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- Home
- Used Cars
- Used Mazda
- 2007 Mazda CX-9
- Performance
Note: This performance review was created when the 2007 Mazda CX-9 was new.
In test drives, the 2007 Mazda CX-9 shows a spirited driving experience and adequate power, even if the ride is a little stiff. "The all-new CX-9 really does carry on the 'zoom-zoom' nature of Mazda's product offerings with pleasant steering, chassis and brake feel that work in harmony with one another," says Road and Track.
Under the hood, the 2007 Mazda CX-7 boasts a 263-horsepower 3.5-liter DOHC V6 engine -- the largest ever in a Mazda. While most reviewers find it adequate, most wish they had a little more power for passing or hauling a full load. Consumer Guide says the V6 is "adequate from a stop, but engine lacks sufficient reserves for highway passing, especially with more than two passengers aboard." The engine in two-wheel drive is rated for 16 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway -- "less than the Outlook, Pilot, Highlander or Hyundai Santa Fe," according to the Detroit Free Press, which also adds that the CX-9's fuel economy "trails the competition." Fortunately, the engine runs on 87-octane regular-grade fuel.
While some reviewers criticize the lack of power, others applaud the engine, with Motor Trend calling it "a sweet mill with creamy torque in just about any direction the tach points." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes that the CX-9 can reach 60 mph in about 8 seconds -- "respectable for a vehicle this size." Likewise, Autobytel says "the Mazda CX-9 is capable of scooting from here to there with relative ease. The 3.5-liter V6 delivers smooth power and remains composed even at higher revs."
The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that reviewers love. The Detroit News praises "The six-speed glides through the gears quickly even under hard acceleration. The engine never sounds stressed or overtaxed." Cars.com similarly says "Smooth is the defining word for this powertrain; the V6 revs freely and the automatic changes gears without a hint of harshness." The Kansas City Star simply calls the transmission "flawless." The transmission also has a sport-shift mode for more invigorated driving.
Some reviewers feel that the 2007 Mazda CX-9 is light on its feet even despite its 4,284-pound curb weight. "It's like the Jackie Gleason of crossover vehicles. Despite his girth, our favorite Honeymooner could skip the light fandango like nobody's business. And even with seven seats and a length of almost 200 inches, the CX-9 doesn't feel objectionably large or heavy on the road," says Edmunds. Reviewers also find the CX-9 fun to drive, though they point out it's not tuned for sporty performance. AutoWeek, who reviewed the Grand Touring trim, comments "let's be clear that the CX-9 is no sports car, but a crossover with some sporty traits peppered in."
The CX-9 rests on a car platform -- the same suspension used in the Mazda6 sedan -- and is capable of carrying enough weight to keep the large SUV steady through turns. Motor Trend is pleased with the front MacPherson strut suspension and E-Type multilink rear suspension, noting "Over a wide variety of road surfaces, the CX-9 was supple and quiet. And it cornered much flatter than an equivalent minivan might, with a nice build-up of forces at the steering wheel." Road and Track also has praise, commenting that the CX-9 "even feels a little sporting, riding on a suspension that feels satisfyingly firm with zero float. It turns in nicely and remains flat when cornering (admittedly in 'normal' driving -- we generally don't go nuts in this type of vehicle)." But the Detroit Free Press feels that even the pricey Grand Touring model "left much to be desired, with nervous steering and a suspension that's in limbo between soft and sporty."
Urban driving is a slightly different story, with the Washington Post griping "weight is noticeable in low-speed city traffic, where the CX-9 feels a bit cumbersome." Cars.com similarly observes "It's only when you throw it into a tight turn that you start to feel its true size as moderate body roll develops. It's stable on the highway, and overall offers a very car-like driving experience, albeit one from a higher vantage point."
However, the Detroit News points out "All the gadgets in the world don't prevent a big vehicle from behaving like a big vehicle. While the suspension system [smoothes] out the ride, especially on highways, it still feels heavy in tight turns, with lots of body roll. As a crossover, it still handles more like an SUV than a car." Other reviewers point to another drawback -- a stiff ride for passengers. "The price for the responsive handling, however, is a relatively stiff ride on anything but a smooth surface," explains New Car Test Drive. "The passengers will just have to suffer quietly while Mom or Dad has fun at the wheel."
To keep the ride steady, the CX-9 comes with Traction Control and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), but some feel the system detract from the driving experience. Autobytel complains the traction control "is an intrusive mess. It literally locked up one of the front tires coming out of a turn, and more than once activated after we'd exited a corner and started down a straight path." The reviewer feels similarly about the stability control, calling it "a total buzz kill. There's obviously a need for that technology, and chances are anyone caught in a gnarly situation would sing its praises. However, stability control systems should do their work behind the scenes, and not be overbearing to the point of leaving the driver dead in the water."
Reviewers have slightly mixed reactions to the CX-9's power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering with engine-speed-sensing variable assist. Of the Grand Touring trim, AutoWeek says it's "on the light side...but is responsive for this type of vehicle." New Car Test Drive dislikes the CX-9's torque steer, noting it as an "annoying downside" for the front-wheel-drive model: "Triggered by pushing hard on the gas pedal this is a tugging at the front wheels as they scramble for traction. This requires the driver to make minor steering corrections to keep the CX-9 going straight."
Consumer Guide likes the "tidy turning radius [which] makes CX-9 easy to maneuver in tight spots." However, the Detroit Free Press found "steering required too much effort in parking lots but felt light at highway speeds. It also had a pronounced inclination to groove-steer, with the tires following every irregularity in the road surface." The Detroit News finds steering "crisp and sensitive. It made the CX-9 feel more agile than its weight, in part, because it is designed to adjust to the vehicle's engine speed."
Nearly ever reviewer praises the CX-9's power-assisted ventilated front and rear disc brakes with standard anti-lock braking and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD). The Detroit Free Press says "brakes provided plenty of stopping power and the pedals gave good feedback." Edmunds notes "the four-wheel discs stopped the 4,284-pound car from 60 mph in 136 feet, a stunning 20 feet shorter than our long-term 4,195-pound Ford Edge. Apparently Mazda uses a more aggressive brake-pad material than the dull Edge and it pays off."
The 2007 Mazda CX-9 comes standard in front-wheel drive, but an active torque-split all-wheel drive system is available. The system lacks low-range gearing, which means it's not for off-roading, but provides "a nice option for those who worry about snowy travel in hilly areas," says New Car Test Drive.
The AWD is automatic and requires no input from the driver. Under hard acceleration or a slippery situation, the system sends as much as 50 percent of the power from the front wheels to the rear wheels. The Kansas City Star is impressed with the system's invisibility, noting the "optional all-wheel-drive system goes about its business without a hint that it's providing traction to all four wheels."
One complaint from a few reviewers involves the poor steering in all-wheel-drive CX-9 models. New Car Test Drive explains "The all-wheel-drive model had a feel that could be called rubbery, that weakened the connection between the vehicle and the driver. The steering on the front-wheel-drive model was much better."
When properly equipped with the optional Towing Package, the CX-9 can tow up to 3,500 pounds. Available on the Touring and Grand Touring trims, the package includes a heavy-duty transmission cooler and fan, a wiring harness and a receiver. But NewCars.com notes the CX-9 is not optimal for its towing abilities, commenting "The average midsize SUV outpulls the Mazda CX-9 by a massive margin."
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We love using beautiful tumbled glass in different pieces of our jewelry artwork. We call it "faux sea glass" and it looks gorgeous used with our favorite metal, copper. Have you ever explored the beauty and possibilities that can be found in little scraps of tumbled glass? The artistic wonders can be endless and if you have a stain glass shop near you then get on over there and see what they offer.
There is just such a shop about a forty-five minute drive from us. And this shop is to die for as far as stain glass shops go! It is very large with large windows that really let the light shine in. There is always so much to see, so many colors everywhere and an endless selection of gorgeous glass panels all lined up and organized by color.
Whenever our son, who is a stain glass artist makes a trip to this glass shop, I am sure to tag along. They offer bits of colored glass that are left over from various projects and classes. The medley of glass is cycled through the tumbler and the edges are soften and rounded and become inspiration for wonderful projects.
The first thing I do when I walk through the door is to head straight for the stoneware bowl to search through the collection of kaleidoscopic pieces. I practically pick every one up to check out the shapes, colors, hues and patterns.
They sell these tumbled glass by the pound and I picked up quite a collection. Just look at some of the pieces I came home with! Blues, (I love the Blues), greens, yellows, red and different variations in between.
This is my artistic shot, showing off a little of our Maiden Hair fern.
Some of the variegated patterns are down right stunning and serendipitous!
Love these.
I snatched up every rose-colored piece of tumbled glass.
I can't wait to see what Ted will make with these bits of tumbled glass.
Thanks for stopping by, we'll see you soon at the Gaelic Forge!

subset: commoncrawl


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Rice flour, Potato starch Tapioca flour, Sugar, Baking powder, Sodium bicarbonate, Flax meal, Blueberry fragments, Natural Flavors.
Cooking Instructions:
- 1 ¼ cups of mix, 1 egg, 3tbsp oil and ¾ cup of milk desired.
- Blend all ingredients and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Batter was spooned onto hot griddle for portions and cooked for 1 minute each side until golden brown in color.
Nutrition Information:


