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Monday, July 29, 2013

The hand that rocks the cradle…

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, sociology

Y'know that T-shirt that says:
If Mama Ain't Happy
Ain't Nobody Happy!
I wish it were truer than it really is. A colleague of mine (now deceased) once said, in his best Bill Cosby voice (though I don't know if the Coz ever said it), "A woman's power lies in saying, 'If you don't, then I won't!'." There's just one trouble with this. Powerful men seldom love any woman enough to care what she may think. Worldwide, all the really powerful men are either adulterous (often rampantly so), or have a harem, in societies that expect that sort of thing from sultans and princes.

I just finished reading The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the Men Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future, by John Gerzema and Michael D'Antonio. In their Introduction, they present ten virtues that women have (or seem to have) in greater measure than men, and state that these virtues comprise the Athena Doctrine, a wiser way to run governments, businesses and families. They illustrate these virtues and combinations of them with stories from ten countries or groups of similar countries. They close by promoting a balance between traditionally male and traditionally female approaches to problem solving and management.

I agree with their thesis. In fact, I'd state their subtitle thus: …How Women Must Prevail if We Are to Have a Future. But I have to say that the book needs to be redone, probably by a married couple of long standing (and, sad to say, in today's America I need to specify that I mean a man and a woman, long married to one another, with equal responsibility in producing the book). The stories are potentially fascinating (each chapter has from about 4 to about 10), but the writing is dull and couldn't hold my attention. There is just a little bit of a fawning note, as if the authors were "women wannabees". I wish it were a better book. Its message is much needed.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

You don't have to hate statistics

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, mathematics, statistics, popular treatments

Measure something. Say, take a yardstick and measure the width of the kitchen counter. In my kitchen, I get 24 inches. That is an observation. Guess what? You can't do statistics using one observation. Not because you are somehow incompetent, but because of the way statistics is defined. A common definition is:
Statistics is the practice or science of collecting and analyzing numerical data in large quantities.
Note the final qualifier: "in large quantities". It is possible to do a certain amount of statistical inference using just a few items—and we'll do some momentarily—but you typically need lots of data to produce a robust inference. However, a few principles can be seen by analyzing just a few observations. I measured my counter in five more locations. Here are all my observations:

24 1/8
23 7/8
23 7/8
23 3/4 (= 23 6/8)
23 5/8

We can do a few things with these six numbers. First, comparing the largest with the smallest, we see that the range is 3/8 (just under 1cm). I can take the average, which comes to 23 7/8. Hmm; if the building plans specified a 24 inch counter top, this one averages an eighth inch too narrow. Then there is a trend. These are in order, from one end of the counter to the other. The largest measurement is the second one, the smallest is the last, and the rest of the measurements follow a decreasing trend. In angular terms, a "tilt" of 3/8" in about 10 feet is only a sixth of a degree, but I'd expect a builder to do better than have "nearly a half inch" of variation over ten feet. Oh, well. One of my projects for later this year is to replace the counter tops anyway. I hope quality control has improved since these were installed in the 1970s!

Now for just a little terminology. The "average" I figured is known at the "mean". It is not the only way to determine "central tendency". Another is the "median", which means, the one in the middle (or the average of the central two if the sample has an even number of observations).  For example, if I sort these six numbers (in this case, just move the 24 1/8 above the 24), it happens that there are three that are 23 7/8 or larger, and three that are 23 7/8 or smaller. So the median is 23 7/8. This is not always the case, and perhaps it is not even usually the case. For example, if I have the seven numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 14, 30, the mean is 9 but the median is 5. Note that only 2 of these numbers are greater than 9.

Another such measure is the "mode", which means the most likely value. Mode is really not too meaningful when there are only six observations, but for these data, the mode is also 23 7/8. Suppose instead that I had measured that fourth width as 23 3/4. This would have very little difference on the mean (23 6.8/8) or the median (23 13/16 or 23 6.5/8), but the mode would now be 23 3/4, because that number arose the most frequently (twice).

This illustration shows how these are related (Image from The Daily Dongle). A frequency plot of a very regular set of measurements such as shown in (a) will have mean, median and mode that are equal or nearly equal. Sometimes we make measurements that have more than one "hump" (their distribution is called bimodal) as in (b). But (c) and (d) show two ways that a series of measurements may reveal a skewness, in which case the three measures will be quite different.

Each has its uses. Average height of Euro-American males is best described as the mean, the numerical average of all measurements. We might also surmise that the median and mode will be very similar to the mean. But if you include Euro-American women, the bimodality may not be too evident, but it is there. At the very least a frequency plot will be flatter on top and have a wider total range. If the average male is 70" tall and the average woman is 64" tall (for Euro-A's, anyway), the grand average will be 67", but that single number tells you less than the two numbers, segregated by sex.

What about yearly income, or prices of homes in a city or county, or the whole country? When you hear a Real Estate report on the radio, you will hear, for example, "Median home price has risen by $5,000 in the past month". Why not use the mean? Because the distribution is skewed. There might be a few homes with very small values, and a few with very high values, but where do you put the "middle"?

Example: Broken Arrow, OK (I know someone there). The least expensive houses on the market, as I find from, are in the $25,000-$50,000 range. The most expensive, in the range between $1.2 million and $1.4 million. Do you think it likely that home prices are evenly distributed between these limits, producing a "middle" value of about $700,000? Not likely! In this market, this moment, 684 homes are for sale. Houses # 341 and 342 on the sorted list the web site provides are both priced at $170,000. That is our median for this market (today). Quite a bit different from 700k, isn't it? Half the houses' owners are asking $170,000 or less, and the other half are asking more. If you can afford a $200,000 house, at the most, you have a lot to choose from. Wherever the larger values in a distribution are a big multiple of the smaller values, the median is usually the best measure of "average".

This is my simple attempt to explain a few statistical principles. Charles Wheelan does a superb job of explaining these and a goodly number of others in Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread From the Data. In the middle of the book, for example, he dwells quite a bit on the Central Limit Theorem. This has to do with sampling.

Above, I took six measurements of my kitchen counter. I could have taken a lot more, perhaps spaced every inch, or even closer. Suppose I sent my wife into the kitchen with a yardstick and asked her to make six measurements, with the same yardstick, in locations of her choosing. Then perhaps we could grab some of our neighbors and have them repeat the experiment. Now I will have several sets of numbers, and each set will have its own average. Do you think any of the averages will be close to, say 22, or 27? Not unless there are some BIG wiggles in the counter's shape, that I avoided with my measurements. If I could get a lot of my neighbors to make sets of measurements, the Central Limit Theorem (CLT) predicts that they will be distributed a lot like section (a) of the illustration above, clustering about some average value that is close to the "real" mean for all possible measurements of my counter.

As the author goes on to show, with marvelous examples, this is the source of the power of polling. Not only can a poll yield very useful results about all 180 million American adults by polling 1,000 or 2,000 people (properly chosen!), marketers (who pay the most for such data) can predict some of our preferences based on what we have already bought or even searched for (Google sells its search results, don'tcha know). My wife and I have "loyalty cards" from a few local grocers and other stores. We get discounts on certain items for scanning the card when checking out. In a sense, the store is paying us for the right to keep track of our purchases. Something else we get during checkout is a series of spot-printed coupons (the more we buy the more coupons they print). Some coupons are for more of the things we often buy. Others are for similar items of competing brands (the brands' owners are in on this also). And there will usually be a few "wild card" coupons that show up over time, for things we might not usually buy. Why? Because other people whose purchasing habits are similar to ours buy those things, and the store is betting that we are more likely to try those items if we get a coupon to prod us, compared to giving the same coupon to random shoppers. They have also figured out that we are "on the edge of elderly", so some of the coupons are for things like Ensure (an energy drink for old folks) or Depends (adult diapers).

Think about it. A typical supermarket has tens of thousands of customers that visit regularly. If 25% have the store card, they can slice and dice that population a dozen or a hundred ways, to target their coupon campaign. And, since coupons cost almost nothing to print, they can throw in 30%-50% off-the-wall coupons so we don't realize how precisely we have been targeted!

If you get nothing else out of this book, read it carefully for the author's explanation of the CLT and his stories of how it is used (such as how Target "helped" a father learn that his teen daughter was pregnant). He reveals all sorts of tricks of the trade, such as the numerical way to handle binary differences such as male/female. I am a math junkie, so of course I love a book like this. But I think the math-averse will also find it very entertaining and informative.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Bigger goes along with better

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, history, economics, sociology

I remember my father telling me, when I was a pre-teen or early teen, his theory of "why kids are getting bigger" and in particular, why new Olympic records were still being set, after generations of competition. "Better food and better medicine. When kids don't get sick as much, they can get bigger and stronger and faster and smarter."

Another memory. Valley Forge, maybe five years later. A park guide said, "General Washington was like Goliath to the British. The average 'redcoat' was about 5-foot-2, and Washington was 6-4. He rode the biggest horse he could find, and it scared the crap out of the British." He exaggerated a little—Washington was 6'-2" (187 cm), and as the chart below shows, British recruits just prior to 1800 were about 5'-6" (167 cm)—but the point is accurate. He was the tallest man most of them had ever seen. Of course, most of his own men were similar in stature to the British, and he scared the crap out of them also.

