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Mini Cooper S Coupé driven in Oman

James Davison chases the setting sun in Oman, behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper S Coupé

  • Mini Cooper S Coupé.Image Credit: Supplied picture
  • The interior is a tight fit, but nicely puttogether and still as funky as ever.Image Credit: Supplied picture
  • 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is as eager asthey come, giving the front wheels lots to do. Image Credit: Supplied picture

The call came through late on Friday evening: Operation ‘Mini Adventure’ was GO! GO! GO!

Saturday afternoon finally arrived after an anxious wait and I met with Agent Jovanovic of wheels HQ at a top-secret rendezvous point where the exchange would take place. “The car has been equipped for your journey,” was all he said as he handed over the keys and a secret dossier containing the details of my mission. Raising his cup of take-away coffee in a salute (perhaps wishing me good luck?) was his only gesture and then he was gone.

Wasting no time, I climbed inside the Mini Cooper S Coupé and tore open the plain brown envelope. My instructions were simple: get the Mini to Khasab in Oman, and get it there before sunset!

A quick check of the time and counting of fingers revealed that it would be tight but possible. However, to maintain the pretence that I was simply an automotive photographer out for a leisurely drive I would occasionally need to stop and take snaps to avoid any suspicion. Damn, this was going to be a close-run thing.

Key in ignition and push button starter, um, pushed and started, the little Mini awoke with a throatier engine note than I was expecting. The words of Agent Jovanovic echoed in my head and the meaning soon became clear. “The car has been equipped for your journey” was confirmed by a quick glance at the fuel gauge. I had a full tank of petrol and I was ready to roll. Thank you, Comrade!

Every second was going to count so I set off like a stunt driver from The Italian Job, weaving my way through Dubai traffic and down on to the Emirates Road. Unable to find the switch that flips the car registration plate to a false one I made do with sitting exactly at the maximum speed limit in the outside lane. This seemed to have a strange effect on the behemoths that populate the E311. Obviously, a diminutive car such as the Mini has no right to be in the outside lane and close bumper-on-bumper action with much headlight flashing ensued. Pulling over to the adjoining lane (but maintaining velocity) had a few 4x4s hurtling past me to regain pride. Even before hitting the Sharjah bottleneck I had scored two camera flashes for these idiots and I am feeling quite smug as I lure another into taking the bait.

Through Sharjah I regain pole position. The nimbleness of the Mini means I barely have to lift whereas the wallowing 4x4s are not quite so poised as we hit the traffic-cone chicanes that now line the route. Breaking out through the other side of Sharjah sees traffic thin and I am left on my own again in the outside lane with time to take stock of my surroundings.

Seating position in the Coupé is a little strange and I have been struggling to find a compromise that works for me. I settle for a position that, although comfortable, is slightly higher up and closer to the wheel than I would have liked. This in turn makes rear visibility almost non-existent and I have to duck down a little to look in the mirror to be able to squint through the small gap between the sloping roof and raised spoiler.

I’m not totally convinced of some of the design features in the cabin either. The central dinner-plate sized speedo/ infotainment display is an oversized  caricature of the original Mini design and resembles a giant alarm clock. With the hazard light button placed on top, I wonder if a flat-handed, downward slap on it will engage auto-destruct. Minor aesthetic issues aside, this Mini is a fun place to be and I love being back in a front-wheel-drive rev-box after a prolonged sabbatical.

Comfort and road noise are surprisingly good, although my posterior took a bit of a hammering on bumpy, uneven road surfaces. The stiff suspension set-up on this Cooper S will come into play once we hit Oman so it is a minor loss of comfort in a trade-off for better handling that I am willing to put up with if this Cooper S lives up to expectations.

Ras Al Khaimah is the next hurdle. Anyone who has been through Ras Al Khaimah recently will know that the road network is undergoing a ‘little work’ with traffic slowing to a frustrating pace. To narrate this part of the journey would be an unnecessary bore so all you need to know is that we made it through unscathed but took a massive hit on time. The next stage would be crucial if we were to make it to Khasab for sunset but it would involve the delicate issue of crossing the border.

The Emirates/Oman border is a militarised zone. Barbed wire, a battalion of soldiers, minefields, tanks and even an off-shore submarine that receives real-time video footage from an overhead satellite (probably) are just a few of the many security measures that would need circumventing. As a Level 5 operative I am trained to overcome such hurdles but, in a cunning double bluff, I decide to proceed through immigration like a normal tourist.

Passport, car registration and a craggy, yellow-toothed smile get me through the Dubai end without incident but on the Oman side things get a little tense when I am asked for my insurance documentation. I’d been assured that BMW was party to our Mini Adventure and insurance was arranged for our special ops deep within Omani territory. Unfortunately, I had no documentation to prove this. My training immediately kicked in and I used an old Jedi mind trick I had learnt from a Master. Never underestimate the power of being honest and looking like a small lost child.

Border cleared, it was time to show the Cooper S some real roads.

For those who have never been to Khasab, you are missing out. Sea to your left, vertical cliff face to your right and more twisting curves than a suitably appropriate metaphor containing a lot of curves could ever express. Traffic rarely exceeds an occasional car or two that may hamper your swift progress and the only other obstacles to be aware of are the little goats that seem to think it is cool to hang out at the edge of the road.

One of these miniature goats sucked in through the air scoop of the Mini would inevitably terminate the turbocharger, leading to almost certain detonation of the engine and failure of my mission. I therefore use my New Earth Army training and telepathically send out a ‘calling all goats’ communiqué warning them that if they even dare to put one little hoof on the road I will stare at them until their heart explodes. Goats, you’ve been warned.

And with that, I light up the front wheels and set off repeating my mantra over and over and over again: It is 1964. I am driving a Cooper S. This is Monte Carlo and I am Paddy Hopkirk.

The beautiful scenery passes me by in a blur. Heightened senses take over as the adrenalin starts to pump through my body. We are racing against time here. The sun is a lot lower in the sky than I would have cared for and I still have to stop at intervals to take photographs!

The Mini is punching well above its weight. Just over 180bhp from the turbocharged 1.6-litre fizz-box of an engine has me pulling the coupé through the corners as the back end slithers around unsure of what direction I am going to chuck it into next.
The Mini is in its element but I misgauge my braking distance on a particularly long right-hander and we start to drift across to the opposite lane due to lost traction on the slippery yellow rumble strips. Foot off brake, hard on the accelerator and there is a momentary pause before the revs build up, the turbo spools up and then the front wheels light up like crazy to pull me out of this slight sideways predicament that I seem to have gotten myself into.

If this was on the track it would be the automotive equivalent of ballet but the fear of oncoming traffic is a very real danger. Momentarily, my butt cheeks are clasped tighter than a really tight thing but the Mini pulls me through as beads of sweat drip down my forehead. Um, time to stop for a few more photographs and the realisation that it is not 1964, this is not the Monte Carlo Rally and I am most definitely not Paddy Hopkirk. However, it does not go unnoticed that I am indeed in a Cooper S, which, thanks to its capabilities, has just potentially saved me the embarrassment of handing back a slightly bent car to BMW.

Rapid photography taken care of at a random roadside castle (and ego back in its place) it was a return to the road. No time to dwell on the mishap. I had over-cooked it into that corner but had exited unscathed thanks to the Mini. With the new-found respect I had for my steed I returned to the road and refocused on my race against the setting sun.

Up over the hills at full charge, my battle against time continued as I squeezed every last ounce out of this turboed four pot, front-wheel-drive wonder. A brief but necessary stop, just past the Golden Tulip Hotel, has me stalling for yet more photographs. Rolling the Mini onto the easily accessible beach for a quick snap against the rocky outcrop and another with the waves gently lapping the shore has me in my element as a photographer, but the sun is fading. We are losing the light. I must reach Khasab!

The pace is furious and I opt to head down to the old port at Khasab, briefly stopping for a photographic opportunity that presents itself but I know in my heart that it is not ‘the one’. I am kicking myself. We are losing the sun. I haven’t yet got the shot!

And then I see it.

An old abandoned dhow lies beached in the distance and the sun is setting directly behind it. This is it in a now-or-never, down-to-the-wire, do-or-die type scenario!

Hurtling along the gravel to reach  this final and imperative goal I yank on  the handbrake and spin the car through 180 degrees while simultaneously releasing my seatbelt, opening the door and rolling from the car like an Eighties’ TV cop hero.

And there it is. Mission accomplished and a deep sigh escapes my chest.

What better way to celebrate the Mini’s 53rd birthday than our own little Mini Adventure in a race against the sun to Khasab?

Now, with the sun set, it was time to break for the border and not spare the horses. With no need to stop for any more photographs it would be flat out all the way. Mini Adventures are awesome.

