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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Apple shocked: Russia releases its first laptop weighing 10 kg with 1 hour battery life

Not so long ago, Joinfo.ua reported that the Russian company MCST announced the beginning of sales of its first personal computers ARM-401 Elbrus and Elbrus-4.4 servers on the basis of the Russian processor Elbrus-4C. Now the Russians made a real technological breakthrough and launched the sales of a laptop powered by the Elbrus-4C chip.
Technical specifications of the gadget are the following: four processing cores clocked at 800 MHz, work with three DDR3-1600 memory channels. The chip is made on the basis of 65nm technology; the average power dissipation is 45 watts. The display the Russian laptop is 1024 × 768 pixels, but its size is not specified.
The battery life of the Russian whizz on one charge of the battery is only one hour.
The computer weighs 10 kilograms.
The underlying operating system is built on the core of Linux, but the laptop is able to run Windows XP.
The price of the model is 150 000 rubles.
According to the developers, the features of the Elbrus architecture allow to "effectively use the processors in the system of digital intellectual signal processing, in mathematical modeling, scientific computations and other areas with high demands on computing power." The wonder-laptop is positioned as "NT-MTSST4R – high-rugged laptop, made in shock-resistant moisture-proof protected housing."

Elbrus-4C. Image: (3DNEWS.RU)

Poll finds more than half of British Muslims believe homosexuality should be illegal

Former equalities chief Trevor Phillips says ‘The integration of British Muslims is probably the hardest task we’ve ever faced’

Trevor Phillips claims that we should accept that Muslims “see the world differently from the rest of us.” Getty Images

Integrating British Muslims into society is “probably the hardest task we’ve ever faced,” the former equalities chief has said, after a revealing survey found that over half of British Muslims believe homosexuality should be illegal, while more than a third think wives should always obey their husbands

Trevor Phillips, the former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said this is the first time British Muslims are “speaking for themselves” instead of having leaders speak for them.

The survey of 1,000 British Muslims found that “they love Britain, they are patriotic, they especially prize the freedom to practice their religion as they would like, they trust the authorities in a way that came as a surprise to me.

“But on specific issues – families, sexuality, gender, attitudes towards Jews, and on questions of violence and terrorism, the centre of gravity of British Muslim opinion is some distance away from the centre of gravity of everyone else’s opinion.”

The poll carried out by ICM and commissioned for Channel 4 found that more than half of British Muslims think homosexuality should be illegal. In addition, 47 per cent of those surveyed believe it would be unacceptable for someone who identifies as gay or lesbian to teach in a school.

More than one third - 39% - were also found to be of the view that "wives should always obey their husbands".

Mr Phillips said the integration of Britain's Muslims “will probably be the hardest task we've ever faced.” He told the programme that in a situation where one in six British Muslims have said they would like to live more separately and a quarter would like to live under Sharia law, “it means that we have as a society a group of people who do not want to participate in the way that other people do”.

The survey also found a correspondence between the desire to live separately and sympathy for terrorism. “And I think everybody, including most people in the Muslim community, would find that extremely worrying,” he added.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Phillips said there is a “life and death struggle for the soul of British Islam – and this is not a battle that the rest of us can afford to sit out. We need to take sides.”

Expanding on this, he told the Today programme that the survey found a current of liberal Muslim opinion where people believe “Muslims need to find the form of Islam that is completely compatible with British life”. But this view is held by fewer that one in five Muslims, he said, who feel part of a small community that is “dwindling”.

“What they want is for everybody else not to stand on the side-lines and look at it as a kind of struggle within a separate community, which is what I think it feels like at the moment, but to say, as a community, we think these values - the equality of women, respect towards people irrespective of their sexuality - is something which should run through the whole of British society, not be confined to people who are not Muslims.”

ICM used face-to-face, in-home research to question a representative sample of 1,000 Muslims across Great Britain.

Addional reporting by PA

Anti-gay preacher with ‘you deserve rape’ sign gets hit with baseball bat (VIDEO)

The hate preacher was attacked with a baseball bat

An anti-gay preacher carrying a “you deserve rape” sign, has been attacked with a baseball bat.
Brother Dean Saxton, who lives in Glendale, Arizona, was hit with the bat while he stood outside a school with the “you deserve rape” sign.
Known for spreading hate speech, Saxton often preaches anti-gay sermons, and is seen in this particular video outside the Valley high school.

Saxton is seen in a video published on YouTube saying: “The Bible says it’s not okay to be gay”.
He goes on to say: “You need to stop looking up naughty, nasty things on the Internet.”
As he makes the hate speech, various students and teachers approach him and denounce what he is saying, peacefully challenging him on his views.
One teacher says: “I think you’re a disgrace to Christianity. Why don’t you go and preach it to somebody who really wants to hear your message, like Westboro Baptist Church?”
Then a student attacks Saxton while he is still on camera.
Students and staff nearby are seen celebrating as Saxton is clearly dazed by the blow.
He is later seen walking away with blood dripping from his head Tabitha Brubaker, 19, was arrested and charged with felony assault and marijuana possession after the attack.
After the attack, Saxton denied that he was responsible for the attack by inciting the violence. He called the attacker an “LGBT monster”.
A video of the attack is available below, filmed first person by Brother Dean Saxton:

Source: www.pinknews.co.uk

Tbilisi vegan cafe appeal over meat-wielding religious extremists and neo-Nazis

Holy Horrors: Religious slaughter in Georgia - sheep have throats cut without stunning. Image: (PRIMETIMENEWS).

A vegan cafe in Tbilisi has appealed for public solidarity after being invaded by alleged ultra-nationalists wielding grilled meat and sausages.

More than a dozen men stormed into the Kiwi cafe in the Georgian capital on Sunday evening, the cafe said, shouting and throwing meat at patrons.

A brawl erupted but the attackers fled before police arrived.

The cafe has appealed for public support, saying it was no prank but a case of intimidation by neo-Nazis.

It said it was already the target of some local hostility due to its patrons' alternative lifestyles - "the way we look, music that we listen to, ideas we support, and the fact that we don't eat meat" and backing of causes such as rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

"During these hard times you can support us just by visiting our cafe, we will be very grateful if you come to show everyone that here are a lot of us who care about the issue!"

The incident comes amid growing concerns about the rise of far-right nationalism in Georgia.

Last week, hundreds of nationalists marched through central Tbilisi - waving Georgian flags and anti-communist banners, reports said - to mark independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Homophobia is also commonplace in Georgia, correspondents say. The country made world headlines in 2013 when a small group of LGBT activists were attacked by a large mob led by an orthodox priest.

Neighbours' 'baseless hatred'

The cafe statement blames Sunday's incident on the group of men who came into the premises, talking loudly, throwing meat and smoking, and then "yelling, laughing, and talking to us sarcastically".

These people "were neo-Nazis... who support fascist ideas", the cafe said.

Some minor injuries were sustained.

The police arrived only after the attackers had left, but the cafe said even some of those officers behaved aggressively, "yelled with anger, said that we are guilty of what had happened". Some cafe workers were taken in for interrogation.

The BBC is trying to ascertain whether there is an official investigation under way into the clash.

Extremist Orthodox vs LGBT right defenders in Tbilisi (Reuters™):

Source: www.bbc.com

Monday, May 30, 2016

Report by Sambasi Kantiola

Sao Paulo: An evangelical pastor has been arrested for raping his faithful, after convincing them that his reproductive organs contained “holy milk” which they need for holy healing.

Sobrino Valdeci Picanto, an evangelical pastor from Brazil, persuaded his followers that he practiced his strange beliefs because it was the way he preached the word, saying that his ‘milk’ was sacred.

And this pastor said his reproductives was blessed and that “the Lord had consecrated with divine milk of the Holy Spirit” and of course, had to go around evangelizing.

“He convinced us that only God could come into our lives through the mouth”, a follower said,

“Often, after worship, Pastor Valdeci asked us to do perform oral acts on him until the Holy Spirit came through seed and delivered funds to the church.”
Sobrino Valdeci Picanto, 59, was arrested in Apore, Goiás, Brazil, for raping several women attending his church.

He gave as an excuse that his reproductive organs had been consecrated with “divine seminal fluid of the Holy Spirit.”

Valdecir came to abuse some elderly, and defends himself by saying that ‘he had an encounter with Jesus in a brothel and gave him the mission of spreading the sacred semen throughout the state, beginning with the faithful Apore Assembly, of which he is responsible’.

Denise Pinheiro, delegate of the region, said, “Valdecir was caught red-handed while rubbing his reproductive units in the face of a local merchant, which promised to make more sales in her business due to the divine liquid.

When we acted Valdecir offered no resistance and even asked if I wanted to be part of the kingdom of heaven on the way to the police station.

Recently a lot of Pastors have been exposed in several reports engaging in similarly revolting things...
Earlier this month, a South African Prophet charged at a pair of lions in a national park to prove the power of the spirit. The lions called his bluff and nearly killed him. He was saved by rangers who shot in the sky dispersing the lions.

Weeks later, Prophet Mboro again from South Africa was reported to have ascended to heaven during a live service. He surfaced a week later and claimed he took selfies with his Samsung Galaxy Smartphone and has been selling them for $500 USD each. He also said Jesus has a hot black wife in heaven.

A few days ago, we reported similarly shocking news of a Pastor who asked his entire church to undress during a live service and touch each other.He has promised to hold a one night stand church service which will be streamed.

