preset tune in the app.
I tended to change my mind constantly, when it came to my dreams–at one point I wanted to be a fashion designer, a graphic novelist, a video game designer, a character designer, and probably so many more that I can't remember, off the top of my head (it wasn't until my junior year of high school that I decided that I really wanted to be an author)! I decided to make a trailer based on my dreams of becoming a fashion designer simply because I thought that it would make for more interesting visuals than, perhaps, a trailer based on my dream of becoming an author, which would mostly just consist of clips of people writing or reading. With fashion design, I could include clips of drawing, sewing, applying makeup, modeling, and so on.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to add in all of the things I wanted to add, such as models putting on makeup or women looking at clothes, in order to maintain the 30 second limit, for this assignment, but I feel like what I was able to use was sufficient enough to get the point across. It was also a bit tricky trying to trim the clips used to be just the right length that the video as a whole didn't go over 30 seconds. Another thing I wanted to do but wasn't able to was transitions between the clips and the text bumpers, but the app I had on my computer didn't have transitions. Luckily, the app is able to automatically sync the video with the soundtrack (at least with the preset soundtracks) to make each shift from clip to text to clip more smooth.
I also added a filter over the clips in the video editor app, just to add a little something extra; the filter I used was called "Pearl," and I picked it out of the others because of how much I really liked the subtle, pale, silvery quality of it. I think it adds a slight dream-like quality to the video.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!


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Labour organizations' joint statement on the political reform proposal
"Pocket it first" most likely means "Pocket it forever"
False universal suffrage & real screening to sift out labour rights and livelihood demands
Labour organizations' joint statement on the political reform proposal
23 April 2015
The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (hereafter: HK government) unveiled its final version of political reform proposal yesterday, sticking to the tight framework, known as "831 decision", laid down by the National People's Congress (NPC) on 31 August 2014. The decision only allows the public vote on candidates, who have been pre-selected by a 1200-member pro-Beijing nominating committee. We, a group of labour organizations, are extremely dissatisfied by this proposal and would like to express our strongest objection to the HK government.
Dream of universal suffrage broken
The proposal requires the candidates to win at least a half of committee votes to go forward to a final, public vote and limits the number of candidates to 3. It means the nominating committee, led by the business sector, would have the ultimate power in picking candidates. In other words, demands to improve labour conditions would end in vain. The performance of C.Y. Leung, the current Chief Executive is a vivid example of how a candidate would kowtow to the business sector. He had made numerous promises to improve labour conditions while running for office, but once elected, he failed to bring forward any reform on housing, labour, education and many other livelihood issues. To make it worse, he has sided with the business and attempted to relax the control and scale of labour importation, which would cause local workers' jobs and threaten their working conditions.
Leung clearly demonstrates that no matter how rosy a picture a candidate paints, as long as her/his candidacy is controlled by a small committee of privileged people, s/he would have to pay back. However, the whole Hong Kong society is paying the price for such deals and as a result, political, economic, social and livelihood reforms are delayed and obstructed.
Staying where we are is better than stepping into a trap
We believe, it is crucial for the general public to realize the scourge of false universal suffrage. Leung, elected by 689 committee members might not dare to forcibly push natioanl education forward, but if he would have been a new Chief Executive with 689,000 votes, he might claim to be "authorized by the Hong Kong people" and push for the legislation of Article 23, national education, large scale of labour importation and etc.
The government and the pro-Beijing camp are trying all means to pass this proposal at the Legislative Council (Legco), claiming that gradual improvement would be possible. Yet, both Chinese and HK governments have repeatedly emphasized that getting at least half of the votes from the nominating committee is fulfilling the constitutional obligation and Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary of the HK government also keeps saying it is a "very reasonable" practice. All these hint that the idea of "pocket it first" for gradual improvement, is either a naïve thinking or a trick to lure us. In reality, "pocket it first" would only lead to "pocket it forever".
Realizing this, we firmly refuse an electoral system which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and privileged groups. We call on all lawmakers at the Legco, to prioritize genuine universal suffrage and to put the interests of working class and Hong Kong first, to veto this proposal. They should demand the NPC to withdraw its "831 decision" and the HK government to re-initiate the "5-Step Process of Constitutional Development", to finally realize universal suffrage for both Legco and Chief Executive.