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|Clockwise from top left: bainhan ka bharta on the left, haraa masala chicken in the centre; Maunika preparing the bengali bhapa doi; the bengali bhapa doi; candles to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
My experiences of Indian cuisine haven't been anything mind-blowing, nor anything remotely approaching authentic. While I do enjoy a nice Tandoori chicken in our local curry house in Yorkshire, and while I did have a great experience at Anokaa in Salisbury when I was there for a weekend (including a wonderful duck and apricot curry and a delicious scallop starter), I'm pretty sure I have never sampled anything that a real Indian would recognise.
Enter Maunika Gowardhan (of the well-known blog Cook in a Curry) and her delicious home cooking. She is influenced by recipes passed down through her family, and cooks dishes from all over India (a country whose diverse cuisines I'm sure it's almost sacrilegious to lump together under the label "Indian"), putting her own unique spin on such recipes. I was told she had been frenetically cooking all day in order to bring her menu to us, and this soon became clear when I saw said menu: nine separate dishes, not including the raita and chapatis, all totally different, all equally enticing. Tilda's rice was at the heart of two of the recipes, to demonstrate its versatility in different kinds of cooking.
Over dinner I was told about what makes Tilda so special: not only is it 100% basmati rice (other brands often label themselves basmati but actually contain a small percentage of other grains), it undergoes a stringent quality control process to ensure there are no broken grains. Broken grains apparently interfere with the cooking process, releasing undesirable starch and resulting in overly sticky and stodgy rice. They use a special machine to filter them out. Who'd have thought so much effort could go into something as simple as a pack of rice? I was also informed that Tilda produce 17 different flavours of their microwaveable rice sachets, including butternut squash; sweet chilli and lime; lemon; coconut, and lime and coriander. I had absolutely no idea and am now really keen to sample them all, particularly coconut. I tend to cook my rice from scratch, but sometimes I reckon it'd be nice to have a microwaveable pack to hand, especially in such enticing flavours.
Back to the menu. First (to accompany an intensely alcoholic orange and cardamom martini that I only permitted myself half of in order to avoid being too catatonic to eat), we had deep fried sundried tomato and mozzarella rice balls. These were like the fantastic Sicilian arancini that are just starting to become popular over here - cooked rice wrapped around a filling (usually meat or cheese) in little balls then coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried. Tilda's microwaveable sachets of basmati rice include a sundried tomato flavour, ideal for recipes with an Italian twist like this one. However, Maunika added her own Indian twist by serving them with a delicious fresh mint dipping sauce. The combination of crunchy breadcrumbs, soft rice and a gooey piece of mozzarella in the centre was utterly amazing. I could have happily eaten a plateful of those for dinner and nothing else.
Next we had paneer haraa tikka, squares of Indian cheese (rather like halloumi in texture, but less salty) marinated in green herbs, garlic and chillies then grilled. The real star of this dish, though, was a wonderful pineapple and black pepper chutney. It was bursting with zesty, pineapple flavour, but intesely sweet yet sharp at the same time. Maunika had apparently made it at home over a month ago. Again, I could have eaten just that, by the spoonful. It worked really well with the creamy cheese. This is now high on my 'to make' list. I rarely cook with pineapple but I keep meaning to experiment more; it has a wonderful caramelly depth of flavour when cooked.
Next we were invited to help ourselves to an absolute banquet of delights. First, haraa masala chicken, a green stew of chicken meat, caramelised onions, fresh mint and coriander. The chicken was really tender and flavoursome, with a lovely freshness from the sauce - quite unlike your usual flourescent yellow takeaway curries with their glutinous, oily sauces. There was also lamb yakhni pulao, a sort of pilaff of Tilda basmati rice, garlic and ground spices, cooked in lamb stock and butter and containing succulent chunks of lamb (Maunika had actually made the lamb stock herself from lamb bones earlier, which strikes me as incredible attention to detail, and may have been the reason the dish was so delicious). This was really lovely, with warm spicy notes and a real depth of flavour in the rice from the stock.
There was also a Keralan fish curry (see below), which I think was the favourite dish of the evening. Maunika pan-fried fillets of sea bass and served them in a pale yellow coconut curry flavoured with fresh curry leaves, ginger and lemon juice. The sauce was just incredible; it had a really pronounced coconutty flavour, with a slight sweetness that accompanied the delicate seabass really well, but with an underlying herbal note that prevented it being overwhelmingly sweet and creamy.
We also had bainhan ka bharta, a dish of charred aubergines cooked in spices and fresh ginger. This definitely had a kick to it, but you could still detect the unmistakeable deep flavour of roasted aubergine. It was wonderful accompanied with Maunika's roasted cumin and pomegranate raita, which took the edge off the spices a little.
After seconds of such wonderful fare, I was seriously doubting my capacity for dessert. However, I only got to sample one of the two desserts because I had to dash off to catch the last train home from London (damn you, First Capital Connect, for depriving me of sweet sustenance). I missed out on coconut, ginger and basmati rice pancakes; ginger rice pancakes fried in butter and topped with grilled pineapple and maple syrup. You only have to read that sentence to feel my pain at not being able to taste such an incredible-sounding combination of ingredients. Genuinely gutted.
However, I did at least get to sample bengali bhapa doi, which was a taste sensation and surprised me rather a lot. It's like a panna cotta, except made of chilled strained yoghurt that has thickened and gone rather crumbly, a bit like a baked ricotta cheesecake. This was flavoured with cardamom, and served with a truly wonderful mango coulis. Seeing as I hate yoghurt, I was amazed to find myself eating not only mine but one of the other guests' too (imagine how that sentence would read if I had forgotten the apostrophe). It didn't taste like yoghurt; it still had a pleasant tang, but it lacked the astringent sourness that I hate about yoghurt, as well as the creamy texture. This was more solid and crumbly, and it went really well with the vibrant, nectar-like coulis.
I was astounded by how completely different all of Maunika's dishes were to anything I've ever seen on a curry house menu. The evening fully confirmed my suspicions that there is more to Indian food than Tandoori chicken and naan bread. I was also impressed by how light the dishes were; I'd been expecting to waddle home nursing a small baby of coconut cream, dough and rice in my stomach. As it is, I did pretty much waddle home and I was very full, but not in an unpleasant way, and I had eaten rather a lot. Everything tasted fresh rather than overpowering; there were no greasy, cloying sauces or mounds of heavy rice; just bright, vibrant flavours.
I had a really lovely evening, and not just because of the food. It was so nice to meet lots of other food bloggers, many of whom were highly knowledgeable about Asian food and definitely taught me a few things over dinner. Many thanks to Tilda and Wild Card for inviting me, to Luiz for allowing everyone to invade his (beautiful, Aga-sporting and envy-inducing) kitchen, and to Maunika for some truly fabulous food.
If you'd like to try the delicious lamb yakhni pulao recipe, scroll down...
Yakhni Lamb Pulao:
For the stock and meat:
600g shoulder of lamb on the bone cut in medium sized pieces
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
5 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 cloves
Enough water to cover all the meat (about a litre)
For the pulao:
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
1 inch cinnamon stick broken in half
5 green cardamom pods
2 medium onions thinly sliced
1 heaped tbsp ginger paste
2 heaped tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp nutmeg powder
350g Tilda Pure Basmati Rice
600ml lamb stock
Salt to taste
Tie up the onion and all the whole spices in muslin securing with a string. Cook it with the meat and water in a stock pot over a hob: bring to the boil and simmer for an hour and 15 minutes. The stock, along with the meat and spices, can be left in the pot overnight which will enhance the flavours.
The following day discard the muslin with its contents, separate the meat from the stock and set aside.
Prepare the rice by soaking for at least 30 minutes and rinsing in a sieve until the water runs clear.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamom pods. Fry them for a minute as they sizzle and release their flavours in the oil. Add the sliced onions. Fry the onions on a medium heat till they soften and are a light golden brown.
Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook through for a couple of minutes. Now add the nutmeg powder stirring well for a few seconds making sure the powder does not burn.
Mix in the cooked lamb and the rice. Season with salt and stir, add the stock and mix well. Cover and cook on a low heat for about 20 minutes or so, until the rice is completely cooked. Turn the heat off and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve warm with mint raita.


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Microdermabrasion helps diminish fine wrinkles, sun damage, and acne scars, through a process called Particle Skin Resurfacing, which involves a highly controlled spray of fine salicylic acid crystals, applied under vacuum pressure to the skin by one of our skin care consultant treatment takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Treatments increase circulation, renew and soften skin, creating a discernibly smoother texture and tone.
At The Skin Clinic, we use the Megapeel by DermaMed (physician only dermabrators)
Microdermabrasion improves the appearance of:
- Scarring
- Fine lines
- Wrinkles
- Acne Scars
- Pigmentation problems
- Uneven skin tones
- Dull, lifeless skin
- Sun-damaged skin


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Art in the Park
Get "art"side and enjoy yourself at Art in the Park, one of Columbia's favorite festivals happening at Stephens Lake Park. Organized by the Columbia Art League, the festival will feature more than 100 artists, both local and out of state, with an amazing array of art for sale. There will also be music, entertainment, a children's creative area and more. Free; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.


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October is when we notice a consistency with cold entering into the atmosphere on the East Coast and nature is inviting us back indoors. By following some simple recommendations we can increase immunity and support our health.
1. Wearing shorts and long sleeves is contraindicated. Though, some Pitta types can get away with it a little longer. What is important to understand here is that the cold breeze enters the body from several points in the extremities and especially at the base of the skull. Therefore, it's important to keep these areas covered. Chinese calls this "Wind in the system." Ayurveda calls this Vata entering the nervous system which can wreak havoc.
2. Avoiding cold liquids and especially ice. (Not that ice is good for us any time of year.) Cold causes dryness of the throat and increases the chance of sickness by it decreasing natural mucus in the throat.
3. Avoiding cold foods. Same as above but more importantly because it takes warm food to stabilize and strengthen the digestive fire. Cold food would only put out the fire and increase toxins which therefore increases the chance of illness.
4. Eating soups, stews and enjoying teas helps to keep the body warm, nourished and lubricated from the inside out.
5. Keeping the sinus passages lubricated (see last months post on Nasya Therapy), as well as the rest of the body is another key to maintaining vitality.


