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Saturday, 20 August 2011

Saturday 20th August 2011

Good Morning each,
After two days of far less bother from the moving pains, they have returned this morning with a vengeance. The painful involuntary intakes of breathe as well. Sod it!
I went over yesterday to see pal Stewart, and his helper Margaret from across the road, he has just had new windows fitted, very nice too! So they posed in front of the front windows for the photo.

You can just see the dressing on Margaret's leg? This was caused by a red ant having a bite of her when she was in the garden... weeks ago now. The poison is taking ages to clear up for her. If the ant knew who she was and what kind of person she is, it would not have attacked her.
Steward now has thousands of music tracks of 50's 60's and 70's music stored on various devices.

The 'Fat Black Cuddly Cat' is pictured giving that innocent 'Where's my food look!"

I'm not feeling so good today, but will try to get out for a walk later. Might have a go at Yahoo Answers for a bit with my cuppa...

Take care all!

Monday, 15 August 2011

Monday 15th August 2011

I'd like to record my appreciation and thanks to the owners and staff of Carrington Pharmacy, on Mansfield Road.

When I was released from the Cardiac Unit, and finding it painful and difficult to get about, Mr Bilakhia, without any prompting or requests, brought my medications to my door!
Also, with the constant changes to my prescriptions it would have drove a lesser man mad - but he and his staff remained calm and considerate, and continue to be so today.
always a smile of greeting when I go in, and I find it reassuring in this day and age.

A great Thank You to them all!

Wednesday, 10 August 2011

Wednesday 10th August 2011

Better night all round (Tue).  Took extra painkillers again. But pains started again on getting up, and were intermittently very sharp until approx 1600hrs, when they eased a little.

Walked to City Hospital Rehab for 1000hrs. Spoke with nurse about concerns over pains continuing.
She listened properly, then said she'd speak with Cardiac Surgeon Mr Jutley about some more effective painkillers, and then get back to me.
I walked part way to town. Purchased some 3 for a fiver DVD's, old 'A-Team' stuff, (well I like it when the goodies win!), and some 2 for a quid deodorants from Pound Shop.
Walked home, well tired out when I got in. Had cuppa, made food, and fell asleep.

The nurse from rehab rang, she'd contacted Surgeon who said he was happy to allow stronger pain killers as a one off - she then rang my Doctor who said no, because I'm on Warfarin. Together they decided I'd start at the Gym next Wednesday, exercising.

Put on DVD and fell asleep again.

Woke  after an hour or so, cuppa, medications, and did this blog. Still feeling tired, and the 'moving' pains are coming back yet again, left shoulder, neck, under left arm, and sternum.

Thought of the Day:
"These cruel, plundering, vicious, nasty rioters, are the policemen, doctors, teachers, and politicians of the future!"

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

Monday 8th August 2011

Less pains while trying to sleep; but they started again when I got up.
Going to answer Lynda's emails (American Cyber-friend), then have wash shave and change, then go to meet Janet and Pete, who said they would lift me home with shopping if I met them at Morrisions.
Can't believe I'm still hurting when I try to carry lift or stretch, after all this time.
I'm having to split the laundry into two bags, and that weight is my limit, before the pains start again. Very frustrating.
Pains in chest and underarm far worse today than ever before. I'm getting a bit bothered by this, and will mention it to Rehab tomorrow and Nurse on Friday. Most uncomfortable.

Sunday, 7 August 2011

Sunday 7th August 2011

A better night, only a few pains!! Sleep seemed better, and I can remember contents of a dream; Pathway, River, boat, drowning, friends, and old colleagues from the 60's?
Toileted, made a cuppa, took medications, and did this bit of the blog.
Had a go on Yahoo Answers, and put some stuff on The Spoof site.
Overcast and a bit nippy this morning.
Must get ready for my daily walk in a bit. The I can call at the Chemist's for prescriptions on the way back.
Heard about the riots in London on the radio, so sickening.

Saturday, 6 August 2011

Saturday 6th August 2011

Morning each,
A bit better night last night for pains, but very little sleep again. Must be glad of small improvement though. This morning the pain is less than it has been for two days! Even if a temporary relief, a welcome one.
I walked to and around the City this morning, and took these photo's to send to my Cyber-friend Lynda in America.
Two gals collecting for Animal Rescue - bless them!

Near deserted beach! No sunshine you see?

Very few people about yet?

CPO Ash, gladly posed for me!

CPO Linda also posing in front of the fair for me!
Got home, made a cuppa, had some nosh, and fell asleep for a whole 15 minutes!

Friday, 5 August 2011

Friday 5th August 2011

0455hrs: Another bad night I'm afraid, chest pains bad, very little sleep. Awoke, and yawned and stretched - that was a mistake, the pains increased and have stayed that way from 0330hrs to now.(0500hrs) They are the worst pains since they started. Painful involuntary intakes of breath all night, have remained also.
Took extra painkillers with AM medications, will call at Dr's later, to make appointment... again!
Feeling very tried and weak again.
So frustrating that two cardiac specialists, the rehab nurses, and the Doctor cannot relieve the pain, and even more puzzling, they do not know what is causing them!
1655hrs: Went to doctors, then chemist. Must remember appointments this coming week; Monday, Chemist prescriptions (after 1500hrs) - Tuesday, Meet Janet and Pete at Morrisons (1000hrs) - Wednesday: Rehab City Hospital Gym (1000hrs) - Friday, doctors and nurse 0845hrs, take urine sample, do not eat and drink only water after 2000hrs night before) I think there was something else on Monday, but can't remember... senility eh?
The walk into town was a bit painful, chest pains persisted, pain on left knee joint came on suddenly, I thought I'd have to abandon the walk, but it went away after about 5 minutes? Then, ten minutes or so later, I got sharp pains in left ankle that went off after a few minutes? Am I disintegrating?
I got yet another saucepan for me to burn, from the 99p shop, and some Frazzle type snacks. If the Queen knew how I lived, she wouldn't half be jealous!)
Got home, pains still niggling away.
Had nosh, fell asleep, had a bath and shave, had a cuppa and updated this blog.

Thursday, 4 August 2011

4th August 2011

A terrible night I'm afraid, pains in the chest, neck, and now throat area persistent last night. Sharp involuntary painful sharp intakes of breath, and dizzy spells.
So no walking for me today. Took extra painkillers with other medications this morning.
So very weary, and tired feeling. Pains have continued as in the night, not good that.
Thought of the Day:

How have my generation developed so much villainousnesses, vindictivenesses and
vociferousnesses in abundance, and yet consider this as normal?

Wednesday, 3 August 2011

3rd August 2011

Replied to email from Lynda in America.

Walked to City Cardiac Unit for lecture on Rehabilitation exercises. (with already aching legs, and a corn coming on now).
Very tired now.

Tuesday, 2 August 2011

2nd August 2011

Better night all round, I think the long walk yesterday helped me to sleep a bit better. Chest/shoulder/neck pains far less severe. (this has happened before of course, then they return with a vengeance).
Two appointments today at QMC, 1030hrs Anticoagulation Clinic, then to the Nations Cardiac Unit for tests and assessment. Last Tuesday it took me an hour and a half to walk there, so that's my target today.
Will now make list of things I want to ask at Cardiac. Will update later if I do not fall asleep.
Hope everyone reading this is okay, and thanks.
At the Anticoagulation Clinic my INR level was spot on for the first time!
At the Cardiac Unit, they could not tell me why I am suffering the chest/neck/shoulder/throat pains! Great!
Got home (bus half way, walked the rest, oh by the way, I walked to the QMC in 84 minutes, a record!) then the City Hospital Rehab called, they want to see me tomorrow at 1000hrs.
Burnt another saucepan, huh!


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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Election Tampering! MAYBE!

Elections can get ugly and in the last election it was apparently especially ugly. With constant amount of evidence showing that people in many ridings were called to lie about a polling station change. If it can be proven that enough people were disenfranchised from voting in a riding there can be by-election. Now I can't say that all the allegations are true, because I always maintain the "innocent till proven guilty" approach, but I think that if it can be proven and if enough By elections are held it can be possible that the Conservatives will lose seats.

there are enough ridings that it could be possible (important word possible) that the Conservatives if by-elections are called could lose the 12 or more seats which would mean Harper would lose his majority. Now this is very out there and I won't hold my breath for this to happen, but even with the odds very low I still think it is entirely possible that Harper could lose some seats.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Spending Billions On........

Peter Mckay affirmed that his government will buy the F-35 fighter jets. Peter Mckay stated that his government won't spend a penny more then they are suppose to. We are of course suppose to trust this, even though the cost of the fighter jets went from 18 billion to 30 billion (a 12 billion dollar difference, Hey that enough money to completely fund a national child care program). But my favorite line of his speech is this one.

"And we will give our air men and women the best available aircraft, which I believe is the fifth-generation, F-35 Lightning II."
And to that I show this video of Rick Mercer explaining the falsehood of that statement.

 So we are wasting 30 billion on these fighter jets when we could be using the money to actually make the Canadian economy stronger, our health care system better, tuition fees lower!

Read more here

Friday, February 24, 2012

Republicans No Fiscal Conservatives

According to the independent committee for responsible federal budget most Republican candidates aren't at all fiscally responsible. In fact 3 out of the 4 Republicans would increase the debt over the next ten years.