This chart illustrates a "Waaler Surface". It is from page 60 of The Changing Body: Health, Nutrition, and Human Development in the Western World Since 1700 by Drs. Roderick Floud, Robert W. Fogel, Bernard Harris, and Sok Chul Hong. The chart is rather complex, so take a moment to peruse it, and then I'll explain.
For Americans, refer to these tables:

160 cm = 63.0" ≈ 5'-3"
170 cm = 66.9" ≈ 5'-7"
180 cm = 70.9" = 5'-11"
190 cm = 74.8" = 6'-3"
(to convert cm to inches, divide by 2.54)

40 kg = 88 lbs
60 kg = 132
80 kg = 176 lbs
100 kg = 220 lbs
(to convert kg to lbs, multiply by 2.2046)

The Iso-BMI curves—the dashed lines—set a foundation. The heavy curve shows minimum risk of dying in the next ten years. To the left is underweight, and to the right is overweight. Now, the iso-mortality-risk curves—the thin solid lines—show relative risk of dying within ten years, gleaned from a study of middle and late middle aged Norwegian men, and correlated with the sketchier records of the past 300 years throughout Europe. The curve labeled 1.0 passes through the minimum-risk curve at 1.675m (66") height. At that point, the healthiest weight is 72 kg (168 lbs). But a person taller than 1.84m (72.4"), weighing about 80 kg (176 lbs) has a 30% lower mortality risk!

Hmm. I am 6'-0" and 207 lbs (1.83m and 94 kg). That puts my relative mortality risk at 0.9. That is 15-20% worse than the optimum for my height. More properly, among a group of men just my size, 20% more of them are likely to die in the next ten years, compared to those at optimum weight/BMI. That is according to this Waaler surface.

But the little circled × and + signs mark the important historical message of this chart. Throughout most of the past 300 years, the French were shorter than the British, and less healthy. However, the trend through time has brought the two populations to near parity, with average heights of about 1.77m (just under 5'-10"), and though the British tend to be heavier, their mortality risk is the same (they are on the same iso-mortality-risk curve).

A little further along in the book, Table 2.5 on page 67 lists the average height for men in six European countries, as it has changed since 1750. I converted the data into this chart:

A quarter-century marked 18-IV, for example, refers to the years 1875-1899. That is the range of dates during which men in a particular cohort reached physical maturity.

I am not sure what happened in Denmark since 1975, but for three of the other five countries the height scoops up toward the 1.8m range, then slows down approaching the year 2000. The last data point is missing for Hungary, and we see that France is apparently a little behind England and the Scandinavian countries, perhaps lagging by 25 years (It is tempting to speculate that the different lines will converge on some optimal average height, but only time will tell).

This is something the authors remark upon, that in the richer western countries the trend of increasing height seems to be slowing down. Perhaps there is a genetically-determined maximum height for each family, and as barriers are removed, through better nutrition, better medical care and less need for very heavy labor, that maximum is being reached by a larger and larger number in each generation.

The book is a textbook for a socio-economics course. Thus it is very dense with figures and tables and discussions of the sources and assumptions and calculations needed to reach the authors' conclusions. In a way, the plethora of illustrative material shortens the reading substantially. Reading a text-only book of this density, of 374 pages, would have taken somewhat longer than the 12 days it took me! I can swallow up a page-size table quicker than I can read a page of scientific text. I would say that the first 80% of the book is devoted to "confidence building": presentation of the facts and sources and so forth, so that the later conclusions will be more readily accepted. If the authors choose to write a more popularized version, I'd expect something quite a bit more brief.

But this book is quite valuable as it is, for those willing to slog through it. All that data on size and weight and purported health are fine, but what has caused it? And are we really healthier? Not all agree that we are. Much of the work discussed, work done by the authors and many colleagues, and by others, including those who may draw different conclusions, is intended to tease out mortality and morbidity as they have progressed through time. Prior to about 1930, when the first effective antibiotics were developed, we see that average size and health were already increasing. The "Third World" is presently living an 18th-Century life, nutritionally and medically, and it shows; average adult male heights for most groups are near 1.65m, plus or minus 5 cm or so.

However, the discussions do not dwell only on averages. One large section deals with distributions of caloric intake, compared to the basal metabolic requirement plus "maintenance", which is necessary to stave off long-term starvation. Throughout the 1700s and into the early 1800s, 15-30% of the poorest didn't have enough to eat, and were starving. Even those just a little better off had little energy to work. Did you ever wonder why the beggars in poor countries (and poor areas of richer ones) do little more than sit around begging? I am not talking about panhandlers on American city streets, but the truly destitute. It is because they eat so little they have no energy left for any kind of work.

For example, if a man of a certain size could sleep all day, his basal metabolism might require 1,600 calories (AKA kcal). Yet he needs to awake from time to time to, at least, eat and eliminate. Also, his body uses some energy replacing worn out tissues. These maintenance activities bring his caloric requirement to 2,030 (an added 27%, or 430 kcal). Just walking around takes about 3 times as much energy as sitting still (2x for the walking and 1x for basal). This factor of 3 is a Physical Activity Ratio, or PAR; a 24-hour walk would require 4,800 kcal (the exercise plus the basic) plus 430 (maintenance) for a total of 5,230. Of course, a full-time panhandler won't walk 24 hours, but may walk a few hours a day. If we assume 4, the total caloric requirement is 2,030 plus about 530, or 2,560 kcal. If this person does anything else except lie around quietly, more calories are needed.

At the high end of the scale, assuming a farmer can eat all he needs to, the PAL for most farm labor is about 5. Farmers work long days; 10 hours or more is quite common, 7 days per week. Then many around-the home activities have a PAL around 2. A farmer's energy budget may resemble this:
  • sleep 8 hr: 530
  • labor 10 hr: 3,330
  • family interaction 3 hr: 400
  • read, talk, etc. 3 hr: 300
  • body maintenance: 430
That all adds up to 4,990 kcal that he needs to eat. The next time you are at a café that farmers or farm hands frequent, don't be surprised by their enormous breakfasts! However, for those without such ready access to abundant food, such as the lower classes in 18th Century Europe, undernourishment was the norm. Dad was underfed and couldn't work hard enough to earn much, Mom was underfed and so had undersized babies; she had a scant milk supply and after being weaned the youngsters frequently went hungry. They grew up short and scrawny. Then, being undernourished made them all less able to fight off disease, which also takes energy. Their lives were short and hard, and other charts in the book show how size correlates with social class. Simply put, the aristocrats were taller because they could afford sufficient food, and being better nourished means they were less often ill.

The epigenetic effects of such a history can't be shrugged off in a single generation. The 300-year chart above shows how gradual the change was. Increasing food supplies came first, and it took a few generations for size changes to follow. 300 years represents 12-15 generations.

Now we can consider life expectancy. At this point, data for women was also available. This chart, from page 148, shows the increase just through the 20th Century. The bars represent average remaining life expectancy. Thus, for 65-year-olds, only a dozen or so years remain, meaning that on average they can expect to live to age 80 (men) or 85 (women; for the 2000-2002 figures).

From the bottom, note that at age 0 compared to age 1, there is quite a difference in 1900, but very little in 2000, though for both there are great increases from 1900 to 2000. Infant mortality was so great in 1900, that a 1-year-old, who had already survived a few "childhood diseases", could expect on average 5-6 years more life than a newborn.

As an aside, two years ago we visited a cemetery in Missouri, where some of my ancestors are buried. I was sobered by the large number of tiny gravestones for infants and children under 5, who had died between about 1830 and 1930. The gravestones for those who survived to ages in the range 70 and up were very few. I think my great-grandfather was the only 90-year-old buried there. When he was 65, in 1935, his average life expectation was to live to about 77. He beat that, but most didn't. My father, who was 88 when we went there, had given me a list of men to look for, in the nearby town, men he had known as a child. I reported later that I found them all—in the cemetery. Dad is the last survivor of his generation from that town.

Today, it is considered unusually tragic to have a child die. Prior to 1900 it was tragically common. So perhaps the age-15 figures tell the best story. At age 15, in 1900 a young man might expect to live another 48 years, to 63. By 1950, it was 53 or 54, to almost 70, but by 2000, a 15-year-old has an average remaining expected lifetime of 62 years, to age 77. For young women, add 3-4 years to all these figures.

Now we come to the last figure I wish to show, Figure 6.8 from page 341:

The squares on the dotted lines are for Union soldiers who'd survived the American Civil War, measured and weighed at ages 40-59, and their dates of death from military pension records. The circles on solid lines are from modern non-Hispanic Americans, measured and weighed at ages 40-59 in the 1980s (61,000 of them). In both data sets, the relative mortality risk is for the succeeding decade. The simple message is clear. Being shorter is riskier, and being too skinny is also riskier. The "sweet spot" for the Civil War veterans is about 1.9m tall and BMI near 24 (87 kg: 6'-3" and 192 lbs). For the recent cohort, it is about the same height, but optimum BMI is nearer 26 (94 kg or 207 lbs).

Both BMI charts show that risk rises gradually upwards of 26, and picks up faster after 30, the criterion for "obese". However, a Waaler chart such as the one above is needed to ferret out whether being short and heavy is better or worse than being tall and heavy. Look at the Waaler surface above: at any BMI between 19 and 31 or 32, being over 1.8m tall is better than being 1.6m tall at any weight!

