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• Hula dancing hawaii

    Luci Learns to Hula

    If there was a Black Belt in Hula or Hula Emmy, Leihi`ilani Kirkpatrick would have it. For 60 years, Leihi`ilani has danced this ancient art form that enthralls Hawaiian visitors. Leihi`ilani is a professional hula dancer. She has traveled the ...

Graceland for Beginners

All along my journey to Graceland, I kept feeling that I was a stranger in a foreign land. Many Elvis Presley disciples travel on long distance pilgrimages to pay homage to the “king.” Take the gentleman that I was sitting by on the tour bus rolling up to Graceland. He was decked out head to toe […]

As We Saw It visiting Jordan.

7 Questions with ‘As We Saw It’

In our continued quest in introduce you to some of the most interesting traveling couples, this week’s installment is one of the best.  Meet Dan and Linda of www.aswesawit.com.  This empty nester duo found freedom and a bucketload of adventure on the road.  Together they have visited over 40+ countries on five continents!  Best of all?  They […]

Beautiful Batang Ai

Borneo for Beginners

The first time I heard the word “Borneo” it conjured up a mystical and magical place. The word somehow conveys more than just a place. Borneo captures the imagination. It sounds exotic, lush and extremely remote. This is only partly true. We found Borneo to be simple to get to, and every bit as exotic […]

Yum! Gelato!

Must-try Dishes While Visiting Florence

Florence is well known around the world for its magnificent architecture and rich history. However, there’s another way in which the Tuscan capital excels, and that’s in its cuisine. While on city breaks to Florence, you can sample an array of culinary treats, from light bites to hearty meals. Here are some must-try dishes when […]

How to See Machu Picchu

On top of almost everyone’s bucket list lies a very special location: Machu Picchu. This mountain fortress located just outside Aquas Caliente is just one of them most special places we have visited in our travels. The commanding views from Machu Picchu rival any vista we have taken in. Why go? We get asked a […]

Fighting Couple’s Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Finding the right gift for the avid traveler is not an easy task. Ask any wanderer what they want and they will usually say they don’t want anything. Travelers are not about collecting things; they value experience over physical goods.  So what is to be done?  The Fighting Couple to the rescue!  We put together […]

I Don’t Want to Travel Internationally

We recently had a discussion with another couple that frankly told us, “We don’t want to travel internationally. “ We began our usual interrogation of their reasoning. They had some real concerns. As we went through them, we had a great discussion, and our conversation provided inspiration for this post. Do you have friends that […]

Castles, Cars, and Compromise

We always get into the same fight about vacations – agreeing to do doing things we both enjoy. Usually, we have very different ideas about what to see and how long to see it. Rarely, do you find the perfect location for couples where ladies get their fix and men can do their own thing. […]

How to See the British Museum in an Hour

The British Museum is massive. Its immense size can be a little intimidating. When it comes to museums, bigger is better. With the help of the British Museum‘s curators, we have come up with a way to see the best of the museum in an hour. Well, it’s more like two…but who is counting? As you walk […]

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(707) 433-4404

NorthBay Alliance
435 Healdsburg Ave
Healdsburg, CA 95448
C21Healdsburg.com The Heart of Wine Country

Ocean View Acreage

15801 S Hwy 1,  Manchester, CA  95459

15801 S Hwy 1, Manchester, CA 95459

Price:$ 545,000
Property Type:Land
Lot Size:60.54 acres
MLS #:21206466
  • 60.54 Scenic Acres
  • 8 Bedroom Perc and new well
  • Secluded upper building site
  • Great for grazing cattle or sheep
  • Year around creek on property
  • Scenic ocean views from this  60.54 +/- acre parcel that fronts on South Hwy. 1.  It was formerly a cattle and sheep ranch.  A secluded upper tree lined building site commands even more spectacular ocean views! 8 bedroom Standard Pre-Perc approved and a new well drilled in August, 2013 producing 10+/- gallons per minute. The ranch also has the year round Irish Creek on the property.
    DRE Lic. # 01523620

    © 2015 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each CENTURY 21® Office is Independently Owned and Operated. CENTURY 21® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC and used by Properties Online, Inc. with permission. Website hosted by Properties Online, Inc.

    Please Note: Content including property details, articles or opinions posed on this website are deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. Website content is provided for guidance purposes only and should not be relied upon without independent verification. Reader will not hold the parties involved in creating, producing or delivering this information liable for any loss, injury, claim, liability, or damage of any kind resulting in any way from any errors in or omissions from the information. Laws and taxes vary from state to state. You should consult with your individual CPA or tax attorney when purchasing or selling real estate. Neither Century 21 Real Estate LLC nor Properties Online, Inc. guarantees, approves or endorses any information or products found on any third party links. Nor does a posted link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to the agent, brokerage, the CENTURY21® brand.

    Equal Housing Opportunity.


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Free Pizza Coupons from

Celeste Frozen Pizza Coupons

Ah—the delicious aroma of pizza! Invented ages ago by poor peasants in the south of Italy, pizza has gone from flat bread with tomatoes on top to a gourmet cuisine, with regional flavors across the United States and around the world. Almost anything goes with pizza now. Some people add in fish or prawns. Others turn a stir fry upside-down on their crust. But of the many types of pizza that can be had, one thing is common: freezing the pizza to cook at another time can save the delicious flavor for having later. And, when it comes to quality frozen pizza, Celeste Frozen Pizza has a standard of quality to which they stick.

Celeste Frozen Online Pizza

The Celeste Frozen Pizza slogan is pizza for One, emphasizing that they know good pizza in good portions. So often, eating out for pizza means having to settle for one slice or else a whole stack of slices that have to somehow be saved for later. Celeste designs their pizza to be not only tasty, but also perfect snack or small meal size. Claiming authentic Italian styles and flavors since 1950, Celeste—sometiems called Mama Celeste’s Pizza—certainly looks good on the box. But it looks good on more than just the box; it looks good on the plate, too.

With their long experience and their drive to make palatable food, the result is a shimmering, glistening pizza fresh out of the four minute microwave time that will meet the Celeste quality standard. What is that standard? Well, most significantly, it is that microwaveable pizza come close to oven-baked pizza. That is why Celeste Frozen Pizza comes with a microwaveable crisping tray that is designed to reflect heat in such a way that the pizza neither winds up soggy and gross nor dried-out and hard. It cooks the pizza while it heats it, getting the crust to be crispy and delicious.

That crisp crust that strives to approximate the taste of a good pizza baked in a conventional oven also gives that crunch that pizza lovers love. But the crust isn’t the only great part of a Celeste Frozen Pizza. When it comes to toppings, Celeste has the field well-covered. Their cheese is cheesy and their sauce is saucy, and the toppings range from vegetables to pepperoni to meatball and more. Additionally, while they have some classic Italian flavors such as the four cheese, they also have variations that add a little more kick. These zesty flavors pack a tastebud punch compared to the other pizzas. And, of course, they have some very American pizzas, such as the cheeseburger pizza.

So with Celeste Frozen pizza, whatever flavor you’re getting, it’s a little bit like tapping into those regional flavors from around the world. Almost you can imagine how it would have been for the first person to eat the first pizza—amazing? Perhaps. Different? Likely. But now that pizza has caught on and the great flavors are here to stay, your experience with Celeste makes you discover pizza anew just like those who found it first.

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Sunday, December 25, 2005

Payton's Place

Gary Payton, the 1996 Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team, played excellent defense against Kobe Bryant in the Miami Heat's 97-92 victory over the L.A. Lakers. Bryant finished with 37 points but shot 12-30 from the field--including 0-8 on three pointers--and only scored 13 points in the second half. Payton also made a significant offensive contribution, with a game-high 21 points on blazing 9-11 shooting.

Dwyane Wade had 18 points, but seemed out of sorts for much of the game, shooting only 5-15 and committing a flagrant foul against Bryant early in the third quarter; just prior to that Bryant had caught Wade in the head with an elbow while jostling for post position but was not whistled for a foul. Wade's foul was his fourth of the game and right after that he received a technical foul and Coach Pat Riley sat him down for the rest of the quarter.

Miami is now 3-0 versus the Lakers since Los Angeles traded Shaq to the Heat. The circumstances that led to that move are still disputed by O'Neal and the Lakers organization, as shown by some of the recent public comments issued by both sides. Lakers owner Jerry Buss said, "I think Laker fans are going to say 'OK, let's see now who was right,' but to me it's obvious I did the right thing. I'd make the same decision 100 out of 100 times. To me, the risk-reward ratio wasn't there. It was not only a question of whether the man was going to be in shape, but what were his true salary demands going to be." In an interview with Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak explained, "If we extended Shaquille, which would have been at the time three years beyond the two years he had remaining, that would be five more years with him. And in this business, great players lead to winning seasons, winning games, lead to rewards which are contract extensions where they get increases. And that's all fine and good until you get to a certain age where you don't want to look around and have your great players at advanced ages locked up for huge amounts of dollars. That's when it starts to get scary and that's what we wanted to avoid--where we would financially strap our flexibility with the franchise. And we in fact offered Shaquille a two year extension to make him the highest paid player in the league. And he wasn't able to accept that deal. He wanted the third year and we weren't willing to do the third year. So that led to the trade."