A little down south however, Lesotho would have none of it and they arrested a Pastor who played indecent videos in church on the big screen.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Islamic preacher warns that men who masturbate will get their hands PREGNANT... and will have to look after their offspring in the afterlife

A preacher has said those who masturbate will find their hands pregnant.

Mucahid Cihad Han was responding to a viewer's question on live TV.

He added the man will have to look after his hands' offspring in the afterlife.

An Islamic preacher has made the astonishing claim that those who masturbate will find their hands pregnant and be forced to raise the offspring in the afterlife.

Turkish preacher Mucahid Cihad Han made the comments in response to a viewer's startlingly honest query during a broadcast on live TV.

At first appearing puzzled by the caller's question, he eventually warned him to 'resist Satan's temptations'.

According to Hurriyet Daily News, Han was appearing on the TV station 2000 TV when a man rang the station to confess that despite being married, he kept masturbating - even during the holy pilgrimage to Mecca known as Umrah.

Forced to repeat the question several times to the confused preacher, he was eventually advised that the act was forbidden.

'Moreover,' Han said, 'One [saying] states that those who have sexual intercourse with their hands will find their hands pregnant in the afterlife, complaining against them to God over its rights.

'If our viewer was single, I could recommend he marry, but what can I say now?'

He later posted on Twitter an interpretation of Islam which he said proved masturbation was forbidden, adding: 'Lets keep ourselves out of trouble.'

Despite his claims, there are various interpretations in Islam regarding whether or not the act is forbidden.

Some claim is it simply frowned upon, or disliked, while others have said it is actually permissible should it help stop a man from committing adultery or other sins.

Read more: www.hurriyetdail...

‘Christian’ Attorney Says She Will Take Gun To Restroom So She Can Shoot Trans People

Anita Staver is president of the extreme far right. pseudo-Christian law group known as the Liberty Counsel, and she just made a big announcement on Twitter: From now on, she will carry a handgun with her when she goes to the bathroom at Target just in case she needs to shoot any transgender people she finds in there.
As was first reported on the blog site JoeMyGod:
“Liberty Counsel president Anita Staver declared Friday that she will be taking her Glock .45 handgun to Target as protection against assaults by transgender patrons.”
Sure enough, point your browser over to Twitter and you can see this:
If Staver’s last name sound familiar, that’s because she’s the wife of Mat Staver, the homophobic dillhole who most recently defended Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis as she tried unsuccessfully to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses in direct defiance of the United States Supreme Court.
Perhaps it’s time we address these hateful people in a manner they can understand, so here goes:
If you live in the mortal fear that a transgender person will use the same bathroom as you, then you need to stay locked in your home like the pathetic misanthrope you are. If, on the other hand, you choose to go out in public and move amongst the rest of us who could care less what is happening in a restroom, then you’ll just have to adjust to the fact that–gasp!–a transgendered person might be using the facilities at the same time.
In Europe, many public bathrooms are unisex, so both men and women use them. But there hasn’t been a rash of sexual assaults in European restrooms. And there won’t be in American ones, either.

Anita Staver. Image: (LiberalAmerica)

Why Are Educated People More Likely to Be Atheists?

Religion works more through the emotions than through reason.

The more education a person receives, the more likely they are to become atheists (1). Non belief also increases with intelligence and income. Residents of more educated countries see religion as less important in their daily lives (2).
Why are highly educated people more likely to be atheists? There are two categories of explanation. Either religious people lack a capacity for skepticism, or they choose to make a blind leap of faith and subscribe to the belief system adopted by their religious community.
The Santa Claus Analogy
According to a deficient skepticism view, educated people are more capable of critical thought. They subject the claims of religious teachers to more intense skeptical inquiry. This is rather like older children asking themselves how a fat man can navigate a 9-inch chimney flue, magically reemerging next to the Christmas tree with packages measuring more than a foot in three dimensions. Older children connect these absurdities with a pattern of suspicious movements by parents and draw the inevitable conclusion that Santa Clause is a charade perpetrated by parents on children. Younger children are more trusting and less skeptical.
Logical though the rational-capacity explanation for atheism is, it is not entirely satisfactory for different reasons. Rational capacity does not always translate into religious skepticism, as noted for the distinguished scientists of past eras who were rabidly religious for the most part. Similarly, in religious countries, people may well stop believing in Santa Clause when they grow up but still hang on to their religious belief system. So it takes more than skepticism to separate people from their religious faith.
Why do religious people trash some implausible beliefs but keep others? Perhaps they get something out of the beliefs they keep. Once a person grows up, their parents no longer shower them with gifts during the holiday season so that they have no particular reason to sustain their credulity concerning Santa Claus, although they do pass on the belief to children.
If religious beliefs do not yield tangible benefits for adults, they may yield emotional rewards. The emotive aspects of religious belief can persist despite development of improved reasoning ability. Religious beliefs and rituals may continue to help adults to feel good. Belief and disbelief are more a matter of feelings than of reason.
Why elevate the emotional aspects of religious belief over the cognitive, or intellectual ones? One possibility is that religion functions as a form of emotion focused coping. It provides a defense against life’s difficulties and disappointments.
The Emotional Hook
If religion is essentially a mechanism for dealing with unpleasant emotions, it is most useful when life is most difficult, as in disease-ravaged poverty-stricken sub-Saharan Africa and least useful when the quality of life is good, as is true of godless Europe.
In less educated countries, the general standard of living is poor. There is a lot of chronic illness and early death. Infant and child mortality are high. The population is highly vulnerable to droughts, famines and natural disasters. Most people find it miserably difficult to make a living. Governments are weak and corrupt and ordinary people get pushed around by gangsters and warlords. Of course, there may also be little religious freedom so that if there are any agnostics they are forced to keep a low profile.
Lacking any objective solution for their many problems, residents of less developed countries turn to religion for answers. The clearest evidence for this is the fact that in poor countries where the standard of living is low virtually everyone sees religion as important in their lives.
As the standard of living improves, there are fewer unpleasant situations over which people have no control and therefore less of a market for religion. With improving quality of life in developed countries, the importance of religion declines. Looking into the future, this predicts a gradual shrinking of religious belief as the standards of living around the globe continues to improve fueled by rapid economic development.
1. Lynn, R., Harvey, J., & Nyborg, H. (2009). Average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 nations. Intelligence, 37, 11-15.
2. Barber, N. (2012). Why atheism will replace religion: The triumph of earthly pleasures over pie in the sky. E-book, available at: http://www.amazon.com/Atheism-Will-Replace-Religion-ebook/dp/B00886ZSJ6/ (link is external)
Hailing from Ireland, Nigel Barber received his Ph.D. in Biopsychology from Hunter College, CUNY, and taught psychology at Bemidji State University and Birmingham Southern College. A prolific cross-national researcher, Barber accounts for societal differences in sexual and reproductive behaviour using an evolutionary approach. Books include Why Parents Matter, The Science of Romance, Kindness in a Cruel World, and The Myth of Culture: Why We Need a Genuine Natural Science of Societies. Interests include finance, organic gardening, and hiking.
Frank Schaeffer: How to Stop Being a Fundamentalist Evangelical Christian

RWW News: Glenn Beck Has 10,000 Pastors Willing To Die Resisting Anti-Christian Persecution

By Nigel Barber | Psychology Today

Secular Scotland: Atheism Up by Nearly 10 Per Cent in Six Years

A new poll has shown that atheism is on the rise in Scotland, as nearly half of Scots now say they are of no religion, up from 40 per cent in 2009. On current trends, Christianity will become a minority belief in Scotland within the next few years.

The latest Scottish Household survey, which collates results from 2014 shows that, overall, 49.9 per cent of people still consider themselves to belong to a Christian denomination: 27.8 per cent identified as Church of Scotland, 14.4 per cent Roman Catholic, and 7.7 per cent as ‘other Christian’.
However, 47.3 per cent responded “none” when asked about their faith, STV has reported.
Of the remainder, 1.4 per cent identified as Muslim, 0.3 per cent Buddhist, 0.3 per cent Hindu, 0.1 per cent Sikh, 0.1 per cent Jewish, 0.1 per cent Pagan, and 0.5 per cent another religion.
The results of the survey, which began in 1999, is based on a sample of Scottish residents.
According to the authors of the report: “Since the harmonised religion question was introduced to the SHS in 2009, there has been an upward trend in the proportion of adults reporting not having a religion, from 40% in 2009 to 47% in 2014.
“There has also been a corresponding decrease in the proportion reporting ‘Church of Scotland’, from 34% to 28%.”
The survey is the latest in a body of evidence pointing to the rapid secularisation of the UK, and indeed of the western world. Research by the Pew Centre suggested that Christians will be a minority group in the UK by 2050, as atheism and Islam rise.
It also showed that, globally, Islam is expected to surge by 73 per cent. However the rise of atheism is primarily a western phenomenon, as Christian adherence grows in the East.
Other research suggests that Pew’s figures do not give a true picture of the secularisation of the UK. The 2014 British Social Attitudes survey found that non-adherence had already relegated Christianity to a minority belief, with just 41.7 per cent of those surveyed identifying as Christians, against 50.6 per cent of the population saying that they have no religion, up from 47.7 per cent the year before.
Commenting on the Pew Group’s findings, Prof Linda Woodhead, an expert in the sociology of religion based at Lancaster University, told the Telegraph: “I think the interesting thing is to compare Britain with comparator countries, other northern European countries with similar national churches.
“The same rate of de-Christianisation is not projected for Norway, Denmark, Sweden for example. So the national Church of England and Church of Scotland, seem to have been particularly effective in generating ‘no religion’.”
That trend is of particular concern in Scotland as the Scottish Assembly wages its war on the family. In August 2016 the Assembly will roll out the Named Person scheme which removes some parental rights from parents and hands them to the state. Under the scheme, every child will be assigned a ‘named person’; a state official tasked with looking after a child’s “well being” – that is, their “happiness”. The scheme is already being piloted across the country, and parents seeing their authority undermined.
Dr Gordon Macdonald, parliamentary officer for Christian Action Research and Education told campaign group No2NP: “Where the named person feels that the child’s well being – and the term ‘well being is a very nebulous concept, it can mean anything essentially – is not being fully developed, they have the authority from the state to ensure that the child has access to services.
His organisation is particularly concerned, he said, that the legislation will lead to conflict between Christian parents who, “coming from a faith perspective, will have strong views on issues of sexual ethics,” and state officials who “may come under pressure” to “ensure that the child has access to a different perspective on these issues, contrary to the parents’ wishes”.