But this introduces a new and sobering realization. In the west we have gone from being undernourished to overnourished. In America 30-40% are now obese, and the European nations are following closely behind. Mortality and morbidity (chronic debilitation from illness) are increasing again. The number of morbidly obese (BMI more than 40) is the most rapidly increasing segment of American society. I'd be morbidly obese at 295 lbs, or 134 kg. These days I know lots of folks over 300 lbs, and a few in the 400-plus category.

As the authors of Changing Body show, there has been an amazing run of three centuries, with improving nutrition, public health, medical care, that have led to taller and heavier and stronger and even smarter people throughout the west. But we are going over the top. Now we spend about as much for weight loss programs and products as we do for food. How long will it be, until, if nothing else, those who most easily grow exceedingly obese are culled from the gene pool?

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Tree of beauty, tree of healing

kw: book reviews, nonfiction, trees, natural history

The Ginkgo is not only one of the most beautiful trees, it is distinctive. Once you have seen one, you will likely recognize one at a distance. Here in the U.S., few have seen really big ginkgo trees. The oldest one in the country is probably one in Georgia that is said to be 222 years old, planted to commemorate a visit by George Washington in 1791. The largest is probably one in Connecticut, planted in 1860, and 33m (110ft) tall. Several American ginkgoes have a girth of about 5m (16ft), or a diameter in the range of 1.6m (5ft). Compare those with one in Yongmunsa, Korea, that may be as old as 1,100 years, with a height of 62m (203ft), a girth of 14m (46ft) and thus a diameter near 4.5m (15ft). One tree in China has a diameter over 5.8m (19ft). However, most of the "street tree" ginkgoes in the West are less than 100 years old, perhaps 20m (65ft) tall and half a meter (20in) in diameter. I see a row of ginkgo trees of about that size when I visit the Hagley Museum near Wilmington, Delaware.

The Chinese, Japanese and Koreans seem to have found a medicinal use for almost everything. While the American FDA has about 800 approved drug substances (and more than 100,000 formulations), an apothecary shop in Asia is likely to have 10,000 or more ingredients and an uncounted number of ways of compounding mixtures. Extracts and other preparations of ginkgo leaves, seeds and bark are used to treat many bodily ailments. In the West, we seem to limit ourselves to a leaf extract that is mildly effective for memory problems and perhaps for some forms of dementia. My mother used it once she began to suffer dementia (my father remembered for her, when to take it).

A very comprehensive and readable account of ginkgo natural history is found in Ginkgo by Peter Crane, former Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew, England. I knew the genus Ginkgo is ancient but I didn't realize just how ancient. Though the species Ginkgo biloba as described by Linné is a few millions or tens of millions of years old, numerous fossil ginkgo species date back as far as 300 million years or more. The ginkgo line survived the great Permian mega-extinction event. However, they almost didn't survive the Pleistocene!

A few million years ago, a small number of different ginkgo species had worldwide distribution. The ice ages that began about 5.5 million years ago, and ramped up in earnest some 2.5 million, nearly did them in. By about 5,000 years ago, as well as botanists and paleontologists can determine, only a few small groves of ginkgo trees survived in remote parts of China. However, humanity, the agent of the current mega-extinction, in this case saved the ginkgo, partly because the Chinese liked the edible nuts, and perhaps also because of their beauty (I suspect if poison ivy were in danger of extinction, most people would gladly let it go!).

In seven sections and 37 compact chapters, Dr. Crane introduces us to the natural history of the tree, its ebb and flow through time, and how ginkgoes and humans have interacted for at least a couple of thousand years. Most folks are impressed by things like record size, but these are neither the largest of trees, nor the longest-lived. They have other unique features.

As I mentioned above, the tree's outline is distinctive, though certain old pine trees can look very similar. But the leaf! There is nothing like it. The species was named for its bilobed leaf. Not all ginkgo leaves have the central cleft, and on older trees, few do. But with or without it, the fan-shaped leaf is unique. It is said that the Chinese love the ginkgo because its leaves resemble their paper fans. I suspect the leaf inspired the paper fan!

Also, in contrast to all the common "hardwood" trees, the ginkgo is not a flowering plant. It is more closely related to "seed ferns". The male tree bears small pollen cones, and the female tree bears somewhat larger ovule cones. They are wind pollinated. Few trees are dioecious (that is, having separation of sexes), but some familiar trees are, such as red maple and yew. But ginkgo pollen is absolutely unique. The sperm swims to the ovum, once released from the pollen grain upon contact with the ovule. Finally, ginkgo leaves turn yellow, seemingly all on the same day, in early fall. Where they have been naturalized into a forest, an aerial view of the forest in early October (in the North, anyway!) will have a polka-dot appearance. By the time their yellow leaves fall, the reds of maples and other such trees will dominate.

Because of quirks of human nature, ginkgoes have been preserved. Without, they might have gone extinct hundreds of years ago. Can we muster up a sufficiently widespread love of other trees that are now endangered, to preserve them as effectively?


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Thursday, 2 February 2017

FULL 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 9 Trailer: All Of The Queens RU-Vealed!!

The gangs all here!!

Minutes after 'RuPaul's Drag Race' unveiled the first season 9 queen (Valentina), Logo seemingly accidentally released the full trailer.

And a lucky Twitter user was able to snag it!!

The full list of season 9 queens ARE:

Alexis Michelle

Charlie Hides

Eureka O'Hara

Farrah Moan

Jaymes Mansfield

Kimora Blac

Nina Bo'Nina Brown

Sasha Velour

Shea Coulee

Trinity Taylor

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Cat Hanger

Have you guys seen these cat hangers?

I actually bought one of these. I hate myself a little bit more for doing so, but it has practical reasons! I'm not a crazy person so I don't dress up my actual cat, because that is crazy to actually dress a real cat. But it's not crazy to want to, because what sane person wouldn't want to see a pretty little cat in a pretty little party dress? Exactly.
So now I can put a pretty dress on the hanger and be all like "oh well, Miss Kitty, now aren't you the belle of the ball?" and "Heavens to Betsy! If that neckline plunged any lower, you'd be a certified plumber!" and then maybe if I was in a bad mood and feeling snarky I'd be like "Oh. I... like it. I do. But maybe, well maybe because you have more of a modest bust than I do, I don't know it just sort of hangs there and isn't really filled out as much on you. Like you can't even tell you have boobs in this. Yes, they're on the smaller side, smaller than mine, but you do have them at least." But I'd mostly be nice to the cat hanger I think, because she's seen me cry when I can't get my pants on.

So in conclusion: Crazy is dressing up a real cat, but Not Crazy is buying a cat hanger and then talking to it and making it your best friend.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I Wake Up Screaming

I like this movie title. I've been having such a terrible time waking up lately - I blame old  man winter stealing the sunshine! Although I don't wake up screaming, I do mumble a lot and act grouchy, and I'd probably scream a little bit if I was more awake.

I want to watch this movie though. I'm going to make a list of 100 classic movies to watch and then intend on watching them but then probably never do it. THOUGHT THAT COUNTS.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Tulip Farms

Do tulip farms need some idiot running around the fields, shrieking like a maniac? Because I think I can do that. In fact, I may be overqualified. My idiocy knows no bounds.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Indecent Proposal

So I got proposed to, no big thang. Duncan just wants to spend an entire lifetime with me forever and ever until a murder/suicide do us part. I think he's making a big mistake, but if he's too dumb to know that then  maybe we're a good match after all.

The proposal story goes like this: we were in the highlands of Scotland walking back from town to his parent's house and we stopped to look at some cows, which is pretty typical of me because I could watch those guys for hours, even though they were just regular ones and not the highland cows. I talked about one cow for a few minutes until Duncan put his arm around me and said "oh, you like that cow?" and I said "yeah" thinking that maybe he's finally warming up to the idea of us having some livestock all up in here, and then he asked me to be the next Mrs. Macdonald (and if a lady with that name can't have a couple cows then I don't know who should!). Anyways, WORST SEGUE EVER. From cow to marriage. And I didn't even get that cow out of it.

So now I'm kinda planning a wedding, but by planning I mean looking at pinterest a lot. I've concluded that most weddings are expensive and tacky. I always thought I'd have more like a picnic wedding with lots of pie, but it turns out we're having a big, Scottish wedding in Scotland and we have to have formal invitations and not use swear words on them.

Here are a few of the things I want to incorporate into the wedding:

I want to make "wedding piñatas" a thing.

Source: via Diana on Pinterest
Highland Cows
I'm hoping having a bunch of cute cows around me can help me not look like an idiot in photographs. Because that's how I tend to look.

Balloons make things fun.

I ate four donuts the other day. And while I'm admitting embarrassing things about myself, I called my cat Honey Boo Boo the other day.

Source: via Diana on Pinterest

Any wedding tips?
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Sip 503 Wine Wednesday: November Tasting Event @ Cellar 503, Portland [15 November]

Sip 503 Wine Wednesday: November Tasting Event

17:00 - 19:00

 Facebook event page
Cellar 503
4407 SW Corbett Ave., Portland, Oregon 97239
People ask me all the time what wine to serve with fish, meat, cheese, dessert, whatever the flavor of the moment is. My usual answer? Drink whatever tastes good to you!

But there are certain meals that you want to make sure you serve something special, and a wine that’s going to help make the meal. Thanksgiving is one of those times. This month, we’re featuring wines that are perfect for Thanksgiving dinner from Grochau Cellars, Crowley Wines, Division Winemaking Company and Airlie Winery.