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And I should know
The life of the depressive is of course ragged and savage; the life of the artist at best is pitiable, at worst, maddening, but nothing is so truly horrific as the life of the depressed artist. He cannot take inspiration from without, for all his colleagues are competitors who have long finished the race and every piece of art nothing but a mocking laugh that he has yet to leave the blocks; his life an unending horror that he must run from and would never dare to imitate in craft; yet neither can he take inspiration from within, for he despises all that he is and all that he says and to close his eyes is to see nothing but undefeatable monsters and inescapable prisons. Yet he remains resolutely an artist; he must create or he is blind, deaf and dumb and he has the same inscrutable, unending screechings of the muses that beset the mind that cannot see without commanding sights. He is forced then to choose between creation without meaning, or meaning without creation; a bland surrender or a excruciating paralysis. He holds the pen or brush until his fingers bleed, feels the roar of the blood, the call of the blank page, and of course, staggers through all the fear, doubt and angst of execution, display and analysis, but without ever finding production. He goes to all the rehearsals but dies of stagefright at every curtain call. Like a mother of a stillborn, he suffers every inch the same agonies, but never has anything to show for it. Should he ever manage to break free and produce something, it must be by accident, not design, so it means nothing to him; thence a mother who does not even know her own children, they are as strange and separate to her as wild beasts.


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Looking forward to Friday!
Wednesday brought the United Way fundraiser my department participates in. I was happy I could get down there right away for Sarin's fantastic egg rolls. This year she made 80, and they sold out in less than 20 minutes. Also happy they had more vegetarian options for the 'Crocktoberfest' crock pot/chili choices, so I tried out some vegetarian chili this year.
A treat walking home from the bus stop on Wednesday as well--saw three male migrating bluebirds right around my mailbox!
It feels like it's been taking me forever, so I'm glad I'm finally down to the last stages in remaking t'DoL's clothes in Poser. So much waiting on getting through that finish line.
Happy to get plane tickets today for visiting my family over Christmas. I suppose it will be December before I know it... ;)
On October 15th, 2010 11:10 am (UTC), shout_of_joy replied:
I got two of them, since they were selling 2 for $5. The chili wasn't bad at all--lots of different beans and veggies in there. I picked it because it was marked as mild, while the other non-meat chili was marked moderate. (The mail center supervisor brought in his extremly hot meat chili, and Jodi told me her mouth was still numb an hour later!)
Yes, I'm really looking forward to November, and then the time will be short indeed!
On October 15th, 2010 11:11 am (UTC), shout_of_joy replied:
That's what Amazon/Walmart buy online and ship to giftee is for, oh obnoxious little brother! ;)


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According to Oxfam America, rice farmers could produce 50% more rice using less water than with current techniques.
Rice farmers normally rely on flooding their fields to keep seeds covered in water throughout the growing season. But farmers in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and India have been able to produce as much as 50 percent more rice with less water, and often with less labor, by planting seedlings farther apart, keeping fields moist instead of flooding them, transplanting seedlings to fields earlier and weeding manually.
According to Oxfam, water-intensive rice farming accounts for as much as a third of the world's entire fresh water consumption.