Friday, May 27, 2016

10 Reasons Atheists Do It Better

Although the exact number is hard to pin down, an estimated 13% of the world identifies as atheist. While believing or not believing in a God is a complex personal choice, there is a growing body of evidence that points to certain benefits of being an atheist. Being a theist has its own great advantages, but here are some of the reasons being an atheist could be beneficial (not necessarily in order of importance):
Scandinavian countries tend to be the least religious countries of the Western world and yet are consistently ranked the highest in the polls that measure a happiness index. Many factors go into such ratings, like economics, life expectancy, healthcare, social safety nets, and the transparency of the government, but it’s hard not to notice a potential correlation between atheism and happiness.
Atheists tend to have higher IQs and have been shown to generally be more intelligent than religious people. Intelligent people also tend to spend more time in school, which in turn leads to greater success professionally.
This follows from the previous reason - more intelligent people tend to do better in the workplace. The same studies that have shown higher level of IQs for atheists, also equated that with getting higher-level jobs and higher pay.
These are two sides of the same coin.  Atheists are not being told that they are guilty and sinful, as is the case with many religious teachings. This leads to higher self-esteem and a feeling of control over life’s events. As atheists do not expect a deity to help them solve a problem, they will address it personally and directly. The increased self-reliance can have a positive effect on their own lives, but also on the lives of others. When there’s no wheel of life, reincarnation, heaven or hell, the responsibility for made choices lies with individuals.
Atheists tend to value scientific discovery more and are less likely to stand in the way of scientific progress as has often happened for religious reasons. An atheistic society is more rational and science-oriented.
Atheists believe in science and would not stand in the way of medical treatments on religious grounds. While there have been studies that showed the mental and physical health benefits of being a believer, there have also been recent studies that showed no significant difference in the mental health of religious and non-religious people. In fact, it can be argued that having strong self-esteem and better economic status would make atheists more healthy.
Atheists do not start wars or commit acts of terrorism for religious reasons, just to prove their deity is the correct one. On the other hand, Marxist-Leninist atheism at the core of communism has certainly given atheism a bad name, but it's not necessarily an argument that it was atheism itself that led to the repressions and killings. There were complex historical, social and economic reasons for that. Atheists tend to not kill others for the sake of atheism.
Atheists are generally skeptical and tend to look at issues from a rational, often scientific standpoint that demands proof. For an atheist, elements of reality are observable and can be tested.
Atheists tend to be very involved in social justice issues. They do not believe in some higher power or order that could have pre-ordained a human’s lot in life. Everything is of this material universe and can be improved upon.
It wouldn't be a worthwhile list if it didn't talk about sex.  There have been studies that showed atheists having better sex lives than religious people simply due to not feeling guilty about it. Guilt about sex is certainly a strong feature of some of the world's religions and the political discourses they generate (particularly in the US). There are also studies out that show a greater satisfaction with sex among the believers, but as it's also not something they should really focus on and discuss (according to religious tenets), it's hard to know where their responses are coming from.
Do these reasons mean you should abandon your faith?  You make the call. But being an atheist needs not carry any negative stigma in a world still dominated by believers. Professor of psychology Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi profiled a likely atheist to be this person - “We can say that atheists show themselves to be less authoritarian and suggestible, less dogmatic, less prejudiced, more tolerant of others, law-abiding, compassionate, conscientious, and well-educated. They are of high intelligence, and many are committed to the intellectual and scholarly life.”  That sounds like a pretty good person.
Michael Shermer of Sceptic Magazine explains how nonbelievers will eventually become the norm around the world.
There is evidence of the growing number of nonbelievers in the United States. According to research by the PEW Research Center,
"the religiously unaffiliated population – including all of its constituent subgroups – has grown rapidly as a share of the overall U.S. population. The share of self-identified atheists has nearly doubled in size since 2007, from 1.6% to 3.1%. Agnostics have grown from 2.4% to 4.0%. And those who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” have swelled from 12.1% to 15.8% of the adult population since 2007. Overall, the religious “nones” have grown from 16.1% to 22.8% of the population in the past seven years."

Image: (GettyImages)

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Christian Extremist: Women Who Have Abortions Should Be Shot By a Firing Squad

The last time we saw Christian extremist and one-man hate group Theodore Shoebat, he was saying that women who have abortions were “sluts” who deserved the death penalty.
In his latest video, he’s even more explicit about how women and their doctors should die.
He wants them to be shot in front of a firing squad:

Image: (Patheos)

It makes no sense to punish only doctors for performing abortions, Shoebat declared, “becausethe woman is actually more guilty” and “the biggest criminal” since without her consent, no abortion would ever take place.
As such, both women who have abortions and doctors who perform them should be lined up before a firing squad and shot, he said.
“Yeah, arrest all the abortion doctors and put them before a firing squad and kill ’em,” Shoebat said, “but do not exempt the woman. The woman also needs to be in front of that firing squad as well.
It’s worth mentioning that, if that were to ever happen, church attendance would plummet.
But this is a logical consequence of anti-abortion rhetoric, isn’t it? If abortion is murder, then women who have abortions and the doctors who facilitate them are complicit and deserve to be punished. And while Donald Trump and other Republicans might be hesitant to say what that punishment would be, Shoebat is taking the “eye for an eye” approach.
I’m not saying other anti-abortion advocates would agree with him, but every one of them ought to spell out exactly what the punishments should be for women who have abortions and their doctors. Because even if it’s not the death penalty, jail time and money is far too extreme.

Source: www.patheos.com

Richard Dawkins: religion should be offended at every opportunity

Dawkins says it's ridiculous to be accused of racism when you criticise Islam

Dawkins also said he believed migrants from Syria and Iraq who have stopped believing in Islam should be prioritised in the immigration system. (Getty Images)
Richard Dawkins has said he is in favour of offending people’s religion and it should be offended at every opportunity.
The controversial atheist academic, 75, argued the public was too worried about being viewed as racist and claimed it is absurd to be accused of racism for criticising Islam.
Dawkins said this was the result of an “absurd double standard” in the Western world which means people are more anxious about attacking Islam than Christianity.
“People are terrified of being thought racist,” he told The Times. “There’s an awful confusion in many people’s minds. They think Islam is a race, which of course it isn’t”.
“If you’re seen to criticise Islam you are often accused of racism, which is absurd.
“I’m all for offending people’s religion. I think it should be offended at every opportunity”.
Dawkins also said migrants from Syria and Iraq who have stopped believing in Islam should be prioritised in the immigration system.
“In the case of immigrants from Syria and Iraq I would like to see special preference given to apostates, people who have given up Islam,” he said. “They are in particular danger.”
The evolutionary biologist, whose best-selling book The God Delusion has been downloaded ten million times, is a provocative figure. He has been accused of Islamophobia in the past but dismisses the term as a “non-word”.
Dawkins prompted outrage in September of last year when he suggested the innocent American school boy, Ahmed Mohammed, that was arrested for building a clock might have “wanted to be arrested” in order to be seen as a victim of discrimination.
Richard Dawkins on Islam, Jews, science and the burka – BBC Newsnight

Christopher Hitchens & Richard Dawkins – We’d be better off without religion

Sam Harris simply destroys Christianity

By Maya Oppenheim | 23 May 2016
The Independent, www.churchandstate.org.uk


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A touch of fall

This morning when I stepped out for work, I felt the refreshing breeze brushing my just-washed damp hair. I have been longing for this weather for a while. The crisp cool air made me feel so good–a touch of fall. In fact, today was pretty windy. When I returned home, the relaxing breeze was waving to me again. I also heard the sound of leaves on the trees when breezes come one after another. The leaves must be praising the pleasant weather. It’s the sound of nature–so mysterious and charming. I loved the breeze surrounding me, caressing me and conforting me. I was embraced with the touch of fall…
Hope the recent sweltering heat will leave me soon. I look forward to seeing more changes of the season.