Thus, we demand:
All Legco members to veto the HK government's political reform proposal;
The NPC to withdraw its "831 decision";
The HK government to re-initiate the "5-Step Process of Constitutional
Development", to realize universal suffrage for Chief executive and Legco.
Signed by:
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions
Labour Party, Neighbourhood and Worker's Service Centre
Hong Kong Women Workers' Association
Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union
Hong Kong Catholic Commission For Labour Affairs
Industrial Relations Institute, Workers' Rights' Association


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Sunday, October 2, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
This Coming Sunday -- 9/11/11
I will never forget where I was on that terrible morning in September, 2001. People around the globe remember exactly where they were when they heard the awful news. Just like, for others of my generation, I'll never forget where I was when I heard JFK had been assassinated.
My husband came and woke me saying I had to come see what was on the tv. The urgency and sheer pain in his voice struck me so vehemently that I made it down the hall to the living room in record time. Earthquake? Floods? Fires? Where were our grown children and their families ... was something happening where they lived? What? A million fears fought for supremacy in my sleep-fogged brain.
I was NOT prepared for the horrific images that were on the tv screen. Where? What country? Then the announcer said New York.
It was a good thing I was already sitting down. Fleeting hopes that this was some sort of a movie preview were completely dashed as I glanced over at Jerry, my husband, and it hurt so much to see the silent tears streaming down his cheeks. His lips tightening, seeing his jaw clench in anger as facts started to emerge about this terror attack. I started crying and didn't stop for quite some time. Minutes? Hours? . I still cry to this day when I think of that devastating point in history.
We prayed so hard that day, silently and out loud. For the victims and for the families of those victims! I couldn't imagine the fear, pain, confusion, horror and disbelief they must have experienced in those dark hours. And oh, those HEROES who selflessly went into that fiery fray to rescue those who were trapped and injured. So many lost their lives. The sadness of that day was overwhelming. God bless them all.
We sat there for hours, our eyes glued to the tv screen, listening with baited breath to the stricken voices of the newscasters. It was all so hard to take in and process. For some reason, I had a fleeting memory of my father teaching me the Guy Fawkes poem as a child. Shoving that to the back of my brain, wondering what brought that on, it was back to all the newscasts and the hideous images that were flooding the screen and jumping right into our bodies and stabbing at our hearts. The rest of that day was somewhat of a blur. We got through it, somehow. And we were on the other side of the country. I had to rely on my faith. And it stood me in good stead.
It was months later I remembered that fleeting thought I'd had about my father. So I 'borrowed' the tempo of the historic Guy Fawkes poem and came up with this ...
Ever remember eleven September
For hijack, terror and plot
There is no reason this hijack & terror
Should ever be forgot...
And the Parker family won't forget. Ever.
Follow @mkdesigner
Posted by ~Marge~ at 9:32 PM
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Sunday, September 4, 2011
Latest Machine Knitting Projects
Wow! Nothing like taking 2 months to get back into my blog, eh? :) Lots of things have been happening, had a great Christmas in July sale and some fab auctions in August. We're having the Rib Cook-Off here in Sparks, NV this weekend and since we live so close, it's an easy walk of 3 blocks.
I wasn't able to attend, illnesses had me under the weather, but all seems to be under control now. :) Son and his lady went rib-shopping for Jerry and me ... oh, the beef ribs were ENORMOUS and soooo tender! YUM! Wasn't that thrilled with the pork ribs at the vendor he got them from, didn't come off the bone easily. Great taste, looked fantastic, but a bit tough. Now the Pulled Pork, that was super-yummy too. Great beans and cole slaw.
On to other things ... between the illness bouts, I've been making up some lovely tuck stitch gift bags in various color (more to come) once I figure out which yarns I want to use. :) This pattern is from the Toyota 901 punchcard set, #11. My many thanks to my fellow machine knitters on the Yahoo Group for letting me know which machine had these cards. :)
and I've added to my Soap Sliver Saver Sacks ...
Uh oh, just looked outside and the cars are beginning to gather, snagging what parking spaces are available. We've got the orange cones on either side of our driveway to prevent folks from parking so we can't get out. I really hate to call the tow trucks, but it's illegal to block a private residence's driveway. We end up with wall-to-wall cars around here, especially since we're so close to Victorian Square.
That's all for now, more in a day or so.