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Topic Page: Aphids
Aphids are remarkable, evolutionarily exquisite creatures, and are among the most successful insects. Aphid evolution has been shaped through nutrient-driven selection and by the host plants on which they feed, and aphids have responded by developing intricate life cycles and complex polymorphisms. These sap-feeding hemipterans have coped with a hostile world through developing an exceptionally high reproductive rate and passive wind-borne dispersal, a strategy in which individuals are quite expendable, but survival and prosperity of their genes are guaranteed. Because of their intriguing evolutionary adaptations, aphids were among our most worthy competitors as humans entered the agricultural era.
Aphids, as the superfamily Aphidoidea, belong to the Hemipteran Sternorrhyncha with Aleyrodoidea (whiteflies), Psylloidea (jumping plant lice), and Coccoidea (scale insects and mealybugs). Aphidoidea has three families: Adelgidae (adelgids), Phylloxeridae (phylloxerids), and Aphididae. Some workers place the Adelgidae and Phylloxeroidea in a separate superfamily, Phylloxeroidea. Adelgids and phylloxerids are primitive "aphids" and older groups, each with about 50 species. They differ from Aphididae by having an ovipositor and reproducing by means of ovipary, whereas Aphididae lack an ovipositor and are parthenogenetically viviparous, bearing live young. Adelgids are restricted to conifers in Pinaceae where some form characteristic galls. Phylloxerids, which may also form galls, occur as the tribe Phylloxerinini on Salicaceae, or as the tribe Phylloxerini on Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae, Ulmaceae, and Vitaceae. An important phylloxerid, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, grape phylloxera, can kill European grapevine cultivars unless they are grafted to resistant rootstocks developed from American grape species. This species devastated the wine industry a century ago.
Aphids (Fig. 1) are diverse and have many specialized morphological structures that vary among groups. The most unique are paired siphunculi (cornicles) that release an alarm pheromone. These vary from being mere pores on the abdominal surface to being very elongate and sometimes elaborate tubes. Aphids also have a cauda, used to manage honeydew, on the abdominal terminus. This may vary from rounded, to knobbed, to long and fingerlike. Some aphids produce waxy cuticular excretions and can resemble other Sternorrhyncha. Aphids probably had a Permian origin, but their oldest fossils are Triassic (230 mya). Modern aphids began diversification with angiosperms in the lower Cretaceous (140 mya). Most fossil aphid groups became extinct during the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary, and most current groups radiated during the Miocene. Aphids originally evolved on woody plants in the Northern Hemisphere, and are functionally replaced by whiteflies and psyllids in the Southern Hemisphere.
The taxonomy of Aphididae is quite difficult and subfamily demarcation has been argued through many classifications. Remaudiere and Remaudiere's 1997 classification, followed here, recognizes about 25 aphid subfamilies, with tribal groupings for about 600 genera and 4700 species of aphids. Many aphid lineages coevolved with, and radiated among, their host plant groups. Often during their phylogenetic history, however, some aphid groups opportunistically switched to radically unrelated host groupings, driven by developmental requirements but tempered by evolutionary constraints.
Many aphid subfamilies are small, but several are larger and important: Chaitophorinae on Salicaceae and Gramineae; the closely related Myzocallidinae, Drepanosiphinae, and Phyllaphidinae, often considered to be one subfamily and usually on dicotyledonous trees, but also Fabaceae and bamboo; Lachninae, mostly on Pinaceae, but also Fagaceae, Rosaceae, and roots of Asteraceae; and Pemphiginae, often on roots and host alternating to dicotyledonous trees forming galls. Other noteworthy subfamilies include Pterocommatinae, on Salicaceae; Greenideinae, on Fagaceae; Mindarinae, on Pinaceae; and the host-alternating Anoeciinae and Hormaphidinae.
The largest and most evolutionarily recent subfamily, Aphidinae, has two large, diverse, and agriculturally important tribes: Macrosiphini and Aphidini. Macrosiphini is diverse in genera; its species usually lack attendance by ants. Aphidini is diverse in species, which are often ant attended, but less diverse in genera. Tribe Aphidini has two important subtribes. Subtribe Rhopalosiphina host alternates between Rosaceae and Gramineae or Cyperaceae. Subtribe Aphidina host alternates mostly among Rosidae and Asteridae and is home to the large and agriculturally important genus Aphis.
The complex life cycles of aphids have caused many specialized morphs to evolve. These have many confusing, synonymous names, but the names are minimized here. Aphid life cycles can be either monoecious or dioecious and involve holocycly or anholocycly.
In the simple and generalized monoecious holocyclic aphid life cycle (Fig. 2A), a single host plant species is used throughout the year and sexual morphs are produced in the fall, usually in response to decreasing day length. The males and oviparae mate, producing genetically recombinant eggs that overwinter on the host plant and often experience high mortality. In the spring, the fundatrix emerges from the egg, matures, and gives parthenogenetic live birth to nymphs that become viviparae and continue in that reproductive mode through the summer. If the aphid group produces plant galls, the fundatrix is responsible for their production.
The viviparae may be apterae (wingless) or alatae (winged), but in some groups all viviparae are alatae. The parthenogenetic reproduction of viviparae allows a very rapid population buildup. At birth, each viviparous nymph has within it the embryos of its daughters and granddaughters, creating a "telescoping" of generations. Apterae, lacking wings and their associated musculature, are optimized for reproduction, and have more offspring per female than do alatae. Alatae invest resources in their flight apparatus and are optimized for dispersal. Alatae, however, begin progeny production earlier in life than do apterae, giving the alatae relatively reduced number of offspring and a better generational turnaround time. Apterae are produced selectively when nutrient production by their hosts is high. Once an aphid population has increased enough to induce crowding and stress its host's nutrient levels, the population usually switches to alatae production. This allows dispersal to better feeding situations and optimizes the genetic survival of the clone. Alate flight is mostly passive in the wind, and after successfully alighting on their proper host, often by chance, alatae feed for a short time before beginning autolysis of their flight musculature. While precluding further flight, the autolysis self-cannibalistically provides nutrients for their offspring. The production of viviparae continues until fall conditions trigger production of the sexuals.
A second, more complicated dioecious life cycle (Fig. 2B) has independently evolved among several different aphid groups that show seasonal alternation between differing hosts. This cycle probably evolved in response to the seasonally inadequate supply of nitrogen-based nutrients, especially amino acids, on the primary host. The phloem sap that aphids feed upon has limited nitrogen availability, which inhibits adequate protein synthesis during aphid development. Woody deciduous plants normally translocate amino acids in quantity only during spring foliation and fall leaf senescence. The latter breaks down leaf protein allowing nitrogen translocation to the roots for overwinter storage and future spring plant growth. Aphid groups evolving on, and restricted to, such plants face a nitrogen deficit during summer, when active plant growth ceases and phloem sap is low or devoid of nitrogen. Such groups (e.g., Periphyllus spp.) may develop an aestivating nymph that halts growth until fall.
Other groups, such as Aphidinae, whose ancestors originated on deciduous woody plants, have evolved to leave those primary hosts during the late spring, after the nitrogen flush of foliation has ceased. In doing so, their spring alatae, as emigrants, migrate to herbaceous secondary hosts that actively grow and translocate nitrogen during summer. In fall, however, as these secondary hosts die back, the aphids return to their woody primary host by producing winged migrating males and gynoparae, the latter giving rise to oviparae. Upon returning, the aphid's sexuals (its males and oviparae) capture the primary host's fall nitrogen flush and mate to lay their overwintering eggs in anticipation of the spring nitrogen flush.
Among most aphid lineages, the primary hosts are often specific as to plant genus. Secondary hosts for lineages, however, may vary from being quite specific as to host species to using a broad number of botanical groups. Most lineages use a particular type of secondary host, such as grasses, roots, other woody plants, or herbs. Some aphids specialize on secondary hosts of a particular environmental ecotype. For example, Rhopalosiphum nymphae, water lily aphid, uses aquatic plants in many plant families. Among aphid lineages, nearly all morphs may be winged or wingless, depending on the aphid group, its adaptation to its host(s), or their alternation.
Some aphid lineages have evolved beyond dioecious holocycly to secondary monoecious holocycly (Fig. 2C), by entirely leaving their primary woody host to remain on their secondary herbaceous host and producing overwintering eggs on it. Another important form of year-round residence on the secondary host occurs in warmer climates, where populations do not require an egg for overwintering survival. Under such conditions, otherwise holocyclic dioecious or monoecious populations may lapse facultatively into anholocycly on their secondary hosts (Fig. 2D). If such populations remain anholocyclic long enough, they may eventually evolve into obligate anholocycly by losing the ability to produce sexual morphs, despite undergoing environmental conditions that normally trigger their production. In the U.S. Midwest, the anholocyclic clones of some aphid species are blown, on seasonal winds, south in the fall to the warmer Gulf States and back north in the spring, effectively allowing a passive "migration" to avoid clonal mortality in the northern winter.
Evolutionary selection has dictated efficiency in aphid behaviors as well as the expendability of individuals. To feed proficiently, aphids insert and ratchet their rostrum-borne stylets between plant cells, seldom penetrating any until reaching the phloem sieve tubes to extract sap. The stylets are lubricated by pectinase-containing saliva that both loosens plant cell bonding and forms a stylet sheath that is left behind when the stylets are withdrawn. To cope with a sap diet, aphid guts have specialized groups of cells, mycetomes, containing rickettsialike symbiotic bacteria, mycetocytes, which aid in synthesis of nutrients. These bacteria are passed between aphid generations and have coevolved with, and differentiated between, aphid phyletic lineages.
Morph-specific behaviors promote genetic survival of the individual and its clones. Alatae initially taking flight are attracted to the short wavelengths that predominate in the sky, which they fly toward to optimize dispersion. During descent their preference changes to the longer light wavelengths reflected by plants, especially the yellow hue of senescent plants that are better nitrogen sources. After alighting, they accept a plant for feeding only after briefly probing their rostral tip below the plant's epidermis to sense the presence of specialized secondary plant compounds that are of no nutritional value, but are specific to their given host. Apterae, in contrast, move only when necessary to procure a better feeding site or avoid predation. Ants may tend some aphid groups in a form of facultative mutualism in which the ants may actively "farm" their aphid "cattle," moving them among locations. In exchange for the aphid's sugary honeydew, the ants protect them from predation and parasitism. When stroked by an ant's antennae, the aptera will raise the tip of its abdomen extruding a honeydew drop, which may be retracted if not accepted by the ant. In the absence of a tending ant, the aphid will revert to its normal flicking of the honeydew drop away with its hind leg or cauda to prevent an accumulation of honeydew from fouling the aphid colony. Generally, aphid groups with elongate siphunculi are less likely to be tended by ants.
Aphids use chemical and sound communication, especially to foil parasites and predators. When molested, aphids exude microdroplets of trans-β-farnesene, an alarm pheromone, from their siphuncular pores. In response, adjacent aphids quickly drop to the ground to escape. Aphid oviparae use sexual pheromones released from specialized pores on their hind tibiae to attract males. Toxoptera spp. emit audible warning stridulatory sounds to which their aggregation responds. The stridulatory mechanism in this genus consists of a row of short pegs on the hind legs that are rubbed against filelike ridges on the lower abdominal epidermis below the siphunculi.
Some aphids use morph-specific behaviors to wound plants, creating galls and leaf necrosis or distortion, thereby manipulating their host to promote nutrition and protection (Fig. 3). Fundatrices of gall-forming species use species-specific patterns of feeding or probing behavior to induce characteristically shaped galls on their specialized hosts. Not only do plant galls provide a protective encasement for aphid development, but aphids of even nongalling species do better on galled tissue, probably because of a local increase in plant nutrients in that tissue. Some non-gall-making species employ phytotoxins to induce leaf distortion or necrosis to similarly promote additional nutrient production by their host.
Aphid social behavior is usually expressed as gregariousness within colonies, probably to confer better protection or response to attack. This is usually seen in apterae and nymphs, but occurs in alatae of some species as clustering with tactile contact (e.g., Drepanosiphum platanoides). Some genera of the tribe Cerataphidini of Hormaphidinae have evolved sociality further to produce defensive soldier morphs with enlarged forelegs. These soldiers discriminate between other soldiers and nonsoldiers but do not attack soldiers of their own species. The investment in soldier production by the colony is related to areas needing defense, such as a gall's nutrient-rich surface.
Aphid damage is among the most serious of agricultural and horticultural problems. A pest aphid species may affect only a very specific crop, a group of related crop hosts (e.g., crucifers), or may be quite polyphagous within and between plant families. Many of the notoriously polyphagous aphid pests represent sibling species complexes that are morphologically identical but differ in karyotype. Generally, such aphid pests comprise anholocyclic clones, or biotypes, that differ in host preferences, the ability to transmit diseases, or resistance to pesticides.
Blackman and Eastop, in Van Emden and Harrington's 2007 book, estimate that although about 450 species occur on crops, only about 100 species pose significant economic problems. They list and discuss in detail 14 aphids as the most serious agricultural pests. Thirteen of these are in the Aphidinae, the largest aphid subfamily, which contains a high proportion of herbaceous plant feeders. Of these, Aphis craccivora, Aphis fabae, Aphis gossypii, and Aphis spiraecola are in tribe Aphidini, subtribe Aphidina; Rhopalosiphum maidis, Rhopalosiphum padi, and Schizaphis graminum are in tribe Aphidini, subtribe Rhopalosiphina; and Acyrthosiphon pisum, Diuraphis noxia, Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (sensu Eastop), Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Myzus persicae, and Sitobion avenae are in tribe Macrosiphini. The fourteenth species, Therioaphis trifolii, is in tribe Myzocallidini of subfamily Myzocallidinae (=Calaphidinae sensu Eastop), a group normally found on trees, but in which Therioaphis has diverged on to herbaceous Fabaceae.
Aphids cause damage and lower agricultural yields in several ways. They can build to high population densities, removing plant nutrients, and may damage plants by removing enough sap to cause withering and death. If not washed off, aphid honeydew excrement can build enough on plants to be a growth medium for sooty molds that impair photosynthesis and promote other fungal diseases. Salivary secretions of some aphids are phytotoxic, causing stunting, leaf deformation, and gall formation, which is of particular concern to horticulture. Even if otherwise asymptomatic, aphid-feeding effects may affect plant hormone balances changing host metabolism to their advantage and essentially hijacking the plant's physiological functions.
The most serious problem posed by aphids is the vectoring of plant viruses. Virus-infected plants often show an aphid-attractive yellowing and have increased free amino acids, so aphids benefit by virus transmission. Stylet-borne viruses, occurring on the aphid's epidermis, are not aphid specific. They are acquired quickly and transmitted during rostral probing of the plant's epidermis. These are nonpersistent viruses whose infectiousness is lost when the aphid molts. Circulative viruses, in contrast, live in the aphid's gut and require an incubation period before successful transmission. They are persistent viruses and an aphid, once infected, remains a vector for life. Circulative viruses have fairly specific virus–aphid–plant linkages and any given virus is transmitted by only one or few aphid species.
Agricultural control of aphids best uses an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy, where species are identified and tactics reflect allowable tolerances on a crop. Cultivation of aphid-resistant crop varieties is important. Aphids may be monitored using yellow water pans or sticky traps in fields. In some agricultural regions, especially seed-growing areas with plant virus sensitivities, aerial suction trap networks are used to detect alatae and forecast population levels. IPM of aphids minimizes effects on nontarget species (i.e., biological control agents, vertebrates). Tactics include cultural control methods (e.g., minimizing ant populations, using ultraviolet-reflecting films to repel alatae, or interplanting pollen and nectar source plants among crop rows to promote natural enemies). Parasitic wasps or predators can be released for biological control. Effective predators include immature lacewings, aphid midges, and ladybird beetles, all of which voraciously consume aphids but are less likely to disseminate when released than adults. The spores of entomopathic fungi can be used. Aphid growth regulators can be applied by spray to prevent maturation. Chemical poisons, ranging from pyrethroids to toxic organophosphates, should be minimized but may be necessary sometimes. These may be applied as contact sprays or dusts, or as systemic insecticides. Poisons not only hamper biological control agents, but their heavy use promotes the insecticidal resistance and secondary resurgence of aphid populations.
In residential settings, nontoxic controls should be emphasized after aphid detection by inspecting congregation sites such as buds, stems, fruits, and leaf undersides. Effective aphid control may simply involve frequently hosing off leaf undersides with water. Safe spray applications involve repellent garlic and water mixtures, or cuticle-disrupting/desiccating insecticidal soaps. Problems from aphid sooty molds under overhanging trees are best controlled by hosing off driveway, patio, and walkway surfaces. Control for aphid galls or leaf distortion can be problematic. Sometimes deciduous trees require the winter application of dormant oil to kill overwintering eggs. Landscape tree species should be carefully selected and placed, considering their aphid pests, because ultimately elimination of the tree may be required to solve the problems.
Ants ▪ Biological Control ▪ Sternorrhyncha
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A Terrorist We Should Have Prosecuted
Andy McCarthy makes a good point over at The Corner about Laith al-Khazali, a member of a Shiite militant group responsible for the deaths of American troops in Iraq. Al-Khazali has been released, allegedly as part of negotiations with terrorists holding British hostages. Senators Sessions and Kyl have questioned this action in a letter to President Obama.
McCarthy lays out the facts on al-Khazali here. Al-Khazali participated in a sophisticated attack on American troops in Karbala. The militants wore American uniforms and took American soldiers hostage. After leaving the site of the attack, the militants executed their prisoners.
Though I have disagreed with McCarthy on other issues, he makes a valid point here.
Al-Khazali is guilty of honest-to-goodness war crimes.
Wearing an enemy's uniform for infiltration is permissible. Wearing an enemy's uniform while shooting at them is perfidy, a prosecutable war crime.
Otto Skorzeny, head Nazi commando, was acquitted of perfidy after World War II. Skorzeny's men had infiltrated American lines during the Battle of the Bulge while wearing American uniforms. They avoided firing at American troops while in our uniforms, though in two instances fired at American troops in self-defense. British commando Forest Frederick Edward Yeo-Thomas testified for the defense, saying that he had infiltrated German lines in a German uniform. W. Hays Parks provides an excellent discussion of special operations soldiers' use of non-standard uniform and the legal boundaries of this issue here. Al-Khazali crossed the line by wearing an American uniform while firing at our soldiers.
Killing enemy soldiers after they are in your custody is also a prosecutable war crime. We prosecuted German soldiers for doing this in the Malmedy Massacre, and have prosecuted our own soldiers for killing prisoners. We have even prosecuted contractors for killing prisoners on the battlefield and during interrogation.
Al-Khazali deserves to be brought to justice. It is a shame we did not provide it.