The above feature is based on actual events.


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Classifieds powered by Gulf News

Maradona to be retained as Dubai Sports Council ambassador

Football legend set to be Dubai’s sports ambassador for another year

Gulf News

Dubai: The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) is set to renew the contract of football legend Diego Maradona as Dubai’s honorary sports ambassador for another year.

Details of the terms of agreement and contract will be announced at a press conference at the Raffles Hotel in Oud Metha on Tuesday.

Maradona first came to the UAE as coach of Al Wasl Club in June 2011. However, after just one season with the Al Zabeel outfit, the 52-year-old Argentine was sacked. Within a month of that setback, however, he was offered his ambassadorial role and, earlier this year, Dr. Ahmad Al Sharif, general secretary of the DSC, said there was “absolutely no grounds why the contract should not be renewed”.

Maradona has been a huge hit throughout his time in Dubai. His first public appearance after taking up his assignment with Al Wasl was for the opening of a jewellery store in Karama, when police found it difficult to control the huge amount of traffic heading to the location.

Since becoming an ambassador, Maradona has made his presence felt at most major events held in the emirate. He attended the final of the Samsung Inter-Continental Beach Soccer Cup and even displayed some of his skills with the ball.

In February and March, he was a regular feature at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. He endeared himself to tennis fans by playing a couple of points against fellow Argentine and recent Wimbledon semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro. He also presented an autographed jersey to former women’s world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

Not one to shun the public gaze, Maradona turned out for the Dubai Sports Council team in the inaugural Dubai Government Entities Football Championships that concluded in April.

Since leaving Al Wasl, Maradona has been courted by many clubs to accept coaching offers, most prominently by 2011/12 French Ligue 1 champions Montpellier.

Last month, he was awarded 3 million yuan (Dh1.77 million) as compensation by three Chinese companies for using his name in an online game without his consent.

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Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Aren’t Fully Disabled When Toggled Off in Control Center on iOS 11

Apple has confirmed that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are not fully disabled when toggled off in Control Center on iOS 11.

Even when toggled off in Control Center on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 11 and later, a new support document says Bluetooth and Wi-Fi will continue to be available for AirDrop, AirPlay, Apple Pencil, Apple Watch, Location Services, and Continuity features like Handoff and Instant Hotspot.

Toggling off Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in Control Center only disconnects accessories now, rather than disabling connectivity entirely.

If Bluetooth is turned off, the iOS device can't be connected to any Bluetooth accessories until one of these conditions is met:

  • You turn on Bluetooth in Control Center.
  • You connect to a Bluetooth accessory in Settings > Bluetooth.
  • It's 5 a.m. local time.
  • You restart your device.

    While Wi-Fi is disabled, auto-join for any nearby Wi-Fi networks will also be disabled until one of these conditions is met:

  • You turn on Wi-Fi in Control Center.
  • You connect to a Wi-Fi network in Settings > Wi-Fi.
  • You walk or drive to a new location.
  • It's 5 a.m. local time.
  • You restart your device.

    Apple made this change in the iOS 11 beta, and it gained more attention after the software was publicly released yesterday.

    iOS 11 users can still completely disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for all networks and devices by toggling them off in the Settings app.

    Apple says users should try to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on for the best experience on an iOS device.

    (Thanks, FlunkedFlank!)

    Related Roundup: iOS 11
    Tags: Control Center, Bluetooth

    Discuss this article in our forums

  • Bluetooth LE Standard Gains Mesh Networking for Improved Smart Home Connectivity

    The Bluetooth Special Interest Group today announced that its Bluetooth technology has been updated with support for mesh networking, designed to create large-scale device networks by connecting multiple Bluetooth devices to one another.

    Bluetooth calls these "many-to-many" connections, which can support just a handful of devices or up to thousands. In a home setting, the mesh feature will be useful for connecting smart home devices to one another to establish a network that spans an entire house, with no areas that are out of range.

    Mesh networks are an improvement over single-point connections because a Bluetooth signal can be transmitted from device to device, reaching further distances. Some products, like the ZigBee-based Philips Hue line of lights, already use mesh networking techniques that are similar to what's being implemented today.

    Bluetooth mesh also has many commercial uses, because it creates a reliable network with no single point of failure, it can scale to support thousands of nodes, it supports multi-vendor interoperability, and it offers industrial-grade security. Bluetooth SIG believes Bluetooth mesh will be essential for commercial building and factory automation.

    "By adding support for mesh networking, the Bluetooth member community is continuing a long history of focused innovation to help new, up-and-coming markets flourish," said Mark Powell, executive director for Bluetooth SIG, Inc. "In the same way the connected device market experienced rapid growth after the introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy, we believe Bluetooth mesh networking can play a vital role in helping early stage markets, such as building automation and wireless sensor networks, experience more rapid growth."
    Existing devices that support Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0 can be updated with support for Bluetooth mesh, but implementing support requires a firmware update.

    Bluetooth mesh networking specifications and the tools that qualify Bluetooth products with networking support are available on the Bluetooth Website. Bluetooth SIG told The Verge that it often takes approximately six months for manufacturers to adopt new Bluetooth technology, but mesh could start rolling out sooner because it doesn't require new hardware.

    Tag: Bluetooth

    Discuss this article in our forums

    Bluetooth 5 With 4x Longer Range and 2x Faster Speed is Officially Approved

    The Bluetooth Special Interest Group today announced that the Bluetooth 5 standard has been officially adopted, which means manufacturers are now able to build it into their devices.

    The next-generation Bluetooth standard offers longer range, faster speed, a larger broadcast message capacity, and better interoperability with other wireless technologies.

    Compared to existing Bluetooth 4.2 protocol, Bluetooth 5 offers four times the range, two times the speed, and eight times the broadcast message capacity, bringing whole home coverage and more reliable connections between connected devices.
    "This means whole-home and building coverage, as well as new use cases for outdoor, industrial, and commercial applications will be a reality. With the launch of Bluetooth 5, we continue to evolve to meet the needs of IoT developers and consumers while staying true to what Bluetooth is at its core: the global wireless standard for simple, secure, connectivity."
    With the debut of Bluetooth 5, SIG's Bluetooth naming convention will drop all references to version and point number going forward, simplifying marketing.

    Devices that adopt Bluetooth 5 will be available within two to six months, meaning the next-generation products Apple plans to debut in 2017, including the iPhone 8, may offer Bluetooth 5 support.

    Discuss this article in our forums


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People eat cash, another reason vegetarians can dislike the new fiver

Vegetarian and vegan communities in the UK are in tumult over the revelation that the new plastic polymer £5 note contains animal fat in the form of tallow.

Tallow is a substance made of animal fat derived from beef or mutton (or even pork) which was traditionally used as the base for soaps and candles.

A petition gathering more than 100,000 signatures had demanded the Bank of England to “cease to use animal products in the production of currency that we have to use”.

The Bank confirmed the use of tallow in the base substrate of the fiver in a Twitter conversation: Read more…

More about Vegans, Five Pound Note, Five Pound, Vegetarians, and Watercooler


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Article Text

Restricted use of albumin for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
  1. Samuel H Sigal1,
  2. Carmen M Stanca1,
  3. Javier Fernandez2,
  4. Vicente Arroyo2,
  5. Miguel Navasa2
  1. 1Division of Liver Disease, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA
  2. 2Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr Samuel H Sigal th
    Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation, New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, 525 East 68 Street, Box# 308, New York, New York 10021;shs2015{at}

Statistics from

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) may precipitate deterioration of circulatory function with severe hepatic insufficiency, hepatic encephalopathy, and type-1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) and has 30% hospital mortality despite infection resolution.1 Predictors of this acute-on-chronic liver failure include ascitic fluid concentrations of granulocytes and cytokines and renal and hepatic insufficiency at diagnosis.1–3 Endotoxemia and the inflammatory response precipitate renal failure (RF) by accentuating splanchnic vasodilatation and impairing cardiac function.3–5 Compensatory activation of the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems further decrease renal perfusion. Volume expansion with albumin (1.5 g/kg day one, 1 g/kg day three) significantly reduces the incidence of HRS and hospital mortality.2

In the sole reported trial, only patients with serum bilirubin (bili) >68.4 μmol/l, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) >30 mg/dl or serum creatinine (Cr) >88.4 μmol/l appeared …

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onsdag 22 april 2015

Lykopeeni (Karotinoidi) C40H56)

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  1. DID NOAH HAVE FREE-WILL? by steve finnell

    Did Noah and his family have free-will? Did the rest of mankind living in the time of Noah have free-will? The answer is yes, and yes.