O'Neal fired back that Buss is not an "honest businessman" because he won't say the real reason behind the trade and, noting that he won three Finals MVPs with the Lakers, concluded, "He had to make a choice, the young guy or the old guy. He made his choice and good luck with his choice." Although Shaq suggested that Buss is lying, when Shaq says that Buss chose the "young guy" (Bryant) he is in fact agreeing with what Buss and Kupchak stated; making a strategic choice to go with the "young guy" is not at all the same thing as being forced into a corner because Bryant was unwilling to play with Shaq and issued some kind of explicit or veiled ultimatum that the Lakers trade Shaq or else. The bottom line is that, contrary to what is repeated ad nauseum, there is no evidence that Kobe forced the Lakers to choose between keeping him or Shaq. It is clear that he did not run off Coach Phil Jackson, either, since Jackson is now back on the Lakers bench and has the team playing much better than it did last year, particularly on defense.

Buss determined that Shaq would not be worth $20 million or more per year three or four years from now. Truthfully, is he worth that even now? Shaq had 18 points and 17 rebounds versus the Lakers. He is not as dominant as he was a few years ago, is carrying extra weight and he seems to be more prone to injury; it is unlikely that he will become more dominant, lose weight or become healthier in the coming years. If Shaq does not lead the Heat to a title then what kind of return does the Heat franchise have on their substantial investment? The Heat are considered to be legitimate title contenders and the Lakers are supposed to be a rebuilding team, yet the Lakers played the Heat right down to the wire; if you watched the game without knowing the back story would you really think that one team is appreciably better than the other? This is probably as good as it will get for Miami. Shaq may very well play a little better as the year goes on and he rounds into shape--but he could also get hurt again and miss more games. The Lakers have one of the youngest rosters in the league and seem to be improving week by week. Shaq and the Heat are no doubt thrilled for winning today's battle but only time will tell if they have won the war; if the Heat don't win a title with Shaq and the Lakers are back in the Finals in three years, Buss will literally be laughing all the way to the bank.

posted by David Friedman @ 11:47 PM

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Melanie Fiona – This Time f. J. Cole Live (Video)

The North Carolina native joins Melanie Fiona on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno to perform their collaboration "This Time".

PREVIOUS: J. Cole – Drank In My Cup Freestyle

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  • DetoxDoesntExist

    Melanie looking nice and Christina looking thick.

  • J.T.

    I hope her album does well because she deserves success for her talent.

K Camp - "9:35 PM"

Produced by Nard & B.

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Purity Ring

Purity Ring Announce January Tour and 'Belispeak II feat. Danny Brown'

10th October 2012
Purity Ring Announce January Tour and 'Belispeak II feat. Danny Brown'

Purity Ring’s Corin Roddick has reworked their song 'Belispeak' to feature a ferocious new verse by Danny Brown. Brown, who first saw Purity Ring on their summer tour, expressed interest in wanting to work with the band via Twitter and the two then exchanged ideas through email. Brown reimagined 'Belispeak’s' fairy-tale creepiness as an evocative snapshot of his childhood in Detroit, while Roddick reworked the production into a maximalist banger.

Download an MP3 of the track here or stream below.

Purity Ring will also be mounting their second full tour in support of their recently released 4AD debut Shrines in January with Young Magic as support. The Halifax/Montreal-based duo is comprised of Corin Roddick and Megan James. They make lullabies for the club, drawing equally from airy 90s R&B, lush dream pop, and the powerful, bone-rattling immediacy of modern hip hop. Megan’s remarkable voice is at once both ecstatic and ethereal, soaring wistfully above Corin’s intricately chopped drum programming, trembling sub-bass, and skewed vocal samples.

January 2013
10th - Le National, Montreal, QC
11th - Webster Hall, New York, NY
14th - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
15th - Ottobar, Baltimore, MD
17th - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
18th - The Social, Orlando, FL
19th - Orpheum, Tampa, FL
21st - Maison, New Orleans, LA
22nd - The Mohawk, Austin, TX
23rd - Granada Theatre, Dallas, TX
24th - Hi-Tone, Memphis, TN
25th - Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
26th - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
28th - Jefferson Theatre, Charlottesville, VA
29th - Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
30th - Paradise, Boston, MA
1st - Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON

all w/ Young Magic


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River Valley Native Severely Beaten While Jogging

PARIS (KFSM) – A River Valley woman is recovering after she was severely beaten to the point where she was unrecognizable, according to our sister station CBS 46.

Tina Waddell is a Logan County native from Paris.

Thursday in Dallas, Georgia, authorities said she went for a run on a trail alone. Her husband Jim Waddell said a different woman returned.

“That`s not my wife,” Jim Waddell said.

Investigators said she was brutally attacked by a man.

“The guy tried to drag her. She had scratches on her back where he tried to drag her. She put up a good fight because she`s got bruise marks all over her fists,” Jim Waddell said.

Tina Waddell’s son told 5NEWS she is recovering from surgery and is conscious.

“She just said she was running and said he came at her from the front, and that`s all she remembered,” Waddell said.

Waddell said leaving a woman so brutally beaten is impossible to understand.

“She has a lot of broken bones in her face,” he said. “Her nose is broken. They`re going to have to wire her jaw shut, and that`s going to be about six to eight weeks there.”

Authorities don’t believe Waddell was sexually abused.

The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia said the attacker’s motive is unclear at this time, and they do not have any suspects.

  • Eldon

    Sounds like a walking trail robbery gone bad. Hopefully they catch this guy before he strikes his next female.

    Hopefully they can get his DNA off her face or clothing.

    My guess is that the perpetrator has a lengthy record.

    I hope she makes a full recovery.

  • phil

    this story does not like much sense why would someone beat a pretty women what i see from the photo like this.
    like the other poster said maybe he tried to rob her and she refused

  • zztopperman

    This could happen anywhere. Remote trails are fun to run but they also leave people more vulnerable to attacks of all kinds. Oftentimes remote trails become hang-outs for seedy characters because they aren’t patrolled by police. Women and children are especially vulnerable, but nobody is exempt from attack….

  • Get Real

    Perfect example of why my wife and I both carry a concealed firearm. Perhaps the story might have had a different ending had she been armed. It’s a sad state of affairs when you need a partner to go jogging to maybe be safe from attack. I wonder why there’s no description of the attacker. That omission speaks volumes.

  • Angel

    Not to be negative, but something just doesn’t seem right here….perhaps she is covering for hubby or a boyfriend?

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Contact Us

CDC: More Doctors Stress Exercise

More U.S. physicians are prescribing exercise to patients, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics found in 2010, about one in three adults who had seen a doctor or health professional in the past year had been advised to increase physical activity or exercise. This is more than 40 percent increase since 2000, when one in four adults reported receiving similar advice.

The CDC used data from the National Health Interview Survey, 2000, 2005 and 2010. The data was collected by the US Census Bureau.

Among adults age 85 and older, there was a nearly two-fold increase from 15.3 percent in 2000 to 28.9 percent in 2010 in recommendations for physical activity. Adults age 45 to 74 were the largest group to receive this advice; 18 to 24-year-olds were the least likely to receive the recommendation.

Percentages of those being told to increase their exercise went up for all age groups in the survey. There was also an upward trend among all race and ethnic groups, with Hispanic adults showing the largest percentage increase over the decade, from 20.8% of adults receiving a recommendation to exercise in 2000 to 35.8% in 2010.

Additional findings include:

  • 56.3 percent of adults with diabetes who had seen their doctor in the last 12 months were advised to exercise.
  • 35.8 percent of adults with cancer who had seen their doctor were advised to exercise in the last 12 months.
  • Adults who were obese were about twice as likely as healthy weight adults to receive advice from their doctor to begin or continue to exercise.

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Grandmother killed in Bensonhurst car collision

December 9, 2012 11:41:32 AM PST
A 60-year old grandmother was killed and her family is in the hospital after being hit by a car in Brooklyn.

The incident occurred Saturday on Quentin Rd. and W 5th Street in the Bensonhurst section, where two one-way streets intersect.

Police say an Acura SUV collided with a Jeep, flipped, and careened into the family walking on the street: a mother, two grandparents, and a 1-year old girl.

The grandmother, Chenugor Dao, was pronounced dead on arrival at Lutheran Medical Center.

Her husband, daughter, and 1-year old granddaughter all remain hospitalized in stable condition, along with four people riding in one of the cars.

The driver of the Acura was not hurt.

"The guy couldn't even get out of the car, they had to cut the door open," said eyewitness Giovanni Babel, "I've been living here for 22 years, I have never seen a car flip over like this."

Other witnesses tell Eyewitness News that they saw one car speeding.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the crash.

But so far the NYPD does not expect to file any criminal charges.

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Aurora Colorado Shooting at ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Screening: Stars React on Twitter

Aurora, Colorado Shooting

Thomas Cooper, Getty Images

This morning the United States woke up to the devastating news of a shooting at a midnight screening of the greatly anticipated 'The Dark Knight Rises,' in Aurora, Colo. Stars like Hot Chelle Rae, Janelle Monae and Haley Williams of Paramore took to Twitter to share their grief and disbelief of the event.

According to ScreenCrush, at least 12 people have been killed and more than 50 have been injured. The alleged gunman, James Holmes, threw tear gas into the crowd and then opened fire with a rifle and a handgun. The most recent reports say that the victims ranged from 6 to 31 years of age. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and the community of Aurora.