text: mindfulness for adults (English) Mindfulness Foundation Course A Taste of Mindfulness Mindfulness Intermediate Course 3-Day Mindfulness Advance Course Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 3-Day Mindfulness Course: Mind-Body Healing 5-Day Mindfulness Course: Coming to Your Senses Mindfulness for Enhanced Performance MBSR One-Day Workshop Mindfulness in Pain Management Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for adults (in chinese 中文讲解) 正念基础课程 正念减压课程(MBSR) 正念入门课程 mindfulness resources Guided Meditation Audio Tracks Chinese Guided Meditation Audio Tracks Mindfulness Club Articles mindfulness > For Adults (Eng/中文) > For Youth > For Organisations programs > Saturday Forums@Novena > Saturday Forums@Simei > Yoga > Activity Clubs > Mindful Movement > Excursions > Special Activities events > Special Events download latest program flyers mindfulness brochure join ourmailing list what our participants say "I can now focus and concentrate on things better." "I learnt how to manage my emotions better and feel much calmer and relaxed." make an enquiryMacPherson: 6741 1131 Novena: 6258 0831 Simei: 6786 0800 firstname.lastname@example.com


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MEPs vote to make the ECI easier to use, but leave it toothless
In a plenary vote on 28 October, 527 Members of European Parliament approved the EP Report 2014/2257 on the ECI from Rapporteur György Schöpflin while 103 abstained and 33 voted against it. This unusually strong show of support for ECI reform sends a clear message to the Commission that the ECI Regulation 2011/211 must be revised.
The approved report includes all nine of The ECI Campaign's recommendations to make the ECI easier for campaigners and citizens to use. This includes harmonising and reducing personal data requirements, simplifying the technical rules governing the online signature collection system, allowing the collection of emails, dropping the age of support to 16 and letting campaigns choose their own start date.
Unfortunately, none of our three recommendations to make the ECI more impactful or democratic were included in the approved report. An amendment from MEPs Goerens and Terricabras to allow ECIs that require treaty change was rejected as was an amendment from MEP Terricabras to require the Commission to respond to all successful ECIs with a legislative proposal. Unfortunately, an amendment from MEPs Schöpflin and Kaufmann only requiring the Commission to act on ECIs on which it has issued a favourable opinion was approved. More details on this in the German TV Documentation with English subtitles.
While we are grateful for the strong call to simplify the ECI, we deeply regret that the Parliament has declined at this time to give the ECI the power it needs to become a meaningful tool of participatory democracy.
In coming months, the Council will issue its own report on the ECI. The Commission will then decide whether or not to propose a reform of the ECI Regulation.
Rapporteur MEP György Schöpflin ended a post-plenary press conference by saying "I hope in six months that I'll have good news on the ECI". We do too!


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In January 2015 I had the absolute pleasure of joining Zoe & Carl in Iceland for their beautiful intimate wedding day, with close friends and family. The ceremony took place at Skogafoss Waterfall, and their reception was at Restaurant Reykjavik.
In the depths of winter in Iceland the sun rises late in the day and sets by around 4pm meaning very short daylight hours. It also means getting out of bed in the morning is just that bit harder, although that wasn't even a slight concern for Zoe & Carl's wedding. I was so excited to start the day, and see what was in store for us.
I met the wedding party at the Centerhotel Plaza in central Reykjavik early in the morning for some getting ready shots before heading over to the hairdressers.
Shortly after returning back to the hotel we jumped in a bus and were on the way to Skogafoss Waterfall, almost 100 miles away. The journey flew by though, and everyone enjoyed taking in the beautiful Icelandic landscape.
The ceremony at Skogafoss Waterfall was amazing, despite the cold! Taking wind chill into consideration it felt like it was around -12C. Even in a thick coat I was absolutely freezing, so I dread to think how the wedding party felt.
The waterfall was breathtaking, and made a really wonderful backdrop for Zoe & Carl's wedding. We had a few minutes after the ceremony to take some relaxed posed pictures before jumping back on the bus to thaw out again.
We returned back to Reykjavik just as the sun was going down, and managed to find a little time to explore the local area of the city to take a few more photographs, before going to Restaurant Reykjavik for their wedding reception.
I stayed until just after the first dance, before making my way back to my hotel to collapse after a long but extremely rewarding day.
Thanks so much to Zoe & Carl for giving me the opportunity to capture their beautiful wedding day in Iceland, and their blessing back in the UK in Carlisle.
Here's a small selection of pictures from their day.


