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Oh, Neville. He's often mistaken as the bumbler, the guy that gets it wrong, and is a bit of a dork.
And sure, he might be those things, but let's face it, if we HAD received our Hogwarts letter we wouldn't have been one of the golden trio. We would probs be
a little a lot like Neville. He is legit the you in every single scenario:
1. "Gran, I've lost my toad again!"
At the station when your ticket goes missing. Or your wallet (which is probs in the last shop). Or your phone (in the toilet cubicle on top of the bog roll). You'd lose that toad, too.
2. You literally can't catch a break, even on a day off:
3. And you try to do right by your friends…
"I won't let you do it,' he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. 'I'll – I'll fight you"
Because enough is enough. But do they listen?
4. You know you're the fall guy, but all the time?
5. Teachers be mean, too.
"Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours?"
But you know you'll get yours one day.
6. You don't just have FOMO, you ARE FOMO!
"'Gran didn't want to go,' he said miserably. 'Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing, though.'"
7. And while everyone else's Christmas looked like this:
You would have traded anything to have a dodgy jumper and dinner at The Burrow, cos your Xmas was probably more like this:
8. No one really gets you, because they actually haven't bothered to ask…
9. When you're left with one simple task to do and then the worst happens…
10. You could have been the Chosen One…
11. But it's probably for the best that you weren't.
12. You'll give as good as you get though…
…from a safe distance.
13. If only your friends would ASK YOU stuff because you can actually be pretty useful!
#HappyBirthdayHarryPotter …. I got you some more Gillyweed. The good stuff. pic.twitter.com/4wUl35RFe7
— Neville Longbottom (@TheNevilleLongb) August 1, 2016
So quick to judge… Tsk tsk…
14. The thing is, you'll actually come through when you're most needed.
15. So people should get off your back a bit, and accept you for the cool dude you 100% are!
Show us some Neville love in the comments below!
- Do we have a racism problem in YA? The way POC are treated in these 2017 releases says YES!
- Quiz: What % Neville Longbottom are you?
- Quiz: Can you name all these 'Harry Potter' fantastic beasts? We seriously doubt it
- #ChristMAX Day 14: Walk away with this wonderful bundle from Walker
- Um… did anyone notice Newt Scamander's cameo in the original 'Harry Potter' films? We sure didn't!


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This is to announce that the promised August/September2016 unofficial DBS contest is now OPEN!
The "rules" are simple, and will follow the format that Patty and motoandnutty laid out so well in the contests from a few years ago :-
You all may enter a maximum of two projects, - they do not have to have been created during these months (but they must not have been entered in any of the DBS contests before).
A 'project' is ANYTHING that has a DBS design embroidered on it - be as "interesting" as you like!
Here are the main guide lines :-
A)This is the thread where you post pictures of projects that you want to enter into the contest.
B)You can each enter 2 projects per Contest.
C)You may use other designs in your project but must use at least one design that is from DBS.
D) You must mention what DBS design/s you have used in your project.
E)If you used a design from another source in addition to a DBS design please also try to state where the design came from.
The winner gets to choose 5 of the prize designs in the prize pool.
2nd place gets 4 choices.
3rd place gets 3 choices.
All others that enter the contest will get to choose 2 of the prizes.
Those who vote, but have not entered a project will get to select one prize design.
This contest will end on Friday 30th September 2016
For this contest there will be a Bonus Prize that will only be available to those who ENTER the contest - (not part of the prize pool for voters)
Here is a stitch-out of my applique ying yang design that measures 3.98" x 3.97" (hopefully it should fit in a 4x4 hoop - if needs be I could shrink it a tad if you request this when you claim it ) - as that Bonus Prize on offer this contest - (it can work as an applique or patch/badge.)
(Hoorah! Shawn has fixed the "Attatchment" function of the forums.) (post #7 link to Drop Box will remain as an easy way to view the prizes for the future.)

subset: commoncrawl


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Facilitator Course Application
You may complete this application here on the website, or print it out and mail it to Dancing With Trees, 1629 Wynn Lake Road, Alto, GA 30510. You're also welcome to apply by telephone, discussing your answers to these questions with Genevieve in person. To do this, call 706-778-8847.
You may start the application process by completing this form. You may also apply here to have Genevieve conduct the Facilitator Course in your own area.
After your application is received, the next step is a phone interview.


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If you are looking for a covert, outdoor digital video recorder that can protect your outdoor assets and property, does not require electricity, and blends in with any home, or ranch, this is the outdoor camera Yard Guard Fake Owl hidden camera covert video surveillance system for you!
The covert spy camera is hidden under the beak, and the IR's and montion sensor are under the face looking straight out and at a slight down angle. It will be very hard to tell this is a hidden camera recording whenever a human walks in front of the PIR sensor.
Inside the SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera DVR you will find a micro PIR motion activation system. Why is that important? For starters, it will only start recording video surveillance footage when a human walks buy. Their body heat activates the sensor and tells the DVR to start recording. It takes 1-2 seconds to wake up, then the camera will record while there is motion, and for one minutes after. It then goes back to sleep, ready for the next movement, so you don't drain your battery.
All this is hidden inside an ordinary fake plastic owl for the ultimate outdoor perimeter protection for your home or business.Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Came can record 20 straight hours of actual video, or on motion activation, last one full year in "standby mode" on a single charge.
The Covert Owl Hidden Camera takes a day or two to build and ship.
And there is virtually no battery drain while in standby mode, and no false alarms. As soon as "body heat" is detected, up to 30 feet away, the SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera DVR hidden camera's hi resolution video is recorded on a hidden SD card. Recording continues until 1 minute after motion ceases, then yard guard camera automatically returns to standby mode.
This Fake Owl hidden camera with DVR will work with 110 or 220 volts, so it can be used worldwide.
Here are actual raw samples from a SecureShot with IR Hidden Camera. Right click to download them to your computer. For the raw .asf files, use either VLC Media Player on Mac or PC, or KM Player on the PC to play back the .asf files. If you need a camera that can see in total darkness, try the
SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera DVR with Night Vision.
Outdoor Video we trimmed and converted to .mov format with Video Converter.
If you need a discrete way to watch what is going on at your home, office, or business, without installing multiple camera video surveillance system, you might want to consider the SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera DVR. You will see very clear, D1 or 720 x 480 video at 30 frames per second, or record high quality JPEG pictures.
SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera Features:
Why are the SecureShot line of hidden cameras with DVR the most covert on the market? Lets start with no visible SD card slots. No matter how hard you look, you won't see anything on the outside that will give it away that there is a hidden camera inside this innocent looking fake owl. There are no visible lights or video out ports like the other brands.
The SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera also has a new 550 line high resolution auto switching color/b/w camera that works great in low light.
You can play back your recordings through a TV/VCR directly from unit, or remove the SD card and play on your Mac or PC with Video Lan or KM Player.
The SecureShot Yard Guard Fake Owl Hidden Camera DVR is "armed" by simply pressing the power button on the included IR remote control. A short "beep" tone is emitted to verify proper operation. No "tell-tale" extra lights or switches insure a totally covert system.
Recorded images/video can be played back directly from the unit by simply connecting the included RCA cable to your TV/Monitor and touching the play button on IR remote control. SD card can also be removed from unit and played on your PC via included SD card reader. Playback speed can be changed to 2X or 4X. No additional PC software needed.
Add a LCD Set-up monitor to make it easy to align the camera perfectly.
EyeSpyPro.com 101 S. Coit Rd., Suite 36-235, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
Phone: 1-949-791-7904 - FAX: 1-800-862-6120
All clients who purchase from this website agree to all terms and conditions in our Shipping, Returns/Cancellations, Payments, and Warranty links above.
With thousands of products, and dozens of suppliers, there is no guarantee your product will be in stock when you order it, so if its critical you need it right away, please call us @ 1-949-791-7904 before you make your order to confirm it is available and not out of stock or backordered.
Make sure you call us if you have any questions about selecting the correct product to fit your needs before you order, as any custom built hidden cameras, open software or fluid detection devices, boxes with the seal broken, vehicle trackers, and bug detectors are not refundable or returnable unless defective. We are here to assist you, and if you have ANY questions, please call us before you order @ 1-949-791-7904.
30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee: If for any reason you are unhappy with your purchase, you may return it for an exchange or a credit towards any other product within 30 Days,
no questions asked. In order to provide you with high quality products, we do not issue any refunds unless the product arrives defective.
Not responsible for typographical or illustrative errors. Prices, specifications, and images are subject to change without notice.
EyeSpyPro is not responsible for any shipment that is seized by any Government Customs or Border Protection Agency. We are not responsible for any duties, import fees, taxes, VAT charges, or any other fee that you are charged to ship it to you.
Any camera that is not advertised as a day/night, low light, or low lux camera will not perform well in low light, and not at all in the dark. Make sure you know what you are ordering before you order it, and feel free to call us @ the number above or send us an email using the Contact link above.
Do not buy any infrared illuminator if your camera is not an IR camera. It has to have a removable IR-Cut filter that slides out of the way at night for the camera to recognize the IR.
Shipping prices are for one small item. If you order more than one small item, including complete systems, we will adjust the order and charge the actual shipping price.
EyeSpyPro.com does not endorse any of our products for illegal activities. EyeSpyPro.com is not responsible or liable in any way for any damage, vandalism, theft, or any other action that may occur while a EyeSpyPro.com product is in use by the purchaser.