Join us for our monthly Wine Wednesday Sip 503 tasting event. Taste through our featured wines, meet some of our featured winemakers and mingle with other Cellar 503 members.

Bring your friends and enjoy wines that represent the full range of great Oregon wine. Our Wine Wednesday Sip 503 events are open to the public aged 21 and over. Complimentary for Cellar 503 members and up to 3 guests. $10 tasting fee for non-members (waived if you join the club). Stock up for all your Thanksgiving festivities!
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Pass a quick registration or authorization.

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Bulldogs optimistic as they look for their first league victory since 2010 season

PHIL HAWKINS - Woodburn seniors Devanee Ott-Parker (left) and Domnika Krivoshein (right) are two of the volleyball program's five returning players from last season.
There's an air of positivity radiating from the gymnasium at Woodburn High School. With the beginning of the 2017 volleyball season finally here, members of the Bulldogs varsity team are chomping at the bit to put their months of practice to the test.

Woodburn has been working almost nonstop over the summer since the end of school last May, but the team's bonds go beyond the last three months.

"I've been playing with these girls since eighth grade as a club team," senior Domnika Krivoshein said.

It's a sentiment that is echoed by other returning members from last year's varsity team, who cite positivity as one of the Bulldogs' biggest strengths coming into the season, not just on the varsity roster, but across the JV and freshman teams, too.

"I've known these girls for so long," junior Bailey Woolley said. "I've played club with many of them."

Krivoshein and Woolley are two of five players on the team this year who return with varsity experience, along with seniors Jennifer Martinez and Devanne Ott-Parker and junior Suzy Matveev. Although Woodburn brings a wealth of experience to the table this year, the team's veterans can't stop talking about the program's young players.

"I'm really excited to see how the freshmen grow, especially the ones that are on varsity already," Woolley said. "They're at such a high level – they're so much above where I was when I began."

Woodburn's varsity roster features two freshmen this year — Tatyana Kalugin and Larissa Krivoshein — the first two freshman to make the team in head coach Doyle Tracy's three-year tenure with the program.

"That's unheard of for Woodburn volleyball," Matveev said. "I think it's really fun to welcome them, teach them and know that when we're gone, they're going to be here."

The returning players are excited to take the younger girls under their wings and put them into position to succeed when it's their turn to take over the program.

"The best part about this is teaching the younger girls," Matveev said. "If we teach them well, then they're going to bring that on when we're gone."

Woodburn's varsity, JV and freshman teams do not get selected until the tail end of August, meaning that throughout most of the three-month summer practice season, the Bulldogs operate as one cohesive group. There's no varsity/JV split, no distinction between seniors and freshman, no division between players from each of Woodburn's four small schools. Everyone is a Bulldog and is working to get better not just as individuals, but as a team and a program.

Those months of open gym practices and workouts galvanize the team, helping to breed the kind of camaraderie and spirit that have the program's returning veterans excited for the coming season.

"I think communication is a big strength for us," Woolley said. "We bond really well. We have a nice team and we all get along really well."

That positivity will be a crucial resource for the Bulldogs as the season gets underway. Woodburn's program has long been behind that of the other schools in the Mid-Willamette conference, as the team struggles to find victories each year. Woodburn's only wins in the past two seasons have come in non-conference tournaments.

None of the team members have experienced a win against a league opponent, and as the losses mount, the positivity in the locker room and on the court can mean the difference between a good season and a bad season.

"We're so outgoing as a team," Krivoshein said. "I feel like we'll have our ups and downs, but we'll come together because I feel like we're the strongest when it comes to spirit."

That doesn't mean Woodburn goes into the season expecting to lose — just that they know how difficult those victories are and what they mean to the team when they come.

"Our biggest goal is to win," Woolley said. "Just take a game from one of the teams. Since we took a set from South Albany at the first jamboree, we're hoping we can continue to do that later on in the season and hopefully get our first win in a while."

Woodburn's last conference victory came in 2010 against that same South Albany program, back when the members of the current varsity roster were in elementary school. This year's team is looking to break that streak and put Woodburn back in the win column. And make no mistake, they'll be doing it with an air of optimism every step of the way.

"Hopefully a couple wins, but if not, then we'll get better as a team and be friends," Matveev said. "We're all friends here."

Woodburn was scheduled to open the season Saturday at a tournament hosted by McKay High School. The Bulldogs' home and league opener was scheduled for Tuesday against South Albany. Woodburn returns home on Sept. 14 against Crescent Valley.

Phil Hawkins can be reached at 503-765-1194 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Woodburn volleyball

Coach: Doyle Tracy

2016: 1-21 overall, 0-14 Mid-Willamette Conference (8th)

Key losses: Sofia Seledkov (HM All-Conference)

Key returners: Devanee Ott-Parker, Sr. (HM All-Conference); Suzy Matveev, Jr. (HM All-Conference); Jennifer Martinez, Sr.; Domnika Krivoshein, Sr.; Bailey Woolley, Jr.

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Sunday, June 11, 2006

Pygmies used to illustrate link between man and ape

Mustafa Akyol, a thoughtful Muslim active in the ID controversy, sends this note about a French film called Man to Man, described as "An epic about anthropologists who hunt and capture pygmies for study back in Europe, in an attempt to illustrate the link between man and ape."

Mustafa writes,

The film is really interesting: The pygmies are brought to England and some "scientists" examine them. Based on skull size and other features, they soon decide that this is a "sub-species" and a "missing link" between ape and man. They put these people in cages and a kind of zoo and present to the public by using the same "missing link" concept. At some point one of the pygmies become pregnant and one "scientist" decides to operate on her to reach take embryo while it is in its 3 or 4 months, in order to see the unborn stage of this "species". There are many interesting scenes like that.

Speaking as a small person, I am always intrigued by the assumption that small people might be a different species somehow. This came out in the controversy surrounding the recent find of Flores man (homo Florensiensis) of Indonesia 18 000 years ago, who was only a metre (39 inches) tall. Some insisted that Flores must be a different species, on account of small size. But I have seen perfectly formed women on the streets of Toronto who are less than 45 inches tall. Heaven knows, those ladies must get all their clothes made to order but, perhaps for that very reason, they almost always seem very well dressed .....
If you like this blog, check out my book on the intelligent design controversy, By Design or by Chance?. You can read excerpts as well.

Are you looking for one of the following stories?

A summary of recent opinion columns on the ID controversy

A summary of recent polls of US public opinion on the ID controversy

A summary of the Catholic Church's entry into the controversy, essentially on the side of ID.

O'Leary's intro to non-Darwinian agnostic philosopher David Stove ?

An ID Timeline: The ID folk seem always to win when they lose.

O’Leary’s comments on Francis Beckwith, a Dembski associate, being denied tenure at Baylor.

Why origin of life is such a difficult problem.
Blog policy note:Comments are permitted on this blog, but they are moderated. Fully anonymous posts and URLs posted without comment are rarely accepted. To Mr. Anonymous: I'm not psychic, so if you won't tell me who you are, I can't guess and don't care. To Mr. Nude World (URL): If you can't be bothered telling site visitors why they should go on to your fave site next, why should I post your comment? They're all busy people, like you. To Mr. Rudeby International and Mr. Pottymouth: I also have a tendency to delete comments that are merely offensive. Go be offensive to someone who can smack you a good one upside the head. That may provide you with a needed incentive to stop and think about what you are trying to accomplish. To Mr. Righteous but Wrong: I don't publish comments that contain known or probable factual errors. There's already enough widely repeated misinformation out there, and if you don't have the time to do your homework, I don't either. To those who write to announce that at death I will either 1) disintegrate into nothingness or 2) go to Hell by a fast post, please pester someone else. I am a Catholic in communion with the Church and haven't the time for either village atheism or aimless Jesus-hollering.

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USPS Commits to Maintain Service Hours at 30 North Dakota Post Offices in the Bakken

US Post Office, Voltaire ND

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today said he has received a confirmation from Deputy Postmaster General Ronald A. Stroman that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will adhere to its commitment in April to maintain current service hours at 30 post offices in the Bakken region that were going to have their hours reduced.

While data released last week suggested that some of the largely rural post offices warranted having their hours reduced, Stroman said the USPS recognizes the growth trend in the Bakken region and has the flexibility to consider other factors in their decision making, which Stroman referenced in an April 10, 2014 letter to Hoeven. Hoeven had written a letter to the USPS in January to press for continued improvements in service for North Dakota.

“We got a firm commitment late yesterday from the USPS that it will maintain current hours at approximately 30 post offices in the growing Bakken region, as we requested and as was promised in April,” Hoeven said. “At the same time, about 30 others are still scheduled to have their hours reduced, which we’ve asked the postal service to reevaluate in a timely manner because of the continuing growth of our state.”

Hoeven has been making the case to postal officials that North Dakota is a growing state, with increasing postal needs. He pressed the USPS to use more current data to make decisions about reducing service hours. Last week the postal service completed its updated statewide review of 278 post offices in North Dakota using Fiscal Year 2013 data on facility revenue and mail volume. The results left most post offices at current service hour levels and suggested that approximately 30 post offices might have hours reduced. An approximate breakdown of the 278 is as follows:

  • 59 post offices remained or increased to 8 hour.
  • About 160 post offices have already reduced retail hours beginning in January 2013.
  • 30 additional post offices in the Bakken region will remain at current operational levels, as Stroman related to Hoeven in the April letter and appendix.
  • About 30 post offices could be facing a reduction of service hours this year.