The worst on the budget is Newt Gingrich according to the report he would increase the debt by 7 trillion in nine years and make the Debt to GDP ratio 114%. Rick Santorum wins second place on the worst fiscal conservative by adding 4 trillion to the debt in nine years bringing the Debt to GDP to 104%. Mitt Romney had some credibility, because his old plan would have increase the debt by only 250 billion in nine years, that on average 28 billion a year. that way below the current projection of a 500-600 billion dollar deficit per year, but most recently if you add Romney new tax plan he just talked about a few days ago he would add 2.5 trillion to the debt in nine years. He's kind of like Harper promise a small deficit first then show up with a bigger deficit. But the best plan (at least for the deficit) would be Ron Paul his plan according to the study would reduce 2.2 trillion in debt over 9 years. The only problem, rather one of the problems with Ron Paul's plan is the fact that in the process of eliminating a bunch of government agencies and some economist say eliminate up to 1.5 million jobs in the process. All of these Republicans would cut spending on essential programs for the poor and the elderly and all of them would then take that money and reduce taxes on the rich who don't need anymore money and some to the middle class. Even with small tax cuts for the middle class they would still be worse off, because a lot of the agencies that help them would be cut harsh like Medicare or even be completely dismantled.

Mitt, Rick and Newt are lying when they call themselves fiscally responsible, and Ron although would cut defense his other policies would take the U.S back into recession. In fact all these candidates would put the middle class and the poor back into recession.

Read More Here

Thursday, February 23, 2012

What A Surprise!!

The Conservatives never seem to stop amazing me on how much hypocrisy is in their government. When the gun registry was being battled in the house of commons one of the main arguments was that the gun registry was inefficient and was a waste of money. Considering the gun registry only cost 2 million dollars (about the same amount of money as that fake lake) this argument doesn't hold water. But Vic Toes is proposing 80 million dollars of money to go towards surveying what we do on the internet.

C-30, a bill to update Canadian law when it comes to crimes committed online, will cost $20 million a year for the first four years and $6.7 million a year after that, Public Safety Canada told the CBC's Hannah Thibedeau on Wednesday.
So let me get this straight a gun registry which police have said helps them against crime that cost 2 million is wasteful, but a 80 million dollar program with a 6.7 million dollar running cost to spy on us is just fine. The Conservatives are continuing to show that they aren't smart on crime!

Monday, February 20, 2012

R is for Romney and Rick Santorum

Romney released his tax returns only to show us that he makes a lot of money and is taxed at a rate 15.4% the lowest rate is 15%! Now this was of no surprise to some. It only show the enormous amount of money the U.S  could be getting to reduce the deficit if they actually taxed the rich at the current low rate it is. Because to pay the same tax rate as a guy earning minimum wage is absurd. Rick Santorum who has recently came on his white horse to apparently "save" the Republican party and trys to show himself as the guy who is most like you is also a millionaire. Nothing wrong with that except the fact that he pays at most 28.5% of his income to taxes. The current rate for the rick which Santorum is should be paying 35%. Now I don't blame these men for using the loopholes at their disposal to pay as little income tax as possible. I blame our government and the organization who lobby the U.S government into making the tax rate what it is now with all the loopholes. Now I get that there are tax reduction, but sometimes the rich have got to pay taxes.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

And So Goes the Base!

Romney in 2008 had one very strong allies. That ally was his home state called Michigan he won it by 9%. Granted it wasn't a complete landslide, but it was one of the only states he did win. Which means that in a race where Romney is the front runner one would assume Michigan would be in the solid block of Romney support. But with new polls showing Santorum  with a 9 point lead and with recent events of other solid Romney states (from 2008) like Minnesota and Colorado going for Santorum. I think Romney is shaking in his boots. So it seems Romney's base has left him. Romney up till now I believed was always the front runner. Even after he lost South Carolina then Minnesota and Colorado. At this moment I think Romney is no longer the front runner at all.

Why Now?
well first until after a little while it seemed Romney won Iowa, but when Rick Santorum ended up winning it meant little to nothing, because Santorum was doing bad in all the other states. When Gingrich won South Carolina and was at the time poised to win Florida, I still believed Romney was the front runner, because first South Carolina and the south has never really been Romney's friend and more importantly even if Gingrich won Florida the next few states at that time were apparently solid for Romney. Now Romney isn't the Front Runner, because he is losing states he won in 2008 and I would consider his base.Romney is no longer the front runner. At this moment He is the strong second. If I learned anything in this primary season nothing is carved in stone.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Heck Trudeau Your Right!

I think people are over doing this statement. First of all speaking as someone from Quebec, we are much more left wing then most provinces, and when Trudeau made the comment that he would think more about a independent Quebec if Canada becomes Harper's Canada is quite frankly for me when I first heard it funny. In Quebec we aren't as right wing as Harper in fact we are very anti Harper, there is no doubt about that. So to say you would be open to an independent left wing Quebec rather than Harper was for me funny.

"I always say that if ever I believed Canada was really Stephen Harper's Canada — that we were heading against abortion, against gay marriage, that we were going backwards 10,000 different ways — maybe I would think about wanting to make Quebec a country."
 I didn't think of it as scandalous at all I found its funny! It's obviously not true that Trudeau wants to separate and nor do I want to separate, but it shows the level of hatred many Progressives have to Harper's policy. I think it's a joke and for the media to pester him about this. I mean really! their making a mountain out of an ant hill.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Our Record!

In Canada thanks to Stephen Harper we are again discredited to the world. Since budget cuts to scientific research on the ozone many scientist in the U.S are saying that this will jeopardize Ozone research.

"It's unthinkable that data collection is beginning to shut down in this vast country."Anne Thompson, a professor of meteorology at Penn State University, said in a release
They point out Canada has been a world leader in keeping an eye on the ozone layer.
 The key word in this sentence is "has." Canada Has Been A World Leader on climate change. Canada Has Been A World Leader on Research, Canada Has Been A World Leader on Statistics, Canada Has Been A World Leader on many things, but under Harper our legacy is quickly being tarnished. Throwout the world our country is losing it's stance.We must change this.

Read More Here

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Long RUN!

Well Romney, Rick , Gingrich and Paul congratulations you have now become Obama-Hillary. AT least I think so. I think this is going to go much further than super Tuesday. Why

1. States that I though were safe for Mitt were not.After Florida I thought it would have been a clear path for Mitt, but when states like Colorado and Minnesota, which voted for Romney outstandingly in 2008 start to vote for Rick Santorum I think this race could take a while.

2. In 2008 after super Tuesday McCain was so far ahead there was no way he was going to lose. In this primary although still relatively early I think the states in the (united states) are going to split. Even on super Tuesday.

3. No one is leaving. Gingrinch looks like he wants to go all the way, Romney the front-runner (at least I think for now), Santorum is on an upswing and Paul in 2008 stayed in the race even after McCain secured the nomination.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Maine Votes and I have No IDEA!

Today Maine votes for which candidate they want to run against Obama. Now I would try and guess where these states would Go, but There aren't any recent polls. The last poll was in October (which is a lifetime ago) it still has Bachman , Perry, John Huntsman and Herman Cain!

The leader in the last poll was Hermain Cain with 29% Romney in second with 24%. So that's no help. I tried to look at the 2008 results. Romney won 52% McCain in second way down at 20%. So one might say okay Romney won, but with Colorado in 2008 a state that voted for Romney with 60% then just some days ago vote for Santorum puts a lot of doubt in predicting Romney a win.

But here is one thing I will predict. In all the contest so far in this race Ron Paul got a stronger share of the vote then he did in 2008. That means that since in 2008 Ron got 18% it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say he would get higher then that. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if Ron get's a strong second or even wins the state. Then again I can't back this up with anything due to the lack of information.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Tax Sugar!

Some U.S researchers are calling Sugar a toxic substance that needs to be taxed. Now I am all for taxing sugar  as well as soda drinks and then putting that money either at reducing the deficit or putting into Health Care. I don't like saying that sugar is toxic. Everything CAN BE TOXIC in a certain concentration. Paracelsus stated "the dose makes the poison." So all substances can be toxic if you have too much, but we tax substances like Alcohol and tobacco, because the government has to then provide the money for the health problems they have later . I think that since sugar is linked to obesity and a lot of money is put into providing health care for people who are obese it would only make sense to tax this substance to pay for the amount of money is needed to provide health care for them. Rather then continuing to allow the straining of our health care system .Now I don't think that people should just be taxed without being given an alternative. Like a carbon tax taxing companies we should also provide clean renewable energy for them to shift to. More local farming and and reduce the amount of sugar in food are alternatives our government must look into. We need a food revolution to make healthy food the economical choice for families. We need to always try and make good healthy food less expensive so that if people who want to buy healthy food can always.

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Thursday, February 21, 2008

This sentence from Faust leaps out to me as something which should be the subject of a painting:

Faust mit dem Pudel hereintretend

Any takers? Or, better yet, has anyone painted Faust with a dog?

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Goethe's Faust

I am trying to read it.

In German.

There are some strong reasons for this, some of which will emerge around here in the near future, barring unforeseen circumstances. However, letting you, that guy in Pennsylvania who keeps looking for more Doderer entries, know about that little bit of information will only serve to highlight the absurdity of my current predicament, which is:

Taking into account my current comprehension of the German language, I have roughly calculated (linearly, as I do not know the curve at which my learning German through reading Faust will quicken my reading of Faust) that it will take me 77 hours to read the entire first part of Faust.

So there.

Right now, I’m into the Prolog im Himmel, in other words, barely on my way to hell and back again. And in order to get back to the Demons, I must make a trip with Mephistopheles!

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Reviewing the Reviewer

I am reluctant to admit this, but I listen to classical music as a teenager listens to pop. When something grips me, I listen to it over and over again until there is nothing left to enjoy, until it is drained of meaning to me. I then slip the corpse back into its jewel case and look for my next fix, and, god bless the enormity of the classical music recording industry, there's always a next fix!