    John Calvin said men do not have free-will. If men do not have free-will, then God either forces them to obey Him or forces them to sin.

    Did Noah have free-will?
    Did God force Noah to be a preacher of righteousness.(See:2 Peter 2:5)NASB
    Did God force Noah to be righteous and blameless. Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time, Noah walked with God.(NKJV)

    If Noah did not have free-will, then how could he find favor in the eyes of the Lord. If God forced Noah to be a righteous preacher, forced him to be blameless, and forced him to walk with Him, then why would God find that favorable conduct?

    Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.(NASB

    If these men did not have free-will, how could they have intent of thoughts of their hearts to be only evil? You need free-will to be evil. If they were evil without free-will, then God forced them to be evil. God does not force people to sin.

    Genesis 6:6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. (NASB)

    If God created these men as sinners without free-will, then why was He grieved in His heart? If God forced them to sin, then why would He destroy them?

    Men do have free-will. They can obey God or disobey.

    If all men are born sinners and without free-will, then why was Noah and his family spared from the flood?

    Yes all men do sin, however, it is by choice. That is why all men need a Savior. Adam and Eve sinned by choice, as do all men. No man will go to hell because of Adam's sin; it will be because of their own unforgiven sin.

    Men have the free-will to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior or reject Him.

    God wants all men to be saved, however, it is an individual choice. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NKJV)

    REPENTANCE: Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38, and Acts 3:19.

    YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com


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The direct-fastcgi package

[ Tags: bsd3, library, network ] [ Propose Tags ]

This package is a native implementation of the FastCGI protocol, allowing Haskell to work with any webserver that supports it. It makes no attempt to imitate the interface of the cgi-3000 and fastcgi-3000 packages, because that API is tied too heavily to legacy interfaces, as with its handling of exceptions, logging, and time. Its advantage over those packages is primarily in the area of clean exception management and better control structure which allows more versatility in processing requests which are not simple GETs. In particular, POST of large files should be possible, as should server-push responses which return content a piece at a time. Also, of course, as a native implementation, there is no dependency on a C library, which simplifies the install process. Version 1.0.3 adds support for the new version of the network package, which integrates what used to be a separate package, network-bytestring. It also provides compatibility with (unreleased as of this writing) GHC 7.1. Version 1.0.2 fixes a bug; response headers are now sent if they have not already been when fCloseOutput is called explicitly. It also removes spurious debug output that had been left in by mistake.

Versions 1.0, 1.0.1,, 1.0.3
Dependencies base (>=4.1 && <5), bytestring (>= && <1), containers (>= && <1), mtl (>= && <3), network (>= && <3), utf8-string (>=0.3.6 && <1) [details]
License BSD3
Copyright Copyright (c) 2009 Dan Knapp
Author Dan Knapp
Category Network
Home page
Bug tracker
Source repository head: darcs get
Uploaded Tue Feb 8 19:30:35 UTC 2011 by IreneKnapp
Distributions NixOS:1.0.3
Downloads 1076 total (9 in the last 30 days)
Rating 0.0 (0 ratings) [clear rating]
  • λ
  • λ
  • λ
Status Docs uploaded by user
Build status unknown [no reports yet]
Hackage Matrix CI

Maintainer's Corner

For package maintainers and hackage trustees


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Tintoretto -Kreuzigung

12:43 PM 4shraf 0 Comments

Tintoretto (born Jacopo Comin, late September or early October, 1518 – May 31, 1594) was an Italian painter and a notable exponent of the Renaissance school. For his phenomenal energy in painting he was termed Il Furioso. His work is characterized by its muscular figures, dramatic gestures, and bold use of perspective in the Mannerist style, while maintaining color and light typical of the Venetian School.

I like this picture because it depicts how it was in the 15th Century and how religious Tintoretto was in Christianity. It is amazing how beautiful this work is in terms of colour considering this work being more than 4-5 century old.


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buzzed, B&W
Wow. I really like Fast Company, but rarely make time to read it. Today, I saw a link to this story about Walmart (warning: it's pretty long, close to 5,500 words). Talk about impressive - the article is a year old - and Walmart is the largest company in the world, bigger than GE, General Motors, etc, and has four times the annual revenue (almost $250 billion) of the next largest retailer, Home Depot. Apparently in 2002, 7.5 percent of the money spent at retailers (besides auto-parts stores) went to Walmart. Absolutely nuts.

The article is interesting in that it has two main points - Walmart forces companies to optimize their processes, making the companies leaner, and more efficient and also that while working with Walmart is necessary (Dial, the largest consumer goods company, relies upon Walmart for a little under a third of it's business), it's also signing a deal with the devil. Many companies go bankrupt, as Walmart apparently demands each year that the prices be lower than the previous year, no matter what, which also contributes heavily to outsourcing to drive costs down.

There also seems to be no grey when dealing with Walmart, it's all black or white. If you over commit, Walmart won't cut you any slack, but instead you have to meet their demands or you're no longer a supplier. A good example of this is when they're discussing Huffy, who had made a deal to supply a low end, low margin bike, in as much quantity as Walmart needed. The bike took off, and the demand exceeded Huffy's production capability - so Huffy had to sell it's design to competitors to manufacture their high-end bikes (which had higher profits), so they could produce the low end bike, costing it profits, while giving it's competitors profits. Crazy.

I really like Fast Company because most of their articles are pretty balanced - even with all the companies that go bankrupt as they can't meet Walmart's constant demands for continuous improvement, the author points out that companies can survive if they do perfect everything (lean manufacturing, just in time delivery, continuous process improvement, etc), and if they innovate - because if you innovate, and your product is new, Walmart can't demand you drive the price lower.

There's lots of good quotations throughout the article, but one of the best is "We want clean air, clear water, good living conditions, the best health care in the world--yet we aren't willing to pay for anything manufactured under those restrictions." In other words, American consumers will buy the cheap goods, even if it's costing us jobs, and general quality of life.

Of course, this is a chicken and the egg type problem - with 35.9 million people in poverty (or more meaningfully 12.5% - that's 1 out of 8!), shopping at Walmart to get good prices is almost a necessity for many Americans. Not to mention that the idea that by saving money, you're hurting the economy sounds outrageous at first. (I'll admit I'll shop occasionally, probably bi-monthly, at Walmart - sometimes the convenience of being able to do all my shopping at once, the 24/7 hours, and "low, low prices" will cause me to make a stop.)

While the Fast Company article talks about Walmart in a global economy, reading it makes me wish I could find the NPR story my brother mentioned to me that was talking about a study that showed how Walmart actually hurt local economies. Also makes me wonder about things in a global perspective - i.e. how are the countries that we outsource to affected? Does quality of life improve for those countries? In other words, while America may be suffering some, is the overall quality of the world improving?

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Home > FFL in Haiti, News from the field > Food For Life Global Is Coming Through Big In Haiti | Washington Times Communities

Food For Life Global Is Coming Through Big In Haiti | Washington Times Communities

February 24th, 2010
Adam Helfer

Omkara World by Adam Helfer

As you can well imagine, the reconstruction and replenishing of Haiti is going to take a long time and a lot of effort. With not much infrastructure in many areas to begin with, Haiti is very dependent on outside help and resources.

Food for Life GlobalFood for Life Global

One group who has stepped up to the task and stands out in the area of food relief is Food for Life Global (FFLG)- the emergency coordination division and Headquarters for Food for Life, the world’s largest vegan food relief organization.  Food For Life started in 1974 when an acclaimed elderly Indian guru, Swami Prabhupada, implored to his Yoga students to never let anyone within a 10 mile range of his ashram go hungry. Food for Life is now active in over 50 countries and serves over 1,500,000 healthy vegan meals a day.

Due to their diligence in South Africa, they have gotten acclaim from Nelson Mandela and have been written up in the press all over the world. Though the organization is worldwide, the main headquarters is based here in Potomac, Maryland.

Food for Life is now working in Haiti in conjunction with larger organizations such as the Red Cross, Care, and they have partnered with the Indian military to provide a safe base to distribute vegan meals in Port-au-Prince.

Food, supplies and transportation costs are high and Food for Life Global is really asking for help. International director Paul Turner states: “Your donations are still crucial at this stage of the development, and we sincerely thank all who have already come forward to support us- Please continue to give whatever you can and remember: Food For Life can serve more than 100 meals in a crisis like this for as little as $25, So your dollars will go a long way.”

Food for Life Global in actionFood for Life Global in action

If you have been looking for a solid organization you can trust in the Haiti relief effort, then know your dollars will be well spent with Food for Life. You can go to the main website to donate or go right to the Haiti donation page.