Happy knitting, crocheting or whatever craft you enjoy! :)
Posted by ~Marge~ at 11:52 AM
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Monday, July 4, 2011
Pictures At Right
Hey, folks --- See the pictures at the right? Mouse-over the items and a larger picture will appear with the title and the price.
And don't forget, with the CHRISTMAS IN JULY COUPON, it's 20% OFF THAT PRICE SHOWN!
Posted by ~Marge~ at 10:24 AM
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
Christmas In July Celebration!
There's a LOT going on at Bonanza!
Hundreds of booths are participating in the Annual Christmas In July Sales. Discounts range from 10% OFF up to 50% OFF. The coupon code for all these booths is July.
Each of my booths MKDesigner and Knits 'n More has 20% OFF and there's a link just below the LIVE Chat window to view a list of all the booths participating.
Enjoy armchair shopping during the hot summer and get started on your holiday gift list!
Hundreds of booths are participating in the Annual Christmas In July Sales. Discounts range from 10% OFF up to 50% OFF. The coupon code for all these booths is July.
Each of my booths MKDesigner and Knits 'n More has 20% OFF and there's a link just below the LIVE Chat window to view a list of all the booths participating.
Enjoy armchair shopping during the hot summer and get started on your holiday gift list!
Posted by ~Marge~ at 11:20 AM
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Miniature Footed Gift Basket!
If you've never tried knitting and starching with your machine knit items, here's your chance to give it a whirl with our sample pattern for a Miniature Footed Gift Basket!
This pattern is under copyright and may not be reproduced, distributed or otherwise 'shared' without specific written permission from the author.
Yarn: Ticaro Flake or any cotton yarn of approximately the same thickness.
Materials Required:
Cotton Yarn in various colors Aleen's Fabric Stiffener
6 oz. Clear glass custard cup 1/4" ribbon
Chiffon or Ribbon flowers Hot glue gun
DULL table knife Embellishments: lace, pearls, etc.
4 Glass or Plastic beads for feetA small flower pot will work as well for your starching form.
Weave cast on over 59 needles (or sufficient for circumference of the top rim of cup – this will vary depending on your yarn's stretchiness.)
Knit total of 30 rows in any eyelet pattern desired.
Make eyelets evenly across work (must have even # of eyelets if you wish to weave ribbon around rim)
Knit 2 rows and Latch work off the machine.
Pull weaving thread taut and sew up the side seam. Hide yarn ends.
Cover cup with plastic, saturate work with the starch, squeeze out excess, work over cup form and allow to dry overnight. Remove from form, decorate. Glue beads onto cup base, place decorative guest soaps or bath pearls in dish.
This little soap dish is also excellent as a small token gift item. Fill it with some festively wrapped holiday candies or some fudge or even a miniature well-wrapped mini-fruitcake (make them in muffin cups).
Here are a few of the ones I decorate.
If you enjoy this little pattern, our other basket patterns are available at my Website
Keep on Knittin'
Posted by ~Marge~ at 5:30 PM
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Some Of The Crafting Supplies We Have...
These are all available in my Bonanza Booth's Craft Supplies Section If you don't wish to sign up for Bonanza to purchase, that's okay. :) Just let me know which items interest you and I can send you an email quote or a PayPal invoice if you prefer. I do combine to save on shipping! Can take PayPal, Google Checkout, Postal Money Orders and personal checks (slight delay in shipping on personal checks).
Posted by ~Marge~ at 5:01 PM
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|" Juno Beach" on the Ocean
|And so the alligator came out and asked "Hey, who hit me on the head with a golf ball!"
|I can honestly say I've never seen a sign saying this before. (on the way to Marcos Island)
|" Marcos Island" on the Gulf
|The beach had lots of shells
|View from the room
|Love the way the water is always changing color
|Beautiful Sunset


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'Daughter-in-Law of Pakistan' Sania Mirza Is All Indian, Media Says
Once again a comment by a politician has given the Indian press its controversy du jour. This time it is a state-level leader from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party named K. Laxman who has sparked a media feeding frenzy.
Mr. Laxman was quoted as saying on Wednesday that Indian tennis star Sania Mirza isn't fit to be a brand ambassador for Mr. Laxman's home state of Telangana because she is married to a man from Pakistan, India's Muslim-majority neighbor and bitter rival.