The music I'm stuck fast to right now is the recording of Claudio Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Le Concert d’Astrée and Emmanuelle Haïm. Forsaking the light clear voices of an early-music specialist, she gambles on little-known Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón to sing the role as narrator. Villazón, I am told, is a singer of 19th Century opera, and occasionally appears with other little-known opera performers to, I am told, no small acclaim.

In all seriousness, signing Villazón was indeed a gamble, but not because his glorious caramel tenor isn't up to the task of singing the music, but that his voice isn't meant to be used to sing this music, an opinion derived largely from the performance practice movement. And so here is where the title of this post appears relevant, and I dust off my Foucault doll and do a bit of, uh, discourse analysis.

There's a review of this recording that so completely reflects this state of affairs that it almost seems as though he'd written it just so that I could use it as an example in a blog post. Anyway, here's the review. Go read it and come back here.

Back? OK. It's a good review, I will now offer the disclaimer that I am not really here to criticize the reviewer, the composer Robert Hugill. I am really and truly interested in what he says and trying to suss out why he says it, the logical space he's operating in, because Haïm's decision to use opera singers who sing 19th Century opera to sing 16th Century music is a trangressive act in our musical culture

Hugill sets this very fact out right at the start. He writes:

Emmanuelle Haim seems to have a penchant for working with singers who are not necessarily known for their work in the period performance field. The title role in her recording of Monteverdi’s Orfeo was Ian Bostridge, who is not a singer primarily associated with Monteverdi.

So, like any good writer, Hugill is using a bit of foreshadowing to lay out his main concern with Villazón's singing. He writes:

Villazon is known for his expertise in 19th and early 20th century Italian opera, but his beautiful voice is obviously responsive to other styles and genres. But only to a certain extent... he is only following what are probably the core elements of his grounding in 19th century performance practice. When his voice rises to its upper levels he opens it out in a manner which is entirely foreign to 17th century music. (my italics)

So the concern here is that Villazón's singing is out of joint with the time the music was written. My question is - who cares? As Hugill himself writes, "He has taken on board elements of the style and ornamentation required and his performance is, in some ways, astonishing."

Indeed, the recording is astonishing, and the one place where I really take issue with his review is his criticism of Villazón's word painting. Villazón, at least to my ear, very much brings out Monteverdi's subtle shifts in mood throughout the piece. Indeed, it is Villazón's range, a range of colour and expressiveness that exceeds that of many early music specialists, which makes this recording a triumph.

The tension in Hugill's review is there - the basis upon which he criticizes the performance is not on musical grounds for the most part, but for its failure to adhere to the historical limits placed upon music of this time by the performance practice movement. Hugill himself sums his review thusly:

You get to hear how one of the 21st century’s loveliest voices sounds in this music, providing you can get beyond the vexed issue of performance style.

He knows that this is a major issue, and like any good reviewer, he addresses it, he pays homage to the space our talk about this kind of music works in, even though I bet that he himself really enjoyed the recording, nearly despite the critical infrastructure one is laden with when it comes to music of this period.

My point? That this recording is precisely why the performance practice movement fails to address some of the more basic aesthetic issues surrounding music, by placing historical authenticity, or the archaeological work on our recent culture, the letters and scores and original instruments, the material of history, on a higher pedestal than the quality and emotional immediacy of a work in performance. Or, things before people.

And I must admit here that I've done the same thing as they, just in the opposite direction.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Reviews Well Past the Deadline: Have You Ever Been In Love With A 39 Pound Midget?

When one has nothing recent to talk about, there's always the past...

Last summer, I had an opportunity to catch Soulpepper's production of William Saroyan's The Time of Your Life.

Set in a honky tonk bar on the eve of American involvement in the Second World War, the play meditates on that wonderfully sophisticated popular culture that emerged between the two world wars.

The main character Joe, appears wealthy, and drinks champagne all day, but he doesn't really do much, except guide others along in their lives. A Socratic figure, he espouses a philosophy of not having a philosophy, beyond being kind to others, but in that kindness he attempts to help others recover things they've lost. He is the midwife to the dreams of the many characters who populate the play.

There is an elegaic quality to the work, not merely because of the coming war, but because, the popular culture it depicts and celebrates is, for the most part, snuffed out by the war.

You could see all these strains of American self-consciousness in it – the exuberance, the sad reality of the capitalist dream. However, what made it great was what popular culture was in the play, a attitude towards culture which I do not believe exists in America anymore, or Canada for that matter. But I'm not going to get into that because it will just get me in trouble!

For example, one of the background characters is a poor man who happens to play the piano really well, and he does so for nearly the entire play. There's also a comedian who is not at all funny, but who happens to be able to dance very well.

You see in these characters the inheritance of the whole Vaudeville tradition, as well as a sign of the importance of jazz in American culture at the time. You see it here, just before the war, as it's about to die as the major popular art form in America, where sophistication was still valued over sentimentality, or if nothing else, they could co-exist. After the war, with the rise of rock and roll, this kind of co-existence pretty much disappeared, as popular music came to define itself increasingly against "serious" classical music or jazz.

Saroyan's play unselfconciously captures a slice of history that seems very foreign to us these days in those interwar years of cultural ecumenism and political extremism. That alone made the play well worth seeing.

Sadly, when I went to see this gem, there were tons of seats still available, which was too bad, as I I suspect one of the reasons for the lacklustre attendance was that there were no well known Canadian TV personalities performing. Ah well.


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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

S&P500 must get above 1333 soon!

In the past 2 weeks S&P500 has formed a bullish pennant. I'm looking for violent moves in coming days. We spend enough time to consolidate, now is the time to get the big move. If big institutions want to squeeze the shorts they must send the S&P above 1333. If S&P gets above 1333 to me it would be the conformation of the bullish set up, but if S&P500 closes below 1319 it would be very bearish. In the case of up trend channel violation you should go to the sideline. Note as long as S&P stays in yellow channel bulls have the upper hand. I'm a bull as long as the yellow channel is intact. If S&P drops below 1304 I will go short.


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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Key Ingredients

With every expansion and patch release with large AH effects there's going to be a different set of professions that work extremely well together. I don't mean in the old school meaning of leather working and skinning work together to craft "free" gear. I refer to the large amount of synergy that you can get just by having access to certain professions to both cut down on material costs and greatly increase the amount of markets you can work with. To really set up a large empire on the AH you'll need at least one of these listed pairs on your own toons, but the more you have the faster you can hit the gold cap.

Today I'll be covering what I feel are the most potent profession combinations to have as your disposal. Each section I will go over what will work well weather you're a millionaire, just starting out, or somewhere in between. Just remember that the more gold you have the more you can make and, as always, YMMV.

Jewel crafting + Alchemy
Taking care of what is in my opinion the best profession combo first. When certain rare gems are high in price you have the option to xmute anything that you need. Then there's the obvious meta gem xmutes which sell great raw as they do cut. The meta xmutes gives you another option to move all of the common gems you get from prospecting. With JC you can sell the appropriate common gems and xmute meta gems to stokpile for when they're good to sell while making some extra cash from cut rare gems.

Key Abilities:
- Transmute shadowspirit diamond
- Prospecting
- Rare gem transmutes

Jewel crafting + Enchanting
This one is fairly simple, but no less potent. You don't have to cut gems to make a profit from JC as you can use it to fuel your enchanting markets. You use your JC to craft a ton of leveling gear and use your enchanter to DE it into raw materials. The materials can then be sold as is or you can get into the scrolls. Personally I have good luck flipping GCE's late at night because they tend to spike up 20-30g then before they go back down to the normal price range. Using 3x carnelian to make the spikes to DE into GCE's can save you up to 20g per essence that you use on a scroll. Needless to say this is a HUGE advantage over somebody that doesn't have this capability available.

Key Abilities:
- Disenchant
- Carnelian spikes
- Assorted crafted greens

Blacksmithing/Engineering + Mining
This is the only crafting/gathering combo you'll see in this list, and as you'd expect, it's not because you can farm the materials on a single toon. It's because the ability to smelt your own bars is a very potent and very underestimated method of cutting material costs. On my server bars sell for 6-8g each while the ore sells for 2-3g each which means that if you can AFK smelt a bunch of ore you are only paying 4-6g per bar. With pvp gear needing upwards of 15 bars to craft that can save you up to 60 gold per piece.

Also this gives you the ability to play the material conversion game with the bars using any excess that you may come across when you're busy building a stokpile. You are doing that aren't you?

Key Abilities:
- Smelt Elementium
- Ebonsteel belt buckles
- Boe crafted gear

As for the professions by themselves, they all have their pros and cons. Alchemy, enggy, and smithing can make some gold here and there on their own, but nothing astounding. BS does well with the buckles and crafted gear while alchemy has to rely on it's CD which is rapidly going down in value. Meanwhile JC and enchanting are absolute powerhouses on making profits all by themselves, so suffice to say if you want to make it big you'll be needing them both.

The rate of sales for gems are just so insane this expansion. Being able to supply yourself with alchemy while turning your excess commons into mats for scrolls takes the synergy of those three professions on the AH to a much higher level than any other.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Letters To The Editor

by AVA News Service, January 10, 2013

I enjoyed Todd Walton's latest piece about Kerouac.

Here is my story:

Back in the late 70's I walked out of the screening of The Towering Inferno (because it was too boring) in Mexico City just after Faye Dunaway said to Paul Newman, “Oh Paul, I'd live with you anywhere, even on the cliffs of Mendocino.” At that point I was living on the cliffs of Mendocino. As I walked back to the Hotel Estadio I wondered if I was anywhere near Jack Kerauac's old rooftop apartment at 212 Orizaba Street? I looked up at the street sign and it was Orizaba! I looked again and saw I was right on the 200 block, in the biggest city (then) in the world! I walked up to the top floor and told the young woman resident that a famous writer had lived there, could I come in and see if there was any writing on the wall? She let me in to look around.