Food for Life doesn’t limit their scope to just food relief. Other services include: Schooling, nutrition education, animal sanctuaries, orphanages, medical care and organic farming.

Know that you are supporting a local organization which reaches the most needy worldwide. For more information or to inquire about volunteering, feel free to contact: contact@ffl.org or visit the volunteer page

Please visit their website for more information.

Adam is a Reiki Master, certified Health and Lifestyle counselor, Licensed Massage Therapist, 20 year practicing bramana initiated Bhakti Yogi, Spiritual advisor, visionary, jock and veteran of the “hardcore punk scene” all rolled into one. Adam is the founder of Omkara World and produced the mind/body

Source: Washington Times (Online Edition)

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Saturday, October 25, 2008

When We Can't Pray

"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Ro.8:26-28, NKJV)

Has there ever been a time when you just felt a great urge to pray, but didn't know how to express it, or as strange as it may sound, what to even express? I can remember a few times, when I just lifted up a grunt, or groan toward the Lord, because the pain & confusion was just too heavy & thick to say anything. I have a strong suspicion that I am not the only one. Well, one of the many benefits (Ps.103:1-5) of being a child of God is that this is enough, when we just cannot express our prayer needs. Our Father knows our needs, & our hearts. He also knows how to supply those needs in such a way that we'll receive them.
I used to think that verse 28 was a new thought after the verses before it, but they are perfectly interrelated! God knows that sometimes it is only severe trials & testings that will get us on our knees so to speak, & it is then that He can use those hard things He lovingly allows into our lives to all work together for good! Not that they are good, but they work together for our good!
Notice however this only works for those called by Him & who love Him. This of course are His children in fellowship with Him! All can be His children if they'll just trust in Christ as Savior, then this magnificent promise is good for you as well! I trust the Lord will use His precious Word in your life today!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Our Brother..........

"Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church here, greets you. So do Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus." (Rom.16:23, Amplified Bible).

Paul was naming some special people God had used in his life in this tremendous final chapter of Romans, & he had said something specific about just about all of them, & then comes this man, Quartus. As far as I know, he is only mentioned this one time in all the Bible. The KJV simply says of him, "...& Quartus a brother." Some other translations of the Scriptures have Paul saying of him, "...Quartus the brother..." & the like. I am probably making far more out of this than is actually in the text, but something really neat just seems to be in Paul's mind as he mentions this brother in the Lord. Under divine inspiration, he doubtless had a good reason to include Quartus in this special list, & also to describe him in such simply sublime terms. I envision a humble believer who was just there for you if you had a need, & was so in tune with his Savior that he just radiated the joy of the Lord. I may be way off-base, but I don't think so. Paul had made the amazing yet true statement that without a single automobile or Internet or airplane, the Gospel had spread all over the then-known world! (see Col.1:23b) No doubt it was through the Spirit of Christ working through quiet, unassuming brothers & sisters who gladly presented their entire beings to the One who died for them & rose again. Oh, brothers & sisters, I'd like to be a brother like ol' Quartus, wouldn't you?

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Psalm 27:8

"When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek."

What a precious text of Scripture! Certainly this reveals the intimate & loving communion between a believer abiding in fellowship with the Lord & the Lord Himself. This entire Psalm, as so many in the Psalter, reveals this beautiful closeness that the Lord so desires from us.
You know, I was looking over the Book of Acts this week, & a great Bible teacher now with the Lord, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, made a tremendous point in connection with the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, & the Lord's faithful disciple, Ananias (not Sapphira's infamous husband!). As the Lord directed Ananias to go & lay hands on the freshly converted Saul, Ananias understandably balked at first! His response is almost funny! "Lord! Don't You know all the bad things this fellow has done, & that he came here to keep on doing those awful things..." Certainly this is a very rough paraphrase, but the point is clear! Ananias felt comfortable being very open & candid with the Lord, obviously something he was in the habit of doing. Dr. Morgan pointed out that the supernatural simply seemed natural to these early believers! The point is, that they were completely at home with the Lord! The reverse was also true...He was at home in their hearts & lives as well! Isn't that what Paul meant when he said what he did in Ephesians 3:17? Listen to the Amplified version of that text: "May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love..." Now we know that once we trust in Christ for eternal life, that positionally we are in Him forever, but in our everyday lives, the Lord wants to do what Paul said in Ephesians 3:17, & what He was doing in Ananias' heart in Acts 9! The Lord desires much more than we do, even at our best moments, to be in intimate, close fellowship with us! This is encouraging, yet also sobering, to think how many times I have left my wonderful Savior desiring much closer fellowship with me while I went off to do some pointless thing in light of eternity...
Anyway, I'm not really sure what my reaon for posting this was, but I do know that we as believers can be as close to the Lord as we want to be, since He has made every effort & put everything in place for it to be so! Let's be like David when he said, "When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." May the Lord bless you all!


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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

30 bullets: Need a job? How about thirty jobs rolled into one?

A friend and I have a fun game we play about job postings. Every morning we get our coffee (or tea in my case), jump online and swap laughable jobs links, trying to beat the other for most ridiculous job posting.  Some are howlers. Playing "Beat the Bullets" is easy.  Just share the most ridiculous job posting you can find; one that requires people to be good about at 3000 different skills, listing each one after a bulletpoint.

Photo Credit: WordPress
I found a great one today -- 30 bullets -- including being good at iOS and Android programming and QA and writing and graphics and answering the phone and doing social media across 10 platforms and "other responsibility as needed."  We laughed long and hard over this one. Needless to say, this job probably pays minimum wage.

The economy has started to come back slowly and so many people I know have been out of work.  People need jobs.  Wait, let me clarify that.  They need A JOB -- not thirty jobs all rolled into one!

We know these jobs are an obvious conglomeration of the jobs of 4 or 5 people who have been let go.   Are the hiring managers so clueless as to assume we don't know this?

Who wants a job that is the work of five different people with completely different skills and then also gives you the chance to earn LESS than any one of those five people earned originally?

A bulletpoint that really makes us laugh out loud is the "must be a team player" bullet. Team player?  What are they talking about? There's no team left to play with!

So when we speak of "finding a job" it would be nice to find a job that was once the job of ONE HUMAN BEING, not several. These jobs are jobs for robots who never get tired, get hungry, go to the bathroom, or call in sick, since there is no time for any of those activities with this kind of job.

What you find is a GLOB of JOBS with ridiculous expectations. You know going in that it's going to be essentially impossible to do all these jobs at the same time. You know from the start that the pay is embarrassing and untenable.  You know that the same job five years ago would have had fairly reasonable benefits, but likely now has none. Who wants "a job" like that?  Who wants to bother working like that?

The only people who think that these "glob jobs" are okay are people who have never had real jobs to compare them to -- aka, young people.  And the most insidious part of this exploitive situation is how many of these young people have massive college debt and would take ANY job at ANY rate. They know some perky intern will do the job for free if they don't take it first.  This is making the job market essentially cutthroat. This is turning these kids into slaves.

It's time to push back and say "no thanks" to these glob jobs.  And if you are hiring, take a look in the mirror and be honest, would YOU ever take a job like the one you are posting?  I have colleagues in other companies who have posted such glob jobs and they should be ashamed.  I just want to say to them, "Don't you get it? The people you are interviewing may personally know the three people you fired, those poor jerks who used to have those three jobs!"  Those new candidates likely talked to them before interviewing with you.

We know how exploitive this HR strategy has become. Working to create a "master/slave" work environment is keeping the economy from growing.  It's unfair to the people you are trying to hire and bad for your business and others. People with good jobs buy things -- like the things you are selling.

So try this for a new HR innovation: do the right thing and go to your management and explain that you need the budget to hire three people to do the work of three people. Even writing that sounds ridiculous -- but someone needs to say it.  All that cash companies happen to be sitting on?  Try using it to hire some "team players" -- after actually building a team and paying them a fair wage for a reasonable day's work.

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Monday, May 18, 2009

Cafe Handmade Virtual Craft Show

I discovered a new website this week, thanks to Twitter! Cafe Handmade is yet another website devoted to handmade, but with a twist. One of their coolest features is how they allow artisans to advertise. While there are the requisite little square ads along the side, the bulk of the artists on Cafe Handmade advertise through the Virtual Craft Show.

The Virtual Craft Show allows artists to upload 5 photographs on their work. These are arranged in a banner-type format as part of the Virtual Craft Show. When a potential buyer clicks on one of the photos, they are taken to the artists web site. The Virtual Craft Show is updated every week, so that there are constantly fresh items to be seen.

Signing up for the Virtual Craft Show starts at $14 for a two week minimum run. This advertising rate is comparable to a lot of the other handmade websites I have checked out. What's so cool about the Virtual Craft Show is you get to spotlight 5 items, rather than just one in a standard type ad.