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July 21, 2011: The Somali pirates, who now prowl most of the Indian Ocean (west of India) have not only interfered with merchant shipping, but with oceanographic research as well. For example, an international effort to distribute and maintain 3,000 instruments into the world's oceans is now under attack off Somalia. The scientists use these 3,000 buoys and robotic mini-submarines to assist in predicting the weather and gaining a better understanding of the oceans in general. But the scientists can no longer travel into the western Indian Ocean, because of a the risk. The small research ships have already had a few close calls with pirates. So the task of dropping off (and sometimes picking up) these robotic research devices will be carried out by some of the warships operating off Somalia, and points east.
This global use of robotic sensors has been growing more extensive and important, over the last decade. Much of the progress was made possible by the development of highly efficient AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle). The U.S. Navy developed one of these nearly a decade ago for monitoring the underwater "weather". This SeaGlider is a two meter (six foot) long, 52 kg (114 pound) device that looks like a torpedo with wings. It can stay at sea for up to six months (before needing a battery recharge) and glides through the water at up to 20-25 kilometers a day. The AUV is propelled by a system of shifting weights (the battery pack) an air tank that is emptied and filled to adjust depth, and a pair of wings that provide life, as wings do for an aircraft in the air. The SeaGlider moves forward by diving, and comes back up in a forward glide as well, collecting data all the way.
SeaGliders main mission is to measure of the water, and use its built in satellite phone, every four hours or so, to send the information to anyone in the navy that needs it. SeaGlider also uses the satellite phone to get new orders, and has a built in GPS and other navigation sensors to enable it to find its way to areas it has been ordered to monitor. SeaGlider also collects information on currents, and uses that to help it glide from place to place.
SeaGlider was not built to help with weather prediction, but to improve American anti-submarine capability. The composition (temperature, salinity, oxygen content, quantities of biomatter, and so on) of the water in oceans changes slowly. Those characteristics influence the effectiveness of sonars (both active and passive.) If you can monitor the water composition more accurately, your sonars will be more accurate. SeaGlider can be dropped by aircraft or helicopter and spend days, weeks, or months collecting water information (at depths of up to 3,000 feet) before friendly subs show up for action.
At $100,000 each, SeaGlider was a cheap way to keep an eye on large chunks of the ocean. SeaGlider works because its onboard electronics draw very little power, as does its movement mechanism. SeaGlider isnt fast, but it has that most prized UAV/AUV characteristic; persistence. SeaGlider can hang around for a long time, waiting for the enemy to show up. This was a mission submarines were originally designed for. But manned subs were too expensive to put enough of them out there to cover large areas of the ocean. SeaGlider is cheap, efficient, patient and never has to worry about crew morale. What the navy is not discussing is a future version of SeaGlider that wanders around an area looking for hostile submarines as well.
Meanwhile, devices similar to SeaGlider are being used on an even larger scale to monitor a larger number of ocean characteristics. Apparently the Somali pirates have not captured and held for ransom one of these robotic subs, but they may have simply shot some to pieces as it surfaced near them (to transmit data). The scientists will continue to drop off and pick up their stationary and self-propelled sensors near pirate-infested waters. But in pirate territory, only warships will perform what is now a dangerous duty.
External link: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htseamo/articles/20110721.aspx
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5 Trends in Master Bedroom Design
In 2013, an estimated 750,000 new homes will start construction. Despite the housing crash of the past half-decade, people are still willing to pay for custom homes that fit their tastes precisely.
One of the rooms that gets a lot of attention from home builders is the master bedroom, as it serves as a retreat for the owners of the residence. Take a look at these five trends in master bedroom design to keep in mind when you build or upgrade your own:
- More than sleep. Bedrooms are transitioning from rooms with the singular purpose of sleep to places that serve multiple functions. Along with mattresses and dressers, it is now common to see desks and fitness equipment as part of the master bedroom layout. The rising trend of working from home has given way to bedroom offices, and sitting areas for relaxation or simple meditation have also started to show up in designs trends. Individual bedrooms are transforming into suites that are cozy and accommodating.
- Open spaces. In an attempt to make bedrooms more welcoming, features like cathedral ceilings and large, walk-in closets are becoming the standard. The lighting of a bedroom also adds to a feeling of spaciousness, particularly as natural lighting is becoming preferred over artificial. Windows, skylights and mirrors all add to the illusion of more space in a bedroom and are integral design elements that make even king bedroom furniture sets look less disproportional to room size.
- Shades of green. Many designers have declared 2013 to be the year of the color green, specifically in the shade of emerald and jewel tone greens. The rich shades of green are meant to replace the yellow-based shades that have long dominated bedroom spaces. Complementary shades of neutral gray are the best accents in bedrooms that go with deep green choices for paint, wallpaper and bedding.
- Entertainment features. Flatscreentelevisions, surround sound, and even music docking stations are gaining popularity in bedroom design. The idea is that a bedroom should be a place of escape and leisure and the people who live in them should have entertainment options at their disposal. For those who do not like the way electronics look in the bedroom setting, try an entertainment center with doors to conceal the techy-looking items unless they're in use.
- Textures. Wallpaper, upholstered headboards and thick area rugs are just a few of the ways designers are incorporating a spa-like feeling to master bedrooms. Textured materials lend an elegant appeal to master bedrooms and give the room a cozy atmosphere.The trend is a reference to hotel design and how it invokes comfort for visitors.
Building a new home, or renovating an old one, is a lot of work. Take the time to design your master bedroom right to reward yourself once the house is complete. Make your master bedroom a place that you want to spend time outside of sleeping hours by visiting Southern California furniture stores and taking a few tips from the latest trends.
Sanju kmr
Latest posts by Sanju kmr (see all)
- What You Should Consider When Building Your First Home - August 9, 2019
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Free WordPress templates can be a great way to give your blog a breath of new life with just a couple clicks. You don't have to change the information on your site because WordPress is a database driven CMS. You can simply change the template you are using and then your whole site will instantly look different and all your posts, comments and pages will be right there, it's that easy.
If you're using a WordPress blog on your website, you can definitely benefit. WordPress can help you create a great-looking site and it has some great qualities to integrate search engine optimisation, social media, and other interactive elements that can benefit your business. But, if you're using a free WordPress site or a free WordPress template, you could be selling your online business short.
Are Free WordPress Sites Worth Using for Business?
Some sites entice you by offering to host a WordPress blog for you for free. WordPress.com is an example. Instead of having a website URL such as: yoursite.com, your site would read yourWordPressblog.WordPress.com. Not only would you lose out on having 100% editorial control over your website but your search engine marketing efforts would not pay off as much as they would if you had your own domain. Not a good idea for the professional portrayal of a business.
A lot of business owners quickly recognise the benefits of the small cost of investing in your own domain and hosting account. But some still require convincing in the area of website templates. If you're simply using a free template for your business site, you could be selling yourself short.
A unique identity is vital online. You want to stand apart, don't you? Besides looking generic, many free WordPress templates are limited in functionality. And beyond that, the creator of the template typically puts their link on the site. In some cases, website owners don't pay much attention to that reference link in the footer of their site and the result is that they could be sending customers to competitors or could be linking their website to a site that could potentially harm their Google page rank. And when you use free templates, not only can you not always manipulate them the way you need to but also the template creator has no reason to answer your questions. By buying a WordPress template from someone, there is an accountability to you that makes dealing with issues or queries a whole different ball game. You control the site's layout and you choose who to link to!
Control Your Branding and Search Engine Marketing
When you invest in a customised WordPress template that's hosted on your account, you're investing in a site that can be fully controlled by you. You will always have 100% say what happens on the site and you can control the sites your blog links to. Search engines see more value in sites that carefully set up navigation and that carefully link to other relevant websites.
Sure, when you're first starting out it could be tempting to use free resources to get your site up and running. But starting things off right is a wise decision. Fully customised or premium WordPress templates are probably much less than you'd expect them to be. Investing in your own hosting and your own template helps you invest in your online identity. The identity you portray to your customers and potential customers will make a big impact on how they react to your website.
Many people are happy to use the default WordPress templates and there is nothing wrong with that. If you want to have a blog that sticks out from the rest, you should think about giving your WordPress site a new look and feel by choosing a new template or theme. Many times you can find a theme that has the right colors and even images to make your site look more professional or fun, depending on the topic of your blog.
Once you have found the perfect WordPress theme for your site they are really simple to install now that WordPress pretty much does it for you. Just go to your WordPress admin page and choose "add new theme" under the appearance tab on the left side. Now you can simply choose the file you want from your computer and upload it. You will then see a screen where you can preview or activate the WordPress template. Once you click activate, just go back to your home page and now you will see the new look.
Free WordPress templates can be a great way to give your blog a breath of new life with just a couple clicks. You don't have to change the information on your site because WordPress is a database driven CMS. You can simply change the template you are using and then your whole site will instantly look different and all your posts, comments and pages will be right there, it's that easy.
This is just one of the big advantages of using popular CMS (Content Management Systems) like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. For any webmaster who has used MS FrontPage in the past you know how easy using themes can be, but the best thing about using a CMS application is that you don't have to keep uploading files to the internet and synchronizing your "webs" like you used to have to do in FrontPage. You can find, install and activate new themes and plugins right from your administration panel when you login to WordPress. Changing your theme on any website can not only add a new look, but in many cases can add new functionality to your website as well.
Now that WordPress 3.0 is out, many of the new themes are taking advantage of the new "menus" feature and adding in some of their own tricks like twitter plugins and much more. You can go search for specific plugins you like and add them to pretty much any existing WordPress theme, but so many new free WordPress themes are coming standard with their own plugins and features that many times you can get everything you need by adding one new theme. The best thing about these WordPress templates is that there are so many that you can find for free you never have to worry about spending money to find one that will fit the main theme of your website.
You can find many great free WordPress themes on the official WordPress site by clicking on the "extend" menu or you can always search Google and find many websites that are offering their own free WordPress themes. No matter where you find a great theme for WordPress make sure that you do leave the link back to the originators site, it is only fair after all they have put into creating the design template for you to use for free. Many people worry about these links and think that these will effect their seo efforts and in most cases they have absolutely no effect on your page rank or search engine standings. They are a single link and are at the bottom of the page which Google values the least of any link on the page. So don't worry you will be fine!


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The truth about digital tools is that there aren't many that are really free. Most "free" tools have some catch. The best tools give you a liberal amount of usage for free and then you can elect to buy more features. The animation program Plotagon is a good example of this. When a teacher or student joins the site, Plotagon gives to him or her a lot of scenes and characters to use for free. Anyone can use Plotagon for free for a long time. There are no time limits or expiration dates for free use. Go to the Plotagon store to add characters and scenes, and you will see that many are still free. However, some are for sale; this is where Plotagon makes its money. It's a nice arrangement.
Most free digital tools have one seemingly insurmountable roadblock for educators: They require the user to establish a log-in and password. While many school systems permit users to do this, some do not...especially when it comes to younger students. What follows here is a review of five excellent, free, digital tools that can be used online without a log-in or password or the divulging of any personal information.
A Schlechty Center favorite is Padlet. Padlet gives students an online canvas that can be used to brainstorm ideas and create projects. To create a canvas, or wall as it is called, students or teachers need only go to Padlet.com and click "Create a padlet." The screen will transform into a creation canvas, and creativity can begin. While many free programs require a log-in to save work, Padlet allows users to bookmark a page and return to it at any time. In other words, Padlet will save the work at the established address forever! In addition, the student or teacher who creates the canvas can control many options for free. Finally, the canvas can be shared and edited by anyone with whom the teacher or student shares the URL. Depending on how it is used, Padlet can leverage the Design Qualities of Organization of Knowledge, Product Focus, and Novelty and Variety. Here is a short video that shows all the wonders of Padlet.
Another digital tool that can be used without sharing personal information is TodaysMeet. TodaysMeet is a text-sharing tool that allows users to post short text statements. Teachers can require that students use their actual names or create an anonymous nickname. It can be used for brainstorming, checking for understanding, and even sharing links. TodaysMeet can be used in the Organization of Knowledge Design Quality. Here is a short tutorial.
My Storybook is a great tool for letting young writers create e-books. Participants who go to the website can create books for free without creating a log-in or password. The trick with My Storybook comes with saving and sharing the book. To stay in the free, no-log-in mode, participants will need to take screenshots of their work. That's easy enough, though. My Storybook can be a great way to build Novelty and Variety into schoolwork or create a Product Focus. Here is a short tutorial.
Another tool, very popular with middle grade students, is Marvel's Create Your Own Comic. In this program, students can practice their writing skills by creating actual comics using Marvel characters. With Marvel Comics, students can actually download their work in PDF format without logging in. Create Your Own Comic will be a hit with some students who seek Authenticity, Novelty and Variety, and Product Focus. Here is a short tutorial.
Our fifth and final tool is a video conferencing tool. appear.in can be used to create video conferences without any log-in or password. Video conferencing can be a powerful tool in the classroom and can be used to leverage Organization of Knowledge, Affirmation, Authenticity, and other Design Qualities. Here is a short tutorial.
If finding digital tools that can be used without divulging personal information is a challenge you face in your classroom, perhaps these five tools will help. All of them are listed on the SC Web Resources for Schoolwork site.
The Engagement People


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Static Vinyl Film Solvent and UV Printable Basic Info.
Model NO.:dlw160
Name:PVC Vinyl
Inkjet Backlit Film Usage:Digital Printing
Transport Package:Craft Packing
HS Code:3904400000
Static Vinyl Film Solvent and UV Printable Product Description
PVC material self adhensive vinyls
Self adhesive vinyl Feature
1) The PVC film of good ink absorption and colour penetration, the printing effect can be well guaranteed in terms of vivid colour expression.
2) The PVC Coated film with equality, stabilization variegation and anti-transformable character, it will never be distorted or ruptured in use.
3) With high quality glue, removable or permanent.
4) We use the import art paper, which ensure the product's flat surface
DERFLEX Self adhesive vinyl advantages
1) Good ink absorption, which ensures the good printing quality
2) Durable in weather like rain, wind, frost, sun exposure
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4) Factory price, more economical with the same specification.
5) Made to order. We make different products for special usage, and different treatment for different climate environment.
6) Long outdoor life resistance.
Self adhesive vinyl Product information
PVC film + glue + backing paper
1) PVC film thickness: 0.08mm, 0.10mm, or follow customer's requirement.
2) Release paper: 120g, 140g/sq.m, or follow customer's requirement.
3) Glue type: white glue/ black glue, transparent self-adhesive vinyl, self-adhesive vinyl with bubble free are available
4) Suitable for all kinds of solvent printers
5) Color: White or transparent
6) Width: 0.914m/1.06m/1.27m/1.37m/1.52m/ 1.82m/ 2.02m
Inkjet Backlit Film Ink and Printer Support
1) Suitable Ink: Solvent ink, Eco-solvent ink, UV ink, Latex ink.
2) Suitable printers: All kinds of wide format printing and inkjet printers, such as Vutek,, Roland, Mutoh, HP-Scitex, Mimaki, JHF etc.
Self adhesive vinyl Quality Inspection
We always believe that "quality is life", and control the quality strictly.
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Worldwide exhibitions
We take the global market as our development direction and attend worldwide exhibitions, in order to explore and improve new advertising materials and enhance the new performance in outdoor advertising industrial.