(Recently I came across a book on Kerauac that said he lived at 210 Orizaba, not 212! Well, it still is my best story, my best coincidence — I have six more but can only remember five.)

Paul Modic

Dear Editor:

The other shoe has fallen. In the August 8 issue of the AVA you published a letter of mine entitled “Theft is still theft some places.” In the letter I wrote about the Assistant to the City of Sacramento Mayor who is a member of a prominent local political family. An audit disclosed she charged about $9,000 for personal trips and various items including groceries on her city credit card. As a result the City Police and the County District Attorney started an investigation. She made full restitution but her checks bounced. I compared her situation with a former Mendo County supervisor who confused her personal expenses with county expenses and when caught with her hand in the cookie jar paid back only part of what she owed the county. Your district attorney didn't prosecute and didn't collect the unpaid balance.

The Sacramento City Police finished their investigation and on December 18 the Sacramento County District Attorney charged her with misappropriation of public funds, grand theft of public funds, forgery and making or drawing worthless checks. A warrant was issued and she was arrested and booked into the county jail. Our DA has no friends and regardless of who you are if you do the deed you do the time. It certainly appears your DA has different values.

In peace,

James G. Updegraff

Marshal Newman’s recent AVA article is a well written article on the history of grapes in Anderson Valley. I will offer some additional information from my memory having been in the industry all of my life. The National Distillers acreage was north of the Elementary School and the Museum. A couple purchased that property many years ago and continued to farm the grapes. They may have been French Colombard but probably Palomino (Golden Chasselas). In the 1990s they sold the grapes to Peju Winery in Rutherford. Our trucks hauled the grapes for many years from the vineyard to the winery. Peju made a moderately priced wine named Carnival. Somewhere around year 2000 we lost contact with the owners and possibly they removed or replaced the vines with more profitable and suitable varieties

I originally started to develop new vineyards on the Rickard ranch for a company from New York headed by Don Johnston. Johnston had planted a small vineyard just north of Cakebread the remains of which can still be scene .The Rickard property did have 10 acres of older vines that were divided between French Colombard or Palomino and Carrignane. The New York Company I worked for quickly ran out of money and I had no further involvement in the property after 1974

I am looking forward to part two of Newman’s Article.

Bob Dempel, Dempel Grapevine Nursery

Dear Anderson Valley Advertiser,

It is hard to express how much it meant to me that AV students and staff recently raised an astounding $1600 so slum kids in Kisumu, Kenya could have access to performing arts and soccer programs they would never see otherwise. Thank You!!! A super special shout out goes to the 9th Grade class and their incredible teacher Liz Gonzales, who pumped up the enthusiasm. Kathy Borst and Jim Snyder were key teacher leaders who got the effort going and teachers Amber Mesa and Nat Corey-Moran helped a lot too. In the office, Veronica Barragan kept track of donations large and small. For a big finish, Principal Jim Tomlin and several teachers provided pizzas for the participating classes at the Jr-Sr High. And my folks brought in cupcakes for the 9th grade class, which won top donation honors.

When I first came three years ago to Kisumu, which is on the Equator next to Lake Victoria, in Western Kenya, I never guessed how involved I would get here. I have learned so much in the process. For sure, the community in Kisumu could benefit a lot from the kind of trust and caring people show to one another in Anderson Valley and at our schools in particular.

The school donation to my charity Equip Manyatta put us over the top of the Global Giving Challenge we were participating in, which allows us to stay on their website and continue to raise money there for projects that will benefit the girls and boys of the Kisumu slums. I promise this money will be put to good use. Thanks So Much!

Keevan Labowitz

Dear Bill Kristol

I just sent this to Bill Kristol, the editor of the Weekly Standard magazine and one of the most influential advocates of our invasion of Iraq. He posted something this weekend about my post where I found an old quote from Chuck Hagel about how the Iraq War is all about the oil. I'll let you know when Bill gets back to me

Dear Bill,

Thanks for your post mentioning me! I didn't realize you visited my website so early on Saturday mornings. Man, I wish we had cleaned up after the party last night.

Anyway, I see you're mad that back in 2007 former Sen. Chuck Hagel said that we were obviously “fighting for oil” in Iraq. You explain this was “vulgar and disgusting” and “could be the straw that breaks the back of Hagel's chances” to be Obama's next Defense Secretary.

Since you feel so strongly about this, I wanted to make sure you heard about four other prominent people who've said the same thing. (I should have mentioned them yesterday with the Chuck Hagel stuff, I apologize.)

“I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.” — Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, in his 2007 memoir. (Greenspan then lamely tried to walk this back, when he found out just how politically inconvenient it was—while admitting a Bush White House official told him “unfortunately, we can't talk about oil.”)

“Of course we should go to war for oil. It's like saying, you're going to war just for oxygen, just for food. We need oil. That's a good reason to go to war.” — Ann Coulter, author, April 11, 2011.

“Of course it's about oil, it's very much about oil, and we can't really deny that. From the standpoint of a solider who's now fought in the middle east for six years — my son-in-law's fought there for four years, my daughter's been over there, my son has served the nation — my family has been fighting for a long time.” — Gen. John Abizaid, former commander of CENTCOM, October 13, 2007. (Watch Abizaid say this here.)

“We're not in the middle east to bring sweetness and light to the whole world. That's nonsense. We're in the middle east because we and our European friends and our European non-friends depend on something that comes from the middle east, namely oil.” — Midge Decter, author, May 21, 2004.

I like to think the best about people. I know all you're looking for is an open, honest debate about Chuck Hagel's qualifications — with absolutely no smears or bullying. And because you feel that way, I'm sure you'll want to update what you wrote about Hagel with these quotes, and explain that Alan Greenspan and Ann Coulter and John Abizaid and Midge Decter are vulgar and disgusting and far-left too.

Obviously you don't need any incentive to do the right thing. But let me know the second you add them all to that post, and I'll send $1000 to any charity of your choice.

Say hi to Fred “I Read the Iliad“ Barnes for me.

Michael Moore

Flint, Michigan/New York

PS. You probably meet a lot of people, so maybe you don't remember Midge Decter. You can look her up when she spoke at an event honoring your dad, signing the founding “Statement of Principles” of your organization Project for the New American Century, where you talked about how “so many of us” have followed “in Midge's footsteps”). Oh, by the way, you were on the 2004 radio program with her when she said the above quote. (Courtesy, Reader Supported News.)

I would like to say THANK YOU for all the moral support that was given to me by our friends and patrons. A big THANK YOU to the AVA for their article showing our liquor license is NOT expired and rallying to our defense. If there were more communities like this valley, the world would be a nicer place.

Happy New Year!

Marcia Martinez

Dear Editor,

My regards to you and the hometown. I would like to know if it wouldn’t be much to ask for some news from home?

I would also like to just say that some untrue things were said about me a couple weeks back by both Mr. Cuadra and Mr. Crow. Mr. Crow has been grieving a deceased woman for quite some time. I feel sorry for the loss of someone in his life. But Mr. Crow also uses this to gain sympathies.

These gentlemen saw me writing the newspaper and decided to spread their misery in public. Both these guys spend Social Security checks to support their habits. I will be honest. The slander they wrote about me in the AVA is a mirror image of themselves. Not only am I not a PC inmate, I don’t speak to either of them because of the way they treat others. They are meth addicts. Mr. Crow is in Victory Outreach in Santa Rosa and Mr. Cuadra just cut a deal with the DA and put his drugs off on one Ms. Tina Patty, now doing four year and eight months in jail because he threw his drugs down in her truck and told the cops it was hers.

Mr. James Lawson is not telling the truth in your paper either, Mr. Anderson. No honor among thieves, I tell ya!

I only want to get the paper, if it’s no problem. I don’t have time to sit and use precious time writing and responding to such nonsense. For real!

I am glad to be out of that County jail’s isolation unit and the clutches of what they call a justice system there. I have a criminal law and procedures book and I’ve already located enough proof to get my case overturned in Supreme Courts. I have to say, What a mockery of a true America. We are not a free country which pays any attention to a Constitution. It is a Bill of Crap that has snowballed out of anyone’s control. I am no politician, but the best of luck with that one!

Mr. Anderson. I will leave you and I will right this wrong. Sip one of the valley’s finest and watch.

James Kester AN 1004

San Quentin State Prison

San Quentin, CA 94974

In regard to the “Queen Victoria” Cannabis Card printed in the January 3rd, 2013 AVA.

It would be remarkable if Queen Elizabeth, who died childless in 1603, were truly the great-great-grandmother of Queen Victoria, who was not born until 1819.

Fun facts about “the old girl,” as Bruce would call her: Queen Elizabeth I was known as “the Virgin Queen.” (It was in her honor the colony of Virginia was named). Her strategy of delaying marriage allowed her to play suitors (and the nations they represented) against one another and pursue a cautious, complex and multi-layered foreign policy. But since she refused to name a successor, Elizabeth's maidenly tactics also built what must have been an unbearable political anxiety in England (and Europe) about what would happen upon Elizabeth's death. The English nation was still fragile from religious strife and the trauma of having Henry VIII as king (Elizabeth was his daughter), and the island has never really felt (or been) safe from invasion and foreign domination, even under the most stable governments. In particular Spain tried to invade England at least once during Elizabeth's reign.

Elizabeth was fluent in at least five languages and also played the lute.

In the end, a surprisingly graceful denouement was achieved, and by silent agreement between E. and her various advisors, James VI was invited to ascend to the throne when E. died. James VI was the grandson of one of E's first cousins. While he may have celebrated the usefulness of hemp and/or cannabis, I don't think he was Queen Victoria's great-great-grandmother, either.