Cafe Handmade has more than just the Virtual Craft Show. They have a "Best in Show" poll, where you can vote for the best artist in that week's show. They also have spotlights for featured artisans and a marketplace for your works. This is a site definitely worth visiting if you like handmade!

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Monday, April 30, 2012

Wow- there are 5!

I had a surge of creativity come over me this weekend after taking the past week off to reorganize and regroup! I decided to participate in a weeklong NSD crop at 3scrappyboys . I wanted to get warmed up for all the challenges that will be happening all over the boards next weekend! You can still join in on the fun- there's prizes and all!

Layout #1 was based on a sketch challenge that I followed pretty closely! My kids getting their Easter loot from my parents.

The second layout was based on a color challenge- I threw in the green for good measure!
Photos from a visit to Little Italy's farmers market!

The third layout was based again on a sketch! You can't tell but the skull is all black glittery!
The photo is of my son and his 8th grade football coaches.

The fourth layout was based on a challenge to lift from someone in the gallery- I lifted from kimberlyatlga- look for her layout in the gallery! The picture is of my son- who has always been such a great sleeper! Here he is passed out in my bed!

and lastly- this layout was based on the challenge to use three elements that stood for 3SB.
I chose 3 photos, strips of patterned paper and buttons!

As always thanks for stopping by! I appreciate the time you've taken to come visit! Enjoy!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Competitive to the very end

Here is my latest layout for Shimelle's online crop which continues through today! This is my layout for challenge six which can be found here. The challenge was to take a layout already done and change it dramatically. I chose this layout to get inspired from 4 photos and my dramatic change was to turn it on it's side, make one rectangle across the middle, in place of the strings I used a banner and I changed the colors significantly. Thanks as always for stopping by!
My son participating in the Rock Lobster events from his school- he's got such a competitive spirit and his expression often shows it!

Products used:
Patterned Paper: Dream Street, My Minds Eye, Rhonna Farrar
Embellishments: Jillibean Soup, My Minds Eye, Bling
Alphas: Jillibean Soup, Adornit

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Shimelle's weekend crop Challenge 5

Challenge 5 for Shimelle's weekend crop can be found here-Shimelle's crop  The challenge was to  take some inspiration from the layout pictured. I followed the same basic design but posted it on it's side. What I liked the most and most caught my eye was the half circle border so I definately had to include that! Thanks for stopping by!

Abriana hanging out at school with some of her friends. Thanks as always for stopping by!

Products used:
Patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket, My Minds Eye
Embellishments, Basic Grey, and buttons-uknown
Alpahs: JilliBean and Adorn-it

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Shimelle- Challenge 4

I am still working on Shimelle's  challenges and there is still plenty of time to get in on the 16 challenges that were given!
Challenge 4 was to use the colors grey, yellow, and one other
 color to complete a layout. I chose to use the color orange but you'll notice a little pink and green
in there as well.

Noah being goofy with that funny look on his face. Again as always thanks for stopping by!

Products used:
 Paper: Sassafrass lass, Bazzill, Dream Street
Embellishsments: Jenni Bowlin(journal card), WRMK, Ribbon- unknown, twine
Title: taken from a strip off of a Cosmo Cricket border sheet

Monday, April 16, 2012

Shimelle Challenge 3

For the third challenge over at Shimelle's blog the challenge was to mix your look with a look you haven't tried.  I went the misting route which I only tried once to a not so nice turnout. I believe this one turned out better as I misted using a stencil down the middle to form a pattern. Though most is covered I think you get the jist and still see enough around the edges! (Hmm... just noticed a little crookedness that I have to fix-LOL!)As always thanks for stopping by!

Disney Chick is some photos of my daughter( my husband) when she was just 15 months old. Her first trip to disney. Some say it may be to young- but we loved taking her and she's been a Disney Chick ever since- most recently returning from her last trip a week ago when she went with classmates.

Products used: Patterned paper- Basic Grey, Bo Bunny
Embellishments- Colorbok, Bo Bunny
Alpha: Making Memories
Mist and Stencil: Ditto- a hampton arts brand- small bottle at a great price with a Michael's coupon!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend- challenge 2

Our #2 Challenge over at Shimelle's blog was to create a page using three or more paper collections. This one was actually pretty easy for me- I usually love mixing lines and this one came together pretty quickly as I decided to just use small portions of paper. I think it came together well. Thanks for looking!

The Farmers Market in OB(San Diego) is always our Wednesday evening stop. The beautiful colors and tasty samples make it a favorite event for us!
Products used:
Patterned paper: Sassafrass Lass, small strip of Basic Grey, Echo Park, and that long strip down the middle- unknown( I wish I could remember- I love it!)
Embellishments: Bella Blvd, Cosmo Cricket.
Alphas: Cosmo Cricket, Basic Grey, and Bella Blvd.

Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend!

I've been working on the challenges this weekend over at Shimelle's blog! So far there are 10 great challenges up and great discussion and learning points in between her challenges. I'm having a great time and guess what- it's not to late to join! The challenges are not due until next week- so give it a whirl!

Here is my layout for the first challenge-
We were to be inspired by this layout and here is my interpretation

It's a picture of me and my husband a few Easter's back- such a cute couple!
Products used: Patterned paper: Paper Salon, Pebbles Inc, Fancy Pants (birds)and Prima(recycled cardboard backing- used behind my  photo). Embellishments: Bo bunny, WRMK, American Crafts and Jenni Bowlin. Alphabets: My little shoebox and WRMK

Thanks so much for looking, I'm hoping to add up my next one after lunch!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Hello again!

It again has been a super long week filled with appointments, practices and just life! I did manage to get three more done for the lift challenge at myscrapsandmore as the deadline is today- I'll call the challenge done!

Here is the layout we had to lift for 3/20 it's by Kelly Noel
and here is mine!

It looks a little wonky- but trust me it's all straight in real life!
A picture of my son after just having some teeth pulled. He was drugged up(a little) but his look kind of reminded of a frog face and it gave me an excuse to use this vintage Basic Grey frog paper.
Products used: patterned paper: Basic Grey/A2Z and Pink Paislee, Alpha: Jenni Bowlin, My Little Shoebox, Embellishments: Prima, Crate Paper and a couple of buttons.

The challenge for 3/21 was to lift the below listed layout by board member Chiqui

and here is what I came up with!
A few photos of my daughter playing with the manta rays at Sea World. In these photos she was 2 and she is now 16! I love reliving those baby photos!
Supplies used: Pattern paper: Scrapworks, Sassafrass Lass, Echo Park(backsides), Embellishments: Maya Road, American Crafts, 3 bugs in a rug, Alphas: American Crafts and My little shoebox

Lastly 3/22's lift was an ad:

and my lift titled :Songs of Natural Beauty
Several photos of my daughter and her choir group at multiple concerts her Sophomore year. That's her in that bottom righthand photo- front and center.
Supplies used: patterned paper: Basic Grey, Fancy Pants, Embellishment tag-unknown. Small Alpha: Carolees Creations.

Thanks so much for looking everyone- I appreciate all your comments and time!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Made with Love- lift 3/19

The inspiration for this layout came from Natlie Elphinstone. I thought it would be pretty hard for me to lift but it ended up coming together pretty easily for me- surprise, surprise! Here is her layout:
Here is mine of my kids making me breakfast:
I took a shortcut on the border edges and used some Sassafrass Paper that already had all the edges built in! I threw in some Basic Grey Oxford floral paper, the border edging from the Sassafrass paper, some Prima and Making Memories flowers, some vellum leaves from Martha Stewart, and some twine, a doily and an alpha by Crate and Voila my interpretation!

Thanks for stopping by- Happy April 1st!


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About Us

Keith Harper was born in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire and started driving a HGV alongside his father 25 years ago. The business started out by supplying local farms and builders as well as working for the local quarry. Keith built up a good reputation for quality and service which brought in more and more customers form further afield which in turn grew the business and enabled Keith to develop lots for good business relationships that still exist today.

Since then Keith has invested in more wagons and plant while perfecting the process of screening topsoil and product selection. Over the years more of Keith’s family have joined the firm, including his wife Carol Harper who heads up the administration department,  more recently both of his sons have taken over the haulage sector giving Keith the time to expand the ground works and plant hire team.

Today we run a strong fleet of wagons and groundwork services, which includes an extremely experienced team with up to 22 years of service within our company. We are still based in Nidderdale and travel up and down the country to bring the best products to you, whilst using all the local quarries to bring the finest North Yorkshire stone to your site/home.