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Sexual positions during intercourse come in all varieties and entanglements. Some more difficult than others. Some resemble the game of Twister, while others look like two lovers lounging in bed for an afternoon nap. The sexual positions you find yourself in potentially bring all kinds of thoughts and feelings into the bedroom that subtly shape the erotic experience and give it definition. With a man on top, or a woman straddling her lover, a woman's experience of "femininity" and a man's experience of "masculinity" can be heightened and sustained; And create erotic pleasure in the process. Here's what we mean.
Who's on Top?
Posted in Print/Online Media


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Six Reasons Why Breastfeeding on the Beach is Amazing/
There's something special about the beach. Maybe it's the sand in your toes. Maybe it's the sound of the waves lapping. Or maybe it's the hot sun warming your skin. Being on the beach can be refreshing, relaxing, and healthy! Of course our babies would love it, too! Here are the top reasons to feed your baby on the beach:
1. Vitamin D. While you're enjoying yourself watching the waves roll in, you and your baby are being saturated with Vitamin D. It is known that most adults and breastfed infants are probably lacking in Vitamin D. Rather than supplementing you and/or your baby, take advantage of the biologically normal way to attain sufficient levels of this hormone. Vitamin D is fundamental to good health!
2. Grounding. Your immune system functions optimally when you have an adequate supply of electrons, which are easily obtained by barefoot contact with the Earth. Believe it or not, sinking your bare feet into the sand is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory!
3. Connecting with nature. We don't get enough opportunities in today's world to be outside and connect with nature. Studies have shown that our connections with nature can provide marked improvements in one's health, happiness, and well-being.
4. Skin to skin. It seems like most people are now aware of the impact that skin-to-skin with your baby can have on a baby's first few hours of life. But what about after that? Our babies can still benefit from being skin-to-skin with us anytime! Research shows that the experience of being touched has direct effects on the growth of our bodies and minds. You're more likely at the beach to be baring more skin while breastfeeding. Take advantage of this opportunity for some extra cuddles.
5. Being around people. How many women have been at home with their newborns for the first few months while their partners are at work? How many of us can feel lonely in this day-to-day lifestyle? Even if you're an introvert, use this excuse to make small talk with others. If you're living on the Eastern Shore, you're guaranteed to be surrounded by people at the beach in the Summer. Sometimes it can be refreshing to "people watch". Watch some kids boogie boarding, watch a couple holding hands for a walk, watch a family feeding their children lunch.
6. The waves act as white noise. Being in the sun, hearing the waves crash, and nursing might just be the perfect combination to lull your baby to sleep. You will have a chance to take a much deserved nap, read a book, or play in the waves.
All of these amazing benefits can apply to bottle-fed babies, too! Have you ever fed your baby on the beach?