Wolfgang Rougle

To Eric Bergeson,

I suppose your point was well-taken, in that musicals, by their very nature, require the viewer/listener to suspend disbelief every time one of the cast members spontaneously breaks out in song (backed by an invisible full orchestra), which does not often, if ever, happen in real life (the rare exception being, I imagine, musically-inclined people with Tourette's syndrome). Although I consider myself to be a substantially well-educated, well-read college graduate, the only two pieces of classical literature I have ever read in their original form (not counting Homer and Virgil, which were required reading in junior high school) are The Scarlet Letter and The Scarlet Pimpernel (which, incidentally, was also made into a musical). I have not even read Dickens' A Christmas Carol in its entirety, although I have probably seen every stage and screen version, musical and non-musical alike, and have even portrayed Mrs. Cratchit in one community theatre production.

Although I only speak for myself, I daresay there are many other theatre-goers who agree with me (evidenced by the fact that Les Miserables is still #4 at the box office, grossing $16 million since its Christmas Day release) that if your major complaint about the film is the fact that the French citizens of that era continue to sing even in the midst of their misery, then you are missing the entire point. Only a minute fraction of theatre-goers contributing to that $16 million are ever going to read the 1,400 pages of Victor Hugo's novel; the point of film versions, musical or non-musical, is to take a good story with universal themes and bring it to the masses in such a way that it will allow them to apply it to their own life situations, whatever they may be. She's the Man and 10 Things I Hate About You introduced young people to Shakespeare (Twelfth Night and Taming of the Shrew, respectively) and Clueless to Jane Austen (Emma) in a way that might not have happened otherwise.

Having just been released from the Mendocino County jail for a DUI sentence of several days, I am in much more of a unique position now to appreciate the intricacies of the relationship between Jean Valjean and Javert than I was the first two times I saw Les Miserables on the stage in the 90s. And, yes, my nose and eyes were thoroughly moist all three times — the story is a powerful statement on the human condition in any time and place. Anyone like myself who was in their twenties during the 70s, can clearly see the parallel between the battle scene and the shooting and killing of the four Kent State students by the National Guard for protesting the Vietnam War — kids killing kids, just like in the film.

The point is that history does repeat itself, because we don't listen the first time, and if a musical version is the only way to bring such a beautiful classic to the masses in a way that it will touch their collective consciousness and remind them of their collective humanity, then I say it is well worth suspending disbelief for three hours.

In the fall of 1995, sandwiched in between two different positions I held teaching severely handicapped students for the Sacramento County Office of Education, I taught juvenile offenders in a Community School program for seven weeks--and Les Miserables was one of the foundations of the curriculum, in terms of the relative right and wrong of the actions of both Jean Valjean and Javert (a topic on which I could easily write an entire dissertation). These students would never get through the entire novel, but they could evaluate the central themes and apply them to their own lives.

In any case, the entire point of the story is the line that Jean Valjean delivers toward the end of both the film and stage versions (also in song) with his last dying breath: “To love another person is to see the face of God.” That's what it's really all about.

Jean Swearingen (#15611)

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Friday, July 1, 2016

White Sox place Matt Davidson on DL, recall Carlos Sanchez

Matt Davidson
Catching up on roster moves before the White Sox (40-39) face the Houston Astros (42-37) in a three-game weekend series:

After left-hander Matt Purke contributed to the near-meltdown in the ninth inning Wednesday night against Minnesota, he was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Infielder Matt Davidson was called up, and he made an immediate contribution in Thursday's win over the Twins -- an RBI single and a run scored in the fourth inning.

Unfortunately, Davidson broke his right foot while running the bases sometime in that inning, and he has been placed on the 15-day disabled list.

You can't help but feel badly for Davidson, who struggled in Charlotte for two years before turning it around this season. He made the Triple-A All-Star team and earned his call-up. Now, he's looking at some extended time on the sidelines, and you hope the time off doesn't cause him to lose the good swing he's had working for him lately.

His loss, however, is Carlos Sanchez's gain. The infielder has been recalled from Charlotte to fill out the roster. Sanchez appeared in 11 games earlier this season with the Sox, hitting .154 with an RBI in 29 plate appearances. He was hitting .258/.313/.413 with six home runs and 24 RBIs for the Knights.

A few thoughts about Purke, who we may or may not see again in Chicago this year, he's an interesting case study on what happens when you stop throwing strikes.

The lefty reliever made 12 appearances with the Sox, and the first six were remarkably different than the last six. Purke's walk rate rose dramatically in his most recent outings.

First six appearances: 10 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 5 Ks, 3 BBs, 3.60 ERA
Last six appearances: 8 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 10 Ks, 9 BBs, 7.88 ERA

My saying is, "You walk people, you lose." In Purke's case, he walked people, and he found himself on a plane back to Charlotte.

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≡ Menu

This month Mid Brain reports on new cosmetic science stories while the Left and Right Brains take time off to work on the new Beauty Brains book.

Mid Brain reports:

The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has decided to limit how much jasmine is allowed in perfumes and fragrances for beauty products. While critics say this could drastically change the scent of some of the world’s most famous perfumes, the organization is concerned about the high numbers of products that cause rashes and other skin reactions because of jasmine.

I think this is a good example of how the cosmetic industry polices itself. Putting safety first is an important decision and should be applauded.

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Sunday, December 16, 2007

There's no such thing as bad riding weather...

Spent a goodly part of yesterday making a grocery run in 24° weather with decent amounts of wind just a day after the first snowstorm of the season... At least we waited till the roads were plowed.

Drug her trike and my bike & trailer down the stairs and eventually headed out.

First surprising thing was the fact people were actually slowing down instead of blasting by and giving us more than enough space in the lane, I was amazed...

Hit the hardware store so she could get another pair of snowmobile gloves to replace the one she lost and so I could get my pair back.

After that it was the supermarket, spent a couple hours wandering about retail hell while filling up a shopping cart with luxury items like soup, meat, veggies, and other comestibles.

Next comes the inestimable amusement of loading up my trailer with every heavy item we got, which seems to be most of them, with the remainder going into the trike's baskets.

Now, my indispensable BoB Ibex is supposed to be rated for 70lbs. of weight but it seems that whenever we go shopping it winds up holding about twice that amount and I get the privilege of dragging it home.

The trip home was as surprisingly uneventful as the trip out, drivers actually acting civil... I was still amazed.

Not a single near-miss or honked horn and I didn't need to curse anyone out at all... Shocking, right?

I really need to remember to bring the camera with me on these jaunts just so folks can see how ridiculous the situation actually is.

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Favorite Things

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things that I am using this year to help me study God's word.

The first being the Scripture Reading Plan I am using provided by the Journey church. I like it because if you get behind it is easy to get caught up. :)

The second is what I am using to help me memorize verses. I have always wanted to memorize Philippians and shared that desire with my husband. He directed me to this site which has a VERY helpful guide to memorizing Philippians!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

I had a meeting at school one night and came home about 8 to find this on our couch! ;)
I left them there.

1 comment:

Erika said...

Too cute! I love that Josh is still in his tie and dress shirt!


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GardenA sanctuary from the stresses and strains of everyday life; the perfect place to relax with friends.

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The full à la carte menu is served so you can enjoy the high standards you would expect from our restaurant. Complete with quirky statues & artefacts, a Roman fountain and a large variety of foliage, the garden really is the only place in town to while away the hours any time of day.


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Lovely October…

Posted by on Oct 24, 2014 in Blog | No Comments

I love the fall weather here in Maine, and what better way to celebrate than to have 3 new pattern releases this month!

Anora is a top-down, a-line shaped cardigan using worsted-weight yarn and features some gradient striping at the bottom (gradients are all these rage these days it seems!). I used Quince & Co’s Owl yarn, a beautiful alpaca/wool blend that has such great texture it was truly fun to knit with.

Lizzy Vest is a vest/shrug that has some interesting construction to it. It’s knit flat in a rectangle shape, then stitches are picked up along each side and seamed together using the three needle bind off technique. The finished garment looks like a circle with armholes–pretty cool! The pattern includes step-by-step photo tutorial on how to put together the vest so don’t be scared off by this slightly unusual finishing.

Last but not least, Crispy Cowl is that project you have when you need completely mindless knitting…something to knit while chatting with others, watching TV, at your child’s soccer practice, waiting at the doctor’s office, etc. etc. It’s a two round repeat that although super easy to do, creates a unique texture that looks much harder than it actually is. Just 2 skeins of bulky-weight yarn is all you need too!

Hope you enjoy these fall project ideas!

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Friday, February 26, 2010

Just got back from my Grandmothers house and she had my samples from my Aunt's House!!!!

I got.....

1 (3) pack of diapers for the Godson

1 (2) pack of Prilosec OTC

1 Free Oreo Cakesters Coupon

1 1.00 off coupon for oreo cakesters

2 Free Pace Coupons

2 Free Crunch Coupons

And I think that was it!

Plus, my dad and I did the Walgreens 8X10 photo dealio today, we will probably pick up the prints tomorrow!

OH, I won another Jar of Pace in the IWG! (I currently have 4 jars at home, and 4 free coupons to use)

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Woot! Bike time!

I had lost my bike that my mom gave me last year, so I needed a new bike but I had no money for a new one. So I got a bike off craigslist but it was missing a headset. So I happened upon a bike shop and got 2 bikes(to use for parts), and a bike lock. So I just finished fixing the bike, and I took it for a test ride around the block. It works well enough till I can afford a better bike. So now I’ll be biking daily to help me get back in shape. Woot!