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Friday, January 28, 2011

The Geography of Girlhood by Kirsten Smith

This book is about a fourteen year old girl named Penny Morrow her mother left her when she was little and now she lives with her older sister Tara and her dad  but her finds a new girl friend  and she has a son.The son and Penny don't get along well.The main focus about this book is Penny runs away from home with her older boy friend and in this story it tells you truly how Penny thinks about life and her problems.

Victoria W.
7th grader


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Month Flat Week Day
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Categories: Regular Rides*
Ride Classification: B+
Training - For the experienced group rider in good physical condition and capable of maintaining a fast pace for distances up to 50 miles. Flat to hilly terrain. Average speed 17-19 mph, with distances up to 50 miles. Few stops if any. Riders unable to maintain classified pace may be dropped.
Pace: 17-19 mph
Terrain: Rolling
Ride Description: -

Start Location: Hershey Briarcrest Square
Directions: From Harrisburg, follow Route 422 towards Hershey. At the traffic light at Friendly’s turn right onto University Drive. Take the first left onto Briarcrest Drive and right into the Briarcrest Center parking lot.
Ride Leader: (click to email) 'Gavin Robertson
Sunrise Time: 5:53 AM
Sunset Time: 8:34 PM

Print Friendly Ride Calendar

Ride Classifications:

Pace for Rides:
A: 19+ mph
B+: 17-19
B: 15-17
C+: 13-15
C: 11-13
D+: 9-11
D: 8-10

Please note that these are average speeds. If you are new to club rides and aren't sure what pace you can maintain, be conservative with your first ride! Direct all questions, cancellations or updates to  the contact shown on the ride event, or Jeff Hoch at

Helmets are required on HBC rides.  A trained Ride leader is obligated to collect waiver signatures prior to the ride to be an HBC Sanctioned Ride.

Show and Go Rides are NOT HBC Sanctioned.

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Friday, June 10, 2011

Greek Isles Panini

Like I said yesterday, we had some left over greek chicken, feta cheese, & tzatziki sauce, so we made some greek paninis. I mean you can't really get more greek than marinated chicken, feta, tzatziki, roasted red pepper, red onions, and hummus. The only thing they we chose to leave out was olives, and well that's because we just hate olives. So feel free to add those if you like them. I also decided to put provolone on the sandwich because feta just doesn't melt the way you want it on a grilled cheese. So I figured I would add a mild cheese to achieve that "goo" factor. The paninis were really good, and it's so nice when you can repurpose a dinner into a lunch the next day, so that no ingredients go to waste.
Look at that Melty Cheese
Lots of Crunchy Veggies
Greek Isles Panini
For the Panini:
2 Slices of Rustic Bread
2T Olive Oil
4T Homemade Tzatziki
¼C Crumbled Feta
2 Marinated Greek Chicken Thighs, Sliced Thinly & Warmed Slightly
2T Greek Hummus
1 Marinated Roasted Red Pepper, Split in Half
4 Red Onion Rings
2 Slices of Provolone

1. Heat up your Panini press, electric grill, or a skillet to high heat.
2. To Assemble the Sandwich: Spread 2T of the homemade tzatzki sauce on each slice of bread, then designate one slice of bread to be the bottom piece. Sprinkle the crumbled feta on top of the bottom slice of bread, then layer on the sliced Greek Chicken. Slather with the hummus and top with the red peppers & red onions. Lay the slices of provolone on top of the onions (this will help keep all of the fillings from falling out). Top with the other slice of bread and brush on 1T of olive oil on each outside of the bread slices.
3. Grill or fry the sandwich for 2-3 minutes on each side until the bread is perfectly golden brown and extremely crunchy, while also making sure that all of the ingredients inside are warmed thoroughly and the cheeses are melted.
4. Cut into halves and serve immediately.

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Sunday, July 12, 2009

Three Score Years, and Homeward Bound

On July 12, 1949, after four hours of struggle, I entered this world at 4:29 in the afternoon. The doctor proclaimed me "normal," a condition I have striven to maintain over the ensuing 60 years.

It's been an interesting ride these six decades, from the optimism of the 50s, the 60s Revolution, which I mostly missed, through the MADness of the Cold War, and the even madder madness of the Reagan Right-Wing Revulsion, a brief respite of hope, then the grinding intellectual poverty of the Bush fascist regime, still lingering despite political changes in Washington.

I feel I've grown into my aspirations of curmudgeonliness and have now fully arrived. My expectations have been realized, and despite another era of hope, not yet fulfilled, I see no meaningful change on the horizon.

If I take care of my body, I should have another twenty years or so left to appreciate the great human comedy. I fully expect to see environmental conditions deteriorate worldwide during that time, resulting in deteriorating human conditions, and, thus, increased human strife, misery and woe, and increased destruction of the natural world.

"Twas ever thus," quoth Mr. Natural. I see no reason to expect that human beings will suddenly develop intelligence and common sense, at least not in time to make any difference to climate change and Peak Oil, the twin spectres looming over all, mostly unappreciated. If we upright bipeds had any real intelligence, we'd drop this insane social system based on greed and the folly of economists, scrap private automobiles, re-create a real system of public transportation, call all our soldiers and missionaries home to rebuild, refurbish and recycle the technological dead ends lying about the place. Plenty of work for everyone, no need for anyone to stand on the dole que. Plenty of food and housing to go around, in sufficiency.

This, of course, will never happen, so we are left with the alternative, which is to charge full bore toward the abyss with our eyes closed, praying for the best outcome.

When I think of what's to come, I'm glad I was born in 1949, young enough to peer out over the edge, too old to experience the sudden, fatal stop at the bottom.

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Sex With Your Ex:The Naked Truth

by Nina J Appleby

sex with your ex
Creative Commons License photo credit: andyversus

Should Your Have Sex With Your Ex? Think Again!

Sex with your ex can be tricky, especially if you still have feelings for you ex and are trying to move on from them.  After a breakup, there is a period of time when you want to rekindle those intimate feelings you and your ex share. You may think that having sex with your ex is not harmful to you and may help them feel closer to you again. You may be WRONG!

Sex With Your Ex Can Be Dangerous In Healing Heartbreak!

If you are trying to heal your broken heart, I would definitely reconsider having sex with your ex.  It will leave you powerless to them in the future and even help prolong your heartbreak.  Do you really want to continue giving your power over to your ex? I didn’t think so!

The Temptation That Leads You Down This Road

Having sex with your ex may seem like a natural thing to do. You are more comfortable with them.  There is a history there, so you feel uninhibited with them as opposed to having sex with someone new. The sex is a lot more gratifying because you already know how to please them and they know what it takes to please you.

Sex With You Ex Increases Your Emotional Bond, Which Decreases Healing

When you have sex, you are emotionally bonded to that person for about 14 days. Sexual intimacy can strengthen an already established emotional bond. If you are trying to move on from your old relationship, why would you want to make the task even harder? That’s like walking through the desert and then deciding to carry a backpack with a 50 lb weight in it. Having sex with your ex makes breaking the emotional bond you share 10 times harder.

Sex With Your Ex Doesn’t Change The Problems

Some relationship problems have nothing to do with the bedroom. While having sex with you ex can be comforting and familiar, it doesn’t fix the problems you had that led to your break up. It might help you break the ice to recover your relationship, but it will only temporarily allow you to get back together. Sex may momentarily burry your problems. But, know that they will find a way to come back up and you might break up again if you don’t know how to address the problems.

What If Your Ex Has Already Had Sex With Someone Else?

If you’ve been apart from you ex for a while, there’s a huge possibility that your ex has already had sex with someone else. You are potentially exposing yourself to STD’s. Be safe and protect yourself. You MUST use some form of contraceptive. No Glove, No Love!

Final Thoughts

If you do have sex with your ex, please consider the consequences of your actions.  Remember, sometimes (most times), sex is just sex. Don’t mistake having sex for any intentions of rekindling your relationship. Be on the same page as your ex when it comes to sex. Don’t be misled and don’t them false hope of getting back with you if that’s not what you want.  Be smart about this before you give into temptation. Having sex with your ex may cause you a whole lot more pain than pleasure.

~Here’s to your healing!

Sex with your ex

Nina Appleby is the author of Heal Heartbreak Now!, which is a 5 step program that allows you to move past the pain of heartbreak, find endless happiness within yourself, and experience Real Love .

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Why You Should Never Throw Away Watermelon Rinds

Especially when those sweltering summer days are here, life won’t be complete without watermelons. Who can resist their juicy pink flesh that’s teeming with vitamins and minerals, and keeps you cool and refreshed while basking in the sun?

Did you know that the rind of watermelons is actually edible?