Thinking about the families who were affected by this horrible incident in Colorado. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Thank you so much to everyone that came out today. Unbelievable turn out. We would have met you all, but they made us stop due… To weather and safety… I am floored …. All our thoughts and prayers are with the families that fell victim to the inhumane acts of…. This mornings shooting…. Won’t be thinking of anything else.

In shock reading about what happened at the theater in Aurora, CO… Could have been any of us. My heart is heavy for everyone affected.

My heart goes out to all the victims in Colorado. This is just insane. “@AP: Police chief says 14 dead in Colorado theater shooting..-BW”

Guns are not it. Prayers for the people affected by the craziness in Colorado. : (

Devastated by the Colorado movie theatre killings. My heart hurts.

God help the families of the victims in the Colorado mass shooting this morning. So tired of evil like this existing in the world

Waking up and then hearing what happened in Colorado made my mood take an instant turn. Some people are just evil. 12 dead. So heartbreaking

my thoughts and prayers r w/ those who lost their lives in the Colorado tragedy and their loved ones que Dios los bendiga

Such a horrific tragedy. My thoughts are with all those affected…absolutely devastating.

My heart breaks for the victims, friends, and family members in Aurora, Colorado. What an unbelievable and disgusting tragedy. Just awful.

Just read about theshooting in Denver. Breaks my heart to see that happen. My prayers are out to the family&friends. We need PEACE everyone!

I am so overwhelmed by the horrific events in Colorado. So sad for the victims and their families. Sending love and prayers. #aurora

Just heard about the Colorado shooting…Wow,absolutely devastating. My heart goes out 2 the families that lost their loved 1's. #StayStrong

Praying for the victims and families of those involved in the shooting in Colorado. My heart is broken. So awful. God Bless…

Prayers for the people of Aurora, CO during this extremely difficult time. People everywhere show your loved ones LOVE everyday!

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Drunken Babies Sell Chocolate

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enhanced buzz 2462 1279025250 38 e1279293258277 Drunken Babies Sell Chocolate

L’universe de Chocolate has a new ad campaign to promote its Chocolate with Whisky truffles. No, it’s not a scantily clad woman on a bed or a happy couple enjoying a truffle while walking arm in arm. It’s a bunch of “drunk babies.”

 One of the little guys looks like he passed out in his car seat after popping 20 of those suckers.

Drunk Baby #1

Drunk Baby #2

Drunk Baby #3

Drunk Baby #4

Generous or inappropriate?

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Leonardo DiCaprio & Blake Lively: New Couple?

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Bar Rafaeli and Leonardo DiCaprio

Bar & Leo - Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Leonardo DiCaprio and long-time girlfriend Bar Rafaeli called it quits earlier this month.  This of course means that two of the hottest folks around are back on the market.

While Rafaeli was busy making jaws drop on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, DiCaprio was also in Cannes entertaining another blond bombshell… Blake Lively.

Lively has been single since her breakup with Penn Badgley last year, she dated Badgley for three years before their split. DiCaprio and Lively have been seen out with one another quite a bit as of late, and were photographed all smiley and cuddly on DiCaprio’s boat yesterday.

There were other celebs around, like Steven Spielberg and Leo’s Inception co-star Lukas Haas, so it’s possible they were all just talking business and enjoying the open sea, but most people don’t cuddle up with their co-workers.

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Penang, The End

Last of Penang trip! Very slow updates, I know. I've been busy traveling. Anyway, this post mainly photos. Well, begin!

DSC09389 1
First thing in the morning!

Yes, went to a food place for breakfast, don't remember the name of the place. Took photos around before food arrived. And once the food is in front of us, we didn't eat immediately. We are bloggers alright, we took photos.

Very nice, Pork Rolls?

Loh Mee

And then we headed to a Temple, just across the street.

The Temple was crowded.

We took a lot of photos of people releasing birds, mine wasn't taken from a good angle, so, many shots appeared rather confusing. Therefore, I'm not going to post them up.

Next! More food!

Auntie also posing!

Fish-ball & Hor Fun

Played posing outside the shop.

And then we headed to Khoo Kongsi for more photo-shooting.

They were experimenting with their cameras.

Khoo Kongsi's main building.

Old time signs, very nice.

Super Posers

Inside the hall.

Interesting wall-art. Look like guardians to me.

Behind-the-scene shot.

Yeah we took more photos behind the hall. After that, we left the place to look for a drink or something to cool us down.

Found this place - Takku Ice Cafe

The interior is quite nice.

Mango & mixed fruits.

Not the best one I've tried, but it's nice. Especially when the day is so hot, anything goes!

After that, we headed back to Ahlok's place to prepare for dinner with Shouters. Of course, we didn't go directly to the dinner place, we did more photo-shooting first. But I don't think I'm going to post up those shots, too many photos in this post already.

QEII Penang

And then dinner at "Big Tree Leg". That's direct translation from Chinese. It really means Under The Tree. So, Under The Tree Restaurant?

Group photo with Shouters and friends.

And then we had to run to the Ferry and Train Station, because we were late. We feared that we might lose the train. But the train was late! So, we took photos, again.

Final photo before heading home!

Do I miss Penang? Hmmm...

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Penang, the 3rd

Continuing the Penang trip, yes this is the third part. Went to Cherry Sweet to eat Tom Yam.

Their signboard a bit difficult to see.

Went on in to find out what's special about this place. Ahlok said this place has very good Tom Yam soup. I love spicy food, especially curry. Good Tom Yam is difficult to find.

Seafood Tom Yam

Well, not as good as I expected, but can do. It's not really that spicy, and it lacked some flavor to it, I can't find the right words to explain that flavor. Sour, fishy taste, maybe not thick enough.

Green Curry Chicken

This one is my favorite among the food we tried, mamamia~

Stuffed Crabs?

I'm not sure what they stuffed the crabs' shells with, but it was good. Tasted like fish-ball or fish-cake.

Deep Fried Kangkung

Not my kind of food, but it was OK, sweet and crispy.

Dessert of the Day

I forgot its name, but very nice. Water-chestnut, ice, and jelly. Sweeeeeeeeet~

After that, we headed to somewhere else to eat more food. Jason and Joshua both uploaded a video, that teleport one. Yeah we headed to the place opposite of New World Park, to eat more desserts and fried oysters with egg.

That's what we call it. Jelly, ice, red beans, coconut milk and so on. The result is very sweet, and if you can't take too much of coconut milk, then this is not your kind of food.

Uh, Capalang of Fruits?

Obviously, I forgot the name. And the photo tells everything, so I need not explain.

Fried Oysters with Egg

This is the special, I never tasted this kind of Fried Oyster with Egg before. Very very nice, but a little too oily. The sauce is what differentiates this one with others I've tasted. And it's very crispy, unlike those I normally eat.

And then we stopped eating and took a few lean shots, I'm not going to post those here because I look funny in those photos. Next, Lovers' Bridge?

Yes it is! Lovers' Bridge.

Though, I don't see why lovers would want to come here. It felt like it's going to collapse anytime. But the sight was nice, and they did their jumping, but no leaning photos because of the fear of leaning into the sea?

smashpOp jump, behind-the-scene shot.

And then it's time to go meet up with Penang Shouters for dinner, for the first time. I didn't take photos during the dinner, so there's only a group photo.

My version of group photo.

Kind of dark, and blur because I didn't change the camera settings.

smashpOp's version.

Here, a clearer one.

Next post, should be the final post for this Penang trip.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Penang, The 2nd

Continuing the previous post on the Penang trip with smashpOp, Douglas, Joshua and Ahlok - Entering, Penang! - We headed to the ferry.

Waiting for the ferry to arrive at the port.

Boats parked at the shore.

On the ferry.

Bloggers shooting their magical photos.

The ferry jump.

I actually kicked Jason's camera by accident during this shot. Good thing it was a minor hit. Anyway, sorry dude.

Nearing the port, that's QEII, I think.

Random shot.

And then we got off the ferry to meet up with Ahlok. A very friendly guy, now a Shouter. He brought us all for breakfast before heading to our next destination - Kek Lok Si.

What we had for breakfast - Toasts and coffee.

Kek Lok Si, a big temple. Why is it so famous? I don't know. Can anyone please explain it to me? Haha~ Next, a few photos of Kek Lok Si that I took.

There, my version of Kek Lok Si's photo.

I kind of like the plants in this photo.

Imagine with wide lens, fuyoh!

I find this part of Kek Lok Si rather relaxing.

Another photo of the temple.

Climbing the way up to the big Goddess Statue.

Construction in progress. We didn't get to see the rest of the place.

Guardian of the Temple.

And then smashpOp's leaning photos with me in as well. It was rather fun to do.

The Guan Ni Mah Lean

More Leaning action.

One leg also can!

That's all for this post. Next one will come as soon as tomorrow!

Disclaimer Note

Please take note that, whatever be my topic, I mean no offense.
All are plain thoughts that crossed my mind.
And err, no human beings or animals were harmed in the process of making this blog. Peace to the world!


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• BREAKING NEWS Willow Fire jumps to 1,739 acres, 30 percent contained

Crash near Atwater kills boy on lawn mower

The California Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed a 12-year-old boy on a lawn mower west of Atwater.

Officers say the boy was driving the lawn mower on Westside Boulevard near Sultana Drive on Saturday when he was hit by a Ford Mustang.

The collision knocked the child off the lawn mower. He was rushed to a Turlock hospital then flown to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, where he died.