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

It's been awhile since I have posted anything on here... obviously. I decided to take a break to think, and make some decisions about this blog. I was trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to accomplish here. I have been dealing with the problem of lack of direction for awhile. Every time I wanted to post something, I would struggle with whether or not it was relevant. I was trying to fit my posts into a tiny little box of a certain type, and I was feeling very strangled by that. After much internal debate and introspection, I realized a few things.

1.) The most important question I had to ask myself is: Why do I blog? Once I decided that, I asked myself, what do I hope to accomplish by blogging. My answers were pretty simple. I blog because I have things I want to share. Not with anyone in particular (although I of course have a list of people that I would love to have read my blog), but that I don't want to keep to myself. Sometimes that is pictures of how much fun my kids and I had with popsicles one afternoon. Sometimes that is all of the bows I made in my last batch. Sometimes that is how sad I am about this that or the other. The point is, sometimes I have things that I want to share. And that is when I blog. What do I hope to accomplish by blogging? That one was harder to answer. Lots of things. I was tempted to shrug and answer, nothing. But that is not entirely truthful. I love that blogging brings people together. It makes this big wide world a little bit smaller. Assuming that someday people actually read this blog, it will help them get to know me better and hopefully, give me a chance to know them better. At least a little. I have a small list of things I hope to accomplish. I will spare you, but they are all basically slight variations on the one I did share. The list will change and grow I am sure, as this little journey continues.

2.) This blog doesn't really have a theme. I am not a style blogger or a craft blogger. I guess you could fit me under the umbrella of mommy blogger because I AM a stay at home mom and my kids are a major part of my life, and therefore a common topic of posts. But I don't want to be stuck only blogging about my kids either. I want the freedom to not fit into a box.

3.) I am not going to censor myself anymore. I did for a long time for fear of turning away anyone who might be interested in reading my blog otherwise. And I don't mean naughty things. This has and always will be a family friendly blog. But I tried not to mention any polarizing religious beliefs or politics because I wanted to be PC. I realized that I am not PC. And this is MY blog. I really want to be able to write about whatever I want whenever I want. And so I plan to from now on.

3.) Which lead me to another thought. I don't know why I was so concerned about being PC for fear of turning away a reader anyway. It's not as though I care about numbers or even have numbers to begin with.... I have nothing to lose! :D

5.) I often hesitated to write anything at all if I didn't have a picture to go with it. I have never considered myself a writer, and I am a photographer so on some level, that makes sense. But it was stressing me out because several times I had things I actually wanted to write but had no picture to post and chose to write nothing at all. Even when it made me sad. This post is step one in getting over that. I am probably going to continue to post tons of pictures most of the time, but not always. Sometimes I don't have time to upload and edit pictures but I still have something I want to share. From now on, that won't be stopping me. :D

6.) And last and actually least... I sometimes refrain from writing because I don't have the most poetic vocabulary and my grammar skills are lacking. I often use the wrong tense of word or drop commas. It used to stress me out. I wanted my writing to be perfect or I didn't want to write at all. Now I don't care. I am not perfect and I don't even have time to pretend to be. My bad grammar is probably very annoying to some people, and maybe it will get better as I start writing again. But honestly, not writing at all because my grammar needs a little work doesn't make any sense and it isn't fair to myself. So just cringe and pretend you didn't see it when I use the wrong word or put commas in the wrong place pretty please.

Well. That's it. I intend to blog a lot more frequently now that I have those things sorted out. Not that anyone missed me while I was gone anyway. Lol. :) But that's ok.
                                       <3 Sarah

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I love your comments- thanks for sharing! :D

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Clinton wins New Mexico, loses John Lewis

9 days after Super Tuesday, New Mexico finally got itself together, counted all the provisional ballots and recounted all the votes. And Hillary Clinton was confirmed the winner of the state's primary, with 1,700 votes separating the two candidates (which means that the provisional ballots broke Clinton's way). Only one delegate was at stake here, so the delegate breakdown is 14-12 in Clinton's favor. That's certainly not a big margin, though Clinton really cannot afford to lose any delegates at the moment. It also gives her a talking point, one more state under her belt at a time Obama is accumulating victories.

But Clinton got some terrible news tonight, when Georgia Rep. John Lewis, a major civil-rights era figure, switched camps and announced that he would cast his superdelegate vote for Barack Obama. Lewis had endorsed Hillary on October 12th, in what had been interpreted at the time as a setback for Obama's effort to conquer the black vote (he was usually trailing Clinton among African-Americans at the time). Lewis offered a lot of praise of Obama's candidacy but did not go so far as endorsing him (though he could in the coming days). For now, Lewis's rationale is that he wants to respect the wishes of voters in his districts (who backed Obama 3 to 1) and wants to facilitate a resolution of the Democratic showdown.

This is not only worrisome for Clinton because of the symbol of such a high-profile switch, but also because it could spell trouble for her super delegate strategy. For one, it shows that she has little hope of clinching the nomination unless she gets a lead in pledged delegate, or at least gets extremely close to Obama. She might have a superdelegate lead now, but the vast majority of those who are still undecided will not take the risk of rescuing her if she is trailing. Furthermore, Clinton is facing the risk of bleeding superdelegates in the weeks ahead, as Obama has taken a decisive lead after Saturday and Tuesday's voting. Clinton also lost 3 other superdelegates today, one of which only went all the way to endorse Barack Obama (Christine Samuels of New Jersey). And she better stop this exodus very quickly -- at least pleading with her supporters to wait until March 4th to jump off her ship or get on Obama's.

Lewis's switch is particularly indicative of the difficult position of black representatives who backed Clinton but whose districts went for Obama by huge margins. Lewis is only one example of this group of superdelegates who can ill-afford backing Clinton and disregard the will of their constituency. On the other hand, there are many superdelegates who are supporting Obama and whose constituency overwhelmingly supporting Clinton, for example John Kerry and Ted Kennedy.

  • a black congresman from a district with large black populations backing a black candidate... And it's a surprise to anyone? Talk about a slow news day

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 15 February, 2008 01:12

  • That's just sad. I guess Kennedy will flip back now?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 15 February, 2008 07:50

  • Kennedy's area didn`t back Clinton as overwhelmingly as Lewis's. So Kennedy may not feel any need to switch since MA was "only" a 15% loss compared to Clinton's regular 20-25% losses.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 15 February, 2008 07:51

  • Still pathetic. At least Kennedy can say he backed the black guy if there's any backlash if Obama loses.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 15 February, 2008 08:21

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A Fine Vintage:
Why Sri Lankans Prefer Their Fish Old And Salty

So-called jadi fish is a delicacy in Sri Lanka. But the art of making it is dying out. One local man, who specialises in making pickled fish on the beach, explains how it’s done.

14.02.2017  |
W.W. D. Ajantha Perera sells pickled fish at a roadside stand in Colombo.

There are not too many places in the world where diners are happy to snack on fish that’s not fresh – and in particular, a fish that is potentially several years old. But that is exactly the make up of the Sri Lankan delicacy known as jadi fish.

It is a salted, pickled fish that is bought by the gram, rather than the kilo and used in way similar to lime pickle, in local cooking. Although in recent years the traditional preparation of jadi fish has been dying out, Moratuwa man W.W. D. Ajantha Perera, still keeps up the good work.

Perera, who lives in Moratuwa, on the outskirts of Colombo, explains how jadi fish is prepared. Fish are gutted and the internal organs removed, then salt and Indian tamarind – also known as goraka – are added. The fish and its spices are placed in a hessian bag and buried in a hole in the sand on the sea shore. Perara says he leaves the bag buried in the sand for two weeks and any smells and liquification are absorbed in the sand. Once removed from its sandy resting place, more salt, tamarind, and other secret spices – Perera doesn’t want to reveal his recipe – are mixed in. The fish is then stored in a container for at least a year, possibly even three.

“The longer it is kept, the tastier it becomes,” the 32-year-old explains, pointing out which of his stock is only six months old and which is older.

Perera and his wife have two children and they bottle and sell the fish together; it is something that the former fisherman got involved in after doing several odd jobs that didn’t suit him as much.

Perera was running a small roadside stand selling the jadi fish but this was deemed illegal and removed. Now he sells the salty delicacy from out the front of his house. He says he would love to try and make his business more professional but that this would cost more money than he has.

“If you have a pot filled with jadi in your kitchen, it means good fortune,” Perera told The Catamaran.

/வீதிக்கு மறுபக்கத்தில் இருக்கும் அவரது சின்ன வீட்டிலும் சைவ,பௌத்த கடவுளர் ஒன்றாகவே உள்ளனர்.


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Friday, May 6, 2011

While I Was Just Looking...

ok, so i don't really need anything.  i just like looking in antique and thrift stores.  but while i was just looking this week, i found some really good stuff!

come see what i found...

a beautiful platter with a pretty floral detail.
not exactly my shade of sage green, but i still love it.
and for $3.95, i really love it.

i found this wobbly pitcher for $1.
i can see it filled with sand and an explosion of small flags
for the fourth of july.

i also found this 1970s brown
magazine stand.
i'm going to fix it up a bit and
place it in my dining room window filled
with a large fern.  it was $8.

who needs an old rusty tackle box?
apparently i do.
i spied this from a distance (because it's
my shade of green!) and i think i'll
store my can't do cancer without god
necklace supplies in it for when i'm on the go.

didn't know until i got home that it was still filled with old fishing stuff.
and very, very old bait.  yeck!

found these two darling crystal lamps.
they're sooooo heavy!
$7.99 a piece!
i washed them as they were loaded with dust.
not sure where i'll put them, but i love, love them!
they take a night-light sized bulb.  so sweet!

i'm telling you, i hit the motherload today!

when i found these two curtain panels in perfect shape (and lined too!)
i wanted to scream with excitement.
they will be perfect in my dining room i thought.  i know they don't look like much here, but they're hanging in there right now, and they make me happy.  very happy.  and at $8 each,

and because my photo card is flashing "card full",
i'll have to show you next time my best find of the day.

  it's funny, when i'm on the hunt for something in particular,
 i usually can't find it.
but when i run into a thrift store just for the heck of it,
that's when i find gold.

some would say junk.  i like to say gold.

happy gold digging!