This won’t come as a huge surprise especially upon learning that watermelons are closely related to cucumbers, which means that just about any part of theirs is edible! You should consider consuming the rind of watermelons because they are loaded with nutrients. Perhaps it’s no secret to you that most fruits got their nutritive content concentrated in their skins or peels.

In many cultures, the rind of watermelons is actually used for various culinary purposes, thanks to the mild flavor it possesses. What’s more, it is also utilized by traditional healers due to its medicinal properties. Evidently, it’s not just a watermelon’s pink flesh that deserves the spotlight, but also its rind that is often thrown away.

Here are some of the reasons why the rind of watermelons should never go to waste:

Watermelon Rind Helps Boost Your Workout Benefits

There’s plenty of citrulline, a type of amino acid, found in the rind of watermelons. It’s no secret that you need all the amino acid you can get after hitting the gym to help your muscles repair and bulk up themselves. It’s for this reason why pickling watermelon rind and adding it to tuna or chicken breast is a wonderful post-workout meal idea.

Eating It Increases Your Libido

Do you feel like you have lost your sex drive? Simply consume some watermelon rind. Its ability to increase your libido is also due to its citrulline content. In fact, it is added as an ingredient to numerous libido-boosting supplements on the market. Some studies have also shown that citrulline is good against mild erectile dysfunction.

It Promotes a Healthy Weight Loss

Looking at a watermelon’s rind alone, you can easily tell that it’s packed with fiber. Including it in your diet may help you shed off unwanted pounds because it can save you from overeating and amassing more calories than your body needs. Additionally, the rind of watermelons is also a diuretic, which means that it can help you eliminate water weight.

Consuming It May Help Regulate Your Blood Pressure

Speaking of being a diuretic, the rind of watermelons may be beneficial for those who have high blood pressure because it helps remove excess water in the bloodstream. Certain studies have shown that watermelon rind extract helped hypertensive adults attain lower blood pressure when taken together with measures recommended by their doctors.

The Rind of Watermelons is Good for the Urinary System

Because of its diuretic properties, watermelon rind may help in keeping your kidneys and the rest of the urinary system in a great shape. Since the production of urine is enhanced, it’s easier to ensure that your urinary tract is clean and in a good working condition. Don’t forget to drink 8 to 12 glasses of water daily!

It May Help Ward Off Deadly Cancer

There’s a powerful antioxidant found in the rind of watermelons, and it’s called lycopene. Just how powerful it is? Studies have shown that lycopene reduced prostate cancer risk by up to 34 percent. The said antioxidant may also help ward off various forms of cancers such as those of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon and cervix.

These are some of the most noteworthy reasons why throwing away watermelon rind is not a good idea. You can incorporate it in your diet in a lot of ways. The rind of watermelons may be eaten as is or added to vegetable salads for extra crunch. It may also be added to soups, stews and stir-fries. In many parts of the world, the rind of watermelons is turned into relishes, preserves, jams and candies.

Source: healthyadvicer

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Friday, June 22, 2007

Will Medicare Advantage Payments Be Cut as Soon as 2008?

That's the question a poster asked today and it has been an issue on my mind. So I will address it here.

First, CMS has already started the rate setting process for 2008 and will have it finalized by early September. While the Congress makes the rules and can do anything it wants, it would be very difficult to change the 2008 deal with the private sector after early September.

The only way we would get a 2008 cut is if the Congress reauthorized S-CHIP and used private Medicare Advantage cuts to fund the cost of that program. Under the Democratic rules, the Congress will have to come up with either new taxes or budget cuts to offset any spending on S-CHIP.

Since S-CHIP has to be reauthorized by September 30th, you can see the possibility of a Medicare Advantage cut taking place before the 2008 Medicare Advantage rates are finalized.

Most in the Congress--Democrats and Republicans--would like to use an increase in the tobacco tax as the means to fund S-CHIP reauthorization. The reauthorization process is going to begin in the Senate and move to the House. The Senate Finance Committee wants to take the issue up in the next couple of weeks.

Republican Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, all but conceded the votes are there to do it with a tobacco tax increase in comments he made this week.

There is more interest in cutting Medicare Advantage to pay for S-CHIP in the House.

S-CHIP reauthorization
will eventually get done but it won't be any kind of slam-dunk. The hang-up will be in the details. The Bush administration, and most conservatives, are upset that states have gone beyond the original intent and gone on to cover children in families making up to 350% of poverty and also covering adults. There will be a lot of arm wrestling around just what the new rules will be. Ironically, the Bush administration is still approving state exemptions to cover these "extra" people just as they complain about state action (on May 30th for Wisconsin, for example).

Also, if Democrats were to pass an S-CHIP reauthorizaton bill it will be a standalone bill. That would be subject to a Bush veto. You will recall that I have pointed out that the place Medicare Advantage payments are most at risk is in the year-end "omnibus" budget bill. That is usually loaded up with dozens of big items and is the sort of thing that would be very difficult for the President to veto.

Democrats need lots of money at year-end to counter the automatic 10% Medicare physician fee cut and to offset come possible hospital and other provider cuts. The Medicare Advantage cuts are the logical source for this money.

So, after all that background here's where I see things:
  1. In the end, it will be better for the Dems to leave the Medicare Advantage payments alone and fund S-CHIP with only a tobacco tax.
  2. Their best shot at getting hold of the Medicare Advantage money is in the final omnibus budget bill (at the end of the 2007 session) that is almost entirely controlled by the key House and Senate committee chairs (most of which hate Medicare Advantage). That bill will be far more insulated from Republican meddling and a Bush veto because it will be larded-up with lots of things Congressional Republicans and Bush will want.
  3. If Medicare Advantage is cut in the final omnibus bill--and I think it will be--then the first impact on the program will be in 2009--the Congress will reach forward for those cuts and bring some of them back into their multi-year calculation.
  4. Now here's my caveat--anyone interested in this issue needs to watch the S-CHIP bill's progress very closely. What is troubling to me is how poorly worked out the S-CHIP reauthorization outline is. The people in the middle of all of this really don't know how they are going to get it done yet.
When the day is done, I believe Medicare Advantage cuts will come in the year-end omnibus bill. I also think the recent MedPAC recommendations offer a reasonable template for how that will happen.
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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Tomato Jam

This was the first time that I  have made jam from tomatoes, and I was pleasantly surprised. Tomato jam is probably one of the easiest condiments to make. So far, we have pasted it unto toast and used it in place of ketchup in burgers - delicious both ways. This recipe utilizes only very ripe roma tomatoes, but I don't see why you can't use any other variety.

1 1/2 lb very ripe roma tomatoes, diced roughly
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Add all of the ingredients to large pot over medium heat. Cook until thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. You can also use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes during cooking.  Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Trinidad Sweet Rice (Rice Pudding)

My two sisters will be visiting us in less a week. As part of the preparation, there is a lot of discussion about food: which restaurants to try and what dishes we are going to make. Family visits are a good time to cook together, and in the past we tended to revisit many of our favorite (and admittedly indulgent) dishes we grew up eating in Trinidad. This time will be no different. One of those recipes is Trinidad Sweet Rice - our version of rice pudding or Mexican arroz con leche. In fact, to be more specific, this recipe has its origins in the Indian kheer, brought to the Caribbean in the 1800's by East Indian indentured laborers. Over the decades, the recipe changed only a little, with the omission of saffron threads and the preference for a thicker consistency in this version.

Trinidad Sweet Rice (Rice Pudding)
Serves about 6

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed well
4 cups water
3 cinnamon sticks
4-5 whole, green cardamom
3 whole cloves
1 can low fat evaporated milk (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
1 can fat free condensed milk (approx. 1 1/4 cups)
1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches, grated
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup roasted slivered almonds (optional)
maraschino cherries (optional)

1. Bring water to boil. Add rice, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and cloves. Cook until rice is soft, about 20 to 30 minutes, and until all of the water has been absorbed.
2. Add the evaporated, condensed milk, ginger, and raisins. Cook until thickened to desired consistency. Remember that the pudding will thicken further as it cools.
3. Allow to cool before serving. Serve topped with almonds and maraschino cherries.


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Regulate Your INSULIN Without any Medications!

You can now regulate your insulin levels in a natural way by trying his remedy. Let us check the recipe.

  • 2 bananas;
  • 2 green apples (not peeled);
  • ½ liters of purified water;
  • 5 kiwis;
  • ½ red cabbage.

How to prepare it: place the ingredients in a blender and make a homogenous mixture.

How to consume it: take the remedy once a day in the morning on an empty stomach for a period of 4 weeks. Always prepare it fresh and drink it right after you prepare it.

Original article by Republished with permission of the author.