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Even after spending the last year plus writing She Has No Head!, a column about women and comics, I continue to have a real interest in and curiosity about women and comics, and specifically why women do and don't read comics and what they do and don't respond to as readers when they do read. With those thoughts and inspiration from both an old (hilarious) Laura Hudson piece and a more recent interesting Greg Burgas piece, the idea of The Ladies Comics Project was born. The premise is simple – pull together some great ladies from as many age groups and walks of life as I could reasonably manage, women both familiar and not with comics, and give them a comic book to read and have them report back.
The results, like in the first Ladies Comics Project, which you can read more about here, here, and here, are fascinating. Phase I challenged a lot of thoughts I had about women in comics, while confirming others. One of the biggest revelations was how interested ladies I knew were in reading a comic and participating in this project and that is one thing that has definitely held true for Phase II - in which 18 of the original 19 women immediately got on board for a second round along with a whole new group of ladies. In fact, I had so much interest (our ladies reading has gone from 19 to 32) that you're going to get Ladies Comics Project Phase II in four parts, from today through the end of February. So come back every Monday to read more.
One of my biggest revelations about women who don't read comics and comics themselves came not long after Ladies Comics Project, Phase I via my mother. I had posted a column reviewing Sarah Glidden's How To Understand Israel In 60 Days Or Less, and my mother had read the column and in an email to me mentioned that she liked the column and thought the book looked interesting but that she didn't understand how it was a comic. She admitted that she had seen the pictures, so knew it must be, but still didn't understand how it was a comic. She also mentioned she planned on buying it (which kind of blew my mind). I didn't really respond to her email because quite frankly, I didn't understand the question - if she could see the pages how could she not understand that it was in fact a comic? When we spoke on the phone she asked me why I hadn't answered her email and I explained my confusion. Through the course of our conversation it became clear that she was conflating genre with medium. In fairness to my mother, though she has been exposed to more of the comics world via me than a lot of people, most of the time she was actively around comics (i.e. when I was a teenager and living at home) I was reading superhero comics almost exclusively. However, it surprised me that she, even with her exposure to comics, didn't understand the difference between genre (in this case superheroes) and medium (in this case comics) and the idea that comics can (and do) tackle any subject imaginable.
At the time of this conversation, I was already pulling together the ladies and the book lists for Ladies Comics Project Phase II - focusing on giving ladies the opportunity to read all kinds of graphic novels and trades – books whose genre, subject matter, and execution would be much broader than the monthly floppies I had offered in Phase I. And I became suddenly very excited about it. Excited about the opportunity to show other women who might feel as my mother did – that comics were a based on such a limited scope – the reality of comics and how they can (and do) tackle ANY subject.
While Phase I was about monthly floppies, and how women would react to the format, continuity, characters, and ongoing stories, I immediately wanted to explore something that might feel slightly more natural to them in the form of longer and more self-contained stories, thus Phase II quickly became focused on graphic novels and collected trades.
So here's how it worked: I sent all the ladies images of a selection of graphic novels and trades from my personal library. My choices were limited to my own library for obvious cost reasons, and in addition to that I left out books I felt were not necessarily female friendly, and a few that I wanted to include but that were just too expensive to be practical to send (I'm looking at you Black Hole). The only information the ladies were given was the cover image and a brief description that included title/writer/artist/page number/ publisher/and maturity rating (I used Young Adult, Adult, and Mature). You can go here if you'd like to see the books they had to choose from.
And now, a few interviews, phone calls, gchats, and 627 emails (and still counting!) later, we have: Ladies Comics Project: Phase II, Part One…enjoy!
Name: Jennifer G.
Book: Batwoman: Elegy by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III (DC Comics)
Age: 26
Location: New York, NY
Occupation: Production Assistant
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels? I read a Wonder Woman comic book for Kelly's "Ladies Comic Book Project: Phase I". It was…okay. I came to the conclusion that I'd probably enjoy reading the whole arc in one sitting—which is something I get to do with Batwoman: Elegy. I'd previously read Fun Home (and have since read How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less), and quite enjoyed the graphic novel format.
Why did you pick the book you picked? I was very uncertain at first. I felt like I ought to read the Wonder Woman book that was available, since I'd had previous experience with the character. But it kind of felt like a chore. Then Kelly recommended Batwoman for me. Badass, redheaded, lesbian superhero? Yes, please. And she's Jewish too? Oy vey.
Okay, let's just start out by saying: I love this book. Truly. I love everything about it. The art. The writing. The story. The characters. Even the introduction, which is written by Rachel Maddow. Rachel Maddow, people! So, all right, maybe I was biased before I started reading, knowing that Rachel Maddow personally approved this book. Also, I knew going in that Batwoman, also known as Kate Kane, plays for my team. Bias number two (i.e., hoyay!).
But all biases aside, Batwoman: Elegy truly is a great read. It's really neat to be able to discover this character as she's being introduced to the world. I especially like watching the story of Alice and Kate—past and present—unfold. I don't know how the story of Kate Kane will continue to unfold, but I think Alice is perfect as Batwoman's nemesis. Someone who will haunt the character throughout her whole existence. (As though poor Kate doesn't have enough ghosts already!)
The structure of this story is really smart. We meet three distinct versions of the hero within the first few pages: Batwoman kicking ass, Kate Kane on a date (getting dumped, no less; poor Kate), and Kate discussing the night's mission with her dad. Our superhero is likable, yet flawed, in all three scenes. But you really get to see her vulnerability as the story develops. Especially when the story goes into flashback mode. As a reader, I felt privileged to be witnessing Kate's history--like I was being included in something private and special.
And I will say only this for the twist: unexpected and perfect.
Other details I love: Alice only speaks in Lewis Carroll quotes, a detail I'm proud to have picked up. I thought Batman's cameo was very clever. He is positioned as Kate's mentor, cautioning her about the dangers of being a superhero with long hair. Kate has the final laugh though, when she goes home and takes off her wig. It's a lovely comment on gender expectations--both of the reader and the characters.
One of my favorite moments is a two-page spread depicting Kate going through intensive Batwoman-training. It reads like a film montage, very naturally. Just when you think you've seen Kate at her hottest, sparring blindfolded with her hands tied behind her back, you see another picture of her reading late into the night, studiously chewing on a pencil by the light of her computer. I just want to swoon and bring her coffee.
Kate Kane/Batwoman is everything I would want in a superhero: noble and brave; clever enough to get away with taking stupid risks, because they usually pay off; troubled by a dark past; vulnerable and slightly socially inept; and hot. I might not be converted enough to run out to buy the first issue of the Batwoman series when it comes out in February [ed. note: now April], but I certainly plan on keeping my eyes open for the next Batwoman book.
Name: Nora
Book: Fables Volume 1: Legends In Exile by Bill Willingham and Lan Medina (Vertigo)
Age: 28
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: MFA candidate, Sarah Lawrence College Writing Program, and Education Programs Coordinator at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels, if any? To graphic novels, only Blankets and Berlin, and I loved both. To comics, whatever I used to pilfer from my brother's collection (X-Men!) and lots of Betty & Veronica, way back when.
Why did you pick the cover/issue you picked? I like reading Fables, Legends, and about Exile. Plus I would like to sit on top of a train in a dress like that chick on the cover.
So there was a MURDER. Rose Red was killed. Oh my god, there was blood EVERYWHERE. Her boyfriend Jack (as in from the Beanstalk!) runs to Big Bad Wolf, (Fabletown's detective) all out of breath, like, my girlfriend's missing and her apartment is doused in blood! Big Bad Wolf's smoking his cigarette, not even looking up, and is all, Calm down, cowboy. Big Bad Wolf, the badass detective, oh he will solve this, but all in due time, and in his own way goddamit! Things get complicated- Rose Red is Snow White's renegade, rebellious sister. So of course as soon as he tells her, Snow White gets involved even though she's totally not supposed to. Rose Red, Snow White, they couldn't be more different. Rose Red parties, doesn't have a job, she and Jack, I don't know, they need to get their shit together. Snow White, on the other hand, essentially the mayor of Fabletown since King Cole, technically mayor, all he does is slurp soup in his thoroughly 80's decorated penthouse. Snow has definitely got her shit together but man is she stressed out, plus her sister is now maybe dead. Sheesh.
"Who Killed Rose Red?!" It was a proper whodunit, so in terms of narrative, it definitely moved along and was satisfying in a Masterpiece Theater / Law and Order type of way, complete with the big reveal at the end and the male-female detective tag team, (some romantic possibility there, Big Bad Wolf and Snow White? A la Pam and Jim from The Office and all Jane Austen novels, hint, hint, certainly keeps you reading).
Not going to lie, I'm always a little disappointed in the insane bust-to-waist-to-hip ratio of comic book ladies (or at least the ones I have seen). I recognize it as a style, I know it's fantasy, but, you know, not mine.
I definitely enjoyed how each fable's history was translated into The Modern World - I mean, had to chuckle that one of the Three Little Pigs who got his house destroyed is now a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, down-and-out, disgruntled pig who plays on Big Bad Wolf's guilt about the whole thing in order to crash on his couch whenever he feels the need to leave the "farm". And what can Big Bad Wolf do about it? He fucking ruined his life - even after The Amnesty; you still got to feel bad about that. (The "farm" being where all the maladjusted fables go when they can't deal with life…I'm curious to see what that sitch is like.)
I guess it was kind of distracting that the cover art and the inside art didn't match up, and that at the beginning of each chapter there was the cover artist again, but not enough to bother me. Plus the cover artist is so good, I wanted to rip out the pages and put it on my wall. The one I liked best: there's a huge, gnarly tree, one of the little piggies is peeping out of a branch, Snow White's contemplating eating that poisonous apple whilst wearing a lovely dress, the big bad Wolf is hanging out of a zip-up yet totally realistic-looking wolf skin suit (what!), while the skyline of New York City hovers above them.
Will I be reading more comic books? YES. Definitely want to get my hands on more Fables. Besides the fact that I felt supremely cool reading it on the subway, (yes, people - I do this all the time - even though I clearly do not), I also just really enjoyed reading it. I've only read a couple of graphic novels, and the only problem with those being that the ones I had were humongous and hard to lug around, whereas these guys are totally not. And like most chicks, I read a lot of Betty and Veronica when I was younger. So I was never opposed to comics to begin with, just, honestly, never re-introduced to any in my adulthood.
So, final verdict? I'll keep reading anyway, but ideally, my wishlist would be: easy on the Barbie bodies, and more please of the drawn-out, sometimes unrequited sometimes not, LOVE stories. Sorry to play into some stereotypes and not others, but there's my honest opinion.
Name: Alexa
Book: Wet Moon Volume 1 by Ross Campbell (Oni Press)
Age: 28
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Currently a stay at home mom.
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels? As a kid, I devoured every single Betty & Veronica I could find. Other than that I'd say little to no exposure at all.
Why did you pick the cover/book you picked? I wanted something kinda gothic and sexy with a female lead…so this fit!
KELLY: So you read Wet Moon Volume 1 by Ross Campbell. Did you like it or hate it…somewhere inbetween?
ALEXA: I liked it a lot and got absorbed in it quickly. This time, as opposed to last time [ed. note: reading Morning Glories #1 for Ladies Comics Project Phase I] the teen voice didn't bother me. I really liked Cleo and thought she was very real – especially the way she was drawn. The facial expression were so real that she felt like someone I know. I really loved the art. I liked the style and the clothes and the drama and the emotional extremes.
KELLY: Did you have a preference for the writing over the art or vice versa? If so, which and why?
ALEXA: I liked both, but probably the art. I particularly liked the differing body types, a lot of the characters were still really sexy but it didn't bother me here like it sometimes did in Morning Glories. As a woman I really related to it and was surprised to find out it was written and drawn by a man – I found it just so relateable – it felt like such a female perspective to me. I did find the text a bit small and hard to read sometimes though.
KELLY: Were you surprised by how much you liked it?
ALEXA: Yes, because after Morning Glories I wasn't expecting to like it, but then really did. I was concerned when I first got it that it might be too angst-y or corny but I was really happily surprised. I really connected with the main character Cleo and found her so relateable and real. I liked that it was very slice of life and not vampires or superheroes or something. There were these really subtle and delicate things about the art that surprised me. I wonder if it is kind of the perfect kind of story for this medium…because I found myself wondering if this story would work well in other mediums, like a movie or novel or TV show…maybe without the art I wouldn't like it as much?
KELLY: Could you follow the story easily?
ALEXA: Yes. There were a few moments where I would get confused, or be afraid I was missing something, and I didn't really understand the last few pages as they didn't seem to relate to everything else? But overall I had no problem following it and "getting" it.
KELLY: Was it rewarding in the way other reading material, like novels are?
ALEXA: Probably I got less involved with it and emotionally attached than I do with regular novels.
KELLY: So what was your favorite thing about it?
ALEXA: Just generally the character of her Cleo and her relatability. Also the lack of idealization in some of the characters – especially Cleo.
KELLY: What was your least favorite thing about it?
ALEXA: I guess the plot stuff that I didn't understand – like the bit at the end that I mentioned.
KELLY: Do you wish you'd picked a different book?
ALEXA: No. But I am curious about some of the books I didn't read - there was a lot of interesting stuff on the list. I really wanted to read that French Milk book.
KELLY: Would you ever have considered buying a comic book or graphic novel before this experiment?
ALEXA: I might have considered it, but I probably wouldn't have. I still feel, even though I liked what I read, that it still seems a bit juvenile…does that make sense?
KELLY: Sure, I can understand that. Would you be more likely to consider buying one now…or not?
ALEXA: Maybe. Maybe if access was easier. If I had been sent a list of books and could read a preview and it was affordable enough to try out? Definitely.
KELLY: So…last question…if anyone could make a comic you'd be interested in...what would it be about? What would it look like?
ALEXA: Wow, that's a hard question. I guess I'd say, I'd love to see a really great realistic book about motherhood. It would have to be drawn really well though, like this book, it would have to be relateable and feel real, but yeah, I'd be really interested in something like that.