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Cabinet reiterates revised package for migrants

SRINAGAR: The Cabinet which met here Wednesday under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated its earlier decision regarding the revised package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants already sent to New Delhi.
The Cabinet also asked the Revenue Department to work out the modalities for the implementation of the package and send it to New Delhi.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved restructuring of the Auxiliary Police Battalions (now SDRF). It also gave sanction to the creation of 60 posts of different categories by corresponding reduction of 86 posts in the two Auxiliary Police battalions.
The Cabinet also approved promotion of Mohammad Hussain Malik, Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, to the Super Time Scale of KAS (Rs. 37,400-67,000 +GP of Rs. 10,000) w.e.f. 05.06.2014.
It also approved promotion of Ravi Kant, Secretary in the J&K Water Resources Regularity Authority to the Selection Grade of KAS from 03.10.2008 to 18.10.2011 and to the Special Scale of KAS from 18.10.2011.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal for issuance of an ordinance to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010.

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JK’s first coinage calendar unveiled

JK’s first coinage calendar unveiled
  • 8

JAMMU: Minister for Finance, Labour & Employment, Haseeb A Drabu on Tuesday unveiled the “Heritage Calendar-2018” of Department of Culture depicting JK’s numismatic heritage through the coinages which were prevalent in the state during ancient period.
Minister of State for Culture Priya Sethi, Commissioner Secretary, Culture Dilshad Khan, Director, Archives Archaeology and Museums Mohammad Shafi Zahid were present on the occasion.
According to an official handout, Drabu said, the Heritage Calendar of Directorate of Archives Archaeology and Museums depicts the unique and rich numismatic coinage of the state dating back to 350-150 BC till Dogra Coinage. These copper, silver and gold coins have also been displayed in the state museum of the department, he added.
While going through the coinage details on various leaves of the calendar, the minister said “one can get complete knowledge of chronological history of its coinage” in different periods of the state.
“The theme on coinage for the heritage calendar is aimed at inculcating a sense of the coinage of the state from the early past to recent era for the citizens, especially students,” he said adding that the calendar is a platform which not only acquaints citizens to their rich heritage but also ingrains in them a sense of preservation of their legacy.
The salient features of the Heritage Calendar depicts the Punch-Marka coins (350-150 BC), the Indo-Greek coinage (92-93BC), the Indo-Scythians coinage (57-35 BC), the Kushan coinage (100-120 AD), the Huns coins (400-500 AD), the Hindu coinage (700-800 AD), the Sultan Coinage (1420-1470), the Mughal coinage (1606-27), the Durani Coinage (1747-72), the Sikh Coinage (1799-1839 AD) and the Dogra Coinage (1842-1850), the handout added.

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Zulfkar lauds role of schools, teachers in nation building

Zulfkar lauds role of schools, teachers in nation building
  • 3

JAMMU: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Tribal Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali Sunday said that private educational institutions are playing a pivotal role in ensuring the provision of quality education and the government appreciates the efforts of these institutions in raising the literacy rate in the state.
The Minister was speaking during the 1st Annual Day celebrations of Mount Litera Zee School, Tarore on the theme “My Earth” here at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium.
Among others, Legislators Firdous Ahmed Tak, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, Regional School Director Zee Learn India Ltd. Amita Chaturvedi, Chairman of the School, Members of the Trust besides teachers, parents and students attended the function.
Speaking on the occasion, Zulfkar Ali said that state government has initiated multiple initiatives in the field of education to improve literacy rate in the state with focus on rural and far flung areas.
He said that young generation can make their mark in the society due to hard work, honesty, dedication and above all due to preservation of the moral ethics of rich heritage and values of our civilization which in itself has unique identity.
He emphasized the vital responsibility of the institution to provide quality educational facilities for students at all levels, as only such advancement could promote the future growth and development of the State. He said that the role of schools and teachers is very important to build a strong nation.
The Minister appreciated the role of the school in the field of academic as well as co-curricular activities adding that the school has shown brilliance from the very beginning and as management of the school is highly trained and talented.
Earlier, Director of the School, Rahul Kapoor in his welcome address highlighted the achievements of the school and the steps initiated to further improve the educational setup in the school.
Later, the students presented a colourful cultural programme based on national integration, communal harmony and social evils. The main highlight of the day was a ballad performance on theme “My Earth”. Students presented performance with a message to save earth which was highly appreciated by the audience and the guests.
Meanwhile, the dignitaries also released school’s First Annual Magazine “Litera Times”. Ritesh kapoor, Trustee, Mount Litera Zee School, Tarore presented the vote of thanks.

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Menswear Showdown: The Gold Edition

Welcome to our first edition of fashion/menswear showdowns on Kdrama Fashion! Think of it like a “Who Wore It Better” contest where we compare similar styles spotted in Kdrama-land. We’ll start with the first topic of gold colours in menswear. Do your Kdrama heroes pull it off or should it be left to Kpop idols instead? ;)

 photo FTLY-gold5_zpsa82372b6.jpg

First up, we have Kim Tan (played by Lee Min-ho) in last year’s Heirs, as a high school student and heir, wearing a shimmery gold sweater in a casual outfit. He paired his standout sweater with black jeans, red sneakers and black headphones.

(Outfit found in Episode 5 of Heirs)

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Next up, we have Daniel Pitt (played by Choi Jin-hyuk) in the currently airing Fated To Love You (who’s watching? :D ) as a fashion designer/DJ/businessman/cafe owner/sometime priest/artist/ex-pasta chef (shout-out to Pasta!) etc (what exactly is he supposed to be because he seems to take on different roles every episode hahaha). In this scene where he’s taking on the role of DJ, Daniel chooses a gold lamé jacket for his outfit, pairing it with a black shirt and black jeans. He also accessorizes with black sunglasses, black and silver bracelets on one wrist, a silver watch on the other and a couple of rings as well. He also coincidentally adds a pair of white headphones to his look like Kim Tan, except in this case, this is more a prop than an outfit accessory.

(Outfit found in Episode 1 of Fated To Love You)

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Read on for our pick between the two and vote or comment below to tell us what you think!

Kylie: I wasn’t a fan of quite a few outfits Kim Tan wore in Heirs but this gold one was one I neither liked or hated. It falls in this middle ground where I feel like this works because it’s Lee Min-ho wearing it and he just about pulls it off. While it’s a muted gold, it’s still over the top for a casual day look.

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Daniel, on the other hand, just cracks me up with his shiny gold fashion! It’s even more over the top than Kim Tan’s sweater but in the dark surroundings of a club, I like how the gold really stands out. Personally, gold in menswear is a little too much for me, but between the two: Daniel wore gold better! It made me laugh and it was more suitable in context of his character and the scene. I promise my celeb crush on Choi Jin-hyuk has nothing to do with it! <3

 photo FTLY-gold3_zpsbd8cdae5.jpg

Elle: Well, I like both Lee Min-ho and Choi Jin-hyuk so I have an equal bias for both, hee! I have to say that both outfits are appropriate for their respective scenes. Kim Tan’s gold sweater has a nice glittery sheen to it that looks really nice when the sunlight hits it just right. Daniel’s gold jacket, on the other hand, is incredibly shiny and would probably only work as a nighttime look or in dark surroundings.

 photo HEIRS5-00004_zps541a802b.jpg

That said, my vote also goes to Mr. Pitt! (The name D. Pitt cracks me up.) Kim Tan’s use of gold feels more accessible and everyday, but doesn’t have that whoomph like Daniel’s. If I was going to see gold in menswear, I would prefer to see a more dramatic look. Complete with unnecessary sunglasses in a club and hilarious DJ rocking-out and all. Seeing him grooving to his music with those headphones on is just… priceless.

 photo FTLY-gold4_zps5a4b2a85.jpg

So what do you guys think? Agree with our unanimous choice? Or want to show some (more) love to Kim Tan? Decide your winner in this menswear showdown in the poll below!

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Tips & Tricks for Free Fulltv Video Downloader

In the following post, we're going to show you the helpful tips and tricks for you to download videos from These tips can help you to get the videos without any trouble. All mentioned Fulltv video downloader programs can be found by searching in Google.

Frequently Asked Questions about Downloading Fulltv Videos

Q: What if I Can’t Download Videos from

A: If you can’t download Fulltv videos directly, you can use the video recording software to record the video clips you need.

Q: Can I Play Downloaded Video on My Device?

A: Generally speaking, the video downloader will download videos from to MP4 video files, and you’re able to play the downloaded videos on your mobile device without any problem.

Q: Can I Share Downloaded Video with My Friends?

A: After downloading videos from, you can only take the videos for personal use, but not sharing it on social network or send it directly to another friend.

Q: Does Video Downloader Save Any Copy of Downloaded Videos?

A: The video downloader website, app or program, doesn’t save any copy of the file you’re about to download. After downloading videos, you can make a copy of the video by yourself.

Q: Is it legal to download videos from

A: It depends on the terms and conditions of For the copyright-free videos, users can download them for fair use easily; for the copyright-protected videos, users will have to ask for permissions from the video owner.

Helpful Tips and Tricks to Download Fulltv Videos

In fact, there’re several helpful ways that enable you to download videos from In this part, we’ll introduce you how to get the work done.

Raw Recording

Download Fulltv Videos by Raw Recording

1. Debut Video Capture Software

This is a high-quality video recording program that enables you to record your screen with sound. This software can help you to download Fulltv videos with process. You can also customize the recording area so that you’ll only get the video clips you want.