Investigators say the 19-year-old driver of the Mustang was speeding while trying to change lanes when the crash happened, but they haven't said whether he will be charged.

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OTRC: 'Scandal' recap: Season 3, episode 14 - 5 highlights (Spoilers)

Scott Foley, Joshua Malina and Dan Bucatinsky appear in a March 13, 2014 episode of ABC's 'Scandal.' / Kerry Washington appears as Olivia Pope in the season 3 episode of 'Scandal' titled 'No Sun on the Horizon.' The episode aired on March 13, 2014. (ABC / Eric McCandless)

In tonight's episode of "Scandal," titled "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," we learned in the first 30 seconds the answer to the one question Gladiators have been begging to know for the last week: who got shot?

In last week's episode, titled "No Sun on the Horizon," Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, longed for a simpler kind of life, one where the people around her didn't have to worry about potential murder plots. She confides in Jake, played by Scott Foley, of these feelings, ones that he shares. He asks her to run away with him, to which she replies, "Take advantage of me Jake."

Sally Langston, played by Kate Burton, began to crumble as she struggled to hide the secret of the murder she committed against her husband, Daniel Douglas. She planned to reveal all during her first presidential debate, in order to get on God's good graces, but was ultimately thwarted by Fitz. Her secret remained in tact -- her sanity, however, is another story.

By the episode's end, David Rosen, James Novak, White House journalist Vanessa Chandler and a woman from NSA met in a plan to expose the murder, only for the two women to be taken out by gun fire, with David and James left in the crossfires.

(Read a FULL RECAP of the previous episode of "Scandal" - season 3, episode 13 "No Sun on the Horizon" here, which aired on March 13.)

Check out 5 highlights from the episode "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," which aired on Thursday, March 20. Warning: Spoilers ahead.

1. Who got shot?

Fans saw that Vanessa Chandler and the woman from the NSA were shot at the hands of Jake Ballard in the previous episode of "Scandal," and ultimately, the third victim in the Daniel Douglas murder cover up was James Novak, played by Dan Bucatinsky. He is shot as he attempts to run away, leaving David Rosen, who was by his side, speechless.

After learning that it is James who was shot, Gladiators find out that the shooting is being covered up as a carjacking by the members of B-613. Jake sends Quinn, played by Katie Lowes, and Charlie, played by George Newbern, to find someone who can take the fall for the shooting to, in Jake's words, "keep the world spinning." At this point, let it just be clear that any fond sentiments that were previously said about Jake are now as good as broken.

When Olivia realizes that it was, in fact, Jake behind the murder of James, she is beside herself. The trust she had in Jake melted away faster than Sally Langston's sanity. He attempts to explain to Olivia that it was not a decision he wanted to pass onto another member of B-613, as to not have it torment them for the rest of their life. In other words, he attempts to justify the shooting, saying that it was his call and he has to deal with the burden it will bring. Olivia does not take lightly to Jake's flippant nature about the shooting, something she makes him very aware of. He warns her, however, by saying, "Bad things happen to good people all the time."

The feelings of shock are still very, very real after the shooting of James, feelings that fans will experience throughout the entire episode. Of course Gladiators expect shock and awe out of "Scandal," but nevertheless, this one packed a punch that will be remembered as one of the most shocking in the show's history. Truly a shake to the core.

2. What is Mama Pope up to?

We are treated to the resurfacing of Olivia's mother Maya, played by Khandi Alexander, as well as Adnan Salif, who has been somewhat romantically linked to Harrison, played by Columbus Short. The two are seen in a hotel room, where Maya is essentially fanning herself with wads of money that Adnan has presented her with. The two are teaming together in a corrupt plot against the Grant campaign, one that Maya feels needs a terrorist. Her words, people, her words.

Adnan is immediately caught off guard at the idea, thinking the two were a regular "Thelma & Louise" in their mission. WRONG! Maya makes it clear that she will not be taking the fall for anything they're attempting to do, essentially hinting that if they don't outsource help, Adnan is taking the heat. When the two attempt to meet with potential clients, if you will, Maya is put off that she did not meet with the person she requested, and shoots one of them instantly to get her point across.

What Maya and Adnan, who seemingly is ready to bolt on the job, are up to is still yet to be fully seen, and is sure to be one of the bigger catalysts of the season as the finale nears. But one thing is certain: it is definitely clear were Olivia gets her flair for fashion. Rocking a slick gray suit, Mama Pope let it be known she is not one to be messed with, kind of like Olivia, only well, not.

3. Rowan Pope is so over being Olivia's dad.

Faced with the murder of James Novak and the uncertainty of her future, Olivia attempts to have a moment of condolence with her father. Upon greeting her, all Rowan, played by Joe Morton, has to say is "What." "What do you want." "What." The poor thing is going through a lot right now, cut her some slack.

When Olivia asks that he just be nice to her and be a dad, she asks what is the point to everything in life if forces that are out of her control seemingly take away all that is good. She asks whether or not people are worth saving, to which Rowan replies, "Everyone is worth saving." Nice, but he then delivers the harsh reality we would expect him to say, leaving Olivia trembling on the park bench. He says, "You drag everyone into the light, that is the point. At least, I'd like to think that is the point for you."

Rowan Pope is perhaps the coldest, most cruel force in Olivia's life, but man, if Joe Morton doesn't deliver some of the best performances on the show. It's one thing to be evil and rotten to the core, but there is something so raw and captivating about Joe Morton's performance in every episode, that it's almost easy to forget how twisted he is to Olivia. It's hard not to get lost in the emotion and passion of his every word. Albeit frightening at times, but the scenes with Olivia and her father are always an event.

4. Those flashbacks. Those heartbreaking flashbacks.

Cyrus, played by Jeff Perry, cannot seem to deal with the loss of his husband James. He's in such a state of shock that he pleads with Olivia and Fitz, played by Tony Goldwyn, to let him do his job. While he tries to deal with Sally Langston's attempt at hijacking their gun lobby bid, Cyrus experiences flashbacks of his relationship with James all throughout the White House.

Gladiators are treated to the moments where James and Cyrus first meet, including a glimpse at Cyrus rocking a full beard. The two are seen sharing on and off longing glances, until James makes the first major move during the night of a successful speech by Fitz. Cyrus initially is put off by James' advances, as he has not been public with his homosexuality. James, however, tells Cyrus that he likes him, to which Cyrus passionately kisses him back. Fans later find Cyrus attempting to confide in Fitz that he has been seeing a journalist. He refers to James as a "person," and Fitz, seemingly, sees through Cyrus' blind confession when he asks him, "Are you in love?" Cyrus says yes, to which Fitz replies, "Then that's all that matters."

Toward the end of the flashbacks, Cyrus is seen standing alone during a state dinner, as he watches Fitz and Mellie, played by Bellamy Young, dancing the night away. He then rushes to the press line to grab James onto the dance floor, where everybody can, and did, watch the two of them take their first public romantic steps as a couple. It is that moment that completely breaks Cyrus, as it comes to him as he is revealing to the press that James was "killed in a carjacking." He breaks down in complete hysterics and is consoled by Fitz, who asks Olivia to complete the press conference. Heartbreaking, just heartbreaking.

5. Odd couple alert.

In between the gut-wrenching loss of James, fans were treated to a couple of odd hookups and make outs between to couples: Andrew Nichols and Mellie, and Quinn and Huck!

While in Texas attempting to beat Sally Langston to the gun lobby bid, Andrew, played by Jon Tenney, and Mellie share several libations over a casual conversation about gun control. Mellie feels strongly about her stance on the right to bare arms, and while Andrew feels differently, he is in awe of her passion. In a moment when the two catch each other's eyes, they vigorously kiss and, seemingly, hookup. What was that thing you said about knees a few episodes back, Mellie? Yeah, might want to revisit that.

Fans also saw the intense, and gross, kiss between Quinn and Huck, played by Guillermo Diaz. He breaks into her apartment to get answers after he learned she stole files out of Olivia's safe. He pins her against the wall, where she spits on him. Yuck! Unfazed by the gesture, Huck proceeds to kiss Quinn, and she kisses back. The two go at it for a minute, and when they realize the oddity of it all, she says, "If you're not going to kill me, get out." And who says romance is a dying art?

(Copyright ©2015 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.)

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Journalists Caught in Crossfire of Kenya Smack Down

The first lady of Kenya, Lucy Kibaki, slapped an official across the face in front of hundreds of guests and journalists at a public event Wednesday. But there will be no film at 11 of this most undiplomatic incident.

In fact, there's not a single photo or YouTube video to show. Why? Because security officials confiscated the cameras of journalists at the event, forcing them to erase all footage of what's being called "the slap heard around the world."

"It's not everyday that the first lady slaps someone in public," said Joseph Odindo, group managing editor of Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper. "But it was a public event. Everyone saw it. Even without pictures we are still able to describe what happened."

According to the Daily Nation and other local media, the slap occurred at a Kenyan Independence Day celebration after the unnamed official introduced Mrs. Kibaki by the name of "Wambui," who is widely believed in Kenya to be President Mwai Kibaki's second wife.

In front of diplomats, journalists and hundreds of guests, Mrs. Kibaki reportedly stood up, walked across the stage and slapped the master of ceremonies before he finished his introduction speech.

Then, according to local media, the president's security agents gathered all the journalists and forced them to delete any digital photographs and erase all video footage of the incident, an action Odindo called "outrageous."