KELLY: Interesting! Well, thank you so much for participating again in Ladies Comics Project – it was great to have you on board – I hope you'll come back for Phase III when I figure out what it is!
ALEXA: Of course, thanks for having me!
Name: Jessica Kuiken
Book: Goodbye Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson (Pantheon)
Age: 37
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Pilates Instructor trainee and Personal Assistant
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels?: Absolutely none - unless Mad Magazine or those gum wrappers count.
Why did you pick the cover/issue you picked? Well - first off I have to say, the title got me. Goodbye, Chunky Rice...It's just cute. It made me smile. I was also drawn to the calming simplicity of the cover. It was also on the shorter side which made reading it fit better into my hectic schedule.
I liked it. I didn't wholly understand it, but I liked it. As my second ever comic read, it went much better than the first [ed note. Jessica read an issue of Angel for Ladies Comics Project Phase I]. The title, which again made me smile, made me think it would be a little lighter than it was. My first impression was that the story was melancholy and sad, but then my opinion changed and it seemed to me that it was a story of hope and embracing change. Each character introduced had some sort of oddity. They were all misfits in some way, but they all seemed content with where they were, except Chunky Rice. He was a brave character to me. He was scared to leave what he knew, for sure, but he was still ready to go on the journey to find out where he belonged.
The last few pages were touching because it signified to me how lonely the journey to find yourself or where you fit in can be. When the bottle thrown into the sea by his dear friend, finds its way to the boat where Chunky Rice is, I have to say, it was a little predictable, but it was also a sweet ending. Even though we don't know if Chunky Rice finds his way, we get the feeling he is not alone.
Overall I thought it was a pretty quick, easy read, but I still struggled with some of the general formatting of it. I think I have discovered am more of a words person and like to come up with visuals in my head rather than have them laid out for me.
Name: Kell
Book: Echo Volume 1: Moon Lake by Terry Moore (Abstract Studios)
Age: 18 years old
Location: Rochester, MI.
Occupation: College Student
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels: I've never really been much of a comic or cartoon person...but last year one of my friends let me borrow his copy of The Watchmen and though I didn't finish it, I loved what I had read. Now I'm not as opposed to comics as I used to be ha-ha. [ed. note: Kell also actually loved the book she read for Ladies Comics Project Phase I - and issue of the Black Cat mini-series]
Why did you pick the cover/issue you picked? Originally, I didn't pick this book. I believe I asked for, let's see... 6 books that were already taken before I got to Echo, although I'm very glad this was the one I ended up with! I'm very much a person who judges books by their covers, so as I'm sure Kelly's picked up on, the books I tend to lean toward have colorful, pretty graphics on the front. I think one of the reasons I didn't pick Echo right away was because of how the woman on the cover looked. From the picture all I could tell was that there was a woman in a white tank top standing in what looked like rain. I'm not usually so picky about those kinds of things, but I personally don't want to read a book if it seems like it objectifies women like that. However, after I read the book, I was extremely pleased to know that this was not the case!
The first thing I realized when I opened the book was that there was no color.
My childish instincts immediately told me to grab my 64 pack of crayons and color in the first panels I could get my hands on.
Luckily, my adult side told my inner child to take a chill pill and I got on with reading.
I work in a library, so I decided to take Echo with me to read during slow time (trust me, slow time in the library is sloooooow). To be completely honest, I was almost a little bashful about reading my comic book when students and professors would be walking around. I feel like I'm starting controversy by saying that, but I'm not an avid fan of comic books, so for the first few minutes I was a little embarrassed to be reading one in public. But that feeling went away once I started getting into the plot.
I love that the action in Echo starts right away. What's the first thing I see when I open the page? A woman in some kind of metal suit flying through the clouds. Most books I read start off with la-di-da intros that gradually lead into a thicker plot. But Echo literally grabs you the instant you open it. I found it really hard to put the book down once I had started it, because I felt like if I did, I would have missed out on the action.
Reading Echo is very much like watching a really good TV show: the action never sticks to one person for very long. Just when you start to get involved in Julie's emotional and physical hardships, a new panel comes along with Ivy and Randy's detective work. I found this to be really annoying after a while for the simple reason that I wanted so badly to find out what was happening with the person I was already reading about! I suppose that means the author's done his job, since it keeps me from putting the book down. But there were times when I wanted to be a cheater and skip Julie's section to get back to Dillon's, skip Dillon's to get to Ivy and Randy's, and so on. There were definitely some "grrrr...." moments.
But I love that the things that I disliked about the book weren't necessarily bad bad things, if you get what I'm saying. They were bad for me because I had to wait to find out what happened to my favorite characters, but they're good because like I said, they kept me from losing interest.
Oh, before I forget! (I actually did almost forget this comment... I didn't say that just to sound cute) I loved loved LOVED the art in Echo. The details are unbelievable! Little things like the wedding ring on Julie's finger, the cute little "ping!" exclamations next to the metal pellets, and the extra "cushion" Terry Moore seems to put on Pam to make her seem heavier (since Julie mentioned that the doctors said they were putting her on a diet) all nearly subconsciously add to how life-like the drawings are.
Overall, I was stunned by Echo. It is a beautifully written piece of work that can simultaneously tug at my heart strings and make me never want to go anywhere near army or nuclear testing facilities ever in my life. To anyone who is looking for an action book that also has a deeper, emotional plot line, go for Echo before anything else. I wish I could say I'm glad I did, but I'd be lying, since Echo wasn't my first choice.
Name: Grace Miner
Book: The Secret Science Alliance by Eleanor Davis and Drew Weing (Bloomsbury)
Age: 7
Location: Stately Wayne Manor
Occupation: 2nd Grader
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels? Grace is an avid reader of comics, and read and reviewed Set To Sea for Ladies Comics Project: Phase I. She also knows TONS about superheroes as one of the main players of 5 Minute Marvels!
Why did you pick the cover/issue you picked? You'll have to watch the video!
Grace of 5 Minute Marvels (with the help of her dad Tim) graciously offered to review a comic for our experiment as well. Grace and one other young reader picked outside the selected books - which was no problem - especially since she picked a book as great as The Secret Science Alliance! For some reason the image link isn't working, so click HERE to watch Grace's video.
Name: Loretto
Age: 32
Book: Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan (Drawn & Quarterly)
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Architect
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels? Watchmen a couple years ago, was WAY into a (probably totally cheesy in retrospect) series called Psi-Force as a kid, intending to take Akira down from the bookshelf and read it at some point....
Why did you pick the cover/issue you picked? I had a tough time picking because I had no preconceived notion of what kind of graphic novel I wanted to read. More of a movie-watcher than a book-reader, I tried to translate the experience to picking a movie at the video store. I knew I wanted good art, but genre-wise, I was aware that the field was far more open than with comics, and that "indie drama" specifically was a pretty strong contingent. I checked those out first, either by the cover art, the title, or some previous knowledge I had of the graphic novel. But in looking up little synopses for each, I found myself repeatedly coming back to the ones with some action, fantasy or mystery to the plots and didn't all take place in a 23-year-old's feelings. I began to worry a dry, plodding, mumblecore, so-real-it-hurts story was going to get annoying and fast. In the end, it was down to The Walking Dead or Exit Wounds. I went with Exit Wounds which sounded faintly "international intrigue," had beautifully spare cover art, and was not a TV series I was already currently watching.
As it turns out, faint is right. This was about 2% international intrigue and 98% indie drama. But contrary to what I feared, I could not turn the pages fast enough, hardly allowing myself the time to look at the art. The story, centered around the search for a man, is immediately engrossing. The two main characters, which are in almost every frame, are fleshed out so convincingly; my brain had no trouble filling in the details that the minimal drawing style leaves out. Set in Israel, there is a mildly exotic tinge to everything -- elements in the plot, settings, lines of dialogue, minor characters, incidental details -- that makes for an interesting overlay on these two otherwise very familiar characters and their evolving relationship. Obviously, the Israeli author/artist's personal experiences were the reason for the setting, but for me, it was an extremely effective device for adding a strangeness that makes you more open to how things may happen or characters may react, as well as pay closer attention to the periphery, in much the same way foreign films do ("That wasn't weird -- it's French"). This, I think, is also my first experience reading a comic book that actually strives for realism, which Exit Wounds achieves not in the angsty, self-absorbed kind of way I wanted to steer clear of earlier, but more in a natural, unflinching, meandering kind of way. Time passes unevenly, neat endings to plotlines picked up here and there are nowhere to be found, and sex doesn't look hot, all of which you just accept without question. The art lends itself to this tone -- clean lines and flat colors in a soft warm palette, nothing aggressive. In fact, everything was so easy on the eye, it really takes a second pass at the book to truly appreciate the art.
Ultimately though, I finally catch on to the fact that I had just read an indie drama comic book when I turn a page and goddammit! there is no next page. The abrupt ending stands out to me in contrast with the rest of the book as a bit cloying and contrived. All of a sudden, I'm aware of the author, and there's no getting around the fact that she very deliberately ended at that point, at an inhale, and then left out the exhale. This effectively drew a huge arrow pointing to the ending with a sign reading "METAPHOR! THINK ABOUT IT!" After being immersed in a completely believable story, it felt like a brisk slap. I can't help but wish the story ended as unselfconsciously and naturally as how it unfolded. That said, I still liked Exit Wounds a lot. Writing this review now more than a month after I had read it, I actually want to pick it up and reread it just for the pleasure of again going along for the ride. Thanks again, Kelly, for sharing something sweet and not available through Netflix.
Name: Marta
Book: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Mariner Books)
Age: 29
Location: New York, NY
Occupation: work in the licensing department of a publishing company
Previous exposure to comics/graphic novels? I read and loved The Crow when I was in high school, but otherwise, have had pretty much zero exposure
Why did you pick the cover/issue you picked? I selected a few covers that looked interesting and did some research on Amazon to see what they were about before making my selection.
Once of the reasons I was drawn to Fun Home was the fact that it was a memoir. I've always been interested in the different ways that people tell their stories, so I wanted to see how a memoir style would be handled in a graphic novel. I think using the graphic novel form really opened up the possibilities of storytelling in this book. This is a story about past and childhood, but also about two discoveries—the discovery of the narrator's own sexuality, as well as that of her father—and the author uses the graphic novel form to its full potential. The story isn't restricted by chronology or needing to set up a scene in order to make use of an interesting juxtaposition of different times in her life. Instead, through the art, Bechdel is able to shift from her childhood, to college, from her parent's courtship to the end of her father's life, seamlessly. We get a sense of the author's voice not just from the words themselves, but the ways the words interact with the illustrations. At one point, while reading, I tried to imagine what the book would be like if written strictly in prose, but what works so well is the lightness of the words, how one line can tell so much. The way the author really uses the form to tell more than just words ever could. I think that moments in the book that are beautifully handled, like the analogy to the relationship between Icarus and Daedalus that both opens and closes the book, would run the danger of being heavy-handed if written strictly in prose.
When participating in the first phase of this project I commented that I felt that the 32 page format left me feeling unsatisfied [ed. note: Marta read Stumptown #4 for Ladies Comics Project Phase I]. That I preferred to sit down and have the full story available to me, rather than waiting for the next piece. Reading a graphic novel this time, I certainly didn't have that issue, although there was still something I felt like I was missing. I haven't read enough graphic novels to know if this is true of the medium, or just this particular book, but I didn't feel as connected to the experience of reading, as I usually do—that feeling of getting lost in a book. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that when reading a book, I am creating images to accompany the text in my mind, so in a way becoming more participant than audience in the experience; but then again, this was a graphic novel in which the narrator comments on her distance from her own emotions—says, at one point, that she would relate the information about her father's death in the most matter-of-fact tone possible, "eager to detect in my listener the flinch of grief that eluded me."—so perhaps in this case that emotional disconnect was just part of the design.
Has this changed the way I think about graphic novels? I don't know that I've ever had a strong opinion about graphic novels. I've never made a declaration against them, as I have been known to do about other things (like reading poetry, and watching opera). There are a few graphic novels, including Watchmen and Persepolis that have been on my list of things to read for a while now. But it doesn't feel as though a door has been opened, introducing me to something I had been missing. Would I read more? Absolutely, but like with most books that I end up reading, I imagine I would come to them through someone's recommendation, not my seeking them out.
So that's it for this week's installment!
I find it fascinating that two of the ladies today talked about how they felt while reading in public - and had completely opposite feelings about it. I also find it interesting that several women have mentioned missing out on the imagination process of reading a graphic novel instead of a prose novel - that having the images provided for them rather than having to create the images themselves leaves them feeling a bit emotionally distant from the work. I had honestly never thought of that idea before, perhaps because I started reading comics early enough that it's become ingrained into my process that it wouldn't occur to me...but it's an interesting comment...and one I heard frequently in this installment of the project.
A huge thanks to all the ladies who participated in Phase II, Part One and especially to Tara Abbamondi who provided me with the custom illustration for the the project. I hope you all have enjoyed Part One of this experiment and will come back next week for Part Two in which the ladies tackle everything from Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim to Gabrielle Bell's Lucky. Until next week!
***FYI – She Has No Head! is actively accepting review copies of "female positive comics and graphic novels" for future columns on CSBG. Please get in touch via email (using the CSBG "contact us" button above) to discuss.***