2. Free Screen Video Recorder

Free Screen Video Recorder, a full-featured video recording program for Windows users, can also be regarded as a helpful Fulltv video downloader. The program gives you very easy interface, but very practical recording features. With the help of this video recording software, you’ll be able to download Naitonalgeographic videos in short time.

3. CamStudio

CamStudio is also a powerful video recording program, and it can help you to download videos from with no worries. It provides you the friendly user interface, and many handy functions, so you can download Fulltv videos with simple steps.

Find Compatible Video Downloader:

Download Fulltv videos with the helpful video downloaders

There’re various kinds of video downloaders in the market, and they can help you to download videos from in easy process. When you want to select a Fulltv video downloader, you can pay attention to the following aspects:

· Whether the user interface is clear and simplified

· Does the program have only one function or several functions

· Whether the video downloader gives you any option to convert the downloaded video

Now if you want to download videos from, you can easily find the video downloader program you want on the Internet.

Use Mobile Fulltv Video Downloader App:

There’s chance that you want to download Fulltv videos into your mobile devices directly. If yes, you can take advantage of the mobile Fulltv video downloader app to get the work done. When you search for the video downloader apps in Google Play Store, you’ll find different results. At this moment, you should take a look at the description of the app and check out whether this Fulltv video downloader app is the one you want.

Subscribe to

You can also subscribe to to download Fulltv videos. After the subscription, you’ll obtain the rights to save videos for offline playback. Therefore, if you want to download videos from, the subscription is also a good choice.

Download Videos Tips for More Video Sites


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So it ends on a mostly high note

I have a headache and it will not go away. And there are other problems. Blah. Today was not nearly as cool as it should have been. Among the highlights: I look like I was in a little fight. Swell.

HOWEVER. Really cool thing happened today. I had my last ever class (Studies in the Essay) as an undergraduate student. That’s cool but not the really cool part. At the beginning of class, this guy asked if I had a second to talk to him after class about his essay. I said sure. We’d critiqued the essay on Tuesday in class — and I’d made some notes on it, as I do on everything. So, class class class, evals, etc. We sat down outside of the classroom and he said that my comments were the only helpful comments he got from the class, and he wanted to ask me some question about how he might improve points of it. We talked for a a few minutes and looked over the essay, and I pointed out the parts I thought worked best. And then he said, “I think you’ll make a great teacher.”

This is just about the coolest thing that could have happened to cap this semester off. After working on critique after critique and writing up all of these notes on papers, I had basically come to believe that either no one was reading them or that the people who were reading them didn’t like them, use them, etc. So it’s really nice to see that work actually meant something to someone else. Also, it was a pretty good essay — really funny.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

3 Responses to So it ends on a mostly high note

  1. therealjae says:

    How cool!

    Do you want to be a great teacher?

  2. kepkanation says:

    I think so. Right now, the clearest path I can see for myself gstarts with going to grad school in 2006 for an MFA in Writing, and being a GTA along the way. If I like that and find it’s something I can do well, then I’d go the Ph.D. route and, with luck, get some kind of university gig down the line. But it’s a flexible plan.

  3. therealjae says:

    That sounds like a truly marvelous plan.

    There are some really amazing (and for other people, jealous-making) things about an academic life. I volunteer to remind you of them sometime if you need a carrot dangled. 🙂

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Epicurean Market 2014 @ Marina Bay Sands – 10 pairs of tickets giveaway!

Food lovers in Singapore have it good. Many famous or celebrity chefs are coming to Singapore, either to open shop or for the various food events. Even food trucks from US (The Lime Truck) are having charity appearance and managed to raise quite a bit of money for a local charity.

Early last year (Jan 2013), there was the first ever Epicurean Market organized by Marina Bay Sands. I remembered being there and walked around, bought some food, tasted some food, got up close and person with celebrity chefs, attended Masterclasses etc. It was one memorable event. You can read about it here.

Then I wondered it’s been more than a year, when’s Epicurean Market for 2014 coming?
Then I see adverts and emails coming. They have shifted it to September. That’s less than 1 month away.

Epicurean Market @ MBS

Just 2 weeks ago, I was on an airplane and I saw this page on the airline’s inflight magazine. It’s a reminder that I have 10 pair of access tickets (valid for 3 days access) to give away.

But first.. these are (what I have been told) the Top 10 experience at Epicurean Market for this year:

    1) Mystery Box cook-off between celebrity chef restaurants (13 September)
    If you have watch the cooking shows on TV, you would know about mystery box challenges. Watch for the first ever, a mystery box cook-off between executive chefs Jonathan Kinsella (db Bistro Moderne) and David Almany (Osteria Mozza). The chefs will have about 45 minutes to whip up a dish each in this cook-off and a trio of judges will select the winner.

    2) LOUIS XIII de Rémy Martin tasting (12 September)
    Discover the king of Cognacs, LOUIS XIII de Rémy Martin, made available to the public for the first time ever. Created in 1874, LOUIS XIII is an exceptional blend of 1,200 eaux-de-vie aged over 100 years, with each decanter highlighting the passionate work of four generations of Cellar Masters. Experience the LOUIS XIII with an amazing dessert pairing. Ticket for this exclusive masterclass is priced at S$50 (original ticket value of S$350) with a limited capacity of 40 participants. Limited-edition tickets have been packaged for this exclusive session, at $73 per person (includes the $23 ticket access to Epicurean Market for three days). The tasting is held on 12 September 2014, 4-5pm.

    3) Learn to make handmade pasta from the experts at Mozza’s booth
    Drop by Mozza’s booth and you will not only taste fresh handmade pasta, you will also dip your hands into fresh dough and make pasta. Learn from the masters at celebrity chef restaurant Mozza to make your own orecchiette by hand. The orecchiette is the most typical pasta shape of Puglia, a region of southern Italy. Its name comes from its shape, which resembles a small ear.

    4) Uniquely Epicurean takeaways
    Pick up unique items at the celebrity chef restaurant booths as they present exclusive items that are otherwise not available for sale. Guests can get to buy items such as special steak seasoning from CUT by Wolfgang Puck, spice rubs from Mozza and a specially-created db Singaporean chilli sauce by db Bistro Moderne. Waku Ghin will also debut Japanese pastries in addition to their award-winning cuisine.

    5) Great FIJI Water Race at Epicurean Market (13 September)
    The Great FIJI Water Race will be held at Epicurean Market on Saturday 13 September and it is a race for adventurous foodies. I have participated in a Great FIJI Water Race before at another event and it’s really fun! Participants will be racing to complete tasks and challenges at the different zones within Epicurean Market. For example, one task involves celebrity-chef spotting, taking the photos and putting them on Instagram to earn points. Other tasks will test their wine knowledge or ability to create coffee art in the shortest amount of time. The winner of The Great FIJI Water Race will walk away with the grand prize of S$2,000 cash, one year’s supply of FIJI Water and two nights stay at Marina Bay Sands.

    6) Celebrity chefs autograph sessions
    Epicurean Market @ MBS
    Get one-on-one time with renowned chefs such as Tetsuya Wakuda, Nancy Silverton and Justin Quek as they autograph cook books for fans and give personal tips. The cookbook signing sessions will take place right after the celebrity chef’s masterclasses at the chef’s booth. This should be interesting. I love Masterclasses and autograph sessions! The photo above was a Masterclass I attended last year.

    7) Vermouth and Aromatized Wine – The Perfect Aperitif (13 and 14 September)
    Take a peek into the fascinating history and origins of vermouth and aromatised wine as Marina Bay Sands’ mixologist Lucas Swallows demonstrates how to create light, aperitif style drinks using top Italian and French aromatised wines. Guests will also learn how to store and utilise these premium spirits at home.

    8) Junior Pastry Academy with Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek, db Bistro Moderne (14 September)
    Aspiring junior bakers can take part in an interactive workshop with db Bistro Moderne’s Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek as he leads 25 children in a Junior Pastry Academy session, guiding them to create delicious chocolate chip cookies and marzipan animals. The pastry class is open to children aged 5-10 years old. Pre-registration is required, email dbreservations@marinabaysands.com to register.  Train your children to cook, and they can cook for you instead!

    9) The art of cocktail tasting and setting up a home bar by Proof and Company Spirits (12 and 14 September)
    Learn the art of cocktail tasting and setting up a personalised home bar in style with two award-winning head bartenders, Joe Alessandroni and Zdenek Kastanek from Proof & Company Spirits. Through these two master classes, guests will learn how to assess the balance, flavour, ingredients and overall quality of cocktails, as well as learning how to build a home bar by selecting spirits, bar tools and other necessities.

    10) Go Green at Epicurean Market
    In line with Marina Bay Sands’ eco practices, Epicurean Market will feature sustainability activities. Guests can bring home chili seeds and nurture them to start a little herb garden at home. The seeds, available at the RISE booth, are packaged with an easy-to-follow chili-dip recipe. RISE will also offer their own concoction of green juices (kale, spinach, wheatgrass, celery, cucumber, green apple and ginger) for the health-conscious. Paper, plastic and food waste will be segregated for proper recycling and processing after the event concludes.

    Visit the MBS Website at http://www.marinabaysands.com/ for more details and also the latest update. You can also follow their Event Facebook page or follow them on Twitter or Instagram to keep up to date of the event. The hashtag is #EpicureanMarket

    Now…. the Giveaway:

    • For the giveaway, 10 persons will get 1 pair of 3 day pass worth $46 dollars each (2 x $23).
    • You just need to shout out why you should be picked at the Epicurean Market Giveaway link at https://www.facebook.com/keropokman.com
    • Contest is for readers who will be living in Singapore only.
    • Closing date is midnight 31 August 2014.
    • 10 random pick from the list of people who show enthusiasm in wanting to win it in their comments.
    • If the winners do not reply within 48 hours, new winners will be picked.