The USPS, however, will be scheduling community meetings to discuss any proposed reductions with citizens before those reductions go into effect, and the senator encourages citizens to show up and express their concerns. In the meantime, Hoeven is working to make sure there is adequate rural delivery, and 24 hour access to post office boxes and self-service kiosks that offer customers round-the-clock access to buy stamps, track packages and obtain other services.


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Friday, August 3, 2012

Gilderoy Lockhart

Outrageous book prices! I went shopping today at Diagon Alley to buy some books for my second year in Hogwarts and geee, all the books of Gilderoy Lockhart are sooo expensive. He must be fined for this one. My Galleons almost trimmed down! This is one form of injustice even in the Wizarding World! Education mustn't be expensive. :P

At Flourish and Blotts

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Second Year List of Books

Letter Cheat in Pottermore

If you want to get pass that wicked letter on your own (I've tried several times to get it right), STOP reading this post. BUT, if you so desperately wanted to pass that moment without the fuss, WELCOME! This is the right post for you. :)

Below is the order of the envelope.

De-gnoming the Weasley's Garden

Want to de-gnome the garden? The above image would be the instructions. You'll have around 90 seconds to throw gnomes out. You don't need to swing your mouse to swing the gnome; just click the head of the gnome that will appear on the bush and the rest will follow.

I had a hard time realizing it but you need to throw the gnome to the RIGHT side. Bonus if you can throw it past the cut trunk. :)

Sample of the de-gnoming I did. :P

Keep that Pudding Floating!

The objective of the game is to keep the pudding in the air for 15 seconds, i think it's 14... Whatever. So yeah, keep clicking it and that's the only time you can continue to the next moment. Goodluck! :)

Hidden Objects in Pottermore Book Two and Where to Find Them

Since I'm only starting with the Chamber of Secrets, the following are just some of the list that I have found so far:

Hanging Flower - before entering the house of the Dursley's, click on the hanging flowera (i forgot what's it called), right corner of the screen; chapter 1 moment 1

Bertie Bott's Sprout Flavoured Bean - zoom once and head to the cupboard. Right in the middle the lower portion of it, you'll find a teensy dot; chapter 1 moment 1

Honey - zoom all the way. Find right at the top of Dudley's head; chapter 1 moment 1
Pruning Shears - zoom once, hover your mouse to the warehouse and you'll find the object right in the middle of the shelf; chapter 1 moment 2

Dried Nettles - zoom all the way, on the top of the wheelbarrow; chapter 1 moment 2

Rose Thorns - zoom all the way, left side of the flower bush; chapter 1 moment 2

To find the eyes, hover your mouse to the small black gap, left side of the tree trunk. Just trace the line of the rose bush and you'll find it. :)

Bertie Bott's Sugared Violet Flavoured Bean - zoom once, near the pillow space in Harry's bed; chapter 2 moment 1

Chapter 2 moment 2 is one of the most interactive things so far. Click here for more details.

Bertie Bott's Pepper Flavoured Bean - zoom out once, in the left side of the bed; chapter 3 moment 1

Bertie Bott's Toast Flavoured Bean - zoom out once, click the lamp near the stumbled chair, you'll find it near the leg of the chair; chapter 3 moment 1
Bertie Bott's Chocolate Flavoured Bean - zoom out once, left shoe of harry; chapter 3 moment 1

Bertie Bott's Baked Flavoured Bean - zoom out once, right top of the screen, you'll find a shelf; chapter 3 moment 1

Horklump Juice - zoom all the way (since I can't seem to find any interaction in before doing that); find the little violet stuff on the left side of the Weasley's house - it's in there garden; chapter 3 moment 2

Chapter 3 moment 3 is the de-gnoming of the Weasley's Garden. It's waaay fun than the pudding. Trust me!

For the information on the order of the letters, click here.

Brownish book - top of the fireplace, the position is inclined; chapter 4 moment 2

Dark brown book with an emerald-like shape in the book spine - top right of the fireplace; chapter 4 moment 2

Blue book - directly at the top of the fire; chapter 4 moment 2

Fire tongs - near the HUGE cauldron, left side of it

Key - directly at the top of the fire tongs

Floo Powder - on the left side of the shelf with books (that's still at the top of the fireplace), find the pot then drag a handful of ash and put it on the fire

Mask - zoom once, find the goblin like face in the left side of the screen - hanged, chapter 4 moment 2

Dragon Liver - zoom all teh way, the flask at the right side of the display window, at the top of the moving hand; chapter 4 moment 2

Slimy Seaweed - left side inside the basket carried by a witch with a violet cloak; chapter 4 moment 3

Hairpin - hover your mouse to the braided hair of a woman wearing a blue cloak; chapter 4 moment 3

Magical Me - on the display, the book with a man in a violet robe; chapter 4 moment 4

Bookzoom all the way, afloat near Gilderoy Lockhart; chapter 4 moment 4

That's all for now. :)

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Tuesday, March 07, 2017

If Helen Reddy Had Married Tom Petty and Then Divorced Him for Johnny Cash She Would Have Been Helen Reddy Petty Cash!

In all seriousness, I have been on record for many years as saying that the most beautifully occurring sound in nature is a Rickenbacker 12-string well played.

Here's a guy named Mark Agnesi -- playing a bunch of Tom Petty songs -- and completely proving that thesis.

I can't tell you how many of the riffs he's demonstrating here that I'm gonna learn in the next few weeks (now that I've got access to an electric 12-string, albeit a Danelectro and not a Rick.)

However, I should mention that back in the late 80s -- i.e., when I was toiling at the much missed Video Review magazine, with kids who were sorta fifteen years younger than me -- I was totally gobsmacked to find out that there were lots of folks who thought Tom Petty totally sucks.

To this day, I don't get it.

[h/t Matt Mitchell]

Gummo said...

Hey, I was one of those people who dismissed Petty when he started - his earliest stuff was just so Byrds-derivative, it sounded like he didn't have an original idea in his head.

He dispelled that notion pretty quick, though.

steves said...

Go for American Girl!

And didn't Norman's go out of business recently (or switch owners?). I know Mandolin Brothers just shut down as well.

steve simels said...

steves -- That's my plan. First thing I want to learn is that drone intro thing.

Visorman said...

Thanks for this. I may have to break out my DigiTech Mosaic and fake a 12 string.

Anonymous said...

The Danelectro is more versatile that a Ric. Easier to play too. Add compression and the spark of your fingers. Voila.

Always loved Petty. Comparisons to the Byrds are obvious but not fully accurate or fair. From the get-go, Petty had a lot more going on as a songwriter than McGuinn. The debut record is fuckin' remarkable and varied. Underrated songs like "Mystery Man" and "Luna" blew me out. It was all perfectly concise, like records used to be. Less was definitely more. And Tom wrote most of the tunes himself. Petty's far beyond a Byrds clone. If I recall, McGuinn's first non-collaborative songwriting credit was "Mr. Spaceman.":-) Petty is much more the rocker than the more studied and stodgy McGuinn, in spite of the latter's superior playing ability.

Regarding "Luna", I love that song. Once me and this guy went to one of those big stadium afternoon concerts they had in the 70's. It was at the Big A and Skynyrd headlined. Afterwards we made out in his convertible till the stadium traffic cleared. I slipped two hits of blotter acid on my tongue and passed them to my lover in a passionate french. Took a couple myself too. Had pictures of Goofy on them.

We decided to head for Hollywood with the top down. It was a warm summer night with a gorgeous full moon. We hadn't eaten all day so the acid came on quicker than usual. But, before that, I gave him head from the time we hit the freeway till we got to Baldwin Park. By then, the acid was beginning to make itself known.

We parked in the Hollywood Hills to check out the view and do some serious sensual art. We had a mix tape in the deck that I had made him a few weeks before. Our naked flesh in the moonlight, the music and our arousal blended with the acid and we transcended time. I stripped him and got him on the passenger seat. Just as I was going to mount him with my magnificence, "Luna" came forth from the tape. I hovered above him kissing him with pure fucking lust while keeping the fair maiden close enough for him to feel her heat, but just ever so out of reach. We became one with the song and I kept teasing him until at the end of each verse Petty sang "Luna glide down from the moon." That was my cue to envelope and caress him until the next verse started and the teasing resumed. I know it's only about four minutes long, but that song seemed like a blissful eternity.

Later that night we saw the Runaways at the Whisky with the Weirdos, another story.

Speaking of the Whisky, when the Heartbreakers opened for Blondie in 1977, they owned me from "Surrender". Those bastards got my cherry real good. Stan Lynch's backing vox and drumming were superb. And Campbell's jangly telecaster playing made me forget about his teeth. And I hadn't seen a teardrop on stage in eons. Tom was ever so charismatic and fuckable.

VR - "Baby surrender"

Anonymous said...

is that an entry in a 'most tiresome least sexy writing ever' contest?

mainuh said...

Steve, just read that one of my favorite Dylan albums, Desire,featured a Danelectro Bouziki 12 string on Hurricane.

Billy B said...

Have been a Petty (and Mike Campbell) fan since his first album was released in 1976. So I part company with Gummo on this one. Love "You're Gonna Get It". Short, sweet, and to the point..

Anonymous said...