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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

America the Beautiful

Whispers in the Loggia remembers Pope John Paul II's speech on leaving the U.S. twenty years ago.
America the beautiful! So you sing in one of your national songs. Yes, America, you are beautiful indeed, and blessed in so many ways:

- in your majestic mountains and fertile plains;
- in the goodness and sacrifice hidden in your teeming cities and expanding suburbs;
- in your genius for invention and for splendid progress;
- in the power that you use for service and in the wealth that you share with others;
- in what you give to your own, and in what you do for others beyond your borders;
- in how you serve, and in how you keep alive the flame of hope in many hearts;
- in your quest for excellence and in your desire to right all wrongs.

Yes, America, all this belongs to you. But your greatest beauty and your richest blessing is found in the human person: in each man, woman and child, in every immigrant, in every native-born son and daughter.

For this reason, America, your deepest identity and truest character as a nation is revealed in the position you take towards the human person. The ultimate test of your greatness in the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones.

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Friday, April 13, 2012

Nouri's never-ending power grab

Iraq, where the violence never ends. Reuters notes an armed attack on a bush of pilgrims headed to Samarra which left 5 dead and six injured and an armed attack on pilgrims headed to Kerbala which left 2 of them dead and six more injured. Alsumaria reports that 1 soldier was shot dead today in Mosul. And the targeting never ends. Dropping back to yesterday's snapshot:

In more distrubing power-grab news, Raheem Salman (ioL news) reports, "The head of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) and one of its members were arrested by police on Thursday on corruption charges, IHED officials said, in the latest apparent move for more government control of independent bodies. Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki won a court ruling in January 2011 that put the IHED and other entities, including the central bank, under cabinet supervision, raising concern over attempts to consolidate power by the Shi'a premier."

Ah, the power grab. What's really interesting, when you read all the accounts that have come out since Salam broke the news yesterday is how they avoid Martin Kobler. It was, after all, Martin who was just praising Nouri and the Electoral Commission to the United Nations Security Council, bragging about how Kobler was 'easing' things along by selecting new members for the commission. Painting rosy pictures. You'd never know a power-grab was in progress in Iraq to have listened to Kobler. Maybe the reality there is that no reported listened to Kobler. There were only a handful present and, judging by what they filed, they really tuned Kolber's stated remarks and just quoted from his written submission.

AP notes that the two are Karim al-Tamimi and the commission's chief Faraj al-Haidari. Reuters observes, "Critics fear that the premier may be showing autocratic tendencies in some of his actions and view Maliki's control over key security ministries with suspicion." AFP does a service by explaining the history behind what went down, "There is bad blood between Haidari, a 64-year-old Shia Kurd, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri a-Maliki's State of Law list over his refusal to carry out a national recount after 2010 parliamentary polls, in which the premier's list came in second to rival Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya list."

And the political crisis continues in Iraq. Al Mada reports that the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq is accusing State of Law of making the National Alliance less popular with the Iraqi people as a result of the war with the Kurds and Iraqiya. If someone were trying to figure out the reason for this public declaration, two spring quickly to mind. One, ISCI is speaking for others within the National Alliance and attempting to send Nouri a message that he needs to dial it back. Two, ISCI has already made a decision to replace Nouri and these statements are to prepare the public for that soon-to-emerge event.

Why might they be concerned enough to be acting out either of the two scenarios? As Al Mada points out, Nouri sent to an independent MP with the National alliance (Ablzona al-Jawad) to the press yesterday to declare that Nouri is the only one who can lead.

Now you might be thinking, 'Oh, he's just showing support for Nouri as talk of a no-confidence vote increases.'

But he's not talking about that. He's talking about the supposed 2014 elections (the 2010 elections were supposed to take place in 2009). He's stating that Nouri is the only one who can lead Iraq and that there is nothing in the Constitution forbidding a third term.

4-13-2012 CORRECTION: Paragraph below states wrongly that AFP reported the promise being called off. I was wrong. AFP reported the promise not to run for a third term when Nouri gave an interview to Sammy Ketz of AFP. It was Ben Lando and Munaf Ammar (Wall St. Journal) who then reported that Nouri's spokesperson, Ali al-Mousawi, was stating that wasn't a promise but an observation about the process and goals. That was my error and my mistake. My apologies.

Iraqis took to the streets in numbers that alarmed Nouri. He immediately promised he would address corruption within 100 days (a stalling technique, the 100 days came and went and he did nothing) and he declared that he wouldn't seek a third term. Immediately, within 48 hours, his people were telling the press that it wasn't a promise. AFP broke that story but the rest of the Western press chose to ignore it and continue to praise Nouri for his promise and tell you what a 'statesman' Nouri was.

The whoring never ended.

Nouri's lawyer declared last year that Nouri could seek the post of prime minister a third time. Why? He wasn't asked that. he raised that to the press.

Because Nouri never intended to keep the promise. And now he's got a bribed member of the National Alliance going out and making the case that only he can lead.

Of course, if the power-grab continues much more, it doesn't really matter. Elections will be nothing but a joke in Iraq if they're even held.

The following community sites -- plus Susan's On The Edge, Reporters Without Borders and -- updated last night and this morning:

The e-mail address for this site is


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Today was a rough one. And in six hours I have to be out the door on the way to a board meeting in which I am the key presenter.

My anxiety, insomnia, and poor communication skills have all conspired against me in one big clusterf$%@@ of ick. I haven’t slept in a while. Not really. I’ve spent a lot of time in bed, but my anxiety has started to become pretty constant. Tonight I slept almost 40 minutes before I woke up, heart pounding, with no hope of going back to sleep.

I’m not trying to make excuses for being a jerk. Apparently I’ve started becoming short and rude to people lately, more than usual. That’s on me. Being tired and anxious isn’t an excuse for shooting my mouth off. But truculence is that warm, cozy, familiar place I default to.

Some of the anxiety I chalk up to the IVF process which is a stressful thing all the way around. Some is work, where things have been pretty tough this last 8-10 months. But there’s an underlying amount of anxiety that I always carry with me that’s simply my baseline, which I make every effort to pound down below the surface. I’m sure it’s the OCD trying to rear its ugly head. The more tired I get, the more it bubbles to the surface.

About 8 years ago, I felt this way. That baseline got stronger and stronger until it overwhelmed me. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t break out of the obsessive cycles in my head, and eventually, it left me paralyzed.

I take anxiety medicine. I’m not super happy that I have to, but I take it nonetheless. I take absolutely as little as humanly possible because I hate the zombie side effects that most of them carry with them. I had “immersion therapy” about 5 years ago. That was fun. (not). But it was effective.

I’m not going back to where I was back then. I’m not afraid to leave the house, or even to strike out on activities and new adventures, and I know full well that letting that thought win is the surest route to total regression. I’m not afraid I’m going to have a panic attack that leaves me on the floor of a public restroom trying to call 911.

What I’m afraid of is that my anxiety is going to make me increasingly tired, irritable, and bearish. Just what my family needs from me right now as we attempt to add to our numbers.

I feel like a complete failure. I really thought I had it licked. But my pounding heart and heavy breathing that I’m feeling as I write this disagrees. And I’m letting my wife and kid down. That makes it so much worse.

I need to recharge somehow. I need to stop worrying that my life is too good and that somehow the cosmos is about to drop the hammer on me. I definitely feel that way right now. I’m sure the thought of maybe having a baby is driving a lot of that – fear that something terrible will happen, because something terrible happened back in 1998. As if random tragedies are somehow connected like some sort if sick version of Final Destination.

I probably shouldn’t have skipped church today.

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Business as usual for Chinese state-owned enterprises in Australia

A study by the University of Sydney and KPMG has found Chinese investment in Australia is poorly understood and generally perceived as more government-driven than the reality.

The report found Chinese overseas direct investment (ODI) in Australia was distinguishable by four characteristics: a focus on mining and energy, “mega-sized” deals, domination by state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and a preference for investing in listed companies.

It concluded SOEs investing in Australia operated similarly to other commercial international investors.

Nearly 80% of Chinese ODI in Australia was directed into the mining sector, with a further 12% going into the oil and gas industries.

Read more at University of Sydney


text:
Monday, 4 January 2010

Just a Simple Card.....

Just another card that I started before Xmas- and decided to finish it off, and to take part in the ABC Christmas Challenge each week, so that I am ready with all my cards for this year!

For the card:
Daisy & Dandelion downloaded decoupage image; SU sentiment & oval punch;mirror card, Cuttlebug embossing folder, gems, glitter glue & Glossy accents( on his pads, nose, tummy & ears, although you can't really see it). The image was 3-d with silicone glue. I used the gems for the poinsettia centers, but undecided if I like them or not, and glitter glued around the edges to make the poinsettia stand a little more.
I do like the Daisy & Dandelion stamps & got a couple of the Xmas ones (I didn't realise how big the stamps are!)

Catch you later...
Teresa xx

1 comment:

Mrs Wonka said...

This is stunning, I love the effect that embossing mirri card gives!


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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Life Is Crap Has One Less Idea Than Kevin Smith

And we've made a lot less money than he has. So if you'd like to contribute to our drunken antics, consider donating to the beer fund. It's lonely drinking a 40oz out of a paper bag. Yes, we'd like to upgrade to Natty Ice. And who knows, maybe we could come up with a new idea...like maybe pants that have a lot of pockets all over them. Or better yet, pockets that have pants on them.