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6th October 2012
Roots Hall
Southend welcome struggling Barnet to Roots Hall this afternoon looking to inflict more misery on the side bottom of league two and without a win this season.
John Spicer and Barry Corr (both suspension) will miss out for Southend following recent sendings off.
Gavin Tomlin and Mark Phillips (both groin) will both be assessed ahead of thee game but should be fit to return to feature in some way.
Barnet are desperate for a win and the chances improve slightly with Graham Stack (suspension) free to return. Ishmail Kamara (shoulder) is unlikely to be fit while Collins John's lack of fitness could see him have to wait a little longer for his debut.
Steve Kabba and Danny Senda (both knee) continue to sit out for The Bees.
The Shrimpers v Barnet
6th October 2012


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A little about us.
My personal backround was in electronics as an engineer, I spent the first 20 years of my working life within the electronics industry.
Electronics in Ireland took a major downturn so I decided to convert my hobby, which was wood working, building boats and similar projects into a business. The boat building never evolved into a business, but the woodworking did!
Cherry Lane Art Services was established in 1995 and since then has designed and manufactured bespoke high-end frames for some of Ireland's most established and respected visual artists, to date we still enjoy this position.
We pride ourselves on being different, making our own designs and frame profiles.
Hand finishing is a specialty. We have a special emphasis on conservation framing, We operate within the guidelines of the fine art trade guild, offering all levels of framing, from budget quality to museum quality and we take pride in giving our most honest recommendations to all our clients.
In 2001 we extended our business to include 2 new sectors, one which took us to the forefront of the music and entertainment award industry with our Gold & Platinum award presentations. Although these have been around for a while, they were never made in Ireland. This gave us the challenge and opportunity to make our own mark on the industry. Instead of copying the norm, we set about making our own designs of awards, which have now become the trademark of 'Cherry Lane Art Services' and the industry standard.
Michael Hayes


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Hi My fellow panel of experts!
I will thank you in advance for your help...
? that's been buggin' me....
Can you freeze Buttermilk, Heavy Cream & Whipping Cream??
if so.. for how long??
You see, I buy a quart of buttermilk... to use.... 1 1/4 cup.... by the time that I have to make that recipe again (which is the only one I have that req. buttermilk... it's past the sell by date... and I smell it and it doesn't smell "right"... so I end up throwing it all out... it happens everytime... well most times and I don't like to waste ingredients and $$$... so I was wondering....
same thing for whipping cream and heavy cream... like can I put them in ice cubes and freeze... then put all the cubes in a freezer zip lock bag???
I freeze heavy whipping cream all the time! I have had some for 3 months before and it whipped up perfectly once it was thawed.
Kewl... u think I could do the same with buttermilk??
I freeze buttermilk all the time! My chocolate cake recipe calls for 1.5 cups and the carton that I buy has exactly three cups in it. But I never use it all before its expiration date. I have started pouring the left over 1.5 cups in a freezer bag and freezing it. I just made a chocolate cake with it last week and it turned out perfect. HTH.
Although it doesn't answer the cream part of the question, have you tried the powdered buttermilk that you can buy in the baking aisle? I love it and have never been able to tell the difference between it and fresh in my recipes.
(When I first moved to the UK, buttermilk was hard to get at the grocery, so I had the powdered sent to me. Most things I learned to live without, but not that!)
Make buttermilk pancakes with the extra -- everybody in the house will be glad you did!
I didn't even know they have it in powder form... is it readily available? or is it like bettercreme that you can only find it in certain places?
After reading what some of you have said... I think I will try it with all three of them... I have also used the buttermilk substitute when I think I have buttermilk and when I get my mis en place... I notice that the buttermilk is past the date... so I googled and you take whole milk... add white vinegar or powdered cream of tartar... let it sit for 10-20 min... and it's done... and I haven't notice a difference between the both... but I wanted to know just in case....
u guys are awesome... thanks
That is good to know--I didn't think you could freeze any of those. Thanks!
I didn't even know they have it in powder form... is it readily available? or is it like bettercreme that you can only find it in certain places?
I buy mine at wal-mart in the baking isle. I only have one recipe that calls for it also so I just open it and then store the powder in the freezer. Not sure if you really have to, but you know it's what my grandma does so I never thought anything different of it.
I love powdered buttermilk. It's not a specialty item, either; you can find it in the baking aisle at most grocery stores. You will notice that your batter is thinner than with regular buttermilk, but it should taste the same.
I have always been told that you can't whip cream after it's been frozen, but I do freeze it for use in soups, etc. where it does not need to be whipped. But if you say it works, KHalstead, I'll give it a try! I really hope you're right -- I like to buy it at Costco, where it's good quality and cheap (I can get a half gallon for under $6), but I can rarely use that much before it goes bad.
glad to know you can freeze whipping cream that will save money thanks
I get buttermilk powder at Walmarts, it is called Saco Buttermilk, it is in the powdered milk isle. I keep it in the fridge after I open the can, it last a long time. I also saw it in other gro. stores.
I don't even buy buttermilk anymore. I just add a little lemon juice to milk and let it sit for a few minutes until it starts to curdle. I know, it sounds gross right? I actually use it for a very yummy "buttermilk pie".
I had never even seen cultured buttermilk until this cake thing got in my blood. I grew up using the milk and vinegar method. It woked fine for half a decade. Now that I know what it looks like, I use it if I can because of the thickness of it. I like a stiffer batter and the vinegar method does come out to be a thinner batter. I don't notice a difference in the taste.
As far as the powdered buttermilk, I love that too unless I want a really white cake. It does make for a yellowish white cake.