Once again (as in, once too often), Vicky is trying too hard to sound like Edward Bulwer-Lytton penning letters to Penthouse Forum.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous: How very smug of you. Listen, it was just a comment on a blog. And unlike yours, it dealt with the subjects at hand. I dig Petty. He's a better songwriter than Roger McGuinn will ever be. Think about it. When McGuinn sings his "Born To Rock 'N' Roll" you can't exactly say it's convincing. At least I can fuck to Tom Petty. He's got the mojo and his band is one of the best to ever grace the rock 'n' roll landscape.

Go back to grading papers, loser.

Anonymous said...

As is the case whenever you write something, the subject at hand was Vicki.

Anonymous said...

And exactly what was the subject of your comment?

You just don't get it. Sharing a passion for music is what it's about. An excitement which encompasses all aspects of life with a raging intensity... with the fun and fury of the boogaloo.

Opinions and observations are just that. Fleeting, evolving and insignificant. Why fret?

BTW agree with Billy B on "You're Gonna Get It" both as a tune and album. I adore the first four Petty albums and never miss him when he's playing in my area. He gives great concert. Still haven't completely gotten over Stan Lynch leaving (Ferrone is solid but has no personality) but Thurston does very nicely on the backing vox.

Did I ever tell you about the time David Spade rode in the back seat of my car to hear playback of a DAT we had just made of a Petty concert in Indian Wells 2006? We were running it through the car stereo and blasting it as we were leaving the parking lot of the tennis stadium. We did our own instant live. He was on foot and heard it. He climbed in assuring his very handsome bodyguard not to worry. David, wearing a baseball hat and flannel shirt, was startled at the quality.

Anonymous said...

Upending the cliche, it IS funny when she explains it.

Anonymous said...

No, VR, your obsession is with yourself. The last paragraph of your last post is about YOU, as are most of your posts. Do you actually think anybody remembers whether or not you told your David Spade story? It amazes me that you think other people give a shit.

Anonymous said...

The last paragraph was the "eyebrows". It was intentional:-)

Besides those events took place at a Tom Petty concert which we were dedicated enough to tape for future posterity. We shared the results with Mr. Spade at his request. He said the tape sounded better than the concert did from his seat. Also, we ate Mexican food locally with Petty and some of his crew prior to the show. We knew his soundman of many years.

Petty was the subject of the blog post.

It wasn't about your hateful obsession with VR.

Anonymous said...

As opposed to your own adoring obsession with VR.


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Home » Features » Goodyear crafts camo ATV tire

Goodyear crafts camo ATV tire

Goodyear has developed a camouflage ATV tire for 2007. The Rawhide Camo ATV replacement tire is for recreational and utility use.

The Rawhide Camo utilizes six-ply, bias-type construction that is optimized for durability and riding comfort. An open-block tread pattern performs especially well in sloppy conditions. The three-quarter inch deep, self-cleaning tread blocks provide the rider with added confidence when the mud gets deeper while maintaining traction in challenging terrain.

Goodyear says the new tire’s durable four-color camouflage pattern molded into the sidewall and tread is an industry first. To produce the Camo’s pattern, Goodyear’s engineers developed a proprietary process that molds a three-color paint veneer into the tire during the curing stage. Together with the rubber compound’s natural black, the resulting four-color pattern blends subtly into natural backgrounds.

In the development stage, the Camo was tested by Goodyear’s engineers for normal wear, endurance, abrasion toughness and resistance to UV-light fade. Under normal riding conditions, the high areas of the tread will wear down over time to the black rubber, but the sidewall remains essentially unchanged. The Camo complements the growing number of camouflage body designs that are being offered, Goodyear said.

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Home » News » AMA issues 2012 rulebook

AMA issues 2012 rulebook

The American Motorcyclist Association invites racers to download the official 2012 AMA Amateur Competition Rulebook, available by clicking here/strong>.

The 2012 rulebook covers amateur, Pro/Am, standard and youth competition in motocross, off-road racing, track racing and all-terrain vehicle racing. It details rider and motorcycle eligibility, equipment standards, meet rules, points, class advancement and more. The 2012 AMA Amateur Competition Rulebook goes into effect on Jan. 1.

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Home » Uncategorized » Dealer Expo Secures Web Address

Dealer Expo Secures Web Address

Both Dealer Expo and Big Twin East will be returning to the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 19-21, 2005. Now attendees and exhibitors can easily find information about the events online at www.dealerexpo.com.
"We have been trying to secure dealerexpo.com for years," says Alan Wegener, Show Director for Dealer Expo, a unit of Advanstar Communications. "Originally, it was taken – so we used teampowersports.com because that was the name of our group (producers of Dealer Expo) at the time. We knew we needed to deploy a URL that was easy for our customers and accurately represented us.
"Fortunately dealerexpo.com recently came back on the market and we snapped it up. The new address will make finding our web site much more intuitive, and of course, anything you can do to make things simpler for your customers adds to the strength of your brand."
Attendees can register for the show, peruse updated exhibitor listings, find hotel and travel information, view photos from last year's event, and add their name to a mailing list to receive regular email updates about the show.
Dealer Expo exhibitors can use www.dealerexpo.com to download forms, view the show floorplan, find hotel and travel information, download Dealer Expo web banners to advertise show participation on their websites, and sign up to receive regular email updates about the show.
For more specific information on Big Twin East 2005, visit www.bigtwinexpo.com.

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Top 11 Reasons Your Store Bonsai Tree is Dying

You got a small store bought bonsai as a gift. It looked great so you put it on your desk and it looked so happy for a while. But now it’s starting to look pathetic and die.

The Top 11 Reasons Your Store Bonsai Tree is Dying Are:

  1. You don’t know what you have. It’s fairly common for the top part of big box store bonsai labels to simply say “bonsai.” People that are new to bonsai when asked what kind of tree they have might not look further down on the tag, and leave it at that. They’d say their type of tree is “bonsai.”

The trouble is, saying the type of tree you have is bonsai is like saying the kind of book you’re reading is a paper one. It’s true, but it’s not particularly helpful. Bonsai just means a plant or tree trained in a way that it stays small. Many different kinds of plants and trees can be made into a bonsai and they have different needs.

Figure out if you have a juniper or an elm or a ficus. Then Google that and figure out if it likes the soil dry, or wet, if it’s indoor or outdoor, etc.

  1. Keeping it inside. The most popular kind of big box bonsai is juniper. Juniper are outdoor plants that like full sun to light shade. They’re also pretty tolerant, but that can actually work to your disadvantage. Once they look crummy it might be too late to save them. The point isn’t how to save your juniper. The point is most bonsai are miniaturized trees and shrubs and belong outside.

Some trees that are commonly kept inside include ficus, jade, and Hawaiian umbrella. Know too that some trees that are labeled “indoor” should be kept indoors PART of the year or part of the time. Sometimes it says this on the label, and people gloss over that part and just remember that the tree can be kept indoors. If you don’t have the right indoor conditions that tree may not thrive indoors year round, even if the tag said “indoor.”

  1. Having it in the wrong PLACE outside. Even if you got right that your outdoor bonsai needed to be outside, any old place won’t do. Lets take the example of the juniper above. Not only does it need to go outside, it must be put in the right place in your yard that receives enough shade or light. Put that hypothetical sick juniper in full shade, it may not get enough light and will die. Or even put it in full sun in Florida in August and you may fry that little tree that was not well to begin with and it will die that way too.

Research the growing conditions of your tree and find the place in your yard or somewhere outside that meets those conditions. Keep in mind though that just like people, a sick tree is not at it’s best to endure harsh treatment. If it has been kept indoors it will need an adjustment period. For the example of the juniper, putting the bonsai in a shaded area outdoors, such as under a tall leafy tree so that it would get partial light, for a week or two before moving it to get more sun would be advised. If it’s spring or fall and the nights are cold you may need to start by letting it outside during the day and moving it in at night until the tree is stronger.

  1. Having it in the wrong PLACE inside. Think you’re good on that because you got an indoor tree? Nope. Growing an indoor tree inside does not make you immune to needing to figure out where to put it. Generally, bonsai still need to be near a sunny window or under grow lights. So if that tree is under fluorescents on your desk it might still be in the wrong place.

Don’t forget to also keep your tree out of drafts such as from AC units, which can also kill your tree. In a climate where the heat is on inside, the dry air may also be dangerous to the tree. Consider a homemade humidity tray if the place you keep your tree is quite dry.

  1. Glued on pebbles. Stores that sell little bonsai trees frequently glue a layer of pebbles on the top of the tree. They do this to make it look nice to sell, and also to keep everything in place during transit. The problem with doing that is water doesn’t get to the tree roots very well because the spots between the pebbles are sealed with glue. Caregivers also can’t touch the soil very well to see how damp it is, because there is a glue layer on top of everything.

If your tree has some of these on there, first thing to do is pry them off. You may need a screwdriver or butter knife to do it because those suckers are often on there pretty good.

  1. Over watering.   Don’t feel bad about this one. I was once told that an apprentice to a bonsai master is given scissors on their first day, but do not get a watering can for a year. I have no idea if that’s true or not. But many advanced bonsai hobbyists have said that getting watering right takes plenty of practice. For everyone.