"Taking our film is a serious violation of our freedom of press," Odindo told ABC News. Odindo said the Nation Media Group, which owns the Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper, has filed a formal complaint with the country's Media Council, an advisory board monitoring the Kenyan government's relations with journalists.

"We think it's an abuse of power by the security officers. It happened in full view of the guests and we definitely had the right to be there and film it," Odindo says.

The incident was not the first time Mrs. Kibaki has been criticized for using violence and squelching the press. In 2005, she stormed Nation Media Group offices with her bodyguards and demanded that a reporter who had written a negative article about her be arrested.

When the reporter refused to come forward, she slapped a cameraman filming the confrontation. The reporter was never arrested and the footage of her outburst was repeatedly aired on Kenyan television.

Government spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua criticized the first lady's actions yesterday. "It was wrong to be called another person's name, but a name is a name," Dr. Mutua told ABC News. "It was wrong of the first lady to behave the way she behaved. It's not right. She's portraying a very bad image to women in Kenya."

Mutua said the security agents were just "doing their jobs" in protecting the president and the first lady, but said that the journalists have the right to protest the action. "The journalists should demand justice in the courts. They have that right under freedom of the press," said Dr. Mutua who added that "the person who was slapped should have pressed charges for assault."

Kenya's constitution explicitly protects freedom of the press, and is one of the only Sub-Saharan African countries to do so, according to Tom Rhodes, the Africa programming coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists. "Kenya is in the forefront of press freedom in Sub Saharan Africa and any sort of incident like this should be condemned," said Rhodes. "The actions of the first lady should be public knowledge."

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Court Upholds 'Partial-Birth' Abortion Ban

For the first time today a sharply divided Supreme Court has upheld a ban on a specific abortion procedure.

In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the court upheld the partial-birth abortion ban that President Bush signed into law in 2003.

Kennedy wrote that the ban did not pose "an undue burden on a woman's right to abortion" and that it furthered the government's legitimate interest in promoting "respect for life, including life of the unborn."

A sharply written dissent by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned that the court's decision "deprives women of the right to make an autonomous choice, even at the expense of their safety."

Ginsburg, joined by the three other liberal justices, said the court's "hostility" to the abortion right guaranteed by Roe was "not concealed."

Today's decision will come as a devastating blow to abortion-rights activists who accuse conservatives of attempting to chip away at a woman's right to an abortion.

People for the American Way, a liberal activist group, released a statement saying, "The replacement of moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor with ultraconservative Justice Samuel Alito has brought the Court to the brink of judicial disaster."

The group said that Bush's Supreme Court nominees, John Roberts and Sam Alito, were "weakening American's rights and legal protections."

Conservatives, who believed that the Supreme Court had long undervalued the important government interest in protecting life, were overjoyed with the decision.

Jay Sekulow of the conservative American Center for Law and Justice released a statement saying, "By rejecting the lawsuits challenging the national ban, the high court demonstrated that this gruesome procedure has no place in the medical community."

Sekulow said that today's decision represented "an important shift" in the abortion debate.

The court reviewed two cases in making its decision.

In the first case, Gonzales vs. Carhart, four doctors, including Leroy Carhart, challenged the federal law banning partial-birth abortions, arguing that the banned procedure was safer than some other methods and that the act had no exception for the health of the mother.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit found the ban to be unconstitutional. Today's decision overturns that ruling.

Carhart was also a key player in the 2000 Supreme Court case Stenberg vs. Carhart in which that court, which included O'Connor, overturned a similar state ban.

In the second case, Gonzales vs. Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood won a challenge to the ban in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Planned Parenthood argued that the act was unconstitutional for its lack of a health exception but also because the act was "fatally overbroad."

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LEGO to Launch Female Scientist Minifigure Collection

PHOTO: Lego has started to develop a new series of figurines featuring female scientists.

Lego, the Denmark-based toy company, has approved designs for a new collection titled “Research Institute,” an all-female line with characters such as an astronomer, paleontologist and chemist. The project was submitted to Lego Ideas, a fan-based online community that allows the Lego lovers to vote on potential collections.

The designer of this particular collection, Swedish geochemist Ellen Kooijman, was voted for over 10,000 times.

“As a female scientist I had noticed two things about the available Lego sets: a skewed male/female minifigure ratio and a rather stereotypical representation of the available female figures,” Kooijman wrote in her blog post.

"It seemed logical that I would suggest a small set of female minifigures in interesting professions to make our Lego city communities more diverse," Kooijman wrote.

Read More: See Lego's Awesome 'Business Cards' for Executives

Read More: College Student Snaps Up Internship by Clever Use of Legos

When Lego released its "FRIENDS" line in 2012, it sparked controversies over gender stereotypes in the toy industry. The line portrayed girls modeling on a catwalk, baking cupcakes, and hanging out on a beach. A petition was made on, calling out the company to stop reinforcing the gender stereotype to children.

PHOTO: The 2013 Toy of the Year winner is The LEGO Groups LEGOÂ® Friends.
PHOTO: The 2013 Toy of the Year winner is The LEGO Group's LEGOÂ® Friends.

In the video below, a little girl named Riley was ranting about the limited options of female Lego characters. She popped out some questions that got her many kudos on YouTube.

“Why do all the girls have to buy pink stuff? Why do all the girls have to buy princesses?” Riley asked in the video. “Some girls like superheroes.”

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« Hot Chelle Rae Premieres Video for "Hung Up" | Main | OK Go Wants You to Create a Video for Their New Single, “I’m Not Through” »

In Wake of Cruise Cancellation, Sugar Ray & '90s Acts to Hit Road for Under the Sun 2013 Tour

UndertheSun.comLast month, a planned cruise featuring some of the biggest hitmakers of the '90s was canceled, and Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, the event's organizer, said it was because fans were scared off by the Carnival Triumph disaster -- what McGrath called "the poop cruise."  Now, most of those same bands have regrouped for a package tour....on dry land.

The Under the Sun 2013 tour gets underway with a free July 4 event in Socorro, Texas, and then continues throughout the summer.  Taking part are Sugar Ray, of course, but also Smash Mouth, Gin Blossoms, Vertical Horizon and Fastball.

In a statement, McGrath says, "Number one songs from the Nineties, live? Check. A giant party under the summer sun? Check.  Five multi-platinum bands with quick changeovers?  Check.  It's gonna be a bitchin' summer."

"Under The Sun = Fun in the Sun!" adds Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth.  "You bring your happy face and we'll bring the party."  And Jesse Valenzuela of Gin Blossoms notes, "Five bands, 10 guitars -- too much fun.  Under The Sun will be spreading joy to 36 cities.  If we don't win the Nobel Peace Prize, we're not gonna be amused!"

Here are the initial tour dates, with more to come:

7/4 -- Socorro, TX, Socorro Entertainment Center
7/7 --  San Diego, CA, Humphrey's
7/12 -- Lincoln, CA, Thunder Valley Casino Resort
7/16 -- Sandy, UT, Sandy City Amphitheater
7/19 -- Council Bluffs, IA, Harrah's Council Bluffs - Stir Cove
7/20 -- Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Festival
7/25 -- Cincinnati, OH, Horseshoe Casino - The Plaza
7/27 -- Canandaigua, NY, Constellation Brands Marvin Sands P.A.C.
7/30 -- Huntington, NY, The Paramount
8/1 -- Hampton Beach, NH, Hampton Beach Ballroom
8/2 -- Asbury Park, NJ, The Stone Pony Summer Stage
8/6 -- Vienna, VA, The Felen Center @ Wolf Trap
8/9 -- North Charleston, SC, North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

ABC News Radio


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Lesson. The daily class taken by dancers throughout their career to continue learning and to maintain technical proficiency. It consists of exercices à la barre (side practice) followed by exercices au milieu (centre practice), port de bras, pirouette practice and petit and grand allégro. See these terms.

Centre practice
Centre practice, or exercices au milieu, is the name given to a group of exercises similar to those à la barre but performed in the centre of the room without the support of the bar. These exercises are usually performed with alternate feet and are invaluable for obtaining good balance and control.

Exercices à la barre
[eg-zehr-SEESS a lah bar]
Exercises at the bar (or barre). A group of exercises performed by the dancer while clasping a bar with one hand. This bar, generally a cylindrical piece of wood is fastened horizontally to the walls of the practice room at a height of about three feet six inches from the floor. Bar exercises, or side practice, are the foundation of classical ballet and are to the dancer what scales are to the pianist. Every ballet lesson begins with these exercises. It is at the bar that the dancer acquires the fundamental training for the attributes he must possess. These exercises are essential for developing the muscles correctly, turning the legs out from the hips and gaining control and flexibility of the joints and muscles. The exercises at the bar can be simple or varied but in general they include the following movements:
(l) Pliés in the first, second, fourth and fifth positions.
(2) Battements tendus.
(3) Battements dégagés.
(4) Battements fondus.
(5) Ronds de jambe à terre.
(6) Battements frappés.
(7) Adagio.
(8) Petits battements sur le cou-de-pied.
(9) Ronds de jambe en l'air.
(10) Grands battements.


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Watches that Cost the Other Arm

If you're going to have to give up an arm in order to get one of these watches, make sure you at least get in one good severed arm slap over the head of the greedy seller before you hand it over. OH WAIT. Forget everything we just said.