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Vets Speak & Warrior Writers, 1

Indictment by Maurice Decaul
Women walked up to beg
help, to share images
of loved ones, hoping maybe
we had seen their boys & men.
Once a woman brought a baby
balled up in a sheet
she said “you” bombed out the city
lights, that “I” was cooking in darkness
that “my” child’s misfortune
is because “you” are here.
We stood together a moment.
Iraqis have told me: since Saddam
is dead, the killings were just
& maybe this is true, for a few
but not her. Not for me.

At two different Warrior Writers workshops I listened veterans speak and write. Some were home less than a year and others talked about being spit on when they returned from Vietnam forty plus years ago.

Those of us who have been touched by veterans and war were also invited to share.

We got to have intimate conversations about war, trauma, loss and resilience. We got to share insights about moral injury, re-entry or feeling invisible.

Together, we wrote, listened and made connections and art. Together, we were able to consider the perspectives of one another.

Daughters shared the questions they wanted to ask their veteran fathers who are silent or silenced or dead.

One veteran said he never thought about the impact his war experience might have on those he loves.

Veterans could say they don’t always want to talk or share, don’t always believe people really want to listen, fear others consider them whiners or just feel more comfortable quiet or with other veterans.

Some veterans admitted that they don’t always know if it is others or themselves they are protecting, as though memories are like bombs that can still detonate and do damage shooting debris and injuring moments or relationships.

Some admitted to being desperate for information while trying to respect privacy of their loved ones.

War is brutal and who owns responsibility for that brutality?

War bonds and can create beautiful relationships.

Veterans can love and hate different aspects of their service.

We asked each other and ourselves why people look away from war and trauma and the experiences of veterans. How do we distance ourselves from our own experiences, the experience of others, actions of our government that we don’t always agree with?

How do we deal with the fact that our discomfort with listening, understanding or appreciating the veteran experience (which lasts long after time is served) is conveyed as shame, judgment, ignorance or insensitivity?

If we say veterans are heroes but then let them languish when they have physical, emotional or other issues what good are our words and labels?

Is it possible not to think about bigger issues such as addiction, homelessness, post-traumatic stress, physical disabilities and homelessness without considering the veteran experience?

No one was pushing politics or any particular agenda.

How we have felt or feel about war or military service now or in the past was not up for debate or consideration. Not really.

No one was trying to persuade or convince anyone of anything but only sharing words and experiences, raw and unrehearsed.

We gathered to share stories.

We gathered to make sentences.

The facilitator, Rachel McNeill shared a quote translated by Coleman Barks by Rumi.

We listen to stories

to be cured.

The one listening

is the patient.

I listened to men and women veterans in their twenties and in their sixties.

No one was in uniform. Some were joking and others shy. Some were with spouses and others pushing baby carriages. Some were dressed in ironed oxfords. All veterans. None I would have recognized as veterans if I had passed them on the street.

I learned that they can always spot and see each other and often seek one another out.

Veterans listened as some non veterans talked about marriages that didn’t survive, fathers who didn’t parent or return as anyone recognizable to their loved ones, about non veterans who uses words like casualties and collateral damage when talking about how altered family life has been. No one meant to diminish the true meaning of M.I.A. or K.I.A. and there were people who lost family members in service. But for spouses and family members of veterans, some wounds and injuries ripple, still ripple.

Writing opens up hearts and brains and poses questions that are invited as company to linger within.

Questions, sometimes for the first time, were voiced.

Answers were not required.

Closure was not even attempted.

How often do you talk or think about war and the veteran experience? Honestly, until recently, I thought about it very little.

My heart was ripped open not only by veterans but by women in their 30’s and 40’s and 50’s with PTSD or loss or traumas having nothing to do with “shell shock” or war.

Man with problems

People nodded heads when talking of sitting in chairs close to the door and paying attention to exit signs and expecting chaos or danger at any moment. Not all were veterans.

Some emotions and experiences are universal.

But not all of them.

Some are precise and particular. Being spit on or learning to get used to bombs without reacting and flinching all of the time.

There are smells and sights and insights and relationships that are not vague. Tastes or sounds. Searing. Images or limbs. Mind shattering – stretching the bounds of imagination with reality.

There are some people who choose their silence and do not want to give up their words.

Others will wait and only divulge details if they feel safe and welcome and even then, maybe never or only in their own time.

It was impossible not to inhabit, at least momentarily, the experience of others and to feel expanded, touched and sometimes hollow and aching.

We sipped each other in like coffee. We took home experiences like the pineapple, melon and strawberries we bagged up before leaving.

It is powerful and miraculous to me always that something as simple as black marker on lined white paper, done together, creates intimacy, openness, truth-telling and healing. I do not understand why we don’t do this practice of writing together more often, where we are not bound by conventions of conversation, the need to react or say something.

Sometimes people just need to be heard and to tell their story.

Sometimes people just need to stay present and listen.

That can be all of the magic.

Rachel McNeill, from Warrior Writers in Boston is a veteran, writer and facilitator who creates a safe and comfortable environment with seeming ease and subtlety. She shares the power of storytelling by getting people to participate in the process. She doesn’t sell it hard because she doesn’t need to. People do it, experience, feel it and know the benefits.

McNeill works with homeless veterans, veterans in recovery, student veteran groups. She shares all of the resources and contacts she knows generously and promotes the concept of writing as a vehicle of expression and healing for all. She is inspiring.

And the entire the team from Bridgewater State University, Margaret Bellafiore (Art), Dr. Suzanne Ramczyk (Theater & Dance), Marlene DeLeon (Catholic Campus Ministry), Dr. Victoria Bacon (Counselor Education), Dr. Louise Graham (Counselor Education), Dr. Carolyn Petrosino (Criminal Justice) and John Bibler, III (BSU Veterans) are so warm, kind, thoughtful and hard working.

They are educators, advocates, professors, caretakers of hearts who made sure people felt heard, got fed and were encouraged to own their total life experiences. They all have their own regular full-time work and lives but came together to try to find new ways to reach student veterans as well as local veterans and military personnel. They spent time on weekends and evenings and are still brainstorming ways to reach more veterans on campus and in the community.

The women from Spin a Yarn Weave a Life are Catherine Tutter and Cheyenne McCarter and they have worked with diverse groups of people to literally show how stories and art can be turned into yarn. The transformational power of making art from life stories is literal and beautiful.

Together, they all have and are creating events and art to honor, recognize, celebrate and consider the experiences of BSU Veterans, local military people, friends, family and loved ones of veterans.

In fact, if you know any local veterans or student veterans, please share the upcoming events at Bridgewater State University with them. They might be changed. You might be changed by listening.

The details, taken from Bridgewater State University website are below.

Warrior Writers Writing Workshop: Thursday, April 3, 5 to 7 p.m., Catholic Center. Veterans and BSU alumni in the local towns are invited to learn techniques for composing a story or other written literary piece about some slice of their military service or return to civilian life.

Spin a Yarn, 2nd Session, Monday, April 14, 5-7 p.m., Catholic Center. Artists Catherine Tutter and Cheyenne McCarter will teach students and veterans to create and artistic textile from their writing.

Video or Audio Recordings for Library of Congress Veterans History Project. By appointment throughout the semester or summer, prepare and record a 15 to 30-minute segment that will become part of the special collection in the Library of Congress and BSU’s Maxwell Library.  Dr. Louise Graham will facilitate these recordings.

Laboratory Theatre, Art Installation, Nov. 19-23, 2014, BSU Campus. An original theatrical piece capturing veterans’ stories, written by Dr. Suzanne Ramczyk and performed by the BSU Laboratory Theater.  Artwork by, about or from the military life of our local veterans will be on display.

You Matter Mantras

  • Trauma sucks. You don't.
  • Write to express not to impress.
  • It's not trauma informed if it's not informed by trauma survivors.
  • Breathing isn't optional.

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Traditional Farm Reared Christmas Dinners

At Heart of England Farms we take great pride in producing good, wholesome poultry, the old fashioned way. We supply Free Range KellyBronze Turkeys, Traditional White Turkeys, Free Range Geese, Ducks and Free Range 'Giant' Christmas Cockerels (Capons), all of which are specially bred for the Christmas market.
Grown to maturity using slow growing breeds all our birds are hand plucked, 'game hung' and dry aged - all important contributing factors for high quality, superior tasting meat.
Our beautiful birds are for everyone!
For local Warwickshire residents we are open for collection from the farm on 23rd and 24th December - simply place your order following the 'Farm Collection' link below.  For those who live too far away but wish to indulge in the best Christmas dinner ever then we offer a 'Home Delivery' option.  Follow the 'Order for Home Delivery' below, place your order and we will deliver to you on the 22nd December using a national courier.