Over watering or watering your tree too much can rots the roots and deprive the tree of the carbon dioxide it needs to survive. This is much easier to do with bonsai than with garden plants or even with regular potted plants, because in bonsai the pots are smaller. Letting water stand in the pot is sometimes aptly called “wet feet.” Close your eyes and imagine yourself standing in a bucket of water, for days. You wouldn’t like it either.

  1. Under watering. Oh, but it’s not easier the other way. If you’re not over watering, frequently you’re not watering enough, which dries the tree out. That’s like dying of thirst or starving. Alternately under and over watering does not make up for the previous cycle of misbehavior, its just following one mistake with another.

Generally speaking, most bonsai like the soil damp, not wet or dry. If you get a juniper or other plant that likes dry conditions wait until it is almost dry to water. That’s the opposite of if you get a Hawaiian umbrella tree, they like it wet. In that case don’t wait until it’s almost dry to water, just keep it moist most of the time.

  1. Not fertilizing. Lets say you knew what you had, put it in the right place, and the tree didn’t have rocks glued down on top, or if it did you removed them. The tree has done well for a while in your care. However, fertilizer didn’t arrive with the tree. It hadn’t even crossed your mind to fertilize. Trees in tiny pots need food. If the tree has been around awhile and is now looking sad, and you did okay on the first points but haven’t fed it, consider fertilizing.

For an individual bonsai you’ve gotten from a big box store I’d generally just recommend if you have an all purpose general fertilizer you use on other potted plants or your yard, use a little on your bonsai too, rather than going out and buying special “bonsai fertilizer.” If you have a “weed and feed” product you may want to pass on that. If you have a specialty product (such as azalea fertilizer) if your bonsai is the same plant (also an azalea!) than go for it. If it isn’t, do some research on if the nutritional needs of the bonsai match your fertilizer. It is better to go without fertilizing than to put a specialty fertilizer on your bonsai without doing your homework here.

  1. Overzealous with the cutting. It’s sad, but so much of the time we’ve seen some truly glorious bonsai on TV and in movies and books, and when we get a bonsai it looks a bit like a twig in a pretty pot with rocks (which sometimes is exactly what it is). You get out a pair of scissors and have a moment picturing yourself as Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid, pruning a tree amidst a beautiful Japanese garden of bonsai. You are zen. You are in a higher state.

Because trimming is so fun and it’s sometimes what we see as “bonsai” there are those who do too much of it. A bonsai tree is a plant like any other and needs sufficient greenery for photosynthesis. There are methods for trimming, for example recommendations on how many nodes to let grow out before you trim a set number back. For now, just say don’t go crazy with the trimming. Mostly leave it alone, or trim any bits that get out of hand.

  1. Nothing, it was the soil. All too often the soil in bonsai from big box stores isn’t quite ideal. This may be an easy way to cut corners and your tree may suffer from a lack of well-aerated soil. That is, some soils hold moisture TOO well, giving you those root rot problems above. Big box store nursery departments are experts in growing plants to sell to the masses, not in bonsai. They may have planted it in regular potting soil or something else that wasn’t ideal.

  1. Nothing, it needed repotting. Lets say you managed to do fine on all of the above and you’ve kept your bonsai alive for quite awhile. For months, for a year, or more. Eventually the tree would look rough. Bonsai are miniature trees or shrubs trimmed into tree form and kept in pots. Any gardener will tell you that eventually plants in pots need to be repotted. Roots grow just as a tree grows, or as a person grows. Imagine your child staying the same size for five years. It wouldn’t happen. And if it did it wouldn’t be a good thing.

It is true that bonsai trees remain in small pots. However, they are carefully trained to stay in those pots. Just as bonsai hobbyists trim the twigs and braches of their trees, they also periodically trim the roots. Now that likely isn’t the problem here, because it’s likely your tree was so small in ratio to your pot that it had a considerable amount of space before this would be the problem. However, theoretically if you kept it alive for a couple years, this would eventually be a problem. Until you’ve had it a couple years though, don’t worry about repotting and trimming roots. I’m not even suggesting it.

If your bonsai is dying, don’t worry. The cards were really stacked against you to begin with. Consider it more like getting a grocery store potted plant that lasts a month or two instead of a few days for cut flowers. Following, or trying to follow, these points you’ll get more mileage out of your tree than you would otherwise. Feel good about yourself too. If you can correct the first seven listed items, you’re doing better than at least 75% the people who get one of these trees, easy.

I know, some part of us looks at that little bonsai labeled twig and thinks, well, if I water it every day in a year or two I’ll have one of those glorious pieces of art. Not so, I’m afraid. I think we all logically know this, but there’s just that bright shiny hope that maybe that’s true.

If you really love your little bonsai tree and are not satisfied with that answer, welcome to the world of bonsai. Stick around and we’ll tell you more about how to build a better tree. (Or if you’re REALLY determined, save the one you have.)


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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs ~ Joyful Joyful, We Adore Thee

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day

All they works with joy surround Thee
Earth and Heaven reflect thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee
Center of unbroken praise

Field and forest, vale and mountain
Flowery meadow flashing sea
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee

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George Herbert

To please Him - aim high

"BEing desirous (thorow the Mercy of GOD) to please Him, for whom I am, and live, and who giveth mee my Desires and Performances; and considering with my self, That the way to please him, is to feed my Flocke diligently and faithfully, since our Saviour hath made that the argument of a Pastour's love, I have resolved to set down the Form and Character of a true Pastour, that I may have a Mark to aim at: which also I will set as high as I can, since hee shoots higher that threatens the Moon, then hee that aims at a Tree."

Compiled by Thomas George


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Tuesday, July 11, 2017

James' NICU Photo Session

Please enjoy Preemie Prints' families’ inspirational story & photos.
Consider supporting our mission to share hope with families who have a baby born prematurely or critically ill. We thank our supporters, Preemie Prints volunteers, and donors for allowing us to continue touching the lives of NICU, preemie, and angel families.
We pray these special memories from Preemie Prints
will help families heal and remember how strong
they were in overcoming their NICU journey together.

James is my first living child. I was transferred up to Strong Memorial Hospital with preeclampsia and he was cut out of me two days after I arrived here.

James' photo session was taken and donated by Preemie Prints volunteer photographer, Jennifer Sternal-Johnson.

A Note From Jen:
Hoping this little guy will go home soon! He's doing so well growing and gaining--it shouldn't be too much longer!

Photos belong to our volunteer photographers, families,
and organization --  please do not use for any purpose.
Preemie Prints is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization sharing hope with NICU families through a variety of support programs. One of those programs is the gift of NICU photography and preemie photography. NICU families from across the US can request a no-charge photography session by a Preemie Prints volunteer. The family request form can be found on the right side of our website. These sessions are free of charge and for any NICU family, regardless of time spent in the NICU. The NICU photo shoot can take place inside the NICU or after baby is discharged and at home until their 1st birthday. Facing time in a NICU with a premature or critically ill baby is an extremely difficult time for families. Preemie Prints has a mission to share hope by letting families know they are not alone. Preemie Prints currently has over 100 volunteers nationwide. We are always looking for more volunteers to share in our mission! If you are interested, please email sherri@preemieprints.org and visit our website at www.preemieprints.org. To date Preemie Prints and our volunteers have gifted over 600 NICU family sessions.
This was a Preemie Prints NICU photography session that took place near Rochester NY.

We're thankful to the family for sharing their story & memories in support of other NICU families.

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About the Author

Erik Kwakkel is associate professor in paleography at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society and principal investigator of the research project Turning Over a New Leaf: Manuscript Innovation in the Twelfth-Century Renaissance.

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Love Poems by Pedro Salinas

My Voice Because of You and Letter Poems to Katherine

Pedro Salinas

Love Poems by Pedro Salinas

Pedro Salinas

Translated with an Introduction by Willis Barnstone, with a Foreword by Jorge Guillén, and an Afterword by Enric Bou
256 pages | 3 halftones, 1 line drawing | 6 x 9 | © 2010
Cloth $46.00 ISBN: 9780226734262 Published May 2010

When Pedro Salinas’s 1933 collection of love poems, La voz a ti debida, was introduced to American audiences in Willis Barnstone’s 1975 English translation, it was widely regarded as the greatest sequence of love poems written by a man or a woman, in any language, in the twentieth century. Now, seventy-five years after its publication, the reputation of the poems and its multifaceted writer remains untarnished. A portrait of their era, the poems, from a writer in exile from his native civil war–torn Spain, now reemerge in our time.

            In this new, facing-page bilingual edition, Barnstone has added thirty-six poems written in the form of letters from Salinas to his great love, Katherine Whitmore. Discovered years later, these poems were written during and after the composition of La voz and, though disguised as prose, have all the rhythms and sounds of lineated lyric poetry. Taken together, the poems and letters are a history, a dramatic monologue, and a crushing and inevitable ending to the story of a man consumed by his love and his art.

Bolstered by an elegant foreword by Salinas’s contemporary, the poet Jorge Guillén, and a masterly afterword by the Salinas scholar, Enric Bou, that considers the poet and his legacy for twenty-first century world poetry, Love Poems by Pedro Salinas will be cause for celebration throughout the world of verse and beyond.