Ends on February 21 at 9AM CT


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ACCORD take part in Finish study programme

on . Posted in Executive

The Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, Vasu Gounden, was invited to be a resource person at a workshop hosted by the Embassy of Finland in honour of a delegation of eleven individuals on a study tour of South Africa on 17 November in Pretoria. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has launched a programme to familiarize top Finnish decision-makers with global development issues and the practices of development cooperation.

Lee Ann Sedowski visits ACCORD

on . Posted in Trade Negotiations

On 10 November 2008 Lee Ann Sedowski, Research Associate on the Global Development Programme, from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in the United States visited ACCORD House. Ms Sedowski visited ACCORD to learn more about its trade negotiation trainings which it has conducted on the Continent as part of its partnership with the International Senior Lawyers Programme (ISLP), based in Washington in the United States.

NUPI director Jan Egeland visits ACCORD

on . Posted in Peacekeeping

On 3 November 2008 the Director of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), a partner on ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Programme, visited ACCORD House. This was Mr. Egeland’s first visit to ACCORD. Mr. Egeland was in Durban to attend the International Advisory Board Meeting for the TfP programme.

Former US Ambassador to Burkina Faso visits ACCORD

on . Posted in Executive

On 21 October 2008 H. E. Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes visited ACCORD House. Ambassador Holmes is the Cyrus Vance Fellow in Diplomatic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in the United States (US), where he focuses on Africa and directs the Roundtable Series on African Policy Issues.

Norway and ACCORD sign new TfP agreement

on . Posted in Peacekeeping

On 11 November 2008 May-Elin Stene, Minister Councilor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria, visited ACCORD House where she and the Executive Director of ACCORD, Vasu Gounden, signed a new grant agreement for the Training for Peace (TfP) programme. The TfP programme has been running at ACCORD since 1995.

ACCORD trains peacebuilders in Liberia

on . Posted in Peacebuilding

The African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme at ACCORD conducted a training for peacebuilders in Monrovia, Liberia, from 8-10 October 2008. The training was aimed at developing and building on the skills of those engaged in the peacebuilding process in Liberia.

ACCORD host new Swedish Ambassador to SA

on . Posted in General

 On the 16th and 17th of October 2008 ACCORD hosted the new Swedish Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Ambassador Tejler and Mr. Kaj Persson (Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Swedish Embassy in Pretoria) in Durban. The Ambassador was in Durban to meet with various role players to learn more about the Province of KwaZulu Natal.


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Accurate Auto Glass & Accurate Glass

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Do You Want To Improve Your Online Business?

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Help feed 75 Hoboken Area Families this Thanksgiving!

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty

RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty 3rd Annual Turkey Dinner Drive
Help us put the "give" in Thanksgiving and assist 75 families in need with complete Thanksgiving Dinners!

 I hope you've been enjoying the Fall so far, and as we head into Winter and the busy holiday season, I want to bring to your attention to RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty's Annual Turkey Dinner Drive.

 Last year RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty provided meals for 54 local area families in need.  This would have been impossible without the assistance of our awesome client and business community.

 This year RE/MAX is stepping it up!  Help us feed 75 families in need.  We arrange all the fixings from the turkey to the trimmings, spices to the stuffing and the potatoes to the pie. I'm reaching out to friends, family colleagues and our community for help.  Any donations would be greatly appreciated.

RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty Drop Off Hours:
                             56 Newark Street, Hoboken
Monday- Friday 10am-8pm
Sat 10am-5pm
Sunday 10am-5pm
We also will pick up your donation!    PICK UP DATES:
Saturday 11/20  10am-12noon.

Monday 11/21  6-8pm

Too busy to shop but still want to help?  We'll shop for you.  $50 will feed a hearty Thanksgiving Dinner for an entire family!  We accept checks and cash!
 It's simple. We provide the attached shopping list so you can shop and drop at our office or call us for a pick up 201-795-0100.

Whether you contribute one or two items or the whole check list, any donation you can make will be greatly appreciated!

 Many, many thanks for your consideration and I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving - may your belly be as full as those we plan to feed this year!

Gobble, gobble,

RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty
RE/MAX is grateful to the following restaurants for offering freezer space during our Turkey Drive.
Turkey Drop Off Locations
(Frozen Turkeys only please!)

Lucky's Famous Burgers
79 Hudson St, Hoboken

Grimaldi's Coal Brick - Oven Pizzeria
411 Washington St, Hoboken
Biggie's Restaurant Raw Bar Tavern
318 Madison St, Hoboken

Pilsener Haus Biergarten
1422 Grand St, Hoboken
Clam Broth House
36-42 Newark St, Hoboken

The Clinton Social
700 Clinton St, Hoboken
Drop Off November 14 -21
During regular business hours
Please label turkey
"RE/MAX Turkey Drive!
Here's Turkey Dinner Drive Shopping List

- Turkeys (10 - 15lbs)

- Stuffing (14 oz)

- Boxed Mashed Potatoes

(15.30 oz.) Canned Whole Potatoes

- Canned Veggies: French Cut Green Beans, Peas, Carrots, Corn (29 oz.)

- Canned,cut yams (40 oz.)

- Chicken Broth (48 oz)

- Cranberry Sauce (16 oz)

- Gravy Mix (1.2 oz) or Jarred Gravy (16 oz)

- Mushroom Soup (10 oz.)

- Canned French Fried Onions(1 can)

- Spices: Thyme, pepper, rosemary, parsley

- Oval roaster pans (large)

- Martinelli's Sparkling Cider

- Entenmann's Apple or Pumpkin pies (please check dates on these)

-Fresh Vegetables & Pies accepted 11/19-11/21 only

- $50 donation feeds a family. Let us shop for you!

I'm personally thankful to work with such great colleagues and friends and in such a fantastic community!

Thank you all!

Posted by

re/max, logoEddie Perezfacebook, logo
Broker - REALTOR
RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty
56 Newark St.    ·      Hoboken, NJ 07030
Phone (201) 344-2886   ·   Office (201) 795-5200 ext 423

E-Mail Me

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John McCormack
Albuquerque Homes Realty * - Albuquerque, NM, Albuquerque Homes Realty

Hi Eddie -

No better way to give back and pay it forward than with a Thanksgiving feast for a needy family!  We to help support and supply for those in need.  The bad thing is we should be doing more of it year round.  Great post and hope you posted it in the paying it forward group.

Best regards from the Q

Oct 28, 2011 04:12 PM #1
Edward Perez
RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty - Hoboken, NJ
NJ Luxury Group - Serving Hoboken & Northern NJ

Thanks for the nice comments John and I totally agree that we can always look to do more for our communities.

Oct 29, 2011 03:43 PM #2
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Welcome to the Fellowship One Help Center! In order to make it easier to find information and help when using Fellowship One, we have combined all of the resources in the Learning Center as well as the old Online Help into one place. Now, instead of having to search in three different places for information, it can all be found here!

You can find the same great training videos here that were in the Learning Center. Start off with Fundamentals of Fellowship One, or browse the different courses available based on topic here. Our goal is to make it make it easier to find the help you need as we continue to improve the resources available to all users. We will continue to add content on daily basis, so if it's not here today, check back tomorrow and we may just have added it!
Training Calendar

If your ministry is about to promote students, but the task seems overwhelming, this is the perfect webinar for you. We'll show you the process of managing the students in your ministries and promoting them each year.

Monday, August 4
2:00- 3:00 pm CST

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Active Network Training

Champion Certification takes the feature/function knowledge gained in Foundations and builds upon it by adding real life scenarios, hands-on labs, and process documentation. You will gain a more robust knowledge of Fellowship One in addition to tools that will allow you to train your staff, document your unique processes, and get the best Return on your Fellowship One investment.

Cost: $700.00

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Feb 212012
Homosexuelle Lebenspartner können auf Steuererleichterung hoffen

The Finanzgericht Bremen has undertaken a further step to end tax discrimination against homosexual partners compared with married people. The Court allowed the registration of tax classes III and V instead of each I a lesbian couple with registered life partnership. The Bremen revenue have rejected that which is why the women complained. The tax court committed the Inland Revenue now provisionally to undertake the requested entries (AZ.: 1 V 113/11).

The Court saw doubt on the constitutionality of the differentiation between registered life partnership and marriage with reference to a decision of the Federal Constitutional Court on the unequal treatment of marriage and registered partnership in the inheritance and gift tax law.

Final decision may by the BFH

"Also weighing over" special interest, not to be discriminated against, the State's fiscal interest because of sexual orientation, it said in the release. The Senate had to complaint to the Bundesfinanzhof (BFH) in Munich against his decision.

Tax: Homosexuals for the first time tax equated to partner


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Typographic hugs, times two.

Typographic hugs, times two.

Here's a funny pair - on valentines day the Advertising & Graphic design School Berghs in Stockholm put up 650 posters over the city on the theme "Loveletters". One poster has some striking similarities to a recent campaign for the post created by M&C Saatchi Melbourne, way down on the other side of the planet.

see ads inside yo.

Rebecca Hannah (AD) & Doogie Chapman (CW)

I wonder what inspired these written-on-people-in-hugs recently? It's great image, it sticks out.

The Aussie one is better.

Well, yes, it has a connection to sending a letter (I rhymed! whohoo!)