Ms. Mirza shouldn't be used in an ad campaign touting Telangana, Mr. Laxman reportedly said, because she is a "daughter-in-law of Pakistan."
Ms. Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricket player Shoaib Malik was quick to defend herself, releasing a statement saying "I am an Indian, who will remain an Indian until the end of my life."
The BJP said it didn't agree with Mr. Laxman and that the party has no objection to Ms. Mirza's role.
The general view in the opinion pages was that Ms. Mirza, who has represented India in the Olympics as well as the Asian and Commonwealth games, doesn't have to prove herself.
"Fans across the country don't think her Indianness has gotten mysteriously diluted," because of her marriage in 2010, said the Times of India opinion page. "She continues to represent all of us internationally."
Mr. Laxman has shown up on different television shows to defend himself, saying his main objection is that Ms. Mirza was not born in the state.
Ms. Mirza's statement said the whole discussion was a waste of time.
"I sincerely believe that this precious time should be spent on solving the more urgent issues of our state and country," she said.


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Well it looks like the the servers have survived and we have begun the first day of the iRacing Indy 500. I won't be racing until tomorrow. Car is excellent, practiced a lot, ready to go.
If you want to catch the Top Split Broadcast (yes, they broadcast these things) it is hear
Qualifying for me did not go well as I basically did the iRacing version of duct taping all of the openings and filling the car with boost.
I will have a writeup of my race once I finish it.


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Here's a story about Albany cops issuing special stickers to immunize their families and friends from parking tickets. Another example of abuse of power, which costs a strapped city a lot of money, and creates a privileged class of mostly non-residents. As did the Long Island Railroad abusers and their apologists, many commentators on this story downplayed the impact of what the cops here did, and emphasized that they risk their lives every day on their jobs. When I lived in NYC and couldn't even walk on the sidewalk in front of my local precinct because all the personal cars of the cops who worked there were parked on it, I resented their privilege but, even more so, their hypocrisy. If anyone should obey the law, it's those who enforce it. Same for the Albany cops. Extending their personal abuse to family and friends makes it even worse.
Here's a TU update, showing that, if you were on a special list, you didn't even need to have a sticker to get free parking in downtown Albany. I hope the city holds the beneficiaries and perpetrators of this scheme financially responsible for its losses. If not, those who received and paid tickets should sue.


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Caragh M. O'Brien, author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS, both from Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press, visited Amity Regional High School on October 29th. Ms. O'Brien offered students enrolled in Amity's Creative Writing classes an inside look at what motivates authors to write, and explained the ins and outs of the fiction-writing process. Using examples from her own fascinating journey, she helped students understand what goes into a well-constructed story, and then thrilled the audience by reading a section of her own work.
O'Brien then led students through a series of writing exercises, focusing and sensory details, after which students shared their writing. Students' reaction was extremely enthusiastic.
The event was hosted by the Amity High School Library and made possible by the generosity of the Jamie A. Hulley Arts Foundation.


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TORONTO, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index opened higher on Monday, boosted by energy stocks as crude prices rose on concerns about output from Libya.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 42.41 points, or 0.29 percent, at 14,651.66 shortly after the open. (Reporting by Allison Martell)


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[Pipa] Jiang Ting (蒋婷) - Voice Of The Pipa (琵琶之声) (2003) [FLAC]
Posted by Trung Tue on Jun 30, 2009 with 0 Comments
Tags: Instrumentals , Jiang Ting (蒋婷) , Pipa (琵琶)
Jiang Ting - Voice Of The Pipa
Tưởng Đình (蒋婷) - Tỳ Bà Chi Thanh (琵琶之声)
| FLAC (Tracks) | 188 MB | Pipa/Instrumental | 2003 |
Voice Of The Pipa is Jiang Ting`s first recording outside of China, where her debut was released in the late 1990`s. The project was recorded in a small church, "Chiesa di S. Colombano" in the mountains outside the beautiful city of Lucca, in the Toscana region of Italia.
Jiang Ting was born in Inner Mongolia in the beginning of the 1970`s. Her Pipa studies commenced when she was seven years old, her first teacher being her mother. In 1996 she won first prize in the national Pipa performance contest, receiving her Conservatory graduation certificate in 1997. Since July 1997, Jiang Ting been living in Japan where she has performed with orchestras, on television and continues to concertise throughout the country.