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Miss Wildcat sponsored by Chamber
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
The Trumann Chamber of Commerce will host the first annual Miss Wildcat beauty pageant at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 5 in the High School Auditorium. All proceeds from the pageant will benefit the Trumann Chamber of Commerce / Floyd A. Smith Scholarship Fund. Each year this scholarship is given to a deserving senior at Trumann High School...
Eleanor L. Heath
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
Eleanor L. Heath, 68, of Trumann passed away on Jan. 4, 2005 at the family residence in Trumann of natural causes. She was born in Queens, N.Y. and had lived in Trumann for the past nine years and was formerly of Pasadena, Tex. She was a sales person, member of the Maple Grove Home Demonstration Club and of the Catholic faith...
Bill Heath
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
Bill Heath, 74, of Trumann passed away on Dec. 7, 2005 at the NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes. He was born in Trumann had had lived in Pasadena, Tex. before moving back to Trumann nine years ago. He was a retired parts manager for Southwest Truck Riggins Company in Houston, Tex., veteran of the US Army and of the Baptist faith. ...
Willie Kathleen Griffith
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
Willie Kathleen Griffith, 88, of Bay passed away on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005 at the Craighead County Nursing Center where she had resided for the past five years. She was born in Dalton and had lived most of her life in the Bay area. She was retired from Clean Services, Inc. of Jonesboro, a member of the Bay Church of Christ, member of the Bay Quilting Club and active in the Bay Senior Citizens Group...
William Clayburn Hurd
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
William Clayburn Hurd, 82, of Crossett passed away on Jan. 5, 2005 at Ashley County Medical Center. He retired as the supervisor of payroll accounting for Georgia Pacific after 29 years, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Crossett where he served as a deacon and an elder and was a member of the choir for over 30 years, he was a charter member of the Crossett Players, in the Spring of 1988 the board of directors of the Crossett Players voted to rename the Crossett Playhouse, "The Hurd Playhouse," in honor of Hurd and his wife Marjorie, he was a mason and member of the Rotary Club, he was named Rotarian of the Year and a Paul Harris Fellow.. ...
Paul W. Collins
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
Paul W. Collins, 89, of Jonesboro passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005 at NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born in Valley View, a lifetime resident of Jonesboro, of the Methodist faith and a farmer. He is survived by his wife, Paule Collins of the home; one daughter, Ann Webb of Trumann; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren...
Jessie Lee Ware
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
Jessie Lee Ware, 15, of Jonesboro passed away on Jan. 3, 2005 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes. He was born in Memphis, had lived in Jonesboro for the past two years and was formerly of Blytheville. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America, Jonesboro Annie Camp Choir, a former football player at Wilson Jr. High School and obtained a yellow belt in Takwondo...
Bay Elementary lunch menu
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
Week of Jan. 17 - 21 Monday - no school for students Tuesday - chicken pattie sandwich, French fries, lettuce and tomato, pinto beans, pineapples and milk. Wednesday - chicken nuggets, potatoes and gravy, green beans, rolls, applesauce and milk. Thursday - bar-b-que riblets sandwich, smiley fries, pork and beans, cookies, raisins and milk...
TFD fire reports
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
The Trumann Fire Department released their report for the month of December. Dec. 1 - Responded at 1:20 p.m. to Hwy 63 N. in reference to a vehicle accident. Rescue 1 and 12 men responded with a service time of 45 minutes. Dec. 3 - Responded at 2:07 p.m. to Pecan Grove Rd. Ext. in reference to a combine fire. Engines 2 and 4 responded with six men and a service time of one hour and three minutes...
TPD theft reports
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
The Trumann Police Department released the following theft reports: Donnie Guffey reported bars out of a closet and a wooden dog house stolen. Tammy Slinkard reported the theft of a Honda four wheeler. Tammy Douglas reported a car stereo stolen. Carlotta Johnson reported a car stereo stolen...
Viva Drive guest speaker
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
Viva Drive Church of Christ is presenting guest speaker, Joseph Curtis, a Trumann native. Curtis will be speaking at the church at 10:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16.
TPD makes felony arrests
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
Jamie Hutcherson was arrested on Jan. 6 by PFC Gary Henry. Hutcherson was charged with felon in possession of a firearm. The arrest was made after a probation search revealed Hutcherson had a 9 mm handgun in his waistband. He was given a bond of $250,000 and a circuit court date of Feb. 8...
Library has new hours
(Local News ~ 01/12/05)
The Trumann Public Library announces new hours. The library has extended its hours to 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday thru Friday. Librarian is Janie Teague. Now available at the library is a selection of compact disk for sale. The disks were made available thru the final stages of a national cd antitrust settlement...
Eva Pearle Boling
(Obituary ~ 01/12/05)
Eva Pearle Boling, 97, of Trumann died Monday, Jan. 3, at her residence. Born in Arkansas, she lived most of her life in Trumann. She was a homemaker and member of First Baptist Church of Trumann. Survivors include one daughter, Edith Helen Davis of Henderson, Nev.; two stepdaughters, Ruby Robbins of Trumann and Vivian Huckabee of Searcy; one stepson, Eugene Boling of Clawson, Mich.; one grandchild and one great-grandchild...
Stories from Wednesday, January 12, 2005
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1. Find Inspiration
No holiday in Croatiais really complete without a stay in Dubrovnik. Those who choose to holiday in Dubrovnik discover one of the most unique, charming and beautiful cities in the world, its ancient city walls, overlooking the sparkling waters of the Adriatic. Walking the wall is a must. There are many hidden highlights lurking within the ancient architecture. Visit the fascinating Franciscan Monastery and the Maritime Museum, situated in the fortress Sveti Ivan. Many film directors have chosen Dubrovnik as the setting for global blockbusters. The city has proven a beguiling backdrop for such cinematic heavyweights as Game of Thrones and Star Wars and is rumoured to be the setting for the next James Bond film. If you don't choose to stay in Dubrovnik, then you can always visit on a day-trip. Also, many of our Croatia cruise and island-hopping holidays include a stop in Dubrovnik.
In Croatia history is all around you. Wherever you choose to spend your holiday in Croatia, even the most disenchanted traveller will rediscover a sense of intrigue, discovery and adventure. Croatia boasts many historic sites that have managed to withstand the test of time. Croatia's ancient walled cities such as Dubrovnik, Split or the beautifully preserved medieval town of Trogir and stunning monuments such as the seventh century Cathedral of Saint Domnius in Split or the Roman amphitheatre in Pula are sure to be a highlight of any holiday. In Croatia both the enchanting islands and the coastal cities of the mainland display stunning architectural treasures matched only by the natural beauty of the national parks. In the Brijuni National Park, located on a sunny Adriatic island just off the Istrian peninsula, you'll find the Roman and Byzantine ruins and 100-million-year-old dinosaur footprints. You can't get much more ancient than that!
Croatian wine may be less well known than that of its neighbour, Italy, but it is no less drinkable, its vineyards benefitting from the same sunny climate. Wherever you go on your holiday in Croatia, you are sure to be impressed by the fresh local produce transformed into delicious meals – Mediterranean cuisine with strong Italian influences and a unique Croatian twist. On the coast you will find freshly-caught fish and delicious local seafood in abundance. You will also notice Ottoman influences in the flaky filo pastry savoury treats. Croatia's warm climate is perfect for the cultivation of olives. In fact some of the olive trees in Croatia are a staggering 1,600 years old. Most of the restaurants you dine at on your holiday in Croatia will offer you fresh bread with Croatian olive oil as a complimentary starter. It's so good you may well consider skipping the main course and feasting on bread with olive oil all evening! Wherever you choose to dine, the cuisine is sure to be a highlight of your Croatian holiday!
If you want more advice on where to spend your holiday in Croatia then call one of our travel experts now on 01694722193, or request a callback.
1. Find Inspiration
2. Contact our Specialists
3. Tailormade Quotes
4. Sit Back & Relax
Simply fill out the below, and our Travel Specialist will


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Scheduled Property Coverage
Formally "Inland Marine" Coverage
Scheduled Property coverage, formerly known as Inland Marine coverage, is designed to provide a very broad coverage for specific items of higher value. Typically, this type of protection is utilized to cover items such as copy machines and leased or high-cost office equipment.
The types of loss covered include a broad range of damage. Some of the types of loss that this coverage applies to includes, but is not limited to, water damage, theft, and accidental damage by others.
Items insured under this coverage are individually scheduled and a value is assigned at the time the items are added to the schedule.
Equipment leases frequently require this type of coverage. If your organization does not secure this coverage, the leasing company will generally provide it, but at a much higher cost than our program.


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Project Description
Drummer/composer LaFrae Sci believes music can heal the world and is trying to do her part one day at a time. LaFrae is a full time musician who is committed to keeping the language and history of the Negro Spirituals, Blues and Jazz alive! In doing so LaFrae has had the pleasure of presenting clinics and workshops at special events, Elementary schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, Universities and summer music programs internationally.
For booking inquiries or more information about workshops, masterclasses or private study, please contact LaFrae through the link at the top of this page.