Oh dear. Over at Resumé they posted this pairing as if it was directly stolen (please notice that I don't suggest that, I just say that the ideas are similar and wonder aloud what inspired these two as they were basically done at the same time), and now Resumé published an apology for suggesting that the student plagiarized. Actually their article doesn't really say that the student plagiarized the Post ad either, it just says "Adland discovered that it was similar to...", but someone put a title headline reading "Plagiarism in the name of love" and presto, there was trouble.

For those who never worked at a paper of any kind, I think its worth to point out that it is not the author of the article who sets the headline. But now the author of the article had to apologize for something he really never said.

Sheesh, Badland gets people in all sorts of trouble, aye?

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Science Stores

Faculty of Mathematics and Science

Science Stores

Chem Stores Banner

Located in E304 - MacKenzie Chown Building

Hours of Operation

8:30 am to 3:30 pm  Monday - Thursday (closed for the lunch hour) 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm Friday

Next scheduled waste removal - Friday, May 1, 2015

 Laminating service availabe (size variety of letter, legal & menu)  Charges to accounts only

New Stores items: We now carry; silk sutures, soda lime, acrylamide, 2.0 clear buffer, blot paper, 100ml media bottles, tally counters, desk-top timers, small disecting scissors and ear plugs!

View here:  Welcome to Science Stores for Graduate Students and Post Docs


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Old man river

Lock system harkens earlier times

July 24, 2011
By Vicki Johnson - Staff Writer ( , The Advertiser-Tribune

Imagine it's 1845 and you're on a flatboat transporting cargo down the Muskingum River to the Ohio River on your way to Pittsburgh.

I am looking for:
News, Blogs & Events Web


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Weather advisory

January 24, 2014
The Advertiser-Tribune

A winter storm watch is to be in effect this evening until Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

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News, Blogs & Events Web


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Client Spotlight: Stop On Red Week

Advocacy Solutions is working with the National Coalition for Safer Roads to promote national Stop On Red Week (August 7-13, 2011) to raise awareness about the dangers of red-light running.  Sadly, too many drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians are injured or even killed by careless red light runners, so please remember to ALWAYS STOP on Red.

Stop On Red Week

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a field somewhere

The Big Green Bus. We’re all going on a summer holiday…

young ones summer… no more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday,
for me and you oo oo.

ooo oo oo ooooo! Get on board the freedom bus and head to good time city!

Come on, who hasn’t dreamt about hijacking a double-decker bus and taking off on the last freedom bus to nowhere? Picking up some cool friends like Cliff Richard and Una Stubbs and escaping on a magical mystery tour of trippy nostalgia and teenage anarchy?

Just me then?

I guess so.

Back to reality.

I’m strolling down Madeira Drive the other day on what was planned to be a lovely family walk. New Christmas bike for 3-year-old and Heelys for 8-year-old. Actually turned out to be another completely stressful trip with grizzly kids inappropriately dressed (no gloves, wrong coat, daddy forgot my shoes, haven’t got any knickers on so my trousers keep falling down, etc, etc). Throw in a bit of rain and one annoying pet who suffers from small dog syndrome and can’t resist barking its head off at the whiff of another animal. Crying, moaning, barking, rain… you get the picture.

Back to my strolling and dreaming… warm sunny places… la la la.

big green bus brighton

In the distance we see this

A lovely man who obviously senses our distress invites us on board. (Not Cliff Richard but lovely all the same).

Mulled wine and mince pies? Don’t mind if I do.

Look around? Yes please.

Little rest and a try out a bed upstairs? Well if you insist!

big green bus inside 2The Big Green Bus is a fantastic 1982 double-decker metro bus. It’s been beautifully converted to sleep 6 with a gorgeous log burner and shower room.

I was in love. Dreaming of a hazy summer holiday, iced G&T’s and picnics in the sun.

big green bus inside

Then the kids dropped mince pies all over the immaculately upholstered seats, dog started barking and it was time to leave.

The Big Green Bus is available to hire from April 2014 and is sited in a gorgeous spot in Sussex. You can make arrangements to pitch an extra tent or camper at the site so it’s a perfect little pull up for a weekend away with friends.

They even allow ‘well behaved dogs’ (if you know any).

Unfortunately you don’t get to drive the bus but you can sit in the front and pretend and at least you don’t have to worry about doing a Rick and driving it off a cliff. CLIFF!!!

If you’d like to find out more LIKE their facebook page or visit www.thebiggreenbus.co.uk

Thanks for your hospitality at The Big Green Bus. Best of luck with your amazing adventures.

Have a great summer holiday all.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

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Monday, May 26, 2014

The garden now.

A day at the Fort Worth Nature Center

We spent much of today at the Fort Worth Nature Center. In fact, we have gone there about this time every year for several years now, and it's because of the Dallas-Fort Worth Herpetological Society having their annual "Snakes of Tarrant County" exhibit. The exhibit is a rare opportunity for me, since I like to learn about and observe snakes, but only in the presence of experts. (I'm not an amateur snake-handler.) The kids loved it, and the society has done a good job at making it kid friendly, as you might expect. I guess there is a single primary family that is responsible for the exhibit, and their older children are there to help. They were friendly to our kids, and seemed to understand small children, even when Neil was being difficult. In any case, we visited the snake exhibit first, and I realized then that I wanted to go hiking just as much, maybe because of the overcast and warm weather. There are extensive hiking trails there, of great variety. Some are rocky and hilly. Some are flat and smooth. There is a variety of scenery, from dense woods, to plains with bison and prairie dogs in view. What do I know? I've only hiked on two of the trails, actually. But after today, I want more. Hiking is one of my favorite pastimes. Actually, I like taking walks, so as I see it, I like hiking a fortiori. Hiking with small children can be a bad idea, so I thought we'd get our feet wet with what I thought was a small and easy trail adjacent to the visitor's center. I didn't have a map, and we got off course of that easy trail and onto a rocky and hilly trail, in dense woods. Neil liked it. He curiously wonders if snakes are in the tall grass, as we warned him there were a few weeks ago at Fort Griffin. He notices the rocks (and boulders), and the fire ant "mountains," and the various bugs. Olivia, on the other hand, thought the trail was "dangerous." She refused to enjoy anything she normally would, such as seeing a butterfly. As if her mood wasn't plain enough, I asked her, "Is hiking awesome?" She replied, "No, hiking is not awesome." I don't know if she just didn't want to be hiking, or if she was actually nervous about the difficulty of the trail, the dense woods (which can make a person feel lost and disoriented), the tall grass, etc. We eventually came to one of the park's roads and just decided to try to find our way back to the visitor's center to get a map of the trails, rather than continue hiking further away from it. Once back there, I noticed a trail that we had seen a little of last year, with the kids (and they enjoyed it). I remembered this trail, that it has wide, flat and soft dirt paths, bison and prairie dogs are in view, has an open view of the land, and it is a popular trial. I thought if we had a chance to enjoy hiking, this would be the trail. So we drove to it, and parked. The kids did like it (even Olivia), and we went much further down the trail than last year. Maybe a little too far, since we each had to carry one of the kids for part of the way back. Sometimes, we all enjoy the same things about hiking (or going to the zoo, or botanic gardens), such as seeing a bison, or flower, or bug. Sometimes we don't see it the same way that the kids do. For the first ten minutes on the trail, all the kids wanted to do was play in the dirt and pretend their toy snakes were eating the dirt. At that time,they were enjoying the trail as much as we, just for different reasons. Eventually, I had enough, and thought I wasn't going to stand around while they played in the dirt. I had to think of a diversion. I said, "Why don't we go find some berries for the snakes to eat?" (Just one day earlier, we had found some wild berries growing at the botanic gardens, which they were intrigued about.) It worked they were ready to explore the trail and find berries. We never found them, but we were just there for the pursuit, anyway.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Christmas shopping with Olivia