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This past summer I went on a study abroad program to China. It was an interesting experience to say the least; it was a different atmosphere than what I had anticipated. At an urban setting there is a lot of resemblance to Mexico City. The street vendors, the public vs. private space re appropriation battle, the ingenious adaptations to create new markets, all of these things that seem to root from the economic issues that prevail in both of these countries start to shape the urban fabric accordingly. One of the most obvious differences is in regards to public space, in Mexico the space is taken over or occupied at convenience and it transforms through time, in China there is a clear invisible boundary stating that a lot of these spaces are off limits and it is well respected among the Chinese population. What is most interesting about the Chinese city is that there seems to be no density gradient, one minute one could be surrounded by high rise buildings and just a 10 minute drive could be the difference between Starbucks and rural farming.
Some people argue that China is where most of us as architects are going to be working sooner or later, the rapid growth of their cities is undeniable and the fearless approach of the government when it comes to building is astonishing. This notion of super-fast design and production is what China has become to be known for, but among the young architecture students there was a different feeling. As opposed to the fast paced designers that seem to be prevailing in the major cities there is a more conscious approach in the universities. The Chinese students have a grounded sensibility and respect when designing. This became almost a juxtaposition with the American students; the Americans were eager to produce the most work possible and the Chinese students were more interested in setting up a discourse among all of us to try understand history of site in order to respect it, living conditions and more importantly to truly know and understand the people living in the area.


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Thank you for submitting a membership application. You will shortly receive a confirmation email from us, letting you know what the next stage in the process is. If you do not receive this email, please check in your 'junk' mail. We are happy to help with any queries: just send us an email or tel 01962 854971.


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Fifty years after Andy Warhol presented his pop art series of 32 Campbell's Soup Cans to the world,Campbell's today is paying tribute to Warhol's iconic work by introducing a limited edition cans of Campbell's condensed tomato soup .Campbell Soup Company never commissioned Warhol to paint the original soup cans, he found his own inspiration from the classic red & white Campbell's label, A soup , he consumed quite a lot, apparently.Andy Warhol first exhibited these 32 canvases in 1962, each one hung from the wall like paintings and rested on a shelf like groceries in a store. The number of canvases corresponds to the varieties of soup then sold by the Campbell Soup Company.Quoting one of Warhol's famous rants "But I always say, one's company; two's a crowd; and three's a party ". Well, let's get the party season under way, with These Cherry Gazpacho , perfect as an appetiser for your party using Campbell's condensed soup and a few bit & bobs from Lidl .
Gazpacho is usually served cold, originating in the Southern Spanish region of Andalucia. Traditionally, gazpacho is made by pounding peeled and deseeded tomatoes in a pestle & mortar, as this method avoids the surplus of foam and discolouration created by blenders and food processors. In addition, to the puréed tomatoes, garlic, shallots,cucumber, olive oil,salt, vinegar and soaked bread ( for a really thick consistency )and iced water.
Here is a smooth and elegant variation of this chilled soup. Serve it on it's own or garnish with a fine brunoise of vegetables/ cooked prawns/ crab meat /cray fish / lobster /crisp bacon strips / avocado, green chilli&tarragon along with some bread sticks or crostinis. And my version also involves chilled Vodka. Well , it is a party , after all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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|Click to see in Amazon
Michael Robotham is one of the best authors of psychological thrillers on the planet, and this is undoubtedly one of his best. Key elements in a good psychological thriller are to weave a chilling story and to leave you guessing to the very end - Robotham does that in spades.
Marnie Logan is having a terrible life. Her second husband Daniel disappeared a year ago and she is left to bring up 2 children, a young boy, Elijah, with developmental problems from celiac disease and a teenage girl, Zoe, from her first marriage. There has been absolutely no sign of Daniel, no bank account or credit card transactions and the police can find no trace of him - he has disappeared into thin air. Because she doesn't have proof of death she can't access his bank accounts or £300,000 life insurance.
Daniel was a gambling addict and left her with a large debt to a disreputable character, Patrick Henessy, with a contract making Marnie equally liable for the debt. Henessy won't write off the debt and her only recourse is to work for his escort agency to pay it off. When she refuses to service a client her handler Niall Quinn beats her up. What is particularly scary is that Quinn later turns up the next day in the local canal with his throat cut and the police question her because she was the last one known to have seen him alive.
Following her depression following Daniel's death she has been consulting her neighbour, psychologist Joe O'Loughlin. She doesn't tell him everything about her difficult childhood or that from time to time she feels that she is being watched.
At last Marnie finds a way to access Daniel's personal effects from his office and finds a red book that he was creating for her birthday with her life story told through her family, friends and acquaintances. Jo and his friend retired detective Vincent Ruiz help Marnie to follow the leads in the book, and the scary part is that some more people associated with Marnie also start to get hurt.
Robotham writes a chilling and disturbing story about Marnie's life, interleaved with observations from someone who has been following Marnie for years. Slowly he gives us clues and then reveals the answers but he leaves one of the questions unanswered even on the last page. Well done Michael Rowbotham, you have eclipsed all of your excellent previous psychological thrillers.
Now we wait for the release of LIFE OR DEATH in a few days time. Rowbotham says "It's my tenth novel and one that I feel I was destined to write." Many of you may not be aware that while all of his novels are set in the United Kingdom, Michael Rowbotham is an Australian author who lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches.


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Posts Tagged 'Trading'
Maintaining Positive Expectancy With Automated Forex System Trading
Precisely what is Positive Requirement? Positive expectancy looks like something the motivational presenter would go over or some psychiatrist. In truth, there are most people that make use of the term for the reasons. This post is about together with the term within the context of fore trade strategies, STUDIES, and MATHS. One from the major features from may be automatic Fore trade system is made in control that maintains a top POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS that cause large sales. Positive requirement defined through its easiest form, is that within the average, we have a probability you'll make more income than you are likely to lose.
If the Trader gets next to nothing else designed by article an important POINT that need to be understood can be that WITHOUT THE NEED OF POSITIVE EXPECTANCY in different Fore stock trading system automatic or elsewhere, there are actually no cash management strategies or fix trading techniques which may prevent you actually from losing every one of your money.
Most professional traders confuse impressive expectancy while using the probability regarding winning. For professional traders and certainly fore program developers want to brag who their structure "picks winning trades 97. 3% on the time", and fall with the easy however incorrect intuition and "feeling" that her high amount of gains all the perks means an expensive profit. However, this is absolutely not TRUE! Receiving 97 3% of that time period will in no way generate Foreign exchange profits that the 2. 7% from losing trades obliterate your profile. Confusing triumph probability with the help of positive expectations is whatever ultimately causes Trader's Harm.
Trader's Ruin would be the mathematical guarantee that in the future the trader will mislay all her money towards the market in cases where he positions without favorable expectancy. Many especially successful investors and auto Fix trading systems have a relatively win probability near 40%, that has a high impressive expectancy who returns large profits.
If a computerized currency fix trading program benefits 9 because of 10 intervals (90% captures!)#), along with the average earn is $10 nonetheless average decrease is $100: that system possesses a negative expectancy and can lose cash! If a computerized Fore investments system captures once each and every 20 investments (5% captures! ), losing the normal $5 every losing exchange but makes a standard $100 concerning each triumph, that structure has good expectancy not to mention over the long term will make a profit.
Did which tie the human brain in the knot? Let's explain a bit further. So that you can say a computerized fore sellers, or any sort of system, has impressive expectancy translates that on average the machine will bring in more money than them loses. With any assigned trade, perhaps it will win or it may possibly lose, even so the average in the future and a large number of trades will be profitable. This could include will cost you and slippage and turn measured over any minimum from 30 that will 100 trading, preferably much more.
Investing in Trading – Investing in Private Placements
Whether you do have a private business of yours or are usually planning more of purchasing trading, one of many ways of discovering funding is normally through securing private positions. This is a maker of capital which will banks about trading having treasury expenditures or structure term bank or investment company notes, therefore it is meant a more long-term types of investment process having a high pace of profit. This is usually far safer for that investor than others of designs, for plenty of reasons. To begin with trying to find out if this really is a great way for your online business or unique investment system, you have to first examine the gains.
One reason those checking out trading may perhaps choose to purchase private positioning is that hot weather doesn't require offering any kind personal assets or collateral for getting the sort of financing. Another bonus is that most of this trading software often aid benefit humanitarian reasons. The earnings earned right from investments get back on projects in which help the market, or are widely-used for non-profits as well as social production projects. If that is the draw suitable for you, you should find what type connected with works are underway, to view if this really is something that you be excited about investing during.
Banks and various other financial institutions aren't allowed to purchase these software programs, which lots of see as a method of questing the actively playing field for the purpose of smaller individual investors. Generates this extremely different method of way of purchasing trading, and in case the banks do prefer to participate they need to use individual investors to buy shares for your kids. Because an investment is without a doubt underwritten through the actual buying and selling group, it's difficult to get rid of money with this.
However, there tend to be large companies to choose from that are known to utilize private placements as a means of luring people into unsound themes, so guarantee that you know wherever your money will avoid a majority of these scams. It is a same with any kind of investment, as being successful risk taking part whether you're investing through trading, housing, or begin businesses. For many that is definitely organ of the thrill. Investing is actually a way from playing a personal game and released on top to learn money when compared with you initiated, and should you play the adventure armed using information, you will make money.