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BLACK SABBATH The Best Of Black Sabbath Rare official 2000 UK BPI GOLD award issued to commemorate sales in excess of 100,000 copies of the Sanctuary Records Group double album. Features both the CDs and the album artwork, mounted above a gold engraved dedication plaque with mini Union Jack flag in the top left corner. Measures 21" x 16" framed and glazed – a truly stunning item
THE CRANBERRIES Uncertain Original debut 1991 UK Xeric label 4-track CD single which also includes Nothing Left At All, Them and Pathetic Senses, complete with original picture sleeve XERO14CD
WASP Animal [F**k Like A Beast] Super Rare 1984 UK Music For Nations label 2-track 12" vinyl Gold Coloured Vinyl, also includes Show No Mercy, clear PVC sleeve 12KUT109


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Anger at Scottish Borders Council's introduction of a 30p charge for using public toilets in Hawick and other parts of the region is mounting.
The cash-strapped authority agreed to introduce the charge at 27 public conveniences across the region, including facilities at Howegate, Common Haugh and Volunteer Park in Hawick earlier this year.
A total of £200,000 was put aside to pay for the introduction of coin machines to enforce the changes, but it was only in recent weeks that the payment has come into force, leaving those desperate to answer calls of nature having to scrabble frantically around to find the right change.
And local councillors are now bearing the brunt of anger among those wishing to spend a penny about having to stump up 29p more than that proverbial sum.
Among those opposed to the charges were councillors Stuart Marshall and Watson McAteer, independent representatives for Hawick and Denholm and Hawick and Hermitage respectively.
Mr Marshall has pledged to continue to assess what impact the change is having, and he believes standards at toilet facilities must improve if the 30p charge is to justified.
He said: "It is no surprise that I am fielding complaints from angry members of the public who are now being charged 30p to use our public conveniences.
"Both Councillor McAteer and myself voted against these charges being imposed during the last council term.
"I find it difficult to accept that we have the biggest free car park in the Borders at Common Haugh and yet when people now alight from their cars and buses, they are required to find the correct coinage to use our public toilets.
"The Haugh car park is used for many public events during the year, and if we are now to charge the public to use these conveniences, then I would expect the level of service and indeed the condition of these toilets to improve greatly.
"There will be further reports coming from the council during the year.
"These charges are now in force and I will be happy to wait and see the contents of these reports, but there is one thing that is sure, if we are to charge for these facilities, then the public will quite rightly expect to see a much higher standard of service."
Charging has not been introduced at 14 other public toilets, including Denholm's, because they are not used often enough to justify it.


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Chelsea is a best club now
[Video Goals] Man City 1-3 Chelsea: Aguero Off As Blues Slay Pep's City
It was a day to forget for Pep Guardiola as Chelsea came from behind to beat Manchester City 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon with the hosts finishing the game with nine men following a late scuffle.
Chelsea started brightly but it was City who opened the scoring on the stroke of half time as Gary Cahill turned a Jesus Navas cross from the right wing in to his own net to send the hosts in to the break leading at 1-0.
However, Chelsea levelled things up shortly after half-time when Diego Costa fired home for 1-1 in the 60th minute before Willian raced clear to drill in to the bottom corner following a swift counter-attack to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
Chelsea then wrapped up the three points when Eden Hazard scored a third in the 90th minute before things boiled over in stoppage time with Sergio Aguero sent off for a lunge on David Luiz and Fernandinho was also dismissed for a scuffle with Cesc Fabregas.
The win sees Chelsea go four points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table ahead of the Merseysiders clash with Bournemouth on Sunday.
Watch the goals here:


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When you homeschool some days your kiddo (or yourself) are less then excited about the lessons and some days everything clicks and you have so much fun! Luckily MGT provides such a wide range of engaging activities that we have way more "click" days then not, but today was above and beyond.
X was so into learning about different kinds of bird feet! We had a great discussion on what different features on a birds feet could help them do. I loved the poster of different types of feet that came in our daily bag. X was able to study each pair of feet and made great conclusions on what those feet were good for.
The supplies for today's Invitation to Create were so great! X has nevery worked with wax sticks before; he really enjoyed them. He decided to create chicken feet!
He used the wax sticks and pieces of toothpicks for the nails! I love how the Invitations to Create have made him so much more creative in his thinking and problem solving. When we first started doing them he would explore, but ultimately just make a mess with all of the supplies. Now he really thinks about what he's creating!
Next up was math. Can I just say, these links have been the most played with item in our house since the beginning of the month. Both boys absolutely LOVE them. X has been able to count to 10 since he was 2, but we always make sure to review the lower numbers each month. I start with the "easy" lower numbers to build his confidence before tackling the bigger numbers we're really working on.
Plus, he had SO MUCH FUN trying to pick up the links with his feet. I thought this was such a great activity. Any learning opportunity where X can use his body is a hit in this house!
Once he'd used his gross motor skills, we were ready to work on those bigger numbers. 18 and 28 were the focus.
Finally we wrapped up with a fun and silly game. X built himself a nest next to a pond.
He even utilized our library books for this unit as rocks around his pond. Then he roled our beloved Pocket Cube and acted out the different ways birds use their feet. He loved this! He add us all in stitches with his creative bird interpretations!
After nap we'll make some bird tracks in playdough and do the #8 pages in his journal.
Such a great day with Mother Goose Time!
I received this month's Mother Goose Time curriculum free of charge in exchange for sharing our experience and my opinions. All content and opinions are 100% mine and truly honest.


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Please fill out the secure registration form and submit your payment. It is important that you follow the directions and fill it out completely and properly so that our volunteer Host will be able to get you properly roomed. If you are interested in the Easy Does it Scholarship please read the instructions to determine if you are eligible. All applications should be submitted as soon as possible.
Easy Does it Spring 2019 has sold out but look for Fall 2019!
Easy Does it Weekend


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I have a Gmail account and also another mail account. I need the following functionality: when a mail message arrives to the other account, with specific subject or from specific senders, I would like to receive a message in Gmail without the message body and attachments.
The message should also have some custom text added to the original subject (like "from mail001: "). I know there are labels in Gmail, but I need it directly in the subject field.
I do not want Gmail to import the whole message, only the subject, perhaps sender and other header fields (subject being the most important).
I cannot assume anything about the other mail possibilities or API.
Is it doable at all?


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There are several issues with this. From the fact there are multiple countries playing on EU servers and not all of them speak English (meaning you indirectly will not do what they want be it good or bad) to people "stealing" the lane (although in Frosthaven the whole point is to help other lanes) or not always picking up the gold bags, kids get very vengeful due to silly reasons.
Can you actually "abuse" abilities in Frosthaven? Can you feed? Technically maybe if you lsoe the lane but it's not liek people join the game to dive towers on level 1, right? And I am sure this can get detected by code a lot easier than using reports. Why would you commend someone in this custom game?
Are reports and commends really necessary in this game type? In the end I wil leother stop palying it cos I can't force all my friends to jsut play it as a party anytime I feel like it out of fear of kids. I really suggest you rethink if they are needed. I don't see the point.


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Whenever you feel like rocking the androgynous outfit with your Palazzo or Skinny pants and pull a Katharine Hepburn /Marlene Dietrich style get The Chicago shinning brogues!
- Upper: Ecological microfiber. Oeko-Tex Certified
- Linning: Breathable and anti-allergy microfiber. Ecological, CO2 free manufacturing system
- Insole: Paperboard agglomerate.Microfiber linned
- Outsole: Rubber
- Made in Portugal
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Dallas Cowboys
If not Tennessee DE Derek Barnett, then who for Cowboys?
Jerry Jones had a slip of the tongue in the predraft press conference that revealed a pass rusher the Cowboys owner has on his mind. Speaking about the 2005 draft that landed DeMarcus Ware, Jones said, "We even got our [target] from Tennessee, Barnett…." He quickly caught himself and corrected it to "Burnett."
The Cowboys drafted Tennessee linebacker Kevin Burnett in the second round in 2005. They would love to have Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett in the first round this year.
It isn't likely.
Barnett's stock has risen steadily, and he now projects as a likely top-10 pick. The Cowboys would be hard pressed to go from 28 into the top 10, because of the steep price. They need more defensive help than a "war daddy" pass rusher, though Barnett could be that.
Barnett broke Reggie White's school record with 33 sacks, with 29 of those coming against SEC teams and 32 against Power Five opponents.
Barnett wrote a cover letter to NFL teams on The Players' Tribune on Wednesday. Barnett said, "When I'm selected in the upcoming draft, I'm pretty sure I know what the guys on TV are going to say: 'This is the kid who broke Reggie White's all-time sack record at Tennessee.'
"That's true. That's something I did, and it's something I'm very proud of.
"But one thing I want to make clear is that breaking that record was never a goal of mine. It wasn't what motivated me or what I had set out to accomplish before I enrolled at Tennessee. Instead, it was a by-product. It was the by-product of countless hours spent studying offensive linemen. It was the by-product of coaches taking the time to help me develop my physical gifts. And it was the by-product of my teammates doing their job very well so that I could do mine."
So if Barnett is gone, who do the Cowboys target?
Two defensive ends to keep an eye on are Missouri's Charles Harris and UCLA's Takkarist McKinley. The Cowboys have not hidden their interest in Harris, who had 17 sacks in three seasons. But he, too, could be off the board before the Cowboys draft.
McKinley, who also had 17 sacks in three seasons, has had two concussions that worry some teams. McKinley also had a groin injury that kept him from playing at 100 percent last season, and he also missed part of the draft process with a torn right labrum.
Cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey of Alabama, Quincy Wilson of Florida and Adoree Jackson of USC could come into play if the Cowboys' defensive end targets are off the board.
The Cowboys, who have seven picks, had only 36 sacks and nine interceptions last season, so they expect immediate help from this draft.