But to make us feel somewhat better, all it takes is one idea. I mean, Kevin Smith is about to see Clerks II on the big screen. Here's a guy who took one idea and took it for all its worth. And apparently there's a little blood left in that rock. I can't wait until these kooky Jersey kids are lambasted in the nursing home. Oh, that crazy Silent Bob is so silent...wait, he's not breathing. Start breathy chubby one. No!!!!!!!!!!!!

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6/15/2006 04:42:00 PM

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

International Nurse-In at your local Target store

Nursing mama Michelle Hickman was harassed while feeding her baby at a Houston, TX Target store.  She is now organizing an International Nurse-In for all Target stores.  There is power in numbers so let's go fight for our rights!

Here is her story...

"I am a mom of 4 who has been harassed and humiliated by Target employees for nursing by infant in their store. On Thursday, November 29th around 7-8pm, I was Christmas shopping with a basket full of items when my infant woke up hungry, so I found a remote area of the store in the ladies clothing department close to the fitting rooms and sat Indian style on the floor next to my basket and a display of jeans and nursed my hungry baby with a blanket completely covering him. Briefly I will say that 2 female employees came and verbally asked me to move. The 2nd one told me that Target employees had been told/trained to interrupt nursing and to redirect mothers to the fitting rooms. Even after I informed the 2nd employee of my legal right to nurse in public she still suggested me moving closer to the jean display, turning to face another direction, and also turn my basket a certain way which would have put me practically underneath the jean display and totally barricaded me in. Employee #2 even hinted in a threatening way “you can get a ticket and be reported for indecent exposure” when nothing was being exposed and there was more boob showing from low cut shirts several shoppers were wearing that night. This does not include the other 3-4 employees besides the 2 verbal ones who were all watching and making a spectacle of my nursing by standing around pretending to do something and giving me mean looks and shaking their heads no back and forth. In a side note not a single non-employee customer ever saw the incident so I’m not sure why the employees were trying to act like I was offending “the public” and that it was their job to step in.

After I left the store I decided to call the Target corporate office during normal business hours the following day on November 30th, and speak to a guest relations person to notify them of the situation and to suggest that they educate their employees as to the legal right I have to nurse in public. The phone call however took a turn for the worse. The lady (I wish I would have gotten her name) told me that she and Target were aware of our legal rights as nursing mothers, but that Target has different policies because they are a family friendly public place. I can’t think of a more family friendly act than breastfeeding and providing the irrefutably proven healthiest diet to my baby. She continued to inform me repeatedly that Target’s policies were different than the law and even went as far to say several times that just because it is a woman’s right to nurse in public even without a nursing cover like I was using doesn’t mean women should walk around  ”flaunting it” and was extremely rude. I also talked to the supervisor of this rude lady and that didn’t get anywhere either.

It saddens me that mothers are being treated this way as if breastfeeding is vile and offensive. If this would have happened to me with the first child I nursed I would have considered giving up on nursing due to embarrassment and that is what concerns me the most. I know that breastmilk is best and that nursing is hard work and a selfless act that mothers choose to do for their babies, and I would hate for this to happen to someone else causing them to give up on nursing. Please help me support the best nutrition for babies and to make a stand in support of nursing in public so this doesn’t happen again. "

Targets statement on the matter is as follows:

"For guests in our stores, we support the use of fitting rooms for women who wish to breastfeed their babies, even if others are waiting to use the fitting rooms. In addition, guests who choose to breastfeed discreetly in more public areas of the store are welcome to do so without being made to feel uncomfortable."
...for goodness sake...fitting rooms while others are waiting??

To me, this is inconsistent with the way that Michelle was treated in a Target store!  This is not the first incident that has occurred.  There was one in Minnesota in 2006 and another in Michigan in 2009.

Lets hold Target to their word! Join the Facebook page to see locations and to get more information on the event.  I'll be at ours in Temecula, California.  Hope to see you there! (or on CNN! ;))

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Friday, September 24, 2010

Friday Funday: The Events Of Autumn

From the Republican "Leadership" and their new extremely vague "Contract" giving a whole new meaning to political dreck, to the Democratic "Leadership" continuing a long history of cowardice and "hippie punching" while ignoring their base - there is plenty to talk about today in the world of politics. Still, it's Friday, and for us that means attempting to pique your interest in something a bit less serious.

In case you missed it, the Autumnal Equinox was on Wednesday evening here in the U.S., marked by the the first "Super Harvest Moon" seen in the Northern Hemisphere in nearly twenty years. Awesome, if the cloud cover allowed you a peek.

For us, the season of Fall means many things, from the impending MLB playoffs, to the return of college and pro football, to a renewed focus on health & exercise - and for one of our staffers, this Fall includes early planning for an infant daughter's first December holiday season.

While many people view Autumn as a season of endings, we see it as a season of beginnings. For us, it's a time where we often travel to conferences, gather with friends we haven't seen for some time, meet with potential new clients, and begin to plan for the next year.

Several of those events will be coming together next week, near the center of the nation, in Omaha, Nebraska at the annual meeting of the North Central Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society. From Chris Browne of Hagar The Horrible fame, to Tom Richmond of Mad magazine, and nearly every type of creative cartoonist in between, the amount, type, and diversity of cartoons and creativity will be on display to the public in the River City. We're especially pleased to have the John Read collection of Sunday, April 11 comic strip originals, created by every syndicated cartoonist in America, coming to Omaha as part of the festivities. "One Fine Sunday In The Funny Pages" will be appearing at the Bemis gallery in Omaha for a limited engagement starting on October 1.

If you're near our Washington D.C. location, we highly recommend you set calendar for next Monday, where longtime friend and nationally syndicated cartoonist/columnist Ted Rall - recently returned from Afghanistan - will be giving a great presentation at renowned D.C. area restaurant and bookstore Busboys and Poets (The flagship 14th & V location).

Of course, if you're located closer to the "left coast", one of our favorite places to visit year-round is the Charles M. Schulz museum in Santa Rosa, California.

No matter where you are or what you're doing, we hope you'll pull back this weekend, and take stock in the good things that you have in your life. Listen to some music. Watch a good ball game.

There IS more to life than politics, after all.
Cartoons and those who create them, for example.

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Golden Retriever Saves Owner’s Life on New Year’s Eve

A Northern Michigan man, known only as “Bob” is lucky to be alive thanks to his golden retriever Kelsey.

Kelsey and Bob (CBS News)

Kelsey and Bob (CBS News)

This past New Year’s Eve around 1030 pm, Bob went out to the shed in his housecoat and slippers to grab some firewood.  He slipped and fell, breaking his back.  He yelled for help but his nearest neighbor is a quarter mile away.  Kelsey came and laid on Bob and licked his face to keep him awake.

Kelsey’s barking alerted Bob’s neighbor the next day, after almost 20 hours.  CBS News reports a statement provided by McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital, Bob says:

She kept me warm and alert.  I knew I had to persevere through this and that it was my choice to stay alive

Bob is being treated at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital and is on the road to recovery.  He thanks Kelsey that he didn’t suffer any frostbite.

Full story from CBS News here.

Free Printable Coloring Page from Sugar The Golden Retriever

In honor of spring, our friend Sugar The Golden Retriever is offering a giveaway right now.  A free printable coloring page of of Sugar!

Go visit Sugar’s page HERE to download your copy. You can also submit by April 16 for a chance to win a lady bug bow tie!  Happy spring everyone!

Golden Retriever Wears Braces

Did you know dogs sometimes wore braces?  For National Pet Dental Health Month, Harborfront Hospital for Animals in Spring Lake Michigan shared these photos on their Facebook page, with the following explanation.

Orthodontia in pets is normally not for aesthetic purposes, but because of health concerns. This is Wesley and he needed tooth alignment because he could not close his mouth completely, otherwise.

The good news is, the correction he needed will be brief, perhaps only a few weeks.

Also, it obviously doesn’t bother him one little bit (if you look at the “after” photo). He’s a happy little guy.

Dr. Moore also does Endodontics (root canals, often necessary because of pain) and oral surgery (things like fractured jaws).

February is National Pet Dental Health month, so we thought this was a good time to let you know about the importance of your best buddy’s dental health.

Let us know if you have any questions.”

Here’s a close up of the dental work:

And this is Wesley after the surgery.  He seems pretty happy with the new “grill”

Golden Video of the Week – Golden Retriever Loves Pacifier

Max does not want to give up his “soother”.

Is Your Golden A Picky Eater? Golden Retriever Won’t Eat Kibble Unless it’s Baked in the Oven!

Most golden retrievers that I know are not picky eaters – however, Luna seems to be an exception.  Her owner has to pretend to bake her kibble in the oven before she will eat it…how odd!

Anyone else have a picky eater or special ritual at mealtime?  Please participate in the poll and share in the comments.  I would love to hear your stories!

Shelter Dogs eating Christmas Dinner will make your day!

The people at Freshpet have created a commercial staring shelter dogs (and one patient cat!) from The Humane Society of Utah who are in need of homes.  (Many have found one since the airing of this commercial!)705dogThe golden retriever plays a “teenager”, but there are so many cute dogs who are enjoying some Christmas cheer.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone who is celebrating!

Here’s a behind the scenes look at the making of the video, in case you didn’t get enough.

Ice water, is it really a problem?

Interesting article on ice water for dogs! Unfortunately, I just switched to self hosting, and reblogging doesn’t work. Here’s a link to the post from GreenBriar Sorry for being deceptive!

Ice water, is it really a problem?