Today I took Olivia Christmas shopping, just the two of us. We did the same last year, and it occurred to me that it would be a good tradition. I asked her if she wanted to get Mrs. D. something for Christmas. She said yes. I asked her what she wanted to get. She said that she wanted to get a bracelet and a necklace. This was all I needed to hear, so we soon left to go shopping. Darcy also needed me out of the house for a few hours, since apparently she preparing something for me for Christmas that takes some time and assembly. So, Olivia and I left, and just like this occasion in the previous year Darcy tried to recreate the picture of Olivia and I standing by the blue car. It also came out at some point that she was in the mood for ice cream, so we made Brahms our first stop. It was definitely warm enough for eating ice cream today. Olivia knew she wanted strawberry ice cream, but I still had to hold her up in order to she what was behind the counter. We eventually make it to Chico's, which is a place that Darcy suggested Olivia would have good luck picking something out. On the way there Olivia found an etch-a-sketch and started focusing on that. What follows is a digression: Neil is two and three-fourths right now. He loves to learn about shapes. He loves to look at shapes. I like to draw two- and three-dimensional shapes for Neil. He loves demonstrate what he knows when I ask him, "Is there a triangle in the room?" "Is there a sphere in the room?" I just assumed that Olivia wasn't interested in this, so I didn't bother with it. I had no reason for that; I just had a stereotype. Olivia is artistic, creative and emotional, so I believed. But she has edged in on Neil's and my shape games, and has picked up on it as well as Neil has. Okay, digression over. While in the car, Olivia drew a cylinder on the etch-a-sketch, and I was very impressed with it. When we arrived at the University Mall, Olivia wouldn't leave the etch-a-sketch in the car. I thought this could be a problem, but what could I do? I was right. We got to Chico's and Olivia wasn't interested in picking something out for Darcy. Vanity and pride had struck me earlier. I thought about how good I would look to bystanders in the store: "What a great father and cute little girl picking something out for mom." Everyone else there would be doing run-of-the-mill Christmas shopping, and we were really going to standing out and lead people to give pause. But Olivia was not interested in playing along with that. I tried to force it, and took her over to a jewelry table. "Don't you want to pick out something for Mrs. D.?" She just grabbed the nearest object, the low hanging fruit. "Come on!" I thought to myself. So I took here to the next table to she if she would act any different. She looked away from the etch-a-sketch to do more of the same. So I picked something. We walked to the check-out. I thought she might want to hold what we picked out. We had earlier gone to QT for a drink for me and gummy bears for her. She was enthusiastic to hold the gummy bears and credit card then, but not anymore. Still though, while in like she was happy to tell the attendant how she was buying this for mommy, and that I was daddy, and I play monster and dinosaur, and about our dogs. Another lady behind us was charmed by her, but I think she may have regretted it. It was funny how much Olivia had to say to her, some of it quite random. We actually had been to University Mall the day before, as a family. For some of the time, I had to watch Neil and Olivia. It was I warm day, and we waited in the courtyard. Both of the were obsessed with all of the acorns. They wanted nothing else but to pick up acorns and put them in my pocket. My pockets were getting full and I realized this was not sustainable. So I would secretly toss some in the air, and I gave the suggestion that they fell from the trees. This way, my pockets did not fill up. Olivia and I continued this game when just two two of us came back. The whole day was a good experience, and I think I'll be nostalgic of it. Now, on to another topic. I am nostalgic of so much in the past. Not all of it good. Some of it very ordinary. Some of it very exciting. I like to revisit old places. I have wondered why I am so nostalgic, and why the recollection of an experience is vastly better than the original experience itself. I began to think that the experience of being nostalgic is like that of dreaming. Many of my dreams are very ordinary, but much more pleasant than the experience would be in waking life. I think the secret may be the great amount of tension I am perpetually feeling. Tension about the world, injustices everywhere, lousy people everywhere. Tension about not accomplishing enough, about learning enough, knowing enough, doing enough. Existential worries. It's constant. But it's absent in dreams. For some reason it's absent in nostalgic recollection. Maybe because recollection is not reality. In any case, it's then I get to experience something from the past without all the tension and worry, and it's much better than it was the first time around.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

I have a patch of weeds growing in my yard. Actually, there are weeds all over my yard, since I don't see a problem with them. They look fine when mowed, and the lawn is mostly made of a uniform looking grass anyway. My point is there is a section of the yard full of weeds that I haven't mowed in several months. The reason? Ladybugs love this particular weed that grows there. It's a spiny, sticky weed with aphids on it. Maybe the Ladybugs go where the aphids are? Anyway, Neil loves to look for Ladybugs, and we can always find them on the weeds in this un-mowed part of the yard. We have a good time looking for and catching Ladybugs. I have met people panic at the first sign of a weed, or take measures to keep weeds away. To me, that's silly.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

New Garden

I'm glad to say that I have a garden. Now that's its built, I wouldn't change anything about its construction or location. It is a great undertaking of manual labor, money, time, and planning to do this, and so I am happy it got done so soon. (We have only lived here since July.) So far, I have 8 tomatoes, 1 eggplant, and a few summer squash seeds planted.

The mental work of decided how and where to build a garden from scratch is very difficult and stressful for me (And this is before the manual labor even begins.) Originally, I was going to have the vegetable garden in the flowerbed on the south side of the house. I made that decision from caving to laziness. The beds already there, even if it's not perfect. It'll work, I thought. But I decided against that once I found that the foundation had been treated for termites a few years ago. So, I decided to use the yard on the south side of the house. Raised beds seemed like the only way to go. The next issue was to decide on wood, masonry, or what else?

I decided to build a wood-frame raised bed, initially out of cedar. I even went to Home Depot expecting to buy cedar. The reason for the cedar was because I wanted to build a more sturdy version of one of the cheaper kits I saw online. (Cedar kits are ubiquitous in garden magazines and catalogs. I almost bought two cedar kits for $80 each for this project. That kit was the cheapest I could find, and I eventually decided it was too cheap and I lost confidence in it.) At Home Depot, an employee in the lumber department suggested that cedar isn't automatically a good wood for the project. The hardiness of the wood depends on from what part of the tree it is cut, and he had no idea about the cedar that happened to be in the store. It's no surprise that everything labeled "cedar" is not the same. The use of cedar for raised beds was a fad, he suggested. My father was there and he found this easy to agree with. Additionally, cedar lumber is very expensive, but untreated pine is not.

It worked out that I can build 4 feet by 8 feet (8 inch tall) bed from yellow pine boards that are nominally 2 inches thick for $25 - $30. From talking to employee at Home Depot, and from reading on the Internet, I expect to get 3 to 5 years out of such a bed. After all, the only function of the frame is to hold the soil in place. The wood will gradually rot and be incorporated into the soil. Then, I'll rebuild it again, perhaps the same way all over again. So I bought enough southern yellow pine for two 4 feet by 8 feet beds with a frame that is about 8 inches tall. The wood was untreated, just cut from the tree and dried. I bought untreated wood, even though the pressure treated wood is officially allowed for food gardens (many gardeners don't trust this, however). The older type of pressure treated wood contained arsenic, and was used for many years before being recently banned. I certainly don't know what's safe, so I err on the side of caution.

The assembly of the bed was simple, and it looks square, level and even. I was very careful measuring and cutting, and I took my time. I was worried it wouldn't look good in the yard, but it looks fine. The hard part was removing the Bermuda grass and weeds, which I did with a pickaxe. It was also very hard to haul the 21 cubic feet of compost and amendments to fill the bed. I bought about $90 of that sort of stuff from Archie's. I bought an assortment of cotton burr compost, cow manure compost, greensand and "landscaper mix" which I think I was misinformed about (it seems like a fancy mulch, not a soil amendment). I have never gone to these lengths before. I had another garden at our old house, but I filled it with homemade compost, most of which was not totally finished composting. The new bed is filled to the top. It was hard work. I plan to repeat this procedure in a week or so for the second bed.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Delusions of Grandeur

Tomorrow is the first day of a new semester. Earlier I was imagining myself conducting my class with dignity, significance, and respect, which is probably making it all out to be much more important than it is. This easily led me into a daydream of a man confined to a mental hospital having delusions that he is a king or a knight. The truth is, in some ways, I wouldn't mind being that man.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

A few years ago I came across another teacher at the college I teach at who claimed to know something about numerology. He was in his mid eighties and had been studying it for 30 or 40 years. I have always had a broad interest in all things natural and supernatural, and I knew that numerology (whatever it was) fit into one category or the other. So, instead of just explaining it to me, he just gave me a reading. I don't remember all of the information he gathered from me, but my birth date was one item on the list. (I still have the paper he wrote for me somewhere.) It did not take him long and I was caught off guard by how much he knew about me as a result of the reading (I suppose). Right away he told me that I love to learn, that I'm a lifelong student, that I'm not happy unless I'm learning, and that this is a burden on me. This is all true, and he seemed to know about my personal struggle of always needing to learn, and constantly seeking (but rarely finding) fulfillment through learning. In my experience, this is not a common struggle. Even among my colleagues (at a college), there are none I know of who seem to have broad academic interests. Even if I am typical, and he made a good guess, it was even more surprising that he knew that it was a source of psychological pain for me.

In any case, he knew me as well as I knew myself, and seemed to be able to do it with numerology alone. But he made one more prediction: he said that in my late thirties (roughly, I can't remember) that the burden and psychological pain that my desire to learn causes me will abate. Time will tell.


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African Leaders Meet to Plan Actions for Sustainable Growth

26 March 2012: The Fifth Joint Meeting of the African Union (AU) Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development met to address a broad range of issues related to development under the theme "Unleashing Africa's Potential as a Pole of Global Growth."

During the meeting, which took place from 22-27 March 2012, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, leaders considered, inter alia: the promotion of science, technology and innovation for development in Africa; regional integration; progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa; the development of a post-2015 MDGs agenda; financing a programme for infrastructure development; the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP); the impact of the European debt crisis; and a review of the Durban Climate Change Conference.

Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development  (IFAD) stressed the importance of investment in agriculture to achieve the MGDs, noting mixed progress to date in achieving the goals. He stressed that investments in agriculture are more effective than investments in any other sector as a means to lift people out of poverty. He underscored IFAD's experience of promoting agriculture as a business and the challenge of building the capacity of smallholders to run viable rural businesses. Nwanze also noted the impacts of climate change on African landscapes and the need to build the capacity of African smallholders to adapt to severe weather and changing climatic trends. IFAD presented a vision that ensures smallholder farmers are at the center of any plan for post-2015 development activities.

On climate change, Ministers also carried out a review of agreements and outstanding issues emerging from the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which took place in Durban, South Africa, at the end of 2011. Participants discussed Africa's position going into Durban, as well as key COP 17 outcomes, including the adoption of the Durban Platform; agreement on a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol; the Green Climate Fund, developed countries' mitigation commitments and nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs), REDD+, and the Adaptation Committee. [IFAD Press Release] [UN Press Release]  [Fifth Join Meeting of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development]