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Gustavus II Adolphus is dead and the kingdom is without a King. A heavy responsibility lies on the shoulders of the young Queen Christina, only six years old. Sweden is engaged in the Thirty Years' War, the Estates are dissatisfied with Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna's influence, the breach between Protestants and Catholics is wider than ever and the exploratory spirit of the age gives rise to new art and science. As a representative of one of the many factions around the Queen, it is your duty to enlighten Christina and show her the true path. But beware, the other factions will not shrink from using any means to stop you!
Christina Regina - the Queen's Path© is the third game in the Nova Suecia series.
It is a game about politics and intrigues in 17th century Sweden. Each player represents a faction with a hidden agenda. The end of their intrigues is the newly appointed Queen Christina of Sweden and their means include agitation, manipu-lation, persuasion and even assassination. They achieve this by steering the queen towards influence of their own faction and away from influence of other factions. At the same time, they must monitor the other players' actions to guess their agendas. But beware, if your own agenda is too obvious, you may yourself become the victim of your opponents' intrigues!
Christina Regina is also available as a card game. The game is basically the same with the
game board being replaced by three piles of cards. However, the essence of the game - the intrigues and
the careful maneuvering between the colors - remain the same.
"The essence of the game is found when we unveil Christina Regina. Under the theme, the mechanisms remind of various games like chess (moving a piece and create forced moves), poker (bluffing), Master Mind (color guessing), the old Nokia game "Snake" (blocking paths) and Cluedo (murders with unknown villains and motives). A player may go for his or her own color, hoping that the others think it's a bluff, or go for other colors, provoking the others to attempt assassinations and fail. The winner is the player who best reads the others' minds."
My name is Nicholas Hjelmberg and I am a hobby gamer since childhood. Starting with classic games
like chess and RISK, I moved on to explore "American" games like Diplomacy and Civilization and then
"Euro games" like Settlers and Tigris & Euphrates. Combining my game experience with my history
interest and IT and quality profession, I have entered the exciting world of board game design
and production.
Nicholas Hjelmberg, Stockholm, Sweden


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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Babies diagnosed with jaundice may be more likely to later receive a diagnosis of autism, suggests a large new study.
However, the Danish researchers caution that many questions remain unanswered, making it too early to say for sure if there is a true cause-and-effect relationship between the conditions.
Environmental exposures prior to, during and shortly after birth are emerging as important risk factors for the development of autism, in addition to genetic factors, Hannah Gardener of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told Reuters Health in an e-mail.
Jaundice is a common condition among newborns that results when the yellow pigment found in bile, called bilirubin, accumulates faster than the immature liver can process it. More than half of babies born full-term have some of the characteristic yellowing of the skin and eyes, but it usually resolves itself and is rarely harmful.
Autism, which causes problems with social and communications skills, affects approximately one in every 110 U.S. children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a prior study, Dr. Rikke Damkjaer Maimburg of Aarhus University found that children diagnosed with autism were twice as likely to have been admitted to the neonatal care unit as newborns, most commonly for jaundice. Yet she knew that earlier research into a link between jaundice and autism had yielded conflicting results.
So Maimburg and her colleagues decided to conduct a larger and more rigorous study than those done in the past. They retrieved detailed information from national registries on nearly all babies born in Denmark between 1994 and 2004.
Of the 733,826 children born during that period, 35,766 were born with jaundice, 1,721 were later diagnosed with a psychological disorder of some kind and 577 developed autism.
After adjusting for other factors such as birth weight and mother's smoking status, the team determined that children born full-term with jaundice had a 56 percent greater chance of developing an autistic spectrum disorder later on than those without jaundice, report the researchers in the journal Pediatrics.
These same children were also at a significantly greater risk of developing a range of other developmental psychological problems, such as learning or speech disorders.
Looking more closely at the data, the researchers found that first-born children and babies born earlier than the 37th week of pregnancy seemed to be protected from the apparent effects of jaundice. Those born during spring and summer months also seemed to be unaffected.
They speculate that whatever damage the jaundice may be inflicting occurs during the last few weeks of gestation, and that seasonal environmental factors after birth may lessen or worsen the problem.
"The best guess as to how jaundice causes changes in psychological development is that bilirubin crosses the blood-brain barrier and destroys brain cells, as we know it does in cerebral palsy," Maimburg told Reuters Health in an e-mail.
Increased brain development in the last weeks of gestation as well as a higher rate of infections and less sunlight (which can help in the breakdown of bilirubin) during winter months might explain some of the differences identified, note the researchers. Antibodies accumulated during previous pregnancies could also contribute to the greater effect seen in children who were not first-borns, they add.
The fact that most previous studies failed to show an association between jaundice and autism may be due to their not having broken down the data by these other potential factors, said Gardener.
The new study has its own limitations, she added, including a jaundice rate far lower than what is estimated in the general population. It is likely that only the most severe cases were captured because the researchers drew from diagnostic codes in hospital records and mild cases may not all be included there.
"Jaundice is a common exposure during the neonatal period and should not be ignored," said Gardener. "Identification and treatment of jaundice is important for both pre-term and term neonates."
Maimburg suggested that post-birth classes with lectures on how parents can observe their newborns and recognize when jaundice requires attention could help to minimize the potential risk. But she emphasized that parents shouldn't be alarmed if they do spot a yellow tint to their newborn's skin, as most will develop at least a mild case of jaundice during the first days of life.
SOURCE: link.reuters.com/qaq87p Pediatrics, online October 11, 2010.


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"I discovered a crashed propeller formed UFO on Mars this week. The UFO has left an extended crash path behind it as proof from the path it got here. As the UFO fell slowly to land, it hit the fringe of the rock cliffs and broke the cliff. Then it barely rotated and the tracks flip about 45 levels then go straight to the UFO. The tracks are the identical width because the UFO backside, so that is 100% proof that the UFO did make the tracks behind it. This is the primary time I ever discovered a propeller formed UFO, nevertheless its not the primary time I ever noticed one."
Source: http://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/


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UPDATE 2016-09-09: What WAS PageRank? PageRank was an integral part of SEO for many years. Read on to learn more about what it WAS, but its time has now passed. We haven't really counted on it now for a couple years – quite a while. Most SEOs refer to rankings from Majestic.com or AHrefs.com or Moz.com. Google still has an internal mechanism for determining how much love they have for your site, but it is no longer shared in ANY fashion with the public.
When you start talking to your SEO company, all those terms… What the heck is offsite? What is onsite? What is this and that? And then, of course, what is PageRank?
Our friends over at Wikipedia have it something along these lines…
PageRank is a link evaluation algorithm, named after Larry Page and used by the Google web-search engine, that designates a numeric weighting to each component of a hyperlinked group of files, like the World Wide Web, together with the purpose of "measuring" its relative significance inside of the set. The formula may be applied to any collection of entities with reciprocal quotations and references. The numerical weight that it assigns for any given element E is denoted by PR (E and known as the PageRank of E). PageRank is not Google's only formula that establishes positions in serp's, but simply one of several elements utilized to establish ranking sites in search results pages for any specific search. Find out more at their site – PageRank Explained
In short, if you didn't follow all of that, it's a system named after Larry Page (one of the Google founders) to help decide just how important your website actually is based on the content, links and other various factors specific to your website. Higher is better. The rankings go from N/A to 10. It is usually referred to as simply "PR" – not to be confused with "public relations" type PR.
Quick PR Ranking Breakdown
- N/A: Google has no clue who the heck you are. If you have been around for a while, it really doesn't like your content – scraped or just nothing of any real note. If you're just starting a website, this is normal.
- PR 0: Google acknowledges your existence, but doesn't see much value yet, but it has some faith in you. Still not a desired ranking.
- PR 1: Now you're getting somewhere. You have content and some value in Google's eyes. You're not setting the world on fire, but you have relevance.
- PR 2: Okay, not shabby. Google likes you. You've got some decent content.
- PR 3: Good for a local website – much like the ones that we create. You've got content that is good, and you've got some clout. With a PR 3 site, you can usually launch a page and get pretty quick love from Google on it.
- PR 4: Now you've got some heat. PR 4 and up is pretty powerful medicine if you're doing either backlinking or buying expired domains for reuse. This ranking indicates some good solid traffic (at some point), relevance, and a good number of backlinks – again, at SOME point.
The rough breakdown is that each successive increase in PR is an order of 10. So a PR 0 is your starting point. A PR 1 is 10x more impressive than that, a PR 2 is 100x more impressive, and a PR 3 1000x stronger. Etc.
What does this mean to MY website?
I'm sure a larger company than Lizardwebs could identify better the higher PR ranks and all that, but once you get moving up the ladder, you want to be PR 1 or higher. For SEO, PR N/A or PR 0 is crap. If you're creating your own sites from ground up, you will have those rankings for a while. To get to the next level(s), you need to be moving on up the pipe all the time by increasing your unique and useful content, and of course, backlinks. It is NOT a requirement to HAVE a higher PR to rank for a specific search term, but it helps. If a PR 4 site puts up a new page targeting a particular term, it usually has a great chance to rank for that term quickly vs a PR 0 site.
Other terms that you're likely to hear bandied about when chatting about PR are "google juice", "link juice", "google love", etc. With each increase in PR ranking when a page/site is linked from one of these sites, the PR indicates how much "love" is being passed on to your site. Thus if I want Google to rank my site higher, with the help of some good links, I want to be using some higher PR sites as much as possible. It's going to take about 1000 PR 0 links to do for my website what just 1 PR 3 link will do. While this is a bit of a simplification, it's the basic idea. And a good PR 5-7 link? Heck, that can pass on the love of a whole year or two of backlinking from PR 0 sites LOL.
A lot of "splogs" – spam blogs – have the PR N/A or PR 0 designation due to lack of unique or useful content and other factors. With recent Google updates in place, it is generally not advised to be linking from anything less than a PR 1 site. Though…
I see PR 0 sites all day long ranking for keywords, so it seriously is NOT a big issue in many cases. Additionally, while it is believed that Google does have a real-time PR value for each website/web page, they actually only release those updates quarterly or even semi-annually. If you're PR 0 today, don't worry yourself looking up your PR every day – you're likely going to be disappointed 99% of the time.
Check your PR
Check Page Rank of your Web site pages instantly:
This page rank checking tool is powered by Page Rank Checker service