专辑中文名: 琵琶之声
专辑英文名: Voice Of The Pipa
艺术家: 蒋婷
出版发行:MA Recordings
发行时间: 2003年
1. 塞上曲 A Bride Beyond The Great Wall
2. 訴 Pleading {From Ballad Of Pipa}
3. 點 The Spirit Of Calligraphy
4. 想 Caprice
5. 霸王卸甲 The Last Hero's Ballad
6. 綠腰 Green Waist
BD | MG | Demo | Password: vnltue
© All my music resources are for promotional purposes and trial only. Please do not write these links at any web pages! I do not encourage the distribution/piracy of illegal music whatsoever. All of the provided content are copyrights to the rightfully holders. If you enjoy the CDs posted, please BUY ORIGINAL CD to support the artists!
Tools - Foobar2000 - EZ CD Audio Converter - CUETools - WinRAR 5 - Faasoft
Tools - Foobar2000 - EZ CD Audio Converter - CUETools - WinRAR 5 - Faasoft


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What have I been up to since January? A number of things have kept me super busy for the last half year, here are some of them below!
Las Vegas Mini Maker Faire!
We held a Mini Maker Faire on the 2nd February on a gorgeous sunny day! I had an amazing time volunteering and helping the main organiser Pawel.
An amazing day of makers, adults, kids, robots and circus performers, check out the video below for a great summary of the day.
We opened SYN Shop the hackerspace!
After 2 years of careful planning and patience, we threw open the doors of SYN Shop in February. An incredible amount of work went into making this happen. Thank you to Downtown Project for generously supporting us as we get out feet off the ground. Our hackerspace boasts some great tools that our monthly membership offers you access to. SYN Shop also has a community led education series, with many classes each month. You can learn to solder, use a sewing machine, lasercut, 3d print or 3d model just to name a few classes that have already happened.
Thanks to http://clclt.com/ for the photos below:
For more information, visit http://synshop.org and also watch the first episode of SYN Shop Talk (featuring yours truly) for a tour of the space and an interview with two of our members:
I attended Maker Faire Bay Area!
This is one of the 'official' Maker Faire events put on by Make every year. It was my first time visiting the Bay Area, and I had a blast!
I got to see Brook Drumm in the flesh, the inventor of my Printrbot Jr:
In the second episode of SYN Shop Talk below, you can skip to 1:25 to see our summary of the weekend!
We also got to visit Noisebridge, a hackerspace in San Francisco. So cool!
Downtown Podcast fun
Pawel and I made a sign for the Downtown Podcast, using the awesome tools and materials from SYN Shop! We used the lasercutter, soldering tools and some danger room woodworking tools to produce the final, LED lit sign.
Here is a work in progress shot, after I had given it the final coat of varnish and sanded the edges to look all nice:
and here is the final result:
and the happy new owners, Dylan and Adam:
We got to present it on the show which was rather fun!
I'm also pleased to announce that I'm the new co-host of the Downtown Podcast, which has been a lovely opportunity for me. Not to mention fun:
Nodebots Day!
Pawel, Bill and I ran the Las Vegas chapter of World Nodebots Day on July 27th. It was a tonne of fun!
A nodebot is a robot that you can control via javascript using node.js
I made the following "Kittynator" bot below:
And the proud hackers at the end of the day:
As as expected, I've been playing around with my Printrbot Jr whenever I've been able to find the time. More on this soon!
I have been enormously fortunate this year so far, and look forward to what the rest of the year holds for me here in Las Vegas.


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The Junia Project editorial team agreed completely with Rob Dixon's thoughts on the use of gender-based humor in the pulpit.
But to be honest, we weren't sure how readers would react. Would people see this as an overreaction? Being too sensitive? Making a bigger deal out of something than we needed to? Those questions were decisively answered within hours of publishing 5 Reasons Not to Use Gender-Based Jokes in the Pulpit.
The 100+ comments showed that most people have negative reactions to this kind of humor. Aside from many simple affirmations like "Is this something that needs to be said?!" and "I can't believe anyone in a pulpit would be that clueless", readers shared insights and examples that showed how widespread this problem is. Interestingly, many of the comments came from men.