    Terms and conditions:

    Marina Bay Sands Pte. Ltd. is solely responsible for contacting the winners. No refunds are allowed and the prize is not exchangeable for credit, cash or in kind. If unclaimed after the redemption period, the prize will be forfeited, and the winner shall have no further right to claim it thereafter.

    Winners of the Epicurean Market Ticket Giveaway are not eligible to win the same prize in similar contests hosted by Marina Bay Sands Facebook, blogs, magazines and online publications.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


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Snorkeling trip at Churna……

December 23, 2010 § 2 Comments

19-12-10 we got together early in the morning to go for Snorkeling at Churna Island. We were in total 10 friends, some from Iqra Uni, and others from different Universities in Karachi. Our Group is called the Divers Reef. We love to snorkel and explore the beautiful coastal line that Pakistan has. Due to lack in distribution of good knowledge about our country these heavenly places get in the back of the line. And no attention is hence given to them. People go abroad to have relaxation time, leaving all these beautiful places behind. I think that as we should keep on going to these places and then share our experiences on the web with everyone, there might be a chance for these place to flourish as an International Tourist attraction one day.

Pictures from our trip (underwater) :

Divers Reef on Facebook :

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Talking to Your Parents - or Other Adults

You probably talk to friends way more than you talk to your parents. That's natural. Even if you and your parents have a great relationship, you want to find your own path and make your own choices.

Still, most of us want a parent's help, advice, and support at times. But talking to the adults in your life can seem difficult or intimidating — especially when it comes to certain subjects. Here are some tips to make it easier.

Talk About Everyday Stuff — and Do It Every Day

The more you do something, the easier it gets. Talking to the adults in your life about everyday stuff builds a bond that can smooth the way for when you need to discuss something more serious.

Find something trivial to chat about each day. Talk about how your team did at the track meet. Share something one of your teachers said. Even small talk about what's for dinner can keep your relationship strong and comfortable.

It's never too late to start. If you feel your relationship with your parents is strained, try easing into conversations. Mention that cute thing the dog did. Talk about how well your little sister is doing in math. Chatting with parents every day not only keeps an existing relationship strong, it also can help a frayed relationship get stronger.

When parents feel connected to your daily life, they can be there for you if something really important comes up.

Raising Difficult Topics

Maybe you need to break bad news to a parent, like getting a speeding ticket or failing an exam. Perhaps you're feeling scared or stressed about something. Or maybe you just really, really want to tell your parents about your new boyfriend or girlfriend, but you don't know how they'll react, how it will feel to tell them, or how to find the words.

Here are 3 steps to help you prepare for that talk.

Step 1: Know What You Want From the Conversation

It takes maturity to figure out what you want to get out of a conversation. (Most adults aren't so good at this!)

What you hope to achieve can vary. Most often you'll probably want the adults in your life to do one or more of these things:

  • simply listen and understand what you're going through without offering advice or commentary
  • give permission or support for something
  • offer you advice or help
  • guide you back on track if you're in trouble — in a way that's fair and without harsh criticism or put-downs

Why think about this before you begin talking? So you can say why you want to talk in a way that communicates what you need. For example:

  • "Mom, I need to tell you about a problem I'm having, but I need you to just listen, OK? Don't give me advice — I just want you to know what's bothering me."
  • "Dad, I need to get your permission to go on a class trip next week. Can I tell you about it?"
  • "Grandad, I need your advice about something. Can we talk?"

Difficult Topics (Continued)

Step 2: Identify Your Feelings

Things like personal feelings or sex are awkward to discuss with anyone, let alone a parent. It's natural to be nervous when talking about sensitive topics.

Recognize how you're feeling — for example, maybe you're worried that telling parents about a problem will make them disappointed or upset. But instead of letting those feelings stop you from talking, put them into words as part of the conversation. For example:

  • "Mom, I need to talk to you — but I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."
  • "Dad, I need to talk to you about something — but it's kind of embarrassing."

What if you think a parent may be unsupportive, harsh, or critical? It can help to defuse things by beginning with a statement like, "Mom, I have something to tell you. I'm not proud of what I've done, and you might be mad. But I know I need to tell you. Can you hear me out?"

Step 3: Pick a Good Time to Talk

Approach your parent when he or she isn't busy with something else. Ask, "Can we talk? Is now a good time?" Driving in the car or going for a walk can be great opportunities to talk. If it's hard to find a good time, say, "I need to talk to you. When is a good time?"

Difficult conversations benefit from good planning. Think ahead about what you want to say or ask. Write down the most important ideas if you need to.

How to Talk So Parents Will Listen

As most of us know, talking and listening don't go smoothly every time. Emotions and past experiences can get in the way.

Will parents take you seriously, believe what you say, listen to and respect your opinions, and hear you out without interrupting? A lot depends on your parent. Some parents are easy to talk to, some are great listeners, and some are harder to approach.

But some of what happens depends on you, too. Since communication is a two-way street, the way you talk can influence how well a parent listens and understands you.

So here are some guidelines to consider when talking to parents:

  • Be clear and direct. Be as clear as you can about what you think, feel, and want. Give details that can help parents understand your situation. They can listen better or be more helpful if they understand what you mean and what's really going on.
  • Be honest. If you're always honest, a parent will be likely to believe what you say. If you sometimes hide the truth or add too much drama, parents will have a harder time believing what you tell them. If you lie, they'll find it hard to trust you.
  • Try to understand their point of view. If you have a disagreement, can you see your parents' side? If you can, say so. Telling parents you understand their views and feelings helps them be willing to see yours, too.
  • Try not to argue or whine. Using a tone that's friendly and respectful makes it more likely parents will listen and take what you say seriously. It also makes it more likely that they'll talk to you in the same way. Of course, this is hard for any of us (adults included) when we're feeling heated about something. If you think your emotions might get the better of you, do something to blow off steam before talking: Go for a run. Cry. Hit your pillow. Do whatever it takes to sound calm when you need to.

What If Talking to Parents Doesn't Work?

Your parents won't always see things your way and they won't always say yes to what you ask. They might listen respectfully, understand your point of view, and do everything you need except say yes. It can be hard to take no for an answer. But gracefully accepting a no can help you get more yeses in the future.

What if it's more than just saying no to something, though? What if you really need your parents to be there for you but they can't? Some parents have troubles of their own. Others just can't be available in the ways their kids need and deserve. Others have a hard time being flexible.

If you can't talk to your parent, seek out other adults you can trust. Find a relative, a teacher, or a counselor who will listen, understand, encourage, believe in you, and care. Then follow all the tips above to get the most from your conversation with that person.

Acting respectfully demonstrates maturity. Parents are more likely to think of their children as grown up (and, as a result, capable of making more important decisions) when they see them acting maturely. Give these tips a try and you'll come across that way — maybe even more mature than your parents!

Reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date reviewed: February 2015
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We Are the Ship sails the sea of Negro League Baseball

March 28, 2011 at 12:21 pm Leave a comment

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball words and paintings by Kadir Nelson, foreword by Hank Aaron; published by Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group, New York; 2008.

Kadir Nelson’s first attempt at writing a children’s book is a home run.  Coupled with his illustrations, he has captured the story of Negro League Baseball in a way that will appeal to young and old alike.  It is unusual for a nonfiction book to be narrated but in the case of We Are the Ship, it seems the only way to tell the story.  Nelson’s narrator is the voice of every man that played the great game of baseball during the segregated years. Immediately, I envisioned a grandchild sitting on the sofa next to Granddad, who has a photo album in his lap.  He is expressing his joy, frustration, and victories as a ball player and as a man.  Aside from the remarkable story-like appeal of the book, the facts are fascinating.  Do you know who created the first shin protectors worn by a catcher?  Or who wore the first batting helmet (bonus points if you know what that first helmet was used for originally!)?

To talk about a Kadir Nelson book without discussing the illustrations is unthinkable!  Images in We Are the Ship express the strength, smarts and skills of the players in remarkable realistic detail.  The paintings are based on photographs from collections at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.  Prints are available for purchase at Kadir Nelson’s website: http://www.kadirnelson.com/we-are-the-ship-store.html#page1.

This book’s brilliance was rewarded with the 2009 Coretta Scott King Award for an author and the 2009 Robert Sibert Medal for nonfiction.

I have loved baseball since I kept a transistor radio under my pillow in elementary school.  My favorite childhood vacation was to Cooperstown, New York.  I thought I knew a great deal about the game.  I was wrong.  Like much of history, there is a subculture that is usually left out.  I highly recommend “sitting at Granddad’s knee” and listening to the story of Negro League Baseball.  Although the story is very accessible, We Are the Ship is told in great detail (the chapters are named for the 9 innings of the game, plus an extra innings chapter as an epilogue), therefore I recommend it for older readers (upper elementary and even into middle and high school) and even adults.

As a librarian, I would add this book to a spring training or baseball display.  I’d include it in pathfinders about the game, paired with fiction (like Mike Lupica’s Heat) and a list of Web resources, especially the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Play ball!