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Most people believe that falling into debt is unexpected. This is not entirely true. Although most financial crises are unforeseen, you do see it coming. Unless the situation occurs due to the influence of external factors, you will always be able to tell that you are going down. Do not think that this situation is inevitable. If you are aware of the reasons for this financial downfall, you will definitely be able to avoid it. Listed below are some common factors that can lead to massive debt. Link here http://alwadidebtmanagement.com for more information about debt collection agency that meet your needs and give you the most cost effective solution to your monetary needs.
The mistake most people make in this case is that they believe that underemployment is temporary. Unless you look for a secure second employment, this situation will not be temporary. With an insecure job, it can be very difficult to make ends meet. This unsettling finances can lead to a serious crisis in the near future. So, if you are have heavy expenses, do not depend on a part-time job. Get full employment since it can ease the financial tension to a certain extent.
Divorce can not only create a psychological impact, but also quite a heavy financial impact too. When it comes to a divorce, the laws of your country will dictate your financial status. If your spouse applies for alimony or sues you under false pretenses, it can lead to financial issues. You will not only have to provide for your family even after the divorce, but you will have to pay for the lawyers too. Thus, if you're thinking of getting divorced, then get ready to tackle a debt collector too.
This habit can definitely lead you to straight to a debt collector. Although gambling is considered as a form of entertainment, it can turn into an addiction very easily. Once you get influenced by the game, you will not be able to stop. This habit can make you spend mindlessly even if you are already under financial strain. If entertainment is what you want, try out some other hobby or sport that will not affect your finances negatively.
Medical expenses
Unexpected accidents and health conditions can put someone in debt too. Since no one sees them coming, the expenditure of the treatment can have severe impact on your finances. On the other hand, if you know that you have to face a surgery in the future, do not spend aimlessly. You will have to save as much as you can. If not, you will not have dime once the surgery is done.
Being informed of these factors can not only help you avoid them, but can prepare you to face them boldly too. Thus, under any of the above mentioned circumstances, you need to handle your finances very carefully.


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The Interior Design Program at Georgian College is dedicated to providing our college students with a broad-based mostly proficiency in interior space design and physical area management that may enable graduates to proceed to productive and rewarding skilled careers in inside design. Accreditation with NASAD requires that we preserve excessive professional standards in art and design schooling and demonstrates our broader commitment, not just to the self-discipline and occupation of inside design, but also to the broader education of superb arts. Classical interior design is predicated on order, symmetry and balance which relates to the beliefs of the Greek and Roman empires. Avoid inside designers that have a signature look – until, in fact, that look meshes along with your design style. Clothing design software is a lot fun, and its straightforward to navigate its interface.
Billed as a home decor bible for followers of DesignSponge, this traditional ebook options tutorials, tasks, real house tours and inspiring recommendation which have turn out to be hallmarks of Grace Bonney, the design mastermind and creator start the outstanding design weblog. Of course, I do consider there ought to be just a few pages remaining, as our life tales are all the time being re-written, edited, re-balanced and added to. Totally by design. The design of the quilt cowl is each beautiful and feminine, and also you get two matching pillow cases to go with it.
What's doing extra to ruin the careers of interior designers is the truth that bored housewives have access to lots of the trade suppliers, the Internet and other previously sacred resources of designers. Introduction to illustration and image manipulation software related to the net design and graphic design industries. Turn a craft hutch right into a intelligent craft provide organizer that is already fully geared up with every little thing it's worthwhile to manage and store almost each sort of craft supply you can consider. These are great for small areas, tight areas or those that do not have the house for a conventional craft room design.
So too, advice will differ depending upon the distinctive residence – and the distinctive individuals living in it. Despite the fact that different faculties could have numerous views on some subjects, there are primary Feng Shui ideas that apply to all kitchens. Students have countless sources accessible to them, including a supplies library – stocked with essentially the most up-to-date design materials, donated from trade. He has in depth expertise within the interior design and architectural professions.


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To find a specific service provider click on the applicable service description provided in the scroll down menu to the right →
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It is up to you to verify if any of the service providers in this directory are licensed, insured or bonded.


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Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, has been named the 10th most powerful man in the world, ahead of the likes of Rupert Murdoch, Hillary Clinton and Steve Jobs.
Gates, who stepped down from his day-to-day role at Microsoft to concentrate on the philanthropic exploits of his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is praised by Forbes for his work in coaxing 40 of the world's richest people to pledge the majority of their wealth to charities and good causes.
Gates is ranked seven places higher than Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, who is recognised by Forbes for his "insane" creativity and ability to "transform multi-billion dollar industry every few years" with his latest must-have devices, such as the iPhone and iPad.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google, appear jointly at number 22 in the list, while, despite the burgeoning popularity of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, the social network's founder, is ranked 18 places lower, at 40 on the Forbes Powerful People List for 2010.
Robin Li, the chief executive of Chinese search engine Baidu, is a notable entry at number 46, while Amazon's Jeff Bezos appears at number 66.
And the growing influence of news site WikiLeaks is marked by the inclusion of Julian Assange, the site's controversial editor-in-chief and "genius provocateur", at number 68 on the list.
"Governments and corporations with dirty laundry should be afraid, very afraid," notes Forbes.


text: Jack Putter feels funny today nothing new to this 25-hour-a-day hypochondriac. What's new is that Jack hears something. I'm possessed! he cries. And you're about to be possessed - by laughter.Gremlins executive producer Steven Spielberg and director Joe Dante again rev their imaginations into overdrive for this comic adventure that won a 1987 Best Visual Effects Academy Award. The voice Jack (Martin Short) hears is that a hotshot Navy pilot Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) Subject of a secret miniaturization project gone awry and accidentally injected into Jack. And before Frazzled Jack can say I've got you under my skin his unlikely partner propels him into the craziest escapade of his life.


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- Details
This heather black sweatshirt features a collegiate design printed on the front. Made of a cotton blend.
Please visit our FAQs page to see if your question has already been answered.
There is a link to our contact us form at the bottom if you still need your question answered.


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Another secret to the success of Great Lengths hair extensions are the ground breaking methods of attachment. The so-called bonds provide the connection between natural hair and hair extensions, and consist of a polymer quite similar to human hair keratin.
Positive effect: The bonds "move" with the hair. When they get wet (shampooing or swimming), bonds as well as natural hair and hair extensions expand. If hair dries the bonds contract again. This ensures an absolutely secure hold without damaging the texture of the natural hair at the bond.
In addition to these high-quality bonds, Great Lengths has since also been revolutionizing the systems used to apply strands to the natural hair. The MULTISONIC, the latest device for applying the extensions, allows for combining the benefits of single- and multi-strand attachment: So extensions can either be added to the client's hair individually or in sections.
The ultrasonic technology further allows for even flatter, virtually invisible yet secure bonds – no comparison to conventional adhesive techniques.


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Ted Joyner is one half of the band Generationals. Their latest record 'Alix' came out last Fall on Polyvinyl Records.
What was the food highlight of your year?
My friend invited me to a real boucherie that was put on by a group called Runaway Dish out of Lafeyette. I got there a little later in the afternoon-- I think they had gotten started at dawn. So by the time I got there the pig had been fully taken apart and turned into numerous things: boudin, etc. The ritual obviously dates back to days when refrigerating parts of the animal for later use just wasn't an option. So its an interesting way to see how every part of the pig was put to some use as soon as they kill it. I got to have some blood boudin and some incredible hogs head cheese.
What was the music highlight of your year?
Just the other night I saw Vockah Redu at a small club called Siberia here in New Orleans. I'd recommend seeing him live if you can.
Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?
Our drummer Eric Rogers and I invented a sandwich. Really, he did all the work. I just ate it.


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S: August 28th 2009
FC: Timothy & Jamie
2: "Believe in happily ever after, and it will come true"
3: 8.28.09
4: I'm so happy I can finally call this man my husband.
5: The happiest day of our life... | 8.28.09
7: "This day I will marry my friend, the one I laugh with, live for, dream with, love."
10: "Man & wife, being two, are one in love." -William Shakespeare
12: live laugh love.
15: J | & | T | I love you not only for what you are, but for who I am when I am with you.
18: 8.28.09
19: Our wedding day has finally come...