Foreword (1976)
      Jorge Guillén (1893–1984)
Acknowledgments (1976)
      Willis Barnstone

Introduction (2009)
      Willis Barnstone

A Note on the Poet (1976)

La voz a ti debida / My Voice Because of You

Letter Poems to Katherine

Afterword (2009)

      Pedro Salinas: Between the Old and the New

      Enric Bou

Selected Bibliography

Index of First Lines
Review Quotes
Virgil Suarez, Florida State University, author of 90 Miles: Selected and New Poems

“This volume of Pedro Salinas’s love poems is a necessary one in the canon of great Spanish literature and a valuable text for scholars and students of poetry alike everywhere. A contemporary of Federico Garcia Lorca and a member of the Generación del 98, Salinas and his love poems distinguish themselves for their fervent language and consummate quest for passion and love; his was a pulls-no-punches poetry that was possibly one of several factors that landed him in Franco’s prison, where he died of tuberculosis. This volume is a testament to the poet's great bravery. Time and again, Willis Barnstone, poet and scholar of great eminence and heart, proves he has perfect pitch for being able to translate with subtlety and nuance. I highly recommend this book.”

Sergio Waisman, George Washington University

La voz a ti debida is the greatest Spanish love poem of the twentieth century, and Willis Barnstone, one of our greatest living translators, loses none of the beauty, purity, and light of the Spanish original in his outstanding translation. Excellent.”

For more information, or to order this book, please visit http://www.press.uchicago.edu
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Clients - Calentura

Featuring 2015 Grammy Nominee Bomba Estereo,

Plus Jillionaire (Major Lazer), Uproot Andy (Que Bajo),
JSTJR (Mad Decent), Branko (Buraka Som Sistema) and more

 Goldenvoice presents Calentura Album Release
Party on March 12th in LA featuring Tropkillaz,
Dengue Dengue Dengue and Los Rakas

 Calentura Recently Featured at Boiler Room,
Vice, Spin, XLR8R, Complex and more

Salsa Twerk, Tropical Trap, Moombahton, Afro-House
Remixes of Classic Songs from Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe,
Willie Colon and more Legends from Fania

Legendary record label Fania has partnered with global bass DJ crew Calentura to produce a new compilation of hard-hitting remixes of Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe and Willie Colon and more from the label’s groundbreaking catalog.

The album Calentura: Global Bassment, to be released March 11th, features futuristic bass-heavy production from 14 of today’s most cutting-edge DJs and electronic producers, including 2015 Grammy and Latin Grammy nominee Bomba Estereo, along with Jillionaire (one-third of global sensation Major Lazer with Diplo), Brazilian trap duo Tropkillaz and more. Preview the album at Fania’s Soundcloud.

Calentura will celebrate the record release on March 12th in Los Angeles at El Rey Theatre, presented by Goldenvoice, featuring performances by Tropkillaz, Dengue Dengue Dengue and Los Rakas.

A collaboration between Late Night Laggers and Subsuelo (named “Best Dance Party” by LA Weekly), Calentura is a monthly dance party in Los Angeles presented by Fania and Jack Daniel’s, which has featured appearances from Louie Vega (Masters at Work), Cut Chemist (Jurrasic 5 / Ozomatli), Jeremy Sole (KCRW) and more over the last year. Watch the Calentura party videos on Fania’s YouTube.

Executive produced by Canyon Cody (VP of A&R at Fania), the album boasts a broad range of global club genres, including moombahton, trap, twerk, house and zouk bass, all mixed with salsa, merengue, boogaloo and Latin funk. Calentura: Global Bassment features remixes by global bass pioneers Uproot Andy (Que Bajo), Branko (Buraka Som Sistema), Captain Planet and Dengue Dengue Dengue, along with buzz-heavy emerging artists Nguzunguzu, JSTJR (Mad Decent), Jose Marquez and Happy Colors (recently featured on BBC’s Diplo & Friends radio program).

Widely regarded as the “Latin Motown,” Fania sparked a musical revolution in the 60’s and 70’s with an infectious fusion of tropical rhythms and American funk, jazz and disco, trailblazing the careers of superstars like Celia Cruz (winner of Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Latin Grammy’s), Tito Puente, Hector Lavoe (depicted by Marc Anthony in the 2015 biopic “El Cantante” starring Jennifer Lopez), Ruben Blades, Willie Colon and dozens more. The Fania All-Stars were the first Latin artists to sell-out Yankee Stadium, and shared the stage with James Brown at the infamous concert preceding the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Forman.

After closing its doors in the 1980’s, Fania’s massive catalog of original multi-track recordings were lost to history – or so it appeared. Recently, a paper trail of receipts led Fania to a long-lost treasure trove of ¼ inch analog tapes, hiding in a storage facility in the Hudson Valley. For this compilation, Fania digitized these stems and shared the isolated vocals from iconic recording sessions with a new generation of DJs to bring a fresh perspective to 14 classic songs.

Many of the early rough drafts of these remixes first premiered at a recent Boiler Room session presented by Fania, which featured Calentura DJs performing alongside Latin soul icon Joe Bataan. Later this year, Fania will also present the global bass stage at Manana, the first electronic music festival in Cuba, where Calentura DJs will bring the new sounds of Fania full circle back to its Caribbean roots.

Cody explains, “Calentura is the natural evolution of Fania, which has always been about pushing boundaries in popular dance music. Back in the day it was about mixing tropical music with modern American influences from funk and jazz, and today it’s about experimenting with electronic fusion, but the creative spirit of innovation remains the same. Fania has always been on the forefront of cutting-edge dance culture, and Calentura continues that tradition for the next generation.”

Calentura: Global Bassment Tracklisting

  1. Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco – Virgencita (Happy Colors Remix)
  2. Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – La Murga (Deejay Theory Remix)
  3. Mon Rivera – Ya Llego (Captain Planet Remix)
  4. Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – Barrunto (Tropkillaz Remix)
  5. Lebron Brothers – Que Pana (Ckrono & Slesh Remix)
  6. Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – Eso Se Baila Asi (Uproot Andy Remix)
  7. Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco – Virgencita (Jillionaire & Rocky Wellstack Remix)
  8. Celia Cruz & Willie Colon – Pun Pun Catalu (Canyon Cody & Captain Planet Remix)
  9. Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – Timbalero (Nguzunguzu Remix)
  10. Celia Cruz – Herencia Africana (Branko Remix)
  11. Joey Pastrana – Orquesta Pastrana (JSTJR Remix)
  12. Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – Pa Colombia (Bomba Estéreo Remix)
  13. Justo Betancourt – Pa Bravo Yo (Dengue Dengue Dengue Remix)
  14. Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe – Aguanile (Jose Marquez Remix)
Media coverage

March 12th Album Release Party

Jan 29th Calentura Show with Cut Chemist

Geko Jones


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Happy New Year from Pressure Cooker Convert!

My Resolutions and Whatnot For The Coming Year

Pressure Cooker Hungarian Goulash

Another year has passed, so it’s time once again to look ahead to the new year, and make promises (hopefully not empty ones) for the upcoming twelve months on Pressure Cooker Convert.

One promising thing I have noticed in my own anecdotal evidence is that it seems that this pressure cooker thing is catching on! I have noticed an increase in traffic to this site, and I would bet that all pressure cooker sites have experienced the same thing.

Again basing my facts on my own totally unscientific research, I am guessing that many folks received a shiny new pressure cooker for the holidays and are looking for recipes to inaugurate what will soon become their favorite appliance. If so, hopefully you will find something here to break in that new toy!

My Quick Everyday Chili

Once again, New Year’s Day was the highest traffic day of the year on my site, mainly for my Black-eyed Pea recipe. If any of you tried it, I hope it turned out well and you enjoyed it. Growing up, I figured the whole black-eyed peas on New Year’s day was some obscure superstition that only my mother knew about, but judging by how many people end up on this blog after searching for “black eyed pea recipes”, I was apparently very wrong about that.

And once again, I promise to post on a more regular basis this year. After finally wrapping up a couple other projects I had been working on, I should have more time to concentrate on the important things, like pressure cooking, of course!

I have also noticed that the majority of people new to pressure cooking seem to be getting electric pressure cookers. Given this information, I think that this is the year that I am going to break down and add an electric cooker to my stable (Trying to decide between this one and this one). This way, I will be able to better answer the inquiries I get about how to adapt my recipes to an electric pressure cooker.

I already have a couple recipes in the pipeline for the beginning of the year.

For Christmas Day, I made Hungarian Goulash (pictured at top), which was one of the tastiest things I have ever made in my pressure cooker! Unfortunately, with everything that was going on over the holidays, I didn’t have the time to take step-by-step photos as I was making it, so I will have to make it again so that I can feature it on this blog (I know, it’s a tough job, but I can power through it).

I also have a Chili recipe that I will have up soon, which my wife seems to think is one of the best things I have ever made (and it is a very quick, weekday night meal to boot).

Did you receive a new pressure cooker over the holidays? If so, I would be interested in hearing which one you got, and how you are liking it so far. Let me know in the comments section.

Stay tuned for all this and more, and Happy New Year to all!

4 thoughts on “Happy New Year from Pressure Cooker Convert!

  1. I have an Instantpot duo and gave one son and one daughter the blue tooth enabled versions of the Instantpot. All three of us are super happy pressure cookers. Looking forward to more recipes and tips.

    • Shirley, your children must have been very good to deserve such nice gifts! I just ordered the Duo yesterday. I came close to getting the blue tooth version, but since I have an Android phone and that app won’t be out until March, I decided to get the Duo.

  2. humm! those two side dishes look pretty good too!! I would like to see a couple of side recipe(s) for those too if you get the time

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