We came away with four new insights from the discussion that I'll share a little further down. But before we get there here are a few "must read" comments, especially if you are someone who ever picks up a microphone on any kind of platform:
"I find it extremely distracting."
"I basically left a church because he wouldn't stop doing this!"
"I can't listen to anything else after."
"I can think of one more: Gender-based jokes are dehumanizing."
"'They're inherently sexist' isn't enough?"
"It leads me right out the door. I feel the same with any sort of ethnic "humor." There is no place for any of it, but I am glad if a pastor is relaxed enough to show his true colors so I can leave early."
"I have been in many services where I spent thirty minutes reeling from the sting of some painful joke at the expense of women."
"Sexism costs: 1) Giving my non-Christian wife a reason to ignore the sermon. 2) Belittling my marriage struggles with cheap "happy wife" lines. 3) Forcing me to reject community by making every men's event about violence. 4) Reminding me of the dismissal of my wife and daughters giftings…"
"Most pastors would never think of making racial jokes in the pulpit. Gender jokes should be just as obviously off limits. I don't like it anymore if the joke is on men, just for the record…"
"I've heard more gender stereotype jokes aimed at men (by men). Though they may have been intended to come across as self-deprecating, it can be used as an excuse to disengage from their families. "I'm just a man. That's my wife's thing." Thus raising children and running a household isn't a man's responsibility. And the jokes give other men the perfect excuse to opt out, too."
"I am equally frustrated with the big dumb buffoon male trope as I am with the ditzy female or poor overworked wife/mother trope. Let's cut out all 'humour' that reduces people to one characteristic. It's not just insulting; it's a disastrous dismissal of the complexity of humans created in God's image."
"When I realize that all a "preacher" is doing is a standup routine, I'm out the door."
"…I remember getting really upset during the sermon one day because the male youth pastor described someone being weak, as, "He was acting like a little girl!" It got big laughs, but as a woman sitting there next to my strong but impressionable middle school girls, I was offended and angry."
"How am I supposed to take seriously the advice of someone who thinks I must care only about shopping and my husband about sports, when we don't fit the stereotypes?"
"May I add Point 6? It reinforces an "us vs. them" mentality between men and women…Preachers talk constantly about the need for spouses to respect each other. Well then, stop pitting us against each other!"
"I know many preachers who make jokes about marriage think they are being cute or clever or amusing their audience, but these days, with over 50% of the adult American population being single…the marriage jokes only make singles feel more excluded and marginalized than we already are."
"This is one of the main reasons that I stopped attending my previous church. As a single professional woman in my 30s I couldn't take any more of the "let's celebrate all the things women do around the house" portrayal of women [and] Duck Dynasty-based quotes about 'real men grow beards'."
"I've been in church when the pastor decided to joke about 'ditzy blonde women'. All I could think about is how many of those women would not be back the next Sunday."
Here are four things we learned from your comments:
1) Don't assume people approve of gender-based jokes just because they laugh. It can be a natural response to an awkward situation.
2) People really do leave churches because of sexist behavior like gender-based jokes and illustrations.
3) Gender-based jokes are offensive to both men and women; to marrieds and to singles.
4) People find gender-based humor more distracting or offensive than engaging.
Within days Rob's post became the 5th most viewed post EVER on our blog.
This suggests a serious disconnect between leadership and "those in the pews". There is a reason this kind of thing doesn't sit well with us – it goes against God's ideal of an equal partnership between men and women established at creation.
This reader summed it up well:
Preachers and church leaders are in positions of power. They need to be humble and sensitive in their leadership. We get plenty of sexism in the world. Church, kindly leave it at the door!"
It seems that people often go along with sexist practices in the church even when they don't agree with those practices. Why is that?
YOUR TURN: How can we encourage pastors to reconsider their use of humor based on gender-stereotypes?
Related posts
What It Says (Rob's reflections on the tremendous response to his post.)
5 Ways to Avoid Undermining Your Theology of Gender
5 Things I Wish Male Egalitarian Pastors Would Do
More Things We Wish Male Egalitarian Pastors Would Do
So God Created Man: Battling Gender Microaggressions
Image Credit: iStock.com
- Did Jesus Spend Most of His Time with Just 12 Men? - March 28, 2018
- The Women Who Stood Near the Cross - April 14, 2017
- Resources for Women Preachers - March 14, 2017