Entry filed under: Coretta Scott King Award (author or illustrator), Multicultural Picture Book, Robert Sibert Informational Book Medal or Honor Book. Tags: , , , , , , .

INTERVIEW with Heather Hewitt & Tom Listul Udderly factual (or not) stories of Sandra Boynton’s Amazing Cows

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a librarian's library of plans & resources for storytimes, programs & readers' advisory
Disclaimers: Per the FTC regulations, please note that sometimes books are received for review for free by publishers or authors. All books (ARCs, galleys, library or purchased) will be reviewed fairly; no special consideration is given to anything reviewed on this blog. In addition, I make every attempt to avoid spoilers. Sometimes they happen inadvertently or because they are important to defend a review; not all spoilers have been removed or fixed. This disclaimer is a general statement included as a warning to readers.

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Monthly Archives: June 2013

KISS Me is retiring

Hello to my few followers. After a few years of on and off blogging at this location, I’ve decided to retire this blog and start a new one with a focus on my new life in North Carolina. Some of … Continue reading

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Chicken Cheese Quiche

Hello my dear bloggy bums!! Muslims all round the world(including me) are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, and fasting. The other fantastic thing happening, as we all know, is football.Hope all the fans are enjoying themselves these days with popcorn tubs; I sure am(Minus the tubs since I’m  fasting during the day)! 🙂

Today I did a chicken-cheese quiche for iftar(breaking of fast), which every one in my good ol’ family enjoys. It was yummy, because..well there was cheese, chicken and flaky pie crust in there. You can’t go wrong with all that good stuff, can you? (Unless you’re an absolute kitchen Klutz like my baby sister who manages to torpedo almost every dish she makes).

For this recipe, I’m using the traditional flaky homemade butter-based pie crust, unlike the banana cream pie recipe for which I used a ghee based pie crust. Quiches are best when the crust is absolutely flaky and have that yummy rich buttery taste! Of coarse you can use Crisco instead. But….. once again, “It’s best with butter”.

1/2 cup fried and shredded chicked

2 green onions chopped

1 red onion, chopped with layers separated

1/2 bell pepper chopped

2 + 1 egg(s)

1+ 1/4 cup cheddar cheese grated

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 9-inch pie crust (unbaked)

1 tsp powdered red pepper

1 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

2 tbsp butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a pan add two tbsp butter and fry the red onions until transparent. Add the chopped bell pepper, shredded chicken and green onions. Add a bit of salt, half a teaspoon black pepper and half a teaspoon red pepper. Stir fry. Then dish out and let it cool,

In a bowl whisk two eggs and add  1 cup grated cheddar cheese to it.

In another bowl whisk the heavy cream, and an egg. Add the remaining half tsp(s) of black and red pepper to it and whisk. Lastly add the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and whisk again.

Take out your pie plate. Spray it with non-stick vegetable oil. Then place your pie crust over the plate. Crimp the edges. Now add the chicken vegetable filling over the bottom of the pie crust.

The top it with the cheese-egg mixture and spread it over the vegetables with a spoon. Lastly seal the deal by topping it all with the cream-cheddar-egg mixture.

Set the quiche to bake in the preheated oven.Bake for 35-40 minutes until firm and golden brown on top.


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    Thanks for the login. The good news is that on your site I do see exactly what you described. That at least confirms it as not browser related.

    But I can’t reproduce it anywhere else, and as you say everything else about the stories module works fine.

    So at this stage my best guess is an incomplete upload of the file /modules_v3/stories/module.php. Can you try uploading it again.

    My personal kiwitrees site is


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Owls Head woman joins Collins' Washington staff

Nov 06, 2017
Phoebe Ferraiolo, left, has joined the Washington, D.C., staff of Sen. Susan Collins.

Wasington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced that Phoebe Ferraiolo has been hired as a press assistant in her Washington, D.C., office. Ferraiolo is the daughter of John and Tammra Ferraiolo of Owls Head. She previously served as an intern in Collins’ Augusta and D.C. offices for the past three summers.

Ferraiolo graduated from Oceanside High School in 2013, where she was captain of the varsity field hockey, basketball, and tennis teams her senior year. She went on to study politics and communication at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.

As an undergraduate, Ferraiolo was president of the club field hockey team both her junior and senior years; vice president of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, an on-campus service society; a new student orientation leader; and a Kevin B. Harrington Student Ambassador at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. She has also held several internships with ABC and FOX News.

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Good News and More Good News

I had my 3 month follow up the surgeon yesterday. As I am sure you could tell in my last post, I have been a bit anxious leading up to this week’s doctor visit. As much as I am so excited about the possibility of walking sans crutch, it’s also very scary. Just the increased use of my leg going to one crutch has added pain to my life I wasn’t having before–pain that caused me to wonder if the tumor was back or if I had broken the bone. Well, worry no more…from the visit with the doc I have good news and then I have more good news.

Good news
Bone is healing great and no sign of any tumor in my femur or in my lungs (the preferred place of migration for the giant cell tumor). What a relief! I pointed out the areas where the pain was to the surgeon and he looked at the MRI a little closer in those spots and didn’t see anything of concern. More relief. With my muscles so weak, lots of things are moving around that aren’t really supposed to, as we remedy that hopefully the pain will subside. So with everything good on the inside, what does that mean about what I can do? That’s the more good news.

More good news
I am now officially released from having to be tied to the crutch. With that being said, it doesn’t mean goodbye to the crutch forever. What it does mean is we can get more aggressive in getting these old muscles working my my new and improved bone. So you may still see me with a crutch, but I will be venturing out a bit more without it and hoping to retire it very soon.

Also, I can get back to swim and bike training as opposed to just swimming and spinning. Of course I’m going to need to rebuild a base, but now is the time to get to it. In addition, I can add the elliptical to the list of things I can do–that much closer to running. The timeline on running looks to be another 6 weeks or so, which really is just around the corner, so I better get all the components of this leg working together again.

27 Days of Walking
According to my coach, it takes 27 days to make a habit, so he started blogging daily about a month ago and has continued along the streak. The thing that I learned by watching him through this experiment was that a lot can happen in 27 days, especially as we undertake something new. Well today was day 1 of walking without a crutch. Full disclosure: I have been walking on the special treadmill at PT that unweights you for the last couple of weeks working on my gait in the anticipation of getting the okay to walk at this weeks visit. And I requested the chance to walk my last session of PT before my doctor visit just to make sure I am doing it right, because it didn’t quite feel right the times I cheated at home. But as far as walking out in the real world, today was the first day. Excited to see where the next 27 take us–hope you will join me along the way for a step or two.


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Archive for the 'Yom Yerushalayim' Category

Internet Radio Show Tonight

Thanks to Sidney and Tammy Cohen  we did an incredible one hour show last week, live from 18 Restaurant (240 E 81st St, New York NY10065; Tel: 212.517.2400). Our guests lineup included: Gil Marks – author of Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, Chef Lévana Kirschenbaum – who spoke of her brand new cook book. Kim Amzallag from Kosher Inspired Magazine, Esti Berkowitz from the Prime Time Parenting blog and, of course, the incomparable Tammy Cohen . The food was great, the atmosphere just perfect and the place was packed.  We all loved it!

This evening, at 7:30 pm (Eastern Time), we will broadcasting again. You can listen to our show at BlogTalkRadio/kosherscene. We will start with a reading of a very short piece I wrote a few years back (which was reprinted on The Jerusalem Post and on Ynet.com) it’s about the first Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day, commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem. I was there when the Old City – Ir Hatika became ours again…

Then we’ll turn the conversation to Shavuos and dairy food with Brigitte Mizrahi and Moshe Vogel from Anderson International Foods (who manufacture the cholov Yisroel line of cheeses Natural & Kosher, and the non-cholov Yisroel brands Les Petites Fermieres and Organic and Kosher. We will follow with Kim Amzallag (whom I prerecorded yesterday afternoon), who will talk to us about the new Shavuos issue of Kosher Inspired and much more.

A tiny selection of Anderson International Foods' cheese offerings

Please tune us in this evening from 7:30pm t0 8:30pm, at: BlogTalkRadio/kosherscene. We have a very interesting program, geared to Shavuos (which is next week, starting Tuesday eve and continuing through Thursday night, the evening of the 7th through the 9th of June). We’ll be waiting for you!

If I Forget Thee… A Very Personal Recollection

[Three years ago, ynetnews.com published my post on Yom Yerushalayim. Today being Yom Yerushalaim I find it appropriate to repost it here on The Kosher Scene. CS]

The Holy City

I arrived in Israel on the Friday before the Six Day War, as a volunteer. For Shabbat (Parshat Bamidbar) we stayed in Savyon, a ritzy neighborhood close to the airport and not far from Tel Aviv. The view was absolutely breathtaking! On Sunday morning I was taken to Kibbutz Lavi, strategically perched atop a hill overlooking the Tiberias-Haifa road.

Within minutes of arriving, the kibbutz secretary assigned me a room overlooking the road and gave me a quick tour. The first thing we did was to climb up to the highest point of the kibbutz, the water tower. “We are one minute away from Syria by MiG’s flight,” he said. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to hear that… not just yet. The rest of the tour just did not seem as important, in fact I barely remember it.

By the afternoon I was joined by 10 more volunteers from England, Ireland, France and the US. At dinner time, in the kibbutz’ dining room surrounded by people I’d never met before, somehow, it felt like a homecoming. For the first time in my life whether I lived in Montevideo (Uruguay – where I grew up), Buenos Aires, Richmond, VA, New York City or traveling through Europe, I felt that this land was mine. Every pebble, every grain of sand, everything was mine, MINE!!! It’s hard to describe the emotions running though me at the time, but believe me, I am reliving every single one of them as I write…

After a tasty meal in a darkened dining room (no electric lights were allowed anywhere, so as to make it harder for enemy planes to spot us, only candles and small flashlights could be used), when everyone except for the guards had gone to sleep, a horrible noise woke us. We looked out the window and realized it was coming from the road below. Some of us in the room wanted to go down the hill but the guards would not allow it. No one else in the kibbutz was outside . The road was swarming with tanks, on their way to Syria . We tried going back to sleep, but between the noise and the excitement, who could do that?

At early dawn they came for us and we were given suitable clothing, the famous Israeli kova tembel (a very distinctly shaped hat, to ward off the sun) turned out to be the most important item, a sand – colored shirt and matching shorts (both ill fitting, of course!) and boots. Then we were issued pickaxes and hoes, and told that we would be digging trenches. Easier said than done, on very rocky terrain! By the afternoon, when the heat made it almost impossible to work outdoors, we volunteers had realized very little progress against the rocks, but we all had blisters on our hands . By contrast, a group of teenage kibbutznik girls not far from us working on a similar type of ground astounded us by how much they had accomplished…

We, the mitnadvim, had transistor radios and we listened to the BBC (English was a lot easier to understand than Hebrew). At 7:00 am that Monday morning the BeeB reported Israeli war planes had attacked Egyptian military airfields and totally destroyed their Air Force before they could get airborne. Kol Yisrael – The Voice of Israel – not only reported no news but kept playing an hours’ long repertoire of Hebrew songs, many with biblical verses. There was no way to corroborate the truth of this BBC story. Suddenly, at 8:00 am, a young kibbutz wife reported – amidst tears and laughter – that she just received a call from her Air Force husband. Every single Israeli plane had returned safely to base!

At 10:00am The Voice of Israel broadcast, finally acknowledged we were at war but gave no further details and kept playing songs. Shortly thereafter there was a dog fight, directly above our heads, between an Israeli Mirage and a Syrian MiG, yet, the Israelis continued working seemingly without a care. We, the volunteers looked up fascinated, strangely without fear. The MiG was shot down after a few minutes, and an armed group from the kibbutz left in two Jeeps, they came back awhile later with a piece of the MiG’s tail and the Syrian pilot whom they held until members of the IDF picked him up.

At dinner time, we non-kibbutzniks could only talk about the news on the BBC while the kibbutznikim didn’t seem to show much concern. Then came Tuesday, June 7 – the 28th of Iyar – a day that would forever change history. By late afternoon the BBC reported that the Old City of Jerusalem was in Israeli hands, a few hours later Israel Radio played a sound bite by General Motta Gur, commanding officer of the crack paratroopers’ brigade that captured the Western Wall: “Har Habayit beyadenu – The Temple Mount is in our hands.” Soon there was barely a dry eye, happiness knew no bounds…

The full import of those simple words did not entirely hit me until Shavuot (the following week) when five of us found ourselves in Jerusalem. On what in the Diaspora would have been the second day of the festival, we walked to Har Tzyion – Mount Zion so we could get to the Kotel Hama’aravi – the Western Wall.

As we found our way through through the narrow, winding road filled with history, soaked with Jewish blood, I felt as if my ancestors were there walking with me, gently guiding me. Finally we spied the Kotel in the distance, not the sweeping plaza we have today, but a very narrow area surrounded by Arab houses and public latrines, The five of us, as if part of a Greek chorus in some ancient play, started crying unabashedly as little children would. Avinu sheBashamayim, mir zaynen in der heim, in der heim!!! -Father in Heaven, we are home, we are home!!!

As we walked back through the Old City, as we saw the narrow streets filled with bazaars, with butcher shops hung with huge cuts of meat and myriad flies buzzing on and around them, with the stench of public latrines we, every single one of us, understood why of all the beautiful cities around the world Hakadosh Baruch Hu – The Holy One, Blessed He, chose Yerushalayim, Ir Hakodesh, as His Holy City.

As I screamed with a broken voice amidst the tears “…in der heim!!! …we are home!!!” a line from the Partsisaner Song suddenly swelled up in my heart: “…s’vet a poyk ton undzer trot: mir zaynen do! …our step will beat out the message: we are here!” How apropos…

“Im eshkachech Yerushalayim, tishkach yemini! – If I forget thee, oh Jerusalem, let my right arm loose its cunning!”  Though we lived in exile for two thousands years, our prayers, our hopes, our tears, our dreams, our lives, our deaths, always spoke of Jerusalem. No Holy Day ever ended without the words: “Beshana haba beYerushalayim! – The next year in Jerusalem!” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, your Jews NEVER forgot you…

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Krazy A to Z Challenge 2017 – “F”

In 1984 the musical  duo Wham! released the song Freedom and it went to the top of the UK singles chart. Similarly it reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US in September 1985. It’s a great song and one of my favorite ‘80’s hits, but what’s interesting about it is in 1990 George Michael released the song Freedom ’90 as a solo artist. He had to call it that so it wouldn’t be confused with the original.

The chorus to the original is,

“I don’t want your freedom
I don’t want to play around
I don’t want nobody baby
Part time love just brings me down
I don’t want your freedom
Girl, all I want is you”

While the 1990 version goes like this,

“All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don’t belong to you
And you don’t belong to me yea yea
You’ve gotta give for what you take”

They’re similar yet different, but suffice to say I guess he really liked writing about freedom. I think I can understand why.

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Thanks to our sponsors for supporting KZOOkids

Monday, December 30, 2013 - 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Holiday Happenings Make a Joyful Noise!

Mon December 30, 2013 – Fri January 3, 2014 1-4 p.m.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll!
Monday, December 30
Make a variety of musical instruments.

It’s a Dance Party!
Wednesday, January 1
Learn group dances and make dance-related crafts.

Nature-Inspired Song
Friday, January 3
Decorate and create with natural materials that make music.

Event Website: Click to Visit
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We do our best at Kalamazoo Kids to provide accurate, useful information about events and activities. This information (such as times and locations) is gathered from user submissions, press releases, local newspapers, signs around town and word of mouth. We do our best to confirm details before they are posted here. Sometimes details change or we are given inaccurate information. Whenever possible, we link our write-ups to the source in which our information came from and strongly urge you to confirm details before you go. Kalamazoo Kids is in no way responsible for any problems that occur while participating in activities listed on the site, in the newsletter or on Facebook.

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Lazy Ponder – Lessons Learned

The fish are starting to get active….

I think I was correct in stating that aggressively removing leaves and other organic material from the bottom of the pond in fall and winter really reduced the amount of string algae I saw. However, I really did leave off a step in the process in the spring, and the pond suffered a bit for it.

First off, cleaning or replacing the filters in spring is a requirement, not an option! In parallel with this, I needed to use the garden-hose siphon to pull out muck from the bottom of the pond and from the biofalls and skimmer. This was only a 45 minute job, and all the murky water went towards watering (and fertilizing) the garden plants. This all needs to be done in late April or early May.

Secondly, I forgot to put bacteria in the pond frequently enough. I was putting in a dose once a week, but I was supposed to put it in daily for two weeks when the pond starts up in the spring. Once I realized this and started that regime up, the water cleared up considerably. Next year, I’ll start up the 2-week spiking right after the pond cleanout.

The pond looks pretty good now that I’ve completed these two steps and the plants have started growing and the fish are eating more (and thus dislodging the last bits of string algae from the bottom of the pond). Admittedly, the pond water is amber-colored, but my goal is not a swimming pool but a wildlife pond.

One response to this post.

  1. […] really reduce string algae in the spring. I need to also remember that while it may be necessary, it is not sufficient: an April cleanout and bacteria reseeding is also […]

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Kickoff to the 17th Annual Mohican Wildlife Weekend

April 27th, 2018

Kickoff to the 17th Annual Mohican Wildlife Weekend
6:00-7:00pm – Raffle – Castle Event Center

Join in on the kickoff, with a raffle prior to the keynote speaker. Raffle tickets are $1 each, 6 for $5, or the ultimate wingspan for $20. (Cash only) Prizes include, overnight stays at Landoll’s Mohican Castle, gift certificates to Copper Mug Bar & Grille, and more.
7pm – Keynote Speaker – Jake Coffy – Conquering the Appalachian Trail – in the Event Center
After graduating high school in 2015, Jake Coffy decided to pursue his dream of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. At 18 years old, on May 1st, 2016, he started this great trek. His goal was to finish it in 4 months. And he did. On September 1st, exactly 4 months later, he conquered the Appalachian Trail. Learn about overcoming the impossible challenges and more while following him on his adventure.

Free and open to the public


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Happy find

I’ve wanted a copy of Now we are six by A.A. Milne since I first read about this great 6th birthday idea at Givers Log. I happened upon a consignment sale yesterday (It was the Kids Market for my local folks. Find more info here.) Not only did I find tons of adorable miniature clothes for the nephew, but I found a perfect copy of the book for 3 bucks!

I am in love with the color….

and the little note inside

Hooray for happy finds!  Hope you’re all having a wonderful Saturday

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